so moche that wheÌ„ christ knewe that yt was his fathers will pleasure that he shuld suffer for ourâ—innes wherin his honour glorie prayse shulde be published then was yt a pleasure vnto hiÌ„ to declare vnto his disciples that great benefite vnto hiâ— fathers prayse and glorie and so did institute that we shuld come to gether aÌ„d breake the brede in the remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of his bodye breakynge bloudeshediÌ„ge that we shuld eate it to gether reioysinge w t eche other declariÌ„ge his bnÌ„fitesâ— Now were the corinthians fallin froÌ„ this houÌ„ger and caÌ„ not to gether to th enteÌ„t that goddes prayse shuld be published by theÌ„ in the myddes of the congrygacion but caÌ„ to fede their fleshe to make carnall chere In so moche that the ryche wolde haue meate and drincke ynough aÌ„d take suche aboundauÌ„ce that they wolde be droÌ„ke and so made yt ther owyn souper not the lordes as paule sayth aÌ„d did eate onlye the brede and meate aÌ„d not the bodye breakynge as I sayd before and the poore which hade not that is to saye that had no meate to eate where shamed hongrye aÌ„d so could not reiose aÌ„d prayse the lorde by the reason that the delicate fare of the riche was an occasion for the pore eo lameÌ„t their pourtye aÌ„d thus the riche did nether prayse god theÌ„selues nor suffered the poore to doo yt but were an occasioÌ„ to hynder them They shulde haue brought their meate drinke aÌ„d haue deuided yt w t their poore brothern that they might haue byn mery to gether aÌ„d so to haue geuyn theÌ„ occasion to be merye aÌ„d reioyse in the lorde w t thaÌ„kes geuinge But they had nether luste to prayse god nor to coÌ„forte their neighboure Ther fayth was feble aÌ„d their charite cold and had no regard but to fyll their bodye fede there fleshe And so dispised the poore congrygacion of god whom they shuld haue honoured for the spyrite that was in theÌ„ fauour that god had shewed indifferentlye vnto them in the bloude of his sonne christe When Paulâ— perceyued that they were thus fleshlie minded had no mynde vnto that spuÌ„all maundye which chefelye shuld ther be aduertised he reproueth theÌ„ sore rehersinge the wordes of christe That w c I gaue vnto you I receyued of the lorde For the lorde Iesus the same night in the w c he was betrayed toke bred thaÌ„ked and brake yt sayd take ye and eate ye this ys my bodie w c ys brokeÌ„ for you this do ye in the remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of me After the same maner he toke the cup wheÌ„ souper was don sayinge this cup is the new testameÌ„t in my bloude this do ye as ofte as ye drinke yt in the remembraunce of me For as ofte as ye shall eate thys bred and drynke this cup ye shall shewe the lordes deth tyll he come As though he shuld saye ye corinthians are moche to blame w c at this souper seke the foede of your fleshe For yt was institute of christe not for the enteÌ„t to noryshe the belye but to streÌ„ghtheÌ„ the harte soule in god And bi this you maye knowe that christe so meÌ„t For he callyth yt his bodye w c is geuin for you so that the name yt sellf might testifie vnto yow that in this souê‘ you shuld more eate hys bodye w c is geuyn for you by digestyng that in to the bowelles of your soule theÌ„ the breed w c by the breakiÌ„ge the distributyng of yt doth repÌ„sent his bodie breakiÌ„ge the distributyng theroff vnto all that are faythfull And that he so meaneth ys euydent by the wordes following w c saye this do in the remembraunce of me and likewise of the cup. And finallie â—oncluding of both Paule sayth as often as ye shall eate this brede aÌ„d drinke this cup in this place and fellowship ye shall shewe the lordes deth vntill he come praisinge the lorde for the dethe of his sonne and exortinge other to do the same reioysinge in him w t infinite thankes And thefore ye are to blame w c seke onlye to fede the bellye w t that thinge w c was onlye institute to fede the soule And ther vppon yt followyth Wherfore who so euer doth eate of this bred or driÌ„ke of this cup vnworthelie is giltye of the bodye bloude of the lorde He eateth this brede vnworthelie w c regardeth not the purpose for the w c Christ did insâ—itute yt w c comith not to it w t spuÌ„all honger to eate thorough faith his verye bodye w c the bred representeth by the breaking aÌ„d distributinge oâ— yt whiche comith not w t a merye harte geuinge God hartye thankes for their deliuerance from synne Whiche do not moche more eate in their harte the deth of his bodye then they do the bred w t their mouth Now sith the Corinthians dyd onlye seke their bely and fleshe forgat goddes honour and prayse for which â—t was institute that thankes shuld be geuyn by the remembraunce oâ— his bodie breakinge for vs they eate yt to goddes dishonour to their neighboures hinderrance and to ther owin condempnacion and so for lacke of fayth were gâ—ltye of Christes bodie w c by faith they shulde there cheffelye haue eatâ—n to ther soules helth And therfore yt followith ¶ Lett a man therfore examyne hym sellfe and so let hym eate of the brede and drinke of the cup. THis prouynge or examinynge of a mans selfe is fyrste to thinke w t him sellfe w t what luste and disyre he comyth vnto the maundye wyll eate that bâ—ed whether he besure that he is the childe of god in the fayth of Christe And whether hâ—s conscâ—ence do beare hym wytnes that Christes bodye was brokyn for hym And whether the luste that he hath to prayse god aÌ„d thanke hym w t a faythfull harte in the myddes of the brethern do dryue hym thither warde Or els whether he do yt for the meates sake or to kepe the custome for then were yt better that he were awye For he that eateth or drinketh vnworthelye eateth aÌ„d drinkethe his owyn daÌ„nacyon because he maketh no difference of the lordes bodye That ys as yt ys sayd before he that regardeth not the purpose for which it was institute aÌ„d puteth no defference betwene this eatâ—ng and othâ—r eating for other eatynge doth onlye serue the bellye but thys eatynge was institute and ordeyned to sarue the soule and inwarde man And therfore he that abuseth yt to the fleshe eateth and drinketh hys owyn dampnacyon And he comyth vnworthelye to the maundye where the sacrament of Christes bodye ys eaten ye where the bodye of the lorde ys eaten not â—arnallye w t the teth and bâ—llye but spiritually w t the harte and faythe Uppon this followeth the text that master More allegeth and wresteth for his purpose For this cause manye are weake and sike amoÌ„ge you manie slepe Yf we had trulie Iudged
that thing wher in they were offended By this wearke you shall espye their blasphemies the venemous tonges wher w t they sâ—launder not onlye them that publyshe the truthe but euyn the truth yt seelfe They shame not to saye that we affyrme yt to be onlye bred and nothinge els And we saye not so but we saye that besyde the substance of bred yt is the sacrament of Christes bodye and bloud As the yuye hangyng before the tauerne doore ys more then bare yuye For beside the substance of yuye yt ys a signe and signifyeth that there is wyne to be sould And this sacrament signifyeth vnto vs and poynteth oute before oure eyes that as verely as that bred is broken so verely was christes bodye broken for our synnes And as that bred is distributed vnto vs so is hys bodie and fructe of hys passyon distributed vnto all hys faythfull And as the bred comforteth the bodie so doth the fayth in Christes deth coÌ„forte oure soules And as surelye as we haue that bred and eate yt wyth oure mouth and teth and knowe by our senses that we haue yt w t in vs and are partakers therof no more nede we to doubte of hys bodye and bloud but that thorough fayth we are as sure of theÌ„ as we are sure of that bred As yt is sufficientlye declared in my boke Agayne you maye perceyue how wyckydlye they report on vs w c affyrme that we dishonoure yt w c geue yt the right honoure that yt ought to haue And you do playnlye dishonoure yt w c geue vnto yt the honoure that is onlye dew vnto god We geue yt the same honoure that we geue vnto the holye scripture worde of god because yt expresseth vnto our senses the deth of our sauyoure and doth more dypelye prent yt w t in vs. And therfore we calle yt an holye sacrament as we calle goddes worde holye scripture And we receyue this sacrament w t great reuerence euyn as we reuerrentlye reade or heare preached the holye worde of God w c conteyneth the helth of our soules And we graunt that hys bodye ys present with the bred as yt ys w t thâ— word and with both yt ys verelye receyued and eaten thorough fayth But yf we shuld knele downe and praye vnto the holye scrypture men might count vs soles and might lawfullye saye that we do not honoure the sâ—ripture by that meanes but rather dishonoure yt For the right honoure of a thinge ys to vse yt â—or that entent that yt was institute of god And he â—hat abuseth yt to any other purpose doth in dede dishonoure yt And lykewise yt is in the sacâ—ameÌ„t w c was institute to kepe in memorye â—he dâ—th of christ wcâ—f we do any other wise honoure then we do the holye scripture vnto the w c we maye in no wise make our prayers I saye that then we shulde vâ—terâ—ie dishonoure yt Auoyde therfore this poynt of Idolatrye and all ys saffe Finallye we saye that they speakâ— well and faythfullye w c saye that they goo â—o the bodie receue the bodye of Christ and that they speake vilynously wickedlye w c saye that tâ—ey onlye receyue bred or the signe of his bodye for in so sayinge they declare theyr inside lyâ—e For the faythfull wyll reakyn that he is euyll reported of and reputed â—or a traytoure and a nother Iudas yf meâ— shuld saye of hym that he did onlye receyue the sacrameÌ„t and not also the thynge which the sacrameÌ„t doth signifye For albe it he onlie eateâ—h the bred sacrameÌ„t w t his mouth and teth yet w t his harte and fayth iâ—wardlye he eatethe the very thinge yt sellfe w t the sacrament owtwardlye dothe represent And of this springe the maner of speakinges that the old fathers do somtyme vse w c at the â—irst sight mought seame coÌ„trarie to our sentense But yf they be will poÌ„dered yt maâ—e sone be senâ— â—ow they shuld be taken For many tymes when they speake of the sacrament outward eatyng they applye vnto the sacrament owtward eatinge the frute and coÌ„ditions of the inwarde eatinge and thinge yt sâ—llfe â— because that in a â—aythfull man they are so Ioynâ—tâ—ye Ioyned that the one is neuer w t oute the other As by â—xaÌ„ple Marye is named the mother of god and yet she is not the mother of hys godhed by the w c parte onlye he is called god but because she is hys mother as touchinge his manhode and the godhed is so annexed w t the maÌ„â—ed that they both make but one person therfore ys she called the mother of god w c in dede yf yâ— bâ— wyselye weyed shaâ—be founde to be â—bused speache And yet neuerthelesse yt may very will be vsyd yf men vnderstond what ys ment therbye but yf thorough the vse of thys speache men shuld falâ— in to suche an erroure that wold affyrme oure ladye to be in dede the mother of hys godhed then necessyte shuld compell vs to make a dystynctyon betwâ—ne the nature of hys godhed and the nature of hys manhod and so to expound the mater vnto them and bringe them home agayne in to the ryght vnderstondynge As we are now consâ—rayned to do in thys sacrament because you misâ—construe the sayinges of the scrypture and Doctoures Whych notwythsâ—ondyng yf a man vnderâ—â—ond them saye verye well And many suche maner of speaches are contaâ—ned in the scripture As where christ saâ—eth Ioan 3. there shall no man ascend in to heuin but he that disceÌ„deth froÌ„ heueÌ„ the sone of maÌ„ w c ys in heuin Thys text doth saye thaâ— the sonne of maÌ„ was theÌ„ in heueÌ„ wheÌ„ he â—pake thes wordâ—s vnto nâ—codemus here oâ— yerâ—h w c thinge all wise meÌ„ coÌ„sent to be vnderstond propter unitatem personae That is to saye for the vnite of the person For albe it his godhed was in euerie place at that tyme yet was not his maÌ„hod by the w c he was called the sonne of man in heuin at that tyme. And yet christ sayd that yt was in heuen for the vnite of his ê‘son For his godhed was in heuen aÌ„d because the godhed aÌ„d manhode made one ê‘son therfore yt was ascrybed vnto the manhod w t was onâ—ye vereâ—ied vppon the godhed as saint Auâ—ten ad Dardanum doth delygentlye declare And lyke wise in the sacrameÌ„t oâ— baptime because the inward workinge of the holye gosâ— is euer aÌ„nexed in the faythfull vnto the outward ceremonye therfore somtyme the frute of the inward baptyme ys ascrybed onto the outward warke And so the scripture vseth to speake of the outward baptâ—me as though yt were the inward that is to saye the spryt of god And therfore s. Paule sayeth that we are buried w t christe thorough baptime And yet as s. Austene expoundeth yt the outeward baptime dothe but signifie this buriall And agayne paule sayeth as manye as are baptised haue put christ vppoÌ„ theÌ„ And yet in
c pleassed God and are not dede Wherfore Because they vnderstode the visible meate spiritualy They were spiritualy an hongred they tasted yt spiritualy that they might spiritualy be replenished They did all eate the same spirituall meate and all dranke the same spirituall â— drynke Eâ—eâ— the same spirituall meate albeit an other bodely meate for they dede eate manna and we eate anÌ„ other thynge but they did eate the samâ— spirituall which we doo And they all did dâ—ynke the same spuÌ„all drynke They dranke one thynge wâ— an other but that was in the owtward apparence which neuerthelesse dyd signifie the same thyng spuÌ„ally Howe dranke they the same drynke They saythe thapostlâ— draÌ„ke of the spuÌ„all stone followyng theÌ„ aÌ„d that stone was chryst And ther vnto Beda added these wordes Videte autem fide manente signa uariata That ys to say Behold that the sygnâ—s are altered and yet the fayth abydeth one Of these â—laces yow may playnly ê‘â—eyve not only that yt ys non article necessarie to be beleved vnder payne of dampnacyon seinge the old faders never beleved yt And yet did eate crist in fayth bothe before they had the maÌ„na aÌ„d more expÌ„ssely thorough the maÌ„na and w t no lesse frute whaÌ„ the maÌ„na was ceased And albeit the maÌ„na was to theÌ„ as the sacrameÌ„t ys to vs aÌ„d they eate evyn the same spuÌ„all meate that we do yet were they never so madde as to beleve that the maÌ„na was chauÌ„ged in to christes owne naturall bodye But vnderstode yt spuÌ„aly that as the owtward manÌ„ did eate the materiall maÌ„na w c coÌ„forted the bodye so did the inwarde manÌ„ thorough fayth eate the bodye of christ belevinge that as that maÌ„na came downe froÌ„ heviÌ„ aÌ„d coÌ„forted ther bodies so shulde their savyour christe w c was ê“mised theÌ„ of god the fad come downe froÌ„ hevyn aÌ„d streÌ„gth their soules in everlasâ—yng lyffe redemynge theÌ„ froÌ„ ther synne by hys deth aÌ„d resurrexâ—cioÌ„ And lyke wise do we eate christe in fayth both before we câ—me â—o the sacrameÌ„t aÌ„d more expressly thorough the sacrameÌ„t aÌ„d w t no lesse frute after we haue recâ—yved the sacrameÌ„t aÌ„d nede no more to make yt hys naturall bodye then the maÌ„na was but might moche better vnderstoÌ„d yt spuÌ„alye that as the owtward man dothe eate the materyall brede wcâ—oÌ„forteth the bodie so doth the inwarde maÌ„ thorough faythe â—ate the bodie of christe belevynge that as the brede ys brokyn so was christes bodie brokeÌ„ on the crosse for our synnes w c coÌ„forteth our soules vnto lyffe euerlastynge And as that faythe did save theÌ„ w t oute belevynge that the maÌ„na was altered into hys bodie evyn so dothe thys faythe save vs although we beleve not that the substaÌ„ce of bred ys torned into hys naturall bodie For the same fayth shall save vs w c savid theÌ„ aÌ„d we are bouÌ„de to beleve no more vnd payne of daÌ„pnacyoÌ„ then they were â—ouÌ„de to beleve They beleved in god the fader almighty maker of hevyn aÌ„d yerth aÌ„d all that ys in theÌ„ They did beleve that christe was the sone of god They did beleve that he shoulde take our nature of a vyrgyn They beleved that he shulde suffer the deth for our delyueraÌ„ce w c thynge was signified in al the sacrifices aÌ„d besydes that testified in every ê“phet for ther was not one prophet but he spake of that poynt They beleved that hys soule should not be lefte in hell but that hâ— shoulde arise from deth and reigne euerlastiÌ„g w t his fader And to be shorte there ys no poynt in ouâ—e crede but that they beleved yt as well as wee doo those articles are only necessarie vnto salvacion For them am I bounde to beleve aÌ„d am daÌ„pned w t ouâ—e excuse yf I beleve theÌ„ not But the other poyntes coÌ„tayned in scrypture allthough they be vndoubted verites yet may I be saved w t oute them As beyt in case that I never hard of them or when I here of them I can not vnderstond them nor comprehend them or that I here them and vâ—derstond them and yet by the reason of an other text misconstrnÌ„e them as the bohemes doo the wordes of christe in the .6 chapiter of IoanÌ„ All thes I saye may be don w t oute anye ieoê‘die of dampnacyon In euery text ys but only one verite â—or w c yt was spokynÌ„ aÌ„d yet some textes ther be w c of catholike doctours are expounded in .vi. or .vij. sondry fashions Therfore we beleve thes articles of our crede in thother ys no pareâ—â— so that we haue aprobable reason to dissent from them But now to retorne to our porposâ—e yf we wyll examen the auctorytyes of s. Austyn and Beda before alleged we shall espie that besyde the probacyon of this forsayd ê“posicyon they open the misterie of all our mater to them that haue eyen to see For. s. Austyn sayeth that we and y â— olde faders do differ as touchynge the bodely meate for they eate maÌ„na and we bred but albeit yt varyed in the outeward apperance yet neverthelesse spnÌ„ally yt did signyfye one thynge For bothe the manna and bred do signifie christe And so both they and we do eate one spuÌ„all meate that ys to saye we bothe eate the thynge wcâ—ignyfieth repÌ„senteth vnâ—o vs the verye one spuÌ„all meate oâ— our foules w c ys christe And beda doth playnly call both the manna and the brede signes saynge be holde that the sygnes are aâ—tered and yet the fayth abydeth one Now yf they be signâ—s thaÌ„ they do signifie and are not the very thynge yt sellffe w c they do sygnifye for the â—igne oâ— a thinge defferenth from the thynge yt seâ—â—f w c yt doth signifie aÌ„d repÌ„sent As the ale poleys not the aâ—e yt sellfe w c yt dothe signifie or represenâ— Here thou wylt obiecte agaynste me that yf this faith be sufficient what nedeth the institucyon of a sacrament I answer that sacrameÌ„tes are insâ—ituted for .iij. causes The firste ys assygned of s. Austyn which fayth on this maner In nullum auteÌ„ nomen religionis seu veruÌ„ seu falsum coagu lari homines possunt nisi signaculoruÌ„ seu sacrameÌ„torum visibiliuÌ„ consortio colligantur quoruÌ„ sacramentorum uis inenarrabiliter ualet plurimumâ— ideo contempta sacrilegos facit Impie quippe conteÌ„nitur sine qua perfici noÌ„ potest pietas That ys to saye men can not be ioyned in to any kynde of religion whether yt be trew or faâ—se except they be knyt in felowshyp by som viâ—ible tokenes or sacramentes the power of which sacrameÌ„tes ys of suche efficacite that can not be exprâ—ssed And therfor yt makyth them that dispice yt to be abhorred for yt ys wickydnes to despice that thynge w t oute which godlines can not be brought to passeâ— Thus yt aperith that necessite ys the first cause For ther can no coÌ„gregacyoÌ„ be severed oute of the multitude of men but
scripture glorye of christe And where as in my firste treaâ—ise the truthe was set forthe w t all symplicite aÌ„d nothyng armâ—d agaynste the assauâ—e of sophesters that haue I somwhat redressed in this boke aÌ„d haue brought bones feyt for their teth which yf they be to busye may chaunce to choke them ¶ Thus begynnyth the preface of master Mores boke IN my moste hartye wise I recoÌ„meÌ„de me vnto yow aÌ„d sende yow by thys brynger the wrytynge agyane whiche I receyved from yow Wherof I haue byn offered a cople of copies mo in y e meane while as late as ye wot well yt was Deare brotherne coÌ„sider thes wordes and prepare yow to the crosse that Christe shall laye vppon yow as ye haue ofte byn counseled For evyn as whan the wolffe howleth the shâ—pe hade nede to gather them sellfe to their shepard to be delyâ—ered from the assaulte of the blodye beaste lykewise hade yow nede to flye vnto the shepard of your soules christ Ihesus aÌ„d to sell youre coetes and bye hys spuÌ„all swerd w c is the word of god to defende and deliure yow in this pÌ„sent necessyte for now ys the tyme that Christ tould vs of math 10. that he was come by hys word to se et variaunce betwene the sonne and hys fader betwene the doughter and her mother betwene the doughterlawe aÌ„d her motherlawe and that a mans owne househould shal be hys emnyes But be not dismayed nor thynke yt no wonder for christ chose .12 and one of theÌ„ was the devyll and betrayed hys master And we that are hys disciplis may loke for no better than he hade hym sellfe for the scoler ys not aboue hys master ¶ Saynt Paul protesteth that he was in perell emoÌ„ge the false bretherne and suerly I suppose that we are in no lesse yeopardye For yf yt be so that hys mastership Receyvyd one copye and hade a coeple of copyes mo offered in the meane while then maye ye besure that ther are many faulse brethernÌ„ which pretend to haue knowelege and in dede be but pykthankes ê“uidyng for ther belye prepare ye therfore clokys for the wether wexeth cloudye and rayne ys lyke to folowe I meane not faulse excuses and forsweringe of your fellfes but that ye loke substancially on goddes worde that yow may be able to answer ther sotle obiectioÌ„s And rather chose maÌ„fully to dye for crist aÌ„d hys worde thaÌ„ cowardli to denye hym for this vaine aÌ„d traÌ„sitory lyffe coÌ„sâ—deringe that they haue no furder power but ouer this corruptible bodye w c yf they put yt not to deth muste yet at the length perishe of yt sellfe But I truste the lorde shall not suffer yow to be teÌ„pted aboue that yow may beare but acordinge to the sprite that he shall poure vppon yow shall he allso sende yow the scorge and make hym that hath receyuyd more of the sprite to suffer more hym that receyuyth lesse therof to suffer accordinge to his taleÌ„t I thought yt necessarie first to monyshe yow of thys matter and nowe I wyll recite more of master Mores boke Wher bye men may see how gredely thes newe named brethern wryt yt oute secretly spred yt a brode The name ys of great antiquite allthoughe yow â—iste to iest For thei were called brethernerâ— our bushoppes were called lordes and had the name geuyn them by Christe sayâ—ge Math. xxiij all ye are brethern And luke the .xxij Confyrme they bretheâ—n And the name was continued by the aposteles and ys a name that norysheth loue amite And very glad I am to here of ther gredye affection in wrytynge oute and spredynge a brode the worde of god for by that I do perceyue the ê“phesie of Amos to haue place whiche sayth in the ê‘son of god I wyll send hoÌ„ger thurste in to the yerth â— not honger for mâ—ate nor thurste for drynke But for â—o here the worde of god Nowe begynyth the kyngdom of heuyn to suffer violence Now runne the pore publicanes which knowelege them sellfys synners to the worde of god puttynge bothe goodes and bodye in Ieoperdy for the soule health and though our Bishopes do caule yt heresye and all them herytyckys that honger after yt yet do we knowe that yt ys the gospell of the leuynge god for the helth and saluacyon of all that beleue And as for the name doth nothing offende vs though they calle yt heryse a thousand tymys For sainct Paulle testifyeth that the pharises and prystes whyche were counted the very churche in hys tyme did so calle yt and therfore yt forsyth not though they rulynge in ther roumes vse thesame namys ¶ Whiche youge man I here say hathe lately made diuers other thynges that yet runne in hoker moker so close amoÌ„ge the brothern that ther comyth no copies abrode ¶ I answer that surely I can not spynne and I thinke noman more hateth to be idle than I doo Wherfor in suche thyngys as I am able to doo I shal be deligent as longe as god lendyth me my lyffe And yf ye thynke I be to busye yow may rid me the sonner for euyn as the shepys in the bochers handes ready bounde and loketh but euyn the grace of the bocher when he shall shede hys blode Euyn so am I bounde at the bushopes pleasures euer lokynge for the day of my dethe In so moche that playne worde was sent me that the chaunâ—elour of London sayd yt shuld coste me the best blode in my body which I wolde gladly were shede to morow yf so be yt myght opyn the kynges graces eyen And verely I marvyll that any thynge can rune in hoker moker or be hyde from yow For sythe yow mought haue suche store of copyes coÌ„cernynge the thynge which I moste desyred to haue byn kept secreat how shuâ—d yow thaÌ„ lake a copye a those thynges w c I moste wolde haue published And here of ye may be sure I care not though yow alâ— the bushoppes w t in engloâ—d loke on all that euer I wrote but rather wolde be glade that ye so did For yf there be any sparke of grace in youre breastes I trust yt shulde be an ocâ—aâ—ioÌ„ somwhat â—o kyndle yt that you may coÌ„syder and knowe your sellâ—es w t ys the fyrst poynt of wysdom And wolde God for nys mercye sayth M more that syth ther can nothynge refrayne ther â—tudye from deuise and compassyng of euyll vngracyous wryting that they wolde coulde kepe yt so secreatly thaâ— neuer man shulde se yt But suche as are so ferre corrupted as neuer wolde be cured of ther canker It ys not possyble for hym that hathe hys eyen and seth hys brother w c lackyth sight in Ieoê‘dye of peryshynge at a peryâ—ous pyt but that he must com to hym and guyde hym tyll he be past that Ieoê‘dye and at the lest wiâ—e yf he can
my wordes true by scrypture reason of nature aÌ„d doctours Paulle calleth yt brede saynge the brede w c we breake ys yt not the felowship of the bodye of christe For we though we be manye are yet one bodye and one brede as manye as are pertakers of one brede And agayne he sayeth asoftyn as ye eate of this brede or drinke of this cuppe yow shall shewe the lordes deth vntyll he coÌ„me Allso luke caulleth yt brede in the actes saying they coÌ„tinued in the felowshyp of the apostylles and in breakinge of brede and in prayer Allso Christe caulyd the cuppe the frute of vyne sayinge I shall not froÌ„ hence forthe dryncke of the frute of the vyne vntyll I drynke that newe in the kyngdom of my father Furthermore nature doth teache yow that both the brede and wyne coÌ„tynewe in their nature For the brede mouleth yf yt be kepte loÌ„ge ye and wurmes brede in yt And the poore mouse wyll ronne awaye w t yt and deâ—yre no nother meate to herdynner whiche are euident ynough that there remayneth brede Allso the wyne yf yt were reseruyd wold wex souer as they confesse them selues and therfore they housell the laye people but w t one kynde only because the wyne can not continue nor be reserued to haue ready at hande when nede were And surely as yf ther remayned no brede yt coulde not mould nor wex full of wormes Euyn so yf ther remayned no wyne yt coulde not wex sower and therfore yt ys but faulse doctryne that our prelates so longe haue puplyshed Finally that there remaynethe bred might be proued by the auctorite of many doctours which caule yt bred and wyne as Christ and his apostels did And though some sophysters wolde wreast their sayings and expound them after their phantasie yet shall I allege them one doctour which was allso pope of Rome that makyth so playne with vs that they shal be compelled with shame to holde their tonges For pope Gelasius wryteth on this maner Certe sacramenta que sumimus corporiset sanguinis â—hristi diuinae ressunâ— propterea per illa participes facti sumus diuinae naturae tamen non deâ—init esse substantia uel panis uini sed permanent in suae proprietati naturae Et certe imago similitudo corporis sanguinis christi in actione misteriorum celebrantur That ys to saye suerâ—y the sacramentes of the bodye and bloude of Christe are a godly thynge and therfore thorough them are we made partakers of the Godly nature And yet doth yt not cease to be the substaunce or nature of bred and wyne but they coâ—tynewe in the propertye of ther owyn nature And suerly the Image and similitude of the bodye of blode aÌ„d christe are celebrated in the acte of the mysteries Thys I am sure was the olde doctryne which they can not auoyde And therfor with the scrypture nature and fathers I wyll conclude that there remayneth the substaunce and nature of brede and wyne And where ye saye that we affyrme yt to be nothing els I dare saye that ye vntruly report on vs all And here after I wyll shewe yow what yt ys more thâ—n brede And where ye saye that yt ys metely well knowyn what maner of folke they be and that GOD hath in parte wyth hys open vengeaunce declared I answer that master Wycleff was noted while he was liuyng to be a man not only of moste famous doctryne but allso of a very sencere lyff conuersacyon Neuerthelesse to declare your malicyous myndes vengeable hartes as men say .xv. yere after he was buryed yow toke hym vp and brunt hym whiche facte declared youre furye allthough he feâ—te no fier but blessed be GOD whyche hathe gâ—uyn suche tyrantes no further power but ouer thys corruptible bodye For the soule ye can not binde nor burne but God maye blesse where yow curse and curse where you blysse And as for Oecolampadius whom yow allso calle huskyn hys mosâ—e aduersaries haue euer commended hys conuersacion and Godly lyff which when God had appoyâ—ted hys tyme gaue place vnto mature as euery man muste and died of a canker And Tyndale I truste leuyth well coÌ„tent with suche a poore apostylis lyffe as god gaue hys sone christe and hys faythfull ministers in this worlde w c ys not sure of so many miâ—es as ye be yerly of pouÌ„des allthough I am sure that for hys lernynge and Iudgement in scrypture he were more worthye to be promoâ—ed then all the busâ—oppes in england I receyuyd a leâ—ter from hym â— w c was wrytyn syâ—s â—rystmas wherin amonge other maters he wrytyth thus I calle God to record agaynst the day we shall apere before our lorde Iesus to geue a reconynge of our doynges that I never altered one sillable of goddes worde agaynst my conscyence nor wolde do this daye â— yf all that ys in yerth â— whether yt be honour pleasure or rychis mighte be geuyn me Moreouer I take God to record to my coÌ„science that I desyre of God to my sellf in this world no more â—hen that w t oute w c I can not kepe his lawâ—s c Iudge Christen reader whether thes wordes be not spoken of a faythfull â—lere innocent harte And as for hys behauyour ys suche that I am sure no man can reproue hym of any synne â— howbe yt no maÌ„ ys innocent before god which beholdeth the harte Finallye Zwinglius was a man of suche lernyng and grauite beside eloquence that I thinke noman in christindom myght haue coÌ„pared w t hym not withstondynge he was slayne in batayle in defendynge hys cytye and comeÌ„ welth agaynste the assaute of wycked enemyes w c cause was moste ryghtwyse And yf his mastership meane that that was the vengeauncâ— of God and declared hym to be an euyll parson because he was slayne I may say nay and shewe euideÌ„t examples of the contrarie for somtyme god gevyth the victorye agaynst them that haue moste rygtuouse cause as yt is evydeÌ„t in the boke of IudicuÌ„ whâ—r all the chyldern of ysraell were gathered to gether to punyshe the shamfull zodomitrye of tâ—e trybe of bâ—niamyn which were in nombre but 2â—â— thousand And the Israelâ—â—tes were cccc thousand fygtinig men w c came in to Silo aÌ„d asked of god who shulde be ther captaigne agaynst beniamyn And they beinge but xxv thousand slew of the other Israelites .12 thousand in one day Then fledde the chyldern of Isarell vnto the lorde in Silo aÌ„d made great lamentacyon before hym evyn vntyll nyght And asked hym counsell sayinge shall we goo any more to fyght agaynste the trybe of beniamiÌ„ ourâ— brethern or not God sayd vnto theÌ„ yes goo vp and fyght agaynste theÌ„ Then weÌ„t they the next day and faught agaynst them and there were slaine agayne of the Israelites .18 thousand men Then came they backe agayne vnto the house of god and satâ—
hym sellfe I am a very vyne I am the doore and some muste be vnderstond both literalye spiritualie As when God sayd oute of egipte called I my sonne whiche allthough it were literalye fulfillyd in the childern of Israell when he brought them oute of Egipte with great power and wonders â— yet was yt allso ment and verified in Christ hymsellfe hys very spirituall sonne which was caulled oute of Egipt after the deth of Herod And agayne yt is very spuÌ„ally fulfiâ—lâ—d in vs whiche thorou Christes blode are deliuered from the Egipt of synne and from the power of Pâ—arro the deuyll Anâ— I say that this text of scripture This ys my bodie ys only spuÌ„ally to be vnderstondeÌ„â— and not litâ—eralie And that doth S. Austen allso coÌ„firme w c wryteth vnto adamantus saythâ— Thes sentenses of scripture christ was the â—â—one The bloude ys the soule and this ys my bodieâ— are figuratiuelie to be vnderstoÌ„den that ys to say spuÌ„ally or by the way of an allegorie and thus haue I S. Austen whollie on my side whiche thinge shall yet here after more playnly apere Nowe his exaÌ„ple of his bridgromes ring I very well a lowe for I take the blessed sacrameÌ„t to be left w t vs for a very tokeÌ„ a memoriall of christe in dede But I say that the hole substance of the same tokeÌ„ memoriall is his owyn blessed bodie And so I saye that christe hathe lefte vs a better tokyn then this maÌ„ wolde haue vs take yt for And therin he fareth like a maÌ„ to whoÌ„ a bridgrome had deliuered a goodlye golde ringe w t a riche rubie therin to deliuer to his bryde for a token And then he wolde like a faulse shrewe kepe awaye that golde ring and geue the bride in stede therof a proper ringe of a rishe and tell hyr that the bridgroÌ„ wolde sende hyr no better Or els like one that when the bridgrom hade geuyn soche a ring of golde to his bride for a token wyll tell her playne and make hyr beleue that the ringe were but coper or brasse to minishe the bridgromes thanke ¶ I am right glad that ye admit teth myn exaÌ„ple and graunte that the sacrament ys left to be a very token and a memoriall of Christe in dede But where you saye that the hole substance of the samâ— token and memoryall ys hys owyn blessed bodye that ys soner sayd than proued For Saynt Austen shewyth the contrary as yt is partelye before touched and here after shal be dâ—clared more playnlye And where yow saye that we fare lyke a faulse shrew that wolde kepe the gold ringe from the bride and geue hyr a ringe of a rishe or tell hyr that hyr golde ringe were coê‘ or brasse to minishe the bridgromes thanke I answer that we denye not but that the ringe ys moste fine gold and is sett wiâ—h as ryche Rubyes as can be gotton For that ringe I meane the sacrament ys not onlâ— a moste parfayte tokyn and a memoryall of they brydgromes benefytes and vnfayned fauour on hys partye but yt is allso on the other partye eucharistye that ys to saye a thankes geuynge for the gracyous gyftes which she vndoubtedly knowelegeth her sellf to haue receyued For as verely as that bred ys broken amoÌ„ge them so verely was Christes bodye brokyn for ther synnes And as verâ—ly as they receyue that brede in to ther bellye thorough eatinge yt so vereâ—ye do they receyue the frute of his deth in to ther soulys by beleuinge in hym And therfore they assemâ—le to that soâ—ê‘ not for the valure of the bred â— wyne or meate that ys ther eatin but for th entent to geue hym thankes commenlye amonge them all for hys iâ—estâ—mabâ—e goodnes But to procede vnto oure purposse yt a maÌ„ wolde coÌ„me vnto the bryde tell hyr that tâ—is goodly gold ringe were her owyn brydgrome both fleshe bloude and bones as you doo then I thyâ—ke yf she haue any wyt she might answer hym that he mocked and the more he sayd yt the lesse she might beâ—eue hym â— and saye that yf that were her owyn brydgroâ—e what shulde she then nede any remembraunce of hym or why shoulde he geue yt her for a remembraÌ„â—e For a remembraÌ„ce pÌ„suposeth the thynge to be abseâ—t and therfore yf this be a remembrance of hym tâ—an can he noâ— here be present I meruell me therfore moche that he ys not aferde to affirme that thes wordes of Christe of hys bodie and of his bloude muste nedes be vnderstond by waye of a similitude or an allegorye as the wordes be of the vyne and the doore Nowe this he wottes well that though some wordâ—s spokyn by the mouthe of Christ â—e to be vnderstonden only by way of a similitude or an allegorye yet followyth yt not ther vppon that euery lâ—ke worde of christe in other places was non other but an allegorie for suche was the shyfte and cauillacion that the wycked arrians vsed w c toke from Christes parson his omnipotent godhed I graunt that the Arrians erred for as master More sayth though in some place a worde be taken figuratifeâ—y yt followyth not therfore in euery other place yt shulde likewise be takeÌ„ But one questyon muste â— aske hys mastership how dothe he knowe that ther ys any worde or text in scripture that muste be taken figuratuely that ys by the waye of a similitude or as he cauleth yt a necessarie allegorie I thiÌ„ke though some men may assygne other good causes euidences that the first knowelege ys by other textes of scrâ—pture For yf other textes be conferred vnto yt â— and wyll not stonde w t the literall sence then I thynke yt muste nedes be takeÌ„ spirituaâ—lâ— or figuratiuelie as ther are infinite textes in scripture Now when I see that S. Thomas w t felt Christe his wondes put his fynger in hys syde called hym hys lorde aâ—d god and that no tâ—xt in scripture repungneth vnto the same but that they may well â—tond to gether me thynketh yt were folye to affirme that thys word god in that text shulde be taken figuratiuely or by waye of an allegorye But nowe in our mater the processe of scripture wyll not sâ—onde with the liâ—terall sense as shall here after apere And therfore necessite coÌ„pellâ—the vs to expounde yt figuratiuelye as doth allso S. Austen other holy doctors as here after shall playnly apere If euery man that can finde outâ— a newe fonde phantasâ—e vppon a text of holy scripture may haue his owyn minde taken his owyn exposicioÌ„ beleued agaynstâ— the exposâ—cioÌ„s of the old coninge doctors sayntes then may you surely see that non article of the christen fayth can stoÌ„de endure loÌ„ge And then he allegith s. Hierom w c sayeth that yf the eâ—posiâ—â—oÌ„ of other interpretours aÌ„d the coÌ„sent of the coÌ„men catholike churche wâ—re of no more streÌ„gth but that euery maÌ„ might
and phrases of the scripture saith Si auÌ„t flagitiuÌ„ aut facinus iubere uidet figurata locutio est Nisi maÌ„ducaueritis inqt carneÌ„ filiâ— hoiÌ„s et biberitis eiê° sanguineÌ„ noÌ„ habebitis uitaÌ„ iÌ„ uobis â—acinusuel flagitiuÌ„ uidetur iubereâ— Figura est ergo precipieÌ„s passioÌ„is dnÌ„icae esse coÌ„icanduÌ„ et suauiter atque utiliter in memoria recondenduÌ„ qd pro nobis caro eius câ—ucifixa uulnerata sit That ys to saye when so euer the scripture or Christ semeth to coÌ„maunde any fowle or wicked thynge than muste that text be takeÌ„ figuratiuelye that ys yt ys a phrase allegorie and maner of speaking and muste be vnderstoÌ„d spuÌ„ally not after the letter Except sayth christ ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of maÌ„ and drinke his bloude ye shall haue no lyffe in you He â—eamethe saith S. Austen to coÌ„maunde a fowle and a wycked thinge It ys therfore a figure commauâ—ding vs to be partakers of his passyon and sweâ—ly and ê“fitablye to prent in oure mynde that hys fleshe was crucifyed and wonded for vs. This trueth thaÌ„kes be to god doth S. Austen declare vnto vs w c thinge beside the openiÌ„ge of this text agaynst master mores mynde doth playnlye shew what he thought in the woâ—des of christes souper For syth he cauâ—ed yt a sowâ—e and a wicked thinge to eate his fleshe than may you sone ê‘ceyue that he thought yt as sowie aÌ„d as wicked a thinge to eate his bodye seinge hys bodie ys fleshe and then coÌ„sâ—quently yt shall folowe that ether this worde â—aâ—e wher Christe sayd take this eate yt muste be takyn spuÌ„ally or els that this sayng of christe this ys my bodie muste be figuratiuely spoken but thys worde eate ys takeÌ„ after the lettâ—r â—or thei did in dede eate the bred therfore yt muste nedes folowe that this sentence this ys my â—odie muste be figuratiuely spoken Or els ys s. Austen not to be approued in this place w t thynge our bushoppes I thynke wyll not saye naye Besydes thatâ— s. Austen sayeth QuaÌ„do loquebatur dnÌ„s noster Iesus Christus de corpore suo nisi inqt qs maÌ„ducauerit carneÌ„ mâ—aÌ„ et biberit sangui neÌ„ meuÌ„ non habeâ—it in seuitaÌ„ Caro emÌ„ mea uere est cibus sanguis meus uere est potus intellectê° spiritualis credentem â—aluuÌ„ faciâ— quia littera occidit spuÌ„s est q uiuificat That ys to saye wheÌ„ our lorde Iesus Christe spake of his bodie except quod he a man eate my fleshe and drynke my bloude he shall haue no lyff in hym sellf for my fleshe ys verye meate and my bloude ys verie drinke The spirituall vnderstonding saueth hym that beleueâ—h for the letter kyâ—â—â—h but the spirâ—te quyâ—keneth Here may you playnlie perceiue that this text muste onlye be taken spirituallie For he sayeth that to take yt after the letter yt killeth and profiteth nothyng at all and therfore I wonder that we haue ben ledde so longe in this grosse erroure This sayinge doth that famous clark Origine confirme sayng Agnosce ê™ figurae sunt quae in uolumiâ—ibus Domini scriptae sunt ideo tanq spirituales non tanq carnales examinate intelâ—â—gite quae dicuntur Si enim secundum literam seqâ—atis hoc ipsum quod dictum est Nisi manduc mâ—ritis carnem c. occidiâ— hâ—â—c liâ—era That is to saye Marke that thâ—y are figures w c are wryten in tâ—â— scripture of god And thâ—rfore examine theÌ„ as spâ—rituall mâ—n and not as carnall and vndâ—rstond those thinges that are spoken For if thou followe after tâ—e letter this thinge that ys spoken excepte ye eate the flâ—she oâ— thâ— sone of man and drynke his bloude you can haue no liffe in in you this leâ—tâ—r killeth Alas deare brethern why shoulde aâ—y mâ—n be offended w t this doctrine syth yt ys â—proued so playnlie by suche aunâ—ient and hoâ—ie faâ—hers Agayne S Austen sayeth Qui manducat carnem meam bibit meum sanguinem in me manet ego in illo Hoc est ergo maÌ„ducare illaÌ„ esâ— am illum bibere potum in Christo manere illum manentem in se habere ac per hoc qui noÌ„ manet in Christo in quo non manet Christus procuâ—dubio non manducat eius carnem nec bibit sanguineÌ„ etiaÌ„ si tantae rei sacramentuÌ„ ad iudicium sibi manduceâ— bibit â— That is to say he that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blode abideth in me and I in hym This is therfore the eatinge of that meate drinkinge of that blode to abyde in christ and haue him abiding in vs. And therfore he that abideth not in Christ and in whom Christ abideth not w t oute doubt he eateth not his fleshe nor drinketh not hâ—s bloude although he eate and drinke the sacrament of so great a thinge vnto his daÌ„pnacion And euyn the same wordes hath bede vppon the Corinthians 1. Corin 10. This one place is sufficient for to proue mi purposse though he sayd not one worde more For here he doth playnlye determin that he w c abideth not in Christe that is to saye he that is wicked or vnfaythfull doth not eate his fleshe nor drinke his bloude although he eate and drinke the sacrameÌ„t of so great a thinge And so must yt nedes followe that the sacrament yt not the verye naturall bodie of christe For then the vnfaythfull shuld eate his fleshe seing he eateth the sacrament of his bodye But that doth s. AusteÌ„ deney wherfore yt muste nedes followe that yt is but only a token of a remembrance a signe of his bodie breakinge and a representacioÌ„ of his passioÌ„ that we might kepe hys â—acte in memorâ—e geue him thankes for his tender loue aÌ„d kindenes w t when we were his ennemies toke vppon him to suffer moste vile deth to reconcile vs vnto his father and make vs his frendes Thys sainge hath s. Austen in a nother place allso where he wryâ—eth on this maner Qui non in me manet in quo ego noÌ„ maneo noÌ„ se dicat aut existimet maÌ„ducare corpus meuÌ„ aut bibere sanguinem meuÌ„ Non itaque maneÌ„t in Christo qui non sunt eiuâ— membra noÌ„ sunt aâ—Ì„t membra Christi qui se faciuÌ„t membra meritricis That ys to saye he that bydeth not in me And in whom I abyde not lett hiÌ„ not saye or thinke that he eateth mi bodie or driÌ„keth mi blode They abyde not in Christ w c are not his membres And they are not his meÌ„bres w c make theÌ„ selues the membres of an harlete And these are allso the very wordes of Bede Here ys yt playne proued agayne by the auctorite of s. Austen Bede that the wicked and vnfaythfull w c are not the membres of Christ do not eate his bodye nor drinke his bloâ—de aÌ„d yet they do eate
fayth For yt ys no nother thynge to beleue then to haue fayth and therfore when a man answereth that the infant beleueth which hath not the affecte of fayth he answerethe that yt hathe faythe for the sacrament of fayth And that yt turneth yt sellfe to GOD for the sacrament of conuersyon For the answere yt sellfe perteyneth vnto the mynistryng of â—he sacrament As the apostle wryteth of baptyme we are buryed sayeth he with Christe thorough baptyme vnto deth He sayâ—th not we signyfye buryinge but vtterlye sayeth we are buryed He called therfore the sacrament of so great a thynge euyn with the name of the verye thynge yt sellfe c. Iff a man wolde auoyde contencyon and loke soberly on thosse wordes of Sayncte Austen he shall sone perceyue the mysterye of thys matter For euyn as the next good frydaye shal be caulled the day of Christes passyon and yet he shall not suffer deth agayne vppoÌ„ that daye for he dyed but onece and ys nowe immortall euyn so ys the sacrament called Chrystes bodye And as that daye ys not the verye daye that he dyed on but onlye a remembrance therof So the sacrament ys not hys verye naturall bodye but onlye a remembrance of hys bodye breakynge and bloude she dynge And lykewyse as the next ester daye shall be called the day of hys resurrectyon not that yt ys the very same daye that Chryste dyd ryse in but a remembraunce of the same Euyn so the sacrament ys called hys bodye not that yt ys hys bodye in dede but only a remembraÌ„ce of the same And furdermore euyn as the prest doth offer hym that ys to saye crucyfye hym at masse euyn so ys the sacrameÌ„t hisâ— bodye But the masse doth but only repÌ„sent his passyoÌ„ And so doth the sacrameÌ„t represent hys bodye And â—et though the masse dothe but repÌ„sent his crucifying we maye trulye saye he ys cruâ—ified euâ—n so though the sacrameÌ„t do but signifie or repÌ„sent hys bodye yet may we trulye saye that yt ys hys bodye Why so verely sayeth he for the sacramentes haue a certayne similitude of thosâ— thinges wherof theâ— are sacramentes And for this simiâ—itude for the moste ê‘te they take the namys of the verâ—e thynges Blessed be god w t hathe so clerely discussed this matt by this faith full father Notwtstonding he doth yet expresse yt more playnlye saying after a certayne maâ—er the sacrameÌ„t of Christes bodye ys Christes bodye Be holde deare brethern he sayth after a certayne maner the sacrament ys Christes bodye And by that you may sone knowe that he neuer ment that yt shulde be hys verye naturall bodie in dede but onlye a token and memoriall to kepe in mâ—morie the deth of his bodye and so to norishe our fayth Besides that his similitude w c he after alâ—egeth of baptime doth holye expounde this matter for saieth he the apostle saieth not we signifie buryinge but he saieth we are buried aÌ„d yet in dede the baptyme doth but signifie yt And there vppon s. Austen addeth that he called the sacrameÌ„t of so great a thinge euyn w c the name of the very thinge yt sellfe And lyke wise yt ys in our sacrameÌ„t Finallye to be shorte I wyll passe ouer many places w c I haue gatherred oute of this holye father and wyll touche but this one moare Saincte Austen sayth Non â—nim Dâ—Ì„s dubitauit dicere Hoc est corpus meuÌ„ cuÌ„ daret signuÌ„ corporis sui Et in eodeÌ„ capite exponitâ— Sic est emÌ„ sanguis anima quomodo petra erat christus nec tameÌ„ petra ait significabat Christum sed ait petra erat Christus That is to sayâ— The lorde doubted not to saye this ys my boâ—ye when he gaue a signe of his bodye And after in the same chapiter he expoundeth yt For trulye so the bloude ys soule as Christe was the stone And yet the apostle sayth not the stone did signifye Christ but he sayth the stone was Christe Here. s. Austen saith playnlye that Christe called the signe of his bodye his bodye aÌ„d in this chapiter doth coÌ„pare these thre textes of scripture this ys my bodye the bloudâ— ys the soule and Christe was the stone and declareth theÌ„ to be one phrase and to be expounded after one fasshyon Now ys there no maÌ„ so mad as to saye that Christ was a naturall stone except he be a naturall foole whose Iudgâ—mâ—nt we nede not greatly to regard therfore we may well coÌ„clude that the sacrameÌ„t ys nat his naturall bodie but is caulled his bodie for a similitude that yt hath wherin yt signifieth representeth his bodye And that the sacrament of so great a thinge ys caulled euyn w t the name of the verye thinge yt sellf as s. Austen sayde immâ—diatly before This were proffe ynough to coÌ„clude that all the olde fathers did holde the same opinion for who wolde once surmise seinge we haue s. austeÌ„ so pâ—ayne for vs w c is the chesest emoÌ„ge theÌ„ all who wolde once surmise I say that the dissented in this great matter from the other faithfull fathers or they froÌ„ him neuerthelesse I dare not leâ—t hiÌ„ stoÌ„de post alone ieste ye dispice him And therfore I will shewe you the minde of certaine othâ—r allso and furâ—â—e of his master s. Ambrose S. Ambrose wrytynge vppon the Epistle of Paule to the CorinthiaÌ„s in the xiâ— chap. sayth Quia emÌ„ morte DnÌ„i libeâ—ati sumê° huiê° rei in eden do potaÌ„do carneÌ„ sanguineÌ„ q ê“ nobis oblata sunt significamus That is to saye because we be deliuered by the deth of the lorde in eatyng and drynkinge of this thynge meanynge of the sacrament we signifye the fleshe bloude w c were offered for vs. Here doth s. ambrose saie ynough yf men were not sophisters but wolde be coÌ„tent w t reason For he sayeth that in eatyng aÌ„d drinkyng the sacrament of Christes bodye we signifie or represent the fleshe and bloude of our sauyour Iesus Natwtstondynge be cause you are so slybberye we shall bynde you a lytle â— better by this mans wordes S. Ambrose saythâ— Sed forte dices specieÌ„ sanguinis noÌ„ uideo sâ—d habet similitudineÌ„ Sicut emÌ„ mortis similitudineÌ„ sumpsisti ita etiaÌ„ similitudineÌ„ preciosi sanguinis bibis That ys to saye But ê‘aduenture thou wylte saye I se no apperauÌ„ce of bloude but yt hathe â— similitude For euyn as thou haste taken the similitude of deth euen so thou drinkest the similitude of the pÌ„cyous bloude Here maye ye see by the coÌ„ferrynge of thesse two sacramentes what s. Ambrose iâ—â—ged of it For he sayeth euyn as thou haste taken a similituâ—e of hys deth in the sacrameÌ„t of baptyme so doste thou drinke a similitude of his preciouse bloude in the sacrameÌ„t of the auâ—ter And yet as s. AusteÌ„ sayd before the apostle saith not we signifie buryinge but saâ—th we are buried And likewise here Christ sayd not this signifyeth my bodye but
hade soopâ—d And because brede doth confyrme or strengthe the fleshe and wyne worketh bloude in the â—lâ—she therfore ys the brâ—de misticallye referred vnto the bodye of Christe and the wyne referred vnto hys bloude Here maye you note furste that â—s the lambe was a remembraunce of theâ—r delyueraunce oute of Egipt and yet the lambe delyuered theÌ„ not so ys the sacrament a remembrauÌ„ce of our redeÌ„ptyon and yet the sacrameÌ„t redemed vs not â—esydes that he sayth that Christ in the stede of the fleshe and bloude of the lambe did institute the sacrament of hys fleshe and bloude in fygure of brede and wyne â—arke well he sayth not that in the stede of lambes fleshe and bloude he dyd institute hys owyn fleshe and bloude but â—ayeth that he dyd institute the sacrament of hys fleshe and bloude What thynge ys a sacrament verelye yt ys the sygne of an holye thyng and there ys no defferrence bâ—twene a sygne and a sacrament but that the sygne ys referred vnto a wordly thynge and a Sacrament vnto a spirituall or holye thynge As s. Austen sayth Signa cuÌ„ ad res diuinas pertinent sacramenta appellantur That ys to saye signes when they partayne vnto godly thinges are called sacramentes Theâ—fore when Beda saieth that thei did institute the sacrameÌ„t of his fleshe and bloude in the figure of bred and wine yt ys as moche to saye by s. Austens diffinitioÌ„ as that he did institute the figure of his holye fleshe and bloude in the figure of bred aâ—d wine that ys to saye that brâ—ade and wyne shuld be thâ— figure and signe repÌ„sentyng his holy fleshe bloude vnto vs for a perpetuall remembraÌ„ce And afterward he declareth the proê‘tye â—or w t the brede ys called the bodye and the wyne the bloude sauynge he speaketh â—ot so darkelye as I now doo but playnlye sayth that the brede is misâ—icallye refferred vnto the bodye of Christe be cause that as brede doth strengthe the flâ—she so Christes bodye which ys figured by the brede doth sâ—rengthe the soule thorough sayth in his deth And so doth he clerlye proue my purpose Now lett vs se what Chrisostome sayth w c shall describe vs the fayth of the olde greacyaÌ„s and I doubte not he had not loste the treue fayth how so euer the wordle goo now adayes Chrisostome sayth in this maner Si enim mortuus â—esus noÌ„ est cuius signuÌ„ simbolum hoc sacrâ—ficiuÌ„ est uides â—uantuÌ„ ei studium fuerit ut semper memorâ—a teneamus pro nobis ipsum mortuuÌ„ fuisse That ys to saye for yf Iesus haue not died whosse memoriall and signe ys the sacrifyce Thow seyst what diligeÌ„ce he gaue that we shulde contynuallye kepe in memorie that he dyed for vs. Here you maye see that Chrisostome calleth the sacrameÌ„t symboluâ— et signuÌ„ that is to saye a mâ—moryâ—ll and signe of christ aÌ„d that yt was inâ—titute to kepe hys deth in perpetuall remeÌ„brauÌ„ce But of one thinge thou muste beware or els thou arte deceyued hâ— calleth it allso a sacrafice and there thou muste wyselye vnderstond hym For yf yt were the sacrafice of Christes bodye then mâ—ste christes bodye be slayne ther agayne w c thynge God forbyd And therfore thou muste vnderstond hym wheÌ„ he calleth yt a sacrafice that he meaneth yt to a remembraunce of that holye sacrafice where christes bodye was offered on the crosse once for all For he caÌ„ be sacrafied no more seinge he ys immortall Not withstondyng our prelattes will here note me of presumption that I dare be so boolde to eâ—pounde hys mynde on thys fasyon For in dede they take hym otherwise thynke that yt ys a vâ—rye sacrafice And therfore I wyll brynge one other text where Chrisostome shall expouÌ„d hiÌ„ sellf Chrisostome sayth Nâ—ne ê‘ singulos dies offerrimê° offerrimê° qde sed ad recordationeÌ„ mortis eiê° facieÌ„tes Hoc auÌ„t sacrificiuÌ„ sicut poÌ„tifex â—ed id ipsum semê‘ facimus Imo recordati oneÌ„ sacrificij That ys to saye do we not dayly offer or do sacrafice yes suerlye But we do yt for the remembraunce of his deth for this sacraficâ— ys as an example of that we offer not an other sacrafiâ—e as the bushop in the olde lawe did but euer the â—ame ye rather a remembraunce of the sacrafice Furst he sayeth that they daylye do sacrafice but yt ys in remembraunce of Christes dâ—th Tâ—en he sayth that the sacrifice ys an example of that Thyrâ—â—ye he sayth that they offer â—ot an other sacryfyce that ys to saye an oxe or a goote as the bushoppes of the olde lawe but euer the sameâ— Merke thys poynteâ— for though yt seame at the fyrst syght to make with thâ—m yet doth yt make so derectlye agaynst them â— that they shall neuer be able to auoyd yt Câ—rysostâ—mâ— sayth they do not offer an other sacrifyâ—e aâ— the bushoppes did but euer the sâ—me They oâ—fer other brede wyne thys daâ—e then they â—yd yesterdaye they shall saye an other maâ—â—e to morowe then they dyd thys daye Now yf thys brede and wyne or the masse be a sacrifyce â— then do they offer an other sacrifyce as well as the bushoppys of the olde lawe For thys sacrifyes dyd signifie that Christ shulde come and shâ—d hâ—s bâ—oude â—s well as the bred wine and masse do represent that he hath done yt in dede And therfore yff yt be a sacrifyce then do they offer an other sacrifyce representyng hys passyon as well as the Bâ—shop of the old lawe But that doth chrysostâ—me denye and sayth that â—hey offer euery day the same What same verâ—â—â—e euâ—n the same that was done and sacriâ—â—â—ed when Christe sheâ— his bloude In thys sacrifyce ys Christe euery daye bounde and buffeâ—â—d and lede from â—nna to Cayphas he ys broughâ— to Pylaâ—e and condempned he ys scorged and crowned with thorne nayled on tâ—e crossâ— and hys herte opeynned w t aspere and so shâ—deth his bloude For our redempcion Why chrisostome and do you the seelfe same sacrifice euery daye ye verelie TheÌ„ why doth S. Paulle saye that christe ys risyn from deth and dieth no more yf he dye no more how do you daylie crucâ—fye hym For sothe Paulle sayeth trouthe For we do yt not actuallye in dede but â—nlyâ— in a misterie And yet we saye that we do saâ—rifice hyâ— and that thys ys his sacryfice for the celâ—bâ—aâ—ioÌ„ of the sacrameÌ„t aÌ„d memorye of the passyoÌ„ which we kepe for this cause yt hathe the name of the thyâ—ge that yt doth represent signifie And therfore I expoâ—nde my minde be a rethoricall correâ—tiâ—n and saye Imo recoâ—dationeÌ„ sacrifiâ—â— that is to saye yee rather the remeÌ„brauÌ„â—e of the sacrifice Grauntmercyâ—s good Chrisostome now do I perceyue the pyth of thys matter euyn as the masse ys the very deth and passyoÌ„ of christe so ys yt a sacryfice Now yt doth but onlye represent the verey deth passyoÌ„ of
saâ—rameÌ„t of his bodie and bâ—oude w c bodie is caryâ—d vp in the heuen And allso he calleth yt a mistâ—rye w c is ynowe for them that will see Allso druthmarius expoundeth thes wordes this is my bodye on thys maner Hoc est corpus meum in misterio That is to saye this remy bodye iâ— a mystâ—rie I thynke you knowe what a misterye meaneth â—hriste is crucifiâ—d euery daye in a misterie that is to saye euery daye his deth ys represented by the sacramentes of remeÌ„braunce The masse is Christes passyon is a misterye that ys to saye the masse doth repÌ„sented hys passion aÌ„d kepeth yt in oure memorie The brede ys Christes bodye in a misterie that is to saye â—t repÌ„senteth hâ—s bodye that was brokyn for vs â— and kepâ—th yt in oure remembraunce Yow haue herde all redye the mynde of the doctours how the sacrament ys Christes bodye And now I shall shewe you how the sacrament ys oure bodye w c doth not a lytell helpâ— to the vndstoÌ„ding of theis wordes w c are in coÌ„trouersie The sacrameÌ„t of the aulter ys oure bodye as well as yt ys christes bodye And euyn as yt is oure bodye so ys yt Christes But there ys no man that can saye that yt is oure naturall bodie in dede but onlye a figure signe memoriall or repÌ„sentacyon of our bodie Wherfore yt must allso folow â— that yt ys but onlye a figure signe memoriall or repÌ„sentacyon of Christes bodie The furste ê‘te of this argumeÌ„t maâ—e thus be proued S. Austen wryting in a sermone saâ—eth on this manerâ— Corpus ergo Christi si uu tis intelligere apostoluÌ„ audite dicenteÌ„ Vos estis corpus Christi meÌ„bra 1. Cor. 12. Si ergo estis corpus Christi membra mysteriuÌ„ uestrumque in mensa DnÌ„i posituÌ„ est mysteriuÌ„ DnÌ„i posituÌ„ est misteriuÌ„ DnÌ„i accipitis ad id quod estis Amen respondetis respoÌ„dendo subscribitis That is to saye Yff you will vnderstoÌ„â— the bodye of Christe here the apostle w c sayeth ye are the bodye of Christe and membres â— cor 12. thâ—rfore yf ye be the bodye of christe aÌ„d membres â—our misterie ys put vppon the lordes table ye receiue the misterie of the lorde vnto that you are you answer Amen And in answâ—ringe subscribe vnto yt Here you maye see that the sacrament ys allso our bodye and yet ys not our natâ—ral bodye but onlye our bodye in a misterye that ys to saye a figure signe memoriall or repÌ„sentation of our bodye for as the brede ye made of many graynes or cornes so we though we be many are one brede aÌ„d one bodye And for this ê“pertie and sâ—militude yt ys called oure bodye and beareth the name of the verye thynge w c yt doth represent and signifye Agayne s. Austen saythâ— Quia Christus passusest pro nobis coÌ„mendauit nobis in isto sacramento corpus sanguineÌ„ suuÌ„ quod etiam fecit nos ipsos Nam â— nos ipsius corpus facti sumus per misericordiaÌ„ ipsius quod accipimus nos sumus Et postea dicit Iam in noiÌ„e Christi tanquam ad caliceÌ„ DnÌ„i uenistis ibi uos estis in mensa ibi uos estis in caliceâ— That ys because christ hath suffered â—or vs he hath betaken vnâ—e vs in this sacrameÌ„t his bodie and bloude w c he hath allso made euyn our sellfes For we allso are made hie bodye and by his merâ—ye we are euyn the same thinge that we receyue And after he sayth now in the name of christe ye are come as a man wold saye to the chalice of the lorde there are ye vppon the table and there are ye in the chalice Here you maye see that the sacrament is oure bodye And yet yt ys not oure naturall bodye but onlye in a misterye as yt ys before sayd Furthermore s. Austen sayethâ— Hunc itaque cibuÌ„ potuÌ„ societateÌ„ uult intelligi corporis membrorum suoruÌ„ qd est sancta ecclesia in predestinatis uocatis iustificatis glorificatis sanctis fidelibus â—ius Huius rei sacramentuÌ„ alicubi quotidie alicubi certis interuallis dierum in dominico preparaturâ— de menâ—a Domini sumitur quibusdam ad uitam quibusdam ad exitium Res uero ipsa cuius est sacramenâ—um est omni homini ad uitam â—ulli ad extium quiâ—unque eius particeps suâ—rit That is to saye he wyll that â—his meate aÌ„d drike sâ—ulde be vnderstond to be the felowship of his bodye membris which is the holye churches in the predestinate and called and iustifyed and glorifyed hys saynctes and faythfull The sacrameâ—t of this tâ—inge ys prepared in some place daylye aâ—d in some place at certayne appoynted dayes as on the sondaie And yt is receiued â—râ—m tâ—â— table of the lorde to some vnto â—â—ffe and to some vnto distrucâ—ion Buâ—â—he thing yt sâ—â—â—fe whose sacramâ—nt this is â— ys reâ—â—yâ—ed of all meâ— vnâ—o â—iff and of no man vâ—to 〈◊〉 who so euer is partaker of yt Here doth â—â—â—uâ—â—en fursâ—e saye that thys sacrament ys the â—â—owshyp of hys bodye and memâ—res which are we And yet yt ys not oure naturall bodye as ys before sayd And then he sayth that tâ—e sacrament of thys thing ys râ—ceyued of some vnto lyff and saluacyon and of sâ—me vnto dâ—tâ— and dampnation For both â—aythâ—ull and â—â—faythfull maye receyue the sacraâ—ent And after he sayeth that the â—hyng yt sellff whose sacrament yt ys ys receyued of al men vnto lyffe â— and of no man vnto destructyon who so â—uâ—r ys partaker of yt And of thys sayâ—nge yt muste nedes follow that onlye the â—aythfull eate CHRISTES bodye and the vnâ—aythfull eate him notâ— For he ys receyued of no man vnto destructyon And of this yt muste allso followe that the sacrament ys not Christes bodye in dede but onlye in a mysterye For yff the sacrament were hys naâ—urall bodye then shulde yt foâ—â—owe that the vnfaythfull shâ—lde receyue hys bodye Whych ys contrarye to the mynde of sainct Ausâ—en aâ—d agaynst all truth Thus haue we suffecyentlye proued the â—yrst part of oure argument that the sacrament ys oure bodye as well as yt ys CHRISTES And nowe wyll I proue the second parte more playnly although yt be ynough declared all redye to them that haue eares that ys that euyn as yt ys oure bodie so ys yt Christes Furste you shall vndersâ—ond that in the wine which ys called Christes bloude is admixed water which doth signifye â—he people that are redemed w t his bloude so tâ—at tâ—e heed w c is Chrisâ—e ys not w t oute hys bodye w c ys the faythfull people nor the bodye w t oute hys heed Now yf the wyne when yt is coÌ„secrated be torned bodelye in to Christes bloude then is yt also necessarie that thâ— water w c is admixed be bodelie torned in to the bloude of the fayâ—hfull people For where as is one coÌ„secratioÌ„ muste
expresse And where ye saye that hâ— speaketh nothiâ—g of the sacrameÌ„t I wolde ye shulde sticke still to that saynge For this ys plaine that he speakyth of hys naturall bodye And therfore yf he speake not of the sacrament then haue you concluded that the sacrament ys not hys naturall bodye the contrarie wherof you wold haue meÌ„ beleue Thus haue I shewed euidence bothe where he shall finde the wordes of s. Austen and all so that I haue ryght allegeth them ¶ Nat wtstondyng syth he maketh so moche of â—ys payntâ—d sheth I shall a lâ—â—e hym more auetorite that christes naturall bodye ys in one place oâ—lye w c thynge proued doth vtterly conclude that the sacrament ys not his naturall bodye but onlye a memoryall representynge the same And â—urste let vs â—ee s. Austens mynde Saynte AusteÌ„ wryting vnto dardanus deth playnlye proue that the naturall bodye of Christe muste nedes be in one place onlie allso that his soule canÌ„ be but in one place at once The occasion of hys pistle ys this dardaâ—s did wryte vnto s. Austen for the exposition of thosse wordes that christe spake vnto the theiffe saynge this daye shalt thou be with me in paradise aÌ„d wiâ—t not how he shulde vnderstond yt whether christe meÌ„t that the theffe shulde be in paradise w t christâ—s soule or w t hys bodye â— or w t hys godhed Ther vppon s. AusteÌ„ wryteth that as touchinge christes bodye that daye yt was in the sepulchre And sayeth that yt was not paradise although it were in a gardeÌ„ that he was buried For christe he sayeth ment of a place of Ioye And that was not sayth s. AusteÌ„ in hys sepulchre And as For christes soule yt was that dye in hell And no man will saye â— that paradise was there Wherfore sayth s. Austen the text muste nedes be vnderstond that christ spake yt of hys godhed Now marke this argumeÌ„t of s. Austen and ye shall se my purpose playnlie proued For seinge he expoundeth thys text vppon christes godhed because hys maÌ„hod astouchinge the bodye was in the graue as touchyng hys soule was in hell you maye sone ê‘ceyue that Austâ— thought that whiles his bodie was in the graue yt was not in ê‘adise to aÌ„d because his soule was in hell yt coulde not be in paradise also And therfore he verefyeth the texte vppoÌ„ his diuinite For yf he had thought that christes bodie or soule might haue byn iÌ„ diuerse places at once he wolde noâ— haue said that the text muste nedes be vnderstoÌ„d of his diuite but yt might full well ye and moche better haue bin vnderstond of his manhode Marke well thys place w c doth determine the doubte of this matter Notwtstondinge the faythfull father leueth not the matter on this faâ—â—yon but allso taketh a waye soche fonde ymaginationis as wolde cause men to surmise that Christes bodie shulde be in mo places at once then one For he sayeth Cauendum est ne ita diuinitatem astruamus hominis ut ueritateÌ„ auferamus corporis Non est auÌ„t consequens ut quod in deo est ita sit ubique Nam de nobis ueracissime scriptura dicit quod in illo uiuimus mouemur sumus Nec tameÌ„ sicut ille ubiqueâ—umus sed aliter homo ille in Deo qmÌ„ aliter deê° in illo hoâ—e proprio quodaÌ„ singulari modo Vna enim persona deus homo est et VtruÌ„que est unus Christus resus vbique ê‘ id quod deus est in celo auÌ„t ê‘ id quod homo That ys to saye we muste beware that we do not so aâ—fyrme the diuinyte of the maÌ„ that we take awaye the truth of his bodie For yt followyth not that the thynge w c is in god shuld be iÌ„ euery place as god ys For the scripture doth trulye â—estefie on vs that we lyue moue be in hym And yet are we not in euerie place as he is How bey â—hat maÌ„ is other wise in god god otherwise in that maÌ„ by a certen peculier syngler waye For god aÌ„d maÌ„ is one person aÌ„d bothe of theÌ„ one christe Iesu w c ys in euery place in that he is god aÌ„d in heuyn in that he is maÌ„ Here AusteÌ„ doth saye that yf we shuld graâ—Ì„t christe to be in all places as touchyng his maÌ„hode we shuld take awaye the truth of his bodye For though his maÌ„hode be in god and god in hys manhode yet yt followeth not that yt sâ—ulde be in euerie place as god is And aâ—â—er he coÌ„cludeth that as touching his godhed he ys in euery place aÌ„d as thouchyng his manhode he is in hevin What nede he to make thes wordes antâ—thesies but because he thought verelye that though hys godhed were in euery place yet hys maÌ„hode was in heuyn onlye But yet thys holye doctoure goth furder so that they maye â—e ashamed of ther pertye and saâ—eth SecunduÌ„ homineÌ„ namque in terra erat non in coelo vbi nuÌ„c est quaÌ„do dicebat nemo ascendet in coeluÌ„ nisi qui desceÌ„dit de coelo fiilius hoiÌ„es q est in coelo That is to saye as touchyng hys manhod he was in the yerth not in heuyn where he now ys when he sayd no maÌ„ ascendeth into heuyn but he that descended from heuyn the sone of man w c is in heuin Now I truste ye will be coÌ„tent and lett the truth spred For I am sure yt ys not possible for you to auoyde yt for he sayeth that as touching his maÌ„hod he was in the erth aÌ„d not in heuin when he spake those wordes so proueth that he was not in 〈◊〉 places at once then onlie one place For els yf s. Austen had thought that he coulde haue byn in mo places at onece theÌ„ one w t his bodye then myght he not haue sayd that he was in yerth and not in heuyn For then a man might sone haue deluded hym haue saidâ— Austen you can not tell for he maie be in euery place But they that so thinke aâ—ter AusteÌ„s mynde do take awaye the truthe of his naturall bodye and make yt a very phantasticall bodye froÌ„ the w c heresie god deliuer his faythfull Besides this S. Austen doth saye Christum DominuÌ„ nostrum unigenituÌ„ DEI filium equaleÌ„ patri eundemque hoiÌ„s filium quo maior est pater ubique totum presentem esse non dubiteâ— tanquam Deum in eodem templo DEI esse uerum DEVM in aliena parte coeli propter corporis moduÌ„ That is to saye doubt not but that christe our lorde the onlie begottoÌ„ soune of god equall to the father and the same beinge the sonne of man wherein the father ys greater is hole pÌ„sent in all places as touchyng hys godhed and dwellythe in the same temple of GOD as GOD and in some place of heueÌ„ for the coÌ„dicion of his very bodie Here is yt euideÌ„t bi s. austeÌ„s
euery sacrament is the signe of an hollye thinge but the sacrament of the aulter is a sacrament as all faythfull men confesse ergo yt must follow that the sacrament of the aulter is y â— synge of an hollye thinge Nowe yf yt be the sygne of an hollye thinge then yt is not the hollye thinge yt sellfe w c yt doth signifye represent Why shulde we then feare to call that bred a figure that ys to saâ—e a sacrament of that holye bodye of our lord sauiour Besides that I wolde knowe of what necessite or profite his fleshe muste be present in the sacrament For the pÌ„sence of his fleshe can no more profit vs then doth the remembraunce of his bodie but this remembraunce maye as well be don by the sacrameÌ„t as though hys bodie were present And therfore sith God and nature make nought in vayne yt followethe consequentlye that his naturall fleshe is not there but onlye a memoriall therof Furthermore the ende aÌ„d finall cause of a thinge is euer beter then those thinges w c are prouided for the ende as the howse is better than the lyme stone and timber which are prouided for the howse but the ende and finall cause of the sacrament is the remembraunce of Christes bodye and ther vppon yt muste followe that yf the sacrameÌ„t be his naturall bodie that the remembraunce of Christes bodie shulde be better then his bodie yt sellfe Whiche thinge is to be abhorred of all faythfull men It were fondenes to fayne that the soule did other wise eate then do the angellys in heuen aÌ„d their meate is onlye â—â—e Ioye and delectatyon that they haue of god and of his glorie And euen so doth the soule w c is here vppon the yerth eate thorough fayth the bodye of Christe w c ys in heuen For yt deliteth reioyseth whyles yâ— vnderstondeth thorough faith that christ hath taken our synnes vppon him and pacified the fathers wroth Nether yt is necessarie that for that or for thys cause that hys fleshe shulde be pÌ„sent For a man maye as well loue and reioyse in the thinge w c ys from hym not present as though yt were pÌ„sent by him of that maner Moreouer the brede is Christes bodye euin as the breaking of the brede is the deth of his bodie Nowe y â— breakiÌ„ge of bred at the mauÌ„dey is not the verye deth of Christes bodie but onlye a representation of the same allbeyt the minde thorough fayth doeth spâ—allye beholde his verye deth and euyn likewise that naturall brede is not the verye bodie of our lorde but onlye a sacrament signe memoriall or representatyon of this same albe yt thorough the monision therof the mynde thorough fayth doth spâ—alye beholde the verye bodye And surely therof yf a maÌ„ be faythfull the sprite of God worketh in hys harte verye swetlye at his communion Finallye yt was not lawfull to eate or drinke the bloude not onlye of man but also of a brute beaste and the apostelles themâ— selues moued by the rule of charite did institute that men shulde abstayne from bloude somwhat fauorynge the infyrmyte of the Iewes Now yf the apostellys had taught as ye doo that in the sacrament hys verye fleshe and bloudâ— ys â—aten and dronke with the teth and mouthe of faythfull and vnfaythfull what coulde haue be ne a gâ—eater occasyon to haue excluded the Iewes from crystes fayth euyn at once Thynke you that the appostellys wolde not haue byn to scrupulous to haue dronken hys very bloude seynge yt was so playne agaynst Moses lawe yf they had vnderstonde hym so grosselye as ye doo Petâ—r had a clothe sent downe from heuyn in whych were all maner of beastes â—orbidden by the lawe and was commaunded to sâ—e and â—atâ— them And he answered God forbyd for I neuer eate any vnclene thynge meanynge therbye that he neuer â—ate any thynge forbydden by the lawe Wherof yt moste nedes followe that ether he neuer recâ—yued the sacrament w c ys playne false or els that he more spiritually vnderstode the wordes of Chrisâ—es maundie then ye falselye fayne For yt was playnely forbydden by the lawe to eate or drinke any maner of bloude And I knowe but one reason that they haue w c they count an insoluble how beyt by goddes grace we shall sone auoyde yt There reason is this Paule sayth he that eateth and drinketh this sacrament vnworthylye shal be gyltye of the bodye bloude of the lord Now saye they â— how sâ—uld they be gyltie of the lordes bodie bloud w c receiue yt vnworthelie except yt were the verye bodye and bloude of the lorde This argument I saye is verye weake slender For I can shewe many exampleâ— by the w c yt may be dissolued for he that dispisseth the kinges sealle or letters offendeth agaynst his oweÌ„ parson and yet the letter or seale ys not hys owen parson He that vyolently plucketh downe hys graces armes or breakyth hys brode sâ—ale wyth a furyoâ—se mynde or vyolence committeth treason agaynst hys owyn parson And yet hys armes and brode seale are not hys owyne person he that clepyth the kyngys coyne coÌ„mitteth treason agaynst the kynges parson and the commen welth and yet the mony ys nether hys graces parson nor the coÌ„mon welth And therfore your argument ys but weake and slender For euyn as a man doth offend agaynste the prynces parson by dispising hys armes seale or letters so doth a man offende agaynste Christes bodye and bloude by abusynge the sacrament of hys bodye and bloude although he be not there present as the kynges parson ys not present in his armes seale or letters Besides that s. paule saieth that euerye maÌ„ w c praieth or pÌ„cheth w t couered hâ—ed shameth his heed his heed is christe shall we therfore ImageÌ„ that christe is naturallye in euerye mans heâ—â— as your argument concludeth For soth that were a pretye phaÌ„tasâ—e Finally S. Ausâ—en saiâ—th that he doth no lesse synne w c negligentlye heareth the worde of god theÌ„ doth the other w c vnworthelye receyuith the sacrament of Christes bodye aÌ„d bloude Nowe yf thys be true theÌ„ ys your reason not worth a rishe for christes naturall bodie ys not in the worde w c is pÌ„ched as all men knowe And yet he sâ—unâ—â—h no lesse that negligeÌ„tly heareth yt theÌ„ dooth he that vnworthelye receyuyth the sacrament And thus you see their insoluble easely dissolued ¶ But now muste this yong maÌ„ consider agayne that hym self confesseth that the cause for w t himsellf saieth that christ in so saying did so meane ys because that yf he shuld haue meÌ„t soo yt was impossible to god to brynge his meanenynge a bought that ys to saye that christes bodye might be in two places at once And therfore but yf he proue that thynge impossible for god to doo els he confessyth that god not onlye sayd yt but allso ment yt in dede And yet ouer thys yf christ had neuer sayde
I dare saye that yt is printed and publyshed to our princes great dishonore For what lâ—rnâ—d maÌ„ maye in time to come truste to hys graces saffe coÌ„â—uyte or come at his graces instaÌ„ce or requeste sith not onlye the spuÌ„allye w c of ther professioÌ„ resyâ—â—e hys prerogatiue but also a laye man ê“moted to suche ê“minence by hys graces goodnes dare presume so to depresse hys prerogatyue not onlye to saye but also to publishe yt in preÌ„t that notwtstondyng hys graces saffe conduyte they myght lawfullye haue burnte hym But here he wold saye vnto me as he dethe in his boke that he had forfayted his saffe coÌ„duyte aÌ„d therbye was fallyn in to his enemyes handes Where vnto I answer that this your sayinge is but a vayne glose For I my sellfe did reade the saffe coÌ„duyte that came vnto hym w c had but onlye thys one conditioÌ„ annexed vnto yt that if he came before the feaste of christmas theÌ„ next insuynig he shuld haue fre lyberte to deperte at his pleasure And this coÌ„dicyoÌ„ I knâ—we was fullfylled How shulde he than forfayte hys saufe conduyte But master more hath lerned of hys masters our pÌ„lates whose procture he ys to depresse oure princes pÌ„rogatiue that men ought not to kepe any promisse w t heretyckes And so his saâ—fe coÌ„duyte cold not saue hym As though the kynges grace myght not admitte any maÌ„ to goo and come frelye in to hys graces realme but that he muste haue leue of our pÌ„lates For els they myght laye heresye agaynst the parson and so â—ley hym coÌ„trarye to the kynges salfe coÌ„duyte w c thynge all wyse meÌ„ do knowe to be preiudiciall to his graces prerogatiue roâ—all And yet I am sure that of all the tyme of hys beynge here you can not accuse hym of one cryme albeit vnto your shame you saye that he had forfayted his salfe conduyte These wordes hade be very extreme and worthy to haue byn â—oked vppon allthough they had byn wretyn by som presumptuoÌ„s prelate But that a laye man so heighlye promoted by hys prynâ—e shuld speake them and also cause them openlye to be publyshed amonge hys graces comes to deâ—ecte the estymacyon of hys royall power doth in my minde deserue â—orrection Natwithstondynge I leue the iudgemâ—nt and determinacyon vnto the discrecyon of hys graces honorable counsell And as for that holy prayer that this deuoute yoÌ„gmaÌ„ as a new christe teacheth to make at the receiuiÌ„ge of this blessed sacrameÌ„t all his coÌ„gregacioÌ„ I wold not geue the pariÌ„ge of a pare for hys praier though yt were better theÌ„ yt is pullynge awaye the true fayth therfro as he doth How be yt hys prayer there ys so dyuised peÌ„ned and paynted w t laysure studye that I truste eueri good christeÌ„ womaÌ„ maketh a moche better prayer at the tyme of hyr howsell by faythfull affectyoÌ„ aÌ„d by goddes good inspiracioÌ„ sodeÌ„lye Fryth ys an vnmete master to teache vs what we shuld praie at the receyuiÌ„ge of the blessed sacrameÌ„t when he will not knowelege it as it is but take christes blessed bodie for nothing but bare bred so lytle esteme the receyuyng of the blessed sacrameÌ„t that he forsyth lytle whether yt be blessed or not Where he discoÌ„mendyth my prayer sayeth that I am an vnmete master to teache meÌ„ to praye seyng I take awaye the true fayth from yt and sayeth that euery woman caÌ„ make a better wheÌ„ she receyuyth the sacrameÌ„t I wolde to god that euery womaÌ„ were so wyll lerned that they coulde teache vs both And sureli I inteÌ„ded not to prescrybe to all men that prayer onlye but hoped to help the ignorant that they might ether speake those wordes or els takyng occasion at theÌ„ to saye some other to the lawde aÌ„d prayse of god And as for your fayth w c you call the true fayth musâ—e I nedes improue For yt wyll not stonde w t the true text of scripture as yt playnâ—â— apereth But to the fayth in christesâ— bloude I exhorte all meÌ„ and teach theÌ„ to eate hys bodye w t fayeth and not w t teth w c is by hauynge his deth in contynuall remembraunce And degestynge yt in to the bowels of the soule And because yow so sore improue mi prayer to conclude my answer agaynst you I wyll wryte agayne And lett al meÌ„ Iudge betewne vs. Blessed be thou moste deare mercifull father w c of thy teÌ„der fauour benignite not wtstoÌ„ding our greuous enormytis coÌ„mitted agaynst the wouchsauedst to send thyn owine onlie deare sone to suffre moste vile deth for our redeÌ„ptioÌ„ Blessed be thou Christ Iesu our lorde sauiour w c of thine abundaÌ„t petye coÌ„sidering oure miserable estate willyngly tokest vppon the to haue thy moste innoceÌ„t bodie brokin bloude shed to purge vs aÌ„d washe vs w c are ladyn w t iniquite And to certifie vs therof hast left vs not only thy worde w c maye enstruce our hartes But allso a visible token to certifie eueÌ„ our outward sences of this great benefyte that we shuld not doubt but that the bodie and frute of thy passyon are oures thorough fayth as surelye as the brede which by our senses we knowe that we haue with in vs. Blessed be also that spirite of verite which ys sent from god our father thorough our sauiour Christ Iesu to lyghten our darke ignoraunce And leade vs thorough fayth in to the knowelege of hym which ys all verite Strengthe we beseche the our frayle nature and encrease our fayth that we maye prayse god our moste mercifull father and Christe his sonne our sauiour and redemer AMEN The paschal lambe and oure sacrament are here compared to gether NOw we shall shortly expresse the pith of our mater and borow the figure of the paschall lambe Which is in all poiÌ„tes so lyke That the offeringe of the pascall lambe did signyfye the offerynge of Christes bodye is playne by Paule which sayeth Christe our paschall lambe ys offered vp for vs When the childern of Israell were very sad and heuye for theyr sore appressyon vnder the power of Pharrao for the mo myracles were shewed the worse were they handeled God sent vnto them by â—oyses that euâ—ry howsâ—old shuld kyl a lambe to be a sacrifyce vnto GOD and that they shuld eate hym with their staues in their handes ther loynes gyrded and showes on their feeâ—e euin as men that were going an hastye Iorney Thys lambe muste they eate hastelye and make a merye maundye Now because thâ—y shuld not saye that they could not be meryeâ— For ther oppressyon and what coulde the lambe help them he added glad tydynges vnto yt and sayd thys ys the passing bye of the lorde Whiche thys nyght shall passe by you and â—â—e all the fyrste begotton with in the Londâ— of Egipt and shall delyuer you oute of your bondage and brynge you in to the lond that he hath promissed vnto your fathers Marke the processe
were els fre and the thynge indifferent thys knowelege because yt was not annexed wyth charyte was the occasyon of great offendyng For by reason therof they sate downe amonge the gentyles at there feastes Wher they eate in the honour of their Idolles and so dyd not onlye wounde the conscyens of their weake bretherne but also committed Idolatrye in dede And therfore s. paule sayd vnto theÌ„ My deare beloued fle froÌ„ worshyppinge of idolles I speake vnto thâ— w c haue discrecioÌ„ Iudge ye what I saye Ys not the cup of blessing w c we blysse the fellowship of the bloude of christe ys not the brede w c we breake the fâ—llowship of the bodie of Christe For we though we be manye are yet one bred and one bodye in as moche as we are partakers of one bred Christ did calle hym sellfe bred and the brede hys bodye And here Paule calleth vs bred the brede our bodye Now maye you not take Paule that he in this place shuld derectly expound Christis mynde And that the verie exposicion of Christes wordes wheÌ„ he sayd this is my bodye shuld be that yt was the fellowship of his bodye as some saie w c sekynge the kaye in this place of paule locke them sellffes so faste in that they can fynde no waye oute For Christe spake those wordes of his owyn bodye w c shulde be geuyn for vs but the fellowship of Christes dodye or congregacyoÌ„ was not geuyn for vs. And so he ment not as Pâ—ule here sayeth but ment hys owyn bodye For as Paule calleth the bred oure bodye for a certayne propertie euyn so doth Chryste calle yt his bodye for certayne other properties In that the brede was broken yt was christes owyn bodye signifying that as that bred was broken so shulde his bodye be brokyn for vs. In that yt was distributed vnto his disciples yt was his owyn bodie signifyinge that as verelye as that bred was destribâ—ted vnto them so verelye shulde the deth of his bodie and frutte of his passioÌ„ be distributed to all faithfull folke In that the bred strengtheneth oure bodies yt is his owin bodye signiyfing that as owre bodies are strengthened aÌ„d coÌ„forted by bred so are owre sowles by the faith in his bodie brekiÌ„g And likewise of the wyne in that yt was so distribâ—ted and so coÌ„forteth vs and maketh vs merye Furthermore the bred and wine haue a nother propertie for the w c yt is called our bodie For in that the bred is made one brede of manie graynes or cornes yt is our bodie signifieng that we though we be manie are made one brede that is to saye one bodie And in that the wine is made one wyne of manye grapes yt is our bodye signifieng that though we are manie yet in christe and thorough Christe we are made one bodie and membres to eche other But in this thinge Paulle and Christe agre For as Paule calleth the brede oure bodye and vs the brâ—d because of this propertie that yt is made one of manie euin so doth Christe call yt his bodye because of the ê“pertyes before rehersed Furthermore in this they agre that as Paulles wordes muste be taken spuÌ„allye for I thinke there is no man so mad as to Iudge that the bred is our bodye in dede although in that proê‘tie yt repÌ„senteth our bodie Euyn so muste Christes wordes be vnderstond spirituallye that in thosse properties yt representeth his verye bodie Now when we come to gether to receyue this brede then by the receyuing of yt in the congregacion we do openlye testifie that we all w c receyue yt are one bodye ê“fessing one god one faith one baptyme and that the bodie of Christe was broken and his bloude shed for remission of oure sinnes Now sith we so do we maye not a coÌ„panye nor sit in the congregacion or fellowship of theÌ„ that offer vnto ydolles and eate before them For as Paule sayeth ye can not drinke the cupe of the lorde and the cupe of the deuells ye can not be partakers of the table of the lorde and of the table of the deuylles I wold not that you shuld haue felowship w t deuelles The hethen whiche offerred vnto Idolles were the fellowship of deuellis not because they eate the deuelles bodye or draÌ„ke the deueles bloude but because they beleued put their confydens in the ydole or deuill as iÌ„ their god and all that were of that faith hade their ceremonies gaue hart ye thaÌ„kes to their god w t that feaste w c they kept They came to one place brougâ—t their meate before the Idole offered yt And w t their offering gaue vnto the deuill godlye honour And then they sate downe and eate the offeryng to gether geuyng prayse and thankes vnto their God and were one bodye and one fellowship of the deuell whyche they testiffye by eating of that offeringe before that idolle Now dothe s Paule reprehend the CorinthiaÌ„s for berynge the gyntiles coÌ„panie in eatinge before the idolle For they knowe that the meate was like other meate And therfore though them sellues fre to eate yt or leue yt But they ê‘ceyued not that that congregacyon was the fellowship of deuelles w c were there gathered not for the meate sake but for to thaÌ„ke and prayse the ydolle their God in whom they had their confidence And all that there assembled aÌ„d did there eate did openly testifye that they all were one bodie professynge one faith in theyr god that ydolle So pauie rebuked them for because that bâ— their eating in that place aÌ„d fellowship they testified openlye that they were of the deuelys bodye reioysed in the ydolle their god in whom they had fayth and coÌ„fidence And therfore sayth paule that they can not both drinke the cupe of the lorde testifynge hym to be their God in whom onlye they haue truste and â—iauÌ„ce and the cupe of the deuell testifyinge the Idolle to be their god and refuge Here you maye note that the meate the eatinge of yt in this place fellowship is more then the comoÌ„ meate eating in othâ—r places For elâ— they might lawfullye haue dronken the deuelles cup wyth them the one daye and the cup of the lorde the next daye w t hys disciples What was yt more verelye yt was meate w c by the eatinge of yt in that place and fellowship did testifie openlye vnto all meÌ„ that he was ther god whosâ—e cup they dranke and before whom they eate in that fellowshyp and so in their eatynge they praysed and honored the idole And therfore they that had their trusâ—e in the leuinge god and in the bloude of hys sonne Christ myght not eate with them And likewise yt ys in the saâ—rament the brede and the eatinge of yt in the place and fellowship where yt ys â—eceyued ys more then comen bred What ys yt more Uerelye yt ys brede which by the eatinge of yt in that place
oure selues we shuld not haue byn Iudged WheÌ„ we are Iudged of the lorde we are chastened because we shuld not be dampned w t the worlde Wherfore my brethern when ye come to gether to eate tarye one for another Yf any man hunger lett him eate at home that ye come not to gether vnto condempnacyon For this cause that is for lacke of good examininge of oure selues as ys before touched manie are weake and syke in the fayth manye slepe and haue loste their fayth in Christes bloude for lacke of remembraunce of his bodye breaking and bloude shedinge ye and not that onlie but manye were weake and sike euyn striken w t bodelye diseases for abusinge the sacrament of his bodye eatinge the bred w t their teth aÌ„d not his bodye w t their hart and mynde and ê‘aduenture some slayne for yt by the sâ—rocke of god w c yf they had truly Iudged and examined theÌ„ selues for what intent they cam thither and why yt was institute shuld not haue byn so Iudged and chastened of the lorde For the lorde doth chasten to bringe vs vnto repentaunce and to mortifie the rebellious membres that we maye remeÌ„ber hym Here ye maye shortly perceyue y e minde of Pauâ—e Finis ¶ An Epitome and short rehersall of all this boke shewynge in what poyntes Frith dissenteth from our prelates NOw to be short in thes .iij. poyntes frith dissenteth from oure prelates from master More w c taketh vppon him to be their proctoure Oure prelates beleue that in the sacrament remayneth no bred but that yt ys torned in to the naturall bodye of Christ both fleshe bloude bones Frith sayth that yt is none article of oure Crede and therfore let them beleue yt that will And he thinketh that there remayneth bred styll And that he proueth iij. maner of wayes Fyrste by the scripture of Paule w c calleth yt bred sayinge the brede w c we breake ys yt not the fellowship of the bodie of christe For we though we be manye are yet one bodye and one bred as mannye as are partakers of one bred And agayne he saâ—eth as ofteÌ„ as ye eate of this bred or driÌ„ke of this cuppe you shall shewe the lordes deth vnâ—yll he come Also luke callethe yt bred saying in the Actes they continued in the fellowship of the aposteles in the breakinge of the brede and prayer Also Christe called the cuppe the frute of a vyne saying I shall not from hence forward drinke of the frute of the vine vntill I drinke that newe in the kiâ—dom of my father Furthermore nature doth teache you that both the bred and wine continâ—e in their nature For the bred muldeth yf yt be kept longe ye wormis bred in yt And y e poore mouse will runne awaye w t yt and eate yt w c are euidence ynough that there remaynith bred Also the wine yf yt were reserued wold wax sower as they confesse them seluesâ— And therfore they howsell the laye people but w t one kinde onlye because the wine can not coÌ„tinue nor be reâ—â—rued to haue readye at hande when nede were And surelye as yâ— there remayned no bred yt could not mould nor wax full of wormes euyn so yf there remayned no wine yt could nâ—t wax sower And therfore yt is but faulse doctrine thaâ— our pÌ„lates so long haue taught published Finallie that ther remaineth bred might be ê“uyd by the auctorite of manie doctoures w t calle yt bred wine euyn as Christe his appostelis ded And though some sophisters wolde wreste their sayinge and expouÌ„d theÌ„ after their owyn â—hantasâ—e yet shall I allege theÌ„ one doctoure w c was pope that maketh so plaine w t vs that they shall neuer be able to auoyde hym For pope Gelasius writeth on this maner Certe sacrameÌ„ta q sumimus corporis sanguinis Christiâ— diuinae res sunt propter qd per eadeÌ„ diuinae efficimur coÌ„sortes naturae Et tameÌ„ noÌ„ deâ—init esse substaÌ„tia uel natura panis et uini sed ê‘manet in suae ê“prietate naturae Et certe imago et similitudo corporis sanguinis Christi in actioÌ„e misterioruÌ„ celebrantur That is to saie surelye the sacrameÌ„t of the bdye bloude of Christe w t we receyue are a godlye thynge therfore thorough thâ—m are we made ê‘takers of the godly nature And yet doth yt not cease to be the substaÌ„ce or nature of bred and wine but they continue in the propertie of their owyn nature And surely the image and similitude of the bodye and bloude are celebrated in the acte of the misterys This I am sure that no maÌ„ can auoyd yt nor so wrest yt but that all men shall sone espye hys folye and therfore I maye conclude that there remayneth the substance and nature of brede wine The seconde poynte wherin Frith dissenteth from oure prelates and their proctoure THe prelates beleue that his verie fleshe is pÌ„sent to the teth of theÌ„ that eate the sacrament and that the wicked eate his verye bodye Frith sayth that yt is none article of our Crede and therfore he rekenith that he is in no Ieoperdye though he beleue yt not And he thinketh that his fleshe is not pÌ„sent vnto the teth of theÌ„ that receyue the sacrament For hys fleshe ys onlye in one place at once And that he proueâ—h both by the auctorite of Sainct Austen ad Dardanum and also by the auctorite of Fulgentius ad ThrasuuaÌ„dum libro 20. as before apereth in the boke And Fryth sayth that the wicked eate not hys verye fleshe allthough they receue the sacrament And that he proueth by the scripture doctoures and good reason grounded vppon the scryptures The scripture is this he that eateth christes bodie hath euerlastiÌ„ge liffe but the wicked hath not euerlastinge liffe ergo then the wicked eate not his bodye Agayne the scrypture sayeth he that eateth christes fleshe drinketh his bloude abydeth in christe christe in hiÌ„ but the wicked abyde not in christe nor christe iÌ„ hiÌ„ ergo the wicked eate not his fleshe nor drinke his bloude This maye also be confyrmed by good auctorite For sainct Austen sayeth he that abâ—deth not in christe in whoÌ„ christe abydeth not w t ouâ—e doubte he eateth not his fleshe nor driÌ„keth his bloude allthough he eate drinke the sacrameÌ„t of so great a thinge vnto his â—ampnacion And euen the same wordes hathe beda vppon the tenth chapter of the fyrste pistle to the Corinthians Agayne s. Austene sayeth he that abideth not in me in whom I abyde not let him not saye nor thinke that he eateth my bodye or drinketh my bloude And euen the same wordes hath Beda vppon the sixt chapter of the firste epistle to the CorinthiaÌ„s And euen the same senteÌ„ce hath Ambrose and Prosper aÌ„d Beda vppon the .xi chapter of the firste pistle to the Corinthians Finallye