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YOur Instances are Three; the principall in Gorgonia, the Si∣ster of Gregory Nazianzen, in whose Oration, at her Fune∣rall,
we find thata She having been troubled with a prodigious dis∣ease, after that neither the Art of Physick, nor teares of her Parents, nor the publike Prayers of the Church could procure her any health, went and cast her selfe downe at the Altar, Invocating Christ, who is honoured on the Altar, saying that she would not remove her head from the Altar, untill shee had received her health: when (Oh admi∣able event!) she was presently freed from her d••sease. This is the Story set downe by Gregory Nazian••en. Hence your Cardinall concludeth, that Gorgonia invocated the Sacrament, as being the very Body and Blood of Christ, and calleth this An hot and [ 10] stinging Argument; and so indeed it may be named, yet onely in respect of them, whose consciences are scorched, or stung with their owne guiltinesse of in forcing and injuring the Story, as will now appeare.
For first, why should wee thinke that she invocated the Sacra∣ment? Because (saith yourb Cardinall) she prostrated her selfe at the Altar, before the Sacrament; which words [Before the Sacra∣ment] are of his owne coyning, and no part of the Story. His next reason; Because she is said to have invocated him, who is hono∣red [ 20] on the Altar. As though every Christian praying at the Table of the Lord, to Christ, may not be justly said to Invocate him, who is used to be Honoured by the Priest, celebrating the memory of Christ thereon. Nay, and were it granted, that the Sacramentall Symbols had beene then on the Altar, yet would it not follow, that she invocated the Sacrament, as betokening a Corporall pre∣sence of Christ (as your Disputers have fancied) no more than if the said godly woman upon the same occasion presenting her selfe at the sacred Font, wherin she had beene baptized, could be thought to have invocated the water therein; because she was [ 30] said to have invocated him, who is honoured in the Administration of Baptisme. And furthermore it is certaine, that the Remainders of the Sacrament in those daies were kept in their Pastophorium, a place severed from the Altar, especially at this time of her being there, which was in the Night, as the Story speaketh.
O! but she was cured of her disease at the Altar. And so were other miraculous Cures wrought also at the Font of Baptisme. But, for a Conclusion, wee shal willingly admit of Gregory Nazi∣anzen to be Vmpier betweene us. He, in relating the Story, saith of the Sacrament of the Eucharist;9 If shee at the time [ 40] of her invocating had laid up any part of the Antitypes (or Sym∣bols) of the precious Body and Blood of Christ, that shee mingled with her teares. So hee, calling the consecrated Sacrament Antitypes, or Signes of Christ's Body: therby signifying, that the Sacrament is not the Body and Blood of Christ, as hath been pro∣ved unto you at large out of Nazianzen, and other Greeke Fa∣thers,
Whereas if indeed he had meant that the Body and Blood of Christ had beene there corporally present, as that which was Invocated; then now (if ever) it had concerned this holy Father to have expresly delivered his supposition thus, viz. If she had at that time of her Invocating laid up any whit of the precious Body and Blood of Christ. Wee say of the Body and Blood of Christ, and not (as hee said) of the Antitypes, or Signes of his Body and Blood. Thus is your hot and stinging Reason become chilly, cold, and altogether dronish.
Your second Instance is in Dionysius the Areopagite, who wri∣ting of the Sacramentc said, O must divine Sacrament, reveale [ 10] union us the mysterie of thy signes, &c. which in the eares of your Disputers ringeth a flat Invocation of the Sacrament: {fleur-de-lys} And that10 Nothing could be said more plainly. {fleur-de-lys} Contrariwise wee confidently affirme, that your Teachers have taken a figure Prosopopoeia for Invocation; like men who take Moon-shine for Day-light, as wee shall manifest by Examples, Confessions, yea and the very Instance of Dionysius himselfe.
Prosopopoeia then is a figure, when one calleth upon that which hath no sense, as if it had sense; as when in Scripture the Pro∣phet [ 20] said, Heare ô Heavens, and hearken ô Earth, Isa. 1. In like maner, among the Ancient Fathers, one called upon his owne Church Anastasia, whence he was to depart, and saying thus, d Oh Anastasia, which hast restored our Doctrine, when it was de∣spised! Others of the Element of Baptisme, thus: Oh water that hath washed our Saviour, and deserved to be a Sacrament! or thus, e Oh water which once purged the world, yea (as another) and na∣ming itf A Divine Lavacre, &c. Nay, you your selves can sing, & chant it to the Crosse,g Oh Crosse our only hope, &c. and in expounding the same, allow no more than a Prosopopoeia and [ 30] figurative speech, lest that otherwise your Invocation may be judged Idolatrous. And wheras in another Romish Anthem it is sung of the Eucharist, Oh holy Feast! This Saying (saith ano∣ther h Iesuite) agreeth to every Sacrament. Thus have you heard both from Fathers, and from your selves the like Tenour of In∣vocation; Oh Church! Oh Water! Oh Crosse! Oh Feast! nothing differing from Dionysius his Oh Divine Sacrament! yet each one without any proper Invocation at all.
And that you may further understand, that this Dionysius his OH! is as in voyce, so in sense the same which we judge it to be, [ 40] what better Interpreter can you require of this Greeke Author Dionysius, than was his Greeke Scholiast Pachymeres? who hath given his Iudgement of this very speech directly, saying that i It was spoken as of a thing having life, and that fitly, as did Na∣zianzen, saith he; O great and holy Pascha, &c. And how should this be otherwise? seeing Dionysius, at the writing hereof, was not in any Church or place, where the Eucharist was celebrated,
but privately contemplating in his mind upon this holy Myste∣rie. The due consideration of these your former so frivolous, and so false Objections provoketh us to cry out, saying, Oh So∣phistry, Sophistry! when wilt thou cease to delude the soules of men? In which maner of speech, notwithstanding, wee do not Invocate, but rather detest, and abominate your Romish Sophi∣stry. And lest any of you should stumble upon the Attribute, which Dionysius giveth to the Eucharist, in calling it a Divine Sa∣crament, as if it should imply a Corporall Presence therein, reade [ 10] but one Chapter of the same Author, and hee will teach you to say as much of many other things, wherein you will not believe any Corporall Existence of Christ, we are sure: for there he equal∣ly nameth the place of Celebration, Divine Altar; the Sacra∣mental Signes, Divine Symbols; the Minister, Divine Priest; the Communicants, Divine People; yea and (which may muzzle eve∣ry Opponent) the matter of this Sacrament, Divine Bread.
In the third place is objected this saying of Basil; When the Bread is shewne, what holy Father hath left in writing the words of Invocation? Thus that Father, whence your Father Bellarmine [ 20] thus;k Hence know we the Custome of the ancient Church, namely, that the Eucharist is shewne to the people after Consecration. And that Then (as we see now done among us) it was Invocated upon, even plainly after Consecration, saith your Durantus also, and indeed al∣most who not? But do you first, if you please, admire the wit of your Cardinall in so framing his Consequence, and after abhor his will to deceive you, when you have done: for he applieth the words, spoken by Basil of an Invocation before Cons••cration, (when as yet, by your owne Doctrine, Christ is not present) as spo∣ken of an Invocation of the Eucharist after Consecration; for [ 30] proofe of a Corporall Presence of Christ therein, and the Divine Adoration thereof, as will most evidently appeare. For first it is not unknown to you, that the Greeke Church differeth from your Roman in the forme of Consecration at this day, they consecrating in words of prayer, and Invocation, and you in the repetition of Christ's words [This is my Body] wherein there is no Invocati∣on at all. And Basil was of the Greeke Church. Secondly, your l Archbishop of Caesarea, for proofe that Invocation by prayers was a forme of Consecration used primitively in the Greeke [ 40] Church, citeth the two most ancient Fathers, Tertullian and Irenaeus; and of the Greeke he allegeth Iustine, Cyril, Damas∣cen, Theophilus Alex. yea, and (by your leave) Basil himselfe too: and that Basil was an Orthodoxe Greeke Father you will not deny.
Thirdly, therfore (to come home unto you) wee shall be di∣rected by the Objected words of Basil himselfe, appealing here∣in to your owne consciences. For your Lindanus was, in the estimation of your Church, the strongest Champion in his time
for your Romane Cause; he, to prove that the forme of Conse∣cratio, of the Eucharist standeth not in any prescribed words in the Gospel, but in words of Invocation by prayer (as hath been confirmed by a Torrent of Ancient Fathers) saith,m That the same is illustrated by these words of Basil, saying, What Fa∣ther hath left unto us i•• writing the words of Invocation, when the Bread is shewne unto us? adding, That no man of sound Braines can require any more, for the clearing of the point concerning••th forme of Consecration. So then, Invocation was an Invocation by Pray∣er unto God, for the Consecration of the Bread let before them, [ 10] and not an Invocation of Adoration unto the Eucharist, as alrea∣dy consecrated; which your Cardinal unconscionably (wee will not say, unlearnedly) hath enforced.
Looke upon the Text againe, for your better satisfaction; It speaketh expresly of an Invocation, when Bread is shewne: but you deny that Bread is Invocated upon, untill after Consecration. And Basils demanding [What Father before us hath left in writing the words of Invocation?] is, in true and genuine sense, as if hee had expresly said, what Father before us hath left in writing [ 20] the words of Invocating God by Prayer of Consecration of Bread, to make it a Sacrament? as both the Testimonies of Fathers above confessed manifest, and your objected Greeke Missals do ratifie unto us. For, in the Liturgie ascribed to Saintn Iames the Apostle, the Consecration is by Invocating and praying thus, Holy Lord who dwellest in holiest &c. The Li∣turgie ofo Chrys••stome Invocateth by praying; Wee beseech thee, O Lord, to send thy Spirit upon these Gifts prepared before us, &c. The Liturgie under the name ofp Basil consecrateth by this Invocation, when the Priest lifteth up the Bread, Looke [ 30] downe, O Lord Iesu our God, from thy holy habitation, and vouch∣safe, &c. All these therefore were according to the Example of Christ) Invocations, that is, Prayers of Consecrating the Sacra∣ment; and therefore could not be Invocations of Adoration of the same Sacrament. {fleur-de-lys} Which Invocation, in Consecrating by Prayer,10 Cyril calleth an Invocation of the holy Tri∣nity. {fleur-de-lys} And as for any expresse or prescribed forme or pray∣er to be used of All, well might Basil say, Who hath set it downe in writing? that is, It was never delivered either in Scripture, or in the Bookes of any Author of former Antiquity; and this [ 40] is that which is testified in your owneq Bookes of Augustine, out of Basil, saying that No writing hath delivered in what words the forme of Consecration was made.
Now then, guesse you what was in the braines of your Dis∣puters, in objecting this Testimony of Basil, contrary to the evident Sense; and accordingly judge of the weaknesse of your Cause, which hath no better supports than such fond, false, and ridiculous Objections to relye upon. Such as is al∣so
that yourr Cardinall his objecting the words of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, concerning the receiving of this Sacrament, saying, Lord I am not worthy thou shouldest come under the roose of my mouth: which hath beene confuted, as unworthy the mention in this case.
If you would have some Examples of Adoring Christ with Divine worship, in the Mysterie of the Eucharist, by celebrating the maner of his death, (as Hierome may be said to have ado∣red at Ierusalem, Christ in his Cratch; or as every Christian doth [ 10] in the Mysterie of Baptisme) wee could store you with multi∣tudes: but of Adoring the Eucharist, with a proper Invocation of Christ himselfe, wee have not as yet received from you any one.
Greg. Nazian. Orat. 11 de Gorgonia. Soror Gorgonia ad∣versà corporis valetu∣dine laborabat—eratque prodigiosum morbi genus, quod nec medicorum arte, nec parentum lachry∣mis, nec publicis pre∣cibus sanari potuit: desperatis omnibus alijs auxilijs intem∣pestà nocte captatâ ad Altare cum side procumbit, eumque qui super isto hono∣ratur ingenti clamore invocans, cum caput suū part cum clamo∣re Altari admovisset, & deinde hoc phar∣maco (i.e. Lachryma∣rum, ut exponit Elias Cretensis) perfudisset, & si quid uspiam [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] Antity∣porū preciosi Corpo∣ris & Sanguinis ma∣nu recondrderat, ad lachrymis admiscurs∣set (ô rem admiran∣dam!) statim se mor∣bo liberatam sentit.
Bellar. Procum∣bens ante Altare co∣rā venerabili Sacra∣mento—Quid autem super altare colatur, dubium esse non po∣test, cum nihil ibi po∣natur nisi Panis & Vinum, mutanda in corpus & sanguinem Christi—Petium Martyrē valdè ussit pupugitque hic locus. Lib. 2. de Euch cap 14
See above, Book 4. Chap. 1. Sect. 10. As further also appeareth in the Liturgie of pope Clement; Acci∣piant Diacont reli∣quias, & portent in Pastophoria (Doubt∣lesse from the Altar to a place remote.) Teste pamelio Tom 1 Missal. Patrion La∣tin. pag 118.
See above, Book 4. Chap. •• Sect. 5.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Orat. 11. quo supra.
Booke 2. Chap. 2. Sect. 6.
Bellar. Dio∣nys. Areop. Hier. cap. 3. part. 3. O divinis∣simum & sacrosan∣ctum Sacramentum, obducta tibi signifi∣cancium signorum o∣perimenta aperi, &c. Lib. 2. de Euch. cap. 3. Item ipsum invocat Sacramentum, & pe∣tit ab ipso, quae à solo Deo rectè peti pos∣sunt. And, Durant. de Rit ib. lib. 2. cap. 11. Aud indeed who not?
Mallon. Ies. in his Reply.
Nazian. Orat. 32. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
Ambros. in Luc. lib. 10. cap. 22. O aqua, tu aspersum sanguine (Christum) lavisti, Sacramentum Christi esse meruisti, &c.
Optat. lib. 6. cont. Parmē. O aqua, quae & purum feceras orbē, & terrā lavisti. Greg. Nyssen. Divinū lavacrum, See above, Booke 3. C. 3. §. 13.
O salve Crux, spes unica! auge piis justitiā, &c. Est Pro∣sopopoeia. Vasquez. Ies. lib. 2. de Adorat. Disp. 9. cap. 4. pag. 445.
O sacrum cō∣vivium! quod omni Sacramento conve∣nit. Tolet. Ies. Instruct. Sacerd. lib. 2. cap. 15. pag. 366.
Pachym. in locum Dionys. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Ex Orat. 42.
See above Booke 3. Chap. 3. Sect 13.
Basi••i de Spir. sanct. cap. 2•• [Verba Invocationis, cùm o∣stenditur, quis San∣ctorum in scripto no∣bis reliquit?] Hunc habemus morem ve∣teris Ecclesiae, ut post consecrationē osten∣deretur populo Eu∣charistia, quod nunc fieri videmus, & con∣ceptis verbis invoca∣retur. Ob. Bellar. lib. 2 de Euch. cap. 25 §. Al∣terum. And Durant. de Ritib. lib 2. cap. 11. Planè ab ipsis Eccle∣siae incunabilis post Consecrationem Eu∣charistiam in altum tollere, Dionys. & Ba∣sil. de Spiritu Sancto, cap. 27, &c.
Broved above, Book 1. Ch. 2. Sect. 3. in the Challenge.
Archiep. Caesari∣ens. seu Christoph. de Capite fontium, Tra∣ctat. var. Sacerdos in∣vocando Deum panē consecravit: Hanc a∣lij, ut Tertull. Iren. Iustin. Gratiarum a∣ctionē hujusmodi In∣vocationem seu be∣nedictionem vocant. pag. 34. Alicubi The∣odoret Basil. Cyril. Hierosol. Iren. Da∣mascen. Theoph. A∣lex. vocant Euchari∣stiae formam 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Invocationem. Ibid. pag. 33. And hee allegeth your Linda∣nus for a Suffragator in this point.
See Booke 1. Chap. 2.
Paulus non tradidit formā Con∣secrationis, quod Ba∣silius ità illustrat, ut sano capiti nihil ad haec sit ullo modo re∣quirendum amplius, cap. 42. de Spir. san∣cto; Verba, dùm o∣stenditur panis (in∣quit) & poculum be∣nedictionis, quis San∣ctorū nobis reliquit? Lindan. Panop. lib. 4. cap. 41.
Liturg. Iac. [Sancte Domine, &c.]
Liturg. Chry∣sost. [Adhuc offeri∣mus—mitte Spiri∣tum, &c.]
Liturg. Ba∣sil. [Respice Domi∣ne.]
Cyril. Hiero. sol. Mystag. Catech. 3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
Decret. part. 1. cap. 11. Ecclesiasti∣corum. Aug. ex Basi∣lio; Quae scripta no∣bis, quibus verbis sit Consecratio, com∣mendavit?
〈…〉〈…〉 Bellar. lib 2. de Euch. cap 8. §. Al∣t••rum.
See above B. 5. Chap 5. Sect. 6.