that thing wher in they were offended By this wearke you shall espye their blasphemies the venemous tonges wher w t they sâlaunder 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 coÌforte 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 sâripture by that meanes but rather dishonoure yt For the right honoure of a thinge ys to vse yt âor that entent that yt was institute of god And he âhat abuseth yt to any other purpose doth in dede dishonoure yt And lykewise yt is in the sacâameÌt w c was institute to kepe in memorye âhe dâth of christ wcâf 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 vâterâie 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 âo the bodie receue the bodye of Christ and that they speake vilynously wickedlye w c saye that tâey onlye receyue bred or the signe of his bodye for in so sayinge they declare theyr inside lyâe For the faythfull wyll reakyn that he is euyll reported of and reputed âor a traytoure and a nother Iudas yf meâ shuld saye of hym that he did onlye receyue the sacrameÌt and not also the thynge which the sacrameÌt doth signifye For albe it he onlie eateâh the bred sacrameÌt w t his mouth and teth yet w t his harte and fayth iâwardlye 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 âirst sight mought seame coÌtrarie to our sentense But yf they be will poÌdered yt maâe sone be senâ âow 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 coÌditions of the inwarde eatinge and thinge yt sâllfe â because that in a âaythfull man they are so Ioynâtâye Ioyned that the one is neuer w t oute the other As by âxaÌple 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 maÌâed that they both make but one person therfore ys she called the mother of god w c in dede yf yâ bâ wyselye weyed shaâbe founde to be âbused 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 betwâne 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 consârayned to do in thys sacrament because you misâconstrue the sayinges of the scrypture and Doctoures Whych notwythsâondyng yf a man vnderââond them saye verye well And many suche maner of speaches are contaâned in the scripture As where christ saâeth Ioan 3. there shall no man ascend in to heuin but he that disceÌdeth 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 âpake thes wordâs vnto nâcodemus here oâ yerâh w c thinge all wise meÌ coÌsent 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 maÌhod 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 êson For his godhed was in heuen aÌd because the godhed aÌd manhode made one êson therfore yt was ascrybed vnto the manhod w t was onâye vereâied vppon the godhed as saint Auâten ad Dardanum doth delygentlye declare And lyke wise in the sacrameÌt oâ baptime because the inward workinge of the holye gosâ is euer aÌnexed 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 baptâme 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
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 spuÌally fulfiâlâd in vs whiche thorou Christes blode are deliuered from the Egipt of synne and from the power of Pâarro the deuyll Anâ I say that this text of scripture This ys my bodie ys only spuÌally to be vnderstondeÌâ and not litâeralie And that doth S. Austen allso coÌfirme w c wryteth vnto adamantus saythâ Thes sentenses of scripture christ was the ââone The bloude ys the soule and this ys my bodieâ are figuratiuelie to be vnderstoÌden that ys to say spuÌally 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 exaÌple of his bridgromes ring I very well a lowe for I take the blessed sacrameÌt 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 exaÌple 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 dâclared 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 wiâh 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 amoÌge them so verely was Christes bodye brokyn for ther synnes And as verâly as they receyue that brede in to ther bellye thorough eatinge yt so vereâye do they receyue the frute of his deth in to ther soulys by beleuinge in hym And therfore they assemâle to that soâê 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 iâestâmabâe goodnes But to procede vnto oure purposse yt a maÌ wolde coÌme vnto the bryde tell hyr that tâis goodly gold ringe were her owyn brydgrome both fleshe bloude and bones as you doo then I thyâke yf she haue any wyt she might answer hym that he mocked and the more he sayd yt the lesse she might beâeue hym â and saye that yf that were her owyn brydgroâe what shulde she then nede any remembraunce of hym or why shoulde he geue yt her for a remembraÌâe For a remembraÌce pÌsuposeth the thynge to be abseât and therfore yf this be a remembrance of hym tâan 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 wordâs spokyn by the mouthe of Christ âe to be vnderstonden only by way of a similitude or an allegorye yet followyth yt not ther vppon that euery lâke 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 figuratifeây 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 thiÌke though some men may assygne other good causes euidences that the first knowelege ys by other textes of scrâpture 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 spirituaâlâ 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 aâd god and that no tâxt in scripture repungneth vnto the same but that they may well âtond 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 sâonde with the liâterall sense as shall here after apere And therfore necessite coÌpellâthe 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 phantasâe vppon a text of holy scripture may haue his owyn minde taken his owyn exposicioÌ beleued agaynstâ the exposâcioÌs of the old coninge doctors sayntes then may you surely see that non article of the christen fayth can stoÌde endure loÌge And then he allegith s. Hierom w c sayeth that yf the eâposiââoÌ of other interpretours aÌd the coÌsent of the coÌmen catholike churche wâre of no more streÌgth but that euery maÌ might
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 fâllowship 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 Pâule 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 destribâted 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 aÌd coÌforted by bred so are owre sowles by the faith in his bodie brekiÌg And likewise of the wyne in that yt was so distribâted and so coÌforteth 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 brâd because of this propertie that yt is made one of manie euin so doth Christe call yt his bodye because of the êpertyes before rehersed Furthermore in this they agre that as Paulles wordes muste be taken spuÌallye for I thinke there is no man so mad as to Iudge that the bred is our bodye in dede although in that proêtie yt repÌsenteth 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 êfessing 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 coÌpanye 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 draÌke 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 thaÌkes to their god w t that feaste w c they kept They came to one place brougât 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 CorinthiaÌs for berynge the gyntiles coÌpanie 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 êceyued not that that congregacyon was the fellowship of deuelles w c were there gathered not for the meate sake but for to thaÌke and prayse the ydolle their God in whom they had their confidence And all that there assembled aÌd 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 aÌd fellowship they testified openlye that they were of the deuelys bodye reioysed in the ydolle their god in whom they had fayth and coÌfidence 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 âiauÌce 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 othâr 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 whosâe 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 trusâe in the leuinge god and in the bloude of hys sonne Christ myght not eate with them And likewise yt ys in the saârament the brede and the eatinge of yt in the place and fellowship where yt ys âeceyued ys more then comen bred What ys yt more Uerelye yt ys brede which by the eatinge of yt in that place
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 âhe sacrament As the apostle wryteth of baptyme we are buryed sayeth he with Christe thorough baptyme vnto deth He sayâth 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 remembraÌce of the same And furdermore euyn as the prest doth offer hym that ys to saye crucyfye hym at masse euyn so ys the sacrameÌt hisâ bodye But the masse doth but only repÌsent his passyoÌ And so doth the sacrameÌt represent hys bodye And âet though the masse dothe but repÌsent his crucifying we maye trulye saye he ys cruâified euân so though the sacrameÌt do but signifie or repÌsent 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 simiâitude for the moste ête they take the namys of the verâe 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 maâer the sacrameÌt 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 mâmorie the deth of his bodye and so to norishe our fayth Besides that his similitude w c he after alâegeth of baptime doth holye expounde this matter for saieth he the apostle saieth not we signifie buryinge but he saieth we are buried aÌd yet in dede the baptyme doth but signifie yt And there vppon s. Austen addeth that he called the sacrameÌt of so great a thinge euyn w c the name of the very thinge yt sellfe And lyke wise yt ys in our sacrameÌt 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 ânim DâÌs 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 boâye 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 aÌd in this chapiter doth coÌpare 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 Iudgâmânt we nede not greatly to regard therfore we may well coÌclude that the sacrameÌt 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 immâdiatly before This were proffe ynough to coÌclude that all the olde fathers did holde the same opinion for who wolde once surmise seinge we haue s. austeÌ so pâayne for vs w c is the chesest emoÌge 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 leât hiÌ stoÌde post alone ieste ye dispice him And therfore I will shewe you the minde of certaine othâr allso and furââe of his master s. Ambrose S. Ambrose wrytynge vppon the Epistle of Paule to the CorinthiaÌs in the xiâ chap. sayth Quia emÌ morte DnÌi libeâati sumê° huiê° rei in eden do potaÌdo 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 coÌtent w t reason For he sayeth that in eatyng aÌd 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 sâd habet similitudineÌ Sicut emÌ mortis similitudineÌ sumpsisti ita etiaÌ similitudineÌ preciosi sanguinis bibis That ys to saye But êaduenture thou wylte saye I se no apperauÌce 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 pÌcyous bloude Here maye ye see by the coÌferrynge of thesse two sacramentes what s. Ambrose iââged of it For he sayeth euyn as thou haste taken a similituâe of hys deth in the sacrameÌt of baptyme so doste thou drinke a similitude of his preciouse bloude in the sacrameÌt of the auâter And yet as s. AusteÌ sayd before the apostle saith not we signifie buryinge but saâth we are buried And likewise here Christ sayd not this signifyeth my bodye but