est ad eum c. Tu es sacerdos Hebr. 5. in aeternum secundùm ordinem Melchisedech Euen so Chryste also glorified not him self to be made the high pteist but he that said vnto him c. Thowe arte a preist for euer after the order of Melchisedech And declaring the great benefitte that came by him being the high preist to all beleuers he saieth again Et consummatus factus est omnibus obtemperantibus sibi causa salutis aeternae appellatus à Deo Pontifex iuxta ordinem Melchisedech And Ibid. he being perfight was the cause of eternall saluacion vnto all them that obeied him and ys called of God an high preist after the ordre of Melchisedech Likewise he calleth him in the VI. chapiter And the wholl VII chap. he occupieth in applieng Melchisedech to Chryst prouing by this prophecie the abrogacion of the preisthead of the lawe and so consequētlie of the lawe yt self Wherfore he saied Yf nowe therfore perfection came by the preistheade Hebr. 7. of the Leuites for vnder that preisthead the people receaued the lawe what neadeth further that an other preist shoulde rise to be called after the ordre of Melchisedech and not after the order of Aaron For yf the preisthead be translated then of necessitie must the lawe be translated also c. For after this maner dothe he testifie Thowe arte a preist for euer after the order of Melchisedech Then the commaundement that went before ys disanulled bycause of weakenesse and vnprofitablenesse And further declaring the excellencie of Chrystes preisthead aboue the preisthead of Aaron he saieth For these preistes were made withoute an othe but this preist with an othe by him that saied to him The Lorde sware and will not repent him Thowe art a preist for euer after the order of Melchisedech Thus as the lawe of nature hath in Melchisedech figured Chryste And the lawe of Moyses by prophecie forespoken yt So hath the lawe of the Gospell as ye haue nowe learned by sainct Paule fullfilled the same and most plainlie and euidentlie proued yt so to be Yf then Chryste be a preist after the order of Melchisedech we must seke what the order of the preistheade of Melchisedech ys and wherin yt consisteth And therbie shall we knowe the preistheade of Chryste wherin yt consisteth Sainct Paule generallie declareth the order of a preist when he saieth Omnis namque Pontifex ex hominibus assumptus pro hominibus constituitur in ijs Hebr. 5. quae sunt ad Deum vt offerat dona sacrificia pro peccatis Euery high preist that ys taken from amonge men ys ordeined for men in thinges perteining to God to offer giftes and Sacrifices for sinne By whiche description of saincte Paule yt dothe appeare that the order of preisthead standeth in two partes The first he teacheth when he saieth Ordre of preisthead standeth in two partes Pro hominibus constituitur in ijs quae sunt ad Deum He ys ordeined for men in thinges perteining to God Wherby ys ment the preaching to the people and teaching them the lawes of God and ministring the Sacramentes to them as yt was saied vnto Moyses Esto tu populo in ijs quae ad Exod. 18. Deum pertinent vt referas quae dicuntur ad eum ostendasue populo ceremonias ritum colendi viam per quam ingredi debeant opus facere Be thowe vnto the people to Godward that thowe maist bringe the causes vnto God And thowe shalt teache them ordinaunces and lawes and shewe them the waie wherin they must walke and the worke that they must doo The seconde parte of the order of preistheade standeth in offring giftes and sacrifices for the sinnes of the people Then they that be called of God as was Aaron and doo preach and teache one faith of God vnto the people and offer vnto God one maner of sacrifice they be one order of preistheade So that these two must concurre or ells yt ys not a perfight order For Elias the prophet of God and the 3. Reg. 18. preistes of Baall did offer one maner of thinge in sacrifice for they both offred oxen yet they differed in preisthead For Helias was the preist of God the other the preistes of Baall And why was this difference bycause they taught not one faithe in one God Melchisedech and Aaron taught one God and were bothe preistes of Gen. 14. Leuit. 8. Heb 5. God For Melchisedech was the preist of the most high God as the booke of Genesis wittnesseth and Aaron was called of God as the booke of Leuiticus and saincte Paule to the Hebrues testifie And yet they were not of one order of preisthead bycause their sacrifices were not of one maner By this then yt maie be taken for a trueth that Chryst not being a preist after the order of Aaron but after the order of Melchidech whiche two orders differed not in faith but in maner of sacrifice ys so called a preist after the order of Melchisedech for the maner of the sacrifice For he must agree with Melchisedech in that thing that maketh the difference betwixt the order of Aaron and the order of Melchisedech and that was and ys in the maner of sacrifice For Aaron offred in blood the other in bread and wine But here the Aduersarie will saie that Chryst ys not likened to Melchisedech for anie sacrifice by all the processe of saincte Paule But for Obiection that Melchisedech was Rex Salem kinge of Salem and withall the preist of God and for that he was with oute Father withoute Mother hauing neither beginning of daies nor ending in these pointes he ys the figure of Chryste who ys both king and preist hauing no Father in earth nor mother in heauen neither as concerning his Godhead anie beginning and as touching his Godhead and Manhead no endinge And so ys he a preist for euer To this I saie that the thing that saincte Paule principallie intended ys to be considered And then yt shall easilie be perceaued why he did not Principall entent of S. Paule in his epist to the Hebrues make rehersall of the maner of the sacrifice of Melchisedech nor mencion of the doing of the same in Chryste The principall entent of saincte Paule in this place was to proue and make manifest the excellencie of Chryst and his preisthead aboue Aaron and his preisthead Whiche excellencie in nothing more appeared then in that that Chryst was an euerlasting preist and his preisthead euerlasting and not in the maner of sacrifice For yf he had alleaged that Melchisedech did sacrifice in bread and wine The Hebrues wolde quickly haue saied that their sacrifices in that respecte moche excelled and had a moche more gloriouse shewe and cowntenance then the sacrifice of Melchisedech being but bread and wine And therfor saincte Paule omitted to make mencion VVhie S. Paule spake nothing of she sacrifice of Melchisedech in his epist
example of godlie liuing that God bothe in his pastours and people maie be glorified As cōcerning the second that the scriptures haue doubtes and difficulties Scriptures ful of doubres Yt appeareth by the expresse woorde of God when he saieth Yf ther rise a matter to hard for thee in iudgemēt c. Thow shalt get thee vppe to the preistes the Leuites But forsomoch as this matter ys allready sufficiētlie treacted of and proued yt ys enough here nowe to haue touched yt and so to passe to the third Which ys that the people must be taught and learn the lawes of god of the preistes Which thīg ys so manifestlie declared ād in so plain woordes Doubtes in the lawe of God must be dissolued by the preistes opened in the scriptures alleaged that I shal not nede to make any further declaraciō therof forasmuche as yt ys plainlie ther saied that the doubtes of the people in the lawe of God must be dissolued bi the preistes to whose sentēce and iudgemēt they must in any wise stande and not decline frō yt neither on the right hand nor on the left and that on the pain of deathe In the which saing of God yt ys euidēt howe moche God wolde that the determinaciō of his church in the doubtes of his lawe should be estemed ād reuerēced and his preistes in that respecte obeid Which howe moche yt ys nowe disdained and contēned and gods ordre and cōmaūdemēt neclected his holie faith and religion infringed and violated yt ys more with Sithes and teares to be lamented then beinge so manifest as yt ys nedefull to be opened and declared Of whose mouthe the people should learn the lawe AlmightieGod by his prophete Malachie telleth Likewise that of the preistes the people should aske People must learn of the preistes the lawe God by the Prophete Aggaeus cōmaundeth Who shoulde teach the people the newe Testamēt he also prescribeth Appointing some Apostles some Prophetes some Doctours or teachers who to theise offices are appointed to rule and instruct the people In ijs quae ad Deū pertinēt in those thinges that appertein to God But nowe al this ordre ys inuerted in manie places The people teache the preistes and not the preistes the people The people dissolue the doubts of the lawe the preistes not being asked for The people God his ordre inuerted speake the preistes holde their peace The people make lawes in religion the preistes are cōpelled to obeie The people take in hande the thinges that appertain to God the preistes are put to scilence A moch like state we finde in the time of Moyses emōge the children of Israel in the time when Moyses was in the moūt with God For they perceiuing him to be lōg absent and thinking that he wolde no more come they began to take the rule vpō thēselues And wheras Aarō before cōmaūded and taught thē the religiō of the true God nowe they taking the rule and inuerting the ordre cōmaunded Aaron and taught him soche Religion as lyked them of a false God When the people sawe saieth the booke of Exodus that yt was long er Moyses came downe oute of the Mountain they gathered themselfes togeather Exod 32. vnto Aaron and saied vnto him Vppe make vs Gods to go before vs. For of this Moises the felowe that brought vs oute of the lande of Aegypte we wote not what ys become Hereby maie yt be perceiued what religion shall be when the ordre that God appointed being broken they will teache and commaunde which in matters to godwarde shoulde be taught and commaunded But with all yt ys to be remembred that for this wickednes the wrathe of God waxed hote against the people and notwithstanding that ther was immediatelie Plaguesfor breaking Gods appoincted ordre in religiō and mynisterie a greate slaughter of the people aboute the nōbre of three thousand and that Moyses made intercession to God for the people Yet allmightie God in the ende saied Neuer the latter in the daie when I viset I will viset their sinne vpon them and the Lorde plagued the people bicause of the calfe whiche Aaron made Wherfore seinge that the moche like trangression ys committed emonge the Chrystian people yt ys to be feared that the wrathe of God will waxe hote against vs. But God graūte vs a Moyses that by earnest intercessiō maie yet mittigate the plague of God that shall come for this wickednesse The plague I feare me will be sore vpon Corah Dathan and Abiron and vpon the capitanes of the multitude whiche be the great and famouse mē in the Num. 16. congregacion which haue gathered thē selues together against Moyses and Aaron and cā not contēt thē selues with soche ordre as God hath put in his Church and which by hys pleasure hath so long continued But yet they come to Moyses and Aaron and saie ye make muche to doo seing all the multitude are holie euery one of them and the Lorde ys emonge them Whieheaue ye your selues vppe aboue the Congregacion of the Lorde I must staie my hand I shall ells be to tediouse to the reader in this matter in the whiche I thought not to haue writtē the fourth parte of that that ys written and for expedicion leaue vnto him to reade the strory in the booke of Nombres and so further to consider yt And wher ther be manie stories declaring the displeasures of God to haue commed vppon the people bicause they wolde not submitte them selues to the ordeinaunce of him and his ministres but wolde vsurpe vpon them both Yet I will speake but of one in the first booke of the kinges which ys that where God appointed Samuel his beloued and holie Prophet to be the ruler of the people they being a stiffnecked and disobedient people to gods 1. Reg. 8. ordre so long before vsed al the elders gathered themselues together and came to Samuel and saied vnto him Beholde thowe arte olde and thy Sonnes walke not in thy waies Nowe therfore make vs a king to iudge vs as al other nacions haue See their phantasticall prouidence and therwith their disobediēce They take in hande to prouide for their common wealth as though God coulde not prouide them as good a ruler after Samuel as he did in prouiding of Samuel And therfore the ruler whiche God appointed reiected make vs saie they a kinge But what saied Almightie God to Samuel Heare the voice of the people for they haue not cast thee awaye but me that I shoulde not reign ouer them 1. Reg. 12. And after that they had a kinge Samuel to cause them to vnderstand that their offence was great saied I will call vnto the Lorde and he shall send thunder and rain that ye maie perceaue and see howe that yower wickednesse ys great which ye haue doen in thee seight of the Lorde in asking yowe a king And they saied Praye for vs thy seruauntes vnto the Lorde thy God that
graciouse presence maketh heauen wher yt pleaseth the same graciouslie to be Yf this place of Chrysostome with the notes of the same be diligentlie weighed yt shall easelie appeare to the reader how vain the glose of Cantorburie Crāmer his glose vpon Chrysostome Li. 4. ca. 8. vpon this and all the like saings of Chrysostom ys wherin of hys absolute authoritie without proofe he saieth that wher Chrysostome saieth that we see Chryst with our eyes we touche him with oure handes we receaue him with our mouthes be not to be vnderstanded of the verie flesh and blood of Chryste but of the bread and wine whiche be the signes of them But for that this glose confowndeth the texte yt ys to be reiected for the woordes of Chrysostom can not beare yt For he saieth not that thowe seist bread and wine but the kinges bodie whiche ys in heauē which ys now sett furthe before thee in earth to be seen Yf we shoulde aske of Chrysostome what we do see in the Sacrament here vpon earth he aunswereth the kinges bodie Yf ye aske again which kinges What ys seen in the Sacrament bodie He answereth the Kinges bodie whiche ys in heauen Yf ye proceade asking where do we see yt he aunswereth before thee So that he maketh no mencion of bread or wine Wherfore I wolde knowe what warrant this Crāmer gloseth withoute warrant man had to geue soche a glose to Chrysostome Yf Chrysostome ment as this man gloseth straunge yt ys that he wolde speake so plain contrary to his mening as to saie yt ys the kinges bodie and ment yt was not Yf the Aduersarie saie the bodie of Chryst cānot be seē No more saie I cā the substance of mā be seen And yet wesaie we see soche a man when we see but the outward accidentes of man we saie we see the king when we see no Obiection Answer parte of him but the garment that he hath vpon him and so of other thinkes when we see ther outwarde formes and consider ther substance we saie Cap. 62. Anignorāt obiection of the Aduersaries and that truly we see the thing But I will speake of this more in the second booke But here the Aduersarie will further obiecte and saie Yf that thing be in the Sacrament that ys woorthie of most high honour as Chrysostom saieth and one parte of that high honour ys to be sacrificed vnto Then Chryste ys not in the Sacrament For as your selues saie Chryst ys your sacrifice Who being in the Sacrament ye offer vnto that thing that ys in the Sacrament And so foloweth this absurditie that the Sacrifice and he to whome the Sacrifice ys offred ys all one This obiection conuinceth the obiectour of ignorance of the faith of the church or ells of malice against the receaued faith of the same For yf he had The answere either red what S. Augustine writeth in this matter or yf he haue red yt he wolde not arrogantly and maliciouslie contemne the same he wolde either not thus obiecte or sooen be by sainct Augustine satisfied To aunswer this thus saieth he Christus vnus manet cum illo cui offert vnum se facit cum illis pro Li. 4. de trini ca. 14 quibus ipse se offert vnus est cum illis qui offerunt vnum cum illo quod offertur Chryste saieth he abideth one with him to whome he offreth and he maketh him self one with them for whom he dothe offer and he ys one with them which do offer and one with that that ys offred Thus S. Augustine Weighe with me gētle Reader eche parte of this sentēce First he saieth Christ doth both offre and ys offred vnto that Chryste abideth one with him to whom he offreth In whiche sainge note that Chryste dothe both offer and ys also he to whome he offreth For Cbryste as man offreth hys owne bodie in sacrifice to him self as God Et tamen Deus homo vnus est Christus as saieth Athanasius And yet God and man ys one Chryste Wherby ys aunswered in fewe woordes the obiection of the Aduersarie In Simbolo For Chryste ys bothe he to whome the sacrifice ys made And he him self also ys the Sacrifice yt self that ys made as the latter parte of sainct Augustines sainge dothe shewe Et vnum est cum illo quod offertur He ys one withyt that ys offred In the whiche saing yow maie perceaue that Chryst ys the preist that offreth he ys the Sacrifice that ys offred and he ys he to whome the sacrifice ys offred Obiectiō Perchance the Aduersarie who seketh by all meanes to impugne And therbie to flee from the truth and his saluacion will saie that sainct Augustin speaketh this of the Sacrifice offred vpon the Crosse and not of the Sacrifice offred in the Masse Answer In case yt so were yet the former maliciouse obiection of him ys not onelie perceaued but also soluted For in dede Chryst making his sacrifice vpon the crosse was bothe the preist the sacrifice and also he to whom the sacrifice was made And therfor falleth that argument that shoulde proue that Chryst ys not in the Sacrament bicause he was the sacrifice that was offred to him self in the Sacrament who as Chrysostome saied ys most woorthie of the highest honoure But that this was spoken of the Sacrifice offred in the Masse the selfe same sentence of sainct Augustin shall declare and proue For first yt ys manifest that no man did offer Chryst vpon the Crosse in consideracion of a sacrifice but he himself But here sainct Augustine speaketh not onelie of the sacrifice of Chryst by him self but by other also as yt ys euident when he saieth Et vnus est cum illis qui offerunt And he ys one withe them that doo offer Now ioining the whol sētēce together ād not taking yt trūcatelie or by peice meall as heretikes doo to maintein there heresies and to deceaue the simple wher ys ther any sacrifice the which ys offred of manie with the which and them that offer and with the Sacrifice offred and with him to whom yt ys offred Chryst ys one but in the Sacrifice of the Masse in the which the Churche being they that doo offer which Churche ys the bodie of Chryst and Chryste beinge the heade of the same bodie be one with yt And therfore Christ is offered of his Church and the Churche of Christ when the Churche dothe offer that sacrifice Chryste as one with yt offreth also And so by this wonderfull connexion of the head and the bodie yt cometh to passe that bothe the Churche ys offred by Chryste and Chryst by the Churche as saincte Augustin doth saie Sacerdos ipse est ipse offerens ipse oblatio Cuius rei sacramentum quotidianum voluit esse Ecclesiae sacrificium cum ipsius corporis ipse sit caput ipsius capitis ipsa sit corpus tam ipsa per
and sufficient matter to approue the doing of the holie catholique Churche in this matter And will I trust iudge this Proclamer sufficientlie aunswered by the best learned Fathers as well of the greke church as of the latin and will therfore thinke yt right that wher this Proclamer required but one plain sentence hauing nowe a nombre that he doo perfourme hys promesse and submitte him self to the trueth and subscribe to the catholique Churche and become her childe again whiche God of hys mercie bring to passe in him For trulie the giftes that God hath placed in him considered I cannot but loue him and prayse God in him and wish that I might ioin with him But whē I remembre hys great fall into this wickednesse I pietie him and vtterly deuide my self from him as my bownden duetie before fowre mēbres for the Proclamocion aunswereth God ys In this booke then as occasion hath serued I haue aunswered foure peices or membres of hys proclamacion The first for the hauing of the scriptures in the vulgar toung The second for Reseruacion of the Sacrament The thirde for the authoritie of the offring of Chryst to hys Father The fourth for the presence of Chrystes bodie and blood in the blessed Sacrament In the other bookes by the helpe of God shall be likewise aunswered some other partes of the same proclamacion as like occasion shall be ministred whiche God graunt maye be to hys euerlasting prayse and honour Amen THE SECOND BOOKE THE FIRST CHAPITER DECLARETH THE OFFICES OF THE OLDE LAVVE AND THE BENEFITTES OF the newe Lawe with an exhortation to submitte our vnderstanding to the knowledge of faithe and therwith to the beleif of the Sacrament LEX per Moysen data est gratia veritas per Iesum Christum facta est The Lawe saieth saincte Iohn was geuen by Moises but grace and trueth came by Iesus Chryst The Lawe as saincte Paule declareth had two offices for the Ioan. 1. The lawe hath two of fices Rom. 3. Ibid. 7. which yt was geuen of God by Moises to the people The one was to geue them knowledge of finne and to restreign them from yt The first parte of this office S. Paule speaketh of to the Romans saieng Per legem cognitio peccati By the lawe cometh the knowledge of sinne For saieth he in an other place Peccatum non cognoui nisi per legem Nam concupiscentiam nesciebā nisi lex diceret Non concupisces I knewe not sinne but by the lawe For I had not knowen what lust had ment except the lawe had saied Thowe shalt not lust The seconde parte he speaketh of to the Galathians wher when he had proued that the promisse of the blessing came not by the lawe but by faith as being made foure hundreth and thirtie years before the lawe was geuen he moueth this question Quid igitur lex wherfor then serueth the Lawe As who Galat. 3. shoulde saie yf the lawe were not geuen that by yt men shoulde atteign to iustification wherto then serueth yt what then ys the office of yt He answereth Propter trangressionem posita est yt was added for transgression that transgressours takinge with the lawe the spirit of seruitude in feare might be witholden from the trangression of the same Lawe although the outwarde obseruacion of yt conferred not that iustificaciō to the obseruers therof that auaileth before God The other office of the Lawe was by liniamentes of figures and shaddowes to leade the people to Chryst as S. Paul saieth Lex poedagogus fuit in Christo Jbid. The Lawe was oure schoolemaster to Chryste Wherfore our Sauioure Chryste willed the Iewes who were not willinge to receaue him as the Messias being yet by the Lawe taught to knowe him that they shoulde repair to Ioan. 5. the scriptures of the Lawe as to their schoolmaster saieng Scrutamini scripturas in quibus putatis vos vitam habere aeternam illae sunt quae testimonium perhibent de mè Searche the scriptures in the whiche ye thinke to haue eternall life and they are they whiche testifie of me Whiche Lawe vndoubtedlie did so teache them Christe by promisses figures and prophecies that they coulde not pretende ignorance but they must nedes be fownde offendours of malice wherof the chief ruler of the schoole Moyses wolde accuse them as Chryste saieth to them Nolite putare quòd ego accusaturus sum vos apud patrem Jbid. 5. meum est qui accusat vos Moyses in quo speratis Si enim crederetis Moysi crederetis forsitan mihi De me etenim ille scripsit Do not thinke that I will accuse yowe to my Father ther ys one that accuseth yowe euen Moises in whom ye trust For had ye beleued Moises ye wolde peraduenture haue beleued me for he wrote of me Of this office of the Lawe that ys of the schoole mastershippe of yt Howe yt promised Chryste Howe yt painted and deschribed him by figures and shaddowes Howe yt spake of him by prophecies in the old testament yt ys as to the pourpose of the matter whiche ys nowe in hand apperteineth treacted of in the first booke Nowe mindinge to seke the trueth of the same matter in the newe Testament I am moche comforted and delighted trusting with moche more facilitie and ease to atteign the same And yet as not withoute pleasure mixed with trauaill I haue doen the like in the firste booke passinge through the thikkes as yt were and obscure places of the Law not all vnlike vnto an Hūter who painfullie beating the busshes and traueling through the Thickes yet not withoute pleasure seking his game and comming to the goodlie faire Lawnde semeth to be moche eased and as yt were releiued of a great greif and then with more delight and pleasure foloweth the same Euē so nowe that I am comed to the beautifull Lawnd of the newe Testament wher for the sharpe priking busshes of the seuitute and bondage of sinne vnder the Lawe and for the obscure and darke thickes of figures and shadowes of the same finding the goodlie pleasaunt Lawnde of grace and veritie by Iesus Chryste I forgett my former trauaills and with freshe delight folowe on my gamme The Lawe had two offices not voide of incōmodities The Gospell hath The Gospel hath two commodities two benefittes enriched with great cōmodities The Lawe gaue knowledge of sinne The Gospell geueth grace for remission of sinnes the Lawe had figures the Gospell hathe the veritie He then by whome came this grace and veritie Iesus Christe who ys the Ioan. 1. light of the worlde and lightneth euery man that cometh into the same geue the bright and clere beames of his knowledge vnto vs both the writer and the reader that beinge led by his grace we maie come persightlie to his trueth and veritie and cominge to the same we maie with all humilitie and mekenesse subdue our vnderstanding to the seruice of faith And so learninge not
Lorde Wherfore yt ys manifest that as the woorthie or vnwoorthie receauing ys referred to the Sacrament so ys the honour or dishonour doen by the same referred also to the Sacrament Wherfor then S. Paule teaching the chrystian people to examen them selues and to prepare them selues that they maie be woorthie receauers of so woorthie a Sacrament taught them in that to honoure the Sacrament Vnto all this this maie be added that forasmoch as S. Paule taught the Corynthians and by them all Chrystian people the presende of Chryst in the Sacrament that he might well teache them to honour him in the Sacrament For wher Chryst ys verilie present ther ys no daunger but the chrystian maie their honoure him That S. Paule teacheth the presence yt shall be made manifest to yow in the thirde booke wher the scriptures of S. Paule shall be more at large handled Wherfor to auoide prolixitie I leaue to speake anie more of them here But this maie be saied here that forasmoche as the woordes of Chryste whiche we haue nowe in hande do teache vs the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament that we maie also honour Chryst in the Sacrament And to conclude against this Proclamer ye maie perceaue by that that ys saied that S. Paule taught vs to honoure the Sacrament THE FIVE AND FOVRTETH CHAP. PROVETH BY the same doctours that the Proclamer nameth that the Sacrament ys to be honoured AFter this man had abused the scriptures to makesome shewe of his wicked pourpose he vsed his like synceritie in naming certain doctours whiche doctours as he saieth neuer make mencion in anie of their bookes of adoring or woourshipping of the Sacrament To declare the trueth of this man we will first produce them whome he hath named as making for him and afterwarde some other Among those whome he nameth Chrysostom ys one A merueillouse thing to see the impudencie or ignorance of this man He nameth Chrysostome as one who in his bookes maketh no mencion of the honouring of Chryst in the Sacrament and yet among all the learned Fathers that writte ther ys none that maketh more often and more plain mencion of that matter then he doth To bring manie of his testimonies the condicion of this rude booke will not suffer for yt wolde therby growe to great ▪ Wherfore one or two places shal be brought whiche shal so clerelie opē this matter that I beleue Reader thowe wi lt merueill that this Proclamer durst for shame name Chrysostome as one that maketh no mencion of the honouring of Chryst in the Sacrament In one place thus he saieth Cùm autem ille Spiritum sanctum inuocauerit Chrys de sacerd li. 6. sacrisiciumue illud horrore ac reuerentia plenissimum perfecerit communi omnium Domino manibus assiduè pertractato quaero ex te quorum illum in ordine collocabimus Quantam verò ab co integritatem exigemus quantam religionem Consideraenim quales manus illas administrantes esse oporteat qualem linguam quae verba illa effandat Denique quae anima non puriorem sanctioremue conueniat esse animam quae tantum illum tamue dignum spiritum reoeperit Per id tempus Angeli sacerdoti assident caelestium potestatum vniuersus ordo elamores excitat locus Altari vicinus in illius honorem qui immolatur Angelorum choris plenus est Id quod credere abundè licet vel ex tanto illo sacrificio quod tum peragitur Ego verò commemorantem olim quendam audiui qui diceret senem quendam virum admirabilem ac cui reuelationum mysteria multa diuinitus fuissent detecta sibi narrasse se tali olim visione dignum a Deo habitum esse ac per illud quidem tempus derepentè Angelorum multitudinem conspexisse quatenus aspectus humanus ferre poterat fulgentibus vestibus indutorum Altare ipsum circundantium Denique sic capitc inclinatorum vt si quis milites praesente Rege stantes videat id quod mihi ipse facilè persuadeo When he mening the preist hath called vpon the holie Gost and hath perfected that sacrifice most full of horrour and reuerēce when the vniuersall Lorde of all thinges ys in his handes handeled I aske of thee in what order of men shall we place him howe great integritie shall we require of him howe great religion or godlinesse Consider also what hands those aught to be that doe ministre What maner of tounge that speaketh those woordes mening the woordes of consecraciō last of al that it ys meet that that soule be purer and holier then anie other soule that receaueth him so great Angells attende vpon the preist in the time of oblacion and a visiō therof shewed to an olde man and so woorthie a spirit At that time the Angells also geue attendance to the preist and all the wholl order of the heauenlie powers singpraises and the place nighe to the Aultar in the honour of him that ys then offred in sacrifice ys full of Angells which thing a man maie fullie beleue for that great sacrifice that then ys doen. Trulie I also did once heare a certain man reporting that an olde woorshippefull man vnto whome manie secretes were by Gods pleasure reueiled declared vnto him that God did vouchefaif to shewe him soche a vision and that at that time as farre as the sieght of man might beare yt he sawe sodenlie a multitude of Angells cloathed in bright garmentes compassing the Aultar aboute and afterwarde so bowing downe their heads as yf a man shoulde see soldiours stand when the king ys present Whiche thing I easely beleue Thus Chrysostome In this saing easie yt ys to perceaue howe honorably he thinketh of the Sacrament and what honoure he thinketh yt of For that the Sacrament ys so honourable he knoweth not wher to place the preist that dothe consecrate yt He questioned what hands they aught to be that handle the vniuersall The vniuersall Lorde of all handled by the preist Lorde of all thinges What toung that aught to be that speaketh the mightie woordes of consecracion howe pure that soule aught to be that receaueth so woorthie a thing yea he acknowlegeth the Sacrament to be so honourable that he saieth that the Angells in the time of the ministracion of yt doe assist the preist and attend and for confirmacion of this he bringeth in a vision of an holie man who sawe Angells in bright garmentes Angells honoure the Sacram. stand aboute the Aultar and bowing downe their heades to honour the Sacrament Whiche thing Chrysostom saieth he did beleue Yf man for the ministracion of the Sacrament be so honourable yf yt be soche as Angells do honour yt howe moche aught man to honoure yt That man aught to honour yt the same Chrysostome in the ordre of the Masse by him sethfurth by his owne practise declareth wher we finde his praier and after his praier his rule for the honouring of this Sacrament Thus
iste testis est qui etiamnum inter clinodia Ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae asseruatur In the time of the good gouernement of the church of Constantinople by The historie of a woman that for the Sac. receaued a stone Iohn Chrysostome a certain man of the heresie of the Macedonians had a wief of the same opinion This man when he had hearde Iohn Chrysostom teaching what was to be thought of God he commended his doctrine and exhorted his wief that she also shoulde be of his minde But when she did more regarde the woordes of noble women then his conuersacion or maner in saithe and after manie admonicions her husbande had doen no good in her he saied vnto her Except in the matters of God thowe be a companion withe me thowe shalt not hereafter be a partaker of liuing with me The woman when she had heard this and had dissimulatelie promised to consent vnto him she tolde the matter to a certain woman seruant whom she iudged to be trustie vnto her whose helpe she vsed to begile her husbande Aboute the time of the mysteries they that be taught the faith knowe what I saie she keping still that she had taken falleth downe as though she wolde praie This womā recaaued vnder one kinde onelie Her woman seruant standing by her geueth vnto her priueily that she had brought in her hande which thing when she had putte to her teeth yt congealed into a stone The woman being astoined fearing least some euell shoulde happen her for that thing which by Gods power had chaunced she goeth with spede to the Bishoppe and accusing her self she sheweth the stone hauinge yet the markes or printes of her bitinge and shewing an vnknowen matter and a merueillouse coloure and withall desiering with teares forgeuenesse she promiseth to agree to her husbande Yf this thing seeme to anie man incredible this stone ys witnesse of the matter whiche vntill this daie ys kept in the Churche of Constantinople As this historie ys notable so for the pourpose yt ys euident that the Sacrament was ministred vnder one kinde that was vnder the forme of breade For the woman takinge that in her hand and not minding to receaue yt kept that still and tooke some other thing of her seruant to eate and so thought to haue begiled her husbande so their was but one kinde receaued To be short as of the learned yt ys testifieth the maner of receauing vnder one kinde whiche ys vsed in all the latin Churche vpon good fridaie on The maner of receauīg vnder one kinde vpon good fridaie vsed in the primitiue Churche whiche daie the preist receaueth the host consecrated vpon Mawndie Thursdaie hath ben so vsed from the primitiue Churche Wherbie as by that that ys before saied also yt doeth well appeare that the receauing vnder one kinde hath ben practised in the primitiue Churche notwithstanding the false reporte of the Proclamer Wherfore Reader be not deceaued with soche bragges of vntrueth For though he hath saied yt he neither doeth nor can prooue yt but stand thowe to the doctrine of the catholique Churche who what she teacheth she prooued to be true as by this matter thowe doest perceaue Thus hauing nowe ended the scriptures of the Gospell with thankes to God we ende this seconde booke praing that yt maie be to his honour and to the profitte of the Readers Amen THE THIRDE BOOK THE FIRST CHAPITER ENTRETH BY PREface into the first text of saincte Paule that toucheth the Sacrament and expwndeth yt according to the letter DIdymus of whome for that he was a famouse learned man sainct Hierom desiered to be taught and instructed in his firste booke of the holie Gost whiche worke ys translated by sainct Hierom considering howe great a matter yt was to treacte of li. 1. de Spiritu sancto Diuine thinges are with reuerence anc diligence to be hādled diuine thinges and that therfor they aught with reuerence to be vsed he saieth thus Omnibus quidem quae diuina sunt cum reuerentia vehementi cura oportet intendere We must with reuerence and great care diligentlie looke vnto all thinges that be diuine Wherfore mindinge by Gods ayde to proceade in treacting of the blessed Sacrament of the bodie and bloode of Chryst and of the presence of the same our Sauiour Iesus Chryst werie God and verie man in that Sacrament with other matters therunto apperteining whiche be in deed diuine matters I wish not onelie vnto my self in the writing but also to the reader in the reading that reuerence that to eche of vs apperteineth Before in the beginning of the first booke And for my parte considering what I haue allreadie writen as concerning the holie scriptures that they be harde and darke so that as sainct Hierom saieth Sine praeuio monstrante semitam ingredi non possumus withoute a fore guyde and a shewer we can not entre the right path of them And for somoche also as ther ys the more pitie so great controuersie of the matter to be treacted of I will not be so rashe and irreuerent to the scriptures Jrē li. 3. ca 4. to handle them wrest them and abuse them after mine owne phantasie but I will as Irenaeus aduertiseth haue recouerse to the eldest churches and learn of them the truth and true mening of soche scriptures as be called in question aboute the matter of the said Sacrament of the whiche I Doubtes in controuersies wher to be dissolued shall nowe treacte Quid enim si quando de aliqua quaestione modica deceptatio esset nonne in antiquissimas oportet recurrere ecclesias in quibus Apostoli conuersati sunt ab eis de praesenti quaestione sumere quod certum rei liquidum est What yf at anie time ther be a deceptacion of a litle matter must we not runne or haue recourse to the eldest churches in the whiche the Apostles were conuersant and of them to take that that ys certen and plain Thys Ibidem holie Father geueth so moche vnto the auncient Fathers that yf ther were no scriptures he saieth we shoulde folowe the ordre of tradicion whiche the Apostles haue deliuered vnto them Quid autem si neque Apostoli quidem scripturas reliquissent nobis nonne oportebat ordinem sequi traditionis quem tradiderunt his quibus committebant ecclesias What saith Irenaeus yf neither the Apostles had lefte vs scriptures did yt not behoue vs to folowe the order of Tradicion yt to be folowed tradition whiche they deliuered vnto those to whome they committed the churches Thus Irenaeus In whiche sentence of this holie Martyr we are not onelie taught that we aught to repare to the Fathers to haue our doubtes dissolued and so to learn of them howe the Scriptures are to be vnderstanded but also for tradicions that be not written in the scriptures for the reporte of whiche as wel as for soche as be in the scriptures