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 Determination of this point in question.

I. That the former obiected Sentences of Fathers, concerning Corporall Vnion, are Sacramentally and Spiritual∣ly to be understood, as proper to the Godly and Faithfull Receiver.

SECT. V.

HOwsoever the sound of their words have seemed unto some of you, to teach a proper Corporall Vnion with the Bodies of the Communicants, yet the Reasons wherewith the said Senten∣ces are invested doe plainly declare, they meant thereby a Spiritu∣all Vnion onely; first and principally, because they ground their sayings upon that of Saint Iohn, He that eateth my flesh abideth in me, and hath life, and I will raise him up at the last day: He dwelleth in me, and I in him, which many of your owne Doctours have expounded to be taken spiritually, as doth also your Bishop q Iansenius, out of Augustine. Secondly, because they make the Vnion perpetuall to the Receiver. Thirdly, because they hold this Vnion proper to the spirituall Communicant, excluding the pro∣phane from any reall participation of Christs flesh. Fourthly, be∣cause they taught the same Vnion, whereof they speake, to be made without this Sacrament, even by Baptisme; and that Really, as your Iesuite Tolet hath said. Fiftly, because they have compared this Vnion to the continued-Vnion betweene Man and Wife. Good and solid Reasons, we thinke, to perswade any reasonable man that they meant no proper Corporall Vnion.

Whereby, peradventure, your Iesuite Tolet was induced to grant, that Hilarie and Cyril, by the Corporall Vnion of Christ's Bodie with ours, meant the Vnion by Faith and Charitie. As also, whereas Damascene saith, That by this Communion wee are made ioynt-bodies

with Christ. And lastly, Cyril of Ierusalem calleth the Communi∣cants, by reason of their participation of the Bodie and Blood of Christ, Christophers, that is (being interpreted) Carriers of Christ; and that hereby we are made partakers of that divine nature: a Sen∣tence much urged by your Disputers, notwithstanding your r Sua∣rez seeth nothing in it but a Spirituall V••ion by Grace and Affecti∣on. Which two Testimonies we may adde to the former Fathers, for proofe that onely the Godly have Vnion with Christ.

Notes

• Ioh. 6.
• See above.
• q

  Ians••nius Con∣cord. in Ioh, 6. spar∣sim Dominus non lo∣quitur de manduca∣tione sacramental••, sed de spirituali, quae est per ••idē non mor∣tuam—per mandu∣care significat crede∣re, & non secundùm primariam intentio∣nem, sed de Sacra∣mētali loquutum esse probatur, 1. quiasupra manducare pro cre∣dere sumpsit. 2. tan∣tùm manducātes in∣telligit cos, qui ma∣nent in Christo, & Christus in illis—Certè ita docet Au∣gust. l. 3. de Doctrina Christ. c. 16. [Nisi manducaveritis] fa∣cinus vel flagitium videtur iubere, figura est praecipiens Passi∣oni Domini esse com∣municandum.
• See above §. 3.
• See above §. 3.
• r

  Suarez. Damasc. lib. 4. cap. 14. Hoc sa∣cramento—nos Christi concorporei existimus;—& ani∣mo & voluntate co∣pulamur. Cyril. Hierosol Catechis. 4. Mystag. sumpto corpore & sanguine Christi efficimur comparticipes cor∣poris & sanguinis, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉—cum eius sanguinem & corpus intramembra nostra receperimus, atque ità (ut B. Petrus dicit) divinae naturae consortes efficimur. Hinc Suarez. Vbi propter Sacramentalem susceptionem non agnoscit altam Vnionem praeter spiritualem per gratiam &c. ••n 3. T••om. qu. 79. Disp. 64. Sect. 3. §. Nihilominus.