A reply unto M. Hardinges answerA replie vnto M. Hardinges ansvveare

M. Harding. The .7. Division.

M. Hardinge. The .7. Diuision.

Here, before that I bring in places of ancient Fathers, reporting the same Doctrine, and in like terms, as the Catholic Church doth hold, concerning this Article: least our opinion herein might happily appear our Carnal, and Gross: I think it necessary briefly to declare, what manner a true Body, and Blood is in the Sacrament. Christ in him self, hath but one Flesh, and Blood in Substance, which his Godhead took of the Virgin Mary once, and never afterward left it of. But this one Flesh, and Blood in respect of double quality, hath a double consideration. For at what time Christ lived here in earth among men in the shape of man, his flesh was thrall, and subject to the frailty of mans nature, sin, and ignorance excepted. That flesh being passible unto death, the soldiers at the procurement of the Jews crucified. And such manner Blood was at his passion shed forth of his Body, in sight of them, which were then present. But after that Christ rose again from the dead, his Body from that time forward ever remaineth immortal, and lively, in danger no more of any infirmity, or suffering, much less of death: but is become by divine gifts and endowments, a spiritual, and a divine Body, as to whom the Godhead bathe communicated Divine, and Godly properties, and excellencies, that been above all mans capacity of understanding. This Flesh, and Body thus considered, which sundry Doctors call Corpus Spiritual, & Deificatū, A Spiritual, and a Deified Body, is given to us in the blessed Sacrament. This is the doctrine of the Church, uttered by S. Hierome in his Commentaries upon the Epistle to the Ephesians:¹ where he hath these words, Dupliciter verò Sanguis & Caro intelligitur, vel Spiritualis illa atque Divina, de qua ipse dixit, Caro mea verè est cibus, & Sanguis meus verè est porus: Et, Nisi manducaveritis Carnem meam, & Sanguinem meū biberitis, non