Who as is only holy who only as hath power of life and death and of al authoritie in heauen and earth so is he onely alone able to beâ—â—ow his graces vpon whom he will being tyed to none nor holden bound to any law Nowe therefore sith by his glorious Gospel as by the antentique seale of his euerlasting wil he hath deliuered vnto vs so manifest and determinate a demonstration of his vnchangeable will witnessing thereby That whosoeuer beleâ—ueth in him shal of his gift enioy euerlasting life and the glory of his kinâ—dome what may godly ministers doe in discharge of theyr function more duetifully but by faithfull proclaiming theyr commission to put in executioÌ„ the charge committed vnto them by their Lorde and Maister What and wil the Pope of Rome with his councell of Trident require vs to renounce the Gospel of Christ and to post ouer vpon their pelting war raâ—mâ— the crowne of glory to the lawe of workes which Christe hath already warranted too faith yea will they haue vs so saucie as to challendge them as a duetie which Christe assured to all of free gift or do these holy fathers thinke it to bee reasonable that we shoulde hearken vnto them rather then vnto Christe Christe doeth very plainly and expresly set downe in the Gospell Thy faith hath made thee whole And shal we say on the contrary part Thy workes hath made thee whole Christ saith Beleeue onlyâ— al things are possible to him that beleeueth And shal we turning the cart before the horse yeelding chiefe preheminence to works promise al things to become possible to them that worke and not to them that beleeue only I beseech you what notable peece of worke wrought they towards the curing of their maladies which were commaunded but to lift vp their eies only and too looke earnestly vpon the brasen Serpent Finally where the holsome doctrine of the gladsome Gospel seemeth to enterlace heere and there many graue and weightie councels to the embracing of most absolute integritie to prescribe many â—ules to allure to liue wel If a man would discend into the due consideration of the end scope of the Euangelicall exhortatioÌ„s he shal find nothing y t doth more nearely resemble the meaning purpose of Christ our Sauior that doth approch more neerely to the direct end of al his speaches actions myracles then this one thing chiefly aboue al other namely to draw all men to faith the knowledge of Christ as who did very wel know that all our safetie righteousnesse doth depende wholy vpon this only faith in him Paul likewise treating vpon nothing else almost throughout al his Epistles how learnedly how industrioâ—sly doth he vrge al his force of skil to acquaint vs throughly with this doctrine that the whole substance of our saluation strongest piller of our righteousnes was grouÌ„ded not vpon the saâ—des of y e law not propt vp w t the slimie morter of works not raised vp w t any our sweating or moyling but promysed by the free mercy of god accomplished by the only workmaÌ„ship of Christ geuen receiued through our only faith and beliefe in him and yet not excluding meane whiles the works of the law so as they might not be alwaies attendaunt vppon the man that is iustified as fruites and effects of faith but that they shuld in no wise be taken for the original cause of iustification and againe neither making this cause of iustificatioÌ„ to depeÌ„d so wholy vpoÌ„ faith as that we might therfore slacke any part of our dutie in doing good al the rest of our life But to the end we shuld not be carried away with vaine confidence of works nor grounde our righteousnesse which wee receiue only at Christes handes else where in the only faith in Iesus Christe And for this cause Of faith saith S. Paule that the promise might be made sure by grace which otherwyse woulde bee alwaies whirled aboute in vnstable vncertaintie if it rested wholy vppon perfection of workes and by the same meanes woulde it come too passe withal that the promise should be thrust cleane out of credite For if we bee adopted into inheritance by the law then is faith become void the promise is of none effect â— which the Apostle doth with like phrase of speache vrge againe in his Epistle to Titus For iâ— inheritaunce come by the law sayth he then not of promise nowe And againe to the Romanes to the same effect If of grace then not of workes now otherwise grace shuld not be graceâ— And why so I pray you is it because the law is so manifestly repugnaÌ„t against the promise or that grace is so dirâ—ctly contrary to good works as that they cannot come togegether vnder one roofe but the one wyll stiffle vp the other Let vs heare the answere of the Apostle God forbid that any man shal thus think with himselfe that there is any such mortal enmitie betwixt grace good works as that who so cleaueth to grace must foorthwith become a deadly foe to good works or as though who so take holde of the promises of God the same may in no wise walk in the coÌ„mauÌ„dements of the law For what can be more familiar together theÌ„ the grace of god the fruits of good works Who was stronger in faith then AbrahaÌ„ who more excellent then he in all maner of vertues Grace and good works therfore doth not simply differ ech froÌ„ other but acording to the diuersity of the obiect wherunto they be referred Wherfore the state of the question must be aduisedly coÌ„sideratly noted For the question in this place doth not tend heereunto whether the person that is alredy inuested in the inheritance of grace ought to liue welâ— but how the possessioÌ„ of this inheritance may be woÌ„ne namely whether it come of free gift to the vnworthie or to theÌ„ that deserue it by force of the lawe or by promise for any respect of works or of the speciall and onely benefite of faith without workes Here loe the shamelesse sacriledge of the Popes iuggling bewrayeth it self which directly against the authoritie of Gods worde would vnder a very sâ—ye and suttle but most pernicious pretâ—nce of magnifying and establishing the commaundementes of God restreigne against al equitie right al whatsoeuer Christ his Apostles and the most euident meaning of the holy Ghost vouchsafed to endue poore forlorne man with all of very free and franke liberalitie for the incredible comfort and coâ—solation of the godly to the slippery state of miserable workes From out which one platfourme very ill fauouredly framed it is incredible to be spoken what rotten ruinâ—s haue ensued what monstruous superstitâ—on what beggerly and patched religion and howe troublesome a confusion of doctrine hath heretofore too to long preuailed against Gods church yea euen to this day doth holde captiue miserably entangle the coÌ„sciences of
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
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
trumpe of Euangelicall Embassy soundeth a farre higher and more shrill note nothing so meanely exercised of it selfe about those present thinges whiche concerne this present life though otherwise it doe minister many holsome restoritiues for the good preseruation thereof but proclaimeth a far more happy league and hostage of a better euerlasting felicitie against infinite and the neuer ceassing vexations and calamities not of this worlde only but which presse downe and oppresse the whole frame of the vniuersall creation it rayseth vpp and geueth vndaunted courage against the vnaoydable assaultes of death and the Diuell it displayeth also remedie a ready coÌ„quest therof Yea it properly layth down and discouereth the passable way which doth bring vs home againe vnto God and the meanes also whereby we may vntwyne our soules out of the entangled Laberinth of sinnes and conuey vs too the heauenly glory that neuer shal haue end And because to attaine too this so vnspeakeable surpassing excellencie of immortall felicitie may no possible passage be founde else but through the bowels and blood of Gods owne sonne and our faith in the same heereof commeth it that glauncing ouer the name of woorkes many times though not altogeather suppressing the vse of them the whole ministerie of Euangelicall doctrine doeth exercise it selfe chiefly aboute those thinges which may best certifie distressed consciences of the merites of Christe not of any our deseruinges of the supercelestiall bountie of Gods mercy and of the vnuanquishable force of faith Not because the good works of the godly are meane whiles nothing auaileable beyng perfourmed acording to Gods lawe for they profite very muche not them only to whom they bee imparted but be acceptable also vnto God By meanes whereof they procure great commendation not only in the sight of men but be many times bountifully rewarded of God yea euen to great benefite and gayne of the authors therof Let vs therfore graunt vnto the lawe of the Lord her due honour that it be holy and immaculate conuerting soules Which wee do not embase but establishe rather Let the commendable industrie of the godly employed in the exercise of Gods commaundements haue her proper dignitie her glorious and manifold rewardes in this life which we do not abridge but encrease and aduance more highly For what one thing can allure Christian heartes to pursue the way of good life more seriously and cheerefully then when as being made familiarly acquainted with Gods mercie they feele and conceiue throughly first and especially theyr duetie towardes God next what they owe towards their neighbours for gods sake Or what can be more agreeable with conuenience of naâ—urall reason then that each person ought so to behaue himselfe towards others as either by proof he hath fouÌ„d god affecâ—ed towards himself or doth trust y t in time to come he shal be Goe to let vs imagine this in our minde that mans lewdnesse is growne so altogeather dissolute as that it will not bee enclined to any gratefull remembraunce of dutifull requital nor bee enduced to any couenable thankfulnesse what shal we beleeue that the dulnesse of mens natures will be sooner reclaimed with seuere aâ—steritie of disicpline and feare of the whippe and that the Lawe shall preuaile further with her sterne lookes then the sweete and amiable embrasings of the louing Gospell but be the matter as it will yea let vs moreouer graunt this also That â—o â—ame the licentiousnesse of sinne is none other way reserued but the very snaffle and mozeroll â—f correction what shall wee say when the moste bountiful father of heauen and earth geueth out in speciall charge to powre out plentifully vpon all fleshe indifferently the incomprehensible riches of his free mercy shall wee speake nothing thereof And when as the maister of the housholde is of his owne nature so bountifull and liberall as Ianuensis reporteth shall his stewarde pinch and be a Niggard Finally to reach yet one step further and too confesse as the trueth is that amongst all the chaunces changes of this life nothing is more honorable nothing more excellent then the commendation of vertue and that they haue perfourmed matter of great valour which do with rules of good lawes and preceptes of commendable maners endue the mindes of men and reduce them from vice to treade the tracke of vertue and â—o admit this also that in all ciuill societie this point of doctrine is of all others most necessarie yet doe I demauâ—d this one question of these men what benefite or aduantage all those our trauailes and labouresâ— bee they neuer so holy may procure vs at the handes of God in all these naturall corruptions of this life which cannot possibly be altogether reclaimed with any lawe nor with any coÌ„mandementes You wyl say that they will auaile very much for we yeeld to God dutifull thankfulnesse and to our neighbour necessary ayde and thereby many times doe obteine of God honour and estimation not only to our selues but for the common weale also and bee many times preserued wonderfully rewarded by god the most assured rewarder of all godly actions according to the most euident testimonie of the Psalmographe saying on this wise For thy seruant keepeth them and in keeping of them is great reward Admit this I say to bee true Neuerthelesse for as much as this rewarde it selfe and recompencing of good workes doth not stretch it selfe beyond the limitted boundes of this present life this is also vndoubted true that when wee haue made a curious collection of all the most famous and most exquisite workes yea of the best holy ones in the worlde yet in respect of the principall fountaine and originall cause of iustification all this huge heape of our woorkes and merites doe nothing at al auaile to purchase immortalitie of eternal life with God and his holy Angels nor to obteine to be raised from the deadâ— nor to the destroying the force of death and the Deuill ne to the cleansing of our sinfull fleshe nor yet to winne that glorious crowne of that endlesse kingdome in the worlde to come To procure those so many I say so meruâ—ylous vnmeasurable benefits so infinitly and incredibly surmounting all capacitie and reach of our nature and hope our merites and woorkes bee they neuer so holy yeelde not any furtheraunce or benefite at al. To bring this to passe is the only workmanship of Iesu Christ This is the only benefite of the sonne of God not due too any our desertes but a free gift proceeding from his onely meere liberalitie and mercie and receiued of vs by faith not as any recompence of workes but powred foorth oftentimes euen into the bosome of the moste vnworthie which seeme too bee farthest of from all hope without any regarde had of those which doe feede theyr owne fancies most vpon confidence and good opinion of their own wel doing euen of his own free mercy bounteous liberalitie
of the Apostles I perceaue hee dooth not deny it I proceede then and demaunde further whether Saint Peter were one of the same number of Apostles to whome it was spoken Go yee intoo the whole world preaching to euery creature If you grauÌ„t it as yee can not wel deny it I aske now whether the order Apostolique be the self same estate which beareth to name Bishops If the functions bee seueral howe coulde both the estates bee giuen to one selfe person to wit that Peter shoulde exercise the office both of an Apostle and of a Bishoppe Then doo I desire to knowe If Christe did sende out Peter togither with the other Apostles into the whole worlde howe shall it appeare that the Lord allotted him to some one certaine place where hâ—e might sitte who without any mention of place at al was sent of the Lorde to goe not to sitte into the worlde not intoo a City vnlesse peraduenture wee ought too recompte the City of Rome to â—ee the whole worldeâ— and that wâ—oe so sitteth at Rome may be supposed to goe abâ—â—â—de into the whole worlde Not so But you wil say That Peter did enstalle Lynus to be Bishop of Rome It may be so and what hereof at the length So also did the selfe same Peter teach â—â—ch and long tyme at Ierusalemâ— in the which City Iames 〈◊〉 the Iuste is reported too haue beene 〈◊〉 Bishop by Peter Iames and Iohn Yet was no man eâ—â—r so madde to affirme that Iames was for this cause Peters suâ—cessor Semblably neither Timothe nor Tiâ—e wâ—re theâ—efore accompted Paules successors bicause Paâ—â—e â—ade them both Bishopsâ— no more â—hen iâ— the Popâ— of Rome would at this present ordeine Arâ—hbishoppeâ— biâ—hops or Cardinals at Rome it should be any way 〈…〉 make them successors of the Pope But of the succession hath beene sufficiently spoken before Nowe bicause this treaty concernâ—â—â— not the succession of Peter but his doctrine let vs â—ompare the orders of this Romish sea which is now wiâ—h the 〈◊〉 of Peter deliuered then Which howe â—ouly haue â—allen from that right â—quarier of Apostolique dâ—sciplyne may euen heereof appeare euidently That wheâ—eas Peter dooth vâ—ry grauely fatherly exhort them that mynister the woorde of the Gospel that withal â—umblenesse and reuerence they shoulde submitte them selues too them whoe beeing authorized by GOD doo beare rule ouer them whether they bee kinges set in hyghest authoritie or princes or rulers sent of GOD to gouerne the people Too countermaunde this Canon of Peter the practise of Rome coÌ„maundeth on this wise That they submitte themselues in deede vnto kings to al lawful magistrates so far foorth as their commaundements be not repugnant to Gods commaundementes or the Popes decrees Out of which obedience notwithstaÌ„ding the Popes holines with his other prelates haue so sâ—ipped the coller that I shame to vtter how treacherously they haue not onely shaken from their shoulders the yoake of their due obedience to kinges emperours but also how arrogantly they haue bene imperiouse ouer theÌ„ how they haue troaâ—en â—pon their necks with their feete forced them from out their kingdomes translated their sceptâ—rs crownes after their own lâ—st and pleasure But passing ouer this and many other enormities I come now to the sacraments In the which wheras many things are chopt in place to colour the credit of their doctriâ—e without the authority of the pure and sacred scriptures amoÌ„gst al other I can not tel how this peruersenes of men being so poore blind in matters of them self most manifest hath in any our thing bewrayed their blockishnes more notably then in the supper of the Lorde Heere is such an huge heape of monstruouse mockeries peeuish shiftes of most absurd errors thrust into this one sacrament as that the posteritie can neuer wonder sufficiently at the view of them For what can be more grossely absurd then to â—ake from out the sacraments the likenesse mutual resemblaunce out of which only groundwoork aryseth chiefly al the whole substaunce building of sacraments what can be more repugnant not only to al the very true proportionable relation of the scripture but also more disagreable too all conâ—eniency of reason common sense theÌ„ to tourne that to worshipping kneeling which was deliuered for a thankful remembraÌ„ce by most agreable application what can be more blockish then to embrace signes for things them selues what caÌ„ be more deuoide of shame then to enforce to beleeue contrary too that which the eyes doo see and whereof al the senses haue absolute feeling and perseueraunce for proofe wherof is neither any maner of necessitie too be vrged no not so much as any neuer so little probabilitie I doo acknowledge the omnipotent power of Christ in working miracles But where did he euer woorke miracle or exacte a miracle where the senses them selues beare no witnes thâ—â— it is a miracle In Cana of Galilee when he turned water into wine it was not beleued to bee a miracle before the senses bare testimony thereof The Apostles did see with their eyes Christ ryseâ— out of his graue they hearde him speake they felt him wiâ—h haÌ„ds finally their senâ—e perceaued him to be Christ before their faith did apprehende him Euen so we at this present though we see him not yet do beleeue that hee is rysen againe but not otherwyse then beeing â—ndured by the testimony of the Aposâ—les which saw him rysen or els we should neuer haue beleued But nowe wheras nother reason nor any other cause material hath made demonstration wheras the senses also do vtterly gainsay wherasâ— neither scripture nor Christ himself did euer coÌ„maund to beleue but to eate only what extreeme madnes were it to tourne that to matter of faith and to enforce a miracle there where neitherâ— any cause at al can enduce nor demonstration can discouer a miracle lastly for as much as nothing is more figuratiue or sette downe in darker figures â—hen the holy scripture is in explaning the mysteries of faith what â—rosse ignoraunce is this to apply that wholy to the bare letter which ought to be referred to the figuratiue aâ—d tropical interprâ—aâ—ion namely â—â—â—henes the Apostle Paul doth geue vs to vnderstaÌ„d that the letter killeth Christ also pronâ—uÌ„ceth that Fleshe auayleth nothing Lykewise Augustine affirmeth that the carnal sense of the letter is perillous especially in the figuratiue speeches which are vttered in the scriptures in so much that no manner of death can bee more aptly called the death of the soule which is also named by Bernarde The death in the poâ— Nowe if there bee any place in the scriptures meete to aâ—mitte a figure in what one place through all the whole scriptures may it be more properly applied then in the mysteries of sacramentes When I cal it a figuratiue speeche sayeth Ierome I doo shewe that the woordes ought not too bee
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
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
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
and if hee were of abilitie too leaue insteede of that token himselfe wholy with his Spouse did hee lacke power too perfourme that which hee spake by woorde or shall wee abridge the credite of his power I doe know that the Omnipotent power of Christs Godhead is able to do very much but I know also that this Omnipotencie doeth alwayes concurre with his will Therefore the state of the question heere is not what Christe was able too doe but what hee willed too bee doone Neither is the controuersie heere touching the abilitie of perfourming but of the very Action it selfe Wee doe reade set downe in the Gospell on this wyse The woorde was made fleshe where notwithstanding tâ—e woorde did not therfore put of it owne nature because it cloathed it selfe with fleshe Let vs nowe heare what these doe teache The bread say they is made the fleshe of Christe Howe so on suche wyse forsooth as leauing the formes only there may not remaine one crumme of breade so muche Goe to how shall this â—peare too bee true Because hee that spake the woordes is Omnipotent saye they therefore it maye bee so because hee sayde it shoulde bee so What doe I heare wyll they foorthwith â—etermine the channge too bee therefore made because it coulde bee made After the fame maner was the olde Heretique Praxeas wont to frame his argumentes in olde tyme whome Tertullian answeryng not vnaptly but after this manner quoth Tertullian may any man imagine what he list concerning God as though hee did it in deede because hee was able too doe it Therfore if these Romanistes woulde frame theyr Argumentes lyke good Logicians they must deduce the conclusion not from that which GOD was able too doo but from that whiche hee willed too bee doone For the power of GOD is his will and not too bee of power in GOD is not too will for whatsoeuer hee willed the same also was hee able too doe and dyd it in deede We doe not therfore extenuate heere the singuler and incomprehensible power of Christ in working myracles so also neither are myracles to be newe coyned where no myracles bee nowe Forasmuche as myracles are wrought not for the behoofe of the beleeuing persons properly but in respecte of the vnbeleeuers nor are at any time vsually frequented but for some great and vrgent causes or some notable necessitie too strike a terror into the heartes of the beholders whom a man is willing to winne to the faith I woulde very faine learne then of these men what cause or commoditie may be alledged in this Action why the Lorde sitting with his Apostles shoulde by the Omnipotencie of his power transpose the substaunce of bread intoo the substaunce of his owne fleshe too bee eaten Namely sithens neither the Apostles did neede any suche myracle being already before established in faith yea though they had needed it yet did the Lorde very grauely forewarne them that his fleshe shoulde not profite them any whit at all Moreouer neyther was any of them carried into any amazed admiration or straunge adoration of any thing doone by the Lord in that Supper Besides this also neither do any of y e Euangelistes make report of any myracle wrought heere but doe describe the maner and story of the action simply without al astonishment of the beholders And by what faith I praye you may wee conceaue in our mindes a myracle of hidden transubstantiation where no thing appeareth too any mans sight that we may wonder at where no degree of a myracle may eyther appeare to the senses or bee comprehended by reason But you wyll say that the senses may not be credited heere bee it so so neither may no credite bee geuen too euery drowsie dreame of euery doting Dotterel but our imaginations must be guided by the right line of Gods worde And in this same very woorde of God if any thing occurre eyther figuratiuely or doubtfully spoken as the naturall propertie of the very speaches them selues is alwayes too bee obserued so that construction of woordes is to be shunned of all others chiefly which is preiudiciall too the sinceritie of the whole Scriptures and which throweth men downe headlong into open horrible impietie And what can be more horribly wicked then to destroy the true and naturall humanitie of Christe and too drawe Christe himself maugre his head into blemish of offence Both which must needes ensue vpon this that these transubstantiators doe forge vnto vs. For if that holy body of Christ which in the nature of his manhood is of the same mettall that our bodies be euen by the very lawe of naturall humanitie is conteyned with all the proportion therof within one onely precinct of heauen if I say these men may disperse abroad the same body in many places at one instaÌ„t of time placing it in no certain place doubtlesse Christ neuer brought with him this nature from out the Uirgin Mary forasmuche as to be in infinite places at one instant of time cannot in any respecte agree with the nature of humanitie but is proper and peculiar to the Godhead only And by the same reason shall the trueth of the Scripture lye which hath made no difference betwixt the humanitie of Christe and our humanitie in the thinges whiche properly apperteine too the properties of manhood sinne only excepted neither doeth that their foolishe most doltish shift of concomitance as they tearme it helpe theÌ„ ought at all For to admit this to be true that wheresoeuer the glorious body of Christe is present that his Diuinitie is not absent there yet doth it not hereupon folow by the same kinde of arguing backwarde that his corporall presence is alwaies coupled togeather personally with the presence of his diuinitie An other kinde of impietie appeareth in this that Christe shal be inforced by this meanes to commit manyfest transgression agaynst the holy commaundements For it this heauenly banqueter did set before his guestes none other maner of substaunce too bee eaten and drunken but the very fleshe and blood of the same naturall body which hee tooke of his mothers nature then could he not choose but incurre a iuste reproche of crime nor by any meanes auoide the guilte of breaking his fathers commaundement sithens the law it selfe not in one place only ne yet obscurely commaundeth by especial wordes you shall not eate the blood with the flesh And again in an other place Whosoeuer hee bee that eateth any blood I wyl euen set my face against that person and wyl cut him of from amongst his people Moreouer yeelding the cause thereof hee inferreth foorthwith Because the life of all fleshe is in the blood Wherevppon I haue saide too the children of Israell None of you shal eate the blood of any flesh whosoeuer eateth it shall bee cut off And afterwardes likewise in Deuteronomie repeating the same again againe he sayth Onely bee sure that thou
another Lib. 4. dist 8. If the senses must be credited in establishing the accidents of brâ—ad and wine why should not the same senses be beleued also in affirming the substance of bread and wine which we do see A double â—rror of the Papâ—sts in the matter of the saâ—ramâ—nt An obiectioÌ„ out of Ambrose being wrongfully taken The woorking woorde The refutation of the obiectioÌ„ All whatsoeuer was created God did create by the power of his word Ergo god doth chaÌ„ge the bread intoâ— the pâ—rson of the sonne of God The Argument is denyed The wordes of Christ must be considered not according too the letter but according too the true sense meaning of the sentence No transubstaÌ„tiation can bee gathered by the woordes of the supper * Hesychiuâ—inâ— Leuit. lib. 1. cap. 2. We do eate this meate receauing the memory of his passion Esay the 25. â—hap And in this mountaine shall the Lorde of hoastes make vnto al people a feast of fattlings eueÌ„ a feast of neare and fined wynes and of fat thinges full of marrowe of wynes fined and purified c. * Why woulde Christe conuey away his body into heauen in the open sight of his disciples but that they should â—ease to looke for him any more heere on earth Aug in Ioan. tracta 27. When yee shal see the sonne of man ascende vppe where he was before truly euen then shal you see bicause hee doth bestowe his body not after the maner that yee thinke Certes then shal ye vnderstand it that his grace is not thereby consumed with teeth c. The obiection of the aduersaries An answere * Beda in octauis Epiphaniae The creature of bread and wyne is by the vnspeakeable sanctification of the holy Ghoste transposed intoo the sacrament of the fleshe and blood of Christ. * August de Consecrat dist 2. Thiâ— is it that the heauenly breade which is the fleshe of Christ is called after his maner the body of Christ whenas in deede it is the sacrament of Christes body * Rabanus Maurus lib. 1. Cap. 31. The sacrament is one thing the efficacy of the sacrament is an other thing The sacrament is turned intoo the nourishement of the Body By the efficacie of the sacrament the honour of euerlasting life is obteyned * Cyril cathechis mistagog 4. Doo not esteeme it as bare bread The bread of the Euchariste is no more bare and naked bread * Chrysost. sermo ad Infantes The bread is remoued by the substaunce of Christes body That is to say That it become nothing in respect of the body Ambros de sacr lib. 4. cap. 4. Origen vppon Mat. cap. 15. Aâ—gu de consec distinct 2. Hoc est quod c. Rabanus Maâ—â—â—s lib. 1. cap. 31. * Iren. lib. 5. The substance of our flesh is nourished and increased by the bread which bread is the body Chrysost. in operâ— imperfâ—â—om 11. * Origen in Mat. cap. 15. And thus much of the typical symbolical body c. * Chrysost. ad Caesarium Before the bread bee sanctified wee doo cal it breadâ— But by the sanctification of the diuyne grace and the prayers of the Priest it is delyuered from the name of bread But is reputed woorthy too bee called by the name of the body of Christe though the nature of bread remayne stil c. * Chrysost. 1. Cor. hom 24. Ascende therefore vppe euen too heauen gates and there enter intoo dewe consideration nay rather not the gates of Heauen but of the Heauens of Heauens and there shalte thou see that whereof wee doo speake Chrysost. in Genes Hom. 24. When the eyes of fayth doo beholde these vnspeakeable treasures they doo not perceaue these visible thinges indeed but only the difference betwixt these thinges There was nâ— cause why Christ should change the substance of bread into his flesh A threfolde reâ—son wherâ—by Lombard establâ—sheth his transubstantiation li. 4. dist 11. â—â— 5â— LoÌ„bards reasons discouered and refuted The first reason of Lombard In matters of faith mans reasoÌ„ hath no place Ergo. TransubstantiatioÌ„ must be beleeued though it bee quite against reason the Argument is denied The second reason of Lombard â— * Ex August de conse dist 2. sub figura There is nothing more reasonable for vs theÌ„ to receiue the likenesse of blood that so both the trueth may not cease that no occasioÌ„ be giuen to the PagaÌ„s to scorne vs bicause we drink the blood of a slain maâ—â— August de cons. dict 2. cap Sub figura Ex citatione Lomb. lib. 4. dist II. Ambros. De sâ—â—cramento liâ— 8. cap. 1. Hilarius De coÌ„sec dist 1. 2. Corpus Christi The third reason of Lomb. li. 4 dist 11. cap. 5. Lombard doth not agree with him selfe The loathsomnes of eating iâ— not takeÌ„ away by the accideÌ„ts Iohn .6 The flesh profiteth nothing Lombard is iniurious to the sacrament two maner of waies * Ambros. de sacra lib. 4. cap. â— As thou hast receyued the likenesse of his death euen so thou dost drinke the likenesse of his precious blood that there may bee no loathsomnesse of blood * Ambros. lib 6. cap. 1. You doe receyue the sacrament in a similitude but you doe attaine the grace and power of the true nature * Ambros. 1. Cor. ca. 11. The testament is perfourmed with blood bicause the blood is a testimonie of Gods liberalitie In the Type wherof we do take and r eceyue the mysticall cuppe the blood The Papists can neuer take away the horror from the holy supper except they first grauÌ„t the bread whole and sound Transubstantiation of the doctrine of sacramentall formes in the Lordes supper is described 1. Cor. 11. De consecra dist 2. corpus Christi Cyprian lib. epist. 6. Origen in Mat. cap. 15. August in Iohnâ— Tract 26. Whether the operation of bread remaine in the Sacrament togither with the kindes and names of bread yea or nay No likenesse betwixt the accidents and the body of Christ. Lib. 4. dist 8. 1 The Sacrament onely 2 The Sacrament and the thing 3 The thing and not the Sacrament The visible formes cannot be the SacrameÌ„t of a double thing to wâ—t of the bodie and of the mysticall bodie An argument agaynst Lombarde who doth affirme that the natural bodie of Christ is a Sacrament of his mystical bodie that is to say The church What thing is that thing of the SacrameÌ„t and the SacrameÌ„t of a thing and howe it is both according to Lombard 2. Cor. 10. August de Sacramentis fâ—deliâ—m Looke into August coâ—â—ra Donatist lâ—b 7. cap. 50. Eight Sacraments hatcht out of Lombards diuinitie The thing and not a Sacrament The substance of the Sacrament is not the vnitie of the mysticall body but the death of his naturall bodie Lib. 4. dist 8. An argument againste the assertion of Lâ—mbarde The sacramâ—nt was not instituted to signifie the vnion of the Church An other Argâ—ment The thirde Aâ—gument Lombardes threefolde error Lombardes viii Sacrament