in the manner or forme of Mass or in their opinions but in the substance of a Sacrifice according to the Evangelical law they all agree deriving their form rites and ceremonies from the primitive times that is from the Patriarchal Churches founded by the Apostles and their immediate successours In sine all the patriarchal Sees of Rome Antioch Alexandria and Hierusalem together with that that of Constantinople have used maintained and approved the sacrifice of the Mass It would be little less then Blasphemy to make them all Mistresses and fomenters of Idolatry and consequently that the Church which Christ and his Apostles had erected founded and established was Idolatrous and the true Christian Church never appeared in any Nation of the Vniverse But what do I insist in this manner when I speak to learned and understanding men who well know the truth of what I say and to whose judgments I humbly remit what I write trusting they will not condemn my boldness but attribute it to the Zeal I have of the honour of that reverend Vniversity which I so much reverence and esteem and for whose true glory and happy progress I offer up my continual prayers remaining alwaies Your hearty well-wisher and Beads-man R.F. Missale Romanum Vindicatum CHAP. 1. Mass proved out of the Sacred Scripture THe ancient and most learned Interpreter of the sacred text S. Hierom teaches us that the Gospel is not in the word but in the sence not in the bark but in the sapp not in the leaves of the words but in the root of the meaning whence the 6. Councel of Constantinople can 19. tells us If any Controversy pertaining to the Scripture be raised let not the preachers otherwise interpret it then as the lights and Doctors of the Church in their writings have expounded it Conformable to this is that Decree of the Meldelsen Councel In the expounding or preaching of holy Scriptures let every one follow the sence of the holy Catholick and most approved Fathers in whom as S. Hierom says verity of faith never fails or wavers I shall not therfore follow humane sence judgment or opinion neither will I for the present make use of Schoolmen nor of the Doctors or learned men for almost twelve hundred years which without doubt may counterpoise whatsoever exposition our pretended Reformers can any way claim in a 150. years at the most let us now wave all these and search out the truth from the first five hundred years It was a bold saying of this Doctor in his 12. Chapter that Roman Priests nor Roman sacrifice have not so much as any probable ground in Scripture this he has in the text of his Chapter but in the body of the proof is most weak for he confesses that Catholicks do alledge Scripture for both the question then is which side does best understand the true sence of the sacred text I might alledge innumerable places which the holy Fathers of that time did understand or apply to the sacrifice of the Mass in particular that of Dan. 12. of the continual sacrifice which S. Irenaeus S. Hierom and Theodoretus affirm to be no other then the sacrifice of the Mass which shall cease to be publickly celebrated as also S. Hippolitus teaches in the time of Antichrist but I shall only insist on those places which the Doctor impugns to wit on the figures of it as that of Melchisedech of the prophesy of Malachy and of the Institution of it made by Christ himself which I shall divide into three Paragraphs §. 1. Mass proved to be a Sacrifice according to the Order of Melchisedech THe holy Council of Trent Sess 22. c. 1. first grounds it self on the figure of Melchisedech Gen. 14. God by the mouth of the Prophet David Psal 109. did declare that Christ was a priest for ever according to the Order of Melchisedech which also S. Paul alleages Heb. 7. and thence proves a translation of the Law from the translation of the Priesthood let us now hear what the holy Fathers of those primitive times do understand by this I might well produce Cassiodorus Remigius and Euthemius in Psal 109. who were not long after the fifth century and expound it of the sacrifice of the Mass but let us make a step higher within that time and begin with Theodoret 430. on the same Psalm who affirms that Christ began his priesthood according to the order of Melchisedech in his last supper when the consecrated bread and wine 420. S. Augustin Epist 95. ad samos Melchisedech did prefigurate the Sacrament of our Lord's supper with bread and wine that is the sacrifice of Melchisedech being brought forth did know to prefigurate his eternal priesthood and lib. 16. de civit Dei cap. 22. alledging Melchisedech out of S. Paul to the Hebrews he says There the sacrifice which the whole Church offers now unto God did first appear and that prefigured which was long after fulfilled in Christ of whom the prophet said before he came to the flesh Thou art a priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedech lib. 17. c. 17. he repeats the same giving the reason because Aarons Priesthood and Sacrifice are abolished and now in all the world under Christ the Priest we offer that which Melchisedech brought forth when he blessed Abraham and cap. 20. God has prepared the table with bread and wine that is the Sacrifice of Melchisedech a little lower The participation of that table is the beginning of life for in Ecclesiastes where he saith It is good for man to eat and drink we cannot understand it better than of the participation of that table which our Melchisedechian Prlest instituted for us in the New testament the text in lattin is quam Sacerdos ipse mediator novi testamenti exhibit secundum ordinem Melchisedech de corpore sanguine suo for that Sacrifice succeeded all the old testament Sacrifices which were but shadows of the future for his body is offered and sacrificed now instead of all other offering and Sacrifice and in Psal 32. he says Christ of his body and bloud instituted a Sacrifice according to the order of Melchisedech the same he has in Psal 32. in psal 100. and in Psal 109. and in many other places 390. S. Hierom. Epist 17. ad Marcell Have recourse to Genesis and thou shalt find Melchisedech King of Salem and prince of that City who even then in the type of Christ offered bread and wine and dedicated the Christian Mysterie in the bloud and body of our Saviour The same Father Epist 126. ad Evagrium so Melchisedech for that he was not a Cananite nor of the race of the Jews did goe before us as a Type of the Priest the Son of God of whom it is said psal 109. Thou art a priest c. and a little after he tells us what sacrifice he dedicated to wit the Sacrament of Christ in bread and wine in a sincere and pure Sacrifice Again in Gen. 14. Our mysterie
cannot be imagined unless we will lay a great blemish upon the whole Church especially the supreme Governours thereof with all the Bishops and Pastors Councels and Doctours and holy Fathers of gross Ignorance in using such forms as should contradict the substance of what they unanimously commended to the faithful 4ly It is no less strange that the Doctour should pretend the holy Fathers and Doctours of the Church when not only for almost twelve hundred yeares even by his town confession they all approved the Mass but also defended it against all Contradictors and hereticks and therefore he rejecte their authorities and pretends to stand to the judgment only of the primitive times to wit within five hundred years after Christ In this Treatise I have gone with him to those times and have produced their testimonies from Age to Age and dare say that in those times he can produce no one holy Father or Doctour that hath taught any Doctrine in any opposition or contradiction to any thing of the Roman Mased where as I have produced most of them in opposition to whatsoever the Doctour has pretended against it whereunto I have added the Councils both general and Provincial the practise of the whole Church in those times with the consent of all Christian Nations 5ly Whereas the Doctour pretends some Texts of the holy Scriptures for his cause we may consider that he follows therein his own fancy or private spirit without any Expositour or Interpreter of those times imitating the Hereticks of all Ages who grounded all their errours on the Scriptures misconstrued and by a counterfeit sense of them did delude the Ignorant Christians Of this we have manifest experience in these our times for the innumerable Sectaries now extant do ground themselves on the Texts of Scripture which they pretend for their multiplyed sects Each one affirming their sence and meaning of the holy Text with condemnation of other judgments and so wrest the Scriptures to their several senses making their fancies the Rule of the sacred Text whereas Catholicks take the Scripture for the Rule of their Faith follow the judgment and sence of the one holy Catholick Church as on this present subject I have followed the common Doctrine of the holy Church even in those five hundred years after Christ which the Doctour allows Finally the Doctours mainest argument is from humane Reason or sense which I have proved no way capable to comprehend the mysteries of our Faith which transcends above all Reason or sense otherwise there would be no necessity of such a supernatural gift without which there is no salvation It is true that reason is necessary for the reception of Faith for if we were not reasonable or rational creatures we should not be capable to receive Faith but that reason should guide us in supernatural things is preposterous we know nothing but by our senses which can have no sensation or act of senses in spiritual or supernatural objects such as all Faiths objects are for the receiving thereof only the sense of hearing may concurr from whence the understanding frames intellectual species representing the things which are revealed and declared unto us by the holy Church which teaches in all times according to the holy word of God In confirmation of this S. Paul Hebr. 11. defines Faith The substance of things to be hoped the argument of things not appearing to our senses or humane reason but of it self is an Blench Demonstration or convincing Reason for by Faith alone we are convinced to believe those things which are revealed for faith only shews and demonstrates them as clearly as if we did see them in mid-day faith so works in us that we as more doubt of future or most obscure mysteries revealed then if they were comprehended by the sight of our eyes and are more certain in them then by any sense reason or Demonstration which may deceive or be deceived but in matters known by faith we cannot be deceived for God cannot deceive us It behoves as therefore as S. Paul 2. Cor. 10. says to bring into captivity all understanding much more senses unto the Obedience of Christ If we be true Christians by faith we must captivate and humbly submit our will understanding all our reason and all our senses to the word of God revealed S. Basil in psal 113. said All the Articles of our faith are principles grounded only on God revealing and therefore we need no Inquisition or disputation by any weak reason but firmly believe them as principles of our Faith without any examination or Question it suffices to all true believers that Dominus ipse dixit The Objects of our faith are supernatural and the subject which we treat of is of the Reall and substantiall Body and Bloud of Christ Jesus being in the Eucharist which only the understanding by Faith comprehends I will therefore submit all I have said to the judgment of all understanding persons and earnestly desire them to ponder what has been pleaded fouthe equitie of my cause which is grounded on the positive Texts of holy Scripture attested and expounded by the holy Fathers and Doctours of those primitive times and seconded by the General Practise of Gods Church aswell in those times as in all succeeding Ages without any notable question untill our later times God out of his infinite mercy open the Eies of those who go astray and grant them the Light of Faith such is the continuall prayers of him who earnestly wisheth them all health and salvation in Christ Jesus FINIS
same S. Augustine l. 22. de civitate Dei cap. 11. Disputing with the Infidels who according to the laws of Nature did argue that there could not be any Resurrection of the body because it is earthly and so could not be contained in heaven every Element having his particular poise and tending naturally to its proper place his answer besides perswasive reason is Cannot God almighty give the body of Man such a form likewise that it may ascend and support it self in heaven Cannot then the Almighty maker of the whole world take away the Ponderosity of earth and give the quickned body and hability to dwell in the same place that the quickned spirit shall elect why then may we not believe that the nature of a corruptible body may be made incorruptible and fit for heaven so that arguments drawn from the scituation and qualities of the clements can no way diminish the power that God Almighty hath to make mans body of a quality fit and able to inhabit the heavens Cap. 25. If they would shew me a thing which God cannot do I will tell them he cannot lye let us therefore believe only what he can do and not believe what he cannot I If they do not thus believe that he can lye let them beleeve that he will do what he promised and let them believe as the world beleeves which he promisea should beleeve and whose belief he both produced and praised Cap. 26. Why do they now cry out that this is impossible which God hath promised which the world hath believed and which was promised it should beleeve seeing that Plato himself is of our minde and saith that God can work Impossibilities that is such things which we conceive to be impossible If any one would ponder and seriously examine the arguments and reasons which our pretended Reformers do oppose against the Reall Presence of Christs Body in the Eucharist he shall easily perceive that they ground themselves on such humane Inventions proceeding more on their senses in opposition to Gods Omnipotency for the Hereticks of our times with their vain weak and weightless arguments do contradict the Catholick Church in the wonderfull effects which God hath wrought in the Eucharist principally because we cannot make them apparent to their senses nor give them a natural reason for them which we freely confess we cannot yet we know that God doth do nothing without reason in putting moral men by them past reason we know not his will in many things yet we know that what he will is no way impossible and we believe what he hath declared to be his will in this subject far be it from us to deny or question it which were no less then to impute falshood or imperfection unto him God can and will do according to his promise no apparent difficulty whatsoever no law of nature can any way impede it Plato as S. Augustine notes lib. 13. de civit Dei said well Gods will is beyond all other assurance God is not bound or limited to any condition in alotting of any particular being to any thing as though he could not make an absolute alteration thereof into an unknown quality of Essence God then as he can create what he will so can he change or alter the nature he hath created at his good pleasure for his wonderful power exceeds all wonders his wisdome permits and effects all and every particular or marvelous things and can make the most wonderful use of all the parts of the world which he only created Cannot the power of God exceed them in working such things as are incredible to Infidells or hereticks but easy to his Omnipotency God being the Author of Nature why do they ask a stronger reason of us when in proving what they hold to be impossible we affirm that it is thus by the will of Almighty God who is therefore called Almighty because he can do whatsoever he will Our Adversaries will not give credence to the Church affirming teaching and believing in all times the verity of such miracles with a proud supposition as if God Almighty could do nothing that exceeds their capacities to conceive we know no better or stronger Reason can be given for any thing then to say God Almighty can or will do this which he hath promised in the sacred Text wherein he hath declared as strange things as these which also he has performed surely he will do these because he has said he will as he hath made the incredulous Heathens to believe things which they held to be impossible Let not the faithful hoodwink themselves in the knowledge of Nature as though Gods power could not alter the nature of any thing from what it was before unto mans knowledge let them not think these things to be contrary to nature since they are effected by the will of God the Lord and maker of Nature they are not in themselves against Nature but at most against the common Order of Nature These words of S. Augustin in regard of other such wonderful things may be applyed as properly to our present subject for Catholicks do confess that they cannot give any humane or naturally known reason for the Mysteries which follow the Eucharist the most that we can ever pretend to is to shew that there is nothing in them against the essence of natures being our whole belief in these Mysteries depends on Gods word wherein he has manifested his will which carries with it an omnipotent power whereto all created things are in obedientiall subjection aswell in their essential as accidental being all mutable and alterable according to the will of God especially in all accidental qualities or dispositions which also he may add to natures being yea and also give another nature So he made Iron swim Fire not burn water to mount and become passible solid things to walk upon it Humane bodies to ascend to be also not consumed by perpetual fire Things of no weight at all as Angells called spirits to descend even within the bowels of the earth God by his will so disposing yea to be burnt with fire I might alledg many more examples of this kinde but these may suffice to manifest that Gods power is not to be limited to mans humane reason much less to his senses yea not to any created Intelligence what he can do is known only and solely to himself what he has done according to the ordinary course of Nature is latent to all humane understanding for there are many things whose natures and qualities the wisest men are ignorant of what he has done beyond the ordinary course of nature we know by his revelation which moves us to believe not know we trust in Gods word no way doubting of his omnipotency and therefore we little esteem of what the wit of man can think imagine or conceive to the contrary The Church grounded on Gods word and Tradition attested by the holy Fathers and Doctors has always so taught us
of Christ whence he might have omitted his duplicate ralleries and scoffs and have attributed all those miracles to the power of God and not played the buffoon in attributing them to the power of Roman Priests his scoffs and scorns and Jeers will never bear any argument with understanding men much lesse with Catholicks who have learned of S. Augustine Epist 49. ad Deograt quaest 6. If Christian faith did fear the scorns of pagans we should not believe in Christ himself CHAP. XI The Doctours Chief ground of his raillery I Am so weary with the Doctours vain raillery that I am willing to go no further but that I reflected on two main grounds of his rallying and scoffing spirit the one is the insisting so much on humane reason and sense and the great bugbear Transubstantiation Of the first I shall treat in the two following Chapters and after of the second In the first place it is a general Doctrine in Gods Church that faith has for its Object God revealing It s formal object is the divine revelation the material only those things which are revealed so that we know nothing by faith but by revelation not by reason much lesse by sense true it is that humane reason and sense concurr to the receiving of faith but not to the procuring a divine and saving faith nevertheless reason and sense may engender a humane faith by hearing or reading things revealed but never come to the certainty of them but relying only on revelation Whence the holy Fathers do commonly teach that if reason or sense do comprehend any thing it is no more an object of faith S. Augustine tract 27. and 40. in Johanem Faith is to believe what thou seest not whose verity and reward is to see that thou doest believe Again tract 39. This is the praise of faith if that which is believed be not seen for what great thing is it if that be believed which is seen S. Gregory hom 26. in Evangelium Faith has not merit where humane reason gives experience Great S. Basil ser de fid confess tels us that Faith is an assenting approbation without any hesitation without any parswasion of the minde as in the truth of those things which by Gods gift are preached and declared in the Church And in Psal 113. let faith be thy guide in the holy words which are from God and not demonstration Faith I say inviting thy soul yea and perswading above all rational methods for faith relies not on grammatical proofs but insinnuats it self unto our minds by the efficacious operation of the holy Ghost S. Athanasius tract de advent affirms that faith conceived of an evident matter cannot be called Faith But let us hear what the holy Fathers in those primitive times did teach and believe concerning our present subject of the Eucharist I shall begin with S. Cyril of Alexandria lib. 4. in Joan. cap. 17 This thing is hard and is to be received rather by faith then by any other means S. Hilary l. 3. de Trin. We are not to speak of divine things in a humane or worldly sence neither are we to extort or wrest by violent and imprudent report the celestial words to our wit or impious understanding it is perversity let us read what is written and understand what we read then we shall perform the office of faith for what we say of the natural body of Christ in us we speak foolishly and impiously unless we learn of him Great S. Leo ser 6. de Jejunio 7. mens Doubt ye not at all of the verity of Christs body and bloud for that which is taken by the mouth is believed by faith S. Cyril of Hierusalem Since Christ himself so affirms and says of the bread This is my body who henceforward dares to deny it and the same confirming This is my bloud who can doubt and say that it is not his bloud he changed water into wine which is near bloud in Cana Gallilen only by his will and is not he worthy that we should believe him that he transmutates or changes wine into bloud Beneath let us with all certitude take the body and bloud of Christ for under the species of bread the body is given thee and under the species of wine bloud is given thee A little after Do not therefore consider it as bare bread or bare wine for according to the words of our Lord it is the body and bloud of our Lord for although sense suggest it otherwise yet faith confirms thee do not judge the thing from the taste but take it from faith for most certain so that no doubt may take place but that the body and bloud of Christ are given thee And a little after knowing and most certainly holding this bread which is seen by us not to be bread although the taste take it for bread but is the body of Christ and the wine that we see although to the sense or taste it seems to be wine yet it is not wine but the bloud of Christ S. Crysostome hom 60. ad pop Antioch and 83. in Mat. Let us alwais believe in God and not resist him although what he says may seem absurd or against reason to our senses and Imaginations his word exceeds our sense and reason this we ought to do in things and especially in mysteries not only beholding those things which are before us but also holding his words for we cannot be deceived by his words but our senses are most easily deceived those 〈…〉 be false but this is deceived very oftentimes since therefore he said This is my body let us not be detained with any ambiguity but believe and perceive it by the eyes of our understanding S. Cyprian ser de coena Dominica on the word of our Saviour John 6. The flesh profiteth nothing gives the reason because our Master himself expounds these words are spirit and life carnal sense does not penetrate to the understanding of so great profundity unlesse faith be joyned The Doctors great Master Calvin lib. 4. Instit cap. 17. ser 10. will teach him this lesson In his supper he commanded me to take eat and drink under the symbols of bread and wine his body and bloud for although it may seem incredible that in so great a distance of places as heaven and earth the flesh of Christ should penetrate to us that it may be meat for us we must yet remember how much above all our senses the secret power of the holy Ghost can shew it self that which our mindes comprehends our faith conceives the Spirit doth truly joyn together things locally separated whence he says sect 7. Nothing remains but that I should burst forth into admiration in this Mystery to which neither the minde in thinking or tongue in speaking can be equal and apud Hospin in hist Sacram. part 2. he says We therefore acknowledge a Miracle in the holy Supper which exceeds or goes beyond both the grounds of nature and the measure
cap. 1. As often as we celebrate the Eucharist so often we offer Christ in mystery and do immolate or slay him in sacrificing by way of commemoration or representation if this be so I pray let him tell me who doth do this but the Priest for none but such even amongst them have authority or power to do it yet this is not included either in dispensing the word or the Sacraments for to offer Christ in Mystery or immolate him requires other authority and that from his Ordination or not at all In the same book cap. 3. If by an unbloudy manner you mean a mysticall and Sacramentall manner I am not against it because the shedding of Christs bloud on the Cross was reall in the last supper only mysticall and Sacrament all And again cap. 5. The holy supper may be called a sacrifice Eucharisticall or mysticall in which the sacrifice of the Cross is both represented and offered in a mystery that is Sacramentally who does this but a Priest who offers this sacrifice Sacramentally or by whom is the sheding of Christs bloud in a mysticall and Sacramentall manner most of your learned men as is said already attribute to Ordination or the power given to consecrate which is more then M. Mason allows to his Priesthood I know not how M. Mason will reconcile himself lib. 4. cap. 14. where he in the name of the Protestant Church declares We acknowledg no proper external sacrifice of the new Testament besides that which Christ himself in his own person once Immolated on the Cross Insomuch saith he that if a Romish Priest become a Protestant he must renounce the power of sacrificing redeuntes sacerdotes sacrificandi potestatem nostra opinione impiam sacrilegam deponere repudiare debere decernimus We judge or hold that such Priests as return from the Roman to the English Church ought to depose and repudiate the power of sacrificing in our opinion impious and sacrilegious What Sr is it impious or sacrilegious to celebrate the Lords supper to offer or immolate in sacrifice this if you may be believed you often say if the holy supper be a sacrifice sure it is external if Christs bloud be shed in a sacramental way sure it is externally for all sacraments are external signs if all this be impious and sacrilegious all your Ministers are impious and sacrilegious for that they without power do attempt to consecrate and offer and immolate Christ Doctour Sparrow worthily bearing the title of Bishop of Exeter in his Rationale pag. 309. admits this saying According to the usuall acception of the word Priest it signifies him that offers up a Sacrifice and proves it because the Ministers of the Gospel have a sacrifice to offer viz the unbloudy sacrifice as it was anciently called the Commemorative sacrifice of the Death of Christ which does as really and truely shew forth the death of Christ as those sacrifices under the law did foreshew it and in respect of the sacrifice of the Eucharist the Ancients have usually called those that did offer it up Priests who as he says afterward are to offer that holy Bread and Wine the Body and Bloud of Christ he confirms this by the Prophesies of Esay cap. 66. v. 21. I will take of them to be Priests and Levites saith our Lord that is of the Gentills and Jeremie cap. 33. v. 18. And of Priests and Levites there shall not fail from before my face a man to offer Holocausts where sayes the Doctour they prophesy of the times of the Gospel as will appear by the context and ancient exposition to wit of the Interpreters on those places From what has been said it is manifest from the Texts of the whole Fathers above-alledged that the proper office of a Priest is to offer sacrifice the present Church of England hath put in the name Priest in their form of Ordination and consequently must admit a sacrifice which he is to offer otherwise they should take the word Priest equivocally not properly in its right signification or sense of the Catholick Church and consequently it follows that they have no true Prie thood amongst them for it is manifest that neither he that ordains nor he that is ordained do intend to consecrate or to be consecrated a sacrificing Priest for their Intentions are directly contrary insomuch as Mr Mason as is said before tels us that such priests as return from the Roman to the English Church ought to depose and repudiate the power of sacrificing whereas the Councel of Trent Sess 23. Can. 1. puts an Anathema on any one who should say that in the new Testament there is no visible or extern Priesthood or not some power of consecrating and offering the true Body and bloud of our Lord and of remitting and retaining sins but only an office and bare Ministery of the Gospel or those who do not preach not to be Priests at all And Cap. 1. of the same session sacrifice and Priesthood are so conjoyned by Gods ordination that both have been in every law when therefore the Catholick Church hath received from the first Institution in the new Testament the holy visible sacrifice of the Eucharist we must acknowledge to be in it a new visible and extern priesthood into which the old Priesthood is translated which the sacred letter doth also shew and the Tradition of the Catholick Church hath always taught this to have been instituted by the same Lord our Saviour and to the Apostles and their successors in Priesthood power given to consecrate offer and minister his Body and bloud and also of remitting and retaining fins The same Councel Sess 7. Can. 11. If any shall say that in the Ministers when they make or confer the Sacraments Intention is not required at least of doing what the Church does be he Anathema The Councel of Florence Decreto Eugenij says Sacraments are performed by three things to wit by some thing as matter by words as form and by the person of a Minister conferring the Sacrament with intention of doing what the Church doth if any of these be wanting the Sacrament is not perfect Even natural reason teaching this for as S. Thomas 3. quaest 64. Artic. 8. ad 1. The Minister because he is a living Instrument ought to apply himself by Intention whereby he intends to do what Christ and his Church doth It is also certain that an ill intention vitiates a good work and a perverse Intention alters the nature of humane actions which also is true in Sacramentall actions for example he that pretends to Baptize If his intention be not to baptize or takes the word baptize only as it signifies a lotion or washing from corporal filth does not rightly baptize nor do 〈◊〉 Church doth In like manner he that says the words absolvo te a peccatis If he intends not to absolve him or for sins understands temporal debts absolves not The Protestants who intend not to consecrate Christs Body by
circumstance or apparitions of Majesty and glory which were but external signs of some peculiar presence of God in the temple but him who was thereby presented and this without any shew of Idolatry and in like manner if we adore Christ as present in the Sacramental signs presented unto us we cannot be said to be Idolaters when the object of our Adoration is not the sign or any created thing but only Christ Jesus God and man whence learned Erasmus lib. 9. Epist ad Pelicanum well said Hitherto with all Christians I have adored Christ in the Eucharist neither do I yet see any cause why I ought to depart from that opinion I can by no humane reason be withdrawn from the agreeable judgement of the whole world which is also in the Liturgical discourse par 2. Sect. 3. cap. 12. and cap. 13. in the general consent of the primitive times as is manifest in all the holy Liturgies of Gods Church in those times and proved out of S. Augustine there also cited concludes That not only we do not sin in adoring but we should sin in not adoring S. Ambrose will have us to adore Christ on the Altar in the Mysteries that is in the Mass S. Prosper lib. sent We do truly honour in the forms of Bread and wine which we see things invisible that is to say Flesh and bloud S. Augustine Epist 120. ad Honoratum c. 27. says The Rich come to our Lords table and receive of his Body and Bloud but they adore only and are not filled as the poor are yet notwithstanding they have adored Theodoret Dial. 2. The Mystical Symbols are adored as being the same things which they are believed to be S. Cyril Catech. 2. shewing the manner how we ought to communicate concludes that bowing down in manner of Adoration and Veneration saying Amen Admirable was the devotion and reverence of S. Gregory Nazianzen his Sister to the Blessed Sacrament as that great Saint and Doctor relates orat 1. and how miraculously she was cured thereby from a disease humanely incurable The Jews and Infidels give sufficient testimony of the Christian practise of adoring Christ Jesus in the Eucharist as is to be seen in all Ecclesiasticall Histories Averroes acknowledges it in his time when he said I have traveled over the world and have found divers Sects but none so foolish as the sects of Christians for they devour with their teeth their God whom they adore S. Augustine lib. 22. contr Faust c. 13. says that the Heathens did esteem Christians to worship Ceres and Liber for the Bread and Chalice and answering says we are far different from Ceres and Bacchus the Pagan Gods although in our Rite we honour the Sacrament of the Bread and Chalice Maximus manducensis a heathen writer in his Epistle to S. Augustine which is extant in 43. Epist of S. Augustine demands of him who is that God which Christians do challenge as proper to them and fain to see him in secret places In the Liturgical Discourse in the place above-cited this is more fully declared It might suffice that such has been the continual practise of Gods Church as is manifest in all the Liturgies or Masses which have been since Christs time so that I may infer that of all the calumnies that our Adversaries have imposed on Catholicks none more impertinent and more vain then this of Idolatry in regard of the Adoration to the Body and Bloud of Christ Jesus in the Eucharist unless they could prove Christ Jesus to be an Idol or not to be adored for as is fully declared we in the Eucharist adore nothing but Christ Jesus Conclusion IN suits of Law when men come to a finall tryall before the Kings Judges the lawyers or Barresters on both sides plead their Causes with long and learned speeches delectable to their hearers and principally to move the Judges to be favourable on their sides The Judge having with attentive ear listened to their long harangues rises up and declares his mind that the whole difficultie depends on the lawful wittnesses on either side which being heard he would according to law give his sentence Innumerable Authors on both sides have written on this subject concerning the Masse but as yet little an agreement is made wherefore omitting long discourses in this short Treatise I seek to come to the Test and stand to the testimony of authenticall and approved witnesses according to which I am content to have my cause stand or fall Doctour Brevent has produced his witnesses against the Masse 2.1 many of the learned Schoolmen 2. many Expositers of the Masse 3. the Liturgies or Masses themselves 4. the Holy Fathers of the primitive times that is within five hundred years after Christ 5. the mainest point wherein he chiefly grounds himself is reason and Sense 6ly he pretends some Text of Scripture I have no exception against any of these witnesses alledged only I must say that it savours of great Ignorance or no less Impudence to take any of them as witnesses against the Masse For first there never was schoolman yet that wrote against it or ever contradicted it but such as have fallen from the Church There books even from the Master of the sentences are extant in every Library and are all expressly and positively against this Doctour as every School boy knows It is strange that he should make any use of them for his purpose when he knows that all of them were members of the Roman Church were taught educated and did teach write and expound the Masse according to the Doctrine of the same Church most of them were Priests or Bishops or Cardinalls in the same and dayly celebrated the sacrifice of the Masse in the same belief and Faith with the Roman Church which by the Confession of this Doctour was in full possession of the Masse for almost twelve hundred years 2. No man of Judgment would alledge Expositors of the Masse against the whole scope and intent of those who have written whole Volumes thereon for to declare the true sense and meaning of every point Article and cirenmstance of the Masse as it is practised in the Roman Church knowing well that if they had taught any other Doctrine contrary to the said Church they should be liable to the censures thereof and be noted by all the faithful Christians besides their works were approved and licensed by their lawfull Superiours and embraced and sollowed by all Roman Catholicks and followed by all schollars in the same Church 3. There cannot be greater insolency then to produce Liturgies against Liturgies or Masses against Masses for the controversy is wholly concerning Liturgie or Masse as they are and have been practised by the Christian Church in all times of Christianity without any variation in Substance in such manner as the Roman Church how at this present uses If then in any of those Liturgies there may be found any thing contrary to the Mass it will condemn themselves which