be beleuâd that coulde bâinge som textes of scripture for hâm expounded as yt pleassed hâm self then coulde I saytâe thys holy man brynge vppe a new sect allso and saye by scrypture â that no man were a true Chrysten man nor a mâmbrâ of the churche â that kepeth two cotes And in good faytâ sayth master More âf that waâe were âowâd I were able my sâllfe to fynde oute fyftene newe sectes in one fore none Sayncte Peter saâth that the scripture ys not expounded after the appetyte of any priuate person but âuyn as yt was geuyn by the sprite of god noâ by mannes wyll So mâste yt be declared by the same spryte And therfore I wyll not that any man sâalbe 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 alowâd agaynst the determânacyon 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 wâre able to âynde oute fyftene newe sectes in one sore none he may thanke GOD that he hathe suche a prengâant wytte But yet I truste he shulde not fynde one yf there were any parâll 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 ââys playnly meaninge that he spake of hys very bodye and hys very bloud besyde all allâgoryes 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 thây all in suche a wonder therof that they coulde not they coulde not abyde And whârfore but because they perceyued well by hys wordes and hys maner of cirâunstaunces that Câriste spake of hys very flesâe and hys very bloude in dede It ys openly knowen confessed amonge all lerned men tâat in the .6 chapitre of IoaÌ christe spake not one worde concernynge the sacracrameÌt of hys bodye and bloude w c at that tyme was not yet institute but all that he ther spake was of the spâÌall eatinge drinkynge of his bote bloude in to our souleâ w c ys the faytâe in hâs bodye and bloude as I haue touched before And the cyâcunstances of this place do ân dede proue that they were fleshly mynded and vnderstoâe not the spirituall wordes of our saviour Christ and thefore wondered murmered In somoch that Christ sayd vnto theÌ doth this oâfende âoâ What wâlâ ye say then wheÌ ye shall see the sone of man ascendynge thither where he was before Then addeth S. Austen you sâall knowe tâat 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 notâânge the word that I speakâ are spiret aÌd lyste that ys to saye saith S. Austyn are spuÌaly to be vnderstond And where Christ sayeth â that the fleshe profiteth nothyng meanyng of hys owne fleshe as S Austen sayth he mâaneth that yt profitâth not as they vnderstode hâm that ys to saye yt profiteth not yf ât were eateÌ But yt doth moche êfite to be slayne that thorough yt and the shediÌge of hys bloude the wâathe of god our father ys pacified and oure synnâs for geueÌ And wher his mastership saythe that the people êceyâed well what he ment and therfore woÌdâred so sore and couâde not abyde be cause they perceyued well by his wordes and maner of circunstaÌces what his meaning waâ I wyll saye as I did before that they vndârsâode hâm 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 soâe as yow and surelye that were but reâson âot wtstondyng thaÌkâs be to god I am able to bringe in auctorite to Iudge bâtwene vs bothe whose Iudgement I truste his mastership wyll admyt This auctor ys S. Ausâyn w c sayeth Disâipuli enââ eius qui eum sequebantur expauerunt exhorruerunt sermoneÌ noÌ intellegentes That ys to saye his disciples wcâolâowed hym were a stoyned and abhorred his wordes and vnderstode them not And be cause your masâershipe shall âot thynke that he ouer schott hym selâfe 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 beâausâ thây vâderstode 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 receyâe 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 innoceÌt â whiche like wise vnderstondyng this text vppon the sacrameÌt as master More doth caused yoÌge chyldern infantes to receiue the sacrameÌt â as though thei had all by a daÌpned 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 expouÌdeth the text as they dooâ but afterward they loked more spuÌally vppoâ the matter and coÌfessed ther ignoraÌce as I truste master more wyll but nowe will I shew you s. AusteÌs minde vppoÌ this text w c shall hâlpe for the exposicioÌ of all this matter s. AusteÌ in the thirde boke de doctrina christiana the .16 chapitre teachiÌge howe we shall knowe the tropes figures allegories
they muâte 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 sacrameÌt but that the sacrament sygnifyeth anÌ holy thinge and a signe or a badge dothe signyâie a wordly thinge as s. AusteÌâayeth signes wheÌ they are referred to holy thiÌges are called sacrameÌtes The secoÌde 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 êceyvyth the thynge expressed to diuerse senses at once as by exaÌple 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 sacrameÌt w c he called hys bodye to th entent that the very name yt selfe might put them in remâmbraÌce 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 êtested 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 âo eate yt that nothynge shoulde be lackynge to coÌfyrme 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 tâe 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 aÌd strenghth their faâth in hys bodye breakynge blode shedynge w c ys our shoteanker and laste refuge w t oute w c we shoulde all perishe The thârd cause the instâtucyon 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 thaÌkys 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 vndersâond 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 mâste ruÌne 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 aÌd 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 êphet Dauid and Isaye And likewise yt ys w t our sacrameÌtes let vs therfore seke vp the significacioÌs and goo to the very thinge w c the sacrament ys set to presânt vnto vs. And ther shall we synde suchâ frutefull foode as shall never fayle vs but comâort our soules in to lyff euerlastynge Now wyll I in order answer to master moâes boke and as I fynde occasion gevyn me I shaâl indevoure my sellfe to supply that thynge w c lacked in the fyrste treatise I trust I shall shâwe suche lyght that all men whose eyes the prence of thys worlde hath not blynded shall êceyve the truthe of the
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 âhe sacrament As the apostle wryteth of baptyme we are buryed sayeth he with Christe thorough baptyme vnto deth He sayâth 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 remembraÌce of the same And furdermore euyn as the prest doth offer hym that ys to saye crucyfye hym at masse euyn so ys the sacrameÌt hisâ bodye But the masse doth but only repÌsent his passyoÌ And so doth the sacrameÌt represent hys bodye And âet though the masse dothe but repÌsent his crucifying we maye trulye saye he ys cruâified euân so though the sacrameÌt do but signifie or repÌsent 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 simiâitude for the moste ête they take the namys of the verâe 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 maâer the sacrameÌt 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 mâmorie the deth of his bodye and so to norishe our fayth Besides that his similitude w c he after alâegeth of baptime doth holye expounde this matter for saieth he the apostle saieth not we signifie buryinge but he saieth we are buried aÌd yet in dede the baptyme doth but signifie yt And there vppon s. Austen addeth that he called the sacrameÌt of so great a thinge euyn w c the name of the very thinge yt sellfe And lyke wise yt ys in our sacrameÌt 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 ânim DâÌs 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 boâye 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 aÌd in this chapiter doth coÌpare 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 Iudgâmânt we nede not greatly to regard therfore we may well coÌclude that the sacrameÌt 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 immâdiatly before This were proffe ynough to coÌclude that all the olde fathers did holde the same opinion for who wolde once surmise seinge we haue s. austeÌ so pâayne for vs w c is the chesest emoÌge 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 leât hiÌ stoÌde post alone ieste ye dispice him And therfore I will shewe you the minde of certaine othâr allso and furââe of his master s. Ambrose S. Ambrose wrytynge vppon the Epistle of Paule to the CorinthiaÌs in the xiâ chap. sayth Quia emÌ morte DnÌi libeâati sumê° huiê° rei in eden do potaÌdo 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 coÌtent w t reason For he sayeth that in eatyng aÌd 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 sâd habet similitudineÌ Sicut emÌ mortis similitudineÌ sumpsisti ita etiaÌ similitudineÌ preciosi sanguinis bibis That ys to saye But êaduenture thou wylte saye I se no apperauÌce 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 pÌcyous bloude Here maye ye see by the coÌferrynge of thesse two sacramentes what s. Ambrose iââged of it For he sayeth euyn as thou haste taken a similituâe of hys deth in the sacrameÌt of baptyme so doste thou drinke a similitude of his preciouse bloude in the sacrameÌt of the auâter And yet as s. AusteÌ sayd before the apostle saith not we signifie buryinge but saâth we are buried And likewise here Christ sayd not this signifyeth my bodye but
hade soopâd And because brede doth confyrme or strengthe the fleshe and wyne worketh bloude in the âlâshe therfore ys the brâde misticallye referred vnto the bodye of Christe and the wyne referred vnto hys bloude Here maye you note furste that âs the lambe was a remembraunce of theâr delyueraunce oute of Egipt and yet the lambe delyuered theÌ not so ys the sacrament a remembrauÌce of our redeÌptyon and yet the sacrameÌt redemed vs not âesydes 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 âarke well he sayth not that in the stede of lambes fleshe and bloude he dyd institute hys owyn fleshe and bloude but âayeth 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 bâtwene 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 Theâfore when Beda saieth that thei did institute the sacrameÌt 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 aâd wine that ys to saye that brâade and wyne shuld be thâ figure and signe repÌsentyng his holy fleshe bloude vnto vs for a perpetuall remembraÌce And afterward he declareth the proêtye âor w t the brede ys called the bodye and the wyne the bloude sauynge he speaketh âot so darkelye as I now doo but playnlye sayth that the brede is misâicallye refferred vnto the bodye of Christe be cause that as brede doth strengthe the flâshe so Christes bodye which ys figured by the brede doth sârengthe 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 greacyaÌs 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 âesus noÌ est cuius signuÌ simbolum hoc sacrâficiuÌ est uides âuantuÌ ei studium fuerit ut semper memorâa 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 diligeÌce he gaue that we shulde contynuallye kepe in memorie that he dyed for vs. Here you maye see that Chrisostome calleth the sacrameÌt symboluâ et signuÌ that is to saye a mâmoryâll and signe of christ aÌd that yt was inâtitute to kepe hys deth in perpetuall remeÌbrauÌce 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 mâste 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 eâpounde hys mynde on thys fasyon For in dede they take hym otherwise thynke that yt ys a vârye sacrafice And therfore I wyll brynge one other text where Chrisostome shall expouÌd hiÌ sellf Chrisostome sayth Nâne ê singulos dies offerrimê° offerrimê° qde sed ad recordationeÌ mortis eiê° facieÌtes Hoc auÌt sacrificiuÌ sicut poÌtifex âed 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 sacrafiâe as the bushop in the olde lawe did but euer the âame ye rather a remembraunce of the sacrafice Furst he sayeth that they daylye do sacrafice but yt ys in remembraunce of Christes dâth Tâen he sayth that the sacrifice ys an example of that Thyrââye he sayth that they offer âot 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 thâm yet doth yt make so derectlye agaynst them â that they shall neuer be able to auoyd yt Cârysostâmâ sayth they do not offer an other sacrifyâe aâ the bushoppes did but euer the sâme They oâfer other brede wyne thys daâe then they âyd yesterdaye they shall saye an other maââe 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 shâd hâs bâoude âs 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 Bâshop of the old lawe But that doth chrysostâme denye and sayth that âhey offer euery day the same What same verâââe euân the same that was done and sacriâââed when Christe sheâ his bloude In thys sacrifyce ys Christe euery daye bounde and buffeââd and lede from ânna to Cayphas he ys broughâ to Pylaâe and condempned he ys scorged and crowned with thorne nayled on tâe crossâ and hys herte opeynned w t aspere and so shâdeth 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 crucâfye hym For sothe Paulle sayeth trouthe For we do yt not actuallye in dede but ânlyâ in a misterie And yet we saye that we do saârifice hyâ and that thys ys his sacryfice for the celâbâaâioÌ of the sacrameÌt aÌd memorye of the passyoÌ which we kepe for this cause yt hathe the name of the thyâge that yt doth represent signifie And therfore I expoânde my minde be a rethoricall correâtiân and saye Imo recoâdationeÌ sacrifiââ that is to saye yee rather the remeÌbrauÌâe of the sacrifice Grauntmercyâs 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