SECT. XVI. Testimonies of the practise of the Church from 1500. to 1600.
IN this Age I might produce many Testimo∣nies of such learned Doctors and Professors of the Gospell, as haue beene by Gods proui∣dence Page 138 raised vp in the Reformed Churches in former and latter yeeres, who by their wri∣tings learnedly & soundly haue mainteined the cause we haue in hand; as also doe the ioynt, and vnanimous Confessions of the Churches of England, France, Scotland, Germany, Po∣lonia, Sweueland, Morauia, &c; Howbeit, because the Romanists doe except against all the foresaid witnesses, as insufficient, and of no authority, because they haue departed from their Synagogue; therefore I will alleage some prime Doctors of this Age also, and men of e∣minency among themselues, maintaining the same truth with vs; against whom I see not what iust exception may be taken by them.
Anno 1541.
mGerardus Lorichuis zealously oppugning the sacrilegious practise of the Church of Rome: There be false Catholicks, saith he, that are not ashamed by all meanes to hinder the reformation of the Church; They, to the intent that the other kind of the sacrament may not be restored to the Lay peo∣ple, spare no kind of blasphemie. For they say, Christ said onely to his Apostles, Drinke yee all of this, but the words of the Canon of the Masse be these, Take, and eate yee all of this. Here I beseech them, let them •…ell Page 139 me, whither they wil haue this word, all, onely to per∣taine vnto the Apostles? then must the Lay people abstaine from the other kind, of the bread also. Which thing to say, is an heresie, and a pestilent and detestable blasphemie. Wherefore it followeth, that each of these words were spoken to the whole Church.
Anno 1545.
n The Ambassadours for the Emperour, and for the French King, were earnest sutors to the Fathers in the Councell of Trent, for the resti∣tution of the Cup to the Layety.
Anno 1562.
The obseruation of *Seneca; That a lye is of a thin and transparent nature, a diligent eye may see through it; was verified in the Diuines, and Bishops present at the Councell of Trent. Whereof some saw obscurely, others clearely through this grand lye of the Romish Church, which vnder colour of concomitancy, subtra∣cteth the vse of the Cup from the Layety. For Antonius Mandulfe•…sis had a glympse; but Card. Madrutius Gaspar de casa, and the Bishop of Quinque Ecclesi•…, and also Amans Seruito, a * Friar had a full sight of the truth in this point. Antonius Mandulfensis, Chaplain to the Bishop of Prage, professedly impugned the distincti∣on of the Eucharist, as a Sacrament, and as a sa∣crifice: Page 140 which distinction the Papists at this day hold before them, as a buckler to beare off our arguments, drawne from the necessity of representing Christs death in the Lords Sup∣per, by receiuing his blood apart, as seuered from his body. He also infringeth their com∣mon argument for their halfe Communion, drawne from the example of the Disciples at Emaus, and Saint Paul his breaking bread in the ship. For he truly and acutely noted, that if these Texts are to be expounded of commu∣nicating in one kind only, that it would from thence follow, that it were not onely lawfull for the people to communicate in one kind on∣ly, but for Priests, such as the Apostle S. Paul, and the Disciples were, to consecrate in one kind onely. Thus he saw light as it were by a chinke; but pAmans servito Brixianus, as a man in the open aire felt the light of truth to come so full into his eyes, that it dazeled them. For following the doctrine of Caietan, who hol∣deth, that blood is not a part of mans nature, but the first nourishment thereof; and adding, that it cannot be said, that the body necessarily draweth the nourishment into concomitancy with it; from thence he inferred, that it was not altogether the same substance vnder the forme of bread, and vnder the forme of wine. Withall hee added: that the blood in the Lords Supper was blood shed out of the veines, in which as long as it was contained, it could not be drinke: and therefore could not bee drawne with the veine into concomitancy:Page 141 Moreouer, that the Lords Supper was instituted to celebrate his Passion; which could not •…ee represented, but by effusion of blood, and seuering it from the body. It is true, this Amans had a check in the Coun∣for his paines: but his reasons were not an∣swered: himselfe for feare shuffled and fum∣bled about some answer vnto them, but gaue no satisfaction either to himselfe, or to others. Welfare Cardinall qMadrusius, who being asked his opinion, answered directly, That hee thought fit the Cup should be restored to the Layety, without all exception. Gaspar de Casa, Bishop of Lerye, a man of eminent learning, concurred with the Cardinall in iudgement; adding, that he thought, that God would neuer send the spirit of delusion into the minde of the Emperour, in so weigh∣ty a point; especially considering, that Charles the French King, and the Duke of Bauaria, ioyned with the Emperour in this request, that the Cup should be granted to the Layety. This speech of so learned a Bishop, not only confirmed those, who were of the same mind with him, but also made most of the opposite faction to startle.
Anno 1563.
Dudithius, Bish. of Quinque-Ecclesiae, as in the Councell of Trent hee had stoutly maintained the entire Communion, and refelled all obie∣ctions to the contrary: so after the breaking vp of the Councell, in an Epistle, which he wrote to Maximilian the Emperour, he bitterly com∣plaineth Page 142 of the miscarriage of this businesse in the Councell: rWhat good could be done, saith he, in that Councell, wherein voyces were numbred, but not weighed? If the merits of the cause, or reason might haue preuailed, or if but a few had ioyned with vs, we had wonne the day: but when the number on∣ly did beare the sway, in which we came farre short, though our cause was exceeding good, yet wee were faine to sit downe by the losse.
Anno 1564.
Georgius Cassander being set a worke by Fer∣dinand the Emperour, to aduise about a meanes of composing differences in Religion, declares himselfe fully for vs in this point of the Cup: sIt is not, saith hee, without cause that the best lear∣ned Catholikes most earnestly desire and contend, that they may receiue the Sacrament of Christs blood to∣gether with his body, according to the antient cu∣stome in the vniuersall Church continued for many Ages: or at least, that the liberty▪ which was granted two hundred yeeres agoe of communicating in one kind, or both, may be restored. Wherefore I hold it not onely nothing contrary to the authoritie of the Church, but rather very agreeable to the peace and vnitie of the Church, and in a manner necessary, that either those in whose hands lyes the gouernment of the Church, restore the antient custome of communi∣cating, or, which may be done without great trouble, that the Churches themselues by little and little re∣turne to their antient vse.
