A replie to Iesuit Fishers answere to certain questions propou[n]ded by his most gratious Matie: King Iames By Francis White D: of Div· deane of Carlile, chaplaine to his Matie. Hereunto is annexed, a conference of the right: R:B: of St Dauids wth the same Iesuit*

ANSVVER. [ A]

We must beleeue whatsoeuer God hath reuealed. But God hath reuealed that Christ hath a true body, and all proprieties and attributes essentiall to a true body, Heb. 2.16. Luc. 24. 39. And therefore the Romish doctrine, which conuerteth the in∣diuiduall, and finite body of Christ, into a Spirit, and fancie, and destroyeth the true properties of the same, affirming that is not circumscript, palpable, or situated in one particular place at once, is erroneous a 1.1; neither can that be one and the same in∣diuiduall body, betweene which, are interposed many bodyes: [ B] but betweene the one indiuiduall body of Christ in heauen, and the same body in the Eucharist, many other bodies, to wit, the seuerall bodies of the Heauens, the Ayre, the Pixe, &c. are in∣terposed; and the body of Christ in heauen, is not ioyned to the sacramentall body, by continuation or indiuision.

But it is obiected, a whole Cammell may bee in the eye of a needle, Math. 19. 24. 26. The passible body of Christ, pas∣sed [ C] through the Virgins wombe, the same being closed and not opened; Peters heauie body walked aboue the waters; the bodyes of the three young men continued in the fierie ouen, vnconsumed, or scorched; Christs body was diuers times inuisible, and once it was resplendent as the Sunne, &c. There∣fore the now glorified body of Christ, by the omnipotent po∣wer of God, may be separate from circumscription, length, and thicknesse, and other effects and properties of indiuiduall humane bodies.

It is answered, the examples mentioned in the Antecedent, [ D] are set vpon the Racke: for our Sauiour affirmeth not, that a Cammell continuing in his ordinarie quantitie, can passe through the eye of a small needle; but he saith onely, that this may as easily be fulfilled, as a rich man b 1.2 (which maketh Mam∣mon his God) may enter into the kingdome of heauen. Prouer∣biall speeches, Parables c 1.3 and suppositions, are not according to euery passage in them, to be strayned or expounded literally Luc. 17.6. Math. 7.3. If it be further said, it followeth in the Text, All things are possible with God. Math. 19. 26. Marc. 10. 27. Luc. 18.27. [ E]

Our Answere is, First, these words are referred to the latter [ A] part of Christs speech, touching the rich mans entrance into heauen, and not to the Cammels passing thorow the needles eye a 1.4. Secondly, all things agreeable to truth b 1.5, and which God will haue done, are possible: but that it is agreeable with Truth, for a Cammell retaining his quantitie, with the whole bodie, to passe thorow the eye of a needle; or that God will haue this to bee, or that it is his will, that the bodie of Christ shall bee separated from circumscription, and continencie of place, deserueth to be credited when the Aduersaries prooue [ B] it by Diuine Reuelation, or by other demonstration.

Secondly, The Scripture affirmeth not, nor yet the Apostles Creed, that the blessed Virgin in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 trauell, in Puerperio, bare Christ in a different manner from other women, Luk. 2.23. and what a sophisticall inference is this, the Creed hath, Borne of the Virgin Marie, meaning according to conception, generation, and clearenesse from the companie of man, Ergo, the bodie of [ C] the blessed Virgin was not opened at the time of Christs birth. Also many Fathers c 1.6, and some Schoolemen d 1.7 denie this, and therefore from an Antecedent, doubtfull and in question, a con∣sequent or conclusion of Faith cannot be inferred.

Thidly, The example of Peter, Math. 14. 29. and the three [ D] yong men Daniel 3. prooue not the question; for the miracle might be in the water, and in the fire e 1.8, and not in the bodies of S^t. Peter, and the three yong men. S^t. Luke c. 4.30. affirmeth not, that our Sauiours bodie was inuisible, but that he passed thorow the midst of the people: and yet admitting, that he was then inuisible, the cause might be in the peoples eyes, Luke 24. 16. or in the Aire, and not in his bodie, Genes. 19. 11. Neither is actuall grauitie, or actuall combustibilitie, or visibilitie so in∣separable from a bodie, as circumscription and distinction [ E] of parts.

Lastly, For a bodie to bee resplendent, and to shine as the

Sunne in glorie, is not repugnant to the nature of the bodie, [ A] but is of the perfection and happinesse thereof, Matth. 13. 43. But that an indiuiduall bodie may bee in many places at once, and in diuers formes, and according to diuers actions a 1.9, and haue no reference to place, nor any properties, inward or outward of a true bodie, is not Diuine veritie, but an audaci∣ous fiction, or rather an incongruous dreame, and contra∣dictorie Chymera. But that is verified in this Question of the Romists, which Ireneus saith b 1.10, Multa male oportet interpre∣tari eos, qui vnum non volunt rectè intelligere: They are com∣pelled to expound many things amisse, which will not vnder∣stand [ B] one thing aright.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Aug. Serm. d. Mont. c. 9. Corpora quae non possunt esse nisi in loco in Ioh. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 31. Christus homo secundum Corpus in loco est & de loco migrat, & cum ad alium locum venerit in eo loco vnde venit non est. Epist. 57. Spatia locorū tol∣le corporibus & nusquam erunt & quia nusquam erunt nec erunt. Sup. Psal. 86. Angustias omnipotentiae corpora patiuntur, nec vbique possunt esse nec semper: Diuinitas autem vbique presto est.
• b 1.2

  Hier. Mat. 19. Hoc dicto oftendi∣tur non disficile es∣se, sed impossibile. Si enim quomodo Camelus non po∣test intrare per fo∣ramen acus, sic di∣ues non potest in∣trare in regna coe∣lorum nullus Diui∣tum saluus erit. Sed etsi legamus Esaiam, quomodo Cameli Madian & Cepha veniant Hierusalem cum donis 〈◊〉〈◊〉 muneribus; & qui prius curui 〈◊〉〈◊〉 & vitiorum prauitate distorti, ingrediantur 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Hierusalem; videbimus quo modo & isti Cameli, quibus Diuites comparantur, cum deposuerint grauem Sarcinam peccatorum, & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 corpo∣ris 〈◊〉〈◊〉, intrare possunt per angustam portam & arctam viam quae ducit ad vitam. Aug. q. Euang. li. 2. ca. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• c 1.3

  Athanas. c. Arian. orat. 3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• a 1.4

  Ambros. Ser. 4. Caiet. in Math. cap. 19.
• b 1.5

  Theoph. Marc. 10. Dicimus Deus verax est, facere au∣tem id quod factum est, quod non sit factum est men∣dacium, quo pacto faciet verax men∣dacium? Prius 〈◊〉〈◊〉 perderet naturam suam: & ita qui sic loquuntur 〈◊〉〈◊〉 loquuntur: ac si 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Num potest Deus non esse Deus.
• c 1.6

  Tertul. d. car. Chri. c. 23. Etsi vir∣go concepit, in par∣tu suo nupsit, ipsa patefacti corporis lege in quo nihil interfuit de vi masculi admissi, an emissi, id est, illud sexus resignauit. Haec denique vulua est propter quam & de alijs Scriptum omne masculinum adaperiens vuluam Sanctum vocabitur Domino. Orig. Hom. 14. in Luc. Ambros. in Luc. lib. 2. cap. 2. Vid. Suar. in 3. to. 2. Disp. 5. Sect. 2. & Ib. Disp. 16. Sect. 1. Chrys. Am∣bros. Origen. Greg. Niss. &c. Sentiunt 〈◊〉〈◊〉 singulari modo 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vuluam matris.
• d 1.7

  Durand. 4. d. 44. q. 6. Palud. 4. d. 44. q. 3. ar. 3.
• e 1.8

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. Com. Dan. 3. Potuit Deus, &c. pa. 178. Cornel. d. Lap. in Daniel. 3. v. 49. Hij pueri abigne serua∣ti sunt. 1. Quia Angelus excussit ignem, eumque ab eis abegit, &c. 2. Quia auram quasi ventum 〈◊〉〈◊〉 loco & vice ignis super∣naturaliter induxit, &c. 3. Deus huius venti actionem scilicet refrigerationem continuauit, ac consequenter ignis vicini si quis erat actionem in eam partem vbi tres pueri erant, vel habetauit vel 〈◊〉〈◊〉, vel omnino suspendit, concursum suum ei subtrahendo.
• a 1.9

  Petig. 4. d. 10. q. 2. ar. 2. Occhagauia. d. Sacramentis d. Euchar. tr. 1. q. 22. n. 6. Tribarn. 4. d. 10. q. 2. Disp. 33.
• b 1.10

  Iren. c. Haer. lib. 5.