D. Heskins, D. Sanders, and M. Rastel, accounted (among their faction) three pillers and archpatriarches of the popish synagogue (vtter enemies to the truth of Christes Gospell, and all that syncerely professe the same) ouerthrowne, and detected of their seuerall blasphemous heresies. By D. Fulke, Maister of Pembrooke Hall in Cambridge. Done and directed to the Church of England, and all those which loue the trueth.

* 1.1The eigth and fiftieth Chapter endeth the exposition among the eldest Fathers by Euthymius and Isidorus.

* 1.2Although neither of these writers are within the com∣passe

of the challenge, yet bicause Euthymius vseth much to followe auncient Doctours, and Isidorus was neere the time of the challenge, I will set downe their places and examine their wordes. Euthymius is cyted In 26. Math. Sicut vetus testamentum &c. Euen as the olde Testament had sa∣crifices and bloud: so hath the newe, namely the body and bloud of our Lorde. Nowe he did not say: These are the signes of my body and my bloud: but these thinges be my body and bloud. Therefore we must not looke to the nature of those things that are set foorth, but to the vertue of them. For as he did supernaturally deifie (if I may so speake) his assumpted flesh: so doth he also vnspeakably transmute these thinges into the same his quickening body, and into his precious bloud, and into the grace of them. And the bread hath a certaine similitude vnto the body, and wine to bloud. For both the bread and body are earthly: but the wine and the bloud are airie and hote. And as bread doth comfort, so the body of Christe doth the same and much more, it sanctifieth both the body and the soule. And as the wine doth make glad: so the bloud of Christ doth the same, and moreouer is made a defence. Although the chiefest partes of this place are answered in the 17. Chapter of the first booke, and in the 51. Chap. of this second booke: yet as M. Hes. gathereth here two other matters, so I wil make answere to them. First he saith, That the figuratiue glose of the sacramētaries is flatly denied: But by what words I pray you▪ Marrie where he saith: Christ saide not these be signes of my body and bloud, but these are my body and bloud, if this be a flat deniall of a figure, bicause Christe saide not so, then is it likewise in these speaches, he saide not the rocke was a signe of Christe, but the rocke was Christe, the Lambe is the Passeouer &c. Euthymius meaneth not to exclude all figures from the saying of Christ, but to shew that the sacrament is not a bare, naked, and vaine signe, but a true signe of the very body and bloud of Christe, giuen to the faythfull in the administration of the sup∣per.

The second matter that Maister Heskins noteth, is, of the vnspeakable transmutation, and that must needes bee meant of transubstantiation of the breade and wine into

the naturall bodie and bloud of Christe, by this reason: there be foure thinges called the bodie of Christ. 1. The figure. 2. The Church. 3. The merite, fruite, or vertue of his passion. 4. And his bodie naturall, but it can not be into the figure, nor into the Churche, Nor into the spirituall bodie of Christe, I meane the merite, vertue, and grace of Christes passion, Ergo it must needes be spoken of the naturall bo∣die of Christ. But vouchsafe (gentle Reader) to runne o∣uer once againe these wordes of Euthymius, which in La∣tine are these. Ita & hec ineffabiliter transmuta•• in ipsum vini∣fic•••••• corpus, & in ipsius pręciosum sanguinem si••on, & in gratiam ipso 〈◊〉〈◊〉: Euen so he doth vnspeakably transmute and change thes•• thinges into the same his quickening bodie, and into his owne preci∣ous bloud, and into the grace of them. Now tell me whether M. Heskins doth flatly denie, that which Euthymius doeth flatly affirme, that the bread and wine are chaunged into the grace of the bodie and bloud of Christ? By whiche words he doth sufficiently expound, what kind of change he meaneth of them into the bodie and bloud of Christ, not a corporall but a spirituall transmutation. To the rest of the sentence which is a good exposition of the for∣mer parte, shewing both the bread and wine to remaine in the sacrament, and for what cause they are vsed to re∣present the bodie and bloud of Christe, namely, for the similitude they haue vnto the bodie and bloud of Christ: Maister Heskins sayeth nothing. But let the reader weigh it well, and he shall see it cleane contrarie both to transubstantiation, and the carnall presence.

Nowe we come to Isodorus, whom he confesseth to be somewhat out of the compasse of the challenge, and his wordes De Offi. Eccle. Lib. 18. are these. Sacrificium, &c. The sacrifice that is offered of the Christians vnto God, Christe our God and Maister did first institute, when he commended to his Apostles his bodie and his bloud before he was betrayed, as it is read in the Gospel: Iesus tooke bread and the cuppe and blessing them gaue vn∣to them.

In this place is nothing for the carnall presence, but that Isydore calleth the sacrament the bodie and bloud of

Christ, which we also do, and acknowledg to be so right∣ly called. And Maister Heskins can conclude nothing but vpon a negatiue, he saith not he gaue a figure, so may I conclude, he saith not he gaue his naturall body, and no figure. After this he reasoneth as fondely of Christes blessing of the bread, which although the Euangelistes do expound to be giuing of thanks, yet admit blessing to signifie consecration, and what hath he gayned? Forsooth Christ wold not haue blessed it to make but a figure: still he playeth the foole with that bable, but a figure, onely a figure, a bare figure, which we vtterly doe forsake. But toward the ende of the Chapter, he falleth to gathering his voyces, and affirmeth that none of the olde fathers cal the sacrament a figure, except Tertullian onely, wherein he lyeth impudently, for beside Ambrose, and Augustine, which both vse the very worde figure, we haue shewed in due places, that both they & in a manner al the rest of the fathers, haue either written plainely against the carnall presence, or else nothing for it. As for his last challenge, that all the protestants must bring forth when any coun∣trie did professe the same religion that is now preached, is vaine: and hath beene sufficiently aunswered in other treatises. It is certein, that all nations y^t were conuerted by the Apostles, before they were corrupted by heresie and Antechristianitie, professed the same religion that we doe. As for the alterations in King Henries time, King Edwardes, and the Queenes Maiesties, that now is, it is easie to answere. King Henrie began the worke, whiche King Edwarde finished, and the Queene repayred and vpholdeth in spight of the diuel and the Pope. As for the consent and peace of the Popishe Church, it proueth no∣thing, but that the diuell had then all thinges at his will, and therefore might sleepe on both sides, but now hee is disturbed of possession of the house, nowe he stormeth, and of Robin good fellowe, which he was in the Popishe time, is become playne Sathan the Di∣uell.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hesk.
• * 1.2

  Fulk.