Institutions of Christian religion framed out of Gods word, and the writings of the best diuines, methodically handled by questions and answers, fit for all such as desire to know, or practise the will of God. Written in Latin by William Bucanus Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Lausanna. And published in English by Robert Hill, Bachelor in Diuinitie, and Fellow of Saint Iohns Colledge in Cambridge, for the benefit of our English nation, to which is added in the end the practise of papists against Protestant princes.

Is there that vertue, and that sense of the words of Christ, wherewith he instituted this Sacrament, that as often as vpon the bread and wine, they are recited by the Priest who hath a purpose to conse∣crate, then the substance of bread and wine, eyther by Analysis is resolued into the first matter, or euen into nothing: so that in steed thereof doe succeed the bodie and bloud of Christ: or by a simple mutation is turned into the substance of the true bodie, and of the true bloud of Christ, so that the substance of bread is formed into the flesh of of Christ, the bare accidents of breas and wine remay∣ning, hanging without a subiect?

God forbid.

1 Because it were magicall to attribute the power of chan∣ging the substance of the signes to certaine words mumbled ouer.

2 Because in expresse words of the Apostles and Euangelists, the true & natural substance of bread and wine is affirmed before and after consecration, as they call it, 1. Cor. 10.16.17. and 11.26 27.28. The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the bo∣die of Christ? And, wee that are many, are one bread and one bodie, because we all are partakers of one bread: and, As often as yee shall eate this bread, ye shew forth the Lords death till he come. And, Who∣soeuer shall eate this bread, and drinke this cup of the Lord vnworthi∣ly; shall be guiltie of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. And, Let a man examine himselfe, and so let him eate of this bread, and drinke of this cup. For whereas they say that it is called bread, not which is now, but which was before, it is confirmed by no testimonie of Scripture, or iudgement of sense: and besides Math. 26.29. I will not drinke (saith hee) henceforth of this fruit of the Ʋine, Thus spake Christ after consecration.

3 Because the kingdome or God is not corporall meate and drinke, Rom. 14.17.

4 Because in the proposition, the pronoune, hoc, this, demonstra∣tiue, doth not demonstrate the bodie of Christ: (For the transub∣stantiation, saith Thomas, is not accomplished, but in the last instāt of the pronouncing of the words) neither doth it demonstrate the accidēts alone of the bread. For the accidētes are not the body of Christ, neither doth it demōstrate any wandring thing, or singular

thing vncertainly determined: For there is no Indiuiduum or sin∣gular thing which is not something. And therefore certaine, not wandering vndetermined, or indefinite: and especially the Demonstratiue, Hoc, this doth signifie some certaine thing.

5 Because it is a wicked thing to be thought, and spoken, that the bread it selfe is properly and substantially the bodie of Christ.

6 Because, of this conuersion, neither doth the Scripture giue sentence, nor sense or reason iudge, as of the rod of Moses tur∣ned into a Serpenta 1.1, and of the water turned into wine. Iohn. 2.9. Where the Euangelist said not simply Water, but Made wine. For the accidents of bread doe plainely shew that bread doth remaine, and they which partake of those holy signes, doe feele in themselues a taste of wine, and the power of the bread and wine. This is an vnanswerable reason, Framed thus, euerie miracle is sensible, transubstantiation is not sensible, therefore it is no miracle.

7 Because the substance, the accidents thereof remayning, cannot perish, neyther can the accidents subsist without a subiect, nor be the accidents, of bread, which are not the accidents of bread.

8 Because the substance being remooued, and the nature of the signes, the similitude, affinitie, habit, relation, and Analogie of the signes to the thing signified come to nothing. For the bread signifieth the bodie of Christ, because it nourisheth, strengthe∣neth and sustaineth, which accidents cannot doe.

9 Because heere is no word of Christ which may signifie a con∣uersion or transubstantiation. For the verb Est, doth not signifie to be made, to be changed, to be turned: And note, that which is said to be made, cannot properly be said to be, for Esse to be, and Fieri, to be made, are said, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is to say, contra∣dictorily.

10 Because, a carnall eating of the bodie of Christ, is no where prooued in the Scriptures.

11 Because, it should follow that both the faithfull and vn∣beleuers doe receiue the bodie of the Lord, and his quickening spirit, which neuer can be feuered from his bodie. And Au∣gustine saith, that They doe not eate the bodie of Christ, but

which are in the bodie of Christ.

Because, that bodie cannot be spoyled of quantitie, nor in an instant, and without locall motion, be together in heauen & in earth, vnlesse vpon necessitie we should make an vbiquitie of Christs bodie, which the verie transubstantiators do refuse to doe, and the Fathers denie: and they doe determine contrarie things, which say that a bodie, and the quantitie are truely present, and yet not by meanes of the quantitie.

13 Because now the bodie of Christ cannot be separated from the bloud, nor the soule from his bodie: and concerning Conco∣mitancie, there is nothing extant is the word of God.

14 Because they write that Ʋictor the third, Bishop of Rome died, hauing drunk poyson out of a chalice giuē him by his Sub∣deacon, and that Henrie the seuenth Emperour, of Lucelburge, tooke poyson from the bread taken in the Eucharist by a Monke of Senens, one of the preachers order.

15 Because infinite discommodities doe follow this Transub∣stantiation, as that the accidents must remaine without a subiect: that if it happen that Mice do gnaw the bread, they shal be said to gnaw accidēces: or that if worms do breed of the bread, it shall be said, that they are brought forth out of the accidences, that al∣though the bread be broken, it shal be concluded that the acci∣dences are broken, with many of the like kinde, all which are a∣gainst the nature both of Christs sacrament, and Christs bodie.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Exod, 4.3