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.

That these were not Apparitions of true Flesh, and true Blood of Christ, by the iudgement of Romish Schoole-men.

SECT. III.

YOur Bellarmine, Baronius, Bozius, Mr. Breerly, and Coccius have, for proofe of the Corporall presence of Christ, insisted upon Appa∣ritions of (as they have said) true flesh, red flesh, perfect flesh of the Infant Iesus; and the child Iesus seene, embraced, and kissed in the Eu∣charist: of wine turned into Blood, of Droppes of Blood, sprinkling droppes of Blood, issuing out, and bloodying the fingers of the Priest, that saw it. But we rather beleeve your Schoole-men, of whom (be∣sides many k 1.1 that doubted) divers, together with Thomas Aquinas, with the Thomists, and other Authors, alleged by your Iesuite, Suarez, denyed all this, saying l 1.2 That in such Apparitions there is no True flesh, nor true blood of Christ at all. Their Reasons; First, Be∣cause Christ (say they) cannot appeare in his owne proper forme in two places at once. Secondly, Because it were hainous wickednesse to inclose Christ in a Boxe, appearing in his owne forme. Thirdly, Be∣cause Christ's Blood to issue, and sprinkle out of his veines, who can easily beleeve? Fourthly, Because it were undecencie to reserve such Reliques, experience teaching that they doe putrifie. Thus your owne Schoole-men produced, and approved by Suarez the Iesuite, whose Conclusion and Resolution is, that The flesh thus appearing is not onely not the fl••sh of Christ, but even no true flesh at all, but onely a co∣lour, and Signe thereof. So they. Do you not then see the different faith of your owne Historians, and of your owne Divines? namely that those Historians as vncleane beasts swallow downe at the first whatsoever commeth into their Mawes; but those your Divines, like more cleane creatures, doe ruminate and distinguish truth from falshood, by sound reason and iudgement, and prove the Au∣thors of such Apparitions flat lyars; the Reporters uncredi∣ble Writers; and the Beleevers of them starke Fooles.

Notes

• k 1.1

  Reverà videri Christum in specie pueri, aut carnis o∣pinantur, sed cum dubitatione, Alen∣sis, Gabriel, Pala∣cius, Suarez. Ies. Tom. 3. Disp. 55. §. 2. pa. 710.
• l 1.2

  Dicendum est in huiusmodi appariti∣one non videri Chri∣stum in se: ita Tho∣mas & omnes Tho∣mistae. Suarez. ibid. Quandò apparet ta∣lis speci••s, quidam dicunt, quod est pro∣pria species Chri∣sti corporis, nec obstare dicunt, quod aliqua tantùm pa••s carnis, aut quod spe∣cies pueri appare∣at, quià potest Chri∣stus in qua vult spe∣cie apparere in pro∣pria sive aliena: sed hoc est inconveni∣ens, quia species Christi non potest in propria specie videri, nisi in uno loco, in quo definitive continetur: undè vide∣atur in propria specie in coelis, non videtur in hoc Sacramento. Legitur quando{que} multorum Episco∣porum Concilio in pixide reservatum, quod nefas est de Christo in propria specie sentire. Aquinas. par. 3. qu 76. art. 8. Quis facile credat, quando visus est sanguis ab hostia sluere, illud esse sanguinem Christi? vel quando Ca∣lix visus est repleri Christi sanguine, ibi esse Christi sanguinem extra venas corporis, ita vt tangi, aut bibi possit? Et simile est, quandò appareat quasi frustum Carnis, quod illa fit vera Christi caro: nam per sese appa∣rent indecentia, sive multo, sive parvo tempore duret. Et nulla est necessitas tot multiplicandi miracula. Ex∣perientia docet mutari, & tabescere id quod videbatur caro, & sanguis, quod non potest ulla ratione carni Christi attribui. Dicendum est id, quod in huiu••m••di Apparitionibus videtur, non solùm non esse ca••nem & sanguinem Christi, sed non esse verum sanguinem, ••ut veram carnem, sed colore tantum, & figurâ. Suarez Iesuit. quo suprà. And the Iesuite Sillivitius Senensis, Moral. quaest. Tom. 1. Tract. 4. cap. 4. & 5. Num. 142. & 101. In istis apparitionibus non videtur caro & sanguis in se, sed tan••ùm figura & color il∣lam referens.