Answer to a Popish Antichristian Catholic, Offer 1

Answer to a Popish Antichristian Catholic · Offer 1

p. 1Crowley.

IN the yeere of our Lord. 1586. there came to my handes (by what meane I doo not well knowe, but by the prouidence of God, I am ſure) a certaine booke, that had béen imprinted and publiſhed in Doway in Fraunce, (in the yéere 1575.) in the Engliſhe Tongue. That booke is intituled: A notable diſcourſe, plainely and truely diſcuſſing, who are the right miniſters of the Catholique Church: written againſt Caluin and his diſciples, by one Maiſter Iohn de Albine, called De Seres, Archdeacon of Toloſſa in Fraunce. Wherunto are annexed certaine Offers, made by a popiſh Catholique, to a lerned Proteſtāt. &c.

This booke lay by me (as a thing whereof I made ſmall accompt) tyll the monethmonth of May in the yéere .1587. When hauing (by occaſion) more ſpare time, then in long time before I had, or could hauehave: I tooke this booke in hand, and did deliberately reade ouer, both y^e booke and the offers. I found both the booke and the offers, to ſtuffed with coulour of pietie, trueth and ſinceritie: that I coulde not but thinke that the hauing of this booke in ſecrete, hath béene one great cauſe of the Apoſtacie, of ſo many young men, as hauehave in late yéeres fallen away from the pure profeſſion of the goſpell, and hauehave imbraced and profeſſed, and doo ſtill profeſſe moſt vnpure Popiſh religion.

The booke was firſt written, by the aboue named Iohn de Albine (as it may be thought) either in the Latine, or in the French tonge: Wherefore I meane not to beſtow any time in the anſwering of it, ſuppoſing that either Beza, or ſome other French Proteſtant hath already dealt therein ſufficiently.

But becauſe the offers ſéeme to be made by ſome Engliſh man, and hauehave not (as I thinke) béene aunſwered by any man: I hauehave thought good to ſupply the place of that learned Proteſtant, that the Popiſh Catholique, ment to make the offers vntounto.

And that the Offerer (if hee be yet liuing) or any fréende of his (if he be departed this lyfe) may not hauehave any cauſe to miſlike with my dealing herein: I minde to ſetfoorth to the view of the Reader, all the words of the Offerer, euen as I finde them, and as I hauehave them to ſhew, in his printed Coppie, which I hauehave, and doo mind to kéepe, in a readineſſe to ſhewe, not abiding or dimniſhing, altering or changing, one ſentence, worde, ſillable, letter or title. The Offerer beginneth thus.

The Offerer.

Firſt, ſeeing it cannot bee denied, that our ſauiour Chriſt before his departure, and aſcenſion, did commit the charge and gouernment of his Church, the teſtimony of his worde, the truth of his goſpell, the miniſtration of his Sacraments to his Apoſtles and Diſciples, and that not only for them ſelues, but to their ſucceſſors Biſhops and Prieſts, and to none other, ſaying only to them: Euntes docete omnes gentes. Math. 28. Marc. 16.Matt 28Mark 16Goe yee and teach all people and nations of the world, baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the ſonne, and of the holy ghoſte, teaching them p. 2to obſerue and keepe all things which I hauehave commaunded you.

Further, the Apoſtle Saint Paule being at Miletum, in executing of his charge & gouernment, gaue this admonition to the Biſhops, and Prieſtes there aſſembled before him, ſaying: Attēdite vobis, et vniuer ſo gregi. Act. 20.Acts 20Take heed vntounto your ſelues, and vntounto the whole flocke of Chriſt, in the which the holy ghoſt hath ordayned you Biſhops: Regere eccleſiam Dei, To gouerne the Church of God. And in the thirteenth Chapter of his Epiſtle to the Hebrews hee dooth commaunded all other ſortes of men, without exception of Emperours, Kings, Queenes, and Princes, to obay their Biſhops and prieſtes, ſaying:Heb. 13.Heb 13 Obedite praepoſitis vestris, & ſubiacete eis, ipſi enim peruigilant, quaſi rationem pro animabus vestris reddituri. Obey your Prelates, and doo what they appoint you, for they doo watch, as men that ſhall render accomptes for your ſoules.

Seeing that by the teſtimonies before alleadged it can not bee denyed, but that the charge and gouernment of Chryſt his Church, the preaching of his doctrine, the admniniſtration of his Sacramentes, was by him committed to his Apoſtles and Dyſciples, and to all Byſhoppes and Prieſtes as Succeſſours of them, to plante Chryſtian fayth and Religion in his Catholique Church vniuerſally throughout all Nations, Coaſtes, and Quarters of the world. Seeing this is by the playnneſſe of the ſayd teſtimonies of ſuch an vndoubted truth, that it cannot bee denyed: now let the learned proteſtant, affirming princes to bee the ſupreme heades of the Church, eyther ſhew by ſome ſuch other like playne teſtymonies of the Scriptures, that our Sauiour Chryſt did commit the chyefe charge and ſupreme gouernement of his Church to Emperours, Kings, Queenes and Princes, to plant Chriſtian fayth and Religion in the ſame, or that any one of Chryſt his Apoſtles or Diſciples did conuert any people, Lande, or Countrey, from their Idolatrie and Ethnike kinde of liuing, to Chriſtian faith and Religion by preaching the doctrine of the Proteſtants: as of onelyonly faith to iuſtifie, the contempt of good workes, and that they be all vncleane in ſight of GOD, the deniall of free will, of the real preſence of Chriſtes body in the holy Eucharist, of the Sacrifice of the moſt bleſſed Maſſe, the aboliſhing Chriſt his Sacramentes, and of all grace and goodneſſe by them conferred vntounto vsus, then I ſhall yeelde and recant, and not before. Thus farre, the firſt part of the Offer.

Crowley.

This Offerer hath deuided this offer of his, into 22. parts, adding to the laſt part, ſix certaine and aſſured ſignes and tokens of falſe Prophets, Heretickes & Schiſmatickes. This diuiſion I meane to follow in mine anſwer. To this firſt part: therfore, I ſay thus, maiſter Offerer. I cōfeſſe, that our Sauiour Chriſt dyd (as you hauehave ſayd) committe the charge and gouernement of his Church, the teſtimonye of his worde, the trueth of his Goſpell, and the miniſtration of his Sacramentes, to his Apoſtles and Scholers: and to theyr ſucceſſors. But not to ſuch ſucceſſours onelyonly as you do name: that is to Biſhops and Préeſtes onelyonly, and to none other. For S. Paule, in the 12. Chapter of his firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians, and in the 4. to the Epheſians, writing of the ſame matter, ſayth thus. Et ipſe dedit, quoſdam quidem Apostolos, Eph, 4.quoſdam autem Prophetas, alios vero Euangelistas, alios autem Pastores & Doctores. And he hath giuen ſome, Apoſtles or Meſſengers, and ſome Prophettes, and other ſome Euangeliſtes, and ſome others Paſtors and teachers. And againe, in the 12. of the firſt to the Corinthians, hee writeth thus.1, Cor, 12. Et quoſdam poſuit Deus in Eccleſia, primum Apoſtolos, ſecundo Prophetas, tertio Doctores, deinde virtutes, exinde gratias curationum, opitulationes, gubernationes, genera linguarum. God hath place in his Church, certaine degrees of men: firſt Apoſtles, ſecondly Prophets, thirdly teachers, then powers, after that giftes of healings, helpes, gouernements, kindes of tongues. Leaſt you ſhould quarell about p. 3the tranſlating of S. Paules wordes out of the Gréeke? I hauehave ſet them downe as I finde them in that tranſlation, that your Tridentine councell hath allowed of. But I pray you (good M. Offerer) what meant S. Paule, that in the rehearſall of thoſe ſundry degrées of men, that God hath placed in his Church, he would make no mentiion at al, of your Biſhops and Préeſtes, to whom onelyonly (as to the onelyonly ſucceſſours of his Apoſtles and Diſciples,) Chriſt ſpake (if you hauehave written truely) when he ſayd thus.Math. 28Matt 28 Euntes, docete omnes gentes. Goe ye, and teach all nations of the worlde, &c. Without all doubt, S. Paule dyd know (and ſo doo wée) that God dyd neuer place in his Church, or appoint to ſuccéede his Apoſtles and Diſciples, any ſuch Biſhops and Préeſtes as you meane of. That is, Lording, and loitring Biſhops, exerciſing dominion ouer the peoples that are alotted vntounto them: and ſawſie ſacrificing Préeſts, which preſume to occupie the place of Chriſt himſelfe, and to execute his office, in offering ſacrifice for the ſinnes of the people. S. Peter diſaloweth the one: 1. Pet. 5. and S. Paule the other. Hebr. 10. Hebr, 1… 1, Peter, …Yea if our Sauiour Chriſt dyd ſpeake only to ſuch Biſhops and Préeſts, as you doo appoint to be the ſucceſſours of the Apoſtles and diſciples of Chriſt, when he ſayd. Euntes, &c. Goe, and teach all nations of the worlde, &c. Howe hath that his commaundement béene, or howe is it executed, ſith they (commonly) neither doo nor can teache, thoſe thinges that our Sauiour commaunded his Apoſtles, and ſcholers to teach and to doo? The ſucceſſors of the Apoſtles and ſcholers of our Sauiour Chriſt, to whome thoſe wordes were at the firſt and be ſtill ſpoken: muſt bee ſuch as God hath, dooth, and ſhall make méete to doo his meſſage to men of all ſortes, to foreſhewe vntounto them by the Scriptures, what hangeth ouer theyr heades, if they will not regarde the meſſage, to comfort them, with the aſſurance of the performaunce of the ſwéet promiſes, which God hath made in the blood of his ſonne Chriſt Ieſus, to foſter, féede and nouriſhe them, with the foode of his heauenly worde, and to teach and inſtruct them in the way of the trueth, ſo that they may be able to diſcerne betwéene the broad way y^t leadeth to deſtruction, and that narrowe way that leadeth to lyfe euerlaſting, and to continue walking in that way, euen to the ende of their life in this tranſitorie ſtate. Thus much doo thoſe wordes ſignifie, which I hauehave cited out of the fourth Chapter of S. Paules Epiſtle to the Epheſians. And in the wordes that I hauehave cited, out of the 12. Chapter of the firſt to Corinth: Saint Paule hath added, that theſe wordes of our Sauiour Chriſt were ſpoken to them alſo, whom God hath, dooth, or ſhall make mighty, endueinge them with power from aboue, making them able to ſtande againſt, and to withſtand, yea and vanquiſhe the ghoſtly enimies, that is, the deuill, the world, and the fleſhe, to cure ſickneſſes and diſeaſes, to ſuccour, helpe and comfort the weake and féeble, to gouerne the ſimple, and to vnderſtand and ſpeake diuers languages. All this may be vnderſtanded in theſe wordes of S. Paule: God hath placed in his Church, certaine degrées of men, firſt Apoſtles, ſecondly prophets, thirdly teachers, after that, powers, after that giftes of healing, helpings, gouernementes, and diuerſities of tongues. So that theſe words, go and teach all nations. &c. Were ſpoken firſt to the Apoſtles and Scholers of our Sauiour Chriſt, and then to all ſuch (their ſucceſſours) as God hath, dooth or ſhall make méete, any way, to teach thoſe thinges that he hath commaunded to be taught & practiſed.

But now M. Offerer hath found, that S. Paule being at Miletum, hath admoniſhed y^e Biſhops & Prieſtes that were aſſembled before him there: ſaying. Attēdite vobis, &c. Take héede to your ſelues, and vntounto the whole flocke of Chriſt, in which the holy Ghoſt hath ordained you Biſhops,Act. 10.Acts 10 Regere Eccleſiam Dei. To gouerne the Church of God. And againe in the 13. Chapter of his Epiſtle to the Hebrewes, Saint Paule dooth commaund all other ſortes of men, without exception of Emperours, Kings, Quéenes and Princes, to obay their Biſhops and Préeſtes, ſaying: Obedite praepoſitis voſtris, & ſubiacete eis, ipſi enim peruigilant, quaſi rationem pro animabus vestris reddituri. Obey your Prelates, and doo p. 4what they appoint you to do, for they doo watch, as men that ſhall render an account for your ſoules.

Héere is ſubtile Sophiſtrie, in the ſtéede of probable reaſoning, and profound Diuinity. Theſe teſtimonies bée ſo plaine, that it can not be denied, but that as the charge & gouernement of Chriſtes Church, &c. was committed to Chriſts Apoſtles and Diſciples: ſo the ſame is committed to Popiſh Biſhops and Préeſtes, as to their ſucceſſors. But I pray you (good M. Offerer) let vsus conſider of theſe two places that you hauehave cited.

Saint Luke, reporting the Actes or déedes of the Apoſtles, ſayth, that Saint Paule haſting towardes Ieruſalem, would ſpend no time in Aſia, and therefore determining to paſſe by Epheſus, ſent meſſengers thether, to require the Elders of the congregation, to repayre vntounto him, being then in the Iland Mil…t… (which is now called M…l…a.) Theſe Elders you doo name Biſhops and Préeſtes. But the Gréeke worde that S. Luke vſeth there, can not by any meanes ſignifie eyther a Biſhoppe or Préeſt, of that ſorte that you ſpeake of. For foreign dooth ſignifie one that is elder or more auncient in yéeres, or more honorable then they be amongſt whom he liueth. And ſuch were they, that commonly were choſen in thoſe dayes, to be teachers, inſtructours and gouernours in the congregations or Churches of Chriſtians: and therefore they were called foreign Obſeruers watchmen, ſearchers, & ſuch as had the ouerſight of things committed to them. But your Biſhops and Préeſtes, moſt bee ſuch as the Grecians doo call by the name of foreign or foreign That is, a Préeſt that offereth ſacrifices. But héere I will make you one offer (M. Offerer) which ſhalbe thus. If you can finde in any of the Bookes of the newe Teſtament, that eyther our Sauiour Chriſt ſpeaking of the miniſters of the new Teſtament, or any of the Apoſtles writing of the ſeuerall ſortes of miniſters that our Sauiour Chriſt hath ordayned to ſerue or miniſter in his Churche, hauehave vſed eyther of theſe Gréeke woordes foreign or foreign which doo ſignifie a ſacrificing Preeſt: then will I recante the Proteſtants doctrine, and ſubſcribe to your Papiſticall doctrine, and not before. In the place that you hauehave cited out of the 20. Chapter of the Acts of the Apoſtles, S. Paule calleth the miniſters of Epheſus, foreign that is, watch men or ouerſéers, appointed by the holy Ghoſt foreign that is, to gouerne the Church of God, in ſuch ſorte as a ſhéepheard dooth gouerne and féede his flocke, but not foreign that is to exerciſe lordlike authority ouer them, as your meaning muſt néedes bée, that your Biſhoppes and Préeſtes ſhould. For you ſay that S. Paule dooth commaund all other ſorts of men, without exception, &c. To obay their Biſhops and Préeſtes: ſaying. Obedite, &c. Obay your prelates, &c. And here I muſt néedes note your corrupt manner of handling of this place of S. Paule. He himſelfe dooth beſéech thoſe Hebrewes that he worte vntounto, to ſuffer, or to take in good part, that ſhort exhortation that he gaue them: but you ſay, that hee commaunded them (yea though they were Emperours, Kings, Quéenes or Princes) to obaye theyr Prelates, and to doo what they appoint. In the Latine you cite the wordes,Hebr, 13. as they are in the vulgare tranſlation, allowed in the Tridentine councell, Obedite, &c. It pleaſeth you to ſet downe for Praepoſitis, Prelates, minding (as it ſéemeth) to make vsus beléeue, that ſuch Prelates as you call Biſhops and Préeſts, muſt (by S, Paules commaundement) be ſo obeyed of all Emperours, Kings, Quéenes and Princes (and ſo by good conſequence, of all perſons that are inferiour to theſe) that whatſoeuer theſe Prelats ſhall appoint to be doone, muſt of neceſſitie be doone, by all men and women of eueryevery degrée, as though ſuch Prelates onelyonly, (and none other) might be in the Latine called Praepoſiti, and in the Gréeke, foreign Which Latine and Gréeke wordes doo ſignifie all manner of ſuperiours, whether they be of the eccleſticall or ciuill ſtate. Yea and that dutie of watching, as men that ſhall render an account for the ſoules of men: is common to all thoſe ſuperiours of all ſortes, wherefore you hauehave dealt very iniuriouſlie, in that you hauehave reſtrayned that duety of watching to your Prelates onelyonly.

p. 5Saint Paule in his Epiſtle to the Romanes, the 13. Chapter, writeth thus. Omnis anima, Rom. 13.Rom 13potestatibus ſublimioribus ſub dit a ſit. Let eueryevery ſoule be ſubiect to the higher powers, &c. If you had ſéene and conſidered what Chryſoſtome writteth vponupon theſe woords of Saint Paule: I think you would neuer hauehave written as you hauehave done, affirming that ſaint Paule hath commaunded all manner men, without exception, (yea, though they were Emperours, Kings, Quéenes, or Princes) ſo to obey your Prelates, as to doo whatſoeuer they ſhall appoint them to doo:Chryſoſt. in Rom. 13.Rom 13 for Chryſoſtome wryteth thus. Etiam ſi Apostolus ſis, ſi Euangelista, ſi Propheta, ſiue quiſquis tandem fueris. Neque enim pietatem ſubuertit ista ſubiectio, Et non ſimpliciter dicit, obediat, ſed ſubiecta ſit. Although thou ſhouldſt be an Apoſtle, an Euangeliſt, or a Prophet, or what maner of man ſoeuer thou ſhouldſt bée. For this ſubiection, dooth not ſubuert pietie, or godlines. And hée dooth not ſimply ſay, Let eueryevery ſoule obay, but (hée ſaith) Let it bee in ſubiection. Thus much Chryſoſtome, writing vponupon the firſt words of the thirteenth to the Romaines.

And in the ſame Chapter that you cite out of the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes, ſaint Paule ſeemeth to hauehave the ſame meaning that hée had when hée wrote to the Romaines. For thus hée writeth to the Hebrews, in the latter end of the thirtéenth Chapter. Salutate omnes qui praeſunt vobis, & omnes Sanctos. Salute all them that are your Rulers, and all the Saintes.

If theſe Rulers that ſaint Paule willeth the Hebrews to ſalute, were ſuch as you ſay they were, when hée commaundeth them to obey (that is to ſay Biſhops, & Prieſts) then was not this Epiſtle written to them, but to the inferiour ſorte amongſt the Hebrews, which is a thing too abſurd to bée graunted. For what ciuilitie, honeſtie, or wiſedome, may that man bée thought to hauehave, that would write ſuch an Epiſtle as this, to the inferiours of any congregation of Chriſtians, and not to the ſuperiours of the ſame congregation? Theſe Hebrews were Chriſtians, and dwelt (as my bée thought) in ſundrie Cities, within the Dominions of the Emperour of Rome. As in Hieruſalem, or in any other of thoſe Cities that had belonged to y^e kingdome of Iſrael, or in any other kingdome or prouince. And it is like, that the Apoſtle (being in Italy when hée wrote this Epiſtle) had ſome occaſion to admoniſh them, of that opinion which commonly the poſteritie of Abraham held: which was, that they ought not to liue in ſubiection to any rulers that were not of the ſame poſteritie: And therefore hée wrote vntounto them as before, Obedite, &c. Obey your Superiours, and ſubmit your ſelues vntounto them. And as in this place, Salutate, &c. Salute all thoſe that be in authority ouer you. As though hée ſhould hauehave ſaid thus. I know that you would gladly bée gouerned (as you are Hebrews borne) by ſuch as bée Hebrews, as you are, and (as you are Chriſtians) by Chriſtians as your ſelues bée: But ſith you ſée, that God will hauehave it otherwiſe: let ſuch as God hath ſet ouer you, hauehave their due honour at your hands: Obey them, honour them, ſerue them, giuegive them all tributes and cuſtoms due vntounto them, and pray to God for them, that you may leade a peaceable and quiet life vnderunder them. And that they may the rather bée mooued to bée fauourable to you: ſalute them in my name, and in like maner, ſalute all ſaitns, that is, all Chriſtians, though they bée of the Gréekes, that they may know, that both I and you, doo eſtéeme of them, as of fellow members of that one body, whereof Chriſt is the head.

This may bée the meaning of the Apoſtle, in thoſe woords that you hauehave cited, and in the other that follow. But it may bée that ſome of your ſorte will ſay, that in the ſeuenth verſe of the ſame Chapter: the Apoſtle hath written thus,Hebr, 13. Memores estote, &c. Bée mindefull of thoſe your rulers, that hauehave ſpoken vntounto you the woorde of God, and follow their faith, conſidering what the end of their conuerſation was. Here you will ſay that theſe rulers muſt néedes bée preachers of the woorde. I confeſſe that the Apoſtle dooth in theſe woords meane of ſuch. But ſhall wée therefore ſay that they were Biſhops and Prieſts, ſuch as p. 6you hauehave affirmed them to bée? It appéereth manifeſtly by the Apoſtles words, that they were the ſame that had preached the goſpell vntounto them, and had continued conſtant, in preaching the ſame doctrine to the end of their liues: and had ſealed it with their blood. For the Apoſtle ſaith thus. Conſidering what the end of their conuerſation hath bin: which can not bée ment of any, that did then preſently gouerne or teach them. Yea, and how could the Apoſtle take vponupon him to commaund Emperours, Kings, Quéenes, and Princes: to obey ſuch Biſhops, and Prieſtes, as the Hebrews (being a ſimple ſort of Chriſtians) could hauehave to rule and teach them?

The teſtimonies therefore, that you alleage (M. Offerer) may right well bée denyed, for they teſtifie not that which you would affirme by them. For although the charge and gouernment of the Church of Chriſt, the preaching of the doctrine of the goſpell, and the miniſtration of the ſacraments of Chriſt, were committed, to the Apoſtles and Diſciples of Chriſt, and to their ſucceſſours: yet are not the ſame committed to your Biſhops and Prieſts, for they are not the ſucceſſours eyther of Chriſt or any Apoſtle, or Dyſciple of Chriſt, except you will néedes hauehave them the ſucceſſors of Iudas Iſcariot, or of Simon Magus.

But now, the learned Proteſtant that you make your offer vntounto, muſt either prooue by ſome ſuch other like plaine teſtimonies of the Scriptures, that our Sauiour Chryſt did commit the chiefe charge, and ſupreme gouernment of his Church, to Emperours, Kinges, Quéenes, & Princes, to plant Chryſtian fayth and Religion in the ſame: or elſe, that ſome one of Chryſtes Apoſtles, or Diſciples, did conuert ſome one People, Land, or Countrey, from their Idolatrie, and Ethinke kinde of liuing, to Chriſtia… faith and Religion, by preaching the doctrine of the Proteſtants, &c.

For Proteſtants to prooue by plaine teſtimonies of the Scriptures, that our Sauiour Chriſt did commit the chiefe charge and ſupreme gouernment of his Church, &c. Is altogither vnneceſſarie: for neuer did any of that ſorte affirme that to bée true. Wée doo all know that our Sauiour Chriſt did not call Emperours, Kings, Quéenes, nor Princes, to make them his meſſengers or Apoſtles: but he called Fiſher men and ſuch other, and made them able and méete to doo his meſſage, euen to Princes and Emperours, and to all other, the greateſt perſonages in the world; As ſaint Paule writeth 1. Cor. 1. 1, Cor, 1,Quae ſtulta ſunt mundi, eleg… Deus, vt confundat ſapientes, &c. God hath choſen the fooliſh things of the world that hée might confounde the wiſe, and God choſe the weake things of the world to confounde the ſtronge, and the baſe and diſpiſed thinges of the world, hath God choſen: yea, and thoſe thinges that bée not, that hée might deſtroy thoſe thinges that bée: Yea, and wée doo know, that God did not prepare the hearts of the Princes and chiefe men of the world, to receiue the doctrine of the goſpell with the firſt: ſo that the Apoſtle Paule had occaſion to write thus to the ſame Corinthians. 1. Cor. 1. 1, Cor, 1,Videte vocationem vestram, &c. Brethren, conſider your calling, for there are not amongſt you many wiſe men after the fleſh, not many mighty, not many of noble Parentage, &c. Yea, & in the daies wherein Saint Auguſtin cliued, (which was 400. yéeres after the aſcention of our ſauiour Chriſt) it ſéemed a ſtrange thing, euen in the City of Rome, that any man of any account in the world, would become a Chriſtian man. For when Victorinus (a famous Rhethorician in that City) would profeſſe the Religion of Chriſt and be baptized: hée did it (as Saint Auguſtine hath written,) Confeſsionum. lib. 8. cap. 2. Mirante Roma, gau…nte Eccleſia. Auguſt, lib, 8, Cap, 2:Rome meruelling, and the Church of Chriſt in Rome, reioyceing. There is therefore no cauſe why you ſhoulde require the learned Proteſtant to prooue by plain Scriptures, that our Sauiour Chriſt, did commit y^e chiefe charge and ſupreme gouernment of his Church, to Emperors, &c.

But this the Proteſtants doo hold, and are able to prooue by plaine places of the Scriptures: that Emperors, Kings, Quéenes, Princes, Dukes, and all other Potentates, are p. 7the ſupreme gouernours of thoſe peoples ouer whom God hath placed them, whether the ſame people bée (by profeſſion) Chriſtians, or Miſcreants. Yea, and that the chiefe charge that eueryevery of theſe Potentates hauehave from God: is that they ſhall in their owne perſons walke in the Lordes wayes, and leade their people in the ſame. And for that cauſe, they are in the Scriptures called Pastores, that is Shéepeheards, as in the 44. Cha. of his Prophecies,Eſay, 44, Eſaie ſpeaking in the perſon of God, ſaith, Qui dico Cyro. Pastor meus, …, & omnem voluntatem meam complebis: That is, Which doo ſay vntounto Cyrus, thou arte my Shéepeheard, and thou ſhalt fulfill all my will. Cyrus was an Heathen prince: and yet the Lord calleth him his Shéepeheard: and commaundeth him to fulfill all his will and pleaſure. King Dauid being a Shéepheard in déede, was taken from the Shéepefold, and made king ouer all Iſraell, that hée might féede that people of the Lord, euen as a Shéepeheard féedeth his flocke. And hée did rule them prudently, with all his poſſible powre. Pſal. 78. Pſalm. 78,Ps 78And that theſe Potentates might bée able to diſcharge that duety that the Lord God hath appointed them to doo: hée hath giuen vntounto them the powre of the Sword, as in the 13. Rom, 13.Chapter to the Romaines it appeareth. Principes (ſaith Saint Paule) non ſunt timori boni operis, ſed mali, &c. Princes are not to bée feared of them that doo well, but of them that doo euill. Wilt thou bée without feare of the Potentate? Doo well, and thou ſhalt bée praiſed of him. For hée is Gods miniſter to doo the good. But if thou doo euill: then feare him, for hée beareth not a Sword for nought. Hée is Gods miniſter, to take vengeance on him that dooth euill, &c.

At that time, wherein the Apoſtle wrote thoſe woordes to the Romaines, there was not one Chriſtian Prince (as it may bée thought) in all the world. And yet hée dooth certifie the Romaines, that euen thoſe heathen Princes, were ordained of GOD, for the benefit of Chriſtians (as of all other ſortes of men) that world bend them ſelues to walke in hys wayes, and not contynue in ignoraunce of lyfe. And for the puniſhment of all ſuch as ſhould giuegive them ſelues to leade a diſſolute life.

Yea, and it belonged to the office, euen of thoſe Princes, not onelyonly to vſe the powre of the Sword in defending Innocents; and in puniſhing wicked doers: but alſo to ſet foorth, aduaunce, and maintaine, right and true Religion, as in the holy Hiſtories it dooth appeare that they did, as often as by any occaſion, their hearts were touched with the feare of GOD, As Darius, the Perſian Emperour when hee had ſéene the mighty powre of GOD in preſeruing Daniell in the Lyons den, did hee not write immediately to all his ſubiects, commaunding them to feare & to ſtand in awe of Daniels God: confeſſing him to be the lyuing and euerlaſting God, & that his kingdome & powre is euerlaſting, and that it is hée that deliuereth and ſaueth, & worketh woonders both in Heauen & in Earth. Daniel. 6. Daniel. 6.Dan 6The ſame Darius, (as it appeareth in the ſixt Chapter of y^e firſt booke of Eſdras) cōmaunded that the Temple in Hieruſalem (which had bin deſtroyed by the Babylonians) ſhould bée reedified, (as king Cyrus had commaunded) and that it ſhould bée furniſhed with all things neceſſary, and meete for the ſeruice of God 1. Eſdras. 1. & 6.1. Eſd. 1. & 6

And amongſt the good kings of Iſraell, and Iuda, Dauid (not without a ſecret motion from God, I am ſure) did cauſe the Arke of Gods couenant to bée brought to Hieruſalem, and placed in a Tabernacle, which hée had prepared for it there: yea, and in his owne perſon, hée vſed all ſuch behauiour, as might tend to the ſetting foorth of the glorie of God, and abaſe him ſelfe in the ſight of God, and at his owne charges, hée cauſed much ſacrifice to bée offered to the Lord, and afterward, hée bleſſed the people of the Lord, and gaue rewards of meate & drinke to eueryevery one of them, as well the women as the men. As appeareth in the ſixt Chapter of the ſecond booke of Samuell, which you call the ſecond of the kings.2. Reg. 62 Kgs 6

And I pray you (good M. Offerer) who was hée, whom p. 8God appointed to build his Temple in Hieruſalem: was it not Salomon the king? And did not hée builde it in déed: and furniſh it according as the Lord had cōmaunded him? Tertij, Reg. 5. &c. And who reformed Religion, deſtroied the Idols that king Achas had cauſed to bee ſet vp in the Temple? was it not his ſonne Ezechias? And did not the ſame Ezechias brake the braſen Serpent,4. Reg. 18. bicauſe the people had burned Incenſe to it? Yea, and when the Prieſtes did any thing in the reformation of Religion: did they it not by the appointment, and at the commaundement of thoſe good kings, Dauid, Salomon, Ezechias, and Ioſias? Reade the Hiſtory of the kings: and you ſhall ſée.

And what? did Chriſt come to take this Authority from Princes? And hath hée taken it from them, and giuen it to Peter and his Succeſſors? Hée him ſelfe hath acknowledged that authority in Princes: in that hée payde Tribute to the Emperour, both for him ſelfe and for Peter. Math. 17. In the 13. Chapter to the Romaines,Math, 17. ſaint Paule declareth that the paying of Tribute, is an acknowledging of the higheſt authority in Princes.

Chryſoſtome, Chryſoſt in Rom. 13.Rom 13expounding that place of Saint Paules Epiſtle, writeth thus. Cur enim, inquit, vectigalia Regi damus? Nunquid tanquam proſpicienti? Nunquid tanquam praeſidenti, curae, tuitioniſque mercedem ſoluentes? For why (ſaith hée) doo wée giuegive Tribute to the king? Doo wée not giuegive it, as vntounto him that hath a prouident care for vsus? Doo wée it not, as men that pay vntounto him that hath the rule of vsus, the wages or hyer that is due to him, for the care that hée hath to defend vsus?1, Peter, 2 And dooth not Saint Peter (from whom your Biſhops and Prieſts doo claime their high authority) write thus in the ſecond Chapter of his firſt Epiſtle? Subdite igitur estote, &c. Bée yée ſubiect therefore, to eueryevery humaine creature, euen for the Lords cauſe, whether it be to y^e king, as to him that excelleth, either to Dukes, as to them that are ſent of him, for the puniſhment of euill dooers, but for …he praiſe of them that bée good. For ſo is the will of God: that behauing your ſelues well, you may ſtop y^e mouthes of fooliſh and Ignoraunt men: as being free, and not hauing the liberty for a cloke of maliciouſnes, but as the ſeruants of God.

Thus, if you hauehave eyes to ſée, you may ſée, that the very teſtimonies that you hauehave alleaged (being taken in their right ſence) doo prooue ſufficiently, that though no learned Proteſtant, can prooue, or dooth or hath affirmed, that our Sauiour Chriſt did commit the chiefe charge and ſupreme gouernmēt of his Chruch, to Emperors, kings. &c. Yet the chiefe charge & ſepreme gouernment of men of all ſorts, hath bin alwaies, is ſtill, and euer ſhalbe in ſuch Potentats, euen by the ordinance of God him ſelfe: as by the other teſtimonies that I hauehave alleaged dooth moſt manifeſtly appeare.

And where as you require the learned Proteſtant to prooue, that any one of Chriſtes Apoſtles or Diſciples, did (by preaching the Proteſtants doctrine) conuert any people, lande, or countrey, from their Idolatry, and Ethnike kinde of liuing, to Chriſtian faith, and Religion, as of onelyonly faith to iuſtifie, &c. I ſay, that neuer any one of the Apoſtles or Diſciples of Chriſt, were the meanes that God vſed in the conuerting of any one lande, people, or countrey, by the preaching of any other doctrine, then that which you call the Proteſtants doctrine.

You note ſixe points of doctrine, preached by the Proteſtants, which (as you ſay) neither the Apoſtles, nor any Diſciple of Chriſt, preached. Firſt, that faith onelyonly iuſtifieth. Secondly, that all good works are vncleane in the ſight of God. Thirdly, that there is no frée will. Fourthly, that the body of Chriſt is not really preſent in the Euchariſt. Fiftly, that the bleſſed Maſſe is not a Sacrifice. And ſixtly, the aboliſhing of Chriſtes Sacraments, and all the graces, and goodnes that is conferred to vsus by them.

For the firſt (I ſay) that Chriſt him ſelfe hath taught it, in that hée hath ſayd thus. Mar. 16. Qui crediderit, & baptizatus fuerit: ſaluus erit. Qui vere non crediderit: co… demnabitur. Marci, 16,Hée that ſhall belieue and bée baptized, ſhalbe p. 9ſaued. But hée that ſhall not belieue ſhalbe condemned.

Saint Paule hath taught it to the Romaines, Chap. 5. Rom. 5.Rom 5in theſe woords, Justificati ergo ex fide, pacem habeamus ad Deum, per Dominum nostrum Ieſum Christum: per quem habemus acceſſum per fidem, in gratiam istam in qua ſtamus, & gloriamar in ſpe gloriae filiorum Dei. Being iuſtified by faith, therefore let vsus bee at peace with God, through our Lord Ieſus Chriſt: by whom wée hauehave acceſſe through faith, into this grace wherein wée ſtand, and doo reioyce in the hope of the glorie of the children of God. To take from you all occaſion of quarrelling: I hauehave cited the words of S. Paule as I finde them in your allowed latine tranſlation. Although I doo know that in the gréeke it is thus, foreign Pacem habemus, And not habeamus. Wée hauehave peace, and let vsus not hauehave peace, but to a ſimple meaning minde: the ſence is all one, whether wée ſay, wee hauehave peace or let vsus hauehave peace. And in the end of the ſentence: it maketh no difference to ſay, wée glory or reioyce in the hope of y^e ſonnes of God, or wee reioyce in the hope of the glory of God. For take it which way yee will: Saint Paules meaning muſt néedes bée, that wée are iuſtified, that is, wée apprehend and lay hold vponupon, frée diſcharge of our ſinnes that wée hauehave by the mediation of Chriſt, onelyonly by faith, and by none other meane.

And againe, in the ſecond Chapter to the Epheſians,Ephe. 2.Eph 2 Saint Paule writeth thus, Gratia enim estis ſaluati per fidem & hoc non ex vobis. Dei enim d…num eſt: non ex operibus, ne quis glorietur. For by grace (that is frée mercy) you are ſaued thorough faith: and that not … ſelues. For it is the gifte of God, and commeth not of workes, leaſt any man ſhould boaſte. The Epiſtles of the Apoſtle Paule are full of matter, to prooue this pointe of doctrine to bee true.

The ſecond pointe of doctrine, is (as you doo terme it) the contempt of good workes, and that they bee all vncleane in the ſight of God. Wee contemne not good workes, but wée eſteeme of them as they ought to bee eſteemed of: that is, as of the good fruites of a good faith. And wée teach, that no workes may bée accounted good, otherwiſe, or in any other reſpect, but as they bée the fruits of a good faith. This point of doctrine was taught by our ſauiour Chriſt, when hée ſayd thus, Lucae. 17. Cum feceritis omnia quae praecepta ſunt vobis, Lucae. 17.dicite, ſerui inutiles ſumus: Quod de buimus facere fecimus. When yee ſhall hauehave doone all that you are commaunded to doo, then ſay: we are vnprofitable ſeruants. We hauehave doone that our duety was to doo. And againe, in the 20. of Mathew, Math. 20.Matt 20in the Parable of the labourers that laboured in the Vineyarde. Volo autem & huic nouiſsimo dare ſicut & tibi. I will giuegive vntounto this that came laſt, euen as vntounto thée. Hée that had laboured but one houre, receiued as great a reward, as hée y^t had laboured the whole day. The penny that is ſpoken of there, is the Kingdome of Heauen, and is not deſerued by labour, but is fréely giuen to them that doo labour, not in reſpect of their labour, but at the pleaſure of the heauenly Lord, of that heauenly Vineyarde, wherein they labour.

You doo therefore charge vsus vniuſtly, when you ſay that wee contemne good workes, or that wée doo ſay that they are vncleane in the ſight of God. But thus wée ſay, that our good workes, (yea, our beſt workes) as they bee wrought by vsus: are ſo vncleane, that they are not méete to bée called good. And herein wée are of one minde wyth the Apoſtle Paule, who writeth thus to the Romaines, taking the matter vppon him ſelfe, and in his owne perſon, painting our the beſt amongſt men. Scio (ſayth Sainte Paule) quia non habitat in me, Rom 7.Rom 7hoc est, in carne mea, bonum. I know that in mée, that is, in my fleſh, there dwelleth no good thing. And againe, in the third Chapter of the ſame Epiſtle, the Apoſtle Paule citeth the woords of the Prophet Dauid, Pſa. 14. Pſalm. 14.Ps 14ſaying, Non est iustus quiſquam, &. There is no man iuſt, there is none that hath vnderſtanding, there is none that ſéeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are al become vnprofitable, there is none that dooth good, no not on….

p. 10Theſe places may ſuffice to prooue, y^e works wrought by vsus, cannot rightly bée called good, as they be wrought by vsus. But as God worketh them in vsus, ſo his works wrought in vsus, or by as his inſtruments, are in déede good. And wée contemne them not: but as S. Paule teacheth y^e Hebrews, ſo doo wée teach. To doo good, & to diſtribute, forget not: for with ſuch ſacrifices God is well pleaſed. Yea, wée teach, as S. Auguſtine did. Tom. 7. De gratia & libero arb. Cap. 7. Auguſt. lib. de grat. & libero arb. Cap. 7. Tom. 7.Si ergo Dei dona ſunt, bona merita tua, Deus coronat merita tua non tanquam merita tua, ſed tanquā dona ſua. If therefore, thy good merites, bée the giftes of God: then dooth not GOD crowne thy merites, as thy merites, but as his owne gifts. For as thoſe merites may bée ſayd to bée ours: they are too filthy: yea, although they bée ſuch workes as may bee, and commonly are called righteous workes. According to the ſaying of Eſay. 64. Eſay. 64.Isa 64Facti ſumus vt immundis omnes nos, & quiſi paunus menstruatae vniuerſae iustitiae noſtrae. All wee are become as an vncleane perſon: and all our righteouſneſſes, are as the cloth of a menſtruous woman.

I hope that M. Offerer dooth now ſée, that the ſeconde point of doctrine that hée requireth the learned Proteſtant to ſhew, by plaine teſtimonies of Scripture, to bee ſuch as the Apoſtles and Diſciples of Chriſt preached, when they did by their doctrine conuert Peoples, Landes, and Countryes, &c. Is by that which I hauehave before written, prooued to bée ſuch doctrine in déede.

The third point of doctrine, is the deniall of frée will. Héerein alſo, M. Offerer dooth abuſe vsus (whom hée calleth Proteſtants.) For no learned Proteſtant either hath, doth, or will deny mans will to be frée, although it may (in ſome ſence) bee affirmed to bee bound. Free it is, bicauſe it neither is nor can bee enforced to conſent to any action, although the outward action may bée ſo enforced by violence, that it may be doone or left vndoone, contrary to the inward will of the perſon that either dooth the action, or dooth leaue it vndoone. As when a man falleth into y^e hands of théeues, and fearing to bée murdered by them, dooth deliuer to them his money, which notwithſtanding, hee is willing to retaine & keepe from them, if with ſaftie of his life hee might doo it. And yet in this caſe, it may bee ſaid, that the will conſenteth to deliuer the money, being drawne (but not enforced) by the conſideration of the hard choiſe, which is eyther to deliuer the money, or to die preſently by the bloody tyranny of the théeues.

The queſtion therefore is not; whether the will of man bee free: but whether the powre of mans free will bee ſuch, that it is able of it ſelfe to make choiſe of that which is good and to embrace it: and to refuſe that which is euill, and to ſhunne it. In the ſixt of Saint Iohns goſpell, our Sauiour Chriſt hath ſaide thus: Nemo potest venire ad me, niſi Pater qui miſit me traherit eum, No man can come vntounto mee, except the Father that ſent mee ſhall drawe him. Saint Auguſtine, Auguſt. in Ioan. tract. 26.In Iohannem. Tract. 26. writeth thus vponupon this place, Magna gratiae commendatio. Nemo venit niſi tractus. Quem trahat, & quem non trahat: quare illum trahat, & illum non trahat, noli velle iudicare, ſi non vis errare: ſemel accede & intellige, &c. This is a great commendation of grace or frée mercy. No man dooth come without drawing. If thou wilt not erre, bee not willing to iudge, whom hee draweth, and whom hee draweth not: why hée draweth one man, and why hee draweth not another: receiue it and vnderſtand it at once. Thou arte not drawne, pray that thou maiſt bee drawne: But heere, what doo wee ſay brethren? If wee bee drawne vntounto Chriſt: then doo wee belieue againſt our willes. Then is not the will ſtirred vp, but violence is vſed. Any man being vnwilling, may enter into the Church, hee may come vntounto the aulter, being vnwilling, hee may come vntounto the Sacrament, being vnwilling: but beleeue hee can not, except hee bee willing. If beleefe were an act of the body, then might it be doone in them that bee vnwilling: but it is not with the bodie, that wée beléeue vntounto Righteouſneſſe. Heare what the Apoſtle ſaith. With the heart wée beléeue vntounto righteouſneſſe. And what followeth? But with the mouth wee p. 11make confeſſion to ſaluation. This confeſſion riſeth out of the roote of the heart, &c. Thus farre S. Auguſtine.

If there were no more to bée ſayd but this: the Of… rer might be ſatiſfied, touching our doctrine, ſeeing we …a…h not otherwiſe therein, then our Sauiour Chriſt did, neither doo wee diſcent from the iudgment of the auncient fathers, that hauehave wrytten vponupon the woords of our Sauiour Chriſt.

But let vsus ſee, what Saint Paule hath written to the Corinth. 2. Cor. cap. 3. Fiduciam autem talem, 2. Cor. 3.2 Cor 3habemus per Christum ad Deum: non quod ſufficientes ſimus cogitare aliquid a nobis, quaſi ex nobis: ſed ſufficientia noſtra ex Deo eſt. Such aſſurance to God-ward, hauehave wée, through Chriſt (ſaith S. Paule) not that wée bee ſufficient of our ſelues, as of our ſelues, to think any thing: but our ſufficiencie is of God.

And agayne to the Philippians, Chapter firſt,Philip. 2.Phil 2 Sainte Paule ſaith thus. Deus enim eſt, qui operatur in vobis, & velle & perficere, pro bona voluntate, It is God that worketh in you, both the will and the powre to performe the will.

And againe, to the Romaines, Chap. 7. Rom. 7.Rom 7Ʋelle adiacet mihi: perficere autem bonum non inuenio, &c. I hauehave a will: but to performe that which is good I finde not. For I doo not that good thing which I am willing to doo: but the euill thing which I am vnwilling to doo, that doo I. Now it is not I that doo it, but ſinne that dwelleth in mée.

By theſe plaine places of Scripture, it appeereth manifeſtly, that the learned Proteſtants, doo teach nothing concerning free will, but that which our Sauiour Chriſt, & his Apoſtle Paule hauehave taught. But now to the fourth pointe of doctrine.

The fourth point of doctrine is, the denyall of the reall preſence of Chriſtes body in the holie Euchariſt. It is very true that all learned Proteſtants doo deny, the reall preſence of Chriſtes bodie, in the holie Euchariſt. And there is good cauſe why they ſhould doo ſo. For touching the reall preſence of his body: our Sauiour Chriſt him ſelfe hath ſayd (as wée reade in the 11. Cha. of S. Iohns goſpe…l) Lazarus is deade, and I am glad for your ſakes, that I was not there, that you may beléeue. If you will ſay, that Chriſtes body was not then glorified (as nowe it is) and therefore could not then (as nowe it may) bee in moe places at once then one: then conſider the words of S. Peter. Act. 3. Act. 3.Acts 3Repent and bée conuerted, that your ſinnes may bée blotted out, when the time of refreſhing from the preſence of the Lord ſhall come, & when hée ſhall ſend him that hath beene preached vntounto you, euen Ieſus Chriſt, whom heauen muſt containe, euen till the time of the reſtitution of all things, which God hath ſpoken by the mouth of his holie Prophets from the beginning.

By theſe woordes of Saint Peter, it appeareth, that hee knew nothing of this reall preſence of Chriſts body in the holie Euchariſt. For hee ſaith that heauen is the place, where the Reall bodie of Chriſt muſt bee, till that tyme wherein hée ſhall appeere in iudgement, which is the time of the Reſtitution of all thinges, as hee hath ſpoken by the mouth of his holie Prophets, which hauehave bene ſince the world began.

According to this dooth Saint Auguſtine write to Dardanus. Tim 2. Epiſt. 57.Cauendum est enim, ne ita diuinitatem adstruamus hominis: vt veritatem corporis auferamus. Wee muſt take héede, that wée doo not ſo builde vp the diuinity of the manhoode, that wee take away the truth of the bodie. For it followeth not, that whatſoeuer is in God, ſhould bée eueryevery where as GOD is. By this it appeereth that Saint Auguſtine knew nothing of our Offerers reall preſence of the bodie of our Sauiour Chriſt in the holie Euchariſt.

All this notwithſtanding, wee hold, that the body and blood of Chriſt are in the holy Euchariſt, preſent to y^e faythfull receiuers, verily and in deede. So that as many as doo with a full aſſurance of the mercies of God, promiſed in Chriſt, receiue y^e holy Euchariſt: doo vndoubtedly (by faith) receiue into their ſoules, the verie body and blood of Chriſt, to their endleſſe comfort.

The learned Proteſtants doo not teach (as you doo ſlaū derouſly p. 12report of vsus) that in y^e holy Euchariſt, there is nothing but bread and wine: for wee know what S. Paule hath written to the Corinth. in the 10. Chapter of the firſt Epiſtle. Vt prudentibus loquor: iudicate vos quod dico. 1. Cor. 10.1 Cor 10Poculum benedictionis cui benedicimus, &c. I doo ſpeake, as vntounto wiſe men: doo you iudge that which I doo ſpeake. The Cup of bleſſing, which wee doo bleſſe, is it not the common partaking of the blood of Chriſt? And the bread which wée breake, is it not the cōmon partaking of y^e body of Chriſt? The Lord hath made vsus able to iudge of the meaning of y^e Apoſtle in theſe woords, wée doo know, that as many as doo come worthely to the Lords table, and be partakers of the holie Euchariſt, doo not receiue the Sacrament of the body and blood of Chriſt, onelyonly: but they receiue his verie bodie and blood. Although not really, ſubſtancially, and bodily, (as you imagine) yet ſpiritually, ſacramentally, and verily and in deed. And this is according to that which ſaint Auguſtine hath written, in his Sermon,De Sacramentis fidelium. De Sacramentis fidelium. Hoc eſt ergo manducare illam eſcam, &c. This is therefore, to eate that meate and to drinke that drink, for a man to dwell in Chriſt, and to hauehave Chriſt dwelling in him. And hereby, hee that dwelleth not in Chriſt, and in whom Chriſt dwelleth not: without doubt hee neither eateth his fleſh, nor drinketh his blood, although hée doo eate and drink the Sacrament of ſo excellent a thing, to his owne condemnation.

This may ſuffice, to certifie any reaſonable man, that wee denie not that preſence of Chriſtes bodie in the holie Euchariſt, which is taughte in the Scriptures, and in the writings of S. Auguſtine.

The fift point, that the Offerer dooth charge vsus with: is, that wee denie the Sacrifice of the moſt bleſſed M…ſſe. You ſhould hauehave ſayd, the moſt abhomin…ble M…ſſe. For what thing can bee more abhominable, then that thing which is directly contrarie to the ſcriptures, and derogatorie to that one ſacrifice that Chriſt Ieſus (our high Prieſt) made of himſelf, once for all? Saint Paule to the Hebrews, Chapter 10. Hebre. 10.(ſpeaking of our Sauiour Chriſt) ſayth thus. Hic vero, vna pro peccatis oblata victima, &c. After this man had offered vp one ſacrifice for ſinne: hee ſitteth at the right hand of God for euer, waighting from hence forth, till his enemies may bee made his foote ſtoole. For with one oblation, hee hath made perfect for euer, ſuch as are made holie. And the holie Ghoſt dooth certifie vsus, when hee ſaith thus. This is the Teſtament that I will make vntounto them, after thoſe daies, ſaith the Lord, giuing my lawes in their hearts, and in their mindes I will write them, and their ſinnes & iniquities will I not remember any more. And where there is forgiuenes of thoſe ſinnes and iniquities: there is nowe no Sacrifice for ſinne. This farre Saint Paule.

What can bee written or ſpoken more plainely then this is, for the proofe of that which wee hol…e, that is, that in the Maſſe there is no ſacrifice for ſinne? Chriſt our high Prieſt, hauing offered vp one oblation, is ſet downe on the right hand of God for euer: and what other thing can bee ment by this, then that which followeth, which is, that by that one oblation, he hath made perfect al ſuch as are made holie, that is, all the elected children of God, whom GOD hath by the holie ſpirite of ſantification made holie: Yea, and the couenant that the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of heere dooth aſſure vsus, that all the ſinnes and iniquities of Gods Elected children, are ſo pardoned and forgiuen: that they ſhall neuer bée called to memorie any more. And heere vponupon ſaint Paule concludeth, that there is no more ſacrifice to bée offered for ſinne. How dare any Chriſtian (therefore) affirme directly contrary to theſe woords of ſaint Paule: that there is a ſacrifice daily offered in the Maſſe, for the ſinnes both of the quicke and of the deade? For that is the doctrine, that this Offerer and his fellowes doo maintaine.

1. Iohn. 11 John 1See alſo, what Saint Iohn writeth in the firſt Chapter of his firſt Epiſtle, Si autem in luce ambulamus, ſicut & ipſe est in luce: ſocietatem habemus ad inuicem, & ſanguis Ieſu Christi filij eius, emundat nos ab omni peccato, &c. If wee p. 13doo walke in light, as hee is in light: (meaning GOD, of whom hee ſpake before) then hauehave we fellowſhip one with another, and the blood of Ieſus Chriſt his ſonne, doth make vsus cleane from all ſinne. If wée ſhall ſay that wée hauehave no ſinne, wee deceiue our ſelues, and the truth is not in vsus. If wée confeſſe our ſinnes: hee is faithfull and iuſt, ſo that hee will remit or forgiue vsus our ſinnes, and hee will clenſe vsus from all iniquitie.

And againe, in the ſecond Chapter,1, Iohn, 2. the ſame ſaint Iohn ſaith thus. My litle babes, I write theſe woords vntounto you, that you ſhould not ſinne: but if any man ſhall ſinne, wee hauehave an Aduocate with the Father, euen Ieſus Chriſt the Righteous, and hee is the propitiation for our ſinnes. Not for our ſinnes only: but alſo for the ſinnes of all the world.

If wée had to doo with reaſonable men: this that I hauehave cited out of the writings of theſe two Apoſtles, might ſuffice, for defence of that which the Proteſtants doo held concerning the Maſſe, affirming, that there is no ſacrifice offered therein, for the ſinnes either of the quicke or of the deade.

But nothing will ſatiſfie this Offerer, & his fellowes, the Popiſh Chatholiques. The Scriptures hauehave no credit with them, except the ſame bee confirmed by the wryting of men. Bicauſe commonly, the Auncient Doctors, hauehave in their writings vſed exceſſiue or hyperbolicall maner of ſpeaches, to mooue the mindes of their Readers reuerendly to eſteeme of the holy myſteries: theſe groſſe Capernaites, would (by the authoritie of thoſe auncient Fathers) enforce vsus to confeſſe, that the holy Euchariſt, is a Sacrifice for the ſinnes, both of the quicke and of the dead. But when their works are throughly waighed, it is found that they ment nothing leſſe, then to giuegive occaſion of any ſuch blaſphemous doctrine, as theſe Blaſphemers woulde builde vponupon their woords.

Let vsus ſee, what Chryſoſtome hath ſaid in his Homilie vponupon the 95. Pſal. concerning the Sacrifices of the New teſtament. Expounding the woords of the Prophet Malachie, in the firſt Chapter.Chryſoſt in Pſalm. 95, Malach. 1.Ps 95Mal 1 Non eſt mihi voluntas in vobis, dicit Dominus omnipotens, &c. I hauehave no pleaſure or delight in you, ſaith the Lord Almighty, &c. Hee ſaith thus, Ʋide quam luculenter, quamque dilucide mysticam interpretatus est menſam, quae est incruenta hostia. Thymiama vero purum appellat ſacras preces, &c. See (ſaith Chryſoſtome) how plainly and manifeſtly, hée dooth interpret the myſticall Table, which is the vnbloodie Sacrifice. Hée calleth the holy prayers, (which are offered vp after the ſacrifice) pure incenſe. For this perfume is it that refreſheth God, not that which is taken from the rootes that grow in the earth, but that is breathed out of a pure heart. And after hée hath noted, that the Sacrifices of the olde law were very many: hee ſaith thus. Quae omnia, noua gratia ſuperueniens, vno complectitur ſacrificio: vnam ac veram ſtatuens hostiam. All which ſacrifices, the new grace that ſucceeded, dooth comprehend in one Sacrifice: ordayning but one, which is the right Sacrifice in deede.

Who can write more plainely for the proofe of one onelyonly Sacrifice that our ſauiour Chriſt offered once for all: then Chryſoſtome dooth in this place?

Yea, hee proceedeth yet further and ſaith thus: Habemus & nos in nobis ipſis varias immolationes, non quae iuxta legem incedunt: ſed quae decent Euangelicam gr…tiam: viſne has cognoſcere victimas, quas habet Eccleſia, quum ſine ſanguine, ſine fumo, ſine altari caeteriſque ceremonijs, munus euangelicum ſurſum aſcendit ad Deum, &c. And wee alſo hauehave in our ſelues ſundrie offerings, which procéede not according to the law: but ſuch as are ſéemely for the grace of the goſpell. But wilt thou know thoſe Sacrifices which y^e Church hath, when the ſacrifice of the goſpell, aſcendeth vp vntounto God without blood, without ſmoake, and without Aulter, and the reſt of the Ceremonies, which is alſo, the cleane and vnſpotted ſacrifice? Hearken to the holy Scripture, which dooth plainely expound vntounto thée, this difference and varietie. The firſt Sacrifice therefore, is that which I hauehave ſpoken of before: that ſpirituall and myſticall gift, whereof p. 14Paule ſpeaketh when hée ſaith thus: Jmitatores estote, Dei, &c. Bée yee followers of God,Ephe. 5.Eph 5 as deerely beloued children: and walke in louelove, euen as Chriſt loued vsus, and gaue him ſelfe for vsus, a ſacrifice and oblation of a ſweete ſauour vntounto God, &c.

It were too long to ſet downe here all the woordes of Chryſoſtome in this place. The Offerer,Tom. 1. or ſome of his fellows, may reade them, as they ſtand written in the Homilie afore mentioned. It is manifeſt, that Chryſoſtomes meaning was not to maintaine the opinion of the popiſh Catholiques, which hold, that in their bleſſed Maſſe, is offered a ſacrifice propitiatorie for the ſins both of the quicke and the deade.

The ſame Chryſoſtome (in his 17. Tom. 4. In Epiſt. ad Heb. hom. 17.Homilie vponupon the Epiſtle to the Hebrews) writeth thus, Nonne per ſingulos dies offerrimus? Offerrimus quidem, ſed ad recordationem facientes mortis eius. Et vna est haec hostia, non multae. Quomodo vna est & non multae? Quia ſemel oblata est, &c. Doo not wée offer eueryevery day? In déede, wée doo offer: but wée doo it for a remembrance of his death. And this ſacrifice is but one and not many. And how is it but one and not many? Bicauſe it was offred but once, it was offred in the holieſt place of all: and this ſacrifice (which wée offer) is the Paterne or example thereof, wée doo alwaies offer one and the ſelfe ſame thing. And after many words to the ſame end: hée ſaith thus, Non aliud ſacrificium ſicut Pontifex, ſed idipſum ſemper facimus: magis autem recordationem ſacrificij operamur. Wee offer not another ſacrifice, as the high Prieſt did, but wee doo alwaies make one and the ſame ſacrifice: but wee doo rather worke the remembrance of a ſacrifice.

Except our Aduerſaries hauehave vtterly loſt the vſe of Reaſon, they muſt needes ſee, that Chryſoſtomes meaning was to teach that it is not the holy Euchariſt, but y^e death and paſſion of Chriſt (whereof the Euchariſt is a remembraunce) that is the ſacrifice propitiatorie, whereby our ſinnes are taken away. Euen in the iudgement of Chryſoſtome, therefore, the Maſſe (which you call bleſſed) is in deede curſſed, bicauſe it is derogatory to the office of Chriſt Ieſus: whoſe comming into this worlde was to ſaue ſinners. And hee onelyonly it is, that hath ſaued his people from their ſinns: by making a ſacrifice of him ſelfe once for all. By which one ſacrifice once made, hee hath made perfect as many and bee made holie, that is, all the Elected and choſen children of God. So that now there is no more ſacrifice for ſinne.Hebr, 10. As the Apoſtle hath written to the Hebrews, Chapter 10. But what ſhould I make any more to doo about this matter: ſith the Scripture is plaine on our ſide? Sit Deus verax, Pſalm. 116.Ps 116omnis autem homo mendax. Let GOD (the author of the ſcriptures) bée true, and eueryevery man a liar.

Now, the laſt point of doctrine that you charge the Proteſtants with, is the aboliſhing of Chriſtes ſacraments, & of all the graces and goodneſſe by them conferred vntounto vsus. To this I ſay, that no learned Proteſtant, either hath, doth or will aboliſh, or conſent to the aboliſhing, of any one ſacrament that our ſauiour Chriſt hath inſtituted, or of any grace or goodnes cōferred to vsus by them. Wée confeſſe with S. Auguſtine. Ad Ianuarium. Epist. 118. Auguſt. ad Ianuarium. 118.that our ſauiour Chriſt hath inſtituted verie fewe ſacraments, and that the ſame are verie effectuall, as is Baptiſme, and the Communion of the bodie and blood of our ſauiour Chriſt. Theſe two ſacraments wee acknowledge to bee inſtituted by our ſauiour Chriſt, as ſacraments, that is, outward and viſible ſignes, repreſenting inward inuiſible and ſpirituall graces. In Baptiſme, the outward and viſible ſigne is water, and the inward, inuiſible and ſpirituall grace, is forgiuenes of ſinnes, and regeneration or new byrth: both which we hauehave by the death and reſurrection of Chriſt, and in that ſacrament wee receiue a ſeale and pledge of the ſame. Yea, and where wee are by nature the children of Gods wrath: wee are by Baptiſme, receiued into the church, and aſſured that wee are now the children of God, ioyned and graffed into the bodie of Chriſt, and are become his members, and that wee doo grow into one bodie with him. Yea, and being aſſured that Gods couenant and promiſe made to faithfull Abraham p. 15and to his ſeede, belongeth to vsus and to our ſeede, bicauſe (belieuing in Chriſt) wee bee the ſpirituall poſteritie of Abraham: wée are bould to baptiſe our children, as fellow members togither with vsus, of the ſame myſtical bodie of Chriſt, that it hath pleaſed our heauenly Father to make vsus members of, And when they bee able to learne, wee doo teach them to belieue and acknowledge that they bee ſo: and to endeuour in their life to expreſſe that duetie both to God and man, which was at their baptiſme profeſſed and promiſed.

In the other ſacrament (which we doo commonly call the Lords ſupper) the outward and viſible ſigne is breade and wine, both which wee doo (according to Chriſtes commaundement) receiue. For hee hath ſaid Take, eate, this is my bodie: and drinke yee all of this: for this is the Cup of the new teſtament in my blood, &c. And wee are aſſured by Faith: that as wee doo receiue the breade and wine into our mouthes and ſtomacks, euen ſo wee doo by faith, receiue into our ſoules, the very body and blood of Chryſt, that heauenly foode, whereby our ſoules are refreſhed and fed vntounto euerlaſting life. And this bodie & blood of Chriſt, are the heauenly parte of this ſacrament, remooued from all outward ſenſes.

But wée doo not belieue (as you popiſh Catholiques would hauehave vsus belieue) that the ſubſtance of the bread and wine in this ſacrament, is turned into the ſubſtance of the bodie and blood of Chriſt: for ſo it could not bee a ſacrament, which muſt hauehave in it both an outward and viſible ſigne, and an inward inuiſible grace. Wherefore the bread and wine muſt remaine in their natures and properties.

Neither doo wée belieue, that this ſacrament was ordeined to bee a ſacrifice to God the father, for the remiſſion of ſinnes: for wee know that onelyonly Chriſt Ieſus hath bin and is able and worthy to offer ſacrifice for the deliuerance of mankinde from ſinne. And that hee hath (by that ſacrifice that hee made of himſelfe, once for all) fully ſatiſfied for the ſinnes of the whole world, and hath left nothing for vsus to doo, but firmely to fixe our faith in him, and thankefully to take the vſe of this eternall ſacrifice, which wee chiefly doo, when wee come worthely to the Lords table, & bee partakers of that holy ſacrament.

Now, if you thinke that I hauehave doone that which you required the learned Proteſtant to doo: then ſhame not to yeelde and recant, and bee no longer an obſtinate and wilfull blinde popiſh Catholique, which is an Antichriſtian ſchiſmaticke. But bee a tractable and an obedient Scholler of Chriſt Ieſus, hearkening to, and belieuing the goſpell of Chriſt, which is the glad tidings of free pardon and full forgiuenes of all our ſinnes by the merites and mediation of our onelyonly Lord and ſauiour Ieſus Chriſt, proteſting to hold euerie goſpell that is contrary to this Goſpell, accurſed, as ſaint Paule willed the Galathians to doo. So ſhall you bee a right Catholique Chriſtian, holding and profeſſing that Catholique faith, which Chriſt himſelfe commanded his meſſengers to teach Catholiquely, when hee ſayde thus, Euntes in mundum vniuerſum, docete omnes gentes, baptizantes eos in nomine patris, Math. 28.Matt 28& filij, & ſpiritus ſancti, &c. Going into all the world, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, of y^e ſonne, and of the holy ghoſt, teaching them to obſerue all thoſe things that I hauehave commaunded you. This is the Catholique doctrine that wee hauehave heard and learned, and doo belieue it. By hearing this woord of the goſpell or glad tidings of free pardon and forgiueneſſe of ſinnes: our God hath wrought in vsus ſuch an aſſurance of Saluation, that wee doubt nothing thereof. And this aſſuraunce woorketh in vsus an vnfayned louelove towards him that hath adopted, predeſtinated, and called vsus to bee meete Images of his ſonne: and one of vsus towards another, although not in ſuch perfection as hee hath loued vsus, and as hée commaundeth vsus to louelove one another, yet in ſome meaſure, and in ſuch meaſure as hee in merciemercy alloweth of. Wee proteſt therefore, that wee will hold this faith p. 16and ſtill craue the encreaſe of this faith, and that wée may grow ritch in thoſe workes that our Lord y^e hath made vsus, redéemed vsus, & conſecrated vsus to his own ſeruice, hath prepared for vsus to walke in. As for workes diuiſed by men: wee eſteeme of them as wee finde them. If wee ſée that they bend to the ſetting foorth of Gods glory, in our edification, wee vſe them, otherwiſe wee refuſe them. But the workes that God hath commaunded: wee are carefull to doo. And when by the infirmitie and corruption of our nature, wee ſtumble and fall: wée crie vntounto our mercifull father for help, as being aſſured that hee heareth vsus and in tender affection towards vsus, will help vsus: yea, though hee doo for a time ſuffer vsus to lie vnderunder that too too heauie burthen of ſinne, vnderunder which wée are fallen by infirmitie. Wee ſeeke not to our fellow ſeruants, as to Angels or men: much leſſe to Antichriſt, the profeſſed enimie of our Chriſt and ſauiour. Wee truſt not in our owne ſtrength, nor in any merites that may bée in vsus: but wée truſt in our God and our onelyonly ſauiour Ieſus Chriſt. And when wee hauehave walked vpright, and hauehave done that which wee are commaunded to doo, wee ſay (as our Sauiour hath taught vsus to ſay) wee are vnprofitable bond ſlaues: wee hauehave done nothing but that which of duetie wee ought to doo. But now let vsus ſée the ſecond offer that our Offerer maketh.