True it is, That the Faith of our Religion cannot be proved by discourse of Reason.1 But every fantasy may not go for Christian Faith. S. Paule saith, Fides ex auditu: Audi•us ex Verbo Dei. Faithe cometh by hearing: Hearing cometh by the Word of God. Certainly, M. Hardinges New Faith, or Fantasy, in the time of the Old Catholic Fathers, was neither Christened, nor known in the world: as may appear by their own witness of good Record. For besides others, whom in this treatise I have touched upon occasion by the way, S. Augustine writeth purposely hereof unto Dardanus in this wise. Noli dubitare, ibi nunc esse Hominem Christum Jesum,2 unde venturus est &c. Doubte thou not, but Christ Jesus, as Man, is there, from whence he shall come: and have thou in Remembrance, and Faithfully hold the Christian Confession, That he is Risen from the Dead: that he is Ascended into Heaven: that he sitteth at the Right hand of his Father: and that from thence, and from no where else, he shall come, to Judge the quick, and the Dead, even as he was seen going into Heaven: that is,3 in the same Form, and Substance of his Body: To which Body undoubtedly he hath given Immortality: but hath not taken from the same the Nature of a Body. According to this form (of Man) we may not think, that Christ is poured abroad into all places. For we must beware, We do not so defend the Godhead of the Man, that we destroy the Trueth of his Body. Againe, Unus Christus Jesus: ubique per id, quod Deus est: in Coelo autem per id, quod Homo. Christe Jesus is one Person, and the same everywhere in that he is God: but he is in Heaven, in that he is Man. Again he saith, Semper quidem Divinitate nobiscum est: Sed, nisi Corporaliter abiret à nobis, semper eius Corpus Carnaliter videremus. Christ by his Godhead is ever with us: but onlesse he had departed away Bodily from us, we should evermore Carnally see his Body. These words are specially to be noted. If Christ were Bodily here, he should Carnally be seen: Therefore, by S. Augustine's judgement, if Christ were Bodily present in the Sacrament, we should see him Carnally in the Sacramente. Againe, Et abijt, & h•c est: & redijt, & nos non deseruit. Corpus enim suum intulit Coelo: Maiestatem autem non abstulit mundo. He is gone, and yet is here. He is returned to his Father, and yet hath not forsaken us.4
True it is, That the Faithe of our Religion cannot be prooued by discourse of Reason.1 But euery fantasie may not goe for Christian Faithe. S. Paule saith, Fides ex auditu: Audi•us ex Verbo Dei. Faithe cometh by hearinge: Hearing cometh by the Woorde of God. Certainely, M. Hardinges Newe Faithe, or Fantasie, in the time of the Olde Catholique Fathers, was neither Christened, nor knowen in the worlde: as may appeare by their owne witnes of good Recorde. For bisides others, whome in this treatise I haue touched vpon occasion by the way, S. Augustine writeth purposely hereof vnto Dardanus in this wise. Noli dubitare, ibi nunc esse Hominem Christum Iesum,2 vnde venturus est &c. Doubte thou not, but Christe Iesus, as Man, is there, from whence he shal come: and haue thou in Remembrance, and Faithfully holde the Christian Confession, That he is Risen from the Deade: that he is Ascended into Heauen: that he sitteth at the Right hande of his Father: and that from thence, and from no where els, he shal come, to Iudge the quicke, and the Deade, euen as he was seene goinge into Heauen: that is,3 in the same Forme, and Substance of his Bodie: To whiche Bodie vndoubtedly he hath geuen Immortalitie: but hath not taken from the same the Nature of a Bodie. Accordinge to this forme (of Man) we may not thinke, that Christe is powred abroade into al places. For we must beware, We doo not so defende the Godhead of the Man, that we destroye the Trueth of his Bodie. Againe, Vnus Christus Iesus: vbique per id, quod Deus est: in Coelo autem per id, quod Homo. Christe Iesus is one Personne, and the same euerywhere in that he is God: but he is in Heauen, in that he is Man. Againe he saith, Semper quidem Diuinitate nobiscum est: Sed, nisi Corporaliter abiret à nobis, semper eius Corpus Carnaliter videremus. Christe by his Godheade is euer with vs: but onlesse he had departed away Bodily from vs, we shoulde euermore Carnally see his Bodie. These woordes are specially to be noted. If Christe were Bodily here, he shoulde Carnally be séene: Therefore, by S. Augustines iudgemente, if Christe were Bodily present in the Sacramente, wee shoulde sée him Carnally in the Sacramente. Againe, Et abijt, & h•c est: & redijt, & nos non deseruit. Corpus enim suum intulit Coelo: Maiestatem autem non abstulit mundo. He is gonne, and yet is here. He is returned to his Father, and yet hath not forsaken vs.4
- 1Roman. 10.
- 2Augustin. Epist. ••.
- 3Cui profectò Immortalitatē dedit: Naturam non abstulit. Cavendum est, ne ita Divinitatē astruamus Hom••is, ut Veritatem Corporis auferamus. August. De verbis Domini in Evangel. Secundum Johan. Sermo. 60.Cui profectò Immortalitatē dedit: Naturam non abstulit. Cauendum est, ne ita Diuinitatē astruamus Hom••is, vt Veritatem Corporis auferamus. August. De verbis Domini in Euangel. Secundum Iohan. Sermo. 60.
- 4Augustin. in Johan. tracta. 50.Augustin. in Iohan. tracta. 50.
