A Brief Confutation of a Popish Discourse, Part 1 · Answer 8
The eight Reason
THe eight reason of refusal, why a catholik may net come to y• … churches, is because by going t…ither, he shal lose al the benefite of his own religion. This is called a verie great, waightie, & most sufficient reason ye…lded by catholikes in Englād to their Princes, for their refusal of comming to church, and such a one, as beeing conceiued of her Maiestie, cannot but satisfie her Highnesse, and greatly drawe her to compassion of the pi…iful case of so many thousandes of her louing subiectes. Here be words of great importance, but all the reason hangeth vppon our lothsome supposition, which if it be denyed, as it cannot be proued, the P…pists …se nothing by comming to our churches, but receiue inestimable benefite, if as they be present in bodies, so they be truely cōuerted in mind. But sée I pray you, how honorably he thinketh of her Maiesties both wisdom & cōscience, y• he presumeth to affirme, she cannot but be satissied by this reason, which is nothing but a beare s…ppositiō, & wheras she knoweth most assuredly, y• religiō which she by law mainteineth to be y• only true religiō, that she would think any benefit to be lost …her louing subiects, by departing frō the cōtrary errour And once againe, he ratleth in his many thousāds of her louing subiects, by whō hée meaneth ye obstinate Papists. God forbid her Maiestie should hauehave many hūdreds of such louinge subiects, as in their heart hauehave receiued this traiterous & Antichristian persuasiō, that they are by y• Popes bull, duly discharged of all obediēce & oth of allegiance, if any they hauehave made to her. But that the simpler …ort may better vnderstand this reason, & the wiser better consider of it, hee will in particular, repeat some of the abouesaid damages. The first losse is, of the participation of the sac…fice of the bodie & blood of our Sauiour, appointed by him to bee offered vp dayly in the oblation of the Masse, &c. Nay he that is truely conuerted from Papistry, then first receiueth ye benefit of that only sacrifice, which Christ offered for y• redemption of al his el…ct, & is discharged of the sacrilegious blasphemy, wherby ye same is pretended to be often repeted, in the Popish Masse. But Chrysostome is affirmed for that cause, to call it the common sacrifice of the whole worlde. I hauehave shewed before howe Chrysostome calleth the celebration of the Communion,Hom. 17. ad Heb. a sacrifice, which is rather a remembrance of the singular sacrifice once offered by Christ him selfe neuer to be rei…erated. But the action of offering of this sacred Host (saith hée) the Sonne of God to his Father, is of such dignitie, excellency, and merite, not only to the Priest, but also to the standers by assisting him: as all the other good works which a man can do, in his life, are not to be compared with it. Nay of all other blasphemies it is the most horrible, that a wretched caitife, should presume to offer the Sanne of God, to his Father, which no creature in heauen or earth, could doe, but hée him selfe by his eternal spirite. But of the sacrifices which the Church doeth offer. Irenaeus saieth: Non sanctificant hominem, &c. They doe not sanctifieHeb. 9. L…. 4. ca. 34. a man, for God hath no neede of sacrifice, but the conscience of him that offereth, doeth sanctifie the sacrifice, if it bee pure, and causeth God to accept it as of a friend This hée speaketh euen of the sacrifice offered in the Lordes Supper, which if it were any other, then of prayse and thankesgiuing it were extreame blasphemie, that Irenaeus saith of it. Yet let vsus sée what reason hée bringeth, that not only saying, but also hearing of Masse, should bée a woorke so mere…orious. The verie Angels of heauen (saieth hée) doe come down at that time, to adore that sacred bodie, and to offer the same vp with vsus to God the Father, for the whole worlde: as all the holy Fathers of the primatiue church did both beleeue and teach. Then the Angels also are Priestes, if they offer this sacrifice. But which of all the holy Fathers so doeth teach, that wée may knowe they did be…ue. First hée cyteth Gregorie, Lib. 4. dia. cap. 58. Whose words are these. What faythfull man can doubt, but in the verie houre of immolation or sacrifice, the heauens doe open at the Priestes voice, and that the quyers of Angels bee present there, in that mysterie of Iesus Christ? What is there in these woordes to proue, that the Angels doe ador… that sacred bodie, or offer vp the same to GOD the Father with vsus▪ Otherwise wée doubt not, but the Angels of GOD which are present with the faythfull, to defende them and kéepe them in all their wayes, are present also in all holy actions▪ and especially in the administration of the holie Sacraments. The same thing, and in the same woordes almost, saieth Chrysostome de sac…rd. Lib. 6. At that time the Angelles stande by the Priest, and the vniuersall orders of the celestiall powers, doe crye out, and the place nigh to the A…lter is full of quyres of Angels in the honour of him who is sacrificed. For the presence of the Angels, I answere as vntounto Gregorie, for the sacrifice and him that is sacrificed, I sayde Chrysostome is the best expounder of himself. Hom. 17. in Epist. ad Hebr. In the same woorke, de sacerdo…o. Lib. 3. Hée saieth the lyke hyperbolicall spéech. Nam dum conspicis dominum immolatum, &c.
For while thou seest the Lord sacrificed, the Priest leaning ouer the Sacrifice, and powring foorth Prayers, the people also that stand about to be dyed & made redde, with that precious blood, doest thou thinke that thou art still conuersant among men, and that thou standest on the earth? Art thou not rather immediately tr…ted into heauen? Doest thou not cast off all cogitation of flesh, and with naked minde and pure vnderstanding looke round about on those things that are in heauen▪ &c. These words of his do shew that hée speaketh of a spirituall presence of Christes bodie and blood by fayth, which ascendeth into heauen, and beholdeth those thinges, which the outward eye of the bodie cannot atteine to see. As for the visions of Angels that Chrysostome speaketh of in the place by him quoted, proue nothing, but the presence of them. But Hom. 3. contra Anomaeos, Hée explicateth the same more at large, saith our Reasoner. At that time my deare brother, not onelyonly men doe giuegive out that dreadfull crye. Héere our Reasoner addeth a parenthesis of his owne, which is not in Chrysostome, (saying wée adore thée O Lorde) &c. But also the Angels doe bowe their knees to our Lorde, and-the Archangels doe beseech him. For they account that a fit time, hauing that sacred oblation in their fauour. And therfore as men are wont to mooue Princes the more if they beare Oliue bowes in their handes (because by bearing that kinde of wood, they bring into the Princes minde, mercy and gentlenesse) so the Angels at that time (proramis oleagenis in stéede of Oliue braunches hée leaueth out)…octom saith not in …heir hands Co…s domini ipsum portenden…. holding out in their handes the verie selfe same bodie of our Lorde they doe intreate for all mankinde, although they saide we doe intreat O Lord for the men of the world, whom thou hast so loued, that for their saluation thou wast content to dye, and on the crosse to breath out thine owne soule. For these men we make supplication, for the which thou hast giuen thine owne blood: for these men wee pray, for the which thou hast sacrificed this bodie of thine. What playner testimony can there bée then this (saith our discourser.) In déed it is plain enough, to shew that Chrysostome calleth that thing the verie bodie of Christ, which in proper spéech, was a Sacrament and pledge of the same. And that the similitude of Oliue braunches which are a signe of peace, doe shewe. Againe, their holding out of the bodie of Christ, and intreating God for mankind by y• memoriall, sheweth, that they did not hold out Christ, for then they would hauehave prayed to that which they … in their handes: and not to Christ by contemplation of that. The sense is therefore, in this hyper…olicall supposition, that the Angels by shewing the … sacrament of his body once truely off…ed, which Sacrament was instituted for a remembraunce, of that Sacrifice, to entreat our Sauiour Christ by that token of remembrance, as men that carrie Oliue braunches in their handes to … Princes. But that the Angels do… adore that bodie in the Hoste, and offered to God, for vsus, and with vsus, for which purposes this place is cyted, héere is nothing saide neither of consecration and …uation, at which time this supplication of the Angels is affirmed to bée.
The second losse is pretended to be, of the grace of six Sacramentes, for which hée bringeth small reasons, but repeating them saieth, That by the grace of confirmation, the holy Ghost was giuen. Act. 8. 19. In which Chapters is nothing but of the miraculous gifts of the holie Ghost, wherwith the Pri…e church was garnished, but are long since ceased. But Cyprian in lib. de …ct. Christi, aduoucheth the same. It is true that the Authour of that woorke, de cardinalibus Christi operibus, Whosoeuer it was, maketh mention of that Ceremonie of annointing vsed in his tyme, as also the Ceremonie of washing of féete after the example of Christ, which hée maketh of as great importaunce, as the other. The grace that Timothie had by imposition of handes. 2. Timothie, which the Apostle willeth him not to neglect, was extraordinarie, and miraculous, and therefore maketh nothing for the Ceremonie of vnction, neither is there any worde of vnction there vttered. That Saint Paule▪ calleth Matrimonie a Sacrament in the PopisheEphe. …. translation, it can not make it a Sacrament of the newe Testament, which is, and was euer before Christ▪ A great mysterie of the spirituall coniun…ion of Christ and his Church: although the Apostle doe not say expresly that Matrimonie is a Mysterie thereof, but saieth the coniunction of Christ and his Church is a great Mysterie.
The vnction whereof Saint Iames speaketh▪ cannot be vnderstoode of extreame …tion of the Papistes, seeing hée promiseth health and recouerie vntounto the diseased, whereas the Papistes neuer ministred it but vntounto them, of whose bodely health it is dispaired, although our Reasoner say, that many times it healeth the bodie. Therefore it is manifest that Saint Iames speaketh of an extraordinarie gift of healing, which was in the Church by annointingM…rke▪ …. with …yle, as the Euangelist also doeth witnesse.
The third benefite that is saide to be lost by going to Church, is all the benefite of the keyes of the church, or of the authoritie of binding or losing. But this is nothing so, for by going to Church, where they may heare the Gospell truely preached, they may be made partakers of the keyes, wherewith heauen is opened, and of remission of sinnes at the handes of God by the ministrie of his woord. As for consession of their sinnes, such as the Scriptures requireth, and the Primitiue Church practised, they shal make dayly: But Popishe …hrift no Scripture requireth, neither did the auncient Church practise it. They that confessed their dooinges. Actes the 19. m…de open, and not auricular confession. But for proofe of Popishe auricular confession (as I thi…ke) Augustine is quoted in many Homelies, not … whereof, saying, Doe you suche penaunce, as is wont to bee done in the Churche, that the Churche may pray for you. Let no man say, I doe it secretly, I doe it with God alone, &c. These woordes are manifest that hee speaketh of open confession of suche as had openly offended the Church, and were to make open satisfaction for the same. But more néerely touching the humour of our men, hée saieth, &c. And so citeth a long saying out of the booke de visitatione infirmorum, lib. 2. Cap. 4. Which was neuer written by Augustine, nor by any other man of wit or learning. S…che counterfeite stuffe is méete to defende suche false doctrine, as that: Wherefore although wée vrge not auricular confession, neither make we a Sacrament of repentance, because it hath no visible signe proper vntounto it, yet the benefite of the keyes of the Church is not lost, but of such as be truely conuerted from Papistrie, with an inestimable comfort to be found in our Church.
The fourth losse is layd to bee of receiuing the blessed Sacrament of the Aulter, the precious bodie and blood of Christ) beeing the foode of our soules. There is no reason brought for this losse, but the onelyonly tedious supposition that the bodie and blood of Christ is receiued onelyonly in the Popish Church. And whereas hée commendeth the often receiuing of the Sacrament, it is well that the Papistes who within time of mens remembraunce made small account of often receiuing, as appeareth by their infinite priuate Masses, now at length hauehave founde out, that the Sacrament is …ot ordeined to be looked on, but to be often receiued.
Fifthly, they loose (saieth hée) all the merit of their good deedes Lib. 35. Mor. Cap. …whatsoeuer, for which he… citeth Gregorie, euen as none receiueth their penny in the Gospel, but they onelyonly which had laboured within the compasse of the Vineyarde, so no man shal receiue any rewarde, for any good deede of his, except hee hauehave done it, within the vnitie of the Church. To this saying I agrée, which speaketh of the reward and not of the merite: but that they which come to our Church, may not bee members of the true Church of Christ, there is not a … or letter brought for proofe.
Sixthly, they loose the benefite of the Communion of Saintes saieth hée, and finally, beeing cut off and …ut from the other members, they take no part of influence, which commeth from the head to the bodie, &c. Héere except wee graunt that vile supposition, that the Popishe Sinag…gue is the onelyonly Catholike Church of Christ, there can be no consequence, but to proue that pointe which is the whole matter in debate, we heare neuer a word.