HEE that professeth himselfe the supreme head of the Church of Christ , and yet forceth men , vpon paine of death , to blaspheme Christ , Hee is Antichrist .

Because it cannot be imagined how any power vpon earth can more cunningly , and out of a deeper mysterie doe Christ such vniuersall mischiefe .

But the Pope of Rome does professe himselfe the Supreme head of the Church of Christ , ( and that is granted ) and yet forceth men vpon paine of death , ( both temporall and eternall ) to blaspheme Christ .

And this we thus proue :

Hee that forceth men vpon paine of death to grant , that there is no other Christ but He whose perfit Body , Soule , and Deity hath , for these 1600. yeers last past , beene ordinarily present amongst men vnder that particular forme which immediately before the speaking of a few words was the forme of a senselesse creature , and in that forme does enter into the mouthes of liuing creatures ▪ he forceth men to blaspheme Christ .

Because this position does blaspheme , The Manhood of Christ . The God-head of Christ . The Maiesty of Christ . The Holinesse of Christ . The Iustice of Christ . The Mercy of Christ . The Wisdome of Christ . The Power and Word of Christ .

First , it blasphemes the manhood of Christ ; because it giues Him such a Body as in the outward eyes of those that are present with Him hath no more similitude with the body of a man than a chip or a stone .

Secondly , it blasphemeth His God-head ; because it supposeth the Creator to be ordinarily vnited vnto the forme of a creature .

Thirdly , it blasphemeth his Maiesty ; because it giues Him such an outward presence as the vilest and poorest man liuing would be ashamed of , and euen vtterly abhorre .

Fourthly , it blasphemeth His Holinesse ; because it supposeth Him to goe through more vncleane passages , than euer liuing man did , and such as of necessity do either reiect or corrupt whatsoeuer they receiue .

Fifthly , it blasphemeth His Iustice ; because it affirmeth Him to be ordinarily present amongst men , in a forme nothing like a man ; and yet wee must vpon paine of damnation beleeue that He is a perfit man .

Sixthly , it blasphemeth His Mercy ; because it layes this intolerable burthen vpon the Faith of little ones , either to looke for no saluation , or to beleeue that thing to be their Sauiour which in all outward appearance is but a morsell of bread .

Seuenthly , it blasphemeth His Wisedome ; because it supposeth Him to worke daily multitudes of most incredible and most stupendious miracles , for no other purposes but such as are daily effected without any miracles at all : there being no kinde of benefit redounding vnto mankind by this His supposed bodily presence , but such as daily does redound vnto vs in His bodily absence : For daily does Hee giue vs the gift of Faith in His bodily absence ; daily does He conuerse with men , sup with men , and dwell with men in His bodily absence ; daily does Hee giue all kind of gifts vnto men in his bodily absence ; daily does He send the conforter in his bodily absence ; For the conforter wil not come vnles He goes away ; Ioh. 16.7 . Yea ( finally ) daily does e giue vs his flesh to eat in His bodily absence ; For except we eat his flesh , we haue no life in vs , ( Ioh. 6.53 . ) But hee that beleeueth hath euerlasting life ( Ioh. 6. ●7 . ) and therefore he that beleeueth , does alwayes ( in His most bodily absence ) eat His Flesh . To conclude , What benefit , what Grace , what comfort was euer heard of , or can be imagined , but may bee imparted vnto men as well ( not to say incomparably more easily , more sweetly , more credibly ) In His bodily absence , as in this supposed bodily presence , wherunto such stupendious miracles must concurre : namely ( for a taste of them ) these amongst others : 1. That the perfit Body of a man must bee couched and contriued into the forme of a bit of bread . 2. That the liuing body of one man must wholly enter into the mouth of another . 3 That the same man shall be in infinite places at once . 4. That the perfit Body of man shall ordinarily come downe from heauen , and yet the outward eyes of those which entertain Him shall not see it . 5. That these so vncouth wonders shall be wrought at the call of mortall men ( euery Priest ) vnto the end of the world , &c. And is not this a blaspheming of the wisedome of the Almighty to make him the de●isor of these so inglorious , and ( to say nothing of the quality of them ) insuperfluous miracles .

Also wee further adde , that it blasphemeth his Power ; because it makes it the instrument of such operations as are dishonourable and repugnant vnto His Wisdome , His Maiesty , His Iustice , and euen all His conditions and attributes ; whereas the power of God on the contrary does so infinitely apply it selfe to the honour and glory of God , as that it doth continually resist , confound and destroy whatsoeuer does offer the least diminution vnto it .

Last of all , it blasphemeth his Word ; and that both His created Word , and also His reuealed Word .

For what is his created Word , but the faculties of Sense & Reason ? What word , or what light had man in his innocency , to shew him which was the middle tree in the garden ( which vpon paine of death he was forbidden to taste of ) but his common Sense ? And what other word or light haue men now in the state of recouery , to tell them which is a man , and which is a beast ; which is a fish , and which is a serpent ; and to lay them out their particular taskes , portion ▪ and callings , but their common Sense ? This therefore so immediately created and sacred light , if it bee made a notorious lyar , ( for what is it else if it constantly affirmes that to bee a morsell of bread which indeed is the perfit Body of a man ? ) Is not therein the Word of God blasphemed ?

And as for his Reuealed Word , both His Originall Word ( the Scriptures ) and also His deriued Word ( the Fathers ) are not they also contradicted and blasphemed by this position .

For first , concerning the Scripture , does not that euery where tell vs , That our Sauiour was in euery point like a man ? That He had the face , limbs , and properties of a man ? That Hee did eat , drinke , and speake like a man ? Also doe not the Scriptures expresly say , That the Heauens must containe him till all things bee restored ? Acts 3.20 . And that He shall so descend from heauen ; as Hee first ascended vp into heauen ? Whereas by this position Hee hath for these 1600. yeeres continually descended bodily from heauen , not once in such a manner descend , as Hee first ascended : Yea , the Scripture euery where tells vs that now Hee is in the state of Glory ; whereas this position contriues Him into a more vile forme than euer man had , and tyes Him to a more base condition than euer any man ( or indeed any liuing creature ) did vndergoe . For though they seeme to doe Him great honour while they carry Him about ( in those breaden formes ) in their pompous processions ; yet when withall they professe that in the end he is to be eaten vnder those breaden formes , all the honour they bestow on him is no better honour vnto him , then the guilding the Buls hornes when hee is led to be baited , is an honour vnto the Bull. Finally , the Bread which our Sauiour termed His Body , does not the Scripture every where call it still bread notwithstanding , He tooke , brake , blessed , and gaue Bread , say all the Euangelists ; sometime also saying as much of the cup as of the wine : Paul also calling it bread , both in the blessing , and in the eating , and also after the eating : and the Acts of the Apostles terming these Communions ( Chap. 2.42 . ) a continuance in breaking bread : and ( Chap. 20.7 . ) a comming together to break bread : And all the Fathers for many hundred yeeres together immediately following the first Institution , when at any time they made mention of it , as securely calling it bread , as if they neuer imagined that any would euer make question thereof . And for proofe hereof , wee haue thought good to close vp this point with a border of citation● out of them ; leauing the force of their sayings to the applicati●●● of the Reader for breuity sake . Circa An. c. p 2.

Clemens Romanus ( to cite them according to the times wherein they liued ) saith thus of it ; We offer vnto thee our King and our God , this bread and this wine , giuing thee thankes : Concil. Tom. 2.

Ignatius thus ; An. c. 10● There is one flesh of our Lord Iesus , and one Bloud , one bread and one cup. Epist. 2.

Iustine Martyr thus ; 133. When prayers are finished , Bread and Wine is offered : And elsewhere thus ; Christ hath giuen the bread to the end wee should remember that He was made a body for such as should beleeue . In Dial. contra Tryphon . and Apolog. 2.

Irenaeus Martyr thus ; An. 172. As the Eucharist consisting of two natures , the earthly and the heauenly , so our Bodies , &c.

An. 196. Tertullian thus ; Calling the bread His body , to the end you may vnderstand that He hath giuen bread to bee a figure of His body . Contra Marcion . 3.19 .

Clemens Alexandrinus thus ; The Wine signifies the Bloud allegorically . Lib. de paedagog . 10.6 .

An. c. 207. Origen thus ; If you take this saying , [ Except ye eat the flesh of the sonne of man , &c. ] according to the Letter , the Letter killeth . Hom. 7. in Leuit. & elswhere thus ; After we haue giuen thankes , we eat the Loues presented . Contra Celsun . 8.

An. 250. Cyprian thus ; Our Lord gaue with His owne hands bread and wine , which He called His Body . De vnct . Chris . and elswhere thus ; This bread is conuerted into our flesh and bloud , and serueth for our life . Epist. 2.

Eusebius Caesariensis thus ; An. 308. Christ and His Ministers doe represent the mysteries of His Body and Bloud by bread and wine . De Demonst. Euangel. 5.3 .

Athanasius thus ; An. 327. How few would his Body haue sufficed that it should be meat for all the world . In illud [ quicunque &c. ]

Concilium Nicenum thus ; An. 329. Wee must not basely [ humiliter ] be intent vpon the bread and the eup , but lifting vp our mindes by faith , &c. Concil. 1.

Macarius Egypt , thus ; An 360. In the Church bread and wine is offered being the figure of his flesh and bloud . Homil. 27.

Epiphanius thus ; An. 379. Christ speaking of a loafe which is round in figure , and cannot see , heare , nor feele , saith of it , This is my Body . In Anchor .

An. 384. Ambrose thus ; Thou sawest the Sacraments vpon the Altar , and wondredst at the creature ; yet is it a solemne and knowne creature : De Sacram. 4.3 . And elsewhere thus ; In the Law was a shadow , in the Gospell an image , in Heauen the truth . Lib. 10. ex offic. C. 48.

Gregory Nissen , thus ; Whose hath abundantly drunke of the Apostles springs , hath already receiued whole Christ . In vi● Mos.

An. 385. Chrysostome thus ; If it be dangerous to transferre sanctified vessels vnto priuate vses , where in not the true Body of Christ but onely a mysterie of that body is contained : how much les● ought wee to giue the vessels of our owne bodies to the deuil● which God hath prepared for himselfe to inhabit . In Matth. 5. Homil. 11. and elsewhere thus ; It is counted worthy to be called the Lords Body , though the nature of bread remaineth there still . Ad Caesar . Monach. citat . à ●arijs Author . And againe , thus ; Wooll when it is died , is called no longer wooll , but Purple or Scarlet , though the nature of wooll stil remaineth . In Psal. 22.

Gregory Nazianzen thus ; An. 378. We ●ow partake the Passeouer , ●hough in a figure , yet much more cleare than in the old Law . De Pasch. Orat. 2.

Hierome thus ; Christ is not corporally in the Church . In Prou , 1. ● . and elsewhere thus ; Christ left bread and wine , as he that goes ●voyage leaues a gage : In prim . ●d Corinth . 11. and againe , thus ; I take the Gospel to be the body of Christ , and that more truly than the Sacrament . In Psal. 147.

An. 394. Austine thus ; If we looke to the visible signes , by which the Sacraments are performed , who can bee ignorant that they are corruptible . De Bapt. Lib. 3. Cap. 10. And elsewhere thus ; By reason of the resemblance betwixt the Sacraments and the things , the Sacraments often times take the name of the things . Epist. 23. And elsewhere thus ; this is a perfit rule to vnderstand whether a speech be figuratiue , that whatsoeuer in Scripture cannot bee referred vnto integrity o● faith , or verity of manners , that resolue thy selfe is figuratiue . D● doctr. Chr. Lib. 3. Chap. 10. Where upon hee inferres our Sauiour speech , [ of eating his flesh ] to be figuratiue , because according to the Letter , it is a sinfull act ; calling it a carnall sense to take figuratiue speeches properly , and a miserable bondage of the soule .

Theodoret thus ; An. 424. He honoured the signes which we see , with the name of His body , not changing the nature , but casting grace vpon nature . And elsewhere thus ; The mysticall signes after sanctification doe not depart from their nature , but remaine in their former substance , figure , and ●orme . Dial. 2.

Cyril thus ; Our Sacrament a●oucheth not the eating of a man . Ad obiect . Theod. And elsewhere thus ; He gaue peeces of bread to His Disciples . In 4. Io●n .

Gelasius thus ; An. 490. By the Sacraments we are made partakers of the heauenly nature and yet for all that ceaseth not the nature of bread and wine . Contra Eutichens .

An. 550. Fulgentius thus ; How did He goe vp to heauen but as he is very man , contained in a place ? Or how is Hee present with the faithfull , but as He is very God without all measure ? Ad Thrasimach . Regul. 2.

An. 526. Ephrem thus ; Taking bread into His hands , He blessed it , and brake it for a figure of His body . Contra Inquis . Diuin . Natur.

Vigilius thus ; To goe to His Father , and from vs ; was to take from the world that nature which he receiued of vs . Contra Eutichens .

An. 550. Concilium Constant . thus ; Christ commanded the whole substance of bread , chosen for His Image to bee set on the table , lest if it resembled the shape of a man , Idolatry might bee committed . Extat in Concil. Nicen. 2.

Procopius Gazeus thus ; There is now giuen an Image , a Type , a Figure of His body , receiuing no more the bloudy Sacrifices of the Law . Super Gen. 49.

Beda thus ; Hee substituting the Sacrament of His Flesh in the figure of bread and wine . In Luk. 22. And elsewhere out of Austine thus ; That which you see , ●is bread and wine , which your very eyes can tell you . In 1 Cor. 10.

Druthmarus thus ; Wine maketh glad , and increaseth blood ; and therfore the blood of Christ is aptly figured thereby . In Mat.

Rhabanus Maurus thus ; The Sacrament is turned into the bodies nourishment . Lib. 1. Chap. 13.

Paschasius thus ; What finde they which taste these things , beside bread and wine , otherwise than by faith and hearing ? De corp. & sang . Dom.

Bertramus thus ; The signes , as touching the substance of the creatures , are the same after consecration that they were before . De corp. & sang . Dom.

Bernard thus ; What is it to eat His flesh , and drinke His blood , but to communicate with His passions , and to imitate His conuersation . In Psalm . [ qui habitat &c. ]

Bonauenture thus ; The Sacraments are said to containe Gods Grace , not as a vessell does water , but because they signif● Gods Grace . In 4. Sentent . Dis● 1.9.3 .