he spok the words CHAP. II. Concerning the exposition of these words He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath everlasting life My flesh is meat indeed c. MOunsieur de Rodon did promise in his precedent Chapter to prove in this that Christ speaks of a spiritual eating and drinking by faith which he sayes is the mouth of the soul and not of a corporal eating and drinking by the mouth of the body his first argument is this Rodon 1. When a man would satisfie his hunger and quench his thirst he oâ—…th and drinketh that thing which he hungers and thirsts after because eating satisfieth hunger and drinking quencheth thirst But it is by faith that is by beleiving in Iesus Christ that we satisfie the hunger and quench the thirst which Iohn he that cometh to me shall never hunger he that believes in me shal never thirst and he that beleveth in me shall never thirst Therefore it is by faith or by beleving that we eat and drink Iesus Christ and consequently the eating of Christs flesh and drinking of his blood is spiritual and not corporal Answ. To this argument I answer granting the major and distinguishing the Minor thus but it is by faith as by a condition requisite that we satisfie the hunger and quench the thirst which we have after Christ I confess but it is by faith as by the proper and formal cause of satisfying our hunger and quenching our thirst after him or as faith is the spiritual mouth of the soul to convey Christ into her I deny the minor and both the consequences following Therefore I say although not only faith but also hope and charity be requisite conditions wiihout which no body can have the spiritual refreshment this divine food gives unto the soul and which the soul so much hungers and thirsts after yet neither faith hope nor charity jointly or severally are the cheif cause of this refreshment and spiritual satisfaction but the real entity of Christs body which is in the consecrated host being received corporally by us while we are in the state of grace is that which chiefly and principally causeth this spiritual refreshment in us it is that glorified body that satisfies our spiritual hunger and quenches our spiritual thirst and faith is only one of the requisite conditions that Christs body should feed us spiritually just as the application of fire to wood is a condition requisite that fire should burn the wood but none can say that the application the condition requisite is that which burns the wood but the fire is the whole cause of burning Even so we say of Christs body in the Sacrament that it is the chief and whole cause of the spiritual refreshment of the soul and the thing which she chiefly hungers and thirsts after and faith is but a condition requisite when his body is taken corporally by us that it should refresh us spiritually To the passage he alledgeth out of S. Iohn I answer that his words must not be understood that he that cometh to me by faith alone shall never hunger and he that only beleiveth in me shall never thirst for many may believe in Christ and yet be actually in mortal sin and yet certain it is that mortal sin causeth a divorce betwixt Christ and the soul or dare Mr. de Rodon say that if he or any of his party should chance to be drunk to swear or to envy another man that by such an action he forfeiteth his belief if so then he presently becomes an heretick for heresy is nothing else but forfeiture of belief in a Christian. Therefore the said passage must be understood thus he that cometh to me by vertue of this or any other of my Sacraments or by true contrition and believeth in me taking faith as a condition requisite not as the cause of coming unto him such a soul if she leaves him not by falling into sin again through her own fault shall never hunger nor thirst spiritually but be for ever refresht by vertue of his body and bloud with increase of charity and all other vertues Neither is it to be doubted but Christs body when worthily received by the mouth of the body doth work spiritually upon the soul which I prove thus because where Christs glorified body is really present there is his divinity humanity and person also by concomitance and where his person is there the persons of the father and of the holy Ghost are by circumincession as Diviâ—…s â—…all it but where the divinity personally iâ—…abits it replenishes and satiats that soul and body with spiritual food and joy Therefore whosoever takes the body of Christ worthily and puts no obstacle to its spiritual operations he is satiated spiritually with the the same body by reason of the concomitance of the divinity and soul of Christ that alwayes accompany his glorified body as also by reason of the circumincession of all the three persons of the most blessed Trinity inhabiting the soul. But now let us come to his second argument which is this Rodon 2. Iesus Christ saith he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternal life And except ye eat the flesh of the son of man drink his bloud ye have no life in you John 6. But it is the spiritual eating and drinking by faith that gives life everlasting and not the corporal eating and drinking by the mouth of the body Because many Reprobates according to the very doctrine of Rome it it self do corporally eat the flesh and drink the bloud of Christ and yet shall not inherit eternal life Answ. To this Argument I answer denying Mr. de Rodon's supposition viz. that the soul eateth spiritually by faith for faith being no mouth of the soul in any sense as I proved before and nothing being able to eat properly or improperly without a proper or improper mouth it follows that the soul cannot eat by the mouth of faith Besides the Angels do eat of this celestiall food not with the mouth of faith for there is no faith in heaven but a clear vision Therefore the thing that seeds the soul spiritually is the real substance of Christs body received by the corporal mouth of him that is in the state of Grace while he receives the Sacrament which real substance of Christs body works spiritually upon the soul by reason of the concomitance of Christs divinity and soul and of the circumincession of the other two divine persons with Christs person there really present with the substance of his body however I confess faith and the other Theological vertues are conditions requisite for one to be sed spiritually and I confess also that a reprobate can take the real body of Christ by his corporal mouth without any spiritual nourishment or satisfaction but the fault is in him not in the Sacrament which alwaies operateth spiritually in such souls as are well disposed by faith and the other Theological vertues to receive it
Therefore what the Mounsieur objects concerning eating Christs body corporally by reprobats is to no purpose for we confess that to eat him corporally only without faith and the rest of the Theological vertues brings rather eternal damnation then eternal life to the soul and yet we still deny that he is eaten spiritually by the mouth of faith alone or that there is any such thing as mouth of faith Rodon 3. His third argument he takes from S. Augustine and Cardinal Caietan who expound he saies the words of Iesus Christ as he doth S. Augustine in Book 3. of Christian doctrine speaketh thus To eat the flesh of Christ is a figure teaching us to partake of Christs Passion and to imprint in our memories with delight and profit that Christ was crucified for us Cardinal Caietan in his commentary on S. John 6. saith To eat the flesh of Christ and drink his bloud is faith in Christs death so that the sense is this if you use not the death of the son of man as meat and drink ye shall not have the life of the spirit in you And having sufficiently proved this exposition he adds To eat and drink the Sacrament is a thing common as well to those that eat unworthily as to those that eat worthily but that which Jesus Christ here speaks of is not common to both for he faith he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternal life he faith not he that eateth worthily and drinketh worthily but he that eateth and drinketh whence it clearly appears that according to the letter he speaks not of eating and drinking the Sacrament of the Eucharist but of eating and drinking the death of Iesus Christ. Answ. This exposition of the holy Father we embrace for it makes nothing against us but rather for us for we say also that when we receive the substance of Christs body which is his flesh by our corporal mouth under the species of bread and wine we say we eat the Sacrament which is a figure or sign that makes us partake of Christs Passion and impriâ—…ts with delight and profit Christs Passion in our mindes for we hold with the great divine S. Thomas of Aquin that the figure or Sacrament which we eat is a signum rememorativum a rememorative sign of Christs death And our Saviour himself said when he instituted this Sacrament as often as you do this do it in remembrance of me which we understand thus as often as you eat this Sacrament which is an unbloudy sacrifice and a figure of my bloudy sacrifice upon the Cross remember my bitter Passion for by offering this unbloudy sacrifice unto my father he will be pleased with it and since your prayers fasting almesdeeds and all your other best works as they are precisely yours are not satisfactory to him for your offences against his divine Majesty and are not of themselves able to appease his just wrath against you according to the rigour of the attribute of his divine Justice which he cannot but uphold when he beholds this pure Sacrifice and sees that I am become your mediator and that it is offered him in remembrance of a rigorous satisfaction for your sins by my bloudy sacrificing my self unto him upon the altar of the cross it will incontinently pacify and reconcile him unto you it will encourage you and delight your souls for it will put you in hopes of your salvation whereof you would be otherwise for want of this inter-mediation in a deep dispaire This and many more vertues and graces doth this Sacrament operate in our souls unless we our selves by receiving and offering it in mortal sin do obstruct or hinder them which if we do the fault is ours not the Sacraments which retains alwaies this vertue in it self If any man can with reason and faith attribute such vertue to the bare entities of bread and wine I leave any prudent reader to judge As to the learned Cardinal however his exposition alledged against us upon S. Iohn 6. must be understood no body doubts but his opinion concerning the real presence was the same ours is and that he died in it therefore if he be of any authority with Mr. de Rodon he ought to understand him according to his meaning The words be these but if rightly understood and according to his meaning not at all against us To eat the flesh of Christ and drink his bloud is faith in Christs death so that the sense is this if you use not the death of the son of man as meat and drink ye shall not have the life of the spirit in you the accute Cardinals meaning was to expound the true meaning and sense of these words is saith in Christs death and also to instruct people how to receive this Sacrament with profit to their souls Therefore he sayes that the sense of those words is to use the death of the son of man as meat and drink if we intend to receive profitably and what else is it to use the death of the son of man as meat and drink but to ruminate and meditate upon his death so that the Cardinals meaning was that to receive the Sacrament profitably when we eat and drink the body and bloud of Christ we must do it in remembrance of his Passion which is the self same thing Christ commands us to do and which Catholicks practise dayly And his additionate words viz. to eat and drink the Sacrament is commonly as well c. do clear his meaning for he knowing that to eat Christs body corporally is a thing common as well to the reprobate as to the elect he tells us that to eat it profitably we must beleive it to be a rememorative of Christs death and that by so eating it we eat and ruminate upon his death Therefore although we confess that faith is necessary in him that receives the Sacrament to take it worthily and profitably yet we deny that faith is the mouth wherewith we eat it or that by faith alone we eat the death of Christ for we deny that faith is the mouth of mans soul or body and without a mouth there can be no eating As to the Cardinals last words viz. he saith not he that eateth worthily or drinketh worthily but he that eateth or drinketh I am sure he meant by eating and drinking to eat and drink it worthily for he could not mean to eat and drink it unworthily and betwixt eating and drinking worthily and unworthily there is no medium so that of necessity when he speaks of eating and drinking it spiritually or with profit as he meant here he must be understood by eating and drinking eating and drinking worthily from whence it doth not clearly appear that according to the letter he speaks not of eating and drinking the Sacrament of the Eucharist but of eating and drinking the death of Jesus Christ for these words eating and drinking may better in a litteral sense be alluded to the Sacrament
then to death the one having a positive being and the other consisting in a privation only But let us hear the Mounsier speak Rodon 4. Now that we may clearly understand this doctrine we must consider wherein the life which Iesus Christ gives us doth consist for seeing the flesh of Iesus Christ is meat to us because it gives us life it is evident that if we know what life that is which Iesus Christ gives us we must know likewise hâ—…w Iesus Christ is meat to us and consequently how we eat him But to know what that life is which Iesus Christ gives us we must consider what that death is in which we are involved which is expressed by S. Paul Eph. 2. in these words When we were dead in sins and trespasses God hath quickned us together with Christ by grace ye are saved and consequently the death in which we were involved consists in two things first in the curse of the Law which imports the privation of felicity and the suffering of temporal and eternal punishment for our sins secondly it consists in an habitual corruption whereby sin raigns in us and therefore it is said 1. Tim. 5. The widdow that lives in pleasure is dead while she liveth Also sins are called dead works Heb. 10. So that the life which Iesus Christ hath purchased for us consists in two things first in deliverance from the curse of the Law by the pardon of our sins as S. Paul tells us Colos. 2. God hath quickned you together with Chriâ—… having forgiven you all trespasses blotting out the 〈◊〉 that was against us which obligation â—…receded from the Law because it did oblige all thâ—… transgressors of it to a curse secondly it consists in regeneration or sanctification whereof Iâ—…sus Christ speaking in John 3. saith Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the kingdome of God And S. Paul Heb. 12. without holiness no man shall see the Lord. Therefore seing that the life which Iesus Christ hath purchased for us consists in the pardon of our sins and in our regeneration and sanctification which ends in glorification and that Iesus Christ is called meat in reference to this life we must consider the me nâ—… whereby Iesus Christ hath purchased these things for us and seing it is certain that his death is the means by which he hath purchased Pardon of sins and regeneration we must conclude that Iesus Christ is the food and nourishment of our souls in regard of the merit of his death But that Iesus Christ by his death hath purchased life for us that is Iustification which consists in the pardon of our sins and regeneration which consists in holiness of life appears by these passages of Scripture viz. We are justified by the blood of Christ and reconciled to God by his death Rom. 5. We have redemption by his bloud even the remission of sins c. Therefore seing Iesus Christ hath purchased life for us by death and that his flesh and bloud are our meat and drink because they purchased life everlasting for us on the Cross viz. the remission of our sins and sanctification ending in glorification it follows that the action whereby Iesus Christ is applied to us for righteousness and sanctification is the same by which we eat the flesh of Christ and drink his bloud But this action is nothing else but faith as the Scripture tells us Being justified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5. God purifiâ—…s our hartâ—… by faith Act. 15 he that beleiveth hath eternal life Iohn 6. from what hath been said I form this Argument That action whereby we obtain remission of sins and sanctification ending in Glorification is the same whereby we have that life which Iesus Christ purchased for us by his death because that life principally consists in the remission of sins and sanctification as we have proved But the spiritual eating and drinking by faith and not the corporal by the mouth is that action where by we obtain remission of sins and sanctification as we have also proved therefore the spiritual eating and drinking by faith is the action whereby we have that life which Iesus Christ purchased us by his death and not the corporal eating and drinking by the mouth And consequently seing in S. John 6. a certain eating and drinking is spoken of whereby we have that life which Iesus Christ hath purchased for us by his death it is evident that a spiritual eating and drinking is there spoken of and not a corporal Answ. Now after clearly understanding Mr. de Rodons long sermon-like doctrine we confess the flesh of Christ is meat to us because it gives us spiritual life we confess also that the life it gives us consists in the forgiveness of our sins and in our sanctification which ends in Glorification Thirdly we confess that the death wherein we were involved consists in the privation of eternal felicity and in the suffering of eternal and temporal punishment for our sins in a word we grant our souls are quickned from the death of sin and all its effects and that she liveth spiritually by the merits of our Saviours death and passion and lastly we grant also that the action whereby Jesus Christ is applyed unto us for righteousness and sanctification ending in Glorification is the sâ—…me by which we eat the flesh of Christ and drink his bloud But that this action is nothing else but faith as Mr. de Rodon inferrs we â—…atly deny and maintain that besides the act of believing there must be also an act of corporal eating Therefore to his proofs out of Scripture we answer that the three forementioned passages speak not of faith alone nor of faith as the cause of our sanctification but of faith as a condition requisite to it as I have formerly proved And being action proceeds from a suppositum as Schoolmen call it or cause and is attributed to it and not to a bare condition as 't is to be evidently seen in the example of fire which is the cause of burning wood not the application which is only a condition requisit where the action of burning is attributed to fire the cause not to application the bare condition Even so is it in this case The Sacrament is the cause of our sanctification and to receive it with faith as a remembrance of Christs death and Passion is only a condition requisit for receiving it spiritually and with profit to our souls By this solution Mr. de Rodon's concluding argument upon the premises above-granted and passages of Scripture clearly expounded vanisheth into smoak his argument is this That action whereby â—…e obtain remission of sins and sanctification ending in glorification is the same wâ—…ereby we have that life which Jesus Christ purchased for us by his death because that life chiefly consists in the remission of sins and sanctification that I confess But quoth he the spiritual eating and drinking by faith and not the corporal by
the mouth is that action whereby we obtain remission of sins and sanctification that I deny as also the supposition viz. that the soul can eat by faith as by her mouth faith beiâ—…g no mouth of the soul whether a mouth be taken litterally or figuratively which Mr. de Rodon never proved or will be able to prove in sound Philosophy Therefore his conclusion is blown and vanished like smoke and consequently seeing in S. Iohn 6. a certain eating and drinking is spoken of whereby we have that life which Jesus Christ hath purchased for us by his death it is certain and evident that a corporal eating and drinking which hath a spiritual operation upon the soul when we receive the Sacrament being in the state of Grace and we believe it is a rememorative of Christs death is there spoken of and not an imaginary spiritual noteating by the notmouth of faith Rodon 5. From what hath been said it appears that when Iesus Christ saith My flesh is meat indeed c. the figure falls upon the word Meat which is taken not for corporal but spiritual meat The reason whereof is that corporall food is that which is appointed for the nourishment of the body as spirituall food is that which is appointed for the nourishment of the soul so that although corporal food be taken by the mouth of the body yet that only doth not make â—…t to be corporal food except it be taken for the nourishment of the body otherwise poison medicine a bullet c. which a man swallows would be corporal food which is absurd to affirm But the flesh of Christ which is pretended to be eaten in the Eucharist by the mouth of the body is not appointed for the nourishment of the body because that food which is appointed for the nourishment of the body is changed into the substance of our bodies therefore the flesh of Christ is not a corporal food but his flesh broken and his bloud shed on the Cross is a spiritual food which nourisheth the souls of those who by a true and lively faith do embrace this flesh broken and this bloud shed that is who do wholly rest amd rely on the merits of his death and Passion for obtaining mercy from God And certainly seeing that the life which Iesus Christ gives us by his death is spiritual that the nourishment is spiritual that the eating his body and drinking his bloud is spiritual as hath been proved it follows that his flesh must be spiritual meat and his bloud spiritual drink And this flesh of Christ is incomparably better and more truely meat indeed in regard of its effects then corporall food can be because it doth better and more perfectly nourish the souls of the believers then corporal food doth their bodies this being corruptible food which gives temporal life only but that spiritual and incorruptible food which gives life everlasting Answ. From what Mr. de Rodon hath been hitherto answered it appears that when Jesus Christ saith My flesh is meat indeed no figure falls upon the word meat but that it must be taken litterally for that flesh is meat indeed according to the common usage of speaking is understood more properly in a litteral then in a figurative sense as are also all other things which are said to be such things indeed And yet this corporal flesh of Christ being taken by the mouth of the body is ordained to feed and nourish the soul and not the body because it hath a supernatural operation by reason of its personal union with Christs divinity and most blessed soul which supernatural and spiritual operation the bare entities of bread and wine have not as also no other corporal food hath but is only appointed for the nourishment of the body by which dispurity between the operation of Christs flesh and the operation of all other corporal â—…oods the silly reason of the Mounsieurs argument is both enervated and precluded and all the consequences he draws from it are of no force or truth I say his reason is but silly because he says that although corporal food be taken by the mouth of the body yet that only doth not make it to be corporal food except it be taken for the nourishment of the body for otherwise Poison medicine and a bullet taken in would be corporal food which to say is absurd Tell me I pray Mr. de Rodon where did you ever see or hear that poison phisick or a bullet were taken for corporal food by any man unless he were of less reason then your self or tell me if you eat bread though not with an intention to nourish you whether it will not nourish you or if you should chance to swallow down a bullet or chaw it if your teeth be so good with an intention it should nourish you would it nourish you because you took it for your nourishment This any body may see is but very silly stuff whence you in ferr But the flesh of Christ which is pretended to be eaten in the Eucharist by the mouth of the body is not appointed for the nourishment of the body because the body of Christ is not changed into the substance of our bodyes I confess it But what then Therefore you say the flesh of Christ is not a corporal food his flesh is not a corporal food that nourishes corporally I confess a corporal food that nourishes spiritually I deny and the rest of your consequences also inasmuch as they militate against eating the corporal real body of Christ though its operation we confess is but spiritual however we agree with you in this that the flesh of Christ is incomparably better and more truly meat indeed in regard of its effects then any other corporal food can be for the reasons you alledge But yet we say that it is sufficient to take his flesh with the mouth of our body being in the state of Grace and believing the Sacrament to be a rememorative of his death to have it work its spiritual effects in our souls Rodon 6. I conclude this Chapter with this consideration when a doctrine is proposed which is pretended to be divine and that passages of holy Scripture are alledged for the proof of it if it opposeth or seems to oppose sense and reason and to include contradictions and that a more suitable and rational sense can be found out for those passages so that all those inconveniencies and contradictions may be avoided there is nothing more just then that we should embrace that probable and rational sense and reject that doctrine which opposeth sense and reason and seems to imply contradictions But the doctrine of the real presence of the manbood of Christ in the host and the Transubstantiation of the bread into his body is repugnant to sense and reason and seems to include divers contradictions viz. that a human body is in a point without any local extension that a body may be in divers places at one and the
is his sâ—…h he said noâ—… this bread is the barâ—… signe or figure of his flesh but his real flesh for it was his real flesh and not its bare figure that was offered or sacrificed for the lifâ—… of the world therefore this bread is â—…ot a meer signe only of Christs body but his very real substantial body for it was his real body and not its type only that was sacrificed for the life or salvation of the world After our saviour said to the Jews I am the bread of life I am the bread which descended from heaven and the Jewes thereforâ—… murmured and gâ—…umbled among themselves saying is not this the son of Joseph whose father and Mother we know and again how câ—…n this man give us his flesh to eat our saviour to confirm that it was his real body assevered it by oath or intermination saying Amen Amen for that was his usual teste I say unto you unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his bloud you shall not have life in you here he calls it all along his flesh and his bloud and not the signes only of his flesh and bloud and for the farther confirmation thereof he adds for my flesh is meat indeed and my bloud is drink indeed What is but a figure or type of a thing cannot be the thing it self really and indeed Therefore if Christs flesh be truly and really our meat in the Sacrament or Sacramental species the Eucharist must needs be the true and real body and bloud of Christ indeed and not in type or signification only S. Paul 1 Cor. 10. in clear terms shews it The chalice quoth he of benediction which we do bless is it not the communication of the bloud of Christ and the bread which we break is it not the participation of the body of our Lord he sayes not the communication or participation of any signs or types but of his real body and bloud And in his 11th chap. to the said Cor. he mentioneth that our Lord took bread and giving thanks brake said take ye and eat this is my body which shall be delivered unto you These words I am sure cannot be understood of a figurative or typical body for it was not a typical body that was offered or delivered for us as the Maniâ—…hees falsly commented but the real and substantial body of Christ for it is certain the Apostle Rom. 8 when he said proprio filio non pepeâ—…cit c. he hath spared not also his own son but for us all delivered him spoke not of a bâ—…re type or figure but of his â—…eal body as all these clear passages so well cohering do manifestly demonstrate This is also confirmed by these words of the said Apostle 1 Cor. 11. Quiâ—…unque manduâ—…averit panem vel biberit calicem domini indigne reus â—…rit corporis sangâ—…is domini Therefore whosoever shall â—…t this bread or drink the chalice of our Lord unworthily he shall be guilty of the body and bloud of our Lord how can this be if it be but the figure or signe of his body and bloud and not his real body and bloud those that did eat the Manna and the Paschal Lamb were not said to be guilty of his body and bloud for eating them unworthily and yet they were signes of his bloudy sacrifice Therefore for eating or drinking of a meeâ—… signe or for tearing and destroying the meer â—…mage or picture of any man it is a very hard and severe Law to condemn him or make him guilty of his death Therefore it is for eating and drinking of our Lords real body and bloud unworthily and not for eating and drinking the signes only of his body and bloud that the Apostle sayes a man is guilty of the body and bloud of our Lord. Hence any man of judgment may see how clear and express these texts are for the real presence of Christs body in the hoâ—…t and how improperly and wrongfully our adversâ—…ries extort upon the clear Texts to wrest them and draw them to their own sense of a signe or type But seeing scripture is so clear of our side Let us see what the holy fathers the spiritual beacons and true interpreters of Gods word say to it I will begin with ancient Tertullian who saith Tertul de resurr carn n. 7. our flesh eateth the body and bloud of Christ that the soul may be fatted therefore they shall both have one reward at the resurrection Next follows Irenaeus lib. 4. c. 14. whose words be these how do they affirm that our bodies be not capable of life everlasting which are nourished by the bâ—…dy and bloud of our Lord S. Greg. Nyssene also â—…aith in orat cathec magna that lively body entring into our body changeth it and maketh it like and immortal Allexander 1. that venerable Prelate and Martyr saith There can be nothing greater in sacrifices then the body and bloud of Christ To these I add the renowned S. Hylarie there is no doubt left of the verity of the body and bloud of Christ for now both by Christs own confession and by our belief it is truly flesh and truly bloud If God was pleased to be made man quoth Damascene lib. 4. de fide orth c. 14. and take flesh of the most pure bloud of the virgin without seed can he not make bread his body and wine and water his bloud Great S. Augustin lib. sentent Prosper adds his susâ—…rage to these in these words But we under the species of bread and wine do honour invisible things viz. flesh and bloud S. Ambrose lib. de sacram sides also with the rest in these plain and express terms it is ordinary bread at the Altar before the sacramental words But when it is consecrated then of bread it is made Christs flesh To these I add S. Ierome writing to Edibius S Cyril of Alex de consecr di 2. c. necessario S. Greghom Pasch. S. Crysost 3. dial de dignit sacerd c. 4. Theophilact in comment super Ioh. S. Anselme and in a word all the holy fathers and general councils that ever treated of this mistery Therefore all the greatest and most famous lights of Gods Church do hold with us as to this main point And although this Mystery be above humane reason yet because it is not contrary nor destructive to reason our divinos do give plausible congruityes and reasons for it The first whereof may be this it is the nature of goodness to impart or communicate it self to others because as the Philosophers says bonum est communicativum sâ—…i Goodness is communicative of its own self and to say the truth we know not a good or liberal man from a niggard but by imparting of his goodness and liberality to others If then it be the nature of goodness to impart it self to others it must be the nature of the highest and chiefest goodness to impart and communicate it self to others in the
enough to pearce or annoy our Diana in any thing the leaâ—…t so likewise his Translators rayling and sâ—…olding at her can do her no more harm then a doggs barking can do to the Moon therefore he had better follow the good counsel of grave Gamaliel to the Jewes concerning how they should deal with the Apostles whose words be these And now therefore I say unto you depart from these men and let them alâ—…ne for if this counsel or work be of men it will be dissâ—…lved but if it be of God you are not able to dissâ—…lve them lest perhaps you be found to â—…esist God also Act 5. Even so in my poor judgement had the Translator best do to the Masse for with railing and scolding at it he will never be able to hurt it It hath stood from all ages since Christs time untill now and if it be of God it is not the Translator or I that shall be able to put it down alas both he and I shall be dead and rotten while noble Diana will be as brisk merry and fresh as she was the very first day she came into this world However I cannot but exâ—…use the good Translator because of his great zeal if his bitterness towards us proceeded onely from ignorance and not from malice or interestâ—… for S. Paul himself out of his ardent zeal to the Synagogue wherein he was born and bred was once a severe enemy and violent Persecutor of Gods Church But after he was illuminated by Christ and knew better things who ever after was more zealous for her honour and glory then he and yet he himself doth confess that God shewed him his great mercy quia ignorans feci because I did it quoth he ignorantly so I beg God heartily that this small book of mine by his blessing may illuminate the minds of those that are plunged â—…n the Abyss of heresy and Ignorance through the means of Mr de Rodon and such like Phanatick hereticks who by their false interpretations and applications of holy scripture set out and garnished with their sophistical arguments do deceive and mislead many thousands of poor ignorant souls to their utter ruine and everlasting damnation for leaving their true Mother the Church out of which there is no salvation for any And amongst the rest of the illuminated I wish the Translator were one To conclude this Appendix I exhort all the Catholicks of England and I earnestly beg and beseech them for the love of our sweet saviour Jesus Christ and the tender bowells of his infinite mercy towards them to stick closly and cleave constantly to their pretious Diana and for her sake to be always ready and prepared to undergoe all manner of persecutions tribulations and losses rather then forsake her for whatever damage or ill-entreatment they suffer upon her account they may be sure she will requite them a hundred-fold double for it with full interest Our saviour himself did â—…id us Not fear them that kill the body and after this have no more to do but I will shew you quoth he whom ye shall fear fear him who after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell Luke 12. for your momentary sufferings in this life for his sake your crown and reward will be everlasting hereafter More then eye can see ear can hear or understanding can comprehend 1. Cor. 2. verity himself doth promise it and his promise he can and will perform Expect him but a little while with patience and in your patience ye shall possess your souls S. Luke 21. It is far better for you to suffer a little and short famine cold want misery imprisonment nay death it self for her sakes then to live plentifully and abundantly here for a moment and for ever after for denying her to be in everlasting famine imprisonment torment misery and want for unless we be Christs fellow sufferers in this life we shall not be his copartners in glory as the Apostle tells Timothy 2. If we shall sustain we shall also reign together In a word I conclude my book with the â—…ame prayer the Translator ends his preface with viz. I earnestly beseech my Lord and God he would make it prosperous and successfull for the good of souls and if any shall receive benefit by it I desire them to give him all the glory and I shall think my self infinitely recompensed for my pains in composing it yet if there be any thing in it that is not orthodox and sound I humbly submit my poor judgment to the censure of our holy mother the Church Errata PAge 13. line ult for it is not repugnant r. is not repugnant p. 37. for Iohn he that r. is mentioned in S. Iohn 6. he that p. 67. l. 19. for the wine was destroyed r. the water was destroyod p. 85. l. 25. for charity sake r. clarity sake p. 87. l. 21. for neither r. either p. 115. l 5. for place r. places p. 118. l. 8. for would r. could p. 130. l. 14. for between corporal things r. but between corporal things p. 168. l. 27. for that charity r. that clarity p. 171. l. 9. for therein r. their p. 175. l. 11. for consure r. censure p. 192. l. 21. for next under the holy writt r. next unto holy writt p. 204. l. 14. for in this glory r. in his glory In the Appendix p. 3. l. 27. for your r. our p. 24. l. 23. r. metal â—…iery p. 25. l. â—… r. corporis cordis FINIS AN INDEX OF THE CHAPTERS Contained in this Book Chap. I COâ—…cerning the Exposition of these words This is my Body p. 1. Chap. II. Concerning the Exposition of these woâ—…ds He that eateâ—…h my Flesh and drinketh my Blood hath Everlasting Life My Flesh is Meat indeed p. 36. Chap. III. Against Transubstantiation p. 64. Chap. IV. Against the real presence of Christs Body in the Host or Consecrated Wafer p. 96. Chap. V. Against the Adoration or Worshipping of the Host. p. 199. Chap. VI. Against taking away of the Cup. p. 242. Chap. VII Against the Mass. p 293. Chap. VIII Containing Answers to the Objections of the Romish Doctors p. 345. The Preâ—…ace of Monsieur dâ—… Rodons Translator p. 461. An Answer to the Preface and an Appendix to the Book p. 1. An INDEX of the chief things contained in this Book CHrists word is Creative productive and effective pag. 4 Transubstantiation cannot be plainlier exprest than by these woâ—…ds This is my Body p. 6. Christs words are practical Signs and causes of what they signifie other mens words are but speculative signs only of things signiâ—…fied by them p. 12. An Image hath always an Essential relation to its Prototype p. 11. Transubstantiation both a Sacrament and the thing signified p. 13. It is not repugnant that the same thing should signifie its own self p. Ibid. The Bread and Wine were not made the Body and Blood of Christ by a bare Blessing or Thanksgiving p. 14. The words of
To this argument I answer confessing the major viz. He that speaks contrary to the usage of all the world c. and denying the minor viz. But if Jesus Christ by these words This is my body had meant the real presence c. he had spoken contrary to the common usage of all the world And to the probation of his minor viz. There was never any author either facred or prophane that made use of such words as these This is my body to signifie c. that I grant and deny the consequence viz. therefore it is contrary to the common stile of all authors as well sacred as prophane and contrary to the common usage of all men to make these words of Jesus Christ this is my body to signifie the substantial conversion of the bread into Christs body and the real presence of his body in the host immediately after the pronouncing of them by the Priest and not before And the reason is this because of the disparity that is betwixt Christs words and the words of all authors sacred and prophane for Christs words as uttered by him have a creative productive and effective vertue and force It was with his word he changed water into wine at the feast of Cana in Galilee It was with his wotd he cured and cleansed the Leprous man in the Gospel It is with his word he wrought all his stupendious wonders and Miracles and if Mr de Rodon believes he is God he ought to believe that it was with his word he created heaven and earth or dare the Monsieur say that when God spoke these words fiat caelum fiat terra be the heavens made be the earth made that heaven and earth were in being before God uttered his creative word or thinks he that Christ had no hand in that creation if he doth then I dare say and can assure him he has no more belief then a meer heathen But as for the words of a meer man whether he be an author sacred or prophane sure it is that they are not of a creative productive or effective vertue and force as Christs are and so it is no wonder if according to the common usage of all mens meaning their authors words do presuppose that the things whereof they treat or speak have their being before and not by vertue of their bare significative words But as it is proper to a meer mans word be he never so good an author sacred or prophane not to give a being to the thing he speaks of so it is proper to Chriâ—…s effective word to effect or cause what it signifies and consequently all authors I mean all Christian authors whether sacred or prophane may very well and ought according to the common usage of all faithfull and Christian people understand these words This is my body as spoken by Christ whose words are of a creative productive and effective force and power in a common usual litteral sense as when I or another man should say this is my horse this is my house meaning a real horse and a real house and not the sign or figure of a horse or of a house But if the Mounsieur will not understand words in the same sense as all other Christians do and ought to do and will give no more vertue and power to Christs creative word then Jews Turks and heathens do I see no reason why he and all those that take his part ought to be eâ—…med as to matters of belief better then any of these But let us suppose with the greatest part of all Christians that ever were and now are that Christ can Transubstantiate bread into his body that it implyes no contradiction and that at the institution of this Sacrament he intended really so to do I ask Mr. de Rodon how Christ could have exprest his real meaning unto us with clearer words and more to the common usage of all Authors and men then by saying This is my body When a man sayes this is my hand this is my cloke doth he speak contrary to the common usage of all authors aâ—…d men or do they understand by his words the figure or signe of his hand and cloke only when he intends they are his reall hand and cloke Even so supposing Christ can Transubstantiate bread into his body really and that when he instituted the Sacrament he meant really so to do would it be contrary to the common usage of all Authors and men to undâ—…rstand his words in a literal sense or how can a conception be more clearly exprest then by the termes and words which were instituted for its proper and immediate signification Dialecticks and Philosophers instead of carrying the things they treate of to School with them do carry only conceptions and words thither and the words serve only to express their conceptions and the properer the word is the better it eâ—…presseth the concept But in this passage This is my body the words are instituted to signifie properly and immediately aâ—…reall corporal thing and not its signe or figure Therefore according to the Rules of Dialectick a reall body cannot be plainlyer exprest then by saying This is my body Doubtless those that said how can this man give us his flesh to eat understood him literally as we do and if our saviour himself had meant it otherwise could he not easily have answered and satisfied them by saying you are mistaken sirs you understand me not right I mean not that it is my reall substantial body but only the representation or Sacrament of it His answer was not so but this Amen I say unto you unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his bloud ye shall not have life in you Here also he calls it his flesh and bloud therefore he understood it litterally as we do not figuratively only as M. R. doth To this I add that a figurative expression is obscurer then a litteral one why then did not Christ to avoid obscurity foreknowing that in future times should be grâ—…at alterations and hot debates in his Church concerning Transubstantiation wherefore I say did he not say this is only the figure and sacrament of my body inâ—…tead of saying absolutely This is my body for by saying so he would take away all ambiguity concerning Transubstantiation and his Church would be in perfect union concerning this grand Mystery As to Mr. de Rodons first Instance concerning these words of God the father This is my beloved son I confess Christ was his son before he spok them words But these words were spoken by God the father to let the world know that Christ was his true natural son he intended not then to create him his son or to transubstantiate any creature into his sons substance But if God the father had taken bread in his hand and said this is my son no sacred or prophane author considering his omnipotency ought to doubt but that that bread was his real son because of
forementioned necessities being wel consider'd it may be very well said with Bellarmine and Peron that the host being eaten serves as an incorruptible seed for a glorious resurrection and though we grant that the faithfull of the old Testament and the little children of the believers under the new which were Baptized will rise again in glory having never received it because it was not 〈◊〉 in the time of the old law for the faithfull of that time and the little ones of the New departed this life before they were capable of diâ—…eerning what it was and consequently unâ—…t to receive it yet we believe that as the Sacraments of the old Law were but types and figures of the Sacraments of the New so they caused Grace and gave spiritual nourishment only in reference to our Sacraments The old Sacraments as all divines do hold were but vasa vacua emply vessells and produced grace only ex opere operantis by vertue of those that received them But Christs Sacraments of the new Law are vasa plena vessells full and replenisht with graces and do produce grace when they have no obstacle ex opere operato by their own operation for if Christs Sacraments were of no more efficacy then those of the old law were for example if circumcision were of as great vertue as Baptism is and the Paschal lamb as good as the Eucharist what needed he institute his Sacraments and make new laws whereas the old ones were quite as good as his are Therefore to save Christs credit from making superfluous Sacraments and laws we must of necessity maintain and say that his Sacraments are far more excellent and efficacious then the Sacraments of the old Law were and consequently we must grant that the old Sacraments had alwais a relation or reference to those of the new and in real truth it is so because all the Sacraments of the new Testament derive their sorce immediatly from Christs Passion and as one may say were dipt in his pretious bloud whereas those of the old Law were but meer symbols or types of his Passion and lookt remotely and as it were afar off upon it however because they had a reference to Christ and to his Passion they served as remedies to those of their time while they were in vigour because those of the new Law were not as yet instituted But after the new ones were instituted and promulged then the old Sacraments were quite cashired and the case is now quite altered with us for no body can now be saved without them or at lest such of them as they are capable of receiving from whence followeth that because the Sacrament of the Eucharist was not instituted in the time of the faithfull of the old Testament those of them that died in the state of Grace will rise again in glory without having ever participated actually of our Eucharist by vertue of the Paschal lamb which they eat in reference to our Sacrament and the little children of the believers of the Law of grace if they be Baptized because they are capable of Baptism will rise so also though they never received actually the B. Sacrament because they were never capable of receiving it But as for all the rest of our believers that are come to the use of understanding they shall never rise again in glory unless they receive the Eucharist actually or at least in desire if they cannot have it otherwise for our Saviour himself says that unless we eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his bloud we shall nâ—…t have life in us Finally as to S. Pauls words alledged against us by Mr. de Rodan Rom. 8. I deny that the Apostle says absolutely that Christs flesh is not the seed of the Resurrection of our bodies for he only says thus If the spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you he shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you Which words may be very well expounded and understood thus viz. that although it be the spirit of God that shall principally and immediately quicken our mortal bodies yet that Christs flesh may be the seed which mediatly and remotely brings or conveys his spirit into us and certainly we have more reason and better grounds to believe that his sacred flesh united to his soul and divinity can better convey his spirit into us then the bare entities of bread and wine can do and so is this miraculous arrow unluckily split His last arrow is drawn out of clear Scripture but if rightly understood it is so far from hurting our Diana that it makes more for then against her here it is Rodon Lastly the holy scripture is clear in this matter for Jesus Christ is ascended into heaven Acts. 1. and the heavens must contain him until the time of the restitution of all things Acts. 3. And he himself saith I leave the world and go to the father S. John 16. The poor ye have alwaies with you but me you have not alwaies S. Math. 26. To which may be added what Iesus saith S. Math. 24. viz. in the last daies false Prophets will come that shall say Christ is here or there and that he is in the secret chambers or cabinets which cannot be but by the doctrine of the Romish Church which puts Christs body in divers places and shuts it up in several cabinets on their Altars And it is very remarkable that in the Greek it is in the cupbords tameion being properly a cupboard to keep meat in Answ. The Mounsieurs four first scripturistical arrows I break in shivers with one blow for I say that those four Passages must be understood of his going to heaven to remain there in his proper humane shape which hinders not his being with us upon earth in the sacramental species And whereas the Mounsieur alledges that Christ himself said I leave the world and go the father Iohn 16. and the poor you have alwaies with you but me you have not alwaies S. Math. 26. So I alledge also against the Mounsieur that Christ himself said This is my body S. Math. 26. and S. Luke 22. and bebold I am with you even to the consumation of the world S. Math. 28. Therefore to versie all these passageâ—… which seem to contradict and oppose one another to bring them to a concordance and true sense it is necessary that Christ should be really after one manner of way in heaven and really after another manner of way upon earth until the consummation of the world which is the same thing our Romish Doctors do teach viz. that he is in his humane shape in heaven and yet really with us in the Sacrament also which Mounsieur de Rodon and his party do flatly deny To our impeachment of being those false Prophets S. Matthew makes mention of in his 24th Chapt. who in the last days will come and say Christ is here or there and that he is
the Testament c. he has This is the Covenant c. the reason I believe why he puts Covenant instead of Testament is because he denies the Eucharist to be a Testament of the new Law saying that it is only a figure or sign of it and therefore being he could not handsomely translate the text thus this is the sign of the Testament which I will make with them after those days seeing the word Testament was more against him then for him he changed it into Covenant whether this corrupting the text be his own or the translatours of his Bible it matters not so long as the corruption is evidently to be seen In the second place by him falsisied where the true text runs thus and their sins and iniquities I will now remember no more but where there is remission of these now there is not an oblation for sins instead of But where there is a remission of these c. the Mounsieur has Now where remission of these is c. and this changing of But into Now was that he may the easier inferr that now after the once bloudy sacrifice of the Cross there is no more sacrifice offered for he forms his argument thus where there is remission of sins there is no need of an oblation or a propitiatory sacrifice for sin as the Apostle saith But in the Christian Church by vertue of the new Testament or new Covenant confirmed by the bloud of Christ there is remission of sins Heb. 10. 16. 17. therefore in the Christian Church now adays there is no need of an oblation or propitiatory sacrifice and consequently no need of the sacrifice of the Mass. Whatever his or the Translators reason was to change But into Now I will not stickle with them about it Therefore I answer his argument granting the major and distinguishing the minor thus in the Christian Church by vertue of the bloudy sacrifice of Christs body upon the Cross there is remission of sins without any repetition of the same bloudy sacrifice again and without any other oblation or sacrifice essentially different from this bloudy Sacrifice I consess the minor In the Christian Church by vertue of the bloudy sacrifice of Christs body upon the Cross there is remission of sins without any repetition of the same unbloudy sacrifice or of a sacrifice only accidentally different from his bloudy sacrifice upon the cross I deny the minor the reason is this because Christ suffered and sacrificed himself bloudily for all men and for the sins of all the world in general Behold the lamb of God behold him that takes away the sins of the world S. Iohn 1. for if Christ had not suffered for all mankind in general but only for the elect besides that it would sound something of a personal acception which is not at all in God the reprobates may justly alledge that the chief cause of their damnation was because Christ did not suffer nor satisfy for their sins But if Christ suffered for the sinns of all mankind as certainly he did else how could he be called the Redeemer of the world then according to the Mounsieurs argument and Principles by reason of this general satsfaction and bloudy sacrifice all the sins of the world are remitted and so by reason of this bloudy sacrifice once offered in general for all men without exception all will be saved be they Jews Turks heathens believers or unbelievers virtuous or vitious why for there is no need of offering sacrifice or oblation to God any more and the bloudy sacrifice is still in force if we believe the Mounsieur sure this is the shortest openest and easiest way to heaven that ever was heard of and yet Christ himself says Regnum Caelorum vim patitur that the kingdom of heaven doth suffer violence S. Matt. 11. Or can the Mounsieur say that Christs bloudy sacrifice was not fatisfactory in rigour for all the sins of the world if he doth I tell him another man for saying so would be counted an arrant lyar and a most impious blasphemous heretick Therefore we say that although Christs Passion and bloudy sacrifice was in it self of force vertue sufficient to take away all the sins of the world and although he suffered for all mankinde in general without excepting one yet we say that unless his Passion be applyed to every one in particular I mean to all those that fell into relapse of sin after Baptisme it will not avail them at all and his application we say is made by reiterating the same sacrifice unbloudily as Christ himself expresly commanded when he said unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his bloud you shall not have life in you Iohn 6. That Christs body was given him to be sacrificed not only upon the Cross but upon the Altar also S. Aug affirms in his 17th book de civit Dei 20. chap. The table quoth he which the Priest of the new Testament doth exhibit is of his body and bloud for that is the sacrifice which succeeded all the sacrifices that were offered in shadow of that to come for the which also we acknowledge that voice of the same mediatour in the Psalm But a body thou hast fitted to me because in stead of all these sacrifices and oblations his body is offered and is ministred to the partakers and receivers And again lib. 4. de Trinit c. 14. Who so just and holy a Priest as the son of God what might be so conveniently offered for men of men as mans flesh and what so fit for this immolation or offering as mortal flesh who so clean for cleansing the vices of mortal men as the flesh born of the virgins wombe and what can be offered and received so gratefully as the flesh of our sacrifice made by the body of our Priest Could the holy Doctor or any man breathing have spoken more clearly and manifestly in the behalf of Transubstantiation and of the sacrifice of the Mass than this first he calls it the table of the body and bloud of Christ then he says it is offered by men for men the holy Doctor meant not by men the Jews that killed our Saviour but the Priests that sacrifice him unbloudily for men or for the sins of men for all the world knows that the Jews killed our Saviour out of meer hatred and spleen and not with intention to sacrifice or offer him to God the Father to satisfie for the sins of mankinde Lastly he says nothing can be offered and received so gratefully as the flesh of our sacrifice made by the body of our Priest where calling it our sacrifice he says it is a sacrifice and not the bloudy one which was rather for us then ours and by saying made by the body of our Priest he expresly owneth Transubstantiation that is to say he expresly owneth that very thing we understand by the word Transubstantiation or he owneth expresly the self-same thing we hold
any body yet spoke more divinely of this grand Mistery of the B. Sacrament then our famous Thomas Aquinas did and so great was his devotion to this Sacrament that he was the first who obtained of the Pope to institute a solenm holy-day throughout the whole Church in its honour he himself composed the whole office which we use in this festivity both in Church and at Masse In his Rithem upon the Masse of corpus Christi day he says thus docti sacris institutis panem vinum in salutis consecramus hostiam we are taught by holy statutes and ordinances that we consecrate bread and wine into an host of health or safeguard here he calls it an host and consequently a sacrifice for an host and a sacrifice are correlatives Again in the same Rythem he says Dogma datur Christianis quod in carnem transit Panis vinum in sanguinem a decree is left to all Christians that the bread is changed into flesh and the wine into bloud And again Caro cibus senguis potus manet tamen Christus totus sub utraque specie The meat is flesh the drink is bloud and yet Christ remains entire under each species In a word there is nothing more clear and palpable then famous S. Thomas of Aquins opinion is in all this holy Rythem concerning the real presence of Christs body in the Eucharist and concerning his unbloudy sacrifice Nay if the Mounsieur were pleased but to be so just as to prosecute the said doctors words in the self saâ—…e place where he cites him he may easily see that this testimony is also quite against him for the holy doctor hath these ensuing words in that very place viz. Quantum igitur ad primum modum poterat dici Christu immoâ—…sri etiam in figuris veteris Testamenti c. sed quantum ad secundum modum proprium est huic sacramento quod in ejus celebratione Christus immoletur As concerning the first acception of a sacrifice Christ may be said to have been sacrificed in the types of the old Law also c. But as concerning the last acception of a sacrifice it is peculiar and proper to this Sacrament that Christ is sacrificed in its celebration where he clearly says that although in the first acception of a sacrifice viz. as the Sacrament is a signe Image or representation of Christs passion it may be called a sacrifice as the word sacrifice is common to the Sacrifices of boâ—…h Laws yet in the later acception of a Sacrifice viz. as by this Sacrament we are made partakers of Christs passion in this later sense the holy Doctor says it is proper and peculiar only to this our Sacrament in its celebration to be called a sacrifice which is the self-saâ—… thing we say for we hold that we are made partakers of Christs passion and of his bloudy sacrifice upon the Cross by receiving this our Sacrament offered unbloudily in its celebration of the Mass for us Therefore M. de Rodon all other arguments failing him if he were not mad would never pitch upon our Thomas Aquinas of all men in the world and he with his whole party subscribe to his Testimony here which is father quite against them for 't is very well known to all the world that our Venerable Lady Diana never had a stouter Champion to deâ—…end her then Thomas Aquinas However while the Masse is sound and saâ—… and will be alive until the worlds end maâ—…gre all the devils of hell as Christ promised it should be We must give leave to malicious and mad hereticks to speak madly and make 〈◊〉 Funerals as this of de Rodons concerning the Mass is the maddest and most malicious that ever was written CHAP. VIII Containing Answers to the Objections of the Romish Doctors ALthoug when conbatants or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fight they commonly before they go to the field choose what arms they are to fight with and foresee lâ—…t there should be any inequality in their weapons veâ—… it was never heard or seen that the advers party should choose his enemies sword before they went to fight weild it for him while they are actually a fighting that he leaves to himself to make use of as he pleaseth and much less ought he to blunt it However prudent Reader I would have you take notice that Mr. de Rodon observes not this common way with us in this controversal conflict which all duelists use but chooses such arguments of ours as he please and puts them in such order or form as he likes best he mentions not our authors that we may know whether the arguments be theirs and set out in their manner or form this is the way to blunt our weapons and to give us directions how we must fight him but so and so make our blow or thrust at him but so and so what else is this but that he weilds our sword for us while we are actually fighting against him and blunts it while he sets out our arguments in his blunt manner or form Sure any body may see that this is a very unjust and inequal manner of fighting with ones adversary Nevertheless being he has no other shift left him now to oppose and annoy Diana he shall be answered and encountred this way also for although he chose the weapons both his and ours yet I am sure we stand upon the firmer and better ground Behold him coming against us thus Rodon 1. In the two first chapters we have answered the two principal objections of the Romish doctors drawn from these words This is my body c. and from these he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternal life c. Now we must answer the rest Answ. In the first two chapters of this book these your answers are clearly refuted shattered and quasht therefore answer the rest better then you did these otherwise your labour will prove but ridiculous and vain and I question not but it will prove so at last Objection 1. Romanists 2. The first objection is this when the establishing of articles of faith the Institution of Sacraments and the making Testaments and covenants are in agitation men speak plainly and properly and not obscurely and figuratively But in the celebration of the Eucharist Iesus Christ established an article of faith Instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist and spake of a Testament and a covenant for it is said of the Cup that it is the New Testament and the New Covenant in the bloud of Christ yea he spake then to his disciples to whom he spake in plain and proper terms and not in obscure terms or in figures or parables as he did to the people Answer Rodon â—… To this objection I answer first that it is false that Articles of faith are always exprest in proper terms in holy scripture as when it is said in the Creed that Jesus Christ sitteth on the right hand of God it is evident that this is a figure
deny Mounsieur but that a man may sometimes better and more significantly express his minde with figurative words then with plain and clear words and therefore I say that figures may be used in Testaments and Covenants when there is need of them to express a thing with more energy or when one hath not proper words to serve his turn however figurative words are never as plain and clear as proper words are for a figurative expression although it may be more significative then a natural expression is yet in comparison to the natural and proper one it is essentially obscure because obscurity is essentiall to every figure Trope and therefore where there is no need especially in Testaments and Sacraments as there is no need of any figure or figurative sense in these words this is my body they ought not be used That Christ spoke to his disciples in Parables and figures in the passages mentioned by Mr. de Rodon what 's that to our purpose at the uttering of these Parables was he instituting Sacraments or making of Testaments our objection speaks of the establishing of articles of faith of the institution of Sacraments makâ—…ng of Testaments and covenants and not of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ords sermons speeches and Parables to his disciples and to the vulgar people for we deny not but that our Lord spoke very often figuratively and parabolically to the people But we deny that when he instituted any of his Sacraments and especially the Eucharist he spoke figuratively or parabolically the matters and forms of all the Sacraments of the new Law have no figures in them the water of Baptism is no figure of water but natural water and these words I Baptize or wash thee in the name of the father son and holy Ghost amen are no figurative words No more is the oyl of confirmation a figurative but a real oyl and the form or words spoken by a Bishop viz. I signe thee with the signe of the cross and confirm thee with the crisme of salvation in the name of the father c. are no figurative or typical words no more are the man and woman that marry figurative but real persons nor their words of contract figurative but plain and proper words viz. I take thee to my wiâ—…e I take thee to my husband And so forth of all the rest of Christs Sacraments Even so I say of the Sacrament of the Eucharist for the bread and wine whereof 't is made are no figures or signes of bread and wine and the words of consecration which are the formal part of this Sacrament are not figurative but plain words so that although every Sacrament of the new Law doth signifie something that is Mystical yet the essence of the Sacramants doth not only consist in the meer signification of the Mystery it signifies but in its own plain matter and form also which form always consignifies something mystical and consequently the stile used in the Sacraments of the new Law is not figurative but rather proper and plain To what he adds I answer that it is pitty the Mounsieur was not with the Apostles when they askâ—… Jesus Christ the meaning of Parables and other things which they did not understand I say 't is pitty he was not with them to help them out concerning this question for when the Jewes askt him Quomodo potest hic carnem suam dare ad manducandum how can this man give his flesh to he eaten and they received no other Answer but this Amen I say unto you unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his bloud ye shall not have life in you the Apostles who heard this answer replyed no more but humbly submitted and believed Christs words But if Mr. de Rodon had been by this answer belike would not have satisfied him he would argue the case with Jesus Christ more profoundly according to his Principles of Philosophy he would pose him and pose him again even until he sackt him if he could to fetch out how he could Transubstantiate bread and wine into his body and bloud or else he would not believe him So may he also misbelieve that Christ revived Lazarus until he shewes him the manner how he did it for it seems the Mounsieur allowes of no supernatural power in Christ for if he did he would never so often repeat these frivolous questions viz. how a human body can be in a point and in divers places at once how the head of Jesus Christ and his whole body could be in his mouth c. Rodon 7. Lastly since Iesus Christ said drink ye all of this Cup all Priests whether Iesuits Monks or other Romish doctors would of necessity be constrained really properly and without a figure to drink of the Cup whether melted or not and really to swallow it untill they should confess that there are figures in the words of Iesus Christ in the celebration of the Eucharist Answ. No such constraint good Sir for the Romish doctors do allow that there is a figure in the word Cup but they allow not of any figure in the consecrated wine which is in the Cup Neither do they hold that the Cup is the Testament but the consecrated wine which is in the Cup. Therefore I pray give them leave to drink the consecrated wine which is their Testament and has no figure in it and since you are so great a lover of figures drink you the Cup molten or unmoulten if you can Objection 2. Romanists 8. The second objection is this The Sacrament of the Eucharist is more excellent then that of the Passeover because the Sacrament of the Passeover is a type of the Sacrament of the Eucharist and the thing typified is always more excellent then the type But if the Sacrament of the Eucharist did not realy contain the body and bloud of Christ but was only the signe of it then it would follow that the Sacrament of the Eucharist would not be more excellent then that of the Passeover nay the Sacrament of the Passeover would be more excellent then that of the Eucharist because a lamb and its bloud is more excellent then Bread and wine and the death of a lamb and the shedding of his bloud doth much better represent the death of Christ and the shedding of his bloud on the Cross then bread broken and wine powred into a cup can do Answer Rodon 9. To this I answer first that the thing typified by the Paschat lamb is Iesus Christ and not the Sacrament of the Eucharist as S. Paul shews clearly 1. Cor. 5. when he calls Iesus Christ our Passeover in these words Christ our Passeover was crucified for us The truth is a whole lamb without spot or blemish killed and burnt towards the Evening and its bloud shed doth very well represent Iesus Christ perfect without sin put to death and his bloud shed toward the end of the world and in the fulness of time but such a lamb
highest degree as we see Christ imparted himself to our humane nature in the highest degree by the mystery of his Incarnation suppositating our nature substantially and covering it under his divine Personality But it is a far higher degree of communication to impart himself to the rest of mankinde really and corporally for to make them his mystical members then to impart himself to them figuratively only or typically therefore this real communication in the Sacrament is more agreeable to Christs infinite goodness then a typical or figurative communication is and also his real body is of more vertue and efficacy to incorporate us mystically and make us his members then the type or signe of his body is The second reason is this God the father and God the son are of equal power and verity therefore when God the father and God the son do express themselves in the self-same manner of speaking their words ought to be understood in the same meaning and sense But when God the father in the second of S. Matthew said This is my son every one that heard him understood that Christ was his true and real son and to understand his words otherwise would be open blasphemy Therefore it is open blasphemy to deny when Christ said This is my body that it is not his true real body but the figure or signe of his body only The words were uttered alike the power and verity of the uâ—…terers were alike why then should not their words be understood alike I see no reason for it because I see no disparity in the case Many other reasons and plausible proofâ—… do our Catholick divines and Romish doctors produce for the verity of this conclusion deduced from holy scripture which are theological demonstrations But what need I repeat any of them in this place where the case is so clear out of sundry express texts of holy writ and backt by the unanimous consent of all the holy fathers and General Councils all which to contradict is not only an intolerable impudence but a meer frantick maddness Therefore leaving such giddy-brain'd people to the mercy of God and to be more pittied or prayed for then farther refuted I conclude out of these irrefragable proofs and premises that the Mass whom our adversaries in derision call the great Diana is of the noblest highest and most eminent extraction imaginable This Diana whereof we here treat derives her immediate root and being from heaven her descent and pedegree from Christ and his twelve Apostles her father is the first person of the most blessed Trinity her mother a most pure and immaculate virgin her Majesty and glory none can paralel her face is so resplendant and bright that the very cherubins seraphins are dazled when they behold her In a word her brightness is so eminent that it is inaccessible and the greatest beatitude and felicity of Angel or man consists in contemplating upon her beauty and yet notwithstanding all this she endured many a harder shock from her adversaries then Mr de Rodon or his bitter translatour will ever be able to give her but yet she still comes off with glory and victory All the heathenish Philosophers and their mighty Emperours she vanquished the learned Rabbins could never shake her all the hereticks from Simon Magus to the Quaker she crusht and quasht therefore she need not fear the Mounsieurs translator as for matter of superstition Phanaticism or Idolatry happy are we in her and thrice happy too if we can but serve her as we ought but as she deserves we are not able in this frail life however all our felicity and rest of conscience we own unto her in this life also for without her we should become restless and distracted or desperate Having hinted a little at her extraction or pedegree which no Angel or tongue is able to express or come near for its loftiness and celsitude I must say something of her vertue and worth which because it is infinite and in exhaustible I confess I know not how to begin however this I am sure of that her father who is omnipotent bequeathed unto her all power and dominion over heaven and earth Math. 28. so that there is no creature whatsoever of what rank be it never so high but must acknowledge his being vertue and power to depend wholy on hers It is in her as the Apostle sayes Acts 17. vivimus movemur sumus we live we move we be whatever perfections are dispersedly in every creature are all united in her and all their perfections and vertues are but shaddows and a meer participation of her essential ones Christ by his Incarnation noblisied and raised our humane nature above all the quires of Angels by his bloudy sacrifice of the Cross he purchased our Redemption and by this unbloudy sacrifice of the Mass he unites us unto himself and makes us his Mystical members for he sayes Ioh. 6. qui manducat meam carnem bibit meum sanguinem in me manet ego in eo he that eats my flesh and drinks my bloud he sayes not the signes of his flesh and bloud abides in me and I in him that is to say we shall be knit and united together and sayes again with an oath ibid. Amen amen unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his bloud you shall have no life in you And again he that eateth me the same also shall live by me So that according to the clear expression of those texts our union with Christ consists in the Mass or which is the same thing in eating the sacramental bread which is offered in the Mass and our disunion or separation from Christ consists in our not eating it and by the third text we are taught that in it our life consists for he sayes presently after he that eâ—…teth this bread shall live for ever The Angelical doctor S. Thom. Aquinas to whose arbitration Mr de Rodon profers with his whole party to subscribe concerning the Eucharist in opusc 57. hath these words O pretiosum admirandum convivium salutiferum omni suavitate repletum quid enim hoc convivio pretiosius esse potest in quo non earnes vitulorum hircorum ut olim in lege sed nobis Christus sumendus proponitur verus deus quid hoc sacramento miralibius in ipso namque panis vinum in corpus sanguinem Christi substantialiter convertuntur O pretious wonderful and healthful banquet replenished with all sweetness for what can be more pretious then this banquet in which not calves or goats flesh as in former times but Christ the true God is set before us to be eaten what is more wonderful then this Sacrament for in it bread and wine are substantially changed into the body and bloud of Christ. S. Cyril in Ioan. admonishing the faithful people sayes sciant igitur baptizati homines divinae gratiae participes facti si rarius in Ecclesiam proficiscantur
of their livelyhood cast them into Prison or banish them c. against the real presence of Christ in the Sacrament whereas the thing in it self is not impossible to God nor the verity of this oath revealed by him to any of them But that which aggravates the sin the more is that in the thing wherein God most obliged and demonstrated his love to mankind in that very thing they disown and contradict his word Christ sayes by way of intermination or oath Amen Amen I say unto you unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his bloud you shall not have life in you And they swear point blank against him saying it is not his flesh and bloud but bread and wine or at the best nothing else but the signe of his flesh and bloud But how forsooth is it possible for us to eat and drink the flesh and bloud of the son of man in the Sacrament unless his flesh and bloud be in it what perjury is how grevious a sin how distructive to human society how infamous and how it may be committed and what penalties are due to open perjurers I need not set down here the laws of all Nations do sufficiently set it down But to be so ungrateful for a benefit of so high a nature as this is and to disown it flatly by confirmation of an oath against Christs express words and against so many clear testimonies of scripture and all the holy fathers must needs in my opinion astonish any Christian of common reason and sense yet from whom God withdraws his grace and the light of faith he will fall I must confess into these and such like inconveniencies and absurdities and greater too if they can be possibly for heresy is a bottomless gulf of darkness and ignorance that conveys those miserable reprobates that fall into it into the other bottomless pit or gulf of hell out of which there is no redemption and so is the Psalmists words verified in these two gulfs where he sayes that Abyssus Abysum invocat one pit leads or draws a man to another As to all the rest of the Translators raylings against Popery and its tenents against its practises in reference to Protestant Magistrates or civil government that as it is pernicious to their souls by its heretical doctrines and Idolatrous services so it is to their persons and estates and consequently that to introduce it into this kingdom would be an act as unpolitick as Antichristian as hath been demonstrated in that incomparable piece intituled The established Religion in opposition to Popery All this old fustian stuff is but to vent his bitterness whereof he is so full that unless he gave it some passage he must needs burst or crack for until he shewes this established Religion we will never own its demonstration where no two are of the same opinion concerning faith how can there be a Religion established therefore I refer all his scolding-stuff to the oyster-women of Billings-gate to be answered and I say that if our Religion be the only true Religion as we doubt not but she is for she has all the marks of it and there is but one Religion that is good certainly she cannot be pernicious to civil Government for Christs Religion commands us to honour our king and obey our superiour Powers but all the world knows that whe Popery is most in vigour and force and where it is in greatest â—…lourish it never intâ—…enches or encroaches upon their Monarchs temporal power nor upon any of their Magistrates It was never read or heard of yet that the Roman Cathoâ—…icks ever took up arms against their Catholick Princes or any Catholick Prince against another upon the score of Religion only when they are at civill or forreign wars it is never about Religion unless it be against the Turk the common enemy of Christendom But the lâ—…st civill warrs of England all men know was commenced upon the pretext of Religion and upon a pretended score of defending the Gospel a most virtuous king was innocently murdered by his own subjects in this quarrel the Roman Catholicks allthough he was of a different Profession had no hand in his innocent bloud they abhominated and detested so horrid a sacriledge from the bottom of their hearts they stuck to him defended him spent their lives and estates for him as long as they were able and there was any hopes of his safegard he was never betrayed by any of them in any charge they bore under him his welfare and safety was their chief aym and every one of them was ready to sacrifice himself his fortune and estate for his sake After they saw all was lost that he was taken from them and there was no resisting the divine fate as many of them as could followed their Liege soveraigne that now is whom God long preserve but then banished not by his Roman-Catholick subjects and in forraign countries they cleaved to him there they fought for him and many of them quitted their good employments and honourable places they had under forreign Princes whereupon their whole livelyhood and fortunes depended only for to follow and serve him and hazard their lives for his sake in hopes to reiâ—…throne him in his fathers of happy mememory royal throne Afterwards they accompanied and wayted on him home at his Restauration and ever sines served him as Loyally and faithfully all along as any subjects can their Prince and others of them that without evident danger of ruining themselves for ever could not follow and wayt upon him beyond Sea helpt him with their hest Intelligences and some of them under-hand with their means also All these are fresh demonstrations of their Loyalty and things that happened in our own age how can such people then be justly impeached with diâ—…loyalty or how can their practises be pernicious in reference to his sacred Majesty and to his Protestant Magistrates and people whereas they all live in Peace and tranquility with their fellow-subjects and never raised the least commotion or mutiny against the government though never so much provoked thereunto That England was so glorious and happy a kingdom in it self for many ages and was a terrour to its neighbours that invaded it and often conquered them and their kingdomes under Popish kings and their Papist subjects needs no proof for the very chronicles of England made by Protestant Authors themselves do suâ—…ciently shew that as also many memorable worthy things done by them and many of their happy governments we see also that all our neighbouring Popish kings and absolute Princes do live and govern peacably and quietly over their Papist subjects which demonstrats evidently that Popery is not incompatible or inconsistent with kâ—…ngship or civil government and consequently if it be the only true Religion as for matter of government or state it is neither unpolitick or Antichristian â—…o introduce it into any kingdome or country whatsoever But O England England in former times