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.

A third Confirmation of the Truth of Senses, as sufficient in Divine Causes, for discerning Obiects of Sense, and particularly in perceiving Bread and Wine to continue the same in this Sacrament; by the judgement of Ancient Fathers.

SECT. IX.

HOw many Heretiques of old were there (such as the Valenti∣nians, Montanists, Marcionites) who denied that Christ had a True, and Essentiall Bodie? and how absolutely were they confu∣ted of Ancient Fathers, by the Evidence of men's Senses that heard, saw, and felt the Body of Christ? Which sheweth plainly that a Demonstration by Sense standeth good and strong euen in Chri∣stian Philosophie. And to come to the point in Question, to con∣clude from the Premises in the former Section; who can deny this Consequence, viz. By the same Evidence may a Christian man prove Bread to be truly Bread, after Consecration, whereby Christ proved his Body to be a body of flesh, after his Resurrection? But this he did from the Infallibility of Sence. Therefore this may be equal∣ly concluded by the same Argument of Sence.

And that there is the same Reason of both these, the Ancient Father Theodoret sheweth in the Argument, wherewith he confu∣ted an Heretique by Sense, thus; k As after Consecration (saith he) Bread remayneth the same in substance: So Christ his Body after the Resurrection remayned in substance the same. Thus much of the A∣nalogie. (As for the word [Substance] more is to be spoken there∣of hereafter.) Yea, and Saint Augustine will not suffer the Com∣municant to blind-fold himselfe, whose Testimony (digested by l Bede) is this: That which you have seene is Bread, as your eyes doe manifest unto you. And he speaketh of Bread, as this Sacrament was a Symbol, and Signe of the mysticall body of Christ, which is his Church, consisting of a multitude of Faithfull Communicants, as one Loafe doth of many graines of wheate. So Saint Augustine. Ergò, It is Bread after Consecration.

Tertullian hath a large Plea against the Academici, who denied the iudgement of Sense; wherein hee maintayneth the Truth of the Senses, and in proofe thereof hee manifesteth the Perfection of Christ his Senses in Seeing, Feeling, Tasting, Smelling; and at length

he falleth upon the point now in Question, saying that m If wee yeild not to the suffrages of Senses, some may doubt whether Christ perceiued afterwards another Sent of oyntment, which hee received (meaning another than the naturall Sent thereof) before his Buriall. And immediatly he addeth, (marke we pray you) One might doubt also whether Christ tasted afterwards another taste of Wine, than was that, which he consecrated for the memoriall of his blood. That then, which Christ Tasted, was first Consecrated. Next, he invadeth the Heretique Marcion, for denying the Truth of Christ's Bodie on earth, and confuteth him by the fidelity of the Senses of the Apo∣stles. Faithfull (saith hee) was their sight of Christ in the Mount, Faithfull was their Tast of Wine at the Marriage, Faithfull was the Touch of Thomas, &c. (then concluding:) which Testifications (saith he) had not beene True, if their senses had beene Liars. So he in his confutation not onely of the naturall Academici, but also of the Hereticall Marcionites, who (contrary to the demonstration of the Apostles Senses) denied the truth of the humane Body of Christ.

CHALLENGE.

THis Apologie of Tertullian, in behalfe of the verity of the Senses, doth minister to all Christians fower Conclusions. First, not to conceit of Accidents without Subiects: but to discerne of Subiects, and Substances, by their Accidents. Secondly, that our Outward Senses rightly constituted (more especially the Sense of Feeling) are Demonstrations of Truth in Sensible Obiects. Thirdly, that this verification of Subiects, by their Accidents, is common with Christ, his Apostles, all Christians, and with every reasonable man. And lastly, that Wine is to be discerned to be truly and natu∣rally Wine, after Consecration, by the iudgement of the Senses, be∣cause he instanceth in this very point: teaching that Christ had the same taste of Wine afterwards, which hee had before in that, which he consecrated; even as hee had also the same Sent of Oynt∣ment after, which hee had before his Buriall. And all this even now, when he convinced Marcion of Heresie, an Enemy to the Ca∣tholique Faith, in denying the Truth of Christ's humane naturall Body, notwithstanding the Evidence of Man's Senses.

Here had beene a full and flat Evasion for that Heretique to say, what tell you us of the validitie of the Evidence of two Senses, con∣cerning the Truth of Christ's Body, seeing you your-selves gain-say the iudgement of foure Senses at once, in denying the Existence

of Bread in this Sacrament? This, we say, they must needs have re∣plyed, if that the Catholiques then had beene of your now Romane Beliefe, to thinke that all the Sences are deceived, in iudging the matter of this Sacrament to continue Bread or Wine; and so might they have blowne away all this Catholique Confutation of He∣retiques and Infidels with one and the same breath.

Come now hither all yee that say we must renounce all Verdict of Senses in this Case; and tell us whether any Protestant could have beene more opposite to your Doctrine than was Tertul∣lian, in his Defence of this Truth? whereby hee also defendeth the Catholique Doctrine of the Resurrection of Christ, and was never heereof questioned by any Catholique, in, or since his daies.

Let none of you obiect that of the Disciples, in their way to Em∣maus with Christ, of whom it is said that [ They could not know him:] for the same Text giveth this Cause, that their eyes were hol∣den, lest they should see him: and after, Their eyes were opened, and they saw him. So the Evangelist, which is so farre from infrin∣ging any thing that hath beene said, for the Infallibility of Sence, rightly constituted and disposed, that this thereby is notably con∣firmed. Wee call vpon Hierome to witnesse, saying; The Error of not discerning Christ, when he was in the midst betweene them, was not in Christ's Body, but in their eyes, because they were closed that they could not see. Apply wee this unto the Eucharist. Dare any Pa∣pist say, that the Cause, why any of you cannot see Christ in this Sacrament, is not in his Bodie (which you beleeve to be in it selfe invisible) but in your Eyes, as being shut vp; when notwithstan∣ding you will be knowne, that these are open enough for discer∣ning Colours, and formes of Bread and Wine?

Notes

• k

  Eranistes apud Theod. Quià sicut Pa∣nis desinit esse Panis post Consecrationē, sed mutatur in sub∣stantiam Corporis Christi. Ità Corpus Christi post resurre∣ctionem desinit esse propriè Corpus, sed in Naturam divinam mutatur. Orthodox. Imò verò, ut te ca∣piam in laqueis his: signa mystica non re∣cedunt à naturâ suâ, manent enim in pri∣ori suâ formâ, figurâ, & substantiâ. Theod. Dial. 2. Cap. 24.
• See hereafter, Sect. 12.
• l

  Beda ex Augusti no, Serm. ad Infantes, in cap. 10. ad Cor. fol. 1••9. apud Bedam. Quod vidistis Panis est, quod oculi vestri re∣nunciant, quod autem fides vestra, &c. Sicut ex multis granis tri••ici vnus Panis: Ità ex multitudine fidelium, vna as••urgit Ecclesia.
• m

  Tertul. de Ani∣mâ. cap. 7. ad finem. Quid agis, Academi∣ce procacissime? totū vitae statum evertis, ipsius Dei providen∣tiam excoecas—non licet in dubium Sensus istos revoca∣re, nè & in Christo de fide eorum deli∣beretur, nè forte di∣catur, quod falsò Pa∣tris vocem audierit de ipso testificatam, aut deceptus sit, cum Petri socrum teti∣git: aut alium posteà vnguenti senserit spiritum, quod in se∣pulturam suam ac∣ceptavit: alium po∣steà Vini saporem, quod in sanguinis sui memoriam consecravit. Sic enim & Marcion Phantasma ••um maluit credere, totius corporis in eo dedignatus veritatem: Atqui nè in Apostolis quidem ludificata natura est, fidelis fuit & visus, & auditus in Monte, fidelis & gustus Vini in nuptijs, fidelis tactus Thomae: Recita testationem Iohannis; Quod audivimus, inquit, quod o∣culis vidimus, & manus nost••ae contrectarunt de sermonevitae. Falsa vtique testatio, si ••culorum & aurium, & manuum sensus natura mentitur.
• Luc. 24. 16.
• Ib. vers. 31.
• Hieron. ad Pam∣mach: contra Err••∣res Iohan. Ierusal. E∣pisc. Scias errorem fuisse non Corporis Domini, sed oculo∣rum fuis••e clausorum: nam aperti sunt o∣culi eorum, & vide∣bant.