The Novelty of Popery Discovered, Chapter 19 – Chapter 20
CHAPTER XIX.
The Noveltie of halfe Communion, or with-holding the Cuppe from the people.
FOR the cleare detection, of the Noveltie of this sacrilegious errour,Aqu…. in lohan. 6 Lyr… in I. Cor. II. first their owne Canonized Aquinas (and with him Lyra, and others) declare, according to the custome of the auncient Church, all the people as they did communicate of the bodie of Christ, so did they also of His blood, (sayeth hee.)
And if wee aske at their owne Cassander, C…ssand. cōsult art, 22how long this custome did continue in the Church of Christ? hee will tell vsus, saying▪ It is sufficientlie certayne, that the vniversall Church of Christ, even vntounto this day, did celebrate the Sacrament vnderunder both kyndes, and that the Westerne or Romane Church, more than a thousand yeares after Christ, (chiefelie in the solemne and ordinarie celebration of this Sacrament) did giuegive the same in both kyndes, both of breade and wine,See them ti…ed and set down by Cassander, consult. art. 22. pag. 1034. to all the members of the Church of Christ: which is manifest, (sayeth hee) out of the innumerable Testimonies, both of Greeke and Latine Fathers.
And if, then, wee inquyre, when this custome of communicating in one kynde, began in the Romane Church generallie to be receaved,Valen…ia de legittimo vsu Euth…r. c. 10. Cōcil. Confrance Sess. 13. their owne Gregorte de Valentia, in lyke-manner will tell vsus, That it was but a little before the Councell of Constance, which was helde in …nno 1414.
There-after, if wee come to the Councell of Constance it selfe, where it was first decreed, and inquyre of the Noveltie thereof, they are forced to confesse, that Christ instituted this venerable Sacrament, in both kyndes of bread and wine, & gaue it so to His Disciples, (say they) as also, that in the primitiue Church, the same was receaved by the faythfull in both kynds, and that for eschewing some perills and scandalls, this custome was thought fit to bee altered
Next, after the cleare and confessed Noveltie of this poynt, both in altering and mayntayning of Christs institution, if wee will examine out of their owne confessions, whether it bee best to adheare to Christs institution, who gaue it in both kyndes, or not, Bellarmine will teach vsus a generall rule,Bell l. 4. de Eu…h. c. 7. §. quia vero. saying, It can not bee doubted of, but that is best, (sayth hee) and most fit to bee done, which Christ Himselfe did. But to subsume, Christ gaue the Sacrament of His bodie and blood vnderunder both kyndes: therefore inevitablie it followeth, that without doubt, it is fittest and best, to giuegive it as yet in both kyndes.
Wherefore in expresse wordes, not onelie did Ruardus Tapperus, Deane of Lovane say,Tapperus cited by Cassand. pag. 1034. that it were better and more covenient to giuegive it so, as beeing more agreeable to the institution of Christ, His example, and Fathers of the primiti… Church; but also their owne Cassander setteth downe the particular, and pregnant reasons, why it is better to giuegive it so, vnderunder both kyndes, and why the primitiue Church ever so gaue it: I. because of the institution and example of Christ, who gaue this Sacrament in both the Elementes vntounto His Disciples, representing then the persons, (sayeth hee) of the whole faythfull communicants: 2. because they did belieue in the Sacrament, by the Element of the wine, that there was signified a certayne peculiar grace, of the blood of Christ, to wit, according to Christs wordes, The remission of sinnes: 3. because thereby was represented the full Passion of Christ, which did consist in the oblation of His bodie, and the shedding of His blood, according to that of S. PAVLL, As oft as yee shall eate of the bread, and drinke of the Cup, yee shall show the LORD'S death till His agayne comming. 4. because ou… perfect feeding, or now…ishment, is thereby signified, which is vsuallie not onelie by meat, but by drinke also: and 5. because lyke-wyse is signified thereby, the perfect redemption of man, in His bodie, by the oblation of Christs bodie, and in his soule the fountayne of lyfe, (which is sayde to bee in the blood) by the shedding of Christs blood.
So that it is not without cause, that one of their owne Popes,Gelas. cited by Gr… tian. part. 3 decret de consecrat. dist. 2 Gelasius, sayde, That the divyding of one and the same Sacrament, can not bee done without great sacriledge, and therefore that hee commanded, that eyther the whole Sacrament vnderunder both kyndes should bee taken, or else that these superstitious persons, who will not participate of the Cup, hee debarred from the Sacrament altogether.
Lyke-wyse, as they hauehave withdrawne the Cup from the people, so they hauehave also taken away a significant Rite, in giving to them … wafer fo… bread, without fraction, which was acted and instituted by CHRIST, to signifie the breaking of His Bodie, and of the confessed N…veltie whereof, let Cardinall Cajetane witnesse,Cajet in I. Cor. 10. saying, In the primitiue tymes, that the Church did vse fraction of the bread, when the Communion was given to the people, even the verie Actes of the Apostles doe testifie, in imitation of CHRIST, as I belieue, (sayeth hee) Who tooke bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and so gaue it to His Disciples. But it was afterward that the Church vsed severallie little Hosties, which noway…s may bee broken.
CHAPTER XX.
The Noveltie of the MASSE, where-in the Priest onelie reccaveth.
FIrst, for the clearing of the Noveltie heereof,See the first part of this Treatise, c. 19. having before spoken of the Noveltie of the name, wee see that it hath no warrand in holie Scripture, being contrary both to the institution of CHRIST, and to that name which it getteth from the holie Apostle, Of a Communion: for in the institution wee see there was fraction of Bread, which fraction was for distribution, and this distribution, was for common participation, everie one with another, as wee see, I. COR. 10. 17. and as it was sayde of the Cup also, Drinke yee all-of this, or, Divyde it amongst you.
Next, it is agaynst the name of Communion, I. Cor 10. 16 Hugo Card. in speculo Ecclesiae. Cassand. cōsult. art. 24which the Apostle giveth it, for therefore is it called a Communion, (sayeth their Hugo Cardinalis) because in the primitiue Church, the people did communicate thereof daylie: neyther properlie can it bee called a Communion, (sayeth their Cassander) except moe than one participate.
The same is contrarie also, to the alleadged Canons of the Apopostles,Cochl…us d… sacrif. Missae cont. Mu…culū. and wrytings of the Fathers: for thus sayeth their owne Cochleus, Of olde, all, both Priests and people did communicate together, as appeareth by the Canons of the Apostles, and wrytings of the auncient Fathers.
In lyke-manner, the same contradicteth their owne Canon of the Masse directlie, their owne Cassander telling vsus,Cassand. supra. That therein the Priest prayeth not onelie for himselfe, and his owne communicating, but also for those who doe communicate with him, saying, Bee mercifull to as manie of vsus, as hauehave beene partakers of this Altar: and chiefelie in his prayer after the Communion, hee seemeth to pray onelie, (sayeth hee) for those who hauehave beene communicants.
In lyke-manner, Odo Camerace…sis, Cassand. ibidē.wryting on the Canon of the Masse, affirmeth, That those solitarie Masses were not of olde, (sayeth hee) in vse in the Church, seeing that no Masse was without a collect, that is, some number who did offer, and participate of the Sacrament together.
Their owne Durandus lyke-wyse telleth vsus,Durand. rationale divin l. 4. c. 53. saying, In the primitiue Church, all who… were present at the celebration of the Masse, did everie day communicate, because all the Apostles did drinke of the Cup, according to the LORD'S command, Drink… yee all of this: and their oblation was a great loafe, (sayeth hee) which was sufficient for all, and which custome the Grecians are sayde to keepe even vntounto this day.Tolossanus l. de vitib. …. 58. Belethus in explie. …ax. cap. 30. Which thing also their Tolossanus, Belethus, and sundrie others, testifie.
And to adde the famous testimonie of Pope Innocent the third,Innoc. 3. l. 6. myster miss… c. 5. In the primitiue Church, (sayeth hee) everie day those who were present at the celebration of the Masse,Cassand. de s…li…. miss…. were wont to communicate. And all the best learned doe acknowledge, (sayeth their Cassander) this to hauehave beene the ancient custome, of the Romane Chu…ch in particular:…. Hofmeisterus cited by Cassand▪ ibid. which custome how it hath ceassed, is to bee marveled, (sayeth their Hofmeisterus) and it is to bee indevoured, that this good custome, (sayeth hee) may bee restored to the Church.