coÌ„municate of one bread i. Cor. xi In another place As ofteÌ„ as ye shal eate this bread ye shal shewe the Lordes death vntill he come Also whosoeuer shal eate this bread and drinke this cuppe of the Lorde vnworthilye shall be guiltie of the bodye and bloud of the Lorde Lastly Leat a maÌ„ examine himselfe and so leat him eate of that breade and drinke of that cuppe Forasmuche as these wordes and saiynges of Paule are clere and open therfore if an Aungel from heauen shall preache other doctrine accursed bee he In dede I could here haue brought in that is often and in soondrie places of Scripture mencioned of breakyng bread To breake breade a coÌ„mon phâ—ase of the Hebrues but yet because I se that suche phrase of speakyng maye be taken in another sence as it wer spoken of the vulgar and common foode of people as for example in the fiftie ninth chapitur of the prophet Esai Breake thy bread vnto the houngry and in the fowerth chapitur of the Lamentacions of Hieremie Their litel babes craued breade there was none to breake it vnto theÌ„ therfore I leaue out all suche places will allege for this purpose none but strong reasons and substanciall Forasmuche therfore as the places of Paule aboue cited are plain and euident thei ought to bee taken accordyng to the playn woordes without any ferther gloses A sophistical obieccioÌ„ or addicions But some make a sophisticall cauillacion that it is called by the name of breade because of the natures whiche are chaunged and to vse thesame phrase of speaking that suche sophisters dooe thei affirme thesame to be a denominacion a termino a quo that is froÌ„ the point that it came fro that is to saye it hath the name of breade because it was once breade and now chaunged from breade or out of breade And for confirmacion herof thei allege other lyke places out of Scripture As whan the Serpent that was made of Aarons rodde deuoured the Serpentes of Pharao his Magians or wisemen whiche thei also had made of their roddes it is sayed in the Scriptures that Aarons rodde deuoured the Serpentes of the Magiaâ—s Also man is in diuerse and many places of Scripture called yearth because that mans body was fyrst made therof Also the woman was called of Adam a bone of his bones and fleashe of his fleashe because God fourmed and shaped hir therout Aâ— auÌ„swere to the obieccioÌ„ afore goyng But these and all other lyke obieccions are made in vaine For in the holy scriptures is conteyned open and playne mencion of these conuersions so that the necessitie of the storie and of the woordes enforceth driueth vs to suche tropes that is to saye to suche phrases of speakyng and therfore we admitte and receiue them But nowe leat these felowes likewise on their part first declare and proue out of the holy scriptures suche a conuersioÌ„ or chauÌ„ge to bee made that is to wete of breade and wyne into the body and bloud of Christ and than will we grauÌ„t and yelde vnto them the abouesaid tropes also which is that it is called breade not because it is breade still but because it was breade afore And to thesame effect and purpose it is that thei ferther allege If a maÌ„ had geuen me wyne which wyne did immediately weaxe soure I hauyng in my punchâ—on or vessel thesame beyng now turned into vineagre might verai well saie This is your wine not for that it is wyne at this present but because it had been wyne to fore But there of the conuersion of wyne into vine agre the sense of tastyng dooeth iudge whiche thyng in the sacramente doeth not happen where neither any of the fiue senses nor any reason Aâ—other sophisâ—ical obieccion nor yet the holye Scripture enforceth vs to confesse or graunt any suche coÌ„uersion or chauÌ„ge to bee made They obiect also another place out of the second chapitur of S. Ihons ghospell Whan the maister of the feast had tasted the water that was now made wyne c. Wherby thei well declare proue the wyne newely made of Christ by miracle to kepe yet styl the name of water But the Euangeliste did not saye water and there leaue The auÌ„swer but he sayed water now made wyne But in al the holy scripturâ—s they shall not fynde anye suche declaracion concernyng the Sacrament that the breade is saied to be conuerted or chaunged into the body of Christe Thei take also their refuge sometimes vnto the sixth chapitur of Ihon Another obieccioÌ„ so that thei affirme the Apostle in the places aboue cited to name it breade not wheaten breade nor any other common breade but the Lordes body whiche in the sixth chapitur of Ihon is called by the name of bread where Christ saied I am the bread of life The answer But agaynst theÌ„ it maketh that Paule saieth The bread whiche we breake is it not a participacion of Christys bodye The mâ—teriall bâ—eade of the Sacrament Whiche cannot conueniently agree with Christes body that it should bee broken forasmuche as it is written a bone of hym shall ye not breake But these so fewe and high witted men althoughe thei haue fouÌ„d in the sixth chapitur of Ihon that Christe called himselfe breade yet where will thei finde I beseche you that he hath at any tyme called hymselfe wyne For in this supper the one parte of the Sacrament is called wyne although by a strauÌ„ge manier of speaking as appereth in those woordes in the gospell expressed I wyl not from hensefoorth drinke of this fruiâ—te of the vynetree c And it is a thyng out of doubt to all men lyuyng that oâ—te of the vine trees is produced brought foorth not accidentes but the substaunce of wine Morouer by this reason it should be vtterlye madâ— frustrate voyd that is with a great general agreemente spoken of the aunciente fathers which is A confirmâ—cion of the auâ—swer afore goyng that by these outwarde and materiall tokens of this Sacrament is signified and represented the misticall bodye of Christeâ— by lyke reason as breade is made of the mele of many cornes of wheat and wyne is made of the iuice of many grapes together whiche thinges in the accidentes haue no suche veritee For the accidentes of wheate or grapes doâ— not yelde bread or wine but the substaunce of them Now dooe we not a litle meruayle at suche manier of men who if at any tyme thei heare vs bryng in for oure parte any suche lyke places as for exaumple The soÌ„ne was Christ The lambe or the hoste is the passeouer Circumcision is the couenaunte with other like placâ—s by and by they crye with an open mouthe that suche manier allegories serue nothyng for this place and now thâ—imselfâ—s dooe on euery syde bring bothe tropes and allegories euen by whole heapes Another obieccioÌ„ Thei ferther allege that breade is here taken for euery
of scripture that the same made for theÌ„ The Ebionites did take Christe to be a creature only Hebionitâ—s an other secte of heriques sayd that this saying god my god why hast thou leaft or forsaken me could be none otherwise vnderstanded for God sayed they dooeth neuer leaue ne forsake himselfe And of thys sentence written in the sixte of Iohn He that eateth my fleshe dryncketh my bloude shall not dye for euer Manye sayde that it folowed that those whych dyd once come lawfullye to the communion coulde not peryshe for euer The whyche erroure saynte Austen in hys boke entituled De ciuitate dei that is of the Cytye of God doeth clearelye reproue Also the wordes of the canticles whych are entitled Cantica canticorum â— if ye take theÌ„ as they sounde in wordes at the firste apprearaunce they are but songes or ballades of loue or maryage Songes We must not therfore alwayes alledge the plainenes of the words go no further Christ saith He that hath eares to hear let him hear and he that readeth let him vnderstand Neyther is it conueniente by and by to take the fyrste sence that sheweth or offreth it selfe without regardynge or considerynge and conferryng of other places wyth it Christe sayde to hys Apostles Beware of the leuen of the Phariseis The Apostles by and by thoughte that he hadde spoken of breade where as Christe spake of theyr doctrine He sayed also Lazarus our frende slepethe Here dyd the Apostles slepe also and sayde If he slepe he shall do well inoughe recouer agayne where as Christe spake of hys death The Lorde sayeth in an other place Destroye you thys temple and in three dayes I shall builde it vp agayne neyther dyd the Apostles vnderstande that he spake of hys bodye He that kepeth my commaundementes shall not dye for euer And here also dyd the Iewes thynke that he spake of the bodilye deathe Necodemus dyd grosselye vnderstande the newe generation byrthe that Christe spake of Neither was the Samaritane woman anye thing lesse deceyued aboute that matter whyche Christ promised hyr The Hebrues also were deceyued whan Christe sayde vnto them Abraham did se my dayes and did reioyce Let theim not therefore saye euermore vnto vs thys scripture is plaine This is my body for we answere theÌ„ that it is plaine as coÌ„cerning the significatioÌ„ of the wordes But the sence of the words is not plaine as apeareth in such other like seÌ„teÌ„ces as these Christe is a stone Christe is a lambe Ye are the bodies of Christe Wee though we be many ar one bread one body Al these be the wordes of god we may saye of theym that they be playne and that they be euident and yet none of theÌ„ al proueth transubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ Wherefore there is no cause why the plainnes of the wordes shoulde so muche be alleged We muste of other places of scripture and of the circumstaunces wel consider what is in thys mattier mente aud intended We wyl therfore expoune this proposition somwhat depelye repetynge the matter from the bottome God was wyllynge to drawe man vnto hym wyth large and greate promises as that he woulde make him happye and blessed And bycause he knewe oure beleuynge herte he woulde that there shoulde be manye benifites of hys shewynge towardes mankind remayne and appeare in memorie whereby he might allure and drawe man vnto hym Wherefore he dyd not onelye giue all creatures vnto man but also in the tyme of the floude he deliuered our kinde whiche hadde full euyll deserued it from the destruction of the water To Abraham he declared hym selfe very fauorable and louinge To Isaac also to Iacob his sonnes sonne He prospered their stocke whan they were oppressed he deliuered them and gaue them a fruitefull contrye to dwell in and promoted them to the dignitie of kynges and priestes and yet were they continually men of a harde beliefe and did not perfectelye thincke that God owed them good wyll Wherefore for their infidelitie he cast them oute into diuers captiuities agayne manye sondrye tymes he deliuered them In conclusion to the entente that there shoulde be no place lefte of doubtinge of hys goodnesse he gaue them the greateste and highest benefite of al benefites that is to wete hys sonne takynge on him our fleshe that he shoulde dye on the crosse for oure healthe saluation the whiche benefite was suche and so greate that Paule to the Romaynes sayeth howe hath he not geueÌ„ vs al thinges with his soÌ„ne And than lefte thesame so greate and so hyghe a benefite should any more bee forgotten his wil and pleasure was that it should euermore nowe and than bee renewed in this sacrament of thankes geuyng to then tente that we should continually by faith thinke in our myndes that Christ was geueÌ„ by his father to death and that by the beleuyng thereof we shoulde eate his fleashe and drincke his bloud whiche thing to th enteÌ„t that it might the more effectually bee dooen the signes of bread and wyne were ioygned vnto it whiche should more earnestly moue vs then bare woordes alone had been wont to dooe Therfore whan he saith This is my body he vnderstoode none other thing than he promised in the sixthe of Iohn whan he sayed I am the bread of life he spake of himself as concernyng his body and fleashe deliuered to death or rather that should afterward be deliuered as plainly appereth by his woordes Neither ment he eny other thyng but that these thinges shoulde be vnto vs breade and meate wherwith our solles might be comforted and coÌ„firmed and by the mynde or solle the body also should be confyrmed and so consequentlye all the whole man Christ therfore at his last supper meÌ„t nor went about nothyng els but turned and sette the woordes of his former saying one in anothers place and lyke as afore he had sayde his bodye and fleashe to be bread so now placyng the wordes in the contrary ordre and shewyng forth the bread he saieth that the bread is his body And whyle he pronouÌ„ced these woordes This is my body it was eueÌ„ as much as if he should haue sayed My body receiued by feith shall be vnto you in stede of breade and shall bee lyke as it wer bread wherewith ye maie be spiritually fed and nourished Leat therfore the sence and plaine meaning be this I geue you breade to eate and in the meane tyme I propoune and set foorthe vnto you my body which shall bee nailed vpon the crosse that ye maye with feithefull remembraunce and with moste attentiue mynde spiritually eate thesame with youre selues and that as ye eate breade with your body so ye maye eate my fleashe with your solle What canne there bee either more easie or more clere and plaine to vnderstand then this interpretacion and exposicion or that maye better agree with the promise whiche oure Lorde Iesus Christ made vnto vs in the sixthe chapitur of Ihon
Melchisedech had offered that is to wete breade and wyne that is to saye his bodye and bloud Augustine Augustine also in the sixtenth chaptur of the ninetienth booke againste Fausins thus saieth Oh in how great an errour thei ierre swerne whiche thynke that because the signes and sacramentes are chaunged therfore the thynges selfes are dyuerse and not all one And in the one and tweÌ„tieth chapitur of the twentieth booke of the same weorke The fleashe and bloud of this sacrifice before the comming of Christe was promised by Hostes and sacrifices of likenesses at the tyme of Christes passion it was geueÌ„ in verai trueth and euer sens the ascâ—ndyng of Christe into heauen it is celebrated by the Sacramente of his memoriall The same Austen in the twentye sixthe traiâ—tise vpon Ihon sayeth Those Sacramentes wer diuerse and not al one in the signe but in the thyng that is signifyed thei are eguall and euen all one Thesame Austen a litell after Thesame meate than sayeth he the same drinke but that was to suche as vnderstood and beleued it but to them that vnderstood it not that same was than onely Manna and that same was than onely bare Water and nothing els but to the beleuing and feithfull it was euen the veraisame that it nowe is For at that tyme was Christ yet to come but now he is come To come and comed alreadie are distincte wordes but Christe is bothe than and nowe all one And Bertram Bertram one of the wryters in these later tymes thus wryteth Yet neuerthelesse that our aunciente fathers of the olde lawe did eate the selfe same spirituall meate that we dooe and dranke the selfe same spirituall drinke that we now dooe Sainct Paule dooeth earnestly affirme But thou wilte peraduenture aske this question whiche selfe same meate and drinke Ueraily the veraiself same which the people of the beleuing sort doe at this day eate drinke in the Churche or coÌ„gregacion For it is not leefull in any wyse to vnderstande that thei should bee diuerse or distincte meates and drinkes seyng that one and the selfe same Christe it is whiche did bothe than fede with his fleashe and geue drinke of his bloude to the people in the wildernesse and baptised in the cloud and in the sea dooeth now at this present in the Churche and congregacion of the beleuing sorte fede the people with the bread of his bodie geueth theÌ„ drinke of the water of his bloud And thesame Bertram not many lines â—nsuing saieth in this wyse A wondrefull matier truely and a thyng aboue the reache of mannes capacitee reason or estimacion He had not yet taken the nature of man vpoÌ„ him he hadde not yet tasted death for the saluacion of the worlde he had not yet redemed vs with his bloude yet the olde fathers in the wyldernesse didde through spirituall meate and drinke inuisible eate his bodye and drinke his bloud as the Apostle Paul witnesseth where he cryeth The selfe same spirituall meate c. And thesame Bertram anon after saieth in this manier For the selfe same Christe whiche at this daye doeth in the feithfull congregacion through his almightifull power spirituallye turne breade and wyne into the fleashe of his body and into the liquour of his own bloud the self same Christ did at that time inuisibly weorke Manna that was geuen from heauen to bee his bodye and the water powred doune from heauen to bee his owne bloud We se ferthermore that in the sacrament of baptisme is geuen the holye ghoste and the remission of sinnes The thirde argument against transubstaâ—ciacion and yet can we not saye that the holye ghoste the remission of sinnes lye secretly hid in the waters Yea and in baptisme we putte on Christ vpon vs and yet dooeth no man saye that the water suffreth anye transubstanciacion But the aduersaries allege Christ to bee after one sorte in the Sacrament of his supper Another obâ—ccioÌ„ and after another waye in baptisme whiche poynt I wyll not denie so that thei graunte hym to bee in baptisme too As touching the manier of Christes beeyng in the SacrameÌ„tes my plain mynde is that Christ in baptisme is geuen to vs as a mediatour and a reconciler and to speake in a more apte time a regeneratour that is to saye as oâ—e that begeatteth vs of newe and in the Sacramente of his supper he is distributed vnto vs as a meate and a foode The fourth argumâ—nte Moreouer these transubstancioners doe with their transubstanciation crepe verai nere to the trope and manier of speakyng of the Heretiques of Marcions secte For thei saie It semeth bread looketh lyke breade and yet is none whiche selfe same thynge Marcion the Heretique did saie of the fleashe and body of Christe that it was not a body and fleashe in verai true dede but did onely appere to be a body and fleashe and yet was none The fifthe aâ—gument against transubstanciacioâ— Christ is no iugler neither doth he mocke or daly with our senses But whan he was arise again from death to life he proued declared his resurreccion by our seÌ„ses Fele my body saied he loke wel vpoÌ„ it For a spirite hath not any fleashe bones his Apostles might haue saied We fele it we se it it appereth fleashe it is like a body but yet it is not fleash in dede And so Christes profe had ben nothing worth with the whiche he would haue it tryed that his body was not a fantasticall bodye but a verai body in dede And that he had resumed takeÌ„ again his verai owne body not any other manier body he declared by a plain profe shewed to the yie by printes holes of the nailles by yâ— open hole in his side The which argument profe of Christes making should be of no strength at al nor effect if ther wer yet a place left for such iugling castes as the aduersaries wold haue here in this matier of yâ— sacrameÌ„t The fathers also old writers dooe hold that Christ was very maÌ„ The sixthe argumente because he had the properties accideÌ„tes of mans nature as for exaÌ„ple because he huÌ„gred slept wouÌ„dred was sory wept suffred which argumentes wer nothing worth at al if suche accidentes be not sufficient profes that where suche accideÌ„tes be there is al so a substauÌ„ce to whoÌ„ thesame be accideÌ„tes as if a maÌ„ caÌ„not argue thê° thesame forme or fashioÌ„ which was woÌ„t to be in bread doth yet remain thesame tast the same colour ergo it is bread For the Heretiques will not dâ—nie but grauÌ„t that Christ was hungry that he slept that he woÌ„dred that he wept and that he suffred but wheÌ„ you will therupon coÌ„clude that he was verai maÌ„ thei wil denie your argumeÌ„t For thei wil saie that these properties might be fouÌ„d in Christ though a substauÌ„ce to which thei should
and enclosed in a veray lytell piece of breade This Sacramente is not onely sayed to bee the Sacramente of the body of our sauiour Christe but also of the mistical body of Christ Wherefore Paule in thissame his former epistle to the Corinthians saied Ye bee the body of Christe and also We beeyng many are one lofe and one bodye all we that be partakers of one bread or lofe And Austen Ausâ—en in the tenth chapiter of the two and twentieth boke of hys woorcke entituled Quia ipsâ— id sunt vide liceâ— corpus christi De ciuâ—taâ—e deâ— saieth that Christian meÌ„ne dooe not offer sacrifice to the martyrs But the sacrifice is Christes bodye whyche bodye is not offred to the martyrs for martyrs them selues sayeth Austen are Christes bodye misticall Nowe therfore seynge that this sacrameÌ„te doth comprehende and conteyne indifferentlye bothe bodyes that is to wete Christes owne body The breade is not chaâ—ged into châ—istes body no more theÌ„ into the bodye mâ—stical and the body mistical tooe euen as they be not wont to holde that the substaunce of the breade is chaunged into the substaunce of the misticall bodye so it shall not be necessarie to require that the substaunce of the bread be chaunged or turned into the bodye of Christe seynge that thys sacramente is said to bee the sacramente of both these two bodies indifferently And of thys opinion it woulde folowe The .xliiii. argument that not onely the fayethfull and beleuynge sorte but also the infideles that lacke fayth may receiue Christes body whyche thynge I haue at large disproued in an other place wyth two sondry argumentes the one that seeynge Christes bodye canne not be deuided from hys spirite it would then folow that the vngodly or wicked lyuers dooe receyue the spirite of Christe also Secondarelye that where as the Infideles be as dead personnes as touchyng the inwarde man they vtterlye lacke the toole or instrument wherwith they shoulde receyue spirituall thynges â—â—sten None reâ—iue Christes bodye but suche as are of Christes bodye And Austens saiynge is playnelye that no folke eate Christes bodye sauynge suche as are of Christes body Ierome And Hierome in the two and twenty Chapter of hys fourth booke vpon Ieremy sayth And where the prophet bringeth in and sayth They shal not eat drinke c. it is to be vnderstand the bodie and bloud of our sauioure For in that place he spake of herityckes and the same Hierom also in the threskore sixt chapter vpon Esai And as longe as they be not holy both in bodie and in spirite they do nether eate Christes fleashe nor drynke Christes bloude And a numbre there be in the olde aunciâ—nte wryters of suche lyke places as these The .xlv. Argumente And where as they do ofte tymes in thys matter brynge forth manye myracles agaynste vs men must not be so quycke nor so lyght of credence as to beleue euerye thynge For myracles are not wounte to be brought forth but bycause they be straunge thynges and wonderfull by reason of whose seldom effect and vnwonted comminge to passe Goddes word maye be the more estemed and regarded For at such times when suche miracles chaunce menne be striken with a greate wonderynge And thereby men are easelye or quyckely perswaded to regarde and to beleue christes sayinges and doctryne But in thys sacramente there is nothynge chaunged as farre as our eye can iudge neyther is there anye suche chaunge made as myghte prouoke vs to anye wonderynge Wherfore these traÌ„substantiatours seme in vayne to seke anye healpe for their purpose by myracles It is in vaine for the transubstaÌ„tiatours to seke healpe of miracles for their traÌ„subtiatiatioÌ„ A true matter it is in dede that the vyrgin Marye dyd conceyue of the holye ghoste but she hyr selfe dyd perceyue and fele that so it was And in case any man haue at anye tyme bene conuerted to Christe they haue perceyued and felte that theyr mynde and theyr lyfe hathe chaunged frome theyr olde conuersation But in thys Sacramente there is not perceyued anye one of these miracles whyche they feygne Onelye they set out two wordes but not one of them all canne be proued eyther by anye reason or by experience or by scripture Ye maye see moreouer The .xlvi. argumente against traÌ„substantiation that loke what respecte or proportion there is betwene the breakynge of the breade and the deathe and passion of Christe Euen the same respecte and proportion there is betwene the breade and Christes bodye But the breakynge of the breade as these menne theim selues graunte also is a Sacramente and a sygne of Christes breakynge or sufferynge vpon the crosse and yet there is no suche transubstanciation of the same into Christes passion that the breakyng of the breade shoulde make the sayde passion or sufferynge of Christe to be really there present therfore shal not the breade neyther bee chaunged into Christes bodye to make hys bodye carnallye presente And so seynge that thys opynion hath nothynge in it but onelye pratlynge and babblynge aboute tryfles and bryngeth men as it were into a maze that they canne not gette oute of whan they are once in it auayleth nothynge at al nor helpeth to the furderauÌ„ce of deuotion or godlines But nowe as concernynge the auncient fathers wryters The .xlvii. argumente Ireneus it behoueth vs to see whether they were of the same opinion or no. Irenaeus agaynste the herytykes called Valentinians sayd that the earthlye breade whan it taketh hys name of Goddes worde is nowe no longer commune bread suche as menne coÌ„mâ—nely vse to eate but it is nowe made the sacramentes of thankes geuyng which in yâ— greke is called Eucharistia Eucharistia Whyche Eucharistia or sacramente of thankes geuing is made of two partes the one earthly and the other heauenlye c. Here fyrste and formoste he denieth not that the sacrament of thankes geuynge called Eucharistia as is aforesayde is bread excepte ye wyl make it or suppose it to be suche commune breade as men do communely vse to eate at theyr repastes And afterwarde he sayeth that the sayde sacramente doeth consyste of two thynges of whyche two thynges the one is earthlye and that is the breade the other is heauenlye as Christes bodye And lyke as the veritye is kept in the tone parte that is to wete as touching Christes bodye euen so muste the veritye be kepte in the other parte also that is to wete as touchyng the breade And he addeth by a similitude or comparison And so our bodyes sayth he receyuynge the sacramente of thankes geuynge are nowe no longer subiecte to corruption Tertullian Tertullian in the fyrste booke agaynste Marcion sayth that God dyd not caste awaye the breade beynge Goddes creature for as much as with that bread Christ represeÌ„ted hys body in the fourth boke agaynste the same Marcion he sayeth When Christ had taken bread and had deuided it
amonge hys disciples he made that breade hys bodye by sayinge Thys is my bodye That is to saye the fygure of my bodye but it shoulde not be a figure of hys bodye vnlesse the body hadde bene a verye true body in dede Origen Origen vpon the boke of Numeri in the .xvi. homilie we are said that we do not onely drinke Christes bloud whan it is ministred vnto vs in the ordinarye geuing of the Sacramentes but also whan we receiue his woordes Which self same thing also Hierome wrote in one place vpon the third chapitur of Ecclesiastes The same Origen also vpon the .xxvi. Chapitur of Matthew hath these wordes Panis iste quem deus verbum Corpus suum esse fatetur verbum est nutritorium animarum that is to saie this breade whiche god the woorde whiche is Christe dooeth plainelye affirme and saie bee his bodye is a woorde good and holsome to nourishe oure soules The same Origen also in the seuenthe homelie vpoÌ„ the booke of Moses entitled Leuiticus thus speaketh For euen in the ghospels also there is a litteral sense which killeth and not in the olde testameÌ„t onely For if ye folow the litteral sence in this sentence vnles ye eate my fleash c. And in thesame boke in the nynth homely doe not thou staigh nor dwel in the bloude of the fleashe but learne rather the bloude of the woorde and heare himselfe sayinge vnto thee that this is my bloode whiche is shed forthe for you The same Origen agayn vpon the fiftienth chapitur of Matthewe The breade that is halowed passeth into the bealie as touchyng his material parte and is cast forth into the draught c. And within a fewe woordes after he saieth thus Neither is it the matter or substaunce of the breade but it is goddes woorde spoken vpon the said breade whiche profiteth those that eate the same not vnworthely The same Origen in another place agaynst Celsus in the eight booke Celsus whan we haue geuen thankes for the benefites of God bestowed vpon vs we eate the breade whyche was offred Ciprian Cyprian in the syxte Epistle of the fyrste booke to Magnê° hath these wordes The lorde hauyng bread made of manye graynes of wheate ioyned togyther dothe call it hys bodye and hauynge wyne whyche was troden and pressed oute of manye clusters of grapes he calleth it hys bloud And the same Ciprian where he declareth and expouneth the Lordes prayer calleth the Lordes bodye breade And in hys sermon of the Lordes supper he sayeth that we dooe not whette or sharpen oure tethe but sayeth that wee breake or eate the breade onelye wyth a pure faith The same CipriaÌ„ in a sermon which he entitleth de chrismate that is of the Chrisme sayeth plainely that Sacramentes haue the names of those thynges whyche thynges they sygnifye Whychâ— two poyntes of callynge it breade and of eatynge it with sincere fayth onely it semeth that Austen dyd borow and take of hym the laste thynge Austen hath in hys epistle to Boniface and the other thing whan he sayd Quid paras dentem aut vetrem Crede et manducasti That is to saye why dost thou make readye thy toth or thy bealye beleue thou and thou hast eaten it And these wordes are in the fyue and twentye treasyse vpon Iohn But the same CipriaÌ„ in hys thyrde epistle of the seconde boke to Cecilius sayth that the bloude of Christe is shewed or sette forthe in the wyne And agaynste those menne whyche were called Aquarii he holdeth that the bloude of Christe can not appeare to be presente in the cuppe or chalyce if the wyne cease to be there whyche thynge shoulde so come to passe by the transubstantiation whyche these men do put And in hys sermon vpon the Lordes supperâ— he wryteth that the sygnes be chaunged into Christes body but yet in suche wyse that he taketh hys similitude of Christ him selfe in whom the humanitie or humaine nature appeared the godheade was not to be sene but was inuisible By whyche similitude ye see that he meaneth that lyke as two natures remayned in Christe so also in thys Sacramente two natures be reserued Also Ciprian in the thyrde epistle of the second boke hath these wordes After such sorte as neyther floure or meale alone or water alone can be Christes body vnlesse both thynges be ioygned coupled to gyther and made into one whole masse or lumpte by knyttynge it togyther into one breade or lofe wyth the whyche selfe same breade beynge nowe putte to the vse of a Sacrament our people is playnelye shewed and declared to be a people ioygned togyther in one Athanasius also declarynge these wordes of Christ. Athanasius If any man speake a worde agaynst the sonne of man it shall be forgeuen hym but he whiche speaketh agaynst the holy ghost shal neuer haue it pardened or for geueÌ„ him in thys world nor in the world to come wryteth in thys maner And howe greate a body should it be to bryng to passe that al the world shoulde eate and fede thereof But he bryngeth in afterwardes that the matter shuld be vnderstaÌ„ded spiritually and that Christe in that place therefore made mention and spake of his ascension againste the Capernaites Basilius Basilius in his boke entitled liturgia calleth the bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corpus Christi the exaumple or paterne or counterpaine of Christes body And this he sayeth to bee after the wordes of conâ—ecracion are once paste Dioâ—isius Dionisius in his weorke entitled de hierarchia Eclesiastica in the thyrd chapitur saythe The bishop openeth the bread which was couered and vndeuided and cutteth it in pieces Ambrose Ambrose declaryng the first epistle to the CorinthiaÌ„s saieth Sith the entente of the matter is that this thing bee dooen for a memorial and remembraunce of Christe and of Christes death we in eatinng and drinkyng the Sacramente dooe signifye the fleashe and bloude of Christe which wer offred on the Crosse. And the same man about the same place saieth that we drynke of Christes mysticall cuppe for a figure of Christes bloud And in the fourthe chapitur of the fourth boke entitled de sacramentis that is to saie of the sacramentes where he putteth the chaunge of the signes he treateth also of our chaungynge into Christe and yet is there not anye transubstanciacion sayed to bee in suche as receiue the Sacrament And the same man in the same fowerth booke of the Sacramentes and the fourth chapitur saieth leat vs therefore make this by good reason how that thing whiche is nowe bread may be Christes body by consecracion of certain woordes pronounced ouer it And not many lines after he saieth If so great a strength and vertue bee in the woordes of the lorde that thynges begynne to be that thei were not afore how much more than can he weorke and bryng to passe that those thinges maye still remayne the same that they were before
and yet maye be chaunged into an other thynge too Hierome vpon Mathewe sayeth playnlye Hierome that the bodye and bloude of Christe is represented by the breade and by the wyne Chrisostome vpon the second epistle to the Corhinthians sayeth Châ—isostom that not onely that thyng is Christes bodye whych is sette before the Christians at the lordes table but also that the pore folcke are hys bodye to whome we are bounde to shewe and to minister the worckes of charitye For euen the same Christe whyche sayde thys is my bodye sayde also by his worde that he was in nede and necessitie whan poore folcke lacked and that he had kyndenes and benefyte shewed to hym selfe whan they receyued our almesdedes The same Chrisostome in the eleuenth homelie vpon Mathewe in the worcke whyche is intituled Imperfectum sayeth thus It is not christes bodye and christes bloude whyche is contayned in the holye vesels Sed misterium corporis et sanguinis Christi that is to say But it is the mistery of Christes body bloude The same Chrisostome in the .xxvii. homelie vpon the eleuenth chapitur of the second epistle to the Corinthyans For as christe bothe in the breade and also in the cuppe sayde Do ye thys in remembraunce of me as often as ye shal eate of thys bread and drynke of thys cuppe c. The same vpon the .xxii. psalme Thou hast prepared an eatynge table in my syght that he might shew forth daily to vs in the sacrameÌ„t bread and wyne accordynge to the order or fashyon vsed of Melchisedek for a similitude of christes body blud Emisenus And Emisenus whome they cite or alledge oute of the canon lawe in the title De consecratione and in the seconde distinction where he semeth to putte a chaunge of the symboles or sygnes and matter of the Sacramente euen the same manne maketh mention of oure chaungynge into christe Austen Austen hathe manye testimonies of thys mattier fyrst vpon the .lxxxix. psalme Ye shal not eate this body which you see with your eye neither shal ye drinke the same very blud whych the Iewes wil shede forth vpon the crosse But the thinge which I speake vnto you is a mysterie and an highe secrete poynte whiche if it be spirituallye vnderstanded shall quicken you to life Also in the thyrde booke de trinitate Panis ad hoc factus in sacramento accipiendo consumitur that is to saye the breade whyche was made for this purpose is coÌ„sumed awaye whan the sacrament is receyued Neither is there anye tytle or reason why Fysher late bishope of Rochester shuld so haue gone aboute to racke thys sentence and to apply it to the shewe breades of the olde lawe whyche were called Panes prepositionis For we haue before this declared and by diuerse reasons proued that hys declaration doth not ne canne bee agreable to serue for that matter Firste bicause that if thou folowe the easye and plaine sence of the wordes and that sence of the letter whiche offereth it selfe and commeth to thy minde at the fyrste syght or readinge thou shalte see plainelye that Austen there speaketh of Eucharistia whyche is thys Sacramente of thankes geuynge as is afore sayde And it is a worde muche vsed to signyfye the Sacramente of Christes bodye c. And Erasmus in the worckes of Austen whiche he corrected and sette forthe of newe when he commeth to the wordes aboue cited â—â—asmus hath for a note in the margente of the booke directlye agaynste the sayde clause sette thys worde Eucharistia to signifye that the sayde clause is mente of thys Sacramente of Christes bodye and bloude Moreouer the sayde Austen a little after in the same Chapitur and whyle he yet treateth vppon the same matter dothe so plainly make mention of Eucharistia that the verye aduersarie canne not denye it nor saye againste it And he hadde wrytten of the same Eucharistia before in the fourthe chapitur of the selfe same boke whan he beganne to treate of the same matter Ye maye adde to thys also that the word SacrameÌ„t is of purpose expreslie mente and playnelye named in these wordes of Austen whych we haue now in haÌ„d For if he woulde thys worde Sacramente to be taken coÌ„munely it myght euen as well in euery behalfe haue bene applyed to those other thynges which Austen in that place had rehearsed before as for example to the brasen serpente and to the stone that was erected vp by Iacob as it myghte be applied or referred to the loues of propositioÌ„ or the shewe breades afore mentioned But Austen whan he spake and treated of those other thynges dyd not make any expresse mention of thys worde Sacramente whyche worde afterward in thys clause he woulde in no wise leaue oute bicause he woulde vs to vnderstande hym directlye to speake of Eucharistia Fynallye to coÌ„clude the very wordes of Austen are these The bread whiche was made for this purpose is cousumed in receyuynge of the sacramente or whan the Sacramente is receyued whyche thynge doeth in no wyse agree nor can not be applyed to the shewe breades of the olde Testamente For the lawes of the shewe bread were not made to any such vse or ende that they shoulde be eaten but that they beynge sette vpon a table shoulde remayne there before the Lorde and so continue from tyme to tyme in that place for the whyche cause they were called in the Hebrue tonge Panim Paâ—im Afterwardes by a lyttle chaunce as ye woulde say and of an other occation it came to passe that they were eaten for thys cause doubtelesse to auoyde leste they shoulde putrefye before the Lorde And for that cause were they chaunged weakelye And whan they were once offered dedicated to God he would haue thys honoure geuen to theim that they shoulde be eaten of the priestes But the breade of oure sacramente of Eucharistia is made verily for this onely purpose and ende that it shoulde be eaten and spente in receyuinge of the sacramente And to the argumentes that I haue alreadie made I adde and ioygne thys one more also whiche is of more force For saynte Austen speaketh by the presente tense and sayeth it is spente and not it was spente whych oughte to haue bene sayde if he hadde spoken of the fygure and ceremonye of the olde Testamente In the ninteenth chapitur of hys boke entitled De side that is to saye of fayeth to one Peter he callethe it the Sacramente of bread and wyne He doeth enstrucâ—e the sayd Peter in the feithe of the memorie of Christ of his death eueÌ„ at large but yet of this transubstanciacion the whiche these men doe now at this daie so earnestly harpe vpon and labour to bring in he speaketh not so muche as one worde In the twentieth booke against Faustus and the one twentieth chapitur he declareth that the fleashe and bloude of Christ was promised to vs in the olde testament vnder the
the councell And the same Cyrillus hath many thynges concernyng this matier And emong all other thinges he chiefly affirmeth that we beyng made partakers of the holy bodye and of the precious bloud of Christe dooe not nowe receiue common fleashe nor the fleashe as it wer of a sanctified man but fleashe that dooeth veraily sanctifie and make holy and that is nowe become the verai propre fleashe of the verai soonne selfe Thei allege morouer the councell of Vercels holden vnder Leo Bishop of Rome the nynth of that name The councel of Uercels where the Archedeacon Berengarius was condemned of whose recantacion it is also mencioned in the decrees in the title de consecratione that is of consecracion in the second distinccion and in the fowerth of the sentences Besides this thei bring in for theÌ„ the Romain councel Lateranense The couÌ„cell laâ—eraneâ—se holden vnder Innocentius Bishoppe of Rome the third of yâ— name who maketh plaine meÌ„tion of traÌ„substaÌ„ciacioÌ„ in the Decretalles in the title de Trinitate in the chapitur that begynneth thus Firmiter c. and also in the title de celebratione Missarum that is of the celebracioÌ„ of Masses in the chapitur thus beginning Cum Martha c. The councell also holden at Constance The couÌ„cell of ConstaÌ„ce wher Wiâ—â—lief was coÌ„demned because he denyed this transubstanciacion Thei cite in lyke manier for theyr parte as theâ— affirme the consente of the whole churche wherwith Duns was so throughely moued and persuaded in the fowerth of the sentences Duâ—s that a though transubstancion could not by any scriptures or argumentes bee firmely and euidently proued yet he gaue ouer and graunted it because he would not bee against the consent of the churche And hereto they frame a wonderous great and large argumente gathered of the almightifull power of God for that he is able to dooe muche greater and higher thingâ—s then this Thei bring in also many soondry miracles that haue at times ben shewed for testimonie of this truth as for exampâ—e that this Sacramâ—nte in the handes of Gregorie bishop of Rome did at his prayers turne into a fyngâ—r of fleashe and that there hath at sometymes in this Sacrament appered a litel preatiechild and aâ—so that this Sacramente beeyng for the nonce pricked with sharpe thinges hath at tymes dropped bloud Thei ferther talke many thinges of Christes bodâ— glorified which body the Apostle Paulâ— in this his former Epistle to the CorinthiaÌ„s calleth a spirituall bodye wherby thei would fain shewe and declare that Christe might verai well do suche a thyng as to deliuer vnto vs his bobye couered and as it wer hidden with sensible accidentes Thei yet ferther allege and brynge in for their purpose that it is not put in the greke simply and onely This is my bodye but this article the is put thereto so that it is sayed in Greke not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alone but thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if ye should saie in Englishe the bodye of me And the Grekes dooe euer coÌ„monly vse to adde suche articles whan they will properly and effectually signifie or expresse the thyng that thei speake of whiche phrase of speakyng by articles the Latin men haue not but our Englishe toung and the moste parte of other toungues haue them Thei go yet ferther and allege that Christ made promise vnto his Apostles saying I Wil be with you vntill the ende or consummacion of the worlde Whiche wordes saye thei are not to bee referred to his godhead onelye for the Apostles theimselfes knewe that point well enough and doubted nothyng of it but because thei wer sad and heauie for his bodily departure therefore he comforteth theÌ„ saying that he will bee present with them afterwarde euen in his body too Besides the premisses in case transubstanciacion should bee taken awaye and breade there remayne than forasmuche as the sayde breade cannot bee the bodye of Christe there should bee leaft onely a significacioÌ„ and in this case the Sacramentes of the newe law should not haue in them anye thynge that were not to bee founde in the Sacramentes of the olde Lawe For the olde Sacramentes did conteyne a significacion of Christe too Yea and if a man haue respect to the outewarde lykenesse or semblaunce the sayd olde Sacramentes wente muche more nerer to the liuelye signifying or fyguryng of Christe then dooeth breade and wyne For their brute beastes were kylled and the bloud of thesame wasâ—hed foorth whereas in bread and wine there dooeth no manier suche thing happen And forasmuche as Christe promised in Peter that the feith of the Churche should not faile and forasmuche as the said Churche is the moste derely beloued spouse of Christe it semeth to them a wonderous case howe he hath of so longe continuaunce leafte the Churche in this Idolatrie and hath not in so longe whyle reueled and shewed the trueth of the matier agaynst so great an abusion Thei argue fâ—rthermore in this manier If the substaunces of breade and wyne beeyng conserued still remainyng the trueth of the thynges can not bee there present as it is afore concluded than shall there bee nothyng more found ne had in the Sacrament theÌ„ in other common meates and repastes For in them al so the feithfull shall well vnderstande the significacion of breade and wyne And thus the dignitie of the Sacramentes perishe and come to nothyng Finally thei allege that the worde of God ought to haue his ful strength and power inuiolably conserued kept whiche if it bee taken away than doeth not transubstanciacion remaine Ambrose in his treactise of the sacramentes Ambâ—ose affirmeth the woord of God to bee a woord of suche operacion and weorkyng that the bread and wyne both remayne still thesame that they bee and yet bee chaunged into another thyng Which wordes one Algerius a writer of late time enterpreteth and expouneth in the seuenth chapitur of the first booke of his weorke that he wrote of this sacramente saying that the bread the wyne remaine stil as touching their accidentes and are chaunged into an other thyng or into a bettâ—r thyng as touchyng their substaunce But now it behoueth vs to see by what argumentes and reasons on the contrarie parte Reasons agaynst traâ—subsâ—anciacion this sentence is clerely defeacted and vtterly made void Firste and formoste the holye scripture purporteth that here is breade The fyrst aâ—gumente Ergo it is not true that the substaunce therof is chaunged into another thyng The Euangelistes auouche and affirme that Christe toke breade and brake it Paul doeth â—iue sâ—ndâ—â—e times cal it bâ—ead and gaue it to his disciplesâ— and Paule dooeth fiue soondrie tymes make expressemencioÌ„ of it callyng it euery where by the name of breade First he saieth i. Corin. x. Is not the breade whiche we breake a Communion or participacion of Christes body And in thesame place All we are one breade and one body which