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.

CHALLENGE.

BY this this time it may appeare that all your so serious and ex∣quisite Collections out of the Fathers, for proofe of a Corporall Presence of Christ in this Sacrament, and Vnion with the Parta∣kers thereof, doe appeare, by this Encounter of iust Parallels, to be indeed the idle Imaginations of your Teachers, and the ••rro∣neous Intoxications of all their Disciples, who yeeld assent unto them. For to interpret the figurative speeches of the Fathers lite∣rally, is all one as to sticke Goose-feathers in their Caps, and plain∣ly

to befoole them, by making them of all others the most egregi∣ously absurd (as you have already heard,) and no lesse fond in the outward letter then are these others that follow; to wit, of Gauden∣tius; b We are commanded to eate the head of Christ's Deity, with the feet of his Incarnation. Or the saying of Saint Hierome; c When Christ said, Hee that drinketh my blood, although it may be under∣stood in a Mystery, yet the truer blood (saith hee) is the word of Scripture. Or as, before him, Origen: d We drinke the blood of Christ (saith he) not only by the rite of a Sacrament, but also in re∣ceiving his word, whereof it is said, My words are spirit and life: So they.

And so iust cause have we to complaine of the Vnconscionable∣nesse of your Obiecters, by their so often abusing the Testimonies of these holy Fathers; insomuch that you had need of the often Admonition of your owne Senensis: e I have often given warning (saith he) that the sayings of Fathers be not urged in the rigidnesse of their words, because they use to speake many times HYPERBO∣LICALLY, and in excesse, being either transported by the vehemen∣cie of their Affections, or carried with the C••rren•• of their speech. So hee.

Notes

• b

  Gaudent. Tract. 2. lubemur caput Di∣vinitatis eius cùm pedibus incarnatio∣nis manducare.
• c

  Hier. in Psal. 147. Ego corpus Iesu E∣vangelium puto.—Et cùm dicit, [Qui bibit sanguinem me∣um] licet in mysterio possit intelligi, tamé veriùs sanguis eius, sermo Scripturarum est.
• d

  Orig. in Numb. 23. Hom. 16. Bibere dicimur sanguinem Christi, non solùm Sacramentorum ritu, sed cùm doctrinae e∣ius verba recipimus, in quibus vita consi∣stit: sicut ipse dicit, Ioh▪ 6. Verba mea spiritus sunt & vita.
• e

  Saepe monuimus non esse Concionatorum verba sempe•• in rigoreaccipienda: multa enim Declamatores per Hyperbolen enuntiant & inculcant vel occasione persona∣rum inducti, vel affectuum impctu, vel orationis cursu rapti. Hoc interdùm Chrysostomo contigit. Sixtus Se∣••ens. Bibli••th. l. 6. Annot. 152.