HE concludeth his first Discourse thus, page 5. Thus they; and thus we: and yet neither do they, nor ⟨p. 89⟩1we therefore make the Sacrament of Christs body and blood ANY thing but bare bread and wine. Which Corollarium of his plainly so delivered may make any man see the Protestanticall Communion truly anatomized and plainly showed to have nothing holy, heavenly and divinely (as the Fathers speak) therein contained, but bare bread and wine, which any man may eat when and where he pleaseth, remembering withal our Saviours passion, Never Caietan, never Bellarmine, never Gratian, never Father or other Catholic Divine of our Church believed or taught this gross and sacrilegious doctrine as my Adversary in his words, They, and We, falsely pretendeth. Neither doth Calvin or any other noted Divine of their Church speak at least, whatsoever they think, so poorly and grossly of this Sacrament; but they endeavour with Epithets and words to cover the bready nakedness thereof, making it seem mysterious at least, if not miraculous. Blessed Saint Dennis great Scholar of Saint Paul himself, I will here presume to ask thee. If the Sacrament of the Altar be but bare bread and wine, why doest thou so absurdly speak and blasphemously pray unto it, in this manner? mO most divine and holy Sacrament, vouchsafe to open those signifying signs, and appear perspicuously unto us; and replenish the spiritual eyes of our soul with the singular and clear splendour of thy light, &c. Why likewise, thou holy Martyr and great Doctor of Christs Church Saint Itaeneus, living so near the Apostles times, as to know great Polycarpus S. Johns disciple, and deeply seen in the knowledge of heavenly verities, doest thou deny this bread after consecration to be any more accounted common bread, but the Eucharist consisting of two things, heavenly and earthly; that being received into our bodies they may be no more corruptible, having the hope of resurrection? If no more then bare bread and wine be in this Communion, as my Adversary affirmeth, why did ye, noble Confessors of the first Nicene Council will us, nin this divine table not to regard only bread and wine proposed, but to elevate our mind by faith, ⟨p. 90⟩and behold on this table the Lamb of God taking away the sins of the world by Priests unbloodily sacrificed;
HE concludeth his first Discourse thus, page 5. Thus they; and thus we: and yet neither doe they, nor ⟨p. 89⟩1wee therefore make the Sacrament of Christs body and blood ANY thing but bare bread and wine. Which Corollarium of his plainely so delivered may make any man see the Protestanticall Communion truely anathomized and plainely shewed to haue nothing holy, heauenly and diuinely (as the Fathers speake) therein contained, but bare bread and wine, which any man may eate when and where hee pleaseth, remembring withall our Sauiours passion, Neuer Caietan, neuer Bellarmine, neuer Gratian, neuer Father or other Catholique Diuine of our Church beleeued or taught this grosse and sacrilegious doctrine as my Aduersarie in his wordes, They, and Wee, falsely pretendeth. Neither doth Caluine or any other noted Diuine of their Church speake at least, whatsoeuer they thinke, so poorely and grossely of this Sacrament; but they endeauour with Epithets and wordes to couer the bready nakednesse thereof, making it seeme mysterious at least, if not miraculous. Blessed Saint Dennis great Scholler of Saint Paul himselfe, I will heere presume to aske thee. If the Sacrament of the Altar bee but bare bread and wine, why doest thou so absurdly speake and blasphemously praey vnto it, in this manner? mO most diuine and holy Sacrament, vouchsafe to open those signifying signes, and appeare perspicuously vnto vs; and replenish the spirituall eyes of our soule with the singular and cleere splendor of thy light, &c. Why likewise, thou holy Martyr and great Doctor of Christs Church Saint Itaeneus, liuing so neere the Apostles times, as to know great Polycarpus S. Iohns disciple, and deeply seene in the knowledge of heauenly verities, doest thou deny this bread after consecration to bee any more accounted common bread, but the Eucharist cōsisting of two things, heauenly and earthly; that being receiued into our bodies they may bee no more corruptible, hauing the hope of resurrection? If no more then bare bread and wine be in this Communion, as my Aduersarie affirmeth, why did yee, noble Confessors of the first Nicene Councell will vs, nin this diuine table not to regard onely bread and wine proposed, but to eleuate our minde by faith, ⟨p. 90⟩and behold on this table the Lambe of God taking away the sinnes of the world by Priests vnbloodily sacrificed;
- 1N. P.
- mS. Dennis Hierch. Eccles. cap. 3. part. 3.
- nPatres in votis primi Nicene. Con•.Patres in votis primi Nicen. Con•.
