confesse they must needs be heere in their proper subiect and substances of bread and wyne but all this is founded vpon a false ground for albeit naturally an accident cannot be but in a subiect yet supernaturally and by the power of God susteyninge yt and supplyinge the place of a naturall subiect yt may be as we do confesse on the contrary side by Christian faith that the humayne nature of Christ in the mystery of the incarnation hath not her proper subsistence in yt selfe which yet is as naturall to a substance to subsist in yt selfe as yt is to an accident to be susteyned by another but is susteyned by the diuine person of Christ. 35. And the reason of this concerninge accidents is that albeit the intrinsecall nature of an accident is to be vnperfect and to depend of another and therby to haue an aptitude to be in another yet the act therof may be separated by Gods power from the said nature as a thinge posterior and followinge from the said nature as we haue she wed before in the naturall propriety of quantity to haue commensuration of place and this to be true that this actuall inherence of accidents may be seuered from the essentiall aptitude thervnto without destroing the nature of the said accident many philosophers both Christian and heathen do affirme whose sentences you may see gathered by diuers learned men as well of ancient as of our tymes Sundry Fathers also are of opinion that this case happened de facto in the creation of the world when the light being made vpon the first day as the booke of Genesis recounteth which being but a quality and accident remayned without a subiect vnto the fourth day when the sonne and moone weare created And of this opinion expressely was S. Basill in his explication of the works of God in those six dayes And the same holdeth S. Iohn Damascene Procopius in his commentary vpon the first Chapter of Genesis and Saint Iustine in the explication of our faith 36. This then being so that these accidents of bread wyne may remaine by the power of God in the Sacrament without their proper subiects yt followeth to consider what actions they can haue And first yt is to be noted that whatsoeuer actions or operations are proper to them as accidents when they were in their proper subiects of bread and wyne before consecration the same they may haue afterwards when they conteyne the body and bloud of Christ without inherence therein for that God supplyeth all by his power which their said subiects or substances did performe when they were present So as the effects for example that the accidents of wine bread did worke in our senses before by mouinge our sight by their colours to see our tast by their sauour and other like effects the same do they performe also afterwards So as for example sake by drinkinge much consecrated wyne though there be no substance of wyne therin but only the proper accidents of wyne as heat smell and other qualityes and proprietyes of wyne may a man be incensed or distempered as much as yf the substance of wyne were there in deed for these are the proper actions and operations of the said accidents themselues but where the concurrāce of substance is necessary to any action as in nutrition generation or corruption of one substance into another there doth God supply the matter that is necessary to that action when the body of Christ doth cease to be there which is when those accidents of bread and wyne are corrupted and not otherwise As for example in the resurrection of our bodyes where euery body is to receaue his owne proper flesh againe which yt had in this life yf some one body hauinge eaten another body or parcell therof in this world and conuerted the same into his proper substance in this case I say almighty God must needs supply otherwise by his omnipotent power that part and matter of substance that wanteth in one of these two bodyes for that els one of them should be vnperfect and want part of his substance in the resurrection And after the like manner we say that when a consecrated hoast is eaten and afterward is turned into the naturall norishment of the eater which norishment requireth a materiall substance God doth supply that substance in that instant when the formes of bread and wyne perishinge the body of Christ ceaseth to be there 37. And this appertayneth to the prouidence of almighty God for supplying the defects of particular naturall causes when any thinge fayleth that is necessary for their naturall operations The very same also is to be obserued in generation and corruption as for example when the accidents of the consecrated host perishinge and some other substance should happen to be engendred thereof as wormes or the like there the body of Christ ceaseth to be when the said accidents do perish and for the new generation insuinge thereof God supplyeth fitt matter as in the example before alleaged of the resurrection of our bodyes wherof the one had eaten part of the other By which obseruation yt wil be easy afterward to dissolue many cauillations proceedinge eyther of ignorance heresie or both and obiected by Sacramentaryes against this mystery The eight Obseruation About the wordes Sacrament signe figure type commemoration memory c. §. 8. 38. For so much as the Sacramentaryes of our tyme did forsee that they should be forced to oppose themselues for defending their hereticall noueltye sagainst the whole streame of scriptures expositors fathers councells reasons practise antiquity and vniforme consent of the vnhole Christian vvorld they thought best to diuise certayne tearmes and distinctions which should serue them for euasions or gappes to runne out at when-soeuer they should be pressed by our arguments and these their shifts do consist principally in the fraudulent vse of these tearmes of Sacrament signe figure type commemoration memory sacramentally spiritually and the like Wherfore we thinke yt needfull to explane and declare in this place the natures vses and abuses of these words 39. First then a Sacrament according to the common definition asscribed to S. Augustine is a visible signe of an inuisible grace as in baptisme the externall washinge by water is the signe of the internall washing of the soule by grace So heere also in this Sacrament of the Eucharist the externall visible signe are the consecrated formes of bread and wyne as they conteyne the body of Christ the internall or inuisible grace signified is the inward nourishinge and seedinge of our soule And this is the first and cheefe manner how this Sacrament is a signe that is to say a signe of grace and not of Christs body absent as Protestants are wont most fondly and fraudulently to inferre 40. Secondly these externall formes and accidents of bread and wyne are also a signe of Christs body conteyned vnder them And in this sense
your sakes and by the same things that I am ioyned to yow the very same I haue exhibited vnto yow againe Where yow see that he saith he gaue the very same in the Sacrament which he had taken vpon him for our sakes and that by the same he was ioyned to vs againe and now Maister Ridley saith that vve are not ioyned to him by naturall flesh These be contraryes which of two shall we beleeue Christ and S. Chrysostome expoundinge him or Ridley against them both 16. Maister Sedg-wicke disputed next but hath not halfe a columne or page allowed to the settinge downe of his whole disputation yet he vrginge diuers reasons in that little tyme out of the scriptures why the Sacrament of the Altar cannot be in the new law by a figure but must needs be the fullfillinge of old figures and consequently the true and reall body of Christ he brought Maister Ridley within the compasse of a dozen lines to giue two aunswers one plaine contrary to another as his words do import for this is the first I do graunt yt to be Christs true body and flesh by a property of the nature assumpted to the God head and we do really eate and drinke his flesh and bloud after a certaine reall property His second aunswere is in these words It is nothinge but a figure or token of the true body of Christ as it is said of S. Iohn Baptist he is Elias not that he vvas so indeed or in person but in property and vertue he represented Elias So he And now lett any man with iudgement examine these two aunswers For in the first he graunâ—eth at least wayes a true reall property of Christs flesh assumpted to his Godhead to be in their bread wherby we do really eate his flesh and drinke his bloud And in the second he saith yt is nothinge but a figure and consequently excludeth all reall property for that a figure hath no reallity or reall property but only representeth and is a token of the body as himselfe saith which is euident also by his owne example for that S. Iohn Baptist had no reall property of Elias in him but only a similitude of his spiritt and vertue And so these people whilst they would seeme to say somewhat do speake contradictoryes amonge themselues 17. There followed Maister Yonge who as breefly as the other touched some few places of the Fathers though they be not quoted where they say that our bodyes are nourished in the Sacrament by Christs flesh and that truly we drinke his bloud therin and that for auoyding the horror of drinking mans bloud Christ had condescended to our infirmityes and giuen yt to vs vnder the formes of wyne and other like speaches which in any reasonable mans sense must needs import more then a figure of his body and bloud or a spirituall being there only by grace for so much as by grace he is also in Baptisme and other Sacraments finally he vrged againe the place of S. Cyprian That the bread being changed not in shape but in nature vvas by the omnipotency of the vvord made flesh Wherto Ridley aunswered againe in these words Cyprian there doth take this vvord nature for a property of nature and not for the naturall substance To which euasion Maister Yonge replyeth this is a strange acception that I haue not read in any authors before this tyme. And so with this he was glad to giue ouer saith Fox and askinge pardon for that he had done said I am contented and do most humbly beseech your good Lordshipp to pardon me of my great rudenesse c. Belike this rudenesse was for that he had said that vt was a strange acception of S. Cyprians words to take change in nature for change into a property of nature and flesh for a fleshely thinge or quality as before yovv haue heard and that this should aunswere S. Cyprians intention for lett vs heare the application Bread in the Sacrament being changed not in shape but in nature saith S. Cyprian by the omnipotency of the word is made flesh that is to say as Ridley will haue yt bread being changed not in shape but in a property of nature is made a fleshely thinge or fleshely quality What is this or what sense can it haue what property of fleshely nature doth your communion bread receaue or what reall property of bread doth it leese by this change mencyoned by S. Cyprian We say to witt S. Cyprian that our bread retayning the outward shape doth leese his naturall substance and becommeth Christs flesh what naturall property of bread doth yours leese And againe What fleshely thinge or quality doth yt receaue by the omnipotency of the word in consecration And is not this ridiculous or doth Ridley vnderstand this his riddle But lett vs passe to the next disputation vnder Q. Mary where we shall see matters handled otherwise and arguments followed to better effect and issue Out of the first Oxford-disputation in the beginninge of Q Maryes raigne wherin D. Cranmer late Archbishopp of Canterbury was defendant for the Protestant party vpon the 16. of Aprill anno 1554. §. 2. 18. When as the Doctors were sett in the diuinity schoole and foure appointed to be exceptores argumentorum saith Fox sett at a Table in the middest therof togeather with foure other notaryes sittinge with them and certayne other appointed for iudges another manner of indifferency then was vsed in King Edwards dayes vnder B. Ridley in that disputation at Cambridge Doctor Cranmer was brought in and placed before them all to answere and defend his Sacramentary opinion giuen vp the day before in wrytinge concerninge the article of the reall presence Fox according to his custome noteth diuers graue circumstances as amonge others that the beedle had prouided drinke and offered the aunswerer but he refused vvith thanks He telleth in like manner that Doctor VVeston the prolocutor offered him diuers courtesyes for his body yf he should need which I omitt for that they are homely against which Doctor VVeston notwithstanding he afterwards stormeth and maketh a great inuectiue for his rudenes and in particular for that he had as Fox saith his Theseus by him that is to say a cuppe of wyne at his elbow whervnto Fox ascribeth the gayninge of the victory sayinge yt vvas no maruayle though he gott the victory in this disputation he disputinge as he did non sine suo Theseo that is not without his â—plingcupp So Fox And yet further that he holding the said cuppe at one tyme in his hand and hearinge an argument made by another that liked him said vrge hoc nam hoâ— facit pro nobis vrge this vrge this for this maketh for vs. Thus pleased it Iohn Fox to be pleasant with Doctor VVeston but when yow shall see as presently yow shall how he vrged Iohn Fox his three Martyrs and rammes of his flocke for so els-where he calleth
is the Eucharist called sometymes by the Fathers the signe of Christs body but of Christs body present as hath byn said and not absent Thirdly this Sacrament is a signe of Christ his death and passion and of the vnion of his mysticall body the Church with him For that as bread and wyne represented by these formes are made of many grains and many grapes so is Christs mysticall body consistinge of many members vnited to him so as by all these wayes may this Sacrament be called a signe to witt a signe of the inward grace and norishment of the soule obtayned therby a signe of Christs true body present a signe of Christ his death and mysticall body and yet do none of all these figures exclude the true reall being of his body in the Sacrament but do rather suppose the same 41. And the like may be said to the other words or tearmes of figure type commemoration or memory all which when they occurre are to be vnderstood in some of these senses without preiudice of the reality or truth of our Sauiours being in this Sacrament as for example this Sacrament is a forme type commemoration memory of Christs death on the Crosse and yet this excludeth not his reall-presence from hence As for example if a Prince hauing gayned in proper person a great singular victory should institute a sollemne triumph to be made euery yeare in memory therof some times should go in that triumph himselfe also yt might be truly said that this triumph is a figure type commemoration and memory of the other victory of the Prince yet is the Prince truly also in yt himselfe and so may be said in like manner of this matter of the Sacrament wherin Christ in differēt manner is a figure or type of himselfe And the like may be said of the dayly sacrifice also which sacrifice is a commemoration or memory of the other bloudy sacrifice once offered on the crosse and yet conteyneth the same reall body of our Sauiour which the other did after another manner And by this will the reader easily discouer diuers poore shifts fallacyes of our moderne heretiks especially of Ridley before named who as yow haue heard him professe was moued to leaue his ancient faith of the masse his practice therin for that in some certaine places for sooth of the Fathers he found that this sacrifice of the masse is called a commemoration of Christs passion a stronge argument no doubt to moue him to so great a resolution And so much of this 42. Now then are to be examined the other words sacramentally really and spiritually and as for the first the common sense and meaninge of schoole diuines is that diuised this word to signifie therby a peculiar manner of Christs supernaturall being in the Sacrament different from his naturall and circumscriptiue being in heauen and from the naturall being of an Angell definitiuely in a place wherof we haue spoken before So as when they say that Christ is sacramentally vnder the formes of bread and wyne they do not deny his true and reall being there in flesh the very selfe-same that is in heauen but he is there in another manner And this is the chiefe proper signification of the word sacramentally amongest schoole-men for which the word was inuented 43. But in the common vse and sense of our speach sacramentally signifieth that Christs body is there vnder a Sacrament or signe which are the formes of bread and wyne and not in his owne proper shape euen as an Angell when he appeareth in a body he may be said to appeare bodyly for that the body is the figure or forme vnder which he appeareth and conforme to this sense we are said to receyue Christ sacramentally when we receaue him truly and really but yet not in his proper forme but vnder another forme that is to say of bread and wyne wherby the fraudulent dealing of our moderne Sacramentaryes may appeare who deceauing the people with this word sacramentally do oppose yt to really and truly as though when any author saith that we receaue Christ sacramentally in the Eucharist yt were to be vnderstood that we did not receaue Christs body in deed and really but only a signe therof and by this they endeauour to delude all the places though neuer so euident of holy Fathers affirminge that Christs true flesh and body the very same that was borne of the virgin Mary and crucified for vs is receaued in the Sacrament these good fellowes aunswere that yt is true sacramentally which we also graunt yf sacramentally do not exclude really accordinge to the true signification of the word But yf by sacramentally they meane as they do that only a signe is receaued of Christs body in the Sacrament then is their deceyt manifest as yow see for that sacramentally hath no such signification at all amonge diuines but only is diuised amonge them for a shift 44. The like fraud they vse about the word spiritually which in the sense of holy Fathers being opposite to carnally and corporally in their ordinary materiall signification is by sectaryes also wrested as though yt were contrary to the word really so as whensoeuer they are forced to graunt Christs body to be spiritually in the Sacrament by which phrase the said ancient Fathers do meane only that he is not there after a carnall or common manner as he liued vpon earth they will haue yt vnderstood that he is there only by faith and not in deed really and substantially They abuse also the signification of the foresaid wordes carnally corporally which hauing a double sense the one that Christs body is naturally and really in the Sacrament the other that he is there after the externall being of other bodyes they deceytfully do take them now in one sense and now in another and alwayes oppose them to the word spiritually which in the former sense are not incompatible but may stand togeather though not in the later And for auoydinge of this equiuocation diuines do wish those two words carnally and corporally though true in the foresaid sense yet to be more sparingly vsed then the other words really and substantially that are equiualent in sense and lesse subiect to equiuocation and mistaking 45. Wherfore to conclude this obseruation all these words are to be noted and their true vse and signification remembred by him that will not be deluded by hereticall sleights and impostures in this high mystery but especially are to be obserued these three wherby our Sacramentaryes do most of all deceyue the vulgar people in their assertions and answers to our arguments to witt sacramentally spiritually and by faith as though they did exclude the reall presence of Christs body in the Sacrament which is most false for that in the true sense we admitt them all For example we graunt that Christ is sacramentally in this Sacrament both as sacramentally signifieth a distinct
this is my body c. And so did he beare himselfe in his owne hands vvhich vvas prophesied of Dauid but fulfilled only by Christ in that Supper 81. These are the particularityes vsed by the Fathers for declaring what body they meane and can there be any more effectuall speaches then these but yet harken further Thou must know and hold for most certaine saith S. Cyrill that this vvhich seemeth to be bread is not bread but Christs body though the tast doth iudge it bread And againe the same Father Vnder the forme or shew of bread is giuen to thee the body of Christ vnder the forme or snape of wine is giuen to thee the bloud of Christ c. And S. Chrysostome to the same effect VVe must not beleeue our senses eaysie to be beguiled c. VVe must simply and vvithout all ambyguity beleeue the vvords of Christ sayinge This is my body c. O how many say now adayes I vvould see him I vvould behould his visage his vestments c. But he doth more then this for he giueth himselfe not only to be seene but to be touched also handled and eaten by thee Nor only do the Fathers affirme so asseuerantly that yt is the true naturall body of Christ though yt appeare bread in forme and shape and that we must not beleeue our senses heerin but do deny expressely that yt is bread after the words of consecration wherof yow heard longe discourses before out of S. Ambrose in his books de sacramentis and de initiandis Before the words of consecration it is bread saith he but after consecration de pane sit caro Christi of bread yt is made the flesh of Christ And note the word fit yt is made And againe Before the words of Christ be vttered in the consecration the chalice is full of vvine and vvater but vvhen the vvords of Christ haue vvrought their effect ibi sanguis efficitur qui redemit plebem there is made the bloud that redeemed the people And marke in like manner the word efficitur is made and consider whether any thinge can be spoken more plainly 83. But yet the Fathers cease not heere but do passe much further to inculcate the truth of this matter reprehending sharply all doubt suspition or ambiguity which the weaknesse of our flesh or infection of heresie may suggest in this matter S. Cyrill reasoneth thus VVheras Christ hath said of the bread this is my body vvho vvill dare to doubt therof and vvheras he hath said of the wine this is my bloud vvho vvill doubt or say yt is not his bloud he once turned vvater into vvine in Cana of Galiley by his only will which wine is like vnto bloud and shall vve not thinke him vvorthy to be beleeued vvhen he saith that he hath changed vvine into his bloud So he And S. Ambrose to the same effect Our Lord Iesus Christ doth iestifie vnto vs that we do receaue his body and bloud and may we doubt of his creditt or testimony And the other Saint Cyrill of Alexandria saith to the same effect that in this mystery we should not so much as aske quomodo how yt can be done Iudaicum enim verbum est saith he aeterm supplicij causa For ye is a Iewish word and cause of euerlastinge torment And before them both Saint Hilary left wrytten this exhortation These things saith he that are wrytten lett vs read and those things that vve reade lett vs vnderstand and so vve shall perfectly performe the duty of true saith for that these points vvhich vve affirme of the naturall verity of Christs being in vs. exceptive learne them of Christ himselfe we affirme them wickedly and foolishly c. VVherfore vvheras he saith my sâ—eâ—h is truly meat and my bloud is truly drinke there is no place left to vs of doubting concerning the truth of Christs body bloud for that both by the affirmation of Christ himselfe and by our owne beleefe there is in the Sacrament the flesh truly and the bloud truly of our Sauiour 83. So great S. Hilary and Eusebiuâ— Emissenus bringeth in Christ our Sauiour speakinge in these words For so much as my flesh is truly meat and my bloud is truly drinke leit all doubt fullnes of in fideliâ—y depart for so much as he vvho is the author of the gift is vvittnesse also of the truth therof And S. Leo to the same effect Nothinge at all is to be doubted of the truth of Christâ— body and bloud in the Sacrament c. And those do in vaine aunswere amen when they receaue yt if they dispute against that vvhich is affirmed And finally S. Epâ—pâ—anius concludeth thus He that beleeueth it not to be the very body of Christ in the Sacrament is fallen from grace and saluation 84. And by this we may see the earnestnesse of the Fathers in vrginge the beleefe of Christs true flesh and bloud in the Sacrament But they cease not heere but do preuent and exclude all shifts of Sacramentaryes which by Gods holy spiritt they forsaw euen in those auncient dayes affirminge that not by faith only or in â—igure or image or spiritually alone Christs flesh is to be eaten by vs but really substantially and corporally Not only by faith saith S. Chrysâ—stome but in very deed he maketh vs his body reducing vs as yt were into one masse or substance vvith himselfe And Saint Cyrill Not only by saith and charity are we spiritually conioyned to Christ by his flesh in the Sacrament but corporally also by communication of the same flesh And S. Chrysostome againe Not only by loue but in very deed are we conuerted into his flesh by eatinge the same And Saint Cyrill againe VVe receauinge in the Sacrament corporally and substantially the sonne of God vnited naturally to his Father we are clarified glorified therby and made partakers of his supreme nature Thus they Whervnto for more explication addeth Theophilact VVhen Christ said This is my body he shewed that it vvas his very body in deed and not any figure correspondent thervnto for he said not this is the figure of my body but this is my body by vvhich vvords the bread is transformed by an vnspeakable operation though to vs it seeme still bread And againe in another place Behould that the bread vvhich is eaten by vs in the mysteryes is not only a figuration of Christs flesh but the very flesh indeed for Christ said not that the bread vvhich I shall giue yow is the figure of my flesh but my very flesh indeed for that the bread is transformed by secrett vvords into the flesh And another Father more auncient then he aboue twelue hundred yeares past handlinge those words of Christ This is my body saith It is not the figure of Christs body and bloud vt quidam stupida mente nugati sunt as some blockish
againe exhibited and confirmed and this not by exposition of their owne heads only as sectaryes do but by intendement and interpretation of the grauest and most ancient Fathers that haue liued in the Church of God from age to age who vnderstood so the said figures and foreshewinges of the old Testament As for example the bread and wine misteriously offered to almighty God by Melchisedeck King and Priest who bare the type of our Sauiour Gen. 14. Psalm 109. Heb. 7. The shew-bread amonge the Iewes that only could be eaten by them that were sanctified Exod. 40. c. Reg. 21. The bread sent miraculously by an Angell to Elias whereby he was so strengthened as he trauayled 40. dayes without eating by vertue only of that bread These three sorts of bread to haue byn expresse figures of this Sacrament and of the trew flesh of Christ therein conteined do testifie by one consent all the ancient Fathers as S. Cyprian lib. 2. epist. 3. Clem. Alexand. lib. 4. Strom. Ambros. lib. 4. de Sacram. cap. 3. Hier in cap. 1. ad Titum Chrysost. hom 35. in Gen. August lib. 2. cont litteras Petii cap. 37. Cyrill Catechesi 4. Mystag Arnobius Eusebius Gregorius and many others 14. Three other figures there are not expressed in the forme of bread but in other things more excellēt then bread as the paschall lambe Exod. 12. Leuit. 23. The bloud of the Testament described Exod. 24. Heb. 9. And fulfilled by Christ Luc. 22. when he said This cupp is the new Testament in my bloud and againe This is my bloud of the new Testament Matth. 26. The manna also sent by God from heauen was an expresse figure of this Sacrament as appeareth by the words of our Sauiour Ioan. 6. and of the Apostle 1. Cor. 10. Out of all which figures is inferred that for so much as there must be great difference betweene the figure and the thing prefigured no lesse yf we beleeue S. Paul then betweene a shaddow the body whose shaddow yt is yt cannot be imagined by any probability that this Sacrament exhibited by Christ in performance of those figures should be only creatures of bread and wine as Sacramentaryes do imagine for then should the figures be eyther equall or more excellent then the thing prefigured yt selfe for who will not confesse but that bread for bread Elias his bread made by the Angell that gaue him strength to walke 40. dayes vpon the vertue therof was equall to our English-ministers Communion-bread and that the manna was much better 15. And yf they will say for an euasion as they do that their bread is not common bread but such bread as being eaten and receaued by faith worketh the effect of Christs body in them and bringeth them his grace we answeare that so did these figures and Sacraments also of the ould Testament being receaued by faith in Christ to come as the ancient Father and Preachers receaued them And for so much as Protestants do further hould that there is no difference betweene the vertue efficacy of those old Sacramēts and ours which we deny yt must needs follow that both we they agreeinge that the Fathers of the old Testament beleeued in the same Christ to come that we do now being come their figures and shaddowes must be as good as our truth in the Sacrament that was prefigured if it remaine bread still after Christs institution and consecration But Catholike Fathers did vnderstand the matter farre otherwise and to alleage one for all for that he spake in the sense of all in those dayes Saint Hierome talking of one of those forsaid figures to witt of the shew-bread and comparinge yt with the thinge figured and by Christ exhibited saith thus Tantum interest c. There is so much difference betweene the shew-bread and the body of Christ figured therby as there is difference betweene the shaddow and the body whose shaddow yt is and betweene an Image and the truth which the Image representeth betweene certaine shapes of things to come and the things themselues prefigured by those shapes And thus much of figures presignifications of the old Testament 16. In the new Testament as hath byn said are conteyned both the promise of our Sauiour to fullfill these figures with the truth of his flesh which he would giue to be eaten in the Sacrament as also the exhibition and performance therof afterward the very night before his passion with a miraculous confirmation of the same by S. Paul vpon conference had therin with Christ himselfe after his blessed assension The promise is conteyned in the sixt Chapter of S. Iohns ghospell where our Sauiour foretelleth expressely that he would giue his flesh to vs to be eaten for that except vve did eat the same vve could not be saued that his flesh vvas truly meat and his bloud truly drinke and that his flesh that he would giue vs to eat vvas the same that vvas to be giuen for the life of the world All which speaches of our Sauiour expounded vnto vs in this sense for the reall presence of his flesh in the Sacrament by the vniuersall agreeinge consent of auncient Fathers must needs make great impression in the hart of a faithfull Christian man especially the performance of this promise ensuing soone after vvhen Christ being to depart out of this world and to make his last will and Testament exhibited that which heere he promised takinge bread brake and distributed the same sayinge this is my body that shal be deliuered for yow which words are recorded by three seuerall Euangelists and that with such significant and venerable circumstances on our Sauiours behalfe of feruent prayer washinge his Apostles feet protestation of his excessiue loue and other deuout and most heauenly speaches in that nearnesse to his passion as well declared the exceeding greatnesse of the mistery which he was to institute whervnto if we add that excellent cleare cōfirmation of S. Paul who for resoluing doubts as it seemed had conference with Christ himselfe after his ascension for before he could not he being no Christian when Christ ascended the matter will be more euident His words are these to the Corinth Ego enim accepi à Domino quod tradidi vobis c. For I haue receaued from our Lord himselfe that which I haue deliuered vnto yow about the Sacrament and do yow note the word for importinge a reason why he ought specially to be beleeued in this affayre for so much as he had receaued the resolution of the doubt frō Christ himselfe And then he setteth downe the very same words againe of the Institution of this Sacrament that were vsed by Christ before his passion without alteration or new exposition which is morally most certayne that he would haue added for clearinge all doubts yf there had byn any other sense to haue byn gathered of them then the plaine words themselues
do beare Nay himselfe doth add a new consirmation when he saith that he which doth eate and drinke vnworthily this Sacrament reus erit â—orporis sanguinis Domini shal be guilty of the body and bloud of our Lord. And againe Iuâ—cium sibi manducat bibit non dijudicans corpus Domini he doth eat drinke his owne iudgement not discerninge the body of our Lord Which inferreth the reall presence of Christes body which those whome the Apostle reprehendeth by the fact of their vnworthy receauing doe so behaue themselues as yf they did not discerne it to be present All which laid togeather the vniforme consent of expositors throughout the whole Christian world concurringe in the selfe-same sense and meaninge of all these scriptures about the reall presence of Christs true body in the Sacrament yow may imagine what a motiue yt is and ought to be to a Catholike man who desireth to beleeue and not to striue and contend And thus much for scriptures 17. There followeth the consideration of Fathers Doctors and Councells wherein as the Sacramentaryes of our tyme that pleased first to deny the reall presence had not one authority nor can produce any one at this day that expressely saith that Christs reall body is not in the Sacrament or that yt is only a figure signe or token therof though diuers impertinent peeces of some Fathers speaches they will now and then pretend to alleage so on the coÌ„trary side the Catholiks do behould for their comfort the whole ranks of ancient Fathers through euery age standinge with them in this vndoubted truth Yea not only affirming the same reall presence in most cleere and perspicuous words wherof yow may see whole books in Catholike wryters replenished with Fathers authorityes laid togeather out of euery age from Christ downe wards but that which is much more yeldinge reasons endeauoring to proue the same by manifest arguments theologicall demonstrations vsing therin such manner of speach and words as cannot possibly agree vnto the Protestants communion of bare bread and wyne with their symbolicall signification or representation only As for example where the Fathers do shew how Christs true flesh commeth to be in this SacrameÌ„t videlicet by the true conuersion of bread into his body and by that this body is made of bread and by that the substances of breat and vvyne be changed and other like speaches as may be seene in S. Ambrose 4. de Sacram. cap. 5. lib. 6. cap. 1. lib. de myst init cap. 9. Cypr. Serm. de Coena Chrysost. hom 83. in Matth. de proditione Iudae Cyrill Catec 4. Mystag Nissenus orat Catech. 37. and others 18. Secondly yt is an ordinary speach of the Fathers to cry out admyre the miracle that happeneth by the conuersion in this Sacrament ascribinge the same to the supreme omnipotencv of almighty God as yow may see in S. Chrysostome l. 3. de sacerdotio O miraculum c. S. Ambrose lib. 4. de Sacram. cap. 4. Iustinus Martyr Apolog. 2. sayinge that by the same omnipotency of God vvherby the vvord vvas made flesh the flesh of the vvord vvas made to be in the Eucharist which agreeth not to a Caluinian communion 19. Thirdly some of them do extoll and magnifie the exceeding loue charity of Christ towards vs aboue all other humane loue in that he feedeth vs with his owne flesh which no shephards did euer their sheepe or mothers their children which is the frequent speach of S. Chrysostome hom 83. in Matth. 45. in Ioan. hom 24. in ep 1. ad Cor. 2. homil 60. 61. ad Pop. Antioch And to the same effect S. Augustine ep 120. cap. 27. in Psal. 33. which speaches can no wayes agree to the Protestants supper 20. Fourthly diuers of the said Fathers do expressely teach that we do receaue Christ in the Sacrament not only by faith but truly really and corporally semetipsum nobis commiscet saith S. Chrysostome non side tantum sed reipsa Christ doth ioyne himselfe with vs in the Sacrament not only by faith but really And â—n another place he putteth this antithesis or opposition betwixt vs and the Magi that saw and beleeued in Christ lyinge in the manger that they could not carry him with them as we do now by receauinge him in the Sacrament and yet no doubt they beleeued in him and carryed him in faith as we do now to which effect S. Cyrill Alexand. saith Corporaliter nobis filius vnitur vt homo spiritualiter vt Deus Christ as a man is vnited vnto vs corporally by the Sacrament and spiritually as he is God Whervnto yow may add S. Hilary lib. 8. de Trinitate and Theodorus in the Councell of Ephesutom 6. Appendic 5. cap. 2. and others 21. Fiftly the Fathers do many tymes and in diuers places and vpon sundry occasions go about to proue the truth of other mysteryes and articles of our faith by this miracle of the being of Christs flesh and body in the Sacrament as S. Irenaeus for example doth proue Christs Father to be the God of the old sestament for that in his creatures he hath left vs his body bloud and in the same place he vseth the same argument for establishinge the article of the resurrection of out bodyes to witt that he that vouch safeth to nowrish vs with his owne body and bloud will not lett our bodyes remayne for euer in death corruption S. Chrysostome in like manner by the truth of his reall presence in the Sacrament doth confute them that denyed Christ to haue taken true flesh of the Virgin Mary which hardly would be proued by the Sacramentary supper of bread and wyne as euery man by himselfe will consider 22. Sixtly to pretermitt all other points handled to this effect by the said Fathers as that diuers of them do exclude expressely the name of figure or similitude from this Sacrament as S. Ambrose lib. 4. de Sacram. cap. 1. Damasc lib. 4. cap. 4. 14. Theophilact in Matth. 26. Others yeld reasons why Christ in the Sacrament would be really vnder the formes or accidents of bread and wyne to witt that our faith might be proued and exercised therby the horror of eating flesh bloud in their owne forme shape taken away and so the same S. Ambrose Ibid. l. 4. de Sacram. c. 4. Cyrill in cap. 22. Luc. apud D. Thom. in catena Others do persuade vs not to beleeue our senses that see only bread and wyne wherof we shall speake more in the obseruations following so S. Augustine serm de verbis Apost l. 3. de Trinit cap. 10. Others do proue this reall presence by the sacrifice affirminge the selfe same Christ to be offered now in our dayly sacrifice vpon the Altars of Christians after an vnbloudy manner which was offered once bloudely vpon the
yt must needs be in these wherein authority learninge antiquity consent continuance vniuersality miracles and all other sorts of theologicall arguments both diuine humane do concurre and nothinge at all with the impugners but only selfe-will passion and malitious obstinacy as yow will better see afterward when yow come to examine their obiections 57. Furthermore yt is to be pondered what miserable men they were that first in our dayes against the whole army of God Church did presume to impugne this blessed sacrifice vpon such simple and fond reasons a◠before yow haue heard to witt Luther in Germany vpon the motiue laid downe vnto him by the diuell in his disputation with him recorded by himselfe in his wrytings and Nicolas Ridley in England vpon certayne places of the scripture and certayne testimonyes of Fathers to vse his owne words which made nothinge at all for his purpose as after most cleerly shall be shewed in due place and we may easily ghesse by that which hath byn alleaged before out of scriptures and Fathers for that scriptures cannot be contrary to scriptures nor are Fathers presumed to impugne Fathers in so great a point of faith as this is 58. Wherfore miserable twise miserable were these men that first vpon so small grounds aduentured to make so fatall a breach in Gods Church and thrise miserable were other who vpon these mens creditts ranne to aduenture both body and soule euerlastingly in pursuite of this breach and contradiction begunne as were the most of Fox his phantasticall Martyrs of the ruder and vnlearned sort who in all their examinations answers were most blasphemous in defiance and detestation of this blessed-Sacrament as yow haue seene in their historyes and therby did well shew that they were gouerned by his spiritt that aboue all honours doth enuy this that is done to almighty God as the highest and most pleasing to his diuine Maiestie of all others And so much for this point CERTAYNE OBSERVATIONS To be noted for better aunsweringe of hereticall Cauillations against these articles of the blessed Sacrament CHAP. III. HAVING exhibited a tast in the former Chapter of the many great and substantiall grounds which Catholike men haue to stand vpon in these high and diuine misteryes of Christs sacred body in the Sacrament and sacrifice and shewed in like manner that the faithlesse and infidious Sacramentary that wrangeleth against the same hath no one plaine place indeed eyther of scriptures or Fathers for his purpose but only certayne obiections founded for the most part vpon sense and humayne reason against faith and aunswered ordinarily by our schoolemen themselues that first obiected the same and out of whose books the heretiks stole them I haue thought yt best for more perspicuityes sake for helpinge their vnderstanding that are not exercised in matters aboue sense to set downe a few obseruations in this very beginninge wherby great light will grow to the reader for discouering whatsoeuer shall after be treated about this matter But yet before I enter into the obseruations themselues I would haue the reader consider two things first the inequality betweene our aduersaryes and vs in this case for that their arguments against these mysteryes being founded almost all in the appearance of comon sense as hath byn said the vnlearned reader is capable of the obiection but not of the solution which must be taken from matters aboue sense as presently yow shall see 2. The second point is that yf any of the old heretiks or heathen philosophers should rise againe at this day and bringe forth their arguments of sense humaine reason against such articles of our faith as in ould tyme they did impugne for both improbable and impossible in nature as namely the creation of the world out of nothinge three distinct persons of the blessed Trinity in one the selfe same substance two distinct natures in one person conioyned by the incarnation of Christ the resurrection of our putrifyed bodyes the selfe same substance qualityes quantityes other accidents such like points Against which I say yf ould philosophers heretiks should come forth againe in our dayes and propose such arguments as in their dayes they did which seeme inuincible and vnanswerable to common sense and humaine reason do yow not thinke that they should haue infinite people both men and weomen to follow them especially yf they were countenanced out with the authority of a potent Prince and Kingdome and suffered to speake their will as our men were that first impugned the reall presence and sacrifice in England and yet as the auncient Fathers in their tymes did not abandone these articles of faith for those difficultyes or appearance of impossibilityes no nor the common Cacholike people themselues that could not reach to the vnderstandinge therof so must not we do now though we could not aunswere in reason the aduersaryes arguments which yet by the ensuinge obseruations yow will easily be able to do And this for an entrance now to the obseruations themselues First Obseruation That vve are not in this mystery to follow our sense or Imagination §. 1. 3. The first obseruation is taken out of the ancient Fathers wrytings who treatinge of this mystery of Christs being in the Sacrament do expressely warne vs to beware that we iudge not of the matter according to sense or humayne imagination So saith S. Cyrill B. of Hierusalem whose words are Quamuis sensui hoc tibi suggerat c. Albeit externall sense do suggest vnto thee that this Sacrament is bread and wyne yet lett faith confirme thee to the contrary neyther do thou iudge by the tast knowinge most certainely that this bread which seemeth so vnto vs is not bread in deed notwithstandinge the tast doth iudge it to be bread but is the body of Christ and that the wyne which so appeareth to our sight by the sense of our tast is iudged to be wyne yet is it not wyne but the bloud of Christ. Thus hee neere thirteene hundred yeares gone And the like aduertisment giueth in the same matter S. Ambrose somewhat after him who hauing determined most cleerly the truth of the reall presence sayinge Panis iste panis est ante verba Sacramentorum vbi accesserit consecratio de pane sit corpus Christi This bread is bread before the words of the Sacrament be vttered by the Priest but when the consecration is added thervnto the bread is made the body of Christ He frameth an obiection of the senses in these words Fortèdicas aliud video c. Perhaps thou wilt say I see another thinge to witt bread and not the body of Christ and how then dost thou say that I receaue his body To which question S. Ambrose aunswereth at large alleaginge many other myracles wherein our senses are deceaued 4. The like obseruation hath S. Chrysostoine in sundry places talkinge of this mystery Credamus saith he vbique Deo nec repugnemus ei
lookinge-glasse that represented but one face vnto yow when yt was whole being broken into many parts euery part will represent wholy the selfe-same face The voyce also of him that speaketh to a great multitude though yt be but one in yt selfe yet cometh yt wholy to euery mans eares which S. Augustine alleaged for a wonderfull thinge towards the prouinge of Gods being wholy euery-where Omne quod sonat saith he omnibus totum est singulis totum est All that soundeth is heard wholy of all and wholy of euery particular man And though these examples be not like in euery respect yet may they serue for a certayne induction to make vs comprehend the other wherof we now speake 31. Last of all Catholike diuines do not only shew the possibility of this point that our Sauiours body may be in diuers places at once as also that sundry other mysteryes of our faith are beleeued of more difficulty then this yf we regard common sense and reason but do shew also out of the scriptures themselues that Christ after his assension hath byn in more then one place at once as is manifest by that famous apparition of his to S. Paul recorded in the acts of the Apostles when he appeared vnto him in the way neere to Damasco inuironed with a great light and talked with him in such sort as both the light and words were seene and heard by his companions and many other apparitions to S. Peter himselfe testified by Egesippus and S. Ambrose to S. Anthony also testified by S. Gregory besides diuers others recorded by S. Paulinus Ioannes Diaconus and other authenticall wryters from whome except we will derogate all creditt and authority we may not doubt but that Christ remayninge still in heauen for so hould both we and Protestants togeather that he departed not from thence appeared also in diuers places of the earth to his Saints and consequently his body could be in diuers places at once wherby is broken and dissolued another squadron of arguments framed by the Sacramentaryes of our dayes to the simple people as though Christs reall body could not be in the Sacrament for that yt is in heauen wheras we affirme that both may be and stand togeather though in different manner for that in heauen he is circumscriptiuely and in the Sacrament sacramentally which tearmes we haue before declared The sixth Obseruation How Christes body in the Sacrament may be now vnder a greater forme now vnder a losse and the least that may be discerned §. 6. 32. By this also which is said may be conceaued how the sacred body of our Sauiour in the Sacramēt vnder the accidents of bread is sometymes in a greater visible quantity and sometymes in a lesse accordinge to the externall formes and accidents vnder which yt is yea and in the least part parcell of the consecrated host that is perceptible to our sense for that the said body being remoued by Gods omnipotent power from all locall extension it may be vnder a greater or smaller externall quantity without alteration of the body yt selfe as we see in the soule of man which is the selfe-same in the least part of the body wherin it is as in the greatest or in the whole body yea when the said body is changed or groweth from a lesser to a greater quantity as in an infant who after commeth to be a great man the selfe-same soule replenisheth the one and the other without grouth or diminution in yt selfe and so the body of Christ in a great host or a little or in any least part therof when yt is broken is wholy and the selfe-same body with the selfe-same internall organicall quantity which yt had vnder a great host And this point that the quantity of a substance may be increased or diminished externally in respect of place without alteratiō of the inward quantity or substāce is euident by many examples which we see dayly of rarefaction and condensation As for example when a gallon of water is put in a great vessell ouer the fire yt cometh by boylinge to fill the whole vessell that is capable of many gallons and yet as the inward substance is not increased so neyther the quantity in yt selfe and contrary wise when the said water is againe cooled it returneth to occupy as small a place as yt did at the beginninge and yet retayneth allwayes the selfe same both quantity and substance 33. By which example many other that may be alleaged some kind of notice may be gathered vnto our common sense and reason how the substance of Christs body in the Sacrament togeather with his internall quantity may by his omnipotent power be sometymes vnder a great externall quantity or extension in place sometymes vnder a lesser yea the least that by our senses may be perceaued and yet is Christs body wholy and entirely there accordinge in some proportion to the lookinge-glasse before mentioned which being broken into diuers small peeces each one representeth the whole visage seuerally which before was exhibited by the whole And so when any consecrated host is broken into many parts that which was cōteyned before in the whole host is now cōteyned wholy vnder euery particular parcell therof as yt was also before And to this effect are those words of S. Epiphanius before alleaged against them that said Videmus quod est aequale c. We see that the host receaued in the Sacrament is not equall or like to the figure of Christs body but is round c. Wherfore all the arguments of Fox his Martyrs that were founded on this improportion of the host to Christs naturall and externall quantity haue no ground at all but a little fraudulent shew and appearance of sensible improbability and yet were many of their cheefest arguments builded on this only foundation as yow haue seene readinge ouer their historyes before recyted and shall do more afterward when we come to examine their arguments seuerally and in the meanee space this shall suffice for an aduertisment about this obseruation The seauenth Obseruation How accidents may be without a subiect and of their operations in that case §. 7. 34. The seauenth obseruation may be about the accidents or formes of bread and wyne that do remayne by Gods omnipotent power without a subiect after the words of consecration as they did before in the substance of bread whervpon the more simple sort of Sacramentaryes following sense will needs argue that the substance also of bread wyne do remayne after the said consecration and those that be more learned do go about to proue the same by philosophicall reason for that the nature of an accident is to be in another as the nature of a substance is to be in yt selfe wherof ensueth that for so much as no accident can be in God as in a subiect neyther are they in Christs body as we also doe
of any moment and so ended that dayes disputation The next day he returned againe and would haue made a longe declamation against the reall presence but being restrayned he fell into such a rage and passion as twise the prolocutor said he was fitter for Bedlam then for disputation 37. After Philpott stood vp Maister Cheney Archdeacon of Hereford another of the six which did contradict the masse and reall presence in the Conuocation-house who was after made B. of Glocester being that tyme perhapps inclyned to Zuinglianisme though afterward he turned and became a Lutheran and so lyued and died in the late Queenes dayes There is extant to this man an eloquent epistle in Latyn of F. Edmund Campian who vnhappily had byn made Deacon by him but now being made a Catholike exhorted the Bishopp to leaue that whole ministry This mans argument against the reall presence being taken out of the common obiections of Catholike wryters and schoole-men was this that for so much as it is cleare by experience that by eatinge consecrated hosts for example a man may be nourished and that neyther Christs body nor the accidents and formes alone can be said to norish ergo besides these two there must be some other substance that nourisheth which seemeth can be no other but bread And the like argument may be made of consecrated wyne that also nourisheth And further in like manner he argued concerninge consecrated bread burned to ashes demaundinge wherof that is to say of what substance these ashes were made for so much as we hould no substance of bread to be therin and Fox would make vs beleeue that all the Catholiks there present could not aunswere that doubt and amongest others he saith of Doctor Harpesfield Then vvas Maister Harpesfield called in to see vvhat he could say in the matter vvho tould a fayre tale of the omnipotency of almighty God But Fox vnderstood not what Doctor Harpesfield said in that behalfe as may easily appeare by his fond relatinge therof We haue sett downe the aunswere to these and like obiections before in the 7. and 10. Obseruations and yt consisteth in this that in these naturall actions and substantiall changes of nutrition and generation wherin not only accidents are altered but new substances also are produced consequently according to nature that operation doth require not only accidents but also substantiall matter wherof to be produced God by his omnipotency doth supply that matter which is necessary to the new production of that substance eyther by nutrition or generation 38. And albeit the vnbeleefe of heretiks doth not reach to comprehend and acknowledge that God should do a myracle or action aboue nature euery tyme that this happeneth out yet can they not deny yt in other things As for example that euery tyme when any children are begotten throughout the world God immediatly createth new soules for them which needs must be thousands euery day yet none of our sectaryes will deny or scoffe at this or hold yt for absurd the like may be said of all the supernaturall effectes benefites which God bestoeth dayly hourly vpon vs in the Sacraments or otherwise 39. There remayne only some few places out of the Fathers to be explaned which were obiected in this article partly by Maister Grindall against Doctor Glyn and partly also by Peter Martyr in the end of his Oxford-disputation but related by Fox in the question of Transubstantiation not of the reall-presence though properly they appertayne to this as now yow will see The first place is out of Tertullian against Marcion the heretike where he hath these words saith Fox This is my body that is to say this is the signe of my body Whervnto I answere that Fox dealeth heere like a Fox in cytinge these words so cuttedly for that Tertullian in this very place as in many others doth most effectually not only say but proue also that bread is turned into Christs true body after the words of consecration and so do the Magdeburgians affirme expressely of him his words are these Christ takinge bread and distributinge the same vnto his disciples made yt his body sayinge this is my body that is the figure of my body and immediatly followeth Figura autem non fuisset nisi veritatis esset corpus but yt had not byn the figure of Christs body yf his body had not byn a true body or truly their present In which words Tertullian affirmeth two things yf yow marke him First that Christ made bread his true body then that bread had byn a figure of his body in the old Testament which could not be yf his body were not a true body but a phantasticall body as Marcion did wickedly teach for that a phantasticall body hath no figure And this much for the true literall sense of Tertullian in this place who goinge about to shew that Christ did fullfill all the figures of the old Testament consequently was sonne of the God of the old Testament which Marcionists did deny fullfilled also the figure wherin bread presignified his true body to come by makinge bread his body sayinge this bread that was the figure of my body in the old Testament is now my true body in the new and so doth the truth succeed the figure And this to be the true literall sense and scope of Tertullian in this place as before I haue said euery man may see plainly that will read the place 40. The other places are taken out of diuers other Fathers who some tymes do call the Sacrament a figure or signe representation or similitude of Christs body death passion bloud as S. Augustine in Psalm 2. Christ gaue a figure of his body and lib. cont Adamant cap. 12. he did not doubt to say this is my body when he gaue a figure of his body And S. Hierome Christ represented vnto vs his body And S. Ambrose lib. 4. de Sacram. cap. 4. As thou hast receaued the similitude of his death so drinkest thou the similitude of his pretious bloud These places I say and some other the like that may be obiected are to be vnderstood in the like sense as those places of Saint Paul are wherin Christ is called by him a figure Figura substantiae Patris A figure of the substance of his Father Heb. 1. And againe Imago Dei An Image of God Colloss 1. And further yet Habitu inuentus vt homo Appearinge in the likenes of a man Philipp 2. All which places as they do not take from Christ that he was the true substance of his Father or true God or true man in deed though out of euery one of these places some particular heresies haue byn framed by auncient heretiks against his diuinity or humanity so do not the forsaid phrases sometymes vsed by the auncient Fathers callinge the Sacrament a figure signe representation or similitude of Christs body exclude the truth or reality therof for
gall vttered in the preface therof against this disputation concludeth the same with these passionate words as they are in Fox 77. Thus vvas ended the most glorious disputation of the most holy Fathers Sacrificers Doctors and Maisters vvho fought most manfully for their God and Gods for their faith and felicity for their countrey and kitchen for their beuty and belly vvith triumphant applauses and famous of the vvhole vniuersity So hee And by this yow may know the man and how much his words are to be credited yow hauing considered what hath byn laid downe before by Fox his owne report touching the substance of the disputation and authorityes of Fathers alleaged and examined and shifted of though in the forme of scholasticall disputation and vrging arguments yt may be there were some disorders yet that maketh not so much to the purpose how arguments were vrged against them as how they were aunswered by them and yet could not the disorder be so great as it was vnder Ridley himselfe in the Cambridge-disputation as is most euident to the reader by Fox his owne relation who as before I haue noted is alwayes to be presumed to relate the worst for vs and the best for himselfe in all these actions 78. Wherfore yt is not a little to be considered what was the difference in substance or substantiall proofes brought forth in the Cambridge Protestant-disputations vnder K. Edward and these Oxford Catholike-disputations vnder Q. Mary and whether Doctor Ridley that was moderator of those or Doctor VVeston prolocutor in these did best vrge or solue arguments against their aduersaryes for that this consideration and comparison only will giue a great light to discerne also the difference of the causes therin defended One thinge also more is greatly in my opinion to be weighed in this matter which is that the said auncient Fathers hauinge to persuade so high and hard a mystery as this is that Christs true and naturall flesh and bloud are really vnder the formes of bread and wyne by vertue of the Priests consecration they were forced to vse all the manner of most significant speaches which they could diuise to expresse the same and to beate yt into the peoples heads and mynds though contrary to their senses and common reason and therby to fly from the opposite heresie and infidelity of our Sacramentaryes lurkinge naturally in the harts of flesh and bloud and of sensuall people but synce that tyme by Sathans incytation broached and brought forth publikely into the world For meetinge wherwith the holy prouidence of almighty God was that the forsaid Fathers should by all sorts of most significant speaches phrases as hath byn said so cleerly lay open their meanings in this matter as no reasonable man can doubt therof and not only this but also that they should vse certaine exaggerations the better to explane themselues such as they are wont to do in other controuersies also when they would vehemently oppose themselues against any error or heresie as by the examples of Saint Augustine against the Pelagians in behalfe of Grace and against the Manichees in the defence of Free-will And of S. Hierome against Iouinian for the priuiledge of Virginity aboue marriage and other like questions wherin the said Fathers to make themselues the better vnderstood do vse sometymes such exaggeratiue speaches as they may seeme to inclyne somewhat to the other extreme which indeed they do not but do shew therby their feruour in defence of the truth and hatred of the heresie which they impugne 79. And the like may be obserued in this article of the reall-presence of Christs sacred body in the Sacrament of the Altar which being a mystery of most high importance and hardest to be beleeued as aboue humayne sense and reason and therfore called by them the myracle of mysteryes yt was necessary for them I say to vse as many effectuall wayes as they possible could for persuadinge the said truth vnto the people and for preuenting the distrustfull cogitations and suggestions both of humayne infirmity and diabolicall infidelity against the receaued faith and truth of this article and so they did not only vsinge most cleere plaine effectuall and significant manner of expounding themselues and their meaninge but many such exaggerations also as must needs make vs see the desire they had to be rightly and fully vnderstood therein For better consideration of which point being of singular moment as hath byn said the reader shall haue a little patience whilst I detayne my selfe somewhat longer then I meant to haue done in layinge forth the same before him 80. And first of all concerninge the effectuall speaches for vtteringe the truth of their beleefe in this article yow haue heard much in the former disputation and heere we shall repeat some points againe which in effect are that wheras the said Fathers founded themselues ordinaryly vpon those speaches of our Sauiour This is my body vvhich shal be giuen for yow my flesh is truly meate and my bloud is truly drinke The bread vvhich I shall giue yow is my flesh for the life of the vvorld and other like sentences of our Sauiour the Fathers do not only vrge all the circumstances heere specified or signified to proue yt to be the true naturall and substantiall body of Christ as that yt was to be giuen for vs the next day after Christs words were spoken that yt was to be giuen for the life of the whole world that yt was truly meate and truly Christs flesh but do adde also diuers other circumstances of much efficacy to confirme the same affirminge the same more in particular that it is the very same body which was borne of the blessed Virgin the very same body that suffered on the Crosse corpus affixum verberatum crucifixum cruentatum lanceae vulneratum saith S. Chrysostome the selfe-same body that was nayled beaten crucisied blouded wounded with a speare is receaued by vs in the Sacrament Whervnto S. Austen addeth this particularity that yt is the selfe-same body that walked heere amonge vs vpon earth As he vvalked heere in flesh saith he amonge vs so the very selfe same flesh doth he giue to be eaten and therfore no man eateth that flesh but first adoreth at and Hisichius addeth that he gaue the selfe-same body vvherof the Angell Gabriell said to the Virgin Mary that it should be conceaued of the holy Ghost And yet further yt is the same body saith S. Chrysostome that the Magi or learned men did adore in the manger But thou dost see him saith he not in the manger but in the Altar not in the armes of a vvoman but in the hands of a Priest The very same flesh saith S. Austen againe that sate at the table in the last supper and vvashed his disciples seet The very same I say did Christ giue with his owne hands to his disciples vvhen he said take eate
of Christ. How do they affirme saith S. Irenaeus against certayne heretiks that denied the resurrection that our flesh shall come to corruption and not receaue life againe vvhich is nourished by the body and bloud of Christ And againe Ex quibus augetur consistit carnis nostrae substantia Of which body and bloud of Christ the substance of our flesh is encreased and consisteth And Tertullian caro corpore sanguine Christi vescitur c. Our flesh doth feed on the body and bloud of Christ. And marke that he saith the flesh and not only the soule And Iustine in his second Apology to the Emperour Antoninus talkinge of the Sacrament saith it is cibus quo sanguis carnesque nostrae aluntur The meat wherwith our bloud and flesh is fedd and to this manner of speach appertayne those sayings of S. Chrysostome Altare meum cruentum sanguine my Altar that is made redd with bloud Where he speaketh in the person of Christ. And againe to him that had receaued the Sacrament dignus es habitus qui eius carnes lingua tangeres Thou are made worthy to touch with thy tongue the flesh of Christ And yet further in another place Thou seest Christ sacrificed in the Altar the Priest attendinge to his sacrifice and powring out prayers the multitude of people receauinge the Sacrament praetioso illo sanguine intingi rubefieri To be died and made read with that pretious bloud All which speaches and many more that for breuity I pretermitt though they tend to a certayne exaggeration as hath byn said yet do they plainly declare the sense iudgement and beleefe of the Fathers in this article and so albeit literally and in rigour they be not in all respects verified yet need we no better arguments to certifie vs of the Fathers meaninges then these to witt how farre they were of from the Protestants opinions in this mystery 89. And truly yf we would now put downe heere on the contrary side the Prorestants assertions and their cold manner of speaches in this behalfe and compare them with this vehemency of the Fathers we should presently see a wonderfull difference I will touch some few only conteyned in this booke First they say and yt is a common refuge of Cranmer and the rest in this disputation as you haue heard that their communion-bread is Christs true body as S. Iohn Baptist was true Elias Item That yt is Christs body as the doue was the holy-ghost Item That the body of Christ is eaten in the Sacrament of the Altar no otherwise then yt is in baptisme Item That infants when they be baptized do eate the body of Christ also Item That Christs body is in the Sacracrament as when two or three are gathered togeather in his name Item That the body of Christ is eaten in the Sacrament as yt is eaten when wee read scriptures or heare sermons Item That the breakinge of Christs body is nothinge but the breaking of the scriptures to the people And these are the common phrases of all lightly For I lett passe many particular assertions of some much more cold and contemptible then these wherby yow may easily seâ— the difference of estimation reuerence respect and beleefe betweene them and the auncient Fathers 90. And on the other side he that will consider the great care and warynesse which the said Fathers did vse in speakinge properly and exactly as well in other mysteryes articles of our faith as in this shall easily see that they could not fall into such excesse of speach with open reprehension contradiction of others yf their meaninge had not byn euident and the doctrine Catholike and generally receaued which they endeauoured to inculcate by these speaches for so much as we are taught by all antiquity that there was such exact rigour vsed in this behalfe in those dayes that a word or sillable could not be spoken amisse without present note or checke And S. Hierome saith that sometymes for one only vvord heretiks haue byn cast out of the Church And Saint Basill being intreated and vrged by a Gouernour of Constantius the Arrian Emperour to accomodate himselfe in manner of speach only about two words homiousion and homousion which are not said the gouernour found in scripture he answered him noe that for one Sillable he vvould offer his life yf it vvere need And the like exactnesse did the ancieÌ„t Fathers of the CouÌ„cell of Ephesus shew afterwards in standinge so resolutely for the word Deipara mother of God against Nestorius refusing the vse of the other word Christipara mother of Christ though the one the other of the words refused to witt homiousion Christipara in their senses are true but for that some hereticall meaninge might lurke therin they were refused 91. And to conclude yf antiquity was so carefull and vigilant to exclude dangerous incommodious speaches in other articles how much more would yt haue byn in this also of the reall presence yf the said Fathers speaches before rehearsed had not byn true as in the Protestants sense they cannot be but must needs tend to most dangerous error of misbeleefe and idolatry And consequently there is no doubt but that they would haue byn reproued by other Fathers yf the Protestants opinions had byn then receaued for truth And this shall suffice for this Chapter OF THE TVVO OTHER ARTICLES ABOVT Transubstantiation and the Sacrament what passed in this Disputation CHAP. VI. HAVINGE handled more largely then was purposed at the beginninge so much as apperteyneth to the first article of the reall-presence as the ground and foundation of the other two I meane to be very breefe concerninge the rest as well for that in the Oxforddisputations there was scarse any thinge handled therof but only some demonstrations out of the Fathers alleaged to Latymer which he as yow haue heard could not aunswere about the third and last point as also for that whatsoeuer was treated therof in the disputations at Cambridge and in the Conuocation house especially about Transubstantiation hath byn aunswered for the most part in our former treatise about the reall presence And albeit it was some art of the Sacramentaryes in the beginninge of these controuersies vnder K. Edward to runne from the discussion of the principall point as more cleerly against them vnto the question of Transubstantiation for that might seeme to yeld them some more shew of matter or obiections to cauill at as before we haue declared yet when the matter commeth to examination they haue as little for them in this as in the other or rather lesse for that the other to witt the reall-presence or being of Christ really and substantially present in the Sacrament hauinge byn so euidently proued against them as before yow haue seene this other of Transubstantiation being but modus essenâ—i the manner how Christ is there little importeth them nay
conuersion And then he explaneth himselfe thus that as in bread one loafe is made of many graynes so signifieth this Sacrament that we are all one mysticall body in Christ. And againe As bread nourisheth our body so doth the body of Christ nourish our soule And thirdly As bread is turned into our substance so are vve turned into Christs substance All vvhich three effects cannot be signified saith he by this Sacrament yf there be Transubstantiation and no nature of bread left and therfore there can be no Transubstantiation 7. This is Maister Ridleyes deepe diuinity about the nature of this Sacrament but yf yow reade that which we haue noted before in our eyght obseruation concerninge the true definition and nature of a Sacrament in deed yow will see that this was great simplicity in him though accordinge to his hereticall groūd that the Sacramēts doe not giue grace to leaue out the principall effect signified in the Sacrament which is grace for that a Sacrament is defined A visible signe of inuisible grace receaued therby This Sacrament also is a signe of Christs body there present vnder the formes of bread and wyne yet deny we not but that these other three effects also of vnity nutrition and conuersion may be signified therby as in like manner the death and passion of our Sauiour wherof this Sacrament is a memoriall and commemoration neyther doth the Transubstantiation of the bread into the body of Christ lett or take away these significations for so much as to make this Sacrament there is taken bread and wyne which naturally doth signifie these effects of vnion nutrition and conuersion which Ridley heere mentioneth though yt be not necessary that the substance of the said bread and wyne should still remayne but only there formes and accidents which do signifie and are signes to our senses as much as yf the substances themselues of bread and wyne were present As for example the brasen serpent did as much represent and was a signe of Christ in respect of the analogie betwene Christ and a true serpent as yf he had had the substance of à true serpent whereof he had but only the forme and shape and so are the outward formes of bread and wyne after the words of consecration sufficient to represent vnto vs the Analogy that is betweene feedinge the body and feedinge the soule vnity of graines and vnity of Christs mysticall body which is his Church 8. And thus much of Ridleyes third ground which impugneth Transubstantiation which ground as yow see is so weake and feeble as he that shall build theron is like to come to a miserable ruyne of his owne saluation But much more ridiculous is his fourth ground vttered in these words The fourth ground saith he is the abhominable heresie of Eutiches that may ensue of Transubstantiation Thus he saith in his position but lett vs heare him afterward in his probation which is not much larger then his proposition for thus he wryteth They vvhich say that Christ is carnally present in the Eucharist do take from him the verity of mans nature Eutiches graunted the diuyne nature in Christ but his humayne nature he denyed And is not this a goodly proofe of so great a charge Nay is not this a goodly ground and head-springe of proofes Consider I pray yow how these matters do hange togeather Eutiches heresy was as yow may see in the letters of Saint Leo the first and in the Councell of Calcedon that Christs flesh being ioyned to his diuinity was turned into the same and so not two distinct natures remayned but one only made of them both And how doth this heresie I pray yow follow of our doctrine of Transuostantiation Eutiches said that the diuine and humayne natures in Christ were confounded togeather and of two made but one we say that they remayne distinct and do condemne Eutiches for his opinion and by our Church he was first accursed and anathematized for the same Eutiches said Christs humayne nature was turned into his diuine we say only that bread and wyne is turned into Christs flesh and bloud what likenesse hath this with Eutiches heresie But saith Ridley vve do take from Christ the verity of mans nature This is a fiction and foolish calumniation as before yow haue heard and consequently deserueth no further refutation 9. The fifth ground is saith he the most sure beleefe of the article of our faith He ascended into heauen This ground yf yow remember hath byn ouerthrowne before and abandoned by Ridley himselfe in his Oxford-disputation where he graunted that he did not so straitly tye Christ vp in heauen to vse his owne words but that he may come downe on earth at his pleasure And againe in another place of the said disputation VVhat letteth but that Christ yf yt please him and vvhen yt pleaseth him may be in heauen and in earth c. And yet further to Doctor Smith that asked him this question Doth he so sitt at the right hand of his Father that he doth neuer foresake the same Ridley aunswered Nay I do not bynd Christ in heauen so straitly By which aunsweres yow see that this whole principall ground and head-springe of Ridleyes arguments against Transubstantiation is quite ouerthrowne For yf Christ in flesh after his ascension may be also on earth when he will as Ridley heere graunteth then is it not against the article of our Creed He ascended into heauen to beleeue that not withstandinge his ascension he may be also on earth in the Sacrament And albeit Ridley do cyte heere certayne places of S. Augustine that do seeme to say that Christ after his ascension is no more conuersant amonge vs vpon earth yet that is not to be vnderstood of his being in the Sacrament which is a spirituall manner of being but of his corporall manner of conuersation as he liued visibly among his disciples before his ascension And this is sufficient for discussion of this fifth ground wherof the cheefe particulars haue byn handled in diuers places before 10. Now then will we returne to his second ground againe of the most certayne testimonyes of the auncient Catholike Fathers And first he alleagath Saint Dionysius Areopagita for that in some places of his works he callerh yt bread And the like of Saint Ignatius to the Philadelphians which we deny not for S. Paul also calleth yt so as before we haue shewed but yet such bread as in the same place he declareth to be the true body of Christ sayinge that he vvhich receaueth yt vnworthily shal be guilty of the body and bloud of Christ addinge for his reason non dijudicans corpus Domini for not discerninge the body of our Lord there present And so S. Ignatius in the very selfe-same place saith that yt is the flesh and bloud of Christ as yow may read in that Epistle 11. After these he citeth Irenaeus whose words are Eucharistia ex