Orig. in Levit. Hom. 7. Eutych. And whereas Christ saith, "Unless ye eat my flesh, and drink my blood, ye shall have no life in you;" the old learned father Origen thereupon thus taught the people: Si secundum literam accipias hæc verba, illa litera occidit1: "If ye take these words according to the letter, this letter killeth." And touching Christ's body itself the holy bishop and martyr Vigilius taught Vigil. contr. the people in this sort: [Caro Christi], cum esset in terra, non erat... in cœlo: et nunc, quia est in cœlo, non est utique in terra2: "The flesh of Christ, when it was in earth, was not in heaven; and now, because it is in heaven, doubtless it is not in earth." Lib. i. St Augustine said thus unto the people: "The body wherein Christ rose De Consecr. again must needs be in one place :" Corpus,... in quo resurrexit, [in] uno loco esse Dist. 2. Prima. Cyril. in Johan. Lib. oportet3. Cyrillus said unto the people: Christus non poterat in carne versari cum apoxi. cap. iii. stolis, postquam ascendisset ad Patrem: "Christ could not be conversant together with his disciples in his flesh after he had ascended unto his Father." August. in De Consecr. Gelas. contr. Eutych. Chrysost. ad Theodor. August. in Serm. ad Infant. Bed. in 1 ad Cor. x. Touching the eating of Christ's body St Augustine taught the people in this wise: Crede, et manducasti5. Credere in Christum, hoc est manducare panem vivum: "Believe in Christ, and thou hast eaten Christ. For believing in Christ is the eating of the bread of life." Likewise again: Quomodo in cœlum manum mittam, ut ibi sedentem teneam? Fidem mitte, et tenuisti: Thou wilt say: "How shall I reach my hand into heaven, that I may hold Christ sitting there?" I answer thee: "Reach up thy faith, and so thou holdest him." Thus was the people then taught simply and plainly, and that not only in the schools, but also openly in the church; neither only in one place, but at Hippo in Africa, at Constantinople in Thracia, at Alexandria in Egypt, at Millain in Italy, and so in all places and in all churches throughout the world; and this was then thought to be the catholic doctrine of the sacraments. Transubstantiation, real presence, concomitantia, accidents without subjects, natural bodies without natural places, quantum sine modo quanti, holy forms and holy shews, were not yet known nor heard of. At the last, as M. Harding saith, there sprang up certain strange heretics, that said, that like as the nature and substance of water remaineth in the sacrament of baptism, even so the nature and substance of bread and wine remaineth still in the sacrament of Christ's body. But if this, according to M. Harding's judgment, be an heresy, then must all the old fathers and doctors of the church be condemned for heretics. For Gelasius saith: "There remaineth still in the sacrament the nature or substance of bread and wine." Chrysostom saith: "The nature of bread remaineth in the sacrament as before"." Theodoretus saith: "The bread remaineth in his former nature and substance:" In priori natura et substantia 10. St Augustine saith: Quod videtis panis est 11 : "The thing that ye see is bread." [ Orig. Op. Par. 1733-59. In Levit. Hom. vii. Tom. II. p. 225. See before, page 456, note 3.] [ Vigil. adv. Eutych. in Cassandr. Op. Par. 1616. Lib. iv. p. 546. See before, page 497, note 18.] [3 August. in Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 1624. Decret. Gratian. Decr. Tert. Pars, De Consecr. Dist. ii. can. 44. col. 1935.] [ Cyril. Alex. Op. Lut. 1638. Lib. x1. cap. ii. Tom. IV. p. 933. 495, note 7.] Comm. in Joan. [5 August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. In Johan. Evang. cap. vi. Tractat. xxv. 12. Tom. III. Pars 11. col. 489.] [" Id. ibid. Tractat. xxvi. 1. col. 494. See before, page 452, note 4. Conf. in Corp. Jur. Canon. Decret. Gratian. Decr. Tert. Pars, De Consecr. Dist. ii. can. 47. col. 1936.] [ Id. ibid. cap. xi. Tractat. 1. 4. col. 630.] [ Gelas. Episc. Rom. adv. Eutych. et Nestor. in Magn. Biblioth. Vet. Patr. Col. Agrip. 1618-22. Tom. V. Pars III. p. 671. See before, page 11, note 11.] [ Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718-38. Epist. ad Cæsar. Monach. Tom. III. p. 744. See before, page 545, note 12.] [10 Theodor. Op. Lut. Par. 1642-84. Tom. IV. Inconfus. Dial. ii. p. 85.] [ Ven. Bed. Op. Col. Agrip. 1612. Ad Cor. I. cap. x. Tom. VI. col. 365. August. Op. Serm. cclxxii. ad Infant. Tom. V. col. 1103.] accident, the form, and the shew of bread; but, Panis est: "It is indeed and verily very bread." But, I trow, both these and all other like ancient learned fathers must, by M. Harding's decree, be taken for new masters and condemned for heretics. This is that knotty great block, which to rive and rend12 up M. Harding hath devised a jolly substantial strong iron wedge made of accidents. God knoweth, a simple and a childish instrument; and yet much like to the rest of his tools. Howbeit, God be thanked, the church of God was able to confound and to cleave asunder all manner heresies twelve hundred years togethe without any of these wedges. M. HARDING. THE SECOND DIVISION. Yet this matter hath not so much been taught in open audience of the people as debated privately between learned men in schools, and so of them set forth in their private writings; wherein if some perhaps through contention of wits have been either over curious or over bold, and have overshot the mark, or not sufficiently confirmed the point they have taken in hand to treat of, or through ignorance or favour of a part have in something swerved from reason or that meaning which holy church holdeth, it is great uncourtesy to lay that to our charge, to abuse their oversights to our discredit, and to reprove the whole church for the insufficiency of a few. THE BISHOP OF SARISBURY. For excuse hereof M. Harding saith, this doctrine served only for the schools, and had no place among the people. But so likewise did the rest of all their doctrine. For it was ever their greatest policy to keep their learning in the schools, and to see that the people should know nothing. St Hierome saith: Eadem et in veteri et [in] nova hæresi servatur fides; ut aliud populi Hieron. ad. audiant, aliud prædicent sacerdotes 13: "They keep one faith both in old 14 heresy contr. Error. and in the new. The people hear one thing, and the priests teach another." Hierosol. And certainly, as their religion was used, happy was the poor people that knew least of it. St Hilary's words may very aptly be applied unto them: Pammach. "Johan. Sanctiores [sunt] aures plebis quam corda sacerdotum15: "There is more holi- Hilar. contr. ness in the ears of the people than in the hearts of the priests." Auxent. Howbeit, contrary to M. Harding's evasion, other doctors of his own form, Antoninus 16, Gabriel17, and others, seem to publish the same as a general doctrine, Anton. in common not only to the schools, but also to the whole church, and no more Sum. Tit. 13. touching the priest than the simplest of the people. And verily, if the sacrament be God indeed, and that not a God for ever, but only to last for a season, which is the purport of M. Harding's doctrine; why should not all the people understand when it beginneth to be God, how long it continueth God, when it is God, when it is no God, and how long they may adore it without danger, and when they may safely leave off and adore no more? For during the time it is God whoso adoreth it not is wicked and godless, and whoso adoreth it when it is no God committeth idolatry, and adoreth a creature instead of God. Therefore the certainty hereof, notwithstanding M. Harding's contrary judgment, seemeth as necessary for the people as for the priest. But here it appeareth M. Harding is half ashamed of his own scholastical catholic doctors. For he confesseth that, "either of mere ignorance, or of affection and favour of parts, they have sometime swerved both from common reason and also from the sense of the catholic church." This may stand well for a maxima, as one of the greatest truths of M. Harding's whole book. col. 1266; where corda sunt. Conf. Hieron. Op. [16 Anton. Summ. Basil. 1511. Tert. Pars Summ. [17 Gab. Biel. Can. Miss. Expos. Basil. 1515. Lect. lxxxiv. foll. 247, 8.] 15 iii. Par. Biel. Lect. 84. hundred and untruth. For fantasy, and ancient church. Notwithstanding, these doctors, uttering such points of learning, were never thought to publish their own private fantasies, but rather the catholic doctrine of the universal Roman church. Neither was there either bishop, or cardinal, or pope, or council, that ever condemned them for the same. M. HARDING. THE THIRD DIVISION. Now concerning this article, whether we are able to avouch it by such authorities as M. Jewel requireth, or no, it shall not greatly force. The credit of the catholic faith dependeth not of old proofs of a few new controverted1 points that be of less importance. As for the people, they were taught the truth plainly The two when no heretic had assaulted their faith craftily. (248) The doctrine The doctrine of forty-eighth of the church is this: the body of Christ, after due consecration, re- the church. this is a new maineth so long in the sacrament as the sacrament endureth. The sacrament not the doc endureth so long as the forms of bread and wine continue. These forms contrine of the tinue in their integrity until the other accidents be corrupted and perish. As, if the colour, weight, savour, taste, smell, and other qualities of bread and wine be corrupted and quite altered, then is the form also of the same annihilated and undone. And, to speak of this more particularly, sith that the substance of bread and wine is turned into the substance of the body and blood of Christ, as the (249) scriptures, ancient doctors, the necessary consequent of truth, and determination of holy church leadeth us to believe; if such change of the accidents neither the be made, which should not have sufficed to the corruption of bread and wine, in case of their remainder; for such a change the body and blood of Christ ceaseth doctors, &c. not to be in this sacrament, whether the change be in quality, as if the colour, The two hundred and forty-ninth untruth. For scriptures nor any of the ancient leadeth us thus to believe. savour, and smell of bread and wine be a little altered; or in quantity, as if THE BISHOP OF SARISBURY. I cannot imagine wherefore M. Harding should so often tell us that the people in the primitive church was taught plainly; for as now, in his church of Rome, all things of purpose are drowned in darkness, and the simple people suffered to know nothing, no, not the meaning of the sacraments, which of all other things should be most plain. For, briefly to open some part of the mysteries, which every of the simple unlearned people may not know, mark, I beseech thee, good christian reader, how plainly they have determined the manner of Christ's being in the sacrament. In iii. Quæst. Thomas of Aquine, the most famous of all the school-doctors, writeth thus: In corpore Christi in sacramento non est distantia partium ab invicem, ut oculi ab oculo, aut capitis a pedibus; sicut est in aliis corporibus organicis. Talis enim 76. Art. 30. [1 Controversed, 1565, 1609, and H. A. 1564.] [3 Those, 1565, 1609, and H. A. 1564.] xcviii. 9. Tom. II. col. 267. See before, page 503.] [ This reference is omitted in H. A. 1564. It appears in H.A. 1565.] [6 Corruption, H. A. 1564.] distantia partium est in ipso corpore Christi vero, sed non prout est in sacramento; quia sic non habet quantitatem dimensivam7 : "In the body of Christ in the sacrament there is no distance of parts one from another, as between eye and eye, or eye and ear, or head and feet, as it is in other natural bodies; for such a distance there is in the true body of Christ, but not as it is in the sacrament. For so it hath no dimension of quantities." Out of which words the reader may gather, by the way, that the true body of Christ is not in the sacrament. O what a Christ have they devised for themselves! He hath neither quantity, nor proportion of body, nor distance of parts: he is neither long, nor short, nor round, nor broad, nor thick, nor thin: his eyes, his ears, his head, his feet, are all in one. Yet is this the very proportion and stature of Christ's body, even as he walked upon the earth, and even as he was nailed upon the cross. Dist. 2. And, lest any man should stagger hereat and stand in doubt, this matter is overlooked and considered in the decrees by the canonists by these words: Sed secundum hoc videtur, quod, ubi pars est, ibi est totum; et secundum hoc De Consecr. videtur, quod pes et nasus sunt conjuncti; quod non credo3 : "By this it ap- Ubi pars. peareth that, where as the part is, there is the whole; and that Christ's foot and his nose are both together. But I cannot believe that." So clearly and plainly these men are wont to teach the people. I pass over the rest of their doctrine. Sometimes their accidents have power to nourish; sometimes the same accidents are parts of the substance; sometimes substance must be an accident; sometimes accidents must be substance. To be short, thus of night they make day, and of day they make night. They are now ashamed of their own doctors that lately were in highest room; and, as it befell sometime unto them that enterprised the tower of Babylon, one of them understandeth not another's language: and therefore now their building is at a stay. This is the simplicity and plainness of M. Harding's church. It is an easier matter for the simple people to go to heaven than for him and his fellows to agree well and thoroughly of the way. Here M. Harding, without either scripture, or council, or doctor, hath interlarded a long fable of his own; which notwithstanding, as he saith, is the doctrine of the church. But miserable is that church that hath neither scripture, nor council, nor doctor, to approve her doctrine. First he imagineth, that "Christ's body is really in the sacrament so long as the sacrament is a sacrament." Again, by the tenor and force of his doctrine, if Christ's body once depart away, then is the sacrament no more a sacrament. Thus this doctrine turneth round. If it be a sacrament, then is Christ's body there: if Christ's body be there, then is it a sacrament. So simply and plainly hey teach the people. O happy are they that have such masters! Further he saith: "The substance of the bread and wine is really changed into the body and blood of Christ." And this he avoucheth by scriptures without words, and by doctors without names. Afterward he keepeth great moots about qualities and quantities; how far the colour or savour or other qualities of the bread may be altered; and into how small mites the bread may be crumbed (for these be his own words), and yet nevertheless Christ's body continue in it. No doubt, a very plain and comfortable and a savoury doctrine for the people. St Ambrose, St Augustine, St Hierome, St Chrysostom, and other learned fathers travailed far and deeply with great study; St Paul was lifted up into the third heaven; yet none of them could understand it. [7 Ad secundum dicendum, quod illa determinata distantia partium in corpore organico fundatur super quantitate dimensiva, ipsa autem natura substantiæ præcedit etiam quantitatem dimensivam. et quia conversio substantiæ panis directe terminatur ad substantiam corporis Christi, secundum cujus modum proprie et directe est in hoc sacramento corpus Christi, talis distantia partium est quidem in ipso corpore Christi vero, sed non secundum hanc distantiam com- [8 Corp. Jur. Canon. Lugd. 1624. Decret. Gra- In Gloss. Reservation. In the end he saith: "There must be a convenience and a resemblance between the sacrament and the things whereof it is a sacrament." For example, as water doth wash and refresh our bodies, so by resemblance we are taught in the water of baptism, that Christ's blood doth wash and refresh our souls: and, as our bodies be fed by material bread, so in the holy communion we are taught by like resemblance, that our souls are fed with the body of Christ. Such convenient likeness there is between the sacrament and the thing that is represented by the sacrament. But what such resemblance or likeness can M. Harding imagine herein to further his fantasy? Wherein are his accidents like unto Christ's body? Or wherein is Christ's body like unto his accidents? Will he say that the accidents of bread do nourish and increase the substance of our bodies? Or that our souls live so by Christ's body as our bodies live by accidents? If he leave this resemblance of feeding and nourishing, what other resemblance can he find? O how much better were it for M. Harding simply1 and plainly to confess that, as well for this article as for the rest, he is utterly destitute, not only of the scriptures, but also of general councils and ancient fathers, and hath nothing to allege but only certain vain imaginations of his own! M. HARDING. THE FOURTH DIVISION. Ad Calosyrium Arsenoicen. Epi- scopum, citat Here, because many of them which have cut themselves from the church condemn the reservation of the sacrament, and affirm that the body of Christ re- Of reservation of maineth not in the same no longer than during the time whiles it is the sacrament. received, alleging against reservation the example of the paschal lamb in Exod. xii. the old law, wherein nothing ought to have remained until the morning, and likewise of manna; I will rehearse that notable and known place of Cyrillus Alexandrinus. His words be these: Audio quod dicant mysticam benedictionem, si ex ea remanserint in sequentem diem reliquiæ, ad sanctificationem inutilem esse. Sed insaniunt hæc dicentes. Non enim alius fit Christus, neque sanctum ejus corpus immutabitur; sed virtus benedictionis et vivifica gratia manet in illo2: "It is told me, they say that the mystical blessing (so he calleth the blessed sacrament), in case portions of it be kept until the next day, is of no virtue to sanctification. But they be mad that thus say. For Christ becometh not another, neither his holy body is changed; but the virtue of the consecration, and the quickening or life-giving grace, abideth still in it." By this saying of Cyrillus we see, that he accounteth the error of our adversaries in this article no other than a mere madness. The body of Christ, saith he, (which he termeth the mystical blessing, because it is a most holy mystery done by consecration,) once consecrated is not changed; but the virtue of the consecration, and the grace that giveth life, (250) (whereby he meaneth that flesh assumpted of the Word,) rehundred and maineth in this sacrament also when it is kept, (250) verily even so long as the truth, stand outward forms continue not corrupt. The two fiftieth un ing in untrue and guileful construction. Rev. xviii. Orig. in Levit. Hom. 5. THE BISHOP OF SARISBURY. Truth is not afraid of slanderous tragedies. We have not cut off ourselves from the catholic church of God. We have forsaken the dangerous company of them that have turned the church of God into a cave of thieves; whose company God by, special words hath willed us to forsake: for thus the Almighty saith unto us: 66 0 my people, come out from her, and be not partaker of her sins, lest ye take part of her plagues." 3 The matter of reservation is only pasted on, and utterly impertinent and nothing belonging to this question. Howbeit, unless M. Harding had used the advantage of this digression, he had passed over this whole article without framing of any doctor. I grant, the sacrament in the old time in some certain churches was reserved; howbeit, not to be worshipped with godly honour, but only to be received in the holy communion of the people. And Origen, amongst other godly fathers, seemeth to mislike the same. For thus he writeth: Dominus [1 Simple, 1611.] [2 Cyril. Alex. in Thom. Aquinat. Op. Venet. 1595. Summ. Theol. Tert. Pars, Quæst. lxxvi. Art. 6. Tom. XII. fol. 248; where the passage is cited with some variation. It is most probably not genuine.] [3 Naming, 1565.] |