novv in England is full of errours And in his aduertisment of corruptions to the protestante Bishops saith That there publicke translatioÌ„ of scriptures into English is such as it peruerteth the text of the old testament in eight hundred forty eight places and that it causeth millions of millions to reiect the new testament and to runne to eternall flames will not then euery man that hath but any feeling of his soule looke about him seeing as I said before Euen our enemyes are iudges on my side neither can it be excused by saying they are but smale differences seeing M. Broughton heere saith that it Causeth Millions of Millions to runne to eternall flames Wherefore good Bro as you loue your owne souls healthe and would avoyde these eternall flames passe not ouer these slightly or with me as I once did reiect the farther search this because it doth so manifestly detect your horrible abuses which may seeme incredible but if you will examine any one of them you shall find it as euident much more at large this concerns eternity this concerns your soule yea this doth admonish you of the eternall glory or perpetuall misery both of body and soule in hell flames without redemption wherfor once more I beseech you as you tender your eternall weale or woe and haue some feeling of Gods fearfull iudgments Matth. 25.41 as this dreadfull sentence from our Sauiour get you avvay from me you cursed into fier euerlasting which was prepared for the Deuill and his Angels Neyther may you thinke as some in England I speake what I haue knowne that a man may be saued by any religion for to such our Sauiour will say Matth. 7.11 not euery one that saith to me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Deere Bro if this be true as it cannot be false proceeding from truth it self then I pray with all attention and diligent study seriously examine this laboure for S. Paul doth likewyse tell you that there is one Lord one faith one Baptisme one God and father of all Ephes 4.5 wherfore vpon due examination being conuinced in conscience let not a sâ—â—wne of this world or any momentary affliction yea though an other Nero DomitiaÌ„ or Dioclesian should tyrannice in this your persecution cause you to smother your pretious soule in hells blacke flames from whence no ransome may euer free you or penance ease your torment by denying his faith and church who hath layd his life and most pretious blood for your redemption from this eternall woe und misery no I say in despite of all such cruelty be resolued and with a resolute currage say with S. Paul None of all these do I feare Act. 20 2â— neither do I make my life more pretious then my selfe so that I may finish the course ministerie which I haue receaued of our Lord Iesus to testifie the ghospell of the grace of God yea especially I say Matth. 12.10 take courage when as our Sauiour saith he which is not with me is against me and he which gathereth not with me scattereth And in an other place he bides vs enter by the streight porte because the broad gate Matth. 7.13.14 spatious way leadeth to perditioÌ„ many there are which enter through it how narrow is this Porte and vvay streight vvhich leadeth to life and fevv there are that finde it 2. Tim. 4. Wherefore do but inuocate S. Paul with a sincere hart that he would obtayne for you grace to confesse and dy in this one faith and you shal be heyre to the king of heauen and haue a crowne of glorie with the same S Paul which I hope you will and with euery magnanimous ChristiaÌ„ avert that dismall sentence of our Sauiour where â—e saith Matth. 10. â—2 Euery one therfore that shall confesse me before men I also vvill confesse him before my father vvhich is in heaueâ— but he that shall deny me before men I also vvill deny him before my father vvhich is in heauen And what other thing is it I pray you thus to be denied then vndoubtedly adiudged to hell there to remaine with weeping and gnashing of teeth for all eternity But to our purpose thus longe interrupted leauing these rather to your pious consideration to enlarge at your pleasure then other vvyse longer to insist vpon them If therfore you aske me what translation then is best I answere the old commonly called S. Hieromes if you say he was a papist listen I pray not vvithstanding what Beza your chiefe translatour of scripture See Beza vpoÌ„ the first of S. Luke and first verse de â—at interpretat lib. 1. pag. 74. saith of him the old interpreter saith he seemeth to haue interpreted the holy bookes vvith maruelous sincerity and religion And Doctor Humfrey our countrey man speaketh thus of him the old interpreter seemeth sufficientlie bent to follovv the proprietie of vvordes he doth it indeed to carefully vvhich notvvithstaÌ„ding I suppose him to haue done not out of ignorance but of religion and conscience So that you see if there were any fault in our old interpreter it was because he was to scrupulous ond carefull to full of conscience and religion in following the exact signification of the greeke which is a verie good fault if it must needes be called a fault and also coÌ„mended and iustified els where by Doctor Humfrey himselfe in these wordes Ibid. pag. 179 In prophane vvritinges a man may rainge more freely and depart from the vvordes in Canonicall scripture no such liceÌ„ce is tollerable for it is not lavvfull for man to alter the tongue of God and by way of exposition to make this more perspicuous I oppose Caluin to our old interpreter and obserue I pray what censure a protestant also giueth of Caluin Caluin in his harmonie saith Charles Moliuers in his translation of the new testament parte 11. fol. 110. Maketh the text of the ghospell to leap vp and dovvne as the truth it selfe declareth He vseth violence to the letter of the ghospell and in many places clean transposeth it and besides this he addeth to the text The lyke censure I find giuen of Luther not by a Papist but a Protestant tom 2. â—d Luther lib. de Sacram. fol. 412. 413. and one of the chiefest in his tyme to witt Zuinglius who after detection of many corruptions Thus concludeth See hovv thy case standeth Luther that in the eyes of all men thou art seene to be a manifest and common corruptour of scripture vvhich thing thou canst neuer deny before any creature hovv much are vvee a shamed of thee vvho hither to haue esteemed thee beyond all measure and novv trie thee to be such a false fellovv To conclude therfore this point of translation attend what Beza saith in praeface new test anno 1556. hovv vnvvorthily saith he and vvith out cause doth
â—rasmus blame the old interpreter as dissenting from the greeke neither ought you thinke that therfore I commend Bezas translation because I bring him in commending yours for wherein he swarned from vs in Doctrine he swarued also in translation though with out grownd and therfore he is also reprehended by his fellow protestantes as namely Castalio saying in defens translat pag. 170. to note all errours saith he of Beza in traslating the nevv testament the vvorke vvould require to great a volume So that how shall a man build his faith vpon these men who in the very grownd worke it selfe a gree no better then the confusion of tongues in the Tower of Babell which that you may with more facility ease apprehend I haue written more in particuler hereafter But heere perchance you may further moue a question vvhat my intent and scope may be in vvritting all this and making such collection of places I ansvvere only that you may haue some sight and knowledge of the Catholique faith vvherby you shall the better iudge of me and see your ovvne estate vvithout vvhich faith there is no saluation by our Sauiours ovvne vvordes Matth. 12. â—0 Hee that is not vvith me is against me and he that gathereth not vvith me scattereth And as S. Paul saith Rom. 10.14 Hovv shall they beleeue in him vvhome they haue not heard which I suppose you as yet neuer truly vnderstood wherfore if this be true I pray grant me this reasonable request that you will at least read my endeuours Phil. 3.8 and say with S. Paul I esteeme all thinges to be detriment for the passing knovvledge of Iesus Christ for vvhome I haue made all thinges as detriment and esteeme as dounge that I may gaine Christ And surely no maruaile seeing the mouth of Christ hath vttered Matt. 16.26 vvhat doth it profit a man if he gaine the vvhole vvorld and sustaine the dommage of his ovvne soule in this being that one thing which he insinuates wher he saith Martha Martha Luc. 10.41 thou art troubled about very many thinges but one thing is necessarie So that seeing this one thinge is so necessary vvher vpon all other thinges depend happy yea thrice happy is that man that doth attayne vnto it but by reason the breuity of a Brotherly letter will not permit so large a discourse let your discreet and religious iudgment I beseech be the comment vpon so smale a text and what in wordes is wanting suppose in effect to be most aboundant But of that common humour of setting light by thease thinges and reiecting vvhatsoeuer is not ansvvereable to your affection do raigne in you and vvilfull passion ouersvvay reason a common deceipt euer in such cases practysed by the Diuell to lead poore soulâ—s capâ—tue to eternall perdition if I say this venim haue so seased vpon you and infected your senses that you haue no feeling or care of that to witt your soules health the verie remembrance vvhereof made the son of God our Deere Sauiour svveat drops of blood Luc 22 42. desiring his father if it vvere possible that chalice might passe from him Yf I say you are thus possessed vvith a resolution to forsake and reiect all good aduise vvhat is left forme but only vvith the Prophet Hieremie to lament your miserable case But vvhat is it true vvas your redemption so great an agonie to our Sauiour that the only remembrance thereof made him svveat blood and vvill you esteeme it a thing of so smale moment as rather to content your selfe vvith that estate I say with that religion vvhich you receaued from an Apostata Monke Martin Luther not yet a hundred yeeres since then to seeke the true knovvledge of God and his seruice in the Catholicke church vvhich our Sauiour promised should neuer erre Matt. 16.187 and that the gates of Hell should not preuaile against her yea vvhich vvilbe to your greater damnation your ovvne Doctors and Ministers graunt the true Apostolicke Doctrine to haue beene taught in the Roman Church vvith all sinceretie the first six hundred yeeres and can it be that the corruption of only one hundred by a dissolute Apostata Monke may violat our Sauiours credit with six hundred yeeres practyse I cannot think it at least in you for vvhat can there be more vvicked and deuoyd of human reason then God to be solicitous for mans euills and he himself nothing regard them if other wyse and that I am herein deceaued Matt. 26.21 Oh horride and dreadfull sentence it vvhere good for him if that man had not beene borne yea verily Hell it self vvill roare and craue his right saying vvhy doe I not deuoure and excruciate this vvretch in our eternall flames longe since there due My good Bro if I seeme more earnest then is meet excuse me I pray you it proceeds from no ill affection but that tender brotherly loue and zeal vvhich I beare to vvardes both your bodie and soule not he vvhich desireth vvith Baal to die the death of the righteous or shall crie Lord Num 23.10 Matt. 7.21 Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he vvhich doth the vvill of his father which is in heauen and liueth the life of the righteous Yf you thinke my manner of writing strange and from my accustomed style suppose my condition to be altered and that with holy Iob I humbly thanke God for all his afflictions and crosses layd vpon me as peculier blessinges and pledges of his further loue whereby he hath taught me in some sort to know my self and that miserable state of blind ignorance in vvhich I haue hitherto liued in Novv therefore vnderstand that hauing chaunged master I haue also chaunged liuorie no more a protestant but now a Catholicke no more a vassale or bondslaue to Sathan and his ministers but now a seruant and follower of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and his Apostles whome I earnestly beseech in my dayly prayers that God wil be no lesse mercifull vnto you then he hath beene compassonate on me that he will heere also teach you your haruist that in the world to come wee may ioyfully reape eternall blisse together but S. Austin saith he which made thee without thee will not iustifie or saue thee without the wherefore once more I pray you vvith true zeal and harty deuotion bestovv your labour vpon this my trauell and I doubt nothing of Gods grace heere is the life you must make your incorruptible treasure in the next is nothing heard but immutable eternity vvhere all thinges passe according to this life vvell or ill if vvell happy man that euer hee vvas borne if ill vvoe and not temporall but eternall misery yea according to that of our Sauiour it vvere good for him if that man had not bene borne because there is no place for such as departe not this life in state of grace of sorrow to amendment vvherfore in vayne shall you then lament vvoe vvretch
shall fall there it will a bide you haue serued the world hitherto in sin and heresie to leaue it novv is not so much to leaue it as to preuent it for shortlie it vvill leaue you for the vnexpected coming of death you vvant not of your neerest knired whose suddayne departure may be sufficient examples yea the only death of our father nosmale griefe to me may suffice vs in this To haue erred hitherto is humane to perseuere as I may tearme it is beastly you haue giuen your life past to heresie and her accomplices giue at least the remnant and surplus to God and his Church you haue giuen as one saith the maine croppe io the enimie of mankind the redeemer let at least glean the reproofe of your haruest and he will requite you as he promiseth a hundreth fold and with life euer lasting O Mother Pardon yet once more I earnestly beseech you my bouldnes and rough manner of writing 2. Cor. 116. I confesse with S. Paul I am rude in speach yet tolerable in opening to you the meane how to escape so great a daunger as the eternall perdition both of body and soule in which perill as I said you dayly sleepe in your tyme therefore is but short and you haue a great account to render your conscience vpon the vnderstanding of these cannot but vrge you your sinnes call vpon you the iudge expecteth you imbrace then the Roman Catholicke church for your mother and God will euer be your father accuse your self and God will excuse you be sorrie for your sinnes and they shall not be imputed vnto you permitt the priestes sentence to passe on you and Gods wrathfull sentence shall not touch you If you will mount the hills of Armenia enter the arke of Christes Church if you will ascend the higher heauen enter this lower yea this is the way and only meane To haue liued hitherto in sin and heresie is daunger to dye in this estate as our Sauiour and his Apostles witnes is certayne damnation But I haue beene to longe and therfor must rather abruptly conclude then any way finish this my present discourse wherfor as my last greeting and farewell I humbly beseech you for the tender good of your owne soule and so many which depend vpon you a great account to answere for to wouchsafe the reading or at least relating by some other these my paynes and trauells taken in your be halfe that so at length all poyntes and doubtes clearly proued you may with the people in Esdras say â— Esdras 4. â—2 truth is great and preuaileth and that I as S. Ambrose at the conuersion of S. Austine may sing Wee prayse thee God c you assuming the part of S. Austine with a cheerefull countenance and heauenly responsorie answere wee confesse thee our Lord c. and finally be incorporate a member of Christes mysticall body heere on earth his church in which an obedient child concluding your last daye as the soule of poore Lazarus was by his good Angel conueighed into Abrahams bosome so your guarden or good Angel with a triumphant victorie from that roaring Lyon enemye to man kind the Diuell may present your glorious soule a sweet smelling odor to our Lord Iesus Christ and there with the whole court of heauen his fellow Angels Luc. 15.7.10 as our Sauiour saith reioyce at so glorious a conquest which that it may sort according to my desire and that I may as Iob saith Iob 19.27 see you with these my eyes in that eternall glorie I most earnestly and humbly beseech our Sauiour who hath so long expected you to mercy that you may make your chiefe commoditie of this exhortation and some vse also of this my no lesse painfull then long admonition that in this life you may so purchase is grace as in the next eternall glorie Amen Your obedient sonne to the vtter most that he may I. P. AN INDEX Of the common places treated off 1 IMprimis the English were conuerted aboue a 1000. yeares since to the Catholicke faith fol 1. 2 The same faith was vniuersally professed for sundry ages before and was also agreable to that first faith where vnto the Brittans of wales were conuerted in the Apostles tymes fol 3. 3 Our aduersaries good opinion of the fathers fol. 6. 4 Our aduersaries appeale vnto the fathers fol. 8. 5 Scripture is not easie to vnderstand fol. 10. 6 Scripture is not for euery one to read and interpret fol. 16. 7 Scripture neuer doubted off amongst Catholickes fol. 21. 8 Scripture some tyme in Question fol Ibid. 9 Scripture neuer admitted by the Catholicke church fol. 22. 10 The Protestantes pretence of only scripture is friuolous and Idle fol. 10. 11 Protestantes disagreeing translations and Acknowledg c. fol. 27. 12 The church cannot nor ought not to haue erred fol. 31. 13 The church doth consist of good and bad fol. 33. 14 The church is ought to haue beene alwayes visible Ibid. 34. 15 Of this churches visible head c. fol. 46. 16 Of Free will fol 58. 17 Of the cooperation of Freewill with grace fol. 66. 18 Faith alone doth not iustifie fol 72. 19 Of good workes fol. 78. 20 Of Fastinges fol 87. 21 The lawes and precepts of Christ are not impossible 95. 22 To beseech the prayers of the righteous heere on earth is no derogation to our Sauiour fol 100. 67. 23 The Saintes and Angels in heauen know our doinges and wantes better then men fol. 101. 24 Of Saintes Reliques fol. 112. 25 Of the holy crosse and Images fol. 118. 26 Of Purgatorie and Lymbus Patrum fol. 125. 27 Prayer for the Dead fol. 131. 28 Of Ecclesiasticall tradition fol. 140. 29 Of the Seuen Sacraments fol. 149. 30 Of the efficacle of Sacraments fol. 16. 31 Of Baptisme and the necessitie thereof fol 166. 32 Of the venerable Sacra of the Eucharist as the form Consecration Real presence great care obserued had more thereof then of the water of Baptisme lest any part therof should fall to the ground mixture of water with wine in the Chalice and the receauing therof Fasting and Chast fol. 172. 33 Of the Sacrifice of the Masse fol. 102. 34 Of Communion vnder both kindes fol. 210. 35 Of Confession fol 215. 36 Of Satisfaction 225. 37 Of the single life of Priestes and Clergie men fol. 235. 38 Vowes of perpetuall chastitie were allowed by the Fathers affirming them to be obligatory fol. 245. 39 Of Antichrist and the Aulters and Sacrifice which he is fore told to take a way Daniel 12.11 fol. 247. 40 The Roman faith proued to be the true Catholicke faith by Dionysius Areopagita and Hermes most auncient and Apostolicke fol. 248. 41 To shew no beginning of a Doctrine is an infallible token that it is and proceedeth from the Apostles 249. 42 True Miracles make a stronge argument for the true faith and that the foresaid faith wherevnto the English were conuerted was confirmed by
are baptized for the dead if the dead ryse not againe at all And o ibid ca. 3 v 15. But himself shal be saued yet so as by sier And p Rom. cap. 10.6 But the iustice which is of faith saith thus say not in thy hart who shall asceÌ„d into heaueÌ„ that is to bring Christ downe or who descendeth into the depth that is to call Christ againe from the dead but what saith the scripture the word is nigh in thy mouth and in thy hart The Eunuch when Phillip the Deacon said vnto him q Act. 8 3â— trowest thou that thou vnderstandest the thinges which thou readest answeared and said how can I vnlesse some manshew me r Psal 118 Dauid a King and Prophet after Gods owne hart durst not read the law of God before he had craued the vnderstanding of it from God s Luc. c. 24 v. 17 2â— Also the Apostles did not vnderstand the holy Scriptures before that our Sauiour had openned their eies Ephes c. 3. v. 10. How obscure also is this Place of Scripture that the manifold wisdom of God may be notified to Princes Potentates in the celestials by the church according to the prefinitio of worlds which he had in Christ Iesu our Lord Finally if our common lawes handling nothing but selling buying barganing and such commoÌ„ and vsuall matters as are dayly practised by men be so hard and difficult as they require great studie to be well vnderstood and clients will giue greate fees for lawyers couÌ„cell vpon them what shall wee thinke of Gods Lawes when as S. Basil saith v hom 1â— in Hexameton the Scripture is heauenly inspired and nothing a bounding in it no there cannot be fouÌ„d so much as one idle word which also treat of deuyne supernatural thinges farr aboue mans teach capacity as of the trinitie incarnation of the word heauenly Sacraments the nature of Angels of the operation of God in mens mynds of eternall Predestination reprobation with many others of this kinde Also who dare take vpoÌ„ him the explicatioÌ„ of S. Iohns Apocalypse which as S. Hierome saith hath as many mysteries as wordes or of Dauids psalmes so obscure that all haue bene astonished at theÌ„ I speake not of your new inflamed Doctors who are so â—ot of the spirit that they will not only out strip S. Hierome but all others nor limite themselues to the difficulties of S Iohns Apocalipse or psalmes only but euen from Alpha to Omega the first word of Genesis to the last of the whole scriptures for they boldly affirme and assure thee who euer thou art if thou hast but saith and the spirit that thou shalt be as sure of the true seÌ„se of scripture as thou art sure thou liuest for what saith Caluin x lib. 4. instit cap. 17 g. 25. truly that after diligent and serious meditation about the vnder standing of these wordes This is my body he did imbrace that sense which the spirit did suggest The same doth Luther alleadge against Caluin Zuinglius against them both wherfore certainty it was a very soul and wicked spirit that would not inculcate one and the same doctrine but thus grosly delude three such pillers of your Church as these setting them together by the eares but indeed I rather think it to be a Hebgobling then any spirit to interpret the holy ghost and so if you please for this present wee will take it as by all liklihood most probable But to our purpose from which perchance wee haue to farre digressed for your better satisfaction therfore receaue the consent of the primitiue Church in these few Doctors at least concerning this one poynt especially when as your owne confesse that they y Hooker l. 1. de eccles politia sect 4 p. 86 l. 2. s â—4 pag. 102. See tradition cannot determine by Scripture what is Scripture This I say we must doe vnlesse wee should imitate you in England reiecting what mislykes vs and admitt only the rest which makes not Scripture but only in concept S Augustine saith z tom 6. de vtil cred cap. 7 he that hath no skill in Poetrie dare not meddle with Terentian Mauruâ— with out a master Asper Cornutus Donatus and infinite others are requisite to vnderstand any Poet and doest thou without a guide rush vpon holy bookes full of deuyne matters O exceding boldnes or rather madnes And againe If euery art though base and easie require a teacher or master to obteyn it what is more foolish heady pride then not to learne the booke of deuyne Sacraments of their interpreters a lib. de fide bonis operiduâ— ca. 15 16. Also in another place he affirmeth that place of S. Paule And if any man build vpon this foundation c. to be one of the most difficult places in the epistles of S Paul Moreover as b hom 1. Cantica Origen vvriteth and S. c in proemio EZechielis Hierome the auncient fathers had such an opinion of the obscuritie of Scripture that they vvould permitt no man to read the begining of Genesis end of EZechiel before he vvere thirtie yeares of age S Austine whome our Aduersaries so much extoll was of such admirable witt that not yet twenty yeares of age with out any interpreter or any man teaching him did vnderstande Aristotles Categories as he confesseth himself This best witnes I say according te Caluin a man of so rare witt did neither thinke so highly of him self nor basely of Scripture that he would of his owne mother witt giue the true sense of Scripture for thus he speaketh d epist ad velusianuÌ„ such is the profunditie saith he of the Christian Doctrine that I should profit in it euery day if I would guâ—e my self vnto it with all diligence chiefest studie and best witt euen from my childhood vnto decrepit old age And in an other place he saith e lib. 3. confessionum cap. 5. wherfore I purposed seriously with my self to read the holy Scriptures there by to see of what nature they were and loe I behold a thing neither euidently conuicted to the proud nor yet naked or manifest to children but in stile lowly in successe loftie and vailed with mysteries Againe f lib. 2 doctrin Christi cap. 6. But saith he they are deceaued with diuers manifold obscurities and ambiguities who rashily read the Scriptures taking one thing for an other in certayne places they doe not find what they falsely suspect for some thynges are spoken so obscurely that they cast amost thick darknes all which I nothing doubt but that it is done by diuine prouidence to tame pride with labour and to keepe the vnderstanding from lothing which thinges that are easily vnderstood doe offen tymes basly esteeme of And a gaine g lib. 12. confessionum cap. 14. wounderfull saith he is the profounditie of the Scriptures or speeches whose outward apparence doth seeme
of his owne will And againe g lib. de gtar and sib arbit there are saith he some who doe so defend the grace of God that they deny the free-will of man or that when grace is defended they may thinke free-will is denied And againe h lib 4. ad Iultanu 4 capite I might much lesse say that thou doest lye in saying that I said free-will is denied if grace be commended and grace is denied if free will be commended And againe i Epistola 47. wee haue done as much as we could with those both yours and our brethren that they should perseuere in the sound Catholick faith which doth nether deny free will whether vnto an euill life or a good life nor attributeth so much vnto it as that it can doe any thing without grace And againe k Epistola 89. quest 2. neither is free will therfore taken away because it is holpen but it is therfore holpen because it is not taken away These S. Augustine THE ADVERSARIE The l Cont. 2. c. 10 col 121. l 51. ibid co 58 l. 49. Ham in Iel. p 2 râ— 5 p 521 Osi cent 2. l 4 â— 4 pâ— 84 cen â— p. 56. Century-wyt cent â—â—o 207. line 49. Century-wryters affirme that auncient Irenaus admitteth free will euen in spirituall action Also â— Humfrey Luke Osiander and the Century-wryters say â—hat Iustine Martyr anno 150 extolled to much the liberty of mans will in obseruing the commaundements of God The protestantes knowe that euer since the Apostles tyme in a manner it florished euery where vntill Martine Luther tooke the sword in hand against it For these wordes see the Puritanes in their brief discouerie of vntruthes c. m pa. 203. conteined in D. Bancrosies Sermon Also the Century-wryters speaking of the tymes next after the Apostles say n Cent 2. c. 4. col 58 l. 30. There is almost no place of Doctrine which so soonne be gaâ—e to be obscured as this of free will And againe o Ibid. co 59. line 12. After the same manner Clement did euery where affirme freewill that it appeareth not only all the Doctours of that age were in this manner of blindnes but also that it grew amongst pastours c. p Sch. in me Theol. PatruÌ„ p. 379. 304. 466. 151. 105. 98. 48. 66. 73. 40. c. wryt Cent. 2. c. 4. col 53. l. 30. col 59. l. 11. cont 3. c. 4. col 77. 78. 48. l. 15. D. Hum. Iesu itismi p. 2. Pap. 230. And that the most auncient fathers Cyprian Theophilus Tertullian Origen Clemens Alexandrinus Iustine Irenaeus Athenagoras Tatianus c. erred heerin witnes Abraham Schultetus and the Century vvritters M. D. Humfrey saith q Ecclesiasticus c. 15. 12. c. resp ad rat Campiani rar 1 part it may not be denyed but that Irenaus Clement and others called Apostolicall in respect of the tyme wherin they liued haue in their writinges the opinion of freewill and merit of workes M. Whitaker saith I make smale account of that place of Ecclesiasticus neither will I belieue the freedome of mans will although he should affirme it an hundreth tymes that before man were life and death Also auncient Philo the fevv vvho liued in Christs tymes affirmeth r lib. quod Deus sit unmutabilis that man hath freewill c. to which purpose saith he is extant that oracle in Deutronomy Å¿ Deut. ca. 30. xo is 19. I haue placed before thee life and death good and euill choose life c. M. Fulke saith t in his defence of the English traÌ„slations c. pag. 320. The Iewish Rabbinos Patrons of freewill doe erre c. Caluins and Luthers contrarie doctrine as followeth Luthers Doctrine Luther doth so abhorre this Doctrine of free-will that he stileth it with a quite contrarie title calling it seruile vvill and saith v in suorum articulorum assertious art 36. In the other articles of the Papacy of councels of Indulgences and other necessarie trifles the leuitie and foolishnes of the Pope and his accomplices is to be borne withall but in this article of the seruitude of the will which is the best of all and sume of the whole businesse wee ought to mourne and lament that those wretches are so mad And in the same place Free will saith he is a fained inuention in thinges and a title with out the thinge because no man hath in his power to thinke any good or euill but all thinges come to passe by an absolute necessitie which also the Poet vnderstood when he said All thinges stand vpoÌ„ a certayne law Et infra there is no doubt but this name of freevvill entred into the church Sathan being the maister therof Philip Melanchthon also saith x In locis suis commun The voice of free-will is vsurped and altogether swaruing from holy scripture sense and the iudgment of the spirit Also for as much as all thinges that are doe necessarily come to passe according to deuyne prouidence there is no liberty of the will The scriptures doe teach that all thinges do necessarily happen c. CALVINS DOCTRINE Caluin saith y lib. 2. instit cap 2. that man is now spoyled of the libertie of freewill and is sould to miserable seruitude z ¶ 4. the Latines saith he haue alwayes reteyned the name of freewill The Greekes are not ashamed to vsurpe a tearme much more arrogant as if the power of man were in himself Againe a ¶ â— I think it would be a great good vnto the church if it were blotted out neither will I vsurpe it and if others doe aske my aduise b ¶ 5. I will wish them to abstayne from it Againe moreouer that I say the will is depriued of its liberty and drawne brought by necessity vnto euill it is a maruaile if this seeme a harsh speach vnto any man Againe c ¶ 25. neither hath he any power to moue himself vnto good more then there is an affection in metals and stones inclining to the perfection of their being Againe d ¶ 29. But if the whole man be subiect to the coÌ„maund of sinne certenly it must needs be that the will which is the chiefest seat is constrained with most straight bonds Againe e cap. 3. ¶ 2. in euery in firme body their is remayning the force of life but a soul drowned into that deadly gulph is not only spotted with vice but altogether made voyd of any good To conclude he saith f lib 2. instit c. c. ¶ 8. Although the Greekes aboue all others and amongst them specially Chrysostome doe exceed all measure in extolling the faculty of mans will yet all auncient wryters except Augustine whome not withstanding a little after being forgetfull of he doth scurge as miserably as the rest doe either varie in this matter of stagger or speake so doubtfull that a man cannot almost
where there is any honor giuen to dead Saintes there is no mention of Christ y Ibid. ¶ 24. But saith he if any man excuse it and say it caÌ„not be but that they haue the same charitie to vvardes vs vvhich they had vvhen they vvere ioyned together vvith vs in faith vvho notvvithstanding hath revealed that they haue eares so long as to reach vnto our voices and eies so sharpe as to behold our necessities they idlelie imagine indeed in their shadovvees I knovv not vvhat of the splendor of the diuine countenance illuminating vvherby they behold from aboue as in a looking glosse the affaires of meÌ„ z ¶ 27 But this latter argumeÌ„t is easilie confuted by their ovvne impudencie in that they contend by no stronger an argument then as to say vvee haue need of the Patronage of Saintes because vvee are not vvorthy so familiar accesse vnto God c. But hence vvee collect that they leaue nothing to Christ vvho esteeme his intercession for nothing vnlesse George Hippolitus and such like Hagges or Hobgoblins be present An old condemned Heresie This heresie vvas proper to Vigilantius vvho said VVitnes S. Hier. lib. contra vigilantium that the prayers of the dead for so he called them vvhich liue gloriously vvith Christ ought not to be spoken of or heard to be profitable for others from whence doth follow that it is in vaine to inuocate the Saintes To take one more braue spirit by the vvay in respon ad rat Campiani rat 1. p. 15. M. Whitaker saith q little do wee regard the example of Raphaell the Angel mentioned in Toby neither doe wee acknowledge those seauen Angels whereof he speaketh all this is different from the canonicall scriptures and fauoureth of I know not what superstition So fixed is M. Whitaker in this opinion against vvhatsoeuer may be sayde THE 14. ARTICLE Of Saintes Reliques THE CATHOLICKE DOCTRINE Wee ought to haue in price and honour the Bodies and reliques of Saintes and to vse them reuerentlie and holily with all pious deuotion SCRIPTVRE The Angels Protect Saintes Bodies a Inde v. 9. MIchael the Archangel disputing with the Diuell made altercation for the body of Moyses Vnreasonable creatures spare the bodies of Saintes both Dead and liueing b â— kinges 13.24 The Lyon which slew the disobedient Prophet spared his body c Daniel 6.22 My God hath sent his Angel and hath shut vp the mouthes of the Lyons God doth honour the reliques of his Saintes by miracles d 4. kinges 13.21 When it had touched the bones of Eliseus the man reuiued e 4 kinges 2.8.14 And with the mantle of Elias c. he smote the waters and they were deuyded f Matt. 9 21. Yf I shall touch only his garment I shal be safe g Act. 5.15 S. Peters shadowe healed the sicke h Act. 19.11.12 And God wrought by the hand of Paul miracles not common so that there were also brought from his body napkins or handkerchefs vpon the sicke the diseases departed from them and the wicked spirits went out FATHERS Eusebius anno 330. speaking of the wooden seat of S. Iames saith i lib. 7. in hist cap. 15. It is kept with great care as deliuered from our elders in memorie of his sanctitie and is had in great veneration and worship S. Athanasius anno 340. writeth in the life of S. Antonie that he left an old cloake and also addeth the receauer of blessed Antonies legacie who hath deserued to receaue by his commaund an old cloak with an other garment made of a goats skine hanging downe from the neck doth imbrace Antonie in the giftes of Antonie and as it were enriched with a great inheritans doth ioyfully remember the Image of Sanctitie by a vestment S. Basil an 380. saith k in psalm 115. in illud Praetiosae â—n conspectu domini morâ— Sanctorum wheÌ„ any maÌ„ dieth lyke a Iew the thinges left behind him are abominable wheÌ„ death happeÌ„neth for Christ the reliques of his Saintes are pretious in tymes past it was said to the priestes and men dedicated to God he shall not be defyled by any dead but now he that toucheth the bones of a martyr doth receaue a certayne societie of holines by the grace remayning in the body Againe speaking of the reliques of martyres he saith l orat in 40. Martyres these are they who gouerne our countrey and cleauing together as it were certeine towers doe promise securitie from the incursions of our enemyes not shutting themselues vp in one place but are become hostes in many places and pray for many couÌ„treyes S. Gregory Nyss anno 380. saith m in The odorum Martyrem The soul after it hath ascended on highe doth rest in it place being freed from the body doth liue together with like vnto it self but her venerable bodie immaculate instruments composed and adorned withall honour worship is placed in a faire holy place And if any maÌ„ entring the temple of martyrs hath delighted his eyes with beholding and doe afterward desire to approche the sepulcher it selfe beleeuing the Sanctitie and benediction by often touching of it but especiallie if he be permitted to take of the dust where the body of the martyr doth ly or rest that dust is taken for a great fauour or gift and is gathered as a-thing of great price to be hidden in the earth for how much it is to be desired and wished for to touch the reliques themselues if at any tyme so good fortune happen that a man may doe it as the gift of all prayers they doe knowe that haue tried it and are made pertakers of that desiere S. Eusebius Emissenus anno 520. saith n homil de S. Blandina where are they that say there is no veneration or worship to be giuen to the holy bodies of martyres S. Cyrill of Hierus anno 350. saith o Catech. 18. But that not only the soul of the Saintes might be honoured and that it might be belieued that there is power and virtue in the bodies of the Dead The Dead man lying in the sepulcher of Eliseus is raysed to life by touching the dead body of the Prophet S. Chrysostome anno 380 saith of S. Inuentius and Maximus p Serm. de SS Inuentio 〈…〉 Therefor let vs often visit them let vs adore there sepulchers and whith great faith touch their reliques that therby wee may get some blessing or benediction S. Ambrose anno 380. saith q Serm. 93. de SS Nazario celso in fine what doest thou say to me what dost thou honour now resolued and consumed in the flesh I honour the wounds in the flesh of a martyr receaued for Christes name I honoure the memorie of the liueing by perpetuall virtue I honour hallowed ashes for the confession of our Lord I honour the seed of eternitie in the ashes I honour the body which hath taught me to loue our
if it were no where read in the old scripture the authoritie of the whole Church which is cleare in this custome is not small where also commendation of the Dead hath it place in the prayers of the priest which arre powred out vnto our lord God at his Aultor And againe a cap. 4. supplications for the spirits of the dead arre not to be omitted which the Churh hath prouided for to be made for all that dye in the Catholicke and Christian Societie although theire names be concealed so that such as want parentes sons kinsfolk or friends may notwithstanding receaue this benefit by their holy and common mother the church Againe b de Ciultâ— Dei l. 20. c. 25. It is not to be doubted saith he but that the dead are holpen by the prayers of the holy church and the healthfull sacrifice and almes that are imployed for their soules that God will deale with them more mercifull then their sins deserue Againe c Enchirid c. 110. It may not be denyed saith he but that the souls of the deceased are relieued by the piety of their liueing frindes when for them is offered the sacrifice of the mediatour c. S. Gregory anno 590. saith d lib 4. Dialog c. 55. The oblation of the wholosome hoste is wonte to help soules after death very much so that often tymes deceased soules theÌ„selues doe seeme to craue the same Againe e cap. 50. This doth profit the dead whome grieuous sins doe not depresse and charge to vvit if they be buried in the church because their neighbours as often as they come to the said holy places doe remember them whose Sepulchers they see and doe power out their prayers for them THE ADVERSARIE f in his playne demonstrat that our Browmist be full Donatistes c. pag. â—3 M. Gyssord affirmeth that euen in the churches publicke worship to pray for the soules of the dead to offer oblation for the dead was generally in the church long before the dayes of Austine as appeareth in Cyprian and Tertullian who were before him and neerer the tyme of the Apostles g Instit lib. c. 5. sec 10. Caluin acknowledgeth that one thousand three hundred yeares since it was a castome to pray for the dead And a little after he saith but I confesse they were drowned in errour h M Fulke terentâ—e c p. 106 confâ—t of Purgat p. 78. 20 326 34â— 30â— 3â—2 393 194. M. Fulke affirmeth that it preuayled with in the first three hundreth yeares after Christ and also saith that Ambrose allowed prayer for the dead and that it was the common errour of his tyme also that Austine blyndly defended it and Chrysostome and Hierome approued the same yea that Tertullian Cyprian Austine Hierome and a great many moe doe witnes that Sacrifice for the Dead is the tradition of the Apostles Bucer saith i in sacra quatuor Euang. printed Eâ—â—leae Anno 15 6 in Mat. cap. 12 pag. 311. Chem. Examen pag part â— pag. 93 94 107. M asch Aâ—olog pro caeâ—a Domini c. pag 1. Actes 17 â—4 M Fulk confut Purgat pag. 35 and against RheÌ„test in 2. Thessa 2 Sect. 19. fol. â—â—1 Chem exam Part. â— pag. 100.101.110 D Bridges in hiâ— defence of the Gouerned c pag. 917. Euseb l. 5. hist c. 26. Hier in Catul. M. Sut de presbyteris c. 1â— p. 91 M. Orin in his picture of apuritan printed 1605 fol. G. 2.3.6 Diony l. de Eccla Hierarch c. de Baptismo entit that prayer and almes were made for the dead almost from the very begining of the church Chemnitus likewyse confesseth as much yea generally this poynt of sacrifice for the dead is so confessedly auncient that our learned aduersarie M. Ascham is forced to say that no first begining thereof synce the Apostles tymes can be shewed likewyse prayer for the dead is acknowledged to be taught in the wrytinges now extant vnder the name of Dionysius Areopagita mentioned in the Actes of the Apostles witnes M. Fulke where he thinketh that Dionysius liued in the â—â—â—e of Origen Chemnitius affirmeth that Dionysius teacheth prayer to be made in the temple for the dead M. D. Bridges Lord Bishop of Oxford saith I take this Dionysius to haue bine before Basil sc anno 380. Wheras it is vsually obiected against this booke that if it had bine the writing of Dionysius then Eusebius or Hierome would haue mentioned it this confessed antiquitie therof before their tymes avoideth that obiection which is no lesse plainly discharged by Eusebius and Hierome themselues who signifie that the bookes of sundry writers were vnknowne to them M. Sutcliff saith that Dionysius is certeinly the best witnes of antiquitie for he seemeth to be most auncient c. M. Oliuer Ormerode saith I referre you to Tertullian Iustine Martyr Cyprian c. but what doe I cyte these Fathers Dionysius Areopagita who liued in the Apostles tyme maketh mention of the Crosse in Baptisme Also the protestant treatyse k consensus Orthodoxus Tiguri anno 1578. fol. 198. 198. Archbishop in his answer to the admonition pag. 105. sect vlt. entituled as in the margent alleageth and affirmeth Dionysius who writ de Eccle. Hierarch to haue liued anno 96. The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury alleageth Dionysius saying Dionysius Areopagita in his booke de calesti Hier. 7. chapter speaketh thus c. See also M Cooper late Bishop of winchester in his Dictionarium historicum c. annexed to his Thesaurus printed 1578. at the word Dionysius Arcopagita In like manner concerning Lymbus Patrum whereas l tom 1. l. 4. de Christi anima c. 14. Cardinall Bellarmine alleadgeth in proofe thereof the playne testimonies of the Greeke Fathers Iustine Irenaeus Clemens Origen Eusebius Basil Nazianzen Nissen Epiphanius Chrysostome c. And of the Latine Fathers Tertullian Hyppolitus Cyprian Hilarie Gaudentius Prudentius Ambrose Hierome Ruffinus Augustine Leo Vulgentius c. our aduersarie Danauâ— answereth to their testimonies sayinge m ad RobertiÌ„ Bellarm. disput part 1. pag. 176. Sâ—c M. Iac. in M. Bilsons book of the full redemption of manland pag 188. See also M. Bilson in his Suruey c. pag â—56 and M Iacob himselfe in his defence of the teâ—â—yse of Chr stes sufferinâ—e 199. 200. M whitaker Conâ—ra Duraeum 8. pag. 567. 773. As concerning them they were not instructed out of Gods worde neither doe they confirme their opinion by it but only by their owne coniectures c. In lyke plaine manner doth M. Iacob affirme saying All the Fathers with one consent affirme that Christ deliuered the soules of the Patriarches and Prophets out of Hell at his coming thither and so spoyled Sathan of those that were in his present possession M. Whitaker answereth to Duraeus testimonies froÌ„ the Fathers concerning this poynt of â—ymbus Patrum saying what thou canst not ouercome by scripture thou wilt without doubt effect
to wit Baptisme Confirmation Eucharist Penaunce Extreame vnction Order and Matrimonie in number Seuen are instituted by God himself and conteyned written in his worde SCRIPTVRE Baptisme a Iohn 3.5 VNles a man be borne againe of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Confirmation b Actes c. 8.17 read also cap. 19.6 Then did they impose their handes vpon them and they receaued the holy ghost Eucharist c Iohn 6.51 If a man eat of this Bread he shall liue for euer Penaunce d Iohn 20. v. 22. â—â— And he saith to them receaue yee the holy ghost whose sins you shall forgiue they are forgiuen them and whose you shall reteyne they are reteyned Extreame Vnction e Marke 6.13 And they did annoynt many sicke with oyle and they were healed f Iames 5. v. â—4 15 Is any man sicke amonge you Let him bring in the priestes of the Church and let them pray ouer him annoynting him with oyle in the name of our lord Order g 2. Tim. 1. v. 6. Resuscitate or stirre vp the grace of God which is in thee by the imposition of my handes Matrimonie h Matth. 19. v 6. Which God hath ioyned to gether let noe man separate· i Ephes 5.6.12 This is a great Sacrament FATHERS But because Baptisme and the Eucharist or as you tearme it the lords Supper are acknowledged and receaued by all Heretickes of these latter tymes for Sacraments there shall need no further labour in proofe of them wherefore wee come vnto the rest Confirmation k lib de resurrection câ—â—â—â—s Tertullian anno 200. rancketh Confirmation in the same Order with Baptisme and the Eucharist saying The flesh is washed that the soule may be cleansed the flesh is annoynted that the soule may be sanctified the flesh is signed that the soule may be fenced the flesh is shadowed by the imposition of handes that the soule may bee nlightned with the spirit the flesh doth feed vpon the body of Christ that the soule may be fatted with God Againe l lib de praescriptor haereticor he doth Baptize certeyne to witt belieuers and his faithfull there he doth signe his souldiers in the forhead Againe m lib. de Baptismo after the hand is imposed with benediction calling and inuiting the holy ghost S. Cyprian anno 240. saith n lib. 1. epist vlt. he that is baptized must of necessitie be annoynted Also speaking of Baptisme and Confirmation he saith o lib. 2. epist 1. Then they may be sanctified and be the sons of God if they be borne in both Sacramentes The Author of the Sermons of Christes Cardinall workes saith p Sermo de vnct Chrismatis By the benefit of this annoynting both diuine wysdome and vnderstanding is giuen vs Councell and strength doth come froÌ„ heauen knowledg pietie and feare is infused by supernall inspirations being annoynted with this oyle wee contend with spirituall wickedneses S. Pacianus anno 350. saith q lib. de Baptismo sins are purged by the font the holy ghost is infused from aboue by Chrisme But wee obteyne both by the hand and mouth of the prelate S. Ambrose anno 380. saith r lib. 3. de Sacramentis ca. 2. The spirituall signe followeth because it followeth vpon the forehead that their may be perfection when the holy ghost is infused at the inuocation of the priest Againe Å¿ lib. de initiandis mysterijs cap. 7. keepe what thou hast receaued God the Father hath signed thee our lord Iesus Christ hath confirmed thee S. Hierome anno 380. after he had said t Dialog contra luciferianos that Bishops doe giue the holy ghost to the baptized by imposition of hands he addeth Doest thou aske where it is written in the Actes of the Apostles but although there were no authoritie of Scripture the consent of the whole world in this matter might be for a praecept S. Augustine anno 400. speaking of confirmation and the chrisme which is accustomed to be vsed in it saith u lib. 2. cont lit Petil. cap. 104. In this oyntment Petilianus will interpret the Sacrament of crisme which in respect of visible signes is holy as Baptisme it self is but it may be in the most wicked men Et infra discerne therfore the holy visible Sacrament which may be both in the good and in the bad to these for a rewarde to them vnto iudgment c. Penaunce Tertullian anno 200. saith x lib de paenit In the entrance God placed the second penaunce which lyeth open to all that knocke S. Cyrill anno â—50 saith y lib. 12. in Ioan c. 56. sins are for giuen two wayes by the priestes as the ministers of God and by Baptisme and pennaunce S. Cyprian anno 240. saith z S. Cyp. vel quicumque author est Ser. de ablutione pedum after Baptisme which for it reuerence doth not permit to be iterated thou hast renewed an other font S. Ambrose anno 380. saith a 5. Ambr. lib. 1. de paeâ—â—â— cap. 7. why doe you baptize If sins be not for giuen by a man for as in Baptisme theire is remission of all sinns neither doth it make any thing whether this right be giuen them by pennaunce or the font Let priestes chalenge it for one and the same is in both mysteries S. Victor Viscensis anno 486. saith b lib. 2 de persecut wandal To whome do you leaue vs wretches whilst you goe to your crownes whoe shall baptise these little ones in the euer lasting waters whoe shall giue vs the office of pennaunce and loose vs being bound from the bonds of our sins by the mercy of reconciliation because vnto you it is said c Matt. 18 12 What soeuer you shall loose vpoÌ„ earth c. S. Chrysostme anno 380. saith d lib. 3. de Sacerdotio Neither only when they regenerate you but alsoe afterwardes they haue power to for giue your sins S. Leo anno 440. saith e Epist 9â— ad Theodor. The manifould mercy of God doth so help such as fall that not only by the grace of baptisme but also by the medicine of pennaunce the hope of eternall life is repayred S. Hierome anno 380. saith f lib 1. contra Pelagian Let him be redeemed by the blood of our Sauiour either in the howse of Baptisme or in pennaunce which imitateth the grace of Baptisme Againe g lib. 2. That it is written the blood of Christ doth cleanse vs from all sine is to be taken as well in confession of baptisme as in the clemencie of pennaunce Againe h Epist ad Heliodorum God for bide that I should speake any euell of them whoe succeeding the degree of the Apostles doe consecrate the Bodie of Christ with a holy mouth by whome also wee are made Christians who hauing the keyes of the kingdome of heauen doe iudge after a sort before
himself whose Sacrament is in the visible anoynting LVTHERS DOCTRINE Luther vpon these words y in domestica postillâ— Witemberge impressa 15. 49. serm 2 in de Trinit super Luang Ioan. 3. vnlesse a man be borne againe of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God saith wee will diligentlie obserue chiefly against the blind Anabaptistes who thinke the Baptisme of children to be vnprofitable and to no end but how can such a manner of baptisme be vnfrutfull when as heere thou hearest that our sauiour hath ordayned water vnto this end that the holy ghost concurring with it it doth worke vnto regeneration Now if it be necessarie for children to be regenerate or otherwyse they cannot see the kingdome of God why should wee deny them baptisme Againe Is not this saith he a great gift and glory that a woman also in tyme of necessitie may baptize and say I free thee from death from the Diuell sinne and all euill I giue thee life eternall I make thee of the son of the Diuell the son of God All which haue nothing contrary to the former opinions or sentences but in another place he saith z in _____ oq conuiualiby tit de baptismo That children although sometyme they departe hence without baptisme yet if they be without their owne actuall fault they may be saued CALVINS DOCTRINE a lib. 4. instit c. 15. ¶ 20. Caluin saith To knovv this also perteineth to the matter that it is very ill done if priuate men vsurp to themselues the administration of baptisme And a little after vvheras many ages since yea almost from the verie beginning of the church it vvas acustome that in perill of death lay men might baptise I doe not see by vvhat good argument it can be defended yea the Fathers themselues vvho either held this custome or permitted it could not tell vvhether it vvere vvell done or not Et infra Let there be daunger least he that is sicke doe dye without baptisme vvhat then shall he be depriued of the grace of regeneration no such matter Againe what euill hath that article euilly expounded brought in that baptisme is of necessitie vnto saluation few consider this and therfore they care the lesse for it for when that opinion did increase or vvaxed in force that all perished that vvere not baptized our state or condition became vvorse then that of the auncient people Againe b ¶ 22. The example of Sephora is vnhappily cyted why because it doth indiscretly draw vnto the imitation of that which a foolish woman did Ibid. this would I haue readers only to attend that Sephora did purpose nothing els but to proue the ministerie of God shee seeing her son in daunger crieth and maketh a noyse and with great wrath did cast the prepuce vnto the grovvnd shee doth so reuile her husband that shee is angry vvith God Finally it is manifest that all this proceeded from a simple vnderstanding in that shee doth rayle at both God and her husband being forced to shed the blood of her ovvne son moreouer admit shee had behaued her self vvell in all other thinges yet this rashnes is vnexcusable because her husband being present shee circumcised her son c. And he concludeth in the same place saying vvher vpon it follovveth that the children of the faithfull are not therfore baptized that they might then at that instant become the sons of God vvhich vvere before alienated from the church but rather they are therfore receaued into the church by a solemne signe because through the benefit of the promise they did alreadie before perteyne vnto the body of Christ here you see that Caluin vvill haue the children of the faithfull to be borne sanctified and Christians from their mothers vvombe and not by Baptisme agreeing herin most directly vvith the Pelagian heresie An old condemned Heresie This vvas the Pelegian heresie vvhich taught S. August lib. 6. contra Iulianum cap. 2. 3. lib. ad Bonifacium cap 2. 4. that there vvas no originall sinne in the children of the faithfull and that they did not therfore need the lauer of regeneration or Baptisme but vvere borne holy from the vvombe vvitnes S. Augustine THE 32. ARTICLE Of the venerable Sacrament of the Eucharist THE CATHOLICKE DOCTRINE FOR THE REAL PRESENCE The true and liuely flesh that is the Body and blood of Christ is the nourishmeÌ„t of the soules of the faithfull and their spirituall and heauenly meat into which this earthly and element all bread and wine is through the benediction of Christ and operation of the holy ghost made transubstantiate not withstanding all the accidents of the former substance remayning SCRIPTVRE a Matth. c. 26 v. 26 reâ—d also Mâ—rke c. 14.22 Luke 22 â—9 and 1. Cor 11 24. IEsus tooke bread and blessed and brake and hee gaue to his disciples and said take yee and eat This is my Body And taking the Chalice he gaue thankes and gaue to them saying drink yee all of this for this is my blood of the new testameÌ„t which shal be shed for many vnto remission of sins b Iohn c. 6. v 53 54.55.56 c. Vnlesse you eat the flesh of the son of man and drinke his blood you shall not haue life in you He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath life euerlasting and I will rayse him vp in the last day for my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drinke indeed c. he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him c 1. Cor. 10. v. 16. The Chalice of benediction which wee blesse is it not the communication of the blood of Christ and the bread which wee breake is it not the participation of the body of our Lord FATHERS S. Irenaeus anno 160. saith d lib. 4 cap. 14. How shall it be manifest to them that that bread vpon which thankes is giuen is the body of the Lord and the Chalice of his blood if they say he is not the son of the maker of the world c S. Ignatius disciple vnto S. Iohn the Euangelist saith e in epistola ad Smyrnenses vâ— citat S. Theodoretus Dial. 3. They doe not admit Eucharistes and oblations because they doe not coÌ„fesse the Eucharist to be that flesh of our Sauiour which suffered for our sins which the Father through his bouÌ„tie raysed againe f lib. de Eccl Hierarch part 3. c. 3. S. Dionysius Arcopagita anno 80. saith o most diuine and holy Sacrament vouchsafe to open the coueringes of those significant signes which ouershadow thee and appeare plaine vnto vs and fill our spirituall eies with the singuler and cleare shining of thy light S. Iustine Martyr anno 150. saith of the Eucharist g in Apologia ad Antominum Wee doe not take it as common bread nor this as common drinke but as by the word of God our Sauiour Iesus Christ was
incarnatie and tooke both flesh and blood for our saluation so also by the prayers of the word of God wee are taught that the Eucharist being made food by him wherby our blood and flesh may be nourished by mutation is the flesh and blood of the same Iesus incarnate Tertullian anno 200. saith h lib. 4 cont Marcion The bread which he tooke in his hand hee made his body saying This is my body Againe i lib. de resurrect carnis The flesh feedeth vpon the body and blood of Christ that the soule may be replenished or filled with God Origen anno 230. expounding the 25. the chapter of Exodus saith k homil 13. in Exod. I would haue you to admonish others you that are wont to be present at the diuine mysteries know that when you receaue the bodie of our Lord you keepe it withall watchfulnes and veneration least any little part therof fall to the grownd least any little parte of the consecrated gift slip away or fall for you belieue that you are guiltie of a great offence and you doe well to belieue so if any part therof fall through your negligence Againe speaking of the centurions child he saith l hom 5. in diuersa loca Euangelij loquens de puero centurionis when thou receauest the holy food and incorruptible banquet thou eatest and drinkest the body and blood of our Lord then our Lord entreth vnder thy roofe thou therfore humbling thy self imitate the Centurian and say Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe For where he entreth vnworthilie there he entreth to iudgment S. Cyprian anno 240. saith m in Serm. in caena Domini in principio The supper being disposed amongst the Sacramentall banquets the old and new institutions met together and the lambe being consumed which the auncient tradition did propound our maister did set before his Disciples the vnconsumable food Et infra this bread which our Lord deliuered to his Disciples being changed not in outward shew but in nature by the omnipotencie of the word was made flesh and as in the person of Christ the humanitie appeared and the diuinitie lay hidd so the diuine essence infused it selfe ineffablie or vnspeakeablie into the visible Sacrament c. The Doctrine of the Sacrament is new and the Euangelicall schooles haue brought forth this first instruction and Christ our Doctor first taught the world the discipline That ChristiaÌ„s should drinke blood the eating wherof the authoritie of the auncient law most straightly forbideth for the law forbideth the eating of blood the ghospell commaundeth it to be dronke S. Hilary anno 350. saith n lib. 8. de Trinitate There must be no doubt concerning the veritie of the flesh and blood for now both by the profession of our Lord and our faith it is indeed flesh and indeed blood Et mox is not this the truth it seemeth not to be ttue vnto them that deny Christ to be true God Also explicating that of the six of S. Iohn he that eateth my flesh shall liue through me c. he saith truly this is the cause of our life that wee haue Christ according to the flesh remayning in vs carnall men who shall liue by him as he liueth by the father Et infra thou saist that the son of God temaineth in vs carnally through the Eucharist S. Cyrill of Hierus anno 350 saith o Cateches 4. Mystag for as much as Christ himself thus affirmeth and speaketh concerning the bread This is my body whoe dare hearafter doubt of it and for as much also as himself confirmeth it and saith This is my blood who I say can doubt of it and say it is not his blood Et ibidem once he turned water into wine which is neere vnto blood at his pleasure only in Canaan in Galile and shall not he be worthy to be belieued that he turned wine into blood wherfore with all assurance let vs receaue the body and blood of Christ for vnder the forme of bread his body is giuen to thee vnder the forme of wine his blood is giueÌ„ to the. Et ibid so shall wee be Christophori that is bearers of Christ when wee haue receaued his body blood into our members and wee shal be made as S. Peter saith partakers of the diuine nature thou must not consider it as bare bread and wine for it is that body and blood of Christ according to our Lordes owne wordes for although thy seÌ„se make thee think thus yet faith must coÌ„firme thee that thou iudge not the thing according to the tast Et infra knowing this and being most assured that this bread which wee see is not bread although the tast think it bread but that it is the bodie of Christ and the wine which wee see although to the sense of the tast it seeme wine yet that it is not wine but the blood of Christ S. Ambrose anno 380. saith p lib 4 de Sacramentis cap 4. But this bread is bread before the wordes of the Sacrament yet when the consecration shal be adioyned of bread it is made the flesh of Christ Againe q lib de myâ—teâ—iâ—s mâ—â—â—â—ndis c. 4. peraduenture saith he thou wilt say vnto me I see another thing how can you assure me that I receaue the body of Christ now theÌ„ it remaines that wee proue it therfor wee will vse most manifest examples to proue that this is not that which nature formed but that which the benediction hath consecrated and that the force of the benediction is greater then the force of nature because by the benediction nature it self is also changed Moyses held a rod in his hand he cast it a way and it became a serpent Also hauing declared many examples of Elias and Elizeus hee concludeth if the benediction of a man preuayled so much that it conuerted nature what shall wee say of the diuine consecration it self where the wordes of our Lord and Sauiour himself worke for this Sacrament which wee receaue is made perfect by the speech of Christ and if the word of Elias preuayled so much that it brought downe sier from heaueÌ„ shall not the word of Christ be of sufficient power to chaung the nature of elementes thou hast read concerning the workes of the whole world that he spake the worde and they were made he commaunded and they were created therfore the worde of Christ which was able to make that which was not of nothing shall it not be able to chaunge those thinges which be into that which they were noâ— for it is not a matter of lesse power to giue new natures vnto thinges then to chaung the natures of thinges S. Basil anno 380. saith r lib de Baptismo cap 9. if such threatninges be pronounced against them that rashly come to those Sacramentes or sacrifices which are sanctifyed by men what shall wee say of him who is rash in receauing
great a space betweene the body of Christ and the bread and wine in the Supper as there is betweene the earth and the highest heauens to witt that the body of Christ is no where but in that one certayne and determinate pleace of heauen The same also saith v de re Sacramentaria q. 6 Beza in expresse wordes in the some of his doctrine Secundly Caluin teacheth that the signes and body of Christ although in place they differre very much yet they are so conioyned to gether not only touching the signe in that one is a token of the other but also because together with the signe God doth truly giue vs the verie bodie and blood of Christ wherby our soules are indeed nourished vnto life euerlasting This Caluin hath in all the places aboue noted And also saith yet further x vpon the 26. Matth. That in the supper the body of Christ is truly giuen vs that it may be a wholesome food vnto our soules that is our soules are fed with the substance of Christes body that wee may truly become one with him And a little after therfore saith he an emptie and bare signe is not set before vs but such as receaue this promise by faith are truly made partakers of the body and blood of our lord Againe he teacheth that to eat the flesh of Christ is not only to belieue but also to be made truly partaker of his flesh y lib. 4. inst cap. 17. ¶ 5. For saith he as not the beholding but eating of bread is required vnto the nourishment of our body so it is necessarie that our soule be truly and fully made partaker of Christ Againe z ¶ 32. in the holy supper he commaundeth me vnder the signes or formes of bread and wine to receaue his body and blood I nothing doubt but he doth truly giue it and I truly receaue it these Caluin But because this secund seemeth contrarie to the first for how can the body of Christ be truly giuen to vs with the bread and be present in the supper if this body be only in the highest heauen and the bread only on earth therfore he addeth this third saying a Ibib. ¶ 7. there remaineth nothing saith he but that I breake out into admiration of that mysâ—erie which certenly neither mynd by thinking nor tongue by explicating is sufficient to expresse And againe b ¶ 10. But although it seeme incredible that in so great v distance of place the flesh of Christ should so penetrate as to be meat for vs let vs remember how farre the secret virtue of the holy ghost doth exceed our vnderstanding and how foolish a thinge it is to measure his immensitie or wonderfullnes by our capacitie therefore what our vnderstanding doth not comprehend let faith conceaue that the spirit doth truly vnite what is disioyned by distance of place Againe c ¶ 32. Moreouer saith he if any aske of me the manner how he shall not be ashamed to confesse that it is a secret more high then either by witt can be comprehended or wordes declared The like hath Beza d de Sacramentis q 9. But saith he neuerthelesse wee confesse that the mysterie of God is incomprehensible wherby it cometh to passe that the same which is and remaneth in heauen and no other where is truly communitated vnto vs who are now on earth and no other where But because Caluin perceaued this his mysterie to be incredible and to inuolue a most manifest contradiction he addeth that the very body of Christ did not descend but a certen substantiall force deriued vnto vs from the flesh of Christ by his spirit as a certeyn Channell or conduit for thus he speaketh e lib. 4. instit cap. 17. ¶ 12. The bond saith he of that coniunction is the spirit of Christ by whose fastining wee are coupled together and as a certeyne conduit by which what soeuer Christ himself both is and hath is deriued vnto vs. Againe I freely confesse that I reiect the mixture of Christes flesh with our soule or transfusion as they teach because it sufficeth vs that Christ doth from the substance of flesh breath life into our soules yea power out his owne life into vs although his verie flesh doe not enter into vs. Againe Å¿ ¶ 13. Wee must saith he frame such a presence of Christ in the supper as may neither adioyne him to the element of bread nor include him in the bread or any wayes inclose him c. least something should be affixed to his body nor agreable to mans nature which is done when it is said to be infinite or in many places at once Also certenly that which wee teach hath nothing in it wherby to giue offence to any vnlesse to a few ages when that ignorance of Sophisters did raigne in the Church and the cleare light and manifest truth was oppressed with barbarisme Againe g ¶ 15. 29. Let this therfore be establissed for certayn that the flesh of Christ is not truly giuen vnto vs in the supper for food vnlesse the true substance of the externall signe did signifie as much But as one errour riseth out of an other that place of Hieremia is so foolishly wrested to prooue transubstantiation that a man May be ashamed to relate it c. yet so also thought many of the Fathers but what as if their ignorance were not rather to be pardoned and shâ—me concealed then impudencie to be added wherby to feare them yet still in hostile manner to contend with the true sense of the Prophet These Caluin An old condemned Heresie by the primitiue Church This was in tyme past the heresie of the Sacramentaries Synodo 7. act 6. tom 3. S. Theodoret Dialog qui dicetur impatibilis that the Eucharist or lords supper was not the true flesh of Christ but only a figure and image of the body of Christ The same many ages before reporteth S. Theodoretus out of S. Ignatius disciple to S. Iohn Moreouer there were others who not denying the veritie of Christes body in the Eucharist denied not withstand that the body of Christ did remayne in the Eucharist if it were kept vntill the next day whome S. Cyrill therfore saith that they were madd S. Cyrill in epistola ad Calosyrium Episcopum Whereas it is obiected that the sixth chapter of S. Iohn doth not treat of the Eucharist I proue the contrarie very manifestly that it doth specially treat of it The question therfore is not whether the whole chapter perteine vnto this matter for the contrarie is manifest as in a great part therof mention is made of the miracle of bread faithl and incarnation the controuersie therfore is only of these wordes The bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world c. almost to the end Almost all the heretickes of these tymes denie these wordes to perteine to the Sacrament of the Eucharist
suffered because the offender doth after wards reiect them and they may very well be purged by satisfaction THE ADVERSARIE The i Cent. â— col 127. l. 40. See also M. VVhitaker contr camp rat 5. pag 78. and himself also alledged in M Fulkes def of the English traÌ„slations ca. 13 pag. 68. Centuri-wryters affirme that penance or satisfaction was inioyned according to the offence and that the same Fathers thought by such their externall discipline of life to paye the paynes due vnto sins and to satisfie Gods iustice and that not Cyprian only but almost all the holy Fathers of that age were in that errour k Toby 129. Almes doth deliuer from death and doth purge all sinne Againe l cap 410. Almes doth deliuer from death and suffereth not the soule to goe into darknes m Ecclesiâ—sticus cap. 333. Water quencheth burning sier and almes resisteth sinnes This place of Ecclesiasticus and the other of Toby are so euident that the ministers of lincolne Diocesse say n in their abridgment c. pag. 76. The twoe places of Toby and ecclesiasticus tend daungerously to the iustifying of the merit of almes deeds LVTHERS DOCTRINE in assert articulor art 5. I mortally hate saith he and earnestly desire that terme satiefaction to be taken quite away which not only is not found in scripture but it hath a daungerous sense as if any man could satisfie God for his sin when as he doth freely pardon althings wherfor saith he I said that true satisfaction is not found neither in the scriptures nor in the fathers in Apolog. confessionis Augustanae art de coÌ„fess satisfactione Philipp Melanchthon Luthers Schollâ—r saith But yet our aduersaries saith he confesse that satisfactions doe not profit vnto the remission of the fault but doe fame that satisfactions profit to redeeme the paynes either of purgatorie or other payns Et infra this is ameere fiction and a thing newly inuented without authoritie either of scripture or auncient ecclesiasticall writters Againe in locis commun tit de satisfactione prope finem de carnis mortificationibus such manner saith he of voluntarie mortifications or tormentings belonge vnto that rule in vayne do they worship me with the commaundements of men also it is against these precepts Thou shalt not Kill and that Giue honour to the body who euer heard of a more sweeter ghospell then this of Luthers CALVINS DOCTRINE They assigne saith he the thirde place of satisfaction in penance lib. 3. instit cap. 3. ¶ 30. wherof whatsoeuer they bable it may all be confuted in one word they say it doth not suffice the penitent to abstayne from sins past to amend his manners vnlesse he doe satisfie God for that which he hath committed they say there are many helps wherby wee may redeeme our sins as teares fastinges oblations and the offices of charity And a little after against such lyes I oppose free remission of sins and that which is gratis then which there is nothing more clearly mentioned in the scriptures what I pray you hath Christ done for vs if the punishment for sin should still be exacted for when wee say that he suffered for all our sinnes vpon the crosse wee signifie no other thing then that he died with that payn and reueunge which was de for our sinnes Et infra I know that they speake yet more subtilly when as they distinguish betweene eternall payne and temporall paynes but in that they say temporall payne is a certayne punishment which God doth take as well of the body as the soule excepting only eternall death this restraint doth little availe them Again ¶ 38. all those thinges which doe euery where occurre in the writings of the fathers coÌ„cerning satisfaction do little moue me I see indeed that many of them yea I will speake plainly almost all whose bookes are now extant that in this matter they did either erre or speake to bitter and harsh ¶ 39. Againe But they called it for the most part satisfaction not a recompence which should be rendered vnto God but a publike testification wherby such as were punnished with excommunication when they would be receaued into communion againe they did make their penance knowne vnto the church And a little after confessions and satisfactions which are at this day in vse tooke their beginning from that old ceremonie indeed a viperous broode wherby it is come to passe that there is not so much as a shadow left of any better custome I know that the auncient writters did speake sometyme to hardly in this matter neither peraduenture as I said euen now did they erre therein lib. 4 cap. 12. ¶ 8. Againe the immodest authority saith he of the auncient writers can by no means be excused which doth altogether swarue and dissent from the precept of God and is very daungerous where also he saith that S. Cyprian was not so strickt but S. Chrysostome was more exact THE 37. ARTICLE Of the Single life of Priestes and Clergie men THE CATHOLICKE DOCTRINE Virginitie and single life is farre more excellent and conuenient for diuine exercices them wedlocke or matrimonie wherfor it doth chiefly become priestes and the ministers of the church to be so and that they are iustly bound vnto it by holy Cannons and vow SCRIPTVRE a Exod. 19 1â— BE ready against the third day and come not neere your wiues b Matth. 19.12 And there are Eunuches which haue gelded themselues for the kingdome of heauen c cap. 22. v. 30. In the resurrection neither shall they marrie or be married but are as the Angels of God in heauen d 1. Cor. 75. v. 7. Defraud not one an other except perhaps for a tyme by consent that you way giue your selues to prayer c. I would all men to be as my self to witt vnmarried FATHERS e lib. de virgin extremo S. Athanasius anno 380. saith O virginitie a neuer fayling riches an immortall crowne the temple of God the Dwelsing howse of the holy ghost a pretious pearle inuisible to the world the ioy of the Prophets the glory of the Apostles the life of Angels the crowne of Saintes f lib. de virginibus S. Ambrose anno 380. saith lett no man maruail if they be compared to Angels which are coupled with our Lord. g Catechesi 12. S. Cyrill Hierosol anno 350. saith let vs not be ignorant of the glory of chastity for it is an Angelicall crowne yea this perfection is aboue man h in 2. Dialogo b. Suâ—pitius anno 420. saith o blessed beauty and worthy of God i lib. de virginitate cap. 31. S. Austine anno 400. saith Therfore when professors of perpetuall continency shall compare themselues vnto those that are maried they shall find that according to the scriptures they are farre inferiour vnto them both in worke desert vow and reward also then presently doth that saying come