The Lords Supper or, A vindication of the sacrament of the blessed body and blood of Christ according to its primitive institution. In eight books; discovering the superstitious, sacrilegious, and idolatrous abomination of the Romish Master. Together with the consequent obstinacies, overtures of perjuries, and the heresies discernable in the defenders thereof. By Thomas Morton B.D. Bp. of Duresme.

Our fourth and fift Comparisons are of Primitive Custome with the contrary Custome, in respect both of the Antiquitie and Vniversalitie thereof. SECT. V.

BEfore wee shall say any thing our selves of the Primitive Custome, in using Both kinds in the administration of this Sacrament, and the extent thereof, both in the longitude of Continuance, and latitude of Vniversality, wee are ready to [ 20] heare how farre your owne Doctors will yeeld unto us, in both these points, touching the publike use of Both kinds. Wher∣fore, hearken but unto the Marginals, and you shall finde your Iesuites, with others, uttering these voyces:f 1.1 Wee must con∣fesse, Wee doe confesse; yea, Wee do ingenuously confesse a Custome of both kinds (aswell to the Laicks as Priests) to have beene in the Primitive Church most frequent and generall: as is proved by the ancient Fathers both Greeke and Latine, among whom are Leo and Gregorie (both) Popes of Rome; yea and universall also for a long time, continuing a thousand yeares in the Church of Rome, and in [ 30] the Greeke Church unto this day. So they.

Where wee see both the Antiquity and Vniversality thereof to the full, which it were easie for us to have shewne Gradatim, descending downe from the first Age unto the twelfth; but that when wee have as much confessed as neede be proved, it might [ 40]

be judged to bee but an importunate diligence and Curiositie to labour any further. Neverthelesse, if peradventure any should desire to see one or two Testimonies for the last Age, hee may satisfie himselfe in theg 1.2 Margent at the first sight.

The Romish Objections, concerning Primitive Custome.

[ 10] Divers Objections are urged on your side, to abate something of the Vniversality of the Custome of Both kindes, which we de∣fend; but if they shall not seeke to decline the Question, and to rove about, as it were, at unset markes, their Arguments are but as so many Bolts shot altogether in vaine. For our defence is o••••∣ly this, that in the publike solemnization and Celebration of this Sacrament, in an Assembly of Christians freely met to com∣municate, no one example can bee shewne in all Antiquity, throughout the Catholike Church of Christ, for the space of a thousand yeares, inhibiting either Priest, or Laick, from [ 20] Communicating in both kindes, who was duly prepared to re∣ceive the Sacrament. As for the examples which you usually object, they are of no force at all, beingh 1.3 proved to be either private, or illegitimate, or false, respectively. Hitherto of the Primitive Custome.

Notwithstanding all this, will your Romane Church boast of her contrary Custome of after-times, telling us, in her Councels, that her Custome of administring the Eucharist but in one kinde is rightly observed, as a Custome, which hath beene [Diutissi∣mè [ 30] observata, ] that is, of very long continuance. Many yeares by∣passed, saithi 1.4 your Villalpandus. But most precisely your Ie∣suite k 1.5 Salmeron: It is certaine (saith he) that the Church, for these three or two hunded yeares, hath used to communicate to the [ 40] Laity under one kinde. So they.

CHALLENGE.

NOw after that wee have proved, out of your owne Con∣fessions, the length of the Custome of Both kindes to have beene in the Continuance above a thousand yeares, after the first Institution of this Sacrament; and for largenesse thereof, in an universall consent thereunto, without any exception by any example ordinary, publike, and legitimate; and that you have heard also even the Fathers of your Church opposing against [ 10] it a contrarie custome not above the Compasse of three hundred yeares, and yet to call it [Diutissima] A Custome of longest continu∣ance; what Tergiversation could be more shamelesse? But e∣nough of this point. In the next place, because the same your Councel hath told us, that your contrary Custome was brought in [Rationabiliter,] with good Reason, wee are forth-with to dis∣cusse the Reasons thereof.

Notes

• f 1.1

  Olim per multa secula sub utra{que} spe∣cie 〈◊〉〈◊〉gebatur Lai∣cis, ut ex multorum Sanctorum scriptis didicimus. Alfons. à Castro in hac ipsa con∣troversia •• pag. 158. Vsus utrius{que} speciei à primitiva Ecclesia comprobatus fuit: in posteriori etiam Ec∣clesia multi Latini et Occidentales illum retinuerunt. Graeci quo{que} hodiè & Ori∣entales licitè & san∣ctè, quod ad ipsum ritum attinet, cum observant Salmeron. les. Tom. 9. Tract. 37. pag. 308. Minimè ne∣gamus quin utraque species frequentissi∣mè olim etiam ad∣ministrata fuerit, ut apparet ex Paulo, Atl anasio, Cyprian. Hier. Leone, & Hist. Tripart. ex Greg. & passim ex alijs veterum Te∣stimonijs: item{que} ex D. Thoma, qui etiam suo tempore in aliquibus Ecclesijs administratum Calicem fuisse significat. Valent. les de usu Euch. cap. 8 §. Alioqui. pag. 496. Ingenuè tamen & apertè confitemur, morem ge∣neralem extitisse communicandi etiam Laicis sub utra{que} specie, sicut hodiè fit apud Graecos, & olim erat in more positum apud Corinthios, & in Africa. De quo more loquitur Cyprian. Athanas. Dionys. Etiam proba∣tur ex Ecclesia Latina, at{que} in hunc usum erant olim Calices ministeriales, & paterae ad differentiam calicum & paterarum, in quibus Sacerdotes offerebant. Salmeron. Tom. 9. quo sup. Tract. 35. §. Ingenuè p. 294. B. Gre∣gorius, & Sexcenta hujusmodi proferri possent—Vsus utrius{que} speciei à Christo & Apostolis, & à Primitiva Ecclesia, qui illum usurpâ••unt, comprobatus fuit. In posteriori etiam Ecclesia multi Latini & Occidentales illum retinuer••nt: Gr•••• i quo{que} hodiè. Salmeron. ib. Tract. 37. § Deinde. Satis compertum est, universalem Ecclesiam Christi in hunc us{que} diem, Occidentalem seu Romanam mille annis à Christo, in solenni praesertim & ordi∣naria hujus Sacramenti dispensatione, utramvis panis & vini speciem omnibus Christi membris exhibuisse. Cassand. Consult. pag 166. 167. [And lest any doubt should be made of Gregory the first Pope of that name, his testimony is cited in Gratian, among the Popes Decrees. De Consecrat. Dist. 2. Quid sit sanguis. Sanguis in ora fidelium funditur.]
• g 1.2

  Bern. Serm. 3. de ram•••• palmarum, de Sacrament. corp. & sanguinis Dom.—Nemo est qui nesciat hanc tàm singularem alimoniam eâ primâ die (viz. Palm••rum) exhibitam & commendatam, & m••ndatam deinceps frequentari. Algerus lib. 2. c. 8. de Sacram. Iste mos inolevit in Ecclesia ab ipso Christo, qui corpus suum & sanguinem di∣visim consecravit & dedit. Vide etiam Rupertum de divin of fic. lib. 6. cap. 23.
• h 1.3

  Oh: Consuetu∣dinem Eucharist••••m domum deferendi, &c. Sol. [By reason of persecution, and the p••••icity of Ministers: but afterwards abo∣lished by the Church: as was the ministra∣tion thereof to In∣fants.] Ob: Com∣munio olim Laicis data ••n poenam gra∣vis delicti. Bellar. lib. 4 de Euch. cap. 24. Sol. [As if the pu∣nishment of the La∣icks Communion could signifie Partaking in one kind.] which is confuted by Durant. lib. 2. de Ritib. cap. 55. Nonnulli credi∣derunt Laicam Com∣munionem appella∣tam, quòd sub unica specie etiam Clerici, imò Sacerdotes ipsi non conficientes cō∣municant, nunc sub una specie. Quare ve∣rius est, Laicam com∣munionem dictam, quia extra sacratio∣rem locum, ubi Sacrificium fit, ubi Sacerdos conficiens, tùm Ministrie•• nunicabant. And by Pamelius in Cyprian. Epist. 152. Laicum communicare, nihil aliud est quam inter Laicos. i. e. extrâ cancellos—hoc est, extra cho∣rum, ut hodiè loquimur. Lorinus les. in Act. 2. Reverà distinctio non in specie utra{que} et una esse videtur, quoniam utra{que} species concedebatur (nempe Laicis) sed in destinato loco, separato pro Clericis. [And there were two punishments of Priests anciently, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, privari Clericatus honore, et 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Excommunicari. {fleur-de-lys}Yea and Gabriel Episc. Albispinae l. 1. Observat. Sacr. 3. Confuting Bellar. by name: Si opinio Bellarmini probabilitate niteretur, Canones illam non praetermissuri erant, quandoquidem Laici illis temporibus sub utra{que} specie communicabant. {fleur-de-lys}Ob: Ritus erat, ut Communio praesanctificatorum esset sub una specie, die Parasce∣vis, corpus fine specie sanguinis. Sol. [The word it selfe being in the Plurall, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, prae sanctificata, confuteth this Objection, and so doe the Liturgies.]
• i 1.4

  In Conc. Constant. de usu unius speciei. Cum hujusmodi consuetudo ab Ecclesia & sanctis patribus rationabiliter introducta, & hactenus diutissime observata sit, habenda est prolege. Eodem modo Conc. Basil. penè eisdem verbis: Deinde latam legem quamplurimis retrò annis Con∣suetudo jucundissima effecerat. Gasp. Cardillus apud Act. Conc. Trident. p. 220. 221. 223.
• k 1.5

  Secundum certum est, Ecclesiam praesentem, & quae illam praecessit per trecentos aut ducentos annos, Laicos sub altera specie in multis Ecclesijs communicate consuevisse, ut docet S. Thom. in Ioh. his verbis. Secundum antiquae Ecclesiae con∣suetudinem omnes sicut communicabant, corpore, ità & sanguine: quod etiam adhuc in quibusdam Ecclesijs servatur, ubi etiam Ministri altaris continuò & corpore & sanguine communicabant. Salmeron. les. Tom 9. Tract. 35. §. Secundum cortum. pag. 284.