The Protestant Religion Truly State and Justified, Part 38
The Fortieth accuſed Point.
That we ought to receive under both kinds, and that one alone is not ſufficient.
Anſ. It concerneth them that deny this, either to keep men from Reading Gods Word, or to tell them it is falſe, and the Pope's is true that contradicteth it: What is a flat defyance of God or his Word, if this be not? Chriſt ſaith, Math. 26.27, 28. Drink ye all of it: For this is my Blood of the New-Teſtament, which is ſhed for many, for the remiſſion of ſins. And St. Paul ſaith, 1 Cor. 11.23. I have received of the Lord that which I delivered to you: That the Lord Jeſus, the Night in which he was betrayed, took Bread, &c. Verſ. 25. After the ſame manner alſo he took the Cup, when he had Supped, ſaying, This Cup is the New-Teſtament in my blood: This do ye as oft as you drink it, in remembrance of me: For as often as ye eat this Bread, and drink this Cup, ye do ſhew the Lord's Death 'till he come: Wherefore whoſoever ſhall eat this Bread, and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily, ſhall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord: But let a man examine himſelf, and ſo let him eat of that bread, and drink of that Cup.
Theſe words do ſo plainly ſay, it is bread after the Conſecration, and do ſo plainly require all to drink of the Cup, as well as to eat of the Bread, that the Infallible Clergy are fain to accuſe the Light of Darkneſs, the Text of deceitful Obſcurity, till the Pope and his Prelates have expounded it, by giving it the Lye: Juſt like the Knave in Ignoramus's Play, that Proclaimed the man to be Mad, from whom he intended to extort Money, that is, for binding and abuſing him. What is it to proclaim Chriſt and Paul to be Fools, that could not ſpeak Senſe, if this be not?
But the Doctors have alſo contradictions to charge on Chriſt, even that elſe-where he ſaith, [He that eateth his Fleſh ſhall live for ever:] Anſ. 1. That is, He that truſteth in a Sacrificed Chriſt as the means of his Salvation, as bread is the means of natural Life: He that would not underſtand, cannot underſtand the plaineſt Words: But doth Chriſt ſay, that any man eateth his fleſh, that drinketh not his blood? Or that he ſhall have Life, that doth the one without the other?
2. And ſeeing they take every Rogue that eateth their Wafer to eat Chriſts Fleſh, do they not here falſly ſay that all ſuch ſhall have Eternal Life: O happy (miſerable) Church, that hath Eternal Life, how wicked ſoever, for eating the Wafer, and calling it Chriſts Fleſh! And all this, that Faith may not be thought to be meant by eating.
3. But ſeeing it muſt needs be eating by the Teeth, or by Fleſh eating that is meant, they have found out a crafty literal way: Chriſt ſaith that he loveth and cheriſheth his Church as his own Fleſh, and we are Members of his body, of his fleſh, and of his bones: And ſo they that Murdered a Million of the Albigenſes, &c. and Maſſacred 40000 in France, and 200000 in Ireland, and Burnt them in England, Germany, the Low Countries, and Tormented and Killed them in Bohemia, and many other Lands, did learn the literal way of eating Chriſts Fleſh. And who doubts but the Devil tells them that they ſhall thereby obtain everlaſting Life? But why then are they againſt drinking his blood, when actually they draw it out by ſtreams? Perhaps by Burning his Bones, (as they did Buce…s, Phagius, Wickliffes, and 1000 more;) they think that their Teeth ſcape the trouble of gnawing them, and thus they feed on Chriſts body, fleſh and bones: For their Maſters beat Witches if they bring him not account at every Meeting, of ſome miſchief that they have done.
3. And what but flat oppoſition to Chriſt, ſhould move theſe men to forbid one half of his Sacrament, which he calls the New-Teſtament in his blood? One would wonder what ſhould be their Motive: It is no matter of Pleaſure, Profit, or Honour: This very Deceiver had more wit than to pretend Antiquity for it, or any one ancient Doctor of the Church. They dare not deny (ſave to Ignorants and Fools,) that it is a Novelty contrary to unqueſtioned Conſent and Practice of all Chriſts Church, for above a thouſand years, or near at leaſt. It is undenyably againſt Chriſts Inſtitution and Command, againſt his Apoſtles Doctrine, and Scripture Practice; againſt all the Judgment and Practice of the ancient Church, againſt the Nature and Integrity of the Sacrament, againſt the Concord of the Church, that will never Unite againſt all theſe, againſt the Senſe and Comfort of Believers. What then doth over-rule ſo many men to Tear the Church, to Murder ſo many Bohemians as they did, &c. for ſuch a thing as this is? Reader I will tell thee all that I know: The Devil is in conſtant War againſt Chriſt and his Kingdom, and the Souls of men: As he thought he could have triumphed in making Job curſe God to his Face; ſo he would fain ſhew that he can make Chriſts own pretended Miniſters oppoſe and deſpiſe the plaineſt of his Commands, and defie his Word and him to his Face. To this he gets by the baits of Worldly Wealth, Honour and Dominion, a ſort of Fleſhly Worldly men to be Biſhops, whoſe very hearts are againſt the Laws of Chriſt: And puffing up theſe men by degrees, he tells them how they muſt be Great, and arrogate Power equal to Chriſts Apoſtles, and ſo domineer over the Souls of men; and all this on pretence of honouring Chriſt: And having gotten a Generation of groſs ignorant debauched Villains, into the Papal elevated Seat, and the Ruling Church Power, when ſome poor Woman once or twice ſhed ſome of the Wine, or a Prieſt chanced to ſpill it, their prophane Holineſs decreed that they ſhould drink the Wine no more (ſave the Clergy,) but ſhould eat Chriſts Blood, which they ſaid was in his Fleſh, and a while they dipt the Wafer in Wine; and then pretended Infallibility being their vain Glory, they muſt not change leſt they ſhould ſeem to be fallible, and ſhould Repent; for Repenting undoes Satans Kingdom.