they muâ—te nedes haue a signe token sacrament or comen badge by the w c they may knowe eche other And ther ys no defference betwene a signe or a badge and a sacrameÌ„t but that the sacrament sygnifyeth anÌ„ holy thinge and a signe or a badge dothe signyâ—ie a wordly thinge as s. AusteÌ„â—ayeth signes wheÌ„ they are referred to holy thiÌ„ges are called sacrameÌ„tes The secoÌ„de cause of their institucyon ys that they may be a meane to brynge vs vnto hys fayth and to enprent yt the deê‘ in vs for yt doth costomably the more move a man to beleve wheÌ„ he ê‘ceyvyth the thynge expressed to diuerse senses at once as by exaÌ„ple yf I promise a man to mete hym at a day apoynted he wyll somwhat truste my worde Notwtstondynge he trustyth not so moche vnto yt as yf I did both promise hym with my worde allso clape handes w t hym or holde vp my fynger for he counteth that this promiseys strong more faythefull then ys the bare worde because yt moveth mo senses For the worde doth but only certifie the thynge vnto a man by the sense of herynge but wheÌ„ w t my promise immediatly after I holde vp my fynger then do I not only certifye hym by the sense of hearynge But allso bâ— hys sight he perceyvyth that that facte confyrmeth my worde And in the clapynge of handes he perceyvyth both by hys sight and fealyng be side the word that I wyll fullfyll my promise And lykewise yt ys in this sacramente Christ promised them that he wolde geve hys bodye to be slayne for their synnes And for to establishe the faythe of this promise in them he did institute the sacrameÌ„t w c he called hys bodye to th entent that the very name yt selfe might put them in remâ—mbraÌ„ce what was ment by yt he brake the brode before them signifying vnto theÌ„ outwardly evyn the same thynge that he by his wordes hade before ê“tested evyn as his wordes hade enformed theÌ„ by their hearynge that he entended so to do so the brekynge of that brede enformed their ye sight that he wolde fullfyll hys promise Then he dide distribute yt amonge theÌ„ to enprynt the mater more depely in them signifinig therbye that evyn as that brede was devidid amonge them so should hys bodie and frute of his passyon be distributed vnto as manye as beleved his wordes Finaly he caused them â—o eate yt that nothynge shoulde be lackynge to coÌ„fyrme that necessarye poynt of faythe in theÌ„ signifyinge therbye that as verely as they fellte that brede wtin them so sure should they be of hys bodye thorough fayth And that evyn as that brede doth norishe tâ—e bodye so dothe the fayth in hys bodye breakynge norishe the soule vnto ever lastynge lyffe This did our mercyfull saviour w c knowyth our fraylte weakenes to establishe aÌ„d strenghth their faâ—th in hys bodye breakynge blode shedynge w c ys our shoteanker and laste refuge w t oute w c we shoulde all perishe The thâ—rd cause the instâ—tucyon profit that comythe of yt ys this They that haue receyved thes blessyd tidynges and worde of helth do love to publishe this felicite vnto other men And to geve thaÌ„kys before the face of the congregacyoÌ„ vnto their bountteons benefactour and as moche as in them ys to drawe all people to the praisinge of God with them which thinge though yt be partly doÌ„ by the prechynge of goddes worde fructefull exhortacyons yet dothe that visible token sacramente yf a man vnderstond what ys ment therbye more effectuously worke in them both fayth and thankisgeuynge then doth the bare worde but yf a man wot not what yt meaneth and seketh helthe in the sacrament and outeward signe then may he well be lykened vnto a fonde fellow which when he ys very drye and an honest man shewe hym an alepole tell hym that ther ys good ale ynough wolde goo and sucke the ale pole trustynge to get drynke oute of yt and so to quenche hys thurste Now a wise man wyll tell hym that he playeth the fole for the ale pole doth but signifie that ther ys good ale in the howse where the alepole stondyth and wyll tell hym that he must goo nere the howse and there he shall fynde the drynke not stond suckynge the alepole in vayne For yt shall not ease hym but rather make hym more drie for the ale pole doth signifie good ale yet the ale pole yt sellfe ys no good ale nother ys there ony good ale in the alepole And lykewise yt ys in all sacramentes For yf we vndersâ—ond not what they meane and seke helth in the outeward signe then we sucke the alepole labour in vayne But yf we do vnderstond the meanynge of them than shall we seke what they signifye and go to the signyficacions ther shall we fynde vndoubted helth As to oure purpose in thys sacrament wherof we speake we muste note what yt signyfyeth and ther shall we fynde oure redempcyon It signifyeth that Christys bodye was broken vppon the crosse to redeme vs from the thrauldom of the deuell and that hys blode was shed for vs to washe oure synnes Therfore we mâ—ste ruÌ„ne thider yf we wyll be eased For yf we thynke to haue our synnes forgeuyn for eatynge of the sacrament or for seinge the sacrament onece a day or for prayinge vnto yt then suerly we sucke the alepole And of thys yow may perceyue what profyt comyth of thes sacramentes the which ether haue no signyficacyons put vnto them or els when ther sygnifycacions ar loste and forgotten For then no doubt they are not commended of God but are rather abhomynable for whan we knowe not what they meane then seke we helth in the outward dede and so are iniuryous vnto Christe and hys blode As by example the sacrifices of the Iewys were well alowed accepted of God as longe as they vsed them aryght and vnderstode by them the deth of Chryste the shedynge of hys bloude that holy oblacyon offered on the crosse once for euer But when they begon to forgett thys significacion aÌ„d sought there helthe rightwisnes in the bodely worke in the sacrifice ytsellfe theÌ„ were they abhominable in the sight of God and then he cryed oute of theÌ„ bothe by the ê“phet Dauid and Isaye And likewise yt ys w t our sacrameÌ„tes let vs therfore seke vp the significacioÌ„s and goo to the very thinge w c the sacrament ys set to presâ—nt vnto vs. And ther shall we synde suchâ— frutefull foode as shall never fayle vs but comâ—ort our soules in to lyff euerlastynge Now wyll I in order answer to master moâ—es boke and as I fynde occasion gevyn me I shaâ—l indevoure my sellfe to supply that thynge w c lacked in the fyrste treatise I trust I shall shâ—we suche lyght that all men whose eyes the prence of thys worlde hath not blynded shall ê‘ceyve the truthe of the
Christ did institute this sacrament and knowe that yt was to put vs in remembraunce of hys bodye breakynge bloud sheding that we might geue him thankes for yt and be as sure of yt thorough faith accordinge to his promises as we are sure of the brede bâ—eatinge of yt yf as I saye ye remember this thynge for w c intent only the preste speaketh those wordes then yf the prest leue oute those wordes or parte therof he can not hurte you For you haue all readie the effecte aÌ„d finall purpose for the w c he shuld speake theÌ„ And againe yf he shuld whollie altre theÌ„ yet he caÌ„ not deceiue you For then ye be sure that he is a lyear aÌ„d though you se the prest brynge you the wine vncoÌ„secrated yet neuer sticke at that For as surelye shall yt certifie youre coÌ„science and outwarde senses â—hough he coÌ„secrate yt not so thou coÌ„secrate yt thâ— sellfâ— that ys to saye so thou know what ys ment therbye and geue hym thaÌ„kes as though he made a thoussand blessynges ouer yt And so I saye that yt is euer consecrated in hys harte that beleueth though the prest coÌ„secrate yt not And contrarye wyse yf they coÌ„secrate yt neuer so muche â— and thy coÌ„secracion be not bye yt helpeth the not a rishe For except thou knowe what ys ment therby and beleue geuinge thankes for his bodye breakinge and bloudshedynge yt can not profyte the. Nowe where you saye that yf we se the thinge disordered by the prest Christes institucyon broken wyttinglye receyue yt we make our selffes partakers of the cryme I answer that yf the reformacyon therof laye in our haÌ„des then sayd you trouth but sith this ys writin to priuate parsones w c maye not reforme this mater and that the reformacyoÌ„ therof reasteth onlye in the hande of your prince aÌ„d parliament for the erroure coÌ„sisteth not in the misorderyng of the mater by one prest onlie but rather of the doctrine of theÌ„ all sauyng suche as god hath lightened to thes pÌ„uate ê‘sons I saye that youre doctrine shuld soner be the occasion of an insurrexion w c we labour to eshew then â—ny quietinge of them by Christes doctrine And therfore syth there ys an other waye to wode sauyng all vpright we wyll auoyde that parylous pathe But when ye se Christes institucyon broken and y â— one kynd left out vnto y e laye peple why ar ye partaker therof How be yt as for his beleue that taketh yt no better but fore bare bred wine yt maketh him lytell matter coÌ„secrated or not sauynge that the better yt is consecrated the more yt is euer noyous to him that receyuyth yt hauinge his coÌ„sciens combred w t suche an execrable heresie by w c well aperreth that he putteth no defference betwene the bodye of our lorde in the blessed sacrament and the comon brede that he eatyth at hys dynner But rather he estemeth yt lesse For the tone yet I thynke or he begyn yf he lacke a prest he wyll blesse yt hym sellfe the tother he careth not as he sayeth whether yt be blessed or no. What I reaken yt more then bred and wyne I wyll shew you here after in declarynge the mynde of S. paule vppon thys sacrament and that in the conclusion of this boke And in the meane season I will saye no more but that he be lyeth me And as for there blessinges coÌ„secracion profite not me except I coÌ„secrate yt my selfe with fayth in Christes bloude and with geuynge hym prayse and thankes for hys inestimable goodnes which when I was his enemie reconciled me vnto his father bi his owin deth This consecracyâ—â— muste I set by yt yf I will haue any profyete of his deth w c the sacrament representeth vnto me And yf I my self do thus consecrate yt then shall I be sure of the frute of his deth And I saye againe that as the prestes do now vse to coÌ„secrrate yt yt helpeth not the poore comeÌ„s of a rishe For there coÌ„secracioÌ„ shuld stonde in preachinge vnto theÌ„ the dethe of christe w c hath delyuered them oute of the Egypt of synne and from the fyry fornace of Pharo the deuell And as for theyr wagginge of ther fingers ouer yt and sayng vi or .vij. wordes in laten helpeth them nothing at all for how can they beleue by the meanes of his wordes wheÌ„ they knowe not what he sayeth And as touchinge the comen breade that I eate at my dynner whether I haue a preste or not I blysse yt w t my harte and not w t my fyngers and hartely geue God thankes for yt For yf I haue an hundreth prestes to blesse yt yet am not I excused therbye For except I blesse yt my sellfe yt profiteth me no more then yf yt were vnblessed And yf I blesse yt my sellfe than I care not what the preste prate For as longe as I vnderstonde hym not yt profiteth me nothinge But in good faieth I wene the bushoppes ther proctoure wâ—te not what a blessinge meaneth Therfore deare brethern hearkyn to me To blysse god ys to geue him praise and thankes for his benefites to blisse a kynge or a prence is to thanke him for hys kindenes and to praye to god for hym that he maye longe reigne to the lawde of god aÌ„d welth of his coÌ„mens To blisse a mans neyghboure ys to praye for him and to doo hym good To blisse my brede or meate is to geue god thaÌ„kes for yt To blysse my sellfe is to geue god thaÌ„ke for the great benefites that I haue receyued oâ— him to pray god that of his infinite goodnes he will increase those gyftes that he hath geuin me and fynishe his worke w c he hath begon in me vnto his lawde and prayse and as touching this fleshe to fullfyll his will in yt and not to spare yt but scorge cut and burne yt onlye that yt maye be to his honore and glorie This ys the forme of blessynge and not to wage two fyngers ouer them But a lacke of thys blessing our bushoppes be ignorant But as for those that are good and faythfull folke and haue any grace or any sparcle of reason iÌ„ there hedes wyll I verely thiÌ„ke neuer be so farre ouer sene as in this article the trouth wherof god hath him sellfe testified by as many open miracles as euer he testified any one to beleue this yonge man vppon his baren reasons agaynste the faithe and reason both of alâ— olde holy wryteres and all good christen people thys xv C. yeres As for the miracles I meruell not at them neither may they make me the soner to beleue yt for Christe told vs before that suche delusions shuld come that yf yt were possible the very electe shuld be deceyued by them And s. Paule exorteth vs to be ware of suche signes wonders And therfore I doo as moses teacheth me
were els fre and the thynge indifferent thys knowelege because yt was not annexed wyth charyte was the occasyon of great offendyng For by reason therof they sate downe amonge the gentyles at there feastes Wher they eate in the honour of their Idolles and so dyd not onlye wounde the conscyens of their weake bretherne but also committed Idolatrye in dede And therfore s. paule sayd vnto theÌ„ My deare beloued fle froÌ„ worshyppinge of idolles I speake vnto thâ— w c haue discrecioÌ„ Iudge ye what I saye Ys not the cup of blessing w c we blysse the fellowship of the bloude of christe ys not the brede w c we breake the fâ—llowship of the bodie of Christe For we though we be manye are yet one bred and one bodye in as moche as we are partakers of one bred Christ did calle hym sellfe bred and the brede hys bodye And here Paule calleth vs bred the brede our bodye Now maye you not take Paule that he in this place shuld derectly expound Christis mynde And that the verie exposicion of Christes wordes wheÌ„ he sayd this is my bodye shuld be that yt was the fellowship of his bodye as some saie w c sekynge the kaye in this place of paule locke them sellffes so faste in that they can fynde no waye oute For Christe spake those wordes of his owyn bodye w c shulde be geuyn for vs but the fellowship of Christes dodye or congregacyoÌ„ was not geuyn for vs. And so he ment not as Pâ—ule here sayeth but ment hys owyn bodye For as Paule calleth the bred oure bodye for a certayne propertie euyn so doth Chryste calle yt his bodye for certayne other properties In that the brede was broken yt was christes owyn bodye signifying that as that bred was broken so shulde his bodye be brokyn for vs. In that yt was distributed vnto his disciples yt was his owyn bodie signifyinge that as verelye as that bred was destribâ—ted vnto them so verelye shulde the deth of his bodie and frutte of his passioÌ„ be distributed to all faithfull folke In that the bred strengtheneth oure bodies yt is his owin bodye signiyfing that as owre bodies are strengthened aÌ„d coÌ„forted by bred so are owre sowles by the faith in his bodie brekiÌ„g And likewise of the wyne in that yt was so distribâ—ted and so coÌ„forteth vs and maketh vs merye Furthermore the bred and wine haue a nother propertie for the w c yt is called our bodie For in that the bred is made one brede of manie graynes or cornes yt is our bodie signifieng that we though we be manie are made one brede that is to saye one bodie And in that the wine is made one wyne of manye grapes yt is our bodye signifieng that though we are manie yet in christe and thorough Christe we are made one bodie and membres to eche other But in this thinge Paulle and Christe agre For as Paule calleth the brede oure bodye and vs the brâ—d because of this propertie that yt is made one of manie euin so doth Christe call yt his bodye because of the ê“pertyes before rehersed Furthermore in this they agre that as Paulles wordes muste be taken spuÌ„allye for I thinke there is no man so mad as to Iudge that the bred is our bodye in dede although in that proê‘tie yt repÌ„senteth our bodie Euyn so muste Christes wordes be vnderstond spirituallye that in thosse properties yt representeth his verye bodie Now when we come to gether to receyue this brede then by the receyuing of yt in the congregacion we do openlye testifie that we all w c receyue yt are one bodye ê“fessing one god one faith one baptyme and that the bodie of Christe was broken and his bloude shed for remission of oure sinnes Now sith we so do we maye not a coÌ„panye nor sit in the congregacion or fellowship of theÌ„ that offer vnto ydolles and eate before them For as Paule sayeth ye can not drinke the cupe of the lorde and the cupe of the deuells ye can not be partakers of the table of the lorde and of the table of the deuylles I wold not that you shuld haue felowship w t deuelles The hethen whiche offerred vnto Idolles were the fellowship of deuellis not because they eate the deuelles bodye or draÌ„ke the deueles bloude but because they beleued put their confydens in the ydole or deuill as iÌ„ their god and all that were of that faith hade their ceremonies gaue hart ye thaÌ„kes to their god w t that feaste w c they kept They came to one place brougâ—t their meate before the Idole offered yt And w t their offering gaue vnto the deuill godlye honour And then they sate downe and eate the offeryng to gether geuyng prayse and thankes vnto their God and were one bodye and one fellowship of the deuell whyche they testiffye by eating of that offeringe before that idolle Now dothe s Paule reprehend the CorinthiaÌ„s for berynge the gyntiles coÌ„panie in eatinge before the idolle For they knowe that the meate was like other meate And therfore though them sellues fre to eate yt or leue yt But they ê‘ceyued not that that congregacyon was the fellowship of deuelles w c were there gathered not for the meate sake but for to thaÌ„ke and prayse the ydolle their God in whom they had their confidence And all that there assembled aÌ„d did there eate did openly testifye that they all were one bodie professynge one faith in theyr god that ydolle So pauie rebuked them for because that bâ— their eating in that place aÌ„d fellowship they testified openlye that they were of the deuelys bodye reioysed in the ydolle their god in whom they had fayth and coÌ„fidence And therfore sayth paule that they can not both drinke the cupe of the lorde testifynge hym to be their God in whom onlye they haue truste and â—iauÌ„ce and the cupe of the deuell testifyinge the Idolle to be their god and refuge Here you maye note that the meate the eatinge of yt in this place fellowship is more then the comoÌ„ meate eating in othâ—r places For elâ— they might lawfullye haue dronken the deuelles cup wyth them the one daye and the cup of the lorde the next daye w t hys disciples What was yt more verelye yt was meate w c by the eatinge of yt in that place and fellowship did testifie openlye vnto all meÌ„ that he was ther god whosâ—e cup they dranke and before whom they eate in that fellowshyp and so in their eatynge they praysed and honored the idole And therfore they that had their trusâ—e in the leuinge god and in the bloude of hys sonne Christ myght not eate with them And likewise yt ys in the saâ—rament the brede and the eatinge of yt in the place and fellowship where yt ys â—eceyued ys more then comen bred What ys yt more Uerelye yt ys brede which by the eatinge of yt in that place
downe and wepte before the lorde and fasted that day vntyll evyn and asked hym agayne whether they shulde any more fight agaynst theyr brethern or not God sayd vnto theÌ„ yes â— to morow I will deliuer theÌ„ in to your haÌ„des And the nâ—xt day was the trybe of beniamin vtterly distroyed sauyng .600 men whych hyd them selves in the wildernes Here yt ys evydent that the chylderne of Israell loste the victorye twise and yet not with sonding had a iuâ—â—e cause and faught at goddes commandement Besides that Iudas machabeus was slayne in a ryghtwyse cause as yt ys manyfest in the fyrst boke of the Machabâ—es And therfore yt can be no euydent argument of the vengâ—aunce of GOD that he was slayne in baâ—ayle in a ryghtwise cause and therfore me thinketh that this man ys to malaparte so bluntly to enter in to Goddes Iudgâ—ment and geue sentence in that mater before he be caulled to counsell Thus â—aue I sufficiently touched hys preface for those pointes that â—e afterward touched more largâ—ly haue I wyllyngly passed be cause I shall touche thâ—m â—rnestly here after Nowe lett vs se what he proueth ¶ It ys a great wonder to see vppon how light sleight occasions he ys fallen vnto thes abhomynable heresyesâ—â—or he deâ—yeth not nor can not say nay â— but that our sauyour sayd him selfe my fleshe ys verely meaâ—e and my blode ys verely â—rynke he denyeth not allso that Christ hym sellfe at hys last souper taâ—ynge the brâ—de in to hys blessed handes after that he had blessâ—d yt sayd vnto hâ—s disciplesâ— Take yow thys and eate yt thys ys my bodye â— that shal be geuyn for yow And lykewise gaue them the chalece after hys blessyng and consecracyon and sayd vnto them thys ys the chalice of my bloude of the new testament whyche shal be shed oute for many do ye thys yn remembrance of me ¶ It ys a great wounder to see howe ygnoraunt theyr proctour ys in the playne textes of scrypture For yf he had any Iudgement at all he might well perceyue that when Chryste spake thes wordes my fleshe ys verely meate and my bloude ys verely drynke he spake nothynge of the sacrament For yt was not institute vntyll hys laste souper And these wordes were spokyn to the Iewys longe before and meÌ„t theÌ„ not of the carnall eatynge or drynkynge of hys bodye or bloude but of the spirituall â—atynge which is done by faythe aÌ„d not with tothe or bellye Wher of Saint Austyn sayeth vppoÌ„ this gospell of IohnÌ„ whi preparest thou other tothe or bellyeâ— beleue and thou haste eatyn hym So that chrystys wordes muâ—t here be vnderstonde spiritualy And that he cauleth hys fleshe very meat because that as meate by the eatyng of yt and disgestyng yt in our bodye dothe strengthen thes corruptyble membres so lykewise doth christes fâ—eshe by the belâ—uynge that yt taketh our synne vppoÌ„ yt selfe aÌ„d suffered the dâ—th to delyuer vs aÌ„d strengtheÌ„ our immortall soule And lykewise as drynke when yt ys dronkyn doth comforte and quickyn our frayâ—e nature So lykewise doth Christes bloude by the drynkinge of yt in to the bouwells of our soâ—le that ys by the beleuyng and remâ—mbryng that yt ys shed â—or oure synnes comforte and quicken our soule vnto euerlastyng lyffe And this ys the eatyng and drynkyng that he speakyth of in that place And that yt ys so yow may perceyue by the text followyng which sayth he that eatyth my bodie aÌ„d drynketh my bloude dwellyth in me aÌ„d I in hym which ys not possible to be vndersâ—onden of the sacrameÌ„t For it is falsâ— to say that he that eateth the sacrameÌ„t of his bodye and drynketh the sacrameÌ„t of hys bloude dwelleth in christe christâ— in hym For some man recâ—yueth yt vnto his condempnacion And thus doth S. Austen expound yt sayingâ— Hoc est enim Christum manducare in illo manere illum manentem inseâ—aâ—ere This ys the very eatinge of Christ to dwell in hym and to haue hym dwelling in vs So that who so euer dwellith in Christ that ys to saye beleueth that he is sent of God to saue vs from our sinnes doth verely eate drinke his bodie and bloude although he neuer receyued the sacrament This is the spuÌ„all â—aâ—ing necessarie for all that shal be saued for there is no man that â—â—mith to God wtoâ—te this eating of Christ that is the bâ—leuing in hym And so I deney â—ot but that Christ speaketh thes wordâ—s but surelye he ment spiritually â— as s. Austen declareth and as the place playnly proueth And as touching the other wordâ—s that Christe spake vnto his disciples at the laste souê‘ I deney not but that he sayd so but that he so flesly ment as ye falsely faine I vtterley deney For I saye that his wordes wâ—re then allso sprite and liff and were spirituallyâ— to be vnderstoÌ„den and that he called yt his bodie For a certaine propartie euyn as he câ—lled him self a vâ—ry vine and his disciples very vine braunches aÌ„d as he called him sellffe a doremot that he was so in dede â— but for certayne propertâ—es â—n the sâ—militudes as a man for some proê‘tie saieth of his neâ—gâ—bours horsse this horsse is myn vp downe meaning that yt is in euery thinge so lyke And lyke as Iaâ—ob buylded anÌ„ aulter and caulled yt the God of Israell and as Iacob called the place where he wrasteled w t the angell the face of god and as the pascal laÌ„be was caulled the passing bye of the lorde And as a brokyn potsherd was caulled Hierusalem not for that they were so in dede but for certayne similitudes in the properties and that the very name yt selâ—fe might put men in remembrance what ys mâ—nt by the thing as I suffeciently declared in my fiâ—ste treatise He muste nedes confesse that they â—haâ— beleue that yt is the very bodie and his very bloude in dede haue the playne wordes of our sauiour hym sellfe vppon ther syde for the grouÌ„de and foundacâ—on of ther fayth That is very true and so haue they the very wordes of god which saye a brokeÌ„ pottsherd ys Hierusalem and that Christe is a stone aÌ„d that Christe is a vine and a dore And yett yff they should beleue or thinkâ— that he were in dede any of thesse thingâ—s they were neuerthelesse deceyued For though he so sayd yet I saye his wordes were spirituall spiritually to be vnderstoÌ„d And were yow saye that I flye from the faythe of playne and open scriptures and for the allygorie destroie the true sence of the letter I answer that some textes of scripture are onlye to be vnderstonden after the letter As wheÌ„ Paulle sayth Christ died for our synnes and arose agayne for our iustification And some textes are only to be vnderstond spuÌ„ally or in the waye of an allegorye As when Paule sayeth Christe was the stone and when Christe sayth
the which dooth represent his bodye as though he shoulde saye yf christ had counted the breed euell then wolde he not haue lefte yt for a sacrament to represent hys bodye meanynge that yt ys a sacrament signe token and memoriall of hys bodye and not the bodye yt sellf And that this is his mynde doth playnlye apere in hys fourth boke wher he sayeth Christus acceptuÌ„ paneÌ„ et distributuÌ„ discipulis corpus suuÌ„ illud fecit hoc eâ—t corpê° meuÌ„ diceÌ„do id est figura corpis mei Figura auÌ„t noÌ„fuisset nisi veritatis esset corpus Ceteru vacua res qdest phaÌ„tasma figuraÌ„ capere noÌ„ posset That is to saye christ takyng brede distrybutynge vnto his disciples made it his bodie sayng this ys my bodye that ys to saye a figure of mi bodye but this breed could not haue â—yn a figure of yt except christ had had a true bodie For a uayne thiÌ„ge or a phaÌ„tasye caÌ„ take no figure For the vnderstoÌ„dynge of this place you muste marke that this heretycke marcion against whoÌ„ this auctour wryteth did holde opinyon that christ had no naturall bodye but onlye a phaÌ„tasticall bodye aÌ„d this opinion doth this doctour improue bi the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter sayinge the sacrameÌ„t ys a figure of his bodye ergo Christ had a true bodye not a phantasticall bodie For a uaine thiÌ„ge or phaâ—â—asie caÌ„ take no figure Loo here doth this olde father w c was loÌ„ge be fore s. auâ—teÌ„ or s. hierome expouÌ„de thes wordes of christe This is mi bodie that is to saie a figure of mi bodie therfore ye are to blaÌ„e to call it newe leriÌ„ge Nowe be cause thei shall not of temâ—rarious pÌ„sumpcyon reiectâ— this olde father I shall establyshe hys wordes by s. Austen w c comendeth Christes meruelous paciâ—nce for suffering so longe that traiâ—our Iudas as though he had byn a good maÌ„ and yet was not ignoraÌ„t of his wicked thoughtes Adhibuit inqt ad coÌ„uiâ—iuÌ„ in quo corporis languâ—s sui figuraÌ„ discipulis coÌ„mendauit ac tradidit That ys to saye he admâ—tted hâ—m sayeâ—he s. Austen vnto the mandye wherin he dede betake and delyâ—er vnto the disciplâ—s the figure of his bodie and bloude Here doth â—his holye father s. Austen call yt the figurâ— of hâ—s bodye And I am sure there is nomaÌ„ so chyldishe but that he knoweth that the figure of a thinge ys not the thinge yt sellff As by exaÌ„ple the figure of Christe ys not Christe hym selâ—fe the figure of s. Pâ—ter ys not saâ—nt Peter hym sellfâ— And yet we do neuerthelesse coÌ„menly call thosse figures by the name of the thinge that they do repÌ„sent As I maye saye when I see the figure of s. Peter thys ys s. Peâ—er to whom Christe deliuered the keyes of the kyndom of heuyn And yet he were a foâ—le that woldâ— thinke that figure to be s. Peter hym selâ—f for yt ys onlye a representacion of hym Besides that s. Austen sayth Non hoc corpus quod uidetis estis manducaturi nec â—ibituri illuÌ„ sanguineÌ„ queÌ„ effusuri sunt qui me crucifigeÌ„â— SacramentuÌ„ aliqd uobis coÌ„mendaui spiritu-liter intellecâ—um uiuificaâ— uos caro auÌ„t non prodest quicquam That ys to say you shall not â—aâ—e thys bodye that you see nor drinke that bloude w c thei that crucyfie me shall shed oute I haue geuen a sertayne sacrament vnto you yf yt be spuÌ„ally vnderstond yt quickeneth you but the fleshe profiteth nothinge What thinges can be more playnly spoken Furdermore S. Austen sayeth Sepe ita loquimur ut pascha appropinquaÌ„ te crastinaÌ„ uel perendi naÌ„ DnÌ„i passionem dicamus cuÌ„ ille ante tam multoâ— annos passus sit nec omnino nisi semel illa passio facta sit Nempe ipso die dnÌ„ico dicimus hodie Dominus resurrexit cuÌ„ ex quo surrexit totanni traÌ„sieruÌ„t Quare nemo tam ineptus est ut nos ita loquentes arguat esse mentitos quia istos dies secundum illoruÌ„ quibus haec gesta sunt similitudineÌ„ nuncupamus ut dicatur ipse dies qui noÌ„ sit ipse sed reuolutione temporum similes eius dicatur illo die fieri propter sacramenti celebrationeÌ„ quod non illo die sediam olim sactuÌ„ est NoÌ„ne semel immolatus est christus in seipso tameÌ„ in sacramento noÌ„ solum per annuas paschae solennitates sed omnidie pro populis immolatur nec utique mentitur qui interrogatus responderit euÌ„ immolari Si enim sacramenta quaÌ„ dam similitudineÌ„ earum reruÌ„ quaruÌ„ sunt sacramenta noÌ„ haberent omnino sacramenta non essent Ex hac auteÌ„ similitudine plerumque etiaÌ„ ipsaruÌ„ reruÌ„ nomina accipiuÌ„t Sicut ergo seâ—unduÌ„ quendaÌ„ modum sacramentum corporis CHRISTI corpus CHRISTI est sacramentuÌ„ sanguinis CHRISTI sanguis CHRISTI est Ita sacramenta fidei fides est Nihil est auteÌ„ aliud credere q fidem habere ac per hoc respondetur fideÌ„ habere propter fidei sacramenta Et coÌ„uertere se ad DeuÌ„ propter coÌ„uersionis sacramentuÌ„ Quia ipsa responsio perâ—inet ad celebrationem sacramenti Sicut de ipso baptismo apostolus dicit consepulti inquit sumus Christo per baptismum in mortem Non ait sepulturaÌ„ significauimus sed prorsus ait consepulti sumus SacramentuÌ„ ergo tantae rei non nisi eiusdem rei uocabulo nuncupauit That ys saâ—e We often vse to saye when ester drawyth ney that to morow or the next day is the Lordes passyon and yett yt ys many yeres sith he suffered and that passyon was neuer done but once And vppon that sondaye we saye thâ—s daye the lorde did ryse agayne and yet yt ys many yeres syns he rose Now ys ther no man so folishe to reproue vs as lyars for sayinge be cause we name thes dayes after the similitude of those in which thes thinges were donÌ„ so that yt ys cauied the same daye which is not the verye same but by the reuolucyon of tyme lyke yt And yt ys named to be don the same daye thorough the celebracyon of the sacrament thorough kepynge the memoryall of the thyng once donÌ„ which ys not don that daye but was don longe agoon Was not CHRIST onece crucyfyed in hys owne person and yet in a mysterye which ys the remembrance of hys verye passyon he ys crucyfyed for the people not onlye euery feast of ester but euery daye nether doth he lye whych when he ys asked answereth that he ys crucyfyed for yf the sacramentes had not certayne symilitudes of those thinges wherof they are sacramentes then shulde they be no sacramentes at all And for thys symilitude for the moste parte they take the names of the very thinges and therfore as after a certayne maner the sacrament of Christys bodye ys Christis bodye and the sacrameÌ„t of christys bloude ys Christys bloude so the sacrameÌ„t of fayth ys
fayth For yt ys no nother thynge to beleue then to haue fayth and therfore when a man answereth that the infant beleueth which hath not the affecte of fayth he answerethe that yt hathe faythe for the sacrament of fayth And that yt turneth yt sellfe to GOD for the sacrament of conuersyon For the answere yt sellfe perteyneth vnto the mynistryng of â—he sacrament As the apostle wryteth of baptyme we are buryed sayeth he with Christe thorough baptyme vnto deth He sayâ—th not we signyfye buryinge but vtterlye sayeth we are buryed He called therfore the sacrament of so great a thynge euyn with the name of the verye thynge yt sellfe c. Iff a man wolde auoyde contencyon and loke soberly on thosse wordes of Sayncte Austen he shall sone perceyue the mysterye of thys matter For euyn as the next good frydaye shal be caulled the day of Christes passyon and yet he shall not suffer deth agayne vppoÌ„ that daye for he dyed but onece and ys nowe immortall euyn so ys the sacrament called Chrystes bodye And as that daye ys not the verye daye that he dyed on but onlye a remembrance therof So the sacrament ys not hys verye naturall bodye but onlye a remembrance of hys bodye breakynge and bloude she dynge And lykewyse as the next ester daye shall be called the day of hys resurrectyon not that yt ys the very same daye that Chryste dyd ryse in but a remembraunce of the same Euyn so the sacrament ys called hys bodye not that yt ys hys bodye in dede but only a remembraÌ„ce of the same And furdermore euyn as the prest doth offer hym that ys to saye crucyfye hym at masse euyn so ys the sacrameÌ„t hisâ— bodye But the masse doth but only repÌ„sent his passyoÌ„ And so doth the sacrameÌ„t represent hys bodye And â—et though the masse dothe but repÌ„sent his crucifying we maye trulye saye he ys cruâ—ified euâ—n so though the sacrameÌ„t do but signifie or repÌ„sent hys bodye yet may we trulye saye that yt ys hys bodye Why so verely sayeth he for the sacramentes haue a certayne similitude of thosâ— thinges wherof theâ— are sacramentes And for this simiâ—itude for the moste ê‘te they take the namys of the verâ—e thynges Blessed be god w t hathe so clerely discussed this matt by this faith full father Notwtstonding he doth yet expresse yt more playnlye saying after a certayne maâ—er the sacrameÌ„t of Christes bodye ys Christes bodye Be holde deare brethern he sayth after a certayne maner the sacrament ys Christes bodye And by that you may sone knowe that he neuer ment that yt shulde be hys verye naturall bodie in dede but onlye a token and memoriall to kepe in mâ—morie the deth of his bodye and so to norishe our fayth Besides that his similitude w c he after alâ—egeth of baptime doth holye expounde this matter for saieth he the apostle saieth not we signifie buryinge but he saieth we are buried aÌ„d yet in dede the baptyme doth but signifie yt And there vppon s. Austen addeth that he called the sacrameÌ„t of so great a thinge euyn w c the name of the very thinge yt sellfe And lyke wise yt ys in our sacrameÌ„t Finallye to be shorte I wyll passe ouer many places w c I haue gatherred oute of this holye father and wyll touche but this one moare Saincte Austen sayth Non â—nim Dâ—Ì„s dubitauit dicere Hoc est corpus meuÌ„ cuÌ„ daret signuÌ„ corporis sui Et in eodeÌ„ capite exponitâ— Sic est emÌ„ sanguis anima quomodo petra erat christus nec tameÌ„ petra ait significabat Christum sed ait petra erat Christus That is to sayâ— The lorde doubted not to saye this ys my boâ—ye when he gaue a signe of his bodye And after in the same chapiter he expoundeth yt For trulye so the bloude ys soule as Christe was the stone And yet the apostle sayth not the stone did signifye Christ but he sayth the stone was Christe Here. s. Austen saith playnlye that Christe called the signe of his bodye his bodye aÌ„d in this chapiter doth coÌ„pare these thre textes of scripture this ys my bodye the bloudâ— ys the soule and Christe was the stone and declareth theÌ„ to be one phrase and to be expounded after one fasshyon Now ys there no maÌ„ so mad as to saye that Christ was a naturall stone except he be a naturall foole whose Iudgâ—mâ—nt we nede not greatly to regard therfore we may well coÌ„clude that the sacrameÌ„t ys nat his naturall bodie but is caulled his bodie for a similitude that yt hath wherin yt signifieth representeth his bodye And that the sacrament of so great a thinge ys caulled euyn w t the name of the verye thinge yt sellf as s. Austen sayde immâ—diatly before This were proffe ynough to coÌ„clude that all the olde fathers did holde the same opinion for who wolde once surmise seinge we haue s. austeÌ„ so pâ—ayne for vs w c is the chesest emoÌ„ge theÌ„ all who wolde once surmise I say that the dissented in this great matter from the other faithfull fathers or they froÌ„ him neuerthelesse I dare not leâ—t hiÌ„ stoÌ„de post alone ieste ye dispice him And therfore I will shewe you the minde of certaine othâ—r allso and furâ—â—e of his master s. Ambrose S. Ambrose wrytynge vppon the Epistle of Paule to the CorinthiaÌ„s in the xiâ— chap. sayth Quia emÌ„ morte DnÌ„i libeâ—ati sumê° huiê° rei in eden do potaÌ„do carneÌ„ sanguineÌ„ q ê“ nobis oblata sunt significamus That is to saye because we be deliuered by the deth of the lorde in eatyng and drynkinge of this thynge meanynge of the sacrament we signifye the fleshe bloude w c were offered for vs. Here doth s. ambrose saie ynough yf men were not sophisters but wolde be coÌ„tent w t reason For he sayeth that in eatyng aÌ„d drinkyng the sacrament of Christes bodye we signifie or represent the fleshe and bloude of our sauyour Iesus Natwtstondynge be cause you are so slybberye we shall bynde you a lytle â— better by this mans wordes S. Ambrose saythâ— Sed forte dices specieÌ„ sanguinis noÌ„ uideo sâ—d habet similitudineÌ„ Sicut emÌ„ mortis similitudineÌ„ sumpsisti ita etiaÌ„ similitudineÌ„ preciosi sanguinis bibis That ys to saye But ê‘aduenture thou wylte saye I se no apperauÌ„ce of bloude but yt hathe â— similitude For euyn as thou haste taken the similitude of deth euen so thou drinkest the similitude of the pÌ„cyous bloude Here maye ye see by the coÌ„ferrynge of thesse two sacramentes what s. Ambrose iâ—â—ged of it For he sayeth euyn as thou haste taken a similituâ—e of hys deth in the sacrameÌ„t of baptyme so doste thou drinke a similitude of his preciouse bloude in the sacrameÌ„t of the auâ—ter And yet as s. AusteÌ„ sayd before the apostle saith not we signifie buryinge but saâ—th we are buried And likewise here Christ sayd not this signifyeth my bodye but
this ys my bodye callâ—ng the sacrameÌ„t signe tokeÌ„ and memoriall of so great a thinge euyn w t the name of the verye thinge yt sellfe thus doth s. Ambrose choke our sophisters Neuerthelesse I will allege one place more oute of s. ambrose where he sayth Dicit sacerdos fac nobis haÌ„c oblationeÌ„ scriptaÌ„ rationabileÌ„ qd est figura corporis DnÌ„i nostri resu xpi That ys the prest saith make vs this oblacioÌ„ acceptable c. For yt is a figure of the bodie of our lorde Iesu christ Here he caulleth yt playnly a figure of christes bodie w c thinge you can not auoyde Therfore geue prayse vnto God aÌ„d â—ett his trouth sprede w c ys so playnlye testified bi theis holye fathers How lett vs se what s. Hierom sayth Saincte Hierom writynge vppon Ecclesiaste sayth on thys maner Caro DOMINI uerus cibus est sanguis eius uerus potus est hoc solum habemus in praesenti saeculo bonum si uescamur carne eius cruoreque potemur non solum in misterio sed etiaÌ„ in scripturaruÌ„ lectione verus emÌ„ cibus est potus q ex uerbo dei sumitur scientia scripturaruÌ„ That ys to saye the fleshe of the lorde ys verye meate and his bloude ys verye drynke This ys onlye the pleassure or profite that we haue iÌ„ this wordle that we maye eate his fleshe aÌ„d drinke his bloude not only in a misterry but allso in the readinge of scriptures â—or yt is very meate and drinke â— w c ys taken oute of Goddes worde by the knowelege of scriptures Here maye ye se s. Hieroms mâ—nde in fewe wordes For furste he sayth that we eate his fleshe and drinke his bloudâ— in a misterye w c ys the sacrameÌ„t of his râ—mâ—mbraunce and memoryall of his passion And aâ—ter he addeth that we eate hys fleshe drinke his bloude in the redinge aÌ„d knowelâ—ge of scriptures and calleth that very meate very driâ—ke And yet I am sure ye are not so grosse as to thinke that the letters w c you reade are torned in to naturall fleshe bloude And likewise yt ys not necessarie that the bred should be torned in to his bodye no more than the letters in scripture are tournâ—d in to his fleshe And neuerthelesse thorough fayth we may as well â—ate his bodie in recâ—yuinge of the sacrameÌ„t as eate his fleshe in readinge of the letters oâ— the scripture Besides that s. Hierom cauâ—eth the vnderstondinge oâ— the scripture verye mâ—ate and very drinke w c you muste nedes vnderstond in a misterie and spuÌ„all sense for yt ys nother materiall meate nor driÌ„ke that ys receiuyd w t the mouth and teth but yt is spnÌ„all meate drinke and ys so called for a similitude and propertie be cause that as meate drinke comforte the bodye and outward man so doth the readinge and knowelege of sâ—ripture coÌ„forte the soule and inward man And likewise yt ys of christes bodye w c ys caulled verye meate and very drinke w c you muste nedes vnderstond in a mysterie or spuÌ„all sense as s. Hierom called yt for his bodye is no materiall meate nor drinke that ys receyued w t the mouth or teth but yt is spirituall meate drinke and so called for a similitude ê“pertiâ— because that as meate and drinke coÌ„forte the bodye so doth the fayth in his bodye breakinge bloudsheding refreshe the soule vnto liffâ— euerâ—asting We vse yt cuÌ„stomablye in our daylye speache to saye when a chylde setteth all hys mynde and delyght on sport and playe It ys meate aÌ„d drinke to this childe to plaie And allso we saye by a man that loueth well hawkinge huntyng It ys meate and drinke to this maÌ„ to hawke hunte Where no man doubteth but yt ys a figuratiue speache And therfore I woÌ„dâ—r that they are so blinde in this one poynt of Christes bodye And can not allso take the wordes figuratiuelye as thesse olde doctours did Agayne s. Hierom sayth Postquam mystiâ—um pascha fuerat impletuÌ„ agni carnes cuÌ„ apostolis comederaâ— assumit paneÌ„ qui coÌ„fortat cor hominis ad ueruÌ„ paschae transgreditur sacramentuÌ„ quomodo in praefiguratione eius Melchisedech uinuÌ„ paneÌ„ pro ferens fecerat ipse quoque ueritatem corporis repraesentaret That ys to saye after the misticall ester lambe fullfylled and that Christe had eaten the lambes fleshe w t the apostles he toke brede w c coÌ„forteth the herte of maÌ„ and passeth to the true sacrameÌ„t of the easter lambe that as Melchisedech brought for the bred and wyne figuring hiÌ„ so might he likewise repÌ„sent y â— trueth of his bodie Here doth s. Hiâ—rom speake after the maner that tertulliaÌ„ did before that â—hrist w t brede and wine did represent the truth oâ— his bodie For â—xcept he had had a â—rue bodie he could not lâ—aue a figure of yt nor repÌ„sent yt vâ—to vs. â—or a vayne thinge or phaÌ„tasâ—e can haue no figure nor caÌ„ not be repÌ„sented as by exaÌ„ple how shoulde a maÌ„ make a figure of his drâ—ame or repÌ„sent yt vnâ—o our memorie Buâ— christ hath leâ—t vs a figure aÌ„d repÌ„sentacioÌ„ of his bodie in bred and wine therfore yt folowyth thaâ— he had a true bodye And that this was s. Hieroms mâ—â—de doth maâ—â—feastlye apere by the wordâ—◠〈◊〉 â—â—da w c doth more copiousâ—iâ— sett out this sayinge of Hierâ—m For he writeth on this maner Fiâ—itis paschae ueterisso lennijs q in coÌ„memorationeÌ„ antiquae de aegypto liberatioÌ„is agebant traÌ„sit ad nouuÌ„ qd in suae redemptionis memoriaÌ„ ecclesia frequentare desidâ—rat ut uidelicet pro carne agni uel sanguine suo carnis sanguinisque sacramentuÌ„ in panis ac uini figuâ—a substituens iâ—sum se esse moâ—sâ—â—aâ—et cui iurauit DnÌ„s Tu es sacerdos in aeterâ—uÌ„ seâ—unduÌ„ ordineÌ„ Melchisedech â—rangit auteÌ„ ipse panem queÌ„ porrigit ut osâ—endat corporis sui fractioneÌ„ non sine sua sponte futuram Similiter calicem posiq 〈◊〉 nauit dedit eis Quia ergo panis carnem confirmat uiâ—um uero sanguinem operatur in carne hic ad corpus Christi mystice illud refertur ad sanguinem That ys to saye After the solemnite of â—he olde â—aster â—ambe was fynished which was â—l sâ—rued in the râ—membraunce of â—he olde delyueraunce oute of Egypt he goth vnto the newe whiche the churche gladlye obseruith in the remembrauÌ„ce of hys râ—dâ—mptyon that he in the sâ—ede of the flâ—iche aÌ„d bloude of the lambe myght institute and ordeyne the sacrament of his fleshe bâ—oude in the fygure of brede and wyne and so decâ—are hym sellf to be the â—ame vnto whom the lorde sware thou arte a perpetuall prest after the order of Melchisedech And he hym sellf brake the brede which he gaue â— to shewe that the breakynge of hys bodye shuld not be don with out hys owyn wyll And lâ—kewise he gaue them the cuppe after â—e
in the glassâ— And euyn so though the sacrament do represent the bodie of Christe yet the substance of the sacrament is not his verâ—e bodie no more then the glasse ys my face nâ—ther is his verye bodye in the sacramâ—nt no more thâ—n my verye face is iÌ„ the glasse aÌ„d thus this example maketh well for vs. And for that oâ—e worde coÌ„myng hole to an hundreâ—h eares I say that worde is but a sound aÌ„d a qualite and not a substance and therfore yt is nothinge to our purposse and can not be likened â—o Christes bodie w c is a substance as concerninge the sight of the lytle eye I sayâ— that though the eye discrye and see an hole coÌ„trye yet is not that hole contrye in the eye but as the coÌ„trie is knowen by the sight of eye though the contrye be not in yt So is the deth of Christe and his bodye breaking and bloude shedinge knowyn by the sacramentâ— though his naturall bodye be not in yt And thus his examples make nothinge w t him but rather moche agaynsâ—e him And where he sayeth that the yonge man hym sellfe can geue hiÌ„ no reason by what meane they may be don I maye saye vnto hys mastership that whan I was seueÌ„ yere yonger then I am â—his daye I wolde haue byn ashamed yf I could not haue geuyn an euident reason at the austens in oxford before the hole vniuersite And albeyt I now wochesaffe not to spend labour and paper abought Aristoles doctrine yet haue I so moche touched his examples that he may be werye of them Also I can not see why yt shuld be more repugnant that one bodye maye be by the power of God in two places at once then that two bodyes maye be to gether iÌ„ one place at once And that pâ—int I thinke this yonge â—an denyethe not The beinge of our bodye in two places at once ys agenst nature and scripture can not a lowe yt But that two bodies shuld be in one place seameth more reasonable For I haue good experience that though my bodie can not be iÌ„ two places at once both in the tower where I wolde haue yt beside yet blessed be god in this one place I am not w t ouâ—e coÌ„panye But yf master more meane that in one proê‘ seuerall place maye be two bodies at once that I will denye tyll he haue laiesure to proue yt And yet at the length I am sure hys proffe shall not be worth a podyng prycke For I am sure yt muste be Ratione porositatis ut in igne ferro naÌ„ penetrationem dimenâ—ionum nunq probabit And then he is as nere as he was before Now hys laste reason w t w c he prouâ—th yt impossibâ—e for the bodye of chriâ—te to be in two places at once is this you can sayth he shewe no reason whye he shulde be in many places at once not iÌ„ all But in all places he can not be Wherfore we muste coÌ„clude that he can not be iÌ„ many places at onâ—e This is a merâ—elous concluded argumâ—nt I am sure that euery chyldâ— maye sone see that this consequent can neuer follow vppon thes two premisses of tâ—is antecedent When I made this reason coÌ„piled mi treatise I had no regard to the cauillacioÌ„s of sotâ—e sophisters for I thought no sophisters shuld haue medled w t that meate but neuerthelesse sith now I perâ—â—yne that they principallye are porynge on â—t seking some praie to sett their teth a warke In this boke I haue sumwhat ê“uided for them â— aÌ„d haue brought suche harde bones that yf they be to busâ—e maye chaunce to choke them And yet is not the argument so feble as he fayneth For the first part yf he list to coÌ„sâ—der the sense minde aÌ„d be not to curious where I saie that they can shewe no reason why he shuld be in many places not in all â— is thus to be vnderstoÌ„d of wise men that the verye reason cause that he shuld be in manye places â— muste be because the bodie is so annexed w t the godhed that yt is in euery place as the godhed is This I saie muste be the cause reason of his beinge iÌ„ many places And nether you nor no maÌ„ else caÌ„â—uâ—â—lâ—e assigne any other Now of this maâ—or or fâ—â—st ê“position thus vnderstond doth tâ—e cocâ—usion follow directlye For yf this shulde be the caâ—se as thâ—y muste nedes graunt And thys cause proued false by scripture then muste they nedâ—â— graunt that the thynge whiche so followeth of thys cause muste nedes be false And so ys my purpose proued and they concluded As by example the astronomers saye that the naturall course of the sonne ys from the west to the eâ—st Nowe yf a man shuld aske them wâ—at ys then the cause that we see hym daylye take the contrarye course from the eâ—st to the west agaynste hys nature they answer Beâ—ause the â—eyghest spere whose course ys from the â—est to the west with hys swifte mouynge doth vyolâ—ntly drawe the inferiour speres w t hiÌ„ This is the cause that they allege and no man can assigne any other And now syth I can proue this sense fallse by scrypture And S. Austen for scripture sayth that the spere is fastened Hebrewes viiâ— Chapiter And s. Austen expoundinge that text improueth the astronomers w c affyrme that yâ— moueth syth I saye this cauâ—e yâ— proued false by scripture they muste nedes graunt that the thinge w c followeth of this cause muste nedes be false And so we may conclude agaynste theÌ„ all that the naturall course of the sonne ys not froÌ„ the weste to the â—â—st as the astronomers saye But contrâ—rie from the eest to the west And lykewise syth the cause that Christes bodie shâ—ld be in many places ys assigned of lerned men to be because hys bodye ys so annexed w t the Godhed w â— ys in euery place that yt is allso iÌ„ all places w t yt â— and no maÌ„ can assygne any other And thâ—t this cause is proued false by scripture for when the womâ—n sought Christ at his graue an angell gaue the answâ—r that he was not there But yf his bodâ—â— hâ—d byn in euerâ—e place then had the angell lâ—ed Also Christ sayd vnto his disciples of Lazarus w c died at bathania Laâ—arus ys dede And I am glade for your sakes that you maye beleue because I was not ther. Now yf his bodye were in euery place as is the Godhed then Christ sayd not trulye when he sayd he was not there Therfore sith as I sayd this ys the cause assigned and yet proued â—alse by scripture they mâ—ste nedes graunt that the thiÌ„ge w c followeth of this cause muste also nedes be false And so we maye coÌ„clude agaynste them all that Christes bodâ—e is in one place onlye And now you maye see how my consequent followe the premisses For he can no farther conclude
I dare saye that yt is printed and publyshed to our princes great dishonore For what lâ—rnâ—d maÌ„ maye in time to come truste to hys graces saffe coÌ„â—uyte or come at his graces instaÌ„ce or requeste sith not onlye the spuÌ„allye w c of ther professioÌ„ resyâ—â—e hys prerogatiue but also a laye man ê“moted to suche ê“minence by hys graces goodnes dare presume so to depresse hys prerogatyue not onlye to saye but also to publishe yt in preÌ„t that notwtstondyng hys graces saffe conduyte they myght lawfullye haue burnte hym But here he wold saye vnto me as he dethe in his boke that he had forfayted his saffe coÌ„duyte aÌ„d therbye was fallyn in to his enemyes handes Where vnto I answer that this your sayinge is but a vayne glose For I my sellfe did reade the saffe coÌ„duyte that came vnto hym w c had but onlye thys one conditioÌ„ annexed vnto yt that if he came before the feaste of christmas theÌ„ next insuynig he shuld haue fre lyberte to deperte at his pleasure And this coÌ„dicyoÌ„ I knâ—we was fullfylled How shulde he than forfayte hys saufe conduyte But master more hath lerned of hys masters our pÌ„lates whose procture he ys to depresse oure princes pÌ„rogatiue that men ought not to kepe any promisse w t heretyckes And so his saâ—fe coÌ„duyte cold not saue hym As though the kynges grace myght not admitte any maÌ„ to goo and come frelye in to hys graces realme but that he muste haue leue of our pÌ„lates For els they myght laye heresye agaynst the parson and so â—ley hym coÌ„trarye to the kynges salfe coÌ„duyte w c thynge all wyse meÌ„ do knowe to be preiudiciall to his graces prerogatiue roâ—all And yet I am sure that of all the tyme of hys beynge here you can not accuse hym of one cryme albeit vnto your shame you saye that he had forfayted his salfe conduyte These wordes hade be very extreme and worthy to haue byn â—oked vppon allthough they had byn wretyn by som presumptuoÌ„s prelate But that a laye man so heighlye promoted by hys prynâ—e shuld speake them and also cause them openlye to be publyshed amonge hys graces comes to deâ—ecte the estymacyon of hys royall power doth in my minde deserue â—orrection Natwithstondynge I leue the iudgemâ—nt and determinacyon vnto the discrecyon of hys graces honorable counsell And as for that holy prayer that this deuoute yoÌ„gmaÌ„ as a new christe teacheth to make at the receiuiÌ„ge of this blessed sacrameÌ„t all his coÌ„gregacioÌ„ I wold not geue the pariÌ„ge of a pare for hys praier though yt were better theÌ„ yt is pullynge awaye the true fayth therfro as he doth How be yt hys prayer there ys so dyuised peÌ„ned and paynted w t laysure studye that I truste eueri good christeÌ„ womaÌ„ maketh a moche better prayer at the tyme of hyr howsell by faythfull affectyoÌ„ aÌ„d by goddes good inspiracioÌ„ sodeÌ„lye Fryth ys an vnmete master to teache vs what we shuld praie at the receyuiÌ„ge of the blessed sacrameÌ„t when he will not knowelege it as it is but take christes blessed bodie for nothing but bare bred so lytle esteme the receyuyng of the blessed sacrameÌ„t that he forsyth lytle whether yt be blessed or not Where he discoÌ„mendyth my prayer sayeth that I am an vnmete master to teache meÌ„ to praye seyng I take awaye the true fayth from yt and sayeth that euery woman caÌ„ make a better wheÌ„ she receyuyth the sacrameÌ„t I wolde to god that euery womaÌ„ were so wyll lerned that they coulde teache vs both And sureli I inteÌ„ded not to prescrybe to all men that prayer onlye but hoped to help the ignorant that they might ether speake those wordes or els takyng occasion at theÌ„ to saye some other to the lawde aÌ„d prayse of god And as for your fayth w c you call the true fayth musâ—e I nedes improue For yt wyll not stonde w t the true text of scripture as yt playnâ—â— apereth But to the fayth in christesâ— bloude I exhorte all meÌ„ and teach theÌ„ to eate hys bodye w t fayeth and not w t teth w c is by hauynge his deth in contynuall remembraunce And degestynge yt in to the bowels of the soule And because yow so sore improue mi prayer to conclude my answer agaynst you I wyll wryte agayne And lett al meÌ„ Iudge betewne vs. Blessed be thou moste deare mercifull father w c of thy teÌ„der fauour benignite not wtstoÌ„ding our greuous enormytis coÌ„mitted agaynst the wouchsauedst to send thyn owine onlie deare sone to suffre moste vile deth for our redeÌ„ptioÌ„ Blessed be thou Christ Iesu our lorde sauiour w c of thine abundaÌ„t petye coÌ„sidering oure miserable estate willyngly tokest vppon the to haue thy moste innoceÌ„t bodie brokin bloude shed to purge vs aÌ„d washe vs w c are ladyn w t iniquite And to certifie vs therof hast left vs not only thy worde w c maye enstruce our hartes But allso a visible token to certifie eueÌ„ our outward sences of this great benefyte that we shuld not doubt but that the bodie and frute of thy passyon are oures thorough fayth as surelye as the brede which by our senses we knowe that we haue with in vs. Blessed be also that spirite of verite which ys sent from god our father thorough our sauiour Christ Iesu to lyghten our darke ignoraunce And leade vs thorough fayth in to the knowelege of hym which ys all verite Strengthe we beseche the our frayle nature and encrease our fayth that we maye prayse god our moste mercifull father and Christe his sonne our sauiour and redemer AMEN The paschal lambe and oure sacrament are here compared to gether NOw we shall shortly expresse the pith of our mater and borow the figure of the paschall lambe Which is in all poiÌ„tes so lyke That the offeringe of the pascall lambe did signyfye the offerynge of Christes bodye is playne by Paule which sayeth Christe our paschall lambe ys offered vp for vs When the childern of Israell were very sad and heuye for theyr sore appressyon vnder the power of Pharrao for the mo myracles were shewed the worse were they handeled God sent vnto them by â—oyses that euâ—ry howsâ—old shuld kyl a lambe to be a sacrifyce vnto GOD and that they shuld eate hym with their staues in their handes ther loynes gyrded and showes on their feeâ—e euin as men that were going an hastye Iorney Thys lambe muste they eate hastelye and make a merye maundye Now because thâ—y shuld not saye that they could not be meryeâ— For ther oppressyon and what coulde the lambe help them he added glad tydynges vnto yt and sayd thys ys the passing bye of the lorde Whiche thys nyght shall passe by you and â—â—e all the fyrste begotton with in the Londâ— of Egipt and shall delyuer you oute of your bondage and brynge you in to the lond that he hath promissed vnto your fathers Marke the processe
so moche that wheÌ„ christ knewe that yt was his fathers will pleasure that he shuld suffer for ourâ—innes wherin his honour glorie prayse shulde be published then was yt a pleasure vnto hiÌ„ to declare vnto his disciples that great benefite vnto hiâ— fathers prayse and glorie and so did institute that we shuld come to gether aÌ„d breake the brede in the remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of his bodye breakynge bloudeshediÌ„ge that we shuld eate it to gether reioysinge w t eche other declariÌ„ge his bnÌ„fitesâ— Now were the corinthians fallin froÌ„ this houÌ„ger and caÌ„ not to gether to th enteÌ„t that goddes prayse shuld be published by theÌ„ in the myddes of the congrygacion but caÌ„ to fede their fleshe to make carnall chere In so moche that the ryche wolde haue meate and drincke ynough aÌ„d take suche aboundauÌ„ce that they wolde be droÌ„ke and so made yt ther owyn souper not the lordes as paule sayth aÌ„d did eate onlye the brede and meate aÌ„d not the bodye breakynge as I sayd before and the poore which hade not that is to saye that had no meate to eate where shamed hongrye aÌ„d so could not reiose aÌ„d prayse the lorde by the reason that the delicate fare of the riche was an occasion for the pore eo lameÌ„t their pourtye aÌ„d thus the riche did nether prayse god theÌ„selues nor suffered the poore to doo yt but were an occasioÌ„ to hynder them They shulde haue brought their meate drinke aÌ„d haue deuided yt w t their poore brothern that they might haue byn mery to gether aÌ„d so to haue geuyn theÌ„ occasion to be merye aÌ„d reioyse in the lorde w t thaÌ„kes geuinge But they had nether luste to prayse god nor to coÌ„forte their neighboure Ther fayth was feble aÌ„d their charite cold and had no regard but to fyll their bodye fede there fleshe And so dispised the poore congrygacion of god whom they shuld haue honoured for the spyrite that was in theÌ„ fauour that god had shewed indifferentlye vnto them in the bloude of his sonne christe When Paulâ— perceyued that they were thus fleshlie minded had no mynde vnto that spuÌ„all maundye which chefelye shuld ther be aduertised he reproueth theÌ„ sore rehersinge the wordes of christe That w c I gaue vnto you I receyued of the lorde For the lorde Iesus the same night in the w c he was betrayed toke bred thaÌ„ked and brake yt sayd take ye and eate ye this ys my bodie w c ys brokeÌ„ for you this do ye in the remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of me After the same maner he toke the cup wheÌ„ souper was don sayinge this cup is the new testameÌ„t in my bloude this do ye as ofte as ye drinke yt in the remembraunce of me For as ofte as ye shall eate thys bred and drynke this cup ye shall shewe the lordes deth tyll he come As though he shuld saye ye corinthians are moche to blame w c at this souper seke the foede of your fleshe For yt was institute of christe not for the enteÌ„t to noryshe the belye but to streÌ„ghtheÌ„ the harte soule in god And bi this you maye knowe that christe so meÌ„t For he callyth yt his bodye w c is geuin for you so that the name yt sellf might testifie vnto yow that in this souê‘ you shuld more eate hys bodye w c is geuyn for you by digestyng that in to the bowelles of your soule theÌ„ the breed w c by the breakiÌ„ge the distributyng of yt doth repÌ„sent his bodie breakiÌ„ge the distributyng theroff vnto all that are faythfull And that he so meaneth ys euydent by the wordes following w c saye this do in the remembraunce of me and likewise of the cup. And finallie â—oncluding of both Paule sayth as often as ye shall eate this brede aÌ„d drinke this cup in this place and fellowship ye shall shewe the lordes deth vntill he come praisinge the lorde for the dethe of his sonne and exortinge other to do the same reioysinge in him w t infinite thankes And thefore ye are to blame w c seke onlye to fede the bellye w t that thinge w c was onlye institute to fede the soule And ther vppon yt followyth Wherfore who so euer doth eate of this bred or driÌ„ke of this cup vnworthelie is giltye of the bodye bloude of the lorde He eateth this brede vnworthelie w c regardeth not the purpose for the w c Christ did insâ—itute yt w c comith not to it w t spuÌ„all honger to eate thorough faith his verye bodye w c the bred representeth by the breaking aÌ„d distributinge oâ— yt whiche comith not w t a merye harte geuinge God hartye thankes for their deliuerance from synne Whiche do not moche more eate in their harte the deth of his bodye then they do the bred w t their mouth Now sith the Corinthians dyd onlye seke their bely and fleshe forgat goddes honour and prayse for which â—t was institute that thankes shuld be geuyn by the remembraunce oâ— his bodie breakinge for vs they eate yt to goddes dishonour to their neighboures hinderrance and to ther owin condempnacion and so for lacke of fayth were gâ—ltye of Christes bodie w c by faith they shulde there cheffelye haue eatâ—n to ther soules helth And therfore yt followith ¶ Lett a man therfore examyne hym sellfe and so let hym eate of the brede and drinke of the cup. THis prouynge or examinynge of a mans selfe is fyrste to thinke w t him sellfe w t what luste and disyre he comyth vnto the maundye wyll eate that bâ—ed whether he besure that he is the childe of god in the fayth of Christe And whether hâ—s conscâ—ence do beare hym wytnes that Christes bodye was brokyn for hym And whether the luste that he hath to prayse god aÌ„d thanke hym w t a faythfull harte in the myddes of the brethern do dryue hym thither warde Or els whether he do yt for the meates sake or to kepe the custome for then were yt better that he were awye For he that eateth or drinketh vnworthelye eateth aÌ„d drinkethe his owyn daÌ„nacyon because he maketh no difference of the lordes bodye That ys as yt ys sayd before he that regardeth not the purpose for which it was institute aÌ„d puteth no defference betwene this eatâ—ng and othâ—r eating for other eatynge doth onlye serue the bellye but thys eatynge was institute and ordeyned to sarue the soule and inwarde man And therfore he that abuseth yt to the fleshe eateth and drinketh hys owyn dampnacyon And he comyth vnworthelye to the maundye where the sacrament of Christes bodye ys eaten ye where the bodye of the lorde ys eaten not â—arnallye w t the teth and bâ—llye but spiritually w t the harte and faythe Uppon this followeth the text that master More allegeth and wresteth for his purpose For this cause manye are weake and sike amoÌ„ge you manie slepe Yf we had trulie Iudged
oure selues we shuld not haue byn Iudged WheÌ„ we are Iudged of the lorde we are chastened because we shuld not be dampned w t the worlde Wherfore my brethern when ye come to gether to eate tarye one for another Yf any man hunger lett him eate at home that ye come not to gether vnto condempnacyon For this cause that is for lacke of good examininge of oure selues as ys before touched manie are weake and syke in the fayth manye slepe and haue loste their fayth in Christes bloude for lacke of remembraunce of his bodye breaking and bloude shedinge ye and not that onlie but manye were weake and sike euyn striken w t bodelye diseases for abusinge the sacrament of his bodye eatinge the bred w t their teth aÌ„d not his bodye w t their hart and mynde and ê‘aduenture some slayne for yt by the sâ—rocke of god w c yf they had truly Iudged and examined theÌ„ selues for what intent they cam thither and why yt was institute shuld not haue byn so Iudged and chastened of the lorde For the lorde doth chasten to bringe vs vnto repentaunce and to mortifie the rebellious membres that we maye remeÌ„ber hym Here ye maye shortly perceyue y e minde of Pauâ—e Finis ¶ An Epitome and short rehersall of all this boke shewynge in what poyntes Frith dissenteth from our prelates NOw to be short in thes .iij. poyntes frith dissenteth from oure prelates from master More w c taketh vppon him to be their proctoure Oure prelates beleue that in the sacrament remayneth no bred but that yt ys torned in to the naturall bodye of Christ both fleshe bloude bones Frith sayth that yt is none article of oure Crede and therfore let them beleue yt that will And he thinketh that there remayneth bred styll And that he proueth iij. maner of wayes Fyrste by the scripture of Paule w c calleth yt bred sayinge the brede w c we breake ys yt not the fellowship of the bodie of christe For we though we be manye are yet one bodye and one bred as mannye as are partakers of one bred And agayne he saâ—eth as ofteÌ„ as ye eate of this bred or driÌ„ke of this cuppe you shall shewe the lordes deth vnâ—yll he come Also luke callethe yt bred saying in the Actes they continued in the fellowship of the aposteles in the breakinge of the brede and prayer Also Christe called the cuppe the frute of a vyne saying I shall not from hence forward drinke of the frute of the vine vntill I drinke that newe in the kiâ—dom of my father Furthermore nature doth teache you that both the bred and wine continâ—e in their nature For the bred muldeth yf yt be kept longe ye wormis bred in yt And y e poore mouse will runne awaye w t yt and eate yt w c are euidence ynough that there remaynith bred Also the wine yf yt were reserued wold wax sower as they confesse them seluesâ— And therfore they howsell the laye people but w t one kinde onlye because the wine can not coÌ„tinue nor be reâ—â—rued to haue readye at hande when nede were And surelye as yâ— there remayned no bred yt could not mould nor wax full of wormes euyn so yf there remayned no wine yt could nâ—t wax sower And therfore yt is but faulse doctrine thaâ— our pÌ„lates so long haue taught published Finallie that ther remaineth bred might be ê“uyd by the auctorite of manie doctoures w t calle yt bred wine euyn as Christe his appostelis ded And though some sophisters wolde wreste their sayinge and expouÌ„d theÌ„ after their owyn â—hantasâ—e yet shall I allege theÌ„ one doctoure w c was pope that maketh so plaine w t vs that they shall neuer be able to auoyde hym For pope Gelasius writeth on this maner Certe sacrameÌ„ta q sumimus corporis sanguinis Christiâ— diuinae res sunt propter qd per eadeÌ„ diuinae efficimur coÌ„sortes naturae Et tameÌ„ noÌ„ deâ—init esse substaÌ„tia uel natura panis et uini sed ê‘manet in suae ê“prietate naturae Et certe imago et similitudo corporis sanguinis Christi in actioÌ„e misterioruÌ„ celebrantur That is to saie surelye the sacrameÌ„t of the bdye bloude of Christe w t we receyue are a godlye thynge therfore thorough thâ—m are we made ê‘takers of the godly nature And yet doth yt not cease to be the substaÌ„ce or nature of bred and wine but they continue in the propertie of their owyn nature And surely the image and similitude of the bodye and bloude are celebrated in the acte of the misterys This I am sure that no maÌ„ can auoyd yt nor so wrest yt but that all men shall sone espye hys folye and therfore I maye conclude that there remayneth the substance and nature of brede wine The seconde poynte wherin Frith dissenteth from oure prelates and their proctoure THe prelates beleue that his verie fleshe is pÌ„sent to the teth of theÌ„ that eate the sacrament and that the wicked eate his verye bodye Frith sayth that yt is none article of our Crede and therfore he rekenith that he is in no Ieoperdye though he beleue yt not And he thinketh that his fleshe is not pÌ„sent vnto the teth of theÌ„ that receyue the sacrament For hys fleshe ys onlye in one place at once And that he proueâ—h both by the auctorite of Sainct Austen ad Dardanum and also by the auctorite of Fulgentius ad ThrasuuaÌ„dum libro 20. as before apereth in the boke And Fryth sayth that the wicked eate not hys verye fleshe allthough they receue the sacrament And that he proueth by the scripture doctoures and good reason grounded vppon the scryptures The scripture is this he that eateth christes bodie hath euerlastiÌ„ge liffe but the wicked hath not euerlastinge liffe ergo then the wicked eate not his bodye Agayne the scrypture sayeth he that eateth christes fleshe drinketh his bloude abydeth in christe christe in hiÌ„ but the wicked abyde not in christe nor christe iÌ„ hiÌ„ ergo the wicked eate not his fleshe nor drinke his bloude This maye also be confyrmed by good auctorite For sainct Austen sayeth he that abâ—deth not in christe in whoÌ„ christe abydeth not w t ouâ—e doubte he eateth not his fleshe nor driÌ„keth his bloude allthough he eate drinke the sacrameÌ„t of so great a thinge vnto his â—ampnacion And euen the same wordes hathe beda vppon the tenth chapter of the fyrste pistle to the Corinthians Agayne s. Austene sayeth he that abideth not in me in whom I abyde not let him not saye nor thinke that he eateth my bodye or drinketh my bloude And euen the same wordes hath Beda vppon the sixt chapter of the firste epistle to the CorinthiaÌ„s And euen the same senteÌ„ce hath Ambrose and Prosper aÌ„d Beda vppon the .xi chapter of the firste pistle to the Corinthians Finallye
this maye be proued by good reason grounded vppon the scripture Christ wold not suffer marye though she loued him well to touche him because she lacked one poynt of faythe and did not beleue that he was equale w t his father And therfore be reason yt muste followe that he wil not suffer the wicked w c nether haue good faith nor loue towardes hiÌ„ both to touche him and eate him in to their vnclene bodies Now sith this is proued true that the wicked eate not his bodie yt must also therof nedes followe that the sacrameÌ„t is not his naturall bodie For they do eate the sacrameÌ„t as all men knowe Besides that the faithfull do not eate christes bodye w t their teth And therfore yt muste followe that the wicked do not eate yt w t ther teth The antecedeÌ„t or first ê‘te of the reason is ê“ued by the wordes of christe w c saith that the fleshe ê“fiteth nothinge at all meaning that yt doth not ê“fite as they vnderstode him that is to saie yt profiteth nothinge to be eaten carnallie w t their teth bellye as they vnderstode him For els yt profyteth moche to be eateÌ„ spuÌ„allye that ys to saye to beleue that thorough his bodye breakinge and bloud shedinge oure sinnes are purged And thus doth Origene s. Ausâ—en Beda Chrisostome and Athanasius expouÌ„d yt as apereth in the boke before And therfore Frith saith that onlie faithfull meÌ„ eate his bodie not w t ther teth and mouth but w t their faieth aÌ„d harte y â— digest yt in to the bowelles of their soulles thorough beleuing that yt was brokeÌ„ on the crosse to washe awaye their synnes And the wicked eate not his bodye but onâ—ye the bred and there daÌ„pnacyon because they eate him not spuÌ„allie that is because they beleue not in his bodie breakinge and bloude shedinge ¶ The third poynt wherin Frith dissenteth from your prelates and their proctoure THe pÌ„lates beleue that men oughte to worship the sacrament but Frith saith naye aÌ„d affyrmith that yt is Idolatrye to worship ytâ— And he sayth that Christ and hys appostyllis taught vs not so to do nether did the holy fathers so teache vs. And Frith saith that the auctoures of this worshipinge are the childerne of ê‘dicion w c haue ouerwhelmed this worlde w t synne Neuerthelesse we muste receyue yt reuerentlye because of the doctrine that yt bryngith vs. For it preacheth christes deth vnto vs discribeth yt before oure eyen euen as a faithfull pÌ„char by the worde doth in still yt in to vs by our eares aÌ„d hearing And that yt supplieth the Roume of a prâ—char is euident by the wordes of s. Ausâ—en w c sayeth Paulus quis portaret sarcinaÌ„ corporis quod aggrauat animaÌ„ potuit tamen significando predicare DominuÌ„â—esum Christum aliter perlinguaÌ„ suam aliter per epistolam aliter per sacramentuÌ„ corporis Christi That is to saye though Paule did â—ere the burthen of the bodye w c doth honorate the soule yet was he able in sygâ—ifying to preache the lorde Iesus christe one waye by his tonge and a nother waie bi a pistle and a nother waye by the sacrament of Christes bodye c. For as the people by vnderstonding the sygnifycacion of the wordes w c he spake did heare the glorious gospell of god aÌ„d as by the readynge of his pistle they vndersâ—od his mâ—nde and receyued the worde of the soules helth so by the ministraâ—yon of the sacrament they might see w t ther eyen the thiÌ„ge w c they harde reade so haue their sences occupied about the misserye that they might the more ernestlie prâ—ynt it in their minde As by exaÌ„ple The prophet Hieremie beinge in Hierusalem in the tyme of â—edâ—chias kynge of the Iewes prophesyed pÌ„ached vnto theÌ„ that they shuld be takeÌ„ pÌ„soners of Nabugo doneâ—ar the kynge of Babylon And the Iewes were angrye w t him wold not beleue his wordes And therfore he made a chaine or â—etters of wode put theÌ„ a bout his nâ—cke ê“phâ—sid agayne preached that they shuld be taken pÌ„soners lâ—de captiue in to Babylon And as his wordes did certifye their â—ares that they shuld be subdued so the chayne did pÌ„sent their captiuite euen before their eyen w c thinge did more vehemeÌ„tlye worke in theÌ„ thâ—â— thâ—â—are wordes could doo euen so yt is in the sacrameÌ„t For likewise as the wordes diâ— in still yt in to our eares that his bodie was geuin for vs his bloude shed for the remission of our sinnes eueÌ„ sâ— did the ministratioÌ„ of the sacrameÌ„t expresse the same thinge vnto our sight do the more effectuouslye moue vs then the bare wordes might do and make vs more attent vnto the thinge that we maye wholye geue thaÌ„kes vnto god prayse hym for his bountuous benefites And therfore seynge yt is as a pÌ„char expressinge vnto our sight the same thinge that the wordes doo to oure â—ares you muste receyue yt w t reuereÌ„s sober behavyoure aduertisinge the thing that yt repÌ„senteth vnto you And eueÌ„ the same honoure is dewe vnto yt w c is geuin vnto the scripture that is the worde of god For vnto that muste a maÌ„ deuoutlie geue eare râ—uerentlie take the boke in his haÌ„de ye yf he kisse the boke for the docâ—râ—nes sake that he lerneth there oute he is to be câ—Ì„meÌ„ded Neuerthelesse yf he shuld goo sence his boke men might well thinke that he were verie childyshe But yf he shuld knele downe praie to his boke then he did coÌ„mitte playne idolatrie Consider deare brethern what I saie auoyde this Ieoê‘die w c thinge auoyded I care not as touchinge the presence of his bodye though you beleue that his naturall fleshe be there in dede not onlye in a misterye as I haue taught For wheÌ„ the Ieoperdye is paste he were a fole that wolde be contentyous for a thinge as longe as there comyth no â—urte therbye The germanes w c beleue the presence of his bodye do not worship yt but playnly teache the contrarye and in that poynt thankes be to god all they whom you call herytickes do agre full-well Onlye auoyde thys Idolatrye and I desyre no more ¶ The conclusion of this treatise NOwe deare brethern I beseche you for the mercye that ye loke fore in Christ Iesu that you accept thys worke w t a syngle eye and no contentyons harte For necessite hath coÌ„pelled me to wryte yt because I was informed both of my lorde of winchester and other creadyble persons that I had by the meanes of my fyrst treatise offended many men Which thinge maye well be true For yt was to slender to enstructe all theÌ„ w c haue sins sene yt albâ— yt yt were suffecyent for their vse to whom yt was fyrst deliuered And therfore I thought yt not onlye expedient but also necessarie to enstructe them further in the truth that they might se plaine euideÌ„ce of
that thing wher in they were offended By this wearke you shall espye their blasphemies the venemous tonges wher w t they sâ—launder not onlye them that publyshe the truthe but euyn the truth yt seelfe They shame not to saye that we affyrme yt to be onlye bred and nothinge els And we saye not so but we saye that besyde the substance of bred yt is the sacrament of Christes bodye and bloud As the yuye hangyng before the tauerne doore ys more then bare yuye For beside the substance of yuye yt ys a signe and signifyeth that there is wyne to be sould And this sacrament signifyeth vnto vs and poynteth oute before oure eyes that as verely as that bred is broken so verely was christes bodye broken for our synnes And as that bred is distributed vnto vs so is hys bodie and fructe of hys passyon distributed vnto all hys faythfull And as the bred comforteth the bodie so doth the fayth in Christes deth coÌ„forte oure soules And as surelye as we haue that bred and eate yt wyth oure mouth and teth and knowe by our senses that we haue yt w t in vs and are partakers therof no more nede we to doubte of hys bodye and bloud but that thorough fayth we are as sure of theÌ„ as we are sure of that bred As yt is sufficientlye declared in my boke Agayne you maye perceyue how wyckydlye they report on vs w c affyrme that we dishonoure yt w c geue yt the right honoure that yt ought to haue And you do playnlye dishonoure yt w c geue vnto yt the honoure that is onlye dew vnto god We geue yt the same honoure that we geue vnto the holye scripture worde of god because yt expresseth vnto our senses the deth of our sauyoure and doth more dypelye prent yt w t in vs. And therfore we calle yt an holye sacrament as we calle goddes worde holye scripture And we receyue this sacrament w t great reuerence euyn as we reuerrentlye reade or heare preached the holye worde of God w c conteyneth the helth of our soules And we graunt that hys bodye ys present with the bred as yt ys w t thâ— word and with both yt ys verelye receyued and eaten thorough fayth But yf we shuld knele downe and praye vnto the holye scrypture men might count vs soles and might lawfullye saye that we do not honoure the sâ—ripture by that meanes but rather dishonoure yt For the right honoure of a thinge ys to vse yt â—or that entent that yt was institute of god And he â—hat abuseth yt to any other purpose doth in dede dishonoure yt And lykewise yt is in the sacâ—ameÌ„t w c was institute to kepe in memorye â—he dâ—th of christ wcâ—f we do any other wise honoure then we do the holye scripture vnto the w c we maye in no wise make our prayers I saye that then we shulde vâ—terâ—ie dishonoure yt Auoyde therfore this poynt of Idolatrye and all ys saffe Finallye we saye that they speakâ— well and faythfullye w c saye that they goo â—o the bodie receue the bodye of Christ and that they speake vilynously wickedlye w c saye that tâ—ey onlye receyue bred or the signe of his bodye for in so sayinge they declare theyr inside lyâ—e For the faythfull wyll reakyn that he is euyll reported of and reputed â—or a traytoure and a nother Iudas yf meâ— shuld saye of hym that he did onlye receyue the sacrameÌ„t and not also the thynge which the sacrameÌ„t doth signifye For albe it he onlie eateâ—h the bred sacrameÌ„t w t his mouth and teth yet w t his harte and fayth iâ—wardlye he eatethe the very thinge yt sellfe w t the sacrament owtwardlye dothe represent And of this springe the maner of speakinges that the old fathers do somtyme vse w c at the â—irst sight mought seame coÌ„trarie to our sentense But yf they be will poÌ„dered yt maâ—e sone be senâ— â—ow they shuld be taken For many tymes when they speake of the sacrament outward eatyng they applye vnto the sacrament owtward eatinge the frute and coÌ„ditions of the inwarde eatinge and thinge yt sâ—llfe â— because that in a â—aythfull man they are so Ioynâ—tâ—ye Ioyned that the one is neuer w t oute the other As by â—xaÌ„ple Marye is named the mother of god and yet she is not the mother of hys godhed by the w c parte onlye he is called god but because she is hys mother as touchinge his manhode and the godhed is so annexed w t the maÌ„â—ed that they both make but one person therfore ys she called the mother of god w c in dede yf yâ— bâ— wyselye weyed shaâ—be founde to be â—bused speache And yet neuerthelesse yt may very will be vsyd yf men vnderstond what ys ment therbye but yf thorough the vse of thys speache men shuld falâ— in to suche an erroure that wold affyrme oure ladye to be in dede the mother of hys godhed then necessyte shuld compell vs to make a dystynctyon betwâ—ne the nature of hys godhed and the nature of hys manhod and so to expound the mater vnto them and bringe them home agayne in to the ryght vnderstondynge As we are now consâ—rayned to do in thys sacrament because you misâ—construe the sayinges of the scrypture and Doctoures Whych notwythsâ—ondyng yf a man vnderâ—â—ond them saye verye well And many suche maner of speaches are contaâ—ned in the scripture As where christ saâ—eth Ioan 3. there shall no man ascend in to heuin but he that disceÌ„deth froÌ„ heueÌ„ the sone of maÌ„ w c ys in heuin Thys text doth saye thaâ— the sonne of maÌ„ was theÌ„ in heueÌ„ wheÌ„ he â—pake thes wordâ—s vnto nâ—codemus here oâ— yerâ—h w c thinge all wise meÌ„ coÌ„sent to be vnderstond propter unitatem personae That is to saye for the vnite of the person For albe it his godhed was in euerie place at that tyme yet was not his maÌ„hod by the w c he was called the sonne of man in heuin at that tyme. And yet christ sayd that yt was in heuen for the vnite of his ê‘son For his godhed was in heuen aÌ„d because the godhed aÌ„d manhode made one ê‘son therfore yt was ascrybed vnto the manhod w t was onâ—ye vereâ—ied vppon the godhed as saint Auâ—ten ad Dardanum doth delygentlye declare And lyke wise in the sacrameÌ„t oâ— baptime because the inward workinge of the holye gosâ— is euer aÌ„nexed in the faythfull vnto the outward ceremonye therfore somtyme the frute of the inward baptyme ys ascrybed onto the outward warke And so the scripture vseth to speake of the outward baptâ—me as though yt were the inward that is to saye the spryt of god And therfore s. Paule sayeth that we are buried w t christe thorough baptime And yet as s. Austene expoundeth yt the outeward baptime dothe but signifie this buriall And agayne paule sayeth as manye as are baptised haue put christ vppoÌ„ theÌ„ And yet in
A boke made by Iohn Frith prisoner in the tower of London answeringe vnto M mores lettur which he wrote agenst the first litle treatyse that IohnÌ„ Frith made concerninge the sacramente of the body and bloude of christ vnto which boke are added in the ende the articles of his examinacion before the bishoppes of London winchestur and lincolne in Paules church at London for which Iohn Frith was condempned aÌ„d after bureÌ„t in smith felde with out newgate the fourth daye of Iuli Anno. 1533. ¶ Mortui resurgent ¶ The preface of this bokeâ— GRace and encreaâ—e of knowelege from God the fader thorow oure lord Iesus criste be with the christen reader and with all that love the lorde vnfaynedly Amen I chauÌ„ced bâ—ing in these parties to be in coÌ„panie with A christen broder wiche for hys commendable coÌ„uersation And sobre behavour myght better be a bishop theÌ„ many that weare myters yf the reule of s. Paule were regarded in ther election Thys broder after moche communication desyrid to knowe my mynde as touchynge the sacrrament of the body and blode of oure savioure Christ. Whiche thynge I opened vnto hym accordynge to the gist that god had gevyn me Firste I proved vnto hym that yt was non article of oure fayth necessarie to be beleved vnder payne of daÌ„nacioÌ„ TheÌ„ I declared that christ had a naturall bodie evyn as myne ys savyng synne and that yt cowde no more be in two places at once then myne can Thyrdly I shewyd hym that it was not necessarie that the wordes shulde so be vnderstonde as they sounde But that yt myght be a phrase of scripture as ther ar innumerable After that I shewyd hym certen suche phrases and maâ—er of speakyng And that yt was well vsed in oure englishe tong aÌ„d finally I recyted after what mauer they myght receyve yt accordynge to christes institutyon not fearyng the froward alteracyon that the prestes vse contrarie to the firste forme and institution When I had sufficiently published my mynde he desired me to entitie the sâ—me of my wordes aÌ„d write them for hym be cause they semed ouerâ—onge to be well râ—teigned in memorie And aâ—beit I was loth to take the mater in hande yet to fullfyll hys instant intercession I toke vppon me to touche this terrible tragedie and wrote a treatise whyche be side my paynfull impresonmeÌ„t ys lyke to purchase me moste cruell deth which I am redie and glade to receyve w t the sprite and inward man allthough the fleshe be frayle when so ever yt shall please god to lay yt vppon me Notwithsâ—ondinge to say the truthe I wrote yt not to the intent that yt shuld haue byn published For theÌ„ I wolde haue toucheâ— the mater more ernestly and haue writyn as well of the spirituall eatynge and drynkynge whiche ys of necessite as I dâ—de of the carnall whiche ys not so necessarie for the treatise that I made was â—ot expedient for all men albeit yt weare sufficieâ—t for them whom I toke in hande to ensâ—ructe For they knewe the spirituall and necessarie eatynge and drynâ—ynge of his bodie and bloode which ys not receyvyd with the teth and belye but with the â—ares and fayth and only neâ—ed instrucâ—yon in the ouâ—ward eatynge whiche thynge I therfore only declared But now yt ys commen a brode and in many mens mowthes in so moche that master more w c of late hathe busted hym sellfe to medle in all soche materes of what zele I wyll not defyne hath sore labored to coÌ„fute yt but some men thinke that he ys ashamed of his ê‘te and for that cause doth so diligently suppresse the worke w c he prynted For I my sellfe saw the worke in prent in my lorde of wynchesters howse vppon S. Stephyns day last paste But nether I nether all the fryndes I cowâ— make mighte attayne any copie but only one wrytyn copie which as yt semed was drawyn oute in great haste natwithstondinge I can not well Iudge what the cause shulde be that hys boke ys kept so secrette But this I am right sure of that he neuer touched the fouÌ„dacioÌ„ that my treatise was buylded vppon And therfore syth my foundacion stondith so sure and invincible for els I thynke verely he wolde sore have labored to haue vndermined yt I wyl ther vppon buylde a lytle more and allso declare that his ordinance ys to slender to breake yt downe all though yt were sett vppon a wors foundacyon ¶ The fondacion of that lytle treatise was that yt ys non article of our fayth necessarye to be belevyd vnder payne of dampnacion that the sacrament shuld be the naturall bodie of christe which thynge ys proved on this maner FIrste we muste all aknowelege that yt ys non article af our fayth which can save vs nor which we are bounde to beleve vnder the payne of eternall damnacion For yf I shulde beleve that hys verey naturall bodye bothe fleshe and bloode were naturaly in the brede wyne that shulde not save me seinge many beleve that and receyve yt to ther dampnacyon for yt ys not hys prsense in the brede that â—an save me but hys presence in my herte thorough fayth in hys blode w c hathe washed oute my synnes and pacyfied the faders wrathe toward me And agayne yf I do not beleve his bodely presence in the brede wine that shall not dampne me but the absence out of my harte thorough vnbeleffe Now yf they wolde here obiecte that though yt be truth that the absence oute of the brede coulde not dampne vs yet are we bounde to belâ—ve yt be cause of goddes worde whiche who belevyth not as moche as in hym lyeth makythe god al lyer And therfore of anÌ„ obstinat mynde not to beleve hys worde may be an occasioÌ„ of daÌ„pnacioÌ„ To thys we may answer that we beleve goddes worde and knowelege that yt ys trewe but in this we dissent whether yt be trewe in the sense that we take yt in or in the sence that ye take yt in And we say agayne that thought ye haue as yt apereth vnto yow the evideÌ„t wordes of christe aÌ„d therfore coÌ„siste in the barke of the letter yet are we coÌ„pelled by conferringe of the scryptures to gether within the letter to serche oute the minde of our sauiour w c spake the wordes And we saye therdly that we do it not of an obstinate miÌ„de For he that defendeth a cause obstinatly whether yt be true or false ys euer to be repÌ„hended But we do yt to satiâ—fie our coÌ„sciences whiche are coÌ„pelled by other placys of scripture reasons and doctours so to Iudge of yt And evyn so ought yow to Iudge of youre partie and to defende youre sentense not of obstinatie but by the reason of scriptures which cause yow so to take yt aÌ„d so ought nether partie to dispyse other for eche sekyth the glorie of god and the trew vnderstondynge of the scripture This was the
fondacyon of my firste treatise that he hathe left vnshakyn which ys agreat argumeÌ„t that yt ys very true For els hys pregnant wit could not haue passed yt so clene over But wolde haue assayled yt with some sophisticall cavellacyon which by hys paynted poetre he might so haue collered that at the lâ—st he might make the ignoraÌ„t some appareÌ„ce of trouthe as he hathe done a gaynste the residewe of my firste treatice which neuertheles ys true aÌ„d shall so be proved And firste that yt ys none article of our faythe necessarie to be beleved vnder payne of daÌ„pnacyon may thus be furder confermed The same faithe shall save vs which saved the old faderes before Christ ys incarnacyon But thâ—y were not bounde vnder payne of dampnacyon to beleve this poyâ—t therfore yt shall follow that we are not bouÌ„de therto vnder the payne of daÌ„pnacyon The furste parte of myn argument ys proved by S. Austen ad DardamuÌ„ And I dare boldly â—ay almost in an C places For I thynke there be no proposicyoÌ„ w c he dothe more oftyn inculcate then thys that the same faythe saved vs w t saved our faders The seconde parte ys manyâ—est that yt nedeth no probaâ—yon For how coulde they beleve â—hat thynge w c was never sayde nor donÌ„ and w t out the worde they coulde haue no faythe vppoÌ„ the trewth of thes too ê‘tyes musâ—e the coÌ„clusioÌ„ nedes folowe Not wtstondinge they all did eat Christys bodye aÌ„d dronke hys bloode spuÌ„ally allthough they had hym not pÌ„sent to ther teth And by that spuÌ„all eatynge w c ys the fayth in hys body bloode wer saved as well as we ar For assone as our fore father AdaÌ„ hade traÌ„sgressed goddes precept aÌ„d was fallen vnder coÌ„dempnacyoÌ„ oure moste mercyfull father of hys gracyous favour gave hym the ê“misse of helthe and coÌ„fort wherby as many as beleved yt were saved from the thrauldoÌ„ of their traÌ„gressyon the worde aÌ„d promyse was this I shall put enmyte betwene the aÌ„d the woman betwene thy sede and her sede that sede shall trede the onÌ„ the hede and thow shall trede yt onÌ„ the hele In thys promisse they had knowelege that Christe shulde becom the sede or sone of a womaÌ„ aÌ„d that he shulde distroye the dâ—vyll w t all hys power aÌ„d dâ—lyver hys faytheful froÌ„ ther synnes And where he sayd that the devyll shulde treade yt on the he le they vnderstod ryght well that the devyll shulde fynde the meanes by his wyles wycked ministres to put Christe to dethe And they knewe that god was true and wolde fulfyll hys promisse vâ—to thâ—m and hartely longed after this sede and so dede bothe eate hys bodye and drynke hys bloode knoweleginge w t infinite thankes that christe shuld for ther synnys take the ê‘fiâ—e nature of manhode vppon hym and also suffer the dethe This promisse was gevyn to Adam and saved as many as did beleve and were thankefull to God for hys kydenes and after yt was establyshed vnto our father Abraham by the worde â—f God which sayd in thy sed shall all nacyons of the erthe be blyssed And with hym God made a couenant that he wolde be hys God aÌ„d do hym good And Abraham agayne promised to kâ—pe hys preceptes and walke in hys wayes Then God gave hym the sacrament of cyrcâ—â—sion aÌ„d cauled that hys covenant which thynge not w t stondynge was not the very covenant in dede although yt were so cauled But was only asigne tokyn sacrament or memoryall of the couenant that was betwene God and hym whiche myght expound our matter yf mâ—n hadyen to see After that God promised hym a sone when hys wyffe was past chylde bearynge and he allso very old Neuerthelesse he doubted not of goodâ—s worde But suerly beleved that he w c promised yt was able to performe yt And that was recounted vnto hym for ryghtwysnes Thys Abraham did bothe eate hys bodye and dryâ—ke hys blode thorough faythe belevinge verely that Christ shoulde take our nature aÌ„d sprynge oute of hys sede as touchynge hys fleshe and allso that he sâ—ulde suffer dethe to redeme vs. And as Christ testifyeth he hartely desyred to se the day of Chriâ—t And he sawe yt aÌ„d reioysed he sawe yt in faythe and had the day of christ that is to say all those thinges that shulde chaunce hym playnly revelated vnto hym albeit he were dede many hundred yeres before yt were actualy fulfyllyd reâ—elatâ—d vnto the worlde And by that fayth was he saved aÌ„d yet never did eate hys fleshe with hys teth nor never beleved that brede shulde be hys bodye and wyne hys blode And therfore sith he was also savyd with oute that faith and the same faythe shaâ—â— save vs which saved hym I thynke that we shall also be saved yf we eate hym spuÌ„ally as he ded although we never beleved that the brede ys hys bodye furthermore that mercyfull Moses which brought the childern of Israell oute of Egypte in to the wyldernes optayned of God by prayers both mana from hevyn to fede hys people also water oute of the stone to refresh comforte them Tâ—â—s mana and water wâ—re evyn the same thyng vnto them that the brede aÌ„d wyne ys to vs for as S. Austyn saythe Quicunque in manna Christum intellexeruÌ„t eundem quem nos cibuÌ„ spiritu alem manducaueruÌ„t Quicunque auteÌ„ de manna solaÌ„ saturitatem que siuerunt manducabant mortui sunt Sic etiaÌ„ eundem potum petra enim erat christus That ys to say as many as in that maÌ„na vnderstode Christ did eate that same spirituall meate that we do but as many as sought only to fyll ther bellyes of that maÌ„na the fathers of the vnfaythfull did eate are ded And lyke wise the same drynke for the stone was christ Here may yow gather of S. Austyn that the manna was vnto them As the brede ys to vs and lykewise that the water was to them as the wyne ys to vs whiche anoÌ„ shal apere more playnly S. Ausâ—yn sayth furder manducauit Moses manna maÌ„ducauit Aaron manducauit Phinâ—es manducauerunt ibi multi qui dâ—o placuerunt mortui non sunt Quâ—re quia visibâ—iem cibum spiâ—itualiter intellexeruÌ„t spiritualâ—ter esurâ—eruÌ„t spiritualiter gustaueruÌ„t vt spiritualiter satiarâ—ntâ—r Omnes eandem escam spiritualem manducauerunt omnes eundem potum spiritualem biberunt spiritualem vtique eandem nam corporalem alteram quia illi manna nos aliud spiritualem vero â—andem quam nos Ut omnes eundem potuÌ„ spiritualem biberunt aliud illi aliud nos sed speÌ„ visibili quod tameÌ„ hoc ideÌ„ significaret virtute spirituali Quomodo eundem potuÌ„ bibebant inquit apostolus de spirituali sequeÌ„ti petra petra autem erat Christus This ys to saye Moses allso dede â—ate maÌ„na and Aaron aÌ„d Phinees did eate of yt and many other dide there eate of yt w
scripture glorye of christe And where as in my firste treaâ—ise the truthe was set forthe w t all symplicite aÌ„d nothyng armâ—d agaynste the assauâ—e of sophesters that haue I somwhat redressed in this boke aÌ„d haue brought bones feyt for their teth which yf they be to busye may chaunce to choke them ¶ Thus begynnyth the preface of master Mores boke IN my moste hartye wise I recoÌ„meÌ„de me vnto yow aÌ„d sende yow by thys brynger the wrytynge agyane whiche I receyved from yow Wherof I haue byn offered a cople of copies mo in y e meane while as late as ye wot well yt was Deare brotherne coÌ„sider thes wordes and prepare yow to the crosse that Christe shall laye vppon yow as ye haue ofte byn counseled For evyn as whan the wolffe howleth the shâ—pe hade nede to gather them sellfe to their shepard to be delyâ—ered from the assaulte of the blodye beaste lykewise hade yow nede to flye vnto the shepard of your soules christ Ihesus aÌ„d to sell youre coetes and bye hys spuÌ„all swerd w c is the word of god to defende and deliure yow in this pÌ„sent necessyte for now ys the tyme that Christ tould vs of math 10. that he was come by hys word to se et variaunce betwene the sonne and hys fader betwene the doughter and her mother betwene the doughterlawe aÌ„d her motherlawe and that a mans owne househould shal be hys emnyes But be not dismayed nor thynke yt no wonder for christ chose .12 and one of theÌ„ was the devyll and betrayed hys master And we that are hys disciplis may loke for no better than he hade hym sellfe for the scoler ys not aboue hys master ¶ Saynt Paul protesteth that he was in perell emoÌ„ge the false bretherne and suerly I suppose that we are in no lesse yeopardye For yf yt be so that hys mastership Receyvyd one copye and hade a coeple of copyes mo offered in the meane while then maye ye besure that ther are many faulse brethernÌ„ which pretend to haue knowelege and in dede be but pykthankes ê“uidyng for ther belye prepare ye therfore clokys for the wether wexeth cloudye and rayne ys lyke to folowe I meane not faulse excuses and forsweringe of your fellfes but that ye loke substancially on goddes worde that yow may be able to answer ther sotle obiectioÌ„s And rather chose maÌ„fully to dye for crist aÌ„d hys worde thaÌ„ cowardli to denye hym for this vaine aÌ„d traÌ„sitory lyffe coÌ„sâ—deringe that they haue no furder power but ouer this corruptible bodye w c yf they put yt not to deth muste yet at the length perishe of yt sellfe But I truste the lorde shall not suffer yow to be teÌ„pted aboue that yow may beare but acordinge to the sprite that he shall poure vppon yow shall he allso sende yow the scorge and make hym that hath receyuyd more of the sprite to suffer more hym that receyuyth lesse therof to suffer accordinge to his taleÌ„t I thought yt necessarie first to monyshe yow of thys matter and nowe I wyll recite more of master Mores boke Wher bye men may see how gredely thes newe named brethern wryt yt oute secretly spred yt a brode The name ys of great antiquite allthoughe yow â—iste to iest For thei were called brethernerâ— our bushoppes were called lordes and had the name geuyn them by Christe sayâ—ge Math. xxiij all ye are brethern And luke the .xxij Confyrme they bretheâ—n And the name was continued by the aposteles and ys a name that norysheth loue amite And very glad I am to here of ther gredye affection in wrytynge oute and spredynge a brode the worde of god for by that I do perceyue the ê“phesie of Amos to haue place whiche sayth in the ê‘son of god I wyll send hoÌ„ger thurste in to the yerth â— not honger for mâ—ate nor thurste for drynke But for â—o here the worde of god Nowe begynyth the kyngdom of heuyn to suffer violence Now runne the pore publicanes which knowelege them sellfys synners to the worde of god puttynge bothe goodes and bodye in Ieoperdy for the soule health and though our Bishopes do caule yt heresye and all them herytyckys that honger after yt yet do we knowe that yt ys the gospell of the leuynge god for the helth and saluacyon of all that beleue And as for the name doth nothing offende vs though they calle yt heryse a thousand tymys For sainct Paulle testifyeth that the pharises and prystes whyche were counted the very churche in hys tyme did so calle yt and therfore yt forsyth not though they rulynge in ther roumes vse thesame namys ¶ Whiche youge man I here say hathe lately made diuers other thynges that yet runne in hoker moker so close amoÌ„ge the brothern that ther comyth no copies abrode ¶ I answer that surely I can not spynne and I thinke noman more hateth to be idle than I doo Wherfor in suche thyngys as I am able to doo I shal be deligent as longe as god lendyth me my lyffe And yf ye thynke I be to busye yow may rid me the sonner for euyn as the shepys in the bochers handes ready bounde and loketh but euyn the grace of the bocher when he shall shede hys blode Euyn so am I bounde at the bushopes pleasures euer lokynge for the day of my dethe In so moche that playne worde was sent me that the chaunâ—elour of London sayd yt shuld coste me the best blode in my body which I wolde gladly were shede to morow yf so be yt myght opyn the kynges graces eyen And verely I marvyll that any thynge can rune in hoker moker or be hyde from yow For sythe yow mought haue suche store of copyes coÌ„cernynge the thynge which I moste desyred to haue byn kept secreat how shuâ—d yow thaÌ„ lake a copye a those thynges w c I moste wolde haue published And here of ye may be sure I care not though yow alâ— the bushoppes w t in engloâ—d loke on all that euer I wrote but rather wolde be glade that ye so did For yf there be any sparke of grace in youre breastes I trust yt shulde be an ocâ—aâ—ioÌ„ somwhat â—o kyndle yt that you may coÌ„syder and knowe your sellâ—es w t ys the fyrst poynt of wysdom And wolde God for nys mercye sayth M more that syth ther can nothynge refrayne ther â—tudye from deuise and compassyng of euyll vngracyous wryting that they wolde coulde kepe yt so secreatly thaâ— neuer man shulde se yt But suche as are so ferre corrupted as neuer wolde be cured of ther canker It ys not possyble for hym that hathe hys eyen and seth hys brother w c lackyth sight in Ieoê‘dye of peryshynge at a peryâ—ous pyt but that he must com to hym and guyde hym tyll he be past that Ieoê‘dye and at the lest wiâ—e yf he can
hym sellfe I am a very vyne I am the doore and some muste be vnderstond both literalye spiritualie As when God sayd oute of egipte called I my sonne whiche allthough it were literalye fulfillyd in the childern of Israell when he brought them oute of Egipte with great power and wonders â— yet was yt allso ment and verified in Christ hymsellfe hys very spirituall sonne which was caulled oute of Egipt after the deth of Herod And agayne yt is very spuÌ„ally fulfiâ—lâ—d in vs whiche thorou Christes blode are deliuered from the Egipt of synne and from the power of Pâ—arro the deuyll Anâ— I say that this text of scripture This ys my bodie ys only spuÌ„ally to be vnderstondeÌ„â— and not litâ—eralie And that doth S. Austen allso coÌ„firme w c wryteth vnto adamantus saythâ— Thes sentenses of scripture christ was the â—â—one The bloude ys the soule and this ys my bodieâ— are figuratiuelie to be vnderstoÌ„den that ys to say spuÌ„ally or by the way of an allegorie and thus haue I S. Austen whollie on my side whiche thinge shall yet here after more playnly apere Nowe his exaÌ„ple of his bridgromes ring I very well a lowe for I take the blessed sacrameÌ„t to be left w t vs for a very tokeÌ„ a memoriall of christe in dede But I say that the hole substance of the same tokeÌ„ memoriall is his owyn blessed bodie And so I saye that christe hathe lefte vs a better tokyn then this maÌ„ wolde haue vs take yt for And therin he fareth like a maÌ„ to whoÌ„ a bridgrome had deliuered a goodlye golde ringe w t a riche rubie therin to deliuer to his bryde for a token And then he wolde like a faulse shrewe kepe awaye that golde ring and geue the bride in stede therof a proper ringe of a rishe and tell hyr that the bridgroÌ„ wolde sende hyr no better Or els like one that when the bridgrom hade geuyn soche a ring of golde to his bride for a token wyll tell her playne and make hyr beleue that the ringe were but coper or brasse to minishe the bridgromes thanke ¶ I am right glad that ye admit teth myn exaÌ„ple and graunte that the sacrament ys left to be a very token and a memoriall of Christe in dede But where you saye that the hole substance of the samâ— token and memoryall ys hys owyn blessed bodye that ys soner sayd than proued For Saynt Austen shewyth the contrary as yt is partelye before touched and here after shal be dâ—clared more playnlye And where yow saye that we fare lyke a faulse shrew that wolde kepe the gold ringe from the bride and geue hyr a ringe of a rishe or tell hyr that hyr golde ringe were coê‘ or brasse to minishe the bridgromes thanke I answer that we denye not but that the ringe ys moste fine gold and is sett wiâ—h as ryche Rubyes as can be gotton For that ringe I meane the sacrament ys not onlâ— a moste parfayte tokyn and a memoryall of they brydgromes benefytes and vnfayned fauour on hys partye but yt is allso on the other partye eucharistye that ys to saye a thankes geuynge for the gracyous gyftes which she vndoubtedly knowelegeth her sellf to haue receyued For as verely as that bred ys broken amoÌ„ge them so verely was Christes bodye brokyn for ther synnes And as verâ—ly as they receyue that brede in to ther bellye thorough eatinge yt so vereâ—ye do they receyue the frute of his deth in to ther soulys by beleuinge in hym And therfore they assemâ—le to that soâ—ê‘ not for the valure of the bred â— wyne or meate that ys ther eatin but for th entent to geue hym thankes commenlye amonge them all for hys iâ—estâ—mabâ—e goodnes But to procede vnto oure purposse yt a maÌ„ wolde coÌ„me vnto the bryde tell hyr that tâ—is goodly gold ringe were her owyn brydgrome both fleshe bloude and bones as you doo then I thyâ—ke yf she haue any wyt she might answer hym that he mocked and the more he sayd yt the lesse she might beâ—eue hym â— and saye that yf that were her owyn brydgroâ—e what shulde she then nede any remembraunce of hym or why shoulde he geue yt her for a remembraÌ„â—e For a remembraÌ„ce pÌ„suposeth the thynge to be abseâ—t and therfore yf this be a remembrance of hym tâ—an can he noâ— here be present I meruell me therfore moche that he ys not aferde to affirme that thes wordes of Christe of hys bodie and of his bloude muste nedes be vnderstond by waye of a similitude or an allegorye as the wordes be of the vyne and the doore Nowe this he wottes well that though some wordâ—s spokyn by the mouthe of Christ â—e to be vnderstonden only by way of a similitude or an allegorye yet followyth yt not ther vppon that euery lâ—ke worde of christe in other places was non other but an allegorie for suche was the shyfte and cauillacion that the wycked arrians vsed w c toke from Christes parson his omnipotent godhed I graunt that the Arrians erred for as master More sayth though in some place a worde be taken figuratifeâ—y yt followyth not therfore in euery other place yt shulde likewise be takeÌ„ But one questyon muste â— aske hys mastership how dothe he knowe that ther ys any worde or text in scripture that muste be taken figuratuely that ys by the waye of a similitude or as he cauleth yt a necessarie allegorie I thiÌ„ke though some men may assygne other good causes euidences that the first knowelege ys by other textes of scrâ—pture For yf other textes be conferred vnto yt â— and wyll not stonde w t the literall sence then I thynke yt muste nedes be takeÌ„ spirituaâ—lâ— or figuratiuelie as ther are infinite textes in scripture Now when I see that S. Thomas w t felt Christe his wondes put his fynger in hys syde called hym hys lorde aâ—d god and that no tâ—xt in scripture repungneth vnto the same but that they may well â—tond to gether me thynketh yt were folye to affirme that thys word god in that text shulde be taken figuratiuely or by waye of an allegorye But nowe in our mater the processe of scripture wyll not sâ—onde with the liâ—terall sense as shall here after apere And therfore necessite coÌ„pellâ—the vs to expounde yt figuratiuelye as doth allso S. Austen other holy doctors as here after shall playnly apere If euery man that can finde outâ— a newe fonde phantasâ—e vppon a text of holy scripture may haue his owyn minde taken his owyn exposicioÌ„ beleued agaynstâ— the exposâ—cioÌ„s of the old coninge doctors sayntes then may you surely see that non article of the christen fayth can stoÌ„de endure loÌ„ge And then he allegith s. Hierom w c sayeth that yf the eâ—posiâ—â—oÌ„ of other interpretours aÌ„d the coÌ„sent of the coÌ„men catholike churche wâ—re of no more streÌ„gth but that euery maÌ„ might
be beleuâ—d that coulde bâ—inge som textes of scripture for hâ—m expounded as yt pleassed hâ—m self then coulde I saytâ—e thys holy man brynge vppe a new sect allso and saye by scrypture â— that no man were a true Chrysten man nor a mâ—mbrâ— of the churche â— that kepeth two cotes And in good faytâ— sayth master More â—f that waâ—e were â—owâ—d I were able my sâ—llfe to fynde oute fyftene newe sectes in one fore none Sayncte Peter saâ—th that the scripture ys not expounded after the appetyte of any priuate person but â—uyn as yt was geuyn by the sprite of god noâ— by mannes wyll So mâ—ste yt be declared by the same spryte And therfore I wyll not that any man sâ—albe beleued by bringinge hys owyn mynde and phantasie But yf he wyll be beleued lett hym brynge eyther an other playne texte which shall expounde the firste or els at the leste he muste bringe suche a sentense as wyll stonde with the processe of the scrypture Whye was Saynct Hierom alowâ—d agaynst the determâ—nacyon of the counsell of meldelcy syth he was alone and they a great multitudeâ— but onlye be cause he brought euydent scrypture which at the tyme of their sentense non of them remembred and yet when yt was brought they coulde not auoyde yt And lykewise except I brynge euydent scrypture which they all shall expounde as I doo I desyre not to be beleued And where master More sayeth that in good fayth he wâ—re able to â—ynde oute fyftene newe sectes in one sore none he may thanke GOD that he hathe suche a prengâ—ant wytte But yet I truste he shulde not fynde one yf there were any parâ—ll of dampnacyon therin but that we wolde with a playne texte confute yt which he shuld not be able to auoyde ¶ And ouer this the very circumstances of the places in the gospell in which our sauyour speaketh of that sacrament may well make open the defference of hys speache in this mater and of all those other and that as he spake all those but in an allegorye so spake he â—â—ys playnly meaninge that he spake of hys very bodye and hys very bloud besyde all allâ—goryes For when our lorde sayd he was a very vyne nor when he sayd he was the dore there was non that harde hym that any thynge meruelyd therof And whye For be cause they perceyued well that he ment not that he was a materyall vyne in dede nor a dore nether But when he sayd that hys fleshe was very meate and hys bloude very drynke and that they shuld not be saued but yf they did eate hys fleshe and drynke hys bloude then were thâ—y all in suche a wonder therof that they coulde not they coulde not abyde And whâ—rfore but because they perceyued well by hys wordes and hys maner of cirâ—unstaunces that Câ—riste spake of hys very flesâ—e and hys very bloude in dede It ys openly knowen confessed amonge all lerned men tâ—at in the .6 chapitre of IoaÌ„ christe spake not one worde concernynge the sacracrameÌ„t of hys bodye and bloude w c at that tyme was not yet institute but all that he ther spake was of the spâ—Ì„all eatinge drinkynge of his bote bloude in to our souleâ— w c ys the faytâ—e in hâ—s bodye and bloude as I haue touched before And the cyâ—cunstances of this place do â—n dede proue that they were fleshly mynded and vnderstoâ—e not the spirituall wordes of our saviour Christ and thefore wondered murmered In somoch that Christ sayd vnto theÌ„ doth this oâ—fende â—oâ— What wâ—lâ— ye say then wheÌ„ ye shall see the sone of man ascendynge thither where he was before Then addeth S. Austen you sâ—all knowe tâ—at he ment not to geue hys fleshe to eate w t youre teth for he shall ascende hoole And Christ addeth â— yt ys the spirete that quickneth the fleshe profiteth notâ—â—nge the word that I speakâ— are spiret aÌ„d lyste that ys to saye saith S. Austyn are spuÌ„aly to be vnderstond And where Christ sayeth â— that the fleshe profiteth nothyng meanyng of hys owne fleshe as S Austen sayth he mâ—aneth that yt profitâ—th not as they vnderstode hâ—m that ys to saye yt profiteth not yf â—t were eateÌ„ But yt doth moche ê“fite to be slayne that thorough yt and the shediÌ„ge of hys bloude the wâ—athe of god our father ys pacified and oure synnâ—s for geueÌ„ And wher his mastership saythe that the people ê‘ceyâ—ed well what he ment and therfore woÌ„dâ—red so sore and couâ—de not abyde be cause they perceyued well by his wordes and maner of circunstaÌ„ces what his meaning waâ— I wyll saye as I did before that they vndâ—rsâ—ode hâ—m not Fowe here he will saye vnto me yf yt be but your naye and my yee then I wolde thynke to be beleued as soâ—e as yow and surelye that were but reâ—son â—ot wtstondyng thaÌ„kâ—s be to god I am able to bringe in auctorite to Iudge bâ—twene vs bothe whose Iudgement I truste his mastership wyll admyt This auctor ys S. Ausâ—yn w c sayeth Disâ—ipuli enâ—â— eius qui eum sequebantur expauerunt exhorruerunt sermoneÌ„ noÌ„ intellegentes That ys to saye his disciples wcâ—olâ—owed hym were a stoyned and abhorred his wordes and vnderstode them not And be cause your masâ—ershipe shall â—ot thynke that he ouer schott hym selâ—fe and spake he wyst not what we shall aliege hym saytnge the same wordes in an other placeâ— Cum diceret Nisi quis manducauerit carnem c. Illi non intellegentes dixerunt ad inuicem Durus est hic sermo quis potest eum audire That ys when christ sayd except a man eate my fleshe and drinke my bloude â— he shall haue no lyff in hym they beâ—ausâ— thâ—y vâ—derstode hym not sayde to eche other this ys an harde sayinge who can heare hym Thus I trustâ— you will geue place allthough not to me yet at the lest vnto S. Austen and receyâ—e the trueth w c ys so playnly proued And where his mastership allegetâ— this text for the sacrament that except they did eate his fleshe drynke his bloude they could not be saued yt semeth that he ys falleÌ„ in to the errour of pope innoceÌ„t â— whiche like wise vnderstondyng this text vppon the sacrameÌ„t as master More doth caused yoÌ„ge chyldern infantes to receiue the sacrameÌ„t â— as though thei had all by a daÌ„pned w c died had not receyued yt And of this carnall minde were many mo Bushoppes a great while as are now the bohemes â— whom he after dispraysethâ— and yet expouÌ„deth the text as they dooâ— but afterward they loked more spuÌ„ally vppoâ— the matter and coÌ„fessed ther ignoraÌ„ce as I truste master more wyll but nowe will I shew you s. AusteÌ„s minde vppoÌ„ this text w c shall hâ—lpe for the exposicioÌ„ of all this matter s. AusteÌ„ in the thirde boke de doctrina christiana the .16 chapitre teachiÌ„ge howe we shall knowe the tropes figures allegories
and phrases of the scripture saith Si auÌ„t flagitiuÌ„ aut facinus iubere uidet figurata locutio est Nisi maÌ„ducaueritis inqt carneÌ„ filiâ— hoiÌ„s et biberitis eiê° sanguineÌ„ noÌ„ habebitis uitaÌ„ iÌ„ uobis â—acinusuel flagitiuÌ„ uidetur iubereâ— Figura est ergo precipieÌ„s passioÌ„is dnÌ„icae esse coÌ„icanduÌ„ et suauiter atque utiliter in memoria recondenduÌ„ qd pro nobis caro eius câ—ucifixa uulnerata sit That ys to saye when so euer the scripture or Christ semeth to coÌ„maunde any fowle or wicked thynge than muste that text be takeÌ„ figuratiuelye that ys yt ys a phrase allegorie and maner of speaking and muste be vnderstoÌ„d spuÌ„ally not after the letter Except sayth christ ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of maÌ„ and drinke his bloude ye shall haue no lyffe in you He â—eamethe saith S. Austen to coÌ„maunde a fowle and a wycked thinge It ys therfore a figure commauâ—ding vs to be partakers of his passyon and sweâ—ly and ê“fitablye to prent in oure mynde that hys fleshe was crucifyed and wonded for vs. This trueth thaÌ„kes be to god doth S. Austen declare vnto vs w c thinge beside the openiÌ„ge of this text agaynst master mores mynde doth playnlye shew what he thought in the woâ—des of christes souper For syth he cauâ—ed yt a sowâ—e and a wicked thinge to eate his fleshe than may you sone ê‘ceyue that he thought yt as sowie aÌ„d as wicked a thinge to eate his bodye seinge hys bodie ys fleshe and then coÌ„sâ—quently yt shall folowe that ether this worde â—aâ—e wher Christe sayd take this eate yt muste be takyn spuÌ„ally or els that this sayng of christe this ys my bodie muste be figuratiuely spoken but thys worde eate ys takeÌ„ after the lettâ—r â—or thei did in dede eate the bred therfore yt muste nedes folowe that this sentence this ys my â—odie muste be figuratiuely spoken Or els ys s. Austen not to be approued in this place w t thynge our bushoppes I thynke wyll not saye naye Besydes thatâ— s. Austen sayeth QuaÌ„do loquebatur dnÌ„s noster Iesus Christus de corpore suo nisi inqt qs maÌ„ducauerit carneÌ„ mâ—aÌ„ et biberit sangui neÌ„ meuÌ„ non habeâ—it in seuitaÌ„ Caro emÌ„ mea uere est cibus sanguis meus uere est potus intellectê° spiritualis credentem â—aluuÌ„ faciâ— quia littera occidit spuÌ„s est q uiuificat That ys to saye wheÌ„ our lorde Iesus Christe spake of his bodie except quod he a man eate my fleshe and drynke my bloude he shall haue no lyff in hym sellf for my fleshe ys verye meate and my bloude ys verie drinke The spirituall vnderstonding saueth hym that beleueâ—h for the letter kyâ—â—â—h but the spirâ—te quyâ—keneth Here may you playnlie perceiue that this text muste onlye be taken spirituallie For he sayeth that to take yt after the letter yt killeth and profiteth nothyng at all and therfore I wonder that we haue ben ledde so longe in this grosse erroure This sayinge doth that famous clark Origine confirme sayng Agnosce ê™ figurae sunt quae in uolumiâ—ibus Domini scriptae sunt ideo tanq spirituales non tanq carnales examinate intelâ—â—gite quae dicuntur Si enim secundum literam seqâ—atis hoc ipsum quod dictum est Nisi manduc mâ—ritis carnem c. occidiâ— hâ—â—c liâ—era That is to saye Marke that thâ—y are figures w c are wryten in tâ—â— scripture of god And thâ—rfore examine theÌ„ as spâ—rituall mâ—n and not as carnall and vndâ—rstond those thinges that are spoken For if thou followe after tâ—e letter this thinge that ys spoken excepte ye eate the flâ—she oâ— thâ— sone of man and drynke his bloude you can haue no liffe in in you this leâ—tâ—r killeth Alas deare brethern why shoulde aâ—y mâ—n be offended w t this doctrine syth yt ys â—proued so playnlie by suche aunâ—ient and hoâ—ie faâ—hers Agayne S Austen sayeth Qui manducat carnem meam bibit meum sanguinem in me manet ego in illo Hoc est ergo maÌ„ducare illaÌ„ esâ— am illum bibere potum in Christo manere illum manentem in se habere ac per hoc qui noÌ„ manet in Christo in quo non manet Christus procuâ—dubio non manducat eius carnem nec bibit sanguineÌ„ etiaÌ„ si tantae rei sacramentuÌ„ ad iudicium sibi manduceâ— bibit â— That is to say he that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blode abideth in me and I in hym This is therfore the eatinge of that meate drinkinge of that blode to abyde in christ and haue him abiding in vs. And therfore he that abideth not in Christ and in whom Christ abideth not w t oute doubt he eateth not his fleshe nor drinketh not hâ—s bloude although he eate and drinke the sacrament of so great a thinge vnto his daÌ„pnacion And euyn the same wordes hath bede vppon the Corinthians 1. Corin 10. This one place is sufficient for to proue mi purposse though he sayd not one worde more For here he doth playnlye determin that he w c abideth not in Christe that is to saye he that is wicked or vnfaythfull doth not eate his fleshe nor drinke his bloude although he eate and drinke the sacrameÌ„t of so great a thinge And so must yt nedes followe that the sacrament yt not the verye naturall bodie of christe For then the vnfaythfull shuld eate his fleshe seing he eateth the sacrament of his bodye But that doth s. AusteÌ„ deney wherfore yt muste nedes followe that yt is but only a token of a remembrance a signe of his bodie breakinge and a representacioÌ„ of his passioÌ„ that we might kepe hys â—acte in memorâ—e geue him thankes for his tender loue aÌ„d kindenes w t when we were his ennemies toke vppon him to suffer moste vile deth to reconcile vs vnto his father and make vs his frendes Thys sainge hath s. Austen in a nother place allso where he wryâ—eth on this maner Qui non in me manet in quo ego noÌ„ maneo noÌ„ se dicat aut existimet maÌ„ducare corpus meuÌ„ aut bibere sanguinem meuÌ„ Non itaque maneÌ„t in Christo qui non sunt eiuâ— membra noÌ„ sunt aâ—Ì„t membra Christi qui se faciuÌ„t membra meritricis That ys to saye he that bydeth not in me And in whom I abyde not lett hiÌ„ not saye or thinke that he eateth mi bodie or driÌ„keth mi blode They abyde not in Christ w c are not his membres And they are not his meÌ„bres w c make theÌ„ selues the membres of an harlete And these are allso the very wordes of Bede Here ys yt playne proued agayne by the auctorite of s. Austen Bede that the wicked and vnfaythfull w c are not the membres of Christ do not eate his bodye nor drinke his bloâ—de aÌ„d yet they do eate
hade soopâ—d And because brede doth confyrme or strengthe the fleshe and wyne worketh bloude in the â—lâ—she therfore ys the brâ—de misticallye referred vnto the bodye of Christe and the wyne referred vnto hys bloude Here maye you note furste that â—s the lambe was a remembraunce of theâ—r delyueraunce oute of Egipt and yet the lambe delyuered theÌ„ not so ys the sacrament a remembrauÌ„ce of our redeÌ„ptyon and yet the sacrameÌ„t redemed vs not â—esydes that he sayth that Christ in the stede of the fleshe and bloude of the lambe did institute the sacrament of hys fleshe and bloude in fygure of brede and wyne â—arke well he sayth not that in the stede of lambes fleshe and bloude he dyd institute hys owyn fleshe and bloude but â—ayeth that he dyd institute the sacrament of hys fleshe and bloude What thynge ys a sacrament verelye yt ys the sygne of an holye thyng and there ys no defferrence bâ—twene a sygne and a sacrament but that the sygne ys referred vnto a wordly thynge and a Sacrament vnto a spirituall or holye thynge As s. Austen sayth Signa cuÌ„ ad res diuinas pertinent sacramenta appellantur That ys to saye signes when they partayne vnto godly thinges are called sacramentes Theâ—fore when Beda saieth that thei did institute the sacrameÌ„t of his fleshe and bloude in the figure of bred and wine yt ys as moche to saye by s. Austens diffinitioÌ„ as that he did institute the figure of his holye fleshe and bloude in the figure of bred aâ—d wine that ys to saye that brâ—ade and wyne shuld be thâ— figure and signe repÌ„sentyng his holy fleshe bloude vnto vs for a perpetuall remembraÌ„ce And afterward he declareth the proê‘tye â—or w t the brede ys called the bodye and the wyne the bloude sauynge he speaketh â—ot so darkelye as I now doo but playnlye sayth that the brede is misâ—icallye refferred vnto the bodye of Christe be cause that as brede doth strengthe the flâ—she so Christes bodye which ys figured by the brede doth sâ—rengthe the soule thorough sayth in his deth And so doth he clerlye proue my purpose Now lett vs se what Chrisostome sayth w c shall describe vs the fayth of the olde greacyaÌ„s and I doubte not he had not loste the treue fayth how so euer the wordle goo now adayes Chrisostome sayth in this maner Si enim mortuus â—esus noÌ„ est cuius signuÌ„ simbolum hoc sacrâ—ficiuÌ„ est uides â—uantuÌ„ ei studium fuerit ut semper memorâ—a teneamus pro nobis ipsum mortuuÌ„ fuisse That ys to saye for yf Iesus haue not died whosse memoriall and signe ys the sacrifyce Thow seyst what diligeÌ„ce he gaue that we shulde contynuallye kepe in memorie that he dyed for vs. Here you maye see that Chrisostome calleth the sacrameÌ„t symboluâ— et signuÌ„ that is to saye a mâ—moryâ—ll and signe of christ aÌ„d that yt was inâ—titute to kepe hys deth in perpetuall remeÌ„brauÌ„ce But of one thinge thou muste beware or els thou arte deceyued hâ— calleth it allso a sacrafice and there thou muste wyselye vnderstond hym For yf yt were the sacrafice of Christes bodye then mâ—ste christes bodye be slayne ther agayne w c thynge God forbyd And therfore thou muste vnderstond hym wheÌ„ he calleth yt a sacrafice that he meaneth yt to a remembraunce of that holye sacrafice where christes bodye was offered on the crosse once for all For he caÌ„ be sacrafied no more seinge he ys immortall Not withstondyng our prelattes will here note me of presumption that I dare be so boolde to eâ—pounde hys mynde on thys fasyon For in dede they take hym otherwise thynke that yt ys a vâ—rye sacrafice And therfore I wyll brynge one other text where Chrisostome shall expouÌ„d hiÌ„ sellf Chrisostome sayth Nâ—ne ê‘ singulos dies offerrimê° offerrimê° qde sed ad recordationeÌ„ mortis eiê° facieÌ„tes Hoc auÌ„t sacrificiuÌ„ sicut poÌ„tifex â—ed id ipsum semê‘ facimus Imo recordati oneÌ„ sacrificij That ys to saye do we not dayly offer or do sacrafice yes suerlye But we do yt for the remembraunce of his deth for this sacraficâ— ys as an example of that we offer not an other sacrafiâ—e as the bushop in the olde lawe did but euer the â—ame ye rather a remembraunce of the sacrafice Furst he sayeth that they daylye do sacrafice but yt ys in remembraunce of Christes dâ—th Tâ—en he sayth that the sacrifice ys an example of that Thyrâ—â—ye he sayth that they offer â—ot an other sacryfyce that ys to saye an oxe or a goote as the bushoppes of the olde lawe but euer the sameâ— Merke thys poynteâ— for though yt seame at the fyrst syght to make with thâ—m yet doth yt make so derectlye agaynst them â— that they shall neuer be able to auoyd yt Câ—rysostâ—mâ— sayth they do not offer an other sacrifyâ—e aâ— the bushoppes did but euer the sâ—me They oâ—fer other brede wyne thys daâ—e then they â—yd yesterdaye they shall saye an other maâ—â—e to morowe then they dyd thys daye Now yf thys brede and wyne or the masse be a sacrifyce â— then do they offer an other sacrifyce as well as the bushoppys of the olde lawe For thys sacrifyes dyd signifie that Christ shulde come and shâ—d hâ—s bâ—oude â—s well as the bred wine and masse do represent that he hath done yt in dede And therfore yff yt be a sacrifyce then do they offer an other sacrifyce representyng hys passyon as well as the Bâ—shop of the old lawe But that doth chrysostâ—me denye and sayth that â—hey offer euery day the same What same verâ—â—â—e euâ—n the same that was done and sacriâ—â—â—ed when Christe sheâ— his bloude In thys sacrifyce ys Christe euery daye bounde and buffeâ—â—d and lede from â—nna to Cayphas he ys broughâ— to Pylaâ—e and condempned he ys scorged and crowned with thorne nayled on tâ—e crossâ— and hys herte opeynned w t aspere and so shâ—deth his bloude For our redempcion Why chrisostome and do you the seelfe same sacrifice euery daye ye verelie TheÌ„ why doth S. Paulle saye that christe ys risyn from deth and dieth no more yf he dye no more how do you daylie crucâ—fye hym For sothe Paulle sayeth trouthe For we do yt not actuallye in dede but â—nlyâ— in a misterie And yet we saye that we do saâ—rifice hyâ— and that thys ys his sacryfice for the celâ—bâ—aâ—ioÌ„ of the sacrameÌ„t aÌ„d memorye of the passyoÌ„ which we kepe for this cause yt hathe the name of the thyâ—ge that yt doth represent signifie And therfore I expoâ—nde my minde be a rethoricall correâ—tiâ—n and saye Imo recoâ—dationeÌ„ sacrifiâ—â— that is to saye yee rather the remeÌ„brauÌ„â—e of the sacrifice Grauntmercyâ—s good Chrisostome now do I perceyue the pyth of thys matter euyn as the masse ys the very deth and passyoÌ„ of christe so ys yt a sacryfice Now yt doth but onlye represent the verey deth passyoÌ„ of
christe therfore yt doth folowe that the masse in very dede doth but only represent a sacrifice And yet nat w t staÌ„ding many tymes yt is called a sacrifice of hollyâ— doctoâ—s aÌ„d hathe the name of the very same thynge that yt doth represent signifie And euyn sâ— we maye saye oft â— is sacrameÌ„t that as the masse is the verye sacryâ—ice and passyoÌ„ of christ so ys the sacrameÌ„t hys verye bodye and sacrifice that â—s offered Nowe the mâ—sse doth bâ—t oÌ„ly repÌ„sent signifie the passioÌ„ so the sacrameÌ„t doth but oÌ„lye repÌ„sent signifie thâ— bodye verye sacrifice onece offered for euer NatwtstoÌ„dinge many times the masse is called a sacrifice of hoâ—â— â—octos so the the sacrament ys called the bodye aÌ„d a sacrifice And hathe the name of the verye same thynge that yt doth represent and signifye Furthermore Chrisostome sayth Ipse quoque bibit ex eo ne auditis uerbis illis dicereÌ„t Quid igitur sanguineÌ„ bibimus carnem coÌ„medimus â— ac ideo perturbarentur nam quando prius de his uerba fecit etiam uerbis ipsius offendabantur Ne igitur tuÌ„c id quoque accideret primus ipse hoc fecit utad coÌ„munionem misteriorum induceret intrepidam That ys to saye he allso dranke of yt lest when they herde his wordes they shulde saye why do we than drinke bloude and eate fleshe and so shuld be trobled For when he spake before of thosse thinges they were offended w t his wordes And because that shulde not now also chauÌ„ce he hym sellfe draÌ„ke furst of yt that he might cause them to come w t oute feare to the ê‘takinge of those misteries here Chrisostome noteth that Christe dranke of yt to drawe theÌ„ from the grosse vnderstondinge of his wordes and by hys drinking to testifye vnto them that yt was not his naturall bloud nor his naturall fleshe in dede but only memoriallys and repÌ„sentacyones of his bodye and blode And therfore he calleth theÌ„ misterâ—â—s that ys to saye sacrameÌ„tes For in this place a sacramente aÌ„d a misterye ys all one thinge Notwtstondinge some tyme thys worde misterye ys more comen large in signifying then this worde sacrameÌ„t And I haue shewed you before that a sacrament ys the signe of an holye thinge and not the thinge yt sellfe that yt repÌ„senteth albeit somtyme yt beare the name of the verye thinge yt sellfe as the Image ofâ— Peter ys not saynct Peter hym sellfe and yet yt beareth hys name Chrisosâ—ome sayth Caro noÌ„ prodest quicq hoc est secunduÌ„ spirituÌ„ uerba mea audienda sunt Qui secunduÌ„ carneÌ„ audit nihil lucratur nihil utilitatis accipit Quid est auteÌ„ carnaliter intelligere simpliciter ut res dicuntur neque aliud quippiam excogitare Misteria oiÌ„a interioribus oculis consideranda sunt hoc est spiritualiter That ys to saye The fleshe profiteth nothing that ys my wordes muste be vnderstond after the spryte he that vnderstondeth them after the fleshe winnith nothing nor taketh no profâ—ete what meaneth this to vâ—derstonde after the fleshe or carnallye verelye to take the thingys simplâ—e as they are spoken and to thinke none other thynge All misteryes or sacramentes muste be considered w t the inwarde eyes that ys saye spirituallye And after he expoundeth hym sellfe on thys maner Interiores auteÌ„ oculi ut paneÌ„ uiderint creaturas transuolant noÌ„ de illo pane a pistore cocto cogitaÌ„t sed de eo qui dixit se paneÌ„ uitae qui per misticuÌ„ paneÌ„ significatur That ys to saye The inwarde eyes as sone as they see the bred thei passe ouer the creatures aÌ„d thinke not of that bred w c ys bakyn of the bakear but of hym that called hym sellfe the brede of lyffe w c ys sigâ—ifyed by the misticall or sacrameÌ„tall brede Wolde you haue hym saâ—e any more he telleth you playne that Christe w c ys the verye bred of lyffe ys signifyed by this sacramentall brede And that ys the thiÌ„ge w c our bushoppes so fleshlie deneie now adayes w c thinge yet you maye set the olde fathers conclude w c one aâ—sâ—nt Notwtstonding yet I will allege mo olde doâ—tours so that from hence forward they mâ—ye be asâ—amâ—d to calle yt newe â—errnâ—ngâ— Fulgentius saith In illis emÌ„ carnalibus â—ê‘e legis uictimis significatio fâ—it carnis Christi quaÌ„ propâ—tis nostris ipse siâ—e pâ—tâ—Ì„ fuerat oblaturus sanguinis queÌ„ erat effâ—surê° in reâ—issioneÌ„ peccatoruÌ„ nostroruÌ„ In isto auÌ„â— sacrificio gratiâ—ruÌ„ actio atque coÌ„memoratio est carâ—nis Christi quaÌ„ ê“ nobis obtuliâ— sanguinis queÌ„ ê“ nobis ideÌ„ Dâ—us effâ—dit Tâ—at is to saâ—e In thes carnall sacrificis in the tyme of the lawâ— was a siâ—nificaâ—ioÌ„ of tâ—e fleshe of christe w c hâ— w t oute syâ—ne shulde offer for our synnes aâ—d of the bloâ—d w c he sâ—uld shede out in râ—mâ—â—sâ—on of our synneâ— But in this sacrifice is a thaÌ„â—es gâ—uiÌ„g remeÌ„braunce of the fleshe of christe w c hâ— oâ—fered for vs of tâ—e bloude w c the saâ—â— god shed oute for vs Fâ—rste note that he calleth yâ— a sacrifice w c notwtstondingâ— is but a remeÌ„braunce of thâ—t sacrifice oâ—fereâ— oâ— the croâ—se once for all aâ— yt ys proued before oute of Chrisostome Then he â—layâ—ly calleth â—t a thankes gâ—uinge and remâ—mbrance of Chriâ—tes flesâ—e and bloude so coÌ„cludeth with vs. Neâ—erthelesse because sophysters wolde sonâ— thynke to auoyde this plaâ—e I wâ—ll allege one other saâ—inge of the same aucto w c they shall neuer be able to auoyde ¶ Fulgentius sayeth as Hâ—yâ—o â—estifieth Hic calix nouum testamentum est id est hic calix quem â—obis trado nouum testamentum signifiâ—at That ys to saye Thys cuppe or chalice ys the new testament That ys thys cuppe or chalice which I deliuer you doth sygnifye the newe testameÌ„t In thys place he doth playnlye shewe his mynde w c can â—ot be auoyded For euyn as the cuppe ys the newe testameÌ„t â— so ys the brede the bodye â—owe the cuppe dothe but sygnifye the new testament And therfore I may coÌ„clude that the brede doth but sygâ—ifye the bodye Eusâ—bâ—us sayeth Quia corpus assumptum ablaturus erat ex oculis nostris syderibus allaturus nâ—câ—ssarium erat ut nobis in hac die â—acramentum corporis sanguinis consecraret ut coleretur iugiter per mysterium quod semel offerebatur in precium That ys to saye Because he wolde take awaye outâ— of oure eyes the bodye that he toke and carye yt in to heuyn It was necessarie that in thys tyme he sâ—ulde coÌ„secrate to vs the sacrament of his bodie and bloude that that w c was once offered for the price of our redeÌ„ptyoÌ„ might coÌ„tâ—nuallye be honored thorough the mysterye To coÌ„secrate a thinge is to applyâ— yt vnto an holyâ— vsâ— Here you maye see that he callâ—th yt the
saâ—rameÌ„t of his bodie and bâ—oude w c bodie is caryâ—d vp in the heuen And allso he calleth yt a mistâ—rye w c is ynowe for them that will see Allso druthmarius expoundeth thes wordes this is my bodye on thys maner Hoc est corpus meum in misterio That is to saye this remy bodye iâ— a mystâ—rie I thynke you knowe what a misterye meaneth â—hriste is crucifiâ—d euery daye in a misterie that is to saye euery daye his deth ys represented by the sacramentes of remeÌ„braunce The masse is Christes passyon is a misterye that ys to saye the masse doth repÌ„sented hys passion aÌ„d kepeth yt in oure memorie The brede ys Christes bodye in a misterie that is to saye â—t repÌ„senteth hâ—s bodye that was brokyn for vs â— and kepâ—th yt in oure remembraunce Yow haue herde all redye the mynde of the doctours how the sacrament ys Christes bodye And now I shall shewe you how the sacrament ys oure bodye w c doth not a lytell helpâ— to the vndstoÌ„ding of theis wordes w c are in coÌ„trouersie The sacrameÌ„t of the aulter ys oure bodye as well as yt ys christes bodye And euyn as yt is oure bodye so ys yt Christes But there ys no man that can saye that yt is oure naturall bodie in dede but onlye a figure signe memoriall or repÌ„sentacyon of our bodie Wherfore yt must allso folow â— that yt ys but onlye a figure signe memoriall or repÌ„sentacyon of Christes bodie The furste ê‘te of this argumeÌ„t maâ—e thus be proued S. Austen wryting in a sermone saâ—eth on this manerâ— Corpus ergo Christi si uu tis intelligere apostoluÌ„ audite dicenteÌ„ Vos estis corpus Christi meÌ„bra 1. Cor. 12. Si ergo estis corpus Christi membra mysteriuÌ„ uestrumque in mensa DnÌ„i posituÌ„ est mysteriuÌ„ DnÌ„i posituÌ„ est misteriuÌ„ DnÌ„i accipitis ad id quod estis Amen respondetis respoÌ„dendo subscribitis That is to saye Yff you will vnderstoÌ„â— the bodye of Christe here the apostle w c sayeth ye are the bodye of Christe and membres â— cor 12. thâ—rfore yf ye be the bodye of christe aÌ„d membres â—our misterie ys put vppon the lordes table ye receiue the misterie of the lorde vnto that you are you answer Amen And in answâ—ringe subscribe vnto yt Here you maye see that the sacrament ys allso our bodye and yet ys not our natâ—ral bodye but onlye our bodye in a misterye that ys to saye a figure signe memoriall or repÌ„sentation of our bodye for as the brede ye made of many graynes or cornes so we though we be many are one brede aÌ„d one bodye And for this ê“pertie and sâ—militude yt ys called oure bodye and beareth the name of the verye thynge w c yt doth represent and signifye Agayne s. Austen saythâ— Quia Christus passusest pro nobis coÌ„mendauit nobis in isto sacramento corpus sanguineÌ„ suuÌ„ quod etiam fecit nos ipsos Nam â— nos ipsius corpus facti sumus per misericordiaÌ„ ipsius quod accipimus nos sumus Et postea dicit Iam in noiÌ„e Christi tanquam ad caliceÌ„ DnÌ„i uenistis ibi uos estis in mensa ibi uos estis in caliceâ— That ys because christ hath suffered â—or vs he hath betaken vnâ—e vs in this sacrameÌ„t his bodie and bloude w c he hath allso made euyn our sellfes For we allso are made hie bodye and by his merâ—ye we are euyn the same thinge that we receyue And after he sayth now in the name of christe ye are come as a man wold saye to the chalice of the lorde there are ye vppon the table and there are ye in the chalice Here you maye see that the sacrament is oure bodye And yet yt ys not oure naturall bodye but onlye in a misterye as yt ys before sayd Furthermore s. Austen sayethâ— Hunc itaque cibuÌ„ potuÌ„ societateÌ„ uult intelligi corporis membrorum suoruÌ„ qd est sancta ecclesia in predestinatis uocatis iustificatis glorificatis sanctis fidelibus â—ius Huius rei sacramentuÌ„ alicubi quotidie alicubi certis interuallis dierum in dominico preparaturâ— de menâ—a Domini sumitur quibusdam ad uitam quibusdam ad exitium Res uero ipsa cuius est sacramenâ—um est omni homini ad uitam â—ulli ad extium quiâ—unque eius particeps suâ—rit That is to saye he wyll that â—his meate aÌ„d drike sâ—ulde be vnderstond to be the felowship of his bodye membris which is the holye churches in the predestinate and called and iustifyed and glorifyed hys saynctes and faythfull The sacrameâ—t of this tâ—inge ys prepared in some place daylye aâ—d in some place at certayne appoynted dayes as on the sondaie And yt is receiued â—râ—m tâ—â— table of the lorde to some vnto â—â—ffe and to some vnto distrucâ—ion Buâ—â—he thing yt sâ—â—â—fe whose sacramâ—nt this is â— ys reâ—â—yâ—ed of all meâ— vnâ—o â—iff and of no man vâ—to 〈◊〉 who so euer is partaker of yt Here doth â—â—â—uâ—â—en fursâ—e saye that thys sacrament ys the â—â—owshyp of hys bodye and memâ—res which are we And yet yt ys not oure naturall bodye as ys before sayd And then he sayth that tâ—e sacrament of thys thing ys râ—ceyued of some vnto lyff and saluacyon and of sâ—me vnto dâ—tâ— and dampnation For both â—aythâ—ull and â—â—faythfull maye receyue the sacraâ—ent And after he sayeth that the â—hyng yt sellff whose sacrament yt ys ys receyued of al men vnto lyffe â— and of no man vnto destructyon who so â—uâ—r ys partaker of yt And of thys sayâ—nge yt muste nedes follow that onlye the â—aythfull eate CHRISTES bodye and the vnâ—aythfull eate him notâ— For he ys receyued of no man vnto destructyon And of this yt muste allso followe that the sacrament ys not Christes bodye in dede but onlye in a mysterye For yff the sacrament were hys naâ—urall bodye then shulde yt foâ—â—owe that the vnfaythfull shâ—lde receyue hys bodye Whych ys contrarye to the mynde of sainct Ausâ—en aâ—d agaynst all truth Thus haue we suffecyentlye proued the â—yrst part of oure argument that the sacrament ys oure bodye as well as yt ys CHRISTES And nowe wyll I proue the second parte more playnly although yt be ynough declared all redye to them that haue eares that ys that euyn as yt ys oure bodie so ys yt Christes Furste you shall vndersâ—ond that in the wine which ys called Christes bloude is admixed water which doth signifye â—he people that are redemed w t his bloude so tâ—at tâ—e heed w c is Chrisâ—e ys not w t oute hys bodye w c ys the faythfull people nor the bodye w t oute hys heed Now yf the wyne when yt is coÌ„secrated be torned bodelye in to Christes bloude then is yt also necessarie that thâ— water w c is admixed be bodelie torned in to the bloude of the fayâ—hfull people For where as is one coÌ„secratioÌ„ muste
w c I speake vnto you are spirite and liffe For in this place also he meaneth both of his owne fleshe and his owyn spirite and he deuided the spirite from the fleshe that they might knowe thorough fayth not onlye the visible parte but also the inuisible parte y â— was in hym and also that the wordes w c he spake were not carnall but spuÌ„all For what bodye shuld haue suffâ—sed to haue byn the meate of all the wordle And euyn therfore did he make mâ—ntion of the asâ—eâ—sion of the sonne of man in to heuen that he might wtdrawe them from the bodelye imaginaâ—ion that they might here after lerne that the fleshe was called heuynlye meate whych comâ—th from a boue spirituall meate w c he wolde gâ—ue For saythe Christe the wordes that I haue spoken vnto you are spirit and liffe Here you maye see that christe spake yt of his owâ—n fleshe and ment playnlie that yt did nothinge profiâ—e as infideles did vnderstond him For els yt geuithe lyffe as yt is receyued of the faithfull in a misterie For as bartram sayeth in this misterie of the bodie bloude is a spirituall operation w c geueth lyffe With oute the w t operation those misteries do nothinge profite for surelye sayth he they may fede the bodye but the soule they can not fede Besides that the scripture sayth that that entreth in by the mouth doth not defâ—le a man for as christe sayeth yt is caste forthe in to the drawght And by the same reason yt foloweth that yt doth not sanctifie or make a man holye But the sacrameÌ„t entreth iÌ„ by the mouth therfore yt doth folowe that of yt sellfe yâ— doth not saÌ„ctifie or make holie of this text shuld followe two incoÌ„uenieÌ„ces yf the sacrameÌ„t were the naturalâ— bodie of christe Furste yt shuld folow that the bodie of christ shuld not sanctifie the faithful because yt entreth in by the mouthe And agayne yt shuld followe that the bodie of christe shulde be caste oute in to the drawght w c thinge is abominable Wherfore yt muste nedes followe that the sacrameÌ„t can not be his naturall bodie Furthermore Christ wold not suffer that deuoute woman w c of loue sought hym at his sepulture to touche his naturall bodye because she lacked a poynt of fayth and did not count him to be equall w t his father And moche more yt shall followe that the wicked w c haue no faith nor loue towardes hâ—m shall not be suffered to eate his fleshe w t ther teth swallow yt in â—o their vnclene bodies for that were moche more then to touche hym And yet not withstaÌ„dinge they receyue and eate the sacrament Where vppon yt shuld followe yf the sacrament were his naturall bodie that they shulde in dede eate his bodieâ— w c thinge may be recounted a blasphemye agaynst God More ouer Christe sayth he that eateth my fleshe drinketh my bloude dwelleth in me I in him Nowe we knowe right well that the wicked do eate the sacrament and yet nether dwell in christe nor christ in then Wherfore yt muste followe that the sacrament is not the very fleshe of Christe And surelye I can not excuse thâ—m of blasphemie whiche so directâ—lye contrarye Chriâ—â—es wordes Howe can you auoide these textes w c christ speaketh vnto his disciples sayinge yâ—t a litell whâ—le am I w t you And then I dâ—parte to him that sent me And agayne yt ys expedyent for you that I deâ—arte For except that I departe that comâ—orter shall â—ot come vnto you And agayne he sayth I forsake the worlde and goo to mi father And to be shâ—rt he sayâ—th pore men ye shall euer haue w t you â—ut me shall you not euer haueâ— â—ow we knowe right well that hys godhed ys in all placâ—s and tâ—aâ— as â—ouchynge his godhed he forsoke not the wordâ—e when he ascended vnto hys faâ—â—er Wherfore yt muste nedes followe that he forâ—oke yt as â—ouchyng hys fleshe and manhode And therâ—o agreeth the expositions of Sainct Austen â— aâ—d Fulgentius before alleged yee and all oâ—her olde faythfull fathers Now yf he haâ—e forsakeâ— the worlde as touchynge the presâ—nce of hys naturall fleshe and maÌ„hode as all doctours defyne then ment he not that hys naturall fleshe shulde be present in the sacrament â— to be â—aten with oure teth And therfore though Christe so tell you yet musâ—e you take hym as he meaneâ—h or â—ls you be begyled For yf ye thynke that GOD both maye and wyll fullfâ—ll and veryfâ—e all thynges accordynge to the letter as he spâ—aketh theÌ„ I maye call you an â—bedyent man as Saynct BARNARD doth hys monke Adam And maye saye as he doth that yf that be the right waye so symplye to receyue all thynge we maye put oute the text of scripture which warnyth vs to be wise as sarpeniâ—s For the text followynge is sufficient â—hich biddeth vs to be simple an doues Why doth youre mastership graunt a necessarye allegorye when Paull sayth CHRISTE ys a stone or when CHRIST saith that he ys a dore The scripture sayth he ys both twayne And syth GOD so sayth he ys able so to make yt And therâ—ore by your reason we shall nede none allegorie in all scripture then he that is moste simple folishe may be counted moste faythfull And so shall we nede no faythfull fathers to expound the text but yt shal be moste merite to beleue the letter Thys I denye not but that God could haue don yt yf he had so entended when he spake the wordes But nowe the scrypture stondynge as yt doth I thinke he can not do yt As by exaÌ„ple I thinke that god by the bloude of his sone Christe myght haue saued all men both faythfull and vnfaithfull yf he had so intended that yt had so pleassed him But nowe the scripture sâ—ondyng as they doo I saye he can not doo yt and that yt is impossible for hym For then he might Make his sone a lyer w c sayth he thaâ— beâ—eueth not is daÌ„pned And againe he that beleueth not shall not se lyffe but the wrathe of god abideth vppoÌ„ him And euen as yt is impossible to stoÌ„de w t the proces of scriptures wherin god hath declared his will that the vnfaithfull shulde be saued although god myght haue doÌ„ yt at the furst yf he hade so wolde Lykewise yt ys impossible the scriptures stoÌ„dinge as they doo that the naturall bodye of Christ shulde be pÌ„sent to our teth in the sacrameÌ„t And as for our fayth yt nedeth not to haue him pÌ„sent in the brede For I maye as well eate hiÌ„ and drinke hym thorough fayth that ys to saye beleue in him as though he were as present in the sacrament as he was haugyng on y â— crosse And because you saye that my naturall reasons be not worth the reasoning I will allege you some mo to se what you can saye to them Furste
euery sacrament is the signe of an hollye thinge but the sacrament of the aulter is a sacrament as all faythfull men confesse ergo yt must follow that the sacrament of the aulter is y â— synge of an hollye thinge Nowe yf yt be the sygne of an hollye thinge then yt is not the hollye thinge yt sellfe w c yt doth signifye represent Why shulde we then feare to call that bred a figure that ys to saâ—e a sacrament of that holye bodye of our lord sauiour Besides that I wolde knowe of what necessite or profite his fleshe muste be present in the sacrament For the pÌ„sence of his fleshe can no more profit vs then doth the remembraunce of his bodie but this remembraunce maye as well be don by the sacrameÌ„t as though hys bodie were present And therfore sith God and nature make nought in vayne yt followethe consequentlye that his naturall fleshe is not there but onlye a memoriall therof Furthermore the ende aÌ„d finall cause of a thinge is euer beter then those thinges w c are prouided for the ende as the howse is better than the lyme stone and timber which are prouided for the howse but the ende and finall cause of the sacrament is the remembraunce of Christes bodye and ther vppon yt muste followe that yf the sacrameÌ„t be his naturall bodie that the remembraunce of Christes bodie shulde be better then his bodie yt sellfe Whiche thinge is to be abhorred of all faythfull men It were fondenes to fayne that the soule did other wise eate then do the angellys in heuen aÌ„d their meate is onlye â—â—e Ioye and delectatyon that they haue of god and of his glorie And euen so doth the soule w c is here vppon the yerth eate thorough fayth the bodye of Christe w c ys in heuen For yt deliteth reioyseth whyles yâ— vnderstondeth thorough faith that christ hath taken our synnes vppon him and pacified the fathers wroth Nether yt is necessarie that for that or for thys cause that hys fleshe shulde be pÌ„sent For a man maye as well loue and reioyse in the thinge w c ys from hym not present as though yt were pÌ„sent by him of that maner Moreouer the brede is Christes bodye euin as the breaking of the brede is the deth of his bodie Nowe y â— breakiÌ„ge of bred at the mauÌ„dey is not the verye deth of Christes bodie but onlye a representation of the same allbeyt the minde thorough fayth doeth spâ—allye beholde his verye deth and euyn likewise that naturall brede is not the verye bodie of our lorde but onlye a sacrament signe memoriall or representatyon of this same albe yt thorough the monision therof the mynde thorough fayth doth spâ—alye beholde the verye bodye And surely therof yf a maÌ„ be faythfull the sprite of God worketh in hys harte verye swetlye at his communion Finallye yt was not lawfull to eate or drinke the bloude not onlye of man but also of a brute beaste and the apostelles themâ— selues moued by the rule of charite did institute that men shulde abstayne from bloude somwhat fauorynge the infyrmyte of the Iewes Now yf the apostellys had taught as ye doo that in the sacrament hys verye fleshe and bloudâ— ys â—aten and dronke with the teth and mouthe of faythfull and vnfaythfull what coulde haue be ne a gâ—eater occasyon to haue excluded the Iewes from crystes fayth euyn at once Thynke you that the appostellys wolde not haue byn to scrupulous to haue dronken hys very bloude seynge yt was so playne agaynst Moses lawe yf they had vnderstonde hym so grosselye as ye doo Petâ—r had a clothe sent downe from heuyn in whych were all maner of beastes â—orbidden by the lawe and was commaunded to sâ—e and â—atâ— them And he answered God forbyd for I neuer eate any vnclene thynge meanynge therbye that he neuer â—ate any thynge forbydden by the lawe Wherof yt moste nedes followe that ether he neuer recâ—yued the sacrament w c ys playne false or els that he more spiritually vnderstode the wordes of Chrisâ—es maundie then ye falselye fayne For yt was playnely forbydden by the lawe to eate or drinke any maner of bloude And I knowe but one reason that they haue w c they count an insoluble how beyt by goddes grace we shall sone auoyde yt There reason is this Paule sayth he that eateth and drinketh this sacrament vnworthylye shal be gyltye of the bodye bloude of the lord Now saye they â— how sâ—uld they be gyltie of the lordes bodie bloud w c receiue yt vnworthelie except yt were the verye bodye and bloude of the lorde This argument I saye is verye weake slender For I can shewe many exampleâ— by the w c yt may be dissolued for he that dispisseth the kinges sealle or letters offendeth agaynst his oweÌ„ parson and yet the letter or seale ys not hys owen parson He that vyolently plucketh downe hys graces armes or breakyth hys brode sâ—ale wyth a furyoâ—se mynde or vyolence committeth treason agaynst hys owyn parson And yet hys armes and brode seale are not hys owyne person he that clepyth the kyngys coyne coÌ„mitteth treason agaynst the kynges parson and the commen welth and yet the mony ys nether hys graces parson nor the coÌ„mon welth And therfore your argument ys but weake and slender For euyn as a man doth offend agaynste the prynces parson by dispising hys armes seale or letters so doth a man offende agaynste Christes bodye and bloude by abusynge the sacrament of hys bodye and bloude although he be not there present as the kynges parson ys not present in his armes seale or letters Besides that s. paule saieth that euerye maÌ„ w c praieth or pÌ„cheth w t couered hâ—ed shameth his heed his heed is christe shall we therfore ImageÌ„ that christe is naturallye in euerye mans heâ—â— as your argument concludeth For soth that were a pretye phaÌ„tasâ—e Finally S. Ausâ—en saiâ—th that he doth no lesse synne w c negligentlye heareth the worde of god theÌ„ doth the other w c vnworthelye receyuith the sacrament of Christes bodye aÌ„d bloude Nowe yf thys be true theÌ„ ys your reason not worth a rishe for christes naturall bodie ys not in the worde w c is pÌ„ched as all men knowe And yet he sâ—unâ—â—h no lesse that negligeÌ„tly heareth yt theÌ„ dooth he that vnworthelye receyuyth the sacrament And thus you see their insoluble easely dissolued ¶ But now muste this yong maÌ„ consider agayne that hym self confesseth that the cause for w t himsellf saieth that christ in so saying did so meane ys because that yf he shuld haue meÌ„t soo yt was impossible to god to brynge his meanenynge a bought that ys to saye that christes bodye might be in two places at once And therfore but yf he proue that thynge impossible for god to doo els he confessyth that god not onlye sayd yt but allso ment yt in dede And yet ouer thys yf christ had neuer sayde
yt yet doubted I nothinge but he ys able to doo yt or els were there sum what that he coulde not doo And theÌ„ were god not allmygâ—tye ¶ Here master more wolde myre me w t his sophistrie w t wiles wolde winne his spores For as he before dyd discaÌ„t on thes wordes caÌ„ â—â—possyble aÌ„d wolde haue made meÌ„ beleue that I meÌ„t yt could not be because yt could not be by reason that I meÌ„t yt was impossyble because reasoÌ„ could not reache yt So now he disputeth w c lyke maner of sophisticatioÌ„ coÌ„cludinge that I coÌ„fesse that yt ys imposyble aÌ„d caÌ„ not be because that yf god shuld so haue meÌ„t yt was impossyble for god to bryng hys meanynge a bought Deare bretherneÌ„ thys babelyng ys suffecyeÌ„lye discussed all readye For I meÌ„t not that yt was impossible For god to brynge yt aboute yf he hade so meÌ„t but I meÌ„t that yt ys impossyble to stoÌ„de w t the processe of the scripture w c we haue receyued And I saye more ouer that though yt was possible for god to haue doÌ„ yt yf yt had pleased hym yet now the scrypture thus stondynge yt is impossâ—ble for hym to do yt for theÌ„ he muste make his sone a lyer And I saye that yf he had so mâ—Ì„t as the letter stoÌ„dith that he wolde theÌ„ haue geuiÌ„ vs other scripture wolde not haue said that he muste deê‘te to hiÌ„ that sent him with other textes as are before reherssed And where master more saieth that yf there were sumwhat that he could not doo thaÌ„ were god not allmightie I saie yt is ashame for oure pÌ„lates that thei haue gotton suche an ignorauÌ„t proctoure to defend theÌ„ And I am sure that they them sellues coulde haue said moche better For els how shuld they enstructe other and leade theÌ„ in the right waye yf they theÌ„ sellues were so râ—de vnlerned shuld they not knowe what this meaneth that god is almightie w c is apece of the first article of our Crede then how shuld ther ship haue any sure sight More thiÌ„keth that god is called allmightie because he can doo all thinges And then in dede yt shuld follow that he were not almightye For all thinges he caÌ„ not doo he can not saue the vnfaythfull he can not restore virgynyte once vyolate sayth s. Thomas also as I remeÌ„ber s. Hierom wrytinge of verginite vnto paula Eustochâ—â—Ì„â—he caÌ„ not synne sayth dunce he can not deney hymsellf sayth s. paule Now yf this maÌ„s lerninge were alowed theÌ„ myght not god be allmightye because there ys suÌ„what that he caÌ„ not doo But they that are a costomed w t scripture do knowe that he is called almightye not because he can doo allthing but because ther is no superiour powere aboue hym but that he may doo all that he wyll all that hys pleassure ys to doo that maye he brynge to passe And no power ys able to resyst hym But he hath no pleassure nor wyll to make hys sone alyer ner to make hys scripture â—alse in dede he may not doo yt And yet notwtstoÌ„ding he abideth allmigtye â— or he may doo all that he wil. Then master more touching the reason of repuÌ„gnaunce sayth that many thinges may seame repugnaunt both to him and me w c thinges god seeth how to make theÌ„ stonde to gether well ynough addeth suche blynde reasons of repungnauÌ„ce as induce manye meÌ„ in to a great erroure some ascribyng all thynge vnto destenye w t oute any power of maÌ„s frewyll at all And some geuyng all to maÌ„s owyn wyll And no fore sight at all to the prouidence of god and all because the poore blynde reason of maÌ„ can not see so ferre as to perceyue how goddes prescience and mans frewyll can stond to gether but seme clerely to be repungnant As For his degressioÌ„ of mans frewyll I will not greatlye wrestle w t hym But thys one thynge I maye saye that yf the sone of god delyuer vs then are we verye free And where the spiret of god ys there ys fredom I meane not fredoÌ„ to do what you will but fredoÌ„ froÌ„ sinne that we may be the saruaÌ„tes of righteousnes But yf we haue not the spiret of christe theÌ„ will I saie w t s. AusteÌ„ that oure frewyll ys wreched can do nought but sâ—nne And as touchiÌ„ge suche textes of repuÌ„gnauÌ„ce if they be so diffuse that maÌ„s reasoÌ„ w c is the lyht of his vnderstoÌ„dyng caÌ„ not attayne to set theÌ„ to gether theÌ„ were you beste to make theÌ„ none articles of our faith For I thinke as manye as are necessarye vnto our saluacioÌ„ are coÌ„teyned in the crede w t I thinke euery maÌ„ beleueth I beseche you laye no bigger burthen vppon vs then those faythfull fathers dyd w t thought that suffyâ—yent And then I am sure we shuld haue fewer heretickes For I neuer harde of heretycke that euer helde agaynste any artycle of oure Crede but all that ye desfame by this name are onlye put to deth because thei saye that we are not bouÌ„de to beleue euery poynt that the lawes and tyrannye of the clargye alowe and mayntene whych thynge how true yt ys blessed be GOD ys meatlye well know in all readye For els had I and many mo byn deed are thys daye I wot well that many good folke haue vsid in this matt many frutefull exaÌ„ples as of one face beholden in diuerse glasses iÌ„ euerie peâ—e of one glase brokeÌ„ in to twenti of one word cominge hole to an hundrethe eares at once and the sight of one litle eye present and beholdinge an hole great contrye at once â— w t a thousand suche meruelles mo suche as those that see them daylye done aÌ„d therfore meruell not at them shall yet neuer be able â— no not this yonge man hym sellfe â— to geue suche a reason by what meane thei maye be don but that he may haue suche repugnauÌ„ce layde agaynste yt â— that he shal be faâ—ne in conclusion â—or the châ—ffe moste â—uident reason to saye that the cause of all those thinges is because god that hath so caused them to be don is allmightye of hym sellfe may do what hiÌ„ liâ—tâ— As tâ—ouchinge the examples that master more doth here allege â— I maye sone make answer For they that are like our matter â— make clâ—ne agaynste hym and the oâ—her can not make for hiÌ„ The glase I graunt is a good exaÌ„ple For euen as the glasse dothe repÌ„sent the verie face of man so doth this sacrameÌ„t represent the vâ—rie bodye and bloude of Christe And like as euery pece of the glase doth represent that one face so doth euery pece of that sacrament represent that one bodye of Christe But euâ—ry maÌ„ knoweth right well that though the glasse repÌ„sent mi face yet the substance of the glasse is not my verye face nether is my very face
wheÌ„ I here of suche a wonder then strayght I loke on the doctrine that is annexed w t yt Yf yt teache me to referre all the honour to god not to creatures aÌ„d teache me nothinge but that will stond w t goddes worde then will I saye that yt is of god But yf yt teache me suche thinges as wyll not stond w t his worde then wyll I determyne that yt ys done by the deuell to deiude the people w t damnable Idolatrye When Paule and Barnabas preached at Lystra and had don a myracle emonge them the people ranne and wold haue don sacrifice vnto them But the apostles ranne amonge them and â—are their clothes cryinge vnto them syrs what you doo we are euyn corruptible men as ye are and preache vnto you that you shuld laâ—ue this vayne superstition worship the leuynge god w c made heuen erth the see all that in theÌ„â— c. here the apostelles refused suche honour worship And therfore I am sure they wolde not suffer ther Images to haue ytâ— Now wheÌ„ I see a miracle done at any Image ê‘ceyue that yt briÌ„geth men to the worshipping of yt sellfe coÌ„trarye to the facte doctrine of the apostelles whiche wold not receyue yt theÌ„ selues I must nedes coÌ„clude that yt is but a delusioÌ„ done by the deuell to deceiue vs to briÌ„ge the wrath of god vppoÌ„ vs. Euin soo I saie of the sacrameÌ„t sith the miracles that are done by yt do make meÌ„ thiÌ„ke otherwise then scripture will cause meÌ„ to worship yt I doubte not but they are done by the deuell to delude the people Thou wilt ê‘auenture saie that god will not suffer him to abuse the sacrameÌ„t of his bodie bloude Yes verelye god will suffer yt and doth suffer yt to see whetherâ— we will be faithfull aÌ„d abide by his worde or not And meruell not ther of for god suffered hym to take vppe the very naturall bodye of his sonne Christ and set hym on a pynnacle of the temple And after he toke hym vppe agayne and leade him to an exceding mountaine And therfore thiÌ„ke not but that he hath moâ—e power ouer the sacrameÌ„t then he hade ouer Christes owyn bodie And therfore when they tell me loo here is christ â—oo there is christ as Christ prophecyed loo he is at this auitre loo he is at that I will not beleue them Neuerthelesse yf I shuld graunt that all the myracles whyche were done and ascrybed vnto the sacrament were very true miracles aÌ„d done of god himsellf as I doubt not but some of them be true yet there vppon yt doth not â—olowe that the Sacrament shulde be the verye naturall bodie of Christe For we haue euydent stories that certayne persones haue byn deliuered froÌ„ bodelye diseases thorough the sacrameÌ„t of baptime And yet the watter is not the holye gost nor the very thinge yt sellfe wherof yt is a sacrament The shadow of Peter hath healed many And yet was not that shadow Peters owyn person We reade also that napkyns haÌ„d â—herchers were caryed from Paule vnto them that were syke and possessed wyth vnclene spiretes and they receyued ther helth And yet yt were neuerthelesse madnes to thinke that Paules bodye had byn actuallie or naturallie in thosse thynges And therfore thys ys but a verye weake reason to Iudge by the myracles the presence of Chrystes bodye And surelye you mought be ashamed to make so slender reasons For god maye worke miracles thorough many thinges w c are not his naturall bodye And as touchinge the olde doctoures whom you fayne to make w t you and the trouth of your opinyon w c you saye hath byn beleued of all good christeÌ„ pâ—ople this .xv. C. yeres is suffecyentlye declared before proued to be but a poynt of your old poetrye ¶ Doctoure barnes did graciouslye escarpe master mores haÌ„des ANd also frere barnes albeyt that as ye wett well he is in many other thinges a brother of this youngmaÌ„s secte yet in thys heresie he sore abâ—orreth his heresye or els he lyeth hym sellfe For at his laste beinge here he wrote a letter to me Wherin he writeth that I laie that heresie wrongfullye to his charge And shewyth him sellfe so sore greued therew t that he sayeth he will iÌ„ my reproche make a boke agaynst me Wherin he wyll professe proteste his fayth concernynge this blessed sacrament But in the meane season yt well contenteth me that frere barnes beyng a man of more age And more rype discrecyon a doctour of diuinite and in those thinges better lerned then this yongmaÌ„ ys abhorreth this yongmaÌ„nes heresie in this poynt as well as he lyketh hym in many other The more your mastershipe prayseth doctour barnes the worse men maye like your mater For in many poiÌ„tes he doth coÌ„deÌ„pne your daÌ„nable doctrine as in his boke apereth And therfore if suche credeÌ„ce must be geueÌ„ to him then moche the lesse will be geuin to you But ê‘aduenture you will saye that he is to be beleued in this poynt although he erre in other Wher vnto I answer that yf you will coÌ„sent vnto him I wolde be well apayd and will promise you to wryt no more in that mater For in thys we both agre that yt ought not to be worshipped ye and blessed be god all the other whom you calle heretyckes And so both of vs do auoide the Idolatrye w c you w c so great daunger do daylye coÌ„mit And therfore yf you alowe his lerning then am I content that you dissent froÌ„ me For lett yt not be worshipped and thinke as yow will for then is the parell paste And sith we agre in thys poynt doubt not but we shall sone agre in the residou and admitte eche other for faythfull brothers And where your mastership sayeth that he wrot you a letter proteâ—tinge that you laye that heresie wrongfullye to his charge I thinke yt was more wisdom for hym twise to haue wryten to you then once to haue comen and tell you of yt For yt was playnly told hym that you had conspiryd his deth aÌ„d that notwtstondinge his saffe conduyte you were minded to haue murthered hym And for that cause he was compelled bothe being here to kepe hym sellfe secreatlye also preuelye to departe the realme And blessed be god you haue suffecieÌ„tâ—ye publyssed your purposse in your answer agaynst W tindale where you saye that you myght lawfullye haue brunâ—e hym Here meÌ„ maye see how ê‘ciable yow are addicte to our prelates And how ê“ne ye were to fulâ—yll ther pleaâ—ures contrarye to our princes pÌ„rogatiue royall And thankes be to god w c gaue yow suche grace in the sight of our soueraigâ—e that â—e sâ—â—rtâ—ye wtdrewe your power For els yt ys to be â—eared that you wold further haue proceded agaynste his graces pÌ„rogatiue w c thynge whether yt be treason or not let other men dâ—fyne But this
and fellowship doth testyâ—ye openlye vnto all men that he ys oure verye God whose cup we drinke before whom we eate in that fellowship and that we put all our fyaunce in hym in the bloude of hys sonne Christe Iesu geuinge god all honoure infinite thankes for his great loue wher w t he loued vs as ys yt testifyed in the bloude of his sonne w c was shed for oure synnes So that in this place and fellowship maye no man eate nor drynke with vs but he that is of our fayth knowelegeth thesame god that we doo As by example yf maÌ„ were well beloued emonge his neyghboures albe yt he haue some ennemyes and were longe absâ—nt from his frendes in a strange contrye when he were come home his neighboures that loued hiÌ„ wolde greatlye reioyse ê‘aduenture wolde biâ— a copoÌ„ or a nother pece of meate to geue him his welcoÌ„ home get theÌ„ to some honest maÌ„s howse or to a tauerne and make good chere to gether to testifie openlye that he is welcome home and that they all whiche are at that baÌ„ket reioyse of his cominge home Nowe I saye that this banket is more then another meale for at this banket his enemyes maye be loth to come because they can not reioyse at his cominge home therfore can not make good chere amoÌ„ge them testifying that he is welcome home but reather abhorreth the meate and drinke that is there eaten because their hart doth not fauoure the parson for whose sake yt is prepared Natwtstondinge yf a capons legge were reserued for one of hys ennemyes and afterward geuyn hym whan the banket were don he might lawfullye eate yt For then yt were but bare meate suche as he eatyeh home And likewise the ennemyes of christe which beleue not that they haue remissyon of sinnes thorough his bloude sheding can not reioise of his bodye breaking And therfore can not make good chere amonge them but yf any be reserued after the maundye he maye lawfullye eate yt for yt is but bred And his loueres that are ther present do rather come thider to geue hiÌ„ his welcome home then for the meate and they more eate his welcome home then the meate But yf any of his enemyes fortune to be there they eate onlye the meate aÌ„d not his welcom home For they reioyse not at his coÌ„mynge home Lykewise the faithfull that are there present doo rather come thether to reioyse in the fayth of his bodye breakyng then in breakinge or eatinge of the bred or meate But yf any of the vnfaythfull fortune to be there they eate only the brede and not his bodie breakyng For they reioyse not at his bodie breakinge Here ê‘aduenture some wold suppose that I were contrarye to my sellfe For before I sayd that yt was more then meate that was â—aten at the geÌ„tiles feaste more then meate that was eateÌ„ at my neighboures welcome home more then bred that ys eaten at the receyuing of the sacrameÌ„t of the bodie bloude of christe And nowe I saye that yf a maÌ„s enemie be there he eateth onlye the meate and not the welcom home And lykewise the vnfaythfull eateth onlye brede and not the bodye and bloude of Christe How maye these wordes stonde to gether I answer that they eate but onlye bred or meate that profyteth them but in dede they eate more to theyr hynderaunce and euyn there owyn dampnacyon For they that did eate in the fellowship of gentiles dit but onlye eate the meate to there profyte but in eatynge theyr meate their facte dyd openly testyfye that they honoured that Idolle for ther GOD althought their herte were other wise wherin they comitted Idolatrye And besydes that they wounded the coâ—scyences of their weake brethern and so synned agaynst God Besydes that he that enuieth hys neighboure comyth to that banket â—ateth but onlye the meate that profiteth him natwtstonding in his oweÌ„ harte he eateth the rancor aÌ„d malice of his mynde to his greate greuaunce wheÌ„ he seeth them so reioyse And of his oweÌ„ coÌ„panyoÌ„s w c are also these mannes enemyes he doth purchase himsellfe hatred because w t his facte he testyfiâ—th that he loueth him although his harte be wotherwise of god shal be condeÌ„pned For he that hatâ—th his brother ys a murtherer Furtheâ—more he that ys vnfaythfull and comyth to the manudie eateth but onlie the bred that ê“fiteth him notwtstondyng he eateth beside that hys owyn dampnacyon because he beleueth not that the bodie of our sauyour w c the sacrament representeth is broken for his synnes and his bloudeshed to washe theÌ„ awaye This I am compelled to do to stope the chatâ—ringe mouthes of sophisters albe yt to theÌ„ that he sober yt had byn ynough to haue said they eate onlie bred not the bodie breaking c. For they ryght well vndstoÌ„d yt by the coÌ„â—rarye antithesie knowe that I meÌ„t not by that onlye that he shuld eate thâ— brede and nothinge els but onlye bred but that I meÌ„t by this worde onlye that he shulde eate the brede with oute the bodye And so lykewyse in other exaÌ„ples Thus haue we suffecientlie declared paules mynd in the .10 Chapter In the .xi. chapter paule maketh moche meÌ„cioÌ„ of the mauÌ„diâ— discribeth yt to the vttermoste First he saith wheÌ„ ye come to gether iÌ„ one place a man caÌ„ not eate the lordes souê‘ For euery maÌ„ begynnyth afore to eate his owyn souê‘ aÌ„d one is houÌ„grye an other ys dronkeÌ„ Haue ye not howses to eate driÌ„ke in or els dispice ye the coÌ„grigacioÌ„ of god shame theÌ„ that haue not what shall I saye vnto you shall I prayse you In this I prayse you not Paule did instructe accordinge to christes mynde that the Corynthians shuld come to gether to eate the lordes souê‘ Whiche lyeth not so moche in the carnall eatynge as in the spirituall and is greatly dyssyred to be â—ateÌ„ not by the houÌ„ger of the bodie but by the hounger of the faythful harte w c ys gredye to publyshe the prayse of the lorde geue him hartie thaÌ„kes moue other to the same that of many praise might be geuin vnto our moste mercifull father for the loue w c he shewed vs in the bloude of his owiÌ„ moste deare sonne christ iesu Wherw t we are washed froÌ„ our sinnes suerlie sealed vnto euerlastiÌ„ge liffe w t suche houÌ„ger did christe eate the paschal laÌ„de sayinge to his diciples I haue inwardlye dessired to eate this ester lambe w t you before that I suffer Christes inwarde desyre was not to fyll his bellye w t his disciples but he had a spuÌ„all honger bothe to praise his father w t theÌ„ for their bodelie deliueraÌ„ce oute of the lande of egypt speciallye to alter the paschal laÌ„be memorie of the carnall deliueraÌ„ce in to a mauÌ„die of myrth thaÌ„â— geuing for our spuÌ„all deliueraÌ„ce oute of the boÌ„dage of synnâ— In
â—s sygnyfyed therby And so he seyth yt and seâ—th yt not He seyth yt wyth hys outwarde and carnall eyen but hys inward eyen seyth yt not That ys to saye regarde not the brede or thyncke not on yt EueÌ„ as we coÌ„meâ—ly saye wheÌ„ we playe a gayme necglygeÌ„ly by my truthe I see not what I doe meanyng that oure mindes is not apoÌ„ that thiÌ„ge whyche we â—ee w t our outwerde eyn And like wise we may answere the next parte where he saythe Doo they departe from the in to the draughte as other meates doo Nay forsouthe sayd I for other meathes doe oÌ„ly come to nouryshe the body and to departe in to the draughte But thys meate that I here receaue ys spyrytuall meate receyuid with faythe aÌ„d nourysheth vs euerlastyngly bothe body and sowle aÌ„d neuer enterith into the draughte And eueÌ„ as before the outwarde eyn doe see the breade and yet the inwarde eyn doe not regarde that or thyncke apon yt So lyke wise the outwarde man dygesâ—yth the breade castythe yt in to the draughte And yet the inwarde man dothe not regarde that nor thyncke apon ytâ— But thynkythe on the thyng yt sellfe that ys sygnyfyed by that breade And therfore said Crysostum euen a lytle before the wordes whyche they here allegyd lyfte vp youre mynde aÌ„d hartes sayde he where by he monishith vs to loke apon coÌ„syder those heuenly thinges wyche are represented and sygnyfied by the breade aÌ„d wyne and not to marke the breade and wyne in yt sellfe Here they wil saye vnto me that yt is not crysostuÌ„s mynde for by his exaÌ„ple he playnly she wyth that there remanyth no brede nor wyne that I denye For the example in thys place prouith no more but that ye shall not thinke on the brede and wine no more then yf they werre not there but only on that thinge which iâ— signâ—fied by them And that ye may â—uidently pâ—rceue by the wordes folowing where he saith thinke that the misterys are consumed by the substaÌ„câ— of the body Now wither Chrisostum thought that there remayned brede or non â— bothe wayes shall oure purposâ— be prouyd Firste yf he thought there remayned still brede wine then we haue our purpose Now yf he thought that the brede and wine remayned not but were chaunged then are the brâ—de wine nether misteries nor sacramentâ—s of the body bloude of christe For that that is not can nether be misterâ— nor sacrament Finally yf he speake of the outwarde apperauÌ„ce of breade then we knowe that that remaynith styll and is not consumed by the substance of the bodie And therfore he muste nedes be vndâ—râ—tond as I take him I thincke many mâ—n wonder how I caÌ„ dye in this article seyng that yt is no necessary article of oure faythe for I graunte that neyther ê‘te is an article necessary to bâ— beleauyd vnder payne of dampnacion but leue yt as a thinge in different to thincke therin as god shall instyll in euery mans minde and that neyther parte coÌ„dempne other for thys mater but receyue eche other in brotherly loue reseruinge eche others inffirmite to god The cause of my dethe is this because I can not in consciens abiure and swere that our prelates opinion of the sacrament that is that the substaunce of brede and wine is verely chaunged in to the fleshe and bloude of our sauiour Iesus Christ is an vndouted article of the faythe necessary to be beleauid vnder paine of daÌ„pnacyon Now thoughe thys opynion wer in deade true wiche thinge they can nether proue true by scripture nor doctors yet coulâ—e I not in consciens graunte that yt shulde be an artycle of the faythe necessariâ— to be beleuid c. For there are many verites whiche yet may be no â—uche articles of our faithe It s true that I lay in â— I wrote this how be yt I wolde not receaue roÌ„s wheÌ„ this truthe for an article of oure faythe For you may thinke the contrary w t out all Ieoperdy of damnacion ¶ The cause why I can not beleue there opinion of transmutacion is this Fyrste because I thincke verely that yt ys faulse aÌ„d can nether be proued by scripture nor faithfull doctoures yf thâ—y be well pondered The second cause is this because I will not bynde the congregacion of Chrisâ—e by myn example to admitte any necessary article by syde oure crede and specialy none suche as can not be proued true by sâ—ripture And I say that the churche as they cauâ—e yt can not coÌ„pelle vs to receaue any suâ—he articlâ—s to be of necessite vnder payne of dampnacion The thirde cause is because I dare not be so presumptuous in entering in to goddes Iudgment as to make the prelates in this poynte an necessary article of oure faythe For then I shulde dampnably condempne all the germanes aÌ„d Allmaynes wyth infinite moo whyche in deade do not bealeue nor thyncke that the substance of brede and wine ys chaunged in to the substance of Christes naturall body And surely I can not be so folishe hardâ— as to condempne suche an infinite nombre for oure prelates pleasures Thus all the Germaynes and Allmaynes bothe of Lutherrs syde and also of Oecolampadius doo hooly approue my mater And surely I thincke ther ys noman that hathe a pure conscience but he wyll thyncke that I dye ryghtuously For that this transubstaÌ„ciation shuld be a necessary article of the faythe I thyncke no man can say yt w t a good conscience all though yt were true in dede Per me Iohn Frythe ¶ Imprintid at Monster Anno. 1533 By me Conrade Willâ—ms 1. Tim. â— Tit. 1. ObiectioÌ„ SolucioÌ„ Adam Gene. 3. AbrahaÌ„â— Gene. 12. Ioan. 8. Moses Aug. de viteagen derum Aug. soper IoaÌ„â— tâ—acta 2â— Beda â—uper 1. cor 10. Gene. 1. Psal. 1. Esay 7. Actes 3. Actes 2. Psal. 1â— Aug. contra Faâ—â—stum Liâ— 19. cap. â—â— Augusti ad Marcellâ—nâ—â—â— 2 Master â—ore Frith Petri. 2 Luc. 22. Luc. â— Ephe. â— Math. â— Mich. â— Ioan. â— Mat. 1â— 2. Cor â— Cor. 10 â—ore â—ryth â—mos 8. â—at 11. â—uc 18. Roma â— Actes 2 morâ— Frith Moreâ— Fryth Deneâ— 12 More Frythâ— â— Thes. â— 1. Ioan. 4â— ActuuÌ„ 20 Siluest Mat. â—7 Marc. 15 Ioâ—â— 19 1 Câ—r 11. More Fryth 1 Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 11. ActuuÌ„ 2 Luc. 22. More Wicliffe Math. 1â— Mala. â—â— Ecolampadius Tindale Zwâ—nglius Iudicum 20. 1. Machabeorum â— Master More Frith Math. 26 Ioan. 6. Ioan. 15. Ioan. 10. Gene. 35. Gene. 32. Ezeche 5. More Fâ—yth More Fryth Roma 4. Corin. x. Ioh. xâ— Iohâ—â— Ozee 11â— Math. â—â— More Fryth Eucharistia â—ore Frith Mor◠〈◊〉 More Fritâ— Ioan. 6. Augusti in sermo ad infan Augu. â—â— Augustinus libro 3. de doctrina Chrisâ—iâ—â—a Augustinus iÌ„ sermone ad infantes Origi â—n l. â—1 ho. 7 Augusti sermo â—ir 〈◊〉 sacrafe riapasche Idem Bâ—da superâ— Cor. 10. Roâ—a â— Augusti de ciuita â—ei lib. 21 â—api 25. Beda suâ— 1. cor 6. Ambrosi â—â— sacra prosê‘ in libro seâ—tentiaruÌ„ Idem Bâ—da superâ— Cor. 11. More Fryth tertulianus libro 2. contra marcioneÌ„ Tertulianus librâ— 4. contra marcioneÌ„ Augustiâ— in prefa Psalm â— AugustiÌ„ suê‘ psal 98. Augustâ—â— coÌ„tra adamantum Ambrosi super â—lâ— mortâ—â—â—â— annuÌ„cia Ambrosiâ— de sacra Ambrosi libro 3. de sacramen Hieroni suê‘ eccle Hieronimus supeâ— MatheuÌ„â— Beda super Luc. Ad Marcellum Crisosâ—o suê‘ Mat sacrafice Crisosto ad Hebre. home 17. Roma â— As s. Austen declareth a fore ad Bonifaciâ—m Chrisost. suê‘ matt Fulgentius â— li brode fide â—â—gen Eusebiâ— CoÌ„secrâ—â— Druthmarius Augustiâ—us iÌ„ serâ—one ad â—â—â—antes Augustiâ— in sermoâ— de sacrate riapaschâ— Angustiâ— de sacraâ—â— riapaschâ— BartraÌ„ â—â—prianus adâ—ecâ—iâ—uâ— eusebius More Frith Ad HieronimuÌ„ August ad Dardanium Augustinus â—bideÌ„ More Frâ—â—h Augusti tract suê‘ 6. Ioan. Athanasius â— li. quâ— dix verbâ— BartraÌ„ Ioan. 6. Ioanâ— 6. Ioan. 6. Math. 26 〈◊〉 14. Ioanâ— 12 Ioan â— â—ct 10. â—â—ection solution More Frith â— Tim. â— More Frithâ— Ioan. 8â— 2. Cor. 3. Roma 6 Augustinus de spiritu litera More Frith More Frith More Frith Maâ— 14. Luc. â—6 â—an 11. More Frith More Frith Moreâ— Frith Morâ—â— Frith Ioan. 1â— Moreâ— Frith More Frithâ— Note ☞ More Frith ☜ More Frith Moreâ— Frith More Frith ☞ To blesse More Frith Mat. 14 2 Thes. 2 Detrorm Acte 24. Math. 4 Actes â— Actes 1â— More Frith ☜ More Frith 1. Cor. 5. Ioan. 1â— 1. Cor â—1 Paule ☜ Paule 1. Cor. â— 1. Ioan. 3 1. Cor. 11. Luc. 2â— 1. Cor. 1â— 1. Cor. â— Actes â— Mat. 2â— Mar. 1â— Luc. 22. Gelasiuê° in conciâ—io Ro. Ioan. 6 Augustâ— in ser. dâ— sacra fe pasche Bedaâ— Augusti de ciuitate Dei in libro 21. cap. 25. Ioan. 6 â—seâ—e 27 August Augustinus ad bonifacium 1 Articlâ— article Another question ¶ An answere S. Austins tex Chrisostomus Chrisostomâ—s wordes The exposicyoâ— of â—ayncâ— Chrysosto text the true meaning of Chrisostomê° wordes SolutioÌ„ Concluâ—ion Beholde he cause of my dethe Note 3. caâ—â—es
in dede then is he neuer the nere his purpose but moche the furder from yt And thys yâ— euyn yt that I sayd before that yt was not possible to stonde w t the processe of the scripture w c we haue receiued And now his mastership hath graunted yt himsellf which you maye be sure he wold not doo yf he coulde otherwise auoyde ytâ— And here you maye se howe sore I haue ouer sene my sellfe God forbid that any man shuld be the more prone readye to beleue thys yonge maÌ„ in this great mater because he sayeth in the begynyng that he wyll brynge all men to a concord and aquietnes of conscience For he bryngeth men to the worst kinde of quietnes that may be deuised when he telleth vs as he doth that euery maÌ„ in this mater maye w t oute parell beleue whyche waye he lyste Euery man maye in euerye mater w t oute any counsell sone set hym sellfe at reaste yf he lyste to take that waye and to beleue as he list hym sellfe and care not how But and yf that waye had byn sure S. Paule wolde neuer haue shewed that manie were in parell of sekenes and deth to For lacke of discernynge reuerently the bodye of our lorde in that sacrameÌ„t when they came to receyue hym When Christe shulde departe this worlde goo to his father he gaue his disciples a commaundemeÌ„t that they shuld loue eche other sayinge by this shall all men knowe that ye are my disciples yf ye loue eche other as I haue loued you This rule of charite wold I not haue broken w c notwtstondyng ys often in Ieopardie amoÌ„ge faythfull folke for this sacrameÌ„t of vnite This thynge conâ—â—â—ered I thought necessarye to aduertise both partyes to saue thys rule of charite and proued in the fyrste chapter of my treatisâ—e that yt was none article of the fayth necessarie to be beleued vnder payne of daÌ„pnacion and thâ—rfore that they were to blame that wolde be contencious for the mater For sith yt ys non article of the fayth they maye lawfullye dissent w t oute all Ieoperdye nede not to breake the rule of charite but rather to receyue eche other like weake brethern As by exaÌ„ple some thiÌ„ke that the mariage betwene our moste redoubtâ—d prince aÌ„d quen kateryn is lawfull and maye stonde w t the lawes of god and some thinke that yt is vnlawfull ought to be disanulled Now if we shuld for this maâ—er breake the rule of charitâ— and euery maÌ„â— haâ—e his neighboure that wolde not thynke as he doth then were we greatly to blame in Ieoperdie of coÌ„â—empnacion This I saye I proued in the fyrst chapter againste w c more maketh no busines and improueâ—h yt not Wherbye you maye sone gather that yt is verye true For els sith hys mastership so laboureth in thesse other poyntâ—s he wold not haue lefte that vntouched you maye be sure This is the concord that I wolde bringe theÌ„ vnto And as touchynge quietnes of conscience I haue knowen manye that haue sore byn coÌ„bured w t it And amoÌ„ge all a certayne master of arte which dyed in oxforth confessed vppon his deth bed that he had wept lying in hys bed an hundreth nyghtes with in one yere space because he coulde not beleue yt Now yf he had knowen yt had byn no necessarye article what comfort quyetnes shuld yt haue byn vnto him Furthermore euery man can not so quyet hymsellf as master more Imageneth For there are many that thynke theÌ„ sellfes no smalle foles w c whaÌ„ they haue receyued some folishe superstitioÌ„ ether bi ther owyn ImaginacyoÌ„ or by bâ—leuinge ther gosshepes gospell olde wyffes tales by bye thynke the contrarye to be dedly synne and vâ—terly for bydden by chrystes gospell As by exaÌ„ple I knowe an house of relegyoÌ„ wherin is a person that thynketh yt dedly synne to goo ouer astrawe yf it ley acrosse And yf ther be on the pauemeÌ„t any paynted picture or any Image graueÌ„ on a deed maÌ„s graue he wyl not trede vppon yt although he shuld goo a forelonge aboute What ys thys but vayne supersticyon wherew t the coÌ„science ys combred corrupted May not this be weded oute with the worde of god shewyng him that it ys none article of the fayth so to thinke and then to tell hym that yt ys not forboden by the scripture and that yt is no synne Now albeit hys coÌ„scieÌ„ce be so caÌ„kerd that the ruste wyll not be rubbed oute yet with godes grace some other whom he hath enfecte with the same maye come agayne to godes worde and be â—ured full well w c shuld neuer haue byn able to quiete themsellffes And lyke wise there are some which beleue as your suppersticious hartes haue informed them and these can not quiet them selues because they beleue that you haue â—et your doctryne out of scrypture But wheÌ„ yt ys proued to theÌ„ they theÌ„selues ê‘â—eyue that scripture sayeth not so theÌ„ caÌ„ they be coÌ„tent to thinke the coÌ„trarye Iudge yt no synne at all And as touchyng S. Paule suerelye ye take hym wrong For I wyll shew you what ê“cesse he taketh howe he his to be vnderstoÌ„d But because yt is not possible to fynyshe it in fewe wordes I shall deferre it vnto the bokes ende aÌ„d theÌ„ I shall declare hym at large And what a facioÌ„ ys this to saye that we maye beleue yf we list that there ys the verye bodye of our lorde in dede and theÌ„ to tell vs for a trouth that suche a fayth ys impossâ—ble to betrue For god hym sellfe can neuer brynge yt abought to make hys bodye be there Yf a maÌ„ take the bare wordes of christe of simplicite be deceyued aÌ„d thinke that his veriâ— bodye be in the sacrament present to their teth that â—ate yt I dare not saye that he sinneth therin but will referre tâ—e matter vnto godes IudgemeÌ„t yet w t oute doubt I dare saye he ys deceyued As by example yf a maÌ„ deceyued bi the leterall sense wold thynge that men shuld preache to fyshes as S. FrauÌ„ces did because christ bade his disciples goo preache to all creatures yet wolde not I thynke that he synned therin But wyll referre hym vnto goddes IndgemeÌ„t But yet I wene euerye woman that hath any wyte wyll saye that he was deceyued I am verye sure that the olde holye doctours w c beleued christes bodye aÌ„d bloode to be there aÌ„d so taught other to beleue as by ther bokes playnlye doth apere Yf they had thought ether that it could not be there or that yt was not there in dede they wold not for all the good in this worlde haue wryten as they haue done For wold thosse holye men wene you haue taught that meÌ„ be bouÌ„d to beleue that the verye bodie and bloude of christe ys there yf them sellfe thought they were not bounde there to wolde they make meÌ„ honoure
and worship that thynge as the very bodye and bloude of christe whiche them sellues thought were not yt this geâ—e ys to chyldishe to speake of That the olde douctoures faythfull fathers so taught or thought as ye fayne of theÌ„ ys verye false For s. Austen as I haue shewed maketh whollye for vs. Besides that there is none oâ— the old fathers but they call yt a sacrament a misterie and misticall meate w c is not eaten w t toth or belye but w t cares and fayth And touchinge the honour and worship done vnto yt I saye yt is plaine Idolatrye And I saye that he falselye reporteth on the olde holie doctoures For they neuer taught men to worshyp yt nether can he allege one place in any of them all which wolde haue men to worship the sacrament Peraduenture he maye allege me certayne new fellowes for hys purposse as dunce Dorbell durand and suche draffe w c by ther doctryne haue drenched the worlde with dampnable Idolatrie But I speake of the olde holye fathers and doctours Sainct Austen Ambrose Hiâ—rom Cyâ—rian Cirille Chrisostome Fulgentius and suche other these I saye do not teache men to worship yt and by that I dare abyde Of thys â—oint I am so sure that I will vse yt for a contrarye argumeÌ„t that his naturall bodye is not there present For yf the holie fathers before namyd had taken this text after the letter and not only spuÌ„allye then in there workes they wolde haue taught meÌ„ to worshipe yt but they neuer taught men to worship this sacrament therforâ— yt followeth they toke not the text after the lâ—ttâ—r but onlye spuÌ„allye Now do I prouoke you to seke a proâ—fe of your purposse Neuerthelesse I will not deney but that these holy doctoures in dyuerse places do calle yt his bodie as christâ— paule doo and so do we lykewise saye aâ—so that hys very bodie ys there eaten But yâ—t we meane that it ys eateÌ„ w t fayth that is to saye by beleuing that hys bodye was brokeÌ„ for vs haue hys bodye more in memorie at this maundye theÌ„ the meate that we there eate And therfore yt hathe the name of his bodie because the name yt sellfe shulde put vs in remembrauÌ„ce of hys bodye And that hys bodye ys there châ—flye â—aten â—uyn more thorongh fayth then the mâ—ate with the mouth And so are they also to be vnderstond Yet one great pleasure he doth vs in that he â—utteth vs all at lybertye that we maye w t oute parell of dampnacyoÌ„ beleue as we did before that ys to witte that in the blessed sacrameÌ„t the whole substaÌ„ce of the bred aÌ„d the wyne is traÌ„smâ—ted chaunged in to the verye bodie bloude of christe For if we maye with oute parell of dampnacyon beleue thus as hym sellâ—e graunteth that we maye theÌ„ grauÌ„teth he that we maye allso w t oute parell of dampnacyoÌ„ beleue that hym sellf lyeth where he sayeth the trouth of that beleue ys impossible The beleuynge of this poynt is of yt self not daÌ„pnable as it ys not daÌ„pnable to thynke that christe ys a very stone or auyne because the leterall sense so sayeth or yf you beleue that you ought to preache to fyshes and goo christen theÌ„ a nother whyle as ye do belles And I insure yow if there were no worse mischef that ensued of this beleue theÌ„ yt ys in yt selfe I wolde neuer haue spokeÌ„ agaynst yt But now there followeth vppoÌ„ yt dampnable Idolatrye For thorough the beleue that thys bodye ys there meÌ„ fall downe and worshipe yt And thynking to pleasse god do daÌ„pnable synne agaynst hiÌ„ This I saye ys the cause that I so ernestly wryte agaynste yt to auoyde the Idolatrye that ys coÌ„mitted thorough yt Parte of the germanes do thynke that hys naturall bodye ys present in the sacrament take the wordes fleshelye as marteÌ„ taught theÌ„ But none of theÌ„ worship yt for that marteÌ„ forbedeth both in his wordes aÌ„d workes so blessed be god they auoyde that Ieoperdie w c thinge yf you wyll allso grauÌ„t publishe but this one proposityon that yt ought not to be worshipped I promise you I wyll neuer wryte agaynste yt For theÌ„ is the Ieoperdie taken awaye and then I am content that your mastership thynke I lye But in the meane season I muste thynke that ye fulfyll the wordle with dampnable Idolatrye And thus haue you allso answer vnto the conclusyon which you allege oute of the kynges graces boke For I saye in your waye ys no hurte as longe as you doo but onlye beleue the bare wordes of â—hâ— text as S. Fraunces did when he preached to fishes But yf thorough the occasion of thosse wordes ye falle in to the worshypynge of yt then I saye that in your waye ys vndoubted dampnacyon And so ys there great Ieopardie in your waye non at all in oures For though he were there in dede yet do not we synne yf we worship yt not for we are not commaunded to worship the sacrament But yf he be not there then do you dampnable Idolatrye ¶ The consecracyon of the Sacrament NOw as for a nother quietnes of euery mans coÌ„sciens this yongman byddeth euery man be bolde whether the blessed sacrament be coÌ„secrate or vnconsecrate for though he moste specyallye speaketh of the wyne yet he speaketh yt of both and byddeth not â—are but take yt for all that vnblessed as yt ys because the prest he sayeth caÌ„ not deceyue vs nor take from vs the profiet of christes insâ—itucion whether he alter the wordes or leaue them all on sayd Is not thys a woÌ„derfull doctrine of this yonge man We wotte well all that the prest can not hurte vs by his ouersight or malice yf there be no faulte vppoÌ„ oure owin partye for that perfectyon that lacketh on the prestes parte the great mercye of god as we truste of hys owyn goodnes supplyeth And therfore as holye Chrisostome saieth no man can take harme but of himselfe But now yf we se the thynge disordered oure owyn sellfe by the prest and Christes institucion broken yf we thaÌ„ wittingly receyue yt vnblessed and vnconsecrated and care not whether christes institucioÌ„ be kept and obserued or no but reakon yt is as good w t oute yt as w t yt then make we our sellffes partakers of the faute and lese the profyte of the sacrament and receyue yt w t dampnacyon not for the prestes faute but for oure owyn I had thought that no turke wolde haue wrested a mannes wordes to vnfaythefullye for he leauith oute all the pith of mi mater for my wordes are these I wyll shew you a meanes how ye shall euer receyue yt according to Christes institucion although the prest wolde w t drawe yt froÌ„ you Fyrst ye nede to haue no respecte vnto the prestes wordes w c ministreth yt For yf ye remeÌ„ber for what entent