to the children of the faithfull and the predestinate is not necessarie and to the children of the faith-lesse not vvith standing that Christes bad his Apostles to baptise all nations vvhich then vvere infidels it is not bee giuen Mat. vlâ— then is there noe necessarie vse of baptisme bicause it seruethe to noe other purpose but to scale former iustice vvhich sealing is not necessarie bicause saluation is sure enoughe vvithout it or to bring vs into the Church by an external ceremonie vv ch is altogether need lesse bicause if it bee omitted children if they bee of faithfull parentes or predestinate are sanctified in their mothers vvomb and so before God are members of the Church and capable of saluation before and vvithout baptisme And thus baptisme is gone Novvv as concerning the blessed Sacrament of the Altare l. â—onf Lusheri Luther seemeth very liberall in this pointe affirming that Christes body is really and substantially in this Sacrament not by consecration but by vbiquitie For hee is of opinion that as Christes body is vnited to the diuinitie so it is in euery place vvhere the diuinitie is and consequently in the bread and vvine But vvhilest Luther thinketh to fill our mouthes in giuing vs bread vvith Christes fleshe he taketh avvay all true eating of Christes body and drinking of his blood For eating is a conveighaunce of meate from the mouthe into the stomake and therfore if Christes body bee euery vvhere vvith the diuinitie it can not bee eaten bicause is vvas before in the stomake and euery vvhere and so can not bee conveyghed by eating into the stomake bicause conveighaunce importeth a motion of a thinge to some place vvhere before it vvas not Caluine giueth vs a bare figure and an emptie signe auouching that Christe hathe giuen vs a figure of his body vvhich in substaunce is but common bread yet bicause Christe hathe made it a signe and figure of his body it is called Christes body as Caesars image is called Caesar Vvhich opinioÌ„ of Caluine maketh Christe a niggard and his sacrament of litle or noe importaunce For Christe althoughe hee made a great shevve of a magnificall supper yet according to Caluin his supper vvas not only inferiour to Assuerus his banquet but also to the meanest that euer vvas This supper Christe vvould haue to bee praefigured by the heauenly manna Exod 16. vvher vvith hee fed the Ievves in the deserte Io 6 Sap 6. Psal 77. by the paschal lambe vvhich the Ievves vvere commaunded to eate in remembraunce of their deliueraunce out of Aegipte Exod. 12. Gen. 14. by Melchisedeches sacrifice and diuerse others hee vvould also haue it fortold by Malachie the Prophet Mal. 2. sayinge that a cleane oblation shal be offered vnto him euery vvhere by the patriarch Iacob vvho fortold that the Messias should vvashe his stole Gen. 49. that is his humane nature vvith vvhich the diuinitie vvas clothed in the blood of grapes that is in his ovvne bloud vvhich hee called the bloud of grapes bicause it vvas to bee vealed vnder the formes of vvine 6 Mac. vvhich is called in scripture the bloud of the grape Hee vvould inuite also all the vvorld to this banquer exhorting them to eate the bread and to drinke the vvine vvhich hee hathe mingled for them Prou. 9. hee made this banquet also a litle before his deathe for a farevvell to his louinge and beloued spouse the Church and yet after all this ostentation after this solemne inuitation notvvithstanding also that the tyme of farevvell the dignitie of Christes person and the preemineÌ„ce of the nevve lavve aboue the olde required a moste sumptuouse banquet vvhen the supper vvas prepared it proued but bread and vvine and after all this boste the guestes vvho vvere bidden had noe roste at all but only an odour and smell of good cheare that is a bare signe and figure of Christes body and bloud Io. 6. And vvheras Christe promised a tvvelue-monethe before that hee vvould giue them another manner of meate and more excellente then manna vvas for sayeth he notvvithstanding that your forfathers vvere fedd vvith maÌ„na yet they dyed but vvhoe soeuer eateth of the bread vvhich I shall giue shall liue for euer yet if vvee beleeue Caluin he performed nothing lesse For if Christes bread bee but commoÌ„ bread in substaunce and only a signe of Christes fleshe vvhich is the true foode Ibidem then vvas not only manna but the Paschal lambe also farre more pretiouse then the bread of Christe For the Paschall lambe vvas fleshe Christes banquet is but bread and vvine in substaunce and as this is a figure of Christe so vvas that and a more apte figure Manna also vvas made by Angells handes and in the aire Christes bread or rather Caluins cake vvas moulded and baked by mennes handes and in no better place then the backhovvse maÌ„na had all tastes and delightes Sap. â— Christes bread if it bee noe better then Caluin maketh it hathe but one taste and that not very delicate And as Caluin sayeth that Christes breade is a signe and figure of Christe so vvas manna also as Christes breade stirres vp faithe bicause it is a signe so vvas manna as fitte for that purpose bicause it vvas a signe and as good a signe bicause it signified the same thinge vvhich giueth perfectioÌ„ vnto bothe signes Vvherfore vnlesse this Sacrament conteyne Christes bodye bloud in another manner then the signe conteineth the thinge vvhich it signifieth Christes banquet is no better yea it is not so good as manna vvas and so the veritie shal be inferiour to the figure But Caluin sayeth that this Sacrament is not a bare figure but such as bringeth vvith it the body and bloud of Christe and if hee did mean as he speaketh I vvould not dispute vvith him but vvould shake hands vvith him as vvith a Catholike l. 4. Inst c 1◠§. 11. These are his vvordes I say therfore that in the mystery of the Supper by the signes of bread and vvine Christe is truly deliuered yea and his body and his bloud And a litle before those vvordes he giueth the reason §. 10. bicause sayeth he Christes vvordes This is my body are so plaine that vnless a man vvill calle God a deceuer he can neuer be so bold as to saye that he setteth before vs an emptie signe And yet againe hee repeateth this his assertion §. 32. In his holy Supper Christe commaunds me vnder the signes of bread and vvine to eate his body and drinke his bloud and I nothing doubt but that bothe he doth truly deliuer them and I do receue them And least you should thinke that hee talketh only of eating receuing Christe spiritually by faithe Eodem cap. §. 6. he hathe preuented you by saying that hee meaneth really Hom. 60.61 ad pop and he alleageth Sainct Chrysostome vvho sayeth that Christe mingles his substaunce vvith ours in this Sacrament
hee is our God novve that these three are one God sainct Ihon vvill acertaine vs for sayeth he three ther are vvhich giue testimonie in heauen the father the vvord I. Io. 5. and the holy ghoste and these three are one No lesse pregnaunte proofes doth holy vvrit afforde vs for the incarnation in vv ch mysterie vve confess one diuine persone Christe Iesus to bee true God and man And first let the father speake for his sonne Mat. 3. This is my beloued sonne in vvhom I haue taken great pleasure Secondly let the disciple speake for his master cap. 18. thou art the sonne of the liuing God Let another disciple and no other then hee vvhome Iesus loued bicause hee loued tell vs his opinion in this point Io. ◠hee sayeth that in the beginning vvas the vvord and that the vvord vvas vvith God yea vvas God and after vvards hee sayeth that this vvord vvas made fleshe that is became man Let Christ him selfe bee credited also in this matter bicause hee is the truthe vvhen the Ievves told him that hee had not yet 50. Io. 8. yeares of age and therfore could not see Abrahame he ansvvered that hee vvas before Abraham and yet the same Christe is called by saint Mathevve Mat. 1. the sonne of Abrahame vvhich must needs argue tvvoe natures in one person of Christe the one diuine in respect of vvhich hee vvas before Abraham the other humaine by vvhich hee vvas after Abrahame as the sonne is after the father and so the selfe same person is God and man and that man Iesus that liued in earth and conuersed amongest vs is the naturall sonne of God the vvorde of God is the vvorde Incarnate vvho in respecte of his diuinitie vvas before Abrahame but in respect of his humain nature vvas longe after him Novv as cōcerning the third mysterie if I bring not as plaine texte for it as can be brought for the others I vvill yeeld the bucklers and graunt the victorie vnto my aduersarie But to auoid multitude of allegations I vvill make choise of tvvoe places only vv ch seeme to mee to bee the plainest And the first shal bee taken out of the Sixt of saint Ihon Io. 6. vvhich Chapter althoughe of some it bee expounded only of Spirituall eating of Christe yet by the common consent of Interpretours it speaketh not only of a spirituall but also of a Sacramentall and reall eating as shall be made moste manifeste For first our sauiour Christe to dispose them to a firme beleefe of this mysterie made such a multiplication and increase of fiue barley loaues tvvo fishes that hee fed and filled about fiue thousand persons thervvith and that so sufficiently that the fragmentes of the banquet vvere as much as the vvholle feast For if hee could make so much of a litle vvhy can hee not turne bread and vvine into his bodye and if hee could vvithout diminution of the feast satisfie so many vvhy may hee not feed vs all vvith his body vvithout diuision or diminution of the same And if after that fiue thousand had eaten their fill of the loaues and fishes the fragmentes and reliques vv ch they lefte vvere as muche as the feast vvith vv ch they vvere filled vvhy should it seeme impossible that Christes bodye should bee eaten of vs and yet remaine in the pix or Altar or that after that the communicantes haue receued it the Reliques vvhich they leaue should remaine still as great as the vvholle banquet vvas Secondly after that this miracle vvas vvrought bicause there vvas a great aggreemēr betvvixte it the blessed Sacrament thus hee taketh the occasion to discourse vvith them of it and to induce them to the beleefe of the same Amen Amē I say to you you seeke me not bicause You haue seen signes but bicause you did eate of the loaues and vvere filled so svvet a tast had that miraculous banquet and such contentmēt it gaue thoughe of it selfe it vvas meane that they follovved him for the good cheare hee made them but sayeth Christe vvorke not the meat that perisheth but that vvhich endureth to life euerlasting vvhich the sonne of man vvill giue you They ansvvered vvhat shall vvee do that vvee may vvorke the vvorkes of God This is the vvorke of God sayeth Christe that you beleeue in him vvhō he hathe sent Vvhat signe sayed they doest thou for vvhich vve should beleeue thee Our fathers did eate manna in the desert and God gaue them bread from heauen to eate Here Christe beginneth to close vvith them and to enter in to his intended discourse of the blessed sacrament True sayeth Christe but Moyses gaue you not that bread but my father only hath the giuing of bread from heauen Lord sayed they giue vs alvvayes this bread Iesus ansvvered I ame the bread of life At vv ch the Ievves murmured bicause they vnderstood him not And yet most fitly is he called the bread of life for first in Scripture all that nourisheth is called bread vvherfore seing that Christe is the food of our soule vvell is hee called bread and not vvhatsoeuer bread but the bread of life to distinguish him from common bread Secondly in scriptures vvhen one thing is chaunged into another that into vvhich the chaunge is made taketh the name of the thinge chaunged So the serpēt into vvhich Aarons rodd vvas chaunged is called a rodde Exod. 7. bicause it vvas made of a rodde vvherfore bicause bread vvas to be changed into Christes bodye and blood vvell is hee called bread Thirdly bicause his body vvas to bee couered vvith the formes of bread it is called bread bicause it hath the shevve and forme of bread Gen. 49. and for this cause his blood is called vvine and the blood of the grape bicause it vvas to be inuested as it vvere vvith the accidentes of vvine in the same blessed Sacrament But not vvithstanding the Ievves murmuration Christe vvill not eate his vvord but againe he repeateth it I ame the bread of life your fathers did eate manna in the desert and they dyed this is the bread that descended from heauen that if a man eate of it he dye not And I sayeth hee ame this liuing bread that came from heauen of vvhich hee that eateth shall liue for euer and the bread that I vvill giue is my fels he for the life of the vvorld Novve hee speaketh his mynde plainly and so plainly that he compareth the figure vvith the veritie manna vvith his bread of the blessed Sacrament and giues the preminence to the veritie for sayeth hee your fathers did eate of manna and yet dyed but my māna is a more soueraine viande bicause vvho soeuer eateth of it shall liue for euer Novv if it bee true that the blessed Euchariste is only a signe of Christ and his body and blood then I demaund of our aduersaries vvith vvhat shevve of truthe Christe could preferre it before manna Vvhy should Christes bread giue life
there in the Church for Anti-Christe to take a vvay then that of the masse Let the ghospellers name vs it if there bee or euer vvere any other Malachie the prophete or rather God by the mouthe of his prophete sayethe that he is vveary of the Ievves sacrtfices that his vvill is not amongest them and that henceforth hee vvill receiue no guiftes that is noe sacrifice vvhich is offered by their handes but sayeth hee From the rising of the sonne to the setting of the same my name shal be great amoÌ„gest the gentils and in euery place shal be offered vnto mee a cleane oblation And vvhat oblation or sacrifice is that Not the Ievvish facrifice bicause he sayeth this facrifice shal be offered amoÌ„ge the gentiles yea he protesteth that he is vveary of all Ievvish sacrifices Not the idolatricall sacrifices of the geÌ„tiles bicause he vvould neuer haue called them cleane sacrifices nether can they besaied truly to be offered vnto him but rather vnto the deuill Not improper sacrifices of prayer thankes giuing and good vvorkes bicause he compareth sacrifice vvith sacrifice and so promising a nevv sacrifice insteed of the olde as hereiecteth proper sacrifices so must he in licu of them prouide another proper sacrifice vvhich in the dignitie of a sacrifice surpasseth them all Yea by this cleane sacrifice according vnto the reformers opinion it is impossible that he should mean prayer thankes-giuing or such like good vvorkes bicause the best of these sacrifices in their opinion See the 〈◊〉 books are so vnclean that they are mortall sinnes and abominable in the sight of God Nether can he mean the sacrifices vvhich Iob and others offered amongest the gentils bicause he speakes of one sacrifice those vvere many and could bee noe cleaner then those of the levves yea those vvere oftered but in fevv places and so can not bee the facrifice vvhich Malachie sayeth shal be offered in euery place euen from the East to the vvest He speaketh therfore of a Sacrifice vvhich in the nevv lavve shal be a moste cleane and pleasing sacrifice and vvhich in all the partes of the Christian vvorld shal be offered vnto God And vvhat such sacrifice can the reformers name but the sacrifice of the masse Vvhat other oblation vvas euer counted a sacrifice in the Church vvhat other sacrifice is offered euery vvhere but the sacrifice of the masse vvhich is a moste cleane sacrifice not only in respecte of the out vvard forme vvhich is vnbloudy but also in respecte of the moste chaste pure virginall fleshe and bloud of Christe vv ch it conteineth Mat 26. Luc. 22. Mar 14. â— Cor 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this is the Sacrifice vvhich Christe offered at his laste supper vvhen taking bread and vvine in to his handes he blessed them and by blessing turning them into his sacred body and bloud he told his disciples that it vvas his body and bloud vvhich hee gauefor them In vvhich vvords he can meane noe other thing then the sacrifice of his body and bloud vvhich he offered vnder the formes of bread and vvine For to glosse those vvords as Caluin dothe as thoughe Christe had sayed this is my body that is this is a figure of my bodye vvhich shal be giuen for you is very violent and repugnaunt to the texte bicause the greeke texte vsethe the presentence vvhich is giuen for you vvhich is povvred out for you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And therfore vnderstandethe some thinge vvhich euen then vvas giuen for them And seing that Caluins bread and figure could only be sayed to bee giuen to them but not for them that vvhich then he gaue for them vvas his body and blood vvhich vnder the forme of bread and vvine he offered for them And seing that he bad his Apostles to doe as he had doone that is to offer the same sacrifice vvhich hee did for so muche the Latin vvorde facite in that place and vvith such circumstances importeth It must needes follovve that hee commaunded the Apostles and in them their successours to offer Sacrifice and the same sacrifice vv ch hee offered for his Apostles at his laste supper vvhich is the sacrifice of the masse This veritie I could proue more largely by other circumstances of this place especially according to the greeke and I could alleage that place of sainct Paule vvhere hee compares table to table 1. Cor. 10. that is altare to altare saying that vvee can not be pertakers of the table of our lord and of the deuill that is vve can not participate of that vvhich is offered on the altars of the gentils and of that also vvhich is offered on the Christians altare and out of this place I could proue that in sainct Paules tyme there vvas some thing offered on the Christians altars vvhich hee opposeth to that vvhich vvas offered on the paganes altars Hier. ep ad Marcellam Aug. l 16 cit c. 22 lib. â— cont â—â—uersarium egis c. 10 Damase l. 4. de fice c. 14. Theoph in c 5 Heb Arnob in Psal 109. I could also presse our aduersaries and oppresse then vvith the authoritie and multitude of fathers vvhoe all acknovvledge that Christe at his laste supper offered a sacrifice of his ovvne body and bloud vnder the forme of bread and vvine and that therby he vvas a preest according to the order of Melchisedech but this veritie I haue partely proued allready in prouing Christ to bee an aeternall Preest according to the order of Melchisedech partely I shall herafter proue vvheÌ„ in the laste booke vppoÌ„ occasioÌ„ I shall demonstrate the reall preseÌ„ce of Christes body bloud in the sacrameÌ„t of the Altare as for the fathers authoritie it vvere but loste labour to alleage it for any proofe of this veritie l. de abrog Missa bicause Luther hathe allready debarred vs froÌ„ suche proofes and vvill telle vs plaiÌ„ly that they are not to bee credited in this matter bicause they vvere but meÌ„ And Caluin also vvill tell mee l â— Instit c. â—◠§. 10. that seing that this supper is the supper of the lorde there is noe reason vvhy vvee should bee moued vvith any auctoritie of men or prescription of yeares Vvherfore let them cary avvay the bucklers let them be credited before practise of the Churche vvhich as yet allvvayes offered sacrifice before reason vvhich telleth vs that religion can not stande vvithout a sacrifice Mat. â—6 Luc 22. Mar. 4. 1. Cor. 11. before the plaine texte of scripture vvhich in plaine vvords affirmeth that Christe gaue his body and povvred out his bood at his laste supper for his disciples vvhich vvords can importe noe lesse then a sacrifice before all fathers also bicause they vvere but men and our reformers as it seemes are godds let theÌ„ gaine the gole and gette the victorie in this coÌ„trouersie vvhat shall they game therby truly only this that amoÌ„gest them is noe religion For if they haue noe
not only by faithe but also in very deed Vvhat thinke you novv of this man is he not a Catholike do the hee not really auouch the reall presence But if you vnmaske this vvilye fellovve you shall see a vvolfe vnder a sheepes skinne for the same Caluin in the same chapter in plaine vvordes telles you Sect. 20.21.22 that Christe is not really in this Sacrament nor any vvhere else out of heauen but yet sayeth he the bread vvine is called the body and bloud of Christe by a figure vvhich calleth the signe by the name of the thinge it selfe as the Arke or rocke may be called Christe bicause it vvas a figure of Christe Vvhat meaneth he then vvhen he sayeth that vvith the signe vvee receue the body and bloud of Christe verily His meaning is Sect. 16. that althoughe Christes substaunce be as farre from this Sacrament as heauen is from earthe yet bicause this signe stirreth vp faithe and faithe apprehendeth Christ by this signe and vvith it vve receue the body bloud of Christe But here Caluin seemeth to go from him selfe Supra for as you haue hard he sayed before that vvee eate not Christ only by faithe but also in very deed yet to saue him selfe from coÌ„tradiction he hathe deuised a subtile distinction Sect. 5. I graunt sayeth he that ther be that in one vvorde define that to eate the body of Christe and to drinke his bloud is nothing else but to beleeue in Christe but I say that the flesh of Christe is eaten by beleeuing bicause by faith it is made ours So that Caluin is of opinion that this Sacrament is but a signe and conteineth not really the body and blood of Christe but yet bicause this signe stirreth vp faithe vvhich apprehendeth Christes body vve receue verilie the body blood of Christe vvith this signe and by it bicause faithe apprehending Christe vniteth him vnto vs and maketh him verily our ovvne This is Caluins opinion Out of vvhich let vs take as graunted that Christes body and blood is not really conteined in the Sacrament and consequently that this sacrameÌ„t is no better yea nor so good as manna vvas vvhich vvas as good a signe of Christe as this SacrameÌ„t is if this coÌ„teine not Christe really vvas as apte to stirre vp faithe SecoÌ„dly let vs proue that if Christe bee not really in this Sacramente that faithe can not really vnite him vnto vs and consequently that in and by this Sacrament vve can in noe vvise really bee pertakers of Christes body and blood For proofe vvherof I demaund of Calnin hovve faithe can really conioine vs vvith Christe ether this faythe really plucketh Christe out of heauen vvhich Caluin nether can saye bicause faithe is but an apprehension nether vvill saye bicause he sayeth that Christes body since his asceÌ„sion vvas neuer out of heaueÌ„ or else it really lifteth vs vp to heauen vvhich is against experience and so can not really vnite Christe vnto vs bicause it nether bringethe him really vnto vs nor vs vnto him And so in beleuing in Christe by faithe vvhich is but an apprehension of the vnderstanding vve do noe more really eate the body of Christe then dothe the hongrye man his dinner vvhen he apprehendeth and desireth it but can not haue it And so Caluins boste is greater then his roste and his promise is more ample then his performauÌ„ce and Christes supper is but a bare signe and noe roste at all but only a sauour and signe of good cheare and our eating is noe reall eating but only a naked apprehension And seing that preaching and pictures can better stirre vp faithe then bread and vvine can doe this Sacrament of Christe is altogether needlesse bicause as good neuer a vvhit as neuer the better And so my intended conclusion follovveth to vvitte that amongest our reformers there is noe religion bicause fiue or six of seuen Sacramentes they haue quite taken avvay and the other in vvhich all of them aggree to vvit baptisme and the Eucharist they haue so disgraced and defaced that they are to litle purpose and so they haue no religion bicause noe Sacramentes noe religion The Sixte Chapter shevveth that according to their doctrine they can haue no prayer and consequently noe religion ONe of the greatest benefits vvhich God hathe bestovved on man is prayer by vvhich man hathe accesse vnto God and the creature is admitted vnto the speeche of his Creatour in Psal 75. and flesh blood conuerseth familiarly vvith the diuinitie for as saint Austine sayethe vvhen vve read scriptures vvhich are the vvord of God then god speaketh to vs but vvhen vvee occupie our selues in prayer theÌ„ doe vve speake familiarly vnto God vvhich is so great a thing that Angels dare not do it vvithout couering their faces vvith their immortall vvinges blushing to appeare before such Maiestie and treÌ„bling to speake to a Prince so mightie Prayer is honourable to God honourable also and profitable to our selues it is honourable to God bicause it is an acte of religion by vvhich vvee prostrate euen our soules and spirits vnto God acknovvledging him the supreme essence fountaine and autour of all goodnesse and our selues his needy and naked creatures vvho haue nothing of our selues yea nothing not from him not so much as our our selues bicause he gaue vs our selues being for nothing and of nothing It is honourable to our selues first bicause it aequalizeth vs vvith Angels making vs Queresters of their chappell vvhere by prayer vvee ioine voices vvith them in praysing God as they do and praying vnto him Secondly bicause it procureth familiare conuersation vvith God vvhich is so honourable a thing and so rayseth vs in state and dignitie as allmost nothing more Orat. 1. de orando Dâ—â— For as sainct Chrisostome sayethe if it bee suche an honour to conuerse familiarly vvith Caesar that suche meÌ„ thoughe other vvise neuer so base and poore can not vvhilest they are in this credit vvith him be any more ether base or poore hovve can they vvho in prayer coÌ„uerse dayly and familiarly vvith the diuine maiestie be of base or lovv condition It is profitable also vnto vs bicause by it vvee obteine at gods handes vvhat is expedient for vs. For god is the Source and fouÌ„taine of all goodnesse and perfection sufficient of him selfe and vvith in him selfe needing not in any thing the helpe of any Psal 15. To vvhom vvhen vve haue giuen all the prayses and offered all the Hecatombes and sacrifices in the vvorld vve haue not abettered his state or his person and vvhen vve haue reuiled him and blasphemed him to the vttermoste of our mallice vve haue not made him a iotte the vvorse but maÌ„ in that he is a creature is depeÌ„dent of his Creatour noe lesse yea more then the riuers of the fountaine the branches of the tree or the soÌ„ne beames of the Sonne vvho of him selfe hathe nothing yea is nothing but is to
accustomed to figures vvhose vvholle lavve vvas figuratiue and they cā easilie conceue hovve thy maye eate thee spiritually by faithe bicause that is only to beleeue in Christe and the Messias vvhich thy disciples that stagger at these thy vvords do allready beleeue and all their forfathers haue longe since beleeued But Christe vvill giue them no suche easie ansvvere vvhich argevveth that hee spoake nether of figuratiue eating only nor of spirituall eating only but of reall eating of his flesh thoughe in a spirituall manner Vvhat then ansvverethe our blessed Sauiour vnto these afflicted people nothing at all more then vvhich allready hee hathe ansvvered but rather novve hee turneth to the tvvelue Apostles saying Vvhat vvill you therfore departe As if hee had sayed I haue told you a highe mysterie at vvhich many murmure many are scandalized and for vv ch many haue lefte mee also but I haue no other thīg to saye faithe is here required vvithout vvhich none can come to mee or my father none can beleeue this mysterie but they that vvill not captiuate their vnderstanding to the obedience of faithe let them goe but vvill you my tvvelue vvho are vsed to my parables and mysteries be gone also Sainct Peter ansvvereth for all tvvelue not knovvīg Iudas infidelitie vvhom not vvithstanding Christe calleth a deuil for the same Lord to vvhome shall vvee goe thou hast the vvordes of eternall life Out of this discourse I gather tvvoe thīges for my purpose first that the Ievves vnderstood Christe not of a figuratiue or spirituall eating by faithe bicause such eating could not haue scandalized them vvho vvere accustomed to spiritual eating nether vvould such meates haue gone against their stomake bicause figuratiue dishes vvere their ordinarie fare Secondly I gather that Christe meant not figuratiue or spiritual eating only but sacramentall and reall eating For if hee had meant so hee noe doubte vvould haue explicated him selfe to take avvay all occasion of offence and scandall vvhich they conceued bicause they vnderstood him of reall eating as is proued or if Caluin vvill needs haue it that Christe meant only figuratiue and spirituall eating hee must needes say vvith all that christe vvas most cruel and peremptorie and that hee endeuoured rather to deceue soules then to saue them to blinde them rather thē to illuminate them vvhoe thoughe he perceiued that they vnderstood him of his fleshe vvhich scandalized them yet vvould not vouchsafe to tell them that hee meant only a figuratiue and spirituall eating that so vvith a vvord hee might haue taken a vvaye the scandall taught them the truthe and giuen the deceued soules satisfaction My second argument Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Lu◠22. 1. Cor. 11. shal be deduced out of the vvords of our Sauiour vvhich hee vsed in the institution of this Sacrament This is my body this is my bloud or this is the Chalice of my bloud Vvhat could hee haue sayed more plainly Tel me Caluin if Christe vvould haue giuen vs to vnderstand that hee meant to giue vs no bare figure but his true body vvhat playner vvords could hee haue vsed hee might haue sayed sayeth Caluin This is my true bodye but might not yet Caluin haue vsed his ordinarie glosse and haue sayed that hee ment only to saye that it is the true figure of his body or the figure of his true body And I demaund of Caluin vvhether Christe vvas able to turne bread in to his body as before hee had turned vvater into vvine and multiplied the loaues and fishes If hee saye hee could not Io 2. Io. 6. I aske vvhy If hee ansvvere bicause it seemeth impossible I must needes tell him that he taketh much vppon him in confining God his povver vvithin the narrovv compasse of his shalovv head as thoughe God could do iuste as much as Caluin can conceue but no more All the ancient fathers thoughe they could not conceue this mysterie yet bicause Christe calleth that vvhich vvas in his handes his body do confesse that Christ vvas able to do it bicause they knevv hee could doe more then they could conceue And vvhy could hee not do this as vvell as hee hathe done the like speake Caluin and tell vs vvhere lyeth the difficultie vvhich maketh thee vvith Iudas and the Capharnaites to thinke that Christe can not giue vs his body reallye ether thy reason is bicause hee can not turne bread into a mans bodye and vvhy I pray the can he not as vvell turne one thing into another as create a thing of nothing Vvhy can he not turne bread into his body and vvine into his blood Io. 2. Exod. 2. Psal 77. Exod 7. vvho turned vvater into vvine a rodde into a serpent and a serpent into a rodde and a rocke into vvater Yea he that turned vvater into bloud can he not turne vvine into bloud Or else the reason is bicause a mans body can not bee in so litle a roome as is a litle hoste or a litle peece of the same And vvhy can hee not make a great bodye to bee in a litle roome as hee can make tvvoe bodyes by penetration Mat. 1.2 Mar. 16. Lu. 24. to bee in one roome vvithout enlarging the place vvhich hee did vvhen by penetration hee issued out of the virgins vvomb vvithout breaking her virginal closett and vvhen hee came out of his graue vvithout remouing the stone entered into his disciples the dore being shut and passed thoroughe all the heauens in his Ascension vvithout diuision of those incorruptible bodyes or else the reasō is bicause one body cā not bee in diuerse places And vvhy maye not one body bee in diuers places as vvel as diuerse bodyes by penetration vvere in one place in his natiuitie and resurrection in his entraunce into the hovvse vvhere his disciples vvere and in his ascension into heauen and aboue all the heauens Breefly it is noe more repugnaunt for a body to bee in a litle roome or in diuerse places at once then for a mans body to stand vpirght vppon the vvater and not to sinke Mat. 14.4 Reg. 6. as Christes and saint Peters bodyes did or for a heauy body to ascend in the vvater as the head of a hatcher did nether is it more impossible for a body to occupie more place then the ovvne quantitie is then for a body to liue a longer age then nature vvill afforde yet Exechias liued longer and Elias and Henoch are as yet liuing But Caluin vvill saye that it is noe more necessarie to vnderstād Christe really in these vvordes this is my body then in diuerse others in vvhich hee sayeth I ame the dore I ame the vine or in those Christe vvas the rocke or in those behold the lambe of God But by Caluins leaue ther is much more reason vvhy vve should vnderstand Christe really in those vvorde This is my body then in the other vvordes alleaged For vvhen Christe sayed This is my body hee made his laste vvill and testament at vvhich
tyme men speake plaine and not in parables or figures least that the heyres should take occasion to vvrangle and to sevve eche other in the lavv about the meaning of â—he vvill Hee spoake also those vvordes â—o his Apostles Luc. 8. to vvhome hee vsed not â—o speake in parables but in plaine vvordes or if hee chaunced to speake obscureâ—y to them Mat. 14.15 Io. 16. they vsed to desire him to explicate him selfe vvhich here they did not or else some one of the Euangelistes vvould haue explicated this figuratiue speeche as they vsed in other matters to doe yea vvhen Christe spoake these vvordes hee lifted vp his eyes to heauen blessed the bread vvhich hee neuer did but some great miracle follovved as appeareth by the miracle of the multiplication of loaues and fishes Io. 6. and such like vvhich argevveth some real chaung in the substaunce of bread vvhich can be no other theÌ„ transubstatiation the very vvords this is my body importing no lesse secoÌ„dly hee sayed in the present-teÌ„se this is my body vvhich is giuen for you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is my bloud vvhich is shedd for you For so the great texte teacheth vs vvhich addition also argueth some thing that then vvas offred for them and seing that bread and vvine could only be offered to them but not for them nor for remission of their sinnes it follovveth that Christe then made an oblation and sacrifice vnbloudy of his body and bloud as is before vppoÌ„ another occasion proued vvhich sainct 1. Cor â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paule confirmeth saying that Christ sayed This is my body vvhich for you is broken for so the greeke vvorde signifieth to signifie that Christes body vvas really vnder the accidentes of bread and vvine else it could not laue been sayed to haue beene broken in respect of the accidents of bread vvhich are broken vvherfore saint Chrisostome sayed that Christe vvho vvould suffer no bones to bee broken on the crosse vvas broken in the Sacrament Thirdly if Christe had giuen them but bare bread or a bare signe of his body hee vvould neuer haue added this is my body vvhich is giuen for you bicause that argueth a reall giuing of his real body and thetfore vvheÌ„ hee sayed I ame the vine hee added not vvhoe suffred on the crosse nor any suche like vvordes and althoughe pointing to the image of Cesar vve saye sometymes behold Cesar or this is Cesar yet not so aptly can vve saye of the image this is Cesar that ouercame Pompey bicause that addition argevveth Cesar in person Fourthly vvhen vve speake metaphorically vvee name and expresse the thinge so Christe expressed him selfe vvhen he sayed I ame a vine so sainct Paule named him expressely vvhen hee sayed Christe vvas a rocke so sainct Ihon pointed at him vvhen hee sayed beholde the lambe of God and seing that Christe remaining Christe can not bee trulye a vine a rocke or a lambe vvee easily perceue that suche speeches are to be taken metaphorically And so if Christe had sayed this bread is my body vvee must haue vnderstood him figuratiuely and metaphorically bicause bread remaining bread can not bee really his body but for as much as Christe sayed only in confuso confusedly this is my body vvee must vnderstand him really and so the sense of these vvordes must bee this vv ch I haue in my handes is truly and really my body Lastly the greeke text in sainct Luke is sufficient to demonstrate this veritie c. 22. vvhere speaking of the chalice he hathe these vvordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By vvhich it is plaine that the pronoune vvhich is referred vnto the chalice vv ch in the greeke is of the neutergender as also the pronovvn vvhich is And so this is the sense of those vvordes This is the chalice the nevv testament in my blood vvhich chalice is shed for you Vvhere the continent is taken for the conteyned for the materiall chalice or cupp can not bee shed and seing that vvine can not bee sayed to bee shed for vs it must needes follovv that Christes blood vvas in the chalice bicause that only vvas shed for vs. Vvhich text is so plaine In Annot. that Beza confesseth that it must needes be translated quod pro vobis funditur vvhich chalice is shed for you if vve vvill follovv the Grammaticall construction yet bicause thus hee maketh an argument against him selfe hee translateth it qui pro vobis funditur vvhich blood is shed for you saying that thus it should bee and that ether the Euangelist made a sollecisme or that the text is corrupted But in the one hee is very saucie to correcte the Euangelist in the other hee lyeth bicause all the greeke copies haue it as I haue set it dovvne By this it is manifest that as Christe promised that hee vvould giue his body and bloud to bee eaten and dronken really as is proued in the first argument so he gaue really his body and bloud to his Apostles at his last supper vnder the formes and accidents of bread and vvine And so the texte and letter of Scripture is plain for the real presence and that the letter is to bee vnderstood really as it soundeth and not metaphorically tropically or figuratiuely I haue proued by many coniectures and not only coniecturs but by a plaine discourse of Christe vvith his disciples in the first argument and by many circumstances and euident signes in the second argument Yet bicause euery man must bee beleeued in his Arte especially vvheÌ„ there is no suspicion of partialitie I vvill proue the meaning of Christes vvordes to bee reall and literall and not figuratiue or spirituall only by the authoritie of the ancient fathers vvhose arte and profession vvas to interprete scriptures in vvhich also they vvere so couning that for the same they are as famous amongest Christians as Aristotle for Philosophie or Cicero for eloquence Homer Virgil and Ouid for Poetrie Liuie and Salust for historie vvho also can not be suspected to fauour partiallie one side rather then another bicause they are more ancient theÌ„ ether the Catholikes or the Reformers of this tyme. And hauing these meÌ„ on my side I vvill not feare to shevve my selfe in the feeld against all the reformers in the vvorld bicause hauing them on my side I shall haue many moe to fight for mee then against mee And as hauing theÌ„ on my side I may take courage so my aduersaries if they had any forheade vvould be ashamed so fevve to stande in feeld against so many so younge vpstartes agaiÌ„st so ancieÌ„t Captaines vvho most of them haue vanquished one Arch-heritike and sectmaster or other by their lerned vvritinges so vnlearned against so learned so vicious against so renovvmed Saintes and so light ministers against so graue Pastours and Prelates But bicause a Chapter is not a feeld large and spaciours enoughe to muster all these souldious of Christe together I vvill only bringe forthe a fevve of
them and those that speake most plainly and consequeÌ„tly do strike most forcibly and for the others I vvill referre the Reader to Cardinal Bellarmine Suarez Gregorius de Valentia and others vvho haue brought them all into the feeld and placed euery one of them in his ranke and station that is in the tyme and age in vvhich he liued And bicause all these fathers ether expressely do interpret the vvords afore sayed This is my body or at least do ground them selues vppon them or allude vnto them their sayings may vvel serue for interpretations of the texte alleaged Ignatius sainct Paules Scholler hath these vvords Ep. ad Rom. non gaudeo corruptibili nutrimento panem Dei volo panem caelestem qui est caro Christi Filij Dei viui potum volo sanguinem eius I reioice not in corruptible nutriment I vvill haue the bread of God he alludeth to Christes vvords in sainct Ihon Io. 6. vvhere hee calleth him selfe bread the heauenly bread vvhich is the flesh of Christe and the sonne of the liuiug God and I vvill haue the drinke vv ch is his bloud To vvhich vvords Caluin can not shape any reasonable ansvvere vnless hee vse much violeÌ„ce in vvresting the texte for he calles the Euchariste incorruptible nurriment Caluins Supper is as corruptible as bread he calles it the bread of God and bread celestial alluding to Christes vvordes Io. 61 vvho of his ovvn fleshe and not of common bread pronounced those vvordes I ame the liuing bread vvhich descended from heauen Caluins bread hathe no higher source origin from vvhich it is descended then the backhovvse or ouen This bread hee calleth the fleshe of Christ the Sonne of God and this drinke hee auoucheth to be the bloud of Christe vvheras Caluins bread and vvine is but bread and vvine or to make the moste that may bee of it is but a signe of the fleshe and blood of Christe but in deed it is noe signe nor sacrameÌ„t at all bicause Christ instituted that bread for a signe and sacrament vvhich is consecrated by a consecrated Preest vvhich consecration Caluins bread hathe not bicause his ministers are no Preestes as I haue demonstrated See ye fourth booke chap. â—â— But bicause Caluin might by a violeÌ„t glosse affirme that Ignatius calleth the Eucharist incorruptible meate celestial and the bread of God bicause it is a signe of Christes flesh vvhich is incorruptible and celestial the bread of God! I vvill bringe places that can admitte noe glossing And first of all I vvill bring some fathers vvho saye that this Sacrament is not a bare figure but is the true flesh of Christe Saint Chrysostome that golden Mouthe of the Churche of Christe stoppeth Caluins mouthe vvith these vvords Semetipsum nobis commiscet non fide tantum Ho. 61. ad pop verum reipsa nos suum corpus efficit he dothe mingle him selfe vvith vs and not only by faithe but also in very deed he maketh vs his body Caluin sayethe that vvee eate Christe only by faithe and consequently that his substaunce is not really vnited to our substance bicause according to his opinion they are distante as farre as heauen and earth but sainct Chrisostome sayeth that Christes substaunce in this Sacrament is mingled vvith ours not only by faithe but also in very deed ergo in very deed Christes body is in the sacrament and by meanes of the sacrament in the receuers also and communicantes Theophilactus vvriting vppon the sixte of sainct Ihon speaketh Theoph. in c. 6.10 if it bee possible more plainly Attende autem quod panis qui à nobis in mysterijs manducatur non est tantum figuratio quaedam carnis Domini sed est ipsa caro Domini Marke that the bread vvhich is eaten of vs in the mysteries is not a figuration that is an expression or figure of the flesh of our Lord but it is the very flesh of our Lord. hovv is it possible for the greatest Papist that is to speake more plainly Hilarius speaketh as plainly as if he stroue vvho should speake most plainly De veritate carnis l. â— Trin. sanguinis non est relictus ambigendi locus nunc enim ipsius Domini professione fide nostra verè caro est verè sanguis est Of the veritie of the flesh and bloud ther is no place lefte to doubte for novve both by our Lords profession and by our faithe it is truly fleshe and truly blood Vvhere the vvordes veritie and truly are clean opposite to Caluins figures and spiritual maÌ„ducation Secondly the fathers admire hovve Christes body remaining in heauen is not vvithstanding receued of vs in the blessed Sacrament Saint Chrysostome as a man astonished exclameth in this sorte O miraculum ô Dei benignitatem l. 3. de Saâ—erd qui cum Patre sursum sedet in illo ipso temporis momento omnium manibus contrectatur O Miracle ô Gods benignitie he that sitteth aboue vvith his father in that very moment that is in tyme of Consecration and Communion is handled in euery ones handes Novv if Christe be only in the Sacrament as in a signe or figure vvhat miracle is ther here vvorthy such an exclamation For so Christe is only really and in his ovvn person in heauen and in earthe hee is but as in his Image and consequently it is no greater a miracle then that the King at the same tyme should be really in his chamber of presence and yet figurately in as many other places as he hathe coynes or images Yea this miracle the vintner maketh dayly vvhose vvine is really in the caue or Celler and at the same tyme in the Iuiebushe vvhich is vvithout the Celler bicause in it the vvine is as in a signe Saint Austine vvondreth hovv Christe caryed him selfe in his ovvn haÌ„des vvheÌ„ he sayed this is my body Cano. 1. in Ps 33. vvhich is no vvonder if the Sacrament be but a figure and signe of him for so he caryeth him selfe vvhoe caryeth his ovvn image Thirdly the fathers coÌ„pare this sacrament vvith straunge and miraculous mutations Li 4. c. 34. Cat. 4.5 l. de â—js qui initiaÌ„ 〈…〉 9. su 〈◊〉 Iren l. 3. c. 12. Ab. l. 4. de see c. 4.9 Ireneus and Cirillus compare it vvith the Incarnation sainct Ambrose coÌ„pares it vvith the creation of the vvorld and the Natiuitie of Christe of the Virgin Mother The same Ireneus and sainct Ambrose liken it to the conuersioÌ„ of the rodd into a serpent of vvater into bloud and of the rocke into vvater vvhich straunge mutations vvere vvrought by Moyses in Aegipte in the desert Vvhich comparisons vvere very foolishe if the bread and vvine had no other mutatioÌ„ then that of bare bread and vvine they are made a signe and as vvell might they coÌ„pare an Iuie-bush vnto the same mutatioÌ„s bicause the Iuie-bushe vvheÌ„ it is haÌ„ged before the Inne of no signe is made a signe
Psal 8â—â— Heb. 7. and the Prophet Dauid and the Apostle sainct Paule avouch it vvee must needs haue a sacrifice by vvhich he resembled his sacrifice and vvas a preest according to his order Heb. â— 7 And this sainct Paule proueth at large by diuers coÌ„ueniences vvhich vvere betvvixt these tvvo preests and their sacrifices For as Melchisedech vvas a King and preest a King of Salem that is of peace so vvas Christ As Melchisedech hath nether father nor mother recorded in Scripture so Christ as man had no father and as God no Mother As Melchisedechs preesthood descended not by carnall generation so nether did Christes Preesthood As Melchisedechs preesthood vvas aeternall bicause nether the begining nor ending is set doovvn in scripture so Christs Preesthood hathe noe ende as Dauid affirmeth Psal 10â— As Melchisedechs Preesthood vvas of higher perfection then the Preesthood of Aaron for Melchisedech blessed Abraham and in him the vvhole Tribe of Leuie Gen. 100 Heb. â— vvhich argueth Superioritie so vvas Christ and his Preesthood farre aboue Aaron and his Preesthood lastly as Melchisedech offered a sacrifice of bread and vvine so Christ offered his body and blood in his hast supper vnder the formes and accidents of bread and vvine And this last conuenience is that for vvhich Christ especially is sayed to bee according vnto the order of Melchisedech not that he is of the same order or that his sacrifice and Melchisedechs are all one for Christ his Preesthood sacrifice farre excelled his Presthood and his sacrifice but bicause there is most resemblaunce betvvixt them and their sacrifices And this last conuenience sainct Paule expressed not bicause the Ievves to vvhom he vvrote vvere not capable of so highe a Mysterie yet as the fathers note he insinuated it vvhen speaking of Christe vvhom he had before called Preest and Bishop according to the order of Melchisedech he added Heb. â— Of vvhoÌ„ vve haue great speech and inexplicable to vtter bicause you are become vveake to heare This dignitie of an aeternall Preest according vnto the order of Melchisedeche Psal 109. Heb. 5.7 vvhich the Prophet Dauid and the Apostle sainct Paule giue vnto our Sauiour Christe our Ghospellers vvho vaunte that they giue all vnto Christ sacrilegiously take from him For althoughe they graunt that Christ offered a sacrifice on the crosse yet that is not sufficient to make him an aeternall preest nor according to the order of Melchisedech And this shall appear most plainly by this discourse Betvvixt a Preest and sacrifice is a necessary relation by vvhich one inferreth the other for as a father can not bee vvithout a sonne nor a master vvithout a seruaunt Heb. â— so nether can a preest bee vvithout a sacrifice bicause a Preests principall office is to offer sacrifices to God And as noe sonne noe father noe seruauÌ„t noe Master soe noe sacrifice noe Preest And as a Preest can not bee vvithout a sacrifice so nether can an eternall Preest bee vvithout an aeternall sacrifice Vvherfore if Christ neuer offered other sacrifice then that of the crosse as our aduersaries affirme then is he not a perpetuall Preest bicause he hathe noe sacrifice vvhich ether by him selfe or by his ministers is perpetually offerred To say that the sacrifice of the crosse still remayneth in effect bicause by that vve receue grace and redemption and from that our sacramentes haue their efficacie is not sufficient For the effects of this sacrifice are noe sacrifice and the sacrifice it selfe is not perpetuall bicause it vvas but once offered and so that sacrifice is not sufficient to make Christ an aeternall Preest Much less can it make Christe a Preest according to the order of Melchisedech bicause there is noe resemblauÌ„ce betvvixt their sacrifices If our aduersaries vvould graunt as Catholikes do that Christ in his last supper offered him self as a sacrifice vnder the forme of bread and vvine I could easily see hovv Christ is an aeternall Preest according to Melchisedechs order bicause that sacrifice is still offered in the masse by the handes of Christs ministers and altogether resembleth Melchisedechs sacrifice bicause though it bee not bread and vvine as his vvas yet hathe it the formes of bread and vvine and is vnbloudy as his vvas But rather then they vvill graunt this such is their hatred against the Masse they vvill deny agaiÌ„st flatte scripture that Melchisedechs bread and vvine vvas a sacrifice I saye against flat scripture Gen. 14. bicause in the booke of Genesis Moyses recounteth vnto vs hovv Melchisedech brought forth bread and vvine bicause he vvas a Preest of God the highest vvhich reason arguethe that that bringing for the of bread and vvine vvas an offering of bread and vvine in manner of a sacrifice for if that bringing forth vvas but a prophane distribution of bread and vvine amongest Abrahames souldiours vvhat consequence had beene in that saing he brought forth bread and vvine bicause he vvas a Preest as vvell might he haue sayed bicause he vvas a painter better more to the purpose should he haue sayed bicause he vvas a Baker or an Inkeeper or a good hovvsekeeper vvherfore vnless vve vvill say that Moyses spake impertinently vve must affirme that his bread and vvine vvas a sacrifice And if vvee vvill hold Christ to bee an aeternall Preest and that according to Melchisedechs order vve must acknovvledge that Christ still offerreth a sacrifice in the Church and that vnder the formes of bread vvine Vvherfore seing that our aduersaries vvill acknovvledge noe other sacrifice then that of the crosse they deny Christ to bee an aeternall Preest in that they auouch that Christ neuer offered any sacrifice vnder the formes of bread and vvine least they should be enforced to admitte the masse for a sacrifice they deny him to bee a Preest according to the order of Melchisedech For allthoughe hee aggree vvith Melchisedech in that as God hee had noe mother and as man he had noe father as also in that hee vvas a King and Preest as hee vvas yet can hee not bee an aeternall Preest vvithout an aeternall sacrifice nether according to Melchisedeches order vnlesse hee haue a sacrifice like vnto his sacrifice but bothe these pointes our aduersaries deny bicause they vvill not admitt the masse ergo notvvithstaÌ„ding their bragging that they giue all to Christ they robbe him and despoyle him of that gloriouse title of an aeternall Preest according vnto Melchisedeches order Psal 109. Heb. 7. vvhich sainct Paule and King Dauid giue vnto him and God him selfe auoucheth and confirmeth vvith an othe The seventh chapter shevveth hovv they make him no Iudge of the quicke and the dead NOthing more frequent in scripture nor more common in the mouthes and hartes of true Christians then the vvo aduentes coÌ„minges of Christe The first Aduent he hath allready perfourmed in all humilitie The second he vvill perfourme in all maiestie and glory the cause of the first vvas
sacrifice as they confesse that they haue not and in deed they haue not if sacrifice as being the principall office of religion and proper vnto God as is proued is so necessarily required that vvithout it regilgioÌ„ can in no vvise bee supported the coÌ„clusion to vvâ—hich my former discourse driueth must needs follovve to vvit that tâ—e reformers haue noe religion bicause noe sacrifice noe reilgioÌ„ And seing that in the Catholike and Romain Churche only is founde a sacrifice like to Melchisedechs and correspondent to that of vvhich Daniel and Malachie haue fortold as the Sacrifice of the nevv lavve and the same vvhich Christe offered at his laste supper and commaunded to bee offered by his Apostles and their successours it follovvethe that the Catholike Churche is the true Church of Christe and that in it only is practised true faithe and true religion The third Chapter shevveth hovv the reformers amongest them haue reiected all the SacrameÌ„ts and so can haue noe religion bicause SacrameÌ„ts and religion euer goe to together IT is a common opinion amongest the holy fathers and diuines that since the falle of Adam SacrameÌ„tes vvere alvvayes necessary partely to declare mans dutye tovvards God and partely for maÌ„s ovvne instruction For first man being composed of soule and body vvas to serue God not only vvith invvard affectioÌ„s but allso by outvvard and visible signes Secondly bicause he vvas to receiue grace from Christe against the maladie of sinne into vvhich he vvas fallen he vvas also to professe his faythe in Christe from vvhome this grace proceedeth and to acknovvledge it as desceÌ„ding from his passion by visible signes and figures such as Abels sacrifice and Circumcision vvere in the lavv of nature and such as the Paschal lambe and other sacraments vvere in the lavve of Moyses and such as baptisme and the sacrament of the Altare are in the lavve of grace Thirdly bicause he had offeÌ„ded God by vse of corporall thinges it vvas conuenient that by corporall and sensible Sacramentes and by the religious vse of the same he should restore God his honour vvhich sinne had taken from him and make him satisfaction by such thinges as he had done him iniurie For mans behalfe also Sacraments since Adames sinne vvere alvvayes requisite Gen. 3. For first bicause mannes sinne proceeded of pride and a desire to bee like to God in knovvledge of good and euill it vvas conuenient for mans humiliation that hee should be set to Schole Prou. 6. to learne not only of the Ante diligence and of other brute beastes other vertues but also of these senseles creatures such as SacrameÌ„ts are his faithe and religion Vvherfore as the Paschall lambe brought the Ievves into a gratefull remeÌ„braunce of their deliuerie and passage from Egipte and Circumcision did put theÌ„ in mynde of a spirituall Circumcision Rom. 6. So Baptisme setteth before our eyes the buriall and Resurrection of Christe For vvhen the infante is dipped into the vvater vvee thinke of Christes buriall and vvhen hee is lifted vp a nevv creature regenerated to a nevve life vvee call to mynde the resurrection by vvhich Christe is risen to a nevv and an immortall life And in the Sacred Euchariste vvhich by the formes of bread representeth the body of Christe and by the accidentes of vvine the bloud of Christe aparte Mat. 26. vve commemorate the deathe and Passion of Christe Secondly as man by sinne had preferred the creature before the Creatour so vvas it meet and conuenient that he should as it vvere begge grace and seeke his saluation by the meanes of these sensibles signes and Sacraments vvhich are farre inferiour vnto him in nature Lastly as by abuse of corporall creatures he had vvounded his soule by sinne so vvas it expediente that by vse of the same his diseases and spirituall sores should be recured And so it vvas moste requisite that Christe in the nevv lavve should institute seÌ„sible signes and Sacraments â—i 19. cont â—eust c. 10. And therfore sainct Austine sayeth that as yet neuer any societie could ioyne in one religion and vvorship of God but by the vse of the same Sacramentes In vvhich pointe the reformers aggree vvhith vs for they all avouch Suenkfeldius only excepted and some other Libertines that Sacramentes are necessarie but in the number they vary not only from the Catholikes but also from one another The Catholike Churche hathe euer vsed seauen sacramentes vvhich are Baptisme Confirmation the Sacramen-of the Altare Penaunce Order Mariadge and Extreme vnction â— p q. 65. a. â— Vvhich number sainct Thomas the diuine proueth by a very pregnaunte reason or rather similitude vvhich is betvvixte the corporall spirituall life of man For in our corporall life seuen thinges are required to vvhich are correspoÌ„dent seuen sacraments in the spirituall life of man In a corporall life first is necessary generatioÌ„ vvhich giueth the first being and essence and to this is ansvverable Baptisme vvhich regenerateth vs again vnto a nevv life and spirituall being of a Christian by vvhich vvee are nevv creatures borne of vvater the Spirit vnto a nevv life Io 1. l. de Bapt. Vvherfore Tertulian callethe Christians spirituall fishes bicause though they haue their corporal life from earthe by carnall generation yet their spirituall life and being like fishes they receiue from the vvater by spirituall regeneration Secondly in a corporall life is necessarie augmentation by vvhich the litle infante for all beginnings are litle vvaxeth grovveth and gaineth devv proportion quantitie and strengh by vvhich he is able to exercise operations and actions belonging to corporall life as to eate drinke talke vvalke laboure to defend him selfe and to assaulte his enemie And to this is correspondent the Sacrament of Confirmation vvhich perfiteth vs in the spirituall life receiued in Baptisme vv ch is the cause vvhy some fathers say that before this Sacrament vve are not perfecte Christians and giues vs force to defende this our spirituall life by confessing our faythe before the persequutor vvhich faithe is the ground of spirituall life Thirdly bicause this corporall life of ours fadeth diminishethe continuaily for euery hovver vve lose some parte of our substauÌ„ce partely by reason of the conflicte of the contrarie elements vvhich consume vs vvhilest in vs they striue one against another partely by reason of the continuall combate vvhich is betvvixte naturall heate and moysture vvhich is as it vvere the tallovve of our light and life vve stand in need of nurriture and nutrition vvhich restores that substaunce vvhich is dayly loste and so prolongeth our life And to this in our spirituall life ansvvereth the Sacrament of the Altare Ioh 6. vvhich conteining in it the body and bloud of Christe vvhoe calles him selfe liuing bread and sayeth that his flesh his truly meate his blood truly driÌ„ke nourishethe the soule spiritually and conserueth our spirituall life here Io. 6. and prepareth vs to an immortall life in heauen Fourthly man hauing
vvill vvith any reason persuade me to bee ether Turke or Ievve I may by authoritie bee of noe religion And thus Atheisme must needs follovv diuision in religion contempt of the Romaine Church The sixte Chapter shevveth hovv their vvant of a visible head giuethe a great aduantage to Atheistes and such as mocke at all religion IN the first booke and last chapter I haue declared at large hovve necessarie a visible head is in all societies and especially in the Church of Christe and I haue also demonstrated that ther is no suche visible head in the Synagogue of the reformers vvhence I haue inferred that amongest them it is lavvfull for euerye heretike to preach vvhat doctrine hee vvill and no man shall cōtrolle him Novve I ame to deduce another conclusion to vvit that thus also the gate and gapp is opened vnto Atheistes and godlesse and irreligious persons vvhich I can do easily and vvill doe in a vvord For if a visible head bee vvanting euery man may preach and imbrace vvhat religion hee vvill as in the alleaged place I haue proued and seing that if this head bee vvanting ther is noe certaintie for any religion but only the priuate spirite and bare scripture vvhich are altogether vncertaine In the first booke ch 2.3 as before is proued it vvill follovv that a man shall haue no more reason to imbrace one religion thē another yea hee shall haue noe probable reason to induce him to any religion at all and consequentlye he may take good leaue to bee of no religion And thus he may argue in forme and figure If ther be no visible head to determine by authoritie vvhat religion is to be imbraced euery man may be of vvhat religion he vvill and no man can controlle him and so I also may vse my libertie in choosing my religion as vvel as another And seing that if the authoritie of a visible head be layed a side I haue no more reason to bee of one religion then another bicause all religions alleage the same reason vvhich is no reason to vvit bare scripture sensed by the priuate spirite and I can not possibly be of all bicause they be contrarie to one another I may by good reason refuse to bee of any religion and noe man can controlle me for it if there bee no visible head vvho can proue that hee hathe authoritie to determine of religion And so he that forsaketh the Catholique Church vvhere only this visible head is to bee found hath leaue and licence to bee of vvhat religion hee vvill yea to be of no religion at all bicause leauing that hee hathe noe more reason to bee of one religion then another bicause hee hath no other reason then bare scripture sensed by a priuate spirite vvhich is not sufficient as is proued in my first booke and third chapter yea leauing the Catholike Churche he can not haue any probable reason to induce him to any of these nevv religions as I haue proued in my first booke and fifte chapter and seing that God nether can nor vvill commande him to bee of a religion for vvhich hee seeth no reason nor motiue vvhich is sufficient to induce a reasonable man as in the same place is proued hee maye vvith reason after hee hath lefte the Catholike Churche ioyne vvith Atheistes vvhoe are of noe religion The seuenth Chapter shevveth hovv the Reformers in denial of the real praesence do ruine Christian religion and call all the other mysteries of faithe in question SAcrifice is a thing so highly pleasing and acceptable vnto God that he vvill haue none to be pertakers vvith him in such honour but reserueth it as an homage devv only to him selfe and proper to a diuine maiestie 1. Reg. 15. Yet obedience is more gratefull vnto him then all the Hecatombs and Sacrifices in the vvorld bicause by sacrifice vve consecrate vnto his seruice the liues and substaunce of brute beastes but by obedience vvee make a burnt-offering and Holocaust of our ovvne soules resigning our desires and vvilles yea our ovvn selues vvholly vnto his vvill and pleasure But vvhilest this obedience resteth in the vvill thoughe it be very meritorious yet hath it not the full complement of perfection bicause so longe as the vvill hathe reason to persuade her the lesse thankes she deserueth for obeying but vvhen this vertue reachethe to the vnderstanding and maketh reason against sence and aboue reason to yeeld to more then reason can reach vnto then hath this vertue the topp of her perfection But this perfection shee hath not of her selfe bicause of her selfe she can only submitte the vvill vnto the commaundement of the Superiour but she is fayne to borrovv so much of the Theologicall vertue called Faithe vvhose propertie is to make the verie vnderstanding to stoupe vvithout any reason to yeeld to thinges for vvhich ther is noe reason bicause they are aboue reason Many such thinges ther are in Christian faithe vvhich seeme to sense senseless to reason vnreasonable and to humaine faithe incredible and as farre as mans reason can see euen to diuine povver impossible Emongest the vvhich three are the most principall and to humain reason most incredible to vvit the Trinitie in vv ch vvee beleeue that three are one that is that three persons are one God The incarnation in vv ch vvee cōfess that tvvoe are one that is tvvoe natures in Christe the one diuine the other humaine are one and the same person the blessed sacramēt of the altare in vvhich vve acknovvledge that bread and vvine by the vertue of Christes vvorde are changed into his body and bloud and that one body is not only in one but in diuers places at one and the selfe same tyme But as these three are the hardest to conceue of all the mysteries of Christian fayth so hath our blessed Sauiour giuen vs more plaine and euident testimonies of them in his holy vvritte then of any other vvhich are more easilie to be conceued For the blessed Trinitie vvhat more pregnaunt proofes can vve desire then vve haue in sainte Matthevv Going therfore teach you all nations in the name of the father cap. vlt. and of the sonne and of the holy ghost Vvhere the ancient fathers note that three are named to signifie three distinct persones and yet Christe biddeth his Apostles to baptise in the name not names of these three to signifie that these three are one God And that the father is God euery leafe almost of Scripture dothe testifie that the sōne is God many places most manifestlye do beare vvitnes Rom. 1.9 Tit. 2.3 Iuda 2. Mat. 1◠Act. ◠testimonie That the holy ghost is God S. Peter averreth vvho hauing demaunded of Ananias the reason vvhy hee vvould lye vnto the holy ghost auoucheth that he lyed not to mē but to God vvherfore S. Paule sayeth that vvee are the temple of the holy ghost and seing that to God only temples are erected if vvee bee his temple
rather then manna seing that manna signified Christe vvho is this bread as vvell as the Eucharist Yea vnlesse the Euchariste contein Christes fleshe and blood really manna must needes take the precedence in dignitie as it hathe in antiquitie For first manna vvas better in substaunce Sap. 16. Psal 77. See the fourth booke chap. 6. as being made by Angels handes and in the aire hauing also all tastes as is before declared and so in substaunce manna is more excellent In figure and signification manna is as good if not better for if the Eucharist coÌ„tein not really Christes body and bloud it is but a signe and consequently noe better then manna bicause it signified the same Christe and so vvas as noble a signe it vvas more apte to signifie and so vvas a fitter figure for as Manna vvas framed by Angells handes Ex 16. Ioan. 6. and neuer passed the heate of the fyer so Christe our bread of life vvas framed by the kinge of Angells fingers vvithout all helpe of man and vvas baked in the ouen of the Virgins vvomb vvithout all heate of concupiscence As vvhen God rayned dovvn Manna the Ievves cried Manhu that is vvhat is this So vvhen Christe promised his Manna the Capharnaites murmured That Manna vvas giuen to the Ievves in the desert this to Christians in the vvildernesse of this vvorld only for in the nexte vvorld I meane in heauen our only home and land of promise vvee shall not feed any more of Christes body by eating or communicating but vvee shall tast of the svveetnes of his diuinitie by fruitioÌ„ That MaÌ„na vvas vvhite but yet vvas no common bread and it vvas like a coriander seed but yet vvas not of any such substaunce and this Manna in externe forme and colour seemeth bread but in deed is the bodye of Christe That vvhen it vvas measured vvas found to bee of one measure in all the gatherers hands and this Manna althoughe some haue great hostes some litle ones althoughe some receue vvholle hostes some but a peece some many hostes some one only yet vvheÌ„ by faith it is measured vvee finde as muche in the litle hoste as in the great as much in the vvholle hoste as in the peece and as much in fevve yea in one Sap. 16. as in many That manna had all tastes and those moste delicate according to the eaters desire but this it had not of the ovvne nature but of God vvho gaue it suche a supernaturall vertue So hathe this Manna also bicause it tasteth to our soules according to our deuotion and desire and thoughe it bee but fleshe yet it feedeth the soule not by the ovvn vertue for to the soule flesh of it selfe non prâ—dest quicquam profiteth nothing but by a supernaturall vertue vvhich it receueth by the straung coniunction vvhich it hathe vvith the diuinitie euen as the hoate iron burneth but not as iron but as it is vnited to the fire And seing that such conuenience and aggreement can not be found betvvixte bare bread and Christes body it follovveth that if the Eucharist bee but bread in substaunce that Manna vvas a better signe then it and so the figure shall excell the veritie and the shadovv shall surpasse the body and the promise the performaunce But let vs goe on After that our Sauiour had tolde the levves that he vvas the bread of life vvhich descended from heauen and giueth life euerlasting vvhich manna could not do bicause it only extinquished honger and prolonged life for a tyme the Ievves murmured once again and grombled at the matter yea as the texte sayeth they stroue amongest them selues saying hovv can he giue vs his flesh to eate But Christe vvill not goe from his former vvords rather novve hee threatneth that vnlesse they cate his fleshe and drinke his blood they shall haue no life in them And he inculcateth again and again that his flesh is meat in deed and that his blood is drinke in deed that he that cateth him shall liue by him that his bread is the bread that came dovvn from heauen and so for the. Vherfore novve many of his disciples begin to stagger saying that this is a hard speech not to be endured But yet Christe for all this their scandalâ— chaungeth not his tune nor tenour of vvordes Only bicause he knevv that the matter vvas harde highe of vvhich he spake he seekes to induce them to beleeue this mysterie by another of as great difficultie doth this sayeth he scandalize you that I say you must eate my flesh and drinke my blood if then you shall see me ascend from vvhence I ame descended you vvill much more be scandalized but yet to take avvay as much scandall as I can and to ease your vnderstanding as much as the mysterie vvherof I talke vvill permit It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing Aug tract 7.10 the vvords vvhich I haue spoken vnto you be spirit and life That is you must not conceue any horrour in that I tell you that you must eate my flesh for you must not imagin that I vvill giue it you ravve or rosted as the meate vvhich commeth from the shambles or kitchin I vvil giue it you after a spiritual manner hiding it from your eyes vnder the veale of a Sacrament Ibidem and in this spiritual manner it shall profit you for as for that carnal manner in vvhich you do imagin that I vvill giue you my fleshe that profiteth nothing Or if you thinke it impossible that flesh should giue life it is not flesh only that can do it bicause flesh only profiteth nothing but it is the spirit of the diuinitie and flesh vnited to this spirit that quickneth Ibidem for as saint Austine sayeth if flesh could profite nothing Verbum caro noÌ„ fieret vt habitaret in nobis the vvord vvould not haue been made fleshe to dvvell amongest vs So that Christ meaneth that they must eate his fleshe not only in a figure for so they had eateÌ„ it in the paschall lambe nor only by faythe for so their for fathers and all that euer beleeued in Christe had eaten Christe and therfore at this eating they could not haue beene scandalized but hee speaketh of a reall eating thoughe in a spiritual and sacramentall manner and so the Ievves euen after the explication mentioned vnderstood him and therfore still they murmured yea after this as the texte sayeth many of his disciples vvent backe and novve they vvalked not vvith him Blessed Sauiour thou that caÌ„mest not to deceue but to saue soules if thou haue any easier meaning then that is in vvhich these men do take thee tell it them out of hande to helpe their vnderstanding If thou meanest only an eating of thee in a figure or by faithe only as Caluin and Zuinglius do interprete thee do but saye so thou shalt take avvay from these men all cause of scandale murmuration bicause they are vvell
Fourthly as in these alleaged cōuersions mutatiōs the afore named fathers make recourse vnto Gods omnipotēcie so do they in the mutatiō of this Sacrament prouinge that it vvas possible bicause God is omnipotent Sainct Ambrose sayeth li. de ijs qui initiātur c. 9. hee that of nothing could make something can hee not turne one thing Cipr. ser de Coena Domini into another And sainct Ciprian sayeth that by the omnipotencie of the vvord the bread is made flesh And vvere not these fathers madde to endeuour to explicate by so harde examples hovve God his omnipotencie vvas able to chaunge bread into Christes body and vvine into his bloud if the mutation vvere figuratiue only seing that the vintener vvithout omnipotencie can do the like in making an Iuie-bush of no signe a signe Fistly they admire herin our sauiours great charitie and bountie vvho is so liberall as to feast and feed vs vvith his ovvn flesh and bloud Ho 45. in 10. Vvhat shepheard sayeth saint Chrisostome feedeth his sheep vvith his ovvn blood And vvhat say I Shepheard many mother 's ther are vvhich vvill not bestovv their milke vppon their suckling babes but rather do put them forthe to nourcing but Christe dealeth not so niggardly but rather feedeth vs vvith his ovvn flesh and bloud and mingleth his substaunce vvith ours Novve if Christe hathe giuen vs only a bare signe of his flesh and bloud I see no such extraordinarie loue and charitie at least herin he shevveth no more yea not so much charitie as he shevved to the Ievves to vvhome he gaue manna from heauen in their extremitie vvhich vvas a more noble substaunce and a better figure then Caluins bread is Lastly the fathers note for a straunge thinge that Christe is eaten of vs in the blessed sacrament and yet nether diuided in vita apud Sur. nor diminished nor consumed This sainct Andrevv tolde Aegeas the Proconsul for a great miracle I sayeth he do offer dayly vnto the omnipotent God the Immaculate lambe of vvhom vvhen all the people haue eaten the lambe remaineth vvholle and intiere Ser de Coena Domini Hom 2. de Verb. Apost Sainct Cipriane calles this sacrament inconsumptibilem cibum meat inconsumptible Sainct Austine speaking of this Sacrament and of the murmuration of the Ievves vvho imagined that they should teare Christes flesh vvith their teeth sayeth thus sicreficeris vt non deficiat vnde reficeris so thou art refreshed that it is not deficient of vvhich thou arte refreshed And the reason is bicause Christes body is glorious and is receued vvholle of euery one and so is not deuided and vvhen the formes of bread and vvine perishe Christs body leaueth them and though one man receueth Christes body vvholle yet ther is neuer the lesse for another for hee also receueth it vvholle nether in this is there any greater difficultie then that 5000. Io. 6. men should bee fedd vvith fiue barly loaues tvoe fishes yet the reliques to bee as great or more thē vvas the feast novv if Christe be not really presēt in this Sacramēt but only as in a signe and figure it is no more meruaile that hee is not consumed then that the Kinges picture should bee burnt or broken and he receue no harme and if vvee eate him only spiritually by faithe vvhat vvonder is it that his substaunce is not diuided seing that faithe hathe no teeth to rent or teare him I could adde to these fathers vvho as I haue proued in the first booke ener vvent vvith the Churche Chap. 4. the practise of the Christian vvorld l. 1. de Eucharist c 20. vvhich for reuerence of this Sacrament as Cardinal Allen noteth hathe builded so goodly Churches errected so stately Aultars prepared so ritche vessels of gold and siluer to contein this Sacrament hathe caryed it in Procession and adored it vvhich honour and homage Christians vvould neuer haue giuen it had they thought that it vvere but bread and vvine or a bare signe or figure of Christes body So that if euer there vvere any truthe in the Churche this of the real presence is a truthe bicause the Scriptures are as plain for it as for any other mysteries of our faithe the fathers aggree in the exposition of the scripture for the real presence as they do in the exposition of scriptures against the Arrians for the defence of the Trinitie or against the Nestorians or Eutichians for the Incarnation the practise of the ancient Churche argueth noe lesse miracles vnlesse all bookes euen lately Printed lye vvere allvvayes as frequēt for this mysterie as for any the consent of all Christians conspireth in this article as vvell as in the Trinitie this the paganes knevv full vvel In Apol. c. 5.7 Pamel ibid. Euseb l 5 c. 1 vvho therfore called vs Anthropophagos and Infanticidas as vvitnessethe Tertulian And so if vvee haue any truthe of any article of our faithe this is an assured veritie and if euer ther vvere any heresie Caluins opinion vvhich denyeth this real presence is an heresie bicause the autours of this opinion vvere euer noted for heretikes as Berengarius Vvicleph and others before them and their follovvers had particular names as the Arians haue they vvere condemned by Councels and by that Church vvhich vvas commōly called Christian and they haue all other markes of heretikes set dovvne in the second booke as vvill easilie appeare by application of thē vnto Caluin and his follovvers Vvhen this opinion vvas taught the vvorlde vvondred at it and the Pastours and fathers of the Churche vvrote against it and they alleadged as plain scripture against this heresie as euer they did against Arianisme And so if euer there vvere any heresie in the vvorlde the denial of the real presence is an heresie Conferre novve gentle reader the testimonies vvhich Catholikes haue for the real presence vvith those vvhich the reformers alleage against it and tell mee vvhere is likest to bee the truthe Catholikes haue plainer scripture for it then they haue against it the fathers also vvho are interpretours of scripture stand for it the reformers stand against it Vvhich are to bee beleeued thinkest thou Vvhether all the fathers or all the Reformers yea or euery one of the Reformers bicause they aggree not and euery one vvilbe supreme Iudge by his priuate spirit They vvill say scripture must bee beleeued before ffathers but this is not the question for scripturs are plainer for the real presence then those are vvhich the reformers bring against it And fathers bringe scripturs to proue it as vvel as they do to disproue it so that the question is vvhether the fathers are liker to vnderstand the scripturs rightly rather then the reformers yea rather thē any one of the reformers in particuler But to dravv to my intended conclusion out of all this discourse I gather that vvee haue as plaine scripture for the real presence of Christes body and bloud in the blessed