and I prove the first part of the Anticedent by our Saviour's own words Iohn c 6 v 51 where he sayes thus I am the living bread which came down from heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live forever and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world But then the Iewes wanting true faith said one to an other how can this man give uâ his flesh to eate v 52. certainly then our Saviour who came to this world to instruct and leade us out of all darknesse to the true light hearing the Iewes murmuring so and doubting of what he said to be true wou'd explain the aforesaid words if he had any mystical meaning but he was so far from so doing that he confirm'd and repeated them again over and overâ as is manifest by the 53 54 c. v where we read the following words then Iesus said unto them verily verily I say unto ye except ye eate the flesh of the son of man and drinke his blood ye have no life in ye whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day for my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drinke indeed he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I ãâã him as the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me even he shall live by me This is the bread which came down from heaven not as your Fathers did eate âanna and are dead he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever So that every faithfull sincere Christian may plainly understand that if our Saviour then had not meant that he was to give his own true flesh and blood to be really eaten and dranke that he wou'd not so proceed in confirming what he said in the begining and also that he wou'd not suffer his own disciples to part with-out declaring his mind to them as he did often before when he spoâe in parables neither wou'd he declare at his last supper that he gave to his discples his own body and blood saying thus Take eate this his my bâdy and he tooke the cup and gave thankes and gave it to them saying drinke ye all of it for his is my blood of the new testâmeât which shall be shâd for many for the remission of sinnes Matt c 26 v 26 27 28 I leave it to all faithfull Christians seriously to be consider'd whether Christ gave only figuratively his own body and blood for the remission of our sinnes or his reall body and blood If he gave them really for our Salvation he also gave them really tâ his disciples as his own wordâ do manifestly affirme to deny which is of no less consequence than to charge Christ with untruth or at lest that he had not words significant to explain his intention which is rash and impious to judge of his infinite power therefore all Christians are oblig'd not to mistrust of the truth of Christ's words or doubt of their literal sence in the aforesaid text for being we acknowledge that Christ is omnipotent and consequently that it is in his Power to make of the bread and wine his own flesh and blood by his divine benediction we ought not to doubt of what he said to be true and if in case he had not exprest so plainly his mind unto us concerning this mysterie we ought to believe it firmly by St Paul's testimonye âae Corinth c 11 v 23 24 c. saying thus for I have receiv'd of the Lord that which also I deliver'd uâto ye that âhe Lord Jesus the same night in which he wââ betrayed âooke bread and when he had given thankes he brake and said take eate this is my body which shall be ââliver'd for ye thiâ do ye in remembranâe of mâ afteâ the âame maÌner also he tooke the câp when he had supped saying this cup is the new testament in my blood this doe ye as often as ye drinke it in remembraâce of me for as often as ye eate thâs brâad and drinke this cup ye do shew the Lords death till be come whosoever shall âat this bread ââ drinke this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the âoâd By which words St Paul openly declares that Christ gave his own body blood to his disciples at his last supper and also he affirms himself to have been taught this doctrine by the Lord and that he deliever'd the same to the Corinthians that there by he might perswade them not to doubt of what he said to be true but to firmly believe the reall presence beâng it was the Lords doctrine delieuer'd unto him in order to teach it to the Christians Now let us heare the Authorityes of the holy Fathers Doctors of the Primitive Church wherewith I shall prove the second Part of the antecedent St. Ignatius the Apostles Disciple in his Epist to those of Smyrna ciâed by Theodoret in his â Dialogue sayes thus they ââmit not the Eucharists and oâlations because they confess not the Euchârâst to be the flesâ of our Saviour who suffer'd for ouâ sinneâ Let the reader take âotice of those heretickes against whose principles St Ignatius speaks in the aforsaid text for they rejected the Eucharist lest they would be forc'd to confess that Christ had true flesh but if the Eucharist had not then been believ'd to be Christ's ârue flesh those heretiks could have no kind of reason to re-ject it for they did noâ deny the figure or Image of Chrisâ but what they deny'd was thaâ Christ had true flesh The like argumenâ may be form'd against the Jewes admiration hearing the word of Christ Iohn c 6 v. 51 c. for if then the jewes would believe that Christ was to give his flesh only in figure and remembrance they would have no reasoÌ to murmur or to mistrust the truth of Christ's words so that it manifestly appears that the Jewes suppos'd that Christ meant his true flesh and also that those heretiks of the prmitive Church believ'd and acknowledge that it was then some of the Catholickâ Doctrine to believe that Christ's true flesh was really present in the holy Eucharist St. ââustin Martyr who liv'd in the year 150 in his 2 Apology to Antoninus sayes thus we do not receive this as common bread or as common drinke but as the son of God Iesus Christ ouâ Saviour inâârnate had flesh and blood for our salvation so are we taught that thâ Eucharist is the flesh blood of the same Iesus incarnate St Irenaeus who liv'd in the same Century speaking of the hereticks of the Synagogue who deny'd Christ to have been the son of God sayes the following words in his 4th book c 34 how can they be assured the bread in which thankes are given to be the body of our Lord the
chalice his blood if they acknowledge him not to be the son of the maker of the world Tertullian who liv'd in the year 230 sayes thus in his book of the resurrection of the flesh the flesh is wash'd that the soul may be clean'd the flesh is anointed that the soul may be consecrated the flesh eateth of the body and blood of Christ that the soul may be âurish'd Origânâs who liv'd in the same age sayes thus hom 7th in Eum speakiÌg of the old law thân the manna was meat in figure but now the flesh of God is meat inspecie as himself sayes my flesh is mâat in deed and in his 5th Hom in diversa loca Evangely speaking of the Centurian he sayes the follwing words whân you receive the holy meat and uncorrupted banquet when you receive the bread and cup of âief you eat drinke the body blood of the Lord then the Lord inters into your house you therefore humbling yourself immitate this Centurian sayâ o Lord I am not worthy that thou shoââest inter into ây house St Cypriaâ who liv'd in same Century in his 5th ser de Lapsis sayes thus Violence is infer'd to his body blood they offend now more the Lord wiââ their hands mouâh than when thâ deny'd the Lord and in his ser oâ the Lords supper he also sayes the following words the doctrin of this Sacrament is streange â the Evangelical schooles publiâh'd ãâã this doctrine it first appear'd to thâ world by Christ the teacher thereof thâ Christians should drinke blood who drinking is most strictly forbidden ââ the Authority of the old law but ââ Gospel commends to drinke it Befoââ I shall proceed further I muââ take notice of St. Cyprian's words positively affirming that this Doctrine of the real presence has been first taught by Christ and his Disciples and also that Christians are commanded to drinke blood which was prohibited by the old law for the old lawâ did not prohibit to drinke blood in figure or in remembrance for the Jewes did drinke the blood of Christ figuratively in drinking the water which flow'd our of the Rocke therefore that which was prohibited by the old law was only to drinke true and real blood but St. Cyprian clearly affirms that the Gospel commaÌds the Christians to drinke that which was prohibited by the old law therefore St. Cyprian affirâ that the Christians are commanâed by the Gospel to drinke tââ and real blood and consequenâ not in figure as my adversaâ would faine perswade St. Hilaâus who liv'd in the 4th Centâry in his 18th book of the Tânity says thus If the word be tââ incarnate we do truly receive the wââ flesh of the flesh blood 's âââ there is noe roome left for being doubt for by the Lord 's own confesâ and by our faith it is truly flesh truly blood let us read what is wriââ and let us understand what we rââ and then we will perform the dutâ perfect faith for according to the tural truth of Christ in us what ââ we learn unless we learn it fâom â we learn it imprudently impiously fâr he said my flââh is meat in deed c. St. Cyril of Ierusalem who liv'd in the sâme Century Catech 4 sayââ the following words This of St. Paul's Doctrine can sufficiently make ye most certain coâcerning the divine mysteries seeing Christ himself so affirms sayes of the bread this is mâ body whâ afterwards can presume to doubt the same also saying confirming this is my blood who I say can doubt say that it is not his blood St. Ambrose who also liv'd in the same Century in his book de Mysterys Initiandis c 9th sayes the following words Perhaps you may say I see the contrary how can you affirm to me that I can receive Christ's body this now we are to prove therefore wâ use great examples that we may prove this not to be what nature form'd but what benediction consecrated the benediction to be of more power than the naturâs because even âhe very nature is converted by the benediction Moses threw a rod which he converted into a serpent aftârwards he tooke the serpent's tail converted the same into a rod therefore you see the nature of the serpent of âhe rod to have been twiâe chang'd by a Prophetical benediction If human benediction be of such power that it can change nature what do we say to the divine consecration where the very words of the Lord our Saviour do worke for the SacrameÌâ which you receive is perfected by the words of Christ what if Elias's words were of such force that they cou'd draw fiâe out of heâven will not Christs wârds be able to change the nature of the elements Of all the workes in the world you have read because he said they were made he commanded they were created therefore Christ's words which cou'd make that which was not of nothing can they not change these things which are into that which they were not for it is not less to give things new beings than to change their natures but why doe wâ use arguments but let us use his own examples prove the truth of this mysterie by the IncarnatioÌ's example did the course of nature take place when the Lord was born of Mary it is manifest that the Virgin conceiv'd contrary to the order of nature this body which we perform is of the Virgin Why do you iâquire here thâ câuâse of ãâ¦ã Chââst's body when the Lord himself wâââorâ of the Virgin beyond the coârsâ of nature Surâly the true flesh of Christ was crucifi'd buri'd truly thân the sâcrament iâ of that same flesh Tho' what I have already produc'd of this eminent Doctor 's Authority might satisfie any impartial reader yet I will adde these other Authorityes of his confirming the same in his 4th book de Sacram c 5. he sayes thus The Lord Iesus Christ declar'd unto us that we receive his own body blood why shu'd we doubt of his Authority testimoney and in his 6th book c 1 he also sayes thus as our Lord Iesus Christ is the true son of God even so it is true flesh which we receive as himself said St. Gregory Nazâanzen who liv'd in the same age in his 2 Oration de Paschaâe sayes the followings words eate the body drinke the blood with-out confusion doubt be constant firm stedfast you need not be any thing troubl'd in mind for the adversary's discourse St Ephrem who liv'd in the year 365 in his book de Natura Dei minima Scrutanda c 5 sayes the following words why do you track-out unsearchable things If you search curiously these things new you will not be call'd faithfull but curious be faithfull innocent partake of the immaculate body of thy Lord with full faith being sure that you do eat the intire lambe the mysteries of Christ are everlasting fire do
not rashly searââ them over âest you should burn in their search St. Epiphanius who liv'd in the year 370 in his book nam'd Ancoratus sayes thus We see thaâ our Saviour tooke in his hands as thâ Evangelist hath when he gave thanks he said this is my body none mistrusts his words for he whâ dose not believe it to be his true fleâh falls from grace life and in a nother place cited by the Fathers of the 7th General Council in the 6th Action he sayes the following words Never shall âo find our Lord or his Apostles or the Fathers saying that the unbloody sacrifice which is offer'd by the Priests is an Image but his very body blood St. Hierome who liv'd in the year 390 Epist to Hedib sayes thus but let us know that the bread which the Lord brake gave to his Disciples was the Lord our Saviours body himself saying to them take ye eat this is my body St Chrysostom who liv'd the year 398 Hon â1 in Matt sayes the following words he who bestowed his own life for you why will he sâorn to give you his own body therefore let us hâarken the Priests how noble how admirable is that thing which is granted unto us he has given us his own flesh c. He also sayes thus Hom 53 Let us believe God let us not contradict him altho' what he sayes may seem strange to our sense imagination for it surpasâes our sense reason I beseech you what may we suppose of his words in all things chiefly in mysteries not only considering âhese things which layes before us but also his words for we cannot be deceiv'd by them but our senses may easilie be deceiv'd his words cannot be false therefore because he said this is my body let us he convinc'd by noe ambiguity but let us believe perceive this with the eyes of our understanding O how many now sayes I wou'd fain seâ his face countenance I wou'd wish to see his garments therefore you see him you feele him you eat him you desire to see his garmeÌts truly he deliver'd himself to you not only that you may see him but also that you may touch him intertain him in yourself In his 3. book de sacerdotio he sayes thus he that âits above with his Father even in the same instant of time is touch'd by the hands of all gives himself to all those who are willing to receive him whereas Christ leaving his flesh to us yet ascending to heaven there also he hath it More of St. Chrysostom's Authorityes plainly confirmiÌg the same may be seen in his 8â Hom. on Matt. 45th on John 3 on St. Paus's Epist to the Ephes in his 2. to those of Antioch and in his 6th book de Sacerdotio St. Augustin who liv'd the year 420 expounding that of the 33. Psal he was carri'd in his own hands puts the question inquiring how can these words be understod aÌswers sayiÌg thus we cannot find this in David according to the litteral sense but we may find it in Christ for Cârâsâ ãâ¦ã in his own haâds wâe gâvâ ãâ¦ã body he said thiâ ãâ¦ã he caârid that bâdâ ãâ¦ã In his â book ãâ¦ã legis eâ Prophet c 9 he sayes âhe following wârds wâ receive the Mediator of God man Ieâus Christ with a fuâl heart mouth gâvâng us his own flâsh blood to be ãâã dranke Here the Reader may take notice of the word mouth that thereby he may understand S. Augustin to have openly declar'd that we do not receive the flesh blood of Christ in figure and by faith only as my adversary believes which may be further confirm'd by S. Augustin's own words in his 2. ser de verbis Apostoli where he sayes thus we understând the true master divine redeemer kiÌd Saviour recommending unto us our price his own âlood for he spoke of his own body blood More of S. Augustin's Authorityes proving the Real presence may be seen in his 11th 26th 27th 31 Treatise in John in his commeÌtary on the 98th psal in his 2. book agaiÌst PetiliaÌs letters in his 17th book of the City of God c. 20. In his 3. book or the Trinity c. 4. 10. in his book super Leviticum â 57. In his 2. ser de Temp. anâ in several other places which wouâd be too tedious to produce here therefore I will conclude only with the two following Authorityes S. Cyrâll of Alexandria who liv'd in the year 430 in his Epist to Nestor which Epist was aprov'd of by the Fathers of the General Council of Ephesiâ sayes thus so immediatly we come to the mystical blessings we are sanctifi'd being partakers of the holy body precious blood of Christ the Redeemer of us all not taking it to be common flesh God forbid But made the proper flesh of the word himself that âs to say of the son of God It was defin'd in the 18. Can. of the first General Council of Nice That Deacons who have no power to offer sacrifice ought not to give the body blood of Christ to Priests who have that power All which proofs do evidently make-out that it was alwayes believ'd iÌ the Primitive Church that Christ's body and blood were really and substancially preseÌt in the holy sacrament and consequently that our Saviour had no mystical or figurative meaning in the institution of this sacrament So that it is to be admir'd what pretence can my adversary aleadge for denying the real presence If he has not a mind to deny all mysteries that surpasles his own weake understanding if so he may be the same rule Presume to deny that of the blessed Trinity Incarnation ResurrectioÌ c. for they surpasse his understanding and capacity as well as this of the reall presence Chap. 6 Proving that the holy Eucharist was ador'd worshipp'd by those of the Primitâve Church If it was lawfull to fall down and worship our Saviour Jesus Christ with Godly honour when he was in this world t is also lawfull to fall-down and worship the holy Eucharist with Godly honour but it was lawfull to falldown worship our Saviour Jesus Christ with Godly honour when he was in this world therefore t is lawfull to fall down worship the holy Eucharist with Godly hoÌour The coÌsequence is most certain as we shall see hereafter and the minor is manifest Mat. c. 2 v 11. c. 14. v. 33. Jo. c 9 v. 38. as for The major it may be prov'd tâus the same Saviour Jesus Christ who was worship'd in this world is really substântially present in the holy Sacrament as I have prov'd in my answer to the adversarys 5th point and will confirm it in my answer to his 7th therefore if ât was lawfull to full-down and worship our Saviour Iesus Christ with Godly honour wheÌ he was in this world t is also lawfull to fall-down and worship tâe holy Eucharist with
Godly honour Tho' the aforesaid argument might be a sufficient answer to this point yet I will produce the following Authorityes to confirm the same St Denis the Areeopagite who liv'd in the Apostles time in his book de Eccles. Hier. c. 3 makes mention of the IncenciÌg of the altar of the Priest washing his hands of âââ elevation of the blessed Host â the adoration thereof Origines whâ liv'd in the 3. CeÌtury in his 3. Hoâ in Exod. sayes thus I design to ââmonish ye with the examples of âââ own religion ye know who are accâââm'd to be present at the diviâ mysteries when ye receive the Lorâ body how with all caution ââ veneration ye take heed least â smal particle of it should fall down leââ any thing of the consecrated gift shââ slip out for ye belive your selves âââ guilty and ye rightly believe if â thing of it wou'd fall by your negligââce St Ambrose who liv'd in thâ 4th Century in his 3. book of thâ Holy Ghost c. 12. expounding thâ of the 98. Psal where we aâ bid to worship the footstool of his feeâ sayes thus therefore by the footstool the earth is understood and by the earth the flesh of Christ which also eveÌ at this day we adore in mysteries and which the Apostles ador'd in the Lord Jesus S. Chrysostome who also liv'd in the 4 Century in his â hom on S Pau'ls Epist to the Ephesians sayes thus we speake of the body and of him who differs nothing from it how many are made partakers of that body how many tastes of his blood remember that it is the body blood of him who refides above the heavens who is humbly ador'd by the Angels He also sayes the following words hom 24th on St. Pauls first Epist to the Corinthians the wisemen regarded thîs body laâing ân the âangeâ the iâpioâââaââarouâ men having leât thâiâ ãâã tâey home made along voyâ when they aâriv'd wiâh grâat ââ trembâing they worâhipp d â let us therefore the Citizens of heââ immitate the barbarous people do not see him in the mângeâ but onâ aâtââ not a woman keepiâg him ââ the Priest holding him let us theâfore weaken our selves anâ be grââ afraid let us shew a great deal nâ reveâece than these barbarous peopleâ for open the gates of heaven and lââ and then you will see that whiââ said to be true for that which iâ tââ most precious and most to be ador'â aâl thinks I do âhâw you the same ââ on earth even as in a Kiâgs palââ that which is most magnificeÌâ of thiÌgs not the âalls noâ ãâ¦ã ât the Kingâ ât that yââ ãâ¦ã do nât hâw yoâ thâ Aâgâlâ Arââgeâs oâ he heaves bât tââir masâer ââ have percââv'd hâw âou ãâã on the âââh that which is most excellent âest to be regarded of aâl things neiâher do âou only see hiâ but aâso yoââââh him you eaâ him after you âat him you return home clean puâifie your soul prepare your mind against the receiving of these mysteriesââor if a King's son wiâh a neat preâious ââown had been giveâ to you âo âe carri'd you wou'd slight all the thiÌgs ââ the world but now receiving not âhe son of a worldly King but the only âegottn son of Goâ c. St Augustin who liv'd in the begining of the 5th Century expounding the 9â Psal sayes that the earth is thâ Lords footstool according to thâ of Isaiah c 66 v. 1. saying thuâ the heaven is my throne the earâ is my footstool and he inquires hoâ is it lawfull to adore the earth with-out impiety and then hâ sayes the following words being troubl'd in mind I do turn myself Christ because I do seeke him I find how the earth is ador'd with-out impiety the footstool of his feet is ador'd for he receiv'd earth from the earth because the flesh is of the earth he receiv'd flesh from the flesh of Mary because he walk'd here in that flesh gave us the same flesh to eate for our safety none eats of that flesh if he adores it not before t is found-out after what ãâ¦ã ââotstool of ââ Lord may ãâ¦ã not only âât we doe not ãâ¦ã it but ââ we siân in not a âoriâg it More â S. Augustin's Authorââyes may â seen to the same purpose in âs 118. Epist c. 3. and in his 120 âpist c. â7 which I omit to produââ least I shu'd be too troubleâââe to the reader Chap. 7 Proving that TransubstaÌtiaââ was believ'd by those of the Primiââve Church I shall only here enlarge those âââts of scripture produc'd in my ânswer to the 5th point with the ââllowing Authorityes of the ââly Fathers and Doctors of the ârimitive Church Tertullian who liv'd in the begining of the 3. Cenâury in his 4. book agaiâ Mââcian c. 4â saâes ãâã ââ bâead taken and distributed ââ his ââsciples he maâe hâs owâ body St. ãâã martyr and S Iâeneus who boââ liv'd before âertulliaÌ do affââ the same as the reader may see ââ their Authorityes produc'd ââ my answer to the 5. point S ââprian who liv'd the year 25ââ his sermon of the Lord's supâââayes thus the âread which ouâ gave to his Disciples being changâ not in shâpe but in natûre bâ the âânipotency of the word was made âleââ S Cyrill of Jerusalem who liv'd in the 4. Century speaking ââ Christ in his 4. Catech. sayes thââ followig words he did once in Caââ of Galelee only by his will turn water ânto wine which is near blood aâd âhall he not be wârthy to be believ'd âo uâ that he tuân'd wine into blood ââerefore let us receive the body and ââood of Christ with all assurance for ânder the shape of bread the body is given to you and under the shape of âine the blood is given therefore let us not consider it as bare bread and bare wine for it is the body and blood of Christ according to the Lord 's own words for altho' your sense wou'd not represent this to you nevertheless let faith confirm you you ought not to judge these things by the taste therefoâe knowing this with all certainly holding the bread which is seen ây us not to be bread altho' the taste perceives it to be bread but to be the body of Christ the wine which is seeâââ altho' it may seem to the pallââ be wine notwithstandiÌg it is not ââ but the blood of Christ Let the ââder be Pleas'd to take notice ââ plainly St Cyprian affirms by ââ former words that the substaâââ of the bread wine is dissolââ at the intrance of Christ's bââ and blood and also how St. Cyââ bids us not to judge of this myââârie according to the apprehensioâ of our senses but to firmly believe the true and real presence of Christ's body and blood undeâ the shape of bread and wine that is to say under the accidents which the bread and wine had before cheir
substance was chang'd St. Gregorie Nysen who liv'd the year 380. in his Oration term'd Cateehetica c. 370. sayes thus I do also now rightly believe the sanctifi'd bread to be chang'd into the body of Christ and these things he bestows transelementing the thiÌgs that are seen into it by the vertue of his blessings which words do plainly make-out that St. Gregorie positively believ'd the Transubstantiation otherwise he wou'd not have said these words St Ambrose who siv'd about the same time in his 4th book of sacraments c. 4th sayes thus perhaps you may say my bread is ordinary but the bread is bread before the words of consecration but when consecration comes it is the flesh of Christ a nother convincing Authority of St. Ambrose may be seeÌ in my answer to the 5th point St Gaudentius who also liv'd in the 4th age in his 2. Treatis on Exod. sayes the following words the Cream and Lord of natures who brought forth the bread out of the earth and again of the bread because he can do it promis'd it made his proper body and who of the water made wine made of the wine his own blood S. Chrysostome who liv'd in the year 398. in his 83. hom on S. Matt. speaking of this mysterie sayes thus these are not the works of human power which the Lord perform'd in that supper the same also offers now the sacrifice he performs we enjoy the office of ministers truly t is he who sanctifies and chaâges these things And in his Homily of the Eucharist in âââaenys he also sayes the following words do you see the bread do you see the wine do they go like other meat to the privy the Lord forbid you ought not to imagin so for eveÌ as after wax is apply'd to the fire nothing of the substance remains even so consider here the mysteries the substance of the body to be consum'd that is to say that the breads substaÌce is annichilated when Christ's body inters under those accidents which formerly the bread had before it was annulâd St. Augustin in his â8 ser de verbis Apostoliâ sayes thus I told ye that the bread which is offer'd is call'd bread before the words of Christ but as soone as Christ's words are pronounc'd then t is not call'd bread but it is call'd the body And in the book of the IncarnatioÌ of Christ we read the following words t is not to be believ'd that the âubstance of the bread or wine remains but that the bread is cheang'd into Christ's body and the wine into his blood c St. Cyrill of Alexandria in his Epist to Calosyrius and Eusebius Emissenus Ser. de corpore Domini do affirm the same All which Authorityes do evidently make out the thing signifi'd by the word Transubstantiation that is to say the real change of the substance of bread and wine aâ the intrance of Christ's flesh blood to have been alwayes believ'd and maintain'd by the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Primitive Church so that it plainly appears that this Doctrine of Transubstantiation was not broughtin by the Church of Rome either in the 6th 7th 8th or 9th age or by the Council of Latran in the year 1215 as some of the preteÌnded reformers do falsly aleadge It is not worth my while to answer here the Adversary's 8th point for it is sufficiently answer'd by what I have produc'd in my answers to the three last points for t is manifest that all those who contradicted in the Primitive Church the aforsaid Doctrine that they were esteem'd and beliv'd by the holy Catholicke Churh to have been notorious heretickes as I will shew in the later end of this worke Chap. 8. Proving the use and veneration of Images in the Primitive Church If it be lawfull to worship other creatures t is also lawfull to worship Images but t is lawfull to worship other creatures therefore t is lawfull to worship Images the major is manifest for the saâe honour which the scripture forbids to be given to the one forbids it to be given to the other as I will shew hereafter therefore if it be lawfull to worship other creatures t is also lawfull to worshâp Images whose making and puting up in Churches is commanded by the holy scripture as evidently appears by the following texts Exodus c 25 v. 18. 19. 22 where we read that God commanded two Câerubins to be made of goâd which were to be set up on both sides of the Arke before which the people were to pray and promis'd that there he wou'd meet with Moses we read also Numb c. 21 v. 8 and 9 that the Lord commanded Moses to make a fiery serpent and to set it up on a pole and that it shu'd come to passe that if any one would be bitten by a serpent that he wou'd recover when he wou'd looke upon the serpent of brasse more examples may be seen in the 3 book of Kings c. 6. v. 35. c. 7. v. 25. 29. and 36. c. 10. v. 19. in the 2. book of Chronicles c 3. v. 10 and 14. where we read that Salomon caus'd at several times Images to be made but we can never find out that ever he was reprehended for so doing Now let us see is it lawfull to worship other creatures that thereby the minor may be prov'd Lot seeing the Angels bowââ himself with his face to wards the ground Gen. c. 19. v. 1. Baâaam did the same seeing the Angel of the Lord Numb c 22 v. 31. and also Joshua as may be seen Joshua c. 5. v. 14. Saul seeing the soul of Samuel stoop'd with his face towards the grouÌd and âbowed himself as may be seen in the first book of Kings c. 28 v. 14. and in the 3. book of Kings c 18 v 7. we read that Abadiah fell on his face and worshipp'd Elyah The sons of the Prophets seeing Elisha they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him as may be seen in the 4th book of Kings c. 2. v. 15. we also read in the 2. c. v. 46. of Daniel that the King Nebuchad-nezzar fell upon his face and worshipp'd Daniel and commanded that they shu'd offer an oblation and sweetodours unto him Chirist approv'd of the making and exalting of the brazen serpent and owens it to have been the type and figure of himself exalted on the crosse âohn c. 3 v 14. S. Iohn the Baptist worshipp'd the very latehet of our Saviours shooe the latchet of whose shooes saith he I am not worthy to unloose John c. 1. v. 27. for which fact St Augustin on that place concluds him to have been full of the holy Ghost the Patriarch Jacob ador'd the top of Joâeph's rod a signe or Image of his regal power as we read in S Pauls Epist to the Hebrews c. 1 v 2â the Primitive Christians venerated the very shadow and garments of S Peter and Paul and receiv'd thereby speciall benefit as may be seen in
mount âalvary which Image in the reign of Tiberius the Emperour was brought to Rome and there honourably reserv'd and shew'd to the people every munday and thursday Several other Images of Christ were made even by those who liv'd in his one time as for example there was one made by the woman whom he heal'd of the bloody flux which was set up in the city Penades where several miracles were wrought upon the account of it as Eusebius in his 7 book c. 14th Sozomenus in his 5th book c. 20 and Damascenus in his first book de Imaginibus do relate for a certain herbe which grew at the foot of that Image when it came to be so high that it cou'd touch the hem of the Image it receiv'd vertue to heal all kind of distempers and as Sozomenus testifies when Juliaâ the Emprour order'd to fall it down and to place his own Image in stead of it his was immediatly consum'd by fire from heaven which miracle the Pagans seeing most impiously by the instinct of the divel brake our Saviours Image not considering that he who caus'd their Emprours Image to be burn'd might by the same power cause also fire to come down from heauen in order to burn both themselves and thier Emprour too only that his divine goodness and clemency had more patience to expect their conversion of which the Emprours Image was uncapable another Image of Christ was made by Nicodemus which a Christian 43. years after it was made carri'd from Jerusalem to Berith a Village in Syria where in deâision of our Saviour's Passion it was by the Jewes crown'd whipp'd pierc'd c vs'd it with all manner of villany as they us'd our Saviour himself but not with out great miracle for as they pierc'd it there issu'd out of it aboundance of water and blood by which divers maladyes were cur'd and several Jewes conver ted seeing these miracles as Athanasius in his book de Passione Imaginis Domini c. 4th and Gregorie of Tours de gloria martyrum c. 21. do relate To which examples may be also added those Images of our blessed Lady one made by S. Luke which is to be seen at this very day in the Church of Loretta in Italiâ and an other of hers whâch Eudoxia sent from Jerusalem to Pulcheria which shee plac'd near her own seat in the Church that shee built in Constantinople as Nicepherus writes in his 14th book c. 2. Iâ might Produce several other Images which were made worshipp'd by those of the Primitive Church If I had not suppos'd that any impartial reader might plainly perceive by what I have already produc'd that the vse of Images is no new Doctrine iâ the holy Catholick Church and consequently that their worship and veneration is not prohibited by the second commandment as my adversary and his adherence do falsly teach for that which is prohibited by this commandment and also by the scriâture in several places is to worship or adore any creature with that honour which is due to the Almighty God as formerly the Gentiles did when they made Idols and false Gods which afterwards they worshipp'd and ador'd even as if every one of them had been a true and an Eternal God wherefore they are alwayes believ'd by those of the Church of Rome to have been Idolators impious for soe doing which they wou'd not judge if themselves were guilty of the same crime or of any other of that kind therefore the worship which is peculiar to God is commonly call'd by the divines Cultus âatriae that is to say a soveraign honour and the Church of Rome most strictly forbids all her members to give it to any creature therefore the honour veneration which shee alowes to be given to Images is not that of Latria or severaign as all the Fathers of the 7th General Council do declare in the 7th Action but it is an inferior kind of veneration call'd relative that is to say that they are worshipp'd in as much as they represent unto us Godly thingâ and are instruments apt to move the people to thinke of what our Saviour the Saints have suffer'd done in this world so that they serve in a maÌner as books to those who cannot read excites the people to great devotion pietv which other wise wou'd not have inter'd into their thoughts or imaginations âo that the reader may take notice how uncharitable the pretended reformers do continually preach to their poor ignorant flock that the Papists are Idolators and impious by worshipping graven Images as Gods that thereby they might render the holy Catholick Church odious and abominable to the very simple people fearing that any of theâ wou'd embrace her principles oâ offer to find out the real verity of her uncorrâpted doctrine Chap. 9 Proving the invocation of Angels and Saints to be lawfull â practis'd by those of the Primitive Church The Angels and Saints his a special care of us and we receive several benefits by their assistance and merits therefore it is lawfull to invocate them that they may interced for us to God the antecedent is manifest by the following texâs And the Angââ of God call'd tâ Hagaâ ouâ of heaven and said unto her what aileth thâ Hagaâ fear not for God hath haââ the voice of the child Genesis c. 17. and the Angel of the Lord call'd unto him out of heaven and said Abraham Abraham lay not their hand upon the child neither do thou any thing unto him for I know that thou fearest God Genesis c. 22. v. 11. 12. The Angel which redeem'd me from all evil blesse these boyes Genesis c. 48. v. 16. Then the Angel of the Lord went forth smote in the camp of the Assytian an hundred and fouâ score five thousand Isaiah c. 37. v. 36. Then the Angel of the Lord Answer'd said O Lord of hosts how long will thou not have mercy in Jerusalem and ân the cityes of Juda against which thou hast indignation these three score and ten years Zechariah c. 1. v. 12. Michael one of the Princes come to help me there is none that holdeth with me in these things but Michael Daniel â 10. v 13. 21. But while he thought ââ these things behol'd the Angel of the Lord appear'd unto him in a dream saying Ioseph son of David fear noâ to take unto thee Mary they wife for that which is conceiv'd in her is of the holy Ghost Matt. c. 1. v. 20. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say unto ye that in heaven their Angels do alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in heaven Matt. c. 18. v. 1â And four twenty elders felldown before the lambe having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of the Saints Revelations c. 5 v. 8. and c. 8. v. 3. 4. and an other Angel came stood at the altar having a
the other not Now letus héare the holy Fathers Authorityes and the practice of the Primitive Church St Ireâaeusâ who liv'd in the 2 Century in his 5th book against hereses sayes thus and as Eve was seduc'd that the might avoid God even so maây was advis'd to obey God that she might become Eves advocate Origines who liv'd in the 3 Century in his first homily on Ezech sayes thus come Angel and receive the converted from the former error from the devilish Doctrine call the rest of your compaâions that ye may together instâuct in the faith all those who formerly has âeen deceiv'd more of Origen's Authorityes may be seen hom 3. in Diversa Loca Novi Tâestamenti hom 16. in âosue and hom 26 in Nume Cornelius who liv'd in the same century in his first Epist sayes thus we are Praying God our Lord Jesus Christ that by the intercessions of his own holy Apostles he may purge out the blemishes of your sinnes St. Cyprian who also liv'd in the 3. Century in his book de Disiplina et Habitu Virginum speaking to the Virgins sayes thus peform spiritually come prosperously and be mindfull of us Eusebius Caes who liv'd the year 326. in his 13. book de Evang. Praep. c. 7. sayes we âouldiers of true pieây do daily practise these thing honouring the friend s of God praying to them by whose intercession to God we do freely acknowledge to be much favour'd S. Athansius wâo liv'd in the same Century in his ser in Evangelium speaking of the blessed Virgin Mary sayes the following words incline they hearing to our prayers and do not forget they people we cry to thee be mindfull of us most holy Virgin who also after your delivery contânu'd a Virgin Lady Mistress and Queen and Mother of God intercede for us St Hilarius who liv'd the year 355. in psal â 9 sayes that the nature of God dose not want the intercession of Angels God being ignorant of nothiÌg that we do but our own weakness wants it he has such another Authority speaking of the Apostles and Prophets intercession expounding the 124. Psalm St. Basil who liv'd in the same age in his Oration of the 40. Martyâes sayes thus whosoever is oppress'â with trouble let him sly for refuge tâ these martyres that he may be ridd oâ his troubles and whosoever rejoyces let him Pray to them âhat he âay continue in his prosperityes And in his 205. Epist which is to Julian after specifying several points of faith which himself beliv'd he sayes the following words and I do embrace the holy Apostles Prophets and invocate them in my supplication to God that by their intercession he might be mercyfull to me S. Cyrill of Jerusalem who liv'd about the same time Catech. 5. sayes thus when we offer this sacrifice we also make mention of those who dâ'd before us first of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and Martyres that God may receive our prayer by their intercession S. Ephraem who also liv'd in the same Century in his ser de Laudibus Martyrum sayes the following words we beseech ye most holy Martyres who for the sake of the Lord readily and willingly suffer'd torments for which ye are all now most faââliar with God that ye may be pleas'd to intercede to the Lord for us poor sinners that the grace of Christ might light upon us St. Gregorie Nazianzen who liv'd the year 370 in his Oration speaking to S. Athanasius after his death sayes thus and look upon us favorably from alove and govern this holy people nuâish and feed us in peace direct and take us up in the battel and place us with your self and with those who are in the same condâtion with you he implores also St. Cyprian St. Basil's assistance in his Orà tions of them after their death St. Ambrose who liv'd the same time sayes the following words the Angeâs who are employ'd to asist us ought to be pray'd to and the Marâyres they can intercedâ for our sins who with their proper blood wash'd a way if they had any sins let âs not be asham'd to apply them a intercessors of our weakness More of this holy Doctors Authority may be seen in his 2. book de Virg. in his 10 book in Lucam expounding the 21. â and in his Preparation before mass where he begs the assistance and intercession of the Apostles Martyres CoÌfessors S. Gregorie Nysen who liv'd the year 380 in his Oration of St. Theodâr Mârâyer sayes thus we stand iâââed oâ great favours intârcâde aâd pâay eaânâstly to the âniversal Kiââ ãâã Lord for the Counâey for we ãâ¦ã âe exââct dangers the wicked Sâithioâs are ât far oâ dâclariâg war against âs ãâã for us as a Souâdier as a marâyer âse the liberty of ãâã for your fellow ârvant altho' you haâe âeâs the world ãâã you knâw thâ disposition interest ââd ãâã of ãâã nâture beg ãâã that these âublick assemblyes âay not give over ãâã the âurious wiââed and âorbârous ãâã woâ'd âaise agaiÌst us and assââls our Churchââ and Altars but if it be requisite ââ have more assistance and prayers gather your consorts the Martyres and pray along with them for the prayers oâ many righteous doth wash away the ãâã of many admonish Peter move Paul and John thât beloved Disciple thaâ they may take care of those Churches for whose sake they endur'd chains suffer'd dangers and death S. Hierome who liv'd the year 390 in his OratioÌ on Paula sayes thus âearwel O Paula and help with your prayers thy worshipper in his old age foâ you who is present will more easily obtain what you demand S. Chrisostome who also liv'd the same time in his 45. homily speaking of St. Meletuis sayes thus therefore let us all together men and women both young and old pray to holy Miletius c. In his ser speaking of the blessed Lady he sayes the followiÌg words ât us recurr to the most holy Virgin Mary Mother of God that by her interââssion âe may obtain our request we beseech ââee to intercede for us daily to our Lord Jesus Christ thy own son that ây thee thro' his grace and benignity âe may be pardon'd in his 66. hom to the people of Antioch he sayes thus he who gose in his purple âd royal crown laying by his pride âraws near the Saints sepulchres humbly beseeching them to intercede for him â God c. More of St. Chrysostoms Authorityes may be seen in his 5th hom in Matt. in his ser de Juventio and Maximio and in his first hom on St. Paul's first Epist âo the Thessalonians where he Numbers several benefitâ graÌted by the Saints intercession thro' their merits S. Augustin who liv'd the year 4â0 in his 7 book against the Donaââsts ãâã speaking of St. Cyprian sayes the âollowing words we beseech him to aâââââ us with his prayers c. in his 84. Treatise in John he sayes that it was therefore they did not pray
for the Martyres as they did for other people who dy'd because they knew that they did not want their payers but they wanted the Martyres ârayers and in his 29. Ser of the Saints speaking of St Peter's Miracles he sayes thus If then the shadow of his body coul'd relieve how much more now the plenitude of his vertue If then a certain noise of him passing âprevaic'd to these who beseech'd him ââ much ãâã âhis ãâã graâs âf the ãâã ãâã he may see âore of St ãâã Aâthorities ãâã ãâã Vârbis Aposâoli ââ his ãâã Qâââ ãâã his book ãâã ãâã ãâã c. 4. and in ââ ãâã ân the 19. â of ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã proââ ãâ¦ã with the Authââ ãâã ãâã General Coâcil of ãâ¦ã Faâers ãâã ââââ earnestâ ãâã Flââianus then ãâ¦ã themselves as ãâã ââ by the ââ Action we ââreâd in the Bishopâ of Euââps ãâã to ââeo the Empâââr ãâ¦ã in the âater end of this Council that they declar'd themselves to acknowledge that holy Proâerius was register'd in the Cathologue of Marty res that they beg'd God Almighty to be favourable mercifull to themselves thro' his intercessioÌ all which Authorityes do evideÌtly make out that the Catholicks of the Primitive Church where accustom'd to invocate Saints Chap. 10 Proving that Purgatory was believ'd by those of the Primitive Church For the better intelligence of this point let the reader know that altho' the sinners crime is forgiveÌ yet the sinner under gose some temporal punishment as is manifest Numb c. 12. v 1. 2 10 14 where we read that when the sin of murmuring was forgiven to Mary by Moses intercession yet in punishment thereof she had the leprofie for the speace of seven dayes and was oblig'd to levâ the whole camp during that time When the Israelites sinn'd against God and offer'd to rebel against Moses tho' their sinnes âeâe forgiven thro' the Lord's infinite mercy and by the intercession of Moses yet in punishmeÌt of their crime several of them dy'd in the wilderness and never âas admited to come to the land of promise Num â 14 v. 19. 20 ââ â 24 3 7. also when David sinn'd against the Lord his crime was forgiven but in punishment thereof his son dy'd the â book of Kings â 12 v 13 14 18 finally we read in St Paul's first Epist to the Cormthians â 11 v 30 that several of the Cormthians were mortifi'd by the Lord and also that some of them dy'd because they receiv'd unworthily the holy Sacrament but then their sins has been forgiven as is evident by the 32 v where St. Paul sayes the following words but when we are judg'd we ãâã chastized by the Lord that we shu'd not be condemn'd âhereby the reader may plainly ãâã that God dose not ãâã the punishment as ãâ¦ã forgiven the ãâ¦ã âemency and infinite mercy changes that eternal punishment into some temporal affliction ãâã if the sinner dose not undergo in this world he must suffeâ for it after his dâath before ever he shall enter into the KiÌgdom of âeaven for nonâ is receiv'd there untill he is even as clean fâom all manner of sin and fault as he was immediatly after his Baptism as witnesseth that of Iohn ãâã c 21. v 27 This presuppos'd I may lawfully inferr that therâ must be some place of temporâl punishment ââ order to purifie and cleanse nosââouls who doe not perform ãâ¦ã world and ãâ¦ã sins to which âternal punishmeÌt is not due for it wou'd be a most uÌreasonable thig of us to believe that he who immediatly has been in the state of grace and dyes suddenly after speaking an idle word or committing some other smal offence shu'd be oblig'd to everlasting torments even as he who suddenly dyes without any kind of repentance after committing murder adultry or some other great crime therefore being he cannot inter the into heaven by reason of that small offence he must go to some other place untill he is purââi'd which I shall prove by the following argument what ever the old and new Testament the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Primitive Church several Councils true and wonderfull revelations affirms ought to be believ'd by all Christians but the old and new Testament the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Primitive Church several Councils true and wonderfull revelation affirms that which the Church of Rome calls Purgatory to be a place of temporal punishment wherin some souls are chastiz'd and purifi'd after leÌving this world therefore Purgatory ought to be believ'd by all Christians the consequence is evident âs we shall see hereafter and the major cannot be deny'd by any true Christian as for the minnor I will prove it after the same order wâereiâââ's fâââ'd therefore I âill begân ãâã the Auââoââes of the old Testament We finâ in the 6â Psâââ which is the ãâã ân the ãâã English ãâã 3. ãâã in ãâã â18 ãâã O sââ c. ãâã â8 ât ãâ¦ã his perpetualây and âo câasâen one in his ãâã ãâã is âo punish hiâ seveâly ãâã this âite iâ order ãâ¦ã and so concluds wâââ the following words O Lord ãâã pâeas'd to ãâ¦ã in this woâld thââ I ãâã âot wânt thaâ correctiÌg âire And it âhall ãâã to pâsse that he that is leât iâ zâââ and âe that remaineth in Jerâsalem shaâl be call'd âoây when tâe Lord that haâe wash'd away the ãâã of the daâgââers of zion shall have puâg'd the bloâd of Jerusalem from the âidât the âo by the spirit of jugedment and by the spirit of burning Isaih c. 4. v 3. and 4. which text according to St. Augustin in his 20th book of the City of God c. 25. mââns the releasment âhich souls do get from the burning fire of Purgatory Micah c. 7. v. 7. 8. and 9 â will look unto the Lord. I will wait for the God of my salvation my God will heare me rejoice not against me O! mine enemy when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be light onto me I will beare the indignatioÌ of the Lord because I have sinn'd against him untill he plead my case and execute judgement for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousnesse Which words as St. Hierome affirms in his commentary on the last c. of I saiah means the releasment of those souls who do suffer in Purgatory fire Zechariah c. 9. v 11. you also by the blood of they covenant have brought forth your prisoners out of the pât wherein there is no water Sâ Peteâ speakïg of those Prisoneâs in his ãâã Ep. c. 3. v. 18. 19 20 sayes thus for christ also hath once suffer'd for sins the just for the unjust that he might briÌg us to God beiâg put to death in the flesh but quickened by the spirit by which also he went and preach'd unto the spirits in prison which sometimes were disobedâent when once the long suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah while