liue for euer And thus I haue declared the sence of Christes wordes brought forth out of the Gospell of Sainct Iohn Wherby appeareth how euidentely they set forth the doctrine of the mysterie of the eatyng of Christes fleshe drinkyng his bloud in the Sacrament whiche must nedes be vnderstanded of a corporall eatyng as Christ did after ordre in thinstitucion of the sayd Sacrament accordyng to his promise and doctrine here declared Now where thauctor to exclude the mysterie of corporall manducacion bryngeth forth of Sainct Augustine suche wordes as entreat of theffect and operacion of the worthy receauyng of the Sacrament the handelyng is not so syncere as this matter requireth For as hereafter shal be intreated that is not worthely and well done may because the principall entent fayleth be called nor done as so Sainct Augustine sayth Let him not thinke to eat the bodie of Christ that dwelleth not in Christ not because the body of Christ is not receaued whiche by Sainct Augustines mynde euill men do to their condempnacion but because theffecie of life fayleth And so thauctor by sleight to exclud the corporall manducacion of Christes most precious bodie vttreth suche wordes as myght sounde Christ to haue taught the dwellyng in Christ to be an eatyng whiche dwellyng may be without this corporal manducacion in him that can not attaine the vse of it and dwellyng in Christ is an effecte of the worthy manducacion and not the manducacion it selfe whiche Christ doth ordre to be practised in the moost precious Sacrament institute in his supper Here thou reader mayst see how this doctrine of Christ as I haue declared it openeth the corporall manducacion of his moost holie fleshe and drinkyng of his moost precious bloud whiche he gaue in his supper vnder the formes of bread and wyne Nowe let vs considre the textes of the Euangelistes and Sainct Paule whiche be brought in by thauctor as foloweth Whē they wee catyng Iesus toke bread Mat. 26 and when he had geuē thankes he brake it gaue it to his disciples and sayd Take eat this is my bodie And he toke the cup and when he had geuen thankes he gaue it to them saiyng drinke ye all of this for this is my bloud of the new testament that is shed for many for the remission of synnes But I say vnto you I wyll not drinke henceforth of this frute of the vine vntill that daye when I shall drinke it new with you in my fathers kingdome As they did eat Iesus toke bread and Mar. 14 when he had blessed he brake it and gaue it to them sayd Take eat This is my bodie taking the cup whē he had geuē thankes he gaue it to them and they dranke of it And he said to them This is my bloud of the new Testament whiche is shed for many Uerely I say vnto you I will drinke no more of the frute of the vine vntill that daye that I drinke it newe in the kyngdome of God When the houre was come he sat doune Luc. 22. and the .xij. Apostels with him And he sayd vnto them I haue greatly desired to eat this Pascha with you before I suffre For I say vnto you henceforth I will not eat of it any more vntill it be fulfylled in the kyngdome of God And he toke the cup and gaue thankes and sayd Take this and deuide it among you For I say vnto you I will not drinke of the frute of the vine vntill the kyngdome of God come And he toke bread and whē he had geuen thankes he brake it and gaue it vnto them saiynge This is my bodie whiche is geuen for you This do in remēbrance of me Likewise also when he had supped he toke the cup saiyng This cup is the new Testamēt in my bloud which is shed for you Is not the cuppe of blessyng whiche we 1. Cor. 10 blesse a communion of the bloud of Christ Is not the bread whiche we breake a communion of the bodie of Christ We beyng many are one bread and one bodie for we are all partakers of one bread and of one cuppe That whiche I deliuered vnto you I 1. Cor. 11 receaued of the Lord. For the Lorde Iesus the same night in the whiche he was betrayed toke bread and when he had geuen thankes he brake it and sayd Take eate this is my bodie whiche is broken for you do this in remembraunce of me Likewise also he toke the cup when supper was done saiyng This cup is the new Testament in my bloud do this as often as ye drinke it in remembraunce of me For as often as you shall eate this bread drinke of this cup ye shew forth the Lordes death till he come wherfore whosoeuer shall eat of this bread or drinke of this cuppe vnworthely shal be giltie of the bodie and bloud of the Lorde But let a man examine him selfe and so eat of the bread and drinke of the cup for he that eateth drynketh vnworthely eateth and drynketh his owne damnacion because he maketh no difference of the Lordes bodie For this cause many are weake and sycke among you and many do slepe After these textes brought in thauctor doth in the fourth chapter begyn to trauers Christes intent that he intēded not by these wordes This is my bodie to make the bread his body but to signify that suche as receiue that worthely be membres of Christes bodie The Catholique church acknowlegyng Christ to be verie God and verie man hath frō the beginnyng of these textes of scripture cōfessed truely Christes intent and effectual myraculous woorke to make the bread his body and the wyne his bloud to be verely meate verely drinke vsyng therin his humanitie wherwith to fead vs as he vsed the same wherwith to redeame vs as he doth sanctify vs by his holy spirite so to sanctify vs by his holy diuine fleshe and bloud and as life is renewed in vs by the gift of Christs holy spirite so life to be encreased in vs by the gift of his holy fleshe So as he that beleueth in Christ and receaueth the Sacrament of beleif whiche is baptisme receiueth really Christes spirite So he that hauyng Christs spirite receaueth also the Sacrament of Christes bodie and bloud doth really receaue in the same and also effectually Christes verie bodie and bloud And therfore Christ in thinstitucion of this Sacramēt sayd deliueryng that he consecrated This is my bodie c. And likewise of the cuppe This is my bloud And although to mans reason it semeth straunge that Christ standyng or sittyng at the table should deliuer them his bodie to be eaten yet when we remembre Christ to be verie God we muste graunt him omnipotent and by reason therof represse in oure thoughtes all imaginacions how it might be and considre Christes intent by his will preached vnto vs by scriptures and beleued vniuersally in his church But if it may now be thought semely for
called Eucharistia hauyng the visible forme of bread wyne coÌ„teinyng inuisibly the verie body bloud of our sauiour Christ which was not wont to be reserued other wise but to be ready for such as in danger of death call for it the same so loÌ„g as it may be vsed is still the same sacrameÌ„t which only tyme altereth not wherof Cyril wrote to this sence Cyrillê° ad Calo syriuÌ„ epi scopum Hesichiê° in leuit li. 2. ca. 8 many hundred yeres past Hesichius also what ought to be done when by negligeÌ„ce of the ministre it wer reserued ouerlong Mary where it liketh thauctor of these differeÌ„ces to saye the church teacheth Christ to flye vp froÌ„ the receauer vnto heaueÌ„ so sone as the bread is chawed in the mouth or chaunged it rite stomake this maner of speache implyeth as though Christ lefte the seate of his maiestie in heauen to be present in the Sacrament which is most vntrue The churche acknowledgeth beleueth and teacheth truely that Christ sytteth on the right haÌ„de of his father in glory from whence he shall come to iudge the world also teacheth Christes very body bloud Christ himselfe God man to be present in the Sacrament not by shifryng of place but by the determinatioÌ„ of his will declared in scriptures beleued of the Catholique church which articles be to reason impossible but possible to God omnipotent So as beyng taught of his wil we should huÌ„bly submitte al our sences reason to the faith of his wil worke declared in his scriptures In the beleif of which mysteries is great benefit consolacion in the vnreuerent serche curious discussioÌ„ of theÌ„ presumptuous boldnes wicked temerite I knowe by fayth Christ to be present but the particularite how he is present more then I am assured he is truely present therfore in substaunce present I caÌ„not tell but present he is truely is verely is and so in dede that is to say really is and vnfaynedly is and therfore in substaunce is and as we terme it substancially is present For all these aduerbes really substancially with the rest be conteyned in the one worde is spoken out of his mouthe that speaketh as he meaneth truely certaynely as Christ did saiyng This is my body that shal be betrayed for you who then caryed himselfe in his handes after a certayne maner as sainet Augustine sayth whiche neuer man besides August Psal 33. him could do who in that his last super gaue himselfe to be eaten without coÌ„sumyng The wayes meanes wherof no man can tell but humble spirites as they be taught must constantly beleue it without thinkyng or talkyng of fliyng or sliyng of Christ agayne vnto heauen where Christ is in the glory of his father continually and is neuerthelesse because he will so be present in the SacrameÌ„t whole God and man and dwelleth corporally in him that receyueth him worthely Wherfore reader when thou shalt agayne well consider this coÌ„parison thou shalt finde true howe the first parte is disguised with vntrue reporte of the commen teachynge of the churche howsoeuer some glose or some priuate teacher might speake of it and the secoÌ„d part suche as hath been euer so taught One thyng I thinke good to admonishe the reader that whatsoeuer I affirme or precisely denye I meane within the compasse of my knowlege which I speake not because I am in any suspicioÌ„ or dout of that I affirme or deny but to auoyde the temerite of deniyng as neuer or affirmyng as euer which he extremities And I mean also of publike doctrin by consent receyued so taught beleued and not that any one man might blindely write as vtteryng his fansye as this auctor dothe for his pleasure There foloweth in the auctor thus They say that in the Sacrament the corporall The auctor membres of Christ be not distante in place on from an other but that whersoeuer the hede is there be the feeâ—e whersoeuer the armes be ther be the legges so that in euery parte of the bread and wyne is all together whole hede whole feete whole fleshe whole bloud whole hearte whole longes whole breaste whole backe and al togither whole confused and mixte without distinction or diuersite O what a folishe and an abhominable inuentioÌ„ is this to make of the most pure and persite bodye of Christ suche a confuse and monstrouse bodye And yet can the Papistes imagyne nothyng so folishe but al christeÌ„ people must receyue the same as an oracle of God as a most certayne article of theyr fayth without whisperyng to the contrarye This is merueylous Rhetorique suche The answer as thauctor hath ouersene himselfe in the vtteraunce of it coÌ„fesseth himself pretely abused to the latter ende of his yeres to haue beleued that he now calleth so folishe But to the purpose In the booke of commen prayor now at this tyme set forthe in this realme At is ordred to teache the people that in eche parte of the bread consecrate broken is the hole body of our sauior Christ which is agreable to the Catholique doctrine UpoÌ„ accasioÌ„ hereof it liketh this auctor to multiply language by enumeracioÌ„ of partes and because reason without fay the directeth the bodely eye to so litle a visible quaÌ„titie in the hooste This auctor beareth in hand the Catholique churche to say and teache al that fonde reason diuiseth where as the churche in the doctrine of this mistery denyeth al that reason without fayth diuiseth And therfore when we acknowledge by faythe Christes body present although we say it is preseÌ„t truely really substancially yet we say our senses be not priuy to that presence ne the maner of it but by instruction of fayth and therfore we saye Christes body to be not locally present not by maner of quantite but inuisibly and in no sensible maner but meruelously in a SacrameÌ„t and mistery truely and in suche a spiritual maner as we can not defyne and determyne yet by faith we know his body present the partes of whiche be in them self distincte one froÌ„ an other in their swne substance but not by circumscription of seuerall places to be comprehended of our capacitie which partes we can not by demonstracion place nor by imaginacioÌ„ displace diminishe altre or coÌ„found as this auctor for his pleasure reporteth who writeth moÌ„st rously in so high a mistery impudeÌ„tly beareth in hand the Catholique churche to teache that he lysteth to beare in haÌ„d may by wanton reasoÌ„ be deduced of their teachyng wher as altrue christiaÌ„ men beleue simply Christes wordes trouble not their heades with suche consequeÌ„ces as seme to stryue with reasoÌ„ This is in th auctor no whisperyng but plainly raylyng wherin if he had remembred himselfe wel he would not haue spokeÌ„ of all christian men in the receypt of that he enteÌ„deth to disproue And if he would say he
And S. Cyrill who for his doctrine was in Epistola ad Nestor greate auctoritie with the counsell Ephesme wryteth the very body and bloud of Christ to be the liuely and vnbloudy Sacrifice of the churche as likewise in tholde churche other commenly termed the same and among other Chrisostome whō thauctor would now haue 1◠hom ad Heb. seme to vse it but for a maner of speach which in dede Chrisostome doth not but doth truly open thunderstanding of that is done in the church wherin by this sacrifice done after the ordre of Melchisedech Christes death is not iterate but a memorie daylie renewed of that death so as Christes offerynge on the Crosse ones done cōsummate to finish all sacrifices after thordre of Aaron is now only remembred accordyng to Christes instituciō but in such wise as the same bodie is offred dailie on thalter that was ones offred on thalter of the Crosse but the same maner of offeryng is not daylie that was on th aulter of the crosse for the dayly offeryng is without bloudshed is termed so to signifie that bloud sheding ones done to be sufficiēt And as Chryyostome openeth it by declaracion of what maner our sacrifice is that is to say this daylie offering to be a remēbrāce of the other maner of sacrifice ones done therfore sayth rather we make a remēbrance of it This sayng of Chrysostome doth not empayre his former words wher he saith the host is the same offred on the crosse and on thalter therfore by him the body of Christ that dyed but ones is daylie present in dede as the Concel of Nice saith sacrificed not after the maner of other Sacrifices as Chrisostom saith offred but the death of that preciouse body onely dayly remēbred not againe iterate And wher thauctor saith thold fathers callyng the supper of our Lorde a sacrifice ment a Sacrifice of laude thākes geuyng Hippinus of Hambrough no Papist in his boke dedicate to the kynges Maiestye that now is saith otherwise and noteth how the olde fathers called it a Sacrifice propiciatorye for the very presence of Christes moost precious body ther thus saith he which presence all Christen men muste saye requireth on oure parte laudes and thankes geuynge whiche maye be and is called in Scripture by the name of Sacrifice but that Sacrifice of our laudes and thankes geuynge cannot be a Sacrifice geuyng life as it is noted by Cyril the sacrifice of the church to do when he saith it is viuificū which can be onely sayde of the verye bodye and bloud of Christ Nor oure Sacrifice of laudes and thankes geuynge cannot be sayde a pure and cleane Sacrifice wherby to fulfill the prophecie of Malachie Malac. 3. and therfore the same prophecie was in the begynning of the Churche vnderstanded to be spoken of the daylye offeryng of the bodye and bloud of Christ for the memorye of Christes death accordyng to Christes ordinaunce in his supper as maye at more lenght be opened declared Thinkyng to theffecte of this booke sufficient to haue encountred the chefe poyntes of thauctors doctrine with such contradiction to them as the Catholique doctrine doth of necessitie require the more particulare confutacion of that is vntrue of thaduersarie parte and confirm aciō of that is true in the Catholique doctrine requiryng more time and ley sure then I haue nowe and therfore offerynge my selfe readye by mouth or wryte to say further in this matter as inalbe required I shall here ende for this tyme with prayour to almightye God to graunte his truth to be acknowledged confessed and vnisormely to be preached and beleued of al so as all contencion for vnderstandyng of religion auoyded whiche hyndreth Charitie we maye geue suche light abrode as men may see our good workes and glorifie our father who is in heauē with the sonne and holy gost in one vnitie of godhed reignyng without ende Amen