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 no objected Act out of the Fathers, for proofe of an Invocation by Divine Adoration of the Eucharist, is conscionably alleged; not the first, which is their pre∣scribed Concealment of this Mysterie. [ 10] SECT. I.

ACts insisted upon by you, for proofe of Adoration; are these; The Fathers injoyning a Concealment of this Mysterie from some others: their Elevation of the Host after Consecration: their Cautelousnesse in administring it, without letting any part thereof fall to the ground: their Bodily Gesture in token of Humiliation; and their pretended Invocating on it. Wee acknowledge (that wee [ 20] may begin with the first) how strictly often times the Ancient Fathers generally prescribed to others, (which they observed themselves) that this Mysterie should be kept secret from all per∣sons, who were not initiated by Baptisme, and incorporated ther∣by into the visible Church of Christ, were they Infidels or Ca∣techumenists (that is) unbaptized Christians. Vpon this our Confession, as the Base, hearken what a discant your Doctors can chant, saying as followeth;a The Fathers said of this my∣sterie of the Eucharist that onely [Fideles nôrunt] the Faithfull know it: and therefore wee must be perswaded they understood [ 30] a Corporall Presence of Christ herein; and consequently a Divine Adoration due unto it. Master Brerely swelleth big, in amplify∣ing this Objection; take a brief of the whole. The Fathers profes∣sing to write more circumspectly of this Sacrament, so as not daring to explaine it, as Theodoret, Origen, Augustine, Chrysostome; this were causlesse, if the Fathers had thought Christ's words figurative: nor had it beene more necessary in this than in Baptisme, had the Fa∣thers acknowledged no other presence in this, than in Baptisme, &c. So hee; and so also your Irish1 Iesuite.

Well then, by your owne judgement, if it may be found that [ 40] the Eathers observed a like Circumspection in the maner of utte∣ring, and Cautelousnesse in concealing the Sacrament of Baptisme from Infidels and Catechumenists; then must you confesse that this your Argument maketh no more for proofe of a Corporall Presence in the Eucharist, as you would have it, than in Baptisme, where you confesse it is no. And now behold the Fathers are as precise in concealing the Mysterie of Baptisme, from all persons unbaptized, even in as expresse termes as was spoken of in the

Eucharist; Chrysostome saying, (against such Persons)b The faithfull know this. And againe, entring into a discourse of Bap∣tisme, he prefaceth saying;c I would indeed speake this plainly, but I dare not, because of them that are not initiated, or Baptized.

{fleur-de-lys} Basil also, speaking of the Rites of Baptisme, saith that 2 The Ancient Fathers (before his time) left them in silence; and preserved them from curious and idle men. {fleur-de-lys} And Diony∣sius, the supposed Areopagite,d Let none that is not a perfect Christian be admitted to the sight of the signes of Baptisme: even as the Councelle Arausicanum also decreed. Which Cautions [ 10] are long since antiquated by disuse in Churches Christian, be∣cause all are now baptized that come to behold this Sacrament. If hereupon any Protestant shall inferre a Corporall Presence of Christ in Baptisme, and consequently an Adoration of Christ in the same Sacrament, you your selves (wee know) would but hisse at him, in detestation of his Consequence, as judging it Idolatrous.

But do you aske, why then the Fathers did teach Christians not to speake of these Mysteries in the hearing of the Catechume∣nists? Saint Augustine himselfe (whom your Cardinall hath [ 20] brought in for defence of Corporall Presence) will resolve us, and witnesse against him, telling him, not that the reason was the sub∣limity of the matter, as though they could not apprehend it, but becausef The more honourably the Sacraments are concealed (spea∣king in generall) the more ardently they would be coveted and desi∣red. As for their not revealing them unto Infidels, the reason is evident; Infidelity is a mocker, and they meant to preserve Christs Sacrament from contempt. Thus your most specious Objection serveth for nothing more than to prove your Disputers to be wonderfully precipitant in their Arguing. [ 30]

Notes

• a

  Bellar. lib. 2. de Euch. cap. 2. ciiat Au∣gustin Serm. 10. de verbis Apostol. viz. Quod corpus dixit es∣cam, & sanguinem potum, Sacramentum fidelium agnoscunt fideles—Be hanc phrasin [nôrunt fide∣les] habet in locis in∣finitis: at profectò non est fidelibus tan∣tùm notum, quòd corpus Christi fide percipiatur. Idem. Ob∣jicit Claudius de San∣ctes ante lib. de Litur∣gijs patrum. Rursus Bellar qui sup. cap. 15. At certè nulla reddi potest causa, cur Eu∣charistiam ne videri quidem permitterent Infidelibus, vel etiam Catechumenis, si ni∣hil est nisi signum.
• 1

  Mr. M••llon in his Reply, pag 221.
• b

  Chrysost. in Gal. 4. Non natura, sed Dei promissio Sacra∣mentum fecit: sic re∣nascentia nostra na∣tura quidem nulla est, caeterum verbum Dei, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• c

  And againe in 1. Cor. Hom. 40. about to entreat of the words of S. Paul, [Quid fa∣cientij, qui baptizan∣tur pro mortuis? [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 {fleur-de-lys} And yet againe, in Ioh. 85. Hom. 33. joy∣ning that Contempla∣tion of Baptisme and of the Eucharist to∣gether, hee saith; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. id est, Initi∣ati. {fleur-de-lys}
• 2

  Basil. de Spir. Sanct. Cap. 27. Con∣secrare oleum uncti∣onis, hominem ter mergi, renuntiare Sa∣tanae, & reliqua eti∣am in Baptismo, un∣de habemus? nonnè ex antiqua traditio∣ne? nonnè ex doctri∣na, quam Patres in silentio, quod curio∣sos & otiosos sub∣movet, servârunt?
• d

  Dionys. Hierar. cap. 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• e

  Con••. Arau••••••n. 1. Catechumeni non sunt ad Baptismum admittendi. Can. 19.
• f

  Aug. Tom. 9. Tract. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in Ioh. Quid si eis fidelium Sacramenta non producuntur, non ideo fit, quod ea ferre non possent, sed ut ab 〈◊〉〈◊〉 tan∣tò ardentiùs concupiscantur, quantò honorabilius eis occultantur. [Speaking of the Catechumenists.]