Friar John Francis of France, Text (3 of 4)

Friar John Francis of France · Text (3 of 4)

p. 34To the ſeconde ſentence, we ſay as S. Iames doth alſo. That is, that fayth which hath no workes, is deade in it ſelfe. Men of your ſorte, can ſometimes take holde vponupon diſtinctions, when they hope to hauehave any aduantage thereby againſt vsus, but in the vnderſtanding of the meaning of S. Iames in this place, they can not ſee any diſtinction of fayth at all. No not though the text doo giuegive them neuer ſo great occaſion to vſe a diſtinction. Your Schoolemen can tell you, that Fides is Triplex. Fayth is of thrée ſortes. Historica, Ciuili…, and Eccleſiaſtica. The Eccleſiaſticall Faith is that wherby we are aſſured of the goodnes of our Godtowards vsus, whereby we are made his children by Adoption inheritours of his kingdome, and heyres annexed with the onelyonly begotten ſonne of God, Jeſu… Chriſt our Lord. And wherby we are aſſured of the continuance of his fatherly goodnes towards vsus, in the performance of all his promiſes made vntounto vsus. Yea, and by this faith we receiue good gifts from him, in ſuch quality, number and meaſure, as he knoweth to be méeteſt for vsus, ſo that therby we are made able to perſeuer and co…tinue, in ſéeking to ſet ſorth his glory, and in ſome meaſure to ſet it forth in déede▪ euen to the ende of this our tranſitorie life.

Moreouer, by this faith, we doo certainly know theſe thing…s, to the knowledge whereof, mans reaſon could neuer bee able to attaine or reache: as the miſtery of the creation of all creatures, the miſtery of the incarnation of our Sauiour Chriſt, the miſtery of our redemption by him, the miſtery of our R…ſurr…ction. …c. This fayth is it, that S. I…mes ſayth, wrought together wyth Ab…al ams workes, and brought forth in him obedience to God, when he commaunded him to offe… …p his ſonne Iſaac vponupon the Altare.: ſo that nowe he was made righteous before men, as he was before righteous before God in that he beléeued, and was aſſured of the performance of that promiſe that God had made vntounto him. Thys fayth is alwayes linked with louelove, and worketh by louelove, as S. Paule wryteth in the fifte Chapter to the Galathians: and is therefore all in all (as S. Paule wryteth there) and without it, nothing can auayle vsus. When we therefore doo ſay that wee are iuſtified by Faith onelyonly, our meaning is, that onelyonly Faith is the meane, wherby we doo apprehend the righteouſnes of Chriſt, which is by the frée gyft of GOD beſtowed vponupon ſuch as be faythfull, according to that which S. Paule wryteth 1. Cor. 1. Exipſo autem vos estis in Christo Ieſu… qui factus est nobis ſapientia a Deo, & Iustitia, & ſanctificatio, & redemptio. And by him are you in Chriſt Jeſus, whom God hath made, our wiſedome, our righteouſnes, our ſanctification and redemption. Hauing this righteouſnes, which is in Chriſte, we are in him righteous before God. But lacking this righteouſnes (which without this Faith, we can not hauehave) neyther Ciuill nor Hiſtoricall fayth can helpe vsus. For by them, we can be but righteous before men. The Ciuill fayth can bring forth none other righteouſnes then that which is Ciuill, and ſo make vsus ſuch as the Philoſophers were, and no better. And by the Hiſtoricall fayth, we can not be better then are the deuils, in whom that faith bringeth forth, an horrible feare of iudgment, which muſt néedes be ioyned wyth hatred. So that they which hauehave none other fayth but that, muſt néedes hate God, as the deuill doth. We doo therefore conclude with S. Iames, that man is iuſtified by workes, and not by fayth onelyonly. By workes was Abraham iuſtified before men, when his fayth had brought forth her fruite, which was obedience to the commaundement (Take thy ſonne Iſaac. &c.) which obedience ſprang out of that Fayth that S. Paul wrote of, Rom. 4. Qui contra ſpem, in ſpem credidit, which beléeued in hope, euen contrarye to hope. Thus was Abraham made righteous before men (as S. Paul hath written) and was declared▪ and made knowne to men by hys obedience, which was the good fruite that his good Fayth brought forth. If you lyſt to appoſe your ſelfe againſt S. Paule you may, and in the ende hauehave the foyle. S. Iames doth not, but p. 35meaneth to mooue Chriſtians, not to make an account of any other fayth, then that which worketh by louelove. We will hold with Saint Iames, and not oppoſe our ſelues againſt S. Paul with you. Wée doo ſée that theſe two Apoſtles, being ledde by one ſpirit of Chriſt, agrée in one. Although Paule doo ſay: Arbitramur enim, iustificari hominem per fidem, ſine operibus legis. We ſuppoſe that man is iuſtified by Fayth, without the déedes of the Law. Rom 3. And the other ſayth. Ʋidetis, quoniam ex operibus iustificatur homo, & non ex fide tantum. You ſée that man is iuſtified by works, and not by faith onelyonly. Iames. 2. Wée doo rather chooſe to be anathematized of your holy father, the Popes holines, and of all thoſe fathers that were gathered together in the Tridentine Councell, then of father Paul, (whoſe holines doth ſurmount the holines of your holy father, the Popes holines.) Father Paul hath written thus in his Epiſtle to the Galathians. Chap. 1. Licet nos, aut Angelus de coelo euangelizet vobis praeterquam quod euangelizauimus vobis: Anathemaſit. Although I my ſelfe, or an Angel from heauen, ſhould preache vntounto you anie other Goſpell, then that which I hauehave preached vntounto you: holde him accurſed. The Goſpell that S. Paul had preached to the Galathians and others, was (and is) the Gladtydings of frée iuſtification or diſcharge of all their ſinnes, onelyonly by the mediation of our onelyonly Mediator, our Lord & Sauior Jeſus Chriſt. Take héede (Fryer John) that you be not within the reache of this Anathematization, if you be, 4000. whyſkes with your whip, wil not bruſhe it away from your naked and ſcuruie ſhoulders. I terme them ſcuruy, becauſe I ſuppoſe, that whipping your ſelfe ſo often and ſo ſore (as in your Letters you hauehave reported) the ſkynne of your ſhoulders and backe can not be without ſkabbes.

Well, let vsus nowe conſider your other péece of Ordinaunce, which is a part of the xxv. Chapter of S. Mathewes Goſpel. Firſt you hauehave ſayd thus.

The Fryar.

As concerning your opinion, that by fayth onelye we are iuſtified: I referre you to the Epiſtle of the holye Apoſtle S. Iames, as alſo to thoſe words of our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, written in the Goſpell after S. Mathew, Cap. xxv. Where it is written, that our bleſſed Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, in the latter day giuing the finall and euerlaſting ſentence (as well vntounto the ſaued as vntounto the damned) ſhall vtter theſe wordes. Venite benedicti patris mei &c. That is to ſay. Come ye bleſſed of my father, and poſſeſſe the kingdome prepared for you, from the beginning of the worlde. Nowe, hauing ſpoken theſe wordes, he ſheweth the cauſe of thys ioyfull ſentence. For (ſayth he) when I was hungry, you fed mee, when I was a thyrſt, you gaue me to drinke, when I was naked ye clothed me: but what are theſe things if they be not good works? Therefore, and by this place of Scripture, good workes are meritorious to our Saluation. Reade likewiſe (I pray you) the ſecond Chapter of the Epiſtle of S. Paule to the Remaines, a little way of from the beginning. You ſhall there finde, howe God will reward all men according to their workes. The ſame alſo, if you wyll ſearch, you ſhall find, in the xvi. Chap. of S. Mathew, and in many other places of the Scripture. I doo not conclude by theſe partes of the Newe teſtament, that by good workes onelyonly wee are ſaued, but mine intention is to proue, that neither by faith without good workes, nor by good workes without fayth, we are iuſtified or ſaued.

Crowley.

As I hauehave explaned vntounto you, the meaning of the Apoſtle Iames in that which he wrote touching the iuſtifying of men by workes, in ſuch ſort (I hope) that your ſelfe doo ſée that you are much deceiued in your iudgment, touching the meaning of the Apoſtle: So I hope I ſhall explane the meaning of our Sauiour Chriſt, in the wordes which you cite out of the xxv. Chapter of S. Mathewes Goſpell. And firſt, becauſe you hauehave ſaid before, that we admitte not the words of y^e holy Doctors of the Catholicke church. I wyll let you ſée certaine words that one of them hath written, euen vponupon theſe very wordes y^t you hauehave cited out of the xxv. Chap. of S. Mathewe. Iohannes Chryſoſtomus, Homelia 80. in Mat. John Chryſoſtome in his 80. Homelie vponupon S. Mathewes Goſpell, hath written thus. His igitur rationibus, & iſti non iniur…a puniuntur: & illi etiamſi mille talia fecerint, per gratiam tamen coronantur. Gratiaenam que omnino illa benignitas est: vt pro rebus minimis, & viliſſimis, coeleſte regnum, & tantus honor tribuatur. That is to ſay. For theſe cauſes therefore, both the one ſort, are without iniury puniſhed, and although the other ſort hauehave doone a thouſand ſuch workes, yet it is by frée mercy that they are crowned. For that bountifulneſſe whereby the kingdome of heauen, and ſo great an honor is gyuen, for the ſmalleſt and moſt vils thinges, is altogether of frée mercy. p. 36Thus hath Chryſoſtome wrytten, as the concluſion of all that hée hath written before in commendation of thoſe that feede the hungry, giuegive drinke to the thirſty, clothe the naked. &c. and in diſcommendation of them that leaue thoſe workes vndoone. The one ſort (ſayth he) that is (they which leaue thoſe works vndoone) are iuſtlie puniſhed: And the other are crowned, and yet not for the worthines of the workes, although they worke them neuer ſo often: but that bountifull liberality, (wherby the kingdome of heauen, and that great honour of being crowned in that kingdome, are gyuen, for ſo ſmall and vile matters as our workes are) commeth altogether of Gods frée mercy, and not of any worthines, that eyther is or can be in vsus, or in any workes that we can worke. This Chryſoſtome is (not onelyonly in this part of his wrytings, but in all his workes) a very earneſt mayntainer of the merites of good workes, and yet ſée howe he co…udeth. In this concluſion▪ he ioyneth with vsus, and we ioyne with him.

We holde, that good workes, ſuch as GOD hath commaunded, and prepared for vsus to walke in, are acceptable in the ſight of God, and that God doth and wyll reward them both in this lyfe, and alſo in the life to come. And we craue of GOD that we may kéepe ſtill in minde the wordes of the Apoſtle. Heb. 13. To doo good and to diſtribute, forget not, for with ſuch ſacrifices God is well pleaſed. Yea, we craue of God, that we doo neuer forget the ſaying of the Apoſtle Paule to Timothe. 1. Chap. 4. Exerce teipſum ad pietatem, nam corporalis exercitatio, ad modicum vtilis eſt: p…etas autem ad omnia vtilis eſt. Promiſſionem habens vitae quae nunc est, & futurae. Exerciſe thy ſelfe to godlines (ſaith S. Paul) for bodily exerciſe, is profitable but to a ſmall matter, but godlines is profitable to all thinges. Hauing a promiſe of the life that nowe is, and of the lyfe that ſhall be. Thys we holde, this we teache, and this we are willing to practiſe. And for a further explanation of the meaning of Chryſoſtomes concluſion aboue mentioned: marke (I pray you) what he wryteth in his 53. Homelie, to the people of Antioche. Omnia quae f…cimus, agimus debitum implentes: proper hoc & ipſe dicebat. Cum omnia feceritis dicite, quia inutiles ſerui ſumus: quae enim debebamus facere, fecimus. I gitur, ſiue charitatem exhibuerimus, ſiue dederimus pecun…asegenis, debitum implemus: non tantum quoniam a beneficijs ipſe cepit, verum & quoniam ipſius bona distribuimus, ſi cuncta erog…mus. All that we doo (ſayth Chryſoſtome) we doo, as ſatiſfying or paying our debt: wherefore he himſelfe alſo (that is Chriſt) did ſay. When you ſhall hauehave doone all, ſay thus, We are vnprofitable ſeruaunts, for we hauehave doone thoſe thinges that we ought to doo. Therefore, whether we ſhall ſhewe charity, or whether wée ſhall giuegive money to the néedy, we doo diſcharge our debt, not onelyonly becauſe he did firſt beginne to beſtowe benefites vponupon vsus, but alſo becauſe we doo but diſtribute his goods, although we beſtow al that we hauehave. No man can write more plainly or pithily, for confirmation of that which we holde concerning the meriting by workes, then thys Chryſoſtome hath doone in theſe two places. Thus you may ſée, if you be wylling to ſée, that the holy Doctors of the Catholicke Church, are not ſo contrary to vsus in iudgment, as you hauehave perſwaded your ſelfe that they be: but when their works bée thorowly reade, and the ſcope an purpoſe of their wrytings, thorowly weyghed and conſidered▪ they are found to be of a iudgment contrary to yours, and be of one iudgment with vsus. You alledge theſe wordes of our Sauiour Chriſt, as a declaration of the cauſe of our ſaluation. For you ſay, hauing ſpoken theſe words, Venite benedicti patris m…i. &c. Come ye bleſſed of my Father &c. He ſheweth the cauſe of this ioyfull ſentence &c. If you had ſayde, he ſheweth a cauſe your ſpéeche might hauehave béene ſuffered. For our féeding of the hungry, giuing of drinke to the thyrſty, clothing of the naked, our harbouring of the harbourleſſe. &c. are a cauſe of thys ioyfull ſentence. For they are Cauſa ſine qua non. A cauſe wythout which this ioyfull ſentence ſhall not be pronounced. To them onelie that hauehave doone theſe déedes, it ſhalbe ſayd. Come ye bleſſed of my father &c. But ſith you ſay he ſheweth the cauſe, your meaning muſt be, that theſe workes are the efficient cauſe of this ioyful ſentence. Which meaning is contrary to the definition or deſcription of an efficient cauſe: which is▪ A quo primo fit motus. That is, The thing that maketh the firſt moouing. That is to ſay, the thing that doth principally or chéefely worke y^e making of another thing. And the efficient cauſe in giuing of this ioyfull ſentence, is by S. Chryſoſtome affirmed to be the frée mercy of God. For in hys 80. Homely vponupon Mathew (whereof I hauehave made mention) he ſayth: Per gratiam tamen coronantur: Gratiae namque omnino illa benignitas est. Although they in whoſe fauour this ioyfull ſentence ſhalbe gyuen, p. 37hauehave doone a thouſande ſuch workes, yet they ſhalbe crowned through frée merciemercy: for that bountifull liberality, is altogether of frée mercy. When you hauehave ſaid he ſheweth the cauſe, you ſay, that he ſayth thus. For when I was hungry, you fedde me, when I was thirſty ye gaue me to drink, whē I was naked, you clothed me: but what are theſe thinges, if they be not good workes? Therfore, and by thys place of Scripture, good workes are meritorious to our ſaluation. If you coulde prooue, or if we would yéelde vntounto you, that theſe good workes were the efficient cauſe of the giuing of this ioyfull ſentence (which neither is confeſſed by vsus, nor can be prooued by you,) then might your concluſion be allowed of, in the Schooles amongſt Schollers. But ſéeing that all men which hauehave knowledge to diſcerne one cauſe from another, muſt néedes confeſſe, that theſe workes be but Cauſa ſine qua non▪ A cauſe without which that ioyfull ſentence ſhall not be giuen: your argument is as good as this argument is▪ Baculus stat in angulo. Ergo Deus non eſt in coelo. The ſtaffe ſtandeth in the corner: Therfore God is not in Heauen.

From this place of S. Mathewes Goſpell, you ſende vsus to the ſeconde Chapter of S. Paule to the Romaines, a little way of from the beginning of that Chapter, where you ſay we ſhall finde, howe GOD wyll rewarde all men according to their workes. And you ſay furder, that if we will ſearche, we ſhall finde the ſame moſt euidently, in the xvi. of S. Mathewes Goſpell, and in many other places of holie Scripture. You might very well hauehave ſpared this laboure. For we knewe before you were borne, that, both in thoſe places that you name, and in many other places of holy ſcriptures, it appeareth euidently, that God will giuegive vntounto all men (or as you terme it, rewarde all men) according to their works. But what can you conclude vponupon this? Shall we therefore ſay that workes are the efficient cauſe of our ſaluation? your ſelfe doo deny it. For you ſay thus. I doo not conclude by theſe parts of the New Teſtament, that by good workes onelyonly we are ſaued: but mine intention is to prooue, that neither by faith without good workes, nor by good workes without faith, we are iuſtified or ſaued. Héere you hauehave flatly denied, that which you hauehave before, as flatly affyrmed. For before you hauehave ſayd, that our Sauiour Chriſt ſheweth the cauſe of the ioyfull ſentence, which he ſhall giuegive when he ſhal ſay: Come ye bleſſed of my Father. &c. Wherein you affirme (as before I hauehave prooued) that the good workes that our Sauiour maketh rehearſall of, are the efficient cauſe of gyuing that ſentence, and ſo by good conſequence of our iuſtification or ſaluation. And nowe you ſay that you conclude not ſo, but that good workes and faith together, are the efficient cauſe of our iuſtification or ſaluation. For ſo men of your ſorte doo meane, by that manner of ſpéeche, that you doo vſe héere, when you ſay, by workes or by fayth.

But we hauehave another meaning of that ſpéeche, as I will (by Gods helpe) let you vnderſtand. When S. Paul ſayth thus. Rom. 3. Arbitramur enim iuſtificars hominem per fidem, ſine operibus legis. We ſuppoſe that man is iuſtified by faith without the déedes of the Lawe. His meaning is, that faith is the inſtrument y^t God vſeth in making vsus righteous. Gods frée mercy is the efficient cauſe, and our faith is the inſtrumentall cauſe of our iuſtification. So that God dooth make vsus righteous, by that fayth that himſelfe hath wrought in vsus by the word of his Goſpell, which is, Virtus Dei in ſalutem omni credenti. Rom. 1. The power of God, to ſaluatition, to eueryevery one that beléeueth.

Thus we may ſée that the word of the Goſpell, is the inſtrument that God vſeth in making vsus faithfull, and faith is the inſtrument whereby he maketh vsus righteous. Fdes ex auditu: auditus autem per verbum Chriſti. Rom. 10. Fayth commeth by hearing, and hearing commeth by the worde of Chriſt (or as the Gréeke hath it, of God.) So that the worde that is preached, and the Preacher that preacheth, are Gods outward inſtruments, which he vſeth in working fayth in the hartes of the hearers. And in this meaning S. Paul writeth thus to Timothe. 1. Tim. 4. Attende tibi & doctrinae inſta in illis. Hoc enim faciens: et teipſum ſalum facies, et eos qui te audiunt. Take héede to thy ſelfe, and vntounto doctrine: be inſtant or earneſt therein: for in dooing this thing, thou ſhalt ſaue thy ſelfe, and them that heare thée. Héere we ſée that Timothe being careful in looking to hys owne lyfe, and to the ſoundnes of his doctrine, and being earneſtly bent to teache both by good example of life, and by ſownde doctrine, is by S. Paule ſayd to be, the ſauiour of himſelfe and of them that heare him. And yet it is manifeſt, that he was neither the ſauiour of himſelfe, nor of any other, but an inſtrument that God vſed in working ſaluation, both in himſelfe and in other. Becauſe that by his carefull diligence in looking to his owne lyfe p. 38and ſowndnes of doctrine, and by his earneſtnes in preaching the ſame, fayth was begunne, and increaſed in his hearers, and continued and confirmed in himſelfe. Which fayth, both in him & in his hearers, layd holde vponupon, and heldfaſt y^e mercifull promiſe of God, made in the mediation of the onelyonly Mediator betwixt GOD and man, euen the man Chriſt Ieſus our Lorde. 1. Tim. 1. And ſo bothe Timothe, hys hearers, and all the reſt, that hauehave béene, are, or ſhalbée by Gods good meanes made faithful, are by Gods frée mercy ſaued: according to the ſaying of the Apoſtle to the Epheſians. Cha. 2. Gratia enim estis ſaluati per fidem: et hoc non ex vobis. Dei enim donum est: non ex operibus, vt nequis glorietur. Ipſius enim ſumus factura, creati in Christo Ieſu ad opera bona, quae preparauit Deus, vt in illis ambulemus. By Grace are you ſaued, through fayth, and that not of your ſelues, for it is Gods gyft: not of workes leaſt any man ſhoulde boaſte. For we are hys workmanſhyppe, created in Chriſt Ieſus vntounto good workes, which God hath prepared, that we ſhoulde walke in them. And to the Rom. 9. Chapter. The Apoſtle ſayth thus. Non volentis ne que currentis: ſed miſerentis est dei. It ſtandeth neyther in mans willing, nor in mans running, but in the mercy of God. It ſéemeth to me a ſtrange thing, that any man (profeſſing the Religion of Chriſt) dare conclude (as you doo) ſo directly contrary to the expreſſe wordes of the Apoſtle Paule. You ſay in your concluſion, we are iuſtified or ſaued, by fayth & good works together. S. Paule ſayth. Wée ſuppoſe that man is iuſtified by fayth without the déedes of the Lawe. Nowe, if you can teil vsus of any déedes, y^t are of more force to make vsus righteous before God, then the déedes that God hath commaunded in his Law: then hauehave you ſayd ſomewhat, although but a little. For thoſe déedes muſt bée déedes commaunded of men, whereof the Prophet Eſay writeth thus. Chap. 29. Theyr feare towards me was taught by the precepts of men: therefore, beholde, I wyll take in hand to worke a ſtrange worke, that ſhall be a miracle, and an aſtoniſhment to this people: For wyſemen ſhall looſe their wiſedome, and vnderſtanding ſhalbe hydde from the prudent. I would wyſh you to weighe well theſe wordes of the Prophet Eſay, and to conſider whether they be not already verified in you, and in men of your ſorte. Conſider alſo what our ſauiour Chriſt addeth to theſe wordes. Mat. 15. In vayne doo they worſhip me, teaching the doctrines and commaundements of men. Whereby we are admoniſhed, that it is but loſt labour, for a man to goe about to be made righteous before God, by ſuch workes, as men doo or can deuiſe and commaund. S. Paule to the Ephe. 2. ſayth: That through fayth wee are ſaued by frée merciemercy, and that not of our ſelues. For it is the gyft of GOD, and commeth not of workes, leaſt any man might hauehave any occaſion to boaſt: and how dare any man conclude (as you doo) that faith and works coupled together, may make vsus righteous before God. I doo therfore conclude, according to y^e true meaning of the wordes of our ſauiour Chriſt, the Prophet Eſay, and the Apoſtle Paul, that neither the workes that God hath commaunded, nor the workes that men hauehave deuiſed, or can deuiſe and commaund, yea or y^e faith that God hath, dooth or ſhall worke in the harts of men, either bée, or can be, the efficient cauſe of mans righteouſnes or ſaluation. But the frée mercy of God onelyonly, is the alone efficient cauſe, that hath wrought, doth and ſhall worke, ſaluation in the faithful onelie▪ and in none other. In whom he himſelfe worketh faith, that by that fayth they may laie hold vponupon, & holde faſt that ſaluation, that in frée mercy, he doth, and will fréely beſtowe vponupon them▪ And ſurder I conclude, that though the workes that GOD hath prepared for the faithfull to walke in, neither be, nor can be, the efficient cauſe of ſaluation, yet they are Cauſa ſine qua non: that is, a cauſe that muſt be founde in them, to whom it ſhalbe ſayde. Come yee bleſſed of my Father &c. ſo that they that ſhall heare that ioyfull ſentence, muſt hunger and thirſt after righteouſnes of life, all the dayes of their life. And vſe that faith that GOD hath wrought in them, in laying holde vponupon, and holding faſt, that righteouſnes that God hath in frée mercy beſtowed fréely vponupon them, hauing a continuall care to ſhewe themſelues thankfull to him for the ſame, by walking in thoſe good workes that hee hath prepared for them to walke in.

Nowe for the meaning of thoſe places that you direct vsus vntounto, namely, the 2. to the Romans, the 16. of S. Mathew, and many other, wherin we may by ſearch find, how God will reward al men according to their works: I ſay thus. I could by y^e knowledg that God hath giuen me, anſwere you ſufficiently. Yet becauſe my wordes be of ſmall credite with you, I wyll aunſwere you by the wordes of a holy father of the Catholicke Church, whoſe wordes (I hope) you will admit, and giuegive credite to them (although▪ as I p. 39coniecture, you be not much acquainted with them) S. Auguſtine writeth thus. Quod est ergo meritum hominis ante gratiam, quo merito accipiat gratiam: cum omne meritum nostrū, non in nobis faciat niſi gratia. Et cum Deus coronat merita noſtra, nihil aliud coronet, quam munera ſua? What is the merite of man before, whereby he may receiue grace: ſéeing that nothing but grace dooth worke in vsus all our merite? And when God doth crowne our merits, he crowneth none other thing but his owne gifts? Thus writeth S. Augustine Tom. 2. Epiſtola. 105. And againe in his 7. Tom. in the 7. Chap▪ter of his booke De gratia & libero arbitrio, he wryteth thus. Si ergo Dei dona ſunt bona merita tua: non Deus coronat merita tua, tanquā merita tua, ſed tanquam dona ſua. That is, If therefore thy good merites be the gyfts of God, then dooth not God crowne thy merites as thy merites, but as his owne gifts. And agayne in hys eyght Tome. vponupon the Pſalme, 98. Exaltate dominum Deum noſtrū. Verè exaltate, Benè exaltate. Laudemus & exaltemus, qui fecit ipſam iustitiam quam habemus, ipſe in nobis fecit. Quis enim in nobis fecit ipſam iustitiam: niſi qui nos iustificauit? De Christo autem dictum est: qui iuſtificat impium. Nos ergo impij, ille iuſtificator: quando et ipſam iuſtitiam ipſe in nobis fecit, qua illi placeamus, vt ad dextram nos ponat, et non ad ſinistram, vt dicat ad dextram poſitis, venite benedicti patris mei, percipite regnum quod vobis paratum eſt, ab initio mundi, non autem ponat ad ſinistram inter eos quibus dicturus eſt. Ite in ignem aeternum, qui paratus est diabolo & angelis eius. Qui in nobis coronaturus est, non merita nostra, ſed dona ſua: quantum debet exaltari? That is to ſay: Gyue great prayſe to the Lord our GOD. Gyue him great praiſes indéede. Praiſe him aright. Let vsus lawde and prayſe him, which hath made that righteouſnes that we hauehave. He hath wrought it in vsus. For who hath wrought in vsus that righteouſnes, but he that hath iuſtified vsus? And it is ſayde of Chriſt, that he iuſtifieth the vngodly▪ We therefore are the vngodly, and he is the iuſtifier: ſéeing that he hath wrought in vsus that righteouſnes, whereby we might pleaſe him, ſo that he might place vsus at his right hand and not at his left hand, that he might ſay vntounto vsus being placed at his right hand: Come ye bleſſed of my father, receiue the Kingdome that was prepared for you, from the beginning of the worlde.

Not that he might ſette vsus at his left hand, amongſt thē to whom he ſhall ſay: Goe into fire euerlaſting, which was prepared for the deuill and hys angels. Howe greatly ought he to be prayſed, that ſhall crowne in vsus, not our merites, but his owne gyfts? Againe, the ſame Auſten, writeth thus in the ſame Tome, vponupon y^e Pſalme 102. Qui in nobis victi ſumus, in illo vicimus. Ergo coronatte, quia dona ſua coronat, non merita tua. We that in our ſelues are ouercome, hauehave in him gotten the victory. He crowneth thée therfore, becauſe he crowneth not thy merites, but his owne gifts. But to put you out of all doubt, concerning y^e meaning of al thoſe places y^t you ſend vsus to, ſée what ſaint Auſten writeth in his forenamed Epiſtle. 105. Stipendium, inquit peccati, mors. Rectè stipendium, quia debetur, quia digne retribuitur, quia merito redditur. Deindè, ne iustitia de human… ſe extolleret bono merito, ſicut humanum meritum malum non dubitatur eſse peccatum, non a contrario retulit dicens: stipendium iustitiae vita aeterna, ſed gratià, inquit, Dei vita aeterna. Et haec ne praeter mediatorem aliqua alia via quaereretur, adiecit, in Christo Ieſu Domino nostro. Tanquam diceret, Audito quòd stipendium peccati ſit mors, quid te disponis extollere? O humana, non iustitia, ſed nomine iustitiae planè ſuperbia, quid te disponis extollere, & contrariam morti vitam aeternam tanquam debitum stipendium flagitare? Cui debetur vita aeterna, vera iuſtitia eſt. Si autem vera iuſtitia est, ex te non est. De ſurſum est, deſcendens a Patre luminum, et haberes eam (ſi tamen habes eam) profectò accepiſti. Quid enim habes quod non accepisti? Quapropter, O homo, ſi accepturus es vitam aeternam: iustitiae quidem stipendum est: ſed tibi gratia eſt, cui gratia est & ipſa iustitia. Tibi enim tanquam debita redderetur: ſi ex te tibi eſſet iustitia, cui debetur. That is to ſay: Death (ſayth he) is the hyre that is due for ſinne▪ It is rightly called a ſtipend or wages, becauſe it is due, becauſe it is worthily payde, becauſe it is payd as a thinge deſerued. Moreouer, that righteouſnes might not extoll it ſelfe for the good deſeruing of man: he hath not ſhewed, that as no man doubteth ſinne to be the euill deſert of man, ſo on the contrary he ſayth not, that life euerlaſting is the hyre or wages of righteouſnes, but he ſaith, life euerlaſting is y^e frée mercy of God. And (leaſt ſome other way beſide y^e Mediator ſhould be ſought for) he addeth theſe wordes. In Chriſt Ieſus our Lorde. As though he ſhould ſay, why dooſt thou prepare to extoll thy ſelfe, when thou heareſt that death is the reward p. 40or wages due to ſinne? Oh thou humane (not iuſtice or righteouſnes, but in very déede, pryde, vnderunder the name of Iuſtice) why dooſt thou prepare to extoll thy ſelfe, and to require or clayme, as a ſtypende due vntounto thée, that euerlaſting life, which is contrary to death? That righteouſnes whervnto life euerlaſting is due, is that which is the true and right iuſtice. And if it bee the right iuſtice, then it commeth not of thée It is from aboue, and commeth down from the Father of lights, that thou mighteſt hauehave it. And yet if thou haſt it, vndoubtedly thou haſt receiued it. For what haſt thou that y^u haſt not receiued? Wherefore (O y^u man) if thou ſhalt receiue eternall life, it is in déede the wages or hyre of Iuſtice, but vntounto thée it is frée mercy, vntounto whom, euen iuſtice, or righteouſnes it ſelfe, is frée mercy. And if thou haddeſt of thy ſelfe, righteouſnes, wherevnto it is due, then ſhoulde it be giuen to thée, euen as béeing due vntounto thée.

If I were not perſwaded that theſe words of ſaint Auſten are ſufficiēt to perſwade any reaſonable mā, that life euerlaſting, neither is nor can be deſerued (eyther in whole or in parte) by anye workes that hauehave béene, or can be wrought by man: I coulde (and would cite many moe ſayings of thys holy Father, as effectuall as theſe, and tending as fully to this purpoſe, and ſome like ſentences out of the wrytings of other holy fathers alſo. But I am aſſured, that although it be a thing impoſſible to perſwade ſome of your ſorte, yet theſe, and ſuch ſentences of this holy father, ſhall ſtoppe the mouthes of you all, when you ſhall come in preſence of ſuch as doo know them, and be able to vrge them, againſt that filthy doctrine of humayne merites, that is ſo ſtoutly maintained by you.

But nowe to conclude thys matter, let me mooue one queſtion to you, which you may aunſwere at your leaſure. If all were true that you hauehave written, touching the cauſe of that ioyfull ſentence that our Sauiour ſhall giuegive in the laſt day. Come yee bleſſed &c. For when I was hungry you fedde mee, when I was a thirſt you gaue me to drinke, when I was naked you clothed me. &c. I pray you what ſhall be ſayde then to you that are Minime Fryers, and all others that are altogether vnable eyther to féede or clothe others, or themſelues? ſhall not the contrarye ſentence (trowe you) be gyuen agaynſt ſuch? Goe ye curſed into euerlaſting fire, prepared for the deuill and his angels. For I was hungry▪ and you fedde me not. I was thirſty, and you gaue mee no drinke. I was naked and you clothed mee not. &c. Beléeue me (Fryer John) if thoſe wordes that you cite out of the 25. of ſaynt Mathewe, ſhould meane, as by your writing you ſéeme to vnderſtand thē: the caſe of you, & of al ſuch, as doo either by vow or otherwiſe, make thēſelues vnable to doo thoſe good workes y^t you ſpeake of, ſhalbe very hard. Your voluntary vowe wil not then excuſe you. In the 7. Chap. of S. Mathew, our ſauiour Chriſt ſayth. Diſcedite a me omnes qui operamini iniquitatem. Depart from me all ye y^t worke iniquity: and doo not you worke iniquity. When you (hauing receiued from God good gifts, by the vſe whereof you might be able to féede and clothe your ſelfe, and to helpe to féede and cloth others) hauehave bounde your ſelfe by a vowe, to leade ſuch a kynde of life, that of neceſſity, you muſt either be fedde and clad by others, or els periſh by the lacke of thinges neceſſary? Doo not you worke iniquity, when you doo not onelyonly robbe your naturall Parents, your Prince and Countrey, of that helpe that both by the Lawe of nature, and by the Lawes of God and of your Country, all theſe ought to hauehave at your hands: but alſo of that reléefe, helpe and ſeruice, which all theſe might and ought to hauehave out of the labours of others, but are (by your hypocriticall meanes) drawne from them that you may be thereby maintained in idlenes? I knowe, that ſuch as hauehave not ſuch gifts▪ or be by any meanes naturall, or caſuall (as we may terme it) made vnable, both to helpe other & themſelues, muſt be ſuſtayned by the labour of others: and ſhall not be reiected, as they that doo not féede and clothe Chriſt in his members, but yet ſo that they hauehave mercifull hartes, and doo pitty the caſe of the néedy, when they ſhall ſée them in miſery. But this is not your caſe. Take héede to your ſelfe in time (Fryer John) for I feare there is no place in heauen for purgatory Fryers.

And thus much for that great double Cannon, that you hauehave brought out of the 25. of ſaynt Mathewes Goſpell, with the reſte that you hauehave tolde vsus of, and we hauehave viewed and ſéene. The recoyle of them hath hurte you much more then the ſhott hath anoyeo vsus. Nowe let vsus ſée, what great Ordinaunce you hauehave bent agaynſt that Bulworke of ours, wherein we ſtande and denie the reall preſence of Chriſt, in the bleſſed Sacrament of the Altare. Thus you ſay.

p. 41The Fryar.

Nowe, as touching that which you de…y, concerning the reall preſence, in the bleſſed Sacrament of the Altare: Looke I pray you in the xxvi. of S. Mathewe, where theſe wordes are written. Caenantibus autem eis, accepit Ieſus panem et benedixit, ac fregit, deditque diſcipulis ſuis, & ai…. Accipite▪ & commedite. Hoc est corpus meum &c. That is to ſay, why leſt the reſt were at Supper: Ieſus tooke breade, bleſſed it, and brake it, and gaue it to his Diſciples and ſaide. Take and eate, this is my body. The ſame altogether we reade in the 14. Chapter of the Goſpell of S. Marke, ſauing onelyonly that he ſayth: Sumite hoc est corpus meum, where as the foreſayd Euangeliſt ſayth Accipite & commedite. Agayne, in the 22. Chapter of S. Luke, we reade the ſame, in wordes as it ſ…emeth more plaine, then the before written words are. For hee ſayth, Accepto pane, gratias egit, et fregit, …t dedit illis diceus. Hoc est corpus meum, quod pro vobis datur: Similiter & calicem postquam caenauit dicens. Hic est calix nouum Testamentum in ſanguine meo, qui pro uobis fundetur. The Engliſh of theſe Latine wordes is thys. Ieſus Chriſt hauing taken bread, gaue thankes and brake it, & gaue it to his diſciples ſaying. This is my body. In like manner alſo, the chalice, after that he had ſ…pped, ſaying: This chalice is the newe Teſtament in my blood, which ſhalbe ſhedde for you. Or as Saint Marke in his Goſpell ſayth: Accepto calice. &c. That is to ſay, Hauing taken the chalice, he gaue it to his diſciples ſaying. Thys is my bloud of the Newe teſtament, which ſhalbe ſhed for many. Thus you ſee, howe that all the three Euangeliſts agree in thys poynt: howe that our bleſſed Sauiour, gaue to his diſciples in hys laſt ſupper, his moſt precious body and bloude. I hauehave not ſhewed this vntounto you by the ſavings of holie doctors, but by the wordes of our Sauiour himſelfe, vntounto the intent that you may beleue me. We reade in the 6. Chapter of the Goſpell after S. Iohn, how that our Sauiour endeuouring to bring the hard harted Iewes vntounto the knowledge of his diuinitie, ſpake theſe wordes. I am the bread of life, which came downe from heauen. If any body eate of this breade, he ſhall liue for euer: and the bread which I wil giuegive, is my fleſh for the life of this worlde. Againe in the ſame Chapter. If you eate not the fleſh of the ſonne of man, and drinke hys bloude, ye ſhall not hauehave life in you. Verely, verely, I ſay vntounto you, he that eateth my fleſh, and drinketh my bloud, ſhall hauehave lyfe euerlaſting: and I wyll rayſe him vp from death in the latter day. You ſay the contrary nowe, you make God a lyer, you ſay that he gaue them not his body, but onelyonly breade, which is fully contrary to the foreſayd texts of Scripture.

Crovvley.

Theſe foure double Cannons, that this valiant Captayne (Frier John) hath planted againſt y^e Forte of our faith, are of excéeding great force, but he hath ſo ouercharged them, that when he ſhall put fire to them, they muſt of neceſſitie recoyle with ſuch force, that the Captaine with all his company, are like to bée in verie great daunger. For off, they will not goe againſt our Forte: and breake they can not. Yea, we are in good hope, that we ſhall hauehave ſuch ayde at the hands of S. Auſten and his companie, that this great Ordinaunce ſhalbe turned againſt the whole Armie of the Romiſh Catholickes, and ſhotte of ſo freſhlye, that they ſhall hardlie eſcape the loſſe of the Romane honour for euer. And firſt let vsus ſée what may be doone with the firſt of theſe Cannons, called Caenātibus autem eis. &c. Whylſt that the reſt were at ſupper. &c. S. Auſten in that booke that he wrote agaynſt Adimantus, and in the 12. Chapter of that booke, wryteth thus. Non enim dominus dubitauit dicere, … eſt corpus meum: cum ſignum daret corporis ſ…i. The Lord (ſayth S. Austen) did not doubt to ſay, this is my bodie: when he gaue the ſigne of his body. If there were no more but this one place of S. Auſten: it might ſuffice for the turning about of theſe foure péeces of Ordinaunce, and the making of them ready to be ſhot off againſt Frier John and his fellowes. For the force of them all conſiſteth in this one aſſertion. When our Sauiour Chriſt tooke breade, and gaue thankes (or bleſſed) and brake it, and gaue it to his Diſciples, ſaying: Take, eate, this is my bodie. He did deliuer vntounto thoſe Diſciples his owne body. And when he did after ſupper take the Cuppe (or Chalice) ſaying, thys Chalice is the Newe teſtament in my bloud. &c. He did deliuer hys owne blo…d. Which thing S Auſten denieth, when he ſaith. The Lorde doubted not to ſaie, this is my bodie, when he deliuered the ſigne of his body. For the ſigne, and the thing ſignified are Diſparata, thinges ſeperated the one from the other. The thing therefore that is the ſigne of another thing, can not (by anie meanes) be that thing whereof it is a ſigne. As the Ju…e or other matter, that is hanged out to be a ſigne of Wyne to be ſolde, can in no caſe be p. 42ſaide to be that Wine that is to be ſolde, but a ſigne thereof onelyonly. Yea though wine indéede, were ſetforth to be a ſigne of wyne to be ſolde: or breade indéede were ſet forth to be a ſigne of bread to bee ſolde: yet that wine and that breade could not rightly be ſayd, to be the ſame wyne or bread, that is to be ſolde, whereof that wyne or breade ſo ſet forth is but a ſigne. And yet, neither S. Auſten nor we, doo denie, but that the name of the thing ſignified by a Sacrament, may be giuen to the Sacrament, becauſe Sacraments hauehave a certaine ſimilitude of thoſe thinges whereof they be ſacraments. S. Auſten writing to Bonifacius▪ Epiſtola. 23. ſaith thus. Si enim Sacramenta, quandam ſimilitudinem earum rerum quarum ſacramenta ſunt, non haberent: omnino ſacramenta non eſſent. Ex hac autem ſimilitudine▪ plerumque etiam ipſarum rerum nomina accipiunt. Sicut ergo ſecundū quendā modū, ſacramentū corporis Christi, corpus Chriſti eſt, et ſacramētū ſanguinis Christi, ſanguis Chriſt… est…ita ſacramentū fidei fides eſt &c. If ſacraments had not a certaine ſimilitude of thoſe thinges whereof they be Sacraments: they were indéede no Sacraments. And of the ſame ſimilitude, they doo, for the moſt parte take alſo the names of thoſe thinges, whereof they be ſacraments. Therefore, as after a certaine manner, the ſacrament of the body of Chriſt is the body of Chriſt, and the Sacrament of the bloude of Chriſt, is the bloud of Chriſt: euen ſo, the ſacrament of fayth is fayth &c. Thus you may ſée, and as I thinke, you doo ſée, that theſe words, This is my body, doo not proue any other preſence of Chriſt in the Sacrament, then that which may be called ſacramentall, myſticall, heauenly, and ſpirituall. And to make this matter more plaine vntounto you: I wyll let you ſée certaine places of Scripture, where the like ſpéeche is vſed, and in the like meaning. Ezechiell the Prophet, is commaunded to ſhaue of the hayre of his heade and beard, to deuide it into thrée equall partes &c. As it is written in the fi…t Chapter of his booke of Prophecies: and then to ſay. Thus ſayth the Lord God. This is Jeruſalē ▪ &c. By the circumſtaunce of this text, it is manifeſt, that the meaning of that ſentence (This is Jeruſalem) was not, that the dooing of thoſe thinges that there were doone, was the Ci…ty Jeruſalem really, but that the miſerable eſtate of that Cittie was ſignified thereby. In the 12. Chapter of Exodus, concerning the eating of y^e Paſouer it is written thus. After this manner ye ſhall eate it. Ye ſhall gyrde vp your loynes, and y… ſhall hauehave yo…r ſhooes vppon your …éete, holding ſta…es in your handes, and you ſhall make haſt in eating of it, for it is Phaſe …d eſt tranſi…us domini. That is, the Lordes Paſ…er, or paſſing by of the Lord. Theſe wordes are not the words of Moſes, but of God himſelfe, ſpoken by Moſes at the commaundement of God. Neuer did any man (as I thinke) conceiue any ſuch opinion of theſe wordes, as you and your ſort doo ſhewe your ſelues to hauehave conceiued, of thoſe wordes that our Sauiour Chriſt ſpake at his laſt ſupper, which you woulde hauehave to be of ſuch force, that whenſoeuer they ſhalbe breathed out (by anie of your Prieſtes) ouer breade and wyne (Cum intentione conficiendi, as you hauehave it in the cautiles of your maſſe: that is with purpoſe or intent, to make the bodye of Chriſt) then of neceſſity the ſubſtance, both of the breade and of the wyne, muſt be turned into the ſubſtaunce of the body and bloud of Chriſt. And whoſoeuer ſhall deny this: muſt néedes be accounted as one that maketh God a Lyer. Agayne, in the 15. Chapter of S. Iohns Goſpell, Ego ſum vitis vera & Pater me…s agricoia est. I am the true or right vyne, and my father is the huſband man, or vine tyllar. And in the ſame Chapter. Ego ſum vitis, vo… palmit…s. I am the vine and you are the bra…nches. And in the tenth Chapter of the ſame Goſpell. Ego ſum ostium, I am the doore, Ego ſum Pastor bonus I am the good ſhéephearde And in the 14. Chapter. Ego ſum via▪ I am the way. In all theſe ſpéeches, you are contented to admit a figure, and to confeſſe that the ſpéeches are figuratiue. But in Hoc est corpus meum, Thys is my bodie, you may not abide to heare of any figure at all. And why? Becauſe the admitting of a figure there, wold marre all your market. All your Cloyſters of Monks, Chanons, Fryars, Nunnes, Colliges of Cannons and maſſing Prieſtes, Chauntries, Obbets, Anniuerſaries, Trentalles, Monthes mindes, and maſſes of Requiem are builded vponupon thys foundation. Hoc eſt corpus meum. This is my bodie, in pla…ne ſpeech without any manner of figure. But if you once admit a figure in that ſpéeche, downe goe all theſe goodly buildings, and Frier John Fraunces and his fellowes, muſt learne to eate their bread in the ſweate of theyr owne faces, as other poore men doo▪ You muſt ſtick to it therefore, and tell theſe …ereticke Proteſtants, that in denying the Reall preſence in the bleſſed ſacrament of the Altare, they make God a lyer. We denie not, but doo confeſſe, that the breade p. 43and the wyne in the Sacrament of the body and bloude of Chriſte, are the body and bloud of Chriſt, euen as the Paſcall Lambe was the paſſing by of the Lorde, as the Rocke in the Wyldernes was Chriſt, (Petraerat Christus▪ The Rocke was Chriſt, ſaith Saint Paule. 1. Cor. 10) and as the ſeauen ſtarres (ſpoken of in the firſte of the Reuelations of S. Iohn) are the ſeauen Angels of the ſeauen Congregations. And as y^e ſeauen golden candleſticks are y^e ſeauen Congregations. Yea we ſay with ſaynt Paul. 1. Cor. 10. Calix benedixionis cui benedicimus: nonne communicatio ſanguinis Christi est? Panis quem frangimus: nonne participatiò corporis Domini eſt? The Cuppe (or as you call it, the Chalice) that we bleſſe: is it not the Communion of the blood of Chriſt? The bread that we breake is it not the partaking of the bodye of the Lord? Quoniam vnus panis, & vnum corpus multi ſumus. Omnes quidem de vno pane, & de vno calice participamus. For we being many, are but one loafe of breade, and one body. And we doo all take part of one loafe of bread and of one cuppe. If you therefore would deny, that the Sacramentall cuppe is the Communion of the blood of Chriſt, or that the ſacramentall breade is the partaking of the bodie of the Lorde: we would ſay that you doo lie, and doo make the Apoſtle Paule a lyar, and ſo conſequently▪ God himſelfe, for the ſpéeche that Paule vſeth, is not his, but Gods that ſpake in him. We doo beléeue, that the body and bloud of Chriſt, are giuen, taken, eaten, and drunken of the faithfull in the Lords ſupper, after a heauenlie and ſpiritual manner: but yet verily and indéede. Yea, and that faith is y^e meane whereby the bodie and bloud of Chriſt are receiued in the Supper. All this we beléeue and confeſſe: and your ſelfe (Frier John) had once learned this, and did confeſſe it in my Church without Creplegate of London, before many witneſſes. You doo vsus open wrong therefore, in that you ſay that we make God a lyer, and ſay that he gaue not his body to his diſciples, but bread onelyonly, which is fully contrarie to the foreſaid texts of Scripture. And as touching the ſentences that you cite out of the ſixt Chapter of S. Iohn, we acknowledge Chriſt to be that bread that came downe from heauen. And that whoſoeuer ſhall eate of that bread ſhall liue for euer. And he that eate…h not the fleſh of the ſonne of man, and drinketh not hys bloud, ſhall not hauehave life in himſelfe. But he that eate… the fleſh of Chriſt and drinketh his bloude, ſhall hauehave life euerlaſting, and Chriſt will rayſe him vppe in the latter day. But héere you muſt gyue vsus leaue to ſale as S. Auſten dooth, and we muſt requeſt you to thinke no worſe of vsus then you doo of him, ſo long as we ſhall ſhewe our ſelues to be of one minde with him For hee is a Catholick docter, and I thinke you doo take him ſo to be. If we therefore, ſhall ſhewe our ſelues to be of one minde with him: I hope you will take vsus for Catholickes alſo. Firſt I muſt tell you, that in the place that you cite, the words be thus. Ego ſum panis vi…s, and not panis v…tae. That is the liuing bread, and not, the bread of life. I note this, becauſe the meaning of our Sa…our Chriſte was (as you hauehave ſaid) to bring the Jewes to the knowledge of his diuinity, by conſidering that the Manna which fell from heauen (and was accounted to be the bread of life) was not that liuing bread, that liueth and hath life of it ſelfe, and is the fountaine of life to al liuing creatures: y^t they might be occaſioned to ſée, that the Manna was to the Fathers, as our Sacrament is to vsus, a viſible …gne, repreſenting vntounto thē this liuing bread, as …ur Sacrament dooth repreſent the ſame vntounto vsus. Concerning this matter, ſaynt Auſten wryteth thus, in his 26. treatiſe vponupon the Goſpell of ſaint Iohn. Patres vestri Manna manducauerūt, & mortui ſunt: nō quia malū erat Māna ſed quiamale māducauerūt. Hic est panis qui de coelo deſcēdit. Hunc panē ſignificauit manna. Hunc panē ſignificauit altare Dei. Sacramēta illa fuerūt, in ſignis diuerſa ſunt, ſed in re que ſignificatur paria ſunt. Apostolū audi. Nolo enim vos inquit, ignorare fratres, quia patres nostr… omnes ſub nube fuerūt, & omnes mare trāſierūt, & omnes per Moſen baptizati ſunt, in nube, & in mari: & omnes eandē eſcā spiritu▪ alem manducauerunt. Spiritualem vti que eandē, nam corporalem alterā: quia illi Manna, nos aliud ſpiritualem vero…quam nos. Sed patres nostri▪ non patres illorum, quibus nos ſimiles ſumus, non quibus illi ſimiles fuerunt. Et adiungit. Et omnes eundem potum spiritualem biberunt. Aliud illi, aliud nos, ſed ſpecie viſibiliquidem, tamen hoc idem ſignificante virtu…e ſpirituali. Quomo…o enim eundem potū? Bibebant inquit, de ſpiritu…li ſequēte p…tra, petra autem erat Christus. Indepanis, inde potus. Petra Christus in ſigno: verus Christus, in verbo & in carne. That is to ſay. Your Fathers did eate Manna and are deade: not becauſe Manna was an euill thing, but becauſe they did not eate it aright. This is the bread that came downe from heauen. Manna did ſignifie this breade. The Lordes Altare did ſignifie thys breade. Thoſe thinges were Sacraments: in ſignes they be dyuers, p. 44but in the thing that is ſignified they are alike. Gyue care to the Apoſtle. For he ſayth, Brethren, I would not hauehave you ignorant, that all our Fathers were vnderunder the Clowde, and that they did all paſſe thorow the Sea, and that they were all baptized by Moſes, in the clowde, and in the Sea, and that they did all eate one and the ſame ſpirituall meate. The ſame ſpirituall meate indéede, for the corporall was another, for they did eate Manna, and we an other thing: but the ſpirituall was the ſame that we doo eate. But theſe were our Fathers, not theirs. They to whom we are like, not they to whom they were like. And hée addeth to this. And they did all drinke of one ſpirituall drinke, but in the viſible kind, they did drinke one thing and we another, and yet ſignifying the ſelf… ſame thing in ſpirituall vertue. But howe was it the ſame drink? They dranke (ſayth he) of y^e ſpirituall Rocke that followed them, and that Rocke was Chriſt. Hence was the bread, and hence was the drinke. In a ſigne, the Rocke is Chriſt, but Chriſt indéede, is in the word and in the fleſh.

Can any man wryte or ſpeake more plainly on our ſide in this matter, then S. Auſten hath doone in theſe wordes that I hauehave héere …ited? Doth he not plainly affirme, that the Manna was to the faithfull Fathers in the wilder…es, euen the ſelfe ſame thyng that the ſacramentall breade in the Lordes ſupper is to vsus nowe? And that the Rocke in the Wildernes, was vntounto them, the ſame thing that the cuppe in the Lords ſupper is vntounto vsus nowe? And what? wyll you hauehave vsus to grant you a reall preſence of Chriſtes bodie and bloode in the Manna and in the Rocke? And howe can you then require vsus to grant it, in the ſacramentall bread & wine? S. Auſten ſayth, that they and we differ not in the thing ſignified, although we differ in the ſignes. Theyr ſignes were Manna and the Rocke, or water that iſhewed out of the Rocke, and our ſignes are the Breade and the Cuppe, or the wyne vſed in the Lords ſupper. But the ſpirituall meate and drinke, that both they and wee doo eate and drinke, is the very body and bloud of Chriſt, that innocent Lambe that hath béene ſlaine for the ſinnes of the world, euen from the beginning of the world. And to giuegive vsus occaſion to conſider, that not eueryevery one that receiueth the Sacrament, dooth alſo receiue the body and bloud of Chriſt. S. Auſten ſayth thus. O…r Fathers, not their Fathers. They to whom we are like, not they to whom they were like. That is to ſay, the faythfull▪ not the vnfaithfull, did then, and doo nowe eate the body, and drinke y^e bloode of Chriſt our Sauiour.

But wyll you ſee more out of S. Auſten, in the ſame 26. treatice vponupon Iohn. Qui ma…ucat carnem meam, & bibit meum ſanguinem: in me manet et eg… in illo. Hoc est ergo man…ncare illam eſcam, & illum bibere potum: in Christo ma…re, & illum manentem in ſe habere. Ac …er hoc, qu… non manet in Christo & in quo nō manet Christus: proculdubio, nec manducat ſpiritualiter carnem eius, nec bibit etus ſanguinem, licet carnaliter, & viſib…liter premat dent…bus ſacramentum corporis & ſanguinis Christi: ſed magis tantae rei ſacramentū, ad iuditium ſibi manducat & bibit. He that eateth my fleſh and drinketh my bloode, dwelleth in me and I in him. To eate that meate (therefore) and to drinke that drinke, is this. For a man to dwell in Chriſt, and to hauehave Chriſt dwelling in him. And héereby it appeareth, that who ſo dwelleth not in Chriſt, neither hath Chriſte dwelling in him, the ſame (no doubt) doth neither …ate his fleſhe (ſpiritually) nor drinke his bloude, although he doo, fleſhly and viſibly, preſſe with his téeth, the Sacrament of the body and bloude of Chriſt: but rather he dooth eate and drinke the Sacrament of ſo excellent a thing, to be a condemnation vntounto him ſelf.

Thus you may ſée (Maſter Fryer John) how raſhly you hauehave written, in that you hauehave ſayd thus. If any bodye eate of this breade (meaning I am ſure of that Sacrament that is kept ouer your high altar) he ſhall liue for euer. And the bread that I wyll giuegive is my fleſhe, for the life of this worlde. You ſay, If any body eate of this breade &c. S. Auſten ſayth. No body but ſuch as dwell in Chriſt, and hauehave Chriſt dwelling in them, eyther doo or can eate the fleſh of Chriſt, but doo by the receiuing of the Sacrament of ſo excellent a thing, eate and drinke to their owne condemnation. Nowe, I leaue you, to try this matter with S. Auſten. If you can entreate him to recant: ſo it is. If not, your beſt way is, to recant your ſelfe. And yet one other ſentence of S. Auſten in the ſame treatice vponupon Iohn. Nonne buccella dominica, venenum fuit Iudae? & tamen accepit, & cum accepit, inimicus in eum intrauit: non quia malum accepit, ſed quia bonum, male malus accepit ▪ Was not the Lords ſoppe, a poyſonne to Iudas? and yet he receiued it, and when hee receiued it, the enimie entred into him: not becauſe he receiued p. 45an euill thing, but becauſe he being euill, did receiue a good thing, after an euill ſorte. Much more might be ſaide to this effect: but I leaue you as I ſayd before.

As touching the other ſentence that you cite out of this ſixt of S. Iohn, which is thus. If you doo not eate the fl…ſh of the ſonne of man, and drinke his bloode, you ſhall not hauehave life in you. I would wyſhe you to looke on that which S. Auguſtine wryteth, in the 16. Chapter of his thyrd booke, De doctrina christiana. Niſi manduca…eritis, inquit, carnem fi…ij hominis, & ſanguinem biberitis non habebitis vitam in vobis. Fac…nus vel …agitium videtur iubere▪ F…gura eſt ergo, praecipiens paſſioni dominicae eſſe communicandum, & ſuau…ter a… que vtiliter recondendum in memoria: quod pro nobis caro eius crucifixa & vulnera…a ſit. Except (ſaith he) you ſhall eate the fleſhe of the ſonne of man, and drinke his bloud, you ſhall not hauehave life in you. He ſéemeth to commaund an heynous or horrible facte. It is therefore a figure, commaunding that we ſhould be partakers of the Lordes paſſion or ſuffering, and that we ſhould ſwéetely, and profitably, laie vp in memory, that his fleſh was crucified & wounded for vsus. Immediatly before theſe wordes, S. Auguſtine hath written thus, Si praeceptiua locutio eſt, aut flagitium aut facinus vetans, …ut vtilitatem, aut benefi…entiam iubens: non eſt figurata. Si autem flag tium aut facinus videtur iuber…: aut vtilitatem aut beneficentiam vetare figurata eſt. If the ſpéeche be a commaundement, that forbiddeth an heynous or horrible fact, or that commaundeth profitablenes or beneficence, then the ſpéeche is not figuratiue. But if it be a ſpéeche that ſéemeth to commaunde an heynous or horrible fact: or to forbidde profitablenes or beneficence, then it is a figuratiue ſpéeche.

By this Rule, all theſe places that you hauehave alledged out of the 26. of ſ. Mathew. The 14. of ſ. Mark The 22. of ſ. Luke, & the 6. of S. Iohn, are ſiguratiue ſpéeches For vnderſtanding them after the Letter, as you doo: they ſéeme to commaund an heynous and horrible fact▪ that is. To eate the fleſhe, and to drinke the bloude of a man. But taking them for figuratiue ſpéeches (as we doo, and as they are indéede) they doo commaunde a very profitable thing, that is, (as S. Auſten hath ſaide) to be partakers of the paſſ…on or ſu… fering of the Lord, and ſwéetly, and profitably to lay vp in memory that his fleſhe was crucified and wounded for vsus. If you hauehave not vowed, neuer to reade ought, that either is or can be written by anie of vsus that are Proteſtants: or if you will with a duetifull reuerence, reade the workes of thys auncient and learned Catholick Father ſaint Auſten, I doubt not but that you wil eare long time be paſt, doo as the Prophet Ieremie writeth of Ephra…m, in the …1. Chapter of his propheſi…s (which place you hauehave cited for another purpoſe) that is, ſtrike your ſelfe vponupon your thigh and ſay. I am confounded, I am aſhamed, that euer I went out of England, following the counſell of a blinde ghoſtlie father. When that blind bu…arde had abuſed my tender yéeres, and had put into my heade, that I had béene brought vppe in hereſie: I might hauehave imparted this with my gray headed inſtructors, which had béene able to inſtruct me, as nowe one of them hath doone. If our merciful father ſhall ſ…e that in you, that he did then ſée in Ephraim: vndoubtedlie this wyll come to paſſe, to the great ioy of them that yet louelove you in the Lorde, to your endleſſe ſaluation, and to the conſuſion of that Antichriſtian ſwarme, amongſt whom you doo nowe lyue. Amen.

But to gyue you yet a further occaſion to conſider better of your reall preſence, I wyll let you ſée ſomewhat more, out of this auncient Fathers writing…s, and out of the wrytings of ſome others, more auncient, and ſome not ſo auncient. Firſt, S. Auſten wryting vponupon the 98. Pſalme, ſayth thus: Spiritualiter intelligite quod locutus ſum. Non hoc corpus quod videtis manducaturi estis, et bibituri illum ſanguinem, quem fuſuri ſunt qui me crucifigent. Sacramentum aliquod vobis commendaui: ſpiritualiter intellectum viuificabit vos. Underſtande ſpiritually, that which I hauehave ſpoken. You ſhall not eate that bodie which you doo ſée: neither ſhal ye drink that bloud, which ſhall be ſhedde by them that ſhall crucifie me. I hauehave commended vntounto you a certaine Sacrament, which being ſpirituallye vnderſtanded, will quicken you.

Baſilus Magnus (ſomewhat more auncient then Auſten) dooth ſhewe himſelfe to be of this minde. That whatſoeuer may be reallie preſent, in moe places at once then one, is no creature, but is God in nature. To prooue the holy Ghoſt to be God, he wryteth thus: De ſpiritu ſancto. Cap. 22. Angelus qui asti…it Cornelio, non erat in eodē tempore etiam apud Phillippū. Ne que qui ab altari Zachariā alloquebatur: eodem tempore, etiam in coelo, propriam ſedem ac stationem p. 46implebat. At verò spiritus, ſimul in Abacuc & in Daniele in Babilonia operari creditus est. Et in Cataractae cum Hieremia eſse dictus eſt. Et cum Ezechiele in Chobar. The Angell that ſtoode before Cornelius, was not at the ſame time with Phillip alſo. Neither did he, that from the Altare ſpake vntounto Zacharie, at the ſame time occupie his owne place and order in heauen. But we beléeue, that the holy Ghoſt did at one time, worke in Abacuc and in Daniell, béeing in Babilon. And it is ſayde that he was with Ieremie in the dungion, and with Ezechiell in Chobar. Baſill thought this ſufficient to prooue the holy Ghoſt to be God. And ſhall not we thinke then, that you affyrming, the body of Chriſt to be really preſent in the ſacrament, doo affyrme it to be God, becauſe it is preſent in ſo many places at once, and ſo deny i… to be a creature? But ſée what another Father (more auncient then Baſill) dooth ſaye to thys matter.

Origen wryting vponupon the 25. Chapter of S. Mathewe, ſayth thus: Secundum hanc diuinitatis ſuae naturam, non peregrinatur, ſed peregrinatur ſecundum dispenſationem corporis quod ſuſcepit. As touching this his diuine nature, he is not gone into a ſtrange Countrey, but concerning the diſpoſition of that bodie which he hath taken vponupon him, he is gone into a ſtrange Countrey.

S. Auſten, wryting to Dardanus. Epiſtola. 57. ſayth thus. Cauendum est enim, ne ita diuinitatem aſtruamus hominis, vt veritatem corporis auferamus. For we muſt take héede that we doo not ſo ſet vp the diuinitie of the manhoode, that we take away the truth of the bodie. Theſe wordes of ſaint Auſten are plaine enough, and yet to make them more plaine, he addeth. Vna perſona Deus & homo est, et vtrū que est, vnus Christus Ieſus. Ʋbi que per id quod Deus eſt, in coelo autem, per id quod homo. One perſon, is both God and man, and bothe theſe is one Chriſt Jeſus. In all places in that he is GOD, but in that he is man, he is in heauen.

In his 30. treatice vponupon ſaynt Iohns Goſpell, S. Auguſtine wryteth thus, Corpus domini in quo reſurrexit, in vno loco eſſe oportet: veritas eius vbi que diffuſa est. The Lordes bodye wherein he aroſe, muſt be in one place: but hys trueth is ſpread abroad in eueryevery place.

S. Ambros alſo▪ wryting vppon ſaynt Lukes Goſpell, hath theſe wordes, Lib. 10. capit▪ 24. Quae ſurſum ſunt ſapite, non quae ſuper terram. Ergo non ſupra terram, nec in terra, nec ſecundum carnem te quaerere debemus, ſi volumus inuenire. Sauoure thoſe thinges that are aboue, and not thoſe things that are on earth. If we therefore, wyil finde him, we muſt not ſéeke him vponupon the earth, nor in the earth, nor after the manner of fleſh.

Cyrill alſo, who being in the dayes of ſaynt Ambros Biſhoppe of Alexandria, wryteth vponupon the Goſpell of ſaynt Iohn, and ſayeth thus: Lib. 6. capit. 14. Et ſi Christus corporis ſui praeſentiam hinc ſub duxit, mai state tamen diuinitatis ſemper adest, ſicut ipſe, a diſcipulis abiturus policetur. Ecce ego vobiſcum ſum omnibus diebus, vſus que ad conſummationem ſoeculi. Although Chriſt hauehave conueighed hence the preſence of his body: yet is he alwayes preſent by the maieſtie of his diuinity, euen as when hee was departing from hys Diſciples he promiſed. Beholde I am with you eueryevery day, euen to the ende of the worlde.

S. Gregorie alſo, in his 21. Homelie, writeth thus. Chriſtus nō eſt hic, per praeſentiam carnis: qui tamen nuſquam deest, per praeſentiam maiestatis. Chriſt (ſayth he) is not héere, by the preſence of hys fleſh: which notwithſtanding, is abſent from no place, by the preſence of hys maieſtie.

Fulgentius alſo, in his ſeconde booke, Ad tranſimundum regem writeth thus. Chriſtus vnus, idem que homo localis ex homine, qui est deus immenſus ex patre. …nus idem que ſecundum humanam ſubstantiam, abſens coelo, cum eſset in terra, & derelinquens terram cum aſcendiſſet in coelum. Chriſt is but one, and the ſame is placible, man of man, which is of hys Father GOD, that can not be meaſured. One and the ſame as touching his humane ſubſtaunce, was abſent from heauen when he was on earth, and leauing the earth when he aſcended into heauen. The laſt of theſe wryters hetherto cited, lyued within 500. yéeres after Chriſtes aſcention.

Conſider, I pray you, the places that I hauehave héere ſet downe in wryting, taken out of the moſt auncient, learned, and godly writinges that theſe Fathers hauehave left behinde them. And be no longer ledde by ſuch as firſt ſeduced you, and doo ſtil beare you in hand that all the auncient Fathers did beléeue and teach ſuch a reall preſence of Chriſt Ieſus to be in the Sacrament of the Altare, as they hauehave taught you to beléeue: and that al we that doo deny that there is any ſuch reall preſence of Chriſt in that Sacrament, doo make p. 47God a lyar, and doo holde an hereſie, moſt horrible, deteſtable, and abhominable. Where as in very déede, we doo beléeue and teache, the true, auncient, Catholicke, and Apoſtolicke fayth, concerning the true vſe of the Sacrament of the body and bloude of our Sauiour Chriſt. And that which they doo holde and teache, is ſchiſmaticall, deuilliſh, and damnable. Come out from amongſt them, hearken no more to them, they are falſe Prophets, deſtruction hangeth ouer their heads, and hell gapeth for them. They robbe Chriſte of his glory. They rob Chriſtians of their greateſt comfort. They ſuppreſſe and holde vnderunder true Religion. They ſette vp and maintaine Idolatry and ſuperſtition. And to ſpeake all in one worde: they vpholde Antichriſt and his whole kingdome.

But to returne to our purpoſe. You ſay that we ſay, that there be but two Sacraments, an hereſie condemned long agoe. But you tell vsus not when, where, nor by whom. Therefore as we hauehave ſayd, ſo we doo ſay, and ſo we wyll ſay (by Gods helpe) til you can prooue the contrary: that Chriſt hath ordeined but two ſacramēts to be vſed by Chriſtians. Your ſaying, that it is an hereſie condemned long agoe, is but a flaſhe of falſe fire giuen to a péece of Ordinaunce vncharged, and therefore can not hurt the Bulwork wherin we ſtande, and doo denie that Chriſt hath ordeined any moe ſacraments then two, namely: Baptiſme and the ſupper of y^e Lord. In his thyrd booke of Chriſtian doctrine, and in the 9. Chap. there of, S. Auſten wryteth thus concerning this matter. Hoc verò tempore posteaquam reſurrectione domini nostri Ieſu Chriſti, manifeſtiſſimum iudicium nostrae libertatis illuxit, nec eorum quidem ſignorum quae iam intelligimus, operatione graui onerati ſumus: ſed quaedam pauca pro multis, cadem que factu facillima, et intellectu anguſtiſſima, & obſernatione castiſſima, ipſe dominus & apostolica tradidit diſciplina: ſicuti est Baptiſmi ſacramentum, & celebratio corporis & ſanguinis domini. Quae vnuſquiſ que cum percipit, quo referantur imbutus agnoſcit, vt ea non carnali ſeruitate, ſed ſpirituali potius libertate veneretur. Vt enim litteram ſequi, et ſigna pro rebus quae ijs ſignificantur accipere, ſeruilis infirmitatis est: ita inutiliter ſigna interpretari, male vagantie erroris est. But in theſe dayes, ſith by the reſurrection of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, a moſt manifeſt ſigne (or ſhewe) of our liberty hath appeared: wee are not loaden with the heauye working of thoſe ſignes that we doo already vnderſtande. But in ſtéede of many, the Lorde and the Apoſtolicke diſcipline hath giuen vntounto vsus, a certain ſmall number, and the ſame very eaſie to be doone, and moſt excellent in ſignification, and moſt pure in obſeruation: as is the Sacrament of Baptiſme, and the celebration of the body and bloud of the Lorde, which eueryevery man that is inſtructed, doth when hee receiueth them, knowe to what ende they are referred, that he may reuerence them, not in a carnall ſeruitude, but rather in a ſpirituall liberty. For, euen as, to followe the Letter, and to take the ſignes, for thoſe thinges that be ſignified by them, is a poynt of ſeruile infirmity, euen ſo to enterpret y^e ſignes vnprofitably, is a point of error that wandreth euill fauouredly, or wickedly.

In theſe wordes of S. Auſten, we hauehave occaſion to note two thinges eſpecially. One is, that hee did not knowe of moe Sacraments then two, inſtituted by our Sauiour Chriſt, and commaunded by him and his Apoſtles to be vſed in his Church. The other is, that it is a poynt of fleſhly ſeruitude, and not of Chriſtian liberty, for a man to follow the letter, or litterall ſence, in thoſe ſpéeches in the Scriptures, that doo concerne thoſe two Sacraments, in ſuch ſorte that he wyll take the ſignes that are ſpoken of, for the thinges ſignified by them. A man may meruell, that any of your ſorte, that knoweth theſe words of S. Auſten: can allowe him for a Catholicke, and yet condemne vsus, as Heretickes in thys poynt, wherein we doo both affyrme and denie, euen as he hath doone manye hundrethes of yéeres before vsus.

But let vsus ſée yet, one other place of S. Auſten. In an Epiſtle that he wrote to one Ianuarius, which is in number 118. S. Auſten wryteth thus. Primò ita que , tenere te volo, quod est huius diſputationis caput, Dominum nostrum Ieſum Christum, ſicut ipſe in Euangelio loquitur, lent iugo ſuo nos ſubdidiſſe, & ſarcinae leui. Ʋnde ſacramentis numero pauciſſimis, obſeruatione facillimis, ſignificatione praestantiſſimis, ſocietatem noui populi colligauit: ſicuti est baptiſmus, trinitatis nomine conſecratus, communio corporis & ſanguinis ipſius, & ſi quid aliud in canonicis ſcripturis commendatur, exceptis ijs quae ſeruitutem populi veteris, pro congruentia cordis illorum, & prophetici temporis onerabāt, quae et in quin que libris Moſis leguntur. Fyrſt of all therefore, my wyll is, that you ſhoulde vnderſtande, what the chéefe poynt of thys diſputation is. That is, that our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, hath (as himſelfe ſpeaketh in the Goſpell) made vsus ſubiecte to his owne p. 48eaſie yoke, and light burden. Whereby he hath ſyed together the ſociety of the newe people, with Sacraments that are feweſt in number, eaſieſt in obſeruing, and moſt excellent in ſignification, as is Baptiſme, conſecrated in the name of the Trinity, and y^e communion of his body and bloud, and if there by any other ſacrament that is in the Canonicall Scriptures commended, except thoſe ſacraments, which did encreaſe the weight of bondage of the olde people, as was méete for theyr hartes, and for the propheticall time, and which are reade in the fiue Bookes of Moſes.

In theſe wordes of S. Auſten, we hauehave occaſion to note, that his meaning was to certifie Ianuarius (to whom he wrote this Epiſtle) of that thing which our Lord Ieſus Chriſt taught, in that which ſtandeth written in the eleuenth of ſaynt Mathewes Goſpell: concerning the eaſines of the yoke, and the lightnes of the burden, that Chriſt Ieſus hath layde vponupon Chriſtians. And for the explaning of hys meaning: he ſayth that our Sacraments are very fewe in number, very eaſie to be obſerued, and moſt excellent in ſignification. And hee nameth onelyonly Baptiſme and the ſupper of the Lorde, which he calleth (as we commonly doo) the communion of the body and bloode of our Sauiour Chriſt. And furder, hee referreth him to the Canonicall ſcriptures, as aduiſing him to receiue no moe Sacraments, then he ſhall finde to be commended in them. And leaſt he might take occaſion by thoſe words, to thinke that Chriſtians ought to be circumciſed, and to obſerue the ſacrifices and ceremonies of Moſes Lawe: he excepteth all ſuch Sacraments, as were layde vponupon the people of the olde Lawe, by any thing that is wrytten in any of the fiue bookes of Moſes. So that, by theſe wordes of thys learned Father ſaynt Auſten, it appeareth (as by the other afore rehearſed) that he was not perſwaded, that Chriſt Ieſus our Lord, hath layde vponupon vsus Chriſtians, that heauye burden of ſeauen Sacraments, which your holy father the Pope, layeth vponupon you, and vponupon all hys Antichriſtian flocke. Confirmation, Order, Repentance, or (as you call it) Penaunce, Matrimonie, and the Viſitation of the ſicke (which you call Extreme vnction) we vſe, as good, profitable, and neceſſary vſages in the Church of Chriſt, but not as Sacraments: becauſe it appeareth not in any Canonicall ſcripture, that Chriſt our ſauiour hath inſtituted them, and commaunded them to be vſed as ſacraments. Neyther doo they agree with that definition or deſcription of a ſacrament, which is commonly allowed of amongſt the learned▪ and is thus. A Sacrament is an outwarde and viſible ſigne, repreſenting an inwarde, inuiſible ſpirituall grace, ordeyned by Chryſte himſelfe, to teſtify Gods good wyll and bountifulnes towards vsus, through the ſame Chriſt our ſauiour, by which Gods promiſes, touching forgiuenes of ſinnes, & eternall ſaluation, giuen through Chriſt, are (as it were) ſealed, and the trueth of them, is more certainly confirmed in our hartes. To thys definition or deſcription onelyonly Baptiſme, and the Lords ſupper doo agrée: therefore they onelyonly, are properly to be called ſacraments. Otherwyſe, a ſigne of a holy thing may be called a ſacrament. But in that large ſignification of the worde ſacrament, there be not onelyonly ſeauen ſacraments, but ſeauenty times ſeauen ſacraments. And in that meaning we deny not, but that there may be in eueryevery one of theſe other fiue, which you call ſacraments, moe ſacraments then one or two. But I can not meruell enough at this one thinge, that men of your ſorte, can eſtéeme ſo highly of Matrimonie, as to make it a ſacrament of ſuch excellencie, and yet bynde all your holieſt Catholickes by a ſolemne vowe, neuer to vſe it, or to take any benefite by it. Yea, I meruell that you can account matrimony ſo holy a thing as a ſacrament, and yet maryed perſons ſo vnholy, that if any of them ſhall come into any of your moſt holy Cloyſters, the walles and floores thereof muſt be waſhed, as thinges polluted, by the preſence of thoſe marryed perſons. Howeſoeuer therefore, by whom ſoeuer, or whereſoeuer, that which wee holde concerning two ſacraments onelyonly, hath béene condemned for hereſie: we doo ſtyll holde it, and minde ſtyll to holde it for right Religion, tyll Fryer Iohn, and hys fraternitie, can and ſhall by the Cannonicall ſcriptures prooue it hereſye, and ſaynt Auguſtine an Hereticke.

Nowe you enter into your exhortatorie Oration, which you make to your Father and Mother eſpecially: But it may bee thought that your meaning is, that thys exhortation ſhoulde bee made generall. For your Father and Mother, muſt hauehave help in the reading and waying of thoſe matters that are cōterned in thys exhortation. I wyll therefore doo you thys pleaſure (if I can) for olde acquaintance. You ſhall hauehave this excellent Oration of yours publiſhed in print, with all the reſt that you hauehave (in theſe your p. 49Letters) written to your father and mother, that all your fréendes on thys ſide the Seas (if any ſuch be) & all your vndoubted fréends of the Engliſh Nation, as well in Fraunce as in Italie, or els where in any part of the knowne worlde, may know the depth of that diuinitie that dropped out of your penne, when you wrote thoſe Letters in Nigeon. But I will be ſo bolde with you (mine olde Scholler) as to publiſh thys mine aunſwere together with theſe your Letters, with this admonition. Reade all: or reade nothing. Hoping that you and your complices, wyll doo as much vponupon my admonition, as I hauehave doone vponupon yours: which is thus. Reade it thorowe, or begin it not. Thys admonition you hauehave ſet downe in the margin of your Letters ſeauentéene times. Perſwading your ſelfe (by all likelihoode) that we dare not reade any thing written by a Papiſt: more then many of your ſorte dare reade any thing that is written by a Proteſtant. But you muſt vnderſtande, that we are not vnderunder ſuch vowes as you are. Wée are encouraged by the Apoſtle Paule, to trie all thinges, and commaunded by him to holde faſt that which is good. Omnia probate, quod bonum est tenete. Try all thinges: holdfaſt that which is good. 1. Theſ. 5. Yea, we are of that ſorte that our Sauiour Chriſt ſpake of Marci vltimo. In the laſt Chapter of ſaint Markes Goſpell. Si mortiferum quid biberint, non eis nocebit. If they ſhall drinke any deadly poyſon, it ſhall not hurt them. Wee hauehave receiued before hande, a Treacle, which is of ſuch vertue, that none of your popyſh poyſons can hurt vsus. We doo therefore, (and by Gods helpe wee wyll) reade all your bookes, if we may hauehave them. Yea, we wyll ſo reade them, and anſwere them, that you ſhall hauehave cauſe to wiſh that you had neuer written them. Wee doo not vſe to condemne mens wrytinges before we hauehave reade them, wayed and conſidered them, and founde them ſuch as are méete to be condemned. If you had doone ſo, you woulde neuer hauehave condemned for hereticks, ſo many as in theſe your Letters you hauehave condemned by name: and yet it may be thought, that you neuer reade any one lyne, written by ſome of them. I hope you will doo as much for mee as I hauehave doone for you, that is, reade theſe my wrytings, way and conſider them, and confute them if you can, and let that which you ſhall doo, be made publique to the worlde. But to returne to our purpoſe, your Oration beginneth thus.

The Fryer.

Looke to your ſelues (I pray you) beleeue our holy mother, the Catholicke Church. Rowle your ſelues vp & down in her bleſſed lappe. Leaue your Sermons heretical: goe no more vntounto them. Ryſe not ſo earlie in the morning as you were wont to doo, to damne your ſelfe body and ſoule. Goe no more (I ſay) to thoſe Sermons of Crowley, Barber, Fielde and the reſt. Burne your bookes of Sermons, with all other your bokes in which are hereſies. Be not aſhamed of the name of a Papiſt. Goe to cōfeſſion, confeſſe your ſinnes to a Prieſt. Leaue this worlde that is ſo diſceitfull and ſtick vntounto God. &c.

Crovvley.

Héere is an heape of Patheticall ſpéeches, powred out (as it were) of a Veſſell full of feruent zeale towardes your poore parents and all others, that be in ſuch miſerable caſe, as you ſéeme to ſuppoſe that they are in. You wyſhe them to looke to them ſelues, as though you ſawe them in preſent perrill and danger of deſtruction. There be ſeauen thinges that you require them to doo, whereby they may eſcape that great daunger which hangeth ouer their heads.

The firſt is, to beléeue your holie mother the Catholick Church, and to rowle themſelues vp and downe in her bleſſed lapp. If that Catholick Church (that beléeueth, confeſſeth, & profeſſeth, that fayth and Religion that Chriſt Ieſus taught in his owne perſon, & commaunded to be taught Catholicklie, throughout the whole world, by his Apoſtles and meſſengers) be that holie mother of yours that you ſpeake of: then will your Father and Mother, and all other that you wyſhe ſhoulde be moued by your ſpéeches, gladly doo that which you wiſhe them to doo. Yea they doo it alreadie, & hauehave doone it euer ſince God gaue them knowledge of that mother. And they doo ſtill begge of God, that they may continue rowling vppe and downe in her bleſſed lap, all the dayes that they ſhall continue in this tranſitory life. Yea, and they doo conſtantly beléeue all that ſhe hath taught, or dooth teache: and they doo dailie craue of God, that they may be made able to beléeue, and boldly confeſſe all that ſhe ſhall teache, ſo long as they ſhalbe liuing on this earth. If thys be your meaning, they doo moſt hartily thank you for your fréendly and chriſtian admonition. But it ſéemeth to me, that the holie mother that you ſpeake of, is another, whom men of your ſort call the Romiſh Catholicke Church. Your father and mother, (Iohn and Catherine Debnam) and as manie as be of one mind with them: p. 50doo vtterlie refuſe that mother, becauſe ſhe vſeth to teache manye moe falſe lyes, then true leſſons. They dare not rowle themſelues vp and downe in her lap, becauſe ſhe is not y^e chaſte ſpouſe of Chriſt Ieſus, but that arrant whore of Babilon, that murdereth the chyldren & ſaints of God Our mother hath told vsus, that our father hath commanded vsus, to beléeue in one God onelyonly, which beeing thrée in perſon, is but one in ſubſtance, eſſence & power: but your mother teacheth you to beléeue in manie Gods. For ſhe teacheth you to cal vponupon Angels and ſaints, and what is that other, then to teache you to beléeue in them? For, ſ. paule writeth thus in his Epiſtle to the Romans. Cha. 10. Quomodo inuocabunt, in quē non crediderunt? How ſhall they cal vponupon him, in whom they hauehave not beleued? Our mother hath told vsus, that our father hath forbidden vsus, to make to our ſelues anie grauen Images, or the likenes of any thing that is in heauen aboue, or in the earth benethe. &c. But your mother teacheth you, to make the Images of men & of Angelles, yea and of God himſelfe (whom neuer man could ſée) and to ſet them vppe in your Churches, to burne Incence vntounto them, to ſet light before them, to offer gifts vntounto them, to fal downe before them, and to make prayers before them, all which is directly contrary to our heauenly fathers commaundement. Our mother hath tolde vsus, that our father hath forbidden vsus to take his name in vaine, and that he hath commaunded vsus to ſweare by him onelyonly, and not by anie other: But your mother teacheth you to ſweare by your idolatrous maſſe, by your ſaints, and by the Images of your ſaints, and to profane the bleſſed name of God, in making your ſuperſtitious vowes, and in all your exorciſmes, & coniurations. Our mother hath told vsus that our fathers will is, that we ſhould ſpende the Saboth day holilie, and not to profane it in anie condition. But your mother telleth you, that you may daunce, dallie and ſporte and plaie, bayt Bulles and Beares, and giuegive your ſelues to all other paſtimes on the Sabothe daie, ſo that you diſpatche your Idolatrous ſeruice in your Churches, either before or after, but you muſt in any caſe take heede, that you giuegive not your ſelf to any good exerciſe in that day. Our mother telleth vsus, that our fathers pleaſure is, that we ſhold ſhew due obedience, to ſuch as are in any reſpect our fathers or mothers, and y^t we ought to honor them, and be of duetiful behauiour towards them, yea, and (if néede ſhal ſo require) to ayde ſuccor and reléeue them, in ſuch meaſure as GOD ſhall make vsus able. But your mother teacheth you to ſay Corban, as the Phareſyes taught theyr Schollers, when our Sauiour Chriſt was amongſt them.