grasse And vnto thys day the earth when it raineth bringeth forth his owne buddynges beynge by goddes precepte styred strengthened to do the same God sayde This is my body and this is my bloud and doo this in remembraunce of me whiche by his precepte that is omnipotente is done vntyll he commeth For so he sayde vntyll he came vnto whiche newe kynde of tyllage the vertue of the holye ghoste ouershadowyng it is by speciall inuocation in the stead of raine for lyke as all thyng that god hathe made is made by the operation of the holy ghost So nowe the efficacye of the same holye ghoste worketh these thynges that be aboue nature whiche can not be comprehended but by faith onely How shall this be said the holy virgin seinge I know no man The archeangel Gabriel answered The holy ghost shall come downe to the and the vertue of the higheste shall shadowe the. And nowe thou askest howe this bread is made the bodye of Christe and the wyne and water the bloude of Christ Wherein I aunswere also vnto the. The holye ghoste commeth and worketh these thinges aboue reason and vnderstandynge The breade and wyne be taken to this mysterye For god knowethe mans weakenes whiche with some displeasure eschueth many thinges that be not before by vse made smothe familier vnto hym wherfore our sauiour Christ so condescendeth to our infirmitie as he vseth thinges to vs accustomed and agreable wherewith to make thinges that be aboue nature And lyke as in baptisme seinge men commonlye vsed to wasshe them selues in water and annoynte thē selues with oyle Christe added to the oyle and water the grace of y e holy ghoste and made it the wasshynge of regeneration So for that men were accustomed to eate breade and drynke wyne and water Christe ioyned vnto them his godhed and made them his body and bloude that by thynges accustomed and agreable to nature we myght be placed in thinges that be aboue nature The body is verely vnited to y e Godhed I meane the same body that was taken of the holy virgin not that the same body taken descended from heauē but that the bread wyne be transfourmed into the body and bloude of God If thou doest aske me the maner how it is done it shuld suffyce the to heare aunswered that by the holy ghost lyke as of the holy mother of God by the holye ghoste oure lorde made to hym selfe flesshe and in hym selfe withoute seede of manne In whiche matter we know no more but that the worde of god is true of efficacie and omnipotent but as for the maner is vtterly inscrutable and such as can not by serche be deprehēded foūde And yet it were not amisse to say thus that like as the breade by eatynge and wyne by drynckynge is naturallye chaunged into the bodye and bloude of hym that eateth and drinckethe nowe are become another body other then their owne body whiche they had before euen so the breade prepared to be consecrate and the wyne and water by inuocatyon and commynge downe of the holy ghoste be aboue nature chaūged into the body bloude of Chryste and be not two but one and the same Whiche worke is wroughte and is to the that worthely receiue it in fayth the remyssyon of synne for lyfe euerlastynge and to be a safegarde for bodie and soule And to them that be vnfaithfull and receiue it vnworthely to their punish mente and vengeaunce For so is lykewyse the deathe of oure lorde That is to say to suche as beleue lyfe and incorruptiō with the fruition of euerlastynge blesse and on the other parte to them that be vnfaithfull and were murderers of our lorde punysshement and vengeaunce euerlastynge The breade and wyne be not a figure of the body and bloud of Christ That may not be sayde but the very body of our lorde deified that is to saye made god For our lorde saide this is not the fygure of my body but my body and not the fygure of my bloude but my bloude And before that sayde to the Iewes that yf ye eate not the flesshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue not lyfe in your selfe For my fleshe is very meate and my bloud is very dryncke And agayne he that eateth me shall lyue Let vs then come to it w t a fearfulnes a cleane conscience and stedfast fayth and then in al thynges shalbe to vs as we byleue constantly Let vs honour it with all clennes bothe of the body and soule also as it were with a double worshyppynge For the same we worshyp is also double that is to say the fleshe of our sauiour Christe and godhed also Come we vnto it with an ardent fyry desyre and facyonynge oure handes in the figure of a crosse let vs so receaue the body of hym that was crucified fynally approching with our eyes lyppes and forehed let vs receiue that godlye cole so as the fyre of our feruent desyre receyuynge the fierynes of that cole maye burne vp our synnes and lyghten our hartes and by partetakynge of that godlye fyre be throughly enflammed and deified Esaias sawe a cole A cole is not wood onely but woode vnited vnto fyre So the foode of our communion is not foode onelye but foode vnited to the godhead The body vnited to the godhed is not to be sayed one nature but the nature of the body is one and the nature of the godhed vnited vnto it is an other So as both together be not one nature but two Melchisedech the preist of god that is highest receiued and chered Abraham with bread and wyne when he returned from the slaughter of the foraine straungers That table fygured this mysticall table lyke as that preiste was y e fygure and ymage of our true prest christ Thou arte sayth god a preist for euer after the ordre of Melchisedech Those loues whiche in the olde lawe were called the breades of proposicion that is to saye the breades appointed to an holy vse were a figure of this bread This sacrifice is the pure vnbloudy sacrifice which god sayde by his prophet shuld be offered vnto hym from the east to y e west The bodye and bloude of Christe for the establyshmente of body and soule receiued be not cōsumed or corrupted nor passeth with our corruptions through vs into y e vyle place fy on y e speach but encreaceth our substaunce and preserueth it It is tharmour of defence frome all maner of annoyaunce and lykewise the purgation and cleansynge of all fylthe Certaynlye if it fyndeth the golde adulterate that is to say corrupt with any other mettall it purgeth it by the same vertue whiche is apprropriate to fyre wherby it disceuereth frō the gold and putteth away that is corrupt to thintent we shulde not be condemned in the worlde to come It purgeth diseases and all sortes of annoiaunce And as saith the godly apostle If we iudge
bloud dwelleth in me and I in him Hitherto be Cirylles wordes whereby is declared our corporall habitacion in christe by this precious sacrament wherein is present christ him selfe â–ª wherof here what Hilarius Pictauiensis an olde author in christes churche in the .viii. boke de Trinitate vpon discussion of this question whither chryste be in vs by the veritie of nature or coÌ„corde agreaunce in our will aunswereth in this wise Si enim uerè uerbum caro factum est nos uerè uerbuÌ„ carneÌ„ cibo dominico sumimê° quo modo non naturaliter manere in nobis existimandus est qui naturam carnis nostrae iam inseparabilem sibi homo natus assumpsit naturam carnis suae ad naturam aeternitatis sub sacramento nobis coÌ„municaÌ„dae carnis admiscuit Ita enim omnes unum sumus quia in christo prÌ„ est christus in nobis Quisquis ergo naturaliter patreÌ„ in christo negabit neget prius noÌ„ naturaliter uel se christo uel christuÌ„ sibi inesse quia in christo prÌ„ christus in nobis unuÌ„ unuÌ„ in hijs esse nos faciuÌ„t Si uerè igitur carnem corporis nostri chruÌ„s assuÌ„psit uerè homo ille qui ex Maria natê° fuit chruÌ„s eÌ„ nosque uero sub misterio carneÌ„ corporis sui sumimê° per hoc unuÌ„ erimê° quia pater in eo est ille in nobis quomodo voluÌ„tatis unitas asseretur cuÌ„ naturalis per sacramentuÌ„ proprietas perfecta sacramentum sit unitatis If the worde was made verely fleshe and we verely receyue the worde beinge fleshe in oure lordes meate how shal not christ be thought to dwell naturally in vs who being borne man hath taken vnto him the nature of our flesshe that can not be seuered and hath put together the nature of his fleshe to the nature of his eternitie vnder y e sacrament of the communion of his flesshe vnto vs For so we be al one by cause the father is in Chryste and Christ in vs. Wherefore who soeuer wyll deny the father to be naturally in Christe he muste deny fyrst eyther hym self to be naturally in Christe or Christ not to be naturallye in hym for the being of the father in Chryst and the being of Chryste in vs maketh vs to be one in theÌ„ And therefore yf Chryst hath taken verelye the flesshe of oure body and the man that was verelye borne of y e virgyn Mary is Christ also we receyue vnder the true mysterie the fleshe of his bodye by meanes wherof we shal be one for the father is in Christ and Christ in vs how shal that be called the vnite of wyll when the natural propriete brought to passe by y e sacramente is the sacrameÌ„t of vnite I haue thus translate this holy fathers testimony farre exceding the capacite of the symple vnlearned and yet most euidently declaringe the mysterie of the sacrament of thaulter not to be thinuention of maÌ„ as these beastes now a dayes fayne but the godly tradicion of the truthe expressed in Christes wordes plainly truely receiued also taught and continued in the church syns the beginning by this mans testimony aboue .xii c. yeres past And were it not that I thinke good men wyll delyte to reade the truth I wolde esteme it labour loste to suche as be obstinate For they be as saint Paule saith ouerthrowen in their owne iudgement and so full of malyce as nothinge els can entre But I wyll not omytte for them to prosecute my purpose And nowe shall ye here what Theophylus Alexandrinus a noble author in christes churche and in the begynnynge of christes churche saieth who declaringe the gospel of s Marke and expoundyng the wordes of christe writeth in this wise Benedicens fregit i. gratias agens fregit quod nos facimus orationes super addentes dedit eis dicens Sumite hoc est corpus meum hoc scilicet quod nunc do quod nunc sumitis Non autem panis figura tantuÌ„ corporis christi est sed in propriuÌ„ Christi corpus transmutatur Nam Dominus ait Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est sed tamen caro christi non uidetur propter nostraÌ„ infirmitatem panis enim uinum de nostra consuetudine est si uerò carnem sanguinem cerneremus sumere non sustineremus propter hoc Dominus nostrae infirmitati condescendens species panis vini conseruat sed panem uinuÌ„ in veritateÌ„ conuertit carnis sanguinis Thenglysshe whereof is this Christe blessinge brake that is to saye gyuynge thankes brake whiche also we do adding praiers thervnto and gaue it theÌ„ saieng Take this is my body the same that is to say that I nowe giue you nowe take For the breade is not an only figure of the body of christe but it is chaunged into Christes verye bodye For oure lorde saide The breade whiche I shall giue is my flesshe yet the flesshe of christ is not sene in respecte of oure infirmitie for the breade and wine be accustomed vnto vs but if we shuld se the flesshe and bloude we shulde not endure to receiue it and therfore our lorde condescendynge to our infirmitie conserueth the fourmes of breade and wine and turneth the breade and wyne into the veritie of his flesshe and bloude Thus testifieth Theophilus and who can desire a more playne testimonye in whiche thou mayest also note howe the fourme of breade and wyne by goddes goodnes remaineth in respecte of oure infirmitie and yet the breade and wyne is turned in to the body and bloude of oure sauyoure Christe whiche speache implyeth a difference betwene the substauÌ„ce of breade and the fourme that is to say apparaunce of breade whiche euery symple wytte can not coÌ„ceiue but euery witte shuld humbly reuerently beleue For Christ sayde This is my body as appeareth testified by suche as I haue rehersed being witnesses of tholde worlde when there reigned in christes churche simplicitie faith charitie mekenes deuotion with feruent religion when goddes worde dwelt in mennes hartes and came neuer abrode to walke in mennes tunges but with maiestie and reuerence accompanied with all vertuous lyuynge where as nowe iesters raylers rimers players ianglers pratelers and simperinge parettes take vpon them to be admynystratours and officers to sette forthe goddes worde whereof they make a plurell number of wordes without all fruyte and effecte But I wyll leaue these and praye god amende them and adde the deuout writinges of saint Austen saynte Iherome and sainte Chrisostome touchinge the moost preciouse sacrament of the aulter And fyrst of saynte Chrisostome that he writeth vpon the .vi. chapter of s Iohn in this matter Necessariò dicendum quam admiranda mysteria cur data sint quaenam eorum vtilitas Vnum corpus sumus meÌ„bra ex carne ossibus eius Quare
sine ipso potare non possumus quotidiè in sacrificijs eius de genimine uitis uerae uineae So rec quae interpretatur electa rubentia musta calcamus nouum ex hijs uinum bibimus de regno patris nequaque in uetustate litterae sed in nouitate spiritus cantantes canticum nouum quod nemo potest cantare nisi in regno ecclesiae quod regnum patris est Lette vs here this that the breade which our Lorde brake and gaue to hys disciples is the bodye of our lorde our Sauyoure he hym selfe sayenge vnto them Take ye and eate this is my body And the cuppe is that whereof he spake agayne Drynke of this all This is my bloude of the nevve testamente vvhiche shall be shedde for many This is the cup of whiche we rede in the prophete I shall take the cup of the sauyour And in another place How excellent is thy cuppe that is so plentifully filled If theÌ„ the body of our lorde be the breade that descended from heauen and the wine that he gaue his disciples is his bloude of the newe testameÌ„t whyche is shedde for manye in remyssyon of synnes lette vs putte awaye the Iewes fables and lette vs ascende wyth oure lorde into the greate chaumber strowed and clensed and lette vs take of hym alofte the cuppe of the newe testamente and kepynge our Easter let vs with him be made drunke with the wine of sobernes For the kyng dome of God is not meate and drinke but iustice ioy and peace in the holy ghost Nor Moses dyd not giue vs y e true foode but our lorde Iesus him selfe beynge the geste feast it selfe him selfe that dyd eate is eaten His bloude we drynke and withoute him can not drynke dayly in his sacrifices we presse out redde muste newe wyne of the grape of y e true vyne tree the vyne of Sorec whiche is interpretate chosen and hereof we drinke newe wine of the kyngdom of the father not in the oldenesse of the lettre but in the newenes of spirite syngyng the newe songe that no man can synge but in the kingedome of the church which is the kingdome of the father Nowe ye haue herde s Iheromes wordes full of mysteries but so to the pointe to testify the misterie of the sacrament of thaulter as the more coulde not be desired for our instruccion in the true vnderstandynge or rather a true Eccho of that is truely vnderstanded For the original truth procedeth of Christes wordes the true sound wherof redoundeth in good mens brestes being apte and mete to receyue the same so rendre the noyse as they receyued it frome the mountayne of truthe oure sauiour Chryst by y e holye ghoste taughte vttered spredde abrode by whom good men be ledde into all truthe lyke as euyll men by the deuyll his aungelles be ledde into all falsehed and lyes Of whome beware and regarde not Ioye Bale Turnoure Frith whome theyr owne malyce with the deuylles suggestion hath subuerted Regard not what peruerse obstinacie worketh in refusinge god and resisting his powers of the worlde thexample whereof hathe latelye appeared in such as suffered who being ouercome with intollerable presumptiâ—â— on and disperate malyce obstinately continued in their peruersitie to thende openly The deuyl hath his wytnesse as s Austen saith and frowarde obstinacye in falseheade hath in the world counterfeted the constancie of martyrs as vyce with ypocrisy in many hath resembled vertue Therfore in Christes true martirs not the paynes onelye wherein they were tormented but therwith the cause wherefore they were persecuted was specially regarded For els as werynes of this lyfe hathe wrought among many a vehemeÌ„t desyre to be hence esteming no paines to achue their entente and therefore haue mooste cruelly deuysed theyr owne death many times letted haue wilfully coÌ„tinued in prosecutioÌ„ of the same so hath froward stubbernes mixte with vaineglory done the lyke as â—mong many in our tyme hath manifestlye appeared In whiche the Anabaptisâ—es and Sacramentaries haue with a deuelysh pertinacy mainteined their heresies whose wilfull death in obstinacie yf iâ— shulde serue for an argumente to proue y e truth of their opinion the truth of gods scriptures shuld be brought in muche perplexite and men drawen hither and thither as peruerse malyce shulde leade But god that is mercyfull suffreth not man to be tempted with these argumeÌ„tes more theÌ„ may be borne of mannes infirmitie And yf suche as lately suffered were seuerallye considered there maye appeare tokens sufficiente besides the condicion of the matter they suffred for to declare their zeale not to haue proceded of the spirite of god but of arrogaunt pryde and presumption the spirite of y e deuyl which is no tyme to speake on nowe but I shall adde what sainte Austine saith the readyng wherof is frutefull and leaue the remembraunce of these monstruouse proude people whose doynges be vnfruteful to them selfe and other S. Austen saith thus vpon the .xcviii. Psalm in thexposition of this text Et adâ—srate scabellum pedum eius quoniam sanctum est worshyp y e fotestole of his seat for it is holye Quid habemus adorare ScabelluÌ„ pedum eius SuppedaneuÌ„ dicitÌ„ scabellum quod dicuÌ„t graeci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dixerunt Latini scabellum alij dixerunt suppedaneum Sed videte fratres quid nos iubeat adorare Alio loco scriptura dicit Coelum mihi sedes est terra autem scabellum peduÌ„ meorum Ergo terram iubet nos adorare quia dixit alio loco q sit scabellum pedum dei Et quomodo aborabimus terraÌ„ cuÌ„ dicat apertè scriptura Dominum deum tuum adorabis hîc dicit Adorate scabellum pedum eius Exponens autem mihi quid sit scabelluÌ„ pedum eius dicit Terra autem scabellum pedum meorum Anceps factus sum timeo adorare tertam ne damnet me qui fecit coeluÌ„ terram Rursum timeo non adorare scabellum pedum domini meiquia psalmus mihi dicit Adorate scabellum pedum eius Quaero quid sit scabellum pedum eius Et dicit mihi scriptura Terra scabellum pedum meorum FluctuaÌ„s conuerto me ad Christum quia ipsum quaero hîc inuenio quomo do sine impietate adoretur terra sine impietate adoretur scabellum pedum eius Suscepit enim de terra terram quia caro de terra est de carne Mariae carnem accepit Et quia in ipsa carne hîc ambulauit ipsam carnem nobis manducandam ad salutem dedit nemo autem illam carnem manduâ—cat nisi prius adorauerit inuentuâ— est quemadmodum adoretur talâ— scabellum pedum domini noÌ„ soâ—luÌ„ non peccemus adoraÌ„do sed peâ—cemus non adorando What haue we to worshyppe The stole of his feete for so we call that stayeth vnder the foote That the greakes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
our self we shall not be iudged when we be here iudged of our lord we be therby chastised that we shulde not be condempned with the worlde And thus it meaneth that he sayth who so euer is partaker of the body bloud of our lorde vnworthely he eateth and drynketh condemnatioÌ„ vnto hym selfe By whiche sacrament beyng purged we be vnyted to the holye body and the holy spirite of hym and be made the body of Christe This fode is the fyrste fruytes of the foode to come which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in greke For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth eyther the foode to come that is to say of the world to come or the foode we receyue for the preseruation of oure substaunce And bothe significations may be aptly sayde for whither it be taken in the one signification or the other it maye well be sayde of the body of our lorde For the flesh of our lorde is spirite that gyueth lyfe beynge conceyued of the holy ghoste that gyueth lyfe for that is begotten of spirite is spirite And thus moche I saye not myndynge by these wordes to take awaye the nature of the body out of this sacramente but onely myndynge to shewe how the same gyueth lyfe is godly And yf any call the sacrament the example or token of the body and bloud of Christ as saint Basyle sayde they speake it not of thoblacion after the consecracion but before the same be saÌ„ctified It is also called participation for by it we be made partakers of y e godheade of Iesu It is also called coÌ„munion and is so verely for by it we communicate with Christ and be partakers of his flessh and god hed we communicate al by it togither in that we be thereby made one For seinge we participate all of one breade we be made thereby one body bloude among our self beyng of the same body with our sauiour christ be also to our selfe eche others meÌ„bres Let vs theÌ„ beware as much as we may that we neither geue communion to hererikes ne receiue it of them Giue not your holy thynges to dogs sayth our lord nor cast not youre precious stones before hogges lest ye be made ê‘takers of their euyll beleef and of their condeÌ„nation also consideringe that being an vnitie throughlye betwene vs and christ also betwene our selues we shal likewise be vnited throughly with all suche as we shall chose to participate with vs. For this vnitie is made by oure choyce and free wyll not without oure mynde and determinacion and we all one bodye in that we participate of one breade as the holy apostle saith This sacrament is called also the examples of that is to come not in such an vnderstanding as though the very body and bloude of christ were not present but that nowe by this sacrament we be made partakers of the godheade of christ and in the worlde to come shall participate with onely contemplacion in the ful lyght of knowledge and vnderstandynge NOw ye haue hearde Damascene speake who well hearde with the eares of hearynge were sufficient for the matter too declare howe christes wordes as they were playne for the substaunce and fouÌ„datioÌ„ of our byleef So haue they in theyr playnnesse maynteyned y e true byleef of the churche as this author for .viii. C. and .xvi. yeares paste declareth euidently and testifieth playnely yf thou wylt vse hym for comfyrmatioÌ„ of that thou doest fyrste truely beleue and not abuse hym after the facyon of the worlde to wrythe hym mystake hym as some men do the scripture And to thintent thou mayste be the more able to mete with suche as wolde abuse them selfe in hym and thy selfe the depelyer conceyue the godly lerned consideration of this writer in the matter I wyll note certayne thynges vnto the worthy to be noted Fyrste this man testifyeth the presence of the naturall body and bloude of oure sauyour Christe in the sacrament of thaulter and expressely reproueth the vnderstandynge of them that wolde saye there shulde be but a figure as at this letter G. in the margyn thou shalte fynde so as thou hearest by this author truth affirmed and falsehed coÌ„demned This man testifyeth also the worshyppyng of the sacrament with inward outward cleÌ„nesse deuotioÌ„ of the soule outwarde gesture of the body as thou mayest se in y e letter H. wherin thauthor declareth a coÌ„gruence and conuemency that as the meat which we receyue and worshyp is dubble and conteyneth Christes flesshe and godhed so shulde oure worshyppyng be dubble that is to say of our two partes of body and soule whiche bothe be nouryshed by this precious meat And where thou findest this letter A. the author sheweth that as we be dubble and of two partes y t is to say body and soule so shulde we haue a dubble natiuite a dubble meat The dubble natiuite is of water and y e holy ghoste of water agreable to our body as corporall and the holy ghost to our soule which also agreeth with that Gregory NaziaÌ„zene writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As he was spirite flesh so god perfiteth w t water the holy ghost And as for this precious meat y e author sheweth that it is a meate dubble not one as where thou findest this letter L. where he saith The bodye vnited to y e godhed deitie is not made one nature but remaineth .ii. natures And bicause y e natures be two he calleth christes body our meate in y e sacrameÌ„t a dubble meat And yet thou maist finde in the letter F y t he calleth it but one as where he saith y t the bread wyne chauÌ„ged by gods myghty word into the body bloud of christ be not two but one and so there remayneth the only substaunce of the body bloude of christe where as yf the nature of breade remained also he wolde haue called it in that respecte two as he doth in the other places in two natures vnited And so thou seest where remaine two natures vnited they be called in y t respecte two double and not one and yet againe bicause in the consecration there is not an vnion of breade to the body of christ but transmutation as the worde transmutatioÌ„ expresseth an alteratioÌ„ of substauÌ„ce the sacrament is not called two but one And concernynge worshyppinge this is to be noted that this great clerke was not ignoraÌ„t of the wordes of the gospel Io. iiii that Veri adoratores adorabuÌ„t patrem in spiritu veritate True worshyppers shall worshyp in spirite and truth And yet speaketh this author of worshyppyng with the body for by the texte of the gospell is not denyed outwarde adoration with the body whiche body is with the soule created of god shalbe hereafter glorified with the soule but the sense of that texte declareth the true order of adoratioÌ„ whiche must be rooted grounded and directed by the spirite truth and from thence it
remembraunce of him And yet euyll men do receaue the same to their owne condemnation whiche good men do with a perfit remembraunce of christ whose benefites w t his preceptes they haue in effectual remembraunce Wherin forasmuch as the Corinthyans abused them selfe Saynt Paule threteneth them with gods sharpe iudgement whyche euerye manne procureth hym selfe when he receiueth the blessed sacrament vnworthely not consyderinge nor vnderstandynge that there is in that feast the very naturall bodye and bloud of our sauiour christ which s Paul signifieth in those wordes non dijudicans corpus domini Whiche wordes be translate in englyshe puttynge no difference betwene the lordes bodye And this place by suche as presumynge of their owne knowlege frame also a sense of their owne makynge or folowinge suche as willingly abuse their knowledge to subuerte the truth hathe ben mystaken and of some so taken as though the CorinthiaÌ„s were in those wordes blamed because they which is a fond imaginacion and yet men that waÌ„der alone go easely farre wide out of the right waye toke the sacrament to be the very body of christ and put no difference betwene it breade But saint Paule contrarywyse as tholde authors expounde that place declareth in those wordes non dijudicans corpus domini howe suche as eate vnworthely do not acknowledge whom they receiue For if they dyd they could not so abuse them selfe and therefore the worde dijudicans signifieth not puttinge no difference but not vnderstandynge not consyderynge as the greake interpreters say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not considerynge not vnderstandynge who is in that feast to be receiued whose presence if men considered they shoulde neade none other admonyshment howe to prepare them self to come thither and howe to vse them selues at the same And other scripture is lykewise misconstrued and crokedly expounded Spiritus viuificat caro non prodest quicâ— As thoughe it were to be vnderstanded that the presence of the natural bodye and bloude of our sauiour our christ were not fruteful to vs therefore by theyr reason shulde not be there where in dede our sauyour Christ refelled in those wordes the grosse vnderstandinge of y e Capharnaites as though oure sauiour christ had ment to distribute his natural body in lumpes of flesshe and so make them a feest of it and thervpon gaue a generall lesson vnto them whiche serueth for y e true vnderstandyng of our hole relygion which is that our godly lyfe is engeÌ„dred in vs not of the flesshe but of the spirite for quod natum est ex carne caro est quod auteÌ„ ex spuÌ„ spiritus est y t is borne of the flesshe is flesh and that is borne of the spirite is spirite and the faithfull men be not borne of the flesshe nor the flesshe reuealeth not the truth of god for the flesshye manne can not se goddes mysteries and they that dwell in the flesshe can not please god and thus scripture speakethe of the flesshe the carnal parte of man not illuminate by y e spirite of god and the Capharnaites fansied of Christes flesshe grossly to be cutte as buchers do in the market whiche so coÌ„sidered profiteth nothing but onely the spirite giueth lyfe And so spiritus viuificat caro non prodest quicquam the spirite gyueth lyfe and the flesshe profitethe nothing By which maner of spech the fleâ—she of our sauyour christes moost precious bodye beinge caro viuifica lyuely flesshe and whiche hath the holy spirite inseparablye annexed vnto it is not improued but as it is by goddes hygh power ministred vnder fourme of breade wyne is also most holsom most confortable vnto such as receyue it worthely of which christ spake Caro mea vere est cibus sanguis meus uere est potus panis quem dabo uobis caro mea est My flesshe is verely meate and my bloude verely drinke and the breade whiche I shall geue you is my flesshe And the speache of this scripture Caro non prodest quicâ— is in such wise to be taken as wheÌ„ saint Paule saith Scientia inflat charitas edificat wherein knoweledge is not vtterlye condemned but onely suche knowledge as waÌ„teth and is not tempered with charitie And lykewise littera occidi spiritus viuificat wherein not all letters and wrytinges be noted to do hurte but onely suche as be destitute and want right spiritual vnderstandinge And after y e same fourme said christ Spiritê° viuificat caro noÌ„ prodest quicâ—â— The spirit giueth lyfe y e flesshe profiteth nothyng whiche is as muche to saye after the order of vnderstaÌ„ding in the former speaches that the flesh porfiteth nothynge where the spirite of god wanteth whiche in the most blessed body of our sauiour Christ is alway present can not be seperate from it Thus I haue somwhat trauailed in thexpositioÌ„ of this text Caro non prodest quicâ— whiche in dede ê‘teyneth not to y e purpose of y e matter but only as the deuil wrangleth with it as he doth in susteining heresyes with many other and amonge other in this matter these If I go not from you sayth Christe the holy ghoste shall not comme to you And in an other place ye shall not se me for I go to my father And also in an other place I leaue the worlde and go to my father With suche lyke whiche sounde to improue the presence of Christes naturall body and blood in the sacrament of thaulter but sounde so onely to suche as before they marke this souÌ„de of wordes wold haue them to sounde so For that meane the deuyl vseth to inueigle men fyrste to allure them by â–ª some worldelye temptation to be incline able rather to this or that opinion and in many men not for anye respecte they haue to any truthe or falseshed but onelye bycause they had rather haue it vnderstanded so as they fansye then otherwyse And beynge so waywardlye affected they conceaue then of the scripture as they do of a confuse souÌ„de of belles that is to saye the selfe same sentence and meaning which they wolde haue taken and estemed for truth and none other And to such men so inueigled by the deuyll it is harde to induce the persuasion of truthe for they care not for it or be maliciouse and euyl wyllynge against the truthe And therfore wysedome as y e wyse man saith can not entre into them The deuyl for mayntenaunce of his errour he ceasseth not to note to the simple reader how Christ speaketh of goynge his waye and goyng to his father and in an other place of leauynge the worlde in an other place that he wyll be seene no more of theÌ„ And when y e spouse is gone then we shall wayle and faste All whiche in the true vnderstandyng signifie to vs the absence from vs of Christe in his bodely coÌ„uersatioÌ„ among vs in such sorte as he was before his passyon and before
haue bene before vs accepted and allowed for teachers and of theyr scoolers alsoo good christen people who haue accepted humblye their teachinge in the truthe of the preciousenes and substaunce of the moost blessed sacrament of the aulter and take theÌ„ altogether representynge Christes churche for scoolemaisters in thys matter And yet there is no cause to aske whiche shulde seme to implye matter of doubte but constantly to continue in that we haue here in truely receyued without whyes or whattes whiche engendre altercation without edificacion or fruit Shall we after xv C. yeare begin to enquyre whither the state of our relygyon be establyshed in meere ydolatrye as they do now a dayes terme it blasphemouslye Can we take suche a serche and examinacion otherwyse then to be a quarell moued to the hole to prepare the way to Mahomete of whose lawes some in some thinges write nowe abrode indyfferentelye For as I sayd before if reason or rather vnreasonablenes may nowe conquer oure fayth herein the vyctory wyll hardely be stayed from conqueste in the reste whiche punisshemente we may se in other yf we haue grace to consyder it Let vs stande ferme therefore in our fayth receiued in the moste blessed sacramente and kepynge our selfe in sauegarde by the strength of the same faith note howe the deuyll assaulteth the symple to ouercome them in the same The deuyl ye knowe is but plaine Iwys and where playnnes maye deceyue makethe his pretence to speake playnely and professeth simplycytie speakynge alwaye as his postles saye of this sacrament as S. Paule spake and call it bread And albeit as I spake before of spellynge with one tyttle diuersely so lykewyse one worde is taken diuersely yet the deuyll pretendeth symplycite and wyl haue one word taken but one way which is a craft to leade men out of the waye For if in sainte IohnÌ„s gospell where it is written that Chryste was in the worlde the worlde was made by hym and the worlde knewe him not yf there the word world shuld haue one signyfycation it shoulde engender a meruaylous confuse sense And in the worde bread wheÌ„ Christe sayde He was the breade that discended from heauen the worde breade maye not there signifie the same it dothe where the gospell spake of fyue barlye breades And therfore to the rude can be nothinge more daungerouse then to be entangled with this the deuyls sophystrye insygnificacyon of names the dyscussion whereof requireth learninge and the conceiuing of the true faith by gods gift only simplicitie to beleue w tout howes as is preached vnto the by the churche of christ But besides this point of sophistry cometh in another of y e rude ignoraunt sodenly forgettyng the name of the holy masse only pretendeth knowledge of y e lordes supper And herein is muche a do and the name of the masse reiected all is applyed to the lordes supper and yet they wolde steale away the precyouse foode of the body of our sauyour Chryste in thende make it a bare drinking of onely breade and wyne And where they wyll passe noone of their owne priuate suppers euen on the greattest fastynge day without flesh for deintyes yet in thys supper of the lord as they call it they deuyse a deitie without delicacies to haue nothiÌ„g present but bread and wyne A merueilouse matter of the inclination of mannes nature for declaracyon of instabilitie to be fonde of innouacions nouacions What the word masse meaneth they can not tell and soo reâ—uâ—e they wote not what by their owne confession And the name supper they allowe with a lytle knowledge what they saye callynge it a supper but only because it varieth from the name of the Masse For that whiche in the fyrst institucion was called Coena domini and the supper of oure lorde by reason the worde Coena because of the tyme towardes euenyng signified a supper Nowe the churche hathe ordered all men to receyue theyr holye communion afore all other meates fastynge it shuld nowe more conueniently be called in Englysshe the feast of oure lorde or the dyner then a supper wherwith the worde Coena wyll agree and requirethe not any suche translacion in specyal to be called a supper but coena domini may be called ConuiuiuÌ„ sacrum as the churche syngeth deuoutly wherin Christ is receiued and therwith a memorye celebrate of his moost blessed passion and a pledge is lefte with vs of lyfe euerlasting And Gregory Nazianzene noteth that albeit in this holy communion y e churche chaungeth the tyme yet the thinge is all one whyche he speaketh after this sorte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quandoquidem alia multa aliter tum prodita fuere quam ut nunc se habere conspiciuntur Veluti Ieiunauit christus paululum ante tentationem nos verò ante Paschaâ— Quòd ad ieiunia attinet utrobique idem temporum uerò utriusque ieiunij non modica discrepantia Christus enim ieiunium tantquam propugnaculum adhibuit contrà tentaciones nobis uerò ad id ualet uâ— Christo coÌ„morîamur iteÌ„ purgatio quaedam est quae festuÌ„ praecedat Porro christus ieiunauit dies quadraginta erat enim Deus nos verò ieiunium ad facultatis nostrae modum attemperauimus etiamsi quidam zelo affecti noÌ„nihil supra uires conati sunt Rursum christus sacra Paschae mysteria cum discipulis celebrat in coenaculo et post coenam pridiequam pateretur nos verò in aedibus orationis quideÌ„ ante coenam ac post resurrectioneÌ„ Surrexit item Christus post triduuÌ„ nos autem post multum temporis neque tamen coÌ„mittuÌ„tur cum illius nostra sed neque ad temporis rationem coniungantur quatenus uerò ad exemplum eorum quae nos age remus tradita sunt exactaÌ„ per omnia similitudineÌ„ effugerunt The sense wherof is this in englysshe There be many mo thinges other wyse set forth theÌ„ they appere to be now Christ fasted a litle before his temptacion we fast before Easter As touchynge the fast that is all one but in the tymes of the fastes there is a greate diuersitie For Christe vsed fastinge as a defence and bulwarke against temptatioÌ„ and in vs fasting auayleth that we myghte dye wyth Christ and it is a clensynge purgation byfore the feast Christ fasted fourty dayes for he was god we haue measured our fasting with our power although some moued with zeale do attempt herein aboue their power Chryst kepte his pascal feast with his disciples in a chambre after supper and the daye before he suffered we do the same in houses of prayer before supper and after the resurrection Chryste rose after thre dayes we ryse ageine after a longe tyme. And yet that we do in y e mysteries repungneth not with Chrystes doynges but they be not conioyned in tymes And in asmuche as they were deliuered vnto vs to be our exaÌ„ple their through lykenes
beleef good christeÌ„ men taugh by the spyrite of god haue not receyued for it can not be maynteyued of Christes wordes who spake playnely This is my body makynge demonstratioÌ„ of the bread when he sayd This is my body by the myghte of whiche wordes of Christe that was demonstrate by the demonstratioÌ„ this which was the bread was altered and chaunged into his body wherby the substaunce of bread was conuerted in to the substaunce of his moste preciouse body wherin was declared Christes meruelouse power wherof Theophilus speaketh in this wyse Our lorde condescendynge to oure infirmitie altered not the fourme of bread and wyne but coÌ„serueth them turneth the bread and wyue into y e truth of his fleshe and bloude and this is the true vnderstaÌ„dyng of Christes speach whiche and yf we vnderstande so as the breade shuld remayne then folowe many absurdyties and chiefely that Chryste hath taken the nature of bread as he toke the nature of man and so ioyned it to his substaunce And then as we haue God verely incarnate for our redemption so shulde we haue God impanate and then shuld we haue in Christe besydes the diuine essence two other substauÌ„ces absque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and be compelled to fayne to the truthe that christen eares abhorre to the subuersion of the same as we haue seen amonge other come to passe Wherfore as the truthe whiche the churche hath and dothe playnly and syncerely teache is moost certeyne and sure grounded vppon the playne wordes of oure Sauyoure Christe in the moost blessed sacrament so euery christen man shulde receyue it and beleue it fyrmely without wauerynge or diuisyng any addition to the same Let men forsake theyr carnal erthlye senses and the wycked kynred of malicious seducers get the out thense good reader and resorte to the company of true faythful men and knowledge with them the reuelation in the moste blessed Sacrament of the presence of the naturall bodye and bloude of oure sauyour Iesu Christ whiche caro et sanguis can not declare but onlye Pater noster qui est in coelis who hath declared it and taughte it oure mother the churche ANother point of the deuelish sophistrie is betwene y e wordes and meanyng wherein the deuyl shyfteth y e matter thus Where the wordes of scrypture be playne euydente manyfeste and confyrme the catholique truth there the deuyll deuyseth an other meanynge and aduertiseth his scholers that the wordes be nothynge withoute the meanynge and therfore sayth he we must vnderstande Chrystes wordes as he ment them and therfore saith the deuyl beware of the wordes and take hede of the meanyng Christ sayth the deuyl sayd This is my body but take hede sayth sathan what Christ ment O abhominable Sathan full falsely doest thou meane O good christen faythful man marke thou this sophistrye For it is in dede a true lesson that the very worde of god is the true meanynge of scripture and who hath that true meanyng which is not taughe by maÌ„s wyt and deuyse of vnderstanding but by declaration from god reueled to the churche he hath goddes wordes to hys comforte and consolation and who hath the wordes of scripture peruersely taken is therwith infected and poysened to his coÌ„fusion as the Arrians Sabellyans and an infinite numbre of heretikes haue ben So as it must nedes be grauÌ„ted that in the meaning of scripture is the marie the carnel the swetnes y e fode the hony of scripture without whiche the wordes be a bytter shale and an harde bone without foode or sustenaunce This must nedes be confessed of all men as an euident truthe whiche the deuyll abuseth by cauyllacion and sophistrie to ouerturne the truthe in the moost blessed sacrament of thaulter For openynge of which sophistrie it is to be consydered that somtyme in scripture the wordes be so placed and ordered as the meanyng is vttered and opened with the wordes at ones and hath such lyght of the wordes as they appere bothe togyther and without further serche be streyght coÌ„ueyed to our vnderstandynge Somtyme agayne the wordes be such or so vsed and placed as they brynge not theyr meanynge streyght with them in the same lyght but more darkely and as it were hydden vnder the wordes Nowe in the fyrste sorte of wordes whiche brynge theyr sense with them yf we shuld in them cal for a meanyng And when we rede Humiliauit semetipsum dominus noste lesus Christus factus obediens vsque ad mortem Our lorde Iesus Christe hath humbled hym selfe beynge obedyent to the deth we shulde call for a meanyng and saye we muste vnderstande these wordes as sayncte Paule mente them Can we meane any thynge by callynge soo for a meanynge but to calle the certayne meanynge quam aenigma sit loeÌ„m Heliam esse intellectu opus ad intelligendum inquit Qui habet aures ad audiendù audiat Ita inducens eos vt interrogent ac discant Whiche wordes in latin be in englysh this sentence And yf ye wyll receyue it he is Helias whiche shulde haue coÌ„me If ye wyll sayth Theoph. receyue it that is to saye iudge it ryghtly and not with an enuiouse mynde he is Helias whom the prophet Malachie sayd shulde come For saincte IohnÌ„ that came before Christ and Helias haue ben bothe allotted to one office The one to go before y e fyrst comyng of christ and the other before the laste commynge And then shewynge howe this was a darke speache y t IohnÌ„ was Helias conteyned a secrete vnderstandynge in it and requyred therfore another sense to be perceyued sayd He that hath eares of hearynge let hym heare so inducyng them to aske learne Thus saith Theophilacte by whome we be learned of the circumstance to note the meanyng if it be hydden and so not onely the wordes to be noted in theyr common sense but the meanyng to be asked and learned which lesson neglected as the deuyll medleth with such as marketh it not engendreth in y e knowledge of truth a greate perplexite wherof the deuyl taketh opportunite to inueigle them and somtyme preacheth somtyme writeth to the vnlearned on this wyse Christes wordes be true when he sayde This is my body but as he mente them For so he sayde he was a waye he was a vyne he was a doore but he was not a naturall vyne he was no such way as men walke in no such doore as men coÌ„monly entre into but only a resemblaunce of all these bycause he is our waye to heauen oure doore to entre in to lyfe our vynestocke in whome we as braunches be nouryshed kepte in lyfe And so lyke wyse ê™ the deuyll when Christe saith This is my body he meaneth that it is onely a resemblaunce a figure a tokeÌ„ a signe of his body which semeth a stronge argumeÌ„t to suche as haue not theyr senses exercised as s Paule saith to discerne good euyll that is to saye truthe from