Three Pillars and Arch-patriarchs of the Popish Synagogues, Treatise 1 · Book 3 · Part 7
Hesk.The seuenth Chapter proceedeth to declare the same by Saint Hierome, and Saint Cyrill.
Fulk.In the beginning of this Chapter Maister Heskins maruelleth that we (whom he counteth the aduersaries of the truth) would leaue a doctrine so vniuersally taught and receiued, as though he had prooued their doctrine of the sacrament to be such, comparing the protestantes, to Esopes dogge that snatching for a shadowe lost the bone out of his mouth: neuerthelesse he will proceede on his matter, if there be any hope to reclayme vsus. And first he will choke vsus with the authoritie of Saint Hieronyme In 1. Cor. 10. expounding that saying: They did eate the same spirituall meate, &c. Manna figura corporis Christi suit. Manna was a figure of the bodie of Christe. It is very true, we neuer saide the contrarie. But the same Hierome in the same place vponupon that saying: The rocke was Christe, Saith, that the rocke was a figure of Christe, which Maister Heskins vtterly denyeth. Quia Christus erat postmodū sequnturus, cuius figuram tunc Petra gerebat: idco pulchrè dixit consequente eos Petra. Because Christe was afterward to followe, of whom the rocke was a figure: therfore he saide very fitly of the rocke, that followed them. By which wordes it is most manifest, that by his iudgement, they dranke of Christes bloud, who was to come, and consequently did eate his bodie, whereof Manna was a figure. But it followeth after in Hieronyme which Maister Heskins rehearseth at large, and to no purpose Omnia enim, quae in populo, &c. For all thinges, which at that time were done in the people of Israell in a figure, now among vsus are celebrated in truth: for euen as they by Moses were deliuered out of Egypt, so are we by euerie priest or teacher deliuered out of the worlde. And then beeing made Christians, we are ledde through the wildernesse, that by exercise of contempt of the worlde, and abstinence, we may forget the pleasures of Egypt, so that we knowe not to go backe againe into the worlde. But when we passe the sea of Baptisme, the diuell is drowned for our sake with all his armie, euen as Pharao was. Then wee are fedde with Manna, and receiue drinke out of the side of Christ. Also the clearenesse of knowledge, as a piller of fire, is shewed in the night of the worlde, and in the heate of tribulation, we are couered with the clowde of Diuine consolation. In these wordes Maister Heskins noteth two thinges, the applications of the truthes to the figures, and the drinke flowing out of the side of Christe. concerning the first, it is cleare, that he maketh their temporall benefites, figures of our spirituall benefites, and in that sense he vseth the tearmes of figures and trueth: for otherwise hee confesseth, that those thinges were truely done among them, and in a figure were the same, that ours are, immediately before these wordes before rehearsed by Maister Heskins: Ipsis verè facta sunt, quae in figura erant nostra, vt …imeamus talia agere, ne talia incurramus. Those thinges were truely done vntounto them, whiche in figure were ours, that we might feare to doe suche thinges, least we incurre such thinges. As for the drinke flowing out of his side, we confesse to be the bloud of Christe, as I hauehave shewed a hundreth times, receiued after a spirituall manner. But Maister Heskins reasoneth wittily (as he thinketh) when he sayeth: as the Iewes did verily eate Manna, so we doe verily eate the bodie of Christ. But he marketh not howe Hieronyme saith: We are fedde with Manna, and we receiue drinke flowing out of the side of Christ. Wherevpon I will inferre, as we are fedde with Manna, so we eate and drinke the bodie and bloud of Christe: but are not fedde with Manna corporally, but spiritually: so we eate and drinke the bodie and bloud of Christ, not corporally but spiritually. After this, least we should doubt of this authoritie, as falsly ascribed to Hierome, he returneth to Hierome Ad Hedibiam qu. 2. which we cannot refuse to be S. Hierome. But seeing that place is sufficiently answered in the 53. Chapter of the second booke, I wil not trouble the Reader with the repetition.
Likewise the place of Cyprian De Coena Dom. in the 17. Chapter of the first Booke. Likewise the other parcels of Chrysostome he citeth In Matth. 25. Hom. 83. In the 55. Chapter of the second Booke. The other named and not rehearsed be oftentimes answered throughout ye Booke, and none of them all hauehave any thing in them for his purpose. Now commeth Cyrill In 6. Ioan. Cap. 19. Non enim prudenter, &c. Those thinges that suffice but for a shorte time, shall not wisely be called by this name, neither was that bread of God which the elders of the Iewes did eate & are dead for if it had bene from heauen, and of God, it had deliuered the partakers of it from death. But contrariwise, the bodie of Christe is bread from heauen, because it giueth eternall life to them that receued it.
Here (saith M. Heskins) is a breefe and plaine testimonie, that manna was a figure, and the bodie of Christ is the thing figured. This is graunted, but that Cyrill meant to make it only a figure, or a bare figure, it is vtterly false, as appeareth in his commentarie vponupon the same Chapter, Lib. 3. Cap. 34. Manna verò figura quaedam vniuersalis Dei liberalicatis, loco arrhae hominibus concessa. Manna truely, was a certeine figure of the vniuersall liberalitie of God granted to men, in place of a pledge, or earnest. By these words you see, that Manna was not a bare figure, but an earnest, or assurance of all the bountifulnes of God. And in the same place he saith. Sic enim planè videbitur quod verum Manna Christus erat, qui per figuram Mann… priscis illis a Deo dabatur. For so it shall plainely be seene, that Christ was the true Manna, which was giuen of God to those auncient fathers by the figure of Manna. Thus it is moste euident, that Manna was not a figure onelyonly of Christe, but that Christe in deede was giuen by that figure, as hee is by our sacrament, and so no corporall presence by his iudgement. Neuerthelesse M. Heskins harpeth on his old string, really, and substantially, and that by this authoritie of Cyrillus Cap. 14. in 6. Ioan. Quoniam, &c. Because the flesh of our sauiour is ioyned in the WORDE of God, which is naturally life, it is made able to giuegive life when we eate it, then hauehave we life in vsus, beeing ioyned to him which is made life.
These wordes indeede doe declare, that whosoeuer eateth the fleshe of Christ is partaker of eternall life, which M. Heskins will not graunt, but with his distinction, spiritually: therefore this place maketh nothing for him, for Cyril speaketh generally. So that no man eateth Christe, but he that eateth him spiritually, and hath life by him. Then no wicked man eateth him, which hath not life, & consequently no man eateth him corporally. But heare what the same Cyril writeth in the same Booke & Chapter. Haec igitur de caussa Dominus quomodo id fieri possit non enodauit, sed fide id quaerendum hortatur: sic credentibus discipulis fragmenta panis dedit dicens, accipite, & manducate, hoc est corpus meum: calicem etiam similiter circuntulit dicens: Bibite ex hoc omnes, hic est calix sanguinis mei, qui pro multis effunditur in remissionē peccatorum. Perspicis quia, sine fide quęrentibus mysterij modum nequaquam explanauit, credentibus autem etiam non quęrentibus exposuit. For this cause thefore, the Lorde did not expound how that might be done, but exhorteth that it be sought by faith, so to his disciples which beleeued, he gaue peeces of bread, saying take ye, & eate ye, this is my bodie: likewise he gaue the cuppe about and saide: drinke ye all of this, this is the cuppe of my bloud, which shal be shed for many for remission of sinnes. Thou seest, that to them which inquire without faith, he hath not explaned the manner of the mysterie, but to them which beleeued, although they inquired not, he hath set it foorth. In this saying of Cyril, beside that he teacheth yt Christe his flesh & bloud are receiued in a mysterie, it is good to obserue that he calleth the sacrament, which Christ gaue to his Disciples fragmentes or peeces of bread, which vtterly ouerthroweth Popish transubstantiation.