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DOctor Heskins, before that he deliver the Sentence it selfe, as a man but about to put on his Harnesse, and yet sounding a Triumph before the victory, prefaceth say∣ing; This place of Saint Augustine presseth our Adversaries so hard, that they have no refuge. So hee. The words of Saint
Austine (speaking of Moses and other Faithfull, in the Old Testament, who in eating Manna, ate Christ Spiritu∣ally, and therefore although they died in Body, yet died not Spiritually in their soules) are these11 1.1 [Multi mandu∣caverunt Manna & mortui non sunt, Quare? quia visibilem cibum Spiritualiter acceperunt—nam & hodiè visibilem cibum accipimus; sed aliud est Sacramentum, Aliud virtus Sacra∣menti. Quàm multi de Altari accipiunt & moriuntur?] That is, Many of them (the Jewes) ate Manna and died not; (namely in Soule) But why? Because they understood it Spi∣ritually; [ 10] For wee also, at this day, do receive the visible meat: But the Sacrament is one thing, and the Virtue of the Sacrament another thing. How many do receive from the Altar and do die, and eate damnation to themselves. So hee. Namely (say wee) Because they ate onely the Sacrament, as the visible meat, and not the Virute, that is the Bodie of Christ signified thereby: And by this our Paraphrasis Saint Augustine is fully Pro∣testant, professing with us, that the Wicked Communicants do not eate the Body of Christ.
Your Doctor, to make Saint Augustine as flatly a Papist as [ 20] himselfe, hath framed12 1.2 See the Margin) a false Allega∣tion, by depraving the latter part of the Sentence of Saint Augustine, alleging them thus: Nam & multi hodie de Altari accipimus cibum visibilem: [Sed aliud est Sacramentum, aliud Virtus Sacramenti? quam multi accipiunt & moriuntur.] that is, Many now rèceive from the Altar the visible meate; [But the Sacrament is one thing, and the Virtue of the Sacrament ano∣ther thing, which, many eating die.] And thereupon taking a full Cariere in a large Discourse (See the margin) argueth [ 30] thus. By the word [Virtue] (saith hee) is meant the Body of Christ: And by [Dying] is meant the death of the Soule; But Saint Augustine affirmeth that the Wicked do eate of this [Vir∣tue] or Body of Christ. So hee; Point-blanke Contrary to our Interpretation as can be, not but that wee confesse, that Saint Augustine by this word, Virtue, meant the Body of Christ; and that by Dying, is understood the Death of mens Soules; but that his Assertion affirming Saint Augustine to teach here∣in That the Wicked Receivers that Dye in their Soules, do eate
the Virtue which is the Body of Christ; is a plaine Imposture by a Grossely false Construction and Composition of Saint Augustines words thus: [Aliud est virtus Sacramenti. Qudm multi &c.] wherein you see a full point, as a deepe Ditch, to sever virtus from the immediatly following word, Quàm, which your Doctor joyneth together, whereby the word, Virtus, is Vitiously abused. Then is he injurious to Quàm, which being an Adverbe, and carrying the Adverbiall Ac∣cent above-head, as a Badge of Distinction, hee notwith∣standing [ 10] turneth into a Pronoune-adjective, Quam; And thirdly, He wrongeth the Construction of them both, in matching, as it were in marriage, a littleu in Virtus, with a great Q in Quàm, whereas every Grammarian, by all the rules of Syntaxis, would forbid the Banes.
Wee know you (Romish Priests) to be reasonable men, and will therefore demand; whether hee had not reason, by some other Edition of Saint Augustine, to justifie his Al∣legation, and thereby his owne Conclusion, as if Saint Au∣gustine had meant, That the wicked do Dye in their Soule, by [ 20] unworthy Eating of the Reall Body of Christ? Wee answer, no: It is Impossible hee should evade by any such excuse, and lest wee may seeme to speake partially, wee shall offer un∣to you a witnesse hereof, without all exception, and that shall be the Author Saint Augustine himselfe, the Expositor of his owne meaning in the very same Tractate, and in his words a little after expresly concluding the Contrary, saying: that 13 1.3 [Hee that eateth of this, so farre as concerneth the virtue of the Sacrament, cannot Dye; albeit otherwise in respect of Ea∣ting onely the visible Sacrament, he do dye.] Where you see, [ 30] that none that eate the Virtue, which is (as hath beene con∣fessed) the Body of the Lord, dye the Death of the Soule. And for better explanation, hee distinguisheth, affirming that the Maner of Eating of the virtue of this Sacrament, is, Eating it, [Intus corde, Inwardly in the heart:] and the Eating of the other Sacrament it selfe, is Eating outwardly, and with the Teeth.
Now then, that your Doctors Error is found to be so pal∣pable, and our Cause so Justifiable, even by the Judgement of Saint Augustine, will you, (as you are reasonable) be also [ 40] so Conscionable to permit us, upon so great advantage, to retort that Epiphonema, wherewith your Doctor concludeth against us, after his Discourse of this and other Testimonies of Saint Augustine, already Answered, viz. Thus have you received the minde of Saint Augustine, as the Catholike Church teacheth, and not as the malignant feigneth. {fleur-de-lys}
Aug. To. 9. Tract. 26. in Ioh. Illi mandu∣caverunt Manna, & mor•••• non sunt: Quare? quia visibi∣lem cibum spirituali∣ter intellexerunt, nam & hodiè visibi∣lem cibum accipimus; Sed aliud est Sacra∣mentum, Aliud virtus Sacramenti. Quàm multi de Altari acci∣piunt & moriuntur? unde dicit Apostolus judicium sibi man∣ducant.
Dr Heskins in his parliament of Christ. Booke 3. c. 48. fol. 368. & 369. The place of Saint Augustine presseth our Adversaries so strictly, that they have no refuge, Say∣ing, Manducaverunt multi qui Domino placuerunt, & mortui non sunt; Quare? quia visibilem cibum spiritualiter intellex∣erunt—Nam & hodie nos accipi∣mus visibilem cibum; [Scd aliud est Sacra∣mentum, aliud virtus Sacramenti, quam multi de Altari acci∣piunt & mòriuntur. Note here (saith he) the Distinction that Saint Augustine ma∣keth betwixt the Sa∣crament, and the vir∣tue of the Sacra∣ment, Saying: that the Sacrament is one thing, and the virtue of the Sacrament another. Then of the virtue of the Sacrament, he saith, that many doe receive it at the Altar and do die. Meaning according to the Saying of the Apostle, that receiving, it unwor∣thily [ 40] they Die in the Soule, eating and drinking their owne Damnation. Now would it be learned of the Adversary, how hee will understand Saint Augustine in this word [Virtue.] First certaine it is, that it is not taken for the Sacramentall Bread: For, that is the other member of the Distinction. Then must it either be taken for the virtue of the Passion of Christ, or for the Body of Christ it selfe. For in the Sa∣crament be no more but these three to be received, The Sacrament, The Body of Christ, and the virtue of his Passion. It cannot be taken for the virtue of Christ's Passion, for that is not, nor cannot be Death and Damnation to the Receiver in the receiving, but Life and Salvation. This virtue that Saint Augustine speaketh of is such, that many do die in the receiving of it. It remaineth then, that by this virtue of the Sacrament, is understood the Body of Christ, which many by unworthy receiving do wickedly abuse, and so receiving kill their soules, and Die the Death that Iudas did.
Aug. Tom. 9. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Ioh. Tract. 26. Hic est panis qui de coelo descendit, ut si quis manducaverit ex ip∣so, non moriatur. Sed quod pertinet ad vir∣tutem Sacramenti; non quod pertinet ad visibile Sacramen∣tum; Qui manducat intus, non foris, qui manducat in corde, non qui premat den∣te.