The Subtle Sophistry of Watsons Sermons before Queen Mary, Sermon 1 (3 of 5)

The Subtle Sophistry of Watsons Sermons before Queen Mary · Sermon 1 (3 of 5)

p. 85Your concluſion therefore is to large, when you ſaye,To large a concluſion. that thereby men may ſée, that the opening of our eyes to ſée God: is one of the effectes of the ſacrament that you talke of. And that in no wiſe the ſame may be eyther bread or wine.

Chriſt ſayth, Beati mundo corde: quoniam ipſi Deum videbunt. Bleſſed are the cleane in hart: for they ſhal ſée God. It is therfore the cleaneſſe of the hart that worketh the effect that you ſpeake of. And without that it can not be wrought. And many thouſandes there be that receyue the ſacrament of Chriſtes bodye without cleane hartes: and therefore doe not by the receyuing of the ſacrament, ſée or know God. But let vsus ſée your other effects.

Another effect is, WATSON. Diuiſion. 22the immortalitie of our bodies and ſoules, the reſurrection of our fleſhe to euerlaſting lyfe, to hauehave lyfe eternall dwelling in vsus. This effect is declared in the ſixt of ſaint Iohn. He that eateth me, ſhall liue for me, Ioan. 6.John 6he that eateth my fleſhe and drinketh my bloud, hath euerlaſting lyfe, and I ſhall rayſe him vp in the laſt day.

VponUpon this place Cyrillus ſayth: Ego enim dixit, id est corpus meum quod comedetur reſuſcitabo eum: Cyrillus. li. 4. Capit. 15.ego igitur inquit qui homo factus ſum per meam carnem in nouiſsimo die comedentes reſuſcitabo. Chriſt ſayth I (that is to ſay) my body which ſhall be eaten, ſhall raiſe him vp, I that am made man by my fleſhe ſhall raiſe vp them that eate it in the laſte daye. Cyrillus in Ioan lib. 10. Capit 13.And in hys tenth booke he ſayth more playnely: Non poteſt aliter corruptibilis haec natura corporis ad incorruptibilitatem & vitam traduci, niſi naturalis vitae corpus ei coniungeretur. This corruptible nature of our bodies can not otherwiſe be brought to immortalitie and life, p. 86except the body of naturall lyfe be ioyned to it.

By theſe Authorities we learne, that the effect of Chriſts body in the ſacrament, is the rayſing vp of oure bodyes to eternall lyfe. And alſo we learne, that the eating of Chriſts body is not onelyonly ſpiritually by fayth (as the ſacramentaries ſaye: but alſo corporally by the ſeruice of our bodyes, when Chriſtes body in the ſacrament is eaten and receyued of our bodyes, as our ſpirituall foode: and bicauſe it is of infinite power, it is not conuerted into the ſubſtaunce of oure fleſhe, as other corruptible meates bee, but it doth chaunge and conuert our fleſhe into his propertie, making it of mortall and dead, immortall and liuely.

As the ſame Cyrillus writeth in his fourth booke: Recordare quamuis naturaliter aqua frigidior ſit, Cyrill. lib. 4. Capit. 14.aduentu tamen ignis frigiditatis ſuae oblita aeſtuat: Hoc ſanè modo etiam nos, quamuis propter naturam carnis corruptibiles ſumus participatione tamen vitae ab imbecillitate noſtra reuocati, ad proprietatem illius ad vitam reformamur. Oportuit enim certè, vt non ſolum anima per ſpiritū ſanctum in beatam vitam aſcenderet: verum etiam vt rude atque terrestre hoc corpus cognato ſibi gustu, tactu & cibo ad immortalitatem reduceretur. The Engliſhe is this. Remember howe water although it be colde by nature, yet by reaſon of fyre put to it, it forgetteth the colde, and waxeth whot: euen ſo doe wee although we be corruptible by reaſon of the nature of our fleſhe, yet by participation of (Chriſts fleſh which is lyfe) we are brought from our weakneſſe, and reformed to his proprietie, that is to ſay, to lyfe for it is neceſſary that not onelyonly our ſoule ſhould aſcend to an happy (and ſpirituall) lyfe, by receyuing the holy ghoſt, but alſo that this rude and earthly body ſhould be reduced to immortalitie by taſting, touching, and corporall meat lyke to it ſelfe.

This place is verie playne declaring vntounto vsus, that lyke as our ſelues are reuiued from the death of ſinne to the lyfe of grace and glory by the receiuing of Gods ſpirite the holy Ghoſt in baptiſme: euen ſo our bodyes being corruptible by nature, and dead by reaſon of the generall ſentence of p. 87death, are reſtored againe to lyfe eternall and celeſtiall, by the receyuing of Chriſtes lyuely fleſhe into them, after the maner of meat in this ſacrament of the aultar

And in his eleuenth booke he ſayth, Cyrill. li. 11. Capit. 27.that it is not poſsible for the corruptible nature of man to aſcende to immortality: except the immortall nature of Chriſt doe reforme and promote it from mortalitie to lyfe eternall by participation of his mortall fleſhe.

In the proouing of this effect of your ſacrament:CROWLEY. you deale as faythfully as you hauehave done in the reſt. Firſt, how faythfully doe you deale, in cyting the words of our ſauiour Chriſt,Watſon will not leaue his olde wont. in the ſixt of Iohn, as ment of the ſacramentall eating of his fleſhe, whereas the circumſtaunce of the text will not ſuffer any ſuch ſenſe? For if he ſhould meane there, of the ſacramentall eating of his fleſhe and drinking of his bloud: then could none be ſaued but ſuch only as doe ſo eate and drinke the ſame. And contrariewiſe, none that doe ſo eate and drinke them, could periſhe. For he ſayth, he that eateth my fleſhe and drinketh my bloud: hath euerlaſting lyfe. It is manifeſt therefore that theſe wordes of Chriſt, be ſpoken of the ſpirituall eating and drinking of his fleſh and bloud, and not of a ſacramental eating or drinking. For the ſacrament was not then inſtituted neyther did our Sauiour Chriſt, go about to inſtitute a ſacrament of his body and bloud at that time.

But in cyting the wordes of Cyrill, in the fiftene chapter of his fourth booke: your faithfull dealing is moſt manifeſt. If you had cyted Cyrillus his wordes wholy as they ſtande in his booke: they would hauehave made to much againſt you. And therfore, when you had ſayde. Ego enim dixit (id eſt corpus meum quod comedetur) reſuſcitabo eum: Chriſt ſayde, I (that is to ſaye, my body that ſhall be eaten) will raiſe him vp: then you paſſe ouer the wordes that folowe, which are theſe. Non enim alius ipſe eſt quam caro ſua. Non id dico quia natura non ſit alius: ſed quia poſt incarnationem, in duos diuidi filios minime patitur. For he is not any other then the ſame which his fleſh is. I ſpeake not this bicauſe he is not another in nature: but bicauſe after his incarnation, he doth not ſuffer himſelfe to be deuided into two ſonnes. All theſe words you doe ſlylie paſſe ouer: p. 88bicauſe the meaning of Cyrillus in the other wordes, which you cite, is made playne by theſe. And then you cite the wordes that folowe. Ego igitur &c. But you go not ſo farre as you ſhould. For Cyrillus ſayth this much more, in the wordes immediatly folowing. Nempe impoſsibile omninò eſt, ne in territus & mors, ab eo qui naturaliter vita eſt ſuperetur: propterea, quamuis mors, quae propter peccatum noſtrum in naturam noſtram inſilijt, corpus humanum ad corruptionem impellat, tamen, quia filius Dei homo factus eſt, omnes profectò reſurgemus. Non enim poteſt natura noſtra vitae coniuncta non viuiſicari. For it is vtterly impoſſible, that deſtruction and death ſhould not be ouercome of him, which naturally is lyfe: wherefore although death, which for our ſinnes hath ſkipt into our nature, doe driue mans body to corruption: yet bicauſe the ſonne of God is made man, we ſhall all ſurely riſe agayne. For it is not poſſible that our nature which is ioyned to lyfe,Chriſtes incarnation is the cauſe of our reſurrection. ſhould not be quickned. Here it is manifeſt, that not the eating, and drinking of Chriſtes body and bloud ſacramentally, but the incarnation of Chriſt, is the cauſe of our reſurrection as Cyrillus thinketh.

But you hauehave yet another place of Cyrillus, where he ſayth. Recordare. &c. You hauehave a maruellous grace in leauing out that, which ſhould make againſt your purpoſe. But this foly I doe note in you, that you can not beware of cyting matter for your purpoſe, which in the places that you cite, is beſet with matter againſt you, as though you were aſſured that no man had thoſe bookes but you, or that no man would take paynes to waigh thoſe places, or were able to eſpie your ſlights. Immediatly before thoſe wordes that you cite:Lucae. 7. Cyrillus hath ſayde, vponupon theſe wordes, Adoleſcens, tihi dico, ſurge. Yong man, I ſay vntounto thée, ariſe. Non ergo verbo ſolum ſemper (vt diximus) verum etiam tactu mortuos exitahat: vt oſtenderet, corpus quo que ſuum viuificare poſſe. Quod ſi ſolo tactu ſuo corrupta redintegrantur: quomodo non viuemus, qui carnem illam & guſtamus & manducamus? Reformabit enim omninò ad immortalitatem ſuam, participes ſui. Nec velis Iudaice quomodo quaerere: ſed recordare. &c. He did not therefore alwayes (as we hauehave ſayde) rayſe vp the dead with a worde onelyonly, but with a touche alſo, to declare that his body alſo was able to giuegive lyfe. And if thinges corrupted be made p. 89ſounde againe by touching alone: how ſhould we, which doe both taſte and eate that fleſh, be without lyfe? For it will reforme vntounto the immortalitie that is in it ſelfe: thoſe that be partakers therof. Neyther be thou wylling, after the maner of the Iewes, to enquire how: but remember. &c. as you hauehave cited afore.

Cyrillus doth here go about to proue, that there was power in the body of Chriſt, to make ſounde thoſe corrupted things that he did but touch. And that therefore ſuch as doe taſt and eate the fleſhe of that body, muſt néedes be quickned therby. But how doth this proue, that the ſacrament of Chriſtes body and bloud, being eaten: is the cauſe of reſurrection and euerlaſting lyfe to the eater? By your vnderſtanding of Cyrillus: The ſequele of Watſons doctrine.his doctrine muſt teache vsus, that if the Capernaits had layde handes on Chriſt and eaten him vp euerye morſell, they had done verie well and wiſely: for ſo they ſhould hauehave bene ſure of euerlaſting lyfe. But farre was that learned father from ſo vnlearned a meaning: as may well appéere, euen in the wordes that you cite. For in vſing the ſimilitude of water made whot by fyre: he ſheweth what life it is, that doth quicken vsus into euerlaſting lyfe. Euen that lyfe, which is Chriſt God and man, which commeth vntounto vsus by faith, and maketh vsus forget our coldneſſe of infidelitie and lack of louelove, and doth heat vsus with moſt conſtaunt faith, made fruitful by louelove. And ſo we doe profitably eate the fleſhe and drinke the bloud of Chriſt, for we dwell in Chriſt, and hauehave him dwelling in vsus.

And yet more plainely doth Cyrillus open his owne meaning in the wordes that follow immediatly after the wordes that you cite. For he ſayth thus. Nec putet ex tarditate ment is ſuae Iudaeus, inaudita nobis excogitata eſſe myſteria: videbit enim ſi attentius quaerit, hoc ipſum a Moſis temporibus, per figuram ſemper factitatum fuiſſe. Quid enim maiores eorum ab ira Aegyptiorum liberauit, quando mors in primogenita Aegypti ſeuicbat? Nonne omnibus palam eſt, quia diuina inſtitutione per docti, agni carnes manducauerūt, & poſtes & ſuperliminaria ſanguine perunxerunt, propterea mortem ab eis diuertiſſe. &c. Neyther let the Iewe through the dulneſſe of his minde, thinke that we hauehave ſacraments deuiſed for vsus, which hauehave not bene hard of before: for if he will looke well, he ſhall ſée, that by a figure, the verie p. 90ſame thing hath bene done euer ſince the dayes of Moſes. For what was it that did delyuer their fathers from the wrath, when death did rage againſt the firſt borne of Egypt? Doe not all men knowe, that they being thorowly enſtructed of God, did eate the fleſhe of a Lambe, and did annoynt the two ſide poſtes and the vpper poſtes of their dores, with the bloud of the ſame, and that therfore death turned away from them. And a little after, he ſaith. Et cuinis carnibus at que ſanguine ſanctificati (Deo ita volente) perniciem effugiebant. They being made holye by the fleſhe and bloud of a Lambe, did (by the will of God) eſcape the deſtruction.

I ſuppoſe that there is no man ſo mad, as to thinke, that theſe words of Cyrill ſhould be taken in ſuch ſort and meaning, as you take thoſe wordes that you cite. For then ſhoulde Cyrillus bée thought to aſcribe the deliuerance of the people from deſtruction, to the eating of the fleſhe of a Lambe, and the annoynting of the dore poſtes with the bloud thereof. Which were to farre from ſuch chriſtian knowledge, as appeared to be in y^e chriſtian Biſhop.

Watſons cō cluſion differeth much from Cyrillus minde.Wherefore, I maye conclude, that you concluſion is verye farre from Cyrillus minde, when you ſay, that this place is verie playne, declaring vntounto vsus, that lyke as our ſelues (you ſhould hauehave ſayde our ſoules) are reuiued from death. &c. For it is plaine by that which I hauehave cyted out of the ſame Chapter of Cyrillus, that he meaneth to teache, that the receyuing of the outwarde ſacrament of the body and bloud of Chriſt, is all one with the eating of the Paſſouer Lambe in Egypt.

Lib. 11. & Capit. 27.One other place you hauehave founde in Cyrillus. But by lyke your conſcience tolde you that it ſerueth not ſo well for your purpoſe as you would wiſhe, and therefore you doe but teach Cyrill to ſpeake after you in Engliſh (a tongue y^t he neuer vnderſtood) but if he were nowe lyuing,Watſon teacheth Cyrill to ſpeake Engliſhe. and ſhould vnderſtande howe you hauehave handled him therein, he would (I doubt not) giuegive you worthy thankes. And that other men of iudgement and knowledge, may iudge betwéene Cyrill and you: I will cite his wordes in latine, as Trapezontius hath tranſlated him out of Gréeke. Nexus igitur vnionis noſtrae ad Deum Patrem, Christus eſt, nobis quidem vt homo, Deo autem Patri, vt Deus naturaliter vnitus. Non erat enim poſsibile, corruptioni p. 91ſubiectam hominis naturam, ad immortalitatem conſcendere: niſi natura immortalis at que incommutabilis, ad eam deſcendiſset, ac communione participatione que ſui, a mortalitatis noſtrae terminis, ad ſuum bonum reformatos, eleuaret. Chriſt therefore ſayth (Cyrill) is the bonde of our vnitie with God the father. Who is naturally vnited vntounto vsus, as a man, and vntounto God the father, as God. For it was not poſſible for mans nature being ſubiect to corruption, to clyme vp to immortalitie: except the immortall and vnchaungable nature, had deſcended vntounto it, and by the communion and participation of it ſelfe, lifted vp from the bondes of our mortalitie, ſuch as be reformed or faſhioned a newe, according to the goodneſſe of that nature.

Nowe, let all men that hauehave eyther learning or wyt, iudge how faithfully you deale with Cyrill, when you ſay, in his name. Except the immortall nature of Chriſt, doe reforme and promote it, from mortalitie to lyfe eternall, by participation of his mortall fleſhe. For who ſéeth not, that Cyrill doth there ſpeake of that immortall and vnchaungable nature in Chriſt: which came downe from the throne of maieſtie in heauen, to take our mortall nature vponupon him, that he might frame and faſhion vsus lyke vntounto himſelf. And ſo exalt vsus aboue the boundes of our mortall nature. Which thing he did by receyuing our nature vntounto himſelfe, and gyuing his nature vntounto vsus. And ſo is he the bond, whereby we are faſtened to God. But this is the maner of all your ſort, in cyting the ſayings of the auncient fathers.

Here perchaunce ſome men will ſtumble, WATSON. Diuiſion. 23conſidering that we beleeue the bodyes of yong innocentes ſhall riſe to euerlaſting lyfe, which we knowe neuer receyued Chriſtes fleſhe in the ſacrament.

But their doubt in this point may ſone be reſolued, if they conſider that ſcripture and the olde fathers, ſpeake after the ordinarie working of God making no preiudice to the abſolute power of God, who oftentimes giueth the proper grace of the ſacraments before the outwarde receyuing of the ſame. As for example. Without baptiſme in water p. 92and the holy Ghoſt, no man can enter into the kingdome of heauen,Iohn. 3.John 3 as S. Iohn wryteth. Yet we read, that the theefe on the right hande of Chriſt was ſaued and neuer baptiſed, and many conuerted ſodainely to our faith were made martyrs before they could come to baptiſme in water.

And ſaint Ambroſe thinketh Valentinian the Emperour to be ſaued, which dyed in his iourney before ſaint Ambroſe which he ſent for, could come vntounto him.

And therefore though baptiſme be neceſſarie, and the ordinarie dore to ſaluation, yet the proper grace of baptiſme is ſometimes giuen by Gods extraordinarie and abſolute power to ſuch, as without contempt of the ſacrament by their wyll and earneſt deſire receyue the ſacrament of baptiſme, though not in deede: euen ſo they that be baptiſed, and hauehave an earneſt deſire and longing to receyue Chriſts body and bloud in the ſacrament, and by ſome violence or impediment are letted to receyue it in deede: or ſuch children as by baptiſme hauehave faith infuſed into their hartes, and are preuented by death before they can prooue and trie themſelues, (which probation ſaint Paule ſeemeth to require before the receypt of Chriſtes body) hauing no contempt nor refuſal of the ſame, 1. Cor. 11.1 Cor 11but depart in the faith of Chriſt: Theſe I ſaye receyue the grace of the ſacrament, which is the immortalitie of their bodies and lyfe eternall by Gods extraordinary working, without the receypt of the ſacrament in deede. By this little yee maye perceyue, what may be further ſayde to this obiection, if the time and my principall matter would ſuffer me.

CROWLEY. Watſon is not able to aunſwere his owne obiection.By making and aunſwering of this obiection: you would hauehave it ſéeme to all men, y^t this is all that any man can ſtumble at. And that this one ſtumbling ſtock being remoued, the way is ſo playne and cleare: that none can ſtumble, vnleſſe it be ſuch as wilfully will ſtumble, in eueryevery playne way. But as you are not able to aunſwere this obiection to the ſatiſfiyng of any that knoweth and will conſider what the vſe of a ſacrament is: ſo may there p. 93much more be obiected, whervnto you and the reſt of your mind, ſhall neuer be able to make ſuch aunſwere as may be allowed among thoſe that hauehave knowledge.

It might be obiected, that Adam and Eue, with all the holy men and women that were before this ſacrament was inſtituted, and looked for the promiſe of God made in his ſonne: ſhall riſe agayne in the laſt day and hauehave euerlaſting lyfe. It might alſo be obiected, that all, both good and bad: ſhall in that day riſe againe and lyue for euer, eyther in euerlaſting ioy, or in euerlaſting torments, and wiſhing to die, death ſhall flie from them. I am ſure you being a Doctor of diuinitie, doe knowe this to be true: wherfore I ſhall not néede to prooue it. The wordes of Chriſt,Iohn. 5. Marc. 9.John 5Mark 9 in the fift of Iohn and the ninth of Marke, may ſuffiſe for the proufe of both. All that be in the graues. &c. And their worme dyeth not, neyther doth the fyre go out. &c.

But let vsus ſée howe you hauehave aunſwered this obiection. You ſay that this doubt may ſone be reſolued, if men will conſider that the ſcripture and the olde fathers doe ſpeake after the ordinarie working of God, making no preiudice to the abſolute power of God. But how hauehave you proued that? I graunt that the ſcripture and the fathers doe ſo ſpeake, & doe make no preiudice to the abſolute power of God. Shall we thinke therefore, that if the reſurrection of our bodies and euerlaſting lyfe, be one of the effectes of the ſacrament of Chriſtes body and bloud: he muſt néedes vſe his abſolute power, in gyuing the reſurrection of body & euerlaſting life, to as many as we wil hold from the receyuing of y^e ſacramēt?

It appéereth, that in Aunſtens time, ſuch as were of your minde, durſt not be ſo bolde,The vſe in ſaint Auſtens time. as to preſume vponupon the abſolute power of God in this point: and therefore they miniſtred the ſacrament of Chriſtes body to the Infants ſo ſone as they were baptiſed, but we kéepe them from the receyuing of it, till they bée growne to diſcretion, and be ſufficiently inſtructed in Chriſt, and doe know how to examine themſelues before they come to y^e lords table. And if they die in this meane while: ſhal we think that God muſt vſe his abſolute power in raiſing their bodies, & giuing them euerlaſting lyfe? We might as well kéepe all our children from p. 94baptiſme, and ſaye that God ſhall giuegive them the proper grace of baptiſme, by his abſolute power without the ſacrament. And ſo ſhould we be all one with the Anabaptiſtes.

But vayne is all that you hauehave affirmed, of this effect of your ſacrament:Cyrill. li. 4. Cap. 15. and therfore the obiection and the aunſwere that you make, can not be other then vayne. We holde with Cyrillus (whoſe wordes you hauehave cyted) that bicauſe the ſonne of God is become man: all mankinde ſhall in the laſt daye ariſe out of the earth. All the ofſpring of the firſt Adam that ſinned: ſhall be raiſed agayne by the ſecond Adam that neuer ſinned himſelfe, neyther was partaker of the ſinne of the firſt.

The cauſe of the reſurrection and immortalitie.The Infants therefore (whome you call Innocents) being of the ofſpring of the firſt Adam: ſhall be rayſed agayne by the ſecond, whether they be partakers of any ſacraments or not. For the reſurrection and immortalitie commeth not by the receyuing of ſacraments:Rom. 6.Rom 6 but by the incarnation of the ſonne of God. And euerlaſting lyfe in ioye and felicitie is the frée gift of God, thorow Ieſus Chriſt our Lorde.

And this frée gift was giuen to all the elect and choſen children of God: euen before the foundations of the world were layd. But the reprobates, which be not choſen in Chriſt, ſhall hauehave by Chriſt (that hath taken mans nature vponupon him) the reſurrection and immortalitie of their bodies: but bicauſe that they beléeue not in Chriſt, they ſhall hauehave this immortalitie in thoſe torments that their firſt fathers ſinne did deſerue. The receyuing of ſacraments can not make the reprobates partakers of endleſſe felicitie: neyther can the lack of them be a cauſe,Auguſt. De catechiz. rudib. Queſt. in Leu. 9.84.Lev 9:84 why Gods elect ſhould not be partakers thereof. But they be the viſible ſeales of heauenlye things: and being receiued without thoſe heauenly things wherof they be feales: they profite the receyuers nothing at all, more then circumciſion did Eſau, and baptiſme Simon Magus. But when they doe both concurre: then doe the outwarde and viſible ſacraments, confirme the fayth, and comfort the weake and wauering conſcience. Theſe therefore be the effectes of Chriſtes ſacraments: and not ſuch as you imagine. But let vsus ſée what you hauehave more to ſay of this effect that you laſt ſpake of.

p. 95This effect is commonly taught of many auncient authors with one conſent. For Ignatius one of the oldeſt calleth this ſacrament M…dicamentum immortalitatis, Ignatius ad Epheſos.antidotum non moriendi, a medicine of immortalitie, a preſeruatiue againſt death.

And the great generall counſayle at Nice, Concilium Nicenum de Euchariſtia.wryteth that they beleeued theſe ſacramentes of the body and bloud of Chriſt to be Simbola reſurrectionis noſtrae, the pledges or cauſes of our reſurrection.

And Athanaſius who was one of the chiefe men in that counſaile, calleth it Conſeruatorium ad immortalitatem vitae aeternae. Athanaſius de peccato in ſpiritum ſanctum.A conſerue or a thing that preſerueth our bodyes to the immortalitie of eternall lyfe.

Ireneus that was a great deale older wryting againſt the heretikes, that denied the reſurrection of the fleſhe, Ireneus lib. 4. Cap. 34.proueth it and confuteth them by the effect of this ſacrament ſaying thus: Quomodò dicunt carnem in corruptionem deuenare. quae á corpore & ſanguine Domini alitur? By what reaſon doe they ſay, that our fleſhe goeth wholy to corruption, ſeing that it is nouriſhed with the body and bloud of our Lord? and in his fift booke he ſayth: Quomodo carnem negant capacem eſſe donationis Dei, Ireneus lib. 5.quae eſt vita aeterna, quae ſanguine & corpore Chriſti nutritur? How doe they denie our fleſhe to be able to receyue the gift of God, which is eternall life, which is nouriſhed with the body and bloud of Chriſt.

The greateſt argument that Ireneus could bring to proue the reſurrection of our fleſhe to lyfe eternall, was to alledge the cauſe of that reſurrection, which was the nouriſhing of our fleſhe with the lyuely fleſhe of Chriſt in the ſacrament, not to this temporall lyfe as other earthly meates doe, but to eternall lyfe, as onelyonly Chriſtes fleſhe doth, and this cauſe was beleued and confeſſed of all men at that time, both Catholikes and heretikes. In ſo much that theſe heretikes of our time, that denie this cauſe, that is to ſay, Chriſtes fleſhe to be really giuen in the ſacrament, and eaten of our fleſhe: doe giuegive occaſion, yea I am afrayde, doe giuegive more then occaſion, p. 96for vsus to thinke of them, that they denie alſo the reſurrection of our fleſhe, which is the proper effect of it, although as yet, they dare not impudently burſt out in plaine words, though they expreſſe the ſame euidently to all mens eyes in their carnall and beaſtly lyues.

To proue this effect further, I could bring in many moe authorities, Hilarius De Trinit. li. 8.as the ſaying of Hilarius. Haec vero vitae noſtra cauſa eſt, quod in nobis carnalibus manentem per carnem Chriſtum habemus. This is the verie cauſe of our life, that we hauehave Chriſt by his fleſhe dwelling in our fleſhe.

But I will not in ſo playne a matter, through my curioſitie ſeeme to miſtruſt the credire of you, that be faythfull men. Therefore to conclude, knowing the greatneſſe and excellencie of this effect, ſhall we aſcribe it to ſo baſe creatures as be bread and wine, which be not able to worke ſuch an effect? God forbid.

CROWLEY.Many auncient authors (you ſaye) doe with one conſent teach this effect. As Ignatius, the fathers of the Nicene counſaile, Athanaſius, Ireneus, and Hilarius, and many moe you could bring in, but you will not by curioſitie, ſéeme to miſtruſt the credite of your auditorie. Well, let vsus ſée what your auncient authors hauehave ſayde. Firſt Ignatius, ſpeaking of your Sacrament, hath ſayde. Medicamentum immortalitatis. &c. A Medicine of immortalitie. &c. In hys Epiſtle to the Epheſians, he ſayth thus. State fratres firmi in fide Ieſu Chriſti, & in eius charitate, in paſsione & Reſurrectione, omnes in gratia nominatim congregemini in commune, in vna fide Dei Patris, & Ieſu Chriſti, vnigeniti eius filij, primogeniti totius creaturae, ſecundum carnem ex genere Dauid: praeunte & deducente vos paracleto, obedientes Epiſcopo, at que presbyterorum caetui, indiuulſo animo: vnum panem frangentes, quod eſt medicamentum immortalitatis, antidotus ne moriamini, ſed vinatis in Deo, per Ieſum Chriſtum: purgatio malorum expultrix. Brethren ſtand faſt in the fayth of Ieſus Chriſt, and in his louelove, his paſſion, and reſurrection. Congregate your ſelues togither all into one place, in louing fauour one towardes another, in one fayth of God the father, and of p. 97Ieſus Chriſt, his onelyonly begotten ſonne, the firſt begotten of all creatures, of the lynage of Dauid after the fleſhe: the holy ghoſt being your guide, and leading you thether. Obeying your Byſhop and the whole company of elders, with one conſent of mind: breaking one loafe of bread, which is a medicine of immortalitie, and a thing to preſerue you that you ſhould not dye, but lyue in God thorow Ieſus Chriſt: and a purgation, that doth expel euils.

This much hath Ignatius written in the place that you cite. And can any indifferent man gather of theſe words, that he ment here to teach, that our reſurrection is the effect of the ſacrament of Chriſts body and bloud? I thinke not. Yea I ſuppoſe,Effectes doe ſpring out of efficient cauſes. that none can gather that meaning of his wordes, but you, and ſuch as you are, whome affection hath blinded. Doe ye not know, that effects muſt ſpring out of efficient cauſes? And dare you ſay that the ſacrament of Chriſtes body and bloud: is the efficient cauſe of our immortalitie. If you hauehave any ſhame left: you will not affirme it. For Saint Paule ſayth,1. Theſſ. 4. 2. Cor. 4.1 Thess 42 Cor 4 that the efficient cauſe of our reſurrection, is the ſame that rayſed vp Chriſt from death to lyfe. How can the ſacrament of his body and bloud be the efficient cauſe of our reſurrection, and immortalitie then, as you thinke you hauehave proued it to be?

If Ignatius were nowe lyuing: he would not, I am ſure, commend you as he doth commend thoſe Epheſians that he wrot vntounto. For he ſhould finde in you, the contrarie of that he found in them, by the teſtimonie of Oneſimus their Biſhop. Wherevpon he wryteth thus. Oneſimus autem ipſe, valde laudat veſtram in Deo moderationem & diſpenſationem, quod omnes ſecundum veritatem viuatis: quod que in vobis nulla haereſis inhabitet: ſed ne que auditis quenquam, niſi ſolum leſum Chriſtum, verum paſtorem & magiſtrum, ac eſtis ſicut Paulus ad vos ſcribebat, vnum corpus & vnus ſpiritus. &c. And Oneſimus himſelfe (ſayth Ignatius) doth greatly commend your moderation and diſpoſition of things in God, for that you doe all lyue according to the truth, and for that there is in you no hereſie abyding, but you refuſe euen to heare any other then Ieſus Chriſt alone, which is the true Shepheard and teacher: and you are, euen as Paule wrote vntounto you, one body and one ſpirite. &c. How p. 98farre you and your ſort be from the harkening to Chriſt alone: may eaſily be ſéene of all that will conſider, the multitude of traditions that you hauehave brought into the Church of Chriſt, and doe eſtéeme them aboue the ordinaunce of God. Wherefore Ignatius might ſay vntounto you, as he wryteth in the ſame Epiſtle. Similiter autem, & omnis homo, quiſquis indicium a Deo accepit, punietur ſi imperitum paſtorem ſecutus fuerit, & falſam opinionem vt veram exceperit. And in lyke maner eueryevery man, that hath receyued at Gods hand habilitie to iudge: ſhall be puniſhed, if he ſhall follow an vnſkilfull ſhepheard, and receyue a falſe opinion as true.

Thus you ſée, that when Ignatius is well conſidered, he will be found none of thoſe auncient Authors, that doe commonlye teache this affect of the ſacrament of Chriſts body: but contrarywiſe, he will tell you that you ſhall be puniſhed, for that you follow an vnſkilfull ſhepheard, and accept a falſe opinion as though the ſame were true. And euen in that place which you cite, hys wordes are flat againſt your doings, and therefore you diſſemble thoſe wordes, and begin with the next. He hath written thus Vnum panem frangentes, quod eſt. &c. Breaking one loafe of bread, which is a medicine of immortalitie, and a preſeruatiue againſt death. Now tell me, how this breaking of one loafe of bread, doth or can agrée with your priuate Maſſe that you call the ſacrifice of the Church: and with your Popiſhe Eaſter houſell, when eueryevery one hath a mock loafe by himſelf. Ignatius would hauehave the Epheſians to breake (that is to be partakers of) one leafe of bread, and he ſayth that is a medicine of immortalitie, and a preſeruatiue againſt death.Watſon was foule ouerſene. Why then. It is neyther your priuate Maſſe, nor your Eaſter houſell, that he ſpeaketh of: but our communion. If I had bene of your counſell before you made this Sermon: you ſhould neuer hauehave cited this place for ſhame. Well it is out now, and can not be called in againe.

But nowe let vsus ſée, what the fathers that were gathered togither in the generall counſell of Nice,Concilium Nicenum. hauehave ſayde to this matter. They hauehave called this ſacrament, Symbola Reſurrectionis noſtrae. The pledges or cauſes of our reſurrection, ſay you. But I would faine knowe where you hauehave read Symbolum in that ſignification. p. 99I beléeue you neuer read it in any of the eloquent Gréekes or Latiniſtes. You were ſure that you had Auditorium beneuolum, A ſtraunge ſignification of Symbolum.and therefore you might be bolde to ſaye, that Symbolum ſignifieth a cauſe: and ſo tranſlate Symbolum Reſurrectionis, the cauſe of reſurrection. But perhaps you hauehave ſome ſecret Authors, wherin you read Simbolum, written with ī, and not with y. And that Simbolum it is that you tranſlate ſo: for your printer hath ſo printed it. Well I leaue this tranſlation of yours, to the iudgement of ſuch as be ſkilfull in the Gréeke and Latine tongues. But to our purpoſe. You ſhall neuer be able to proue that Symbolum ſignifieth a cauſe: but a pledge it may ſignifie. And what hauehave the fathers of the Nicene counſell done for you then? Euen as much as Ignatius hath done before. I will not ſtick to graunt you both the ſayings to be true. The ſacrament of Chriſtes body and bloud,Medicines be not the efficient cauſes of health. is a medicine of immortalitie, a preſeruatiue againſt death, a purgation to expell euils, & a pledge of our reſurrection. Are medicines, preſeruatiues, and purgations, the efficient cauſes of health? And how can this medicine, preſeruatiue and purgation, be the efficient cauſe of our reſurrection & immortalitie? And is a pledge the efficient cauſe of the thing or déede that is promiſed when the pledge is giuen? For in that ſenſe is Symbolum taken here. And vnleſſe you can proue that theſe be efficient cauſes: you ſhal neuer prooue that our immortalitie and reſurrection be the effects thereof.

The lyke may be ſayde to the Conſeruatorium ad immortalitatem aeternae vitae. A conſerue, or a thing that preſerueth our bodies to the immortalitie of eternall life. But bicauſe it is your cuſtome to cite matter in ſuch ſort, that the true meaning of the Author can not be perceyued by the wordes that you cite: I will let the reader ſée all the wordes that Athanaſius doth in that place write of that matter. Sed proptered aſcenſionis ſuae in caelum mentionem ſecit, Athanaſius De p ccato in ſpiritum ſanctum.vt eos a corporali intellectu abſtraheret, ac deinde carnem ſuam de qua locutus erat, cibum è ſupernis, caeleſtem & ſpiritualem alimoniam, & ab ipſo donandam intelligerent. Quae enim locutus ſum vibis, inquit, ſpiritus eſt & vita. Quod perinde eſt acſi deceret. Corpus meum quod oſtenditur & d…tur pro mundo: in cibum dabi…ur, vt ſparitualiter vnicui que , t…buatur, & fiat ſingulis tutamen, praeſeruatio que ad Reſurrectionem vitae aeternae. Ita qu… que p. 100Samaritanam abſtrahens Dominus a rebus ſenſibilibus: Deum eſſe ſpiritum pronuntiauit, vt deinceps illa, non corporalia, ſed ſpiritualia de Deo cogitaret. But for this cauſe did he make mention of his aſcention into heauen: that he might drawe them away from the bodily vnderſtanding, and that they might afterwarde vnderſtand his fleſhe whereof he had ſpoken, to be foode from aboue, heauenly and ſpirituall nouriſhment, and ſuch as he muſt giuegive. For (ſayth he) that which I hauehave ſpoken vntounto you: is ſpirite and lyfe. Which is as much as if he ſhould ſay. My body, which is ſhowed and giuen for the world: ſhall be giuen to be meat, that it may be ſpiritually giuen to euerye man, and that it maye be to eche man a defence and preſeruation, vntounto the reſurrection of eternall lyfe. In like maner alſo, drawing the Samaritiſh womā from ſenſible things: the Lorde affirmed that God is a ſpirite, that from thence forth, ſhe ſhould not think of God as of corporall things, but as of things ſpirituall.

Now let the indifferent reader iudge, how faithfully you hauehave vſed your ſelfe, in alledging the ſaying of this auncient Father. His grounde is, the wordes of Chriſt in the ſixt of Iohn. Where ſpeaking of the eating of his body he ſayth. It is the ſpirite that doth giuegive lyfe: the fleſhe profiteth nothing at all. The words that I hauehave ſpoken vntounto you are ſpirite and lyfe. Which is (ſayth Athanaſius) as much as if he ſhould ſay. My body, which is ſhowed and giuen for the world, ſhall be giuen to be foode, that it may ſpiritually be giuen to eueryevery man, and that vntounto eche man it may be made a defence and preſeruation to the reſurrection of eternall lyfe. And to make his meaning playne Athanaſius ſayth: that Chriſt made mention of his aſcention into heauen, that he might draw his hearers, from the bodily vnderſtanding. And further he ſayth, that our ſauiour talking with the Samaritiſh woman: did draw hir from ſenſible things, affirming y^t God is a ſpirit, that ſo ſhe might imagine no corporal thing to be in God, but al ſpiritual.

I can not therefore but thinke, that ſuch as will ioyne with you in alledging this place to proue immortalitie and euerlaſting lyfe to be the effect of the ſacrament of Chriſtes body and bloud: are by obſtinate wylfulneſſe blinded, as you doe ſhewe your ſelfe p. 101to be. For it is as manifeſt as the cleare ſunne light: that his meaning was to diſproue the groſſe opinion of all ſuch as imagine,The meaning of Athanaſius. that Chriſt ſhould giuegive his fleſhe to fill the bellies of men. And to teach, that ſuch as will benefite by eating of his body, muſt eate the ſame ſpiritually and not carnally. And that when it is ſpiritually eaten: it is Tutamen praeſeruatio que ad reſurrectionem vitae aeternae: A defence and preſeruation, vntounto the reſurrection of eternall life. But this is not to teach y^t it is the efficient cauſe of our immortalitie and reſurrection, as you labor, by this & other places to proue.

But nowe let vsus ſée what you hauehave founde in Ireneus, that was a great deale older then Athanaſius. He hath ſayde. Quomodo dicunt carnem. &c. By what reaſon doe they ſaye, that our fleſhe goeth wholy to corruption, ſeing that it is nouriſhed, with the body and bloud of our Lorde? This place of Ireneus is ſufficiently opened before, in the aunſwere to that which you hauehave ſayde of the firſt circumſtaunce of y^e ſacrament (which is, who it was that ſpake theſe words. This is my body. &c) and is playnely proued not to make any thing for your purpoſe, eyther there or here.

Yet we hauehave not ſayde any thing to that other place which you cite out of the fift booke of this Ireneus, where he ſayth.Ireneus. li. 5. Quomodo carnem negant capacem eſſe. &c. How doe they denie. &c. I might put you in remembraunce of that which Eraſmus wryteth concerning his iudgement of the authoritie of this booke: for I am ſure you can tell that he hath written thus.Cenſura Eraſ. Roterodami. In hoc quinto libro, quum multa ſcripturarum loca diligenter explicentur: quaedam tamen inſunt, quae niſi quis comode interpretetur, non ſatis congruere videntur cum bis dogmatibus, quae hoc tempore praeſcribit Eccleſia. Where as in this fift Booke there be many places of Scripture diligently expounded: yet are there certaine things in it, which vnleſſe a man doe well interpret, doe not ſéeme to agrée verie well, with thoſe doctrines that at this time the Church doth preſcribe.Auncient writers muſt be read with fauour. &c. And afterwarde he ſayth. Sed in huiuſmodi multis, veteres illi cum candore, nonnunquam & cum venia legendi ſunt &c. But in many ſuch things, thoſe auncient wryters muſt be read with fauour, and ſometime with pardon alſo.

But be it that Eraſmus had not giuen vsus this warning: is p. 102there not warning ynough giuen vsus, in the wordes of the place it ſelfe, to looke well to the wryters meaning? You doe, according to your cuſtome, cite thoſe wordes onelyonly, which may at the firſt ſight, make ſome ſhewe, of that you would proue by them. But according to my cuſtome, I will let the reader ſée the whole circumſtaunce, that he may be able to iudge which of vsus both goeth moſt nigh to the meaning of the writer. His wordes be theſe. Vani autem omnimòdo, qui vniuerſam diſpoſitionem Dei contemnunt, & carnis ſalutem negant, & regenerationem eius ſpernunt, dicentes non cam capacem eſſe incorruptibilitatis. Sic autem, ſecundum haec videlicet, nec Dominus ſanguine ſuo redemit nos, ne que Calix Euchariſtiae, communicatio ſanguinis eius eſt, ne que panis quem frangimus communicatio corporis eius eſt. Sanguis enim non eſt, niſi á venis & carnibus, & á reliqua quae eſt ſecundum hominem ſubſtantia, qua verè ſactum verbum Dei, ſanguine ſuo redemit nos. Quemadmodum & Apoſtolus eius ait. In quo habemus redemptionem per ſanguinem eius, & remiſsionem peccatorum. Et quoniam membraeius ſumus, & per creaturam nutrimur. Creaturam autem ipſe nobis praeſtat, ſolem ſuum oriri faciens, & pluens quemadmodum vult, cum Calicem qui eſt creatura, ſuum corpus confirmauit, ex quo noſtra auget corpora. Quando ergo & myxtus Calix, & factus panis, percipit verbum Dei: fit Euchariſtia ſanguinis & corporis Chriſti, ex quibus augetur & conſiſtit carnis noſtrae ſubſtantia. Quomodò carnem negant capacem eſſe donationis Dei, quae eſt vita aeterna, quae ſanguine & corpore Chriſti nutritur, & membrum eſt eius, quemadmodum & Apoſtolus ait, in ea quae eſt ad Epheſ. Epiſtola Quoniam membra ſumus corporis eius: de carne eius, & de oſsibus eius, non de ſpiritali aliquo & inuiſibili homine dicens haec (Spiritus enim ne que oſſa, ne que carnes habet) ſed de ea diſpoſitione quae eſt ſecundum hominem, quae ex carnibus & neruis, & oſsibus conſiſtit, quae de Calice, qui eſt ſanguis eius nutritur, & de pane, qui eſt corpus eius, augetur. Altogither veine are thoſe men, which doe contemne the whole order that God hath ſet, denie the ſaluation of the fleſhe, and deſpiſe the regeneration thereof, ſaying that it is not able to receyue incorruptibilitie. For by this meanes, that is to ſaye, if theſe ſayings be true: neyther hath the Lorde redéemed vsus with his bloud, neyther is the cup of thankeſgyuing, the communion of his bloud, nor the bread that we breake, the communion of his p. 103bodye. For it is not bloud, except it come from the veynes and fleſhe and the other ſubſtaunce which is of mans nature. Wherin the ſonne of God being borne in déede: hath with his owne bloud redéemed vsus. Euen as his Apoſtle alſo ſayth: in whome we hauehave redemption, the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes through his bloud. And bicauſe we are members of him, and be nouriſhed by the creature. And he it is that giueth the creature vntounto vsus, cauſing his ſunne to ariſe, and rayning in ſuch ſort as it pleaſeth him, when he ſayde for a ſuretie, that the cup, which is a creature, is his body, whereby he doth giuegive encreaſe to our bodyes. When the mixed Cup therefore, and the bread that is made, doe receiue the ſonne of God: it is made the Euchariſte or thankeſgyuing of the bloud and body of Chriſt, whereof the ſubſtaunce of our fleſh is encreaſed and doth conſiſt. How doe they denie that fleſhe is able to receyue the gift of God, which is eternall lyfe, ſith the ſame is nouriſhed with the bloud and bodie of Chriſt, and is a member of him, as the Apoſtle ſaith in that Epiſtle which he wrot to the Epheſians. For we are members of his body, of his fleſhe and of his bones, not ſpeaking theſe wordes of any ſpirituall or inuiſible man (for a ſpirite hath neyther bones nor fleſhe) but of that diſpoſition of partes, that is in mans nature, which doth conſiſt of fleſhe, ſinewes and bones, which is nouriſhed by the cup that is his bloud, and encreaſed by the bread that is his body.

Nowe let the Reader iudge, whether Ireneus may be vnderſtanded to meane in this place, as you by cyting his wordes,What maner men Ireneus had to doe with. would hauehave him ſéeme to meane. Firſt, it is manifeſt by hys wordes, that he had to doe with ſuch men as did vtterly denie the reſurrection of our bodies. And he proueth that their aſſertion is verie veyne, ſith our bodies be nouriſhed in this lyfe, by the ſame creatures that our ſauiour Chriſt hath made the ſacramēts of his body and bloud, which creatures we receyue at his hande, for he cauſeth the ſunne to ariſe and to warme the earth, and he it is that giueth raine to moyſten the earth, whereby the ſame bread and wine, that he hath aſſuredly ſayde is his body and bloud, doe grow out of the earth, wherby he doth giuegive our bodies encreaſe.

And to what purpoſe ſhould he inſtitute the ſacrament of his p. 104body and bloud in thoſe creatures, if our nature, which he hath taken vponupon him, and is nouriſhed by theſe creatures: ſhould not by him be made incorruptible and immortall? Howe can they therefore (ſayth Ireneus) denie that fleſhe is able to receyue the gift of God, which is eternall lyfe: ſith the ſame is nouriſhed with that creature that is the bloud and body of Chriſt, and is a member of him as the Apoſtle ſayth. &c. Which wordes muſt be warily conſidered, leaſt we ſhould thinke that Ireneus doth deny, that the church of Chriſt is the ſpiritual or miſtical body of Chriſt, affirming that the ſame is his very naturall body, which he tooke of the ſubſtaunce of the Virgine Marie.Wordes that muſt be warily conſidered. But when theſe wordes be well weighed: it appéereth that Ireneus was earneſtly bent to diſproue not onelyonly the opinion of ſuch as doe denie our reſurrection: but alſo their opinion that did affirme, that Chriſt tooke not mans nature vponupon him, but had a fantaſticall body: and therefore, he applyed the wordes of Paule againſt that error, ſaying. Non de ſpirituali aliquo. &c. He ſpake not thoſe wordes to the Epheſians, of any ſpirituall or inuiſible man, but of the diſpoſition of partes that is in man, which conſiſteth of fleſhe, ſinewes and bones. Vnderſtanding Saint Paules wordes in that meaning that the wordes of Laban muſt be vnderſtand, when he ſayde to Iacob. Geneſ. 29.Gen 29Os meum es & caro mea. Thou art my bone and my fleſhe. That is, thou art of the ſame lynage that I am, and deſcended out of the ſame loynes. So Ireneus vnderſtandeth ſaint Paules wordes in that place, to ſignifie, that Chriſt and we, concerning his mans nature, be deſcended out of y^e loynes of one man, that is the firſt man Adam. And ſo he concludeth, that for as much as our nature is nouriſhed and encreaſed by thoſe creatures bread and Wine, wherein Chriſt hath inſtituted the ſacrament of his body and bloud, and doth therefore call the ſame creatures, by the names of thoſe things y^t they be ſacraments of: the ſame nature muſt néedes be made incorruptible and immortall through him that hath receyued it to himſelfe, and is himſelf incorruptible and immortall.

Watſon is to bolde with Ireneus.Wherfore it ſéemeth to me (M. Watſon) that you are to bolde with Ireneus, when you affirme that his meaning is ſuch as we p. 105finde to be contrarie to his playne and manifeſt wordes. For he ſayth that the bloud and body of Chriſt that he ſpeake of, is that whereby the ſubſtaunce of our fleſh is encreaſed & doth continue. But you doe denie that. For you ſay y^t it nouriſheth not our fleſh as other earthly meates doe, to this temporal lyfe: but to eternall lyfe. I would gladly knowe therfore what Ireneus may meane by the encreaſing of the ſubſtaunce of our fleſhe by this foode.

Well, this matter is playne ynough to as many as will ſée. And ſo it is, that neyther Catholikes, nor heretikes, did in the dayes of Ireneus, beléeue and confeſſe, that the ſacrament of the body and bloud of Chriſt, is the cauſe of the vncorruption of our bodyes, and the eternall lyfe of the ſame. And that we which doe nowe denie our reſurrection and euerlaſting lyfe in an immortall ſtate, to be the effect of the ſacrament of Chriſts body and bloud: doe not giuegive thereby any iuſt occaſion, to be ſuſpected of the error of them that doe denie the reſurrection of our fleſhe. And for that you charge vsus with beaſtlyneſſe of lyfe: for my part, I referre the iudgement to them that know vsus both. Let other aunſwere for themſelues.

Well. For further proufe of this effect, you could bring in many mo Authors, as the ſaying of Hilarius. &c. Hilarius hath ſayde thus, ſay you. Haec vero vitae noſtrae cauſa eſt. &c. This is the verie cauſe of our lyfe: that we hauehave Chriſt by his fleſh dwelling in our fleſhe.

Firſt, I muſt tell you that you ſhew your ſelfe to impudent in tranſlating the text that you cite out of Hilarius in this place.Hilarius de Trinitate. li. 8. Let the learned iudge whether Hilarius hauehave ſayde, this is the verie cauſe. &c. And againe in the ende of the ſentence, dwelling in our fleſhe. The wordes in Latine for the firſt, are theſe. Haec vero vitae noſtrae cauſa eſt. And for the other, the words be theſe. Quod in nobis carnalibus, manentem per carnem Chriſtū habemus. If I ſhould tranſlate the whole ſentence: I could not be bolde to ſay otherwiſe then thus. Truely, this is the cauſe of our life: that we, which be carnall or fleſhly, hauehave Chriſt dwelling in vsus, by the meanes of the fleſhe. But this is a common thing with men of your ſort, not onelyonly to alledge Patches out of the fathers, in ſuch p. 106ſort that the true meaning cannot by the wordes that you cite be perceyued: but alſo, to make them ſéeme to ſerue your purpoſe, you will not ſtick to adde ſomewhat in the tranſlation that can not be founde in their wordes, as in this place it doth moſt mafeſtly appéere.

Cenſura Eraſmi.And how eaſie a thing it is for ſuch as be diſpoſed to apply the wordes of auncient wryters contrarie to their meaning, to vſe the wordes of this wryter ſo: may well be ſéene by that which Eraſmus hath writtē in his Epiſtle, ſet before this Authors works, where he ſayth. Plurimum ſudoris compereram in emendando Hieronymo, ſed plus in Hilario, cuius talis eſt ſermonis Charecter, vt etiam ſi res per ſe dilucidas tractaret, tamen eſſet & intellectu difficilis, & deprauatu facilis. I did finde (ſayth Eraſmus) much labour, in the correcting of Hierome: but more in the amending of Hilarie. Whoſe maner of ſpéeche is ſuch, that although he did entreat of thinges which were of themſelues euident and playne: yet ſhould he bée hard to be vnderſtanded, and eaſie to be depraued. No maruell therefore, though you in this place, fayling of the firſt, which is harde, hauehave happened on the latter, which is eaſie. Affirming that Hilarius is one of thoſe auncient fathers, that doe teach, that the reſurrection of our bodies and euerlaſting lyfe: is the effect of the ſacrament of Chriſtes body and bloud.

Yea, and in the ſelfe ſame Booke, out of which you cite thoſe wordes, the ſame Eraſmus doth iudge him to teache doctrine that is not ſounde. And therefore in the aforenamed Epiſtle he ſayth thus of him. Et quum alias, tum libro de Trinitate. 8. magna contentione defendit, nos quo que cum filio & patre, vnum eſſe natura: non adoptione, ne que conſenſu tantum. And both in other places, and chiefely in his eyght booke De Trinitate: he doth with great contention defend, that we alſo, are all one with the ſonne and the father, by nature, not by adoption and conſent onelyonly. And immediatly after he ſayth thus. Rurſus eius operis lib. 3. ſed magis lib. 10. ſic loquitur de Corpore Chriſti, vt ſentire videatur, Mariam virginem, praeter concipiendi, gestandi, & pariendi ministerium, nihil addidiſſe de ſuo: cum orthodoxi credant, Christum ex opificio quidem ſpiritus, ſed ex ſubstantia virginei corporis conceptum. Quin & alia loca ſunt, quae ciuilem & commodum p. 107requirant interpretem. Againe in the thirde booke of the ſame worke, but rather in the tenth booke: he doth ſo ſpeake of the bodie of Chriſt, that he may ſéeme to thinke, that beſides the miniſterie of conceyuing, bearing in hir wombe, and bringing forth into this life, the virgine Marie did adde nothing of hir owne. Whereas, ſuch as be of right beliefe, doe beléeue, that Chriſt was conceyued by the work of the holy ghoſt, but of the ſubſtance of the virgins bodie. Other places alſo there be, which do require a curteous and gentle interpretour.

I ſuppoſe you knew all this before:Watſon hath a wrong opinion of vsus. but by lyke you thought that all ſuch as be not of your minde, muſt néedes be ignorant herein. Elſe you would hauehave weighed Hillaries wordes better, before you had cited them for your purpoſe. But let vsus ſée nowe how we can weigh them, and what doctrine will enſue vponupon the taking of them in ſuch ſenſe as you doe. And if we finde that ſome abſurde doctrine will follow vponupon ſuch a meaning as you gather of his words: why ſhoulde we not call to memorie the wordes of Eraſmus in the Epiſtle aboue named, where he ſayth thus. Nemo quantumuis eruditus & oculatus, non labitur, non caecutit alicubi: videlicet vt omnes meminerint homines eſſe, & à nobis cum delectu, cum iudicio, ſimul que cum venia legantur, vt homines. There is no man, be he neuer ſo well learned and circumſpect, that doth not ſlip, and in ſome point ſhew himſelf to lacke ſight: that no man ſhould forget them to be men, and that we ſhoulde reade them with choyſe, wyth iudgement, yea and with fauour alſo, as men.

But bicauſe you hauehave (as you are wont) left out thoſe words of Hilarie, both immediatly before and after, which might gyue more light to hys meaning: I hauehave thought good to cyte the words that you doe, with ſomewhat of the circumſtance.

Thus he ſayth. Quod autem in nobis naturalis haec vnitas ſit, ipſe ita testatus est: qui edit carnem meam. &c. And that this naturall vnitie is in vsus: he himſelfe doth in this ſort teſtifie. He that eateth my fleſhe and drinketh my bloude, doth dwell in me and I in him. For no man ſhall be in him, but ſuch as he himſelfe ſhall be in: hauing receyued into himſelf the fleſh of that man only, which hath taken vponupon him his fleſh. The ſacrament or myſterie of this p. 108perfect vnitie, he had taught before, ſaying: euen as the liuing father hath ſent me, and I doe liue through the father, ſo he that cateth my fleſh ſhall liue through me. For eueryevery compariſon is taken according to the forme of vnderſtanding, that by the example that is proponed, we maye vnderſtande the thing that is talked of. Truly this is the cauſe of our life: that we which be carnall or fleſhly, hauehave by the meanes of the fleſhe, Chriſt dwelling in vsus: which ſhall liue through him, in ſuch ſort as he liueth thorow the father. If we therefore doe naturally liue through him, as touching the fleſh, that is, hauing obtayned the nature of hys fleſh: how ſhould it be, but that ſith he doth liue by the meanes of the father, he muſt néedes hauehave the father in himſelfe, naturally, as touching the ſpirite: And he doth lyue by the meanes of the father, ſeing that his natiuitie hath not giuen him a ſtraunge and contrarie nature, for as much as, that being that he hath, is of his father, and yet for all that, he is not by any vnlikelineſſe incident to his nature, ſeparated from him; ſeing that through his natiuitie in the ſtrength of nature, he hath his father in himſelfe. We hauehave made mention of theſe things, bicauſe the Heretikes (which fayne that the vnitie betwéene the father and the ſonne, is onelyonly the vnitie of will) hauehave vſed the example of our vnitie with God, as though, when we be by ſeruice onelyonly and will of religion, knit vntounto the ſonne, and by the ſonne to the father: there were no proprietie of naturall communion graunted vntounto vsus, by the ſacrament of his body and bloud: where as the myſterie of the true and naturall vnitie, is to be preached, both by the honor of the ſonne of God, which is giuen vntounto vsus, and alſo by the ſonne that is carnally abyding in vsus, being bodily, and inſeparably ioyned togither in him.

In the latter part of theſe words Hilarius doth playnely ſhew the cauſe that moued him to write after ſuch ſort as he doth in the former part of the ſame. The heretikes (ſayth he) which fayned that the vnitie betwixt the father and the ſonne, is onelyonly the vnitie of will. &c. By this it is manifeſt, that his purpoſe was to proue: that the example whereby the heretikes would proue, that the vnitie that is betwixt Chriſt and his father, is but the vnity p. 109of wyll: doth ſerue nothing for their purpoſe. For the vnitie that is betwixt Chriſt and vsus, and through Chriſt betwéene God the father and vsus: is not onelyonly in wyll of religion and ſeruice, but naturall and true. And in Chriſt, we are bodily and inſeparably ioyned one to another, and doe altogither liue by the meanes of Chriſt, as Chriſt doth lyue by the meanes of his Father. And therfore he ſayth as you hauehave cited. Haec verò vitae noſtrae cauſa eſt. &c. Verily, this is the cauſe of our lyfe. &c.

Nowe (M. Watſon) call to memorie, the admonition that Eraſmus gyueth in his Epiſtle, concerning the maners of ſpéeches that this author vſeth in his workes, and touching the doctrine that he teacheth in this booke, wherout you alledge thoſe wordes that we hauehave nowe in hande: and then it ſhall appéere to you (I trowe) that you hauehave not vſed Hilarius well, in bearing men in hande, that he is one of them that teach our reſurrection and euerlaſting lyfe, to be the effect of the ſacrament of Chriſtes body and bloud. For if ſhall be playne that he meaneth to teache, that as Chriſt and his father be one in nature: ſo Chriſt and we that doe beléeue the promiſe that God hath made in him, and therfore be by louelove inſeparably ioyned one to another, and doe therfore oftentimes come togither, and be partakers of one loafe and one cup, whereby this perfite vnitie that we hauehave with God, and one with another, is playnely preached vntounto vsus, and euen oure verie ſenſes certefied, that we are by fayth inſeparably ioyned vntounto Chriſt, as members to their head, and by louelove one to another, as members of one body amongſt themſelues. We muſt therefore in this point, vſe both iudgement and fauour in the reading of Hilarius.

If you ſhould therfore, go about by many ſuch places as this, to proue this effect of y^e ſacrament: you ſhould in déede through your ouer much curioſity, ſéeme to much to miſtruſt the credite of your ſo faithful an auditory. Wherfore you doe well to cōclude without any more to doe. And as for the aſcrybing of the effect that you hauehave ſpoken of, to ſo baſe creatures as bread and wine:God is the efficient cauſe of our reſurrection. you ſhall not néede to feare, if ye will with vsus aſcribe it to him, that is the efficient cauſe thereof, which is the diuine maieſtie it ſelfe. But p. 110nowe let vsus ſée what other effectes, this ſacrament ſéemeth to you to bring forth.

WATSON. Diuiſion. 25 1. Cor. 10.1 Cor 10The principall effect of all is to make vsus one body with Chriſt, which is declared in ſaint Paule, in theſe wordes: Panis quem frangimus, nonne communicatio corporis Chriſti eſt? The bread, which we breake is it not the communion of Chriſts bodye (that is to ſaye,) doth it not ioyne and knit vsus in the vnity of one body of Chriſt?

Chryſoſt. in Paul. 1. Cor. 10.1 Cor 10VponUpon the which place of ſaint Paule Chriſoſtome noteth, that he ſayde not (it is the participation) but it is the communion of one body. Declaring thereby the higheſt and greateſt coniunction that can be, ſauing the vnitie of perſon: for the bread which we breake, that is to ſaye, the naturall body of Chriſt vnderunder the forme of bread, which we breake, and deuide amongſt vsus, not taking eueryevery man a ſundry part, but eueryevery man taking the whole & the ſame: And as Cyrill ſayth, Cyrillus. li. 12. Capit. 32.Gods ſonne going into eueryevery man, as it were by diuiſion of himſelfe, yet remayneth whole without any diuiſion in eueryevery man: this bread (I ſay) is the communion of Chriſtes body, that is to ſay, maketh vsus that be dyuers in our owne ſubſtaunce to be all one miſticall body in Chriſt, indued all with one holy ſpirite, whereby the influence of Chriſtes grace, that is our head, is deriued and deduced vntounto vsus, that be members of his body, fleſhe of his fleſhe, and bones of his bones.

Chryſoſt. in Paul. 1. Cor. 10.1 Cor 10Thus doth Chriſoſtome expound the words of S. Paule. Quid enim appellio (inquit) communicationem? idem ipſum corpus ſumus: quidnam eſt panis? corpus Chriſti: quid autem fiunt qui accipiunt corpus Chriſti? non multa ſed vnum corpus. What meaneth ſaint Paule, when he ſayth (the communion) he meaneth that we be all one body: What meaneth he by this worde (bread) the body of Chriſt. What are they made, that receyue the bodye of Chriſt? they are not made many bodyes, but one bodye. And therefore ſaint Paule ſayth by and by after Vnus panis vnum corpus multi ſumus, omnes enim de vno pane participamus. p. 111We that be many, are made one bread one body, for bicauſe all we doe receyue and eate of one bread.

Here he telleth playne, why we that be many in number, are all made one bread, one miſticall bodye, bicauſe (ſayth he) all we eate of one bread, which is one naturall bodye. And this worde (bread) here muſt needes be taken for Chriſtes naturall body, and not for materiall bread (as the heretikes ſay) for it can not be conceyued, neyther by reaſon, nor by fayth, how that all we chriſten folkes that liue now, and hauehave lyued ſince Chriſtes time and ſhall liue till Domeſday, can eate all of one and the ſame bread, and eate alſo at ſundrie times all of the ſame one bread, being one bread in number and not one bread in kinde (as ſome would make cauilation) ſeing we be not fed Cum generibus & ſpeciebus, with kindes of bread (as the Logitianes ſay) but with ſinguler bread: except we vnderſtand by this one bread the bread of lyfe that came from heauen, the dread of Chriſtes naturall body in the ſacrament, which he promiſed to giuegive vntounto vsus all, wherof (as ſaint Cyprian ſayth) Aequa omnibus portio datur, integer erogatur, diſtributus non dimembratur, Cyprian. De Caena. Domi.incorporatur non iniuriatur, and ſo forth, whereof equall portion is giuen to all this deliuered whole, and being diſtributed, is not diſmembred, and being incorporate into vsus, is not iniuried, and being receyued, is not included, and dwelling with thoſe that be weake, is not made weake.

And the reaſon why all we ſhould be made one bodye, that receyue one body, is declared in Cyrill, Cyrillus de Trini. li. 1.the Latine is long, but the Engliſhe is this: We men beyng all dyuers in our owne proper ſubſtaunce, according to the which one man is Peter, an other is Thomas, an other Mathew: yet are we all made one body in Chriſt, bicauſe we be fed with one fleſhe, and are ſealed in vnitie with one holy ſpirite: and bicauſe Chriſtes body is not able to be deuided, therfore being of infinite power, and receyued of all our diuers bodies, maketh all vsus one body with himſelfe.Chriſoſt. in Math. hom. 83.

Which vnitie of body ſaint Chriſoſtome expreſſeth by p. 112a ſimilitude of Dough and Leuine, that we are made one body, as meale of many graine and water, when it is kned, are made one Dough or Leuine: his wordes be theſe. Veniat tibi in mentem, quo ſis honore honoratus qua menſa fruaris: ea nam que re nos alimur, quam angeli videntes tremunt, nec abſ que pauore propter fulgorem, qui inde reſilit aſpicere poſsunt, & nos in vnam cum illo maſsam reducimur. Chriſti corpus vnum & cara vna. &c. Remember with what honor thou art honored, of what table thou eateſt for we are fed with that thing at which the Aungels looking vponupon, doe tremble and quake, and without great feare be not able to beholde it for the brightneſſe, that commeth from it, and we are brought into one heape of Leuine with him, being one body of Chriſt, and one fleſhe, for by this miſterie he ioyneth himſelfe to all the faythfull and thoſe children, whom he hath brought forth, he doth not commit them to be nouriſhed of an other, but he himſelfe moſt diligently and louingly doth feede them with himſelfe.

Let my mayſters of the newe learning tell me, how that theſe words can be any wayes applyed and verified of bread and wine with all their figuratiue ſpeeches and hyperbolies.

This coniunction alſo of vsus with Chriſt, Cyrill expreſſeth by a ſimilitude of two waxes melted and mingled togither. Cyrillus li. 10. Cap. 17. & libr. 4. ca. 17.Quemadmodum ſi quis igne liquefactam ceram aliae cerae ſimiliter liquefactae ita miſcuerit, vt vnum quid ex vtriſque factum videatur: ſic communicatione corporis & ſanguinis Chriſti ipſe in nobis eſt, & nos in ipſo. &c. Like as if a man mingle one waxe melted with an other waxe melted, ſo that one whole thing of them both be ſene to be made, euen ſo by the communion and receauing of Chriſtes body and bloud, he is in vsus and we in him, for otherwiſe the corruptible nature of our bodyes could not be brought to incorruption, except the body of naturall lyfe were ioyned to it.

Hilarius alſo, the great learned and godly Biſhop ſayth: Per communionem ſancti corporis, Hilarius in Pſal. 6.Ps 6in communionem deinceps ſancti corporis collocamur. By the communion of his holy body, we are afterwarde placed and brought into the communion of hys p. 113holy body.

In ſuch a playne matter as this is, what neede I to heape places one aboue another, all the fathers be full of it. Wherfore ſeing the effect of this ſacrament is to be made one miſticall body with Chriſt, fleſhe of his fleſhe, and bones of his bones, as ſaint Paule ſayth: Epheſ. 5. Cyrillus. li. 10. Capit. 13. Hilarius de trini. li. 8.Eph 5which vnion (as Cyrill ſayth) is not onelyonly by will, affection, fayth, and charitie, but alſo carnall and naturall (as Hilary ſayth) by Chriſts fleſh mingled with our fleſh by the way of meat: I can not ſee, but that it is great wickedneſſe and plaine blaſphemy to aſcribe this glorious effect to the needie elementes of this worlde, as to bread and wine, but onelyonly to the body and bloud of our ſauiour Chriſt, as to the onelyonly ſubſtaunce of the bleſſed ſacrament of the aultar.

Now,CROWLEY. you are come to the principall and chiefe effect of your ſacrament of the aultar. Which you ſay, is to make vsus one body with Chriſt. This ye will proue firſt by the wordes of Paule to the Corinthes, which are theſe. Panis quem frangimus. &c. The bread which we breake. &c.1. Cor. 10.1 Cor 10 Howe farre the meaning of Saint Paule in the place that you cite, doth differ from your meaning in cyting his wordes: may eaſily appéere to as many as will and are able to iudge indifferently. I dare therefore ſaye to ſuch as ſhall reade thys aunſwere, as ſaint Paule ſayth there, to the Corinthians. Vos ipſi iudicate quod dico. Be you your ſelues iudges of that which I ſpeake. Saint Paules purpoſe in that place, is to perſwade the Corinths: that they might in no caſe match chriſten religion with Idole ſeruice. For a little after thoſe wordes that you cite, he ſayth. Nolo vos fieri ſocios Demoniorum. Non poteſtis Calicem Domini bibere, & Calicem Demoniorum. Non poteſtis menſae Domini participes eſſe, & menſae Demoniorum. I would not (ſayeth ſaint Paule) that you ſhould be made companions of Deuilles. You can not, or you may not drinke the Lordes cup, and the cup of the Deuils. You may not be partakers of the Lords table, and of the table of the Deuils. By which wordes it is manifeſt, that ſaint Paule did purpoſe to perſwade the Corinthes, that ſuch as would be chriſtians, muſt withdrawe themſelues from all Idolatrie, p. 114and kéepe the religion of Chriſt pure and vnſpotted, with the mixture of any heatheniſh Gods ſeruice. But you (M. Watſon) will make vsus beléeue that ſaint Paule meaneth to teach, that our knitting togither into one body with Chriſt: is the effect of your ſacrament of the aultar. For ſo you doe expound the words that you cite out of Paule. Nonne communicatio. &c. That is to ſay (ſay you) doth it not ioyne and knit vsus in the vnitie of one bodye in Chriſt? Sauing that I doe know it to be your common cuſtome, thus to handle both the ſcriptures, and the wrytings of the auncient fathers: I would wonder that euer you could for ſhame make ſuch interpretation of theſe wordes. But nothing may be wondered at, which cuſtome hath made common.

Chryſoſt in 1. Cor. 10.1 Cor 10But you hauehave Chryſoſtome, to take your part, you ſay, who noteth vponupon this place, that Paule ſayth not, it is the participation, but the communion of one bodye. Firſt I muſt note here, that you hauehave done, you wot not what. For you hauehave founde out for your maiſters of the newe learning, that which ſome of your fort hauehave ſayde, could not be founde in any part of the ſcripture: That is, that the ſacrament of Chriſts body, is called a communion. But let vsus ſée what Chryſoſtome hath ſayde. For it were not wiſedome to truſt you when you cite his ſentence without his wordes, as you doe here. His wordes therefore are theſe. Quare non dixit participatio? Quia amplius quiddam ſignificare voluit, & multam inter haec conuenientiam oſtendere. Non enim participatione tantum & acceptione: ſed vnitate communicamus. Quemadmodum enim corpus illud vnitum eſt Chriſto: ita nos per hunc panem vnione coniungimur. Why did he not call it a participation? Bicauſe he was wylling to ſignifie a greater matter, and to ſhew that there is great agréement betwéene theſe things. For we doe not communicate in taking and receyuing onelyonly: but in vnitie alſo. For euen as that body is vnited vntounto Chriſt: euen ſo are we by this bread, ioyned togither in vnion.

Now let the Reader compare theſe words of Chryſoſtome: with thoſe that you hauehave vſed in your Sermon, as though they were Chryſoſtomes: And ſo ſhall he be able to iudge how faythfully you hauehave dealt therin. Chryſoſtome ſayth that Paule doth p. 115not call it a participation, but a communion, bicauſe he would by that worde ſignifie a greater matter, then he could by the other, and ſhewe that the things vſed in the communion, doe verie much agrée with thoſe that doe cōmunicate. As though he ſhould hauehave ſayde, it is a greater matter to communicate with Chriſt and chriſtians: then only to be partaker of thoſe creatures which be vſed in communicating. For ſuch as doe communicate with Chriſt and chriſtians, are become members of that body wherof Chriſt is the head, and doe receyue from Chriſt, ſpirituall lyfe, ſtrength, and comfort, as naturall partes of a naturall body, doe receyue naturall lyfe, ſtrength and comfort, from their naturall head. And ſuch as doe communicate with Chriſtians, are coupled togither in the felowſhip of members of one body, not onelyonly with theſe chriſtians that are nowe lyuing: but with thoſe that hauehave bene before, and thoſe that ſhall be after alſo. And the creatures bread and wine doe ſerue verie well to ſignifie this communion both with Chriſt and chriſtians. And therefore Paule would vſe the worde Communion, rather then participation. And that this is Chryſoſtomes meaning in that place, is playne by the wordes that folow and I hauehave ſet downe in wryting. Non enim participatione. &c. For we doe not communicate. &c. Where, in the laſt ſenſence he ſayth. Euen as that body (meaning the Church that communicateth in vnitie) is vnited vntounto Chriſt: ſo are we that be members of that body or Church, ioyned togither in vnion, by the vſe of this ſacramentall bread.

And here is another thing that maketh verie well for your purpoſe (M. Watſon) Chryſoſtome ſayth. Per hunc Panem. By this bread. The matter or ſubſtaunce that he ſpeaketh of,Chryſoſtome is no man for Watſon. doth he call bread: but you and your ſort will none of that. Wherefore Chryſoſtome is no man for you.

But Cyrillus muſt helpe out with this matter.Cyrillus li. 12. Capit. 32. He ſayth (ſay you) that Gods ſonne going into eueryevery man, as it were by deuiſion of himſelfe: yet remaineth whole. &c. But hauing little cauſe to truſt your report: I will cite his wordes as he wrote them. He ſayth thus. In ſingulos enim partibiliter tranſiens vnigenitus, & animam at que corpus eorum per carnem ſuam ſanctificans, impartibiliter at que integrè p. 116in omnibus eſt: cùm vnus vbi que ſit, nullo modo diuiſus. For, the onelyonly begotten ſonne paſſing into euerye one particularly, and ſanctifying both their ſoules and bodies through his owne fleſhe, is after an impartible maner wholy in eueryevery one: ſeing that he being but one is in eueryevery place, and is by no meanes deuided. If there were nothing elſe to be gathered of y^e circumſtaunce of this place: the verie wordes are open ynough to declare the meaning of the writer, to be farre other then you would hauehave it ſéeme to be. For he ſayth. Cùm vnus vbi que ſit, nullo modo diuiſus. Seing he being but one, is in eueryevery place, and not deuided by any meanes. By which wordes it is manifeſt,Chriſtes manhoode can be but in one place at once. that he ſpeaketh there of the deuine nature of our Sauiour Chriſt, which is preſent in eueryevery place, and abſent in none. But his bodily preſence, neither is nor can be in many places at once, as S. Auſten teacheth, wryting to Dardanus. But beſides this, the words that go immediatly before doe ſhew, that Cyrill maketh this a miſtical ſignification of that which was done by the ſouldiours at the paſſion of Chriſt, when they did caſt lots for y^e coate of his that was without ſeame. And he ſayth. Nam quatuor orbis partes ad ſalutem reductae, indumentum verbi, id eſt, carnem eius impartibiliter inter ſe partitiſunt. In ſingulos enim. &c. For y^e foure partes of the worlde being brought to ſaluation, did after an inpartible maner deuide among themſelues, the garment of the ſonne of God, that is his fleſhe. For the onelyonly begotten ſonne. &c. By which wordes it is playne, that Cyrill meaneth of that partaking of the fleſhe of Chriſt, which is amongſt the faythfull by fayth. By which fayth we are made one miſticall body in Chriſt, and be by him indued with one holye ſpirite, and be vntounto him as dearely beloued, as his owne members, fleſhe and bones.

Chryſoſt in 1. Cor. 10.1 Cor 10And yet once agayne Chryſoſtome muſt helpe to expounde the wordes of Paule. His wordes be theſe (ſay you) Quid enim appello (inquit) communionem? &c. What meaneth ſaint Paule. &c. As for the fault that your printer hath made: I hauehave amended without any more to doe, as in many other places of your printed ſermons I hauehave done: but your owne ſubtile dealing in the tranſlation, I may not paſſe ouer ſo. A man that had ment vprightly: would hauehave tranſlated the wordes of Chryſoſtome thus. What p. 117doe I call communion, ſayth Paule? We all are one and the ſelfe ſame body. And what is the bread? The body of Chriſt. And what are they made that doe receyue the body of Chriſt? Not many, but one body. Nowe, what helpeth this to prooue your purpoſe? That is, that our knitting togither into one body, is the effect of the ſacrament. The Communion, that is to ſay, the action of the inſtitution of Chriſt, in breaking of ſacramentall bread: doth teach that we which be partakers thereof, be all one and the ſelfe ſame body, and bicauſe we be ſo, therefore we doe frequent and vſe that action. We are not therefore made one body by this doing, but being ſo before, by fayth that worketh by louelove: we doe by frequenting that myſterie, ſhewe our ſelues ſo to be. And the bread is the body of Chriſt. Not as you would hauehave vsus beléeue that it is: but ſacramentally.The effect of ſacraments. And by the common rule of ſacraments, it hath the name of that thing whereof it is a ſacrament, and is called the body of Chriſt, & ſuch as doe receyue this body of Chriſt, are made one body and not many. Not bicauſe they were not one body before they did receyue that ſacrament: but bicauſe they be thereby made knowne to be one body. For if the receyuing of the ſacrament ſhould make them ſuch: then ſhould it folow, that as often as they receiue that ſacrament: they ſhould afreſhe be made one body, which can be done but once. And that is, when (being elected in Chriſt from the beginning) they be in time moued by Gods holy ſpirite, to beléeue in hart and confeſſe with mouth, that Ieſus Chriſt, the ſonne of God, hath dyed for our ſinnes, and is riſen agayne for our righteouſneſſe, and receyue, or doe conſent to receyue, or be méete to receyue the ſacrament of Initiation y^e God hath appointed, which was in the time of Moſes law circumciſion, and is now baptiſme in water. Thus are we firſt made and ſhewed to be members all of one body: and by the vſe of y^e other ſacrament, oftentimes ſhewed to be the ſame.

The buſineſſe that you make about the other wordes of ſaint Paule, that is to ſay. Vnus panis, vnum corpus. &c. One bread, one body. &c. might verie well hauehave bene ſpared. For when Saint Paule ſayth, Omnes enim de vno pane participamus: We doe all take parte of one loafe of bread: he meaneth not to ſtreatch the vniuerſall p. 118ſigne, All, to all the members of the vniuerſall Church of Chriſt,A note for vniuerſall ſignes. as you would beare vsus in hande that he doth: but to all the members of eueryevery particuler Church when they come togither to communicate, and thereby to ſhew themſelues mémbers of one body. And y^e this is his meaning may well appéere, by that he ſaith thus to the Corinthians. Videte Iſrael ſecundum carnem. &c. Conſider Iſraell after the fleſhe. Are not all they partakers of the aultar: that doe eate of the ſacrifices? Paules purpoſe in theſe wordes: is to open his meaning in the other. It muſt néedes follow therefore, that he meaneth of particuler congregations, and not of the vniuerſall Church: as you would fayne hauehave him to meane: you hauehave therefore made more a doe then néeded.

Let vsus nowe ſée, what helpe you finde at the hande of ſaint Cyprian. Cyprian De Caena Domi.He ſayth. Aequa omnibus portio datur. &c. Equall portion is giuen to al. &c. According to your cuſtome: you doe here alſo leaue out thoſe words, y^e might giuegive light to the writers meaning. I will therefore ſet them in wryting as they ſtande in the Sermon that you cite. Iam nulla fit panis mutatio, vnus eſt panis caloris continui, ſtatus integri, qui ſemel oblatus Deo, in ſapore dulciſsimo, & candore puriſsimo perſeuerat. Nec ſolos ſacerdotes ad panis huius dignitatis leuiticae, praerogatiua admittit, vniuerſa Eccleſia ad has epulas inuitatur, aequa omnibus portio datur. &c. As you hauehave cyted. Nowe (ſayth Cyprian) there is no chaunging of the bread, there is one loafe of bread, which hath in it a continuall heate, and is of ſound ſtate, which being once offered to God, doth ſtill remayne in moſt pleaſaunt or ſwéete taſte and pure whyteneſſe. Neyther doth the prerogatiue of this leuiticall dignitie, admit prieſtes onelyonly to eate of the loaues: the vniuerſall Church is inuited or bidden to this feaſt. Equall or like portion is giuen to eueryevery one. It is delyuered whole, and being diſtributed, it is not torne in péeces. It is incorporated and not iniuried. It is receyued and not included. Dwelling among y^e weake, it is not made weake, neyther doth it diſdaine the miniſterie of the poore. A pure fayth, a ſincere minde, doe delight this tenaunt. Neyther doth the narrowneſſe of oure poore houſe, offend or pincht in, the greatneſſe of the vnmeaſurable and almightie God.

p. 119If you had cyted all theſe words: Cyprians meaning would hauehave bene ſomewhat more playne, to ſuch hearers as had not bene altogither blinded with affection to that doctrine that you laboured to maintayne. It is manifeſt that Cyprian doth here ſpeake of Chriſt, which is that bread which came from heauen, and was figured by the Manna that fell from heauen in the wylderneſſe, and by the ſhewe breads, that were by the law appointed to be ſet before the Arcke in the Tabernacle, and to bée chaunged eueryevery day: whereof none might eate, but onelyonly thoſe Prieſtes that were of the leuiticall lyne. But this bread Ieſus Chriſt being once offered, remayneth for euer. And all the whole Church of Chriſt, is called to come & féede vponupon this bread. Euerie man that wyth pure fayth and ſincere minde, commeth to féede vponupon him: ſhall receyue him whole. And though he be by fayth eaten of all: yet is he not, neyther can he be conſumed, nor torne in péeces. Yea, a little before thoſe wordes that I hauehave written Cyprian ſayth. Vna eſt domus Eccleſiae, in qua Agnus editur, nullus ei communicat, quem Iſraelitici nominis generoſitas non commendat. It is the onelyonly houſe of the Church, wherein the Lambe is eaten: none is made partaker thereof, whome the nobilitie of the name of Iſraell doth not commend. By theſe wordes it is moſt euident that Cyprian ment to teache, that ſuch as ſhall be partakers of Chriſt, muſt by election in Chriſt, be made méete thervnto, being commended by the nobilitie of the name of ſpirituall Iſraell, whereof the carnall Iſraell was a figure. And their Lambe, Manna, and ſhew bread:Cyprians meaning was farre other then was Watſons. a figure of that euerlaſting bread which he ſpeaketh of here. So farre of is he from confirming of that which you would prooue, that is, that our knitting togither in Chriſt, is the effect of the ſacrament of the aultar, as you call it.

Yet one thing more I muſt néedes note in the words of Cyprian. He ſayth that all the whole Church is called to this bancquet, and that equall portion is giuen to eueryevery one. How agréeth this with your priuate Maſſes, and your withholding of the one halfe of the ſacrament from the laye ſort.

But nowe to Cyrill once agayne.Cyrillus de Trini. lib. 1. He muſt helpe you once more, to beare vsus downe by ſtrong hande, that our cowpling togither p. 120in Chriſt, is the effect of your ſacrament of the aultar. His Latine is long (you ſay) and therefore you paſſe it ouer. But the Engliſhe is thus. We men, being all diuers in our owne proper ſubſtaunce. &c. Well, though the Latine were longer then it is; yet would I be bolde to trouble the reader with it: bicauſe it ſhall make manifeſt to all men that will read it, that it was not the deſire to auoyde tediouſneſſe, that moued you to leaue out the Latine, but a purpoſe to blinde the ſimple hearer or reader of your ſubtile Sermon. The words of Cyrill in Latine are thus. Diſsecti enim quodammodo in ſubſiſtentiā propriam, hoc eſt ſingularem, iuxta quam hic quidem eſt Petrus, ille Thomas vel Matheus: eiuſdem corporis facti ſumus in Chriſto, vna carne paſti, & vno ſpiritu ſancto, ad vnitatem obſignati. Et quandoquidem eſt indiuiſibilis Chriſtus (nullo enim modo diuiſus eſt) vnum omnes ſumus in ipſo. We being after a certaine ſort deuided, eueryevery man into his owne proper (that is to ſay, his ſinguler) ſubſtaunce, whereby this man is Peter, and that man is Thomas or Mathewe: are made one body in Chriſt, being fed with one fleſhe, and ſealed vntounto vnitie by one holy ſpirite. And bicauſe Chriſt can not be deuided (for he is by no meanes deuided) we are all one thing in him.

Nowe let the indifferent reader iudge, howe faythfully you hauehave handled this place of Cyrill. And as he ſhall finde you faithful herein: ſo let him giuegive credit to the reſt of your doings. Cyrill hath ſayde that we be all one thing in Chriſt, bicauſe Chriſt can not be deuided: & you ſay, that we be made all one body in Chriſt, bicauſe we bée fed with one fleſhe. &c. And bicauſe Chriſtes body is not able to be deuided. And you adde a concluſion, as though Cyrill had ſo concluded,The cauſe why Watſon would not cite Cyrill in Latine. and you ſay: Therefore being of infinite power, and receyued of all our diuers bodies, maketh all vsus one body with himſelfe. No maruell though you would not cite the Latine: ſeing you were minded to ſwarue ſo farre from it in your Engliſhe. But vna carne paſti: Being fed with one fleſhe, is the grounde that you builde vponupon. As though Cyrill might not meane here, of that ſpirituall eating of Chriſts fleſhe, that Chriſt himſelfe ſpake of in the ſixt of Iohn,Iohn. 6.John 6 where he ſayth that the fleſh (that is the fleſhly meaning) doth profit nothing at all.

p. 121Yet once more muſt Chryſoſtome helpe to proue this effect. You ſay that he doth expreſſe this vnitie by a ſimilitude of Dough or Leuen. &c. His words be theſe (you ſay) veniat tibi in mentem. &c. Chryſoſt in Math. ho. 83.You are ſo accuſtomed to belye the auncient wryters: that you can not both cite their wordes aright, and Engliſhe them truely, in any one place that I can yet méete withall. Chryſoſtome hath not ſpoken any one worde of Leuen in that place which you cite. Et nos in vnam cum illo maſſam reducimur. And we are brought into one lumpe of Dough with him, being one body of Chriſt and one fleſhe. Here is no mention of Leuen, neyther of meale of many graines and water. Which you ſay Chryſoſtome maketh a ſimilitude of, to proue our vnitie in one body. And this is alſo to be noted. That when you are come to, Chriſti corpus vnum & vnae caro, one bodye of Chriſt and one fleſhe: you paſſe ouer twice ſo much matter as you hauehave cited, and then in Engliſhe you go on with theſe wordes. For by this miſterie. &c. as though there had bene no word at al betwixt. And to enure your ſelfe with your accuſtomed feates: you tranſlate the wordes of the later ſentence farre otherwiſe then they ſignifie in Latine. For where Chryſoſtome doth in Latine ſay thus. Sed ipſe ſtudioſiſsime alit: But he himſelfe doth moſt diligently and carefully nouriſhe them: you hauehave ſayde thus: But he himſelfe, moſt diligently and louingly, doth féede them with himſelfe. Thus you doe, as one eyther paſt ſhame, or aſſured that no man ſhould at any time examine your wordes, and charge you with your ſubtile dealing.

But nowe you hauehave wonne the victorie: let my mayſters of the newe learning (ſay you) tell me. &c. Your mayſters of the new learning as it pleaſeth you to terme vsus: néede not to vſe eyther figuratyue ſpéeches or hyperbolies, to proue that theſe wordes of Chryſoſtome may be verified of bread and wine. For I am ſure there is not one amongſt vsus, that is learned: but he will readily graunt, that Chryſoſtomes purpoſe in this place, was to ſet forth and commende vntounto vsus, the excéeding greatneſſe of the louelove of Chriſt towards his elected and choſen Church and congregation. Who, as ſaint Paule ſayth, being in the maieſtie of God: ſpared not to abaſe himſelfe, and to take on him,Philip. 2.Phil 2 our baſe and miſerable p. 122eſtate. And to this purpoſe hath Chryſoſtome ſayde. Et nos in vnam cum illo maſſam reducimur And we are brought into one lumpe of Dough with him. And agayne. Singulis enim fidelibus per hoc myſterium ſe coniungit. He doth by this myſterie ioyne himſelfe to eueryevery faythfull man and woman. And in concluſion he ſayth thus. Hac etiam re tibi perſuadens carnem illam tuam aſſumpſiſſe: tanta igitur charitate, at que honore affecti, non torpeamus. Perſwading thée alſo by this thing, that he hath taken vponupon him that verie fleſh of thine. Beyng therefore ſo greatly beloued and honored, let vsus not be ſluggardes.

Nowe let my mayſters that would be called of the olde learning, tell me howe this place of Chryſoſtome can be rightly applyed, to proue that our cowpling togither in Chriſt in the felowſhip of members of one body, is the effect of their ſacrament of the aultar. Let them take the ſpéeche to be in what kinde they wyll, eyther playne, figuratiue, or hyperbolicall.

But you hauehave not yet done with Cyrill in this matter. He muſt nowe expreſſe by a ſimilitude of two waxes melted & mingled togither,Cyrill. li. 10. Capit. 13. & li. 4. capit. 17. this coniunction of vsus with Chriſt. A man might aſke you, what this maketh to the purpoſe. You muſt proue that our knitting togither into members of one body, is the effect of the ſacrament of the aultar. But let vsus weigh his wordes. He ſayth thus. Quemadmodum ſi quis. &c. Lyke as if a man mingle. &c. You hauehave cyted the wordes of Cyrill verie truely, but you hauehave not coated the place aright. For in the .17. Chapter of the tenth Booke, are no ſuch wordes to be founde, neyther is there any ſuch matter handled there. But in the .13. Chapter of the ſame Booke, the wordes that you cite are founde. And in the .17. of the fourth are founde wordes to the ſame effect.Watſons olde tricke will not be left. But in the tranſlating of theſe wordes. Communicationis corporis & ſanguinis Chriſti: You vſe one little péece of your common trick. For you ſay thus. By the communion and receyuing of the body and bloud of Chriſt, where as the true Engliſhe of the wordes is thus. By the communicating of the body & bloud of Chriſt, which communicating is in the faithful beléeuers of y^e promiſe of God made in Chriſt: though the ſame doe neuer receiue the ſacrament of the body & bloud of chriſt.

p. 123If you would hauehave looked in the laſt Chapter of the ninth booke:Cyrill. li. 9. Capit. 45. you ſhould hauehave ſéene what Cyrill meaneth by this worde Communicatio. His wordes be theſe. Non erat poſsibile, aliter corruptibilem ſecundum naturam hominem, mortem effugere, niſi primum adeptus gratiam, rurſus particeps Dei fieret, qui omnia per filium in ſpiritu viuificat. Carne ergo & ſanguini communicauit, id eſt, qui ſecundum naturam vita eſt, vnigenitus Dei Patris filius, homo factus eſt, mediator Dei at que hominum, vt ſcribitur. Natura Deo coniunctus, ex quo eſt, & hominibus rurſus, vt homo &c. It was not poſſible that man, which by nature is corruptible, ſhould otherwiſe eſcape death, except obtayning the firſt grace, he might agayne be made partaker of God, that doth in the ſpirite quicken all things by his ſonne. He hath therefore communicated himſelfe to fleſhe and bloud, that is to ſay, the onelyonly begotten ſonne of God the father, which is by nature lyfe, is become man the mediator of God and men, as it is written, being by nature ioyned to God, of whome he hath his being, and agayne vntounto man, as he is man.

Thus it is manifeſt, howe euill fauouredly,The accorde of Cyrill and Watſon. the meaning of the auncient wryters, doth agrée with your purpoſe in cyting them in your Sermons. Cyrill ſpeaketh of the communion or felowſhip that man hath with Chriſt, by his incarnation: & you cite him to proue the ioyning of al chriſtians into the felowſhip of one body, by receyuing the ſacrament of the aultar, as you call it.

Nowe let vsus ſée what Hilarius hath ſayde in this matter.Hilarius in Pſalm. 6.Ps 6 His words (you ſay) are theſe. Per communionem ſancti corporis. &c. By the communion of his holy body. You note in the margent of your printed booke, that this ſentence of Hilarie, is written in his Commentarie vponupon the ſixt Pſalme. When you can ſhewe vsus that Commentarie, you ſhall hauehave the wordes that you cite aunſwered. Saint Hierome ſaith that Hilarie wrote onelyonly vponupon the firſt and ſecond Pſalmes, the. .51. and ſo forth to the .62. and from the .118. to the laſt. And in his printed workes, we finde but eyght mo, whereof the ſixt is none. Wherefore I muſt thinke that the great, learned and godly Byſhop that you ſpeake of: is your ſelfe or ſome other ſuch as you are. But if it may be found in ſome other part of Hilarius works: what ſhal it make for your p. 124purpoſe, ſith theſe wordes may hauehave a good ſenſe, if we vnderſtand by the firſt Communion, that which we hauehave by the incarnation of our Sauiour Chriſt, and by the later, that which we hauehave one with another. For by the communion that we hauehave with Chriſt, we be placed in that communion that we hauehave one with another. And ſo doe theſe wordes make nothing to proue, that our cowpling into one body in Chriſt, is the effect of the ſacrament of the aultar.

But nowe that your ſtore is well ſpent: you vſe your figure of Rhetoricke to blere the readers eye withall. In ſuch playne matter as this, what néede I heape places, one aboue another? All the fathers are full of it. How full the fathers that you ſpeake of be, of this ſo playne matter, doth (I truſt) ſufficiently appéere, in that which I hauehave alreadie written, in the aunſwere to that which you hauehave as yet alledged in the proufe of this matter.

Wherefore, ſeing you hauehave not as yet proued, neyther ſhall hereafter be able to proue, eyther by the wordes of the ſcripture, or of the auncient fathers, that our knitting togither into one body in Chriſt, is the effect of your ſacrament of the aultar: it is no wickedneſſe nor blaſphemie at all, to aſcribe that effect to the efficient cauſe thereof, which is God the father, through his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt, and the holy ghoſt. But nowe let vsus ſée, what other effectes you hauehave.

WATSON. Diuiſion. 26.Beſide theſe effectes gathered out of the new Teſtament there be alſo other mentioned in the Pſalmes. Whereof one is, that this ſacrament is an armour and defence againſt the temptations of our ghoſtly enimie the Deuill, as it is written in the .22. Pſal. 22. Chryſoſt. in Pſal. 22. Euthymi in Pſal. 22.Ps 22Pſalme. Parasti in conſpectu meo menſam aduerſus eos qui tribulant me. Thou haſt prepared in my ſight a Table againſt them that trouble me.

By this Table (ſayth Chryſoſtome vponupon this place) is vnderſtanded that thing that is conſecrated vponupon the aultar of our Lorde: and Euthymius a Greeke Author ſayth ſo alſo: Par hanc menſam intelligit altaris menſam, in qua caena myſtica p. 125illa iacet: by this table he vnderſtandeth the table of the aultar, vponupon which lyeth the miſticall ſupper of Chriſt, which doth arme and defend vsus againſt the Deuill, which ſometimes craftily layeth in wayte for vsus, ſometimes fiercely and cruelly aſſaulteth vsus, that be fed at Chriſtes table.

Saint Cyprian teacheth vsus the ſame leſſon, ſaying: Quos excitamus & exhortamur ad praelium non inermes & nudos relinquamus, ſed protectione ſanguinis & corporis Chriſti muniamus: Cyprianus. li. 1 Epiſt. 2.Thoſe perſons whom we prouoke and exhort to fight againſt their enimies (be it eyther the Deuils our ghoſtly enimies, or the Deuils limmes the perſecutours of Chriſtes church) let vsus not leaue them naked and vnarmed, but let vsus harneſſe and defend them with the protection of Chriſtes bodye and bloud.

And a little after he ſayth: Cùm ad hoc fiat Euchariſtia, vt poſsit accipientibus eſſe tutela, quos tutos eſſe contra aduerſarium volumus, munimento dominicae ſaturitatis armemus. Seing this ſacrament is ordeyned for this purpoſe, that it ſhould bee a defence to the receyuers, let vsus arme them with the ſhield and harneſſe of our Lordes meat, whome we would ſhould be ſafe againſt their aduerſarie.

This is that foode, that maketh a man meete, Cyprian. li. 4. Epiſt. 6. Cyprian. li. 2. Epiſt. 3.and prepareth him to martirdome. This bloud of Chriſt is dronken daylie of vsus, that we might in his quarel ſhed our bloud agayne: and as he wryteth in an other place: howe can we ſhed oure bloud for Chriſt, that bee aſhamed to drinke Chriſtes bloud?

This bloud being receyued of vsus (as Chryſoſtome ſaith) driueth the Deuils away, Chryſoſt. in Ioan hom. 45.and doth allure the Aungels and the Lorde of Aungels vntounto vsus: for after the meat of oure Lorde receyued, he forſaketh vsus, Chryſoſt ad Neophytos.and flyeth awaye ſwifter then any winde, and dare not approch neare, bicauſe all entraunce for his temptations is ſhut vp. As ſaint Ambroſe wryteth. Ambroſe in Pſalm. 118. Ser. 8.Ps 118Cùm hoſpitium tuum aduerſarius viderit occupatum coeleſtis fulgore praeſentiae, intelligis locum tentamentis ſuis intercluſum eſſe per Chriſtum, fugiet ac recedet. &c. When thy aduerſary ſhall ſee thy p. 126houſe and lodging (of body and ſoule) occupied with the brightneſſe of Chriſts heauenly preſence, perceyuing eueryevery place to be ſhut vp from his temptations: he will flye and runne away.

Nazian in Iulianum orat. 2.Wherefore as Gregorie Nazianzene wryteth: Menſa hac praeparatur contra tribulantes me qua omnem paſsionum rebellionem ſcà…. This table is prepared of God againſt them that vexe and trouble me, by the which I quench and pacifie all rebellion of my naughtie affections.