The orthodox faith and vvay to the Church explaned and iustified in answer to a popish treatise, entituled, White died blacke; wherein T.W. p. in his triple accusation of D. White for impostures, vntruths, and absurd illations, is proued a trifler: and the present controuersies betweene vs and the Romanists are more fully deliuered and cleared. By Francis White Bachelour in Diuinitie, and elder brother of Doctor Iohn White.

Paragraph. I. Bellarmine concerning Transubstantiation.

T. W. MAister White alledgeth Bellarminea 1.1, saying; It may iustly be doubted whether the text be cleare enough to inforce transubstantiation, seeing men sharpe and learned, such as Scotus was, haue thought the contrary. But here are certaine words omitted, (to wit) it may iustly be doubted, whether the text without the declara∣tion of the Church, be cleare enough to conuince an obstinate man, in the point of Transubstantiation, seeing men sharpe and learned, &c.

Answ. Bellarmines speech concerning the Churches declaration, carries a faire shew among them which vn∣derstand not the matter: but indeed it leaues the Scrip∣ture in the same obscuritie it found it. For by the Chur∣ches declaration, he vnderstandeth not such an explica∣tion of the Scripture, as doth open and expound the meaning thereof by conference of places, knowledge of tongues, or by obseruing the expositions of former inter∣preters, or by arguments and meanes: such an expositi∣on as giueth light, and makes one see that in the Scrip∣ture it selfe, which he was ignorant of before: but onely a papall sentence, wherein the Pope and Romane Syna∣gogue without proofe or demonstration, affirme this or that, to be the sence of the Scripture.

For example; There is nothing indeed extant in the text of the Gospell from whence it may appeare, that the

sacramentall elements are transubstantiate into the bodie and blood of Christb 1.2, and if all the learned and godly men of the world, should all their life long poare into the text, they could espy no grounds to leade them to this exposition; yea, the doctrine of other Scripture and eui∣dent reason, doe teach another manner of Christ his pre∣sence in the Sacrament: yet Pope Innocent the third in a Romane synodc 1.3 decreeth transubstantiation, and com∣mandeth all the faithfull to beleeue, that the same is con∣tained in the text of the Gospell. But how can the bare authoritie and affirmation of a man, make that the mea∣ning of the holy Ghost, which is not collected from the Scripture, either in plaine words, or by arguments? Saint Augustined 1.4 taught, That the words of the Gospell carry their exposition with them. And Hilariee 1.5, It is vnlawfull to impose a meaning, but we must rather receiue a meaning from holy Scripture. And Irenaeusf 1.6, Ostensions which are in Scripture, cannot be made knowne but by the Scripture.

For as much therefore as that which Bellarmine calleth the declaration and exposition of the Church, is indeed no declaration, but a presumptuous imposing of a for∣reine sence vpon the Scripture; it followeth, that if the Text be not in it selfe cleere to prooue transubstantiation, the Pope or Romane Churches exposition maketh it not so.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Bellar. de Eu∣char. l. 3. c. 23.
• b 1.2

  Biel. can. miss. l. 4. Quamuis expresse trada∣tur in Scriptura, quod corpus Christi veraciter sub speciebus panis contine∣tur•• tamen quo∣modo ibi sit Christus, an per conuersionem alicuius in ip∣sum, an sine conuersione in∣cipiat esse cor∣pus Christi cum pane, manenti∣bus substantia & accidentibus, non inuenitur expressum in canone Bibliae. Durand. 4 d. 11. q. 1. §. 15. Camerac. 4. sent. q. 5. ar. 2. Non potest ratione probari, nec eui∣denter sequitur ex Scriptura, sed quod ita sit creditur ex au∣thoritate eccle∣siae.
• c 1.3

  Concil. Lateran. 3. sub Innocentio 3. c. 1. Cuius corpus & sanguis, in sacramento altaris, sub spe∣ciebus panis & vini veraciter continentur, transubstantiatis, pane in corpus, & vino in sanguinem potestate diuina.
• d 1.4

  Aug. de verb. Dom. serm. 2.
• e 1.5

  Hilar. de Trin. l. 1.
• f 1.6

  Iren. l. 3. c. 12.