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 no objected Act out of the Fathers, for proofe of an Invocation by Divine Adoration of the Eucharist, is conscionably alleaged; not the first, which is their pre∣scribed Concealment of this Mystery.

SECT. I.

ACTS insisted upon by you, for proofe of Adoration, are these; The Fathers injoyning a Concealment of this Mystery from some others: their Elevation of the Host after Consecration: their Cautelousnesse in ad∣ministring it, without letting any part thereof fall to the ground: their Bodily Gesture in token of Humiliation; and their pretended Invocating on it. We acknowledge (that we may begin with the first) how strictly the Ancient Fathers generally prescri∣bed to others, (which they observed themselves) that this My∣stery should be kept secret from all persons, who were not ini∣tiated by Baptisme, and incorporated thereby into the visible

Church of Christ, were they Infidels or Catechumenists (that is) un∣baptized Christians. Vpon this our Confession, as the Base, hear∣ken what a discant your Doctors can chant, saying as followeth; a The Fathers said of this mystery of the Eucharist that only [Fideles norunt] the faithfull know it: and therefore we must be perswaded they understood a Corporall Presence of Christ herein; and con∣sequently a Divine Adoration due unto it. Master Breerly swelleth big, in amplifying this Objection; take a briefe of the whole. The Fathers professing to write more circumspectly of this Sacrament, so as not daring to explaine it, as Theodoret, Origen, Augustine, Chrysostome; this were causlesse, if the Fathers had thought Christ's words figurative; nor had it beene more necessary in this than in Bap∣tisme, had the Fathers acknowledged no other presence in this, than in Baptisme, &c. So he.

Well then, by your owne judgement, if it may be found that the Fathers observed alike Circumspection in the manner of uttering, and Cautelousnesse in concealing the Sacrament of Baptisme from Infidels, and Catechumenists; then must you confesse that this your Argument maketh no more for proofe of a Corporall Presence in the Eucharist, as you would have it, than in Baptisme, where you confesse it is not. And now behold the Fathers are as precise in conclealing the Mystery of Baptisme, from all Persons unbapti∣zed, even in as expresse termes as was spoken of in the Eucharist; Chrysostome saying, (against such Persons) b The faithfull know this. And againe, entring into a discourse of Baptisme, he prefaceth saying; c I would indeed speake this plainly, but I dare not, because of them that are not initiated, or Baptized. And Dionysius, the sup∣posed Areopagite, d Let none that is not a perfect Christian be admitted to the sight of the signes of Baptisme: even as the Councell e Arau∣sicanum also decreed. Which Cautions are long since antiquated by disuse in Churches Christian, because all are now baptized that come to behold this Sacrament. If hereupon any Protestant shall infer a Corporall presence of Christ in Baptisme, and conse∣quently an Adoration of Christ in the same Sacrament, you your selves (we know) would but hisse at him, in detestation of his Con∣sequence, as judging it Idolatrous.

But doe you aske, why then the Fathers did teach Christians not to speake of these Mysteries in the hearing of the Catechume∣nists? Saint Augustine himselfe (whom your Cardinall hath brought in for defence of Corporall presence) will resolve us, and wit∣nesse against him, telling him, that the reason was not the subli∣mity of the matter, as though they could not apprehend it, but because f The more honourably the Sacraments are concealed (spea∣king in generall) the more ardently they would be coveted and desi∣red. As for their not revealing them unto Infidels, the reason is evident; Infidelity is a mocker, and they meant to preserve Christ's Sacrament from contempt. Thus your most specious Objection

serveth for nothing more than to prove your Disputers to be won∣derfully precipitant in their Arguing.

Notes

• a

  Bellarm. lib. 2. de Eucl. cap. 2. citat Au∣gustin. Serm. 10. de ver∣bis Apost. viz. Quòd corpus dixit escam, & sanguinem potū, Sa∣cramentum fidelium agnoscunt fideles—Et hanc phrasin [nó∣runt fideles] habet in lo••is infinitis: at pro∣fectò non est fidelibus tantùm notum, quòd corpus Christi fide percip••atur. Idem ob∣jicit Cla••di•••• de Sanctis ante lib. de Litur••iis Patrum. Rurs•…•… Bellar. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sup. cap. 15. At cet∣tè nulla reddi potest causa, cu•• Eucharisti∣am ne videri quidem permitterent Infide∣libus, vel etiam Cate∣chumenis, si nihil est nisi signum.
• b

  Chrysost. in Gal. 4. Non natura, sed Dei, promissio Sacramen∣tum fecit: sic ••ena∣scentia nostra natura quidem nulla est, c••∣terum verbum Dei, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• c

  And againe in 1. Cor. Hom. 40. about to ••ntreat of the words of S. Paul, [Quid facient ii, qui baptizantur pro mortuis? [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• d

  Dionys. Hierarch. cap. 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• e

  Conc. Arausican. 1. Catechumeni non sunt ad Baptismum admittendi. Can. 19.
• f

  Aug. Tom. 9. Tract. 96. in Ioh. Quid si eis fidelium Sacramenta non producuntur, non ideò fit, quod ea ferre non possent, sed ut ab iis tantò arden∣ti••s concupiscantur, quantò honorabilius eis occultantur. [Spea∣king of the Catechume∣nists.]