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.

That the Institution of this Sacrament was ordained to be Food onely for the Soule, and not for the Body, according to the Iudgement of Antiquitie. SECT. III.

[ 20] THis Proposition hath beene already* 1.1 confessed by your Councel of Trent, and Romane Catechisme, and confirmed by the Consent of* 1.2 Antiquity it selfe; where it was ma∣nifested, that albeit they sometime make mention of it's being Food and Life to the Body also; yet was not this (as your Jesuites have* 1.3 confessed) so sayd in respect of any im∣mediate Bodily preservation therof, in this Life, but in the Everlasting Life of Glorification, in the Day of Resurrection, after it be reunited to the Soule, according to that Promise of Christ, Ioh. 6. excepting only the Analogicall and Sacra∣mentall [ 30] maner of Feeding, which wee defend (that is to say) As the Body Feedeth Corporally on the Sacrament, Bread; so is the Soule nourished Spiritually with Christs Body and Blood. Otherwise the Ancient Fathers maintayned a sole Soule-feeding on Christs Body; in which respect (as one of your27 1.4 owne learned Authors hath informed you) The Greek Fathers called that which wee receive [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,] that is, Supersubstantiall Bread.28 1.5 Wee adde the particular ac∣cordant Testimonies of diverse Fathers, of whom if you aske, What the Meat is, which you must believe to Eat in [ 40] this Sacrament? They will tell you, Not of the Body, but of the Soule. If Who must be the Eater? Not the outward, but the Inward man. If What it is that hungreth for this? The Inward Soule. If What must taste it? The Soule. If with What mouth? That, whereof Tertullian said (speaking of Christs Flesh) It is to be devoured with the Eare, ruminated with the Minde, and disgested with Faith. If How? Let Saint Augustine make up the whole harmony; Eat his Flesh▪

* 1.6 This (saith hee) is a Figurative Speech, commanding us to communicate of his Passion; and sweetly and profitably close up in our memories, that his Flesh was wounded and crucifyed for us. So the Fathers. Besides many other like Sayings, by us already related in the former Sections, wherein hath beene opposed out of the Fathers, against your Corporall Touch, saying of Christ, Touch mee not: against your Orall Eating thus, Not meat of the Tooth; but of the Minde: against your Swallowing thus, Wee Devour not Christs Flesh: against your Corporall mixture therewith thus, Wee mingle not the Persons and Substances: And against your Corporall [ 10] Transmitting the same Body downe by Egestion thus, It de∣scendeth not into the Draught.

Wee therefore (according to the genuine sense of Pri∣mitive Fathers, answerable to the Doctrine of Christ) con∣clude; that such as is our Feeding of Christs Body in this Sacrament, such also must be our Eating, because Eating is ordained for Feeding. But by the universall Consent of all Christian Professours, of all ages, whether Primitive, or Successive, Greeke or Romane, Protestants or Papists; our Spirituall Feeding of Christ Body, in this Sacrament, is de∣voyd [ 20] of all Corporall Instrument, or effect. Therefore our Spirituall Eating is no way Corporall. {fleur-de-lys}

CHALLENGE.

THrice therefore, yea foure times unconscionable are your Disputers, in Objecting the former Sentences of holy Fathers, as teaching a Corporall and Naturall Vnion of Christs [ 30] Body with the Bodies of the Communicants; once, because they, in true sense, make not at all for your Romish Tenet: next, be∣cause they make against it: then, because the Corporall Con∣junction, though it be of the Body of Christ, and Bodies of Chri∣stians, in respect of the Object, yet for the Matter and Sub∣ject, it is of Sacramentall Bread united with our owne Bodies, in a Mysticall Relation to the Body of our Redeemer; and lastly, and that principally, because they meant a Spirituall Conjunction properly, and perpetually belonging to the San∣ctifyed Communicants, and herein consonant to the profession [ 40] of Protestants. Wherefore Primitive and Holy Fathers would have stood amazed, and could not have heard without horrour of your Corporall Conjunction of Christ his Body in Boxes and Dunghills, in Mawes of Beasts, in Guts of Mice, Wormes and Dogs, and at length into the Seege, as you have taught. Fie, Fie•• Tell it not in Gath, nor let it be once heard of in any Heathenish Nation, to the Blaspheming of the

Christian profession, and Dishonouring of the Broad Seale of the Gospel of Christ, which is the Blessed Sacrament of his pre∣cious Body and Blood.

{fleur-de-lys} Thus much of the Romish Consequence, from their Proper and Literall sense of Christs words [This is my Body] so farre as concerneth Corporall Vnion. The next Conse∣quence will be touching the Proper Sacrificing thereof; whereunto wee proceed, nothing doubting but that wee shall finde your Romish Disputers the same men, which [ 10] hitherto they have appeared to be; Peremptory in their Assertions, Vnconscionable in their Inforcements of the Sentences of Antiquity, Contradictory to them∣selves; and Vaine and Absurd in their Inferences and Con∣clusions. {fleur-de-lys} [ 20] [ 30] [ 40]

Notes

• * 1.1

  See above ch. 2. § 3.
• * 1.2

  See above ch. 10. §. 5.
• * 1.3

  Ibid.
• 27 1.4

  Casaub. Ex. er••it. 16. cap. 39. Vocant Graeci Pa∣tres hoc Sacramen∣tum 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• 28 1.5

  Tertull. de Orat. Aug. Epist. 121. Isidor. Hisp. de ••ffic. lib. 1. cap. 5. Am∣bros. lib. 5. de Sa∣cramentis. Non est iste cibus, qui vadit in corpus: sed qui animae substantiam fulcit. Bertram de Corpore Domini. Vbi loquitur Ambrosius de Corpore Domini. Origen. in Genes. cap. 24. Christus est pa∣nis vitae, & pascit ani∣mas es••rientes. Ter∣tull. de Resurrect. de Carne Christi. Panis coelestis auditu devo∣randu••, intellectu ru∣minandus, fide dige∣rendus. Aug. Tract. 26. in Ioh. Panis iste quaerit esurlem inte∣rioris hominis. Ba∣sil. in Psalm. Est & quiddam interni ho∣minis os, quo pasci∣tur, recipiens verbum vitae, qui panis de∣scendit de caelo.
• * 1.6

  See above ch. 6. §. 4.