¶ A confutacion of that Popishe and Antichristian doctryne whiche mainteineth y e ministracyon and receiuing of the sacrament vnder one kind made Dialogewise betwene the Prieste and the Prentyse by Gracyous Menewe ¶ Math. 26. Drinke ye all of this for thys is my bloude whych is of the new testamente that is shed for you for the remission of synnes To all faythfull readers that loue Chryst and his doctrine sincerely Gracyous Menew wysheth grace peace of conscience gostly strength from god the father thorowe our Lorde and sauyoure Iesu Christe SOme there bee moste Chrystian and faythful brethren whyche nowe at thys presente that true relygion goeth to wracke doe not one lye thynke but also are fullye perswaded in themselues that it is no offence at al to Communicate wyth the Papystes that so shamefullye mutilate or mangle the sacramente of the body and bloud of Chryste that they cut of and take awaye y e one halfe from the lay people contrary to the institucion and ordynaunce of the heauenly wysedome of god our sauioure Iesu Chryst. But if they woulde weygh the saying of S. Paul in the .5 Chapter to the Ephesians where he wryteth on this wyse haue no felowshyppe wyth the vnfrutefull woorkes of darkenes and agayne be not partakers of other mens synnes they would be otherwyse mynded and be dryuen cleane away from that foolyshe perswasyon of theyrs For if the cutting of manglyng or takynge awaye of halfe the sacramēt from the people of god is no vnfrutefull worke of darknes and such a synne as none other in a maner is to be compared wyth it I cānot tell what we should cal works of darkenes or what we shold nāe synne Thys is moste sure welbeloued that whatsoeuer man doeth imagyne and inuente besydes wythoute gods worde or agaynst the institucion of hym that is the only true lyghte that lighteth all men that come in to the worlde It must be mere darkenes But thys mangling of the sacrament is an inuencion of wycked men whych leauyng or rather despicynge the worde of god and ordynaunce of hys sonne Iesu Chryst our Lord folowe the madde phantasyes of their owne braynes therefore it muste nedes folowe that it is a worke of darkenes ▪ not onely vnfrutefull but also most noyesome and hurtefull ye and of all other moste pernytyous For beesydes that by it gods wrath is kyndled and hys vengeaūce prouoked they goe aboute most earnestly by this deuilishe inuentyon of theyrs to nourysh mayntayne defende and vpholde their blasphemous doctryne of transubstantiacion in the sacramente perswadyng the symple and ignoraunt people that after the wordes of consecracyon as they call it be once spoken there remayneth neyther bread nor wyne but the very true and naturall body of our sauioure Iesu Chryste flesh bloud and bones as he was borne of the virgin hangynge on the crosse dyd lie in the graue and afterwardes beeyng raysed again from the dead ascended vp into heauen and therefore say they it cannot be but that vnder the forme of breade they receyue both flesh and bloud except we would haue a body wythout bloud Thys doctryne I say goe they about to establyshe by thys theyr manglynge of the sacrament what pretense or coloure soeuer they haue besydes Therefore haue no felowshyppe wyth theyr vnfrutefull noysome and hurtful workes of darkenesse be no more partakers of their sīne lest ye be also partakers with thē of the ponyshmentes and plagues that god threateneth vnto them that preferryng theyr vnwyse and foolyshe knowledge beefore hys heauenly wysedome doe arrogantly presume and take vpon them to immutate chaunge and alter any of hys ordynaunces and lawes And that thys matter of the sacrament myght the better bee vnderstanded and the intollerable blasphemy of the manglyng therof soner espyed and perceaued I haue here compyled a small treatyse wherein all the argumentes and reasons that the Popes catholiks can bryng for the mayntenaunce of their abomynacyon are I truste so substancially confuted that theī shall not haue one woorde to saye wherein also ye shall learne howe farre they are deceaued that think it no offence to receyue wyth them that so blasphemouslye breake the lordes institucion and ordinaūce what clokes soeuer they can bryng for to cloke their synnefull doings wyth all Onely I desyer this one thyng of you that ye wil take this my rude doyng in good parte and pray wyth me that god of hys fatherly goodnes and mercy vouche safe to loke vpon our afflyctions and forgettyng our offences and the offences of our forefathers delyuer vs from thys moste myserable thraldome and captiuitye of conscience that we bee in that we may wyth a free and vpryght hart honor loue and serue hym in holynes and ryghteousnes al the dayes of our lyfe Whyche thyng wythout all peraduenture if wyth true repentaunt heartes and faythfull prayers we call vpon hym he wyll graunte vnto vs through the merytes of hys sonne Iesu Chryste oure Lord and sauiour to whō wyth the father and the holy goste be all prayse glory and honoure worlde wythoute ende Amen A confutacion of all such argumentes and reasōs as the popes catholikes doe bring for to proue the mutilate and corrupted receauyng of the sacrament vnder one kynde contrary to the Lordes institucyon and ordeynaunce made Dialogue wyse betwene the Priest and the Prentyse compyled by Gracious Menew The Pryeste WHy yonge man wyl ye not receaue y e blessed sacramēt Answere me dyrectly that I may make report to mine ordinary Prentyse Saynct Paul sayeth playnly that whosoeuer eateth of thys bread and drynketh of thys cup vnworthely doeth eate drynke hys owne damnacion And the holy father Ambrose wrytyng vpon that place or text of the Apostel sayeth playnly that they doe receyue vnworthely that doe minister or receaue the sacrament otherwyse then Chryste hath instituted and ordeyned but as ye minister it it is done otherwyse then the lorde hath appoynted and ordeyned therefore it cannot bee but an vnworthy receauinge and so consequently an eatyng and drynkyng of theyr own damnacyon that bee partakers of it Priest I would fayne know what fautes ye fynde in thys kynde of mynystracyon that is now a dais vsed in the church Prentyse First and formest the order of the holye gost is broken whyche wyll haue nothyng to be done in the congregacyon wythoute edyfyinge And what edyfyinge shall the people haue there where all thynges be done in a straunge tonge whyche scarcely the Pryest himselfe doeth vnderstande Secondly the holye goste willeth that whensoeuer we eate of that bread and drynke of y e cuppe we shoulde shewe forth the Lordes death tyll he come meaning therby that whensoeuer the Communyon is ministred y e death of Chryste and the benefytes therof shoulde be preached set forth vnto the Congregacyon whereby they should be moued to hate and abhorre synne and to geue moste earnest thankes vnto god for their deliueraunce from
it thorowe the death passion and bloud shedding of his sōne Iesu Chryst. But none of all these thyngs ar done Wherfore ye must confesse though ther were none other thynge amysse y t all that ye doe is moste vngodlye And who hauyng a good cōscience would be glad to agree to such an vngodlynes No man I trowe y t loueth hys soules health Priest is thys all that ye can say cōcerning thys matter Is thys al the faute that ye can fynde Ye are a wyse mā for south Ye shalbe made one of the counsell Ye shall appoynte howe and after what fashyon all thynges shalbe done and vsed in y e ministracion of thys holye sacrament Prentyse Now master persōe in thyngs that belonge to this holy and blessed sacrament we nede not to goe to man for to haue instruction in the matter for as the holy martyr S. Ciprian saieth if y e trueth wauereth or is doubted of in any poynt we ought to flye to y e originall of the lorde and to the Euangelicall and Apostolical tradition And therefore Saint Paul beeyng aboute to set forth to the churche and congregacyon of Corinthus the ryghte vse of thys sacramente goeth to the very institution it selfe saying that thyng whyche I haue receaued of y e lord I haue delyuered vnto you And thys dyd he speake .xxvi. yeares after the ascension of the lord hauīg trauailed through many countries of the world and hauyng seen many churches that the Apostles had planted in that space both in Asia and in many other regions besids Priest But I prai you now what is the institution of Chryste Prētyse The institution of Chryste is set forth at large in the xxvi chap of mathew in the xiiii chapter of Marke in the xxii of Luke and in the xi chap. of the first to the Corinthiās wher we haue these words The LORDE Iesus in the same nyght that he was betrayed toke bread and when he had geuen thankes he brake it and said Take ye and eate Thys is my body whyche is broken for you This do ye in the rememberaunce of me After the same maner also he toke the cup when supper was dō saying Thys cup is the newe testamente in my bloud Thys doe as ofte as ye drynke it in rememberaunce of me Thys faute then doe I fynde besydes all other fautes y t I haue rehearced alredye that ye robbe y e congregacion of halfe the sacramente taking awaye from them that moste treaterously the mistycall cup. Wherefore I muste nedes condemne in thys poynte your proceadynges as most vngodly and detestable And verely I cā not iudge thys to be the sacramente of the body and bloud of Chryste but rather an apishe counterfeytynge of the same seeyng that ye do besids the idolatrye and other innumerable blasphemyes that are committed about it take awaye the chefest part of it that is to say the cuppe whyche is a moste lyuely rememberaunce and playne certyficat of the free remission and forgeuenes of our synnes that we haue in the bloud of our sauyour Iesu Chryst. Therefore who hauyng one crome of godlynes in hys heart woulde not detest abhorre your doings Who beholdyng your presumptuous boldnes would not tremble quake for feare of the vengeaunce of god that he threatneth vnto all them that adde any thyng vnto hys worde or minyshe any thynge from it Or that do sacrilegeously take vpon them to alter chaunge hys institucions and ordinaūces Priest What payne is it to heare vnlearned and rude people talke Ye do not perceiue nor vnderstād why nor wherefore thys is done that is the cause that ye dooe so shamefully erre Prentyse I wold fayne heare of you some probable reason for the satisfying of my cōscience Priest Ye shal vnderstand yonge man that when the churche was yet rude it did vse both kids but afterwardes when it dyd perceaue that the one kynde myghte suffise the lay people that the errour of some myght bee stopped whyche peraduenture wold haue thought that the body of Chryste in the sacrament is geuen beeynge separated from the bloud and the bloud beeyng seuered from the body it hath ordeyned that y e Prists onelye shoulde in their masses vse both kyndes and that the one only shoulde be ministred to the lay people Dooe ye not heare nowe why and wherefore it hath been done Prentise Ye say master person that the church dyd at the begynnyng when it was yet rude vse both kyndes Woulde god we were as wel learned in thyngs that belong to true chrystyan religion as they were in the primityue churche when they folowed onely the lyghtsōe worde of god for theyr guide The churche saye ye dyd afterwardes perceaue that the one kynde was sufficient for the laite What cold I pray you your Pope catholikes see and perceyue that y e Apostles and fathers of y e primitiue church whych were all indued with so aboundant a spirite had not perceaued and seen What is our knowledge in comparison of their knowledge but mere darkenesse blīd supersticion ye say furthermore that it hath ben don to cause vs to putte awaye the erroure of them whyche peraduenture woulde beleue or thynke that the bodye of Chryste is geuen separatly from the bloud asthough the body shold syt in heauen at the ryghte hand of the father wythout bloud These bee your monsterous inuencions for no heretikes sence the cōminge of Chryste dyd euer imagine this kynde of erroure and blasphemye But graunte that there hath been such an heresye coulde it be put awaye none otherwyse but by mutilatyng mangling and deprauatīge the sacramente and takynge halfe of it awaye There maye aryse many pernycyous opynions touching that other parte whyche is leafte woulde ye therfore take it awaye cleane how muche rather oughte we to take hede that we doe in no wyse swarue from the institucyon of Chryste nor preache otherwyse then Chryste his apostles haue preached Thys oughte to bee the chiefe principle in diuinite whervnto all thynges must be resolued The Lord hath spoken this is the worde of god that remayneth for euer If we shoulde be called from it to mens constitucions and ordeīnaunces whyche are alwayes mutable we should haue no stablenes in religion but shoulde be dryuen from that whyche is moste certain and sure to that whyche is moste vncertayne and vnsure mans autorite beeyng made equall wyth gods autorite It is wrytten in the Epistle to the Galathyans if we or an aūgel from heauen shoulde preache otherwyse than ye haue heard lette him be accursed If Paul wil haue neyther aungels nor apostles to be harkened vnto if they teache anye thyng or appoynte anythyng cōtrary to the gospell shall we geue eares to a sorte of beastes y e dare presume to peruerte and altere Chrystes holy institucion in hys sacraments Priest Was not this confyrmed in the counsel of Constance And ye
knowe that we ought to be obedyente to generall Counsels Prentyse The Greeke churche dyd neuer obeye thys coūsell nor all the Easte parte of the worlde and not wythoute a good cause for there they made decrees directly agaynst goddes worde Besydes that it is not vnknowen that many tymes counsels haue erred as it is playne of the counsell kept at Ariminum at Calcedone at Ephesus the seconde tyme and of the counsell kept in Aphrike vnder Ciprian and of many other Yea dyd not in Chrystes tyme y e counsell of the Pryestes and the churche of that tyme erre moste shamefully when they dyd refuse Chrystes doctryne condemnynge both hym and hys Apostles Besydes that coūsels did not alwais set forth the trueth because y t there the greater part dyd ouercome the lesse and the worse the better Priest Hath not our churche the holy gost Howe can it erre then Prentyse Heare ye are not a litell deceaued for thei that haue the holy gost doe not alwayes worke accordyng vnto the same As a carpentar in that he is a carpentar he committeth no faulte in makīg vp hys building but because he is geuen to other thynges or is otherwhyles drunken therfore doth he many tymes amysse Pryeste But the churche hath a promyse of the holy goste and that it shal neuer be forsaken Prentise That doe I graunt and truly this promyse is fulfilled for there be alwayes many in y e church that are of a good iudgement as in the moste corrupted tymes in the churche of Iurye there were Symeon Zacharie Elizabeth Iohn the Baptist the virgin Mary and Ioseph Nathanael and many other that wer partakers of that promysse Yet it foloweth not by the vertue of thys promysse that the counsels dooe neuer erre Prieste But how shal we knowe whether they erre or not Prentis All thynges muste be tryed wyth the touchstōe of the scripture and worde of god for if an aūgel frō heauen shoulde set forth vnto vs any other doctrīe than is comprehended in the boke of god we ought in no wyse to receaue it but to counte it accursed much lesse then if men take vpon them to make decrees contrary to the expresse worde and commaundemente of god oughte they to be harkened vnto Yea except thei can wyth a good and an vpright conscyence say with the blessed apostle S. Paul that we haue receaued of the lorde the same haue we deliuered vnto you folowyng onely and solely the lordes institucion in the matter of the sacramentes it is to be iudged of all Christians y t they are not of god but of the aduersary Sathan the deuil Priest It is not vnknowen vnto you if at least ye haue red the scriptures throughly that the commaundementes of god are deuyded into .2 kyndes Some of them are fyrme and stable for euer so that they can or mai neuer be chaunged or altered and these are called Morall preceptes The other perteyne to externe and outwarde thynges as to cerimonyes and sacramentes and these be not so necessarye but that they may for the necessite of the place and time be chaūged and altered Therfore the church in takinge awaye the one parte of the sacramente from the laye people hath not done amysse seeing the time doth so require Prentyse Where as ye say that the preceptes and commaundements that appertain to externe and outewarde thyngs as to ceremonies and sacraments are not so firme stable and strōg but that they maye vpon a iuste occasyō be chaunged and altered S. Ciprian in his Epistell contra Aquarios is directly agaynst you callynge there the cōmaundemēts and preceptes of thys sacramente grandia y t is to say greate not lyghtly to be estemed and taken Chryste also sayeth that he shalbe y e lest in the kyngdome of heauen that breaketh the lest of hys commaundementes And in the forth of Deuteronomy the lorde hymselfe speaketh these wordes nowe harken O Israel vnto the ordinaunces whereby doubtlesse he vnderstandeth ceremonyes and lawes which I teach you for to do them ye shal put nothing vnto the word which I commaunde you nether dooe aughte there from Which onely precept and commaūdement oughte to beate downe our presumptuousnesse that we wil not only haue our inuencyons to be had in high estimacion and regarded of all men but also to be preferred before gods worde In the xv Chapter of the numbers it is wrytten that the children of Israel were commaunded to haue rybondes of yelowe sylke vpon the vttermoste gardes of theyr garmentes that they lokynge vpon them myght remember al the commaundementes of the Lorde and not seke after their own hearte or after theyr owne eyes after the which they went a whoryng And in the Epistell to the Romans Paul doeth greatly reproue or rebuke the heathen because they wer waxen foolyshe in theyr own imagynacyons and woulde not worshyp god as thei learned to know hym by hys creatures Wherfore sayeth he they were geuen ouer in to filthy cōcupiscence And it is no doubt but that thys manglyng of the Lordes supper doeth appertayne to that kynde of transgression or faute Notwythstandyng I graunte that there is a certayne difference in the preceptes and commaundementes of god For some there be that we are alwayes bounde and subiecte vnto as are the morall commaundementes or those that the lawe and the prophetes do depende vpon whyche are to loue god wyth al our heart with al our strength wyth all our soule and our neighboure as our self Other there bee that we are not alwayes bounde to folowe excepte it bee when the tyme and place other circumstaunces appointed in the worde of god doe require For the Hebrewes myght not offer sacryfices euery where and at al times but vpon certayne dayes and in y e place that god had ordayned and appoynted On the Sabboth daye they could not alwayes abstayne from outwarde workes but were fayne other whyles to fyght as we read in the bokes of the Machabees Agayne circumcision coulde not bee ministred afore the eyght day In lyke maner if any man were desyrous to be baptized and coulde not obtayne it his good wil sh̄old be accepted for the dede it selfe In these thynges therefore when we muste doe the commaundemēt of god it is not lawful to innouat chaūge or alter any thyng of god And although we be not bounde alwaies to doe the thyng whiche is commaunded yet when we doe it we muste beware that we swarue not from the Lordes institucyon Nadab and Abihu went aboute to chaunge and alter some thynge in the ordinaunces and ceremonies that were commaunded of god and thei wer consumed with fyer Oza was punished wyth deathe for hys temerite and rashenesse And king Ozias because he wold haue againste gods cōmaundemēt offered incense was smytten with leprosie Why doth not the example of their sacrificinge Pryestes moue them which are so affrayed to say their masses
wythout either stole or phanell or to omytte any crossing or such lyke smal tryfles which neuerthelesse are nothynge els but mere inuencions of men abominable vanites Why doe we not rather take hede that we omit none of those thynges that God hath commaunded and his sonne Iesus Chryste instituted The very heathen theyr selues wer greatly affraied that the Pryest should in theyr holye ceremonies eyther stacker or faile in one worde and if any suche thing had happened they counted it to be an exceadyng greate faute and in a maner irremissible And ye thinke it to bee nothynge to breake the Lords institucion Prieste Hath not the churche of Chryst much greater liberte than the Synagoge had Therfore we may much better chaunge and alter thyngs in the ceremonyes thā the auncient fathers myghte For we are not as bonde seruauntes vnder the lawe but as free men vnder grace Whyche thynge appeareth to be moste true by thys that the churche at thys presente doeth not dyppe them ouer the eares y t are baptysed as thys worde baptizei doeth signifie but ouer sprinkleth them onely or washeth them And yet it is not to bee doubted but that they whyche bee so ouer sprynkled or washed are truly baptysed For Ciprian beeynge asked counsell whether they that were baptized when they wer drawing to their death oughte to be taken for true baptized Chrystians For they lying in theyr beddes beeing oppressed with sickenesse cold nether be dipped ouer the eares nor washed but onely ouer sprīkled wherefore they mighte seme not to haue been baptized this mā of god did aunswere that thei had receaued their ful baptisme More ouer haue not the wordes of baptizme ben other whyles chaūged For we reade in the Actes of the Apostles that baptizme was ministred in the name of our Lorde Iesu Chryst whereas notwithstanding the Lorde in the gospell commaunded hys disciples to baptize in the name of the father of y e sōne and of the holi gost Finally what say ye of the order y t Chryste hath prescribed Is it obserued kept Did not Christ cōmaunde to teach first than to baptize But nowe we doe baptize first the infantes and afterwardes teache thē when thei be of age And shal we sai now that the churche dooeth amisse in al these thynges God forbidde Prentise As touching your firste argument master person wherein ye say that we haue more libertie than the Israelites had and that therefore it is lawefull for vs to chaunge and alter thinges in ceremonyes which liberte the childrē of Israell had not I answer to y t the Chrystyan lybertye dooeth not consiste in thys that we maye chaunge and alter the institucion of Chryste but it lyeth and consisteth in thys that Chryste hath broughte and reduced many laboreus payneful and darke ceremonies into fewe that are easye and playne Besides that we are by the power of the spirite made wyllynge and ready to obeye for we are not compelled by the law but do most willingly whatsoeuer gods word doeth commaunde vs in his true religion Therefore they can not conclude that that they woulde but rather are driuen to the contrary for if we be so deliuered frō the yoke and heauy burden of y e lawe that we haue only fewe easye and playne ceremonyes it wer a thyng intollerable and much blame worthy if we would not fulfyll perfourme thē without any grudging or murmuring or if we would alter any thyng in them seyng they be so fewe so easye and so playne Pryest Yet ye haue not aunswered to that whiche I brought against you touching the chaunge and alteracion that is in baptisme Prētise I knowledge and confesse that y e auncyente fathers when they could by the age or health of the persons dipped them ouer eares and head in the water which dipping was prefigurated and shadowed by the goinge of the children of Israel through the reade sea yet it is neither necessarie nor hath any expresse commaundement in y e worde of god When it is vsed it hath a goodly significacion For when we are dipped in therby it is signified y t we dye with Christ and by the cōmyng out of the water we are admonyshed that we rise with him vnto euerlasting life Howebeit as we haue sayd this signification is not necessarie I meane so necessary but that it may be omitted for the true property and nature of baptisme is our clensing from our sinnes Wherfore S. Paul in the Epistle to the Ephesians writeth that Chryst hath cleansed his congregation and churche with the lauer of water through the worde This purginge or clensinge from synne is moste properly signified and represēted by baptisme whether we be dipped in or ouer sprinkeled or by any meane at all washed in the water Nor this word baptize in doth not onely signifie to be dipped in but also to be washed by any maner of meane moreouer it is not al one to chaunge the maner of washing and to take all the whole awaye For in them that are ouer sprīkled or washed the element of baptisme that is to soye the water is kept and vsed and hath his signification We doe not contende supersticiously how we must drynke of the cup whether we muste drinke litel or muche so that both partes of the sacrament doe remayne hole it is inough In tymes passed they vsed to drinke of the mistical cuppe wyth quilles whych thynge the byshop of Rōe doth yet vse at thys present tyme some were wonte to dip their bread into the mistical wyne as it is written in the Ecclesiastycall historye of Eusebius But I would wyshe al thynges to be do that are moste consonaunte and agreable to the instituciō of Christ. Pryeste But what saye ye of the worde whych the Apostles haue chaunged in baptysme vsyng not that prescribed fourme that was appoynted then by Chryste in the gospell Prentyse Some there be that graunt that the wordes were altered and chaunged but that the fourme and maner that the Apostels did vse was all one with y t ▪ that Chryste had prescribed them in his gospel For say they in the name of Iesu Christ ar the names of the three diuine persons comprehended that is to saye of the father of the sonne and of the holy gost And Ireneus in hys 4. booke cōtra valētinianos doeth plainely testifie and witnesse the same saying in the name of Chryst the thre persons are vnderstanded for this worde Chryst dooeth signifie annoynted wherein is shewed both he that annoynteth he that is annoynted and the vnction it selfe he that is annoynted is the sonne he that annoynteth is the father the vnctiō is the holi goste Wherby it appeareth that in thys alteracion nothing at al is taken awaye Pryest So may we right wel say that in this alteracion which is so sore impugned spokē agaynst in this sacramēt nothīg
Laste of all the ministers must haue some what more priuiledge than the commen sorte of the people I trust yong man ye haue marked these thynges well Prentyse Truly master person I haue marked them wel and I trust ye shal say no lesse by that tyme ye haue heard myne answer As for the first argument that ye haue brought saying that Chryste hath some tymes ministred vnder one kynd because we read in Luk that his disciples knewe him by y e breakyng of bread that verelye is to weake yea and verye foolyshe also For ye shal neuer be able to shewe that the breakynge of bread doeth in that place signifie the holy communion syth that the same maner of speakyng is in y e holy scriptures applyed verye often tymes to the commaundementes And it is no meruail that those disciples knew him by breakyng of bread or by takyng of commen meate For syth y t Christ as we maye Godly beleue of hym hadde certayne peculyare thankes geuinge and prayers he myght easely be knowē But graūt that Chryst did then at that tyme geue one parte of the Sacramente onely shall it be lawfull for vs to dooe it therefore He dyd not by y e same one onelye doinge abrogate or abolyshe the generall commaundement that he gaue at his supper and afterwardes was confyrmed by the writinges of the Euangelystes and of Paul God did once commaunde Abraham to sacrifice his sonne yet he did not by that abolyshe this generall commaundenlente of hys thou shalt not kyl He did also commaunde once the Israelites to carye awaye the goods of the Egipcians howbeit he wil haue neuerthelesse this hys commaundemente to stande styll Thou shalt not steal Moreouer by the breakynge of the breade the whole supper may be vnderstāded by a figure which is called Synecdoche And wheras ye blame vs beecause as ye report of vs we do of one onely action or doing of Christ make a generall doctryne and commaundement ye are blame worthi your selues for thys dede or facte of Chryst was not vulgare or cōmen but hath an expresse commaūdemente ioyned and annexed to it whyche was afterwardes confyrmed and established by Paul And doe we not besydes all thys work moste surely when we seke to the head spring and former instituciō Pryest Well the churche is on our syde whych thing ye can not deny and Credendum est magis soli marie veraci quam Iude orū turbaī fallaci That is to saye the holye churche alone is more to be beeleued then a sort of false heretykes although they were thousandes together Prentise Well to the purpose master person I canne not thynke but wheras ye say that the catholike churche is on youre syde and deth wyth you that is playne fals For al the Greke churche and the whole east parte of the worlde w t al the whole auncientie is against you in thys pointe for thys shamefull and most blasphemous mutylation or cutting of the one part of the sacrament is a birde of yesterdayes hatchyng Thomas de Aquino now being one of the latter schoolemen saith playnly that it beganne to be vsed about hys tyme in certayne churches truly master persō me thinke this is a madde way that ye doe vse When we flee to the scriptures by and by ye say that they are obscure and darke and so appeall to the fathers who ye saye doe all stande on your syde ye runne to the antiquitie of tyme wherby ye goe aboute to mocke awaye al the testimonyes and autorytes of the scriptures But howe stedfaste ye be it shal easely be seen in this disputacion wher the scripture is plain all the fathers stande with vs and all the whole antiquite consenteth wyth the scriptures Therefore thys your study and loue that ye haue to resist or speak agaynst vs commeth only of thys that ye are sworne and addicted to the Popes lawes wherby it commeth to passe y t ye set not a strawe neyther by the trueth nor by the scriptures nor by the fathers nor yet by antiquite Pryeste If there were none other thyng yet the causes wherby the churche was moued to make thys Godlye ordeynaūce ought to suffice vs. Prētise The first cause so farre as I do remember is leaste the cuppe should be shed if it shoulde bee ministred uniuersally to all men Here dooe I muse and greatly meruel at Ireneus Basilius Ambrose Naziāzene and Augustyne which being such wise and prudēt fathers did not see these perylles in the sacrament or if they dyd se them they dyd not so much esteme them that they woulde therefore violate the sacramentes whyche neuerthelesse they ministred very often For these blasphemous priuat masses were not yet then vsed They did alwayes communicate in the misteries wyth the other y e people comming to the communiō much more often than they do now a dayes They did not passe so muche if part of the mistical cuppe dyd perchaunce fall on the grounde In Ciprianus tyme a maide did spue out of the misticall wyne Thys was the greatest care that the holy fathers tooke that they myghte minister the sacrament to worthye persons But ye laboure not to put awaye from it dogges and swyne by whom much greater iniurye is done to the bloud of Chryste than if some droppes of it shoulde bee spilled on the grounde therefore I would counsayll the ministers if at lest I were worthy to geue coūsel to take good hede that none be spilled and if any chaunceth to be spilled let them bee sory therfore and yet it ought not to be exaggerated as though it were a thynge irremissible Sainct Augustine writeth that as we must take hede that no parte of the sacrament fall down on the grounde ▪ so must both the minister and also the hearers beware that no worde be spoken in vayne or escape wythout profyte And yet notwythstandyng although many tymes the worde is negligentlye heard and vnfrutefully receaued sermons muste not be kept awaye from the people Priest But how could the misticall wine be kept from sowryng if it were reserued for the sicke Prētise I aunswere that youre owne supersticion onely doeth breede y e same peryll Who compelleth you to kepe or reserue the sacrament Who hath geuen you that commaundement Priest We must geue it to the sick Prentyse I graunte it but maye not the consecracion be dōe before the sicke Pryest But the sicke persons can not alwayes tary so long Ther be many ceremōies ye know Prentyse And this doth also come of youre superstition and not of Chrystes commaundement That whych Chryst commaunded maye easely be done in a short time and wyth very fewe wordes Gregory in his Epistles testifieth and witnesseth that the Apostles dyd only vse the lordes prayer at the consecracyon but ye affirme and hold opinion that the sacrament can not be made but onely in your Masse Therfore these impedimentes and lettes that ye alleage
are to be imputed to your own foolysh superstition and not to the institucion of the lord Pryest What shal we doe with them that eyther of nature doe abhorre wyne or els by reason of their sicknes can not awaye wyth it Prentyse When there is suche necessite that the lawe canne take no place to suche kynde of menne one parte onelye of the sacrament may be geuen But neuerthelesse it can not be gathered thereof that touchynge the other that can away with wine the sacrament ought to be mutilated or halfe cut of by the lawe and decree of men For it is god that semeth to haue broughte or cast that man into this necessite wherby it foloweth that he doth not wittingly and willingly violate the sacrament SoÌ„e there be that make thys answere if any doe so abhorre wyne that they can by no meanes awaye with it suche drinke may be geuen vnto them as they can wel away with al so that the sacrament be kept whole the wordes of the Lorde fully rehearced Priest But Chryst hath not so instituted and ordeyned therefore they that shoulde dooe sa shoulde breake the Lordes institucion Prentise This aunswere they wyl make that Chryste dyd vse that kinde of drinke that menne coulde awaye withall and that did agree with them that receaued it that therfore they swarue not from the institucion of Chryste when they minister to all men that kynde of drynke that thei can brooke For in so doing they seeme rather to submitte themselues to the inbecillite and weakenesse of theyr brethren than to violate the sacramente To thys may I adde that if a man caÌ„ not receaue the sacrament as christ hath instituted he shold altogether refrayne from it For if he doeth desier it and beleue he shal lose no fruite or profit thereof but it shalbe imputed vnto hym as though he had receaued it As if a man shold earnestly desier to be baptised and cold not obtaiÌ„e it it would be imputed vnto hym as if he had been baptised in very dede But we may not because of suche rare and seldome chaunces cut away halfe the sacrament Pryeste I perceaue that ye seke nothing els but mere confusion that ye wyl haue no honor to be geuen to the ministers Prentyse The dignite of the ministers consisteth not in thys that they shoulde receaue .2 partes of y e sacrament and the lay people but one or that they should receaue a greater cake than the common sort of the people that doe communicat wyth them Paul in hys firste Epystel to Timothe and in hys Epystell to Titus doeth sufficiently describe the godly qualites of the ministers wherein consisteth theyr dignitye And agayne wrytyng to Timothe he sayeth that the elders are worthy of double honour when they rule wel and laboure in the word of god Pryeste I am almost weary to talke wyth you ye are so obstinate I perceaue that ye wyl in no wyse yelde to your betters but are full of wordes and of vnlearned contention Prentyse I doe froÌ„ my very heart detest and abhorre vaine wordes and vngodly contencion but that I shoulde in thys matter yelde to you I see not yet why I shoulde doe it For besydes all other reasons argumentes and autorites of the Scriptures that haue beeÌ„ alleged hetherto thys I doe reade in the .3 to the Galathians that though it be but a mans testament if it be alowed no man despyseth it or addeth any thyng thereto how much lesse oughte menne to be so temeraâ—ious and rashe as for to adde any thyng to y e testameÌ„t of Christ MeÌ„ beeyng frayle and mortall do only in their testamentes bequeathe earthly thinges but Christ which is God almightye bequeatheth to hys churche his heauenlye sacramentes which apperteine vnto euerlasting lyfe Therefore it is an intollerable presumption that man being but a worme of the earth should alter any thyng in hys testamente Beesydes thys al the vniuersal church through the whole world dyd neuer in the ryght administracion of the sacramente swarue from the institution of Chryste til y e moste disloial and vnfaythfull consell y t was kept at CoÌ„staunce about .120 yeares ago in which diuelish couÌ„cel these .2 notable and godly learned men Iohn Husse and Hieronymus de Praga were most treacherously burnt for speakyng agaynst thys moste horrible prophanation of the sacramente What should I here speake of the auncieÌ„t fathers who did alwaies from their verye heart abhorre to swarue any thing in this sacrament from the institution and ordeynaunce of Chryste We haue a Canon of Gelasyus which is written de consecratioÌ„e distinctioÌ„e .2 capiÌ„ Comperimus there some are rebuked because y t they receauinge a portion of the Lordes body dyd altogether abstayne from the cup of the Lordes blood Which thyng he calleth supersticious commaundynge them eyther to take the whole sacramente or to abstayne from the whole For sayth he it is a playne sacriledge or robbing of Gods glory y t they shoulde be seuered or separated Pryeste That Canon is to bee vnderstanded of the Priests wheÌ„ they say masse For they are bouÌ„de to receaue both kyndes Prentyse Thys cannot bee gathered of the words of thys holy bishoppe For there playne mencion is made of y e communicantes and of them that shoulde be put from the sacrameÌ„ts whyche thynges can bee applyed but onely to those to whom the sacrament is ministred Moreouer it is not written in the Canon that any iniury is done to the sacrifice but to the sacrament For sayth he no diuision of that one onely misterye can be done wythoute greate sacriledge or intollerable robberye of the glory of god Sith then ye minister the sacrament to the lay people vnder one kynde making a shamefull diuisioÌ„ of thys sacramente ye can not excuse your selues but that ye coÌ„myt playne and manifest sacriledge Chrisostome in the .18 Homilye vpon the seconde Epistell to the Corinthians wryteth that there be certaine things wherin the priest differeth nothynge from the laye man As in receauinge of the dreadefull misteryes It is not with vs as in the olde lawe where one parte of the sacrifice was geuen to the Pryeste and an other to him that did offer but to vs all sayeth he one onely and the same bodye of Chryste is geuen and one onelye and the same cup. Ciprian in hys .2 booke and .3 Epistell proueth that we oughte in no wyse to swarue in thys sacrameÌ„t from the institucion of Christ where among all other thynges he reherceth these .3 principal points firste howe in thys matter Christ onely ought to be harkened vnto Agayne howe we oughte not to care what other haue done afore vs but what Chryste who was before all hath done himself or willeth vs to doe last of al how they that doe otherwyse thaÌ„ christ did doe in vayne worshippe God wyth the doctrynes and preceptes of men Priest O