The Grand Sacrilege of the Church of Rome, Chapter 11 · Section 16
SECT. XVI. Testimonies of the practise of the Church from 1500. to 1600.
IN this Age I might produce many Testimonies of such learned Doctors and Professors of the Gospell, as hauehave beene by Gods prouidence raised vp in the Reformed Churches in former and latter yeeres, who by their writings learnedly & soundly hauehave mainteined the cause we hauehave in hand; as also doe the ioynt, and vnanimous Confessions of the Churches of England, France, Scotland, Germany, Polonia, Sweueland, Morauia, Howbeit, because the Romanists doe except against all the foresaid witnesses, as insufficient, and of no authority, because they hauehave departed from their Synagogue; therefore I will alleage some prime Doctors of this Age also, and men of eminency among themselues, maintaining the same truth with vsus; against whom I see not what iust exception may be taken by them.
Anno 1541.
mLib. de Missa publica proroganda. in 7. part. Canonis. Sunt pseudo-ca…olici, qui reformationem Ecclesiae quoquo modo remorari non v… rentur. Hi ne Laicis altera species restituatur, nullis parcunt blasphemijs. &c. Idem Lorich. l. de sacr. Euch. fol. 72. Non possum non culpare nostrates, qui non …nimaduertunt, sacramentum Eucharisti… hinc in … labi …rimen, illic in … & … causam rap… ▪ propter alterius …. N…c … …obis … ▪ …d magis di… mulant, & ad…iuent. Vnde omnium huiusmodi malorum Dominu… ab illis ratione … illo di… poscet.Gerardus Lorichuis zealously oppugning the sacrilegious practise of the Church of Rome: There be false Catholicks, saith he, that are not ashamed by all meanes to hinder the reformation of the Church; They, to the intent that the other kind of the sacrament may not be restored to the Lay people, spare no kind of blasphemie. For they say, Christ said onelyonly to his Apostles, Drinke yee all of this, but the words of the Canon of the Masse be these, Take, and eate yee all of this. Here I beseech them, let them …ell me, whither they wil hauehave this word, all, onelyonly to pertaine vntounto the Apostles? then must the Lay people abstaine from the other kind, of the bread also. Which thing to say, is an heresie, and a pestilent and detestable blasphemie. Wherefore it followeth, that each of these words were spoken to the whole Church.
Anno 1545.
nInstructions, et Missiues des Roys de Fra. et d… leurs Embassad. ann. 1561. & 1562. …rodijt Gall…cè 8. 1608. Hist. Conc. Trid. lib. 3. 5. & 6.The Ambassadours for the Emperour, and for the French King, were earnest sutors to the Fathers in the Councell of Trent, for the restitution of the Cup to the Layety.
Anno 1562.
The obseruation of *Epist. 79 ad finem.Seneca; That a lye is of a thin and transparent nature, a diligent eye may see through it; was verified in the Diuines, and Bishops present at the Councell of Trent. Whereof some saw obscurely, others clearely through this grand lye of the Romish Church, which vnderunder colour of concomitancy, subtracteth the vse of the Cup from the Layety. For Antonius Mandulfe…sis had a glympse; but Card. Madrutius Gaspar de casa, and the Bishop of Quinque Ecclesi…, and also Amans Seruito, a Histor. Conc. Trid. lib. 6. pag. 522. Angl. ann. 1629.Friar had a full sight of the truth in this point. Antonius Mandulfensis, Chaplain to the Bishop of Prage, professedly impugned the distinction of the Eucharist, as a Sacrament, and as a sacrifice: which distinction the Papists at this day hold before them, as a buckler to beare off our arguments, drawne from the necessity of representing Christs death in the Lords Supper, by receiuing his blood apart, as seuered from his body. He also infringeth their common argument for their halfe Communion, drawne from the example of the Disciples at Emaus, and Saint Paul his breaking bread in the ship. For he truly and acutely noted, that if these Texts are to be expounded of communicating in one kind only, that it would from thence follow, that it were not onelyonly lawfull for the people to communicate in one kind only, but for Priests, such as the Apostle S. Paul, and the Disciples were, to consecrate in one kind onelyonly. Thus he saw light as it were by a chinke; but pHistoria Concilij Trid. lib. 6. pag 423.Amans servito Brixianus, as a man in the open aire felt the light of truth to come so full into his eyes, that it dazeled them. For following the doctrine of Caietan, who holdeth, that blood is not a part of mans nature, but the first nourishment thereof; and adding, that it cannot be said, that the body necessarily draweth the nourishment into concomitancy with it; from thence he inferred, that it was not altogether the same substance vnderunder the forme of bread, and vnderunder the forme of wine. Withall hee added: that the blood in the Lords Supper was blood shed out of the veines, in which as long as it was contained, it could not be drinke: and therefore could not bee drawne with the veine into concomitancy: Moreouer, that the Lords Supper was instituted to celebrate his Passion; which could not …ee represented, but by effusion of blood, and seuering it from the body. It is true, this Amans had a check in the Counfor his paines: but his reasons were not answered: himselfe for feare shuffled and fumbled about some answer vntounto them, but gaue no satisfaction either to himselfe, or to others. Welfare Cardinall qHist. Conc. Triden. pag. 454.Madrusius, who being asked his opinion, answered directly, That hee thought fit the Cup should be restored to the Layety, without all exception. Gaspar de Casa, Bishop of Lerye, a man of eminent learning, concurred with the Cardinall in iudgement; adding, that he thought, that God would neuer send the spirit of delusion into the minde of the Emperour, in so weighty a point; especially considering, that Charles the French King, and the Duke of Bauaria, ioyned with the Emperour in this request, that the Cup should be granted to the Layety. This speech of so learned a Bishop, not only confirmed those, who were of the same mind with him, but also made most of the opposite faction to startle.
Anno 1563.
Dudithius, Bish. of Quinque-Ecclesiae, as in the Councell of Trent hee had stoutly maintained the entire Communion, and refelled all obiections to the contrary: so after the breaking vp of the Councell, in an Epistle, which he wrote to Maximilian the Emperour, he bitterly complaineth of the miscarriage of this businesse in the Councell: rQuid profici potuit in eo Concili…, in quo numerarentur, non suis mementis ponderarentur sententiae? Si causa, si ratione pugnandum fuisset, si pauci quidam socij nobis adfuissent, viceramus, quamuis pauci, magnas copi…s aduersariorum. Sed cū numerus tantum prodire… in aciem, quo longè inferiores futuri fuissemus, in optima causa victores disced… re non potuimus. &c. Andr. Dudithius Episcopus Quinqu. Eccles. epist. ad C…s. Maxim. 2.What good could be done, saith he, in that Councell, wherein voyces were numbred, but not weighed? If the merits of the cause, or reason might hauehave preuailed, or if but a few had ioyned with vsus, we had wonne the day: but when the number only did beare the sway, in which we came farre short, though our cause was exceeding good, yet wee were faine to sit downe by the losse.
Anno 1564.
Georgius Cassander being set a worke by Ferdinand the Emperour, to aduise about a meanes of composing differences in Religion, declares himselfe fully for vsus in this point of the Cup: sCassand. consult. art. 22. pag. 184. Quare non temerè est, quòd optimi quique etiam Catholicae pro…essionis, in diuinorum, & Ecclesiasticorum scriptorum lectione versati, summo desiderio potiundi dominici calicis acce…duntur, omnibusque modis contendunt, vt▪ hoc salutare sacramentum fanguinis Christi vno cum sacramento corpo…is iuxta veterem, & multis seculis perpetuatam vniuersali… Ecclesi… consuetudinem, in vsum ….It is not, saith hee, without cause that the best learned Catholikes most earnestly desire and contend, that they may receiue the Sacrament of Christs blood together with his body, according to the antient custome in the vniuersall Church continued for many Ages: or at least, that the liberty▪ which was granted two hundred yeeres agoe of communicating in one kind, or both, may be restored. Wherefore I hold it not onelyonly nothing contrary to the authoritie of the Church, but rather very agreeable to the peace and vnitie of the Church, and in a manner necessary, that either those in whose hands lyes the gouernment of the Church, restore the antient custome of communicating, or, which may be done without great trouble, that the Churches themselues by little and little returne to their antient vse.