A Confutation of a Popish and Slanderous Libel, Treatise · Papist opinion 5
The Papiste.
The fowerth consideration is, that the receiuyng of this new booke of seruice, is a condemnation of the olde, wherby is taken away 5. of the. 7. Sacramentes, the reall presence of Christes body in the Sacramente of the alter, the sacrifice of the masse, many traditions of the Apostles, as the holiyng of the Fonte, oile and Chrisma in Baptisme and Confirmation, the making of the signe of the Crosse, praiers for the deade and vntounto sainctes. All sacramentall, and godly cerimonies, frequented in the vniuersal churche of Christe, and brougt into this realme with the faithe of Christe by S. Augustine, and here by hym established, as suer signes and tokens of christian faieth, like as the holy. S. Bede witnesseth in his firste boke de gestis Anglorum, in the 25.29.30. chapiters, beside that all the foresaide thinges hauehave been alwaie approued, vsed, and allowed throughout the vniuersal church of christ. And therfore saieth S. Augustine all these thinges whiche hauehave been receiued in the vniuersall Churche of Christe, and approued by the vse, and consente therof, ought not to be ouerthrowen, nor yet to be chaū ged by the iudgemente of one priuate person, be his learnyng and liuyng neuer so good, nor yet by the Bishoppes of any one prouince or countrie, when thereby they shoulde breake the vnitie of Gods spirite, whiche is the chief treasure in his Churche, commended by our sauiour Christe vntounto his Apostles, wishynge and praiynge the same vnitie to be amongest theim, whiche was betwixt him and God (Ioan 17) the father. The Apostle S. Paule tought the Corinthians aboue all thinges to obserue this vnitie, and willed the Romaines that with one minde and one mouth they shoulde glorifie God. And in the Epistle to the Ephesians, he besought theim most entirely to obserue this vnitie. Again. S. Augustine saieth, these thinges whiche the vniuersall churche doth teache, therfore are to be obserued and kepte of all menne, because the churche which is the spouse of Christ, hath the full aucthoritie of her husband Christ, and suche gouernement also of the holy ghost, that she cannot consent, but to true thinges, nor she cannot commaunde but onelyonly suche thinges whiche are both holy, holsome and good. And farther the same S. Augustine saieth, that in the ministratiō of the Sacramentes, and in the manner of praiyng vsed of Preestes, there must be an vniformitie obserued in Christes catholike Churche, that by their Lawe and maner of praiyng there may be established the lawe of beleuyng. And lest that the lawe, and maner of praiyng being chaunged, may also bring foorthe a chaunge and alteration of faieth, like as it hath so proued in thys realme. Beside that S. Ambrose doth thinke that there can not bee the faieth, where Schisme is, for albeit that schismatikes may hauehave faieth towardes God, yet they cannot hauehave faieth towarde the Churche of God, whom they suffer to bee dismembred, and discerped in peeces. For wheras our sauiour Christe suffered for his Churche, and the Churche is the mysticall bodie of Christe, how therfore may thei hauehave faith in christ, by whom his Passion is made frustrate, and his mysticall bodie drawen in peeces. And therefore woulde not we shoulde chaunge an order set, or a custome of Christes churche. For albeit saieth he, the reason or cause of a custome may be sought for, yet must it be so sought for, that the custome thereby be not infirmed or broken, for the searche may not bee made vntounto destruction, but vntounto aedification, wherby thou maist better obserue the custome when thou arte assured of the cause and reason therof. I do praise thee (saieth Tertuliane) whiche firste doeth beleue the custome to be obserued, before it hath learned the cause and reason why and wherfore.