In Defense of the True Church of God, Treatise · Section 9 – Section 13
Of Cyprian.
Cyprian liued about the yeere of our Lorde 275.Cyprian Biſhop of Carthig… and dyed a Martyr about the yeere 275. Hee conteineth profitable teſtimonies, as touching the Trinity, as touching baptiſing of infantes, of the vſe of the Lordes Supper, and of the maner in chooſing of Biſhops, which hee wryteth are to bee elected by them of autority in the church, and that the ſame election is to bee ratified by certaine other biſhops dwelling neare vntoo that place, which are to be adioyned.
But the auncient fathers did reproue Cyprian, Note his error touching baptiſing by Heretikes.that hee thinketh ſuch are too bee againe baptiſed of the Heretikes, which hauehave bene once already baptiſed. As he declameth herevppon, now and then, hee layeth out abſurde and corrupt opinions, when hee dooth exagerate or amplify, with immoderate and ſuperfluous ſpeeches: the cauſe hee taketh in hande, as hee wryteth very ſharply of Canonicall puniſhements,Touching re…iſſiō of ſinnes. hee ſayeth, Abſolution of ſinnes is not auayleable, except thoſe paynes or puniſhements bee firſte performed. This ſaying howe greate inconuenience it hath, it is manifeſt.
Alſo hee dooth very vehemently diſpute of ſingle life, although hee dooth mitigate that place, he biddeth thoſe perſons contract marriages which hauehave made their vowes, yea if they keepe not promiſe.
In his litle booke of Almes, His error, touching original ſinne.hee ſaith, that thoſe ſinnes which were committed before baptiſme, are by meanes of Chriſtes paſſion forgiuen, but hee ſaieth, that after baptiſme, forgiueneſſe of thoſe ſinnes then committed muſt bee ſought for, and obtained by almoſe deedes.
The ſame man dooth affirme touching ſuch as ſlyde away from the Church,His error touching ſuche as ſlyde away frō the Churche. that the benefite of Chriſte which came by baptiſme, is vtterly loſt. But afterwards that remiſſion of ſinnes is to be ſought for by almoſe deedes. Theſe things are ful of abſurdity, whereof he being admoniſhed, no doubt woulde hauehave reformed himſelf. Therfore, not al his ſayinges are to hereputed & taken for good doctrine.
As touching the Lordes Supper, hee is wont too vſe the woordes of Oblation and Sacrifice lyke as the other wryters before did, which ſay confuſedly:Bycauſe Cyprian vſed the word: [oblatiō] for the Lords ſupper, therefore the aduerſaries ratify their maſſe. Wee offer prayers, wee offer bread, wyne, wee offer the body and blood of Chriſt. For that is alſo founde in Cyprian. Heere vponupon, our aduerſaries take their Teſtimonies too defende the prophanation of the Lordes Supper in their priuate Maſſe, &c.
Greate is the force of cuſtome, and men imitating this, doo oftentymes ſpeake improperly: As nowe wee cal it the Maſſe▪ where neuer any man knewe the right ſenſe or meaning of that name. So the auncient fathers retained the ſpeeches of oblation and ſacrifice, not very wel regarding the Etymology or proper ſignification thereof. And bycauſe Auguſtyne ſawe there was ſome diſcommodity in thoſe names,Augustines interpretation of the wordes, Sacrifice and oblation. hee ſomwhat mitigateth the ſame thee ſayeth, That it is called Sacrifice, for the remembrance of the thing Sacrificed, and Oblation, for the memory of the Oblation. Theſe are Metonymiae, or figures of denomination, as we ſay the paſſeouer for the memory or the ſigne of the paſſing ouer. But I wil not heere ſubtilly either interprete vpō, or excuſe the vſed phraſe of ſpeech in that age. For indeede ſo did the people ſpeake, which nowe and then receaued an vnapt phraſe of ſpeeche.
Irenaeus plainly declareth,The opinion of Irenaeus touching oblation. That this oblation is a thankesgiuing. The ſame did others thinke alſo, as the name of the Euchariſt, or thankesgiuing, or, ſupper of the Lorde, doth teſtify, wherefore they thought it was a ceremony whereby thankes are giuen. That hath no inconuenience in it at al. For we receaue it to the end that we may therby be admoniſhed of the benefit giuen vsus by Chriſt, that we may ſtirre vp and increaſe our faith thereby, furthermore that wee may giuegive thankes for that benefite. Neither doth it therevppon followe, That that woorke is to bee doone for others, or too bee applyed for others, &c. Theſe monſters truely were not once thought vppon by the fathers.
Therefore,Sacrifice and oblation how to be vnderſtoode. when wee reade the name of Sacrifice and oblation, let vsus vnderſtande it, eyther for a ſigne of the Sacrifice and oblation, or for a thanksgiuing. Let vsus not imagine that it may be applyed for any others.
Nowe and then, in one woorde they cal oblation all that buyſineſſe which is there in hande: That is too ſay, Prayers, and the ſupper of the Lorde. This when it happeneth, than are Prayers too bee vnderſtoode for oblations.
Alſo,Certain word… in Cyprian which the late writers do wreſt contrary to good meaning. there are certaine woordes read in Cyprian, concerning the dead, which the later wryters doo wreſt contrary to good meaning, Wee offer Sacrifices for them. But theſe thinges hee ſpeaketh, as touching Martyrs. For, of them there was mention made in Prayers, when thankes were giuen vntounto God, that hee had aſſiſted them. As the Greeke canon ſayeth, Wee offer for the Patriarkes Prophetes, Apoſtles that is, wee doo giuegive thee thankes, that thou haſt choſen thy church vntounto thee euē from the beginning, that thou haſt redeemed, ſanctified: &c. This was the meaning of thoſe words at the beginning: they did not require of God, that hee would … mitigat… the paines of thoſe which were dead.
Afterwards in tyme there hapned euil opinions, and the former woordes were partly chaunged, partly they of the latter age (retayning the forme of thoſe woordes) vnderſtood yet an otherthing, than they of the former age did.
Ergo the teſtimonies of antiquity doo not maintaine or defende later abuſes,Teſtimonies of antiquitie doo not defend later abuſes. which are partly ſtraunge and contrary vntounto the ſtate of the tyme preſent, partly if in them they hauehave any faulte, they ought not too be obiected vntoo the firme teſtimonies of the ſcripture, bycauſe other ages had alſo their diſcommodities. Theſe thinges moſt ſimply without ſubtil cautilation doo I aunſwere touching the wordes of Oblation and Sacrifice.
Of Baſilius.
In Baſilius there are profitable teſtimonies of the Trinity,Baſilius was Biſhop of Caeſarea in Capadocea abowte the yeare. 370. and of Repentaunce againſt Nouatus. In his ſermon of Humility hee ſetteth downe an excellent opinion touching righteouſnes of fayth, which doth manifeſtly defend vsus. Hee plucketh away iuſtification of good workes, without ſubtil cauillation therevppon, neither ſpeaketh he of things ceremoni… but of al vertues, neither ſpeaketh he only of works before reuocatiō, but of the vertues, in them which be renewed, and hee biddes vsus beleue, that onelyonly by confidence in the mercy for Chriſts ſake promiſed we are iuſt and not otherwayes His wordes are theſe.
And the Apoſtle ſayth.Touching rightuouſnes. 1. Cor. 1. He that reioyceth, let him reioyce in the Lord, ſaying, that Chriſt is made for vsus wiſdom frō God, righteouſnes, ſanctification & redēption, that as it is written, he which reioyceth might reioyce in the Lord. Eodē, for indeed this is perfect & vpright reioycing in God, when as truly a man dooth not exalte or glory in his owne righteouſnes, but doth acknowledge that true righteouſnes taketh in himſelf. And that by fayth only in Chriſt he is iuſtified. And S. Paule reioyceth ſaying, that he doth deſpyſe his owne righteouſneſſe, but by faith in Chriſt ſeeketh that righteouſnes which is of God.
Theſe wordes do ſufficiently declare, that Baſilius did ſo vnderſtande righteouſneſſe of fayth, that wee ought too beleeue by that wee are iuſt through faith for Chriſt by mercy, that is, wee are acceptable vntoo him not for any vertue which is in vsus.
But,Baſilius firſt in…stituted the o…res of Monkery. wheras Baſilius firſt inſtituted the order of Monkery: That example is hurtful, & hath in it ſome fault, yea although he himſelfe had no groſſe ſuperſtitions in him firſte, and thoſe companies or orders of Monkes were as yet a certaine ſhewe o… ſchooles. And there are certaine bookes eueryevery where ca… ried about vnderunder his name, which containe rules for Monkes: wherof without doubte ſome were counterfe…ed by other wryters, long tyme after Baſilius dyed … or they are full of falſe opinions touching Single lyfe, and other rites or ceremonies deuyſed by man without the commaūdement of God, and they containe fooliſh tryfling matters, as a greate heape of penalties or ſatisfactions, which hee calleth in Greeke foreign, that is too ſay,foreign. Puniſhmentes. puniſhementes: as if during ſeruice tyme a mayde ſhoulde laugh in the queere, ſhe ſhoulde be enioyned to ſit two dayes togither in the church porch, and ſuch like foliſh toyes, which if a man would renewe in admiration of antiquity, he ſhoulde ſurely bee as one that is out of his wittes.
Of Gregory Nazianzen.
Gregory entreateth vponupon the article of the Trinity,This Gregory is ſuppoſed to be … which was … in the Church. Anno. …85. hee toucheth other doctrine but ſlenderly. Hee writ the whole life of Cyprian, wherein hee mentioneth that there was a certaine mayde, whome before his conuerſion Cyprian loued, who calling vppon the virgine Mary ouercame the magical bewitchinges of Cyprian.
This example is recited touching inuocation of Saincts. And although this ſeemeth to hee rather a fayned fable, and afterwardes … abroade vnderunder the title of Nazianzen, yet, admitte the Hiſtory were true, it is not therefore too bee cited too confirme or ratify the inuocation of Sainctes: For the errours of the godly are not too bee oppoſed or ſet againſt the word of God,Errors of the Godly are not to be oppoſed againſt the word of God. for euen the godly in eueryevery age which are of the Church, hauehave their infirmities alſo.
Our foreſaide aduerſaries doo further alleadge our of Baſilius and Nazianzen, What the Aduerſaries do alleadge out of Baſilius.that in the end of their ſermons touching Sainctes, they were wont to cal vponupon them for helpe: as namely, O Athanaſius, pray for vsus. But although theſe Apoſtrophees, or turning of ſpeeche may bee excuſed vnderunder rhetoricall figures, yet it may bee, that (according too the maner of their tyme,) they did than call vponupon Sainctes: for inuocation of Sainctes at that tyme, by litle and litle crept into the church, & errors of the tymes doo ſeduce men, that they leſſe diſallowe of things vſed in the Church, & wel eſteeme the ſame. Lyke as the violent force of raging floods carrieth with it ſuch as ſayle there, and yet notwithſtanding is the inuocation of Saincts, neuer the more to bee wel allowed of. And ſeeing this cuſtome increaſed, and nowe the impiety is diſcouered, it ought vtterly to be aboliſhed out of ye church.
Neither dooth Baſil ſpeake any thing touching Inuocation,Baſilius his opi…nion touching Saintes or th… holy ones. hee onelyonly ſayeth, that the memory of ſainctes or holyones is & ought to bee had in eſtimation, that wee may followe their vertues, and hee calleth theſe holyones, helpers of our prayers, not that they are to be called vppon, but bicauſe al the bleſſed in heauen pray for the Churche, and commende the ſame vntounto God.
Epiphanius wryteth that certaine women calling vponupon the virgine Mary,Epiphani… were wont to beare about them the Image of her.Idolatry detected by hym. All this buſines dooth hee diſallowe, and calleth it a woorke of Idolatry. For Epiphanius contei…eth refutations of ancient hereſies, ſpecially touching the Trinity, & a few other matters▪ which autor as hiſtorical I iudge him ſpecially worthy of reading.
Of Chryſoſtome.
Chryſoſtomes tyme had then receaued many corrupt traditiōs,…oannes Chryſoſtomus vixit cir…iter annum Do…ini. 404. …piſcopus Con…ātinopolitanus. which he himſelf rehearſing, dooth not finde fault with them, as hee commendeth thoſe which go vntounto the monumentes or tumbes of ſaincts, and hee maketh mention of prayer for the dead: Hee aduaunceth the Monkes life or ſolitary life with immoderate and falſe commendations. In his treatice of Repentance where he collecteth togither many meanes and wayes of obtayning remiſſion of ſinnes:…is errors tou…hing remiſſion …f ſinnes. namely, Almoſe, Teares, and other woorkes, yet notwithſtanding, hee ſpeaketh nothing concerning fayth, whereof ought too bee ſpoken, and that wryting of his doth containe many falſe things, and it is both confuſed, and alſo very doubteful.
The Grecians ſpecially commende his commentaries vppon Paule, Chryſoſtomes commentaryes touching iuſtification and faith.where in places touching iuſtification and fayth, the whole ſcope of Paules diſputation carryeth him thither, that hee oftentymes repeateth this ſentence, That by fayth we attaine remiſsion of ſinnes for Chriſtes ſake, and not for woorkes or by woorkes. And hee ſaieth manifeſtly, That by fayth not onelyonly is God loued, but that againe beleeuers thinke, they are beloued of God, although they are guilty by many meanes.
In this ſentence he ſignifieth ſufficiently wel that he taketh faith,His opinion touching faith. not only for the knowledge of the hiſtory, but for the truſt & cōfidēce through which we beleeue our ſinnes are forgiuē vsus: & truly this fayth doth he ſeparate frō workes, as frō not ſtealing, not killing, &c. Rō. 13. & he ſaieth that this is the better meanes of honoring God. Although in deede the declaration heereof bee playner and leſſe vncorrupt, as that formerly ſet downe by Origen: Yet, that notwithſtanding is alſo obſcure and dooth not in eueryevery place agree with it ſelfe.
In the 7. Chap. hee rometh further out of his boundes: he ſayeth, that concupiſcence and affections, except they bring foorth external woorkes, are no ſinnes. But yet, if a man diligently and with iudgement reade thoſe commentaries, he ſhal find many teſtimonies of many articles. And although at that tyme, there was darkenes in the Churche, yet it appeareth that moſte men hauehave retained this common iudgement,A true teſtimonie of remiſſion of ſinnes giuen in time of Darkenes. That through ſayth (for Chriſtes ſake) not for our workes are our ſinnes forgiuen vsus. Therefore though now and then, the auncient wryters ſpake not ſo well their mindes, yet in other places may bee marked what they meane in deede.
Touching the ſupper of the Lorde,Chryſostome doth not mention of any priuate maſſe in his time. out of Chryſoſtome it is ſufficient manifeſt, that there was then no priuate Maſſes at all. For hee deſcribeth the Prieſt ſtanding at the table, and calling the people too come vntoo the communion.
In his litle booke De dignitate Sacerdotii, hee dooth learnedly diſcerne Cyuil, & Eccleſiaſtical autority: hee denyeth that Eccleſiaſtical iuriſdiction hath any right to repreſſe with corporal power.
Of Ambroſius.
Many cauſes doeth Ambroſe throughly touch,Ambr. vixit circiter annum 376. Epiſcopus Mediolatienſis creatu… 377. viz. of the Trynity, againſt the Nouatians of iuſtification. And although in his cō mentaries, now and then ſentences vnlike are founde, which ſeeme not ſo muche too hauehave been written of him as to hauehave beene ſet forth by others, yet it is cleare, that out of his lōger diſputations, bee helde opinion touching Grace, and iuſtification, the very ſame that wedoe teache.
That doeth his Epiſtle vntounto Irenaeus teſtifie vppon the 4. of Saint Paule too the Romanes, ſaying: The law worketh wrath. Epiſt. 71. where he ſayeth ſo: By woorkes of the lawe is no man iuſtified, that is, by the lawe is ſinne manifeſted, but the faulte is not diſpenſed with.S. Ambroſe his true teſtimony touching remiſſiou of ſinues. Therefore our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt comming into the worlde forgaue eueryevery one their ſinnes, which no man coulde auoyde: and cancelled the handwriting of our debt, by vertue of his blood ſhed for vsus. This is it where he ſaith:Rom. 5… Sinne did ouerabounde by reaſon of the lawe, Grace did ouerabounde through Ieſus Chriſt. As Saint Iohn ſayth alſo, Beholde the Lambe of God, which taketh away the ſinnes of the worlde. Iohn Euan. cap. 1. Therefore (ſayth hee) let no man reioyce or boaſt in his woorkes bycauſe no man ſhalbe iustified by his deedes:Note his worthie teſtimonie touching Iuſtification. but hee that is iuſt, hath this geuen him from aboue, bicauſe through Chriſt he is iuſtified. Therfore it is fayth which deliuereth by the blood of Chriſt, bycauſe bleſſed is hee vntounto whome ſinnes are forgeuen;Pſal. 32. and pardon is graunted.
And a fewe like ſentences, are founde in other places of this Writer, as touching the calling of the nations. Alſo, where he ſayeth vntounto the virgin Demetrias: Ambroſlus ad Demetriadem Virginem.Neyther is a commaundement geuen for any other ende or purpoſe, but that the helpe and ayde of him that commaundeth might be ſought for. But vnderunder his title or name, there are extant certain preparations vntoo the maſſe, and certayne other vayne matters which ſeeme after his time to be counterfeict.