Of the institution of the sacrament of the blessed bodie and blood of Christ, (by some called) the masse of Christ eight bookes; discovering the superstitious, sacrilegious, and idolatrous abominations of the Romish masse. Together with the consequent obstinacies, overtures of perjuries, and the heresies discernable in the defenders thereof. By the R. Father in God Thomas L. Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield.

The second Romish Transgression of the Canon of Christ his Masse, is in their Contradicting the sence of the next words of. In∣stitution, [HE BRAKE IT.]

SECT. IV.

HE brake it.] So all the Evangelists doe relate. Which Act of Christ plainly noteth that hee Brake the Bread, for distribu∣ting of the same vnto his Disciples. And his Command is mani∣fest, in saying as well in behalfe of this, as of the rest, [Doe this.] Your Priest indeed Breaketh one Hoast into three parts vpon the Consecration thereof: but our Question is of Fraction or Breaking, for Distribution to the People.

The Contrarie Canon of the (now) Romane Masse.

p 1.1 BEHOLD (say you) Christ brake it; but the Catholike Church (meaning the Romane) now doth not breake it, but giueth it whole. And this you pretend to doe for Reverence-sake, Lest (as your q 1.2 Iesuite saith) some crummes of Bread may fall to the ground. Nei∣ther is there any Direction to your Priest to Breake the Bread, either before or after Consecration, in your Romane Masse; especially that which is distributed to the people.

CHALLENGE.

BVt now see (wee pray you) the absolute Confession of your owne r 1.3 Doctors, whereby is witnessed, first, that Christ brake the bread into twelve parts. Secondly, that this Act of breaking of bread is such a principall Act, that the whole Celebration of this Sacrament hath had from thence this Appellation given to it, by the Apostles, to be called Breaking of Bread. Thirdly, that the Church of Christ alwayes observed the same Ceremonie of breaking the bread, aswell in the Greeke as in the Latine (and consequently the Romane) Church. Fourthly, that this Breaking of the Bread is a Symbolicall Ceremonie betokening not only the crucifying of Christ's bodie vpon the Crosse, but also (in the common participation there∣of) representing the vnion of the mysticall bodie of Christ, which is his Church, Communicating together of one loafe: that as many graines in one loafe, so all faithfull Communicants are vnited to one Head Christ, as the Apostle teacheth, 1. Cor. 10. thus, [The bread which we breake, is it not the Communion of the bodie of Christ? for we being many are one bread.] We adde, as a most speciall Reason, that this Breaking it, in the distribution thereof, is to apply the re∣presentation of the Bodie crucified, and the Bloud shed to the heart and soule of every Communicant; That as the Bread is given bro∣ken to vs, so was Christ crucified for vs. Yet, neverthelesse, your Church contrarily professing, that although Christ did breake bread, yet (BEHOLD!) she doth not so; what is it else, but to starch her face, and insolently to confront Christ his Command by her bold Countermand (as you now see) in effect saying; But doe not this.

A SECOND CHALLENGE.

AS for that truly called Catholike Church, you your-selves doe grant vnto vs, that by Christ his first Institution, by the Pra∣ctice of the Apostles, by the ancient and universall Custome of the whole Church of Christ, aswell Greeke as Latine, the Ceremonie of Breaking bread was continually observed. Which may be vnto vs more than a probable Argument, that the now Church of Rome doth falsly usurpe the Title of CATHOLIKE, for the better countenancing and authorizing of her novell Customes, although neuer so repugnant to the will of Christ, and Custome of the truly called Catholike Church.

In the next place, to your Pretence of Not-Breaking, because of Reverence, We say; Hem, scilicet, Quanti est sapere! As if Christ and his Apostles could not fore-see that your Necessitie, (namely) that by the Distributing of the Bread, and by Breaking it, some little crummes must cleaue sometimes vnto the beards of the Communicants, or else fall to the ground. Or as though this Alteration were to be called Reverence, and not rather Arrogance, in making your-selves more wise than Christ, who instituted; or then all the Apostles, or Fathers of primitiue times, who conti∣nued the same Breaking of bread.

Therefore this your Contempt of Breaking what is it but a per∣emptorie breach of Christ his Institution, neuer regarding what the Scripture saith; * 1.4 Obedience is better then Sacrifice. For, indeed, true Reverence is the mother of Obedience; else is it not Devotion, but a meere derision of that Command of Christ, [Doe this.]

Notes

• p 1.1

  Ecce, in coena Christus fregit pa∣nem: & tamen Ec∣clesia Gatholica mo∣dò non frangit, sed integrum dat. Salme∣ron. Ies. Tom. 9. Tract. 34. §. Nam. p. 275.
• q 1.2

  Amulto tempo∣re non usupatur fra∣ctio, sed singuli pa∣nes, seu minores hostiae consecrantur, ad evitandum periculum decidentium micarum. Lorin. Ies. in Act. 2. 42. Bonâ ratione, nè micae aut particulae panissacri pereant. Salmeron quo suprà, aliquantò post.
• r 1.3

  Fregit.] Nimi∣rùm in tot particu∣las quot erant Apo∣stoli manducaturi, praetersuam, quam Christus primus ac∣cepit. Et (ut quidam non indiligenter an∣notavit) quemadmo∣dùm unum calicem communem omnibus tradidit ad bibendū, ità unâ palma panem in 12. buccellas fra∣ctum manibus suis dispensavit. Salmer∣quo suprà Tract. 12. §. Sequitur p. 77. Apo∣stolus Act. 2. Vocat Eucharistiam fractio∣nem panis, ob cere∣moniam frangendi panem in tot parti∣culas quot sunt com∣municaturi, ut Chri∣stus fecit in coena. Quem morem longo tempore Ecclesia re∣tinuit, de quo Apo∣stolus; Panis, quem frangimus, nonne communicatio cor∣poris Christi Domi∣ni? in qua fractione pulchrè repraesenta∣tur Passio corporis Christi. Idem Ies. Tract. 35. §. Vocat. pag. 288. [Infractione Panis, Act. 2.] Indicat fractionis nomen antiquam consuetudinem partiendi pro astantibus sive manu, sive cultro; quià panis azymus glutinosus ità facilius divi∣ditur. Lorinus Ies. in eum locum p. 138. col. 2. Benedictionem sequitur hostiae fractio, fractionem sequitur Com∣munio.—Hunc celebrandi morem semper Ecclesia servavit tàm Graeca quàm Latina, quarum Liturgiae etsi in verbis aliquandò discrepent, certè omnes in eo conveniunt, quòd partes has omnes Missae Christi exactè re∣praesentent, nihil de essentialibus omittentes. Vsus autem Ecclesiae & eius celebrandi ordo nos docent, qualis fuit Christi Missa, & quo illam ordine celebravit▪ Archiep. Caesar. var. Tract. pag. 27.
• * 1.4

  1. Sam. 15. 22.