A replie vnto M. Hardinges ansvveare by perusinge whereof the discrete, and diligent reader may easily see, the weake, and vnstable groundes of the Romaine religion, whiche of late hath beene accompted Catholique. By Iohn Iewel Bishoppe of Sarisburie.

M. Hardinge. The .7. Diuision.

Here, before that I bringe in places of auncient Fathers, reportinge the same Doctrine, and in like termes, as the Catholike Churche dooth holde, concerninge this Article: least our opinion herein might happily appeare our Carnal, and Grosse: I thinke it necessarie briefely to declare, what ma∣ner a true Bodie, and Bloude is in the Sacrament. Christe in him selfe, hathe but one Fleashe, and Bloud in Substance, whiche his Godhead tooke of the Virgin Marie once, and neuer afterwarde leafte it of. But this one Fleashe, and Bloude in respecte of double qualitie, hathe a doubleconsideration. For at what time Christe liued here in earthe amonge men in the shape of man, his fleashe was thralle, and subiecte to the frailtie of mannes nature, sinne, and ignoraunce excepted. That fleashe beinge passi∣ble vnto deathe, the souldiours at the procurement of the Iewes crucified. And suche manner Bloude was at his passion sheadde foorthe of his Bodie, in sight of them, whiche were then present. But af∣ter that Christe rose againe from the deade, his Bodie from that time forwarde euer remainethe im∣mortal, and liuely, in daunger no more of any infirmitie, or sufferinge, muche lesse of deathe: but is become by diuine giftes and endowementes, a spiritual, and a diuine Bodie, as to whom the Godhead bathe communicated Diuine, and Godly properties, and excellencies, that beene aboue al mannes ca∣pacitie of vnderstandinge. This Fleashe, and Bodie thus considered, whiche sundrie Doctours calle Corpus Spirituale, & Deificatū, A Spiritual, and a Deified Bodie, is geuen to vs in the blessed Sa∣crament. This is the doctrine of the Churche, vttered by S. Hierome in his Cōmentaries vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians:* 1.1 where he hath these woords, Dupliciter verò Sanguis & Caro intelligitur, vel Spiritualis illa atque Diuina, de qua ipse dixit, Caro mea verè est cibus, & Sanguis meus verè est porus: Et, Nisi manducaueritis Carnem meam, & Sanguinem meū biberitis, non

habebitis vitam aeternam: Vel Caro, quae Crucifixa est, & Sanguis, qui militis effusus est lancea. That is, The Bloude, and Fleashe of Christ is vnderstanded two waies: either that it is that spiritual, and diuine Fleashe, of whiche he spake him self, My Fleashe is verily meate, and my Bloude is verily drinke: and, Excepte ye eate my Fleashe, and drinke my Bloude, ye shal not haue life in you: Or, that Fleashe, whiche was crucified, and that Bloude, whiche was sheadde by pearcinge of the souldiers speare. And to the intent a man sholde not take this difference accordinge to the substan∣ce of Christe Fleashe and Bloude, but accordinge to the qualitie onely, S. Hierome bringeth a simili∣tude of our Fleashe, as of whiche it hath ben in double respecte saide:* 1.2 Iuxta hanc diuisionem, & in Sanctis etiam diuersitas Sanguinis, & Carnis accipitur: vt alia sit Caro, quae visura est salutare Dei, alia Caro, & Sanguis, quae Regnum Dei non queant possidere. Accordinge to this diuision, diuersitie of Bloude, and Fleashe is to be vnderstanded in Sainctes also, so as there is one Fleashe, whiche shal see the Saluation of God, and an other Fleashe, and Bloude, which maie not possesse the Kingedome of God. VVhiche two states of Fleashe, and Bloude seeme (as it appeareth to the vnlearned) quite contrary.

But S. Paule dissolueth this doubte, in the fiftenth Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians, saieinge, that Fleashe of suche sorte, as we beare aboute vs in this life, earthly, mortal, fraile, and bourthenous to the soule, cannot possesse the Kingdome of God, because corruption shal not possesse incorruption. But after Resurrection, we shal haue a spiritual, gloriouse, incorruptible, and immor∣tal Fleashe, and like in figure to the gloriouse Bodie of Christ, as S. Paule saith: This corruptible Bodie must put on incorruption: and this mortal, immortalitie. Then suche Fleashe, or our Fleashe of that manner and sorte, shal possesse the Kingdome of God, and shal beholde God him self. And yet our Fleashe nowe corruptible, and then incorruptible, is but one Fleashe in substance, but diuerse in qualitie and propertie. Euen so it is to be thought of our Lordes Fleashe, as is afore saide. The dewe weighinge of this difference geueth muche light to this matter, and ought to staie many horrible blasphemies wickedly vtered against this most blessed Sacrament.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Lib. 1. Cap. 1.
• * 1.2

  Luc. 3•• 1. Cor. 15.