stone then from which the water ran bodily Christe but it signified Christe that calleth thus to all beleuing and faithful men Who soeuer thirsteth let hym come to mee and drinke and from his bowelles shall flowe liuely water This he sayd of the holy Ghost whych they receiued who beleeued on him The Apostle Paul sayth that the Israelites did eate the same ghostly meat dranke the same ghostly drinke because that heauenly meate that fed them 40. yeares and that water which from the stone did flowe had signification of Christes body and hys bloud that now be offred daily in Gods Church It was the same which we now offer not bodely but ghostly We said vnto you ere while that Christ halowed bread and wine to housell before his suffering Math. 26. Luke 22. Marke 14. and sayde Thys is my body and my bloud Yet he had not then suffered but so notwithstanding he * * Now we eate that body which was eaten before he was borne by faith turned through inuisible mighte the bread to his owne bodye and that wine to his bloud as he before did in the wildernes before that he was borne to be a man when he * * Here is no transubstantiation turned y e heauenly meate to his flesh and the flowing water from that stone to his owne bloud Uery many did eate of that * * Mantua heauenly meat in the wildernes and drinke the ghostly drinke and were neuerthelesse dead as Christ sayd And Christ meant not y e death whych none can escape but that euerlasting death which some of that folke deserued for theyr vnbelief Moyses and Aaron and many other of that people which pleased God did eate that heauenly bread and they died not y ◠euerlasting death though they died the common death They sawe that the heauenly meate was visible and corruptible they ghostly vnderstood by that visible thing and ghostly receiued it The Sauiour sayeth Iohn 6. Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath euerlasting life And he bad them not eate that body wherewith hee was enclosed nor to drinke that bloude which he shed for vs * * What body the faithful do now eate but he meant with those wordes that holy housell which ghostly is his body and his bloud and hee that tasteth it with beleeuing heart hathe that eternall life In the olde lawe faithfull men offred to God diuers Sacrifices that had * * A signification before Christ. foresignification of Christes bodye which for our sinnes he himselfe to his heauēly father hath since * * A sacrifice in Christes tyme. offered to sacrifice Certainly this housell which we do now halow at Gods alter is a * * A remēbraūce of Christ. Math. 26. Hebr. 10. remembrance of Christes body which he offered for vs and of hys bloud whych he shed for vs So he himselfe commaunded Doe thys in my remembraunce Once suffered Christe by hym selfe but yet neuerthelesse hys suffering is daily renued at thys supper through mysterie of the holy housell Therefore we ought to consider diligently howe that this holy housell is both Christes bodye and the bodye of all * * The housell is also the body of al faithfull men faithfull menne after ghostly mysterie As wise Augustine sayeth of it If ye wil vnderstand of Christes body here the Apostle Paule thus speaking Yee truely be Christes body and his members Nowe is your mysterie sette on Gods table and ye receiue youre mysterie which mysterie ye your selues be Be that which ye see on the altare and receiue that which yee your selues be Againe the Apostle Paule sayeth by it We manye be one bread and one bodye Understande nowe and reioyce many be one bread and one body in Christ. He is our heade and we be his limmes and the bread is not of one corne but of many nor the wine of one grape but of many So also we all shoulde haue one vnitie in our Lorde as it is wrytten of the faithfull armie how that they were in so great an vnitie as though al of them were one soule and one heart Christe hallowed on hys table the mysterie of oure peace and of our vnitie He which receiueth that mysterie of vnitie keepeth not the bonde of true peace receiueth no mysterie for himselfe but a witnesse against himselfe It is very good for Christen men that they goe often to howsell if they bring with them to the alter vngiltines and innocēcy of hart if they be not oppressed with sinne To an euil man it turneth to no good but to destruction if hee receyue vnworthely that holy housell Holy * * No scripture inforceth the mixture of water with the wine bookes commaund that water be mingled to that wine which shall be for housell because the water signifieth the people the * * The wine signifieth Christes bloud wine Christes bloud and therefore shall neither the one wythout the other be offered at the holy masse that Christ may be wyth vs and we with Christ the head with the limmes and the limmes with the head Wee woulde before haue intreated of the Lambe whyche the olde Israelites offered at theyr Easter time but that we desired first to declare vnto you of this mysterie and after how we should receiue it That signifying lambe was offered at the Easter And the Apostle Paule sayeth in the Epistle of this present day that Christ is our Easter who was offred for vs and on this day rose from death The Israelites did eate the Lambes fleshe as God commaunded with vnleauened bread and wilde lettisse * * How we should come to the holy communion so wee shoulde receiue that holy housell of Christes body and bloud without the leauen of sinne and iniquitie As leauen turneth the creatures from their nature so doth sinne also chaunge the nature of manne from innocencie to vncleannesse The Apostle hath taught howe we shoulde feast not in the leauen of the euilnesse but in the sweete doughe of puritie and truth The herbe which they should eate with the vnleauened bread is called lettisse and is bitter in taste So we should with bitternesse of vnfained repentaunce purifie oure minde Exod. 12. if wee will eate Christes bodye Those Israelites were not woonte to eate rawe fleshe and therefore God badde them to eate it neyther raw nor sodden in water but rosted with fire He shal receiue the body of God rawe that shal thinke without reason that Christ was onely manlike vnto vs and was not God And he that will after mans wisedome search y e mystery of Christs incarnation doth like vnto him that doth seeth lambes fleshe in water because that water in this same place signifieth mans vnderstanding but we should vnderstand that all the mistery of Christes humanitie was ordered by the power of the holy Ghost and then eate we his body rosted with fire because the holy
speaking of Christ tropicall figuratiue anagogicall allegoricall which they do interpret after this sort that although the substance of bread wyne doe remayne and be receiued of the faythfull yet notwithstanding Christ chaunged the appellation thereof called the bread by the name of his flesh the wine by the name of his bloud non rei veritate sed significaÌ„te misterio i. not that it is so in verye deede but signified in a misterye So that wee shoulde consider not what they bee in theyr owne nature But what they import to vs and signify and should vnderstand the Sacrament not carnally but spiritually and shoulde attend not to the visible nature of the Sacraments neither haue respect onely to the outward bread cup thinkyng to see there with our eye no other thinges but onely bread and wyne but that liftyng vp our mynds we should looke vp to the bloud of Christ with our fayth Ann. 1454. â—priâ—l should touche hym with our mynde and receiue him with our inward man and that beyng lyke Egles in this lyfe we should flye vp into heauen in our heartes where that Lambe is resident at the right hand of hys father 〈◊〉 Sacraâ—â—â—â— to 〈…〉 what it 〈◊〉 â—ature 〈◊〉 whaâ— it 〈…〉 which taketh away the sinnes of the world by whose stripes we are made whole by whose passion we are filled at hys table and whose bloud we receiuyng out of his holy side do lyue for euer beyng made the ghests of Christ hauing him dwellyng in vs through the grace of his true nature and through the vertue and efficacie of his whole passion beyng no lesse assured and certified that we are fed spiritually vnto eternall lyfe by Christes flesh crucified and by hys bloudshed the true food of our myndes then that our bodies be fed with meat and drinke in this lyfe and hereof this sayd mysticall bread on the table of Christ the mysticall wyne beyng administred and receyued after the institution of Christ be to vs a memoriall a pledge a token a sacrament The Sacrament is a â—â—moriall 〈◊〉 pledge a 〈◊〉 a â—â—crament 〈…〉 â—hat is 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 and a seale And thereof is it that Christ sayth not thus This is my body eate ye but after he had biddeÌ„ them eate then he said This is my body which shal be geueÌ„ for you Which is to mean as though he should say In eating of this bread consider you that this bread is no common thyng but a mysticall matter neither do you attend that which is set before our bodily eyes but what feedeth you within Consider behold my body crucified for you that eate and digest in your myndes Chaw you vpon my passion be fed w t my death This is the true meat this is the drinke that moysteneth wherwith you beyng truly fed and inebriate shall liue for euer The bread and the wyne which be set before our eies are onely declarations of me What the 〈◊〉 â—ody of Christ doth â—o our sâ—â—les but I my selfe am the eternall food Wherfore whensoeuer at this my table you shall behold the sacraments haue not regard so much to them as consider ye what I promise to you by them which is myselfe to be meat for you of eternall lyfe The onely oblation of Christ wherewith he offered himselfe to God the father once to death vpon the aultar of the crosse for our redemption was of such efficacy y t there is no more need of any sacrifice for the redemption of the whole world The sacriâ—â—ce of Christes 〈…〉 all but all y e sacrifice of y e old law he tooke away performyng that in very deede which they did signify and promise Whosoeuer therfore shal fixe the hope of his saluatioÌ„ in any other sacrifice he falleth froÌ„ the grace of Christ and is contumelious against the bloud of Christ. For he was wounded for our transgressions and was broken for our iniquities 〈◊〉 53. All we lyke sheepe haue wandered astray Euery man hath turned after his owne way and the Lord hath layd all our iniquities vpon him For he hath entered once for all into the holy place by the bloud not of Goates or Calues but by his own bloud Heb. 9. finding eternall redemption And hath entered into heauen to appeare now in the sight of God for vs not to offer hymselfe oftentymes for so should he haue suffred many times but now hath he appeared once to put away sinne through hys owne oblation And as it is appoynted to all men once to dye so also Christ once was offered Heb. 17. Who offering vp one oblation for sinnes sitteth now for euer on the right hand of God For by one oblation hath he made perfect for euer those that be sanctified For where is remission of sinnes there is now no more oblation for sinne but this only sacrifice of Christ whosoeuer shall seeke any other sacrifice propitiatory for sinne 〈◊〉 sacrifice 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 maketh the sacrifice of Christ of no validitie force or efficacie For if it be sufficient to remit sinnes what neede is there of any other For the necessitie of another argueth and declareth this to be insufficient Almighty God graunt that we may truly leaue to one sacrifice of Christ and that wee to hym agayne may repay our sacrifices of thanksgeuing of prayse of confessing hys name of true amendment of repentaunce of mercifulnes towards our neighbors and of all other good workes of charitie Christ 〈…〉 for 〈◊〉 we 〈…〉 For by such sacrifices we shall declare our selues neither ingratefull to God nor altogether vnworthy of this holy sacrifice of Christ. And thus you haue out of the testimonies of holy scripture and of the ancient Doctors of the Church the true and sincere vse of the Lordes holy supper and the fruite of the true sacrifice of Christ. Which whosoeuer thorough captious or wrested interpretations or by mens traditions shal go about otherwise then Christ ordeined them to alter or traÌ„substantiate he shall aunswere to Christ in the latter day when he shal vnderstand but then to late that he hath no participation with the body and bloud of Christ but that out of the supper of eternal lyfe he hath eaten and dronken eternall damnation to hymselfe West Because we will not consume and spend the tyme in waste this your writyng which you exhibite hereafter shall be read in hys place In the meane season let vs now fall to the Arguments Ched The Scriptures in many places doe affirme Argument that Christ gaue hys natural body Mat. 26. Mark 14. Luk. 22 Ergo Aunsâ—â—â—â— I doe conclude that the naturall body is in the Sacrament Cran. To your argument I aunswer If you vnderstand by the body natural organicum that is hauyng such proportion and members as he had liuyng here then I aunswer negatiuely Furthermore concernyng the Euangelists thus I say and graunt that Christ tooke bread and called
people in diuers places haue not cesed hitherto to preach and yet daily do that all they which hold or affirme the sayd glorious virgine to haue bene conceiued without originall sinne be heretiques and they which celebrate the seruice of the sayde her conception or do heare the sermons of them which do so affirme doe sinne grieuously also not contented herewith doe wryte and set foorth bookes moreouer mainteining their assertions to the great offence and ruine of godly mindes We therfore to preuent and wythstand such presumptuous and peruers assertions which haue risen and more heereafter may arise by suche opinions and preachings aforesaid in the mindes of the faithfull by the authority Apostolical do condemne and reproue the same and by the motion knowledge and authority aforesayd decree and ordeyne that the preachers of Gods word and all other persones of what state degree order or condition soeuer they be which shall presume to dare affirme or preach to the people these foresayde opinions and assertions to be true or shall reade holde or maintaine any suche bookes for true hauing before intelligence hereof shal incurre thereby the sentence of excommunication from whyche they shall not be absolued otherwise then by the bishop of Rome except onely in the time of death Thys Bull being dated the yere of our Lord. 1483. gaue no litle heart and encouragement to the gray Friers Franciscanes which defended the pure conception of the holy virgin against the blacke Dominicke friers with theyr confederates holding the contrary side By the vigour of which Bull the Gray order had got such a conquest of the Blacke garde of the Dominikes that the sayd Dominikes were compelled at length for a perpetuall memoriall of the triumph both to geue to the glorious virgine euery night an Antheme in praise of her Conception and also to subscribe vnto their doctrine In which doctrine these wyth diuers other poyntes bee conteined 1 That blessed Mary the virgine suffered the griefes and aduersities of this life Ex lod Clitoueo de puricate coÌ„ceptionis Lib. 2. not for any necessity inflicted for punishment of Originall sinne but onely because she would conforme her selfe to the imitation of Christ. 2 That the sayde virgin as she was not obliged to anye punishmente due for sinne Filthy absurdities in the Popes doctrine as neither was Christe her sonne so she had no neede of remission of sinnes but in steed thereof had the diuine preseruation of Gods helpe keeping her from all sinne which grace only she needed and also had it 3 Item that where the body of the virgin Mary was subiect to death and died this is to be vnderstand to come not for any penaltie due for sinne but either for imitation and coÌ„formitie vnto Christ How the virgin Mary was subiect to death after the friers opinions or els for the natural constitution of her body being elemental as were y e bodies of our first parents who if they had not tasted of the forbidden fruit should haue bene preserued from death not by nature but by grace strength of other fruits and meates in Paradise Which meates because Mary had not but did eate our coÌ„mon meates therfore she died and not for any necessitie of Originall sinne Clitouaeus lib. â— cap. 2. 4 The vniuersall proposition of S. Paule which sayth that the Scripture hath concluded all men vnder sinne is to be vnderstand thus as speaking of all them which be not exempted by the speciall priuiledge of God as is the blessed virgin Mary 5 If iustification be taken for reconciliation of him that was vnrighteous before and now is made righteous theÌ„ the blessed virgin is to be taken not for iustified by Christ but iust from her beginning by preseruation 6 If a sauiour be taken for him which saueth men fallen into perdition condemnation so is not Christ sauior of Mary but is her saueour only in this respect for susteining her from not falling into condemnation c. 7 Neither did the virgine Mary geue thankes to God nor ought so to doe for expiation of her sinnes but for her conseruation from case of sinning Good stuffe 8 Neither did she pray to God at any time for remission of her sinnes but onely for remission of other mens sinnes she praied many times and counted their sinnes for hers 9 If the blessed virgine had deceassed before the Passion of her sonne God would haue reposed her soule not in the place among the Patriarkes or among the iust but in the same most pleasaunt place of Paradise where Adam and Eue was before they transgressed These were the doting dreames and phantasies of the Franciscans of other papists commonly then holden in the schooles wrytten in their bookes preached in theyr sermons taught in churches * The gray friers had made a picture of Ioachim Anna kissing by the which kisse Anna waâ— conceiued with Mary Ex Rob. Lycid Minorita and set foorth in pictures So that the people was taught nothing els almost in the pulpits all this while but how the virgine Mary was coÌ„câ—iued immaculate and holy wythout Originall sinne and how they ought to call to her for helpe whome they wyth special termes do cal the way of mercy the mother of grace the louer of pietie the comforter of mankind the continuall intercessour for the saluation of the faithfull and an aduocate to the king her sonne which neuer ceasseth c. Verba Papae Sixti in Decret And althoughe the greatest number of the scholedoctours were of the contrary faction as Peter Lombardus Thom. Aquine Bernandus Bonauentura and other yet these new papists shifted of their obiections with friuolous distinctioÌ„s and blinde euasions as thus Petrus Lombardus Idolatry to the blessed virgin they sayd is not receiued nor holdeÌ„ in the schooles as touching thys article but is reiected Clitoueus lib. 2. cap. 15. Bernardus in Epist ad Lugdunens although hee seemeth to deny the conception of the blessed virgin to be voyd of Originall sinne Obiections popishly soluted saying that she could not be holy when shee was not and liued not to this they answere that all be it she was yet in essence not yet shee was holy in her conception and before her conception in the diuine presence of God which had chosen preelected her before the worlds to be the mother of the Lord. Againe where Bernard doeth argue that she was not without original sinne conceiued because she was not coÌ„ceiued by the holy Ghost to this they aunswere That the holy Ghost may worke two wayes in conception eyther without company of man and so was Christ only conceiued or els with company and help of man and thus was the blessed virgin conceiued Clit. lib. 2. cap. 14. Bonauentura say they was an holy father but hee spake then after the custome and maner of his time when as the solemnitie and puritie of this conception was not yet decreed nor receiued by
the foresayd Iohn Tewkesbery of our iurisdiction to be a conteÌ„ner of the first abiuration moreouer before after the foresaid first errors and other daÌ„nable opinions to haue fallen to be an hereticke fallen to haue incurred the payn of such fallen hereticks we do pronounce determine declare condemne thee of y e premisses to haue incurred the dauÌ„ger of the greac excoÌ„munication do pronouÌ„ce thee to be excoÌ„municated also do declare thee the sayd Tewkesbery so daÌ„nably falleÌ„ agayne into heresy to be in the secular power in their iudgemeÌ„t as the holy Canons haue decreed here we do leaue thee to the foresayd secular power to their iudgement beseeching them earnestly in the bowelles of Iesus Christ that such seuere punishment and execution as in this behalfe is to be done against thee may be so moderated that no rigorous rigor be vsed In wordes they pretend moderation but their doinges be cleane contrary but to the health and saluation of thy soule and to the terror feare and rooting out of heretickes theyr conuersion to the Catholicke fayth vnity by this our finall decree which we declare by these our writings This foresayd sentence definitiue agaynst Iohn Tewkesbery was read and pronounced by the Bishop of London the 16 day of the month of December the yeare aforesayd The death and martirdome of Iohn Tewksbery in the house of Syr Thomas More high Chauncellor of England in the Parish of Chelsey After the whych sentence the Sheriffes receiued the foresayd Tewkesbery into theyr custody and caried him away with them and afterwardes burned him in Smithfield as is aforesayd hauing no writ of the king for theyr warrant * The apprehension of one Edward Frese a Paynter EDward Freese was borne in Yorke and was Prentise to a Paynter in the same Citty and by the reason of working for his maister in Bearsy Abbay The story Edward Freese or by some such occasion was knowne vnto the Abbot of the same house for he was a boy of a pregnaunt witte and the Abbot fauored him so much that he bought his yeares of his mayster and would haue made him a Monke And the ladde not liking that kinde of liuing and not knowing how to gette out because he was a Nouice ran away after a long space and came to Colchester in Essex and remayning there according to his former vocation was maried and liued like an honest man After he had bene there a good time he was hyred to paynt certayne clothes for the new Inne in Colchester which is in the middle of the market place in the vpper border of the clothes he wrote certeine sentences of the Scripture and by that he was plainely knowne to be one of them which they call heretickes And on a time he being at his worke in the same Inne they of the Towne when they had sene his work The cause 〈◊〉 the takyng of Edward Freese went about to take him he hauing some incling therof thought to shift for himselfe but yet was taken forceably in y e yarde of the same Inne after this he was brought to London and so to Fulham to the bishops house where he was cruelly imprisoned with certein others of Essex that is to wit one Iohnson and his wife Wylye his wife and his sonne father Bate of Rowshedge Iohnson his wife Wylye his sonne Father Bate They were fedde with fyne manchet made of saw dust or at the least a great part therof and were so straightly kept that theyr wiues and theyr frendes could not come at them After the Painter had bene there a long space by much sute he was remoued to Lollardes tower His wife in the time of her sute whiles he was yet at Fulham being desirous to see her husband preasing to come in at the gate being then bigge with child the porter lift vp his foote and stroke her on the belly that at leÌ„gth she dyed of y e same but the child was destroyed immediately After that they were all stocked for a long time then they were let lose in theyr prisons againe Some had horse locks on theyr legs some had other yrons This painter woulde euer be writing on the walles with chauke or a coale in one place he wrote Doct. Dodipall would make me beleue that the Moone were made of grene cheese And because he would be writing many thinges he was manicled by the wrestes so long till the flesh of his armes was growne higher then his yrons By the meanes of his manicles he could not kemme his head and he remayned so long manicled that his heare was felded together After the death of his wife his brother sued to the king for him and after long sute he was brought out in the Consistory at Paules and as his brother did report they kept him three dayes without meate before he came to his answere Then what by the long imprisonment and much euill handling and for lack of sustenaunce the man was in that case that he could say nothing but looke and gase vpon the people like a wilde man and they asked hym anye questioÌ„ he could say nothing but my Lord is a good man And thus when they had spilt his body and destroyed his wittes they sent him backe agayne to Bersie Abbey but he came away againe from thence and would not tary amongest them albeit he neuer came to his perfect minde to his dying day Valâ—ntine his wife 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 His brother of whom I before spake whose name was Ualentine Freese his wife gaue theyr liues at one stake in Yorke for the testimony of Iesus Christ. Also the wife of the sayd father Bate while he was at Fulham made many supplications to the king wythout redresse at the last she deliuered one to his owne hands and he read it himselfe whereupon she was appoynted to go into ChauÌ„cery lane to one whose came as is thought was M. Selyard at the last she got a letter of the same Selyard to the Byshop and when she had it she thought all her sute welbestowed hopinge that some good shoulde come to her husband thereby And because the wicked officers in those dayes were crafty and desirous of his bloud as some others had proued theyr practise some of her frendes would needes see the content of her letter Gods good prouydence and not suffer her to deliuer it to the bishop as they thought so they found in deed for it was after this maner After commendations had c. Looke what you can gather agaynst Father Bate send me word by your trustye frend Syr William Saxy A crafty leter of a wicked officer that I may certify the kinges Maiesty c. Thus the poore woman when she thought heâ— sute had bene done was in lesse hope of her husbandes life theÌ„ before But within short space after it pleased
be in deede truthes children and so is all the eloquence which some to disprayse me say I haue whatsoeuer they say of me For truth is of it selfe in a right meaning mans mouth more eloquent then forged matters can with studye bring forth What rymes be sette forth to depraue the Lent and how fond sauing your Graces honour and foolish and yet the people pay money for them and they can serue for nothing but to learne the people to rayle to cause such as vsed to make prouision for fishe agaynst Lent fearing now Lent to be so sicke as the ryme purporteth and like to dye in deede to forbeare to make theyr accustomed prouision for the next yeare And thereto shall it come if the common dyet be not certayne For the Fishmonger will neuer hope to haue good sale when the the butcher may with flesh out face him And fishe is that great treasure of this realme foode inestimable And these good wordes I geue although I loue it not my selfe for such as loue not fish should neuertheles commend it to other to the intent the fleshe by them forborne might be to such as loue it onely the more plenty The publicke defamation trifling with Lent is a maruellous matter to thē that woulde say euill of this Realme for there is nothyng more commended vnto vs christen men in both the Churches of the Greekes and Latins then lent is if all men be not liers In the king our late soueraigne Lordes dayes this matter was not thus spoken of And I thinke our enemies would wish we had no lēt Euery coūtry hath his peculier inclination to naughtines England and Germany to the belly the one in licor the other in meat Fraunce a litle beneath the belly Italy to vanity and pleasures deuised let an English belly haue a further aduauncement and nothing can stay it whē I was purueior for the seas what an exclamatiō was there as your grace shewed me of the Bishops fasting day as they called wednesday and Winchester Winchester grand mercy for your wine I beshrow your hart for your water Was not that song although it was in sport a signification how loth men be to haue theyr licence restrained or theyr accustomed fare abated vnles it were in extreme necessity I heare say that lēt is thus spok of by Ioseph and Tongue with other new whome I knowe not as be one of Christes Myracles which God ordeyned not man to immitate and follow at whiche teaching all the world will laugh For Christian men haue Christ for an example in all thinges both to vse the world as he did onely for necessity and contemne the world as he did and in case to refuse it and choose the vyle death as he did the death of the Crosse which thinges he did like a Mayster most perfect for he was very god and we must endeuour our selfe in the vse of his gyftes to follow that he did not to fast fortye dayes without meate as Christ did for we be but Prentises and cary about a ruinous Carcas that muste haue some daylye reparation with foode but yet was there neuer none that sayde how therefore we should do nothing because we can not do al and take Christes fast for a myracle onely And yet all that folow Christ truely they worke dayly myracles in subduing and cōforming by Gods grace there sensuall appitites and humble obeying to the wil of God which no man can of himselfe do and Christ promised that his true seruants should worke the workes that he did and greater works also Wherfore it is a slender matter to say Lent was one of Christes myracles for so was it to loue his enemyes specially those that scourged and bobbed him which may not bee if that allegation hath place taught Christen men to folow because it was a myracle as they might say it were more tollerable to forgette Lent as Pogge telleth of a Priest in the moūtaynes that knew not how the yeare went about and when the weather opened and hee went abroad and perceiued his neighbours were towardes Palme Sonday he deuised an excuse to his Paryshe and bad them prepare therefore for in deede the yeare had somewhat slipped him but he would fashion the matter so as they shoulde be as soone at Easter as the rest and thus did he passe ouer lent with much lesse slaunder then to teach it for a doctrine y t lēt was one of Christs miracles therefore not to be imitated for vs for although it was in deede a greate myracle as all Christes doynges were yet was it there not a greate myracle ne more agaynst mans nature then to loue them y t laboured were busye to take away the naturall lyfe of his manhoode For as the nature of man desireth reliefe so doth it abhorre distruction or hurt In will and desire menne followe Christ in al thinges in execution they cannot For we haue brickle vessels and God geueth his giftes to men as he seeth expedient for his Church So as men cannot heale the lame when they will as Christ did when hee woulde but as God shall thinke profitable for the edification of the flocke assembled Gregory Nazianzene speaketh of some that enterprised to imitate christes fast aboue theyr power whose immoderate zeale he doth not disallowe not requiring of all men so to doe for that is an extremity ne yet assoyling the matter as our new schole men doe that Christen men shoulde let Christes fast alone as a myracle which maner of solution I heard a good felow make when it was told him he might not reuenge himselfe And when he were stroken on the one eare put forth the other I am quoth he a man I am not God if Christ being God did so he might quod he if it had pleased him haue done otherwise And so when it hath bene alleadged that Christ fasted forty dayes he might quoth he haue eaten if he had list these triflinges in sporte mighte bee drawne to graue speach if Christen men shall refuse to folow Christ in myracles For all his life was myracles and his loue that is our Badge most miraculous of all to dye for his enemies I beseeche your Grace to pardon me for I am like one of the commō house that when I am in my tale thinke I should haue liberty to make an end and specially writing to your grace with whome I accompt I may bee bolde assuring you it proceedeth of a zeale towardes you vnto whom I wysh well whose intent although it be suche as it ought to bee and as it pleased you to shew me it was yet such thinges spread abroade whereof the euill willers of the Realme will take courage and make accompte although it bee wrong that all goeth on wheeles if any man had either fondly or vndiscreetelye spoken of lent to engreue it to bee an importable burthen I would wish his reformation for I haue not learned
therfore it must be receyued with the instrument of the soule which is fayth For as ye receiue sustenance for your body by your bodily mouth so the foode of your soule must be receiued by fayth which is the mouth of the soule And for that S. Augustine sharpely rebuketh them that thinke to eat Christ with their mouthe saying Quid paras dentem ventrem crede manducasti i. Why makest thou redy thy tooth thy belly August 〈◊〉 Ioan. 〈◊〉 25. beleue thou hast eateÌ„ Christ. Likewise speaking of eatyng the selfe same body he sayth to the Capernaites which tooke hym grosly as men do now a dayes The words that I speake are spirit and lyfe It is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothyng Iohn 6. And S. Augustine vpon these words of Christ sayth * That is to 〈◊〉 You shall 〈◊〉 eate the boâ—â— which you 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 bloâ—d whicâ— they shall 〈◊〉 that shall 〈…〉 me I 〈◊〉 commended you a 〈◊〉 vnderstood 〈◊〉 spiritually 〈◊〉 it shall 〈◊〉 you lyfe 〈◊〉 flesh 〈◊〉 nothing NoÌ„ hoc corpus quod videtis manducaturi estis neque bibituri sanguinem quem effusuri sunt qui me crucifigent Sacramentum aliquod vobis trado Id spiritualiter acceptum viuificat caro auteÌ„ non prodest quicquam August Quinquagena 2. Psal 98. Custome What meane you by this spirite and by spirituall eatyng I pray you vtter your mynde more playnely For I know well that Christ hath a bodye and therefore must be eaten as I thinke with the mouth of the bodye For the spirit and the soule as it hath no body and flesh so it hath no mouth Veritie You must vnderstand that a man is shaped of two partes of the body and of the soule And eche of them hath his life and his death his monthe his teethe his foode and abstinence For like as the body is nourished and fostered with bodily meats or els can not endure so must the soule haue his cherishing otherwise it will decay pine away And therefore we do may iustly say that the Turkes Iewes and Heathen be dead because they lacke y t liuely foode of the soule But how then or by what meane wil you fede the soule Doubtles not by the instrument of the body but of the soule For that which is receiued into the bodye hath no passage from thence into the soul. For Christ sayth That what â—o entreth into the belly is conueied into the draught And where as you say that the spirite hathe no mouth like as it hath no bodye or bones you are deceiued For the spirite hath a mouthe in his kinde or else howe coulde a man eate and drinke Iustice for vndoubtedly his bodily mouthe is no fit instrument for it Yet Christ sayeth that he is blessed that hungreth and thirsteth for Iustice. If hee hunger and thirst for Iustice 〈◊〉 5. belike he both eateth and drinketh it or otherwise he neither abateth his hunger nor quencheth hys thirst 〈◊〉 is to 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Nowe if a man eate and drinke righteousnesse wyth hys spirite no doubt his spirite hath a mouth Whereof I will reason thus Da Of what soeuer sorte the mouth is suche is hys foode ti But the mouth of the spirite is spirituall not bodily si Therefore it receiueth Christes body spiritually not bodily And in like manner Christe speaking of the eatyng of hys bodye nameth him selfe the breade not for the bodye but of life for the soule 〈◊〉 6. and sayth He that commeth to me shal not hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Wherfore who so will be relieued by the body of Christ must receiue him as hee will be receiued with the instrumente of faith appoynted thereunto not with his teethe or mouthe And where as I say that Christes body must be receiued taken with faith I meane not that you shall plucke downe Christ from heauen and put him in your faith as in a visible place but that you must with your faith rise and spring vp to him and leauing this world dwell aboue in heauen putting all your trust coÌ„fort and consolation in him which suffered grieuous bondage to set you at libertye to make you free creeping into his wounds which were so cruelly pearced and doâ—ted for your sake So shall you feede the body of Christ so shall you sucke the bloud that was poured out and shed for you This is the spiritual y e very true the onely eating of Christes body â—regory And therfore S. Gregorie calleth it Cibum mentis non ventris i. The foode of the minde and not of the bellie â—â—yprian And S. Cyprian sayth likewise Non accuimus dentem nec ventrem paramus i. We sharpen not oure tooth nor prepare our bellie Now to returne to our former purpose seeing it is plain that Christes body is meat for our spirit and hath nothing to do with our body I wil gather thereof this reason The sacrament is bodily foode and increaseth the body Ergo the sacrament is not the very body of Christ. That it norisheth the body it is euident for Christe calleth it the fruite of the vine whose duetie is to nourish And for a proofe if you consecrate a whole loafe it will feede you so well as your table bread And if a little Mouse get an host he will craue no more meate to hys dinner But you will saye these are worldly reasons What then if the old Fathers recorde the same Irenaeus sayth Quando mixtus calix fractus panis percipit verbum Dei sit Eucharistia corporis sanguinis Domini ex quibus augetur consistit carnis nostrae substantia Beda witnesseth the same by these woordes Quia panis carnem confirmat Christes â—â—dy is spiâ—â—â—uall â—eate vinum sanguinem operatur in carne hic ac corpus Christi mysticè illud ad sanguinem refertur Wherefore as I sayde before seeing that Christes body is spirituall meat and the bread of the sacrament bodily I may conclude that the sacrament is not Christes body Beside this where it was forbidden in the old law that any man should eat or drinke bloud the Apostles notwithstanding tooke the cup at Christes handes and dranke of it neuer staggered or shranke at the matter 〈…〉 bloud 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 whereby it may be gathered that they tooke it for a mysterie for a token and a remembraunce farre otherwise then it hath of late bene taken Againe when the sacrament was dealte none of theÌ„ all crouched downe and tooke it for his God forgettinge hym that sate there present before their eies â—neeling to 〈◊〉 Sacraâ—ent forâ—idden in 〈◊〉 CouÌ„â—â—ls â—he Sacraâ—â—nt carryâ—â— home in 〈◊〉 but tooke it and eate it knowing that it was a sacrament and a remembraÌ„ce of Christes body Yea the old Councels commanded that no man should kneele downe at the time of the Communion fearing
tempt vs further then he wil make vs able to beare Therfore be not carefull for I heare say this day you shall be called forth what you shall aunswer The Lord promiseth and will geue them that stand in his defence how and what to aunswere The Lord which is true and cannot lye hath promised and will neuer faile nor forget it that you shall haue both what and how to aunswer so as shal make hys shameles aduersaries ashamed Hang therefore on this promise of God who is an helper at a pinch and a most present remedy to them that hope in him Neuer was it heard of or shall be that any hoping in the Lord was put to foile Therfore as I sayd I say agayne Deare Sister be not only not carefull for your answeryng but also be ioyfull for your cause Confesse Christ and be not ashamed and he will confesse you neuer bee ashamed of you Though losse of goodes and lyfe bee like here to ensue A blessed thing seeing a man must needes dye to dye for the Lord. Yet if Christ be true as hee is most true it is otherwyse in deede For he that looseth his lyfe sayth he winneth it but he that saueth it looseth it Our sinnes haue deserued many deathes Nowe if God so deale with vs that hee wyll make our deserued death a demonstratioâ— of his grace a testimoniall of hys veritie a confirmation of hys people and ouerthrowe of hys aduersaries What great cause haue wee to bee thankefull Be thankefull therefore good Sister bee thankefull Reioyce and be mery in the Lord be stoute in his cause quaâ—ell be not faynt harted but runne out your race and set your captaine Christ before your eyes Beholde howe great your a small congregation But be it so that Peter had as much geuen to him as they do affirme· Who yet will graunt that Peter had a patrimony geuen for his heires He hath left say the Papists to his successors the selfe â—ame right which he receyued Oh Lord God then must hys successor be a Sathan for hee receyued that title of Christ hymselfe I would gladly haue the Papistes to shew me one place of succession mentioned in the Scriptures I am sure that wheÌ„ Paule purposely painteth out the whole administration of the church he neither maketh one head nor any inheritable Primacie yet he is altogether in commendation of vnitie After he hath made mention of one God the father of one Christ of one spirit of one body of the Church of one fayth and of one Baptisme then hee describeth the meane and maner how vnitie is to be kept namely because vnto euery pastour is grace geuen after the measure wherwith Christ hath endued them Where I pray you is now any title of Plenitudinis potestatis of fulnesse of power When he calleth home euery one vnto a certayne measure why did he not forthwith say one Pope Which thing he could not haue forgotten if the thyng had bene as the Papists make it But let vs graunt that perpetuitie of the Primacye in the church was established in Peter I would gladly learne why the seat of the Primacy should be rather at Rome then elswhere Mary say they because Peters chaire was at Rome This is euen lyke to this that because Moses the greatest Prophet and Aaron the first Priest exercised their offices vnto their death in the deserte therfore the principallest place of the Iewish Church should bee in the wildernesse But graunt them their reason that it is good What should Antioch claime For Peters chaire was there also wherin Paule gaue hym a checke which was vnseemely and vnmanerly done of Paule that would not geue place to his President and better No say the Papistes Rome must haue this authoritie because Peter died there But what if a man should by probable coniectures shew that it is but a fable which is fained of Peters Bishoprike at Rome Read how Paule doth salute very many priuate persons when he writeth to the Romaines Three yeres after his Epistle made he was broght to Rome prisoner Luke telleth that he was receiued of the brethren and yet in all these is no mention at all of Peter which then by their stories was at Rome Belike he was proud as the Pope and Prelates be or els he woulde haue visited Paule Paule beyng in prison in Rome did write diuers Epistles in which hee expresseth the names of many whiche were in comparison of Peter but rascall personages but of Peter he speaketh neuer a word Surely if Peter had bene there this silence of hym had bene suspicious In the 2. Epistle to Tim. Paule complaineth that no man was with hym in his defence but al had left hym If Peter had bene then at Rome as they write then eyther Paule had belied hym or Peter had played his Peters part Luke 23. In another place how doth he blame all that were with hâ—m only Timothy excepted Therfore we may wel doubt whether Peter was at Rome B. as they prate for all this tyme long before they say that Peter was bishop there But I will not stirre vp coles in this matter If Rome bee the chiefe seate because Peter died there why should not Antioch be the second Why should not Iames Iohn which were taken with Peter to be as pillers Why I say shoulde not their seates haue honor next to Peters seate Is not this geare preposterous that Alexandria where Marke which was but one of the disciples was bishop should be preferred before Ephesus where Iohn the Euangelist taught and was bishop and before IerusaleÌ„ where not only Iames taught and died bishop but also Christ Iesus our Lord high priest for euer by whom beyng Maister I hope honour should be geuen to his chaire more theÌ„ to the chaire of his Chaplaines I need to speake nothyng how that Paule telleth Peters Apostleship to concerne rather circumcision or the Iewes therfore properly pertaineth not to vs. Neither do I need to bring in Gregorius the first bishop of Rome which was about the yere of our Lord. 600. who plainly in his works doth write that this title of Primacy to be head ouer all churches vnder Christ is a title meete and agreyng only to Antichrist and therfore he calleth it a prophane a mischieuous and an horrible title Whome should we beleeue now if we will neyther beleeue Apostle nor Pope If I should go about to tel how this name was first gotten by Phocas I should be too long I purpose God willing to set it forth at large in a worke which I haue begun of Antichrist if God for his mercies sake geue me life to finish it For this present therefore I shall desire your Ladyship to take this in good part If they wil needs haue the B. of Rome to be acknowledged for the head of the Church then will I vrge them that they shall