true and effectuall communion with Christ Iesus Againe S. Paul saith immediatly after 1. Cor. 10.17 we that are many are one bread and one bodie because we are all partakers of one Bread Againe as often as ye shall eate this Bread 1. Cor. 11.26 and drinke of this cuppe yée shew the Lords death till he come Againe whosoeuer shall eate this Bread and drinke the cuppe of the Lord vnworthely shal be guiltie of the body and blood of the Lord And again let a man therefore examine himself and so let him eate of this bread and drink of â—his cup. Here Saint Paul fiue times callâ—th it bread euen when it is receiued and eaten therfore I conclude that it is bread But here the Papists come in with a craftie cauillation and think they haue found a fine deuise to shift off these plain words of the Apostle they say that saint Paul calleth it bread because it was bread as Aarons rodde being turned into a serpent Exod. 7 1â— and being a serpent is called a rodde Aharons rodde deuoured their roddes I aunswere first that they compare things vtterly vnlike for in the Sacrament there must continue a similitude and agréement betwéene the signe and the thing signified as before out of S. Augustine I declared and therefore the substance of the signe must néeds remaine without which there can bée no such similitude But in this matter there is no such agréement betwéene the rodde and serpent but rather bee cleane contrary and therefore the reason of these two are not alike Secondly I say that because the conuersion of the rodde into a serpent was but temporall for a short time to continue Moses had good cause to call it a rodde because thereunto it was straight wayes to be restored and in the nature of a rod to continue Thirdly let the Papists shew that their bread is so turned into the bodie of Christ as that rodde was into a serpent and then they say something other wayes they proue nothing Lastly I may turne this Argument vpon their owne heads that as Moses called the serpent a rodde when it was not a rodde indéede but a serpent So Christ called the bread his body when it was not indéede naturally his bodie but in substance bread and by his ordinance a sacrament of his bodie And as the Papists will haue Saint Paul to call that bread which they say is not bread so why may not our sauiour Christ call that his bodie which not properly but sacramentally is his body Thus I trust this their cauillation is sufficiently confuted that you plainly perceiue that S. Paul calleth it bread because it is bread The which now Dialog 1 I will proue by the testimonies of the ancient fathers Theodoritus beside that plaine place before alledged where he saith that Christ hath honored the visible signes with the title or name of his bodie blood not chaunging the nature of them but Dialog 2 adding grace to nature hath a more plaine and pregnant place whose words be these Thou art catched in thine owne snares for the mysticall signes after sanctification or consecration leaue not their proper nature but they remaine in their former Substance and figure kind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and be visible and tangible as they were before here not only Theodoritus plain words do affirme the nature and substance of bread and wine to remaine after consecratioÌ„ but also the whole drift of the disputation betwéene the true Christian the Eutican heretike tendeth to the same end But if the doctrine of transubstantiation had beene then in the Church receiued it had most fitly serued for the heretiks purpose that as the bread after consecration is turned into Christs body so Christs bodie after the ascention is turned into the deitie and so the heretike reasoneth but the true Christian answereth that he is catched in his own snare for as bread and wine after consecration are not turned into Christs bodie and blood but remaine in substance as they were before so Christs bodie after his ascention is not turned into the deitie but replenished with glorie and immortality Gelasius a Bishop of Rome writing against the same heretike Eutiches that Theodoritus did and vsing the same reason setteth downe the same doctrine in these words Gelasius contra Eurichen Certe Sacramenta c. i. Surely the sacraments of the bodie and blood of Christ which we receiue are a diuine thing and therefore by them wée be made partakers of the diuine nature and yet it ceaseth not to be the substance or nature of bread and wine and indeed an image and similitude of the bodie and blood of Christ is celebrated in the Accion of the mysteries c. Chrisostome also writeth thus Chrisost ad Câ—esarium Monachum Sicut enim antequam sanctificetur panis c. For as before the bread is sanctified we call it bread but when the diuine grace hath sanctified it by the meanes of the priest it is in déed deliuered from the name of bread and is counted worthy of the name of the lords bodie although the nature of bread doe still continue in it and is called not two bodies but one bodie of the son c. Both the words of Gelasius Chrisostome and also the drift of their discourses tending to the same end that Theodoritus doth most plainly shew that after consecration the substance of bread remaineth euen as after Christs assention the substance of his true body continueth or else these reasons taken from the sacrament do not only not make for them but directly against them yea and plainly make for those heretikes whom they by these arguments séeke to confute Origen also saith Panis ille c. Orig. in Matâ—h cap. 15. That bread which is sanctified by the word of God and prayer according to the material substance which it hath goeth into the belly is cast out into the draught but by the prayer which is ioyned to it according to the proportion of faith is made profitable By which it appeareth that it is the substance of bread and not Christs bodie which were blasphemie to affirme that is so cast out Cyprian saith De vnctione Chrismatis Dedit dominus noster c. Our Lord at the table whereat he did participate his last feast with his disciples gaue with his own hands bread wine but vpon the crosse he gaue his bodie to be wounded by the hands of the souldiers August de consecr dist 2. qui mandu Augustine also saith Quod videtur panis est c. That which is séene is bread and the cuppe which our eies also do shew vnto vs c. He saith it is bread and not séemeth or appeareth to be bread August in psal 98. And in another place Spiritualiter intelligite quod loquutus sum Nen hoc corpus quod videtis manducaturi estis c. .i. Spiritually
that he is God but in heauen in that he is man Againe Ille absens est praesentia corporis August in Psal 127. sed presens vigore maiestatis .i. he is absent in respect of the presens of his bodie but present by the power of his maiesty And again Sursum est dominus c. i. the Lord is aboue August in Ioan. tract 30. but also here is the Lord the truth For the body of the Lord wherin he did rise can be but in one place but his truth is dispersed euery where Againe let good men also take this August in Ioan. tract 50. and not bée carefull for he spake of the presence of his bodie for as touching his maiesty his prouidence his ineffable and inestimable grace that is fulfilled which hée said behold I am with you alwaies to the end of the world But touching the flesh which the word took to it touching that by which he was borne of the virgine apprehended of the Iewes crucified vpon wood taken from the crosse wrapped in clothes laid in the sepulchre reueiled in the resurrection ye shall not alwayes haue him with you Why because he was conuersant with his disciples 40. dayes in respect of his bodely presence they waiting on him seing him but not following him he ascended into heauen and is not here for he is there sitting at the right hand of the father and he is here for he hath not left vs by the presence of his maiestie c. Contr. faustum lib. 20. cap. 11. Againe Augustine saith Christ according to his corporall presence could not be at once in the sonne in the moone Lib. 1. coâ—â— Euticâ—eâ— vpon the crosse Vigilius a godly Bishoppe of Tridente and Martyr giueth most plaine witnesse to this truth saying Nam vide myraculum vide vtriusque proprietatis mysterium c. for sée a myracle sée the mysterie of the property of both the natures The sonne of God according to his humanitie is gone from vs according to his diuinitie he said vnto vs. Behold I am with you alwayes to the end of the world if he be with you how doth he say The day shal come when ye shall desire to sée one day of the sonne of man you shall not sée it But both he is with vs he is not with you for whom he hath left and from whom he is departed in his humanitie he hath not left nor forsaken by his deitie for by the forme of a seruant which he hath taken from vs into heauen he is absent from vs but by the forme of God which doth not depart from vs he is present in earth with vs so he being one and the same is both present with vs and absent from vs. And againe the same Vigilius saith Lib. 4. contr Eutichen Deinde si verbi carnis c. Moreouer if there be one nature of the word and flesh how commeth it to passe that the word being euerie where the flesh is not also founde to be euerie where for when it was in the earth it was not in heauen and for that now it is in heauen it is not in earth and in so much it is not that according to it wée looke for Christ to come from heauen whom according to the word we beléeue to be with vs in the earth Therefore according to your doctrine either the word is conteined in place with the flesh or the flesh is euery where with the word seeing that one nature receiueth not in it selfe any thing contrary and diuers Hitherto Vigilius whereby we may sée how néere the papists ioine with that old heretical Abbot Eutiches condemned in the counsell of Calcidone in confounding the properties of both natures and holding that Christs flesh and body is at one instant both in heauen and earth and in infinit places of the earth Therfore we are not to séeke our sauiour Christ in earth but we must be Eagles to soare vp by faith into heauen and there to eat his flesh drinke his blood S. Paul exhorteth vs to seeke the things that be aboue Colloss 3. â— where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God in which words he moueth vs to seeke the things that be there where Christ is but Christ is aboue in heauen therefore wée must seeke the thinges that bée aboue in heauen and not the thinges that be vppon earth But if Christ bée vpon earth as the Papists teach then either Paules reason is not good or we may seeke the things that he vppon earth which he doth in expresse words forbid vs. But I will prosecute this matter no further onely I will lay forth certaine absurdities that follow of this grosse doctrine of Transubstantiation First If Christs real and natural body be there vnder those formes of bread and wine as they teach then we do with our mouthes receiue and eate the verie bodie of Christ and drinke his blood but this is not onely an absurditie but also wickednesse and impietie as S. Augustine saith August lib. 3. de doct christ cap. 16. whose words are worthy wel to be marked and considered He giuing rules how to vnderstand the scriptures amoÌ„gst others giueth this for one That if the scripture seeme either to command any thing that is euill and nought or to forbid any thing that is good and profitable then it is not a proper speach but a figuratiue The example that he bringeth is this Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood ye shall haue no life in you He seemeth to commaund saith he a horrible and wicked thing Therefore it is a figure commaunding vs to communicate vpon the Lords passion and sweetly and profitably to hide vp in memory that his flesh was crucified and wounded for vs. In which words S. Augustine not onely condemneth that grosse and Capernaicall eating and drinking of Christs flesh and blood which the Papists imagine but also sheweth what it is to eat his flesh and drinke his blood euen faithfully to beleeue and acknowledge in our hearts that his bodie was crucified and his blood shed vpon the crosse for vs. But Pope Nicolas with the Romane counsell enforcing that excellent learned maÌ„ Berengarius to recant and denie the true doctrine which he had mainteyned caused him to confesse as appeareth in the Popes owne decrees the very body of Christ in truth to be handled by the priests hands De consec dist 2. Ego Beringarius manibus sacerd frangi fidelium dentibus atteri and to be broken torne by the téeth of the faithful The which is so absurd and grosse that the very barbarous writer of the glosse vppon that place giueth warning warely and wisely to vnderstaÌ„d Beringarius words or else we may fal into greater heresie then he held An other absurditie is this that if Christ naturall bodie be in the sacrament then our sauiour Christ did eat his owne body
for that our sauiour Christ did eate the sacrament doth appeare by these his words after supper Verely I say vnto you Matth. â—6 I will not henceforth drinke anie more of the fruit of the vine c. And as our Sauiour vouchsafed to be baptized that he might sanctifie Baptisme vnto vs euen so he did receiue this sacrament also to sanctifie it vnto vs and thereby to assure vs the more of our communion fellowship with him Chrisost in Mat. Homil. 83. de Consecr dist 2. cap. nec Moses Et glos in cap. in Christo This both Chrisostom doth flatly affirm and the papists themselues do not deny but plainly confesse in these rude rimes without reason Rex sedet in Coena turba cinctus dnodena Se tenet in manibus se cibat ipse cibo i. The king sitting at his supper with his xii Apostles helde himselfe in his hands and fedde himselfe with the meat of himselfe Now whether this be not an absurditie that our sauiour Christ sitting with his disciples did with his natural body eate his naturall body I will commit it to the conscience and iudgement of the godly to consider And whether it must not hereof follow that he had too bodies one an Actiue that did eate and another a passiue that was eaten An other absurditie hereof ensueth that whereas the papists teach the Christs body is in the sacrament being impassible mortall and glorified contradictories must néeds be affirmed at one instaÌ„t vpon Christs bodie for his body wherein he sate at the table with his disciples was visible but the body in the sacrament inuisible that bodie was passible this impassible that subiect to death which shortly after died vpon the crosse this not subiect to death Now it can no more be that Christs body at one instant should be visible and inuisible passible and impassible subiect to death and not subiect to death then it can be a bodie and no body And therefore this is a foule absurditie Moreouer for Christs body to be at one instant in heauen and earth and infinite places of the earth is as I haue shewed and proued before an absurdity And that Christs bodie should bée in the Sacrament without any accidences of a body as form figure leÌ„gth breadth thicknesse is as I touched before an absurditie This doctrine bringeth an other absurdity which they maintain that wicked men do eat the very body of Christ Whereas Christ himselfe saith Iohn â— 54 whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood 56. hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day And againe he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood 57. dwelleth in me and I in him hée that eateth me shal liue by me But the wicked haue not eternall life neither do they liue by Christ being deade in their sinnes Therefore the wicked do not eat Christs flesh nor drink his blood Augustine saith August in Ioh. tract 26. Huius rei sacramentum id est vnitatis c. The sacrament of this thing that is of the vnitie of Christs bodie and blood is prepared in the Lords table and receiued of the Lords table in some places euery day in some at certaine times of some men to life of some to destruction But the thing it selfe wherof it is a sacrament is destruction to none but life to euery one that is partaker of it Again the same Augustine saith August lib. 21. de imitat Dei cap. 25. Non dicendum eum manducare corpus Christi qui in corpore non est Christi i. we must not say that he doth eate the body of Christ who is not in the body of Christ And againe in the same place Idem ibid. Nec isti ergo dicendi sunt manducare corpus Christi quoniam nec in membris computandi sunt Christi c. Therefore they are not to be said to eat the bodie of Christ because they are not to be counted among the members of Christ for not to speake of other things they cannot at one time be the members of Christ and the members of a harlot Origene saith Est verus cibus i. Orig. in Matth. 15. that is the true meate which no wicked man can eate for if a wicked man could eat the body of Christ it would not be writen He that eateth this bread shall liue for euer These places I do alledge to confute not onely this absurd assertion but also that grosse doctrine of transubstantiation for if the bread be so transubstantiated into Christs body then the wicked do eate Christs body if the wicked do not eat Christs body as by the proofes before alledged doth plainely appeare then is there no such transubstantiation nor carnall presence as they vainely imagine and falsely affirme for to be But heere also they want not a shift which is that the wicked doe eate Christs flesh and drink his blood but not worthily But I would haue them to proue that a man may eate Christs bodie vnworthely In déede I confesse that the wicked may vnworthely eat of this bread drink of this cuppe of the Lords 1. Cor. 11.27 and be guilty of the bodie and blood of Christ as S. Paul saith because that through infidelitie they do reiect Iesus Christ offred therby But that the wicked and reprobate be either worthely or vnworthely partakers of Iesus Christ that I do deny Yet to proue this shamelesse assertion see how they be not ashamed wilfully to corrupt the holy Scriptures Titul 21. Arti. 1. de sumpt Euch. Bunderius a lying and false Frier is not abashed thus to alledge S. Paules place which euen now I brought forth Multi enim indigne accipiunt de quibus ait Apostolus Qui manducat carnem bibit calicem domini indigne iuditium sibi manducat bibit i. For many do vnworthely receiue of whom the Apostle speaketh He that eateth the flesh and drinketh the cuppe of the Lord vnworthely eateth drinketh his owne damnation Heere this deceitfull Frier for panem the bread putteth carnem the flesh that whereas the Apostle saith he that eateth this bread and drinketh this cup c. He maketh him to say he that eateth the flesh and drinketh the cuppe of the Lord vnworthely wherein you sée how he altereth S. Pauls words and corrupteth the place But no maruell for such shamelesse assertions and corrupt doctrin cannot be defended without shame lesse corrupting of the holy Scriptures But they will say the sense and meaning is all one for he that eateth that bread eateth Christs body But that is the question and therefore they vse a deceitfull Argument called petitio principii taking that for graunted which is in question and is denied for the bread is one thing Christs bodie an other And although we are not to seperate Christ from the sacrament yet we ought not to confound them but to distinguish betwéene them for euen as the godly
precious blood shedde vpon the crosse for vs to feede and nourish our soules to eternal life which is not to be done carnally but spiritually yet truely and effectually Now let vs prepare our selues to come reuerently and worthely to this holy sacrament the which that we may do we ought as S. Paul exhorteth vs 1. Cor. 11. to proue and examine our selues and so to eat of this bread drink of this cuppe for he that eateth this bread and drinketh this cup of the Lord vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne damnation We are therefore not so much to examine others which by confessions priests did in popery as to try our selues to cal our selues to account before god First we must examine our own hearts whether we imbrace and beléeue in our hearts the true doctrine of Iesus Christ sāctified vnto vs in the scriptures sealed with the blood of Christ chiefly whether we rest onely vpon the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ and that we séeke our saluation onely in him who is giuen of God 1. Cor. 1.30 to be vnto vs wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption that he that reioyceth may reioyce in the Lord. If we doe not vnfainedly yeld to this true doctrine it is impossible that we can be worthy receiuers of this Sacrament which as I haue declared is ordained and giuen vnto vs to seale and confirme the said true doctrin of our saluation onely by Iesus Christ crucified vnto our hearts and consciences And therefore if any that do not beléeue with his heart and confesse with his mouth this holy and heauenly doctrine but being still frosen in the dregges of wicked superstition and deceiuable errour séeking some part of saluation in mens merits and in their owne works come to receiue this holy mystery and sacramēt they cānot worthely receiue it but doth most wickedly abuse it Doing in like sort as if a man should put her Maiesties seale to such a writing as she neuer allowed graunted nor commaunded but is directly cōtrary to her wil pleasure he that so vseth her seale abuseth her maiesty is a traitour and deserueth to be hanged euen so these men beléeuing erronious and false doctrine such as hath no warrant of Gods word and is iniurious to the death and passion of Iesus Christ the sonne of God whereof this Sacrament is a seale in receiuing it doe horribly abuse it in making it a seale of their damnable doctrine and bée traitors to Iesus Christ and vnlesse God in mercy graunt them repentance will hang in hell for it Therefore such as professe popery or any other wicked heresie and will not reny and forsake to sinne are not to be admitted to receiue this sacrament Exod. 11.43 for if no stranger might receiue the passeouer thē such as be not onely straungers but also enemies to the trueth are not to receiue this our passeouer which is a sacrament of Iesus Christ by whom we haue true deliuerance from eternall destruction and damnation They are therefore first to be instructed diligently in the truth the which if they stubbernly withstand they ought seuerely by the magistrate to bée punished yea and generally al that are to be receiued to communicate of this holy sacrament are first to be catechised and instructed in the true doctrine of saluation and are to be taught what this sacrament is to what end it was ordeined and what comfort and spirituall profit they are to receiue by it Eod. 12.26 So God commaunded the Israelits to instruct their children in the doctrine of the passeouer to teach them the causes wherefore it was ordeined and appointed by God And we reade that when Iosiah did keepe that great passeouer ◠Paralip 35.6 he commaunded the Priests both to sanctifie themselues to prepare their brethren that they might do according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses Therefore both parēts ought priuatly to teach their children ministers should publikely instruct the people in all true doctrine and diligently prepare them that they come worthely to the receiuing of this holy sacrament But these things are in a manner vtterly neglected for parents haue no care nor conscience of doing this duty which the Lord layeth vpon them yea most be so blind and so ignorant themselues in gods truth that they be neither able to instruct themselues nor to teach others Ministers for the most part neither preach nor Catechise the people but admit al hand ouer head to this holy sacrament where by it is greatly profaned and abused Some thinke it ynough somtimes to preach but they neither catechise and instruct the people in the grounds and principles of religion nor priuatly examine prepare them to the worthy communicating of this holy mysterie and sacrament And therefore the people come ignorantly and without knowledge vnto it without the which the mind of man cannot be good as Salomon saith Prouerb 19.2 and so most wickedly abuse it and kindle gods wrath against them for it Let therfore parents do this duetie which God laieth vpon them in teaching their children families the true knowledge of god and the right vse of this sacrament Let ministers both publikely preach Christs Gospel and also perticularly catechise and instruct their people in the doctrine of saluation and namely of this Sacrament that they may reuerently worthely for the strengthening of their faith comfort of their consciences receiue it Moreouer euery man that commeth to the lords table must examine his own heart whether he féele the same touched with true repentance and an effectuall remorse for his manifold and haynous sinnes commited against Gods maiesty for as the Israelits were with bitter herbs to eat their passeouer Exod. 12.8 so we ought to receiue this holy sacramēt of Christs body and blood with bitter repentance for our manifold iniquities being inwardly pricked in conscience that wée haue so grieuously offended our gratious God in doing such wicked things as he forbiddeth and not doing those holy things that he commaundeth vs or not doing them in that pure sincere sort that he requireth of vs. This true repentance must bring with it a true amendment and reformation of life in forsaking such sins as we haue heretofore committed and in indeuoring diligently to do those things that wée know to be good acceptable before God our Sauiour Iames. 5.12 He that hath ben a swearer must sweare no more but let his speach be yea yea nay nay lest he fall into condemnation and he must vse his tongue not to blaspheme but to glorifie Gods name and to praise him for his mercies euery morning renewed vnto him Lament 3.23 If any haue béene a prophanour of God Sabboth a neglecter of gods seruice and a contemner of his word hée must forsake these sinnes he must sanctifie the Sabboth day and consecrate it as glorious to the Lord not doing his own wayes nor séeking his owne
will Isai 58.13 nor speaking a vaine word he must carefully serue God with a pure conscience earnestly loue his holy word and hunger after it as his daily foode He that hath ben an adulterer or fornicator must flée and forsake this filthy sinne 1. Thess 4.4 kéepe the vessell of his body and soule in holinesse and honour not in the lusts of concupiscence as do the Gentiles that know not God And if any come to this holy table like a filthy dogge before he haue bewailed vnfainedly this his wickednesse and if it be open before he haue publikely shewed true tokens of his true repentance and reconciled himself to the Church of God he treadeth vnder his filthy féete the blood of Iesus Christ the sonne of God and eateth and drinketh his owne damnation Those that haue beene dronkards ought to forsake this beastlinesse and liue soberly and temperately in Gods feare or else they in comming to this sacrament prouoke Gods anger and indignation against them and so receiue it to their destruction But it is lamentable to sée what infinite numbers of whoremongers adulterers incestious persons drunkards such other filthy swine without any signe of repentance or satisfaction to the Church of God by them offended doe come and be receiued to the communicating of this holy sacrament Lastly we ought to examine our selues whether we liue in Christian loue and charitie one with an other without which 1. Cor. 13.1 though we speake with the mouth of men and angels and could moue mountaines and did giue all our goods to the poore yea and our bodies to be burned we be nothing and without it we can do nothing that may be acceptable before God as our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs in these words If thou bring the gift or oblation to the alter Matth. 5.24 and there remember that thy brother hath ought against thée leaue there thine offring before the alter and goe thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Our Sauiour Christ here speaking of the alter and oblations that were in the old law doth teach vs that we can do nothing acceptable to God vnlesse wâ— be truely reconciled to our brethren and do sincerely loue them euen as we desire God in Iesus Christ to loue vs. Therefore if we liue not in true brotherly loue and charitie one with another we cannot come worthely to this holy supper of our Lord Iesus Christ for it is a sacrament of vnitie as Saint Paul saith we that are many 1. Cor. 10.17 are one bread one body because we al are pertakers of one bread For euen as we al eate of one bread and drinke of one cup so we declare and acknowledge thereby that we be all one in Christ Iesus all members of one mysticall body and all lynked together in brotherly loue one with another And as the bread is made of many graines knoden togither euen so we ought all to be knit together in a holy profession of one truth and in brotherly sincere loue one to another which must bring forth her fruits in humbling our selues one to another in the feare of God in helping comforting and reléeuing one another c. But lamentable it is to sée how cold Christian charitie is waxen and how rare it is among men Al men séeke themselues and their own priuat profit and not the good and benefite of their brethren we dispise and disdaine one another we séeke to exalt and aduance our selues one aboue an other by vsury bribery extorsion and oppression we pinch bite yea and deuour one an other If these be our fruits if thus we leade our liues and yet come to communicate on this holy sacrameÌ„t we prouoke gods fearefull vengeance against vs fearefully for to plague vs. So Paul sheweth that for the abusing of this sacrament at Corinth 1. Cor. 11.30 God had so striken them that many were dead and many weak and sicke among them And wheÌ„ I consider how horribly this holy Sacrament is abused among vs how this pearle is cast before swine and ministred to all without making any difference betwéene the cleane and vncleane how ignorantly vnreuerently and profanely it is receiued I cannot but stand in terrour and horrour of gods fearefull plagues to come vpon vs euen to the depriuing vs of the word of life the Gospel of our saluation and of this pretious pledge of our Redemption by Iesus Christ Let vs therefore deare brethren iudge our selues that we bee not iudged of the Lord our God but let vs humble our selues vnder his mighty hand let vs truely turne vnto him by vnfeined repentance and amendment of life Let vs with all reuerence come to this holy feast vnfeinedly confessing our sinnes with an inward féeling of them remorse of conscience for them truly trusting in gods mercy through Iesus Christ who came into this world to saue vs sinners 1. Tim. 1.15 2. Cor. 8.9 Philip. 2.7 who became poore to inrich vs tooke vpon him the shape of a seruant to purchase eternal fréedome and libertie to vs submitted himself to shame Gal. 3.13.15 to procure euerlasting glorie to vs tooke vpon him the curse to obtaine the blessing of God for vs finally suffered death to giue eternall life vnto vs. Thus when we come to receiue this sacrament let vs thus declare the death of our Lord Iesus Christ acknowledge with heart and mouth that the life wée now liue in the flesh Gal. 2.20 we liue by the faith of the sonne of God who hath loued vs and giuen himselfe for vs. This is our worthy receiuing of this holy mysterie euen effectually from our hearts to confesse our owne vnworthinesse and earnestly to hunger for the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ which onely is able to discharge our vnrighteousnesse If therefore we do vnfainedly confesse our vnworthinesse and wickednesse and not with a perfect faith which no where is to be found and which if we had wée should haue no such néede of this sacrament which is ordeyned to strengthen our faith and to be as it were a prop to vphold it but with an vnfaigned faith as the Apostle termeth it come vnto Christ Iesus 1. Tim. 1.5 lay our sins vpon him beléeue that he hath made peace by the blood of his crosse Coloss 1.20 that by his stripes we be healed if we do truly amend our sinfull liues 1. Pet. 2.24 2. Pet. 1.4 féeling the corruption that is in the world through lust and purelie serue God with good consciences And finally do reconcile our selues one to an other and liue in brotherly loue and Christian charitie one with an other in comming to this sacrament we shall not onely licke the rocke but also sucke the hony and Oile out of the same as S. Cyprian saith Serm. de Caenâ— Domini we shall not onely eate Panem domini the bread of the Lord as Iudas did August in Iâ—hn tract 59. but also Panem Dominum that bread which is the Lord as the other disciples of our sauiour Christ did we shall not onely receiue these visible elements of bread and wine but also we shal eat Christs flesh and drinke his blood Iohn 6.56 he shall dwell in vs and we in him and shall hereby more and more grow vp in him and be more and more assured of our saluation in him These things the father of all mercie worke in vs and continually increase in vs to his owne glorie and our eternall comfort and saluation through Iesus Christ our onely sauiour redéemer to whom with the Father the holy Ghost be all praise laud and glorie now and for euer Amen HOSEA 14.10 Who is wise and he shall vnderstand these things and prudent and he shall know them for the wayes of the Lord are vpright and the iust shal walke in them but the wicked shall fall therein LONDON Printed by Iohn VVolfe for George Byshop 1586.
Fathers did teach touching the two natures of the deitie and humanity in our Sauiour Christ that they are neither to be distracted a sunder and seperated as did Nestorius nor the properties of them to be confounded as did Eutiches but the said properties are to be distinguished Euen so are we to deale in this matter of the sacrament concerning the signe and thing signified that neither they are to be distracted a sunder deuided nor to be confounded â—ogether but to be distinguished The sign which is the bread and wine are things visible and corruptible which wil in short time putrifie Iesus Christ the thing signified is to our outward eyes inuisible and is incorruptible The bread and wine are vpon earth Iesus Christ is in heauen at the right hand of God The bread wine are receiued with our mouthes broken with our téeth and féede our bodies Iesus Christ is fide digerendus saith Tertullian Tertull. de resurrect carnis receiued and eaten by faith féedeth our soules to liue to God eternally The bread and wine are receiued of all both faithfull and vnfaithfull godly and wicked Iesus Christ is onely receiued of them who be faithful Ephes 3. in whose hearts he dwelleth by faith They that do eate the bread and wine do die not onely this outward death but also many die eternally Iohn 9.51 but he that eateth this bread that came downe from heauen which is Iesus Christ himselfe shal liue for euer Thus a difference is to be put betwéene the externall sacrament and Iesus Christ of whom it is a SacrameÌ„t And yet we must not distract seperate altogether Iesus Christ from the sacrament but beléeue that he is truely offered to all and effectually receiued of those that be gods children and haue a true faith which is the very mouth of the soule whereby they eate his flesh drinke his blood as Christ saith Iohn â— 35 I am the bread of life he that commeth to me shall neuer hunger and he that beléeueth in me shall neuer thirst Now I will onely shew briefly the vncertainty of this doctrin of Transubstantiation Lib. 4. dist 11. cap. Si autem and so I will end this discourse Peter Lombard the master of the sentences writeth thus Si autem quaeritur qualis sit illa conuersio an formalis an substantialis vel alterius generis definire noÌ„ sufficio formalem tamen non esse cognosco quia species quae ante fuerant remanent i. If it be asked what kinde of conuersion that is whether formal or substantiall or of any other kind I am not able to define But yet I know that it is not a formal conuersion because that the formes and shewes which were before do still remaine Afterward he addeth some think that it is a substantiall conuersion saying that one substance is so coÌ„uerted into an other substance that the one is essentially made the other to the which sense the fore alledged authorities do séeme to consent But some do not graunt that the substance of bread is at any time made the flesh of Christ Others be graunt that that which was bread or wine after consecration is the body and blood of Christ Some doe say thus that that conuersion is so to be vnderstoode that vnder those accidences vnder which before was the substance of bread and wine after consecration is the substance of the body blood but others haue thought that the substance of bread and wine doe there remaine and that there also is the body and blood of Christ Hitherto the master of all the Popish schoolemen whose booke of Sentences was of such credite and autority with them that it was more read expounded then the holy bible Whereby wée may plainely sée how vncertaine this their doctrine is and what diuers opinions haue bene of it So Gabriel Byell Gab. Biell in exposit Canonis Missae lect 40. an other great scholeman writeth thus Quomodo ibi sit Christi corpus an per conuersionem alicuius in ipsum an sine conuersione incipiat enim corpus Christi cum pane manentibus substantia accidentibus panis non inuenitur expressum in canone Bibliae Vnde de hoc antiquitus fuerunt diuersae opiniones .i. How the body of Christ is there whether by conuersion of some thing into it or without conuersion there beginne to the body of Christ with the bread the substance and accidences of the breade remaining still it is not found expressed in the canon of the bible Whereupon in old time there were diuers opinions hereof And afterward he rehearseth foure Besides this what if Iohn Fisher bishop of Rochester a great patrone of the Pope and his doctrine doe flatly confesse that this presence of Christs body and blood in the sacrament cannot be proued by the scriptures Ioh. Roffens Episc in defentio Regiae assertionis cont captiuit Babilonicam M. Lutheri N. 8. O. Whose words be these Hactenus Mattheus c. Hitherto Matthew who onely maketh mention of the new Testament neither is there any word here set downe whereby it may be prooued that in our masse there is made a true presence of Christs bodie and blood for although Christ made of the breade his flesh and of the wine his blood it doth not therefore follow that we by vertue of any word here set downe can doe the like when we attempt the same Again he saith Non potest per vllam scripturam probari c. It cannot be proued by any scripture that either a layman or priest as often as he attempteth the same can in like manner make of bread and wine the bodie and blood of Christ as Christ himselfe made séeing this is not conteined in the scriptures And again he concludeth this matter thus Ibid. Ex iis opinor c. By these things I suppose euery man perceiueth that the certenty of this matter depeÌ„deth not so much of the gospel as of the vse and custome which so many ages hath bene commended vnto vs from the verie first fathers Héere by the iudgement of Bishop Fisher this doctrine of Transubstantiation and reall presence dependeth not so much vpon the Gospel as vpon custome that it cannot be proued by the Scriptures whereby we may sée how vncertaine it is So that we may say with Tertullian Nihil de eo constat Lib. de carne Christi quia Scriptura non exhibet .i. We know nothing thereof because the Scripture doth not shew it And againe Lib. de monogamia Negat scriptura quod non notat .i. The scripture doth deny that which it doth not expresse wherefore let vs forsake this doubtful doctrine yea this erronious absurd and false doctrin and let vs imbrace the truth before declared let vs not séeke Christ here vpon earth but let vs lift vp our hearts into heauen there by faith eate Christs blessed body that was offred and drinke his