himself whose Sacrament is in the visible anoynting LVTHERS DOCTRINE Luther vpon these words y in domestica postillâ— Witemberge impressa 15. 49. serm 2 in de Trinit super Luang Ioan. 3. vnlesse a man be borne againe of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God saith wee will diligentlie obserue chiefly against the blind Anabaptistes who thinke the Baptisme of children to be vnprofitable and to no end but how can such a manner of baptisme be vnfrutfull when as heere thou hearest that our sauiour hath ordayned water vnto this end that the holy ghost concurring with it it doth worke vnto regeneration Now if it be necessarie for children to be regenerate or otherwyse they cannot see the kingdome of God why should wee deny them baptisme Againe Is not this saith he a great gift and glory that a woman also in tyme of necessitie may baptize and say I free thee from death from the Diuell sinne and all euill I giue thee life eternall I make thee of the son of the Diuell the son of God All which haue nothing contrary to the former opinions or sentences but in another place he saith z in _____ oq conuiualiby tit de baptismo That children although sometyme they departe hence without baptisme yet if they be without their owne actuall fault they may be saued CALVINS DOCTRINE a lib. 4. instit c. 15. ¶ 20. Caluin saith To knovv this also perteineth to the matter that it is very ill done if priuate men vsurp to themselues the administration of baptisme And a little after vvheras many ages since yea almost from the verie beginning of the church it vvas acustome that in perill of death lay men might baptise I doe not see by vvhat good argument it can be defended yea the Fathers themselues vvho either held this custome or permitted it could not tell vvhether it vvere vvell done or not Et infra Let there be daunger least he that is sicke doe dye without baptisme vvhat then shall he be depriued of the grace of regeneration no such matter Againe what euill hath that article euilly expounded brought in that baptisme is of necessitie vnto saluation few consider this and therfore they care the lesse for it for when that opinion did increase or vvaxed in force that all perished that vvere not baptized our state or condition became vvorse then that of the auncient people Againe b ¶ 22. The example of Sephora is vnhappily cyted why because it doth indiscretly draw vnto the imitation of that which a foolish woman did Ibid. this would I haue readers only to attend that Sephora did purpose nothing els but to proue the ministerie of God shee seeing her son in daunger crieth and maketh a noyse and with great wrath did cast the prepuce vnto the grovvnd shee doth so reuile her husband that shee is angry vvith God Finally it is manifest that all this proceeded from a simple vnderstanding in that shee doth rayle at both God and her husband being forced to shed the blood of her ovvne son moreouer admit shee had behaued her self vvell in all other thinges yet this rashnes is vnexcusable because her husband being present shee circumcised her son c. And he concludeth in the same place saying vvher vpon it follovveth that the children of the faithfull are not therfore baptized that they might then at that instant become the sons of God vvhich vvere before alienated from the church but rather they are therfore receaued into the church by a solemne signe because through the benefit of the promise they did alreadie before perteyne vnto the body of Christ here you see that Caluin vvill haue the children of the faithfull to be borne sanctified and Christians from their mothers vvombe and not by Baptisme agreeing herin most directly vvith the Pelagian heresie An old condemned Heresie This vvas the Pelegian heresie vvhich taught S. August lib. 6. contra Iulianum cap. 2. 3. lib. ad Bonifacium cap 2. 4. that there vvas no originall sinne in the children of the faithfull and that they did not therfore need the lauer of regeneration or Baptisme but vvere borne holy from the vvombe vvitnes S. Augustine THE 32. ARTICLE Of the venerable Sacrament of the Eucharist THE CATHOLICKE DOCTRINE FOR THE REAL PRESENCE The true and liuely flesh that is the Body and blood of Christ is the nourishmeÌ„t of the soules of the faithfull and their spirituall and heauenly meat into which this earthly and element all bread and wine is through the benediction of Christ and operation of the holy ghost made transubstantiate not withstanding all the accidents of the former substance remayning SCRIPTVRE a Matth. c. 26 v. 26 reâ—d also Mâ—rke c. 14.22 Luke 22 â—9 and 1. Cor 11 24. IEsus tooke bread and blessed and brake and hee gaue to his disciples and said take yee and eat This is my Body And taking the Chalice he gaue thankes and gaue to them saying drink yee all of this for this is my blood of the new testameÌ„t which shal be shed for many vnto remission of sins b Iohn c. 6. v 53 54.55.56 c. Vnlesse you eat the flesh of the son of man and drinke his blood you shall not haue life in you He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath life euerlasting and I will rayse him vp in the last day for my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drinke indeed c. he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him c 1. Cor. 10. v. 16. The Chalice of benediction which wee blesse is it not the communication of the blood of Christ and the bread which wee breake is it not the participation of the body of our Lord FATHERS S. Irenaeus anno 160. saith d lib. 4 cap. 14. How shall it be manifest to them that that bread vpon which thankes is giuen is the body of the Lord and the Chalice of his blood if they say he is not the son of the maker of the world c S. Ignatius disciple vnto S. Iohn the Euangelist saith e in epistola ad Smyrnenses vâ— citat S. Theodoretus Dial. 3. They doe not admit Eucharistes and oblations because they doe not coÌ„fesse the Eucharist to be that flesh of our Sauiour which suffered for our sins which the Father through his bouÌ„tie raysed againe f lib. de Eccl Hierarch part 3. c. 3. S. Dionysius Arcopagita anno 80. saith o most diuine and holy Sacrament vouchsafe to open the coueringes of those significant signes which ouershadow thee and appeare plaine vnto vs and fill our spirituall eies with the singuler and cleare shining of thy light S. Iustine Martyr anno 150. saith of the Eucharist g in Apologia ad Antominum Wee doe not take it as common bread nor this as common drinke but as by the word of God our Sauiour Iesus Christ was
incarnatie and tooke both flesh and blood for our saluation so also by the prayers of the word of God wee are taught that the Eucharist being made food by him wherby our blood and flesh may be nourished by mutation is the flesh and blood of the same Iesus incarnate Tertullian anno 200. saith h lib. 4 cont Marcion The bread which he tooke in his hand hee made his body saying This is my body Againe i lib. de resurrect carnis The flesh feedeth vpon the body and blood of Christ that the soule may be replenished or filled with God Origen anno 230. expounding the 25. the chapter of Exodus saith k homil 13. in Exod. I would haue you to admonish others you that are wont to be present at the diuine mysteries know that when you receaue the bodie of our Lord you keepe it withall watchfulnes and veneration least any little part therof fall to the grownd least any little parte of the consecrated gift slip away or fall for you belieue that you are guiltie of a great offence and you doe well to belieue so if any part therof fall through your negligence Againe speaking of the centurions child he saith l hom 5. in diuersa loca Euangelij loquens de puero centurionis when thou receauest the holy food and incorruptible banquet thou eatest and drinkest the body and blood of our Lord then our Lord entreth vnder thy roofe thou therfore humbling thy self imitate the Centurian and say Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe For where he entreth vnworthilie there he entreth to iudgment S. Cyprian anno 240. saith m in Serm. in caena Domini in principio The supper being disposed amongst the Sacramentall banquets the old and new institutions met together and the lambe being consumed which the auncient tradition did propound our maister did set before his Disciples the vnconsumable food Et infra this bread which our Lord deliuered to his Disciples being changed not in outward shew but in nature by the omnipotencie of the word was made flesh and as in the person of Christ the humanitie appeared and the diuinitie lay hidd so the diuine essence infused it selfe ineffablie or vnspeakeablie into the visible Sacrament c. The Doctrine of the Sacrament is new and the Euangelicall schooles haue brought forth this first instruction and Christ our Doctor first taught the world the discipline That ChristiaÌ„s should drinke blood the eating wherof the authoritie of the auncient law most straightly forbideth for the law forbideth the eating of blood the ghospell commaundeth it to be dronke S. Hilary anno 350. saith n lib. 8. de Trinitate There must be no doubt concerning the veritie of the flesh and blood for now both by the profession of our Lord and our faith it is indeed flesh and indeed blood Et mox is not this the truth it seemeth not to be ttue vnto them that deny Christ to be true God Also explicating that of the six of S. Iohn he that eateth my flesh shall liue through me c. he saith truly this is the cause of our life that wee haue Christ according to the flesh remayning in vs carnall men who shall liue by him as he liueth by the father Et infra thou saist that the son of God temaineth in vs carnally through the Eucharist S. Cyrill of Hierus anno 350 saith o Cateches 4. Mystag for as much as Christ himself thus affirmeth and speaketh concerning the bread This is my body whoe dare hearafter doubt of it and for as much also as himself confirmeth it and saith This is my blood who I say can doubt of it and say it is not his blood Et ibidem once he turned water into wine which is neere vnto blood at his pleasure only in Canaan in Galile and shall not he be worthy to be belieued that he turned wine into blood wherfore with all assurance let vs receaue the body and blood of Christ for vnder the forme of bread his body is giuen to thee vnder the forme of wine his blood is giueÌ„ to the. Et ibid so shall wee be Christophori that is bearers of Christ when wee haue receaued his body blood into our members and wee shal be made as S. Peter saith partakers of the diuine nature thou must not consider it as bare bread and wine for it is that body and blood of Christ according to our Lordes owne wordes for although thy seÌ„se make thee think thus yet faith must coÌ„firme thee that thou iudge not the thing according to the tast Et infra knowing this and being most assured that this bread which wee see is not bread although the tast think it bread but that it is the bodie of Christ and the wine which wee see although to the sense of the tast it seeme wine yet that it is not wine but the blood of Christ S. Ambrose anno 380. saith p lib 4 de Sacramentis cap 4. But this bread is bread before the wordes of the Sacrament yet when the consecration shal be adioyned of bread it is made the flesh of Christ Againe q lib de myâ—teâ—iâ—s mâ—â—â—â—ndis c. 4. peraduenture saith he thou wilt say vnto me I see another thing how can you assure me that I receaue the body of Christ now theÌ„ it remaines that wee proue it therfor wee will vse most manifest examples to proue that this is not that which nature formed but that which the benediction hath consecrated and that the force of the benediction is greater then the force of nature because by the benediction nature it self is also changed Moyses held a rod in his hand he cast it a way and it became a serpent Also hauing declared many examples of Elias and Elizeus hee concludeth if the benediction of a man preuayled so much that it conuerted nature what shall wee say of the diuine consecration it self where the wordes of our Lord and Sauiour himself worke for this Sacrament which wee receaue is made perfect by the speech of Christ and if the word of Elias preuayled so much that it brought downe sier from heaueÌ„ shall not the word of Christ be of sufficient power to chaung the nature of elementes thou hast read concerning the workes of the whole world that he spake the worde and they were made he commaunded and they were created therfore the worde of Christ which was able to make that which was not of nothing shall it not be able to chaunge those thinges which be into that which they were noâ— for it is not a matter of lesse power to giue new natures vnto thinges then to chaung the natures of thinges S. Basil anno 380. saith r lib de Baptismo cap 9. if such threatninges be pronounced against them that rashly come to those Sacramentes or sacrifices which are sanctifyed by men what shall wee say of him who is rash in receauing
Antiochenum The workes that are set before vs are not of humane virtue wee are in place of ministers but he vvhich sanctifieth them and chaungeth them is himself Et infra he that hath said this is my body hath confirmed his fact by his vvord Againe g homil de Eucharistia in Encâ—niis doest thou see the bread doest thou see the wine doth it passe into the draught as other meats God forbid think not so for if wax being applyed to the fier is made like vnto it and none of the substance therof doth remayne nothing is ouer plus so also heere thou must think that the mysteries are consumed by the substance of the body S. Hierome anno 380. saith h in CommeÌ„t Matth. â—â—p 26. after that the typicall pasche was fullfild and he had eaten the flesh of the lambe with his Apostles he tooke bread which comforteth the heart of man and so proceedeth vnto the true Sacrament of the pasche that euen as in his prefiguration Melchisedech the priest of the high God had done offering vp bread and wine he also might represent the truth of his body and blood Againe i epist ad Hedibiam quaest 2. let vs say saith he that the bread which our Lord brake and gaue to his disciples is the body of our Lord and Sauiour Et infra neither did Moyses giue vs the true bread but our Lord Iesus he is the guest and the banquet he doth eat and is eaten S. Austine anno 400. saith k epist 86. ad Cosulatium Hee saith the beast hath giuen place to the bread as it were vnwittingly and that then the bread of proposition was wount to be put vpon the table of our Lord but now that he did take parte of the body of the immaculate laÌ„be he saith that the blood gaue place to the cuppe not thinking that he did now also receaue blood in the cuppe Et infra therfore he said it was so much the better and more requisite or conuenient to haue the old passe away and the new ordayned in Christ that the aulter might giue place to the aulter the sworde to the sworde the fier to the fier the bread to the bread the lambe to the lambe and blood to blood Againe l lib. 12. coÌ„tra Faustum cap 10 cap. 20. he saith that the faithfull doe receaue with their mouth the blood where with they were redeemed and that now they drinke that which came from the side of Christ Againe m lib. 2. coÌ„t AduersariuÌ„ legis Prophetarum cap. 9. Wee receaue saith he vvith a faithfull heart mouth the mediatour betvveen God meÌ„ the man Christ Iesus giuing vnto vs his flesh to be eateÌ„ blood to be dronkeÌ„ although it seeme more horrible to eat the flesh of man theÌ„ to destroy it to drinke the blood of man then to spill it Againe n lib. 2. coÌ„tra Peâ—il cap. 17. The Pasche which they doe as yet celebrate of the sheepe is one thinge that which wee receaue in the body and blood of our Lord is another thing Againe explicating the title of the psalme whearin it is written And he vvas carried in his owne handes he saith o in psalmuÌ„ 33. conc â— who can vnderstaÌ„d how this may be done in a maÌ„ for who is carried in his owne haÌ„des a maÌ„ may be carried in other meÌ„s haÌ„des but no maÌ„ is carried in his owne handes wee doe not find how it should be vnderstood to be in Dauid himself but wee find it in Christ for Christ was carried in his owne haÌ„des when giuing his owne body he said This is my body for he did carry that body in his owne handes Finally he saith p Serm. ad Neophytos vt â—estatur Iuo Câ—â—notensis Episâ— in epist ad Hayâ—â—â—â—muÌ„ Paschasius in epist ad Frudrgâ—â— iii. take yee this in the Chalice which issued froÌ„ the side of Christ And againe wee are inuited to a table where is not found the meat of men but the bread of Angels is prepared S. Cyrill of Alexandr anno 430. explicating that of the ghospell Hovv can this man giue vs his flesh to eat he saith q S. Cyrill lib 4. in 〈◊〉 cap. 3. hauing a firme faith in mysteries let vs neuer think of so high thinges or once pronounce that Hovv Againe r in epistola ad Câ—â—â—syâ—â—um wee would not saith he abhorre flesh and blood prepared vpon the holy aulters if wee did consider that God yelding and condescending to our fragilitie and weaknes did infuse the virtue of life into the thinges offered turning them into the veritie of his owne flesh that a body of life may be found in vs as a certayn seed S. Theodoret anno 440. saith Å¿ in primo Dialogo our Sauiour chaunged the names and gaue that name to the body which was proper to the token and signe to the signe or token which was of his body And addeth for hee would haue them which are partakere of mysteries not to attend or respect the nature of those thinges that are seene but to belieue the chaunce which is done by grace for the only mutation of names S. Leo Pope anno 450. saith t Sermo 14. de passione Domini wee taste him in all respects both in spirit and flesh Againe v Sermo 6. de ieiunio septimi mentis you ought so to communicate of the holy table as to doubt nothing at all of the verity of the body and blood of Christ for that is receaued by the mouth which is belieued in hart and in vayne doe they say Amen that dispute against that which is receaued S. Eusebius Emissenus anno 520. saith x Sermo de corpore Domini when the creatures are put vpon the holy aulters to be blessed with heauenly wordes before that they be consecrated by the inuocation of theÌ„ highest povver there is the substance of bread and wine but after the wordes of Christ there is the body and blood of Christ And what maruaill is it if he chaung those thinges which he created by his word S. Remigius anno 480. saith y in comm in 1. Cor. cap. 10. vpon those wordes of S. Paul The bread vvhich vvee breake is it not the participation of the body of our Lord euen then saith he as soone as it is the consecrated and blessed by the priestes and the holy ghost afterwards broken when now it is indeed the true body of Christ although it seeme bread Et infra The flesh saith he which the word of God the Father did assume in the virgine wombe in the vnitie of his person and the bread which is consecrated in the church are one body for as that flesh is the body of Christ neither are they twoe bodies but one body S. Gregory Pope anno 590. hauing done a miracle before the people he said z testo Paulo Diacono in eius vita learne to
h Luth l de capt Babyl cap. 1. Luther saith that all the sixth chapter of Saints Iohn ought to be layd aside as nothing pertegning to this matter the same saith i Zuing lib de vera salsa religione cap. de Ech. Zuinglius k Occ. lib de verbis Dom. hoc est c. Oecolampadius l Rem 2. parte examinis pag. â—â—â— ad cap 1. â—â—ss â—1 Concil Tâ—â—dem Kemnitius c. But now all Catholickes except some few of this age did euer vnderstand the wordes of this chapter to be meant of the very Sacrament of the Eucharist or Sacramentall eating of the body of our lord in the Eucharist Some Catholickes indeed that they might more easily answere the Hussites or Lutherans prouing out of this chapter communion vnder both kindâ—â— did teach the contrary as Gabriel Ocsanus Caâ—â—â—n â—apper Hisselius and Iansemus But these did euer subiect themselues and their opinions to the censure of the whole Church and Pops of Rome which hâ—retickes doe not but defend euery man his pharisie The Catholicke opinion that this chapter doth treat of the Sacramentall eating of Christes bodie in the Eucharist may be proued by these sower argumentes first out of this verie place of Scripture it self Secundly by the testimonie of the Church thirdly by the Fathers Fourthby by the absurdities which otherwise would follow Concerning the first out of the text to omitt many moe these three may suffice First therfore our lord speaketh of a thing to be or that shable when the saith m ¶ 51. the bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world But if the bread in this place should signifie Christ as he is receaued by saith he should not speake of a thing to be for that kind of eating by faith hath bine a thinge common in all ages and the Fathers of the old testament did eat Christ in that manner The secund argument may be made by comparing these wordes with the wordes of the supper for so great is the similitude that the holy Scripture seemeth manifestly to craue that to be restored which hath bine heere promised for heere it is said The bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world But there n Matth. 26.26 Take yee and eat for this is my body o Luc 22.19 which is giuen for you vnto remission of sins The third argument may be taken out of the wordes following to witt Therfore the Iewes did striue amonge themselues saying how can this man giue vs his flesh to eat And out of those of his disciples a little after saying This is a hard speach and who can heare him For out of these wee may collect that as well the Iewes as his disciples themselues did vnderstand some new and wonderfull thinge propounded by Christ Yet our lord did not therfore correct them but did agayne inculcate and vrge the same saying Vnlesse you shall eat the flesh of ther soÌ„ne of man and drincke his blood you shall not haue life in you Secondly it is proued out of the testimonie of the Church for the p in epistola ad Nestorium Councell of Alexandrie approued in the third generall Synod expoundeth that Vnlesse you shall eate c. to be spoken of the receauing of this Sacrament the same doth the q Sub finem tertij tomi Sess 13. cap. 2. seventh Synod and lykewyse the Councell of Trent expoundeth the wordes He which eateth me shall liue for me to be also of this Sacrament now although these Councells made no decree of this matter yet it is sufficiently euident what all the Bishops of these three generall Councells did thinke and consequently the whole Church which they did represent Thirdly it is proued out of the Fathers that haue written commentaries vpon S. Iohn and with one generall consent expound these places of the Sacrament of the Eucharist as S. Chrysostome Augustin Cyrill Theophylactus Euthymius Rupertus S. Thomas Nicholas Hyramus and Dionysius the Carthusian besides infinit others who for their purpose and as occasion did offerre it selfe in expounding this ghospell as Origen Athanasius Basil c. Fourthly this veritie is proued out of the absurdities which would follow First therfore it would follow that S. Iohn should haue written nothing of this Sacramt for he toucheth this matter no where vnlesse in this place But certenly it were most absurde that the chief euangelist and most diligent in explicâ—ting the most secret mysteries should leaue nothinâ— in writing concerning this great Sacrament especially when he hath written so much of baptisme wherfore r lib 3 de consensu Euang cap 1. S. Augustine affirmeth that S. Iohn hath written nothing of the supper of our lord in his proper place as the rest did because he had written at large of it before Secondly it would follow that Christ did neuer explicate the fruit and excellencie of this Sacrament which he hath done very often of Baptisme for in the last supper he only instituted it Å¿ S. Chrysostome obserueth as much in his commentarie vpon the 26. of S. Matt. but added nothing concerning the explication therof which also is confirmed Because the Apostles without doubt would haue beene moued and troubled when they heard Take yee and eat for this is my body if they had not beene instructed before Thirdly it would follow that there should be no diuine precept for the receauing of this Sacrament For the other Euangelistes mention only the institution and that as often as it is taken it be done in remembrance of our Sauiours passion Solutions to the Aduersaries obiections against the real presence proued out of this sixth Chapter of S. Iohn The first argument is Luthers which also Kemnitius with others alwayes vseth which is this the supper of our lord was instituted the day before his passion but that speech written in the sixth of S. Iohn was a whole yeare befor the passion of our Sauiour therfor it doth not treat of the supper which Kemnitius confirmeth For saith he if therfore the Papistes wâ—ll reforme the communion because in S. Iohn it is said t cap. 6. Hee which shall eat of this bread shall liue foreuer it shal be also necessarie to say that water only is to be vsed in the supper because it is also said He that shall drinke of this water v cap. â—â— shall not thirst foreuer I answeare wee doe not deny but the supper of our lord was instituted the day before his passion and not a yeere before but wee say that a whole yeere before it was promised by Christ and disputed of by him concerning the excellent fruites of that Supper which was to be And this also our Sauiour did in many other thinges For in x cap. 16. S. Matthevv he promised to S. Peter the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and explicated what force they should haue which not withstanding he did
not deliuer y Iohn 〈◊〉 vntill after his resurrection To the confirmation I answear Catholikes doe not reforme the communion deliuered in S. Matt. by that of S. Iohn as Kemmtius fayneth for the communion in S. Matt. is not deformed that it should need any reformation yet wee say that one place may be truly explicated by an other and because it is said in S. Iohn Hee which eateth this bread shall liue foreuer Wee vnfainedly collect that the Sacrament taken vnder one kind doth so suffice that two formes or species are not necessarily required to receaue the fruit of this Sacrament or communion but there is great dissimilitude betweene the water wherof our Sauiour speaketh in the fourth of S. Iohn and the bread in the sixth For all interpreters expound the latter place to be vnderstood of the Eucharist as is already shexed but no man at any tyme hath euer taken the latter in that sense Moreouer S. Iohn himselfe explicateth that by water is vnderstoode the grace of the holy ghost for in his seuenth chapter he saith But this he spake of the Spirit which they should receaue belieuing in him But the bread in the sixth chapter our Sauiour himself said it was his flesh when he saith The bread which I will giue is my flesh The second argument also is Luthers in this manner In the sixth of S. Iohn our Sauiour disputed of that eating of heauenly bread which giueth life but only that spirituall eating by faith giueth life therfore that chapter treateth only of that spirituall eating I answere the assumptum is false for Sacramentall eating also doth giue life as in Baptisme not only the internall washing but also the externall doth cleance soules the first formally the other effecting as by the instrument and as it is written z Act. 15. purifying theire hartes by faith soe it is also said a Ephes 3. cleansing it by the lauer of water in the word of ife Neither doth it hinder that the Sacramentall eating doth not giue life without faith For that proceedeth from the vnprepared disposition of the receauer and not from the Sacrament it self which of it self is alwayes powerfull and sufficient b parte 1 ad obiectum 1â— pag 94. The third argument also is from Luther and Peter Martyr in his defence against Gardine after this manner our Sauiour in that chapter doth not only say that the eating of this bread doth giue life but also that with out this eating no man can liue Vnlesse yee shall eat c. But this straight precept cannot be vnderstood of a Sacramentall eating for so all infants should perish which can eat nothing but only sucke milke yea all that cannot communicate being hindered by some lawfull and necessarie cause should likwyse perish although otherwise baptized and iustified I answear it is a common difficultie how soeuer this place be vnderstood for if the Aduersaries will haue it vnderstood of a spirituall eating by faith how I pray you shall infants eat it who neither haue any vse of the spirit or actuall faith yea it weare more easie to instill some little parte of the Sacrament into infantes then to make them to belieue therfore I say this place doth perteyne only to the aged Finally either these wordes Vnlesse yee shall eat c. Do signifie a precept or a mean necessarie vnto saluâ—tion if a precept either it doth not perteyne vnto infants because they are not capable of it or certenly they are excused because they cannot fullfill it for this is common to euerie precept if a meanl necessarie vnto saluation certenly it is only for such as can loose their life which infants cannot because they want the vse of reason The fourth argument is likwise Luthers where he alleadgeth that c lib 2 contra Iulian. S. Austine teacheth that infants doe eat the flesh of Christ in that they communicat by faith therfore this place is vnderstood of eating by faith to this may be added other places of the Fathers producued by d tract 25. Peter Martyr and others for S. Augustine expoundeth the sixth of S. Iohn so spiritually that he saith belieue and thou hast eaten And in an other place To belieue in him e Ibidem tract 26. is to eat the liuely bread and in an other place he saith that these wordes Vnlesse yee shall eat the flesh of the son of man do signifie no other thing but that wee ought to communicate and cogitate earnesly in our mynd the passion of our lord and his flesh crucifyed for vs. Also f lib. 1. Pedagogi cap. 6. clement of Alexandria expoundeth that in this place by the flesh and blood of Christ is vnderstood the word of God wherby wee are spiritually fed and nourished Also g Epist 141. S. Basil interpreteth by the flesh and blood the doctrine of Christ and his mysticall coming h in Psal 147 S. Hierome likwise by the flesh and blood of our lord vnderstandeth the Scriptures lastly i in vers 3. Psal 90. S. Bernard saith That to eat the flesh of Christ is to communicate the passion of our lord and to imitate his life I answear to the place of S. Augustine brought by Luther which is the first booke against Iulian and not in the secund as he citeth first wee must obserue that S. Austine doth often tymes say k lib. 3. de peccator meritis and remiss c. 4 and in Serm. ad infantes queritat Beda in comment 1. Cor. 10. that infants ought to eat the body of our lord if they wil be saued but he doth not vnderstand it to be necessarily done indeed for the same S. Augustine in the same place saith that infants in the very Baptisme doe participate of the body of Christ and that by the receauing of Baptisme they doe also fullfill the precept of receauing the Eucharist Secondly wee must note that infants are not only not bound to the communion indeed but neither by externall desire wherof they are by no means capable but only by an inward desire which they haue when they are baptized for then they receaue power to participate of the Bucharist and because euery one that is borne doth naturally desire meat therfore also they in that they are borne agayne in Christ doe craue the meat or food of the regenerate yet so as to be receaued in it tyme and place therfore infants do neither communicate spiritually not Sacramentally concerning the thing but Sacramentally by an inward desire whervpon it followeth that it is not altogether the same for them to be baptized and to communicate although they are done together because the one proceedeth from the other Therfore S. Austine although in the places cited say that infantes do eat the flesh of Christ in baptisme not withstanding in an other place he doth manifestly distinguish to be baptized and to eat the flesh of Christ l Sermo de â—erbis Domini For saith he it
of the Donatistes that whersoeuer they came they were accustomed to ouerthrowe and break downe aulters sel the holy Chalices c. wherby it is manifest that the Donatistes who also in tymes past did boast that they were the true reformers of Gods church and proclaymed themselues euery where to be the true auncient and orthodoxall Catholickes did notwithstanding also take away the sacrifice of the masse THE 34. ARTICLE Communion vnder both Kindes THE CATHOLICKE DOCTRINE It sufficeth the laytie or common people to communicate vnder one forme to witt of bread for by this they fullfil the precept to witt that they eat the body and blood of our Sauiour this also our Sauiour and his Apostles haue practysed and that not without good reasons SCRIPTVRE a Iohn 6 51.5â— YF any man eat of this bread he shall liue foreuer and the bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world And he that eateth this bread shall liue foreuer b Act. 242. And they were perseuering in the Doctrine of the Apostles and in the communication of the breaking of bread and prayers c Act. 207 And in the first of the Sabboth when wee were assembled to break bread Iesus going to Emaus vvith his Tvvo Disciples d Luke 24 30 And he entred with them and it came to passe whilst he satte with them he tooke bread and blessed and brake and gaue to them and their eyes were openned and they knew him S. Austine and Theophylactus anno 400. doe explicate this place to be of the Eucharist as heere following is manifest FATHERS S. Austine saith e lib. de consensu Euang. cap. 25 vpon thâ—se wordes their eies were opeÌ„ned and they knew him and the same also sa th S. Chrysostome hom 17. oper imper c alij vpon the same place when he gaue the blessed bread vnto them their eies were openned and they knew him Et infra wee vndoubtedly belieue this impediment to be cast vpoÌ„ their eies by Sathan to the end they might not know Iesus but notwithstanding Christ permitted it euen to the Sacrament of bread that the vnitie of his body being receaued the impediment of the enimie might be knowne to be remoued that Christ might be knowne Theophylactus saith There is another thing reported to witt that their eies who receaued the blessed bread were openned and they knew him for the flesh of our Lord hath great and incredible force and virtue Receaue also this history which may proue the receauing vnder one kind to be practised in the primitiue church it beginneth thus Å¿ Sozomenus lib 8 cap 5. Nicephorus lib. 1â— cap. 7. A certayn man of Macedony being sick had a wyfe infected with the same disease this man when on a certayne tyme he chaunced vpon that excellent man S. Chrysostome disputing what wee ought to thinke of God forthwith hauing chaunged his former opinion he praysed his speeches and was earnest inforcing his wyfe that shee should lykewise chaunge her opinion But when she through the custome and dayly conference with her fellow tatlers did not accept his admonition nor her husband avayle any thing by all his perswasioÌ„s at length in plaine termes he told her that vnlesse shee would hold the commoÌ„ and same opinion of God with him shee should remayne with him no longer the woman afterward by simulatioÌ„ grauÌ„ted his request but revealed to one of her mayds which she thought to be very faithfull what shee intended that shee might deceaue her husband wherfore vpoÌ„ a tyme approching she receaued the Sacrament as the maÌ„ner was reteyning it as if shee head bine earnest in prayer bowing her self shee secretly conueyed it away and hid the holy mysterie or Sacrament and the mayde that stood by gaue her a peece of common bread for it brought from their howse which shee puting to her mouth endeuouring to breake it with her teeth perceiued it to be turned into the hard nature of a stone wherfore strucken with feare least God would reueÌ„g himself grieuously vpon her for this miracle which happenned thus vnlooked for with all speed shee hastenned to that reuerend and learned Father and opening the matter vnto him shewed him the stone which did as yet giue certeÌ„ manifest testimonie of the byting which stone had now lost his former substance and gotten an other new and straung colour But shee afterward hauing obteyned pardon for that fault continued and so remayned in the same opinion with her husband That stone was reserued a long tyme amonge the giftes of the church for a witnes of this miracle to all spectatours These Nicephorus Last of all S. Thomas of Aquine anno 1260. writeth thus It is the custome of many churches to giue the body of Christ to be receaued of the people but not the wine Againe because the multitude of Christian people increased wherin are comprehended both old and young men and children wherof some ar not of so great discretion as to haue due respect and care concerning the vse of this Sacrament as they ought therfore it is prouidently obserued in some churches that the blood be not giuen to be receaued of the people but only of the priest Againe the body may be receaued by the people without the blood neither doth any detrement thence follow because whole Christ is conteyned vnder both formes These S. Thomas Moreouer Tertul. lib. 3. ad vx Clemens Alexabdrinus lib 1 strom Origenes hom 13. in leuit Cyprian Serm. 5 de lap Basil Ad Cas Pat Hieron Approli adu lou epist ad Theo. contr if in the primitiue church in tyme of persecution as these Fathers in the margent witnes they did carry the sacred body of our Lord whome with them vnto their howses vnder the forme of bread only and not of wine it is manifest that the church neuer thought but that the whole Sacrament might be receaued vnder one forme without any offence or violation of the diuine precept which also Luther Melanchthon and Bucer doe acknowledg in their seuerall writinges saying that the communion vnder one or both formes is a thinge indifferent Ioan Hierosol Euseb Caesarien lib 6. hist Eccl cap. 22. August Serm. 152. ad temp Ambros de obi Sac. Bede lib. 4. hist Aug. cap. 24 Luth. lib. ad Boh. l. decl euch li. de form Mâ—ssae Melanch in recognitis hypot Bucerâ—â— colloq Râ—tispen See Fricius in Modcenius lib 2. de Ecclesia ca 2 BreÌ„tius in polog cons wirtem cap de concilijs pag. 900. de formula Missae tom Germ fol. â—74 THE ADVERSARIE Fricius a Chief protestant in Polonia saith That Christ in the last supper did ioyne drinke with the meat therfore saith he if the church separate these shee ought not to be heard Let it be or admitt that the church of Hierusalem hath separated these and that S. Iames which certenly many affirme hath giuen but one only forme to them of
THE SAFEGARDE FROM SHIP-WRACKE OR HEAVENS HAVEN Deut. c. 32. v. 31. For their God is not as our God euen our enimies being iudges Esai 19. v. 2. And I vvill set the Egyptians against the Egyptians so euery one shall fight against his brother Vt supra cap. 35. v. 8. This therefore shal be vnto you a direct vvay so that fooles cannot erre thereby If you returne then and be quiet you shal be saued Cap. 30. v. 11. Compiled by I. P. Priest PRINTED AT DOVAT By PETER TELV at the signe of the Natiuitie Anno 1618. Superiorum Permissu TO HIS LOVING BRO G. P. All health and peace KINDE Bro after many dayes not hauing visited you by any letter nor lykwise receaued any from you I thought Good and now high tyme to wryte these few vnto you not so much to acquainte you with any now matter worth labour as to make knowne more at large and manifest what hath be fallen me longe since my arriuall in these partes Neither take it in ill part that I haue not certifyed you so much ere now euen then perchance when you first heard some rumor of me concerning the Catholicke faith for I would not rashly moue such a matter or with out firme foundation acquaint you with that which I should not be able to defend for you may not think me ignorant of what opposites I may suspect in such a case wherefore I thought it more secure for both parties to deferre it vntill this tyme. Maruail not therefore I pray you either at my matter or manner of wryting but patiently attend the end and I doubt not but the sequele will giue you better content or at least no iust cause of offence The dutie to our Mother loue to your selfe and the rest our poore Brothers and Sisters is cause of both and therfore though I beginne more abruptlie then I would or had intended it is to avoyd prolixite where the matter it selfe is so vrgent Most trulie therfore was it sayd of an auncient Sainte Oft tymes that vvhich vvee knovv not through our sloth the same by teares is made knovvne vnto vs. and an afflicted mynd more certaynly findeth out a fault comitted and the guilt vvhich she remembred not in security shee clearlie perceaueth being troubled This is the cause why almightie God in holy Scripture so often admonisheth vs Iob c. 4.9 whoe as Iob saith dvvell in hovvses of clay to pull downe our plumes and enter into consideration what state wee stand in which certenly me thinkes may most aptlie be applyed vnto vs for who to omit the relation of our goulden age and dayes wherin wee dranke full cupps of pleasure and delight with all content and least remembrance of God and thankes for his benefits as wee ought with these worldly afflictions so depressed as wee Who of his most supposed sâ—â—ndes so forsaken as wee Nay who by his owne blood and nearest kindred so hardly dealt with all as wee But what Iob 2.9 shall wee hearken to Iobs wyfe and blesse God and die No but rather with patient Iob in the next verse answeare thou hast spoken lyke one of the foolish vvomen if vvee haue receaued good thinges of the hand of God evill thinges vvhy should vvee not receaue Also the Prophet Esaie thundereth out the most terrible comparisons he could deuise to a wake vs out of this damnable Lythargie of carelesse inconsideration of our state and telleth vs saying And behold he shall come in hast speedely c. he vvill not slumber nor sleepe c. all which threatninges in my vnderstanding seeme to haue some peculier reuerence more vnto me then you for as much as God hath not once or twice moued me by often conference Esaie 5 27. of the Catholicke faith but also I haue had Catholicke bookes which might haue satisfied any man not altogether peruerse as indeed at that tyme I was for when at my frindes request I began to read to witt The Suruey of the nevv Religion and that there did many thinges occure repugnant or rather confuting my affectionate religion in which I was nourished my patience by no meanes would search any further into it but with all contempt did vtterly reiect it which how foolish a thinge it was I appeall to your owne iudgment for admitt there were a Turke and a Christian contending about religion and as sure it is no way to be saued but by the one only true Christian and Catholicke faith notwithstanding will obstinatlie content himselfe with his Turcisme in which he had his being and bringing vp and not heare the contradiction of his Alchoran by the knowledge of any other religion how vniuersall or warrantable soeuer would you not repute him a madd man and altogether inexcusable certenly you could not doe lesse much more an astrauagant Christian bred out of the Catholicke Church which not withstanding he hath heard of by the generall coÌ„sent of all yea of her most spitefullest enemies to haue beene the Romane Church are so to haue continued the first six hundred yeares pure and vnspeâ—ted with out stayne or corruption yet not witstanding he will not geue eare to this faith or religion or vnderstand the cause iustly why he should refuse it would you not I say condemne this man as worthy of double punishment certenly such an one was I but God for his longe patience and sufference whoe out of his infinite goodnes and clemencie hath thus through so many troubles and straunge accidentes at length brought me to the true knowledge of his seruice and porte of saluation I render all humble thankes earnestlie imploring his grace of perseuerance and if it be his good will and pleasure to seal the profession thereof with my blood and life Now therefor Lo Bro not to detayne you longer from my intended scope if you approue of that comparison borroweed from a christian and a Turke then I pray let me craue the same of you that you will at least graunt me that fauour as vprightly not passionate or led with affection to peruse this my labour it being awork indeed conducing to no momentary pleasure or profit but taken in hand for your eternall good and future ioye and glorie in the world to come where no sinister chance or froward fortune can euer bereaue you of it In this labour I say my trauells first present themselues vnto you for some speciall causes hereafter notified which verily I may account a trauell to Damascus Act 9.28 wherin a good Annanias by our Sauiours appoyntment hath caused to fall from myne eies those scales of ignorance where with I was formerly blinded so that I may rightly say truth is great and preuaileth â— Esd 4 41. and least you should thinke me heerein not to haue dealt prudentlie I intreat you euen for the loue of your owne soule approue or disproue of my proceedinges as your owne iudgment not forestaled with aslat resolution to condemne me vnheard shall passe
novv in England is full of errours And in his aduertisment of corruptions to the protestante Bishops saith That there publicke translatioÌ„ of scriptures into English is such as it peruerteth the text of the old testament in eight hundred forty eight places and that it causeth millions of millions to reiect the new testament and to runne to eternall flames will not then euery man that hath but any feeling of his soule looke about him seeing as I said before Euen our enemyes are iudges on my side neither can it be excused by saying they are but smale differences seeing M. Broughton heere saith that it Causeth Millions of Millions to runne to eternall flames Wherefore good Bro as you loue your owne souls healthe and would avoyde these eternall flames passe not ouer these slightly or with me as I once did reiect the farther search this because it doth so manifestly detect your horrible abuses which may seeme incredible but if you will examine any one of them you shall find it as euident much more at large this concerns eternity this concerns your soule yea this doth admonish you of the eternall glory or perpetuall misery both of body and soule in hell flames without redemption wherfor once more I beseech you as you tender your eternall weale or woe and haue some feeling of Gods fearfull iudgments Matth. 25.41 as this dreadfull sentence from our Sauiour get you avvay from me you cursed into fier euerlasting which was prepared for the Deuill and his Angels Neyther may you thinke as some in England I speake what I haue knowne that a man may be saued by any religion for to such our Sauiour will say Matth. 7.11 not euery one that saith to me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Deere Bro if this be true as it cannot be false proceeding from truth it self then I pray with all attention and diligent study seriously examine this laboure for S. Paul doth likewyse tell you that there is one Lord one faith one Baptisme one God and father of all Ephes 4.5 wherfore vpon due examination being conuinced in conscience let not a sâ—â—wne of this world or any momentary affliction yea though an other Nero DomitiaÌ„ or Dioclesian should tyrannice in this your persecution cause you to smother your pretious soule in hells blacke flames from whence no ransome may euer free you or penance ease your torment by denying his faith and church who hath layd his life and most pretious blood for your redemption from this eternall woe und misery no I say in despite of all such cruelty be resolued and with a resolute currage say with S. Paul None of all these do I feare Act. 20 2â— neither do I make my life more pretious then my selfe so that I may finish the course ministerie which I haue receaued of our Lord Iesus to testifie the ghospell of the grace of God yea especially I say Matth. 12.10 take courage when as our Sauiour saith he which is not with me is against me and he which gathereth not with me scattereth And in an other place he bides vs enter by the streight porte because the broad gate Matth. 7.13.14 spatious way leadeth to perditioÌ„ many there are which enter through it how narrow is this Porte and vvay streight vvhich leadeth to life and fevv there are that finde it 2. Tim. 4. Wherefore do but inuocate S. Paul with a sincere hart that he would obtayne for you grace to confesse and dy in this one faith and you shal be heyre to the king of heauen and haue a crowne of glorie with the same S Paul which I hope you will and with euery magnanimous ChristiaÌ„ avert that dismall sentence of our Sauiour where â—e saith Matth. 10. â—2 Euery one therfore that shall confesse me before men I also vvill confesse him before my father vvhich is in heaueâ— but he that shall deny me before men I also vvill deny him before my father vvhich is in heauen And what other thing is it I pray you thus to be denied then vndoubtedly adiudged to hell there to remaine with weeping and gnashing of teeth for all eternity But to our purpose thus longe interrupted leauing these rather to your pious consideration to enlarge at your pleasure then other vvyse longer to insist vpon them If therfore you aske me what translation then is best I answere the old commonly called S. Hieromes if you say he was a papist listen I pray not vvithstanding what Beza your chiefe translatour of scripture See Beza vpoÌ„ the first of S. Luke and first verse de â—at interpretat lib. 1. pag. 74. saith of him the old interpreter saith he seemeth to haue interpreted the holy bookes vvith maruelous sincerity and religion And Doctor Humfrey our countrey man speaketh thus of him the old interpreter seemeth sufficientlie bent to follovv the proprietie of vvordes he doth it indeed to carefully vvhich notvvithstaÌ„ding I suppose him to haue done not out of ignorance but of religion and conscience So that you see if there were any fault in our old interpreter it was because he was to scrupulous ond carefull to full of conscience and religion in following the exact signification of the greeke which is a verie good fault if it must needes be called a fault and also coÌ„mended and iustified els where by Doctor Humfrey himselfe in these wordes Ibid. pag. 179 In prophane vvritinges a man may rainge more freely and depart from the vvordes in Canonicall scripture no such liceÌ„ce is tollerable for it is not lavvfull for man to alter the tongue of God and by way of exposition to make this more perspicuous I oppose Caluin to our old interpreter and obserue I pray what censure a protestant also giueth of Caluin Caluin in his harmonie saith Charles Moliuers in his translation of the new testament parte 11. fol. 110. Maketh the text of the ghospell to leap vp and dovvne as the truth it selfe declareth He vseth violence to the letter of the ghospell and in many places clean transposeth it and besides this he addeth to the text The lyke censure I find giuen of Luther not by a Papist but a Protestant tom 2. â—d Luther lib. de Sacram. fol. 412. 413. and one of the chiefest in his tyme to witt Zuinglius who after detection of many corruptions Thus concludeth See hovv thy case standeth Luther that in the eyes of all men thou art seene to be a manifest and common corruptour of scripture vvhich thing thou canst neuer deny before any creature hovv much are vvee a shamed of thee vvho hither to haue esteemed thee beyond all measure and novv trie thee to be such a false fellovv To conclude therfore this point of translation attend what Beza saith in praeface new test anno 1556. hovv vnvvorthily saith he and vvith out cause doth
if there shal be need of more earnest prayer and aduocation gather together the company of thy Brother martyres and together with them pray for vs admonish Peter stire vp Paul and Iohn also the Deuyne and beloued Disciple of Iesus S. Ephrem anno 380. saith v Serm. de Laudibus S. Martyrum wee beseech yee most blessed martyres whoe freely and willingly haue suffered tormentes for our Lord and Sauiour for his loue also you are so much the more familiarlie ioyned vnto God that you may vouchsafe to make intercession vnto our Lord for vs wretches and sinners and all filth through negligence that the grace of Christ may descend vpon vs. S. Cyrill anno 350. saith x Catechesi S. â—mislag when wee offerre this sacrifice wee make mention of them which haue deceassed before vs first of the Patriarches Prophets Apostles and Martyres that God by their prayers may receaue our prayers S. Theodoret anno 440 saith y lib. 8. ad Graecos such as trauell with difficultie doe beseech the Martyres for their companions in the way or rather captayns or guides in the iourney Againe he doth in this manner conclude euery mans life z in historia S. S. Patrum But now in a king an end of this my narration I implore and beseech them that by their prayers I may obteyne diuine help S Cornelius Pope anno 251. saith a in Epist 1. beseeching God and our Lord Iesus Christ that his holy Apostles making intercession for you he would purge you from your sinnes S. Hilary anno 350. saith b in psal 124 Neither is there wanting to those that will the protection of Sainctes and sauegarde of Angels c 1. tem 129. The nature of God doth not want the intercession of Angels but our infirmitie for they are sent from those that shall inherit saluation God being ignorant of none of all this which wee doe but our infirmitie to aske and merite doth need the help of spirituall intercession S. Ambrose anno 380. saith d lib 8. in lu in fine lib 10. in Luc. 21. As Angels are in authoritie so also are those which haue deserued the life of Angels And kinges being dead martyres shall succeed them in an euerlasting kingdome in the honour of heauenly grace and they shal be suppliants these Patrones Againe e lib. de viâ—uis wee ought to beseech Angels who are giuen vs for a sauegarde also martyres whose Patronage wee seeme to challence for a defence of our body they can aske for our sins whoe haue washed there owne if they had any with their owne blood these arre the martyres of God our prelates and beholders of our life and actions let vs not be ashamed to take them for the intercessours of our infirmitie for they haue also knowne the infirmitie of our bodie when they did once liue S. Maximus anno 420. saith f Serm. de Nartyribus Tauricis There is familiarity betweene these and vs for they are alwayes with vs they alwayes abide with vs that is they both keepe vs liuing in our body and receaue vs going out of our body Againe praying to S. Agnes he saith g Serm. de S. Agnese O glorisious to Christ fayre to the sonne of God and gratefull to all Angels and Archangels wee doe beseech thee by what prayers wee can possible that thou vouchsaue to remember vs. S. Hierome anno 380. saith h in Epitapho Paulae circa â—inem Farwell o Paula help by thy prayers the last old age of thy worshipper let thy faith and good workes ioyne thee to Christ that being present thou maist more easilie obtayne what thou shalt request Againe i in epist ad Paulum de obitu Blesillae shee doth beseech our Lord for thee and obteineth pardon of my sins for me Ruffinus anno 400 saith k lib. 2. hist cap. 33. Hee went about to wit the Emp. Theodosius all the places of prayer with the priestes and people and did lie prostrate in hearcloth before the shrines of the martyres and Apostles and did craue vndoubted help by the intercession of the Saintes S. Augustine anno 400. saith l lib. 7. de Baptismo Cont. Donatistas cap. 1. let Cyprian help vs by his prayers labouring in the mortalitie of this flesh as it were in a thicke cloud that God assisting vs wee may imitate his good workes as farre as wee shall be able Againe m tractatu 84. in Ioan Therfore wee doe not so remember them martyres at the very table as those which rest in peace that wee should also pray for them but rather that they martyres should pray for vs. Againe d Sanctis Petro Paulo n a multitude of people doe worship the most blessed fisher man Peter with their bowed knees Heathens obiecting that Christians did worship the Angels he answereth o in psalme 96 I would to God saith he that you would worship them for then you should soone learne of them that they doe not worship them as Gods but as Sainctes Againe p Serm. 17. de verbis apostoli ecclesiasticall discipline hath and teacheth that the faithfull know when they recyte martyres in that place at the Aulter of God that they doe not pray for them but for other the dead For it is iniury to pray for a martyre to whose prayers wee ought rather to commend our selues q Serm. 18. de sanctis He hath also there an excellent and a long prayer to the blessed virgine Mary S. Victor Vticensis anno 486 saith r lib. 3. de perseq wandal O you Angels of God be you present pray for vs you holy Patriarches and Prophets you Apostles be you our intercessours chiefly you blessed Peter wherfore art thou silent for thy sheep and lambes commended to thee by our common Lord with great care and earnestnes you S. Paul maister of the gentiles know what the Arians doe to wandalia and thy sons being captiues doe sigh mourning and all yee Apostles sigh together for vs. S Fulgentius anno 480 saith Å¿ Serm. de Laudibus B. Mariae Therfore the virgine Mary receaued all the courses of nature in our Lord Iesus-Christ that shee might help all women slying vnto her S. Leo Pope anno 440 saith t Serm. 1 de Petro Paulo As wee haue tried and our elders haue proued wee doe belieue and trust that amongst all the labours of this life to obteyne the mercy of God wee shall alwayes be holpen by the prayers of speciall patrones Againe u Serm. 2. de anniuersario suae assumptionis Peter doth now more fully and powrefully performe those thinges which are coÌ„mitted to him and doth execute all partes of his offices and cares in him by whome he is glorified Againe x Serm. 3. de anniuersario Now the pious pastor Peter doth execute the commaundementes of his Lord strengthning vs by his exhortations and not ceasing to
so great and diuine a mysterie for how much more greater he is in the temple according to the voyce of our Lord so much the more greeuoue and tâ—â—r be it is vnto him that shall with an impure soule rashly come vnto the body of Christ then it is to come vnto buls and rams c. S Greg. Nyss anno 380. saith Å¿ lib. de vltâ— Moyses where he disputeth concerning the manner of the lewes which he compareth with the holy Eucharist That it is bread prepared for vs without seed without prayer without any help of man that bread falling downe from heauen was found vpon earth for the bread that cometh from heauen is our true food which is figuratiuely signified in this historie it is not a thing wanting a body for how can a thing which is no body become foode for the body but the thing that wanteth not a body questionles is a body Againe t orat Catâ— chist cap. 36.37 as a little leauen saith he maketh a whole lumpe of dow like vnto it self so also that body which is made immortall by God entring into our body transposeth and changeth it wholy into it self Et pauso post it is conioyned with the bodies of the faithfull that by this coniunction with that which is immortall man also may be made partaker of immortalitie Ibid. wee must consider how it may come to passe for as much as that one body is continuallie deliuered to so many thousand of the faithfull through out the whole world it passeth wholy through euery man and yet remaineth whole in it self Againe wherfore wee doe also now truly belieue that the sanctified bread by the word of God is chaunged into the body of God the word Et pauso post these thinges he doth by virtue of the benediction chaunged the nature of those thinges which are seene meaning the bread and wine into that meaning the body of our Lord S. Optatus anno 370 saith v lib. 2. CoÌ„â— Pamenianâ— what can be so sacrilegious as to breake rase and remoue the alters of God wher vpoÌ„ your selues also sometyme haue madeoblation where on the prayers of the people and members of Christ were borne or susteyned where vpon almightie God was inuocated from whence the holy ghost being expected with great desire descendeth from whence many men receaue the earnest penny of their eternall saluation and protection of their faith and hope of resurrectionâ— Et mox what is the alter but the seat of the body and blood of Christ Et infra wherein did Christ offend you whose body and blood sometyme remained theron Also yet this haynous offence is doubled when you also breake the Chalices the porters or carriers of the blood of Christ S. Greg. Naz. anno 380. saith x orat 2. de Paschate without trouble and doubt eat the body and drinke the blood of Christ if thou be indeed desirous of life neither do thou doubt of the truth of those speeches which are vttered concerning the flesh neither be thou offended at the passion be constant firme and established not doubting of any thing whatsoeuer the aduersarie say Againe y orat de obiâ—u Gorgoniae soronâ— suae she fell downe saith he with faith at the aulter praying with great feruencie vnto him that is worshiped therupon c. S Ephrem an 380. saith z lib. de natura Dei muâ—me scrucanda ca. 5. why doste thou search thinges vnsearchable if thou examine these thinges curiouslie thou shalt not then be accounted a man faithfull but curious be faithfull and innocent be partaker of the immaculate body of thy Lord with fulnes of faith assuring thy self that thou eatest the whole lambe himself the mysteries of Christ are an immortall fier do not thou rashly search them out least thou be consumed in the search therof Et infra This indeed exceedeth all admiration all vnderstanding and all speech which Christ the only begetton son our Sauiour hath done for vs he hath giuen vs fier and spirit to be eaten and dronken that is as himself explicateth his body and blood S. Epiphanius anno 390 saith a in Ancorato circa medium wee see what our Sauiour tooke in his handes as the Euangelist speaketh that he arose from supper and tooke these thinges and when he had giuen thankes he said This is myne this and this and wee see that it is not of equall bignes nor lyke to his Image in the flesh nor to his inuisible Deitie nor to the lineamentes or partes of his members for this is of a round proportion and vnsensible touching the power theirof his meaning was to say trough grace this is myne this and this and euery man belieueth this speech for he that belieueth it not to be himself indeed is fallen from grace and saluation S. Gaudentius anno 390. saith b tract 2. de exodo the creator himself and Lord of all creatures and natures who produceth bread from the earth doth from the earth agayne because he both can and hath promised it make his owne body and he that hath made wine of water hath also made his blood of wine Et pauso post belieue that which hath bine taught that that which thou receauest is the body of that heauenly bread and the blood of that sacred vine for when he deliuered the consecrated bread and wine to his disciples he said This is my body this is my blood Let vs beliue him vvhome vve haue belieued truth cannot lye S. Chrysostome anno 380. saith c hom 60. ad Populum AntiochenuÌ„ hom 83. in matâ—hçum Let vs yeld vnto God not resisting although that which he speaketh seeme absurde to our sense and reason Let his word I beseech you conquear our sense and reason in all thinges but especiallie in mysteries not beholding only those thinges which are before vs but belieuing also his wordes for wee cannot be deceaued by his word although our sense be very easie to be deceaued therfore because he hath said This is my body let vs not doubt of it but belieue it Et ibid. how many be there that say I vvould gladly see his shape and proportion I would gladly see his apparrell I vvould gladly see his shoos therfore thou seest him thou touchest him thou eatest him c. Againe d homil 3 in epist 3. ad Ephes Wee speake concerning his body as being that which differeth nothing from it how many of vs be made partakers of his body how many of vs doe taste his blood consider that there is the body and blood which is resident aboue in the heauens which is humbly adored by the Angels Againe c lib de Sacerdono O miracle o the bountie of God yea vvho siteth on high vvith his father in that very minate of tyme is holden in all mens hands and deliuereth himself to those that vvill receaue and imbrace him Againe f homil 83â— in Matth. â—0 ad populum
great a space betweene the body of Christ and the bread and wine in the Supper as there is betweene the earth and the highest heauens to witt that the body of Christ is no where but in that one certayne and determinate pleace of heauen The same also saith v de re Sacramentaria q. 6 Beza in expresse wordes in the some of his doctrine Secundly Caluin teacheth that the signes and body of Christ although in place they differre very much yet they are so conioyned to gether not only touching the signe in that one is a token of the other but also because together with the signe God doth truly giue vs the verie bodie and blood of Christ wherby our soules are indeed nourished vnto life euerlasting This Caluin hath in all the places aboue noted And also saith yet further x vpon the 26. Matth. That in the supper the body of Christ is truly giuen vs that it may be a wholesome food vnto our soules that is our soules are fed with the substance of Christes body that wee may truly become one with him And a little after therfore saith he an emptie and bare signe is not set before vs but such as receaue this promise by faith are truly made partakers of the body and blood of our lord Againe he teacheth that to eat the flesh of Christ is not only to belieue but also to be made truly partaker of his flesh y lib. 4. inst cap. 17. ¶ 5. For saith he as not the beholding but eating of bread is required vnto the nourishment of our body so it is necessarie that our soule be truly and fully made partaker of Christ Againe z ¶ 32. in the holy supper he commaundeth me vnder the signes or formes of bread and wine to receaue his body and blood I nothing doubt but he doth truly giue it and I truly receaue it these Caluin But because this secund seemeth contrarie to the first for how can the body of Christ be truly giuen to vs with the bread and be present in the supper if this body be only in the highest heauen and the bread only on earth therfore he addeth this third saying a Ibib. ¶ 7. there remaineth nothing saith he but that I breake out into admiration of that mysâ—erie which certenly neither mynd by thinking nor tongue by explicating is sufficient to expresse And againe b ¶ 10. But although it seeme incredible that in so great v distance of place the flesh of Christ should so penetrate as to be meat for vs let vs remember how farre the secret virtue of the holy ghost doth exceed our vnderstanding and how foolish a thinge it is to measure his immensitie or wonderfullnes by our capacitie therefore what our vnderstanding doth not comprehend let faith conceaue that the spirit doth truly vnite what is disioyned by distance of place Againe c ¶ 32. Moreouer saith he if any aske of me the manner how he shall not be ashamed to confesse that it is a secret more high then either by witt can be comprehended or wordes declared The like hath Beza d de Sacramentis q 9. But saith he neuerthelesse wee confesse that the mysterie of God is incomprehensible wherby it cometh to passe that the same which is and remaneth in heauen and no other where is truly communitated vnto vs who are now on earth and no other where But because Caluin perceaued this his mysterie to be incredible and to inuolue a most manifest contradiction he addeth that the very body of Christ did not descend but a certen substantiall force deriued vnto vs from the flesh of Christ by his spirit as a certeyn Channell or conduit for thus he speaketh e lib. 4. instit cap. 17. ¶ 12. The bond saith he of that coniunction is the spirit of Christ by whose fastining wee are coupled together and as a certeyne conduit by which what soeuer Christ himself both is and hath is deriued vnto vs. Againe I freely confesse that I reiect the mixture of Christes flesh with our soule or transfusion as they teach because it sufficeth vs that Christ doth from the substance of flesh breath life into our soules yea power out his owne life into vs although his verie flesh doe not enter into vs. Againe Å¿ ¶ 13. Wee must saith he frame such a presence of Christ in the supper as may neither adioyne him to the element of bread nor include him in the bread or any wayes inclose him c. least something should be affixed to his body nor agreable to mans nature which is done when it is said to be infinite or in many places at once Also certenly that which wee teach hath nothing in it wherby to giue offence to any vnlesse to a few ages when that ignorance of Sophisters did raigne in the Church and the cleare light and manifest truth was oppressed with barbarisme Againe g ¶ 15. 29. Let this therfore be establissed for certayn that the flesh of Christ is not truly giuen vnto vs in the supper for food vnlesse the true substance of the externall signe did signifie as much But as one errour riseth out of an other that place of Hieremia is so foolishly wrested to prooue transubstantiation that a man May be ashamed to relate it c. yet so also thought many of the Fathers but what as if their ignorance were not rather to be pardoned and shâ—me concealed then impudencie to be added wherby to feare them yet still in hostile manner to contend with the true sense of the Prophet These Caluin An old condemned Heresie by the primitiue Church This was in tyme past the heresie of the Sacramentaries Synodo 7. act 6. tom 3. S. Theodoret Dialog qui dicetur impatibilis that the Eucharist or lords supper was not the true flesh of Christ but only a figure and image of the body of Christ The same many ages before reporteth S. Theodoretus out of S. Ignatius disciple to S. Iohn Moreouer there were others who not denying the veritie of Christes body in the Eucharist denied not withstand that the body of Christ did remayne in the Eucharist if it were kept vntill the next day whome S. Cyrill therfore saith that they were madd S. Cyrill in epistola ad Calosyrium Episcopum Whereas it is obiected that the sixth chapter of S. Iohn doth not treat of the Eucharist I proue the contrarie very manifestly that it doth specially treat of it The question therfore is not whether the whole chapter perteine vnto this matter for the contrarie is manifest as in a great part therof mention is made of the miracle of bread faithl and incarnation the controuersie therfore is only of these wordes The bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world c. almost to the end Almost all the heretickes of these tymes denie these wordes to perteine to the Sacrament of the Eucharist
is one thinge to be borne of the spirit and an other to feed of the spirit as it is one thing to be borne of the flesh which is done when the mother bringeth forth and an other to feed of the flesh which is done when the infant sucheth m lib 1 de peccator meâ—â—â— and remiss c. â—0 And in an other place he plainly demonstrateth that this precept Vnles yee eat is distinguished from the precept of Baptisme yea in infantes I answear therfore to the argument that S. Austine doth expound this place to be vnderstood of a Sacramentall eating but yet that he doth attribut that eating to infants not in the thing but in an inward desire which is had by baptisme as wee haue said To the other two places of S. Augustine I answere that that saying To what end doest thou prepare thy teeth and bellie belieue and thou hast eaten And that To belieue in him is to eat his flesh are spoken by him not of the Sacrament but of the beliefe of the incarnation for yet he had not com to that parte of the ghospell which treateth of the last supper but that saying whoe eateth in harte not who presseth with his teeth S. Augustine said when he spoke of the Sacrament not to exclude Sacramentall eating but that he might signifie the end of the Sacrament to be this to nourish our soule and not our body for he is truly refreshed with this meat that eateth in hart not that presseth it with his teeth to witt only with his teeth for he doth not exclude corporall eating when in the same place he saith that Iudas did eat it only corporally but only he doth preferre the spirituall eating before the corporall because the spirituall doth profitt without the carnall but not the corporall with out the spirituall The like is that place of Osea I vvill mercy not Sacrifice Osea cap. 6. Now our lord doth not reiect sacrifices but will none of them without mercy To the other Fathers I answere that they expound mystically not according to the letter but they in no place euer denied that those wordes ought not to be taken literally of the Sacramentall eating yea on the contrary they are aboue cited in be halfe of the Sacramentall eating for the literal and mysticall sense doe not repugne one an other To the last of S. Austine I answere Lib. â— de Doctrina Christiana he puteth a figure in the wordes concerning the manner of receauing the flesh of Christ not of the substance of the thing it self For he would not say the flesh of Christ so called figuratiuely is to be eaten that is the bread wherby his flesh is signified if wee consider the essence and verie thing of eating which only requireth that true meat be deliuered through the mouth vnto the stomake by vitall instrumentes wee shall easily perceaue that S. Austine vnderstandeth it to be eatcn figuratiuely concerning the manner for the ordinarie and proper manner of eating flesh is that it be visibly cutt in partes and so taken by little and little boyled not raw c. but the flesh of Christ is taken whole and inuisibly without any hurt of it self wherfor the flesh of Christ is slaine and torne in eating not properly but only figuratiuely for wee represent the passion of Christ Now that S. Austine doth vnderstand it in this sense this manifest for tow respects first because he saith it is to be expounded figuratiuely least some vnlawfull acte or wickednes should seeme to be commaunded Moreouer it were a wicked thing to kill and eat the flesh of Christ in partes but not after a certayn spirituall manner to receaue the verie flesh it self in the Sacrament without any hurt ther vnto Secondly because he himself doth explicate what is the litterall sense which seemeth to sound any wickednes to witt that wherein the Capharnaites did take the wordes of Christ tract 27. in Ioann Psal 98. who thought that his flesh was to be torne as wee see it done in the shambles and some little parte giuen to euery one therfore when S. Austine saith that by this precept Vnlesse yee eat is commaunded that wee communicate by the passion of Christ and worship and cogitat it in our myndes he doth only signifie that which the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 11. That the flesh of Christ is to be receaued in the Sacrament for a remembrance of the passion and death of our lord All other friuoulous obiections for as much as they haue no authoritie but theire owne bare explications I thinke needlesse to write specially when you see that wee haue all antiquitie with the whole Church for our sentence and opinion to witt that the true body and blood of Christ is vndoubtedly and really eaten in the Sacrament of the Eucharist But to make S. Austine more cleare heare yet this one sentence of his he therfore expounding a little beneath these words He which eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood remayneth in me saith thus He that remayneth not in Christ in whome Christ doth not remayne without doubt he doth not eat his flesh spiritually nor drinke his blood although carnally and visibly he presse the body and blood of Christ with his teeth but doth rather eat ad drinke the Sacrament of so great a thinge to his owne iudgment because being vnclean he doth presume to coÌ„e to the SacrameÌ„t of Christ which no maÌ„ receaueth worthily vnlesse he be cleane These S. Austine whoe therfore caÌ„ be so froward as to deny say that S. Austine doth not expouÌ„d these words of S. Iohn to pertaine vnto the Sacrament of the Eucharist where the flesh and blood of Christ is realy eaten dronken and that he would only teach when he saith This bread is to be eaten by faith that neither teeth nor bellie is to be prepared but that faith and puritie of mynd is necessary wherby this meat ought to be taken that it may profit and be worthily eaten without which it doth not profit but hurt Againe our aduersaries obiect an other place out of S. Athanasius where in his tract vpon these wordes Whoesoeuer shall speak a word against the son of man it shal be for giuen c. saith thus How many men would his body haue sufficed for meat that it might become food for the whole world but therfore he made mention of his ascension into heauen that he might draw them from a corporall vnderstanding and that they afterwards might vnderstand his flesh wherof he spoke to be meat sent from heauen and spirituall food and that it was to be giuen by himself For the wordes which I speake vnto you our Sauiour are spirit and life which is the same as if he should say my body which is shevven and giuen for the world shal be giuen for meat that it may be giuen spirituallie to euery one and become a protection and preseruation to euery one vnto the