Scripture mistaken the ground of Protestants and common plea of all new reformers against the ancient Catholicke religion of England : many texts quite mistaken by Nouelists are lay'd open and redressed in this treatis[e] by Iohn Spenser.

Answer.

This objection inuolues many difficulties and is first to he vndeestood that Sacraments are to be receaued and administred as they were first instituted in such matters as belong to the substance and essence of the Sacra∣ment, not in other accidentary circumstances of time, place, personnes, precedences, conse∣quences, &c. as was the institution of this Sa∣crament after supper, sitting vppon the ground, giuen to priests only, in a priuate se∣cular house &c.

Secondly there is something particular in this Sacrament which is in noe other, euen concerning the substance of it: for the very same entire substance being here put vnder each kind makes that woesoeuer receaues either of them, receaues the whole substance of this Sacrament and consequently receaues a true Sacrament instituted by our Sauiour; and so that which is able to sanctifie him who worthily receaues either of them.

Thirdly concerning the substance of this Sacrament all that can be gathered from the bare words of the institution, is that it is to be consecrated and receiued by Priests such as were the Apostles who were Priests, then made when it was first instituted vnder both kinds, but here is noe president giuen about the lay people, because none then receaued it. That the whole substance of our Sauiour is here receaued I suppose for the present, neither is it much questioned by such as grant the reall presence, nor can be possibly doubted of by any who beleeues that our Saoiour dies not more, and soe both flesh and blood, and life, and soule, and diuinitie are all vnited to∣geather weresoeuer he is: hence therefore followes that lay people receiue as much of our Sauiour (seeing they receaue him wholy and interily) as Priests doe.

That he who receaues our Sauiour thus

vnder one only kind receaues a true Sacra∣ment is as cleare as the former for who can without absurditie denye that vnder one kind is exhibited an outward visible signe of an inward spirituall grace, which is the compleat definition of a Sacrament according to our aduersaries: for here the formes of bread only containing vnder them our Sauiour by way of meat, signifie that he confers a spirituall grace nourishing and feeding our soules to eternall life and thus much is signified by the English ministers when they distribute the bread to the people saying: the Body of our Lord Iesus Christ preserue thy body and soul to eternall life, &c. and containing his body represented as separated from his blood, and so as dead by force of the words of consecration are an outward visible commemoratiue signe of his sacred death and passion. and seeing that both bread is com∣posed of many graines, and wine of many grapes vnited togeather, the mystical vnity of Christians receauing this Sacrament is suffi∣ciently signified hy the species of either of them. if then here he an outward visible signe of an inward spirituall grace both exhibitiue, com∣memoratiue and significatiue, here must needs be a true Sacrament euen according to the pttnciples of our aduersaries. and what I haue said of the forme of bread, is by the same reason verified of the forme of wine. but not

only in their principlcs, but in all good Theo∣logie there must be a true Sacrament vnder each kind: for certainly seeing that a diffe∣rent grace is conferred by each of them, the one of spirituall meate, the other of spirituall drinke (which how it is to be vnderstood, I will hereafter examine) each will be sufficient to sanctifie and helpe the soul to eternall life. If it should be replyed that in neither of these kinds alone is exhihited a compleate signe either of our spirituall refection, or the death of our Sauiour but only a partiall or imparfect signe of them, which notwith∣standing are compleatly significd vnder both togeather. I answer that if by a compleat signe be vnderstood a most full and expresse repre∣sentation of these two particulars, I grant that there is not vnder one only kind so full and expresse a representation (and in this sense not so compleat a signe of them) as vnder both togeather. but then it must be prouued (this most full and expresse representation vnder both being exhibited to lay Christians by the consecration and communion of the Priest in the dread full sacrifice of the masse) that the substance of this sacrifice requirs that they should be allways so fully and expressely represented in each particular communion of the people. but if by a compleat signe be vn∣derstood a signe sufficient to signifie both our

spirituall food and vnion, and the death of our Sauiour, I denie that there is not a com∣pleat signe of both exhibited vnder each kind. This distinction may be much illustrated by an instance from baptisme, certainly the mystery of the trinity was more expressely, fully and compleatly signified by that ancient coustome of a threefold dipping the child in the water, and the words of baptisme then by the same words and putting water once vppon the child, and yet this latter is iudged suffi∣cient euen by Protestants. for who can doubt that the formes of bread sufficiently giue vs to vnderstand that our Sauiours is the food of our soules noe lesse then the bread of pro∣position in the old, and the bread multiplied by our Sauiour in the new Testament; and his calling himselfe the bread of life in the sixt of S. Iohn prefigured and signified suffi∣ciently that our Sauiour was to be the bread of our soules: and who seeing a bodyly before him void of soul and blood as our Sauiour is here represented by force of the words, gathers not presently that it is dead though he see not the blood which issued from it: and the same is of the blood of our Sauiour vnder the forme of wine, for this alone is noe lesse sufficient to represent the death of our Sauiour then was tbe blood alone of the paschall lambe sprinkled vppon the posts of

the Israëlites by the Iewish priests to prefigu∣rate the shedding of his precious blood and sacred passion: nor is the blood of our Sauiour vnder the forme of wine lesse sufficient to re∣present the spirituall exhiberation and con∣forting of our soules thē was the wine in Cana of Galilee, and that sentence spoken of by the Prophete (wine producing virgins) able to fore figurate the same blood so comforting: as also the species of bread or wine alone to signifie the vnity and amitie which is to be amongst Christians both in regard of Christ and themselues, as I haue shewed. Hence the∣refore appeares that seeing in each kinde apart both the death of our Sauiour, and our spirituall meate and drinke and vnion respec∣tiuely are sufficiently signifieds each must ne∣cessarily containe a true Sacrament, and not only the part of a true Sacrament: and seeing in each a true Sacrament is receaued, each alone must conferre that grace which is signi∣fied by it, and so sanctifie the soul of such as receaue it, and consequently may be receaued fruitfully and sauingly alone for so much as belongs to the bare institution: for if our Sauiour instituted each species apart to con∣ferre sauing grace, then who receaues either deuoutly receaues that grace for which our Sauiour instituted it, and so we are put in the state of saluation by reeeauing one vnlesse

thete be some other command produced which obligeth all to receaue both, which shall here after be examined.