SECT. IV.

GVilty of the Lords Body:] that is, Guilty of the Contempt there∣of, as you well know. Now because Contempt of a good thing is as well seene in a wilfull refusing to receive, as in a contemptuous manner of receiving; the Guiltines by the same Contempt must * needs be against the thing offered, whether it be Corporall or Spirituall; and consequently against the Giver himselfe. In which respect Christ compareth the Refusers of the promises of the Go∣spell of Salvation vnto beastly Hogs, which trample under their feet pearles of highest price, even because they would not beleeve them; Beleeving being our spirituall Receiving. From the same guilt of Contempt followeth the Obnoxiousnes to punishment, de∣nounced by our Saviour; To shake of the d•st of their fee••, for a testimonie against them, in not receiving the Gospell of peace. There∣fore is that saying of Hierome common to every Sacrament, * Contempt of a Sacrament (saith he) is the contempt of him whose Sacrament it is: As also that other of Rupertus, saying m The not receiving of the Eucharist (if it be in contempt) doth separate the Contemner from the societie of the members of Christ. Hence it was, that whereas n Chrysostome called man's Indevotion in receiving the Eucharist Dangerous, hee named the Contempt of not parti∣cipating thereof, Pestilence and death it selfe.

But not to presse you further with other such like speeches of the Fathers, wee shall referr you to your Divines of Collen, who in their Councell censured those, who Contemptuously refused to communicate of this Sacrament, to be but o onely in name Chri∣stians, worse (say they) than the Capernaites, offering contumely (marke we pray you, against your Rhemists) to the Body and Blood of Christ; and are made thereby obnoxious to the terrible iudgement of God. A Conclusion, whereby is satisfied from your owne Do∣ctors your owne maine Obiection, even in Terminis Terminanti∣bus, as the Schoole speaketh, professing both a guiltines of Christ's Page  220 Body in not receiuing it, and an obnoxiousnes thereupon un∣to Gods Iudgement.

As for your obiected speech of S^t. * Cyprian, it is of easie disgesti∣on, because Comparisons of Magis, and Minus, (as learning tea∣cheth) are altered upon all different respects. Some in persecution denyed Christ, in the extremity of their feare; and some in their wilfulnes profaned the Sacrament of the Eucharist, instituted by Christ: this latter is the greater sinner before God, who iud∣geth sinne not onely secundùm actum, aut effectum, according to the wicked deed done; but secundum Affectum, that is, but much more according to the depraved Affection and Disposition of the mind of the Doer. In which respect wee may well thinke that Iudas his traiterous, and scornefull kisse was more hainous than Peters periury. Have you not read what the Apostle hath written against such as Apostate from their Faith, and vow of Baptisme, saying, * They crucifie unto themselves the sonne of God? which is much more than Cyprian spake of the Guiltie Receiver of the Eu∣charist, yet dare not you conclude that therefore there is a Corpo∣rall Presence of Christ in the water of Baptisme. And as in the Guilt of sinne; so is it in the Guilt of punishment also, which followeth sinne, as a shadow doth a Body. In which consideration A•g•∣stine doth parallell Baptisme, and the Eucharist together, saying, p As he that drinketh the Blood of the Lord unworthily drinketh his owne iudgement: so doth he who receiveth Baptisme unworthily.

By these Premisses you will furthermore easily discerne, that your other Romish Doctors have beene no lesse ignorant than they were arrogant, in concluding it to be an Infallible Consequence, that because Christ receiveth an iniurie in his body and blood, by the abuse of the Sacrament of the Eucharist; therefore his Body and blood is carnally present therein. As if they would teach, by the like Infe∣rence, that because the Empresse q E•docia was (as is confessed) reproached by the Citizens of Anti•ch, in their despight wrought upon her image; therefore was she personally present in the same Image.

You seeme to be zealously bent against all unworthy usage of this holy Sacrament; it is well, yet were it better that you saw your owne guiltines herein, to repentance. For inasmuch as every one is an unworthy Receiver (in the iudgement of S. r Ambrose) who doth celebrate it otherwise than was appointed by Christ himselfe: your Ten Transgressions of Christ his Institution of this Sacrament (discovered in the first Booke) convinceth you of a ten-fold Guil∣tines, of the Vnworthy Receiving of this Mistery. Your last ob∣iection of Guiltines is taken from the Executions of Gods pu∣nishments. Wee therefore reioyne.