Reason VII. The judgement of the ancient Church. Theodoret saith, The same 1Christ, who called his natural body food and bread, who also called him self a vine, he vouch safed the visible signs the name of his own body, NOT CHANGING NATURE, but putting grace to nature; whereby he means2 consecration. And, The mystical signs after sanctification loose not their proper nature. For they REMAIN IN THEIR FIRST NATURE, and keep their first figure and form; ⟨p. 197⟩and as before, may be touched and seen: and that which they are made, is understood, believed, adored. Gelasius saith, Bread and wine 3pass into the substance of the body and blood of Christ, yet so as the SUBSTANCE OR NATURE OF BREAD AND WINE CEASETH NOT. And they are turned into the divine substance, yet the bread and wine REMAIN STILL IN THE PROPERTY OF THEIR NATURE. Lombard saith, If it be asked what conversion 4this is, whether formal, or substantial, or of an other kind, I am not able to define. And that the Fathers held not transubstantiation, I prove it by sundry reasons. First, they used in former times5 to burn with fire that which remained after the administration of the Lords supper. Secondly by the sacramental union of the bread and wine with the body and blood of Christ, they used to confirm the personal union of the manhood of6 Christ with the godhead against heretics: which argument they would not have used, if they had believed a popish real presence. Thirdly it was a custom in Constantinople, that if many parts of the sacrament ⟨p. 198⟩remained after the administration thereof was ended, that young children should be sent for from the school to eat them; who nevertheless7 were barred the Lords table. And this argues plainly that the Church in those days, took the bread after the administration was ended, for common bread. Again, it was once an order in the Roman church, that the wine should be consecrated by dipping 8into it bread, which had bin consecrated. But this order cannot stand with the real presence, in which the bread is turned both into the body and blood. Nicholaus Cabasilas saith, After he hath used some speech to the people, he erects their minds, 9and lifts their thoughts from earth, & saith, Sursum corda, Let us lift up our hearts, let us THINK ON THINGS ABOVE, and not on things that are upon the earth.
Reason VII. The iudgement of the ancient Church. Theodoret saith, The same 1Christ, who called his naturall bodie foode and bread, vvho also called him selfe a vine, he vouch safed the visible signes the name of his owne bodie, NOT CHANGING NATVRE, but putting grace to nature; whereby he meanes2 consecration. And, The mysticall signes after sanctification loose not their proper nature. For they REMAINE IN THEIR FIRST NATVRE, and keepe their first figure and forme; ⟨p. 197⟩and as before, may be touched and seene: and that which they are made, is vnderstood, beleeued, adored. Gelasius saith, Bread and wine 3passe into the substance of the bodie and blood of Christ, yet so as the SVBSTANCE OR NATVRE OF BREAD AND VVINE CEASETH NOT. And they are turned into the diuine substance, yet the bread and wine REMAIN STIL IN THE PROPERTIE OF THEIR NATVRE. Lumbard saith, If it be asked what conuersion 4this is, vvhether formall, or substantiall, or of an other kinde, I am not able to define. And that the Fathers held not transubstantiation, I prooue it by sundrie reasons. First, they vsed in former times5 to burne with fire that which remained after the administration of the Lords supper. Secondly by the sacramentall vnion of the bread and wine with the bodie and blood of Christ, they vsed to confirme the personall vnion of the manhood of6 Christ with the godhead against hereticks: which argument they would not haue vsed, if they had beleeued a popish reall presence. Thirdly it was a custome in Constantinople, that if many parts of the sacrament ⟨p. 198⟩remained after the administration thereof was ended, that young children should be sent for from the schoole to eate them; who neuertheles7 were barred the Lordes table. And this argues plainely that the Church in those daies, tooke the bread after the administration was ended, for common bread. Againe, it was once an order in the Romane church, that the wine should be consecrated by dipping
- 1Dialog. 1. immutab.
- 2same dialog.
- 3Lib. de duob. nat. Christ.
- 4Lib. 4. dist. 11.
- 5Hesych. lib. 2. c. 8. in Leviticum.
- 6Theodore•. dialog. 2.
- 7Evang lib. 4. Niceph. l. 17. c. 25.Euang lib. 4. Niceph. l. 17. c. 25.
- 8Amala. 2. lib. de off. eccles c. 12. & 15.Amala. 2. lib. de off. ecc•es c. 12. & 15.
- 9Lib. de expos. L••urg. c. 26.
