The buckler of the faith: or, A defence of the confession of faith of the reformed churches in France, against the obiections of M. Arnoux the Iesuite Wherein all the principall controuersies betweene the reformed churches and the Church of Rome are decided. Written in French by Peter du Moulin minister of the word of God in Paris: and now translated into English.

The beleefe of both parties.

[Sect. 24] The Church of Rome is of opinion, that presently after

these words, Hoc est enim corpus meum, are pronounced, the substance of the bread changeth into the body of our Lord by transsubstantiation, and the substance of the wine into the bloud of our Lord. In such manner neuerthelesse, that by concomitance the body also is whole in euery drop of the wine in the cup, as the body is whole in euery crum and vn∣der euery part of the host, which is done by vertue of the words; which being pronounced as well ouer the substance of the bread as ouer the accidents, do not worke but vpon the substance, so that the accidents remaine without a subiect; not that the body of Iesus Christ which is set on the right hand of God, cometh into the host, but it is made there by transsubstantiation.

Vpon condition neuerthelesse,** that the Priest must haue an intent to consecrate. For without that, the consecration is not made: and yet in the meane time the people out of a pi∣ous and an holy presupposition do not ceasse to adore the host at all aduentures. Bellarmine in the first booke of Sacra∣ments, chap. 27. saith, It is sufficient that the Priest hath an intent to do as the Church of Rome doth.

To confirme this transsubstantiation and** reall presence, our aduersaries produce diuerse miracles, wherein the host (as they say) being prickt hath shed many drops of bloud, and in some of them the host appeared like a little child, entring into some mens mouthes. And say that certaine shep∣heards hauing pronounced the words of consecration vpon their bread being at breakfast, changed all the bread into flesh.

And because many inconueniences happen, either that the consecrated cup may freese, or that the consecrated host may be stolen, or is eaten by mice, or vomited vp againe by weaknesse of body, the penitentiall Canons, and** the prouisions of the Masse haue ordained certaine rules for euery one of these inconueniences, and say, that it is not to be

thought a strange matter, that a rat or a dog doth eate the whole body of Iesus Christ, now when he sitteth at the right hand of God in his glory, seeing that while he was in his in∣firmitie here on earth fleaes might sucke the drops of his bloud, and dogs might licke vp his bloud that fell downe from the crosse.

By this doctrine the Priest may do that which all the An∣gels and Saints together cannot do; for he can make Ie∣sus Christ; and hauing made God by certaine words, he hath God in his owne power. From thence proceedeth their man∣ner of speaking to lift vp God, to eate him, and to receiue their Creator. From thence proceedeth this prodigious do∣ctrine, that a Priest may transsubstantiate whole vessels of wine, and change all the bread in the market into flesh. From thence proceedeth the adoration of the host in the Priests hands, but not after it is gone downe into his stomacke, al∣though it be present there as well as in the host.

To shew in what manner the body of our Lord is in the Eucharist, they say, that his body is there, but not corporally: and that his body is there, but spiritually, with as much reason, as if they said, that a spirit is present corporally. They likewise say, that he is in this place, but not locally; that he is visible vn∣der the species, & yet that the species hinder vs from the sight of him: that he is there in length without extention: that he is a body without a locall space; that in euery part of the host he hath his greatnesse, and that in euery crum of the bread he hath his full magnitude as he had vpon the crosse: that he hath two eyes in one selfe same point: that he cannot moue nor breathe vnder the host: that he is whole in heauen, and whole in earth, and yet not in the region betweene both, nor separated from himselfe: that in the host, there is quantitas, & nihil quantum, length and nothing that is long, sauour and nothing that sauoreth, whitenesse and nothing that is white. This is it which they call the accidents without subiect. See the diuinitie of this age.

It is one of the greatest graces which God hath shewed vnto vs, that we are freed from so strange an errour, and that

in our Churches they speake not of making of God by cer∣taine words, nor of adoring Iesus Christ made by mens hands: as also that we beleeue in one Iesus Christ, which is very man, and hath a true humane body, and who by this meanes is our brother, by his conformitie with our nature, and by the vnion of his Spirit, who being ascended vp into heauen, will come againe vnto vs the second time, at the latter day.

Touching the holy Supper, we beleeue with the Apostle, 1. Cor. 11.26. That we eate bread to shew forth the death of the Lord Iesus Christ. And 1. Cor. 10.16. That the bread which we breake is the communion of the body of Christ. Which bread is called the body of the Lord, because it is the commemo∣ration thereof; as Iesus Christ addeth to expound his mea∣ning, according to the manner of the holy Scripture, which is, to giue the signes the names of those things which they signifie. Not that we beleeue that those signes are onely bare figures bereft of all truth, but with the Apostle we beleeue, that breaking that bread we communicate the in body of Christ. Those signes are not onely significatiue, but also ex∣hibitiue of Iesus Christ, and of his benefits. For although Iesus Christ is not inclosed in that bread, yet is he truly made ours if with true faith, and loue of God we participate of this holy Sacrament, and put all our trust and confidence in the death of Iesus Christ. Therefore we do not adore the Sa∣crament, but Iesus Christ which is in heauen: taking the A∣postles for an example, who did not adore the host in the holy Supper, as neither Iesus Christ did command them to a∣dore it, neither yet vsed they any eleuation.

Notes

• Concl. Trid sess. 13.
• **

  Concil. Trid. Sess 7. can. 11.
• Extra. de ce∣lebr. Miss. Tit. 41. cap. De ho∣mine. §. Pe∣tes.
• **

  Platina in Leone 3. Io∣docus Coccius. Matthaus Pa∣ris an. 1247. pag. 713.
• Durand. Ration lib. 4. cap. 35. & In∣nocent. 3. lib. 3. de myster. Missae, cap. 1. Canon Poeni∣tentialis 39. Quando mus comedit vel corrodit cor∣pus Christi.
• **

  Cautelae Missae. Species distinguantur, & reuerenter sumantur, & vomitus comburatur, &c.
• Toletus de In∣struct. sacerd. lib. 2. cap. 25. Posset conse∣sacerdos mul∣tos cophinos panu & vini¦dolium si prae∣sentia ista ha∣beret.
• Innocentius 3. l. 4. de myster. Missae, cap. 2. Est enim hic color & sapor, quantitas & qualitas cum nihil alterutro sit coloratum aut sapidum, aut quantum, aut quale.