immortalite when they haue sene a sycke man receiue the sacrameÌ„t not a quarter of an houre before his natural deth as though in that man the host consecrate wherein the body of Christ in present shulde with goddes iniury moulde or corrupt wast and consume And yet these right vses of the most blessed sacrament coÌ„teyne as straunge matter to mans seÌ„ses and carnall iudgement as do the leude and blasphemouse tales deuised and tolde wherby to inueigle mens vnderstaÌ„dynges and spoyle them of their true byleef And yet also these breakinges and vses of the moost blessed sacrament were neuer hyddeÌ„ in the churche ne kept secrete as thoughe the true belefe shulde therby decay or be diminished The churche hath not forborne to preache the truthe to the confusion of mans senses and vnderstanding whervnto men faithfull and obedient haue yelded acknowleginge gods omnipotency which mans reasoÌ„ can not matche The true churche hath taughte plainly and teacheth that by the omnipotencie of gods worde the substaunce of bred is conuerted to the substaunce of Christes natural bodye whiche is there then by his myghty power not by mutacyon of place by leauynge of heauen where he is euer present but by his infinite power wherby he can do all and of a specyal fauour to wardes vs worketh continually in his churche this mysterye and miracle and in forme of bread and wyne exhibiteth and presenteth himself to be eaten drunken of vs So as there is in the sacrameÌ„t of thaulter none other substaunce but the substaunce of the body and bloud of our sauiour christe yet remayneth the fourme and accidentes of bread and wyne not altered by this myracle froÌ„ knowledge of the senses wherwith they were before known also by gods sufferaunce subiecte to the same passibilite they were in before And yet here in this mystery and myracle wrought by gods power we acknowledge y t contrary to the comeÌ„ ordre of nature the substaunce of bred beyng conuerted into the naturall bodely substauÌ„ce of our sauiour Christ the other accideÌ„tes of bred wyne as quantities qualities remayne stil without iniury of Christes most preciouse body be as we dayly se altered broken and remayniÌ„g abyding without theyr owne fourmer substaÌ„ce of the creatures of bred wine whervnto they were by nature adioyned do now seruice theyr creatoure there present the very substauÌ„ce of all substaunces vnder which accidentes that is to say as we truely speake vnder fourme of bred and wine the naturall body receyued of vs iÌ„ the sacrameÌ„t of thaulter who so ordred himselfe to be eaten and dronken of vs in his last supper whiche continueth styll tyll the worldes ende with a perpetuall continuaunce also of the meruelouse workynge of the same festemaker presence of the same most preciouse meate Christe him selfe cum ipse sit coÌ„uiua conuiuiuÌ„ wher w t he coÌ„tinually fedeth such as come vnto hym in his churche which church according to his commaundement by special mynisters deputed thervnto vseth and exerciseth the same fest in the most holy masse where vnto good christen meÌ„haue daily accesse which most holy feste when men abuse as the Corynthians dyd it is their condemnation and can be nothyng preuidiciall or daungerouse to good mennes true beleef Suche I saye as haue their faith established vpon the true teachyng of the church that after the wordes of consecration the substaunce of bread is turned into the substaunce of the natural body and bloude of our Sauiour Christe Against which teachyng good men kicke not with howes and whattes for that is a token of incredulite if the chauÌ„cell were with fyre sodenly burned as hath happened by diuerse chaunces they thinke not christ that is god immortall there killed because he was there in the hoste after consecracion or forbeare anye whyt lesse to worshyp christ whom with theyr eyes of faith they se present in the sacrament of thaulter because their bodely syght perceyueth not any visible alteracion of the host before the consecracion after fynally such good meÌ„ beleue most stedfastly without sclaunder of theyr senies that the breakynge of the most blessed sacrament by the ministre in the masse doth no violacioÌ„ to christes most precious body there present â—e breaketh the most precyouse body whiche is impassible but only the fourme of bread vnder whiche it is coÌ„teyned and that the same most precyouse bodye is after hooly in eche of the partes of the host broken without any encrease in nuÌ„ber as thoughe there were theÌ„ many christes preseÌ„t but alwayes one christ the same christ But y e deuyl taketh his oportunite of mans carnall lyuynge whiles the bely hath the vpperhaÌ„d among a great many of the world by reason wher of the senses be had in estimation sturreth vp this abhominable heresy against the most blessed sacrament of the aulter vpon the senses maketh the chyefe groundes wherby now that afore was passed ouer in sylence when mennes senses were brought in obedience with true byleef is questioned and enquyred of as a newe matter And nowe men be asked how a mouse can eate god howe god can corrupt and waxe mo uld how god can be broken in pâ—eces which be fondly framed questioÌ„s And to y e great prouocatioÌ„ of gods hygh indignation blasphemously vttered Answer me then saith the deuyll by his apostels wherunto a true aunswere is this and the simplicitie required in a christeÌ„ maÌ„ sufficient Beleue that a mouse can not deuour god byleue that god can not corrupt Beleue that god can not be broken now after he is ones riseÌ„ and beleue also therwith that Christ god and man is naturally presente in the sacrament of thaulter For so Christe saith So the church of god teacheth So we be bounde to byleue If thou beest further taughte of the deuyll to replye y t if there remayne in y e host no substaunce but the substaunce of the body and bloude of Christ it must nedes be then that the same corrupteth or elles when goth it awaye or where haue ye scripture to declare the going away and departyng of Christ from the hoost And if Christ departe then is there no substaunce remayning where is no substaunce is nothynge And so thou wylte saye as the deuell lerueth the that by this teaching we shall haue nothynge somwhat And in dede the deuyl hath taught the to speake somewhat that is in effecte nothynge or worse then nothynge wherunto if men in these dayes can not aunswer probablye as I doubt not a great number can and yet in this tyme the world is rather occupied in garnyshynge the tonge with wordes theÌ„ to entre the further consyderatioÌ„ of iÌ„tricate sophistication wherby to be able to refell the same Shall the true faith of the churche in this hyghe mystery perish in the by the deuyls secrete tentation bycause I or such other can not aunswer thy sophisticall argument
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
our self we shall not be iudged when we be here iudged of our lord we be therby chastised that we shulde not be condempned with the worlde And thus it meaneth that he sayth who so euer is partaker of the body bloud of our lorde vnworthely he eateth and drynketh condemnatioÌ„ vnto hym selfe By whiche sacrament beyng purged we be vnyted to the holye body and the holy spirite of hym and be made the body of Christe This fode is the fyrste fruytes of the foode to come which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in greke For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth eyther the foode to come that is to say of the world to come or the foode we receyue for the preseruation of oure substaunce And bothe significations may be aptly sayde for whither it be taken in the one signification or the other it maye well be sayde of the body of our lorde For the flesh of our lorde is spirite that gyueth lyfe beynge conceyued of the holy ghoste that gyueth lyfe for that is begotten of spirite is spirite And thus moche I saye not myndynge by these wordes to take awaye the nature of the body out of this sacramente but onely myndynge to shewe how the same gyueth lyfe is godly And yf any call the sacrament the example or token of the body and bloud of Christ as saint Basyle sayde they speake it not of thoblacion after the consecracion but before the same be saÌ„ctified It is also called participation for by it we be made partakers of y e godheade of Iesu It is also called coÌ„munion and is so verely for by it we communicate with Christ and be partakers of his flessh and god hed we communicate al by it togither in that we be thereby made one For seinge we participate all of one breade we be made thereby one body bloude among our self beyng of the same body with our sauiour christ be also to our selfe eche others meÌ„bres Let vs theÌ„ beware as much as we may that we neither geue communion to hererikes ne receiue it of them Giue not your holy thynges to dogs sayth our lord nor cast not youre precious stones before hogges lest ye be made ê‘takers of their euyll beleef and of their condeÌ„nation also consideringe that being an vnitie throughlye betwene vs and christ also betwene our selues we shal likewise be vnited throughly with all suche as we shall chose to participate with vs. For this vnitie is made by oure choyce and free wyll not without oure mynde and determinacion and we all one bodye in that we participate of one breade as the holy apostle saith This sacrament is called also the examples of that is to come not in such an vnderstanding as though the very body and bloude of christ were not present but that nowe by this sacrament we be made partakers of the godheade of christ and in the worlde to come shall participate with onely contemplacion in the ful lyght of knowledge and vnderstandynge NOw ye haue hearde Damascene speake who well hearde with the eares of hearynge were sufficient for the matter too declare howe christes wordes as they were playne for the substaunce and fouÌ„datioÌ„ of our byleef So haue they in theyr playnnesse maynteyned y e true byleef of the churche as this author for .viii. C. and .xvi. yeares paste declareth euidently and testifieth playnely yf thou wylt vse hym for comfyrmatioÌ„ of that thou doest fyrste truely beleue and not abuse hym after the facyon of the worlde to wrythe hym mystake hym as some men do the scripture And to thintent thou mayste be the more able to mete with suche as wolde abuse them selfe in hym and thy selfe the depelyer conceyue the godly lerned consideration of this writer in the matter I wyll note certayne thynges vnto the worthy to be noted Fyrste this man testifyeth the presence of the naturall body and bloude of oure sauyour Christe in the sacrament of thaulter and expressely reproueth the vnderstandynge of them that wolde saye there shulde be but a figure as at this letter G. in the margyn thou shalte fynde so as thou hearest by this author truth affirmed and falsehed coÌ„demned This man testifyeth also the worshyppyng of the sacrament with inward outward cleÌ„nesse deuotioÌ„ of the soule outwarde gesture of the body as thou mayest se in y e letter H. wherin thauthor declareth a coÌ„gruence and conuemency that as the meat which we receyue and worshyp is dubble and conteyneth Christes flesshe and godhed so shulde oure worshyppyng be dubble that is to say of our two partes of body and soule whiche bothe be nouryshed by this precious meat And where thou findest this letter A. the author sheweth that as we be dubble and of two partes y t is to say body and soule so shulde we haue a dubble natiuite a dubble meat The dubble natiuite is of water and y e holy ghoste of water agreable to our body as corporall and the holy ghost to our soule which also agreeth with that Gregory NaziaÌ„zene writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As he was spirite flesh so god perfiteth w t water the holy ghost And as for this precious meat y e author sheweth that it is a meate dubble not one as where thou findest this letter L. where he saith The bodye vnited to y e godhed deitie is not made one nature but remaineth .ii. natures And bicause y e natures be two he calleth christes body our meate in y e sacrameÌ„t a dubble meat And yet thou maist finde in the letter F y t he calleth it but one as where he saith y t the bread wyne chauÌ„ged by gods myghty word into the body bloud of christ be not two but one and so there remayneth the only substaunce of the body bloude of christe where as yf the nature of breade remained also he wolde haue called it in that respecte two as he doth in the other places in two natures vnited And so thou seest where remaine two natures vnited they be called in y t respecte two double and not one and yet againe bicause in the consecration there is not an vnion of breade to the body of christ but transmutation as the worde transmutatioÌ„ expresseth an alteratioÌ„ of substauÌ„ce the sacrament is not called two but one And concernynge worshyppinge this is to be noted that this great clerke was not ignoraÌ„t of the wordes of the gospel Io. iiii that Veri adoratores adorabuÌ„t patrem in spiritu veritate True worshyppers shall worshyp in spirite and truth And yet speaketh this author of worshyppyng with the body for by the texte of the gospell is not denyed outwarde adoration with the body whiche body is with the soule created of god shalbe hereafter glorified with the soule but the sense of that texte declareth the true order of adoratioÌ„ whiche must be rooted grounded and directed by the spirite truth and from thence it
falsehode and sophystry from playnnes But it is mere sophistry for in those other places the matter sheweth they be spoken in a parable bycause christ spake somtyme in parables we maye not saye he speaketh alwayes in parables And bycause when he sayde Ipse est Helias est singified a resemblaunce not the beynge as the verbe substaÌ„tiue properly doth signifie that therefore it signifieth so in Christes wordes wheÌ„ he said Hoc est corpur meum in whiche est is declared the verye beynge And although when Christe sayd Soluite templum hoc in triduo reedisicabo illud Destroye this temple and I shall in thre dayes buylde it agayne The worde templum signifieth not there a verye temple but Christes bodye which argument one ignoraunte made we maye not saye that therefore the worde corpus shall not here signifie Christes very body when christ sayde Hoc est corpus meum And when scripture saith we must cloth our selfe w e Christ in which is not signified Christes naturall body but Christes teaching so the word Christ hath his sense hydden we may not say that therfore the same worde Christ shall not in another place haue his owne open euident sense of the signification of Chrystes naturall person These maner of argumeÌ„tes may circumuent the vnlerned and vnstable and suche as be prone to chaunge though it be ior the worse but lerned men se theÌ„ trifles such lerned meÌ„ I meane as vse theÌ„ not for pastime as some haue done â— good men can not be shaken or moued w t theÌ„ But heare what s Câ—priâ—aÌ„ saith Panis iste queÌ„ dominus discipulis porrigebat noÌ„ effigie sed natura mutatus omnipotentia uerbi factê° est caro This bread whiche our lord gaue to his disciples chaunged in nature but not in y e outward fourme is by the omnipotency of gods worde made fleshe Which misterie when christ spake of before the vnfaithfull Capharuaites They asked howe god roulde giue his flesshe to be eaten and went their waye but the disciples whoÌ„ god had prepared by the formet myracle of fiue loues and the miraculouse multiplication of them to beleue this they taried confessed Christe to haue the wordes of lyfe And where as in other places of scripture where Christe spake in parables the disciples desired Christ to open theÌ„ said Edis sere nobis parabolaÌ„ Shewe and declare vs this parable So when Christe consecrated his body and gaue it vnto them to eate y e demonstracion of the thynge neaded no further explycation to vnderstand it but faith to beleue it For christe takinge the breade in his handes blessinge it and geuinge thankes said Take ye eate ye this is my body What other meaninge shulde here be sought for wher be so plain wordes w t suche circumstaunce as can haue none other meaninge to coÌ„ceiue which meaning as I said christe hadde prepared the myndes of his disciples when he sayde Panis queÌ„ ego dabo vobis caro mea est pro mundi vita The bread that I shall geue you is my flesshe for the lyfe of the world So as in the very coÌ„secration because it was y e exhibition of that Christe had promysed and they had confessed hym to haue the wordes of lyfe when they sawe him and harde hum execute the same they vnderstode with his wordes his meanynge and beleued hym But I thinke it muche better to pretermytte further occasion of that might be my praise to expound vnto you the scriptures omytrynge myne owne speache to lay before you such exposition and opening of the holy and incoÌ„taminat mysteries of Christe as other haue lefte wrytten whych I do afterwarde in a speciall place for it yet me thinketh here is offered an opportunitie to write that Ihon Damascene sayth alone For he alone openeth the matter so plainly as he might alone suffise for declaration of the thynge and confutation of the deuylles sophistrye deuysed to impugne the same This Ihon Damascene was a greate clerke and one of the greke church and wrote in greke so as they nede not to be offended that loue not y e latyn tongue Two thinges in him shal offendsome One that he stout lye defended the maintenaunce of ymages and vehemently inueyed against them that brake them and wold not haue them stand wherin he wrote so vehementlye as vpon false accusemeÌ„t for another matter deuised coÌ„triued against him his ryght hande was striken of hanged in the market place as y e hand of and offender whych neuerthelesse after he had obteined incontinentlye by grace and fauoure libertye to take it downe the same hande was by myracle restored to his body and ioyned agayne to his arme in perfitte vse as it was before for restitucioÌ„ wherof he prayed to our ladye in wordes of this sentence Domina sanctissima mater quae deum meuÌ„ peperisti amputata est dextera mea ob sanctas diuinas imagines tu qua de causa Leo seui at non ignoras proinde â—iocius succurre dextera enim altissimi quae de te incarnata est per tuas in tercessiones multas facit uirtutes sanet oro hanc meam dexteram tuis praecibus The englysshe of whiche prayer is this O Ladye and mooste holye mother the whiche hast brought forth my god my ryghte hande is cutte of for ymages such as represente godlynes holynes vnto vs thou knoweste for what cause Leo themperoure is so fierce therefore helpe spedely The ryght hande of the highest whiche is incarnate of the hathe wroughte manye vertues by thine intercessions I praye the therfore that he may by thy prayers heale this my right hand Whereby appeareth what opinion this man had of images praier to saintes by his testimony also what was vsed in the church in his tyme whiche myghte releaue suche as can not abyde images or allowe prayer to saintes For this we haue written of hym and in greke and translated by Oecolampadius the Germaine and printed within these sixe yeares in Basile in Germanye where the contrary opinion amoÌ„g the coÌ„mon people is mayneteined so as no maÌ„ shal haue cause to diffame it as set forth by any papist But to y e purpose This Damascene hath wrytteÌ„ an excelleÌ„t worke vnder this tytle De orthodoxa fide of the right catholyque fayth in the .iiii boke whereof the .xiiii chapter he entreateth reuerentlye thinstitution of the most holy sacrament of the thaulter deducyng the conueniency therof from the beginning of our participation of gods goodnes and bicause it is worthye many readynges I haue ben the rather persuaded to write in the originall in greke and therwith the translacioÌ„ in laryn also english Ie shal not greatly augmente the boke and bycause some children learne greake in this time it maye serue them for a lessoÌ„ wherwith to occupy their tender wittes and conferme them
grasse And vnto thys day the earth when it raineth bringeth forth his owne buddynges beynge by goddes precepte styred strengthened to do the same God sayde This is my body and this is my bloud and doo this in remembraunce of me whiche by his precepte that is omnipotente is done vntyll he commeth For so he sayde vntyll he came vnto whiche newe kynde of tyllage the vertue of the holye ghoste ouershadowyng it is by speciall inuocation in the stead of raine for lyke as all thyng that god hathe made is made by the operation of the holy ghost So nowe the efficacye of the same holye ghoste worketh these thynges that be aboue nature whiche can not be comprehended but by faith onely How shall this be said the holy virgin seinge I know no man The archeangel Gabriel answered The holy ghost shall come downe to the and the vertue of the higheste shall shadowe the. And nowe thou askest howe this bread is made the bodye of Christe and the wyne and water the bloude of Christ Wherein I aunswere also vnto the. The holye ghoste commeth and worketh these thinges aboue reason and vnderstandynge The breade and wyne be taken to this mysterye For god knowethe mans weakenes whiche with some displeasure eschueth many thinges that be not before by vse made smothe familier vnto hym wherfore our sauiour Christ so condescendeth to our infirmitie as he vseth thinges to vs accustomed and agreable wherewith to make thinges that be aboue nature And lyke as in baptisme seinge men commonlye vsed to wasshe them selues in water and annoynte thē selues with oyle Christe added to the oyle and water the grace of y e holy ghoste and made it the wasshynge of regeneration So for that men were accustomed to eate breade and drynke wyne and water Christe ioyned vnto them his godhed and made them his body and bloude that by thynges accustomed and agreable to nature we myght be placed in thinges that be aboue nature The body is verely vnited to y e Godhed I meane the same body that was taken of the holy virgin not that the same body taken descended from heauē but that the bread wyne be transfourmed into the body and bloude of God If thou doest aske me the maner how it is done it shuld suffyce the to heare aunswered that by the holy ghost lyke as of the holy mother of God by the holye ghoste oure lorde made to hym selfe flesshe and in hym selfe withoute seede of manne In whiche matter we know no more but that the worde of god is true of efficacie and omnipotent but as for the maner is vtterly inscrutable and such as can not by serche be deprehēded foūde And yet it were not amisse to say thus that like as the breade by eatynge and wyne by drynckynge is naturallye chaunged into the bodye and bloude of hym that eateth and drinckethe nowe are become another body other then their owne body whiche they had before euen so the breade prepared to be consecrate and the wyne and water by inuocatyon and commynge downe of the holy ghoste be aboue nature chaūged into the body bloude of Chryste and be not two but one and the same Whiche worke is wroughte and is to the that worthely receiue it in fayth the remyssyon of synne for lyfe euerlastynge and to be a safegarde for bodie and soule And to them that be vnfaithfull and receiue it vnworthely to their punish mente and vengeaunce For so is lykewyse the deathe of oure lorde That is to say to suche as beleue lyfe and incorruptiō with the fruition of euerlastynge blesse and on the other parte to them that be vnfaithfull and were murderers of our lorde punysshement and vengeaunce euerlastynge The breade and wyne be not a figure of the body and bloud of Christ That may not be sayde but the very body of our lorde deified that is to saye made god For our lorde saide this is not the fygure of my body but my body and not the fygure of my bloude but my bloude And before that sayde to the Iewes that yf ye eate not the flesshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue not lyfe in your selfe For my fleshe is very meate and my bloud is very dryncke And agayne he that eateth me shall lyue Let vs then come to it w t a fearfulnes a cleane conscience and stedfast fayth and then in al thynges shalbe to vs as we byleue constantly Let vs honour it with all clennes bothe of the body and soule also as it were with a double worshyppynge For the same we worshyp is also double that is to say the fleshe of our sauiour Christe and godhed also Come we vnto it with an ardent fyry desyre and facyonynge oure handes in the figure of a crosse let vs so receaue the body of hym that was crucified fynally approching with our eyes lyppes and forehed let vs receiue that godlye cole so as the fyre of our feruent desyre receyuynge the fierynes of that cole maye burne vp our synnes and lyghten our hartes and by partetakynge of that godlye fyre be throughly enflammed and deified Esaias sawe a cole A cole is not wood onely but woode vnited vnto fyre So the foode of our communion is not foode onelye but foode vnited to the godhead The body vnited to the godhed is not to be sayed one nature but the nature of the body is one and the nature of the godhed vnited vnto it is an other So as both together be not one nature but two Melchisedech the preist of god that is highest receiued and chered Abraham with bread and wyne when he returned from the slaughter of the foraine straungers That table fygured this mysticall table lyke as that preiste was y e fygure and ymage of our true prest christ Thou arte sayth god a preist for euer after the ordre of Melchisedech Those loues whiche in the olde lawe were called the breades of proposicion that is to saye the breades appointed to an holy vse were a figure of this bread This sacrifice is the pure vnbloudy sacrifice which god sayde by his prophet shuld be offered vnto hym from the east to y e west The bodye and bloude of Christe for the establyshmente of body and soule receiued be not cōsumed or corrupted nor passeth with our corruptions through vs into y e vyle place fy on y e speach but encreaceth our substaunce and preserueth it It is tharmour of defence frome all maner of annoyaunce and lykewise the purgation and cleansynge of all fylthe Certaynlye if it fyndeth the golde adulterate that is to say corrupt with any other mettall it purgeth it by the same vertue whiche is apprropriate to fyre wherby it disceuereth frō the gold and putteth away that is corrupt to thintent we shulde not be condemned in the worlde to come It purgeth diseases and all sortes of annoiaunce And as saith the godly apostle If we iudge
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
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