A Recantation, Sermon
A RECANTATION SERMON, PREACHED BY A DOMINICAN Fryar.
Pſal. 119. verſe 71. It is good for me that I have beene in trouble, for thereby I have learned thy Statutes.
De elementiaad Neronem.SEneca a graue Phyloſopher, writing vntounto Nero, and tracting of Cinna an ancient Roman, and publike Rebell, hee vſeth theſe words: Periti medici vbi blanda medela non pracedat tentant contrarium. It is the vſe of good Phyſicians that when a gentle Meditine doth take no place, they preſently apply a ſharper ſalue, and more bitter corraſiue: The like courſe taketh Almighty God with thoſe that bee repugnant vntounto his holy will and rebellious againſt his knowne truth, when faire meanes and louing kindnes cannot preuaile, then goeth he non alliciendo ſed compellendo, not by alluring or enticing, them but by compelling and enforcing them, vt quod non poſsit per diſceptatione ſaltem poſ sit per vim, that thoſe whom hee cannot win by louing exhortations he will bring them home by extremities: For as Iſocrates an ancient Grecian ſaith, foreign, afflictions are our inſtructions, and extremitie is Gods opportunity. The prodigal child would not returne vn-his father vntill extremity compelled him, Manaſſes liuing in his pompe and pleaſure in Ieruſalem, planted groues, and ſet vp Idols againſt God and godlineſſe, but being in priſon in Babilon, and chained in a dungeon the Scripture ſaith, that he did turne his heart vntounto the Lord his God and beſought him earneſtly: therefore ſaith Salomon to all things, there is an appointed time, and a time for eueryevery purpoſe vnderunder the heauēs: God hath his time to afflict vsus, that we may the more earneſtly ſeeke after him, multiplicatae ſunt infirmitates, eorum poſtea acclerauerme: as our Sauiour ſaith, ſeeke and you ſhall find? But how muſt we ſeek? it is ſaid we muſt ſeeke him by Prayer. Inuoca me in die tribulationis & ego exaudiam te, call vponupon me in the time of trouble, and I will heare thee.
The Prophet Dauid being much afflicted in many of his Pſalmes, doth often call vponupon the Lord, as in the 120. Pſalme ad Dominum cum tribularer clamaui: when I was in trouble I called vppon the Lord, and in the 130. Pſalme, de profundis clamaui ad te domini, domine exaudi vocem meam, out of the deepe of my heart hauehave I called vntounto thee O Lord, O Lord heare my prayer: ſo that as proſperity doth cauſe many to forget God, and to neglect their duties towards him: ſo doth aduerſity call them home againe, and makes them more carefull to ſeeke after him, and to walke more warily in his wayes. And therefore, the Prophet Dauid in another place of this Pſalme ſaith, Before I was in trouble I went wrong, but now hauehave I learned to keep thy lawes, and ſo concludeth in the ſeuenth verſe ſaying, bonū eſt mihi quia bumili aſti me, it is good for me that I hauehave beene in trouble. The like may I ſay at this time right Worſhipfull and my louing auditors, it was good for mee that I hauehave beene in trouble, for before I was in trouble albeit I had a zeale to ſerue the Lord, yet I had not the true way and meanes to ſerue him as he ought to be ſerued: hauing liued as long time from the truth as from my country and friends, being from my firſt arriuall into this Land, deteyned in pryſon, ſequeſtred from all conuerſation and ſociety. In this my affliction and long miſery I prayed both inſtantly and feruently to the Almighty that hee would vouhcſafe to open mine eyes, enlighten my darkenes, and incline my heart vntounto his teſtimonies, that I might ſerue him in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe all the dayes of my life, for in him only, and for him only, I deſired to liue and dye, refoluing my ſelfe that whatſoeuer ſhall bee fall me in this life, I will eſteeme it all happineſſe, for the peace of conſcience and the glory of Gods moſt holy name.
As I was thus communing with my ſoule, there came into my mind that worthy precept of St. Iohn when he ſaith, Truſt not eueryevery Spirit, but try the Spirits, whether they bee of God or no: Likewiſe I did much ruminate and ponder with my ſelfe, the place of the Prophet Eſay, where he ſaith; to the Law and the Teſtimony If they ſpeake not according to this Word, It is becauſe there is no light in them. Whence I did gather, that all Seruices and Doctrines of Religion are not acceptable before God: For Faith commeth by hearing and hearing of the word of God: ſo that if they ſpeake not according to this Word it is rather fancy, then faith, humane traditions, then Gods inſtitutions, and conſequently condemned by our Sauiour in the 15. of Mathew, where he expreſly reprooued the Commandements and traditions of men. And St. Paul reiecteth as Baſtard ſlippes all voluntary Seruices what apparance or outward ſhew of deuotion ſoeuer they beare.
By which and other like places, I was moued to examine my profeſsion whether it were of Gods inſtitution, and eſpeciall command ſpecified to vsus, or whether God were the author of thoſe Seruices and Ceremonies which now beate great ſway in the Church of Rome: and after due examination I found out for certaine that many points of the Religion, now embraced by the Romaniſts are not to be found within the volume of Gods Word. When I conſidered this, and perceiued the weakenes of the grounds that muſt warrant our ſoules, it gaue me occaſion to forſake my communion with the Church of Rome, in whoſe boſome I hauehave beene long detayned; of whom I may iuſtly complaine as the Prophet Ieremy did of the falſe teachers in his dayes, they hauehave reiected the Word of the Lord, and what wiſedome is then in them.
Likewiſe I often buſied my ſelfe in reading of Books, treating of Religion, & ſuch as handled matters now in controuerſie: as the Apollogy of the moſt reuerent Father and learned Scholler Iohn Iewell, Biſhop of Sariſbury, written againſt a friend and neere Kiſeman of mine Docter Harding; together with another no leſſe reuerent then learned, Marcus Antoniuus de dominis Archbiſhop of Spalato, whom after I had well peruſed, I found ſuch comfort in my conſcience and ſuch ſollid doctrine for my ſoule, that I made no doubt to ſay with the Prophet Dauid, a domino factum eſt hoc, this is the Lords doing. Now the Sunne is vp, and the Clouds of ignorance are gone, the truth ſhineth, and the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand, therfore I may ſay with my Text, bonum eſt mihi quia humiliaſtime. It is good for mee that I was in trouble, for thereby I hauehave learned thy Statutes. But what are theſe Statutes? they are the Word of God, contayned in the Law and the Prophets: which are the rule of our Life, and the ſquare of our Faith, and the very Oracle of Almighty God, from Heauen to reueale his will vntounto vsus, for certaine it is that Chriſt came not to deſtroy the Law, but to fulfill it: hee ſwarued not from the Law and the Prophets, neither did the Apoſtles teach any thing vponupon their owne will and diſcretion, but the Doctrine which they receiued of Chriſt, they faithfully deliuered it vntounto the people, and Nations.
And this they preached at the firſt in viua voce:, that is, in a liuely Voyce, and afterward deliuered it vntounto vsus in writing, to be the foundation and Pillar of our Faith, Qui hoc credit (ſaith Tertullian) nihil habet quod vitra credat: He that beleeueth this, hath no Obligation to beleeue any thing elſe: and this is that which we ought to beleeue without either adding or diminiſhing.
I would now demand of the Pope and his Papalins, in what Goſpell, in what Apoſtle, in what Prophet or Euangeliſt, or Book of Moſes, they find either Pope or his ſupremacy? where are his Pardons? where is his Maſſe? where Images? together with many other his Fopperies, which now they hold to be very precious. We reade in the 20. of Exodus, that almighty God doth expreſly forbid the making of any Image, to repreſent the Perſon of Almighty God, or to do any ſeruice and obey ſance to any Picture, or repreſentation of the creature: for firſt God is a Spirit inviſible, incomprehenſible, and Eternall, and therefore hee cannot be ſignified by any Image or creature, which is both corporall and momentary, and therefore God in his ſecond Commandement forbiddeth all ſeruice done vntounto Images: but contrary vntounto this the Church of Rome doth command and allow not only the making of Images, but alſo doth command the ſeruing and worſhipping of them, as by incenſing them, in lighting of Candles vntounto them, by kneeling before them, and by yeelding vp their offrings, and deuotions vntounto them.
All which can bee no leſſe then groſſe Idolatry: for albeit, they do not worſhip their Images, as ſtocks and ſtones, but as they repreſent either God or ſome Saint: So likewiſe did not the Iſralits, worſhip their golden Calfe, as the true God, but they did worſhip the true God in the Calfe, and yet notwithſtanding, the Text ſaith, that they did commit Idolatry, and many of them were ſeuerely puniſhed for the ſame, Exod. 32. ſo that the Idolatry of the Church of Rome is as groſſe as that of the Iſralites. What can bee more iniutious vntounto God then to hope for helpe of him, and yet notwithſtanding to pray vntounto a ſenceleſſe ſtock? The faith of the Patriarkes and Prophets, & righteous Fathers from the beginning of the world, was the ſame as ours is, and ought to be, as the Apoſtle ſaith, that they were all baptized in the red Sea, and did eate the ſame ſpirituall meate, and iniutious vntounto drinke the ſame ſpirituall drinke, as wee doe now: But was Abraham, Iſaack, or Iaacob, Papiſts? did they fall downe before ſtocks and ſtones? before Idols or Images to pray or offer vntounto them? did they go on pilgrimage one to anothers Relikes to doe deuotion vntounto them? there is neither ſhew nor ſhadow of theſe things in the Word of God.
Chryſoſtome ſaith, that Chriſt, nee diſceſsit a lege neque a Prophetis: but none of all this is to bee found in the Law or the Prophets, therefore in no wiſe to bee admitted.
As touching the diſtinction which they vſe betwixt Duleiam and Latreiam, affirming that they giuegive to Saints onelyonly Du…iam; that is, a kind of Religious Seruice, and that they giuegive Latreiam vntounto Almighty God, intimating thereby that they both worſhip God and ſerue their Images: Our Sauiour confoundeth them in the 4, of Mathew ſaying as is written, Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him only ſhalt thou ſerue.
And Saint Paul perſwadeth the Corinthians to turne from Idols and Images, and to ſerue the euerliuing God, where hee doth vſe the word Duliea, for the Seruice of the true God, ſhewing heereby the oppoſition that is betwixt the one and the other, that he that ſerueth Images, cannot in any wiſe ſerue the Almighty God:yea God himſelf ſpeaketh it plainely, in his firſt Commandement, to worſhip and ſerue him, only, neither will he giuegive his Honour to any other.
In the firſt precept God condemneth all falſe Gods, in the ſecond all falſe worſhiping, of the true God, as making of Images vntounto God, or yeelding vntounto the Image any part of deuotion which belongeth vntounto the Lord. For it is not enough to know the true God, and to acknowledge him alone to be worſhipped, according to the firſt Commandement, & yet breake the 2. by worſhipping him amiſſe: As in ſetting vp of Images, and bowing and kneeling vntounto thē: for as the Almighty God ſaith in the 27. of Deut. verſe 15 Curſed be the man that ſhall make any carued or molten Image, for it is abomination vntounto the Lord, they that make them are like vntounto them, and ſo are all they that put their truſt in them. For as Nadab and Abihu, the ſonnes of Aaron by offring of ſtrange fire before the Lord, became lyable to his wrath and maledictiō for their preſumption: ſo the Papiſts that doe adde ſtrange doctrines and new inuented traditions to the Word of God, and ſeruice of the Lord do incurre his heauy wrath & continuall diſpleaſure. And therfore we are willed by the holy Ghoſt to flye from them and their abhominations, leaſt we be partakers of their ſinne, end ſo likewiſe of their puniſhment,
The 2. Motiue that moued me to leaue the Papiſts, is, becauſe they do as it were hood-winke the people in their religion, giuing a Seruice in a language they vnderſtand not, amazing them with many outward Ornaments, and huge heapes of Ceremonies, calling Ignorance the the Mother of Deuotion, and Images Layemens Books. But we reade in the Councell of Tolledo in Spaine, that Ignorantia eſt mater omnium errorum, Ignorance is the mother of Deuotion, but rather of Atheiſme, and the roote of all errour. What ſhould it auaile Moſes to ſpeake in Hehrew to a man of Africa, who vnderſtands no Hebrew, and what may it auaile the people of other countries to heare their common Seruice in a tongue they vnderſtand not: for albeit they heare with their eares, they vnderſtand not with their hearts, they are not much better then Birds and Parrats which babble much, and vnderſtand nothing: Therefore in the primatiue Church; when Faith was then in learning, the prayers & other Seruice was ſet fourth in a common tongue, knowne vntounto the people that they might vnderſtand what they did profeſſe, and to be able to giuegive a reaſon of their faith.
When Almighty God appointed Moſes to open the Law for the direction of his Church, he decreed it as an euerlaſting duty to all his people, that the booke of the Law ſhold not depart out of their mouthes, but that they ſhould meditate therein day and night, to obſerue and doe according to all that is written: But how ſhould they meditate in them if they be vnknown to them? and how ſhould they know thē if they be in a tongue they vnderſtand not? is not this the curſe which God by his Prophet denounceth ſaying, I wil ſpeak vntounto this people in another language & by ſtrāge lips, ſo as they ſhal not vnderſtand me: who would not iuſtly ſuſpect ſuch a church, yea & cōdemn it, whē to maintain and continue their errour, they will hauehave none of the people either to ſearch the Scriptures, or to vnderſtand their common Seruice that they heare dayly? Thus the ſilly Papalins are led like blinde men they know not whether, and with her fides implicita that is, to beleeue in groſſe (for their part) they know not what are lamentably ſeduced. The people go to ſee Maſſe, but not to vnderſtand it; and ofttimes the Prieſt himſelfe vnderſtands not what he ſaith, and this is done for a double end, the one is that the people may be kept ſtill in Ignorance, and the other is, that it may bee a marke of the Popes dominion, in that they vſe his language in their deuine Seruice, and ſo might bee thought to hold their Religion from the Popes Chaire, euen as the Spaniard conſtreyneth the Indians to ſpeake Spaniſh, the better to reduce them vnderunder his Dominion. But the Prophet Dauid ſaith Pſal. 86. Dominus narauit in Scriptur is populorū, God hath opened and declared his wayes and will in the Scriptures: but in whoſe Scriptures? Hierom vponupon this place anſwereth thus, the Scriptures of the people, ſo called, becauſe they be read vntounto the people, that is to ſay, that all may vnderſtand, becauſe the Princes of Chriſt which were the Apoſtles and Euangeliſts did not write them for afew, but for the whole people, not that afew, but that all ſhould vnderſtand.
Saint Paul writ long Epiſtles to the Corinthians, Epheſians, and Philippians, in his owne language, that all might reade and vnderſtand what hee wrote vntounto them: Why then may not others reade the ſame Epiſtles in their own language as the Corinthians and Epheſians did in theirs. St. Hierome, in an Epiſtle to Laeta, writeth thus, Let thy daughter louelove diuine and heauenly Bookes inſtead of ſilkes and precious Stones, let her learne of the Pſalmes to deſpiſe earthly things, let the Prouerbs of Salomon teach her to liue vertuouſly, let the Eccleſiaſtes accuſtome her to renounce worldly vanity, let Iob teach her patience, let her take the Goſpell of Chriſt into her hands, & let it not depart from her, let her diligently ſtudy the Acts and Epiſtles of the Apoſtles.
And when ſhee hath enriched the Cloſſet of her heart with ſuch riches, then let her learne the doctrine of the Prophets, and the bookes of Moſes. This was the practice and vſe of the Church in Saint Hieromes time, and long after him, as may appeare by Saint Gregory, in his Paſtoralis.
If the reading of the Scriptures may bee forbidden becauſe ſome abuſe them; in the vſing: then alſo may the Sacraments be forbidden, becauſe they are ſometimes abuſed in the receiuing, which to doe were a thing much diſſonant to Gods will & pernicious vntounto his Church: and therfore the propoſing their ſeruice in a ſtrange language, and forbidding the people the reading of the Scriptures, is altogether againſt Gods word & the ancient cuſtome of the Primatiue Church, and ſo by conſequence is not to be followed by any of the children of the Church of Ieſus Chriſt.
A third reaſon that moued me to follow this pious reſolution was, that they hold againſt all Scripture, and authenticall reaſon Purgatory, that is, a purging fire after this life to clenſe our ſins. Againſt this opinion of the Papiſts our Sauiour himſelfe in the 16. of Saint Luke doth much confute, where he maketh mention only of 2. places; namely, Heauen and Hell: ſaying, that the rich mans ſoule preſently after death went to Hell and there was tormented; and Lazarus ſoule, at his death, was carried by the Angels into Abrahams boſome, a place of ioy and comfort. For as Saint Ciprian ſaith againſt Demetrian, that after this life there is no place of Repentance, there is no ſatisfaction more to be made, life is heere either loſt or won by the due worſhipping of God, and the fruits of faith; So the ſame Author ſaith in the ſame Treatiſe, that if a man in the departing hence doth ſincerely acknowledge his ſinnes, and truly imbrace Gods Word, thus confeſſing, and thus beleeuing, he hath free pardon and forgiueneſſe granted him of all his ſinnes, by Gods goodneſſe and free mercy, and at that very inſtant paſſeth to immortality: Euen in the laſt moment of his life God refuſeth not Repentance, and whatſoeuer is truely done, is not to late done.
And Saint Ambroſe in his Booke Debono Mortis ſaith, that he that in this life receiueth not remiſſion of his ſinnes, ſhall not hauehave remiſſion in the world to come.
Now if their ſinnes be forgiuen in this world, likewiſe the puniſhment due to the ſame is alſo forgiuen in this world, and ſo there can remaine no Purgatorie to torment them in the next life. But certaine it is, that the bloud of Chriſt doth clenſe vsus from all our ſinnes, as Saint Iohn ſaith, and is the onelyonly Purgatory, that a Chriſtian man ſhould hold, which doth deliuer his people as well from the puniſhment due to ſins, as from the ſinne it ſelfe: for as the Prophes Eſay ſaith, our puniſhment was laid vponupon him, and with his ſtripes wee are healed. Saint Auguſt. in his Sermon De tempore 232. ſaith, there are but 2. places, hee that reigneth not with Chriſt at his departure hence ſhall periſh with the Diuell without end, ſo that in what ſtare the laſt day of our life ſhall find vsus, in the ſame ſtate the laſt day of our life ſhall iudge vsus.
Now if this be true, as moſt true it is, then the propitiatory Maſſe ſo much eſteemed in the Romiſh ſeruice, is but a forgery: For firſt it cannot be propitiatory for the dead: for as the Tree falleth ſo it lyeth, and as man is found in his departing, ſo goeth he to Hell or to Heauen. A third place is not mentioned, now if any be in Heauen, Maſſes cannot auaile them, for they enjoy all bliſſe poſſibly already, if they be in Hell, we read, ab inferno non eſt redemptio, out of Hell there is no redemption, for as the Prophet Dauid ſaith, a man can by no means redeeme his brother, he cannot pay his ranſome to God, ſo precious is the redemption of ſoules, and the continuance for euer.
And ſo it is cleare, that for the dead it cannot be propitiatory, and as for the liuing it cannot benefite them, for then were it derogatory to the Paſſion of Chriſt once offered for all vponupon the Croſſe: whoſe Oblation was abſolute and perfect as Saint Paul in the 5. to the Hebrewes 6.7. ſpeaketh, and therefore needeth not Maſſe, or any thing elſe to helpe it, yea it were groſſe and damnable to ſuppoſe any imperfection in that Sacrifice and Oblation of our Sauiour once offred on the Croſſe, ſeeing that God the Father twiſe ſpake from Heauen with a loud voyce, ſaying this is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleaſed.
The fourth Reaſon, that moued mee to renounce my former profeſſion with the Romaniſts is that, they quite contrary to the words of our Sauiour and the whole vſe of the ancient Chriſtians abuſe the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, partly by adding, and partly by diminiſhing, from the ſame, when our Sauiour ſpake theſe words, hoc eſt corpus meum: This is my Body, hee expounded himſelfe preſently ſaying, it is the Spirit that giueth life, the Fleſh profiteth nothing. Theſe words are ſpoken ſpiritually, therefore you muſt vnderſtand them ſpiritually. Saint Auguſtine in his Commentaries vponupon the 98. Pſalme ſaith, you ſhall not eate this Body that you ſee, neither ſhall you drinke that Bloud which vponupon the Croſſe was once ſhed: for our Sauior recommended vntounto vsus a Sacrament (to wit) that which you ſee on the Table is Bread, and that which you ſee in the Cup is wine, but touching that wherein your faith is to be inſtructed, is the Body and Bloud of Chriſt For as Baptiſme doth change a man according to grace, yet notwithſtanding he remaines the ſelfeſame man according to viſible meaſure as he did before, but inuiſibly by grace is made another man; outwardly nothing is added, but inwardly all is changed: So in the bleſſed Sacrament, outwardly nothing is changed, but there remaineth true Bread and true Wine, but inwardly by faith, we apprehend the Body and Bloud of Chriſt.
But theſe words which our Sauiour ſpake figuratiuely, the Papiſts expounds them literally, and thereby they cauſe the people to commit Idolatry, by adoring Bread as God: for they hold that after the words of Conſecration, there remaineth no longer Bread nor Wine, but there is really and Tranſubſtantially the Body and Bloud of Chriſt. But Saint Peter ſaith, that the Heauens muſt containe the Body of Chriſt vntill the end of the World.
Now if Chriſts Body bee in Heauen; then it cannot bee in the Earth at once, and the ſame time: for as Saint Auguſtine, Tractatu 3. in Iohannem. Corpus Domini in quo reſurrexit, vno tantum in loco eſſe poteſt. If they ſay that it is done by miracle in the Sacrament, then it ſhould be viſible, to the outward eye and ſences. When Chriſt turned water into Wine, it was viſible Wine. When Moſes Rod was turned into a Serpent, it was a viſible Serpent, and ſo if the Bread be turned into the Body, and the Wine into the Bloud of Chriſt, it muſt alſo be a viſible body.
But if they expound theſe words of our Sauiour, hoc eſt corpus meum literally, to belong vntounto all, why ſhould they not alſo expound the words following literally, that when he tooke the Cup, he ſaid, This is my bloud, ſhould be appertayning to all aſwel as the Bread. In the old Law Circumciſion was called the Lords Couenant, when it was not the Couenant but a Signe thereof: For the Couenant was this to Abraham: Ego ero Deus tuus & Deus ſeminis tui.
Likewiſe the Paſcall Lambe was called the Paſſeouer of the Lord, when it was but the ſigne of the Paſſeouer, as paſſing ouer the red Sea, ſo that it may ſtand with good Reaſon, that Chriſt called the Bread his Body, as hee called the Paſcall Lambe his Paſſeouer, and yet was but a ſigne thereof, ſo the Bread is called his Body, and is but a ſigne or remembrance of the ſame: and therefore it is called a Sacrament becauſe that in it one thing is ſeene, and another thing vnderſtood that which is ſeene is Bread, and Wine, and hath a viſible apparance or forme, but that which is vnderſtood hath a ſpirituall vſe and profit.
So that the thing which ſignifieth, is oft-times called by the name of the thing which it ſignifieth, as Saint Paul calleth the Rocke Chriſt, yet it was not Chriſt by ſubſtance, but by ſignification; euen ſo our Sauiour ſaid, This is my Body, when he gaue Bread the ſigue of his Body, and the Apoſtle ſaid, the Rock was Chriſt, for that the Rocke which they ſpake of ſignified Chriſt. The Goſpell ſtandeth not in the words of the Scripture but in the meaning.
Therefore Saint Paul ſaith, that the Communicant doth eate Bread after Conſecration; for if the Bread were wholy and truly Tranſubſtantiated into the Body of Chriſt, hence it followeth that eueryevery one that doth receiue the ſacrament doth alſo eate the Body of Chriſt, and conſequently cannot be damned. For our Sauiour ſaith, He that eateth my Fleſh, and drinketh my Bloud hath eternall life: & ſo by this rule the wicked ſhall be ſaued as well as the godly. Moreouer if Chriſt be preſent according to his humane Nature, then is it no Sacrament: for eueryevery Sacrament is a ſigne, & inanis eſt ſigni viſus vbi resipſa preſens eſt the ſigne is to no effect, where the thing it ſelfe is preſent. And it is to be noted likewiſe, that the ſigne muſt hauehave ſome Analogie with the thing that it ſignifieth: Now the thing ſignified is the Body and Bloud of Chriſt, which is true meate & true drinke, as our Sauiour himſelfe witneſſeth, in St. Iohns Goſpell, but the ſpecies or accidents of Bread and Wine are not true meate, nor true drinke, & by that meanes cannot giuegive any fit proportion with the thing ſignified by them. Further it is an Axiome in Phyloſophy, that accidentis eſſe eſt in eſſe, that the being of an accident is to be in ſome ſubiect. But theſe accidents as colour, ſauour and roundneſſe, they cannot bee in any ſubiect and ſo by conſequence they cannot exiſt in the Sacrament.
For they cannot be in the body of Chriſt becauſe it is glorified: but the accidents are ſubiect to corruption; and therfore they muſt either exiſt without a ſubiect, which is contrary to Phyloſophy, or elſe to bee ſeated in the Body of Chriſt which is now glorified, and this is impoſſible. It is further to be noted that the Church of Rome doth mutilate and curtall this Sacrament, for they take the bloud of our Sauiour (which is our redemption) from the lay-people: yet certaine it is that our Sauiour did inſtitute this Sacrament vnderunder both kinds, and as he ſaid to all, take & eate, this is my Body: So did he likewiſe ſpeake vntounto all, when he deliuered the Cup; ſaying, drinke ye all of this? and Saint Paul writing to the Corinthians ſayth, As often as ye eate of this Bread, and drinke of this Cup, ye ſhew forth the Lords death vntill he come
For as Alexander of Hailes ſaith, whole Chriſt is not conteyned vnderunder each kind, but the Fleſh only vnderunder the forme of Bread, and the Bloud vnderunder the forme of Wine. And heere vponupon Gelaſius, Pope, made a Decree that they ſhould either receiue the whole vnderunder both kinds, or receiue none at all vnderunder any kinde: For there can bee no deuiſion of this one Sacrament and high miſtery, without great Sacriledge; ſo that by their owne Doctors it is euident that they commit great Sacriledge in deuiding this Sacrament, and do much abuſe the people of God in deceiuing them of the precious Bloud of our Sauiour.
The 5. Motiue which mooued mee to perſiſt in this my enterpriſe, is, that the Pope challengeth authority vntounto himſelfe to forgiue ſinnes, and thereupon ſendeth forth his Bulls, Pardons, and Indulgences, pardoning whom he liſt, and as he liſt, as if he were God himſelfe, hauing abſolute power to do what he liſt, inſomuch as Traytors and Rebels againſt God and their lawfull Prince, hee will not only pardon without exception, but he will enable them in their damnable courſes, to the ouerthrowing of themſelues and their Princes. What the Religion of Rome is, it may eaſily appeare by this, that a man may hauehave for money a Licence, or diſpenſation for any ſinne, a Popes pardon is ſufficient for all: but to what end ſerueth pardons, when as there is no Purgatorie? for neither the ancient Fathers make mention of it, and the Grecians vntill this day beleeue it not. Silueſter Prierias in his Booke againſt Luther, ſaith, that Pardons are not knowne vntounto vsus by any authority of the Scriptures, but by authorie of the Pope, which is greater then the authority of the Scriptures: Vox bouis non hominis. It is the voice or ſaying of ſome Beaſt, and not of any Chriſtian man.
Certaine I am that the Pope cannot juſtifie an vnrighteous man whom God abhorreth, neither can he condemn the faithfull whō God doth much tender and fauour: therfore his Pardons are rather pernitious then any whit commodious to the perſons that buy them, bearing them in peace and ſecurity, when indeede they are in much perill and miſery.
VVhere doe they find that the Pope hath any ſuperiority ouer Kings, Princes, or Emperours; that hee hath any authority to depoſe them from their Crownes, and dignities, and to abſolue their ſubiects from their Oath and Allegeance which they hauehave ſworne vntounto their Princes: That vponupon his Excommunication it is lawfull for them to rebell againſt them, and ſo practiſe all Hoſtility to depoſe them?
There is not one word ſentence or place out of the Scripture to proue it; no precept or example of antiquity to warrant it, and yet they commend it for a chiefe point and ground of Catholike and Chriſtian faith.
By what right doth he claime this ſupreme authority: if he clayme it as a ſucceſſor of St. Peter, it is impoſſible, for that Saint Peter neuer had any ſuch Title or preeminence ouer the reſt of the Apoſtles.
It is true that Chriſt ſaid to Peter, Thou art Peter, and vponupon this Rock I wil build my Church. Theſe words hitherto giuegive no ſuperiority to Peter aboue the reſt. Only they ſhew that the Church is built non ſuper petrum ſed ſuper Petram, not vponupon the perſon of Peter but vponupon the Rocke: Of which Saint Paul ſaith, Petra autem erat Chriſtus, the Rock was Chriſt, whom Saint Peter confeſſed to be the Sonne of the euerliuing God.
This confeſſion of Saint Peter is, that Chriſt is the Rock wherevpon the Church is builded, aliud fundamentum nemo, poteſt ponere niſi id quod poſitum eſt Chriſtus Ieſus. Other Foundation can no man lay, but that which is laid already: namely, Chriſt Ieſus.
Where then ſhall wee find that Peter was made Prince of the Apoſtles, to rule ouer all the reſt, as our Popes doe now?
But what hath the Pope to doe with Peter? or what doth the Pope doe as Saint Peter did? Saint Peter did conuert ſoules, plant Churches, and preach the Word of God vntounto all Nations, but in what Pulpit hath our Popes euer ſet foote? where hauehave they preached the Goſpell or expounded the Word.
The firſt Leſſon that Saint Peter teacheth vsus, is to feare God, the next is, to Honour the King. Quis haec eſt voluntas Dei, for this is the will of God. But the Popes ſay, that they are Princes aboue Nations and Kingdomes: they can depoſe Kings, and pull downe Emperours, they hauehave authority ouer their ſubiects, to diſcharge them from their Oathes, they hauehave the right and clayme vntounto both ſwords, as well temporall as ſpirituall: And that all Kings and Princes ought to depend at their beck, and to ſweare obedience, vntounto their holineſſe, as to their ſupreame heads and Soueraignes, vnderunder the paine and loſſe of all their Dominions.
We reade that Boniface the eight becauſe he could not hauehave the treaſury of France, at his command, endeauoured by all meanes poſſible to remoue Phillip the French King from his eſtate, and vnderunder his Bulls and Letters Pattents, made a deede of gift of all the ſtate of France vntounto Albertus then King of the Romans.
As touching the Kings of this our Realme of England: as our duty and alleageance bindeth vsus, we may iuſtly complaine that Pope Alexander the 3. by violence and tyrranny forced King Henry the ſecond to ſurrender vp his Crowne Imperiall into his Legats hands, and afterward for a certaine ſpace to cōtent him in priuate eſtate, to the great indignation and griefe of his louing ſubiects. Like wiſe that Innocentius the 3. ſtirred vp the Nobles and Commons of this Realme againſt King Iohn, and gaue the inheritance & poſſeſſion of all his Dominions vntounto Ludeuicus the French King, Pius Quintus of late dayes gaue away his Kingdome to Philip the 2. King of Spaine. Shall any one thinke that theſe be deeds of holines, and that he doth all this by right and equity through vertue of his ſpirituall priuiledge.
Surely no, it is meere ſacriledge againſt God, and tyrranny ouer his Princes and Vice-gerents, and not the part of any Miniſter of Chriſt or ſucceſſor of the Apoſtles.
For firſt Chriſt himſelfe ſaith, that his Kingdome is not of this world. He himſelfe likewiſe refuſed to be made a King. He himſelfe payd tribute vntounto Caeſar, and commanded others to do the ſame, ſaying, giuegive vntounto Caeſar thoſe things that bee Caeſars.
Now if Chriſt himſelfe was ſubiect vntounto Caeſar, and commanded all others to be ſubiect and obedient vntounto him, it is a ſhame for the Byſhop of Rome to exalt himſelfe aboue Caeſar, and to animate others againſt him. Imperium in Principe & obedientia in ſubdito, eſt de inre diuino, Rule in the Prince, and obedience in the Subiect, are both immediatly from God; and as eueryevery member of the body naturall muſt ſubiect it ſelfe vntounto the rule and regiment of the head if it meane to liue and thriue: So muſt eueryevery ſubiect in the body politicke, be ſubiect and gouerned by the Prince which is the head of all, and aboue all. And therefore they are called in the Pſalmes Voseſtis Dij, yee are as Gods, ſo that he which contemneth them, contemneth God; they are called nourſing Fathers, that we ſhould alwayes louelove and reuerence them like vntounto our Fathers; they are alſo called Kings Princes and Rulers of the Earth, which are Names and Titles of honour, ſo that thoſe whom God vouchſafeth thus to Honour, we ought without all contradiction, to louelove, honour, and obey. Therefore eueryevery ſoule that is ſubiect to God muſt bee ſubiect to them, becauſe he that calleth them Kings calleth vsus ſubiects: this is their Patent that God hath choſen them Kings, and ſet them vponupon the Throne to rule his people, and hath commanded eueryevery ſoule to be ſubiect vntounto their power Si omnis anima, if eueryevery ſoule muſt be ſubiect vntounto their power, then doubtleſſe muſt both Popes and Byſhops bee ſubiect to their Prince: Qui vos tentat ab hac vniuer ſalitate excipere conatur decipere. He that goeth about to exempt you from this vniuerſall Law, goeth about to beguile you. For our Sauiour as hee commanded it, ſo did hee in his owne perſon performe it. Exemplum dedit vobis vt ſicut ipſe fecit & vos faciatis: Hee left you an example that as hee did, ſo ſhould you alſo doe.
So that it is a thing moſt certaine that the Pope of Rome hath no authority ouer Kings either in Eccleſiaſticall or Temporall matters, but is therein an Vſurper, Intruder, and a moſt odious Traytor, both to God and Prince: for all the ancient Churches hauehave affirmed, and euer acknowledged, the ſupreame auhority of Princes, aboue all Prieſts and people whatſoeuer.
Tertullian an ancient Doctor and Prieſt, in his Booke ad Scapulam, hath theſe words, Colimus Imperatorem vt hominem a Deo ſecundum & ſoli Deo minorem: Wee honour the Prince as next and imediatly vntounto God, & inferior only vntounto God. And in his Apologeticks, he ſaith, that Principes ſunt a Deo ſecundi poſt eum primi ante omnes & ſuper omnes: That Kings and Princes are the ſecond to God, next vntounto God, aboue all and ouer all. Optatus lib. 3. Contra Parmenianum ſaith, that ſupra Imperatorem non eſt niſi ſolus Deus qui fecit Imperatorem. It was the Lord which appointed Moſes, Ioſua, Dauid and his poſterity to rule ouer Iſrael, It was the Lord which moued the peoples heart to feare honour and obey them, for as eueryevery beame is from the Sunne, and eueryevery Branch is from the Roote, ſo doth eueryevery power proceede from God, ſo that it is Deiure deuino, that Kings hauehave rule ouer their ſubiects, and therefore all ſubiects by the Law of God and nature are bound to honour and obey their Princes.
Good Kings are Gods Images, and euill Princes are his Executioners: Aſher, was his Rod; Nabuchadonezer, his ſeruant; and Cyrus, was his anoynted: And therefore aibeit God vſeth them as a Father doth his rod, firſt to correct his children by them, and then breaketh and throweth them away, yet the children and beloued of the Lord muſt ſubmit themſelues vnderunder his inſtrument of correction.
The Rubenites, Gaddits, and halfe the Tribe of Manaſſes, ſaid to Salomon, whoſoeuer ſhall reſiſt thy will, or will not obey whatſoeuer thou commandeſt, let him bee put to death. So that in Iſrael whether their Kings were faithfull or vngodly, the people euer yeelded ciuill faith and obedience. For as Saint Peter ſaith, this is the will of God, and whoſoeuer reſiſteth this obedience, reſiſteth the will of God, and ſo heapeth vntounto himſelfe vengeance againſt the day of wrath: and ſo cōſequently this doctrine of rebelling againſt Princes muſt needs be very damnable and odious, and worthy to be contemned of all thoſe that feare God. But it is not my purpoſe or intent to ſet downe heere in particular all the erronious parts of Doctrine at this preſent profeſſed and embraced in the Church of Rome; for there are many other points & pernicious grounds by me obſerued, which in no point agreeth with the word of God, but I ſuppoſe that theſe few poſitions which I hauehave already touched may bee ſufficient enough to make it manifeſt vntounto the world that I hauehave enterpriſed nothing without good reaſon; & that my conſcience could neuer hauehave ſuffered mee to hauehave liued in quiet and reſt, if I had done any otherwiſe: all which things duly and carefully ballanced in my mind, hauehave exceedingly ſtirred me vp to this my pious reſolution.
It is a difficult thing to reſiſt Gods voice, to fight againſt the truth; which diſcouereth her ſelfe ſo apparantly; my conſcience ſtill vrging me, I could doe no leſſe then retire my ſelfe back vntounto the Lord, from whom I hauehave long erred & gone aſtray, ſaying as Ariſtotle was wont to ſay, Socrates is my friend, & ſo is Plato my friend, but the friendſhip of the truth is far aboue all. I can no longer beare witneſſe againſt God, it is no longer ſecure, to call good euill, or euill good, light darkeneſſe, or darkeneſſe light. I muſt not be aſhamed of the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt, for it is the mighty power of God vntounto ſaluation: It is now high time to ſet aſide all blinde affection, and to iudge vprightly. It is dangerous to ioyne with them that hauehave burnt Gods Word; and ſcornefully called it a leaden rule, & a Noſe made of waxe, that call ignorance the mother of Deuotion, & dumb Images Lay mens Bookes, who forbid marriage, and lycence Concubines, who hauehave deuiſed vntounto themſelues a ſtrange Religion, contrary to the Scriptures, ancient Counſels, old doctors, and example of the Primatiue Church: whom ſo many Kingdomes, countries and infinite thouſands of godly people hauehave forſaken: From whom the holy Ghoſt by expreſſe words hath commanded vsus to depart: as it is written in the Apocalips, Come away from her O my people that ye be not partakers of her ſinnes, leſt ye be alſo partakers of her plagues: for ſhe hath falſified the holy farthers with ſuch tranſlations and expoſitions, not as may beſt expreſſe their meanings, but as may beſt further their owne pretenſes, and purpoſes, they wreſt them, they alter them, they put to them, and take from them: ſometimes they take the bare words againſt the meaning, and ſometimes they frame a meaning againſt the words: they imagine counſels that were neuer lied, Canons of counſels that were neuer ſeene, they bring forged Pamphlets vnderunder the name of Athanaſius. Anacletus, and other godly Fathers by whom they were neuer made. Theſe are not errors in manners which may be in any good Church, but they are errors in Faith and Doctrine, which cannot ſtand with the true Church. And therefore as Saint Ciprian ſaith, let not lies deceiue vsus any longer, it is night vntill the day ſpring, but when the Day appeareth, and the Sunne of truth is vp, both the darkeneſſe of the night, as alſo the thefts committed in darkeneſſe will appeare and giuegive place. Now the Sunne of truth is vp, and the Clouds of ignorance are ſcattered, I will ſay with Saint Paul, Let vsus caſt away darkeneſſe, and put on the armour of light: To maintaine a fault knowne, is a double fault: Errour cannot ſtand but by errour, and the mouth that ſpeaketh vntruth killeth the ſoule. Therefore I may ſafely and ioyfully ſay, Bonum eſt mihi domine, quia humiliaſti me, vt diſcam inſtiſicationes tuas, It is good for me that I hauehave beene in trouble, for thereby I hauehave learned thy truth.
O my God leade, me in the truth, teach mee to do thy will. Albeit I hauehave erred and ſtrayed like a loſt ſheepe, Ego tamen filius tuus; & fillius ancillae tuae, Yet I am as child of thine inheritance, and borne and brought vp of thy Handmayd, which is thy Church and Spouſe. Open mine eyes, & ſuffer me not to be deceiued by the abuſes of the world: Sweete Ieſus confirme me in this my reſolution, helpe my vnbeliefe, increaſe the Faith which is within me; fructifie in me that aſſurance of Abraham who beleeued in hope againſt hope: arme me with thy promiſes: deliuer me from mine enemines: repleniſh me with the Spirit of conſtancy, to the end, and in the end, that hauing gotten the victory, I may ſay with the Apoſtle Paul, Bonum certamē certaui, fidē ſeruaui, curſū, conſummani, de reliqu… repoſita eſt mihi corona iuſtitiae quam reddit mihi in ill… die Iuſtus index. 2. Tim. 4.7.8. I hauehave fought a good fight, I hauehave finiſhed my courſe, I hauehave kept the Faith. 8. Henceforth there is laid vp for me a Crowne of Righteouſnes, which the Lord the righteous Iudge ſhall giuegive mee at that Day.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Harding, A Recantation (1620)