The Anatomy of the Mass, Book 1 · Chapter 3 – Chapter 4
CHAP. III. How the change in the Lords inſtitution, hath changed the nature of the Sacrament. And that in the Maſſe there is no conſecration.
THis change, and ſo horrible a depravation of the inſtitution of the Lord, hath wholy aboliſhed the nature of the Sacrament. For Sacraments are ſacred ſignes. Not onelyonly the Ancient, but alſo all the Doctors of the Roman Church doe define the Sacrament after that manner, ſaying that Sacramentum eſt ſacrum ſignum. So in Baptiſme, water is the ſigne, and Chriſts blood is the thing ſignified. And in the holy Supper, the bread and the wine are the ſignes, but the body and blood of Chriſt are the things ſignified. Even therefore, as if the water were taken away from Baptiſme, it would be no more a Sacrament nor Baptiſme: ſo the Euchariſt in the Roman Church is no more a Sacrament, ſince the ſignes, to wit the bread and wine are aboliſhed: in ſtead of which they put Chriſts naturall body and blood, which they call the Sacrament. Wherefore the Councell of Trent ordaineth that the Sacrament be worſhipped.Seſ. XIII. chap. 5. By this meanes Chriſt in the Maſſe is the figure and the ſigne of himſelfe,Bellav. lib. 2. de Euchar. cap. 24 Chriſtus ſui ipſus ſigura fuit. as Bellarmine with the reſt teacheth: as if one ſhould ſay that a man is the picture of himſelfe.
Moreover, the Sacraments are not inſtituted for to make Chriſt come downe to us, but to lift up our hearts to him. Nor for to eate Chriſt with our teeth, but to feed our ſoules and ſtrengthen our faith.
Againe, by Tranſubſtantiation the conſecration of the Sacrament is deſtroyed: and there is nothing in the Maſſe that is conſecrated. The bread is not conſecrated: for they hold that the bread is no more bread. Chriſts body is not conſecrated; for Chriſt cannot be conſecrated by men. Neither can the accidents of bread and wine be conſecrated. For lines, colours, and taſte, are not the offering which is pretended to be offered unto God. Therefore there being nothing conſecrated, there is no conſecration: and there being no conſecration, there is no Sacrament.
CHAP. IV. That by altering the Lords Inſtitution, the Romane Church hath changed the nature of Chriſt.
THis change is gone ſo farre, that Chriſts humane nature, by Tranſubſtantiation, is wholy deſtroyed and aboliſhed. For the Scripture ſpeaking of Chriſts humane nature, ſaith, that he is like unto us in all things, Heb. 2.17. &c. 4.15.ſinne excepted. But the Roman Church gives unto Chriſt a body that is nothing like ours. Whence followeth, that he is no more our brother: ſo that all the glory of the faithfull which conſiſteth in haveing a brother who is the eternall Sonne of God, is altogether aboliſhed.
For the Church of Rome forgeth unto Chriſt a body, which is in many ſeverall places at one and the ſame time: which is in Heaven and upon ſeverall Altars, but not in the ſpace that is between. From whence followeth, that Chriſts body is ſeparated from it ſelfe, and farre from it ſelfe, and higher and ower than it ſelfe. There is no leſſe aburdity in willing that an humane body …e at the ſame time in ſeverall remote places, than to will that a man, in one and the ſelfe ſame moment, be in two ſeverall yeares, and ſo be young and old at once, and out-live himſelfe.
The ſame doctrine giveth unto Chriſt an humane body, which is whole in every crumme of the Hoſte, and hath his head and his feet in one and the ſelfe ſame place, and both his eies under one point. Can a man ſay that a body whoſe parts are not one out of the other, and differ not in ſituation, and which taketh and filleth no place, and is more ſpirituall than the very ſpirits themſelves, is a true humane body? And for that cauſe the prieſts of the Romane Church ſhave or keep ſhort the beard of their upper lips. For that Church beleeveth that if a Prieſt ſhould dip his muſtachoe in the chalice, the whole body of Chriſt would remaine hang'd at every haire thereof.
The ſame doctrine forgeth unto Chriſt two bodies of a contrary nature, and unto which are attributed contradictory things. For the body of Chriſt which was at the table celebrating the Euchariſt, did ſpeake and ſtirre his hands: But he that was in the mouthes and ſtoma… of the Apoſtles, neither ſpake not ſti… his hands. The ſoule of Chriſt as he at the table, was in anguiſh: but t… which was in the Apoſtles mouth, ſu… red no griefe. Chriſt after he was ri… from the table & entred into the gard… did ſweat great drops of blood: but that was in the Apoſtles ſtomacks, did … ſweat drops of blood. Which of th… two is our Saviours? Or if it be the ſat Chriſt, how is he contrary to himſelfe?
Furthermore, by this doctrine, … whole hiſtory of Chriſts life is made… diculous, and turn'd into a fable. F… if Chriſts body may be in ſeverall remo… places at once, it may be ſaid that whil… he was in the Virgins wombe, peradventure he was in other wombes: And th… whilſt he was upon the Croſſe, he walked in Spaine. From thence alſo followeth, that all the journies that Chriſ… made to and fro, going and commin… from Galilea to Judea, were to no purpoſe. For why did he goe from Galilea to Judea, if he might be in both places at one & the ſame time, and be found it Judea, without budging from Galilea?
What? (ſay they) is not God omnipotent for to doe this? I anſwer that God without queſtion could doe all theſe things if he would. But I ſay, It is impoſſible that God ſhould will ſuch things. For he is no lyar, and cannot contradict himſelfe. But it were to contradict himſelfe, if he would that at one and the ſame time a man ſhould ſpeake and not ſpeake, ſtirre and not ſtirre, ſuffer and not ſuffer, and be farre and remote, and divided from himſelfe. He will have Chriſts body to be a true humane body. God will not have a thing ſo abſurd and contradictory, wherby they will that in the Hoſte there be accidents without a ſubject,Innoc. III. lib. 4. de myſter. Miſſa. cap. 11. Eſt enim hic color & ſapor, quantitas & qualitas, cùm nihil alterutro ſit coloratum aut ſapidum, quantum aut qua…. and (as Pope Innocent the third teacheth) that there be in the hoſte greatneſſe and nothing great, color and nothing coloured. As if one ſhould ſuppoſe an ecclipſe of the Sunne without a Sunne, a halting of a legge and no legge, a ſickneſſe without a ſick-man. Beſides, the omnipotencie of God is not the rule of our faith, but his Will. By that meanes, a man might maintaine all the fables of the Alcoran, ſaying that God is powerfull ſo to doe. Joyne to this, that God doth nothing but wiſely. Therefore he will never have Chriſt to be ſubject to ſinnefull men, now that he is glorified, and be expoſed to … diſgraces and ignominie which th… make him ſuffer every day, whereof ſh… be ſpoken hereafter.