Hear the Church, Query 5 – Query 6
| Papiſt Query 5. | Baptiſt Anti-query 5. |
| What clear Text have you out of the Scriptures, for the Proceſſion of the Holy Ghoſt from the Father, and the Son? Or for changing the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday? Or for prohibiting Poligamy, or Infant-Baptiſm? And whether there be not as clear Texts to prove unwritten Traditions, Purgatory, and the Real Preſence? | Whether the Baptiſm of the true Church be not One? And whether the one Baptiſm be not expreſly found in the Scriptures? and whether the Scriptures do not prohibit all Baptiſm of Water, beſide that one? And whether the Papiſts have not confeſſed, in many of their Books, that Infant-Baptiſm is not found in, nor grounded upon the Scripture? And then, whether it be not clear, that all the Texts, which ſpeak of Baptiſm in Water, do prohibit Infant-Baptiſm? Alſo, whether John 15. 26. & 14. 26. & 16. 7. be not clear Texts, that the Holy Spirit proceedeth from the Father, and the Son? Alſo whether 1 Cor. 7. 1, 2, 3. do not as much prohibit one Man for having two Wives, as one Woman for having two Husbands? And, whether it do not clearly prohibit the latter? Alſo, whether there be any thathold the Firſt Day of the Week under the Notion of a Sabbath, among the Baptized Churches; and yet whether there be not clear proof for the Religious Obſervation of it, Acts 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2. Alſo, whether it be not abſurd for you to ask for clear Texts, to prove unwritten things? Alſo whether Purgatory, and the Real Preſence, as you hold them, are not plainly deſtructive to ſome Articles of the Chriſtian Faith. |
For, is not this the Faith of all ſound Chriſtians?
1. That Almighty God does love no Creature in this World, ſo much as the Creature Man; nor does he take any Creature on Earth into that nearneſs of Ʋnion with himſelf, as the Souls and Bodies of thoſe that ſhall be ſaved.
2. That the bleſſed Body of Chriſt, after his Aſcenſion into Glory, admits of no Change, either by Addition to his Subſtance of his Fleſh, and Blood; or Diminution of any part thereof from either.
Now it is moſt certain, that the Opinion of the Real Preſence by Tranſubſtantiation of Bread and Wine into the very Body and Blood of Chriſt, God-Man, doth evidently militate againſt theſe clear Truths, with the greateſt oppoſition, as will appear by theſe Conſiderations following,
1. Though the Love of God to Mankind, eſpecially to all that ſhall be ſaved, is exceeding great; yet it is certain, he never died, nor ever will SO take them into Union with himſelf, AS to Tranſubſtantiate their Bodies into the Divine Subſtance of Chriſt, and ſo make their Fleſh of the ſame Eſſence with himſelf, as he is God Bleſſed for ever.
And therefore it is in no wiſe to be believed, That God Almighty ſo loves the Creatures, Bread and Wine, as to turn, or tranſubſtantiate the very Subſtance of them, into the very Subſtance of the only Son of God, whom we believe to be of one Subſtance with the Father.
It is alſo further to be conſidered, That though the two Natures in Chriſt, i. e. the Divine, and Human, are united after an unſpeakable manner; yet no Chriſtian does believe, that God did tranſubſtantiate the Subſtance of the Humane Nature, into the Subſtance, of the Divine Nature, and that the Forms of Fleſh and Blood only does remain. How then is it at all credible that God ſhould Deifie the Creatures of Bread and Wine, by turning them into the Divine Eſſence, as well as Human, to be worſhipped with the higheſt degree of Adoration which is proper to God himſelf? Con. Trent.Dr. Willet Synopſ. Papiſ. p. 561. Seſſ. 13. Can. 6. And the Words of Bellarmin are very plain; God (ſaith he) is verily and truly to be worſhipped, Mat. 4. But Chriſt in the Euchariſt, is very God; Ergo.
Thus much of the Firſt Propoſition. And for the Second;
2. It is to be conſidered, That if the very Subſtance of Bread and Wine, be really tranſubſtantiated into the Subſtance of Chriſt's Fleſh and Blood, then they do either remain that ſame Subſtance of Chriſt's Fleſh for ever, or elſe they are after ſome time either annihilated, or turned to Corruption. But to ſay either of theſe, is flatly to deny, or oppoſe expreſs Scripture, which tells us, That the Fleſh of Chriſt ſaw no Corruption, and that he continueth ever. AndActs 2. 27. Heb. 7. 24. for the firſt, that Bread and Wine, after the Words of Conſecration, remains for ever, of the Subſtance of Chriſt's Real Body, it is no way credible. For then the Body of Chriſt muſt have received a mighty Augmentation ſince its Aſcenſion. For,
If all the Bread which has been conſecrated for almoſt 1700 years, ſhall be ſuppoſed to be all in one place, at any time (as ſure the whole Fleſh of Chriſt's Body is ſo) it might, for Magnitude, compare with a Mountain. And if all the vaſt quantity of Wine, which hath been conſecrated for the like ſpace of time, were ſuppoſed to be collected (as ſure all the Blood of Chriſt remains in his Body, being impoſſible to be ſhed ſince he went into Heaven) it might compare with a conſiderable Fountain of Water. But both theſe are ſo very abſurd, that 'tis hoped no Chriſtian will affirm them; and therefore that Doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation, which neceſſarily infers theſe, and many more Abſurdities, is by no means to be received.
If the Papiſts ſhall reply, and ſay, That though the Bread and Wine be really turned into the Fleſh and Blood, Body, Soul, and Divinity of Chriſt, yet it is not neceſſary that they remain ſo for ever; I ſhall earneſtly deſire them to ſhew us what becomes of it then? And I ask whether by ſuch reply they do not make the Real and Glorious Body of Chriſt the moſt mutable thing in Heaven and Earth, being, according to this Doctrin, ſubject to be really made, and unmade every day, and that in a thouſand places on the ſame day?
If any (who are little acquainted with the Doctrine of the preſent Church of Rome) ſhall queſtion whether they do indeed hold ſo groſs an Error, as to teach, that the Bread and Wine in the Euchariſt is turned into the very Subſtance of the Divine Nature of Chriſt, as well as his Humane Nature; he may ſee it fully aſſerted by a Learned Papiſt in a certain Catechiſm, entituled, An Abridgment to Chriſtian Doctrine, the laſt▪ Edition, Printed at Doway, 1661. pag. 194, 195. in theſe Words.
Queſt. What is the Bleſſed Euchariſt?
Anſw. It is the Body and Blood of Jeſus Chriſt; true God, and true Man, whole Chriſt, under the outward Forms of Bread and Wine.This Catechiſe is Printed with the approbation of William Hide. D. D. Preſident of the Engliſh Colledge at Doway▪
Queſt. In what manner is Chriſt preſent under theſe Forms?
Anſw. By the true and Real Preſence of his Divine and Human Nature, and not Figuratively only, as ſome would have it. God in Mercy open the eyes of all that are thus blinded with the Doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation; which Word Tranſubſtantiation, the Papiſts confeſs is not found in Scripture. See the ſaid Catechiſm, pag. 196.
| Papiſt Query 6. | Baptiſt Anti-query 6. |
| Whether Ʋniverſality both for time and place, be not an evident Mark of the true Church? | What Church can you name that hath that Mark? And whether the Woman which St. John ſaw (called Myſtery Bablyon) be not meant of Rome? and whether her Cup was not univerſally received, ſo that all Nations were made Drunk thereby? |