A golden chaine: or The description of theologie containing the order of the causes of saluation and damnation, according to Gods word. A view whereof is to be seene in the table annexed. Hereunto is adioyned the order which M. Theodore Beza vsed in comforting afflicted consciences.

The Proofe.

THe proposition is most true, because it is a priuiledge of Gods worde, &

so of the true religion gathered forth of it, to be consonant to it selfe in all points: which properly no doctrines nor writings beside can haue. The as∣sumption may be made manifest by an induction of particular examples.

• I. The Church of Rome saith, that men are saued by grace: and againe it saith,* 1.1 that men are saued by workes. A flat contradiction. For Paul saith, if e∣lection be of grace, it is no more of workes: or els were grace no more grace: but if it be of workes, it is no more grace: for els were worke no more worke. Answer is made,* 1.2 that in this place Paul speaketh of workes of nature, which indeed are contrarie to grace, but not of works of regeneration, which are not contrary to grace. This answer is false: for Paul in a like place vnto this oppo∣seth grace and works of regeneration. Ye are saued by grace (saith he) through faith, and that not of your ••elues: for it is the gift of God, not of workes, least any should boast himselfe: for we are his workemanship created in Christ Ie∣sus vnto good workes, that we should walke in them. Now let the Church of Rome speake what are the workes of which any man may most of all boast? And what are the workes for the doing of which we must be fashioned anew in Christ Iesus? Assuredly they must be the works of regeneration, dipped & dyed in the blood of Christ (as they speake:) wherefore it is euident, that Pauls meaning is to conclude, that if we be saued by grace, we cannot be saued by workes of regeneration.
• II. The Church of Rome confuteth and condemneth in Councels, & de∣rideth this doctrine that we teach that men are to be iustified by the imputati∣on of the righteousnes of Christ: which righteousnes is not in vs but in Christ. And the Rhemists call it a fantasticall iustice, a new no-iustice.* 1.3 But herein that Church is contrarie to it selfe: for it defendeth workes of supererogation, and workes of satisfaction of one man for another: and their ground is, because the faithfull are all members of one bodie, and haue fellowship one with ano∣ther, and therefore one may satisfie for another. Hereby it is plaine, that the church of Rome most of al defendeth that imputation of righteousnes, which most of all it hath oppugned. For when one man satisfieth for an other, the worke of one man is imputed to another. But what? shall one man satisfie for another, and shall not Christ by his righteousnes satisfie for vs? shall God ac∣cept the worke of one man for another, and not accept the righteousnesse of Christ for vs? Truly there is greater fellowship and coniunction betweene the head and the members, then of the members among themselues: because they are ioyned together by meanes of the head.
• III. It holdeth that the guilt and fault of sinne may be remitted by Christ: and yet the temporall punishment of sin be vnremitted: but these are quite con∣trarie. Paul saith,* 1.4 there is now no condēnation to them that are in Christ Iesus. Yet if a man were punished for his sinne after he were in Christ, and had the fault of sinne remitted, some condemnation should now remaine him. And Dauid saith, Blessed is the man to whome the Lord imputeth no sinne:* 1.5 there∣fore he to whome the Lord imputeth no sinne, hath not onely the guilt of sin, but also the punishment of his sinne remitted: otherwise he could not be bles∣sed but miserable. and this agreeth not with gods iustice, whē the fault is quite pardoned, and a man is guiltie of no sinne, that then any punishment should

• be laid on. And S. Austin saith,* 1.6 that Christ by taking vpon him the punish∣ment of sin, and not taking vpon him the fault, tooke away both the punish∣ment and the fault. Wherefore this opinion, that Christ hath taken away the guilt of sin, ouerthroweth all Satisfactions & Purgatorie, because the fault & guilt beeing taken away, all punishment for sinne is also taken away.
• IV. Transubstantiation is a monster, standing on manifold contradictions. First, it maketh Christs bodie to be in many places: an euident contradiction. For it is of the nature and essence of a bodie to be in one place onely: which I proue thus. A bodie is a magnitude, a magnitude is a continued quātitie, a cō∣tinued quantitie cannot be but in one place: therfore a bodie cannot be but in one place. In his argument the doubt is onely of the last part: which vndoub∣tedly is most true. For it is called a continued quātitie, because his parts are cō∣tinued and knit togither the one with another in a common tearme or bonde, as a line by a point, a plane and his parts by a line, a solide by a Superficies or plane. Nowe these points can in no wise bee continued, vnlesse euery one of them keepe one onely speciall place. For examples sake: suppose the plane, a, b, c, d, to be deuided into three
  [illustration]
  parts, I, k, l, by two lines, e, g, and f, h, which do both deuide the three parts & continue thē the one with the other. Now I say, that euery one of the partes may be cōtinued with his next fellow, it is necessary that euery one of them should haue one special and distinct place. That the first place of the plane, i, may be continued with, k, it must be situated onely there where it is, and no where els: for if it shall be situate els where, as in the place m, then it cannot be continued with k. Nowe then, if the partes must of necessitie haue their owne particular place onely, then the whole figure, a, b, c, d, must also bee onely in one place.* 1.7 And this is that which the prince of Philosophers teach∣eth, that euery magnitude hath his parts sited in some one place, one by ano∣ther, so that a man may say of them, here it is, and there it is not. To conclude therefore, this must needes agree to a bodie and to the parts of it, to bee in one onely place alone. So that the Church of Rome when it saith that Christs bo∣die is in many places: in effect they say, that Christs bodie is no bodie: for if it be a bodie, it is only in one place: & if it be in many places, it is no body. They obiect that God is omnipotent. True indeede, but there bee some things, the doing of which agreeth not with Gods power, as to make contradicentia, things contradictorie to be both true: of which sort these are. For, that Christs bodie is a true bodie, and that it is in many places at once, are flatte contrarie: beccause (as hath bin shewed) it is essential to all magnitudes to be in one place, and therefore to a bodie. And God cannot take away that which is essentiall to a thing, the essence remaining whole. 2. Againe, transubstantiation maketh the Accidents of bread and wine to remaine without the substance. Here also is another contradiction as impossible as the former: for it is a common saying in schooles, Accident is esse, est inesse. It is of the essence of an Accident to bee in

• the substance. Now therefore, if the Accidents bee, there is also the bread and wine: and if there bee no substance of bread or wine, neither can there be any accidents. 3. It holdeth that bread is turned into the bodie of Christ, and ther∣fore it must needs holde, that Christs bodie is made of bakers bread, and yet it holdeth and teacheth that Christs bodie is onely made of the seede of Marie. quite ouerthrowing the former Transubstantiation.
• V. It teacheth, that a man must alwaies doubt of his saluation: and likewise it teacheth, that in praying we are to cal GOD father, which are things quite contrarie. For who can truly call GOD father, vnlesse hee haue the spirit of adoption,* 1.8 and be assured that he is the child of God? For if a man shall call god father, & yet in his heart doubt whether he be his father or not, he playeth the dissembling hypocrite: wherefore to doubt of saluation, and to say Our father, &c. in truth are contrarie.
• VI. The Church of Rome maketh praier to bee one of the chiefe meanes to satisfie for sinnes.* 1.9 But praier indeede is an asking of pardon for sinne: Now asking of pardon & satisfaction for sinne are contrarie: therfore by the iudge∣ment of the Papists,* 1.10 praier which is a satisfaction is no satisfactiō. And indeed let vs consider what madnes is contained in this popish diuinitie: the poore begger commeth very hungrie to the rich mans doore to craue his almes:* 1.11 and straightwaies by his begging he will merit and deserue it. The same doeth the papist, he prayeth verie poorely for the thing which he wanteth, yet he look∣eth very proudly to merit no lesse then the kingdome of heauen by it.
• VII. Doubting of saluation & hope cannot agree together, for hope ma∣keth a man not to be ashamed, that is, it neuer disappointeth him of the thing which he looketh for. And therefore it is called the anchor of the soule both sure and steadfast, which entereth into that which is within the vaile.* 1.12 So that true hope and the certaine assurance of saluation goe togither.
• VIII. True praier and iustification by works cannot stand togither. For hee which prayeth truly must be touched inwardly with a liuely feeling of his owne miserie, and of the want of that grace, whereof he standes in neede. Now this cannot be in the heart of that man that looketh to merit the kingdome of heauen by his workes: for he that can doe this may iustly conceiue somewhat of his owne excellencie.
• IX. Papists teach, that it is great boldnes to come immediately vnto God without the intercession of Saints: and therefore they vse to a 1.13 pray to Marie, that shee would pray to Christ to helpe them: yet on the contrarie, when they haue so done, they pray to God immediatly, that he would receiue the inter∣cession of Marie for them. And thus they are become intercessors betweene Marie and God. Yea when they offer vp Christ, praying God to accept their gifts and sacrifices, the humble priest that wil not pray to God but by the me∣diation of Saints, is then a mediator between Christ Iesus & God the father.
• X. It holdeth, that in the masse the Priest offereth vp Christ to his father an vnbloodie sacrifice. This is a thing impossible: for if Christ in the masse be sacrificed for sin, then he must die & his blood must be shed, Heb. 9.22. And in the Scriptures these two sayings (Christ is dead, Christ is offered vp in Sa∣crifice) are all one. So then, the Papist when he supposeth that there may be an

• vnbloodie sacrifice, in effect he saith thus much: There is a sacrifice, which is no sacrifice. And it is not possible that a bloodie sacrifice should be offered in an vnbloodie manner.
• ...

  XI. In the Canon of the masse, the Church of Rome praieth on this wise.

  We humbly beseech thee most merciful father, by Iesus Christ thy sonne and our Lord, that that thou wouldest accept these gifts and oblations and these holy Sacrifices, which thy Church offer to thee, &c.

  where first they offer vp Christ to God the father in the name of Christ, and so they make Christ to be his owne mediatour.

  Againe, they desire God to blesse and to accept his own sonne: for they of∣fer vp Christ. If they say he needeth now the blessing of his father, they make Christ a weake and imperfect Christ: if he need not the blessing of his father, their praier is needelesse. Also they desire God to accept not one gift or one sacrifice, but in the plurall number, these gifts and sacrifices: whereas they hold that Christs bodie is one only bodie, and therefore but one sacrifice. And thus they are at variance with themselues.

• XII. Papists, in word they say, that they beleeue & put thei•• trust in God: yet whereas they looke to be saued by their workes, they set the confidence of their hearts in truth vpon their owne doings.
• XIII. They put such holines in matrimonie, that they make it one of their 7. Sacraments, which a 1.14conferre grace to the partakers of them: yet they forbid their Cleargie to marrie, b 1.15 because to liue in marriage is to liue according to the flesh, and the Councell of Trent opposeth marriage and chastitie.
• XIV. It teacheth that soules kept in purgatorie, may be redeemed by Sa∣crifices and Suffrages. Against this, is a Canon of their lawe taken out of Saint Hierome,c 1.16 we know that in this life we may help one another, either by prai∣ers, or by good counsell: but when we shall come before the iudgement seate of Christ, neither Iob, nor Daniel, nor Noe, may intreat for any: but euery mā is to beare his own burthen. And according to another Canon going vnder the name of Gelasius Bishop of Rome. Either there is no Purgatorie, or the soules which goe thither, shall neuer returne.
• XV. And to conclude, the most points of their religion are contrarie to their Canons, as by searching may appeare in these examples.
  • 1 1.171 The dead cannot heare the praiers of them which call vpon him.
  • 2 1.182 Peter and Paul were two of the chiefe Apostles, and it is hard to say, which was aboue the other.
  • 3 1.193 Leo the fourth liuing in the yeare ••46. acknowledged Lotharius the Emperour for his prince.
  • 4 1.204 No Bishop may be called vniuersall.
  • 5 1.215 The Church of Rome hath no more authoritie ouer other Churches, then other Churches ouer it.
  • 6 1.226 A Priest and a Bishop were in times past all one.
  • 7 1.237 The Pope hath no power to giue or sell pardons.
  • 8 1.248 There can be no merit by fasting, or abstinence from flesh.
  • 6 1.259 The masse is nothing but the forme of diuine sacrific••.

By this which hath beene said, it doth in part appeare, that the religion of,

the Church of Rome is repugnant to it selfe, and it could not so be, if it were from the word of God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rom. 11.6.
• * 1.2

  Rhem. Test. vpon Rom. 11.6. Eph. 2. 8,9.
• * 1.3

  Rhem. Test. Rem. 2.13. Rhem. Test. Col. 2.24.
• * 1.4

  Rom. ••.1.
• * 1.5

  Psal. 32.1.
• * 1.6

  August. de verb. Domi. Ser. 37.
• * 1.7

  Arist. Ca∣teg. cap. de qua••t.
• * 1.8

  Rom. 8. 16.
• * 1.9

  Can. Tres sant. de pena•• dist. 1.
• * 1.10

  Lumb. lib. 4. dist. 16.
• * 1.11

  Can. de qu••∣tis. die. poenit. dist. 3.
• * 1.12

  Rom. 5.5. Heb. 6.1••.
• a 1.13

  Breuiar. 1. & Missa. 1. refet. vbique
• a 1.14

  Rhe. Test. pag. 523.
• b 1.15

  Papa Syri∣cius. Decret. epist. Sess. 24. c. 9.
• c 1.16

  Can. in pre∣sent. 11. 13. q. ••.

  Can. legatur 4. q. 1.
• 1 1.17

  Con. faten∣dum. 13. q. 2.
• 2 1.18

  C. Beati. 2. q. 7.
• 3 1.19

  C. de Capi∣tulis dist. 16.
• 4 1.20

  C. nullus dist. 99.
• 5 1.21

  C. legimus dist. 93.
• 6 1.22

  C. legimus. dist. 93.

  C. Olim. dist. 95.
• 7 1.23

  C. verbum 6. magna.

  C. Conuerti∣mini de pe∣nit. dist. 1.
• 8 1.24

  C. quod di••it. dist. 4.1.
• 6 1.25

  C. lumino∣sa. 18. q. 25.