M. Harding. The .1. Division.M. Hardinge. The .1. Diuision.

M. Harding. The .1. Division.

M. Hardinge. The .1. Diuision.

For as much, as by the almighty power of Gods word pronounced by the Priest in the Consecration of this Sacrament, the Body, and Blood of Christ are made (253)¹ Really Present, the Substance of Bread (253) turned into the Substance of the Body, and the Substance of Wine into the Substance of the Blood: the Bread (which is consumed a way by the fire of the Divine Substance, as Chrysostom saith,² and now is become the Bread which was formed by the hand of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin, and decocted with the fire of the Passion in the Altar of the Cross, as S. Ambrose saith:)³ can not be the Sacrament of the Body, nor the Wine of the Blood. Neither can it be said that the Bread, and Wine which were before, are the Sacraments, for that the Bread is become the Body, and the Wine the Blood, and so now they are not: and if they be not, then neither be they Sacraments. Therefore that the outward forms of Bread, and Wine which remain, be the Sacraments of Christs Body, and Blood, and not the very Bread, and Wine it self: it followeth by sequel of reason, or consequent of understanding, deduced out of the first trueth,⁴ which of S. Basil in an Epistle, ad Sozopolitanos, speaking against certain, that went about to raise up again the old Heresy of Valentinus, is called, [Greek or Hebrew]. Of which sequel of reason in the matter of the Sacrament many conclusions may be deduced in case of want of express Scriptures. Which way of reasoning Basil used against Heretics, as also sundry other Fathers, where manifest Scripture might not be alleged.

For as muche, as by the almighty power of Gods woorde pronounced by the Prieste in the Consecration of this Sacrament, the Bodie, and Bloude of Christe are made (253)