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 kind of Romish Pretences is of such, which might have beene common to other Churches.

The other Causes above-mentioned were common to the pri∣mitive Church of Christ, wherein the use of both kinds was (not∣withstanding) preserved and continued; except that you will say, no Northerne Nations were Christians in those times: and that no stomacks of Christians were disaffected to wine, in loathing it, &c. But two other Pretences you have, which you thinke to be of more speciall force, to forbid the use of this Sacrament in both kinds; One is Because (saith your m Cardinall) Such is the now-received and approved custome of Nations and People. So hee. But first to ar∣gue, that your Church did therefore forbid the use of both kinds, because shee had approued the contrary Custome, is a meere Nu∣gacitie and Tautologie; and as much as to say, Shee would forbid it, because shee would forbid it. Secondly, saying, that the Vse of but One kinde had indefinitely the Consent of Nations and People, is a flat falsity, because (as hath beene confessed) The Greeke Church (not to mention Aethiopians, Aegyptians, Armenians, and Others) have alwayes held the Contrarie Custome. Lastly, to justifie your Churches Innouation, in consenting to the humour of People of later times, what can you censure it lesse than a grosse and absurd Indulgence?

The other Motive, which the n Cardinall calleth a Vehement presumption, and which all your Obiectors most earnestly urge, is the Cause of Irreverence, lest the blood might be split, especially in such a multitude of faithfull Communicants: and also least any par∣ticle of the Hoast fall to the ground, saith Master Brereley.

We have but foure Answeres to this mightie Obiection. First, that this was not held a Reason to Christ, or his Apostles, or to the Church of Christ for many ages, when notwithstanding the multi∣tudes of Communicants were innumerable. Secondly, that The Casuall spilling of the Cup, saith your o Salmeron, is no sinne, else would not Christ have instituted the use of the Cup: nor would the A∣postles, or primitive Church aswell in the West as in the East, in their communicating; nor yet the Priest in consecrating, have vsed it. So hee. Wee might adde, by the same reason should people be for∣bid the other part also, left (as your Priest said) any particle there∣of should fall to the ground. Furthermore, for the avoiding of Spil∣ling, you (as your Cardinall Alan p relateth) have provided

Pipes of silver, which are used by Popes, Cardinals Monks, and some other Illustrious lay-Personages. Surely, there being no respect of per∣sons with God (as said S. Peter) we thinke that he, who will be S. Peter's Successor should have taken out with S. Peter that lesson of Christ, of loving the whole flocke of Christ, aswell Lambes as Sheepe; not to provide Pipes or Tunnels for himselfe alone & his Grandes, for receiuing this part of the Sacrament, and to neglect all other Christians, albeit never so true members of Christ. For this wee all know, that q Our Lord Christ prepared his table aswell for the poore as the Rich, according to the Apostles Doctrine, by your owne construction, answerable to the Doctrine of ancient Fathers. And that the pretence of Reverence cannot be a sufficient Reason of alte∣ring the ordinance of Christ, wee may learne from ancient Hi∣stories, which euidently declare that the opinion of Reverence hath often beene the Damme and Nource of manifold Super∣stitions.

As for example. The Heretikes called Discalceati, in pretence of more humilitie, thought that they ought to goe bare-foote. The Encratitae, in pretence of more sanctitity, abhorred marriage. The r Aquarij, in pretence of more sobriety, used water in this Sacra∣ment. The Manichees wanted not their pretence of not drinking wine in the Eucharist, because they thought it was created by an evill Spirit. And yet were these iudged by Pope Gelasius to be Sacrilegious. Yea and what greater defence had the Pharisees, for all their Superstitions, than that of Reverence? whom notwith∣standing Christ did pierce thorow with so many Vae's, for annul∣ling of the Precepts of God, by their Traditions, vnder the pretence of religious Reverence and sanctity.

In briefe. It was the opinion of Reverence that made S. Peter to contradict our Lords command, when he said, Thou shalt never wash my feete: yet how dangerous it had beene for Peter to have persisted in opposition, the Replie of our Saviour doth declare. If I wash not thy feete (saith Christ) thou hast no part with me, &c. Vpon which Text S. s Chrysost. readeth vnto you this Lecture. Let us therefore learne (saith he) to honour and reverence Christ, as he would, and not as we thinke meete. And sure wee are, that he would that same which he commanded, saying, [Doe this.] Therefore our next Difference, betweene our defence and yours, is no other than obedient Reverence, and reverent, or rather irreligious Dis∣obedience.

As for your Pretence of manifesting hereby a t Greater dignity of Priests than of Laicks; it is too phantasticall for the singularity; too harsh for the noveltie; and too gracelesse for the impietie thereof: seeing that Christ, who gave his Bodie and Blood an e∣quall price of Redemption for all sorts, would have the Sacrament of his Body and Blood equally administred to People, as Priests; as you have heard the Fathers themselves professe.

Notes

• m

  Primò movet Ecclesiam consuetu∣do recepta & appro∣bata consensu Gen∣tium & Populorum. Bellar. quosup.
• n

  Movet Ecclesiā, & quidem vehemen∣tèr Irreverentia & profanationes tanti Sacramenti, quae vix evitari possent in tā∣ta fidelium multitu∣dine, si omnibus da∣retur sub utra{que} spe∣cie. Bellar. ibid.
• Liturg. tract. 4. §. 6.
• o

  Vtriusque spe∣cici vsum illicitum esse at{que} sacrilegium ait.—falsum est, quòd usui Calicis an∣nexum sit peccatum vel sacrilegiu, prop∣ter periculum effusio∣nis: nam si hab eret adiūctum peccatum, neque Christus Do∣minus, neque Aposto∣li in primitiva Eccle∣sia, nee Orientales modo, nec Occidentales ante Conc. Constantiense, ne{que} deni{que} Sacerdotes celebrantes eo ut erentur ritu Salme∣ron Ies. Tom. 9. Tract. 37. §. Deinde, p. 308.
• p

  Cernuntur hodiè ex antiquitate relictae quaedam fistu lae argenteae & aureae velut canales, calicibus vetustioribus adjunctae, ut per eas sine effusione hauri••i posset ••an∣guis è calice, quarum in Ordinario Rom. fit mentio. Et adhuc in Missa solenni Pontificis adhibentur, ubi ministri Cardinales, aut illustriores personae communicant sub utraque specie, posteriorem speciem fistulâ haurientes. sed ista instrumenta non fuisse in usu apud plebem in parochialibus Ecclesijs planè existimo, sed tantum in sa∣cris Cardinalium, Canonicorum, & Monachorum Conventibus. Alan. lib. 1. de Euch. cap 47. p. 495.
• q

  1. Cor. 11. Ita{que} fratres mei, cum con∣ven••ritis, invicem expectate.] Domi∣nus ex aequo Tibi & pauperimensam pro∣prij corporis, & po∣culum sanguinis t••a∣didit. Teste Salmeron. Ies Tom. 14. Disp. 19. pag. 153.
• (*) See §. 9.
• (*) See above. Secto 8. (g)
• r

  Aquarij solam a∣quam apponendam asserebant, sobrieta∣tis conservandae cau∣sâ vinum vitantes. Alfons. à Castro cont. Haeres. Tit. Euchari∣stia, Haer. 6.
• s

  Discamus Chri∣stum, prout vult, vene∣rari, honorato nam{que} iucundissi••us est ho∣nor, non quem nos putamus; nam & eum Petrus honorare pu∣tabar, cùm sibi pe∣des eum lavare pro∣hibuit: sed non erat honor, quem age∣bat, sed contrarium. Chrysost. Hom. 60. ad pop. Antioch. Tom. 5.
• t

  Si sic tanta esset dignitas Laicorum circà sūptionem cor∣poris Christi, quanta Clericorum? Gerson. Tract. de utra{que} specie.