so great and diuine a mysterie for how much more greater he is in the temple according to the voyce of our Lord so much the more greeuoue and tâ—â—r be it is vnto him that shall with an impure soule rashly come vnto the body of Christ then it is to come vnto buls and rams c. S Greg. Nyss anno 380. saith Å¿ lib. de vltâ— Moyses where he disputeth concerning the manner of the lewes which he compareth with the holy Eucharist That it is bread prepared for vs without seed without prayer without any help of man that bread falling downe from heauen was found vpon earth for the bread that cometh from heauen is our true food which is figuratiuely signified in this historie it is not a thing wanting a body for how can a thing which is no body become foode for the body but the thing that wanteth not a body questionles is a body Againe t orat Catâ— chist cap. 36.37 as a little leauen saith he maketh a whole lumpe of dow like vnto it self so also that body which is made immortall by God entring into our body transposeth and changeth it wholy into it self Et pauso post it is conioyned with the bodies of the faithfull that by this coniunction with that which is immortall man also may be made partaker of immortalitie Ibid. wee must consider how it may come to passe for as much as that one body is continuallie deliuered to so many thousand of the faithfull through out the whole world it passeth wholy through euery man and yet remaineth whole in it self Againe wherfore wee doe also now truly belieue that the sanctified bread by the word of God is chaunged into the body of God the word Et pauso post these thinges he doth by virtue of the benediction chaunged the nature of those thinges which are seene meaning the bread and wine into that meaning the body of our Lord S. Optatus anno 370 saith v lib. 2. CoÌ„â— Pamenianâ— what can be so sacrilegious as to breake rase and remoue the alters of God wher vpoÌ„ your selues also sometyme haue madeoblation where on the prayers of the people and members of Christ were borne or susteyned where vpon almightie God was inuocated from whence the holy ghost being expected with great desire descendeth from whence many men receaue the earnest penny of their eternall saluation and protection of their faith and hope of resurrectionâ— Et mox what is the alter but the seat of the body and blood of Christ Et infra wherein did Christ offend you whose body and blood sometyme remained theron Also yet this haynous offence is doubled when you also breake the Chalices the porters or carriers of the blood of Christ S. Greg. Naz. anno 380. saith x orat 2. de Paschate without trouble and doubt eat the body and drinke the blood of Christ if thou be indeed desirous of life neither do thou doubt of the truth of those speeches which are vttered concerning the flesh neither be thou offended at the passion be constant firme and established not doubting of any thing whatsoeuer the aduersarie say Againe y orat de obiâ—u Gorgoniae soronâ— suae she fell downe saith he with faith at the aulter praying with great feruencie vnto him that is worshiped therupon c. S Ephrem an 380. saith z lib. de natura Dei muâ—me scrucanda ca. 5. why doste thou search thinges vnsearchable if thou examine these thinges curiouslie thou shalt not then be accounted a man faithfull but curious be faithfull and innocent be partaker of the immaculate body of thy Lord with fulnes of faith assuring thy self that thou eatest the whole lambe himself the mysteries of Christ are an immortall fier do not thou rashly search them out least thou be consumed in the search therof Et infra This indeed exceedeth all admiration all vnderstanding and all speech which Christ the only begetton son our Sauiour hath done for vs he hath giuen vs fier and spirit to be eaten and dronken that is as himself explicateth his body and blood S. Epiphanius anno 390 saith a in Ancorato circa medium wee see what our Sauiour tooke in his handes as the Euangelist speaketh that he arose from supper and tooke these thinges and when he had giuen thankes he said This is myne this and this and wee see that it is not of equall bignes nor lyke to his Image in the flesh nor to his inuisible Deitie nor to the lineamentes or partes of his members for this is of a round proportion and vnsensible touching the power theirof his meaning was to say trough grace this is myne this and this and euery man belieueth this speech for he that belieueth it not to be himself indeed is fallen from grace and saluation S. Gaudentius anno 390. saith b tract 2. de exodo the creator himself and Lord of all creatures and natures who produceth bread from the earth doth from the earth agayne because he both can and hath promised it make his owne body and he that hath made wine of water hath also made his blood of wine Et pauso post belieue that which hath bine taught that that which thou receauest is the body of that heauenly bread and the blood of that sacred vine for when he deliuered the consecrated bread and wine to his disciples he said This is my body this is my blood Let vs beliue him vvhome vve haue belieued truth cannot lye S. Chrysostome anno 380. saith c hom 60. ad Populum AntiochenuÌ„ hom 83. in matâ—hçum Let vs yeld vnto God not resisting although that which he speaketh seeme absurde to our sense and reason Let his word I beseech you conquear our sense and reason in all thinges but especiallie in mysteries not beholding only those thinges which are before vs but belieuing also his wordes for wee cannot be deceaued by his word although our sense be very easie to be deceaued therfore because he hath said This is my body let vs not doubt of it but belieue it Et ibid. how many be there that say I vvould gladly see his shape and proportion I would gladly see his apparrell I vvould gladly see his shoos therfore thou seest him thou touchest him thou eatest him c. Againe d homil 3 in epist 3. ad Ephes Wee speake concerning his body as being that which differeth nothing from it how many of vs be made partakers of his body how many of vs doe taste his blood consider that there is the body and blood which is resident aboue in the heauens which is humbly adored by the Angels Againe c lib de Sacerdono O miracle o the bountie of God yea vvho siteth on high vvith his father in that very minate of tyme is holden in all mens hands and deliuereth himself to those that vvill receaue and imbrace him Againe f homil 83â— in Matth. â—0 ad populum
Church and prayed with fastinges h 2. Cor. b. 4 5 Let vs exhibit our selues as the ministers of God c. in labours in watchinges in fastinges c. i cap. 11. â—7 in labour and Miserie in much watchinges in hunger and thirst in fastinges often in could and nakednes Examples of Keeping the lent k Exod. 24 1â— And Moyses entring into the middest of the Cloud went into the mounteyne and was there 40. days and 40. nightes cap. 14.28 Therfore he was there with the lord 40. dayes and 40. nightes bread he did not eat and water he did not drinke m Deut. 9 1â— And I fell downe before our lord as before fourtie dayes and fourtie nightes not eating bread nor drinking water for all your sinnes which you coÌ„mitted against our lord n 9 kinges 13.8 who when he had risen did eat and drinck and did walk 40. dayes and 40. nightes in the strength of that meat o Matt. 4.2 And when he had fasted 40. dayes and 40. nightes The merit of Fasting p Ionas 3.5 â—â— And they proclaymed a fast and were clothed with sackcloth from the greater to the lesser and God saw their workes that they were conuerted from their euill way and God had mercy one the euill which he had spoken that he would doe vnto theÌ„ and he did it not q Iudith 4 8.9.11.12.13 And they humbled their soules in fastinges and prayers they and their wiues and the priestes put on hearclothes c. r Then Eliachim the high priest of our lord went about all Israell and spake vnto them saying know yee that our lord will heare your prayers if continewing you continew in fastinges and prayers in the sight of our lord Å¿ cap. 8.6 And hauing cloth of hayre vpon her loynes shee fasted all the dayes of her life except Sabbaths and new moones and the feastes of the howse of Israel t Iudges 20. v. 26. And they fasted that day vntill the eueninge v Act. 14 2â— And when they had ordayned to them priestes in euery Church and had prayed with fastings they commended them to our lord FATHERS x Ad Philipp S. Ignatius anno 100. admonisheth that the lent be fasted of the faithfull because it doth conteyne the imitation of the conuersation of our lord S. Basil anno 380. saith y orat 1 de â—eâ—unio our lord the head of all thinges related when by fasting he had strenghtned the flesh which he had taken for vs he did so susteyne the assaultes of the Diuell in it wherby also he taught vs that by fastinges wee should annoynt exercise our selues to fightes in tentations z Orat. 2 de ieiunio And in an other place he speakes at large of the fast of S. Gregory Nazianz anno 380. saith a orat in S. Lauacrum Christ fasted a lent little before his tentation wee before Easter S. Chrysostome anno 380. saith b Homil. 1. in Genesin a fast of fourtie dayes being declared our lord Iesus Christ did so enter the sight against the Diuell giuing vs all example that by it wee should be armed S. Ambrose anno 380. saith c Serm. â—4 Our lord hath made holy the lent vnto vs by fasting Ibid. what Christian sâ—eller doth not fullfill the lent by fasting shal be holden guiltie of preuarication and contempt Againe d Serm. 37. This he did for our saluations sake that he might not only teach a profitable thinge by worde but also might instruct by examples that by the same stepps which wee runne vnto faith wee should goe vnto abstinence S. Hierome anno 380 saith e in cap. 58. Esaie Our lord Fasted fourtie dayes in the wildernes that he might leaue vs solemne dayes of fastinges Againe f Ad Morellani aduer errores Montani wee in a tyme sitinge for vs doe fast one lent according to the tradition of the Apostles S. Epiphanius anno 390. saith against Aerius vvho contemned commaunded fastes g lib. de her heres 75. that fastes were commaunded by the Church and accustomed to be Celebrated and also ordayned by the Apostles S. Leo Pope anno 440 saith h Sermo 6. de quadrag That therfore my beloued which is fit for euery Christian to doe that is now more carefully and deuoutly to be performed that the Apostolicall institution of fourtie dayes be accomplished by fasting Againe i Serm. g. de quadrag the greater fastes are instituted by the Apostles according to the doctrine of the holy ghost that by the common fellowshipe of the Crosse of Christ wee also might doe some thing in that which he hath done for vs. Againe k Serm. 11. de quadrab The chiefest and most holy fast is at hand which doth craue to be obserued of all the faithfull without exception S. Theophilus Alexaadr anno 390. saith l lib. 3. Pasthali That the law of abstinence from flesh in the lent hath alwayes bine in the Church and that those which did eat flesh were held guiltie of a great crime S. Augustine anno 400. saith m Serm. 62. de tempore in epistola 219. c. 15. To fast on other dayes there is a remedie or a reward but not to fast in the lent is a sin Againes The fourtie dayes of fast haue authoritie both in the old testament or bookes out of the fast of Moyses Elias and out of the ghospell because our lord fasted so many dayes Concerning the speciall forbearante or restraint to fast vpon Sunday It is confessed that the contrary vnder taken libertie of fasting vpon the Sunday now renewed by the Puritans was reproued by Pope Clement the first anno 80. saying he that fasteth vpon the Sunday or lordes day is guiltie of sin n in epist ad Philippens pag 99. The like is affirmed by Ignatius witnes for them bothe M. Cart-wright in M. whitgithes defence c. Tertullian anno 200. saith o de corona militis c. 3. Wee account it a haynous offence to fast on the Sunday p vbi supra See this also confessed by M. Cartvvrigth S. Augustine anno 400. saith q epist 85. ad Casulanum Who is it that shall not offend God if he will vnto the Scandall of the whole Church spread euery where fast one our lordes day Also the fourth Councell of Carthage saith r Canon 64. anno 413. He that doth willingly and of purpose fast on the Sunday is not taken for a Catholicke S. Epiphanius anno 390. condemneth the Arrians saying Å¿ haeresi 75. They desire rather to fast on the sunday and eat vpon wednesday and Friday t In his defence pag. 102. It was also the condemned heresie of the Manichees See M. vvhitgift THE ADVERSARIE As Concerning the appoynted fast of lent v in M witgistes defence c. pag. 100. M. Cartvvright reproueth S. Ambrose for saying It is sinne not to fast in lent
incarnatie and tooke both flesh and blood for our saluation so also by the prayers of the word of God wee are taught that the Eucharist being made food by him wherby our blood and flesh may be nourished by mutation is the flesh and blood of the same Iesus incarnate Tertullian anno 200. saith h lib. 4 cont Marcion The bread which he tooke in his hand hee made his body saying This is my body Againe i lib. de resurrect carnis The flesh feedeth vpon the body and blood of Christ that the soule may be replenished or filled with God Origen anno 230. expounding the 25. the chapter of Exodus saith k homil 13. in Exod. I would haue you to admonish others you that are wont to be present at the diuine mysteries know that when you receaue the bodie of our Lord you keepe it withall watchfulnes and veneration least any little part therof fall to the grownd least any little parte of the consecrated gift slip away or fall for you belieue that you are guiltie of a great offence and you doe well to belieue so if any part therof fall through your negligence Againe speaking of the centurions child he saith l hom 5. in diuersa loca Euangelij loquens de puero centurionis when thou receauest the holy food and incorruptible banquet thou eatest and drinkest the body and blood of our Lord then our Lord entreth vnder thy roofe thou therfore humbling thy self imitate the Centurian and say Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe For where he entreth vnworthilie there he entreth to iudgment S. Cyprian anno 240. saith m in Serm. in caena Domini in principio The supper being disposed amongst the Sacramentall banquets the old and new institutions met together and the lambe being consumed which the auncient tradition did propound our maister did set before his Disciples the vnconsumable food Et infra this bread which our Lord deliuered to his Disciples being changed not in outward shew but in nature by the omnipotencie of the word was made flesh and as in the person of Christ the humanitie appeared and the diuinitie lay hidd so the diuine essence infused it selfe ineffablie or vnspeakeablie into the visible Sacrament c. The Doctrine of the Sacrament is new and the Euangelicall schooles haue brought forth this first instruction and Christ our Doctor first taught the world the discipline That ChristiaÌ„s should drinke blood the eating wherof the authoritie of the auncient law most straightly forbideth for the law forbideth the eating of blood the ghospell commaundeth it to be dronke S. Hilary anno 350. saith n lib. 8. de Trinitate There must be no doubt concerning the veritie of the flesh and blood for now both by the profession of our Lord and our faith it is indeed flesh and indeed blood Et mox is not this the truth it seemeth not to be ttue vnto them that deny Christ to be true God Also explicating that of the six of S. Iohn he that eateth my flesh shall liue through me c. he saith truly this is the cause of our life that wee haue Christ according to the flesh remayning in vs carnall men who shall liue by him as he liueth by the father Et infra thou saist that the son of God temaineth in vs carnally through the Eucharist S. Cyrill of Hierus anno 350 saith o Cateches 4. Mystag for as much as Christ himself thus affirmeth and speaketh concerning the bread This is my body whoe dare hearafter doubt of it and for as much also as himself confirmeth it and saith This is my blood who I say can doubt of it and say it is not his blood Et ibidem once he turned water into wine which is neere vnto blood at his pleasure only in Canaan in Galile and shall not he be worthy to be belieued that he turned wine into blood wherfore with all assurance let vs receaue the body and blood of Christ for vnder the forme of bread his body is giuen to thee vnder the forme of wine his blood is giueÌ„ to the. Et ibid so shall wee be Christophori that is bearers of Christ when wee haue receaued his body blood into our members and wee shal be made as S. Peter saith partakers of the diuine nature thou must not consider it as bare bread and wine for it is that body and blood of Christ according to our Lordes owne wordes for although thy seÌ„se make thee think thus yet faith must coÌ„firme thee that thou iudge not the thing according to the tast Et infra knowing this and being most assured that this bread which wee see is not bread although the tast think it bread but that it is the bodie of Christ and the wine which wee see although to the sense of the tast it seeme wine yet that it is not wine but the blood of Christ S. Ambrose anno 380. saith p lib 4 de Sacramentis cap 4. But this bread is bread before the wordes of the Sacrament yet when the consecration shal be adioyned of bread it is made the flesh of Christ Againe q lib de myâ—teâ—iâ—s mâ—â—â—â—ndis c. 4. peraduenture saith he thou wilt say vnto me I see another thing how can you assure me that I receaue the body of Christ now theÌ„ it remaines that wee proue it therfor wee will vse most manifest examples to proue that this is not that which nature formed but that which the benediction hath consecrated and that the force of the benediction is greater then the force of nature because by the benediction nature it self is also changed Moyses held a rod in his hand he cast it a way and it became a serpent Also hauing declared many examples of Elias and Elizeus hee concludeth if the benediction of a man preuayled so much that it conuerted nature what shall wee say of the diuine consecration it self where the wordes of our Lord and Sauiour himself worke for this Sacrament which wee receaue is made perfect by the speech of Christ and if the word of Elias preuayled so much that it brought downe sier from heaueÌ„ shall not the word of Christ be of sufficient power to chaung the nature of elementes thou hast read concerning the workes of the whole world that he spake the worde and they were made he commaunded and they were created therfore the worde of Christ which was able to make that which was not of nothing shall it not be able to chaunge those thinges which be into that which they were noâ— for it is not a matter of lesse power to giue new natures vnto thinges then to chaung the natures of thinges S. Basil anno 380. saith r lib de Baptismo cap 9. if such threatninges be pronounced against them that rashly come to those Sacramentes or sacrifices which are sanctifyed by men what shall wee say of him who is rash in receauing
shall fall there it will a bide you haue serued the world hitherto in sin and heresie to leaue it novv is not so much to leaue it as to preuent it for shortlie it vvill leaue you for the vnexpected coming of death you vvant not of your neerest knired whose suddayne departure may be sufficient examples yea the only death of our father nosmale griefe to me may suffice vs in this To haue erred hitherto is humane to perseuere as I may tearme it is beastly you haue giuen your life past to heresie and her accomplices giue at least the remnant and surplus to God and his Church you haue giuen as one saith the maine croppe io the enimie of mankind the redeemer let at least glean the reproofe of your haruest and he will requite you as he promiseth a hundreth fold and with life euer lasting O Mother Pardon yet once more I earnestly beseech you my bouldnes and rough manner of writing 2. Cor. 116. I confesse with S. Paul I am rude in speach yet tolerable in opening to you the meane how to escape so great a daunger as the eternall perdition both of body and soule in which perill as I said you dayly sleepe in your tyme therefore is but short and you haue a great account to render your conscience vpon the vnderstanding of these cannot but vrge you your sinnes call vpon you the iudge expecteth you imbrace then the Roman Catholicke church for your mother and God will euer be your father accuse your self and God will excuse you be sorrie for your sinnes and they shall not be imputed vnto you permitt the priestes sentence to passe on you and Gods wrathfull sentence shall not touch you If you will mount the hills of Armenia enter the arke of Christes Church if you will ascend the higher heauen enter this lower yea this is the way and only meane To haue liued hitherto in sin and heresie is daunger to dye in this estate as our Sauiour and his Apostles witnes is certayne damnation But I haue beene to longe and therfor must rather abruptly conclude then any way finish this my present discourse wherfor as my last greeting and farewell I humbly beseech you for the tender good of your owne soule and so many which depend vpon you a great account to answere for to wouchsafe the reading or at least relating by some other these my paynes and trauells taken in your be halfe that so at length all poyntes and doubtes clearly proued you may with the people in Esdras say â— Esdras 4. â—2 truth is great and preuaileth and that I as S. Ambrose at the conuersion of S. Austine may sing Wee prayse thee God c you assuming the part of S. Austine with a cheerefull countenance and heauenly responsorie answere wee confesse thee our Lord c. and finally be incorporate a member of Christes mysticall body heere on earth his church in which an obedient child concluding your last daye as the soule of poore Lazarus was by his good Angel conueighed into Abrahams bosome so your guarden or good Angel with a triumphant victorie from that roaring Lyon enemye to man kind the Diuell may present your glorious soule a sweet smelling odor to our Lord Iesus Christ and there with the whole court of heauen his fellow Angels Luc. 15.7.10 as our Sauiour saith reioyce at so glorious a conquest which that it may sort according to my desire and that I may as Iob saith Iob 19.27 see you with these my eyes in that eternall glorie I most earnestly and humbly beseech our Sauiour who hath so long expected you to mercy that you may make your chiefe commoditie of this exhortation and some vse also of this my no lesse painfull then long admonition that in this life you may so purchase is grace as in the next eternall glorie Amen Your obedient sonne to the vtter most that he may I. P. AN INDEX Of the common places treated off 1 IMprimis the English were conuerted aboue a 1000. yeares since to the Catholicke faith fol 1. 2 The same faith was vniuersally professed for sundry ages before and was also agreable to that first faith where vnto the Brittans of wales were conuerted in the Apostles tymes fol 3. 3 Our aduersaries good opinion of the fathers fol. 6. 4 Our aduersaries appeale vnto the fathers fol. 8. 5 Scripture is not easie to vnderstand fol. 10. 6 Scripture is not for euery one to read and interpret fol. 16. 7 Scripture neuer doubted off amongst Catholickes fol. 21. 8 Scripture some tyme in Question fol Ibid. 9 Scripture neuer admitted by the Catholicke church fol. 22. 10 The Protestantes pretence of only scripture is friuolous and Idle fol. 10. 11 Protestantes disagreeing translations and Acknowledg c. fol. 27. 12 The church cannot nor ought not to haue erred fol. 31. 13 The church doth consist of good and bad fol. 33. 14 The church is ought to haue beene alwayes visible Ibid. 34. 15 Of this churches visible head c. fol. 46. 16 Of Free will fol 58. 17 Of the cooperation of Freewill with grace fol. 66. 18 Faith alone doth not iustifie fol 72. 19 Of good workes fol. 78. 20 Of Fastinges fol 87. 21 The lawes and precepts of Christ are not impossible 95. 22 To beseech the prayers of the righteous heere on earth is no derogation to our Sauiour fol 100. 67. 23 The Saintes and Angels in heauen know our doinges and wantes better then men fol. 101. 24 Of Saintes Reliques fol. 112. 25 Of the holy crosse and Images fol. 118. 26 Of Purgatorie and Lymbus Patrum fol. 125. 27 Prayer for the Dead fol. 131. 28 Of Ecclesiasticall tradition fol. 140. 29 Of the Seuen Sacraments fol. 149. 30 Of the efficacle of Sacraments fol. 16. 31 Of Baptisme and the necessitie thereof fol 166. 32 Of the venerable Sacra of the Eucharist as the form Consecration Real presence great care obserued had more thereof then of the water of Baptisme lest any part therof should fall to the ground mixture of water with wine in the Chalice and the receauing therof Fasting and Chast fol. 172. 33 Of the Sacrifice of the Masse fol. 102. 34 Of Communion vnder both kindes fol. 210. 35 Of Confession fol 215. 36 Of Satisfaction 225. 37 Of the single life of Priestes and Clergie men fol. 235. 38 Vowes of perpetuall chastitie were allowed by the Fathers affirming them to be obligatory fol. 245. 39 Of Antichrist and the Aulters and Sacrifice which he is fore told to take a way Daniel 12.11 fol. 247. 40 The Roman faith proued to be the true Catholicke faith by Dionysius Areopagita and Hermes most auncient and Apostolicke fol. 248. 41 To shew no beginning of a Doctrine is an infallible token that it is and proceedeth from the Apostles 249. 42 True Miracles make a stronge argument for the true faith and that the foresaid faith wherevnto the English were conuerted was confirmed by
belieue the truth euen now testifying it self the bread which I will giue is my fllesh and my blood is truly drinke But the all knowing creator of our infirmitie by the same power wher with he made althinges of nothing and the operation of the holy ghost he made himself a body of the flesh of one alwayes a virgine and for our reparation or redemption by a Catholick prayer and sanctification of his holy spirit he turned bread and wine mixt with water their proper species still remayning into his flesh and blood Againe a Idem 22. in Euangelia you haue now learned saith he not by hearing but by drinking what is the blood of the lambe which blood is put vpon both sides of the dore when it is dronken not only with the mouth of our body but also with the mouth of the hart THE ADVERSARIE b Iesuitismi parte 2. rat 5 pag â—26 M. D. Humfrey confesseth that Gregory the great and the first Pope of that name tought transubstantiation c in defens obiect Gardiner part 4 pag 724. Peter Martyr professeth a great dislike of the iudgment of S. Cyrill And in his epistles annexed to his common places in English in his epistle there to Beza soe saith d pag. 106. I will not so easily subscribe to Cyrill who affirmeth such a communion as therby euen the substance of the fllesh and bloud of Christ is first ioyned to the blessing for so he calleth the holy bread c. N. Whitgist saith e in his defence against Caâ—â—wrightes reply pag 408. That Ignatius who was S. Iohns Seholler and liued in Christ tyme did say of the heretikes of his tyme They doe not admitt Eucharist to be the flesh of our Sauiour Iesus Christ which flesh suffered for our sins Antony de Adamo saith f in his Anatâ—â—ie of the Masse pag. 2â—6 I haue not yet hitherto bine able to know when this opinyon of the real and bodily being of Christ in the Sacrament did begine g contra Duâ—â—um l 7. pag. 480. M. Witaker saith that Pope Nicholas the second was the first that tought Christes body to be sensibly handled broken and eaten with teeth which obiection being I suppose sufficiently answered already by that which hath bine said our Lutheran Aduersaries not withstanding shall yet more directly answere to it who haue defended it against their other brethren our Aduersaries Concerning the phrase which is but a verball obiection h Collat. Cathol Orthodox Christianorum fidei pag. 326. Iacob Andreas in the Protestant treatise intituled as in the margent saith in regard of the species or forme of the doue affâ—â—med that which is proper to the doue is attributed to the holy ghost and it seemeth to repugne the nature of the holy ghost euen as ecclesiasticall wryters because of the presence of Christes body in the Supper haue said that Christs body is handled broken with teeth and such like which are not proper to the body of Christ but attributed to it in respect of the bread Also the same Andreas saith i in confut disput Ioan. Iacobi Grinoâ— pag. 214. It is plainly explicated how the body of Christ is said to be broken with teeth seene and touched in this Sacrament which are phrases not newly inuented and brought into the Church by Luther but are learned pious and of Orthodoxall antiquitie c. Againe he saith k and pag. 215. This recantation prescribed vnto Berengarius by Pope Nicolas and the Synode contemeth nothing which is not conteyned in the wrykinges of Orthodoxall Fathers especially of Chrysostome who saith l Homil 83. in Matth. post medium Thou seest him thou touchest him thou eatest him c. And in an other place of the som Chrysostome m and hom 45. in Ioan. post medium he doth not only permitt himself to be seene of such as desire him but also touched eaten and his flesh broken with teeth LVTHERS DOCTRINE Luther saith n Sermo de Eucharistia That in the Sacrament of the Aulter there is not bread and wine but the forme of bread and wine to witt the bread is chaunged into the true and naturall body of Christ and the wine into the true and naturall blood of Christ Also euen as that bread is truly chaunced into his true and naturall body and the wine into his naturall blood so are wee drawne and chaunged into his spirituall body that is into the communion of Christ and all Saintes some relying vpon their owne knowledge and subtiltie doe aske where the bread is when it is chaunged into the flesh of Christ and the wine when it is chaunged into the blood of Christ This he saith thou oughtest to belieue although thou see it not And speaking of the Adoration of the Sacrament he saith o Ibidem fol. 370. he that doth not belieue the body and blood of Christ is there doth well if he doe not adore it neither spiritually nor Carnally but he which doth belieue as is sufficiently demonsâ—rated that he ought this man cannot truly with out sin restraine his reuerence from the body and blood of Christ For certenly I am forced to confesse that Christ is their present when his body and blood are present p Epistola ad Argemmenâ—es But in an other place he saith that he could willingly and with all his hart deny the body of Christ to be in the Eucharist if the Scriptures were not so cleare against him for by that means saith he I could much dommage the whole Romane Church yet that he might at least in some thing swarne from the auncient receaued Catholicke opinion he affirmed that the body of Christ was with the bread and wine and not the bread and wine it self chaunged into his body and bloud Againe he saith q lib cont Râ—gem Angliâ—â— That he is impious and blasphemous that doth say the bread is transubstantiate r Adu Theologâ—â— louan art 22. And that the Doctors of Louaine doe teach the traÌ„substantiation of the bread and wine in the Sacrament with out any ground or word of scripture but only out of ignorance yet in the same place he doth in the mean tyme affirme the veritie of Christes body saying the body and bloud of Christ is indeed shewed in the venerable Sacrament of the Eucharist and truly receaued as well of the worthy as the vnworthy Å¿ in Visitatione Saxonica But saith he the faithfull of Christ are to be taught that the true blood of Christ is in the wine Which opinion remayned euer afterwards with all his posteritie CALVINS DOCTRINE Caluin doth of purpose propound his opinion very obscurely that there may seeme to be contemed some mysterie First therfore he teacheth that the signes of the supper are only heere on earth and the body of Christ only in heauen t in sine consensus cum pastoribus Tigurimis wherfore he affirmeth that there is as
h Luth l de capt Babyl cap. 1. Luther saith that all the sixth chapter of Saints Iohn ought to be layd aside as nothing pertegning to this matter the same saith i Zuing lib de vera salsa religione cap. de Ech. Zuinglius k Occ. lib de verbis Dom. hoc est c. Oecolampadius l Rem 2. parte examinis pag. â—â—â— ad cap 1. â—â—ss â—1 Concil Tâ—â—dem Kemnitius c. But now all Catholickes except some few of this age did euer vnderstand the wordes of this chapter to be meant of the very Sacrament of the Eucharist or Sacramentall eating of the body of our lord in the Eucharist Some Catholickes indeed that they might more easily answere the Hussites or Lutherans prouing out of this chapter communion vnder both kindâ—â— did teach the contrary as Gabriel Ocsanus Caâ—â—â—n â—apper Hisselius and Iansemus But these did euer subiect themselues and their opinions to the censure of the whole Church and Pops of Rome which hâ—retickes doe not but defend euery man his pharisie The Catholicke opinion that this chapter doth treat of the Sacramentall eating of Christes bodie in the Eucharist may be proued by these sower argumentes first out of this verie place of Scripture it self Secundly by the testimonie of the Church thirdly by the Fathers Fourthby by the absurdities which otherwise would follow Concerning the first out of the text to omitt many moe these three may suffice First therfore our lord speaketh of a thing to be or that shable when the saith m ¶ 51. the bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world But if the bread in this place should signifie Christ as he is receaued by saith he should not speake of a thing to be for that kind of eating by faith hath bine a thinge common in all ages and the Fathers of the old testament did eat Christ in that manner The secund argument may be made by comparing these wordes with the wordes of the supper for so great is the similitude that the holy Scripture seemeth manifestly to craue that to be restored which hath bine heere promised for heere it is said The bread which I will giue is my flesh for the life of the world But there n Matth. 26.26 Take yee and eat for this is my body o Luc 22.19 which is giuen for you vnto remission of sins The third argument may be taken out of the wordes following to witt Therfore the Iewes did striue amonge themselues saying how can this man giue vs his flesh to eat And out of those of his disciples a little after saying This is a hard speach and who can heare him For out of these wee may collect that as well the Iewes as his disciples themselues did vnderstand some new and wonderfull thinge propounded by Christ Yet our lord did not therfore correct them but did agayne inculcate and vrge the same saying Vnlesse you shall eat the flesh of ther soÌ„ne of man and drincke his blood you shall not haue life in you Secondly it is proued out of the testimonie of the Church for the p in epistola ad Nestorium Councell of Alexandrie approued in the third generall Synod expoundeth that Vnlesse you shall eate c. to be spoken of the receauing of this Sacrament the same doth the q Sub finem tertij tomi Sess 13. cap. 2. seventh Synod and lykewyse the Councell of Trent expoundeth the wordes He which eateth me shall liue for me to be also of this Sacrament now although these Councells made no decree of this matter yet it is sufficiently euident what all the Bishops of these three generall Councells did thinke and consequently the whole Church which they did represent Thirdly it is proued out of the Fathers that haue written commentaries vpon S. Iohn and with one generall consent expound these places of the Sacrament of the Eucharist as S. Chrysostome Augustin Cyrill Theophylactus Euthymius Rupertus S. Thomas Nicholas Hyramus and Dionysius the Carthusian besides infinit others who for their purpose and as occasion did offerre it selfe in expounding this ghospell as Origen Athanasius Basil c. Fourthly this veritie is proued out of the absurdities which would follow First therfore it would follow that S. Iohn should haue written nothing of this Sacramt for he toucheth this matter no where vnlesse in this place But certenly it were most absurde that the chief euangelist and most diligent in explicâ—ting the most secret mysteries should leaue nothinâ— in writing concerning this great Sacrament especially when he hath written so much of baptisme wherfore r lib 3 de consensu Euang cap 1. S. Augustine affirmeth that S. Iohn hath written nothing of the supper of our lord in his proper place as the rest did because he had written at large of it before Secondly it would follow that Christ did neuer explicate the fruit and excellencie of this Sacrament which he hath done very often of Baptisme for in the last supper he only instituted it Å¿ S. Chrysostome obserueth as much in his commentarie vpon the 26. of S. Matt. but added nothing concerning the explication therof which also is confirmed Because the Apostles without doubt would haue beene moued and troubled when they heard Take yee and eat for this is my body if they had not beene instructed before Thirdly it would follow that there should be no diuine precept for the receauing of this Sacrament For the other Euangelistes mention only the institution and that as often as it is taken it be done in remembrance of our Sauiours passion Solutions to the Aduersaries obiections against the real presence proued out of this sixth Chapter of S. Iohn The first argument is Luthers which also Kemnitius with others alwayes vseth which is this the supper of our lord was instituted the day before his passion but that speech written in the sixth of S. Iohn was a whole yeare befor the passion of our Sauiour therfor it doth not treat of the supper which Kemnitius confirmeth For saith he if therfore the Papistes wâ—ll reforme the communion because in S. Iohn it is said t cap. 6. Hee which shall eat of this bread shall liue foreuer it shal be also necessarie to say that water only is to be vsed in the supper because it is also said He that shall drinke of this water v cap. â—â— shall not thirst foreuer I answeare wee doe not deny but the supper of our lord was instituted the day before his passion and not a yeere before but wee say that a whole yeere before it was promised by Christ and disputed of by him concerning the excellent fruites of that Supper which was to be And this also our Sauiour did in many other thinges For in x cap. 16. S. Matthevv he promised to S. Peter the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and explicated what force they should haue which not withstanding he did
not deliuer y Iohn 〈◊〉 vntill after his resurrection To the confirmation I answear Catholikes doe not reforme the communion deliuered in S. Matt. by that of S. Iohn as Kemmtius fayneth for the communion in S. Matt. is not deformed that it should need any reformation yet wee say that one place may be truly explicated by an other and because it is said in S. Iohn Hee which eateth this bread shall liue foreuer Wee vnfainedly collect that the Sacrament taken vnder one kind doth so suffice that two formes or species are not necessarily required to receaue the fruit of this Sacrament or communion but there is great dissimilitude betweene the water wherof our Sauiour speaketh in the fourth of S. Iohn and the bread in the sixth For all interpreters expound the latter place to be vnderstood of the Eucharist as is already shexed but no man at any tyme hath euer taken the latter in that sense Moreouer S. Iohn himselfe explicateth that by water is vnderstoode the grace of the holy ghost for in his seuenth chapter he saith But this he spake of the Spirit which they should receaue belieuing in him But the bread in the sixth chapter our Sauiour himself said it was his flesh when he saith The bread which I will giue is my flesh The second argument also is Luthers in this manner In the sixth of S. Iohn our Sauiour disputed of that eating of heauenly bread which giueth life but only that spirituall eating by faith giueth life therfore that chapter treateth only of that spirituall eating I answere the assumptum is false for Sacramentall eating also doth giue life as in Baptisme not only the internall washing but also the externall doth cleance soules the first formally the other effecting as by the instrument and as it is written z Act. 15. purifying theire hartes by faith soe it is also said a Ephes 3. cleansing it by the lauer of water in the word of ife Neither doth it hinder that the Sacramentall eating doth not giue life without faith For that proceedeth from the vnprepared disposition of the receauer and not from the Sacrament it self which of it self is alwayes powerfull and sufficient b parte 1 ad obiectum 1â— pag 94. The third argument also is from Luther and Peter Martyr in his defence against Gardine after this manner our Sauiour in that chapter doth not only say that the eating of this bread doth giue life but also that with out this eating no man can liue Vnlesse yee shall eat c. But this straight precept cannot be vnderstood of a Sacramentall eating for so all infants should perish which can eat nothing but only sucke milke yea all that cannot communicate being hindered by some lawfull and necessarie cause should likwyse perish although otherwise baptized and iustified I answear it is a common difficultie how soeuer this place be vnderstood for if the Aduersaries will haue it vnderstood of a spirituall eating by faith how I pray you shall infants eat it who neither haue any vse of the spirit or actuall faith yea it weare more easie to instill some little parte of the Sacrament into infantes then to make them to belieue therfore I say this place doth perteyne only to the aged Finally either these wordes Vnlesse yee shall eat c. Do signifie a precept or a mean necessarie vnto saluâ—tion if a precept either it doth not perteyne vnto infants because they are not capable of it or certenly they are excused because they cannot fullfill it for this is common to euerie precept if a meanl necessarie vnto saluation certenly it is only for such as can loose their life which infants cannot because they want the vse of reason The fourth argument is likwise Luthers where he alleadgeth that c lib 2 contra Iulian. S. Austine teacheth that infants doe eat the flesh of Christ in that they communicat by faith therfore this place is vnderstood of eating by faith to this may be added other places of the Fathers producued by d tract 25. Peter Martyr and others for S. Augustine expoundeth the sixth of S. Iohn so spiritually that he saith belieue and thou hast eaten And in an other place To belieue in him e Ibidem tract 26. is to eat the liuely bread and in an other place he saith that these wordes Vnlesse yee shall eat the flesh of the son of man do signifie no other thing but that wee ought to communicate and cogitate earnesly in our mynd the passion of our lord and his flesh crucifyed for vs. Also f lib. 1. Pedagogi cap. 6. clement of Alexandria expoundeth that in this place by the flesh and blood of Christ is vnderstood the word of God wherby wee are spiritually fed and nourished Also g Epist 141. S. Basil interpreteth by the flesh and blood the doctrine of Christ and his mysticall coming h in Psal 147 S. Hierome likwise by the flesh and blood of our lord vnderstandeth the Scriptures lastly i in vers 3. Psal 90. S. Bernard saith That to eat the flesh of Christ is to communicate the passion of our lord and to imitate his life I answear to the place of S. Augustine brought by Luther which is the first booke against Iulian and not in the secund as he citeth first wee must obserue that S. Austine doth often tymes say k lib. 3. de peccator meritis and remiss c. 4 and in Serm. ad infantes queritat Beda in comment 1. Cor. 10. that infants ought to eat the body of our lord if they wil be saued but he doth not vnderstand it to be necessarily done indeed for the same S. Augustine in the same place saith that infants in the very Baptisme doe participate of the body of Christ and that by the receauing of Baptisme they doe also fullfill the precept of receauing the Eucharist Secondly wee must note that infants are not only not bound to the communion indeed but neither by externall desire wherof they are by no means capable but only by an inward desire which they haue when they are baptized for then they receaue power to participate of the Bucharist and because euery one that is borne doth naturally desire meat therfore also they in that they are borne agayne in Christ doe craue the meat or food of the regenerate yet so as to be receaued in it tyme and place therfore infants do neither communicate spiritually not Sacramentally concerning the thing but Sacramentally by an inward desire whervpon it followeth that it is not altogether the same for them to be baptized and to communicate although they are done together because the one proceedeth from the other Therfore S. Austine although in the places cited say that infantes do eat the flesh of Christ in baptisme not withstanding in an other place he doth manifestly distinguish to be baptized and to eat the flesh of Christ l Sermo de â—erbis Domini For saith he it