Vindication of Ecclesiastical Volume 3, Introduction (4 of 4)

Vindication of Ecclesiastical Volume 3 · Introduction (4 of 4)

p. 62All theſe antient Paſſages of Epiphanius directly condemn the Hereſie and **See Mr. Cartwright and Dr. Fulke Anſwer to the Rhemiſh Teſtament, on Acts 1. 14. Sect. 7.Acts 1:14Idolatry of the Church of Rome, for offering not only the Sacrifices of Tapers, Gold, Frankinceſe, and other things, but even of Prayers, Prayſes, Pſalms, Thankſgivings, and ſolemn Vowes to the Virgin Mary, and other Saints, which the Collyridians never did; whom yet aaApparatus, An. 48. nu. 14. An. 373. n. 5Cardinal Baronius, Spondanus, bbDe Cultu Sanctorum, & De Eccleſia Triumphante.Bellarmine, and other Pontificians confeſſe to be both Hereticks and Idolaters, only for ſacrificing Cakes, and adoring her as aforeſaid; which I deſire all Romaniſts ſeriouſly to conſider.

6ly. I further appeal to all judicious, unbiaſſed Roman Catholicks, whether upon ſerious conſideration of the premiſes, our Proteſtant Kings, Biſhops, Churches of England, Scotland and Ireland, had not juſt cauſe, grounds, in point of conſcience, to abominate all theſe heretical, blaſphemous, idolatrous Abominations, Devotions, Aſſertions, Practiſes of the Church of Rome, as Antichriſtian Innovations, Corruptions, to **2 Cor. 6. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 1 Cor. 5. 10, 11, 11. Rev. 18 4. I ſay 52. 1… Ro. 16. 17, 18. 2 Theſ. 3. 6. 2 Tim. 3. 1. to 10. 2 John 10. 11. 1 The Primer in Engliſh and Latin, Paris 15…8. f. 29. Officium B. Mariae Virginis nup. r reformatum, & P… V. Pontificis Maximi juſſu editum, Ro…en 1632. Horae B. Mariae ad uſum Romanum, Antwerpiae, 1568. p. 8. 2 Le…eſma, Petrus Caniſius Summae Doctrinae Chriſtianae, p. 78. Catechiſmus Tridentinus 3 Georgius Bartholdu. Pontanus R…ua e Parachorum, Col…ae Agrip. 1611. p. 60, 61, & Pontific… Romanam lib 2 p. 367, 368.2 Cor 6:142 Cor 6:152 Cor 6:162 Cor 6:172 Cor 6:181 Cor 5:101 Cor 5:11Rev 18:4Rom 16:17Rom 16:182 Thess 3:62 Tim 3:1–10ſeparate themſelves from them, and all others of like nature accompanying them; and to renounce the Popes uſurped Authority, which introduced, fomented, eſtablſhſd them, and would never to this day ſuppreſſe or reform them, after all detections, convictions of their execrable impiety, idolatry, and inconſiſtency with the Principles, Verity, Purity of the Chriſtian Religion, and Divine Worſhip of God alone, preſcribed in his Word.

7ly. Whether this was not the main ground of their impious bold obliterating the 2. Commandement out of the Decalogue in all their 1 Offices, Primers, Hours, Pſalters of our Lady, and moſt of their late ² Catechiſmes, becauſe it is diametrically repugnant to, and inconſiſtent with their erections, invocations, adorations of, proſtrations to the Images, Statues, Pictures of our Lady, and ſaying Ave Maries, Pater noſters, with other prayers to and before them, as if ſhe and they were God himſelf. And becauſe it is directly contrary to this their uſual forme of conſecrating their adored Images of God, Chriſt, the Virgin Mary, and other Saints, thus recorded in their 3 Rituale Parachorum.

Benedictio Imaginum Dei, aut B. Mariae Uirginis, vel Sanctorum. Adjutorium noſtrum, &c. Domine exaudi, &c. Dominus vobiſcum, &c.

Oremus. Omnipotens ſempiterne Deus, te ſuppliciter exoramus, ut hanc Imaginem in memoriam et honorem tui, vel unigeniti filii tui Domini noſtri Ieſu Chriſti, vel beatiſſimae Uirginis Matris Domini, vel beati N. praeparatam bene†dicere et ſanctificare † digneris, ut quicunque ad ipſum venerandum ſe devote inclinaverint, ſalutem mentis et corporis conſequantur, et quicquid juſte petierint, ſe impetraſſe fatentur, &c. Et aſpergantur aqua benedicta. And to the larger ſpecial forme, de Benedictione Imaginis beatae Mariae Uirginis, to be made by their Biſhops alone in all their Pontifical accoutrements, with no p. 63leſſe then 4. ſpecial Prayers; quatenus precibus ejuſdem ſacratiſſimae Uirginis quocunque eandem Reginam et gratiociſſimam Dominam noſtram coram bac effigie ſuppliciter honorare ſtuduerint, et de inſtantibus periculis eruantur, et in conſpectu divinae Majeſtatis tuae de commiſſis et omiſſis veniam impetrent, ac mereantur in praeſenti gratiam quam deſiderant adipiſci, et in futuro perpetua ſalvatione cum electis tuis valeant gratulari. And with the reptition of Pſal. 87. & 123. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou (bleſſed Lady Mary) that dwelleſt in the Heavens, &c. with the Magnificat Luke 1. and Allelujahs, Ave Maries, and theſe two ſpecial Antiphonaes chanted to her before her new conſecrated Images, by their whole Cathedral Chorus, with ſound of Organs, Sacbuts, and all kinds of Muſick, (as at the conſecration of **Dan. 3. 5, 7.Dan 3:5Dan 3:7Nebuchadonoſors golden Image) Sub tuum praeſidium confugimus, Sancta Dei genetrix, noſtras deprecationes ne deſpicias in neceſſitatibus, ſed a periculis cunctis libera nos, ſemper Uirgo glorioſa et benedicta. O glorioſa Dei genetrix Uirgo ſemper Maria, quae Dominum omnium meruiſti portare, et Regem Angelorum ſola Uirgo lactare, noſtri queſumus pia memorare, et pro nobis Ieſum Chriſtum deprecare, ut tuis fulti patrociniis ad coeleſtia Regna mereamur pervenire. All which are preſcribed in the very Pontificale Romanum, Clementis 8. Pontificis Max. juſſu reſtitutum atque editum, authorized by his ſpecial Bull prefixed to it, in perpetuam rei memoriam, Datum Romae apud Sanctum Petrum, ſub Annulo Piſcatoris, die decima Februarii 1596. Pontificatus noſtri anno quinto; printed then at Rome, and ſince that Antwerpiae 1627. lib. 3. p. 364. Which Prayers, Antiphonaes, Images, can no more conſiſt with, nor ſtand upright before the Second Commandements preſence, then the Image of Dagon with and before the **1 Sam. 5. 2, 3, 4.1 Sam 5:21 Sam 5:31 Sam 5:4Ark of God, but muſt needs fall down on their faces, and looſe both their heads and feet before it, which it quite cuts off; to prevent which they have totally expunged it out of all their Offices, Primers, Houres, Crownes, Litanies, late Catechiſmes, and other Offices of our Lady, worthy our ſpecial notice.

8ly. Whether the premiſed paſſages concerning their Lady Maries Univerſal Soveraign Power, Monarchy over all Angels, powers, Kingdoms, Nations, Perſons, Churches, Creatures both in Heaven, Earth, Purgatory and Hell, as their real Lady, Queen, Empreſſe, Goddeſſe; with her Prophetical and Sacerdotal Offices of the Advocate, Mediatrix, Reconciliatrix, Redemptrix, Savioureſſe, Helper, Inſtructor, &c. of all Catholicks, Saints, or Sinners, and of all afflicted, diſtreſſed perſons in earth, purgatory, and hell it ſelf, do not very much ecclipſe, impeach, if not ſubvert the Soveraign Kingly power, Prieſthood and Prophetical Offices of Chriſt; and totally overthrow all St. Peters and Popes Claims, Titles, Charters, pretences thereunto, even by their own premiſed Doctrines, reſolutions, and theſe very Texts of Pſal. 110. 1. Mat. 28. 19, 20. Phil. 2. 9, 10. with others, on which they found her temporal Monarchy over the whole Church, world, whiles on earth, and ever ſince her Aſcenſion into Heaven: And if ſo, as the premiſes clearly evidence; Whether they muſt not now in point of conſcience, juſtice, policy, henceforth renounce their Popes pretended Univerſal Eccleſiaſtical and Temporal Monarchy over all Churches, Kingdoms, Nations, Perſons throughout the world; if they will avoid her diſpleaſure, retain her favour, or enjoy the benefit of her Interceſſion, Advocation, Mediation, and Reconciliation; Or elſe abandon her forecited Dominion, Monarchy, and Empire over them, to retain and enjoy the Popes; Or otherwiſe profeſſedly diſclaim and abjure both their pretended Monarchies, Powers, as inconſiſtent with Chriſts Soveraign Regal, Sacerdotal, Prophetical Offices, and the antient Soveraign Eccleſiaſtical and Temporal Prerogatives of all Chriſtian Emperors, Kings, Monarchs, but more eſpecially of our own?

I have the longer inſiſted on theſe particulars, as not only moſt pertinent to ſubvert the Popes pretended Univerſal Monarchy, Vicarſhip, and the very foundations whereon it depends, and as moſt powerfull arguments both to reclaim all ſeduced Pontificians from the Idolatry of the Church of Rome, and keep all unſtable Proteſtants from Apoſtatizing to her; but likewiſe becauſe our two Archbiſhops of Canterbury, p. 64**See his Treatiſe De Excellentia B. Virginis Mariae; & Bernardinus de Buſti, Mariale Pars 10. Sermo 2. ſect. ult. De Gaudiis Mariae.Anſelme and Becket, (canonized for Saints in and by the Popes and Church of Rome) who firſt introduced the Offices, Joyes, publick Invocations of the Virgin Mary into our Engliſh Church, and extolled her Soveraignty, Excellencies above her Sons, were the two firſt grand Trayterous Oppugners, Underminers of our Kings Eccleſiaſtical Soveraignty and Juriſdiction, as well as of Jeſus Chriſts, and firſt Propugners of the Popes Uſurpations; not unworthy obſervation.

I might here ſubjoyn to theſe their Catholick Blaſphemies concerning the Virgin Maries Monarchy, Mediation, Redemption, &c. the like concerning her two grand Chaplains St. Francis and St. Dominick; to whom their followers apply ſundry Scripture Texts peculiar to our Lord Jeſus Chriſt his perſon, Kingly and Prieſtly Offices, in derogation of his Soveraignty, Prieſthood, Advocation, and of the Virgin Maries and Popes too: Witneſſe their aaPag. 4, 5, 6, 13, 14, 17, 24, 66, 78, 144, 149, 247. See Philippus Mornay Hiſt. Papatus, Salmutii 161 1. p. 344, 345. Vincentius Belvacenſis Speculum Hiſt. l. 3. c. 97. Antonini Chron. pars 3. Tit. 24. c. 1, 2, &c. Ribadeniera Fleurs des Vies des Saincts, part 2. p. 281, &c. Bernard. in Roſario, & Vitis Patrum.Conformitatum Sancti Franciſci, (preſented by Bartholomaeus de Piſis to, and ſpecially approved by the General Chapter of the Franciſcans, Aſſiſii 2^o Auguſti 1389. as Liber Aureus, yea by Pope Gregory the 9. Alexander the 5. Nicholas the 3. Benedict the 12. ſince printed and reprinted by publick authority) wherein they aſſert of St. Francis; Ipſe merito dicere poſſet illud, quod cantatur in Evangelio; Omnia mihi tradita ſunt à Patre meo. Ero illi in Patrem, & ipſe erit mihi in Filium. Hic eſt Dei gratia, totus Chriſto conformis: Omnis perfectionis exemplar; In gloria Dei Patris Deificatus: In gloria Sanctorum Deo unitiſſimus. Vnde et praefuit univerſae creaturae, factus unus Spiritus cum Deo. Quem Eccleſia militans ADVOCATUM apud Deum poſſidere meruit. Exiens de vulnere laterale Chriſti, Ieſus typicus paſſione factus, ad ſimilitudinem Ieſu Chriſti crucifixi. In eo paſſio Ieſu Chriſti pro genere humano renovatur. De quo David dixerit; Gloria & honore coronaſti eum, & conſtituiſti ſuper opera manuum tuarum; Datus eſt, in lucem Gentium. Quod propter unam Miſſam beati Franciſci placatus fuerit Deus pro toto mundo. Omnes ſalvantur qui moriuntur in ordine et ſub regula Sancti Franciſci. Et indutio cuculli dat ei plenam peccatorum remiſſionem, tam a poena quam a culpa. In a word, Chriſtus oravit, Franciſcus exoravit. Witneſſe what bbChronica pars 3. Tit. 23. c. 1, 1, 3, 4. Laurentius Surius De Vitis Sanctorum Tom. 14. Theodoricus de Alpodis in Vita ejus, Ribadeniera Fleurs des Vies des Saincts part 2. p. 85, to 96. Philippus Mo…nay Hiſtoria Papatus, p. 346, 347.St. Antoninus Archbiſhop of Florence, Surius, Ribadeniera, and others, ſtory of St. Dominick; Chriſtus poſt mortem dicit, Omnis poteſtas mihi dara eſt in coelo & in terra: Et haec poteſtas non parum communicata eſt Dominico, (therefore not wholly transferred to the Pope or Virgin Mary) coeleſtium, terreſtrium, et inſernorum. Nam Angelos Sanctos in ſuum Ministerium habebat, ad nutum ejus Daemones contremiſcebant, nec imperium ejus recuſare valebant: (for which they produce ſeveral examples) Quia Chriſto ſimilis, à Demino Chriſto aptiſſime denominatus eſt Dominicus. Dominicus namque quaſi totus Domini: Ʋt Christus ſit Dominus abſolutè, & authoritativè, Dominicus autem principaliter & poſſeſſive: Whom as they parallel with Chriſt in many things, ſo they preferre before Chriſt in others, as in the multitude of his miracles, and prevalency of his Prayers and Advocation. Nam Chriſtus cum in horto oravit, Calicem à ſe transferri, non fuit exauditus, &c. Dominicus autem cuidam religioſo viro ſibi familiari inſinuavit; ſe nunquam a Deo aliquid poſtulaſſe, quod ad votum non obtinuerit. That, Chriſtus Dominus dilexit nos, & lavit nos à peccatis noſtris in ſanguine ſuo; but by one ſuffering. Dominicus verò charitatis perfectione non vacans, pro ſalute omnium animam ponere promptus erat: For which end, trinam diſciplinam quaſi de manu propria non cordula, ſed cathena ferrea uſque ad ſanguinis effuſionem▪ capiebat; pro ſuis culpis unam quae minimae erant, pro in purgatorio exiſtentibus aliam, tertiam pro iis qui verſantur in mundo. That at his death, to comfort his ſorrowfull and mourning Diſciples, he uſed the ſame words to, and Prayer for them, as Chriſt did to his Diſciples John 17. promiſing them, In loco ad quem vado utilior vobis ero quam hic: Et poſt mortum ADVOCATUM POTIOREM HABEBITIS, quam in hac vita habere poſſitis: As if he would then prove a better Advocate for them in Heaven, then the Virgin Mary, or Chriſt himſelf: Who both honoured him ſo far, That adfuit in hac hora tranſitus ſui beata Virgo cum Filio; as was revealed to Freer p. 65Guala, then Prior, afterwards Biſhop of Brixia, who ſaw Heaven opened, and two moſt white Ladders let down from thence: Summitatem unius ſcalae tenebat in manu beata Virgo Maria, alterius ſummitatem Filius ejus Jeſus Chriſtus tenebat: Angeli autem diſcurrebant per eas aſcendendo & deſcendendo; at the end of both which Ladders St. Dominick was placed in a Chair faſtned to them; Scalas autem illas ſurſum trahebat Dominus Jeſus cum Matre paulatim, & ducebatur ſurſum ſimul cum illis ſcalis ſedes pariter cum ſedente comitantibus Angelis. Denique receptis in coelum ſcalis & ſede cum ſedente, apertura illa coeli clauſa est, viſuque diſparuit. In brief, they preferre him before St. Paul, and all the Apoſtles; recording, that before his birth there appeared to all the people two Images in the Church of St. Marke at Venice, the one of St. Paul, with this motto under it, Per iſtum itur ad Chriſtum; the other of St. Dominick, with this inſcription, Facilius itur per ipſum; Quia (writes St. Antoninus) Doctrina Pauli ſicut caeterorum Apoſtolorum, erat Doctrina inducens ad fidem & obſervantiam praeceptorum: Doctrina Dominici ad obſervantiam conſiliorum; et ideo facilius per iſtum itur ad Chriſtum: and ſo by his Mediation and Advocation, they may eaſier go and be reconciled to God the Father, then by Chriſts, St. Pauls, or their grand Advocate the Virgin Maries.

I ſhall no longer inſiſt on theſe or any other of their Saints Powers or Advocations, but proceed to the ſecond ſort of eſtabliſhed Doctrines and Practices in the Church of Rome, which directly overthrow the very foundation of St. Peters and the Popes Univerſal Monarchy over the World and Church Militant; to wit, **See Here p. 10, 11. Franciſcus Torrenſis De Summi Pontificis, ſupra Concilia auctoritate, lib. 1. & 2.Chriſts perſonal corporal abſence from his Church, and all Kingdoms, Nations on Earth, during his reſidence at his Fathers right hand in Heaven; which could not be ſupplyed but only by conſtituting St. Peter and Popes his pretended Succeſſors in his Chair at Rome, to ſucceed him in his Supreme Univerſal Monarchy and Prieſthood, as his ſole Viceroyes and Vicars, to inſtruct, feed, comfort, direct, rule them in his ſtead, untill his ſecond coming to Judgement.

This foundation of St. Peters and Popes pretended Univerſal Monarchy, Vicarſhip, as it is directly contradicted, 1. By our Saviours own expreſſe promiſes, made to his Apoſtles, Church, at the very time of his aſcention, when he informed them, **Id est, in Euchariſtia, ſecundum humanam & divinam naturam, writes Petius Caniſius Societat. Jeſu, Summa Doctr. Chriſtianae, De Euchariſt. Sacramento, ſect. 4. p. 153.all power is given to me in heaven and earth; and that with a ſpecial Ecce, Mat. 28. 20. And lo I am with you alwayes, even to the end of the world: And before that time, Mat. 18. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midſt of them: As likewiſe Hebr. 13. 5, 6. For he hath ſaid, ccDeut. 31, 6. 1 Chron. 28, 20. Joſh. 1. 5. Pſal. 56. 4, 11.Deut 31:61 Chr 28:20Josh 1:5Ps 56:4Ps 56:11I will never leave thee nor forſake thee; So that we may boldly ſay, The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man can do unto me. Compared with Pſ. 125. 2. As the mountains are round about Jeruſalem, ſo the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever. Iſa. 43. 2. When thou paſſeſt through the waters I will be with thee, and through the rivers they ſhall not overflow thee; when thou walkeſt through the fire thou ſhalt not be burnt, neither ſhall the flame kindle upon thee. Fear not, for I am with thee. Pſal. 91. 15. He ſhall call upon me, and I will anſwer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him, and honour him. Iſa. 41. 10, 13, 14. Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not diſmayed, for I am thy God; I will ſtrengthen thee, yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteouſneſſe. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, ſaying unto thee, Fear not, I will help thee. Fear not thou worme Jacob, and ye men of Iſrael; I will help thee, ſaith the Lord, and thy redeemer the holy one of Iſrael. Together with Jer. 1. 8, 19. c. 15. 20. c. 30. 11. c. 39. 17, 18. to the ſame effect; Thus experimentally fulfilled after his aſcention into heaven, Acts 18. 9, 10. Then ſpake the Lord unto Paul in the night in a viſion, Be not affraid, but ſpeak and hold not thy peace. For I am with thee, and no man ſhall ſet on thee to hurt thee. 2 Tim 4. 16, 17, 18. At my firſt anſwer no man ſtood with me, but all men forſook me; notwithstanding the Lord ſtood with me, and ſtrengthened me, that by me (not Peter) the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion. And the Lord ſhall deliver me from every evil worke, and will preſerve me to his heavenly kingdome.

2ly. By Chriſts reiterated promiſes to ſend the Holy Ghoſt as a Comforter unto his Apoſtles, Church, Saints, to ſupply his abſence, (not St. Peter, or the Pope) John 14. 16, 17, 26. I will pray the Father, and he ſhall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever: Even the ſpirit of truth, for he dwelleth in you, and ſhall be with you. I will not leave you Orthans, I will come to you; becauſe I live; p. 66ye ſhall live alſo. But the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will ſend in my name, he ſhall teach you all things, &c. John 16. 7, 8. It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will ſend him unto you. And when he is come, he ſhall convince the world of ſin, &c. which promiſes he fulfilled in ſending the Holy Ghost upon them in cloven tongues, immediately after his aſcention; Acts 2. and by ſhedding him on them and us abundantly, through Jeſus Chriſt; Tit. 3. 5, 6. 1 Cor. 12. 4, 5, &c.

3ly. By Chriſts expreſſe proviſion for his Churches, when he aſcended up on high, and gave ſeveral gifts unto all his Apoſtles and others, (not to Peter alone) for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Miniſtry, for the edifying of the body of Chriſt, to wit, his Church; Epheſ. 2. 8, to 17. 1 Cor. 12▪ 4, &c. to 31. All which as they ſubvert this foundation of St. Peters and Popes pretended Monarchy and Vicarſhip. So likewiſe;

4ly. It is directly refuted, diſproved, and totally overturned by the avowed Practiſes, eſtabliſhed, profeſſed Doctrines of the Church and Popes of Rome; to wit, of the breads and wines **Petrus Caniſius Sum. Doctr. Chriſtianae, De Euchariſt. Sacramento, ſect. 4, 5, 6. Sec Here p. 15.real tranſubſtantiation in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, by Hoc eſt corpus meum, &c. uttered by the Prieſt, into the very natural body and blood of Jeſus Chriſt, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified on the Croſſe, aſcended into Heaven, accompanied with his humane ſoul, and actually united to his Deity; his whole body, perſon both as God and Man, being really and ſubſtantially preſent in, and contained under every conſecrated Hoſtia, and each part thereof, and in every drop of the conſecrated wine too on earth; and thereupon adored by them as their Lord God and Saviour, with Latria or divine adoration; whoſe very body is made and continually reſerved by them in all their Churches, **See Benedictio Tabernaculi pro corpore Domini noſtri Jeſu Chriſti in eo condendo: Miſſale parvum pro Sacerdotibus in Anglia itinerantibus, Anno 1624. p. 146.Pixes, under lock and key, carried about in Proceſſions, and to ſick perſons; as their Popes, Councils, Doctors of all ſorts aſſert, and their grand Council of Trent, hath thus Affirmatively and Negatively reſolved in direct words. ddConcilium Tridentinum, Seſſio 13. Decretum de Sanctiſſimo Euchariſtiae Sacramento, Surius Concil. Tom. 4. c. 3, to 5. p. …34, to 937▪ Thomas Waldenſis Doctrin. Fidei, Tom. 2. De Sacramento Euchariſtiae, c. 25. ſect. 2.Semper haec fides in Eccleſia Dei fuit, ſtatim poſt conſecrationem, verum Domini noſtri corpus, verumque ejus ſanguinem, ſub panis et vini ſpecie, una cum ipſius anima et divinitate exiſtere, ſed corpus quidem ſub ſpecie panis, animamque ſub utroque, vi naturalis illius connexionis et concomitantiae, qua partes Chriſti Domini, qui jam ex mortuis reſurrexit non amplius moriturus inter ſe copulantur, divinitatem porro propter admirabilem illam ejus cum corpore et anima hypoſtaticam unionem. Quapropter veriſſimum eſt, tantundem ſub alterutra ſpecie, atque ſub utraque contineri: Totus enim & integer Chriſtus ſub panis ſpecie, & ſub quavis ipſius ſpeciei parte; totus item ſub vini ſpecie & ſub ejus partibus exiſtit.

Quoniam autem Chriſtus Redemptor noſter corpus ſuum, id quod ſub ſpecie panis offerebat, vere eſſe dixit, ideo perſuaſum ſemper in Eccleſia Dei fuit, idque nunc denuo Sancta haec Synodus declarat, per conſecrationem panis et vini converſionem fieri totius ſubſtantiae vini in ſubſtantiam ſanguinis ejus: quae converſio convenienter et proprie a Sancta Catholica Eccleſia tranſubſtantiatio eſt appellata.

Nullus itaque dubitandi locus relinquitur, quin omnes Chriſti fideles pro more in Catholica Eccleſia ſemper recepto latriae cultum, qui vero Deo debetur, huic Sanctiſſimo Sacramento in veneratione adhibeant. Neque enim minus eſt adorandum quod fuerit a Chriſto Domino, ut ſumatur inſtitutum. Nam illum eundem Deum praeſentem in eo adeſſe credimus quem Pater aeternus introducens in orbem terrarum; dicit, Et adorent eum omnes Angeli Dei; quem Magi pro…identes adoraverunt, quem denique in Galilea ab Apoſtolis adoratum fuiſſe Scriptura teſtatur.

Declarat praeterea Sancta Synodus, pie & religioſe admodum in Dei Eccleſiam inductum fuiſſe hunc morem, ut **Co…pus Chriſti day, See Rib… denicia & Surius on that Feviſtal, & others Poſtils thereon.ſingulis annis peculiari quodam et feſto die praecelſum hoc et venerabile Sacramentum ſingulari veneratione ac ſolemnitate celebraretur, utque in proceſſionibus reverenter, et honorifice illud per vias et loca publica circumferretur, &c.

p. 67Conſuetudo aſſervandi in ſacrario Sanctam Euchariſtiam, &c. antiqua eſt. Porro deferri ipſam ſacram Euchariſtiam ad infirmos et in hunc uſum diligenter in Eccleſiis conſervari, praeterquam quod cum ſumma aequitate & ratione conjunctum est, tum multis in Conciliis praeceptum invenitur, & vetuſtiſſimo Catholicae Eccleſiae more eſt obſervatum. Quare Sancta haec Synodus retinendum omnino ſalutarem hunc et neceſſarium morem ſtatuit.

To which they ſubjoyn theſe Canons in the Council of Trent, againſt the Wickleviſts, Huſſites, Lutherans, Proteſtants, and all other diſſenters from them.

**Surius Ibid.Canon 1. Siquis negaverit in Sanctiſſimo Euchariſtiae Sacramento contineri, vere, realiter et ſubſtantialiter corpus et ſanguinem, una cum anima et divinitate Domini noſtri Ieſu Chriſti, ac proinde totum Chriſtum: Sed dixerit tantummodo eſſe in eo, ut in ſigno, vel figura aut virtute, Anathema ſit.

Canon 2. Siquis dixerit, in Sacroſanctae Euchariſtiae Sacramento remanere ſubſtantiam panis et vini, una cum corpore et ſanguine Domini noſtri Ieſu Chriſti, negaverit que mirabilem illam et ſingularem converſionem totius ſubſtantiae panis in corpus, et totius ſubſtantiae vini in ſanguinem, manentibus duntaxat ſpeciebus panis et vini, quam quidem converſionem Catholica Eccleſia aptiſſime Tranſubſtantiationem appellat, Anathema ſit.

Canon 3. Siquis negaverit in venerabili Sacramento Euchariſtiae ſub unaquaque ſpecie, et ſub ſingulis cujuſque ſpeciei partibus ſeparatione facta totum Chriſtum contineri, Anathema ſit.

Canon 4. Siquis dixerit, peracta conſecratione in admirabili Euchariſtiae Sacramento, non eſſe corpus et ſanguinem Domini noſtri Ieſu Chriſti, ſed tantum in uſu dum ſumitur, non autem ante vel poſt, et in hoſtiis ſeu particulis conſecratis, quae poſt communionem reſervantur vel ſuperſunt, non remanere verum corpus Domini, Anathema ſit.

Canon 6. Siquis dixerit, in Sancto Euchariſtiae Sacramento Chriſtum unigenitum Dei filium non eſſe cultu Latriae etiam externo adorandum, atque ideo nec feſtiva peculiari celebritate venerandum, neque in proceſſionibus, ſecundum laudabilem et univerſalem Eccleſiae Sanctae ritum et conſuetudinem ſolenniter circungeſtandum, vel non publice, ut adoretur populo proponendum, et ejus adoratores eſſe idololatras, Anathema ſit.

Canon 7. Siquis dixerit, non licere ſacram Euchariſtiam in ſacrario reſervari, ſed ſtatim poſt conſecrationem aſtantibus neceſſario diſtribuendam, aut non licere, ut illa ad infirmos honorifice deferatur, Anathema ſit.

Theſe Canons and Doctrines of theirs, are confirmed by the generality of all their eeSee Th. Waldenſis Doctrinalis Fidei, Tom. 3. Tit. 4. De Miſſarum Sacr. c. 38. Tom. 2. De Sacramento Euchariſtiae, cap. 21, to 9….Canoniſts and Gloſſers, in Gratian De Conſecratione, Diſtinctio 4. by all their Schoolmen, Divines, and others, in their Treatiſes De Sacramento Euchariſtiae, De Miſſae Sacrificio, & Tranſubſtantiatione; their ffSee the Rhemiſts in their Notes on Acts 1. verſ. 11. & 1 Cor. 10. & 11.Acts 1:111 Cor 10Commentators on the Evangeliſts, Acts, and St. Pauls Epiſtle to the Corinthians, of which there are thouſands; who generally aſſert▪ Verum et totum Chriſti corpus et ſanguis, in vera carne et forma et quantitate, quam de Virgine ſumpſit, et habuit in cruce, ſub ſpecie panis et vini, ubique eſt vere et realiter in quolibet altari ubi conſecratur, vel aſſervatur, tamen non ſubjicitur corporis ſenſibus. Hoſtia conſecrata eſt identice corpus Chriſti, et Deus ſecundum eſſentiam.

From theſe their Roman Catholick premiſes, I ſhall thus argue: If the very natural body and blood of Jeſus Chriſt, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified for us on p. 68the Croſſe, together with his humane ſoul and Deity, be really and ſubſtantially preſent in and under every conſecrated Hoſtia and piece thereof, in every ſacred drop of Wine, and in every Church, Pix, Place throughout the world, where the Elements of Bread and Wine are conſecrated, or Hostiaes reſerved, as their Councils, Schoolmen, Caſuiſts, Canoniſts, Miſſals, and Popes themſelves reſolve; Then St. Peter and Popes neither are nor can be his Vicar-generals in any ſuch Church or Place, becauſe the ſole ground, or chief foundation whereon they found St. Peters and the Popes Ʋniverſal Vicarſhip over the Church Militant on earth, is Chriſt corporal abſence from it in his humane body and nature, upon and ever ſince his aſcention into heaven, as ggSee Baronius An. 34 ſect. 59. See Here p. 15. Hervaeus Brito Quodlibetti Sept. qu. 5. Tho. Waldenſis Doctrinalis Fidei, Tom. 2. De Euchariſtiae Sacram. c. 21, to 95.they acknowledge: But by their own premiſed contradictory Reſolutions, Chriſt himſelf remains alwayes not only ſpiritually, but likewiſe corporally and perſonally preſent on earth in both his Natures, in every conſecrated Hostia, and ſacred drop of Wine, and will be ſo in all their Churches where Hoſtiaes are and muſt be reſerved, till the end of the world; therefore they cannot poſſibly be his Vicars or Succeſſors: For if Chriſts corporal preſence with his Church and Diſciples, but in one place alone at one time, before his aſcention into Heaven, (he being never corporally preſent in two places at the ſelf-ſame time when on earth, as all the hhMat. 15. 21, 29. c. 24. 23. c. 26. 36. c. 28. 6. Mar. 1. …5. c. 6. 46. c. 16. 6. Lu. 2. 4, 6, 15, 31, 36. c. 21. 37, to 52. Joh. 6. 3, 15, 43. c. 11. 28. c. 12. 36.Matt 15:21Matt 15:29Mark 1:5John 6:3John 6:15John 6:43Evangeliſts atteſt, but only in one) did really exclude, totally diſable St. Peter himſelf to be his Vicar-general, becauſe he needed no Vicar whiles himſelf was there corporally reſident: And ſince by the rules of the Canon, Civil, and Common Laws, In praeſentia majoris ceſſat potentia minoris, the Popes or other Biſhops Vicar-generals, and Kings Viceroyes being uſeleſſe, and having no actual Juriſdiction at all as ſuch, when and where Popes, Biſhops, or Kings themſelves are really preſent in proper perſon: Then à multo fortiori, Chriſts perſonal corporal real preſence as aforeſaid, in every Hoſtia, Chalice, Pix, Church, and on every Altar, (eſpecially in Rome, and other great Cities where there are ſo many Hoſtiaes continually conſecrated, reſerved, adored, and carried in Proceſſions) muſt exclude St. Peters and Popes pretended Vicarſhip in every Church, Place throughout the Popes Dominions, and the world, even to Chriſts ſecond coming.

And ſo much the rather, becauſe their iiBernardinus de Buſti, Mariale pars 11. Sermo 1. pars 5. quae dicitur Conſolationis, Michael Lochmair Sermo 76, 77. Gaſper Lao…ite, of the glorious myſterie of the Aſſumption of our Lady, Georgius Bartholdus Pontanus, Aureum Diurnale Concionatorum, Ribadeniera Fleurs des Vies des Saincts and moſt others in their Hiſtories and Poſtils of her Aſſumpnon.Doctors, Writers, Legends aſſure us, that Chriſt in his very humane body, nature, ſince his aſcention, hath ſundry times deſcended from his Fathers right hand in heaven, to his Saints and Church on earth, upon ſeveral occaſions; 1. To viſit his Mother Mary in her ſickneſſe; 2ly. To interre her body, after he had aſcended with her ſoul into heaven; 3ly. At her corporal aſſumption into heaven, ſome 15 or 16 years after his aſcention, (many years before St. Peters death) For, 1. They aſſure us, that her death being predicted by an Angel ſent from heaven, who ſaluted her with ſundry Ave Maries; thereupon, Apoſtoli cum eſſent in diverſis mundi partibus diſperſi, in quibus fidem Chriſti praedicabant, deſiderans illos videre beatiſſima Virgo ante mortem ſuam, affectanſque eos eſſe praeſentes ſacrae dormitioni, & ejus corpori impendere ſepulturam, Dominus noſter Jeſus Chriſtus filius ejus, eos fecit eſſe ante conſpectum Matris ſuae dilectiſſimae. What ſpeeches ſhe made to them, and in what ſort they condoled her death, (Chriſt having left her with them to comfort them and ſupply his abſence) you may read at large in Bernardinus de Buſti; ſhe aſſuring them, Cum filius meus ſemper permanſurus ſit vobiſcum; Mat. 28. 20. Ego. quoque nunquam recedens ab eo vos non deſeram, ſed ad pugnam confortabo, ad filium advocabo. That likewiſe, Jeſus Chriſtus filius ejus eam in infirmitate viſitavit. Ipſe Dominus Jeſus de coelo deſcendit cum Angelicis ordinibus, cum Coetu Patriarcharum, cum Martyrum exercitu, cum Virginum Choro, cum ſocietate confeſſorum, & omnium Sanctorum, qui omnes ipſo Domino incipiente ſubſequentes dulcia cantica circa lectum beatiſſimae Virginis frequentabant, &c. Ipſe enim Dominus Jeſus poſt ſuaviſſima oſcula & dulciſſimos amplexus dixit dulciſſimae matri ſuae illud, Cant. 3. Veni de Libano, &c. Aſcendit autem coelos Dominus noſter Jeſus Christus, cum anima glorioſe ſuae dilectiſſimae matris, cum ineffabili totius curiae coeleſtis jubilatione, et ad dextram Throni ſui in Gloria eam collocavit, &c. After which, 2ly. Ipſe Dominus Jeſus ſicut ſua dilictiſſima mater corpus ejus mortuum ſepelierat: Ita etiam voluit corpus ipſius matris propriis manibus in ſepulchro coaptare, &c. Opus enim miſcricordiae ſepelire mortuos. Ergo ipſe Pater Miſericordiarum Dominus Jeſus matris ſuae ſepulturae, in propria perſona voluit intereſſe. 3ly. How he afterwards deſcended perſonally with all the Angels, to aſſume and carry up her body in triumph into heaven, you have **Here p. 17, 19, 20, 23, 24, 28.formerly heard. Now theſe three deſcents of Chriſt in his p. 69natural body (during St. Peters life) did certainly interrupt or ſuſpend his pretended Vicarſhip. How many ſcores of times he hath corporally deſcended from thence, and viſibly appeared on earth to ſeveral of their Romiſh Canonized Saints, you may read at large in Vincentius his Speculum Hiſtoriale, Jacobus de Voragine, Antonini Chronicon, Hercules Lipomanus, Surius, Capgrave, Ribadeniera, and ſundry others who have written the Legends and Stories of their Lives. Our kkChron. Joannis Bromton, col. 1076, 1078 See St Bernard in vita Malachiae Archiepiſcopi, Giraldus Cambrenſis, Hybernia, &c. Mr. Cambden of Ireland, p. 116. Henr. de Knyghton de Event. Angl. 1. 2. c. 10. col. 2399.Monkiſh Chronicles relate, that Chriſt perſonally appeared to St. Patrick in Ireland, before he was made a Biſhop, dans ſibi textum Evangelii, & baculum unum, qua adhuc manent in patria illa apud ſummū Archiepiſcopum; per quem baculum, ut aiunt, Patricius primus vermes ejecit: After which, Eduxis Dominus Patricium in deſertum locum, ubi foſſam rotundam intrinſecus obſcuram ostendit, (ſince ſtiled Purgatorium Patricii) dicens; Quod ſi veraciter quis poenitens per diem & noctem in illa foſſa manſerit, & fide conſtans per illam tranſierit, videbit tormenta malorum, & gaudia beatorum: After which Chriſt diſappeared. They further aſſert, that Chriſt appeared to llChron. Gervaſii, col. 1401.Thomas Becket Archbiſhop of Canterbury, when he celebrated the Maſſe, and ſaid unto him with an audible voyce; Thomas, Thoma, Eccleſia mea glorificabitur in ſanguine tuo, (twice one after another) & tu verè glorificaberis. That mmHenricus de Knyghton de Event. Angl. l. 2. c. 10. col. 2399, 2432, 2433.Anno Dom. 1188. Jeſus Chriſtus viſibiliter apparuit in nere, Cruce pendens, apud Dunſtapulam in Anglia, videntibus multis: That about the year 1216. Chriſt himſelf in the form of a beautifull Childe appeared to St. Edmund Archbiſhop of Canterbury near Oxford, with this Inſcription in his forehead; Jeſus Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum; ſaluting him with a Salve dilecte mi, miror quod me non agnoſcis, praeſertim cum ad latus tuum in ſcholis, & alibi jugiter aſſiſtam; quod igitur videris in facie meaſcriptum, hoc fronti tuae ſingulis noctibus imprime. I ſhall inſtance only in two foreign particulars of ſpecial Note, omitting all others: The firſt is, Chriſts often appartions to their Seraphical Doctor St. Francis, and ſending a Seraphin to him with a Crucifix, who actually imprinted in his hands, feet, and ſide, the characters of all the wounds which Chriſt ſuffered on the Croſſe, as Antoninus, Bonaventura, Bernardinus de Senis, Ribadeniera, and others atteſt in his life. The ſecond is, his frequent apparitions to, and perſonal familiar almoſt daily converſe with their St. Catharine de Senis, (his moſt beloved Miſtreſſe) whether ſhe were praying, meditating, waking, or ſleeping, ſo that he ſeemed to be almoſt perpetually with her: thus related by nnChron. Antonini pars 3. Tit. 23. c. 14. ſect: 4, to 12. Surius de Vitis Sanctorum, Tom. 2. Ribadeniera Fleurs des Vies des Saincts, part 1. p. 435, to 442.Antoninus Archbiſhop of Florence, and others out of him: That St. Catharine having chaſed away a great company of Devils which aſſaulted her, quaedam magna lux ſupernè totam camerulam ſuam illuſtrans apparuit, ac in luce illa Dominus Ieſus Chriſtus crucifixus, totaliter cruentatus, vocavitque de cruce Virginem, dicens, Catharina, vides, quanta ego paſſus ſum pro te, &c. Et illa victoria habita de inimicis, cepit ſacratiſſimus ſponſus ejus Ieſus familiariter converſari cum ea, ut incredibile videretur. Apparebat igitur ſibi frequentius, Dominus Ieſus, et diutius ſolito cum ea manebat: ducebatque ſecum aliquando beatiſſimam genetricem ſuam, aliquando beatum Dominicum, quandoque Mariam Magdalenam, vel Joannem Evangeliſtam, vel Apostolum Paulum, & alios, ſecumque confabulabatur ſicut amicus cum domeſtico ſuo, et frequenter ſimul Dominus et ipſa dicebant Pſalmos, ambulando per camerulam, ſicut ſolent agere duo Clerici vel religioſi ſuum officium dicentes. Creſcente verò quotidie amplius in ea gratia conditoris, unus dierum Chriſtus ei apparens diſibiliter ſibi eam deſponſavit, adstantibus ibi glorioſiſſima ejus genetrice Maria, ac beatiſſimo Johanne Evangeliſta, Apoſtolo Paulo, ac beato Dominico, & cum his David Propheta Pſalterium in manu geſtante; ac ſuperſuaviſſime modulante. Et tunc Dei genetrix Maria cepit manum extendere ad Filium, poſtulans, ut ipſam Catharinam Virginem dignaretur ſibi deſponſare in fide. Quod annuens Dei filius unigenitus, annulum protulit aureum, habentem in ſuo circulo quatuor margaritas ac adamantem in ſummitate incluſum; quem annulum digito Virginis dextra ſua imponens, ait; Ecce deſponſo te mihi Creatori & Salvatori tuo in fide; remanſitque annulus in digito; non quidem ſecundum viſionem aliorum, ſed tantum ſecundum Virginis viſionem. Poſt diſpenſationem praedictam coepit Dominus eam paulatim ad converſationem humanam trahere, unde & poſtquam ſibi apparebat, ut oſtendiſſet ſibi quaedam arcana, et cum ipſa horas et Pſalmodium p. 70dixiſſet: Subjungebat, vadas quia hora eſt jam prandii, &c. Et ſis cum eis. Et poſtea reverta…is ad me, &c. & ad cellulam revertens, ſponſum ſuum Ieſum imminebat, quem dulcius amplexabatur, & reverentius adorabat. Ex tunc vero cepit, in ea oriri deſiderium ſacrae communionis ſumendae, ut non tantum ſpiritus ejus …niretur ſponſo ſuo, ſed ut corpus ejus (ut it a dixerim) corpori ejus ſocieretur Sacramentaliter. Erat ſatis inter Laicos vulgatum, quod Catharina ista quotidie communicabat, atque ex ſacro abſque alio cibo vitam tranſigebat. Utique verum non crat, non enim quotidie, ſed frequenter Sacramentum ſu…ebat. Senis commoranit Confeſſori ſuo ſignificabat, quod tardaret miſſam ſuam, quia intendebat adeſſe, & communicare; ſed cum nimis tardaret, peracta conſecratione, …um Sacerdos jam pertranſiſſet ad fractionem hoſtiae primam in duas partes, Deo diſpenſante praeter intentionem ejus in tres partes facta eſt diviſio; quarum una in magnitudine quaſi unius fabae aſpectum ejus ſubterfugit. Ista particula, (which the Prieſt could no where find, after much ſearch) was carried by Chriſt himſelf to St. Catharine, who coming late, was praying in the Church far from the Altar, the Prieſt not knowing ſhe was there, her Companions being unwilling ſhe ſhould communicate that morning, ſhe thereupon being lothe to grieve them, recurrit ad benigniſſimum ſponſum ſuum Jeſum, qui ſublatam a Sacerdote particulam ad eam attulit, et eam propriis manibus communicavit. Cum accipere vellet hoſtiam parvulam ſibi porrigendam, ipſa hoſtia diſtans à patina per aliquod ſpacium, per ſe acceſſit ad patinam, vel manum celebrantis divinitus mota, quam e… tradidit. Pluries etiam Sacerdote celebrante, vidit in hoſtia conſecrata puerum Ieſum, eliquando etiam ſub diverſis formis oſtendentibus magnitudinem Sacramenti. After which Chriſt appeared to her with a glorious Crown of Gold in his right hand, and a Crown of Thornes in his left, and proffering her which of them ſhe would chuſe; ſhe electing the Crown of Thornes in this life, to receive the Crown of Gold in the next, ſhe thereupon ſet it on her bead with ſuch violence, that it pricked and put her to great torment: Yea Chriſt himſelf at another time, actually imprinted the wounds of his body, on her body, in this manner, as ſhe related to her Confeſſor. Dominum meum vidi crucifixum ſuper me magno cum lumine deſcendentem. Tunc ex ſacratiſſimorum ſuorum cicatricibus vnlnerum quinque in me vidi radios ſanguineos deſcendere, qui ad manus, ad pedes & cor …ei tendebant corpuſculi, ad latus …inistrum; which put her to ſuch intollerable pain in all the five places, eſpecially at her heart, that ſhe ſwouned and was like to dye; being thus united to Chriſt in his paſſion on earth, which ſhe could not be in heaven, the prints thereof remaining in her body. Not long after, ooIbid. Sect. 10. f. 182.Gum ſemel ferventius Dominum oraſſet, ut auferret ſibi proprium cor, daret que ſibi cor ſecundum ipſum: videbatur ſibi, quod adveniens Dominus latus ejus ſiniſtrum aperuit, & cor ejus auferret & abſconderet, ſicque ſine corde remaneret: Poſtque una dierum in Capella Eccleſiae praedicatorum Senis, circumfulſit eam lux de coelis; & in luce apparuit Dominus ejus, habens in manibus cor rubicundum & lucidum; ad cujus aſpectum in terras cecidit, et appropinquans Dominus, aperuit latus ejus ſiniſtrum intromittens cor iſtud, & dicens; Ecce filia ſicut poſtulaſti pridie abſtuli tibi cor tuum, & dedi tibi cormeum, quo ſemper vivas; clauſitque latus & abſceſſit: & pro miraculi ſigno, remanſit in ipſo loco cicatrix obducta, ut aſſeruerunt ſociae, quae pluries hoc viderunt. Poſt hanc cordis immutationem, (and exchange of her heart for Chriſts heart) dictbat Confeſſori ſuo, tantum gaudium tantamque jubilationem poſſidere mentem ſuam, quod grandis erat admiratio qualiter omnia poſſent in corpore remanere, tantumque ardorem eſſet in corde ſuo, quod iſte ignis materialis videretur reſpectu ejus potius refrigerans quam urens, & magis frigidus quam accenſus. Altera vice apparuit ei Rex Regum cum coeli Regina matre ſua, & Maria Magdalena, dicens, Ecce filia Chriſtiana pro ampliori ſolatio tuo trado tibi Mariam Magdalenam in matrem, ut poſſis ad eam cum omni fiducia recurrere, tuique curam ſpiritualem ſibi committo. All theſe particulars (with others of this kind) are recorded for undoubted truths by Antoninus Archbiſhop of Florence, canonized for a Ron an Saint, by Laurentius Surius, with others; and laſt of all by Ribadeniera the Jeſuit in her Life, in his Fleurs des Vies des Saincts, thus ſpecially approved by the Doctors of Theology at Paris, in the French Tranſlation of him by Rene Gaulier Ang…vin, the laſt day of November 1608. In les Fleurs des Vies des Saincts, A Paris 1637. …v… Approbation des Decteurs; who atteſt in their Approbation thereof, p. 71au quel n'avons rien trouve que ne ſoit conforme à la Foy de l'Egliſe Catholique, Apoſtolique & Romaine: Et pourtant l'avons juge tres-utile & neceſſaire pur eſtre mis in lumiere; yea thought worthy to be dedicated, A le Royne mere du Roy.

Now if this be agreeable to the Faith of the Roman Catholick Church, that Chriſt ſo familiarly, frequently, and almoſt continually converſed with this their famous Canonized St. Catharine, for 20. years ſpace or more together, in his bodily and natural preſence on earth, imprinted the five wounds of his own body on hers, ſhewed himſelf corporally and viſibly preſent oft times to her, when the Prieſt lifted up the conſecrated Hoſtia, once actually delivered the Euchariſt to her with his own hands, thus ſolemnly eſpouſed her to himſelf, and exchanged his own heart for hers, not in imagination only but reality; How Popes who lived in that age, could be his real Vicar-generals, to ſupply his corporal or perſonal abſence upon earth, being ſo viſibly preſent and reſident even at Senis and Rome it ſelf, where ſhe frequently was, let them reſolve their judicious Proſelytes when they are able.

I ſhall further adde to this, that Paſchatius Ratbertus, (one of the firſt profeſſed aſſerters of Tranſubſtantiation, and Chriſts corporal preſence in the Euchariſt) with ſundry of their Legends, Monkiſh Hiſtorians, Schoolmen, Canoniſts and Caſuiſts aſſure us, that as this St. Catharine did frequently ſee Chriſt himſelf, appearing to her in the ſhape of a petty Infant in the conſecrated Hoſtia, ſo he hath likewiſe ſeveral times viſibly, really, and miraculouſly appeared therein to ſeveral of their Saints, Prieſts, and others; ſometimes in the forme of a little Infant, ſometimes of a Lambe, other times in forme of raw fleſh; and frequently in drops of blood iſſuing out of the Hoſtia. I ſhall recite Paſchatius his words and inſtance to this effect at large, being the firſt of this kind, I have yet obſerved. ppPaſchatius Rathertus De corpore & ſanguine Domini, cap. 14. Bibl. Patrum, Coloniae Agripinae, Tom. 9. pars 1. p. 131.Nemo enim qui Sanctorum vitas & exempla l…gerit, poteſt ignorare, quod ſaepe haec myſtica corporis et ſanguinis Sacramenta, aut propter dubios, aut certe propter ardentius amantes, Chriſtum viſibili ſpecie in agni forma, aut carnis et ſanguinis colore monſirata ſint; quatenus de ſe Chriſtus clementer adhuc non credentibus fidem faceret, ita ut dum oblata frangitur vel offertur hoſtia, videretur agnus in manibus, et cruor in calice, quaſi ex immolatione profluere, ut quod latebat in myſterio, pateſceret adhuc dubitantibus in miraculo. Fecit enim hoc pietas divina quibuſdam jam credentibus, & tamen adhuc dubitantibus, ut & ipſi fiduciam de veritate perciperent, et aliide miraculo ad fidem ſolidarentur, & de Chriſti gratia per eandem fidem uberius partisiparentur. Nam quae verit as re promiſit, ſine aſpectu credenda ſunt. Sed quia duri corde ſumus, voluit divina manſuetudo in quibuſdam omnibus ſatisfacere, ut ulterius de his …am nemo dubitet. Porro quod ſi nec ostenſa creduntur, nec ea quae veritas teſtatur ex fide communicantur, quaer at quilibet ob ſatisfactionem ſui quid expectet, quoniam nihil extra veritatem est; et quicquid veritas habet hoc oſtenſio per ſpeciem quando placuerit repraeſentat. Unde credere oportet, quod et haec oportuniſſime oſtenſa ſint, et nihil dubitare de iis quae veritas repromittit; quia quiſquis extra veritatem aliquid quaerit, non niſi falſitatem invenit, & ſemetipſum (ſi ea quae à Chriſto dicta ſunt nonreceperit) extra veritatem ſ…cludit. Quod autem dixi ſaepe quibuſdam ardentius Chriſtum amantibus haec praemonſtrata fuiſſe, unum à pluribus pandam. Nam quidam Presbyter fuit Religioſus valde **Plegils v. Codex.Plegiles nomine, frequenter Miſſarum ſolennia celebrans ad corpus Sancti Nini Epiſcopi & Confeſſoris, qui cum digno moderamine Sanctam Chriſto propitio duceret vitam, coepit omnipotentem Deum piis pulſare precibus, ut ſibi monſtraret naturam corporis Chriſti atque ſanguinis. Itaque non ex infidelitate, ut aſſolet, ſed ex pietate mentis iſta petivit. Fuerat enim à puero divinis legibus imbutus, & propter amorem ſuperni Regis olim patriae fines & dulcia liquerat arva, ut Chriſti myſteria exul ſedule diſcer…t. Idcirco ejus amore mag is ſuccenſus, quotidie precioſa munera offerens poſcebat ſibi praemonſtrari, quae foret ſpecies latitans ſub forma panis & vini. Non quia de corpore Chriſti dubius eſſet, ſed quia vel ſic Chriſtum cernere vellet, quem nemo mortalium jam ſuper aſtra levatum, in terris **paſſim.paſſum, conſpicere poteſt. Venerat ergo dies, **ut.& idem celebrans pie ſolennia Miſſarum more ſolito procubuit genibus; Te deprecor, inquit, omnipotens pande mihi exiguo in hoc myſterio naturam corporis Chriſti, ut mihi liceat eum proſpicere praeſentem corporeo viſu, & formam pueri, quem olim ſinus matris tulit vagientem, nunc manibus contrectare. Qui dum talia precaretur, Angelus de coelo adveniens affatur; Surge, inquit, propera, p. 72& ſi Chriſtum videre placet, adeſt praeſens corporeo veſtitus amictu, quem ſacra puerpera geſſit. Tum venerabilis Presbyter pavidus, ab imo vultum erigens, vidit ſuper aram Patris filium puerum, quem Simeon infantem portare ſuis ulnis promeruerat. Cui Angelus inquit, quia Chriſtum videre placuit, quem prius ſub ſpecie panis verbis myſticis ſacrare ſolebas, nunc oculis conſpice, manibus attrecta. Tum Sacerdos coeleſti munere fretus, quod dictu mirum est, ulnis trementibus puerum accepit, et pectus proprium Chriſti pectori junxit. Deinde profuſus in amplexum dat oſcula Deo, et ſuis labiis preſſit pia labia Chriſti. Quibus ita exactis, praeclara Dei membra reſtituit in verticem altaris et replevit coeleſti pabulo Chriſti menſam. Tunc rurſus homo proſtratus deprecatus eſt Deum, ut dignaretur ipſe iterum verti in priſtinam ſpeciem. Qui expleta oratione ſurgens à terra, invenit corpus Chriſti in formam remeaſſe Priorem, uti deprecatus fuerat. Et mira omnipotentis Dei diſpenſatio, qui ob unius deſiderium, ita ſe praebere dignatus eſt viſibilem, non in figura Agni, ut aliis quibuſdam ſub hoc myſterio, ſed in forma pueri, quatenus et veritas pateſceret in oſtenſo, et Sacerdotis deſiderium impleretur ex miraculo, noſtraque fides firmaretur ex relatu. Veruntamen non prius idem communicaſſe pueri corpus et ſanguinem legitur, quam rediret in prioris formae ſpeciem: Ne abſurdum videretur quod praeſumpſerat, & fides uberius requiratur interius in …odem, quod exterius viſu conſpexerat. Hoc interim dixiſſe ſufficiat de oſtenſione carnis Chriſti pro aſſertione veritatis; although this Miracle was ſeen only by this Prieſt himſelf, and no other ſpectators.

Our famous Hiſtorian qqDe Geſtis Regum Angl. l. 3. p. 114, 115. See Bp. Uſhers Anſwer to the Jeſuits Challenge, p. 70, 71.Willielmus Malmesburienſis, relating this Miracle out of Paſchatius, Presbyterum Plegildum, viſibiliter ſpeciem pueri in altare contractaſſe, & poſt libata oſcula in panis ſimilitudinem converſum Ecclefiaſtico more ſumpſiſſe; addes, quod arroganti cavillatione ferunt Berengarium, ſic carpere ſolitum; ſpecioſa certè pax Nebulonis, ut cui oris praebuerat baſium, dentium inferret exitium; quaele de puſione Judaico, quod in Eccleſiam cum coaequaevo Chriſtiano fortè & ludibunde ingreſſus, **Which occaſioned the Pagans forgery, that the Primitive Chriſtians did in their Feaſts kill and cat an Infant covered with paſt, and divide him amongſt them, &c. Minucius Felix Octavius, Epiphanius Haer: 26. See Biſhop Mortons Inſtitution of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, Book 5. ch. 10. ſect. 12.vidit puerum in ara membratim diſcerpi et viritim populo dividi. Id cum innocentia puerili parentibus pro vero aſſereret, in rogum detruſum, ubi occluſo oſtio aeſtuabat incendium, multis poſtea horis, ſine jactura corporis, exuviarum que & etiam crinium à Chriſtianis extractum. Interrogatuſque quomodo voraces ignium globos evaſerit, reſpondit; Illa pulchra foemina, quam vidi ſedere in cathedra, cujus filius populo dividebatur, ſemper mihi in camino aſtitit ad dextram, (not Chriſt the little divided Infant) flammine as minas & fumea volumina peplo ſuo ſummovens: A Miracle calculated more for Maries honour, then Chriſts her Son. To theſe miraculous apparitions of Chriſt himſelf in the forme of a little Childe in the Hoſtia, the Popiſh Patrons of Tranſubſtantiation have added ſundry other Miracles out of forged Authors and Saints Legends; Tho. Bozius De Signis Eccleſiae, l. 14. c. 7. Coccius De Theſ. Catholico, l. 6. De Euchariſtia, Mr. Brerely Tract. 4. l. 3. Bellarmine of the Sacrifice of the Maſſe, De Euchariſtia, l. 3. c. 8. Baronius Anno 1059. nu. 20. Anno 1091. nu. 20, 21. Mr. Mallon the Jeſuit in his Reply, (to omit others) relate 12. more Miracles, collected by Biſhop Morton in his Inſtitution of the Lords Supper, Book 4. ch. 2. ſect. 1, 2, 3. One to an antient Eremite, Anno 400. out of Simeon Metaphrastcs; another in the Kings Chapple at Paris, Anno 1258. wherein Chriſt appeared in the Hoſtia in forme of a little Infant; as they ſay he did to rrCrantzii Metrop. Saxoniae, l. 1. c. 9. Hiſt. Sax. l. 2. c. 23. Spondanus Epit. Baroni… An. 785. nu. 3. p. 764.Wintichindus, a Pagan Saxon Prince, converted to the Faith eo maximè miraculo, quod in communione Paſchali vidiſſet ſacratiſſimam Euchariſtiam ab omnibus ſum… forma pulcherrimi pueri; in which form he frequently appeared to ſſRibadeniera in her life, Here p. 70.St. Catharine of Senis, when ſhe communicated, (which two laſt examples Bozius and Coccius have omitted.) The other Miracles are only his apparitions in forme of a Lambe, ttJoan. Diaconus, Vita Gregorii 1. l. 2. c. 41. Surius Tom. 4. p. 257. Henr. de Knyghton de Event. Angl. l. 1. c. 5. col. 26 51finger, raw fleſh, or drops of real blood iſſuing out of the Hoſtia, or the appearance of blood in the Chalice. Whereunto I ſhall adde what uuDe Vita & Miraculis Edwardi Confeſ. ſoris, col. 389.our Ailredus Abbas Rievallis, and the xxChronicle, col: 949.Chronicle of Bromton record, that King Edward the Confeſſor, and Leofric Earl of Cheſter, being in St. Peters Church of Weſtminſter at Maſſe; Agitur in altari coeleſte myſterium, manibus Sacerdotis divina Sacramenta tractantur. Et ecce ſpecioſus ille forma prae filiis hominum Chriſtus Jeſus in ara conſiſtens, oculis utriuſque viſibiliter p. 73corporalibus apparuit; who, in elevntione corporis Chriſti Sacramentum illud, a forma panis in formam unius pueri aperte viderunt tranſmutari: Puero dextra elevata primo Regem, poſtea Comitem benedicente; So Bromton. Sacraque dextera ſuper Regem extenſa, ſignum Sanctae Crucis eum benedicendo impinxit. At Rex dimiſſo capite, divinae adorabat praeſentiam Majeſtatis, humiliatoque corpore tantae benedictioni reverentiam exhibebat. Comes itaque hoc viſo, verſus Regem continuò ſe vergebat, ut illam ſanctam viſionem illum faceret intueri. Cui ſtatim Rex ait, Domine Comes, quod tu vides, Dei miſericordia cooperante video, et ego, et Ieſum Chriſtum Salvatorem meum in forma humana viſibiliter adoro, cujus nomen ſit benedictum in infinita ſecula, Amen. Inde ad preces lacrymaſque converſi, inebriantur ab ubertate domus Dei. Poſt finem officii conferunt de coeleſti viſione ſermonem, ſuſpiriiſque crebro ſermonem interrumpentibus. Te nunc, ait Rex, Leofrice, per ejus quem vidimus majeſtatem obteſtor, ne quoad uſque vixerimus ſermo proferatur in publicum, ne vel nos in perniciem noſtram ob favorem vulgi pulfet elatio, vel fidem deroget dictis infidelium aemulatio. This Earl notwithſtanding, divina ut creditur inſpiratione edoctus, it a Domini ſui ſervavit imperium, ut tantae virtutis ſublimit as poſteros non lateret; revealing it in his Confeſſion to a certain religious Monk of Worceſter, rogans ut literis tradat tantae viſionis arcanum, which was kept ſecret till long after the Kings death, and then read by the Freers in the ears of all the people. Ita quod Rex voluit eſſe caelatum. Dei eſt providentia propalatum, ut & Regis humilitas probaretur, et nichilominus prodito miraculo fides credentium confirmaretur. Our ccSee here, p. 266. Fox Acts and Monum. Vol. 1. p. 328.Chronicles likewiſe ſtory of Peter the Hermit, (executed by King John for a falſe Prophet and Traytor) That Chriſt had twice appeared to him in ſhape of a childe between the Prieſts hands, once at York, another time at Pomfret, and that he had breathed on him thrice, crying, Peace, Peace, Peace; teaching him many things, which he anon after declared to the Biſhops. Therefore he was not only viſible, but acting and ſpeaking too in this ſhape in theſe Hoſtia's, if we believe theſe three domeſtick Miracles. Moreover, ddDe Event. Angl. l. 5. col. 2651.Henry de Knyghton ſtories, that in the year 1382. Cornelius Clonne, a Knight, (and diſciple of Wickliff,) who would by no means believe the conſecrated bread to be Chriſts very body, hearing Maſſe in the Chappel of the Freers Predicants in London, in fractione hoſtiae reſpexit, et vidit oculo ſuo corporali in manibus fratris celebrantis veram carnem crudam et ſanguinolentam diviſam in tres partes. Admirans vero & ſtupefactus, vocavit Armigerum ſuum ut ipſe videret, qui tamen nichil vidit niſi ſicut prius ſolebat. Miles vero in tertia particula ſimiliter quae in calicem mitti debuit, vidit eundem colorem albedinis quae prius erat, ſed tamen vidit in medio ejuſdem particulae hoc nomen Jheſus, ſcriptum **Drawn perchance before with red letters, like that cheat in Hoſpinian; Hiſt. Sacram. l. 4. c. 12.literis carneis crudis et ſanguineis, quod admirabile erat aſpectu. Et in crastino in feſto Sanctae Trinitatis idem frater praedicans in Cruce ſancti Pauli, pronunciavit iſtud toti populo, & in fine Sermonis idem Miles ibidem praeſens narravit oretenus totum proceſſum publicè & apertè ad confirmationem fidei noſtrae: Et promiſit ſe ibi pugnaturum & moriturum in cauſa ista, quod in Sacramento Altaris eſt verum corpus Chriſti, & non panis materialis ſolum, ut ipſemet prius credidit. Yea eeSee Fox Acts and Monum. Vol. 1. p. 195: & 2 p. 446.Osberne a Monk of Canterbury, in the life of Archbiſhop Odo relates; That certain Clerks then maintaining that the bread and wine after their conſecration remained in their former ſubstance, and were not tranſubſtantiated into the very body and bloud of Chriſt; a ſpecial Miracle was then wrought for their converſion, by blood dropping out of the Hoſt, as Odo was breaking it over the Chalice; at the ſight whereof Odo himſelf wept for joy, and thoſe Clergymen which before believed not Tranſubstantiation, were converted, and bleſſed the Archbp. that ever he was born. By theſe & **See Rod. Hoſpin. Hiſt. Sacram. l: 4. c. 12.other lying Miracles they endeavour to prove the truth of Chriſts bodily preſence in the Hoſtia; Th. Bozius concluding ggBozius De Sign. Eccleſ: l. 14.ſupremus locus detur miraculis, velut teſtimonium ipſius Dei, Which Miracles ſhewed by God, do forcibly confirm the ſame, adds hhHis Book of the Liturgy of the Maſs, p. 188 & 389.Mr. Brerely: and iiIn his Reply; Epiſt. to the Reader.Mr. Mallon the Jeſuit ſtiles them, Miraculous demonstrations in confirmation of the Catholick cauſe; much like the kkBozius de Sigh. Eccleſ. l. c. 7.Sir 50Mules adoration of the Hoſtia in the Hoſpital of Drochora in the Kingdom of Valentia, An. 1239. and of Bovibile his ſick Mules refuſing his provender p. 743. days ſpace, and the falling down on his knees to the Hoſtia brought to him by St. Anthony of Padua in ſolemn proceſſion, thereby to convert the Maſter from his Hereſie, in not beleeving the Hoſtia to be Chriſts natural body; which miracle was for the great conſolation and edification of the Catholicks, though it wouldRibadeniera in the Life of St. Anthony, Fleurs des Vies des Saincts part 1. p. 563. not convert Bovibile himſelf, who had not ſo much underſtanding as his Mule to acknowledge and adore his Maker in the Hoſtia, as ⁱ Ribadeniera ſtories in the life of of St. Anthony of Padua; on the high Altar of whoſe Church the Mule is yet engraven adoring the Hostia, to confirm them in the faith of Tranſubſtantiation, and Adoration of the Hoſt. But whatever ſome Catholick Doctors aſſert of the reality of theſe miraculous tranſubſtantiations; yet kk3 Parte, qu, 76. Art. 8.Tho. Aquinas, yea llTom 3. Diſp. 15. Sect: 2. & m. 3. Thom qu. 76. A…tic. 8. diſp. 193 c: ….Vaſquez, and mmRichardus de Media Villa in 4. Sent. Diſt. 10. & Scotus Ibid. Summa Angelica Euchariſtia 8. nu. 34.Becanus, two Jeſuites, but eſpecially Franciſcus Collius Profeſſor of Divinity at Millain, De Sanguine Chriſto Miraculoſo, printed cum Privilegio Anno 1617. with others, repute all or moſt of theſe Apparitions and Miracles; Firſt, not to be the true body, fleſh, or blood of Christ, and at moſt but only a colour or ſigne thereof: 1.nnOperum. Mog…ntiae 1635. Tom. 2. Opuſcul. 17. De Triplici Sacrificio. Appendix. An Chriſtus aliquando appareat in Sacrificio Miſſae ſub …o…ma carnis aut ſanguinis? Becauſe they had not the lineaments, ſhape and proportion of Chriſts bodie crucified on the Croſſe. 2. Becauſe he cannot appear in his proper forme in two places at once. 3ly. Becauſe it were hainous wickedneſſe to incloſe him in a Pix appearing in his own form. 4ly. Becauſe blood cannot now be ſhed out of his glorified bodie. 5ly. The ſhedding of his blood out of his bodie and veins was only on the croſſe▪ 6ly. No part of his fleſh can be reſerved out of his body without great undecencie. Secondly, That they proceeded only from a vehement imagination, or a melancholy, weak or crazie fantaſie or apprehenſion, eſpecially when ſeen only by one or two perſons, not by all others preſent. Thirdly, That they were only ex parte videntium tantum, & non ex parte Euchariſtiae. Fourthly, That hujuſmodi apparitiones ſolent fieri per illuſionem Daemonum; whereupon Becanus cautions, Qualibet talis apparitio diligenter examinanda eſt. Maxime autem ſuſpecta eſſe debet apparitio quae fit mulierculis; wherefore he and their wiſeſt Doctors wave all theſe apparitions of Chriſt in the form of fleſh and blood in the Euchariſt, as Res incerta, de qua nihil affirmare auſim; Yea moſt **Rod. Hoſpin. Hiſt. Sacram. l. 4. c. 12.Proteſtants deem them meer figments, Impoſtures, or impious frauds of their Prieſts, to delude the vulgar. As for Alexander Alenſis, Gabriel, Palacius, Bozius, Coccius, Breerly, Mallon, and others, who repute them reall Miracles and apparitions of Chriſts natural body, fleſh, and blood; I leave them to conſider how little they advance the reputation of their Doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation, only ſhewing the unconſcionableneſſe of their Diſputers, (as ooInſtitution of the Lords Supper, Book 4. ch. 2.Biſhop Morton largely proves) in requiring faith of others to beleeve ſuch and ſuch apparitions of Chriſt and his blood, which they themſelves by their own Reaſons, Contradictions and Concluſions have made incredible. To pretermit ††See Will. à▪ Gent. lib. Mirac. in Sacra Euchariſtia. Vincent. Spec. Hiſt. l. 30. c. 37. Efford. c. 92. Rod. Hoſpin. Hiſt. Sacram. l. 4. c. 12.other pretended miracles and apparitions as aforeſaid in the Euchariſt.

ppYpodigma Neuſtriae Ann. 1215. p. 55.Tho. Walſingham from the teſtimonie of William de Bonvil an Engliſh Knight, relates this Miracle, that Otho Imperator dyſenteriae morbo laborans, cum inſtante morte viaticum recipere non auderet (quia nihil retinere poterit) tamen corpus Chriſti ad instantiam ejus, ut illud videret, allatum humiliter adoravit, & cum quaſi amplexaturus brachiis expanſis, nudatò corpore appropinquaret, hoſtia illa in loco illo ubi cor latuit facta apertura intravit, proſiliens de manibus Sacerdotis, et abſque omni cicatricis veſtigio recluſus eſt; ſic que recumbens ſpiritum reddidit, (this miraculous Hoſtia leaping ſo nimbly out of the Prieſts hands, paſſing through Otho his ribbs into his beart, being no other but Chriſt himſelf, as they reputed, who came into his diſciples after his reſurrection, the doors being ſhut, Jo. 20. 19. 26.)

Our qqChron. Johan. Bromton, 2035. Henr. de Knyghton de Eventibus Angliae, l. 6. c. 10. col. 2388. Ranulphus Ceſtrenſis, Polychron. l 7 c. 29.Hiſtorians likewiſe record of Hugo de Sancto Victore, Prior of St. Victors near Paris, Quod cum in extrema infirmitate laboraret, & nullum cibum retinere poſſet, corpus tamen Dominicum ſibi dari inſtanter poſtulavit, quod cum propter jugem vomitum non poſſet euchariſtiam retinere, & hac de cauſa fratres ei verum Sacramentum afferre noluiſſent, rogavit eos ut ſaltem Sacramentum ſuper ejus latus poneretur. Quo facto latus infirmi aperuit, & hoſtia corpori ſe immiſit. Others write, that Ille Euchariſtiam conſecratam videns, ſed retinere non valens, erectis manibus ait, Aſcendit filius ad Patrem, & Spiritus ad Deum qui creavit illum: & ſtatim expiravit, & corpus Domini diſparuit; as they rrChronicon Johan. Bromton, col 1023. Genvaſius Actus Pontif. Cant. 1664.ſtorie that it did in the day of King Stephens Coronation, cum Rex communionem corporis Chriſti eſſet percepturus, Euchariſtia inter manum Archiepiſcopi & os Regis ſubito elapſa, diſparuit: as his true and perfect bodie, after his reſurrection, and before his aſcention, vaniſhed out of the two diſciples ſight, Luk. 24. 31.

p. 75Theſe forged Miracles to ſupport their Doctrin of Chriſts corporal perſonal preſence in his natural bodie and bloud in their conſecrated Hoſts, Chalices by way of Tranſubſtantiation as aforeſaid, (which hath really tranſubſtantiated many hundreds of orthodox Chriſtians bodies into aſhes, burnt as Hereticks for not believing it) ſeconded with their adoration of the Hostia in their Elevations, Proceſſions, Pixes, Altars, (eſpecially on the Feaſt of **See Ribadeniera Fleurs des Vies des Saints on this FeſtivalCorpus Chriſti) as they no wayes prove what they affirm, ſo they totally overturn the foundation of St. Peters and their Popes Univerſal Monarchie and Vicarſhip, as I have evidenced; Let all Romaniſts therefore henceforth take their choice, either to renounce St. Peters and the Popes pretences, claims thereto; or elſe to abjure their Trent Popes, Councils, Doctors, Churches Canons, Articles touching the Euchariſts Tranſubſtantiation, reſervation, adoration, ſubverſive of and inconſiſtent therewith; And that upon theſe further grounds, diſcovering its falſity, vanity; which I ſhall but briefly touch.

Firſt, It is directly contrary to many expreſſe Scriptures, to ſome Articles of the Chriſtian faith, and to the Nature and properties of Chriſts human body. 2ly. It is accompanied with manifold abſurdities, contradictions, impoſſibilities, and apparent untruths, which aaSee Biſhop Morton his Inſtitution of the Lords Supper, p. 291, to 30…. 230, 240, 241, 255, 256, &c. Archbp. Cranmer, Bp. Jewel, Dr. Hoyle, Mr. Gataker, Dr. White, Peter Moulin, Chemnitius Examen. Concil. Trid. pars 2. Rod. Hoſpinianus, Hiſt. Sacrament. and ſundry Treatiſes againſt Tranſubſtantiation.others have at large demonſtrated, and I ſhall not inſiſt on. 3ly. It is contrary to the verdict, evidence, teſtimonie of our ſences, both of ſeeing, feeling, tasting (if not of ſmelling too) which God, yea Chriſt himſelf have made, reſolved to be not only competent, but bbSenſus non fallitur circa proprium objectum, Bellarmin. l. 3. De Euchariſtiae, c. 24.infallible Judges of the truth and real preſence of Chriſts human body, yea ground of the truth of the very Articles of our Faith, concerning his Nativity, Paſſion, Burial, Reſurrection and Aſcenſion into heaven, as theſe ſignal Texts aſſure us, 1 John 1. 1, 2, 3. Mat. 24. 20. c. 13. 17. c. 28. 10. Rev. 1. 7. John 19. 37. Lu. 1. 1, 2, 4. c. 2. 10, 11, 12, 16, 17. 27, 28, 30. c. 23. 47, 48, 55, 56. c. 24. 3, 12, to 36, 38, 39, 40, 50, 51, 52. John 20. 14, to 30. 1 Cor. 15. 5, 6, 7, 8. Acts 1. 3, 4, 9, 10, 11. c. 7. 57. c. 13. 31. And St. Peter himſelf an eye witneſſe of them frequently avers, Act. 2. 22, 32. c. 3. 15. c. 5. 31, 32. c. 10. 38, to 42. 2 Pet. 1. 16, 17, 18. 4ly. Whereas the Romaniſts as their laſt and beſt refuge, pretend their Tranſubſtantiation to be a Miracle; it is ſo farre from a miracle, that it is directly contrary to the nature, properties of every real miracle wrought by any perſon in the Old, or by Chriſt or his Apoſtles in the new Teſtament; and that in theſe reſpects; which becauſe others have not fully preſſed, I ſhall moſt inſiſt on. 1. All miracles are ever ſo viſible, apparent, conſpicuous to the eyes and ſenſes of all thoſe in whoſe preſence they were wrought, that they leave no place for any ambiguity or diſpute, carrying a ſelf-conviction with them beyond contradiction, being therefore uſually ſtiled in the Scripture, ccExod. 10. 1, 2. Num 14. 11. Deut. 4. 34. c. 6. 22. c. 7. 19. c. 26. 8. c. 29, 31. c. 34, 11. Joſh. 24, 17. Neh. 9, 10. Pſ. 78. 43 Pſ. 105. 27. Mat. 12. 38, 39 Rom. 15. 19. Mar. 12 17, 20. Joh. 20. 30 Act. 4. 30. c. 5. 42. 1 Cor. 12. 12. Heb. 2. 4. See Joannis Scapulae Lexicon col. 623, 624, 1455, 1456.Exod 10:1Exod 10:2Num 14:11Deut 4:34Josh 24:17Neh 9:10Ps 78:43Ps 105:27Matt 12:38Matt 12:39Rom 15:19Mark 12:17Mark 12:20John 20:30Acts 4:301 Cor 12:12Heb 2:4foreign, or foreign, in Greek; in Latin, Signa; which we Engliſh, Signs; becauſe they are alwayes viſible to mens eyes, like Merchant Marks, or Seals upon their Wares; like ddJer. 10. 2. Dan. 6. 27. Jer. 7. 11. Act. 2. 19. Pſ. 74. 4.Jer 10:2Dan 6:27Jer 7:11Acts 2:19Ps 74:4Comets or ſigns in heaven, Beacons upon a hill; ^e enſigns of ſouldiers ſet up in a field; or as Signs hung up at Innes, Taverns, Shops; or elſe foreign, &c. which we tranſlate Spectaculum in Latine, in Engliſh a ſpectacle, or publike ſhew, from foreign, ſpectatio, or foreign, ſpectare cum admiratione, to behold a thing with admiration, as we uſe to behold a Comet, new blaſing Starr, or any ſtrange, unuſual ſpectacle, or glorious ſight, or monstrous creature; an inviſible Miracle, not apparent to mens eyes, ſenſes, being a direct contradiction both to the Nature and property of a miracle, as theſe direct Scriptures reſolve; Exod. 4. 1, to 10. 28. 30. c 7. 10, 11, 12, 17. to 22. c. 8. 16, to 20. Deut. 7. 19. c. 29. 3. Joſh. 24. 17. Num. 14. 22. 1 Kings 18. 20, to 40. John 2. 9, 11, 23. c. 6. 2. 26. c. 5. 25, 26. c. 4. 45, 46, 52, 53, 54. c. 7. 31. c. 9. 8, 9, 10. 16. 25. c. 11. 45, 46, 47. c. 12. 17, 18, 37. Mat. 9. 29. 30, 33. c. 11. 5. c. 22, 23. c. 12. 38, 39. c. 15. 30, 31. c. 21. 14, 15. c. 24, 35. Mar. 7. 35, 36, 37. Lu. 18. 43. c. 23. 8. Act. 2. 2, to 12. 22. c. 3. 2. to 13. c. 4. 16. 21, 22. c. 6. 8. c. 8. 6, 7, 8, 13. c. 9. 41, 42. c. 14. 10, 11. c. 15. 12. c. 9. 11, 12. Heb. 2. 4. with others in the margin. Now this their pretended Miracle of Tranſubſtantiation, which is almoſt daily and perpetually wrought in all Churches, Countries, but eeEſt Corpus Chriſti penitus in viſibile oculo corporali in Euchariſtia, quia nec poteſt videri nec per naturam, nec per gloriam, nec per miraculum oculo corporali ſub Sacramento, &c. Richardus de Media Villa, Scotus and others, in Sent. l. 4. diſt. 20. Petrus Lombardus, & Richardus de Media Villa, and other Scholmen. Sentent. l. 4. diſt. 13. Summa Angelica Euchariſtia 1, 2. whereas Ocham holds the contrary.never viſible to the eyes, or but rarely ſeen, never appearing to all the Communicants or peoples eyes, ſenſes preſent at their Maſſes or conſecrations of the ſacred Elements; muſt neceſſarily be no miracle, but a meer abſurd forgery, or impoſture. 2ly. All real Miracles done by Gods appointment or commiſſion, were very rarely wrought, and p. 76that only in ſome places by a few extraordinary perſons, as Moſes, Aaron, Elias, Eliſha in the Old Teſtament, and by Chriſt and his Apostles in the New; not daily, ordinarily, nor by every ordinary Prophet, all Evangeliſts, or Miniſters; whence St. Paul even in the Apoſtles age reſolves, 1 Cor. 12. 10. 29. To another is given the working of Miracles; to another divers kinde of Tongues, &c. by the ſame ſpirit. Are all workers of Miracles? Have all the gift of Tongues? But this pretended Miracle of Tranſubſtantiation, is almoſt daily and perpetually wrought in all Churches throughout the world year after year; and that by **Bellarmin, Caniſius, Summa Angelica & Roſella: De Euchariſtiae Sacramento. Gratian de Conſecratione, Diſt. 2.every ordinary Prieſt whatſoever, good or bad, holy or unholy, as well as by St. Peter himſelf, or the greateſt Pope, Patriarch, Biſhop, Cardinal, as they reſolve: Therefore it can be no miracle. 3ly. Every true Miracle wrought by Moſes, Aaron, Eliſha, Chriſt, or his Apoſtles, was wrought for the ggExod. 4. 8, to 17. 28, 30. 1 Kings 18, 20, to 40. John 2. 23. c. 6. 2. 14. c. 11. 47, 48. Mar. 16. 20. Acts 8. 6. 13.Exod 4:8–17Exod 4:28Exod 4:301 Kgs 18:20–40John 2:23Mark 16:20Acts 8:6Acts 8:13confirmation of the truth of the Meſſages, Doctrines, or Articles of faith they were ſent to deliver, preach, publiſh, to work faith or belief thereof in the beholders of them, by the very fight of the Miracles themſelves, which were collateral to their Meſſages, Doctrines; not the very Meſſages or Doctrines they delivered. But this pretended Miracle of Tranſubſtantiation being inviſible, and contrary to the verdict of mens ſenſes, confirms very few or none in any article of the Chriſtian faith; and if at any time viſible by an extraordinary apparition of the Hoſtia in the form of a childe, lamb, raw fleſh or blood, it is ^g wrought only to confirm the belief of it ſelf, not of any other point or article of our Chriſtian faith: Therefore it is no Miracle. Fifthly, No ordinary part or Ingredient of any Sacrament in the Old or New Teſtament, was ever a real or proper Miracle, but hhPaſchatius Ratbertus De Corpore & Sanguin. Dom. cap. 14. Bozius de Signis Eccleſ. l. 14. c. 7. p. 170. Bellarmin. l. 3. de Euchariſtia, c. 8.Sir 50:14only a myſterie, or viſible ſign of an inward and ſpiritual grace repreſented in or by it: Nor was ever any real Miracle a neceſſary part of a Sacrament. But the miracle of Tranſubſtantiation, as they reſolve, is a neceſſary part, ingredient of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, and ſoul of their Maſſe: Therefore no real, but forged Miracle. Sixthly, No real Miracle deſtroyed the uſe, or end of that very thing for which it was wrought, and of that ſacred Ordinance to which it principally related, but ratified and confirmed it. Now this pretended Miracle of Tranſubſtantiation when ever really or apparently wrought, deſtroyes the end, uſe of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, for which it was wrought, and to which it appertains; their iiSee their own definition of a Sacrament, & their Treatiſes and Books thereof.Schoolmen, Caſuiſts, Canoniſts and Legends generally reſolving, that when ever the conſecrated Hoſtia or k Paſchatius Ratbertus De Corpore et Sanguinis Do mini, cap. 14. Joannes & Paulus Diaconus in vita Gregorii 1. Boziue de Signis Eccleſ. l. 14. c. 7. Coccius Theſaur. Cathol. l. 6. Euchatiſtia. Bellarmin. l. 3. de Euchariſtia, c. 8. Baronius & Spondanus, An. 1159. n. 20. & 1192. n. 20, 21. Petr. Aureolus in l. 4. Sent. Diſtinct. 9. qu. 2. & other Schoolmen, Summa Angelica, Euchariſtia, ſect. 3. nu. 6. 18. Aquinas 3. parte, qu. 82. and other Schoolmen on this Text. See Biſhop Morton his Inſtitution of the Lords Super, Book 4. ch. 2. Sect. 2. …p. 218, 219, &c. i Deut. 28. 19, 20, 24, 48, 51, 61, 63. Iſay 65. 8. k See Pontificale, Rituale & Caeremoniale Romanum.Sir 50:14Deut 28:19Deut 28:20Deut 28:24Deut 28:48Deut 28:51Deut 28:61Deut 28:63Isa 65:8Wine appears to the Prieſt or Communicant in the form of a little child, lamb, raw fleſh, finger or blood, it is a divine Inhibition to them, not to eat, drink, or receive it, as Chriſt commanded, whiles it appears in ſuch a form, till it reſumes the form or ſpecies of bread and wine; which is very obſervable. Therefore by their own reſolutions it can be no miracle, but a meer anti-Sacramental impoſture, repugnant to its eating, drinking, the very ends for which it was inſtituted. Seventhly, No true real Miracle did ever transform the very words, nature of a benediction or conſecration, into a meer deſtructive annihilating execration of the things conſecrated. But this of Tranſubſtantiation alters the very words of bleſſing & conſecration, by which it is pretended to be wrought, into a meer deſtructive annihilating execration, of the very ſubſtances of the bread, elements, wine conſecrated by their Prieſts, contrary to all other forms of conſecration whatſoever in the Old or New Teſtament, and in the Church of Rome it ſelf, which never really tranſubſtantiated, much leſſe annihilated the ſubſtances of the things or perſons conſecrated, but only altered their common uſe to a ſacred, and thereby preſerved, yea priviledged their ſubſtances from any violence upon them. For inſtance: the conſecrations of the Tabernacle, Temple, of all the utenſils, veſſels belonging to them, of Kings, High Prieſts, Prieſts, Levites, Prophets, and their veſtments; as likewiſe of the Firſt-born, first-fruits, Tithes, oblations, altars, dayes to God, by Gods appointment in the Old Teſtament: Of Apoſtles, Biſhops, Presbyters, Miniſters, Deacons, children by baptiſm under the New: Of ^k Kings, Queens, Princes, Popes, Archbiſhops, Bishops, Priests, Abbots, Monks, Nonnes, or other Perſons: Of Churches, Chapels, Churchyards, Altars, Chalices, Corporals, Prieſts veſtments, Bells, Holywater, Holy-daies, Chriſme, Swords, Banners, Aſhes, Images, Pixes, Candles, & other particulars mentioned in their Roman Caeremonials, Pontificals, Rituals, did & do never change, much leſſe annihilate the matter, ſubſtances of any of them; but only their uſe; yea the conſecrations annexed p. 77to their ſubſtances, which they exempt, preſerve from all violence, injury, prophanations, as aaPſal. 105. 15 Iſay 65. 8.Ps 105:15Isa 65:8ſacred, to which they were expoſed before their conſecrations, as they all reſolve and decree. That therefore the very words of benediction, conſecration pronounced over the elements of the bread and wine in the Euchariſt; ſhould not only tranſubstantiate but annihilate and deſtroy their very ſubstances, as ſome **Leſſius Jeſuita Opuſc. l. 12. c. 16. Joan. Pallanterius de Caſtro, Lectiones aureae. Bellarmin. de Euchariſtia l. 3. c. 24. Gloſſa in in Grat. De Conſecr. Diſt. 2. ſect. 1.Romiſh Grandees aſſure us, againſt the uſe, ſcope, end of all other conſecrations whatſoever, and metamorphoſe their very benediction into the bbDeut. 28. 2… to 65. Heb. 6. 8 Mal. 2. 1, 2. 2 Kings 22. 19. c. 47. 22, 25.Deut 28:2–65Heb 6:8Mal 2:1Mal 2:22 Kgs 22:19greateſt curſe or execration, worſe then that Chriſt denounced againſt the ccMat. 21. 19, 20. Mar. 11. 20, 21.Matt 21:19Matt 21:20Mark 11:20Mark 11:21barren Fig-tree, which made it only to wither and dry up, but did not quite annihilate it; yea worſe then the dd2 Pet. 2. 6.2 Pet 2:6condemnation of the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which God turned into aſhes, but not into meer nothing; inflicting on them the very ee2 Pet. 3. 10, 11, 12.2 Pet 3:102 Pet 3:112 Pet 3:12judgement of the laſt day, when the heavens ſhall paſſe away, and the elements, earth, and works that are therein ſhall be burnt up and diſſolved, inſteed of a benediction and exemption from violence; is not ſo much miraculous, as monſtrous, impoſſible, incredible, untheological. Eighthly, God and Chriſt never wrought a Miracle, but to manifeſt, or advance their glory, divine adoration, and deſtroy Idolatry, John 2. 11. 1 Kings 18. 24. 24. 32. But this pretended Miracle ſerves only to introduce and advance a new kind of Idolatry, in adoring the conſecrated Hoſt with divine adoration, as if it were God himſelf: when as it is in truth but a creature; which is both material and formal Idolatry; as ffSee Biſhop Morton his Inſtitution of the Sacrament, &c. Book 7. ch. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Book 8. c. 1. ſect. 5. Pet. Moulin, Biſhop Jewel & others.ſundry Protestant Divines, and ſome Pontificians acknowledge: Therefore it can be no Miracle: Eſpecially, if in the Ninth place we conſider the ſandy foundation whereon this Miracle is built, to wit, on theſe 4. or 5. words pronounced over the Hoſtia by the Prieſt, thus preſcribed in the Canon of their Maſſe, Hoc est enim corpus meum: Which being at this day pronounced over the bread, 1. Not by Chriſt himſelf in perſon, as at firſt; but only by the Prieſt, who is but Chriſts Miniſter, Repreſentative at moſt. The words ggSee Robertus Holkot, in l. 4. Sentent. qu. 3. Biſhop Mortons Inſtitution of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, Book 2. chap. 4.This is my bodie, &c. pronounced by him, muſt be falſe, or the Prieſts body, or can only produce a repreſentation of Chriſts body, as he is Chriſt, but in repreſentation. 2ly. Not uttered by Chriſt then, or Prieſts now, as words of conſecration (his benedicton of the bread and cup being ††See Gulielmus Stuckius, Antiqu. Convivalium, l. 2. c. 36. Burtorfius & Baldwinus Wallaeus Com. in Mat. 26. v. 25, 26, 27.Matt 26:25Matt 26:26Matt 26:27precedent to them. Mat. 26. 26, 27. Mar. 14. 22, 23, 24. Lu. 22. 17, 19. 1 Cor. 10. 16. c. 11. 23, 24. 1 Tim. 4. 4, 5.) much leſſe of operation, or tranſubſtantiation, directed to the bread it ſelf, or wine, to make them his very body and blood; but only by way of excitation, directed wholly to the Diſciples and Communicants, as a reaſon why they ſhould receive it, as the word Enim infallibly demonſtrates, which themſelves in the Canon of the Maſſe annex to Hoc est (enim) corpus meum; as Chriſt annexed it to hic eſt enim ſanguis meus Novi Testamenti, &c. Mat. 26. 28. 3ly. Becauſe now uſed only as an hiſtorical commemoration or recitation, rehearſing what Chriſt did and ſaid when he firſt inſtituted this Sacrament, and delivered it to his Diſciples above 1600 years paſt; as Lu. 22. 19. 1 Cor. 11. 24, 25. their own Canon of the Maſſe: and Micrologus, c. 23. aſſure us by their Qui pridie quàm pateretur; accepit panem in ſanctas & venerabiles manus ſuas, &c. deditque diſcipulis ſuis dicens; Accipite, &c. Hoc. eſt enim corpus meum, &c. Hoc quotieſcunque feceritis in mei commemorationem facietis: not as a thing now really acted over again by Chriſt when the Prieſt recites this Hiſtorie. Which words uſed by way of hiſtorical commemoration of what Chriſt then did, ſpake, can no more (in point of reaſon or experience) actually tranſubſtantiate the very bread and wine now conſecrated by the Prieſt in memorial thereof; then his reading or recital of the Historie of the Creation, Gen. 1. or drowning of the old world, building the Temple, the ſeveral battels, ſlaughters of men in the Old Teſtament, or of Chriſts conception, birth, circumciſion, crucifixion, burial, reſurrection and aſcention in the New, in the Church or at Maſſe, can produce a new actual creation of the world, or new Deluge, Temple, new Battles, ſlaughters of the ſelf-ſame or other men, or a new real conception, birth, circumciſion, crucifixion, burial, reſurrection, aſcention of Chriſt himſelf; neither the reciting, acting, nor repreſenting of any Hiſtory paſt, ever yet producing an actual real reacting of it in ſpecie or individuo; Therefore this hiſtorical rehearſing of what Chriſt did and ſpake when he inſtituted his Supper, cannot poſſibly make every peece of bread, drop of wine, (made, conſecrated above 1600 years after Chriſts paſſion) his very natural body and blood born of the Virgin Mary, erucified and ſhed upon the Croſſe, by way of adduction or production, without any new addition thereunto, or creation of a new body and blood, which he had not before, hhSee Biſhop Mortons Inſtitution of the Sacrament, &c. Book 4 ch. 1, 2. & the Popiſh Schoolmen ther cited.no not by a miracle, or divine omnipotency. 4ly. The words then uttered by p. 78Chriſt (admit he uſed the word eſt, not uſual in the Hebrew tongue, which he then ſpake, as ſome obſerve) are not direct or poſitive; This bread or wine is turned into, or is become, or is made my bodie, and my blood, uſed in all other real tranſubſtantiations of one thing into another both in the Old and New Teſtament, as Gen. 19. 26. Exod. 4. 4. c. 7. 10, 17, 18, 20, 21. c. 8. 16, 17. John 2. 9. c. 1. 14. Rev. 16. 4. 6. Whence the Devil himſelf when he tempted our Saviour to work a tranſubſtantiation of ſtones into bread, uſed this expreſſion, Matth. 4. 3. Command theſe ſtones to be made bread: But only (as their Latin Tranſlations render it) Hoc est corpus meum: which Verb …, eſt, or is, relating to the words Hoc, and Hic; and both of them only to the bread and cup, which Chriſt took, bleſſed, brake and delivered to his Diſciples, as the qqMat. 26. 26, 27, 28. Mat. 14. 23, 23. Lu. 22. 19, 20.Matt 26:26Matt 26:27Matt 26:28Matt 14:23Evangelists, and rr1 Cor. 23, to 50.St. Paul expreſly reſolve, (not to any ſſSuarez Jeſait. in Thom. Diſp. 58 ſect. 7. p 755 Bellarmin. l 1. De Euchariſtia, c. 11. Greg. de Valentia, l. 1. De praeſentia Corp. Chriſti, c. 9.Individuum vagum, matcria prima, or ^t planè nihil, as ſome of their Seraphical Doctors abſurdly determine) it muſt of neceſſity be interpreted ſignificatively, commemoratively, or ſacramentally, not identically; ſince Per hanc dictionem HOC NIHIL DE. MONSTRATUR, Bartholomaeas Brixienſis Gloſſa in Gratianum. De Conſecrat. Diſt. 2. cap. Timorem, f. 650, with others.Diſparata de diſparatis non praedicantur identicè; it being impoſſible that bread and wine, creatures ſpecifically diſtinct from Chriſts myſtical body and blood, ſhould be identically his body and blood, but only repreſentatively, commemoratively, or ſacramentally, as uuSalmeron Je…uita Tom. 9. Tract. 16. Sect. Priventur igitur, p. 109. Archiepiſc. Caeſarienſis, Defenſio Fidei Realis praeſentiae, c 58 Bellarmin de Euchariſtia, l. 2. c. 9. l. 3. c. 19. See Biſhop Mortons Inſtitution, &c. B…o. 2. cap. 1. ſect. 4.ſome of their own Doctors confeſſe. In which ſenſe it is moſt uſually taken throughout the Old and New Teſtaments in texts of like nature, as Gen. 9. 17. c. 41. 26, 27. Dan. 2. 38. Ezech. 5. 5. c. 37. 11. Mat. 11. 14. c. 13. 30. c. 8. 37. 1 Cor. 15. 4. Gal. 4. 25. Rev. 17. 9, 12, 15, 18. More particularly Iſay 40. 6. All fleſh is graſſe: ſurely the people is graſſe; that is, as or like to graſſe in reſpect of frailtie, 1 Pet. 1. 24. Job 14. 2. Pſal. 102. 11. Pſal. 103. 15. Jam. 1. 10. So Eccleſ. 1. 2. c. 3. 9. c. 12. 10. All is vanity. Job 7. 16. my daies are vanity. Pſal. 39. 5, 11. Surely every man is vanity, every man in his best eſtate is altogether vanity; Eccleſ. 11. 12. Childhood and youth are vanity, that is, like to vanity. Pſal. 144 4. Thus is Is uſed in all languages by all ſorts of perſons, and in our own Engliſh dialect, as theſe ſeveral inſtances known to every child, ordinary Porter, and Peaſant, will demonſtrate. For inſtance: if any perſons come into a Room or Gallery, where are Statues, Pictures, or Hangings garniſhed with ſeveral pourtraitures of Men, Beaſts, Fiſhes, Trees, Flowers, Fruits; they uſually ſay of theſe Statues or Pictures; This is King Henry the 8. This is King Edward the 6. and ſo of all other Kings: This is my Father, this is my Mother, this is my Wife, &c. Yea this is the Virgin Mary; This is my Saviour Jeſus Christ in her Arms; This is Chriſt upon his Croſſe; This is his body, this is the wound in his ſide, theſe are his pierced hands and feet; This is a Lyon, This is a Whale, This is an Eagle, This is a Vine, This is a Roſe, this is an Apple; and ſo of all other Pictures. If we paſſe through any City where are Innes, Taverns, Shops, with ſignes affixed to them, we uſe the ſelf ſame language of them, This is the Sunne, This is the Kings head, This is the Bear, &c. ſtiling the very Houſes by the names of the creatures, perſons, whoſe ſtatues or pictures only are affixed thereunto. The like we ſay of Ships in a Fleet, diſtinguiſhed by ſuch ſignes. If we reſort to a well furniſhed Library or Bookſellers ſhop, we likewiſe ſay, This is St. Auguſtine, this is St. Chryſoſtom, this is Plato, this is Seneca, &c. calling every of theſe, and all others writings, Authors themſelves; Thus we ſtile our owne and other mens hand-writings, print of Seals, and declarations of their wills in writing, when we mention, yea give them in evidence upon Oath. This is my hand, this is my ſeal, this is my will; or this is the hand, ſeal, will of ſuch a perſon. And to name no more particulars; every Pope in his Bulls and Inſtruments uſually ſtiles himſelf St. Peter; the Popes palace, Petri limina; the revenues of the Roman Church, St. Peters Patrimony, yea the rents reſerved on St. Peters or our Lady day, St. Peters or our Ladies rents, or Peter-pence, only becauſe payable on the dayes dedicated to their memories. Now that the Verb Is, (againſt ſenſe, reaſon, the rules of Grammar, and all theſe vulgar forms of ſpeech uſed in all ages, languages by all ſorts of perſons in theſe and other particulars) ſhould be predicated only identically, ſubſtantially, in This is my body, and neceſſarily ſignifie, that the bread is really tranſubſtantiated into, become, made Chriſts very natural bodie and blood born of the Virgin Mary, but not ſignificatively, repreſentatively, that it is only the figure, repreſentation, or Sacrament of his body and blood; and be ſo peremptorily aſſerted, when accompanied with variety of abſurdities, impoſſibilities contradictions which attend this ſenſe; may more juſtly be ſtiled a Miracle, (or p. 79Monſter, then Tranſubſtantiation, which they found upon it: The rather, becauſe as the Scripture no leſſe then ten ſeveral times expreſly ſtiles the bread after as well as before its Conſecration in the Euchariſt, **1 Cor. 10. 16 17. c. 11. 26, 27, 28. Lu. 24. 20, 25. Acts 2. 46. c. 20. 7, 11.1 Cor 10:16Acts 2:46Bread, becauſe it ſtill remained bread in its ſubſtance as well as in its ſpecies and accidents; So the word foreign, eſt, or is, in ſacred Writ, did never yet ſignifie, is now made, become, turned, or tranſubſtantiated into the very ſubſtance of the thing it is predicated of, and that by its bare pronunciation, at the very inſtant after it is pronounced, but only ſignificatively or improperly as aforeſaid, as theſe inſtances will moſt convincingly evidence beyond contradiction. Sundry Evangelical Texts expreſly ſtile and aver, the Church & faithfull Chriſtians, to be the members, bodie, bones, fleſh of Chriſt, yea, Christ himſelf, witneſs Epheſ. 1. 22. The Church, which is his Body: and reciprocally, Col. 1. 24. His body which is the Church. Eph. 4. 11, 12. He gave ſome Apoſtles, &c. for the edifying of the Body of Chriſt. 1 Cor. 12. 27. Now ye are the body of Chriſt, and Members in particular. Epheſ. 5. 30. For ye are Members of his body, of his fleſh, and of his bone; and they two (Chriſt, and his Church) ſhall be one fleſh, which is therefore called Chriſt. 1 Cor. 12. 12, 13. For as the bodie is one, but hath many Members, even ſo is Chriſt; to wit, his Spouſe the Church. Epheſ. 4. 13. Till we all come, &c. unto the meaſure of the ſtature of the fullneſſe of Chriſt: Whence St **Enar. in Pſ. 127. & Pſ. 26. Tit. Pſalmi.Ps 127Ps 26Augustine affirms, Ipſi Chriſtiani cum Capite ſuo, quod aſcendit in coelum, Vnus eſt Chriſtus: omnes in illo et Chriſti, et Chriſtus ſumus. Now although Chriſt took upon him their very xxJohn …. 14. Heb. 2. 11, to 18. c. 4. 15. Phil. 2. 7, 8.Heb 2:11–18Phil 2:7Phil 2:8human nature, fleſh and blood, and was made man like to them in all things, ſinne only excepted; yea yyJohn 17. 2…; 22. c. 15. 4, … 8. Epheſ. 3. 17. Gal. 2. 20. 1 Cor. 11. 3. Eph. 1. 22, 23.John 17:2John 17:22Eph 3:17Gal 2:201 Cor 11:3Eph 1:22Eph 1:23made one with them and they with him, as their ſpiritual head, husband, he dwelling, abiding in them and they in him: whence he cries out when they are perſecuted, zzActs 3. 4, 5.Acts 3:4Acts 3:5Saul, Saul, why perſecutest thou me? I am Ieſus whom thou perſecuteſt: and when they are viſited, fed, clothed, he particularly affirms, aaMat. 25. 34, to 46.Matt 25:34–46I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat, I was thirſty and ye gave me drink, I was a ſtranger and ye took me in, naked, and ye clothed me, ſick▪ and in priſon, and ye viſited me▪ Verily I ſay unto you, in as much as ye have done it unto one of the leaſt of theſe my brethren, ye have done it unto me: and ſo vice verſa in the negative; Yea though he ſuperadded of thoſe who are his Apoſtles, Miniſters, He that heareth you heareth me, and he that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth me; Neither of all which was ever once affirmed by him of any of his Apoſtles of the conſecrated bread or wine in the Euchariſt, whoſe nature, ſimilitude he never aſſumed. Yet no Roman Pontiff, Council, Prieſt or Prelate, did ever from all or any of theſe Texts profeſſedly aſſert, or once endeavour to prove, that the Church and every believing Chriſtian, Prieſt, was really tranſubſtantiated into the very Natural Body, Members, Fleſh, Bones of Chriſt, and into Chriſt himſelf; but only into his myſtical bodie, members, fleſh, bones, in a myſtical and ſpiritual ſenſe; yea though St. Auguſtine (cited by bbDe Conſecratione diſtinct. 2. cap. Quia. p. 652. Beda in 1 Cor. 10.1 Cor 10Gratian, Beda,) and ccChryſoſt. in Mat. 26. Hom. 83.Matt 26St. Chryſostom too aſſerts, Quia paſſus eſt Dominus pro nobis, commendavit nobis in iſto Sacramento ſanguinem ſuum & corpus, quod etiam fecit noſmetipſos, nam et corpus ipſius facti ſumus; & per miſericordiam ejus quod accepimus nos ſumus. Yet Bartholomaeus Brixienſis and other Gloſſers thus interpret it. Haee relatio refertur ad Eccleſiam, non ad corpus ſuum ſumptum de virgine. Non ergo fecit nos corpus ſuum quod natum eſt de Virgine, & ſumitur in altari ſub ſpecie panis & vini, ſed fecit nos corpus ſuum ſpirituaie, icil. Eccleſiam fidelium: ▪ …hough Chryſoſtom averrs, **Ibid. & Hom. 24. in 1 Cor. 101 Cor 10Nos ſecum Chriſtus in unam quaſi maſſam, (ut ita dicam) reducit, neque in fide tantum, ſed reipſa nos corpus ſuum effecit. Then much leſſe can theſe words of our Saviour; This is my body, This is my blood of the New Testament, &c. uttered by him but once, neceſſarily or probably inferr, that the Conſecrated bread and wine, whoſe Natures, ſhapes, accidents, Chriſt never aſſumed; which were never ſtiled Christ himſelf, his members, fleſh, bone; one, or one fleſh with him, in Scripture, inferr or imply any real tranſmutation of them into the very ſubſtance of his natural body & blood born of the Virgin, praeexiſtent ſo many hundred years before, what ever erroneous Popes, Romiſh Councils, or Doctors, for their own private lucre (to make their Maſſe, a real propitiatory ſacrifice for quick and dead) have hitherto diſputed, defined to the contrary. Finally, Whereas aaDe Euchariſtia l. 2. c. 24. &c. Maldonet, Pererius, Tolletus Medina, & Ribera in Joan. c. 6.John 6Bellarmine, Maldonet, and other Pontificians do principally (next after hoc est corpus meum) ground their Doctrine of Tranſubstantiation, and Chriſts corporal perſonal preſence in the Euchariſt, on John 6. 53, 54, 55, 56. Verily, verily p. 80I ſay unto you, except ye eat the fleſh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoſo eateth my fleſh, and drinketh my blood hath everlaſting life; For my fleſh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my fleſh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him: I anſwer 1. aaHom. 7 & 9. ſuper Levit. … Enar. in Pſ. 98. 5 Tractat. 25, 26. in Joan. De Doctrina Chriſtiana l. 3. c. 16. Ep 17. ad Dardanum.Ps 98:5Origen, * Auguſtin. Bertramus, with Berengarius of old, and of later times Cardinal Cajetanus in his Commentar. in Joan. cap. 6. Hermannus Bodius in his Collectanea, (as bbBibliothec. Sanctae, lib. 5. Annot. 120. l. 6. Annotat. 196, 198.Sixtus Senenſis confeſſeth) Cornel. Janſenius in his Concord. Evang. in Joan. 6. Biel, Cuſanus, Taper, Heſſelius, and Petrus Lombardus l. 4. Diſt. 8. D. beſides other Docti, & religioſi, & probi viri Catholici of the Roman Church, as ccMaldonet. in Joan. 6. c. 53.John 6Maldonet acknowledgeth; as well as Luther, Oecolampadius, and other Proteſtants reſolve; that this Chapter, Text was never intended of the eating of Chriſts body and blood in the Sacrament, but only of our myſtical or ſpiritual eating and drinking it by faith alone; as theſe unanſwerable arguments will evidence: 1. Becauſe theſe words were ſpoken by ddAs is evident by Joh. 6. 1. c. 7, 2. to 45. c. 11. 47, to 57, c. 10, 12, &c.John 6:1Chriſt near a year or more before the inſtitution of the Lords Supper. 2ly. They were ſpoken to all the people and Capernaites, who followed Chriſt only for the loaves, John 6. 26, to 67, to whom he never adminiſtred the Sacrament, not to his 12. diſciples, eeMat. 26. 20, 26, 27. Mat. 14. 18. &c. Lu. 22. 14, &c. Joh 13. 21, &c.Matt 26:20Matt 26:26Matt 26:27Matt 14:18John 13:21to whom only he administred it at his laſt Supper in private. 3ly. Becauſe it ſpeaks only of the eating of that ffver. 32, 33, 34, 35, 41, 47, 48, 50, 51, 58.bread and fleſh of his which came down from heaven, not of the Sacramental bread or wine, of which there is not one ſyllable in this Chapter, being not then inſtituted. 4ly. Of that eating and drinking which is only ſpiritual, ggVer. 29. 35, 40, 47, 63, 64. Ameſius Bellarminus Enervatus Tom. 3. p. 102, 103, 104.by faith, not oral by the mouth or teeth, and ſo St. Peter himſelf as well as Chriſt then expounded it, v. 69. 5ly. Of ſuch an eating Chriſts fleſh, and drinking his blood without which none can have ſpiritual or eternal life: Therefore not of a Sacramental eating; elſe all infants and others who die before they receive the Sacrament, muſt neceſſarily be damned: which the Church of Rome as well as Protestants contradict. 6ly. Of ſuch an eating and drinking only which gives eternal life to all who eat Chriſts fleſh, and drink his bloud; which the Sacramental eating doth not, for all unworthy communicants eat and drink damnation to themſelves, 1 Cor. 11. 23, 24. 7ly. Of ſuch an eating his fleſh and drinking his blood, as their dwelling is in Chriſt, and Chriſt in them, John 6. 56. but that dwelling is only ſpiritual or myſtical, hhJohn 17. 20, to 24. Gal. 2. 20. Eph. 3. 17.John 17:20–24Gal 2:20Eph 3:17by faith alone, not by iiSee Biſhop Morton his Inſtit. of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, Boo. 5. ch. 3, to 8.eating, ſwallowing, bodily inhabitation, union or commixture with the bodies of the Communicants, as many Romaniſts in odium haereticorum aſſert, by kkSuarez Jeſuit. Tom. 3. qu. 79. Diſp. 64. ſecr. 3. p. 882.Suarez his confeſſion. 2ly. Admit this Text meant of the Sacramental eating Chriſts fleſh & drinking his blood; it proves only a quite contrary tranſubſtantiation to that the Romaniſts aſſert, to wit, of the fleſh of Chriſt into meat or bread indeed; & of his blood into drink or wine indeed; not of bread into his fleſh indeed; as the words infallibly atteſt. 3ly. It utterly ſubverts their half-communion; and depriving Lay-communicants totally of drinking Christs blood, by taking from them the ſacred Wine, Cup, here ſevered from their eating his fleſh in the conſecrated bread; as not only ſacrilegious, but damnable; ſince none by the expreſs Letter of the objected Text, can have any everlaſting life, or dwell in Chriſt, and Chriſt in them, unleſs they drink his blood as well as eat his fleſh, being here thrice coupled together with the conjunction and, yea ratified with this double aſſeveration of Chriſt himſelf, who is the truth; Verily, Verily, I ſay unto you; So as they muſt now either renounce their half communion, or this abuſed Text, and their Doctrine of Tranſu…a…iation founded thereon: Which as it ſubverts St. Peters and their Popes uſurped Univerſal Eccleſiaſtical and Temporal Monarchy, Vicarſhip, and as it is wholly inconſiſtent with it, or their Ladies, Queens, Empreſſe, Goddeſſe Maries Soveraignty, or the antient undoubted Eccleſiaſtical and Temporal Rights of all Chriſtian Kings; ſo particularly of our Kings of England and Ireland; whoſe Papal uſurpations on their Crownes, were the original occaſion of many horrid Conſpiracies, Inſurrections, Rebellions, Treaſons, Wars, Attempts againſt their ſacred Perſons, Prerogatives, Subjects Liberties, Properties in former ages, as the enſuing Exact Chronological Vindication, &c. will at large demonſtrate during the Reigns of King John and Henry the 3d. to which I ſhall now apply my ſelf; having been more large in this Introduction to it, to help fill up the vacant Pages left for the ſecond Book, which I originally deſigned to have annexed thereunto; but amounting to an intire Tome of it ſelf, was neceſſitated to ſever from it.