An Antidote Against Popery, Treatise · Chapter 9
CHAPTER IX. Of the Sacraments.
SECT. 1. Of the absolute necessitie of the Baptisme of Infants.
The state of the Question.
WEE holde, that Baptisme is necessarie to Salvation, by a conditionall necessitie, to wit, if it may bee had, or ratione praecepti. The contempt whereof is damnable, as also that it is the onelie ordinarie meane given by GOD to his Church, for bringing of Infants to the participation both of Grace and Glorie. But that it is simplie necessarie by such an absolute necessitie, ratione medii, that except this meane of salvation bee vsed, there is no possibilitie of salvation to poore Infances, who are children of the faythfull, this wee denye, and reject as a cruell & vncharitable poynt of doctrine, (altho the Councel of Trent accurse them who so thinke) & we affi…me it to bee altogether contrarie to these Scriptures following.Sess. 7 can. 5.
1. Authoritie of Scripture.
GEN. 17.7. And I will establish my Covenant betweene mee and thee, and thy seede after thee in their generations, for an everlasting Covenant, to bee a God vntounto thee, and to thy seede after thee. So lykewyse, ACTS 2.39. For to you is the promise, (sayeth the Apostle) and to your children, and to all that are afarre off, whom-so-ever the LORD our GOD shall call.
Remarke, then, that not onelie are the Parents within the Covenant of Grace, but their children also, and their seede after them, And even as the female was comprehended vnderunder the male, (because vncapable of Circumcision) and so saved amongst the Iewes; so are Infants dying in the mothers wombe, or in the birth, without Baptisme, comp…ehended vnderunder their believing P…nts, and within the Covenant of Grace; and consequentlie are saved, as belonging to election.Aug. sup. levit. q. 84. Therefore sayeth Augustine, It is collected, that invisible sanctification hath beene present to some, and profited them to salvation, without the visible Sacraments.
IOSHVA 5.5. Now all the people that came out, were circumcised: but all the people that were borne in the Wildernesse, by the way as they came out of Aegypt, them they circumcised not.
Whence wee inferre, That as the children who died those fourtie yeares in the Wildernesse, were not condemned, for not beeing circumcised vnderunder the Law, notwithstanding of that peremptorie commination, which sayeth, and the vncircumcised man-chylde, Gen. 17.24whose flesh of his fore-skinne is not circumcised, that soule shall bee cut off from his people: Even so, neyther are the children of Christians condemned, for not beeing baptized vnderunder the Gospell, when that Sacrament can not possiblie or convenientlie bee had:Ambrose in Orat. funebri de obitiō Valēt. imperat. it beeing not the want, but contempt of Baptisme that is judged damnable. Therefore sayd Ambrose concerning the Emperour Valentinian, who died vnbaptized, I lost him whom I was to regenerate by Baptisme; but hee hath not lost that grace which hee desired there-by.
IEREM. 1.5. Before thou camest out of the wombe, I sanctified thee. And agayne, ROM. 9.11. For the children not being yet borne, (sayeth the Apostle) neyther having done eyther good or evill, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of workes, but of him that calleth, it was sayde vntounto her, The elder shall serue the younger: as it is written, Iacob hauehave I hated, and Esau hauehave I loved.
Wherevpon (sayeth Cornelius Mus, Bishop of Ritonto,) by a speciall priviledge of divyne grace by Christ, even infances in the wombe may attayne to salvation,Meca in Rō. 5. p. 268. Bel. l. 4. de anima Christi c. 16. in fine. Bern. Epist. 77. as is manifest in the example of Ieremie, and Iohn the baptist. (And there-after,) For it is evident, sayeth hee, and with him Bellarmine) that the divyne grace of Christ, is not tyed to Sacraments. Therefore (sayeth Bernard) what reason or nature teacheth, that none of those who die, whose bodie outwardlie is not sprinkled with the element of water, can obtayne internall and eternall salvation? and therefore hee thereafter affirmeth, that in case contempt bee not the cause, that then the Parents fayth is not onlie profitable, but sufficient also for the chylde. For if the roote bee holie, (sayeth the Apostle) so also are the branches.Rom. 11.16
1. COR. 7.14. For the vnbelieving husband, is sanctified by the wyfe, and the vnbelieving wyfe, is sanctified by the husband; else were your children vncleane, but now they are holie.
Note, then, if the children of one onelie believing parent bee esteemed holie, and in the Covenant, how much more then should the Children of Parents,Gen. 17.7. both believing bee esteemed holie, and so charitablie judged of, (if they die without Baptisme) to bee eternallie saved? Therefore in that booke which was written by Augustine, Aug. l. 3. de baptismo parūter c. 12.of the Baptisme of Infantes, that examples hauehave gone before of Infants to make, whom Christians (sayth hee) the Christian will even of one parent had prevailed, the Apostle did signifie.
2. Witnessing of Antiquitie.
HOw forcible that is the which th'Apostle saith,Aug. tom. 7 l. 4. de baptismo cont. donatistas, c. 22. cited in the canō law, also de …ēsecratione. dist. 4. c. baptisme vicem. Bern. Epist. 77. even without the visible Sacrament of baptisme, (sayth Augustine) with the heart wee belieue vntounto righteousnesse, and with the mouth wee confesse to Salvation, is declared in that Thiefe on the Crosse. But then it was invisiblie fulfilled, when not the contempt of Religion, but the poynt of necessitie, did exclude the mysterie of Baptisme. Wherefore (sayeth Bernard) CHRIST when hee sayde. Hee who believeth, and is baptized, shall bee saved warilie, and well, hee sayeth not, But he that is not baptized, shall bee condemned.
3. Confession of partie.
LOmbard speaking of the sense of these words, Iohn 3.Lōb. l. 4. Except man bee borne of new, dist. 4 §. his autē & lit. E. so also Alfōsus de castro verbo baptism…. Cajet. in sūmam thome part. 3 art. 1. & 2. Gerson in conc. de nativ. virg.&c. and vnderstanding them of Baptisme: but this is to bee vnderstoode (sayeth hee) of them who may, and yet despyse to bee baptized: otherwyse, (sayeth hee) GOD hath not tyed his power to Sacraments; for tha… some hath gotten invisible sanctification, without the visible Sacrament, this Augustine clearlie teacheth. So lykewyse sayth Cardinall Cajetant, in the case of necessitie vntounto the salvation of children, the Parents desire of Baptisme is sufficient. Yea, GERSON, before the whole Councell of Constance, delyvered this doctrine, saying, It is evident, that GOD hath not tyed His merciemercy of salvation, to the common lawes of Christian doctrine, nor yet vntounto Sacraments; but without anie prejudice thereof, hee can sanctifie children vnborne in the verie wombe, by the baptisme of his grace, and power of the holie Ghost. And therefore hee sayeth that all Parents should pray for this grace to their Infants, in case that they happen to die before their birth.
SECT. 2. Of Transubstantiation in the LORD'S Supper.
The state of the Question.
THat in the LORD'S Supper, the verie Bodie and Blood of Christ is truelie, reallie, and effectuallie present, as foode to the soules of all true believers, and that the same is truelie participated vntounto salvation, by all worthie Receavers, wee constantly affirme: but after consecration to affirme, that the sacramentall Elements are not onlie changed in vse and qualitie, but also that the verie substance of bread and wine is converted, and changed into the verie substance of CHRIST'S Bodie & Blood,Sess. 4 sub pio 4. cap. 4 can. 2 Ioseph Angles in 4. sent. q. de s…scipientibus eucharist. diffi…. 2. ex communi scholasticorū sentētia, brutū comedens sacramentū verum corpus Christi devorat. So sayth Aquin. part. 3. q. 80. art. 3. ad 3. Alins. part. 4. q. 45. in 1. Antonius, in 3. part. de def…ctib{us} missae, c. 6. sect. 3. et Greg. de Valen. in 3. Thoma… disp. 6. q. 8. punct. 2. &c. their accidents of shape, colour, and quantitie onlie remayning, as the Councell of Tr…n… decreeth vnderunder a curse; and that vnderunder these accidents, the Bodie and Blood of Christ hath such a locall existence, that it may bee handled by the Priest, and in the participation there-of, eaten by all the communicant… what-so-ever, yea, by verie Dogges and Myce, as the cantells of their Masse beareth, and as one of themselues testifie, that this is the common doctrine of Schoole-men. This (I say) wee oppose, as a most grosse and erronious doctrine, destroying both the nature and partes of a Sacrament, as also the veritie of Christs humane nature, and furnishing matter likewise of most grosse Idolatrie, & most impious Blasphemie. The places of Scripture which militate in the contrarie, are these.
1. Authoritie of Scripture.
MATTH. 26.26. And as they were eating, JESƲS tooke bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gaue it to his Disciples.
Note, then, that what our Saviour brake, and gaue to his Disciples, is declared to bee that same which hee tooke and blessed, or did consecrate, as the word (it) so often repeated, importeth. But our Saviour tooke bread, (sayeth the Text) and blessed or consecrated it. Therefore seeing the same word (it) is still retayned, after blessing or consecration, it followeth, that it was bread in substance which Hee brake, and gaue vntounto his Disciples after consecration. So that wee see, our Saviours cōsecration changed not the substance of the bread into any other, but only sanctified the same, to a Sacred and Sacramentall vse.
Now, that the consecration of the bread and wine, was by our Saviours blessing, (and not by these words, hoc est corpus meum,) and vsed in lyke-manner by the Apostles after him, wee see, first, by S. Paul's wordes, saying, The cup of blessing which wee blesse, is it not the communion of the Blood of CHRIST? 1 Cor. 10.16Where-vponupon sayeth Aquinas, (which wee blesse,) that is, which wee who are Priests doe consecrate.Dist. 2. doe consecrat. c. non omnis panis. Iust. Mart. apol. 2 Cyril. cateches. mystag. 3 Theod dial. 2 Aug. l. 3. de trin. c. 4. Cyril. Alex. l. 10. in Iohan. c. 13. dist. 2 de cōsecrat. c. ante benedicti… nem. dist. 2 de cōsecrat. c. corpus et And therefore in lyke manner sayeth the Canon Law, Not everie bread, but that which receaveth the blessing of Christ, becommeth the bodie of Christ. Wherefore also doeth Iustin Martyr tell vsus, that by Prayer and Thanks-giving the Elements are consecrated, (sayeth hee) and the bread after invocation of the holie Ghost, is no more common breade, (sayeth Cyrill of IERVSALEM.) The lyke style doeth Theodoret giuegive to consecration, which Augustine calleth Mysticall Prayer; and Cyril of Alexandria, Mysticall Benediction. Where-of agayne, sayeth the Canon Law, Before the Benediction it is called that speee, (to wit, bread) but after Benediction the Bodie of Christ (remarke) is signified there-by, (sayth their Decretall.) And again, We cal that the bodie & blood of Christ, (sayeth another Canon) which beeing taken of the fruits of the earth, & consecrated by mysticall prayer, wee receaue vntounto salvation of our soules, in remembrance of the Lord's suffering. The particular forme of which prayer, our Saviour left to the libertie of his Church. Therefore wee see that consecration was by Christs blessing, and wordes of prayer vttered to GOD, and not by concionall, or such wordes as the Romish Priest's, nowe in an vnknowne tongue whisper to the bread. Yea,Bel. l. 1. de euch. c. 11. §. ad vlt. Bellarmine himselfe is forced, by the evidence of Trueth, to grant, that anie change that was made of the bread from common bread, was by CHRIST'S blessing: For, (sayeth hee) Hee gaue not common bread as Hee tooke it, but bread which He had blessed; and by blessing, changed it. All which wee grant, to wit, from common, to Sacrementall bread. But yet still after blessing, that it remayned in substance bread, and that our Saviour brake bread, and gaue bread to His Disciples, is evident out of the Text, (as is showne) saying, Hee tooke bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gaue it to His Disciples. Where the word (it) thryse repeated, can hauehave relation to nothing else, but to the first words, to wit, Hee tooke bread. And therefore to cleare this the more, the Apostle telleth vsus, that it is not onelie bread which is broken, and given after blessing or consecration, but also which is eaten by the faythfull, saying, not onlie,1. Cor. …1. 16 The bread which wee breake, is it not the Communion of the Bodie of CHRIST? but also,1. Cor. 11.26. As oft as yee shall eate of this bread, &c, (sayth hee) yee shall declare the LORD'S death till Hee come.
1. COR. 11.24. This is my bodie, which is broken for you.
The exposition of which words, (this is My Bodie) if wee will heare the same out of their Canon Law,Dist. 2. de consecrat. c. ho… est. and glosse vponupon the Decretall therein, it is this; That this bread, suo modo vocatur corpus Christi, that is, after the owne manner thereof it is called the Bodie of CHRIST; seeing (sayeth the Canon) it is truelie, but the Sacrament of CHRIST'S Bodie. And vponupon which Canon sayth the glossator, That heavenlie bread, that is, the heavenlie Sacrament, which truelie representeth Christs flesh, is called Christs Bodie; but improperlie, (sayeth hee) wherefore it is sayde, that after the owne manner thereof it is so called, but not in the trueth of the thing it selfe, but by mysticall significatiō: so that the meaning is, it is called the Bodie of CHRIST, that is, (sayeth hee) it signifieth or representeth the same.
Besides the Popes Decretalls, if wee will heare the Fathers, their exposition no lesse over-throwe Transubstantiation, for first, Augustine giveth vsus a generall rule for vnderstanding such speaches,Ques. super levit. 57. Theod dial. 1 See also Irenouel. 4. c. 34. Aug. contra Adimantum c. 12. & in Psal. 3. c. 38. Tertul. cont. Marcion l. 4. c. 40. l. 3. c. 19. Eusebius demon. Evang. l. 8. c. 1. saying, The thing which signifieth, vseth to bee called by the name of that which it signifieth. Next more particularlie Theodoret shortlie telleth vsus, saying, that our Saviour honoured the visible signes with the name of His Bodie and Blood; not changing their nature, (sayth hee) but adding grace to nature. And hee made no difficultie (sayth Augustine) to say, This is My Bodie, when hee gaue the signe of His bodie. Which Tertullian also agaynst Marcion, calleth the the figure of His bodie, and Eusebius, the symbole of the same. And there-fore not the same it selfe by transubstantiation.
But to come to the next words, (which is broken for you.) From whence wee reason thus. The bread is the bodie of Christ, after that manner that the bodie of Christ was then broken, when Hee gaue the Sacrament. But His bodie then was broken sacramentallie onlie, or by representation, and not reallie or by passion; for then Hee had suffered twyse, (cōtrarie to HEB. 9.27.) Therefore the bread is not the bodie of Christ reallie, but sacramentallie, even as in Sacraments, signes get the names of thinges signified by them; as Circumcision is called the Covenant; the Lambe, the Passover; and the Cup in this Sacrament, is called The New Testament. Where-fore sayeth there Canon Law,Dist. 2. de consecrat. c. cum frangitur. Ibidē glossa in c. quid sit. Bern. serm. 6. in vigilia nativitatis. by this fraction what other thing is represented, but the immolation of the Lords bodie vponupon the crosse? And agayne, (sayeth the glosse) His death is represented, while as the bread is broken. Wherefore also sayeth Bernard, Even as hee seemeth in a sort to suffer, while as in the Sacrament, (to wit, by His fraction) His death is commemorated by vsus: so in a sort Hee seemeth to bee borne yearlie, while as His birth is represented vntounto vsus. The fractiō then of Christs bodie in the Sacramētal action there-of, is no otherwyse, than as the birth of Christs bodie is on the feastivall commemoration there-of, to wit, neyther of them reall or properlie, but by representation or recordation, and improperlie.
1. COR. 11.24. Doe this in remembrance of Mee.
Whence we reason. What Christ left to His Church in rememberance of His bodie, and of His suffering there-in, (signified by breaking) the same is not the bodie of Christ it selfe which did suffer; for these two are diverse. But this Sacrament of His bodie, Hee left to His Church, in rememberance of His bodie, and of his suffering therein, (as sayeth the Text:) therefore this Sacrament of His bodie, is not the bodie of Christ it selfe which did suffer. Hence therefore it is, that Ambrose, Chrysostome, Ambros. in c. 10. ad Heb. Chrysost. hom. 17. in Heb. Eusebius demon. Evang. l. 1. c. 10. August. de doct. Christiana, c. 16.and with them Eusebius, calleth the Sacrament, a Rememberance of Christs death, and of that sacrifice which He once offered vponupon the Crosse. And Augustine showeth, that to eate His flesh, and drinke His blood, is sweetlie and profitablie to hauehave in rememberance, that His flesh was crucified, and wounded for our sakes.
Aquinas also (and with him Lombard) showeth this to bee theAquī. part. 3 q. 83. art. 1. …āb. l. 4. dist. 12. q. si sit dist. 2 de cōsecrat. c. quia morte reason why this SACRAMENT may also bee called a Sacrifice; Because (sayeth hee) the celebration of this Sacrament, is a certayne Image of the Passion of CHRIST. Now, wee know, that the Image of a man, made to represent him, and bee in rememberance of him, is not a man himselfe. Therefore also sayeth their Canon Law. Because wee are delyvered by the death of Christ, beeing myndfull of this thing, in eating, and drinking, wee represent that flesh and blood which was offered for vsus.
LVKE 22.20. This Cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
Note heere, first, that, as S. MARKE relateth, these wordes of the Cup,Mark 14.23 24. were vttered by our Saviour to His Disciples after they all had drunke thereof: and, therefore, if they were the words of Consecration, then the wine had beene consecrated: and consequentlie, (as they say) changed into His Blood, in the Disciples bellies, and not in the Cup at all.
Next; it is to bee remarked, that those who denye anie figure in Christs speach of the Bread, yet in this place of the Cup, they grant figures freelie; to wit, 1. that by the Cup, is meaned, that which is in the Cup: which they must say after consecration, is eyther Wine in substance, or else Christs Blood. If they say, Wine, then we agree: if they say Christs Blood properlie, how shall Christs Blood bee the New Testament, which is the Gospell preached long before, and must bee diverse from the Testator? If they say, that it is so called, because it is the Seale thereof, then heere a new figure agayne: besides, that seales should bee visible, which the Blood is not. As also, the sense of these wordes, This Cup of the New Testament in my Blood, should bee this, This Blood is the seale of the New Testament in my Blood: which were just, a non sense. And in lyke-manner, if they admit, that the Cup is the New Testament, because it is the Seale there-of, why admit they not lykewyse, that the Bread is the Bodie of Christ, because it is the Seale there-of, as Sacraments are called, Signes and Seales, ROM. 4.11?
In lyke-manner, that which is added, (which is shed for you) overthroweth Transubstantiation. For this shedding of Christs Blood when Hee gaue the Sacrament, must bee vnderstoode eyther reallie and properlie, or else Sacramentallie and improperlie. But the first it could not bee; for then it should hauehave beene shed and issue out of His veynes at the Table, before it was shed thereafter, and on the Crosse: and so Hee should hauehave suffered oftener than once,Heb. 7.29. contrarie to Scripture before cited. As also their Masse should not bee an vnbloodie Sacrifice. Therefore it followeth, that this shedding was onlie Sacramentall, and by representation, wherevnto agreeth the Glosse vponupon their Canon Law, saying,Dist. 2. de consecrat. c. si quotiescūque. CHRIST'S Blood is shed; that is, the shedding thereof is signified or represented: and if it bee shed onlie Sacramentallie, or by representation, then it is Christ's Blood onelie, so in lyke-manner; and consequentlie, not reallie and properlie, by Transubstantiation.
MATTH. 26.29. I will not drinke hence-foorth of this fruit of the Vine. SO MARKE 14.25.
Which wordes Pope Innocent himselfe declareth were spoken by Christ, of the Cup,Innocens 3 de m… steriis missae l. 4. c. 27. in the Sacrament. Luke indeede he testifieth, that Christ spake the same of the Pascall Cuppe: but hee denyeth not that which the two former Evangel…sts affirme, that hee spake the same in lyke-manner of the mysticall Cup: and therefore we conclude, that (without anie inversion of order by the two Evangelists) our Saviour spake the same of both Cups: as if he would hauehave sayde, I will not heereafter celebrate with you neyther anie Passover, nor mysticall Supper. And so the Evangelists agree well amongst themselues. And herein wee hauehave with vsus, Origen, Cyprian, Chrysostome, Orig. tract. 301. in Matth. Cyprian Epist. 68. ad C…cil. Chrysost. hom. 63. in Matth. Beda in Luc. 22. lansenius, c. 131.and Beda; and of themselues, Iansenius, and others.
Note, then, that both after consecration & drinking thereof, our Saviour calleth it Wine in substance,Cyprian l. 2. Epist. 3. Chrysost. hō. 83 in Math or the fruit of the vine: and therefore not transubstantiate in blood. Wherefore sayeth Cyprian, It was wine which hee called His blood. So also sayeth Chrysostome, speaking agaynst some who vsed to giuegive water, When our Saviour celebrated this Mysterie, Hee gaue Wine to His Disciples, (sayeth hee) having called it the Fruit of the Vine; which produceth not water. So that wee see that it was Wine after consecration, which Hee called His Blood: and it was Wine also which Hee gaue to His Disciples to drinke. Therefore,Theod dial. 2 Bertram de corpus et sang. Domini. Edit. Colō. p. 205 sayeth Theodoret, (and with him Bertram) the mysticall signes they depart not after consecration from their owne nature: for they remayne in their former substance, forme, & figure, & may be seen & touched, evē as they were before.
And to say that Christs Blood is called the fruit of the Vine, because it was once so, (to wit, before cōsecration) we are to vnderstand, (beside what is spoken) that in Sacramentall speaches, signes receaue the names of things signified, but not thinges signified the names of the signes.
1. COR. 10.16. The bread which we breake, is it not the communion of the bodie of CHRIST? that is, a meane (as sayeth Aquinas) to make vsus one with Christ: because the receaving of this Sacrament (sayeth Lyra,) incorporateth the receaver in Christ.
Note, then, that the Apostle calleth it bread, which is broken, which breaking seeing in their Masse it is after consecration, it followeth that it is bread after consecration.
Heere our Adversaries are miserablie perplexed, to tell what is broken: for if they grant the Apostles wordes to bee true, that it is bread, then they yeelde to vsus. Therefore, lest they should doe so, Pope Nicolas, with his Councell at Rome, determined, that it was Christ's reall bodie, which sensiblie, and in the trueth of the thing it selfe was broken by the Priest's hands, and chewed with the teeth of the faythfull:Dist. 2. de consecrat c. ego Berēgarius as is to bee seene in the Popes Decretall, and prescryved manner of Berengaries Recantation, But the Romanistes since, considering the manie inconvenients and absurdities that follow heere-on, hauehave thought this too grosse, and Capernaitish, and therefore they say now, that the bodie of Christ, vnderunder the accidents of bread, is whole in the Host, and in everie part thereof, and (according to the Glosse vponupon the Pop's Decretall) that the accidents are onlie broken,Dist. 2. de consecrat. … cum frangitur hostia dices ipsa accidētia frangi et dare son… tum. and giuegive the cracke. Whence it followeth, that they must admit a strange figure, and put vponupon Christs words, and the Apostles, a strange interpretation: to wit, that Christs wordes are to bee thus exponed, This is my bodie, which is broken for you: that is, This is not My bodie which is broken, but the accidentes of bread, without the substāce thereof, as the colour, shape, and taste of bread, while as no bread is their present at all. And that the Apostles wordes lykewyse are thus to bee exponed, The bread which we breake, that is, We breake no bread at all in substance, but onlie imaginarie accidents, without anie subject: and so the Glosse to belie the TEXT.
1. COR. 11.26. As oft as yee shall eate of this Bread, and drinke of this Cup, yee shall declare (or as the Rhemists translate) show the Lord's death till His comming.
Note heere agayne, that, that which is eaten, is called bread, Now, eating is after consecration: therefore it is bread after consecration;Gelasius de duabus in Christo naturis, cōtra Eutychen. and consequentlie, nowyse transubstantiate. Wherefore sayeth Pope Gelasius, The Sacraments which wee receaue of the bodie and blood of Christ, indeede are a divyne thing, by meanes where-of wee are made partakers of the divyne nature: and yet the substance of bread and wine (sayth hee) doeth not ceasse to bee. And where they say, it is called bread, because it is so in show onlie, then the next wordes doe convince thē; for they must grant, that the Cup also is only so in show, the Apostles speach beeing alyke of both. And whereas others say, that it is so called, because it was once bread before consecration, and therefore is denominate from what it was;Gen. 18.27 3.19.2.23. as man is called Dust; and Evah, bone of Adam's bone: this is true indeed in changes where the same substance remayneth, and entereth in the composition of a thing, as Dust doeth in mans bodie, and Adam's rib did in Evahs: the like where-of they dare not say of bread, that it entereth so into the composition of Christs bodie, and yet remayneth still in the substance there-of.
Agayne, out of the last wordes wee reason thus: As the memoriall or declaring of His death and passion till hee come, is not His passion it selfe; so the memoriall of His bodie till hee come, is not His bodie it selfe present. But the Sacrament is the memoriall of His death and bodie crucified, till Hee come in it glorified: therefore is not the same present in substance.
IOHN 17.11. And now I am no more in the Worlde. Which Cardinall Tolet, granteth to bee meant of his bodilie presence after His ascension, according to ACT. 3.21.
Where-vponupon Augustine taketh occasion to inquire,Aug. tract. So in Iohānem. saying; How, then, shall I receaue him who is absent? how? shall I stretch out my hand to Heaven, where Hee sitteth, to lay holde on Him? Where-vntounto hee answereth, Send thy fayth thither, and thou hast layde holde on Him.
Vigil. l. 4. cont. Eutychen.Vigilius also (a Martyr, and Bishop of Trent, disputing agaynst the hereticke Eutyches, who would hauehave confounded Christs two natures, sayeth. If the word and the flesh hauehave but one nature, how cōmeth it to passe, that the Word beeing in all places, the flesh also is not in all places? For when it was on earth, it was not in Heaven: and now when it is in Heaven: (sayeth hee) it is not here on earth.
To this the Romanistes answere, That hee meaneth visiblie. And so not onlie will they hauehave an vniversall proposition, to lose its vniversalitie, but also when the Fathers expone Scripture, they againe will expone the Fathers, & hauehave them to meane what they list. But if Vigilius had meant onlie visiblie, hee had never overthrowne the Eutychian Hereticke, who granted, that Christs flesh was no more visible on earth. But Vigilius, to defende the trueth of the humane nature of Christ, affirmeth, That as Christs flesh beeing on earth, was not in Heaven; to wit, visiblie nor invisiblie; So His flesh beeing now in Heaven, is not on earth; to wit, in lyke-manner visiblie nor invisiblie: else there should bee no force in his reasoning agaynst the perverse Eutychian. Others, to instance that visiblie after His ascension, hee was seene on earth, alleadge, ACT. 23.11. Where it is sayde, that in the night tyme the LORD stood by Paul, and comforted him. But their owne Carthusian, and the Iesuit Lorinus, both show on that place, that this was onlie in a vision, such as was that of the man of Macedonia, ACT. 16.9.
2. Witnessing of Antiquitie.
THE bread which is from the earth,Iren. lib. 4. c. 34. (sayeth Ireneus) receaving the invocation of GOD, (as Fenerdantius translateth) is not anie more common bread, but the Eucharist, (or Sacrament of Christs bodie) consisting of two thinges, an earthlie and an Heavenlie: so that the mysticall signes depart not from their owne nature, (sayeth Theodoret) but they remaine in their former substance,Theod dial. 2 forme, and figure; and may bee seene and touched, as they were before. So lykewyse Ephrem, Ephre de sacris Antioch. legib. l. 1. in Phoci…̄ bibliotheca, num. 229.Patriarch of Antioch, telleth vsus, that, that which is receaved by the faythfull, changeth not (sayeth hee) its sensible substance, and yet remayneth inseparable from intelligible grace: and so Baptisme beeing whollie made spirituall, and remayning one, doeth both retayne the propertie of his sensible substance of water, and yet losseth not that which it is made.
3. Confession of partie.
THE bread, then, is called The bodie of CHRIST, but after a sort, seeing it is truelie but the Sacrament of Christs bodie, (sayeth the Popes Decretall.Dist. 2. de cōsec… c. hoc est.) Where-vponupon also sayeth the Marginall Glosse. The heavenlie Sacrament then which truelie representeth Christs flesh, is called CHRIST'S Bodie, but improperlie. Yea, Bellarmine hims…lfe granteth,Bell. l. 3. de Euch. c. 23. §. Secundo that it is probable, that there is no expresse place of Scripture, that evidentlie can inforce Transubstantiation to bee admitted, for that it is proven by these wordes, This is my bodie, hee sayth the most learned and sharpest witted Schoole-men, (as Scotus was) hauehave thought the cleane contrarie.
SECT. 3. Of with-holding the Cup from the people, or halfe Communion.
The state of the Question.
HEERE-IN it beeing a matter of fact and transgression, and no ambiguitie to be cleared by stating the Question, The Confession of our Adversaries, in that Canon of the Councell of Constance, held in Anno 1416, is sufficient for detecting what injurie is openlie done and avowedlie both to GOD and His people,Conc. Const. sess. 13 Also Conc. Trid. sess. 5. sub Pio 4. cap. 1. & 2. in violating His institution, and with-holding from thē the comfort of the Cup. For (saith the Pope and his Councell) albeit Christ instituted this venerable Sacrament, in both kindes of bread and wine, and gaue it to his Disciples; and altho lyke-wyse in the primitiue Church, the same was receaved by the faythfull vnderunder both kyndes; yet notwithstanding this custome, for the eschewing of some perills and scandalls, is for certayne reasons brought in, that it shall bee heere after taken by the Priests vnderunder both kyndes, but by the laickes vnderunder one kynd onlie. So that this militateth, wee see by their owne confession, both agaynst Scripture in the institutiō, and practise of the primitiue Church, which was conforme therevnto, (putting so asunder what GOD hath conjoyned:) which for farder evidence thereof, wee cleare by these places following.
1. Authoritie of Scripture.
MATTH. 26.27. And taking the Cup, Hee gaue thankes, and gaue it to them, saying, Drinke yee all of this.
Where it is to bee noted, that wheras our Saviour sayth onlie of the bread, Take ye, eate ye; when Hee speaketh of the Cup, as it were to prevent this errour, Hee sayeth more expreslie, Drinke yee all of this: Ruar. Tapp. cited by Cassand. sub utra{que} specie, pag. 1034. Tilet. in Math 26that so, none should bee excepted. Therefore sayeth Ruardus Tapperus, Deane of Lovan, It were more convenient, that the Communion were ministred in both kyndes; for that were more agreeable to the institution (sayth hee) and fulnesse thereof, as also to the example of Christ and the Fathers of the primitiue Church. As also (sayeth Tiletanus,) According to Christs institution the communicating in both kyndes is common as well to laickes, as to Preists.
1. COR. 10.16. The Cup of blessing, which wee blesse, is it not the Cōmunion of the Blood of CHRIST?
Whence we reason: To whom the Communion of the Blood of Christ, or benefit of Remission of sinnes belongeth, to them also doeth the Cup of Blessing belong. But to all the faythfull doeth the communion of the blood of Christ, or benefite of Remission of sinnes belong: there-fore also to them doeth the Cup of Blessing belong.
And who-so-ever depryveth the people of the Cup, they depryue them of the comfortable pleadge of the Remission of their sinnes, and of that full refection of their soules signified there-by, and wherein the verie essence of the Sacrament consisteth.Cass. cōsult. art. 22. Therefore their owne Cassander telleth vsus, that Christs Disciples at that last Supper,Cassand. consult. art. 22. did represent the persons of all faythfull communicants. So that to with-holde the Cup from them, is as if the same had beene with-holden from the Disciples; whereof in the contrarie our Saviour sayde, according to the place alleadged, Drinke yee all of this.
1. COR. 11.28. Let a man examine himselfe, and so let him eate of that Bread, and drinke of that Cup.
Which wordes of the Apostle cutteth off all evasions: For as the commandement which is generall, and to each one to examine himselfe, is given to all the faythfull; so the commandement to eate of the Bread, and drinke of the Cup, is generall, and given to all the faythfull: therefore also wee see, that in the two preceeding verses,Dist. 2. de consecrat. c. comperirimus Ignat. ep. 6. ad Philadelp Iust. Mart Apol. 2. Chrysost. hom. 18. in 2. Cor 8. and in the subsequent, both eating of the bread, and drinking of the Cup, are ever joyned, and enjoyned to all. Wherefore Pope Gelasius sayeth, that the di…yding of one and the same Sacrament, can not bee done without great sacriledge.
2. Witnessing of Antiquitie.
ONE Cup is distributed amōgst all, (sayeth Ignatius) and to everie one that is present, the Deacons distribute wine and water, (sayth Iustin Martyr.) Which wordes over-throwe lyke-wyse Transubstantiation: And vntounto all men what-so-ever, is one Bodie and one Cup presented, (sayeth holie Chrysostome.)
3. Confession of partie.Alph. de Castro, contr. Heresas. Verbo Eucharistia.
WEE are instructed by the Writtes of manie holie Fathers, (sayeth Alphonsus de Castro) that of olde the Eucharist was given vntounto Laickes vnderunder both kindes. And more particularlie, (sayeth Cassander) It is evident that the Vniversall Church to this day,Cassand. consult. art. 22. Alex. Alens. 4. q. 40. memb 3. art. 2. Durand. rationale, l. 4. c. 54. Aquī. part. 3 q. 76. art. 2. and the Occidentall or Romane, a thousand yeares and moe after Christ, in the solemne and ordinarie administration of this Sacrament, did exhibite to all the members of Christs Church, both the sorts, to wit, bread and wine: For, whole Christ is not cōtayned vnderunder one kynde (sayeth Alensis) Sacramentallie; but His flesh onlie vnderunder the Element of bread, and His blood vnderunder the Element of wine. And hee who receaveth onlie the Hoste, (sayth Durand) receaveth not the full Sacrament. Wherefore (sayeth Aquinas) this is the more conveniēt forme of celebrating this Sacrament, that by themselues the body of Christ bee given to the faythfull for meate, and His Blood apart for drinke.