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with any Certainty: For as for the Qualification of the Prieft, he must have been baptifed: And he that baptifed him, must have obferved the effential Form of Baptifm, and have had Intention to baptife him; he must likewife have received Ordination from a true Bishop, and the Bifhop must have obferved the effential Form of Ordination, and have had Intention to make him a Priest: And to make the Bishop a true Bishop, he must have been baptifed in due Form, and with the requifite Intention, and must have received Ordination in due Form, and with the like Intention from other Bishops: And they again for the making them true Bishops must also have received Baptism and Ordination in due Form, and with the requifite Intention from other Bishops: And these from others and fo back to the Apostles.

As for pronouncing the Words requifite to Confecration, none but the Prieft can poffibly know whether he hath pronounced them or not; because in the Celebration of the Mals, thofe Words are pronounced in fo low a Tone, that no Perfon present can hear them; and as for the Intention, it is evident, no Man but the Prieft himfelf can know with what Intention or Mind he goeth to Mafs.

Since then it is impoffible for the People to know these Things, how can they be affur'd, that that is the Body of Chrift which the Prieft holds up, and to which they fall down, and give Godly Honour. Besides, it is known that fome Priefts are Jews, others Magicians, as Lewis Godfrey, and other wicked Priefts, who do neither confecrate in due Form, nor with the requifite Intention, efpecially, fuch as believe nothing of what they profess: Now, it is impoffible that the People can know what the Prieft willeth or intendeth, when he confecrates in the Mafs, because his Will may be to work Necromancy, or Sorcery, as it is reported of Pope Hildebrand: Or, becaufe his Will may be to poifon fomebody, as the Emperor Henry the feventh was poifon'd in the confecrated Hoft, or as Pope Victor was in the Chalice; or, because his Will may be to work feigned Miracles, as Lyra faith,

"That

(a)

That many were wrought in the open Church by the Prieft to mock the People." Judge then if any Luch Perfons as thefe had any Intention to confecrate in the Celebration of the Mafs.

"Ye wor

John Duns, William Durand, and fome others of the late Doctors, who were the greateft Maintainers of this Doctrine, confeffed, That it the Subftance of Bread remained after Confecration, and the People gave Godly Worship to the Bread inftead of Chrift's Body, they must be guilty of Idolatry. They alfo confefs, that Idolatry may be done to the Sacrament, ifa Man happens to worship the Accidents of the Bread, that is, the Whiteness, or Roundness, or fuch other outward Forms and Shows of Bread as he fees with his Eyes, and give the Honour to that, instead of Chrift's Body; and thus, thefe miferable People may be juftly reproach'd, as Jefus Chrift reproached the Woman of Samaria, "fhip ye know not what." Or, at the beft, according to their own Doctrine, we fee this is but a very doubtful Affair, and requires Confideration; and indeed the late Romish Doctors have fought all the Remedies imaginable, to palliate and foften thefe Doubts, and other ill Confe quences, that naturally attend this new invented Doctrine. Alexander, a Bishop of Rome, writing upon the Master of the Sentences, fpeaks thus; "Forafmuch as the "Priefts Purpose, and his private Doings about the Con"fecration cannot be known; that therefore no Man "ought to worship the Sacrament when it is held up, "but-with this Condition: If the Prieft have confecra"ted." Pope Adrian, Queft. 3. writes thus, "In the "Adoration of the Eucharift, there is always a tacit Con"dition; that is, if the Confecration be duly made, (as hath been decided at the Council of Conftance) other"wife, they cou'd not be excufed from Idolatry, that worship the Hoft when the Priest pretends to celebrate, but celebrates not, or pretends to cele"brate, and is no Prieft, as it many Times happens." Thus lays Pope Adrian, "It many Times happens." But,

(a) Nico Lyra in 14 Cap. Danieli,

Halcot,

Halcot, writing alfo upon the Master of the Sentences, leaves the Matter a little more at large, for he fays," The "Layman, as it may fometimes happen, worfhippeth 66 a Water that is not confecrate, this Faith is fufficient "unto him to his Salvation, and yet it is a false Faith, and erroneous.

Halcot was not a Man of the leaft Learning among them, yet to uphold the Error that he had once taken in Hand to defend, was driven to confefs, that a Man may merit at God's Hand by an erroneous and false Faith, yea, altho' he worship the Devil.

This is the certainty of the Adoration of the Hoft, which the Church of Rome holds neceffary to Salvation. In the higheft and moft heavenly Part of Religion; that is, in the worshiping of God, they themselves know not what they do. And notwithstanding what these fame Doctors fay. If a Man be doubtful, and for all his Doubt, adores the Hoft with the highest Worship which is due to God only; even with this referve," If thou art Chrift "I adore thee;" This Confideration or Referve, doth not exempt him from the Crime of grofs Idolatry: For to what purpose is the Condition, whether it be tacit or exprefs'd, "I adore thee, if thou art Christ,” becaufe he actually'adores it, whether it be fo or not.

But what's inexcufable in thefe maffing Priefts is, that without the Authority of the Word of God, without the Authority of the holy Fathers, without any Example of Antiquity, but by Artifice and Fraud, the People are made, not only to worship the facramental Bread as God; But they also carry the fame through the Streets and high Ways, wherefoever they travel; (as in old Times the Perfian's Fire, and the Reliques of the Goddess Ifis were folemnly carry'd in Proceffion) and have brought the Sacrament of Chrift to be used as a Stage play, and a Solemn Sight.

If the Chriftians of the primitive Church, faith a lear- . ned Author, had believed as thefe Romifh Doctors do; they had furnished the Heathens with fpecious Pretences to excufe the Idolatry of their Image-worthip, and to retort upon the Chriftians thofe very Arguments, which they had made use of, against them. As for Instance,

ift,

If, The Heathens did maintain, that their Idols were compos'd of two Things, that is, of a fible Image, and an invifible Deity dwelling in it. (a) "They bring "their Gods, fays St. Chryfoftom, into their bafe Images "of Wood and Stone, and shut them up there as in a Pri"fon." And fo fays Arnobius, (b) "Your Gods dwell " in Plaifter and bak'd Earth; and that to make thefe Ma"terials more venerable, they fuffer themselves to be "fhut up, and remain hid, and detain'd in an obfcure "Prifon."

Now, might not the Heathens have juftly reply'd to the antient Chriftians, if they believed what the Romish Doctors do now-a-days? And do not you believe the very> fame of your Hoft, that it is compofed of two Things, that is, of the vifible Species of Bread, and the invifible Body of Chrift, which is hid under the Species? Doth not your Chrift dwell in baked Dough? And to make a Piece of Bread more venerable, doth he not fuffer himfelf to be fhut up? and doth he not remain hid, as in a Prison ?

2dly, The Heathens held, that Confecration was the Means, whereby the Deity which they ador'd, was made. prefent in the Image. So Tertullian faith, (c)" I find "nothing to obje& against Images, but that the Matter "of them is (uch as our Frying-pans and Kettles are made "of, which changeth its State by Confecration." And, Minutius Felix fpeaks thus of a Pagan Image," Beho'd "it is mettled, forged, fashioned, and yet it is not God: "Behold it isgilded, finished, erected, and yet it is not "God: Behold it is adorned, confecrated, and worship"ed, and then it is God." And, Arnobius faith, (d)" Dedication or Confecration makes them dwell in Images, they refufe not to dwell in Habitations of "Earth, or rather, being forced to go into them by the

(a) Chryf. in Theodoret. in Atrep. Lib. 6. (c) Apolog. Cap. 12. (d) Lib. 6.

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(b) Arnob.

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Right of Dedication, they are incorporated and joined "to the Images." Now, might not the Heathens have reply'd to the Chriftians thus? We find it juft fo in your Eucharift, that is, that the Signs are of the fame Matter with our common Bread and Wine, but change their Nature by Confecration: Behold it is kneaded, and moulded, and yet it is not God: Behold it is baked in the Oven, and yet it is not God: Behold it is confecrated and adored, and then it is God: For your Christ doth not refufe to enter into thefe earthly Matters, or rather, being forced to go into them by the Right of Confecration, is incorporated and join'd to the Species of Bread and Wine.

The Heathens had both great and little Images, and did believe that the Deity which they worshiped, was as well in the little as in the great ones. Arnobius makes this merry Obfervation, (a)" If their Gods had their "great and litle Images in which they dwelt, they must "needs be ftraightned for want of Room in the little "ones, whereas in the great ones they might stretch "themselves out at full length." And might not the Heathens have reproach'd the Chriftians of thefe Times in the fame Manner, if they had believed that Jefus Christ had been wholly contained, as well in a little Hoft, as in a great one, and as well in the least Part of the Host, as in the greatest?

Laftly, The Heathens were reproach'd for worshiping Wood and Stone, the Work of Mens Hands, Things that cannot fee, hear, fmell, tafte, breathe, speak or move; Things expos'd to Age, Ruft, Corruption, Duft, Falling, Breaking, Burning, and to Injuries of Worms, Mice, and other Beafts; fubject to the Power of Enemies, to be ftolen, lock'd up, c. As you may read in Arnobius, Lactantius, Minutius Felix, and other ancient Doctors of the Church. Now, if the ancient Chriftians had believed, what thofe of the Church of Rome now do; might not

(a) Lib. 6.

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