Rome haue brought into their church many errours and haue innouated many things without and against the decrees of the councels withall they haue added to the Symbole of Nice of their priuate authority that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Sonne euen as from the Father That although that the vniuersall councell hath giuen the first seate to the bishoppe of Rome yet did not they beleeue that the church in future time could not take from him this place especially if the church of Rome should fall into any errour as they say she is already fallen 14 That in the meane while the prouinces of the Empire of Charles the great to wit Fraunce Italy Germanie and Spaine remained vnder the bishoppe of Rome as being their nearest Patriark which is the reason that they now go about to perswade men that the Primacie appertaineth vnto him by Gods Law but this should bee no preiudice to other Churches nor to the trueth 15. That the Bishops of Rome enriched with the gifts and Donations of the Kings of France and per aduenture beleeuing themselues to be that which was repated of them haue ouerthrowne both Spirituall and Temporall Monarkes and haue caused to bee receiued in places vnder obedience to them as well the Lawes of their predecessors the Popes made by the Church of Rome as also those Lawes which they themselues from time to time doe adde thereunto in somuch that the Churches of the East South and North with good reason haue opposed themselues against these enterprises The confession and beliefe of the Apostolicke Churches about this Question here in controuersie is this That the first seate which is by diuine Law so farr as is necessarie for the order of Councels and is meete to shew vnitie is by the Ecclesiasticall Law as also the Sea that appertaineth to any such Bishop whome the Catholicke Church shall iudge to be fit and capable of such a charge QVESTION III. Whether Miracles are sufficient proofes that a Christian Nation ought to bee held for a true Church and without errour THE EAST CHVRCHES MArcus Paulus a Venetian The Citizens of the Citie of Tauris are Mahomets but there are some Christians that inhabit there to wit Nestorians and Iacobites Neere to which Towne is a Mountaine which was once remoued out of his place by the occasion that followeth The Sarrazins willing to scandale the Gospel said that it was written If you haue faith as much as a grine of Mustard-seede you shall say vnto this Mountaine remoue hence to yonder place it shall remoue Well said the Sarrazins mocking the Christians if your saith be so excellent cause this Mountaine to remoue out of his place Then one of the Christians feruent in faith spake to the Mountaine with a great confidence Get thee hence The which incontinently remoued in the presence and fight of all the people The very same Author maketh mention of a Pillar hanging in the ayre which sustaineth the Vault of a Church in Sammarchan Vilimont Whosoeuer would see a thing worthy of memorie must goe to a little Towne called Sardinale inhabited by the Christians of the Church of the Syrians where Turkes Sarrazins or Moores cannot dwell but they die before the yeeres end Faber Not farre from the Citie of Muscouia there is a great Monasterie wherein is the Sepulchre of one Sergius an Abbot which Monasterie is very much frequented of the people for it was holden very famous for many miracles that were there wrought whereof it shall be sufficient to produce one Which is that two blind men were restored to their sight there The same Author It is a common thing amongst the Muscouits to enchant Serpents with words and chase away Diuels and deliuer and helpe them that are possessed Thomas Lopes The people of Mangalor say that they went very often to the Sepulchre of S. Thomas which is in their Countrey who wrought among them many miracles The Ecclesiasticall Historie of Constantinople maketh mention that Arsenius was instituted Bishop by the Pope hee being then become a member of the Church of Rome for which cause hee was Excommunicated by the Patriarcke Pachomius a little after that hee died and his soule went with the soules of Arrius and Eutiches hereticks and his body was found black swollen which caused great feare to those that saw him THE MERIDIAN CHVRCH ALuares There is a Sepulchre of one of the Sons of King Abram which they say was a Priest Amongst other miracles which they attribute vnto him they say that the Angels did minister bread and wine vnto him when he celebrated The same Author They attribute the title of a Saint to a certaine King whose name was Balibeta towards whom the people beare such great deuotion that all Ethiope doth runne thither where his body is buried which they report to worke great miracles Idem There is a Monastery called Abba Gariman retaining this name of one which as they report raigned in Greece who hauing forsaken his Kingdome retired to this place to do penance for his sinnes where he finished his daies very holily and they report that he at this present doth miracles THE CATHOLIKE ROMAN CHVRCH GLoss Canon glorios We must enquire of miracles done in the life time and after death And to the end that these may be true miracles foure things are requisite first that they be of God and not framed by arte or by the diuell for miracles are wrought by the wicked secondly that they be contrary to nature as that of the Rodde of Moses turned into a Serpent thirdly that they be not wrought by wordes but thorough the merites of a man fourthly that they be for the confirmation of the faith Annot. Whosoeuer would know more amply the Miracles of the Latin Church may reade the Legends and liues of the Saints THE REFORMED CHVRCH THe confession of the French-men We beleeue that the word conteined in the Canonicall Writings proceeded from God And forasmuch as it is the very rule of trueth it followeth that neither antiquity nor customes nor the multitude nor humane wisedome neither iudgements nor visions nor Miracles ought to be opposed to it ANNOTATION THe East Churches doe beleeue that the Roman and Ethiopian Churches doe holde an erroneous and Hereticall opinion although there are Miracles wrought amongst them In like manner the Romanes doe pronounce an Anathema against all Christians that haue not obeyed them as well against them of the East and South as also the North Church notwithstanding their Miracles the Church of Affricke refuse nay scorne to goe and submit or subiect themselues eyther to the Greeke Church or to the Latine Church notwithstanding their Miracles the Latin church in the foresaid Canon dooth confesse that Miracles are wrought by wicked persons The reformed Church saith that Miracles or the bruite of Miracles ought not to be taken as a Marke of the true church And which is more
These termes are strange to the Protestants Neuerthelesse they are true because that hee speaketh of the soule which is the inward man and the cheefest part of a man for so he expoundeth himselfe This soule is of it selfe apt to iudge and chuse the good that is to say that good which belongeth to morall vertue but the bodie which is the soules instrument doth suggest vnto it without ceasing those obiects which haue appearance of good in such sort that the soule cannot resist but very hardly euen as a shippe which of it selfe is apt to be conducted any way is oftentimes carried by the winde against the will of the Pilot. Secondly Ieremie saith that a man attempteth and that God effecteth The Protestants doe confesse the same likewise saying that a man may by his free-will doe a ciuil worke of iustice and such as is commanded by God But because that of it selfe it profiteth nothing to saluation the same Ieremie addeth that God effecteth by bestowing that which is his own that is to say faith Thirdly Neuerthelesse the Protestants say that all proceedeth from God The same Authour saith so also and in the very same termes and sheweth that the morall worke is but as the matter euen a matter vnprofitable to the which God giueth a forme that is to say faith Euen as an Housholder which would build prouideth the matter but the Master workeman maketh the house or building in such sort that all the commoditie of inhabiting which is the vse of the house is attributed to him that builded it Fourthly Ieremie saith that God dooth cooperate It is necessary here to marke that two causes may concurre to one effect Reason leadeth a man to a worke of iustice the holy Ghost doth likewise driue him And a man fortified with special grace executeth it better then if he were caried alone by naturall reason Neuerthelesse all is attributed to God because that the soule being illuminated employeth her naturall faculties to a good end the which it would neuer do without God and for this cause S. Paul saith that it is not in him that willeth nor that runneth wherein he teacheth that a man may will and runne but because that in running he erreth S. Paul addeth to it that God must needs giue his mercy which he doth when he purifieth the heart through faith faith I say which not onely maketh the Morall works good which proceede of reason but also bringeth forth a farre greater number and maketh the righteousnesse of the faithfull to exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies for a man loueth God according to that proportion that hee beleeueth in him and a man doth good workes according to that measure that hee loueth him and it cannot be otherwise for in all our willingnesse the principall part or all proceedes from inspiration and in this consideration it is sayd that God giueth the will and the deede 5. When a man speaketh of faith it is necessary to distinguish it for the want of this is the cause of the strife about words The Latins neuer speake but of that faith which Bellarmine defineth thus Catech. cap. 11. Faith is a Theologicall vertue whose office is to illuminate the vnderstanding and to raise it vp to a firme beleefe of all that which God hath reuealed vnto vs by the meanes of his Church although it be a hard thing and farre passing naturall reason 6. The Councell of Trent saith that this faith dependeth partly vpon free will that is to say in as much as a man disposeth himselfe to receaue it and may reiect it when it is offered him The Protestants doe call this faith historicall and do confesse that a man may furder himselfe in receiuing of it For the authoritie of the Church may moue a man to beleeue that the Gospell is a true historie likewise the testimonie of the Apostles who are vnreproueable Authors and the predictions of the Prophets and the Sybils yet so that all this would be weake if God should not illuminate the vnderstanding to beleeue firmely The Protestants doe confesse also that one may reiect this faith and fall into dispaire for this faith hath her seat in the vnderstanding as the Romane Catholickes say very well but in such sort that the vnderstanding draweth not the will to accept and rest in it seing that by this faith a man is not assured whether any 〈◊〉 be giuen to himselfe but onely he beleeueth that it is 〈◊〉 to some men in such sort that if he loueth God it is of a 〈◊〉 proportionable to this faith Hee loueth him as the Author of nature and as a benefactor to them that please him If he keepe in some sort his commaundements it is more formidine paenae then virtutis amore rather of seruice feare then of filiall loue It is impossible for a man to loue him withall his heart whom he mistrusteth 6. This is the cause that the Church of the East South together with the reformed Church of the West and that against the Councell of Trent doe hold that a man must haue confidence and assurance The confession of Saxonie saith as followeth Faith signifieth not onely to know the historie as the diuels themselues doe which beleeue and tremble but also signifieth to imbrace all the Articles of the faith and amongst the rest this also I beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes and doe beleeue that they are forgiuen not only vnto others but also vnto me 7. Behold here the true knot of the question of free-will The Protestants affirme that this faith of assurance dependeth not at all vpon free will this is not to say that it is not a man which beleeueth and which willeth but that he beleeueth not nor willeth not if God of his extraordinary and especial grace would not that a man beleeued were willing Moreouer this is not to say that naturally the actuall vnderstanding cannot beleeue all that which is credible and that the will naturally accepteth not all that which the iudgement proposeth to be good but man is sayd not to helpe himselfe by his free will to receiue this faith because that nature doth not shew to the iudgement of man any reason whereby hee might conclude that God loueth him would faine be fauorable merciful vnto him as Ieremy very learnedly saith in his second answere all that which is proued by arguments is examined very profoundly by earnest inquirie or search but the simplicitie of faith is more firme then the demonstrations which reason doth deuise Moreouer man cannot reiect this faith when it is offered him because that God hath so ordered that a man iudgeth and beleeueth without any precedent debating And withall a man cannot haue a will to reiect it at such time as it is in the vnderstanding because that the wil naturally necessarily but freely for otherwise it should be no will yeeldeth it selfe to that which the iudgement esteemeth to bee good
SOVTH ZAga-Zabo Bishop of Abyssin It is likewise the office of the Patriarch to denounce excommunication against the obstinate the obseruation whereof is so straight that they let him that is obstinate die for hunger They giue nor graunt no Indulgences THE REFORMED CHVRCH COnfess Sax. In times past those that did penance to the end that it might be perceiued that they desired Pardon with all their heart and to the ende that their example should profite others were not receiued vpon a suddaine but the absolution was deferred for certaine daies to the end that they might be seene to aske it publickely Afterwards superstition encreased so much that fasting was ordained and abstinence from women many yeares These wil-worshippes being too much augmented the Bishops againe released them The relaxation of such customes were called Indulgences The Monks doe not consider the Historie of these things if they imagine that they make satisfaction for eternall paine or the paine of Purgatorie and others of this life or do adde that satisfactions were ordained by the Church to the end that these paines should be qualified Well we say that this application of Indulgences by the which the Pope applyeth the merites of the Saints is inuented at his pleasure THE LATIN CHVRCH THe Councell of Trent Forasmuch as the power to conferre Indulgences hath beene giuen by Iesus Christ to the Church and hath beene vsed in very auncient time with the like power as it was diuinely giuen The holy Councell teacheth and commaundeth that the vsage of these Indulgences which are very necessarie for Christian people and approued by the Authoritie of the holy Councels ought to be receiued in the Church ANNOTATION THe Protestants say that the custome in times past was to appoint to repentant sinners a certaine terme during which by their good workes they might giue the Church testimonie of their repentance The same is as yet practised in the East and South Churches Ieremie Patriarcke of Constantinople discourseth hereupon as followeth Satisfactions are profitable if they be imposed as a medicine by the spiritual ministers that is to say for those that are Proude Couetous Gluttonous Incontinent Enuious Quarrelous or giuen to such like vices Who if they would conuert and repent ought to submit themselues to the rules made according to the aduise of the holy Fathers But if those satisfactions bee translated to the gaine and profit of those that giue them and not to the true end which is to prouide for the saluation of the Soule and to heale each sinne which is the intention for the which they were instituted In that fashion we doe reiect them and doe say that they were ordained in vaine which cannot by any meanes be denied And we doe pronounce remission of sinnes with some punishment adioyned for many considerations First to the end that a man for voluntarie affliction might escape the ineuitable paine of an other life Bring forth fruites worthy of Repentance saith S. Iohn Euery tree that beareth not good fruit shall be cut down and throwne into the fire to wit Euerlasting For God is not so much pleased with any thing as with affliction and therefore S. Gregorie saith Teares are recompensed with mercie Secondly to the end that the inclination of the flesh to voluptuousnesse which is the cause of vice should be taken away Thirdly to the end that that punishment should be a stay to the soule to the end it fall not into such like sinne or worse Fourthly to the end that a man should accustome himselfe to take paines for vertue is gotten with trauaile Fiftly to the end that a man might bee assured whether he perfectly hateth euill Neuerthelesse we doe leaue all these things in those that depart For we doe count that it is sufficient if in him that repenteth there bee a true conuersion Therefore we doe pronounce remission of sinnes according to the power of him that said If you remit sinnes they shall be Pardoned We beleeue that by the same meanes the punishment is pardoned for assurance whereof we doe giue the diuine gift of the Eucharist For repentance hath his seate in the soule of the sinner but not to vndergoe punishment is in the handes of God which for this cause hath really by his owne humanitie giuen remission as to the thiefe who did but desire of the Lord that hee would remember him when he came to his Kingdome See here the Doctrine of the Churches of the East touching satisfaction The Protestants doe proceede more compendiously they are content that in regard of vnknowen sinnes euery one doe apply according to his discretion the saying of S. Iohn Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance As concerning sinnes knowen by the most part of the Church satisfaction sufficeth not vnlesse it make a reparation or publike acknowledgment in asking pardon of God and the Church for the scandale and if the offence be knowne but to a few the same acknowledgement is made in their Consistories Those that refuse doe remaine suspended or excommunicated vntill that they doe obey and they giue no Indulgence There is also apappointed to the repentant a time of suspension from the Sacraments more or lesse according to the fault as well for a punishment as also to the end that the Church may see whether such repentance be true or fained by the fruits therof The auncient Church imposed punishments and sometimes so hard that they were constrained to release the rigor of them and that relaxation was called Indulgence The Churches of the South doe release or mittigate nothing at all and also reiect Indulgences in what sort soeuer they are taken for this euill proceedeth from appointing punishments so hard that they are constrained afterwards to reuoke them But if satisfaction doe consist in doing good workes It is very il done to dispence with men for doing all the good that is possible for them to doe The people of the East and of the South allow not of this abuse but they condemne rather the opinion of the Romane Church which ordaine satisfactions to auoide certaine paines of Purgatorie and teach that by Indulgences the said paines are escaped without performing or making of any satisfaction yea as if by Indulgences a man might be deliuered from the obligation whereby he is bound to God to doe all that is possible to obtaine pardon of him Also the Apostolicke Churches doe beleeue that there is neither Pope nor any other person which by Indulgences can deliuer men from the punishments that God inflicteth which if it be so that Indulgences do not deliuer a man from temporall punishments of this life as pouertie sickenesse and death it selfe how can they deliuer him from the paines of Purgatory For there is the same reason for the one as for the other It followeth vpon the premises that the Church cannot dispence with times and workes lawfully ordained for proofe and disproofe but may well release for iust and reasonable
punished by the Magistrate or dishonoured for euer But to shew how the Churches of the East doe proceed in pronouncing absolution without any confession made we are aduertised that the Popes that is to say the Priests doe it in particular But because that in that Church of the East there is a Patriarch which gouerneth it seemes vnto them hauing regard vnto all the Churches to whom the keyes were giuen that if hee declareth that absolution it is more authenticke and giueth more consolation to the conscience to content the curious reader we will insert here the forme or manner of a Synchorisme translated out of Greeke Theophanes by Gods mercy Archbishop of Constantinople new Rome and Oecumenique Patriarch Our mediocrity by the grace gift and power of the holy and liuing spirit which our Sauiour Iesus Christ hath giuen to his Diuine Disciples and the holy Apostles for to bind and loose the sinnes of men saying receiue the holy Ghost to whom you remit sinnes they shall be remitted and whose sinnes you shall retaine they shall be retained and those that you bind on earth shall be bound in heauen likewise and those you loose in earth shall be loosed in heauen Wee hauing by a successiue descent receiued from them this Diuine grace doe absolue N. aspirituall sonne of the same in all things wherein he hath erred or sinned as a man and offended God in word deede or thought and in all his senses if he be vnder the cursse of the Bishop or Priest or of his father or mother or if he bee fallen into any of his owne sinnes hauing sworne by an oath and not performed it or if hee hath transgressed as a man in other sinnes and hath confessed them to his spirituall fathers and hath receiued of them the Canon exactly of all those things and others whereby he is bound wee doe vnbind and loose him by the power and grace of the most adored and holy Spirit and also of all things which he hath left vnconfessed whether they be by forgetfulnes or Shame All which be pardoned him of the most mercifull God which is blessed eternally Amen The Latines otherwise called the Romane Catholikes say that our Sauiour comaunded euery one to confesse particularly euery sinne and all the circumstances thereof to imploy all possible diligence to remember them and that hee that confesseth not all those memorable sinnes cannot be saued If their opinion be true the Apostolicke Churches of the East South North and the Reformed or Protestants in the West are damned and the gates of hell shall preuaile against the Catholicke Church He that list let him beleeue them so many there be that doe hold with one consent That our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ hath not comaunded any particular confession by numbring our sinnes but that it is an ordinance of the Church which neuerthelesse constraineth no man to confesse those sinnes which he is ashamed to declare QVESTION XXII Whether the Bread and Wine in the holy Sacrament are changed into the body and blood of the Lord. THE EAST CHVRCHES THe answere of the Patriarch Ieremie The tenth Chapter doth treat of the Lords Supper yet not amply but if we may so say obscurely For amongst you men vnderstand many things touching the same the which agree in no wise with vs. The Catholike Church therefore beleeueth that the bread after the sanctification is changed into the body of Christ and the wine into his blood by the holy Ghost prouided that the bread bee leauened not without leauen For the Lord in that night in which he was betraied hauing taken bread and giuen thankes broke it and sayd Take eate this is sayd he not bread without leauen or the figure of my body but my body and my blood Neuerthelesse at that time the flesh of the Lord which he carried about him was not giuen to the Apostles to eate nor his blood to drinke nor now in the diuine celebration of those mysteries as if the body of the Lord descended from heauen for it were a blasphemie to say so but both then and now by the inuocation and grace of the Almighty Spirit the beginner or Author of this mysterie the bread is conuerted and changed into the body of the Lord and the wine into his blood And in another place he sayth thus And from thence it commeth that the Masse or Lumpe of bread is broken in peeces it is not offered entyer or whole which figureth the passion of our Sauiour And at the time that this bread is offered it is Common Bread offered onely to God but afterwards it is made extraordinary bread and is chaunged in deede but if wee would by reasons causes and effectes debate and resolue thereof we should neede a thousand tongues and yet they would not bee sufficient But our Sauiour hath commaunded to doe this in remembrance of him And a little after he saith that the Church is signified in mysteries and not as in Symboles but as the members depend on the heart and as the boughes on the roote of the plant and as the Lord said in that fashion that the branch is in the stocke of the vine For here is not only a Communion of name or a similitude of Analogie but the identitie of the things themselues For the body and blood of the Lord are true mysteries which are not changed into any humane bodie but we are changed into them for the better things haue euer the preheminence Euen as Iron being vnited with fire becommeth fire but the fire neuer becomes Iron And euen as whe the Iron is glowing hot wee see not the Iron but only the fire the properties of the Iron not being apparant euen so also if a man might see the Church of God as it is vnited to him and participates of his body hee should see nothing else but the onely body of our Sauiour by reason whereof Saint Paul writeth Yee are the body of Christ THE SOVTH CHVRCH LIturgia Ethiopica O our Lord Iesus Christ whose substance was not created but art the pure word thou art the Sonne of the Father thou art the bread of life descending from heauen who wouldest come in the figure of a Lambe without spot for the redemption of the world Now O thou louer of mankinde wee doe most humbly beseech thy bounty praying thee that thou wouldest shew the light of thy countenance vpon this bread and vpon this portable Altar blesse sanctifie purifie and translate this bread into thy spotlesse flesh and this wine into thy precious bloud and let it be made an ardent and an acceptable sacrifice and the saluation of our soules and bodies for thou art our King THE LATINE CHVRCH THe Councell of Trent Forasmuch as our Lord and redeemer Iesus Christ hath said that it was his true body which he offered vnder the forme of bread for this cause the Church of God hath alwaies had the same perswasion and this holy Councell doth
constitute accidents without a subiect one matter in many places a body without his essentiall properties one God and man liuing in the host or bread who heareth not seeth not feeleth not nor tasteth not which is say the Protestants an opinion contrary to the holy Scripture and neuer entred into the imaginations or hearts of the auncient Fathers or of the Diuines of the East and South Churches who neuer yeelded or gaue place to the Latins either in quickenesse of spirit or in curiositie and who haue had no want of heretickes to giue them occasion to exercise themselues in these difficulties whereinto some one amongst so many learned men as they haue had in so many ages and such as haue written so many volumes must haue necessarily fallen if that they beleeued that the body of the Lord is materially in the host or bread Now wee must see how farre the beleefe of the Protestants differs from those of the East and other people which to performe we must enter into the consideration of secret or hidden faculties and proprieties There are two sorts of opinions touching supernaturall operations some thinke that God worketh immediatly in the place where the thing is from whence it seemeth that the effect proceedeth euen as when the water of the poole of Siloe being mooued or stirred by the Angell did seeme to heale they say that God healed of himselfe and by himselfe euen then after the touching of the water Others doe beleeue that this supernaturall facultie is giuen to the things themselues so that the sayd water receiues of God such a vertue as some medicines or salues haue in some diseases For it is as easie for God to giue those properties to a forme as it was for him to giue them to those that haue them euer since the creation of the world Neuerthelesse this is not thus done by the diuels who cannot create essences or beings neither indue them with admirable faculties so that the diuels doe worke the like by illusions Behold here then the difference The foresaid Christians doe beleeue that the matter of bread receiueth the forme of the body of the Lord or that the forme of bread obtaineth the hidden properties thereof or that there is some spirituall thing which hath the place of forme in that matter and that thereupon dependeth the Mysticall vnion whereof S. Paul speaketh But the Protestants whom some call Caluinists doe hold that the body of the Lord is onely in heauen together with his quickning forme and vertue and that a substance proceedeth from him and is applyed to the soules of men by the vertue of the holy Ghost and that immediately which certainly is a very slender disputation and of small estimation in comparison of the report which is made of it considering that all doe confesse that the bread is really the communion of the body of Christ as S. Paul saith Also these words This is my body being referred to the whole should be spoken without figure but referred to that which one seeth that is to say to the accidents and to the matter through the accidents they are figuratiue This consideration hath caused that those who are called Caluinists and Lutherans and some Grecians in Poland haue treated of some means of agreement imagining that the difference is not in re but in modo rei This vnion hath beene hitherto hindered by two opinions which fall into extremities Brentius Smidlin and others for the better prouing of the reall yea materiall presence haue had recourse to vbiquitie And on the other side as Iurguieius findeth fault there are some who speake in such sort of the receiuing of the Sacrament that they haue destroyed by their contrary tearmes that which they thought to haue built vp saying that the faithfull vnder the old Testament receiued Iesus Christ as they receiue him now a daies from whence it should follow that if there be any mysticall vnion made it should bee wrought onely by the Diuinitie as in times past and not by the humanity whereof the holy Scripture alwaies beareth witnes that it hath life in it selfe and that it quickeneth Others say also that a man doth participate of the body of the Lord without the Sacrament in the same manner as with the Sacrament So that one receiueth but the signe at the most These men seeme not to speake properly for one is not said to receiue that which he hath ordinarily See heere the diuers termes that are vsed But the truth is that Vbiquitie is reiected in the body by the Lutherans and the reall communicating with the substance of the body of Christ is confessed by the others in the body as it was resolued in the Synods at Rochell in Fraunce and at Torun in Poland We will bring in here two similitudes by the which amongst others Protestants doe cause their meaning to be vnderstood and doe shewe that the communion which they beleeue is reall and neuerthelesse hath no absurdity in it The body of the Sunne saith Caluin is onely in heauen notwithstanding the light thereof is here vpon earth Therefore many doe hold that light is a substance otherwise it should not be found out of his proper subiect Moreouer the Philosopher saith that Sol homo generant hominem Wherefore then should not the Sunne of righteousnesse haue power to regenerate a man though his body be not on earth The Adamant stone saith Beza draweth Iron communicating it selfe with the Iron through an admirable vertue without mingling his matter therewith In like manner the body of the Lorde vniteth it selfe with a mans soule though the matter of his body be no where else but in heauen Hereupon that is to be noted which Gilbertus a learned Physition obserued that is to say that the forme of the Adamant is carried out of the limits of his owne matter and is found in the Load-stones subiect and not in the ayre betweene both It may be said likewise that the body of the Lord doth communicate it selfe from heauen without extension multiplication or any mixture of matter If a man hold himselfe firmely to these similitudes he shall neuer set his imagination or thoughts vpon the place of Realitie for these effects of nature are reall and true To conclude a man may see by that which hath beene spoken that the Churches of the East and those of the South doe not approue this last opinion neither that of the Lutherans withall as it seemeth they hold not that of the Latines touching the reall eating of the matter of the body of the Lord neyther the absurdities that followe thereupon for they doe openly denie that the Apostles did eate the flesh that our Sauiour Iesus Christ did carry about him This then is their saying or opinion That the body of the Lord as touching the matter and accidents is onely in heauen yet notwithstanding the bread and wine in the Sacrament are changed into the body and blood of the Lord in such