Three Pillars and Arch-patriarchs of the Popish Synagogues, Treatise 1 · Book 1 · Part 21
Hesk.The one & twentieth Chapter concludeth the matter of the figure of the Pascall lambe, by Haymo, and Cab…sila.
There is no doubt, but in the lower house, M. Heskins may finde many that fauour his bill,Fulk. but seeing it is shut out of the higher house, I will not trouble my selfe, nor the Reader much to examine the voyces of the lower house. Which if they should eueryevery one allowe it, yet it cannot be an enacted trueth, without the consent of the higher house. OnelyOnly this will I note, that Maister Heskins maketh Haymo elder by 500. yeares, then such chronicles as I hauehave read do account him.
But this thing in this Chapter must not be omitted, that he saith, that The sacramentaries cannot bring one father, teaching the sacrament to be onelyonly a figure. And ioyneth issue with the proclaymer, that if he can bring any scripture, any catholique counsell, or any one approued doctor, that by expresse and plaine words, doth denie the reall presence of Christ in the sacrament, then he will giuegive ouer and subscribe to him. Still he chargeth them, whom he calleth the sacramentaries, to make the sacrament only a figure or a bare signe, which is false. But for euidence to informe the men, that shall go vponupon this issue, I will alledge, first S. Augustine, in plaine and expresse wordes, denying that which Maister Heskins, and the Papistes, call the reall presence of Christes body in the sacrament. In Psal. 98. Non hoc corpus quod videtis manducaturi estis, & bibituri illum sanguinem, quo fusuri sunt qui me crucifigent. Sacramentum aliquod vobis commendani, spiritualiter intellectum vin…ficabit vor. You shal not eate this body whiche you see, nor drinke the bloude, whiche they shall shedde, that shall crucifie me: I hauehave commended to you a certeine sacrament, which beeing spiritually vnderstoode shall quicken you. What can be saide more plainely. The seconde witnesse shall be Chrysostome In Matth. Homil. 11. Si enim vasa sanctificata ad priuatos vsus transferre peccatum est, & periculum, sicut docet nos Balthasar, qui bibens in calicibus sacratis, de regno depositus est, & de vita. Si ergo haec vasa sanctificata ad priuatos vsus transferre sic periculosum est, in quibus non est verum Corpus Christi, sed mysterium corporis Christi continetur: quanto magis vasa corporis nostri quae sibi deus ad habitaculum preparauit, non debemus locum dare diabolo agendi in eis quod vult? For if it be an offence to translate the sanctified vessels into priuate vses, and a daunger, as Balthasar doth teach vsus, who drinking in the hallowed cups, was put out both of his kingdome and his life: therfore if it be so daungerous to transferre vntounto priuate vses, those sanctified vessels in which not the very body of Christ, but the mysterie of the body of Christ is conteyned: howe much more the vessels of our body, which God hath prepared to be a dwelling place for him selfe, ought we not to yeld to the diuil to do in them what hee will.
The third shall bee out of the Popes owne Cannon lawe, which M. Heskins may not refuse for good euidence, and it is gathered out of Augustine. De con. dist. 2. Cap. Hoc est. Sicut caelestis panis qui Christi caro est suo modo vocatur corpus Christi, cum reuera sit sacramentum corporis Christi, illius videlicet quod visibile, quod palpabile, quod mortale in cruce positum est, vocaturque ipsa immolatio carnis, quae sacerdotis manibus fit, Christi passio mors, crucifixio non rei veritate sed significante mysterio: sic sacramentum fidei, quod baptismus intelligitur, fides est. As that heauenly bread which is the flesh of Christ, after a certaine maner of it, is called the body of Christ, wheras in very deed it is but the sacrament of the body of Christ, namely of that body which is visible, which is palpable, which when it was mortall was fastned to the crosse, and the same offering of the flesh of Christe which is done by the Priestes handes, is called the passion, death, and crucifying of Christ, not in trueth of the thing, but in a signifying mysterie: so the sacrament of faith which is vnderstoode to bee baptisme, is faith. Nowe let this issue bee tryed according to this euidence, by any lawful and indifrent men of the countrie, and I doubt not but they will finde Maister Heskins charged by his bond, to yeelde and recant. But to conclude this Chapter, Maister Heskins will needes hauehave two manner of presences, as well as the sacramentaries, spirituall and corporall, the spirituall he graunteth to the worthy receiuer, and the corporal also: the corporall only is left to the wicked. Wherevpon I would desire the Christian reader to consider, what hard holde the Papistes keepe for the corporall presence, which is no benefite to the faithfull, but according to their doctrine common to the wicked, and howe proudly they deride and contemne the spirituall presence, wherein yet consisteth all the comfort of the godly, which they them selues can not denie. Vndoubtedly this quarrell for the corporall presence, hath a corporall respect, to abuse the superstitious minds of carnall men, to their carnall commoditie, and not to seeke spirituall recreation of the inward man, which is throughly satisfied with the spirituall presence by faith.