The Godly Mans Journey to Heaven, Treatise 7 · Robber 4
THE FOVRTH ROBBER is the Popish Seminarie, malciously stealing from the babes of God that cleane bloudie and onelyonly propitiatorie sacrifice offered vntounto God the Father by that blessed hie Priest of our soules Iesus; and subtiltie obtruding to them that vncleane bloudie, and no wayes purging, but alwayes defiling sacrifice of the Masse, offered vp (alas) not vntounto God (as the Papist alledgeth) but to the diuell (as he should confesse) by his Masse-Priest.
SEing,Wherfore was this vile Masse forged by the Papist. ô my soule, that vile sacrifice of the Masse was first inuented without confidence, & then vented with a shamelesse countenance, specially because of this forged and fained fire of Purgatorie to be a tongs or flesh-hooke, or rather a theeuish Egyptian hand, to pull out money of poore mens purses. Let vsus trie if Scripture will fauor the tonges, and flesh-hookes of the Masse, more then it fauors the fire of Purgatory. Sure I am, ô my soule that the first inuenters of this vnbloudie (albeit not vngreedie) sacrifice of that mischeuous monstrous Masse, neuer dreamed that holy Scripture should hauehave fauored it, or furthered them in maintaining of it, albeit the other venters of it, (non efferentes verum sensum ex Scripturis sed inferentes falsum sensum in Scriptur as: not bringing forth a true interpretation and meaning out of Scripture, but throwing forcible a false interpretation, and meaning vponupon Scripture) hauehave (peruerting Scripture to their owne condemnation,2. Epist. 3. cap. as Peter speaketh) pressed to make Scripture sound their, way. The name of the Masse the Papist shall not find iu Scripture, and this the most learned among them will not deny, for I perswade my selfe that they are long ago ashamed of that brutish conclusion, gathered by the Doctros of Sarbon at Paris, vponupon the end of Pauls Epistles, shewing whence they were written, and sounding in the Latine tongue thus. Missa est, and so forth; affirming that Paul did thereby giuegive men to vnderstand that they should go to heare Masse on Sunday. And therefore I must pray thee, ô my soule, let me here enquire of the Papist first, what sacrifice this his sacrifice of the Masse is? Secondly, what is that which he sacrificeth when he offereth it vp? and these two questions being answered by him, I shall shew thee (God-willing) what thy God speaketh to thee by his owne mouth out of Scripture, and hath deliuered for thy resolution and establishment about this point. The Papist will answer thee, ô my soule, that his sacrifice of the Masse is an externall, reall, vnbloudie, propitiatorie sacrifice, in the which the true bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ be offered vp to God his Father, by the Masse priest, vnderunder the shape, forme, and fashion of bread and wine, and that for the sinnes of the liuing on earth here, and for the dead in Purgatorie. I know, ô my soule, that the Masse priest knowes that he hath no conscience in extolling and defending of this his sacrifice, and yet I cannot but wonder how he hath the face to offer it vp, and to eate it when he hath done with it. Grants he not, ô my soule, that it is an outward sacrifice? now if it be an outward sacrifice, it must necessarily be a visible sacrifice, all outward things being visible? If it be a visible sacrifice, then necessarily that which is offered vp into it must be seene, for how can an outward sacrifice be vnderstood, vnlesse the sacrifice offered vp into it be perceiued? Stoope forwards here, ô my soule, and with courage demand the Masse priest, what he offers vp to God, and so what he vnderstands by the sacrifice whilst he cals his Masse an outward, reall sacrifice? Himselfe I thinke he offers not vp, himselfe I thinke he vnderstands not by that sacrifice which he offers vp, nor his altar, nor the many ceremonies vsed by him, nor those hundred crosses ouer and ouer made by him. The bodie of Christ, saith the priest, stands by his sacrifice: that I heare, but is Christs bodie in that sacrifice of the Masse outward and visible? aduise with thy senses, by the which outward things are perceiued, ô Masse priest, most sensible of siluer, but altogether senslesse of thy Sauiour, and then if thou hast any conscience, answer me as thou wilt be answerable to God: seest thou the bodie of Christ in this thy sacrifice of the Masse? smellest thou it? tastest thou it? touchest thou it? But the accidents of the bread are seene (alledgeth the Masse priest) as the roundnesse of it, the colour of it, yea the taste and smell of it are also perceiued, and these be outward and externall. That I grant to be true. But alwayes, ô Masse priest, when all this is done, either thou must offer these accidents to God, and these must be thy sacrifice, which thou deniest, or else thou must offer vp to God an outward visible sacrifice without an outward visible offering, which cannot possibly be: or lastly, that one and the same sacrifice must be outward and inward, visible and inuisible. But it may be, ô my soule, that the Masse priest who hath learned his tongue so grosly to contrarie God, can easily digest these contrarieties. Forget not then, ô my soule, that the Papist doth confesse that Christs bodie is offered vp in the Masse, and yet that it is inuisible in the Masse, and therefore see that thou, throwing his owne false doctrine in his owne soules face, say to him, vponupon his owne grounds, that his Masse can be no visible sacrifice, and if it be no visible, that it cannot be outward as he affirmeth.No remission of sins without bloud. But will Scripture agree with an vnbloudie sacrifice promising remission of sinnes? I trow not, ô my soule, for speakes not Scripture thus:Heb. 9. 22. Without shedding of bloud there is no remission. Will Scripture allow the offering vp of Christ by a priest for the sinnes of any? I trow not, ô my soule, …or be not these the speeches of the Spirit:Heb. 10. 10. 11. 12. 13. We are sanctified by the offering vp of the bodie of Iesus Christ once made. EueryEvery Priest appeareth daily ministring, and ofttimes offereth any manner of offering, which can neuer take away sinnes. But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sinnes, sitteth for euer at the right hand of God, and from hence forth tarrieth till his enemies be made his footstoole. Heb. 9. 24, 25. 26. 27. 28.For with one offering hath he consecrated for euer them that are sanctified. Christ hath entered into the verie heauen to appeare now in the sight of God for vsus, not that he should offer himselfe often, as the high Priests entred into the holy place eueryevery yeare with other bloud, (for then must he hauehave often suffered since the foundation of the world) but now in the end of the world, hath he appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrificing of himselfe, and as it is appointed to men that they shall once dye, and after that commeth iudgement, so Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many, and vntounto them that looke for him shall he appeare the second time without sinne vntounto saluation. And in that fame place: Christ being an hie Priest of good things to come, Heb. 9. 11. 12.by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is not of this building, neither by the bloud of goates, and calues, but by his owne bloud, entred he in once into the holy place, and obtained eternall redemption for vsus. And againe: For such an high Priest it became vsus to hauehave which is holy, Heb. 7. 26. 27. 28.harmelesse, and vndefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher then the heauens, which needeth not daily as these high Priests to offer vp sacrifice, first for his owne sinnes, and then for the peoples; for that did he once when he offered vp himself, for the Law maketh men high priests which hauehave infirmitie, but the word of the oath which was since the Law maketh the Sonne who is consecrate for euermore. Consider these Scriptures, ô my soule, and then calling to minde the fond conceites of the false greedie priest about his Masse, iudge, I pray thee, how these grounds can possibly stand together: Christs offering once made, and Christs offering not once made; Christs offering once offered, and Christs offering daily offered, yea daily to be offered while the world lasts; Christ once offered, and Christ not once offered, but often to be offered; Christ offered once by himselfe, and to be offered often by the priest. But all these contrarieties be easily digested by that man, ô my soule, who can treade the pathes of the old Scribes and Pharises: for ô how iustly may that be spoken of the Masse priest this day sacrificing his vnbloudie sacrifice of the Masse, that holding in his forged fire of Purgatorie, he may thereby kindle vp to himselfe, and alwayes keepe in his closet, an hote fire to warme himselfe) which was spoken long ago of the Pharises, of whom Chrysostome writeth thus: Magis cupiebant vt lege manente in vsu essent sacrificia quibus ipsi ditabantur, Chrys. on Mat. 23. hom. 44.non Deus; quam lege cessante, sacrificium iustitiae veniret in vsum, quo Deus delectatur & homines iustificantur. They desired rather, that the Law, these sacrifices standing, might remaine in vse, by the which they were inriched, and not God; then that the Law ceassing that sacrifice of righteousnesse should hauehave place, with the which alone God is well pleased, and by the which sinfull man is made righteous. Now I appeale to thy conscience, ô Masse priest, whither thou wishest that thy vnbloudie sacrifice of the Masse, whereby thou art inriched, and God is grieued, should stand in constant vigor, as it hath done with thee, or that it should ceasse and be reiected of all men, as it was neuer ordained of God, to the end that all men euerie where might hauehave recourse onelyonly to that onelyonly bloudie propitiatorie sacrifice once offered vp by Christ, and neuer to be offered vp againe, albeit it be that onelyonly sacrifice wherein God delighteth, and whereby euerlasting righteousnesse is attained by man. But while the Masse priest finds himselfe thus by Scripture to be straited, with Satan his maister tempting my Sauiour, he dare flie to Scripture, and presse euen by it to make all he hath alledged good (about the retention of the temporarie punishment due to sin) after the guilt thereof and eternall punishment belonging to man,The Popish alledgances for the retention of the temporarie punishmēt after that remission of the guilt and eternal punishmēt. for it is remitted. Reade we not (will the Masse priest say) by Moses, in the 3. of Genesis, that howbeit Adam after his fall was certified by that sweet Euangelicke Sermon sounded i… his eares, that by faith in the seed of the woman promised, he should be freed from the guilt of his sin, and eternall death due thereunto: yet we find that Adam beside this must endure the first death, be cast out of the earthly paradise, and hauehave his bodie afflicted with many troubles and miseries. Surely reade we not that notwithstanding Dauid had his adulterie and murther remitted, yet he was sharpely punished with temporarie scourges, for as Scripture tels vsus the child which was borne dyed according to Gods threatning: Ammon his sonne defiled Tamar his daughter, Absolon his sonne slue Ammon his brother, yea Absolon his sonne put first his old father out of the doores, & after defiled his concubines before the Sun, whereof it is manifest (saith the Masse priest) that after God hath remitted the great and eternall punishment of sinne to his owne, that they themselues must suffer for the temporarie, either here before death, or after death in Purgatory. Lift vp thine eares, ô my soule, and heare I pray thee, he whom heresie hath once blinded, can very hardly be enlightened by veritie: yea, he who with Iudas seekes the bagge, cannot be kept backe from betraying Iesus, for any thing Iesus can speake to him, Iesus can do to him. If thou hast any conscience, ô Masse priest, tell me as thou wilt answer to God, if no other thing moues our wise God, after he hath freely and fully forgiuen his children for the merits of his dearest child Iesus, to correct and afflict them, but that thereby they may satisfie his iustice for the temporarie punishment due to them for sinne? If thou shalt suffer Scripture to leade thee, and not thy owne greedie heart to miscarrie thee, thou shalt find that no wayes, for that cause, but for maine other good deeds doth our God so behaue himselfe towards his owne. First, that the bodie of sinne in them may by peece and peece be crucified,Wherfore corrects our God those whō he remitteth. and mortified, least otherwayes they falling forth in new sins should proue dogges returning to their vomite, & swine to their puddle. The sense hereof moued, Dauid to say: It is good for me that I hauehave bene afflicted, Psal. 119. 71.that I may learne thy statutes. Secondly, this is done by our wise God, to the end that these his corrections may supply ye roome of as many speaking, wise Maisters, alwayes sounding in the eares of Gods children that notable iewell receiued by them, euen the remission of their sinnes, together with the dutie they should discharge vntounto God for the same. This moued Dauid in the place alledged to say: Before I was afflicted I went astray, Psal. 119. 67.but now I keepe thy word. Chrysostome Chrysost.seeing this which the Papist cannot see, could say. Deus imponit paenam non exigens supplicia pro peccatis, sed ad futura nos corrigens. God layes correction vponupon his owne, not exacting any punishment for sinnes, but correcting vsus for the time to come. Yea, this moued Augustine to say. Res prosphera donum est Dei consolantis, res aduersa donum Dei admonentis. Prosperitie is the gift of God comforting men; aduersitie is the gift of God admonishing men. Thirdly, this is done least sinne (which is both freely and fully remitted of God with all punishment due thereto) should be extenuate and accounted light, either by the committers, or by others looking on them, and in the end not onelyonly excused, but defended by them to their condemnation. This moued the Apostle to say,1. Cor. 11. 32. When we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord, because we should not be condemned with the world. Fourthly, that sinners being thus recōciled to God through the remission of their sinnes, and yet out of his wonderfull, wise louelove corrected by him, might alwayes carrie about with them some tokens of that sinne which lodgeth within them, and doth sometime fully burst out of them, leading them alwayes with the sound, to the sight of their blacke feete, and making them to walke more holily, and humbly before God, crying alwayes with that great Apostle,Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death. Fiftly, to the end that th…se corrections wisely layed vponupon them by their God, might hauehave a solid matter of spirituall exercise to them, not onelyonly acquainting them with the great weaknesse and imperfection of their faith and repentance, but stirring them vp to hauehave them from day to day, more and more increased and strengthened.August. Augustine seeing this, could write most prudently about this point thus: Posset aliquis dicere, si propter peccatum dixit Deus homini, in sudore vultus tui edes panem tuum & spinas, & tribulos proferit tibi terra; cur fideles post remissionem peccatorum, eosdem dolores patiuntur? Respondet, ante remissionem esse supplicia peccatorum, post remissionem, esse certamina exercitationesque iustorum, Some man might say, if God said vntounto man for his sinne, in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread, and the earth shall bring forth thrones and thistles to thee: wherefore doth the faithfull after the remission of their sins suffer the like troubles, He answers: before remission of sinnes these things be punishments sinnes, but after remission they are trials and exercises of the iustified children of God. O when shall the lying Seminaries hearken to that of the Apostle.Heb. 12. 6. 7. Whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth, If you indure chastening, God offereth himselfe vntounto you as to sonnes. Reuel. 3. 19.As manie as I louelove I rebuke and chasten. Now if these corrections which be layed by our blessed God vponupon his children, do not onelyonly flow from that sweetest well of that louelove, wherewith his Maiestie doth louelove them in his blessed Sonne, but also by euident and sure pledges of that louelove; can these corrections suffered by Gods children be possibly satisfactions for his iustice for sin? I charge thee therefore, ô my soule, that remaining within my bodie, thou countenance no sacrifice, besides that onelyonly bloudie sacrifice, offered once onelyonly vp by thy great hie Priest Iesus God,Esay 53. and man vponupon the crosse vntounto his Father for thee,2. Cor. 5. as thou desirest to be freed of the burthen of my sinnes, and of all punishment due to me for them. I charge thee that thou neuer lend thy eare to the sound of anie Purgatorie,Iohn 1. besides that cleane and cleansing pure bloud of that blessed Lambe of God who takes away the sinnes of the world,1. Iohn 1. and whose bloud cleanseth thee from all sinne,Aug. in Epist. 171. euer crying with Augustine, Passio Domini pretium est orbis terrarum: The suffering of the Lord Iesus is the redemption of the world; and neuer forget to solace and cherish thy selfe in the middest of all extremities with that of Bernard: Bern.Passio tua Domine vltimum refugium est, singulare remedium; deficiente sapientia, iustitia non sufficiente, sanctitatis succumbentibus meritis: Thy passion ô Lord Iesus is my last refuge, my singular remedie, when my wisedome failes, when my righteousnesse is not sufficient; and when the merites of my holinesse do succumbe and are brought to nought, thy onelyonly passion doth helpe me.
Oh, ô my soule, when shall the blindfold Papists (who partly avow that they do see, and who in this respect cannot but sinne grossely, and go on in sinne fearefully) beginne to perswade that they be blinde; to the end that through the tender mercies of God they may be freed from their sins? Could the Popish Seminaries (the sowers of Satans poyson, and people with the proud Pharisees, and who with,Esay 60 6. 3. the counterfet old idolatrous Iewes do offer swines bloud, and blesse an Idol) begin to learne to discerne betwixt that great and onelyonly Maiesticke high sacrificing Priest, Iesus, and their greedie and only mercenarie, slauish, sacrificing priest; would they beginne now at length (hauing stumbled so long at that lanterne of the blessed word of God,Marke the opposition which is betwixt Christ and his sacrifice and the Popish priest and his sacrifice and sinned against the light of their owne consciences,) to make a difference betwixt that bloudie sacrifice offered vp by Iesus, and these vnbloudie sacrifices now authorised and offered vp by them and their leaders, the Iesuites? O how farre would they adore the one, and abhorre the other! O with how swift feete would they runne towards the one, and flee from the other! Yea, ô how often would they present the one before the Lord their God, as that onelyonly ransome which is onelyonly able to satisfie his iustice for their monstrous debt of sinne, and repent before God and man thar euer they presented themselues before the other, which is nothing else but that odde abomination, wherby that debt of sinne is not onelyonly kept ouer the head of man, but also fearefully augmented and increased, swearing solemnely neuer to countenance that Idoll. The heart of the sacrificer Iesus, ô my soule, as Scripture witnesseth was the heart of a Lambe beyond all measure, gentle and pitifull, which neuer deuised any crueltie, which neuer consented to any crueltie. The mouth of that sacrificer Iesus was the truest mouth, the sweetest mouth that euer man spake with, neuer vttering any falsehood, neuer colouring, or couering anie crueltie to the preiudice or hurt of anie. The hand of that sacrificer Iesus, was the cleanest hand that euer man carried, the most liberall hand that euer man had, helping thousands, but neuer hurting one; sauing, and healing thousands, but neuer slaying or harming so much as one; albeit that sacrifice offred vp by this gentle, pitifull, true, sweet, liberall, and euer helping and sauing, but neuer harming or slaying sacrifice, was bloudie, yea was as it had bene nothing but all bloudie, his head, his side, his hands, his feete, being all couered therewith, so that not without cause some of the ancients could apply that of Isaiah to this blessed Sacrificer Iesus. Esay 61. 1. 2. 3.Who is this that cometh from Edom, with red garments from Bozrah? he is glorious in his apparell, and walketh in his great strength, I speake in righteousnesse, and am mightie to saue? wherefore is thine apparell red, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine presse? I hauehave tread the wine presse alone, aud of all the people there was none with me. But, ô my soule, will not the Papist confesse (considering long and fearefull experience will testifie against him) that the heart of his sacrificing Priest is the heart of a lion, beyond measure fierce and false, deuising crueltie, approuing crueltie; that the mouth of his sacrificing Priest is the mouth of a diuell, hauing alwayes deceite & falsehood vnderunder his lips, and neuer so readily as when he bakes his false speeches with fearefull oathes. That the hand of his sacrificing Priest, is ye hand of one Bontcher and Burrio, delighting in nothing so much, as in the shedding of the bloud of Kings, Princes, and people, without any respect of sexe or age, albeit his sacrifice in the meane time (as he styles it) be vnbloudie. And here I would pray thee, ô my soule, (if thou be any way acquainted with the holy and iust God) to tell me ot thy God can possibly take vponupon, or accept of that vnbloudie sacrifice which is offered vp by him who hath a bloudie false heart, deuising crueltie and falshood? a bloudie tongue councelling and concealing, as he hath to do with God and his Saints, crueltie and falshood? yea, an hand executing crueltie and falshood? yea I must yet enquire of thee another thing, ô my soule, could that bloudie sacrifice offered vp by Iesus to God his Father for thee, hauehave possibly bene accepted of God, if his heart, his mouth, and hands, had bene such an heart, a mouth, and hands as the heart, mouth, and hands of the Papish priests be? No, no, ô my soule, had Christ heart bene such an heart, had Christs mouth bene such a mouth, had Christs hands bene such hands, as the heart, mouth, and hands of these Papish priests be, euen Christs sacrifice should hauehave bene reiected by God his Father. And therefore I heare Peter (fully abused by the Pope and his followers) telling me that I am not onelyonly redeemed by the bloud of that Lambe Iesus,1. Pet. 1. 19. but of that Lambe Iesus; vndefiled, and without spot, cleane hearted, cleane tongued, cleane handed, and alwayes cleane. When I begin to thinke vponupon this seriously, ô my soule, I cannot but wonder who he is that hath conquired such a great cracke to the Papist priests in this our last age of the world, that an vnbloudie sacrifice comming from his bloudie, heart, mouth, and hands should be accepted of God, at whose hāds the old Iewes, Gods first borne, could finde no such fauour: for whe… reade that first of Isaiah, I heare out God reiecting both the bloudie and vnbloudie sacrifices of the Iewes, to wit, their prayers and incest, and all because their hands were defiled with bloud, for speakes not our God by Isaiah thus:Isa. 1. 15. When you shall stretch out your hands I will hide my eyes from you, and though you make many prayers, I will not heare you, for your hands are full of bloud. Shall crueltie in the heart and in the hand of the counterfeit Iew, make that holy iust God of heauen refuse to accept from the hands of the Iewes these sacrifices, his Maiestie by his Law hath commanded? and shall this holy iust God accept of that sacrifice offered vp by that cruell heart, and bloudie hand of the Masse priest, which he neuer commanded, but which hath bene, is, and shall be, in despite of diuels and men, abhomination before his Maiestie, albeit he dare dreame that his vnbloudie sacrifice smelled neuer so sweetly before God as when he hath come from the deuising or approuing of the slaughter of some few or moe, who do worship the true God of heauen, truly according to his will, and not as men would teach them? But it may be, ô my soule, that the priest his great God (the Pope I meane) who is clothed with a threefold diademe, as he who hath all power in heauen, and in earth, and in the hels, hath made him conceit that he hath procured this credit vntounto him. Alwayes I am not ignorant, ô my soule, that the Papist Seminarie being challenged of crueltie, and taught cunningly by their leaders the Iebusites, will alledge and auow that they giuegive no counsell against the life of any, but of those who be the enemies of Christ, and that they neither giuegive counsell to slay any,The lesuits allegation to excuse their crueltie. neither do allow the slaughter of any, neither do slay any, but out of that louelove which they carrie to Christ, and so to the end that by cutting off the enemies of Christ,This allegation is remoued and …roued they may build a glorious Church to his Maiestie. What if these allegations (plausibly to the Papist and his followers,Act, …0. 28. but more then pernicious in themselues) were examined by holy Scripture? Scripture tels me, that God by his owne bloud hath purchased a Church to himselfe: but Scripture told me neuer, that God would conquire a Church vntounto himselfe by shedding the bloud of men and women, of Princes and subiects, old and yong. I heare our Maister indeed saying in the Gospell to his disciples:Ioh. 16. 2, The time shall come that whosoeuer killeth you, shall thinke he doth God good seruice: But I neuer heard him speake thus. The time shall come that whosoeuer killeth you shall do God good seruice: and knowest thou not, ô my soule, that there be great ods betwixt thought and deed, betwixt that which appeares to be, and that which is? Yea, knowest thou not that the Iewes thought that they were doing well, when they cryed out against our Maister, and stirred vp Pilat against him:Ioh. 18. 30. for can they not say: If he were not an euill doer we would not hauehave deliuered him vntounto thee: I suspect not (but on speciall cause) that the blind Iesuite either hath neuer read, or neuer duely considered that 7. Chapter of the 2. of Samuel: was not Dauid a man according to the heart of God? That bloud which he had shed, was it not shed by him on the speciall warrant of Gods command? (for as yet he had not slaine Vriah) and yet because he had dipped his hands in bloud, he cannot find libertie so much as to build an outward materiall temple to God; and shall that bloudie Burrio the Iesuite alledge, that he (hauing no warrant to shed that bloud which he sheds from God, yea hauing God and his conscience now and then pricking him for the shedding of it) can possibly erect a spirituall temple to God, building it vponupon the meeke and strong rocke Iesus? I suspect that the Iesuite hath not as yet weighed that remembred by Matthew in his 26. Chap. there Peter seeing his Maister apprehended,Mat. 26. 51. 52. out of that louelove he carries to him must draw his sword, and will shed bloud, for smites he not off the eare of the hie Priests seruant? Alwayes I thinke that his Maister said vntounto him: Put vp thy sword in his place, for he that taketh the sword shall perish with the sword. O bloudie Iesuite, beside Matthew, I heare Iesus commanding Peter to put vp his sword in the place, but where heardest thou blessed Iesus charging thee to draw thy sword? O when shall that of the Apostle be thought vponupon by these blind leading Papists, and blind led Papists?2. Thess. 2. 11. 12. Because they receiued not the louelove of the truth that they might be saued, therefore God shall send them strong delusions, that they shall beleeue lies, tht all they might be damned which beleeued not the truth, but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse. O when shall the bloudie Caines of this time find grace to hauehave themselues wakened by that ancient watch-word: Coedi Christianorum proprium est, coedere autem Christianos, Pilati, & Caiaphae officia sunt. It is proper to Christians to be slaine, but it is the office of Caiaphas and Pilat to slay Christians. I wonder, if Bernard were liuing now, how he would take the bloud of the Saints of God, shed daily by the Popes command and allowance like water; who tooke so hardly with one Thomas a Prior at Paris, murthered in his time, for preaching against the corruption of Churchmen? for writes he not thus to the Pope touching that matter:Bern. ep. 158. Fera pessima quae deuorauit Ioseph, canum nostr…rum importunitatem non ferens, ad vestrae defensionis auxilium dicitur confugisse, in quantum misera devenit amentiam; vt vaga, & profuga, & tremens super terram illic potissimum fugam inierit, vbi plus timere oportuit. Scelestissime, tu summae aequitatis sedem, speluncāputas esse latronum, aut cubile leonum? That beast which deuoured Ioseph, who could not suffer the vilenesse and wickednesse of our dogs, is said to hauehave fled to the helpe of your maintenance. O to what a madnesse hath that wretch come, that wandering and driuen from his owne countrey, and shaking vponupon the earth through feare, he should take his flight specially to that place, where he should hauehave specially feared in great measure. O thou most wicked man, thinkest thou the chaire of greatest equitie to be a denne of theeues, or a cage of Lyons? Sure I am were Bernard liuing, he would imploy the whole strength of his penne against the Iesuites, drawing them by reason of their vncouth falshood, and more then barbarous crueltie within the compasse of vile heretickes: for could he not long ago, drawing his penne against the heretickes of his time, write thus: Indixere (vt dicitur) latebras sibi, Ber. ser. 65.firmauerunt sermonem nequam, iura periura; secretum prodere noli; alias ne tenuiter quidem iurare vllatenus acquiescunt, propter illud in Euangelio, ne iuretis, ne que per coelum, neque per terram. O stulti, & tardi corde, repleti pharisaico spiritu, liquentes culicem, & camelum glutientes, iurare licet & periurare licet. They hauehave promised vntounto themselues (as it is said) starting holes, so that they shall not be seene; they hauehave setled a wicked speech among themselues, saying one to another; sweare, forsweare; and so make one oath, breake one oath; alwayes reueale not our secret: and yet otherwise they will no wayes consent to sweare so much as slenderly; because of that they reade in the Gospell, Sweare not at all, neither by the heauen nor by the earth. O fooles and slow of heart, filled with a Pharisaicall spirit, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camell. It is not lothsome to me to sweare, and yet is lothsome to me to sweare falsly, and so to forsweare my selfe. O when shall the cruell hearted, the lying tongued, and the bloudie handed Iesuite leaue off to wearie that blessed holy God of heauen, and to deceiue his poore babes with that his vnbloudie sacrifice, neuer knowne to God, neuer commanded by his Sonne,The sacrifice all Ministers should offer to God. and begin to take pleasure to sacrifice vntounto God, that holy sacrifice (that Apostle who communicated not with flesh and bloud) but who was taught of God what to do, to sacrifice to his Maiestie? Hearest thou not, ô my soule, that the Apostle saith to thee? I hauehave somwhat boldly after a sort written vntounto you, as one that putteth you in rememberance through the grace that is giuen me of God, Rom. 15. 15. 16.that I should be the Minister of Iesus Christ towards the Gentiles, ministring the Gospell of God, that the offering vp of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the holy Ghost. Chrysostome writing vponupon these words will hauehave the whole Apostolicke priesthood to consist in preaching, saying in the person of Paul, Ipsum enim mihi sacerdotitium est praedicare & Euangelizare, hanc offero hostiam. My priesthood is to preach and to sound the euangell; this offering I offer; And going on in the explication of the seuerall parts of this metaphor for the better vnderstanding of this sacrifice offered vp by the Apostle he tells vsus the sword whereby he did slay the sacrifice offered vp by him to God was the Euangell; that the art of sacrificing, was the preaching of the Euangell; that the fire whereby the sacrifice was burnt, was the faith of God; that the sacrifice sacrificed by him, was the Gentiles; that the Priests sacrificing this sacrifice, was the Apostles sent of God to this effect. Had these monsters sent from Rome these manie yeares by gaine, bene exercised about the sacrificing of such sacrifices, drawing of the sword, and kindling of this fire here remembred by Paul, ô what a world of bloud of soules of men, of womē, of yong, of old should hauehave bene spared, which hath bene by their directions, & allowāce spilt: yea, ô what a world of bloud of soules of men, of women, of old, & yong; who perished through their default withdrawne by them from that bloudie propitiatorie sacrifice offered vp by Iesus, and making them to doate after their vnbloudie sacrifice of the Masse, which can no wayes impaire but alwayes augment their debt and dutie. Here leauing their indured monsters to their owne induring maisters, and reuerincing the dispensation of that wise God whose iudgemeuts are vnsearchable, and his wayes past finding out,Igna Epist. 6. ad Phil. we must remember that of Ignatius: Quemadmodum pseudoprophetae & pseudoapostoli vnum & eundem spiritum fallacem, & populi seductorem acceperunt; sic prophetae & Apostoli vnum & eundem spiritum, sanctum, bonum, eximium, verum, & doctorem rectū acceperunt à Deo per Iesum Christum. As the false prophets and apostles receiued anie euill spirit, to deceiue the people: So the true Prophets and Apostles receiue from God through Iesus Christ, and his holy spirit, the good, excellent, true, teacher of righteousnesse.