againe called Iacob whych latter callinge of Iacob dydde nothynge preiudicate the truthe of gods worde vttered before Forasmuch as this laste maner of callynge was not a through namynge of hym but only as it were a pointing to distinct outwardly the man and because he was ones Iacob is called Iacob againe As the sacrament because it was ones breade is called bread againe And now I returned to this that yf mens fayth were such as is required of christen men they wold be wiselye deefe as the serpente that stoppethe her eares and nothynge be altered with the deuyls intricacions or incantacioÌ„s in wordes and names euen as we beleue certainely that Christ is perfytte god and perfyt man what so euer names be attribute in scripture vnto hym as he is called a shepe a worme a lyon and many other And althoughe Christe saith hym selfe his father is greatter then he yet this is true that his father he be equall and yet equall and greater be in apparaunce contrarye And so beleuynge as euerye good Christen man muste beleue that Christ is equall to his father in substaunce and deitie we beleue the contrary in apparaunce to senses vnexercysed of that Christ sayd hym selfe But these notwithstandynge howe so euer thapparaunce of wordes be in scriptures we beleue the truth taught vs by y e churche as euery man lerneth to spell that sometime c with a â—yttell spelleth est in another place e with a title spelleth en as when we write AmeÌ„ and another tyme e with a tytle spelleth em as meÌ„ brum whiche varietie goeth by rule in place whereunto an humble scoler obeyeth and not by reason as an arrogant witte wolde requyre So in all the secretes and contractions as we myghte call them and misteries hydden of our religion good men haue euer leaned to the rule of teachinge in christes churche and taken a title some tyme for n and sometyme for m as they were taught the place to require and not to spell after theyr owne iudgemente as euerye man weneth it shulde be after his vehement reason of his owne diuise Doth not s Paule saith he call it breade and be not these wordes of scripture And be any words truer or better then the wordes of scripture Of whome I aske this question agayne Hath not the churche had and vnderstanded these wordes of scrypture that ye soo vehementlye alledge Hathe not the churche deliuered those wordes vnto vs And hath not the same churche notwythstandynge taughte thys truthe howe the breade by consecratyon is conuerted into the precyouse bodye of Chryste and condemned those that wolde affyrme breade to remayne and with that theyr condemnation reteyned and kepte in honoure saint Paule who wrote these wordes that ye make so greate matter of The churche hathe condemned the Arryans that denyed Chryste to be equalle wyth his father and yet the same churche hathe stylle kepte in honoure the Euangelyst that wrote howe Chryste sayde his father was greatter then he And yet the Arryans sayde they spake none other then the Euangelystes testyfyed in playne wordes as some wyll saye nowe a dayes they speake none otherwyse then Saynte Paule dothe But suche heretyques wyll heddelye spell as they lyste and not folowe the rule of ryghte vnderstandyng without whiche men muste neades wauer and swarue in their owne coniecture beynge the coniecture the rule of leade that men now a daies sensually folowe plyable to theyr fansyes eueÌ„ so fondely as some like worshipful clerkes haue taken the wordes of scrypture written by the euangelistes for god him selfe and those haue gyuen thankes to the lord for their hyghe knowledge acheued by continuall readynge by them selfe alone and hauynge a newe testamente by theyr gyrdell wherby they haue bosted them self deliuered from the greatte ignoraunce wherwith other were blinded for by their owne deuise iÌ„ their wyse imagination they had seene god and harde god euen face to face by hearinge and seinge the wordes of scripture which they fansied to be god hym selfe because of the wordes of sainte Ihons gospel where it is written The word was god I do not herein fayne reader but wrytte the matter in dede and in dyuerse men deprehended and founde whiche fonde errour hathe ben engendred of blynde arrogancye amongest those that thinke theÌ„ selfe able to wade throughe the scriptures withoute direction of suche teachynge as the churche taught by y e scripture of god hath gathered of y e same scryptures Damascene of whome I haue before spoken hath this good lesson that as it is signified to vs by scripture that we shall be all taught of god so by the same scripture we be admonished to aske of our elders they shall tell vs whiche declareth a maner of reachyng not to be coÌ„tempned of men who despisinge al other men for teachers as they solysshly vnawares learne other to contemne them so do they despise god accordynge to Christes wordes Qui vos spernit me spernit He that despiseth you despiseth me Here may come in percase in thys high matter a scoffe with a questioÌ„ which you And then why shal not I teache you aswell as you me or rather I you For doth not Chryst saye I knoweledge to the father thou haste hydden these thinges from the wise and shewed them to the yongelinges And Paule saith the wysedome of the worlde is folysshenes afore god And then an other question in what vniuersitie was sainte Peter made doctoure And so shall aryse the controuersy whiche the deuyll engendreth who shall teache other who shall be the scoler and who the maister wythout eche man shulde playe bothe partes as of some number eche maÌ„nowe a dayes wolde playe alone al partes and euery man be mayster to him self to himself scoler also with requeste to god that he wyll vouchesaue to teache hym secretelye by often readynge and spelling after his fashion for he may not be instruct by man nor for shame submytte hym selfe to hys felowe to make his mate his maister to haue power ouer hym accordynge to Saynte Paules wordes as he raketh them where he is fashyoned to saye to the Corynthians I wyll be vnder no mans power For soo thenglysshe hathe althoughe the sence be otherwise And this conclusion do these questions engendre where euery man muste be so aunswered as his sensualite may be coÌ„tented which is impossible But to the purpose The churche is a bodye distincte as saynte Paule saith to the Corinthyans wherein euery member hathe not one office confuselye but some be prophetes and some be pastours and teachers c. And where some be appointed to reache some other muste also be appointed to be taught howebeit to auoyde this contentyon betwene this questyoner and me and to eschue all comparyson for this time I am contente to be with hym in y e place of a scooler and aske wyth hym of other that is to saye of those that
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
communicamus eius carneÌ„ ac diuinitatem participamus communicamus etiam dum inuicem vnimur hac communione Quandoquidem enim ex vno pane participamus omnes unum Christi corpus vnus sanguis concorporei christo existentes mutua inuicem membra efficimur Omni igitur cautione obseruandum est ne ab hereticis participationeÌ„ admittere sustineamê° sed nec illis dare Et enim ne detis sancta canibus dnÌ„s inquit neque proijcite margaritas uestras ante porcos ut non participes erroris malae eorum fidei efficiamur condempnationis Si uerò omninò est unio nobis ad Christum inuicem nobis cum est denique omnibus omninò eadem nobiscum consentionem et uoluntatem participantibus etiam unio est Ipsa enim unitas ex libera animi electione fit non absque nostra sententia uoluÌ„tate Omnes enim unum corpus sumus quod ex uno pane participamus vt inquit diuinus apostolus Exemplaria uerò futuroruÌ„ dicuntur noÌ„ taÌ„quam uere non sint corpus sanguis Christi sed ê™ nuÌ„c per illa participamus Christi diuinitatem tunc autem intellectualiter per solam uisionem THe good and all good saithe Damascene and tâ— excellyng good god beynge altogether goodnes wolde not suffre the same goodnes that is to saie his verye nature to remaine sole withoute participation made thereof by other And therefore god firste made the intellectuall and heauenlye vertues After that the visible and sensible world and then man of a nature that hath both sense and vnderstandynge So all thinges whiche be made of god be so farre forth partakers of his goodnes in that they haue all a beynge for of hym and in hym selfe all thynges be not onely for that he brought theÌ„ from nothing to haue a beinge but also for that his operation continuynge lykewise conserueth and mainteineth all thinges that he made But in this participation suche thinges aboue other participate as haue lyfe which communicate of gods goodnes not onely in that they be partakers of their beinge but also of their lyfe Reasonable creatures forsoth besides beinge and lyfe furthermore participate of gods goodnes in that they haue reason which reasonable creatures be somewhat more nere and familier vnto god then the other and yet god so excelleth all aboue all proportion as neither can there be comparyson with hym nor iudgemente of hym Neuerthelesse man a reasonable creature and constitute in fredome with the gyfte of free wyl receiued therwith also power and facultie through his owne choyse and election to be vnited to god continually yf he had remained and perseuered in that goodnes that is to say the obedience of hym that created hym But after man had transgressed the precepte of hym that made hym and was thereby subiecte to death and corruption the maker and workeman of mankynde such is the tendernes of his mercy beynge made in all thinges lyke vnto vs was made man withoute synne and so vnited to our nature And bycause he had delyuered vnto vs his owne image and spirite whiche we haue not preserued and kepte he hathe taken vpon hym oure nature thenne poore and weake to the intente he shoulde pourge vs and make vs incorruptible and restore vs alsoo againe to be partakers of his godhed deitie It behoued moreouer not onely the fyrste fruytes of our nature to be brought to be partaker of the better but also all y e hole kynde of man suche as are wel willyng both to be borne againe with a newe natiuitie and nourysshed with a newe meate agreable to y e natiuite and so with endeuoure to attayne the measure of perfection wherfore by Christes natiuite that is to saye his incarnation and baptisme passion and resurrection he hath delyuered our nature frome the synne of our firste father from deathe also and corruption And beinge hym selfe made the cheife and first and as it were the firste fruites of resurrection he hath appointed hym selfe to be the waye forme and example to this ende that we folowynge his steppes shulde by adoption be made the chyldren heyres of god as he is by nature and so become coheretours with hym for which purpose as I haue saide he hath geuen vs the seconde natiuite whereby as we beynge borne of Adam resembled Adam enherited thereby curse and corruption So beinge borne of god we shulde resemble hym and shoulde atteyne by enheritaunce incorruption blessynge and his glory And bycause Christe is the spiritual Adam it is semely that oure natiuite shulde be spirituall and lykewyse also our meate In asmusche also as we be doubble that is to saye of body and soule and so not of one single nature but compounded it was mete oure byrth shulde be doubble likewise and our meat dubble also Our birth then is giuen vs by the water and the holye ghoste The meate forsothe is the foode of lyfe our lord Iesus christ that descended from heauen For our lorde Iesus Christe when he shulde take on hym his death wyâ—â—lyngly for vs in the nyght in whiche he gaue hymselfe he ordred a newe testameÌ„t to his holy disciples and apostels by them to al otheâ— y t bileue in him In a chambre therâ—â—fore of y e holy gloriouse Syon eatynge the olde paschall with his disciples and fulfillynge the olde testamente he wasshed his disciples feete giuinge them therin a token of holye baptisme Afterwarde breakynge bread gaue it to them sayeng Take ye eate ye this is my body that is broken for you in remyssion of synne Lykwyse takynge the cuppe of wyne and water â–ª deliuered it vnto them sayeng Drinke of this al this is my bloud of the newe testameÌ„t that is shedde for you into remissioÌ„ of synnes Do this for remembraunce of me For as often as ye eate this breade drinke this cuppe ye do shew forth the death of the sonne of man and confesse the resurrection of him whiles he coÌ„meth If the worde of god be lyuely and effectuall and all thing y t our lord wold he made If he saide Be y e light made and light was made Be the firmameÌ„t made and the firmameÌ„t was made If the heauens be establyshed by y e woâ—de of god and also the strength and vertue of them is lykewyse establyshed by the breathe of his mouth If heauen and earth water fier and ayre and all thournamente of them be perfited by the worde of our lorde and not onelye these but also man him self a beast of al other most renowned spokeÌ„ of If the essentiall word very god wyllyng so to be was made man and made the pure and vndefyled bloud of the holy and perpetuall virgin to be hys flesshe withoute any seede of man Can not he make the breade his body And the wine and water his bloude He saide in the beginning Let the earth bring forth grene
sayenge Quod ante pedes est non vident coeli scrutantur plagas that is afore the feete they se not and serche the costes of the heauen The deuyll tempted christ in a rare miracle to make of stones directly breade whiche to be the power of god the deuill then confessed and yet god dyd it not bycause it shulde not haue furthered his glorye to the deuyl who was indurate Neuertheles god whose power ruleth gouerneth and tempereth the workes of nature doth cōtinuallye in the worke of nature make of stones breade when corne is nouryshed of the stones and stones altered and resolued into erth whiche nourisheth the corne sedes and encreaseth the same and lykewyse in other workes of nature sheweth dayly manifold wonders of his power whiche we consyder not because they be commēly done and onely for raritie and newenes maruayle when we maruayle at y e is done and not for the thinge And herein the deuill vttereth his sophistrye and maketh vs forget that is continuallye done before our eyes and by impossibilite of our carnall imaginacions in thinges aboue our capacitie seduceth vs and deceiueth vs in the beleef of goddes high mysteries and specially in the misterie of the sacramēt of thaulter wherby to hynder vs and depryue vs of oure great comforte and consolation in the same wherein God instituted Memoriam mirabilium suorum escā se dedit timentibus eum that is to say a memorie of his maruailes gaue hym selfe mete to them that louingly feare hym THere resteth now to open the deuils sophistrie in the peruerse croked craftie expositions of dyuers places of scripture y e saienges of holy writers and of such wordes as be attribute to singifie and name that moost blessed sacrament vnto vs wherin hathe ben moche paine taken moch craftie imaginacion deuised to abuse the simple vnlerned wyttes and vpholde in errour the maliciouse arrogant and newe fangled iudge menetes As touching scriptures I wyl passe ouer the fransies of them who writhe the principall theife texte This is my body frō consecration of the sacrament to the demonstration of Chrystes body there sittinge and then mynistringe vnto the apostels where in they declare their malyce that they care not to chaunge the right sense with any other were it neuer so fonde and false The truth they abhorre and seke vtterly for lyes them they embrace who so euer bring them and leane to suche exposycions of the scriptures as helpe to the subuertion of the truth But let vs consyder how sophistically they handle the wordes that Christ sayde Do this in remēbraunce of me for here is made a greate matter of the word remembraunce whiche they saye declareth that Christe him selfe is not presente in the sacrament and that the sacrament is but a memorye of hym but a remembraunce of hym And here the deuyll lurketh in a litle worde but for in often repetition of remembraunces the but is taken in and the speache goethe rounde as though the wordes imported that the sacramente is but a remembraunce of Christ In whiche speache if but were lefte oute as the scripture hath it not the worde memory or remembraunce is nothinge repugnaunt to Christes presence in the most blessed sacramēt For seing christ is the eternal word of god and descēded frō heuen into earth not only to suffre for man but also to declare the wil of god to be obserued folowed and obeyed vnto of man whiche wyll of god beyng taught vs by Christ we shulde not forget but day and nyght w t the benefites also of christes passyon remember therw t the wil of god taught vs in the same passion can there be so effectuall a memoryall of Christes death teachynges declared and taught in y e same death as if with the eyes of oure faith we se present the naturall body of our sauiour christ the selfe same body that suffered If y e hearing of christes death entringe at a mannes eares or the seyng of a picture or image grauen representing christes deathe to y e bodely eyes doth styrre vp mans memory to haue remembraunce of that is done by christ for hym how moche more doth the liuely presence of christes natural body styr such as perfytely beleue the p̄sence of the same to the remēbraūce of christes passion And if among men where honest loue reigneth as betwene y e man wife such as be godly conioyned in maryage they vse to leaue for memory of eche other in their absence an image of thē selues as lyuely set forth as mans crafte can attayne knowynge by experience that y e image styrreth vp the memorie most effectually Shulde we not thinke that oure sauiour Christ moch more affected and ioyned in loue to his spouse the chyrch than any man is to his wife hath lefte the same churche his spouse a most perfitte image of him selfe that is to say hym self for a memorye who by his omnipotencye can exhibite and present hys very ymage hys owne verye bodye without chaunge of place or leauynge his seate in heauen when as oft as it pleaseth hym Who also so loueth his churche as we haue cause to thīke he wold do it and by scriptures maye vnderstand yf we close not our owne vnderstandynges that he doth it in dede in this moost blessed sacrament wherein his presence dothe most effectually styrre vp in good mens hartes such a remembraūce of hole Chryst hys benefytes and preachynges together as in thys mooste holye communyon good men be so comforted so strenghtened so confyrmed in Christes doctryne as thereby shall in their manours theyr hauyours theyr conuersation and lyuynge shewe and sette forth in them selues christes deathe with hys resurrection also whyles the day of iudgement when shall be Chrystes seconde commyng in maiestie and glorye And thus the holy vertuous man Basile expoundeth the wordes of saint Paule As often as ye eate this bread and drink the cuppe of our lord ye shall shew the death of our lorde tyl he cometh which wordes of s Paule declare the strēgth of this heuēly foode to worke this effecte and brynge forth such frute in vs not that euerye man receyuyng the sacrament shulde with his tonge then make a sermō how Christ dyed for vs whyche the presence of the sacrament it self preacheth yf men vnderstande who is there present and this poynt shuld be learned at ones and so perfitly beleued as it neaded not to be learned againe For it is the grounde foundacion and begynnyng But the sermō preaching and shewing of Christes deathe of suche as receaue thys mooste blessed sacramente worthely shulde be in their maners and lyuynge theyr loue and charitie theyr contempt of the worlde and desyre to be with god wherby shuld appere that by receiuing this most preciouse fode we remember christes death passion for vs practise it effectually and frutefully in vs. For suche only celebrate this holy communiō with an effectual
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
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
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
thaulter towardes destruction whereof he made him self and entry by ouerthrowing that might stande in his waye and so the more facyly to assaulte the highest as he hath done and therein as I haue said maketh a great matter of the name of the masse wyll haue it called our lordes supper wherein he wyll haue all obserued as christ ministred it whiche this Gregory Nazianzene saith is not necessarye But we shulde here in gyue credite to oure mother the churche the piller of truthe who truelye teacheth vs that is truthe Who forasmuche as with the obseruation of this feaste in receyuyng eatynge and drynkynge Christes moost preciouse bodye and bloude is also celebrate the perpetual only pure sacrifice prophecyed by the prophet Malachie to be obserued and kept continually in the churche of Chryste whiche sacryfyce is the body and bloude of our sauyour Christ The same church hath receyued one worde of Hebrewe to signifie altogether and vsed in the latyn Missa in englyssh masse wherein besides the gloriouse presence of the body bloud of Christ the holy circumstaunces vsed and ceremonies doone be also manye godly and moost deuoute prayers spoken and vttered by the preiste as a common minister to the hole churche for and in the name of the hole churche by whyche churche Christ as heade is offered and the churche also as member of his misticall bodye is offered to god the father by hym as Saynte Augustine sayethe Ipsa per ipsum ipse per ipsam suetus offerri The church by hym and he by the churche accustomed to be offered So as the masse conteininge the hole supper that is to say the hole feast with the continuall oblation of the churche is by the deuylles inuention assaulted diuers wayes Some deny the masse because they reade not the worde masse in scrypture whiche and it were a good cause of deniall it shuld serue to renewe the Arryans heresye and to put out of the crede called Symbolum apostolorum whiche all Christen men receyue without contradictioÌ„ where filius is called consubstantialis patri Other allow masse they say but not priuye masses as though there were two sortes of masses where in deede the masse beinge but one and alwayes executed in the name of y e hole churche may by reason of the place be called priuate as it maye be by reason of saieng called a low masse and so differre from a masse sunge but els the churche by the common mynystre the preist executeth the masse her selfe howe fewe soeuer or howe manye be presente and whyther it be done at churche before y e multitude or in an oratory before fewe And yet with the name of priuate masses and deniall of them the vnlearned be slaundered as some be also with requeste of coÌ„munion vnder both kyndes as necessarye and not to be pretermitted In whyche pointe the deuyll goth aboute craftely to seduce the symple addynge a wordly instigation of enuye as thoughe the preistes had withdrawen the one parte of y e Sacramente of verye dysdaine to put a difference betwene the state of preistes and the state of lay men where in dede the obteyninge of communion vnder bothe kyndes shulde serue the deuyll onelye for an introduction to subuerte y e true belefe in the most blessed sacrameÌ„t Whiche matter only he entendeth leaueth nothing vntouched to obteine y e same For where the church teacheth truely y t vnder eche kind is coÌ„teined hole christ therefore now vnder the one kind eche man receiueth as much as vnder bothe vpon which grouÌ„d good deuoute meÌ„ haue abstained froÌ„ coÌ„munion vnder both kyndes coÌ„teÌ„ted them selfe w t one king of their good deuout mind if now vpon grudge of such as contente not theÌ„ selfe with the order they find in the churche y e church shuld graunt communion vnder both kindes to satisfye the false complaynt of necessite it must nedes engender a slaunder in the truth of the faith as thoughe hole christ were not vnder eche kinde which by the denil is only intended And in this matter of coÌ„munioÌ„ vnder both kyndes it was neuer denied but all states of men euer might and al state of meÌ„ in the beginning haue communicate in both kindes and among them children also nâ— there hath ben any lawe made to y e contrary as the deuyll surmyseth Onely this hath bene that good christen men beinge certainely perswaded vnder eche kinde of bread and wine to be coÌ„teined hole christ All suche christen men aswell preistes as other besydes the preiste that celebrate haue bene contente to receiue their communion vnder one kynde Whiche deuout custome when the deuyll by his ministers hath gone aboute to improue there was ones a lawe made to mainteine y e good custome againste the deuilles enterpryse as in thys realme â–ª the hole perlyament hath made the like whereby those be onely put to silence that say communion vnder bothe kyndes is necessary whiche is an opinion damnable and worthelye reproued but elles that by order of y e churche all men might communicate vnder bothe kyndes no man contendeth For first in the deuout custome of communion vnder one kynde wherein was professed the truth taughte by the churche in the sacramente of thaulter onely charitie was the rule whereby good men were moued for a semelynes decency in the church and eschewynge that they sawe sometimes vnsemely chaunce of thâ—mselfe without constraint of a law to forbeare that they mighte haue required no man by law expelled from that he myght haue asked Whiche charitie because it is now waxed cold and some men for singularite wold differre from the reste it is for conseruation of ordre well prouided by the lawe that no man shall presume to require furder then is necessary to the slaunder and offence of his neighbour but with humilitie conteine him selfe within the limitâ—es of common ordre whiche is the beautie and comelye state or euery number assembled beinge so muche regarded of sainte Paule as he willed men to forbeare to coÌ„panye with any brother that walketh out of order But here will be replied that christes ordre is to be preferred all other deuises And here commeth in the common place of scripture Frustra colunt me doctrinis hominum They worshyp me in vayne with the teachynges of men And these good me I spake of shall be called good fooles the whiche had zelum dei sed non secundum scientiam the zeale to god but not accordynge to true knowlege whiche now appeareth they wyll say when men se clerely Christes institution of this sacrament whiche when it is vsed accordynge to Christes institution is the sacrament and otherwise as they saye not And this worde institution is often repeted yet y e same word institution is not in scripture by those syllables but Saynt Paule speakethe of tradytyon of the vse of this Sacramente as he receyued it of oure lorde Ego enim accepi Ã