not Well then seeing that the bread and wine in the Sacrament are changed wee must examine their discourse to find who doth swarue from the Catholike faith There are foure things in a true bodie First the matter Secondly the accidents and essentiall properties Thirdly the forme which the Philosophers hold to giue life or being to a thing Fourthly the hidden properties which depend vpon the forme As touching the accidents and essentiall properties of the body of the Lord all doe confesse that they are not in the Sacrament but rather the accidents and properties of the bread As concerning the matter of the said body the Latins doe beleeue that it is inuisibly contained vnder the accidents of bread and that the matter of the bread becomes nothing but the beleefe of the Churches of the East and South seemeth to be quite contrary to that First the Patriarch Ieremie absolutely saith that the flesh of our Sauiour which he carried was not giuen to his Apostles to eate From whence it followeth that they did eate some other matter which neuerthelesse was also the body of Christ Moreouer hee expoundeth it saying that it is as Iron or Wood burnt which is called fire because that the fire surmounteth or ouercommeth and the mater of the Iron is not reduced to nothing As concerning the third he saith in like manner that those that doe communicate the Sacrament are chaunged into the body of Christ and that the Church is the true body of Christ Neuerthelesse euery one confesseth that the matter of humane bodies is not reduced or brought to nothing Likewise one may see that the Church is called the true body of Christ or else if the bread be called the true body of Christ this word True is put as opposite euen as the same Author doth expound it to the bare similitude figure or proportion and not as referred to the identitie of the matter The Churches of the South say the very same they do pray in their Liturgie or seruice that God would chaunge the bread and wine of the Sacrament as he changed the water into wine in Cana for the matter of the water was not reduced to nothing to giue place to other wine created a new but the water lost his forme and that matter which was before water receiued the internall forme and all the qualities and properties of wine These considerations and many others the which would bee too tedious to recite doe make some Latin writers and amongst the rest Durandus to beleeue that the bread looseth his forme and not his matter no more then the accidents and properties thereof It is also to be noted what the foresaid Ieremie saith against consubstantiation that there is not two things in the holy Sacrament to wit the bread and the body of Christ but one onely to wit the body of Christ giuing to note thereby that that matter which remaineth is no more the matter of bread but the matter of the body of Christ as in the miracle of Cana that matter which was then the matter of water whē it had the forme of water was the matter of wine when it had the form of wine And which is more there was no chaunge wherin the matter continued not the same And if one well waigh the sayings of the Fathers who beleeued some miracle to be in the Sacrament hee shall find that they doe accord heerein also they say that the substance of our flesh is augmented by the Eucharist and that there be two sorts of the flesh of Christ We must then obserue how they conceiue that the bread is chaunged into the body of Christ It seemes that they would onely haue it a matter be it that it loosed his forme as Durandus saith or loosed it not which should receiue the forme of the body of Christ and the hidden properties which doe proceede from that forme and that that forme being ioyned to the matter it is no more bread neither the matter of bread but it is the bodie of Christ and the matter of the body of Christ for as the Philosophers say forma dat esse rei Some wil say it is a dangerous curiositie to sound these mysteries but I aunswere that of two inconueniences the lesser is to be chosen and that it is a most dangerous carelesnesse to leaue the Church in diuision and to cause Christians to be wounded and slaine for want of teaching that the difference is not so great as it is imagined Moreouer the learned men of the Church of Rome haue a thousand times more curiously searched this point and haue left themselues nothing to say in such sort that that will suffice to make vp a peace which they haue searched out by debate amongst themselues This then may likely bee gathered out of the Liturgie of Christian people that the bread taketh the forme of the body of the Lord which for the matter and accidents thereof is but onely in heauen or that it receiueth the hidden properties of the forme of the body of Christ although that this forme be not without his matter These faculties and properties serue as the said Ieremie noteth to sanctifie a man and to make him capable of euerlasting life If it be demaunded what this forme is The Prince of Philosophers answereth that mans vnderstanding is as fitly disposed for the knowledge of naturall things as the eyes of an Owle to behold the brightnesse of the sunne And that learned Fernelius beginneth his booke of Physicke thus When the Spirit is free and vnbound seeing the naked and cleere substances of things it enioyeth a most perfect and cleere knowledge but whilest it is wrapped within the body it remaines in extreame ignorance The Philosophers and Phisitians seeing in nature sundry admirable effects haue iudged that they could not proceede from the matter which is one in all things but haue beene constrained to confesse that the forme or essence was the beginning and foundation of those effects But if they acknowledged mans vnderstanding vnfit to iudge of those formes much lesse can Diuines determine this effect which they confesse to proceede of the body of Iesus Christ Also that which we doe attribute to the Christians of the East and South touching the forme of the body of the Lord comming vpon the matter of the bread we cannot determine that their beleefe is such for they resolue vpon nothing saying That a thousand heads are not able to expresse it which is nothing else but to signifie that the Sacrament may bee sayd to bee the true bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ although it be graunted that the matter of the bodie of Christ is onely in heauen For it sufficeth for a change euen in things praeexistent that there be an identitie of form or else of qualities and hidden vertues As for the Protestants though they hold not the beleefe of the same people yet they haue not written against them but much against the Latins who doe constitute accidents without a subiect one matter in many places a body without his essentiall properties one God and man liuing in the host or bread who heareth not seeth not
feeleth not nor tasteth not which is say the Protestants an opinion contrary to the holy Scripture and neuer entred into the imaginations or hearts of the auncient Fathers or of the Diuines of the East and South Churches who neuer yeelded or gaue place to the Latins either in quickenesse of spirit or in curiositie and who haue had no want of heretickes to giue them occasion to exercise themselues in these difficulties whereinto some one amongst so many learned men as they haue had in so many ages and such as haue written so many volumes must haue necessarily fallen if that they beleeued that the body of the Lord is materially in the host or bread Now wee must see how farre the beleefe of the Protestants differs from those of the East and other people which to performe we must enter into the consideration of secret or hidden faculties and proprieties There are two sorts of opinions touching supernaturall operations some thinke that God worketh immediatly in the place where the thing is from whence it seemeth that the effect proceedeth euen as when the water of the poole of Siloe being mooued or stirred by the Angell did seeme to heale they say that God healed of himselfe and by himselfe euen then after the touching of the water Others doe beleeue that this supernaturall facultie is giuen to the things themselues so that the sayd water receiues of God such a vertue as some medicines or salues haue in some diseases For it is as easie for God to giue those properties to a forme as it was for him to giue them to those that haue them euer since the creation of the world Neuerthelesse this is not thus done by the diuels who cannot create essences or beings neither indue them with admirable faculties so that the diuels doe worke the like by illusions Behold here then the difference The foresaid Christians doe beleeue that the matter of bread receiueth the forme of the body of the Lord or that the forme of bread obtaineth the hidden properties thereof or that there is some spirituall thing which hath the place of forme in that matter and that thereupon dependeth the Mysticall vnion whereof S. Paul speaketh But the Protestants whom some call Caluinists doe hold that the body of the Lord is onely in heauen together with his quickning forme and vertue and that a substance proceedeth from him and is applyed to the soules of men by the vertue of the holy Ghost and that immediately which certainly is a very slender disputation and of small estimation in comparison of the report which is made of it considering that all doe confesse that the bread is really the communion of the body of Christ as S. Paul saith Also these words This is my body being referred to the whole should be spoken without figure but referred to that which one seeth that is to say to the accidents and to the matter through the accidents they are figuratiue This consideration hath caused that those who are called Caluinists and Lutherans and some Grecians in Poland haue treated of some means of agreement imagining that the difference is not in re but in modo rei This vnion hath beene hitherto hindered by two opinions which fall into extremities Brentius Smidlin and others for the better prouing of the reall yea materiall presence haue had recourse to vbiquitie And on the other side as Iurguieius findeth fault there are some who speake in such sort of the receiuing of the Sacrament that they haue destroyed by their contrary tearmes that which they thought to haue built vp saying that the faithfull vnder the old Testament receiued Iesus Christ as they receiue him now a daies from whence it should follow that if there be any mysticall vnion made it should bee wrought onely by the Diuinitie as in times past and not by the humanity whereof the holy Scripture alwaies beareth witnes that it hath life in it selfe and that it quickeneth Others say also that a man doth participate of the body of the Lord without the Sacrament in the same manner as with the Sacrament So that one receiueth but the signe at the most These men seeme not to speake properly for one is not said to receiue that which he hath ordinarily See heere the diuers termes that are vsed But the truth is that Vbiquitie is reiected in the body by the Lutherans and the reall communicating with the substance of the body of Christ is confessed by the others in the body as it was resolued in the Synods at Rochell in Fraunce and at Torun in Poland We will bring in here two similitudes by the which amongst others Protestants doe cause their meaning to be vnderstood and doe shewe that the communion which they beleeue is reall and neuerthelesse hath no absurdity in it The body of the Sunne saith Caluin is onely in heauen notwithstanding the light thereof is here vpon earth Therefore many doe hold that light is a substance otherwise it should not be found out of his proper subiect Moreouer the Philosopher saith that Sol homo generant hominem Wherefore then should not the Sunne of righteousnesse haue power to regenerate a man though his body be not on earth The Adamant stone saith Beza draweth Iron communicating it selfe with the Iron through an admirable vertue without mingling his matter therewith In like manner the body of the Lorde vniteth it selfe with a mans soule though the matter of his body be no where else but in heauen Hereupon that is to be noted which Gilbertus a learned Physition obserued that is to say that the forme of the Adamant is carried out of the limits of his owne matter and is found in the Load-stones subiect and not in the ayre betweene both It may be said likewise that the body of the Lord doth communicate it selfe from heauen without extension multiplication or any mixture of matter If a man hold himselfe firmely to these similitudes he shall neuer set his imagination or thoughts vpon the place of Realitie for these effects of nature are reall and true To conclude a man may see by that which hath beene spoken that the Churches of the East and those of the South doe not approue this last opinion neither that of the Lutherans withall as it seemeth they hold not that of the Latines touching the reall eating of the matter of the body of the Lord neyther the absurdities that followe thereupon for they doe openly denie that the Apostles did eate the flesh that our Sauiour Iesus Christ did carry about him This then is their saying or opinion That the body of the Lord as touching the matter and accidents is onely in heauen yet notwithstanding the bread and wine in the Sacrament are changed into the body and blood of the Lord in such
CATHOLIQVE TRADITIONS OR A TREATISE OF THE BELIEFE OF THE CHRISTIANS OF ASIA EVROPA AND AFRICA in the Principall Controuersies of our TIME IN FAVOVR OF THE LOVERS Of the CATHOLICKE Trueth and the Peace of the CHVRCH Written in French by Th. A. I. C. And Translated into English by L. O. LONDON Printed by W. STANSBY for HENRY FETHERSTONE and are to be sold at his Shoppe in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Rose 1609. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE HENRY Prince of Great BRITAINE MY GRACIOVS LORD GReat Attempts become great Princes And is there a greater or a more worthy enterprise more holy in it selfe and more comfortable to the world then the re-establishing of peace in the Church and the refreshing of Christendome through the reconcilement of the differences which ignorance auarice and ambition haue hatched and which passion and stomacke doe as yet maintaine And is there any Prince more worthy for the sincerity of his life more capable for his solide iudgement and rare knowledge in all good sciences especially in those that belong to God and godlinesse then that great King your father the nurs-father of learning Who I say more fit for this great businesse then Hee as well for his eminent dignitie power credite and authority amongst the Christian Princes of the West as also for the experience which he hath in the managing of the like affaires hauing already well nigh pacified those diuisions which the ouermuch scruple of some and the too too much libertie of others had brought into the Church of England vnto the which conformity he hath also most happily reduced the Church of Scotland to be conioyned and re-vnited both in discipline and ceremonies that he may attainne to that marke which he aimes at that is a holy and strict vnion as well in the religion as in the state of all the people and Countries vnder his obedience Who I say can with more hope of good successe vndertake so excellent a peece of worke then he whom the heauens haue so richly endowed with such rare qualities as I haue sayed and other perfections truely heroique and admirable And you my renowned Lord after him and with him for to second him in such a goodly and honourable enterprise seeing that already by reason of the generosity of your spirit the happy education of your youth the imitation of so rare an example and that at home and of your owne Father and aboue all the rest by reason of the bountie and courage of your nature you are the second hope of great Britane and make men expect great and mighty desseignes at your hands and such shal be profitable to all Christendome and if it please God to be one day a principall instrument to tame these damnable Monsters of wicked factions and pernitious sects which haue almost made a spoile of the body of Christ his Church yet not so much doubtlesse through the diuersity of beleefes in the matter of faith which is the soule and essence of religion for the which we are greatly to praise God As for the differences of Ecclesiasticall rytes and ceremonies whereof your highnesse shall see here a patterne or plat-forme established only to shew to the world that in the three other Clymates yea euen among the blind Pagans and impious Mahometists the name of the Sonne of God is knowne and called vpon if not with so much puritie yet surely with more pietie although that their doctrine is not so subtilly expounded then amongst vs and shall be more and more God willing toward the end of the world according to the Propheticall and Euangelicall promises and in the issue to conuince and confound those which doe empale and enclose the Church of Iesus Christ within the circuite of their walles or within the limits of one Prouince or else within the regions of those people who hold one selfe same opinion and are obedient to one chiefe or head aboue all other Iesus Christ is the grand Soueraigne and vniuersal Patriarch of al his Church and the holy Ghost saith that it neither hath nor shall haue any other bounds or limits then the whole compasse of the round world and which is more that it shall haue his presence and assistance for euer although for the ingratitude of men not at all times nor in all places with like glorie and efficacie The Sunne neuer ceaseth to shine vpon the earth but not euery day and in euery place with the like brightnesse This enterprise of Reconciliation my gratious Lord hath been attempted not once or twice but often in ages past as well by calling of Councells as by publicke conferences as for example that with the Donatists through the mediation of Saint Augustine at Carthage where the end was happie enough and might in some sort serue for a paterne in the differences of this age as also the conference at Ratisbon vnder the authority of the Emperour Charles the fift for Germanie and for Fraunce that at Poisi in the raigne of Charles the ninth And besides these publicke meetings and conferences there haue beene found learned iudicious and moderate men not a a few from time to time who bearing a great zeale to the peace of the Church haue opened and shewed certaine meanes and wayes euery one according to his knowledge and conscience But these discoueries of the trueth haue found no place in the hearts of them that were lead with passion but will by all possibilitie bring foorth better fruit hereafter in their due season that is to say When as God being first ouercomeby our Repentance Cries and Prayers shall cause that lamentable Schisme to cease being one of the greatest Plagues that euer happned or could happen among Christians Your Highnesse shal see by marking that which I haue here compiled out of them and their writings how the difficultie of reconciliation for a great part of our controuersies whether it be with the East or South Churches or between our selues of the Westerne Churches lies not so much in the things themselues which fall in question as in the peruerse opinion of the disputants and that those things wherein we agree are a thousand times of more importance to the glorie of God and our saluation then those things wherein we varie and disagree and shall haue farre more reason to loue vs for those things wherein we agree then for to hate and persecute vs cruelly for those things which remaine as yet to be auoided from among vs yea seeing the greater part of our disputations happen for want of vnderstanding the state of the controuersies in question or els by reason of our termes and fashion of speaking but farre more for want of conceiuing the true sense of the holy Scripture which also some great men of our time haue shewed manifestly in certain points of doctrine which were iudged irreconcileable wherein was manifested Gods iustice against our sinnes of presumption curiosity vaine-glory enuie auarice and ambition I say the
causes the custome of confessing secret sinnes and may pronounce remission without any confessing as they of the East Churches doe to this day by their Synchoreses as we will relate in his due place We will then make this Catholike conclusion that The Pope cannot by his Indulgences deliuer aniy from those temporall punishments which God inflicts neither ought he to dispence with the doing of al those workes of repentance that are possible QVESTION XVIII Whether the soule of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ descended into hell and whether it vscended into heauen the very sameday of his passion THE EAST CHVRCH RItual of the Syrians The side of the Lord was pearced thorough with a Launce and thence issued water and blood a sacrifice for all the world his body was buried and his soule came backe from hell and was vnited to his bodie Moyses the sonne of Cephas Bishop of Beth-raman Iohn hath written of corporall Paradise in the prayer whose Title is Wherefore this tree is called the tree of knowledge of good and euill and would teach as much as our Sauiour Iesus Christ said Thou shalt be this day with me in Paradise for there he proueth by many arguments that Paradise was corporall The Liturgie of Saint Basil Thou hast appeared in the last dayes vnto vs which sate in darkenesse and that by thy onely Sonne which gaue himselfe to death for our saluation and by reason of our sinnes descended into hell by his Crosse and Passion THE SOVTH CHVRCH DAmianus a Goes The Aethiopians beleeue that Christ descended afterward into hell and hauing rased and broken the gates thereof he came backe into life the third day with great triumph ouer his enemies and ouer death and that after that hee returned into heauen from whence he came and that by his admirable ascention THE LATIN CHVRCH CArdinall Bellarmine DVRAND affirmeth that the soule of Christ descended into hell not according to his substance but by some effects that is to say as it did illuminate and beatifie the holy Fathers which were in Lymbo Caluin hath taught some such like thing touching the descent of Christ vnto the soules of the holy Fathers by his efficacie or vertue and not by his essence Idem It contradicteth the holy Scripture and the Fathers to say that Christ returned from hell the first day THE REFORMED CHVRCH LAsicius Polonus It is the beleefe of the Bohemians that Iesus Christ descended into hell in his soule seperated from his body to triumph ouer Satan The Sybilles doe deriue this word Ades which signifieth hell of the word Adam by reason that Adam descended This place seemes to be els-where then in heauen Vrsinus We must beleeue that which is certaine to wit that Christ descended into hell in that fashion as we haue sayd in suffering in his soule but if any one can defend that he descended in any other fashion it is well but as for me I cannot beleeue it ANNOTATION THe auncient Catholike Church beleeued that the soules of the Fathers in the old Testament went to a place called in Hebrew Scheol in Greeke Ades in English Hell And all Christians for the most part doe beleeue that the Apostles haue taught so likewise seeing that there is not any one particular man knowen that should be the author of this opinion And although that this Article was not in the beginning in the Creede of the Apostles as it is not in the Creed of Nice neuerthelesse hauing beene receiued without contradiction the same doth argue that the beleefe was such before time And which is more the Scripture of the old Testament makes no mention in any place that the soules should ascend into heauen but very often it maketh mention of Scheol or Hell and to descend I will descend into Scheol with sorrow for my sonne sayd that good man Iacob and to descend signifieth to go to some lowe place It is true that the word Scheol signifieth sometimes a graue but the Catholike Church takes it here for Hell for the Greeke translator approued by the Apostles taketh it so as also Saint Luke in this sentence of the Psalmes cited by S. Peter Thou wilt not leaue my soule in Hell For to vnderstand well this question you must note first that it doth not appertaine to saluation to know whether the soules of the Fathers were aboue or belowe prouided alwayes that one doe not call the holy Scripture into doubt which it is not done by and by although a man doe not alwayes attaine to the true sense of it Secondly there are two places that the most learned diuines yea the antient and now a dayes the Latins and the Protestants can hardly agree off So that in so doing some proceede in one fashion others in another The Creede saith that our Lord descended into hell and our Lord said This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Some men will aske how ascended he into Paradise seeing he descended into hell The greater voice of the Romane Catholikes and of the Protestants is that Hell was Paradise when our Sauiour was there but there are many learned men of the Catholike Romans as Durand and the learned Picus which thinking it absurd to say that Paradise was in Hell haue thought fit otherwise to agree vpon it And haue written that the soule of the Lord went really vnto the true Paradice and descended not into Hell but by efficacie or vertue On the other side amongst the Protestants Caluin and Beozo haue thought more to the purpose to referre this word Hell to the torments that our Sauiour suffered to the end that that which the Scripture saith that our Sauiour went to Paradise should be beleeued without running to any false or forged Exposition Also there are learned men amongst the Latines and the Protestants which doe decline from the common opinion herein because that it seemeth very absurd vnto them Neuerthelesse because that none of the three is receiued without contradiction it sheweth that there is difficultie in them all For to say that the Lord descended not into Hell but by his efficacie or vertue is to wrest that place of Scripture Thou wilt not leaue my soule in Hell To say that Hell whereof mention is made in the Creede is the torments which the Lord suffered vpon the Crosse is an Exposition altogether vnknowen to the Ancients and against the intention and meaning of those which added that clause to the Creede and those Protestants themselues for whom this serueth are ready to receiue one more proper as is to bee seene in that sentence before alleadged of Vrsinus As for the rest one may giue many Expositions and all Orthodoxall of one selfe same place of Scripture when one is not assured of the intent and meaning of the Authour so is it likewise in the Creede But about these difficulties the Apostolicke Churches in the East doe furnish vs with a fourth
Exposition and that most ancient of all They hold with S. Chrysostome a very true Catholicke teacher that the soules of the Fathers were in Ades the Latines call that place Infernum Lymbus but improperly and that our Sauiour descended thither And that he was the very same day in Paradise and that Paradise is no other place but the same which the thiefe conceiued and meant for if our Sauiour had spoken of one place and the Thiefe had conceiued and meant another his vnderstanding had beene deceaued Now the Thiefe meant no other Paradise but that earthly Paradise for hee could not know what Paradise it was but by the Scripture of the old Testament which speaketh not of any other Paradise It followeth then that our Sauior was that same day in that Paradise and his soule was not left in hell It is there also whether the Fathers were conducted wherof some rose with the Lord and were seene in Ierusalem It is in this Paradise say they that Henoch and Elias were placed in their bodies and peraduenture Moses who appeared at the transfiguration of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and all the Fathers were rapt vp into heauen some in their bodies when our Sauiour ascended the other onely in soule when he rose from the dead as the same Saint Chrysostome saith And this opinion is not onely held by the Apostolicke Churches of the East as we haue vnderstood by themselues But it is very true by all likelihoode that the Christians of Africke doe consent thereunto for they are Cophites and of the same faith and Religion as the Cophites Syrians and Assyrians are for in all the Churches the sayd booke of Moyses Bar-cepha touching the Paradise before alleaged and the Author which he alledgeth who doe confirme the same exposition are very much approued Now this shall bee for the Catholike Reader to follow and approue that is to say either of the foresaid three opinions or else that of the Churches of the East and South which is That the soules of the Fathers were in hell called in Hebrew Scheol and in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that the soule of our Sauiour Iesus Christ descended thither yet was not left there but the same day ascended into heauen QVESTION XIX Whether all Infants I meane those of the Elect aying without Baptisme are damned and whether it be permitted to the Lay people to baptise THE EAST CHVRCH IEremie In Baptisme the matter is the water The forme the words of the Priest to wit these This seruant of God is baptized in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost The instrumentall cause is the Priest although we doe not condemne altogether that which is done by one that is no Priest in time of necessity Iohannes Faber In Russia no man is thought sufficient to exercise the office of Baptizing if he be not a Priest what necessity soeuer doe happen Theuet The Moscouites baptize not at all but within their Churches vnlesse it be because they are verie farre from any Church THE SOVTH CHVRCH ALuares of the Ethiopians They minister Baptisme to their male children when they are fortie dayes olde and to the female when they are threescore dayes olde the infants not arriuing to that age die without Baptisme The which thing being come to my knowledge I could not detaine my selfe from publishing in many places the great fault and error which was committed against the Gospel where it is written That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit Whereunto they answered me that for that matter the faith of the mother sufficed together with the communion which shee receiued being with childe They baptize not in Fonts as wee doe but in the Porch of the Church with a potte full of water and that the fortieth day Theuet The King of Maitachasi receiued the Gospell at the perswasion of King Cephalian which was a Christian and established in his Churches eight Bishoppes a notable company of Priests and other Ministers there was also established an Alcaide or Ismiel that is to say in their language a Priest aboue all the other Priests which within sixe daies preached a thousand heresies Amongst the rest that if a woman be deliuered and the child die it was depriued of eternal be atitude and on the contrary side it was decreede by a Synod holden at Quiticoi that if a woman being ready to be deliuered came to receiue the Sacrament after their vsage law and faith and that afterwards her childe should be borne dead by this Sacrament only the child was baptized and freede from punishment and damnation THE LATIN CHVRCH THe Councell of Trent Translation into the estate of grace cannot be without the water of regeneration or a firme purpose to be baptized The Canon Praeter If peraduenture there be no Catholicke to be found it is better and more religious to receiue Baptisme of an Hereticke then to perish eternally The Canon Mulier That women presume not to baptize if it be not in case of necessity The Canon Romanus The Romane Bishop taketh it not to be the man that baptizeth but the spirit of God although he that baptizeth be a Pagan THE REFORMED CHVRCH THe confession of the Swizers We doe teach that Baptisme ought not to be administred by women for S. Paul forbiddes them Ecclesiasticall offices The confession of Ausburg Touching baptisme the Church doth teach that it is necessary to saluation as being a ceremony instituted by Iesus Christ The answere of the Diuines of Wirtenberg to the Grecians We doe reioyce that there are many points of agreement between vs and your holinesse and amongst other things that you hold that it must not be permitted to any to presume to take vpon him the office of Teaching in the Church and to administer the Sacraments which notwithstanding in case of necessity the Laickes may baptize ANNOTATION THe Protestants in France doe hold that the Infants of the faithfull dying without baptisme are neuerthelesse saued This word Faithfull seemes to be restrained to the Elect for there are wicked Christians against whom God denounceth that he will punish the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children Moreouer it may happen that the parents may be Gods Elect and neuerthelesse as all men are subiect to erre they may be negligent to procure Baptisme for their Infants Now it may be doubted whether this fault be any preiudice to the Infants These considerations perhaps haue moued Christian people to encline to this beleefe that the Church ought to hasten Baptisme because they know not who be the children of the Elect and that one cannot erre in prouiding for the saluation of these Infants by baptizing them by reason that in Baptisme a token or signe ordained by the Lord the inuocation of the holy Trinity is vsed and the pardon of originall
punished by the Magistrate or dishonoured for euer But to shew how the Churches of the East doe proceed in pronouncing absolution without any confession made we are aduertised that the Popes that is to say the Priests doe it in particular But because that in that Church of the East there is a Patriarch which gouerneth it seemes vnto them hauing regard vnto all the Churches to whom the keyes were giuen that if hee declareth that absolution it is more authenticke and giueth more consolation to the conscience to content the curious reader we will insert here the forme or manner of a Synchorisme translated out of Greeke Theophanes by Gods mercy Archbishop of Constantinople new Rome and Oecumenique Patriarch Our mediocrity by the grace gift and power of the holy and liuing spirit which our Sauiour Iesus Christ hath giuen to his Diuine Disciples and the holy Apostles for to bind and loose the sinnes of men saying receiue the holy Ghost to whom you remit sinnes they shall be remitted and whose sinnes you shall retaine they shall be retained and those that you bind on earth shall be bound in heauen likewise and those you loose in earth shall be loosed in heauen Wee hauing by a successiue descent receiued from them this Diuine grace doe absolue N. aspirituall sonne of the same in all things wherein he hath erred or sinned as a man and offended God in word deede or thought and in all his senses if he be vnder the cursse of the Bishop or Priest or of his father or mother or if he bee fallen into any of his owne sinnes hauing sworne by an oath and not performed it or if hee hath transgressed as a man in other sinnes and hath confessed them to his spirituall fathers and hath receiued of them the Canon exactly of all those things and others whereby he is bound wee doe vnbind and loose him by the power and grace of the most adored and holy Spirit and also of all things which he hath left vnconfessed whether they be by forgetfulnes or Shame All which be pardoned him of the most mercifull God which is blessed eternally Amen The Latines otherwise called the Romane Catholikes say that our Sauiour comaunded euery one to confesse particularly euery sinne and all the circumstances thereof to imploy all possible diligence to remember them and that hee that confesseth not all those memorable sinnes cannot be saued If their opinion be true the Apostolicke Churches of the East South North and the Reformed or Protestants in the West are damned and the gates of hell shall preuaile against the Catholicke Church He that list let him beleeue them so many there be that doe hold with one consent That our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ hath not comaunded any particular confession by numbring our sinnes but that it is an ordinance of the Church which neuerthelesse constraineth no man to confesse those sinnes which he is ashamed to declare QVESTION XXII Whether the Bread and Wine in the holy Sacrament are changed into the body and blood of the Lord. THE EAST CHVRCHES THe answere of the Patriarch Ieremie The tenth Chapter doth treat of the Lords Supper yet not amply but if we may so say obscurely For amongst you men vnderstand many things touching the same the which agree in no wise with vs. The Catholike Church therefore beleeueth that the bread after the sanctification is changed into the body of Christ and the wine into his blood by the holy Ghost prouided that the bread bee leauened not without leauen For the Lord in that night in which he was betraied hauing taken bread and giuen thankes broke it and sayd Take eate this is sayd he not bread without leauen or the figure of my body but my body and my blood Neuerthelesse at that time the flesh of the Lord which he carried about him was not giuen to the Apostles to eate nor his blood to drinke nor now in the diuine celebration of those mysteries as if the body of the Lord descended from heauen for it were a blasphemie to say so but both then and now by the inuocation and grace of the Almighty Spirit the beginner or Author of this mysterie the bread is conuerted and changed into the body of the Lord and the wine into his blood And in another place he sayth thus And from thence it commeth that the Masse or Lumpe of bread is broken in peeces it is not offered entyer or whole which figureth the passion of our Sauiour And at the time that this bread is offered it is Common Bread offered onely to God but afterwards it is made extraordinary bread and is chaunged in deede but if wee would by reasons causes and effectes debate and resolue thereof we should neede a thousand tongues and yet they would not bee sufficient But our Sauiour hath commaunded to doe this in remembrance of him And a little after he saith that the Church is signified in mysteries and not as in Symboles but as the members depend on the heart and as the boughes on the roote of the plant and as the Lord said in that fashion that the branch is in the stocke of the vine For here is not only a Communion of name or a similitude of Analogie but the identitie of the things themselues For the body and blood of the Lord are true mysteries which are not changed into any humane bodie but we are changed into them for the better things haue euer the preheminence Euen as Iron being vnited with fire becommeth fire but the fire neuer becomes Iron And euen as whe the Iron is glowing hot wee see not the Iron but only the fire the properties of the Iron not being apparant euen so also if a man might see the Church of God as it is vnited to him and participates of his body hee should see nothing else but the onely body of our Sauiour by reason whereof Saint Paul writeth Yee are the body of Christ THE SOVTH CHVRCH LIturgia Ethiopica O our Lord Iesus Christ whose substance was not created but art the pure word thou art the Sonne of the Father thou art the bread of life descending from heauen who wouldest come in the figure of a Lambe without spot for the redemption of the world Now O thou louer of mankinde wee doe most humbly beseech thy bounty praying thee that thou wouldest shew the light of thy countenance vpon this bread and vpon this portable Altar blesse sanctifie purifie and translate this bread into thy spotlesse flesh and this wine into thy precious bloud and let it be made an ardent and an acceptable sacrifice and the saluation of our soules and bodies for thou art our King THE LATINE CHVRCH THe Councell of Trent Forasmuch as our Lord and redeemer Iesus Christ hath said that it was his true body which he offered vnder the forme of bread for this cause the Church of God hath alwaies had the same perswasion and this holy Councell doth
haue a custome to vse one fashion for the sick another for the Cōmunicants For the sicke it is kept all the yeare being consecrated the weeke before Easter Scarga Their Popes that is to say their Priests after dinner somtimes halfe drunk do eat with little or no reuerence the rest of the body of Christ which was not eaten by the faithfull Gagninus They keepe not holy the feast of the body of the Lord. THE SOVTH CHVRCH ZAga Ethiop The Sacrament of the Eucharist is not kept with vs in the Temples or Churches as they doe in Europe that is to say in the Roman Church The sicke receiue not the body of the Lord but at such time as they haue recouered their health This they do because the Priests and the Laickes doe vse to receiue twise euery weeke and all those that would receiue it goe to the Temple and it is not permitted neyther to the Patriarch himselfe nor to Prester-Iohn to doe otherwise THE REFORMED CHVRCH THe confession of Saxon. It is a manifest prophanation to carry about in procession a part of the Sacrament and to adore or worshippe it seeing that part is transferred to an vse quite contrary to the institution where the Text saith Take eate c. The Diuines of Wittenberg The Ministers of the Church are ordained amongst vs to baptise and celebrate the Lords supper both publikely in the Temples and particularly in the houses of those that are neare death THE ROMANE CHVRCH CLement We must principally employ our selues about the right vse of this liuely Sacrament of the body and blood of Iesus Christ which is the glory and crowne of all the Saints to the end that it may shine through a festiuall and speciall celebration to supplie thereby that which is omitted in the other Offices of the Masse ANNOTATION ALl Christian Nations doe agree together against the Romane Church that none ought to keepe the Sacrament to employ it to any other vse then that to which our Sauiour hath dedicated it to wit the Communion And therefore it ought not to be carried in Procession as Pope Clement hath of late time commaunded in the institution of the feast of God or Corpus Christi As for the reseruation which is made to be caried to the sicke it is not in vse in the Churches of Affrica but the Grecians and Latines doe approue it yea and the Protestants likewise as appeareth in the place before mentioned Thinkest thou saith Beza that none ought to celebrate the holy Supper of the Lord noe where else but onely in a publique assembly Answere In the beginning of the auncient Church it was the custome to send the Eucharist by the Deacons to the sicke being absent to whom I doubt not but that the same did bring great consolation I desire heartily that this custome were put in vse againe The Resolution of this question is That none ought to reserue or keepe the Sacrament but onely to carrie to the sicke QVESTION XXIX Whether the Sacrament ought to be eleuated or lifted vp by the Priest for to adore and worship it or for to Sacrifice through that externall ceremony THE EAST CHVRCH SAcranus The Russians as also some amongst the Grecians before that they prepare the Chalice doe light waxe Candles and shew to the people the bread that is to be consecrated with the wine and water powred in the Chalice and then the people fall downe bending their bodies to worshippe and to commit idolatry But being once set vpon the Altar and consecrated it is not worshipped of any neyther is it eleuated or lifted vp THE SOVTH CHVRCH ZAga In this Ministery the Sacrament is not shewed as I see they doe here in the Romane Church Aluares After that the Priest commeth speaking in his owne language after our fashion and the very same wordes but that he dooth not eleuate the Sacrament but couereth it THE REFORMED CHVRCH THe confession of Basil We adore not Iesus Christ in the signes of bread and wine which we commonly call Sacraments of the body and blood of the Lord But in heauen on the right hand of God the father from whence he shal come for to iudge the quicke and the dead THE LATIN CHVRCH THe Canon That euery Priest doe oftentimes teach his people to bow reuerently when in the celebration of the Masse the wholesome host is eleuated and that he doe the same when hee carrieth it to any sicke person ANNOTATION THere is no Catholicke saith Bellarmine that teacheth that the Sacramentall signes must be adored in themselues and properly with that worship which is called Latria but that they must be worshipped with a lesser honour which belongeth to all Sacraments But we say that Christ must be worshipped in himselfe and that adoration or worshippe dooth belong to the signes in regard that they are conceiued to be the same thing with Christ euen as they that adored Christ being cloathed vpon earth adored not him onely but also his habite for hee commaunded not himselfe to bee stript naked The Latines doe accuse the Protestants because that they worship not the Sacrament or Iesus Christ in the Sacrament but if a man consider the matter well he shall finde that they doe all that Bellarmine requireth Socolouius to shew that there is a great defect yea impiety in them layeth before them the example of all the Christians of the world who saith he doe worshippe or adore Iesus Christ in the Sacrament euery one Suo modo And if one can shew that the Protestants doe the same also Suo modo those that search out occasion to complaine shall they not haue reason to be content Bellarmine speaketh of the worshipping of the signes and of the worshipping of Iesus Christ signified In both these the Protestants doe vse such adoration as Bellarmine himselfe doth paint out Those that honoured our Sauiour being in his Clothes had not any intention or meaning to honour or adore his cloathes likewise following the example of Bellarmine be it that a man haue no intention to honour the Sacrament he is blamelesse If Bellarmine doe say that the Cloathes of the Lorde were worshipped per accidens I doe answere him that in like manner the Protestants doe honour the signes per accidens In Germany they receiue the Sacrament vpon their knees The constitutions of England do ordain the like In so doing they doe adore Iesus Christ before the Sacrament that is to say the Sacrament per accidens with a more humble ceremony then the Christians of the East doe who as Vilamont saith receiue it not vpon their knees The Churches of the South doe the like If the Frenchmen doe follow their example they adore it also eorum modo and Suo modo The Romane Catholikes themselues doe not kneele alwaies when they pray or adore as it is seene in the benediction of the table it sufficeth then in adoring to haue the head
againe declare it that through the consecration of bread and wine all the substance of the bread is conuerted into the substance of Christ our Lord and all the substance of the wine into the substance of his blood And this conuersion hath the Catholicke Church conueniently and properly called Transubstantiation THE REFORMED CHVRCH THe Confession of Wittenberg We beleeue that the Eucharist is a Sacrament instituted by Iesus Christ himselfe and the vse thereof was recommended to the Church vnto the end of the world But because that the substance thereof is one thing and the vse another we will speake in order of them both Touching the substance of the Eucharist we beleeue and teach that the true body and blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ is distributed in the Eucharist do reiect those that say that the bread and wine in the Eucharist are but signes of the body and blood of Christ being absent We doe also beleeue that the Almightie power of God is so great that hee may eyther bring to nothing the substance of the bread or change it into the body and blood of Christ but it cannot be proued by the manifest word of God that God exerciseth in the Eucharist any such absolute power and it appeareth that no such matter was knowne to the auncient Church But as when he speaketh of the Citie of Ierusalem portrayed vpon a bricke this same is Ierusalem it was not necessary that the bricke should be chaunged into the Citie of Ierusalem In like manner when he speaketh of the bread this is my body It is not necessary that the substance of the bread should be changed into the substance of the body of Christ But it sufficeth for the veritie of the Sacrament that the body of Christ be truely present with the bread yea rather the verity of the Sacrament requireth that the true bread remaine with the true presence of God For euen as for the truth of the Sacrament of Baptisme it is necessary that in the vse therof the water should be and remaine true water In like manner it is necessary in the Lords Supper that the bread in the vse therof be and remaine true bread because that if the substance of the bread were changed the veritie of the Sacrament remained not in his true nature The Confession of England We say that the bread and the wine are sacred and celestiall mysteries and that by them Iesus Christ the true bread of life eternall is offered vnto them that are present that doe receiue his body and blood through faith Neuerthelesse we say not that we beleeue that the nature of the bread and wine are wholly changed and reduced to nothing Liturgia Gall. Let vs lift vp our spirits and our hearts where Iesus Christ is in the glory of the father and from whence we looke for our redemption And let vs not dwell vpon these earthly and corruptible Elements which we see with our eyes and touch with our hands to seeke for it there as though it were inclosed in the bread or wine For then our soules shall be fit to be nourished and reuiued by his substance when they shall be eleuated aboue all terrestiall things to obtaine heauen and to enter into the kingdome of GOD where he dwelleth The Confession of the French men We do confesse that the holy Supper of the Lord is a testimony vnto vs of the vnitie which wee haue with Christ Iesus because that he is not onely dead and risen againe for vs but also nourisheth and feedeth vs truely with his flesh and blood to the end that we should be one with him and that his life should be our life And albeit that he be in heauen vntil such time that he shal come to iudge the world yet neuerthelesse we beleeue that through the secret and incomprehensible power of his spirite he nourisheth and quickeneth vs by the substance of his body and blood ANNOTATION ALl Christian nations do with one consent agree that the bread and wine of the holy Sacrament are conuerted into the body and bloud of the Lord. It is true which Alphon. de Castro saith that the Armenians haue heretofore otherwise beleeued but he sheweth not whether it was their auncient manner or whether any particular man brought it in amongst them As touching the Abyssins there is mention made oftentimes of transmutation in their Liturgie which they referre to the Apostles according to the subscription thereof But the Historiographers doe say that the said Abyssins were not Christians so long agoe as they make vs beleeue They report themselues to haue receiued the Christian faith by the Eunuch of Queene Candace and by Saint Matthew and Saint Philip But it is thought in these parts that in the fifteenth yeare of Iustinian Emperor of Constantinople Adad King of the Auxumites made a vowe to become a Christian if he got the victory against the King of the Omerites which hauing obtained he sent Embassadours to the Emperour Iustinian to haue Bishops sent to him which being come thither conuerted his people to the faith Both opinions may be true that is to say that Adad would haue receiued the faith and yet not after the forme of the other Ethiopians but rather after the East Church In like manner the French men receiued the faith vnder king Clouis the which faith notwithstanding was in Fraunce three hundred yeares before Likewise Great Britaine is said to haue receiued the Gospell by Ioseph of Arimathea Yet neuerthelesse the Romanes doe bragge that they conuerted the English men fiue hundred yeares after Howsoeuer it be the Liturgie of the Ethiopians came vnto them from the Sea of Alexandria as appeareth by the Greeke names which are inserted therein Aluares saith that they haue another so briefe that it was no sooner begun but it presently ended One might doubt whether this were not the auncientest If we had the bookes which the said Aluares saith that they haue in great number one might know whether they differ But howsoeuer it be it appeareth not that this beleefe of Transmutation was receiued in any place of the world as a new thing Now a daies it is a question whether the Fathers haue beleeued it or whether it be slipt in by little and little If the Latines and Greekes do alleadge proofes out of the Fathers the Protestants doe thinke them to be Hyperbolicall tearmes for to lift or moue mens soules to the worshipping of the Sacrament If the Protestants doe bring on the contrary side other proofes some will answere them that the Fathers did keepe close that beleefe for feare of giuing occasion to the Pagans to mocke them We will leaue these difficulties the Fathers are not in the worlde now to resolue vs But the Churches scattered through the vniuersall world are as yet to beare witnesse of the Tradition in this point as well as in others and to declare and explane their meaning to those that vnderstand it
his then approching passion In like manner he is offered in the Eucharist and that fashion of offering by signes is called Sacrifice Thirdly vnder the Law they offered sacrifices which figured the passion of the Lord and his onely Sacrifice but those were bare figures For the Fathers although that they knew that they should be saued by the Messias yet they knew not altogether or at least cleerely that the same should be accomplished by his sacrifice vpon the Crosse and passion of our Sauiour It is to be seene that the Apostles themselues euen after that they had beene instructed could not conceiue this in their hearts and soules So that the auncients in sacrifising intended not to offer the onely sacrifice of the Passion of Christ Fourthly there is a mentall sacrifice which is made euery time that one beseecheth God to receiue the sacrifice of Iesus Christ But because that there is no visible thing therein neither the Passion of Iesus Christ nor the representatiue ceremonie thereof therfore it is not properly called a sacrifice It seemes that this before may be agreed vpon as well by the Latins as by the Protestants but behold here the difference The Liturgies and amongst the rest that of the Romane Church doe not explicate this point cleerely but say indistinctly that God receiueth Iesus Christ so that one cannot know whether it must be vnderstood that God is intreated to re receiue or except the action presented by the Priest being considered in himselfe or whether one desireth that God would receiue the sacrifice of Iesus Christ represented by the action of the Priest Moreouer one cannot know whether he ought to vnderstand that God receiueth Iesus Christ considered in his Passion or considered as he is beleeued to be in the hands of the Priest For if a man pretend to offer him in this last fashion that will not be to present or represent the auncient and only sacrifice but to make another and of another qualitie although that it be the very same host And it is this very point that the Epistle to the Hebrews doth contradict saying That Iesus Christ offreth not himself again That is to say considered in the estate wherein he is at this present but yet he offereth himselfe as hee is considered in the sacrifice of his Passion alwayes presented before God That beforesaid which of other men might haue bene better explaned being well and truely distinguished may take away the offence risen thereupon But it is not in these dayes that these words of offering Iesus Christ haue troubled the Christian world Peucer writeth that in the time of the Emperour Manuel Comnenus this very same thing was debated in Greece euen as it is here with vs now a dayes In this time saith he was argued that question touching the oblation which is made in the Masse for the liuing and the dead Some men doe dispute of the Canon of the Greekes which speaketh more strictly then the Latins that is to say that in the Masse the Sonne of God offereth himselfe to his Father and is offered by the hands of the Priest and whosoeuer contradicted that fiction was deposed and banished Hereby a man may see that many haue beleeued that the meaning of the Liturgie is that Iesus Christ is offered being considered so as he is beleeued to be there which being taken in that sense cannot bee true And it is nothing to the purpose to say that because hee is offered therefore it is necessary that he should be there really and materially for Saint Irenaeus saith that Altare nostrum est in coelis Our Altar is in heauen and likewise the host Iesus Christ is also very neare to God and the same Christ considered in his onely sacrifice is in heauen as he was on the earth Say it bee true that all the foresaid Christians doe thinke as it hath bene said that the matter which was the matter of bread is the matter of the flesh of Iesus Christ in this fashion it may bee said to bee present in the Sacrament but that is not of the essence of that sacrifice so as the Church pretendeth When I name the Church I doe imagine that the Doctors and Teachers thereof if they haue not well explaned themselues will doe it better hereafter Thirdly there is no great difficultie in the demaund that is whether that sacrifice be expiatory and propitiatory If it be meant in that sense as prayers are called propitiatorie there is no danger The Publicane said Be mercifull O God vnto me a poore sinner This was done God was mercifull vnto him he receiued remission and forgiuenesse of his sinnes and obtained all this by his prayers a man obtaineth no lesse in the Sacrament Fourthly Some man may aske whether the Liturgie profiteth them that Communicate not The Africanes are altogether for the Protestants for they say no Masse neither for the liuing nor for the dead As for the Grecians they make no great matter for those that communicate not but admit that they say for them particularly or that they doe comprehend them in the publike Liturgie they distinguish and that very well saying that in the Liturgie there must be two things considered First the praiers and gifts which are presented that say they doth profite those which communicate not The Protestants confesse the same for they themselues in the prayers of the Liturgie doe pray for men well then to pray giue and offer in the Church to obtaine Gods grace for another is a deede which cannot be euill all which is graunted for those that are aliue and Communicate not for as concerning the dead the Grecians meane those that are in Paradise as hereafter shall bee declared therein they are not approued neither by the Romane Catholicks nor by the Protestants seeing neither the one nor the other pray for the Saints which are in Paradise Now remaineth the principall point yea all the Sacrament to wit the breaking and the receiuing thereof The Grecians doe secretly confesse that it was not instituted to the end that those which eat and drinke thereof should obtaine by that eating and drinking any benefit for those that did neither eate nor drinke thereof which is as much as to say that priuate Masses are abuses being considered as a sacrifice and Sacrament but yet that they profite those for whom they are said in consideration of the prayers and gifts Neuerthelesse lest all should seeme to be attributed vnto this holy Sacrament they say that the same doth verily profite but God knoweth how Their irresolution being ioyned with the practise of the Churches of Africa and of India doth giue vs good occasion to gather that the greatest part doe hold that such Liturgies profite those nothing which Communicate not whether liuing or dead vnlesse onely in consideration of the prayers which there are made Fiftly the question is to know whether the holy Sacrament and Sacrifice was instituted to obtaine the
to the Protestants but it is a curious question For they hold That the Saints which are in Heauen doe not enioy the vision or sight of God vntill the last day and that we ought to pray for them that is request that God would put them in a cleere place or that hee would keepe them if they are his owne or that he would raise them in the last day or that hee would pardon them at the day of the Resurrection QVESTION XL. Whether the Saints doe vnderstand or see by reason of the vision or sight of God or by any other meanes the Prayers and affaires of those that are vpon the earth and whether it be lawfull for them of this world to recommend themselues to their Prayers THE EAST CHVRCHES IEremie Patriarch Generall Inuocation agreeeth properly to God alone and appertaineth to him both chiefely and very peculiarly But that which is done to the Saints is not properly due to them but if it may be so said rather by accident and grace for neither Peter nor Paul vnderstand nor heare those that call vpon them but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit of Charitie that is in them according to that which was spoken by the Lord I will be with you vntill the consummation of the world THE SOVTH CHVRCH THe Liturgie of the Ethiopians Reioyce O Lady for we will pray for thy health O Virgin at all times mother of God and of Christ carrie vp our praiers on high vnto the eares of thy sonne to the end that our sinnes may be pardoned Reioyce O Lady for thou hast brought forth vnto vs the true light Iesus Christ Pray for vs vnto him to the end that he may haue pittie vpon our soules O thou good Minister S. Paul the healer of Diseases which hast receiued the Crown pray for vs that our soules may bee deliuered through the multitude of the mercies of Iesus Christ THE LATINE CHVRCH THe councell of Trent The holy Councell dooth commaund all Bishoppes and all others who haue charge to teach that they instruct the faithfull concerning the intercession and Inuocation of Saints teaching them that the Saints doe offer their prayers to God for men and that it is a thing both good and profitable to call vpon them humbly and to haue our refuge to their prayers THE REFORMED CHVRCH THe Apologie of the confession of Ausburg We doe confesse that the Angels doe pray for vs yea euen in particular as in in Zacharie cap. 1. The Angell praied thus O Lord of Hosts how long wilt thou be vnmercifull to Ierusalem Melancton If we must needes retaine some intercession by reason of the Custome receiued albeit that the same be dangerous neuerthelesse it would be determined whether it ought to be constituted in that forme which is in the auncient prayers of the Church where Inuocation is made to God and not to Saints and yet there is mention made of some intercession for it is certaine that the Saints in heauen doe pray for the Church in generall as godly men doe in this world The confession of VVittenberg The Angels doe pray to God for vs in some sort But for all the Prayers of the Saints which are in heauen we must not take occasion thereby to call vpon the Saints for in the holy Scripture there is neyther commandement nor example thereof And seeing that it is necessary that he that is called vpon should be a searcher of the hart the saints ought not to be called vpon ANNOTATION BEhold here two questions the one concerning faith or beleefe the other concerning the practise of the Church First A man may demaund Whether the Saints doe vnderstand our praiers The Romane Catholik Church doth answere that they vnderstand them in the vision or sight of God as in a glasse The beleefe of the East Church is contrary which saith that the Saints doe not vnderstand anie thing at all and indeede as it hath beene said in the precedent question they beleeue not that the Saints doe enioy perfect felicity in the vision of God But rather they hold with the Reformed Churches which doe abhorre this Inuocation of Saints especially because the Church of Rome doth attribute vnto them that which appertaineth to God and which God neuer communicated to any creature whatsoeuer to wit to haue an habituall knowledge of the thoughts of men for if any Prophet hath had by reuelation any knowledge the same was by an extraordinarie dispensation S. Augustine saith that if the Saints haue any care of the liuing it is euen as the liuing haue care of them to wit the one not hauing any particular knowledge of the estate of the other Secondly The other question is to know whether it be lawfull for a man to recommend himselfe to the praiers of the Saints Here they commit three Logomachies The first is in the word to Inuocate or Inuocation which sound so il in the eares of the Protestants that they therfore doe abhorre all other Christians Ieremie Bishoppe of Constantinople auoucheth that this word is improper It rests onely then to finde out a word more pleasing and fit Well then thus it must be to recommend a mans selfe to the praiers of Saints is to attribute vnto them some diuine matter but on the contrarie side it confesseth them to bee creatures subiect to the Creator nay it is to debase them when a man doth desire them to pray for him which is as much as to endeuour to stirre vp their piety and charity The second Logomachia is in the word Intercessor which they vse for want of another to signifie him that praieth for another Bellarmine himselfe confesseth that Iesus Christ is the onely Intercessor and therefore if the Saints are heard it is by reason of Iesus Christ the Intercessor as well for the liuing as for the dead In like maner the Saints dead and liuing are in the same ranke and the Saints departed are Intercessors vnto Iesus Christ himselfe for the liuing The third variance in words is in that the Grecians and the Latins doe pray thus Saint Peter helpe vs our Lady haue pittie vpon vs vs. Bellarmine saith that this is as if one should say Saint Peter helpe vs through thy prayers but the Protestants would that men should speake plainely and they are as farre from receiuing these tearmes as the Latines are little disposed to correct their Howers or the Grecians their Horologe for so they call their bookes of prayers It appeareth not that the Aethiopians vse this manner of speech yea Hondius in his Cosmographicall Cart or Map saith that they do in no wise call vpon the Saints Aluares neither saith not that they doe which he would hardly haue forgotten if it had bene so so that if they haue no other inuocation but that which is found in their Liturgie a man may thinke that these are rather Apostrophes and Prosopopaeaes to stirre them vp to deuotion then true
they vnderstand vs not Melancton thinketh that one might peraduenture vse the ancient maner that is to direct our Prayers to God in making mention of the Prayers which the Saints doe make So that all doe tend to the same end but doe differ in termes The third difference is of lesser importance It is certaine that in the time of the Apostles the widowes were receiued without any regard to their age If there had beene no abuse S. Paul would not haue made mention of Reformation If the Caloiers of the East and the Antonians or Estafarus of Aethiop are not good people it is for the Bishops of those Prouinces to prouide and see to it as also they ought not to thinke much that other Nations haue found out a lawfull remedie The fourth and last point is the Question so much disputed vpon now a dayes touching the changing of the Eucharist Here without doubt is a difference in mens beliefe But the Reformed Churches haue not debated against the Catholike Church and are not seperated from them of the East and the Africans for they were not in their vnion Moreouer those that denie it shewe themselues ready to communicate with them that beleeue Consubstantiation which not withstanding by their saying is almost as contrarie to the Articles of Faith as the Romane Transubstantiation Lesse occasion haue they to hold themselues seperated from the other Apostolicke Churches which as hath beene said beleeue not Iesus Christ to be any where else then in heauen touching his humanitie And their beliefe containeth not any thing that doeth contradict the Scriptures although they be not able to conclude the same necessarily out of the Scriptures The beliefe of these Churches is that by Prayers the Bread is changed into the body of the Lord as Christians are and that in both there is a change not onely in name but really Because that some supernaturall thing proceeding from the matter of the body of the Lord which is onely in heauen is infused into the matter of bread and from thence passeth into the soule of the Communicant and hath the place of forme both in the one and in the other and causeth that both the one and the other be called after a speciall fashion the body of Christ Because that they suffer a change through the obtaining of a new forme or else their forme suffereth a change through the obtaining of new faculties And that is the reason why aswell the said Churches as the Reformed doe confesse that as S. Paul writeth The bread is the Communion of the body of the Lord The difficultie therefore lieth in this point to wit whether the Bread hath positiuely in it selfe this forme or faculties to communicate them vnto the Soule by it selfe Or whether the soule receiueth them of the Bread because that the holy Ghost which is present in the Bread as in all things causeth that when one receiueth this bread he receiueth the body of Christ by meanes of this essence or faculties which proceede immediatly from the same body If there were as much Charitie in men as zeale they might find this aboue mentioned tollerable vntill an vniuersall and lawfull Councell In the meane time it is the part of the louers of truth and enemies of heresies to search and seek out the truth sufficiently contained in the holy Scriptures wherein if they find any obscuritie which they shall not in those things necessarie to saluation it is their part to haue recourse vnto the voice of the Churches to the which our Lord hath promised his assistance And if they be not of one accord then to suspend their iudgement or else with a holy libertie to trie all and to retaine that which they take to be good in euery one of them If you proceede thus Christian Reader you will no more say I am of Paul and I am of Cephas but rather you shall bee true Catholickes and Orthodox Christians and in no maner Idolaters or Heretickes Grecians nor Romanes Papists nor Huguenots Lutheranes nor Caluinists Protestants nor Puritanes and make them lyers that seeke to staine your beautifull and holy profession with names so infamous and vnworthy of honourable people and true Christians AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER THose that do build Religion on Ceremonies will thinke that this Booke is lame or maimed because that it doth not declare those which are obserued by euery Nation But we thought it a labour as much vnprofitable as enuious to the most iudicious Readers Calecas a Romane Catholicke hath written a volume against the Grecians wherein hee speaketh almost of nothing else That we may not omit any thing of importance we doe aduertise that there are two euill Ceremonies found among the Grecians The first is that they vse Leauened bread in their Sacrament The other that they abstaine from things strangled and from blood In both they thinke themselues grounded vpon the holy Scripture The Grecians hauing opposed themselues against the Latines doe reprehend them because they vse litle Wafers vnleauened and not ordinarie Bread as our Sauiour did They doe not thinke that this word Bread agrees to those Hosts or Wafers and that most commonly that name is not giuen them Moreouer to make their fashion seeme better they haue thought good to say that Iesus Christ did not institute this Sacrament in the dayes of sweete bread As for vnleauened Bread the Romane Catholickes doe not insist much vpon it And it is not so important a matter of faith to know vpon what day the Sacrament was ordained prouided that one pretend not to preiudice thereby the Historie of the Gospel the passages or sentences whereof may bee better reconciled through the one then through the other As for abstinence from things strangled and from blood It is founded vpon the decrees of the Apostles assembled in Ierusalem the which Decree they doe not thinke to be abrogated because that their Church which they hold to be true and Catholicke hath still obserued it Yea this maner of abstinence hath beene confirmed by the sixt Synode There is likelyhood that they haue remitted this to a generall Councell for they haue not much pressed this point against the Latines The Aethiopians are both in the one and in the other on the Romanes and Protestants side In France the Protestants doe vse leauened Bread after the fashion of the Grecians Against the Churches of the Abyssines in the South is obiected that they are rebaptized euery yeare But the Ambassadour of Prester-Iohn saith that the cause why they bath themselues in Riuers and Ponds is not because that they thinke it necessary to saluation but they doe it vpon the day of the Epiphanie in remembrance of the Baptisme of our Sauiour It is to be noted that this ceremonie is new amongst the Abyssins for their King Dauid which raigned but about some hundred yeares agoe said that the same was by the institution of his Grandfather The Romane Catholikes haue no occasion