was conceiued and borne in the ordinary maner of other childrē that he was a mere man c. and was holy ignorant both of his mothers virginity and that his humaine soul and body were vnited to the diuine person Thus the Capernaites hauing no more knowledge of his diuinity then Herod had thought that his flesh was to be eaten after the same ordinary maner that other meates vse to be eaten merely to feed the body and went noe sarther But all true Catholiques beleeue that his sacred flesh is liuing and vnited to the diuine persone and eaten by vs though truly and really as he was truly and really borne yet after a most pure heauenly and in effable manner as he was brought into this world wherby his blessed flesh cōsidered absolutely in it selfe is neyther rent nor torne nor deuided nor consumed but remaines as whole perfect and intire after he is eaten by vs as it was before as the Apostle S. Andrew sais In this maner though our Sauiour spoake of his reall flesh yet were his words Spirit and Life noe lesse then these words of S. Iohn the word was made flesh and a thousand such like are though they speake of the true flesh of our Sauiour because his very flesh it selfe by reason of its vnion to the diuine person and glorious proprieties wholy deifyed and spiritualizd in such sort that receiuing it we receiue a Spirituall body though true and reall Here the earnest Reformer will tell mee that I speake contradictions for it is as vnpossible that a body should be spirituall as a Spirit corporall I answer If I speake cōtradictions I haue learned them out of the Protestant Bible and common prayer booke where S. Paul sayes of a body after the resurrection it is sown a naturall body it rises a Spirituall body And yet this wonder full body of Christ exists in the Sacrament much more like a spirit then doth any other glorious body according to ordinary prouidence viz whole in the whole host and whole in euery part of it as the soul exists in the body an Angel in the place he possesses and God in the world And as this admirable body hath the proprieties of a Spirit so hath it the properties of life being liuing bread and giuing life eternall to those who worthily receiue it as our Sauiour pronounces of it and according to S. Iohn what was made in him was life diuinity and humanity and soul and body and flesh and blood in him are all life foe great reason had our Sauiour to say speaking of them the words which I haue spoaken to you are spirit and life These are the cheefe arguments against the reall presence which Protestants vse to draw from Scripture others there are fittet for heathens then Christians which they draw from naturall reason where to though I be not oblidged to answer in this treatis yet because I am exceedingly desirous to giue all the satisfaction I am able to euery one I will breefly set the cheefe of them down and as breefly answer them but because I suppose for the present that I dispute against such as make profession to be Christians I esteeme my selfe to haue giuen a sufficient satisfaction to theyr difficulties if I giue them cleare instances in some article of Christian faith which they beleeue wherein they must solue the like difficulty to that which they vrge from naturall reason against this mystery Objection How can accidents exist without a suhstance as here they must doe Answer How can a humanc nature subsist without its propet personality as in the Incarnation of Christ it must doe vnlesse Protestants with Nestorius will grant that in Christ be two Persons Objection How can one and the same body be in many places at the same time as they must be if the reall presence be true Answer How can one and the same soul Angel and God be in many places at the same tyme which they must be if theyr spirituality and Gods vbiquity be true Objection How can the parts of our Sauiours body so penetrate one an other that the whole body may be conteyned in the least part of the host or drop of the chalice Answer How can the body of our Sauiour penetrate the dore and passe through his mothers wombe when they both remayned shut Objection How should the body of our Sauiour in the consecrated host be distinguished from others when it is put amongst them Answer How should a drop of our Sauiours blood he distinguished from the blood of other men if in tyme of his passion it had been mixed with them Objection If our Sauiours flesh and blood be really present in the Sacrament then cats and Rats may eate them Answer If our Sauiors flesh and blood were truly in the passion particles of his sacred flesh being rent of and drops of his blood shed here and there then dogs and cats might haue as well eaten them Objection How is it possible that the whol bulke of a mans body should be so light that a fly should be able to crary it Answer How should the whole bulke of a mans body be so light that it should mount vp like a flame of fyer into heauen as our Sauiours did in his ascension Objection If there be so many miracles as you must hold wrought by our Sauiour in the reall presence why were none of them seene as the other mitacles of Christ were Answer If there were so many miracles wrought in the Incarnation of our Sauiour as you must hold why were none of them seene as the other miracles of Christ were Objection How can we possibly conceiue a body with out any extention of parts or locall forme and figure Answer How can wee possibly conceiue a humaine nature subsisting without a humaine personality Objection What difference will there be betwixt a body without all extention and locall figure and a spirit Answer What difference will there be betwixt the soul of a new borne infant and that of a brute beast which cannot actually vnderstand the one hath a power to vnderstand will you say and not the other the one hath a power to be extended and haue a locall figure say I and not the other Objection If our Sauiours body be truly in the Sacrament then all wicked persons and greeuous sinners who frequent it receiue his true body into theyr mouthes and brests Answer If our Sauiours body was truly in the wildernesse then the Diuel receiued it into his armes and carryed it to the pinnacle of the temple and if it were a true body in tyme of his Passion then Iudas the traitour kissed it the hard harted Iewes and Barbarous souldiers tutcht it abused it scorgd it crucified it and troad his most pretious blood vnder their feete is not this as much disgracefull to his body and blood as now to be receiued into sinners mouthes Objection If there be nothing visible or sensible but species accidents
that all the good workes of iust and righteous persones shall be rewarded in Christ and soe be truly meritorious in Christ hauing such a supernaturall goodnesse cōformable to that heauenly reward in them which is all that is taught in this point by the Church of Rome The Protestant Position That the good workes of the Regerate are not such as can deserue heauen This is prouued by Scripture mistaken The first Proofe For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not vvorthy to be compared with the glory which shal be reuealed vnto vs. The first mistake Nothing against merits in this text NO more is a graine of mustard seed worthy to be compared to that high and spread stalke those multitudes of increase which it beares and yet it produces them as also do the small sufferings of thi world that fayre tree of life and glory in heauen as witnesseth S. Paul 2. Cor. 4. v. 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for vs a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory The second Proof So likewise yee when you haue done all those things which are commanded you say we are vnprofitable seruants we haue done that which was but our duty to doe The Second mistake These words missapplied against merits What is there here which denyes the deseruing heauen by the good works of the regenerate is it because we haue only done our duty and why then deserues a seruant his wages by doing his duty and nothing else is it because we are vnprofitable seruants and who can bring any profit to God who is vncapable of profit Hence is only proued that Allmighty God is no way beholden to vs but we to him for all our good works and therefore we are all to humble our selues before him and to acknowledge that all our merits are his gifts and the reward bestowed on them grounded in his free promesse and acceptation of them for the merits of Christ. The third Proof VVe are not saued by workes least any one should boast if righteousnesse come by the law then Christ is dead in vaine The Third mistake The word workes misunderstood The answer to Rom. 3. v. 28. c. is here to be applyed for he speaketh manifestly of the works of sinners before rheir first iustification as appeares v. 11.12.13.14 and of works done by force of the law only which he distinguisheth from the good works of the regenerate v. 10. For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath before ordayned that we should walke in them The fourth Proofe For the wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. if a full gift then no merit The fourth mistake The word wages and gift missapplied The true mearing of this text must be drawn from the greeke word here vsed where that which the English hath wages is in greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opsonia which properly signifies the base and ignoble stipend which was wont to be giuen to common souldiers as their ordinary pay and therefore it is fitly Vsed to expresse the wages of sinne which is death That which in English here is called a gift is in greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 charisma which signifyes a donatiue or noble an pretious reward which was vsed anciētly to be bestowed vppon such as had caried themselues famously and valiently where by they deserued it for some seruice of war aboue their ordinary pay and therefore was fit to be applyed to signify that high reward which shal be obtayned in heauen by such as shall haue perseuered in good workes till death Which could not bee signifyed by the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by reason of the basenesse and lownesse of it so that both these words doe properly signify a recompense the one a high and noble one and yet proceeding from the worthy and liberall disposition of the Prince and so happily exceeding the precise worth of the seruice as alsoe Allmighty God doth in rewarding our works qui remunerat vltra condignum who rewards beyond the condignity and worth of the merit as our Diuines teach and the other an ordinary low stipend due to common souldiers who haue noe particular worth in them Soe that the true meaning of this text according to the proper signification of the words in the original is this the base recompence and hirelings wages of sin̄ is death but the high noble and rich reward of God is eternall life and thus the text makes nothing against the merit of good workes but rather makes playnly for them Further if wee take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a pure free gift wee may answer with S. Austin and the Council of Trent now cited that because the good works merits themselues are the free gifts of God so also the glory of heauen which is deserued by them is called truly a gift as if one should giue any one a tree the fruit which it beare also may be called his gift who gaue the tree More ouer seing as we haue learned from the Council of Trent aboue cited that the primary title and right which all Gods childeren haue to eternall life is that of inheritaene which is a free gift of God before all merit of heauen eternal life may be properly called the gift of God as being absolutly decreed to be bestowed vppon them as his childeren before they had any merits to deserue it supposing that they dy in state of grace The Catholicke Position That the works of the regenerate are such as can deserue heauen I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith Hence forth there is layd vp forme a crowne of righterusnesse iustitiae of iustice sayth the Greeke and Latin vvhich the Lord the righteous iustus the iust Iudge shall giue me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reddet shall restore vnto me at the last day the greeke at that day and not to me only but vnto them also vvho loue his coming By a crovvn of iustice he meanes a true reward or prize got by labour as appeares knovv ye not that those vvhich runne in a race runne all but one receiueth the prize so run that yee may obteyne and euery man that striueth for the mastery is temperate in all things novv they doe it to obtaine a corruptible crown but vve an incorruptible for our light affliction vvhich is but for a moment vvorketh for vs a farre more exceeding and eternall vveight of glory If our afflictions worke a crowne of eternall glory then they are a true cause of it which cannot be but by merit Gal. 6. v. 8. For vvhat things a man shall sovv those also shall hee reape for hee that sovveth to his flesh latin in his flesh from his flesh also shall reape corruption but hee that soweth in the spirit shall
reape life euerlasting So that life euerlasting is a proper fruit of a spirituall and godly life and so such a life is the true cause of saluation Reuel 3. v. 4. Speaking of the elect saith They shall vvalke vvâ—ith me in vvhyte garments because they are worthy Therefore the true seruants of God haue something in this world which makes them worthy of eternall life and that is theyr innocent and vnspotted liues as the Euangelist declares in the next precedent words but thou hast some in Sardis who haue not defiled their garment R. 3. v. 8. Behold I haue giuen thee a dore open which noman can shut because thou hast some smal vertue and hast kept my word and hast not denyed my name where the vertuous life and good works of that person are affirmed to be the cause why eternall happinesse was to be bestowed vppon him Hebr. 6.9 for God is not vnrighteous to forget your worke and labour of loue which yee haue shewed towards his name in that yee haue ministred to the Saints and doe minister and v. 12. That yee be not flothfull but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promisses where it is said both that it belongs to the iustice of God to remember our good workes and that not only by faith but by patience allso and the same is of all other vertues wee inherit the promises as Abraham did v. 13.14 Reuel 3. v. 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I will preserue the from the hower of temptation which is to come through the whole world to tempt the inhabitants vppon earth where the desert of good workes is most clearly deliuered The Protestant argument against merit of Good workes The blessed saints were euer ready to acknowledge theyr vnworthynesse with humility Mistake This tutches not the merit of good workes THey are humble and euer will be and must be according to our doctrine both because they are neuer fully certain that they haue any one worke that is truly pleasing to God and if they were fully certain they must attribute all the glory to him seeing it is only his grace which workes all good in them And all theyr merits are his gifts as S. Augustin says and rewarded through the free acceptation of them for the merits of Christ according to the Concill of Trent sess 25. c. 16. But if by this title be vnderstood that noe iust man hath any workes truly good and pleasing to God through the working of Gods grace in them as the mistaken proofes seeme to insinuate it will be a false humility because it stands vppon a false ground and soe no humility of Saints This Protestant argument is proued by Scripture mistaken The first proofe O Lord righteousnesse belongs vnto thee and vnto vs confusion of face saith Daniel The first mistake The Persons here mentioned vvere not Saints These words were spoken by great sinners Therefore Daniel ascribes confusion of face to the Izraelites of his tyme because from the highest to the lowest they and theyr Predecessours had greeuously sinned against the law of God As appeares through the whole prayer of Daniel in that chapter and he puts his own sinnes to the rest v. 20. as hauing transgressed with the rest But how proues this that neyther he nor any other Saint had done any good workes The second proofe And Dauid If thou Lord shouldest be extreame to marke vvhat is done amisse O Lord vvho may abide it The second mistake This text proues that all Saints haue some sinnes but not that they haue no merits How proues this that noe Saint can haue any good wotkes or merits for they doe many things a misse yet through the grace of Christ they may doe some things aright The third proofe Speake not thou in thy hart saing for my righteousnesse the Lord hath brought me in to possesse the Land but for the wickednesse of this nation the Lord doth driue them out from before thee was the counsell of Moyses to the Israelites The third mistake This tutches sinners but not Saints The reason of this counsel was because the Israelites had greeuously offended god in the wildernesse as appeares v. 7.8.9 c. where Moyses reekons vp the haynous Idolatrie and other great sinnes which they committed THE FIFT CONTROVERSIE Of Purgatory The Romane Doctrine declared in the Council of Trent Sess. 6. Can. 30. SI quis post acceptam iustificationis gratiam cuilibet peecatori poenitenti ita culpam remitti reatum aeternae poenae deleri dixerit vt nullus remaneat rearus poenae temporalis exolueudae vel in hoc saeculo vel in futuro in Purgatorio antequam ad Regna caelorum aditus patere possit anathema sit If any one shall say that after the grace of iustification is receiued the falt and guilt of eternall punishment is soe remitted to euery penitent person that there remaines noe guilt or liablenesse to some temporall punishment to be payed eyther in this world or in the world to come in Purgatory before the enterance into the Kingdome of heauen can be opened to them let him be accursed Conc. Trid. sess 25. Decreto de Purgatorio Praecipit sancta Synodus vt sanam de Purgatorio doctrinam à sanctis Patribus sacris Coneiliis traditam à Christi fidelibus credi teneri doceri vbique praedicari diligenter studeant Apud rudem verò plebem difficiliores ac subtiliores quaestiones quaeque ad aedificationem non faciunt ex quibus plerumque nulla fit pietatis accessio à popularibus concionibus secludantur Incerta item vel quae specie falsi laborant euulgari ac tractari non permittant Ea verò quae ad curiositatem quandam aut superstitionem spectant vel turpe lucrum sapiunt tanquam scandala fidelium offendicula prohibeant The holy Synode commands the Bishops that they take diligent care that the sound doctrine of Purgatory deliuered by the holy Fathers and the sacred Councils be beleeued held taught and preached by the faithfull of Christ. But that amongst the common sort of people all difficult and subtile questions which make not for edification by which commonly there is noe accesse to piety be secluded from popular sermons But those things which tend to curiosity or which tast of base lucre as being scandalls and offenses of the faithfull they are to prohibite In these two places we see 1. That none but iust persones suffer in Purgatory 2. That those paines are only the remainder of such temporall paines dew after the remission of sinne and eternall punishment which they deserued in this life 3. That the Church of Rome forbids all temporall gaines to be made of the doctrine of Purgatory where by it appeares how injurious the aspersion of some of our Aduersaries is to the Church of Rome in accusing her to haue inuented Purgatory not to gaine soules but mony 4. All difficult questions