in substaunce but in the respect of the sacrament vse likenesse aud denomination the holy body of Christ. Therefore that which wee receaue in our mouth is natural bread but in respect of the eating this nature is not regarded of vs but raysing our hartes much more high euen intoo heauen yea vntoo the heauens of heauens as Chrysostome reporteth it doth meditate vpon farre more excellent matter And heereof came it that the auncient wryters did so vsually extol the magnyficence of this sacramente with such excellency in olde tyme. Wherein they wâ—re many tymes rapted intoo such a wonderful vehemency of hyperbolicall speeches as though the bread and wine were in very deede matter of nought and that nothing els should seeme to be made accompt of in the celebration of the supper but the body and blood of the Lord onely As in very deede these dead elementes be no better worth in respect of the body which they do represent But what hereof then Shall the elementes of bread and wyne bee therefore no parte of the sacrament bicause the consideration of the Lordes body doth possesse the principall partes and holdeth the whole soule attentiue and faste fixed vpon it Or shall Christe bee therefore sayde too haue transposed the substance of bread and wine intoo his naturall body really bicause hee hath chaunged the same intoo the sacrament of his body Or by what argument will our aduersaries make this their assertion iustifiable For if God and nature do bring to passe no one thing in the whole frame of creation without great cause It remaineth that we may bee made acquainted too what ende for what cause to what vse or to what purpose Christe should make this Metamorphosis That thrusting away bread from out it owne substance he should deliuer ouer his true naturall fleshe in deede but inuisible to be deuoured carnally with the carnall mouth of the body vnder inuisible formes But here againe startes vp our Lombard a gods name and will render vs a tryple cause of this great mysterie to wit why the Lord would so liberally bestowe his natural flesh and blood to be deuoured not after a fleshly maner but vnder an other kinde naturally and in deede but inuisibly First bicause faith should obteine a more excellent rewarde where mans reason is not able by proofe to attaine according to the testimonie of Gregory whom hee vouâ—heth Secondly bicause the minde should not abhorre that which the eye might beholde for that otherwise the stomake of them that should eate would loathe â—he straunge deuouring of rawe fleshe Thirdly bicause nothing should be seene here thaâ— might bee offensiue to the vnbeleeuers or that might mynister occasion to the infidell to scorne and deride it You haue heard now the prety poppet reasons patchâ— vp in the chief shoppe of Lombards diuinitie It remaineth hencefoorth that wee searche the very depth of them And first where as hee reasoneth of the merite of faith I will not deny but that in matters of fayth mans reason is not of any such capacitie too attayne thereto For the excellencie of fayth is conuersant in those things properly which the fleshly eyes can not see or which haue beene knowen by the scriptures to haue beene already past either which are promised shall come in after time Moreouer I am not offended with that no lesse auncient then true proposition of Gregorie where treating of the Lordes entering vnto the disciples the gates beeing shut hee doth deny that faith ought to haue any merite where mans reason caÌ„ make proofe by experience For we doe confesse and beleeue this to be most true that which the scriptures haue deliuered touching the gates being shut and of the Lordes entrie in But wher did the scriptures at any tyme make neuer so litle a motion of the casting away of bread of the essentiall presence of Christe vnder empty formes or of transubstantiated elementes Blessed be they sayeth Christe which haue not seene yet haue beleeued This is true I confesse but it followeth not therefore that all thinges which are not seene with the eyes ought to be beleeued Neither doe we not therefore relinquishe the reach of mans reason bicause wee doe not yelde to all maner trifling imaginarie coÌ„ceiptes Whatsoeuer is commaunded by the prescript word of God the same we do firmely and faithfully beleeue and thereunto with most forewarde and ready faith do submitte all maner force of mans reason But who euer gaue any such commaundement to beleeue that which you haue forged touching that most senselesse absurditie of transubstantiation or by what authorised woorde of scripture at the length will you make iustifiable by writing or by meaning that we ought to adore though our eyes see not that your conterfaict person of the sonne of God shapen out of bread and set out to be adored and eaten of vs Fayth therefore wanteth not her merite in thinges that ought truly to be beleeued which by expresse and vndouted auâ—thoritie of the word be to be iustified But to beleeue â—he things which are noâ— grounded vpon the wâ—â—d which are no where nor were euer instituted by God but drowsily deuised by fonde foolish vanitie of mans idle imagination is no matter of faith at all but amazed â—rensy rather nor hath any merite at al but is extrâ—eme wickednesse So also is that other absurditie no lesse ridiâ—ulous which he doth inferre touching the infidels least ocâ—asion be giueÌ„ saith he to the infidels to laugh it 〈◊〉 scorne Why should the infidels deride it I beseeche you Lombardâ— you do aunswere bicause it would breede great offence to the vnbeleeuers who without all question would loath scorne the Christian religion if 〈◊〉 should â—eâ— the blood of a slaine man in the sacrament Go to then doth this seme to be the cause why y e Lord should deliuer his body blood not after a fleshly maner but vnder an other forme lest if the Pagans should seâ— it they should coÌ„ceiue matter to laugh it too scorne for this seemeth your allegatiâ—n w t yâ—â— seeme also to haue â—onâ—ed â—onningly out of August very wellâ— And what shal we say then to the Apostles them selues were they Pagans vnbeleeuing also why did he not giue the cup of his blood to his Apostles in his proper nature kinde where was no daÌ„ger at all to procure any mockage or if hee were willing to hyde his blood vnder a sacramentall forme aunswere I praye you what cause was there why the Lorde should vouchsafe the deliuerie thereof by formes rather then by materiall bread Besides this as concerning the Paganes if Christe did feare the scornings of Paganes so much I desyre Lombard to tell mee thus much againe If some one Pagane shoulde happen too come nowe into your temples and beholde your massinges maskings what greater occasion can be ministred too mooue them to laughter and skorning then when hee should see
their beggerly byhang decrees as that they shame not to denie That the Gospel is the only and absolute promise of eterternal life without any condition of obseruing the law and the coÌ„maundements of God and again that our iustification doth consist not of the free fauour of the Lord not of gracious imputation not of onely râ—mission of sinnes but of holinesse and of renuing the inward man through voluntarie acceptaunce of grace for so they speake and of spiritual giftes whereby we are not only reputed but also are called and be truly righteous in deede euery man receyuing of himselfe his owne rightuousnesse not by any other meane ne yet that rightuousnesse properly which is of Christ Iesus but which is proper and peculiar to euerie particular person himself By meanes wherof it commeth to passe that faith vnlesse she be accompanied with hope as they say and charitie doth not vnite any person vnto Christ perfectly nor is able to make any man to bee a liuely member of his bodie Neither are those other fables any whit more sauâ—â—ie which those graue Tridentine BeÌ„chers haue dreamed of workes and eternal life For although fayth as wee confesse be for many great and vrgent causes with charitie by a certain necessarie and vnseparable coupling togither of most absolute societie for what is more â—greeable to conuenience of reason then that these which be endued with a through feeling of their renuing in Christ vnto euerlasting life of their free admission into heauen should after so many so manifold benefites receiued not shew theÌ„selues vnthankful nor disobedient should not welter in fleshly appetites shuld not be caried away with the tickling delights of this world should not be drowned in carelesse securitie nor slumber in slouth but so fashion and frame themselues as men enflamed with a voluntary serious earnest cheerfulnes of mind should not slacke any point of most industrious endeuor to serue the Lord faithfully shoulde commit no accion whatsoeuer to the preiudice and hurt of his neighbor Admit I say that we grauÌ„t all these to bee as they bee in verie deede most true and withall confesse such an vnauoydable and necessarie coniunction betwixt them that fayth neyther possibly can nor ought in any wise be sequestred from godly conuersation of life what theÌ„ Shal we therfore yeeld ouer to good works this most souerain benefit of euerlasting life which the heauenly Maiestie hath vouchsafed to be free by the onely free mercie of God as the proper and peculiar ofâ—ice of fayth and adnihilate make frustrate the grace of God So that mans obedience shall be an esâ—oppell to Gods mercie so that the lawe shall foreclose the Gospel and merit be an hinderaÌ„ce preiudice to grace But where did these famous Clearkes learne this Logike so to iumble and choppe the verie things themselues which differ so farre asunder in their endes and effectes and to make such a confused mingle mangle of them in one lump as it were without al order without any respect of choise as the Cooke sâ—irreth his pottage about What bicause fayth doth alwayes associate her self and is delighted with the sweete and ioyful felowship of most excellent vertues worketh alwayes through loue shall shee therefore not be alone in iustifying bycause she is fruitfull and industrious in woorking or shall shee therefore not onely and alone iustifie vs in heauen without woorkes bicause shee is full of woorkes on earth Or when shee dooth iustifie vs in heauen before Godâ— shall this our iustification bee therefore sayde to bee ascribed to anie our charitie or vnto Iesus Christ in respect of any reward or of the only gift of God for any our merit or deseruing of works or of the free promise of god If God doe accomplish the whole action of our iustification for his promise sake with what scriptures at the length will these Romish Rabbines vnderprop that their ruynous relike shrined in their notable Councel of Trent for a matter vnreprouable whereby they giue the worlde to vnderstande That eternal life is to be proclaymed to them that be good workers Again where they giue out that by the promise of God eternal life shall bee rendered to good woorkes as an vndoubted rewarde But where did God euer make anie such promise that the heauenly inheritaunce shoulde be giuen vpon any such condition as a rewarde vnto them which shall offer themselues vnto the dreadfull Assise of the high Iudge with a white stoale as they tearme it of vndefiled renouation For suche is the doctrine of these graue Fathers which kind of doctrine if bee too bee admitted for infallible I beseeche you what neede is there of Christe or his Gospell sithens men may so easily climbe vp into the kingdome of heauen by woorkes as it were by a paire of stayres yea to what purpose then serueth that which Saint Paule doth so earnestly and so often plod vpon That life euerlasting is the gyft of God not of any worke least any man should boast himselfe Our Lorde and Sauiour Christe vndoubtedly dyd instruct vs in his Gospell farre other wise then these Lordly Fathers as the which hath directed the onely way to heauen not to passe thither by woorkes but by faith He that beleeueth in me sayth he hath life euerlasting Againe setting downe a speciall marke promiseth That he that seeth the Sonne and beleeueth on him shall haue life euerlasting And redoubling the same promise else where He that beleeueth in mee shall not die for euer And why rather did he not vse these speaches with these gay woorkemaisters To wit that they which did lead heere in this worlde an holy and vpright life ful of good woorkes shoulde thereby purchase heauen What then because all thinges bee ascribed vntoo faith passing ouer all mention of woorkes shal we therfore condemne this doctrine as an vtter aduersary too works making no estimate of holy and vertuous liuing God forbid But these Romanists ouermuch sweating and moyling in theyr Summularies Sententionaries Decretaries Thomists and resolutions and I had almoste saide altogeather blinded in theyr Philosophicall quiddities doe not conceiue aright of the heauenly purpose and meaning of Christe neither do they sufficiently enter into due consideration of the purpose force and inwarde kernell of the Euangelicall Philosophie neyther do discerne the difference betwixt the Lawe and the Gospell as they ought to doe For whereas the whole force of the lawe consisteth in prescribing certaine rules whereby this transitorie life may be directed in holynes integritie whereby may be knowne what is to be ensued and what to be eschewed by what meanes Gods wrath kindled against vs may bee pacified and howe his punishmentes and corrections may be mitigated and in what wise other inconueniences and calamities of this life may eyther be â—urned quite away or otherwise quallified by petition And where as on the other side that othâ—r
wine What when you heate out of Origen Not the matter of bread but vpoÌ„ the bread the word was spoken which is profitable to him that eateth in the Lord not vnworthily And aboue al other chiefly what wil you answere to these wordes of Gelas. who wâ—â—ting of the Sacraments of bread wine Howe that wee are by the same made partakers of the heaueÌ„ly nature yet doth boldly pronouÌ„ce that the substaÌ„ce of bread wine do neuertheles remaine stil. Besides these when ye read also the wordes of August And we receiue this day visible foode c. What I say when on all sides your eares doe fully conceiue the voyces of the most choyse learned fathers touching the visible meat the bread which is broken the wine which is crusht out of the grapes the matter and the substance of bread and wine when as these so many authours whom I haue cited do as it were thrust into your mouth bread wine doe you notwithstanding not receyue bread nor wine and are yee yet so poreblinde as not to see ought else here but phanatical superficiall shadowes onely and accidents of bread Surely that queysie stomacke of yours deserueth in my conceyte to bee continually fed with those delicate cates of accidents But bycause I will not oppresse you with testimonies I surcease here This one thing I demaund sithence these visible kindes whereof ye speake doe holde yet the names of the things which they were before I woulde faine know whether togither with the names they do retaine the effect and operation of the same things wherein they be sayd to feed and to nourish yea or nay If ye say yea certes ye feed your guestes very finely that so feede them with colours and shewes of accidents not much vnlike as if bycause Pepper is black therfore a man should say it is hote in the mouth or bycause salt is white therefore it doth sauour and season victuals But if ye say nay what consonancie of likenesse shal there bee betwixt the Lordes flesh and this Sacrament which you fasten wholy to shadowes seing that shadowes haue no force at al to refresh withal seeing ye leaue vs no substaunce of breade wherevpon wee may feede For what shall we say doeth not the fleshe of Christ nourish the inwarde man no more substancially then the outward formes of bread and wine doe nourish the bodie Surely yee haue discouered vs verie daintie delicates whereby the bodie is neither fedde nor soule refreshed For whether the inwarde soule doe receyue no more comfort of the fleshe of Christ then our outwarde bodies nourishmeÌ„t of visible formes I leaue to other mens iudgement how wel we are like to be fed Besides this also remayneth yet another tryâ—â—ing toy of most vaine distinction to witte Of the Sacrament and not the thing Of the Sacrament and the thing Of the thing and not the Sacrament Of which diuision there is not one member so much that is not altogither rotten First wheras he placeth the Sacrament in certaine emptie and Metaphisâ—cal formes remooued from the thing it selfe therein he doeth no more digresse from all conueniencie of reason and the iudgement of the auncient fathers than most blockishly vary from himself For discoursing a litle earst of the nature of a SacrameÌ„t he affirmed that it ought to be of such efficacie as mighâ— be able to refresh the bodies of them that did receyue it But these fantastical formes remoued from the thinges doe not refreshe the bodie Ergo they bee not the Sacrament in anie respect Againe whereas hee sayeth that these visible kindes bee the Sacrament onely yea and a Sacrament also of a double thing bycause they signifie both and doe carie an expresse likenesse of both this is also of both partes false For first the thing that is neither breade nor the bodie nor a thing but a Sacrament of a thing onely not a creature but the accident of a creature nor is any substaunce at all howe can it possibly bee that the same thing which is not any thing at all may seeme to bee a Sacrament of some one thing and of some substaunce yea and that also of a double thing Or what kinde of likenesse at the length may there seeme to bee betwixt these monstrous formes and the bodie of Christe eyther naturall or mysticall in the one whereof wee doe receyue nourishment in the other vnitie sithence in formes there is neyther any power to refreshe bodie or soule nor any vnion or kniâ—ting together of partes and members Moreouer wherâ—as the same Lombarde doeth affirme that the naturall fleshe of Christ is the Sacrament of Ecclesiasticall vnion howe will hee agree with himselfe Whereas nowe he doeth abide by it that these visible formes bee the Sacrament of that coniunction What monster will this bugge whelpe foorth at the length That cannot be contented to haue littered his visible formes for a Sacrament of a double thing vnlesse hee must also whelpâ— foorth vnto vs a double Sacrament out of the same emptie paunch of formes But perhappes this great maister of Sentences was so busied about coyning of new Sentences that he had quite forgotten the olde Prouerbe to witte That it behoueth a lyar to be alwayes fresh of remembrance So hitherto nowe what is the Sacrament onely and not the thing you vnderstande well ynough I suppose In the seconde place nowe steppeth forth an other as farre fetched a riddle conned out of the braine panne of Sphynx her selfe verie deepe and daungerous to bee assoyled Namely what thing that may bee that is both the thing and withal the Sacrament also If thou canst not vndo this tarring yron gentle reader for I know thou art not able of thy selfe to attaine to it this deepe riddlemaster wil discouer it vnto thee For he wil tel thee that it is the fleshe of Christe which being both a substance in respect of the visible forme of bread vnder the which it is conteined and signified is also the Sacrament of the mystical body in as much as it signifieth the mystical vnitie of the Church forsoath and representeth the expresse ymage thereof O marueylous nimble witte fined in the verie bottome of all Lombardie But from whence is this expresse ymage of this Sacrament deriued whereof Lombarde maketh mention Forsooth out of S. Paul First where he sayth We be many one bread and one bodie Then next out of Augustines woordes The Church sayeth he is called one bread and one bodie For this cause That as one loafe of breade is made of many graynes and as one bodie is made of many members so the Church is vnited and knit togither of manie faythfull through the coupling or mutual knot of loue As concerning S. Paul the whole and natural deriuation of this similitude is deriued not from the bodie of Christâ— but from the bread onely Nowe to admitte this to bee true that there is no
their Christian Brethren seeyng in outwarde semblaunce and behauiour they doe so courâ—giously braue them selues vpon the meekenesse of Christe vpon the Faith of Peter and the spirit of Paule Wee doe reade in the Scriptures that the moste holy Apostle S. Paule him selfe doth in the mightie power of the spirit thunder out That the weapons of our warrefare be not carnal but mightie in spirite to the subdewing of strong holdes wherewith we doe suppresse euil thoughtes and doe subdewe all power extolling it selfe against the wil of God and leade captiue all thoughts and imaginations to yeelde dewe obedience vnto Christ c. First you see weapons named heere not of one Paule nor of one Peeter but our owne weapons saith he that is to say general weapons common with the vniuersall Church of Christ which are then at the leaste to be exercised not rashly against all persons nor vpon euery light occasion but euen when necessitie vrgeth against those if any shall happen to beeâ— which doe waxe insolent and stifnecked against the knowledge of God and their dewe obedience vnto Christ. Of which sorte if any may be founde faultie in that Realme that may preiudice the grace of Christ surely I will not in any respect abridgâ— condigne correction according to the censure Apostolique But nowe whereas that whole nation to the vttermoste of their power doth indeuour to become the Seruants of Christ whereas there is not one so much that doth not prostrate him selfe to the maiestie of the Sonne of God and to his diuine Godheade that doth not worship him in Spirit and trueth yea and worship him there where the Scriptures haue enthronized him that doth not thankfully acknowledge his Heauenly benefites that doth not yeelde dewe reuerence to his Sacraments that doth not onely professe all obedience linked togither with faith to be dewe vnto him but also repose all their affiaunce and confidence in him Finally whereas in their churches all matters are so orderly administred by them as that no defect may be founde of any thing apperteining too the duetie of true christianitie wherein nothing is admitted that is not consonant to the sacred authoritie of the Euangelicall institution I beseech you Syr Pope of Rome what woulde you desire more What seemeth it not sufficient in your conceite that Christ who alone preserueth the estate of his church be glorified in his owne Church vnlesse the pompe of the Pope be enterlaced with the glory of Christ reuerenced with semblable obedience And from whence els come these tumultes these flashes of lightening and stormes of of thunderboltes raysed vpp Is it bicause they doe yeelde their obedience too Christe as it behooueth them to doe or bicause they humble not theÌ„ selues to the Pope If the glory of Christ be your glory as of right it ought to be what needeth any contention then why doe you noâ— cast downe your proud Peacockes tayle and call your selfe backe againe into the societie of generall obedience But if ye thinke it not sufficient that the sonne of GOD may be magnified without the Romish Bishop why then surcease from hencefoorth to be taken for the seruaunt of Iesu and the heire of Peter For what other thing did Peter or Paule vaunt vpon but the onely glory of Iesu Christ Whether by occasion sayth he or in truth so that Christ be preached herein do I reioyce and will reioyce What say you to this That Christ himselfe whiles hee dwelte here vpon earth would haue a speciall testimonie lefte behinde him howe farre he was both in woordes and deedes estraunged from crauing or groping after glorie who embasing him selfe of his owne freewill euen to the ignominie of the Crosse by howe much he disclaimed from the title of glory so much the more ouerflowing aboundance of glorie did ouerspreade him by onely despising of glory I do not seeke saith he myne owne glory but there is one that seeketh and iudgeth Agayne the same Christ being on a time despised and cast out from that most churlish city did not so attempt any matter of reuenge therefore as that hee seemed very greuously offended with them which did prouoke him to take vengeaunce O heauenly mildenesse of a meeke spirit woorthie of all reuerence and honour You knowe not sayeth hee of what spirite you bee The Sonne of man came not for too destroy but to saue mens liues Now let vs compare the one with the other to witte the Uicar with his head You haue heard how the Lord being not entertayned vpon the way what he did and what answere he gaue But what the Pope woulde haue done in this case if he had beene present furnished with like power to be auenged I doe not here discusse Truely how he behaueth him selfe at this present little England alone may be a sufficient testimonie which hauing now ouer many yeares beene plagued with that Romish ruffler and worne out euen to the bare stumpes with much adoe shaking from her shoulders that yoake of intollerable thraldome durst prâ—sume at the last to cast from out her territories this Tâ—oian horse and reduce her estate to the auncient iberties Hereof springeth that Canker hereof arise these Tragicall furies wherewith he woulde seeme ready to deuoure not the bodies of menne onely but the very soules also if hee were able Goe to nowe and what cause can this â—remshapeâ— Uicar vouch at the length why hee shoulde thus mingle heauen and earth together and rake vpp from the deepe those swallowing Sandes of gaping gulfe Let vs nowe see what the mater is The Pope of Rome is banished out of English soyle in that hee woulde be a Ruler I confesse but as a soiourner he is not excluded But Christ notwithstanding is receiued him doe they imbrace as their Lorde his voice they doe acknowledge and bee obedient vnto but because they knowe not you Sir Pope if they receiue you not why should you storme at it You require pardie that they shoulde couple you with Christ in their worshipping But put the case that Christ can in no wise bee receiued into England vnlesse the Pope be banished neither the Pope haue any possible footing there except they thruste Christe cleane out of their Coastes Whether of these two thinke you conuenient to bee obeyed by them since they can not possibly serue bothe at once Iohn the most worthy Prophet of all Prophets yea more then a Prophet doth cry out in the Desert It behoueth that he increase and that I doe diminish And will you not permit the glory of Christ to growe forwarde in his owne Temple vnlesse your pompe be made copemate of his glory Who bâ—eing his humble seruant faithful freend in deede as in outwarde apparance and words you doe professe to beâ— why then indeuour as seruiceably and faithfully to aduaunce the honor of your Lordâ—â—â—d Maister and withall accept as louingly of your followe seruauntes who dutifully serue the same Lorde
respecte beseeme the profession whereinto you are entred But to come neare to the purpose nowe and to deteyne you more strongly within my warde I doe argue with you on this wise as that I may throughly conuince not onely the whole substaunce of your challenâ—e agaynst vs to bee most voyde of reason and fraught full of follie and pride but also to make it appeare by most euident demonstration that all this so mightie a confederacie of Nations and people conspiring in generall agaynst your destruction which you do see with your eyes is not onely cleare of all blemish of rancour but also conceyued and raysed vp in one vpon most vrgent and necessarie causes and vndertaken with no lesse feare of God in respect of true pietie is not so much procured by men or by mans Counsel as directed altogither by the onely outstretched arme of the Lorde of Hostes and so directed as that without his godly assistance so manie and so maruellous enterprises could neuer haue beene possibly atchiued in so short space and with so good successe And to the ende you and the complyces of your conspiracie may bee made more assured of the proofe hereof open the eyes of your remembraunce at the last and beholde on euerie part the manner and maruellous frame of the proceedinges therein First I suppose no man is ignoraunt into what amazed admiration all Nations were caryed with that your notorious state of Empire with that woonderfull masse of Maiestie and loftinesse of seate so richly enstalled so gloriously enthronized with so manie and so magnificent fortifications enuironed yea as it seemed established with scriptures countenanced with the authoritie of Peter and Paule as long as it held soueraigne ouer the whole worlde in assured securitie All which so wonderfull power so puyssant maiestie so large outstretched dominion of popish Ierarchie which stoode so long by the space of fiue hundred yeares continually in so vndiscontinued and empâ—ired a possession who coulde â—uer haue suspected or conceyued by any neuer so light imagination shoulde not also enioyed vnremoueable continuance euen to the worldes ende For better confirmation of which Empire seuere and sharpe lawes were enacted dreadfull decrees yea most horrible torments prouided for the punishment of such whosoeuer would but once hisse agaynst the Popes holinesse though he playeâ— the ruffian neâ—er so rudely A sweete and plausible title of the Catholike and Apostolike Church was pretended the power of the keyes was chopt in among the vndoubted succession of Peter not without the authoriâ—ie of Paule capemarchant withall insomuch that whosoeuer should but loâ—ke awrie vpoÌ„ the Pâ—pe might â—eeme not so much to preiudice his holinesse as to be openly iniurioâ—s to Peter and Paule themselues Moreouer there wanted not to this mightie Domitian his feareful lightnings wherewith he might out of his heauenly Capitol amaze the timâ—rous soules of weake princes finally that nothing might lacke to braue out his power as to colour his crafty iugling there were annexed to the premisses a sweete and amiable countenance of hypocritical holinesse a counterfeit sinceritie of vnspotted life yea outwarde resemblance of true religion thereby to dazel more easily the eyes and heartes of the vnlettered And for this cause to garnishe this pageant to the full whole skulles and droanes of Monkes Friers and Massemongers did swarme togither busied busily in fasting in almes giuing in Psalmes singing in prayers and Masse mumbling in their vnmaried life resembling Angelical puritie surpassing all humaine condition In the Churches how religiously were al things solemnised too reclaime men to their luâ—e But amongst all the rest no one thing was more forcible to the establishing of the power and continuaunce of this kingdome then the ignorance of that blinde age and the penurie of learning and iudgement For in the Schooles was nothing â—aught but colde and friuolous suttleties In the Councels nothing decreed but by the prescript rule of the Pope alone neither was any sounde heard in the Temples of any thing almost besides stage-like ceremonies and mens traditions And what maruel then if the pure and eloquent sciences both sacred and prophane being vtterly extiâ—ct barbarous blindnesse had ouerwhelmed all things with groâ—se ignoraunce whereby no man coulde become either more expert in learning or more vertuous in manners when as neither bookes nor authours were extant out of the which anie such supplie might be furnished For as yet came not to light that most happie and heauenly Iewel to witte the Arte of Printing bookes all thinges were certifieâ— by the industrie of wrytingâ— and hyred trauaile of wryters yea the same also not obteyned without greate charges and costes Whereby it came to passe that the poorer sorte being vtterly barred of atteyning learning scarce anie vse of Bookes or good litterature was in vre except amongest a fewe Monkes onely yea those also not verie manie with whome likewise the verie same written bookes remayned rather in Libraries fast chayned a rotting than worne out with any theyâ— handling In the meane space the common people did neither reade nor heare what the Euangelicall and Apostolicall wrytiâ—ges did proclayme touching Christ nor touching his grace and benefites onely they were commaunded to beleeue that which the holy mother Church did beleeue Which was not altogither amisse if they had concluded vppon a true Church according to the right patterne thereof Nowe these learned and great wise men woulde haue this Church to bee none other but the Sea of Rome pardie and that crew of Cloysterers amongst whom that triple holy Pope must needs be acknowledged for heade and Lorde ouer all whose decrees all and euerie person what soeuer must be of necessitie constrayned to obey as so manie holie oracles proclaymed from heauen whatsoeuer this Gentleman shoulde clogge the Christians withal must with like necessitie be vndertaken and borne without grudging This ympe they iustified to be the only Priest of the Leuitical raâ—e yea the verie bonde of Christian societie besides whome they affirmed was no fayth no hope no nor any Church at all Who so shoulde depart from this Church as much to say from the Pope might not otherwise hope for eternal saluation by anie meanes whatsoeuer the Pope should speake or doe could be no errour neither ought he bee iudged of anie person And that Christ did reigne in heauen the Pope must reigne in earth And albeit Christ did promise that hee woulde bee alwayes present with his Church yet must this bee an infallible rule That hee coulde not dispose the riches of his grace in the gouernement of his Church otherwise than by the dispensation of this Gentleman his onely Uicar In this calamitie of state and time I pray you what other knowledge could the rude and vnlettered multitude attaine vnto but that which others taught them And then also what other thing was beaten into the eares of the people then that which by all maner of meanes might auaile to amplifie the
shephearâ— become a most butcherly bloodsucker of your owne brethren for whose safetie Christe himselfe did vouchsafe to giue his owne life for what man is able eyther by speach to expresse or recorde in memorie the infinite thousandes of most holy martyres deuoured with vnspeakeable crueltie and sauagely tortures which within very fewe yeres by the murthering practises of your execrable cormerauntes within Christendome with vnquenchable and Wooluishe Tyranny not as yet ceassing to embrue it selfe with al maner of horrour vpon the silly flock and sheepe of Iesu Christe I woulde very faine learne this one thing of you by what lawe at the length or by what interest doe you presume too challenge too your selues so mercilesse an inâ—oleâ—cie in deuouring the faithful worshippers of Christe yee proude Prelates Forsooth by the lawe I suppose which the Scribes and Pharisees denounced long siâ—hens We haue a law and by our lawe they must die In deede you haue a lawe for burning of Heretiques decreed at the requeste of Pope Innocent the thirde And in your Courte all bee deemed heretiques whosoeuer be of opinion that the true meanes too attaine saluation ought too bee sought and taught out of Christes Gospell and not out of the Popes decrees But if you minde thus to proceede why then also annexe vnto theyr stakes where they burne the same title with the same Inscription of Pilate Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes For if your inquisitors may be demauÌ„ded to reÌ„der a true account of this their butcheries what doe these silly ones whom they doe so cruelly persecute publishe or preache in all theyr writings bookes and sermons else then this one thing altogeather namely to beate into the deafe eares of the people our Lorde and Sauiour Christe crucified King of all kinges to the ende they shoulde glorifie him and in him onely repose all hope and affiaâ—nce as vppon a most vndefesible shoot-Anker of eternall saluation And heerein I pray you what so haynous or greeuous matter lurketh as may seeme worthy so many and so horrible tortures But I will referre this maner of accusation vnto that place of my â—reatie wherein shal be vttered the greeuous complainte of all nations touching your vnmeasurable crueltie and I will bende my penne too that wherein your senselesse insensibilitie seemeth as woorthily to bee scorned as your Tyranny too bee detested For what kinde of foolishnesse or rather madnesse is this accorâ—ing to the olde Prouerbe to kicke against the pricke and â—oâ— offer â—ambate against God wherein the more fiercely ye vrge the more deeply yee wound your selues the which as hath heretofore vsually hapned too all Tyrantes in like maner impugning the Gospell of Christe So also may ye right well perceiue if I be not deceiued that the selfesame may not only euen nowe of all likelyhood chaunce vnto you after theyr example but is already also for the more parte come vpon you For who is so senselesse that entryng into due consideration of the matter it self viewing with vpright eye the beginnings and proceedings of our cause doeth not euidently see howe those your stately â—urrets mounted vp aloft from so fickle slippery foundation are of themselues fallen to the grounde without any resistaunce or humane force on the other side how our simple buildinges though in outward apparaunce very slender and weake haue beene raysed vp euen from the first foundation hytherto maugre the malice of al Emperours of al Kinges of all Popes yea of all potentates and people almost and howe by simple degrees by little and little haue with a wonderfull ouerspreading surrounded al nations of the worlde and be now at the length aduaunced and had in prise in princes Pallaces Courtes All which may bee sufficient argumâ—nts to enduce you to know that God himself doth march in field for vs froÌ„ aboue deride al your trecheries to scorne and withall that the trueth it selfe is of so forcible power as that no maner of humane forces whatsoeuer no not the gates of Hell can possibly ouerthrowe it For I beseech you tell vs to what yssue at the last is all this execrable fury come after so many your murders and slaughters of the Lordes flocke after that your horrible embruing your selues in so many bodies and bowels of Christians howe muche hath it preuailed you yee haue murdered â—illy poore men and bereft simple weake women of life wiâ—hall of which bloâ—ddy butcherie it is so farre of for you too bee able to yeelde any reasonable cause as that by how muche the more narrowly you vrge itâ— by so much the more discerneable it doth bewray your insolencie wherin but that the mighâ—ie hand of the Lorâ— had beene assistaunt encountryng your diuâ—lisâ—e practises what monstrous deuises haue not â—eene attempted by you or what mercilesse outrage haue not beene coupled too those your deâ—ises to bryng a generalâ— confusion of all estates and degrees of people what one Iland throughout all Europe what region hath not now long sithens beâ—ne set on flame with your Faggottes and fier what Prince of people these many hundred yeeres now or Emperour hath not yeelded himselfe Uassall and slauishe Executioner of your insaâ—iable bloodthiâ—stinesse Go to and what successe else haue all these so many so mightie Massacres attained too in fine but abridged your Treasures and thereby cowpt vpp into naâ—rowe Streightes your lauishe loftinesse And by howe muche the more beasâ—ly your fuâ—ious madnesse bâ—stâ—râ—eth it self so muche the shorter becommeth your â—orce and the more you plundge your selues into vnrecouerable hatred and deâ—estations of all nations In Fraunce iâ— Flaunders what brainsickâ— broiâ—es of Warres and Conspiracies haue yee procured wherein yf you haue not atchieued your purpose yet wanted not a most forewarde 〈◊〉 too fuâ—tâ—er all treacheries nor vnweerâ—able endeuour toâ— perfoâ—rmeâ— For what else dyd your madde mindeâ— meane when you stirred vpp against the Frenche Guyâ—e â— and the house of Lorrayne and agaiâ—st the Fleminges the Dukes of Alba aâ—d Austriche two Moâ—sters of Mars and against Englande that trayâ—erous â—ennegate Stukeley and in Irelande that Rogyshe Rebeâ—l Iames Fitz Morice with your braying Bulles What dydâ— yourâ— Treacherous conspiracie emporte or groâ—e after but an vtter rootyng out of all godly ones whosoeuer woulde dare testifie Chriâ—te in theyr moâ—thes For this was the onely marke of all your practises This seemed the onely ende of all your Dâ—uelishe dryfâ—es namely that it mygâ—â— be lawfull for you in blooddy wise too triumphe ouer the Publique calamitie of all the Godly For which cause wee render as becommeth vs all â—ossible and immortall thankes too Iesu Christe our Lorde and mightie Conquerour who by the vâ—speakeable power of his Godhead hath so mercifully confounded those unscheuous Ministers of your malice and Mâ—ssacâ—e who by his euerlasting wisedome dooth dayly roote ouâ— and scatter too naught the blooddy bruyngs of your beastly conspiracie who bâ— his vnsearchable Counsell dooth â—rushe you on al sides
no power of yours were it neuer so great could once so muche as pinche him not all the droaues and shauen swarmes of sworne Uotaries Bishoppes and Cardinalles coulde suppresse him no not all your most picked and choyse Champions were able once to quaile him On the other side hee poore silly contemptible man onely and alone dyd so scatter abroade all your deuises confounde your Counsels ransacke your stately Turrets and blazing brauery of your magnificent Monarchy finally dyd so rase to the grounde that your Crowing Castle of Babylonicall presumption that if hee preuayled not to the vtter extirpation thereof yet hath hee thorowly crazed her best and stoutest Pillers which being propt vpp at this present with a very fewe rotten ruinâ—us postes for a small season as it were seemeth scarcely able to endure her fatall fal euen now preaâ—ing on apace These euen these yea and many other the lyke be manifest argumentes of Gods grieuous iudgement against you which I suppose you doe plainely perceiue as precedent forewarninges of your fatall ende yee Romishe Prelate As for the successe of the sequele which hereafter will ensue and seemeth euen nowe to boad farre more blâ—stering broyle I leaue here to prognosticate neither do I disclose all that I may This one thing dare I affiâ—me Though all the Monarches of the world shold â—olster you vpp yea though Luther had neuer written against you yet the very stones beleeue mee woulde haue cryed out agaynst you and though the same Saxon had holden his peace yet the verye stones wouldâ— not haue bene silent Finally though ye abounde in all pompe and felicitie of the worlde and were magnified with as muche glory as our Lorde Iesus refused at the handes of Satan shewed vnto him long sithens vppon the toppe of an high Mountayne yet your so many so monstruous mischiefes treacheries fraudes lyes deceiptes treasons your so manifolde murthers massacres spoiles and pillages of people bloody butcheries sauadge slaughter of innumerable Martyres your intollerable oppressions vnspeakeable crueltie vnmeasurable couetousnes execrable hautines and Luciferlike pryde can by no meanes possibly escape the iust and most sharpe scourges of the almightie reuenge If our Lorde and Sauiour thought it not amisse in his Gospell to charge so grieuous a clogge vppon him who so euer shoulde displease the least of those litle ones that beleeued on him as that it should be easier for him to be cast downe headlong into the bottome of the Sea with a Milstone about his necke what shal be saide of them which doe proudely treade vpon the neckes of the mightiest Emperours that beleeue in Christe which thruste kinges out of their kingdomes cursse Christian Cities and Nations to the pyt of Hell procure the vtter distruction of all people great and small deuour innocent blood consume the bodies of holy ones to ashes finally pursue to the very roote all peace amitie and concord from out the whole state of Christian societie Wee reade in the Actes of the Apostles that Herode because at the fawning florishe of foolishe flatterers filling his eares with these wordes The voyce not of a man but of God he raised the Creste and was puft vpp with pryde nor woulde acknowledge him selfe to be a man nor wâ—ulde giue God the praise was mâ—st horribly plagued Nowe if it may bee lawfull to make a comparison of like examples one with the other which of these two shall wee say was more insolently arrogant agaynst the glorie of Godâ— Herode or Nicholas Pope of Rome the fifâ—h of that name who on a time in a publique Oration solemnely vttered by Ladislaus a King was contented to accept this greeting the woordes whereof I will set downe as the Historie recordeth them Where sayeth the King shall I beginne mine Oration I am not able to expresse worthie woordes wherewith I do adore thee the onely prince of Christians king of kings and God on earth c. And againeâ— immediately after I doe acknowledge this day the most happie of all others to haue shined vnto vs wherein we haue obteyned from aboue to beholde and with sounde iudgement and vndoubted fayth to woorshippe so mightie and so soueraigne a God c. Not much vnlike herevnto was that glorious title attributed to Pope Iulius the seconde by Christofer Marcellus in a publique sermon Thou art our shepeheard sayd he our Phisition our gouernour our honour to be briefe thou art an other God on earth c. Could euer any more blasphemous voyce be attributed to any person or vouchsafed of any man then that a mortall man shoulde bee woorshipped of a man for an immortall God on earth which blasphemous speaches were yâ—t so not altogither refused of those prowde Peacockes and so nothing at all reprehended that Ladislaus was for none other cause at all esteemed and dignified with the title of a Catholike king But what recken I vp one Nicholas or one Iulius as though this were the example of one two or three Popes onely as though it were not an easie matter rather in this one Glasse to beholde the whole cluster of all the rest of the same crewe who for the most part nooseled vppe in the same Stye haue not spared to couple with their vnspeakeable pride like vnshamefast shamelessenesse as that they blushed nothing to offer tâ— the mouthes of most mightie Monarches not their hands onely to be kissed but their filthie feete also wherewith they scarcely dayned to touch the grounde which shame not to rende in peeces the sinewes of Gods lawes and so to embase them as vile and of no valour in respect of their durtie decreâ—s that they spare not to proclaime the breach of their Canons for a speciall sinne agaynst the holie Ghost which tremble not to chalenge vnto themselues one selfe same consistorie equall with God which commaunde all their actions whatsoeuer to be exempt from all controlment of mortall men which vaunte themselues to bee kings of all kings and to beare soueraigntie ouer them as subiects which enforce Kings and Emperors to attende and accomplishe their commaundementes which vouchsafe their clawbackes not only to call them but also to woorship them as Lordes of Lordes which can suffer and allowe not onely themselues to bee called blessed but their Sea also most heauenly finally which sitte in the Temple of God not to teach but to reignâ— and to beare rule to whome sufficeth not to bee named Ministers or Bishoppes no nor yet Archbishoppes or Patriarches vnlesse beeing inuested in the vniuersalitie of all power they enforce to bee subiect also vnto their luste and beâ—ke of verie necessitie the vniuersal Church of God wheresoeuer ouer the face of the whole earth yea and all humaine creatures withall vnder paine to bee excluded from all hope of Saluaâ—ion insomuch that they receyue of their owne Subiectes lesse obedience than themselues doâ— owe of duetie to GOD himselfe Wherein I knowe not what I may imagine first or
why may it not be as lawfull for vs to call our selues back into the true way of saâ—uatioÌ„ after so many our waÌ„drings maskings renouÌ„cing al by pathes of errors Now therfore beâ—hink your selues welâ— whether it staÌ„d w t more reason for vs that we should retourne into the right way or raunge at randon still with you Wee do assure our selues that it is not lawefull for vs to doe any other thing nor treade any other path then wee doe now by any meanes for as much as the authoritie of the scripture the truth of Christes Gospell doth binde vs hereto with a necessitie vnauoidable We were once of the same minde that you bee I confesse it stragglers I meane together in the selfe same couples of errours What theÌ„ If bicause we wandred in errours being yong men shall we not therefore bee refourmed beeing growen to more iudgemeÌ„t But so was Moses conuersant once in the familie of Pharao AbrahaÌ„ in Chaldea Loth amongst the Sodomites The children of Israel in Egipt Daniel the Prophets in Babylon Christ amongst the Iewes Paul with the Pharisees Peter amongest fishermen Augustine a Manychean All maner of departures therefore neither the departures of all persones ne yet from all societie of companies ought to bee accompted blameworthy Although wee forsake to be ioyned in the felloweship of some that are named Christians now yet are we not therefore fallen from the visible church But for as much as in the visible church be two sortes of men the one part of theÌ„ which occupie the functioÌ„ of teachers preachers the other of them which with the vnlettered multitude be hearers and learners We therefore do reproue certen assertions opinioÌ„s in some false teachers from whom we sequester our selues of very necessitie yet in such wise as we depart not at al froÌ„ the visible church in the which we haue our being and resiancie as well as they yea we be many times conuersant as Christians euen with our very aduersaries within one citie many â—imes also vnder one roofe And although we dissent froÌ„ the errors of certen particular persons yet doe we not otherwise but wisâ— will the best that may be to the persons them selues and recompt our selues rather forsaken of them then them forsaken of vs and are enforced to deparâ— from them rather by violeÌ„ce plaine thrusting out then of any our voluÌ„tary willingnesse so that to set down the matter in plaine termes it may be saide more properly that we do disagree and dissent from them rather then depart from them In which disagreement notwithstanding we do not so altogether reâ—de in pieces all the articles of their popes and deuines nor so altogether condemne them as though nothing were sound amongst thâ—m neither do we contend with al that church so as though there remained no shape of a visible church in all that citie of Rome for they haue baptisme there wherein they make a profession of the name of the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost They haue also the law of God the Gospel yea they reteine the woâ—shipping of Christ professe the same articles of the Crede that we doe They retaine also after a certen sort the sacraments though they abuse them after a filthy maner All which do carry some prety shewe of Christianitie amongst men not much vnlike as the olde Iewes in times past whilest Christ liued were in possession of the holy citie wherin the most holy name of God was magnified in the which they obserued the worship of God together with the lawes ordinances after a certen outward resemblance wherein also those that sate in Moyses chaire taught many things peradueâ—ture not altogether amisse Whenas neuertheâ—esse vnder this coÌ„terfaite visor of religion lurked most abhominable hypocrisie treacherous treason against God him selfe Of whome spake God him selfe by the mouth of his Prophet You be not my people Semblably if eiâ—her the Romishe church or any other church whatsoeuer do obserue orderly and teache sincerely truely therein doe we not deâ—â— to partake with them But bicause the churche of Rome treading the track of the olde Synagogue hath yelded to be lead awaye blyndefolded into strange vnknowen by-pathes of doctrine into most horrible contagion of errors detestable absurdities idolatrous worshippings blasphemies impieties sectes and heresies from the platfourme of most true and infallible doctrine from the pure and sincere worshipping of God and the vndouted squarier of Christian religion from the principles of their owne profession from the practise meaning of the Aposâ—les from the examples and steppes of their predâ—cessourâ— and haue chalenged vnto it selfe câ—ief only and most absolute soueraintie ouer all other churches of Chrisâ—e fully fraught with crueltie bloodsheadings pillages heâ—ein if we do farre awaye seuer our selues from their societie who can be so senslesse or endewed with no conscience at all who seeing so many and so iust causes of departure wil not thinke that wee haue rather departed away too late then without good occasion namely sithence we are not whirled theretoo of any gyddy lightnesse as it wâ—re with a puffe of winde but enforced of very conscience not of any desire of nouelty but of meere necessitie not so much of any our voluntary affection as warranted to departe from amongst them by special commaundement of Gods owne mouth But some one wil make a question heere demaunde what kind of filthines what coÌ„tagiouse errors do remain in the popes doctrine Surely if the matter of it self were such as that it were altogither in couert and not openly manifest in the eyes of al men I wold think that I ought to bestow some large discourse for the better demonstration therof Yet somwhat to relieue the ignoraunce â—f the vnlettered let vs if we may apply somewhat in that behalâ— For I do see very many that being bewitched with a certain blind admiratioÌ„ of the popes popeholy religioÌ„ are caried away captiue into his erroures for none other cause but for that they wil not looke into the truth when they may see it Therefore remouing away those disguisings visours let vs prye somewhat narrowely into the things them selues and let vs throughly beholde this whole Romish Troiane horse not what it emporteth outwardly but what it crowdeth couertly and shrowdeth in the very closets thereof I am not ignorant that the name of the churche is a very plausible name that the names of Christe Peter and Paule be honorable that the remembraunce of ancient antiquitie is wonderfully well liked of that the authoritie of the fathers is much esteemed that the vniâ—ie Apostolique and catholique consent is of great valoure and that the keyes of the churche be of no small authoritie in deede if they bee true keyes but if they be not true nothing is more forcible to deceiue Therefore may not the Romish churche thinke it enough to vouche bare and fruitlesse titles it
be found which being famous raysed aloft as a citie builded vpon an high hill may bee seene of al people a farre of and ought to bee credited of all the Nations of the earth And bicause this shape of a Church can not be seene any where at this present but amongst that people and nation onely ouer whom the Bishop of Rome must be acknowledged for chief head hereof must it follow of necessitie That there is no true and glorious Church of Christ except this onely Romish Church and that al other Churches besides be foreiners infamous and no Churches at al as the which being not able to deriue any certenâ—ie of their discent and antiquity ought not in any respect beare the name of Christian Churches but must be accounted rather for dennes and conuenticles of heretiques And thus much nowe by the way touching the Church the treatie whereof God willing shall bee sette forth with larger discourse in other bokes hereafter This lesson in the meane â—pace will not bee amisse to bee foretolde That if it bee true that Christ himselfe did plainly pronounce that his kingdome was not of this worlde and this also as true which hee doth else where affirme that the things which doe seeme mightie and glorious to the iudgement of men are accounted for vile drosse and abhomination in the sight of God finally if the estate of the most holy Apostles and Martyrs of Christ was alwayes such as it became rather odious to the worlde then accepted or of any estimation that such as applied neerest to Christ were alwayes despised most and that the Disciple cannot bee greater than his maister certes it can not possibly bee that this Churche of the Pope so mightie and glorious in the worlde so renowmed and famous in worldly pompe and excâ—sse so magnified and fawned vpon with the wel likings and alliances of Princes should haue any affâ—nitie or alliance at all with Christ the onely head of the Church or any fellowship with the Apostles I come nowe to other partes of the Romish doctrine in the which the Papists do seeme no lesse Iewish then in the shaping and fashioning of their Church as I sayd before For if the doctrine of Paule bee most true where discoursing of the reiection of the Iewes that sought their iustification by the lawe he rendered a reason wherefore they could not attaine thereto Bycause sayth he they sought to be come righâ—eous not by faith but by workes Lâ—t vs see I pray you what else doth the Romish religion proclaime at this day then that wee oughâ— to make our way passable to heaueÌ„ by industrious works precepts of good life reposing the whole shoote anker of assured affiance trust in the same not bycause we beleue on him that doth iustifie the sinner but in doing workes of this life which do exclude all impietie How shall we say that the great Clearkes and Doctours which teach this such like doctrine do differ from naturall Iewishnesse If the Iewes seeking to be iustiâ—ied by woorkes were for this only cause cleane cut of from true rightuousnesse according to the testimonie of Paule what hope may they conceyâ—e at the length to attaine true rightuousnesse which thrusting faith into a corner do raise vppe the whole building of their iustification vpon that tickle and sandle foundation of workes But thou wilt say these men doe not so altogether abrogate fayth but that they couple her together with works by a necessarie and an inseparable coniunction I do know indeede that fayth is peraduenture in some estimation amongst them yet such an estimation this is as that they will in no wise yeeld vnto her her true dignitie and due place of estate For whereas no one thing is resiant in vs nor giueÌ„ vnto vs miserable wretches fâ—oÌ„ aboue that may make vs acceptable vnto God may obteine his fauour may cure our diseases may deliuer from the fetters and chaines of sinne may turne away wrath and vengeance may ouercome the worlde may crush in peeces the horrible tyrannie of death and the deuill may stande boldely and vnuanquishable in the face â—f hell gates finally which may ouerspreade vs poore forlorne caâ—â—iues drowned in the doung and durt of the earth with the gladsome sunneshine of heauenly life and vnspeakeable glorie of immortalitie besides this onely inestimable Iewel namely fayth in Christ in the which all our hope and riches togither with all the promises of God are fast locked vp as it were in a certaine Arke of couenant when as also the selfe same fayth linked and vnited togither with other vertues doth not onely farre surmount al those vertues in her singular excellencie and power but also of her owne force onely and alone satisfie and accomplish all the partes of our redemption yea and so accomplishe the same as that where she leadeth alwaies whole troups of most excellent vertues with her needeth not neuerthelesse any their helpe at al towards the procuring of Gods fauour I beseech you for the loue you beare to Christ what peruerse peuishnâ—sse and I know not whether more malicious or shamelesse impudencie of men is this I say of the false docâ—ors of Rome which being addicted to the Romish ragges seeme by a certaine destinie as it were borne of purpose for the vtter ouerthrowe of Christes Church so to embase this same faith in Christ euen vnder al other vertues as a very naked bare fruitlesse thing of it selfe as that they scarcely can finde in their heartes to graunt her any commendation in heauen or any place of acceptance in earth For what else doe these wordes of theirs import wherewith they tearme this fayth onely onely rashnesse yea and no fayth at al but impudencie temeritie and arrogancie Where they affirme the Gospel whereof we make mention to be sediâ—ious full of fraude and deceyte Moreouer where in all their bookes and writings they doe so vtterly suppresse this fayth of Christ as that they dare presume to say that there is no passable way to heauen but that which is purchased with holy workes and most excellent integritie of life I will couple herewith though not out of the foresayd Authour but out of the publike instrument and decree of the late Tridentine Councell In which Councell whereas those gay iolly gallants did most filthily erre in many thinges yet played they not the Philosophers in any one decree more perilously then where they vttered their Stoicall opinion in the doctrine of Iustification by Christ. Which being proclaymed vnto vs throughout the whole tenour of the Scriptures to bee freely giuen without all mediation of any other thing besides the onely promise of God through fayth in Iesus Christ our Lorde contrariwise those gracious fathers do so iumble and wrappe vp this grace of God full of sauing health and freely offered wholy replenished with most comfortable consolation and safety in one hotchpot mingled as it were with
when as in very deede they be not made the thinges whereof they beare the names When the Disciâ—le whom Iesus loued was by Christs owne mouth callâ—d the sonne of Mary yet wyll no man bee so witlesse as to confesse him to be the naturall sonne of the Uirgine Mary So also the Prophet doth call fleshe a flower of the â—â—elde In the Gospell Iohn Baptiâ—t is called Elias Peter is named a Rocke so is he also called Satan To conclude throughout all the discourse of the Scripture what is more frequent then this vsuall phrase of speache and that thinges hee called by this or that name wherin notwithstanding is no alteration of nature but the properties of thinges only noted Neither did Christe otherwise at his last supper when geuing the bread hee called it his body not changing the nature but instituting a Sacrament so that heere should be no maner transmutation of substaunces from out one into another But that the proprieties should be answerable â—che with other by a mutual proportion of resemblance For in the bread consideration is had of the nouriture in the death of the body the power and efficacie is manifested Nowe the maner of effectual operation thereof is figured by the nourishment of bread For as bread made of corne doeth nourish and comfort the bodie in like maner Christes bodie crucified doth endâ—w vs with true and euerlasting life Now therefore to make bread and wine to become nutritiue it iâ— requisite that it be eaten and disgested Semblably to haue the Lordes passion to be effectual in vs fayth must needes come and apprehend it And for that cause he commaunded to take and to eate looke therefore howe effectuall the eating of bread is to the feeders bodies euen so forceable and auaylable is Christes passion to the hartes of the beleeuers You feed vpon bread and are refreshed you beleeue on Christ slaine and risen againe for your sake and you be iustified Who seeâ—h not here a most â—xcellent application of concurrents to be knit fast â—che in other First howe that the breaking of bread doth discouer vnto vs the death of his bodie how the receyuing and eating doth signifie our fayth and the food and sustenance doth emport our iustifying through fayth And to proue this to be the verie meaning of Christ in this Sacrament the verie woordes themselues being taken wholy vnmangled together do declare sufficiently When as he speaketh of the breade which he commaunded to eate This is my bodie But what bodie or howe his bodie forsooth the same which I shall giue to be sâ—ain for you Take ye eate ye And likewise speaking of the Cuppe This cup is the newe Testament in my blood which shall be shed for you Take ye and drinke yee Otherwise to what purpose shoulde hee annexe those woordes of crucifying and sheâ—ding for you Or to what ende should hee commaunde bread and wine to beâ— eaten and drunken and not rather to be reserued and kept in boxe vnlesse he purposed to make a plaine demâ—Ì„stration of the mystical and vnspeakable force of his death in that eating of bread and wine not in shewing it to the gaze Euen as though he should in plaine wordes haue taught vs on this wise The crucifying of this my bodie which must be sâ—ain for you and my blood which I must shed for your sakes is vnto you meate in deede and drinke in deede for it shal turne to your saluation and iustification as many as beleeue in me And bycause ye shall neuer forget this my great loue vnto you Take yee this breade and eate it Take ye this Cuppe and drinke it as an assured testimonie of my great and euerlasting kindnesse towardes you that as often as yee doe this yee may thankfully remember my death and passion vntill I come I beseech you holy father for the loue of your Catholike fayth if at least there remaine within you any droppe of fayth towardes Christ Iesus what can bee spoken more manifestly than these wordes what can be set downe more significant than the thinges themselues what one thing could more aptly or effectually represent the heauenly and supercelestiall power of the Lordes passion then the eating of breade and drinking of wine which is our dayly and vsuall foode And will yee so vngently nowe dispoyle vs of bread from out the Sacrament and leaue vs nothing but bare and emptie formes pescoddes and chaffe of elementes wherâ—with Swine are vsually fed not men In which doing what doe yee else then pul vp by the rootes the whole Sacrament out of the Church for what vse may there be of a Sacrament here without the taste and vse of bread And if Augustine did truely denie those to bee woorthie the names of Sacramentes which beare no resemblance of the things whereof they be Sacramenâ—es what likenesse at the length will appeare here after the substance of breade which may be resembled to Christes death is once taken away And what is this else then not to place the bodie of Christ in the Sacrament but to thrust out of the Church altogither the Sacrament of Chrisâ—es bodie Unlesse perhappes ye will say that the bodie of Christ is a Sacrament of it selfe or else that bare formes of elements only voyde of all substance should suffice to make a Sacrament Then the which what can be spoken more absurd or ymagined more monstruous In good fâ—llowship gentle Reader canst thou thinke such men as do coyne these monstrous and drowsie deuises in the SacrameÌ„ts to be sound witted or rather not to be quite frantike and mad with these intricate myzmazes of errour Let this suffice nowe touching the substance of the Sacrament which our aduersaries do very sâ—iffely mainteine to be the body of Christ neither doe wee gainsay it much For we confesse togither with Augustine other auncieÌ„t fathers that the same which Christ did vouchsafe to deliuer by the name of his body is after a certain maâ—ner the body of Christ. Euen so we do also conâ—esse that the bread is the very thing which he gaue to his disciples to be â—aten But here riseth the difference For we agree nâ—t in one about the maner how his body is eaten They be so wholy â—ixed to y e body only in these holy mysteries as that they leane therein no substance of bread at al which is a point not of errour but of amazed blockishâ—es we do coÌ„clude that in the bread and wine is simply and properly the verie materiall part of the Sacrament yet so as we do not expell the Sacrament of the bodie And therefore we do affirme that after a sacramental maner it is the body of our Lord not bread But if we respect the grosse and elemental matâ—er which is deliuered to be eaten and drunken wee say it is bread but not called bread so also that it is called the bodie but is not the
denie that we ought to bâ—leeue our handes and eyes beeing blinded altogither here enforced therevnto by the authoritie of the woorde wherevnto the senses must yeelde and bee subiect of necessitie Bee it as you say But what shall wee say then meane whiles of these formes and sheâ—es of bread Do yee thinke that these also bee fledde away togither with thâ—ir substaunce or that they remâ—ine â—â—ill What else but that they abide still A good fellowshippe then tell vs howe knowe you this Forsooth bycause you doe see it Go to then and what nicenesse of arguing is this O fine man you doe see the formes seuered from their substaunce and doe beleeue Wee doe as plainly beholde the substaunce it selfe with our eyes and shall wee not beleeue the thing that our eyes doe present vnto vs If your pâ—rspectiues doe not fayle you in your accidentes why shall our eyesight in so manifest and euident a demonstration rather beguile vs Or if you be of opinion that the woordes of Christe must bâ—â— so throughly beleeued wherein he sayde This is my bodie tâ—â—t the senses may not bee credited I see no cause Lombarde why it shoulde bee more lawfull for you to trust the testimonie of your eyes in comprehending the formes then for vs to resâ— vpon the iudgement of our eyes in conceyuing the substaunce which we doe see and plainly discerâ—e Neither doe we for this cause credite the wordes of Christ lesse bycause in the outwarde Sacrâ—mâ—nt wee mistrust not oâ—â— ouâ—wardâ— senses altogither We knoâ—e that it is true and without all question that Chrisâ— spake of his bodie yet muâ—â— not therefore the other bee â—o â—ecessarily fiâ—â—e which our eyes doo present vntoo vs of the remayning substaunce of bread But Lombarde supposeth that Christes body can not be in the sacrament vnlesse the natural body bee present and that the body can not otherwyse bee present except the bread be absent and that there can be none other maner of change but whereby the substaunce of bread shoulde bee turned intoo the person of the sonne of GOD. But wee confesse both too bee true namely that it is the body of Christ and that withal the bread ceaseth not to be bread so that neither the wordes of Christ ought to bee discredited nor the senses deceaued in their plaine beholding of visible things But yee wil saye For as much as the power of the heauenly worde is of such efficacy as that it made Heauen Earth the Seas and al that is conteyned in them of nought howe much more easily shall this woorking worde bee able too chaunge that substaunce of bread which our eyes doo see intoo the body of Christe namely when as wee doo heare the Lorde himselfe by expresse woordes testifying the same too bee his owne body Firste touching the omnipotency of Gods woorde I were very wicked if I woulde not agree with Ambrose that this is most true that the same most heauenly creator of Heauen Earth did make al thinges which wee doo see of nought by the most mighty force of his woorde But amongest al that meruelouse frame of visible thinges what did that heauenly woorde at any tyme bring foorth but that hee willed shoulde be subiect to the viewe of man as when hee commaunded that light shoulde bee made immediately light was made and apparant too the eye The earth was commaunded to bring foorth her grasse and leafe that al men might see it Lastly Let vs make man saied hee after our owne likeneâ—se Of all these thinges the heauenly Maiestie made not any one but hee left too bee euidently disceruable and the woonderful woorkemanship thereof to bee plainely beholden In like manner whereas in the Gospell are many miracles extant wherein appeareth most singular excellency of Christes Godhead yet in all these did hee woorke no miracle so couertly at any tyme but hee made it apparauntly manifest too all men In this sacrament nowe what one thing did the Apostles wâ—onder at as a miracle or what transubstantiation of bread did they euer beleeue or deliuered ouer too others too bee beleeued And will you fyr Lombarde retyring backe too Iewishe fables hale vs backe from the spirite whereiâ— wee beganne vntoo the fleshe and will you perswade vs to this newly forged substaunce of the Sonne of God filed from out the substaunce of bread whereof neyther your selfe see any token nor are able to expresse any demonstration But you passe and repasse too Christes woordes agayne That is to say to the bare letter of the woorde and like a Cowarde flee altogether from the meaning of Christ. As concerning the woordes themselues we do easily agree with you that the woordes are not vneffectuall nor set downe by Christe in vayne But sithence Chriâ—t did speake and put in accion many sundry things in this Supper what one sillable somuche of all his woordes and accions doe you alleadge Lombarde out of the which you may bee able too cayne vnto vs this vgly counterfaite transubstantiation First Iesus tooke bread and brake it Here as yet yee see nothing altered The same bread being so taken hee commaundeth his Disciples to eate Whaâ— do these wordes â—mporte els as yet then bread but that which hee inferreth vpon the premises saying That to bee his body I beseeche you what els did hee meane by these wordes then to giue the elementes the denomination of his bâ—dy For proofe whereoâ— I appeale to the Grammer rules by that which he added afterwardes giuen broken for you Who dooth not perceaue here that thereby not the substauÌ„ce of the body but his death and passion is to bee vnderstood which suffering should bee bread and foode for all people in the worlde and as it were an euerlasting banquet according too that prophetical promise in Esay the Prophet the 25. chapter And for that cause least the remembrance of his passion should waxe out of minde he commaundeth it to bee done in the remembrance of him and by the same memorial to shew the Lords death vntil he come again Wherby may appeare without any difficulty that the naturall body is noâ— eaten here but the death of his body signified and the remembrance thereof celebrated not the bread wyne turned into flesh blood but a sacrament of our redemption to be instituted in bread wyne Lastly hauiâ—g now finished al thinges on this wise and hauing accâ—mplished the woorke of our redemption when as he prepared himselfe to ascende vp againe intoo heauen it remayneth to know of you Lombard why he would take away hence the presâ—nce of his natural body in the open eyes and sight of his disciples but bicause they shoulde cease to seeke any more for his corporall presence on earth And doo you notwithstanding proceede in your course Lombard to hold fast the body of our lord vnder the formes of bread wine w t is farre away caried from
the whole swarme of Papistes in most humble wyse to fall groueling on the grounde too lifte vp their handes too heauen and to knocke their breastes at the heauing vp of one poore peece of bread ouer a shauelings head I beseech you syr woulde hee not saye that they were all the pack of them starke madde Nay rather doe not the Iewes Turkes and Infidels dayly saye euen so at this present And I knowe not whether by any one action more then by this kynde of massing it is come too passe that the same Iewes Turkes and Infidelles taking occasion of offence do as yet hitherto so obstinately absteyne from the participation of our fayth But wee are choaked here with a very harde boane by the which as through the woordes of Augustine picked out I knowe not from whence who too auoyde the scornes of vnbeleeuers doth teache that wee doe receyue the likenesse of blood in such wyse as that the true bodie neuerthelesse doth meane whyles abyde vnremoueable which wordes as they preiudice our cause nothing at all so doe they in no respect auayle our aduersaries For to admitte that the likenesse of a sacrament is giuen vnto vs in the sacrament yet is it no gooâ— consequent foorth with that the very reall and naturall blood is giuen in deede Or if it might bee admitted that the same might be giuen so after a certen maner yet the truthe of the thing it selfe doeth represent it selfe vnto vs after the same maner as the likenesse is presented vnto the eyes but by an other meane Nowe if you will knowe what meane that is Ambrose will set it downe vnto you You doe receiue the likenesse of the sacrament sayeth Ambrose but you doe obteyne the grace and power of the nature it selfe In which woordes you doe see both the likenesse and the trueth also of the Lordes bodie withall expresly set downe the one whereof must be present yet so that the other be not wanting But if you demaunde further howe it is not wanting and if you bee not satisfied with Ambrose then shall Hilarie explane it vnto you much more effectually who writing of the true presence of the body in most excellent woordes on this wyse The body of Christe sayeth hee that is receiued of the altar is a figure whyles the bread and wyne bee outwardly seene but it is the true body when the inwarde faith doth apprehende the body and blood of Christ c. I come nowe to the thirde fine reason of Lombard which is alleadged touching the loathing and horrour For thus he speaketh And for this cause also that the stomacke should not abhorre that which the eye did see bycause wee doe not accustome our selues to deuoure rawe fleshe and blood Goe to and what followeth then therefore bicause it is not lawefull too deuoure Christe with teeth for this cause his pleasure was too deliuer vnto vs fleshe and blood in a mysterie c. I doe perceiue what you speake Lombard and allowe thereof but howe will you nowe agree with your selfe for you deny it too bee lawefull too deuoure Christe with the teethe And howe then is hee not deuoured with teethe if ye establishe an essentiall nature of his body really in the sacrament you saye that hee deliuered vs his flâ—sh and blood in a mysterie This is truely spoken in deede but howe shall these Iermaines lippes hange together that the body of Christe is giuen in a mysterie and with all in very deede to be deuoured and not to be deuoured with teeth and not with teeth For if in the Greeke tongue a Mystery is all one in effect as in our language a sacrament And if the sacrament bee a signe of an holy thing nowe he that giueth his body in a mystery what doth he giue els then a signe of his body notwithstanding I am not ignorant of al these your iuggling and caffling which you frequent about sacramentall signes vnder the which you mainteine sturdely that the true and vndouted body of Christe though not apparant to the eyes yet is conteined and eaten really and substantially by an inuisible meane I beseeche you Lombard what reason hath this your diuinitie or rather drowsy slumber to call vs to a supper to prepaâ—â— feast to set downe in a dishe the very reall substantiall and whole fleshly body of Christe whereof the gueste that is inuited can not perceiue nor see either forme or substaÌ„ce But you will saye that the mysterie of the whole sacrament consisteth in the same to wit that we should not dout that the substance of the body is moâ—t truely present and eaten also bodily and really though wee see not the thing it selfe that we doe eate but you fall here into the elenche logicall called Petitio principii â— For howe shall this appeare that the Lordes pleasure was that wee should eate the same which we do see It was â—one to this ende saye you that the stomake should not loath that which the eye did see Admit this to be true that this spectacle of the rawe flesh of a slaine maÌ„ be as you saye very greuous and loathsome to a queysie stomake Yet doth it not folloâ—e forthwith hereupon that the body of Christe is conteined vnder an other forme really bicause it is set forth in his owne â—orme should become loathsome therefore Neither is this kinde of arguing suffâ—cient enough as I suppose the eye can not behâ—lâ—e the rawe fleshe of Christe in it owne kynde and forme without horror Ergo Chrisâ—es rawe fleshe is swallowed vp really and subâ—â—antially vnder the forme of bread When as both assertions be a like false and to be abhorred whether you affirme that we eate vp the liuely rawe substance of Christes fleshe in it owne kinde or vnder any other forme whatsoeuer least the stomake saye you shoulde conceiue horror at the thing which the eye doth see especially if it see rawe fleshe of a slayne man Go to and what if it see not rawe fleshe and what if the eye sawe sodden or rosâ—ed fleshe yea no flesh at aâ—l and the minde neuerthelesse were certified that mans fâ—eshe were hidden câ—uertly within woulde not the minde loath it and reiect it I appeale here euen too your selfe Lombard what if any man woulde inuite you being blyndeâ— or other wyse buddewynked of both eyes to rawâ— fleshe as in that horrible banquet prepared by Thyestes would ye eate it What if he should do the like vnder a gobbet of suger or vnder the couer of any other thing whatsoeuer shoulde thrust into your mouth the fleshe of your father or of some other your dearest frende either sodden or rawe would ye wittingly and willingly eate the same I thinke you would not And why so I praye you whether bicause you knew it to be rawe or bicause you did knowe iâ— to bee the fleshe of man For to deuoure raâ—e fleshe is beastly certes too eate mans fleshe is not
and louely societie of the Churche When as the Lordes meaning dyd reatch to a farre higher mystery in this institution of the Supper which may be made most euidently apparant by the very wordes and circumstances of the words of the Supper For when the Lorde did commaunde to take and eate he doeth not say this is my mysticall body that shal fructifie and encrease out of many members of the Church But this is my body that shal be geuen for you Whereupon if I might now argue in the schooles of Diuines I would on this wise proceede against mine aduersaries The thing that is properly signified in this Sacrament is the only fleshe of Christe geuen for vs. The power of the vnitie and societie of the Churche was not deliuered for vs. Ergo The vnion of the Church oâ—ght in no respect be called the substance of the Sacrament Therfore this doctrine of Lombarde is false vtterly to be abandoned wherein hee affirmeth that this visible forme is a sacrament of a double thing And albeit I wil not deny that this mystery of Ecclesiastical vnion christian conâ—unction is a matter of vnspeakable excellency to haue singulâ—r likenes relation to bread as S. Paul testifieth Yeâ— Paul â—eacheth no such doctrine to wit that the sacrament was instituted to that ende or that the â—lements of bread and wine were deliuered to bee eaten and druÌ„ken for this purpose namely to expresse this mysticall â—â—ion but that it shoulde allure vs to an otheâ— matâ—eâ— rather to wit to the very body of Christe which shoulde suffer for vs that is to say shoulde represent the passion of Christe which doth truely quicken vs make vs too fructifie and to growe vp Therefore the estate of this Sacrament doth require that the Sacrament it selfe and the thing of the Sacrament alsâ— be both of this naâ—â—re to comfort to nourish for otherwise howe can the thinâ— significant agree with the thing signified vnlesse â—he nourishment of the one bee answerable too the nourishment of the other Now this is without al question that nothing can nourishe vnlesse it bâ—â— first eaten Wherefore as there bee twoo thinges that â—oe nourishe so must there be two thinges that muste bâ—e eaten In the one whereof is the Sacrament of the body in the other the verye thing it selfe is deliuered namely the passion of his naturall body And as they both nourishe so they muste both bee eaten The bread feedeth the flesh of Christ crucifâ—ed feedeth but after an other maner The bread feedeth corporally the fleshe feedeth spiritually That one the naturall body this other the spiritual part of the soule the bread feedeth this present lyfe the fleshe feedeth vnto the euerlasting life to come For as the life of the bodie doth growe encrease by dayly bread and foode euen so the spirituall life is preserued by the passion of Christ. Which the Lord himselfe foreseeing before did vtter these woordes of himselfe not without great consideration My fleshe is meate indeede my blood is drinke in deed geuing vs to vnderstande that by blood hee did meane the blooddy Sacrifice of his owne flesh Therfore as there is two kinds of mans life To wit earthly and heauenly so haue they both theyr proper foode The earthly life is preserued with foode and bread the heauenly life is obteined with the death of Christ. And for this cause nothing câ—ulde haue beene more commodiously handled then that the Lorde shoulde deliuer the bread and wine for a memorial of his passion because of the agreable application of the mutuall resemblaunce And heereof aryseth al the substaunce of this Sacramentall Action whereby bread and wyne doe obteine too bee called by the name of the body and blood not because the thinges themselues doe alter theyr substances but after the vâ—uall phrase of speach which is commonly frequented in all languages almost chiefly aboue others in the mysticall Scriptures Namely that thinges significaÌ„t shoulde obteine too bee called by the thinges which they doe signifie Which being most manifestly to be approued by innumerable testimonies of the Scripture is aboue all other moste iustifiable in this one Sacrament chiefly where the name of the body is attributed too the bread but not the substaunce none otherwise in very deede then as by like phrase of wordes is set downe in the booke of Genesis where seuen eares of corne are called Seuen Yeeres Fleshe Heye Seede the Worde a Fielde the World the heauenly Father an Husbandman Christe named a Uine or a Lambe the Apostles called Salt of the earth Peter a Stone and Iohn the Euangelist not only called of Christes own mouth the sonne of the Uirgin but accepted of the mother of Christe as her sonne by the Lordes commaundement Yet wil no man be so mad for this cause to affirme that vnder the figure and forme of this Disciple he either became truely and naturally her sonne or the Uirgin his naturall mother for it is one thing to bee called a mother by name an other thing too bee a naâ—urall mother in deede After the same maner fareth it with the Sacramentes in the which must be considered not what they bee but what they be called and wherfore they be so called For euen amongest vs in our dayly and vsual speaâ—hes as also in the Scriptures chiefly many thinges are many times beautified or described by strange names where notwithstanding no alteration is made of substance but the reason and cause that mooued the holy ghost to name it so is noted After the same maner Christ doth call bread his body not meaning thereby to transubstantiate the substance of the one into the other neither was it to any purpose at all to haue done so but to expresse the power of his passion for this cause therefore hee tooke the bread and cup of wine and called them his body and blood which he would giue for the sins of the world Neither did he only cal them so but also did deliuer them in his last supper to bee eaten and drunken in steede of his body and blood In like maner before Supper he vouchsafed by a like Figuratiue phrase of speache too call his owne fleshe meate and feeding bread from heaueâ— But least any man may fayle in the propertie of woordes I thinke it good too hearken vnto Augustines couâ—salie who discoursing vpoÌ„ the 33. Psalm of Dauid wâ—erin it is said that Dauid did change his couÌ„tenance before Abimelech alias before Achis he doeth transpose this figuratiue speach of chaunged couÌ„tenance to y â— words of Christe vttered touching the supper of his body blood For as Dauid is saide to haue dissembled in countenance before Achis the king seeming outwardly otherwise then hee was inwardly After the selfe same maner of speache the Lorde himselfe treating of his fleshe and blood doeth seeme in Augustines iudgement as it were
changing countenance before Achis to wit an ignorant king to expresse one thing in vtter shewe of woordes and to conceale an other thing in a secrete mysterie before the Capernaites to wit a grosse ignorant people Wherevpon Augustine commaundeth vs to knock here bicause there is some hidden thing shut vp in this place and not to sticke too much to the letter which killeth but exhorteth vs to rayse our selues too the spirituall sense which doeth geue lyfe Because the spirituall vnderstanding sayth he doeth make him that doth beleeue to be safe And proceeding forward in the same comparison wherein he compareth Achis the king That is to saye the kingdome of error with the Capernaites Dauid with Christe hee inferreth on this wise when our Lorde Iesus spake of his bodyâ— except yee eate my flesh and drink my blood the disciples did abhorre this speache because they vnderstoode it not For the Lorde in the chaunge of his countenance seemed vnto them to bee halfe frantike when he spake of eating his fleshe therefore they supposed that the Lorde seemed besides himselfe knowing not what he spake and as it were halfe mad But he seemed so to be vnto Achis the king that is to say to fooles and to ignorant men and therefore hee forsooke them and went his way or rather they forsooke him because this speache seemed very hard vnto them when as notwithstanding the speach was not hard but they rather hard dul of vnderstanding not the speache Who if had not departed from him but abidden still with the Apostles hee had instructed them plainly howe they shoulde haue conceaued the sense of the woordes as hee taught the other Apostles when hee tolde them It is the Spirite that quickneth for the fleshe profiteth nothing My woordes which I haue spoken vntoo you bee spirite and life As though hee had saide according to the interpretation of Augustine Understande yee my wordes which I haue spoken spiritually This body which you see shall yee not eate nor drinke that blood which the Iewes shall shed out of my side I haue deliuered you a certaine Sacrament the same being spiritually vnderstood wil quickeÌ„ you Wherby no man can be so blockish except he be altogether void of sense what the purpose of the Lorde was in the Action of this Supper â—nd howe hee woulde haue our hearts minds affected towards these misteries with what mouth and by what instrumentes hee woulde haue vs too receiue this bread of his body Wherby his purpose was to make plain demonstration vnto vs of the spiritual efficacie of his passion and our faith on him which hee coulde not haue done by any so fitte similitudes as by setting downe these chiefe and pâ—incipall stayes and supportes as it were of this preseÌ„t life which do serue for the daily foode and necessary nourishement of the bodie I haue hitherto nowe manifested a cause sufficient enough except I be deceiued that moued our Lorde to institute this sacrament of his body and blood in bread and wyne Namely to represent the power and efficacie of his most ghostly and comfortable death not onely to our faith and remembrance but to our senses also by a most apte similitude Which similitude beeing not able to be made consonant by any meanes without bread and wyne hereof therefore commeth it to passe that reteining bread we doe admitte here a necessarie figuratiue speeche whereby wee doe most truely call bread by the name of Christes body and the body of Christe by the name of the bread of life For if it might bee lawefull for Lombard too vse this kynde of speeche In bread that is to saye in forme of bread in the sacrament that is to saye in the visible forme Againe wheresoeuer part of the bodie is there is the whole c. which can not be spoken of any man without a figure Why then shall it not bee as lawefull for vs by the same figure to affirme that bread is the body of Christe that bread doth signifie the body of Christ as well as Lombarde can winke in his owne proper conceit and saye The visible fourme is bread the forme that is to say the bread doth signifie the body of Christe It remaineth now that you holy father with your cowled cloysterers render vs a cause likewise why yee driue the bread out of the sacrament like a runneaway Why in this case you will not admitte a figure in any case For this is your doctrine that in the sacrament no bread is eaten but the very body of Christe simply naturally and really Go to what was the cause at the length why the Lorde him selfe should either deliuer vnto his guestes his owne naturall fleshe to be deuoured or why doe ye suppose that we ought to beleeue the same to bee true you will aunswere that hee did it to the ende hee might feede our frayle weake and vncleane fleshe with his most holy fleshe Of the very same opinion were the Capernaites wandring in the same mismaze long before your dayes and being offended as Cyrill reporteth with the wordes of the Lord reuolâ—ed from him The same answere therefore which they receiued of the Lorde be yee satisfied withal at this present The flesh saith hee profiteth nothing at all that is to saye Christe did not meane here his naturall flesh simply which being borne for vs crucified for vs and risen againe doth profite very much in deede but hee did meane of our eating his body According to which kinde of eating if Christ do plainly confesse that his flesh is altogether vnprofitable will you grounde all the commoditie and profit of the sacrament in the eating of his fleshe And after this will exact of vs also that forsaking the very meaning and open exposition of Christ him selfe who doth testifie that his wordes be spirit and life should accept this your childish grammaticall construction of the fleshly deuouring naturall fleshe for sounde and catholike diuinitie But here againe will some one of you steppe foorth like a tall felowe and saye when the Lorde spake those wordes of his body he vttered no sillable or terme of signifying Neither did he speake thus This doth signifie my body but did professe simply without all figure this is my body But this trymmetraâ—â—ne so nicely conned out Augustine will easely vnlose vnto vs. Who writing against Adimantus doth amongest other rules recited in the nature of a signe reckoÌ„ vp this same very speech in the Gospell The Lorde saieth Augustine doâ—ted nothing to saye This is my body when hee gaue a signe of his bodye Uerily if he gaue a signe of his body he could not choose but giue somewhat wherein hee might signifie his body although there bee no woorde significant expressed In like maner neither was any woorde significant vttered by the Apostle when hee spake of the Rocke as the same Augustine witnesseth for the Apostle sayed not
An Argument An argumentâ— The visible forme is not a Saâ—rament of a double thing no not so much as a sacramâ—nâ— of any thing There bee two things that bee eaten in the Lordes supper the one corporally the other spiritually * Rabanus Maurus The naturall bread maye conueniently bee called the body of Christ because it doeth comfort the hearte * August de Ciuitate Dei Lib. 8. Cap 48. All significant thinges doe seeme after a certaine maner to beare the substaunce of the thinges signified â—enesis .41 Esay 40. Matth. 13. Iohn .15 Iohn .10 Math. 15. Iohn .19 August contra Maximinum Cap. 22. For these be the sacramentes in the which is not alwaies noted what they be but what they signifie bicause they be signes of things being in substaunce one thing but in significatioÌ„ another * Beda citans August 1. Cor. 10. In the sacraments one thing is seene or named another thing is vnderstanded * Gelasi contra Eutichetem The substance of bread and wine doth not depart away Chrysost. ad Caesar. The nature of bread doth remaine in the sacramente Theodoret. Christ doth not change the nature of bread * August Epist. 23 ad Bonifacium The heauenly bread whicb is Christs fleshe is after his maner called the body of Christe being in very deede the sacrament of Christes body * Augustine in Psal. 33. Ther is somewhat shut vp here Knocke and sticke not in the letter because the letter killeth but seeke for the spirit for the spirit doeth geue life August vpon the foresaide Psalme When our Lord Iesus Christ spake of his bodyâ— Except a man eate my flesâ—e c. his disciples that followed him did loath that speache not vnderstaÌ„ding his meaning thought the Lord spake some hard thing as they speaking with Achis How is this bicause he changed his couÌ„tenaÌ„ce therfore he seemed to theÌ„ as though hee had been mad but he seemed only to the king Achis that is to saye to the folishe ignoraÌ„t therfore he sent theÌ„ away departed froÌ„ theÌ„ For they did not coÌ„ceaue the true meaning of his wordes in their harts because they could not coÌ„prehend him Augustine in Psalm 98. * August contra Aduersar Leg. Prophet Lib. 2. Cap. 9. We men do receiue the Mediator of God and men Christ Iesus giuing vs his flesh to bee eaten his blood to be druÌ„ken with the heart and mouth of our faith * Basil de Baptis What profite haue these wordes forsothâ— that eating and drinking we become alwaies mindful of him who was put too death for vs and rose againe * Ambrose 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 11. Bicause wee be made free by the death of Christe being mindefull thereof we doe by eating and drinking signifie his fleshe and blood which were deliuered for vs. A figuratiue speeche necessary in the Lordes supper * Sentent li. 4 dist 12. There is the true breaking partition which is made in bread that is to saye in forme of bread And again in the same place The breaking and portions are made in the sacrament that is to say in the visible form LoÌ„bard And in the same place * Where part of the body is there is the whole c. But Augustine sayeth otherwise in his 57. epistle Euery greatnes is lesse in the part then in the whole The cause is sifted out wh the Lord in his supper did institute a sacrameÌ„t of his body Cyrill Catechis Mystag 4. The Iewes not conceiuing the wordes of Christ spiritually being offâ—nded went backward bicause they imagined that they were called to the deuouring of mans fleshe A comparison betwâ—â—t the papistes and the Capernaâ—â—â—s Aug. contra Adimantum cap. 12. An obiection Christ sayed not this doth signifie my body but this is my body Ergo simply it is Christes body August doth answere Paul sayed not the rock doth signifie Christ but the rock was Christe Ergo The rock was Christe naturally August de Ciuitate Dei lib. 18. Cap. 48. Bicause after a certen maner all thinges significant doe beare the names of the thinges signified As this speech of the Apostle the rocke was Christe when as notwithstanding it did signifie Christe Galaâ— 3. Christe is none otherwise eateÌ„ in the supper then he is put on in baptisme Figuratiâ—e speeches The absurditie of the liteâ—al exposition of the speeches and mysteries of Christe * Cyril ad obiecta Theodoreti Our sacrament doth not affirme the deuouring of a maÌ„ nor leade the mindes of the beleeuers irreligiously to grosse imaginations August de docâ—rina Christiana li. 3. cap. 10. August In the forâ—â—aâ—d booke cap. â—6 Wickâ—dnes in eating the Lordes body Aug. epist 5â— He that sayth that the body of Christ is at one instant of time both in heaueÌ„ earâ—h doth vtteâ—ly coÌ„founde and dissolue the nature of Christes body Absurdities in the Popishe transubstantiation Aug. in sermon ad Infantes Christ did lift vp his body into heauen froÌ„ whence he shal come to iudge the quick the dead there he sitteth nowe at the right hande of his father Howe is the bread his body and the cup or that which is conteined in the cup his blood Theâ—e things brethren are therefore called sacramentes bicause in theÌ„ one thing is seene an other thing is vnderâ—â—anded Aug. Epist. 57. ad Dardanum A signe A figurâ—â— A type A lykenesse A token A memorâ—al A represenâ—aâ—ioÌ„ A sacrament Tertulâ— contra Marcion lâ—b â—â— Oâ—igâ—â— Nazâ—â—nzen Ambros. de his qui initiantur cap. 9. Chrysâ— in Epist. ad Habr hom 17. Chrys. in Mat. â—om 83. Cypria lib. 2.16 Epist. 3. Gelas. contra Euâ—ychetem Theodoret. Dial. 1. Dialog 2. Bertrâ—◠〈◊〉 Macar hom 27. Irenâ— aduersus Valentinia lib. 4 cap. 34. Iustine the holy martyr The brâ—ad and wynâ— which passe intoo the noâ—rishment of our body are câ—lled the Euchariste 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is too say ouer the which thanksgiuing prayers haue bin pronounced The Churche hath the sacrament of the body alwaies but hath not alwaies the body without the sacrament according too that saying You haue not me alwaies Christ is otherwise borne into the world otherwyse eaten in the world Aug. in Ioan. tract 95 This bread doth require the huÌ„ger of the inward man Cyprian de coena domini This bread is foode of the mind not of the body Aug. in Psal. 103. Again in Ioan. tract 26 cap. 6. Why doo yee prepare tooth and belly beleeue and thou hast eaten Psal. 103. This is the bread of the hart bee thou hungry and thirsty in the inwarde man Rab. Maur. lib. 1. cap. 31. The sacrameÌ„t is turned into the foode of the body By the power of the sacrament we do obtein life euerlasting Nicephor in hist. eccl lib. 17. cap. 15. The custome of bestowing the fragments in Iustinian his tyme. Erasâ—in Ann. in 1. Cor. 7. The Churche did lately determine of transubstantiation When transubstantiation began first The â—aterane councel vnder Pope Innocent the thiâ—d Anno 1216.
Lombard lib. 4. dist 10. Gabriel Nicolâ—us Cusaâ—us exercitationum lib. 6. Hieronymus lib. 3. Naâ—â— Cap. 17. The Papistes arguments deduced from the omnipotencie of God Roffencis contra Oecolampadium Lib. 3. in Prooeâ—nio An answere to the argumente touching the Omnipotenâ—ie of Christes Godhead Tertullian aduersus Praxeam If we vse these presumptions so disorderly in our talking wee maye imagine what wee liste of GOD as though hee did it because hee was able too doe it But wee may not therefore beleeue that hee did all thynges because hee was able too doe all thinges but wee muste enquire whether hee did it or no. A double impiÌ„eâ—â—â— in transubstanâ—iation * August Epist. 57. ad Dardanum The Lord gaue immortalitie to his body but did not take away humanitie from it The same August contra Faustum Manichaeum Lib. 20. Cap. 11. Concomitance hath no place in the Sacramental presence August contra Faustum Manichaeum Lib. 20. Cap. II. Christe according to his corporall presence could not be in the Sunne and in the Moone and vpon the Crosse at one time Christe shall come againe euen as he was seen to ascende vp into heauen in the same forme and substaunce of flesh vnto the which he hath geuen immortalitie but hath not taken away humanitie The second 〈…〉 of transubstantiation Christe is prouâ—d a trespassor of the â—â—thâ—â—â— law if hee had giuen his blood to be drunken Genesis 9. Leuit. 17. Deut. 12. Augustin in Psal. 98. This body which you see sâ—all you not eate nor drink that blood which they shall shed that shall crucifie me Beholde I haue deliuered you a mysterie which being spiritually vnderstoode doeth geue life Iohn .6 Howe these words of Christ the flesh profiteth nothing ought to be vnderâ—tood The Popish Alcumie Uerie grosse enormities and abâ—uâ—d impossibilities proceede â—ut of the doctrine of tâ—aÌ„subsâ—antiation Oâ—iâ—en c â— â—5 in Mat. The sanctifiâ—d bread according to the materiâ—ll part thereof doth passe downe into the bâ—lly and is throwne out into the draught Câ—priâ—â—â—e coeâ—a But our coniuâ—â—tion with him doeth neither conâ—ound the peâ—sons nor vnite the â—ubstancâ—s but doth make our aâ—fections agreeable and couple togither our willes * Dâ—mâ—s de Orth. side li. 4. ca. 14. Psal. 15. Thou shalt not giue thy holy one to see corâ—uptioâ— c. Th◠〈◊〉 tâ—e Aâ—câ—heritike oâ— all heâ—etiquâ—s 2 Thes. 2. Whom Christ shal consume with the breath of his owne mouâ—h If any man will be contencious the Church of God hath no â—uch custome An exhortation to the Pope Cyprian writing to Iubaianus of the baptisme of Heretiques Lookâ— Aug. de Baptismo contra Donatistas lib. 3. Cap 3. vouched out of Cyprian An humble petition too the Princes the peeres states of ChristeÌ„dom The Popes power ouer princes against al equitie and right Platina vppon the lyfe of Boniface in the yeere of our lord 511 A Rule of the cyuil law The free borne dooth not loase his freedome neither dooth he preiudice the cause of freedomâ— which doth binde himselfe to be a bondman by wryting A Challeng for a general councel wherein â—he whole state and cause of the Popes authoritie may bee decyded by free voyces of the learned An exhortation to the common people of Christendome 1. Iohn .4 Ephes. 4. Matt. 10. 1. Thes. 5. Customes of time and imitation of forefathers is neither to be allowed of al nor in any respect nor yet in al things See the bookâ— of Iohn FraÌ„cisce Piâ—us Mirandulâ— called Staurosticoâ— concerning the signes of the crosse falliâ—g latâ—ly from heauen from the Germaines â—n the time of Maximilian the Romaine kâ—ng Anno 1501. And also againe 1504. Apoc. 17. Aug. de vniâ—â— baptis li. 3. cap. 8. dist 8. Verâ—â—â—â— Chronology Chronicles of time * Ambros. li. 2. De viduis Wee do rightfully condemne al things which Christe hath not taught bicause Christ is the waye to the faithfull Therefore if Christ did not teach that which we teache wee iudge thesame to bee detested c. Ciprian dist â— Si solus The Papane Monarchie hath no maner warâ—aÌ„t of time or antiquitie