Images are not to be adored Now all this is to be found even totidem veâ—bis in the selfe same termes in the Fatâ—ers text and yet the Index of Spaine published by Cardinâ—ll Quiroga and reprinted at Samur by the honour of the French Gentilitie the Lord of Plessis comes in and gives these Faâ—hers a strong purge commaunding all the sentences above named to bee blotted out of the Fathers Indices or Tables In like sort hath another Index of Spaine printed at Madrill reprinted by Turretine and still preserved and kept in the Archivis or Treasurie of Monuments in the â—ublike Libraâ—y at Oxford dealt with the Index or Table of S. Austin and Athanasius as by these few instances may appeare Blot out say the Spanish Inquisitors these words out of Saint Austins Index to wit Whâ—n God crowneth our meritâ—s that is good deeds hee crowneth nothing else but his owne gifts and The Saints are to bee honoured for imitation not to bee adored for Religion as also out of Athanasius Index that God onely is to bee worshipped that the creature is not to adore the creature Now all these must bee rased out notwithstanding they bee the selfe-same words which these Father 's used in the Text Now this is no good dealing since these Tables and Indices tâ—uely gathered out of the Fathers Workes might have served for a hand to poynt at the chiefest Sentences in each Auâ—hour but they have either remooved or turned the hand aside to the great hiâ—derance of those which upon a sudden occasion are to see what such a Father saith to such a point and have not the leasure to peruse over the whole booke PA. We have not purged the Fathers Text but only the Index PRO. You have put out the very Text it selfe out of Saint Cyâ—ill whose words are Now this faith which is the gift and grace of God is sufficient to purge not onely them which find themselves somewhat ill but those also that are dangerously diseased Now all this is commanded to be blotted out by the expurgatory Index of Spaine Neither can it be justly replied that these words are put out of Cyril as not being the Authors words or not truely translated by our men for they bee Cyrils owne words faithfully translated and the copie agreeth with the Originall yea this golden sentence thus rased is still to bee found in Cyrils Workes set foâ—th by your owne man Gentian Hervet Neither yet hath Gods Booke escaped your fingeâ—s witnesse the Bible set forth by your owne men there wee reade in the Text Levit. 26. chap. according to your translation Thou shalt not make to thy selfe an Idoll and graven thing your Index saith Blot this out of the margâ—nt that graven things are forbidden Againe the Text saith 1. King 7.3 Prepare your hearts to the Lord and serve him onely your Index saith Blot out this glosse that wee must serve God onely Besides Christ is noted to bee the sacrifice for our sinnes now these words Christ is the sacrifice for our sinnes must bee dashed out In like sort they have blotted out these words in Vatablus Annotations They that beleeve in God shall be saved and they that beleeve not shall perish Now if these sayings alleadged be to be found in the Fathers and Scriptures not onely in the same sense but totidem verbis in the same termes why doe they then blot them out of the Fathers Indices or the Margents and Concordances of the Bible they might as well raze them out of the very Text of Fathers and Scripture but this they durst not openly attempt and therefore under hand they wound both Scripture and Fathers through the sides of their Expugatorie and Prohibitorie Tables PA. Your men have published Parsons Resolutions and Granadoes Meditations and therein have changed and altered divers sentences PRO. Some private men amongst us have dealt so with some late Writers but withall they professed that they had changed and altered their words thereby to shew that with a little helpe your bookes such as doe tend to godlinesse of life might lawfully bee râ—ad of us now what you did you did it secretly and under hand whereas ours dealt plainly and openly Besides you have altered and changed the writings of the Ancient at your pleasure and then would make the World belâ—eve you have onely corrected the faults of the Print or some such matter Now as you worke by your Expurgatory Indices so doe you also by your other tricke of Prohibitorie whereof you make this use that in case upon the evidence given in by good Authors the verdict bee like to goe on our side then you bring a Prohibitionâ— and remove the matter to be tried by Tradition But it is no wonder you prohibit our Writers for you have forbid Gods Booke and called it into the Inquisition Forbidding the having or reading of any part of the Bible in the vulgar Tongue tho it be set forth by Catholikes and howsoever you winke at the matter where you cannot helpe it yet in countries generally Popish as in Spaine and elsewhere The Bible and each part thereof in the vulgar tongue is utterly prohibited as your owne Iesuit witnesseth And this have divers felt with us in Queene Maries dayes and of late Iohn Murrey a Merchant of Aberden in Scotland who having a New Testament in the ship was accused by the Serchers brought before the Inquisition and lost both his goods and life for it To close up this point you have laboured to roote out all memory of our Professors for example sake Is King Edward the sixth stiled and that worthily A Prince of admirable towardnesse Is Fredericke Duke of Saxonie tearmed Christianissimus Princeps A most Christian Prince this commendation of King Edward must be left out in the next impression so must the Dukes title of Christian Prince and thus they deale with our Writers Is Melanchâ—on tearmed A man famous for all kind of learning and Bucer sirnamed the Divine doth Beatus Rhenanus in his notes upon Tertullian call Pelicane A man of admirable learning and holinesse of life All these Epithets and Titles the Romish Inquisitors have commanded to be blotted out Yea whereas Oecolampadius and Doctor Humfrey of Oxford have taken good paines in translating some parts of Cyrils Works they aâ—e but slenderly rewarded for Possevine saith that by all meanes their names must bee razed out of those Translations And another Iesuite tells us that Our names must not be suffered to stand upon Record nor Protestant Writers once so much as to bee named either in their owne Workes or others unlesse it bee per contemptum by way of scorne and reproach and yet you bid us name our men PA. Wee have purged some bookes but not corrupted the Scriptures PRO. Your Trent Councell makes Traditions of equall credit and to be embraced with the like godly
for us Now though Christs Body is not according to his materiall substance wholly and intirely under the outward elements yet the Bread may bee truly termed Christs Body because of a Relative and Sacramentall union and donation of the thing signified together with the Signes worthily received PA. What reason have you to interpret these words figuratively this is my body that is this bread is a signe of my body and not plainely and literally as they sound PRO. Figurative speeches are oftentimes plaine speeches now there be no other Figures or Tropes in the Lords Supper but such as are and alwaies were usuall in Sacraments and familiarly knowne to the Church Now Sacraments must bee expounded Sacramentally and accordingly the words alledged must not bee taken literally but figuratively Christ taking bread and breaking bread said of the same This is my body now this cannot bee properly taken therefore for the right expounding of these words we are necessarily to have recourse to a figurative interpretation and the reason hereof is that common Maxime Disparatum de disparato non propriè praedicatur that is nothing can bee properly and literally affirmed joyntly of another thing which is of a different nature By this rule bread and Christs body cannot bee properly affirmed one of another bread being of a different nature from flesh can no more possibly be called the flâ—sh or body of Christ literally than lead can be called wood and this makes us interpret the words figuratively and wee have in Scripture most manifest places which proove these woâ—ds This is my body to be figuratively taken and understood because in Scripture whensoever the signe as the Bread being called Christ's body hath the name appellation of the thing signified the speech is alwayes tropicall and figurative And this agreâ—th with S. Austiâ—s Rule Sacraments bee signes which often doe take the names of those things which they doe signifie and represent therefore doe they carry the names of the things themselves thus is the signe of the Passeover the Lambe called the Passeover Math. 26.17 Exod. 12.11 27. the Rocke the signe of Christ in his passion is called Christ and the Rocke was Christ 1. Cor. 10 4. Circmmcision the signe of the Covenant called the Covenant and Bapâ—isme the signe of Christs buriall called Christs buriall for so saith S. Augustine that as Baptisme is called Christs buriall so is the Sacrament of the Body of Christ callâ—d his Body Now this shew or semblance of words concludes not that Christ or the Lambe were really the Rocke the Passeover but that these things are meant figuratively it being usuall in Scripture specially in such Sacramentally speeches as this is we are now about to give the name of the thing to that which it betokeneth and so to call Circumcision the Covenant because it is a signe thâ—t betokneth the Covenant and so of the rest Besides the other part of the Sâ—crament to wit This Cup is the New Testament in my blood Luke 22.20 is figurativâ— and not to be literally taken for you your selves sâ—y that Calix or the Cup is there taken for that which is iâ— the cup so that your sâ—lves admit a trope in the institution of this Sacrament PAP If these figurative speâ—ches were true yet I cannot see what argument you can draw from hence or how you can hence prove any thing against our Tenet saith our â—nglish Baron for it is a rule in Divinitie that Theologia Symbolica non est aâ—gumentativa that figurative speeches affoord no certaine proofe in matters of Faith PRO. The zeâ—lous Reverend and learned L. Bishop of Durâ—sme Doctor Morton tells your Baron and his Suggester that upon the no-pâ—oper sense of the words This is my body it must follow that there is no Transubstantiation in your Romish Masse no Corporall presence no râ—all Sacrifice no proper eating no lawfull divine adoration therof and as for the rule that Symbolicall arguments mâ—ke no necessary Conclusions the said learned and reveâ—end Father saith That this makes not against us touching the fiâ—urative woâ—ds of Christ This is my body the position maketh onely against them who extract either a liteâ—all sense out of a parabolicall and figurative speech as Origen did when having râ—ad that scriptureâ— Thâ—re bee some that castrate thâ—msâ—lves for the kingdome of God whâ—ch was but a pâ—rabolicall speech hee did really and thereforâ— fâ—â—lishly castrate himselfe or else when men tâ—râ—e the words of Scripture properly and literally spoken intâ—â— figurative meaningâ— as when Pope Innoâ—ent thâ— third tâ— pâ—oove that his Papall authoritie was above thâ— Impâ—riall aâ—lâ—dged that Scripture Gen. 1. God made two great lights the Sun and the Moone as if the Imperiall like the Moone had borrowed its authoritie from the Papall as from the Sun or as Pope Boniface 8 from those words Luk. 22. Behold here are two swords argued that both the temporall and spirituall sword are in the Pope as he is Vicar of Christ. Now such kinde of Symbolicall reasoning is indeed of no force â—ut by that position was it never forbid whensoever in Scripture the name of the thing signified is attributed to the symbol or signe that then the Symbolicall and Sacramental speech should be judged tropicall But this kind of exposition was alwayes approved of Christ and by his Church so here Christ taking bread and breaking bread which was the symbol and signe of Christs body and saying of the same Bread This is my body the sense cannot possibly bee literall but alâ—ogether figuâ—ative as hath bin shewne by divers â—xamples in Scripture to wit the signe of the passing over called the Passeover the Rock but a signe of Christ called Christ In each onâ— of these the Symbols being a Signe and Figuâ—e the speech must infallibly bee Figurative And therefore Bread being a Figure of Christs Body is called Christs body Figuratively And thus farre our learned Bishop of Duresme Of Images and Prayer to Saints The Church of Rome holds that Images are to bee had and retained and that due honour worship and veneration is to bee given to them The Church of England holds that the Romish doctrine of Adoration of Images and Reliques and also of Invocation of Saints is grounded upon no warraâ—tie of Scripture but rather repâ—gnant to the word of God And so indeed we finde that the Lord in his Morall law hath condemned in gâ—nerall all Imaâ—eâ— and Idols devised by man for worshâ—p and adoration And this Precept being a part of his Morall law it binds us in the state of the new Testament as it did the Israelites of old for in all the Apostles doctrine wee doe not finde that ever this prâ—câ—pt was abâ—ogated so that it bindes Israelites Christians and all PA. If all worship of Images be forbidden Exod. 20. ver 4 5. then all making of them is forbidden for the same precept which saith thou shalt not bow downe
of weake abilities and also for that they had made a booke which they called the everlasting Gospell whereunto they said Christs Gospell was not to be compared Pope Alexander the fourth was content upon complaint made unto him that the Friers booke should be burned provided that it were done covertly and secretly and so as the Friers should not be discredited thereby and as for William of Saint Amour hee dealt sharply with him commanding his booke to be burnt as also he suspended from their benefices and promotions all such as either by word or writing had opposed the Friers untill such time as they should revoke and recant all such speeches and writings at Paris or other places appointed so tender was his holines over the Friers credit and reputation knowing belike what service might be done to him and his successours by these newly errected orders of â—riers I call them newly erected for in the time of Pope Innocent the third about the yeare 1198 the Iacobites an order of preaching Friers were instituted by Saint Dominicke and about the beginning of this age the order of Franciscans preaching Friers Minors was instituted by Saint Francis borne at Assise a towne in Italy Of the Scriptures sufficiencie and Canon SCoâ—us saith that supernaturall knowledge as much as is necessarie for a wayfaring man is sufficiently delivered in sacred Sâ—ripture Thomas Aquinas in his commentary upon that place of Saint Paul the Scriptures are able to make one wise unto salvation that the man of God may be perfect 2 Timoth. 3.15.17 saith that the Scriptures doe not qualifie a man aâ—ter an ordinarie sort but they perfit him so that nothing is wanting to make him happy And accordingly Bonaventure saith The beneâ—it of sâ—ripture is not ordinarie but such as is able to make a man fully blessed and happy Hugo Cardinalis speaking of the bookes rejected by us saith These bookes are not received by the Church for proofe of doctrine but for information of manners Of Communion under both kindes and nâ—mber of Sacraments ALexander Hales howsoever he some way incline to that opinion that it is sufficient to receive the Sacrament in one kind yet he confesseth that there is more merit and devotion and compleatnesse and efficacie in receiving in both Againe hee saith Whole Christ is not sacramentally conteined under each forme because the bread signifieth the body and not the blood the wine signifieth the blood and not the body Concerning the Churches practise wee doe not finde that the lay people were as yet barred of the cup in the holy Sacrament for our Countrey-man Alexander Hales who flourished about the yeare of Grace 1240. saith that we may receive the body of Christ under the forme of bread onely sicut fere ubique fit à Laicis in ecclesiâ as it is almost every where done of the Laiety in the Church it was almost done every where but it was not done every where Concerning the Sacraments the Schoolemen of this age can hardly agree amongst themselves that there be seaven Sacraments properly so called Alexander of Hales saith that there are onely â—oure which are in any sort properly to be sayd Sacraments of the new Law that the other three supposed Sacraments had their being before but received some addition by Christ manifested in the flesh that amongst them which began with the new Covenant onely Baptisme and the Eucharist were instituted immediately by Christ received their formes from him and flowed out of his wounded side Touching Confirmation the same Alexander of Hales saith the Sacrament of Confirmation as it is a Sacrament was not ordained either by Christ or by the Apostles but afterwards was ordained by the Councell of Meldain France Touching extreame unction Suarez saith that both Hugo of Saint Victor in Paris and Peter Lombard and Bonaventure and Alexander of Hales and Altissidorus the cheefe schoolemen of their time denyed this Sacrament to be instituted by Christ and by plaine consequence saith he it was no true Sacrament though they were of opinion that a Sacrament might be instituted by the Apostles and therefore admitted not of this consequence Of the Eucharist COncerning the Eucharist Scotus saith that it was not in the beginning so manifestly beleeved as concerning this coversion But principally this seemeth to move us to hold Transubstantiation because concerning the Saraments we are to hold as the Church of Rome doth And hee addeth wee must say the Church in the Creed of the Lateran councell under Innocent the third which begins with these words Firmiter credimus declared this sence concerning Transubstantiation to belong to the veritie of our faith And if you demaund why would the Church make choice of so difficult a sence of this Article when the words of the Scripture This is my Body might be upholden after an easie sence and in appearance more true I say the Scriptures were expounded by the same spirit that made them and so it is to be supposed that the catholike Church expounded them by the same spirit whereby the faith was delivered us namely being taught by the spirit of truth and therefore it chose this sence because it was true thus farre Scotus Let us now see what Bellarmie saith Scotus tells us saith he that before the Councell of Lateran which was held in the yeare one thousand two hundred and fifteene transubstantiation was not beleeved as a point of faith this is confessed by Bellarmine to be the opinion of Scotus onely he would avoyd his testimonie with a minime probandum est Scotus indeed saith so but I cannot allow of it and then hee taxeth Scotus with want of reading as if this learned and subtile Doctor had not seene as many Councels and read as many Fathers for his time as Bellarmine The same Bellarmine saith that Scotus held that there was no one place of scripture so expresse which without the declaration of the Church would evidently compell a man to admit of Transubstantiation and this saith the Cardinall is not altogether improbable It is not altogether improbable that there is no expresse place of Scripture to proove Transubstantiation without the declaration of the Church as Scotus sayd for although the Scriptures seeme to us so plaine that they may compell any but a refractary man to beleeve them yet it may justly be doubted whether the Text be cleare enough to enforce it seeing the most acute and learned men such as Scotus was have thought the contrary thus farre Bellarmine unto whom I will adde the testimonie of Cuthbert Tonstall the learned Bishop of Durham His words are these Of the manner and meanes of the Reall presence either by Transubstantiation or otherwise perhaps it had beene better to leave every man that would be curious to his owne conjecture as before the councell of Lateran it was left and Master Bernard Gilpin a man most holy and
renowned among the Northerne English and one that was well acquainted with Bishop Tonstall his kinsman and Diocesan saith I remember that Bishop Tonstall often tolâ—e me that Pope Innocent the third had done very unadvâ—sedly in that hee had made the opinion of Transubstantiation an Article of Faith seeing in former times it was free to holde or refusâ— that opinion The same Bishop tolde me and many time ingenuously confessed that Scotus was of opinion that the Church might better and with more ease make use of some more commodious exposition of those words in the holy Supper and the Bishop was of the minde that we ought to speake reverently of the holy Supper but that the opinion of Transubstantiation might well be let alone This thing also the same Bishop Tonstall was wont to affirme both in words and writings that Innocent the third knew not what he did when hee put Transubstantiation among the Articles of Faith and he said that Innocentius wanted learned men about him and indeed saith the Bishop if I had beene of his councell I make no doubt but I might have beene able to have disswaded him from that resolution By this that hath beene sayd it appeares that Transubstantiation was neither holden nor knowne universally in the Church before the Lateran Councell twelve hundred yeares after Christ and that when it began to be received as a matter of Faith it was but beleeved upon the Churches authoritie and this Church virtually and in effect was Pope Innocent in the Lateran Councell twelve hundred yeeres and more after Christ before which time there was no certaintie nor necessity of beleeving it and the Councell might have chosen another sence of Christs words more easie and in all appearance more true there being no scripture sufficient to convince it Of Images and Prayer to Saints HOnorius of Authun in France saith There is none that is godly wise who will worship and adore the Crosse but Christ crucified on the crosse Roger Hoveden our native historian who lived in the beginning of this age condemned the adoration of Images for speaking of the Synodall Epistle written by the Fathers of the second Nicen councell wherein Image worship was established he tells us that Charles the King of France sent into this Isle a Synodall booke directed unto him from Constantinople wherein there were divers offensive passages but especially this one that by the joynt consent of all the Doctors of the East and no fewer than 300 Bâ—shops it was decreed that Images should be worshipped quod ecclesia Dei execratur saith he which the Church of God abhorres Guilielmus Altissiodorensis saith that for such and such reasons many doe say that neither we pray unto the Saints nor they pray for us but improperly in râ—spect we pray unto God that the merits of the Saints may hâ—lpe us Of Faith and Merit THomas Aquinas saith that workes be not the cause why a man is just before God but rather they are the execution and manifestation of his justice for no man is justâ—fied by workes but by the Habit of Faith infused yea justâ—fication is done by Faith onely And Aquinas in his commentary on the Galatians in the place alleadged tho at the first he mention such workes as are performed by the power of nature yet afterwards he speakes also of workes wrought by the power of grace and of such as Saint Iames mentions Chap. 2. saying Was not Abraham justified by workes but these were workes of grace and yet Thomas excludes from justification workes done in the state of Grace and saith Iustification is done by Faith onely Bonaventure saith that by onely Faith in Christs passion all the fault is remitted and without the faith of hâ—m no man is justified Velosillus in his animadversions upon the writings of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church observeth that Scotus held not merit of Condigâ—ity And Vega saith that Thomas Aquinas the flower of the Schoole-Divines constantly affirmeth that a sinner can not merit his owne justâ—fication either of congruity or of condignity and thus have these men given in their verdict but now let us heare themselves speake There is no action of ours saith Scotus that without the speciall ordinance of God and his divine acceptation is worthy of the reward with which God rewardeth them that serve him in respect of the inward goodnesse that it hath from the causes of it because alwayes the reward is greater than the merit and strict Iustice doth not give a better thing for a thing of lesse value And againe hee saith That speaking of strict Iustice God is bound to none of us to bestow rewards of so high perfection as hee doth the rewards being so much greater in worth than any merits of ours The Prophet David saith the learned Archbishop of Armagh hath fully cleared this case in that one sentence Psalm 62.12 With thee Oh Lord is mercy for thou râ—wardâ—st every man according to his workes Originally therefore and in it selfe this reward proceedeth meerely from Gods free bounty and mercy but accidentally in regard that God hath tyed himselfe by his word and promise to conferre such a reward it now provâ—th in a sort to be an act of Iustice in regard of the faithfull performance of his promâ—se For promise amongst honest men is counted a due debt but the thing promised being free and on our part altogether undeserved if the promiser did not performe and proved not to be so good as his word hee could not properly be sayd to doe us wrong but rather to wrong himselfe by impayring his owne credit And therefore Aquinas confesseth That God is not hereby simply made a debtor to us but to himselfe in as much as it is requisite that his owne ordinâ—nce should be fullfilled William Bishop of Paris treating of prayer giveth us this Caveat Not to leane on the weake and fraile foundation of our owne merits but wholly denying our selves and distrusting our owne strength to relye on the sole favour and mercy of God and in so doing sayth hee the Lord will never faile us Cassander saith That both ancient aâ—d moderne with full consent professe to reposâ— themselves wholly upon the meere mercy of God and merit of Christ with an humble renunciation of all worthinesse in their owne workes and this doctrine Cassander derives through the lower ages of the Schoole-men and later writers Thomas of Aquine Durand Adrian de Trajecto afterwards Pope Adrian the sixth Clictoveus and delivers it for the voyce of the then present Church THE FOVRTEENTH CENTVRIE From the yeere of Grace 1300. to 1400. PAP WHat say you of this fourteenth Age PROT. In this Age learning began to revive for so it came to passe that divers learned men among the Greekes abhorring such cruelty as the Turkes used against their Countrey-men the Grecians left those parts and fled into Italy Now by their meanes the
much upon Theodoret but Gregorie Valence tells you that Theodoret was taxed of errour by the Councell of Ephesus although he afterwards revoked his errour Reply You should have showne that the Councell taxed him with errour in this point of the Sacrament or that he retracted this opinion as erronious and then you had said somewhat It is true indeed that at fiâ—st he was not so firme in his faith being too much addicted to Theodorus Bishop of Mopsvestia and to Nestorius so that he wrote against the twelve Chapâ—ers which Cyril composed against the Nestorians but afterwards he revoked his errour and accuâ—sed Nestorius and whosoever should not confesse the blessed Virgin to bee the mother of God whereupon thâ— Councell of Chalcedon received him into their Communion Besides in the Dialogues alleadged Theodoret hath notably opposed the Grand Heretique Eutyches and therin shewed himselfe very Orthodoxe I proceede to Saint Austine the Oracle of the Latine Fathers whose judgâ—ment touching the Eucharist hath beene in part declared in the first Centurie Hee held that those words This is my Body were to be taken in a figurative sence his rule is that whensoever the Signe as the Bread being called Chrisâ—'s body hath the name of The thing signified the speech is alwayes figurative for Sacraments be signes which often doe take the names of those things which they doe signifie and reprâ—sent Therefore doe they carry the names of the things themselves Thus Baptisme the signe of Christ's buriall is called Christ's buriall now as Baptisme is called Christ's Burial so is the Sacrament of the Body of Christ called his Body and againe Christ doubted not to say This is my Body when he gave a signe of his body The same Father upon occasion of Christ's speech Except you eate the flesh of the Son of man Ioh. 6.53 gives us this general rule That whensoâ—ver we find in Scripture any speech of commanding some heynous act or forbidding some laudable thing there to hold the speâ—ch to be figurative even as this of eating the flesh of Chrâ—st Now of this Sacrament doth not Christ say Take eate This is my Body Saint Austines words are these If the Scripture seeme to command any vile or ill fact the speech is figurative Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee have no life in you facinus vel flagitium videtur jubere Christ seemeth to command a wicked and sinfull act figura est ergo It is therefore a figurative speech Commanding us to partake of the passion of Christ and sweetly and profitably keepe in memory that his flesh was crucified for us Now for the manner of our feeding on Christs body the same Father tells us that It is not corporall and sensuall but spirituall credendo by believing How shall I send up my hand into heaven to take hold on Christ fitting there Send thy Faith saith he and thou hast hold of him Againe Why preparest thou thy teeth and thy belly Believe and thou hast eaten and againe For this is to eate the living bread to believe in him he that believeth in him eateth Objection You rely much upon Saint Augustine but he makes for us as may appeare by that place where he saith that Christ at his Supper carried himselfe in his owne hands Answer Our learned Doctor Bishop Morton hath notably cleered this place Saint Augustine expounding the 3â— Psalme and falling upon a wrong translation of that place in Samuel 1.21.13 And David feigned himsâ—lfe mad in their hands reades thus He carried himselfe in his owne hands Now this cannot saith he be meant of David or any other man literally they are meant then of Christ when he said of the Eucharist This is my body Now these words Et ferebatur in manibus suis are neither in the Originall Hebrew text nor in your vulgar Translation for there it isâ— collabebatur inter manus eorum David playing the mad man slipt or fell into the hands of others they that transcribed the Septuagint mistaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his hands his owne hands for their hands occasioned this interprâ—tation Now Saint Austine interprets himselfe and answereth his Quomodo ferebatur with a Quodammodo an Adverbe of likenesse and similitude saying that After a certaine manner Christ carried himselfe in his owne hands and thus he qualifies his foâ—mer speech so that it cannot be understood of Christs Corporall carrying of his body properly in his owne hands but Quodammodo afâ—er a soâ—t and thus Saint Austine saith Secuâ—dum quendam modum this Sacrament after a sort is the body of Christ nâ—t literally but as Baptisme the Sacrament of Faith is called faith to wit figuratively and imâ—roperly Objection You alleadged Saint Chrysostome against Transubstantion but he makes for it saying Doest thou see bread doest thou see wine doe these things goe to the draught as other meates doe not so thinke not soâ— for as when waxe is put to the fire nothing of the substance remaineth nothing redoundeth so here also tâ—inke thou the mysteries consumed with the substance of the body of Christ. Answer This place as Bishop Bilson saith makes not for you for you say the substance is abolished but the accidents of bread and wine remaine but when you put waxe inâ—o the fire nothing neither shew nor substance nor accidents remaine and yet if you consult the Schooles they will tell you the accidents onely perish the matter doth not Neither doth Chrysostome say that the mysteries are consumed by the body of Christâ— but hee saith So thinke when thou commest to the mysteries that is thinke not on the elements but lift up the eyes of thy minde above them as if they were consumed and this hee spoke to stirre up the Communicants rather to marke in this Sacrament the wonderfull power and effects of Gods spirit and grace than the condition and naturall digestion of the bread and wine And it is cleare that this was his meaning for in the very next wordes following he saith Wherefore approaching to the Lords Table doe not thinke that you receive the divine body at the hands of a man but that you take a fiery coale from a Seraphim or Angel with a paire of tongs By this straine of rhetoricke Chrysostome as his manner is perswadeth the people to come to the Lords Table with no lesse reverence than if they were to receive a fiery coale as Esay did in his vision from one of the glorious Seraphims Chrysostome had no intent that the bread was transubstantiated no more than that the Priest was changed into an Angel or his hand into a payre of tongs or the body of Christ into a coale of fire and hee useth the same amplification in both the speeches the same phrase thinke you and at the same time and to the same people so that if one bee as certainely
Ancients used the word Merit and so also they used the termes Indulgences Satisfaction Sacrifice aâ—d Penance but quite in another sense then the later Romanists doe the Fathers who use it tooke up the word as they found it in ordinary use and custome with men in those times not for to deserve which in our language implyeth Merit of condignity but to incurre to attaine impetrate obtaine and procure without any relation at all to the dignity either of the person or the worke thus Saint Bernard concerning children promoted to the Prelacie saith They were more glad they had escaped the rod than that they had merited that is obtayned the prâ—ferment Saint Augustine saith that hee and his fellowes for their good doings at the hands of the Dâ—natists In steed of thankes merited that is incurred the flames of hatred on the other side the same Fatheâ— affirmeth That Saint Paul for his persecutions and blasphemies merited that is found grace to bee named a vessell of election Saint Gregory hath a straine concerning the sinne of Adam which is sung in the Church of Rome at the blessing of the Taper O happy sinne that merited that is Found the favour to have such and so great a Redeemer In like sort by merits they did ordinarily signifie workes as appeares by that of Saint Bernard saying The merits of men are not such that for them eternall life should bee due of right for all merits are Gods gifts Neither did the ancient Church hold merit of Condignitie but resolved according to that of Leo The measure of celestiall gifts depends not upon the qualitie of works they were not of the Rhemists opinion That good works are meritorious and the very cause of salvation so farre that God should be unjust if he rendred not heaven for the same They were not so farre Iesuited as with Vasquez to hold that The good works of just persons are of themselves without any covenant and acceptation worthy of the reward of eternall life and have an equall value of condignitie to the obtaining of eternall glorie PA. You cannot denie but that prayer for the dead is ancient PRO. The manner now used is not ancient for they that of old prayed for the dead had not any reference to Purgatorie as Popish prayers are now adayes made It is true indeed that anciently they used Commemorations of the defunct neither mislike wee their manner of naming the deceased at the holy table in this sort they used a Commemoration of the Patriarks Prophets Apostles Evangelists Martyrs and Confessours yea of Mary the mother of our Lord to whom it cannot be conceived that by prayer they did wish their deliverance out of Purgatorie sith no man ever thought tâ—em to be there but if they wished any thing it was the deliverance from the power of death which as yet tyrannized over one part of them the hastning of their resurâ—ection as also a joyful publike acquitall of them in that great day wherein they shall stand to bee judged before the judge of the quicke and dead that so having fully escaped from all the consequences of sin the last enemie being then destroyed and death swallowed up in victorie they might obtaine a perfect consummation and blisse both in body and soule according to the forme of our Churches Liturgie In the Commemoration of the faithfull departed retained as yet in the Romane missall there is used this Orizon O Lord grant unto them eternall rest and let everlasting light shine unto them and againe This oblation which we humbly offer unto thee for the Commemoration of the soules that sleepe in peace we beseech thee O Lord receive graciouslie and it is usuall in the Ambrosian and Gregorian Office and in the Romane missall to put in their Memento the names of such as sleepe in the sleepe of Peace omnium pausantium and to entreate for the spirits of those that are at rest Remember O Lord thy servants and hand maides which have gone before us with the Ensigne of Faith and sleepe in the sleepe of Peace now by Pausantium Pamelius understands such as sleepe and rest in the Lord. Where we may observe that the soules unto which Everlasting blisse was wished for were yet acknowledged to rest in Peace and consequently not to be disquieted with any Purgatorie torment So that the thing which the Church anciently aymed at in her supplications for the dead was not to ease or release the soules out of Purgatorie but that the whole man not the soule separated onely might find mercie of the Lord in that day as sometime Saint Paul prayed for Onesiphorus even whiles Onesiphorus was yet alive Besides they desired a joyfull Resurrection as appeares by severall passages and Liturgies by the Aegyptian Liturgie attributed to Cyril Bishop of Alexandria where we find this Orizon Raise up their bodies in the day which thou hast appointed according to thy promises which are true and cannot lye And that of Saint Ambrose for Gratian and Valentinian the Emperours I doe beseech thee most high God that thou wouldst raise up againe those deere young men with a speedie resurrection that thou mayst recompence this untimely course of this present life with a timely resurrection As also in Grimoldus his Sacramentarie Almighty and everlasting God vouchsafe to place the body and the soule and the spirit of thy servant N. in the bosomes of Abraham Isaac and Iacob that when the day of thine acknowledgement shall come thou mayst command them to be raised up among thy Saints and thine Elect. The like is found in the Agend of the dead already mentioned PA. Invocation of Saints was anciently used PRO. I answer that though in respect of later times Prayer to Saints and some other of our adversaries Tenets may seeme ancient and gray-headed yet in respect of the first three or foure hundred yeares next after Christ they are not of that ancient standing now the true triall of antiquitie is to be takâ—n from the first and purest agâ—s for as Tertullian telleth us That is most true which is most ancient that most ancient which was from the beginning that from the beginning which froÌ„ the Apostles so that which at fiâ—st was delivered to the Saints is truest and the good seed was first sowne and after that came the tares Besides what though some poynts in Poperie were of a thousand yeareâ— standing it is not time that can make a lye to be truth antiquitie without truth is but antiquitas erroris an ancient errour and there is no pâ—aescripâ—ion of time can hold plea against God and his truth Neither yet can you prescribe for divers Tenetâ—â— Scotus that was termed the Subtile Doctor telleth us that before the Councel of Lateran which was not till the yeare 1215 Transubstantiation was not believed as a poynt of Faith This did Bellarmine observe as
7 makes this inference In this doe wee give glory to him when we doe confesse that by no precedent merits of our good deeds but by his mercie onely wee have attained unto so great a dignitie And Rabanus in his commentaries upon the Lamentations of Ieremie least they should say our Fathers were accepted for their Merit and therefore they obtained such great things at the hands of the Lord he adjoyneth that it was not given to their Merits but because it so pleased God whose free gift is whatsoever he bestoweth I will close up this Age onely with producing an Evidence drawne about the yeare 860 namely a learned Epistle which Huldericke Bishop of Ausburg in Germanie wrote to Pope Nicolas in defence of Priests Marriage From this holy discretion saith he thou hast no a little swarved when as thou woâ—ldst have those Cleargy-men whom thou oughtest only to advise to abstinence from mariage compelled unto it by a certaine imperious violence for is not this justly in the judgement of all Wise men to be accounted violence when as against the Evangelicall institution and the charge of the Holy Ghost any man is constrained to the execution of private Decrees The Lord in the old Law appointed marriage to his Priest which he is never read afterwards to have forbidden PA. Master Brerely saith that this Epistle is forged under the name of Ulrick Bishop of Augusta PRO. Your Spanish Inquisitors have suppressed this Tesâ—imonie and strucke it dead with a Deleatur Let that whole Epistle be blotted out but our learned bishop Doctor Hall prooves that this Huldericke wrote such a Treatise and about the time assigned and also that this Record is Authenticke that it is extant as Illyricus saith in the Libraries of Germanie that ouâ— Archbishop Parker bishop Iewell Iohn Foxe had Copies of it in Parchment of great Antiquitie Besides your owne man Aeneas Sylvius afterwards Pope Pius the second almost two hundred yeares agoe mentions it and reports the Argument of it for speaking of Ausburg he saith Saint Vdalricus huic praesidet qui papam arguit de Concubinis Vdalricke is the Saint of that City who reproved the Pope concerning Concubines THE TENTH CENTVRIE From the yeare of Grace 900. to 1000. PAPIST WE are now drawing on to the thousandth yeare what say you to this tenth Age PROTESTANT By the fall of the Romane Empiâ—e Learning was now decayed and the publike Service no longer to be understood by reason of the change of the vulgar Tongues Wernerus a Carthusian Monke saith of this Age That holinesse had left the Popes and fled to the Emperours Bellarmine saith There was no Age so unlearned so unluckie And Baronius complaines saying What was then the face of the Roman Church when potent and base Whores bare all the sway at Rome at whose lust Sees were changed Bishoprickes bestowed and their Lovers thrust into Saint Peters Chaire Insomuch as Baronius is glad to prepare his Reader with a Preface before he would have him venter upon the Annals of this Age Lest a weake man seeing in the Story of those times the abomination of Desolation sitting in the Temple should bee offended and not rather wonder that there followed not immediatly the Desolation of the Temple And he had reason to Preface as much considering the corruption that grew in this Thousandth yeare wherein Satan was let loose For at thiâ— time they of Rome forbad others to marâ—y and in the meane whiles themselves slept in an unlawfull bed They also devised a carnall Presence of Christ in the Sacrament so that as the noble Morney saith The lesse that they beleeved God in hâ—aven the more carefull were they to affirme him to bee in the Bread in the Priests hands in his words in his nods and that by these meanes when it pleased them they could make him appeare upon earth Thus dishonesty accompanied infidelitie and no marvell since as Ockam saith A lewd life oftentimes blindâ—th the understanding But leâ— us see whether in this Monkish Age during this mist in Aegypt wee can discover any light in the Land of Goshen In this Age lived the Monke Radulphus Flaviaceâ—sis Stephanus Edvensis Bishop Smaragdus Abbot of Saint Michaels in Germany and Aelfricke Abbot of Malmesburie about the yeare 975. Of the Scriptures sufâ—iciencie and Canon Flaviacensis compares the Scripture to a well-furnished Table or Ordinarie It is saith hee our spirituall refection and Cordiall given to us against the heart-qualmes of our enemies The same Author speaking of Bookes pertainning to sacred Historie saith The Bookes of Tobit Iudith and of the Machabees though they bee read â—or the Churches instruction yet they have not any perfect Authoritie In like sort Aelfricke Abbot of Malmesburie in his Saxon Treatie of the old Testament tell us There are two Bookes more placed with Salomons workes as if he had made them which for likenesse of Stile and profitable vse have gone for his but Iesus the sonne of Syrach composed them one is called Liber Sapientiae the Booke of Wisdome and the other Ecclesiasticus very large Bookes and read in the Church of long custome for much good instruction amongst these Bookes the Church hath accustomed to place two other tending to the glory of God and intituled Maccabaeorum I have turned them into English and so reade them you may if you please for your owne instruction Now by this Saxon Treatise written by Aelfricus Abbas about the time of King Edgar seven hundred yeares agoe it appeares what was the Canon of holy Scripture here then received and that the Church of England had it so long agoe in her Mother tongue Of Communion under both and number of Sacraments Stephanus Edvensis saith These gifâ—s or benefits â—re dayly performed unto us when the Body and Bloud of Christ is taken at the Altar Aelfricke mentions but two Sacraments of Baptisme aâ—d the Lords Supper the same which Gods people had under the Law who though they had many Rites and Ceremonies yet in proper sense but two Sacraments his words are these The Apostle Paul saith 1 Cor. chap. 10. vers 1 2 3 4. That the Israelites did eate the same ghostly meate and drinke the same ghostly drinke because that heavenly meate that fed them fortie yeares and that water which from the Stone did flow had signification of Christs Body and his Bloud that now bee offered dayly in Gods Church So that as a good Author saith This Age acknowledged onely two Sacraments Of the Eucharist Our English Abbot Aelfricke in his Saxon Homily which was appointed publikely to be read to the people in England on Easter day before they received the Communion hath these wordes All our Forâ—fathers they did eate the same Ghostly meate and dranke the same Ghostly drinke they dranke truely of the stone that followed them and that stone was Christ neither was
a matter of nothing to corrupt the ancient writers Austin or Fulbertus or both or could this Dicet Haereticus in probability be the mistake of the Printer and not rather purposely done by such as could not brooke the truth of that doctrine which Fulbert delivered out of S. Austine But the same Fulbert elswhere in a higher straine tels us of a Spirituall yet reall receiving of Christ saying Hold ready the mouth of thy Faith open the jawes of hope strâ—tch out the bowels of love and take the bread of life which is the nourishment of the inward man Objection Theophylact saith He that eateth me shall live by mee forasmuch as after a sort he is mingled with me and trans-elementated into me or changed into me Answer Theophylact is not of that credit as being but a late writer above a thousand yeares after Christ and therefore farre short of Primitive antiqâ—itie living as Bellarmine saith in his catalogue of Ecclesiaâ—ticke writers about the yeare 1071. Besides transelementaion proveth not transubstantiation for in transubstantiation the matter is destroyed and the quantitie and accidents remaine and in trans-elementation the matter remaineth and the essentiall accidentall formes are altered Objection Yea but Bellarmine alleadgeth Theophylact saying of the Bread that it is trans-elementated into the body of Christ and he useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answer Theophylact can best tell us his own meaningâ— now the same Theophylact who said that bread was trans-elemenâ—ated into Christs body saith also nos in Christum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we also are trans-elemeÌ„â—ated into Christ that a Christian and faithfull Communicant is in a manner tâ—ans-elementated iâ—to Christ for so his words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— id in cap. 6. Ioan. Nâ—w they will not say that we are transubstantiated into Christ therefore neither doth Theophylact by the word Trans-elementation used of the bread and wine understand any substantiall but onely a Sacramentall change in respect of the use and effect And so I proceed At this time also Berenger Archdeacon of Angiers in France resisted the corporall presence PA. I challenge Berenger PRO. You cannot justly except against him either for his life or his learningâ— In these times saith Platina Odo Abbot of Clunie and Berenger of Tours were of great account for their excellent learning and holinesse of life Sigebert Abbot of Gâ—mbloux saith that Berenger was well skilled in the Liberall arts and an excellent Logician Hildebert Bishop of Mans and afterwards Archbishop of Touâ—s was his Scholler and honoured his deceased master with this Epitaph Vir vere sapiens parte beatus ab omni Qui coâ—los animâ corpore ditat humum Post obitum vivam secùm secùm requiescam Nec fiat melior sors mea sorte suâ He was a man was blest on every part The earth hath his body the heavens his heart My wish shall be that at my end My soule may rest with this my friend PA. What though he opposed the reall presence this was but one Doctors opinion which himselfe brâ—ached without any former Catholicke precedent PRO. That is not so for his country-man Bertram who was a Monke of Corbey Abbey in France opposed the same long before him and Duval a Doctor of Sorbone saith that Amalarius and Ioannes Scotus were Berengers fore-runners The truâ—h is he neither wanted fore-runners nor followers and favourers Sigeberts Chronicle speaking of Berengers Tenet faith That there was much disputation and by many both by word and writing against him and for him Where the learned bishop Vsher observes that the words Et pro eo and for him specially favouring Berengers cause are left out in some Editionâ— but they are to bee found in other authenticke copies and wee may by the way observe that this poynt of carnall presence or the Sacrament Sub Spectebus for so they terme it was but a disputable point pro and contra and no matter of Faith in Berengers dayes Indeed this doctrine was borne downe by the Popes power so that divers durst not make open profession thereof yet privately they imployed both their tongues and pens in defence thereof and some even in a Romane Councel purposely called against Berenger stood in Defence of his figurative sense of the Sacramentall words as appeares by the Acts of the same Councel In a word Mathew of Westminster saith that Berenger had almost drawne all France Italie aâ—d England to his opinion so that the Berengarians did not luâ—ke in any obscure nooke or corner of the world but spread themselves into the famousest parts of Europe PA. Father Parsons saith that Berenger Recanted so that you cannot account him one of your side PRO. Indeed Berenger was called and appeared before divers Councels was questioned and censâ—red by fâ—uâ—e severall Popes and there was a forme of Recantation tendred to him the tenour whereof is this as Gratian hath registred it in his Decrees aftâ—rwards published and confirmed by Pope Gregory the thirtâ—enth I Berengarius doe firmely professe that I hold that the body of Christ is in this Sacrament not onely as a Sacramâ—nt but even in truth is sâ—nsibly handled with the Priests hands and broken and torne with the teeth of the faithfull Now this was such a forme of an Oath as that your owne Glosse saith of it that Vnlesse it be warily understood onâ— may fall into a greater heresie than Berengâ—r did And yet this coâ—poral eating of Christs flâ—sh with the Capernaits in Saints Iobus sixth Chapterâ— and this tearing his body with the Communicants teeth must be understood literally inasmuch as the words were purposely set downe for a formall Recantation and Bellarmine confesseth that There are no formes of speech more exact and proper in phrase concerning the matter of Faith than such as are usâ—d by thâ—m that abjure heresie Againe what though Bâ—renger upon the Clergies importunity through humane frailty were constrained For feare of death as an Historian saith to subscribeâ— and to burnâ— both his owne booke and Scotus his treatise of the Eucharist which had led him into that opinion yet he might still be of the same judgement he was on before And though he Recanted yet heâ—ein he did no more than Saint Petâ—r whose successour the Pope pretends himselfe to be in denying his Mastâ—r no more than Queene Mary who being terrified with her Faâ—hers displeasuâ—e wrote him a letter with her ownâ— hand in which for ever she renounceth the Popâ—s authoritie here in England And though hee was driven for the time to retract yet upon his comming home hee returned to his former Tenâ—t and as one saith who lived about the same time Nec tamen postâ—à dimisit afâ—er that he never changed his opinion In a word â—hough Berenger himselfe were somewhat wavering yet were his Schollers constant insomuch that Malmsburiensis a bitter enemy of theirs saith
examining them The like may be sayd of Bede Gregorie and others that holding Christ the foundation a right and groaning under the weight of mens Traditions humane satisfactions and the like popish trash they by unfained repentaÌ„ce for their errours lapses knowne and unknowne and by an assured faith in their Saviour did finde favour with the Lord these and the like we hold to be Gods servants and propter meliorem saniorem partem by reason of their better and sounder part to be with us lively members of the true Church though in some things they were mistaken and that they may be termed professours of our faith inasmuch as the denomination is to be taken from the better part and not alwayes from the greater For example sake there is much water and little wine mixed in a glasse yet it is called a glasse of wine so say we of professors S. Bernard and such like there is in them some bad parts some superstition and Poperie and some good in that they hold Christ Iesus the foundation aright in this case they may in respect of their better part be termed and denominated true professors and therefore you must give us againe Saint Bernard with others to whoÌ„ you have no right or claime unlesse it be to their errours which they suckt in from the corrupt breasts of some of your side and so I proceed to the severall points in question Of the Scriptures Sufficiencie and Canon Saint Bernard as wee heard approveth such a Councell wherein the Traditions of men are not obstinately defended but the revealed will of God enquired after for that this is all in all Claudius Seyssel Archbishop of Turin in Piedmont one that was Neighbour to the Waldenses and laboured to enforme himselfe touching their positions and also to confute them saith that they admitted onely the text of the old and new Testaments so that they denyed unwritten traditions to be the Rule of Faith Petrus Cluniacensis after he had reckoned up the canonicall bookes saith There are besides the authenticall bookes sixe other not to be rejected as namely Iudith Tobias Wisedome Ecclesiasticus and the two bookes of Macchabees which though they attaine not to the high dignitie of the former yet they are received of the Church as containing necessary and profitable doctrine Hugo de Sancto victore saith All the Canonicall bookes of the old Testament are twentie two there are other bookes also as namely the Wisedome of Salomon the booke of Iesus the sonne of Syrach the bookes of Iudith Tobias and the Machabees which are read but not written in the Canon The Bible was translated into English some hundred yeares as it is probably conjectured before Wickliffs translation came forth a coppie of which auncient translation my selfe have seene in our Queenes Colledge Librarie in Oxford in the praeface whereof it may be seene that the translatour held the controverted bookes for Apocrypha for thus he saith what ever booke of the Old Testament is out of these he maketh the same â—anon with us twentie five before sayd shall be set among Apocrypha that is without authoritie of beleefe Therefore the booke of Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Iudith and Tobie bee not of beleefe Hierome saith all this sentence in the prologue on the first booke of Kings now if at that time the above sayd bookes had beene accounted Authenticall by the Church and of beleefe he would have sayd but this opinion of Hieromes is not approved by the Church as Doctor Iames hath well observed Of Communion under both kinds and number of Sacraments HVgo de Sancto victore giveth a reason of the entire communicating in both kinds Therefore saith he the Sacrament is taken in both kindes that thereby a double effect might be signified For it hath force as S. Ambrose saith to preserve both body and soule Gratian rehearseth many ancient Canons and constitutions for communicating in both kinds Saint Bernard in his third Sermon on Palme Sunday maketh the Sacrament of Christs body and blood the Christians foode Touching the Sacrament of Christs body and blood saith he there is no man who knoweth not that this so singular a food was on that day first exhibited on that day coÌ„mended and coÌ„manded to be frequently received Saint Bernards words have reference to the Institution of Christ now at our Saviours last Supper there was Wine as well as Bread and Bernard treating thereof saith it was commanded to be frequently received now if the whole Church were enjoyned so to doe then also is every particular beleever who is of age fitted thereunto enjoyned to receive it accordingly The precise number of seaven Sacraments was not held for catholike doctrine no not in the Church of Rome untill more than a thousand yeares after Christ this is ingenuously confessed by Cassander Vntill the dayes of Peter Lombard who lived about the yeere 1145 you shall scarce finde any authour saith their Cassander who set downe any certaine and definite number of Sacraments neither did all the schoolemen call all those sâ—ven proper Sacraments but this is without all controversie saith the same Cassander that there are two chiefe Sacraments of our Salvation that is to say Baptisme and the Lords Supper and so speake Rupertus and Hugo de Sancto victore and he saith true for Rupertus putteth the question and asketh Which be the chiefe sacraments of our salvation and hee answereth Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. Of the Eucharist IN this age â—ratian the Monke affoordeth us a notable testimony against transubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ his coÌ„parison is thus drawne This holy bread is after its manner called the body of Christ as the offering thereof by the hands of the Priest is called Christs passion now the Priests oblation is not properly and literally in strict termes and sence the passion of Christ but as the Glosse hath it the Sacrament representing the body of Christ is therefore called Christ's flesh not in verity of the thing but in a mystery namely as the representation of Christ therein is called his Passion Gratians words are these As the heavenly bread which is Christ's flesh after a sort is called Christ's body whereas indeed it is the Sacrament of his body and the sacrificing of the flesh of Christ which is done by the Priest's hands is sayd to be his passion not in the truth of the thing but in a signifying mistery Iâ—annes Semeca who was the first that glossed upon Gratians decrees telleth us how this comparison is to be meant This Sacrament saith the Glosse because it doth represent the flesh of Christ is called the Body of Christ but improperly not in the truth of the thing but in the mysticall sence to wit it is called the Body of â—hrist that is it signifieth his Body From these premisses we inferre that after consecration the Sacrament is not in truth Christ's Body but onely in a
signifying mysteryâ— rei veritas the truth of the thing as it is opposed to significans mysterium a signifying mystery simply excludes the reality of the thing for it is all one as if he had sayd that it is there onely in a signifying mystery as also in saying it is there suo modo after a sort onely he implieth that it is not there truely or in the truth of the thing visibly or invisibly So that these words of Gratian drawne from Saint Austin and Prosper seconded by the Glosse and inserted into the body of the Cannon law confirmed by Pope Gregorie the thirteenth make strongly against the reall presence of Christ's body under the Accidents of Bread and Wine as my learned friend Master Doctor Featly made it appeare in his first dayes Conference with Master Musket touching Transubstantiation Besides there were divers in this age who employed both their tongues and their pennes in defence of this truth Zacharias Chrysopolitanus saith that there were some perhaps many but hardly to bee discerned and noted that thought still as Berengarius did whom they then condemned scorning not a little the â—olly of them that say the appearing accidents of Bread and Wine after the conversion doe hang in the ayre or that the sences are deceived Rupertus saith It is not to be concealed that there are diverse though hardly to be discerned and noted which are of opinion and defend the same both by word and writing that the Fathers under the Law did eate and drinke the very Bread and Wine which wee receive in the Sacrament of the Altar And hee saith they grounded their opinion upon that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.3.4 They did all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke of the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spiritual rock that followed them and the rocke was Christ. and the same Rupert addeth that the Church tollerated this diversity of opinion touching the sacrament of the Eucharist for so he saith in his seaventh booke whence we may observe that forsomuch as the Fathers under the Law did eate of the same Christ in Manna that we doe in the Sacrament of the Supper and yet did not nor could not eate him carnally who was not then borne nor had flesh we also in our Sacrament can have no such fleshly communication with Christ as some imagine And whereas Bellarmine replyes that the Fathers received the same among themselves but not the same with us Christians he is controlled by Saint Austine who saith it was the same which we eate the corporall food indeed was diverse but the spirituall meate was the same they eate of the same spirituall meate Of Images and Prayer to Saint Nicetas Choniates a Greeke historian reports in the life and reigne of Isaac Angelus one of the Easterne Emperours that when Fredericke Emperour of the West made an expedition into Palestina the Armenians did gladly receive the Almaines because among the Almaines and Armenians the worshipping of Images was forbidden alike Claudius Sâ—yssell and Claudius Coussord both which wrote against the Waldenses reckon up this among the Waldensian errours that they denyed the placing of Images in Churches or worshipping of them Gratian saith that question is mooved whether the deceased doe know what the living heere on earth doe and withall he addeth how that the Prophet in the person of the afflicted Israelites saith Abraham our father is ignorant of us and Israell knoweth us not Esay 63 16. and hâ—rein Gratian followed Saint Austine who maketh the same inference upon that place of Scripture Gratians resolution in this point is farther layd downe by the Glosse in those termes Gratian mooveth a certaine incident question whether the dead know the things that are done in this world by the living and he answereth that they doe not and this he proveth by the authority of Esay viz. Esay 63.16 the Master of the Sentences saith It is not incredible that the soules of the Saints that delight in the secrets of Gods countenance in beholding the same see things that are done in the world below Hugo de Sancto victore leaveth it doubtfull whether the Saints doe heare our prayers or not and rejecteth that saying of Gregorie brought to prove that they doe qui videt videntem omnia videt omnia hee that seeth him who seeth all things seeth all things hee confesseth ingenuously saying I presume not to determin this matter â—arther than thus that they see so much as it pleaseth him whom they see and in whom they see what soever they see and he saith it is a hard taske to decide these points and withall thus debateth the matter Yea but thou wilt reply If they heare me not I doe but waste words in vâ—ine in making intercession unto them that doe neither heare â—nor understand Be it so Saints heare not the words of those that call unto them well nor is it pertinent to their blessed estate to be made acquainted with what is done on earth admit that they doe not heare at all doth not God therefore heare If he heare thee why art thou sollicitous then what they heare and how much they heare seeing it is most certaine that God heareth unto whom thou prayest he seeth thy humility and will reward thy pietie and devotion so that in effect Hugo makes it not any materiall thing or of necessity to pray unto Saints Rupertus upon those Words of our Saviour Whatsoever ye shall aske the Father in my Name he will give it yoâ— Iohn 16.22 saâ—th that it is the wholesome custome and Rule of the Catholicke Church to direct her prayers to God the Father through Iesus Christ our Lord because there is no other way nor passage but by him and againe we need no other chariot save onely the name of Iesus to carry and convey our prayers into heaven Claudius Seyssel saith the Waldenses held that it was in vaine to pray to the Saints and that it was superstition for to worship and adore them Of Faith and Merit SAint Bernard beleeved Iustification by Faith alone saying Let him beleeve in thee who justifiest the ungodly and being justified by Faith onely he shall have peace with God Rupertus saith that the obstinate Iew sleights the Faith of Iesus Christ which alone is able to justifie him and seekes to be saved by his owne workes Rupertus saith that God hath freely called us by the ministery of his Word unto the state of Salvation and justified us by the gracious pardon of our sinnes not upon any precedent merits of ours Saint Bernard likewise held as we have showne that our workes doe not merit condignely and herein he is most direct and punctuall The merits of men are not such saith he as that eternall life is due to them of right or as if God should doe wrong if he did not yeeld the same unto them
kind that is Sacramentaliter figuraliter by way of SacrameÌ„t figuratively to wit as Saint Iohn Baptist figuratively was Helias and not personally So he saith of the coÌ„secrated hoast that it was Christs body in figure and true bread in nature or which is all one true bread naturally and Christs body figuratively And Wickliffe is very confident in his opinion for he saith that the third part of the Cleargy of England would be ready to defend the same upon paine of losing of their lives cum non fuerit materia martyrij plus laudanda there being no better cause of Martyrdome Of Images and Prayer to Saints TO speake properly saith Durand a the same reverence and respect which is due unto the Samplar or person represented is not to be given to the Image signe or Representee neither ought the imagâ— to be adored with Latria or divine worship for any reference or relation it hath to the thing represented thereby Holcot also a principall Schooleman saith No adoration is due to an Image neither is it lawfull to worship any image and his reason is this Latria or divine worship is due onely unto God But the image of God is not God therefore Latria or divine worship is not due unto an Image Otherwise saith he The Creator and the creature should both be adored with one honour By this wee see the Tenet of Thomas Aquinas controlled who taught that the Crucifixe and Image of Christ was to be worshipped and adored with the selfe-same honour to wit of Latria that Christ Iesus himselfe was to be honoured with Durand also held that it was utterly unlawfull to picture or represent the Trinity or God otherwise than as in Christ he tooke our flesh and was found among us as man Wickliffe was of opinion that it were better to banish Images cleane out of the Church and to this purpose he alleadgeth that noted saying of Epiphanius and according to his doctrine not long after William Nâ—vill Lâ—wis Clifford Thomas Latimer and Iohn Montague turned out Images out of certaine Chappels within their Iurisdictions Concerning prayer to Saints whereas wee hold it vaine to pray to the Saints deceased unlesse we might be assured that they heard and understood our prayers and beheld the secret thoughts of our heart some have conceited the glasse of the Trinity according to that of Gregory He that seeth God who seeth all things cannot but see all things in him but this saying is rejected by Hugo de S. Victore as wee heard in the last age as also by Occham Scotus and sundry other excellent men It is true indeede that they see God face to face 1. Corinth 13.12 yet this Faciall vision maketh not the blessed Saints to know all things Every one which beholdeth the Sunne doth not behold every thing which the Sunne effecteth and enlightneth The Saints know according to the capacity of creatures and so farre forth onely as it pleaseth God and is sufficient for their happinesse so that this glasse of the Trinity doth not represent things according to the manner of a Naturall Glasse but as Speculum voluntarium such a Glasse as maketh reflection of such notices as God is pleased to manifest more or lesse when in what manner and to what persons himselfe pleaseth Gregorius Ariminensis resolveth peremptorily that neither Saints nor Angels know the secrets of our hearts but that this is reserved as peculiar to God alone Besides there wanted not some who in this darke age of the Papacy held it superfluous to pray to the Saints insomuch that Iohn Sharpe in the Vniversity of Oxford publikely disputed these two questions of praying to Saints and of praying for the dead especially because it was esteemed by some famous men and not without probability that such suffrages and prayers were superfluous in the Church of God although some other wise men thought the contrary Wickliffe also is noted by Bellarmine for one that opposed Invocation of Saints Wickliffe indeede saith as followeth It seemeth to be a very great folly to leave the fountaine which is at hand and fetch water a farre off out of a muddy poole Who would make a Scurra or vaine fellow his spokesman to procure him accesse and audience in the Kings Court the King himselfe being more courteous and easilier to be intreated than the mediatour whom the petitioner used where Bellarmine bids us by the way observe how Wickliffeâ— compared the Saints deceased to scurrilous persons and troubled waters this indeed is a shrewd imputation but Wickliffe presently expresseth his owne meaning saying The Saints in Heaven although they be no scurrilous persons but incorporated into Christ by the free mercy of their Saviour yet they are lesse in comparison of him than any meane Groome â—ester or Paraâ—ite is in comparison of an earthly King Now what great harme is there in this comparison Iob compared man Yea a righteous man to a worme even the sonne of man which is but a worme Iob 25. v. 6. Yea but the word Scurra is an odious terme so it is indeed as now adayes it is used The vulgar Interpreter used the word Scurra and Lyra expounds it de vilibus perfonis of meane persons and our English translates it vaine fellowes Wehn David daunced before the Arke Michal sayd to him The King uncovered himselfe to day in the eyes of his servants as one of the vaine fellowes openly uncovereth himselfe Howsoever were it that Wickliffe used the Latine word Scurra in a mollified sence or the word Knave in the English Time we know is the Emperour of words and in processe thereof some of them degenerate from their first institution Idiota at first was used for a private man now we take it for a foole for an Ideot The Wise-men that came from the East were called Magi Math. 2.1 Now wee may not terme them Magicians for that were to call them Sorcerers if one should call a King a Tyrant it were treason or a Wise woman Saga hee would be hardly thought of so among the Latines Fur a Theefe when before it was a Servant Quid faciant Domini audent cùm talia Fures When Slaves thus saucy are What will their Masters dare In like sort the word knave sounded not formerly so odiously as now adayes it doth for Chaucer used it for a Servant Goe up quoth he unto his knave Cleape at his doore and knocke fast with a stone And in the same sence it is used by Sir Philip Sidney in his Arcadia If that my man must praises hâ—ve What then must I that keepe the knave Now to proceede Wicliffe in the other comparison alludes to that of the Prophet They have forsaken me the fountaine of living waters and hewed them out Cisterns broken â—esternes that can hold no water and so indeed are the purest creatures in
the Eucharist which Christ had bequeathed unto them then the Bohemians much affected with this ill dealing Assâ—mbled themselves together neere unto Thabor Castle and there to the number of thirtie thousand having three hundred tables erected in the fields for that purpose they received the Eucharist in both kinds PA. Master Brerely saith The Hussites rose up in armes and were seditious and Father Parsons saith That Zisca was a rebell against his king VVenceslaus PRO. The Reverend and laborius Deane of Exceter Master Sutcliffe saith That the crime of rebellion is rather to be imputed to the Romish Clergie and their adherents For Subinco the Archbishop of Prague stirred up Sigismund against the king as Sylvius testifieth Hist. Bohem. c. 35. And that king was taken prisoner first by his Barons next by his brother Sigismund as is testified in the same Historie c. 34. Whereas the warres of Ziscay were rather against strangers than others and hapned after the Coâ—ncel of Constance and the kings death And againe Being forced by the perâ—idiousnesse of the Pope and his complices he tooke armes for his owne necessarie dâ—fence and the protection of the innocent so that he dâ—fended his poore countreymen against the invasion of strangers And thus farre master Surcliffe And so I come to speake of such other worthies as God raised up in this Age whose Testimonies we shall have occasion to produce as namâ—ly Peter de Alliacâ— Cardinal of Cambrey Iohn Gâ—rson Chaâ—cellour of Paris Paulus Burgensis Alphonsus Tostatus Bishop of Avila Thomas Walden the Englishman Nicholas Clemangtes Archdeacon of Bayeux in France Dionysâ—us Carthusianus Cardinal Bessarion Cardinal Cusanus Trithâ—mâ—us Abbot of Spanheim Wesselus Preacher at Wormes Hierome Savonarola a Dominican of Florence Gabriel Biel Iohn and Francis Picus Earles of Mirandula Laurentius Valla a Patrâ—cian or Senatour at Rome Baptista Mantuan the Poet and Historian Iohn Gerson was a good man and one that much desired the Reformation of things amisse he was present at the Councel of Constance and for speaking freely therein agâ—inst the Disorders of the Romane Church he was deprived of his goods and dignities by the Pope and expulsed the Vniversitie by thâ— Sorhonists it is recorded of him that being thus deprived of his goods and dignities he beâ—ooke himselfe to teaching of Schoole wherein his manner was daily to cause all his Schollers â—he little children to joyne with him in this short Prayâ—r My God my maker have mercie upon thy miserâ—blâ— servant Gerson Iohn de Serres in his Inventory of France in the life of Charles the seaventh saith that Gersâ—n retuâ—ning from Basil died for griefe at Lyons and in the third part of Gersons workes I find this Epitaph made on him aemula turba fugat Ast hunc dum fugeret fovit Germania felix Fit tibi Lugdunum posterior requies That is The envious multitude doe make him â—ly But flying he finds râ—st in Germany And after this at Lyons Touching the power of the Pope in disposing the affaires of Princes and their States Gerson saiâ—h it was given unto him by such as flattered him and told him That as there is no power but of God so there is none whether Temporall or Ecclesiasticall Imperiall or Regall but from the Pope in whose thigh Christ hath written King of Kings and Lord of Lords of whose Power to dispute is Sacrilegious boldnesse to whom no man may say Sir why doe you so though he alâ—er overturne waste and confound all States Let me be judged a lyar saith he if these things be not found written by them that seeme wise in their owne eyes and if some Popes have not given credit to such lying and flattering words yea he saith That in imitation of Lucifer they will be adored and worshipped as gods not enduring whatsoever they doe that any one should aske them why they doe so they neither feare God nor reverence men Gerson denied the infallibilitie of the Popes judgement and taught That he was subject to errour and that in case of errour or other scandalous misdemeanour he may be judicially deposed and to this purpose hee wrote a treatise De auferibilitate Papae That the Pope might be safely taken away from the Church and yet no danger follow of it Gerson sheweth that all sinnes Even they that seeme least and lightest are by nature mortall Touching Indulgences or pardons whether the power of the Keyes extend onâ—ly to such as are on earth or to them also that are in Purgatorie the opinions of men saith Gerson are contrarie and uncertaine but howsoever this hee pronounceth confidently That onely Christ can give such Pardons for thousands of dayes and yeeres as many Popes assume to thâ—mselves power to grant So that in Gersons time it was not resolved whether the power of the Keyes extended onely to such as are on earth or to them also that are in Purgatorie yet hee sayth it might bee favourably construed that they reached to them in Puâ—gatorie at least Indirâ—ctly Concerning their Priests and Votaries hee saith That their Cels and Nunneries were like Brothel-houses and common stewes Gerson seeing there was small hope of reformation by a Generall Councell wisheth that severall kingdomes and Provinces would reforme and redresse things amisse and accordingly the severall parts of Christendome in the West as the Churches of England Scotland France and Germany have made reformation PA Gerson was present at the Councell of Constance and there preached against the Articles of Wickliffe and the Bohemians if Wickliffe make for you Gerson doth not for Gerson condemned Wickliffes opinions PRO. Gerson preached against such Articles as Were brought to the Councell of Constance by the English and Bohemians now those Articles were many of them impious in such sort as they were proposed by them that brought them as that God must obey the dâ—vill that Kings or Bishops if they fall into mortall sinne cease to be Kings or Bishops any longer and that all they doe is meerely void Whereas Wickliffe never delivered any such thing nor had any such impious conceiâ— as they sought to fasten on him neither is it to be marvelled at that impious things were falsely and slaunderously imputed to him seeing wee are wronged in like sort at this day For Campian is not ashamed to write That wee hold God to be the Author of sin and that all sinnes are equall in Gods sight and Bristow saith That Protestants are bound to avoid all good workes which tenets wee utterly disclaime and detest and many things no doubt were writâ—en by Wickliffe and Husse and others in a good and godly sense which as they are wrested by their adversaries were hereticall and damnable So then Gerson might condemâ—e as impâ—ous sâ—me posiâ—ions falsely imputed to Wickliffe not knowing but that they were his and dislike other that indeed were his as not delivered in such sort and such forme
of words as was fit or savoring of too much passion and violence and yet for all this both Gerson and Wicklâ—ffe be good men and worthy guides of Gods Church in their times And so I come from Gerson to Cameracensis from the Scholler to the Master for Petrus de Alliaco is willingly and respectfully acknowledged by Gerson to have been his Tutour and Instructer Petrus de Alliacâ— gave a Tâ—act to the Councell of Constance touching the Reformation of the Church there doth hee reprove many notable abuses of the Romanists and giveth advise how to represse them this treatise of the Cardinals is extant in Orthuinus Gratius his Fasciculus rerum expetendarâ—â— fugiendarum paginâ 206. c. There should not be multiplyed saith hee such variety of Images and Pictures in the Church there should not be so many Holy dayes there shâ—uld not bee so many Saints canonized such numbers and variety of religious persons is not expedientâ— there are so many orders of begging Friers that their state is burthensome to men hurtâ—ull to Hospitals and to the poore He saith that it was then a Proverbe The Church is come to that estate that it is not worthy to be ruled but by Reprobates yet withall he concludeth That as there were seven thousand who had not bowed to Baal so it is to be hoped there bee some which desire the reformation of the Church Now also lived Archdeacon Clemangies who in a set treatiâ—e freely painted forth the corrupt state of the Roman Church He wrote an Epistle to Gerard Maket a Doctor of Paris the argument whereof is this That wâ—e are not onely to depart from Babylon with our affections but with our bodily fecte now hee that commands this of such a place what dost thou thinke saith the same Clemangies hee would have said of that wherein not onely sound doctrine is not received but where such are cruelly persecuted as contradict their wâ—ls yea rather their madnâ—sse Speaking of their votaries hee saith What I pâ—ay yoâ— are Numeries now a dayes but Brâ—thel-houses and common Stews the harbours of wanton men where they satisfie their lusts that now the vayling of a Nunne is all one as if you prostituted her openly to bee a Whore Hee spoke excellently also in the matter of Generall Councels and so did Cardinall Câ—sanus who treating of Councels and the Pope delivereth these positions following That it is without all question that a Generall Councell properly taken is both superiour to the rest of the Patriarkes and also to the Roman Pope I beleeve saith Cusanus that to be spoken not absurdly that the Emperour himselfe in regard of the â—are and custody of preserving the faith committed unto him may Praeceptive indicere Synodum by his imperiall authority and command assemble a Synode when the great danger of the Church requireth the same Negligenâ—e aut contradicente Romano Pontifice The Pope either neglecting so to doe or resisting and contradicting the doing thereof Hee saith That the Romane Bishop hath not that power which many flatterers heape upon him to wit that hee alone is to determine and others only to consult or advise Whiles we defend saith Cusanus That the Pope is not universall Bishop but only the first Bishop â—ver others and whiles wee ground the power of sacred Councels upon the consent of the whole assembly and not upon the Pope wee maiâ—â—taine truth and give to every one his due honour and then concluding the former positions the Cardinall saith I observe little or nothing in ancient Monuments which agreeth not to these my assertions Now also lived Laurence Vaâ—la a learned man and a most excellent Divine as Trithemiâ—s calleth him hee was a Roman Patrician and Chanon of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Iohn of Laterane in Rome hee wrote a treatise of purpose against the forged donation of Constantine whereby the Pope challengeth his pretended Iurisdiction Hee pronounceth of his owne experience That the Pope himselfe doth make warre against peaceable people and soweth â—iscord betweene Cities and Princes that the Pope makes gaines not onely of the commâ—n wealth but even of the state Ecclesiasticall and of the hâ—ly Ghost aâ—d that later Ropes laboured to bee as foolish and wicked aâ— the ancient ones were holy and wise For this and the like freenesse of his speech and pâ—â—â— hee was dâ—iven into exile by the Pope I know indeed that Master Brereley is offended with us for challenging Cusâ—â—â—â— and Valla as witnesses on our behalfe and therefore hee would make his Reader beleeve that Valla being an eager enemy to the Pope can not bee an indifâ—erent witnesse but rather a partie and that both oâ— them retracted their opinions and submitted themselves to the Catholike Church and so they might without yeelding to the Romish faction hee saith they retracted but hee cannot tell when or before whom this Recantation was made or written perhaps it is written on the backe side of Constantines Donation Neither have wee corrupted Valla to make him a partie for us hee was an honest man and we take his testimony as it is recorded and commeth 〈◊〉 our hands he was not an enemy to the Pope but to the forgeries of the papacie and this madethem billet his name amongst such bookes as are forbidden and prohibited In the later end of this age lived Baptista Mantuanus and Franciscus Picuâ— Eaâ—le of Mirandula the Oration of Picus in the Councell of Lateran is extant wherein besides his taxing the behaviour of the Clergie hee useth these words That piety is almost sunke into superstition Hee held not the Popes sentence for an infallible Oracle of truth for hee saith that if the greater part offer as was done in the Councell at Ariminum which stood for the Arrian heresie to decree ought againsâ— the Scriptures wee are not in this case to follow the most voices but to joyne our selves with the lesser numbâ—r being sound in faith Yea we are rather saith he to beleeve a plaine countreyâ—man a child or an old woman if they speake according to the Scriptures rather than the Pope and a thousand of his Prelates speaking against the word of God That the Pope may erre hee sheweth by this Similitudeâ— Even as the naturall head may be sicke and noysome humours may flow from the braine into thâ— body Even so this Deputy-head to wit â—he Pope may be sicke and from hiâ— head-ship naughty opinions saith hee may bee derived and conveied inâ—o the body of the Church Hee was one who desired the Churches reformation for in the foresaid Oration in the Lateran Councell hee wisheth That the copies of the old and new Testament were compared with the ancient and best Originals and purged from such faults as they have contracted through trâ—ct of time or the neglect of the Transcribers and that the true and authenticke Histories were severed from the