¶ A confutacion of that Popishe and Antichristian doctryne whiche mainteineth y e ministracyon and receiuing of the sacrament vnder one kind made Dialogewise betwene the Prieste and the Prentyse by Gracyous Menewe ¶ Math. 26. Drinke ye all of this for thys is my bloude whych is of the new testamente that is shed for you for the remission of synnes To all faythfull readers that loue Chryst and his doctrine sincerely Gracyous Menew wysheth grace peace of conscience gostly strength from god the father thorowe our Lorde and sauyoure Iesu Christe SOme there bee moste Chrystian and faythful brethren whyche nowe at thys presente that true relygion goeth to wracke doe not one lye thynke but also are fullye perswaded in themselues that it is no offence at al to Communicate wyth the Papystes that so shamefullye mutilate or mangle the sacramente of the body and bloud of Chryste that they cut of and take awaye y e one halfe from the lay people contrary to the institucion and ordynaunce of the heauenly wysedome of god our sauioure Iesu Chryst. But if they woulde weygh the saying of S. Paul in the .5 Chapter to the Ephesians where he wryteth on this wyse haue no felowshyppe wyth the vnfrutefull woorkes of darkenes and agayne be not partakers of other mens synnes they would be otherwyse mynded and be dryuen cleane away from that foolyshe perswasyon of theyrs For if the cutting of manglyng or takynge awaye of halfe the sacramēt from the people of god is no vnfrutefull worke of darknes and such a synne as none other in a maner is to be compared wyth it I cānot tell what we should cal works of darkenes or what we shold nāe synne Thys is moste sure welbeloued that whatsoeuer man doeth imagyne and inuente besydes wythoute gods worde or agaynst the institucion of hym that is the only true lyghte that lighteth all men that come in to the worlde It must be mere darkenes But thys mangling of the sacrament is an inuencion of wycked men whych leauyng or rather despicynge the worde of god and ordynaunce of hys sonne Iesu Chryst our Lord folowe the madde phantasyes of their owne braynes therefore it muste nedes folowe that it is a worke of darkenes ▪ not onely vnfrutefull but also most noyesome and hurtefull ye and of all other moste pernytyous For beesydes that by it gods wrath is kyndled and hys vengeaūce prouoked they goe aboute most earnestly by this deuilishe inuentyon of theyrs to nourysh mayntayne defende and vpholde their blasphemous doctryne of transubstantiacion in the sacramente perswadyng the symple and ignoraunt people that after the wordes of consecracyon as they call it be once spoken there remayneth neyther bread nor wyne but the very true and naturall body of our sauioure Iesu Chryste flesh bloud and bones as he was borne of the virgin hangynge on the crosse dyd lie in the graue and afterwardes beeyng raysed again from the dead ascended vp into heauen and therefore say they it cannot be but that vnder the forme of breade they receyue both flesh and bloud except we would haue a body wythout bloud Thys doctryne I say goe they about to establyshe by thys theyr manglynge of the sacrament what pretense or coloure soeuer they haue besydes Therefore haue no felowshyppe wyth theyr vnfrutefull noysome and hurtful workes of darkenesse be no more partakers of their sīne lest ye be also partakers with thē of the ponyshmentes and plagues that god threateneth vnto them that preferryng theyr vnwyse and foolyshe knowledge beefore hys heauenly wysedome doe arrogantly presume and take vpon them to immutate chaunge and alter any of hys ordynaunces and lawes And that thys matter of the sacrament myght the better bee vnderstanded and the intollerable blasphemy of the manglyng therof soner espyed and perceaued I haue here compyled a small treatyse wherein all the argumentes and reasons that the Popes catholiks can bryng for the mayntenaunce of their abomynacyon are I truste so substancially confuted that theī shall not haue one woorde to saye wherein also ye shall learne howe farre they are deceaued that think it no offence to receyue wyth them that so blasphemouslye breake the lordes institucion and ordinaūce what clokes soeuer they can bryng for to cloke their synnefull doings wyth all Onely I desyer this one thyng of you that ye wil take this my rude doyng in good parte and pray wyth me that god of hys fatherly goodnes and mercy vouche safe to loke vpon our afflyctions and forgettyng our offences and the offences of our forefathers delyuer vs from thys moste myserable thraldome and captiuitye of conscience that we bee in that we may wyth a free and vpryght hart honor loue and serue hym in holynes and ryghteousnes al the dayes of our lyfe Whyche thyng wythout all peraduenture if wyth true repentaunt heartes and faythfull prayers we call vpon hym he wyll graunte vnto vs through the merytes of hys sonne Iesu Chryste oure Lord and sauiour to whō wyth the father and the holy goste be all prayse glory and honoure worlde wythoute ende Amen A confutacion of all such argumentes and reasōs as the popes catholikes doe bring for to proue the mutilate and corrupted receauyng of the sacrament vnder one kynde contrary to the Lordes institucyon and ordeynaunce made Dialogue wyse betwene the Priest and the Prentyse compyled by Gracious Menew The Pryeste WHy yonge man wyl ye not receaue y e blessed sacramēt Answere me dyrectly that I may make report to mine ordinary Prentyse Saynct Paul sayeth playnly that whosoeuer eateth of thys bread and drynketh of thys cup vnworthely doeth eate drynke hys owne damnacion And the holy father Ambrose wrytyng vpon that place or text of the Apostel sayeth playnly that they doe receyue vnworthely that doe minister or receaue the sacrament otherwyse then Chryste hath instituted and ordeyned but as ye minister it it is done otherwyse then the lorde hath appoynted and ordeyned therefore it cannot bee but an vnworthy receauinge and so consequently an eatyng and drynkyng of theyr own damnacyon that bee partakers of it Priest I would fayne know what fautes ye fynde in thys kynde of mynystracyon that is now a dais vsed in the church Prentyse First and formest the order of the holye gost is broken whyche wyll haue nothyng to be done in the congregacyon wythoute edyfyinge And what edyfyinge shall the people haue there where all thynges be done in a straunge tonge whyche scarcely the Pryest himselfe doeth vnderstande Secondly the holye goste willeth that whensoeuer we eate of that bread and drynke of y e cuppe we shoulde shewe forth the Lordes death tyll he come meaning therby that whensoeuer the Communyon is ministred y e death of Chryste and the benefytes therof shoulde be preached set forth vnto the Congregacyon whereby they should be moued to hate and abhorre synne and to geue moste earnest thankes vnto god for their deliueraunce from
is takē away in the one parte or kinde the whole is contayned For ye knowe righte well that the body of Chryst which is geuē vnto the lay people vnder y e forme of bread is not wythout blood so y t as in or vnder y e name of Christe all three persons that is to saye y e father the sonne and the holy gost ar vnderstanded so vnder y e forme of bread is both the body bloud contayned What haue ye now to say agaīst this Prentyse I haue to say thys As for the aunswere that I haue broughte out of Ireneus I dooe not greatly leane vpon it For in y e place of the Actes of the Apostles to baptize in the name of Chryste is to baptize by hys commaundement and according to his wil and institution Wherby we mai rather cōclude and gather that the Apostles dyd obserue the fourme and maner y t Christe had prescribed Els thei had not baptized in the name of Christ if they had done otherwise than Christ had commaunded thē Farthermore it is not to be thoght that the Apostles which did with such a diligence and zeale set forth the true religion dyd caste of the fourme and maner of baptizinge y t Chryst had ordayned and prescribed vnto them Besides all this when y e schoolemen as we reade in Thomas de Aquino doe consent and agree that the fourme and maner of baptising hath been in some thing chaunged and altered by the Apostles they wryte that it was done for a tyme and that by the dispensinge of the holy goste and that therefore we ought not to mak of it a perpetual lawe For why It was done to thys ende saye they that the name of Chryst myght be the more spreade abrode But this ye dooe not obserue whē ye take away the mistical cup of the communiō from the people For as ye doe it without any dispensing of the holy gost so wyl ye haue your vngodlye and blasphemouse decree to contynewe for euer Agayne the Apostles did not condemne as heretykes those that would vse the prescribed fourme maner of baptising But ye do not only condemne al the laye people as heretikes that receaue vnder both kindes but ye doe also moste cruelly burne them And who would not besides al this deteste and abhorre thys doctryne which affirmeth that it lieth in mans power to inuert turne chaunge either the mater or words of the sacrament as ye haue done most shamfully not only takyng away the cup from the people but also the wordes that are spoken vpon it whych are most wholsome and do more playnely declare and set forth the mistery of our saluacion then the wordes that are spokē vpon the bread For of or vpon y e bread it is onely sayd Thys is my body which is deliuered for you but of or vpon the cup it is sayed this cup is the newe testamente in my blood which is shedde for you and for manye vnto remission of your synnes Weyghe nowe what Godly and comfortable doctryns are here contayned in these laste wordes whyche do appertaine vnto the cup. Priest Ye haue not yet proued but that vnder the forme of bread ther is both flesh blood cōteined onles ye wil haue a bodi w tout blod Wherfore ye doe most shamefully belie vs saying that we robbe the people For they receaue asmuch vnder the one kynde as they shoulde receaue vnder both Prentise This is soone said but not so soone proued master person for ye must vnderstande that the communion of the body and bloud of Chryste in the sacrament is not y e work of nature whatsoeuer is ther deliuered vnto vs as it is offered vnto vs by or in the wordes of Christes promises so is it receaued by faith And in this externe or outwarde things God doeth most chiefly and most principally require our obedience The signes and outwarde affictiō of the ceremonies are thinges trāsitory but the word of God remaineth for euer and therfore the sacramentes muste be ministred accordynge to the rule of it Againe we receaue so much there as God hath appointed to geue vnto vs of whose will we can not be certified but only by hys worde But Chryste hath ordayned ii partes of thys sacrament saying of the one This is my body and of y e other thys is my blood meaninge therby that in the bread being worthely receaued and accordynge to Christes institucion we are made partakers of his bodye and in the wine partakers of his bloode and hath left vnto vs expresse wordes for or touchyng these thyngs therfore we must rather trust to hym than to mans sophistications or subtyll argumentes I confesse and graunte that the body of Christ whiche is in heauen is not wythout blood I doubt not but that they are both ioyned together in him I meane this is my belefe that in Chrystes natural body there is both hys fleshe bloud ioyned together But howe shal ye proue that they are bothe ioyntly ioyned together in the sacrament The fayth of the communicātes doeth in the one part amplexe embrace and take holde vpon the body of Chryst as it was hanged and nayled on the crosse wherwith we are spiritually fed And the same fayth doeth in the other parte apprehende and take holde vpon hys bloud that was shedde for our saluation and therof we doe spiritually drynke The myndes of the faythfull doeth most chefeli runne vpō these misteryes of Christes death when they doe communicate Therefore we must not now reasō how christe body is in heauē We folow gods worde and see or perceaue that it is not necessary that those thīgs which are naturally ioyned together should be ioyntly receaued together The humayn and diuine nature are in the person of Chryst ioyntly ioyned together and can in no wyse be separated one from an other yet ye wil not say that whersoeuer the Godhead is there is y e manhode also for y t wer to make y e body of Chryste infynyte and vnmesurable whyche is contrary to the nature of an humayne body The sonne of God in that he is God is founde to be euery where and filleth al thinges whiche can not be truely sayed of hys bodye More ouer al spiritual gyftes are ioyntly ioyned together in the holigoste and yet it foloweth not that whosoeuer hath the gift of prophecying hath also y e gyfte of tōgs or whoso hath y e gifte of tōges hath also the gift of prophecying Seuerite and mercy are moste ioyntlye ioyned together in God and yet when any mā receaueth euerlastīg lyfe he feleth the mercy of God not hys extreme rigoure The same might I say of many other things which though they be in thēselfes most ioyntly ioyned together yet are they geuen separatly Pryeste Here is in dede diuinite vpon dyuinite But ye haue yet sayd nothynge to that which I obiected vnto you touchinge the order of baptysme
it thorowe the death passion and bloud shedding of his sōne Iesu Chryst. But none of all these thyngs ar done Wherfore ye must confesse though ther were none other thynge amysse y t all that ye doe is moste vngodlye And who hauyng a good cōscience would be glad to agree to such an vngodlynes No man I trowe y t loueth hys soules health Priest is thys all that ye can say cōcerning thys matter Is thys al the faute that ye can fynde Ye are a wyse mā for south Ye shalbe made one of the counsell Ye shall appoynte howe and after what fashyon all thynges shalbe done and vsed in y e ministracion of thys holye sacrament Prentyse Now master persōe in thyngs that belonge to this holy and blessed sacrament we nede not to goe to man for to haue instruction in the matter for as the holy martyr S. Ciprian saieth if y e trueth wauereth or is doubted of in any poynt we ought to flye to y e originall of the lorde and to the Euangelicall and Apostolical tradition And therefore Saint Paul beeyng aboute to set forth to the churche and congregacyon of Corinthus the ryghte vse of thys sacramente goeth to the very institution it selfe saying that thyng whyche I haue receaued of y e lord I haue delyuered vnto you And thys dyd he speake .xxvi. yeares after the ascension of the lord hauīg trauailed through many countries of the world and hauyng seen many churches that the Apostles had planted in that space both in Asia and in many other regions besids Priest But I prai you now what is the institution of Chryste Prētyse The institution of Chryste is set forth at large in the xxvi chap of mathew in the xiiii chapter of Marke in the xxii of Luke and in the xi chap. of the first to the Corinthiās wher we haue these words The LORDE Iesus in the same nyght that he was betrayed toke bread and when he had geuen thankes he brake it and said Take ye and eate Thys is my body whyche is broken for you This do ye in the rememberaunce of me After the same maner also he toke the cup when supper was dō saying Thys cup is the newe testamente in my bloud Thys doe as ofte as ye drynke it in rememberaunce of me Thys faute then doe I fynde besydes all other fautes y t I haue rehearced alredye that ye robbe y e congregacion of halfe the sacramente taking awaye from them that moste treaterously the mistycall cup. Wherefore I muste nedes condemne in thys poynte your proceadynges as most vngodly and detestable And verely I cā not iudge thys to be the sacramente of the body and bloud of Chryste but rather an apishe counterfeytynge of the same seeyng that ye do besids the idolatrye and other innumerable blasphemyes that are committed about it take awaye the chefest part of it that is to say the cuppe whyche is a moste lyuely rememberaunce and playne certyficat of the free remission and forgeuenes of our synnes that we haue in the bloud of our sauyour Iesu Chryst. Therefore who hauyng one crome of godlynes in hys heart woulde not detest abhorre your doings Who beholdyng your presumptuous boldnes would not tremble quake for feare of the vengeaunce of god that he threatneth vnto all them that adde any thyng vnto hys worde or minyshe any thynge from it Or that do sacrilegeously take vpon them to alter chaunge hys institucions and ordinaūces Priest What payne is it to heare vnlearned and rude people talke Ye do not perceiue nor vnderstād why nor wherefore thys is done that is the cause that ye dooe so shamefully erre Prentyse I wold fayne heare of you some probable reason for the satisfying of my cōscience Priest Ye shal vnderstand yonge man that when the churche was yet rude it did vse both kids but afterwardes when it dyd perceaue that the one kynde myghte suffise the lay people that the errour of some myght bee stopped whyche peraduenture wold haue thought that the body of Chryste in the sacrament is geuen beeynge separated from the bloud and the bloud beeyng seuered from the body it hath ordeyned that y e Prists onelye shoulde in their masses vse both kyndes and that the one only shoulde be ministred to the lay people Dooe ye not heare nowe why and wherefore it hath been done Prentise Ye say master person that the church dyd at the begynnyng when it was yet rude vse both kyndes Woulde god we were as wel learned in thyngs that belong to true chrystyan religion as they were in the primityue churche when they folowed onely the lyghtsōe worde of god for theyr guide The churche saye ye dyd afterwardes perceaue that the one kynde was sufficient for the laite What cold I pray you your Pope catholikes see and perceyue that y e Apostles and fathers of y e primitiue church whych were all indued with so aboundant a spirite had not perceaued and seen What is our knowledge in comparison of their knowledge but mere darkenesse blīd supersticion ye say furthermore that it hath ben don to cause vs to putte awaye the erroure of them whyche peraduenture woulde beleue or thynke that the bodye of Chryste is geuen separatly from the bloud asthough the body shold syt in heauen at the ryghte hand of the father wythout bloud These bee your monsterous inuencions for no heretikes sence the cōminge of Chryste dyd euer imagine this kynde of erroure and blasphemye But graunte that there hath been such an heresye coulde it be put awaye none otherwyse but by mutilatyng mangling and deprauatīge the sacramente and takynge halfe of it awaye There maye aryse many pernycyous opynions touching that other parte whyche is leafte woulde ye therfore take it awaye cleane how muche rather oughte we to take hede that we doe in no wyse swarue from the institucyon of Chryste nor preache otherwyse then Chryste his apostles haue preached Thys oughte to bee the chiefe principle in diuinite whervnto all thynges must be resolued The Lord hath spoken this is the worde of god that remayneth for euer If we shoulde be called from it to mens constitucions and ordeīnaunces whyche are alwayes mutable we should haue no stablenes in religion but shoulde be dryuen from that whyche is moste certain and sure to that whyche is moste vncertayne and vnsure mans autorite beeyng made equall wyth gods autorite It is wrytten in the Epistle to the Galathyans if we or an aūgel from heauen shoulde preache otherwyse than ye haue heard lette him be accursed If Paul wil haue neyther aungels nor apostles to be harkened vnto if they teache anye thyng or appoynte anythyng cōtrary to the gospell shall we geue eares to a sorte of beastes y e dare presume to peruerte and altere Chrystes holy institucion in hys sacraments Priest Was not this confyrmed in the counsel of Constance And ye
whyche as ye knowe the churche doth not obserue for children are first baptised and afterwardes taught wheras Chryste commaūded first to teache and afterwards to baptise Prentise I meruayll greatly master person that ye wil aleage this as though ye would be on the Anabaptistes part that so ye myghte the better be agaynst vs and troble vs the more Why will ye not vnderstande that thys saying of Christe ought generally to be vnderstanded and taken of the Gentiles or heathē and not particularly It is most true that in the firste settinge foorth of Christendome that is to say of the Christen religion and gospell we must beginne at the doctryne For when a citie contreye or realme must be wonne to Chryst afore we come to baptisme preaching must be vsed Whyche when it is once receaued and beeleued not onelye they that be of age are baptised but also they offer their litell ones to bee baptysed That therefore that was generally commaūded of Christ ye wil bryng it to a particular baptisynge of children The Greke worde is Matheteusantes which signifieth to make disciples and to aggregat or gather vnto Chryste whyche thyng in them that are of age is dō both by doctryne and baptisme in the yonge children by baptisme only because they are not yet able to receaue the doctrine Which waye semeth to haue ben vsed in circumcision As touching Abraham y t was of a full age the doctryne went before and afterwardes the sacramēt folowed But it was not so in hys sonne Isaac And thys also is a playne trueth that in the churche the doctryne goeth before the sacraments as al men may wel perceue and see Moreouer as it hath been said before they gather not wel when they goe about to gather the order of thynges of or by the order of y e wordes For in Marke we haue of Iohn the baptist that he was in the deserte baptisyng and preaching the baptisme of repentaūce whereas no man doubteth but y t he did preache first afterwards baptyse Prieste Doe we I praye you euen when the communion is ministred as ye wil haue it doe we I say kepe and obserue that whiche Christ did in his last supper We receaue the sacramente fastynge wheras Christ did it after supper and ministred the sacramēt of his body and blood vnto his discipls when they had supped Secondlye the communion is ministred in the mornyng whereas Chryste dyd it in the eueninge nor we doe not washe eche others fete wheras Christ did both wash his disciples fete also commaunded that we should washe eche others fete I trowe I shall so laye the scriptures to you that ye shall haue at length both your bely and mouth full Prentise As touching the first it is to be consydered that Chryst did eate first the paschall lambe for his minde and wyl was after y e abolyshyng of the olde sacraments to institute and ordayne the newe And as for the tyme of the Lordes supper I confesse and graunt that the churche may vse it selfe in that poynt as it shal thinke beste or as it shall thynke moste expedyent for the glory of god and for the edifying of them that do communicate For there is no expresse commaundement of it no more thā we haue of comming to it fastynge or hauyng eaten somewhat before The commaūdements that appertaine to this sacrament are these take eate Take and drynke all of thys do thys in the rememberaunce of me let euery man examine hymselfe other lyke There is no mencyon made of the tyme nor of the place nor of the apparell nor of other suche lyke circumstaunces S. Ciprian rehearseth the causes why y e Lordes supper or communion is ministred in the mornyng the first is because the people maye better come together at that houre thā at any other tyme of the day besides for in the daye time much busines chaunceth whereby men are plucked away from the diuine seruice The seconde is because men ar at that tyme sobre and haue theyr myndes more apte to receaue and beare awaye Godlye lessons and wholsome doctryne The thirde is because the morning is a good monument or remēberaunce of the Lordes resurrection or rising agayne which thing is much auaileable to the institucion of thys sacrament Moreouer it is to bee noted y t the aunciente fathers when they obserued and kept any general fastinge beecause they tooke then no meate till nyght wer wont to haue the Communion in the eueninge for when they fasted thei gaue thēselues al the day long to prayers to hearyng of sermons to singinge of Godly Hymmes and to other lyke Godly exercises Aboute the euenyng the communion or lords supper was ministred they receued the sacrament and so eueri mā went home to take hys repaste Howbeit in Saint Augustins tyme they were wonte in manye churches vpon maundye thirsday to receaue the communion at night that so they myghte the better expresse Christes institution and doynge but I fynde that this custōe was abolyshe and put downe by the sixte counsell that was kepte at Constantinople in Trullo the Canons of whych counsell are set forth in greke wherin mentyon is made of the custome that was thē vsed in the churches of Affrica But to bee short so that y e whole sacramente be ministred and the institutyon of Chryst kept we ought not greatly to care for the time or other like circumstaunces sythens we haue no expresse commaundemente of them CHRISTE when he was baptised was .xxx. yeares olde And were it not mere foolishnesse if we woulde suffre mē to baptise none except they wer .xxx. yeares olde Priest O Lord god what a thynge is thys What a world would it be if suche younge boyes be suffered still to reade the scriptures Well what say ye to y e washing of the fete whych is altogether omitted and left Prētise I say that we ought to consyder in it two significations The one is touching remission of synnes and the clensing or purging away of y e fylthynesse of the mynde whyche is geuen vs by Chryst. And of that doeth oure sauiour speake vnto Peter saying If I washe thee not y u shalt haue no part wyth me And agayne he that is washed hath no nede but to washe hys feete And of thys washing doth S. Bernard speake very much Besydes that thys washynge was a token or sygne of Chrysten loue and of the submission of the mynde whych we oughte to vse though we be neuer so hyghly promoted in thys worlde And therefore Chryst speakyng of it sayeth ye call me master and Lorde and ye say wel for I am so If I then beyng your Lord and master haue washed your fete ye ought also to washe one an others fete By the whyche commaundement he wold signifie vnto vs that we oughte for no maner of worldly dignitie to wythdrawe our selues frō that seruice and
are to be imputed to your own foolysh superstition and not to the institucion of the lord Pryest What shal we doe with them that eyther of nature doe abhorre wyne or els by reason of their sicknes can not awaye wyth it Prentyse When there is suche necessite that the lawe canne take no place to suche kynde of menne one parte onelye of the sacrament may be geuen But neuerthelesse it can not be gathered thereof that touchynge the other that can away with wine the sacrament ought to be mutilated or halfe cut of by the lawe and decree of men For it is god that semeth to haue broughte or cast that man into this necessite wherby it foloweth that he doth not wittingly and willingly violate the sacrament SoÌ„e there be that make thys answere if any doe so abhorre wyne that they can by no meanes awaye with it suche drinke may be geuen vnto them as they can wel away with al so that the sacrament be kept whole the wordes of the Lorde fully rehearced Priest But Chryst hath not so instituted and ordeyned therefore they that shoulde dooe sa shoulde breake the Lordes institucion Prentise This aunswere they wyl make that Chryste dyd vse that kinde of drinke that menne coulde awaye withall and that did agree with them that receaued it that therfore they swarue not from the institucion of Chryste when they minister to all men that kynde of drynke that thei can brooke For in so doing they seeme rather to submitte themselues to the inbecillite and weakenesse of theyr brethren than to violate the sacramente To thys may I adde that if a man caÌ„ not receaue the sacrament as christ hath instituted he shold altogether refrayne from it For if he doeth desier it and beleue he shal lose no fruite or profit thereof but it shalbe imputed vnto hym as though he had receaued it As if a man shold earnestly desier to be baptised and cold not obtaiÌ„e it it would be imputed vnto hym as if he had been baptised in very dede But we may not because of suche rare and seldome chaunces cut away halfe the sacrament Pryeste I perceaue that ye seke nothing els but mere confusion that ye wyl haue no honor to be geuen to the ministers Prentyse The dignite of the ministers consisteth not in thys that they shoulde receaue .2 partes of y e sacrament and the lay people but one or that they should receaue a greater cake than the common sort of the people that doe communicat wyth them Paul in hys firste Epystel to Timothe and in hys Epystell to Titus doeth sufficiently describe the godly qualites of the ministers wherein consisteth theyr dignitye And agayne wrytyng to Timothe he sayeth that the elders are worthy of double honour when they rule wel and laboure in the word of god Pryeste I am almost weary to talke wyth you ye are so obstinate I perceaue that ye wyl in no wyse yelde to your betters but are full of wordes and of vnlearned contention Prentyse I doe froÌ„ my very heart detest and abhorre vaine wordes and vngodly contencion but that I shoulde in thys matter yelde to you I see not yet why I shoulde doe it For besydes all other reasons argumentes and autorites of the Scriptures that haue beeÌ„ alleged hetherto thys I doe reade in the .3 to the Galathians that though it be but a mans testament if it be alowed no man despyseth it or addeth any thyng thereto how much lesse oughte menne to be so temeraâ—ious and rashe as for to adde any thyng to y e testameÌ„t of Christ MeÌ„ beeyng frayle and mortall do only in their testamentes bequeathe earthly thinges but Christ which is God almightye bequeatheth to hys churche his heauenlye sacramentes which apperteine vnto euerlasting lyfe Therefore it is an intollerable presumption that man being but a worme of the earth should alter any thyng in hys testamente Beesydes thys al the vniuersal church through the whole world dyd neuer in the ryght administracion of the sacramente swarue from the institution of Chryste til y e moste disloial and vnfaythfull consell y t was kept at CoÌ„staunce about .120 yeares ago in which diuelish couÌ„cel these .2 notable and godly learned men Iohn Husse and Hieronymus de Praga were most treacherously burnt for speakyng agaynst thys moste horrible prophanation of the sacramente What should I here speake of the auncieÌ„t fathers who did alwaies from their verye heart abhorre to swarue any thing in this sacrament from the institution and ordeynaunce of Chryste We haue a Canon of Gelasyus which is written de consecratioÌ„e distinctioÌ„e .2 capiÌ„ Comperimus there some are rebuked because y t they receauinge a portion of the Lordes body dyd altogether abstayne from the cup of the Lordes blood Which thyng he calleth supersticious commaundynge them eyther to take the whole sacramente or to abstayne from the whole For sayth he it is a playne sacriledge or robbing of Gods glory y t they shoulde be seuered or separated Pryeste That Canon is to bee vnderstanded of the Priests wheÌ„ they say masse For they are bouÌ„de to receaue both kyndes Prentyse Thys cannot bee gathered of the words of thys holy bishoppe For there playne mencion is made of y e communicantes and of them that shoulde be put from the sacrameÌ„ts whyche thynges can bee applyed but onely to those to whom the sacrament is ministred Moreouer it is not written in the Canon that any iniury is done to the sacrifice but to the sacrament For sayth he no diuision of that one onely misterye can be done wythoute greate sacriledge or intollerable robberye of the glory of god Sith then ye minister the sacrament to the lay people vnder one kynde making a shamefull diuisioÌ„ of thys sacramente ye can not excuse your selues but that ye coÌ„myt playne and manifest sacriledge Chrisostome in the .18 Homilye vpon the seconde Epistell to the Corinthians wryteth that there be certaine things wherin the priest differeth nothynge from the laye man As in receauinge of the dreadefull misteryes It is not with vs as in the olde lawe where one parte of the sacrifice was geuen to the Pryeste and an other to him that did offer but to vs all sayeth he one onely and the same bodye of Chryste is geuen and one onelye and the same cup. Ciprian in hys .2 booke and .3 Epistell proueth that we oughte in no wyse to swarue in thys sacrameÌ„t from the institucion of Christ where among all other thynges he reherceth these .3 principal points firste howe in thys matter Christ onely ought to be harkened vnto Agayne howe we oughte not to care what other haue done afore vs but what Chryste who was before all hath done himself or willeth vs to doe last of al how they that doe otherwyse thaÌ„ christ did doe in vayne worshippe God wyth the doctrynes and preceptes of men Priest O
good God what a thyng is it to reade any authour after thys sorte not weyghynge y e circumstaunces of the places Cyprian doeth not speake of this thīg that we haue nowe in hande but there he disputeth against certain sectes y t be called Aquarii whiche vsed water in the Lordes cup instede of wyne Thys faute doth he there speak agaynst and not agaynst y e takinge away of the one part of thys sacrament from the lay people Prētis But I saye that ye offende more 〈◊〉 agaynst the instytucion of Chryst in the sacramente than these waterlynges did for althogh they vsed water for wyne yet dyd they not vtterly put away the one part of the sacrament They did stil kepe the very wordes that apperteīe to y e cup onely thei did chaūge the elemente But ye doe moste treaterouslye take awaye from the laye people both the whole cuppe and also the wordes that appertayne vnto it Secondely I graunte that Cipryans disputacion wherin he confuteth the waterlings is particular but the argumentes and reasons that he doeth vse are vniuersall y t is to say how in the sacramente of the body and bloud of Christ we ought in no wyse to swarue from Chrystes institucion Wherevpon I conclude that it is in no wise lawful to take away the misticall cup from the communion Priest Ciprian writeth these thīgs only of them that did offer therefore this place appertaineth nothing to the communion Prentise I wonder y t your witte is so grosse that ye can not see how the sacrifices of the auncient fathers in Ciprians tyme did in nothyng dyfferre from the communion there were no priuate masses vsed amōg them for they dyd afterwardes crepe in to the greate hinderaunce of the true religion Priest Then bee like there was some kynde of masse in Ciprians tyme. Therfore they that say that it is a birde of late yeares do most shamefully belie vs. Prentyse I wyll not now reason of that mater wyth you For there is a booke whych I truste shal shortly come abroade in print wherin al thynges concernyng your cursed masse ar so plaīly discussed and set forth that your Pope catholikes whiche nowe at thys tyme are so bragge shall not haue one worde to speake Pryest Wel are ye at thys poynte that ye wyl not receaue at all now at thys blessed tyme Prentyse I haue tolde you my mynde master person what I intende to dooe Prieste So shal ye bryng your selfe into trouble and not preuayll Prentyse If it be the pleasure of God to bryng me into any trouble for hys sonne Iesu Chrystes sake or for his truethes sake I am assured that he wil not suffer me to be tempted aboue mi strength but wyl in the middest of my temptation make awaye that I maye be able to beare it that is to saye thys doe I beleue that God wil of his infinite goodnesse measure hys crosse accordyng to my strengthe Loke what I am able to bear that wyl hys fatherly and most mercyfull goodnesse laye vpon my sholders if it be expedient for his glory for the edifying of hys churche and for the saluacion of my soule and if it be his Godlye pleasure to encrease hys crosse vpon me he wyll also encrease my strength In the meane ceason I know thys to be moste sure that it is not the way to eschewe trouble to flee frō God or to swarue frō his trueth but rather it is the way and meane to bryng my selfe into a much greater trouble bothe in thys worlde here and also in the worlde to come And speciallye for thys matter of the sacrament that now we haue in handlyng I doubt not but that God will of hys ryghteous iudgemente plage thys wicked worlde wyth great and horrible plagues For if the Corinthians that kepte Chrystes holy institucion whole were neuerthelesse bee cause they misused thēselues in the receauing of the sacrament so sore punyshed wyth syckenesse newe diseases pestilences what oughte they to looke for at the ryghteous iudgement of God that so blasphemously prophanate hys sacramentes takyng away moste sacrilegeouslye not only the one halfe of the matter that the sacramentes are made of but also the very wordes of the institution Truely all the plagues that doe dayly chaunce vnto vs as tumulte sedicion rebellions insurrections famyne and extreme hunger derth and scarcenesse of al maner of thynges with innumerable kyndes of newe diseases that dayly spryng vp emong vs oughte to be imputed to none other thynge but to thys prophane mutilatyon or manglyng of the sacramente Priest And did not al these plags happen vnto vs when ye had the sacrament ministred vnder both kyndes What tumultes and insurrectyons haue we had in that short tyme that all thynges were as ye woulde haue them What dearth and scarcenesse of victualles haue we had euer since Whereunto shal we impute these thynges Did not besydes all thys all the chiefe autors of your religion come to an ill ende recken Anne Boleyne Crōewel the duke of Somerset y e duke of Northumberland and the duke of Suffolke that I shoulde in the meane ceason passe them ouer that haue been burnt as most shamefull heretykes Therefore yong man looke better to your selfe weigh consyder these thinges better in your mind and returne by tymes least ye repente your selfe at length of thys your sticneckednesse Prentyse I graunte that we haue had tumultes and insurrectyons in that shorte tyme that true relygyon was vp but who wer the authors of them Were they not a sorte of rebellyous Papystes that caused the insurrectyon in y e weast parte of Englande for to haue put downe true relygyon and Gods worde As for them of Northfolke it is not vnknowē what was y e cause of their rising And no doubte it is but that there were many chyldren of Belliall amonge them that prycked them forewardes as the deuil is alwayes busye to sowe sedicion and to moue mens hartes to rebellion but most specially when he seeth that the world falleth awaye from him by the preachyng of y e worde of god Then doth he bestirre himself seekyng all meanes possible to brīg the gospel into a suspicion or gelousye and to make men to beeleue that it is a sedicious doctryne that so by that meane he may enioy his possession stil. As long as the world sitteth in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death runnyng headlong for lack of the light of goddes worde into perdycyon the deuill is quiete enoughe ye shall heare but of few tumultes For why he is then in peasable possession of the worlde what nedeth he to make any thyng adoe And as for the derth and scarcenes of victualles y t we haue had euer since whervnto shal we impute y e same but to a sort of Cormarands which vnder the cloke of Goddes worde hyded theyr treaterouse couetousnesse For thankes bee vnto God there hath ben always great plentie in