Three Pillars and Arch-patriarchs of the Popish Synagogues, Treatise 1 · Book 3 · Part 1
Hesk.The first Chapter entereth by Preface into the first text of S. Paule, that toucheth the sacrament, and expoundeth it according to the letter.
TThe Preface is out of Didymus, that diuine matters are to be handled with reuerence,Fulk. and considering the difficultie of the scriptures by Hierome, that in matters of doubt, recourse must be had, by Irenęus his aduise, vntounto the most auncient Churches, in which the Apostles were conuersant. In so much that Irenaeus saith: Libro 3. Cap. 4. Quid autem, &c. And what if the Apostles, had left vsus no writinges, ought we not to hauehave followed the order of tradition which they deliuered to them to whome they had committed the Churches? Wherevpon Maister Heskins gathereth, that not onelyonly for matters conteined in scripture, but also for traditions vnwritten in the holie scriptures, the fathers are to be credited. But he goeth farre from Irenaeus minde, who confuted the heretiques both by the scriptures, and by the authoritie of the moste auncient Churches, whose traditions must hauehave beene all our institution, if there had ben no scriptures: But seeing yt scriptures inspired of God by his gratious prouidence, are left vntounto vsus, al traditions are to be examined by them, & that is twise proued (after Irenaeus minde,) whiche is proued both by the scriptures, and by the authoritie of the Churches. Otherwise the scriptures are sufficient of them selues. 2. Tim. 3. And no tradition or authoritie is to be receiued which is repugnant or contrarie vntounto them. The text of Saint Paule, that he speaketh, is written, 1. Cor. 10. Brethren I would not hauehave you ignorant, that all our fathers were vnderunder the cloude, and all passed through the sea, and were all baptised by Moses in the cloude and in the sea, and did all eate the same spirituall meate, and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke, for they dranke of the same spirituall rocke, which followed them, and the rocke was Christe. Where it is to be noted, that Maister Heskins in steede of the same spirituall meate, and the same spirituall drinke, translateth one spiritual meate, and one spirituall drinke, as though the sense were, that the Fathers did all eate & drinke of one spiritual kind of meate and drinke, but not of the same that we doe. Which is directly contrarie to the meaning of the Apostle, as it appeareth by many reasons, whereof some I will set downe, because this one text of scripture, if it be rightly vnderstoode, is sufficient to determine all the controuersies that are betweene vsus and the Papistes, concerning the sacramentes. First therefore the argument of Saint Paule is of no force to conuince the Corinthians, except he shewe, that the fathers of the olde Testament, had the same sacraments in substance, that we hauehave, and yet pleased not God by meanes of their wicked life, no more shall we, hauing the same sacramentes if we followe their wicked conuersation. Secondly, except he had meant to make the fathers equal vntounto vsus in the outwarde signes or sacramentes of Gods fauour, he would rather hauehave taken his example of circumcision, and the pascal lambe, which all men knowe to hauehave beene their principal sacraments: then of their baptisme and spiritual foode, which in them was so obscure, that except the spirite of God had by him reuealed it vntounto vsus it had beene very harde for vsus to hauehave gathered. Thirdly, when he saith the fathers were all baptised, there is no doubt, but that he meaneth, that they all receiued the sacrament of the bodie and bloud of Christ, for there were no reason, why they should receiue the one sacrament, rather then the other. Fourthly, seeing the Apostle saith expressely, they did eate the same spirituall meate, and drinke the same spirituall drinke, and after doth precisely affirme, that they dranke of the same rocke, which was Christe, it is moste euident, that their spiritual meate was our spiritual meate, namely the bodie of Christ, and their spiritual drinke was our spirirituall drinke, namely the bloud of Christ.
And this place ouerthroweth transubstantiation, the carnal presence, the cōmunion vnderunder one kinde, the grace of the worke wrought, the fiue false sacramentes, the Popish consecration, the Popish reseruation for adoration, and in a manner, what so euer the Papistes teache of the sacraments contrarie to the truth. For if we hauehave no prerogatiue aboue the fathers concerning ye substance & outward signes of the sacramentes, then we receiue the bodie and bloud of Christ in the sacramentes, none otherwise then they did before his bodie was conceiued of the virgine Marie, and that is spiritually by faith, not carnally with our mouth. The rest of this Chapter is consumed in rehearsing out of Chrysostome, the general purpose of the Apostle in these wordes, which we hauehave shewed before, & it is most plaine, by the text as it followeth: Finally in declaring what temporall benefites the Israelites receyued by the cloude, the sea, manna, and the water of the rocke. But that which is principall, and for which cause the Apostle alledgeth their example, namely, for the spirituall grace that was testified by these outwarde signes, Maister Heskins speaketh neuer a worde.