History of the Catholic Church from 600 to 1600, Ecclesiastical epoch 600-1000 · Century 9 · Chapter 3

History of the Catholic Church from 600 to 1600 · Ecclesiastical epoch 600-1000 · Century 9 · Chapter 3

p. 130CHAP. III. Of Divers Countries.

1. THe Emperour Charls the Great, did his beſt for advancing Schools The manners of the Clergy.and learning; his indeavours were not in vain, for we find more learned men in this Century then in the eighth; but many of them who were higheſt in advancement, were given to pride, luxury, and worldly delights. As is touched before, Lewis the I, did obſerve and tax their pompous veſtiments, which are ſeldom joined with zeal and diligent watchfulneſs over God's flock. And they were ſo far from following wholſom admonition, that ſome of them conſpired againſt him who was called the Godly. But I leave obſervations, and haſten unto the ſtory.

2. Claudius Taurinenſ. or (as ſome call him) Biſhop of Turin, was diffamed Againſt the worship of Images.as an Heretick, by Theodomire an Abbot, who did delate him unto the Pope. He writ his own Apology, a part of it is in Catal. teſt. ver. lib. 9. That it may appear wherefore he was accuſed, and how godly men have been traduced from time to time, I have tranſcribed a part of his Apology, it beginneth thus; Thine Epiſtle, with ſome other Chapters, full of pratling and fooliſhneſs, I have received...Wherein thou ſaieſt, that thou art troubled, becauſe the report hath gone of me from Italy, thorow all France into the uttermoſt parts of Spain, as if I taught a new Sect contrary unto the Catholick ſaith, which is altogether moſt falſe; but it is no wonder that the limbs of the Divel have ſpoken ſo of me, ſince they called our Head himſelf a deceiver, and Daimoniack; for I broach not a Sect, I proclaim and teach the truth; but ſo far as I can, I do beat down all Sects, Schiſms and Hereſies; and according to my ability, I ſhall not ceaſe, with God's help, to fight againſt them.....I deſtroy that which men do worſhip. For ſince it is ſaid expreſsly, that no ſimilitude ſhould be made of any thing in Heaven above, or on earth, it is underſtood to be ſpoken not only of ſtrange Gods, but of heavenly creatures alſo; it is not a little to be conſidered, that if the works of God ſhould not be adored or worſhipped, far leſs ſhould the works of mans hand be worſhipped and adored; neither are they for their honour whoſe ſimilitude they are: Why caſteſt thou thy ſelfinto the danger of death with a ſenceleſs image, which thou worſhippeſt? Why falleſt thou by it, and with it, in the condemnation of the dead?.....But theſe Worſhippers of falſe religion and ſuperſtition ſay, For remembrance of our Saviour, we worſhip and adore the Croſs, which is painted and framed unto his honour....God hath bid do one thing, and they do another; God hath commanded to bear the Croſs, and they adore the Croſs; they will adore it, becauſe they will not bear it bodily nor ſpiritually: To worſhip God in this manner, is to depart from him; againſt them it is to be anſwered, if they will worſhip every tree made in form of the Croſs, becauſe Chriſt did hang on it, ſo did Chriſt many other things in the fleſh; let all Virgins be worſhipped, becauſe he was born of a Virgin; let cribs alſo be worſhipped....and old cloaths and Aſſes. Theſe things are alſo ridiculous, and rather to be lamented then written; we are compelled to propound againſt theſe fooliſh men, and throw againſt theſe ſtony hearts not arrows or ſentences of the Word, but ſtones.....Whereas thou ſaieſt, And Pilgrimages unto Rome.that I forbid men to go unto Rome for pennance, thou ſpeakeſt falſely. I will firſt ask thee, if thou knoweſt that to go unto Rome is to make pennance; why haſt thou, in ſo long time, deſtroied ſo many ſouls, which thou holdeſt within the Monaſtery, and took them into the Monaſtery for pennance, and haſt not ſent them unto Rome, but rather cauſeſt them to ſerve thee?..... p. 131We know, that the words of our Lord in the Goſpel are not underſtood, when he ſaid unto Peter, Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock....Becauſe of theſe words the ignorant ſort of men, laying aſide all ſpiritual underſtanding, will go to Rome to get life eternal...Let no man truſt in the merit nor interceſſion of Saints, becauſe unleſs they pleaſe God with the ſame ſaith, rightcouſneſs and truth which theſe held, they cannot be ſaved; hear this ye unwiſe amongſt the people, and ye fools be ſometime wiſe; ye who go to Rome to ſeek the interceſſion of the Apoſtle, hear what Saint Auguſtine ſaith againſt you,....truly he ſhould not be called Apoſtolical, who ſitteth in the Chair of the Apoſtle, but who fullfilleth the Office of an Apoſtle. Bellarmin de reliq. Sanct. lib. 1. cap. 1. reckoneth this Claudius among his Hereticks; ſo doth Gretſer. de feſtis, becauſe in Church-ſervice he would not name the Saints, nor would keep the feaſts, and called them a vain and unprofitable cuſtom, and did deſpiſe them; leſt we ſeem, by interceſſion of the Saints, to ſeek any thing from God. Jonas Biſhop of Orleance, writ againſt this Apology, and his anſwer is in Biblioth. de la Bigne tom. 4. his opinion is in pag. 698. Whereas Claudius had cited the ſecond command Exod. 20, Jonas anſwereth, This truth is our mind; it is true (I ſay) and moſt agreeable to the ſound faith, that no image ſhould be made of any thing in heaven or earth, whereunto worſhip or adoration, which is due unto God only, ſhould be given any way; therefore ſince God is inviſible and contains all, and is no where contained, we are forbidden to make an image of him, leſt men might think that he is bodily: but conſider whether thou, under the name of ſimilitude, doſt comprehend the images of the Saints; he quoteth the teſtimony of Auguſtine de Civ. Dei lib. 10. cap. 26. & ult. and Enarr. in Pſal. 96, &c. and he commendeth the Epiſtle of Gregory to Seren, whereof mention is before in Century 7. chap. 3. And pag. 699 he ſaith, We account it impiety to adore a creature, or to give it any part of Divine ſervice; and with a loud voice we proclaim that the doer of ſuch a crime, ſhould be deteſted and anathematiſed. And pag. 701. It is the crime of impiety, to worſhip any other but the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt.

3. At the ſame time Agobard was Biſhop of Lions, he took part with Lotharius againſt his father, and therefore was depoſed; after the reconciliation he was reſtored, and being a man of wiſedom and knowledge was imploied in the greateſt affairs of the Kingdom. His works were Printed at Paris, An. 1605. from which impreſſion theſe paſſages are extracted. Pag. 52. There is one immovable foundation, there is one rock of faith, which Peter confeſſeth, Thou art the ſon of the living God. Pag. 128. The uncleanneſs of our time deſerves a fountain of tears; when ſo ungodly a cuſtom is become ſo frequent, Domeſtical Chaplains.that there is none almoſt, aſpiring to temporal honour, who hath not a Prieſt at home, not whom he obeyeth, but of whom he exacteth all manner of obedience unceſſantly, not in divine things, but in wordly alſo; ſo that many of them do ſervice at Table or mixeth Wine, and leadeth Dogs, feeds Horſes; or attends Husbandry; neither regard they what manner of Clarks theſe be, but only that they may have Prieſts of their own, and ſo they leave Churches and Sermons, and publick ſervice: it is clear that they ſeek them, not for honour of religion, becauſe they have them not in honour, and ſpeak diſdainfully of them. Pag. 163, Why ſay ye, it is not true, that he who is Humility.truly humble, thinks not baſely of himſelf, and believeth that he is a ſinner? Since this is moſt openly manifeſt, that is the property of the Saints, and not of proud men?....Alſo the Apoſtle James ſaith, in many things we all offend; which if any will ſay it is ſpoken of humility; let him know, that ſo he followeth Pelagius; and if he would be amended, let him read the books of p. 132Auguſtine againſt the Pelagians; and let him know, that all the Saints did truly accuſe themſelves of their ſins; ſo that they had need to ſay for themſelves. Forgive us our debts. He is large againſt the worſhip of Images. Pag. 237. Worship of Images.One will ſay, I think not that there is any God-head in the Image which I adore, but I worſhip it for his ſake whoſe Image it is. I anſwer, if the Image be not God, it ſhould no way be worſhipped; as it were to honour the Saints, who no way would admit divine honour to themſelves. Pag. 251. Let God be adored, worſhipped and reverenced by believers; let ſacrifice be given to him only;....Let Angels and holy men be loved and honoured with love, and not with ſuch ſervice. Pag. 254. The Orthodox Fathers, for avoiding ſuch ſuperſtition, did rightly ordain, that no Picture ſhould be in a Church, leſt that which is worſhipped and adored, be painted on Walls. Bellarmin. de Scriptor. Eccleſ. ſect. 9. ſpeaking of Ionas Epiſt. Aurelia. ſaith, Jonas and other Biſhops of France, in that age, were overtaken with Agobert's errour. By the Jeſuits confeſſion then, many Biſhops of France, were againſt the preſent errours of Rome.

7. Angelom a Monk of Luxovia, and of much reading, at the intreaty of Drogo Epiſt. Meten. writ many books. In 3 Reg. cap. 19. he ſaith, As the The Word.body cannot live without nouriſhment; ſo neither can the ſoul live without the word of God. In lib. 1. cap. 2. None by his own ſtrength is able to do No good of our ſelves.good, nor reſiſt the Divel; yea if he attempt to lift up himſelf againſt the Lord, he loſeth the good which he ſeems to have. Ibid. cap. 25. As it is eaſie for a man to hold in his hand a few herbs that are knit together; ſo the power Perſeverance.of our Lord and Saviour eaſily preſerveth all the elect throughout the world, from the beginning to the end, that none of them by any means can periſh; as he ſaith, I give them life eternal, and they ſhall not periſh for ever, neither ſhall any pluck them out of my hand. In 2. Reg. cap. 8. Our Lord Jeſus by Predeſtination.his ſecret diſpenſation from among unbelieving men, hath predeſtinated ſome unto eternal liberty, quickning them of his gracious mercy; but in his ſecret judgement he leaveth others in their wickedneſs, and hath condemned them unto everlaſting death. In the Preface before 3 Reg. In all things we have need of aid from the Holy Spirit. In 4 Reg. cap. 19. Whoſoever, by true faith, toucheth the death of Chriſt, and truly laieth hope on him, ſhall without doubt be pertaker of his reſurrection. Catal. test. ver. lib. 10.

8. Raban Magnentius, otherwiſe ſurnamed Maurus, was famous in the Univerſity of Paris for Poeſie, Rhetorick, Aſtronomy, others Philoſophy and Theology, unto whom neither Germany nor Italy brought forth an equal, ſaith Trithemius. He became Abbot of Fulda, where he was born, and there he writ Commentaries on all the Books of the Bible. His Monks were offended, that he did ſo ſtudy the Scriptures, and did not attend their Revenues, as Trithem. writeth; therefore after 24 years he gave place to their anger, and left the Abbey; but they beſought him to return, and he would not, but did abide with the Emperour Lewis, untill Otgar, Biſhop of Ments died, and Raban ſucceeded. Tho. Walden in the daies of Pope Martin the V. reckoned him and Herebald or Reginbald, Biſhop of Altiſiodor. amongſt Hereticks, becauſe they favoured Bertram. Out of ſome of his works I have picked out theſe paſſages. In Eccleſ. lib. 4. cap. 7, he ſaith, In meditating and reading The perfection of Scripture.the Holy Scriptures we ſhould be wary, neither to add any thing to that which is written, nor take away from thoſe things which are comprehended by the Authours of Divine Scriptures in thoſe books; but we ſhould thing of them with the higheſt veneration, and with all our ſtrength fullfill the commandments thereof. Ibid. cap. 1, Man can now be ſaved no other way but by the death of Jeſus Chriſt, who is our Redeemer. Ibid. lib. 5. cap. 5, The foundation p. 133A ſure foundation.which the Apoſtle Paul hath laied is one, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; upon this foundation both firm and ſtable, and ſtrong in it ſelf, is the Church of Chriſt builded. In Ier. lib. 18. cap. 2. Leſt they would ſay, Our fathers were Againſt merits.accepted for merits, and therefore did they receive great things from God; he adjoineth, this was not for their merits, but becauſe it ſo pleaſed God, whoſe free gift it is, whatſoever he beſtoweth. De modo ſatisfact. cap. 2. & 17. Whatſoever one remembreth that he hath done wickedly, let him declare it Confeſſion.unto the Prieſt by confeſſion; but if thou art aſhamed to reveal thy ſins before men, ceaſe not with continual ſupplications to confeſs them unto him, from whom they cannot be hid; and ſay, Againſt thee only have I ſinned: he uſeth to heal, not publiſhing thy ſhame; and to forgive ſin, without upbraiding. De Euchariſt. cap. 24. Behold what theſe two Sacraments do! by Two Sacraments.baptiſm we are regenerate in Chriſt, and by the Sacrament of the body and blood regeneration is proved to continue; not only by faith, but by unity of fleſh and blood. Here he ſpeaks but of two Sacraments, and ſo he calleth them expreſsly: But de Inſtitut. Cleric. lib. 1. cap. 31. one may think that he ſpeaks of more Sacraments; for he ſaith, Becauſe we have ſpoken of more Sacraments, Baptiſm and Chriſm; it remaineth that we ſpeak of the other two, that is, of the body and blood of Chriſt. But when he calleth the body and blood of Chriſt two Sacraments, it is clear, that he calleth the two elements, two Sacraments, and that is improperly. And in cap. 28. of the forenamed book, When the baptized perſon aſcends out of the Fount, immediately he is ſigned in the face, by the Presbyter, with holy chriſm: here he ſpeaketh not of extream unction, as they now ſpeak; but of an appendix of baptiſm, as they were wont in thoſe daies; and this he calleth improperly another Sacrament: but in that chap. de Eucharist. he ſpeaketh properly, and nameth two, baptiſm, and the body and blood of Chriſt. Ibid. cap. 41. And The ſigns are diſtinguished from the thing ſignified.becauſe he [Chriſt] according to the fleſh, muſt pierce the heavens; to the end, thoſe who by faith are renued and born again in him, might more earneſtly and confidently long after him; he hath left unto us this Sacrament as a viſible figure and reſemblance, a ſign and ſeal of his body and blood, that by theſe things our minds and our bodies, by faith, may be more plenteouſly nouriſhed, to partake of inviſible and ſpiritual things; now it is the ſign which we outwardly ſee and feel, but that which is inwardly received is all ſubſtance and truth, and no ſhadowing or reſemblance; and therefore there is nothing but truth, and the Sacrament of the very fleſh of Chriſt, which is manifeſted unto us; for the very fleſh of Chriſt, which was crucified and buried, even the Sacrament of that true fleſh it is; which by the Prieſt, upon the Altar, through the word of Chriſt, and power of the Holy Spirit, is conſecrated and hallowed. See how Raban diſtinguiſhes that which is received outwardly and inwardly in the Sacrament; and he calleth the outward part a viſible figure and repreſentation, a ſign and ſeal of the body and blood; and that which is received inwardly is no ſhadow or reſemblance, but ſubſtance and truth, even the very body of Chriſt, which was crucified, and (as he ſaith in the firſt part of this teſtimony) which hath pierced the Heavens. De Inſtitut. Cleric. lib. 2. cap. 30. Satisfaction is to exclude the occaſions and ſuggeſtions of ſin, or not to commit ſin again: Reconciliation is that which is done after repentance; for as we are reconciled unto God, when we are converted firſt from gentiliſm; ſo we are reconciled, when after ſin we return. Lib. 2. cap. 57. He hath the Confeſſion that was profeſſed at that time, ſaying;

9. This is next unto the Creed of the Apoſtles, the moſt certain faith, A confeſſion of faith.which our Teachers have given, That we ſhould profeſs the Father, the Son, p. 134and the Holy Spirit of one eſſence, of one power and ſempiternity; one inviſible God, ſo that the propriety of perſons being reſerved unto each one, neither the Trinity ſhould be divided ſubſtantially, nor confounded perſonally; to confeſs alſo that the Father is unbegotten, the Son is the only begotten, and the Holy Spirit is neither begotten nor unbegotten, but proceedeth from the Father and from the Son; that the Son proceedeth from the Father by generation; the Holy Spirit not begotten, but proceeding; alſo that the Son did aſſume of the Virgin perfect manhood without ſin; that whom of his goodneſs only he had created, of his mercy he might reſtore after he was fallen; who verily was crucified, and roſe again the third day, and with the ſame fleſh being glorified, he aſcended into Heaven; in the which fleſh he is expected to come and judge the quick and the dead; and that Chriſt in one perſon, beareth both the divine and the human nature, being perfect in both, becauſe neither the integrity of both natures did double his perſon, nor the unity of his perſon confoundeth his twofold nature; for by the one he excludes not the other, becauſe each of them keepeth both with undefiled right; which the wholſom authority of the Old and New-Teſtament commendeth; that by prophecy, and this by hiſtory, being truly fullfilled; and that concerning God, and the creatures of this world, we ſhould not agree with the Pagans nor Hereticks, when they diſagree from the truth; but in both Teſtaments the Divine Oracles teſtifie, that not of neceſſity God made man and all things, neither is there any viſible or inviſible ſubſtance, which is not God, or the good creature of our God: But God is infinitely and immutably good, but the creature is leſs and mutably good; and that the beginning of the ſoul is uncertain; and that the natures of ſouls and Angels are not a part of God's ſubſtance, but the creature of God, and made of nothing; and therefore is not bodily, ſince it is created to the image of God. Concerning the godlineſs of manners, without which faith of the worſhip of God is idle and fainteth, and with which the integrity of Divine worſhip is perfected; that every one ſhould love God for God, and his neighbour in God; that by increaſing he may attain; that one cannot be defiled with the ſin of another, where is not alike conſent of wills: That lawfull marriages are not damnable, although in them poſterity be procreated ſubject unto original ſin; and that the integrity of faithfull virgins and continent perſons, is to be preferred above them. Let not the one baptiſm of the Trinity be iterated, (which is not lawfull) neither let it be thought profitable to each man according to the diverſity of the Miniſter; but that by ſingular power it is given of him, of whom we hear it to be ſaid, Upon whom thou ſhalt ſee the Holy Ghoſt deſcending and abiding upon him, that is he which baptiſeth with the Holy Ghoſt, and I ſaw and bear witneſs that he is the Son of God. Let us not think we have no need of the remedies of repentance for the daily exceſſes of human frailty, without which we cannot be in this life; ſo that in the fruitfull remorſe of repentance, we confeſs that all our ſins are blotted away; as it is written, Bleſſed are they whoſe iniquities are forgiven, and whoſe ſins are covered: bleſſed is the man to whom the Lord imputes not iniquity. And that no man by his own ſtrength, but by the only grace of God, is united unto the Head Chriſt, and made ſolid in the unity of his Church, by unſeparable perſeverance of peace. Neither ſhould any good thing be imputed to the liberty of man's will. Alſo that the temporal goods that are common to the good men and bad, are created by God, and according to his diſpenſation are given or denied to every one; of which goods, in every one that beleeves, not the having, but the uſe or abuſe is commended or condemned; but the godly only can attain unto the certain and eternal goods in the World to come; and we p. 135believe now that the Church hath received a pledge of theſe things, having the firſt fruits of the Spirit here, and perfection hereafter; here ſhe is upholden with hope, hereafter is nouriſhed in very deed; here ſeeing through a glaſs darkly, and hereafter face to face, when from faith ſhe ſhall be brought to ſight; which when it ſhall be perfected, as we ſhall injoy the moſt perfect gifts of the moſt high God, ſo ſhall we not harm our neighbours. That we have alſo that hope of the reſurrection, in the ſame order, and in the ſame form as our Lord aroſe from the dead; we beleeve alſo that we ſhall riſe again, in the ſame time wherein we are and live, not changing our nature nor ſex, but only laying off our frailty and vices. That Satan with his Angels and ſervants ſhall be condemned into everlaſting fire; neither according to the ſacrilegious diſpenſation of ſome men, ſhall he be reſtored into his firſt, that is, Angelical dignity, from which he fell by his own wickedneſs. This is the integrity of the faith of Catholick tradition, of which if any one article be denied, all the belief of faith is loſt. So far hath Raban there. Now if this Confeſſion be conferred with the Confeſſion which was publiſhed and injoined by Pope Pius the IV, in the year 1564, we may find many additions in the Church of Rome, which were not known in the daies of Raban; and if he were now alive, and profeſſed to believe no otherwiſe then the Church did at that time, he could not be a Biſhop, although Trithem. calleth him a matchleſs one.

10. And to the end we may ſee how far the Church, in that time, differed Of the Maſs.from the primitive Church, in the celebration of the Lord's Supper, and what hath been added unto it ſince that time; let us hear the ſame Raban, ſhewing the form of it in his daies, in Lib. 1. de Inſtitut. Cleric. Cap. 32 & 33; and therewith, on the margine, we ſhall ſhew the original of every novation by correſpondent figures; and he beginneth thus:

The Lord firſt ordained the Sacraments (1) of his body and blood, with bleſſing and thankſgiving, and ſo delivered it unto his Apoſtles; and they followed the ſame manner, and taught their Succeſſours to do ſo, which all the Churches, generally through all the World now keepeth. In the beginning was not the cuſtom of tooning, which now is in the Church before the ſacrifice; but the Epiſtles were read and the holy Evangeliſts (2.) But ſince we are begun to ſpeak of the ſacrifice (3,) we will declare to what end all this order was inſtitute. Firſt then in the celebration p. 140of the Maſs, (4) at the coming in of the Prieſt (5) unto the Altar, (5) the antiphona (6) is ſung (7) by the Clark, that a ſound may be heard, when he entreth into the Sanctuary before the Lord; as in the Old-Teſtament, the entring of the High-Prieſt was known by the ſound of the Bells; wherefore the ſinging of God's praiſe is heard for juſt cauſe, that the holy harmony of the Miniſters, may go before the myſteries of the holy celebration; and the Sacrifice of worthy praiſe, may go before the venerable Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Chriſt: for the Queere (8) is the multitude aſſembled unto the holy ſervice; and is ſo called, becauſe in the beginning, they ſtood like a Crown about the Altar. After the p. 141Prieſt's coming in, the Letanies (9) are ſaid by the Clarks, that the Common-Prayer may go before the particular prayer of the Prieſt. Then followeth the Prieſt's prayer, (10) who when he hath ſaluted the people with peace, (11) receiveth the anſwer of peace from them; that true concord, and charity, and pure devotion may the eaſier obtain their Petitions, from him who looketh into the heart, and judgeth inwardly. Then the Reader readeth a part of the Canon, (12) p. 142that the mind of the hearers being prepared thereby, may be the more attentive to the reſt. After this a Chanter ſingeth Reſponſorium, (13) ſo named, becauſe when one reſteth, another anſwereth. The ſame is alſo called Graduale, becauſe it is ſung upon the ſteps of the Pulpit. After it Halelujah (14) is ſung, to lift up the minds of the people unto Heavenly things, and raiſe them unto Divine contemplations. Then the Goſpel is (15) read in audience of the people, by the Deacon, with great authority; that his doctrine may be heard, and his vertue be underſtood by the Goſpel, the myſtery of whoſe body is then celebrate. Then the offerings (16) are made by the people, and the Offertorium (17) is ſung by the Clarks, which hath the name from the cauſes; as if one would ſay, The Song of the Offerers. And the p. 144Pallium corporale (18) is laid upon the Altar, which ſignifieth the cloath wherein Chriſt's body is wrapped; it is of pure linnen, and not of ſilk or purple, nor of litted cloath, as we find to have been ordained by Pope Sylveſter. Then are laid down the holy veſſels, (19) (which are the Cup and the Platter) upon the Altar; theſe two ſomewhat reſemble the Lord's burial, becauſe as then Chriſt's body being anointed with odours, was laid in a new Tomb, by the obedience of the Saints; ſo now his myſtical body being embalmed with holy prayer, is given in the holy veſſels to be received by Believers in the miniſtry of the Prieſts. After all this the Maſs (20) is ſung by the Prieſt; who when he hath ſpoken of the lifting up the heart (21) unto the Lord, he exhorts the people to give thanks (22) unto the Lord; and he filling his mouth with praiſes, praieth that the Almighty God the Father, to whom the Heavenly powers do ſerve, would of his grace command, that the profeſſions of men may be conform to their voices. After this prayer, followeth a ſong, made of the ſongs of Angels and Men, (23) to wit, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of Hoſts, &c. Now is the conſecration (24) of the Body (25) and Blood of the Lord, and earneſt prayer unto God (26;) and in the mean p. 145time the Lord's Prayer is tooned (27.) For when they come to communicate (28,) and receive (29) the body (30,) they give one to another the kiſs p. 148of peace, (31) and they ſing, The Lamb of God, (32) who takes away the ſin of the world, that (33) we in peace perceiving the Sacrament may be made of the number of thy children, and have all our ſins forgiven us. After the Communion, and a ſong of that name (34,) and the bleſſing (35) of the people by the Prieſt, a Deacon intimateth unto the people, that the Maſs is ended (36,) and diſmiſſeth them (37.)

p. 15412. Methodius, a Biſhop of Moravia Juliamentana, went with one Cyril The Bible and Worship in vulgar language.into Poland, in the daies of Lewis the Godly, and converted many of the Sclavi unto Chriſtianity. He found the Vandal Letters, and tranſlated the Scriptures into that language; and in their Liturgy they uſed the vulgar language: therefore he was ſummoned to Rome; he went, and defended himſelf by the teſtimony of Paul, Rom. 14. Every tongue ſhall confeſs unto the Lord; and he did ſhew the inconvenience of ſpeaking in an unknown language among theſe new Proſelytes. So Pope Nicolaus granteth liberty unto the Scalves and Polonians to uſe their own language. When he returned from Rome, he dealt with others in Dalmatia and Illyticum to put away the Latine, and ſerve God in their vulgar language. The Biſhops and Prieſts were ſo offended with him, that he was conſtrained to return into Moravia, where he died, Catol. teſt. ver. lib. 9.

13. Huldricus or Uulrik (uſually called Saint Ulrik) Biſhop of Auguſta Againſt the … ſingle life of the Clergy.Vindelicor. did write unto Pope Nicolaus the I, againſt the Decree for ſingle life of Prieſts. After a modeſt and grave Preface, he ſaith; Since there are very many proofs both in the Old and New-Teſtament; let it not, I beſeech, be grievous unto thy Father-hood, that a few, of many, be inſerted into this page. The Lord in the old Law ordained marriage unto the Prieſts, which he is never read to have forbidden again. But in the Goſpel he ſaith...becauſe of fornication, let every man have his own wife. The hypocrites ſay falſely, this belongeth eſpecially to Laicks; and they themſelves, although entred into the Holy Orders, ſpare not to abuſe other mens wives. After other teſtimonies of the Scriptures, he citeth unto this purpoſe, ſome teſtimonies out of Regula Clericor. and out of Augustine; out of Tripartita Hiſtoria, he citeth the Hiſtory of Paphnutius in the Councel of Nice; then he bringeth the practice of Pope Gregory the I, who once condemned marriage of Prieſts, and when he ſaw ſo many heads of babes, even more then 6000, which were taken out of his pond, he condemned his own Decree, and ſaid; It is better to marry, then to give occaſion of murther. And then p. 155Ulrik inferreth, If they had read ſuch an accident as I have, I beleeve they would not (poſſibly) judge ſo raſhly....Unto ſo fond, filthy ſuggeſtion of this command, (I will not ſay counſel) they have further ſaid, It is more honeſt to have dealing with many women ſecretly, then openly in the ſight and knowledge of men to be knit with one. Which ſurely they would not ſay, if they were of him or in him, who ſaid, Wo to you Phariſees hypocrites, who do all things to be ſeen of men, &c. The late Romaniſts have great ſpight againſt this Epiſtle, and call it a Lutheran fiction; their Iudices expurgatorii have ordained that it ſhall not be Printed again; and they have forged arguments againſt it from the name of the Authour, and the Age wherein he lived, &c. But the more they ſtudy to darken it, it is the more cleared; as may be ſeen in the Treatiſe of Biſhop Hall, The honour of the married Clergy, lib. 3. ſect. 2, 3, 4. One proof of it, is, th…t Aeneas Sylvius de morib. German. ſpeaking of Ausburg, ſaith, Udalrik is the Saint of this Title, who did reprove the Pope concerning Concubines. So he nameth lawfull wives.

14. Gunther Biſhop of Colen, and Thietgaud Biſhop of Trevers, went Bishops call the Pope a Wolf, &c.with a Commiſſion from their Nation, unto Pope Nicolaus; and were hardly dealt with, becauſe they freely delivered the grievances of their Nation. They eſcaped with their lives, and did write back complaining of the wrongs which he had done them; and then they ſay, The eternal Emperour hath furniſhed his Empreſs and Spouſe with ſpiritual and everlaſting ſtuff; and beautified her not with frail or periſhing dowry....Which benefits thou as a briggaud intercepteſt, and takeſt from the Church of God, and transferreſt unto thee; thou art a Wolf unto the Sheep, and thou killeſt the living; thou draweſt the ſtrong from above, and by thy wonders thou thruſteſt down to Hell...thou beareſt the perſon of an High-Prieſt, but plaieſt the Tyrant; under the Coat of a Shepheard, we find thee to be a Wolf; thou art called a Father, but falſely, and thou ſheweſt thy ſelf a Judas by thy deeds; when thou calleſt thy ſelf the ſervant of ſervants, thou contendeſt to be Lord of Lords; and according to the diſcipline of Chriſt our Saviour, thou art the loweſt of all the Servants of God's Church, but in ambition thou runneſt headlong; whatſoever pleaſeth thee, is lawfull; and thou art become a drone to Chriſtians. [What remains but to call him the Antichriſt, whom the Romaniſts call the third Elias?] They conclude; For theſe cauſes we, with our brethren and collegues, will neither ſtand at thy command, nor acknowledge thy voice; neither do we fear thy Bulls and Thunders, &c. Of his Primacy they ſay, The Holy Ghoſt is the Authour of all Churches, how far ſoever they be ſeparated thorow the World; the City of our God, whoſe Citizens we are, belongeth to the four airths or corners of Heaven; it is larger then the City which the holy Prophets have called Babylon, becauſe ſhe makes her god-head equal unto the Heaven; and braggeth that ſhe is eternal, as if ſhe were God having all wiſdom; and glorieth that ſhe neither erreth, nor can erre. Ph. Morn. in Myſter. pag. 175. Where alſo is another Epiſtle written unto the ſame Pope, drawn out of the French Annals: it concludeth thus; We will in no way receive thy wicked ſentence, which is far from the zeal of uprightneſs, unjuſt, unreaſonable, and contrary to the Canonical laws; yea, with all the Synod of our brethren, we deſpiſe and contemn it as unlawfull, accurſed, and fondly pronounced; and truly we will not communicate with thee, who art a favourer and pertaker with accurſed perſons, and deſpiſers of holy religion; we are content with the communion of the whole Church, and ſociety of brethren; above whom thou exalteſt thy ſelf, whom thou deſpiſeſt, and from whom thou ſeparateſt thy ſelf by thy ſwelling pride: Now we who have experience of thy craft and deceit, and alſo know thy p. 156diſdain and ſwelling dominion, we yeeld nothing, nothing at all unto thee nor thy pride; whereby thou indeavoureſt to overwhelm us all at the pleaſure of our enemies, whom thou favoureſt; and thou ſhalt know that we are not thy Clarks, as thou vaunteſt of thy ſelf; but if thy pride would ſuffer thee, thou ſhouldeſt acknowledge us thy brethren and fellow Biſhops. Hence it appeareth, that they begun by experience to ſmell out, where the Antichriſt or the man of pride was.

15. When the controverſie was between Charls the Bald, and the two A lamentation for the Church in her pretended head; and remedy petitioned from Kings.Kings of Germany, for the diviſion of Lorain, or (as Ph. Morn. ſpeaks) for marches, Luithpert Biſhop of Mentz, was ſo reſpected for his gifts of prudence and holineſs, that the Kings did refer the deciding of the controverſie unto him. When the Pope did begin to uſurp more and more upon the Biſhops of Germany, Luithpert writ unto King Lewis thus; The preſent cauſe permits me not to be ſilent any longer, which if I forſake, I cannot be excuſable before our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, unto whom it appertains; and I ſhould be conyict of my promiſe made unto your Majeſty, if I ſitting in the watch, wherein I am ſet, do ſee danger coming on you, and with idle and unfaithfull ſilence I diſſemble, and becoming ſloathfull I will ſeem an hireling rather than a Shepheard of the Church, the Paſtoral care of which, unworthy I have taken upon me. The dignity of the Church is grievouſly ſhaken and defaced in the Seat of Saint Peter, even ſo that by a hid perſecution the like hath not been heard; not by Infidels or them who know not the Lord, but by them (ô how to be bewailed!) who ſhould be guides and governours of the Church; they indeavour to advance the doctrine of man above the word of God; and the malady of the head, if it be not prevented by timely and wholeſom medicine, muſt needs ſpread through the members. Ye know the danger of God's people, which is fearfully approaching; neither can ye be ignorant, that the Paſtours (at which the elements do tremble) who ſhould provide for the ſafety of the weak, have left the path-way, and themſelves run into perdition, and they open a ditch to ſo many as follow them. Wherefore I exhort your wiſdom, who loveſt truth and righteouſneſs, that according to the wiſdom given unto you from above, ye would deal with them which know the truth and love righteouſneſs, what way the ſcandals of diſſenſion may be removed, which the ſower of Tares, by his craft, ceaſeth not to ſpread; and that peace and long wiſhed for unity, may be reſtored unto the Church; and the help of watchfulneſs may be had in time, leſt fooliſh negligence give way unto the wounds; for all the body of the Church is not yet wounded, although the head be ſmitten with ſores, and ſeveral members ſeem to be diſeaſed; and therefore the infirm muſt be helped (if they will accept of cure) by thoſe which are known to be whole and ſound; or they muſt be cutt off, according to the command of our Phyſician, leſt the whole body periſh. Wherefore it ſeemeth unto me both neceſſary and expedient, that the religious Prince Charls, your brother, be in time requeſted unto this purpoſe, that as well he, as the Prieſts of his Kingdom, may meet with you and your Biſhops, and may be partners of the ſame work with you; that when ye ſhall, by the help of God, return peaceably from your intended journy, with one conſent and common indeavour, by the grace of God, ye may reſtore peace and concord unto the Catholick and Apoſtolical Church, according to orthodox doctrine. Ph. Morn. in Myſter. pag. 162. Obſerve here the eſtate of the Church at that time; and that when the head is diſeaſed, the body cannot be readily cured, but by common authority of Princes and Synods.

p. 15716. Hincmar (of whom I have made mention in Pope Nicolaus) was many years Arch-Biſhop of Rhemes; upon ſeveral occaſions he did ſolicit and flatter the Popes, and at other times did practice and write againſt them; as is to be ſeen in Baron. Annal. tom. 9. and the Cardinal doth accordingly allow The power of Provincial Bishops.and diſallow him. In one of his Epiſtles he profeſſeth, that he had received a Palle from Pope Leo the IV, not as a badge of ſubjection; and he avoweth plainly, that in doubtfull cauſes the Provincial Biſhops ſhould ask counſel from the Arch-Biſhop, neither ſhould a Biſhop go unto the Pope, untill he advertize and confer with the Arch-Biſhop, neither needeth the Arch-Biſhop await, for judgment from the See of Rome, ſo far as he hath certain decrees of Canons, Laws and Councels. And he did forbid his Nephew Hincmar to obey the Pope's citation, when he ſummoned him to Rome. In an Epiſtle to Pope Hadrian the II, he quoteth a teſtimony of Pope Leo the I, that authority is derived from Peter, and the other Apoſtles, unto all the Biſhops of the Church; for the priviledge of Saint Peter is, whereſoever according Rome and Rhemes compared.to his equity juſtice is done, no leſs in Rhemes then in Rome, and no more in Rome then in Rhemes, but is alike unto all every where, according as Biſhops more or leſs diſcharge their office. And he expounds theſe words, Thou art Peter...as Auguſtine doth in Ser. 13. de verb. Dom. I will build my Church upon that firm and ſolid confeſſion which thou haſt confeſſed. Ph. Morn. in Myſter. in an Epiſtle to Hincmar Biſhop of Laudun, ſaith, The ſeventh general Councel ſo called by the Greeks (indeed a wicked Councel) concerning Images, which ſome would have broken into pieces, and ſome would have to be worſhipped, was kept not long before my time by a number of Biſhops gathered together at Nice; the Acts thereof the Biſhop of Rome did ſend into Francia, in the Reign of Charls the Great (the See Apoſtolick willing it to be ſo) a Synod was held in Germany by the convocation of the ſame Emperour, and there by the path-way of Scriptures, and the tradition of the Fathers, the falſe Councel of the Greeks was confuted and utterly rejected; of whoſe conſutation there was a good big volumn ſent from Charls, by ſome Biſhops, unto Rome, which in my young years I did read in the Palace. This teſtimony is of more credit then a hundred late Writers, who deny that Synod at Frankford, or that a Synod under Charls did condemn the ſecond Synod at Nice. Thereafter in that Epiſtle he ſaith, We ſhould beleeve that the motion of repentance is from God, as the Apoſtle ſaith, If God will give them repentance....To have Church is not to have a primacy in Divine things; for then all rulers of the Church ſhould have primacy; all thoſe wicked men rule not the Church, who ſeem to be within; neither is it denied but they give baptiſm. In the ſame Epiſtle, he rebuketh his Nephew for denying baptiſm unto Infants, Catol. teſt. ver. lib. 9.

17. At that time was much to do in the doctrine of Predeſtination. Gotteſchalk The five Articles of Gotteſchalk.(by birth a Frank or Belgik, as Aventin. lib. 4. Annal. Boior. calleth him) was ordained a Prieſt by Rigbold chorepiſcopus, in the vacancy of the See of Rhemes. The now named Hincmar, in an Epiſtle unto the Church of Lions (which is in Biblioth. Sixt. Senen. part. 1. pag. 1053. edit. Colon.) writes that he held theſe five Articles: Firſt, God, before all ages, and ere he made any thing, even from the beginning, did predeſtinate unto the Kingdom whom he would, and did predeſtinate unto deſtruction whom he would. 2. They who are predeſtinate unto deſtruction cannot be ſaved, and who are predeſtinate unto the Kingdom cannot periſh. 3. God willeth not that all men be ſaved, but only them who be ſaved; and whereas the Apoſtle ſaith, Who willeth that all men be ſaved, he meaneth only all them who ſhall be ſaved. 4. Chriſt came not to ſave all men, nor did he ſuffer for all men; but p. 158only for them who ſhall be ſaved by the myſtery of his Paſſion. 5. Since the firſt man fell of his free will, none of us can uſe free-will to do good, but only to do evil. Remigius, Biſhop of Lions, in the name of the Church of Lions, are defended and oppoſed,defended theſe five Articles, as is to be ſeen loc. cit. Whereupon Hincmar writ unto Pope Nicolaus (as Baron. Annal. ad An. 948. relates) againſt Gotteſchalk, and calleth theſe Articles the hereſie of the Predeſtinatians, which was overthrown in Affrick; and thereafter in France by authority of Pope Celeſtine, and by the care and vigilancy of Proſper. When Gotteſchalk returned from Italy, Raban Biſhop of Mentz, ſummoned him into a Synod; and when he could not perſwade him to change his mind, he did write unto Hincmar and others, and did oppugn ſome concluſions which he had wreſted from theſe five Articles. Remigius writes again, ſhewing that all the arguments of Raban did not touch the Articles, as it is in the above named Bibliotheca. Then Hincmar ſummoned Gotteſchalk unto a Synod of 12 Biſhops, and ſome Prieſts and Abbots, in Cariſiac on Iſara, where four Articles were enacted againſt him; he was condemned of hereſie and contumacy; and he condemned. The Articles at Cariſiac,he was whipped with rods and caſt in priſon. The Church of Lions, after ſight of theſe four Articles, ſent forth their cenſure of them, both which are in Biblioth. cit. pag. 1082. The Canons are theſe: Firſt, God Almighty made man without ſin, upright, with free will, and ſet him in Paradiſe, whom he would to abide in the holineſs of righteouſneſs. 2. Man uſing ill his free-will, did ſin and fall, and became the maſs of perdition of mankind; but the good and juſt God did chuſe of the ſame maſs of perdition, according to his fore-knowledge, whom by his grace he did predeſtinate to life, and prepared life eternal for them. 3. But others whom in the judgement of righteouſneſs, he left in the maſs of perdition, he foreknew them to periſh, but he did not predeſtinate that they ſhould periſh; yet becauſe he is juſt, he did predeſtinate everlaſting puniſhment unto them; and therefore we ſay, there is but one predeſtination of God, which concerneth the gift of grace or the rendring of righteouſneſs. Can. II. In the firſt man we have loſt the freedom of will, which we have received by Chriſt; and we have free will unto good, being prevened and helped by grace; and we have free will unto evil, being forſaken of grace; and we have free-will, becauſe it is freed by grace, and by grace healed from corruption. Can. III. God will have all men, without exception, to be ſaved, although all men be not ſaved; and that ſome are ſaved, it is the gift of him who ſaveth; and that ſome periſh, it is the merit of them who periſh. Can. IV. Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as there was not, is, nor ſhall be any man, whoſe nature is not aſſumed in him; ſo there was, is, and ſhall be no man for whom he did not die, although all be not redeemed by the myſtery of his Paſſion; it concerneth not the greatneſs and copiouſneſs of the price, but it concerneth the part of unbelievers, and them who beleeve not with that faith which worketh by love; for the cup of man's ſalvation, which was made through human infirmity and divine vertue, hath in it ſelf that it may be profitable unto all; but if it be not drunken, it cureth not. Followeth the ſum are cenſured by the Church of Lions Can. I.of the cenſure of the Church of Lions: in the firſt part of the firſt Canon is no mention of the grace of God (without which no rational creature ever could, or now can, or ſhall be able to be, or abide, or perſiſt in righteouſneſs and holineſs) as if man had been ſo ſet in Paradiſe, that by his free will only he could have continued in holineſs, according to the Pelagian errour. In the ſecond part they took it ill, that although it be ſaid, The Elect are ſaved by the grace of God, and life eternal is prepared for thoſe Elect; yet it is ſaid, that God hath choſen thoſe Elect, according to his foreknowledge, without mention of grace; as if it were grace that the Elect attain life; and grace that life is prepared p. 159for them; and it were not grace, but foreknowledge that they are choſen, which is manifeſtly contrary to the Catholick faith; becauſe God in chuſing them whom he hath predeſtinate, foreknew not their merits ſo, as that there fore he hath choſen them, or becauſe he fore-ſaw that of themſelves they would be good; but the very election, that of the maſs of perdition they were made the veſſels of mercy, without any good merit; it was only grace by which they were ſevered from the children of perdition; for the Apoſtle diligently commends unto us this election not of merits but of grace, whereby not the good works of any were foreknown, but only divine mercy was prepared. Rom. 9, For the children being yet not born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpoſe of God according to the election might ſtand, not of works, but of him who calleth; and 2 Tim. 1. according to his own purpoſe and grace which was given unto us in Chriſt...In the third part they do note that the truth is denied, and alſo confirmed by the teſtimony even of them who deny it; while they ſay, that God in his juſt judgement hath forſaken others, that is, the reprobates in the maſs of perdition; and that he did not predeſtinate, but only foreknew that they would periſh: for how foreknew he only, and did not predeſtinate that which by their own confeſſion he did decree in juſt judgement? Why dare man accept in part, and deny in part the true and perfect predeſtination of the juſt judgement of God, whereby he, in his eternal counſel, did fore-ordain the righteous unto life, and the unrighteous unto puniſhment? How hath he foreknown only, and not alſo fore-ordained what by their confeſſion he hath diſcerned in juſt judgement? As if the Almighty God hath both fore-known and fore-ordained, what in his juſt judgment he was to do unto the elect; but did foreſee and not fore-ordain, what he was to do in the ſame juſt judgment concerning the reprobate; ſeeing on both ſides is the ſame judgement and the ſame righteouſneſs, whereby reward is given unto the righteous, and puniſhment unto the unrighteous; for if this predeſtination were violent or unjuſt or prejudicial unto any, it ſhould no way be beleeved of him, in whom is no iniquity. And ſeeing moſt manifeſtly it is not violent, (becauſe it compelleth no man to be evil,) nor unjuſt (becauſe it puniſheth them only, which through their own fault continue in evil,) nor prejudicial (becauſe it pre-judgeth not any, as if through his ſentence, and not their own merit, they do periſh;) what is blamed where only equity and righteouſneſs is found? Truly that doth Divine predeſtination towards men, which Divine preſcience alſo doth; he foreknew that they would be evil, but he did not by his fore-knowledge compel them to be evil; he did predeſtinate them to be puniſhed who did continue in evil, nor yet did he compel them by that predeſtination, that they were or did continue evil. And this is his equity, that who willingly continue in evil, ſhould be unwillingly puniſhed........Theſe things have we ſaid, to the end, that if any thing be ſpoken unadviſedly upon occaſion of obſcure doctrine, or a perplexed queſtion, it ſhould not be maintained contentiouſly, or by ſynodical authority; but rather it may be as ſoon amended by acknowledging Divine truth. Of Can. II. they complain, that it is defined confuſedly, obſcurely, and too briefly; and they oppoſe ſix Aphoriſms out of an Epiſtle of Can. II.Pope Celeſtine, unto the Biſhops of France; and two out of the Councel at Arauſican: which are; Firſt, In the tranſgreſſion of Adam all men have loſt natural power and innocency, and no man can by his free-will ariſe out of the depth of that ruine, unleſs the grace of our mercifull God lift us up. 2. No man uſeth well his free-will but by Chriſt. 3. All the indeavours, all the works and merits of the Saints ſhould be referred unto the praiſe and glory of God, becauſe no man can pleaſe him otherwiſe, but in ſo far as he hath given. p. 1604. God worketh ſo in the hearts of men and in free-will, that every holy thought, godly purpoſe, and each motion of good will is from God; becauſe by him we can do any good, and without him we can do nothing. 5. We profeſs that God is the authour of all purpoſes and of all vertues, whereby from the beginning of faith we go unto God; and we doubt not but all the merits of man are prevened by his grace, by whom it is that we begin to will or to do any good; by which help and mercy of God free-will is not taken away, but made free; that of darkned, it becomes light; of wicked, upright; of fainting, heal; and of unwiſe, provident; for ſo great is the goodneſs of God toward all men, that he would have thoſe things to be our merits, which are his gifts; and he will give everlaſting reward, according to thoſe things which he hath given. 6. We confeſs that the grace and help of God is given even to every act, and it is given not according to our merits, that it may be meer grace; that is, given freely, through his mercy, who ſaith, I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. 7. We confeſs free-will, although it hath need of Divine help. 8. The liberty of will being weakned in the firſt man, cannot be repaired but by grace. 9. The liberty of will then is free, when it ſerveth not ſin; for it was given ſuch from God unto the firſt man, which being loſt, cannot be reſtored, but by him who could give it; and therefore Truth ſaith, If the Son make you free, you shall be free indeed. The cenſure followeth; if it be ſaid, We have lost the freedom of will in the firſt man; as if after the tranſgreſſion of the firſt man no free-will remain in men, it is not agreeable unto truth; becauſe if there be no free-will of mankind, how ſhall God judge the World? But if it be therefore ſaid, becauſe through the merit of his tranſgreſſion we have loſt the vertue of free-will, as it was made in the firſt man; take heed leſt that which follows concerning the loſt liberty of that will, which we have received by Chriſt our Lord, be ſo ſaid, as if ſince we are regenerate by Chriſt, we have received ſuch a condition and vertue of free-will, that henceforth we may be ſuch in this preſent life, as that man was before ſin; that as he was living without all ſin, ſo the regenerate in Chriſt may live in this world without ſin; which ſurely belongeth not unto the eſtate of this preſent life, but unto the bleſſedneſs of eternal life. But if it be ſaid only, that for the beginning of grace which we attain by regeneration, we may ſeem to receive the liberty of will, which we loſt in Adam, although nevertheleſs the fulneſs and perfection thereof, is to be expected in the life to come; why is the moſt clear truth darkned with ſo great ambiguity and confuſion of words? Now how great abſurdity is in that which followeth, And we have free-well unto good being prevented and helped........as if after we are regenerate by the grace of Chriſt, then we begin to have as free-will unto good, ſo free-will unto evil; as if by that regeneration, when we are prevened and helped by grace, we have free-will unto good; and when we are deſerted of the ſame grace, we have free-will unto evil. What reaſon or conſequence of meaning can be here? Doth the grace of that regeneration work this in us, that from thence we get free-will as unto good, ſo unto evil? Further, if when we are renewed in baptiſm, we receive in Chriſt the liberty of will that was ſo loſt in Adam, doth then only the grace of God prevence and help us? Or doth the ſame grace, as once it helped us that we ſhould be free unto good; ſo leave us once, that we are made free unto evil? What is this ſo obſcure, and (almoſt) no preaching of grace? Had it not been better to have made uſe of thoſe ſentences of the fore-named Fathers, which define this matter fully and clearly? Or that this definition had been framed in their words, and plainly been declared, how this grace of God preveneth and helpeth us, that is, whether once ſo great grace is given unto us in baptiſm, which may be ſufficient p. 161for the whole time of our life, or whether it ſhould be implored and gotten daily; and whether we have need of it for ſome good things, or for all? None of theſe things appear here; and therefore it had been better to have been ſilent, then to ſpeak ſo fondly of ſo great a matter. For we have need of the grace of God not only for a good work, as it is ſaid in this chapter; but alſo for the very beginning of faith, without which grace we cannot come unto the Sacrament of regeneration; we have need of grace for all and every good thing through every day; we have need of it to ſtir up in us a good will; we have need of grace to ſpeak good and wholſom things; we have need of grace for all good waies of good works. Concerning Can. III. Firſt they exhort Can. III.to keep peace and unity, and to ſhun contention: Then they ſay, Behold one may think and ſay (as formerly it hath been thought and ſaid) the Apoſtle ſaid not generally, and (as they have added) without exception, Who will have all men to be ſaved; but eſpecially concerning them of whom he had ſaid before, For all men, for Kings, and for them which are in authority; that when he ſaith All, he underſtands all ſorts of men, even of all condition, ſex, order. What unconſequent or contrariety unto the truth, is in this expoſition? Likewiſe one may ſay (as it is found to be ſaid by ſome Ancients) that the Apoſtle ſpeaks of whole mankind; what ill or danger hath this expoſition? For he who thinks ſo, doth not think that any man doth reſiſt and go againſt the will of God, whereby he willeth all men to be ſaved, that God cannot do what he willeth; and both the one and the other ſpeaking diverſly, yet do agree faithfully and unanimouſly, that whether the Apoſtle ſpoke ſo or ſo, yet no man is ſaved but by the gracious mercy of God, and none is ſuffered to periſh but in his juſt judgment. Certainly this is manifeſt in that queſtion, that although God will have all men generally and indefinitely to be ſaved; yet in the hearts of ſome, through the bountifulneſs of mercy, he worketh the ſame in his will, that both they have a will to be ſaved, and they are ſaved (to whom the Apoſtle ſaith, With fear and trembling work forth your ſalvation; for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do, according to his good pleaſure;) but in the hearts of others, through the ſeverity of his hid and juſt judgement, he worketh not this ſaving will, but leaveth them to their own will; that becauſe they would not beleeve, they ſhould be damned in juſt puniſhment. And this may be ſaid, indeed, of them which have heard the word of the Goſpel, but through the hardneſs of their own unbelief would not receive it. But what ſhall be ſaid of ſo great a multitude of the wicked, who have been from the beginning of the world, untill the coming of Chriſt? And them who cannot be denied to be as yet in the utmoſt parts of the earth, unto whom never a Preacher is come; who could no way beleeve in him of whom they have not heard; nor receive a Preacher, ſeeing none hath been ſent unto them. Shall ſuch therefore be damned, becauſe they have not beleeved, who never could hear? And nevertheleſs they ſhall be condemned for their other ſins, and eſpecially for original ſin, wherein all have ſinned; for it is not written in vain, Pour out thy wrath upon the Nations which know thee not; and the Apoſtle ſaith, Rendring vengeance in flaming fire on them who know not God. If one ſhould ask of thoſe, What hath the will of God done in them, who willeth all men to be ſaved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth? What ſhall we anſwer? Will not a godly and prudent man chuſe rather to be ſilent? Or certainly ſay with the Prophet and Apoſtle, Thy judgments are a great deep, and, O the depth of the wiſedom and knowledge of God! how incomprehenſible are his waies! Concerning Can. Can. IV.IV. they ſay, in this new queſtion three queſtions are propounded: Firſt, that it is ſaid, No man was, is, or shall be, whoſe nature is not aſſumed in Chriſt. p. 162Of this queſtion we hold thus, That the aſſuming of man's nature by Chriſt, was not of neceſſity of beginning, [ex neceſsitate incipiendi] but was only of his power and grace; ſo his fleſh deſcendeth thorow all generations; ſo he is truly born very man of them, that what he pleaſed by ſhewing mercy, and healing and redeeming, he might thereof aſſume and reject what he pleaſed, or not. So in that unſpeakable myſtery of his incarnation, he mercifully did aſſume his elect, whom he came to redeem juſtifie and ſave; and whom he did judge unworthy of that mercy and redemption, he left them out of that marvellou ſuſception. Let us therefore acknowledge truly that the ſuſception of human nature in Chriſt, hath left unbelievers void of this mercy, and that he hath beſtowed it only on them, that they have common nature with Chriſt, who receive him, and are renewed by his Spirit, by whom he was conceived. Away therefore with that ſuperfluity, whereby it is ſaid and defined, that there was, is, or ſhall be no man, whoſe nature he hath not aſſumed. 2. It is affirmed, No man was, is, or shall be, for whom Chriſt hath not ſuffered. Of which queſtion what other can we anſwer, but that firſt we demand them who have defined this, and admoniſh them to weigh vigilantly and faithfully, leſt perhaps by little conſidering what they ſhould ſay, they ſay and write ſuch things againſt the faith and their own conſcience; for to omit thoſe who are now, or ſhall be till the end of the world, among whom ſhall be the Antichriſt, certainly of that innumerable multitude of the wicked, which have been from the beginning, untill the coming of Chriſt, and being dead in their wickedneſs are condemned in everlaſting pains; we think not that they who have written this, do beleeve that Chriſt hath ſuffered for them which are dead in their wickedneſs, and now condemned in everlaſting judgment; for if it be beleeved that he hath ſuffered for them; why may it not alſo be beleeved, that he hath ſuffered for the Divel and his Angels? Therefore, as it cannot be ſaid that Chriſt Jeſus hath ſuffered for thoſe wicked and damned Angels; ſo far be it, that we ſhould believe that he hath ſuffered for thoſe wicked and damned men......But of thoſe who as yet continue in their unbelief and wickedneſs ſhall periſh, if good men who have defined theſe things could demonſtrate unto us, by ſure and clear teſtimonies, from the authority of the Holy Scriptures, what the Lord hath ſuffered for thoſe, we ſhould alſo beleeve the ſame; and if that they cannot, let them not contend now for that which they read not; let them be aſhamed to determine what they cannot find to be decreed by any Councel of the holy Fathers, or determination of Eccleſiaſtical doctrine; or if they find any thing written by the ancient Doctours, whereby occaſion of ſuch interpretation may be given, yet ſaving the reverence due unto them, let them rather contain themſelves, and ſubmit unto Divine authority. 3. They ſay, All the unbeleevers are not redeemed by the myſtery of Chriſt's blood; ſo neither are the beleevers redeemed, who have not faith which worketh by love. Why ſhould we ſpeak of this queſtion, ſeeing it is manifeſt from what is ſaid, that no redemption in Chriſt is unto any unbeleevers; and all beleevers who come truly unto faith and grace of regeneration, receive their true redemption and true regeneration; becauſe they cannot be truly regenerate, unleſs it be truly certain that they are redeemed from the power of the Divel and bondage of ſin; neither can they be truly redeemed, unleſs they be cleanſed in the laver of mercy, and made free from the guilt of ſin, and from the power of the Prince of this world; unleſs (which is moſt abſurd in this definition) it be ſaid, that our Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath ſuffered even for the wicked who periſh in their ſins; and it be affirmed, that every beleever is not truly redeemed by the myſtery of His paſſion, and renewed in his baptiſm. Hincmar, Biſhop of Rhemes, could not take this cenſure p. 163patiently, but writ Epiſtles unto ſeveral Biſhops in defence of his opinions; That cenſure is oppugned by ſome,and Remigius ſent abroad his cenſures of them, as Vſſer. in hiſtor. Gotteſcal. cap. 8. hath at length. John Scot did follow Hincmar, and although in other things he had purchaſed a name; yet becauſe here he undertook a wrong and maintained by others.cauſe, Florus a Deacon of Lions, and Prudentius Biſhop of Tricaſſin did not ſpare him; as is at large loc. cit. cap. 9. & 10. & 11. I will ſhortly ſhew their teſtimonies, whereby ſummarily their doctrine may be known. Florus ſaith, Whereas he [John] ſaith, that man ſinning hath loſt liberty, but not the power and vigour of the liberty, he ſaith not rightly; for he hath not kept in part, and loſt in part, the gift of liberty; but as he hath loſt the power and vigour of liberty, ſo he hath loſt liberty it ſelf; ſo that now he is not free unto good from which he hath fallen, he continueth free unto evil; becauſe as of his free-will he forſook good, ſo by free-will he cleaveth unto evil. Man therefore after that damnation hath free-will, whereby he may incline and doth incline unto evil through his will; he hath free-will, whereby it is poſſible that he may ariſe unto good; but that he ariſeth unto good, it is not of his own vertue, but of the compaſſionating grace of God; for he who is heavily diſeaſed, may poſſibly receive health; but that he may receive health, he hath need of a medicament; and he who is dead, it may be ſaid, that poſſibly he may riſe and live, yet not by his own vertue, but by the power of God; ſo the free-will of man being wounded and dead, may be healed, but by the grace of God ſhewing mercy. Again John ſaith, If any cauſe precede will (that is, nature) to think good or evil, it is not nature: where he ſpeaks manifeſtly againſt truth; for if no cauſe precede the will of man to think or do good, whence is in man a good will, that is, a good affection to think or do any good? for man hath not of himſelf a good will—nor doth he any good—but he hath it from him of whom the Apoſtle ſpeaks unto beleevers, It is God who worketh in us both to will, and to do according to his good will: He by his mercy preveneth the will of man; as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, My God, his mercy ſhall prevene me: He inſpires into man the grace of thinking well; as the Apoſtle ſaith, Not that we are able to think a good thought as of our ſelves, but our ſufficiency is from God. Therefore, He is the cauſe of good will in us; He is the cauſe of good deſires, and of perfecting; He is unto us the cauſe of mercy and grace, by which we are able not only to do well and to perfect, but alſo to think well. And not only doth he theſe things in his elect in this life, but alſo before the foundation of the world, he hath predeſtinated them by his grace, that they ſhould be holy and blameleſs before him, as the Apoſtle witneſſeth. Seeing therefore ſo great and ſuch a cauſe, which is the cauſe of all good things both in making and rewarding his creatures, is unto us the beſt and eternal cauſe of good will; prevening us by grace, that we may will well, and do well; how ſaith this man, that no cauſe precedes our will and works? Or if any cauſe precede them, that cauſe is not nature? Seeing the Almighty God (who is the cauſe of our good will) is the higheſt and beſt nature....But far be it to ſay, that this higheſt and beſt cauſe precedes our will to think or do evil; and nevertheleſs a cauſe precedes, not efficient, but deficient; that is, the forſaking of the chief good, and coveting inferiour things; when the ſoul falleth from the love of God, and coveteth inferiour things.....But albeit God is not the cauſe of our ill will, nor any ſubſiſting nature, but the affection of the reaſonable creature, falling from the love of the Creator; yet we may not ſay, that he is not the juſt revenger of our wicked thoughts, or eternal Predeſtinator of juſt judgment and vengeance; which this fellow would, by ſuch ambiguities, make void—Again this man ſaith, There is no predeſtination of God, but of them who are prepared for everlaſting p. 164bleſſedneſs. We know ſurely, that this is an errour of this age.....: It is to be marked in the writings of the Prophets, that the word predeſtination is not expreſsly mentioned; yet becauſe things concerning both predeſtinations appear and are declared moſt openly, the Apoſtle moſt confidently uſeth their teſtimonies for confirming this doctrine, and hath given them to be ſo underſtood by the Church, teaching us by his authority and example; and informing us, that we ſhould not contentiouſly and idly ſtrive for the word predeſtination in the Oracles of the holy Prophets; but by godly and peaceable underſtanding, whereſoever the matter is manifeſtly declared, we ſhould, without doubting, acknowledge and maintain the predeſtination of God. And if it be asked, How ſhall the World be judged righteouſly, whom the neceſſity of predeſtination forceth to periſh? Far be it that any of us ſhould ſay it; becauſe it is moſt open blaſphemy, that God by his predeſtination forceth any man to ſin, and to periſh by ſin. But by the judgment of predeſtination, whom continuing in their ſins he hath decreed to puniſh, he rather calleth them from their ſins, and ſtirreth in them (by hearing) a wholſom terrour, that they fearing may be amended, and amending ſhould not be damned. It is alſo moſt falſe that the fellow affirmeth, that there is no predeſtination of puniſhment; for if puniſhment were not predeſtinate for the Divel and his Angels, and all the wicked that are to be puniſhed with them, Truth would not ſay, Go into everlaſting fire prepared for the Divel and his Angels. And where he ſaith, Predeſtination is alwaies to be underſtood of the gifts of God's bounty, it is alſo falſe; for it is found and truly underſtood of the judgments of juſt damnation: Of which damned (through their own deſerving, and the juſt judgment of God) when this man ſaith, Cap. 14. § 4. that they are juſtly forſaken, in the damned maſs, according to the merit of original ſin; and they are ſuffered to live wickedly, and are at laſt to be condemned with everlaſting fire; even unwillingly, and contradicting himſelf, he ſaith no other thing, but that in Divine judgment they are predeſtinate unto everlaſting life; for if all that maſs be condemned, certainly it is condemned in the juſt judgment of God, and without doubt unto everlaſting perdition and puniſhment. And it is a wonder how he ſaith Cap. 14. That God hath predeſtinate pain unto ſinners, and hath not predeſtinate ſinners unto pain; for when he predeſtinated pain for them, he was not ignorant who were to be puniſhed. And when he confeſſeth ſaying, The foreknowed; if God foreknew certainly who were to be puniſhed with theſe torments, what elſe did he, when he prepared moſt certain pain for every one of them, but predeſtinated them certainly for pain? For ſurely theſe only ſhall ſuffer, whom he hath foreknown to ſuffer; and what is it, that by unchangeable preſcience he hath foreknown them for pain? It was not to be feared, that what he foreknew to be juſtly, he hath not predeſtinated to do it juſtly. There is indeed another condition of mens laws, who ſo ordain certain puniſhments unto delinquents, that nevertheleſs they know not thoſe which do ſin thus, or which ſhall be tormented in theſe puniſhments; and therefore they may appoint and prepare puniſhments for ſinners, and know not that the puniſhments are juſt; and yet not appoint for puniſhments the ſinners, whom they know not at all; but if they knew certainly the perſons which are worthy of thoſe puniſhments, they might juſtly ordain them for the pain, as they appoint the pain for delinquents; as in the execution of judgment, whom they find guilty of capital crimes, they both rehearſe unto them the death which is appointed by the Law, and by open ſentence they adjudge them unto death; which is done by a certain knowledge of judgment, that they dare appoint as puniſhment for ſinners, ſo ſinners for puniſhments. Seeing then both theſe are rightly and juſtly done p. 165in the Courts of men, being informed and directed according to certain knowledge, that they diſcern juſtly and irreprovably pain for ſinners, and ſinners for pain; and yet not any of thoſe guilty perſons is compelled unto ſin by the Laws nor Judges, but only becauſe he who hath ſinned is juſtly puniſhed; how much rather may we beleeve certainly, that this is done in Divine judgment, that (becauſe by eternal knowledge he knows the pain which in juſtice is due for ſinners, and the ſinners to whom it is due) ſeeing he cauſeth none to ſin, he predeſtinates moſt juſtly both puniſhments (which he knows to be moſt juſt) for ſinners; and ſinners (who are never unknown unto him, but moſt certainly known by eternal verity) for everlaſting puniſhment. So and more writeth Florus. And the judgment of Prudentius is in the abovenamed hiſtory, Vſſer. cap. 11; where among other things he ſhews, that when Aeneas (who had been a member of the Cariſiac Synod) was to be ordained Biſhop of Paris; Prudentius being called unto his ordination, did excuſe himſelf by Letter, and ſent unto Wenilo, Metropolitan of Senonen, four articles; which if the elect Biſhop would not ſubſcribe, he did proteſt that he would no way conſent unto his ordination. Theſe Articles are: Firſt, That he confeſs, that as free-will is loſt in Adam by merit of diſobedience; ſo it is reſtored unto us by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and freed (now in hope, but afterwards really, as the Apoſtle ſaith, We are ſaved by hope) that nevertheleſs we have alwaies need of the grace of the Almighty God for every good work; whether for thinking, or beginning, or working, or perſeverantly perfecting; and that without that grace we can no way either think or will, or do any good. 2. That he beleeve and confeſs, that in the moſt high and ſecret purpoſe of God, ſome are by the gracious mercy of God, before all ages, predeſtinated for life; and ſome, by his unſearchable righteouſneſs, are predeſtinated for pain; to wit, that whether in them which ſhall be ſaved or condemned, he hath predeſtinated that which he foreknew he would do in judging; as the Prophet ſaith, Qui fecit, quae futura ſunt, Eſa. 45. (juxta LXX Interp.) 3. That he beleeve and confeſs, with all the Catholicks, that the blood of Jeſus Chriſt was ſhed for all men beleeving in him through the world; and not for them which have not beleeved in him, nor will ever beleeve; as the Lord himſelf ſaith, Matth. 20, The Son of man came...to give his ſoul in redemption for many. 4. That he beleeve and confeſs, that the Almighty God ſaveth whom he willeth; and that none at all can be ſaved, but whom he will ſave; and that all are ſaved, whom he will ſave; and therefore it is not at all his will thoſe be ſaved, whoſoever are not ſaved; as the Prophet ſaith, Whatſoever the Lord willeth, he doth that both in Heaven and on Earth. And (ſaith Prudent.) although there be ſome other things, wherein he hath ſatisfied and ſubſcribed, in which (being condemned in Pelagius) the Church hath univerſally conſented; yet theſe being (againſt him and his followers) cleared from his froward expoſitions, by the Apoſtolical See, at the inſtance of the bleſſed Aurelius, Biſhop of Carthage; and of Auguſtine with other 214 Biſhops; and being publiſhed unto all the World, by many both Epiſtles and Books, all the Church to day rejoiceth in, confeſſeth, preacheth, holdeth, and ſhall hold. This Epiſtle of Prudentius, is in the 2 tome of the French Councels; and by it we may ſee not only his mind, but the univerſal doctrine of all the Church in all the World, as he affirmeth. Although Hiſtories do not expreſs whether Aeneas did ſubſcribe theſe Articles, yet it may be gathered from the 99 Epiſtle of Lupus Ferarien, where he commends this Aeneas; and ſaith, that Prudentius, with the other Biſhops, did confirm his ordination. By authority of Lotharius a Synod was held, An. 855. at Valentia; the Canons thereof follow hereafter: For the preſent I add the words of Baronius concerning it p. 166generally, ſaying, The Biſhops thought good to bring no other thing into the Church, then what the moſt holy Fathers and faithfull Teachers of the Church had, in all ſincerity, taught formerly in Affrica, in the Councel at Carthage; and in France, in the Councel at Arauſicane, whereunto we ſhould cleave in all points; to wit, that the godly are ſaved no other way, but by the grace of God; and the wicked are condemned for their own iniquity: And that the wicked do not periſh, becauſe (as ſome ſay) they could not be good, but becauſe they would not. Then he ſheweth that the Acts of this Synod were ſent unto Hincmar; and that he did by writing condemn theſe errours. But Vſſer taxeth Baronius, that he hath written of this matter ſlenderly, and from the writings of Hincmar, and from Acts of Synods convinceth him; eſpecially he declareth, from a book of the Church of Lions, that there was diverſity of opinions among them of Lions, concerning the fifth Canon of this Synod, which (in the end of that book) thinks the greateſt difference between the Elect and the Reprobates to be, that in the Reprobates remaineth the guiltineſs of the firſt tranſgreſſion, which is taken from the Elect, by the blood of Chriſt. Alſo he ſheweth, that in the year 856, in the monethmonth of Auguſt, Charls the Bald did call a Synod at Bonoile (by Paris;) and another in September at Nielph, where he gave unto Hincmar the Articles of the Synod at Valentia; and what he had received from others in favour of Gotteſchalk, that Hincmar ſhould anſwer unto them; and that after three years, Hincmar did return a great book of God's predeſtination, and of man's free-will; as Flodoard ſheweth, Hiſt. lib. 3. cap. 13; and that the adverſe party was not ſatisfied by that great volumn; neither was the authority of the Valentian Synod leſsned; and therefore An. 859, Charls calleth another Synod in Audemantunno Lingonum, where for the inſtruction of God's people, the Canons of the Valentian Synod were voiced and confirmed again, and proclaimed; only in the fifth Canon they expreſs not the four Articles, (becauſe they perceive, Hincmar was offended by ſo expreſs condemning them, as if they thereby had neglected the limits and law of charity) and they did add the name of John Scot unto the nineteen Articles. This Synod is called Lingonenſis in Concil. Gall. tom. 3. After 14 daies was a more frequent Synod of twelve Provinces at Saponaria, a Village of the City of Tullen, where was King Charls, and his Nephews Lotharius and Charls, ſons of the Emperour Lotharius; there the Canons of the former Synod, and the Cariſiac Articles were read again and again; great contention was between Remigius and Hincmar, with their followers (the one pleading for, and the other againſt the Articles of Gotteſchalk;) but (as Hincmar writeth in an Epiſtle Dedicatory unto Charls the Bald) the ſtir was calmed by the wiſedom of the Arch-Biſhop Remigius, exhorting them all to bring unto the next Synod the books of the Catholick Doctours; and as they ſhall find them agreeing unto the Apoſtolical and Catholick doctrine, all ſhould hold together unanimouſly. It appeareth in the Acts of this Synod, that it was ſo ſoon cloſed, becauſe of the murmurs in the country. All this time Gotteſchalk was ſtill in Priſon in the Monaſtery of Haultvillier, whence he ſent forth firſt a ſhort confeſſion, and then a larger one, confirmed by teſtimonies of Scripture, and of the ancient Doctours. In the end of the latter, he craved that there might be a free Synod, wherein truth might be made known unto all, and errours altogether taken away; and he lamenteth that for baſeneſs of his perſon truth is deſpiſed, and his adverſaries follow not charity, and refuſe verity, only that they may ſeem victorious. Now of all that I have read concerning his Confeſſions, and the writings of both parties, I gather that at that time the greateſt controverſie was, concerning the predeſtination of the wicked unto puniſhment; howbeit there p. 167was alſo ſome difference concerning free-will, and the efficient cauſe of converſion, or of faith and good works. And becauſe Hincmar in his Epiſtle unto Whence was the word Pr… deſtinatians.Pope Nicolaus, and Semipelagians make mention of Hereticks, whom they call Praedeſtinati or Praedeſtinatiani; here I add concerning that name, that the firſt who mentioneth it, was he who writ the continuation of Ierom's Chronicle; for he (about the 24 year of Arcadius and Honorius) writeth, ſaying, At this time began the hereſie of Praedeſtinati, which had the beginning from Auguſtine. So it is expreſsly (ſaith Vſſer. in Hiſtor. Gotteſ. cap. 2.) in two old manuſcripts, one in the King's Bibliotheke, and another in the Benedictines at Cambridge; although in the Printed books it is not ſaid, from Auguſtine; but, from the books of Auguſtine, being ill underſtood. And certainly theſe words of Hincmar are frivolous, ſince Pope Celeſtine did not write againſt ſuch an hereſie, but againſt the Pelagians, as is clear in his Epiſtles unto Auguſtine, and he doth approve the doctrine of Auguſtine; and Proſper in his Epiſtle unto Auguſtine (which, and the Epiſtles of Celeſtine, are amongſt the Epiſtles of Auguſtine) writeth, ſaying, Many of the ſervants of Chriſt, which are in the City Maſſilies, think that in the writings of your Holineſs againſt the Pelagian Hereticks, whatſoever you have diſputed concerning the calling of the Elect according to the purpoſe of God, is contrary unto the opinion of the Fathers, and the mind of the Church. But it is ſure, that the Maſſilians were Semipelagians: And Arnobius on Pſal. 108. hath this note, Mark (ſaith he) that it was of his will, that he would not; Becauſe of the hereſie, which ſaith, God hath predeſtinated ſome unto bleſſing, and others unto damnation. In a word, whoſoever pleaſeth to ſearch for this hereſie. he cannot find that ever there was ſuch an one; but that the Pelagians or Semipelagians, have uſed the name to diſcredit the ſound doctrine of Auguſtine; and they ſeeing his books to be in high eſteem, and authority in the Church, were afraid to put it upon him; and they did wreſt ſome concluſions out of his books, which they did brand with the odious name of ſuch an hereſie.

17. At this time was Publiſhed an Exegeſis or Commentary, on thirteen The Exegeſis of the Epiſtle of Paul, by Remigius, is vindicated.Epiſtles of the Apoſtle Paul, which was lately Printed at Rome, under the name of Remigius Rhemenſis, which lived about the year 540, a Jeſuit Baptiſta Villapand gave out, that he had found it at Saint Caecilia in Rome, and did publiſh it as a rich treaſure lying ſo long time in a manuſcript. Andr. Rivet. in Critic. ſacr. lib. 4. cap. 27. ſheweth the vanity of the Jeſuit, ſeeing the ſame book was Printed above 30 years before that, at Paris, two ſeveral times; and in the Book is mention of Gregory and Beda. I add another reaſon; that Exegeſis on 2 Theſſ. 2. at theſe words, Except there come a falling away firſt—, All Kingdoms ſhall fall away from the Roman Empire; and the man of ſin, to wit, the Antichriſt, who although he is a man, yet ſhall he be the fountain of all ſins: Be revealed and made manifeſt, [and the ſon of perdition] i. e. a ſon of the Divel, not by nature, but by imitation; and is called perdition, becauſe perdition ſhall come by him.....[He ſhall ſit in the Temple of God, ſhewing himſelf as if he were God.] This may be underſtood two waies. And here he hath firſt that opinion, that Antichriſt ſhall be born at Babylon of the Tribe of Dan, &c. and then he addeth, Or alſo, he ſhall ſit in the Temple of God, i. e. in the Church, ſhewing himſelf as if he were God; for as the fulneſs of God-head did reſt in Chriſt; ſo in that man who is called Antichriſt, becauſe he is contrary unto Chriſt, the fulneſs of all wickedneſs and iniquity ſhall dwell; becauſe in him ſhall be the head of all wickedneſs, the Divel, who is the King above all the children of pride. In theſe words the Apoſtle demonſtrates unto the Theſſalonians, that the Lord ſhall not come p. 168to judgment, untill there be a defection of the Roman Empire [Note] which now we ſee fulfilled and Antichriſt appearing in the World, who ſhall kill the Martyrs of Chriſt. So far there. It is true, Chryſoſtom and others had long before expounded that Text in the ſame manner, but none did apply it in that manner; neither could it be applied before that time, ſeeing the Empire of Rome, though ſometimes more weakned than at other times, yet was never ſolow before the daies of Lotharius; then every Nation had their own King, and Lotharius had a part of France, and a part of Italy; and his Succeſſour had no more but a part of Italy. As for the appearing of Antichriſt, we have heard before, in Sect. 14. what Gunther and Thietgaud writ unto Pope Nicolaus; and in Sect. 15, what Luithpett writ unto King Lewis, both which agree with this expoſition and application. Hence it followeth, that this Commentary That Exegeſis is not for, but rather againſt Tranſubſtantiation,could not be written before this time. Next conſider for what cauſe the Jeſuit, and after him others, do commend this Commentary; to wit, thereby they would prove the fancy of Tranſubſtantiation to have been ſo old; for on 1 Cor. 10. it is ſaid, The Bread which we break, is it not the Communion of the Body of Chriſt? Certainly, firſt it is conſecrate and bleſſed by the Prieſts and the Holy Ghoſt, and then broken; and now although it ſeem [videatur, or, is ſeen] to be Bread, in verity it is the body of Chriſt; of which Bread whoſoever communicates, he eats the body of Chriſt. And again it is ſaid there, That Bread doth paſs [tranſit] into the body of Chriſt, neither are they two bodies, but one body. Becauſe the explication of this teſtimony, may ſerve for clearing many other ſuch teſtimonies, I will ſet before you the words preceding and following, and then confer all together: Firſt, a little from the beginning of that Chap. it is ſaid, He ſaith not, The Rock did ſignifie Chriſt; but as if it had been in truth, The Rock was Chriſt, though certainly it was not ſo by ſubſtance, but by ſignification: Likewiſe, ſpeaking of the two ſons of Abraham, he ſaith not, Theſe ſignifie the two Teſtaments; but, Theſe are the two Teſtaments: Chriſt then, in reſpect of firmneſs, is the Rock, not by ſubſtance; and the water which did flow out of the Rock, ſignifieth the doctrine of Chriſt, and the grace of the Holy Ghoſt; of which in the Goſpel, Who thirſts let him come to me and drink, &c. It is alſo called a ſpiritual and following Rock, becauſe it ſignifieth ſpiritually Chriſt, who followed them; of which ſpiritual Rock, following them, they did drink; becauſe when human help failed them, Chriſt was at hand giving help; by whoſe powet (who is the Word of God the Father) they were delivered out of the Land of Aegypt, and brought into the Land of Promiſe. So far there. And in the other place it is written thus, The Cup is called Communication, i. e. partaking, becauſe all do communicate of it, and receive a part of the blood of Chriſt, which it containeth in it: [And the Bread which we break] on the Altar [is it not a partaking of the Body of Chriſt?] Certainly, firſt it is conſecrate and bleſſed by the Prieſts and Holy Ghoſt, and then it is broken; and now although it ſeem (videatur, or, it is ſeen) to be bread, in verity it is the body of Chriſt; of which bread whoſoever communicateth, they eat the body of Chriſt; [becauſe one Bread] to wit, of Chriſt; [and one Body] to wit, of Chriſt, [we many are] who eat that Bread; the fleſh which the Word of God the Father did aſſume in the Virgins womb, in the unity of perſon; and the bread which is conſecrate in the Church, are one body of Chriſt; for as that fleſh is the body of Chriſt, ſo that bread doth paſs (tranſit) into the body of Chriſt; neither are they two bodies, but one body, for the fullneſs of the God-head which was in him, filleth alſo that bread; and the ſame God-head of the Word, which filleth Heaven and Earth, and all things therein, the ſame filleth the body of Chriſt, p. 169which is ſanctified by many Prieſts through all the World, and maketh it to be one body of Chriſt; and as that bread and blood do paſs into the body of Chriſt, ſo all which in the Church do eat worthily, are the one body of Chriſt; as he himſelf ſaith, He who eats my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abides in me, and I in him. Nevertheleſs that fleſh which he did aſſume, and that bread, and all the Church, do not make three bodies, but one body; and as they which do communicate of the body and blood of the Lord, are made one body with him; ſo they which do wittingly communicate of things offered unto Idols, are one body with the Divel. And in the next Chap. he ſaith, Chriſt having ended the ſolemnities of the old Paſsover....immediately he paſſeth unto the new Paſsover, which he left unto his Church to be frequented (or frequently obſerved) in remembrance of his Paſſion and our redemption: He did break the bread, which he gave unto his Diſciples, to ſhew the breaking of his Body, and his Paſſion, was not to be without his own will; as he had ſaid, I have power to lay down my life, [Take ye, eat ye, this is my body which shall be delivered for you.] As the fleſh of Chriſt which he did aſſume in the Virgins womb, is his true body, and was killed for our ſalvation; ſo the bread which Chriſt gave unto his Diſciples, and unto all them which are predeſtinated for eternal life, and which the Prieſts do conſecrate in the Church daily, with the vertue of the God-head which filleth that bread, is the true body of Chriſt; neither are they two bodies, that fleſh which he did aſſume, and that bread, but they make one true body of Chriſt: In ſo far, that when the Bread is broken and eaten, Chriſt is ſacrificed and eaten, and yet he abideth whole and alive; and as that Body which he did lay on the Croſs was offered for our ſalvation and redemption; ſo daily that bread is offered unto God for our ſalvation and redemption; which although it is ſeen to be bread, is the body of Chriſt; for our Lord and Redeemer providing for our frailty, becauſe he knew that we are frail unto ſin; did deliver unto us this Sacrament; that becauſe he cannot now die, and we do ſin daily, we might have a true ſacrifice, by which we may be expiated: Therefore becauſe they make one body, and are offered for our redemption; he ſaid, This is my body which shall be delivered for you; and he did add, [Do this] that is, ſanctifie this body, [Into my remembrance] that is, of my Paſſion, and of your Redemption, becauſe I have redeemed you with my blood: The Lord leaving this wholſom Sacrament, unto all beleevers, that he might faſten this into their hearts and memory, did after the manner of a man, who approaching unto death, leaveth ſome precious gift unto a certain friend, ſaying; Have this with all diligence by thee, in remembrance of me, that when thou ſeeſt it, thou mayeſt remember me: Which friend receiving that gift of his moſt dear friend, if he did love him withall his heart, cannot but condole and be ſad for the death of his friend, whenſoever he beholdeth that gift left by his friend: Likewiſe we, how oft ſoever we come to conſecrate or receive the Sacrament of that eternal gift, which the Lord, being to ſuffer, left unto us to be kept in remembrance of him, ſhould come with fear and compunction of heart, and with all reverence, calling to mind with how great love he did love us, which did offer himſelf for us, that he might redeem us. [Likewiſe and the Cup] underſtand, he gave unto them [after he had ſupped, ſaying; This Cup is the new Teſtament in my blood] i. e. the Cup which I give unto you, ſignifieth the new Teſtament; as Fulgentius, or it confirms the new Teſtament in my blood, or by my blood. Here are all the words of that book, which concern the change or ſacrifice in the Sacrament; and we ſee mention of a change, and a real change, and a real ſacrifice; but no word of a change of a ſubſtance of the bread, which ſtill remaineth; and is broken, after conſecration, in remembrance p. 170of Chriſt's Paſſion, and of our redemption: And obſerve theſe words, The bread which Chriſt gave unto his Diſciples, and unto all which are predeſtinated for life eternal, and which the Prieſts do conſecrate daily with power of the God-head, which filleth that bread, is the true body of Chriſt; neither are they two bodies, the fleſh which he did aſſume, and that bread, but they make one true body of Chriſt. Now what bread is that which he giveth unto all them which are predeſtinated for life, but even which he did aſſume in the unity of his perſon in the Virgins womb? And the Elementary bread is no more ſaid to be his body, than it is ſaid, The Rock was Chriſt; and it is his body, as all which do eat worthily, are his body, or made one body with him; and that is not by Tranſubſtantiation, although really, but in a myſtery or ſpiritual manner; albeit alſo the manner of the union between the Bread and Chriſt's body, and between Beleevers and Chriſt's body, be different in the ſpecial kind of myſtery: The bread doth paſs into the body of Chriſt really in the own manner, not by change of ſubſtance, but of uſe, ſignification, office and condition. And that bread is the very ſacrifice of Chriſt in remembrance, as the gift which one friend leaveth unto another in remembrance of his love; ſo that whenſoever we do ſin, we may have daily in remembrance that true ſacrifice, whereby we may be expiated. And the conſecrating of that bread is the ſacrifice of Chriſt, as the eating of the Lamb was the Paſsover; the one in remembrance of their ancient deliverance out of Aegypt; and the other in remembrance of Chriſt's Paſſion, and of our Redemption. And that bread is the body of Chriſt, ſo that after the bleſſing (or conſecration) it is ſeen to be bread, and is broken and eaten. Theſe all are ſpoken there of that bread; and therefore according to that teſtimony, the bread is not tranſubſtantiated, but is a remembrance of Chriſt's Paſſion and ſacrifice, if we will ſpeak properly. And moreover, at that time, all Beleevers did communicate and take part of the Cup; for which cauſe it is ſaid there, the Cup is called the communication of Chriſt's blood. When the whole teſtimony is conſidered, it ſerveth more againſt the Romiſh Church now, than for them. But to return to the Authour of the book, it was Printed That Exegeſis was not written by Haymo,at Paris under the name of Haymo, Biſhop of Halberſtad; but (as the learned Antiquary Biſhop Uſher, hath obſerved in Hiſtor. Gotteſc.) neither is it his; for though the Argument before every Epiſtle, be ſaid to be Haymo's; yet before none of them is it ſaid, that the Exegeſis is his: And I add another reaſon, the opinions of Haymo are different from that Exegeſis; I will name but one, Haymo on the Revel. lib. 1. near the end, ſaith, The Pillars of the Temple are not only they who are more perfect; as Paul ſaith, Peter and James and John, which ſeemed to be Pillars, &c. Here Haymo not only calleth theſe three more perfect, but Pillars alſo, which is more then Paul ſaith; but this Exegeſis ſpeaks not ſo much of them, for on Gal. 2. at theſe words, which ſeemed to be ſomething; or as we have, Who were of reputation; it is written there, They ſeemed unto themſelves to be ſomething; for they did ſeem to have learning and vertue of themſelves, but they neither had learning nor vertue of themſelves, nor of their own merits; and therefore although they did ſeem unto the people to be ſomething, they were nothing. He who writes ſo liberally of the three Apoſtles, would not (probably) have written ſo ſparingly of them in the other place; and ſo the Authour of the Exegeſis, but by Remigius, Bishop of Lions; and is contrary to the preſent Church of Rome, in many particulars following.would not have called Peter the head of the Church. Who then is the Authour of that Exegeſis? The above-named Remigius, Biſhop of Lions; as Biſhop Uſher proveth loc. cit. and we may find that his doctrine in that Exegeſis, doth accord with that which we have heard; he did maintain concerning election, free-will, &c. as appears by theſe paſſages. On Rom. 5. he ſaith, As p. 171by Adam ſin and death did enter, ſo by Chriſt came juſtification and eternal life: therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, We are reconciled unto God; becauſe as by one man ſin entred into the World, that is, into the univerſality of mankind, (except Chriſt, which is from above) and by ſin death came; ſo death both of body and ſoul hath gone over all men, even as on the firſt man, in whom all have ſinned: So by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt juſtification hath entred, and by juſtification life eternal...for in him all men have ſinned, which were in his loins; as Levi was in the loins of his father, when he paied tithes. And he ſaith congruouſly, that ſin entred firſt, and then death by ſin; becauſe ſo ſoon as he did ſin, he became mortal; as the Lord had foretold, ſaying; In whatſoever day thou shalt eat thereof, thou shalt die the death: He did ſin by coveting and eating, and he was made mortal in ſinning. Amongſt other things obſerve here, that Remigius makes no exception of ſin in the univerſality of mankind, but only of Chriſt, and therefore the Virgin Mary is not excepted; and after the ſame manner do all the Ancients ſpeak, in this point. On Cap. 9. What man can declare, why the Almighty God did chuſe Jacob, before he was born, and rejected Eſau, when neither the one, nor the other, could do any good or ill; except that on him, that is, on Jacob, he would beſtow his grace and mercy, and on Eſau he would fullfill his juſt judgment....therefore as it was not the purpoſe of God, and his predeſtination according to election of the good merit of Jacob; ſo the election of the Gentiles, was not according to the election of merits, but according to the free grace and predeſtination of God; therefore for what cauſe Jacob was choſen without good works, and Eſau was hated without ill works, it is only known unto God, who knows all things before they be, and whoſe judgment is alwaies juſt.....He ſaid unto Moſes, I will have mercy, on whom...This is the order, On whom I will have mercy, by calling him unto my faith; I will have mercy, by giving him my faith, that he may beleeve in me; and I will ſhew compaſſion on him, that he may live righteouſly, and be mercifull, and perſevere in good works, according to which he ſhall receive the reward. [Therefore not of him who willeth] underſtand, is the will [nor of him who runneth] is the race, [but of God ſhewing mercy] is mercy, that he giveth unto man to will good, to do and to perſevere: The only good will is not ſufficient, unleſs alſo the mercy of God prevene him unto this end, to give unto him to will what is good, and to perfect the ſame good; as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, His mercy ſhall prevene me, and his mercy ſhall follow me: But haply one will ſay, Why are the Elect rewarded, or what reward have they deſerved, if both the good will, and the perfecting of the good work, be given unto them of God? I anſwer, therefore are the Elect worthy of remuneration; becauſe ſo ſoon as they do perceive, that they are prevened by the grace of God, they do labour with all their indeavours to obey his will. [For the Scripture ſaith to Pharao:] The Scripture ſpeaketh not by it ſelf, but another by it, as here God ſpeaketh. Theſe laſt words I have marked, againſt them which ſay, The Scriptures is dumb and dead. At theſe words, Hath not the Potter power...he ſaith, So the Almighty God, the Potter of mankind, hath power out of the maſs of perdition and ſin, that is, out of the maſs of mankind, to make one veſſel unto honour; that is, to create one for this end, that he may be honoured in him; and that he honour him by calling him unto his faith, and by ſaving him unto life; and another unto dis-honour, that is, in his juſt judgment to deſtroy the Reprobates, becauſe of their wickedneſs; for of a corrupt maſs, all the veſſels are corrupt; but if the Potter, by the Engine of his Art, will purifie ſome of them from the fault of the maſs, by baking it in the fire; may he not be magnified in thoſe? And that p. 170duplicate page p. 171duplicate page p. 172he ſuffereth ſome unpurified, he is not to be blamed, becauſe he continueth in his power, for the maſs is his. On Cap. 11. at theſe words, I have left 7000...ſaith he; neither ſaith he, Are left unto me; but, I have left and reſerved unto my ſelf 7000 men; which when others became Idolaters, have not bowed.......And it is to be conſidered, becauſe [according to the election of God's grace] that is, according to the gift of Predeſtination, the remnant is ſaved, not according to the merit of their works; wherefore he ſaith, in the Epiſtle unto the Epheſ. As he hath choſen us, before the foundation of the World, in him, i. e. in Chriſt, that we ſhould be holy and unblamable. [And if of grace] they are ſaved, who beleeve amongſt the Jews [not now] was it [of the works of the Law] by which they thought to be juſtified, who continue in infidelity; [elſe grace were not grace] that is, if they were ſaved otherwiſe, which cannot be but by the grace of God; or elſe grace it ſelf were not grace, but a merit.....But the election hath obtained it, that is, they who were choſen out of that multitude; whom before he called a remnant, now he calleth election; and as before circumciſion is taken for the Jews, ſo here election is for the Elect, who obtain juſtification by faith. On Cap. 15, at theſe words, Whatſoever is written, is written for our inſtruction...he ſaith; The Apoſtle joineth himſelf unto all Beleevers, and will ſhew that all things which are written in Divine books, are not written for them, whoſe deeds and works are there reported, for they are in reſt long ago; but for our ſalvation, and of them which are to come, that we may have whence we may take example of faith and good works; and whence we may know with what works God is pleaſed, and with what he is provoked to puniſh....for what did it avail to Abraham that Moſes hath written, he was obedient, and that he commends him to have pleaſed God? But he ſaith, Whatſoever things are written in the Law, Prophets, Pſalms and other Scriptures, are written for our inſtruction, that we which are come unto the faith, may thence learn. Seeing Remigius writeth that the Scriptures are written for the inſtruction of all Beleevers; would he then have conſented unto the Act of Trent, which forbids the uſe of the Scriptures unto Beleevers? On 1 Cor. 1. at theſe words, That no flesh should glory before him; he ſaith, No fleſh, that is, no man: The wiſe and mighty cannot glory, becauſe they are not called by him for their wiſdom and riches; neither had they divine wiſdom, or ſpiritual riches of themſelves: The Apoſtles could not glory, becauſe whatſoever they had of favour, they received it from God without their merits, and they cannot glory that they were choſen for their wiſdom and riches.....He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord; he glorieth in the Lord, and not in himſelf, who confeſſeth that all the good he hath, he hath received it from God, without his own merit; and therefore ſeeks not his own glory and praiſe, but his glory from whom he hath received whatſoever he hath. On Gal. 6. on theſe words, God forbid that I rejoice but in the Croſs of Chriſt; he ſaith, that is, I will not rejoice in the riches and dignities of this World, but in the Croſs of Chriſt, i. e. in his ſuffering, which was done on the Croſs, will I rejoice, from whence is my redemption and ſalvation. Or I will rejoice in the Croſs of Chriſt, that is, in this will I rejoice, if I can follow the ſuffering of Chriſt, what he hath ſuſtained for me, I may ſuſtain the like for his name. Hence we may ſee, that Remigius did not rejoice in the painted or moulded Croſs, but in Chriſt's ſufferings for our redemption. On Eph. 2. at theſe words, Built on the foundation; he ſaith, The foundation of the Prophets, Apoſtles, and of all the faithfull, is Chriſt; becauſe they are grounded and eſtabliſhed in faith of him; as he himſelf ſaid, Upon this Rock, that is, upon me will I build my Church. Here Remigius expoundeth the Rock to ſignifie Peter. On Cap. 5. at theſe p. 173words, Not having ſpot or wrinkle; he ſaith, In this world the Church may be ſaid to be glorious one way, becauſe it hath Kings and Princes ſubject, and it hath many orders and degrees; but it cannot be without ſpot or wrinkle of ſin, becauſe it hath many penitents in it; and if we ſay we have no ſin, we deceive our ſelves, and the truth is not in us; and, there is not a man upon earth which doth good, and ſinneth not: wherefore it is better that we refer theſe words unto the general reſurrection. On Cap. 6. The ſword of the Holy Ghoſt is the Word of God, as the Apoſtle ſaith; that is, the doctrine and knowledge of the Divine Scriptures, which is given unto us by the Holy Ghoſt: And it is called a ſword, becauſe as enemies are put to flight by a ſword, ſo by the knowledge of Divine Scriptures, we may put to flight all the craft and devices of the Divel, by following what the Scripture teacheth, and eſchewing what it forbiddeth; and not only may we overcom the Divels, by the knowledge of the word, and by the help of God; but by authority thereof we may convince all Hereticks, and deſtroy all their errours. Reader, obſerve in this teſtimony the manifold uſe of the Scriptures; and eſpecially, that they are a rule wherewith all errours may be deſtroied. On Phil. 2. at theſe words, It is God who worketh in you; he ſaith, Leſt he ſeem to exclude God from our ſalvation, or as if without the help of God we could be ſaved; …e ſubjoins, For it is God who worketh in you; therefore every good which we have, as well the good will, as the good operation, is not of us, but of God.....[both to will] that is, to have a good will [and to do according to good will] that is, that we may alwaies will what is good. On Cap. 3. at theſe words, If I may comprehend, in whom I am comprehended; he ſaith, All the Elect which are predeſtinated for eternal life, are comprehended in the Paſſion of Chriſt; becauſe thereby are redeemed not only thoſe who are ſaved after his reſurrection, and who are purged in baptiſm, but all the godly which were before his coming.....Whoſoever are perfect, in compariſon of others, let us think ſo, underſtand, that we are not perfect; for whoſoever are perfect, that is, who are thought to be perfect; let us underſtand, that this is in compariſon of Beleevers, and who have leſs underſtanding, becauſe we are not perfect, in reſpect of what we ſhall have at the day of judgement. On 1 Tim. 2. he ſaith, Seeing the Pſalmiſt ſaith, The Lord doth whatſoever he willeth; and the Apoſtle ſaith, Which will have all men to be ſaved: Why are not all men ſaved? To which I ſay, Becauſe it is true what the Pſalmiſt ſaith, For he hath ſaid, and it ſhall be; likewiſe he will ſave all men which are ſaved, and which by his mercy ſeek to be ſaved; for the Apoſtles have put the whole for a part; as in the Goſpel the Lord ſaith, When I shall be exalted from the earth, I will draw all men unto me: for he drew not all men, nor draweth all men; but all, that is, the Elect out of all ſorts and Nations, out of all ſex and condition; from Kings unto Beggars, from the perfect unto the babe of one day; yet none can be ſaved, but whom God willeth, becauſe he ſheweth mercy on whom he will; for if all men had continued in perdition, juſt had been the judgment of God; but that his mercy and power might be ſhewed, becauſe he is powerfull to ſave all men, in thoſe which do periſh he ſhews his juſt judgment, and his mercy in them which are ſaved; for his grace preveneth us that we have will, and our will ſhould accord with his will, and then he will give us ability; and becauſe we join our will to his will, we are worthy to be rewarded; and nevertheleſs it is all to be aſcribed unto his grace, whatſoever good we do: He ſaith then, Which will have all men to be ſaved, underſtand thou, all which are ſaved, and to come unto the knowledge of the Trinity, which is the higheſt and ſubſtantial truth. On Cap. 3. he ſaith, The Church is called both the ground and Pillar of truth, which is but one thing; p. 174for the firmneſs of ſaith, and becauſe [the Church] is eſtabliſhed by heavenly doctrines and Divine miracles. In this obſerve, that the faith or truth depends not on the teſtimony of the Church; but the Church is a ground or Pillar, becauſe it hath firm faith, and is eſtabliſhed by Divine doctrines. On 2 Tim. 1. at theſe words, I thank my God, whom I do ſerve from my fore-fathers; he ſaith, This he ſaith that he may ſhew, that the ancient Fathers which were before the coming of the Lord, had the ſame faith which he and the other Apoſtles had; and did deſcend from thoſe Fathers unto the Apoſtles, and from them unto us; as alſo it deſcendeth from us, unto them which ſhall come after us. In this one teſtimony, many things may be obſerved againſt the preſent Tenets of the Romiſh Church; (if I would ſtay) but one thing (though but a negative) I cannot omit that in all theſe deſcendings, is no mention of any dependance on the Roman Biſhop or faith; ſo that if we have the faith, which the fore-fathers and Apoſtles had, and they which had the ſame from them; whether the Church of Rome now have the ſame, or not have it, we have the true faith: On Cap. 2. at theſe words, The Lord knows who are his; This is the impreſſion of the Seal, He knows, that is, the Lord hath choſen them which belong unto his inheritance; and this is the ſeal of faith, becauſe when others depart from the faith, they which are Elect can in no way be ſeduced. Many ſuch other teſtimonies may be obſerved in that Exegeſis, which Villapand calleth a rich treaſure; a rich treaſure it is, which ſo clearly ſheweth the faith of the Church of that time; and that the Church of Rome now, having forſaken that faith in ſo many particulars, hath departed from the truth. And therefore Bellarmin was more wary then his brother; and though he did bring that teſtimony concerning the change of the bread, yet no where elſe would name that book, nor the Authour of it, in his book De Scriptoribus Eccleſiaſticis, although he forgot not others of leſs note.

18. Haymo was Biſhop of Halberſtad about this time, but it ſeems he was younger then Remigius. He writ ſundry volumns, eſpecially two books of Homilies. In the firſt, called Pars hyemalis, he hath theſe ſentences. In Feria 4. quatuor tempor. at theſe words, Ave, gratta plena; he ſaith, She is well ſaid to be full of grace, becauſe ſhe had attained what no other woman had attained; to wit, ſhe did conceive and bear the Authour of grace. Behold, he expoundeth theſe words otherwiſe then the Papiſts do now. And here his words are, Gratiam quam nulla alia meruer at, aſſequitur; and I have tranſlated the word meruer at after this manner, becauſe (as I have marked before) the Ancients do uſe it in this ſignification; and (as follows) Haymo was far from the opinion of man's merit; Ibid. at the words, That Holy thing which shall be born of thee; he ſaith, For diſtinction of our holineſs, Jeſus is affirmed ſingularly to be born holy; for although we be made holy, yet we are not born holy, becauſe we are bound with the condition of corruptible nature; that every one of us may with the Prophet ſigh and ſay, Behold I was conceived in iniquities, and in ſins hath my mother brought me forth: but he only was truly holy, which that he might overcome the condition of corruptible nature, was not conceived by the commixtion of carnal copulation. The Papiſts do hold that the Virgin Mary was free of original ſin; to the end, that they may the more plauſibly commend her to be worſhipped as the Queen of Heaven. But behold, here Haymo ſaith more then Remigius ſaid; for he ſaith not only that it was the ſingular priviledge of Chriſt, to be born holy; but more he ſaith, That he might overcom the condition of corruptible nature, he was not conceived by commixtion. Certainly, the condition which he overcom, was ſingularly the condition of Maries corruptible nature, ſeeing ſhe was conceived by commixtion, Dominic. 4. poſt Epiphan. There was a great p. 175ſtorm on the Sea, becauſe the Perſecution of Pagans, the Divel ſtirring them up, did ariſe againſt the Church, ſo that the ſhip was covered with the waves; that is, the perſecution waxing, the Church did ſcarcely lurk in a few Beleevers, neither durſt any man confeſs the name of Chriſt publickly, who was not prepared to die preſently for Chriſt; which to have been in the daies of Diocleſian and others, the Hiſtories do declare. This teſtimony confutes the Papiſts holding that the Church doth flouriſh at all times; and witneſſeth with us, that the Church hath been forced to lurk at ſome times. In Dominic. in Septuageſ. on the Parable Matth. 20. he ſaith, This Vine-yard is the holy Church, which hath been from the beginning of the World, untill the end thereof; ſo many godly as it bringeth forth, it begetteth ſo many branches: This Vine-yard was planted amongſt the people of the Jews, but after the incarnation of our Lord, it is inlarged unto the ends of the earth, &c. In the ſame Homily, he ſaith; Becauſe eternal life is rendred to no man by way of debt, but is given through the gracious mercy of God; therefore....And nearer the end, he ſaith, Seeing it is given to none by debt, but only of gracious mercy unto whom he willeth, none can grumble at the righteouſneſs of God; becauſe he ſheweth mercy on whom he willeth, and whom he willeth, he hardneth; he ſhews mercy of his own goodneſs, and he hardneth without iniquity; becauſe although his judgments are ſometimes hid, yet they are not unjuſt. In Feria 4 poſt Iudica, on Ioh. 10, he ſaith on theſe words, And I give unto them eternal life; Theſe are the Paſtures which he did before promiſe unto his Sheep, wherein no herb withereth, but all is green, all waxeth, all abideth whole; and whatſoever is once taken in, is poſſeſſed for ever. And they shall not perish for ever; here underſtand, as ye ſhall periſh which are not of my ſheep. And none shall pluck them out of my hand; that is, from my power. Here he affirmeth the perſeverance of the Elect, and the damnation of them which are not elected. In Feria 6 poſt Iudica on Ioh. 6. on theſe words, My flesh is meat indeed; he ſaith, Seeing all men do deſire, by meat and drink, that they may not hunger nor thirſt; nothing can do this truly, but this meat and drink, which maketh them, who receive it, to be immortal and incorruptible; and that is the ſociety of the godly, wherein ſhall be full and perfect peace and unity.....Then he expoundeth how this may be which he hath ſaid, and what it is to eat his fleſh, and to drink his blood; He who eats my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abides in me, and I in him; that is, to eat his fleſh, and to drink his blood, to abide in Chriſt, and to have him abiding in us; and therefore who abides not in Chriſt, or in whom Chriſt abides not, without doubt neither eats he Chriſt's fleſh ſpiritually, although carnally and viſibly he do preſs, with his teeth, the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Chriſt; but rather, he eats to his own judgment the Sacrament of ſo great a thing, who being unclean did preſume to come unto the Sacrament of Chriſt, which no man takes worthily, but who is clean. Hence we ſee, that Haymo thought wicked men cannot eat the body of Chriſt, but only the Sacrament of it; and whoſoever eats Chriſt's fleſh, abides in Chriſt, and is immortal; therefore he did not beleeve Tranſubſtantiation: And here again, he confirms the perſeverance of them who have true grace. In the Homily De Paſstone Chriſti ſecundum Matth. he ſaith, After he had ſupped, he gave them bread and wine, to wit, in a myſtery of his body and blood; for becauſe bread ſtrengthneth the heart of man, and wine augmenteth blood in man, juſtly is the bread turned into the body of Chriſt, and the wine into his blood; not by figure, or by ſhadow, but in truth; for we beleeve that it is the fleſh of Chriſt in truth, and likewiſe his blood; but becauſe human frailty is not accuſtomed to eat raw fleſh, and to drink blood, therefore the ſame p. 176fleſh is tranſlated into bread, and his blood into wine. And in the next page he ſaith, He gave it unto his Diſciples, and ſaid; Take ye, eat ye. This is contrary unto them which give the Euchariſt unto dead men; for when the Lord had ſaid, Take ye; preſently he adds, And eat ye; becauſe it is not ſufficient to take, unleſs each do eat it to his ſalvation; becauſe what they could not take in their life, they ſhall not be able to take after death. Likewiſe taking the Cup, he gave thanks, and gave it unto them; and ſaid, Drink ye all of it; that whoſoever takes, ſhould drink. Here is Tranſubſtantiation will a Romaniſt ſay: But obſerve firſt, How can the opinion of Tranſubſtantiation ſtand with the preceding teſtimony? 2. He ſpeaks here as Remigius did before; to wit, not a ſubſtantial change, but a real change in reſpect of uſe and condition. 3. He ſaith, Chriſt's fleſh is tranſlated into the bread; as well as he ſaith, the bread is turned into his body; but this they will not maintain, and neither of them is done ſubſtantially, and yet both really; to wit, as he ſaith in the firſt words, in a myſtery. 4. He ſaith expreſsly, Chriſt gave them bread, and commanded to eat; therefore it is ſtill bread, and muſt be eaten. The bread is ſuch bread as ſtrengthneth the heart, and the wine is ſuch wine as augmenteth blood; therefore the ſubſtance of bread and wine doth remain. And here he condemns another practiſe of the Romaniſts, which although they do not profeſs in writing, yet I have heard credibly reported, that they do (as baptize dead children, ſo) put bread, or the hoſty, into the mouths of the elder perſons, when they are dead. This Haymo writ alſo a large Commentary on the Revelation; wherein, though he fail in the application of the Prophetical part, as not knowing what was to come, yet is he Orthodox in doctrine, and contradicts the preſent Romiſh Church in many particulars; and (as once I have ſaid before) we look upon the pure mettle, and leave the droſs. In lib. 1. at the words, Grace and peace; he ſaith, It is to be noted, that it is not ſaid, Peace and Grace, but grace is premitted, and peace follows; becauſe none can attain the peace of reconciliation, unleſs the grace of mercy prevene him; becauſe that we may come to the peace of God, we are prevened by the grace of God; and generally, all things which we have from God, whether in faith, or in work, in abſtinence; faſting, and other things, are given to us freely of his only mercy. On Cap. 2. at the words, I will make him a Pillar in the Temple; he ſaith, None doubteth that the Temple of God is the Church of the Elect....The Lord then ſaith, Who overcometh, underſtand ye, the temptations of the Divel, worldly luſts, and carnal delights, I will make him a Pillar in the Temple of my God; that is, I will make him ſtrong in good work, that he ſhall not fear any loſs; but moreover by the ſtrength of his fortitude, that is, by his example and doctrine he may ſuſtain the Church: And where it is ſaid, He ſhall not go forth any more, it is manifeſtly known that he had gone forth....but being recalled, he ſhall go no more forth; that is, he ſhall be ſeparated no more from the grace of Chriſt. As in this place, ſo in a hundred more of that Commentary, he calleth the member of the Church, the Elect; and he ſpeaks oft of their perſeverance. In lib. 2. on cap. 3. at theſe words, I will ſup with him; he ſaith, The head ſupped with the members, and the members with the head; becauſe Chriſt died for the Elect, and the Elect die with him, that they alſo may perfect the will of the Father: Chriſt feedeth us, becauſe he inlightneth us with his faith; and on the other ſide, we feed Chriſt, when we do delight him with our faith and works. On cap. 8. at theſe words, And another Angel came, and ſtood before the Altar; he ſaith, This other Angel is the man Chriſt-God; of whom the Prophet ſaith, His name ſhall be called the Angel of the great Counſel; for he is the meſſenger of the Father's will, which came and p. 177ſtood before the Altar with a golden Cenſer, to ſhew that he is the true High-Prieſt of good things to come; for it is the miniſtry of a Prieſt to ſtand at the Altar, and diligently to burn the Incenſe being prepared with ſpices; for he is the Angel of Angels, and the High-Prieſt of Prieſts. Moreover, before the Altar, that is, before all the Church, which burneth with the fire of God's love; and offereth unto God a true ſacrifice (that is, a contrite heart,) killing kimſelf, that he might be a living and reaſonable ſacrifice: For before this Altar ſtandeth the Angel, that is, the true High-Prieſt, by whom we ſend all our Sacrifices unto God the Father; wherefore alſo the Prieſts, in all their prayers, make mention of him, that by him they may be heard, ſaying; Through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.....To this Angel the Incenſes are given, that he ſhould offer them unto the Father upon the Altar, that is, upon himſelf, by whom the godly do direct, unto the Father, their prayers, and all their works; as it is written, If any man ſin, we have with the Father an Advocate, Jeſus Chriſt the juſt, and he is the propitiation for our ſins. Here he expoundeth not that Text, as the Rhemiſts and other late Papiſts do, of a created Raphiel or other Angel; and out of it, they would prove the lawfullneſs of praying to Angels. On Chap. 9. at the words, And there aroſe a ſmoke out of the pit; he ſaith, That is, the doctrine of wicked Hereticks is made manifeſt; which is well compared unto ſmoke, becauſe it wants the light of truth; and what in the Holy Scripture gives light unto the godly, that poureth blindneſs upon Hereticks, and they ceaſe not to obſcure the light of faith unto others.....And there come locuſts upon the earth, to wit, Diſciples of errour come to deceive the earthly hearts of men; for locuſts neither walk forward, as ſome wights, neither do they flee as fowls; becauſe the Diſciples of Hereticks, and Hereticks themſelves, neither have upright faith that they may flee and ſeek heavenly things with the godly; of whom Eſaias ſaith, Who are theſe which flee as Clouds; nor have forward or right walking of works, that they can ſay with the Pſalmiſt, He ſet my feet upon a Rock, and directs my ſteps. The locuſts do leap and eat every green thing, becauſe they are lifted up with pride, and kill ſo many ſouls as they can, which have the greenneſs of faith.....And it was commanded them, that they should not hurt the graſs....Here the graſs is taken in a good ſenſe, for it ſignifieth ſucking ones, which cannot eat ſolid meat, but delight in the ſuperfice of the Letter; to whom the Apoſtle ſaith, I could not ſpeak unto you as ſpiritual men, but as carnal...And every green thing, ſignifieth them who have made better progreſs; who can now underſtand what John ſaith, In the beginning was the word. And the Trees are they who are perfect and ſtrong in the faith, becauſe ſuch can indure the wind of temptations....But only the men which have not the ſign of God in their fore-heads, underſtand ye worthily; becauſe here are excluded, not only thoſe which are without the Church, that is, Pagans and Jews; but alſo falſe Chriſtians, who have the ſign in their body, that is, are baptized, and are within the Church, but with their works do defile the faith which they ſeem to have; and therefore are hurt.....ſeeing many do confeſs Chriſt in words only, but having a form of godlineſs, deny the power thereof; they confeſs they know God, but deny him by their works. The Reader may judge, whether in all this teſtimony he deſcribeth not the Jeſuits, as if he had ſeen or had experience of them; at leaſt, his words are contrary unto them; for they eſpecially do ſpeak againſt the Scriptures, and ceaſe not to obſcure them; and ſo forth: But eſpecially, mark how Haymo expounds The ſign of God in their fore-heads; whereas the Rhemiſts in their Annotations, and others of that ſtamp, do expound it of the ſign of the Croſs. In lib. 6. on chap. 19. at the words, I fell at his feet, to worship....he ſaith, Becauſe John ſaw him greater p. 178then himſelf, he falling down would have worſhipped him; for here both the Angel and John take their own perſons: for whereas the Angel had ſaid, I am alpha and omega, the firſt and the laſt; he ſhews in this place, that he was ſent in the perſon of Chriſt; when conſidering his own perſon, he forbids that John do not worſhip him....he ſaith, See, that is, beware that thou do it not, for I am thy fellow-ſervant; for we both, thou and I, have one Lord; and in nothing am I preferred above thee, but in doctrine, which I am ſent to teach thee; neither am I thy companion only, but alſo of thy brethren; to wit, I profeſs my ſelf the co-equal of all beleeving men, which have the teſtimony of Jeſus, that is, the faith of Jeſus....Worship God; as if he had ſaid, Do not worſhip me, who ſpeak theſe words unto thee, but him in whoſe perſon I appear. How far differeth Haymo here from the Reformed Church? And yet the Rhemiſts on that Text ſay, The Proteſtants abuſe this place, and the example of the Angel, forbidding Iohn to adore him.....but in truth it makes for no ſuch purpoſe, but only warneth us, that Divine honour and adoration due unto God alone, may not be given unto Angels. But we ſee, that Haymo knew not any ſuch diſtinction; and he gives a reaſon, why no Beleever ſhould worſhip an Angel in any way. In lib. 7. on the ſame chap. he ſaith, If the firſt man had not ſinned, he had continued immortal; but becauſe he contemned God's command, immediately he incurreth God's wrath, and dieth. A little after, Haymo hath many ſignifications of the word Sun, in Scripture; but he ſhews not that it ſignifieth the Pope. At the laſt words of the Book, he ſaith; Obſerve, this Book beginneth with grace, and endeth in grace; becauſe both by prevening grace are we ſaved, and by ſubſequent grace are we juſtified: wherefore Paul alſo ordreth his Epiſtles unto the Churches, in this manner, that he beginneth with grace, and cloſeth with grace. He hath many ſuch paſſages, but theſe may ſerve for a taſt of the doctrine, of thoſe times, in the Church.

19. Lupus was Abbot of the Monaſtery of Ferraria, by the water Lupa running into Sene, at the ſame time. He writ ſeveral Epiſtles unto King Lewis, to Hincmar, &c. which were Printed at Paris, An. 1588. In the firſt Epiſtle, he ſaith, Now they are accounted troubleſom, who are deſirous to learn; and as if they were ſet in an high place, the unlearned gaze on them continually; and if they can eſpy any fault in them, it is not called human frailty, but it is imputed unto the quality of learning. In the 2 and 4 Epiſtle, He comforteth his Maſter Einhard, after the death of his wife; he ſpeaks honourably of marriage, and comfortably of the eſtate of the godly after this life, without any mention of Purgatory, or maſs for the defunct: and he interlaceth theſe ſentences, The word of God inlightneth the moſt obſcure darkneſs of this life; as it is ſaid, Thy word is a Lantern unto my feet: The way of man is not in his own power, but the footſteps of men are directed by God; and the liberty of man's free-will, hath altogether need of the help of God's grace. When we are in any diſtreſs, the more truly we are ſenſible of our frailty, the more ſpeedily ſhould we run unto the help of God's mercy; and it is ſweetly ſaid, Where man's power faileth, the help of God is preſent; neither is this a long travel, if we indeavour: for he who calleth ſaying, Come unto me, who are weary; he informeth them which come, and without all doubt he crowneth them continuing in him. Say with the famous and moſt ſweet Auguſtine, Give me, Lord, what thou biddeſt do, and bid do what thou willeſt; ſeeing God both prevenes and follows us, that we may will or do any good. In the 112 Epiſtle, Let the worthineſs of virginity be commended ſo, that the humility of marriage be not deſpiſed. Catal. teſt. ver. lib. 9. Trithem. in Catal. Illuſtr. ſaith, that he writ of redemption ſuperfluouſly, even to the p. 179ſalvation of Reprobates. Here Trithem. doth him wrong, as appears by the book it ſelf, which was Printed lately at Rotterdam, with a Preface of the learned Doctor Rivet, or Renatus Deviraeus, who hath a part of his XXX Epiſtle written unto Gotteſchalk, anſwering unto that queſtion, Whether we ſhall, after reſurrection, behold God with bodily ey? Here he commendeth the modeſty of Auguſtine, and denieth that God can be ſeen in his ſubſtance, which priviledge is reſerved unto the Spirit; and then he ſaith, Though I pay my debt of love unto thee, much reſpected brother, I cannot fully diſcharge it; but I exhort thee, that thou ſpend not thy ſpirits any more on ſuch queſtions; leſt being taken up with them more than is needfull, thou be leſs able to ſearch and teach profitable things......In the mean time, let us walk in the moſt large field of holy Scriptures, and give our ſelves wholly unto the meditation of them, and ſeek the Lord's face humbly, piouſly and continually, for no good ſhall be lacking unto them who ſeek him. Then that Preface ſhews, that this Abbot was not Authour of that Book, which Trithemius and others do call his; but another Lupus, who did live at the ſame time; to wit,

20. Lupus Servatus a Benedictine, in the Abbey of Saint Amand, in the Diocy of Tornac. writ a Treatiſe of free-will, predeſtination, and of the price of Chriſt's blood. The ſum of that Treatiſe the Authour did collect in an Epiſtle unto King Charls the Bald, who had commanded him to write on that ſubject. His words are; God made Adam upright, as the holy Scripture teacheth, and in him he created us all originally upright; this father of mankind forſaking natural uprightneſs (none forcing him) did ſin ſo grievouſly, that himſelf, and in him he condemned us all which are begotten of both ſexes: God therefore made human nature excellently good, but man hath corrupted it miſerably by his ſpontaneous fault: Adam was then, as ſaith bleſſed Ambroſe, and we all were in him; but Adam periſhed, and we all periſhed in him: Let us praiſe God's work, and confeſs that nothing but puniſhment is due unto our fault. But God, to whom all things which were, are, and which are to come, are preſent (for he is what he is) nor can be any addition or diminution of his knowledge; ſeeing he fore-knew the whole maſs of mankind to be corrupted with ſin, would not hold from it the good of his creation, ſeeing he could uſe well even evil things; and before the foundation of the world, he did chuſe out of that maſs, whom by grace he would deliver from deſerved puniſhment; as the Apoſtle ſaith, As he hath choſen us before the foundation of the World: But others, on whom he vouchſafes not this grace of mercy, he in juſt judgment leaveth them in damnation, which they have deſerved by ſin. And thus, as the Apoſtle ſaith, he hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardneth. He ſhews mercy on ſuch whom he aſſumeth by grace, and he hardneth thoſe whom he doth not mollifie by the ſame grace; but howbeit in hid, yet in juſt judgment he leaveth them. Thoſe then on whom he ſhews mercy, are predeſtinated for glory; as the Apoſtle ſaith, Whom he hath foreknown, he hath predeſtinated, and they are called the veſſels of honour. Theſe do ow unto him what they are, and what they have, becauſe they are made by his goodneſs, when before they were not; and of his bountifulneſs they are ſaved, when they were loſt. But thoſe whom he hardneth, that is, whom he ſoftneth not, which are left in damnation, which they have originally and actually deſerved, are called veſſels fitted unto contumely, and prepared for deſtruction. That thoſe are created, it is the good gift of God; and that they are puniſhed it is their own evil. Bleſſed Auguſtine in many of his books, and eſpecially in that he writ laſt, doubteth not to ſay, that they ar predeſtinated to puniſhment; not meaning a fatal neceſſity on them which ſhall periſh, p. 180but the unchangeable deſertion of them which are forſaken: For he had read, If God ſhut up a man, who ſhall open unto him? And alſo conſider the works of God, that none can correct what he hath deſpiſed: And that alſo, I have given them over into the deſires of their hearts, and they ſhall walk in their own devices. And I think he was led into this thought, eſpecially by that teſtimony concerning God, Which made what was to come: And to whom it is ſaid, Thou wilt give to every one according to their works; which, indeed, he will do to each one, except whom he bleſſeth by forgiving their iniquities, and hiding their ſins; which advancing his grace with higheſt praiſes can ſay, He deals not with us according to our ſins, nor rewardeth us according to our iniquities. With Auguſtine do, in other words, agree Jerom, Gregory, Beda, Iſidore...as I could eaſily demonſtrate. Certainly the firſt man did, by ſinning, loſe free-will in good, which he did deſpiſe; and he holds it in evil, which he choſe: But as if a man willeth, he can kill himſelf, by with-holding food from himſelf; but when he is killed, he cannot make himſelf to live; ſo man could willingly loſe the uſe of free-will in good, by forſaking it; but he cannot reſume it by his own ſtrength, even although he would; therefore he ſhall not have free-will in good, unleſs it be made free by the grace of God. Our Lord Jeſus, which knew (as it is written) what is in man, declareth this ſoundly, when he ſaid, Without me ye can do nothing; to wit, no good thing; for he cannot be the Authour nor co-worker of ill, who (as John Baptiſt ſaith) is the Lamb of God, and takes away the ſins of the World; to wit, both which were, and that they be not done. And elſewhere, If the Son ſhall make you free, ye ſhall be truly free.....God's grace preveneth us; as it is written, My God his mercy ſhall prevene me, that we may both will and begin: and his grace followeth us; as it is written, Thy mercy ſhall follow me; that in vain we will not or begin. Theſe then are principally of God, as is clear by theſe teſtimonies; and but conſequently ours, becauſe they are done by us willingly; as it is written, Lord, thou wilt give us peace, for thou workeſt all our works unto us.......Laſtly, whom God hath redeemed by his blood, it is learned by the Goſpel. In Matthew the Lord ſaith, Drink ye all of this, for this is my blood of the new Teſtament, which ſhall be ſhed for many for remiſſion of ſins: And in Mark, This is my blood of the new Teſtament, which ſhall be ſhed for many: But in Luke, This is the new Teſtament of my blood, which ſhall be ſhed for you. Then two Evangeliſts ſay, For many; and one, For you; becauſe the Diſciples are amongſt the many; but none ſaith, For all. And leſt I be judged to ſearch thus raſhly, holy Jerom expounding that Text, The Son of Man came not to be ſerved, but to ſerve, and to give his ſoul a ranſom for many; ſaith, When he took the form of a ſervant, that he might ſhed his blood for the World; and ſaid not, he would give his ſoul a ranſom for all; but for many, that is, for them which were to beleeve in him. In this expoſition, according to the Catholick faith, he teaches that only Beleevers are underſtood.......Who dare contradict ſo clear lights confirming their doctrine by Evangelical ſenſe, but which are not aſhamed to appear without light? And that I may ſpeak with leave and reverence of ſo great a man, John Biſhop of Conſtantinople [Chryſoſtom] not ſeeing this ſenſe flowing from the fountain of the Goſpel, when he expounds that of the Apoſtle, That, by the grace of God, he should taſt death for all men; not for Beleevers only, ſaid he, but for all the World; and truly, he died for all men: But what if all men beleeve not? He hath done his part. But when he thought thus, he hath not confirmed it by a Divine teſtimony. And if any hath ſhewed, or ſhall ſhew unto your Excellency, that one Fauſtus hath written far otherwiſe of the things, credit ye not him who erreth, &c.

p. 18121. At the ſame time was alſo queſtion of the preſence of Chriſt's body in the Sacrament. Charls the Bald gave in command unto Bertram, a Prieſt at Corbey, to ſearch and write what was the doctrine of the Fathers and ancient Church in this article. Trithemius ſaith, Bertram was ſingularly learned, of an excellent eloquence and utterance, pregnant in judgment, and no leſs famous for holineſs of life; and writ many excellent Treatiſes, whereof few have come to our hands. In obedience unto his Soveraign, he did compile a Treatiſe, De Corpore & Sanguine Domini, which is all inſerted in Catal. teſt. ver. lib. 10, and was lately tranſlated into our language, and Printed at Aberdeen; ſo that who pleaſeth to read it, may eaſily find it. Only the eſtate of the queſtion I ſet down here, with an argument or two; and his concluſion your high Excellency deſireth to underſtand, Whether that Body and Blood of Chriſt, which is received by the mouth of Beleevers in the Church, be taken in a myſtery, or according to literal verity? that is, whether it contain ſome ſecret thing which is only manifeſt to the ey of faith, or without the vail of any myſtery; if the eys of the body behold that outwardly, which the ſoul and mind do behold inwardly? Unto this he adjoineth another, Whether it be the ſame body which was born of the Virgin Mary, and which ſuffered and died? Concerning the firſt, he ſhews, that the word literal verity, ſignifieth a demonſtration of a thing in its proper and manifeſt ſignification; as when it is ſaid, Chriſt died: And that in a figure, is when a thing is ſignified in an over-hallowing vail or trope; as when Chriſt ſaith, I am the Vine; ſuch ſpeeches ſay one thing, and ſignifie another, ſaith he. His firſt reaſon is, If the Sacrament of Chriſt's body and blood be celebrated without any figure, it is not properly called a myſtery, wherein is no ſecret thing, nothing removed from our corporal ſenſes: But that Bread which, by conſecration of the Prieſt, is made the body of Chriſt, ſhews one thing to the outward ſenſes of men, and crieth another thing inwardly to the ſouls of Beleevers; outwardly the bread is the ſelf-ſame that it was before, for we ſee the ſame ſhape and colour, and the ſame taſt is perceived; but inwardly, a far more excellent, different, and precious thing is ſignified and exhibited, becauſe it is heavenly and divine; that is, the body of Chriſt is ſhewed unto us, yet not ſeen with fleſhly eys; but is ſeen, taken and eaten by the looking of a beleeving ſoul. The wine alſo, which by conſecration is made the Sacrament of Chriſt's Blood, repreſenteth one thing outwardly, and contains another thing inwardly; for what ſee we outwardly but the ſubſtance of wine? taſt it, and it is wine; ſmell it, and it ſavoureth wine; look on it, and you ſee the colour of wine: But if it be conſidered inwardly in the mind, it taſts not as wine; but as the blood of Chriſt, unto the beleeving ſoul; and it is acknowledged ſuch, when it is ſeen; and ſo it is approved, when it is ſmelled. Theſe to be ſuch, it is manifeſt; becauſe none can deny, but that bread and wine, is only figuratively the body and blood of Chriſt; for, as is clearly ſeen and known, no fleſh is in that bread, nor can any drop of blood be pointed forth in that wine; whereas nevertheleſs after conſecration they are not called bread or wine, but the body and blood of Chriſt. After thirty other arguments, proving a figure in theſe words, This is my body; he comes to the other queſtion, and hath this argument, The fleſh of Chriſt, which was crucified, did ſhew no more outwardly, then it was in it ſelf, becauſe it was the fleſh of a very man; to wit, a true body under the form of a true body: But we muſt conſider in that bread, not only the body of Chriſt, but the bodies of all Beleevers are alſo repreſented in it; for which cauſe, it is made of many grains of wheat; becauſe the body of the Church, is made up of many beleevers of the word of Chriſt; for this cauſe, as in the myſtical bread the body of Chriſt is underſtood; ſo alſo, in the ſame myſtery, p. 182the members of the Church are repreſented to be one in Chriſt; and as not corporally but ſpiritually that bread is called the body of the Church or beleeving people; after the ſame manner alſo, it muſt be underſtood to be the body of Chriſt; not corporally, but........Alſo the things which are alike, are comprehended under the ſame definition: But concerning the true body of Chriſt; it is ſaid, He is very God, and very Man, who in the latter time of the World, was born of the Virgin: and theſe things cannot be ſaid of the body of Chriſt, which is conſecrated in a myſtery in the Church; therefore according to a certain manner only, is it to be the body of Chriſt; and that manner, is by a figure and in reſemblance, that ſo the truth of the thing it ſelf, may be the more ſenſibly underſtood. In the prayers alſo, which are ſaid after the myſtery of the body and blood of Chriſt, and wherein the people anſwer, Amen; the Prieſt uttereth theſe words, We beſeech thee, O Lord, which are partakers of the pledges of eternal life, that what we touch in reſemblance in this Sacrament, we may receive it in the manifeſt participation of the thing it ſelf. Now we know that a pledge or reſemblance, is of another thing reſembled; that is, they are not to be conſidered as they are in themſelves, but as they have reference to another thing; for a pledge is of that for which it is given, and ſo is an Image the reſemblance of that whoſe ſimilitude it repreſenteth....wherefore it is the body and blood of Chriſt which the Church celebrateth, but as a pledge and reſemblance. The concluſion is; Wherefore, moſt noble Prince, let your wiſdom conſider, that it is moſt clearly ſhewed, by teſtimonies of Scripture, and words of the holy Fathers, that the bread, which is called the body of Chriſt, is a figure, becauſe it is a myſtery; and that there is a great difference between the myſtery of his body, and his body it ſelf....And we add (ſaith he) that the Bread and Cup, which are called the Body and Blood of Chriſt, do repreſent and are in remembrance of the Lord's death; as he ſaid, Do this in remembrance of me; and Paul expounds, How oft ye eat this bread,...ſhew forth the Lord's death. Now ſome Popiſh Indices have forbidden this book altogether, as unlawfull; and thoſe of Doway perceiving that the forbidding of it, did occaſion men to look after it, thought it better to let it go abroad; but in ſome places maimed, and in others perverted; as where it is ſaid viſibiliter, they will have it inviſibiliter; and where it is ſaid, ſecundum creaturarum ſubſtantiam, they bid to expound it, ſecundum externas ſpecies ſacramenti. Likewiſe Biſhop Uſſer, in Hiſtor. Gotteſ. cap. 11, writes, that he had ſeen other books of Bertram in manuſcripts, and containing the ſame doctrine; eſpecially his book De Praedeſtinatione, which he writ in defence of the doctrine for which Gotteſchalk did ſuffer, is extant under the name of Ratrannus, Monk of Corbey.

22. Remigius Biſhop of Altiſiodor. or of Auxerre, about the year 880, was called Doctor Sententioſus; he writ many works. On Pſal. 10. he ſaith; All my faith is in Chriſt, by him only do I beleeve to be juſtified and ſaved; he is my mountain, and my refuge; for he is my Lord, which is God by nature; but all ye who are men, are infirm as I. On Pſal. 18. The Heavens declare the glory of God; to wit, that he ſaveth not by works of righteouſneſs, which we have done; but of his own righteouſneſs; for all men have ſinned, and ſtand in need of the glory of God, being juſtified freely. This is the declaring of God's glory; that is, his mercy which is ſhewed by the Sun, wherein God is glorified......So long as we are in this body, it cannot be but ſin is in us; then it reigneth, when we conſent, and make our will ſubject unto it: wherefore the Apoſtle ſaith, Let not ſin reign in your mortal bodies; therefore, O Lord, cleanſe me, and ſpare me; but ſo that I be not ſubject to my own thoughts, nor the inticement of others. On Pſal. 21. Adam made the old people by conformity p. 183unto him; to wit, he was a ſervant; but the Lord hath made the new people, becauſe he juſtifieth freely, without our preceding merits; for we made our ſelves ſinners, but the only mercy of God makes us righteous.....The poor ſhall eat me; that is, ſhall receive the Sacrament of my body and blood; and they ſhall be filled by following me, and denying themſelves; becauſe to eat the Lord, is to have a will to follow him in all things, and to be one with him. On Pſal. 29. Eternal life is not by merit; becauſe we could fall of our ſelves, but we could not riſe of our ſelves; but through his will, that is, only of mercy. On Pſal. 33. Truly, they only are bleſſed, they only are ſaved, which are juſtified by grace, and not by their merits. On Pſal. 39, When we live well, let us aſcribe nothing to our merits, but all to the grace of God. On Pſal. 55, If we will offer ſacrifice to God, we need not ſeek any thing without to offer, within us is the Incenſe of praiſe, and the ſacrifice of faith. On Pſal. 64. Propitiation is miſeration ſhewed after ſacrifice: So Chriſt willing to ſhew merciemercy [propitiari] on his people, became a Prieſt, praying unto the Father, with hands lifted up upon the Croſs; he offered a ſacrifice, becauſe he offered himſelf on the Altar of the Croſs; he is the Prieſt, he is the Sacrifice, the Propitiator, and the propitiation. On Pſal. 85. God the Father could give no greater gift unto men, then that he made his Word, by which he made all things, to be a head unto them, and did fit theſe men to be as members unto Him; ſo that He is God with the Father, and Man with men; who both prayeth for us, and prayeth in us, and is praied unto by us. He prayeth for us, becauſe he is Prieſt and Sacrifice, interceding daily with the Father for us. He prayeth in us, becauſe he is our head; neither is this any wonder, if Chriſt and the Church be in one voice, becauſe they are in one bodie. He is prayed unto by us, as our God; he is prayed unto in the form of God; he prayeth in the form of man; there the Creator, here a creature. On Pſal. 70. It is a great gift of God, and a great knowledge of man, to obſerve and underſtand, that whatſoever he is, he is nothing without the grace of God, and he is nothing of himſelf; for he which will be any thing of himſelf, he tendeth not to be; but who ſtudieth to be ſomething, by the grace of God, abideth in true being [in vero eſse.] This is grace, by which we were made, when we were not; of ungodly, we were made godlie; of ſlaves, free; of damned, were aſſumed into the Kingdom. On Pſal. 96, Let them be confounded who glory in Images; for Images are not to be adored, neither is an Angel to be adored; becauſe it is ſaid in the Revelation, See thou do it not. Catal. teſtat. veri. libr. 10.

23. Paſchaſius Rathbert, Abbot of Corbeyen, at the ſame time writ a book De Euchariſtia. He ſaith Ca. 1. Chriſt hath left unto us his Church, no greater thing then this Sacrament and Baptiſm, and the holy Scriptures; in all which, the Holy Ghoſt (who is a pawn unto his Church) doth work inwardly the myſtical things of our ſalvation unto immortalitie. But in them is nothing wondrous unto unbeleevers; and yet unto them who beleeve nothing is better, nothing is given more wonderfull in this World: Not that theſe wondrous things lie open unto the eies, but by faith and underſtanding they are ſavourie with divine myſteries; and in them immortalitie and participation of Chriſt, in the unity of body, is granted unto mortal men. Ca. 5. We drink Chriſt's blood ſpiritually, and we eat his fleſh ſpiritually, wherein eternal life is beleeved; to think otherwiſe, according to fleſh, is death; and to eat the fleſh of Chriſt ſpiritually, is eternal life. Ca. 6. Unleſs one abide in Chriſt, and Chriſt in him, he cannot eat of Chriſt, nor drink his blood: And what is it that men eat? Behold how oft all do eat at the Altar indifferently, one eats the fleſh of Chriſt ſpiritually, and another not, although we ſee that he takes a p. 184morſel from the Prieſt's hand. What then getteth he, ſeeing there is but one conſecration, if he get not the body and blood of Chriſt? Truly, becauſe he eateth unworthily; as Paul ſaith, he eats and drinks damnation to himſelf. Ca. 15. Drink ye all of this, as well Miniſters as Beleevers. In many Chapters, he diſtinguiſheth between the ſign and the thing ſignified. Biblioth. de la Bigne, tom. 6.

24. When Leo Armenius Emperour of Conſtantinople, had Wars with The converſion of the Bulgarians,Martagon Prince of Bulgaria, his ſiſter was taken Captive; the Emperour cauſed her to be inſtructed in the Chriſtian faith, and ſhe was baptized. Martagon ſent for her, and in lieu of her he ſent her husband Cuphara. When ſhe was returned, ſhe did commend unto her Brother the Chriſtian religion many a time; but he did nothing regard her ſpeeches, untill the Country was plagued with peſtilence and famine; and then he called upon that God whom his ſiſter had ſo oft talked of, that he would deliver him and his people: Soon thereafter they were delivered, and he did acknowledge the power of Chriſt, and ſent unto the Emperour for Teachers; then he was baptized. But the people moved inſurrection againſt him, becauſe he had forſaken the rites of his Anceſtours. He was nothing afraid, but became victorious, and then they all became Chriſtians. Zonar. Ann. tom. 3. After the death of the Emperour Theophilus, the Prince of Bulgaria ſeeing the Empire to be governed by a woman, and a young child, ſent unto Conſtantinople, alledging his League now to be out of date; and he denounceth wars. Theodora returned anſwer, that ſhe would defend the Empire, and if it ſhall pleaſe God that ſhe prevail, he would be overcom by a woman; and he may conſider what a ſhame that were unto him; but if ſhe were overcom, his victory were not honourable, in taking advantage of a woman. When he received this anſwer, he was content to renew the former league, Zonar. ibid. I mark this Hiſtory, to ſhew the difference of people in old times, from them who have lived lately; when Kings will make Wars without any denounciation, or accepting any reaſonable intreaty. The Emperour Baſilius Macedo did perſwade many Jews to imbrace and many Iews,Chriſtian religion; and to effect that he gave them both money and liberty. He made alſo a League with the Rhoſſiti, a Nation of Scythians, by the Mountain Taurus, but upon condition that they would accept Chriſtianity, and ſome Scythians.and ſent Teachers unto them: But they lingre, and ſaid unto the Biſhop, That they would ſee ſome of thoſe miracles, which he ſaid Chriſt had wrought, or elſe they would not beleeve him. Then ſaid he, Say what you would have done. They anſwered, Throw that book into the fire, which teacheth of Chriſt; and if it burn not, it ſhall be an argument unto us that Chriſt is God, whom thou preacheſt. The Biſhop was content, a fire is kindled; and the Biſhop lifting up his eys and hands unto Heaven, ſaid, O Jeſu Chriſt very God, glorifie thy own name. So before them all he threw the Goſpel into the fire: It continued in the fire a long ſpace without any change. The Barbarians were aſtoniſhed, and beleeving in Chriſt, did crave to be baptized. Zonar. loc. cit.