A Case for the Spectacles, Chapter 9 · Section 4

A Case for the Spectacles · Chapter 9 · Section 4

p. 61Concerning the 7. Sacraments, Spectacles, paragraph. 4. a pag. 199. us{que} ad 242.

THe Knight unjustly chargeth Bellarmine 1for laying a foundation of Atheisme,Concil. Trid. Sess. 7. can. 1. Bell. de effect. sacram. l. 2. c. 25. si tollamus authoritatem praesentis ecclesiae, & praesentis concilij, in dubiū revocari poterunt omnium aliorum cōciliorum decreta & tota fides christiana. 1 Eliz. 1. in saying that if wee should take away the credit of the Roman Church and Councell of Trent (which decreeth the precise number of 7. Sacraments;) the Decrees of other Councels, nay even Christian faith it selfe might be called in question, for if such a generall Councell may erre, the Church may erre; if the Church may erre, the faith which that Church teacheth may faile, and consequently there can bee no certaintie. S. Gregorie the great, did often say, and write, that hee did hold the 4, first Councels in the same honour that hee did the 4. Gospels, which is the same, as to say they could as little erre as the 4. Gospels. And the Parliament lawes of England give as great authoritie to those 4. first Councels, as S. Gregorie doth, acknowledging that for heresie, whatsoever is condemned for such by any of them, which is in other words to acknowledge them for a Rule of faith, p. 62and consequently of infallible authoritie: neither can any thing be said more against the present Church, and present Councell of Trent, then against the Church of that time, and the Councels of those times.

2The Knight impertinently alledgeth the testimonies of S. Paul, You know that I have withdrawne nothing that was profitable v. 27. I have not shrunke to declare unto you the whole counsell of God.Acts 20.20. and Bellarmine l. 4. d. verb. Dei. All those things are written by the Apostle, which are necessarie for all men, and which they preached generally unto all. For S. Paul speaketh not of the written word, but of the doctrine of Christ by him preached; neither doth Bellarmines saying helpe any thing, because though those things which are necessarie in generall for all to know, which are but few bee written, there bee yet many more not written, which are necessarie to bee knowne by some in the Church.

3The Knight in praying that the Anathema decreed by the Councell of Trent might fall upon his head, if any Papist could shew the number of seven Sacraments to have beene the beliefe of the Church for a thousand yeares after Christ, is too forward to draw malediction upon himselfe; it will come fast enough to his cost. It is an heavier thing then he is a ware of to have the curse of a mother, and such a mother as the Church which doth not curse without cause,Ecclesi…cus 3.11. nor out of passion. For as the Scripture saith, maledictio matris eradicat fundamenta, the malediction of a mother doth roote out the foundations.

4The Knights definition of a Sacrament, to wit, that it is a seale witnessing to our consciences, that p. 63Gods promises are true is senselesse, and without ground, largely refuted by Bellarmine, Bell. l. 1. de sac. in genere. c. 14. 16.and proved to bee most absurd. For how can the Sacraments bee seales to give us assurance of his words, when all the assurance wee have of a Sacrament is his word? this is idem per idem. Besides, what promises are these that are sealed? or if they be sealed, what need we more seales and Sacraments then one? if there may bee more, why not seven as well as two? Againe, how doe wee see the promises of God in the Sacraments? these are but foolish fancies, bred in hereticall braines, and so to be contemned.

The Knights Argument against five of our Sacraments, 5that in them the element is not joyned to the Word, or they have not their institution from Christ, or they bee not visible signes of invisible saving grace, is frivolous. For confirmation and extreame Vnction have the element, and the Word, to wit, oyle and the forme: order and penance have institution from Christ, as is confessed in order the patten with an Host and Chalice with wine in it is the outward element: in penance humble confession with prayer, fasting, and almes deedes, are the outward element: in Matrimonie the bodyes of a man or woman are as much an outward element, as water in baptisme: and though Matrimonie might bee a naturall contract before the Gospell, yet was it exalted to the dignitie of a Sacrament by Christ, and though it bee an holy thing as order is, yet as order is forbidden to all women, so upon good reason Mariage is forbidden to all Priests: because it is good, p. 64but of an inferiour ranke, and not so agreeable to the high estate of Priest-hood.

6That S. Ambrose, Austine, Chrysostome, and Bede teaching,Aug. in Iohan. tract. 15 de latere in cruce pendentis lanceâ percusso, sacramenta ecclesiae profluxerunt. that out of Christs side came the Sacraments of the Church prove no more two then seven Sacraments. For they say not that they were then instituted, or that there were no more Sacraments instituted, or that other Sacraments did not issue from thence.

7Saint Ambrose maketh expresse mention of the Sacrament of confirmation,L. 2. de sacram. c. 24. and of penance, as Bellarmine sheweth: who also yeeldeth a reason why S. Ambrose in his bookes de Sacramentis mentioneth no more but three Sacraments, because his intent in that worke is only to instruct the catechumenie in those things which are to bee done at the time of Baptisme. For hee neither writeth to the beleevers of his age, but only to some beginners, as is manifest by the title of one of his bookes: neither doth he there speake of the Sacraments which the Church hath taught and declared, but of the Sacraments which those beginners that hee spake to, had newly received.

8S. Austine in those places where hee speaketh of two Sacraments restraineth not the number to two only.Respice ad munera ecclesiae, munus sacramentorum in baptismo in Eucharistiâ, et c…eteris sanctis sacramentis. For in his first Sermon upon the 103. psalme, hee saith, cast thine eyes upon the gifts, or offices of the Church in Baptisme, the Eucharist, and the rest of the holy Sacraments: and in his Epistle 118. having brought in the two Sacraments, Baptisme, and the Lords Supper, he addeth this generall clause, p. 65and if there bee any thing else commended in canonicall Scriptures. Neither doth the place the Knight citeth out of the third booke de doctrinâ christianâ availe him any thing; for it is plaine by the word sicuti, that he bringeth in Baptisme, and the Lords Supper for example only, which doth no way restraine the number. Besides, his word in this place is not sacraments as the Knight citeth him, but signa signes, which is therefore a corruption of the Knights.

S. Cyprian de ablutione pedum, reckoneth but 9five Sacraments, not that hee thought there were no more:Cyp. de …ablut. ped. propter hoc benignissime Domine, pedes lavas discipulis quia post baptismum quem sui reverentia iterari non patitur, aliud lavacrum procurasti, quod nunquam debeat intermitti. but that it pertained not to his purpose to speake of more in that place: his scope being only to speake of such Sacraments as had relation to our Saviours last Supper, and by ablutio pedum, that Authour meaneth the sacrament of penance, as appeareth by the words following, for this, O most benigne Lord, thou didst wash thy Disciples feet, because after Baptisme which may not be iterated, thou hast procured another laver which must never bee intermitted.

S. Isidore in his sixt booke of Etymologies cited 10by the Knight, doth not so much as intend to speake of any Sacrament at all, but his only intent is to treat of the names of certaine feasts, as the title of the chapter sheweth, to wit, of feasts and their n…mes. Among which he putteth Christs Supper. Moreover, to shew that S. Isidore held more then the three Sacraments the Knight speaketh of, in his second booke de Ecclesiast. offic. c. 16. & l. 23. c. 19. he mentioneth p. 66two more, Penance and Matrimonie.

11Alexander hales in the place alledged by the Knight saith not, that there are no more then foure Sacraments, but on the contrarie concludes, Par. 4. q, 5. n. 7. art. 2. that there bee neither more nor fewer then seven Sacraments; tis true indeed that Hales was of opinion that the forme and matter which wee now use in the Sacrament of confirmation were not appointed by our Saviour, but by the Church in the Councell, at Melda: but this Hales saith, sine praejudicio, that is with leave, not stifly nor arrogantly maintaining his owne opinion.

12Hugo de Sancto victore excludeth not Penance from being a Sacrament. For in his 23. chapter hee calleth Penance the second board after shipwrack,C. 12. Septem sunt principalia ecclesiae sacramenta, &c. and saith, that if any man endanger his cleansing, which he hath received by Baptisme, he may arise, and scape by Penance. Moreover, the same Hugo in his Glasse of the mysteries of the Church saith, that there are seven principall Sacraments of the Church, whereof five are called generall, because they belong unto all, to wit, Baptisme, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Extreame vnction; and two speciall, to wit, Matrimonie and Order.

13Although Bellarmine denieth that Extreame Vnction can be deduced out of the last of S. Marke: and Cajetan out of the first of S. Iames, and although Hugo, and Peter Lomberd, and Bonaventure, and Alensis, and Altisiodorensis denie it to bee instituted by Christ: yet none of them all denie it to be a Sacrament.

p. 67Bessarion the Cardinall saith not that there are 14but two Sacraments; for he was a great man in the Councell of Florence, wherein seven Sacraments are precisely taught: but that we find these two Sacraments expresly delivered, and that wee find none other, and none of the rest so delivered, that is, so plainly.

Soto, though he denieth that ordination of Bishops, 15is truly and properly a Sacrament: yet hee denieth not the Sacrament of order in the Church.

Durand saith indeed that Matrimonie is not ae 16Sacrament univocally, agreeing with the other six: but all acknowledge it to bee an errour in him, and Divines of his owne time did note it for such, though the matter then were not so clearely defined.

Cajetan saith indeed, that the prudent reader 17cannot inferre out of the words of S. Paul, Ephes. 5. hoc est magnum Sacramentum, that Matrimonie is a Sacrament: yet hee denieth it not to bee a Sacrament.Locor. Theol. l. 8. c. 1. si Lutheram de hoc matrimoniorum genere disceptare voluerint, intelligant se in scholae disceptationem incidisse, ne…oportere catholicum ad eorum argumenta respondere: sin verò argumententur matrimonium cum sacris ceremonijs administratum Sacramentum ecclesiae non esse tunc catholicus respondeat fidenter, securè contra pugnet. 18For though it bee not inferred from that place, it may be inferred from other; or if neither from that nor other, yet it may bee deduced out of tradition.

Canus telleth us that the Divines speake so uncertainly of the matter and forme of Matrimonie, that hee should bee accounted an unwise man, who in so great differences of opinion, would take upon him to establish any thing certainly: yet hee denieth not Matrimonie to be a Sacrament. For these are his words, if the Lutherans argue that Mariage administred with sacred Ceremonies, sacred matter, sacred p. 68forme, and by a sacred Minister, as it hath ever beene administred in the Roman Church, even from the Apostles time; if I say they argue that this is not a Sacrament of the Church, then let a Catholique answer confidently, let him defend stoutly, let him gainsay securely.

19Vasquez doth not say, that Matrimonie is not a Sacrament properly so taken: but that S. Austine speaking of Matrimonie doth use the word Sacrament but in a large sense: This is true, but it is but Vasquez his private and singular opinion, not in a point of faith, but only in the meaning of one Father, in the use of a word, and in this his opinion he is contradicted by other Catholique Divines.

20Bellarmine saith, that the Sacraments signifie three things,De Sacram. in Gen. l. 1. c. 9.Gen 50:1 one thing past, to wit, the Passion of Christ; another thing present, to wit, sanctifying grace, which they worke in our soules; another thing to come, to wit, eternall life. The signification of these three things is most apparant in Baptisme, and the Eucharist: but not so apparant in the rest. Thus farre the Knight quoteth Bellarmine, but leaveth out that which followeth, tamen certum est implicitè illa omnia significari; but it is certaine that the rest of the Sacraments signifie all these things at least implicitly.

p. 69The Hammer.

ALthough the Iesuit was very angrie when hee wrote this Paragraph, as appeareth by his snarling at every passage almost: yet in his discretion hee thought good not to meddle with some things, which were too hard for his teeth. To Theophylact, Fulbert, and Paschasius, and the last passage out of S. Austine, as also to the refutation of the popish arguments for their septenarie number of Sacraments, from incongruous and ridiculous congruities, hee replieth not a word, and three of their prime Schoole-men, Durand, Vasques, and Cajetan, hee lets shift for themselves, defend them he neither will nor can; yet for all this hee puts up as if hee had done wonders in this Paragraph, and filleth up the defect of solid answers with bragges, and swelling words of vanitie;

Bullatis vndi{que} nugis

pagina turgescit.

But these bubbles wee shall see will dissolve of themselves, in the particular answer to his twentie severall exceptions against the Knights discourse.

To the first. The Iesuit in this Paragraph 1thinketh that hee discourseth very profoundly, for page 201. he saith, the Knight is not capable of it; whereas his chanel here is so shallow, that any child instructed in his Catechisme, may wade p. 70thorow it. Without an infallible rule, saith he, there can be no certaine beliefe in God. An extreame veritie, without an unerring Pope no certaine rule of faith, an extreame falsitie: the Iesuit cannot see Christ for the Pope, nor the Scripture for the Trent Canons. Let him remove them out of the way; and if hee have an eye of faith, hee may clearly see both, and in them an infallible rule of faith, and certaine meanes to learne true beliefe in God. The occasion of this discourse of the Iesuit was the Knight charging Cardinall Bellarmine for laying a foundation of Atheisme in saying that if we should take away the credit of the Roman Church and Councell of Trent, the Christian faith it selfe might bee called in question. The charge lieth heavie upon the Cardinall. For to disparage the selfe-sufficiencie of the holy Scriptures, and suspend our Christian faith upon the Decrees of a late factious conventicle, rejected by the greater part of the Christian world, is a ready way to overthrow all Divine faith, and true religion. Yet the Iesuit seeketh to cover the nakednesse of the Cardinall with these fig leaves; If a generall Councell may erre, the Church may erre; if the Church may erre, the faith which that Church teacheth may faile, and consequently there can bee no certaintie. How easily are these leaves plucked away, and torne in pieces? 1. Though such a Councell as the Councell of Trent, consisting of a few Bishops swaied by the Italian faction may erre, it would not from thence follow, p. 71that the whole representative Church might erre. 2. Though the whole representative Church in a free and generall Councell lawfully called might erre, yet many millions in the Catholique Church may hold the orthodox beliefe, and consequently the faith of the Church not totally faile. Yea but saith the Iesuit, take away the infallibilitie of the Church there is no rule of faith. This assertion of his is open blasphemie, as if God would not bee true, though all men were found liars: though the Roman Church and Pope erre a thousand times, yet the rule of faith remaineth unvariable in the holy Scriptures. Yea but S. Gregorie equalizeth the foure first generall Councels to the Gospel, and saith in effect, that they could as little erre as the 4. Gospels, and that upon the deniall of their authoritie the Christian faith might be shaken as well as by the deniall of the Gospels: and the like authoritie giveth your Parliament unto them. I answer, S. Gregorie equalizeth the foure first generall Councels to the foure Gospels, not in respect of authoritie, but in respect of the veritie of the articles defined in them: he saith not, they could as little erre, but they did as little erre, in their decisions, or to speake more properly that their doctrine was as true as Gospell, because the determinations in those first generall Councels against Heretiques are evidently deduced out of holy Scriptures. Our Parliament alluding to the words of S. Gregorie speaketh in the same sense, as hee doth. Yea but p. 72saith the Iesuit, your Parliament lawes acknowledge that for heresie whatsoever is condemned for such in any of those Councels, which is in other words to acknowledge them for a rule of faith, and consequently to bee of infallible authoritie, and to joyne them in the same ranke with the Canonicall Scriptures. Idem jungat Vulpes; by the like reason the Iesuit might say we joyne the booke of Articles of Religion, and Homilies in the same ranke with the Canonicall Scriptures, because we condemne for heretiques all that obstinatly maintaine any doctrine repugnant to them: which wee doe not, because we hold the Decrees of a provinciall Synod, to bee of infallible authoritie: but because wee are able to prove all the Articles there established, to be consonant to the holy Scriptures. Yea, but further saith the Iesuit in the same statute, you give power to the Court of Parliament, P. 2…3.with the assent of the Clergie in their Convocation to adjudge or determine a matter to be heresie, which is the very same as to give it power to declare faith, or to be the rule thereof. I answer, the statute giveth power to the Convocation, to declare faith, and determine heresie out of Gods word, and by the sentence thereof, and no otherwise. In such sort to declare faith, is not to be the rule of faith, but to judge and measure things by the rule. There is a maine difference betweene these two, which yet the Iesuit here confoundeth as if they were coincident) to declare faith, and to bee the rule of p. 73faith every Iudge declareth the Law, yet is he not the rule of the Law. The Inquisitors in their judices expurgatorij, and the Sorbonists in their censures declare what is heresie: yet they are not I trow the Rule of popish faith, every meater in the market declareth that such or such is the measure of corne and graine▪ yet is not every, or any corne-meater the Winchester standerd. It is one thing to be the rule, and another to measure by the rule, and declare what we have measured. But to retort the Iesuits phrase upon himselfe, hee is not capable it seemes of this discourse which yet every market-woman or boy is. Well, let the authoritie of generall Councels bee great in the Church, and of the foure first Councels greatest of all, quid hoc ad Rombum? what maketh this for the infallibilitie of the Trent conventicle? much saith the Iesuit every way, for what, saith hee, can you say more against the present Church, and present Councell of Trent, then against the Church and Councels of those times? What can we say? nay what can we not say? what have we not said? or what could all the Papists in the world answer to what wee have already said? After hee hath taken away the legall exceptions made against this conventicle by the Authour of the historie of the Councell of Trent, and of the litterae missivae, and Iewel his Treatise affixed to that Historie, and Chemnisius his Examen, and Doctor Bowles his latine Sermon preached to the Convocation, and lately printed: after hee hath p. 74proved which hee will never bee able, that the Assemblie at Trent was a free and generall Councell, and called by lawfull authoritie, and all the proceedings in it according to ancient Canons: yet it will still fall as short of the Councell of Nice in authoritie, as in antiquitie: that consisted of most eminent, learned, and holy Bishops and Confessors: this for the most part of hungrie animals depending on the Popes trencher as Dudithius a Bishop present at that Councell declareth at large in his letter set before the Historie of the Councell of Trent, to which I referre the reader.

To the second. The testimonies alledged by 2the Knight for the sufficiencie of holy Scriptures are ponderous, and weightie, and the Iesuits exceptions to them are sleight, vaine, and frivolous. To the testimonie out of the Acts, I have kept backe nothing that was profitable unto you, and I am pure from the bloud of all men, Act. 20.20.27Acts 20:20Acts 20:27for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the Councell of God, hee saith that S. Paul speaketh of the doctrine by him preached, not of the written word of God: as in like manner our Saviour saith, that what hee heard from his Father hee made knowne unto them, Iohn 15.15. and yet delivered not one word in writing. It is true, S. Paul speaketh of the doctrine which he preached, but it is as true that the doctrine which he preached hee confirmed unto them by testimonie of Scripture. For S. Luke saith Acts 17.2. that S. Paul as his manner was, reasoned with them out of the Scriptures opening p. 75and alledging that Iesus whom hee preached unto them was Christ, and they that received the word with all readinesse of mind searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so: and again I confesse that after that way which they call heresie, Act. 24.14.Acts 24:14so worship I the God of my fathers, beleeving all things which are written in the Law, and the Prophets. If the Iesuit had read the verse immediatly following, testifying to the Iewes and Greekes repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ: hee could not but have seene the absurditie of his answer, wherein he denieth that S. Paul speaketh of the written word. For who knoweth not that repentance towards God, and faith towards Iesus Christ are written almost in every Sermon of the Prophets, and chapter of the Evangelists. What hee addeth for confirmation of his answer, (from the example of our Saviour, who made knowne to his Disciples whatsoever hee heard from his Father, and yet delivered not one word in writing) no whit at all helpeth his cause. For albeit we grant that our Saviour wrote nothing (except wee give credit to a relation in Eusebius of a letter written by him to King Abgarus) yet hee commanded his Apostles to write those things which they had heard and seene, what thou seest write it in a booke, Euseb. eccles. hist. l. 1. Apoc. 1.11.Rev 1:11and send it to the seven Churches; and S. Peter saith,2 Ep. 8.2…. that no Scripture is privatae foreign, that is, as Calvin well rendereth the words privatae impulsionis, of private impulsion or motion: for the prophecie p. 76came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost: and therefore Irenaeus saith expresly,Advers. haeres. .3. c. 1 no… per alios dispositionem salutis accepimus quam per quos Evangelium ad nos pervenit, quod primum praeconia verunt, posteà secundùm Dei voluntatem in scriptis reliquerunt, columnam & firmamentum fidei futurum. Euseb. hist. eccl. l. 2. c. 14. fideles iteratis precibus impetrârunt à Marco ut monumentum illud doctrinae quod sermone, & verbis illis tradidisset, etiam scriptis mandatum apud eos relinqueret. Esay 8.20.Isa 8:20 that what the Apostles preached first by word of mouth by the will of GOD, they afterwards delivered in writing to bee a pillar and foundation of our faith: and S. Austine affirmeth, that what Christ would have knowne of his words and deeds as needfull to our salvation, that hee gave in charge to his Apostles to set downe in writing. If this suffice not, I will stop the mouth of this Iesuit with the free confession of a greater Iesuit then hee, Gregorie of Valence in his eight booke of the Analysis of faith the fift chapter, minimè in ipsorum arbitrio positum fuit scribere, aut alio tempore aut alijs verbis scribere, the penmen of the holy Ghost were so guided by the spirit that it was not in their power, or at their choyce to write, or not to write, or to write at another time, or to write in other words then they did. To the testimonie of Bellarmine the Iesuit gives as sleight an answer as to the former out of S. Luke, whereunto I need to reply nothing, because in a case so cleere wee need not the Cardinals confession, having such expresse testimonie of Scripture and Fathers, as namely of Esay, to the law and to the testimonie, Deut. 4.2. Cursod is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the law to doe them. And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it to the Priests which bare the Arke. Gal. 1.8. 2 Tim. 3.15.Deut 4:2Gal 1:82 Tim 3:15if they speake not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them, of Moyses, yee shall not adde unto the words which I command you (which to bee spoken of the written law is apparant by comparing this text with Galathians p. 773.10. and Deuteronomie 31.9.) And the words of Christ, Iohn 5.39. search the Scriptures, for in them you thinke you have eternall life. And of S. Iohn his beloved Disciple, Iohn 20.31. these things are written that yee might beleeve that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God, and that beleeving ye might have life through his Name. And of S. Paul, if we or an Angel from heaven preach unto you any other Gospel then that yee have received; Advers. hermog. c. 22. adoro scripturae plenitudinem: scriptum doceat Hermogenes. Epist. ad Pomp. nihil innovetur inquit Stephanus, quod traditum est, unde est ista traditio? Vtrum de Dominicâ, & Evangelicâ authoritate descendens, an de Apostolorum mandatis, & epistolis veniens? ea enim facienda quae scripta sunt Deus testatur, si ergo aut in evangelio praecipitur aut in Apostolorum▪ epistolis aut Actibus continetur, observetur haec sancta traditio.(that is as S. Austine expoundeth it praeterquam quod in Scripturis legalibus & Evangelicis accepistis, if any preach unto you any Gospell beside that which is contained in the writings of the Law and the Gospell, let him bee accursed. And, thou hast knowne the Scriptures from a child which are able to make thee wife unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Iesus, for all Scripture is given by Divine inspiration, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproofe, for correction, for instruction and righteosnesse, that the man of God may bee perfect throughly furnished to all good workes. And of Tertullian, I adore the fulnesse of Scriptures; let Hermogenes prove what hee saith out of Scriptures, or otherwise let him feare the woe denounced against all such as adde any thing thereunto, or take there from. And of S. Cyprian; our brother Steven will have nothing to bee altered in the Church tradition; Whence is this tradition, is it from the Gospel, or the Acts of the Apostles, or their Epistles, if it be so then let this holy tradition bee kept, for God himselfe witnesseth that wee ought to observe those things that are written. And of p. 78Athanasius, Athanas. orat. 1. cont. Ar…. Sufficiunt per se inspiratae scripturae ad veritatis instructionem. Basil. Serm. de fide: foreign. Hom. 3. in 2. ad Thess. foreign. Et in 2. ad Cor. Hom. 3. foreign. Ierom. advers. Helvid. c. 5. credimus quia legimus, non credimus quia non legimus. Augustin. de doc. Chris. l. 2. c. 9. in ijs quae apertè posita sunt in scriptura inveniuntur illa amnia quae continent fidem & mores. Cyril in Evang. Iohan. l. 12. c. 68. ea conscripta sunt quae scribent… Sufficere pu…unt ad mores dogmata{que}. Vincen. Lyrin. advers. Haeres▪ hic requirat aliquis cum: sit. perfectus scripturae canon sibi{que} ad omnia satis super{que} sufficiat. Biel in can. mis. lec. 71. quae agend…, & quae fugienda, quae amanda, & quae contemnenda, quae tim…nda, & quae audenda, & quae credenda, & speranda, & caetera nostrae saluti necessaria, quae omnia sola docet Sacra scriptura.the holy Scriptures are sufficient to instruct us in the truth. And of S. Basil, it is a manifest falling away from faith, either to refuse any thing of those that are written, or to bring in any of those things which are not written. And of S. Chrysostome, all things that are needfull are manifestly set downe in holy Scriptures; And againe, in the holy Scriptures wee have a most exact ballance and rule of all things. And of S. Ierome, who maketh the Scripture a two edged sword cutting heresies on both sides, both in the excesse, and in the defect, We beleeve, saith he, because we reade in Scriptures, we beleeve not what we reade not. And of S. Austine, among those things which are openly set downe in Scriptures, all such things are to bee found us appertaine to faith and manners. And so of S. Cyril, all things which Christ spake and did are not written, but all are written which the writers of the Gospell thought to bee sufficient for doctrine of faith and manners. And of S. Vincentius Lyrinensis, the Canon of the Scripture is perfect, and over and above sufficient for all things. And of the prime of the Schoole-men Gabriel Biel▪ The Scripture alone teacheth us what we ought to beleeve and to hope for what things are to bee done, and what to bee p. 79shunned, and all other things that are necessarie to salvation. And of William Pepin, Dom. 2. advent sola haec scripturadocet perfectè & planè quid credendum, &c. The holy Scripture alone teacheth perfectly and plainely, what wee ought to beleeve as the articles of our Creed, what wee ought to doe, as all divine precepts what wee ought to desire as heavenly joyes, what we ought to feare, as eternall torments. And of Scotus; In prim. sent. prol. q. 2. sacra scriptura sufficienter continet doctrinam necessariam viatori.The holy Scripture sufficiently containes doctrine necessarie for away faring man, that is in his travell to heaven. Howbeit, because Cardinall Bellarmine beareth downe all before him, the more to convince this Iesuit, and nonplus all Papists, I will examine what the Knight alledgeth out of him to our present purpose; All things are written, saith he, by the Apostles, which are necessarie for all men to know: If all things which are necessarie for all men to know, then all things which are necessarie for all Priests, Bishops, Cardinals, yea and the Pope himselfe to know, unlesse the Iesuit will prove them to bee no men. Assuredly the Apostles and the Fathers assembled at Nice and Constantinople set not downe a different Creed for the Priest, and for the people, but one for all Christians. Yet I grant, that as the measures of the sanctuarie were double to the common; so the learning of a Priest ought to bee double at least to that of the common sort: a more exact, full, and exquisite knowledge of all, both the principles, and conclusions of faith is required in them then in the p. 80other: yet nothing is required of them as necessarie to salvation, which may not bee drawne out of holy Scriptures, in which are contained all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge. 2 Tim. 3.16.17. Oecum. & Chrys. in hunc locum foreign Lit. ad Phil. Hisp. reg. Nam quod ad Theologiam attinet quae summa Philosophia est, his libris omnia nostrae religionis, & divinitatis mysteria explicantur: quod verò attinet ad eam partem quae moralis nominatur, hinc quo{que} omnia ad omnes virtutes praecepta colliguntur, quibus quidem duabus partibus omnis nostrae salutis, & foelicitatis ratio continetur. Banes in 1. p. Tho. q. 1. art. 8. conclus. 1. omnia quae non consonant judico eorum gravioribus censuris inurunt id{que} tantae facilitate ut meritò irrideantur.2 Tim 3:162 Tim 3:17The Apostle saith not only they are able to make wise unto salvation indefinitely, but that the man of God, that is the minister of God, may be wise & not only wise unto salvation, but furnished to every good worke, that is, as S. Chrysostome and Oecumenius expound it, fully accurately, and exactly instructed. And for ever to seale the Iesuits mouth; thus much Gregorie the thirteenth Pope of Rome in his letters to Philip King of Spaine, freely confesseth thus expatiating in the praises of holy Writ, as for Theologie which is the prime Philosophie or metaphysick in these bookes (speaking of the Bible) all the mysteries of our religion, and divine knowledge are unfolded, and as for that part which is tearmed morall; from hence all precepts to all vertues are gathered, and on these two parts depend all the course or meanes of our salvation and happinesse.

3. To the third. What Dominicus Banes wrote of certaine Divines in his time, that were so free in their censures of other men, that they became a laughing-stock to all men of judgement, may bee truly applyed to the Bishops assembled at Trent, who are so free in casting their thunder-bolts of anathemaes against all that differ from them in judgement, that the learned and judicious account divers of their Canons no better then Patguns. As arrowes that are shot bolt upright fall p. 81downe upon their heads that shoot them, unlesse they carfully looke to it: so causelesse curses fall alwayes upon the cursers themselves, and hurt none else. This made the Knight so much sleight the bruta fulmina of your Trent Councell. Yea but saith the Iesuit, It is a heavie thing to have the curse of a mother, Apo. 17.5.and such a mother which doth not curse without cause. The Church of Rome I grant is a mother, but mater fornicationum, as shee is tearmed the mother of fornications and abominations of the earth; but shee is none of our mother, Ierusalem, or to speake more properly the catholike christian Church is our mother, the Roman Church must speake us very faire; if wee owne her for a sister, even this sheweth her to bee no Mother, that shee is ever cursing us: the true Mother would by no meanes suffer her child to bee divided. This cruell Stepdame not only suffereth those whom shee would have taken for her children to be cut in sunder, but her selfe as much as in her lieth by her curses, divideth them from God, and all the members of Christs mysticall body, yet wee spare to apply the words of the Psalmist unto her; shee loved not blessing, and therefore it shall bee farre from her; Ps. 109.17.18Ps 109:17Ps 109:18shee delighteth in cursing, and therefore shall it enter like oyle into her bowels, and like water into her bones. Howsoever wee are not scared with the bugbeare, the Iesuit goeth about to fright us withall; Maledictio matris eradicat fundamenta, the curse of a Mother doth roote out the foundation; For first the p. 82booke out of which he citeth this text is not Canonicall. Next we denie that the text any way concerneth us, who are blessed and not cursed by our Mother the true Catholike Church; as for the Roman Church shee can in no sence bee tearmed our mother. For we had Christian Religion in this Island, before there was any Church at Rome at all, as I have else-where proved at large. Lastly, the text the Iesuit alledgeth is falsly translated,Ecclesiasticus 3.11.Sir 3:11 he should have rendred the Greeke thus; A Mother in dishonour or defamed, is a reproach to her children, such a Mother wee grant the Church to be a reproach to all her children.

4To the fourth. The number of Sacraments we prove two manner of wayes, first foreign, 2 foreign; first by demonstrating our two; secondly, by refuting the five they adde thereunto. Howsoever the Iesuit here as also Baylie the antagonist of Rivet insult upon us, as if it were unpossible to prove the precise number of two Sacraments and no more, because neither the name, nor the number of Sacraments is any where set downe in terminis in Scripture: yet they shall find that wee faile not in proofes of this point, but they in their answers. For to reserve the refutation of their five to the next Paragraph, we demonstrate our two by arguments drawne first from the name, secondly from the definition of Sacraments, thirdly from the example of Christ, fourthly from the end of the Sacraments, fiftly from the testimonies of the ancient Doctours of the Church.

p. 831. From the name, Sacramentum is derived from the verbe sacrare, to consecrate, and signifieth a holy thing, a holy Rite whereby wee are consecrated unto God. Now it is evident that by Baptisme wee give our names to Christ, wee take our militare sacramentum, to fight under his banner, and that thereby wee are sanctified and consecrated to his service: the like wee may observe in the Lords Supper, wherein wee offer our bodies and soules, as a holy and lively sacrifice unto God, we are incorporated into Christs body, and made one bread and one body, because wee partake of one bread, the bread which we breake; Is it not the Communion of the body of Christ? the Cup of blessing which wee blesse, is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ? In the rest which our Adversaries tearme Sacraments, there cannot bee given the like reason of the name. For by then wee neither put on Christ, as in Baptisme: nor are made members of his mysticall Body, as by the Lords Supper.

2. From the definition of Sacraments; every Sacrament of the New Testament is a seale of the new Covenant.Rom. 4.11.Rom 4:11 Now it is agreed on all parts that he only hath authoritie to seale the charter, in whose authoritie it is to grant it. But wee find that Christ in the New Testament set only two seales, Baptisme, the Institution whereof wee have, Teach all nations baptizing them, Math. 28.19.Matt 28:19in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost; and the Lords Supper, the institution p. 84whereof wee have, hee tooke bread and brake it, saying, Luk 22.19.Luke 22:19this is my Body, doe this in remembrance of mee. In these Sacraments wee have all the conditions required, first an outward and visible sign, in Baptisme water, in the Eucharist bread and wine. Secondly, an Analogie or correspondencie betweene the signe and the thing signified, betweene Water which washeth the body, and the spirit which washeth the soule; betweene bread and wine which nourisheth the body, and Christs body and bloud which nourisheth the soule. Thirdly, a promise of sanctifying and saving grace, to all that use the outward rite according to our Lords institution: the promise annexed to Baptisme wee find,Mar. 16.16. Mtch. 26.28.Mark 16:16 Hee that beleeveth and is baptized, shall be saved; to the Eucharist wee find, this is the bloud of the new Testament, which is shed for you, and for many, for the remission of sinnes, Iohn 6.51.John 6:51and if any one eate of this bread hee shall live for ever. When our adversaries shall prove in each of their five supernumerarie sacraments, these three conditions wee will subscribe to their whole number of seven, till then wee content our selves with our two.

23. From the example of Christ. Christ our head consecrated in his owne person all those holy rites, which hee instituted for his owne members.Mat. 3.15.Matt 3:15 This Christ himselfe intimateth, when being repelled by S. Iohn from his baptisme, saying, I had need to bee baptized of thee, and commest thou to mee? He answered, Suffer it to bee so p. 85now, for thus it becommeth us to fulfill all righteousnesse. Serm. de Epiph. baptizari voluit quia voluit facere quod faciendum omnibus imperabat, ut bonus magister doctrinam suam non tam verbis insinuaret quam actibus exerceret.And S. Austine saith therefore Christ would bee baptized, because hee would doe that which hee commanded all others to doe, that as a good master hee might not so much insinuate his Doctrine by words, as exhibit it by acts. But this our good Master exhibited by acts the doctrine of two Sacraments only, whereof hee participated himselfe: of Baptisme, Math. 3.16. And Iesus when he was baptized, went up straight way out of the water: of the Eucharist; Matth. 26.29. I will not drinke hence-forth of this fruit of the vine, untill the day when I drinke it new with you in my Fathers kingdome. Which words necessarily imply that before hee uttered them, hee had drunke of the cup which hee gave to them, saying, Drinke yee all of this.

4. From the end of the Sacraments. We need 4but two things to instate us in grace, remission of our sinnes, and ablution; no more to maintaine us in our christian life, but birth, apparell, food and physick: but all these are sufficiently represented, and effectually conveied unto us by two Sacraments. For we receive ablution by the one, absolution by the other: wee are bred by the one, wee are fed by the other: wee are clothed by the one, wee are healed by the other.

5. From the testimonies of the ancient Doctours of the Church, S. Austine, L. 2. de Symb. ad catechumenos. c. 6. percussum est laetus ut Evangelium loquitur & statim manavit sanguis, & aqua quae sunt ccclesiae gemina Sacramenta; aqua in quâ sponsa est purificata; sanguis ex quo invenitur esse dotata. Isid. l. Origin. sunt autam Sacramenta baptismus & Chrisma corpus & sanguis Christi. Rupert. de vict. verb. l. 12 c. 11. quae & quot sunt praecipua salutis nostrae sacramenta? Sacrū baptisma, sancta corporis ejus, & sanguinis Eucharistia geminum spiritus sancti datum. Pasc. l. de coena dom. sacramenta Christianae Ecclesiae Catholicae sunt baptismus, & corpus, & sanguis Domini. Fulbert. ep. 1. lib. part. Tom 3. tertium est noscere in quo duo vitae sacramenta continentur.Christs side was strucken, as the Gospell speaketh, and presently there issued out of it water and bloud, which are the p. 86two twin Sacraments of the Church, water whereby the Spouse is purified, and bloud wherewith shee is endowed. S. Isidore, the Sacraments are Baptisme and Chrisme, the body and bloud of Christ. Rupertus, which and how many are the chiefe Sacraments of our salvation? Hee answers two, holy Baptisme and the holy Eucharist of the body and bloud of Christ, the double gift of the holy Ghost. Paschasius, the Catholique Sacraments of the Christian Church, are Baptisme and the body and bloud of Christ. Fulbertus, the way of Christian religion is to beleeve the Trinitie and veritie of the Deitie, and to know the cause of his Baptisme, and in whom the two Sacraments of our life are contained. Of all these arguments brought by Protestants the Iesuit could not be ignorant. Yet hee glaunceth only at one of them, to wit, the second which he would make us beleeve to bee an absurd begging the point in question; How can, saith he, Sacraments bee Seales to give us assurance of his Word, when all the assurance we have of a Sacrament is his Word? This is idem per idem, or a fallacie called petitio Principij. As S. Austine spake of the Pharisees, Quid aliud eructarent quàm quo pleni erant, What other things should these Pharisees belch out, then that wherewith they were full: wee may in like manner aske, what could wee expect for the Iesuit to belch out against the Knight, then that which he is full of himselfe, sophismes and fallacies. That which hee pretends to find in the Knights argument every man may see in his, to p. 87wit, a beggarly fallacie called homonymia. For the Word may be taken either largely for the whole Scripture, and in that sense wee grant the Sacraments are confirmed by the Word, or particularly for the word of promise, and the Word in this sense is sealed to us by the Sacrament: and this wee prove out of the Apostle, against whom I trust the Iesuit dare not argue; what Circumcision was to Abraham and the Iewes, that Baptisme succeeding in the place thereof, is to vsus: but Circuncision was a Seale to them of the righteousnesse of faith promised to Abraham and his posteritie: Rom. 4.11.Rom 4:11therefore in like manner Baptisme is a seale unto us of the like promise. What Bellarmine urgeth against our definition of a Sacrament to whom the Iesuit sendeth us, is refuted at large by Molineus Daneus, Rivetus, Willet, and Chamier, to whom in like manner I remand the Iesuit, who here desiring, as it seemed, to bee catechised asketh, what promises are sealed by the Sacraments? I answer, of regeneration and communion with Christ. His second quaere is, what need more seales then one? or if more, why not seven as well as two? I answer, Christ might adde as many Seales as hee pleased, but in the new Testament hee hath put but two, neither need wee any more, the first sealeth unto us our new birth, the second our growth in Christ. If I should put the like question to the Iesuit concerning the King, what need he more Seales then one? or if he would have more, why not seven as well as two? p. 88I know how hee would answer, that the King might affix as many seales to his Patents, and other grants as hee pleaseth: but quia frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora, because two seales are sufficient, the Privie seale, and the broad seale: therefore his Majestie useth no other. Which answer of his cuts the wind-pipe of his owne objection. His last question is a blind one, how may wee see, saith he, the promises of God in the Sacraments? S. Ambrose and S. Austine will tell him by the eye of faith, Magis videtur, saith S. Ambrose, quod non videtur, that is more or better seene, which is not seene with bodily eyes; Sacraments, saith S. Austine, are visible words, because what words represent to the eares, that Sacraments represent to their eyes, which are anointed with the eye-salve of the spirit. In the Word we heare, the bloud of Christ clenseth us from our sinnes, in the Sacrament of Baptisme we see it after a sort in the washing of our body with water: in the Word wee heare Chri…s bloud was shed for us: in the Sacrament of the Eucharist after a sort we see it, by the effusion of the Wine out of the flagon into the Chalice, and drinking it; In the Word wee heare, that Christ is the bread of life, which nourisheth our soules to eternall life: In the Sacrament after a sort wee see it by feeding on the Consecrated elements of Bread and Wine, whereby our body is nourished, and our temporall life maintained and preserved.

5To the fift. In the former Paragraph we handled p. 89those Arguments which the Logicians tearme Dicticall,foreign. in this we are to make good our Elencticall; in the former we proved positively two Sacraments in this privatively we are to exclude, and casheere all that the Church of Rome hath added to these two, which deviseth Sacraments upon so weake grounds, and detorteth Scripture in such sort for the maintenance of them, that a learned Divine wisheth, that as for the remedie of other sinnes, so there were a Sacrament instituted as a speciall remedie against audacious inventions in this kind, and depravations of holy Scripture to countenance them. For of an Epiphonema this is a great mysterie, Ephes. 5.32.Eph 5:32they have made a Sacrament, the sacrament of Matrimonie: of a promise, whose sinnes yee remit, Iohn 20.23.John 20:23they are remitted, they have made a second Sacrament the sacrament of Penance: of an enumeration of the Governours and Ministers of the Church, Ephes. 4.11. And hee gave some, Apostles: some Prophets: some, Pastours: some, Evangelists: some teachers, a third Sacrament, the sacrament of Order: of a relation what the Apostles did, Acts 8.17. In laying hands on them, who received the gift of tongues; a fourth Sacrament, the sacrament of Confirmation: Of a Miracle in restoring the sick to their former health by anoynting them with oyle in the name of the Lord; a fift Sacrament, the sacrament of Extreame Vnction. A child cannot be bishopped; a single partie contracted; a Priest or Deacon ordained; a penitent reconciled; a dying p. 90man dismissed in peace, without a sacrament, the sacrament of Extreame Vnction. If they take Sacrament in a large sense, for every divine Mysterie, holy Ordinance, or sacred Rite, they may find as well seventeene as seven Sacraments in the Scriptures: if they take the Word in the strict sense for such a sacred Rite, as is instituted in the New Testament by Christ, with a visible signe or element representing and applying unto us some invisible sanctifying and saving grace; I wish the Iesuit might but practise one of their Sacraments, that is, doe penance so long till hee found in Scripture that, and the other foure Sacraments which they have added to the two Instituted by Christ. To begin with them in order, and give Order the first place, wee acknowledge the ordination of Priests and Deacons by Bishops to be de jure divino, and we beleeve where they are done according to Christs Institution, that grace is ordinarily given to the party ordained, but not sacramentall grace, not gratia gratum faciens, but gratia gratis data, a ghostly power for the good of others, not a necessary grace of the Spirit sanctifying and saving the soule of the ordained. Besides, this Sacrament of order is out of order. For it hath no element added to the sanctified forme of words. Yes that it hath (saith Flood) the Host, Chalice, and Patent, or Letters of order. The Bread and Wine, I grant are elements appointed by Christ, but in another sacrament the Eucharist, not in this, and tis confessed p. 91on all sides, that as in the Sacraments of the old Law, so of the New, the elements must not bee confounded. Neither doth Christ any where command that in the ordination of Bishops, or Priests, such a Rite or Ceremonie should be used: neither doth the Host or Chalice signifie or represent the invisible Grace, or Ghostly power then given. And as for the instrument it is a parchment, but no element; it is a legible writing testifying the party is ordained, but no visible signe of an invisible grace; no Seale of the new Covenant. For the Patent, Chalice, and Bible, they are not, as before was said, any sacramentall signes of divine grace, but only ensignes and tokens of their severall offices and functions, or instruments that are to bee used in their ministration, besides, every one of these orders is conferred by words and Ceremoniss cleane differing one from another, whereupon it followeth, that either none of them is a Sacrament properly so called, or that each of them apart is a Sacrament, and so the number of Sacraments will bee neere doubled. Bellarmines evasion De Sacram. ordin. l. 1. c. 8. to wit, that they are all unum genere, and referred to one end will not serve the turne, for so all the other six Sacraments are unum genere, and all referred to one end, to wit, to unite the receivers some way to Christ, or derive some grace from Christ to them, and yet they are not one Sacrament, but as they teach, six distinct species.

p. 92For Confirmation, we allow of it as an Apostolicall tradition, not as a Sacrament of Divine Institution. For where doth Christ command that those who have heene baptized, should bee after confirmed by a Bishop? Where is an element or forme of words prescribed by Christ as in Baptisme and the Lords Supper? The Iesuit answereth that the element in this Sacrament is chrisme, or oyle. But this cannot bee: because in divers Sacraments there ought to bee divers elements, and therefore sith Chrisme and oyle is the element in Extreame Unction, which taketh the name from thence, it cannot bee the matter or element in Confirmation. Accedit verbum ad elementum, saith S. Austine, & fit Sacramentum, the word of promise being added to an element appointed by God maketh a Sacrament. In this we have neither Word nor Element, therefore as the Greeke Oratour spake of the evill lawes enacted in his time,Aristot. Rhet. l. 2. foreign, the lawes need a law to mend them: so we may say of this Sacrament of Confirmation, it needeth confirmation and better proofe for it, then yet we see.

For Penance, as it is practised at this day in the Roman Church, it is not of divine institution: as it was practised in the Primitive Church, and is at this day in ours is a Divine ordinance, but yet no Sacrament: because we find in it no outward element with a forme of words prescribed by Christ: no visible signe of invisible grace. No p. 93(saith Flood?) is not the true sorrow of heart declared by humble confession, together with prayer, fasting, and Almes-deeds, an outward element, or thing to bee perceived by sense? I answer, that every thing perceived by sense, is not presently an element in a Sacrament, it must bee as the Schooles out of S. Austine define a visible signe of invisible grace. Confession and prayer are indeed audible, but not visible: Fasting and Almes-deedes are visible, but visible workes of pietie and charitie, not visible elements in the Sacraments: they are morall duties, not sacramentall Rites. For what correspondencie is betweene these, and absolution or remission of sinnes? how doth Fasting or Almes exhibit to the eye this invisible grace? Contrition of the heart of which hee speaketh, is no visible or sensible signe, Confession is sensible, but not visible, nor ordained as the elements are in Sacraments to signifie the grace of God, but to aske it: The sacred signes ought to be administred by the Priest, but Confession is made by the penitent. The same may be said of corporall satisfactions which are accomplished by the sinner, and commonly in his house by fastings, or whippings, or abroad by pilgrimages, whereas sacred signes are to bee administred by the hands of the Priest, and ordinarily in the Church; Absolution also cannot bee a sacred signe of the grace of God, seeing that if it bee good and available, it is the grace of God; besides this Absolution, is not an p. 94element, nor a visible signe of an invisible grace, for the words are not seene: if it be said that it is sufficient, that it is significantly the grace of God, by the same reason the preaching of the Word should bee a sacrament, for it is significantly the grace of God. In all Sacraments the Word must bee joyned to the element; but here they will have the Word to bee an element: the imposition of the Priests hands on the penitent is a visible action, but not a visible element, nor is it instituted by Christ. When the Trent Councell, and the Roman Catechisme come to assigne the matter of this Sacrament, they doe it very faintly with a quasi materia, Sess. 14. de poenit. c. 3. & Catechis. Rom. part. 2. c. 5. They say the actions of the penitent are, quasi materia, and such as the matter is, such is the Sacrament quasi sacramentum.

For Matrimonie, it is a holy ordinance of God, but more ancient then the New Testament, and therefore can be no seale of it: it was instituted by God in Paradise, not by Christ in the Gospell: yea but (saith the Iesuit) though it were before a naturall contract, yet might it not be exalted by Christ to the dignitie of a Sacrament? I answer, the Iesuit must not dispute what Christ might doe, but what hee did; When hee proveth out of the Evangelists or Apostles, that Christ exalted it to the dignitie of a Sacrament, wee will hold it in that high esteeme, but this hee can never doe: for none of the Evangelists relate that hee altered the Law, or nature of Matrimonie: p. 95but only that hee confirmed it, and honoured it with his presence, and the first Miracle which hee wrought. Other exaltation wee find not in the Gospell; And as S. Ierome speaketh in the like kind, quia non legimus, non credimus, because wee reade it not, wee beleeve it not.

Our second exception against the Sacrament of Matrimonie is, that in it there is no outward element sanctified by the Word of promise. To this the Iesuit answereth; the bodies of men and women, are they not as much as an outward element? Yes surely as much in quantitie and more too:Bell. l. 1. de matrim. c. 6. Si matrimonium consideretur. Vt jam factum & celebratum conjugati sunt materiale Synbolum & externū cujus refutat. vid. apud Chamierum Panistrat. Cathol. de sacr. l. 4. c. 27. but none ever before this Iesuit and his Master Bellarmine maketh mens bodies outward elements in any Sacrament: the bodies of men and their soules are either the Ministers, or receivers in every Sacrament, not the elements or materiall parts thereof. The element in every Sacrament hath the denomination of the whole, as when wee say the sacrament of Circumcision, of the Passeover, of bread and wine: but who ever heard of the sacrament of men and womens bodies. Our third exception against the sacrament of Matrimonie is that if it bee a sacrament conferring grace, as they teach, ex opere operato, why doe they deprive Priests of it? and make them take a solemne vow against it? The Iesuit answereth, that though Mariage bee a holy thing, as Order also is, yet as Order is forbidden to all women, so upon good reason Mariage is forbidden all Priests. Tis true, I grant that all holy things in themselves p. 96are not fit for all ages, sexes, and callings. In particular it is no way fit that women should be admitted into holy Orders, because they are forbidden to speake in the Church; 1 Cor. 14.341 Cor 14:34and it seemeth to bee against the law of nature, that the weaker and more ignoble sex should be appointed to instruct and governe the stronger and more noble: but there is not the like reason in Order and Matrimonie.Heb. 13.4.Heb 13:4 For the Scripture saith, Mariage is honourable among all; but not that the order of Priesthood is commendable in all men much lesse women. Yet the Iesuit saith, that upon good reason Mariage is forbidden Priests, because is is not agreeable to the high and holy estate of Priesthood and religious life. A strange thing that a sacrament should not bee agreeable to the most sacred function, that a holy Rite conferring grace should not bee agreeable to a religious life. If Marriage were any disparagement to the holinesse of priesthood, why did God appoint married Priests under the law? and Christ chose married Apostles in the Gospel? Eusebius saith of Spiridion, that though hee were married, and brought up children, …et that hee was nothing thereby foreign hindered or disparaged in his sacred function, Sozom. Eccles. hist. l. 1. c. 11. Chrys. in Gen. 5.22.Gen 5:22and S. Chrysostome in his Homilie upon those words, Enoch walked with God, noteth it that it is said twice for failing, Enoch walked with God, and begat sonnes and daughters to teach us that marriage is no impeachment to holinesse, or the highest degree of perfection, whereby p. 97wee are said to walke with God. To shut up this point concerning Matrimonie, Cardinal Bellarmine teacheth us, that the seven Sacraments answer seven Vertues; Baptisme answereth to Faith, Confirmation to Hope, the Eucharist to Charitie, Penance to Iustice, Extreame Vnction to Fortitude, and Matrimonie to continence or temperance; if so, then certainly Matrimonie is most agreeable to the office of a Bishop or Priest;1 Tim. 3.2.1 Tim 3:2 For a Bishop must bee continent and modest, and as it there followeth, the husband of one wife; and unlesse the rules of Logick faile, if Matrimonie hold correspondencie with temperance, the prohibition thereof, and forced single life must needs answer to intemperance, as the testimonie of all ages proveth it.

For Extreame Vnction the lagge of all their Sacraments little or nothing can bee said. For it wanteth all the three conditions requisite to a Sacrament: it hath neither element, nor forme of words prescribed by Christ, nor any promise of saving & sanctifying grace. The Apostles indeed used oile, but as a medicine to heale the body, not as a sacrament to cure the soule. As the Apostles used oyle, so Christ spittle in restoring sight to the blind: will they hereupon make spittle an eighth sacrnment? Sacraments ought to be of perpetual use in the Church, whereas the Unction whereof the Scripture speaketh, wherby the sick were miraculously cured, is ceased long agoe; if the Iesuit will not give eare to us, let him yet yeeld so much p. 98respect to Cardinall Cajetan, as to peruse what he commenteth on that text of Scripture on which the Church of Rome foundeth this Sacrament; Is any sick among you, Iames 5.14.15.Jas 5:14Jas 5:15let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anoynting him with oyle in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if hee have committed sins they shall bee forgiven him. Cajet. com. in hunc locum neque ex verbis, neque ex effectu, verba haec loquuntur de Sacramentali Vnctione, seu sacramento Extremae Vnctionis sed magis de Vnctione quam instituit Dominus Iesus in Evangelio à discipulis exercendâ in aegrotis: textus enim non dicit infirmatur quis ad mortem? sed absolutè infirmatur quis? & effectum dicit infirmi al…iationem & de remissione peccatorum non nisi conditionaliter loquitur, cum extrema Vnctio non nisi propè articulum mortis detur, & directè ut ejus forma sonat, tendit ad remissionem peccatorum adde quod Iacobus ad unum aegrum multos praesbyteros tum orantes, tum Vnguentes mandat vocari, quod ab Extremae Vnctionis ritu alicnum est.On these words thus Cajetan inferreth, it cannot bee gathered either from the words, nor from the effect here mentioned, that the Apostle speaketh of sacramentall or Extreame Vnction, but rather of that anoynting which Christ appointed in the Gospell to bee used in healing the sick, for the Text saith not, is any man sick unto death, but simply is any man sick; and the effect hee attributeth to this anoynting is the ease or raising of the sick; of remission of sinnes he speaks but conditionally, whereas Extreame Vnction is given to none but at the point of death, and directly tendeth to remission of sinnes as the forme importeth. Adde hereunto that S. Iames commandeth many Elders to be sent for, both to pray and anoynt the sick, which is not done in Extreame Vnction.

p. 99To the sixt. The Knight having shot two arrowes 6out of S. Austines quiv er, the one with a head, the other without, yet sharpe pointed: the Iesuit quite concealeth the one, and endeavours to blunt the other. The former hee drew out of S. Austine his treatise de symbolo ad catechumenos, where speaking of Baptisme and the Lords Supper, he saith, haec sunt Ecclesia geminae Sacramenta, these are the two twin Sacraments of the Church. To this the Iesuit answereth, ne gry quidem. De latere in cruce pendentis lanceâ percusso sacramenta Ecclesiae profluxerunt.To the other taken out of the 15. tract vponupon S. Iohn, that out of the side of Christ the Sacraments of the Church issued, he would seeme to answer something. First he quarrelleth at the quotation, saying, I doe not thinke you will find in Chemnitius your good friend. S. Ambrose and Bede cited, Whereunto I answer, that though the Knights good friend Chemnitius cite not Ambrose and Bede, yet the Iesuits good friend Card.De Sacram. in gen. l. 2. c. 27. Amb. l. 10. in Luc. & Bed. c. 19. Ioh. intelligunt per sanguinem qui è latere effluxit redemptionis pretium, & per aquam baptismum. Bellarmine citeth them both, his words are, Ambrose in his tenth booke upon S. Luke, and Bede in his comment upon the 19. of S. Iohn understand by blood which issued out of our Saviours side the price of our redemption, by water Baptisme. Next the Iesuit endeavoureth to untwist this triple cord, by saying that these three Fathers speake of Sacraments issuing out of Christs side, but no way restraine the number to two. Whereunto I reply, that though the word Sacramenta for the number may bee as well said of seven as two Sacraments: yet where S. Austine alludeth to the same text of p. 100Scripture, and falleth upon the same conceite, he restraineth the number to two, saying, there issued out of Christs side water and blood, quae sunt Ecclesiae gemina Sacramenta. Now I would faine know of the Iesuit where ever hee read gemina to signifie seven, or more then two? Were the Dioscuri which are commonly knowne by the name of gemini seven, or two only, to wit, Castor and Pollax? As for S. Ambrose and Bede though they say not totidem verbis, that the two Sacraments of the Church issued out of Christs side, as S. Austine doth: yet they can bee understood of no more then two Sacraments: for there were but two things which issued out of our Saviours side, to wit, water and blood, whereby they understand Baptisme and the Lords Supper. Had there issued out of our Saviours side, together with water and blood Chrisme or balsamum, or had a rib beene taken from thence, the Iesuit might have some colour to draw more Sacraments out of it: but now sith the Text saith there issued onelyonly two things, water and blood; and the Fathers say the Sacraments of the Church are thereby meant: it is most apparant that by Sacramenta they meant those two only: which they there name in expresse words, Baptisme and the price of our redemption, that is Christs blood in the Eucharist.

To the seventh. The authoritie of S. Ambrose is as a thorne in the Iesuits eye, for it cannot but bee a great prejudice to their cause, that so learned p. 101a Bishop as S. Ambrose, writing six bookes professedly of the Sacraments omitteth the Romish five, and spendeth his whole discourse upon our two. If the Church in his time beleeved or administred seven Sacraments, hee could no way be excused of supine negligence for making no mention at all of the greater part of them: it were all one as if a man professing to treate of the elements, or the parts of the world which are foure, or of the Pleiades or the Septentriones, or the Planets which are seven should handle but two of that number. Bellarmine therefore and after him Flood pluck hard at this thorne, but cannot get it out (saying that S. Ambrose his intent was to instruct the Catechumeni only, as the title of one of the books sheweth.) For first S. Ambrose hath no booke of that title, viz. An instruction to them who are to bee catechized, or are beginners in Christianitie. The title of that booke is De ijs qui initiantur, of those who are initiated or entred into holy mysteries. Secondly, this is not the title of any of the six bookes de sacramentis alledged by the Knight, but of another tractate. Thirdly, admit that S. Ambrose, as S. Austine and Cyrill wrote to the Catechumeni, and intended a Catechisme: yet they were to name all the Sacraments unto them, as all Divines usually doe in their Catechismes: because the Sacraments are alwayes handled among the grounds, and principles of Christian religion. And though the Catechumeni are not presently admitted unto all, yet they are to learne p. 102what they are, that they may bee the better prepared in due time to receive them. Fourthly, it is evidently untrue (which the Iesuit saith) that S. Ambrose writeth not to the beleevers of that age, but only to some beginners. The very front of his booke proves the Iesuit to bee frontlesse. For S. Ambrose his first words are, I will begin to speake of the Sacraments which wee have received, &c. In Christiano enim viro prima est fides, for the first thing in a Christian man is faith. And as hee writeth to all beleevers not beginners only, so hee speaketh also of the chiefe Sacraments of the New Testament, and not of those only which the catechumeni received, as is apparant out of the fourth chapter of the first booke De sacramentis. Wherein hee proveth according to the title of that Chapter, Quòd sacramenta Christianorum diviniora sint, & priora quàm Iudaeorum, That the Sacraments of the Christians are more ancient and more divine then those of the Iewes; and hee instanceth especially in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. Lastly, the Iesuit in this answer apparantly contradicteth himselfe, first, saying that S. Ambrose intent in that Worke was only to instruct the catechumeni in those things that were to be done in the time of Baptisme, P. 210.and within a few lines after he saith,Bud. deasse, Veritas nonnunquam invitis erumpit ac fallens inter mendacia ab audientibus demum agnoscitur cum interim loquentes adhuc se habere in potestate putent. that he writeth of the Sacraments whereby they were so initiated which are three, Baptisme, Confirmation, and the Eucharist. So true is Budaeus his observation, That lyes dash one with the other, and truth breakes out of p. 103the mouth of the lyar ere hee is aware. Who ever heard of rhe Eucharist to bee administred in the time of Baptisme, or that the Eucharist was administred at all to the punies or catechumeni whilest they were such, certainly if the catecumeni or younger beginners, to whom hee saith S. Ambrose wrote, were capable of the doctrine of the Eucharist, containing in it the highest mysteries of Christianitie, they were much more capable of Penance, Matrimonie, and Extreame Unction, which are easie to bee understood by any novice in Christian religion.

To the eight. That it may appeare what was 8the judgement of S. Austine in this maine point of difference, betweene the Reformed and the Roman Church, I will weigh what is brought on both sides, first what the Iesuit alledgeth for seven: and then what the Knight for two. S. Austine having written divers Catechisticall treatises, in which hee had occasion to name and handle the Sacraments: yet no where defineth the number of them to bee seven, neither nameth all of them either joyntly or severally: this the Iesuit knowing well enough, bringeth no one testimonie for the proofe of their seven Sacraments out of him, but forceth only some sentences to prove out of them that hee held more then two, as namely out of his first Sermon upon the 103. Psalme, Cast thine eyes upon the gifts or offices of the Church in Baptisme, the Eucharist, and the rest of the holy Sacraments, and Epist. 118. p. 104having brought in two Sacraments, Baptisme and the Lords Supper, hee addeth such a generall clause, and if there bee any thing else commended in holy Scriptures; which words of his import that hee held more sacraments then Baptisme and the Lords Supper, in that very sense wherein those two by him named are called Sacraments. I answer, S. Austine in neither of these places taketh the word Sacrament in a strict sense: but in a large for every sacred rite commended in Scripture, or gift and office of the Church. As for the word coeteris, the Iesuit insisteth upon: it importeth only a generical convenience and similitude not a specificall; and so wee acknowledge that there are many sacred rites in the Church, which agree with Baptisme and the Lords Supper in the genericall notion of Sacraments: but not in the specificall as the word Sacrament is taken for a peculiar seale of the New Testament, having thereunto annexed a promise of justifying grace. Now let us weigh what the Knight alledgeth out of S. Austine for two Sacraments only,De doct. Chris. l. 3. c. 9. Our Lord (saith that Father) and his Apostles have delivered unto us a few Sacraments in stead of many, in performance most easie, in signification most excellent, as is the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Lords Supper. To disappoint this testimonie, the Iesuit first layeth corruption and falsification to the Knights charge, because S. Austines words are signa pauca, not sacramenta. Which is nothing but a meere cavill, for signa and sacramenta are in p. 105S. Austine no other then synonima, by signa hee can meane no other then sacramenta. For he instanceth there in no other, neither did Christ deliver unto us any other signa or sigilla but these two. Yes, saith the Iesuit, for it is plaine by the word sicut, that hee bringeth in Baptisme and the Lords Supper for example only, and doth not restraine the signa to these two. It is not plaine, for sicut bringeth in an example be it one, or more, neither can wee from thence inferre that there are more. For S. Iohn speaking of our Saviour saith, vidimus gloriam ejus sicut unigeniti filij Dei, Wee beheld the glorie as of the only begotten Sonne of the Father. Will the Iesuit from thence inferre that God had more only begotten sonnes? but to expound S. Austine out of himselfe those signes or Sacraments which here hee calls a few, in his 118. Epistle hee tearmes most few (Sacramentis numero paucissimis) surely seven Sacraments are not numero paucissima, fewest in number, but two are so: and therefore in his booke De symbolo ad catechumenos, he tearmeth them gemina Ecclesiae sacramenta; which passage the Iesuit taketh no notice of, because hee could give no answer at all unto it, yet hee setteth a good face upon the matter saying, this may suffice for such testimonies as were alledged out of S. Austine. Of all the Roman Captaines I cannot liken him fitter to any then to Terentius Varro, who though hee fought so unhappily against Hanniball at Cannae, that hee lost 40000. men upon the place, yet hee p. 106seemed to bee little daunted therewith, and the Roman Senat sent him publike thankes, quòd de republicâ non desperâsset, that hee despaired not of the Common-wealth.

9To the ninth. The authour of the treatise De ablutione pedum, who was farre later then S. Cyprian, mentioneth indeed five sacraments which are more then two, yet lesse then seven, and for those five hee nameth, it is evident hee intended not that they were Sacraments in a strict sense. For one of them is ablutio pedum, which if it bee a Sacrament in the proper sense, then hath the Iesuit an eighth sacrament as himselfe is sapientum octavus. Not so, saith hee, for ablutio pedum which that Authour meaneth is the sacrament of Penance. Then belike Peter and the Apostles did Penance whilest Christ washed their feet. Although there may lie hid some mysterie in that ablution, and therefore it may bee tearmed a Sacrament in a large sense,L. 2. de sac. c. 24. as Bellarmine expoundeth that authour. Yet our Lord himselfe revealeth unto us no other mysterie, nor maketh any other inference from it then a patterne of humilitie,Ioh. 13.14.John 13:14 If I your Lord and Master have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one anothers feet. Yea but (saith Flood,) the authour speaketh of another Laver after Baptisme, and what can that bee other then Penance? He speaketh of another laver, not of another Sacrament, which laver is no other then the laver of penitent teares. But dicis causa, let ablutio pedum be Penance, yet wee have but foure p. 107Sacraments mentioned by this Author, what becommeth of the other three? To this hee answereth that the Authour mentioned not them, because his scope was in that place to speake of such Sacraments as had relation to our Saviours last Supper. A ridiculous evasion, for what relation hath Baptisme, or Penance, or Confirmation, or order to our Lords Supper? But the Iesuit like a Lawyer that hath taken his fee of his Client, thought himselfe bound in conscience to speake something in behalfe of this Authour, though nothing at all to the purpose, like Erucius in Tully, Ego quid acceperim scio, quid dicam nescio.Cic. pro Rosc. Amer.

To the tenth. The Iesuit in his answer to S. Isidore bewrayes extreame negligence. For the 10Knight quoting S. Isidore at large in his sixt book, and not naming any chapter, this Desultorius Miles posting through one chapter, and finding not the words there, chargeth the Knight with falsification; whereas in the chapter immediatly following, to wit, the 19. according to the later edition of S. Isidore (but in the 18. according to the former) the testimonie alledged by the Knight is found in expresse words, and Baptisme, Chrisme, and the Lords Supper reckoned by him for the Sacraments of the Church there, without addition of any other; If hee had held seven sacraments, questionlesse in that place hee would have named all, or at least the major part of them. The Iesuit applieth a plaister to this sore, to wit, that else-where the same Father mentioneth Penance p. 108and Matrimonie. But the plaister is too narrow, and the salve of no vertue at all. First, it is too narrow, for though Penance and Matrimonie be added to Baptisme, Chrisme and the Lords Supper, we have yet but foure (or if we take Chrisme not for a Ceremonie used in Baptisme but a distinct Sacrament from it) at the most, but five: wee are still out of our reckoning, wee heare nothing of Order and Extreame Vnction. Secondly, as the plaister is too narrow, so the salve spread on it is of no vertue at all. For though S. Isidore compareth Penance to Baptisme in respect of the effect thereof, viz. washing away of sinne, yet he maketh not thereby Penance a Sacrament. Whatsoever washeth away sinne is not therefore a Sacrament,Acts 15.9.Acts 15:9 Faith purifieth the heart, as the Apostle speaketh;Luk. 11.41.Luke 11:41 and Christ himselfe saith, doe Almes, and all things shall bee cleane unto you; Yet doth it not from thence follow, that either Faith or Charitie are Sacraments. For Matrimonie he saith indeed there are three boones or good things in it, or as the Iesuit translateth the words, three goods of it, fides, proles & sacramentum, faith, issue, and a Sacrament, but by sacrament there hee understandeth the great mysterie of the union of Christ with his Church, whereof Matrimonie is a signe, and hee alludeth to the words of the Apostle,Ephes. 5.34.Eph 5:34 foreign, this is a great mysterie, Apoc. 17.17. I will tell thee the mysterie of the woman and of the beast.Rev 17:17which the Latine interpreter translateth sacramentum, as hee doth also the sacrament of the woman, and as strongly might they conclude out p. 109of him,So S. Aug. de peccauerit & remiss. l. 1. c. 26 calleth bread which was given to the Catecumeni an holy Sacrament, and in Psal. 44. the mysteries of Christian religion Sacramenta doctrinae.Ps 44 that the Whore of Babylon is an eight Sacrament, as Matrimonie is the seventh. In our booke of Homilies Mariage is called a Sacrament as all sacred Rites may in a large sense. The Iesuit should have proved according to his undertaking pag. 202. that Mariage is a Sacrament in a strict sense, but his proofes are as his honesty is at large.

To the eleventh. Hallensis lived in a darke age, yet in this point hee saw some light through a chinke, whereby he discovered that three of their supposed Sacraments, to wit, Order, Penance, 11and Matrimonie had their being before the New Testament,Part. 4. q. 5. memb. 2. and consequently were not to bee said properly the Sacraments of the new Law: and hee giveth us also a sufficient reason to exclude the fourth, to wit, Confirmation; because as hee teacheth, the forme and matter thereof were not appointed by our Saviour, but by the Church in a Councell held at Melda. Yea but saith the Iesuit hee addeth, sine praejudicio dicendum, let this bee spoken with leave, adding, let us heare but such a word from the Knights mouth, and hee shall see the matter will soone bee ended. For answer whereunto I say, first, that the words of Hallensis, sine praejudicio, no whit prejudice the truth of his assertion: but only shew the modestie of the man. Next, for the Knight, whosoever peruseth his Booke with the Preface, shall find that hee speaketh farre more modesty and submissively then Hallensis here doth,Part. 4. q. 5. memb. 7. art. 2. Sed tumor Iesuitae non capit illius modum. What Hallensis concludeth that p. 110there be neither more nor fewer then seven Sacraments, maketh little against us, for he neither addeth Sacraments properly so called, nor Sacraments of the new Law, in quibus vertitur cardo quaestionis; if the Iesuit so expound Hallensis he maketh him contradict himselfe, and so utterly disableth his testimonie. For all Sacraments properly so called of the new Law must be instituted by Christ, the authour of the new Law, which Hallensis denieth of Confirmation. Againe, they must have their being by the new Law, not before which hee affirmeth of three of the seven Sacraments as I shewed before.

12To the twelfth. Wheresoever the Knight maketh mention of Hugo, the Iesuit maketh an hideous noise like an hue and cry, you say, saith the Iesuit, P. 231.of Hugo, that hee excludeth Penance from the number of the Sacraments and admitteth holy water. For both which Sir Humphrey a man may hold up his finger to you, and wagge it, you know what I meane, &c. The Knight knoweth well what you meane, and also what manner of men they are, who hold up their finger in such sort, viz. fooles or mad-men, utrum horum mavult accipiat. Is it a matter that deserveth such hooting to alledge Hugo de sancto victore out of Master Perkins in his Problemes a most learned worke, against which never a Papist yet durst quatch. How many hundred testimonies doe Bellarmine and Baronius, and this Iesuit alledge at the second hand? Were the allegation false, Master Perkins must p. 111beare the blame, who misquoted Hugo, not the Knight, who rightly alledgeth Master Perkins, but the Iesuit neither doth nor can disprove the allegation, but out of another booke of Hugo he alledgeth a passage for seven Sacraments, which yet as I shall shew hereafter may well stand with that which Master Perkins alledgeth out of him against Penance. But before I expound Hugo, I wish the reader to observe in the Iesuit, how true that is which the Naturalists relate concerning Serpents, that the more venemous they are,Plin. l. 8. c. 23. Aspidi hebetes oculi dati, eos{que} non in fronte sed in temporibus habet. the shorter sighted they are. Hee who odiously and malitiously chargeth the Knight with a false quotation in this very place falsly quoteth the same Authour himselfe. For the words hee alledgeth out of him, to wit, that there are seven principall Sacraments of the Church, are not found in the booke he quoteth, viz. speculum de myst. Eccles. c. 12. It is true such like words are found in another Treatise of his, to wit de sacramentis, but this neither excuseth the Iesuits negligence, nor helpeth at all his cause. For he that saith there are seven principall Sacraments, implieth that there are more then seven, though lesse principall. Either Hugo taketh the word Sacrament in a large or strict sence: if in a large, he contradicteth not us; if in a strict sence, he contradicteth the Iesuit and the Trent Fathers, for they teach there are no more then seven Sacraments, whether principall, or not principall. Hugo reckoning seven as principall tacitly admitteth other as lesse principall. p. 112Yet the Iesuit singeth an Iôpoean to himselfe, and most insolently insulteth upon the Knight, P. 231.saying, Bcause you may lesse doubt of Penance, whereof for thus abusing your authour and reader you deserve no small part, he hath a particular Chapter, wherein hee calleth it as wee doe with S. Ierome the second board after shipwrack, and saith that if a man endanger his clensing which hee hath received, by Baptisme he may rise and escape by Penance. How say you to this Sir Humfrey? have I not just cause to tell you your owne? Agreed, suum cui{que} let the Iesuit tell the Knight, and I will tell the Iesuit his owne; the Knight neither holdeth with the doctrine of Merit, nor the sacrament of Penance; the Iesuit who holdeth both may by his beliefe merit their holy sacrament of Penance, for egregiously abusing Hugo de Sancto Victore, and S. Ierome and his reader, by making a Sacrament of a metaphor, and out of them arguing thus wooddenly against the Knight. Hugo hath a particular chapter wherein hee calleth Penance as wee doe with S. Ierome, the second boord after shipwracke, Ergo, Penance is a Sacrament of the new Law; doth he not deserve for concluding so absurdly, to have the character of his owne sacrament indelebly imprinted upon his flesh.

13To the thirteenth. The Knight alledgeth not Bellarmine nor Hugo, nor Peter Lumbard, nor Bonaventure, nor Hallensis, nor Altisiodorensis, nor Suarez himselfe as if they expresly and in direct tearmes denied Extreame Unction to bee a sacrament: p. 113this they doe not, neither as things stood with some of them might doe safely, the Roman Church having defined the contrarie. Yet so great is the force of truth, that what in words they affirme they consequently deny;Suar. tom. 4. disp. 39. sect. 2. nonnulli negârunt hoc sacramentum fuisse à Christo institutum ex quo planè sequebatur non esse verum sacramentum. and thus much Suarez ingenuously confesseth; some, saith hee, have denied that this Sacrament was instituted by Christ, whence it followeth by plaine consequence that it is no true Sacrament. Yea but saith Flood, if those Schoole-men had lived in this age, they would have said that Christ did institute it. Whereunto I answer, that all Iudgements proceed ex allegatis & probatis, not allegandis & probandis upon things alledged, and proved not upon things to be alledged and proved in future times, neither is it likely that they would have altered their opinion, upon notice of the Trent decision, for if the Church of France, and divers other Romish Catholiques, as they tearme them, submit not at this day to all the Decrees of that Councell: much lesse may it bee thought that those ancient and acute schoole Divines, who bare the greatest sway in their times, would have suffered themselves to be baffled by the pretence of a pettie Councell, charging her canons with nothing but paper-shot. Every Sacrament of the New Testament is supported with two pillars, institution by Christ, and a promise of justifying grace annexed to the due receivers thereof set downe in Scripture, the former pillar the ancient Schoolemen take from Extreame Unction: the later Bellarmine p. 114and Cajetan, how then can it stand? The Iesuit answereth upon a third pillar unwritten tradition. But this I have proved before to be a weak and rotten one: and to speake the truth it serveth Papists as pons Asinorum did the ancient Logicians to which they fly for shelter, when all other helpe faileth them. Albeit they bragge much of Scripture, yet upon examination of particulars it will appeare, that their new Trent Creed consisting of twelve supernumerarie Articles, hath no foundation at all in Scripture: and therefore they are forced for their support to fly to verbum Dei non scriptum, an unwritten word of God, which I would faine know of them how they prove to be Gods word? Whether by Scripture, or by unwritten tradition? by Scripture they cannot say, for it implies a flat contradiction, that verbum non scriptum should be scriptum, that unwritten traditions should be found in, or founded on Scripture; if they say they prove it to bee Gods word by tradition, then they prove idem per idem the same thing by it selfe, and build their faith upon a sillie sophisme called petitio principij, the begging the maine point in question.

14To the fourteenth. In the allegation of Cardinal Bessario the Iesuit chargeth the Knight with ambiguous translation,P. 225. and so placing the words, that they may have a double sence, the one to deceive the simple, and the other to excuse himselfe against the objections of the learned: and for this he pronounceth a woe against him, vae p. 115peccatori terram ingredienti duabus vijs, Woe to the sinner going on the earth two wayes: But the truth is, as Pentheus after he was distracted, imagined, duplices se ostendere Phoebos, Orestes apud Euripidem Electram sororem appellat Furiam, quòd eam ne fureret in lecto constringeret.that hee saw two Sunnes, when yet there was but one in the skie: so the Iesuit in a fit of frantick malice, imagined the Knight to goe two wayes whereas hee goeth but one, and that a faire and streight way, for he setteth the Latine words of the Cardinall without any adition or detraction in the margent, haec duo sola sacramenta in Evangelijs manifestè tradita legimus, and hee translateth them faithfully: wee reade that these two Sacraments only were delivered us plainly in Scriptures; hee rendereth not the words we reade plainly in Scriptures, that there were two only Sacraments delivered unto us, which had beene a misplacing of Bessarions words, and mis-interpretation of his meaning, bu wee reade that these two only were plainly delivered in the Gospell; there is no more ambiguitie in the translation then in the originall, which though it denieth not that other Sacraments may bee delivered in the Gospell, yet it affirmeth that these two only are plainly delivered there, and consequently that these two only are, de fide, matter of faith, and upon paine of damnation to be beleeved; for as I proved before out of S. Austine, and S. Chrysostome, all things that concerne faith and manners, and are necessarie to salvation are plainly delivered in holy Scriptures.

To the fifteenth. Some Papists as Flood confesseth, p. 11615denie the foure inferiour Orders to be Sacraments,P. 234. and Soto denieth the superiour, what a confusion is here in your sacrament of order? If the ordination of Bishops be not truly and properly a Sacrament, as Dominicus Soto acknowledgeth, neither is the ordination of Priests a Sacrament; for what can be alledged more for the one then the other? and if the ordination of Priests be no sacrament, much lesse Deacons, or subdeacons or Acolytes or Exorcists. Whether there be the same character imprinted in the ordination of Bishops, and Priests, it is not materiall to our present question, for if it be the same, then it followeth according to the doctrine of the Schooles, that they are one and the selfe-same Sacrament: if a diverse character bee imprinted by the one, and by the other, then are they two distinct Sacraments. If they are the same Sacraments, then Soto denying the one, consequently denieth the other to bee a Sacrament: if they are distinct Sacraments, then there are eight Sacraments. Yea but saith the Iesuit, Whether there bee a new character in a Bishop, or the same extended is no matter of faith, and therefore wee are not to dispute with you of it, but keepe you off at the staffes end, or rather out of doores: when you are once admitted into the Catholique Church, wee may admit you to speake of a Schoole-point or else not. Wee know well that yee are loath that we should heare of your differences among your selves: but the fire of contention cannot bee kept within the p. 117walls of your Schooles, quis enim celaverit ignem? Lumine qui semper proditur ipse suo, it breaketh out, and if ye looke not to it, it will set on fire the whole fabrick of your Romish Babel. Meane while the Iesuit giveth us great incouragement to desire to bee admitted into the Roman Church, because then forsooth wee shall have leave to tread the endlesse mazes of scholasticall disputes.

To the sixteenth. If Soto come short, Durand 16commeth home to the point in question, for hee affirmeth that which is alledged by the Knight, and confessed by the Iesuit, that Matrimonie is not a Sacrament univocally, if not univocally, not truly and properly, but equivocally or analogically. Yea but saith the Iesuit, all acknowledge it for an error in Durand: hee saith all, but hee names none. Surely the Divines of the reformed Church acknowledge it for no error in Durand, but defend it for a truth: and for such Romish Divines that adhere to the Councell of Trent, they are but a faction in the Church, nor is their authoritie more to be urged against the Doctours of the reformed Churches, then the authoritie of the Doctours of the reformed Churches against them: which yet if any should produce against any of the Articles of their new Creed, they would not vouchsafe them so much as a looke. For the definition of the Church in the Councel of Florence, which the Iesuit toucheth upon, it is of little or no authoritie, because that Councell p. 118was not general, nor called by lawfull authoritie, but by the schismaticall Pope Eugenius the fourth, who was deposed by a generall Councell held at Basil.

17To the seventeenth. Because the Iesuit is forbidden by the Popes law to tast of the fruits of Matrimonie, at which it seemes his mouth waters, hee is content to let the tree fall to the ground, for want of support. To Cardinal Cajetan who gave a strong push at it, by denying that it can be proved to bee a Sacrament. Out of the words of S. Paul Ephesians the fift, hee answereth nothing but with ifs, if it be not proved out of that place it may be out of others, if out of no other, yet out of tradition to his ifs I returne fies; fie for shame that they should bind all their followers under paine of a heavie curse to beleeve this Sacrament of Matrimonie, and yet know not where to ground this their beliefe, upon Scripture or tradition. If it may be proved to bee a sacrament out of S. Paul, Ephes. 5.Eph 5their most learned Cardinal Cajetan is out: if it may not be proved out of those words, Cardinal Bellarmine and almost all Papists that wrote since Cajetan are in an errour. The Iesuit holdeth a Wolfe by the eare: hee dares neither hold with Cajetan, nor against him: but puts the matter off with an iff. If it cannot be proved to bee a Sacrament out of that passage, as Cajetan affirmeth, yet it may bee out of other texts. What texts? why doth he not name them? it is a signe hee feareth his coyne is counterfeit, that p. 119hee dare not bring it to the test. If that place which seemeth to make most for his Romish tenet, make nothing at all, as the acute Schooleman, and most learned Cardinal Cajetan confesseth there is no likelihood that other texts which have lesse appearance will stand them in any stead, and therefore for his last refuge he flyeth to unwritten traditions, as the old Dunces as I noted before, ad pontem asinorum.

To the eighteenth. Canus puts a strong sharpe 18weapon in our hands to wound your Trent doctrine concerning Matrimonie,Canus loc. Theol. l. 8. c. 5. in materiâ & formâ hujus Sacramenti, viz. Matrimonij statuendâ, adeò sunt inconstantes & varij, adeò incerti & ambigui ut ineptus futurus sit qui in tantâ illorum varietate, & discrepantiâ rem aliquam certam, constantem, & exploratam conetur afferre. but withall forbiddeth us to strike with it, as the Iesuit Flood telleth us, as if we were at his beck, and might not use our weapons as wee list. But let him know, though he be so foolish as to give advantage, wee will not bee so childish as to leave it. If that bee true which he writeth, that the Divines of Rome write so uncertainly of the matter and forme of Matrimonie, that it were folly in any to goe about to reconcile these differences, and determine any thing certaine in the point: we will inferre upon him that it is likewise folly to define Matrimonie to be a Sacrament, for if the matter and forme of Matrimonie bee so unknowne as hee saith, the genus of it must needs be unknowne. For the genus as Porphyrie teacheth, is taken from the matter, L. de praedicab. c. de genere.and answereth thereunto as the difference is taken from the forme. If the genus be uncertaine, how can it bee an article of faith, that matrimonium is species sacramenti. The whole nature of a thing p. 120consisteth of matter and forme, which if it bee unknowne, the specificall essence is unknowne, and if the specificall essence be unknowne, how can it be ranked in its predicament under its proper genus? what Papist soever therefore defineth Matrimonie, and putteth it under a Sacrament as the proper genus, Canus putteth the foole upon him take it off when you can.

19To the nineteenth. Vasquez giveth the Iesuits cause not so light a blow (as hee imagineth) in saying that where S. Austine calleth Matrimonie a sacrament, hee taketh the word Sacrament in a large sense, and not in the strict and proper: for if S. Austine bee so to be understood, he held not Matrimonie a sacrament properly so called, but in a large sence onelyonly, and if that were his judgement, we have a great advantage of our Adversaries in the cause. Ffor S. Austine carrieth a great stroake, not only because hee is held the acutest of all the ancient Fathers, and father of all the Schoolemen: but especially, because the Pope in the Canon law professeth Augustinum sequimur in disputationibus, Wee follow for the most part, saith Pope Gelasius, S. Ierome in the interpretation of Scripture, S. Gregorie in matter of moralitie, but S. Austine in point of controversie. Yea but saith Flood, this is but Vasquez his private and singular opinion concerning S. Austine. Neither doth the Knight otherwayes urge it then as the singular opinion of a singularly learned Iesuit enforced by evidence of truth, to give over p. 121their chiefest hold of antiquitie in this point the authoritie of S. Austine. Well, be it so saith Flood, Vasquez is so farre for you, yet we have an Oliver for a Rowland, Bellarmine for Vasquez; for this opinion of Vasquez, is contradicted by other Catholique Divines, and by Bellarmine in particular. Where is then the unitie our Adversaries so much bragge of? two of the greatest Champions of the Pope Vasquez and Bellarmine strive about S. Austine, and the one refelleth the reasons of the other, so that it seemeth our popish Divines are as ill resolved about the proofe of their doctrine, as I shewed before out of Canus, that they were in a wood concerning the doctrine it selfe. Moreover I adde, that though Bellarmine may goe in equipage with Vasquez: yet Vasquez against them more disparageth their cause, then Bellarmine for them helpeth it. For a testimonie from an enemie is of more force for us, then the testimonie of a friend, or rather sworne vassall to the Roman Church can be for them.

To the twentieth. Sithence signification is of 20the essence of the Sacrament, and Bellarmine will have this signification necessarily to containe in it three things, the Passion of Christ, sanctifying grace, and eternall life. And whereas farther he confesseth that the signification of these three things is most apparant in Baptisme and the Lords Supper. The Knight strongly concludeth out of him that our doctrine concerning two Sacraments is more certaine and evident, then theirs p. 122concerning seven, and consequently that our beleefe is safer in this point then theirs. As for that which the Iesuit addeth out of Bellarmine, that the rest of the Sacraments signifie all these things at least implicitly were it true, yet wee had the better of the cause. For our two Sacraments, as it is confessed, signifie these things plainly and evidently; theirs obscurely and implicitly; but indeed it is not true that they signifie or represent those things at all. For what representation is there betweene imposition of hands in orders, or joyning of hands in Matrimonie, or confessing sinnes in penance, or chrisme in Confirmation, or oyle in Extreame Unction, and the Passion of Christ, and eternall life? What the Iesuit addeth for conclusion, that the rest of the Knights section is nothing but such foolish stuffe as hee is wont to talke, without rime or reason, needeth no other answer then this that the Knight indeed from p. 157. to 161. taketh an inventorie of a great deale of foolish stuffe, but it is theirs, not the Knights, to wit, that Christ satisfied the people with five loaves and two fishes which make seven, and that which Andrew said, there is a boy here which hath five loaves and two fishes, must be understood of the ranke of S. Peters successors, Tyrabosc. pat. Ven. vid. Gentilet examen concil. Trid. l. 4.and that which is added; make the people sit downe, signifieth that salvation must bee offered to them, by teaching them the seven Sacraments. Againe, there are seven Vertues, seven mortall sinnes, seven Planets, the Lord rested the seventh day, seven p. 123dayes thou shalt eate unleavened bread; Balak effered seven Bulls, and seven Rams; and in the Apocalips wee reade of seven Candlesticks, seven Seales, seven Trumpets, seven Angels: Ergo, there are seven Sacraments properly so called, or rather properly so proved.

Spectatum admissi risum teneatis amici? Are such arguments the reasons of men, sobriae & vigilantis fidei, as S. Austine speaketh, are they not rather dreames of the seven Sleepers? or as Epictetus spake of arguments against the truth,Ex Humfr. in Vit. Iuelli. Haec sunt infernorum somniorum Phantasmata.