Synopsis papismi, that is, A generall viewe of papistry wherein the whole mysterie of iniquitie, and summe of antichristian doctrine is set downe, which is maintained this day by the Synagogue of Rome, against the Church of Christ, together with an antithesis of the true Christian faith, and an antidotum or counterpoyson out of the Scriptures, against the whore of Babylons filthy cuppe of abominations: deuided into three bookes or centuries, that is, so many hundreds of popish heresies and errors. Collected by Andrew Willet Bachelor of Diuinity.

The Papists.

SEcondly, those words being applyed to the sacrament, must needes also bee vnderstood properly and literally, for the very eating of the flesh of Christ, & drinking his blood, not tropically, or figuratiuely.

1. The flesh of Christ, which Christ promiseth to giue them to be eaten, he preferreth before the Manna, which their fathers did eate in the wildernes: the true bread which he giueth them, is more excellent then the bread of Manna. But if the bread in the sacrament doe but signifie the flesh of Christ, and be not it in very deede, it should be no better then Manna, which also did signifie and shew foorth Christ, Bellarm. cap. 6.

Ans. Christ compareth not the spirituall substance of Manna, with his flesh and blood, but the corporall foode, which being receiued into the belly, and not receiued into the heart by fayth, hath no power to giue eternall life. For, vers. 32. Christ sayth, that Moses gaue them not Manna from heauen: Ergo, he meaneth the corporall foode, not the spirituall substance of Manna, for as it was a sacrament of Christ, it was heauenly bread. Againe, vers. 49. Your fathers did eate Manna in the wildernes and dyed. He speaketh of the materiall foode, for they that did Manna spiritually by fayth, died not in soule.

Ans. Now on the contrary side we will prooue, that this place contayned in the sixt chapter of Iohn, cannot be so vnderstoode as they expound it.

First, Christ speaketh not onely of the sacramentall eating of his flesh, and drinking of his blood, but generally of the spirituall participation by fayth, whether in the sacrament or without, which is wrought in vs by the holy Ghost.

1. If it be vnderstoode of the sacrament, then it will follow that no man can be saued, vnlesse he doe receiue the sacrament: for Christ saith,

vers. 53. Except you eate my flesh and drink my blood, you cannot haue life in you.

This, I am sure, they will hardly grant, that the Eucharist also should bee ne∣cessarie, as they make Baptisme, to saluation.

2. If Christ hath relation to the sacrament, then must it of necessitie bee ministred in both kindes, for in euery place he ioyneth both these together, the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood.

Augustine also thus writeth vpon these wordes,* 1.1 Hoc est manducare illam escam, & illum bibere potum, in Christo manere, & illum manentemin se habere. This it is to eate that flesh, and to drinke that drinke, to abide in Christ, and to haue him abiding in vs, but this may be done without the sacrament, Ergo, it is not necessary to vnderstand it of the sacrament.

Secondly, though we should graunt that this whole treatise Iohn. 6. may fit∣lie be referred to the sacrament, yet the wordes must be taken figuratiuelie, for the spirituall eating and drinking of Christ in the sacrament, and not otherwise.

1 Vers. 35. Christ so expoundeth his owne words:

I am the bread of life, he that commeth to me shall not hunger, and he that beleeueth in me shall not thirst.

To eate then, and to drinke Christ, is to beleeue in him.

2 Christ vnderstandeth another manner of eating of his flesh, then the Capernaites did. But they imagined that Christ would giue his very flesh and blood to bee eaten: And therefore they went away offended, and sayd, This is an hard saying, vers. 60. Therefore Christ to correct their erronious con∣ceit, sayth vnto them, that his words were spirite and life, that is, spiritually to be vnderstoode, verse. 63.

So Augustine interpreteth those wordes of Christ, as if he had sayd, Spiri∣tualiter intelligite, quod locutus sum, You must vnderstand spiritually, that which I haue sayd. You shall not eate this body which you see, nor drinke that blood,* 1.2 which shall be shed for you. Sacramentum vobis aliquod commen∣daui, spiritualiter intellectum viuisicabit vos: I haue commended a certaine mystery and sacrament vnto you, which being spiritually vnderstood shall quicken you.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tract in Iohan 26.
• * 1.2

  In Psal. 98.