The Anatomy of the Mass — Peter du Moulin Jr

The Anatomy of the Mass · Peter du Moulin Jr

THE SECOND BOOK. OF The Manducation of the Bodie of Chriſt.

CHAP. I. Of two ſorts of manducation of Chriſts fleſh, to wit, Spirituall and Corporall, and which is the beſt.

MEtaphors are ſimilies contracted and reduced to a word. So wee ſay feeding for teaching, and to flouriſh for to be in proſperity, and we call Pride a ſwelling, and truth a light. We ſay of a childes tongue, that it is untied, and of his wit, that it is diſplayed.

Theſe Metaphors, beſides the ornament, have ſome utility. For they propoſe an Image of the things whereof wee ſpeake, and make them more intelligible by a tacite compariſon. Specially, it is a thing very uſuall and frequent, to expreſſe the functions and qualities of the ſoule, by tearmes borrowed from the actions and corporall qualities. So we ſay that Envy fretteth, that love burneth, that Covetouſneſſe is a thirſt of money, and that hope is a tickling or ſoothing.

The holy Scripture is full of ſuch manner of ſpeeches, wherein nothing is more frequent than to ſpeake of good inſtructions as of meats and drinks, and of the Graces of God, as of a water that quenſheth the thirſt, and of the deſire of theſe graces as of a hunger and thirſt. So in the 9 of Proverbes the ſupreame Wiſedome ſaith, Come, eate of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled. And David in the 36 Pſalme ſaith, God makes us drink in the river of his pleaſures. And in the 34 Pſalme, O taſte and ſee that the Lord is good. And Ieremy in the 15 chap. Thy words were found, and I did preſently eate duplicate page duplicate page them. And God himſelfe in the 55 of Iſay…h, inviteth the thirſty to drink of the waters. And that it may bee underſtood he ſpeakes of a ſpirituall drink, he addes, Encline your care, and your ſoule ſhall live. According to this kind of ſpeech S. Peter in his 1 Epiſtle, chap. 2, exhorts us to deſire the milk of intelligence, to wit the Word of God. And S. Paul in the firſt to the Corinthians, chap. 3. ſaith he hath given them milk, and not ſolid meat. Chriſt our Lord is he that hath uſed very often ſuch metaphors, taken from corporall meats and drinks. He ſaith in the 4. chap. of S. John, that his meat is to do his Fathers will. And in the ſame chap. he promiſeth to give water, whereof whoſoever ſhall drink, ſhall never thirſt. And in the chap. 7.37. If any man thirſt, let him come unto me, and drink. And in the 5. chapter of S. Matthew, Bleſſed are they which doe hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſſe.

With ſuch manner of figurative ſpeeches is woven and interlaced a great part of the 6 chap. of S. John, where the Lord ſpeaking to the Capernaites, promiſeth to give them the bread of Heaven, and ſaith that his fleſh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed. Two occaſions mooved him to ſpeak ſo. For the Jews of Capernaum making him inferior to Moſes, and objecting unto him, as by reproach of impotency, that Moſes had given unto the Iews the Manna which they call the bread of Heaven: the Lord from thence takes occaſion to tell them he would give them another bread deſcended from Heaven, farre better than the Manna, to wit himſelfe, come downe from Heaven for to bee the food of ſoules, and for to vivifie them. The other cauſe that mooved him to ſpeak in figured tearmes, is that he was ſpeaking unto ungratefull and rebellious Iews, …o whom S. Ma…th…w ſaith, he ſpake not wi…h …t a par…ble, Matth. 13.34

Here our Adverſaries acknowledge with us, that there is a manner of eating the body of Chriſt which is ſpirituall, and which is done not by the corporall mo…th, but by the Faith in Chriſt Ieſus, in whom we find our life and ſpirituall food. The Councell of Trente in the XIII Seſſion, chap. 8. teaches the ſame, ſaying: Some eate this bread, only ſpiritually and by a lively Faith.

But beſides this ſpirituall manducation, the Church of Rome forgeth to her ſelfe a corporall manducation, whereby the Faithfull in the Euchariſt do chew and eate with their very teeth the body of our Saviour Chriſt, and take it with the corporall mouth, and make him to enter into their ſtomacks, and do call this a reall and true manducation, for to oppoſe it to the ſpirituall manducation, whereof they ſpeake very often with contempt, as of a picture and of a thing which conſiſts only in imagination. The Councell of Trente intimates ſo much tacitely, ſaying, there be ſome that eate this bread only ſpiritually, as if it were a ſmall thing in compariſon of the reall eating of it by the mouth of the body.

Yet nevertheleſſe when wee preſſe them a little, they are forced to avow that the ſpirituall manducation is a great deale better: and that the corporall manducation, which they maintaine and defend ſo ſtiflly and with ſo much ardour, is a ſmall thing in regard of the ſpirituall. For they confeſſe that many are ſaved without partaking of the Euchariſt, but that none are ſaved without beleeving in Chriſt. And that many eate the Sacrament, which nevertheleſſe do periſh eternally: but that whoſoever eateth Chriſts fleſh ſpiritually and with true Faith, ſhall have eternall ſalvation, according to the Lords ſaying in the third chap. of S. John, that whoſoever beleeveth on him, ſhall not periſh, but have eternall life. Which is more, our Adverſaries do acknowledge with us, that the manducation of the Sacrament, without the ſpirituall manducation by Faith, is not only unprofitable, but even turnes into condemnation: and that it is profitable and uſefull, but for, and becauſe of the ſpirituall manducation. But the ſpirituall manducation, by it ſelfe alone, and without the corporall manducation, leaves not to be profitable, and alwayes neceſſary to ſalvation. The manducation of the Sacrament, by the mouth of the body, is common both to good and bad, and hypocrites partake thereof as well as the true Faithfull: yea our Adverſaries hold, that beaſts may eate Chriſts body, and that Mice do carry away ſometimes the body of the Lord: But the ſpirituall manducation, is proper and peculiar to Gods Children, and none but the true Faithfull can be partakers thereof. Chriſt in the 15 of S. Matthew, ſaith: that which goeth into the mouth, defileth not a man: whence follows that neither can it ſanctifie a man.

In this, S. Auſtin is far from that language which the Roman Church holdeth now a dayes, who acknowledgeth no other true and reall manducation of Chriſts body, than that which is made by the bodily mouth in the Euchariſt. For this holy man on the contrary, holdeth that there is no other true and reall manducation of Chriſts body, but the ſpirituall: and that that which is done in the Sacrament by the mouth of the body, is not a true manducation. He teacheth it in his 21 book of the City of God, chap. 25.aDominus oſtendit quid ſit non Sacramento tenus ſed … veracorpus Chriſti manducare. The Lord (ſaith he) ſheweth what it is to eate the body of Chriſt, not in Sacrament only, but in truth. And in the ſame place,bNon ſolo Sacramēto, ſed re ve… mandu… verunt corpus Chriſti. They have eaten the body of Chriſt, not only in Sacrament, but alſo truely and indeed. To this holy Doctor, Thomas joynes himſelfe in this point, in his 7 leſſon upon the 6 of S. John, where ſpeaking of him that eateth ſpiritually the body of Chriſt, he ſaith,cHic eſt ille, qui non Sacramental…er tantum ſed re ver… corpus Chriſt mandu…at. It is that man that eateth the body of Chriſt, not only Sacramentally, but alſo in truth.

CHAP. II. That in the 6 Chapter of S. Iohn the Lord ſpeakes not of the Sacrament of the Euchariſt, nor of the manducation of his fleſh by the mouth of the body.

BY the corporall manducation, wee underſtand the manducation of the bread and wine, which Chriſt hath honored with the title of his body and blood, becauſe they are the Sacrament and remembrance of the ſame. But our Adverſaries pretend to eate really the body of Chriſt with their mouth, and to make him paſſe into their ſtomach: and for to prop this ſo groſſe and Capernaitiſh manducation, they alleadge the ſixth of Saint Iohn, where Chriſt ſaith that he is the bread come downe from Heaven, and promiſeth to give his fleſh to eate.

1. For to beleeve that, a man muſt of purpoſe put out his own eyes, and give the Son of God the lye: For all this d…ſcourſe is addreſſed and ſpoken to the Jewes of Capernaum, to whom hee promiſeth to give his fleſh to eate. If by theſe words hee had promiſed to give them the Euchariſt, hee would have deceived them: for he never adminiſtred nor preſented the holy Supper unto them.

2. That appeareth by the time wherein the Lord held this diſcourſe. It was when the holy Supper was not as yet inſtituted: no, nor till about two yeares after. How could the Lords Diſciples have underſtood that hee ſpake of the Euchariſt unto them, which was not, and whereof he had never ſpoken before?

3. Where is there in all this diſcourſe of the Lord the leaſt mention of a Table, or of a Chalice; or of a Supper, or of a Fraction of Bread, or of a diſtribution of the Sacrament among many? In ſumme, of any of the actions wherein the adminiſtration of this Sacrament doth conſiſt?

4. It is to be noted that Chriſt ſpeaketh often in the preſent tenſe.Iohn 6.33 and chap 35 & 14. He doth not ſay, I ſhall be the bread come downe from heaven: and I ſhall be the bread of life. But, I am the bread came downe from heaven: and, I am the bread of life. And, He that eateth my fleſh, hath ete na…l life. He was then the bread of life before the holy Supper was inſtituted, and might have beene eaten then, and was the ſood of the Soule, when the holy Supper had as yet no being.

5. Now that by eating and drinking the Lord meaneth to beleeve and to truſt in him, and thereby to be nouriſhed and vivified: he ſhewes it himſelfe, ſaying in the 35 Verſe, I am the bread of life; be that commeth to me, ſhall never hunger; and hee that beleeveth on mee, ſhall never thirſt. Who ſees not that in this place, beleeving is put for drinking, ſince by beleeving the thirſt is quenched? And as by that word of comming hee ſpeaketh of a ſpirituall comming: ſo by that word, drinking, hee meaneth and underſtandeth a kinde of ſpirituall drinking.

6. And when the Lord ſaith in the 47. and 48 Verſe, Hee that beleeveth in mee, hath eternall life: I am the bread of life: who ſees not that this bread is taken in and by beleeving? For Chriſt ſheweth how he is the bread of life, to wit becauſe he that beleeves on him, hath eternall life.

7. The very words whereupon our Adverſaries ground themſelves moſt, are thoſe which make moſt againſt them. In the 53 Verſe the Lord ſaith, Except yee eate the fleſh of the Sonne of man, and drinke his blood, yee have no life in you. There it is evident he ſpeakes of a manducation neceſſary unto ſalvation, and without which none can be ſaved. Hee ſpeakes not therefore of the manducation of the Sacrament by the mouth of the body, ſeeing that without it ſo many are ſaved. Now to ſay that this corporall manducation is neceſſary, not indeed, but in vow and deſire, is to come neare our beleefe, and reduce that neceſſity to the ſpirituall manducation. Moreover, to ſay that none are ſaved without deſiring to be partakers of the holy Communion, is to exclude from ſalvation, John the Baptiſt, and the good Theife crucified with the Lord, who never participated thereof, neither in deed nor in vow. And we might bring many examples of Pagans and Idolaters, Read the Homily of the 40 … ma…yrs i… ….who by hearing of the wordes of the Martyrs, were converted at the ſame inſtant, and put to death at that very houre, without any body ever having told them of this Sacrament, and conſequently without having made any vow at all to bee made partakers thereof. Yea many have ſuffered martyrdome without being Baptized, and by conſequent verie farre from diſpoſing themſelves to receive the Euchariſt.

8. The ſame appeareth by that which Chriſt addeth in the 54 Verſe. Hee that eateth my fleſh, hath eternall life. He ſpeaketh not of the manducation of the Sacrament: For many that eate it, have not eternall life. Their ordinary evaſion is, that Chriſt ſpeaketh of him that eateth his fleſh worthily. Wherein appeareth how ſtrong the truth is on our ſide. For according to our beleefe, the Lords words are true without any addition. But our Adverſaries doe adde ſome gloſſes for to eſcape and ſave themſelves. Which addition they make of their owne head, without the Word of God. One may well eate the bread unworthily, as Saint Paul ſaith, 1. Cor. 11. Whoſoever eateth this bread unworthily. But it is impoſſible to eate the Lords fleſh unworthily, ſince to eate is to beleeve, as we have ſhewed. A man cannot beleeve in Chriſt unworthily, no more than to love God unworthily: ſince that in beleeving in Chriſt, and in loving of God, conſiſteth all our dignity. Cardinall Cajetan obſerveth the ſame, upon the ſixt of Saint John, ſaying, Chriſt doth not ſay, He that eateth my fleſh and drinketh my blood worthily, but hee that eateth and drinketh: to the end wee may underſtand that he ſpeaketh of a meate and of a drinke that hath no need of modifieation, &c. It appeareth then plainely that this ſpeech is not to be underſtood literally, and that the Lord ſpeaketh not of eating and drinking the Sacrament, but of beleeving, and of feeding ſpiritually by faith in his death.

9. The Lord addeth in the 56 Verſe, He that eateth my fleſh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him. Words that decide this queſtion: For they would be falſe if they ſhould be taken and underſtood of the manducation of the Sacrament: it being a thing moſt certaine that profane men and hypocrites which receive the Sacrament, dwell not in Chriſt, nor Chriſt in them. Now to dwell in Chriſt, is to be conjoyned to him with an union conſtant and continuall and mutuall betweene Chriſt and the beleever. As Cornelius Janſenius, Biſhop of Gant, Concord. Evang. ca. 59. Quiedit carnem meam & hibit meum ſanguinem, in me manet, & ego in co: hoc eſt indivulſe & intime mihi coujungitur, & ego illi.teacheth very well. He (ſaith hee) that eateth my fleſh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him: that is to ſay, he is conjoyned unto me inſeparably and intimately, and I to him: and proves it by other places of Saint John in his firſt Epiſtle, 4.16. Hee that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him. And in the ſame place, Hereby we know that we dwell in him, and he in us, becauſe he hath given us of his Spirit. And in the third Chapter, 24. Verſe, he ſaith, that hee that keepeth his Commandements, dwelleth in him, and bee in him. From whence he inſerreth that alſo in this 6 Chapter of Saint John, the Lord ſpeaks of a kinde of eating, which is proper unto thoſe that have a faith working through charity, and not of a corporall manducation, whereof wicked men are partakers.

10. That if for to make Chriſt to dwell in us, hee muſt be eaten by the mouth of the bodie: Chriſt by the ſame reaſon muſt eate us, that we may dwell in him.

11. Chriſt, for to divert and turne away our mindes from carnall thoughts, addeth in the 63 Verſe, The f…eſt profiteth nothing, It is the Spirit that quickneth. Since that by the ſpirit hee meaneth his Spirit whereby he regenerateth us, by the fleſh alſo he underſtandeth his human body: Whereof he ſaith that it profiteth nothing, to wit, being taken after that manner as the Capernaites did imagine themſelves. What would it profit a man to have in his ſtomach the head and feet of Chriſt Jeſus, whether hee doe ſwallow him by peeces and parcels, or doe ſwallow him whole? For the abſurditie is a like.

12. Chriſt addeth, The words that I have ſpoken unto you, are ſpirit and life, that is to ſay, are ſpirituall and quickening. They are not quickning but to them that underſtand them ſpiritually, and that imagine not a carnall and corporall manducation. So teacheth Saint Auſtin in his 27 Treatiſe upon Saint John. Hee demandeth,*Quid eſt, ſpiritus & vita ſunt? Reſponder. Spirit aliter intelligenda ſunt. Intellexiſti ſpiritaliter? ſpiritus & v…a ſunt. Int ellexiſti carnal…ter? … tiam ſi… ſpiritus & v…a ſunt, ſed tibi non ſunt. What meaneth, theſe words are ſpirit and life? His anſwer is, That they muſt be under ſtood ſpiritually. Haſt thou underſtood them ſpiritually? They are ſpirit and life unto thee. Haſt thou underſtood them carnally? In this manner they bee alſo ſpirit and life, but not unto thee.

13. And upon that the Capernaites and ſome of the Lords Diſciples were ſcandelized, and ſaid that theſe words were an hard ſaying, he ſaith unto them,*Illi putabant cum erogaturum corpus ſuum, ille autem dixit ſe aſcenſurum in coelum, utique integrum. Cum videritis Fil um hominis aſcendentem ubicral prius, certe vel tune videbitis, quia non co modo quo putatis crogat corpus ſuum. Certe vel tun… intelligetis, quta gratia ejus non conſumitur morſibus, What and if ye ſhall ſee then the Sonne of man aſcend where he was before? Which words Saint Auſtin in the ſame Treatiſe explaineth thus, What meaneth that? Thereby he reſolveth that which had moved them. They thought he would give them his body, but he ſaith unto them that he would aſcend up to heaven, to wit, whole and entire. When ye have ſeene the ſonne of man aſcending where he was before, certainely then at le…ſt ſhall ye ſee that he giveth not his body as ye thinke. Then at the leaſt ſhall ye underſtand that his grace is not conſumed with biting.

CHAP. III. That the Romane Church, by this doctrine, depriveth the People of Salvation.

THat which grieves our Adverſaries moſt, in all this diſcourſe of the …ord, is this clauſe of the 53 Verſe, Ve…ily I ſay unto you, Except ye eate the fleſh …f the ſonne of man, and drinke his blood, …e have no life in you. For if by theſe words Chriſt doe ſpeake of the parti…ipation of the Sacrament, it followes that the People of the Roman Church, whom they have deprived of the cup, …hall have no life, and are loſt eternally: …or they drinke not Chriſts blood. To ſay, as Bellarmin doth, that the People …akes the blood in the Hoſte, is to ſay …uſt nothing. For Chriſt commandeth …ot onelyonly to take his blood, but alſo commandeth to drinke it. If he ſpeaketh of the Sacrament, hee commandeth men not onelyonly to be partakers of his blood, but alſo declareth the kind and manner how he will have them to participate thereof; for, to drinke, is th… kinde and manner of participating thereof. Briefly, he commandeth to drinke But to eate a dry Hoſte or wafer, is no… to drinke. That if to eate, is to drinke the Prieſt drinketh twice in the Maſſe once in taking the Hoſte, and anothe… time in taking the Cup. VntoUnto which th… common ſenſe contradicteth: and Pop… Innocent the third too, in his fourt Booke of the Myſteries of the Maſſe Chapter. 21. Neither is the blood drun… (ſaith he) under the ſpecies of the bread nor the body eaten under the ſpecies of t… wine. Here then our Adverſaries do forge an abſurd figure, whereby to drin… ſignifieth to eate. Everywhere elſe the doe diſtinguiſh eating from drinking but here they confound them as if th… were all one. Indeede to eate and … drinke, taken in a ſpirituall ſenſe, ſignifieth one and the ſame thing. B… when the queſtion is of the Sacram… of the Euchariſt, and of eating th… bread, and drinking the Chalice, t… eate and to drinke are different thing▪ That if to eate the Hoſte, be to drink ſo to drinke the Cup, ſhall be to ea… the Cup. And if drinking bee take figuratively, why not alſo the word eating?

Here the truth is ſo ſtrong, that Vaſquez the Jeſuite ſticks not to diſpute with might and maine againſt Bellarmin, who ſaith that the Lord commandeth only the perception of his blood, but not the manner of participating therunto.*Vaſquez in III. partem, Tomo 3. Diſp. 206 num 50. Hoc reſpō ſum mihi non proba tur, quia verba Domini non tantum reſeruntur ad rem ſumpt am. ſed ad modum ſumē d…eam. Nam manducare & bibere, ſi verba proprie uſurpentur, …tois ſpecies cor venire non poſſunt; neque enim ſanguis ſub ſpecie panis bib… dicitur: ſicut neque corpus ſub ſpecie vini manducari, ut optime notat Innocent. III lib. 4. de Myſteriis Miſſae, qu mvis ſum… dicatur. Chriſtus autem praecipit ut bibamus. I do not approve (ſaith he) of this anſwer, becauſe the words of the Lord have not only reference unto the thing that is taken, but to the manner of taking it. For to eate, and to drink, if the words be taken properly, cannot agree with any ſpecies whatſoever. For the blood is not ſaid to be drunk under the ſpecies of the bread, no more than the body is eaten under the ſpecies of the wino, as Innocent the third obſerveth very well in his 4 Book chap. 21.

And he addeth a thing very conſiderable, to wit, that from this anſwer of Bellarmin, who will have this word, drinking, to bee taken improperly, it will follow that in the whole chapter there ſhall not be a word ſpoken of the Cup.

Salmeron another Ieſuite, is of the ſame opinion, ſaying,*Salmer. Tom. 9. Tract 24. Quinon bibit, non bibit ſanguinam, …eet carnē et ſanguine ſi…mat. that he that drinketh not, drinketh not the blood, though he do take the fleſh and blood.

But the ſame Jeſuites that conteſt againſt their own fellows, bring no better things themſelves. They ſay that when Chriſt ſaid, Except ye drink my blood, yee have no life in you, he bindeth the people to drink the Cup, and that they drink it indeed, in as much as the Prieſt drinketh for the people, and repreſenteth the whole Church when he drinketh. By this reaſon, the People might as wel forbeare eating, and be contented that the Prieſt ſhould eate for them. For the commandement for eating, in this place, is not more expreſſe than that of drinking. By the ſame meanes▪ when Chriſt commands the People to beleeve in him, the people may diſpenſe themſelves from beleeving in Chriſt, ſaying, it ſufficeth that the Prieſt beleeve for others, for he repreſenteth the whole Church: In a word, it is an impious temerity and preſumption to adde out of ones owne authority unto the words of the Lord, whole clauſes, yea abſurd clauſes, as if Chriſt had ſaid, Except ye drink my blood your own ſelves, or by another, ye ſhall have no life in you.

With the like licence they ſay that when Chriſt ſaid, Except ye eate my fleſh AND drinke my blood, this AND muſt be turned into OR, and that Chriſts meaning was to have ſaid, Except ye eat my fleſh, or drink my blood. If it may bee lawfull to change thus the words of the Lord, there is no law in the Scripture from which a man may not diſpence himſelfe. When the Law of God commands one to love God and his Neighbour, one may by the ſame reaſon ſay, that the Law meaneth that one muſt love God or his Neighbour: And when the Law ſaith Honor thy Father and thy Mother, it meaneth that one muſt honor his Father or his Mother, and that it is enough to honor either of them. Adde withall that by this depravation of the Lords Words, it followes that the people may drink the Cup without eating the Hoſte, ſince it ſufficeth to do either of them.

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CHAP. IV. That the principall Doctors of the Roman Church, yea the Popes themſelves do agree with us in this point: and hold that in the 6. of S. Iohn nothing is ſpoken but of the ſpirituall Manducation, and that thoſe that contradict them, do ſpeake with incertitude.

IN this controverſie we have the Popes for us, and a great multitude of the Romiſh Doctors, who hold with us that in the 6 of S. John, it is not ſpoken of the Euchariſt nor of eating our Saviour Chriſt by the mouth of the body, but that Chriſt ſpeaketh of the ſpirituall manducation by Faith in Chriſts death. Such is the opinion of Pope Innocent the III, and of Pius II, called Aeneas Sylvius afore he came to the Papacy. Item*Bonavē. in 4. Diſt▪ 9 art 1▪ q. …. Cajet. in 6. Iohannis. Cafa…us epiſt. 7. ad Bohomos. Petrus de Alliaco an 4. Sentent. q. 2. art. 3. Durant. Ra…nali divinor. Offic. lib. 4. c. 41. n. 40. Linda…rs Panopliae l. 4. c. …8. Tapper. in expli…. anti…ulo…m 15. Lovanenſium Ianſen. Concord. c. 5…. Feru…in 26. Ma…h … & 6 I…h…nnis Valdenſis Tomo 2 de Sacram. c. 91 I leſſel…d▪ communjone ſub uttraque ſpecie. of Bonaventure, C…jetan, Cuſanus, De Alliaco, Cardinals, Item of Durandus Epiſcopus Mimatenſis, Gabriel Biel, Heſſel one of the Doctors of the Councell of Trente, Lindanus, Ruardus Tapperu…, Ianſenius Biſhop of Gand, Ferus a Divine of Maguntia, Valdenſis, and many others. Among others, Gabriel Biel in his 36 Leſſon upon the Canon of the Maſſe, ſaith, that the Doctors hold with a common conſent that in the 6 of S…ohn no mention is made but of the ſpirituall manducation. But for brevity ſake it ſhall ſuffice to produce the places of the two forenamed Popes.

Pope Innocent 3. in the 14. chap▪ of his fourth Book of the Myſteries of the Maſſe hath theſe words:*De ſpirituali manducatione Dominus ait, Niſi manducaveritis carnem ſili… homenis, et b…beritis ejus ſanguinem, &c. H…c modo corpus Chriſti ſoli boni comedunt. The Lord ſpeaketh of the ſpirituall manducation, ſaying, Except ye eate the fleſh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. In this manner, the good only do eate the body of Chriſt.

A learned Pope is a very rare thing. Yet of Pius II. one may ſay that he was one of the learndeſt of his age. The ſame Pius in his 130 Epiſtle to Cardinall Carviall, diſputing againſt the Bohemians, ſpeaketh thus:aSed non eſt in Evangel…o Ioha… nis ſenſu… quem ſibi aſ…r…bitis. Non hibit to Sacrament alis ib…prae ſcribitur▪ ſ…d ſpirit …alis inſinu…atur. The ſenſe of the Goſpell of Iohn is not ſuch as you aſcribe unto it. For there it is not commanded to drink at the Sacrament: But a manner of ſpirituall drinking is taught. And a little after, The Lord by theſe words declareth in that place the ſecret myſteries of the ſpirituall drinke, and not of the carnall, when hee ſaith, It is the Spirit that quickneth, the fleſh profiteth nothing: and again, The words that I ſpeak unto you, they are ſpirit and they are life. Wilt thou know openly that the Evangeliſt ſpeaketh of the ſpirituall manducation which is made by Faith? Conſider that what the Lord ſaith in the words HEE THAT EATETH AND DRINKETH, are words of the preſent tenſe and not of the future. At that very inſtant therefore that the Lord was ſpeaking, there were ſome that did eate him, and drink him. And yet the Lord had not ſuffered as yet, neither was the Sacrament inſtituted.

Thomas Aquinas, tearmed the Angelicall Doctor, was a great worſhipper of Popes;*Thom. Opuſculo 21. c. 10. Dominus utitur in Ioh…nne quadam interrog…tione importuna▪ ter quaerens à ſuo ſucceſſore, beato Petro, quod ſi ipſum d… git, gregem paſcat. ſo far as to accuſe Chriſt of importunity, for asking his Vicar Peter thrice, Loveſt thou mee? For which likewiſe the Pope canonized him and made him a Saint after his death. This man, though a great defender of Tranſubſtantiation, yet nevertheleſſe upon this point of the manducation whereof Chriſt ſpeaketh in the 6 of S. John, ſpeaketh thus in his 7 Leſſon upon theſe words, Except ye eate my fleſh, ye have no life in you. *Sihae… ſententia referatur ad ſpiritualem manducationem, nullam dubitationem habet ſententia, &c. Sivero ad Sacramētal…m, dubi… habet quod dicitur.If this (ſaith he) be referred to the ſpirituall manducation, this ſentence is without all doubt. For that man eateth ſpiritually the fleſh of Chriſt and drinketh his blood, that is partaker of the unity of the Church, which is effected through love, &c. But if that hath reference to the Sacramentall manducation, there is ſome doubt in that which is ſaid; Except yee eate my fleſh, ye have no life in you.

But in this latter age the greateſt part of the Romiſh Doctors, eſpecially the Jeſuites, have forſaken this opinion, generally received in the Church of Rome in former Ages, and have contemned the authority of the fore-alleadged Popes. Their opinion is, that in the 51 verſe of the 6 chap. of S. Iohn, Chriſt beginneth to ſpeake of the Sacramentall manducation which is made by the corporall mouth: but that whatſoever is ſaid before, is to be underſtood of the ſpirituall manducation. As when Chriſt ſaith in the 33, 35, & 50 verſes that he is the bread come down from heaven. And that hee is the bread of Life. And that whoſoever beleeveth on him, ſhall never thirſt. And that he is the bread come down from heaven, whereof whoſoever eateth, hee ſhall not die. In all theſe places they grant that it is ſpoken of a manner of eating and drinking that is ſpirituall, and will have nothing there to be ſpoken of the bread of the Enchariſt, but do take all theſe words figuratively. A doctrine truly full of abſurdity, and which deſtroyes and overthroweth it ſelfe. For what boldneſſe is it to forge in the ſequell or proſecution of one and the ſame diſcourſe, two kinds of manducation, and by a Maſter-like authority, to will that one part of the chapter be underſtood figuratively, and the other ſimply, ſince they all be the ſame kind of ſpeeches, and that the ſame expoſition may bee brought both to the one and to the other?

The Councell of Trente was mightily peſtered about that; for after this matter had been toſſed a long time and diſputed upon at the Councell, the Prelats ſeeing the new Doctors were contrary unto the old, yea even to the Popes, and that the new ones beſides did not agree among themſelves, would determine nothing therein, and leſt the thing undecided, as Salmeron the Jeſuite, who was preſent at that Councell, doth teſtifie. The Synode *Salmer. Tom. 8. Tract. 23. Etſi notuerit Synodus nininatius illo tempore decernere, quis eſſet maxime proprius & germanus verborum illorum Chriſti ſenſus apud Iohannem, propter varias ſanctorum Patrum et Doctorum interpretationes in utramque partem allatas, &c.(ſaith he) would not then determine namely which is the propereſt and naturall ſenſe of theſe words of Chriſt in S. Iohn. becauſe of the variety of Interpretations of the holy Fathers and Doctors that were brought on both ſides. Yet it was there principally, that the infallible perfection of the Pope and of the Councell ſhould have been diſplayed, being a matter of ſo great importance. And yet to this very day the Popes have determined nothing upon that, nor condemned thoſe that are of a contrary mind to the Jeſuits.

CHAP. V. Reaſons of our Adverſaries for to prove that in the ſixth chap. of Saint Iohn it is ſpoken of the manducation by the mouth of the Body.

BUt let us ſee how the Doctors of this Age diſpute againſt their Popes, Cardinals and Prelates, and goe about to prove that in the 6 of S. Iohn is ſpoken of the manducation by the mouth of the body in the Euchariſt.

1. They ſay that Chriſt ſp aketh in the future, ſaying, The bread that I will give, as ſpeaking of a manducation that was not yet. I anſwer that he ſpeaketh alſo in the preſent, ſaying, I am the bread come down from Heaven. And hee that eateth thereof, ſhall not die. They themſelves would laugh, if from that the Lord ſaith in the future, Whoſoever ſhall beleeve and ſhall be Baptiſed, ſhall be ſaved, I ſhould inferre that before Chriſt ſpake theſe words, none beleeved, none were Baptiſed, none were ſaved. Moreover, when Chriſt ſpeaketh in the future, ſaying, The bread that I will give, he hath regard to his future death, which is the true food of our Soules.

2. They ſay alſo that if this ſixth chapter of S. John were not taken and underſtood of the manducation by the mouth of the body: it would follow that S. Iohn did not ſpeake at all of the Euchariſt. Stapleton, one of the moſt furious Adverſaries, anſwers for us: S. Iohn (ſaith he)*Stapl. Promptuar. Cathol. Serm. 1. Hebdom. Sanctae. Iohannes de tertia & Euchar ſtica coena nihil quidem ſcribit, eo quod caeteri tres Evangeliſtae ante cum eam plene deſcripſiſſent. writes nothing of the Euchariſticall Supper, becauſe the other three Evangeliſts had fully written of it before. S. John wrote long after the other Evangeliſts, and did only inſiſt upō ſuch things as the others had omitted. He did not put in his Goſpel the hiſtory of the Lords Conception and Birth, nor of his Temptation in the Wilderneſſe, nor of his Baptiſme, nor of his Transfiguration in the Mount

3. They adde that Chriſt doth diſtinguiſh the eating from drinking, for to deſigne the two ſpecies of the Euchariſt. To that I anſwer, that Chriſt ſpeakes of eating and drinking, for to give us to underſtand that wee have in him and in his death a full and entire ſpirituall nouriſhment. In the 55 chap. of Iſaiah, 1. v. God inviteth the hungry and the thirſty to cate and to drink. And in the 22 of S. Luke, 30 ver. Chriſt ſaith: I appoint unto you a Kingdome, as my Father hath appointed unto me, that yee may eate and drink at my table in my Kingdom. In theſe places, our Adverſaries do acknowledge that to eate and to drink, ſignifies one and the ſame thing, and that they are taken in a ſpirituall ſenſe.

4. But (ſay they) it is neither fitting nor convenient that Chriſt ſhould have uſed ſo many figures, and ſpoken in ſuch dark tearmes, when he might have ſpoken plainely. Wee have already ſhewed that Chriſts ordinary uſe was to ſpeake unto the Jews by figures and ſimilitudes, and that the Capernaites, objecting unto him the bread of Heaven given by Moſes, gave him occaſion to ſpeak ſo. That if our adverſaries do ſo much diſlike figures Why do they ſay that from the 27 verſe this chap. to the 51. the Lord ſpeaks of the ſpirituall manducation, and uſeth figurative words? Why will they have that when Chriſt ſaid, Except ye drink my blood: by drinking, he underſtādeth eating? That if the queſtion be touching the difficulty, is there any thing in the World harder to conceive and to beleeve, than this doctrine, whereby they will have Chriſt to have eaten his own fleſh, and that an human body be whole and entire in every crum of the hoſt, and be remote and divided from it ſelfe, and that a Prieſt ſhould make a God with a few words, and that this god muſt run the riſque and be ſubject to be eaten by Rats and Mice, and carried away by the wind?

5. Yet (ſay they) Chriſt ſaid, My fleſh is me at indeed. Now, this word truly or indeed, excludes all figure: For they eſteem that figurative words are not true. If it be ſo, why do they themſelves put in ſo many figures? Why will they have this word, bread, to be taken figuratively, and the word drinking, to ſignifie eating? They muſt then ſay that when Chriſt in the 15 of S. Iohn, 1 ver. ſaid, I am the true Vine, he ſpake falſly: or elſe they muſt needs grant that this word, true, excluds not the figure. So in the 8 to the Heb. 2. v. the Apoſtle calleth Paradiſe the true Tabernacle. It is a common thing to ſay that God is the true Sun of the Soule, and that evill examples are truly the plague and contagion of the mind. All that in figurative tearmes, and yet true, and wherein the word true excludes not the figure.

6. What they do adde, is not a whit better. Chriſt (ſay they) uſed an oath, ſaying, Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, Except ye eate the fleſh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. But it is not convenient (ſay they) to uſe figures in an oath. What will they ſay then to theſe places, Verily verily, I ſay unto you, that he that entreth not by the doore into the ſheepfold, the ſame is a theife and a robber, Iohn 10.1. And a little after, Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, that I am the doore of the ſheep. And in S. Matth. 18.18. Verily I ſay unto you, that whatſoever ye ſhal binde on earth, ſhall be bound in Heaven. And Iohn 3.5. Verily verily, I ſay unto you, Except a man be borne of the water and of the ſpirit, &c. Where we have the ſame oath with figurative words. What more? the ſame verſe which they alleadge, Verily verily, I ſay unto you, Except ye ea…e my fleſh and drink my blood, ye have no life in you, is the ſame verſe in which they will have drinking to ſignifie eating. And in the ſame chap. ver. 32. Chriſt calleth himſelfe the true bread: wherein our Adverſa…ies do acknowledge a figure. To let paſſe that the word Amen is not an oath, but a ſimple and ſtrong aſſirmation.

CHAP. VI. Teſtimonies of the Fathers.

IT is good upon this point to heare the ancient Fathers. S. Auſtin ſhal march in the fore front. In his Book of Chriſtian Doctrine, chap. 16.*Niſi manducaver it is (inquit) carnem filii hominis, &c ſacinus vel ſlagitium videtur juhere. Figura ergo eſt, praecipiens paſſioni Domin… eſſe communicandum, & ſuaviter at que utilter recondendum in memoria quodpro nobis caro ejus crucif…a a el vul nerata ſit. When the Lord ſaith, Except ye eate the fleſh of the Sonne of man, and drinke his blood, yee have no life in your ſelves, it ſeemes that he commands ſome great crime or haynous offence. It is then, a figure, that commandes to communicate unto the Lords P…ſſion, and ſweetly and profitably to put in remembrance that Chriſts fleſh was crucified and wounded for us. Our Adverſaries, to cleare themſelves and avoyd the force of this place, do make long diſcourſes, and ſinde there are figures in theſe words, Except yee eate, &c. To wit that in the Euchariſt, Chriſts body is not eaten by peece-meales as the fleſh of the Shambles. But they come not neare the point. For Saint Auſtin ſaith not onelyonly that it is a figure, but he declares alſo how that figure is to be taken and expounded; to wit, that to eate Chriſts fleſh, is to meditare and call to remembrance with delight, that Chriſt his fleſh was crucified for us. Which is an expoſition our Adverſaries doe not allow.

The ſame Father upon the 98 Pſalme. Ʋnder ſtand ſpiritually wh…t I have ſaid unto you, Yee ſhall not eate this body that ye ſee, and ſhall not drinke that blood that ſhall be ſhed by thoſe that ſhall crucifie m… I have commended unto you a ſacred figne which being under ſlood ſpiritually, ſhall quicken and viviſie you.

We have in this Father a long expoſition of the ſixth Chapter of Saint John in the 25.26. & 27 Treatiſe upon Saint John: In the 25 Tracta… he ſaith,aVi quid paras det…s el vetrem? crede el madu…aſti. This (viz. to beleeve) is to eate the meate that periſheth not. Why doeſt that make ready thy teeth and thy belly? Beleeve, and thou haſt eaten. And in the 26 Treatiſe,bCredere in eum, hoc eſt manducare panem vivū. Qu… credit i… cū manducal, inv…ſibiliter ſag…natur, quia el inviſibiliter renaſcitur. To beleeve in him, is to eate the living bread. He that beleeves in him, eateth him; he is fed inviſibly, becauſe he is regenerated inviſibly. And in the ſame place,cHūc it a que cibū et pot … ſocietatem vult intell…i corpor… et membrorum ſu…um quod eſt ſanila Eccleſia in praedeſtinatis, &c. By this meate and drinke Chriſt will have to be underſtood the ſociety of his body and members, which is the Church of the Predeſtinate. This Father was ſo far from beleeving that Chriſt was eaten even by the mouth of the body, that by this meate he will have the Church to be underſtood. Whence alſo he addeth,dHoeveraciter non praeſtat niſi iſte cibus & potus qui cos ā quibus ſumitur, immortales & incorruptibiles ſacit, i… ſocietas ipſa Sanctorum, &c. This meate and drinke which makes ſuch as doe take it, immortall and incorruptible, is the fellowſhippe of Saints where there ſhall bee peace and perfect unitie.

And in the ſame place,eHoc eſt ergo mandu…al lameſcam & b…bere ill …mpotum… C…ſto… manere, & ilum man…nt…in ſe habere de per hae… qui non ma… in Chriſio, & in qu… nor man… Chriſia, & in quo nor man… Ch…ſl… proc…dn…no nec manducat ſpiratal…ter …nem …jus, a…c b…h… ejus ſ…ngu…n…n, luet carnalae… & …ſil…lu… pr… doel…bus Sacra… is… corpo… is & ſang… Ch…ſ…i. That, therefore, is to eate this meate and to drinke this drinke, to dwell in Chriſt and to have him dwelling in us. And therefore he that dwelleth not in Chriſt, and in whom Chriſt dwelleth not, doubleſſe he eates not ſpiritually his fleſh and drinkes not his blood, how be it that carnally and viſibly he preſfeth with his teeth the ſacred ſigne of Chriſts body and blood. In ſumme, in three long Treatiſes containing many pages, wherein this good Doctor expoundeth the ſixth Chapter of Saint John, there is not one word of eating by the mouth of the body the Lords fleſh crucified for us. Which expoſition was ſo diſliked by Cardinall du Perron, that he ſpeaketh contemptibly of theſe Tractates of Saint Auſtin upon Saint John, fIn his Booke againſt the King of Great Britaine. In the Treatiſe of the Euchariſtſaying that they be popular Sermons made before all kindes of perſons, to whom he would not declare openly the Churches beleife.

Tertullian in the 37 Chapter of his Booke of the Reſurrection, expounding theſe words, The fleſh profiteth nothing: The ſenſe (ſaith hee) muſt bee addreſſed according to the ſubject whereof he ſpeaketh. gQuia durum & intolerabilem exiſtimaverunt ſermonem ejus. quaſi vere carnem ſuam illis edendam determ…naſſet ut in ſpiritu diſpone ret ſtatum ſalutis, oraemiſit, Spiritus eſt qu… vivificat. Tum add t, Caro non prode…t qui…quam; ad vivificandum ſ…ili etFor becauſe they eſteemed his words to be harſh and intolerable, as though he had determined to give them truely his fleſh to eate that he might render ſpirituall the ſtate of ſalvation, he ſaid before, It is the ſpirit that quickneth: Then he addeth, The fleſh profiteth nothing, to wit for to vivifie.

And there againe,hQuia & ſermo caro c…at factus, proinde m cauſam vitae appetendus, & devor…nd…s audau, et …uminandus intellectu, et fide digerendus. The word was made fleſh, and by conſequent, for to have life, it muſt be deſired, and devoured by the eare, and ruminated by the underſtanding, and diſgeſted by faith.

And a little after, The Lord had a little afore declared that his fleſh is the heavenly bread, iVrgens uſquequa que per allegoriā neceſſariorū pabulorū memoriam Paetrū, &c.urging altogether by allegory taken from neceſſary meates the remembrance of the Fathers.

Clemens Alexandrinus in his ſecond Booke De Pedagogo, Chapter 6. k Hee ſaid, eate my fleſh and drinke my blood, propoundiog by an allegoric the evidence of the faith, and the drinke of the promiſe.

And a little after,lSi ſecundum literam ſequeris hoc ipſ…ra quod …um eſt, Niſi manducaveritis carnem meam et biberitis ſanguta… …um, hoec litera occid t. Hee calleth the holy Spirit fleſh by a…egory. For the fleſh was created by him, and the blood ſignifies the Word.

Origene upon the Leviticus, in the ſeventh Booke:nforeign. Know that theſe things writen in the divine volumes, are figures, and underſtand them as ſpirituall, and not as carnall. For if you receive them as carnall, they hurt you in ſtead of nourriſhing you. For in the Goſpells there is a letter which killeth him that obſerves not the things that are ſpoken ſpiritually. mforeign.For if thou takeſt according to the letter that which is ſaid, Except ye eate my fleſh and drinke my blood, that letter killeth.

The Commentary upon the Pſalmes, attributed to Saint Hierome, upon the 44 Pſalme.nQuando dic…t, Qui non manducaverit carnem meam et biberit ſanguinem me um, licet in myſter…o poſſit intel ligi, tamen veriùs corpus Chriſti et ſanguis ejus ſermo Scripturarum eſt. When the Lord ſaith, He that eateth not my fleſh, &c. though that may be underſtood in myſterie, yet to ſpeake more truely, the body and blood of Chriſt is the word of the Scriptures, and the heavenly doctrine. And a little after,oCorpus et ſanguis ejus in auribus noſtris fund tur. The fleſh and blood of Chriſt is powred into our eares.

It is true that ſome places may bee found in ancient Fathers that apply and fit the words of the ſixth Chapter of Saint John to the Euchariſt, becauſe the manducation of the Sacrament ſerves to helpe the ſpirituall manducation, and there is ſome analogie betweene theſe two. Adde moreover that we have proved already by a multitude of places of Ancient Fathers, that when they ſay that in the Euchariſt wee eate the fleſh or the body of Chriſt, they meane to ſpeake of another fleſh and another bodie than that which was crucified for us, which is called Chriſts bodie becauſe of the myſticall union of the bread with Chriſt, and becauſe the ſignes take the name of the things ſignified.

VponUpon this, the words of Pope Pius the ſecond, are notable in his 130 Epiſtle.pSed nec …overi debetis, quod nonnulli Doctores de communione Sacramentali loquentes, ill amque populo ſuadentes Iohannis verba recipiunt. Neque enim propterca illius loci vel talis verns eſt es proprius intellectus, ſed ex quadam ſimilitudi…e conſonantique ratione, trahitur inde magis ſenſus quàm ducitur &c. Yee muſt not wonder (ſaith he) if ſome Doctors ſpeaking of the Sacramentall communion, and counſelling it unto the People, doe imploy Saint John his words. For it doth not follow from thence that it bee the true and proper ſenſe of that place, but by ſome reſemblance and agreeable reaſon, this ſenſe is rather drawne than led. And it is lawfull for the Doctors, ſpeaking after the manner of Orators, to uſe ſometimes figures and tranſlations, ſo that often times, ſpeaking of the ſigne, they paſſe vntounto the thing ſignified.

CHAP. VII. Impiety of Salmeron the Jeſuite, and of Peter Charron. And of Bellarmins foure men incloſed in one ſute of clothes. That by this doctrine, Chriſt hath not a true body in the Sacrament.

Superſtition and Atheiſme are verie neere neighbours, and the one leadeth unto the other. For frantick ſuperſtition intangles the minde with extravagant conceits, that expoſe Religion to laughter, and make men to thinke that Religion is a ſhop of fables, and a meere imagination. Whence it comes to paſſe that thoſe that take upon them to defend Superſtition, let goe very often certaine words of impietie, whereby they profane the myſteries, and ſcoffe at their owne Religion under colour of defending it.

Salmeron the Jeſuite, and Doctor Charron gives us an example thereof. This Jeſuite in the IX Tome and 26 Treatiſe, for to repreſent the manner and the end for which Chriſt gives us his fleſh to eate,Sub finem Tractatus. ſaith that Chriſt hath done as men doe, who for to kindle and inflame a woman with love, doe give her an amorous potion or morſell, and that juſt ſo Chriſt in the Euchariſt gives to his Church Panis bucellam ſanctè benedictam & incantatam, a morſell of bread holily bleſſed and INCHANTED for to tranſport her with his love.

Charron hath followed him, but with an addition that declares what are the ingredients of thoſe philters or amorous potions, to wit that there enters in them ſomething of the ſubſtance of the Lover, which ſubſtance is a thing not fit to be named. In his eighth Diſcourſe of the Euchariſt, after hee hath ſaid that God comes downe in the forme of bread and wine: and that to dance for to ſerue God, is leſſe ſtrange then what is done in the Maſſe: a little after, he declares how Chriſt communitates himſelfe unto men in the Euchariſt, to wit, that he allures and intices them with a dainty and delicious bit. Love (ſaith he) is ſo ingenious and inventive, that for to win and allure the heart and will of others it hath found out a device to imploy inchanted morſels, philters and amorous potious, and to make them to be taken and drunke by thoſe of whom one deſires to bee loved, in which morſells or potions enters ſome thing of the Lover or Suitor. Thus it ſeemes that God for to draw and allure unto himſelfe the heart and love of the Church, would preſent a bit or potion made of his ſubſtance in this Sacrament, the philter and amorous drinke of all Chriſtians, the dainty and delicious bit for to draw and allure them unto himſelfe. Doubtleſſe this man jeaſted and intended to make the world laugh, for he could not expect that men ſhould beleeve him.

I know not whither Bellarmin did mock or jeaſt,Bellar. lib. 3. de Euchar. cap 7 … ad tertiū Poteſt fie…i ut redigatur ad locum unitatis, …t a ut quatuor homines occupent locum unius hominis. when for to prove that a body may be in ſeverall places at once, hee ſaith that it is poſſible that foure men hold no more place than one of the foure alone, and that all foure fill up but one place. Take me a man clothed with a ſute of clothes that ſits cloſe and is made juſt to his body, Bellarmin ſaith it is poſſible for theſe foure men to be contained in the ſame ſute of clothes, without being made larger, and the men never a whit the leſſe. If that be poſſible for foure, it is alſo poſſible for ten, yea for a hundred, yea for a thouſand: ſo that all the men of the World ſhall be contained in a ſingle doublet. But if of theſe foure men in this little doublet, one be ſitting, the other lying, and the other ſtanding: If one of-them embrace the other, and by conſequent is out of the other, they ſhall not be in one and the ſame place. If they ſpeake together and looke one upon another, the one ſhall be the object of the others eyes, and therefore ſhall not bee in one and the ſelfe ſame place. Truly I thinke this Jeſuite, propounding ſuch things, and ſhutting up a whole Common-wealth in a doublet, had a minde to deride his owne Religion. For by the ſame reaſon a man may have both his eyes in one place, and not different of ſitnation.Bellar. lib. 1. de Euchar. c. 2. § Tertia. Chriſtus in Euchariſtia non habet modum exiſtend… corporum, ſed potius ſpirit…ū, cum ſit totus in qualibe… parte. By this meanes a man ſhall have two eyes, and ſhall have but one. And the parts of an humane body ſhall not be diſtinct, and the one ſhall not be out of the other. This our Adverſaries doe by their Tranſubſtantiation: as Bellarmin acknowledgeth, ſaying that in the Euchariſt Chriſt doth not exiſt after the manner of bodies: but rather after the manner of Spirits, ſince hee is whole in everie part.

It is falſe likewiſe, that according to the doctrine of the Church of Rome, Chriſts body be in the Euchariſt after the manner of Spirits. For when an Angell is preſent in any place, he is not preſent in a thouſand others ſeverall places and is not far from himſelfe and divided from himſelfe, a… they will have Chriſts body to bee in a million of ſeverall places at one and the ſame time.

The ſame Jeſuite in the third Booke and fifth chapter ſaith,*§. Ad haec. Subſtantia fius quanti …ate ca…o d…ci non poteſe. that a Subſtance without qantity cannot bee tearmed fleſh. Whereupon it followes that Chriſts body under the Hoſt is not fleſh, for there is no quantity, ſince it is whole under every point that hath no quantity. Beſides that the quantity of a body is a continued quantity. But Chriſts body in the Hoſt is not one in continuity with that which is in Heaven ſitting at the right hand of God the Father, ſince hee is farre and remote from it.

Againe, he ſaith in the ſame place,*Quid eſt corpus, niſi extent…o … longitudinem, latitudinem, & proſunditat…m? That a body is nothing elſe but an extenſion in length, breath, and depth. Therefore in the Sacrament there is no true body of Chriſt, ſince it hath no extenſion, no length, breadth and depth: As he ſaith himſelfe in the ſecond chapter of his firſt Book, Chriſts body in the Euchariſt hath no extenſion.

I have wondred many times, ſeeing that our Adverſaries hold that Chriſt municants untill the ſpecies be deſtroyed and conſumed by the diſgeſtion, why they do not give them hard bread and not of eaſie diſgeſtion, that they might have Chriſt in them a longer time, rather then to give them ſuch light Hoſts or wafers, which are preſently turned into a Chylus and diſgeſted in an inſtant.

CHAP. VIII. Of the progreſſe of this abuſe, and by what meanes Satan hath eſtabliſhed the Tranſubſtantiation.

UPon this matter, the opinions of men began to varie in the eight Age, wherein the controverſie touching the adoration of Images was in its hight and force. For Satan at the ſame time did labour and buſie himſelfe to introduce and bring into the Church theſe two ſorts of Idolatry.

In the yeere of our Lord 754, the Emperor Conſtantin, ſon to Liſaurus, called a Councell of his whole Empire at Conſtantinople, where 330 Biſhops were preſent, that condemned the adoration of Images. Among other reaſons that they bring, they exhort the people to be contented with thoſe Images that Chriſt had inſtituted, having given in the holy Supper the bread and wine for Images and Figures of his body and blood. And ſpeaking of the Euchariſticall bread, they ſay,*Ecce vivificantis ill…s corpor…s Imaginem. Behold the image of this quickning body that is honorably preſented. And a little after, The Lord commanded to ſet [upon the table] that image altogether choſen, to wit the ſubſtance of the bread, leaſt Idolatry ſhould creep in if it were repreſented in an humane forme.

But few yeares after, the Empire being fallen into the hands of Irenea, an Idolatrous woman, and who did put out the eyes of her own ſon, and raviſhed the Empire from him: this monſter called another Councell at Nice, in the year 787. where ſhe cauſed Images to be re-eſtabliſhed, and the worſhipping of them to be commanded under paine of a curſe. There likewiſe were condemned as abhominable, theſe foreſaid clauſes of the former Councell, whereby the bread and wine are called Images of the Lords body and blood. And it is the ſame Councell that declares, that Images are equivalent and of as much worth as the Goſpell: and that an Image is better than Prayer: And that Angels are corporall: And that he that hath the leaſt doubt whither Images muſt bee worſhipped, is accurſed. For certainly the ſpirit of Satan reigned in that pernicious Councell. Wherefore alſo Charles the Great, who lived then, called another Councell at Fran…kford, anno Domini 794, in which that Councell of Nice was condemned as erroneous, by a generall conſent: notwithſtanding that Pope Adrian had approved that Councell, and made a Treatiſe in defenſe of it.

Whileſt Satan beſtirred himſelfe thus in the Eaſt parts: the Roman Biſhops on their ſide did labour in the Weſt parts. For they did well perceive that theſe two things, to wit the adoration of the Sacrament, and the adoration of Images, would be of great uſe, and would ſerve much for the ſtrengthning of their Empire, and encreaſing of the dignity of the Romiſh Clergy. For the Pope taking out of the way the holy Scriptures from the eyes of the People, hat…given them Images, which they call Ignorant mens Books, buſying the eyes of the people, whileſt he conveyed away the Word of God from them. And the opiniō of the real preſence of Chriſts body in the Euchariſt, exalts the dignity and power of Prieſts, ſo far as to be able to make God with words, and to have Chriſt in their own power.

This abuſe, beginning to creepe in France, King Charles the Bald, about the yeere 870, made a commandement unto one Bertram a Prieſt, and as learned a man as theſe times did affoord, to compoſe and write a Book of this matter: which Book we have yet whole and …xtant at this day, wherein hee maintaines the true doctrine, and withſtands ſtoutly and vigourouſly that opinion of the reall preſence of the body of Chriſt under the ſpecies of the bread. For of Tranſubſtantiation there was yet no ſpeech of it. For which cauſe alſo Bellarmin in his firſt Book of tee Sacrament of the Euchariſt, firſt chap. puts this Bertram amongſt the Hereticks. Who not withſtanding, in his time, lived with honor, and was neither troubled, nor received any rebuke or reprehenſion upon this ſubject. Of the ſame opinion were Iohn Scotus and Drutmarus, and others of the ſame time. And I make no doubt but many others with them have defended the ſame cauſe in writing: But the following ages, in which error prevailed, have aboliſhed their writings, and it is marvel how this Book of Bertram could eſcape thus.

The tenth and eleventh Ages, are the Ages wherein this error did ſtrengthen it ſelfe moſt, in which nevertheleſſe God left not himſelfe without teſtimony. For Bruno Biſhop of Angiers, and after him (but more vigorouſly) Berengarius, his Arch-Deacon, taught and maintained openly that the bread and wine of the Euchariſt were not the body of Chriſt, but the figure and remembrance of it:*Sigebert. ad annum 1051. This Berangarius began to ſhew himſelfe about the yeare of our Lord 1050. Againſt whom Pope Victorius 2. cauſed a Councel to be gathered at Tours about the yeare 1055 and foure yeeres after, Nicholas II. cited him to Rome to the Councel aſſembled for that effect, where Berengarius was forced to condemn his own doctrine, & ſubmit himſelf to the Popes wil. By the reading of that Councel, it appeares that …here were in it many others of the ſame opinion of Berengarius. And Leo *Leo Hoſtienſis Chr…. Caſſinenſi li. 3. c. 35. E que cum nullus valeret reſiſtere. Alberi…us …dē evo…ntur.Hoſtienſis recordeth that none of thoſe that were there preſent, could reſiſt Berengarius. The forme of the abjuration preſcribed unto him, is to be found in the Collections of the Decrees made by Ivo Carnutenſis, and by Gratian, which forme is ſet down in abſurde tearmes, and which the Church of Rome her ſelfe beleeves not. For they make him ſay,aCan. Ego Berengar. Diſt. 2. de conſecr. that the bread is the true body of Chriſt, and that Chriſts body is truely and ſenſibly handled and bruiſed by the teeth of the Faithfull. But Berengarius being rid out of the hands of that Councell and returned back into France, proteſted againſt the violence offered unto him, and continued to teach the ſame doctrine till the yeere 1088. in which he died. Upon his tombe, Hildebertus, *Hild. Epitaphio Berengar. apud Malmesburienſem. Quem modo miratur ſemper mirabil…ter orbis. Il…e Berengarius non obiturus obit. Quem ſacrae fidei faſtigia ſumma tenentem, &c. Vide Baron. ad ann 1088. § 21.who after was Biſhop of Mans, made an honorable Epitaphe, wherein he tearmes him the Prop and Support of the Church, the hope and the glory of the Clergy. And France, Germany, Italy and England, were full of people that embraced his doctrine, as William Malmesbury teſtifies in the 3. Book of his Engliſh Hiſtorie. All France (ſaith hee) was full of his doctrine. And Matthew of Weſtminſt…r in the year 1087*Eodem tempore Berengarius Turonenſis in haereticam lapſus pravitatem, omnes. Gallos, Italos, Anglos, ſuis jam pene corruperat pravitatibus. Berengarius of Tours being fallen into hereſie, had corrupted by his depravations almoſt all the French, Italians, and Engliſh.

Platina in the life of John XV. ſpeaks thus of Berengarius, It is certain that Odius Biſhop of Clugni and Berengarius of Tours, men famous and renowned for doctrine and holineſſe, were in great eſteeme in that time. Adde to this, that Berengarius diſtributed all his meanes to the poore, and betooke himſelfe to get his living with the labour of his hands.*Guit alias Berengarius iſtevir bonus, plenes eleemoſynis, et humilitate, magnorum poſſeſſionē, qui omnia …uſi…spauperum …diſperſit, &c. Antoninus Arch-Biſhop of Florence, whom the Pope hath canonized and made a Saint, gives him this teſtimony in the 2 Tome of his Chronicles, Tit. 16 §. 20. This Berengarius was otherwiſe a good man, full of Almes deeds, and humility, and having great, poſſeſſions and riches, which hee diſtributed to the poore, and would have no woman to come before his eyes.

About the latter end of Berengarius his life, lived Gregory the ſeventh, who entred into the Papacy in the yeare of our Lord 1073. called Hildebrand before he was Pope. This Gregory was ſuſpected to incline to Berengarius his opinion. Sigonius in his 9 Book of the reigne of Italy, in the yeare 1080, recordeth that the Biſhops of Germany aſſembled at Brixina in Bavaria, did call this Gregory V…terem haeretici Berengari… diſcipulum, an old diſciple of Berengarius the heretick, accuſing him of calling into queſtion the Apoſtolicall Faith, touching the body and blood of the Lord. And this agrees with Cardinall Benno, Arch-Prieſt of the Cardinals who was very inward and familiar with the ſaid Gregory, and who wrote his life: wherein hee ſaith that Gregory appointed a faſt to three Cardinals, to the end God might ſhew whither of the two, to wit Berengarius of the Church of Rome had the righteſt opinion. And there he relates that John Biſhop of Port in a Sermon at S. Peters Church, did declare in preſence both of Clergy and People, that Gregory, for to obtaine ſome divine anſwer, had in the preſence of the Cardinals caſt the holy Sacrament into the fire.

Berengarius being dead▪ he had many ſucceſſors that maintained the ſame doctrine even to the time of Petru… de Valdo, of the City of Lions, whoſe diſciples were named by their enemies, Valdenſes and Albigenſes: Of whoſe Religion and Confeſſion of Faith, conformable to ours,Faſciculus rerum expet…ndarū fol. 95. Indocus C…cius Tom. H. lib. 6. de Euchar. fol. 602. hath been ſpoken before in the 21 chapter of the firſt Book, and ſhewed that their Churches remaine, even unto our times.

Furthermore, John Wickl…f in England, in the yeere 1390. taught the ſame. Of whoſe doctrine contained in eighteen Articles, here is the firſt, That the ſubſtance of the bread remaines after the Conſecration, and ceaſes not to bee bread.

Againſt the Faithfull that profeſſed this doctrine, the Pope ſtirred up Kings and Princes, and cauſed an incredible butchery to bee made of them, preaching the Croiſadoe againſt them, whereby hee gave the ſame ſpirituall graces unto thoſe that ſhould maſſacre them, as to thoſe that went into Syria againſt the Saraſens, for to reconquer Chriſts Sepulcher, to whom he gave the remiſſion of all their ſins, and a degree of glory above the ordinary, as may bee ſeene in the Bull of Innocent the third, placed at the end of the Councell of Lateran. The Earle of Montfort, having with him one Dominicke, author of the Order of the Jacobins, with an army of theſe croſſed ones, did maſſacre in a few moneths above two hundred thouſand of them.

And for to ſtrengthen and fortifie this abuſe, there was no ſpeeche in thoſe times but of miracles, coyned of purpoſe, tending to the worſhipping of Images, and eſtabliſhing of the reall preſence of Chriſts body in the Euchariſt. They gave out to the people that ſuch an Image had ſweated blood, that another had nodded his head. That a woodden Crucifix prickt in the ſide, had caſt blood.This fable is recited by Fulgoſlib. 1. c. 6. And by Nauclerus Gener. 44 That to an Image of the Virgin Maries, brought from Damaſcus, breaſts of fleſh were grown upon the wood. That in ſuch a place the Hoſt had appeared in the forme of a child, and an Angell by it, that did hacke him to peeces. That an Hoſte, pricked by a Jew, had guſhed out blood: and being caſt into a great cauldron or kittle, was turned into a man, as is to be ſeene yet at this day in Paris repreſented upon the forefront or porche of the Church of the Billetes. The life of Saint Anthonie of Padoua ſaith, that he preſented the conſecrated Hoſte to an Aſſe, which preſently left eating of his Oates and worſhipped the Hoſte.aAlbertu Krantzius Metropol. lib. 1. ca. 9. Wedekindus a Saxon Prince ſaw a child thruſt into the mouth of the Communicants.bPaſchaſius Rathertus de corpore & ſangnine Domini c. 14. Guil. Mal. mesbur. l. 3. cap 27. An Angell did preſent Chriſt in the Maſſe unto a Prieſt called Pleg…ls, in the ſhape or forme of a childe, which he kiſſed and imbraced with great courage. … A little Jewiſh boy comming by chance into the Church as he was playing, ſaw upon the Altar a little boy that was minced and cut into ſmall peeces, and thruſt by ſmall lumps into the mouths of the Communicants. Thomas Cantipratenſis in his ſecond Booke of Miracles, Chapter 40, ſaith that at Doway, in the yeare 1260. the conſecrated hoſt being fallen to the ground, riſed up againe of it ſelfe, and pearched it ſelfe upon the cloth wherewith the Prieſt did wipe his hands, in the ſhape or forme of a fine little boy, who inſtantly became a tall man, having a crowne of thornes upon his head, and two drops of blood running downe from his forehead on both ſides of his noſe. Jodoeus Coccius collected about one hundred of ſuch miracles.Iodoeus Coccius Theſaur. Tom. II. lib. 6. de Euchariſtia. For in Berengarius his time ſuch miracles were very riſe and frequent. Matthew Paris an Engliſh Hiſtorian, in the yeare of the Lord, 1247 relates that the Templers of the holy land ſent to Henry the third King of England, a little Chriſtall bottle full of the true blood of our Saviour Chriſt that he ſhed upon the Croſſe, which Criſtall bottle that ſilly King carried upon his noſe to Weſtminſter Church in Proceſſion a foot, clothed with an old ſle…veleſſe gowne. Salmeron the Jeſuite in the XI Tome and fifth Treatiſe, page 35. ſaith that at Rome in the Church of Lateran there is ſome of Chriſts blood kept. Item in the Church of Saint Maximin at Rome, which Marie Magdalen gathered up at the foote of the Croſſe. There was alſo at Rochelle ſome kept, as the ſame Jeſuite ſaith in the ſame place.

Sigonius in his fourth Booke of the reigne of Italy, *Forte ſā guinis ex imagine cruc…fi… Salvatoris in syria effuſi portio delata Mā tuam fuerat, &c. Carolus Leonem Pontiſicem per literas obſecravit ut accurate horum miracul…rum v…ritatem vellet explorare & compertam ſibi ſignificare. Ob id Leo Roma …g…ſſ…s Mantuam ven…t, & re cogn…ta, ad C ro…tum ſer pſit.ſaith that in the yeare 804. was brought out of Syria to Mantua, a portion of the blood that ran out of the Image of a Crucifix, which did many miracles. And that the fame of it being come to Charles the Great, he intreated by letters Pope Leo, to enquire of the truth of the matter: And that the ſaid Pope having knowne and perceived the truth of the thing, wrote to Charle-maine touching the ſame. And in the eighth Booke, in the yeare 1048. he ſaith that the inhabitants of Mantua having forgotten this blood, and knowing no more what it was, this blood beganne againe to doe miracles. Vaſquez the Jeſuite upon the 76 queſtion of the third Part of Th…mas, *Art. 8.ſaith that yet at this day there is in Spaine ſome of Chriſts blood kept in Reliques.

Thus the darkneſſe grew thicke, and the myſterie of iniquity ſtrengthened it ſelfe dayly more and more, the kings having no knowledge at all of the holy Scripture, and trembling under the Popes thunderbolts and excommunications, and powring abundance of wealth and riches into the boſome of the Clergie for the eaſing of their ſoules after death.

And for a full meaſure of miſchiefe, new Orders of Mendicant Friers did ſpring up, namely the Franciſcans and Dominicans, whereof Francis Aſſiſias in Italy, and Dominick Calarogenſis in Spaine were the firſt Founders, in the yeare of our Lord 1216. and 1223. An incredible multitude of theſe Monks were dilated and ſp…ead over all the regions of the Popes Empire, who made uſe of them as of ſo many torches and trumpets for to provoke and encourage Princes to the perſecution of the faithfull. And it was the ſaid Monks that h…ve coyned and forged the Schoole Divinity, all briſtled with pricks, and twiſted about with ſubtilties, much like unto the Cray-fiſh in which there is much picking, but little to eate. It is from this Divinity that ſuttle diſtinctions are drawne, wherewith they cover themſelves againſt the truth. A…iſtotle is alleadged there a great deale oftner than the Apoſtle Saint Paul. Thus it behooved the myſterie of iniquitie ſhould advance it ſelfe.

At the birth of theſe begging Friers, Innocent the third, in the yeare 1215. called a Councell at Rome in the Lateran Church, in which the word of Tranſubſtantiation, not as yet received by any definition in the Roman Church, was eſtabliſhed by an expreſſe Canon, and authority of Councell.

CHAP. IX. Of the Judgement which the Doctors of the Romane Church doe make touching the apparitions, whereby a little Child, or a morſell of fleſh hath appeared at the Maſſe in the hands of the Prieſt, and touching Chriſts blood that is kept in Reliques.

A Long time hath beene that if one had doubted that a childe, or a p…ce of fl…ſh that had appeared in a Pri…ſt… hand, were not truely Chriſt, and that Chriſts blood that was kept in reliques, was not truely his blood, it would have beene an hereſie deſerving the fire, and a manifeſt impiety. The People did flock together for to worſhip this blood. Therefore Guitmondus in his third booke of the Sacrament, and Paſchaſius in his Booke of the body and blood of the Lord; Chapter 14. and I…docus C…c…ius in his Collection of the places of the Fathers, and many others, doe make uſe of theſe miraculous apparitions, for to prove Chriſts reall preſence in the Euchariſt.

Thomas Aquinas aThom 3. part. q. 76. Art. 8. Tali apparitione facta eadem reverentia exhibetur e…, quod apparet, quae etiam primo exhibebatur; quod quidem non ſieret ſi v… re non eſſet ibi Chriſtu… cu reverentiam latria exhibemus.in the third part of his Summe, queſtion. 76. Art. 8. findes himſelfe mightily peſtred upon this point: For though hee teacheth that that which appeareth thus miraculouſly, ought to bee worſhipped with the adoration of Latria, as Chriſt, and that Chriſt is there preſent: yet withall hee eſteemes that ſometimes theſe apparitions are not true, but onelyonly in appearance, eſpecially when the ſame thing appeares but to ſome and not to all. For which cauſe, C jetan in his Annotations upon this place of A…uinas, departes from his opinion touching the Adoration,bCajetan▪ in Notis. Si quaeratur qua adoratione venerandus eſſet hujuſmadi ſanguis miraculoſus: dicendum …d…m eſſe judicium de …pſo & de veſte Chriſti. and will have this blood or fleſh that appeares ſometimes in the Maſſ…, to be worſhi…ped, not as Chriſt: but as Chriſts garment, which is an inferiour adoration.

But the Jeſuite Vaſquez, goes more plainely to worke, in his 193 Diſput. here bee his words.cVaſquez in 76. q. tertiae par. Thomae artic. 8. Diſp. 193. cap. 2. Reſpondeo neque apparere carnem Chriſti, neque alterius, quae re vera caro ſit, ſed carnis ſolum eſſigiem, ut dixit S. Thomas, &c. Quod a. ſimplices decipiantur et credant ibi eſſe carnem Chriſti diviſibili et cruento modo, parum refert: haec enim deceptio inſtructione vera Doctorum corrigenda eſt I anſwer that that which appeares, is not the fleſh of Chriſt, nor of any other that bee truely fleſh, but that it is onelyonly an effigies or appearance of fleſh, as Saint Thomas ſaith. And as touching the ſimple that are deceived, and beleeve that Chriſts fleſh is there in a manner di…iſible and bloody, it matters not much. For that deception ought to bee corrected by the true inſtruction of the Doctors.

Gabriel Biel, a famous Doctor, in his 51 Leſſon upon the Canon of thedPoteſt fieri divina permiſſione illuſione daemonis ad decipiendum incautos. Maſſe, goes further, and ſaith that ſuch appariritions of fleſh and blood may bee done by illuſion of the divell for to deceive the ſimple, God permitting it thus. And he brings an example of it: To wit that in the Countrey of Thuringe in the City of Yſennae in a Convent of Minorite Friers, eApparuit quidam in ſpecie Angell particulam apparenter porrigens, Apparuit ſtultus ora ſumens de manu porrigentis apparentem boſtiae particulam: et continuo à diabolo obſeſſus eſt et graviter vexatus.a certaine man in the likeneſſe of an Angel appeared to a Lay Brother preparing himſelfe to the communion, who chopt into his mouth peece of fleſh, which ſo ſoone … hee had ſwallowed, he was poſſe… and grievouſly tormented by the devill.

And truely, thoſe that eſteeme that Chriſt appeareth truely upon the Altar in the forme of a childe or of a peece of fleſh, and worſhip it, are very much puzled. For the Roman Church doth acknowledge but two ſorts of Chriſts reall preſence, the one naturall and viſible after which he converſed with his Diſciples here on earth: the other Sacramentall under the accidents of bread. But when theſe things doe appeare (yea if ever they doe appeare) Chriſt is neither preſent in the one, nor in the other manner. For he appeares neither under his owne proper accidents, nor under the accidents of the bread. And it ſhall behoove one to beleeve that Chriſt is a child upon the Altar: Or that a perfect man is under the accidents of a child. That if it be onelyonly a peece of fleſh, we aske whether this peece of fleſh be whole Chriſt: Or if it be but a part of his body, whether this portion or peece of fl ſh was taken out of the Arme or out of the Legge.

Theſe things ſerve to make us to know how powerfull …e ſeduction of Sathan hath beene, and with …ow much horrible darkneſſe he did envelope … in the Ages wherin this monſter of Tranſubſtantiation was formed. This latter age hath beene aſhamed of it: for now we ſee no more the People run to Mantua, or to the Billettes Church at Paris for to worſhip the fleſh and the blood of Chriſt that are there kept in reliques. The French Pilgrim… paſſing by Mantua for to goe to Rome, ſtay there no more. They paſſe the Pyrenean Mountaines for to viſit the ſuppoſed reliques of Saint James: but doe not goe into thoſe places of Spaine where Chriſts blood is kept. That blood of Chriſt ſent from Syria to King Henry the third of England, whereof I have ſpoken in the former Chapter, that putrified in a few dayes, loſt inſtantly its credit, and there was no more ſpeech of it.

CHAP. X. OF the corruption of the Papall Sea in the Ages wherein this errour was moſt advanced.

IN the Eighth and Ninth Ages, were caſt the firſt foundations of Tranſubſtantiation; nevertheleſſe it was not yet then eſtabliſh d by Lawes: and I cannot finde that ever any man was moleſted for that ſubj ct. But in the Tenth and Eleventh Ages, the Popes laboured to hatch that monſter, and to eſtabliſh it with authoritie. But God branded theſe two ages with infamous blemiſhes and diſgraces. For as vices agree well with errors, the Popes of thoſe times led ſuch an infamous life, that hardly the like is to be found in all Pagan hiſtories, and that Chaire was filled with horrible confuſions.

Since Pope Formoſus who in the yeare 890. attained to the Popedome by violating the oath hee had taken never to accept of it, and whoſe dead body was dragged ignominiouſly up and downe the City of Rome and caſt into the Tiber by his Succeſſors: For the ſpace of a hundred and fifty yeares, yea of two hundred yeares, we ſee nothing in hiſtories but of Popes murtherers, Popes Adulterers, necromanticall Popes, perjured Popes, Popes intruded by force or by money, creatures of the Earles of Toſcane, that werer then powerfull in Italie, and of the harlot Theodora and of her daughters Marozia and Theodora, that reigned a long time in Rome, and made and unmade Popes at their pleaſure.

Of which time the Carmelite Frier, Author of Faſciulus Temporum, makes this lamentation:fHeu, heu, heu, Dom… ne Deus, quomodo obſcuratum eſt aurum, mutatus eſt color opt mus? O tempus peſſimum! in quo defecit ſanctus, et diminutae ſunt veritates à ſiliis hominum. Alas, Alas, Alas, Lord God, how is the gold obſcured and its good colour changed? O moſt wicked time in which the holy one is fallen away, and truth diminiſhed among the ſonnes of men. And Cardinall Baronius after a long recitall of the vilanios of the Papall Sea in thoſe times, he poures out theſe complaints,gBaron. An. 912. §. 8. Que tunc facies Eccleſiae Romonae? quam ſoediſſima? cùm Romae domi iarentur potenti… ma … ſordidiſſime meretr…ces, quarū arbitrio inutaretur ſedes. &c. et …truderentur in ſedem Petr…c…rum amaſii Pſeudopontifices. What was then the face of the Romane Church and how foule, when moſt powerfull and moſt filthie whores ruled and governed in Rome, by whoſe will the Seas were changed, and Biſhopricks given away! And that which is horrible and not to be related, their Lovers, falſe Popes, were thruſt in violently in Peters Chaire. And Genebrard, a great worſhipper of Popes, ſpeakes of the ſame time, in the yeare 901. of his Chronicle, in theſe tearmes: In that alone this age was unfortunate, that for the ſpace almoſt of one hundred and fifty yeares, about fifty Popes have wholly fallen away from the vertue of their predeceſſors, being rather Apotacticall or Apoſtaticall, than Apoſtolicall. Sigonius puts two hundred yeares in.

In the yeare of our Lord 931. John the eleventh, came to the Popedome. He was Baſtard to Pope Sergius begotten on the body of the whore Marozia. Whereupon Baronius ſaith, The Roman Church ſuffered her ſelfe to be ſo vilanouſly oppreſſed by ſuch a monſter.

After him, there was many Popes that were creatures of the fornamed whores, even to John the XII. who in the yeare of our Lord 955. attained to the Papacie at eighteene yeares old, whom Baronius abhorres as an execrable monſter. Luirprandus and Faſcicu us Temporum, ſay,Luirprand. lib. 6. cap. 11. Sigeber. ad annum 963. Antoninus Chroni. Temo 11. Tract. 16. § 16. that this John being in bed with ſome bodies wife, was ſo beaten by the Devill that he died of it. This Pope made Children Biſhops, dranke to the Devill, when he played at dice hee invocated Jupiter and Venus, and conferred the ſacred Orders in a ſtable.

Then, many Popes did play at thruſt out, and cruelly perſecuted one another, the Papacy was expoſed to ſale, and vices were there up to the roofe. France, though in an age full of darkneſſe, was mooved with it, and called a Councell at Rheims under the raigne of Hugh Capet, whoſe Acts we have extant. In that Councell, Arnulphus Biſhop of Orleans, who preſided there, ſpeakes thus:hO lugenda Roma, quae noſtris major…bus clara patrum luminap rotuliſti, noſtris temporibus monſtroſas tenebras futuris ſaeculis famoſas effudiſti! Quid hunc Reverendi Patres in ſublimi ſolio reſidentem, veſte purpurea & aurea radi…em, quid hunc eſſe cenſet…s? Nim…rum ſi charitate deſtitu tu…, ſolaque ſcientia inſlatur & extollitur, Antichriſſus eſt in ſolio Dei reſidens, &c. O lamentable Rome, which in the time of our Anceſtors haſt brought forth bright ſhining lights, but now h…ſt powred out ſuch monſtrous darkneſſes, that ſhall be infamous to future ages! And a little after, What thinke yee, Reverend Fathers, that the Pape is ſitting upon a high throne, gliſtering in a robe of ſearlet and gold? If hee hath no charity, if he doe exalt himſelfe being puffed up with ſcience alone, hee is the Autichriſt ſitting on Gods throne. Then hee addes, that the Citle of Rome is expoſed to ſale, and that Antichriſt is neare, and that the myſterie of iniquitie goes forward.

In the yeare 984.*In Baronius it is the yeare 985. as Sigonius relates in the beginning of his ſeventh Booke of the Reigne of Italy, Bonifacius, who made himſelfe to bee called John the fifteenth, having put to death two Popes, uſurped the Papacie by violence and by money. Baronius calls him a Theefe and a Robber, and that had not one haire of a true Biſhop. Genebrard, in the yeare 1007, ſpeakes thus of all the Popes of that time. The Popes (ſaith hee) of this time being intruded by the Emperours rather than elected, were monſters. Thus the lawfull ſucceſſion hath beene troubled, as of old under the Synagogue in the time of the Kings Antiochi.

In the yeare 1033. Benedict the ninth being but tenne yeares old, was created Pope by the faction of his Father the Counte of Tuſcula. Petrus Damianus in his Epiſtle to Nicolas the ſecond, and Platina, and Faſciculus Temporum, and Baronius, deſcribe this Pope like a monſter. Then three Popes held the Papacy, of whō Platina ſpeaks thus,Platina in Gregor. 6. Henricus II. in Italiam cum magno exercitu veniens, h…hita Synodo, cū Beredictum IX Sy…veſtrum III. Gregor um VI. t…nquā tria teterrima monſtra ſe abdicare magiſtratu coegiſſet. Henry the ſecond being entred into Italie with a mightie Armie, and having called a Councell, conſtrained Benedict the ninth, Sylveſter the third, and Gregory the ſixth, as three horrible monſters, to forſake the magiſtrature. That was done in the yeare of our Lord 1044. when the contention touching the converſion of the bread into the body of the Lord was in its ſtrength, and Bere… garius in great credit in France and in the neighbouring countries for his learning and good life.

The diſcreet Reader and lover of the truth, ſhal weigh & ponder theſe things in his minde, and ſay in himſelfe, Is it credible that God would have uſed ſuch wicked inſtruments for to defend his heavenly truth? Could any good thing ſpring from ſuch wicked Popes? Are not thoſe ſuch Ages as Sathan deſireth for to bring forth monſters in, & in the mids of ſo thicke a darknes to bring in Idolatry?

CHAP. XI. Of the oppreſsion of England. How Religion paſſed out of England into Bohemia. Of Wicklef. John Huz, and Hierome of Prague. Of the Councell of Conſtance. Of Ziſca and Procopius, and of their Victories.

I Hope the Reader ſhall not diſlike to take here a ſhort view of the Hiſtory of the troubles which hapned in Bohemia about Religion, a little before God made the light of his Goſpell to ſhine againe in France, England, Germanie, Switſerland and the Low-Countries. For in it may be ſeene a lively Image of Satan, and of the power of God.

Of all Countries ſubject to the Papall Empire,Math. Pa…is in Henrico. I. An. 1171. England ſuffered the hardeſt and moſt ſhamefull ſervitude. That ſlavery increaſed eſpecially under the reigne of Henry the ſecond, and of John and Henry the third. In the yeare 1171. King Henry the ſecond for to expiate the crime whereof hee was accuſed, namely to have cauſed the murther of Thomas Arch-Biſhop of Canterburie, was whipt upon his naked fleſh by a multitude of Monkes, ſome giving him three ſtripes and ſome five. With the like effeminatneſſe that King yeelded up to the Pope the Inveſtures of Benefices, which the Kings his predeceſſors had poſſeſſed till that time.

That King being dead in the yeare 1189. had for Succeſſor Richard his ſon, and after him John, a King brutiſh and furious, who made ſome attempts to recover the Inveſtures which his Father had yeelded up to the Pope. But being hated and contemned of his ſubjects, Pope Innocent the third had a faire way to handle him ill. He did declare him to have loſt the right of his Kingdome, diſpenſed his ſubjects from their Oath of allegiance, a thing never ſeene nor heard of before in England, cauſed Divine Service to ceaſe throughout all the Kingdom, and Churches and Church yards to be ſhut up: Which continued by the ſpace of ſix yeares and a halfe. He alſo excommunicated the King, and gave the Kingdome of England to Philip Auguſtus King of France, upon condition to Conquer the ſame at his owne perill and fortune: and that for the remiſſion of his owne ſinnes.

That conſtrained King John to yeeld up his Kingdome to the Pope, and to binde himſelfe to doe homage unto him for his crowne. So hee made himſelfe the Popes vaſſall, and England became Saint Peters patrimonie. And a Patent with a golden ſeale was made and framed, by which the King did oblige himſelfe and his ſucceſſors for ever, to pay yearely unto the Pope a thouſand marks in gold, in ſigne of ſubjection, beſides Saint Peters moneys that were paid by polle. Unto which that poore King was forced to adde an Oath, whereby hee ſwore that hee was induced ſo to doe without conſtraint and of his owne accord, and by the motion of the holy Spirit: and that for the remiſſion of his ſinnes.

VnderUnder this ſlaverie died this King in the yeare of our Lord 1216. to whom ſucceeded Henrie the third, who did put his Crowne at the Legats feete, one knee upon the ground, doing homage unto him for his Kingdome.

Then did the Pope beginne to ſend his Legats, who skimmed England of money by a thouſand kindes of devices. The Orders of the Franciſcans and Jacobins were newly inſtituted. The ſame Friers preached the Croiſado, whereby the Pope promiſed the remiſſion of all ſinnes, and a degree of glorie in heaven above the common ſort, to all thoſe which being arm'd, would make the v…w to goe to the holy I and f…r the recovering of Chriſts Sepulcher, poſſeſſed by the Sarraſ…ons. At theſe Predications every one c…oſſed himſelfe with a croſſe upon the ſhoulder, and a great multitude of Gentry and people ſold and mo…gaged their Lands and eſtates for the charges of that Journey. But as they were armed and furniſhed for the journey, another Legate would come that diſpenſed the Engliſh from their vow, and gave them the ſame graces and Indulgences without b…dgeing from their owne houſes, provided they would give to the Pope as much money as was neceſſary to have beene ſpent in their journey. By theſe meanes this Legate gathered huge ſummes of money. And that money was employed by the Pope for to conquer the Cities and Provinces which the Emperour had in Italy. Thus did the Pope inlarge his limits.

Never a yeare came over head but hungry Italians came over into England with new Commiſſions to raiſe moneyes, with power to excommunicate all ſuch as would refuſe, and put the Churches into interdict. What good horſes ſoever there were, or curious houſhold ſtuffe, or fine wares in ſhops, were conveyed away without paying for, and carried into Italy. The Exactors tooke up the tithes of the corne yet unſowen. The Italians poſſeſſed in England the beſt Benefices. The Pope called England his garden of pleaſure and his bottomleſſe treaſure. Whereupon great clamours aroſe among the People. The Nobles ſaid:Matth. Paris pag. 267. Marxidiribaldi. Theſe are the ſucceſſors of Conſtantine, and not of Peter. O ſhamefull thing! raſcally ruffians that know not what armes and honour is, will domineere over all the World by their excommunications. Matth Paris pag. 423.The Monkes in the Countrey did ſay, The Daughter of Sion is become a braſen faced Whore, and without ſhame at all, through the juſt judgement of him, who becauſe of the ſins of the People makes an Hypocrite to raigne, and a Tyrant to governe and rule. But all theſe clamours were unprofitable and without effect, becauſe the holie Scripture was a Booke then altogether unknowne amongſt the Engliſh people. They ſpake of nothing but of Miracles, and of Images, and of Pilgrimages, and of Reliques: Vntill ſuch time as an Engliſh Doctor and Preacher named John Wicklef, fell to preaching and writing openly againſt the Pope, and againſt the Maſſe, about the yeare of our Lord 1370. Hee was liſtened unto with great applauſe, and was able to have cauſed a great alteration in England, if the King would have given way to it. Of this oppreſſion in England, Matthew Paris and Weſtmonaſterienſis, Engliſh Monks that lived in thoſe dayes, wrote ſtrange and prodigious things.

Now as John Wicklef was a teaching,Aencae Sylvii Hiſt. Bohem. it fell out that a Bohemian Gentleman, who was a ſtudent of Oxford, did taſte and relliſh wicklefs Doctrine, and coppied out his Bookes, which he carryed over into his owne Countrey, and imparted them to John Huz, a famous Preacher, to whom Wenceſlans King of Bohemia, brother to Sigiſmond Emperour, had committed the government of the Schoole of Prague, renowned at that time.

This John Huz, overcome by the evidence of Wickleſs reaſons, fell a preaching his doctrine, and being a vehement and perſwaſive man, he drew after him a great number of People. To whom Hierome of Prague did adjoyne himſelfe, who ſurpaſſed John Huz in eloquence and learning. There came alſo out of Germanie one Petrus Dreſdenſis, and one Jacobellus that ſpake with vehemencie againſt Tranſubſtantiation, and againſt the Communion under the onelyonly ſpecies of the bread.

For to appeaſe theſe ſtirres and commotions, the Arch-Biſhop of Prague, called Subinco Cepus, cauſed Wicklefs Bookes publickly to bee burned, and drove out John Huz from Prague: But ſeeing the number of thoſe that he called hereticks did encreaſe dayly, he himſelfe fled into Hongaria towards Sigiſmond: and John Huz returned back to Prague.

Then Benedict the thirteenth, & Gregory the twelfth, excommunicated one another, the one having his ſeat at Auignon, & the other at Rome. A Councell was kept at Piſa in the yeare 1409. in which they created a third Pope, to wit, Alexander the fifth, who dying ſhortly after John XXIII. ſucceeded him. So there was then three Popes all at once, and there was no body in all the Church of Rome but was excommunicated by ſome one of theſe Popes.

This John had warre againſt Ladiſlaus King of Naples: and for to ſtrengthen and fortifie himſelfe againſt him, he ſent Preachers abroad over all the Countries of his obedience to preach the Croiſadoe, whereby hee promiſed the forgiveneſſe of all ſinnes to all thoſe that would take up Armes againſt Ladiſlaus for the defenſe of the Church.

This Indulgence being publiſhed at Prague, many of the people beganne to ſay aloud and openly, that it was indeed the language of Antichriſt, that promiſed ſalvation to thoſe that ſhould ſpill the Chriſtian blood. At which the Magiſtrate of Prague being angry, hee layd hands on ſome of them and clapped them up into priſon. But the people gathered themſelves together and demanded of the Magiſtrate the releaſe of theſe priſoners: who fearing an uproare, appeaſed the people with milde words, promiſing that no harme or wrong ſhould be done unto them: But ſo ſoon as this multitude was ſeparated, the Magiſtrate cauſed theſe priſoners to be ſtabbed with a dagger or pomard in the priſon: So that the blood ran out in ſuch abundance that it ſtreamed into the very ſtreet. At the ſight of that blood the people being provoked to wrath and fury, they cauſed the Priſon doores to be opened unto them, and conveyed away the dead corpſes, and carried them from Church to Church, crying aloude, Theſe are the faithfull ones that have expoſed their bodies f…r the Covenant of God. The King did conſider theſe things without being much moved at it.

But the Emperour Sigiſmond deſiring to remedy the diſorders of the Papacie, and by the ſame meanes to pacifie the troubles of Bohemia, did in ſuch ſort by his going and comming and beſtirring himſelfe too and fro, that a Councell was called and kept at Conſtance, a City of Suaube in Germanie, in the yeare 1414. wherein the three forenamed Popes were degraded; of eſpecially John XXIII. for having (among other things laid to his charge)*Conc…l. Conſtant S…ſſ. X I. maintained openly and obſtinately that the ſoules of men die as the ſoules of beaſts; and that there is neither Heaven nor Hell.

In theſe three Popes roome was choſen in the Councell Martin the fifth, to whom the Emperour Sigiſmund kneeled downe before the whole Councell, kiſſed his feet, and worſhipped him. This Martin ſent ſome Embaſſadors to Conſtantinople, to whom hee gave inſtructions that begin thus:Sactiſſimus et bea…iſſimus, qui bahet coele…te arbitri…m, qui eſt Dominus in …erris, ſuc…eſſor Petri, Chriſtus De…ini, Domi…us uni…erſi, Regū …ater, orbis …umen, &c. The moſt holy and moſt bleſſed, who hath the heavenly Empire, who is Lord on Earth, ſucceſſor of S. Peter, the Chriſt of the Lord, the Maſter of the Ʋniverſall World, the Father of Kings, the Light of the World, the moſt high and Soveraigne Biſhop, Martin by the divine providence, commandeth unto Maſter Anthonie Maſſon, &c. Theſe inſtructions are inſerted in the Councell of Siena, held a little after, Printed at Paris in the yeare 1612.

At the ſame Councell of Conſtance John Huz and Hierome of Prague were called for to conferre of their doctrine: they ſhewed ſome unwillingneſſe to meet thither, fearing ſome ill uſage. But the Emperour aſſured them, and gave them, by the advice of the Councell, a large ſafe conduct, whereby he did promiſe they ſhould receive no harme there, but might with all liberty and freedome propound their reaſons, and after that returne home in all ſafety.

Grounded upon the Emperours faith and promiſe, they reſorted to the Councel and propounded their reaſons. They ſpake chiefly of the Communion under both kinds. But the Fathers of the Councell, perceiving they would not yeeld to that which was enjoyned unto them, concluded that they ſhould be burned alive. The Emperour made ſome difficulty in it, ſaying he had obliged his faith unto them, and that they came under his promiſe. Thereupon, that the Emperours conſcience might be at quiet,*This Canon by w^ch is defined that one is not bound to keepe faith with hereticks, is to be ſeene in the 19 Seſſion of the Councel of Cō ſtance. the Councell framed a Canon, wherein is declared and defined, that faith muſt not be kept unto hereticks, after men have done what they can for to convert them; and that a Prince is not bound to keepe what hee hath promiſed them. This Sentence being pronounced to John Huz, he appealed to Chriſt Jeſus.

They were then executed publickly. And Aeneas Sylvius, who afterward was Pope, and made himſelfe to bee called Pius the ſecond, ſpeakes thus of them in the 36 chapter of his Hiſtorie of Bohemia; *Pertulerunt ambo conſtanti animo necē, & quaſi ad epulas invitati ad incendium properarūt, nullam emittentes vocem quae m ſeri animi eſſet indicium. Vbi ardere coeperunt, hymnum cecinere, &c.Both of them ſuffered death with a conſtant courage, and made haſte to goe to the fire, as if they had been invited to a feaſt, without he…ring any word come from them that ſhewed or teſtified any ſorrowfulneſſe of minde. When they beganne to burne, they fell a ſinging of an Hymne, which could hardly be hindred by the violence and noyſe of the flames. No Philoſopher ever ſuffered death with ſuch magnanimitie as theſe indured burning. Then he alleadgeth an Epiſtle of Poggius, a Florentine, that deſcribeth the death of Hierome of Prague, who was put to death ſome dayes after John Huz. In that Epiſtle Poggius ſpeakes as one that was preſent at the examination and death of the ſayd Hierome. I confeſſe (ſaith he) I never ſaw any body, who in a cauſe altogether criminall, came neerer the eloquence of the Ancients. It was an admirable thing to ſie with what words, what eloquence, what arguments, what countenance, what confidence, hee anſwered his Adverſaries, and that too, after he had beene three hundred and forty dayes in a deepe and ſtinking dungeon. Then he relates afterwards how a liſt of hereſies that were laid to his charge, was read unto him, and that upon everie head or point he anſwered in ſuch ſort, as hee did ſhew they were calumnies laid upon him, ſaying he beleeved nothing of all that. And being brought to the place of puniſhment, and compaſſed round about with faggots and ſtraw, hee fell a ſinging of an Hymne or Pſalme. The Executioner drawing neare for to kindle the fire hehind him, he ſaid unto him, Friend, come neere, put the fire here before mee, for if I did feare the fire, I would not bee here. The aſhes of theſe Martyrs were caſt into the Lake of Conſtance, for to aboliſh the memory of them.

In this Councell was framed a Canon,Seſſio… XII. whereby thoſe are declared hereticks, and puniſhable by the ſecular power, who for conforming themſelves unto Chriſt and unto the Ancient Church, will have the people to receive the Sacrament under both kindes.

There alſo was condemned Wicklefs doctrine, to whom in that Councell are falſly attributed impious doctrines, and which never came into his minde. For example, That God ought to obey the Devill. That a Prince is no lawfull maſter, while he is in a mortall ſinne. And that it belongs to the people to chaſtiſe their Lords.

In the like manner was handled John Huz, whoſe doctrine was condemned by the Councell of Conſtance, Seſſ. XV. Artic. 19. Dixerant ſe audiviſſe quod Iohannes Hus dixiſſet, quod indulgentiae Papae & …ip…ſcopi nō valent niſi Deus indulgeat.in the fifteenth Seſſion. To whom alſo they did impute things farre from his beleefe. Some witneſſes preſented themſelves that teſtified they had heard him ſay, That the Pardons of the Pope, and of the Biſhop, are nothing worth, unleſſe God doe forgive: That was one of the crimes for which he was burned. For that venerable Councell hath judged that the Pope may forgive ſinnes whether God will or no, and that Gods conſent is not neceſſarily required for to make that the Popes and Biſhops Indulgences be of force and validity.

This newes of John Huz his death, and of Hierome of Prague, brought into Bohemia, did pierce the heart of the Bohemians that were called Huſsites, with exceeding griefe.Hiſtor. Bohemicae cap. 56. The King ſeeing their number encreaſe dayly more and more, granted them Churches in Prague for their meetings. Aeneas Sylvius ſaith, that the people mooved with anger, pulled downe ſome Monaſteries and Churches both within and without the City. Namely, neere Tabor, where thirty thouſand perſons did celebrate in the middeſt of a field the holy Communion under both kindes.

The King Wenceſtaus being dead, the Kingdome of Bohemia fell to Sigiſmund his brother, Emperor and King of Hungaria. Whereupon great feare did ſeiſe the people of Bohemia, becauſe of his great power, and that againſt his oath, and violating the ſafe conduct he had given to John Hux and to Hierome of Prague, he cauſed them to be burned at Conſtance.

But a Bohemian Gentleman called Ziſca, that had loſt an eye in the warres, a man incomparable for vigour of body and minde, exhorted them not to be diſſcouraged. And it fell out at the ſame time, that Sigiſmund under tooke warre againſt the Turke in Hungaria, with an indifferent bad ſucceſſe.

That gave leaſure to the people order their buſineſſes. The Queene, widdow to Wenceſlaus, levied ſome troopes for to fall upon this people, and hinder their encreaſing. Sigiſmund ſent Lievtenants to governe the Country, and ſet things into good order againe, in whoſe hands Ziſca did ſurrender and remit Pelzina and Pleſta, Cap. 39.and other places whereof he had gotten poſſeſſion. For his deſire was to obey the Emperour, and he ſought all meanes to give him content. But there came Letters from the Emperour, whereby he did declare that his will and pleaſure was that the Churches granted to the Bohemians called Huſſites, ſhould bee taken from them, and their Religion interdicted. And they had good advice that Sigiſmonds intention was to deſtroy them. Whereat the People being afraid, looked for nothing but for a totall ruine: and their enemies being become more vigorous, beganne to oppreſſe them. Which things moved Ziſca to take Armes, and thinke upon his defence. With a few forces bee obtained many victories againſt the Queene, having none but foote forces of ſmall experience, and little exerciſed in warre.

Then came Sigiſmond into Bohemia with a mighty Armie, reſolved to deſtroy this people: Beſieged Prague, wherein Ziſea was, who in many ſallies defeated the moſt part of Sigiſmonds armie: made him raiſe the Siege, and tooke many townes by the verie terrour of his name. As hee was beſieging Viſſegrad, the Emperour came at unawares for to make him raiſe the ſiege, having with him thirtie thouſand Horſe, and all the Nobility of Mordvia. But Ziſea defeated him, and obtained upon him a great victorie. And a little after, Sigiſmond having for the third time prepared a mightie Armie, loſt a third Battell, by which he was conſtrained to leave Bohemia, full of ſhame and confuſion.

A little after Ziſea beſieging a towne,Cap. 44. received a ſhot of an arrow in the eye, ſo that of blinde of an eye as hee was, hee became blinde of both. But that hindred him not from leading and conducting his troopes, and giving many combates, being victorious every where.

But the Emperour being irritated and angrie, came backe againe into Bohemia, bringing along with him two powerfull Armies, the one out of Germanie, and the other out of Hungaria, which like an overflowing torrent, overwhelmed all Bohemia: Tooke ſome townes, and made great ravage. But Ziſea, though blinde and having but a few men, drew directly towards the Emperours Armie, and defeated him with a great defeat, tooke Bag and Baggage and all things belonging to the Armie, and purſued him a whole dayes Journey. Pio a Florentine had brought out of Hungaria fifteene thouſand horſe, who paſſing upon a frozen River for to ſave themſelves, the Ice breaking under them, were all drowned in the River

Furthermore, Ziſca with his victorious Armie went out of Bohemia, and entred into Moravia, and paſſed into Auſtria, and came to ſuccour the faithfull that were oppreſſed there. To him did adjoyne himſelfe a Moravian gentleman named Procopius, exceeding valiant, and an imitator of the vertue of Ziſea, who cauſed the Emperour Sigiſmund to raiſe the ſiege before Ju…emberg in Moravia, which he had beſieged. A great Battell was given betweene Ziſea and the Emperours troupes neare Auſck, upon the River of Elbe, where a great quantity of the Germane Centry were killed on the Emperours ſide. Who, pulled downe and confounded with ſo many loſſes, reſolved at laſt to ſeeke after Ziſca his love and friendſhip, promiſing him the Generall Lievetenancy of the whole Kingdome, and all kinde of Advantages. Ziſea gave eare thereunto, and took his journey for to goe meet the Emperour; but hee fell ſicke by the way and dyed, being very old, and blinde. Aeneas Sylvius ſaith, that when hee was a dying, he gave counſell to his people to make a Drumme of his skinne after his death,Cap. 46. aſſuring them that at the ſound of that Drumme, his enemies would flie away.

Ziſea being dead, Procopius ſucceeded him in the conduct of a part of the troopes, againſt whom Pope Martin the fifth ſet all Germanic in Armes, and ſent into Bohemia three mighty Armies, commanded by the Dukes of Saxe, the Marqueſſe of Brandenbourg, and the Arch-Biſhop of Trivers. Theſe three Armies joyned themſelves together. But ſo ſoone as the Bohemians did appeare, ſuch terrour and feare ſeiſed upon the Imperiall Armies, that they preſently fled without ſtaying for the enemie: forſaking all their baggage and munitions of warre. But the Cardinal Julian, ſent by the Pope, ſtirred up the Emperour Sigiſmond to make a greater effort than any of the former. Aeneas Sylvius ſaith there was in his Armie forty thouſand Horſe beſides the Foot. This Cardinall entred into Bohemia, where hee committed many unheard off cruelties, killing both women and children▪ But at the very firſt noyſe and rumour that came of the Bohemians approach, ſuch a terrible feare tooke this huge Armie, that every one threw his armes downe for to fly away more nimbly, and left their carriage and munitions of warre to the enemy.

The Cardinall having eſcaped this danger, came to Baſile for to preſide at the Councell that the Pope Eugenius the fourth had aſſembled there, in the yeare of our Lord, 1431.

Now we have made this recitall, not for to approve Ziſea his actions, nor the commotions of peoples taking armes againſt their Sovaraigne for to avoide perſecution and Martyrdom; For the truth of the Goſpell is not eſtabliſhed by theſe meanes; Chriſt Jeſus calleth us to beare the croſſe after him; The blood of Martyrs hath more efficacy for to encreaſe the Church and ſpread the doctrin of the Goſpell, than Battels; But I have repreſented this hiſtory, for to be an example of Gods juſtice, puniſhing the diſloyalty of Sigiſmond, who againſt his faith and promiſe burned alive two faithfull Martyrs, God having made uſe of weake and contemptible perſons for to make him loſe above two hundred thouſand men, and cover him with ſhame and confuſion.

CHAP. XII. The Confeſsion of Cyril Patriarch of Conſtantinople, now living, touching the Sacrament of the Euchariſt.

THis Prelate, in the ſeventeenth Article of his Confeſſion, altogether conformable to the Doctrine of our Churches, after he hath recited the Inſtitution of the holy Supper as it is found in the Goſpell, addeth: That is the ſimple, true, and lawfull Inſtitution of this admirable Sacrament, in the adminiſtration whereof wee doe confeſſe and beleeve the true and firme preſence of the Lord Chriſt Jeſus: Yet that preſence which faith offereth and makes preſent unto us: but not that which Tranſubſtantiation vainely invented, doth teach: For wee beleeve that the faithfull, in the holy Supper, doe eate the body of Chriſt Jeſus our Lord, not incruſhing and breaking it ſenſibly, and deſtroying it with our teeth, in the participation: But in partaking thereof by the ſenſe of the ſoule. For the body of Chriſt is not that which is taken and ſeene in the Sacrament with the eyes, but that which Faith having taken ſpiritually makes it preſent and communicates it unto us. Therefore it is … that we eate it, and are made partakers of it, if we doe beleeve: But if we beleeve not, we fall away from all the benefit of the Sacrament. By the ſame reaſon we beleeve that to drinke the Cup in the Sacrament, is to drinke indeed the blood of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, after the ſame manner as hath been ſaid concerning the body. For the Law-giver made the ſame commandement touching his blood, as he did touching his body. Which precept muſt not be mutilated, according to every ones fancie and humour: But the tradition that hath beene preſcribed unto us, muſt be kept ſound and entire. When therefore in the Sacrament wee have partaked worthily, and communicated intirely with the body and blood of Chriſt, we make this profeſſion, that we are already reconciled and united to our head, and made one and the ſelfe ſame body, with a firme hope that wee ſhall be his coheires in his Kingdome.

Here is the Originall in Greek.

foreign.

FINIS.

End of the text · Peter du Moulin Jr, The Anatomy of the Mass (1641)

The Anatomy of the Mass, Book 2

p. 253THE SECOND BOOK. OF The Manducation of the Bodie of Chriſt.

CHAP. I. Of two ſorts of manducation of Chriſts fleſh, to wit, Spirituall and Corporall, and which is the beſt.

p. 260CHAP. II. That in the 6 Chapter of S. Iohn the Lord ſpeakes not of the Sacrament of the Euchariſt, nor of the manducation of his fleſh by the mouth of the body.

CHAP. III. That the Romane Church, by this doctrine, depriveth the People of Salvation.

p. 274CHAP. IV. That the principall Doctors of the Roman Church, yea the Popes themſelves do agree with us in this point: and hold that in the 6. of S. Iohn nothing is ſpoken but of the ſpirituall Manducation, and that thoſe that contradict them, do ſpeake with incertitude.

p. 280CHAP. V. Reaſons of our Adverſaries for to prove that in the ſixth chap. of Saint Iohn it is ſpoken of the manducation by the mouth of the Body.

p. 285CHAP. VI. Teſtimonies of the Fathers.