Farther saynt Paule sayth he shal Phil. iii. that Christ shall make oure bodyes lyke vnto hys glorious body Therfore they do destroy y e true and very humanitie of Christs body that say hys body is in manye places at one time which robbeth hys body of al the qualyties quātities and properties of a true body For y ◠scripture of god confesseth that Christs body is but in one place And many of the Popes Canones confyrme the same Thus it is written De cōsecrat Distinct .ij. prima quidem Donec seculum finiatur sursum dominus est Sed tame hic nobiscum est viritas domini Corpus enim in quo resurrexit in vno loco esse oportet veritas autē eius vbique diffusa est That is to say Tyl y ◠world be ended the lord is aboue but notwythstandynge hys truth is here wyth vs. The body in whych he rysse muste be in one place hys veritie is dyspersed euery where The second reason THis is taken out of y e nature condicion of a sacrament whyche is thys that the thyng that is remembred by the sacramente be it selfe absent and yet the signes or sacramētes take the name nominacion of y ◠thing represented signifyed by the sygnes for a declaraciō of the thynge that is done wyth the sygnes So is it in al the sacraments of the old testament the new therfore also in this sacramēt The thyng it selfe in thys sacramēt y ◠is to wyt y e precious body of Christe broken hys innocent bloud shedde be absēt yet be the bread the wine called the body brokē and the blud shedding according to y ◠nature of a sacramente to setforth the better the thing done and signified by the sacramēt Ther is done in the sacrament the memorie and remēbraunce of Christes death whych was done on the Crosse when hys precious body and bloud was rēt and torne shed and poured out for our synnes Wyth this agreeth y ◠minde of S. Augustine Ad Bonifacium Epist. xxiii Sienum sacramenta quandam similitudinem earum rerum quarum sacramenta sunt non haberent ommno sacramenta nō essēt ▪ That is to say if Sacramentes had not some proporcion and lykenes of the thynges whereof they be sacramentes they were no sacramentes at al. And thus rather of the symilitude and sygnification of the thyng they represent signifye they take the name and not that in deede they be as they be named So after thys maner is the sacrament of Christes body called Christes bodye and the sacramentes of Christes bloud called Christes bloud and the sacramente of fayeth is called fayeth As Saynt Augustine learnedly and godly sayeth in the same argumente Accedat verbum ad elementum vt fit sacramentū non ait tollat elementum vt fit sacramentum That is to saye let the worde come vnto the Element and then is made the Sacramente He sayeth not lette the word channge or transubstanciate the Elemente that is to say the substaunce and matter of the sacramente and then is made the sacrament The thyrde reason IF he were here in y e sacramente bodelye and corporally he shoulde euery day suffer and shed hys precious bloud For the scripture sayth thys is my bodye y ◠is brokē for you and my blud that is shedde for you Luke xxii i. Cor. xi but thys is not true that he daylye suffreth payne and passiō Rom. vi no more is it true that he is in the sacrament bodelye for heauen kepeth hym tyll the laste daye Act. iii. Neither yet is y e bread after consecration hys verye bodye i. Cor. xi nor the wyne his blud Math. xxvi But the bread remayneth styl breade the wyne styll wyne after the word spoken as they were before cōcerning their substaūce but the vse of thē be chaūged The fourth reason THe scripture maketh no mēcion but of one ascension and of two commynges one paste and the other we looke for in the ende of the world at the latter iudgemente Yf theyr doctrine were true ther shuld be infinite ascēsiōs and infinite descencions Farther they cannot tel thē selues what is become of the bodye thei faine to haue in the sacrament when the accidentes and qualities corrupt and be consumed Theyr glose vpon the Canone Tribus gradibus ait auolare in Celum that is to say it flyeth into heauen but we saye he was there before They darre not say it corrupteth nor y t it is turned into the substaunce of our bodyes and sowles what is there then become of thys bodie The fyfth reason GOd hadde made by this mean his churche in daunger and subiecte vnto Idololatrie For there be manye chaunces and cases happen that maye let the Prieste to consecrate and then shoulde the people worshyppe an Idole for lacke of the presence of Christes bodye These daungers maye chaunce three maner of waies in the prieste in the woordes and in the matter The priest if he be not lawfully consecrated if he be an herityke one excommunicated or a simoniache he consecrateth not Magister sententiarum Lib. iiii dist xiii Se the glose De consecra dist ii cap. Quid sit sanguis In the woordes of consecracion there is no lesse daunger and dout Fyrst many of theyr writers be ignoraunte wyth what wordes Christ cōsecrated Iohānes Duns and Pope Innocēt the third libro de officio Misse part .iii. cap. vi xiiii Doo say the consecracion to be cōprehended in thys worde Benedixt Comesta douteth the glose vpon thys Canon Vtrum sub figura where as the glossator interpreteth these wordes in y ◠Canone of the Masse Iube hec perferri that is to sai Cōmaūde these thynges to be caried As though they were the wordes of consecracion The which opinion the Master of the sentence semeth to fauoure in the place afore named If an heritike saith he would take vpon hym to vsurpe thys misterye would God send an angell frō heauen to consecrate his oblacion But how so euer they agre vpon the wordes of consecraciō ther is yet an other rule in theyr masse bokes that the wordes must be perfectly pronoūced or els thei do nothing How shoulde thys be knowen when they speake them in sylēce Wel graunt they would crye or synge them oute yet so myghte they els be vayne for ther is also required the intencion of him that wil cōsecrate The mater must be such bread such wyne as the glose speaketh of de conse dist ii Sicut dē sanctificando the whych properties if they be absent nothyng is consecrated The syxt reason IF Christ be present corporallye then shall theyr sacrifyces cease as saynte Paule sayeth .i. Corin. xi Ye shall shewe the Lordes deathe tyll he come He commeth after theyr belyue and learning then shoulde they cease from sacrifisynge The seuenth reason IN case they could dyssolue and aunswere to euery one of these reasons yet could not Christs bodye be in the Masse
for it lacketh the worde of God that is to saye the shewyng of Christs death Farther the Masse destroieth and dyshonoreth y e institucion of Christe ¶ Solucions of their argumentes THese I wyll comprehend all in thre poyntes First thei contend by the authoriti of the fathers The seconde by these woordes of Christe thys is my bodye The thyrde by the omnipotencye of God Of the fathers authoritie When they be beten by the autoritie of Gods worde they â—â—e for helpe at the fathers authoritie Let them make answer Is thys theyr opinion when the prieste hath spoken these wordes Thys is my bodye by and by the substaunce of the bread to be chauÌ„ged or the substauÌ„ce therof to vanish away I aske the question because yet thei be not fully agreed ther vpon for it commeth the corporal bodye of Christe wyth the same qualitie and quantitie he was borne lyued and died in so that ther hangs in the ayre in the priestes handes y â— accideÌ„tes and qualities of bread wythoute anye substaunce and so thus to be honored there of the people In what apostles writinges fynd they this doctrine Or in what mans writinges that folowed the Apostles wythin c.cc.ccc cccc ccccc.cccccc yea ccccccc yeares If they can shew thys in anye autenticall wryter in any worke that hath not bene doubted of I wyll beleue as they doo But that it maye be knowen vnto you that the fathers wer not of theyr opinioÌ„ I wyll propounde vnto you certayne coniectures Fyrst we read not wher ther was euer any contencioÌ„ about the words of consecracioÌ„ wher they began and wher they ended neyther any thynge of the ministers intencion to be of suche vertue they speake of The second the Elders neueâ— answered the Arrian that denyed the equalitie betwen goâ— the father and God the sonne wyth thys Christ is God and equall wyth the father for we so honor hym in the sacrameÌ„t If the Catholicke church had so iudged of Christes bodelye presence in the sacramente as the newe vpstart church doth and hath done of late yeares there coulde not haue bene a stronger argumente agaynst Arrius and hys heresye The thyrd Niether dyd the Marcionistes euer make such a reason though Christ semed to haue the qualities and condicions of a naturall man yet he had not them in deede For in the Sacrament of hys boâ—â—e there semeth to be the very â—ualities and condicions of â—eade and wyne yet is there â—eyther breade nor wyne in â—eede If thys opinion of the acâ—idents qualities and sensual iudgement of the breade had bene aproued and takeÌ„ in those hates for Christianitie Christiane religyon howe woulde thys illusion and wytchcrafte haue defended I pray you the Marcionist opynion doutles nothynge more But Tertullian agaynste the Marcionistes doth reason another wise and saith Christ of y â— bread that he toke made hys body sayinge thys is my body that is to say a fygure of my bodye They fourth They vsed chalices of wood and glasse De coÌ„secrat dist i. vasa in quibus the wooden chalices could soke in the wine consecrated the glassen chalices might sone haue bene broken if anye of them both had conteyned the precious bloude of Christ they wold not so temerously haue vsed it The fyfte The sacrament was geuen to the chyldren in theyr hands to beare it home wyth them Eccle. hist. Lib. vii cap. xxxiiii The syxte No scripture of god neither doctour of y â— Catholicke faith taught euer Christ to be honored here in earth wyth candels and bowynges of knees The seuenth In celebratynge the supper they sayd lyft vp your hartes meanyng not to haue y e minde affyxed in the sygnes and elementes of the sacraments but in heauen Wherof it maye be easly gathered that they neuer thought of a corporal presence here in the earth The eyght Origene vpon the booke of Leuit. declateth that y â— remanentes and reliques of the sacramentes were not kepte to be honored but they were burned who wold handle his god so cruellye I praye you as to burne hym lyke an heretycke Also ther is a decre in y â— Canone lawe Tribus gradibus the whyche commaundeth the ministers tâ— receaue al the reliques of the sacrament and it is the rule of Clement .iii. that lyued Anno. M. C.lxxxx In y e meane tyme I speake no worde of that foloweth I should saye wicked question mete for Iuggelours inchauÌ„tours and wytches and not for Christiane men much lesse for Deuines and teachers of gods people in what moment of time the bread is turned in to the body and the wyne into the blud when the priest speaketh these words Thys is my body if they grauÌ„t at lest these to be the woordes of consecracion Gabriel Biel. lect xlviii â–ª sayth that the body is not presente whyles thys oracion is a speakynge Thys is my body Sed tota oracio est referenda ad vltimum iustaÌ„s ipsius orationis that is to say the hole oracion must be referred vnto y e last instaÌ„ce of it And w t this opinioÌ„ agreeth y e glose vpoÌ„ y e canone law De consecracione distinct .ii. Sum omne sayth that the consecracion is made onelye in the laste letter And in an other Canone Ante benedictioneÌ„ thus he sayth licet verba successiue proferantur noâ—â— tamen successiue consecratio fit sed in vno instaÌ„ti corruÌ„pitur panis scilicet in vltimo fustanti prelationis verborum That is to saye althoughe the woordes be spoken one after an other yet is not the consecracion made by a lytle lytle but in one instante or punet of tyme the bread is altered to sai in the last moment of the woordes spoken After thys their wicked and Idololatrical doctryne thys lillable â—m in thys oracion Hoc est corpus meum â–ª to say thys is my body hath al the strengthe vertue to chaunge and deifye the bread But I praye you what syllable is it that chaungeth and deifieth the wine for euen wyth them these woordes seme to haue more dyffycultie then the other But let these illustons and eraftes go and let vs cleaue to the truthe of Gods woorde and we shalbe oute of al daunger A Question THus they saye now yf this opinioÌ„ be neither of the Apostles neyther froÌ„ the auncieÌ„t doctours how chaunceth it to be so vniuersally takeÌ„ and for so infallyble and indoubted truth yea such a truth as incase men forsake al truth and yet not contrary thys truth is accompted a man moste christiane true Answer NOthing is more expedient to answer directlye vnto the question then to coÌ„syder the time of our fathers They thought it best to name the sacramentes by y â— name of the thyng was represented by the sacramentes Yet in manye places of theyr wryryngs they so interpretate theÌ„ selues that no man excepte he wyl be wylfully blynd can say but they vnderstode the sacrament to sygnifie and not to be the thing signified to
would rather at thys tyme fraye them to make them amende then to punyshe them and lose thē for euer and wold perce thus theyr mindes and brynge them to a knowledge of theyr synnes And as subuercion destruccion was threatned vnto thys Niniue so is it to thys hole realme for ther is among vs as greate and as manye syns God geue grace there be no greater nor nomore as wer among them We muste then amende or els we shall peryshe euerychone Luke .xiii. but what tyme the Lord knoweth not I. Now it foloweth how the preaching of Ionas was accepted And the people of Niniue beleued God preclaymed fastynge and arayed them selues in sacke clothe as well the greate as the small of them Out of this text is fyrst to be noted how that y e Niniuits resisted not the preachynge of Ionas when they had yet yf they would haue excused their euil mani refuges pretexts Ther obedience to the word of god cōdēneth both the Iewes vs of obstynacie malyce i. They might haue pretended thys Ionas is but one man therfore not to be credited ii He is a stranger speketh it of hatred vnto vs of affecciō towardes hys owne countrye .iii. He is of a cōtrary relygion to ours wuld deceaue as frō our fathers faith iiii He is no king but a man that semeth to haue lytle wir and lesse experience v. He is one cōtemned of hys owne countrye men and can not be hearde of them and shuld we credit hys woordes vi He is a noughty lyuer an◠one that God hateth and hath punyshed and shuld we passe of hys sayinges But they remembred theyr own faults at the preachyng of one day they amended they neuer loked for myracle They pretended not the antiquitie and aunciētnes of theyr citie that had stode almost from the tyme of the flud Gen. x. They that heard hym neuer desyred theyr amendement vntyl suche tyme as the kyng the preists and the other elders of the Citie had agreed whether Ionas doctrine were true or not Of thys facilitie quycknes of belyfe in the Niniuites we maye se y t soner beleueth the verye infydels the word of god then such as beareth the name of God and be broughte vp in supersticion And that I thynke were easye to be sene yf experiēce shuld be taken to preach at Babilon or Constantinople he should rather conuert those cities then Rome Farther theyr promptnes cōdemneth our obstinacie and hardnes of harte that daily heare the word of god preached and yet nothyng the better nor nerer to saluacion It foloweth what the Niniuites do when they be conuerted Fyrst they beleue in the Lord second they fast A man ignoraunt of God offendeth twoo maner of waies in bodi and in soule and both these offences must be amended if we wyl be reconciled vnto god By fayth the mynde is reconcyled vnto god and by abstinēce the body is kepte in subieccion and the wantones of cōcupiscence kept in obedience But in thys our myserable and cursed tyme of God for synne is great question and controuersy moued not onely cōcerning fayth but also fasting of which two thinges I iudge it mete somwhat to be spoken of As touchynge fayth it is not an opinion and knowledge onlye but a vehement ernest and certayne persuasion of Gods promises in Christ and out of thys faythe spryngeth all Godlynes and vertuous woorkes and what soeuer spryngeth not hereof is synne And thys faythe the almighty god confirmeth in his true and vertuous people two maner of wayes Inwardly outwardly Inwardlye by the holy gost who testifieth by his spirite with our spirit that we be the chyldren of God Outwardly by preaching of gods word and ministracion of the sacramentes The preachynge conteyne the innumerable benefites and promyses of God made in the new testamēt and y e old vnto vs in Christe who is y e seede that shuld and doth treade and breake the heade of the serpent Gene. iii. Io. iii. The Sacramentes be as visyble woordes offered vnto the Eyes and other Senses as the sweete sounde of the word to the eare and the holye gost to the hart The numbre of these sacramentes in y ◠publycke ministerie of the church be twoo One of baptisme and the other of the lords supper and both these teach and confyrme none other thynge then that the mercye of God saueth the faithfull and beleuers Therfore is the bread in y e holy supper called the bodye of Christ and the wyne the blud of Christ because thei be sacraments and seales of gods promises in Christ. This plaine symple doctryne of the sacramentes were sufficiēt if fraud gile treason heresie supersticion papistrie ignorancie arrogancie miserie and the malyce of men woulde suffer it But these iuels afore rehersed haue called into question and controuersie whether carnally corporally and reallye the precious body of Christ be present and how the communion and sacrament of hys body shulde be ministred and vsed For the resolucion answerynge vnto the whyche questions I wyll sincerlye and playnelye shewe my mynde accordynge to the worde of God ¶ Of the presence of Christes body in the sacrament I Wyl not in this question saye asmuche as I would or could because of late dayes in thys place it was godlye and learnedly touched But yet somewhat muste I saye because the ignoraunce of it bringeth idololatrye Idololatry bryngeth eternal damnaciō eternall dānacion commeth not onlye to the ygnoraunte but also vnto hym that shuld in hys vocacion remoue or do his good wil to remoue the ygnorauncie I am appoynted to remoue ygnorauncye thus therefore I pray you hear how ye may remoue it I wil kepe this order Fyrst I wil shew by many argumēts that ther is no corporal presēce of Christs body in the sacramēt Thē wyll I answer to the argumēts of y ◠aduersaryes y t wold haue it here The fyrst argument THis I take of y e name of christs body which is lyke vnto ours in al thynges except syn Heb. ii Esa. liii And incase it wer not in al thynges like vnto oures excepte synne and immortalitie Sayncte Paules Argument would proue nothynge i. Cor. xv But our bodyes be one to each one measured certaynelye wyth quantitie and qualitie and occupye at one tyme one place therfore so doeth and euer hath done Christes bodye And thus woulde Paule proue our resurreccion because our bodies be as Christes is y t is rysen excepte synne and immortalitie After that thei sat Christ hath now a glorified body so we haue not it maketh nothing for their purpose for whē Christ made hys supper instituted y e sacramēt of hys death he was a mortal and passible man subiect vnto the tyrany and violence of his aduersaries Yea after his immortalitie he shewed manifest tokens and arguments of his pure true and sensible humanitie Io. xxi i. Io. i. For y ◠apostles fyngers touched hym
coÌ„firme not to exhibit grace to helpe and not to giue faythe to seale and not to wynne the promyse of God Ro. iiii to shewe what we be before the vse of theÌ„ and not to make vs the thynge we declare to be after theÌ„ to shew we are Christes to shew we be in grace and not by theÌ„ to be receaued into grace to shewe we be saued and not yet to be saued by them to shewe we be regenerated and not to be regenerated by them thus the old doctours ment But when all good learninge and the lesson of the holye scripture were drowned by the Gotthes and Uandales in Europe Asia and Affrica and yet somewhat rescued and caughte agayne by Charles the greate Anno. viii C. men not acquaynted wyth the frases and veine of the scripture accustomed them selues to the readyng of doctours and leaft the woord of God Wherof folowed amonge other euyls that in Fraunce by certayne ItalioÌ„s this question to be very much and manye tymes reasoned vpon as touchyng the corporal preseÌ„ce of Christes body in the sacrament Agaynst the whyche ertour one Ihon Scot and one Bertram wrote a boke of the sam mater to Charles y â— great But the monkes and the priestes declyned most vnto y e opinion of the carnall corporall presence wher vpon in y â— tyme of Leo the nynth a byshoppe of Rome Anno. M.L. beynge a monke called a councell named Uercellence y â— whych tuled as chiefe president great master one LaÌ„cfranck a monk afterwarde bishop of Cant. He damned Berengarius but after that the same Berengatius had recaÌ„ted one Nicolaus Pope assembled a councell of the monkes of Italie and priestes and so compelled Berengarius to a recantacion whych ye may reade De consecrat dist ii Ego Berengarius But here we wyll pause and deliberat a while vpon this recaÌ„tacion and scanne it a lytle In this recaÌ„tacion marke it is no mencion made of traÌ„substanciacion but the bread and the wyne are called the bodye and blud of Christe and that the same are touched wyth the handes of the prieste broken torne with y e teth of y e faithful This sentence is not admitted now a dayes among our scholastical diuines Yea the glose vpon the same Canone sayth read the place Ther is more dauÌ„ger of heresy in Berengatius words theÌ„ was in Berengarius hym selfe That recantacion of Berengarius sent the Pope into all the cities of Italy Germanie Fraunce But thys relygyon could not be wel accepted nor iudged to be good of al mâ— though Hildebrand the moÌ„ke and sorceroure confyrmed it Anno. m.lxxix Wherfore they excogitated dremed out traÌ„ssubstaÌ„ciacioÌ„ the which opinioÌ„ holpe forth the monks of Benedictes order in theyr Sermons And because thys newe and wycked doctryne of transubstanciacioÌ„ could not be receaued and admitted of al meÌ„ After two hundred yeares almost Innocentius the thyrde confyrmed it in the councell of Laterane Anno. M.CC.xv. some tyme beyng a doctour of Parise And that thys wycked doctryne myght take the soner place he bound meÌ„ to auriculer confessioÌ„ wherin they persuaded men to what they pleased Immediately afterwarde began the beggyng friers the selfe souldiours of Antichrist and mete peâ—sonnes to setforth such abhominacion At the begynnynge of these monsters Honorius .iii. bishop of Rome commaunded thys newe bready god to be honoured Anno. M.CC.xxvi libr. ii Decretal Tit. de celebra MissaruÌ„ And then beganne the pyndfooles and cloisters to be made in the churches to reserue their newe god in And when the monkes had farther entred into the coÌ„sciences of the people and wheÌ„ thei had more inculcated beteÌ„ to mens heads more this new article of fayth for transubstanciacion then all the other of oure belyfe in Christe The Pope began to excogitate more yet for the honour of thys new god For when they had brought Christ from heauen to earth agayne so concluded he shuld be honored in the sacramente he thoughte it iniurie to let hym be wythout some solemne fest dai wherin people myght honour hym according to their decrees whervpon Urbanus the .iiii. instituted the feaste that is called Corpus Christi M.CC.lxii Then increased the rable and Idololatrical nombre of pryuate Masses and y e honoryng of thys bread then was defended wyth swerd and fyre In the meane tyme manye godly men were sore afflycted in theyr conscience yet durste not declare their griefe partly for feare partli because that sophistrie had blynded part of theyr iudgementes At length the Lord reised vp godly men yea here in EnglaÌ„d IhoÌ„ Wiâ—lefe that resisted thys new heretical doctryne M. CCC.lx.viii And now y e Lord be praised chyldren know the vngodlynes therof may se it plainly to be naught if they wil not be wylfully blynde How childyshly they bragge of the doctours now ye may see And euen the same do they wyth the wordes thys is my body and with the omnipotencie of God as ye shal hear in the next sermon ¶ The sixte Sermon vpon Ionas made by Iohn Hoper THey obiecte against the truth as coÌ„cerniÌ„g the absence of christes body in the sacrameÌ„t the words of Christ Thys is my bodye Unto the whyche we aunswere briefely The wordes should be vnderstanded accordyng to the matter purpose they be spoken for But euery man knoweth y e matter and purpose y t Christ entreateth of is to make and institute a sacrament therfore ought euery word to be taken sacramentallye which is to attribute vnto the sacramente y e name of y e thing signified represented by the sacramente Therfore thei should not force nor coÌ„straine y â— souÌ„d of the wordes vsed in the sacramente to make of y â— sacrament on ydole by false interpretacioÌ„ wher as the true seÌ„ce of y e word maketh but a necessary ceremonie and helpe to our infirme faith In the Canon lawe Decretalib .li. de verbor significat Tit. xl cap. vi NoÌ„ sermom res sed reiest sermo subiectus that is to saye the matter shuld not be coÌ„straiued to y â— word but y e word to serue the matter Et cap. viii dum proprietas verboruÌ„ attenditur sensus veritatis amittitur y t is to saie when the nature of y â— word is forced the meaniÌ„g of y e veritie is lost Farther what shuld moue theÌ„ to deny vs one trope in these wordes when they them selues vse a greate many of tropes fygures where as we vse but one and the same one to be in the open word of God and all theyrs to be without and contrary to y â— word of God Note the wordes of Christ Hoc est corpus meum That is to say This is my body what they shoulde make of thys woorde Thys thei cannot tel and hither vnto they haue dysputed of it and yet not agreed Reade I praye the Gabriel Biel. Ser. xliiii et Glossam super CanoneÌ„ Timorem docet Is they interpretate Is made The bread they
say is the accidentes of bread But in the Cup they be constrayned to vse w t vs a signe Thys Cup is the new Testament in my blud for they saye y â— wyne in the Cup and not the Cuppe They know them selues howe foÌ„dly they interpretate these wordes rather maliciously obstinately and falsly then truely we therefore thus take them Thys is my body that is to say the Sacrament of my body broken and geuen for you Either thys is y â— newe testamente that is to saye the sygne of the new testament or the remission of syn obtayned in the bodye of Christe broken and torne for vs. S. August lib. xx contra FaustuÌ„ cap. xxi hath these wordes Huius sacrifiâ—â— caro et sarguis ante aduentuÌ„ Christi per victimas similitudinum promittebatur In passione Christi per ipsam veritatem reddebatur Post asceÌ„sum Christi per sacrameÌ„tum memorie celebratur That is to saye the flesh and blud of thys sacrifice before the coÌ„mynge of Christ was promised bi the sacrifices of similitude In the passion of Christ thei wer geuen in dede after the ascencion of Christe thei be celebrated bi a sacrameÌ„t of memorie And the glose dist ii Tribus gradibus sayth Certum est quod species quam cito dentibus teruntur tam cito in celum rapitur corpus Christi that is to saye It is certayne that as sone as the accidens and qualities of bread be broken with y â— teeth straightway y e body of Christ is taken into heaueÌ„ so y â— theyr own doctours do not belyue y t y e very bodi of Christ is receaued in the sacrameÌ„t If a man shuld theÌ„ aske what fayth and opinioÌ„ shuld y â— christiane haue coÌ„cernyng y e presence or absâ—ce of Christs bodi in y â— sacrameÌ„tâ— Answer The body of Christ shulde be coÌ„sidred .ii. maner of waies fyrst as it was borne of y t blessed virgin beyng in dede oure very natural brother Thâ— as it was offered vpon the crosse for the redeÌ„pcion of the world And thus offered put to hys passioÌ„ vpoÌ„ y â— crosse we coÌ„syder hym in the sacrament for the bread there vsed is called the body of Christ brokeÌ„ y â— wine the bloud sheding But the presence of christes natural body or y â— opinioÌ„ of his preseÌ„ce they so litle profit y t in very dede it doeth rather hurt and harme as Christ sayed The flesh profiteth nothynge Io. vi and agayne it is expedieÌ„t that I go awai We must therfore lyfte vp oure myndes into heauen when we fele oure selues oppressed with the burden of sinne and ther by fayth apprehend and receaue the bodye of Christe slayne and kylled hys precious blud shed for our offeÌ„ces and so by faith apply the vertue efficacie and streÌ„gth of y e merites of Christ to our soules and by that meanes quit oure selues from the daunger damnacioÌ„ and curse of God And thus to be partaker of the worthynes and deseruyngs of Christes passion is to eate the body to drynke y e blud Therfore doth Christ in the .v. of Iohn take eat for beleue beleue for eate so many tymes And S. Augustine sayth vt quid paras deÌ„tem et ventreÌ„ crede et manducasti why preparest thou the teeth and bely beleue and thou hast eateÌ„ And whoso euer eateth after thys sorte the body of Christ and drynke his blud hath euerlasting life Then obiecte they if we maye thus eat the body and blud of Christ without the sacrameÌ„t what auayleth it to haue anye Sacrament Answer AGaynst these temptacions of the deuil the vse of the sacramentes were instituted in the churche The fyrst temptacion of the deuil is he would bear the Christian in hand the promises of Gods mercy to be false Therfore doth God confyrme theÌ„ vnto vs by his sacrameÌ„ts The second teÌ„ptacion when y e deuil perceaueth we belyue the promises â—f god to be true vniuersally yet wold he make vs doubt of them perticularli as thoughe they appertayned not vnto the priuate or singuler conscience afflycted That dout wold God remoue in vs by hys sacramentes and saith they appertaine to the priuate and perticuler conscience afflycted euen as euerye priuate man receaueth the sacraments of the promyses The thyrde temptacion The deuyl laboureth to take from vs the knowledge of the meanes of oure saluacion and howe the promyses of God be made oures by y e free grace of God or by our merytes The Sacramentes therfore whyche beholde and represent onely Christe do teach vs that the meanes of our saluacion is only in Christ. And to put vs out of doubt wherewythall Christe hath meryted for vs the promyses of God and thys grace of our saluacion the sacramente sheweth vs it was wyth and by his death and blud sheddyng and therfore hath he geuen the name of hys bodye and bloude to the sygnes and elementes of the sacramente So the breade is called the bodye broken and the wyne the bloude shedden Admonyshyng the that in the receauing of y e sacrameÌ„t thou shuldest not tarye â–ª nor occupye thy meditacions and contemplacions in the bread wyne but in the merits of the bodye broken and the blud shedde Who so euer marke and vnderstand these thynges eateth Christ if he be ignoraunt here of he is in daunger of eternall damnacion An other obiection THey saye God can do all thynges therefore it is not impossyble for hym to make his body present in the Sacrament We be not so addicte and geuen vnto humane ration that we wyll beleue nothinge more then reason is able to accompte and geue answer for But we beleue many thynges that directly reason saythe we shuld not beliue As the incarnacion of Christ our resurreccion the making of the world thre persons in one godheade and one essence and these thinges we belyue because the expresse word of God commauÌ„deth to beleue it But the traÌ„selementacion and alteracioÌ„ of the breade no place of y â— scripture commaundeth vs to beleue but many places forbyd we shuld beleue it Nether doo the Papists agree among theÌ„ selues what shuld be the wordes of consecracion and yf we had but that auantage of theÌ„ only it were inough to declare theyr transubstanciacion to be no parte of Gods worde It is a folye to obiecte the omnipotencye of God wythout Gods woorde God nor doeth nor can not do more theÌ„ he wyl do and as foolyshly do they makynge mencion of a miraculous presence of Christes body and do declare them selues to be of Antichriste by the same meanes For he shall deceaue the worlde ye the verye electes if it were possyble wyth newe myracles Math. xxii i. ii thes ii The myracle of Christes visible ascencion and other expressed in the scryptures of God are sufficient for the Catholycke churche And the myracle of y e inuisyble and miraculous presence we leaue to them that be deceaued wyth the spirite of erroure For they woulde haue
nothing but the sacrament to his euerlastyng damnaciō I make no mencion here of auriculer cōfession as though that were a thyng necessary to be done before or after the receauynge of the Sacrament For thys confession is not of God as theyr lawe doeth record The glose vpō the decre of penaunce Distinct .v. in penitencia In the receauynge of thys sacrament ther be thynges requyred both in the inward mā and also in the outward man The inwarde preparacion is when the man receauynge the bread and the wine being subiectes and maters vnder the iudgement and censure of the senses the mynde is eleuated and lyfte vp into heauen perswadyng hym selfe by faythe that as truly appertaineth vnto hym y ◠promyses and grace of God throughe the merites and death of Christ as he sensibly and outwardly receiueth the sacramente and wytnes of gods promyses And doubt no more of an inward frendshyp familiaritie cōcord peace loue atonement and fatherly petye and compassyon throughe Christ by the meanes of faith then he douteth y t hys mouthe outwardly doth receaue y ◠signes sacramēts of gods mercies To excitat in vs this faith and beleue in the merytes of Christ the bread is called the body and the wyne hys blud after y e maner and frase of the scripture The vtward behauour and gesture of the receauer should want al kind of suspiciō shew or inclinacion of Idololatrye Wherfore seyng knelyng is a shew and external signe of honoryng and worshipping and heretofore hath greuous and damnable Idololatry ben cōmitted by the honoryng of the sacrament I woulde wyshe it wer commaunded by the Magistrates that y ◠communicatours and receauers shuld do it standyng or syttynge But syttyng in myne opinion were best for many consideracions The Paschal lambe was eatē standynge whyche sygnifyed Christ yet not to be come that shuld geue rest peace quietnes Christ wyth his Apostles vsed thys Sacramente at the fyrst syttyng Declaring that he was come that should quiet and put at rest both body and soule and that the fygure of the Passeouer frō thenceforth shuld be nomore necessary nor that men shuld trauel nomore to Ierusalem once in the year to seke and vse a sacramente of the Lambe to come that shuld take awaye the synnes of the worlde After the receauinge of it there shoulde be thankes geuynge of all the churche for y ◠benefites of Christes death Ther shoulde be prayer made vnto god that thei might perseuer and cōtinue in the grace of God receaued They shuld helpe the poore wyth theyr almes This forme me thinketh is most lyke vnto the fourme of Christe and the Apostles Howe farre the masse differeth from thys al men know I praye God the best may be taken and the wurste lefte throughe oute all the worlde And al such as be yet infyrme by reason of longe custome and lacke of knowledge lette them praye God and searche the scriptures wythoute affeccion Suche as be peruerse and obstinate and wyll admyt no reason for them the ire and dyspleasure of God is readye and prest to punish them whē he seeth tyme. As it is to be sene by the Corinthes .i. Cor. xi that for the abuse of y e supper manye of them fell sycke and into dyseases So wyl he do wyth vs if we neglecte hys moste perfecte and Godlye institucion Let vs repente therefore wyth the Niniuites from our foremer synnes and beleue the remyssyon of theym for Goddes mercye in the deseruynges of Christe Farther lette vs submytte oure selues all oure wysedome and learnynge vnto hys woorde and thynke that Christe and hys Apostles haue instituted and vsed it canne in no wayes be bettered by vs. And you my gracious Lord king restore the right vse of the supper of the Lord as Iosias dyd the ryghte vse of the Paschal Lambe .iiii. Reg. xxiii ii Para. xxxv after the worde of God The text now foloweth of the fast of the Niniuites Of fastynge There was a fastyng proclaymed and weryng of sackecloth from the greatest to the smallest Here be twoo thynges to be noted in the frutes and signes of penitence Fyrst concerning the fast and vilenes of the apparell The seconde howe they fasted from the greatest to the smallest ¶ Of fastynge and sacke cloth THe hypocrites of the world when they hear of this fasting puttyng on of sackecloth damne strayghtwayes the doctryne of faythe and teache that God saueth not onelye for Christes sake whych only fayth apprehēdeth as though faith could not only apprehend the mercy of god and yet haue fastynge anexed with her But this present text confoundeth thys errour for it sayeth the Niniuites fyrst beleued the Lord and then fasted But lest we shuld here erre I wyl speake a lytle of fastinge that we maye loue rather to faste well then obstinately to defend a false fast ¶ What is fasting FAstynge is a moderat vse and takynge of meate and drynke lest the fleshe shoulde by aboundaunce and to muche of it rebel and ouercome the spirite And thys fast eyther it is continually or at certayne tymes vsed Continuallye when as a Christiane man moderatelye fedeth hys bodye wyth thankes geuyng for necessary nutriment and not for to aboūde or surfet Thys fastynge and abstinēce the scripture calleth sobrietie .i. Petri. v. The faste done at certayne tymes is also eyther pryuate or publycke Priuate when any man consideryng and waiynge hys owne infyrmyties bindeth hym selfe frō meates and drynkes to tame and ouercome the vehemente and lasciuious inclinacions thereof to the obedyence and rule of the spirite .i. Corin. vii A publycke fast is when for a publycke and commune calamitie trouble or aduersytie the Magistrates commaunde a solemne and publycke abstynence and fast But in bothe these fastes there muste be vsed a circumspecte and godlye dylygence least in the abuse of fastynge we offende and prouoke the Ire and dyspleasure of God the more agaynste vs we may offende fyrste yf wee faste for anye other purpose then to kepe the bodye in subiection to the spirite Therefore it is to be taken hede of we faste not for merite or for custome The seconde is we offende if we faste in the honour of any creature The thyrde if for one fastynge daye we make thre gloto◠festes as the fashion is for the moost parte I woulde wyshe therefore that the true fast abstinence wet brought in agayne and then the lorde would be pleased I dout not That they amende from the greatest to y e smallest we learne two thynges Fyrste of what greate effycacye the sermon of Ionas was that pleased all people both greate and smalle The lyke hath not bene seene For it is easier for a Cooke to please an hundreth mouthes wyth one mete then a preacher to order one sermon or oracion to please ten heades It were well in our tyme if at euery sermon were one of the magistrates and of the people conuerted and at ten Sermones one Byshop and one prieste
where as goddes word is preached hys holye sacramentes vsed and commune prayer made vnto God but alowe the same and sorye it is no more frequented and haunted but thys I woulde wyshe that the magistrates shoulde put bothe the preacher minister the people in one place and shut vp the particion called the chauncell that separateth the congregatioÌ„ of Christ one from the other as thoughe the vele and particion of the teÌ„ple in the olde lawe yet shulde remayne in the churche where in deade al fygures and tipes ended in Chryste And incase thys were done it shoulde not onlye expresse the dignitie and grace of the newe testamente but also cause y â— people the better to vnderstande the thinges red there by the mynyster and also prouoke the minyster to a more study of the thinges that he readeth leste he shoulde be found bi the iudgemeÌ„t of the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ not worthye neyther to reade nor to minister in the churche farther that suche as wold receiue the holie coÌ„munioÌ„ of the precious body bloud of Christ myght bothe heare and se playnely what is done as it was vsed in the prymatyue churche when as the abhomynation done vpoÌ„ aulters was not knowen nor y â— sacryfyce of Christes precious bloud so coÌ„culcated and trodeÌ„ vnder fote The thyrde thynge in thys praier is to be noted lest in the porte it selfe we make shyppewracke offende God in praying to whome we pray Unto hym that onlye seeth the cogitacions of out herte and can and wyl do al thynges for vs accordyngly helpe at neede punish in due seasoÌ„ which onli god caÌ„ do vnto him shuld we direct and make our praier after the examples of the Patryarckes Prophetes the Apostels who called alwaies vpon their God for such as direct otherwise theyr praiers thei fail and erre al the heauens wyde Agaynste whome speaketh Esay lxiii Iere. ii.xv. Eche xiiii And the Lorde is angry wyth hys people as Esaye sayeth Chap. ix because they turned not vnto hym that strake theÌ„ nor vnto the God of armoure And in the Prophet Ose. Chap vii They called not to me sayeth the Lorde in theire hartes And in the same place a litle after sayeth the Prophet they be retourned but not vnto y e highest So lykewyse are they no lesse to be blamed that deuyde their hartes parte vnto God and parte vnto creatures of whome speaketh Osee in the x. Chapter If these thre thynges y t Ionas vsed in y e whales bellye were vsed of the people that professe Chrystes name in oure temples blessed were we But it is al to the contrary we knowe not what prayer is nor yet wyl take the paynes to lern it The more is the petye and the more is God stirred to vengeaunce and punishement and the more cruell shal the payne be when it is executed by God As we knowe by the texte he prayed so may we know by the same how he prayed and what was the forme and manner of hys prayer That is verye requisite to be knowen marked and borne awaye The effecte and suÌ„me thereof consysteth in thre poyntes In two of y â— first verses he putteth forthe bryefly the abridgement Epitome of hys prayer Then declareth he the greatenes of his dauÌ„ger and ieopardy Thyrdly he setteth forthe the pitye and mercie of God The firste parte From my troubles I haue called vpon the Lord and he herd me from the depnes of the depest I cryed thou herdest my voyce ☞ Out of thys fyrst parte we learne two doctrines the one that we shuld not dispaire nor cleane caste of God in aduersitie The other that in aduersitie we shulde not flye nor seeke any forbydden or vnlawefull meanes of help And these two thynges obserued Ionas in this his trouble and we shuld do the same accordynge to the commaundemente of God Psalme rcix Call vpon me in the day of thy troubles and I shall heare the as he dyd at all tymes Psal. xcix And thys cry of Ionas to the Lord was rather the crye of hys herte then the noyse or sounde of his mouth as Moses was Exod. xiiii and the good womans i. Samuel i. The circumstances of true prayer obserued the Lord heareth thys faythfull prayer accordynge to hys promises Whereof all Idololatricall Byshoppes and priestes may learne if they wil forsake their Idololatrye and call vnto the Lord mercy is ready for them And if the lasciuious auaricious or couetouse gentleman or lawyer wyll acknowledge hys faulte and aske remission for it it wyll be forgeuen him And so shall it be to the commen sorte of people if they acknowledge their disobedience rebellioÌ„ treasoÌ„ pride conteÌ„pte of the superiour powers and aske mercy for it The second part of his prayer conteyneth a descripcion of his daungers that he was in after thys sorte Thou hast caste me downe depe in the middest of the sea and the fludde compassed me about yea al the waues rolles of water went ouer me I thought I had ben cast away out of thi sight but I wyll yet again loke toward thi holy teÌ„ple The waters coÌ„passed me euen to my verye lyfe the depe lay about me and the wedes wer wrapt about my head I weÌ„t doune to the botom of the hils was barred in wyth earth for euer It is the coÌ„men sort of al holy men for the moste parte in the holy scripture to make meÌ„cion in their prayers of theyr dauÌ„gers to amplify theÌ„ that their greatnes may be the vetter marked knoweÌ„ and thys is done for thre causes The one because wyth the numbrynge and rehearsall of their great dauÌ„gers they may the more inflame them selues to ardente and earnest prayer For the more a man feleth hys owne griefe the more diligente he wyll be to seeke a remedye The other is to brynge a man the more to a contempte hatred of him selfe for the greatnes of the payne declareth the enormitie and filthines of the transgression and synne The thyrde is to sette forth the power and good wyll of God that can and wyll helpe in extreme and desperate euylles and saue wyth supâ—rabundaunt mercye where as he findeth iniquitye and synne to abounde Romaines .v. and so manye tymes the slauery and miserable state of the afflicted setteth forthe the maiestie and rychenesse of Goddes mercye Math. viii ix Ihon. iiii ix Thys manne of God noted and knewe the dyspleasure of God agaynste synne but oure Ionasses slepe quietly in both eares and feleth not the paine of synne And thys securitie insensiblenes vnder the wrath of God commeth by the ignorauncie that the whole worlde is lapte in almooste as touchynge the daunger of their vocations If the cleargye the Byshoppes and pryestes woulde thynke vpon thys payne annexed vnto theire vocacyon if they do it not truelye faythfully and as they be commauÌ„ded of God Sanguinem illorum de manu tua requiraÌ„ That is to say I wyll requiere their bloud at thy hande
now Christe presente but in anye case dumme and wythout speche whyles he lyued and could speake the members of the deuil hanged hym vpon the crosse Thus was the malyce of the deuyll alwayes greate agaynst oure Sauiour Before he came into the flesh he â—ave manye beleue he was come before the time appointed by the Prophetes was exspired wheÌ„ he was come in deede then wente he aboute to perswade he was nâ—t come nor was not the Sauioure of the worlde and neuer left tyl he had kylled hym because he would not denye but that the verye true sauioure of the worlde was come And nowe that in deade he is ascended and departed from vs accordynge to the scriptures he goeth about all he can to proue hym nowe to be here so that neyther before hys cummyng into the world nor at hys beynge corporally in the worlde nor yet beynge out of the world he can not be in peace sure and safe from the assaultes and temptacions of hys and oure mortall ennemye Satan But I knowe howe the aduersaryes of the truth perswade the people maliouslye to gyue no credite to such as preach and teache the truth They saye we condemne the holy sacramente and make it of no estimacion But beliue not their slaunders and lyes but heare or read our opinion knowledge and godly estimacion we haue of the sacrameÌ„t and then Iudge and gyue sentence afterwarde And here receyue myne opinion as touchynge the forme and maner to celebrate and vse the Sacramentes ¶ The fourme and maner howe to celebrate the sacramentes IT were expediente to intreate this mater at length yf tyme would serue But yet in fewe wordes I wyl say somwhat of the sacramente of the Lordes Supper and also of Baptisme Baptisme consisteth in two partes In the worde and the elemente The worde is the preaching of the good mercifull promyses of Gods goodnes acceptyng vs into his fauour and grace for the merits of Christ. The whyche promyses be brefely comprehended in these wordes Math. xxviii I baptyse the in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy gost These woordes sheweth y e forme of Baptisme and also that only men reasonable creatures shuld be baptised Mat. xvi So is condeÌ„ned the gentilitie and supersticion that hath bene vsed in the Christenyng of bels The matter and Elemente of thys sacrament is pure water what so euer is added Oyle salte Crosse lyghtes and suche other be the inuencions of men and better it were they were abolyâ—â—â—ed then kepte in the Churche For they obscure the simplicitie and perfectnes of Christ our sauioures institucion I pray the kyngs maiestie and hys most honorable counsell to prepare a shyp as sone as maye be to sende them home agayne to theyr mother church the bosome and breast of man ¶ The form how to celebrate the Lordes supper HEre must be marked two persons y e minister and he that communicateth with the minister These muste come and assemble together as saynte Paule sayth .i. Corin. xi The dutye and offyce of the minister HE doeth best hys offyce and is best instructed to minister y â— sacramente if he in the ministracion thereof go as nere as is possible to the fyrste institucion of Christe and the Apostles For Christ was and is the wysdome of the father and the Apostles had receiued the holy gost that broughte them into all truth therefore it must nedes folowe their doyngs ministracion to be moste perfit holy and religious ¶ Howe the minister shoulde prepare hym selfe INwardly outwardly The inward preparacion is if his minde and soule be instructed furnished wyth godlye doctryne and a feruent spirit and zeale to teach hys audience to stablysh them in the truth and to exhorte them to perpende and marke wel the merites and deseruynges of Christ. The outward preparacion the more simple it is the better it is and the nerer vnto the institucion of Christ and his Apostles If he haue bred wine a table and a fayre table cloth let hym not be solicitous nor careful for the rest seyng they be no thynges broughte in by Christe but by Popes vnto whom if the kynges maiestye and hys honourable Counsaile haue good coÌ„science thei muste be restored agayne and greate shame it is for a noble kynge Emperour or Magistrate contrarye vnto Goddes word to detayne and kepe froÌ„ the deuyl or hys minister anye of theyr goodes or treasure As the Candels Uestiments 〈…〉 for if they be kept in the church as thynges indiffereÌ„t at leÌ„gth they wyl be mayntayned as thynges necessary When the minister is 〈◊〉 wel prepared with sound 〈◊〉 Godlye doctryne let hym 〈◊〉 hym self to the distruâ—â—â—â— of the bread and wyne 〈◊〉 as he gâ—ueth the breade 〈◊〉 hym breake it after the â—â—ample of Christ the shoulde â—eue the bread and not thrust 〈◊〉 into the receauers mouthe For the breaking of the bread hath a great misterie in it of y â— passion of Christ in the whych hys bodye was broken for vs and that is sygnyfyed in the breakyng of y â— breade which in no case shuld be admitted therfore let the minister breake the round bread for broken it serueth as a sacramente and not hole Christ did breake â—â— mat xâ— vi Mar. xiiii Luc. xâ—ii And saynt Paule â—ayth the breade that we break is it not y â— communion of Christes â—odye i. Cor. x. Thus shuld the perfeccioÌ„ of Christes institucion be had in honour and the memorie of the dead left out and nothing done in this sacrameÌ„t y â— had not gods word to bear it But alas God is accompted a foole for men can vse the sacrament more religiously deuoutly godly and christianly then Christ Gods sonne as it appeareth for his fourme and maner is put oute and mans deuyse and wysdome is accepted for it The dewty and office of the people THe dewti of the receauer resteth in thre partes To saye what he shuld do before the receauyng of the Sacramente what he shuld do in y â— receauing of it what after the receauyng of it Before the receauing he shuld prepare and make ready hys mynde as the commaundemeÌ„t of S. Paul is i. Cor. xi let the man proue and searche hymselfe and so forthe And thys maye be doone twoo maner of wayes Fyrst towardes God then towardes man Towardes God he shulde from the botome of hys heart confesse his faults and sinnes and acknowledge hys iust coÌ„demnacion then shuld he perswade him selfe by true and liuely fayth that God would be mercyful vnto him for y â— death of hys dere beloued soÌ„n Iesus Christ done in his body torne and in hys blud shedde He shuld prepare hym selfe towardes his neighbour also Fyrst incase he hath hurt hys neyghbour in fame or goods he shuld reconcile hym selfe agayne wyth restitucion of theÌ„ both againe He that thus prepareth hym self doth eat worthelye the bodye of Christe and he that doth not thus prepare him selfe eateth