Three Pillars and Arch-patriarchs of the Popish Synagogues, Treatise 1 · Book 3 · Part 54
Hesk.The foure and fiftieth Chapter beginneth the exposition of the Fathers vponupon the same text with Saint Hierome and Saint Chrysostome:
Fulk.S. Hierome is alledged in 1. Cor. 11. Si in linteum vel vat sordidum non illud mittere audeat &c. If a man dare not put that thing into a soule cloth or vessell, howe much more in a defiled hart, which vncleannesse God aboue all things detesteth, and which is the only iniurie that can be done to his body? For euen therefore did Ioseph that righteous man burie the Lordes body? wrapped in a cleane linnen cloth, in a newe tombe, prefiguring that they which should receiue the Lords body, should hauehave both a cleane minde and a new. M. Heskins saith, these wordes make plaine for the presence of Christ, in that Hierome saith, we receiue the body of Christe. And who denyeth either the presence of Christ, or that we receiue the body of Christ in the sacrament? Only we differ, whether Christ be present bodily, and whether we receiue his body after a corporall manner, or after a spirituall or heauenly manner. It is pitie he can not see in Hieromes wordes, that Christes body must be receiued in a cleane sort, as in a cleane vessell. And whereas Maister Heskins translateth mittere illud, to put that body into a foule cloth or vessell, it is maruell he considered not, that which aunswereth in similitude to a foule vessell, namely a foule heart. He thought by that translation, or rather falsification, to make it seeme, that wicked men receiue the body of Christe with the mouth, but his authour saith, with a filthie heart, which is the only iniurie that can be done to the body of Christe, therefore he speaketh of the wicked presuming to receiue the sacrament of his body and bloud, not affirming that they do it in deede. For vponupon these wordes, He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily, eateth and drinketh his owne damnation, he saith: Dupliciter reus effectus, presumptionis scilicet & peccati: Being made twise guiltie, namely of presumption and sinne: and vponupon those words: He shall be guiltie of the body and bloud of our Lorde.] hee saith: Quia tanti mysterij sacramentum pro vili despexerit: bicause he hath despised the sacrament of so great a mysterie as nothing worth.
But Maister Heskins citeth another place of Saint Hierome, against ye licentious doctrine of Luther, as he saith, that would hauehave none other preparation but onelyonly faith: also to maintaine his carnall presence: Lib. 1. Apoll. contra Iouinian. Probet se vnusquis que &c. Let eueryevery man examine him self, and so let him come to the Lords body: He would not (saith he) call it the body of Christe, if it were but bread. Howe often shall I tell him, that it is one thing to say, it is breade, an other thing to say, it is but breade. The former we say, and also that it is Christes body: the latter we vtterly deny.
But Saint Hierome more at large is cited, in 1. Cor. 11. vponupon these wordes of Saint Paule: Who so euer shall eate of this breade, and drinke of this cup of the Lorde vnworthily, shall be guiltie: of the body and bloud of our Lorde: Sicut scriptum est: Omnis mundus manducabit &c. As it is written, EueryEvery cleane person shall eate it, and againe: The duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page vncleane soule that shall eate it, shall be rooted out from his people. And our Lorde him selfe saith: If before the altar thou shalt remember, that thy brother hath any thing against thee, leaue thy gif… before the altar, and goe and be reconciled to thy brother. Therefore the conscience must first be searched, if it doe in nothing reprehend vsus, and so we ought either to offer, or to communicate. There be some that say, he doth not here forbid an vnworthie person from the holy thing, but him that receiueth vnworthily. If therefore the worthie person comming vnworthily he drawne backe, howe much more the vnworthy person which can not receiue worthily? Wherfore it behoueth the idle person to cease from vices, that he may holily receiue the holy body of our Lord.
In these wordes Maister Heskins noteth the preparation required, against Luthers onelyonly faith, and the thing receiued to be the holy body of our Lorde. I hauehave aunswered before, that Luthers onelyonly faith doth not exclude, but of necessitie drawe with it all things requisite to a due preparation. And that the holy body of our Lorde is receiued of the faithfull, wee doe willingly confesse, but not of the vnfaithfull and wicked persons. For the same Hierome in the Chapter before cited, vponupon this saying of the Apostle, This is my body, writeth thus: Qui manducat corpus meum, & bibit meum sanguinem, in me manet & ego in eo. Vnde agnoscere se debet quisquis Christi corpus edit, aut sanguinem bibit, ne quid indignum ei faciat cuius corpus effectus est. Hee that eateth my body and drinketh my bloud, dwelleth in me and I in him. Wherefore hee ought to knowe him selfe, who so euer either eateth the body of Christe, or drinketh his bloud, that hee doe nothing vnworthily, to him whose body hee is made.
This sentence plainely declareth, both howe the body and bloud of Christe are eaten and dronken, and of whome, namely, they are so receiued, as hee that receiued them is made the body of Christe, that is of necessitie spiritually, and they are receiued of them, in whome Christe dwelleth, and they in him, therefore of no wicked men.
Nowe let vsus heare Chrysostome whom hee citeth in foure places, but the two first are one compt In 1. Cor. 11. Probet seipsum &c. Let a man examine himselfe, whiche thing also he sayeth in the second Epistle: proue your selues whether you be in the faith: examine your owne selues, not as we doe now… comming rather for the times sake, then of any earnest desire of the minde. Neither doe we come as full of compunction prepared to purge out our vices, but we consider that wee may bee at the solemnities when all men are presente. But Paule doeth not so commaunde, but he knewe one time in whiche we should come to the purenesse of communication and conscience. For if we would neuer communicate at a sensible table, if wee be sicke of an ague, and doe abounde with humours, least we should be caste away: muche more wickednesse it is to touche this table, being intangled with noysome lustes, which are more greeuous then feuers. And when I speake of noysome lustes, I speake of lustes of the bodie, and of money, and of anger, and of wrath, and plainely all lustes that be naught. All which he that commeth to receiue, must auoide, and so touche that pure sacrifice, not to be slouthfully disposed, nor miserably to be compelled for the solemnities sake to come. Neither againe beeing penitent and prepared, to be hindered because there is no solemnitie. For solemnitie is an euident declaration of good workes, purenesse of soule, certeintie of life, whiche thinges if thou hast, thou mayest alwayes celebrate a solemnitie, and alwayes come, therefore (sayth he) let a man examine him selfe, and so let him eate. It followeth immediately: Non iubet vt alter alteri probetur, sed ipse sibi, non publicum faciens iudicium, & sine teste argutum. He doth not commaunde that one should be examined of an other, but eache man of him selfe, making the iudgement not publike, and the accusation without witnesse. Maister Heskins alledged the place to proue the necessitie of preparation, which no man denieth, but these last words of Chrysostome doe clearly ouerthrow auricular confession, which Maister Heskins compteth for a necessarie parte of repentance. He noteth further, that the sacrament is called of him a pure sacrifice, and the bodie of Christ. How it is called either a sacrifice, or the body of Christ, we hauehave often shewed before, yet he will presse vsus, with an other place, out of his Hom. Oporte… haereses, &c. Deinde vbi multum, &c. Then when he had disputed much of those, which vnworthily are partakers of the mysteries, and had gre…uously rebuked them and shewed, that they should suffer the same punishment, that they did which had slaine Christe, if they receiue his bloud and body without examination & rashly, he turneth againe his communication vntounto the matter in hande.
Of these wordes M. Heskins will needes gather both his carnall presence, and the presence of Christ vntounto the wicked receiuer, but seeing Chrysostome expressely nameth the partaking of the mysteries, it is plaine in what sense, ye bodie of Christ is said to be receiued vnworthily, namely whē the mysteries yt is his sacrament are receiued vnworthily. But our doctrine (he saith) is without all ground of scriptures, yt only faith maketh Christe present in the sacrament: in deed meaning either such a presence as he fantasieth included in the sacrament, or suche an only faith, as he slandereth vsus withal, neither do we affirme it, neither is it in the scriptures to be found, but that Christ dwelleth in our heartes by faith, both in the receiuing of the sacramentes, and in receiuing of the word of God, the Apostle teacheth vsus, Eph. 3. and our sauiour Christ testifieth, Ioan. 6. that whosoeuer eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud hath life euerlasting, euen as he saide before he that beleeueth in him hath life euerlasting, whervpon Augustine In Ioan. Tract. 26. doeth rightly gather, Credere in eum, hoc est manducare panem viuum: To beleeue in him, that is to eate the bread of life: and Tra. 25. Vt quid paras dentes & ventrem, crede & manducasti. Why doest thou prepare thy teeth and thy bellie, beleeue and thou hast eaten it.
Yet another place of Chrysostome M. Heskins heapeth vponupon vsus Hom. 3. in Ep. ad Eph. Considera nunc &c. Consider now what great sobrietie of life those partakers of the olde sacrifice did vse. For what did they not? They were purified euerie time. And doest thou comming to this wholsome sacrifice, which the Angels them selues doe receiue with trembling, measure so great a thing with the compasse of times? With what face wilt thou appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ, which hast beene so bolde with vncleane handes and lippes so impudently to touch his bodie? Thou wouldst not choose to kisse the King if thou hast a stinking mouth: & doest thou shamelesse man, kisse the King of heauen with thy soule so stinking of vices? Surely this maner of thing is a cruell reproche. Tell me wouldest thou take vponupon thee to come to so honorable a sacrifice with vnwashed handes? I thinke not, but as I coniecture, thou haddest rather altogether to refraine from comming, then to come with foule hands. And whylest thou art so religious in so small a thing, thou commest hauing thy soule defiled with the myre of vices, and darest thou touch it thou impudent man? Although a man for the vncleanenesse of his handes doe withholde himselfe for a time yet to cleanse his soule, from the filthie puddle of all vices, let him returne altogether. Maister Heskins noteth in this figuratiue speeche, three thinges, first the corporal presence of Christes bodie, that it may be touched with handes or lipps. And he is not ashamed to cite the saying of Christ: handle me and see that a spirite hath no fleshe and bones, as you see we hauehave: as though any man either by sight or feeling, could discerne Christe corporally present in the sacrament. But what a shamelesse man is this, to vrge the kissing of Christ with a foule mouth, which is a figuratiue and vnproper speech, when it followeth, that he is kissed of the wicked with a foule soule? Like impudencie is in the second note, that the bodie of Christe may be touched and receiued of him, that hath a filthie soule, which Chrysostome saith not, but inueyeth vehemently against their presumption, that hauing a filthie soule, would presume to receiue the sacrament. The thirde, that it is an wholsome sacrifice, which the Angels do honour, doth no more proue the corporall presence of Christ on earth, then the same Authors wordes soone after do proue the corporal presence of the receiuers in heauen. Dic quaeso si rex quispiam praecepisset ac dixisset, si quis istud vel istud fecerit, mensa mea abstineat, an non huius gratia omnia fecissetis? In coelot nos vocauit Deus, ad mensam magni & admirandi Regis, & recusamus, & moras nectimus, ad rem tantam nec festinantes, nec accurrentes? Tel me I pray thee If any King had commanded and said: if any man hauehave done this or that, let him not come to my table, wouldest not thou hauehave done any thing for his sake? God hath called vsus into heauen, vntounto the table of the great and wonderfull King, and doe we refuse, and make delayes, neither making haste nor comming to so great and excellent a matter? This place of Chrysostome doth teach vsus, that Christes bodie commeth not downe corporally to vsus, but that we are called vp into heauen, to receiue him there spiritually by faith. This is in deede a great and wonderfull mysterie, which Chrysostome doeth garnish with many figures (as he was an eloquent preacher) to make the people to hauehave due reuerence thereof.
Neither is Luthers doctrine one hayre breadth differing from Chrysostoms iudgement concerning the preparation necessarie for all them, that shall receiue the sacrament worthily, howsoeuer it pleaseth Maister Heskins neuer to hauehave done railing and reuiling him, & charging him with yt, which I thinke the holy man neuer thought, certeine I am he neuer did teach, but the contrarie. And because this is the last testimonie he citeth out of Chrysostome, I thought good to set downe one place also directly ouerthrowing his transubstantiation, for which he striueth so egerly. It is written, Ad Caesa. monachum. Et Deus & homo est Christus: Deus propter impassibilitatem: homo propter passionem: vnus filius, vnus Dominus: idem ipse procul dubio, vnitarum naturarum vnam dominationem, vnam potestatem possidens, etiamsi non consubstantialiter existant & vnaquaeque incommixta proprietatis conseruas agnitionem, propter hoc quod inconfusa sunt duo. Sicut enim antequam sanctificetur panis, panem nominamus: Diuina autem illum sanctificante gratia, mediante sacerdote liberatus est quidem ab appellatione panis, dignus autem habitus est Dominici corporis appellatione, etsi natura panis in ipso remansit & non duo corpora sed vnum filij corpus predicatt…r: sic & haec Diuina inundante corporis natura vnum filium, vnam personam vtraque haec secerunt. Christe is both God and man, God because of his impassibilitie, man for his passion: being one sonne and one Lord: he himselfe doubtlesse possessing one domination, one power of the two natures being vnited, although they hauehave not their being consubstantially, and either of them vnmingled doeth keepe the acknowledging of his propertie, because they are two vnconfounded. For euen as the bread before it be sanctified is called of vsus bread, but when the grace of God doth sanctifie it, by meanes of the priest, it is in deede deliuered from the name of bread, and is compted worthie of the name of our Lordes bodie, although the nature of the bread hath remained in it, and it is not called two bodies but one body of the sonne, so both these, the diuine nature ouerflowing the body hauehave made one sonne, one person.
I knowe Stephan Gardener when he can not aunswere this place denyeth it to bee written by Iohn Chrysostome, ascribing it to an other Iohn of Constantinople, but seeing it cā not be denied to be an ancient authoritie, it is sufficient to proue the doctrine of transubstantiation, to be newe and vnknowen to the Churche of God in the elder times.