Three Pillars and Arch-patriarchs of the Popish Synagogues, Treatise 1 · Book 3 · Part 12
The twelfth Chapter, proueth by occasion of that that is sayde with further authoritie, that the sacraments of the newe lawe, are more excellent then the sacraments of the olde lawe.Hesk.
The first reason is taken out of S. Augustines rule,Fulk. cited in the firste booke, That all good things figured, are more excellent then the figures, which wee graunt: for Christ figured by Manna, was more excellent then. Manna, as he is more excellent then the breade & wine, by which he is likewise represented. The second reason he vseth is this, yt if the bodie of Christe were not so present in the sacrament, as they imagine, Manna shoulde be better then the sacrament: for Manna hath twelue wonders declared by Roffens. lib. 1. Chap. 12. The firste: that he that gathered moste, had but his measure. The seconde, that he that gathered least, had his measure full also. The thirde: that which was kepte vntill the next day, putrified, except on the Saboth day. The fourth: it was kept many yeres in the Arke vnprutrified. The fift: it would melt in the Sonne, and be harde in the fire. The sixth: it fell all dayes, sauing vppon the Sabboth day. The seuenth: that on the daye before the Saboth day, they had two gomers full, and all other days but one. The eyght: that whether they gathered more or lesse, they had that day two gomers full. The ninth: that measure sufficed all stomackes and appetites. The tenth: that to them that were good, it tasted to eueryevery one, according to his desire. The eleuenth: although to the godly it was a most pleasant taste, yet to the vngodly, it wa… lothsome. The twelfth: the children of Israel were fedd with it fortie yeres in the Wildernesse. Of some of these speaketh Chrysostom in dict. Apost. Nolo vos: which, because it is long and conteineth nothing more then is collected by Fisher, I will not set downe. Augustine also witnesseth for one miracle, that Manna tasted to eueryevery man as hee woulde. Hereuppon he concludeth, that Manna farre excelleth the sacramentaries sacramentall bread, which shalbe graunted, and so it doeth the Papists consecrated host, which is subiect to putrifaction, and in none of the twelue miracles comparable to Manna. But Manna for all this doth not excell the bodie and bloud of Christe, which is giuen vsus that are faithfull with our sacramentall bread and wine. He sayeth the Iewes receiuing Manna, receiued Christe spiritually. Nowe at the length he sayth trueth. And we also receiuing the sacramentall bread and wine receiue Christ spiritually. Neither are our sacraments, as I hauehave sayde, concerning the spirituall or heauenly substance more excellent then theirs, as our saluation is the same with theirs, but in clearnesse of signification more excellent, as the doctrine of our saluation, is more plainly reuealed vntounto vsus. But M. Hesk. replyeth, that if our sacramēts excel not theirs, then their sacraments and figures farre excell ours, and that in three things. The first: In excellencie of ye thing signified. The second: in ye fulnesse & liuelinesse of the signification. The third: in the worke of God about the same figures. But I aunswer, concerning the first, they are aequall: concerning the second, ours are superior & more excellent: and concerning the thirde, I distinguish of outward working of God, & inwarde. Concerning the outward work of God, about their sacraments & figures, it was meete it should be more notable, because the doctrine was more obscure, & that the creatures themselues, that were the elements of their sacraments & figures should be more excellent & glorious, because ye inwarde grace, was not so clearely reuealed: and it was meant, the sacraments & figures should be many more in nomber, because the doctrine was much lesse manifest, then it is to vsus. But concerning the inward working of God, there is no doubt, but it is as marueilous, & as wonderfull in our sacraments, as in theirs: and in respect of illumination, according to the doctrine, which is more lightsome, and of full assurance, as of that mysterie, which is alreadie accomplished, it is much more excellent & notable in our sacraments, which are (as Augustin sayth) in number most fewe, in matter most simple, in signification most excellent. Ep. ad Ian. 118. Primò ita que tenere te volo, quod est huius disputationis caput: Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum, sicut ipse in euangelio loquitur, leui iugo suo nos subdidisse & sarcinae leui. Vnde sacramentis numero paucissimis, obseruatione facillimis, significatione praestantissimis, societatem noui populi colligauit, sicut est baptismus Trinitatis nomine consecratus, communicatio corporis & sanguinis ipsius, & si quid aliud in scripturis canoni…is contineatur. First therfore I would hauehave thee hold this, which is the head of this disputation: that our lord Iesus Christ, as he him selfe speaketh in the Gospell, hath submitted vsus to his gentle yoke & easie burthen. Therfore, by sacraments in number most fewe, in obseruation most easie, in signification most excellent, hee hath bound together ye fellowship of the newe people, as is baptisme being consecrated in the name of the Trinitie, the communication of his bodie and bloud, & if any thing else be conteined in the canonicall scriptures. Thus you see, notwithstanding the vaine cauils of M. Hesk. wherein our sacraments are equall with theirs, and wherein ours are more excellent then theirs: so that we hauehave no neede of his reall presence, to make a difference betweene ye sacraments of the newe testament, & the sacraments of the olde fathers, which though they liued vnderunder the old testament, yet were they saued by the newe testament, in the forgiuenesse of their sinnes, by Christ as we are.