hensforth of this fruite of the vine vntil that day when I shal drink it new w t you in my fathers kyngdom This thyng is rehersed also of saynt Marke in these woordes As they dyd eate Iesus toke bread and when he had blessed he brake it and gaue it to theim and sayd Take eate this is my body And takyng the cuppe when he had geuen thankes he gaue it to them and they all dranke of it And he sayd to them This is my bloud of the newe testament which is shed for many Uerily I saie vnto you I will drynke no more of the fruite of the vine vntyl that daie that I drinke it newe in the kyngdome of God The Euangelist S. Luke vttereth this matter on this wyse When the howre was come he sat down and the .xii. apostles with hym And he sayd vnto them I haue greatly desired to eate this pascha with you before I suffre For I saie vnto you Hensforth I wil not eat of it any more vntyll it be fulfylled in the kyngdome of god And he toke the cup and gaue thankes and sayd Take this and diuide it amōg you For I say vnto you I wil not drink of the frute of the vine vntill the kyngdom of God com And he toke bread and when he had geuen thankes he brake it and gaue it vnto them sayeng This is my body whiche is geuen for you This dooe in remembrance of me Likewise also whā he had supped he toke the cup saiyng This cuppe is the newe testament in my bloud whiche is shedde for you Hytherto you haue heard all that the Euangelistes declare that Christ spake or did at his last supper concernyng the institucion of the Cōmunion and sacrament of his body bloud Nowe you shall heare what sainct Paule sayth cōcernyng the same in the tenth chapiter of the first to the Corinthians where he writeth thus Is not the cup of blessynge whyche we blesse a comunion of the bloude of Christe Is not the bread whiche we breake a communyon of the bodye of Christ We beyng many ar one bread and one body For we all ar partakers of one bread and of one cuppe And in the eleuenth he speaketh on this maner That whiche I deliuered vnto you I receaued of the Lorde For the lord Iesus the same nyght in the which he was betraied toke breade and whan he had geuen thankes he brake it and sayde Take eate this is my bodye whiche is broken for you Doo this in remembrance of me Likewise also he toke the cup whan supper was doone saiyng This cuppe is the newe testament in my bloude Doo this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me For as often as you shal eat this bread and drinke this cuppe shew forthe the Lordes death tyll he come Wherfore who so euer shall eate of this breade or drynke of this cuppe vnworthily shall be gyltie of the body and bloude of the Lord. But let a man examine him self and so eate of the bread and drynke of the cuppe For he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drynketh his owne damnation bycause he maketh no difference of the Lordes body For this cause manny are weake and sycke among you and many do sleape By these wordes of Christ rehersed of the Euangelistes and by the doctrine also of saynte Paule whiche he confesseth that he receaued of Christe two thynges specially are to be noted Fyrst that our sauiour Christ called the materiall bread whiche he brake his body and the wyne whyche was the fruite of the vyne his bloud And yet he spake not this to the intente that men shulde thynke that materiall bread is his very body or that his very body is materiall bread neither that wyne made of grapes is his very bloud or that his very bloud is wyne made of grapes but to signifie vnto vs as S. Paule saith that the cuppe is a communion of Christes bloud that was shedde for vs and the bread is a cōmunion of his fleshe that was crucified for vs. So that although in the truth of his humane nature Christe be in heauen and sitteth on the ryghte hande of God the father yet who so euer eateth of that bread in the supper of the Lorde accordynge to Christes institution and ordinaunce is assured by Christes owne promyse and testament that he is a membre of his body and receyueth the benefittes of his passion whych he suffered for vs vpon the Crosse. And lykewise he that drynketh of that holly cuppe in that supper of the Lorde accordynge to Christes institution is certified by Christes legacie and testament that he is mad partaker of the bloude of Christe whyche was shed for vs. And this ment saynte Paule when he saith Is not the cuppe of blessyng which we blesse a communion of the bloude of Christe Is not the breade whiche we breake a communion of the body of Christe So that no man can contemne or lyghtly esteme this holy communion excepte he contemne also Christes body and bloud and passe not whether he haue any felowshyp wyth hym or no. And of those men saynte Paule saieth that they eate and drynke their owne damnation bycause they esteme not the body of Christe The seconde thyng whiche may bee lerned of the forsayd wordes of Christe and saynt Paule is this that although none eateth the body of Christ and drynketh his bloud but they haue eternall lyfe as apereth by the wordes before recited of S. Iohn yet both the good and the bad do eate and drynk the bread and wyne whiche be the Sacramentes of the same But beside the Scaramentes the good eateth euerlastyng lyfe the euyll euerlastyng death Therefore S. Paule saith Whosoeuer shall eate of this breade and drynketh of the cuppe of the Lorde vnworthyly he shall be giltie of the body and bloudde of the Lorde Here sainte Paule saith not that he that eateth the bread and drinketh the cup of the Lorde vnworthyly eateth and drynketh the body and bloud of the Lorde but is giltie of the body and bloud of the Lord. But what he eateth and drinketh S. Paule declareth saiynge He that eateth and drynketh vnwoorthyly eateth and drynketh his owne damnation Thus is declared the summe of all that scripture speaketh of the eatyng and drynkynge bothe of the body and bloud of Christ and also of the sacrament of the same AND as these thynges be most certainly true because they be spoken by Christe hym selfe the author of all truth and by his holy apostle S. Paule as he receaued them of Christ so all doctrines contrary to the same be moste certainly false and vntrue and of all christian men to bee eschued bycause they be contrary to gods word And al doctrine concernyng this matter that is more than this whiche is not grounded vpon Goddes word is of no necessitee neither ought the peoples heades to be busied or theyr consciences
Lordes supper is moste manyfest by the plaine woordes of Christe hym selfe whan he ministred the same supper vnto his disciples For as the Euangelistes write Christe toke breade and brake it and gaue it to his diciples and sayde Take eate â–ª this is my body Here the Papistes triumph of these words whaÌ„ Christe saide This is my body whiche they call the woordes of Consecration For say they as soone as these woordes be fully ended there is no breade lefte nor none other substaunce but onlye Christes bodye Whan Christe saide this the breade saye they remayned And whan he sayde is yet the breade remained Also whan hee added my the breade remained styll And whan he sayd bo yet the breade was ther styll But when hee hadde fynyshed the whole sentence Thys is my body than saye they the breade was gone and there remained no substaunce but Christes bodye as thoughe the breade coulde not remaine whan it is made a sacramente But this negatiue that there is no breade they make of their owne braynes by theyr Unwrytten verities Oh good lord howe wold they haue bragged if Christ had sayd This is no bread But Christ spake not that negatiue This is no bread but said affirmingly This is my body not denying the bread but affirming that his body was eateÌ„ meaning spiritually as the breade was eaten corporally And that this was the meaning of Christ appeareth plainly by S Paule in the tenth chap. to the Corinth the fyrste epistle where he speakinge of the same matter saithe Is not the breade whiche wee breake the communion of the body of Christe Who vnderstode the mynde of Christ better than S. Paule to whom Christe shewed his moste secrete counsailes And saint Paule is not afraide for our better vnderstandinge of Christes wordes somewhat to alter the same least we might stande stiffely in the letters and syllables and â—rre in mistaking of Christes wordes For where as our sauiour Christ brake the bread and said This is my body S. Paule saith that the bread which we breake is the communion of Christes body Christ â—aid his body and saint Paule said the coÌ„munion of his body meaning neuertheles both one thinge that thei which eate the breade worthely do eate spiritually Christes very body And so Christe calleth the bread his body as the olde authors report bicause it representeth his body and signifieth vnto them whiche eate that bread according to Christes ordinance that they do spiritually eate his bodye and be spiritually fed and nourished by him and yet the breade remaineth still there as a sacrament to signifie the same But of these words of Consecration shal be spoken hereafter more at large Therfore to returne to the purpose that the bread remayneth and is eaten in this sacrameÌ„t appeareth by the woordes whiche go before the consecration For that Christ tooke bread and brake it and gaue it to his disciples and sayd Take eate All this was done and spoken before the woordes of consecracion Wherfore they must nedes be vnderstand of y e very bread that Christ toke bread brake bread gaue bread to his disciples coÌ„maundyng them to take bread and eate bread But the same is more plaine and euident of the wyne that it remayneth and is dronken at the Lordes supper aswell by the wordes that go before as by the woordes that folowe after the consecracion For before the wordes of consecracion Christe tooke the cuppe of wyne and gaue it vnto his disciples and sayd Drynk you all of this And after the wordes of consecracion foloweth They dranke all of yt Nowe I aske all the Papistes what thyng it was that Christ commaunded his disciples to drynke whan he sayd Drynke you all of this The bloud of Christ was not yet there by their owne confession for it was spoken before the coÌ„secracion Therfore it could be nothyng els but wyne that he commaunded them to drynke Then I aske the Papistes ones againe whether the disciples dranke wyne or not If they say yea then let them recant their errour that there was no wyne remainyng after the coÌ„secracion If they say nay then they condempne the Apostles of disobedience to Christes commaundement whiche dranke not wyne as he coÌ„maunded them Or rather they reproue Christ as a Iuggler which commaunded his Apostles to drynke wyne and whan they came to the drynkyng therof he him selfe had conuayed it away Moreouer before Christ deliuered the cuppe of wyne to his disciples he sayd vnto them Deuide this among you Here would I aske the Papistes another question what thyng it was that Christ commaunded his disciples to deuide among them I am sure they wyll not saye it was the cuppe except they bee disposed to make menne laugh at them Nor I thynke they wyll not say it was the bloud of Christ aswell because the woordes were spoken before the consecration as because the bloud of Christ is not deuided but spiritually geuen whole in the sacrament Than could it be vnderstande of nothyng elles but of wyne whiche they should deuide among them and drynke all together Also when the CoÌ„munion was ended Christ sayd vnto his Apostles Uerely I say vnto you that I wyll drynke no more hencefurth of this fruite of the vyne vntyl y e day that I shal drynke it newe with you in my fathers kyngdome By these wordes it is cleare that it was very wyne that the Apostles draÌ„ke at that godly supper For the bloud of Christ is not y e fruite of the vyne nor the accideÌ„tes of wyne nor none other thing is y e fruit of the vine but very wyne only Howe could Christ haue expressed more plainly that bread wyne remayne than by takyng the breade in his handes and breakyng it him selfe and geuyng it vnto his disciples comaundyng them to eate it And by takyng the cuppe of wyne in his handes and deliueryng it vnto them commaundyng them to deuide it among them to drynke it callyng it the fruit of the vyne These wordes of Christ be so playn that if an Angel of heaueÌ„ would tel vs the contrary he ought not to be beleued And than much lesse may we beleue the subtyl liyng of the Papistes If Christ would haue had vs to beleue as a necessary article of our fayth that there remayneth neither bread nor wyne would he haue spoken after this sorte vsyng all suche termes and circumstaunces as should make vs beleue that styl there remayneth bread wyne What maner of teacher make thei of Christ that say he ment one thyng when his wordes be cleane contrary What christian heart can paciently suffre this contumely of Christ But what crafty teachers be these Papistes who deuise phantasies of their owne heades directly contrary to Christes teachyng and than sette the same abrode to christen people to bee moste assuredly beleued as Goddes owne moste holy worde Sainct Paule did not so but folowed herein the maner of Christes speakyng in callyng of
troubled with the same So that thynges spoken and done by Christe and written by the holy Euangelistes and S. Paule ought to suffise the faith of christen people as touching the doctrine of the Lordes supper and holy communion or sacrament of his body and bloud Whiche thynge beeyng well consydered and waied shalbe a iust occasion to pacifie and agree bothe parties as well them that hytherto haue contemned or lyghtly estemed it as also theym whiche haue hitherto for lacke of knowledge or otherwyse vngodly abused it CHRISTE ordeyned the sacrament to moue and styrre all men to frendeshyp loue and concorde and to put away all hatred variance and discord and to testifie a brotherly and vnfained loue betwene all theim that bee the membres of Christ but the diuell the ennemy of Christ and of al his membres hath so craftily iuggled herein that of nothyng ryseth so muche contention as of this holy sacrament God graunt that al contention set aside both the parties may come to this holy communion with suche a liuely faith in Christe and such an vnfained loue to all Christes membres that as they carnally eate with their mouth this sacramentall bread and drink the wine so spiritually they maye eate and drynke the very fleshe and bloud of Christe whiche is in heauen and sitteth on the right hande of his father And that finally by his meanes they may enioy with him the glory and kyngdome of heauen Amen Altho in this treatie of the sacramente of the body and bloude of our sauiour Christ I haue already sufficiently declared the institution and meanynge of the same accordynge to the very wordes of the gospell and of saint Paule yet it shall not bee in vayne somewhat more at large to declare the same accordyng to the mynde as well of holy scripture as of olde auncient authors and that so sincerely and plainly without doubtes ambiguitees or vayn questions that the very symple and vnlerned people may easily vnderstande the same and be edified therby And this by Goddes grace is myne only intent and desyre that the â—locke of Christ dispersed in this realme among whom I am appointed a speciall pastour may no longer lacke the commoditee and fruite which springeth of this heauenly knowledge For the more clerely it is vnderstande the more swetenes fruit comfort and edification it bryngeth to the godly receauers thereof And to the clere vnderstandynge of this sacramente dyuers thynges muste bee consydered FYRST that as all men of them selues bee synners and thorough synne bee in Goddes wrathe banyshed far away froÌ„ hym condemned to hell and euerlastyng damnation and none is clearely innocent but Christe alone so euery soule inspired by God is desyrous to be deliuered from synne and hell and to obteyn at Goddes handes mercy fauour righteousnes and euerlastyng saluation And this earnest and greate desyre is called in scripture The hunger and thirst of the soule with whyche kynde of hunger Dauid was taken whan he sayde As an harte longeth for sprynges of water so doth my soule long for the O God My soule hath thyrsted after God who is the well of lyfe My soule thyrsteth for the my fleshe wysheth for thee And this hunger the sely poore synfull soule is dryuen vnto by meanes of the lawe whiche sheweth vnto her the horriblenes of synne the terrour of Goddes indignation and the horrour of death and euerlastyng damnation And whan she seeth nothyng but damnation for her offences by iustice and accusation of the lawe and this damnation is euer before her eies than in this great distresse the soule beyng pressed with heuynesse sorowe seketh for some comfort and desireth some remedy for her miserable and sorowful estate And this feelynge of her damnable condicion and gredy desyre of refreshyng is the spirituall hunger of the soule And who soeuer hath this godly hunger is blessed of God and shal haue meate and drynke ynough as Christ hym self said Blessed be they that hunger and thirst for rightousnes for they shalbe fylled ful And on thother side they that see not their owne synfull and damnable estate but thynke theim selues holy ynoughe and in good case and condicion ynough as they haue no spirituall hunger so shall they not bee fed of God with any spirituall foode For as almighty God feedeth them that be hungry so doth he sende awaie empty all that be not hungry But this hunger and thyrst is not easily perceyued of the carnall man For when he hereth the holy ghoste speake of meate and drynk his mynde is by and by in the kytchen and buttery and he thynketh vpon his dyshes and pottes his mouthe and his bealy But the scripture in sundry places vseth speciall wordes wherby to drawe our grosse myndes from the phantasyeng of our teeth and belly and from this carnall and fleshely imagination For the Apostles and disciples of Christe when they were yet carnall knew not what was ment by this kynde of hunger and meate and therfore when they desired hym to eate to withdrawe their myndes from carnall meate he said vnto theim I haue other meate to eate whiche you knowe not And why knewe they it not Forsothe because their myndes were grosse as yet and had not receyued the fulnesse of the spirite And therfore our sauiour Christ myndyng to drawe them from this grossenes tolde theim of an other kynd of meate then they phantasied as it were rebukyng them for that they perceiued not that there was any other kynde of eating and drinkyng besides that eatyng and drinkyng whiche is with the mouth and the throte Likewyse whan he sayd to the woman of Samaria Who so euer shall drynke of that water that I shall geue hym shall neuer be thirsty agayn They that heard hym speake those wordes might well perceyue that he went about to make them wel acquaynted with an other kynd of drinkynge than is the drynkynge with the mouth and throte For there is no suche kynd of drynke that with ones drynkyng can quenche the thirst of a mans body for euer Wherfore in saiyng He shall neuer be thirsty agayn he dyd drawe theyr myndes from drynkynge with the mouth vnto an other kind of drinkyng wherof they knew not and vnto an other kynd of thirsting wherwith as yet thei wer not acquainted Also when our sauiour Christe saide He that commeth to me shal nat hunger and He that be leueth on me shall neuer bee thyrstye he gaue them a plaine watche worde that there was an other kynd of meat and drinke then that wherwith he fedde them at the other syde of the water and an other kynde of hungryng and thyrstynge then was the hungrynge and thirstyng of the body By these wordes therfore he droue the people to vnderstand an other kynde of eatyng and drinkyng of hungring and thyrstyng then that whiche belongeth onely for the preseruation of temporal lyfe Nowe then as the thyng that comforteth
said that Christ was a crafty iuggler that made thinges to appere to mens sightes that in dede were no suche thynges but formes onely figures and apparances of them But to conclude in fewe wordes this processe of our senses let al the Papistes lay their heades togither and thei shal neuer be able to shew one article of our faith so directely contrary to our senses that all our senses by dayly experience shall affirme a thynge to be and yet oure fayth shall teache vs the contrary thervnto Nowe for as much as it is declared how this Papisticall opinion of Transubstantiation is against the woorde of God agaynst nature against reason and agaynste all our senses wee shall shewe furthermore that it is agaynst the fayth and doctrine of the old authors of Christes churche begynnyng at those authors whiche were nerest vnto Christes tyme and therefore myght best knowe the truthe herein Fyrst Iustinus a great learned man and an holy martyr the oldest author that this day is knowen to write any treatie vpon the sacramentes and wrote not muche aboue one hundred yeres after Christes ascension He wryteth in his seconde apologie that the bread water and wine in this sacrament ar not to be taken as other cōmon meates and drinkes be but they bee meates ordeyned purposely to geue thankes to god and therfore be called Eucharistia and be called also the body and bloude of Christ. And that it is laufull for none to eate or drynke of them but that professe Christ and lyue accordyng to the same And yet the same meate and drynke saith he is chaunged into our fleshe and bloud and norisheth our bodies By which saiyng it is euident that Iustinus thought that the bread and wine remained still for els it could not haue been tourned into our fleshe and bloud to nourishe our bodies Next hym was Ireneus aboue 150. yeres after Christ who as it is supposed could not be deceiued in the necessary pointes of our faithe for he was a disciple of Polycarpus which was disciple to saint Iohn the Euangelist This Ireneus foloweth the sense of Iustinus wholly in this matter and almoste also his woordes sayenge that the bread wherein we geue thankes vnto God although it be of the yearth yet whan the name of God is called vpon it it is not than common bread but the bread of thankes geuyng hauyng two thyngs in it one earthly and the other heuenly What ment he by the heauenly thyng but the sanctification whyche cometh by the inuocation of the name of God And what by the earthly thynge but the very bread which as he sayd before is of the earth and which also he saith doeth nourishe our bodies as other bread dothe whiche we doo vse Shortely after Ireneus was Origen about 200. yeares after Christes ascension Who also affirmeth that the materiall bread remaineth saiyng that the mattier of the breade auayleth nothyng but goeth doune into the bealy and is auoided dounewarde but the woorde of God spoken vpon the breade is it that auaileth After Origen came Cyprian the holy martyr about the yeare of our Lorde 250. who wryteth against theym that ministred this Sacrament with water onely and without wyne For as muche sayth he as Christ sayd I am a true vyne therefore the bloud of Christ is not water but wyne nor it can not bee thouhgt that his bloud wherby wee bee redemed and haue life is in the cuppe whan wyne is not in the cuppe whereby the bloud of Christ is shewed What woordes could Cyprian haue spoken more plainly to shewe that the wyne doth remayne than to say thus If there bee no wyne there is no bloud of Christ And yet he speaketh shortly after as plainely in the same Epistle Christ sayth he takyng the cuppe blessed it and gaue it to his disciples saiyng Drynke you all of this for this is the bloud of the newe testament whiche shall bee shedde for many for the remission of synnes I say vnto you that from hencefurth I wyll not drynke of this creature of the vyne vntyll I shall drinke with you newe wyne in the kyngdome of my father By these woordes of Christe sayth sainct Cyprian we perceiue that the cuppe whiche the Lorde offered was not onely water but also wyne And that it was wyne that Christ called his bloud whereby it is cleare that Christes bloud is not offered if there be no wyne in the Chalise And after it foloweth Howe shal we drynke with Christ newe wyne of the creature of the vyne if in the sacrifice of God the father and of Christ we do not offre wyne In these wordes of sainct Cyprian appereth moste manyfestly that in this sacrament is not only offered very wyne that is made of grapes that come of the vyne but also that we drynke the same And yet the same geueth vs to vnderstand that if we drynke that wyne worthely we drynke also spiritually the very bloud of Christ whiche was shed for our synnes Eusebius Emissenus a mā of syngular fame in learnyng about CCC yeres after Christes ascention did in fewe wordes set out this matter so plainely bothe howe the bread and wyne be conuerted into the body bloud of Christ and yet remayne styll in their nature and also howe besydes the outwarde receiuyng of bread and wyne Christ is inwardely by fayth receyued in our heartes al this I say he doth so plainly set out that more playnnesse can not be reasonably desyred in this matter For he sayth that the cōuersion of the visible creatures of bread wyne into the body and bloud of Christ is lyke vnto our cōuersion in baptisme where outwardly nothyng is changed but remayneth the same that was before but all the alteration is inwardely and spiritually If thou wylt knowe sayth he howe it ought not to seme to the a newe thyng and impossible that yearthly and corruptible thynges be turned into the substance of Christ loke vpon thy selfe which art made newe in baptisme whan thou wast farre from life and banished as a straunger frō mercy and fro the way of saluation and inwardely wast dead yet sodeynly thou beganste another lyfe in Christ and wast made newe by holsome mysteris and wast turned into the body of the churche not by seyng but by beleuynge and of the childe of damnation by a secrete purenesse thou waste made the chosen sonne of God Thou visibly dyddest remayne in the same measure that thou haddest before but inuisibly thou wast made greater without any increase of thy body Thou wast the self same person and yet by increace of faythe thou wast made an other man Outwardely nothynge was added but all the chaunge was inwardly And so was man made the son of Christ and Christe fourmed in the mynd of man Therfore as thou puttyng away thy former vilenesse diddest receaue a newe dygnitee not feelyng any change in thy body and as the curynge of thy
offered vnto him but now that we be spiritual we must offre spiritual oblatiōs in the place of calues sheepe goates and doues We must kyll diuelish pryde furious angre insatiable couetousnes filthy lucre stinking lechery deadly hatred malice foxy wilines woluish rauening deuouring and al other vnreasonable lustes and desires of the fleshe And as many as belonge to Christe muste crucifie kyll these for Christs sake as Christ crucified himselfe for their sakes These be the sacrifices of chrystian men these hostes oblations be acceptable to Christ. And as Christ offered himselfe for vs so is it our duties after this sorte to offre our selues to hym againe And so shal we not haue the name of christian men in vaine but as we pretend to belong to Christe in woorde and profession so shall wee in deede be his in lyfe and inward affection So that within without we shalbe altogither his cleane from al hyporisie or dissimulacion And if we refuse to offre our selues after this wise vnto hym by crucifiyng our own willes cōmittyng vs wholy to the wyl of god we be moste vnkind people superstitious hypocrites or rather vnreasonable beastes worthy to be excluded vtterly from all the benefites of Christes oblation And if wee putte the oblation of the prieste in the steede of the oblation of Christe refusing to receaue the sacrament of his body and bludde our selues as hee ordained and trustinge to haue remission of our sinnes by the sacrifice of the prieste in the Masse and thereby also to obtayne release of the paines in Purgatorye wee doo not onlye iniurye to Christe but also committe moste detestable ydolatry For these bee but false doctrines without shame deuised and fayned by wicked Popishe priestes Idolatres Monkes and Friers whiche for lucre haue altered and corrupted the moste holye supper of the Lorde and tourned yt into manifeste Idolatrye Wherefore all godly men ought with all their harte to refuse and abhorre all suche blasphemy againste the sonne of God And forasmuche as in suche Masses is manifeste wyckednes and Idolatrye wherein the prieste alone maketh oblation satisfactorye and applieth the same for the quicke and the dead at hys wyll and pleasure all suche popishe Masses are to bee clearlye taken awaye oute of chrystiane Churches and the trewe vse of the Lordes supper is to be restored again wherin godlye people assembled togither maye receaue the sacrament euery man for himself to declare that he remembreth what benefite he hathe receaued by the deathe of CHRIST and to testifye that he is a membre of Christes body fed with hys fleshe and drinkynge hys bludde spiritually CHRIST dyd not ordayne his sacramentes to this vse that one should receiue them for another or the priest for all the laye people but he ordayned them for this intent that euery man should receiue them for him selfe to ratify confirme and stablishe his owne faith and euerlastyng saluacion Therefore as one man may not be baptized for another and if he be it auayleth nothyng so ought not one to receiue the holy Communion for another For if a man be drye or hungry he is neuer awhit eased if another man drynke or eate for him or if a man bee all befyled it healpeth him nothyng another man to be washed for him So auayleth it nothyng to a man if another man bee baptized for him or bee refreshed for him with the meate and drynke at the Lordes table And therfore sayd sainct Peter Let euery man bee baptized in the name of Iesu Christe And our sauiour Christe sayd to the multitude Take and eate And further he sayd Drynke you all of this Whosoeuer therfore wyll be spiritually regenerated in Christe he must bee baptized him selfe And he that wyll lyue him selfe by Christe must by him selfe eate Christes fleshe and drynke his bloud And briefely to conclude he that thynketh to come to the kyngdome of Christe himselfe must also come to his sacramentes him selfe and kepe his cōmaundementes himselfe do all thynges that partaine to a christen man and to his vocation himselfe least if he referre these thynges to another man to do them for him the other may with as good right clayme the kingdom of heauen for him Therfore Christ made no suche difference betwene the priest and the lay man that the priest should make oblacion and sacrifice of Christ for the lay man and eate the Lordes supper frō him al alone and distribute apply it as him liketh Christ made no suche difference but the diffrēce that is betwene the priest and the lay mā in this matter is onely in the ministration that the priest as a common minister of the church doth minister and distribute the Lordes supper vnto other and other receiue it at his handes But the very supper it selfe was by Christ instituted and geuen to the whole church not to be offered and eaten of the priest for other men but by him to be deliuered to all that would duely aske it As in a princes house the officers ministers prepare the table and yet other aswell as they eate the meate and drynke the drynke so do the priestes and ministers prepare the Lordes supper reade the Gospell and reherse Christes woordes but all the people say therto Amen All remembre Christes death all geue thankes to God all repent and offre themselues an oblacion to Christe all take him for their Lorde and sauiour and spiritually feade vpon him and in token therof they eate the bread and drynke the wyne in his mistical supper And this nothing diminisheth the estimation and dignitee of priesthod and other ministers of the church but auaunceth and highly commendeth their ministracion For if they are muche to bee loued honored and estemed that bee the Kynges Chauncelours Iudges officers ministers in temporal matters howe muche than are they to be estemed that be ministers of Christes wordes sacramentes and haue to them cōmitted the keyes of heauen to let in shut out by the ministration of his worde and Gospel Nowe forasmuche as I trust that I haue playnly enough set furth the propitiatory sacrifice of our sauior Iesu Christ to the capacitee comfort of all men that haue any vnderstādyng of Christe and haue declared also the heynous abhominacion Idolatry of the Popish Masse wherin the priestes haue taken vpon them the office of Christ to make a propitiatory sacrifice for the synnes of the people and haue also tolde what maner of sacrifice christen people ougt to make it is nowe necessary to make answere to the subtyll persuacions and sophisticall cauillacions of the Papistes wherby the haue deceiued many a symple manne both learned and vnlearned The place of sainct Paule vnto the Hebrues whiche they do cite for their purpose maketh quite and cleane against them For where sainct Paule sayth that euery high priest is ordayned to offre gyftes sacrifices for synnes