TAU that is the picture of the Crosse had signed Let us rejoice therefore most dear brethren and let us lift up holy hands to heaven in the form of a Crosse when the devils shall see us so armed they shall be vanquished And note I pray by the way that some English Bibles doe leave out the letter TAU in this place of Ezekiel but how justly let any indifferent reader judge In the second age heare S. Justin Martyr speaking of the parts of dead beasts thus arguing e Ad quaest 28. Gentilium How is it not most absurd to account these things cleane by reason of the profit which is reaped of them and that the Greeks do detest the bodies and sepulchres of holy Martyrs which have power both to defend men from the snares of the Devills and to cure diseases which cannot be cured by the art of the Physitian In the first age S. Ignatius speaks thus f Epist ad Phil. ante med For the Prince of the world rejoyceth when one shall deny the Crosse For he knowes the confession of the Crosse to be his overthrow For that is a trophie against his power which when he shall see he trembles and hearing he feares § 6. Fourthly concerning Confession and Priestly Absolution in the fift age S. Augustine thus exhorteth g Homil. 49. ante med Do penance such as is done in the Church Let no man say to himself I doe secretly I do to God God knowes who pardons me that I do in my heart Is it therefore without cause said what you shall loose in earth shall be loosed in heaven Mat. 18.18 Are therefore the keyes given to the Church of God to no purpose Do we frustrate the Gospell of God do we frustrate the words of Christ In the fourth age S. Basil the great speakes thus i Suis regulis brevioribus interr 288. Men ought necessarily to open sinnes to them who are intrusted with the dispensation of the mysteries of God For truly we see that even those antients did follow this order in penance after which manner it is written in the Gospell that they did confesse their sinnes to John Mat. 3.6 and in the Acts ch 18. v. 18. to the Apostles themselves by whom also all were baptized In the third age S. Cyprian beseecheth them saying m Serm. de lapsis Let every one confesse his fault I intreat you brethren while as yet he that hath offended is in this life while his confession can be admitted while satisfaction and remission given by the Priests is gratefull to the Lord. In the second age Tertullian speaking against mens concealing part of their sins in Confession thus reproves them n lib. de poenit c. 10. The hiding of a sin doth promise plainly a great profit of bashfulnesse To wit surely if we shall steale any thing from humane knowledge we shall then also hide it from God The esteem of men and the knowledge of God are they so compared Is it better to lie hid damned than to be openly absolved It is a miserable thing so to come to Confession And in the first age S. Clement adviseth thus a Clem. Ro. Epist 1 If peradventure envy or infidelity or some of these evills which we have remembred above shall privily steale into any bodies hearts he that hath a care of his soule let him not be ashamed to confesse these things to him that hath authority that he may be cured by him by the Word of God and wholesome Counsell whereby he may by found faith and good works avoid the pains of eternall fire and attain to the everlasting rewards of life Now concerning Purgatory and Prayer for the dead in the fift age S. Augustine saith b De civit Dei l. 20. c. 24. l. 21. c. â—3 Neither could it be truly said of some Matth. 22.32 That they are not forgiven neither in this life nor in the life to come unlesse there were some who though they are not forgiven in this life yet should be in the life to come And again e Serm 41. de Sanct. prope initium ' There are many who not rightly understanding this reading are deceived with false security whilst they believe that if they build capitall sinnes upon the foundation Christ those sinnes may be purged by transitory fire and they afterward come to life everlasting This understanding c. is to be corrected because they deceive themselves who so flatter themselves for with that transitory fire wherof the Apostle said 1. Cor. 3.15 He shal be saved yet so as by fire not capitall but little sins are purged And concerning Prayers for the dead he saith d Serm. 32. de verb. Apost It is not to be doubted that the dead are holpen by the prayers of the Church and the saving Sacrifice and by almes which are given for their soules that God would deale more mercifully with them than their sinnes have deserved In the fourth age S. Ambrose in his interpretation of the fore-mentioned place of S. Paul saith a Amb. in 1 Cor. 3. But whereas S. Paul saith yet so as by fire he sheweth indeed that he shall be saved but yet shall suffer the punishment of fire that being purged by fire he may be saved and not be tormented for ever as the Infidells are with everlasting fire And S. Hierome saith there are some b In Comment in cap 11. Prover who may be absolved after death of lighter sinnes of which they die guilty either being punished with paines or by the prayers and alms of their friends and the celebration of Masses In the third age we shall find S. Cyprian speaking thus c Epist 52. ad Anton. post med It is one thing to stay for pardon another to attain to glory one thing being cast into prison not to go out thence untill he do pay the uttermost farthing Mat. 5.27 another thing presently to receive the reward of faith and vertue one thing being afflicted with long pain for sinnes to be mended and purged long with fire another thing to have purged all sins by suffering to conclude it is one thing to depend upon the sentence of the Judge in the day of Judgement another thing to be presently crowned of the Lord. In the second age Tertullian in agreement with the rest saith d lib. de anima cap. 58. In sum seeing we understand that Prison which the Gospell doth demonstrate to bee places below and the last farthing wee interpret every small fault there to be punished by the delay of the Resurrection no man will doubt but that the soul doth recompence something in the places below saving the fulnesse of the Resurrection by the flesh also And in his book De corona militis he saith e cap. 3. ' we make yearly oblations for the dead And a little after f cap. 4. If you require a Law of Scripture for these and other the like
the judgement of charity but of discretion Catholiques judge no particular man to be damned because they know not the operations of God upon his soule in his latest minutes but they judge that all men out of the Roman Catholique Church are out of the road of salvation because they are assured thereof by the word of God And if to grant the possibility of salvation to others be such a testimony of charity as they conceive then surely Origen was of all men most charitable who held that at the last even the devills themselves should be saved and yet I find no man agreeing with him in this charitable opinion But the truth is as I conceive that Protestants are thus kind to Catholiques for their own ends which are to provoke Catholiques to shew the same favour to them that so they may have the better security in their way by the concurrent opinions of others and also for feare lest by denying salvation to the Church of Rome they cut off the hope thereof from themselves who acknowledge no lawfull ministry by consequence no Church and by consequence no salvation but that which they derive from the Church of Rome Which seeing they do indeed want they are neither united with her nor can justly hope for salvation without her CHAP. XV. Of the fifth Mark of the true Church viz. Unity in doctrine And of horrible dissentions among Protestants § 1. A Fifth Mark of the Church is unity in doctrine of which it is said by S. Paul I beseech you that all speak one thing be ye knit together in one mind and one judgement 1. Cor. 1.10 endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Ephes 4.3 Continue in one Spirit and one mind Philip. 1.27 of one accord and one judgement Philip 2.2 Thus in the first times were the multitude of them that believed of one heart and one soule Acts 4.32 Thus our Saviour prayeth and no doubt was heard that they may be one John 17.11 and the effect of that prayer we see in the Church of Rome and no where else Thus also the Holy Ghost describes the Church of Christ saying my dove is one Cant. 6.8 And the want of this unity is so improper to God that he is therefore termed the God not of dissention but of peace 1 Cor. 14.33 And it is such an assured meanes to shorten continuance that the Scripture saith if you bite and devoure one another take heed that you be not consumed one of another Galat. 5.15 and that a kingdome divided against it self shall perish Luc. 11.17 And by the want of this mark of unity did the antient Fathers discover the Heretiques of their times S. Crysostome saith Op. imperfect in Math. Hom. 20. All infidells that are under the devill are not united nor hold the same things but are dispersed by divers opinions one saith so and another so c. in the same manner are the falshoods of Heretiques who never hold the same things but have so many opinions as there are persons To the same purpose speakes Jrenaeus Tertullian and others Iren. l. 1. c. 5. Tertull. de praesc advers haer 42. And this unity I found apparently in the Church of Rome and the contrary as apparent amongst Protestants Thus the antient writers do wonderfully agree in all matters of faith so also do all the decrees of all lawfull Councells and Popes though they were men living in severall ages in severall countries and wrote in severall languages And now also all Catholiques in the world howsoever otherwise divided by country language particular interest civill dissentions or war yet agree exactly in all points of faith And this because they have a certaine compasse to steere by to wit the generall Tradition of the Church and the decrees of Generall Councells who they have reason to believe doe preserve that which was delivered by the Apostles and if any doubt arise about the sense of Scripture are better able to interpret it than any other persons to which therefore they doe modestly and wisely submit their judgements But no such agreement was ever found or ever can bee found amongst Protestants or any sort of Heretiques S. Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 21. saith of Simon Magus his Heresie that it was divided into severall sects S. Augustine of the Donatists lib. 1. de Bapt. c. 6. that in his time it was cut into small threds And particularly the same is happened to Protestants who soon after their separation from the Church of Rome were divided amongst themselves and have ever since so continued multiplying daily in their divisions insomuch that even in the one Kingdome of England and even in the one City of London there are very many And in many particular houses there are some different Sects of Religion each pretending to be the true Protestant and denying that title to the other Nor is there any meanes to reconcile their differences but they are rather likely to grow more and greater as wee see at this day For no Sect will acknowledge another its superiour in matter of Religion nor stand to its judgment except it be by force no not any one particular person thinks himself obliged to submit to the whole world therefore they use to say that they will not pin their faith upon another mans sleeve but all pretend to be guided by the Word of God which each one will interpret for himselfe and accuse all others of error so far as they dissent from him And though Sects and Heresies do first arise out of the Catholique Church as the Apostle saith There must be Heresies 1 Cor. 11.19 yet the Church doth not lose her unity hereby because she having a certain Touch-stone whereby to try them namely the judgement of the Church if they will not submit to that they are excommunicated and by judiciall sentence cut off from that body from which they first cut themselves by mis-belief as the Apostle saith an hereticall man after the first and second admonition avoid Tit. 3.10 whereby they preserve the rest of the body intire and at unity within it self So that the Heresies do not arise from the Doctrine of the Church but from the malice of the Devill But amongst Protestants the liberty of reading and interpreting Scripture and the examining and judging the Preachers Doctrine thereby being given to every silly soul as Doctor Bilson saith c True difference part 2. p. 353. The people are discerners and judges of that which is taught as with good reason they ought for it was upon this ground that they first separated from the Church of Rome undertaking to be judges of her Doctrine and if the present Clergie should not continue this liberty to the people against themselves who are no more infallible than the other nor can pretend to it they would play very foule play with the people and instead of giving them liberty of conscience which they promised only translate them from
ravening wolves by their fruits you shall know them Mat. 7.15 16 17. Accordingly I found the sanctity of the lives of Roman Catholiques to be highly extolled especially of those who were the Converters of Nations or Founders of Religious Orders and that by Protestants themselves Of S. Augustine and his companions who converted England the last time to the Roman Faith it is thus recorded b Holinshead Chron. part 1 p. 100. Stows Annalls p 64. After they were received into Canterbury they began to follow the trade of life which the Apostles used exercising themselves in continuall prayer watching and preaching despising all wordly things living in all points according to the Doctrine which they set forth The like honourable testimony is afforded to the several Converters of Nations to the Roman Faith which for brevities sake I passe over Only I will mention the approved Sanctity of S. Xaverius who in the last age converted sundry Nations of the East Indians expressed by Hackluit in his book of Navigations 2. vol. 2. par p. 81. in this manner That godly Professor and painefull Doctor of the Indian Nation in matters concerning Religion Francis Xaverius after great labours injuries and calamities suffered with much patience departed indued with all spirituall blessings out of this life Anno 1552. after that many thousands were by him brought to the knowledge of Christ In like manner concerning the first Authors of the severall Orders of Religion S. Benedict S. Dominick S. Francis and others their sanctity of life was most eminent and is testified by good authority and confessed by b Cent. Mag. cent 13 â—ol â—1 79 also 〈…〉 p. 117. Protestants themselves And since I have had the happinesse 〈◊〉 come amongst them I may say of the Clergie in generall as the Queen of Sheba said to Salomon that the one half of the goodness I find amongst them was not told me How many rare and excellent men are there both Secular and Religious full of admired Sanctity who as our Saviour faith of himself make it their meat and drink to do the will of him that sent them who despising all worldly honour wealth and pleasure exercise a more noble and vertuous ambition in aspiring to a high place in the Kingdome of heaven by the service and love of the King thereof exercising that service in the lowest and humblest undertakings of the body and that love in the strongest and highest raptures and languishments of the soule unexpressible in themselves and unknown to all but those that have them Such powerfull influence hath the soule of Catholique Relegion on the members of the body thereof that it invites great plenty in all ages and of all conditions Emperours Kings Princes and all sorts of Nobility and Gentry to devest themselves of all worldly interest to renounce the world with as much eagernesse as others embrace it to take up the Crosse of Christ to serve him in Poverty Chastity and Obedience And even the weak sex of woman whose naturall delicacy tendernesse and infirmities may seem to carry with them a Patent of exemption from extraordinary severities and mortifications of themselves yet such is the omnipotency of Catholique Religion that even these do equall if not excell the men in the tough exercise of denying themselves of taking up their Crosse and imitating of Christ invited hereunto more by pure love of God and gratitude for his doing and suffering for them than for the expectation of reward And though perhaps there are some Clergie and Religious people that do not make good that title with their deeds yet they are but few in comparison of the other and no impeachment to them or to the Religion more than Judas was to the rest of the Apostles The common people are also generally more devout toward God lesse injurious to their neighbours as Protestants acknowledge who speaking of them in former times when Gods worship as they said was darkened with mans Traditions and superstitions c Cent. Mag. cent 7. c. 7. col 181. yet the study to serve God and to live Godly and justly was not wanting to the miserable common people c. they were so attentive to their prayers as they bestowed almost the whole daytherin c. they did exhibite to the magistrate due obedience they were most studious of amity concord and society so as they would easily remit injuries all of them were carefull to spend their time in honest vocation and labour to the poore and strangers they were most courteous and liberall and in their judgements and contracts most true And the like is affirmed of Roman Catholiques of later times by Luther in Dominic 26. post Trin. and by Stubbs in his Motive to good works pag. 43. § 3. Now concerning the want of sanctity in the Protestants both Clergie and Laity I will say nothing in particular of these present times and of antient times I can say nothing they being but a novice Religion They are extreame apt to blazon one anothers faults as is manifest by the bitter invectives that past betwixt the Lutherans and Calvinists and at this present in the Kingdome of England betwixt the Presbyterians and Independents Malignants and well affected the Cavaliers and Roundheads as they call each other I confesse there are many amongst them stored with morall goodnesse especially in the Kingdome of England and especially amongst the legall Protestants but the devotion and zeal is amongst the Puritanes which hath eaten up almost all morall honesty among them I will only instance in the want of sanctity of some of them who are the Converters of the world as they say to the purity of the Gospell whose unhallowed actions if they could be objected against the Apostles the first publishers of the Catholique Religion it might without a second objection breed a stand in those infidells that were approaching to the belief thereof Luther the Lucifer and morning star of the Protestant Religion doth thus proclaime his own lustfulnesse To. 5. Wit Ser. de matrim fol. 119. a. versus finem As it is not in my power to be no man so it is not in my power to be without a woman And Tom. 1. Epist fol. 334 ad Phil. I am burned with the great flames of my untamed lust I who ought to be fervent in Spirit am fervent in the flesh in lust sloth c. with much more to this purpose And to make himselfe more famously impious he married a vowed Nun adding to lust Sacriledge both in himselfe and her He is also by his fellow Protestants charged with a Zuinglius to 2. in Res ad confess Lutheri fol. 878. a. ante med Oecolam pad in resp ad confess Lutheri arrogancy insolency and pride for which say they God with-drew his true Spirit from him which he exercised against persons of the highest quality particularly against Henry the eighth King of England and said b in l. cont Angliae Regem The divine
whose images they are yet this positive ordinance supposed the law of nature also binds men to worship and adore it with reference to God imagined to sit thereon This ever hath been and is the opinion and practise of all the world except it be of those who under the shew of grace have extinguished the light of nature and yet even these in their humane practises doe the same things as if Christ and his Saints were the only men that after death or in absence were incapable of honour It is well known that the Kings and Queenes of England are honoured by uncovering of the head in all places where they are but supposed to be present and when they are dead untill their funeralls are solemnized there is the same respect exhibited to their Images as to themselves And what Puritane lover is there that will not in the ardour of his affection kisse lay in his bosome and talk to not only the picture which doth more immediately and directly represent a person than any thing else but even the handkercher glove or letter which are but reliques of her whom he desires in marriage And is it lesse Idolatry to doe these things to mortall men than to immortall Saints though there be as much difference observed in the degree of honour as there is between the dignity of the persons Surely if they consider it duely they will find that they must either leave their religion in this point or their manners and civility in all points seeing either both or neither are Idolatry § 3. Secondly they teach the people and the people ordinarily believe that Catholiques think to be saved by their good workes and that without being beholding to Christ For they make an opposition between these two assertions wee are saved by Christs merits And we are saved by our own merits Hence they believe that Catholiques are the proudest and most ungratefull to God of all people in the world But this doctrine is misliked amongst them because it is misunderstood For Catholiques hold that no work is meritorious with God of its owne nature but to make the same meritorious many graces are required First the grace of adoption in Baptisme whereby soules are supernaturally beautified by participation of the divine nature whence a triple dignity redounds to works One from God the Father who in respect of adoption regards good works as the works of his children Another from God the holy Ghost dwelling in us by whom good works are honoured as by the principall author of them so that he rather then wee doth the works Thirdly they receive dignity from God the Sonne whose members we are made by grace which grace he by his merits purchased for us so that the works we doe are reputed not so much ours or his as the work of a particular member is attributed principally to the head Secondly there is required grace prevenient whereby God stirres up mens hearts to pious workes and grace adjuvant to assist us in the performancee of the works making our free-will produce works that are supernaturall and above the reach of meer man Thirdly there is required the grace of mercifull indulgence in not using us in the rigour of his justice for God might require the good works we doe as his own by many titles as by the title of justice being the works of his servants and bondmen by the title of religion as being the works of his creatures by the title of gratitude as being the works of persons infinitely obliged to him by which titles if God did exact upon works with uttermost rigour no goodnesse would be left in them to be offered for meriting of heaven But his infinite benignity remitting this rigour moved thereunto through the merits of Christ is content that wee make use of our good works for the purchasing of glory and doth not exact them as wholely due by all his titles The fourth is the favour of Gods liberall promise by which he obligeth himselfe to reward the good works of his children according to the measure of their goodnesse without which the most excellent works of Saints could not establish an obligation on him And finally there is required the grace of perseverance without which no man is crowned And so far are Catholiques from boasting or trusting in their merits that the Councell of Trent Sess 6. Can. 16. faith God forbid that a Christian should either boast or trust in himself and not in our Lord whose goodnesse is so great towards all men as that those things which are his gifts he will have to be our merits To be worthy of a thing to deserve or merit it signifie all one and that by our works we deserve and are worthy of heaven is the frequent phrase of Scripture The workeman is worthy of his hire saith our Saviour Luke 10.7 And S. Paul That you may be counted worthy of the Kingdome of God for which also ye suffer 2. Thes 1.5 And again That you may walk worthy of God in all things pleasing fructifying in all Good works Colos 1.10 And our Saviour They shall walk with me in white for they are worthy Revel 3.4 And againe Come ye blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome c. for I was hungry and ye gave me meat c. Math. 25.34 alledging these as the cause why God received them into everlasting habitations with plenty of other places to this purpose As for the most frequently objected place of Luc. 17.10 when you have done all those things that are commanded you say we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do According to S. Ambrose lib. 8. in Luc. Christ commands hereby to acknowledge what we are of our selves to wit unprofitable not what we are by his grace for that is profitable according to the Apostle 2 Tim. 2.21 If any man therefore shall cleanse himselfe from these he shall be a vessell unto honour sanctified and profitable to our Lord prepared to every good work according to S. Augustine Serm. 3. de verb. Dom. we may be said to be unprofitable servants because in doing all that is commanded we do but our duty we are Gods servants and slaves and owe him all nor could we look for reward had he not voluntarily covenanted with us And to this base and poor condition of ours for the preservation of our humility Christ in these words sends back our thoughts which hinders not but that supposing Gods bountifull promise and covenant we may through his grace truly merit and expect reward himself saying Mat. 20.14 Didst thou not covenant with me for a penny take that which is thine own and go thy way S. Chrysostome observes that Christ saith not you are unprofitable servants but bids them to say they are willing us thereby after our good deeds to think humbly lest they be corrupted with pride for that otherwise they only that work evill are by God accounted unprofitable but they that
do yea and more commanding things impossible and then punishes us for not doing them which is most tyrannicall Now if God do not require all but only thus much to do well then the doing better than well is a stock which God of his great bounty gives us to improve for our selves in a higher measure and to offer him liberalities beyond the bond of duty And what pride is it for man to acknowledge this sweet providence of his creator to praise his merciful indulgence in not exacting so much as he might but giving him a way means to shew his voluntary unexacted love to him Especially believing that this divine favour not to exact the uttermost of mans performance and consequently mans ability to present to God more perfect and excellent service than he requires is given through the merits of Christ § 8. But above all the Reall presence is the prodigie of opinions in the conceipt of Protestants whose playnnesse in Scripture notwithstanding leaves not where to adde to it with cleerer proofe as appeares by Christs words of institution This is my body so often repeated Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14.22 Luc. 22.19 They fight against it therfore with arguments drawn from the power of nature think because it exceeds the power of nature therfore it cannot be To whom it may be said as our Saviour said to the Jews who thought that mens bodies in heaven were like their bodies here on earth ye erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Mat. 22.29 And why then do Protestants believe that God was in the form of a man a thing as impossible in nature as for God man together to be under the form of bread or wine And because they would make sure work if they could the former objection being in the opinion of many of them insufficient they say that it doth not only exceed the power of nature but of God also in that it implies a contradiction but this the most learned of them have never been able to prove nor never will I hope they will all take Luthers judgement herein whom they will not deny to be learned enough to discerne a contradiction Tom. Wittemb 1557. defens verb. Coenae fol. 388 and he saith what Scripture have they to prove that these two Propositions be directly contrary Christ sitteth in heaven Christ is in the Supper The contradiction is in their carnall imagination not in faith or the word of God They also fright the people from this belief by presenting to them the uncomlinesse and inconveniences that may ensue which objections are but raked out of the ashes of the old Heathen and Heretiques who made the like against Gods taking our flesh upon him as that it was undecent that God should lie in a womans womb nine moneths that he should be circumcised whipt and spit upon and finally suffer a most shamefull and painfull death But seeing Protestants doe believe that Christ when he was on earth was subject to all humane infirmities except sin why should his liablenesse to such infirmities make them forbear to believe that he is in the Sacrament But to acquit them of that trouble they may take notice that Christs body in the Sacrament is not subject to those inconveniences that it was before his death because it is now a glorified body and not subject to suffer any thing For as the Sun shining on a dunghill is not defiled therewith and as the Deity it selfe is every where and yet suffers no infection from the foulnesse of any place So the body of Christ being immortall and impassible cannot be defiled or hurt with the touch or impression of any unclean or hurtfull thing more than a man can hurt or defile a Spirit for of that nature are all glorified bodies as the Apostle saith It is sowen a naturall body it shall rise a spirituall body 1. Cor. 15.44 So that in this respect Protestants have more reason to believe the reall presence of Christs body in the Sacrament than that he once had a reall body conversant here on earth But some of them againe do acknowledge as they say themselves the Reall presence of Christs body in the Sacrament and therein seem to be Catholiques and please themselves in seeming to be so and think we can desire no more but they do but cozen both themselves and us for when their Presence is sifted we find no reality in it They say that Christ is really present in the Sacrament but not corporally or bodily by which bodily they mean either that his body it selfe is not there or that it is not there with the circumstances and accidents of a body as quantity and the like If they mean the former to wit that he is really there and yet his body is not there I would faine know how this may be For a body to be really in any thing must fignifie to be bodily or in body there or nothing Therefore to say that Christ is really there who is a body and yet not there bodily is the contradiction they speak of and is in their reall presence not in the Catholiques For it is as much as if they should say his body is there and it is not there If by not bodily they mean not with the accidents of his body as quantity figure and the like and that so Christ is not bodily in the Sacrament but spiritually that is after the nature of a Spirit then they agree with Catholiques who say the same and in this sense he may be and is both corporally and spiritually present in the Sacrament Now if by really they mean in regard of his Deity which is every where this is true but is not the true meaning of really for he is no more there in this sense than he is every where else so their confession of a reall presence imports nothing distinctly and is but a delusion For Christ being a man as wel as God the body of a man as wel as the Godhead concurring to the making of his person he that is whole Christ and unseparated cannot be said to be any where really unlesse he be there also bodily and if his body be there his body is by us received and that not only spiritually that is under the conditions of a Spirit or spiritually by receiving the grace of his holy Spirit into our Spirits and souls but also corporally in regard of himselfe who is a body and in regard of us who receive his body into our bodies and this not by faith but with faith that is not by an imaginary conceipt that he is there or that the benefits of his passion are conveyed to the receiver that thinks so which is the Protestant saith in this case but with faith that is faith and charity also abiding in our souls without which though we doe receive him truly really yet we do not receive him worthily profitably But according to the Protestant
life but that a man wanting meanes of sacred communion may by other meanes preserve himselfe in the state of Grace And though we should suppose that actuall Communion were a necessary meanes to preserve spirituall life yet Communion in one kind is abundantly sufficient thereunto as I shall presently shew and if so by force of the institution there is no more required For we must know that there is a great difference between an institution and a precept the precept of both kinds if Christ gave any doth bind whether both kinds be necessary for the maintenance of mans soule in grace or no but the institution of both kinds doth not bind to the use further than the thing instituted is necessary to the maintenance of the said spirituall life to which seeing one kind is sufficient the institution of both kinds doth not oblige us to the use of both § 3. Now that Communion in one kind is sufficient Transubstantiation being supposed easily appeares in that the Sacrament in the sole form of bread seeing it containes the author and fountaine of life whole and intire according to body soule blood and his infinite person is abundantly sufficient for the refection of the soule yea no lesse than Communion under both kinds For this one kind containeth in it no lesse than is contained in both that is whole Christ God and man His body is there by force of these words This is my body and by concomitance there is the blood the soule the divinity for there is the person of Christ alive which implies all these particulars it being impossible he should be there otherwise as S. Paul saith Christ rising againe from the dead now dieth no more death shall have no more dominion over him Rom. 6.9 And to the receivers of Christ by eating only he promiseth the end of the Sacrament which is life He that eateth me he shall live by me John 6.58.59 and to the sole reception of him under the forme of bread He that eateth this bread shall live for ever And this surely he would not have said if receiving in both kinds had been necessary § 4. But because Protestants deny Transubstantiation I will without that supposition prove that to receive in one kind is sufficient First because that in one kind is contained the whole substance essence and parts of the Sacrament and secondly because it is not against any divine precept As for the institution I have proved already that it hath not the force of a precept First in one kind alone is contained the whole substance and essence of the Sacrament which are these fowre matter word signification causality First there is the element or matter of the Sacrament which is consecrated bread and manducation thereof secondly there is the word or form of speech shewing the divine and supernaturall purpose whereto the element is consecrated This is my body and these two make a Sacrament according to S. Aug Accedit verbum ad elementum fit Sacramentum Thirdly there is a signe or signification therein and that three-fold first of spirituall food for the nourishment of the soule secondly of union and conjunctions between Christ and his Church and between the faithfull one with another even as in the bread there is a mixture of flower and water and in the flower of many graines together Thirdly the death and passion of Christ is hereby signified For as by the wine we have a motive to remember his blood shed and separated from his body so by the bread we may conceive his body deprived of blood by the effusion thereof upon the crosse whereupon Christ as S. Paul testifies 1. Cor. 11.24.25 did after the consecration of each kind particularly recommend the memory of his passion as knowing thas in each of them alone was a sufficient memoriall thereof Lastly there is causality that is a working in the soule the spirituall effects it signifies as our Saviour saith He that eateth this bread shall live for ever Joh. 6.59 And if any object that though there be all the essentiall parts of the Sacrament in one kind yet there are not all the integrall parts I answer that bread and wine are not two integrall parts of the Sacrament more than the severall particles of the bread and wine are integrall parts and as the Sacrament is sufficient whether it be in a greater or lesse quantity of bread or wine so is it whether it be in bread only or wine only for our Saviour instituted the whole Sacrament both in bread and in wine as two distinct intire matters thereof not as integrall parts thereof and gave us leave to use or both or either as shall appeare in that he hath not obliged us by any precept to the use of both And thus it appeareth that the Sacrament in one kind is full intire and complete in substance and that by participation thereof prepared consciences do receive the benefits of Christs death and passion Neither doth it hereupon follow that because the Sacrament is essentially and intirely contained under either kind therefore the Priest receiving underboth receiveth two Sacraments for being received both at once they make but one as being ordained to one refection signifying one thing and producing one effect Even as six or seven dishes of meat set upon a table do make but one dinner whereas part thereof being served one day and part another would make two And the reason why Priests receive under both kinds is because they offer up a Sacrifice representing the Sacrifice of Christ upon the Crosse which were not perfectly represented but by both kinds wherefore also in this sort was it prefigured in the Sacrifice of Melchizedek offering bread and wine It being thus proved that whole Christ and the true essence and parts of the Sacrament are under either kind it followeth that in distributing it in one kind only there is no irreverence offered to the Sacrament it not being given as Protestants thinke halfe or maimed but essentially and intirely whole nor is any injury done to the people by depriving them of any grace meet to salvation seeing the very fountaine of grace is no lesse received under either kind than under both Nor is it the opinion of the greater part of Catholique Divines that more grace is obtained by communicating in both kinds than in one yet if it were this advantage might be easily ballanced by other meanes as by the more frequent receiving in one kind and by our obedience to the Church Now by the premisses it is evident that whether we respect the institution of the Sacrament or the nature thereof no obligation or necessity ariseth of receiving in both kinds The only question therefore remaining is whether we be bound thereunto by any expresse Precept of our Saviour or his Apostles Protestants believe we are and for proof thereof alledge these places Vnlesse you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you shall not have life
God upon their soules but to remain in the Protestant Communion by the private instigations of flesh and blood Who wanting the seasoning of Charity doe warp and shrink from that to which their judgement hath joyned them Whose faith like bullion though it be good metall in it selfe yet wanting the stamp of of Catholique Communion and obedience is not currant in the Kingdome of heaven nor will serve in their journey to defray them thither But they according to the condition of all weak minds accounting the Present evill as losse of goods friends and the like the most intolerable desire to avoid that and put to adventure the ensuing And so while they saile through the troublesome Sea of this life unskilfull of steerage in a storme do strike and split their soules upon the flats of fear and rocks of presumption forgetfull of that dreadfull threatning of our Saviour He that shall deny mee before men shall be denyed before the Angells of God Luc. 12.9 Now to the diligence of examination before mentioned for those that are not yet convinced in their judgements a Protestant is bound by Chillingworths owne rule who though he say that for as much as there is no infallible guide and that therefore a man must follow the choice of his own reason in what he doth believe and that God will be contented with that be it more or lesse true or false being as much as he can attain to yet addes withall that a man must imploy his uttermost endeavours to the finding out of the truth And who is it amongst the Protestants that hath done that Who hath spent all his spare time much lesse who hath spared all the time he could to this enquiry I think no Protestants conscience can acquit him in this case and if not he must not think to quiet himselfe by saying that to the best of his understanding the Protestant Religion seemes true if he have not imployed all his endeavours to find whether it be so or no which cannot be unlesse with King Philip of Macedon he keep one ear for the party accused hee equally heare both sides Wherefore devesting themselves of all prejudice and prepossessed opinions like white paper wherein there is nothing written let them addresse themselves with all their spare time yea they ought to make spare time rather than to want it to a sad and serious consideration of the great businesse of Religion the truth whereof who so gaines though with the losse of all temporall felicity doth highly improve his estate considering that as our Saviour saith what will it profit a man to gain the whole world and to lose his owne soule Math. 16.16 And let no man defer this most important affaire and put it off to the later end of his life which how soon it will happen the youngest know not as if the Kingdome of heaven were like a market cheapest at the later end of the day or that because nature hath placed the seat of his memory in the hindermost part of his head therefore he may defer the remembrance of God and of comming to him by the path of true Religion to the hindermost part of his life But as God himselfe saith while it is called to day harden not your hearts Psal 94.8 lest his delay pull upon himselfe the forsaking of God and steel his forehead to the perpetuall refusall of his mercifull invitation and so he and especially the Citty of London which hath been purpled with the blood of so many martyrs hear the complaint and curse of our Saviour sounding in his eare O Jerusalem Jerusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent to thee how often would I have gathered thy children as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and you would not behold your habitation shall be left unto you desolate Math. 23.37 CHAP. XXII Of the foolish deceitfull and absurd proceedings and behaviour of Protestants in matter of Religion And of the vanity and injustice of their pretext of conscience for their separation from the Roman Church § 1. HE that will apply himself to this inquest as I have done shall find that the objections of Protestants against Catholique Doctrines are very weak and sleight they are but paper-pellets and make more noise than hurt the workes also that they raise for their owne defence are as weak and easily dismantled I found that their objections were answered again and again which a later writer would take no notice of but retrive the first arguments and urge them as fresh as if they had never been urged before or at least had never been answered forgetting to make reply to the Catholique Answers which was indeed because they could not do it And in their writings I found much abuse of all Authors even from the Bible it self to the Authors of latest times either misalledging the words â—or misconstruing the meaning or urging that for their purpose which was indeed to no purpose § 2. Particularly for their mistranslating of Scripture wherein they grievously accuse one another as I shewed before I will alledge two or three places of a great many for a tast wherein their unfaithfulnesse is apparent as first that notable depravation of their Master Luther which I have mentioned before in adding the word only where the Apostle saith that a man is justified by faith without the works of the Law Rom. 3.28 Also where the Apostle saith give diligence by good works to make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 the English Bibles leave out these words by good works and yet Beza in his notes upon the place acknowledges these words to be in almost all the antient Greek Copies Also in the same Chapter fifteenth Verse these words are read according to the originall I will do my diligence also you to have often after my decease that you may have a remembrance of these things shewing thereby that he would pray for them after he was dead as S. Chrysostome expounds it saying Rejoyce ever you blessed Apostles in our Lord without intermission pray for us fulfill your promises for ô Blessed Peter thou cryest out speaking thus I will do my diligence after my coming to make mention of you 2 Pet. 1.10 Now the English Bibles read this place thus Moreover I will indeavour that you may be able after my decease to have these things alwaies in remembrance corrupting the sense and making it signifie only that he would indeavour that they should remember those things when he was dead whereas he saith that he would indeavour after he was dead that they should remember those things and thereby it proves that he prayed for them after be was dead a Doctrine which many Protestants will not allow Also in the first Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 11. v. 27. where the Apostle saith whosoever shall eat this bread or drink the cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord the