Paule toward the end of the chapter compareth charitie with true faith it is most likelie that he did not so before But if we should fullie grant this vnto Pighius that that faith whereof Paule speaketh is the generall faith whereby men are iustified yet neither so vndoubtedlie should he obteine his purpose For the apostle going about by all maner of meanes to set foorth charitie thought to amplifie that same by a fiction or feining which is a figure of Rhetorike knowne euen vnto children Figura fictionis And yet doth not Paule therefore bring a false proposition for he vseth a conditionall proposition which may not resolue into a categoricall proposition and yet notwithstanding is the truth in the meane time kept As if I should saie vnto anie man A similitude If thou haddest the life or vse of the reasonable soule without the life or vse of the sensible soule thou shouldest not be troubled with perturbations of the mind No man could reprooue this kind of speach as false and yet it is not possible that in a man the life and vse of the reasonable soule should be seuered from the sensible Such kind of speaches also are found in the holie scriptures as for example Psal 139 ver 7 8 c If I shall ascend vp into heauen thou art there if I descend downe into hell thou art present and if I take the fethers of the morning and dwell in the vttermost ends of the sea thither shall thy right hand lead me These sentences are true yet it is not possible that a man should take vnto him the fethers of the morning After the same maner we saie If a man should separate faith from charitie he should make it vnprofitable though in verie déed it cannot be separated from charitie And that Paule in that place vsed such an excesse of speach or fiction that euidentlie declareth which he a little before spake 1. Cor. 13 ◠Though I should speake with the toongs of men and of angels haue not charitie I am like to sounding brasse or a tingling cymball But wée knowe that angels haue neither bodies nor toongs and yet notwithstanding Paule speaketh truth that If they had toongs and I should speake with them yet that should nothing profit me without charitie And this exposition Basilius confirmeth in an epistle Ad Neocaesarienses for he saith that The apostle minded in this place to commend charitie and he saith that he vseth those reasons not that all those things which he here maketh mention of can be separated from charitie Wherefore of the former interpretation we haue Chrysostome for an author and the later interpretation Basilius confirmeth Let Pighius go now and of this saieng of the apostle conclude if he can that which he contendeth so much about 58 But as touching those words of Matthew Lord haue we not in thy name prophesied and in thy name cast out diuels c. Matt. 7 22. Which things Pighius denieth can be doone without faith and yet they which haue doone them are not iustified séeing they are excluded from the kingdome of heauen We maie answer with the selfe-same solution which we haue now brought namelie that they whome Matthew maketh mention of had the faith of signes or a dead faith but not a true and iustifieng faith Moreouer I sée not how true this is that miracles cannot be doone without faith Miracles are not alwaies doon for faiths sake for God sometimes worketh miracles not for his faiths sake by whome they are doone but either to aduance his glorie or to giue testimonie vnto true doctrine Vndoubtedlie Moses and Aaron when they stroke water out of the rocke of strife Num. 10 12 Psa 106 32. wauered in faith and yet God that he might stand to his promise with a great miracle gaue water vnto the people and reprooued Moses and Aaron of infidelitie And Naaman the Syrian doubted of recouering his health in the waters of Iordan yea also he would haue gone his waie for that he said that the riuers of his countrie were much better than Iordan and yet notwithstanding GOD left not his miracle vndoone And when the dead bodie was cast into the sepulchre of Elizaeus 2. Kin. 13 21 by a great miracle it came to passe that at the touching of the dead bones of the prophet life was restored vnto it But there was no faith there neither in the dead corps nor in the bones of the prophet nor in them which brought the dead man thither And yet not alwaies is it granted vnto them that desire to doo miracles that they should doo them when faith is absent for in the Acts we reade that when the Exorcists which were the sonnes of Scaeua the high priest would haue cast out diuels in the name of Christ whome Paule preached Acts. 19 15. the diuell answered Iesus I knowe Paule I knowe but who are ye And straitway he ran vpon them Here we sée that God would not giue a miracle when it was asked as it is most likelie by wicked and vnbeléeuing men Howbeit contrariewise in Marke the 9. chapter that a certeine man did cast out diuels verse 38. in the name of Christ who yet followed not Christ and when Iohn would haue reprooued him Christ suffered not Iohn so to doo By this Pighius might haue séene that to the working of miracles is not alwaies required faith And yet if I should grant him that faith is of necessitie required therevnto were sufficient either the faith of signes or else a dead faith Wherefore Pighius in his second confirmation prooueth nothing for it hath nothing in it that is found 59 Now let vs examine his third proofe Iohn saith Manie of the princes beleeued in him but they confessed him not Iohn 12 42. for feare they should be cast out of the synagog and therefore they were not iustified by faith This reason is but a waterish reason and not so strong as he thinketh it to be for we denie that they beléeued trulie For that assent of theirs was nothing but an humane assent for when they sawe that by Christ were wrought woonderfull works and that his doctrine was confirmed by most euident signes they began by a certeine humane persuasion to giue credit vnto him The diuell also for that he certeinlie knoweth manie things doone by God assenteth vnto the truth There is a certeine humane faith not inspired by God and beléeueth it and yet it is not to be thought that he is by a true faith induced to beléeue And that these rulers had not the true and liuelie faith hereby it is manifest that Christ said vnto them How can ye beleeue when ye seeke for glorie at mans hand Iohn 5 44. By which words we vnderstand that they which more estéeme humane glorie than godlinesse cannot beléeue trulie in God And those princes were to be numbred amongst them for they so
greatnes of works For otherwise it is a greater worke to gouerne this vniuersall composition of the world than to restore vnto a blind man the sight which he wanteth 4 These things being declared it resteth that we diuide miracles into their parts by fit distributions An other distinction of miracles Some of them are woonderfull euen for the thing it selfe that is doone for that they appeare to be so great strange things as the like cannot be found in the nature of things Such was the staieng of the sunne in the time of Iosuah Iosu 10 13. Esaie 38 7. Esaie 7 14. Exod. 16 13 and the turning of the shadowe therof in the time of Ezechias the conception and child-birth of a Virgin the food of Manna in the wildernesse and such like But some are miracles not in respect of the nature and greatnesse of the thing which is doone but by reason of the waie and means that is vsed in the working of them as was the clouds raine of Helias 1. Kin. 18 45 Num. 17 8. 1. Sam. 12 18 Iohn 2 9. the budding of the flowers and fruit in the rod of Aaron the thunder of Samuel the conuerting of water into wine and other like For such may be doone naturallie but yet they were then miracles bicause of the maner whereby they were doone that is not by naturall causes but by the will and commandement of the righteous Againe miracles are distinguished Exod. 19 18. Esaie 38 8. Matt. 17 2. There is an other diuision of miracles bicause some of them doo onlie mooue admiration as did the lightenings and thunders vpon mount Sinai the turning of the suns shadowe in the time of Ezechias the transfiguration of the Lord vpon the mount And some besides the woonder of them doo bring a present commoditie vnto men as when by Aarons rod drinke was giuen out of the rocke Exod. 17 6. Exo. 16 13. when Manna reigned downe from heauen when the sicke were healed by the Lord and his apostles Sometimes miracles bring punishment and harme to those that offend Mar. 16 18. as when Ananias and Zaphyra died at the words of Peter Acts. 5. 5. when Elymas the coniurer was striken blind by Paule and when by him others were deliuered vnto sathan to be tormented Acts. 13 11. Herein also miracles are diuided that some of them are obtained by praiers Miracles are againe distinguished 1. Kin. 17 22 2. Kin. 4 34. Ex. 8 12 30. For so did Elias and Elizeus namelie by praier they restored their dead to life Moses by making intercession for Pharao deliuered him from frogs and diuers other plagues And other miracles are wrought by commandement and authoritie Iosua 10 13. Iosua commanded the sunne to staie his course the Lord Iesus commanded the winds Matth. 8 26. Acts. 3 6. and Peter said vnto the lame man In the name of Iesus Christ rise vp and walke And there be some other miracles doone and yet neither by praier nor by commandement but come of their owne accord the righteous themselues béeing otherwise occupied euen as when the shadowe of Peter as he walked did heale the sicke Acts. 5 15. Acts. 19 12. and when the handkerchers that came from Paule cured sicke folke 5 Lastlie Augustine in his 83. booke of questions diuideth miracles Augustine to wit that some are doone by publike iustice that is An other partition of miracles by the stable and firme will of God which is counted in the world as a publike lawe By it God would that his ministers that is prophets and apostles in preaching shuld worke miracles But other miracles be doone by the signes of this iustice as when the wicked in the name of God and of Iesus Christ doo worke anie miracle which is not giuen but in respect of the honor and reuerence of the name of God which they vse not that God or nature or anie things created are desirous to pleasure them A similitude Euen like as when one hath priuilie conueied awaie a publike seale or writing and by meanes thereof extorteth manie things either from countrie men or from citizens which things are not giuen but to the seale which they acknowledge to be the princes or magistrats euen so he which followed not Christ yet did he in his name cast out diuels Mark 9 38. Thirdlie those are accounted miracles which are doone by a certaine priuate contract wherby sorcerers doo bind themselues to the diuell and the diuell to them but these are doone neither by publike iustice nor yet by the signes thereof but onelie of a certaine priuate compact Howbeit we must note that the miracles of the third sort are not firme nor yet doo certeinlie come to passe Acts. 19 13. For we read in the 19. of the Acts that the children of Sceua would haue cast foorth diuels in the name of Iesus whom Paule preached but the diuell said to them Iesus indeed I knowe Paule I knowe but what ye be I cannot tell which hauing spoken he set vpon them And as touching the third kind the act of Cyprian Cyprian which he did before his conuersion confirmeth my saieng For he attempted to bewitch a godlie maid to incline to vnlawfull lust which at the length the diuell told him that he could not bring to passe for him 6 But we must note that these miracles which are doone through a priuate contract are not verie miracles but doo belong vnto that kind which I mentioned before the definition For although sometimes they be verelie that They be not verie miracles which the diuell doth Iob. 1 16. and 19. Augustine which they séeme to be yet are they not miracles indéed For who doubteth but that it was verie fire which consumed the cattell of Iob and a verie storme of wind which by throwing downe his houses destroied his children Yea and Augustine affirmeth that those serpents which the sorcerers of Aegypt brought foorth were not illusions but verie serpents For the historie reporteth that when they came to the third miracle the wise men said This is the finger of God further that now their cunning failed them that they could no longer doo those things which Moses did by the power of God This doubtles is a token that they wrought not before by illusions and that the sorcerers till that time contended with Moses in verie things and not in illusions But some will saie If it be so that things wrought by the diuel the sorcerer be sometimes euen as they séeme to be wherefore is it written to the Thessalonians 2. Thes 2 9. of antichrist Why the signes done by antichrist be called lies that By him verie manie should be deceiued through his false signes and woonders Herevnto we must answere that there may be a lie in saieng that a thing doone is a miracle whereas it is not and not in the
he is a troubled spirite and a contrite and humble heart Esa 1. 16. Touching washings and cleansings Esaie instructeth thē saying Ier. 4. 14. Be ye washed and be yee cleane Ieremie also Wash saith he thy heart from iniquitie Eze. 36. 25. And Ezechiel sheweth that by those waters is signified the power of the holie Ghost when hee bringeth in GOD promising that he would powre cleane water vpon them Touching cirumcision also they are verie often admonished in the holie scripture Ier. 4. 4. to circumcise their neckes their harts And that they shoulde not thinke that they were able to doe this of themselues and by their owne strength Moses in the 30. chapter of Deuteronomie saith Deut. 10. 16 30. 6. GOD shall circumcise thine hart that thou maiest loue him Touching purification and washings of garments and such other like things they were thus admonished in Leuiticus the 11. Chapter Verse 44. I am the Lorde thy God which brought the out of the lande of Egypt ye shall be holie vnto me because I am holie Touching the Sabboth they were oftentimes told that in it was signified the rest of God Esa 58. 13. and their sanctification And if so be all these thinges were so manifestlie and plainelie declared which no man can doubt but that vnto thē they were good and profitable and that it was not possible for them to be ignoraunt that the attainmēt of euerie good thing came through Christ or the Messias The Hebrewes vnderstood that Messias was signified in their sacraments Esa 53. 6. I cannot be perswaded but that they sawe that in there sacraments was signified Christ Moreouer this also is an other reason which Esay most manifestlie testifieth that GOD did laie vppon Christ all our sinnes and that we were healed onelie by his stripes and death Wherefore séeing in the Sacraments mention is made that GOD by sacrifices is made mercifull vnto vs they coulde not but call to remembrance the onelie mediator Christ by whom onelie God is made mercifull vnto vs. Howbeit we cannot affirme that the common sort of Israelites knewe all the mysteries particularlie Onelie this we saie that they had a certaine generall knowledge of Christ in the Sacraments of the Lawe They knew generallie but not particularlie the consideration of al the Ceremonies when as otherwise we our selues cannot particularlie render a reason of these Ceremonies The Apostles haue onelie giuen them set foorth vnto vs generallie And if there haue béene some amongest vs as Origen and a great manie other like which haue attempted to frame for euerie particular Ceremonie a proper allegorie yet haue they in a manner but lost their labour for their inuentions could bring no profite at all vnto vs for they most plainelie want the worde of GOD. Neither is it to bee maruelled at that they so much delighted in such inuentions for euen as euerie where our owne deuices woonderfullie please vs so in this matter the curiositie of man excéedinglie delighteth it selfe 15 Nowe those things which we haue spoken most plainelie declare The error of the schoolemen howe farre the sophistical men haue missed of the marke which haue affirmed this difference to be betwéene the old sacraments and the new that the olde Sacraments signified grace Christ onelie but ours largelie and abundantly exhibite both For the old fathers saie they were holpen by the work of the worker For when anie man came with faith and a godly motion of the heart and of the minde vnto these holie seruices hee had thereby merite But the worke wrought as they call it nothing profiteth them as touching saluation But in our Sacramentes they saie it is farre otherwise that not onelie faith and the spirituall motion of the minde which they call the worke of the worker helpeth vs but euen the outward sacrament it selfe and the institution of GOD which they call the worke wrought giueth vnto vs both remission of sinnes and also saluation But I will demaunde of these men what that is which the outward worke and visible Sacrament exhibiteth vnto vs that we doe not attaine vnto by faith If they aunswere it is Christ as for him we comprehende him by faith if remission of sinnes that also we obtaine by faith if reconciliation whereby we returne into fauour with GOD this also we cannot obtayne without faith if last of al the increase of grace and of the spirite neither vndoubtedlie doe we by anie other meanes obtain this but by faith What is there then remaining that this worke wrought bringeth Worke wrought is a worde strange to the scriptures This worde is altogether straunge neither is it once mentioned of in the holie Scriptures Neither woulde I at this time haue vsed it but that I haue to contende against the aduersaries But peraduenture they will saie for asmuch as besides faith is also added the outward work is there nothing to bee attributed vnto it Yes vndoubtedlie I attribute much when it procéedeth of faith For I knowe that such worke pleaseth GOD and that he vseth to recompence manie things vnto such workes But what maketh that to this present purpose Did not the old fathers vnto their faith adioyne also these works whereby they exercised and receiued the Sacraments of their lawe And thus as touching this point we sée that they had in theirs as manie things which pleased God as we haue in ours vnlesse peraduenture they wil contende that the exercising and receiuing of our sacraments The perception of our sacraments is no whit more noble shan was theirs in old time is either a better or nobler worke than was the exercising and receiuing of the Sacraments of the olde Fathers which I will not graunt vnto them especiallie séeing that the perfection of the worke is to bee considered by faith and charitie from whence it procéedeth Wherefore if Abraham and Dauid had more faith when they receaued their sacramentes than any weake Christian when he is baptised or communicateth who will not iudge but that their worke is more notable and more excellent than the worke of these men And moreouer as for that kinde of speach which these men so often vse namely that sacramentes remit sinnes or giue grace Whether sacraments giue grace and forgiue sinnes Rom. 1. 16 1. Ti. 4. 16. we doe not easilie admit vnlesse peraduenture in that sense wherein Paule affirmeth that the Gospell is the power of God to saluation and as vnto Timothie the reading of the holy scripture is sayd to saue Which vndoubtedlie is nothing else but that the might and power of God whereby he remitteth sinnes giueth grace and at the end saueth doth vse these instrumentes and meanes to our saluation And euen as to bring saluation he vseth the wordes of the Gospell and the preaching of the holy scriptures so likewise ioyneth he thereunto the sacraments For by both of them is preached vnto vs the frée promise of
And Augustine testifieth that sacraments haue their names of things which they signifie that bodie which is offered vnto vs by signification is a true and no feigned bodie D. Chadse That which he promised and gaue in the supper was the verie true flesh of Christ therefore he gaue true flesh and not bread and the flesh giuen for the life of the world was not spirituallie true flesh but true flesh carnallie and by no meanes naturall bread wherefore transubstantiation is prooued D. Martyr He gaue his verie flesh euen as he promised but yet to be eaten spirituallie and therewithall also he gaue a sacramentall signe How often shall I tell it you He gaue them both What maner of conclusion is this He gaue this Therefore with this he also gaue not that Likewise I doo not saie that the flesh of Christ is flesh spirituallie but verie flesh but this word Spirituallie I doo applie vnto our eating and vnto the maner of our receiuing D. Chadse This then you grant that Christ gaue his true flesh in the supper D. Martyr He gaue his verie flesh to be receiued by faith and to be eaten spirituallie but togither with the same he also gaue the signes Heere the Kings Maiesties Commissioners said that the solution of the argument which I gaue was sufficientlie vnderstood and therefore willed him to proceed further D. Chadse WIll you giue credit to one or two witnesses of my opinion D. Martyr Such they may be as credit is not to be giuen them Whie vse you this preface Name them if they be woorthie of credit I will beléeue them D. Chadse Ambrose prooueth transubstantiation in his booke De ijs qui initiantur mysterijs chapter the ninth and last where in the first part of the chapter he saith that It is not bread which nature hath formed but which blessing hath consecrated And héere you cannot answer that the change is made as touching the sight bicause he addeth afterward that the nature is changed And he teacheth it by an example for the rod which Moses held was a nature turned into a serpent and not in sight onlie These be his words We will prooue that this is not it which nature hath framed but which blessing hath consecrated and that there is a greater force of blessing than there is of nature bicause through blessing euen nature it selfe is changed Moses held the rod he cast downe the same and it became a serpent Againe he tooke the serpent by the taile and it returned into the nature of a rod. Wherefore you sée that by a grace propheticall the nature was twise changed both of the serpent and of the rod. The riuers of Aegypt ranne with pure streames of waters and suddenlie out of the veines of the founteine bloud began to breake foorth There was no drinke in the riuers againe at the praiers of the prophet the bloud of the riuers ceased Héere you sée that Ambrose testified the change of the nature that is a transubstantiation D. Martyr Verie well I acknowledge Ambrose words but procéed on further D. Chadse The people of the Hebrues were closed in round on all parts on the one side being compassed in with the Aegyptians on the other side shut vp with the sea Moses held vp his rod he diuided the waters and congealed them in maner of a wall and betwéene the waters there appéered a foot-waie Iordan turning backward against his owne nature returneth into the originall of his owne founteine Is it not manifest that the nature of the sea waters or course of the riuer was changed The people of Israel in the fathers time were athirst Moses toucht the rocke water flowed out therof But hath not grace wrought beyond nature that the rocke should gush out water which by nature it had not Marah was a most bitter riuer Exo. 15. ver 25. in such sort that the people being drie could not drinke of it Moses threw a trée into the water and nature laid awaie the bitternesse of hir waters the which was suddenlie swéetened by grace 4 King 6 5. Vnder Elizaeus the prophet the iron of a hatchet fell from one of the sonnes of the prophets and was drowned in the water He that lost the iron intreated Elizaeus Elizaeus threw a péece of wood into the water and the iron swam And euen this also we know was doone against nature for heauier is the matter of iron than the liquor of water Wherefore we perceiue that grace is of greater vertue than nature is and we account that there is yet still remaining a grace of propheticall benediction And if a mans blessing were of so great strength that it was of force to change nature what saie we of the diuine consecration it selfe where the verie words of the Lord our sauiour doo worke For this sacrament which thou receiuest is made by the words of Christ But if Elias words could so greatlie preuaile as that it brought downe fire from heauen shall not Christs spéech be of force to change the kinds of the elements You haue read concerning his works of the whole world Psal 32 9. For he spake and they were made hee commanded and they were created So then the word of Christ which of nothing could make that which was not can it not change those things which be into that which they were not For it is no lesse matter to giue new natures vnto things than it is to change natures Hereby also it appeareth that Ambrose ment that the natures be changed D. Martyr Procéed in your reading the which if you will not Bicause Christs flesh euery flesh therefore it is a verie sacrament of his flesh I my selfe will The verie flesh of Christ vndoubtedly was that which was crucified which was buried and therefore the sacrament of his verie flesh Euen the Lord himselfe pronounced This is my bodie Before the blessing of the heauenlie words an other kind is named after consecration the bodie of Christ is signified He himselfe saith it is his bloud before cōsecration it is called another thing after cōsecration it is called blood thou saist Amen D. Chadse I will read it out to the end if you will D. Martyr At the end thus it is written Neither can we saie how we be regenerated What Are we entred againe into our mothers wombe and be we borne anew I doo not acknowledge the ordinarie course of nature but here there is no order of nature where there is an excellencie of grace Finallie the vse of nature dooth not alwaies make regeneration And thus far Ambrose Now doo you sée that we despise not Ambrose Albeit I know there be learned men Some haue suspected Ambrose bookes De sacramentis to be none of Ambrose works which haue in suspicion these Commentaries De sacramentis and thinke them to be none of Ambrose works which opinion neuerthelesse I passe not of but willinglie accept them And I am not ignorant that the
furthering some vtilitie of ours I iudge might both be restored retained Who séeth not that the Apostles for quietnesse sake and for the better liuing together with the beléeuers commanded the Gentils to abstaine from strangled and from bloud These things vndoubtedlie were of Aarons Priesthood Acts. 15. 20 if you will haue all thinges generallie to bee comprehended which were in the lawe Also no man is ignorant that tythes are instituted at this day in infinite places for to maintaine the ministers of the Church That Psalmes and Hymnes should be sung in the holie congregation ye cannot easilie finde by the Scripture of the new Testament which most manifestlie appeareth was doone in the olde I passe ouer that Ambrose while he interpreteth the 14. Verse 26. Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians most manifestlie saieth that the custome of prophesying taught there by Paul being taken from the synagogues was deriued vnto our Churches Further if I should somewhat diligently search and examine which the time will not suffer I might finde manie thinges which our Churche hath borrowed of the decrées of Moses yea and that from the first times And not to omitte this wee haue feast dayes in remembrance of the Lordes resurrection of the natiuitie of Whitsuntide Feast of the Natiuitie Resurrection c. and of the death of Christ Shoulde all these thinges be abolished because they be steppes of the olde lawe By all these thinges I thinke you sée that all the thinges belonging to Aarons priesthood are not to be abrogated as nothing of them may be retayned or vsed And say not vnto mee that there will bee straightway opened a windowe vnto all abuses vnto holie water censing and other infinite thinges of like sort for the aduersaries will aunswere that there must be appointed a measure in those thinges which they renue and retaine that the congregation of the faithful be not burthened with this kinde of thinges nor any woorshippe or effect of religion placed therein as wee sée to be doone in holie water or censing Morouer we must beware that Christian religion be not put in hazarde that although in some respect they be restored yet that there be no such store made of them as though they should bée necessarie to obtaine saluation But so ought we to suffer such thinges as when they shall appeare to profite but a litle they may bee layde a side euen as I haue testified what I thinke should be doone at this day as touching this diuersitie of garmentes For this in verie déede I would to haue beene laide aside but when it happened not according to my minde I thought it méete to suffer the same till better times should be graunted I would to God that the Churches which be in Germanie with this one losse might redéeme their auncient libertie although I wish by all meanes that no superfluous thing should be obtruded vnto them But nowe let vs weigh the other argument whereby the vse of these garmentes séemed not lawefull because they were inuented by the tyrannie of the Pope Héere doe not I perceiue howe it can be firmelie prooued that we may vse nothing that is accustomed to be doone in poperie Howe farre 〈◊〉 we may vse things that were vsed in the Popes Church Doubtlesse we must take héede that we presse not the church of Christ with too much bondage so as it may not be lawefull to vse anie thing that belonged to the Pope Certainely our forefathers receiued the temples of Idolles and conuerted them into holie houses wherein Christ should be worshipped and the reuenewes consecrated to the Goddes of the Gentils to playes of the Theater and to the vestall virgins they tooke to maintaine the ministers of the Church whereas these thinges did first serue not onelie Antichrist but the deuill himselfe Yea and the verses of the Poetes which were dedicated vnto the Muses and vnto diuerse Goddes or vnto fables to be doone in the Theater for pacifying of Goddes when they be commodious and excellent and true the Ecclesiasticall writers vse them and that by the example of the Apostle who disdained not to cite Menander Aratus and Epimenides and that euen in the holie scripture which hee deliuered and those words which otherwise were prophane hee made agréeable to the diuine seruice vnlesse perhappes you will say that his wordes described in the holy scriptures serue lesse to the woorshipping of God than the visible wordes vsed in the sacramentes Who moreouer vnderstandeth not that wine was consecrated vnto Bacchus bread vnto Ceres water vnto Neptune the Oliue vnto Minerua learning vnto Mercurie song vnto the Muses or to Apollo and verie manie other thinges of this sort you may find in Tertullian in his booke De Coronamilitis where he treateth in a manner of the selfe same argument all which thinges neuerthelesse wee feare not to vse at our owne will aswell in holie as in prophane vses though they were dedicated vnto deuilles or Idolles Nor straightway doe I graunt that these diuersities of garmentes had their originall of the Pope séeing wée reade in the Ecclesiasticall historie that Iohn the Apostle at Ephesus ware an ornament called Petalum or a pontificall plate Petalus seu Lamina And of Cyprian the Martyr Pontius the Deacon testifieth that when he was within a while to suffer death he gaue his * Birrus an ornament that Byshops vsed Birrum vnto the executioners his garment of dalmatia vnto the deacons and stoode in his linnen garmentes Moreouer Chrysosome maketh mention of the white garments of ministers of the Church And the olde writers testifie that the Christians when they came vnto Christ chaunged their garmentes and in stéede of a gowne put on a cloke For which when they were mocked of the Ethnickes Tertullian wrote a verie learned booke intytuled De Pallio of the cloke Neither doe I thinke you to be ignoraunt that vnto those which were entered vnto Baptisme was giuen a white garment Wherefore it appeareth that before the tyrannie of the Pope beganne there was some diuersities of garmentes in the Church But admitte that these thinges were inuented by the Pope yet doe I not perswade my selfe that the impiety of the popedome is such that whatsoeuer it toucheth it doth altogether defile and pollute it whereby godlie men may not be allowed to put it to a holie vse Nowe doe I thinke you vnderstande what my iudgement is for the reuiuing or retayning of the Mosaicall or Papisticall Rites Wherefore nowe that we haue briefly noted the two chiefest points of your reasons I come vnto that which your selfe also confesseth that all mens inuentions must not straightwaie be condemned Otherwise it is a deuise of man that we communicate rather in the morning than in the after noone All mans inuentions must not be condemned Acts. 4. 37. And it was a deuise of man that the prices of thinges that were solde in the primitiue church were laide at
God that these bondslaues of Antichrist may become new vessels and receaue the sault of wholsome doctrine séeing they haue of long time forsaken God the fountaine of liuely water Ier. 2. 13. and haue digged to themselues pittes which cannot containe wholsome waters And this place they haue abused for confirming of their holy water which euery Sabbaoth day they inchaunt and coniure ascribing the inuention thereof to Alexander the first Romane Byshop of that name The inuentor of holie water whom they will to be the fift or sixt after Peter And in déede there is caryed about a decretall Epistle of his wherein are contained manie thinges as touching this inuention which were afterward set forth in the decrées De Consecr distinct 4 in the Chapter Aquam Sale But in my iudgement and the iudgment of the more learned that Epistle is no right but a supposed Epistle For Alexander liued in the time of Traianus So then most auncient had the institution of this water bin Whereof neuerthelesse the Ecclesiasticall writers which florished before the time of Gregory made no mention in any place But how fond and absurd things they be which are there written we will somewhat more diligentlie examine First he decréed that that water should be sanctified of the Priests Whereupon the Canonists gather that the same is not lawfull neither for a Deacon nor a Subdeacon whenas notwithstanding they admit the administration of Baptisme both vnto laiemen and vnto women But this is an old purpose of the diuel to prouide that mans inuentions may he had in more price than the lawes of God Which also may be perceiued in confecting of the vnsauourie oyntment called of them Chrisme or the holy oyle where so great a solemnitie is vsed as it behooueth that a Byshop with all the Clergie men be present when in the meane time Baptisme and the Eucharist which be the verie sacraments of Christ himselfe are ministred after a vulgar and common maner But howsoeuer this Alexander or whosoeuer he were doe approoue his holie water he vseth a verie wicked argument in vsurping those words which are in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Hebr. 9. 13 If the bloud of Goates and of Buls and the ashes of an Heifer being sprinkled did sanctifie them that are vncleane as touching the sanctification of the flesh howe much more doth the bloud of Christ which by the eternall spirit offered himselfe for vs c Wherein Paul the Apostle argueth from the lesse to the greater These words Alexander taking inferreth that much more the water consecrated by diuine wordes shall sanctifie them that be vncleane And so that which Paul concluded as touching the bloud of Christ this man with intollerable blasphemie transferreth to holie water Note For the worthinesse and worke of Christ his bloud must not bee attributed to the elementes of this world especiallie when they lacke the word of God 24 Againe he commendeth his water through the fact of Elizeus 1. king 2. 21 For if Elizeus saith he by casting in of salt put away barrennesse from the waters much more shall this water driue away all barrennesse And yet further amplifying the matter It will bring all good things saith he to them which vse it Moreouer he attributeth so great a strength thereunto as hee affirmeth that the craftie indeuours and temptations of the diuell are thereby put away and that it also remooueth from the minds of men hurtfull visions and naughtie cogitations And he yet procéedeth further and vseth a verie wicked argument Luke 8. 44 If the skirts saith he of our Lordes garment when hee was touched by the sick woman did make her whole howe much rather shall this water bring health both of bodie and soule vnto the faithfull The holie water made equall to the bloud of Christ By these thinges it plainelie appeareth that this holy water is made equal vnto the bloud of Christ and is preferred aboue the skirts of his garments as though our sinnes were so light and tooke so féeble roote in our mindes as they can be wiped out by the sprinkling of a superstitious water Besides this among the false Ecclesiasticall men there is in vse an other kinde of consecrated water which they vse in the consecration or reconciliation of Churches or Temples That onely the Byshop dooth coniure or as they speake dooth sanctifie and he applyeth thereunto wine and ashes There is also among them an other kinde of most solemne water namely of the fountaine of baptisme which they with great pompe consecrate the day before Easter and Pentecost The water of baptisme consecrated the day before Easter and Pentecost And thereof is mention made by many of the fathers And the custome of consecrating such waters of baptisme séemeth to haue béene of some antiquitie And so whereas I said before that the Elder fathers made no mention of holy water I had onely respect vnto that which is said to haue bin instituted by that same Alexander namely which they kéepe in temples to the intent that men may sprinkle themselues therewith They themselues also doe sprinkle houses dead bodies churchyardes egges flesh pothearbes and garmentes with the same Thomas Aquinas Of this dooth Aquinas in the 4. booke of sentences inquire whether it be a Sacrament And in aunswering denyeth it alledging this reason that it is not instituted to abolish any defect of ours But he affirmed it to be a certain sacramentall thing whereby we are affected and as he speaketh disposed to obtaine the forgiuenesse of some certaine sinnes And from this opinion Petrus de Palude and Alexander de Ales doe nothing disagrée For they say Petrus de Palude Alexander de Ales. that by the vse of the consecrated water sinnes be forgiuen not in very deede as by the Sacraments which performe this euen without the motion of the heart if onelie there be put no let but in respect of merit because they sprinkling themselues with that water doe deuoutlie as they speake lift vp their minde vnto God desiring the forgiuenesse of sinnes which by prayers they obtaine Among those sayings of the schoolemen there are many wicked blasphemous thinges séâ—…ng they attribute to the elementes of this world that which belongeth onely vnto Christ Besides this they triâ—…e many wayes disputing whether prophane water being added vnto consecrated water becommeth holy And finally they conclude that it dooth so after this manner to wit that those thinges which be the more worthie doe conuert into themselues the thinges which be lesse worthie Which is most contrarie vnto the trueth An example For if a man mingle water with wine and doe that often at length the water changeth into his owne nature the wine it selfe which is better than it 25 But passe we ouer these thinges and let vs consider that this ordinance had his originall of two sortes of peruerse zeale and fond imitation Holie water deuised by an
imitation of the Hebrewes and Ethnickes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One wherein they would imitate the Hebrewes vnto whom by a prescript rule of the lawe of Moses that water was commaunded as it is in the booke of Numbers Num. 8. 7. Howbeit séeing the legall ceremonies by the benefit of Christ his death be extinguished we ought not of our owne rashnesse to reuoke the same While they were in vse they had the word of God ioyned with them but now when they are destitute of that they be more superstitious An other there is wherin they haue imitated the Ethnickes who no doubt but vsed purifying waters but yet not after the same manner For when holy seruice was doone vnto the supernall Gods the body that was to bée purified was all wholy washed but if to the infernall Gods they were onely touched with sprinkling of the purifying water And this Virgil as a man very skilfull of their high priestes lawe Virgil. did diligently obserue by the testimonie of Macrobius in the 3. booke of his Saturnals the first Chapter Which I therefore thought good to rehearse to the intent that sacrificing priestes may know that while they sprinkle things with holy water they doe it not to the high God but doe sacrifice vnto the infernall gods that is to them that be in hel And that sprinklings with purifying waters was an vse among the Ethnickes the Ecclesiasticall historie teacheth In which it is written of Valentinianus when as yet he was not Emperour and was in the traine of Iulianus the Apostata and had come into the Temple there the prelate sprinkled him with his water He being angrie thereat gaue him a blowe saying Why hast thou polluted my purple garment with thy water Yea and God may therefore séeme to haue appointed that rite vnto the Hebrewes because they should not decline â—o the superstition of the Ethnickes And that ceremonie no doubt so long as it was of force had his vtilitie Why the ceremonies of the old law were instituted as the rest had For the old rites before the comming of Christ were testimonies and certaine seales of the heauenlie giftes promises and fauour of God to be giuen For these are spirituall thinges neither can they be discerned with the outward eyes and therefore were signes rites and ceremonies added thereto that men being admonished by them might be confirmed as touching the good will grace of God Whereunto adde that all those thinges shadowed Christ and his redemption Also we after the same manner doe in Christianitie vse baptisme the Eucharist And there is no doubt but that Dauid when in the 51. A place of the Psalme expounded psalme he sang Sprinkle me Lord with Hisop and I shall be cleane and shall become whiter than snowe had respect vnto the legall sprinkling the which in that age as I haue declared had the word of GOD ioyned therewith But that which the sacrificers doe say that they consecrate is no inuention of God but of men 26 These men indeuour indéede howebeit in vaine to fasten to their superstition certaine places of the Scripture As that of Ezechiel Eze. 47. 1. I sawe water going foorth of the Temple c. Zach. 13. 1. And also the Testimonie of Zacharie wherein it is written And in that daie shall the house of Dauid and all the inhabitantes of Ierusalem haue an open well Those things are altogether impertinent to the matter because the Prophetes vnder this word Water ment nothing else thaÌ„ the giftes of the holy Ghost and abundant grace of God towarde the faithfull And there was a certaine Papisticall preacher in these our daies who commending vnto the people the vse of the holy water taught that it serued to renewe the remembraunce of Baptisme and he counselled all those which sprinkle themselues with the same that they should say in themselues Remember that thou art Baptised Howbeit these things besides that they be fonde they haue not anie testimonie either of the Scriptures or Canons or Councels Ouer and besides we must weigh how friuolous and absurd it is in that they would institute it to be either a Sacrament or as they call it a Sacramentall thing because some one Prophet or Apostle did it once or twise As if so be God would once by Elizeus amend the waters by vsing of salt should therefore such a kinde of Rite be brought into the Church Ier. 28. 11. Ieremie ware vpon his necke a woodden yoke And Esay healed the sore of Ezechias with figges Why did they not here make so manie sacrameÌ„ts 27 In like manner the men of Colen 4. Kings 20. 7. Ridiculous arguments of the men of Colen haue offered themselues to be laughed at in their Antididagma where they alleadged the example of Marcellus Bishoppe of Apameensis as it is in the Tripartite Historie in the 9. booke the 34. Chapter who when the Temple of a certain Idol was to be burned and that the fire put therunto tooke no effect for there was present an ill spirit which repressed the violence of the fire then hee perceiuing a danger least the people as yet weake should take offence and thinke that the ill spirit was stronger than Christ did runne vnto the Church and commaunded water to be brought vnto him and lying prostrate before the altar prayed with great spirite and faith Further he signed that Water with the signe of the crosse and commaunded Equitius his Deacon that he should cast the same vppon the Temple of the Idol and after that he chearefully set it on fire which when he had doone both the Idoll and the Temple were verie easilie burned They bring also that which Narcissus Bishoppe of Ierusalem did As Eusebius reporteth in the 6. booke and eight Chapter He vppon Easter daie at night during which night the faithfull in times past were continuallie praying in the Temple when there nowe wanted oyle in the Lampes and that it séemed that the lightes could no longer indure and that the people were maruellous sad he himselfe commaunded that water should be brought him foorth of a wel néere at hande And when he had prayed earnestlie he commaunded to fill the lampes and the water did in a manner take vnto it the nature of oyle and kept in light all the whole night But to what purpose are these things alleadged The Histories shewe not that those were holie Waters Furthermore if it séemed good vnto God to make those Bishoppes famous by the instrument of water for confirming of their sounde Doctrine ought therefore holie water to be instituted Vndoubtedlie as a lawe is not woont to be made vpon a particular example so for the shewing foorth of some certaine myracle sacraments in the Church must not be inuented according to the will and pleasure of men Where as I haue now spoken many things touching holie Water namelie that the author thereof as they will was Alexander and haue confuted the Argumentes