Divisie uninus ejusdem myst c. Pope Gelasius seconds the Decree We have heard saith he That some receiving the Body of Christ in the Sacrament forbear the Cup I know not upon what superstitious ground but let those either take the Sacrament intirely i. e. in both kinds or let them be excluded altogether And he gives a reason most observable The division of one and the same Sacrament cannot be without grand Sacrilege Phil. Bellarmin shews out of Gratian That this Order was made only for the Priests who are oblig'd to receive in both kinds Theoph. He might with more reason say It was made for the Turks who with the Manichees abhor Wine Can it be supposed That Manichees could be Priests of the Catholic Church and so be commanded to communicate in both kinds no it was made for their discoveries when they thrust in among the People and would appear as Catholics Phil. It appears by this Passage that the Church then gave the Sacrament without the Cup otherwise how could the Manichees hope to counterfeit Church Communion because refusing the Cup must needs betray them Theoph. By this we prove the contrary For how could they be discovered by refusing the Cup if it were not given to the People Phil. Those two Popes decree the Cup should be given at that time on purpose to discover these Heretics Theoph. No such thing The Decrees were made for stricter prohibition and observation perhaps some negligent Priests before might let them pass without the Cup or they might take down none of the Wine when the Cup was brought to them only put it to their Lips or the like But how do you answer Pope Gelasius his reason of the Decree and free your selves from grand Sacrilege One and the same Sacrament cannot be divided without grand Sacrilege Phil. I must confess in that place Bellarmin takes not any notice of that considerable passage of the Decree Theoph. Because it was unanswerable This is the first time I have found him silent and so I may the better proceed without interruption In the Year 589. in the third Council of Toledo we read how the pious King Reccaerdus held a Council of all the Bishops of Spain and Gallicia when Pelagius the second was Pope principally that the Goths in his Dominions might abjure the Arrian Heresie Among other things the King gives direction to the Bishops That after the Oriental Custom all the People should reherse the Articles of their Belief a Bin. Tom. 4. Pag. 501. Ei sic corda fide purif ad Christi corp sang percip exhibeant That so their hearts purified by Faith might receive the Body and Blood of Christ Phil. If they received in one kind they received the Body and Blood of Christ Theoph. Alas your Doctrine of concomitancy was never heard or thought of in those Pious Times In the next Council of Toledo Anno 633. when Honorius was Pope Sisimundus being King it is ordered in the 18 th Canon b Bin. p. 587. Conjunctio panis Calicis That after the Lords Prayer and the Bread and Cup join'd a blessing shall be pronounc'd upon the People and then the Sacrament received by all in their several places first the Priest and Deacon at the Altar the other Clergy in the Quire the People without the Quire You see therefore the Sacrament was given in both kinds to all the People by the Decree of these Councils in all the Dominions of Spain And because the Consecration of the Bread and Wine as we may conceive is call'd in the Canon Conjunctio panis calicis The conjunction of the Bread and the Cup. I might observe from this Expression they should not be separated In the Year 736. a Bin. Tom. 5. pag. 511. Epistola 2. ad Leonem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Pope Gregory the second writing to Leo Isaurus the Emperor who was called Iconomachus for his zeal against Images he thews the Emperor the Church discipline towards Offenders such as had given scandal to the Church First we prescribe Watching and Fasting and when they are chastised with hunger and severe exercises the Priests give unto them the venerable Body of our Lord and make them to drink of his holy Blood This is a Testimony without Exception because of a Pope and it prevents the usual Answer of Concomitancy for it mentions the Body and Blood given asunder and it shews the practice of the Western Church This also is manifest by the Roman Order of the Mass there we read b Vid. Cassandri Liturgica When the Pope gives the Body the Arch-deacon confirms i. e. gives the Cup and when the Bishops or Priests communicate the Deacons follow and confirm And there is express mention made of the Sacrament c Descendet pontifex commun principes matres familias eorum c. given to Princes and their Ladies and to all the People The same we find and more in another Ritual call'd Ordo Ecclesiasticus Ecclesiae Romanae d In Epistolam 1 ad Cor. c. 10. Calix dicitur Communicatio sang quia omnes ex illo uno participant Haymo Bishop of Halberstate saies The Cup is call'd the Communication of his Blood because all do partake of that one Cup. e In 1 Epist ad Cor. c. 11. Theophylact Arch-Bishop of Balgaria saith This dreadful Cup is equally communicated to all f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Oecumenius upon the same Chapter The Lord exhibits equally to thee and to the poor man the Table and the Chalice of Christs pretious Body and Blood These in the 11 th Century In the next Algerus a Monk when Berengarius was question'd for his Opinion against the Real Presence g Vt panis dum dentibus teritur carnem Christi in pass attritam dum vinum in ora fidelium funditur sang de Christi latere fusum signaret and recanted This Learned Monk wrote three Books of the Sacrament and in the second Book cap. 8. he shews how the custom of communicating in both kinds held in the Church from Christ That the Bread being macerated with the Teeth might represent his Flesh torn in his Passion and the Wine pour'd into the mouths of the Faithful signifie his Blood-shedding c. with many such passages in that Chapter and so by good Autorities out of the several Ages of Christianity I have shew'd the practice of the Church to give the Communion in both kinds to the People Phil. Altho Bellarmin and other Doctors except against some and answer others of your Testimonies yet I have not interrupted you in most because those Answers unto some which I have brought already will suit the rest Theoph. You have an excellent Art to make one Almanack serve for every Meridian under Heaven You have one or two Catholic Distinctions to help at a dead lift Concomitancy is a great Pillar of your Church wheresoever the
custom two Popes Leo and Gelasius were wroth and determin'd positively against them Phil. I will not interrupt the Series of my Discourse by reflecting upon by-past Passages but proceed to shew how the Communion in one kind was in use in the Primitive Times and not condemn'd and so by consequence allow'd Many Customs of the Primitive Times infer the Body of our Lord was delivered to the People without the Cup. In the days of Persecution when they could not assemble often to communicate in public Assemblies it was usual to carry with them part of the consecrated Bread wrapping it up in clean Linnen and keeping it in their Houses until such time as they thought sit to eat it Of this Custom a Lib. 2. ad uxorem c. 5. Non s 〈…〉 maritus quid secreto ante omnem cibum gastes si sciverit non illum credet qui dicitur Tertullian gives a notable proof writing to his Wife That if she inclin'd to Marry after his death she should be careful to Marry a Christian not an Heathen otherwise he will not know what thou eatest in secret before all refection and if he know it to be Bread he will not believe it to be that which we call it viz. The Body of Christ b Lib. de Oratiene c. ult Aecepto c 〈…〉 Domini re 〈…〉 And in another place The Body of the Lord being receiv'd and reserv'd So a Quaedam arcam in qua Domini sanctum fuit indign manibus aperire tentavit igne inde assurg deterrita est Cyprian in his Book De Lapsis relates How a Woman endeavoring with wicked hands to open a Chest wherein the Holy Body of our Lord was lock'd up she was terrified with Fire issuing out of the Chest b Qui festinas ad spect Eucharistiam inter obscoena corp meretr tulit And in his Book De Spectaculis he speaks of one with indignation Who made such haste to the Heathenish Plaies and Sights that he carried about him the Holy Eucharist amidst the throng of whorish and obscene Persons c Lib. de Obitu frat Satyri c. 7. Ne vacuus mysterii c. Ambrose shewing the Piety of his Brother Satyrus tells us That being at Sea in a Storm ready to suffer ship-wrack he earnestly begg'd the Sacrament of one that was with him and wrap'd it up in a linnen Cloth and hang'd it about his neck and being cast away he was the first who escap'd alive to the shore Theoph. What would you prove from these Passages Phil. That they carried and kept by them the Body of the Lord and when occasion serv'd did eat it fasting at home and in all these Passages no mention is made of the Cup or of the Blood of Christ Theoph. But I can give several express instances of both kinds which the Faithful carried from Church with them to their Houses You have heard above how d Apol. 2. Prope finem Justin Martyr told you The Deacons give the Sacrament of Bread and Wine mingled with Water to those who are present and carry it unto such as were absent e Oratione 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. So Gregory Nazianzen shews of his Sister Gorgonia If any where saith he her hand had tresured up any of the Antitypes of the Holy Body and Blood f In Epistolâ ad Rusticum de Exuperio Nihil illo ditius c. And Jerome most distinctly speaking of one Exuperius saith No man can be richer then he who carries the Body of our Lord in a wicker Basket and the Blood in a Viol Glass Phil. But in most Instances mention is made only of Christs Body reserv'd and g Ligari fecit in Orario Satyrus in S t Ambrose caused it to be wrapt up in a Linnen Cloth and bound it about his Neck Orarium was a Linnen Cloth on purpose wherein to wrap up the Sacrament as Vice Comes shews h Lib. 2. de app missae c. 19. Orarium pannus quo caelestis Euch. involvebatur I hope you will not say he did wrap up Christs Blood in a Cloth Theoph. Yes he might wrap up the Holy Mysteries the Bread and the Wine put in a Vial-glass together And Ambrose his Expressions look towards the Wine of the Sacrament when he saith i Ib. Caeleste mysterium haustum arcano pectoris fusum in viscera He received the Heavenly Mystery swallowed up as in a draught in the secret Repository of his Heart and diffus'd into his Bowels Phil. Flesh when digested may be said properly to be diffus'd into the Bowels Theoph. But you know your Doctors allow not Christs Flesh to be digested and turned into Chyle and Nutriment Phil. These are Niceties I pray let me proceed without disturbance You know the Sacrament was usually sent unto the Sick to be received upon their Beds Tanquam viaticum morientium as Food for a long Journey given unto those who were passing from Earth to Heaven And this was only in one kind viz. The Lords Body Theoph. I reckon the sick Principly among such who being absent had the Sacrament sent to them and have shew'd out of Justin Martyr they had the Mysteries in both kinds What the Faithful receiv'd in the Church the same the Deacon carried to the Faithful in their Houses when by reason of Sickness or any other justifiable occasion they could not be present at the publick Solemnity However your Instances are only of the Communion in private Houses and the Mysteries reserv'd and if one kind only be express'd the other may be understood But have you any Testimony of the Church which expresly shews the Sacrament was given in the Church in one kind only whereas we have brought a cloud of Witnesses for the public Communicating in both kinds Phil. Yes many ancient Canons make express mention of the Laick Communion as distinct from that of the Clergy So that Priests and Deacons Criminals were censur'd to Communicate only as the People not as the Priests that is in one kind not in both So the Eliberitan Council Anno 305. in the 76. Canon speaking of any Deacon who shall receive Holy Orders being conscious of a great Sin he had before committed a Bin. Tom. 1. pag. 237. Si quis Diaconus c. Post quinquennium actâ poenit accipiat Laicam Communionem If he discovers not himself after five Years penance Let him be admitted to the Communion of Laicks So the Council of Sardica Can. 2 do concerning Bishops highly criminal Decrees They shall not be admitted unto the Communion of Laicks even on their Death-beds And so in many other Councils mention is made of the Communion of Lay-people Theoph. Yes we do acknowledg it But how do you prove that which you and Bellarmin design thereby That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was to receive in one kind We know the Canons by that expression imply That Men in Holy Orders
half Communion IN THE CHURCH of ROME Theoph. SIR I am much obliged to you for your kind and civil Entertainment and much more for that freedom of Discourse which your great Moderation hath allow'd me when somtimes in the defence of Truth and through a flaming Zeal that you should recover it I have neglected the Ceremonies of Friendship to hold the substance I have not sought so much to please as to convince you Phil. Truth is a Jewel which all are concern'd to purchase and hold fast but where this Tresure is to be found is the great Question I have bin diligent in the search and the Providence of God as I believe hath not been wanting in conducting me unto the Catholic Church the great Repository of Divine Truths Theoph. Doubtless the Holy Catholic Church is so the Truth it self hath promis'd to be with her unto the end of the World The Catholic Church will alwaies hold the Catholic Faith and by this Rule we judg particular National Churches to be true Members of the Church Catholic as they hold the Catholic Faith Phil. I mean the Roman Catholic Church whose Faith as Peters cannot fail and which hath alwaies laid a just claim to be the Catholic Church wherein the Truths of God and Eternal Life are conserv'd as her peculiar Tresure and none who do not communicate with her can share in them Theoph. That which you call a just claim will in its due place appear a most intolerable Usurpation and such as make the Catholic Church and the Roman Church to be reciprocal terms of the same amplitude and extent have forfeited their Logic and their Reason together The Church of Rome at best was a part and Member of the Church Catholic and now since thro her manifold Corruptions she hath well-nigh forfeited that Interest lo with an unparallel'd Insolence she flies at all and prescribes to the name of Catholic more solicitously perhaps out of a jealousie the Catholic Church should totally exclude her and out of a consciousness she hath deserv'd it But this digression would usher in a large Controversie besides our present purpose and I design first to insist upon the manifold Errors of your Church one after another as our occasions will permit and then if you please we will dispute the Point Whether the Church of Rome can be the only true Catholic Church which has so many ways departed from the Catholic Doctrine Phil. Your confidence Theophilus is no proof Theoph. I hope it shall appear to you and to the World that my Reasons and my Proofs have made me confident You may remember a second obvious Exception which I propos'd against the practice of the Church of Rome was her half Communion in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Her denying the Cup unto the Laiety If you please we will now take it into Consideration Phil. Most willingly For I find a great noise and clamor is rais'd about it and the Grand Sacrilege of the Church of Rome is proclaim'd out of the Pulpit and the Press and from some appearances of Truth your severe Imputations and Calumnies pass for currant with the undiscerning multitude Theoph. These appearances of Truth as you are pleas'd to call them are no less then Demonstrations carrying so much Light and Evidence in them that even the undiscerning multitude in reading the Holy Scriptures are able at first sight to discover the incongruity of your Practice with the Rule how teaching for Doctrines the commandments of men you evidently transgress the commands of God Phil. This Artifice of yours and Industry to court the People into a prejudice against us is to me a Demonstration that you put no great confidence in the merits of your Cause Do not so peremtorily conclude before you have enter'd upon the Proof Theoph. I will prove your giving the Bread in the Holy Communion and not the Cup unto the People to be against the Institution of Christ the end of the Sacrament the practice of the Apostles and of the Church Catholic for twelve-hundred Years Phil. You have propos'd a good Method of Discourse and I desire you would follow it Theoph. First our Blessed Savior immediatly before his Passion instituted the Sacrament and gave it to the Disciples present in both kinds as three Evangelists record Matth. 26. 26. As they were eating Jesus took Bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to the Disciples and said Take eat this is my Body ver 27. He took the Cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it for this is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for remission of sins So we read in Mark 14. 22 23. and he expresly testifieth of the Cup That he gave it to them and they all drank of it Saint Luke after the same manner And adds moreover the command of Christ This do in remembrance of me Luke 22. 19. Phil. I pray observe how that command is given only when the Disciples receiv'd the Bread and not when they took the Cup. The Words are these He took Bread and gave thanks and brake it and gave unto them saying This is my Body which is given for you this do in remembrance of me Likewise also the Cup after Supper saying This Cup is the New Test ament in my Blood which is shed for you ver 20. And a Tom. 3. Lib. 4. cap. 25. de Sacramento Eucharistâ— ut intelligeremus c. Bellarmin observes it as an instance of Gods wonderful Providence to make Heretics unexcusable And that we may understand it was the command of Christ that the Sacrament should be distributed to all under the species of Bread but not so under the species of Wine Theoph. S t Luke saith Likewise also the Cup Intimating the same Institution for one and for the other Phil. We are not much concern'd in your gloss upon the Text. Theoph. But you are in S t Pauls who declares That after the same manner he took the Cup when he had supped saying This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood 1 Cor. 11. 25. the very Words of S t Luke And then expresly adds the words of command of our Lord Christ This do as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me Now what say you to the word of command given by Christ to do this in remembrance of him as well when he gave the Cup as when he distributed the Bread unto the Disciplos Phil. Bellarmin observes a difference b Ibid. Post panis consecrationem absolute penitur post calicem cum conditione This do in remembrance of me is put absolutely even in S t Pauls relation after the Consecration of the Bread but after the Cup it is repeated with a Condition â—his do as often as you drink it in remembrance of one not intimating that the Cup must of necessity be given or taken but if it be given or receiv'd it should be done in
of Prague no longer to neglect or be content without the Communion of the Cup without which they could not be saved and so multitudes were promted to receive in both kinds and importunate with the Council of Basil to have it allow'd Many Heretics as he saith rejoicing that they had found an Article grounded upon Scripture whereby either the ignorance or impiety of the Church of Rome might be discover'd I have given in this Story to shew of how great consequence in the judgment of the Bohemians this Text was to prove even the necessity of receiving the Sacrament in both kinds and therefore let me hear your Answer Phil. Bellarmin takes notice of all these Circumstances and gives three Answers to that Text Except ye eat the flesh c. His first Answer is this a Lib. 4. De Sacram Euch. c. 25. vim hujus praecepti in re quae sumitur non in modo sunendi consistere Sumuntur tam corpus quam sanguis sub qualibet specie The weight of this Precept doth lie in the receiving the flesh and blood of Christ and not in the manner of receiving it Now the body and blood of Christ are truly receiv'd in either kind whole Christ being communicated in the bread as also in the Cup and therefore the People are not depriv'd of the vertue of the Sacrament and shall live by it Theoph. The Text expresly speaks of drinking his Blood and that you cannot pretend to do by receiving and eating his Flesh only in the Sacrament altho his Blood and Soul be there also according to your Opinion by concomitancy Of which we shall say more hereafter Phil. If you stand so much upon the letter of the Text which seems to imply the receiving of Christs Flesh and Blood distinctly one by eating and the other by drinking then we answer ou another way That in Holy Scripture many times b In Script conjunctio accipitur pro disjunctiva the copulative is put for a disjunctive as when Peter said to the impotent Man at Solomons Porch Acts 3. 6. Silver and Gold have I none the meaning is he had neither Silver nor Gold for either would have suffic'd for an Alms. And if the Text be so Interpreted it will not hurt us Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man or drink his blood c. Theoph. This is to make of Gods Word a Nose of Wax to put the Holy Scripture out of Joint to help a broken Cause This way would serve a Jesuit in another case of Conscience Is any one scrupulous of rebelling against his Prince The Father will satisfie him with that of Solomon Fear God or honor the King if you do one you may omit the other But what God hath join'd let not Man put asunder saith our Blessed Savior Never turn a Copulative into a Disjunctive Phil. Well If these two Answers do not please Bellarmin will sit you with a third There are many Precepts in Holy Scripture which are given to all and yet are design'd to be observ'd only by some as that Blessing upon Mankind at first Encrease and multiply and yet all Men are not oblig'd to Marry and get Children And so this saying of our Savior If ye eat not the flesh of the Son of Man c. it is spoken to the Church Universal and yet if observ'd by some it sufficeth The Priest taking the Sacrament in both kinds shall convey Life thro Christ unto his whole Church Theoph. This Answer is not unlike the two former if twisted together all are not worth a rush they only publish to the World the Objection is unanswerable and so rather then they would be silent they would put their Ciphers together without one tittle of sense and reason to make them significant Phil. This is a quick way to answer an Argument or Reply by saying it is insignificant and so dismiss it Theoph. If I omit any thing that is material I desire no favor I know I shall hear of it with both Ears for those of your side are used to give no Quarter Mean while I will follow my intended course and shew in the next place how your half Communion is against the end of Christs Instituting the Sacrament Phil. Christ instituted these Holy Mysteries to confer Grace to the worthy Receivers to feed them with the Celestial Food of his pretious Body and Blood to convey unto their Souls remission of sins So much the words of Institution imply Take eat This is my Body which is given for you and drink ye all of this for this is my Blood of the New Testament which was shed for many for remission of sins Now all this is communicated as well under one kind as under both for whole Christ his Body and Blood and his Divinity is exhibited under the Species of Bread For Christ expresly saith It is my Body and if so it is his Blood and Life and Divine Nature also For Christ now liveth for ever and the Union between his Soul and Body is indissoluble wheresoever one is the other must be by a necessary concomitancy And then for the God-head of Christ since the great Mystery of his Incarnation that can never be separated from the humane Soul and Body which he assumed into one Person and subsistence with Himself So the Council of Trent hath determin'd a Sess 13 c. 3. Statim post Consecrationem verum Domini nostri corpus verumque sang una cum Divinit existere sub specie panis vini c. Immediatly after the Consecration the very Body and Blood of our Lord do exist under the Species of Bread and wine together with his Soul and Divinity The Body indeed subsists under the Species of Bread and the Blood under the Species of Wine by vertue of the words of Consecration but by virtue of a Natural Connexion whereby the parts of Christs humane Nature are since his Resurrection for ever inseparably united under the Species of Bread there is likewise the Blood of Christ and under the Species of Wine his Body and his Soul under both as also his Divinity by reason of the Hypostatical Vnion And therefore the Council concludes b Veriss est tantundem sub alterutra specie atque sub utraque contineri totus integer Christus That as much is contain'd under either Species as under both even whole Christ intirely Theoph. This is a new Model of Divinity which was about two hundred Years in fashioning and preparing by their sworn Servants the School-men for the Fathers of Trent to make use of to under-prop the declining State of the Church of Rome But I pray tell me Why did our Blessed Savior so distinctly say of the Bread This is my Body and of the Cup This is my Blood c. if in either kind both Body and Blood are included and receiv'd Phil. The Council as you have heard before answers this exactly a Ibid. Corpus
Scriptures should be obscure in some places least that being evident to all Men they should be cheap and contemtible Theoph. This is in truth an occult cause the usual refuge of such as can give no reason I may call this the mystery of your Church if not the mystery of Iniquity That God design'd some things in his Word and in his Service should be concel'd from the vulgar least they should breed contemt I had thought the Word of God the more it was understood and discovered the more veneration it would procure and so all the Mysteries of the Gospel The Jews indeed had their veils and partitions and into the inner Tabernacle only the High Priest did enter once every Year and into the outward Tabernacle the Priests every day and the People stood in the outward Courts The Holy Ghost thus signifying Heb. 9. 8. That the way into the Holiest of all was not yet mado manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing saith the Apostle But then speaking of their condition under the Gospel he adds Heb. 10. 19 20. But we Brethren have boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us When Christ was Crucified the veil of the Temple rent from top to bottom that which was hidden was made manifest Prophesies fulfill'd and Mysteries revel'd The Gospel is the Revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ the great Light of the World whose property is to discover not to concele and least the Majesty of such glorious Truths and Mysteries revel'd should dazle the Eies of our Understanding lo they are clothed in Scripture with humility of speech And S t Augustin b Tom. 2. Epistola 3. ad Volusianum Invital omnes humili sermone quos non solam manifestâ Pascat sed secretâ exerceat veritate tells us The Holy Scriptures invite all to read and understand them by their great condescention to our capacities feeding all not only with manifest Truths but also with hidden verities Let us therefore never speak of design'd concelements in the Gospel of Christ wherein the mystery which hath bin hid from ages and from generations is now made manifest unto the Saints as S t Paul speaks Coloss 1. 26. And the same Apostle expresly tells us 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them which believe not least the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them And now I pray tell me Have you found your Arguments unanswerable never believe the wit of Man can bring Demonstrations against the Truths of God Your great Champion Bellarmine hath not brought a probable Argument against the Peoples reading and hearing the Holy Scripture and Divine Service in the vulgar Tongue which is at present the Controversie between us Phil. If your self be Judge the Question is determined But I have not yet done until I have propos'd two serious Considerations more against publishing the Holy Scriptures in the vulgar Tongue wherewith Peter Sutor a Carthusian hath furnish'd me The first is this a Mulierculae in Lect. Bibl. versantes curam rei domesticae negligent Idiotae huic negotio dediti non curabant c. De tralat Bib. c. 22. p. 96. It will make Laborers Men and Women neglect their business whil'st they spend the time in reading the Scripture which they should imploy about their houshold affairs and necessary occupations Theoph. This is a great Crime tending to the ruine of many Families But alas too general experience proves the contrary that Men and Women are not so easily drawn from the cares and business of the World to mind Heavenly things from idle Communications to the Holy Scriptures You have heard how Chrysostom complains of the contrary That such as had Bibles never look'd into them bound them up in costly Covers and lock'd them up as hidden Treasures and they pretended the Incumbrances of the World for their excuse Our Blessed Savior in the Parable of the Sower sheweth Matth. 13. 22. How the cares of the world like thorns choke the good seed of Gods word And your Monks fear is least reading the Word should hinder the necessary cares and business of Life It seems of late the World is much alter'd for the better that the hearts of Men should be so endear'd unto the Holy Scripture that if they be not with-held from them Men would neglect their Callings But these are fond Imaginations you know the Holy Scriptures strictly enjoin every one to follow his calling 1 Cor. 7. 20. Promise the Blessing of God upon the diligent band Prov. 10. 4. and 12. 24. Command That such as will not labor should not eat 2 Thess 3. 10. And Solomon in the last Chapter of his Proverbs hath set forth a good Housewife so excellently that it is not possible a wise Woman minding that Chapter should neglect her business But what is your Carthusians second Consideration against publishing the Holy Scripture in the vulgar Tongue Phil. It seems you want work and you do so please your self with your conceited Answers that I am unwilling any longer to tickle your humor and to propose any more Objections Theoph. It is high time indeed to draw to a conclusion and therefore I did hasten you to that which you reserv'd and 't is my request it may be your last Proposal Phil. If you will needs hear it it is this If the common People should be permitted constantly to read the Holy Scripture in the vulgar Tongue b Facile plebs nuomuâ—â—bit cum sibi tot onera imponi comperiet praeter Scripturam Pet. Sutor ibâ—â—lem They would murmur against so many Burthens and Impositions of the Church which they find not required in the Book of God and so may become stubborn and disobedient to the commands of the Church Theoph. This hath hit the nail upon the head Never any Man spake more to the purpose in this Point It is a most ingenious confession That if the Scripture were permitted to be read by all sorts farewel to all the intolerable Burthens and superstitious Impositions of Rome As he that doth evil hateth the light so your Church requiring many unwarrantable superstitious things of her Children wisely keeps them from giving heed unto the Word of God which soon would discover her Impostures Phil. I beseech you Theophilus do not end a Controversie with a Quarrel You are my Guest and Friend and after these heats of Disputation it will concern me to divert you with such Civilities and slender Entertainment as the House at present will afford I hope you will resolve to tarry some time with me and give your self and me the opportunity to debate the other Points in difference between us You are as welcome as your Heart can wish A SECOND CONFERENCE CONCERNING The
remembrance of the Lords Passion Theoph. These are pitiful shifts the words rather imply Christians should often drink of the Cup in remembrance of their Savior And the very next Verse confutes this conceit of Bellarmin wherein Paul puts the condition as often both to eating and drinking ver 26. For as often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come And withal while you triumph in S t Lukes relation where the command of Do this is expres'd only when our Savior gave the Bread you do not consider that S t Matthew relates our Saviors charge when he gave the Cup Matth. 26 27. Drink ye all of this And S t Mark records Mark 14. 23. He gave the Cup to them and they all drank of it Phil. To whom did Christ give this command Drink ye all of this Theoph. To the Disciples who did eat the Passover with him and sup'd with him and after Supper he Instituted the Holy Sacrament and gave the command to observe it Phil. But these Disciples were the twelve Apostles as is manifest from S t. Lukes relation Luke 21. 14. When the hour was come to keep the Passover he sat down and the twelve Apostles with him Now we grant that the Apostles and the Bishops and Priests their Successors must receive in both kinds but not the People Bellarmin reasons thus a Ibid. Dedit selis Apostolis eo dixit s 〈…〉 Apostolis bibite ex hoc omnes He gave the Cup only to the Apostles and therefore only to them he said Drink ye all of this Theoph. By this subtilty you altogether exclude the People from being concern'd at all in Christs command to receive the Sacrament for to whom he said Take eat this is my Body to them he said Drink ye all of this 〈◊〉 that is as you say only to the Apostles Upon what account therefore do ye administer the Lords Body unto the People Phil. To this you have b Ibid. Etsi non dedit non prohibuit Bellarmins Answer Although he did not give the Sacrament unto the People he did not for bid it should be given to them Theoph. So neither hath he forbidden the Cup should be given to them But I pray hear what one of your own Benedictine Abbots Pâ—sâ—hafius in his Book De corpore Christi c. 15. as Bellarmin quotes him saith as a Comment upon those Words c 〈◊〉 ex hoc omnes tam ministri quam reliqui credentes Drink ye all of this All as well Ministers as other Believers Hear what another of your own side saith upon the Text and Bellarmins Comment d Gerardus Loriâ—hius de Missa publica proroganda There be some false Catholics that fear not to stop the Reformation of the Church what they can These spare no Blast he mies least that other part of the Sacrament should be restor'd to the lay People for say they Christ spake Drink ye all of this only to the Apostles but the words of the Mass be these Take and eat you all of this Here I would know of them whether this was spoken only to the Apostles then must Lay-men abstain likewise from the element of Bread which to say is an Heresie yea a pestilent detestable Blast hemy It is therefore consequent saith he that both these words Eat ye Drink ye were spoken to the whole Church Phil. It seems the Doctors vary in their Opinions But the Truths of God and the Canons of the Church depend not upon the humors of Men and private Interpretation Theoph. You seem all along to take Bellarmin's Words for Truth his Answers for Oracles And do you now except against private Interpretation But what say you to that Argument wherein e Ibid. De hoc argumento Lutherus triumphaâ— Bellarmin observes Luther so much to triumph The Blood of the New Testament was shed for the People as well as for the Apostles and our Savior gives the Cup unto all for whom he shed his Blood nay and for that very cause bids them drink all of it Matth. 26. 27 28 For this is my Blood of the New Testament which is sâ—ed for many for remission of sins If Christs Blood was shed not only for the Apostles but for many for remission of sins the Cup ought to be given not only to them but to many others Who dares say saith Luther that Christs Blood was not shed for Laiks and therefore who should dare to with-hold the Blood of the New Testament from them Phil. As you have taken the Objection out of Bellarmin so you may his Answer a Ib. Si sanguis Domini dandus esset omnibus pro quibus susus esi dandus esset Turcis Judaeis Ethnicis c. That if the Blood of Christ must be given in the Sacrament to all those for whom it was shed then it must be given to all men Turks and Jews and Ethnics For his Blood was shed for all men as he proves from the Text 1 John 2. 2. And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world Theoph. This is a Cavil The Sacraments are the Seals of the Church und appertain only to Church-Members and when Turks and Jews and Pagans shall be converted and receiv'd into the Church of Christ they shall partake of her Tresures I am amazed to see your Learned Champion make such irrational Replies but his baffled Cause will afford no better Phil. Do not conclude him foil'd before you have tried his strength Theoph. It is my design thro-out to examine his Objections and Answers and I have hitherto found them so inconsiderable that I am almost confident for the future Phil. Keep your confidence to your self and produce your Reasons Theoph. I have one Argument more to urge for the Communion to be receiv'd by all in both kinds from our Saviors words John 6. 53. Verily verily I say unto you except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood ye have no life in you This Text the Bohemians most insisted upon in the Council of Basil when their Delegates there desired the Cup might be allow'd them And Aeneas Sylvius b Hist. Bohem. cap. 35. Literarum doctrinâ morum praestantiâ juxta clarus relates how Petrus Dresensis a School-master in Prague repaired to the Preacher of S t Michaels Church by name Jacoballus eminent for his Learning and Conversation asking him How interpreting the Holy Scripture to the People he had not so long taken notice of a grand Error which would ruine the Church in giving the Sacrament only in one kind whereas our Savior in S t John hath said expresly Vnless ye eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood c. Hereupon this Learned Preacher search'd the Fathers and finding the giving of the Cup unto the People approv'd especially by Dionysius and Cyprian he earnestly exhorted the People
existit sub specie panis sang sub specie vini vi verborum a 〈…〉 vi naturalis connexionis concomitantiae c. By the words of Consecration the Bread is chang'd only into the Body of Christ and so the Wine into his Blood but then by a natural connexion and concomitancy each kind includes the other The Body and Blood and Soul and God head of Christ are inseparable Theoph. But why did Christ Institute the Sacrament in both kinde if to receive in one kind be as beneficial to the Soul Phil. The Essence of the Sacrament b Lib. 4. de Euchar. c. 22. Species panis vini nâ—n tam essentiales quam integrales partes sunt as Bellarmin shews is communicated in one kind to wit the Body and Blood of Christ but as to the integrity both are necessary Theoph. You shall never find a School-man without a nice Distinction to salve the matter However hereby you acknowledg the Sacrament in one kind to be maim'd and imperfect wanting one of the integral parts But I will not intangle the Discourse with such Niceties You know our Blessed Savior expresseth one end of the Sacrament That in remembrance of him it should be given and received And Paul shews in what regard chiefly Christ is commemorated in the Sacrament as he was Crucified For as often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye shew the Lords death till he come 1 Cor. 11. 26. Now you all grant that the representation of Christs death is made by both kinds in the Sacrament The Bread and Wine apart represents Christ Blood separated from his Body Breaking of Bread signifies how Christs Body was wounded and bruis'd and broken So Paul renders the words of Christs Institution 1 Cor. 11. 24. This is my Body which is broken for you and therefore the Sacrament should be given in both kinds for a sensible representation of Christs death Phil. The Church holds the commemoration of Christs death exactly in the Sacrifice of the Mass and this belongs only to the Priest who of necessity must consecrate Bread and Wine and receive both for this very reason That he may so represent Christs death and offer up his Body and Blood in Sacrifice his Body as crucified and his Blood shed So a great Doctor of our Church c Lib. 6. Advers haereses Mem. Dominicae mortis agit Sacerdes in altari non pop quaprop Sacerd. quoties celebrat non consecrat unam si eciem sine alterâ c. Alphonsus de Casiro The Priest commemorates Christ death upon the Altar and not the People receiving the Sacrament And therefore saith he the Priest of necessity must consecrate both kinds and receive them because altho Christ is wholy contain'd in one kind yet by one he is not signified and represented for the Species of Bread only signifies and represents his Body and that of Wine his Blood c. Theoph. We will not examine this new Doctrine of Alphonsus and the Schools touching whole Christ in each Species c. but we will take his Concession That one kind doth not signifie or represent whole Christ and his Death and Passion and therefore such as are bound to remember and shew the death of Christ his Sacrifice upon the Cross and the Work of our Redemtion by his Blood shedding they must of necessity receive the Sacrament in both kinds apart Phil. What will you conclude thence seeing he hath told you that the Priest is concern'd and not the People to hold the remembrance of Christs death in the Sacrament which he daily performs in the Office of the Mass Theoph. But what care we what Alphonsus hath told us or any of your New Doctors seeing S t Paul affirms the contrary For writing to all the Saints of the Church of Corinth he expresly tells them As oft as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye shew the Lords death till he come And doubtless as all Christians are concern'd to keep a thankful remembrance of Christ and of his Passion so we must do it as he hath appointed by receiving the Sacrament in both kinds for only so as you have heard his Death and Blood-shedding is represented to the Life The Elements apart shewing how his Blood was separated from his Body breaking of Bread shewing how his Body was bruis'd and broken In this respect we may believe S t Paul said to the Galathians That even before their eyes Jesus Christ had been evidently set forth crucified among them Gal. 3. 1. Phil. This suits Bellarmines Observation well that the People may see Christs Death represented in both kinds upon the Altar and one separate from the other and so hold the commemoration of his Passion altho they do not communicate in both kinds and he observes the Eye is the quicker sense to affect and raise our Meditation rather then the Touch or Tast Theoph. Notwithstanding the subtle Observation of your Doctors you shall give us leave to follow Christs direction to receive the Sacraments in both kinds in remembrance of him and we will believe the Apostle That by eating this Bread and drinking this Cup we shew the Lords death and not by seeing the Wafers and the Cup upon the Altar And withal the Sacrament is call'd the Lords Supper wherein he Feasts our Souls with his Flesh that is Meat indeed and with his Blood which is Drink indeed Now to complete a Feast there must be Meat and Drink Esculenta Poculenta And one of your Doctors saith a Franciscus à Victoria de Euch. qu 87. Non est perfecta refectio sub unica specie Vnder one kind of the Sacrament is no perfect refection Phil. These things hold in Natural Food and Refections but not in Spiritual Hunger and thirst in Grace are not distinct Appetites but have the same Objects as Blessed are they which do bunger and thrist after righteousness Matth. 5. 6. And we read how our Blessed Savior entertain'd the multitudes in the Wilderness with the Loaves without Wine or Water Theoph. Those are pretty subtleties for Jesuits but our Blessed Savior Instituting his Sacraments for all Believers as well Idiots as Learned design'd to confirm their Faith in Spiritual Truths by sensible Signs and therefore chose those two Elements of Bread and Wine to represent unto us that as these naturally nurish the Body so should his Body and Blood exhibited in the Sacrament in a Spiritual manner nurish the Soul And therefore you would do well to leave the Signs and the Sacrament complete and not deprive your ignorant People of such Helps Representations Your own School-men acknowledg the Sacrament to be maim'd and imperfect as to the Sacramental part and the signification without both kinds a Part. 3. qu. 80. Art 12. Exparte Sacramenti convenit quod utrum que sumi 〈…〉 in utroque perfectio c. Nullo modo debet corpus sumi sine sane Tho. Aquinus determines That in regard to
so much for the Autority of the Church you are not willing in this point to hear the constant Testimony of the Church Phil. Not so but we most cordially embrace it knowing that we derive full confirmation of our practice in one kind whatsoever you think of it from the usage and testimony of the Primitive Times Theoph. I will first shew you what they say for us and then do you produce your Evidences for your selves In the first Century we read divers Liturgies ascribed to some of the Apostles and Evangelists The Liturgy of S t James of S t Peter of S t Mark in them we find the Priests and Deacons and all the People give Thanks to God and the Lord Jesus Christ a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That he hath vouchsaf'd unto them the favor to partake of his Body and Blood We read they speak of the Mysteries altogether in the plural Partaking of the pure Celestial life-giving and dreadful Mysieries We read how the Deacons after Consecration take the Patin and the Chalice to distribute the Bread and Wine unto the People Phil. You account those Liturgies spurious and not made by the Apostles and you take them for proofs against us Theoph. 'T is truth we cannot believe they were compil'd by the Apostles for then it would have bin presumption for after Ages not to conform to them but unto Liturgies of their own framing Your Ordo Romanus should have been exactly conform unto Peters Liturgy However they were set forth not many Ages after and pretend to the Apostolical Times and Practice and where they agree give some light to Posterity of their Customs and against you their Testimony holds good because you account them Legitimate Phil. It is sport for Children to fight with wooden Daggers Theoph. They are sharp enough to foil your pretentions unto Antiquity But this is but fencing about I will close with you instantly and produce unquestionable Testimonies of the Sacrament given unto the People in both kinds b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ignatius S t Johns Disciple in his Epistle to the Philaâ— delphians tells us It is one and the same Flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ and the same Blood which was shed for us One Bread broken for all and one Cup distributed to the whole Congregation a Apol 2. prope finem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Justin Martyr in the next Century giving account of the Rites of their Christian Service and Communion he tells the Heathen Emperors to whom he makes his Apology for Christians The President of the Assembly or Priest giving thanks and all the People congratulating they who are called Deacons give to everyone present to partake of the Bread and Wine with Water bless'd and carry those Elements abroad to such as are not present And this nurishment is call'd the Eucharist In the end of the same Century b 2 do Lib. ad Vxorem c. 4. De cibo poculo invadere c. Tertullian exhorting his Wife after his death if at all only to marry in the Lord i. e. a Christian Otherwise saith he how will thy Husband if a Heathen suffer thee to go to that Feast which is so much defam'd to take the Bread and the Cup. And afterwards c Libro de lapsis De cujus manu desiderabit de cujus peculo particip Of whose hand wilt thou receive the Bread of whose Cup wilt thou drink Now Pamelius and de la Cerda in their Notes upon Tertullian acknowledg both these places to be spoken of the Eucharist and both kinds are expresly mention'd and receiv'd d Praesente ac teste meipso Cyprian follows his Master Tertullian and hath many passages to our purpose He gives an account of a strange accident whereof he was an Eye-witness That a yong Maid being at the Sacrament when the Deacon brought the Cup to her she turn'd away her face shutting her mouth and refusing to drink e Reluctanti licet de Sacramento Calicis infudit Sequitur singultu vomitus c. but the Deacon forced her to take down some of the Wine and presently she vomited The Holy Eucharist could not stay in her Mouth and Stomach which was defiled For we read before That when she was an Infant the Heathen took her from her Mother and by force put into her mouth f Panem mero mixtum de immolatione perceptum Bread mingled with Wine taken from the Idol Sacrifice And because of this Pollution thro a Divine dispensation in these severe Times followed that abhorrency of the Sacrament Now here is mention made of the Sacramental Cup but not of Bread delivered to the Damsel tho unwilling And from this and such like places we may as well prove they administred the Cup without the Bread as they from other places conclude the Bread was given without the Cup. Another notable Passage we have g Epistola 54. Cornelio papae fratri ques hertamur ad praelium non inermes c. in his Epistle to Cornelius the Pope his Brother in the Lord He writes his mind to him That in those difficult times of Persecution it was expedient to reconcile Penitents lapst the sooner to Church Communion and with more Indulgence That by the Blood of Christ receiv'd in the Sacrament they may be fortified against assaults and be encouraged to shed their Blood for the Testimony of the Gospel And immediatly after he saith h Quo modo prevocamus eos in confess nominis sang suum effundere c. How shall we exhort them to shed their Blood in the Confession of his Name if we deny them to partake of his Blood He adds immediatly after a Quomodo ad Martyrii poculum idences facimus si non eos prius ad bib in Ecclesia pocul Domini jure communicationis admittimus How shall we fit them to drink the Cup of Martyrdom if we do not before admit them to take the Cup of the Lord in the Church by right of Communication Observe the right of Communicating Phil. b Lib. 4. de Euch. c. 26. Jus Laicâ—r ad communicandum à Sacerdot c. Bellarmin shews how this Epistle of Cyprian is a full confutation of your Opinion That the Church cannot with-hold part of the Sacrament from the People seeing she hath power to exclude from the whole Sacrament For Cyprian writes to Cornelius for some Indulgence for those who were excluded Theoph. Do you believe his first Position That the Peoples right to the Sacrament is given by the Priest to them and by him may be taken from them Phil. Yes when they are Criminals it may be with-held from them by the power of the Priest and upon their repentance again be restored Theoph. So it is with the offending Clergy as well as with the People upon some great offence they may be suspended from the Sacrament and therefore why doth he say the
committing scandalous Offences should be degraded and lie under the severities of Church Discipline and Penance proportionable to their demerrit and if at all they are restored to the Communion of the Church they should be as Lay-men and not restored to the Priests Office they should receive the Sacrament without the Quire with the common People b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Phil. a Lib. 4. c. 24. de Sacramento Euch. Nulla distinctio notari potest c. Bellarmin makes sport at this ridiculous Answer Saith he This punishment was somtimes so inflicted that persons offending should not be reconcil'd and admitted to this Laic Communion but in peril of Death nay not then neither as you have heard in the second Canon of the Council of Sardica Now to sick Men upon their Death-bed what distinction can there be of place or what preheminence can a Priest have more then a Lay-man and so Communio Laica no punishment Theoph. This is Wrangling not Disputing We say as b Epistola 52. Communicet ut Laicus non usurpet locum Sacerdotis Cyprian A Priest so offending let him become a Lay-man and in that quality admitted after repentance unto the Communion whether in the Church or in his House but let him not return unto the Priests Office One of your French Bishops Gabriel Albaspinus hath sufficiently confuted Bellarmin and all his Disciples in this Point shewing this Communio Laica implied the condition of a Lay-person and not any difference from a Priest in receiving the Sacrament only in one kind c Lib. 1. Observat c. 4. de Communione Laicâ Tempore Concil quibus de Laica Commun fit mentio c. For saith he in Cyprian ' s time and when these Canons fore-mentioned were made the Communion was given to the People in both kinds He brings many Instances to prove it Phil. d Ibid. constat ab annis plus octingentis usum in quibusd Ecclestis communiionis sub una specie in publico coetu fidelium Et constat Graecos nunquam hoc Latinis objecisse Bellarmin brings another Argument drawn from the consent and testimony of the later Ages of the Church That it is evident for more then 800 Years That in some Churches in the public Assemblies the use was to give the Sacrament in one kind And the Greek Church saith he never objected this as an Error to the Latin Church which is an Argument they accounted it lawful for otherwise they were willing and quick-sighted to discover all our faults Theoph. This shews Bellarmins confidence To assert stoutly and prove faintly How doth he make good the use of 800. Years Phil. The Councils of Constance and Basil say It had been in use for some long time as you have heard before And so Th. of Aquin. before this Council tells us That in some Churches it was well observed to with-hold the Cup from the People for the greater reverence and caution Theoph. These proofs fall short by more then half of 800 years Aquinas liv'd in the 13 th Century and then the Communion in one kind had got but little footing only in some Churches as he acknowledgeth the Councils followed in the 14 th Century We acknowledg the with-holding of the Cup from the People began after 1200 Years after Christianity in the Western Church but never in the Eastern Church Bellarmin offers at another proof of a longer date in Bernards time related in the History of his Life written by one of his Contemporaries one William an Abbot but those Books of his Life are so full of Legends that I would not choose to rake in such a Dung-hill They make Bernard to work as many Miracles as our Blessed Savior Phil. It is your securest way of answering our Autorities by slighting them But I have one considerable Argument more out of Bellarmin to prove the Antiquity of giving the Sacrament in one kind in the public Administration thereof out of the a Ordo Romanus Roman Ritual which is conceiv'd to have bin compos'd by Alcquine Tutor to Charles the Great above 800 years since Theoph. Out of which Ritual we have expresly proved the contrary already Phil. Hereby you may judg how slightly you examine things and Books for in the Ordo Romanus you will find That the Wine is consecrated in a little Chalice and the Pope drinks of it and afterwards the Arch-Deacon pours out some of the Consecrated Wine into a great Flagon or Cup of other Wine and Water and so it is Sanctified for the Peoples drinking but not Consecrated Theoph. This Passage proves the People did drink of the Cup but the Pope it seems must have some preheminence above them and for the distinction of the Wine Sanctified but not Consecrated I understand it not b Ordo Rom. vinum etiam non consecratum sed sang Domini commixtum c. The Ritual saith enough for the Cup which was given to the People The Wine not Consecrated but mix'd with the Blood of Christ out of the first Chalice is Sanctified to all effects And Bellarmin acknowledgeth it was call'd The Cup of the Lords Blood Phil. I come now to shew the Motives which induc'd the Church to with-hold the Cup. Theoph. I wish'd long since you would come to this Chapter for I did suppose your Proofs and Testimonies out of Antiquity would be insignificant but if there be sufficient reason for the practice it might excuse in part altho in truth no human Reason should prevail against Christs Institution in such things as are the Sacraments meerly of Instituted Worship Phil. Gerson the Famous Chancellor of Paris eminent for his Books full of Piety and Learning was present at the Council of Constance and hath written in defence thereof and of their Act in prohibiting the Cup unto the Clergy and he gives the reason of the prohibition First c Casâ—aliquo profundi potuit circumgestari sine periculo nequit out of great Reverence to Christs pretious Blood which if communicated to many might be easily spilt upon the Earth by the Deacons stumbling who should carry it to the People d Aliqui Latcorum barbas habent Aliqui Paralytici sunt It might stick upon their Beards and a Palsie hand might shake and spill it Theoph. These Inconveniencies are accidental and if involuntary God will not impure Sin to them As for the Lay-mens Beards the Priests are not such Shavelings but that they may be liable unto the same Objection And the Disciples of Christ at Supper with him are pictur'd with very grave Beards And withal these Inconveniencies may follow the Bread Consecrated It may stick in their Teeth and the crumbs may fall to the ground and you know your Doctors teach that whole Christ Divinity Soul and Body are contain'd in every minute Particle of the Host Out of such pretended Reverence me thinks you might be as solicitous That the Pretious Body and Blood of Christ should