A Brief Confutation of a Popish Discourse, Part 1 · Answer 7
The seuenth reason.
In vvhichwhich Au…hors you shal sec in vvhat tonge seruice vvas in their dayes in … countries.HE telleth vsus, that the seuenth reason, why a catholike may not yeelde to come to the Protestantes churches is, because the seruice which they vse is nought, and dishonourable to God: and therfore no man can come to it, or heare it, or seeme to allowe of it, by his presence, without great offence to God. Wee heare that it is nought and dishonourable to God. But let vsus heare the cause, why it is so tearmed. First, it is not sufficient (he saith) to defend it, y• it is takē out of the scripture, the Gospels, Epistles, Psalmes, and such like: …or by that argument, the seruice of the Iewes and Heretikes, which is taken out of the Scriptures, might like wise bée made good. I aunsweare, if the … and Heretykes, hauehave nothing in their seruice but taken out of the Scripture, their seruice is not euil in the matter thereof, and no more can ours be, but by that only argument, I confesse, that our seruice cannot be proued to bée simply good, although it were taken …uerie worde out of the Scriptures, except it be good also in forme and ende, that it be referred to the woorship of the onelyonly true God, & in the name of Christ, and vnitie of this Church, as in déede it is, and therefore not like the seruice of Iews and Heretikes, or Schismatikes, but least the Protestantes seruice, should not be déemed nought throughly: Luthers opinion thereof is cited out of Copes DialogesDia. 6. ca. 15. (a sufficient witnesse of so weightie a matter) saying, That the Sacramentaries doe in vaine beleeue in God the Father, in God the Sonne, in the holie Ghost, and in Christ our Sauiour: al this doth auaile them nothing, seeing they doe denie this one article, as false, of the real presence, whereas Christ doeth say this is my bodie. Suppose that Cope citeth this saying truely, out of Luther, and that those whom hée calleth Sacramentaries, did deny this one article of the reall presence, according to the meaning of Christes wordes. This is my bodie, as false, as though Christe were a lyar: It were true, that all other articles of fayth, could not profite them vntounto saluation: But what woorde is héere to shewe Luthers opinion of the Protestantes seruice, whiche might bee good, although they were nought which vsed it.
But wheras he hath gone hetherto, vponupon méere suppositions, nowe wée shall hauehave his assumption confirmed by weight of argumentes, and authorities. First therefore, to shew that the Protestants seruice is euil, he saieth, it were sufficient to say. That it is deuised of themselues & altogether different from al the seruice of Christendom. Cōcerning the matter it was confessed before, that it is taken out of the scriptures, the Gospels, Epistles & Psalmes, & therfore not deuised by vsus. Touching ye forme and ceremony thereof, it hath alwaies bin frée, & lawful for eueryevery particular Church, to deuise whatsoeuer is most méete for edification, order, & cumlinesse, as I hauehave shewed before, euen out of the authoritie of Gregory Bishop of Rome, & therefore may be different from the forme and ceremonies of all other churches in Christendom, so the substance of doctrine & Sacraments be the same. I wil set down his wordes: The interogation of Augustine. Cum vna sit fides, &c. when thereBed. lib. 1▪ cap 27. is but one faith, why are there diuers customs of the Churches, & one custom of Masses (so they called the celebration of the Lords Supper) in the holy Roman Church, & an other in the Church of Fraunce? Gregorie the Pope answereth, (eueryevery Bishop was called Pope in his time). Your brotherhood knoweth the custom of the Church of Rome, in which you remember that you hauehave beene brought vp. But it pleaseth me, that whether in the Churche of Rome, or of Fraunce, or of any other churche, you hauehave found any other thing, which may more please Almightie GOD, you choose it forth carefully, and in the church of Englishmen, which yet is new, vntounto the faith, you plant by principal institution, those thinges whiche you coulde gather out of many churches. For thinges are not to bee loued for the places sake, but the places for good thinges sake, Wherefore choose you out of eueryevery churche, such thinges as are godly, as are religious, as are right: and these things being gathered as it were into a bundell, lay them downe for a custome, in the mindes of the English men.
As for the childish saying of them, which tel you that our seruice differeth but in language from yours, we mislike asmuche as you The second reason is, that you affirme the hotter sort of Protestants called the Puritanes, in writing, sermons, and priuate speeche, vtterly to condemne the seruice which now protestants hauehave, and thereupon do refraine from it as much as Catholikes. That any of the hottest protestants, although they woulde wishe some things therein, to bée other wise, doe vtterly condemne the seruice, and refraine from it, as much as Papistes, it is altogether vntrue, in them that are wise and learned. If a fewe, froward, schismaticall fooles, doe refrain from it, there is smal reason why it should be iudged naught, except you would preferre their iudgement before al y• bée wise & learned of the protestantes in England. Which as with no equitie you can doe, so the cause which they pretende of their condemning being for comming ouer neere to your seruice, there is no reason why you shoulde flée to their opinion, that it is naught, except you will acknowledge that your owne is farre worse. But you promise to giuegive more particuler reasons in that whiche foloweth. The first reason particuler, & the third generall, is false interpretation of Scripture, whiche you say is read there in false and shamel…sse translations, containing manifest and wilful corruptions, to drawe it to their owne purposes. That some errour may be in trandation (although by you it cannot be shewed) I wil not deny: but that any shamelesse translations, or willfull corruptions, can b…e found of purpose to drawe the Scriptures to any herelicall opinion, all the Papistes in the world shal n…uer bee able to make demonstration. Neuerthelesse you note suche false translations and wilfull corruptions in two places. First in the latter…. Iohn. …. ende of Saint John… Epistle. Children keepe your selues from Images. It had béene good for you, before you had entred into suche hay…ous accusations, to hauehave examined your groundes that they had …ene true, For this text of Scripture in those Bibles that are commaunded and appointed to bée read in the Churche seruice rendreth the worde in otherwise. Namely thus: Babes keepe your selues from Idols, But admit that in…ome translation it bée as you say, Children keepe your selues from Idols, what great crime of corruption is héere committed? You saythat it is to make simple men beleeue that Idols and Images are all one, which is absurde. This is no more absurditie, than in steede of a Gréeke worde, to vse a Latin of the same signification. But you replie, that then where Moses saith, That God made man according to his owne Image wée shoulde consequently say, GOD made man according to his own Idol. I answere, howsoeuer the name of Idols, in the Englishe tongue, for the great dishonour that is doone to God in worshipping of Images, is become so odious, that no Christian man woulde say, that God made man according to his Idoll. No more then a good subiect, woulde call his lawfull prince a Tirant, yet according to the prop…rtie of the Gréeke woorde foreign may bée as truely translated an Image, as foreign a King witnesse héereof Suidas Phauorinus in their dictionaries, beside all the new Dictionaries, citing auncient Gretians that foreign may be taken for the same, that foreign As where Homer in foreign. vseth the woorde foreign. His auncient interpreter expound…th the same by foreign, an image, that serueth only to bee seene. Hesychius ioyneth together. foreign. An Idol, a …, an Image, a figure, a signe, a shadowed shape. An other exāple you hauehave, where Paule in contrarie manner saieth: That a couetous man makethEphes. 5▪ his money his Idol, wee shoulde say that hee maketh it his Image. If you lacke corruptions of translations of ours, you will make corruptions of the text of your owne. Where reade you in Saint Paule, that a co…etous man maketh his money his Idoll? Wée reade Saint …aule saying, For a couetous person which is an Idolater, and so wee translate. And if any man shoulde translate it a worshipper of Images, hée shoulde not much erre, either from the sig…ification of the word, or from the meaning of the Apostle. For the cou…tous man trusteth in his riches, which of themselues cannot helpe him, euen as the Idolater doth in his Images, which although he worship them neuer so deuoutly, yet hauehave no power to doe him any good. Finally your owne Latin translation, readeth, Filioli custodite vos a simulachris: which is, Litle sonnes kéepe your selues from Images.
The seconde corruption whiche you note, is in the ende of the twelfth Chapter of the seconde Booke of Machabees, whiche if it were as greate as you faine it to bee, yet our seruice is nothing defiled with it, because those hookes are neuer read publik…ly in our Church seruice. But howe greate I pray you is this corruption? I am sure (saith hée) that if a boy shoulde so corrupt Tullies Epistles in translating them in a Gramer schoole, hee shoulde bee bréeched for his labour. A sore matter, you bidd some man reade the latter ende of the Chapter, concerning Oblations and prayers for the dead. The Abridger of Iasons Cronicle in the Chapter by you quoted, thus wryteth.
foreign, The…e wordes although it is manifest, that the place is so corrupted, y• according to perfect rules of Gramer, no sense can be giuen, yet as neere as may bée, I would thus translate. And after hee had made preparations, by a collection of eueryevery man vntounto two thousand drachmes of siluer, hee sent vntounto Ierusalem, to bring a sacrifice for sinne, doing very well and ciuilly, in thinking of the resurrection. For if hee had not weighed, that they which before were falne shoulde rise againe, it had been a superfluous and trifling matter, to pray for the dead. Then considering that to them that are falne a sleepe, with godlinesse, there is laide vp a most goodly free rewarde, holy and godly is the consideration, when hee made expiation for the dead to be loosed from that sinne Now let vsus sée, what the Englishe Bible dedicated to king Henry differeth from this. So hee gathered of eueryevery one a certaine, insomuch that hee brought together 2000. drachmes of siluer, whiche hee sent vntounto Ierusalem that there might a sacrifice bee offered for the misdeede, In the which place hee did wel and right, for he had consideration and pondering of the life that is after this time, for if hee had not thought that they which were slaine, did yet liue, it had beene superfluous and vaine to make any vowe or sacrifice for them that were dead. But forsomuche as hee sawe, that they whiche die in the fauour and beleefe of God, are in good rest and ioy he thought it to be good and honorable for a reconciling to doe the same for those, which were slaine that the offence might bee forgiuen The difference as eueryevery indifferent man may sée is in woordes, and not in matter, but it séemeth, that our proude Censor hath not viewed any, but the vulgar Latine translation, whiche differeth muche more from the Gréeke, then the later of the Englishe Bible. The Englishe of whiche vulgar Latine, as well as I can translat it is thus. And a collection being made, he sent twelue thousande drachmes of siluer to Ierusalem that a sacrifice might bee offered for the sinnes of the dead, thinking wel and religiously of the resurrection. For except hee had hoped that they which were fallen, shoulde rise againe, it might seeme superfluous and vaine to pray for the dead. And because hee considered that they which with godlines had receiued sleeping▪ hauehave the best grace layde vp. Holye therefore and wholesome is the cogitation, to entreate for the departed, that they may be loosed from sinnes.
Although this translation séeme more pregnante and full, for prayers and sacrifices to the dead, yet is the same also contayned in the former translations: wherfore here is no wilful corruption, or false translation proued, but the translation is more agréeabl… to the originall, then that which our Censurer would hauehave to bée the onelyonly Authenticall.
The seconde particular cause, and the fourth reason is, for that the seruice and sacramentes, which shoulde bée sayde and administred onelye by Priestes, are sayde and ministred onelye by laye men. For nowe all, or the most parte of the Ministers in Englande, are meere lay men. That the Sacramentes and publicke prayers should be said and ministred by Ministers lawefully ordayned, it is a thing out of question with vsus, sauing that the Papists doe allowe baptisme in case of necessitie by a laye man. But howe is it proued, that our Ministers are all, or the most parte méere laye men? By two argumentes brought forsoothe, though he speake of many causes. First because they hauehave not receiued the vnde… orders, which they shoulde hauehave done before priesthoode. That such vnderunder orders are not néedefull, it is playne by the scriptures. For Stephen, and his felowes were not first made L…ctors, dorekéepers, Erorcist…s, Acolyt…S, and Subdeacons: but out of the whole number of the people, chosen immediately to bée Deacons. PauleAct. 6. and Barnabas in like manner ordayned by election, Elders in eueryevery Church of Lystra, Iconium, and Antiochia. Neyther are those vnderunder orders, prescribed in anye t…xte of the scripture. But the CouncellesAct. 14. of Carthage the 4. Canon. 6. and of Laodecea Canon 24. appoynte that these orders should bée receaued, before pri…sthood, as our reasoner affyrmeth, in his quotation. But howe truely, you shall perceaue by reading the Canons. That of Carthage is in these wordes. Acolythusquum ordinatur &c. When an Acolyte is ordayned, let him be …avght of the Byshoppe, how hee ought t… doe in his office: but of the Archedacon, let him receaue a candlestick, with a waxe candle, that hee may know, that he is bound to kindle the lightes of the church. Also let him receaue a little cruse emptye, to giuegive wine for the Euchariste of the blood of Christe Although this Canon, with a many of the rest, bee not of such antiquitie as the councell of Carthage the fourth, where S. Augustine was present, séeing in diuers olde copies, they hauehave not the title of the Carthage councell, but generally: Statua Ecclesiae antiqua, Auncient statutes of the Church: yet you sée playnelye, that héere is neuer a word to shewe, that those vnderunder orders, eyther were or ought to bée necesiarily receaued, of euerye one, that shalbe preferred to the order of Priesthoode. Nowe let vsus sée the other Canon of Laodicea Quid non oporteat sacro ministerio deditos, &c. That they which are dedicated to the holy ministerie, from the Priestes vntounto the Deacons, and the rest of the Ecclesiasticall order, that is vntounto the Subdeacons, Readers, Singers, Exorcistes, and dorekeepers, nor any of the number of Contayners, and Monkes, ought not to come in anye tauerns, or common tipling houses Doeth not this Canon proue inuinc…blye trowe you, that no man ought to bée made Priest, excepte hée hauehave receaued these vnderunder orders? It followeth, I thinke by any logique, that wheresoeuer these Officers are named, there it is meant that they were all receaued, by euerye one that was aduaunced to the order of Priesthoode. Naye, the contrary is easie to bée gathered, out of the hystories, that manye were ordaynedChrisost. de sacerd. lib. 1. Priestes, which neuer had those vnderunder orders, and that manye hauinge those vnderunder orders continued in them, al their lyfe tyme, whereas no man taketh them all at this daye, in the Popishe Churche, but with intente to bée promoted by them, as by steppes vntounto Priesthoode. For in the most auncient Church, where they were first vsed, they were names of offices, to read in the Church, to kéepe Church dores, from the entring of Gentiles or excommunicate persons, to attende vppon the Byshop as witnesses of his conuersation, and exorcists, were such as had a … to cast out diuels, of them that were possessed, the Subdeacons, to serue vnderunder the Deacons, in prouiding for the poore, &c. But in the Popish Church, they hauehave none but … offices about idie ceremonies, and vain pageants of their Masses, consecrations, ordinations, and such like theatricall pompes, and showes.
The seconde cause why our Ministers are said to bée laye men, is, for that they are not ordayned by such a Byshop and Priest, as the catholyke church hath put in that authoritie. This cause dependeth altogether vppon our olde supposition, that the Popishe Church is the catholyke Church, which is not like to bée admitted by any, but by the Papistes themselues. Otherwise the true Catholike Church hath allowed the ordination of our Ministers as lawfull, vntill by authoritie of the holy scriptures, it can bée conuinced to bée vnlawfull.
The third particular cause, and fifth generall reason, why our seruice is sayde to bée naught, is: Because they hauehave diuers false and blasphemous thinges therein. God forbid that this saying shoulde … proued true. And that which is worse, they so place those thinges, as they may seeme to the simple, to bee very scripture. A wonderfull hard accusation: but let vsus heare the probation. As for example, in the ende of a certayne Geneua Psalme. They praye to GOD to keepe them from Pope, Turke, and Papistrie, which is blasphemous. If it be blasphemous, it is against y• Popes triple crown, or the Turkes torbāt, for against God it is no blasphemie, nor against his truth, or any of his children. But what an impudent slaunder is this, that the dittie, which playnely caryeth before it, the name of the endighter. Robert Wisdome, is so placed, as it may séeme to bée very scripture? And is called a Geneua Psalme, as though the Church of Geneua had any thing to doe with hymmes, and spirituall songes, vsed in the Church of England? Or that the Church of England had receiued all such ditties from Geneua. But the matter is taken greatly in snuffe, that the Pope is ioyned with the Turke, of whome al antiquitie in Christes church, hath thought and spoken so reuerently, calling him the high Priest of the church, With many other titles, which, if they might all bée iustified, of the auncient Prelats of Rome, while they were Catholike Byshops, yet they would little helpe, to defend that Antichrist, which now occupyeth the same place, but holdeth not the same foundation of fayth, and doctrine.
But let vsus sée howe manye of these tytles were appropryed to the Byshoppe of Rome in anye time. For the fyrst and chiefest is quoted Cyprian de simplicitate Praelatorum, and also Chrisostome lib. 2. de sacerdotio. Concerning the former treatise, there is in it, no worde of the Byshoppe of Rome, more then of all other Byshoppes, nor any such title of high Prieste, giuen vntounto him, but contrariwise the vnitie of the Church is shewed to consist, in the obedience of eueryevery perticular Church to their own Byshop, which are all made of equall authoritie and dignitie There Cyprian setteth forth the subtyltie of the diuell, which vnderunder the name of Christe, commendeth Antichriste, a…d shewing the cause of the deceite, hee sayeth, Hoc eo fit fratres dilectissimi. &c. This commeth hereof my most welbeloued brethren, while men returne not to the beginning of trueth, neyther is the head sought, nor the doctrine of the heauenly maister obserued. Which thinges, if a man consider and examine, there is no neede of large treatie or argumentes. The tryall vntounto trueth, is easie by the compendiousnesse of trueth: Our Lorde speaketh to Peter: I say to thee (quoth hee) that thou art Peter, and vppon this stone, I will buylde my church, and the gates of hell shall not ouercome it. To thee I will giuegive the keyes of the kingdome of heauen, and what thinges soeuer thou shalt loose vppon earth, they shall bee loosed also in heauen. And to the same man, after his resurrection hee saieth: feede my sheepe. And although after his resurrection hee giueth equall power to all his Apostles, and saieth: As my Father sente mee, so I also sende you: receaue the holye Ghoste: whose sinnes you shall forgiue, they shall bee forgiuen: whose sinnes you shall retayne, they shall bee retayned: yet that hee myght make the vnitie manifest, hee disposed the original of that same vnitie by his authoritie, beginning of one man. Verilye the rest of the Apostles were the …ame thing that Peter was, endued with equall felowship, both of honour, and of power, but the beginning proceedeth from vnitie, that the church might bee shewed to bee one And after a fewe lynes, entreating of the vnitie of the Church, hee saieth: Quam vnit atem, &c. whiche vnitie most of all, wee that rule as Byshoppes in the Churche, ought to holde faste, and mayntaine, that wee myght proue the Byshoppes office it selfe, to bee one, and vndeuided. Let no man deceaue the brotherhoodde with a lye, Lette no man corrupte the trueth of fayth, by such preuarication, There is but one byshopricke or bishops office, whereof a parte is helde of eueryevery one, in solidum, throughly, or perfectly, or in the whole. You sée that Cyprian saith nothing for his title, but against the Antichristian authority, pretended therby, very much & very effectuously. But what saieth Chrisostome in his 2. booke de sacerdotio, sounding to that purpose? I finde nothing, but that he admonisheth Basill, that he had no iniury in being taken by sorce, and made a priest, séeing he was therby made equall with Peter, euen as Peter excelled all the Apostles. Etiam ne nunc nobiscum, &c. Wilte thou then still contende with vsus, that this fraud hath not happened wel & luckely to thee? Which by it, art to be made ouerseer of all the goodes of God almightie, especially when thou doest those thinges, whiche when Peter did, Christ woulde hauehave him to be indued with authoritie, and also farre to excell the other apostles. These woordes shewe, that eueryevery Priest when he doeth the same thinges which Peter did, is indued with the same authoritie that Peter was, and farr passeth all other men. And that Peter was not simplie preferred in authority, but only when he did execute his charge & therfore so preferred that euerie minister in teaching and administring the sacraments, hath the same authoritie and excellencie.
The next title pretended to be giuen to the Pope, by all antiquitie, is the Bishop of the vniuersal church, For which is quoted Cyprian Epist. 46. that of Cyprian is no more, but that certaine Confessors, which had ioyned with the Nouatian Scismatikes, that made an other Bishop at Rome beside Cornelius, returning to the Church, acknowledged that Cornelius was the right bishop of the Catholike Church, and Nouatus, or Nouatianus a false byshop of a scismaticall Church, The wordes of their confession are these, Nos inquiunt. &c. We say they, doe know that Cornelius is set vp by God Almightie, and by our Lorde Iesus Christ, a bishop of the most holy Catholike church. We confesse our errour. We hauehave been circumuented, being carried out of our right minde by factious loquacitie of falshood, Wee seemed to hauehave as it were a certayne communicating with a schismaticall person: but our mynde was alwaye sincere in the churche, neyther are wee ignoraunte, that there is one GOD, and one Christe, our Lorde, whom we hauehave confessed, one holye Ghoste, that there ought to be but one bishop in a catholike church. Meaning that in eueryevery Catholike Churche, there ought to bée but one Byshoppe at once, not that there shoulde bee but one bishop of all the Catholike Church, which were a monstrous absurdity.
The thirde title, is The Pastour of the Churche, for whiche is quoted Chrisostome lib. 2. de Sacer. Where I finde nothing that hath any shewe of suche a matter, more then I hauehave alreadye declared.
The fourth, the Iudge of matters of faith, for which is quoted, Innocentius Epist. 93. apud August. and Leo Epist. 84, These are both bishops of Rome, and partiall witnesses, to depose of theyr owne Prerogatiue, shewing what they claymed, and not what al antiquitie gaue vntounto them. The Romane Prelacie, as Socrates testi…e in that time, although it were a thousande partes more modest then it is at this daye, yet was it then passed beyonde theLib. 7. ca. 14. Con. Mile. can. 22. Aphrican. c. 92. bondes of Priesthood into forayne Lordship: And oftentimes, the bishops of Rome challenged more authoritie, then of other bishops would be graunted, as appeareth by many decrées of the Councels in Africa agaynst appealing to the bishop of Rome, and against his ambitious titles of high Prtest. &c. Which this reasoner sayth was giuen him by all antiquitie.
The fifth title is the repurger of heresies, for which is quoted: Sy Alex. 4. apud Athanasium. But Athanasius allowed no sucheConc. Carth. 3. ca. 26. Epist. ad solit. vit agentes. title to the Romane bishoppe, whom he confesseth to hauehave subscribed to the Arrian heresie. Liberius deinde. &c. After Liberius had passed twoo yeeres in exile, he was turned, and through threates of death induced to subscription.
The sixth title is, The examiner of al bishops causes, for which is quoted. Theodor. lib. 2. hist. cap. 4. UUhere there is no such matter, but that Athanasius desired to hauehave his cause examined and tried by Iulius Bishop of Rome, which when it procéeded not because his aduersaries would not appeare, his cause was referred by the Empérour Constantius his commaundement, to the councell of Sardica, when finding no helpe in Iulius the Byshoppe he had first appealed to the Emperour Constance.
The last title is, The great Priest in obeying whom all vnitie consisteth, and by disobeying of whome, all heresies and Schismes arise. Cyp. Epist. 55. This place is alreadie answered, to pertaine no more to the bishoppe of Rome, then to any other Bishop.
A second cause he rendreth, why our seruice is blasphemous, because wee pray to be deliuered from papistrie, which hee sayth, is onelyonly true religion, but that hath neede of many suppositions to prooue it.
A third cause he yeeldeth, Because they sing it and make other simple men to sing it, in the beginning of sermons and otherwise, as though it were scripture it selfe, and one of Dauids Psalmes. If men were as ignorant in the scriptures and Psaimes of Dauid, as the Papists would hauehave them to be, this pretensed cause coulde hauehave but smale coller, seeing the title of this hymme, in eueryevery booke plainly sheweth, that it is none of Dauids Psalmes, and the prayer conceiued therein for the Queene and her Councell, with diuers other requestes, pec…ier to our time and state, declare manifestly, that it cannot of any man that hath his fiue wittes, be taken for the expresse woordes of the auncient Canonical Scripture. Much lesse can it with any apparance of reason be gathered that there is any purpose in them, that cause it to be song to induce any man neuer so simple, into such a grosse error, that he shoulde thinke the same song to be scripture it selfe, or one of Dauids Psalmes.
The fourth reason in particuler, why the Protestantes must be déemed naught, is, Albeit it had not all this euill in it, yet because it hath not in it, those good thinges, which christian seruice should hauehave: for seruice (sayth he) may be euill as well for hauing too little, as for hauing too much, as the Arrians seruice, for singing glory to the father, and not singing the same to the sonne. As if a man should recite his Creed, and leaue out one article, as in effect the Protestants doe the article of discention into hell, all the whole Creede were naught thereby. In deede whatsoeuer is defectiue in any necessarye parte, cannot bee perfectly good, in the whole, but that for wante of some good partes, all other good partes shoulde bee naught, that is a great vntrueth: as also it is a senselesse …launder, that wee leaue out in effect, the Article of Christes descention intoo he…, for whiche hee giueth noe reason but his bare woorde. He might as well say we leaue out the whole Créede, because wee vnderstand it otherwise then they doe. But what our seruice wanteth, whiche is necessary to bee hadd, hée will shewe in twoo or thrée thinges. First therefore (saieth hée) they hauehave lefte out the chiefest and highest thinges of all: whiche is the Blessed Sacrifice of Christe his bodye and blood, appoynted by Christe too bee offered vp eueryevery daye for thankesgeuing to GOD, for obteyning of grace, and auoyding of all euill, and for remission of sinnes bothe of quicke and dead, as with one consente the F…hers of the Primitiue Churche doe affirme. ▪That any sacrifice of Christes body, & blood, by Christe is appoynted, not onelyonly the Apostles, and Euangelists, which set foorth the institutiō of the Lords supper make no mentiō: but also ye Apostle to the Hebrewes, plentifully sheweth, that the sacrifice of Christ was but once offered, & found eternal redēption, & y• he offered himself but once for if he had, he must hauehave suffered more thenHeb. 9. 12. 22. &. 25. once, séeing y• without shedding of blood, there is no remissiō of sins. Neither doe the fathers of the Primitiue church, w…ō he quoteth, affirme the cōtrary. He beginneth wt Dionisius the counterfeite Areopagi…e, Hier. 3. Where beside y• the Author beareth a wrōg name being not so old as the Apostles times, by 600. yéeres & more, yet is not this imagined sacrifice, by him in such order aduouched. The next of the olde writers names, with whom the Margent is paynted, as Ignatius Epi. ad Smirnenses, which if wee should receiue for Authenticall, and not counterfeited, yet hath it nothing to the purpose, but the name of sacrifice. Proptereanon licet, &c. Therefore y… is not lawfull without the Byshop, neither to offer nor to make sacrifice, nor to celebrate Masses, as the Latine translation is of celebration of the communion. If this were bothe a true antiquity, & to be obserued, the Popishe seruice were not lawfull, but where it is ministred by a bishopp for that also is affirmed in the same Epistle. Thirdly, he commeth to Iustinus dial cum Triphone. A Reuerend Father indéed, whose woords if hée had set downe, they would not onelyonly hauehave cléered our seruice of the supposed crime, but also hauehave béen sufficient to expounde whatsoeuer in any other auncient writer is vnproperly and figuratiuely vttered, in the name of sacrifice, priest, and Aultar, &c. The woordes of Iustinus are these. foreign &c. Euen so wee, whiche by the name of Iesus (as all shall bee one man in GOD the maker of all things,) hauing put of our filthie garmentes, that is our sinnes; by the name of his first begotten sonne, and being set on fire by the woorde of his calling are a right kinde of high priestes of GOD, as God himselfe doeth witnes, that in all places among the Gentiles, acceptable and pure sacrifices are offered to him. But God receiueth no sacrifices, but of his priestes. Wherefore God before hand doeth teslifie, that he doeth accept all them that offer by this name, the sacrifices which Iesus Christ hath deliuered to be made, that is in the Euchariste or thankesgeuing of the breade and the cuppe, which are done in eueryevery place of the Christians. By which words it appeareth, that thankesgeuing was offered in the Sacrament not that Christes natural bodye and blood was offered therein: and this not by the Prieste alone, but by all Christians. And this more plainelie may be séene, by other words of his, that are in the same Dialogue. foreign &c. As co…cerning those sacrifices whiche are offered to him of vsus Gentiles in eueryevery place, that is, of the bread of thankesgeuing, and the cuppe likewise of thankesgeuing, hee foresheweth saying, that wee doe glorifie his name, and that you (meaning the Iewes) doe prophane it.
In which woordes what other Sacrifice can wée sée, but the sacrifice of thanksgeuing in the bread and in the cuppe. And to proue most inuincibly, that the Church in his …me, had none other sacrifice, but Eucharistical, of prayers & thankesgeuing: This saying of his in the same Dialogue, against the Iewes, may serue abundantly. foreign &c. For I my selfe (saie…h I…inus) doe aff…e, that prayers and thanksgeuing made by worthy persons, are the onelie perfect and acceptable Sacrifices to God. For these are the onelyonly sacrifices that christians hauehave receiued to make, to be put in minde by their drie and moyst nourishment, of the passion which God the sonne of God, is recorded to hauehave suffred for them. This place doth not onelyonly shew, what the only sacrifice of Christians was in his time, but also teacheth, that in the Sacrament is drie and moyst nourishment, that is bread and drink, and not bare accidents, as the Transubstantiators affirme. Therefore howe little Iustinus maketh for the Sacrifice of the Masse, these places doe sufficiently declare. And howe vntrue it is that all the Fathers of the Primitiue Churche, with one consent doe affirme it. Declaring rather▪ how al the Fathers of the Primitiue church, that speake of the Sacrifice of the Church, are to be vnderstood, of a Sacrifice Eucharysticall, and not Propitiatorie.
The next quotation is Tertullian de oratione. Where I find no such matter spoken of, or once named. But in his booke ad Scapulam, he sheweth, what was the Sacrifice of Christians in his tinte. Itaque sacrificamus pro salute imperatoris. &c. Therefore we offer sacrifice, for the Emperours safetie, but to our God, and his, but as God hath commaunded, with pure prayer, Likewise in his booke aduersus Iudeos, the Prophecie of Malachie, which the Papistes wrest to their masking propitiatorie sacrifice, hee expoundeth it. de spiritualibus vero sacrifi…s. &c. Of spiritual sacrifices he addeth saying; and in eueryevery place cleane sacrifices shalbe offered vntounto my name, sayth the Lord. Likewise against Martion. In omni loco sacrificium nomini meo. &c. In eueryevery place a sacrifyce is offered to my name, and a cleane sacrifyce, namely, glory, renowne, and blessing and prayse and hymnes. Other sacrifices then these Tertullian doeth not mention in all his woorkes.
The next authour is quoted Augustine Lib. 20. contra Faust. Manich. cap. 23. In which chapter, there is neuer a woorde of the sacrament or sacrifice, or any thing that tendeth thereunto: But in the. 21. chapter of the same booke S. Augustine she weth his iudgement, not to dissent from Iustinus and Tertullian, concerning the S…ifice of the Churche howesoeuer hee often vseth else where th… terme vnproperly. Sed quid agam & tantae. &c. But what shal I doe, and when shal I shew to the blindenes of these heretikes, what force that hath which is song in the Psalmes: The sacrifyce of Prayse shall glorify me, and there is the way where I will shewe my sauing helth. The fleshe and blood of this sacrisyce before the comming of Christ, was promised by oblations of similitudes: In the passion of Christe it was geuen vp by the very truth. After the Ascention of Christ, it is celebrated by a sacra ment of remembraunce Goe your wayes now, and charge Augustine, to affirme a sacrifice in proper speech, to be offered of the bodie and bloode of Christ, which he himselfe affirmeth, to be a me morie of the only sacrifice of Christe, once offered, as the legale oblations, were promises of the same sacrifice before it was perfourmed.
Unto Augustine is …oyned Chrisostome Hom. 17. ad Heb. Wil you heare his iudgement, after he hath made the obi…ction, howe we offer that sacrifice eueryevery day, which the Apostle and he before had directly and often affirmed to hauehave béene but once offered, and might not be repeated, Hoc autem quod fa…mus. &c. But this that we doe (saieth Christe) is done truely, in remembraunce of that which was done. For doe yee this (saith hée) in remembraunce of me. We doe not make an other sacrifice, as the high priest, but we make the self same alwayes, but rather we make the remembrance of a sacrifice. Sée you not by this correction, that the name of sacrifice, was vnproperly applied to the celebration of the Lordes Supper, which properly is no sacrifice of Christes bodye and blood, but a remembraunce of his Sacrifice once offered for all, and neuer to bée repeated: …éeing as Augustine calleth it, …he onelyonly true, and vnsacrificable sacrifice, and the Lordes Supper a similitude of that Sacrifice.
As for Gregorie who liued almost two hundred yéeres after Augustine, as hée she weth manye vncertaine miracles in those Dialogues, which are next quoted, so he was too déeply plunged in the superstitiō of his time, that wée should looke for the right and auncient vse of the celebration of the Lordes S…pper, béeyng the next Bishoppe of Rome saue one, before Boniface, that openly tooke2. Thes. ▪. vppon him the Antichristian authority, whiche long before, was in breaking out the mystery of iniquity, that wrought euen in the Apostles times.
The rest of quotations, that serue to prooue that Priestes were orvayned in respect of this Sacrifice, I shall not néed to stand vponupon them, séeyng I hauehave she wed by the consent of the most aunciente and best approoued fathers, that the sacrifice where of they speake, was of another kinde, then this where unto he would draw their authorities Ierom. vntounto Heliodorus. …hom this author quoteth speaketh not a woord to shew, that Priestes were ordeined, for this sacrifyce, but sayth God for bid that I should speake any thing amisse of them which succeeding to the degree Apostolike, doe make the body of Christ, with their holy mouth, by whom we also are Christians: Where calling the sacrament of y• Lords supper, y• body of Christ, he saith no more, then Christ saith of it, nor in any other sense. Whatsoeuer Chrisostome saith in his 2, booke de sacer. whiche is nexte quoted, muste bée expounded by his saying euen nowe rehearsed. Hom. 17. in Epist. ad Heb. That which Cyprian the thirde man sayeth, Lib. 1. Epist. 2, maketh nothing in the worlde for the Popishe Sacrifice. Episcopatus nostri honor &c. The honour of our Bishopricke and glory is very greate, that wee hauehave graunted peace to Martyrs, that wee which are priestes whiche doe celebrate the sacrifices of GOD daylie, should prepare oblations and sacrifices to GOD. In the firste place hee speaketh of the spirituall Sacrifices of prayse and thankesgeuing, and therefore vseth the Plurall number Sacrifices, in the latter, hee meaneth those whiche since their fall, béeyng restored too the Churche, did afterwarde, geue ouer theire bodies too Martyrdome. De verb. do. in Ioh. Ser. 46. Epest. 50.In the 252. Sermon de tempore excepte the name of Aultar whiche in Saynt Augustines time, was a table made of Boordes, and stoode in the middest of the Churche, there is nothing but an exhortation for men, not to receyue the Communion vnwoorthily. Optatus lib. 6. contra donat: whiche is the next quotation, sharply inuayeth against the donatists, for breaking in péeces and scraping the Aultars, which are manifestly affirmed of him to hauehave béen of wood, for hée saith, they warmed their Wine with the broken péeces of the Aultars. Wherefore what Aultars and Sacrifices hee speaketh of it is manifest by Augustine, who was his Countrieman & maketh ye same cōplaint of the Donatists, Epis. 50. But the same Augustin is quoted in Psal. 113. concione 2. toproue that for this popi… sacrifice was priests apparrel made, vestiments, censors, srankincence, and the like in the Primitiue church. So hee saieth, but Augustine inueighing greatly against the vse of images set vp in solemn places, & to bee woorshipped which are but golde and siluer, as the Prophet saith, maketh this obiection. Sed enim & nos pleraque instrument a & vasa &c. But we also hauehave many instruments and vesels made of such matter or mettall, for the vse of the celebration of the sacraments, whiche beeing consecrated in the very mysterye it selfe, are called holie, in honour of him who is serued thereof, for our saluation. And what other thing truely, are these instrumentes and vessels, but the workes of mens handes? But yet hauehave they a mouth and shall not speake? HaueHave they eyes and shall not see? Whether doe wee praye vntounto them, because wee praye to God by thē … &c. We sée here instruments & vessels made of siluer or gold, for the vse of the ministration of the Sacramentes: but for the vse of Sacrifice there is no worde. Beside this wée may easily gather, that the Curch in Augustines time, had no Images, for then hée would hauehave taken away the obiection of them, which hauehave a mouth, and speake not, eyes, and sée not, then of the vesselles and instrumentes, as cuppes, and dishes, fontes and such like thinges, vsed in the celebration of the Sacramente. The last quotation is Possidonius de vita Augustini. Cap. 24. Whose wordes are these. Nam & de vasis domi…is, &c. For hee co…maunded some of the Lordes vesselles to bee broken, and …lted, and distributed to the poore, by reason of captiues, and verye manye needy persons. You sée the boldenesse of this man, in his quotations, and yet hée is not a…hamed to affyrme that all the Fathers, counselles, and historyes doe speake so much of Priestes apparell, and vestimentes, sensors, frankinsence, and such lyke; made in the primatiue church for this sacrifice.
The seconde thing, which hée complayneth to bée left out of the Protestantes seruice, is no lesse then sixe of the seauen Sacramentes. That wée hauehave the two Sacramentes, which onelye were instituted by Christ, I hauehave shewed before sufficiently, And séeing hée will néedes take one of them from vsus perforce, I will shewe that in accounte of Papistes them selues, wée hauehave one more then those two. For except they did acknowledge vsus to hauehave the Sacrament of Matrimonie (albeit wée account it none) they woulde make it as frée, for persons maryed in our Church to departe one from the other, that is willing to departe, as the Apostle maketh it for them, that béeing maryed in paganisme, were forsaken of the vnfaythfull partie, and no more bound vntounto them. The places that hee quoteth out of Augustine, to shewe that the Sacramentes are not to bee contemned, myght well hauehave beene spared, excepte hee coulde hauehave brought somewhat to proue those siue, wherein they excéede vsus, to bee Sacramentes of Christes institution. But the supposition first protested of, is the best proofe hee hath for that poynte. The thirde thing that hee accuseth the Protestantes seruice, to leaue out, is all the ceremonies of the catholyke church, of which, the olde auncient Fathers and councelles doe saye these three thinges. first, that they are to be had in great reuerence, and not to be contemned of no man. Secondly, that they are to bee learned by tradition, and that manye of them are receiued by the tradition of the Apostles. Lastly, that they which doe eyther conte…e, despyse, or wilfullye omit these ceremonies, are excommunicated. And héere againe the margent is daw…ed with quotations, for the proofe, which when they bée …ramined, will make as little in a manner, as they did before for the Pope, and the sacrifice. First Tertullian de corona militis nameth in déede many ceremonies to hauehave béene vsed in the Church by tradition, whereof many are neyther vsed of vsus, nor of the Papistes themselues. As in Baptisme beside thrise dipping, to taste of milke and hony. To abstaine from washing by a whole wéeke after. To receiue the communion in the méetinges that were before day. To make oblations for the death of men, and for the byrth on the yearely day. At eueryevery steppe and going forward, at eueryevery comming in, and going out, at putting on of garmentes, at putting on of showes, at washing, at tables, at lightes, at beddes, at seates, or any thing that they occupied, to make a crosse on their foreheades, which they did to testifie that they were Christians, against the Paganes.
Howe many of these thinges, doe the Papistes obserue more then wée? If they maye bée discharged for omitting some of these aunciente Ceremonies, why is not the same equitie graunted to vsus, against which nothing can bée brought, but the stale supposition, that they maye doe what they lyst, because they are the onelyonly Catholykes.
The next Doctour quoted, is Basill de spiritu sancto. Who referreth vntounto tradition, these Ceremonies following. To marke them with the signe of the Crosse, which beléeue in Christ, and are baptized. To praye towardes the East. The wordes of inuocation whyle the Bread of thankesgiuing, and the Cuppe of blessing is shewed. The blessing of the water of Baptisme, and the oyle where with the baptized is annoynted. The dypping thrise in baptisme, the renouncing of Satan and his Angelles. What great Ceremonies are héere, that are omitted in our seruice. Epiphanius is quoted. Her, 71. Which is against the Plotiniones, in which chapter there is no worde of Ceremonies or traditions: it may bée an error in the number: for Hier. 61. contra Apostolicos, hee speaketh of some thinges receiued by tradition, as that it is sinne to mary after virginitie professed: but of ceremonies hée saieth nothing at all. As for the Tridentine councell, which is next quoted, I will not vou…afe to answere it, béeing of none antiquitie, but holden within these fewe yé…res by the Papistes.
Then followeth Cyprian epist▪ 66. Which I know not wherfore it is alleadged: for there is nothing in it, for Ceremo…es or the contempte of them, but against the Nouasianes, and anerroneous opinion of his, that none can baptize, but hée that hath the holy Ghost.
After Cyprian wée are bidden to looke in Augustine de doctrina christiana, without quoting the Chapter, but for what, I knowe not: for there are not in him rehearsed any Ceremonies, which wée omit, for any thing that I can finde. The like I say for Cyprian sermone de oratione dominica. As for Isidorus, who lyued more then 600. yéeres after Christe, in ceremoniall age, is no méete Authour to controle our want of Ceremonies, by such as were vsed in the Spanishe Church, in his tyme, which yet are not all the same that the Papistes vse.
Then solloweth the fourth Toletane councell cap. 2. Which appoynteth that there shoulde bée an vniforme order of ministration of the Sacram…ntes, and publike prayers in the Churches of Spayne and Gallicia: because they were contayned in one fayth and kingdome.
What pertayneth this vntounto the church of England, which hath as great authority to appoynt her own Ceremonies, as the church of Spayne then had for theirs
The laste quotation is Bede. lib. Hist. cap. 1. omytting the number of the Booke: but hauing perused all the fyrste Chapters of euerye booke, I finde nothing for any Ceremonies. And whatsoeuer their shoulde bée founde in Beda so late a writer, shoulde bee no preiudice vntounto the authoritie of our Churche in this tyme. For as I shewed before, that Augustine out of eueryevery Church, wa… willed to choose what ceremonies hee thought most conueniente, so his posteritie was not bound to his choyce, but as they thought good, some they added, some they abrogated. But where hée noteth in the margent, that in these Authors wée may sée … what tongue seruice was in they: dayes, in all countryes. I mar…ayle at his im…udencie, séeing neyther in anye place by him quoted (except the last Trid…tine counsell perhappes) there is anye worde spoken touching the tongue, wherein seruice was in their countries, nor in all their works, is there anye thing to proue the contrarye, but that euerye nation had their seruice in such tongue as they vnderstoode.
As for the leauing out of the prayer for the dead, which is in déede an errour of great antiquitie, séeing hée quoteth none authoritie for the iustifying of it. I will referre the Reader to other treatises that I hauehave written against it: namelye to my confutation of Allens booke of Purgatorie, and to my reioynder lately …ritten to Bristoes reply. So that for any thing which is brought or quoted, in this reason the seruice of the Protestantes is proued to bée good inough.