THE CATHOLICK DOCTRINE OF TRANSVBTANTIATION proued to be ancient and Orthodoxall Against the sclanderous tongue of D. Iohn Cozens a Protestants minister auouching the sayd doctrine neuer to haue been knowne in the Church before the Councels of Latteran and of Trent Aug. in psal 36. Tanto magis debemus commemorare vanitatem Haereticorum quanto magis quaerimus salutem eorum By how much more we seeke the saluation of HereticKes by so much more we ought to maKe the vanity of their lyes appeare Luther Epist ad Io. Heruagium TypographuÌ„ The sacramentaries began their opinion of the sacrament with lyes and with lyes they defend it PRINTED AT PARIS M.DC.LVII TO THE READER COVRTEOVS READER As the cause of my first writing this paper was to satisfy the Countesse of Insiquin giue her not only the true sense and meaning of S. Austin but also the beleefe of all Orthodox Antiquity concerning the reall presence of Christ in the holy Eucharist so the reason why I now publish it is to informe those of the truth who peraduenture may haue heard of a conference which casually happened thereupon between my selfe and D. Iohn Cozens a Protestant minister Which because it is related by some of his friends with much partiality preiudice to the truth I am aduised by friends to publish it with all the most materiall circumstances wherewith it was accompanyed or which were the occasion of it whereby it will appeare that Luther the grand Patriarke of all Protestant Congregations neuer spoke truer then when speaking of the Abettors of the Sacramentarian doctrine which is the doctrine of the English pretended reformation he sayd Epist ad Ioannem Heruagium TypographuÌ„ The Sacramentaries began their opinion with lyes and with lyes they defend it this I say will appeare plainly by the following relation 1. The Countesse of Insiquin being trobled at her Honorable Lords being become a Roman Catholick and vsing all the meanes she could to draw him to returne againe to Protestanisme among other indeauours she applyed the industry of D. Io Cozens a Protastant minister who to that effect wrot sundry papers to him wherein he impugned the Primacy of the Bishop of Rome ouer the whole Church of Christ as a doctrine crept-in since the Apostles tymes and not warranted by the authority of Orthodox Antiquity 2. These papers the earle of Insiquin was pleased to send vnto me and withall requested me to returne an answer to them especially to the authorities alleadged therein out out of S. Gregory the great and S. Cyprian against our Catholick doctrine 3. In compliance with my Lords request I drew a short answer wherein I shewed first by the testimone of the Doctours owne brethren that his vrging of S. Gregories refusing the title of vniuersall Bishop is very vaine and idle and grounded vpon wilfull blindnesse and Hereticall obstinacy because it is cleerer then the sunne and confessed by the greatest schollers of Protestant syde that S Gregory notwithstanding the foresayd obiection did clayme and exercise the Primacy of authority and iurisdiction ouer all Churches in causes spirituall and Ecclesiasticall and therefore he tearmeth the see of Rome the head of all Churches the mother Church the mistresse of Nations and auoucheth them to be peruerse men that will not be subiect to her and that S. Peter was by God appointed ouer all the Church c. These acknowledgments are made of S. Gregory by Bale Bulinger Melanchton the Centurists and other Protestant writers against D. Cozens and his old worne-out obiection which hath beene so many tymes already answered and refuted not only by our Catholick Diuines but euen by Protestants In so much that Andreas Friccius a Protestant whom Peter Martyr styleth an excellent learned man writeth thus in confutation of this foolish obiection saying L. 2. de Eccles cap. 10. pa. 570. Some there be c. that obiect the authority of Gregory who saith that such a title pertaineth to the Precursor of Anti-Christ but the reason of Gregory is to be knowne and it may be gathered from his words which he repeateath in many Epistles that the title of vniuersall Bishop is contrary to and doth gainsay the grace which is commonly poured vpon all Bishops He therefore that calleth himselfe the only Bishop taketh the Bishop like power from te rest Wherefore this title he would haue to be reiected c. But it is neuerthelesse euident by other places that Gregory thaught that the charge and Principality of the whole Church was committed to Peter And yet for this cause Gregory thought not that Peter was the forerunner of Anti-Christ Thus Friccius So euident it is by the Confession of this Protestant that S. Gregory himselfe claymed and defended the Primacy of the Roman Bishop Church ouer all other Bishops and Churches whatsoeuer And yet D. Cozens will be still vrging against vs this obiection of s. Greg which proceeding doth euidently conuince him to be either extreme ignoraÌ„t little verst euen in his owne authors or else which is much worse to haue layd a syde all shame and honesty being resolued to maintaine any thing though neuer so cleer against his owne conscience so that he may for base ends and secular interest deceaue the vnlearned 4. Hauing shewed that his argument drawne from the authority of s. Gregory was of no credit euen with the learnedst of his owne schoole I went on declaring how the minister abused S. Cyprian by disiointing clipping and confounding S. Cyprians sayings that so he might obscure his meaning which are the ordinary shifts of Protestant ministers and are most vnexcusable in D. Cozens because he wilfully perseuers in it notwithstanding the notice which was lately taken thereof in the very selfe same controuerâ—y by that learned Diuine Mr. Thomas Carre in his occasionall discourses and in like occasion by D. Thomas Vane in his vindication of the Councel of Latteran both of them laying open his foul peruerting and corrupting of the fathers and the Councel to his eternall shame and confusion for it cannot but appeare to euery indifferent man that the minister is not so much a louer of truth as he would faine appeare to his followers but rather to be accounted of the number of those who loue darkenesse more then light falshood more then truth 5. These hereticall slights being discouered in the Minister I shewed how the places of S. Cyprian being faithfully cited make most cleerly for our Catholick doctrine seing it is cleer that he beleeued and taught that the Roman Church was by diuine institution the Principall and chief Church that she had the prerogatiue of being the mother Church of all other Churches that the Primacy or head-gouerning authority was by Christ giuen to S. Peter and his successor and that his Chaire that is the see of Rome is the fountaine and head-spring from whence do flow all the stremes of pure and infallible doctrine is the sunne from whence all the starres
Lateran to haue desined and authentically declared the doctrine of Transubstantiation to be an article of faith a diuine reuealed verity conueyed downe to vs by full tradition of the Church and yet that we must contemne it as an errour vpon Luther Caluin and the rest of the Protestant ministers word what I say is this but to grant that to be a Protestant a man must haue his braynes inuerted and preferre the corrupt fancies wilfull mustakes and damnable lyes of a few new Turbulent and fâ—ctious Apostatas before the vnanimous testimony of a world of learned wise and holy men and that in a matter of aboue 300. yeares before Luther or any of his lewde associats were borne and of which all those other holy and learned fathers were eye-witnesses as what was the religion of the Christian world at that tyme what the doctrine of faith which their Ancestors euery where professed and deliuered to them as an Apostolicall Tradition and diuine reuealed verity concerning the reall presence of Christ in the Eucharist These are the vicctories D. Cozens hath gayned to wit ouer himselfe and ouer his Protestant Congregation which as they proue D. Cozens to be no Doctour of sauing truth so they proue the religion which he doth professe and teach to be most prophane and false and altogether grounded vpon sclanderous lyes vttered out of malice against the Roman Church truth of her Catholick faith 23. Heere againe I cannot but beseech the Protestant Reader for the loue he beares to that sacred ransome of his soul the pretious bloud of our Sauiour that he will consider what a kinde a thing the Protestant religion is which relyes vpon such Principles and which hath no more certainty of truth then it is certaine that the bare word of Luther Caluin swinglius Bâ—za and the rest of that black-gard is to be preferred before the vnanimous testimony of 1285. fathers assembled together in general Councel from all parts of the Christian world bearing witnesse in a matter of fact of their owne tymes aboue 300. yeares before any of those other lewde Apostatas were borne 24. Though that which hath beene hitherto related of the Answers which D. Cozens made to the authorities of the fathers and of the sclanderous vntruths he vttered against the Roman Catholick faith do sufficiently declare him to be a man of the very same stampe with all the rest of the ministery of the Protestant kerke that is one that is alwayes ready to say and vnsay as shall be most for the aduantage of his cause and to vtter any thing without remorse that may proue disgracefull to the Roman Church yet in this meeting he gaue vpon seuerall occasions two or three other strong proofes thereof much to be obserued by all those that suffer themselues to be deceiued by him and rely vpon his word and doctrine in matters of faith and religion One is that whereas I had vpon occasion affirmed of Luther that he denyed S. Iames his Epistle to be the word of God D. Cozens denyed this of Luther with as much confidence as if he had had a face of brasse And yet there is nothing more acknowledged by those of Luthers schoole then this that Luther saies of S. Iames his Epistle that it is straminea epistola an epistle of straw and vnworthy altogether of an Apostolicall spirit In which respect Luther in Prolog huius epistola In which respect as also for other his horrible prophanings of Gods holy word L. de Sacram fol. 412. swinglius dorh style him a foul corrupter and horrible falsifyer of Gods word one that followed the Marcionites and Arians that razed out such places of holy writ that were against them Another argument of D. Cozens inconstancy in his assertions and confidence in impugning the knowne truth is that after he had most boldly auouched that the doctrine of Transubstantiation and adoration of the Sacrament was neuer knowne nor practized in the Church before the Lattetan Councel he presently corrected himselfe as if he had beene two fauourable towards the truth and not vttered a falshood loâ—de enough and therefore to make it wider he sayd that neither then was the foresayd doctrine defined by the Councel but afterwards by the Decree of Innocentius the third And yet there can be nothing more cleer then that the whole Councel did define the doctrine we speake of For it is one of the very first Heads or Articles of faith which the Councel doth define beginning the Decrees with firmiter credimus simpliciter confitemur we firmely beleeue and plainly confesse c. that the true body and bloud of Christ is truly contained in the Sacrament of the Altar vnder the formes of bread and wine Verum Christi corpus sanguis in Sacramento Altaris sub speciebus panis vini veraciter continetur transubstantiatiatis pane in corpus vino in sanguinem potesta te diuina Decreta Concil Lat. 4. cap. 1. the bread being by diuine power transubstantiated into the body and the wine into the bloud Thus the Councel And yet D. Cozens is not ashamed to auouch that not the Councel of Lateran but Innocentius the third defined the doctrine of Transubstantiation Neither is his impudence lesse intollerable in denying the Adoration of the Sacrament to be more ancient then the Latteran Councel for no Catholick Diuine can now speake plainer then the fathers of the purest tymes of the Church do for it namely Theodoret S. Austin S. Chrysostome S. Ambrose S. Gregory Nazianzen and others whose authorities may be seene in Coccius Gualterus and Bellarmine and are arkdowledged by Chemnitius Chemnit exam part 2. pag. 92. Parkins Chrispinus Bilson the Centurists and other Protestant writers and Marbachius another Protestant author doth confesse it to be a Most ancient custome which the Church vsed in shewing to the people the Eucharist to be adored in the Masse c. How then is the Doctour not ashamed to maintaine such foul and palpable vntruths with so much boldnesse Who would be a minister of the Protestant Kerke seing it is an office which no man can personate but by laying a syde all regard to truth and publish himselfe to be a meere impostour and seing the building which he is to sustaine is so ruinous that he cannot vphold it and keepe it from ruine but by ruining his owne soule and running wilfully into damnation 25. And what man is there desirous of saluation that will not hold himselfe obliged to abandon such a man as a most vnsafe guide to heauen yea as a certaine deceauer of soules one of the number of those whom S. Paul saies are subuerted and condemned by their owne iudgment because it is euident that he defends a cause a doctrine a faith a religion which cannot be defended but by forging lyes impugning the knowne truth and maintaining Principles contrary to the light of nature and common reason as hath
master our sense and raison let vs do this in all things and especially in the mysteries not regarding alone the things which ly before vs. but holding fast his words we cannot be Cozened our sense may easily be deceaued his words cannot be vntrue our sense is often tymes beguiled Seing therefore our Lord hath sayd this is my body let not staggering nor doubt lay hold on vs but let vs beleeue it and see it with the eyes of our vnderstanding for nothing that is sensible is giuen vnto vs heere by Christ but in seÌ„sible thing indeed yet all that he giueth is insensible Thus S. Chrysostome And I beseech you Madame to giue eare vnto him and follow his aduice and Counsel much safer and securer to saluation then the new pretended light of a few vpstâ—rt turbulent and factious Ministers that haue nothing in them derseruing credit and authority seing they are by their owne brethren confessed to be foule corrupters and horrible falsifiers of Gods word So Swinglius of Luther Carleile of the English Protestant ministers p. 116. 144. Epistolae ad Ioan nem Heruagium TypographuÌ„ louers of darkenesse more then light falshood more then truth who obtrue vpon their vnlearned Proselites a doctrine which as Luther the grand Protestant Apostle saith they began with lyes and with lyes they desend it which I haue alfo heere demonstrated against your minister who was not ashamed to auouch against the cleerest euidence of truth that the doctrine of Transubstantiation was not knowne nor heard of in the Church before the Councel of Latteran which assertion how false it is euery one that can but reade may see by turning first to the 15. § taking there out of the Coun of Trent the doctrine of Transubstantiation and then comparing that doctrine with the testimonies of the fathers of euery age whome I haue cited as interpreters of the Scripture as Doctors and Teachers of the Church and as witnesses of the common beleef of the Christian world in their tymes all of them deliuering in as expresse termes as the Councel of Trent that the beleef of all Orthodox Christians ouer the world then was that in the Eucharist there is by Consecration made a Conuersion a Transmutatiation a Trans-elementation a change of the substance of the bread and wine into the body and bloud of our Lord which is the formall doctrine of Transubstantiation and all that the Church doth propose to all Christian 1 to be beleeued as a diuine reuealed verity Vnlesse it be that the Councel declares that this substantiall Conuersion is fitly properly called Tranfubstantiation Wherein that man must extremely Cosen himselfe and declare himselfe to be altogether voyde of common sense that should offer to preferre the clamourous non sense of a Protestant minister that knowes not the proper sense meaning of thousands of Lattin words before the iudgment of a Generall Councel consisting of thousands of the learnedst of all nations then Orthodox and Chrstian especially considering that Transubstantiation as euery schoole boy-knowes according to the Etymon and proper interpretation of the word must signify a connersion change of one substance into another substance and the Church whose authority is the greatest next vnto the diuine authority hath power to vse assigne and apply words not vsed before to expresse more plainely the truth meaning of her diuine and Apostolicall doctrine against those that do oppose it with their prophane nouelties as the practise of the Church in all ages doth declare against the Rebells of light that moued worre against her in those tymes §. 57. I Shall not adde heere any more in disproof of your ministers foule Sclauders That which I haue allready sayd takes off their wizard and is abundantly sufficient to make them appeare to any man that is deuested of preiudice passion to be nothing but the foule impostures of Heretiks who care not what vntruths they vtter though neuer so much against their conscience so that they may but disgracâ— the Church of God and render her contemptible to men by charging he with grosse and damnable errours in doctrines of faith and religion and by this perswasion draw ignorant people to contemne her authority and forsake her Communion and assume vnto themselues the authority of iudges in matter of Religion and this for secular ends and priuat interest Now for conclusion of this answer I beseech you Madame to cast an impartiall eye vpon the pretended reformation and consider the first authors of it and how they do defend it and the effects which it hath euery where produced The authors you will finde to be a rabble of most seditious and leuâ—d Apostatas the Doctrine they broached is full of sacrilegious blasphemies the effects it hath produced in all contries licentious liberty rebellion and other horrid vices all which doth make it manifest to all that do not wifully shut theire eyes that Protestanisme is not a reformed but deformed religion and therefore an open way leadging strayte to perdition and that the ministers you credit are wolues disâ—â—â—guised false Prophets deceiptfull teachers vnsent messengers who preach their owne foolish dreames corrupted fancies for Gods holy word and diuine reuealed verities you may know them whose they are by their pride auarice enuy vicious liues and ministers lying spirit which are Caracters giuen by ProtestaÌ„ts themselues of their owne ministery but are farre from being testimonies of Gods holy spirit inhabiting in them to teach them all truth and lead them the wayes of saluation That you may discouer their fraud auoyde their snarres and free your selfe from their tyrrany I beseech you Madamâ— to make your recourse to the throne of Grace with a deepe sense of your saluation imploring his mercy in the aboue cited words of S. Denis saying Replenish O Lord our spirituall eyes with thy singular and reuealed brightnes And you may not doubt but that he will poure into your soul the light of faith which is to bring you to the knowledge of sauin truth and with his grace inable you to imbrace it and professe it which shall be the dayly prayer MADAME Of your most humble and very sincere seruant W.W. An admonition for Doctour Cozens IF in replying to what is heere alleadged out of the fathers in proof of the antiquity of our doctrine he will shew himselfe a Doctour and speake to the purpose and not a Deceiuer vsing hereticall slights and fallacies to deceaue the ignorant let him first reflect on the state of the question which is heere between vs and Protestants and let all he sayes dirâ—ctly tend to confute and disproue that which we maintaine to be ancient and Orthodoxall against him all other sectaries do that oppose vs. The Question is in a matter of fact to wit wheter the ancient fathers the Pastors and Doctors of Gods Church did not beleeue and teach the same doctrine of Transubstantiation which the now Roman Catholick Church doth beleeue
the fathers And the first I lighted on in turning to them was this of S. Gaudentius The Lord Creator of natures who of earth made bread againe because he can do it and hath promised to do it of bread makes his owne body and he that of water made wine now of wine hath made his owne bloud 15. The Doctour not looking as it seemes for this authority and therefore hauing no answer or rather shift ready for it cryes out Gaudentius who is this Gaudentius He is sayd I a graue father of the primitiue Church and was Bishop of Brixia A graue father sayd the Doctor he was some Heretick Fye Doctor sayd I will you offer to call Heretick a learned father and Canonized sainct Canonized sayd he by whom By the Church sayd I. By the Church sayd the Doctor with scorne by your Church By that Church sayd I which was euer esteemed the church of God 16. Heere because the Doctour did not admitt S. Gaudentius for an authenticall witnesse that we might not decline from the maine question without further insisting vpon this authority I went to others better knowne the Doctor and cited S. Cyrill of Alexandria Though now before I cite him it will not be amisse to make some reflection vpon this most vnchristian and detestable way of declining the authorities of the fathers very familiar with the ministers of the Protestant Kerke when they are pressed with places that are so cleer against them that they cannot shuffle them ouer by any other Hereticall slights For then you shall heare them as euen now you heard this minister breake out into most disgracefull reuiling language against the ancient fathers of Gods Church though neuer so learned and holy So D. Bilson a knowne Minister of the English pretended reformation so farre enrageth against S. Epiphanius Bishop of Salamina and a learned father of the fourth age for reiecting all figuratiue glosses vpon the words of Institution This is my body that forgetting all modesty reuerence due vnto those gray-headed tymes he saith Bilson 4. part p. 752. 753. Epiphanius was a prating deacon of more tongue then witt more face then learning c. which scurrilous insolency these Doctours learned of their grand Patriark Luther who whensoeuer he was pressed by his aduersaries with the authorities of fathers which he could not answer was wont to breake out in these and such like prophane speeches which declare him to haue beene more an impe of Sathan then a Christian Luther tom 2. witt li. de seruo Arbitrio pa. 434. an 1551. see the same booke printed 8. p. 72. 73 276. 337. the fathers of so many ages haue beene plainly blind and most ignorant in the Scriptures and haue erred all their life tyme and vnlesse they were amended before their deaths they were neither saincts nor partaining to the Church But what christian will make any more account of such like lewde and vnchristian censures then of a thing that deserues all contempt for what but wilfull ignorance Hereticall pride could haue carryed these men so precipitously vpon such an vn christian censure of S. Gaudentins S. Epiphanius and the father in generall 17. S. Gaudentius was a famous Bishop of the primitiue tymes neuer stayned with any errour in faith noted by any ancient or moderne writer He was so eminent both for his learning for his vertues that though he were vnder yeares he was by the perswasion chiefly of S. Ambrose chosen to succed S. Philastrius in rhe Bishop rick of Brixia and being then farre absent in a pilgrimage in the East and hearing of his election he gaue a rare example of many admirable vertues not to be found among Protestant Ministers For he laboured all that he could to decline that dignity and for that end stayd there in the East till by the threates of an excommunication he was constrayned to returne home and vndergoe that burden The Doctour therefore remaines conuicted of great ignorance and of great temerity and of being greatly iniurious to this ancient holy father and remaines obliged vnder paine of damnation to make him restitution and cleer him from the foule sclander he hath layd vpon him and dispossesse my lady of the euil opinion she hath conceiued against so great a sainct by his lewde and temerations language 18. And this were enough to make any man thâ—t hath a care of his saluation to detest and abhorre the Protestant spirit which carryes men that are throughly possessed with it into such vast absurdities or rather sacrilegious impieties and to hate that religion which cannot be maintayned but by insimulating the Orthodox fathers of the primitiue tymes of heresy and razing out of the Calender of Gods saincts such as the Church euer looked on as mirours of sanctity And to the contrary which is as detestable as the other to canonize for saincts and register in the number of worthy and reuerend men the foulest monsters for their liues that euer the sunne beheld For occasion being giuen me by the Doctour to obiect Luther against him as a most vicious man and yet the first founder of the Protestant Kerke the Doctour replyed saying sir you do Luther wrong he was a worthy and reuerend man And yet if there be any credit to be giuen to their owne Ecclesiasticall histories to Luther himselfe the bestwitnes of his owne life and actions this reuerend man was the foulest and lewdest Heretick that euer appeared in the Church of God Caluin apud Schlus lib. 1. Theolog Cal. fo 126. Oecol Confess ad resp Lutheri Rheg l. contra Io Hosium de Caena Doth not Caluin say of him that magnis vitiis laborabat he was infected with great vices Doth not Oecolampadius affirme that erat superbiae arrogantiae plenus he was puffed vp with pride and arrogancy Doth not Conradius Rhegius auouch that for the same pride wherewith he doth extoll himselfe God tooke from him his true spirit and in place of it gaue him a proud angry and lying fpirit Tom. 5. wittem de matrim f. 119 Colloq mens f. 529. Doth no he himselfe with most horrid impudency relate the shamfull exorbitances into which the rage of his lust carryed him after he became an Apostata from his faith and religious Order and had yoaked himselfe with a vowed Nunne so vshering his vocation to Protostanisme with the sinne of sacrilegious adultery for which he deserued to be hanged by the imperiall lawes Doth he not seeke to iustify these horrid crimes with fouler doctrine vbi supra 2 witt f. 328. and acknowledge to haue learned the doctrine of his pretended reformation of the Diuel Sâ—e Hâ—spinian Histor Sacram part altera f. 131. Manlius loc Comm. pa. 42. to haue had all along after his reuolt such intrinsecall and inward familiarity and frindship with him that he did often eate at the same table and lay in the same bed with him and as
his bloud was his pronouncing of the forme of Consecration ouer them saying This is my body This is my bloud which words were efficacious practick such as these were fiat lux let light be made by the omnipotence of his power he makes them good therefore S. Irenaeus by them proues him to be the sonne of God true God because they are such a confession such a confirmation as requires omnipotâ—nce in the speaker to make them good And it is cleere that S. Irenâ—us doth heere supoose it to be the generall receiued doctrine of faith that Christ is truly really in the Eucharist from this vndoubted article of faiâ—h work of omnipotency beleeved to be in it he proues him to be God And l. 5. c. 1. Our saviour confessed that the Chalice of the Eucharist was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his proper bloud affirmed that the bread was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his proper body Againe l. 4. c. 34. The bread receauing the inuocation of God Consecration is no more common bread but Eucharist that is bread made heeuenly incorruptible by the inuocation consisting of two things the earthly and the heauenly that is the species the Deifyed body of Christ §. 43. S Iustin Martyr Apolog 2. Which as himselfe doth there testify was written Anno Domini 150. Non vt communem panem uâ— que communem pâ—tum haec summus sed que madmodum per verbum Dei incarnatus Iesus Christus saluator noster carnem sanguinem pro salute nostra habuir sic etiam per preces verbi Dei ab ipso Eucharistiam factam cibum ex quo sanguis carnes nostra aluztur illius incarnati Iesu carnem sanguinem esse edocti sumus We do not take these things as common bread common drinke but as by Gods word Iesus-Christ our Saviour incarnate had flesh bloud for our saluation so we are also taught that the foode whence our bloud flesh by mutation be nourished being by the prayers of the word of God by him made Eucharist that is consecrated is the flesh bloud of the same Iesus incarnate Heere S. Iustin doth not say the blessed Sacrament is earthly bread such as our fresh is nourished withall but that such foode as our flesh is nourished withall being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consecrated made Eucharist is now after consecration the flesh bloud of Christ that this was the beleefe of the Church in those primitiue tymes which were the very next succceding the Apostles §. 44. S. Ignatius the Disciple of S. Iohn the Apostle apud Theodoretum Dialog 3. THEY the simonians other old Heretiks who denyed our saviour to haue true humane nature admit not Eucharist oblations because they do not confesse the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour which suffered for our firmes Heere this holy father saies those Heretiks who denyed our saviour to haue true humane nature denyed the Eucharist least by confessing the Eucharist which is the flesh of Christ they should be enforced to grant that Christ had true human flesh The Doctor cannot question this authority of S. Ignatius being Theodoret vpon whom he relyes cites it Besydes The Epistles of S. Ignatius this ad Smyrnenses in particular are cited by Eusebius S. Athanasius S. Hierom Theodoret who where neerer to those tymes therefore had better meanes to know the truth in this particular then we that are so many ages since know nothing of those tymes but by their meanes who succeed them immediately And these fathers are for these respects sundry others of incomparably greater authority then all the Protestant ministers that euer were putt all together though we should suppose them to haue some morall honesty were not such forgers of lyes as they do prove themselues euery where in their writings §. 45. S. Denis the Areopagite who was S. Pauls Disciple de Eccles Hier. c. 3. O Most diuine holy sacrifice open those mysticall signifying vailes wherewith thou art covered Shew thy selfe clearly vnto vs replenish our spirituall eyes with thy singular reuealed brightnes To addresse such an inuocation to the Sacrament would be foolish impious if it were only Bakers bread not heauenly diuine liuing bread in it for he doth inuocate the Sacrament it selfe and doth aske of it those things which can only be demanded of God Therefore he beleeved that Christ himselfe God man was truly contained in the Sacrament The Doctor will peraduenture run heere to the old shift deny the authority of this Booke but as I said euen now of S. Ignatius his epistle so I say heere of this Booke auouch that the authority of S. Gregory the great of S. Martin Pope Martyr in Concilio Romano of Agatho Pope in his Epistle to the Emperour Constantine the fourth of Pope Nicolas the first in his Epistle to Michael the Emperour of the 6. Generall Councel Art 4. of the 7. Generall Councel Art 2. of S. Maximus of S. Thomas others is so farre aboue the authority of all Protestant Diuines Churches that ever were that these are to be by all wise men dispised contemned as the scorne of the world for opposing so great an authority auoucling S. Denis the Aropagite to be author thereof §. 46. HITHERTO we are come through all ages from the Concel of Latteran vp to the Apostles shewing the doctrine of Transubstantiation to haue beene beleeved taught by the Pastors Doctors of the Church of God all along as a doctrine of faith euery where receiued practised by the Church from whence by the receiued Rule of S. Augustine it doth immediately follow that for so much as the originall or beginning of this doctrine such is the Antiquity thereof cannot be found it is to be supposed it hath its Originall from the Apostles themselves which Rule saith D. Whiteguift the pretended Bishop of Canterbery Vviteguift Defen pag. 351. is of credit with the writers of our tyme namely with Swinglius Caluin Gualter surely saith he I think no learned man doth dissent from them But that we may more fully demonstrate this truth leaue no age out adde to what we sayd the Apostolicall credit together with the supreme souueraigne authority of Gods owne word who is infinit truth therefore can neither deceiue others nor be himselfe deceiued I will bring them in as witnesses of the first age who were the first masters of Christianity founders of the Church In the 1. Age. §. 47. S. Paul 1. Cor. 11.23 BRETHREN I receiued of our Lord that which also I haue deliuered vnto you that our Lord Iesus the night wherein he was bâ— be trayed tooke bread giuing thankes brake sayd Take yee eate this is my body which shall be deliuered for you c. The very same words fact of our Saviour are