but what speach to witt that wherby all things were created the Lord commaunded and heauen was made the Lord coÌ„maunded earth was made the Lord coÌ„maunded the seas were made c. Vides ergò quà m operatorius sit sermo Christi si ergò tanta vis est in sermone Domini vt inciâ—â—rent esse quae non erant quanto magis operatorius erit â—â— sint quae erant in aliud commutentur Yow see therfore how working the speach of Christ is yf then there be so much force in the speach of our Lord as that those things which were not tooke their beginning therby how much more potent is the same speach in workinge that those things which were before be changed into another And presently he addeth the heauen was not the sea was not the earth was not but heare him speake he said the word and they were done he commaunded and they were â—â—eated Wherfore to answere yow I say that it was not the body of Christ before consecration but after coÌ„secration I say vnto thee that now yt is the body of Christ. So S. Ambrose 34. And heere now good reader I doubt not but yow see the fond euasion of Cranmer and Fox his aduocate cleerly refuted by S. Ambrose where they say that the speach or words of Christ worke not but Christ by the words as though there were a great diuersity in that point But now lett vs see how they will scamble ouer this authority of S. Ambrose that saith expressely both that the speach of Christ did worke potently and worke the conuersion of bread and wyne into flesh and bloud first Fox hath this note in the margent against S. Ambrose as though he had miscompared the words of creation with the words of the institution of the Sacrament The Lord Iesus saith Fox vsed not heere commaundement in the Sacrament as in creation for we read not Fiat hoc corpus meum as vve read Fiat lux c. Do yow see the mans subtile obseruation or rather simple sottish cauillation against so graue a Father The words Hoc est corpus meum this is my body imployeth somewhat more then Fiat corpus meum lett yt be my body for that yt signifieth the thinge done already which the other willeth to be done And so for this we will leaue Iohn Fox to striue with S. Ambrose about the vsinge or abusinge of scriptures alleaged by him And so much of Fox 35. But how doth Cranmer himselfe auoyd this plaine authority of S. Ambrose thinke yow Yow shall heare yt in his owne words for they are very few to so large an authority All these thinges saith he are common I say that God doth chiefly vvorke in the Sacraments Do yow see his breuity and obscurity but his meaning is that wheras before he had denyed for a shift that Christs words did worke but only Christ by his words a difference without a diuersity now seing S. Ambrose so plaine to the contrary in settinge forth the workinge of Christs words he seeketh another shift in this aunswere which is that albeit Christs words do worke in the Sacraments yet Christ chiefly as though any controuersy were in this or any man had denyed yt But what saith he to the mayne point wherin S. Ambrose affirmeth not only Christs vvords to be Operatoria vvorkingewords but that their worke is to make bread the true and naturall body of Christ after they be vttered by the Priest nothing truly in substance doth he aunswere herevnto but after his shifts he saith only that yt vvas called the body of Christ as the holy-ghost vvas called the doue and S. Iohn Baptist was called Elias which are but bare signes representations as euery one seeth hay he goeth againe presently from this which heere he had graunted that God worketh in the Sacraments For when Doctor Yonge vrged him thus Yf God worke in the Sacraments he worketh in this Sacrament of the Fucharist Cranmer aunswereth God worketh in his faithfull not in the Sacraments And thus he goeth forward grauntinge and denyinge turninge and wyndinge and yet poore miserable man he would not turne to the truth nor had grace to acknowledge the same laid before him but toyled himselfe in contradictions endeauouring to shift of most euident authorityes of ancient Fathers by impertinent interpretations As when Doctor Yonge vrged him with those cleere words of S. Ambrose Before the words of Christ be spoken the chalice is full of wyne and water but when the vvords of Christ haue vvrought their effect then is there made the bloud that redeemed the people Cranmer aunswered that the words of Christ wrought no otherwise in this SacrameÌ„t then in baptisme Ambrose said quoth he that the bloud is made that is the Sacrament of the bloud is made fit sanguis the bloud is made that is to say ostenditur sanguis the bloud is shewed forth there 36. These and such like vvere Cranmers sleights to ridd himselfe that day and yet did not Doctor Chadsey and VVeston leaue him for these starts but followed him close with other cleere places of S. Ambrose the one expounding the other As for example Fortè dicas c. Perhaps yow may say how are these things true I vvhich see the similitude do not see the truth of the bloud First of all I tould thee of the word of Christ vvhich so vvorketh that yt can change and turne the kinds ordayned of nature c. And againe in another place Ergo didicisti c. Therfore thou hast learned that of bread is made the body of Christ and that vvyne and vvater is putt into the cupp but by consecration of the heauenly vvord it is made bloud Sed fortè dices speciem sanguinis non videri sed habet similitudinem But perhaps yow will say that the shape or forme of bloud is not seene but yet it hath the similitude So S. Ambrose and for that he saith as yow see that albeit the bloud after consecration hath not the shew or forme of true bloud yet hath yt similitude for that the forme of wyne commeth neerest to the likenesse of bloud heerof Cranmer layinge hands could not be drawne from affirminge that S. Ambrose meaninge is that it is not true naturall bloud after the consecration but beareth a similitude only representation or â—ipe therof which is quite contrary to S. Ambrose his whole drift and discourse yf yow consider yt out of passion 37. After these bickerings about S. Ambrose were vrged against him by the two Doctors Chadsey and VVeston diuers other Fathers as Iustinus Martyr aboue 14. hundred yeares gone whoe in his Apology for Christians writeth that as by the word of God Iesus Christ our Sauiour being made flesh had both flesh and bloud for our saluation so are â—e taught that the meate consecrated by the vvord of prayer instituted by him vvherby our bloud and flesh are nourished by communion
this is my body c. And so did he beare himselfe in his owne hands vvhich vvas prophesied of Dauid but fulfilled only by Christ in that Supper 81. These are the particularityes vsed by the Fathers for declaring what body they meane and can there be any more effectuall speaches then these but yet harken further Thou must know and hold for most certaine saith S. Cyrill that this vvhich seemeth to be bread is not bread but Christs body though the tast doth iudge it bread And againe the same Father Vnder the forme or shew of bread is giuen to thee the body of Christ vnder the forme or snape of wine is giuen to thee the bloud of Christ c. And S. Chrysostome to the same effect VVe must not beleeue our senses eaysie to be beguiled c. VVe must simply and vvithout all ambyguity beleeue the vvords of Christ sayinge This is my body c. O how many say now adayes I vvould see him I vvould behould his visage his vestments c. But he doth more then this for he giueth himselfe not only to be seene but to be touched also handled and eaten by thee Nor only do the Fathers affirme so asseuerantly that yt is the true naturall body of Christ though yt appeare bread in forme and shape and that we must not beleeue our senses heerin but do deny expressely that yt is bread after the words of consecration wherof yow heard longe discourses before out of S. Ambrose in his books de sacramentis and de initiandis Before the words of consecration it is bread saith he but after consecration de pane sit caro Christi of bread yt is made the flesh of Christ And note the word fit yt is made And againe Before the words of Christ be vttered in the consecration the chalice is full of vvine and vvater but vvhen the vvords of Christ haue vvrought their effect ibi sanguis efficitur qui redemit plebem there is made the bloud that redeemed the people And marke in like manner the word efficitur is made and consider whether any thinge can be spoken more plainly 83. But yet the Fathers cease not heere but do passe much further to inculcate the truth of this matter reprehending sharply all doubt suspition or ambiguity which the weaknesse of our flesh or infection of heresie may suggest in this matter S. Cyrill reasoneth thus VVheras Christ hath said of the bread this is my body vvho vvill dare to doubt therof and vvheras he hath said of the wine this is my bloud vvho vvill doubt or say yt is not his bloud he once turned vvater into vvine in Cana of Galiley by his only will which wine is like vnto bloud and shall vve not thinke him vvorthy to be beleeued vvhen he saith that he hath changed vvine into his bloud So he And S. Ambrose to the same effect Our Lord Iesus Christ doth iestifie vnto vs that we do receaue his body and bloud and may we doubt of his creditt or testimony And the other Saint Cyrill of Alexandria saith to the same effect that in this mystery we should not so much as aske quomodo how yt can be done Iudaicum enim verbum est saith he aeterm supplicij causa For ye is a Iewish word and cause of euerlastinge torment And before them both Saint Hilary left wrytten this exhortation These things saith he that are wrytten lett vs read and those things that vve reade lett vs vnderstand and so vve shall perfectly performe the duty of true saith for that these points vvhich vve affirme of the naturall verity of Christs being in vs. exceptive learne them of Christ himselfe we affirme them wickedly and foolishly c. VVherfore vvheras he saith my sâ—eâ—h is truly meat and my bloud is truly drinke there is no place left to vs of doubting concerning the truth of Christs body bloud for that both by the affirmation of Christ himselfe and by our owne beleefe there is in the Sacrament the flesh truly and the bloud truly of our Sauiour 83. So great S. Hilary and Eusebiuâ— Emissenus bringeth in Christ our Sauiour speakinge in these words For so much as my flesh is truly meat and my bloud is truly drinke leit all doubt fullnes of in fideliâ—y depart for so much as he vvho is the author of the gift is vvittnesse also of the truth therof And S. Leo to the same effect Nothinge at all is to be doubted of the truth of Christâ— body and bloud in the Sacrament c. And those do in vaine aunswere amen when they receaue yt if they dispute against that vvhich is affirmed And finally S. Epâ—pâ—anius concludeth thus He that beleeueth it not to be the very body of Christ in the Sacrament is fallen from grace and saluation 84. And by this we may see the earnestnesse of the Fathers in vrginge the beleefe of Christs true flesh and bloud in the Sacrament But they cease not heere but do preuent and exclude all shifts of Sacramentaryes which by Gods holy spiritt they forsaw euen in those auncient dayes affirminge that not by faith only or in â—igure or image or spiritually alone Christs flesh is to be eaten by vs but really substantially and corporally Not only by faith saith S. Chrysâ—stome but in very deed he maketh vs his body reducing vs as yt were into one masse or substance vvith himselfe And Saint Cyrill Not only by saith and charity are we spiritually conioyned to Christ by his flesh in the Sacrament but corporally also by communication of the same flesh And S. Chrysostome againe Not only by loue but in very deed are we conuerted into his flesh by eatinge the same And Saint Cyrill againe VVe receauinge in the Sacrament corporally and substantially the sonne of God vnited naturally to his Father we are clarified glorified therby and made partakers of his supreme nature Thus they Whervnto for more explication addeth Theophilact VVhen Christ said This is my body he shewed that it vvas his very body in deed and not any figure correspondent thervnto for he said not this is the figure of my body but this is my body by vvhich vvords the bread is transformed by an vnspeakable operation though to vs it seeme still bread And againe in another place Behould that the bread vvhich is eaten by vs in the mysteryes is not only a figuration of Christs flesh but the very flesh indeed for Christ said not that the bread vvhich I shall giue yow is the figure of my flesh but my very flesh indeed for that the bread is transformed by secrett vvords into the flesh And another Father more auncient then he aboue twelue hundred yeares past handlinge those words of Christ This is my body saith It is not the figure of Christs body and bloud vt quidam stupida mente nugati sunt as some blockish
do beare Nay himselfe doth add a new consirmation when he saith that he which doth eate and drinke vnworthily this Sacrament reus erit â—orporis sanguinis Domini shal be guilty of the body and bloud of our Lord. And againe Iuâ—cium sibi manducat bibit non dijudicans corpus Domini he doth eat drinke his owne iudgement not discerninge the body of our Lord Which inferreth the reall presence of Christes body which those whome the Apostle reprehendeth by the fact of their vnworthy receauing doe so behaue themselues as yf they did not discerne it to be present All which laid togeather the vniforme consent of expositors throughout the whole Christian world concurringe in the selfe-same sense and meaninge of all these scriptures about the reall presence of Christs true body in the Sacrament yow may imagine what a motiue yt is and ought to be to a Catholike man who desireth to beleeue and not to striue and contend And thus much for scriptures 17. There followeth the consideration of Fathers Doctors and Councells wherein as the Sacramentaryes of our tyme that pleased first to deny the reall presence had not one authority nor can produce any one at this day that expressely saith that Christs reall body is not in the Sacrament or that yt is only a figure signe or token therof though diuers impertinent peeces of some Fathers speaches they will now and then pretend to alleage so on the coÌ„trary side the Catholiks do behould for their comfort the whole ranks of ancient Fathers through euery age standinge with them in this vndoubted truth Yea not only affirming the same reall presence in most cleere and perspicuous words wherof yow may see whole books in Catholike wryters replenished with Fathers authorityes laid togeather out of euery age from Christ downe wards but that which is much more yeldinge reasons endeauoring to proue the same by manifest arguments theologicall demonstrations vsing therin such manner of speach and words as cannot possibly agree vnto the Protestants communion of bare bread and wyne with their symbolicall signification or representation only As for example where the Fathers do shew how Christs true flesh commeth to be in this SacrameÌ„t videlicet by the true conuersion of bread into his body and by that this body is made of bread and by that the substances of breat and vvyne be changed and other like speaches as may be seene in S. Ambrose 4. de Sacram. cap. 5. lib. 6. cap. 1. lib. de myst init cap. 9. Cypr. Serm. de Coena Chrysost. hom 83. in Matth. de proditione Iudae Cyrill Catec 4. Mystag Nissenus orat Catech. 37. and others 18. Secondly yt is an ordinary speach of the Fathers to cry out admyre the miracle that happeneth by the conuersion in this Sacrament ascribinge the same to the supreme omnipotencv of almighty God as yow may see in S. Chrysostome l. 3. de sacerdotio O miraculum c. S. Ambrose lib. 4. de Sacram. cap. 4. Iustinus Martyr Apolog. 2. sayinge that by the same omnipotency of God vvherby the vvord vvas made flesh the flesh of the vvord vvas made to be in the Eucharist which agreeth not to a Caluinian communion 19. Thirdly some of them do extoll and magnifie the exceeding loue charity of Christ towards vs aboue all other humane loue in that he feedeth vs with his owne flesh which no shephards did euer their sheepe or mothers their children which is the frequent speach of S. Chrysostome hom 83. in Matth. 45. in Ioan. hom 24. in ep 1. ad Cor. 2. homil 60. 61. ad Pop. Antioch And to the same effect S. Augustine ep 120. cap. 27. in Psal. 33. which speaches can no wayes agree to the Protestants supper 20. Fourthly diuers of the said Fathers do expressely teach that we do receaue Christ in the Sacrament not only by faith but truly really and corporally semetipsum nobis commiscet saith S. Chrysostome non side tantum sed reipsa Christ doth ioyne himselfe with vs in the Sacrament not only by faith but really And â—n another place he putteth this antithesis or opposition betwixt vs and the Magi that saw and beleeued in Christ lyinge in the manger that they could not carry him with them as we do now by receauinge him in the Sacrament and yet no doubt they beleeued in him and carryed him in faith as we do now to which effect S. Cyrill Alexand. saith Corporaliter nobis filius vnitur vt homo spiritualiter vt Deus Christ as a man is vnited vnto vs corporally by the Sacrament and spiritually as he is God Whervnto yow may add S. Hilary lib. 8. de Trinitate and Theodorus in the Councell of Ephesutom 6. Appendic 5. cap. 2. and others 21. Fiftly the Fathers do many tymes and in diuers places and vpon sundry occasions go about to proue the truth of other mysteryes and articles of our faith by this miracle of the being of Christs flesh and body in the Sacrament as S. Irenaeus for example doth proue Christs Father to be the God of the old sestament for that in his creatures he hath left vs his body bloud and in the same place he vseth the same argument for establishinge the article of the resurrection of out bodyes to witt that he that vouch safeth to nowrish vs with his owne body and bloud will not lett our bodyes remayne for euer in death corruption S. Chrysostome in like manner by the truth of his reall presence in the Sacrament doth confute them that denyed Christ to haue taken true flesh of the Virgin Mary which hardly would be proued by the Sacramentary supper of bread and wyne as euery man by himselfe will consider 22. Sixtly to pretermitt all other points handled to this effect by the said Fathers as that diuers of them do exclude expressely the name of figure or similitude from this Sacrament as S. Ambrose lib. 4. de Sacram. cap. 1. Damasc lib. 4. cap. 4. 14. Theophilact in Matth. 26. Others yeld reasons why Christ in the Sacrament would be really vnder the formes or accidents of bread and wyne to witt that our faith might be proued and exercised therby the horror of eating flesh bloud in their owne forme shape taken away and so the same S. Ambrose Ibid. l. 4. de Sacram. c. 4. Cyrill in cap. 22. Luc. apud D. Thom. in catena Others do persuade vs not to beleeue our senses that see only bread and wyne wherof we shall speake more in the obseruations following so S. Augustine serm de verbis Apost l. 3. de Trinit cap. 10. Others do proue this reall presence by the sacrifice affirminge the selfe same Christ to be offered now in our dayly sacrifice vpon the Altars of Christians after an vnbloudy manner which was offered once bloudely vpon the
manner of Christs being there from that in heauen and as yt signifieth his being there vnder a Sacrament or signe but yet really we graunt also that he is there spiritually that is to say after a spirituall and not corporall circumscriptiue manner yet truly and really We graunt further that he is in the Sacrament by faith for that we do not see him but apprehend him present by faith but yet truly and really and not in faith and beleefe only And by this yow may perceaue our Sacramentaryes manner of disputinge iust like the Arrians of old tyme and of our dayes who seeke to enacuate all places alleaged for the vnity and equality of Christ with his Father by one only distinction of will and nature So as when Christ said for example Ioan. 6. my Father and I are one yt is true said they they are one in will loue but not in nature thus they deluded all that could be brought for naturall vnity except only the authority and contrary beleefe of the vniuersall Church wherby at last they were ouerborne 46. And the very same course held the Sacramentaryes of our dayes for whatsoeuer plaine and perspicuous places you bring them out of antiquity affirminge the true naturall substantiall body of our Sauiour to be in the Sacrament they will shift of all presently by one of these three words yt is true sacramentally yt is true spiritually and yt is true by faith only as though these could not stand with really or truly and heere of shall yow haue store of examples afterward in the aunswerings of Doctor Perne Cranmer Ridley and Latymer for the Sacramentary party to our arguments taken out of the ancient Fathers For when the said Fathers do auouch that Christ our Sauiours true naturall body is in the Sacrament they answere yt is true sacramentally and thinke they haue defended themselues manfully therby and when in other places the same Fathers do professe that the very same flesh that was borne of the virgin Mary and cruicified for vs is there they aunswere yt is true spiritually and by faith but not really And thus they do euacuate and delude all that can be alleaged But yf they cannot shew as they cannot any one Father that tooke or vsed the words sacramentally spiritually or by faith in this sense as opposite to really and truly in this mystery then is it euident this to be but a shift of their owne inuention to escape therby And so much of this obseruation The nynth Obseruation How Christ is receaued of euill men in the Sacrament and of good men both in and out of the same §. 9. 47. It followeth vpon the former declaration of the words sacrament signe and the rest that we explane in this place a certayne distinction insinuated by the ancient Fathers and touched in the Councell of Trent of three sorts of receauinge and eatinge Christ by this Sacrament First sacramentally alone the second spiritually only the third both sacramentally and spiritually togeather An example of the first is when euill men do receaue the Sacrament vnworthily for that these men thought they receaue the very Sacrament to witt the true body of Christ vnder the formes of bread and wyne yet do they not receaue the true spirituall effect therof which is grace and nourishment of their soule and of these doth S. Paul speake expressely to the Corinthians when he saith He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily videlicet the Sacrament doth eat and drinke iudgement to himselfe not discerninge the body of our Lord. And in this sense do the auncient Fathers vpon this place expound the Apostle as yow may see in the commentaryes of Saint Chrysostome S. Ambrose S. Anselme and other expositors both Greeke and Latyn and S. Austen in many places of his works doth expressely shew the same alleaginge this text of the Apostle for proofe therof Corpus Domini saith he sanguis Domini nihilominus erat illus quibus dicebat Apostolus c. It was notwithstanding the body bloud of our Lord which they tooke to whome the Apostle said he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation And to the same effect he saith in diuers other places that Iudas receaued the very selfe-same body of Christ that the other Apostles did and the same affirmeth S. Chrysostome in his homily intituled of the Treason of Iudas generally it is the vniforme opinion of all the auncient Fathers whensoeuer any occasion is giuen to speake or treat therof 48. The second manner of receauing Christ by this Sacrament is tearmed spiritually only for that without sacramentall receauinge of Christs body and bloud a man may in some case receaue the spirituall fruite or effect therof as yf he had receaued the same really and this eyther with relation to the Sacrament videlicet when a man hath a desire to receaue yt actually but cannot or without reference thervnto when by faith and grace good men do communicate with Christ and participate the fruite of his passion In which sense of spirituall communion or eating Christ S. Austen wryteth vpon S. Iohns ghospell Crede manducasti beleeue and thou hast eaten And to the same effect do our Fathers often speake when they treat of this spirituall metaphoricall eating only without relation to the Sacramet which manner of speaches the Sacramentaryes of our dayes do seeke to abuse as though there were no other eatinge of Christ in the Sacrament but by faith alone which is furthest of from the said Fathers meaninge though sometymes they had occasion to speake in that manner 49. The third member of our former diuision is to eat Christ both sacramentally and spiritually as all good Christians do when with due preparation disposition they receaue both the outward Sacrament and inward grace and fruite therof by obseruation of which threefold manner of receauing many obiections and hereticall cauillations will easily afterward be discerned And so much for this The tenth Obseruation Touchinge indignityes and inconueniences obiected by Sacramentaryes against vs in holdinge the Reall presence §. 10. 50. As by the former obiections of naturall impossibilityes yow haue heard this soueraigne mystery impugned both by the learneder sort of old and new heretiks so do the more simple ignorant insist insult most vpon certayne inconueniences indignityes and absurdityes as to them do appeare As for example that Christ in the Sacrament should be eaten with mens teeth go into the belly not only of men weomen but also of beasts yf they should deuoure yt that yt may putrifie be burned cast and fall into base and vnworthy places be troden vnder mens feet with the like which is a kind of argument plausible at the first sight vnto vulgar apprehensions and such as seemed to moue principally the most part of Iohn Fox his artificers and spinster-martyrs as may appeare by their rude clamours and grosse obiections
conuersion And then he explaneth himselfe thus that as in bread one loafe is made of many graynes so signifieth this Sacrament that we are all one mysticall body in Christ. And againe As bread nourisheth our body so doth the body of Christ nourish our soule And thirdly As bread is turned into our substance so are vve turned into Christs substance All vvhich three effects cannot be signified saith he by this Sacrament yf there be Transubstantiation and no nature of bread left and therfore there can be no Transubstantiation 7. This is Maister Ridleyes deepe diuinity about the nature of this Sacrament but yf yow reade that which we haue noted before in our eyght obseruation concerninge the true definition and nature of a Sacrament in deed yow will see that this was great simplicity in him though accordinge to his hereticall groūd that the Sacramēts doe not giue grace to leaue out the principall effect signified in the Sacrament which is grace for that a Sacrament is defined A visible signe of inuisible grace receaued therby This Sacrament also is a signe of Christs body there present vnder the formes of bread and wyne yet deny we not but that these other three effects also of vnity nutrition and conuersion may be signified therby as in like manner the death and passion of our Sauiour wherof this Sacrament is a memoriall and commemoration neyther doth the Transubstantiation of the bread into the body of Christ lett or take away these significations for so much as to make this Sacrament there is taken bread and wyne which naturally doth signifie these effects of vnion nutrition and conuersion which Ridley heere mentioneth though yt be not necessary that the substance of the said bread and wyne should still remayne but only there formes and accidents which do signifie and are signes to our senses as much as yf the substances themselues of bread and wyne were present As for example the brasen serpent did as much represent and was a signe of Christ in respect of the analogie betwene Christ and a true serpent as yf he had had the substance of à true serpent whereof he had but only the forme and shape and so are the outward formes of bread and wyne after the words of consecration sufficient to represent vnto vs the Analogy that is betweene feedinge the body and feedinge the soule vnity of graines and vnity of Christs mysticall body which is his Church 8. And thus much of Ridleyes third ground which impugneth Transubstantiation which ground as yow see is so weake and feeble as he that shall build theron is like to come to a miserable ruyne of his owne saluation But much more ridiculous is his fourth ground vttered in these words The fourth ground saith he is the abhominable heresie of Eutiches that may ensue of Transubstantiation Thus he saith in his position but lett vs heare him afterward in his probation which is not much larger then his proposition for thus he wryteth They vvhich say that Christ is carnally present in the Eucharist do take from him the verity of mans nature Eutiches graunted the diuyne nature in Christ but his humayne nature he denyed And is not this a goodly proofe of so great a charge Nay is not this a goodly ground and head-springe of proofes Consider I pray yow how these matters do hange togeather Eutiches heresy was as yow may see in the letters of Saint Leo the first and in the Councell of Calcedon that Christs flesh being ioyned to his diuinity was turned into the same and so not two distinct natures remayned but one only made of them both And how doth this heresie I pray yow follow of our doctrine of Transuostantiation Eutiches said that the diuine and humayne natures in Christ were confounded togeather and of two made but one we say that they remayne distinct and do condemne Eutiches for his opinion and by our Church he was first accursed and anathematized for the same Eutiches said Christs humayne nature was turned into his diuine we say only that bread and wyne is turned into Christs flesh and bloud what likenesse hath this with Eutiches heresie But saith Ridley vve do take from Christ the verity of mans nature This is a fiction and foolish calumniation as before yow haue heard and consequently deserueth no further refutation 9. The fifth ground is saith he the most sure beleefe of the article of our faith He ascended into heauen This ground yf yow remember hath byn ouerthrowne before and abandoned by Ridley himselfe in his Oxford-disputation where he graunted that he did not so straitly tye Christ vp in heauen to vse his owne words but that he may come downe on earth at his pleasure And againe in another place of the said disputation VVhat letteth but that Christ yf yt please him and vvhen yt pleaseth him may be in heauen and in earth c. And yet further to Doctor Smith that asked him this question Doth he so sitt at the right hand of his Father that he doth neuer foresake the same Ridley aunswered Nay I do not bynd Christ in heauen so straitly By which aunsweres yow see that this whole principall ground and head-springe of Ridleyes arguments against Transubstantiation is quite ouerthrowne For yf Christ in flesh after his ascension may be also on earth when he will as Ridley heere graunteth then is it not against the article of our Creed He ascended into heauen to beleeue that not withstandinge his ascension he may be also on earth in the Sacrament And albeit Ridley do cyte heere certayne places of S. Augustine that do seeme to say that Christ after his ascension is no more conuersant amonge vs vpon earth yet that is not to be vnderstood of his being in the Sacrament which is a spirituall manner of being but of his corporall manner of conuersation as he liued visibly among his disciples before his ascension And this is sufficient for discussion of this fifth ground wherof the cheefe particulars haue byn handled in diuers places before 10. Now then will we returne to his second ground againe of the most certayne testimonyes of the auncient Catholike Fathers And first he alleagath Saint Dionysius Areopagita for that in some places of his works he callerh yt bread And the like of Saint Ignatius to the Philadelphians which we deny not for S. Paul also calleth yt so as before we haue shewed but yet such bread as in the same place he declareth to be the true body of Christ sayinge that he vvhich receaueth yt vnworthily shal be guilty of the body and bloud of Christ addinge for his reason non dijudicans corpus Domini for not discerninge the body of our Lord there present And so S. Ignatius in the very selfe-same place saith that yt is the flesh and bloud of Christ as yow may read in that Epistle 11. After these he citeth Irenaeus whose words are Eucharistia ex
etsi sensui cogitationi nostrae absurdum esse videatur c. Let vs alwayes giue creditt to God nor let vs resist him albeit the thing seeme absurd to our sense and cogitation for our sense may easily be deceaued and therfore for so much as he hath said This is my body lett vs not doubt therof at all but beleeue him Saint Epiphanius standeth also vpon the same aduertisment reprehendinge them greuously yea condemninge them that dispute and frame their arguments from the testimony of their senses against the reall presence whose words he bringeth in thus Et videmus say they quod non aequale est c. We do see with our eyes that this which we do receaue in this Sacramēt to witt the host is neyther equall nor like the image of Christ in flesh nor to his inuisible deity nor to the formes or lineaments of his body for yt is of a round forme c. So they but S. Epiphanius his conclusion is against them thus qui non credit esseipsum verum excidit à gratia salute he that doth not beleeue Christ himselfe to be truly there vnder the round forme of bread that is giuen is fallen both from Gods grace and his owne saluation 5. And finally not to enlarge my selfe further in this behalfe Eusebius Emissenus or who els was the author of that excellent sermon de corpore Dominï concurreth also in this note against the iudgement of our senses sayinge Verè vnica persecta hostia side aestimanda non specie non exteriori consenda visu This only and perfect host is truly to be esteemed by faith and not to be iudged by the externall shape or veiw of our eyes Thus hee wherof S. Chrysostome giueth an example when he wryteth of this mystery O quot modò dicnns vellem formam speciem cius vellem vestimenta ipsa vellem calce amenta videre O how many are there videlicet of the simpler sort and not so grounded in faith that say I would I could see Christ his forme shape in the Sacrament I would see his apparell I would see his very shooes Thus said some in those dayes vpon simplicity perhappes but so say many more in our dayes vpon heresie and infidelity And truly yf we consider most of the arguments of all Fox his artificers or weomen Martyrs they were such as these heere mentioned deryded by S. Chrysostome and vpon these arguments went they to the stake Let your God in the Sacrament said Alice Driuer and her fellowes shedd some bloud and vve vvill beleeue The like cryed out many other simple rude people vve see bread we see wyne vve see a round cake we will neuer beleeue yt to be God except we see him worke some miracle What would S. Chrysostome thinke yow and other Fathers before mentioned haue said ' to these people yf they had heard them sound out such blasphemous cryes of infidelity and vnbeleefe in their dayes And so much for this first obseruation which is vsually to be found in all auncient Fathers wrytinges The second Obseruation That not only sense and common Imagination but neyther philosophicall reason is necessary to be followed in these mysteryes §. 2. 6. The second obseruation is much like to the first but passeth some degrees further and is taken out of the auncient Fathers aduertisments in like manner to witt that not only sense and sensuall imagination is not to be followed in these diuine mysteryes of our Sauiours body but neyther naturall or philosophicall reason it selfe is allwayes to be followed notwithstandinge yt reacheth farre higher then sense can attayne to which is proued first by the generall definition of faith vsed by S. Paul in his epistle to the Hebrues where yt is said to be argumentum rcrum non apparentium an argument or assent of things that do not appeare by reason which yet is more explicated by Saint Gregory when he saith sides non habet meritum vbi humana ratio praebet experimentum faith hath no meritt where humane reason doth yeld a proofe Saint Augustine also saith This is the praise of faith yf that which is beleeued be not seene for what great matter is it yf that be beleeued vvhich is euident And this is vniuersally in all points of our faith the beleefe wherof must not depend of the euidency of reason for then yt should be science as philosophers tearme yt and not faith which faith dependeth on the authority trust and creditt we giue to the reuealer which is God himselfe 7. But especially is this to be done in this high mystery of the blessed Sacrament of the Altar which is not only a mystery but a miracle also and such a miracle as requireth no lesse power then the omnipotency of God to performe the same Necessarium est said S. Chrysostome to his people of Antioch mysteriorum discere miraculum c. It is necessary for vs to learne this myracle of mysteryes what it is why it was giuen vs what vtility cometh therwith vnto vs the like And againe the same Father in his bookes of Priesthood descending to treat more in particular one point of this mystery which is how Christs body is at one tyme in many places he cryeth out O miraculum o Dei benignitatem O myracle o goodnesse of God! and why qui cum patre sursum sedet in illo ipso temporis articulo omnium manibus petractatur he that sitteth aboue with his Father in that very instant of tyme is handled by all Priests hands And S. Cyprian to the same effect Panis quem Dominus discipulis porrigebat non effigie sed natur a mutatus omnipotentia verbi sactuiest caro The bread which our Lord gaue to his disciples at the last supper being changed not in outward shew for yt appeareth bread still but in nature by the omnipotency of Gods word is made flesh 8. Thus thought and spake the ancient Fathers of this high mystery and myracle in the Sacrament And conforme to this they called vs alwayes from reason to faith from contention to humble beleefe when they treated therof for so wryteth among other auncient Fathers S. Hilary speakinge of this matter non est humano aut saeculi sensu in Dei rebus loquendum We must not talke of works of God accordinge to humayne and wordly reason c. touchinge the naturall verity of Christ in vs by this Sacrament that which we affirme except we haue learned yt of himselfe we do affirme the same folishly and impiously but he hath said my flesh is truly meate c. Vnto whome S. Ambrose agreeinge saith of the same mystery Quid hic quaeris natura ordinem c. Why seekest thou heere the order of nature touchinge the body of Christ in the Sacrament forsomuch as our Lord Iesus was borne of the Virgin beside the course of nature Heere