Three Pillars and Arch-patriarchs of the Popish Synagogues, Treatise 1 · Book 1 · Part 22
Hesk.The two and twentieth Chapter beginneth the application of the shewe breade to the sacrament, as of the figure to the veritie, by S. Hierome and Damascen.
Fulke.The figures of Manna, and the waters, he reiecteth into the third booke, and nowe will treate of the figure of the shewe breade. And this bread, he will hauehave to be a figure of the body of Christ in the sacrament. Wherein the matter is not worth the strife, so we remember that the sacraments of the old law, were not bare figures, but ye same in substaunce and vertue that ours are, as we shewed before out of Augustine, and that they were not bare figures of our sacraments, but of the things wherof our sacraments are effectuall signes. Although ours more cleare, as of thinges already exhibited, and theirs were of thinges to come. And therefore the olde writers, Origen, Ambrose, and Oecumenius also affirme, that the Fathers in the sacraments had the shadowe, we the image, and both of vsus shall hauehave the truth in one countrie. Orig. in Ps. 38. Amb. 4. Offi. Chap. 48. Oec. in 10. Heb. The like comparison we had before of the shadowe and image out of Chrysostome and Euthymius, that borrowed it of him. But how friuolous the comparisons be, that M. Heskins maketh betweene the shewe breade and the sacrament, to proue the one to be a figure of the other: bicause it was set on the table, neuer fayled, was a bread of remembrance, was our offering, might not be eaten of any defiled person: I will declare by as many differences. The shewe bread was 12. cakes in number, so is not the sacrament: had frankincenses set vponupon it and burned, so hath not the sacrament: was remoued eueryevery Sabbath, so is not the sacrament: must of necessitie remaine a whole weeke, so must not the sacrament: might not be eaten of any but only the Priestes, the sacrament must be eaten of al men: might not be eaten of the Priestes, vntill it was a seuen nights olde, so is not the sacrament. Where note I pray you, the synceritie of M. Heskins, that rehearsing the text out of 24. of Leuit. leaueth out the putting of incence vppon the two rowes, bicause he could not applie it to his Masse cakes.
But to the place of Hieronyme, In cap. 1. ad Tit. If Lay men be commaunded to abstaine from the companie of their wiues for prayer, what is to be thought of a Bishop, which daily must offer undefiled sacrifices for his owne and the peoples sinnes? Let vsus read the booke of Kings, and we shall finde that Abimelech the Prieste, would not giuegive Dauid and his seruants of the shewe bread, before he asked whether the seruants were cleane from a woman, not from a straunge woman, but from their wiues: and except he had heard that yesterday and the day before they had abstained from the worke of marriage, he had not graunted them the bread which before he had denyed. There is as great difference betweene the shewe breade and the bodye of Christe, as betweene the shaddowe and the bodies, betweene the image and the trueth, betweene the exemplars of thinges to come, and the thinges them selues prefigured by the exemplars. Therefore as meeknesse, patience, sobrietie, moderation, abstinence from lucre, hospitalitie also and benignitie, ought to be chiefly in a Byshop, and amongest all Lay men excelling: so also a peculiar chastitie, and, as I may say, Priestly continence, that hee doe not onelyonly keepe him selfe f…om an vncleane woorke, but also the mynde that shall make the body of Christe may be free from casting of the eye, and wandring of thought. In these wordes Hieronyme maketh the shewe breade, a shadowe and figure of the body of Christe, but not of the sacrament thereof. Neither will Maister Heskins collection of the office of a bishop standing in consecration, offering, and receiuing the body of Christ helpe him. For here is no word of consecrating, but of making the body of Christe, Mens Christi corpus confectura, the minde shall make the body of Christ: which if it be not a figuratiue speach, Hieronyme speaketh both grossely and vntruely, neither of offering the body of Christ, but offering vndefiled sacrifices, which are prayers. Finally if it were plaine, that he called the sacrament by the name of that which it signifieth, yet hee him selfe is the best expounder of him selfe. Where hee sheweth a double taking of the body & bloud of Christe, spirituall and corporall. In Ep lib. 1. cap. Dupliciter vero sanguis Christi & caro intelligitur: vel spiritualis illa at que diuina, d… qua ipse dixit caro mea verè est cibus, & sanguis meus verè est potus: Et nisi manducaueritis carnem meum, & sanguinem meum biberitis, non habebitis vitam aeternam: Vel caro & sanguis quae crucifixa est, & qui militis effusus est lanc…a. The bloud and flesh of Christ is vnderstoode two wayes: either that spirituall and diuine flesh, of which hee saide: My flesh is meate in deede, and my bloud is drinke in deede: And except ye eate my flesh and drinke my bloud, you shall not hauehave eternall life: or else that flesh that was crucified, & that bloud which was shead by the souldiers speare. This place may suffice to expound whatsoeuer either Hieronyme or any other olde writer saith of the consecration, offering, or receiuing of the body and bloud in the sacrament: making a manifest difference betweene that flesh and bloud, which is eaten and dronke, and that which was crucified, which the Papistes teach to bee all one.
But M. Heskins cannot omit this place, wtout a gird against married Priests, of which number he him selfe was once one, saying, they hauehave put away the consecration to keepe their women, but he did put away his wife, that he might returne to consecration: Howbeit to the matter. As it is verie well knowen, Hieronyme was too much addict to the prayse of virginitie, so in this Chapter, hee cannot simplie condemne the mariage of Byshoppes, although he wish rather a continence in them that can absteine: and openly saith to professed virgines, that either they must marie if they cannot conteine, or els continue if they will not marie. Ad Demetriadem.
Next to Hieronyme, which is of the higher house, hee is faine to place Damascene of the lower house. Who sayeth that The shewe bread did figure this breade, meaning the sacramentall breade, and not as M. Heskins expoundeth it the bodie of Christ in the sacrament. For transubstantiation is not so olde as Damascene, neither was it receyued in the Greeke Church, neither is it at this daye, neither, doe these wordes helpe him which hee addeth. Therefore with all feare and pure conscience, and with a sure faith let vsus come to him and worship him with all purenesse of minde and bodie. Let vsus come to him with burning desire, fashioning our handes in manner of a crosse, let vsus receiue this bodie of him that was crucified. There can no necessarie collection bee made of this place, that Damascene spake of the popishe reall presence. And if it might, yet it is but one doctors opinion of the lower house, whose authoritie we weigh not. But why doe not the Papistes holde their handes a crosse, when they receyue the sacrament? by like all their ceremonies bee not so auncient as Damascene.