sell Masses to the people whiche caused Masses so muche to encrease that euerye daye was sayde an infinite numbre and that no priest would receaue the communion at an other preestes hand but euery one would receaue it alone neither regardyng the godly decree of the most famous holy counsail of Nice which appointeth in what order priestes should be placed aboue Deacons at the CoÌ„munion nor yet the Canones of the Apostles whiche commaunde that when any Communion is ministred all the priestes together should receiue the same or els bee excomunicate So muche the olde fathers mislyked that any priest should receyue the sacrament alone Therefore when the olde fathers called the Masse or supper of the Lorde a Sacrifice they ment that it was a sacrifice of laudes thankes geuyng and so aswel the people as the priest do sacrifice or els that it was a remembraunce of the very true sacrifice propitiatorye of Christe but they ment in no wyse that it is a very true sacrifice for sinne and applicable by the priest to the quicke and dead For the priest may well minister Christes wordes and sacramentes to all men both good and bad but he can applye the benefite of Christes passion to no man beyng of age and discrecion but onely to suche as by their owne fayth do applye the same vnto them selues So that euery maÌ„ of age and discrecion taketh to him selfe the benefites of Christes passion or refuseth theim himself by his own fayth quicke or dead That is to say by his true and liuely fayth that worketh by charitee he receiueth them or els by his vngodlynes or fayned fayth reiected them And this doctrine of the scripture clearely coÌ„dempneth the wicked inueÌ„cions of the Papistes in these latter dayes which haue deuised a purgatory to torment soules after this life oblations of Masses sayd by the priestes to deliuer them from the sayd tormeÌ„tes and a great number of other commodities do they promise to the symple ignorant people by their Masses Nowe the nature of maÌ„ beyng euer prone to Idolatry froÌ„ the beginnyng of the worlde and the Papistes beyng ready by al meanes and policy to defend and extoll the Masse for their estimacion and profite and the people beyng superstitiously enamored and doted vpon the Masse because they take it for a preseÌ„t remedy against all maner of euyls and part of the princes beyng blynded by Papistical doctrin part louyng quietnes and lothe to offende their clergye and subiectes and all beyng captiue and subiecte to the Antichrist of Rome the state of the worlde remainyng in this case it is no wonder that abuses grewe and encreased in the churche that superstition with Idolatry were taken for godlynes true religion and that many thinges were brought in without the authoritee of Christ. As Purgatory the oblacion and sacrifisyng of Christ by the priest alone the application and appointyng of the same to suche persones as the priest would syng or say Masse for and to suche abuses as they could deuise to deliuer some froÌ„ Purgatory and some froÌ„ hell if they were not there fynally by God determined to abyde as they termed the matter to make rayne or fayre wether to put awaye the plage and other syckenesses both from man and beast to halowe and preserue them that weÌ„t to Ierusalem to Rome to sainct Iames in Compostella and to other places in pilgrimage for a preseruatiue against tempest and thunder against peryls and daungers of the sea for a remedy against morren of cattell against pensyuenes of the heart and against all maner affliction and tribulacion And finally they extoll their Masses farre aboue Christes passion promisyng many thynges thereby whiche were neuer promised vs by Christes passion As that if a man heare Masse he shal lacke no bodely sustenance that day nor nothyng necessarye for him nor shalbe letted in his iourney he shall not lose his sight that day nor dye no sodayn death he shall not waxe olde in that tyme that he heareth Masse nor no wicked spirites shal haue power of him be he neuer so wicked a man so long as he loketh vpon the sacrament All these folishe and deuilishe superstitions the Papistes of their owne idle brayne haue deuised of late yeres whiche deuises were neuer knowen in the olde churche And yet they crye out against them that professe the gospell say that they dissent from the churche and would haue them to folowe the example of their churche And so would they gladly do if the Papistes would folow the first churche of the Apostles whiche was moste pure and incorrupte but the Papistes haue clearely vaâ—ied from the vsage examples of that churche and haue inuented newe deuises of their owne braynes and wyll in no wyse consent to folowe the primitiue churche and yet they would haue other to folowe their church vtterly variyng dissentyng from the fyrst most godly churche But thaÌ„kes be to the eternal God the maner of the holy Communion whiche is nowe sette furth within this Realme is agreable with the institution of Christ with sainct Paule and the olde primitiue and Apostolike churche with the right fayth of the sacrifice of Christe vpon the Crosse for oure redemption and with the true doctryne of oure saluacion iustificacion and remission of all our synnes by that onely sacrifice Nowe resteth nothyng but that all faythfull subiectes wyll gladly receiue and embrace the same beyng sory for their former ignorance and euery man repentyng him selfe of his offeÌ„ces against God and amendyng the same may yelde himselfe wholly to God to serue and obaye him all the dayes of his life and often to come to the holy supper whiche our Lord and sauior Christ hath prepared And as he ther corporally eateth the very bread and drynketh the very wyne so spiritually he may feade of the very fleashe and bloud of Iesu Christ hys sauiour and redemer remembryng his death thankyng hym for his benefites and lokyng for none other sacrifice at no pristes haÌ„des for remission of his synnes but onely trustyng to his sacrifice whiche beyng both the high priest and also the lambe of God prepared from the beginning to take away the synnes of the worlde offered vp himselfe ones for euer in a sacrifice of swete smell vnto his father and by the same payde the raunsome for the synnes of the whole worlde Who is before vs entred into heuen and sitteth at the right haÌ„d of his father as patrone mediatour and intercessour for vs. And ther hath prepared places for all them that bee liuely meÌ„bres of his body to reigne with him for euer in the glory of his father to whom with him and the holy ghost be glory honor and praise for euer and euer AMEN FINIS CERTAYN FAVTES Leaf Page Line Read 23 2  in the margent â—â—de Irenaeus contra Valentinum libro 4. cap. 34. 48 1 2 Corporally generated encrease and growe c.
the sacramentall bread and wyne or any vysyble thynge is to bee woorshypped in the Sacrament For sainct Augustynes mynde was so farre from any suche thought that hee forbyddeth vtterly to woorship Christes owne fleshe and bloud alone but in consideracion and as they bee annexed and ioyned to his diuinitee Howe muche lesse than could he thynke or allowe that we should worshyp the sacramentall bread and wyne or any outwarde or visible sacrament whiche bee shadowes figures and representacions of Christes very fleshe and bloudde And saynt Augustin was afrayde lest in worshyppyng of Christes very body we shoulde offende and therfore he byddeth vs whan we worshyp Christe that we shoulde not tarry and fixe our myndes vpon his fleshe whyche of it self auayleth nothyng but that we shuld lyfte vp but our myndes from the fleshe to the spirite whiche giueth lyfe and yet the Papistes be not afrayde by crafty meanes to induce vs to worship those thynges whyche be signes and sacramentes of Christes bodye But what wyl not the shamelesse Papistes alledge for theyr purpose whan they be not ashamed to maynteyne the adoration of the Sacrament by these wordes of saynt Augustins wherin he Speaketh not one word of the adoration of the sacrament but onely of Christe hym selfe And although he saie that Christe gaue his fleshe to be eaten of vs yet he ment not that his fleshe is here corporally presente and corporally eaten but onely spiritually As his wordes declare playnly whyche folowe in the same place where saynt Augustine as it were in the persone of Christe speaketh these wordes It is the spirite that geueth lyfe but the fleshe profiteth nothynge The wordes whiche I haue spoken vnto you be spirite and lyfe That whiche I haue spoken vnderstande you spiritually You shall not eate this body which you se and drynke that blud whyche they shall shedde that shall crucifie me I haue commended vnto you a sacramente vnderstande it spiritually and it shall geue you lyfe And although it must bee visibly minystred yet it muste be inuisibly vnderstande These wordes of sayncte Augustine with the other before recited do expresse his mynd playnlye that Christe is not otherwyse to bee eaten than spiritually whyche spirituall eatynge requyreth no corporall presence and that he intended not to teache heere any adoration eyther of the visible sacramentes or of any thyng that is corporally in them For in dede there is nothyng really and corporally in the bread to be worshipped although the Papistes say that Christe is in euery consecrated breade But our Sauiour Christe hym selfe hath geuen vs warnyng before hande that suche false christians and false teachers shoulde come and hath bydde vs to beware of them sayeng If any man telle you that Christe is here or Christe is there beleue hym not For there shall ryse false Christes and false prophetes and shall shew many signes and wonders so that if it were possyble the verye electe shoulde bee broughte into erroure Take heede I haue tolde you before hande Thus our Sauiour Christe lyke a moste louynge pastour and sauioure of our soules hath gyuen vs warnyng before hande of the perylles and daungers that were to come and to bee wise and ware that we shoulde not geue credite vnto suche teachers as woulde perswade vs to worshyppe a peece of breade to kneele to it to knocke to it to creepe to it to folowe it in Procession to lyfte vp our handes to it to offer to it to lyght candels to it to shut it vp in a cheste or boxe to dooe all other honoure vnto it more than we dooe vnto God hauynge alwaye this pretence or excuse for our Idolatrie Beholde here is Christe But oure sauiour Christe calleth theym false Prophetes and saieth Take heede I tell you before Beleue theym not If they saie to you Beholde Christe is abrode or in the wyldernesse go not out And if they say that he is kepte in close places beleue them not And yf you wyll aske me the question who be those false Prophetes and seducers of the people the aunswere is soone made The Romishe Antichristes and theyr adherentes the authors of all errour ignorance blyndenesse superstition hypocrisie and ydolatrie For Innocentius the thyrd one of the moste wycked men that euer was in the sea of Rome dyd ordeyne and decree that the hoste should be diligently kept vnder locke and keye And Honorius the thirde not only confirmed the same but commanded also that the priestes shulde diligently teache the people from tyme to tyme that whan they lyfted vp the breadde called the hoste the people should then reuerently bowe downe and that lykewyse they shoulde do whan the prieste carrieth the hoste vnto sycke folkes These be the statutes and ordynances of Rome vnder pretence of holynesse to leade the people vnto all errour and Idolatrie not bryngynge theym by breadde vnto Christe but from Christe vnto bread But all that loue and beleeue Christe hym selfe lette theym not thynke that Christe is corporally in the breadde but lette theym lyfte vp theyr hartes vnto heauen and woorshyp hym syttyng there at the ryght hande of his Father Lette theym worshyp hym in them selues whose temples they bee in whome hee dwelleth and lyueth spiritually but in no wyse let them worshyp hym as beynge corporally in the breadde For he is not in it neyther spiritually as he is in manne nor corporally as hee is in heauen but onely sacramentally as a thynge maye bee sayde to bee in the fygure whereby it is sygnyfyed Thus is sufficientely reproued the thyrde pryncipall errour of the Papistes concernynge the Lordes supper whyche is That wycked membres of the deuyl do eate Christes very bodye and drynke his bloude Thus endeth the fowerth booke THE FIFTH BOKE IS OF THE OBLATION AND SACRIfice of our Sauiour Christe The greatest blasphemye iniury that can be against Christe yet uniuersally vsed through the Popishe kyngdom is this that the priestes make their Masse a sacrifice propitiatory to remit the synnes aswell of theim selues as of other both quicke and dead to whō they list to apply the same Thus vnder pretence of holynes the Papistical priestes haue taken vpon them to be Christes successours and to make suche an oblacion and sacrifice as neuer creature made but Christe alone neither he made the same any mo tymes than ones and that was by his death vpon the crosse For as sainct Paule in his Epistle to the Hebrues witnesseth Although the high priestes of the olde lawe offered many tymes at the least euery yere ones yet Christe offereth not him selfe many tymes for then he should many tymes haue dyed But nowe he offereth him selfe but ones to take awaye synne by that offeryng of him selfe And as menne must dye ones so was Christ offered ones to take awaye the synnes of many And furthermore S. Paule sayth That the sacrifices of the olde lawe although they were contynually offered
doest thou in this sacrament drinke the similitude of Christes precious bloud And againe he sayth in y e sayd boke The priest sayth Make vnto vs this oblaciō to be acceptable whiche is the figure of the body and bloud of our lord Iesu Christ. And vpon the Epistle of sainct Paule to the Corinthians he sayth that in eatyng and drinkyng the bread and wyne we do signifie the flesh and bloud whiche were offered for vs. And the old testament he sayth was instituted in bloud because that bloud was a wytnes of Gods benefite in significacion and figure wherof wee take the mistical cuppe of his bloud to the tuition of our body and soule Of these places of sainct Chrysostome sainct Hierom and sainct Ambrose it is cleare that in the sacramentall bread and wyne is not really and corporally the very natural substance of the flesh and bloud of Christ but that the bread and wyne be similitudes mysteries and representacions significations sacramentes figures and signes of his body and bloud and therefore be called and haue the name of his very fleshe and bloud And yet S. Augustyne sheweth this matter more clearely and fully than any of the rest specially in an Epistle which he wrote ad Bonifatiū where he sayth that a day or two before good fryday we vse in common speeche to say thus To morowe or this day .ii. dayes Christ suffered his passion where in very dede he neuer suffered his passion but ones and that was many yeres passed Lykewise vpō Easter day we say This day Christ rose frō death where in very deede it is many hundred yeres sithens he rose frō death Why than do not menne reproue vs as lyers when we speake in this sort But because we cal these dayes so by a similitude of those dayes wherein these thynges were done in deede And so it is called that day whiche is not that day in dede but by the course of the yere is a like day And suche thinges be sayd to bee done that day for y e solemne celebracion of the sacramēt which thinges in dede were not done that day but lōg before Was Christ offereed any more but ones And he offered him selfe yet in a sacrament or representacion not onely euery solemne feast of Easter but euery day he is offered to the people so that he doth not lye that saith he is euery day offered For if sacramentes had not some similitude or likenes of those thynges whereof they be sacramentes they could in no wyse bee sacramentes And for their similitude and lykenes commonly they haue the name of the thynges whereof they bee sacramētes Therfore as after a certayne maner of speeche the sacrament of Christes body is Christes body the sacrament of Christes bloud is Christes bloud so lykewise the sacramēt of fayth is fayth And to beleue is nothyng els but to haue fayth And therfore whē we answere for yong children in their baptisme that thei beleue whiche haue not yet the mynd to beleue we answere that they haue fayth because they haue the sacramēt of fayth And we say also that they turne vnto God because of the sacrament of the cōuersion vnto God for that answer partaineth to the celebracion of the sacrament And likewyse speaketh the Apostle of Baptisme saiyng that by Baptisme wee bee buryed with him into death he sayth not that wee signifie burial but he sayth plainly that we be buried So that the sacrament of so great a thing is not called but by the name of the thyng it selfe Hytherto I haue rehersed the answere of S. Augustine vnto Boniface a learned Byshoppe who asked of him howe the parentes frendes coulde answere for a yong babe in baptisme and saye in his person that he beleueth and conuerteth vnto God when the childe can neither doo nor thinke any suche thinge Whervnto the answere of S. Augustine is this that for as muche as baptisme is the sacramente of the profession of our faith and of our conuersion vnto God it becometh vs so to answere for yong children comming thervnto as to that sacrament appertaineth although the children in deede haue no knowledge of suche thinges And yet in our said answeres we ought not to be reprehended as vain men or liers forasmuche as in cōmon speche we vse daily to cal sacramēts and figures by the names of the things that be signified by them although thei be not the same thing in dede As euery Good fryday as oftē as it returneth from yere to yere we cal it the dai of Christes passion and euery Easter daye we call the day of his resurrection and euery day in the yeare we saye that Christe is offered and the sacrament of his body we call it his body and the sacramēt of his blud we cal it his blud and our baptism S. Paul calleth our burial with Christ And yet in very deede Christe neuer suffered but ones neuer arose but ones neuer was offered but ones nor in very dede in baptisme we be not buried nor the sacrament of Christs body is not his bodye nor the sacrament of his bloud is not his bloud But so they be called bycause they be figures sacraments and representacions of the thinges theym selfe whiche they signifye and whereof they beare the name Thus doth S. Augustine most plainly open this matter in his epistle to Bonifacius Of this maner of speache wherein a signe is called by the name of the thing which it signifieth speaketh S. Augustine also right largly in his questions super Leuiticum contra Adamantium declaring how bloud in scripture is called the soule A thing which signifieth saith he is wont to be called by the name of the thing whiche it signifieth as it is written in the scripture The vii eares be vii yeares The scripture saith not signyfieth vii yeares And vii kine be vii years and many other lyke And so saide S. Paule that the stone was Christe and not that it signified Christ but euen as it had bin he in deed which neuertheles was not Christ by substance but by significaciō Euen so saith S. August bicause the bloud signifieth representeth the soul therfore in a sacramente or significacion it is called the sowle And Cōtra Adamantiū he writeth much like saying In such wise is blud y e soule as the stone was Christ yet thapostle saith nor that the stone signified Christ but saith it was Christ. And this sentence Bloud is the soule may be vnderstand to be spokē in a signe or figure for Christ did not stick to say This is my body when he gaue the signe of his body Here S. Augustine rehersing diuers sentences which were spoken figuratiuely that is to saye whan one thinge was called by the name of an other and yet was not the other in substance but in significacion as that bludde is the soule vii kyne be vii yeares vii eares be vii yeares the stone
other common bread but for the dignitee whervnto it is taken it is called with addition Heauenly breade the breade of lyfe and the bread of thankes gyuyng The fift that no man ought to be so arrogant and presumptuous to affirme for a certayn truth in religion any thynge whiche is not spoken of in holy scripture And this is spokē to the great and vtter condemnation of the Papistes which make and vnmake newe articles of oure faithe from tyme to tyme at their pleasure without any scripture at all yea quite and cleane contrary to scripture And yet wyll they haue all men bounde to beleue what so euer they inuent vpon peryll of damnation and euerlastyng fyre And they woulde constrayne with fyre and fagotte all men to consent contrary to the manyfest woordes of God to these their erroures in this matter of the holy sacramente of Christes body and bloude Fyrst that there remaineth no bread nor wyne after the consecration but that Christes fleshe and bloud is made of them Seconde that Christes body is really corporally substancially sensibly and naturally in the bread and wyne Thyrdely that wycked persones doo eate and drynke Christes very body and bloude Fourthly that priestes offer Christ euery day make of him a new sacrifice propiciatory for syn Thus for shortnes of tyme do I make an end of Theodoretus with other olde auncient writers which do moste clerely affirme that to eate Christes body and to drynke his bloude be figuratiue speches And so be these sentences like wyse whiche Christe spake at his supper This is my body This is my bloudde And meruail not good reder that Christe at y e time spake in figures whan he did institute that sacrament seing that it is the nature of al sacramentes to be figures And although y e scripture be ful of Schemes tropes figures yet specially it vseth theim whā it speketh of sacramentes When the Ark which represented Gods maiestee was come into the army of the Israelites the Philistians said that god was come into the army And God hym selfe sayd by his prophete Nathan that from the time that he had brought the children of Israell out of Egypte he dwelled not in houses but that he was caried about in tentes and tabernacles And yet was not God hym selfe so caried aboute or wente in tentes or tabernacles but bycause the arke whiche was a figure of God was so remoued from place to place he spake of hym selfe that thyng whyche was to be vnderstand of the Arke And Christ hym selfe often tymes spake in similitudes parables and figures as whan he said The field is the worlde the enemy is the dyuell the sede is the worde of God Iohn is Helias I am a vine and you be the brāches I am bread of lyte My father is an husband mā and he hath his fanne in his hand and wil make cleane his flower and gather the wheat into his barne but the chaffe he wyll caste into euerlastyng fyre I haue a meate to eate whiche you knowe not Woorke not meate that perisheth but that endureth vnto euerlastyng life I am good shepherd The sonne of man wyl set the shepe at his right hand and the goates at his left hād I am a doore One of you is the deuil Whosoeuer dothe my fathers wylle he is my brother syster and mother And whan he sayd to his mother and to Ihon. This is thy sonne this is thy mother These with an infinite numbre of like sentences Christe spake in Parables Metaphores tropes and figures But chiefly whan he spake of the sacramentes he vsed figuratiue speches As whan in Baptisme he sayd that wee must bee baptised with the holy ghost meanyng of spiritual baptisme And lyke speeche vsed sainct Ihon the Baptiste saiyng of Christe that he should Baptise with the holy ghoste and fyre And Christ sayd that wee must be borne againe or els wee can not see the kyngdome of God And sayd also Whosoeuer shall drynke of that water whiche I shall geue hym he shall neuer bee drye agayne But the water whiche I shall geue him shall bee made within him a welle whyche shall spryng into euerlastyng lyfe And sainct Paule sayth that in Baptisme wee clothe vs with Christe and be buryed with him This baptisme washing and newe byrth by the fyre and the holy ghoste and this water that spryngeth in a man floweth into euerlastyng life can not be vnderstande of any material water material washyng and material byrthe but by translacion of thynges visible into thynges inuisible they must bee vnderstande spiritually and figuratiuely After thesame sort the mystery of our redemption and the passion of our sauiour Christ vpon the crosse aswel in the newe as in the old Testament is expressed and declared by many fygures and figuratiue speeches As the pure Paschal lambe without spot signified Christ. The effusion of the lambes bloud signified the effusion of Christes bloud And the saluacion of the children of Israel from temporal death by the lambes bloud signified our saluacion from eternall death by Christes bloud And as almightie God passyng through Egipt killed all the Egyptians heyres in euery house and lefte not one aliue neuerthelesse he passed by the children of Israels houses where he sawe the Lambes bloud vpon the doores and hurted none of them but saued them all by the meanes of the Lambes bloudde so lykewyse at the last iudgement of the whole worlde none shall be passed ouer and saued but that shall be founde marked with the bloud of the moste pure immaculate lambe Iesus Christe And forasmuch as the sheddyng of that lambes bloud was a token figure of the sheddyng of Christes bloud than to come and forasmuche also as all the sacramentes and figures of the old testament ceassed and had an end in Christ leste by our great vnkyndnes we should peraduenture bee forgetfull of the greate benefite of Christ therfore at his last supper when he toke his leaue of his apostles to departe oute of the worlde he dyd make a new wyll and testament wherin he bequeathed vnto vs cleane remission of all our synnes and the euerlastynge inheritance of heauen And the same he confirmed the nexte daie with his owne bloud and death And leste we should forget the same he ordeyned not a yerely memory as the Paschall lambe was eaten but ones euery yere but a dayely remembrance he ordained therof in bread wyne sanctified and dedicated to that purpose saiyng This is my body This cuppe is my bloud whiche is shed for the remission of synnes Do this in the remembrance of me Admonyshyng vs by these wordes spoken at the makyng of his laste wyll and testament and at his departyng out of the worlde bycause they should be the better rememored that whensoeuer we do eate the bread in his holy supper and drynke of that cup
wee should remembre howe muche Christ hath done for vs and howe he dyed for our sakes Therefore saith saint Paul As often as ye shal eate of this bread and drinke the cuppe you shall shew foorth the Lordes death vntyll he come And forasmuche as this holy breade broken and the wine deuided doo represent vnto vs the death of Christ nowe passed as the kyllynge of the Paschall lambe dyde represent y â— same yet to come therfore our sauiour Christ vsed the same maner of speeche of the bread and wyne as God before vsed of the Paschall lambe For as in the olde Testament God sayd This is the Lordes Passeby or Passeouer euen so sayth Christ in the new Testament This is my body This is my bloude But in the old mistery and sacrament the Lambe was not the Lordes very Passeouer or passyng by but it was a figure whiche represented his passynge by So likewise in the newe Testament the breade and wine be not Christes very body and bloude but they be figures whiche by Christes institution bee vnto the godly receauers thereof Sacramentes tokens significations and representations of his very fleshe and bludde instructyng their faith that as the bread and wine fede them corporally and continue this temporall lyfe so the very fleshe and bloud of Christ feedeth them spiritually and geueth them euerlastyng lyfe And why shulde any man thinke it strange to admit a figure in these speches This is my body This is my bloude seyng that the coÌ„munication the same nyghte by the Papistes owne confessions was so full of figuratiue speeches For the Apostles spake figuratiuely whan they asked Christ where he would eate his passeouer or passeby And Christe hym selfe vsed the same figure when he sayd I haue muche desyred to eate this passeouer with you Also to eate Christes body and to drynke his bloude I am sure they wyl not say that it is taken proprely to eate drike as we doe eate other meates and drynkes And when Christe sayde This cup is a newe testament in my bloude here in one sentence bee two figures One in this worde Cup whych is not taken for the cup it selfe but for the thynge conteyned in the cup. An other is in this worde Testament for neyther the cuppe nor the wyne contained in the cuppe is Christes Testament but is a token signe and figure whereby is represented vnto vs his Testament confirmed by his bloudde And if the Papists wil say as thei say in dede that by this cup is neither ment the cup nor the wine conteyned in the cuppe but that therby is ment Christes bloud contained in the cuppe yet must they nedes graunt that there is a fygure For Christes bloude is not in proper speche the New testameÌ„t but it is the thyng that coÌ„firmed the new testament And yet by this strange interpretation the Papistes make a very straunge speche more strange then any figuratiue speche is For this they make the sentence This bloud is a newe testament in my bloud Which saiyng is so fonde and so farre from all reason that the foolyshenes therof is euident to euery man Nowe forasmuch as it is plainly declared and manifestly proued that Christe called bread his body and wyne his bloud and that these sentences be figuratiue speeches and that Christe as concernyng his humanitee and bodily presence is ascended into heuen with his whole fleshe and bloudde and is not here vpon earthe and that the substance of breade and wyne doo remayne styll and be receaued in the sacrament and that although they remayne yet they haue changed theyr names so that the bread is called Christes bodye and the wyne his bloudde and that the cause why theyr names bee chaunged is this â–ª that we should lyft vp our hartes and myndes frome the thynges whyche we se vnto the thinges whyche we beleue and be aboue in heauen wherof the bread and wyne haue the names althoughe they bee not the very same thynges in dede These thynges well considered and waied all the auctoritees and argumentes whyche the Papistes fayne to serue for theyr purpose be cleane wyped awaie For whether the authors which they alledge say that we doo eate Christes fleshe and drynke his bloudde or that the bread and wyne is conuerted into the substance of his fleshe and bloud or that we bee tourned into his fleshe or that in the Lordes supper we do receaue his very fleshe and bloudde or that in the breadde and wyne is receaued that whyche dydde hange vppon the Crosse or that Christe hathe lefte his fleshe with vs or that Christe is in vs and wee in hym or that he is whole here and whole in heauen or that the same thynge is in the Chalice whyche flowed oute of his syde or that the same thynge is receaued with our mouthe whyche is beleued with our faythe or that the breade and wyne after the Consecration bee the body and bloudde of CHRISTE or that we bee nouryshed with the body and bloude of Christ or that Christe is bothe gone hence and is styll here or that Christe at his laste supper bare hym selfe in his owne handes These and all other like sentences may not be vnderstanded of Christes humanitee litterally and carnally as the wordes in common speeche doo proprely signifie for so doothe no man eate Christes fleshe nor drinke his bloudde nor so is not the bread and wyne tourned into his fleshe and bloud nor we into hym nor so is the breade wyne after the consecration his flesh and blud nor so is not his fleshe and bloud whole heere in earth eaten with our mouthes nor so dydde not Christe take hym selfe in his owne handes But these and all other lyke sentences whiche declare Christe to be here in earth and to be eaten and dronken of christian people are to bee vnderstande eyther of his diuine nature wherby he is euâ—ry where or els they must be vnderstanded figuratiuely oâ— spiritually For figuratiuely he is in the breade and wyne and spiritually he is in them that worthyly eate and drinke the bread and wyne but really carnally and corporally he is onely in heauen frome whence he shall come to iudge the quycke and deade This briefe aunswere wyll suffice for all that the Papistes can bryng for their pourpose yf it bee aptely applyed And for the more euidence hereof I shall applye the same to somme suche places as the Papistes thynke doo make moste for theym that by the aunswere to those places the reste maye bee the more easyly aunswered vnto They alledge saint Clement whose words be these as thei report The sacramentes of Gods secretes are coÌ„mitted to thre degrees to a priest a Deacon and a minister whiche with feare and tremblyng ought to kepe the leauynges of the broken peeces of the Lordes body that no corruption be founde in the holy place least by negligence great iniury bee done to the portion
a thing that we should knowe that the eatyng is our dwellyng in him and our drinkyng is as it were an incorporation in him beyng subiecte vnto him in obedience ioyned vnto him in our wylles and vnited in our affections The eatyng therefore of this fleshe is a certaine hunger and desire to dwell in him Thus wryteth Cyprian of the eatyng drynkyng of Christe And a lytle after he sayth that none do eate of this lambe but suche as be true Israelites that is to say pure christian menue without colour or dissimulacion And Athanasius speakinge of the eatinge of Christes fleshe and drinking of his bloud sayth that for this cause he made mention of his ascēcion into heauen to plucke them from corporall phantasie that thei might learne hereafter that his fleshe was called the celestiall meate that came from aboue and a spirituall foode which he would geue For those thinges that I speake to you saithe he be spirite and life Whiche is as muche to say as that thinge which you see shalbe slayne gyuen for the norishment of the worlde that it maye bee distributed to euerye body spiritually and be to all men a conseruacion vnto the resurrection of eternall lyfe In these woordes Athanasius declareth the cause why Christ made mention of his ascention into heauen whan hee spake of the eatinge and drinking of his fleshe and blud The cause after Athanasius mynde was thys that his hearers shuld not thinke of any carnal eating of his body with their mouths for as concerning the presence of his body he should be taken from them and ascende into heauen but that they shuld vnderstande him to be a spirituall meate and spiritually to be eaten and bi that refreshing to giue eternall lyfe which he doth to none but to suche as be his lyuely membres And of this eatinge speaketh also Basilius that we eate Christes flesh and drinke his blud beynge made by hys incarnation and sensyble lyfe partakers of his worde and wysedome For his fleshe and bludde he called all his mysticall conuersation here in his fleshe and his doctrine consistinge of his whole lyfe pertaininge bothe to his humanitie and diuinitye whereby the soule is norished and brought to the contemplacion of thinges eternall Thus teacheth Basilius howe we eate Christes flesh and drinke his blud which pertaineth only to the true and faithful membres of Christ. Saint hierome also saith All that loue pleasure more than god eate not the fleshe of Iesu nor drinke his bludde of the whiche himselfe saith He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blud hath euerlastynge lyfe And in an other place S. Hierome saith that heretiques do not eat and drynk the body and bludde of the Lorde And moreouer he saithe that heretiques eate not the fleshe of Iesu whose flesh is the meate of faythfull men Thus agreeth S. Hierome with the other before rehersed that heretiques and such as folow wordly pleasures eat not Christs flesh nor drink his blud bicause that Christ said He that eateth my flesh drinketh mi blud hath euerlastīg life And S. Ambrose saith that Iesus is y e bread which is the meat of Saintes and that he that taketh this breade dieth not a sinners deathe For this breade is the remission of sinnes And in an other booke to him intituled he writeth thus This breade of lyfe whiche came frome heauen doth minister euerlasting life and whosoeuer eateth this bread shall not dye for euer and is the bodye of Christe And yet in an other booke sette forth in his name he saith on this wise He that did eat Manna died but he that eateth this body shal haue remission of his synnes and shall not dye for euer And againe he saith As oftē as thou drinkest thou haste remission of thy sinnes These sentences of S. Ambrose be so playne in this matter that there needeth no more but only the rehersall of theim But S. Augustine in many places plainlye discussing this mattier saith He that agreeth not with Christe doeth neither eate his bodye nor drinke his bludde although to the condemnation of hys presumptiō he receiue euery day the sacramente of so highe a mattier And moreouer S. Augustine most plainly resolueth this matter in his booke De ciuitate Dei disputīg agaīst two kinds of heretiques Wherof the one said that as many as were christened and receaued the sacrament of Christs body and bludde shuld be saued howe so euer thei liued or beleued bicause that Christe saide This is the breade that came frō heauē that whosoeuer shal eate thereof shall not dye I am the bread of life which came from heauen whosoeuer shall eate of this breade shall lyue for euer Therfore said these heretiques all such men must needes be deliuered from eternall deathe and at length to be brought to eternall life The other said that heretiques and scismatiques myghte eate the sacrament of Chrystes bodye but not his verye body bicause they be no membres of his bodye And therfore they promised not euerlasting life to all that receaued Christes baptisme and the sacrament of his body but all suche as professed a true fayth althoughe they lyued neuer so vngodlye For suche sayde they doo eate the bodye of Christe not only in a sacrament but also in deede bicause they bee membres of Christes body But Saint Augustine aunsweringe to bothe these heresyes saith That neither heretiques nor such as professe a true fayth in their mouths in their lyuyng shew the contrary haue either a true faith which worketh by charity and doth none euel or are to be counted among the membres of Christ. For they cā not be both membres of Christ and membres of the diuell Therefore saith he it maye not be saide that any of theim eate the bodye of Christe For when Christe saythe he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bludde dwelleth in me and I in him he sheweth what it is not sacramentally but in deede to eate his bodye and drynke his bludde whiche is when a man dwelleth in Christe that Christ dwelleth in him For Christe spake those wordes as if he should say He that dwelleth not in me and in whom I dwell not lette him not saye or thinke that he eateth my body or drinketh my bloode These be the plaine wordes of S. Augustine that suche as liue vngodly although they may seme to eate Christes body because they eat the sacrament of his body yet in deede they neither bee membres of his body nor do eate his body Also vpon the gospel of sainct Ihon he sayth that he that doth not eate his fleshe and drynke his bloud hath not in him euerlastyng life And he that eateth his fleshe and drynketh his bloud hath euerlastyng life But it is not so in those meates whiche we take to sustayne our bodyes For although without them we can not liue yet it is not necessarye that whosoeuer receyueth them