The Safe Way Leading All Christians, Section 9

The Safe Way Leading All Christians · Section 9

p. 80Sect. 9. The teſtimonies of our Aduerſaries touching the Proteſtant and the Romane faith in the particulars.

PARAG. 1. Iuſtification by faith (onelyonly.)

THeſe things premiſed, I will proceed to the examination of witneſſes both for the Antiquitie of our doctrine, and the Noueltie of theirs; but before I go to publication, I will preſent p. 81you with two Records, for two principall points of our faith, by which euidences it ſhal appeare, that the Word and Sacraments, the proper marks of a true Church, were rightly preached and duely adminiſtred here in England in the moſt obſcure ages long before Luthers daies: I ſay, it ſhall appeare that, before and after the Conqueſt, the Prieſts and profeſſors of thoſe times proteſted openly againſt the doctrine of Romiſh merits, preaching ſaluation through Chriſt alone, and withall publikely profeſſed and adminiſtred the ſame Sacraments in the ſame faith and truth, which wee teach and adminiſter at this day.

In the dayes of Anſelme p. 82Archbiſhop of Canterburie about the yeare 1080. there was a ſet and publique forme of prayer preſcribed for the viſitation of the ſicke,Caſſ. in append. ad opuſ. Jo. Roffen. de fiducia & miſericordia Dei. and this forme (ſaith Caſſander) in Bibliothecis paſsim obuia; was commonly to be had and read in all Libraries: The wordes are plaine and fully conſonant to the faith our Church profeſſeth:Ordo Baptizandi & viſitandi edit. venet. Anno 1575. Doſt thou beleeue to come to glorie not by thine owne merits, but by the vertue and merit of the paſsion of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt? doſt thou beleeue that our Lord Ieſus Chriſt did dye for our ſaluation, and that none can bee ſaued by his owne merits, or by any other meanes but by the merit of his paſsion? This manner & forme of Intergatories was preſcribed generally to p. 83all Prieſts for their viſitation of the ſicke, and the ſicke partie accordingly was taught to make anſwer to theſe and the like queſtions:Reſpondeat infirmus credo. All this I beleeue: VponUpon this confeſſion the Prieſt concluded with this inſtruction to the ſicke partie; Go to therefore, Hoſius in Cō feſſione Petriconens, c. 73.as long as thy ſoule remaineth in thee, place thy whole confidence in this death onelyonly, hauehave confidence in no other thing, commit thy ſelf wholly to his death, with this alone couer thy ſelfe wholly, intermingle thy ſelfe wholly in this death, wrap thy whole ſelfe in this death: And if the Lord God will iudge thee, ſay, Lord I oppoſe the death of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt betwixt mee and thy iudgement, and no otherwiſe do I contend with thee: And p. 84if he ſay vntounto thee that thou art a ſinner, ſay, Lord I put the death of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt betwixt thee and my ſins: If he ſay vntounto thee thou haſt deſerued damnation: ſay, Lord I ſet the death of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt betwixt thee and my bad merits, and I offer his merit instead of the merits which I ought to hauehave; but yet hauehave not: If he ſay that he is angrie with thee: ſay, Lord I interpoſe the death of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt betwixt mee and thine anger.

This point of faith was publiquely profeſſed in the Church of England, and generally practiſed ſhortly after the Conqueſt both by Prieſts and people, and as the word was rightly preached in thoſe dayes (according to p. 85the now Proteſtant faith, and contrarie to the Tenet of the now Romane Church) ſo likewiſe you ſhall obſerue, the two Sacraments of Baptiſme and the Lords Supper, were publiquely taught and duly adminiſtred in the ſame faith and doctrine before the Conqueſt, as they are now declared and receiued in the Church of England.

p. 86PARAG. 2. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper, and the doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation.

FIrſt, concerning the Sacrament of Baptiſme, I thinke there is none ſo blinde or ſtupid, that will denie the Baptiſme now vſed in our Church, both for matter and forme, to be ſubſtantially the ſame that the Primitiue Church euer vſed, & that the Romiſh additions of Salt and Spittle and other Ceremonies vſed by them, neither cauſe a Tranſubſtantiation in the element, nor the want of them inforceth Rebaptization in the proteſtant, ſo that concerning p. 87the truth of our Baptiſme there can bee no queſtion; and as concerning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper,The Sacrament of the Euchariſt. in the daies of Aelfrick, about the yeere (996) there was a Homily appointed publiquely to be read to the people on Eaſter day, before they did receiue the Communion wherein the ſame faith and doctrine (which our Church now profeſſeth) was publikely taught and receiued, and the doctrine of the Reall preſence which at that time (had got footing in the Church) was plainely confuted and reiected; Neither was this the particular doctrine of one Biſhop but at the ſame time the ſame matter was deliuered to the Clergy by diuers Biſhops at p. 88their Synods out of two other writings publiſhed by the ſame Aelfrick, one whereof was directed to Wulfſtius then Biſhop of Sherbourne; the other writtē to Wulfſtane Arch-biſhop of York, wherein both Prieſts & people by their Command and directions, were inſtructed and taught the doctrine of the Euchariſt in theſe words; There is a great difference betwixt the body wherein Chriſt ſuffered, Aelfricks Homilie & B. Vſher in his anſwer to a challenge, &c. cap Real. preſ. p 78. 79.and the body which is receiued of the faithfull: The body truly that Chriſt ſuffered in was borne of the fleſh of Mari…, with blood, and with bone, with skinne, and with ſinewes, in humane limbs with a reaſonable ſoule liuing: and his ſpirituall bodie which nouriſheth the faithfull p. 89ſpiritually is gathered of many cornes without blood, and bone, without limbe, without ſoule; and therefore there is nothing to bee vnderſtood bodily but ſpiritually: &c. this I ſay, and the like doctrine was approued by the Abbot of Malmsbury, by the Arch-biſhop of Yorke, by the Biſhop of Sherbourne, by diuers Biſhops at their Synods, and by them commended to the reſt of the Cleargie, who were commanded to reade it publiquely to the common people vponupon Eaſter day, for their better preparation and inſtruction in the Sacrament. If this Proteſtant Faith then publiquely profeſſed, had beene taught onelyonly by a multitude of ſeditious and factious perſons; or had p. 90it beene receiued by ſome few excommunicate members in the ſame Church; our aduerſaries might hauehave ſome colour, ſome plea, to deny the Viſibility of our Church: but when it appeares it was generally publiſhed by the chiefe Biſhops and Paſtors of ſeuerall Congregations; when it appeares theſe Doctors had their Calling and ſucceſſion in the Romane Church; when it appeares it was approued by a publique Synod at their meetings: I cannot but account it a Ieſuites vaine flouriſh to tell vsus:Camp. Rat. 3. That we cannot eſpie out ſo much as one towne, one village, one houſe, for (1500) yeares that ſauoured of our doctrine; and that you may know, Aelfrick the p. 91Abbot was not the firſt author of this Homilie, but was anciently receiued in the Church before his daies; it appeares plainely,Aelfricus Abbas vulſtano Archiepiſcopo ſalutem in Chriſto, ecce paruimus veſtrae almitatis iuſſionibus trāſ. ferentes Anglice duas Epiſtolas quas Latino eloquio deſcriptas antē annum vobis deſtinauimus Tranſcrip. ex lib. Mſ. in Bibl. publ. Iames in his corrupt. of Fathers. p. 55. that Aelfrick by the command of the Arch-biſhop of Yorke, did but tranſlate thoſe Sermons into Engliſh, which were anciently publiſhed in Latine; ſo that if there were any ſurmiſe of a Faction then raiſed in the Church, it was cauſed by the receiuing of an ancient doctrine, not by bringing in a new, and that alſo was performed with the conſent of all the Biſhops; nay more, if that the faith of Gregorie the Great, publiſhed here in England (400) yeares before that time; If I ſay, his faith and doctrine continued the ſame here in our Iland, p. 92without alteration till the comming of Luther, (which our aduerſaries confidently maintaine,) either this Homily publiſhed by the Biſhops was the faith of Gregorie, and ſo our Church continued Viſible in the ſame faith from his time till ours, or elſe the Romane doctrine, now taught and beleeued, hath not continued the ſame without alteration vntill the daies of Luther.

Thus the Word and Sacraments taught by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, were publiſhed and proclaimed by the Biſhops, and Arch-biſhops of thoſe times, for the ſauing knowledge and knowne ſaluation both of Prieſts and people, ſo that the moſt ſubſtantiall points of our Religion, p. 93were viſibly knowne and generally publiſhed not in priuate corners, but in publique Libraries; not in obſcure aſſemblies but in open Churches, and generall Congregations of our owne Countrie, in the darkeſt ages, long before Luthers daies.

But obſerue the comming of our aduerſarie: That book which was publiſhed in Anſelmes daies for inſtruction and viſitation of the ſicke; the ſame booke I ſay, both for matter and ſubſtance, hath of late yeares beene printed at Paris, at Collen, Ordo Baptizandi cum modo viſitandi infirmos. Pariſ. anno 1575. Colon. anno 1556. Ven. anno 1575.at Venice; whereby not onelyonly the doctrine of merits is ecclipſed, but the now Romane faith is diſcouered to differ from the ancient; what p. 94therefore can bee expected how theſe men ſhould iuſtifie their owne printed Authors? Behold, the Romane Inquiſitors hauehave carefully prouided by two Expurgatory Indices, Quiroga p. 149. Sandoual & Roxas anno 1612.that the words of comfort which the Prieſt was enioyned to pronounce to the ſicke perſon, ſhould be all blotted out: and although the Inquiſitors hauehave not as yet paſſed their ſentence vponupon Aelfricks Homilie, Aelfricks Sermon on Eaſter day: printed at London, 1623. pag. 7.yet in that Homilie they hauehave ſuggeſted Tranſubſtantiation by two feined miracles, contrary to the doctrine of the Euchariſt then publiquely taught, and farre different from the whole Scope of the Author; and the Latine Epiſtle written by Aelfricke to the Arch-biſhop of p. 95Yorke, is to be ſeene mangled and razed in a Manuſcript, in Bennets Colledge in Cambridge (as is well obſerued by a learned Diuine, D. Iames in his corruption of Fathers, pag. 55) and I cannot conceiue, but it was done by ſome Romaniſt, becauſe it doth plainely confute the doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation. Thus wee ſee what time and errors hath brought to paſſe; That Proteſtant faith which in Aelfricks daies, was generally receiued in England for Catholique doctrine, is now condemned as hereticall by a preuailing faction in the Romane Church; and that word of truth which was publiſhed in Anſelmes daies, for the ſaluation of Prieſts and people in the Engliſh Church; is now condemned p. 96by an Index Expurgatorius with a Deleatur vponupon thoſe ſauing words, but I ſay of them as Saint Ambroſe ſometimes pronounced of the Arrians. Ambroſ. orat. 1. contr. Arrian. Tranſubſtā tiation.They may well blot out our letters but our faith they ſhall neuer aboliſh.

Againe, looke vponupon their doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation, and you ſhall ſee how miſerably their Church is deuided touching the antiquity and vniuerſality of that point of faith: ſome deriue it from the words of Chriſt, others from Chriſts Benediction before the words were vttered; ſome from the expoſition of the Fathers, others from the councel of Lateran, ſome from the authoritie of the Scriptures, others from the determination of the p. 97Church, and whereas many other points of the Romiſh doctrine are pretended to be Apoſtolicall Traditions, as hauing no foundation in the written word, it is obſerued by learned Du Pleſſis, that the Papiſts generally maintaine that their Maſſe is prooued from the Scripture, inſomuch as in the 28. of Matthew, and other places where there is mention made of the Sacrament, the ordinarie Gloſſe doth note with capital letters in the Margent:Moru. de Miſſ. lib. 1. c. 1. in initio. Here is the Inſtitution of the Maſſe: It was the great vaunt of Campian the Ieſuite:Camp. Rat. If the Proteſtants name the Goſpell, we ioyne with them, the verie words are for vsus: This is my body, this is my bloud: and Bellarmine, his fellow Ieſuite, p. 98profeſſeth confidently, that the words.Bellar. de Euch. l. 1. c. 11. This is my bodie, are of the eſſence of the Sacrament, and they are operatiue. If wee ſhall further queſtion at what time, whether before or after the wordes ſpoken there is a conuerſion of the elements into the bodie and bloud of Chriſt: Aquinas tels vsus,Ʋltimum inſtans prolationis verborum eſt primum inſtant in quo eſt in Sàcramento corpus Chriſti, in toto autemtempore praecedenti est item ſubstantia panis. Aqu. par. 3. q. 75. art. 7. ad. 1. that the verie laſt inſtance of the deliuerie of thoſe words, is the firſt inſtance of Chriſts bodie in the Sacrament, but in all the time before there is the ſubſtance of bread remaining.

If theſe men therfore hauehave ſpoken the truth, let them beare witneſſe of the truth; onelyonly let mee tell you they want that vnitie in this point of faith which they appropriate as a ſpeciall marke to p. 99their Church: and for proofe of this, I will proceed to publication of witneſſes, wherein I will produce no other teſtimonies but their owne learned Authors (and I preſume a better proofe then their owne confeſſions none of them can expect) whereby it ſhall appeare that their grand point of Tranſubſtantiation hath neither foundation in our Scriptures, nor certaintie in the Fathers, nor vnitie among themſelues, to conclude it for an Article of beleefe. Touching the words of Conſecration, Salmeron the Ieſuite ſpeaking in the perſon of the Grecians, deliuers their opinion in this manner:Cham. lib. 6. de Euch. c. 7. When the Benediction of the Lord is not ſuperfluous or vaine, neither gaue hee p. 100ſimply bread, it followeth when he gaue it, the tranſmutation was made, and thoſe wordes (This is my body) did demonſtrate what was contained in the bread, Ex Catholicis ſolus Caietanus in Commentario huius Articuli, qui iuſſu Pij Quinti in Romanâ editione expunctus eſt, docuit, ſecluſa. Eccleſiae authoritate verba illa (Hoc eſt corpus meum) ad veritatem hanc confirmandā non ſufficere.] Suar. Tom. 3. diſp. 46.not what was made by them. And Swarez the Ieſuite ingeniouſly profeſſeth, that Cardinall Caietan in his Commentarie vponupon this Article, did affirme that thoſe words of Chriſt, This is my body, do not of themſelues ſufficiently prooue Tranſubſtantiation, without the ſuppoſed authoritie of the Church, and therefore by the commandement of Pius Quintus that part of his Commentarie is left out of the Romiſh Edition. Habemus confitentem, wee hauehave a faire confeſſion for a Cardinall, and a friendly caueat touching the ſpunging of his p. 101authoritie. And that the world may know theſe men are better friends to our cauſe then many yet conceiue them, I will produce both Cardinals, and Biſhops, and Schoolemen, who will teſtifie with vsus, that there are no words in Scripture to proue Tranſubſtantiation; that thoſe words, This is my body, are not of the eſſence of the Sacrament, that the ancient Fathers did not beleeue the ſubſtance of the Sacramentall bread to be conuerted into Chriſts reall fleſh: and laſtly, that Tranſubſtantiation was not beleeued de Fide, as a matter of faith, aboue 1000 yeares after Chriſt And firſt I will giuegive you their owne confeſſions touching the place and proofe of Tranſubſtantiation p. 102deriued from the Scriptures.

Quomodò fit corpus Chriſti vtrum per cō uerſionem alicuius, &c. Biel in Con. Miſſae Lect. 40.Gabriel Biel] How the body of Chriſt is in the Sacrament, Non inuenitur in Canone Bibliae, It is not expreſſed in the Canon of the Bible.

Patet quod ille modus ſit poſſibilis nec repugnat rationi nec authoritati Bibliae, imò facilior ad intelligendum & rationabilior quam, &c.] In 4. Sentent. q. 6. ar. 1.Cardinall de Alliaco] That manner which ſuppoſeth the ſubſtance of bread to remaine ſtill is poſsible, neither is it contrarie to reaſon, nor to the authoritie of the Scriptures, nay, it is more eaſie and more reaſonable to conceiue, if it could accord with the determination of the Church.

Hactenus Mattheus qui & ſolus Teſtamenti noui meminit, ne que vllum hîc verbū poſitū eſt quo probetur in nostrâ Miſſa veram fieri carnis & ſanguinis Chriſti praeſentiā. I. Fiſh. contrà capt. Babylonicam. N. 8. & O.I. Fiſher Biſhop of Rocheſter] Hitherto Saint Matthew who onelyonly maketh mention of the new Teſtament, neither are there any words here written, whereby it may bee proued that in the Maſſe is p. 103made the very preſence of the body and bloud of Chriſt: and laſtly he concludeth, Non poteſt igitur per vllam Scripturam probari: it cannot be proued by any Scripture.

Durand. Benedixit benedictione caelesti & virtute verbi qua conuertitur panis in ſubſtantiam corporis Chriſti, &c. Durand. in Rational. l. 4. c. 41.] Chriſt bleſſed the bread by his heauenly benediction, and by vertue of that word the bread was turned into the ſubſtance of Chriſts body, and (ſaith he) Tunc confecit cum benedixit, He then made it when he bleſſed it.

Odo Cameracenſis] Chriſt bleſſed the bread, Benedixit, fuii corpus fecit qui prius erat panis benedictione factus est caro— non enim post benedictionē dixiſſet, Hoc eſt corpus meū niſi in Benedictione fieret corpus ſuū.] Odo in Canonem Dist. 4.and then made that his bodie which was firſt bread, and ſo by bleſsing, it became fleſh, for otherwiſe he would not hauehave ſaid after he had bleſſed it, This is my body, vnleſſe by bleſſing it he had made it his body.

Cardinall Caietan] That p. 104part which the Goſpell hath not expreſſed, Quod Euangelium non explicauit expreſſe ab Eccleſia accepi…ius viz. conuerſionē panis in corpus Chriſti Caiet. 3. 7 75. ar. 1. Chriſtoph lib. de Cap Fontiū de correctione Theolog. Scho. Lege Chriſtophorum fol. 11. 41. 87. …8. 23. 63. 58. Fol. 7. 9. &c.viz. the conuerſion of the bread into the bodie and bloud of Chriſt, we hauehave receiued expreſly from the Church.

Chriſtophorus Archbiſhop of Caeſarea] Before the words (This is my body) were vttered by Chriſt, if the bread by benediction had not beene his bodie, that propoſition had not beene true, for when Chriſt ſaid, Take ye, eate ye, if at that time the bread by benediction were not changed, it will follow that Chriſt did command his Diſciples to take and eate the ſubſtance of bread, and ſo we must denie the Article of Tranſubſtantiation: therefore it is moſt certaine that Christ did not conſecrate by thoſe words, neither were they any part of conſecration, and p. 105in this opinion both the Councell of Trent and all writers did agree, till the late times of Caietan, that Chriſt did conſecrate the bread by bleſsing it, and therefore we conclude this for an infallible truth, to which both Scriptures, and Councels, Secundò dicit Scotus non extare locum vllū Scripturae tam expreſsū vt ſine Eccleſiae determinatione euidenter cogat Tranſubſtantiationem admittere, at que id non eſt omninò improbabi…e. Nam etiamſi Scriptura — tamen merito dubitari toteſt cū homines doctiſſimi & acutiſſimi qualis inprimis Scotus ſuit, contrartū ſentiunt. Bel. de Euchar. lib. 3. c. 23.and all Antiquitie yeeld an vndeniable teſtimony and conſent, that the words, This is my body, are not the words of cōſecration, nor conſequently the cauſe of Tranſubſtantiation.

Cardinall Bellarmine] It is not altogether improbable that there is no expreſſe place of Scripture to proue Tranſubſtantiation, without the declaration of the Church (as Scotus ſaid) for although the Scriptures ſeeme to vsus ſo plaine that they may compell any but a refractarie man to beleeue them, p. 106yet it may iuſtly bee doubted whether the Text bee cleare enough to inforce it, ſeeing the moſt acute and learned men, ſuch as Scotus was, hauehave thought the contrarie. Thus the learned Cardinall, who at firſt did confidently affirme that the words, This is my bodie, were of the eſſence of the Sacrament, and did effect that which they did ſignifie; VponUpon the examination of witneſſes of his owne ſide, confeſſeth Merito dubitari poteſt, &c. It may iuſtly bee doubted whether the Scriptures doe prooue the bodily preſence, and (wee all know and confeſſe that a doubtfull opinion cannot be made an Article of faith:) from which cōfeſſions I may truly infer, If the conſecrated bread be p. 107neither tranſubſtantiated by Chriſts benediction before thoſe words were vttered, as Aquinas, the Romane Catechiſme, and the Maſſe Prieſts commonly affirme; nor by the words, This is my body, vttered after the Benediction, as the Archbiſhop of Caeſarea, Cardinall Caietan, and others doe affirme, then certainely there are no words in Scripture to proue Tranſubſtantiation for an Article of beleefe.

I proceed from Scriptures to Fathers: Alphonſus à Caſtro was a diligent reader and obſeruer of the ancient Fathers,De Tranſubstantiatione panis in corpus Chriſti raraenim antiquis Scriptoribus mentio. Alphon. lib. 8. contra hereſ. verbo Indulgentiae. yet after great ſtudies and long ſearch in their writings, returnes this anſwer: Of the conuerſion of the body and bloud of Chriſt there is ſeldome p. 108mention in the ancient Fathers. And the reaſon is giuen by another learned writer of his owne ſide:Jn Primitiua Eccleſia de ſubſtātia fidei erat corpus Chriſti ſubſpeciebus contineri tamen non erat de fide ſubſtantiam panis in corpus Christi conuerti & factâ conſecratione illinc recedere.] Ioh. Yribarne in 4. d. 11. q. 3 diſp. 42. Sect. 1. In the Primitiue Church it was beleeued for a point of faith that the bodie of Chriſt was contained vnderunder the formes of bread and wine, but it was not beleeued as a matter of faith, that after conſecration the ſubſtance of the bread was conuerted into the body of Chriſt: and howſoeuer our Aduerſaries pretend antiquitie and vniuerſalitie of Fathers for their doctrine; yet Saint Auſtin is ſo wholly ours in this point, that Maldonat the Ieſuite noting his expoſition vponupon thoſe words of Scripture: The Fathers hauehave eaten Manna and are dead, &c. makes this confeſſion: I am perſwaded p. 109that if Saint Auſtin being ſo great an enemy to heretiques, Hoc dico perſwaſum me habere Sanctū Auguſtinumſi noſtrâ ſuiſſot …tate longè aliter ſenſurum fuiſſe hominem omni haereticorū generi inimiciſſimum cum videret ad eundem ferè modum Caluiniſtas hunc & illum D. Pauli locum interpretari. Maldon. in Ioh. 6. v. 50. num. 80. 81.John 6:50had liued in theſe our daies, would hauehave beene of another minde, when hee had once perceiued the Caluiniſts interpretation to bee almoſt the ſame: and Gregory de Valentia, obſeruing the manifeſt teſtimonies of Theodoret, (viz.) That the conſecrated elements did remaine in their proper ſubſtance, and ſhape, and figure; returnes the like anſwer.Minimè mirū est ſi vnut aut alter aut etiam aliqui ex veteribus minimè conſiderate & rectê hâc de re ſenſerint. Greg. de valent. de Tranſubſtan. lib. 2. cap. 7. It is not to bee maruailed, if one or more of the ancient Fathers (before the queſtion of Tranſubſtantiation was throughly debated in the Church) hauehave both thought leſſe conſiderately and truelie concerning Tranſubſtantiation, and this is an anſwer (ſaith he) briefe, and ſimple, and no p. 110way inconuenient. Thus it ſeemes Theodoret with other Fathers were ignorant of the greateſt myſteries of their ſaluation, and Saint Auſtin did not rightly vnderſtand the corporall preſence, for hee would hauehave changed his opinion if he had liued in theſe daies: but their learned Cardinall Cuſanus is not ſo reſerued in his opinion of the Fathers, hee ſpeakes plainely and openly;Cuſan. exercet. lib. 6. that certaine of the Ancient Diuines are found of this minde, that the bread in the Sacrament, is not Tranſubſtantiated or changed in nature, but remaineth ſtill, and is cloathed with an other ſubstance more noble then it ſelfe: and for a concluſion of this point, many writers and Schoolemen p. 111in their owne Church, are ſo farre from granting antiquity and vniuerſality to this doctrine, that they profeſſe the Tenet of Tranſubſtantiation was lately receiued into the Church for a point of faith.Nota. Vnum addit Scotus quod minimè probandū quod ante Lateranenſe Concilium non fuiſſe dogma fidei. Bellar. lib. 3. de Euchar. cap. 23.

Scotus tels vsus, that before the Councell of Lateran, Tranſubſtantiation was not beleeued as a point of faith. This did Bellarmine obſerue as a thing remarkeable:Suar. in 3. Thom. in Enchar. diſp. 50. Sect. 2. p. 602 and Suarez his fellow Ieſuite proteſteth, the Schoolemen which teach the doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation is not very ancient ought to be corrected, ſuch as Scotus was: It is confeſſed then, that Scotus and other Schoolemen did acknowledge Tranſubſtantiation for … doctrine, and it is moſt p. 112probable, that ſuch Schoolemen liuing not long after the Councell of Lateran (where that doctrine was decreed for a point of faith) beſt vnderſtood the Tenets of thoſe times: In like manner, Durand and ſome of his fellow Schoolemen after him, profeſſed openly, that the materiall part (or ſubſtance) of the Sacramentall bread was not conuerted: Theſe teſtimonies are ſo true and euident to the world, that Bellarmine doth confeſſe and auoid that ſaying of Scotus with à minimè probandum, &c. it muſt not be allowed; and as touching Durand he anſwereth, his doctrine is hereticall, Bellar. de Euchar. lib. 3. cap. 13.but he is no heretique, becauſe he is ready to ſubmit to the iudgement of the Church.

p. 113To let paſſe Whicleffe, the Waldenſes, and others who were condemned for heretiques for profeſſing the ſame doctrine:Durand. in 4 Sent. diſt. 10. q. 1. num. 13. Their owne Proſelites Hoſtienſis and Gaufridus, tell vsus that there were others in thoſe daies who taught the ſubſtance of bread did remaine, and this opinion ſay they, was not to be reiected; If we deſcend to this laſt age, their owne learned Tonſtall profeſſeth, that the beleefe of Tranſubſtantiation within leſſe then 500 yeares, was a matter of indifferencie, not an Article of faith: Of the manner and meanes of the reall preſence, how it might bee either by Tranſubſtantiation or otherwiſe, perhaps it had beene better to leaue to eueryevery man that would p. 114bee curious to his owne coniecture, De modo quo id fieret fortaſsè Satiùs erat curioſū quem que relinquere coniectura ſicut liberum fuit antè Concilium Lateranſe. Tonstall de Enchaer. lib. 1. p. 46. Eraſ. Annot. in Corinth. 7.as before the Councell of Lateran it was left: and laſtly, there owne Eraſmus concludes with à ſerò definiuit Eccleſia, &c. It was late ere the Church defined Tranſubſtantiation.

Since therefore the Proteſtant faith, touching the Spirituall and Sacramentall participation of Chriſts body, was generally taught and beleeued in the former and the latter ages; ſince the doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation hath no Vnitie amongſt the Romiſh Authors, no Vniuerſality amongſt the ancient Fathers, no certainty in the Sacred Scriptures; Saint Auſtins confeſſion ſhall be my concluſion.Siuè de Chriſto, ſiuè de Eccleſia, ſiuè de quacun que aliâ re quae pertinet ad fidem vitam que noſtram non dicam nos, nequaquam comparandi ei qui dixit, ſed fi Angelus de coelo vobis anuntiauerit preter quam quod in Scripturis Legalibus & Euangelicis accepiſtis. Anathema ſit. Aug. Contr. liter. Petil. lib. 3. cap 6. Whether concerning Chriſt or his Church, p. 115or any thing that appertaineth to our faith and life, I will not ſay if we (who are no way to bee compared to him that ſo ſpake) but if an Angell from heauen ſhall preach vntounto you any thing beſides that you hauehave receiued in the Legall and Euangelicall Scriptures, let him be accurſed.

p. 116PARAG. 3. Priuate Maſſe.

Si quis dixerit Miſſas in quibus ſolus ſacerdo, Sacramētaliter communicat eſſe illicitas ideo que abrogandas Anathema ſit. Cō cil. Trident. can. 8.IT is decreed by the Councell of Trent; If any ſhall ſay, that Maſſes in which the Prieſt alone doth Communicate are vnlawfull, and therfore ought to be abrogated, let him bee accurſed: Here is a Curſe proclaimed againſt all or any that ſhall condemne Priuate Maſſe as vnlawfull, and herein the Proteſtants ſtand in danger of a Curſing Councell: for it is an Article of the Reformed Church. Priuate Maſſes, Artic. of Ireland Art. 100.that is the receiuing of the Euchariſt by the Prieſt alone, without a competent number of Communicants, is contrarie to the inſtitution p. 117of Chriſt, and the practiſe of the Primitiue Church; and hence it will follow, that Priuate Maſſe is vnlawfull, and therefore to be abrogated; Now hee that curſeth vsus, curſeth Chriſt that ordained it, and God that commanded vsus to obſerue it: It was the anſwer in the like caſe made by a right Reuerend and learned Prelate of our Church:B. Bilſon the difference betweene Chri. Subiect. & Antichri. Rebel. pag. 657. If wee hauehave altered any part of Chriſts Inſtitution, Curſe on in Gods name, and let your Curſes take effect, but if the celebration of our Myſteries be anſwerable to his will and word that firſt ordained them; You curſe not vsus whom You would hurt, but him, that your curſed tongues cannot hurt, which is God to be bleſſed for euer.

p. 118The Communion which is vſed, together with Prieſt and people in our Church, is deriued from Chriſt himſelfe, for the Euangeliſts tell vsus,Mat. 26. Marke 14. Luke. 22.Matt 26Mark 14Luke 22 Chriſt tooke bread, and when he had giuen thankes, he brake it, and gaue it to his Diſciples: he tooke bread that he might breake it, he brake it that he might giuegive it: hee gaue it that they ſhould eate: and ſo Chriſts words declare which are both plurall, and ſpoken to others; (Take yee, eate yee) not ſingular, or to himſelfe alone; as if the whole courſe of Chriſts actions and ſpeeches ſtood in deliuering the Sacrament vntounto others: After Chriſts Paſſion, the Apoſtle Saint Paul giues this charge to the Corinthians; 1 Cor. 11.….1 Cor 11Be yee followers p. 119of mee, euen as I alſo am of Chriſt: And in the ſame Chapter he ſhewes wherin they ſhould imitate Chriſt.This was ſpoken of the Sacrament. Aug. Epist. 118. When yee come together (to eate the Lords Supper) tarrie one for another, that yee come not together into condemnation: & as if he had foretold by the Spirit of Prophecie, the doctrine of theſe times, he puts the queſtion forcibly to the Maſſe Prieſts;1 Cor. 10.1 Cor 10 The Cup of bleſsing which we bleſſe, is it not the Communion of the blood of Chriſt: Poſt hoc dicitur communio quae appellatur vt omnes communicemus vel dicitur communio quia in Primitiuâ Eccleſia populus communicabat quolibet die. Hugo Cardin. in ſpeculo Eccleſiae.as if hee had ſaid, therefore it is called a Communion, becauſe it is a common Vnion of Prieſts and people; otherwiſe, (ſaith Hugo) it is called a Communion, for that the people in the Primitiue Church did Communicate eueryevery day (together.)

p. 120Looke vponupon the ancient Councells in the Romane Church, and they are witneſſes of our doctine without exception: It was ordained by the Councell at Nantz. that no Prieſt ſhould preſume to celebrate the ſolemnities of the Maſſe alone,Concil. Nanetenſe. cap. 30. & Caſſand. p. 83. for ſaith they, to whom doth the Prieſt ſay the Lord be with you and lift vp your hearts, and wee giuegive thankes vntounto the Lord, when there is none to make anſwer, or whom doth hee inuite to pray with him: when he ſaith let vsus pray, being none to pray with him, therefore let this ridiculous ſuperſtition bee baniſhed from the Cloyſters of Monkes.

Pope Innocent the Third about (400) yeares agoe, obſeruing this decree, could p. 121not acord with the Maſſes of his times wherein the Prieſt alone did partake of the Altar; deuiſed this anſwer to make good their new doctrine:Pie credendū eſt quod Angeli Dei comites aſſiſtāt orantibus ſecundum illud Propheticum, In conſpectu Angelorum pſallam tibi. An liure des Mistres. ch. 25. we muſt piouſly beleeue that the Angels accompanie them that pray according to the ſaying of the Prophet: I will ſing Pſalmes to thee in the preſence of the Angells: and Bellarmine rightly obſeruing it would be thought a mockery for the Prieſts to ſay: As many of (vsus) as hauehave receiued of the Sacrament: when as none but the Prieſt alone did receiue, renders the meaning of thoſe ſayings with this conceit.Bellar. de Miſſa lib. 2. cap. 10. Thoſe wordes were ſpoken both for the preſent Communicants if any were preſent, and alſo for thoſe who did Communicate p. 122elſe-where: Concil. Nanetenſe. c. 38. Concil. Antioch can. 21. Dionyſ. eccl. hierar. cap. 3. Inſt. Apol. 2. Theod. in 1 Cor. 11. Haymo in 1 Cor. 11. Chryſost. homil. 27. Cochleus] Cū ille communicandi mos non amplius apud nos obſeruetur non minus Laicorum quam ſacerdotum deſidia & negligentia inuenit & introduxit Spiritus Sanctus, pium huius negligentiae ſupplementum per Miſſarum, quam ſoli ſacerdotes peragunt, frequentationem. Cochl. de Sacrificio Miſſae, contrà Muſculum. Caſs. Lyturg. 35. pag. 86.1 Cor 11ſo that ſometimes the Angels, ſometimes the abſent doe ſupply the roome of thoſe that ſhould bee preſent: It were no hard matter to cite the Ancient Fathers for the Viſibilitie of our Church in this point of doctrine, but our aduerſaries ſhall ſaue me the labour in that kinde: wherein you ſhall heare them make their owne confeſſion, that their priuate Maſſe was altogether vnkowne to the Primitiue Church in the beſt and firſt ages.

Cochleus] Antiently all the Prieſts and people did Communicate together, as appeareth by the Canons of the Apoſtles and writings of ancient Fathers: but now ſince the order of Communicating together, p. 123hath ceaſed by the negligence of Prieſts and Paſtors, In Primitiua Eccleſiâ omnes qui celebrationi Miſſarū intererant ſingulis diebus communicare ſolebant, eo quod Apostoli omnes de calice bibūt. Domino dicente. Bibbite ex hoc omnes: Offerebant enim magnum panem & omnibus ſufficientem quod adhuc Graeci ſeruare dicū tur. Durand. Rat. 4. cap. 53 Antiquitus in vſis Eccleſiae non fuiſſe (viz) cum null…e Miſſae ſine Collecta, hoc eſt coet… aliquo vnâ offerentiū & Sacramenta participantiū agerētur &c Odo in expoſit. Canonis.the Holy Ghoſt hath taught vsus a remedie againſt their ſlothfulneſſe in celebrating of Priuate Maſſe.

Durandus Mimatenſis] In the Primitiue Church, all that were preſent at the Celebration of the Maſſe, did eueryevery day communicate, becauſe all the Apoſtles did drinke of the Cup according to Chriſts command; Drinke yee all of this: and their oblation was a great loafe, ſufficient for all, which the Grecians are ſaid to continue to this day.

Odo Cameracenſis] In the Primitiue Church they neuer had Maſſes without the Conuention of the people to Communicate together; afterwards it grew to a cuſtome in the p. 124Church to hauehave Priuate and ſolitary Maſſes eſpecially in Cloyſters.Olim in Primitiuâ Eccleſià ſingulis diebus qui Canoni Miſſe intererant ſolitos fuiſſe communicare ſed poſtea, &c. Bethel. in Explicat. Canonis. c. 50 Dicitur communio quià in Primitiuâ Eccleſiâ populus comunicabat quolibet die. Hugo in ſpeculo Eccleſiae. Initio naſcē tis Eccleſiae Chriſtiani qui celebrationi Miſſe aderant poſt acceptum panem communicare ſolebāt. Durand. de ritibus c. 58 Sciendū iuxta antiquos Patres quod ſoli communicantes diuinis myſterijs intereſſe conſueuerint &c. Microlog. de eccleſ. obſeruat.

Belethus] Wee muſt know for certaine, that in the Primitiue Church, al thoſe that were daily to bee preſent at the Canon of the Maſſe, were wont to communicate.

Hugo Cardinalis] It is therefore called a Communion, becauſe the people in the Primitiue Church, did communicate eueryevery day together.

Durandus Tholoſanus] In the Infancie of the Church, the Christians which were preſent at the celebration of the miſteries after the bleſsing were wont to communicate.

Micrologus] We muſt know according to the ancient Fathers, that the Communicants onelyonly were wont to bee preſent p. 125at the Myſteries, and therefore before the Communion, the Catechumens and Penitents which were not prepared to Communicate, were commanded to depart.

Caſſander] It cannot bee ſaid properly to bee a Communion, Propriè communio dici nō potest niſi plures de eodē ſacrificio participant, & quidem hunc antiquum eſſe Eccleſiae morem, &c. Caſſand. de ſolitarijs Miſſis.but where ſome people are partakers of the ſame ſacrifice with the Prieſt, and all the beſt learned doe acknowledge that to hauehave beene the ancient cuſtome of the Romane Church.

Innocentius the Third] In the Primitiue Church, In Primitiua quidem Eccleſia ſingulis diebus qui celebrationi Miſſarū intererant communicare ſolebant, ſed excreſeente multitudine, &c. Innocent 3. lib. 6. Myſter. Miſſ. c. 5.eueryevery day thoſe that were preſent at the Sacrament, were wont to communicate; but the number of the faithfull increaſing, it was appointed they ſhould communicate onelyonly on the Lords day: afterwards, by reaſon this cuſtome was neglected, p. 126it was ordered that eueryevery Chriſtian ſhould celebrate the Communion thrice eueryevery yeare, and at laſt this remedie was found out, that inſtead of the Communion which was the Miſterie of vnity, they ſhould greete one another with an holy kiſſe.

Res ipſa clamaettam in Graecâ quam Latinâ Eccleſiâ non ſo lum ſacerdotem ſacrificā tem ſed & reliquos praesbyteros, Diaconos nec nō & reliquum plebem aut ſaltem plebis aliquam partem communicaſſe, quod quomodò ceſſauerit, &c Caſſand Conſult de ſolit: Miſſ. pag. 966.Iohannes Hoffmeiſterus] The thing it ſelfe doth ſpeake and cry aloud, both in the Greek and Latine Church, that not onelyonly the ſacrificing Prieſt but the other Prieſts and Deacons, and the reſt of the people, or at leaſt ſome part of the people did communicate together, and how this cuſtome ceaſed it is to be wondred, and it is to be indeauoured that this good cuſtome may be reſtored to the Church.

Maſter Harding] That p. 127others doe commonly forbeare to communicate with the Prieſt, Iewel in cap. of priuate Maſſe initie.is through their owne default and negligence, not regarding their owne ſaluation: whereof the godly and carefull Rulers of faithfull people hauehave ſince the time of the Primitiue Church alwaies much complained.Olim quod etiam nunc Graeci vſurpant ex vno eodem que pane conſecrato delibat… particulae ſingulu tribuebantur vt melius vnio & coniunctio cum Chriſto at que aepertius ſignificaretur. Iuſtin. in 1 Cor. 10. Nunquam expreſſe legitur à veteribus oblatum Sacrificium ſine communione alicuius vel aliquorū preter ipſum ſacerdotem. Bellar. lib. 2. de Miſſa. c. 9.1 Cor 10

Iuſtinian] In ancient times that which the Greek Church vſeth at this day of one loafe of bread conſecrated, diuers parts were diſtributed to all, that by their Communion, their Vnion with Chriſt might be more plainely expreſſed.

Beſtarmine] Although there is no expreſſe teſtimonie amongſt the Ancients, to teſtifie that they at any time offered ſacrifice without ſome one or more, communicating with p. 128the Prieſt, yet it may be gathered by coniectures: ſo that there is no certaine proofe of Antiquity for this point of faith, but onelyonly by coniectures, as Bellarmine himſelfe confeſſeth.

Thus you hauehave heard many of the beſt learned Romaniſts, witneſſing the antiquity of our doctrine, and conſequently intimating the noueltie of their owne; and it ſeemes the learned Fathers of the Trent Councell, were very ſenſible of that doctrine which the ancient Fathers taught, and proclaimed for the right Communion in their Church, and thereupon you ſhall obſerue, the Councell concludes in that Canon of Priuate Maſſe, with a well wiſhing to the p. 129truth of the Proteſtant doctrine;Concil. Trid. cap. 6. can. 8. Optaret quidem Sacroſancta Synodus, &c. The ſacred Councel could w…ſh, that the faithful people which ſtand by, would communicate with the Priest, not onelyonly in ſpirituall affection, Quod huiu… Sanctiſſimi ſacrificij fructus vberior proueniret. Concil. Jbid.but in Sacramentall participation; and the reaſon is there rendred by the Councell: Becauſe it would bee more fruitfull and more profitable for the Receiuer: Behold, out of the ſame mouth proceeds curſing and bleſſing, in the firſt part of the Canon, the Councell doth accurſe all thoſe that terme Priuate Maſſes vnlawfull, and therefore to be abrogated, in the next place, they wiſh they were reſtored to the ancient cuſtome for the benefit of the Receiuer: p. 130ſo that from the particular confeſſions of many learned Romaniſts, our Communion of Prieſts and people, is adiudged more ancient, and from the generall confeſſion of a generall Councell, our Communion is concluded to bee more fruitfull.

Iewel Artit. 1. in initio.But put the caſe ſaith [Maſter Harding] that the people might be ſtirred to ſuch deuotion, as to diſpoſe themſelues worthily to receiue their houſell eueryevery day with the Prieſt as they did (in the Primitiue Church) what would theſe men hauehave to ſay? Surely if our aduerſaries would leaue their Priuate Maſſe, and returne to our Communion; I preſume theſe men, that is, the Proteſtants p. 131would ſay, that the Maſſe Prieſts need not then ſo much complaine of the Noueltie of our doctrine: and yet one thing more I will adde and ſay, that if this doctrine were reformed and reſtored to the Primitiue ſincerity, (from which they confeſſe to hauehave digreſſed) yet I ſay, they ſtand guilty of the like noueltie, & corruptions in their Articles of their own Creed which hauehave as much neede of Reformation euen by the Teſtimonies of the beſt learned amongſt themſelues as ſhall be preſented in the next place.

p. 132PARAG. 4. The ſeuen Sacraments.

IT is the third Article of the Romane Creed, that there be truely and properly ſeuen Sacraments of the new Law, Bulla Pij Quarti Articl. 3.inſtituted by our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and neceſſarie to the ſaluation of mankinde. This Point of faith was grounded vponupon the Authority of the Councell of Plorence and the Councell of Trent, the one did inſinuate the number of ſeuen Sacraments: Suarez. diſp. 12. Sect. 1.the other did expreſly decree it for an Article of faith (ſaith Swarez) but becauſe the Romaniſts relie wholy vponupon the Trent Councell, it will not bee p. 133amiſſe to examine that Decree, and thereby to obſerue with what Vnitie and Conſent their Proſelites hauehave proſued this doctrine of faith.

The Councell of Trent hath defined and declared:Concil. Trid. ſeſſ 7 can 1. Ablue, firmo, cibo, piget, vngit, & ordinat vxor, Gerſon de 7. Sacram. p. 69. If any ſhall ſay that all the ſeuen Sacraments of new Law were not inſtituted by Chriſt, or that there are more or leſſe then ſeuen, viz. Baptiſme, Confirmation, the Euchariſt, Pennance, Extreme Vnction, Orders and Matrimonie; or that any of theſe is not truely and properly a Sacrament, let him be accurſed. This Trent Decree is ſo praeualent with the Church of Rome,Quodteſtimonium etiam ſi nullum haberemus aliud deberet ſufficere. Bellar. de effectis Sacr. l. 2. c. 25 that Bellarmine profeſſeth: This teſtimonie ought to ſuffice, if they had no other. And ſurely it will p. 134appeare, that other teſtimonies are ſcarce and few; and therefore it may be thought a ſtrange ſaying;Si tollamus authoritatem praeſentis Eccleſiae & praeſentis Concilij in dubium reuocari poterūt omnium aliorum Conciliorum decreta & tota fides Chriſtiana. Idem ibid. that one teſtimonie of a late Councell might ſuffice for an Article of faith, which by his owne Tenet requires Antiquitie, Vniuerſalitie, and Conſent; yet this Cardinall proceeds further, and tells vsus the authoritie of this Councell is ſo auaileable for this point, yea for all Articles of faith, that if wee ſhould take away the credit of the Roman Church and Councell of Trent, the decrees of other Councels, nay euen Chriſtian faith it ſelfe might be called in queſtion.

If by (Chriſtian faith) the Cardinal vnderſtand the preſent Romane faith, without doubt this ſaying is moſt p. 135true;See D. Fearly in his writ of Error againſt the Appealer p. 54. 55, &c. for if we conſider their miſinterpreting the Ancient Creed, and there creating of a New, it cannot poſſibly be defended but by the Romane Church & the Trent Councel; but if he mean the generall & ſauing faith of all true beleeuers, I may truly ſay this Tenet is a foundation of Atheiſme: for who can truly ſay, that the word of Chriſt is not alone ſufficient for the faith of all beleeuing Chriſtians. It is the voice of the bleſſed Apoſtle, I hauehave not ſhunned to declare vntounto you all the counſell of God: Acts 20.27. And Bellarmine himſelfe is forced to confeſſe, That all thoſe things are written by the Apoſtles which are neceſſarie for all men, and which the Apoſtles preached generally to all; p. 136Beſides how can the ſaith of Chriſtians depend vponupon a Church which is fallen from the faith? or how can a generall beleefe of Chriſtianitie relye ſafely vponupon a Councel, that is diſclaimed by the greateſt part of the Chriſtian world, viz. by England, by France, by Germanie? &c. But to let paſſe the Heluetian, the Scottiſh, the Germane, and the Engliſh Churches, what will become of the ancient Church of Rome, nay what will become of their owne Schoolemen in the latter ages? did they all beleeue and teach that there were neither more nor leſſe then ſeuen Sacraments? did they maintaine they were all inſtituted by Chriſt? did they profeſſe they were all truly p. 137and properly Sacraments of the new Law? If any learned man, or if all the learned men aliue, ſhall prooue that the ſeuen Trent Sacraments were inſtituted by Chriſt, & that all the Fathers, or any one Father in the Primitiue Church, or any knowne Author for aboue a thouſand yeares after Chriſt, did teach that there were neither more nor leſſe then ſeuen, truely and properly ſo called, and to be beleeued of all for an Article of faith, (all which is the conſtant doctrine of the Church of Rome) let the Anathema fall vponupon my head.

Firſt it is agreed on both ſides that the Sacraments of the new Law were inſtituted by Chriſt (for he onelyonly hath authoritie to ſeale the Charter p. 138in whoſe authority onelyonly it is to grant it.) Now as Princes ſeales confirme and warrant their deeds and charters, ſo doe the Sacraments witneſſe vntounto our conſciences that Gods promiſes are true, and ſhall continue for euer; Thus doth God make knowne his ſecret purpoſe to his Church: firſt he declareth his mercies by his word, then he ſealeth it, and aſſureth it by his Sacraments: In the word we heare his promiſes, in the Sacraments wee ſee them, The difference then betwixt the Church of Rome and vsus ſtands in this; In the two proper Sacraments of Baptiſme and the Lords Supper, wee hauehave the element and the inſtitution; in the other fiue there wanteth either of theſe, p. 139and therefore in a right meaning are not be taken for Sacraments: In Baptiſme the element is water, in the Lords Supper bread & wine: Baptiſme hath the words of Inſtitution,Mat. 28.19.Matt 28:19 Teach all Nations baptizing in the name of the Father, and the Sonne, and the holy Ghoſt: The Lords Supper likewiſe hath the wordes of Inſtitution:Luk. 22.19.Luke 22:19 Do this in remembrance of mee: and therefore we ſay theſe two are properly and truly called Sacraments, becauſe in them the element is ioyned to the word, and they take their ordinance from Chriſt, and be viſible ſignes of an inuiſible ſauing grace: The other fiue we call them not Sacraments becauſe they hauehave not the like inſtitution. Confirmation p. 140was ordained by the Apoſtles (but the Trent Councell confeſſeth, the Sacraments muſt bee ordained by Chriſt:) Pennance and Orders hauehave not any outward element ioyned to the Word: and Matrimonie was not ordained by Chriſt in the new Teſtament, but by God himſelfe in Paradiſe; Beſides the grants and ſeales of Chriſt, (viz. the Sacraments) are the peculiar and proper poſſeſſion of the Church of Chriſt, inſomuch as Turks and Infidels, may hauehave the benefit of marriage out of the Church, yet cannot hauehave the benefit of Chriſts Sacramēts which belong onelyonly to his Church. And laſtly, how Marriage ſhould bee a Sacrament, which containeth not grace p. 141in it ſelfe, nor power to ſanctifie, and how it ſhould bee an holy thing (as eueryevery Sacrament is termed) and yet muſt be forbidden, or rather fornication in the Prieſts caſe, muſt bee preferred be fore it; Durus ſermo, This is an hard ſa…ing, who can heare it? If therefore a generall Councell ſhall accuſe not onelyonly thoſe that denie the number (but ſi quis dixerit) If any ſhall ſay, there are either more or leſſe then ſeuen) then woe be to all the ancient Fathers, for if they be conuented before the Councel, they will all ſtand guiltie of this curſe.De latere in cruce pendentis lancea percuffo Sacramenta Eccleſiae pro fluxerunt. Aug. in Ioh. Tract. 15.

Accurſed be Ambroſe, and Auſtin, and Chryſoſtome, and Bede, for they taught that out of the ſide of Chriſt came p. 142the two Sacraments of the Church, Bloud and Water; but that there were neither more nor leſſe then ſeuen, they taught not, they beleeued not.

Jſid. Originū ſiue Etimolog. lib. 6.Accurſed be Iſidore, for he accounteth but of three Sacraments, viz. Baptiſme, and Chryſme, and the body and bloud of Christ.

Part. 4. q. 5. membr. 2. art. 1. qu. 5. &c.Accurſed be Alexander ab Hales, for hee ſaith there are onelyonly foure, which are in any ſort properly to be ſaid Sacraments of the new Law: and the other three ſuppoſed Sacraments had their being before.

Cypr. Ablutio pedum.Accurſed bee the Author bearing the name of Cyprian, for he mentioneth onelyonly fiue Sacraments, and one of them is Ablutio pedum, waſhing p. 143of the Apoſtles feet, which is none of the ſeuen Sacraments.

Accurſed be Durand, Matrimoniū nō eſt Sacramentū ſtrictē & proprie dictū ſicut alia Sacramenta nouae legis ſed est, &c. In lib. 4. Diſt. 26. quaeſt. 3.for he alloweth but ſixe proper Sacraments, for Matrimony (ſaith he) is not a Sacrament ſtrictly and properly ſo called as other Sacraments are.

Accurſed bee Cardinall Beſſarion, Haec duo ſola Sacramenta in Euangelijs maenifesté tradita legimus Beſſa. de Sacram. Euchar.for he fully concludeth with the Proteſtants; We reade of two onelyonly Sacraments which were deliuered vsus plainely in the Goſpell.

I need not inſiſt much vponupon the deniall of the certaine and definite number of ſeuen Sacraments knowne to the Fathers: for Cardinall Bellarmine by way of preuention giues vsus to vnderſtand that, The Proteſtants ought not to p. 144require of them to ſhew the number of ſeuen Sacraments either in Scriptures or Fathers, Non debere adverſarios petere vt oſtē damus in Scripturis aut Patribus nomen Septena rij numeri Sacramentorū. Nam nec ipſi oſtendere poſſunt nomen binarij vel ternarij, vel quaternarij Scriptura enim & Patres non, &c. Bellar. de effectu Sacr. lib. 2. c. 24. Satis eſſe debet quod Patres in varijs locis aut certè varij Patres eiuſdem aetatis omnium ſeptem Sacramē torum alicubi meminerint. Idem ca. 27.for that we cannot ſhew the number of two, nor three, nor foure: beſides it is ſufficient (ſaith he) that the Fathers in diuerſe places, and diuerſe Fathers of the ſame Age in ſome place make mention of thoſe Sacraments. The number therefore (by our Adueruerſaries confeſſion) is not to be expected in the Primitiue Church, and therefore it is more to bee wondred why the Romane Church ſhould impoſe the peremptorie number of ſeuen, with a curſe vponupon al them that beleeue them not.

If the Fathers had made mention of the ſeuen Trent Sacraments onelyonly (although p. 145they had neuer mentioned the number of ſeuen, there might hauehave beene ſome plea for the number alſo: but when they call many things by the names of Sacraments which had a myſticall ſence, becauſe they were types and figures of holy things; nay more, when they did inſiſt ſometimes in the number of two, and ſo reſtrained the proper Sacraments of the Church to the definite number of two onelyonly; It is no way probable that thoſe fiue Sacraments were of other account with them, then other holy things which they called Sacraments; for had the Fathers beleeued that thoſe Sacraments had beene inſtituted by Chriſt (as the Church of Rome doth) they p. 146would of neceſſity concluded them for true and proper Sacraments of the Church, and then without doubt the Fathers who were elegant in the application of ſuch myſteries would hauehave eaſily found in them the myſterie of the number ſeuen.

Saint Ambroſe in his Treatiſe of the Sacraments diuided into ſixe bookes, makes no mention but of two, and in his firſt booke and firſt Chapter, proclaimes to the beleeuers of his age: De Sacramentis quae accepiſtis ſermonem adorior: I ſpeake of the Sacraments which you hauehave receiued: that is to ſay, of thoſe two Sacraments which the Church hath taught and declared vntounto you: and that you may rightly vnderſtand what p. 147the Roman Church profeſſed concerning the number of Sacraments in thoſe dayes,Quaedā pauca pro multu, &c. Auguſt. de doct. Chriſt. li. 3. c. 9. Saint Auſtin tels vsus, Our Lord and his Apoſtles hauehave deliuered vntounto vsus a few Sacraments inſtead of many, and the ſame; in doing moſt eaſie, in ſignification moſt excellent, in obſeruation moſt reuerend, as is the Sacrament of Baptiſme, and the celebration of the body and bloud of our Lord: and laſtly concludeth them both in the number of two:Auguſt de Symbol. ad Catechum. Haec ſunt Eccleſiae gemina Sacramenta, Theſe be the two Sacraments of the Church. Tunc demum planè ſanctificari & eſſe filij Dei poſſunt ſi vtro que Sacramento naſcantur. Cypr. li. 2. Ep. 1. ad Steph.If we looke beyond thoſe times, Saint Cyprian that bleſſed Martyr liued and dyed in the faith of two Sacraments onelyonly: Then (ſaith he) may we be throughly ſanctified and become the p. 148children of God, (ſi vtro que Sacramento, &c.) if we bee borne by both the Sacraments: If we looke below them, Fulbertus Biſhop of Chartres, ſhewes vsus, the way of Chriſtian Religion,Fulbertus Epiſt. 1. is to beleeue the Trinitie and veritie of the Deitie, to know the cauſe of his Baptiſme, and in whom (duo vitae Sacramenta) the two Sacraments of our life are contained. And in the time of Charles the Great, Sunt Sacramenta Chriſti in Eccleſiâ Catholica Baptiſmus, & corpus, & ſanguis Christi. Paſchaſ. de caena Domini.Paſchaſius an Abbat ſpeakes plainely, and in few words: Theſe be the Sacraments of Chriſt in the Catholique Church, Baptiſme and the bodie and bloud of Chriſt. And laſtly, Beſſarion their owne Biſhop of Tuſculum, profeſſeth to all his Romiſh Proſelites, Wee reade of onelyonly two Sacraments which were p. 149plainely deliuered in the Goſpell.

Theſe learned Doctors reſted in the faith of two Sacraments in their dayes, and yet notwithſtanding called many things by the names of Sacraments,Signa cum ad res diuinas adhibentur Sacramenta vocantur. Aug de doct. Chriſt. l. 3. c. 6. and the reaſon is giuen by Saint Auſtin, Signes when they be applyed to godly things bee called Sacraments: and in this ſort many rites & ordinances in the Church are called Sacraments, becauſe they ſignifie ſome holy thing.Aug. de bono coniugali. cap 18. Auguſt. in Pſal. 141. Aug lib. 4. de ſymbol. c. 1. Aug. lib. 2. de pec. merit. & remiſ. ca. 26.Ps 141 Polygamie or marriage of many wiues, Saint Auſtin cals a Sacrament, as ſignifying the multitude of the Gentiles that ſhould bee ſubiect to God. Againe he termeth the ſigne of the croſſe, Exorciſme, Holy bread giuen to the Catechumeniſts (beginners in p. 150the faith) by the names of Sacraments: Alex. 1. Ep. 1. ca. 5.Pope Alexander the firſt, Ambroſ li. 3. de Sacram. c. 1 Cypri Serm de lotion. pedum. Bernard. de coena Dominicals Holy water a Sacrament; Saint Ambroſe, Cyprian, and Bernard cals Ablutio pedum, waſhing of the Apoſtles feet, a Sacrament. Tertullian calleth the whole ſtate of Chriſtian faith a Sacrament. Religionis Chriſtianae Sacramentū Tertul. li. 4 contr. Marcionem. Sacramentū orationis, Sacramentum eſuritionis, Sacramentū Scripturarū, Sacramentū fletu…, Sacramentum ſitis, Hila. in Mat. Canon. 11. & 12. & Canon. 23.Saint Hilarie in ſundry places ſpeaketh of the Sacrament of prayer, the Sacrament of faſting, the Sacrament of the Scriptures, the Sacrament of weeping, the Sacrament of thirſt. And Saint Hierome ſpeaking of the booke of the Reuelation, tells vsus there are in it, Tot Sacramenta quot verba, as many Sacraments as words. All theſe and many like ſignes and myſteries were called Sacraments by the Ancients, and yet are p. 151none of the ſeuen Sacraments which the Church of Rome holdeth; ſo that if euerie ordinance called a myſterie or a Sacrament in Scriptures and Fathers make a true Sacrament, they may decree ſeuentie Sacraments as well as ſeuen.

As theſe men therefore cannot denie there is mention of the number of two Sacraments in the Fathers (and not of ſeuen) ſo likewiſe we hauehave confeſſed there is mention in the Fathers of many Sacraments beſides theſe ſeuen: Now if Bellarmines reaſon ſtand good, that it is ſufficient (for an Article of faith) that the Fathers in diuerſe places, or diuerſe Fathers in ſome place make mention of their Trent Sacraments, p. 152why ſhould not all the Sacraments (before mentioned by the Fathers) bee concluded by the ſame reaſon for proper and true Sacraments as well as there ſeuen?

Let vsus deſcend from the Fathers to the later Schoolemen, and vponupon a reuiew of the fiue Sacraments which we denie, you ſhall finde as little vnitie amongſt their owne Schoolemen to proue them true and proper Sacraments, as Antiquitie and Vniuerſalitie amongſt the Fathers to prooue the number of ſeuen.

1 Firſt, touching Confirmation, Alexander of Hales ſaith,Sacramentum Cofirmationis vt eſt Sacramentum ne que Dominus inſtituit neque Apostoli, ſed poſtea inſtitutum eſt in Cō cilio Meldenſi. Alex. Hal. part 4. quaeſt. 24. memb. 1. Hugo in lib. Sacram. Perkins in his Probl. The Sacrament of Confirmation as it is a Sacrament was not ordained either by p. 153Chriſt or by the Apoſtles, but afterwards was ordained by the Councell of Milda.

2 Touching Pennance, Cardinall Hugo of Saint Victors in Paris, excludeth it for a proper Sacrament, and admitteth holy water which is none of the Trent Sacraments.

3 Touching Extreame Vnction,Mar. 6.13.Mark 6:13 Where the Apoſtles are ſaid to hauehave annointed many ſicke and healed them: Bell. lib. 1. de extr. vnct. c. 2Cardinall Bellarmine makes anſwer, That oyle was not the Sacrament of Extreme Vnction: Iames 5.14. Ex hoc loco nec ex ver bis nec ex effectibus colligitur extrema Vnctio illa miraculoſa quā Chriſtus instituit ſanandis aegrotus—Nan… textus promittit alleuationē infirmi, & de remiſſione peccatorū, non niſi conditionalitèr loquitur, & vnctio extremae non niſi in mortis articulo adhibetur, directé tendit ad remiſſionem peccatorum. Caietan in Jacob. 5. Nonnulli negarunt hoc Sacramentū fuiſſe à Christo inſtitutum ex quo plane ſequebatur nō eſſe verum Sacramentū,] Suar. Tom. 4. diſp 39. Sect. 2 Ordinatio Epiſcopalis Sacramentum eſt verè & propriè d…ctū Haec ſententia etiamſi negetur à Dominico Soto, lib. 10 de Iuſtitia & iure, & q. 1. art 2. & in 4 dist 24. q. 2. ar. 3. Bellar. de Sacram Ordinis. cap. 4.Jas 5:14and where Saint Iames ſaith, If any bee ſicke, let them annoint them with oyle, &c. Cardinall Caietan makes anſwer, The Sacrament of Extreme Vnction cannot bee hence collected, either by p. 154the words or by the effects, for that Vnction properly concernes the healing of bodily diſeaſes, but the Vnction of the Romane Church is vſed onelyonly for the ſicke paſt recouerie, and tendeth to the remiſſion of ſinnes; and (ſaith Suarez) both Hugo, and Peter Lombard, and Bonauenture, and Alenſis, and Altiſidonos, the chiefe Schoolemen of their time, did deny this Sacrament to be inſtituted by Chriſt, and by plaine conſequence (ſaith hee) it was no true Sacrament.

Touching Ordination of Biſhops, Dominicus Soto tels vsus it is not truly and properly a Sacrament.

5 Laſtly, touching Matrimony, Cardinall Caietan confeſſeth with Saint Paul, p. 155This is a great myſterie, Non habes ex hoc loco prudens lector à Paulo coniugium eſſe Sacramentum, non enim dicis Sacramentum ſed myſterium hoc magnum est & vere, &c. Chamier. de Sacram. l 4. c. 3. Jn materia & forma huius Sacramenti (viz.) Matrimonij ſtatuenda adeò ſum inconstantes & varij, adeò incerti & ambigui vt ineptus futurus ſit qui in tantâ illorum varietate ac diſcrepantia rem aliquam certam conſtantem, exploratā conetur efficere. Canus loc. Theolog. l. 8. cap 5.but (ſaith he) the learned Reader cannot inferre from thence, that Marriage is a Sacrament, for he ſaid not it is a Sacrament, but a myſterie: And for a concluſion their owne Canus tels vsus, The Diuines ſpeake ſo vncertainely of the matter and forme of Matrimonie, that he ſhould bee accounted a foole who in ſo great difference of opinions would take vponupon him to eſtabliſh a certaine and knowne doctrine.

Hee therefore that ſhall heare a Councell fearefully accurſing all thoſe that will not beleeue all the ſeuen Sacraments to be inſtituted by Chriſt, and yet ſhall neither find antiquitie and vniuerſalitie among the Fathers, nor vnitie and conſent among p. 156the Schoolemen to make good the Article of that beleefe, ſhall hauehave iuſt cauſe to enquire vponupon what ground the ſeuen Sacraments were firſt eſtabliſhed in the Church: What therefore may we thinke can be expected from theſe men; to enforce ſuch a decree from ſuch a Councell for a certaine and definite number of ſeuen?

Caſſand. de numero Sacrament.Caſſander who had examined the Noueltie of this doctrine, giues vsus to vnderſtand that ſome conceited wits found out a myſterie in the number of ſeuen, for otherwiſe you ſhall find none (ſaith he) before Peter Lombards time, who did determine the certaine number. This is not onelyonly probable but true, for the Trent Fathers in honour p. 157of that number did argue eſpecially for that purpoſe:Concil. Trid. hiſt. lib. 2. that there were ſeuen vertues, ſeuen capitall vices, ſeuen Planets, ſeuen defects which came from originall ſinne, the Lord reſted the ſeuenth day and the like: and Cardinall Bellarmine addes the like proofe for the number:Bellar. de Sacram. in genere. lib. 2. c. 26. ſeuen daies thou ſhalt not eat leauened bread, thou ſhalt ſhut vp the Leaper 7. daies, thou ſhalt offer ſeuen bulls, and ſeuen rammes, and ſeuen Goates, and Naaman was commanded to waſh ſeuen times in Iordan, & there are ſeuen Candleſtickes,Ex his patet Septenarius Sacramentorum numerus Aquinas par. 3. q. 65. art. 1. and ſeuen ſeales, and ſeuen books, and ſeuen Trumpets, and ſeuen Angels, and from theſe ſaith Aquinas appeares the number of ſeuen Sacraments.

p. 158Tyraboſco.The Patriarke of Venice was a graue & Learned man, but he was hardly driuen for proofes, when from fiue barly loaues and two fiſhes, hee concluded ſeuen Sacraments.Iuno Gentillet. Exam. concil. Trid. lib. 4. num. 26 Seſſ. The Creation of the world (ſaith he) was ended the ſeuenth day, and Chriſt ſatisfied the people with fiue loaues and two fiſhes which make ſeuen — but that which Andrew ſaid, there is a boy here which hath fiue loaues and two fiſhes muſt be vnderſtood of the ranke of S. Peters Succeſſors, & that which is added, make the people ſit downe; ſignifieth, that ſaluation muſt be offered them by teaching them the ſeuen Sacraments. In like manner the Schoolemen,Bonauent. in 2. diſt. 4. & Chamier. de ſacrä. lib. 4. cap. 2. and eſpecially Bonauenture, for want of better proofes, is prodigall p. 159of his wittie conceits in honour of that number. When the Sacraments (ſaith he) are the weapons of the Church Militant, the number muſt be ſuch likewiſe: for as it is ſaid in the Canticles, Shee is terrible as an armie with banners; ſo the number is terrible, and ſtrengthened by the Sacrament of Confirmation: It is an Army, becauſe conioyned and vnited with the Sacrament of the Euchariſt: it is likewiſe ordered by the Sacrament of Orders: and becauſe ſome die, and ſome fall away, there is a neceſsity of ſupply through Matrimonie: after they are beaten downe, there is a recouerie by Pennance, & becauſe no man comes to an Armie without an Enſigne, there is alſo the Sacrament of Baptiſme: p. 160and laſtly, thoſe that depart from their Armie, are ſerued with extreme Vnction.

I could adde to theſe myſticall conceits, the teſtimony of Saint Iohn; he tels vsus, there is a woman, in whoſe forehead a name was written (Myſterie) he tels vsus further,Reuel. 17.Rev 17 this woman had ſeuen heads, and theſe ſeuen heads are ſeuen Mountaines on which the woman ſitteth, or as (Victorinus) expounds it, on which the Citie of Rome ſitteth: Fulk. in Reuel. 17.7.Rev 17:7but I confeſſe I am no way delighted with ſuch conceits, eſpecially in a point of their faith, which they beleeue concernes their ſaluation: Yet this I ſay, if the beleefe of our two Sacraments had beene grounded vponupon ſuch reaſons, it had beene as p. 161eaſie a matter for vsus to hauehave proued a myſterie in the number of two: for there are two great Lights, there are two Tables of the Law, two Cherubins, two Trumpets, two Swords, two Witneſſes, but chiefely two Teſtaments, and from them onelyonly wee produce our two Sacraments.

If wee conſider therefore this Article of the Romane faith, both as it wants proofe of the ancient Fathers in the affirmatiue; and as it is declined by the latter Schoolemen in the Negatiue, our aduerſaries ſhall hauehave little cauſe to denie the Viſibilitie of our Church for our two, and leſſe reaſon to bragge of their markes of antiquity and vniuerſality in the faith of p. 162their ſeuen. Touching our two, they were anciently beleeued and are receiued by them and vsus for true and proper Sacraments of the Church, touching Confirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony, they are receiued by the Church of Rome and vsus, but with this difference, they are decreed by them for true and proper Sacraments, they are receiued and allowed by vsus for rites and Ordinances in our Church. Touching the two firſt they are knowne and certaine, becauſe they were primarily ordained by Chriſt himſelf, touching the other fiue, they had not that immediate Inſtitution from Chriſt, and thereupon the learned Cardinall is forced to confeſſe: The ſacred things p. 163which the Sacraments of the new Law ſignifie, De Baptiſmo & Eucharistia res notiſſima eſt, de alijs Sacramentis non eſt ita notum. Bellar. de Sacram. in genere lib. 1. cap. 9.are threefold, the Grace of Iuſtification, the Paſsion of Chriſt and eternall life, touching Baptiſme and the Euchariſt, the thing is moſt euident, concerning the other fiue, it is not ſo certaine.

Since therefore ſome of there beſt learned denie that all the ſeuen Sacraments were inſtituted by Chriſt, others acknowledge, they are not all true and proper Sacraments of the new Law, others confeſſe that there owne fiue are not ſo certaine as our two; Saint Auſtins confeſſion ſhall bee my concluſion. If we, Auguſt. contr. Petil. lib. 3. c. 6.or an Angell from heauen, preach vntounto you any thing concerning faith, and life, beſides that you hauehave receiued in the Legall and p. 164Euangelicall Scriptures, let him be accurſed.

PARAG. 5. Communion in both kindes.

IT is the ſixt Article of the Romane Creed: I confeſſe that vnderunder one kinde onelyonly all and whole Chriſt and the true Sacrament is receiued. This halfe Communion is created or declared for an article of faith, and this article of faith is lately deſcended from the Councell of Conſ…ance (1400) yeares after Chriſt;Concil. Conſtam. an. 1414 in which Councell, it was declared that Chriſt did inſtitute in both kindes, and the Primitiue Church did continue it to the faithfull in p. 165both kinds, but for weightie reaſons (as they terme them) contrary to Chriſts inſtitution, and the practiſe of all antiquity, they decreed a halfe communion with this Caution:Concil. Constant. Seſs. 13 that if any ſhould ſay it was vnlawfull, or erroneous to receiue in one kinde, he ought to be puniſhed and driuen out as an heretique: So that by the Decree with a (Non obſtante) in the Canon (that is) notwithſtanding Chriſt did inſtitute in both kindes, and the Primitiue Church receiue it; I ſay from that time (as it were in deſpight of God and man) the whole communion was adiudged Hereſie,Gerſon. de hereſ. communicandi ſub vtraque ſpeciè. and which is moſt remarkeable, this Councell by reaſon the firſt ſeſſions iudged the Councell aboue the Pope, thoſe firſt ſeſſions p. 166were condemned and reiected by the Councell of Florence, Hoc conciliū quantum ad primas Seſſiones vbi definit Concilium eſſe ſiopra Papam reprobatur vt eſt in Concilio Florentino, & quantum ad vltimas Seſſiones, & ea omnia que probauit Martin. 5. ab omnibus Catholicis recipitur.and the laſt Councel of Lateran: but for the laſt ſeſſions wherein the communion in both kinds was adiudged hereticall, although it were contrarie to Chriſts precept and his holy Inſtitution: the Councell in this point was allowed by Pope Martin the Fifth, and ſaith Bellarmine, Bellar de Cocil. & Eccleſ. lib. 1. cap. 7. §. Quintum Acts 3, 14.Acts 3:14ab omnibus Catholicis recipitur, it is receiued of all Catholiques: neither can the Councell of Trent pleade ignorance, that they know not Chriſts Inſtitutiō, for they purſue the decrees of the former Councell, and declare in like manner. Although our Sauiour did exhibit in both kindes, Concil. Trid. cap. 3.yet if any ſhall ſay, the holy Catholique p. 167Church was not induced for iuſt cauſes to communicate the lay people and the non Conficient Prieſt vnderunder one kinde (viz.) of bread onelyonly, Can. 2.and ſhall ſay they erred in ſo doing, let him be accurſed.

Hee that ſhall heare two great Councels, the one accuſing, the other accurſing, all for heretiques that denie the vnlawfullneſſe of one kinde, would gladly know, what were thoſe cauſes and reaſons that induced the Romane Church to decree flatly againſt Chriſts precept, and the example of the Primitiue Churh; If neither the words, Drinke yee all of this, nor Doe this in remembrance of me, are binding precepts (as without doubt they are) muſt therefore Prieſts and p. 168people bee adiudged heretiques and accurſed Chriſtians, becauſe they follow Chriſts example? It is not to be doubted, but that is best and fitteſt to bee practiſed which Chriſt himſelfe hath done: Bellar. de Euchar. lib. 4. c. 7.This is Bellarmines Confeſſion, this is ours; beſides, how the Church of Rome ſhould create or declare a point of faith manifeſtly repugnant to Chriſts Word and his Inſtitution, and contrarie to the practiſe of the Primitiue Church; and yet retaine the proper markes of their Church, which are Antiquitie, vniuerſality, and conſent, this is a doctrine vnſearchable, and paſt finding out. In the meane time, I will tender them the performance of my p. 169promiſe, which is the confeſſion of their owne learned Doctors in the boſome of their owne Church, who are faithfull witneſſes in behalfe of our Church and doctrine, that the Communion in both kindes, had knowne antiquity from Chriſt, and an eminent Viſibility in the ancient church, & that the halfe Communion was ſo farre from a point of faith, that it was not generally receiued in the true Church aboue a thouſand yeares after Chriſt.

Salmeron] We doe ingenuouſly and openly confeſſe, Salmer.] Ingenui & aperti confitemur morem generalem extitiſſe communicandi etiam Laicos ſub vtraque ſpecie. Salmer Tract. 35.that it was a great cuſtome for the Lay people to communicate vnderunder both kinds, as it is this day vſed amongſt the Graecians, and was vſed in times p. 170paſt amongſt the Corinthians, and in Africa.Olim Laici communicabant ſub vtrá que ſpecie quod tamen antiquatum eſt. Arbor. Theoſophiae lib. 8. cap. 11.

Iohannes Arboreus] Antiently the Lay people did communicate vnderunder both kinds, but now it is aboliſhed.

Thomas Aquinas] According to the ancient cuſtome of the Church, Secundum antiquae Eccleſiae conſuetudinem, omnes ſicut communicabant corporè ita communicabant & ſanguine. Aquin. in Ioh. 6.John 6all thoſe that were partakers of the Communion of his body, were partakers alſo of the Communion of his blood.

Ruardus Tapper, Deane of Louayne] It were more conuenient the Communion were adminiſtred vnderunder both kinds then vnderunder one alone, Habito reſpectis ad Sacramentum — magis conſonum eſt eius institutions, &c. Caſſand. ſub vtraque ſpecie. pag. 1034for this were more agreeable to the Inſtitution and fulneſſe thereof, and to the example of Chriſt, and the Fathers of the Primitiue Church.

Lyra] In the 1. of the Corinthians p. 171and the eleuenth; Fit hic mentio de duplici ſpecie, nam in primitiua Eccleſia ſic dabatur fidelibus. Lyr. in 1 Cor. 1.11.1 Cor 1:11there is mention made of the communion in both kinds, for in the Primitiue Church it was giuen in both kinds to the faithfull.

Fiſher the Ieſuite] Certaine it is that the Primitiue Church did very often and frequently vſe the Communion vnderunder both kinds, D. White Fiſher in the Chapter of both kinds.yea they were bound thereunto by the obligation of cuſtome not diuine precept.Alph.] — Nā olim per multa ſaeculaſic apud omnes Catholicos vſitatum eſſe ex multorum Sanctorum Scripturis didicimus. Alph. de Caſtro de hâc Controuerſiâ. Caepit. ea conſuetudo in Eccleſia Latina, &c. Greg. de Valent. de legit. vſu Euchar. cap. 10.

Alphonſus de Caſtro] Anciently for many ages the Communion in both kinds was vſed amongſt all Catholiques as appeares by the writings of many holy men.

Gregorie de Valentia] The cuſtome of communicating in one kinde, began in the Latine Church to bee generally receiued, p. 172but a little before the Councell of Conſtance where it was confirmed.

Satis compertum est Oriē tem Chriſti Eccleſiam hunc vſque diem, Occidentalem ſeu Romanam mille amplius, &c. Caſſand. Conſult. de vtraque ſpecie.Caſſander] It is ſufficiently manifeſt, that the Eaſterne Church of Chriſt vntill this day, and the Romane Church for more then a thouſand yeares after Chriſt did exhibit the Sacrament in both kinds, as it is moſt euident by innumerable teſtimonies both of Greeke and Latine Fathers.

Licet Chriſtus post coenam inſtituerat, — licet in Primitiua Eccleſià recipitur à fidelibus, &c. Concil. Conſtam. Seſs. 13The Councell of Conſtance] Though Chriſt inſtituted this Venerable Sacrament vnderunder both kinds—and though in the Primitiue Church this Sacrament was receiued by the faithfull vnderunder both kinds, yet this cuſtome that it ſhould bee receiued by Lay men vnderunder the kinde of bread onelyonly, is to bee p. 173held for a Law which may not be refuſed, &c.

Bellarmine] Chriſt did inſtitute vnderunder both kinds, Christus quidom instituit ſub duplici ſpeciè ſed non iuſſit dari omnibus ſub duplici — Eccleſia autem vetus ministrabat ſub duplici ſpeciè quando Chriſtiani &c. Bellar. de Euch. lib. 4. cap. 24.but he did not command it to be giuen to all vnderunder both kinds: The ancient Church did adminiſter vnderunder both kinds when the number of Chriſtians were but few, beſides, all did not receiue in both kinds, — but the multitude increaſing, the inconuenience appeared more and more, and by degrees, the vſe of both kinds ceaſed.

Thus wee hauehave heard with our eares, and our Aduerſaries hauehave declared vntounto vsus, that our Communion in both kinds was taught by the Fathers in there daies, and in the old time before them; I hope I ſhall not neede any ſupplementall p. 174proofe for the antiquity of our doctrine, and the Viſibility of our Church in this point, when they themſelues hauehave giuen ſo faire an euidence in our behalfe; and as concerning the halfe communion which is receiued in the Romane Church, for an Article of faith as it wants antiquitie and conſent of Fathers by their owne confeſſion, ſo likewiſe it wants a right foundation in the Scriptures, which an article of faith ought to hauehave, and therefore Saint Auſtins confeſſion ſhall be my concluſion: If wee on an Angell from heauen preach vntounto you any thing concerning faith, and life, beſides that you hauehave receiued in the Legal and Euangelicall Scriptures let him bee acourſed.

p. 175PARAG. 6. Prayer and ſeruice in a knowne tongue.

THe Councell of Trent decreed and declared concerning the diuine ſeruice in an vnknowne tongue, that,Concil. Trid. Seſs. 22. c. 8. although the Maſſe doe containe in it great inſtruction for the common people, yet it doth not ſeeme expedient to the fathers of the Councel, that it ſhould be eueryevery where celebrated in the vulgar tongue: This decree being paſt, they proceeded to iudgement, that whoſoeuer ſhall ſay he is to be condemned that pronounceth part of the Canon (of the Maſſe)Jbid. Can. 9. de Sacrificio Miſſa. and the words of conſecration with a p. 176lowe voice, or that the Maſſe ought to be celebrated in the vulgar tongue onelyonly, let him be accurſed. Now it is worth the noting, the firſt part of the decree was adiudged by ſome Trent Biſhops to be queſtionable and doubtful in the conſtruction: for ſay they,Hiſtor. of Trent. lib 6. pag. 577. it ſeemed a contradiction to declare that, that the Maſſe doth containe much inſtruction for the faithfull, and yet to command that part of ſeruice to bee vttered with a lowe voice, and in an vnknowne tongue. This exception, it ſeemes tooke ſome impreſſion in the Councell, for in the ſame Chapter, and in the ſame Seſſion, a diſpenſation was granted with a Non obſtante, Notwithſtanding the firſt part of the Decree; that p. 177Retaining the ancient right to eueryevery Church, leaſt the people might hunger and thirſt for foode, and none be ready to giuegive it them, it was thenceforth commanded and decreed that the Maſſe Prieſts or ſome others ſhould frequently expound and declare, the myſteries of the Maſſe, which the people could not vnderſtand in the Latin tongue: ſo that from their own confeſſions, that the Maſſe doth afford great inſtruction to the people, and for that end ought to be interpreted vntounto them, they conſequently affirmed, that the ſeruice and prayer in the Reformed Churches in the vulgar tongue, was better for the edification of the Church: and without doubt the Apoſtles command, p. 178(To ſhew forth the Lords death till his comming) was not his meaning to ſhew it to the walls, or in a ſilent and vnknowne voice (as it is now vſed in the Romane Church) but to pronounce it openly to bee heard and vnderſtood of all the hearers.Haymo in 1 Cor. 14.1 Cor 14 I am ſaith Haymo a Grecian, thou an Hebrew, if I ſpeake to thee in Greeke, I ſhall ſeeme barbarous vntounto thee, likewiſe if thou ſpeake to mee in Hebrew, thou ſhalt ſeeme barbarous vntounto me: nay more, he puts this vnanſwerable queſtion: If one knoweth that onelyonly tongue wherein he was borne and bred, If ſuch a one ſtand by thee whilſt thou doeſt ſolemly celebrate the Myſterie of the Maſſe, or make a Sermon, or giuegive a bleſsing how ſhal p. 179he ſay Amen at thy bleſsing, when hee knoweth not what thou ſayeſt; for ſo much as hee vnderſtanding none but his Mothers tongue cannot tell what thou ſpeakeſt in that (ſtrange) and barbarous tongue. If we looke higher it will appeare that prayers and Sacraments were adminiſtred in the Church for the vnderſtanding of the hearer,Iuſt. Imper. in No. Constit. 123. Iuſtinian the Emperor commanded all Biſhops & Priests to celebrate the ſacred oblation of the Lords Supper, and prayers vſed in Baptiſme, not in ſecret, but with a loud and cleere voice, that the mindes of the hearers might bee ſtirred vp with more deuotion to expreſſe the praiſes of God— Let the Religious Biſhops and Prieſts know (ſaith he) that if they p. 180neglect ſo to doe, they ſhould yeeld an account in the dreadfull iudgement of the great God for it, and we hauing information of them, will not leaue them vnpuniſhed. This care was conſtantly vſed by the ancient Roman Church, as appeares by the Popes owne Decretals,Decret. Gregor. tit. 3. de Offic. Iud. Ord. c. 14. wherein it was publiquely declared; We command that the Biſhops of ſuch Cties and Dioceſſes (where Nations are mingled together) prouide meete men to miniſter the holy ſeruice according to the diuerſity of their manners and languages: But I will ſpare the labour for further proofe of this queſtion by citing the particular Fathers, & will produce our Aduerſaries ſeuerall confeſſions to witneſſe the truth of p. 181our doctrine, that Prayer and Seruice in the vulgar and knowne tongue, was altogether vſed in the beſt and firſt ages, according to the precept of the Apoſtles and the practiſe of the ancient Fathers.

Lyra, Jn Primitiua Eccleſia benedictiones & caetera communia ſiebant in vulgari Lyra in 1. Cor. 14.1 Cor 14] If thou bleſſe the ſpirit, and the people vnderſtand thee not, what profit hath the ſimple people thereby not vnderſtanding thee: Therefore in the Primitiue Church, the bleſsings and all other common deuotions were performed in the vulgar tongue.

Iohannes Belethus] (Billet) In the Primitiue Church it was forbidden that any man ſhould ſpeak with tongues, Jn Primitiua Eccleſia prohibitū erat ne quu loqueretur linguis niſi eſſet qui interpretaretur Quid enim prodeſſet, &c. Joh. Billet in ſu…n. de diuinis officijs.vnleſſe there were ſome to interpret, for what ſhould ſpeaking auaile without vnderstanding, p. 182and hereof grew a laudable cuſtome, that after the Goſpell was read, it ſhould ſtraight way be expounded in the vulgar tongue.

Lingua auditoris non ignota omnia peragebantur & conſuetudo ita ferebat vt omnes pſallerent. Gretz. def. c 16. l. 2. de verbo Dei.Gretzerus,] The ancient Fathers did exhort all to ſing together, and that attentiuely and diligently the Prieſts and people ſhould ioyne their voices together.

Jewel in 3. Artic. Diuiſ. 28.Maſter Harding,] Verily in the Primitiue Church (Seruice in a knowne tongue) was neceſſarie where faith was a learning, and therefore the prayers were made then in a common tongue knowne to the people, for cauſe of their inſtructions, who being of late conuerted to the faith, and of Pagans made Chriſtians, had need in all things to be taught.

Caſſander] The Canonicall p. 183Prayers, Canonicam precē & imprimu Dominici corporis & ſanguinis conſecrationē ita veteres legebant vt à populo intelligi & Amen acclamari poſſit Caſſand. Lyturg. Fuit ergo ratio talis Benedicendi in Eccleſia tempore Apostoli, cui reſpondere ſolebat non tantum Clerus, ſed omnis populus Amen. Wald. in doctr. art. Eccle tit. 4. c. 31. Sed quare nō dantur benedictiones in vulgari.— dicendū quod hoc ſorte fuit in Eccleſia Primitiua, ſed poſtquam fideles inſtructi ſunt & ſciunt que audiunt fiunt Benedictiones in Latino. Aquin in 1. Cor. 14. Lect. 3.1 Cor 14and eſpecially the words of conſecration of the body and bloud of our Lord, the Ancients did ſo reade it that all the people might vnderſtand it and ſay, Amen.

Waldenſis] When thou ſhalt bleſſe with thy ſpirit how ſhall the vnlearned ſay, Amen at the giuing of thankes, ſeeing he vnderſtandeth not what thou ſayeſt? therefore in the Apoſtles time there was reaſon of ſuch a bleſsing, that at the giuing of thankes not onelyonly the Prieſt but alſo all the people were wont to anſwer, Amen.

Aquinas] How comes it to paſſe that thankeſgiuings are not made in the known tongue that the people might vnderſtand them? we muſt ſay it was in the Primitiue Church; but after the common people were p. 184inſtructed, and knew and vnderſtood their dutie, thankeſgiuings were made in Latine; Quare omnia in Eccleſiâ dicuntur in Latino videtur quod ſit ſimilitér inſania; dicendum eſt quòd ideo erat inſania in Primitiua Eccleſia quia erant rudes in ritu Eccleſiastico vnde neſciebant qua fiebant ibi niſi exponeretur eis, modo vero omnes ſunt inſtructi, &c. Idem Lect. 4.Againe, when all things are done in the Latine tongue in the Church, it ſeemeth to bee madneſſe: to this we muſt anſwer (ſaith he) that it was madneſſe in the Primitiue Church, which is not ſo in ours, for then they were rude and ignorant in Eccleſiaſticall rites and ceremonies, but now all are ſo well inſtructed, that although it be in Latin, the people vnderstand what is done in the Church.

Quia Chriſtiani erāt pauci omnes ſi…ul pſallebant in Eccleſia & reſpondebant in diuinis officijs & poſte a creſcente populo diuiſa ſunt magis officia & ſolis Clericis relictū eſt vt communes prece, & laudes in Eccleſia pèragant Bel. de verba Dei lib. 2. cap. 16.Bellarmine,] It may be obiected that in the time of the Apoſtles, all the people in diuine Seruice did anſwer one Amen, and this cuſtome continued long, in the Eaſt and Weſt Churches, as appeares by Chryſoſtome, p. 185Cyprian, Hierome, &c. In anſwer hereunto, he ſaith, When the Chriſtians were but few, they did all ſing together at the time of diuine Seruice, but when the number of people did increaſe, the office of publique ſeruice was diuided, and it was left onelyonly to the Church to celebrate the Common Prayers. Here we hauehave the ſeueral confeſſions of our learned Aduerſaries, that in the firſt ages publique prayers were vſed for the vnderſtanding of the people, and they giuegive a ſpeciall reaſon for it, to wit, for the better conformity of the Heathen and ignorant people in the doctrine of Chriſtianity.Harding.

Now as you hauehave heard the reaſons why the Seruice was vſed amongſt the Ancients in the knowne tongue, p. 186ſo likewiſe you ſhall vnderſtand one ſpecial cauſe of the alteration of it in the Romane Church: It is reported (ſaith Honorius) when the Canon of the Maſſe in the Primitiue times was publiquely read and vnderſtood of all:Honorius in Gemma Animae. l. 1. de Canone & Caſſ Lyturg. c. 28. certaine Shepheards hauing learned the words of conſecration, and pronouncing them ouer their bread and wine in the fields, ſuddenly their bread and wine were tranſubſtantiated into fleſh and bloud, and the ſhepheards likewiſe for their preſumption (in vſing the words of Conſecration) were ſtrucken dead by the hand of God. So that by Honorius confeſſion the Canon of the Maſſe was anciently read and vnderſtood of all, and which p. 187is ſtrange,Aut Paſtor fuit aut illud quod dicere nolo. Iuuenal. ſhepheards did tranſubſtantiate bread and wine, and as it ſeemes chiefely occaſioned the alteration of the Church ſeruice into the Latin and vnknowne tongue.Caſſander Lyturg. 28. p. 65. Pope Innocent the third, and Iohannes Bilethus relate the ſame ſtorie, but withall adde another reaſon why the Church decreed the Seruice in an vnknowne language, Ne ſacroſancta verba vileſcerent: The Church commanded that ſuch prayers and ſeruice ſhould be ſecretly deliuered by the prieſt, leſt that the knowne words of the ſacred Scripture ſhould grow triuiall and of no account: Sicut & ſacra Scriptura eſt ne vileſcat. Beleth. de diuinis officijs. Caſſ p. 65.And the Councell of Trent three hundred yeares after in confirmation of that decree, addes a more weightie reaſon p. 188for a concluſion,Hiſtor. of Trent. lib. 5. p. 460. that this inconuenience would follow, all would thinke themſelues Diuines, the authoritie of Prelats would be diſeſteemed, and all would become heretiques. It is to be wondred how the Church is altered in this point (ſaith Eraſmus) but it is to bee lamented that poore ignorant ſoules ſhould bee captiuated with ſuch ſillie reaſons,Eraſ. in 1. Cor. 14.1 Cor 14 and that faithfull beleeuers ſhold be accurſed for heretiques, for following the examples of the Apoſtles and the Primitiue Church, euen by the teſtimonies of the beſt learned amongſt themſelues: ſince therefore Prayer and Seruice in an vnknowne tongue, wants antiquity frō the written word, or rather ſince it is forbidden by the p. 189word of the Apoſtle. Saint Austins confeſſion ſhall bee my concluſion: If we or an Angell from heauen preach vntounto you any thing concerning faith and life, beſides that you hauehave receiued in the Legal and Euangelicall Scriptures, let him be accurſed.

PARAG. 7. Worſhip of Images.

IT is the ninth Article of the Romane Creed:Artic. 9. I doe reſolutely affirme that the Images of Chriſt, and of the Virgin Mary, and alſo of other Saints are to bee had and retained, and that due honour and veneration is to be yeelded to them. This Article was decreed in the ninth Seſſion of p. 190the Councel of Trent, where it was declared:Concil. Trid. Seſſ. 9. We teach that the Images of Chriſt, the Virgin mother of God, and other Saints are chiefly in Churches to bee had and retained, and that due honour and worſhip is to be giuen vntounto them.

This doctrine of Image worſhip we abſolutely denie and condemne as a wicked and blaſphemous opinion: firſt, becauſe their Article of faith doth not onelyonly want the authoritie of the Scripture, (which an Article of faith ought to hauehave) but becauſe the Scripture doth flatly and plainely forbid it.Leuit. 26. Exod. 20. Deut. 4. Eſay 40.Lev 26Exod 20Deut 4Isa 40

If we looke vponupon the old Law before the comming of Chriſt, Vaſques the Ieſuite confeſſeth,Vaſq diſp. 104 in 3. Thom. c. 6. So farre forth euerie Image was forbidden, as it p. 191was dedicated to adoration, therefore neither the Cherubins nor any other Images had any worſhip in the Temple. And Coruel us Agrippa tells vsus, the Iewes did abhorre nothing more then Images, neither did they make any Image that they worſhipped, inſomuch as when Caligula the Emperour was deſirous to hauehave his owne Image ſet vp in the Church of Hieruſalem, king Agrippa makes him this anſwer:Philo Indaeus lib. de Legatione ad Caiū. This Temple ô Caligula from the firſt beginning to this time neuer yet admitted any Image being the houſe of God, for the workes of Painters and Caruers are the Images of materiall gods, but to paint the inuiſible God, or to faine a repreſentation of him, our Anceſtors did account it p. 192a wickedneſſe. And that which is more to be lamented, the worſhip of Images at this day is ſuch a ſtumbling block to the Iewes, and a hindrance to their conuerſion, that when they come to the Chriſtians Sermons (as in Rome they are inioyned once at leaſt eueryevery yeare) ſo long as they ſee the Preacher direct his ſpeech and prayer to a little woodden crucifix that ſtands on the pulpit by him, to call it his Lord and Sauiour, to kneele to it, to imbrace it, to kiſſe it, to weepe vponupon it (as it is the faſhion in Italie) it is preaching ſufficient for them, and perſwades them more with the verie ſight of it,Sir Edward Sands his deſcrip. of the Religion in the Weſt parts. to hate Chriſtian Religion, then any reaſon the world can alledge p. 193to louelove it.

It is agreed there on both ſides, that in the old Law the Iewes neuer allowed adoration of Images, for almoſt foure thouſand yeares, and this was concerning the Images of God the Father. Now let vsus deſcend from the Law to the Teſtament, and ſee what order was taken by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, for the repreſentation of him & his Saints after him; It is manifeſt and without queſtion that the Law of God made againſt Images,Ʋaſques] Dico praeceptum illud de non adorandis figuris non fuiſſe legis naturae ſed tantum poſitiui… & ceremoniale, & temporale, & in tempore Euā gelij ceſſare debere. Vaſq l. 2. diſp. 4. ca. 4 num. 83. &c. 7. num 115 is a Morall Law, and ſtands in force at this day againſt Iewes and Gentiles; And although Pereſius and Catharinus, and Vaſques the Ieſuite would vnderſtand the Law againſt Images to be a poſitiue p. 194and Ceremoniall Law, and therefore to ceaſe at the entrance of the Goſpell;Haec opinio no bis non probatur. Bellar. de Jmag. l. 2. c. 7. yet Bellarmine diſauowes that conſtruction, with a Non probatur: This opinion is not allowed of vsus, both for the reaſons made againſt the Iewes, and for that Iraeneus, Tertullian, Cyprian, and Auguſtine doe all teach the commandements, excepting the Sabbath are a Law naturall and morall. If therfore the old commandement be not abrogated, let vsus ſee what example or precept there is in the Goſpell for adoration.M. Fiſher in D. Whites reply. p. 226. Maſter Fiſher the Ieſuite tels vsus: In the Scripture there is no expreſſe practiſe nor precept of worſhipping the Image of Chriſt, yet there bee Principles which (the light of Nature ſuppoſed) p. 195conuince adoration to be lawfull. So that from the law of God and the law of grace, we are at laſt returned to the Law of Nature, and from the light of Nature an Article of faith muſt be declared.

I hauehave read of Varro a heathen Phyloſopher, who from the inſtinct of Nature profeſſed the contrarie doctrine. The Gods (ſaith he) are better ſerued without Images. Castius Dij obſeruantur ſine ſimula. chris. Auguſt. de Ciuit. Deo. li. 4. cap. 31.And Saint Austin conceiues this Tenet of his to be ſo good a principle in Nature, that he condeſcends to his opinion, and teſtifies thus much in his behalfe: Although Varro attained not to the knowledge of the true God, yet how neare he came to the truth in this ſaying who doth not ſee it? Now the reaſon why theſe Fathers p. 196condemned the worſhippers of Images for heretiques and idolaters, is rendred by Euſebius: Euſeb. Eccleſ. hiſt. lib. 7. cap. 17. Engl.Becauſe (ſaith he) the men of old of a Heatheniſh cuſtome were wont after that manner to honour ſuch as they counted Sauiours; And thereupon after that Images had got footing among the Chriſtians, the Biſhops and Emperours by Councels and commands tooke ſpeciall care to preuent them, both in the making and the worſhipping. The Councell of Eliberis at Granado in Spaine, Concil. Elibert. Can. 36.decreed, That no pictures ſhould be in Churches, leſt that which was worſhipped ſhould be painted on the wals. And the good Emperours Valens and Theodoſius made proclamation to all Chriſtians againſt p. 197the Images of Chriſt in this manner:Petrus Crinitus l. 9. ca. 9. For as much as wee hauehave a diligent care in all things to maintaine the Religion of the moſt high God, therefore wee ſuffer no man to faſhion, to graue or paint the Image of our Sauiour either in colours or in ſtone, or in any other kinde of mettall or matter: but whereſoeuer any ſuch Image ſhall be found, wee command it to be taken downe, aſſuring our ſubiects, that wee will moſt ſtrictly puniſh all ſuch as ſhall preſume; to attempt any thing contrarie to our decrees and commandements.

I forbeare to cite the particular Fathers that oppoſed and condemned the worſhip of Images in the Primitiue Church, it may ſuffice this doctrine wants a foundation p. 198in the Scriptures by their owne confeſſion, and now it ſhall appeare they want the viſibilitie of the ancient Church, and the teſtimonies of holy Fathers by the like acknowledgement of the learned Romaniſts amongſt themſelues.

Rectè ob euacuandam ſuperſtitionē ab orthodoxis Patribus definitū eſt. Picturas in Eccleſia ſieri non dabere ne quod coli tur & adoratur, &c. E Bibliotheca Papyrij Naſoni in ijs libellis de picturis & ImaginibusAgobardus Biſhop of Lyons] The orthodoxe Fathers for auoiding of ſuperſtition, did carefully prouide that no pictures ſhould be ſet vp in Churches, leſt that which is worſhipped ſhould be painted on the walls. There is no example in all the Scriptures or Fathers for adoration of Images, they ought to be taken for an ornament to pleaſe the ſight, not to inſtruct the people.

Hinema. Rernenſ. contr. HincmarumHincmarus, Archbiſhop of Rhemes,] In the raigne of p. 199Charles the Great (the ſea Apoſtolique willing it ſo to be) a generall Synod was kept in Germanie by the conuocation of the ſaid Emperour, Jandunenſē Epiſc. c. 20.and thereby the rule of Scriptures and doctrine of the Fathers, the falſe Councell of the Grecians (concerning worſhip of Images) was confuted and vtterly reiected.

Caſſander, Quantum veteres initio eccleſiae ab omni veneratione Imaginum abhorruerunt, declarat vnus Origin. aduerſus Celſū, &c. Caſſand. Conſult. de ſimulachris.] How much the ancient Fathers in the Primitiue Church did abhorre all manner of worſhipping Images, Origen declares againſt Celſus, and Auſtin in his manners of the Catholique Church, and Ambroſe in his fifth book of his Epiſtles, and 31. do ſufficiently declare.

Pereſius Aiala, Pereſ.] Omnes fere Scholaſtici in hoc ſunt quo Image Chriſti & ſanctorum adorari debeat eadem adoratione quâ & res quae repreſentātur — huius doctrinae nullū quod ego viderim afferūt validū fundamentum, non ne que Scripturam, ne que traditionem eccleſiae, ne que cōmunē conſenſū ſanctorum, ne que concilij gratis determinationem aliquam nec etiam rationē quâ hoc efficaciter ſuaderi poſſit, adducant. Epiſ copus Guidi xienſis. lib. de Tradit. par. 2. c. de Imag. p. 158. Statuit olim vniuerſalis Eccleſia, legitima occaſione inductae, propter illos qui erant ex Gentibus ad fidē conuerſi, vt nulle in Templis imagines ponerentur. Nich. Clem. l. de nō celeb. non in ſtit. 11. Ea vt. Polyd.] Non medó noſtrae religionis expertes, ſed teſte Hieronymo omnes ferè veteres ſancti Patres dānabant ob metum idolatriae, &c. Pol. de Inuent. Rerū. l. 6. c. 13 Ʋſ que ad atatem Hieronymi erant probatae religionis vi…i, qui in Templis nullam ferebant imaginē nec picturā, nec ſculptā, &c. Eraſ. in Catecheſi. Corruptus Gentiliū mos & falſa religio — noſtram quo que religionē infecit. &c Cornel. Agr. de vanit. ſcient. c. 57. Wicel. epiſt. in exercit verae Ptetatis.] All Schoolemen in a manner hold that the Images of Chriſt, and the Images p. 200of Saints are to be worſhipped with the ſame adoration that there ſamplars are, but they produce not (ſo farre as I hauehave ſeene) any ſound proofe of this doctrine, to wit, either Scriptures or Tradition of the Church, or common conſent of Fathers, or the determination of a generall Councell, or any other effectual reaſon ſufficient to perſwade a man to that beleefe.

Nicholas Clemangis] The vniuerſall Church did anciently decree, that no Images ſhould be ſet vp in Churches, and this was done for the Gentiles ſake who were conuerted to Chriſtianitie.

Polydore Virgill,] The worſhipping of Images, not onelyonly thoſe who knew not our Religion, but as Saint Hierome p. 201witneſſeth almoſt all the ancient Fathers condemned for feare of idolatrie.

Eraſmus,] VntoUnto Saint Hieromes time thoſe of the true Religion would ſuffer no Image neither painted nor grauen in the Church, no not the picture of Chriſt.

Cornelius Agrippa,] The corrupt manners and falſe Religion of the Gentiles hath infected our Religion, & brought into the Church Images and pictures, with many ceremonies of externall pompe, none whereof was found amongſt the firſt and true Chriſtians.

Wicelius,] I confeſſe it doth griue me that vnderunder pretence of I know not what, Dulia it is affirmed that one may and ought to honour with adoration the Saints and their Images. p. 200duplicate page p. 201duplicate page p. 202The Fathers of the ancient Church hauehave taught the people that they muſt honour, but not worſhip the Saints.

Chemnit. exā. de Imag. p. 41.The Councell of Frankford] It is not to be found that any of the Patriarckes and Prophets, or Fathers did adore Images, but the Scriptures crie out to worſhip one Image (God) and him onelyonly to adore and glorifie; and the Fathers of the Primitiue Church did forbeare the adoration of Images, as it appeares by Epiphanius and Auguſtine. And others who reckon the worſhippers of Images amongſt the Symonians, and the Carpocratian heretiques: and this was the approoued doctrine deliuered and decreed by three hundred Biſhops in the yeare 794.

p. 203From this confeſſion, a doubt will ariſe touching the lawfulneſſe of making Images (viz.) for that end to adore them: and another doubt will follow adoration, in what manner it ought to be extended to the Image or reſtrained. Touching the firſt, Bellarmine ſaith,Bellar. de Relig. & Imag. Sanct. lib. 2. c. 7. It is proued by the Diuine Law, that Images were not abſolutely forbidden, by reaſon the brazen Serpent, &c. were made by Gods command: He that profeſſeth they were not abſolutely forbidden, implies they were in a manner forbidden, or rather that there is no place of Scripture that commands the contrarie for adoration, (which an Article of faith doth require:) but the Cardinals reaſon, (that the p. 204making of them is not abſolutely forbidden by the Law of God, becauſe God commanded Images to be made) ſeemes to bee no reaſon, for the Iewes could anſwer, God did lay a generall command vponupon men, and not vponupon himſelfe, beſides that plea for Images which the Cardinall makes, was the ancient Apologie which the Idolaters vſed for their Images in the firſt ages; Tertullian puts the queſtion, and returnes an excellent anſwer, which may ſerue for him and vsus.Sed dit quidam, &c. cur ergo Moſes in Eremo ſimulachrum Serpentis ex aere fecit.— benè quod idem Deus & lege ve…it ſimilitudinē fieri extraordinarie praecepto Serpentis ſimilitudinem interdixit. Si cundem Deum obſernas habes legē eius. Ne feceris ſimilitudinem ſi & praeceptum factae postea ſimilitudinis reſpicis & tu imitare Moyſen. Ne facias aduerſus legem ſimulacrum aliquod niſi & tibi Deus iuſſerit. Tertul. lib. de Idolat. p. 618. Some will obiect, why did Moſes make the Image of the braſen Serpent in the Wildernes — well and good, one and the ſame God hath by his generall Law forbidden an Image to be made, and alſo by his extraordinarie p. 205and ſpeciall commandement, an Image of a Serpent to be made: If thou be obedient to the ſame God, thou haſt his Law, make thou no Image, but if thou hauehave a regard to the Image of the Serpent, make not any Image againſt the Law, vnleſſe God command thee as he did Moſes; and thus briefly concerning the making of them.

Concerning the worſhip of them, the ſame Cardinall tels vsus: Nos cum Eccleſiâ aſſerimus, &c. Wee affirme with the Church, that the Images of Chriſt and his Saints are to be honoured, ſo that there bee no confidence placed in them, nor nothing requeſted of them, nor no Diuinity be conceiued to bee in them, but that they be honoured onelyonly for themſelues whom p. 206they repreſent: and thus by Bellarmines reaſons, the making of Images is not abſolutely forbidden, and the adoration of them is but conditionally permitted, and ſurely I could wiſh they were abſolutely forbidden by them, till thoſe conditions were rightly and truely performed by the ignorant and Lay people: for I will not ſlander them, it is the confeſſion of their owne Church men, that there are many of the rude and ignorant which worſhip the very Images of wood or ſtone, Polyd. Virgil. de Inuent. lib. 6. c. 13.or marble, or braſſe, or pictures painted vponupon the wals not as figures, but as if they had verily ſenſe, and doe put more truſt in them, then they doe in Chriſt or other Saints, to whom they are dedicated. p. 207Neither is this any new complaint for this latter age,Gab. Biel in Can. Lect. 14. for Gabriel Biel there owne Schooleman complained before Luthers daies, that the blockiſh errour of certaine people was ſo great, and they were ſo affected to Images that they thought ſome diuine grace or Sanctitie reſided in them, by which they were able to worke miracles and giuegive health; and for that cauſe they worſhipped them, to the end they might obtaine ſome ſuch benefit at their hands: and that we may further know that none of Bellarmines conditions are performed in the worſhipping of Images:Cornel. Agrippa de vanit. c. 57. Their owne Cornelius Agrippa declares the peoples demeanour and carriage towards them in the Roman Church in this manner: p. 208Wee bowe our heads to them, wee kiſſe them, we offer lights to them, we hang vp gifts, we apply miracles, and buy pardōs of them: to conclude, we goe a pilgrimage to them, we make vowes vntounto them, we inwardly worſhip them as well as outwardly, neither can it be vttered with how great ſuperſtition, I may not ſay Idolatrie, the rude and ignorant are nouriſhed in Images, the Priests winke thereat, and reape thereby no ſmall gaine to their purſes.

The conditions then are confeſſed to bee broken, but withall, heere wee finde the caſe of Demetrius, he made ſiluer ſhrines, and brought no ſmall gaine to the craftsmen, and thereupon hee cryeth out,Acts 19.25.Acts 19:25 Sirs, you know that by this p. 209craft we hauehave our wealth: nor that onelyonly, but if theſe things ſhould be denied, the Temple of the Great Diana would bee deſpiſed whom all the world worſhippeth: Here is a true Modell of the Romane Church, ſhe cauſeth Images to be made, ſhe drawes from them no ſmall aduantage nor that onelyonly, but if they ſhould condemne their worſhip, being publiſhed for an Article of faith, other Articles would bee queſtioned, and the Church of Rome would bee diſeſteemed whom all the world admireth.

Since therefore the worſhip of Images wants the vniuerſalitie and conſent of Fathers in the Primitiue Church, ſince they hauehave no foundation, no footſtep in p. 210the Word of God by the confeſſion of their owne Church; Saint Auſtins confeſſion ſhall be my concluſion for this Article of Faith: If wee or an Angell from heauen preach vntounto you any thing concerning faith, and life, beſides that you hauehave receiued in the Legall and Euangelicall Scriptures let him bee accurſed.

p. 211PARAG. 8. Indulgences.

IT is the Tenth Article of the Romane Creed: I muſt firmely auouch, that the power of Indulgences was left by Chriſt to the Church, and I affirme the vſe thereof to be moſt wholeſome for Chriſts people.

This doctrine was proclaimed by the Councell of Trent, Cum Poteſtas conferendi Jndulgenti as à Chriſto Eccleſiae conceſſa ſit at que huiuſmodi poteſtatem ſibi tradita, &c. Concil. Triden…. Seſs. 25. Decretū de Jndulgentijs.where it was likewiſe declared that, whereas Chriſt did leaue Indulgences to the Church, and the Church did vſe that diuine power ſo granted in ancient times, therefore the ſacred Councell doth teach and command them to bee retained in the Church and condemne all them with a curſe, p. 212which either terme them vnprofitable, or denie the Churches authority to grant them: A reaſon no doubt ſufficient, for the Church of Rome to grant them; and to lay Anathema vponupon all ſuch as ſhall denie them ſince Chriſt did firſt ordaine them, and the Ancient Fathers did exerciſe that power committed to them by Chriſt: but when we come to examination of Witneſſes (notwithſtanding the Popes Creed and the Councels Decree) it will bee found that neither Chriſt, nor the Primitiue Fathers euer knew, much leſſe exerciſed ſuch pardons and Indulgences as are now daily practiſed in the Church of Rome.

In the Primitiue Church, p. 213when the Chriſtians had committed any capitall and heinous offence for feare of perſecution, either in deniall of their faith, or in ſacrificing vntounto Idols, the parties were inioyned a ſeuere and long Penance: the rigour of this puniſhment, the Biſhops and Paſtors of their ſeuerall congregations had power (if they ſaw cauſe) to mitigate at their diſcretion; which mitigation or relaxation of puniſhment, was called by the name of Pardon or Indulgence. This doctrine was deriued from Saint Paul, who releaſed the inceſtuous Corinthian from the bond of excommunication, vponupon his humiliation and ſerious repentance, and writes vntounto the Corinthians, that they p. 214ſhould doe the like, and receiue him againe to their communion, leaſt he ſhould be ſwallowed vp with immoderate griefe; and this manner of Indulgence was ancient and continued long in the Church, and of this there is no queſtion.

Indulgentia propriè eſt abſolutio Iudiciaria annexam habens ſolutionem ex Theſauro. Bell… de Jndulg. lib. 1. cap 5.The Indulgence in the Romane Church, is an abſolution from the guilt of temporall puniſhment, by the application of the merits of Chriſt and his Saints, which merits are termed Theſaurus Eccleſiae, the Treaſurie of the Church; and this common Treaſury of ſatisfactions is applyed to dead ſoules burning in Purgatory; Thus Indulgences which were firſt vſed for mirigation of puniſhments, are now reduced to p. 215priuate ſatisfactions, and that which was formerly left to the diſcretion of eueryevery Biſhop in his owne Dyoces to diſpenſe with ſummum Ius (the extremity of the Law;) is now transferred wholy to the power and authority of the Pope, nor that onelyonly for ſome few yeares impriſonment in this life, but for thouſands of yeares in Purgatory after death: inſomuch, that whoſoeuer in the ſtate of Grace ſhall ſay ſeuen prayers before the Crucifix, Horae beatae Maria Ʋirg. ſecundum vſum ſacrū.and ſeuen Pater-Noſters, and ſeuen Aue-Maries ſhall attaine ſix and fiftie thouſand yeares of pardon, fourteene thouſand granted by Saint Gregory, (fourteene thouſand by Nicholas the Firſt,) and eight and twenty thouſand by Sixtus the Fourth.

p. 216Theſe and the like Indulgences were trained vp in the Schoole of Demetrius, which brought no ſmall benefit to the Pope and Clergie, and therefore their owne Schoolemen,Greg. de Ʋalent. cap. 2. Gregorie de Valentia termes them but a kinde of godly deceit, wherewith the Church doth drawe men vntounto ſome kinde of actions of deuotion, euen as a Father when he moueth a little childe to runne, promiſeth him an apple, which notwithſtanding he doth not giuegive him. But I will proceede to the publication of Witneſſes, whereby it ſhall appeare by the euidence of their owne Learned men, that this point of faith hath no more Antiquity, and conſent of Fathers and Schoolemen in the Romane p. 217Church, then the Articles before confeſſed.De Jndulgentijs pauca dici poſſunt per certitudinem quia nec ſcriptura expreſse de ijs loquitur — ſancti etiam Ambroſius Hilarius, &c. minime loquutur de Indulgentijs. Durand 49. Sentent. diſt. 20. q. 3. Indulgentiae authoritate Scripturae no innoture nobis ſed authoritate Eccleſiae Romanae & Romanorum Pontificum, quae maior eſt authoritas. Prier contr. Luth. pro Indulg. Difficile eſt modum Jndulgentiarum fundare authenticè in Scriptura Sacra, &c. Maior 4. d. 2. q 3.

Durand] Little can bee ſaid of any certainty, or as vndoubtedly true of Indulgences and pardons, ſeeing the Scriptures ſpeake not expreſſely of them, neither the Fathers, as Auguſtine, Hillarie, Ambroſe, Hierome, &c.

Silueſter Prierias] Pardons are not knowne to vsus by the authority of the Scriptures but by the authority of the Church of Rome, and the Popes, which is greater then the authoritie of the Scriptures.

Maior] It is hard to ground the manner of Indulgences authentically in Scriptures, in token of which the three firſt Doctors of the Church hauehave ſpoken but little.

Roffenſis Biſhop of Rocheſter] p. 218It is not ſufficiently manifeſt from whom Indulg…nces had their Originall, Roffenſ.] Quamdiis nulla fuerat de Purgatorio cura, nemo quaeſiu… Indulgentias nam ex illo pendet omnit Indulgentiarum aeſti matio — caeperunt igitur Indulgentiae poſtquam ad Purgatorij cruciatus aliquādò trepidatum erat. Roffenſ. art. 18. contrà Lutherum.— Of Purgatorie there is very little or no mention amongst the ancient Fathers, but after Purgatorie began to terrifie the world and after a while men had trembled at the torments thereof, Indulgences began to be in requeſt, as long as Purgatorie was not cared for, there was no man ſought for Pardons, for the whole price of pardons hangeth on Purgatory, take away Purgatory, and what ſhall we neede of Pardons?

—harum vſus in Eccleſia ſerò receptus Alph. contr. hereſ. 8. verbo Jndulgentia.Alphonſus a Caſtro] There is nothing in Scripture leſſe opened, or whereof the Ancient Fathers hauehave leſſe written then of Indulgences, and it ſeemes the vſe of them came but lately into the Church.

p. 219Antoninus] There is not any expreſſe teſtimonie for proofe of Indulgences, De Indulgentijs n…l expreſſè habemus in ſacra Scriptura nec etiam, &c. Anton. part. 1. ut. 10 cap. 3. in principio. De ortu Jndulgentiarū ſi certitudo habere poſſit veritatis indagandae opē ferret, verum quia null…e Scripturae Sacra, nulla priſcorum Doctorum, Graecorum aut Latinorū authoritas Scripta haec ad nostram de duxit noti…iam. Caiet. opuſ. 15. c. 1. Neque mirum videri debet ſi authores anti quiores non multos habemur qui harum rerum mentionē ſ… ciant quoniā, &c. Bellar. de Indulg lib. 2. cap. 17.either in Scriptures or the writings of the Ancient Fathers, but onelyonly out of Moderne Authors.

C. Caietan] If there could be a certaintie found touching the beginning of Indulgences, it would much auaile in ſearching of the truth, but becauſe there can be no certainty found touching the beginning of them, there is no authoritie of Scripture, or Ancient Fathers, Greeke or Latine, that bringeth them to our knowledge.

Bellarmine] It is not to bee wondred, if we hauehave not many Ancient Authors which makes mention of Indulgences, for many things are contained in the Church onelyonly by vſe and cuſtome without writing.

p. 220This learned Cardinall confeſſeth, that many ancient authorities are not to be expected for proofe of this doctrine, and this ſeemes to me a ſtrange thing, that an Article of faith ſhould want Antiquity and Vniuerſality of Fathers, (which as they pretend, belongs to al points of faith,) it is ſtrange that a Generall Councell ſhould declare them to bee deriued from Chriſt, and yet they ſhould want ancient Fathers to witneſſe Chriſts doctrine: I rather beleeue according to the Article of the Creed, that the vſe thereof is most wholeſome for the people; (for albeit they are granted onelyonly to draw money from them,) yet withall, the Popes Miniſters had this benefit by p. 221them, they ſometimes ſet them to ſale for a ſmall price or game at Tables in a Tauerne,Guicciard. lib. 13. anno 1520. to redeeme ſoules out of Purgatory, as it is witneſſed by their owne Authors.

The Learned Doctors of of the Trent-Councell were not ignorant of this practiſe, and of much more exerciſed by Leo the Tenth, and others of his Predeceſſors, but they were ſo farre from beleefe, that this point of faith ſhould bee deriued from Chriſt and his Apoſtles, that Ecchius, and Thecel, and Prierius, for want of Scriptures and Fathers, laid their groundworke on the Popes authority and conſent of Schoolemen,Histor. of Trent. lib. 1. p. 6. concluding that the Pope not being able to erre in matters p. 222of faith, and hauing approoued the doctrine of the Schoolemen, and himſelfe publiſhing the Indulgences to all the faithfull, it was neceſſary to beleeue them as an Article of faith.

I will not ſay it was a ſtrāge preſumption for a Councell to determine an vncertaine doctrine for a point of faith, vponupon the Popes infallibilitie and opinion of Schoolemen, but I will ſay, it is a ſenſeleſſe and weake faith that giues aſſent to that doctrine, which wants authority of Scriptures and conſent of Fathers: It was an ingenuous confeſſion of their owne Cunerus: Dolendum ſimul & mirandū, &c. It is to bee lamented and admired how ſome Catholiques doe write of Indulgences, ſo p. 223timorouſly, ſo coldly, ſo diuerſly, Chamier. de ſatisfacti. lib. 24. cap 2.ſo doubtfully, as if their reaſons were ſo farre fetched, or ſo vncertaine, that without great difficultie they could not proue them: and ſurely if Cardinall Bellarmine, or Cardinall Caietan and the reſt could hauehave found better proofes for this point of faith, they would neuer hauehave confeſſed, that neither Scriptures nor Fathers doe bring them to our knowledge, eſpecially ſince no Article of faith can bee created without the authoritie of ſcriptures; and therfore Saint Austins confeſſion ſhall be my concluſion for their Article of faith. If wee or an Angell from heauen preach vntounto you any thing concerning faith and life, beſides that you hauehave receiued in the p. 224Legall and Euangelicall Scriptures, let him bee accurſed.

You hauehave heard the confeſſions of our beſt learned Aduerſaries witneſſing with vsus, that the principall points of their Faith and doctrine now taught and profeſſed in the Church of Rome, were not knowne to former ages, whereby we may eaſilie diſcerne, how the Church of Rome doth obtrude ſtrange Articles of beleife vponupon her Proſelites, which hauehave no foundations in the Scriptures, and want the vniuerſalitie and conſent of Fathers: and although the Prieſts and Ieſuits are bound by an oath to maintaine the Papacie, and thereupon they generaly proteſt that al the Fathers are on their ſide, and the ignorant p. 225people out of an affected ignorance & blinde obedience eaſily condeſcend to that beleefe; yet I ſay it cannot bee denied that the Popes ſworne ſeruants, our ſworne enemies, there beſt witneſſes and our worſt accuſers; hauehave teſtified theſe things both againſt themſelues and in behalfe of our doctrine, & howſoeuer they may be excuſed, yet ſure I am, they are diuided amongſt themſelues, & conſequently want another ſpeciall marke of their Church which is vnity in points of Faith.

To take a ſhort reuiew of our Aduerſaries confeſſions, touching the doctrine of Merits, they hauehave confeſſed, that our Iuſtification is by faith and Chriſt Ieſus onelyonly; p. 226they hauehave confeſſed that there is no ſaluation nor aſſurance in our owne merits, but in the merciemercy and merits of our alone Sauiour: and in this confeſſion, they intimate the noueltie and vncertainetie of their owne doctrine, and in this likewiſe they acknowledge the antiquity and viſibility of our Church long before Luthers daies.

Touching Tranſubſtātiatiō, they hauehave confeſſed there is no expreſſe place of ſcripture to proue the word, nor the meaning of the word; they hauehave confeſſed the conuerſion of the bread into Chriſts body,Antè Lateranēſe Concilium non fuit dogma fides. Scotus. in 4. ſentent. c. 11. …3. was not generally receiued by the Fathers; they hauehave confeſſed before the Councell of Lateran, it was not reeeiued for an Article p. 227of beleefe: In theſe confeſſions they plainely intimate the noueltie and vncertaintie of their owne doctrine, and by theſe likewiſe they acknowledge the antiquity and Viſibility of our Church long before Luthers daies.

Touching Priuate Maſſe, they confeſſed it was not vſed in the Ancient Church, for (ſay they) the communion of Prieſts and people together was practiſed by the Fathers: In this confeſſion, they intimate the Noueltie of their Religion, and in this, they acknowledge the antiquity and Viſibility of our Church long before Luthers daies.

Touching the Seuen Sacraments, they confeſſe the definite and certaine number of Seuen was vnknowne to p. 228Scriptures and Fathers, they confeſſe that ſome of thoſe Sacraments were not inſtituted by Chriſt, they confeſſe that all of them are not true and proper Sacraments of the new Law, (all which on the contrarie are commanded by their Church to bee beleeued vponupon a Curſe) and in theſe confeſſions they argue the Noueltie and vncertaintie of their doctrine, and in this they acknowledge the antiquitie and Viſibilitie of our Church long before Luthers daies.

Touching the Communion in one kinde, they confeſſed that it was not practiſed by the Apoſtles nor the ancient Church, for (ſay they) Chriſt did inſtitute in both kinds, and the Primitiue Fathers p. 229did continue it in both kinds: In this confeſſion they intimate the noueltie and vncertaintie of their owne doctrine, in this, they acknowledge the antiquitie and viſibilitie of our Church long before Luthers dayes.

Touching prayer in an vnknowne tongue, they confeſſed it was not vſed in the Primitiue & antient Church, but, ſay they, the prayer and ſeruice was vſually taught in the vulgar and knowne tongue. In this confeſſion they intimate the noueltie and vncertaintie of their owne doctrine, and in this acknowledgement they witneſſe the antiquitie and viſibilitie of our Church long before Luthers dayes.

Touching Adoration of p. 230Images, they confeſſed that there is no expreſſe place of Scripture that commands their worſhip; they confeſſed there is no example amongſt the Fathers for their adoration but rather againſt them, and in theſe confeſſions, they intimate the noueltie and vncertaintie of their owne doctrine and practiſe, and in our worſhipping of God in ſpirit and truth, they acknowledge the antiquitie of our Religion, and the viſibilitie of our Church long before Luthers dayes.

Laſtly, touching Indulgences and Pardons, they confeſſed that their Indulgences now vſed, hauehave no authoritie from Scriptures or Fathers, and in this confeſſion they intimate the noueltie and p. 231vncertaintie of their owne doctrine, and conſequently the Indulgences which wee vſe, for no other end then the mitigation and relaxation of puniſhment, to hauehave had antiquitie and viſibilitie in the Church long before Luthers dayes.

If theſe witneſſes had been ignorant or excommunicate perſons, in their owne Church, or had they witneſſed the truth, in ceremonies and things doubtfull, there might bee ſome plea why their teſtimonies ſhould not be admitted, but when the points in queſtion, are Articles of their owne Creed, when they are witneſſed by Popes, by Councels, by Cardinals, by Biſhops, by learned Doctors, and Schoolemen p. 232in their owne Church in our behalfe, and againſt their owne Tenets, I ſee no cauſe why I ſhould not demand iudgement in defence of our Church, and triall of our cauſe: It is the law of God and man, Ex ore tuo, I will iudge thee out of thine owne mouth; and from this decree and their owne confeſſions vponupon record, I call men and Angels to witneſſe, that they hauehave denyed antiquitie and vniuerſality to the Articles of their own Creed, and hauehave reſolued the grand queſtion (touching our Church before Luther) that it was in Chriſt, in the Apoſtles, in the Fathers, in the boſome of the Ancient Church long before Luthers dayes.