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Our fourth and fift Comparisons are of Primitiue Custome with the contrary Custome; in respect both of the Antiqui∣tie and Vniversalitie thereof.
BEfore wee shall say any thing our selues of the Primitive Cu∣stome, in vsing both kindes in the administration of this Sa∣crament,
and the extent thereof, both in the longitude of Con∣tinuance, and latitude of Vniversalitie, we are ready to heare how farre your owne Doctors will yeeld vnto vs, in both these points, touching the publike vse of both kindes. Hearken but vnto the Marginals, and you shall finde your Iesuites, with others, vtte∣ring these voyces: f 1.1 Wee must confesse, Wee doe confesse; yea, Wee doe ingenuously confesse a Custome of both kindes (aswell to the Laicks as Priests) to have beene in the Primitive Church most frequent and generall: as is prooved by the ancient Fathers both Greeke and La∣tine, among whom are Leo and Gregorie (both) Popes of Rome; yea and universall also for a long time, continuing a thousand yeares in the Church of Rome, and in the Greeke Church vnto this day. So they. where we see both Antiquity and Vniversality thereof to the full, which it were easie for vs to have shewne Gradatim, descending downe from the first Age unto the twelfth; but that when wee haue as much confessed as neede be proved, it might be iudged to be but an importunate diligence and Curiositie to labour any further. Neverthelesse, if peradventure any should desire to see one or two Testimonies for the last Age, he may satisfie himselfe in the g 1.2 Mar∣gent at the first sight.
The Romish Obiections, concerning Primitive Custome.
Divers Obiections are vrged on your side, to abate something of the Vniuersalitie of the Custome of Both kindes, which we defend; but if they shall not seeke to decline the Question, and to rove a∣bout, as it were, at vnset markes, their Arguments are but as so many Bolts shot altogether in vaine. For our defence is onely this, that in the publike solemnization and Celebration of this Sacrament, in an Assembly of Christians freely met to communi∣cate, no one example can be shewen in all Antiquity, throughout the Catholique Church of Christ, for the space of a thousand
yeares, inhibiting either Priest, or Laick, from Communicating in both kindes, who was duly prepared to receive the Sacrament. As for the examples which you vsually obiect, they are of no force at all, being h 1.3 proved to be either private, or illegitimate, or false, respectively. Hitherto of the Primitive Custome. Notwithstanding all this, will your Romane Church boast of her contrary Custome of after-times; telling vs in her Councels that her Custome of ad∣ministring the Eucharist but in one kinde is rightly observed, as a Custome which hath beene Diutissimè observata, that is, of most long continuance: Many yeares by passed, saith i 1.4 your Villalpandius: But most precisely your Iesuite k 1.5 Salmeron: It is certaine (saith he) that the Church, for these three or two hundred yeares, hath used to communicate to the Laity vnder one kinde. So they.
NOw after that wee have proved, out of your owne Confessi∣ons, the length of the Custome of both kinds to have beene in the Continuance above a thousand yeares, after the first In∣stitution of this Sacrament, and for largenes thereof, in an uni∣versall consent thereunto, without any exception by any exam∣ple ordinary, publique, and legitimate; and that you have heard also even the Fathers of your Church opposing against it a contra∣ry custome not above the Compasse of three hundred yeeres, and yet to call it [Diutissima] A Custome of long continuance; What Tergi∣versation could be more shameles? But enough of this point. In the next place, because the same your Councell hath told us, that your Contrary Custome was brought in [Rationabili∣tèr,] with good Reason, wee are forth-with to discusse the Rea∣sons thereof.
Olim per multa secula sub utra{que} spe∣cie porrigibatur La∣icis, ut ex multorum Sanctorum scriptis didicimus. Alfons. à Castro in hac ipsa con∣troversia, pag. 158. Vsus utrius{que} specici à primitiva Ecclesia comprobatus fuit: in posteriori etiam Ec∣clesia multi Latini & occidentales illum retinuerunt. Graeci quo{que} hodiè & Ori∣entales licitè & san∣ctè, quod ad ipsum ri∣tum attinet, cum ob∣servant. Salmeron. Jes. Tom. 9. Tract. 37. pag. 308. Minimè nega∣mus quin utra{que} spe∣cies frequentissimè olim etiam admini∣strata fuerit, utappa∣ret ex Paulo, Atha∣nasio, Cyprian. Hier. Leone, & Hist. Tri∣part, ex Greg. & passim ex alijs veterum Testimonijs: item{que} ex D. Thoma, qui etiam suo tempore in aliqui∣bus Ecclesijs administratum Calicem fuisse significat. Valent. Ies. de usu Euch. cap. 8. §. Alioqui. pag. 496. Inge∣nuè tamen & apertè confitemur, morem generalem extitisse communicandi etiam Laicis sub utra{que} specie, si∣cut hodiè fit apud Graecos, & olim erat in more positum apud Corinthios, & in Africa. Dequo more loquitur Cyprian. Athanas Dionys. Etiam probatur ex Ecclesia Latina, at{que} in hunc usum erant olim Calices ministe∣riales & paterae ad differentiam calicum & paterarum, in quibus Sacerdotes offerebant. Salmeron quo sup. Tract. 35. §. Ingenuè p. 294. B. Gregorius, & Sexcenta huiusmodi proferri possent.—Vsus utrius{que} speciei à Christo & Apostolis, & à Primitiva Ecclesia, qui illum usurpârunt, comprobatus fuit. In posteriori etiam Ecclesia multi Latini & Occidentales illum retinuerunt: Graeci quo{que} hodiè. Salmeron. ib. Tract. 37. §. Deinde. Satis comper∣tum est, universalem Ecclesiam Christi in hunc us{que} diem, Occidentalem seu Romanam mille annis à Christo, in solenni praesertim & ordinaria hujus Sacramenti dispensatione, utramvis panis & vini speciem omnibus Christi membris exhibuisse. Cassand. Consult. pag. 166, 167. [And lest any doubt should be made of Gregory the first Pope of that name, his testimonie is cited in Gratian among the Popes Decrees. De Consecrat. Dist. 2. Quid sit san∣guis. Sanguis in ora fid elium funditur.]
Bern. Serm. 3. de ramis palmarum, de Sacrament. corp. & sanguinis Dom.—Nemo est qui nesciat hanc tàm fingularem alimoniam ea primâ die (viz. Palmarum) exhibitam & commendatam, & mandatam deinceps frequentari. Algerus l. 2. c. 8. de Sacram. Iste mos inolevit in Ecclesia ab ipso Christo, qui corpus suum & sanguinem divisim consecravit & dedit. Vide etiam Rupertum de divin. offic. lib. 6. cap. 23.
Ob: Consuetu∣dinem Eucharisti∣am domum deferen∣di, &c. Sol. [By rea∣son of Persecution, and the paucitie of Mini∣sters: but afterwards abolished by the Church as was the ministrati∣on thereof to Infants.] Ob: [Communio o∣lim Laicis data in poenam gravis deli∣cti. Bellar. l. 4. de Euch. cap. 24. [Sol. As if the punishment of the La∣icks Communion could signifie Partaking in one kinde.] which is confuted by Durant. lib. 2. de Ritib. cap. 55. Nonnulli crediderunt Laicam Communionem appellatam, quòd sub unica specie etiam Clerici, imò Sacerdotes ipsi non conficientes communicant, nunc sub una specie. Quare verius est, Laicam communionem dictam, quia extra sacratiorem locum, ubi Sacrifi∣cium fit, ubi Sacerdos conficiens, tùm Ministri communicabant. And by Pamelius in Cyprian. Epist. 152. Laicum communicare, nihil aliud est quam inter Laicos. i. e. extrâ cancellos—hoc est, extra cho∣rum, ut hodie loquimur. Lorinus Ies. in Act. 2. Reverà distinctio non in specie utra{que} & una esse vide∣tur, quoniam utra{que} species concedebatur (nempe Laicis) sed in destinato loco, separato p••o Clericis. [And there were two punishments of Priests anciently, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, privari Clericatus honore, & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Ex∣communicari.] Ob: Ritus erat, ut Communio praesanctificatorum esset sub una specie, die Parascevis, cor∣pus sine specie sanguinis. Sol. [The word it selfe being in the Plurall, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, praesanctificata, Confu∣teth this Obiection, and so doe the Lyturgies.]
In Conc. Constant. de usu unius speciei. Cum huiusmodi consuetudo ab Ecclesia & sanctis patribus rationabiliter introducta, & hactenús diutissime observata sit, haben∣da est pro lege. Eodem modo Conc. Basil. penè eisdem verbis: Deinde latam legem quamplurimis retrò annis Con∣suetudo iucundissima effecerat. Gasp. Cardillus apud Act. Conc. Trident. p 220, 222, 223.
Secundum certum est, Ecclesiam praesentem, & quae illam praecessit per trecentos aut ducentos annos, Laicos sub altera specie in multis Ecclesijs communicare consuevisse, ut docet S. Thomas in Ioh. his verbis. Secundùm antiquae Eccle∣siae consuetudinem omnes sicut communicabant corpore, ità & sanguine: quod etiam adhuc in quibusdam Ec∣clesijs servatur, ubi etiam Ministri altaris continuò & corpore & sanguine communicabant. Salmeron Ies. Tom. 9. Tract. 35. §. Secundum certum. pag. 284.