the disciple of Chryst Ignatius the disciple of S. Iohn the euangelist Dionysius Arcopagita the disciple of S. Paule with diuerse other yet the eldest that I finde after the Euangelistes and S. Panle treacting of the woordes of Chryst are Alexander and Iustinus of the whiche although Alexander be the elder yet for that by him occasion ys geuen to speake of some matter more at large I shall first produce Iustinus This holie martyr for answer and defence of the Chrystians who were slaundered that they shoulde eate mans flesh wrote to the Emperour Antonius Pius and among other thinges declareth what ys the religion of the christians aboute the Sacrament and what faith they were taught to haue of yt and saieth thus Cùm autem is qui preest gratias egerit totus populus approbauerit hi qui vocantur apud nos Diacom distribuunt vnicuique praesentium vt participent de pane Justin. Apolog. 2. in quo gratiae actae sunt de vino aqua ijs qui non sunt presentes deferunt Atque hoc alimentum apud nos vocatur Eucharistia De quo nulli alij participare licitum est nisi qui credit vera esse quae docentur à nobis et qui lauacro in remissionem peccatoruÌ„ in regenerationem lotus est sic viuit sicut Christus tradidit Neque vt communeÌ„ panem commune poculuÌ„ haec suscipimus sed quemadmodum per verbum Dei incarnatus Iesus Christus Seruator noster carnem sanguinem habuit Sic verbi sui oratione consecratum gratiarum actione alimentum ex quo caro nostra sanguis per transmutationem aluntur ipsius incarnati Iesu Christi carnem sanguinem esse edocti sumus Apostoli enim in commentarijs suis quae Euangelia vocantur sic ipsis praecipisse tradiderunt Cùm accepisset panem gratijs actis dixisse Hoc facite in mei commemorationem Hoc est corpus meum Et poculum similirer cum accepisset gratias egisset dixisse Hic est sanguis meus solis ipsis impartisse When the preist hath ended his thankes geuing and all the people haue saied Amen they whom we call Deacons distribute to euery one then present to be partakers of the bread wine and water consecrated Bread wine and water consecrated in the primitiue churche and carie part to them that be absent And this ys the foode whiche among vs ys called Eucharistia Wherof yt ys laufull for no man to be partaker except he beleue those thinges to be true that be taught vs And be baptised in the water of regeneracion in remission of sinnes and so liueth as Chryst hath taught For we do not take these as common bread and wine but like as Iesus Chryst our Sauiour incarnated by the woorde of God had flesh and blood for our saluacion Euen so we be taught that the foode wherwith our flesh and bloode be nourished by alteracion when yt ys consecrated by the praier of his Bread and wine after consecracioÌ„ be the bodie and blood of Chryst. woorde to be the flesh and bloode of the same Iesus incarnated For the Apostles in those their bookes whiche be called Gospells teache that Iesus did so commaunde them when he had takeÌ„ bread and geuen thankes saied Do this in my remeÌ„brance This ys my bodie And likewise taking the cuppe when he had geuen thankâ—s saied This ys my bloode and gaue them to his Apostles onelie Thus moche holy Iustine In this Authour be many thinges woorthie note But omitting them all I shall onely note that that he ys at this time alleaged for namely for the right vnderstanding of Chrystes woordes in their propre sense withoute figure or trope For the which note well that he saieth that we be taught that the foode mening the bread wine and water after the consecracion ys the flesh and bloode of Iesus incarnate He saieth not that they were taught that they were signes tokens or figures of the flesh of Iesus neither that they be onely called the flesh of Iesus Ye maie then perceaue what the teaching and doctrine of the primitiue church was ye maie well see that they were plainly taught that the bread wine and water be the flesh and bloode of our Sauiour Iesus And herwith all note howe certen this doctrine was Yt was as certen and sure as the mysterie of the incarnacion of Chryst For saieth this Authour Doctrine of the reall presence as certen as the incarnacion to the primitiue church Like as Iesus Chryst our Sauiour incarnated by the woorde of God had flesh and bloode for our saluacion Euen so we be taught the breade wine and water after the consecracion to be the flesh and bloode of the same Iesus Weigh this gentle Reader and marke these woordes well that euen as we be taught as a principle of our faith to beleue that Iesus Chryst in his incarnacion had flesh and bloode euen so we be taught the foode of the holie Sacrament to be the flesh and bloode of the same Iesus But howe doth this Authour proue that this doctrine was so taught By this proof For the Apostles saieth he in their workes whiche they call Gospells do teache that our Lorde Iesus so commaunded them saing when he had taken breade and geuen thankes doe this in the remembrance of me This ys my bodie And likewise taking the cuppe when he had geuen thankes saied This ys my bloode In this proof of this Authour ther be two thinges to be noted The one against the blasphemouse reproche of the Aduersaries and this Proclamer Reall presence plainlie auouched by Justinus whiche saie that yt ys an inuencion of the papistes to teache Chrystes flesh and bloode to be in the SacrameÌ„t But this Authour saieth that the Apostles taught that our Sauiour Iesus did commaunde them so to doe So thar yt ys his commaundement and tradicion an not the papistes inuencion but yf they will accompt Iesus Chryst for this his so doing to be a papist Then in dede they maie saie yt ys the inuencion of a papist The other note ys for the applicacion of the woordes of Chryst to the SacrameÌ„t Ye haue perceaued that we be taught that the foode of the Sacrament ys the flesh of Iesus Chryst Yeperceaue also that the same Iesus Chryst so coÌ„mauÌ„ded as the Apostles haue taught in their Gospells But wher ys that coÌ„maundement in the Gospells This ys the commaundement Doe this in the remembrance of me This ys my bodie this my bloode By these woordes we are commaunded to doe the thing By these woordes we are taught what the thing ys The thing as this authour saieth ys the flesh and bloode of Iesus Chryst incarnated And this thing also he saieth we are taught by these woordes Wherfore these woordes are to be vnderstanded of the flesh and bloode of Iesus Chryst Nowe looke well vpon the doctrine of Chryst and his primitiue Church compare
solemnia Domino offeruntur passio Domini miscenda est vt eius cuius corpus sanguis consicitur passio celebretur ita vt repulsis opinionibus superstitionum panis tantùm Alexand. 1 epist 1. vinum aqua permixtum in sacrificio offerantur Non debet enim vt à patribus accepimus ipsa ratio docet in calice Domini aut vinum solum aut aqua sola offerri Sed vtrumque permixtum quia vtrumque ex latere eius in passione sua profluxisse legitur Ipsa verò veritas nos instruit calicem panem in sacramento offerre quando ait Accepit Iesus panem benedixit deditue Discipulis suis dicens Accipite manducate Hoe est enim corpus meum quod pro vobis tradetur Similiter postquam coenauit accepit calicem deditue Discipulis suis dicens Accipite bibite exco omnes Hic est calix sanguinis mei qui pro vobis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum Crimina atque peccata oblatis ijs Domino sacrificijs delentur Idcirco passio eius in iis commemoranda est qua redempti sumus saepius recitanda haec Domino offerenda Talibus hostijs delectabitur placabitur Dominus peccata dimittet ingentia Nihil enim in sacrificijs maius esse potest quà m corpus sanguis Domini Nec vlla oblatio hac potior est sed haec omnes praecellit Quae pura conscientia Domino offerenda est pura mente sumenda atque ab omnibus veneranda Et sicut potior est caeteris it a potiùs excoli venerari debet In the oblacions of the Sacramentes whiche in the solemne doinges of the Masses be offred the passion of our Lorde ys to be intermedled that the Masse passion of him whose bodie and bloode ys consecrated maie be celebrated so that the supersticions of opinions repelled onely bread and wine mixed with water maie be offred For ther aught not as we haue receaued of our Fathers Neither wine alone nor water alone aught to be offred in the sacrifice and also reason yt self dothe teache either wine alone or water alone to be offred in the cuppe of our Lorde but bothe mixed together bycause yt ys redde that both in the time of his passion did flowe oute of his side The verie trueth yt self doth teache vs to offer bread and wine in the Sacrament when he taking the bread and blessing yt saied Take ye and eat This ys my bodie whiche shall be deliuered for you Likewise when he had supped he tooke the cuppe and gaue yt to his disciples saing Take ye and drinke ye all of this For this ys the cuppe of my bloode whiche shall be shedde for yow in remission of sinnes These sacrifices being offred to our Lorde crimes and offences are wiped awaie Therfor his passion also by the whiche we are redemed ys in these to be remembred and often to be recited and yt also ys to be offred to our Lorde For with soche sacrifices Among all sacrifices none of more estimacion then the bodie and bloode of our Lorde our Lorde will be delighted and appeaced and will forgeue great sinnes Among all sacrifices nothing can be of more estimacion then the bodie and bloode of Chryst Neither ys ther any oblacion more woorthie But this doth precell all Whiche ys to be offred to our Lorde with a pure conscieÌ„ce and with a pure minde to be receaued of al and woourshipped And as yt ys more woorthie then other Euen so yt aught more woorthilie to be honoured and woourshipped Thus farre Alexander Who alleaging the woordes of Chryst This ys my body And this ys my bloode doth by other his woordes therwith declare that they are not to be vnderstanded by figure or trope but in their propre sense And among manie notes that maie here be made I will take but three to prooue the same Threenetes plainite unpâ—gning three articles of the Proclamer The first ys that he confesseth the presence of Chrystes bodie and bloode in the Sacrament for that he agreablie to holie Iustine who saied that the bread and wine after the consecracion be the bodie and bloode of Iesus incarnated He I saie agreablie saieth that the bodie and bloode of him ys in the Masse consecrated Whose passion ys ther celebrated The passion of Chryst Reall presence auouched ys in the Masse celebrated wherfore his bodie and bloode be ther consecrated Who soeuer confesseth Chrystes bodie to be consecrated on the aultar confesseth that consecracion to be doen by these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie c. Wherfore who soeuer confesseth soch consecracion confesseth the woordes to be vnderdanded withoute figure and trope This Authour confesseth soche consecracion Wherfor he confesseth soche vnderstanding And here by the waie note that this auncient olde Authour hath that maner of phrase and speache that the catholike Churche at this daie vseth namehe when he saieth that the bodie and bloode of Crhyst be consecrated in the Masse and not the maner of speache of the Aduersarie saing that yt ys made a sacramentall bread a figure signe or token of Chrystes bodie He hath no soche woorde no more hath anie one of all these fathers and holy doctours that shall be alleaged in that sense and vnderstanding that the Aduersarie most vntruly blustereth abroade And yet euery learned catholike man confesseth the SacrameÌ„t to be a figure but soche a figure as denieth not the reall presence of Chryst The second note to prooue the woordes of Chryste to be vnderstaÌ„d withoute figure ys that alleaging these wooordes This ys my bodie This ys my bloode Sacrifice propiciatorie auouched immediatelie he saieth By these sacrifices offred offences and sinnes be wiped awaie by whiche woordes calling those thinges whiche Chryste before spake of in the woordes of the Supper sacrifices and that soche sacrifices as put awaie sinnes and we haue no sacrifice to put awaie sinnes but the Sacrifice of Chrystes bodie and bloode Yt ys more then manifest that the vnderstandeth the woordes of Chryst in theirpropre sense of the bodie and blood of Chryste and not of the figure of his bodie for that ys no sacrifice to putte awaie sinnes That he calleth the bodie and bloode of Chryste in the Sacrament of the aultar sacrifices the woordes folowing in the same processe do well prooue and declare when he saieth Nihil in sacrificijs maius esse potest quà m corpus sanguis Domini Among the sacrifices ther ys nothing greater then the bodie and bloode of our Lorde And that he speaketh this of the sacrifice and oblacion of Chrystes bodie and bloode in the Sacrament of the aultar yt ys made certen by the woordes that do folowe whiche be these Nulla oblatio potior est sed haec omnes praecellit quae pura Domino conscientia offerenda est puramente Sacrament of the aultar ys a sacrifice sumenda There ys no
whiche ys naturally life ys made quickning or geuing life when we eate that flesh then Jn 15. Ioan Our corruptible bodie can not atteign to incorrup and life except the bodie of Chryst be ioined to yt haue we life in vs. For as he saieth in an other place Non poterat aliter corruptibilis haec natura corporis ad incorruptibilitatem vitam traduci nisi naturalis vitae corpus ei coniungeretur This corruptible nature of our bodie coulde not otherwise be brought to incorruptibilitie and life except the bodie of naturall life should be ioined to yt So then ye maie nowe likewise perceaue the force of this argumente of Irenaeus to consist vpon the corporall receipt of the bodye of Chryst in the Sacrament whiche as Cyrill saieth being the flesh of life and incorruption when yt ys ioined to our corruptible and mortall flesh whiche maner of coniunction ys by none other mean doen but by the Sacrament yt maketh this naturall bodie of our to be apte to incorruption and life Yf in the Sacrament we doe not receaue the verie reall bodie of Chryste but a figure of the bodie whiche geueth not life to our bodies howe standeth the argument of Irenaeus what trueth ys ther in the saing of Cyrillus howe shall these our mortall and coruptible bodies be made immortall and incorruptible yf the flesh of life the flesh of our Lorde Chryst be not ioined to our flesh The nourishing of our slesh to incorruptibilitie by the flesh of Chryst proueth inuinciblie the reall presence And here note Reader that these maner of speaches of these two authours improue the phantasie and erroure of the Sacramentaries and inuinciblie proue the true catholique doctrine of the Churche As touching the false doctrine of the Sacramentaries wher yt teacheth that we onely receaue Chrystes bodie spirituallie that ys the meritte and vertue of Chrystes passiō ād death this receipt toucheth not our bodies this spirituall Chryst ys not ioined to our flesh but this receipt toucheth our soules thys spirituall Chryst ys ioined to spirittes But these authours saie that the flesh and bodie of Chryst ys receaued and so ioined to our flesh and bodies Which receipt and coniunction proueth inuinciblie that for as moch as the spirituall receipt ys ioined onely to the soule that ther must nedes be an other receipt of the reall and substanciall flesh and bodie of Chryste whiche maie be ioined to our substanciall flesh and bodies And so shall the argument of Irenaeus be of great force and strenght against the heretiques against whome he disputed So ys the testimonie of Cyrill true So ys the doctrine of the catholique Church fownd auncient substanciall and well grownded So ys the doctrin of the Sacramentaries improued and fownd false as yt ys in dede And wher the Proclamer required but one plain place of anie one auncient Plain places and argumentes against M. Iuell doctour he hath nowe one not onely plain but also strong and mightie so ouerthrowing the green wrought walls of hys late inuented heresie that well he maie hang vppe some painted cloathes paincted like strong walls whiche maie deceaue simple eies and weake seightes but they shall be in dede but painted cloutes This Irenaeus ys not onely taken of the catholiques to be as I haue saied plain and strong but also of heretiques For Melancthon against Oecolampadius this proclamers late fownder alleageth the same Irenaeus as one most plain and auncient and ther for not to be against saied Thus hauing brought furth an auncient scholer of Chrystes schoole and a graue counseilour in Chrystes Parliament house who hath declared vnto vs the true doctrine of Chrystes schoole and the enacted and receaued trueth of his Parliament house that the woordes of Chryst teache vs the presence of his verie bodie in the Sacrament and that they are to be vnderstanded in their propre sense Now foloweth Tertullian a man verie nere the time of Irenaeus whome the Aduersaries seme to make the patrone of their figuratiue doctrine but yt shall be well perceaued that he ys against them and fauoreth them not Thus he writeth Professus itaque Tertullian li. 4. cont Marc. se concupiscentia concupiscere edere Pascha vt suum indignum quippe vt quid alienum concupisceret Deus acceptum panem distributum Discipulis corpus suum illum fecit dicens Hoc est corpus meum id est figura corporis mei Figura autem non fuisset nisi veritatis esset corpus When Chryst therfore had saied that with desire he desired to eat the Passouer as his owen for yt was Chryst made the bread his bodie saieth Tertull vnsemelye that God should desire anie straunge thing the bread that was taken and distributed to hys disciples he made yt his bodie sainge This ys my bodie that ys to saie a figure of my bodie But yt had not ben a figure except yt were a bodie of trueth As Irenaeus against Valentinus So Tertullian against Marcion vsed hys argument taken of the Sacrament Marcion the disciple of Cerdon whose heresies S. Augustine reherseth wickedlie taught as hys master did that Chryst had no August li. Aduers Heres c. 28 Heresie of Marcion very true bodie when he was here conuersant vpon the earth but a phantasticall bodie Nowe Tertullian to proue that he had a verie true bodie bringeth in the institucion of the Sacrament sainge that Chryst made the breade that he tooke and distributed to hys disciples hys bodie saing This ys my bodie Wherbie as he stronglie proueth by Chrystes owne facte who made the breade hys bodie and by his owne woorde who saied of the same that he had so made This ys my bodie that Chryst had a verie bodie Whiche coulde not well haue proued the pourpose of Tertullian yf that that he made hys bodie and saied to be hys bodie had not ben a verie bodie Euen so saing that Chryst made the bread hys bodie when he saied Thys ys my bodie prooueth against the Sacramentaries bothe the presence of Chrystes verie bodie in the Sacrament and also that the woordes of Chryst are to be taken in their propre sense But here reclaimeth the Aduersarie and saieth that not withstanding this that ys saied Tertullian addeth and saieth that yt ys a figure of hys bodie I wishe that the Aduersarie wolde here ioin with me as I will with him that both of vs accept the wholle saing of Tertullian as yt ys here alleaged and that he whose doctrine repugneth against anie parte of yt to confesse that hys doctrine ys not good and he that confesseth the whol that hys doctrine be accepted as sownde and good Let ys then open the partes of Tertullian his saing Ther be in yt twoo partes The one ys that he saieth that Chryst made Tertullian opened and deliuered from the Sacramentaries the bread that he tooke in hys handes hys bodie The other that he saieth This ys my bodie that yt ys to
Aduersarie Marcion And after to his farder confutacion for that a figure must nedes be a figure os a bodie he saieth also that yt ys the figure of Chrystes bodie and so confesseth bothe the verie bodie and the figure of the bodie This vnderstanding of Tertullian must nedes be good and vpright For Li. de resur carnis A plain saing for the Proclamer after this maner he agreeth with himself both in this place and other as wher he saieth Caro corpore sanguine Christi vescitur vt anima de Deo saginetur The flesh eateth the bodie and bloode of Chryst that the soule maie be made fatte with God Wher in plain woordes he saieth that man not by spiritte but by his flesh eateth not a peice of bread a signe or figure onely of Chrystes bodie but yt eateth Chrystes verie bodie and bloode yt self After this vnderstanding also he agreeth with sainct Augustine and Theophilact and other holy Fathers as partely ye haue before hearde and shall herafter plentifullie heare And thus vnderstanded he agreeth to be shorte with the wholl catholique Churche which alwaies hath and doth teache the bodie of Chryst both to be a figure and the thing yt self in veritie Wherfore neither Tertullian neither sainct Augustine in these places alleaged neither against Amantus be either refused or denied but accepted and embraced For the Churche doth acknoledge as moche as they saie and they with the Churche doe acknowledge the Sacrament to be bothe But let the Aduersarie bringe but one auncient authour that saieth as he doeth that yt ys figura tantùm onely a figure and therwith saieth as he dothe that the reall and verie bodie of Chryst ys not in the Sacrament and then I will saie he hath doen somwhat Hetherto all they haue doen nothing to effecte to prooue their matter but onely made some cowntenance and apparance No catholike authour saieth that the Sacr. ys onelie a figure in woordes to deceaue the people and to plucke them from the catholique faith For wher their doctrine ys that the Sacrament ys a figure onelie when they reade this woorde figura in Tertullian S. Angustine or anie other authour they runne awaie with yt and violentlie wrest yt making their auditorie beleue that the authour saie as they saie And that ys false For the authours saie no not one of them that yt ys onely a figure which ys the thing that the Aduersarie must prooue and that shal he neuer doe Wherfor Reader looke to thy self and be not deceaued marke well whiche parte saieth as Tertullian saieth and folowe that parte Tertullian saieth that the breade ys made the bodie of Chryst so saieth the cathoiique so saieth the holie Churche but that denieth the Aduersarie Tertullian saieth that yt ys a figure of the bodie of Chryst so saieth the catholique so saieth the holie Churche so after a maner saieth the Aduersarie but the maner ys soche that though in the woorde Figure yt seemeth so to saie and to haue agreemēt with Tertullian yet in sense yt denieth the wholl For neither dothe the Aduersarie agree vpon the thing that ys the figure neither dothe he saie as Tertullian dothe saie that yt ys a figure but with an exclusuie that yt ys a figure onely which as yt ys more then Tertullian saieth so yt ys more then ys true and thus trusting ye clerely and fullie perceaue who agreeth and who dissenteth from this auncient Father of the primitiue Church I ende with him and proceade to heare other THE FIFTETH CHAP. ABIDETH IN THE EXposition of the same woordes by S. Cyprian and Athanasius NOt long after Tertullian was S. Cyprian who being a senior in Chrystes schoole and an auncient in his Parliament house will shewe vs the faith taught and continued in that schoole and the trueth enacted and receaued in that Parliament house Cypry de coena Dom. vide sup li. 1. cap. 29. Thus he writeth Significata olim à tempore Melchisedech prodeunt sacramenta filiis Abrahae facientibus opera eius summus sacerdos panē profert vinū Hoc est inquit corpus meum c. The sacramentes signified long agon frō the time of Melchisedech come nowe abroade and the high preist to the childe ren of Abraham doinge his workes bringeth furth bread and wine This saieth he ys my bodie They had eaten of the same bread after the visible forme but before those woordes that cōmon meate was onely meate to nourishe the bodie and ministred the helpe of the corporall life But after that our Lorde had saied Doe this in my remembrance This ys my flesh and this ys my bloode As often as yt ys doen with these woordes and this faith that substanciall bread and cuppe consecrated by the solemne benediction doth profitte to the health and life of the wholl man being both a medicen and a sacrifice to heall infirmities and to pourge iniquities Thus he What sense the woordes of Chrystes supper haue this holy Ciprian dothe manifestlie declare who rehersing them saieth but after that our Lorde had saied This doe in the remembrance of me This ys my flesh and this ys my bloode that substanciall bread and cuppe consecrated doth profitte the wholl man that ys both the bodie and soule of man for so moche as yt ys a medicen to heale the infirmities of them and a sacrifice to pourge their iniquities In the Sacrament after the woordes of S. Cyprian saing that the bread and cuppe after the cōsccraciō ys a medicine to heal insir and a sacrifice to pourge iniquit proueth inuincible the reall presence of Chrysts bodie Chryst spoken what can be saied to be that profiteth both bodie and soule and ys a medicen and also a sacrifice what I saie can ther ells be that shoulde be these great workes but the bodie and blode of Chryste Yt ys that bodie that ys our medicen yt ys that bodie that ys our sacrifice Wherfore S. Cyprian mening that after the woordes of our Lorde that bodie and blode ys in the Sacramēt inuinciblie proueth against the proclamer the presence of Chrystes bodie and that the woordes of our Lorde be not to be vnderstand figuratiuely but proprely in their owne sense And this ys not to be ouerpassed what differēce this authour maketh betwixt the cōdicion of the bread before the woords of Chryst spokē ād after the woords Before the woordes saieth he yt ys cōmon meate meet onelie to nourish the bodie but after the woordes yt ys as ye haue hearde profitable both for bodie and soule This also ys to be noted that this authour speaking of these great benefittes doth not attribute thē to faithe nor to the vertue of the passiō of Chryste Benefites at tributed to the Sacra nor to the spirituall bodie of Chryst or receipt of that although all these be necessarie for that withoute thē the befittes before mēcioned cā not be obteined but dothe attribute thē to the
this perswasion of his Yf Chryst hath vouched saif to geue his life for thee will he not vouche safe to geue his bodie he hath geuen his life for thee whiche ys a great matter will he not geue thee his bodie whiche ys not so great a matter After that we haue considered this perswasion let vs somwhat more depelie weigh this place of Chrysostom and we shall finde yt so euident in declaring the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament that Sathan himself Tearmes to plain for figuratiue speaches can not well open hys mouthe against yt moche lesse hys mynisters For if they will glose this place of Chrysostom they must bestowe a great nombre of figures vpon yt For here be manie plain woordes and tearmes as his bodie his flesh a great and a woonderfull thinge himself offred settfurth before vs soche foode the lambe the flesh of the shepe whiche doe declare vnto vs the presence of Chrystes bodie And therfore as ys saied they must be darkened with manie figures and mystie gloses yf they shall be peruerted to the Aduersaries corruption of the trueth And trulie yt were wonderfull that Chrysostom preaching to the people wolde vse so manie plain tearmes and leaue them as sownding in their owne significacion when in verie dede as the Aduersaries saie and wolde bear vs in hand they doe all signifie figuratiuelie But let vs yet a litle deapelier consider the wholl place and tearmes of the same And first as touching the perswasion let vs weigh the comparison that ys made in the same by this authour to declare the great loue and mercie of Chryst towardes vs wherin he compareth the life of Chryste whiche he gaue for vs to his bodie which he geueth to vs. Nowe if the Aduersarie by the bodie will vnderstand a figure of the bodie howe vnmeet a comparison will he cause Chrysostom to make as to compare a bare figure to the life of Chryst Or who will thinke that Chrysostome Figures be no wonderfull things wolde vse soche a great matter as the life of Chryst geuen for vs to perswade vs to beleue so small a matter as that Chryst geueth vs a peice of bread a figure of his bodie after the sense of the Sacramentarie But that yt can not beare that sense the woordes that folowe doe well prooue For he saieth that the thing that ys geuen vnto vs ys a great and a wonderfull thing Yf yt be but a figure yt ys no great thing For figures haue ben since the beginning and for the most parte not esteemed as great thinges in the respect that they were figures Yf the Aduersarie will saie that Chrysostom speaketh of the bodie of Chryst spirituallie receaued whiche ys a great thing Yet yt will not helpe wonderfull what ys proprelie him to wrest Chrysostom to him For albeit the bodie of Chryst spirituallie receaued be a great thing yet yt ys not proprelie woonderfull For that ys proprely woonderfull that ys not in vse but rare seldom and almost not seen as saieth sainct Augustine Nowe to receaue the bodie of Chryst spirituallie ys no rare matter for yt hath ben in vse from the beginning Spūall receipt onelie of Chryst ys not wonderfull of the worlde yt was comon to the holie Fathers and Patriarches in the lawe of nature Yt was in vse among the faithfull Iewes and so among the faithfull Chrystians though not among the false Chrystians yt ys no straunge matter and therfore not a woonderfull thing though a greate thing But to receaue Chrystes bodie bothe spirituallie and reallie that ys both a great thing and a woonderfull thing woonderfull I saie for that yt was neuer in vse the bodie of Chryst reallie to be receaued before Chryst saied Take eate this ys my bodie at whiche time he did institute and ordein yt so to be receaued Before Chryst did so by his woorde instite the worlde neuer knewe this maner of receipt yt was neuer in vse neuer in practise And therfore yt ys a wonderfull thing not onelie for that yt exceadeth the compasse of reason and passeth the reache of the senseis that a naturall bodie shoulde in soche maner be receaued but also for that before Chrystes institucion yt was neuer in vse But what needeth me to trauaill so moche in declaring this when the Spūall and real receipt together of Chrystes bodie ys wonderfull authour himself openeth what the great and wonderfull thing ys that he speaketh of heare saing in the same place Audiamus oro perhorrescamus carnes suas nobis tradidit seipsum immolatum nobis proposuit Let vs heare I beseche yow and let vs feare He hath deliuered to vs his flesh himself offred hath he sett before vs. Thys ys the great thing that he spake of this ys the woonderfull thing that ys geuen to vs which he meneth of the slesh of Chryste Chryst himself sett before vs. Which thing that we shoulde well geue heed vnto and perceaue the greatnesse and wonderfullnesse of yt he preuenteth vs with hys aduertisement saing Let vs heare and feare whiche kinde of aduertisement neaded not if yt were but a peice of breade And note here that Chrysostome to the entent the thing might fullie be perceaued according to the trueth and his mening in the same he did not content himself onelie to saie that Chryst hath deliuered vnto vs his flesh but he addeth that Chryst sett himself offred before vs wherbie are remoued all the Sathās seales can not be hanged to Chrysostomes woordes figures and tropes whiche the Aduersaries to the corruption of the trueth wolde here haue putto For yf Chrysostome had saied no more But that Chryst hath geuen to vs his flesh then wolde Sathan by his ministers hanged on one of his comon seales as this woorde figuratiuelie or spirituallie and so made yt to haue appeared that yt ys his euidence But the holie Gost being a good schoolemaster hath taught hys scholer Chrysostom so to frame his woordes that if the enemie wolde go aboute to falsifie them by putting to one of his comon seales yet his falhead shoulde needes appeare For when Chrysostome had saied that Chryst had deliuered vnto vs hys flesh he immediately added as an exposition of those woordes himself hath he setfurth before vs. By whiche woordes the matter ys made plain for yf Chryst himself be sett before vs then ys the bare figure taken awaie and denied Yf he be sett before vs then ys he not onely spiritually receaued For spirituall receipt ys in vs and not before vs. Chryst by the doctrine of the Aduersarie ys within vs and not in the Sacrament before vs but Chrysostom saieth that he ys before vs and speaketh of the being of Chryst in the Sacrament Wherfore he himself ys in the Sacrament before vs and so ys excluded the onely spirituall maner whiche ys the other seale of the Aduersarie and the reall presence ys proued whiche ys the doctrine catholique The farder
sit eo manifestè dicente Hoc est corpus meum sed potius suscipe verbum Cirill ad Calosyriū Chrystes woordes manifest and without doubt saluatoris in side Cùm enim sit veritas non mentitur Doubt not whether this be true or no seing that he manifestlie saieth This ys my bodie But raither receaue the woord of our Sauiour in faith For lie forasmoch as he ys tureth he lieth not Weigh these fewe woordes of S. Cyrill well gentle Reader and first that he willeth Calosirius not to doubte whether this that Christ manifestlie saied This ys my bodie be true or no. For in that he willed him and by him all chrystians not to doubte what clls willeth he but that al errour heresie opinion wandering wauering and colde faith shoulde be remoued and firme suro and fast faith should be geuen to the woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie S. Cyrill she weth the Proclamer plain woordes whiche woordes he saieth be manifest Yf they be manifest then they haue no obscure sense then they must be taken in the sense that manifestlie lieth open before vs. That sense ys the grāmaticall sense Then the figuratiue sense ys taken awaie For that sense as the woordes be nowe spoken ys not manifest but obscure Then also must the Proclamer subscribe For by the iudgemente of S. Cyrill the woordes of Chryst be manifest Yf they be manifest as vndoubtedlie they be then ther ys one scripture that manifestly teacheth the presence of Chrystes bodie Again sainct Cyrill saieth that forasmoche as Chryst ys the trueth he lieth not but he taking the bread and wine saied This ys my bodie Therfore he being the trueth and lieng not the thinges were as he saied then were they his bodie and bloode For so saied he that they were Yf the bread and wine he saing Thys ys my bodie This ys my bloode were not made by his allmightie power and woorde the bodie and blood of Chryst these woords being spoken by demōstraciō of certain singular things in nature without anie circūstance to declare anie other sense vpō these woordes then in the first hearing they sownde to haue Yf I saie these creatures remain still in their nature and substances and be but figures of Chrystes bodie and blood then I saie that Chrystes woordes were not true For he saied that they were his bodie and bloode And by the opinion of the Aduersarie they be not so but bread and wine figures of Chrystes bodie and blood Forasmoche as my cheef pourpose ys to helpe and staie them in their faith that be vnlearned to whome quiddities in learning be raither trooblesom then pleasaunt or profitable I haue determined not to dispute with the Proclamer in anie quidditie or ells I wolde somwhat haue saied to him for The Proclamer to disgrace our faith plaieth with indiuidū vagum that yt liketh him to dallie and to aske where we finde that this woord hoc in english this poincteth not the bread but indiuiduum vagum For if yt shall be his phantasie to disgrace the trueth before the comon people by plaing with some quidditie that they can not vnderstand he maie so soen disgrace our faith in the holie and blessed Trinitie For if he lyst so to plaie he might moue matter of the distinction and relacion of the persons and by soche toieng bring the people to stagger in their faith in the blessed Trinitie as by this mockerie of the demonstracion he wolde make them fall from their faith of the blessed Sacrament Yt were conuenient that as the people should be taught simplie to beleue in God the Father God the Sonne and God the holie Gost and not to be troobled with the learned quiddities of the generacion of the Sonne of the spiracion as touching the holie Goste of the procession of the same from the Father and the Sonne and with the distinction and relacion of the persons so shoulde they be taught simplie to beleue as the scripturs doe teache and the holie fathers doe declare and expownde the same that the bodie and bloode of our Sauiour Chryst euen People are simplie to be taught not with Quiddities full Chryst God and man after the consecracion which as before ys declared ys doen by the secrett power of God by the worke of the holy Goste at the pronunciacion of Chrystes woordes by his sufficient mynister ys verilie reallie substanciallie and naturally present in the Sacrament and not to be troobled with demonstracions with accidentes with substances with placing of that bodie circumscriptiuelie definitiuelie by the maner of substance or by the maner of quantitie For these matters are for learned men to dispute not for good Chrystian vnlearned people to call in question of beleue In the schooles yt had ben a meit matter to dispute in the pulpitie yt was no matter to teache to edifie But yt liked him to talke of soche quiddities bicause by their obscuritie and darkenesse they being vnpleasaunt vnto the people shoulde the more myslike them and by that means haue the redier waie to deface the catholique faith and to sett vppe his heresie But I minding for that litle that in me ys to maintein that holie faith of Chryst my Sauiour that ys taught in his catholique Churche I will leaue these quiddities and simplie treact of the thing that we haue in hande And therfore nowe returning to Cyrill from whom I haue a litle digressed I saie with him that Chryst being trueth and saing This ys my bodie yt must nedes be as he saied and so simplie we must beleue the bodie and blood of Chryst according Cyrillus ibidem to his woorde to be present in the Sacrament Whiche thing as he saied here that Chryst manifestlie saied Thys ys my bodie So he manifestlie in the same epistle after a fewe lines doth open and Chryst turneth the bread into his owne verie flesh declare to be true wher he thus writeth Ne horreremus carnē et sanguinē apposita sacris altaribus cōdescendēs Deus nostris fragilitatibus instuit oblatis vim vitae cōuertēs ea in veritatē propriae carnis vt corpus vitae quasi quoddā semē viuificatiuū inueniatur in nobis That we shoulde not loath flesh and bloode sett vpon the holie aultars God condescending to our fragilities hath powred into the thinges offred the power of life conuerting or turning them into his verie owne flesh that the bodie of life maie be fownde in vs as a certain quickning seede For that I haue vpon this place of Cyrill saied somthing allreadie I will nowe no more but note vnto yowe howe manifestlie howe apertlie and howe plainlie he teacheth vs not onely that the bodie of Chryst ys in the Sacrament but also the meanes howe yt ys ther which ys that God turneth the bread sett vpon the holie aulanrs into his verie flesh After this he rendreth to vs two Two causes whie the substāce in the Sacr. being
the power of him that brought oute all of nothing Of this authour as of all the rest we learn the power and mightie worke of Chrystes woordes God and man by which the bread and wine be transmuted and chaunged into the bodie and blood of the same owre master ād Sauiour Iesus Chryst And wher transmutacion and transubstanciacion ys confessed and taught as this authour confesseth bothe ther ys the Aduersaries figure denied and the propre sense of Chrystes woordes and not the figuratiue sense admitted and alowed But we shall heare him with his owne woordes declare himself Thus he saieth Corpus est duplex Verum alterum alterum mysticum Et verum quidem est quod in hoc diuino Eucharistiae sacramento consecratur atque conficitur sub visibili specie panis The true bodie of Chryste vnder the forme of bread ac vini Hoc idem est cum eo corpore quod fuit ex beata Virgine Spiritus sancti obumbratione conceptum De quo ipse Dominus in exhibitione sacramenti cum nobis sensibilē panem vinumque ostendisset ait Hoc est corpus meū hic est sanguis meus Deinde addidit Quod pro vobis traditur qui pro vobis effunditur in remissionē peccatorū Mysticū autē eius corpus est Ecclesia congregatio fideliū Chryst hath two bodies A true bodie and a mysticall bodie The true bodie ys yt that ys cōsecrated and made in this diuine Sacrament vnder the visible forme of bread and wine This ys all one with that bodie that was by the ouershadowing of the holie Goste conceaued of the blessed virgen Of which bodie our Lorde himself in the geuing furth of the Sacrament when he had shewed to vs sensible bread and wine saied This ys my bodie and this ys my blood Then he added which ys deliuered for yowe and whiche ys shed for yowe in the remission of sinnes But his mysticall bodie ys the Church and the congregacion of the faithfull And afterward by expresse woordes denieng the Aduersaries figure saieth thus Cauendum autem ne quis propterea quòd Eucharistiae mysterium figura esse dicitur A great blasphemie to saie or thinke the Sacr. ys not the bodie of our Lord. dicere aut omnino suspicari audeat non esse verum Domini corpus Absit tanta blasphemia à fidelium mentibus Yt ys diligentlie to be taken heed vnto that no man bicause the Sacrament ys called a figure be so bolde to saie or by anie meanes to thinke that yt ys not the verie bodie of our Lorde God forbidde so great a blasphemie from the mindes of the faithfull Thus farre he In whiche saing as before diuerse times ys saied the authour according to the catholique faith teacheth that the Sacrament ys both a figure and the bodie of Chryst But bicause yt ys a figure therfore as the Aduersarie saieth yt ys not the bodie of Chryste That blasphemie saieth this good man God kepe from the mindes of the faithfull Beholde Chrystian reader that to saie that the Sacrament ys a figure and not the verie bodie of Chryst yt ys a blasphemie O mercifull Lord howe moche blasphemie then ys ther nowe committed God of his mercie preserue soche as yet haue not that they neuer speake blasphemie against ther Lorde God in this matter and call again soche as haue that his heauie indignacion fall not vpon vs. I see I haue taried long vpon these fewe woordes of Chryst And therfore although I might haue brought furth manie moo of the lower house as the learned knowe ther be manie yet I haue of them takē but sixe cooples remembring that I had a good nombre of the higher howse and they mynistred moche occasion of matter vpon which I had better will to tarie bicause the Proclamer aloweth their authoritie Who in dede if he will looke well vpon himself and will thinke no more of himself then ys meet nor take more vpon him then becometh him shoulde not with skorn and contumelie reiect anie of these of the lower house nor disalowe soch learned men as he doeth and soche a nombre and of so long time and so manie yeares except Misunderstāding of Chrystes woordes mother of all the heresies of the Sacramentaries he doeth yt vpon like policie as some men doe who mystrusting their cause refuse manie to go vpon their questes bicause they shall be fownde giltie I haue I saie taried long vpon this short text and fewe woordes of Chryst bicause the misunderstanding of them whiche ys the mainteinance of their heresie and the mother and damme of all the wicked opinions in this matter maie be taken awaie and the true vnderstanding whiche ys the grownde of true faithe and the verie fowntain and liuelie well spring of whollsom doctrine maie be staied settled and with like mindes of men to be receaued For he that hath the true vnderstanding of the woordes of Chryst can not lightlie erre in the matters of the Sacrament And he that misunderstandeth them for the most parte erreth in all matters that be moued by euell men against the blessed Sacrament Nowe ye haue heard first the three holie Euangelistes and S. Paule reporting in one maner those woordes of Chryst ye haue heard eleuen cooples of Chrystes higher house of parliament of eche side that ys both of the greke Churche and latine Church men not obscure but most famouse among all writers that haue written vpon these woordes of Chryst not onelie in learning but in auncientie Catholiques howe they vnderstand Chrystes woordes in holinesse and in grauitie ye haue heard sixe cooples of Chrystes lower howse of Parliament chosen also of both sides of the howse men also in their times famouse both in learning in holinesse of life and in my iudgement most woorthie men I saie amonge those that I coulde finde that did treact of the woordes of Chryst by waie of exposition In the processe also ye haue hearde the propositions or saynges of the catholiques and of the aduersarye as touching the vnderstanding of these woordes of Chryst wherin standeth the controuersie The catholiques haue twoo saynges The one that the woordes of Chryst are to be vnderstanded withoute figure The other Sacramentaries howe they vnderstād them whiche foloweth vpon that that Chryst spake of his verie bodie The Aduersaries contrarie wise haue two sainges the one that Chrystes woordes are to be vnderstanded with a figure The other that Chryst did not speake these woordes of his verie bodie The catholique vpō his sainges growndeth this trueth that Chrystes verie bodie and verie bloode after the cōsecracion be reallie and substanciallie in the Sacrament and so geuen to the receauers The aduersarie vpon his sainges growndeth his erroure that Chrystes verie bodie and blood be not reallie and substanciallie in the Sacramēt but in the Sacramēt ys onelie a figure of the bodie and ys geuē to the receauers as a signe or tokē of Chryst As cōcerning
do against the Moone hearing and seing so manifest so plain and so cleare a sentence spoken and vttered withoute anie confuse or obscure tearmes breiflie knitte and compacte withoute anie long am bages hearing will not heare and seing will not see but wilfullie will be blinde and not vnderstande and yet malicioustie barke against the clear light whiche they can not extinguish As the dogges doo against the Moone whiche they can not vanquish But lett thē brak as long as they list Veritas Domini manet in aeternum The trueth of our Lorde abideth for euer To the whiche God geue them grace to turne But let the true Christian heare and marke what enacted and receaued Psalm 116 truth was in the parliament house of Christes Churche nowe opened and testified by the Auncient elder of the same whiche ys that Christe made the bread which he did take and distribute to his disciples his bodie Heretiques build tehir faith vpon reason and senses whiche was and ys the true Pascall Lambe figured by the olde Paschall lambe And by this let him cōforte him self in the true faith that the hath receaued ād cōfirme him self to be mightie against all the assauts of heresie how moche so euer their sainges shall delight or please reason or the knowe ledge of our senses wherpon they do so builde their faith that they wolde haue no poincte ne parte therof directlie repugnant to reason or Iudgment of sense as Cranmer or the Authour of that booke which ys sett furth in his name with moche boldenesse affirmeth Whose verie woordes for the triall I will asscribe Thus shall ye ther Cranmers sensuall sentence Li. 2. read But to conclude in fewe woordes the Papistes shal neuer be able to shewe one article of our faith so directlie contrarie to our senses that all our senses by daile experience shall affirme a thinge to be And yet our faith shall teache vs the contrarie therunto Thus he In whiche saing gentle Reader yowe maie perceaue that these sensuall men were so moche captiue to sensuall knowledge that not cōtent to haue faith a knowledge aboue or at leste equall with reason whiche in dede surmounteth Faith surmounteth reason or senses and passeth all reason wolde abase her to be an hand maiden to the knowledge of our senses as one that shoulde teach no article contrarie to them which yet teacheth all aboue the knowledge of senses and moche directlie contrarie As for example Owre senses by dailie experiēce teach vs that men do die And that some of their bodies being burned ther ys nothing lefte but Asshes blowē abroad Faith teacheth many thinges contrarie to the senses with the winde And some consumed of the foules of the aire Some of the fishes of the sea Some vtterly doo putrifie in the earth as thinges that shoulde neuer be the same flesh the same substance the same man again And yet faith teacheth vs directlie contrarie that ys that the thing which the senses Iudge to be dead whiche ys so diuided and separated from life that yt shall neuer liue the same thing in nombre again that in dede yt ys not dead but sleapeth and shall be the same in person again that yt was before The senses taught none other but that the woundes whiche Christe had in his bodie after the resurrection and specially the wounde of his side into the which he willed Thomas to pute his hande were verie fore and painfull and yet faith saieth directlie contrarie For a glorified bodie yt not passible Thus these men building ther faith vpon their senses when their senses perished their sensuall faith preished with all Wherfor cleaue not to soche a faith whiche neadeth to be mainteined with vntruthe and false sensuall knowledge But embrace that faith whiche ys grownded vpon Christ and lined oute and tried by the sure and streight piller of truthe the Catholique Churche But perchaunce the Aduersarie will saie that although the sentence of Obiection out of Tertull Tertullian for so moche as I haue brought in sowndeth plainlie to my pourpose yet yf I had brought in the wholle sentēce yt wolde haue ouerthrowē the same Wherfore I deale not sincerelie but vse crafte To this I saie that this that ys alleadged oute of Tertulliā ys his verie saing ād neadeth no dependence to make yt perfecte but ys of yt self a perfecte proposition and therfore hath yn yt self a trueth or falshood and maie then well be alleaged to confirme my pourpose And yet I haue not so omitted yt as though I wolde not see yt but I haue reserued yt to be handled wher we shall seke the exposition of his texte Hoc est corpus meum But that we maie perceaue in the meā while that Tertullian in his place minded no other wise then these his woordes alleaged pourporte I meen that Christs bodie ys made present in the Sacrament and in the same geuen and dipensed I shall bring himself to wittnesse in an other place wher he testifieth that the slesh that ys to saie the natural man eateth the bodie of Christ Caro inquit abluitur vt anima emaculetur Caro vngitur vt anima consecretur Caro signatur Note that the flesh eateth the bodie and blood of Chryst. vt anima muniatur Caro corpore sanguine vescitur vt anima de Deo saginetur The flesh saith Tertullian ys washed that the Soule maie be pourged The flesh ys enoynted that the soule maie be consecrated The flesh ys signed that the soule maie be defended The flesh eateth the bodie and bloode of Christe that the soule maie be made fatte or lustie in God Thus Tertullian In the whiche woordes he teacheth that as verilic as we be washed with verie water and enointed with verie oile and signed with the verie signe of the crosse and not with the figures of these So be we fedde with the verie bodie and blood of our Sauiour Christe and not with the figures of them Teflesh saieth he eateth the bodie and blood of Christ and not the spirit onlie Nowe then that yowe haue heard one of the one side of the parliamēt house yowe shall heare one of the other side Iyschius an aunciente author Disciple to the great learned father Gregorie Naziancen saieth thus Non oportet eos qui Pascha euangelicum celebrant quod nobis tradidit Ecclesia legale Pascha peragere quod bouem ouem legislator dicens significauit Jsychius in Le. lib. 6. cap. 22. quia haec praecepit Moises in die Paschae quod traditum est Iudaeis immolare They that doe celebrate the euangelicall Passouer whiche the Churche hath deliuered vs maie not celebrate the legall Passour whiche the lawegeuer commaunding hath declared to be an oxe and a shepe For Moises hath commaunded to offer these thinges in the daie of the passeouer that ys appointed to the Iewes And a litle after foloweth Non ergo oportere nos habentes in manibus
continue and neuer to haue ende This if yowe haue marked the sainges of S. Augustine Chrysostom and Cyrill ys to vnderstand Chryst carnallie Which maner of vnderstāding ther ys no good chrystian hath But these woordes of them are vnderstanded spirituallie And what ys the spirituall vnderstanding of this processe of Chryst for the eating of his flesh yt hath ben by manie places of S. Augustin alledged Sup. ca. 22 declared But at this present to be short these his woordes maie declare Caro eius est c. Yt ys his flesh whiche we take couered vnder the forme of bread and his bloode whiche we do drinke vnder the forme and taste of wine This ys the spirituall vnderstanding of S. Augustin Spirituall vnderstanding of the Sacrament as concerning the substance of the Sacrament although ther be an other maner of spirituall vnderstanding whiche both he and all the holie Fathers and all good catholique men doo beleue receaue and approue and do not denie this spirituall maner but both must be ioined and concurre in euery good chrystian man yf time and condicion will serue as before ys saied Nowe what S. Cyrill saieth whom here we place with S. Augustine Let vs heare Verba quae ego locutus sum vobis spiritus vita sunt Totum corpus suum viuifica spiritus virtute plenum esse ostendit Spiritum enim hic ipsam carnem suam nuncupauit non quia carnis naturam amiserit in spiritum Ca. 24. in 6. Joan. mutata sit sed quia summè cum eo coniuncta totam viuificandi vim hausit Nec indecenter hoc dictum quisquam existimet Nam qui Domino conglutinatur vnus cum eo spiritus est Quomodò igitur caro sua vna cum eo non appllabitur Huiusmodi ergo est quod dicitur Putatis me dixisse viuificum natura sui esse terrestre mortale hoc corpus ego verò de spiritu vita locutus sum Non enim natura carnis secundùm se viuificare potest sed virtus ipsius spiritus viuificantem carnem reddidit Verba ergo quae locutus sum id est èa quae locutus sum vobis suntspiritus vita qua ipsa etiam caro mea viuit viuifica est The woordes which I haue spokē vnto yowe are spiritt and life He sheweth all his whol bodie to be full of the quickning The verie flesh of Chryst called spirit power of the spiritte For he calleth here the spiritte his verie flesh not that yt hath leftof the nature of flesh and ys chaunged into a spirit but bicause being excellently conioined with him yt hath taken the wholl power to quickē Neither let anie man thinke this to be spokē vndecētlie For he that ys surely ioined to our Lorde ys one spirit with him howe then shall not his flesh be called one with our Lord Yt ys therfor after this sashiō that ys saied ye thinke me to haue saied this mortall and earthlie bodie of the owne nature to be quicking or geuing life but I haue spoken of spiritt and life For the nature of the flesh yt self cā not geue life But the power of the Spiritt hath made the flesh geuing life The woordes therfor that I haue spokē that ys the thinges that I haue spokē vnto yowe are spiritt and life by the which the same my flesh also doth liue and ys quickning Thus farre S. Cyrill In whiche woordes yt ys easie to be perceaued that wher S. Augustine before expownding these woords of Chryst saied that they are to be vnderstanded spirituallie this authour as yt were expownding him and the woordes of Chryst saieth that so they are to be expownded spirituallie not by an expositiō of a singular imagined spirituall maner of vnderstanding that shall be so spirituall that yt shall vtterly denie Chrystes flesh but the verie reall and naturall slesh of Chryst for that yt ys so inteirlie ioined to the God head which Cyrill here calleth the Spirit yt ys soche a spirituall flesh that yt maie be called also the Spirit as S. Hierom also for like consideracion and for that yt ys so exalted calleth yt the diuine flesh So that S. Cyrill vnderstādeth Chryst that wher he saied the woordes that I haue spoken to yowe are spirit and life yt ys thus to be vnderstāded that the flesh of Chryst ys spirit and life And therfor the Aduersaies seme to be carnall and grosse that wher the Sacramentaries are Capharnaites se holie Fathers vnderstāde the verie flesh of Chryst to be a spirituall flesh for cōsideracions aboue specified they maliciouslie and despitefullie to the great derogacion of so high a misterie call vs Capharnaites as though we shoulde receaue nothing but carnall flesh the flesh of an onelie bare naturall man and not the flesh of Chryst whiche being inseparablie ioined to the God head and therfore the very flesh of God ende wed with the power of the same Godhead to geue life ys called both Spirit ād life and so ys bothe very The flesh of Chryst ys both naturall and spirituall naturall and yet spirituall flesh And therfor the catholique people receaue Chrystes verie reall flesh spirituallie bicause yt ys a spirituall flesh and also by cause yt ys knowen with a spirituall knowledg not with the knowledg of naturall reason nor with the knowledge of carnall senseis but with the spiritual knowledge of faith which beleueth that in the Sacrament that reason can not comprehende nor the senses perceaue And so as Algerus saieth Etsi sciri non potest credi potest quia quod videtur non materiale corpus panis est sed species corporalis Quod autem intelligitur Alger li. 2. cap. 3. Christus est qui omnia quaecunque vult in coelo in terra potest Sicue dum exteriorum sensuum testimonio non acquiescit nec interiori inquisitione comprehendens de veritate tamen non titubat fit per Dei gratiam vt in tali suo agone fides nostra exerceatur exercendo augeatur augendo perficiatur perfecta coronetur Although yt can not be knowen yet yt maie be beleued for that that ys seen ys not the materiall bodie of bread but the forme of bread but that that ys vnderstanded ys Chryst who can doe all thinges that he will in heauen and in earth and so Conflict of faith with reason and senses while man doth not agree to the wittnesse of the outwarde senses neither by the inwarde inquisition cōprehending doth not yet doubte of the trueth yt ys doen by the grace of God that faith in soche her conflicte ys exercised in exercising ys encreased in encreasing ys perfected and being perfect ys crowned Thus Algerus So farre wide then ys the catholique faithe from carnalitie in beleuing and recauing Chrystes very bodie in the Sacramēt vnder the forme of breade as this authour saieth that our faith hath a great battaill and conflicte with reason and the knowledg
leauing vnto vs so high a mysterie us a pledge of his great loue to owre endlesse consolacion and comforte Wher thē haue they these their tropes what grounde haue they for them In dede they haue none But nowe to cōfirme this doctrine of these scholers of Chryste S. Iohn a great scholer of the same schoole dothe make an inuincible proofe For he reporting the promisse of Chryste that he wolde geue vnto his Apostles a bread that shoulde be his flesh euē the same flesh that he wolde geue for the life of the worlde vttereth the same simplie and plainlie Whiche promisse was fullsilled no ells wher but in the last supper whē he saied Take eate this ys my bodie wherfore these woordes this ys my bodie are simplie ād plainlie whith oute tropes and figure so to be vnderstāded as they maie answer the pmesse As for the vnderstanding of these woordes of the promisse and the rest The sixte of S. John being vnderstanded of the bodie and blood of Chryst the woordes of the supper must of necessitie be so likewise adioined to the same in the sixt of S. Iohn yt ys allready made euident that theye are to be vnderstanded of Chrystes verie bodie and bloode And for that that processe must and ys necessarilie so vnderstanded of like necessitie must these woordes of Chryst be so vnderstanded For S. Augustine Chrysostome and diuerse other testifie one thing to be spoken of in the sixte of S. Iohn and in the last supper Wherfore as the sixt of S. Iohn speaketh without tropes and signes of the verie bodie and bloode of Chryst So also do these woordes of the supper of Chryst Yt maketh also an euident proofe for this pourpose that S. Paule who taught the Corinthians the vse of the supper of our Lorde did neuer teache them that yt was but a figure of the bodie of our Lorde but simplie that yt was the bodie of our Lorde The proof of this ys easie for he taught thē none otherwise thē he wrote to thē He wrote none other meeninge or vnderstanding of the woordes of Chryste but euen as they were of Chryste spokē whiche was withoute trope or figure wherfor S. Paule taught them without trope or figure Yt ys not like that so woorthie an Apostle and teacher wolde in so perilouse a matter wher on the one side yf Chrystes presence be not there Idolatrie might by occasion of the woordes sownding as they do sooē be cōmitted and on ther side yf the presence of Chrystes bodie as the woordes do sownde be verilie ther necligence in omittinge of duetie might be admitted yt ys not like I saie that he wolde leaue a matter of weight and perill vndeclared and not opened Wherfore sithen he so taught and wrote the woordes of Chryste in no other sense then they were of Chryst spoken yt doth well folowe that they must be so vnderstanded Theie were spoken of Chryst withoute any trope or figure wherfore yt appeareth that of S. Paule they were vnderstand whithoute trope or figure That the woordes of Chryst are to be vnderstanded withoute trope or figure The fame among insidests of the christiā religiō in the primitiue Church proueth the presence not onelie the faith of Chrystes Churche whiche shall be hereafter declared but also the fame grounded vpon the same faith spred thoroughout among the infidells and heathen in the primitiue Churche dothe well prooue yt Yt ys not vnknowen to soche as haue trauailed in the histories that the Chrystians were moche hated and abhorred for that they were famouslie reported to eate the flesh of men and of children And being so reputed were with more cruelltie sought and drawen to tormentes and Martyrdome Among the whiche the holie woman and constant Martyr Blandina saied to them that were aboute her Multū erratis o viri quòd putatis infantum vsceribus vesci eos qui ne brutorum quidē animaliü Euseb li. 5. cap. 2. Blandina carnibus vtuntur Ye are deceiued o ye mē that ye thinke thē to eate the bowells of children which vse not to eate the flesh of brute beastes Attalus also heing sore tormented when he sawe the people delighted with the smel Jbid. cap. 3. Attalus of his flesh being rosted saied vnto them Ecce hoc est hommes comedere quod vos facitis quod à nobis velut occult◠inqniritis facinus quod vos aperta luce committius This Lo that you do ys to eate men whiche as a secret wickednesse ye enquiere amonge vs whiche ye committe in the open light Lib. de passione eius quem scripserunt presbyteri Diacones Achaia The heathen as yt ys supposed knowing the chrystians to assemble and hearing that in those assembles they did eate the flesh of a man and not knowing the mysterie suspected that they killed either men or children for that pourpose when in dede they eate the flesh of Chryst Who as sainct Androwe saied when his veryflesh ys eaten of the people and his blood dronke yet doth he still remain wholl and sownde vndefiled and aliue Yt prooneth well also this fame that Auerrois the Philosopher saieth of the Chrystians Mundum peragraui varias sectas inueni runquam tam fatuam repperi sectam sicut est secta Christianorū Quoniam Deum suum quem colunt deuorant dentibus I haue walked ouer the worlde I haue fownde diuerse sectes and yet did I neuer finde so foolish a secte as the sect of the Chrystians For they deuoure with their teeth whom they honoure as God Yt was knowen to all the worlde that the Chrystiās honoured Chryst as their God Wherfor yt ys easie to perceaue that the fame was that they receaued and eate Chryst And forasmoche as the heathen reputed Chryst but as a verie man and were ignoraunt of that great mysterie of the coniunction of the Godhead and manhead in vnitie of person in Chryst they saied that the Chrystians did eate the flesh of man By whiche voice other some as in a multude yt often happeneth mysvnderstanding yt and taking yt absolutelie reported the Chrystians as before ys saied that they did eat secretlie the flesh of men and children With this suspicion yt ys not vnlike that the Iewe was ledde of whom S. Amphilochius maketh mencion who being desierouse to searche and knowe S. Amphil. in vita Basilij the secrett mysteries of the chrystians at the time that S. Basille shoulde go to the holie ministracion feigning himself a chrystian entred among the Chrystians and when the Sacrament was broken by the handes of S. Basill A iewe induced to be a Chrystiā by a miracle of the Sacramit he sawe thē a childe diuided and whē with other he came to the cōmunion the Sacrament deliuered vnto him was made flesh and the cuppe was full of bloode of whiche bothe reseruing some token he went home and shewed yt to his wief and for declaracion tolde her what he had seen with
his eyes Whervpon belcuing the mysteries of the Chrystians to be merueillouse and wonderfull the next daie he came to S. Basill and desired to be baptised and made a chrystian Thus we maie perceaue that the workes of God be great and merueillouse who vnto this Iewe but suspecting the chrystians to eate flesh and drinke bloode in their mysteries made yt soch to him as he suspected yt to be and to appeare soche to his seight as yt was couertlie to other in verie dede But he sawe yt with his bodilie eye for his instruction that the true Chrystian seeth with his faithfull eye to his saluacion But to return to our first matter so great was the fame that the Chrystians did eate mānes flesh in their mysteries that to deliuer thē frō the enuie that was cōceaued against thē for the same Iustinus the holie martyr was enforced in his Apollogie made vnto Antonius Pius to reueil and declare vnto him all the wholl order of the mysteries of the chrystians and what was their faith therin whiche thing was not vsed in those daies to be declared to anie prophane man and infidel but allwaies kept secrette so moche as yt might be And yet vpon this enforcemēt this Iustinus declared the matter so plainlie as no man of his auncientie to soche men more plainlie as shortlie here after ye shall perceaue As these thinges then hitherto saied do proue by the same that Chryst ys present in the Sacrament and so consequentlie that the woordes of Chryst haue ben and so ought to be vnderstanded in their propre sense withoute trope or figure So wolde I wish them of all chrystians in these daies to be receaued And as by these thinges we maie be moued So by other reasons we maie from the contrarie vnderstanding be disswaded Among manie of whiche I wil bring but one or two that Rupertus doth make and the first ys this Nonne Ioannes Euangelista dicit in Apocalipsi Si quis apposuerit ad haec apponet super illū Rupert li. 6. in Joan. Apoca. 22. Deus plagas scriptas in libro isto Et si quis diminuerit de verbis prophetiae libri huius auferet Deus partem eius de ligno vitae de ciuitate sancta de ijs quae scripta sunt in libro isto Nunquid minùs timenda est hic illa maledictio vt non detrahamus vel apponamus quidquam verbis dicentis Hoc est corpus meum quod pro vobis tradetur Hic est sanguis meus noui testamenti qui pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum Cùm enim illo dicente Hoc est corpus meum nos subauditionem apposuerimus dicentes figuratiuum vel per similitudinem dictum Cùm inquam illo dicente Hoc est corpus meum nos dixerimus hoc signisicat corpus meum nonne multum est quod apponimus vel praua demutatione detrahimus sensum generamus quem tantus Author Deus homo nusquā est locutus nec ascendit vnquam in cor eius Dothe not the Euangelist Iohn saie in the Apocalipse Yf anie man shall adde vnto these thinges God shal adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke And yf anie man shall minishe of the woordes of the booke of this prophecie God shall take awaie his parte oute of the booke of life and oute of the holie To the woordes of God maie nothing be added nor diminished citte and the thinges whiche are written in this booke Ys this maledictiō or curse lesse to be feared here that we diminish not or putte any thing to the woordes of him that saied This ys my bodie whiche shall be deliuered for yow This ys my bloode of the newe testament whiche shall be shedde for manie in the remissiō of sinnes For when he saieth This ys my bodie we shall putto an vnderstanding saing a figuratiue bodie or that yt ys spoken by a similitude when I saie he saieth This ys my bodie we shall saie this signifieth my bodie ys yt not moche that we putto his woordes or by an euell chaunge take from them and make a sense whiche so great an Authour God and man in no place hath spoken neither at anie time did yt ascende in to his heart Thus Rupertus This ys the first reason of this Authour whiche yf yt be well weighed and the thing well considered howe moche we by figures tropes and significacions do alter and chaunge howe moche we putto in woordes and diminish in substance howe the exposition denieth that the text affirmeth we haue good cause to feare the malediction of God spoken by S. Iohn who beareth not soche expositions denieng what he hath saied nor soche gloses confownding his text Wherfore we maie well be dissuaded from soche expositions or rather deprauacions and the rather that their ys no warrant to beare vs so to expownde these woordes of Chryst as of the circumstance of the place maie be perceaued whiche this Authour vseth as an other reason to moue vs not so to vnderstande Chrystes woordes of his supper as the Aduersarie dothe expownde them And thus he saieth Cùm obijcit quis suisue scriptitat in sedulis quod itidem dixerit eadem veritas Ego sum vitis tam audacter quā imperitè in argumentum mendosum illud attrahit cum statim subsequentia verba dicentist Sicut palmes non potest ferre fructum à semetipso nisi manserit in vite sic nec vos nisi in me manseritis manifestè per similitudinem compellant intelligi praesertim cùm non signanter dixerit Ego sum haec vitis sicut signanter dixit Hoc est corpus meum hic est sanguis meus apposita protinus descriptione verae proprietatis de corpore inquiens quod pro vobis tradetur de san guine autem qui pro multis effundetur Igitur ne veniant super nos plagae nouissimae neque apponimus neque diminuimus quicquam diuinae definitioni vel descriptioni quam incarnatum Verbum ore proprio deproinpsit Imo quia perfecta charitas foras mittit timorem non tam plagarum timore qunm veritatis amore confitemur quia panis iste corporeus postquam signauerit eum Pater vinum hoc expressum acinis praesentibus mox vt eodem signo signatum est per manus ecclesiae dicentis vt nobis corpus sanguis fiat dilectissimi filij tui Domini nostri Iesu Christi etc. vsque in memoriā mei facietis corpus sanguis eius qui huius traditionis author est hoc sacrisicium ipse Christus est cuius passione vt sacrificium fieret à Deo Patre in veritate signatum est Whē one obiecteth and writeth yt also in his bookes euen as boldlie as vnlearned These woordes J am a vine Ioan. 15. are proued by the circūstance to be a similitudi lie that the same trueth mening Chryst saieth also I am a vine he draweth yt
oblacion woorthier then this but this excelleth all other whiche ys to be offred to our Lorde with a pure conscience and to be receaued with a pure minde Among the Chrystians ther ys no sacrifice to be offred and with pure minde to be receaued but the sacrifice offred on the aultar And thus of necessitie yt foloweth that this Authour graunteth the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament and that yt ys a sacrifice and that the woordes of Chrystes supper are to be vnderstanded without figure The thirde note ys that when he had taught that the sacrifice must be of Adoracion of the Sacrament auouched fred with a pure cōscience and receaued with a pure minde he teacheth also that yt must be woourshipped and honoured and that with no lowe degree of woorshippe and honour but as this sacrifice saieth he doth precel al so it ys aboue all to be honoured By whiche doctrine yt maie appeare that yf the thinge of the sacrifice dothe excell all other and ysaboue all other to be honoured and the onely sacrifice of Chrystes bodie and blood excelleth all other ys to be honoured that then that blessed bodie and blode are there present to be honoured wher they be offred They be offred wher they be receaued they be receaued in the Sacrament wherfore they are to be honoured in the Sacrament Now when all this disputacion of this holie Father ys graunted vpō these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie this ys my bloode yt can not be but that these woordes of Chryst must be vnderstanded simplie and plainly in their propre sense with oute figure or trope And thus to conclude for these two great Seniours of Chrystes schoole and Parliament house ye perceaue that they vse Chrystes woordes in ther propre sense And also thervpon testifie to vs the enacted trueth of Chrystes very presence in the holy Sacrament whiche ys the cheifest matter here sought THE FOVRE AND FOVRTETH CHAP. BY occasion of the woordes of Alexander treacteth of the adoracion and honouring of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament BVt occasion being geuen by this holie Father Alexander to speake of the adoracion of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament I can not ouerpasse somewhat more to saie of yt to the confutacion of the most impudent and blasphemouse vntrueth spoken and vttered by this Proclamers woordes against adoracion recited and cōfuted Proclamer for thus he saieth Chryst that best knewe what aught to be doen herein when he ordeined and deliuered the Sacrament of his bodie and bloode gaue no commaundement that anie man should fall dowen to it or woourshippe it S. Paule that tooke the Sacrament at Chrystes hande and as he had taken it deliuered it to the Corynthians neuer willed adoracion or godlie honour to be geuen vnto it The olde doctours and holie Fathers of the Churche S. Cyprian S. Chrysostom S. Ambrose S. Hierom S. Augustine and others that receaued the Sacrament at the Apostles hands and as it maie be thought continued the same in soche sorte as they receaued it neuer make mencion in any of all their bookes of adoring or woourshipping of the Sacrament Yt ys a verie newe deuise and as it ys well knowen came but lately into the Churche oboute three hundreth yeares past Honorius then being Bishoppe of Rome commaunded the Sacrament to be lifted vppe and the people reuerentlie ta bowe downe vnto yt After him Vrbanus the fourth appoincted an holie feast of Corpus Christi And graunted oute large pardons to the kepers of it that the people shoulde with the better will resorte to the Churche and kepe it holie This ys the greatest antiquitie of the wholl matter aboute three hundreth yeares ago it was first fownde oute and putte in practise But Chryst and his Apostles the holie Fathers in the primitiue Churche the Doctours that folowed them and other godly and learned men what soeuer for the space of a thousand and two hundreth yeares after Chrystes ascension into heauen this woourshipping of the Sacrament was neuer knowen nor practised in any place within the wholl catholike Churche throughout the wholl worlde Thus moche the Proclamer Whē I readde these his woordes I staied as one astoined considering that they coulde not proceade from anie man but either by ignorance or ells by peruerse malice that wittinglie wolde al shame set apparte vtter soche an vntrueth as the meā learned I suppose of all the catholike Churche knoweth it so to be And the more did I merueill that it was so impudētly setfurth with a repeticiō as therbie with moch boldnesse to auouche the matter Nowe for that the Authour of the woordes ys not vnlearned I coulde not asscribe thē to ignorance And considering his callinge ther shoulde be in him no soche peruerse malice But remembring howe Macedonius Nestorius and diuerse soche other leauing the doctrine of the catholike Church and the mociou of the spirit of God in the same and folowing the doctrine of priuate men according to the mocion of the spirit of Sathan did forget their calling and peruersedlie vsed them selues So likwise I perceaue this man doth the more ys the pittie But that we maie perceaue howe farre wide he ys from the trueth we will examen his woordes His first argument ys that Chryst neuer gaue commaundement to woourshippe the Sacrament Ergo yt ys not to be doen. To this first I saie to him as to one exercised in schooles that an argument of negatiues concludeth The ngatiue argumēt of the Proclamer concludeth nothing nothing But for more large declaracion to the vnderstanding of the Reader yt ys not redde in the Gospell that Chryst commaunded anie bodie to adore him while he here liued in the earth yt ys therfore a good argument that he was not to be adored The three wise men of the east came with their giftes and offringe them adored the babe Chryst They had no cōmaundement of Chryst so to do shoulde they not therfore haue doen yt or did they offende in so doing Diuerse that were cured of Chryst came and adored him but not commaunded of Chryst so to do Yt ys not redde in the Gospells that the Apostles during their familiare conuersacion withe Chryste before his passion that they fell down and adored him Shall we therfore frame an argument that Chryst in his mortall state was not to be adored by cause the Apostles be not readde to haue adored him And that Mary Magdalen the woman of Canaan and the Leeper that did adore him did offende Yt ys a faint kinde of argumentacion I will in like maner reason with this disputer in his owne kinde of disputacion Chryst gaue the Sacrament of his bodie to his Apostles onelie and gaue no commaundement that all people indifferentlie shoulde receaue the same as nowe they doe Wherfor yt aught not to be doen. Yf this argument be good then ys his good But the trueth ys this argument ys naught and so ys his but this disputer knewe well
damnacion but not to the hurte of the people if they knewe yt not And here also to saie I beleue that if any catholique preist had ben knowen to this man so to haue doen as he saieth he wolde without all dowbte to the helpe of his cause wher vnto he hath none haue named him But forasmoche as he speaketh yt of him self and his conspired complices which secretly Conuenerunt in vnum adnersus Dominum aduersus Christum eius haue conspired against our Lorde and against his annoincted when they durst not vtter what they had wickedly conceaued he ys a shamed to name him self to haue committed so heinouse a facte Yf yt be not so yt ys like to be a feigned matter to supplie when certen and true matter lacketh But to returne to the matter and to moue the same scruple to him that he moueth against the catholique Churche What if some that ministre the communion after the sorte that ys nowe receaued do neither speake the woordes of Chryst vpon the bread For Richerus a Caluinist reiecteth the woordes of consecracion as not nedefull to be spoken or munbled as his terme ys vpon insensible creatures neither entende to make anie sacramentall bread what then do your people receaue Yf they receaue no sacramēt as yt ys none if bothe woordes and intencion be lacking then they receaue no promisse they receaue no remission of sinnes nor soch other benefittes for the promisses be annexed to the sacramentes howe are they then deceaued Howe then ys the Sacrament of Chrystes bodie and bloode in due forme ministred Howe ys the death of Chryst shewed furthe according to Chrystes minde whiche must be shewed furth when we eate that bread and drinke that cuppe as S. Paule teacheth vs As often as ye shall eate of this breade and drinke of the cuppe he saieth not bread generallie but this breade mening the bread of the Sacrament Thus if men shall improue the great matters of religion withe why what and howe and inuented daungers and abuses your owne religion whiche yowe magnifie as most sure and good maie be proued vnsure and weake To be short all his argumentes grownded vpon if and and are to no pourpose For if maketh no certen argument Wherfore leauing them as sufficiently touched I shall reuert to matter of more substance and proceade in the allegacion of the fathers for the exposition of Chrystes woordes nowe in hande THE NINE AND FOVRTETH CHAP. PROCEAdeth in the vnderstanding of Chrystes woordes by Irenaeus and Tertullian ALlthough betwen Iustine and Irenaeus ther were some holy Fathers that haue left behinde them goodly testimonies for the proofe of Chrystes very presence in the Sacrament Yet I finde Irenaeus li. 4. cap. 32. cont heres none that doe alleage Chrystes woordes and therby geue vs light to vnderstand them vntill we come to Ireneus who writeth thus Sed Discipulis suis dans consilium primitias Deo offerre ex suis creaturis non quasi indigenti sed vt nec ipsi infructuosi nec ingrati sint eum qui ex creatura panis est accepit gratias egit dicens Hoc est corpus meum Et calicem similiter qui est ex ea creatura quae est secundum nos suum sanguinem confessus est noui testamenti nouam docuit oblationem quam Ecclesia ab Apostolis accipiens in vniuerso mundo offert Deo Geuing also instruction to his disciples the authour speakethe of Chryste Sacrifice of the new Testament instituted ād taught by Chryst in consecraciō of his bodie and blood to offre to God the first fruictes of his creatures not as to one hauing nede but that they shoulde be neither vnfruictfull neither vnthankfull he tooke that breade whiche ys a creature and gaue thankes saing This ys my bodie And the cuppe likewise whiche ys a creature as we be he confessed to be his bloode and of the newe Testament taught a newe oblacion whiche the Churche receauing of the Apostles offreth to God in all the worlde Thus Irenaeus who when he had declared howe allmightie God instituted and appoincted sacrifices and oblacions in the olde testament as thinges to be geuen to him not as to one that neaded soche thinges or giftes but for the exercising of their obedience and faithe in the whiche God ys delighted not yet that God had anie profitt or aduantage therbie but that they doing these thinges profitt and aduantaie might ensewe to them from God for whose commodities sake God did institute them So he declareth that in the newe Testament also the people of the same might exercise their faith and obedience New sacrifice of the new Testament what yt ys and therbie pourchase gain and profitte and for benefittes receaued be fownde thankfull Chryst also taught his Apostles to offre sacrifice And what the sacrifice ys he teacheth saing that yt ys his bodie made of the creature of bread and his bloode made of the creature of wine Howe this thinge ys brought to passe he sheweth when he saieth that Chryst tooke the bread whiche ys a creature and gaue thankes saing This ys my bodie And likewise the cuppe which also ys a creature and confessed yt to be his bloode In whiche woordes wher he hath expressedly saied that Chryst confessed yt to be his bloode and the like ys ment of the bread to be his bodie what more plain speache wolde we desire of anie authoure Yf Chryst confessed yt to be his bodie Li. 4. de Sacramēt c. 6 and his confession ys allwaies true howe then standeth the sainge of the Aduersarie that yt ys not his bodie Shall we doubte of the trueth of Chryste as S. Ambrose saieth Ipse Dominus Iesus testificatur nobis quod corpus suum accipiamus sanguinem Nunquid debemus de eius fide testificatione dubitare Owre Lorde Iesus testifieth vnto vs that we receaue his bodie and bloode ought we to doubte of his treuth and testimonie Seing then this authour saieth that Chryst confessed his bodie and bloode Jrenaeus auoucheth both reall presence ād sacrifice to be present and that by these woordes This ys my bodie This ys my bloode yt ys plain that he vnderstandeth them in their propre sense withoute figure or trope and so acknowledgeth the very reall presence of Chrystes bodie ād blood in the Sacramēt For farder proof wherof the woordes that immediately in the same authour doe folowe do make very moch wher he saieth Et noui Testamenti nouam docuit oblacionem And of the newe Testament he taught a newe oblacion This newe oblacion of the newe Testament ys the bodie and bloode of Chryste as before in the first booke ys declared and prooued And here to the pourpose farder to saie yf the sacrifice that Chryst instituted to be the newe oblacion of the newe testament were but a peice of Sacramentall breade yt were no newe oblacion For then yt were the same that Melchisedech offred who offred bread
and wine in sacrifice as a figure Wherfore if this sacrifice be but bread and wine a bare figure then yt ys no newe oblacion In the leuiticall lawe also we finde bread and wine offred in the sacrifice The shewe bread also was offred in sacrifice Wherfor of necessitie yt must be vnderstand of an oblacion and sacrifice not hertofore accustomed to be offred whiche by that reason maie be called a newe oblacion which ys none other but the verie bodie and bloode our Sauiour Chryste Which although yt were figuratiuelie offred before of Melchisedech in materiall breade and wine yet nowe in the newe testament yt ys offred as neuer before not in figure but in verie dede the verie bodie and blood of Chryst him self the heauenly breade and heauenlie wine answering the bread and wine of Melchisedech as the thing the figure And so yt ys a newe oblaciō instituted to be offred in the newe Testamēt Wherfor also Chryst to shewe the adaptaciō of the figure to the thing and the figure therin to be fullfilled tooke bread and wine and consecrating them into his bodie and bloode confessed them as this authour saieth to be his bodie and bloode that the figure might be manifestlie shewed ther to be termined in that heauenly bread and wine the verie thing figurated by that figure Yf the malice of the aduersarie will go aboute to peruerte this plain sainge and testimonie of his authour sainge that allthough Chryst did confesse the bread and wine to be his bodie and bloode yet yt foloweth not that they were so in dede This were a merueilouse saing that Chryst shoulde confesse a thing to be in plain maner of speache withoute anie circunstance leading vs to an other sense and yet in deed not to be so But that he shall not so wickedly auoide the trueth vttered here by this authour he shal heare an other testimonie of the same in the whiche as before he saied that Chryst confessed the bread and wine to be his body and bloode so here the authour affirmeth them to be the bodie and blode Thus he saieth Quomodò constabit cum panem in quo gratiae actae sunt corpus esse Domini sui calicē sanguinis eius si non ipsum fabricatoris mundi filium dicant c. Quomodò autem rursum Irenaus li. 5. cont Heresie dicunt carnem in corruptionem deuenire non percipere vitam quae à corpore Domini sanguine alitur Howe shall yt be manifest that bread in the whiche than kes be geuen to be the bodie of their Lorde and the cuppe of his bloode yf A plain saing of Irenaeus for the Proclamer they saie that he ys not the sonne of the maker of the worlde c. And again howe saie they the flesh to come into corruption and not to receaue life whiche ys nourished of the bodie and bloode of our Lorde Ther be here in this testimonie twoo notes wherby as the aduersarie ys aunswered and conuinced so ys the trueth notablie settfurth and confirmed The first ys that he saieth that the bread in the whiche thankes are geuen ys the bodie of our Lorde and the cuppe ys the cuppe of his bloode The bread in the which Chryst gaue thinkes was the bread which the Euangelistes saie that Chryst tooke in his handes and gaue thankes saing This ys my bodie Chryst then might verie well confeffe yt to be his bodie seing as Irenaeus saieth yt ys his bodie So that of this authour we learn yt not onely to be called and confessed the bodie of Chryst but also to be and that not in obscure woordes but in plain and euident sentence The other note ys that our flesh ys nourished of the bodie and bloode of Oure flesh ys nourished of the bodie and blood of our Lord. our Lorde Wherby the erroure of the Aduersarie teaching that Chryst ys onely spiritually and not reallie receaued in the Sacramēt ys ouerthrowen and fownde false For by that spirituall maner our flesh ys not nourished wherfor of necessitie the other maner that ys Chrystes verie reall bodie must be in the Sacrament receaued Yt shal helpe yowe the better to perceaue the minde of this authour as concerning the reall presence of Chryst in the Sacrament if ye doe vnderstande wherfore he wrote this that ys here alleaged Vnderstand therfore that by this place last alleaged he impugneth two heresies the one was that Chryst was not the Sonne of God that made the worlde but that he was a man liuing in Iewrie who did not onelie dissolue Two heresies cōfuted by one argument grownded vpon the Sacr. the lawe and the Prophetes but also all the workes of that God that made the worlde The other taught that the soule onely shall be saued and liue euerlastinglie and not the bodie for that yt being a grosse thing made of the earth yt ys not possible that yt shoulde atteing to euerlasting life To confute these two heresies Irenaeus growndeth him self vpon the Sacrament as a matter certen euident plain and knowen aswell of the heretiques against whom he disputed as of the true catholique Chrystians Nowe against the first heresie he proueth Chryst to be the Sonne of God by that that they confessed the bodie of their Lorde to be in the Sacrament For yf he whose bodie ys in the Sacrament were not the Sonne of him that made the worlde but a bare naturall man howe coulde a man of hys owne powre compasse that his bodie should so be and howe coulde yt be the bodie of their Lorde yf he were not the Sonne of God So all the weight of this argument standeth and resteth vpon the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament Nowe denie the presence with thys Proclamer and then the argument maketh nothing against the heresie and so the argument which this holie Father thought to be stronge shall be but weake But who can doubte of the true knowledge of this auncient Father When he grownded hys argument vpon the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament he was sure that hys grownde was fast and good Yf the Sacrament were nothing but a figure what more proofe coulde be grownded vpon yt then vpon anie other figure of the olde lawe The second heresie he also impugneth by the receipt of the bodie and bloode of Chryst in the Sacrament For wher that heresie denied the bodie of man to be able or like to atteign to life euerlasting this holie man proueth that yt shall For howe can yt saieth he but receaue life seing yt ys nourished by the bodie and bloode of Chryst as though he might Cyrill in 6. Ioan. ca 14 haue saied as sainct Cyrill saieth Quoniam Saluatoris caro Verbo Dei quod naturaliter vita est coniuncta viuifica effecta est quando eam comedimus tunc vitam habemus in nobis illi coniuncti quae viuifica effecta est Bycause the flesh of our Sauiour ioined to the Sonne of God
of S. Iohn Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est quam dabo pro mundi vita The breade that I will geue yowe ys my flesh whiche I will geue for the life of the worlde And that which foloweth in the same chapter concerning the Sacrament The commaundement we finde in the three other Euangelistes and in S. Paule Accipite comedite hoc est corpus meum Bibite ex hoc omnes Hic est calix sanguinis mei Take and eate This ys my bodie drinke ye all of this This ys the Matth. 26 Mar. 14. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 11. cuppe of my bloode Cyprian saieth that Chryst first taught that men shoulde drinke bloode and that the schoole of the Gospell did first sett yt furth and also the Gospell did commaunde yt But in all the Gospell we finde no soche coÌ„maundement but this that ys nowe saied Wherfor these woordes doe commaunde vs to drinke the verie bloode of Chryst and not the onely figure of yt Whiche being so yt prooueth the verie reall presence of Chrystes bodie and bloode in the Sacrament and these commaundements in the woordes of Chrystes supper to be literall and not tropicall Nowe foloweth Athanasius whome for that he was not long after Cyprian I haue coopled with the same as a famouse auncient father of the greke churche with an holie famouse martir of the Latin church Thus writeth Athanasius Corpus est ergo cui dicit Sede à dextris meis Cuius etiam fuit inimicus Diabolus Athanasius li. de fide vt â—iÌ„tatur à Theodoret Dialogo 2. Inconfusus cum malis potestatibus Iudaei Greci per quod corpus Pontifex Apostolus fuit dictus est per id quod tradidit nobis mysterium dicens Hoc est corpus meum quod pro Vobis frangitur Et sanguis noui testamenti non veteris qui pro vobis effunditur c. Yt ys therfore a bodie to the which he saied Sitte on my right hande whose enemie was the Deuell with the euell powers and the Iewes and the grekes By whiche bodie he both was in dede and was called an high preist and an Apostle by that misterie that he deliuered vs saing This ys my bodie which ys broken for yowe and the bloode of the newe Testament not of the olde whiche ys shed for yowe The Godheade hath neither bodie nor bloode but man which he did take of the virgen Mary Theodorete who in his second dialoge laboureth to prooue two distincted natures without confufion that ys the nature of God and the nature of man eche of them full and perfight ioined but not commixed in vnitie of person in Chryst owre sauiour alleageth this saing of Athanasius wher in Athanasius touching both natures doth most abide to prooue the nature of man to remain in Chryst And to prooue that he proueth that Chryst had a verie mans bodie and that by two argumentes The first ys that where Dauid in the psalme prophecied that Chryst shoulde be exalted to sitte on the right hand of God the Father and therfor saied The Lorde saied to my Lorde sute thowe on my right hand This coulde not be saied but to a bodie But Chryst as God had neither bodie nor bloode Wherfore yt ys spoken to Chryst as man The other argument ys after this sorte Chryst by that that he deliuered vnto vs the misterie of his bodie and bloode was in dede and so also was called an high preist But in the deliuering of this misterie he saied This ys my bodie This ys my bloode And the Godhead of Chryst hath neither bodie nor bloode Wherfor he spake hy his verie maÌ„heade which had both bodie and bloode This ys my bodie This ys my bloode In both these argumentes this ys principallie entended to prooue Chryst a verie man by that that he had a verie bodie Nowe to our pourpose in the seconde argument to proue that he had a bodie by that that Chryst saied This ys my bodie doth yt not proue that this authour vnderstaÌ„deth Chryste to haue spoken this by his very bodie yf the shoulde not so doe what shoulde yt helpe his matter that he entendeth to prooue to bring in this saing of Chryst This ys my bodie yf yt be not spoken of his bodie To prooue that this auhour dothe so vnderstande this place of Chryst as spoken of his verie bodie this maketh yt most certen and yt maie not be against Scriptures must be alleaged in their literal sense in matters of faith saied S. Augustine saieth and yt ys a rule among all the learned diuines that in the disputacion of matters of faithe all scriptures must be alleaged in their literall sense Forasmoche then as this scripture ys alleaged in the disputacion of an highe matter of faithe as ye haue hearde yt must be taken aÌ„d vnderstaÌ„ded in the literal sense The woords are takeÌ„ to prooue that Chryst had a verie bodie Wherfore in the literall sense they are spoken and vnderstand of his verie bodie Thus ye maie perceaue that figures signes tokens and tropes are not admitted by this authour to geue vs the true sense and mening of these woordes And thus moche maie we here note as I haue before touched that the beleif of the presence of Chrystes verie bodie in the Sacrament was in the auncient churche of Chryste so faithfullie receaued so generallie accepted so highlie esteemed that the learned Fathers grownded their argumetes against heretikes vpon the matter of the Sacrament as vpon a principle of faith This haue yowe seen in Irenaeus This haue yowe seen in Tertullian This same ye see in Athanasius Whiche as yt aught to be an occasion of an assured staie and confirmacion of our faithe in the same matter in the Sacrament so wishe I that yt maie be a reuocacion of the Proclamer and all other walking in erroure with him to the verie faith of the Sacrament that Chryst maie by the mouthe of all that professe his name be in his Sacramentes praised and magnified euen according to his holie will and pleasure THE ONE AND FITITETH CHAP. SHEWETH the minde of Iuuencus and Euseb Emisen vpon the woordes of Chryst. AMonge the Latines that doe open vnto vs the vnderstanding of the woordes of Chrystes supper the next that I finde to S. Ciprian ys Juuencus lib. 4. Euangelice histor Iuuencus the preist a chrystian Poete in Spain who in Verse geueth a notable and a plain vnderstandinge of Chrystes woordes He ys verie auncient he did write a good nombre of yeares aboue xii hundreth yeares agone Thus saieth he Haec vbi dicta dedit palmis sibi frangere panem Diuisumue dehinc tradit sanctumue precatus Discipulos docuit proprium se tradere corpus Hinc calicem sumit Dominus vinoue repletum Gratis sanctificat verbis potumue ministrat Edocuitue suum se diuisisse cruorem Atque ait hic sanguis populi delicta remittet Hunc potate meum c.
then August de peccatormerit remiss holie bread vsed in the primitiue Churche other meates although yt be not saieth he the bodie of Chryst And yet this bread accompteth he not though yt be a Sacrament to them and an holie signe amonge the miraculouse workes of God no more then the Church did the holie bread whiche the people receaued on certain daies Wherfor if the Sacrament were but a sign or token onelie as Oecolampadius saieth yt ys then yt should be but as the bread of the Catechumeni the newe conuerted to Chryst and as the holie bread of Christian people whiche S. Augustine accompteth but as an holie thing and yet referred yt not into the nombre of the miraculouse workes of God No more wolde these holie and auncient Fathers which I haue alleaged so haue esteemed the Sacrament and set yt furth by the great workes of God as a miraculouse worke requiring faith to be beleued to contein more than reason can conceaue or Figures cōtein what reason can conceaue the Sacr. what faith must beleue senseis iudge And therfor the holie fathers haue traueiled to staie and confirme the faith of the Chrystians by examples of workes doen miraculouslie by Gods power accompting this as one of the same kinde or sorte This being well weighed and considered by the Fathers in the Lateran Councell wher were assembled no small nombre of learned men as well of the greke church as of the latin as the Patriarkes of Hierusalem and Constantynople Archebishoppes 70. Bishoppes 400. of other Fathers 92. with the Ambassadours of the Grecian and Romain Empire and the Oratours of Hierusalem Fraunce Spain Englonde and Cypres for the declaracion and confirmacion of the faith in this matteir accordinge to the doctrine of the holie Fathers and to the confutacion of the wicked doctrine of Berengarius at that time yet lurking in corners this Canon was ther agreed vpon and set Concil Lateran cap. 1. de fide cathol furth Verum Christi corpus sanguis in sacramento Altaris sub speciebus panis vini veraciter continentur transubstantiatis pane in corpus vino in sanguinem potestate diuina The verie bodie and blood of Chryste are verilie and trulie conteined vnder the formes of bread and wine in the Sacrament of the aultar the bread and wine being transubstanciated into the bodie and bloode by the power of God Thus the Councell whiche was celebrated aboue thre hondreth yeares agone Nowe Reader thowe seest the learning and faith of Chrystes Church in this matter of transubstantiacion not onelie nowe in these daies professed taught and beleued through oute all Chrystendome but also aboue three hondreth yeares agon in the great and generall Councell Lateran and so by Fathers testified before and vppewarde vntill ye come to the primitiue church Wherfor minding here after to touche yt more as occasion shall be ministred I think this for this time sufficient to moue anie man to haue a regarde to his faith that hath not solde him self ouer to liue vnder heresie disobedience and sinne Nowe therfor I returne to my pourpose THE TWO AND FIFTETH CHAP. OPENETH the mindes of Sainct Basill and Sainct Ambrose vpon the woordes of Chryst THinke not gentle reader but that ther be manie lefte not here alleaged as Optatus Dionisius Alexandrius Hilarius Origen and other which geue goodlie testimonie for the veritie of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament But here we alleadge none but soche as treacting of these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie This ys my bloode doe geue vs their doctrine for the true vnderstanding of them wherfor the other omitted this ordre hath brought vs to S. Basill in the greke churche and to S. Ambrose in the latin church S. Basill to whom this question was moued with what feare what maner Basil quaest compend explic qu. 172. of faith or assured certentie and with what affection the bodie and blod of Chryst shoulde be receaued made this aunswer Timorem docet nos Apostolus dicens Qui edit bibit indigné iudicium sibiipsi edit ac bibit At verò certitudinis perfectionē inducit fides verborū Domini qui dixit Hoc est corpus meum quod pro vohis datur Hoc facite in meà m cōmemorationē The Apostle teachethvs the feare saing He tht eateth and drinketh vnwoorthilie he eateth ād drinketh vnto himself iudgement But the perfection of certitude induceth the faith of the woords of our Lorde who saied This ys my bodie whiche ys geuen for yowe Doe this in the remembrance of me Thus moch S. Basill for aunswer to the question For the better vnderstanding of which aunswer consider that this question ys propownded as of them that were vnlearned and wolde be simplie S. Basill how he taught the simple to beleue of the Sacrament instructed in the faithe of Chryst to the instruction of whiche kinde of people S. Basill appointed him self in the solucion of this question and other Wherfor yt ys to be thought that in this solucion he taught the simple and plain trueth Nowe then teaching them that these woordes This ys my bodie doe instruct them what faith they shoulde haue in the receipt of the Sacrament what dothe he but teach that these woordes must be taken as they sownde and so by them to haue this faith that Chrystes verie bodie ys in the Sacrament according as the woordes doe sownde For consider wolde this holie man trowe ye teache the people to grownde their faith vpō these woordes if their faith shoulde not be grownded ypon them as they lie but vpon this sense this ys a figure of my bodie Yf the faith of the people of the Sacrament aught to be none other but that yt ys but a figure of the bodie and not the bodie yt self wolde he haue moued them to beleue the woordes as they be spoken and not haue taught the true sense that they aught to grownde their faith vpon in dede No chrystian will so thinke of so woorthie a man as this was And therfor ye maie perceaue that this holieman Ca. 25. 37. 44. vnderstoode Chrystes woordes simplie in propre sense and taught therbie the very presence of Chrystes blessed bodie and bloode in the Sacrament as before ys saied and shall be plentifullie declared in the thirde booke S. Ambr. booke of Sacr. reiected of Oecolāp as S. lames epistle by Luther for their plaintrueth Nowe foloweth S. Ambrose in whome I finde soche copie and soche plentie of plain and euident places to open and declare the right and true vnderstanding of this scripture This ys my bodie that as a man comming into a goodlie garden garnished adorned and pleasantlie furnished with all delectable and swete flowres can not tell which flower to take first Euen so I beholding S. Ambrose and the plentie of goodlie liuely places in him I knowe not whiche to take first But bicause he ys so plain in gods treuth and
that ther ys not one auncient doctour that maketh for the catholique faith of the Sacrament Thus Chrysostō expownding these woordes of owre Sauiour Chryst in the xxvi of Matthew saieth Credamus vbique Deo nec repugnemus ei etiamsi sensui cogitationi nostrae absurdum esse videatur quod dicitur superet sensum rationem Chrys in 26 Math. hom 83. nostram sermo quaeso ipsius quod in omnibus praecipuè in mysterus faciamus non illa quae ante nos iacent solummodò aspicientes sed verba quoque eius tenentes Nam verbis eius defraudari non possumus sensus verò noster deceptu facillimus est Illa falsa esse non possunt hic soepius ac soepius fallitur Quoniam ergo ille dixit Hoc est corpus meum nulla teneamur ambiguitate sed credamus oculis intellectus id perspiciamus Let vs in Gods word euen cōtrarie to senses must be beleued euerie place beleue God and let vs not striue against him although that that he saieth seem to our sense and thought vnlikely Let hys woorde I beseche yowe ouercome bothe our wittes and reason which thing let vs doe in all thinges but cheiflie in the mysteries not onely loking on those things whiche lie before vs but also regarding hys woords For by hys woords we cannot be deceaued our sense ys easie to be deceaued they can not be false this our sense ys often and often deceaued Forasmoche them as he hath saied This ys my bodie Let vs be holden with no ambiguitie or doubte but let vs beleue and with the eies of our vnderstanding let vs verilie see yt Thus farre Chrysostom In this saing yt ys to be perceaued howe he laboureth that in this matter of the Sacramēt we should discredit our senseis ād creditte Chrysts woords And sorasmoche as he saied This ys my bodie thouh yt passe our reason to comprehend the worke of God in making present the bodie of Chryst and our senseis can not of themselues atteign to perceaue the same bodie for neither But yt passeth not reason tomake present a figure of his bodie our eies doe see yt neither our tast discern yt neither our feeling or other senses perceaue yt yet saieth Chrysostome we maie not doubte of yt but beleue yt to be the bodie of Chryst bicause he saied yt was so Nowe consider with me if the woordes of Chryst had an other sense thē they doe outwardlie purporte as that they shoulde teache vs that yt ys but a figure of Chrystes bodie and not the bodie yt self wolde Chrysostom trow ye in this his open sermon wil the people to beleue and not to doubt of the trueth of the woords as they be spokē and wold not raither first vtter the true sense and vnderstanding of them yf anie other were and then perswade the people of that sense not to doubt Yt ys an euel maner of teaching to will the people to beleue the woordes of scripture as they lie and are not so to be vnderstanded but in a sense moche different from that Yt ys not the Chryso willeth Chrystes woordes to be vnderstāded as they be spoken maner of Chrysostom so to teache wherfore for so moche as he willeth them not to doubte but to beleue the woordes as they be spoken whiche he dothe in that that he teacheth no other sense yt ys manifest that these woordes are to be vnderstanded in their propre sense withoute the Aduersaries figure And that Chrysostome himself did so vnderstand them thys proueth that he in sondrie and manie places of his workes treating of these woords Reall presence auouched by Chryso of Chryst Thys ys my bodie he neuer addeth this sense Thys ys a figure of my bodie But euer leaueth them in the sense that they be spoken and in some place by expresse woordes in some place by plain circumstance he dcclareth the verie presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament By expresse woordes as wher he saieth Qui dixit Hoc est corpus meum rem simul cum verbo consecit Jn 14. Marc. hō 51. He that saied Thys ys my bodie He with hys woorde made the the thing also I wishe these fewe woordes of Chrysostom to be well marked that they Chryst saing This ys my bodie with the woorde made the thing neuer fall from memorie but maie allwaies be reteined as a rule to vnderstand him in all places wher he speaketh of the Sacrament of Chrystes bodie and blood For yf Chryst with hys woorde made the thing also that he spake of and the thing that he spake of was hys bodie then with the speaking of hys woorde he made hys bodie This then being trueth as Chrysostome here teacheth yt can not be denied but that by expresse woordes he teacheth the presence of Chrystes verie bodie in the Sacrament And thus by Chrysostome ys clerely wiped awaie the hereticall figuratiue Figure of the Sacramentaries wiped awaie by Chrysost vnderstanding of these woordes of Chryst Thys ys my bodie For the Aduersaries wolde haue yt so a figure as of a thing absent But Chryst as Chrysostome saieth made the thing together with the woorde Wherfore as the woorde was present so was the thing present Yf the thing be present then the figure of the Aduersaries can not here be admitted Vpon the certentie of which presence the same Chrysostome in the same homelie thus taught hys people Quando igitur sacerdotem corpus tibi prebere Plain places of Chrysost for the Pooclamer Chrys ibi videris noli sacerdotis sed Christi manum ad te porrigiarbitrari Therfore when thow seest the preist geue thee the bodie thinke not the hand of the preist but the hand of Chryst to be put furth to thee And that the people shoulde geue full creditte to this trueth he vseth this perswasion in the same homelie Qui enim maius idest animam suam prote posuit quare dedignabitur suum tibi tradere corpus Audiamus igitur tam sacerdotes quà m alij quà m magna quà m admirabilis res nobis concessa est Audiamus oro perhorrescamus carnes suas nobis tradidit seipsum immolatum nobis proposuit Quam igitur satisfactionem offeremus cum tali pabulo nutriti peccemus cum Agnum comedentes in lupos conuertamur cum ouinis carnibus refecti vt leones rapiamus He that hath geuen a greater thing for thee that ys to saie his life why will he disdein to deliuer hys bodie to thee Let vs therfore heare bothe preistes and other howe great and wonderfull a thing ys graunted vnto vs. Let vs heare I praye yowe and let vs feare He hath deliuered vnto vs hys flesh himself offred hath he putte before vs. What satisfaction then shall we offre that being nourished with soch foode doe sinne When eating the lambe we are turned into wolues when satisfied with shepes flesh we rauine as lions Thus farre Chrysostom Note well
That this ys the cause Chrysostome by plain woordes declareth saing Chryst did drinke first of yt lest when they had heard the woordes of Chryste which were these Eate This ys my bodie Drinke This ys my bloode they shoulde saie what doe we eate flesh and drinke bloode and therfor they shoulde be troobled Note that he saieth that the Apostles wolde haue saied whi doe we eat flesh Trooble of the Apost shoulde haue ben bicause they knewe they should eate verie flesh and drinke bloode In the whiche woordes he doth plainlie expresse their faith that they beleued yt to be flesh and bloode And bicause they did certenlie beleue yt to be flesh and bloode and that they shoulde so haue receaued yt yt might haue ben a cause to trooble them Therfor Chrysostom addeth Ac ideo perturbarentur And therfor they shoulde be troobled Therfor that ys bicause they shoulde eate the flesh and drinke the blood of a man Fot that ys the cause that Chrysostom doeth assign of their trooble That whiche foloweth also moche helpeth the declaracion of this matter that when Chryst saieth Chysostom did speake of these thinges before manie for the woordes alonelie were offēded In that he saieth that they were offēded for the wordes alone he geueth vs to vnderstād that the Apostles shoulde not nowe haue bē offended so but for the doing that where Chryst before did speake of the geuing of his flesh nowe he did both speake of yt and geue yt in dede And so in the receipt of yt in dede they shoulde haue ben offended But saieth Chrysostom that that might not happen he dranke first that they animated and comforted by his example might with a quiett minde neither thinking yt straunge neither lothsome receaue the misteries in the whiche as a mistery requireth was hidden a thinge not open to senseis whiche was the bodie of Iesus Chryste Nowe ye haue heard the minde of Chrysostom vpon the woordes of Chryst and howe he vnderstandeth them yowe maie perceaue and by the same also yowe maie knowe both howe he did beleue and howe also the Apostles who first tooke this misterie at Chrystes hand did beleue And nowe forasmoche as I haue taried long vpon Chrysostom but not without profitt to the reader as I trust I will with the more expedition breislie ouerpasse the breif saing of Sedulius who at this time ys ioined to Chrysostom Sedul in 11 prim Cor. as his yockefelowe to testifie the true vnderstāding of Chrystes wordes in the latin churche as Chrysostome hath doen in the greke churche Thus he saieth Accipite hoc est corpus meū quasi dixisset Paulus Cauete ne illud corpus A plain place for M. Iuell indignè comedatis dū corpus Chisti est Take this ys my bodie as though Paule had saied Beware that ye eate not that bodie vnworthilie forasmohe as yt ys the bodie of Chryste Thus mochehe Who expownding the woordes of Chryst vttered by S. Paule to the Corinthians dothe by expresse woordes geue vs to vnderstande thē in their propre sense as speaking of the verie bodie and of no figure or trope For if they were so to be vnderstāded this learned man taking vpon him the office of an expositoure and so to expownde the woordes of Chryst and the mening of S. Paule in the alleaging of them wolde haue taught nowe that theie are to be vnderstāded by a figure as an expositour aught to doe But forasmohe as he teacheth that they are vndestanded of Chrystes bodie as in opening S. Paules minde yt doeth wel appeare yt can not otherwise be but the woordes Sedulius cōmended of Chryste are to be taken simplie as teaching vs that Cryste and S. Paule spake of the very bodie and not of the bare figure of yt This mā was both learned and auncient not moche aboue foure hondreth years after Chryste who as by learning he was not voide of good knowledg so by auncientie he was not voide of true faith Wherfor we must nedes confesse that this doctrine ys according to the true faith and so consequentlie acknowledge that yt ys the true faith to beleue Chrystes verie bodie in the Sacrament Thus Reader thowe hauest heard these twoo noble men of Chrystes Parliament The Proclāer must subscribe to the catholique doctrin of the Church if he will kepe promesse howse openinge to vs the enacted trueth of the vnderstanding of Chrystes woordes bothe of them testifieng the presence of Chrystes bodie by the same woordes and no one title of the Aduersaries figures and signes and that so plainlie and euidentlie that methinke the Proclamer shall doe me wronge if he subscribe not to this trueth for somoche as he hath promised so to doe vpon the seight of anie one plain place in scripture Councell or doctoure Chrysostom I am sure ys so plain and with all so euident and strong against the wicked assertion of the Proclamer that he shall neuer be able with all his engins and false shiftes that he had to withstand his force But yf hys mouthe will not for pride confesse the trueth his conscience I doubte not accuseth him as confownded THE SIX AND FIFTETH CHAP. ABIDETH in the exposition of the same woordes by Theophilus and Leo. NOw gentle Reader coming towardes the ende of these famouse and noble men of Chrystes higher house of Parliament I meen of soche as were within sixe hondreth years after Chryst I trust thowe wilt not fainte to proceade and see the ende And to thy more ease I also as a man trauailing in iourneie and coming towarde the ende being desierouse of the same taketh courage to him and maketh the more hast to atteign his desire Euen so I nowe drawing to the ende will be shorter then I haue ben and so make hast that I maie obtein that that I desire And nowe of those fathers that remain Theoplnlus Archibishoppe of Alexandria Origen his heresic shall be the first that in our matter shall geue his testimonie This man writing against Origen for that he saied that the deuells shall be saued at Theop. Alexand li. 2. pasch the last saieth thus Consequens est vt qui priora susceperit suscipiat quae sequuntur Et qui pro Doemonibus Christum dixerit crucifigi ad ipsos quoque dicendum suscipiat Hoc est corpus meum accipite Hic est sanguis meus Si enim pro Daemonibus crucifigitur vt nouorum dogmatum assertor affirmat quod erit priuilegium aut quae ratio vt soli homines corpori eius sanguiniue communicent non Daemones quoque proquibus in passione sanguinem fuderit Yt ys consequent that he that receaueth the first thinges shoulde also receaue those thinges that folowe And he that doeth saie Chryst to be cruicified for Deuels alow also to be saied vnto thē This ys my bodie and Take this ys my bloode For yf Chryst shall be crucified also for Deuells as the auoucher of newe
their vntrueth and their deuelish setting furth of the same and to kepe vs in in the right waie that we erre not with them if we will geue eare to good ād holsome doctrine And therfore seing God hath sent soche plentie of good authours yt were pitie but that they shoulde be brought furth wherby God in his trueth maie glorified and his people in the same edefied Of all these that remain first cometh to hande the learned grecian Euthymius who withoute all darke maner of speache openeth to vs the true vnderstanding Euth in 26 Matth. of S. Paules saing Thus he writeth Quemadmodum panis confortat ita Christi corpus hoc facit ac magis etiarn corpus animam sanctificat Et sicut vinum taetificat ita sanguis Christi hoc facit insuper praesidium efficitur Quodsi de vno corpore sanguine omnes fideles participamus omnes vnum sumus per ipsam horum Flesh vnited to the Sonne of God by assumption the same vnited to vs by participacion myst eriorum participationem in Christo omnes Christus in omnibus Qui edit inquit meam carnem bibit meum sanguinem in me manet ego in eo Verbum siquidem per assumptionem carni vnitum est baec rursus caro vnitur nobis per participationem As bread doth comforte so doeth the bodie of Chryst also this and more yt sanctifieth both bodie and soule And as wine dothe make gladde Euen so the blood of Chryst doth this also and moreouer yt ys made a defence And if all the faithfull do partake of one bodie and bloode we are all one by the same participacion of the mysteries For all be in Chryst and Chryst in all he that eateth saieth he my slesh and drinketh my bloode dwelleth in me and I in him For truely the Sonne of God ys vnited to the flesh by assumption Thys flesh again ys vnited to vs by participacion Thus Euthym. I nede not as to me yt semeth to saie anie thing to the opening of this authours minde For he ys both plain in himself and also plainlie dothe open the minde of sainct Paule vnto vs. Whose sentence he setteth furth in the plain tearmes and leaueth the tropes For wher sainct Paule saieth that we that eate of one bread and drinke of one cuppe are one bodie He saieth that we that partake of one bodie and bloode are made one So that wher the text calleth Bread and cuppe in S. Paule meē the bodie ād blood c. yt bread the expositour calleth yt the bodie and what the text calleth the cuppe that this authour calleth the bloode Wherfore the true mening must be taken as the expositour doth expownde yt For somoche then as the expositour doth expownd the bread and the cuppe calling them the bodie and the blood yt can not be auoided but that yt ys so except the Aduersarie will saie that the text expowndeth the exposition For vnto that sense that he wolde wrest all the authours vnto the text ys more nearer then the exposition The aduersarie wolde haue yt bread and the text calleth yt bread The Aduersarie wolde not haue yt the bodie of Chryst but this authour saieth yt ys the bodie of Chryst Wherfore to the sense of the Aduersarie the text ys more clere then the exposition And so yt cometh to passe as before ys saied that the text expowndeth the exposition whiche ys after the maner of other of their doinges For they turn the catte in the panne and make light darknesse and darknesse light But thowe Reader be thowe sure that Chryst who hath promised his holie spiritte to his Church which ys the pillour of the trueth hath not left yt contratie to his promisse destitute of this guide of trueth these thousand yeares but yt was that Spiritt that did leade the minde and the penne of these holy Fathers to vnderstand and perceaue the true sense of the scriptures and so to write yt to vs. God hath left vnto vs bread euen the holie scripture to feede vs withall but as he bidde his Apostles to breake the breade that he had Ioan. 6. Bread of the woord of God how yt ys brokē blessed for the siue thousand people so by his mynistres in the church he hath commaunded the bread of the scripture to be broken to the people and what ys yt to breake yt but to expownd yt And why shoulde they expownd yt yf their were not places to be opened and cleared by exposition And therfore I saie these holie fathers being appointed to breake this bread of the woorde of God vnto vs ther ys no doubte but as they had learned of the master of trueth so they brake yt truly vnto vs and haue geuen vs the true vnderstanding of yt And therfore the bread and the cuppe expownded by so manie to be the bodie and bloode of Chryst yt must nedes be true that by so manie and so manie yeares hath with concorde and consent withoute contradiction ben preached taught and written This also ys not to be ouerpassed that thys Authour leaueth yt not vntaught howe we are made all one in Chryst bicause saieth he we do all partake of one bodie and bloode we are all made one by the participacion of the mysteries So that although he well knewe that we are all made one in Chryst by faith and charitie yet he also saieth that we are made one by the participacion of the mysteries And that yt shoulde moste manifestlie well be be perceaued what maner of vnion this ys of the whiche he speaketh here when he had alleaged the saing of Chryst He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I him mening therby to proue this vnion he by most plain woordes openeth the same saing The Sonne of God ys vnited to the flesh by assumption this flesh again ys vnited to vs by participacion wherby yt ys very manifest that we are vnited to Chryst by the vnion of his flesh For that flesh vnto the whiche the Sonne of God was vnited that same ys vnited to vs. Chryst was vnited to vs by his incarnacion we be vnited to him by participacion c. So that as Chryst was vnited to vs by taking of our flesh in his incarnacion and so was made one with vs In like maner we are vnited to him by the taking of his flesh in the Sacrament and are therby made one with him Wherfore note that he saieth not that we are in the receipt of the Sacrament vnited to Chryst by faith but by participacion of his flesh And yet this authour was not ignorant that we are also vnited to Chryst by faith But minding to open the peculiar commoditie of this mysterie he teacheth that by flesh we are vnited to Chryst Consider therfore Reader that wher the Aduersarie trauaileth to obscure and hide the benefittes of God whiche he geueth to the woorthie receauers of his
of the which all they cā be parkers but the bodie of Chryst Wherfore in the Sacrament ys the bodie of Chryst of the which all Chrystians receauing woorthilie be as this authour saieth made one in Chryst In this vnion we are not onelie one bread but also by S. Paule one bodie Which distinction of vnion this authour semeth to refer or applie to the seuerall vnions before treacted of as to the vnion spirituall by faith and to the vnion naturall of vs to the naturall bodie of Chryst As touching the first he saieth that although we be manie yet we are all one bread by the vnion of faith hope and charitie As for the seconde he saieth that we are one bodie of that head which ys Chryst The fitst ys mere spirituall and ys and maie be doen withoute the Sacrament although not so certenly nor so perfectlie For Dionysius Areopagita saieth this Sacrament ys omnium sacramentorum consummatissimum of all Sacramentes yt ys most consummate both for that yt ys Dionys Areop Eccle. Hielar 1. part ca. 3. so perfect in yt self and also for that yt perfecteth all other Sacramentes as the same Dyonise also more at large saieth Dicimus ergo caetera sacrarum rerum signa quorum nobis societas indulgetur huius diuinis profectò consummantibusue muneribus perfici Neque enim fermè fas est saccrdotalis muneris mysterium aliquod peragi nisi diuinum istud Eucharistiae augustissimumue sacramentum compleat We saie therfore that the other signes of holie thinges the societie of the whiche ys geuen to vs to be perfected by these diuine and consummating giftes Neither ys yt laufull allmost anie mysterie of the preistlie office to be full doen except this diuine Sacrament and most full of maiestie do finish or performe yt Wherfore as by Chrysostom and other yt maie be perceaued in the primitiue church they that were baptised were brought frō baptisme to the receipt of the blessed Sacrament of Chrystes bodie as therbie to be perfected in Chryst and certenly to be vnited to him bothe by faith and also by hys blessed bodie Although then by faith we be spirituallie vnited to Chryste without the Sacrament yet as yt ys saied we be not so certenly vnited as when this noble Sacrament which perfecteth other Sacramentes cometh also but spirituallie vnited we be Nowe as touching the seconde vnion whiche this authour speaketh of yt ys not likewise mere corporall as the other ys mere spirituall but yt ys so corporall as yt ys neuerthelesse spirituall According as the bodie of Chryst ys which we receaue which although yt be a verie true and perfect bodie Amb. de init myste cap. 9. yet yt ys spirituall as S. Ambrose saieth Corpus enim Dei corpus est spiritale Corpus Christi corpus est diuini spiritus The bodie of God ys a spirituall bodie The bodie of Chryst ys the bodie of the diuine spiritte Yt ys also spiritually receaued for that yt ys doen onely by the knowledge of faith and not of anie sense Although the office of senseis and also of the bodie be required to the receipt therof So then as the bodie of Chryst ys so corporall as yt ys also spirituall and the receipt of the same bodie so corporall as yt ys neuerthelesse spirituall Receipt of Chrystes bodie both corporal ād spirituall so also the vnion brought to effect by the same receipt yt ys verilie corporal altho withall yt ys spiritual This vniō he signifieth vnto vs whē he saieth that we be the bodie of that head which ys Chryst For as cōcerning the spiritual vniō he saied before that we are al one bread ād therfor for the corporal vnion he saieth that we be one bodie For proof wherof that he so plainly ment the allegacion of S. Paule to the Ephesians declareth which he bringeth to open the true sense and mening of S. Paule here For saieth he we are membres of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones ▪ whiche woordes that they be vnderstanded of our corporall vnion with Chryst yt ys more manifestlie declared by Iraeneus then by the Aduersarie yt can Li. 5. aduers heres be denied Thus hetherto of so manie auncient and learned authours ye haue heard no dissonante but a consonante voice all sownding one thing that by the receipt of the blessed bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament we be vnited to Chryst and made one with him THE EIGHT AND TWENTETH CHAP. PROceadeth vpon the same text by Oecumenius and Anselmus I Reade in the fourth booke of the Kinges that the King of Syria 4. Reg. 6. who was in warre against the King of Israell for somoche as he vnderstoode that Eliseus the Prophet disclosed to the kinge of Israell the secrett counsells intentes and pourposes of the saied King of Syria that he sent an armie of men to the cittie wher the Prophet laie to take him And when the seruante of the Prophet went furth in the morning and sawe so great a multitud with horses and chariottes compassing the cittie rownde aboue he cried and saied Alas master what shall we dooe The Pprophete saied vnto him Feare not here be mo with vs them with them And when the Prophete had praied the eies of his seruaint were opened and he sawe the mowntain full of horses and chariottes of fire rownde about the Prophete As the Prophete was thus strenghtned with so great a multitude that his enemies were not able to preuaill against him though his seruante knewe yt not and therfor feared and cried Euen so the verie prophet of God in the Churche of Chryste who hath geuen him self ouer to the seruice of God that he ys fullie become the man of God therfore ys lightned and illumined with the wholsome knowledge of the catholique faith wherby he seeth God and his holie will and pleasure he doth well see that though the Kinge of Syria hath now moued warre against the King of Israell that ys Sathan against Chryst the Kinge of verie Israell and his catholique kingdom his Churche and hath for the better expedicion of his pourpose sent an armie to kake awaie the prophete and godlie learned man that he shoulde not warne the people of Israell of the assaute of Sathan whiche he entendeth to moue by heresie schisme diuision and subuersion of all good ordre in the Churche of Chryste He doth I saie well see that the prowde and cruell kinge ys not able to carie him awaie oute of the kingdom of Chryst into his kingdome For he ys compased abowte with a most mightie armie of the noble soldiers of God all the holie catholique fathers godly writers and noble Martirs whiche stand by him mightilie in the confession of Chrystes holie faith whiche nombre being infinite he maie as euery learned catholique also maie vnto the vnlearned faithfull man the seruante of God saie Feare not ther be mo with vs then with these enemies of Israell with these Aduersaries of
one bodie with Chryst Thus he Among other thinges woorthie of note in Theophilact to trooble the Reader with no mo then appertein to the declaracion of the matters whiche be here to be decided two onely shall be noted As for the presence of Chryste in the Sacrament as he doth euerie wher So dothe he here most plainlie teache the same Owre incorporacion also to Chryst by the receipt of the same bodie with other Fathers before alleaged he doth professe and acknowledge As for the first this Authour perswading vs to the vnitie of loue and charitie induceth for his cheif and great argument for that pourpose that we shoulde so be bicause our Lorde hath imparted his owne bodie to vs to the entent we shoulde be one And yf the Aduersarie wolde blinde the simple reader that this Authour meneth that he gaue vs his owne bodie vpon the crosse for our redemption yt ys true in dede that our Sauiour Chryste gaue his bodie for vs to the death of the crosse But that this Authour ment here of that his geuing of his bodie that ys most false For he speaketh of that maner of the geuing of the bodie of Chryst that S. Paule speaketh of in this scripture which he expowndeth And here Sainct Paule speaketh of the geuing of Chryst as he ys geuen in the Sacrament as the wholl processe of Sainct Paule doth well proue So that this Authour expownding Sainct Paule speaketh as Sainct Paule doth of the Sacrament Then speaking of the Sacrament this Authour saieth that Chryst geueth vs his owne bodie therin And here by the waie note that he saieth not this as of him self but saieth that Sainct Paule saieth so Wherhie he signifieth that this text of Sainct Paule speaketh not of materiall bread signifieng or figuring the bodie of Chryst but of the verie reall bodie of Chryst and therfore saieth that he Argument vpon the woorde bread in S. Paule refelled imparteth to vs his owne bodie He geueth vs not his owne bodie yf we haue but a peice of bread For the bread ys but a sign or figure of the bodie of Chryst not present to be geuen but absent So that wher the Aduersarie buyldeth as he thinketh his strong towers and bullwarkes against the veritie of this blessed Sacrament vpon this and other places of Sainct Paule of the whiche some be allreadie treacted of and the rest by the helpe of Gods grace hereafter shall be saing that yt ys but bread bicause Sainct Paule calleth yt bread ye maie well perceaue what a false grownde he taketh and howe vnsure his buylding ys For this Authour saieth that Sainct Paule in this place saieth that Chryst geueth vs his owne bodie wherby yt ys euident that though Sainct Paule calleth the Sacrament bread yet he meneth not nor vnderstandeth therbie materiall breade as the Adueasarie dreameth but meneth that yt ys that breade which ys Chryst in that sense that Chryst calleth himself when he saied Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est quam dabo pro mundi vita The bread whiche I will geue Ioan. 6. ys my flesh whiche I will geue for the life of the worlde This sentence as Chrysostome Theophilact and manie mo as yt ys declared in the seconde booke do testifie ys spoken of the Sacrament and then wolde I aske the Aduersarie whether Chryst calleth him self materiall bread here or no. Yf he shoulde aunswer that he did so then the saing of Chryst must nedes haue this sense that materiall bread which I will geue ys my slesh And so shall he bothe graunt a presence of Chrystes flesh in the Sacrament and also condescend to Luthers heresie who saieth that this ys a good and true proposition This bread ys my bodie and this wine ys my bloode Yf he saie yt that ys not taken there for materiall bread but in the generall significacion for foode as the scripture calleth Manna as when yt saieth Panem caeli dedit eis panem Angelorum manducauit homo He gaue them bread of heauen Man hath eaten the bread of Angells Of the which in the Psal 77. same significacion Chryst saieth Non Moyses dedit vobis panem de coelo Moyses did not geue yow bread from heauen Whie then maie not Sainct Paule Ioan. 6. S. Paule calleth the bodie of Chryste bread as Chryste called himself in the 6 of S. Iohn 1 Cor. 2. speaking of the Sacrament vse the same terme in the significacion that his master Chryst did when he spake of the same Sacrament and yet the same not to be taken for material bread but for foode as yt was in the sense of his master Sainct Paule was no soche disciple to varie and chaunge the significacion of a woorde wherby he shoulde varie from his master in sense For he well knewe the minde of his master as he saied Nos sensum Christi habemus We vnderstand the minde of Chryst Yf then Chryst vsed this woorde Panis not for materiall bread but for foode when he spake of the Sacrament that he wolde geue furth and leaue to vs will not trowe ye his chosen vessell who vnderstandeth the minde of his master when he speaketh of the same thing that his master spake of and vseth the same woorde that his master did will not he vse the woorde in the same significacion that his master did to kepe the minde of his master and not to varie from yt He shoulde haue varied from the minde of his master all the heauen wide as they saie yf he shoulde take this woorde panis for materiall bread For then this great mysterie of our incorporacion to Chryst and this gteat benefit of the incorruptibilitie and immortalitie of our flesh and bodie which cometh to vs by the partaking of Chrystes flesh shoulde be attributed to a peice of materiall bread Which thing what ys yt but plain idolatrie geuing the diuine honours of Chryst to a creature a dumbe peice of bread Wherfor to ioin with this learned Authour we must saie for that otherwise we can not trulie saie that Sainct Paule saieth here that Chryst imparteth to vs his owne bodie And so Sainct Paule speaketh here of no materiall bread but of that high and godlie foode the bodie of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Chryst Wher then nowe ys the force of the herculeouse argument of the Aduersarie who by this processe of Sainct Paule wolde proue that the Sacrament The argument of the Sacramētarie ouer throwen for S. Paule speaketh not of materiall bread ys but bread bycause Sainct Paule calleth yt bread after the consecracion For he speaketh saieth he of the bread broken to the vse of the communion whiche ys after consecracion Wherfor seing Sainct Paule calleth yt bread after the consecracion yt ys after the consecracion but bread Yf this woorde bread were not vsed in the scripture in an other significacion then for materiall bread and were not also of our Sauiour Chryst him self speaking of this Sacrament otherwise
anie man for that yt ys euident and plain yet that yt maie be perceaued by that he speaketh the same in sondrie places that yt was a trueth assured and commonlie receaued I will touche a place or two moo of his Of the whiche this ys one Nullus igitur fictus accedat nullus fucato animo tantis audeat mysterijs proximare ne condemnetur sententiam mereatur quod Iudas sustinuit patiatur Nam in illum post communicationem mensae Diabolus intrauit non quia contempsit Dominicum corpus sed quia impudentia Iudae malignitas mentis vt aduersarius Sathan entred into Iudas not in contempt of the bodie of Chryste but to punish the treason of Iudas in eo habitaret essecit Let therfore no feigned man come let none be so bolde with a counterfeit minde to come neare so great misteries lest he be condemned deserue sentence and suffre that that Iudas suffred For after he had partaken of Chrystes table the Deuell entred into him not that he contemned the bodie of our Lorde but bicause the impudencie of Iudas and the mischeif of his minde had caused that the Deuell shoulde dwell in him Wher Chrisostome saieth that after Iudas had receaued the Deuell not contemning the bodie of Chryst entred into him what ells therby doeth he teach but that Iudas receaued the bodie of our Lorde For yf he did not receaue yt Chrisostom neded not to declare that the Deuell entred not vpon contempt of the bodie of Chryst For what contempt shoulde he seme to make to the bodie of Chryst by entring into Iudas yf the bodie of Chryst entred not into that person before Yf anie contempt shoulde appeare to be in that entrie yt shoulde be that that wicked Aduersarie and miserable damned creature shoulde presume to entre to that place wher his Lorde and master had so latelie entred But saieth Chrisostome he did not so entre as contemning the bodie of our lorde but raither to the punishement of his detestable treason doen and committed against his master And for his presumption then vsed that he being defiled with soche trecherie wolde with dissimuled holinesse and loue receaue into his filthie and sinfull bodie that pure and innocent bodie And so the Deuell entred as a subiect whom God suffred for the torment of Iudas his mischeif and not as a Lorde by power to contemne the Lorde of all Lordes ther entred Chris hom 83. in 26. Math. A like sentence hath he in an other place whiche ys this Caenantibus autem eis accepit Iesus panem benedixit atque fregit dedit Discipulis suis O caecitatem proditoris qui cùm ineffabilibus mysterijs communicasset idem permansit diuina mensa susceptus in melius commutari noluit quod Lucas significauit dicens Quia post hoc introiuit in cum Satanas non quia dominicum corpus despiceret sed quia proditoris stoliditatem irridebat When they were at Supper Iesus tooke bread and blessed yt and brake yt and gaue yt to his disciples O the blindenesse of the traditour who when he had taken of the vnspeakeble misteries he remained the same man and being allowed at Gods table he wolde not be chaunged into better whiche thing Luke signified sainge that after that Sathan entred into him not bicause he despised the bodie of our Lorde but bicause he skorned the leudnesse of the traditour Here again ye see as before that the Deuell despised not the bodie of Sacramentall bread and wine be not vnspeakeable misteries our Lorde receaued of Iudas though he entred into him after yt That he had receaued yt these woordes of Chrisostom goinge a litle before doe well declare when he saieth When Iudas had taken of the vnspeakeable misteries he remained all one man Whiche be the vnspeakeable misteries not a peice of bread and a cuppe of wine receaued as signes and tokens of the bodie and bloode For so these Sacramentes be not vnspeakeable misteris but the matter ys well able to be spoken of as other figures of the olde lawe were whiche by the doctrine of the Aduersarie be as good as this and this no better then they Yf then the figures of the olde lawe were not vnspeakeable misteries as in dede they were not then be these figures of bread and wine no vnspeakeable misteries Yf bread and wine as onelie figures be no vnspeakeable misteries and Iudas in Chrystes Supper receaued vnspeakeble misteries then he receaued not bare bread and wine Yt remaneth then that he receaued the bodie and blood of Chryst vnder the formes of bread and wine whiche in dede be vnspeakeable misteries For neither can reason atteign the knowledge of the worke of the holie Gost herein nor toung speake and expresse the same but onelie faith as Damascen saieth Deus spiritus sancti operatione haec super naturam Damnasc li. 4. ca. 14. operatur quae non potest capere nisi sola fides God by the operacion of the holie Gost woorketh these thinges aboue nature wich thinges onely faith can vnderstand Wherfor thus speaking of the holie misteries we manie well call them vnspeakeable misteries whiche vnspeakeable misteries Chrisostom August epictola cont Donatist post collation S. August reporteth the woordes of S. Paule as S. Hier. and Chryso did before saieth that Iudas did receaue The like are we taught of Sainct Augustine but we will first heare him geue vs his vnderstanding of the saing of Sainct Paule which he doeth without all circumstance euen by plain woordes as other haue doen before him Thus he writeth against the Donatists Quisquis autem in hac Ecclesia bene vixerit nihil ei praeiudicant aliena peccata quia vnusquisque in ea proprium onus portabit sicut Apostolus dicit Et quicunque corpus Christi manducauerit in dignè iudicium sibi manducat bibit Nam ipse Apostolus hoc scripsit Whosoeuer shal liue wel in this Churche other mens sinnes shall nothing hinder him For in her euerie man shall beare his owne burden as the Apostle saieth And in her whosoeuer shall eate the bodie of Chryst vnwoorthilie eateth and drinketh his owne condēnacion For the Apostle himself hath written this Note in this sainge howe Sainct Augustine vttereth the sainge of Sainct Paule he saieth not whosoeuer eateth the bread but as an expositour whose office ys to geue light to the text yf anie part of yt be darke and to geue the true sense of woordes that maie be diuerselie vnderstanded he expowndeth the text and openeth yt and plainlie teacheth vs that by bread ys vnderstanded the bodie of Chryst Wherfore by plain wordes he speaketh Sainct Paules sentence sainge Whosoeuer shall eate the bodie of Chryste vnwoorhilie c. Thus maie ye see the true vnderstandinge of this scripture and by yt maie ye learn that Sainct Augustine vnderstoode that in the Sacrament ys the verie bodie of Chryste and that euell men though to their
all that by your false doctrine ād sleight haue bē entrapped ād deceaued Yowe promised that yow wolde yelde to him that wolde bringfurth to yowe one scripture or one doctour or one Coūcell c. as yow knowe This being nowe doē by me ād other I wish that yow maie yeld your self prisoner not in warrelike maner to vs but in lowlie maner to Christe ād his dere spouse the catholique Churche by acknowleging their faith and professing their religion to saue your soule which we shal be most ioifull to vnderstād ād for your soch cōuersiō yelde to God most hūble thanks Yf yow doo not yet let me wish yow for some better staie of your self hereafter to haue this olde saing in minde Ante victoriam ne canas triumphum THE PROLOGVE TO THE GENTLE READER THe Phylystynes gentle Reader moued sore and great Haereilques moue Ware against the Churche warre against the Israelites The heretikes against the catholique Chruche of God from whome ys comed furth a newe Golyath mightie in hys owne cōceit with reprochfull woordes to reuyle the hoste of oure lyuyng God and to blaspheme hys holie name to raill at hys holie mysteryes and to comdemne hys holie ordināces who with impudēt mouthe trusting in the strēght of spere and sheilde blustereth oute soche blasphemouse woordes as the like to my knowledge Crā mer hys auncetour onelie excepted neuer dyd phylistyne before hym He alone cometh oute and prouokyng Israēl to battaill maketh proclamation Proclamacion of the newe Goliath thus Yf any learned man of all our Aduersaryes or yf all the learned men that be a lyue be hable to bring anye one suffycyent sentence oute of anye olde catholique Doctour or father or oute of anye olde generall Councell or oute of the holye scriptures of God or anye one example of the primatyue churche wherbye yt may be elerely and playnly proued that ther was anye pryuate masse in the wholl worlde at that tyme for the space of syx hundreth years after Chryste c. and a fewe articles recited he proceadeth thus or that the people were then taught to beleue that Chryste bodye ys reallie substantiallye corporallye carnallye or naturallye in the Sacrament or that hys bodie ys or may be in a thousand places or mo at one tyme and sofurth proceadeng to laye oute hys matters enombreth xv articles all whiche foure onelie excepted be agaynst the holie Sacrament of Christes blessed bodie and bloode And for that he wolde not seem to faynte in hys doyng he saieth that he for hys parte wolde not onelie not call in anye thing that he had then saied but also woldelaie more matter to the same and so addeth he twelue mo artycles to the former all whiche one onelie excepted be also against the blessed Sacramēt and the mynystraciō of the same whiche hys proclamation with the addycion he knytteth vppe thus Yf any one of all oure Aduersaries be able to auouche anye one of all these articles by anye soch suffycient anthorytie of Scriptures Doctours or Councells as I haue required as I saied before so saie I nowe agayn I am content to yelde vnto hym and to subscrybe VVhiche stoute bragge as some of hys likes I suppose myslyked and manye good catholique men I knowe thought yt arrogant So I thynking the same like litle Dauid not in faith might and powre not in vertue and syngular fauour of God but as the least and yongest of my breatheren in the house of my ffather not bearyng thys vyle reproche so arrogantlie and shameleslie made against the hoste of God of a good zeale hauyng sure trust in my lord God whose cause for my powre I wolde gladlie defende hanyng some stones gathered together in my sheperdes bagge I come in the name of God against thys Goliath and for thys tyme putting thys stone oute of my bagge into my slyng I cast yt at hym whiche I trust shall so hytte hym in the forehead wher ys the seat of shamefastnesse yf anye be in the man that he shall be ashamed so to reuyle the wholl churche of God agayn I saie the wholl Churche for theise hys lucyferouse woordes be not spoken onelie against soche as were or be of the catholique Churche in Englōde but to the contumelye of all the wholl catholique Churche of Chrystendome whersoeuer ys or hath ben professed and taught the reall presence of Chrystes blessed bodie and blood in the holie Sacrament And for that hys cheif force ys bent agaynst that Sacrament whyche ys our comforte foode and nutryment to euerlasting life I haue also bent my self therin cheiflie to withstande hym not medling moche with anye other matter Wherunto yet when I prepared my self and consydered one of the Articles of hys proclamaciō wher in effect he saieth that neuer mā was condemned as an herytyke for saynge that the Sacrament was a fygure a pledge a tokē or a remēbrance of Chrystes bodie I began to be abasshed First at his craft ād subletie vsed in so weightie matter of faith wher all symplycitie and playn dealing shoud be vsed for if he referre theise his woordes to the syxe hondreth yeares next after Chryst that in those ther was neuer man cōdemned for ā heretike that saied that the Sacramēt was a figure a pledge a tokē a remēbrāce yt ys true for in all that tyme neuer was ther heretike that so saied in that sense that this proclamer ād his likes doo saye yt wherfor that ys but a craftie toye to bleer the eye of the hearer to make him beleue that mē in those daies were not for so saing cōdemned wher in dede none did so saye and where none did so saie none coulde be condemned for yt Moche like argumēt might a felō make for hym self in these daies saing that Chryste in whō after his resurrectiō was the fullnesse of auctoritie and power as he hym self wittnesseth dyd neuer cōdemne anye of his Apostles or dysciples to deathe for felonye wherfore he being a chrystian man aught not be condemned for felonye This argument hath a trueth for Chryste cōdemned none of them for none of them were felons but yt lacketh force for though they not so offending were not condemned yet thys felon so offending maye iustly be condemned Likewise though none with in those syxe hondreth years for as muche as they so saied not were not condemned yet this proclamer so sainge maye wel be condemned And here I will ioyn issue with hym that if he can bring one within those sixe hondereth yeares that saied as he saieth was not condemned I will subscrybe Secundly I abasshed at hys impudencye for if the man be so impudent as to saie that neuer man was yet hitherto indged and condemned for an heretyke that saied the Sacrament was a figure in that sense that he and hys complyces do take yt namelie to be a figure withoute the verie presence of the bodie of Christ the contrarye whereof ys knowen to all the worlde and
example In the blessing of Iuda Iacob saied Iuda ys a lions whelpe from the spoill my sonne thowe arte comed on high He laied him dowen Gen. 49. and couched him self as a lion and as a lionesse who wil stire him vppe And after a litle He shall binde his fole to the vine and his Asses colte to the braunch He wasshed his garment in wine and his mantle in the bloode of grapes His eies are reader then wine and his teeth whiter then milke Soche like be the other Howe easie theise be for the vnlearned to vnderstande I referre yt to thy iudgement Reader Exodus and Leuiticus withe the rest of Pentateuchon although they require an higher sense for a Christian to vnderstand then the letter sowndeth as Origen declareth whiche not all the learned atteign vnto besides the applicacion of the figures to the things figured in the newe testament by Allegories as sainct Paule dothe in the Epistle to the Galatians and in his Epistle to the Hebrues yet they conteyn diuerse obscure senses seming almost to haue no reason in them as this in Leuitious Ye shall kepe my ordenances Thowe shalt not let cattle gendre with a contrarie kinde neither Leuit. 19. so we thy felde with mingled seede Neither shalt thow put on anie garment of linnen and wollen And in Deutronomio God thus commaunded Yf thowe chaunce vpon a birdes nest by the waie in whatsoeuer tree yt be or on the grownde whether Deut. 22. they be younge or egges and the dame sitting vpon the younge or vpon the egges Thowe shalt not take the dame with the younge but shalt in any wise let the dame go and take the young to thee that thowe maist prosper and prolong thy daies Thowe shalt not sowe thy vineyeard with diuerse seedes lest the fruicte of thy vineyeard be defiled Thowe shalt not Ibid. 23. plowe with an oxe and an asse together And again in an other place Thowe shalt not mosell the oxe that treadeth oute the corne in the Bearn Shall we take theise places in their grammaticall sense dothe the high prouidence of God occupie yt self in making ordeinances for birdes nestes And by gods ordeinance shall a man prosper and prolong his daies that taketh not the dame with the younge dothe the wisdom of God ioin soche rewardes to soche trifles And making the ordeinance for the thressing oxe dothe God as sainct Paule alleaging the same asketh take thought for oxen No. yt hath an other vnderstanding as ther sainct Paule alleaging this 1. Cor. 9. ordeinance of God applieth yt vnto Yt were enough to make a iust volume yf all the obscure places shoulde be recited that be in the olde Testament But as by theise yt maie be perceaued that the scriptures be not so easie as men phansie them to be So truly yt ys perilous that they as the aduersaries wolde shoulde be handeled commonlie of them whose vnderstanding atteigning to none other sense then the grammaticall sense and oftentymes not to that neither doo wounderfullie abuse them to the great dishonour of God and plain cōtempt of the scriptures his holiewoorde As yf the rude and simple shoulde read theise sentences aboue alleaged oute of Genesis Leuiticus and Deutronomium wolde he not saie they were fond and trifeling thinges And wher as wisedom and knowledge be the goodlie gifes of God yf the Eccls. 1. vnlearned shoulde reade the booke of the Preacher wher yt ys saied I commoned with my owne heart saieng lo I am comed to a great state and haue gotten more wisdom then all that haue ben before me in Hierusalem yea my hearte hath great experience of wisdome and knowledge for therunto I applied my minde that I might knowe what were wisdom and vnderstandinge what were errour and foolishnesse and I perceaued that this also was but a vexaciō of minde For wher moche wisdome ys ther ys also great trauaill and disquitnes c. Yf the vnlearned I saie shoulde reade this might he not take occasion to contēpne bothe wisdome and knowledge and so dishonour God in his giftes wherunto appeareth more occasion to be geuen in the next chapiter folowing wher yt ys writen thus Then I tourned me to consider wisdome errour and foolishnes for who ys he emonge men that might be compared to me the kinge in soche workes Jbid. 2. and I sawe that wisdome excelleth foolishnes as farre as light dothe darknesse For a wise man hathe his eies in his head but the foole goeth in darknes I perceaued also that they bothe had one ende Then thought I in my minde Yf yt happen to the foole as yt doth vnto me what neadeth me thē to labour any more for wisdome So I confessed within my heart that this also was but vanitie What maie appeare more vehement to dissuade a man from wisdom Howe moche ys wisdom the goodlie gifte of God abased to appearance in this saing Howe ys the gift of God magnified to the aduancement of gods honour when in appearance Salomon accompteth the labour for yt to be but vanitie I saie to yowe before God whom I call to wittnes that I speake trueth I heard a man of woorshippe of grauitie of wisdom of godlie life and of competent learning able to vnderstand and likewise excercysed in in the scriptures vpon the reading of this booke and conference had betwixt hym and me for the same earnestlie saye that yt was a naughtie booke Yf he dyd thus what will the rude the rashe vnlearned and the vngodlie reader doe Howe litle incitament of vertue appeareth to be in the Ballettes of Salomon Yea raitheir howe vngodlie and wanton seme they to be raither in the outwarde face teaching and prouoking wantonnesse then godlynesse of life In the first chapiter ye reade thus O howe faire arte thowe my loue howe fair arte thowe Thowe hauest doues eies O howe fair arte thowe my Cant. 1. beloued howe well fawoured arte thowe Owre bed ys deckt with flowres the syllinges of oure house are Cedre tree And again O stand vppe my loue my beautifull and come For lo the wynter ys nowe past the rain ys awaie and gone The flowres are comed vppe in the feldes the tyme of the birdes syngynge ys comed and the voice of the Turtle doue ys heard in oure lande The figge tree bringeth furthe her figges and the Vines beare blossomes and haue a good smell O stande vppe my loue my beautyfull and come my doue oute of the caues of the Rockke oute of the holls of the walls O let me see thy coūtenāce and heare thy voice For swete ys thie voice and fair ys thie face c. Like vnto this ys all that booke What can the vnlearned finde or vnderstande here any thinge to edificacion of godlie life or rather as ys saied a prouocation to wanton life Yet Iesus Sonne of Syrac semeth to haue more vnsemelie woordes then theise yea so vnsemelie as an honest mē wolde be ashamed to speake them
scriptures haue Scripture ys full of hardnesse and diuerse senscis manie senses and in some places require Tropes and figures in some none in some place they beare one sense in some other place they wil not beare the same And the vnframed capacitie of the vnlearned can not therunto atteign shall yt not be better for them to learn the true vnderstanding of the scriptures by hearing then by reading to fall into misunderstanding Maruaill not Reader at this that I saie For the learned yf they be rassh fall into this daunger For the Arrians the Macedonians the Nestorians the Eutichians the Pelagians the Lutherans the Oecolampadians of the which secte this proclamer ys were learned men and yet folowing their owne arrogaunt phantasie fell in to the misunderstandind of the scriptures and by misunderstanding into heresie Moche sooner the vnlearned maye thus fall knowledge of misteries not common to all Hierō prafa in Ezech Yt hathe ben vsed emong most people of sundrie sortes not to make the knowledge of their high thinges common of all to be handeled The Iewes were forbidden to read Genesis and the Balletts of Salamon before they were thirtie yeares of age Among the Romans the Bookes of the Sibells were red but of certain selected and speciall choosen men Emong the Philosophers Morall philosophie and speciallie Metaphisick was not to be handeled of all men but of soche as were thought mete for that studie Howe moche more then ys the scripture of God with reuerence and fear to be handeled of the chrystians not that I wolde yt should not be knowen of all as yt aught to be knowen but that yt shoulde not be red of all and therbie through misunderstanding God to be dishonoured the scripture abused and not onelie they that read but other also by them deceaued And thus Reader I wish thee to perceaue the godlie meening of the Churche to see the shaunder of this proclamer against yt and with all to vnderstand that the scriptures be hard Whiche meenyng ys not to be imagined nowe to be in theise latter daies inuented as this Proclamer semeth to charge the Churche but the weightie consideracion of this matter that the people shoulde raither learn then read them selues was not onelie in the latin churche as it appeareth by sainct Hierom but also in the greke churche as yt appeareth by Chrysostom For he declaring the causes of the obscurities of the scriptures and alleaging this for the first saieth Primum quia voluit Deus alios esse doctores alios discipulos Si autem omnes omnia scirent doctor necessarius non erat ideò esset rerum ordo confusus Nam ad eos quidē Chrystomel 44. in Matth. Esay 40. Deutr. 32. quos voluit esse doctores sic Deus dicit per Esaiam prophetam Loquimini sacerdotes in cordibus populi Ad eos autem quos voluit discendo cognoscere mysteria veritatis sic dicit in Cantico Interroga patrem tuum dicet tibi presbyteros tuos annunciabunt tibi Et sicut sacerdotes ne si omnem veritatem manifestauerint in populo dabunt rationem in die Iudicij sicut dicit Dominus ad Ezechielem Ecce speculatorem te posui domni Israel si non dixeris impio vt à vijs suis prauis discedat ipse quidem in peccatis suis morietur animam autem eius de manu tua requiram sic populus nisi à sacerdotibus didicerit cognouerit veritatem dabit rationem in die Iudicij Sic enim dicit Sapientia ad populum Et extendebam sermones meos non audiebatis Ideò ego in vestra perditione ridebo Sicut enim paterfamilias cellarium aut vestiarium suū non habet cunctis expositum sed alios habet in domo qui dant alios autem qui accipiunt sic in domo Dei alij sunt qui docent alij qui discunt First bicause God wolde some shoulde why God wolde the scriptures to be obscure be teachers some learners Yf all men should knowe all thinges a teacher were not necessarie and therfor shoulde the ordre of thinges be confownded For vnto them whome he wolde shoulde be doctours or teachers God saieth thus by Esaye the Prophete Speake ye preistes in the heartes of the people But vnto them whom he wolde to haue knowledge of the misteries of trueth by learning of other he saieth thus in the Canticle Aske thy father and he shall tell thee thy elders and they shall shewe thee And euen as the preistes except they open all treuth to the people they shall make an accompte in the daie of Iugement as our Lorde saieth to Ezechiell Beholde I haue sett thee a watch man to the house of Israel Yf thow saie not to the wicked that he maie departe from his naughtie waies he shall die in his sinnes but I shall require his sowle at thy hande So also the people except they learn of the prestes and shall know the trueth they shall make an accompte in the daie of iudgement So saieth Sapience vnto The store-house of God not comon to all the people I did sette furth my wordes and ye did not heare Therfor shall I also laugh in your perdicion As the housholder dothe not make his store-house or his wardrobbe common to all men but he hath in his house some that deliuer some that receaue So in the howse of God ther be some that teache some that learn Thus moche Chrysostome Whose saieng I nede not to expownde yt ys so plain of yt self Ye perceaue that he teacheth yowe that God hath sette this ordre that the preistes shoulde be teachers and the people learners and that for this cause God hath willed the scriptures shoulde be obscure Whiche in the ende of his saing he cōmendeth vnto vs to be remembred by à goodlie Similitude that the housholder maketh not his storehouse and wardrobbe cōmon to Scripture the store-house of God all but certain do deliuer and other do receaue no more thē ys deliuered The Storehouse ys the scripture wher in for the feading and cloathing of mans sowle ys reposed great plentie of knowledge whiche yet God hath not made common to all men to take at their owne pleasures But he hath appointed officiers to be kepers of this store which be his preistes to geue yt furthe to the people in due tyme and in due maner and forme As all men haue not discrecion to vse plentie well but some will wast yt some will abuse yt and turne yt to other vses then yt was made or appointed for therfore they haue not accesse vnto yt So all men hauing not grace and discrecion to vse the plentie of Gods knowledge in the scriptures well they wast yt that ys they sett litle by yt they do but bable and talke of yt yt runneth aboute their lippes as the meate doth aboute the childes mouthe bosom and cloathes and ys wasted but yt
booke But nowe that the Aduersarie ys pressed so sore he ys driuen to his common refuge of the woorde Spirituallie and will peraduenture saie that the bread in the Sacrament ys not the verie thinge that aunswereth the figure of the Paschall lambe but the flesh and bloode of Chryst as Cyrill here alleageth Spirituallie receaued But howe farre this their common glose dissenteth from the truthe yt shall by Gods helpe streight waie euidentlie appeare First this ys most certen that the faithfull people of the olde Testament 1. Cor. 10. whiche through faithe in Chryste to come were the children of faithfull Abraham did eate the flesh and drincke the bloode of Chryst spirituallie as saincte Paule wittnesseth Omnes candem escam spiritualē manducauerunt omnes eundem potum spiritualem biberunt bibebant autem de spirituali consequente eos petra Petra autem erat Christus All our Fathers did eate of one spirituall meat and and did all drinke of one maner of spirituall drinke For they drancke of that spirituall Rocke that folowed them whiche Rocke was Chryst Yf Chryst was then spirituallie eaten and dronken of the fathers the Spirituall receauing of Christ was not sigured by the Pasechall lābe spirituall eatinge and drinknige of Chryste or Chryste spirituallie eaten and dronken was not figured by the Paschall lābe neither can the Pascall Lābe be applied to Chryste spirituallie eatē as the propre figure to the thing figured And this shall be proued For all the Sacramentes and Ceremonies of the olde Lawe were figures of thinges to come and to be doen and fullfilled in the newe lawe And if Chryst were receaued spirituallie of the Fathers in the olde lawe then was the Paschall lambe no figure of Chryst to be spirituallie receaued in the newe lawe That the Sacrifices and Ceremonies of the law were figures of thinges to come S. Paule testifieth Vmbram habens lex futurorum bonorum c. The lawe hauing the shaddowe of good thinges to come and not the verie fashion Hebr. 10. of the thinges them selues c. And saincte Augustine also as before ys alleaged saieth that the sacrifices of the Hebrues were prophecies of the sacrifices to come whiche Christ did offer Wherunto Chryst him self who came to fullfill the lawe hauing regarde saied Iota vnum aut vnus apex non praeteribit à lege donec omnia fiant One iotte Math. 5. or one title of the lawe shall not scape till all be fullfilled Whiche maner of speache shoulde not nede yf the thinges that were figured were doen allreadie Wherfor seing the spirituall receauing of Chryst was not a thing to comme but was in vse euen with the figuts in the time of the lawe And also forsomoche as the Sacramentall bread as they do terme yt whiche ys but a sign or a figure of Chryst ys not the thing that ys figured For the thinge that ys figured must nedes be Chryst and as yt ys nowe proued yt can not be Chryst spirituallie therfor of necessitie yt must be verie Chryst reallie And therfore to conclude when Cirill saied in the ende of his sentence Thowe hauest knowen the figure learn therfor the verie thinge And alleageth this Scripture My flesh ys verilie meate and my blood ys verilie drinke Bothe he and the Scripture meen the verie thinge whiche ys the reall and substanciall slesh of Christ and his verie bloode and not the spiritual flesh and blood onely Ioan. 6. THE TWENTETH CHAPITER IOINETH sainct Gregorie and Damascen to confirme the same matter YE haue all readie heard certain cooples of the two sides of the higher house of Parliament whiche howe they agree within them selues and howe Iustlie and trulie they reporte the enacted veritie of the same and therwith howe mightilie they ouerthrowe the pestilent sectes of the wicked I trust the gentle Reader dothe well perceaue Nowe though this great master of heresie will not accept the Authours that haue written within the compasse of theise nime hondreth yeares whiche therfore I diuide from the other that did write within sixe hondreth years after Chryst calling them of the lower house and theise of the higher house yet for asmoche as I write as well for the comforth of the true beleuing Chrystian as for the confutacon of the false Chrystian I will consult with an other coople of the whiche the one ys last of the higher house and the other one of the firste or cheifest of the lower house and after with other of the lower house that the trueth reported of manie maye the more ioifullie be embraced and they that refuse them and their authoritie wourthilie defaced For yf these of the lower house do agree with them of the higher house and haue all one tune and sownde with them in the trueth then both their prowde arrogancie whiche haue so contemptuouslie reiected so manie verteuouse and learned mens authorities ys condignelie to be rebuked and also their falce imposture teaching that the Churche hath swerued from the trueth and lien in erronr so manie yeares to thentente that they getting estimacon as the Inuentours of trueth might sell their lies vnder the colour of truth maie the better be perceaued This Authour whom I called the last of the higher house ys sainct Gregorie Sainct Gregorie hys cōmēdaciō who somtime was cheif head vnder Chryst of the howse a man both learned and vertuouse as appeareth not onclie by him that setteth oute his life in storie but also by his own woorkes sauouring as well of vertue and holinesse as of learning and faithfull trueth This holie learned Father in a Paschall homelie comparing the olde Paschall Lambe to the newe saieth thus Quae videlices cuncta magnam nobis aedisicationem Omil. 22. Pascha pariunt si fuerint mystica interpretatione discussa Quid namue sit sanguis agni non iam audiendo sed bibendo didicistis Qui sanguis super vtrunque postem ponitur quādo non solùm ore corporis sed etiam ore cordis hauritur Nam qui sic redemptoris sui sangumē sumit vt imitari passionem eius necdum velit in vno poste sanguinem posuit All whiche thinges do bring furth to vs great edificacion yf they shall be with a misticall interpretacion discussed What the bloode of the lābe ys ye haue not onelie by hearing but by drinking learned Whiche blood ys put vpon bothe the postes when not onelie with the mouthe of the bodie but also with the mouthe of the heart yt ys receaued For he that doth so receaue the bloode of his redemer that he wolde not yet folowe his passion he hath put the bloode but vpon one poste Thus moche saincte Gregorie As in this saing he hath made mencion of the bloode of Chryst So proceadinge vpon the same matter in the same homelie he speaketh of the Chrystes bodie and blood receiued with mouth of bodie and soule both eating of the olde Paschall Lambe and of the eating of Chrystes
the neutre gendre importeth a difference substanciall from the thing that yt ys compared to and so the two thinges that be compared together be of two different substances And therfore for somoche as the Father the Sonne and the holie Goste be three distincted persons the catholique faithe teacheth vs to saie Alius est Pater alius Filius alius Spiritus sanctus The Father ys one the Sonne ys an other and the holie Goste ys an other But formoche as they be not distincted in substāce we maie not saie Aliud est Pater aliud Filius aliud Spiritus sanctus The Father ys one thing the Sonne an other thing and the holie Gost an other thinge But cōtrarie wise bicause these three be one in substance the Scripture teacheth vs thus Tres sunt qui testimonium dant in coelo Pater Verbum Spiritus sanctus hi tres vnum sunt Ther be three that beare wittnesse Ioan. 5. Vnum in the neutre gēdre signifieth vnitie of substāce Ioan. 10. in heauen the Father the Sonne and the holie Gost and these three be Vnum that ys one thing or substance not Vnus one person So we reade in the Gospell Ego Pater vnum sumus I and the Father be one that ys in substance So here where sainct Cyprian saieth Aliud est quod appositum c. Yt ys one thinge that was sett before them and cōsumed and an other thing that the master did geue and distribute he sheweth that these two thinges were thinges substanciallie distincted For before yt was the substance of bread of the whiche he spake in the beginning of the sentence whē he saied Manducauerāt de eodem pane secundùm formam visibilem They had eaten of the same bread after a visible forme But nowe after the solemne benediction yt ys an other substance that ys the substance of Chryste whiche as before ys saied ys the medicin to heale our infirmities and the sacrifice to pourge our iniquities Yf ther were the same substance of bread still remaining after the consecracion by the solemne blessinge as was before so as ther were none other chaunge but an accidentall chaunge that ys as the Aduersaries saie that the bread before the woordes of Chryst spoken ouer yt For they abhorre to vse the woorde consecracion as saincte Cyprian dothe and other holie Fathers ys but comon bread but after the woordes be spoken yt ys a sacramentall bread then this Authour wolde not saie Aliud est yt ys an other thing Whiche latin woord Aliud respecteth the difference of the substance as ys before saied and ys as moch to saie as an other thing in substance or an other substance Wherfore to conclude this holie Martir of Chryste teacheth vs here The bread that before consecraciō serueth to nourish the bodie onelie after cōsecraciō ys an other thing whiche nourisheth the soule that the bread consecrated by the Solemne benediction wher before yt was bread onelie to nourish the bodie yt ys nowe after the consecracion a thing profitable for the healthe and life of the wholl man that ys both of the bodie and of the soule being a medicin to beale infirmities and a sacrifice to pourge iniquities Which thing ys an other thing from the thing that yt was before differing from that in substance We must nedes therfore affir me and professe that yt ys the verie bodie of Chryst substanciall and Reall But that this maie appeare vnto yow to be the verie minde of saincte Cyprian and not a sense of mine owne wresting as the Aduersaries for the more parte will saie when ells they coulde saie nothing being put to scilēce by force of the trueth ye shall heare an other place of the same Authour At Melchisedech Rex Salem protulit panem vinum fuit enim sacerdos Li. 2. Epi. 3. ad Cicil. Dei summi benedixit Abraham Quòd autem Melchisedech typum Christi portaret declarat Spiritus sanctus in psalmis ex persona Patris ad Filium dicens Ante luciferum genui te Iurauit Dominus non poenitebit eum tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundùm ordinem Melchisedech Qui ordo vtique hic est de sacrificio illo veniens inde descendens quòd Melchisedech sacerdos Dei summi fuit quòd panem vinum obtulit quòd Abraham benedixit Nam qui magis sacerdos Dei summi quà m Christus Iesus Dominus noster qui sacrisicium Deo Patri obtulit obtulit hoc idem quod Melchisedech obtulerat id est panem vinum suum scilicet corpus sanguinem And a litle after yt foloweth Vt ergo in Genesiper Melchisedech Sacerdotem benedictio circa Abraham possit ritè celebrari praecedit antè imago sacrificij in pane vino scilicet constituta Quam rem perficiens adimplens Dominus panem calicem mixtum vino obtulit qui est plenitudo veritatem praefiguratae imaginis adimpleuit And Melchisedech King of Salem saieth holie Cyprian brought furthe bread and wine For he was the preist of the most high God and he blessed Abraham And that Melchisedech did beare the figure of Chryste the holie Gost in the person of the Father to the Sonne dothe declare in the psalmes saing Before the daie starre haue I begotten thee Owre Lorde hath The ordre of Melchisedech came to Chryst not onelie in that he was the high preist but in that he offred bread and wine the like sacrifice sworn and yt shall not repent him Thowe arte a preist for euer after the ordre of Melchisedech Whiche ordre also ys this cominge from that Sacrifice and from thence descendinge that Melchisedech was the preist of the most high God that he offred bread and wine that he Blessed Abraham For who ys more the preist of the most high God then our Lorde Iesus Chryste who did offer sacrifice to God the Father And offred the verie same that Melchisedech had offred that ys to saie bread and wine euen hys bodie and bloode And after a fewe woordes he proceadeth thus That therfore the blessinge aboute Abraham might laufullie be celebrated by Melchisedech the preist in Genesis the ymage of the sacrifice goeth before appointed in bread and wine Whiche thing owre Lorde perfecting and fullfillinge hath offred the bread and the cuppe mixed with wine And he that ys the fullnesse hath fulfilled the trueth of the prefigurated ymage Thus farre saincte Cyprian What neadeth me here to saie any thing wher euery parte of the sentence ys so plain that yt clerelie and plainlie openeth yt self As touching the speciall matter of thys place do ye not see that he saieth Melchisedech was the figure of Chryst Do ye not perceaue that he also saieth that the holie Gost declareth the same in the psalme Do ye not also see that Melchisedech was the figure of Chryst in three poincts that ys in that he was the preist of the most high God
proclamacion whether the bodie of Chryst ys or maie be in a thousand places or mo at one time Whiche albeit in sense yt be coincident to the other before mencioned yet in vtterance yt sheweth a more doubtfull countenance For asking whether Chrystes bodie can be in a thousand places at once he doth both by the woorde thousand moche declare his incredulitie to the misteries of God and by the same persuadeth to his hearers an impossibilitie And for that this maner of questioninge ys a questioÌ„ on incredulitie as the Iewes was and spring bothe oute of vnbeleif I haue thought good to ioin them to gether and after the handling of the one to handle the other And to them bothe to saie As the Iewe remaining with in the coÌ„passe of his carnall vnderstaÌ„ding coulde not atteign to the vnderstaÌ„ding of this matter which was by faith and yet possible So these meÌ„ measuring Chryste and his power by naturall knowledge whiche ys but grosse dregges and suddes to the pure knowledge of faithe they come in doubte and aske a questioÌ„ as of a thinge vnpossible when yet yt ys very possible But perchaunce ye will saie to me yf it be a thinge so verie possible howe Obiection with answer Faith iudgeth yt possible that reason iudgeth impossible dothe yt appeare to this maÌ„ and his likes vnpossible I answere that yt appeareth to them vnpossible bicause they leauing the knowledge of faith are returned to the onelie knowledge naturall and therby will they measure Chrystes doinges in this matter And for so moche as this appeareth vnpossible to that knowledge therfor they also saie that yt ys vnpossible For allthough bycause they wolde seme to builde vpon faith they do sometime alleage the article of our faith that Chryst ascended into heauen an sitteth at the right hand of God to Father yet the grounde of their disputacion the force of their praclamacion yea the shottanker of their refuge in this matter ys naturall reason euen plain naturall philosophie That thowe maist see this gentle Reader I will for example make one of their arguments that Chrystes bodie can not be in the Sacrament Thus they reason He ascended into heaueÌ„ and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Ergo he ys not in the Sacrament Yf the true chrystian saie yt ys no good consequence For though yt be true that Chryst beat the right haÌ„d of the Father yet yt improueth not the presence of Chryst in the SacrameÌ„t For the catholique faith coÌ„fesseth both that Chryst ys preseÌ„t with his Father in heaueÌ„ according to the article of the faithe and also preseÌ„t in the SacrameÌ„t according to his worde wheÌ„ he saied This ys my bodie This ys my bloode This do ye in remeÌ„brance of me So that his presence in heauen denieth not his presence in the Sacrament but he ys present in bothe in maner conuenient to bothe Against this they replie and saie Euery naturall bodie can be but in one place Chryst hath a naturall bodie Ergo yt can be but in one place But yt ys in heaueÌ„ as in a place Ergo yt ys ther and in no other place Marke ye nowe howe they flie to naturall phisolophie as to their great strenght to maintein Sacramentaries cheif growndes be naturall reasons their faithe ys yt not a sure peice of faith that ys builded vpon naturall philosophie and naturall reason and not vpon the scriptures the auncient fathers or the vniuersall receaued faith PerchauÌ„ce yt maie be saied that I reason thus of my self to deface the validitie of their matter Well to auoide this ymaginacioÌ„ I will bring in the verie argument of Oecolampadius the great fownder and prince of this schoole Oecolamp De verbis coenae Domini in our time and the master of this Proclamer in this matter Thus he reasoneth Si dicas panis continet corpus vide quid sequitur ergo panis locus erit vnum corpus erit in multis locis multa corpora in vno loco corpus in corpore etc. Yf thow saiest the bread coÌ„teineth the bodie looke what foloweth theÌ„ the bread shall be a place aÌ„d one bodie shall be in many places aÌ„d manie bodies in one place and one bodie in an other Thus Oecolampadius Doo I nowe feign this maner of reasoning Dothe not Oecolampadius resorte to naturall phisolophie to prooue his heresie and impugne the faith catholique Although in dede the argumeÌ„t proceadeth directlie against Luther who taught the bread in the Sacrament to remain with the bodie of Chryste soche ys the agrement of the Father aÌ„d the SoÌ„ne of the master aÌ„d the scholer of Luther aÌ„d OecolaÌ„padius aÌ„d so of one of theÌ„ with an other yet yt ys also against the catholique faith for yt impugneth the preseÌ„ce of Chryste in the SacrameÌ„t But howe as ys saied by naturall reason And shall I saie why they proue this their doctrin by natural reason In dede bicause yt ys so farre vnknowen to the scriptures that I dare saie they neuer were nor shall be able to bring fruthe anie one scripture to proue yt and so moche to diminish the omnipotencie or allmightie power of God But to aunswere Oâ—colampadius for his naturall reason I thinke the saing of saincte Ambrose to be a good answere Quid hic quaeris naturae ordineÌ„ in Christi corpore De initiaÌ„d myst cap. 9 cum praeter naturam sit ipse Dominus Iesus partus ex virgine What sekest thowe saieth saincte Ambrose the ordre of nature in Chrystes bodie here seing the self same our Lord Iesus besides nature was born of a virgen And to adde to saincte Ambrose saieÌ„g not onelie his birthe was besides nature but manie other his actes as his great learning aÌ„d wisdome declared in his disputacioÌ„ with the doctours in the teÌ„ple wheÌ„ he was but twelue yeares of age his Naturall order had no place in many of Chrystes doinges walking vpon the sea his voluÌ„tarie death in geuing vppe his blessed sowle at his owne pleasure withoute force or violeÌ„ce as yt were to thrust yt oute and to cause vt to departe His resurrection and his ascension withall be as moche against the ordre of nature as his blessed bodie to be in diuerse places and as good argumentes maie the Aduersarie finde in natural philosophie against them as against this Whiche if he do or maie doo shall we therfore denie Chrystes walking on the sea his death his resurrection Mahomets patched religion and the Sacramentaries â—och like and his ascension as theie do his presence in the Sacrament Then shall we make a mingled faith as the Turkes do For as they kepe parte of Moyses lawe parte of Mohometes inuention So we must haue a faith partelie grownded vpon the scriptures partelie on naturall reason But so that wheÌ„ we will scripture shall rule naturall reason and when we list naturall reason shall commaunde and withstand both faith and scripture This ys a madsetled faith Wherfore
veritatem in se continet ex quibus conficitur Conficitur autem sacrificium Ecclesiae duobus sacramento re sacramenti id est corpore Christi Est ergo sacramentum res sacramenti This ys yt whiche we saie whiche by all means we labour to Sacrifice of the Church consisteth of the visible formes of breadaÌ„d wine and the inuisible flesh aÌ„d blood of Chryst approue that the Sacrifice of the Churche ys made by two means and consistes of two thinges of the visible forme of the Elementes and the inuisible flesh and bloode of our Lorde Iesus Chryst the Sacrament and the thing of the Sacrament that ys to saie the bodie of Chryste As the person of Chryst ys of God and man for as moche as he ys very God and very man For euery thing doth contein in yt the nature and trueth of those thinges of the whiche yt ys made The Sacrifice of the Chruche ys made of two thinges of the SacrameÌ„t and the thing of the Sacrament that ys the bodie of Chryst Thus farre S. Augustin Doth he not here in this sentence teache the presence of Chrystes bodie in the SacrameÌ„t yes yf ye note wel he teacheth three thinges by expresse wordes S. August teacheth three thiuges in one sentence against the Sacramentaries whiche the Aduersaries deinie that ys that the Churche hath a Sacrifice that therin ys a sacrament whiche he expowndeth to be the formes of the Elementes that ys of bread and vine that ther ys also present the verie bodie and blood of Chryst which he calleth the thing of the Sacrament bicause yt ys the thing that the Sacrament doth signifie And bycause men shoulde not cauille saing that the bodie and bloode of Chryst be not verilie present but signified He declareth by the similitude of Chrysts person that as verilie as Chryst being God and man hath both the nature of God and the nature of mam So verilie hath the sacrifice of the Sacrament that ys the outwarde formes of bread and wine and the bodie and blood of Chryst Nowe if the Aduersaries will saie that in the Sacrifice of the Churche ther ys not really either the formes of bread and wine or the verie bodie and blood of Chryst then must they likewise saie that in the person of Chryst ther ys not reallie either the nature of man or the nature of God whiche both are to detestable to be spokeÌ„ of the mouthe of a Chrysten man And so trulie ys the other also And yet not coÌ„tented with this similitude which ys abundantlie sufficient he proceadeth to proue the same by this saing Euery thing saieth he conteineth in yt the nature and trueth of the thinges that yt ys made of The Sacrifice of the Churche ys made of the Sacrament and the bodie and blood of Chryst Wherfore S. Augustine thus concludeth vpon this reason Est igitur sacramentuÌ„ res sacramenti corpus Christi Ther ys therfor the Sacrament and the thing of the Sacrament the bodie of Chryste In these wordes I suppose S. Augustin hath so plainly expressed and declared his faith in this matter that yt can not suffer any other opinion iustlie to be conceaued of him For yf we that haue liued and liue in this time of pestilent heresie wolde against this heresie of the Sacrament studie to deuise to speake or write the plainest woordes that might impugne this heresie and declare fullie our faith we can no more faie nor by better and plainer woordes do the same then saincte Augustin hath here doen. Wherfore what so euer he did speake or write to any partie or parties according to the disposition and condicion of them somtime speaking of the misticall bodie of Chryst signified by this sacrament somtime onely of the spirituall receauing of Chryst somtime darkely for the maner of the audience yet be well assured his faith can not be otherwise for the presence then here ys declared for somoch as these woordes can bear no other sense nor mening then they in the outwarde face do showe Therfore Reader be not caried awaie by the false coÌ„mentes that naughtie men make of S. Augustins woordes For though he speake somtime obscurelie as yt maie appeare to haue a doubtfull vnderstanding as before we ende this chapiter of S. Iohn thowe shalt heare yet for somoche as saincte Augustin had but one faithe whiche ys so plainly here professed and settfurth be well assured that he neuer varieth or goeth from and against this But I tarie to long vpon this seing ther be diuerse cooples mo to be hearde vpon this text THE TWENTETH CHAP. PROCEADETH vpon the same text by sainct Hilarie and Euthymius SAincte Hilarie ys a great auncient of Chrystes house liuinge aboute S. Hilarye coÌ„mended the 360 yeare after Chryste and not onelie auncient but also right excellent in learning and famouslie constant in faithe His excellencie in learning ys not onely testified by saincte Hierom who saieth he wrote manie learned woorkes but also by Rufinus who saieth he was accompted the great light in his time to all Fraunce and Italie His constancie in faith ys well declared that notwithstanding the Emperours and Princes ad manie Bishopps were the fauourers of the heresie of the Arians yet he neither moued with the fauour of mightie and great men neither feared with their punishment or banishment did constantlie resist the saied heresie and also wrote learned bookes against yt This authour writteh thus Li. 8. de Trinitaâ—s Quae scripta sunt legamus quae legerimus intelligamus tunc perfectae fidei fungemur officio De naturali in nobis Christi veritate quae discimus nisi ab eo discimus stultè atque impiè discimus ipse enim ait Caro mea verè est esca sanguis meus verè est potus Qui edit carnem meam bibit sanguinem meum in me manet ego in eo De veritate carnis sanguinis non est relictus ambigendi locus Nunc enim ipsius Domini professione fide nostra verè caro est et verè sanguis est Et haec accepta atque bausta id efficiunt vt et nos in Christo et Christus in nobis sit Let vs read those thinges that be written and soche thinges as we read let vs vnderstand and then shall we perfectelie do the office of our faith Soche thinges as we learn of the naturall Of the veritie of Chrystes flesh and blood in the Sacr. ther ys no doubt veritie of Chryst in vs except we learn of him we learn foolishlie and vngodlie For he doth saie My flesh ys verilie meat and my blood ys verilie drinke He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him Of the veritie of the flesh and bood ther ys no place left to doubte For nowe both by the plain speaking of our Lorde him self and by our faith yt ys verilie flesh and verilie bloode And these
cibus est Aqua etiam illa è petra ad momentum sitim corporalem leuabat nec quicquam adferebat pretereà Non erat ergo potus ille verus sed verus potus est sanguis Christi quo radicitus mors euertitur destruitur Non enim hominis simpliciter sanguis est sed eius qui naturali vitae coniunctus vita effectus est Hauest thowe knowen the shadowe and the figure Learn the verie trueth of the thing My flesh saieth he ys meat in dede and my bloode ys drinke in dede He doth again make a distinction betwixt the misticall benediction and Manna the streames of waters oute of the rocke and the partaking of the holy cuppe leaste they shoulde more esteem the miracle of Manna but Figures of the olde Lawe and veritie of the newe be as the shadow ād the thing shadowed raither shoulde receaue him the whiche ys the heauenly bread and the geuer of eternall life For the foode Manna did not bringe eternall life but a short remedie of hungar but the holie boodie of Chryste ys a meat nourishinge to immortalitie and eternall life That water also oute of the stone did for a litle while ease the bodilie thrist but the trae drinke ys the bloode of Iesus Chryst by the whiche death ys turned vppe by the rootes and destroied Yt ys not the blood of a bare man but of him who beinge conioined to the naturall life ys made life Thus farre sainct Cyrill Do ye not perceaue in these woordes that he speaketh as moch and the very same in sense though not in woordes that Chrysostom did He had treacted before of the paschall lambe and therby moued the Iewes to consider the Shadowes of Moyses lawe wherby being instructed they shoulde be the readier to vnderstande these misteries of the newe testament and therfor saieth Hauest thowe knowen the figure learn also the very trueth of the thing what ys that My flesh ys meat in dede and my bloode ys drinke in dede Marke then Reader the figures were the Paschall lambe Manna and the water flowing oute of the stone The veritie saieth he that these figures did prefigurate ys that trueth that Chryst vttered saing My flesh ys meat in dede Yf this be the veritie then yt ys not a figure yf yt be no figure then Chryst speaking yt spake neither parabole nor figure as the last coople hath also taught And in this ye perceaue again the confutacion of the Aduersaries that this ys spokē of Chrystes very flesh in the Sacramēt and that yt ys no figuratiue speache as they wolde feign yt to be but a speache teaching the thinge to be reallie and verilie present But that I be not to tediouse in tarieng to long vpō euery authour I will saie no more of this mans testimonie at this present both for the cause alleged and also that through all the sixt chapiter of saincte Iohn and allmost through all the gospell of saincte Iohn he ys not onely plentifull inmaking mencion of this matter but also as plain as he ys plentifull And that knowe the aduersaries right well Therfor we will heare what Dionise who ys ioined to him doth saie Thus I teade ther Caro mea verè est cibus sanguis meus verè est potus Hoc ait Saluator ne putaretur parabolicè loqui Dionys Carthus in Ioan. 6. solito more ita quòd carnem suam diceret panem quia significaretur per panem esset sub forma panis solùm sicut in signo vel propter aliquam proprietatem cum pane cibus diceretur quomodò dicit Apostolus Petra erat Christus quoniam figurauit Christum Et Esaias Verè foenum est populus propter conuenientiam quandam Et infrà ait de seipso Saluator Ego sum vitis vera Ad insinuandum ergo quòd caro sua sit verè substantialiter sub specie panis veraciterue sumatur à communicante Sanguis quoque ipsius verè sub specie vini contineatur recipiatur adiecit Caro mea id est corpus sumitur enim nunc earo non prout ossa excludit pro toto corpore neruos venas ossa habente verè est cibus animae non corporis quia non visibiliter nec corporaliter sumitur quamuis verum corpus sumatur My flesh ys verily meat and my blood ys verilie drinke Thus saied our Sauiour leest he shoulde be thought after his customable maner to speake parabolicallie so that he shoulde call his flesh bread bicause yt shoulde be signified by the bread and shoulde be vnder the forme of bread onelie as in a signe Or that yt should be called meat for some propretie that yt hath with bread Euen as the Apostle doth saie The stone was Chryst bicause yt figured Chryst And Esaie Truly the people The verie flesh of Chryst vnder the forme of bread and his verie blood vnder the forme of vine ys grasse for a certain agrement to the same And in the gospell our Sauiour saieth of him self I am the true vine To insinuate therfor vnto vs that his flesh ys verilie and substāciallie vnder the forme of bread and that yt ys truly receaued of the cōmunicant and his bloode also ys conteined in dede vnder the forme of wine and ys receaued he added My flesh that ys to saie my bodie For flesh ys nowe here taken not as yt doth exclude the bones but for the wholl dodie hauing sinewes vaines and bones ys verilie meat of the soule not of the bodie For yt ys not taken or receaued visiblie nor corporallie although the verie bodie be receiued Thus moche Dionise Although I nede not here to note anie thing wher euery sentēce and peice of the same ys so plainly laied furth to our vnderstanding yet I haue thought yt good not to ouerpasse to aduertise thee reader that this authour though he speake thus plain yet he dissenteth not frō the aunciētes before alleaged namelie Chrysostom and Cyrill For as they saied that this saing of Chryst ys no parable nor figure nor darke speache but conteining the veritie and the very thing in deed that by figurs was perfigurated So this authour drawing by the same line saieth that wher Chryst was accustomed to speake parabolicallie yet to geue vs to vnderstand that yt was neither figure nor parabole that he spake of here but that yt was his flesh verilie and substanciallie that ys vnder the forme of bread and his bloode in verie dede that ys vnder the forme of wine He saied my flesh whiche ys here taken for the wholl bodie this wholl bodie ys verilie meate Secondarely where some of them saied yt was verie meat bicause yt saued the soule Some other saied yt was the meat of the soule bicause yt brought to the soule immortalitie and euerlasting life so this Authour also saieth that yt ys the meate of the soule not of the bodie Thus in these pointes ye see no dissencion betwixt the Authours
heauē which Chryst our Sauiour by his blod hath bought vs to we shall be cōdēpned to that pain that we were once redemed frō ād so eternallie become miserable with him vnto whoos 's wordes we wolde geue credditte before the woordes of our Lorde God As nowe ye perceaue howe like the tēptacions be so maie ye perceaue howe like the rewarde of the assēting or agreing to the tēptaciō of the enemie ys Yf therfor ye will auoide the rewarde which ys pain eternal withstād the temptacion whiche beginneth the thrall A mong manie other two thinges methinketh shoulde with the assistēce of Two thinges which aught to moue vs to resist the temptatiōs of the Sacramentaries gods grace moche moue yowe to withstād his wicked tēptacions in this be half the one ys that as in the first tēptaciō to our first parentes he spake the plain cōtrarie of that God had spokē so in this his tēptacon he speaketh the verie contrarie to that that Chryst our Lorde God hath spoken For Chryst saied This ys my bodie But Sathā saieth yt ys not his bodie Now whē anie thing ys taught that ys manifestlie repugnant to the woorde of our Lorde God who cā speak nothing but trueth except we be woorse bewitched them the Galathians were we must nedes deme and iudge that doctrine to be false coming from Sathan the father of lies vntrueth and falshod And being false what ells ys to be doen but to withstande and reiecte yt The other thing that aught to moue vs to withstād this tēptaciō ys that Sectes of Sacramentaries Bereng Wicleff Io. Hus. the woordes of his doctrine be not consonant nor agreable For besides his diuerse and cōtrarie spirit which he breathed into Berengarius the first publique and open impugner of this blessed misterie as yt ys saied in the preface of this book into Wiceff and Hus he hath in this our time poured oute manie contrarie spitites and meruelouslie shewed himself the authour of dissētion and repugnant doctrine in the same misterie But for that I might be iudged partiall in the report of this diuerse doctrine I will not vse mie owne woordes but the woordes of Luther Satans cheif and first Commissionar in this maner of proceading and of Melancthon his right ofspring and defendour of his doctrine Luther in his breif confession noting the diuerse and repugnant spirittes that reigned amongest the Sacramentaries saieth in this maner At the first Eight disaegreing spirittes amōg the Sacramentaries nombred by Luther Carolstad Zwinglius Oecolamp Swenckfel these men were well warned of the holie Gost when that vpon that one text they diuided them selues into seuen spirits eche one differing allwaies from the other First Carolstadius wold haue the text so that this ys my bodie should signifie here sitteth my bodie Then Zwinglius saieth that that coulde not be well saied no though the Father of heauen had reueiled yt Therfor being moued with an other holie spirit of his own thus he turned the text Take eate this signifieth my bodie The thirde Oecolampadius brought furth his third holie spirit which turned that text into an other hew as thus Take eate this ys the token of my bodie The fourth Swenckfeldius thinking to make his stench to smell as muske brought vs furth of his holie spirit this rule These woordes this ys my bodie must be remoued from oure seight For they do let vs of the spirituall vnderstanding The fifth holie spirit being but excrementes of that other doth thus read that text Take and eate that which ys deliuered for yowe in this my bodie The sixt holie spirit saieth Take and eate this ys my bodie in remembrance as though Chryst had saied Take and eate this ys the monument of my bodie The seuenth holie spirit Ioannes Campanus bringeth this exposition Take and eate this ys my breadie bodie or bodie of bread Beside all these an other spirit flieth Ioan. Cam aboute For the Deuell ys an holie and great spirit whiche persuadeth men that herein ys no article of oure faith and therfor we aught not to contend of this matter but leaue yt free to euery man to beleue herein what he list Thus farre Luther See ye not by Luthers one woordes seuen and in th end of his collection one mo to make eight dissonant and disagreable doctrines vpon these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie See ye not Sathan diuided against Sathan See ye not his ministres plaing at crosse wasters for the victorie Be persuaded then that wher soche contencion soche strife soche Battaill ys amongest men springing all oute of one Gospell that in that Gospell ys no treuth But we haue not yet seen the ende Melanchton the right of spring and heire of the Lutheran doctrine was not onelie intoxicated with a diuerse spirit from his Father and Fiue sectes of Sacramētaries amōg the Lutherans nombred by Melanct. master Martin Luther in the ende of his life but also reporteth that among the Lutherans them selues ther were fiue Sacramentaries sectes or heresies For some saieth he be of Helhusius minde some of Sarcerius minde some other folowe the ministers of Breme and some Ioachimus Morlinus other also he alleageth whose opinion ys that Chrystes bodie maie be in euery place Whiche sectes being fiue in nombre yf ye put them to the eight enombred by Luther they make thirtene Thus by their own report yt ys to be perceaued that the woordes of Sathans doctrine be not of one sownde of one agreeement but his spirit Chrystes woordes wrested to sixtene diuerse senses by the Protestants hath breathed into his disciples vpon these fewe woordes of Chryst diuerse and and plain repugnant expositions and doctrines To these thirtene diuerse doctrines yf we adde and putto the expositions of Luther himself Melanchton and Caluine whiche esteemed them selues as the lightes of the worlde we shall make vppe sixtene diuerse expositions and doctrines of this matter fettfurth by Sathans disciples As for Luther yt ys euindent that he expounded Chrystes woordes farre vnlike to Zuinglius Oecolāpadius or anie of that line yea vnto Berengarius himself For he saieth they must be thus vnderstāded This ys my bodie that ys this bread ys my bodie Melanchton in his later daies as yt ys common to heretiques to growe worse and worse forsooke Luthers spirit and tasted of Zwinglius spirit Melancth His mutabilitie but so as he wolde in soch wise correct him that he wolde make him a newe spirit And therfor he wolde haue this sense vpon Chrystes woordes This ys my bodie that ys This ys a participacion of my bodie whiche newe interpretacion saieth Staphilus ys plainlie a newe Sacramentaries heresie Last of all the doctrine of Caluine swarueth from all these teaching that Chryst ys geuen to vs reallie but not corporallie as though the sense of Io. Caluine Chrystes woordes might be This ys my bodie that ys This ys the verie substance of my bodie but it ys
not my bodilie substance Thus aboute the sense of Chrystes woordes ye haue among these Egyptians seen a merueillouse varietie who creping and groping in their palpable darknesse tooke that for trueth that Sathan suffred to come first to their hand by which mean euerie one of them vttered that for trueth that in his darknesse he had lighted on But among all note howe by Swenckfeldius Sathā wolde haue berieued yowe not onelie of this Sacrament but of all other and not onelie of them but of the scriptures also This ys a miserable progresse this ys the right building of Babell wher the tounges of men be confownded that a man can not vnderstand his neighbour neither can the catholike vnderstand the protestant nor the protestant the protestant But nowe returning to my pourpose again I wish that to be perceaued in this processe whiche before I spake of to be noted the better to withstand Sathan in his temptacions against the true doctrine and faith namelie that his doctrine ys not consonant nor agreable in yt self but dissonant and repugnant some of his disciples teaching that the bodie of Chryst ys in the Sament with the bread some that the bodie of Chryst ys in the Sacrament in and vnder the bread other some that the bread ys the bodie of Chryst other of the contrarie maner denieng the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament but yet diuerslie some of them teaching that the Sacrament ys but a signe of the bodie of Chryst other some that the bread ys a figure of the bodie of Chryst other that it ys the powre vertue or efficacie of the bodie of Chryst other that Chryst ys reallie exhibited vnto vs but not bounde nor exclosed in the bread other whiche be the worste sort teaching that ther ys neither bodie nor Sacrament In which diuersitie and contrarietie of doctrines yt ys easelie to be perceaued not onely how moche dissonant they are frō the doctrine and woordes of Chryst but also howe farre disagreing they are among them selues Whiche faut perceaued I thinke him more then bewitched that will geue credittte to anie of them forsomoche as ther ys no man but knoweth that in the doctrine of God ys concorde agreement And forsomoch as in these other doctrins ther ys none agreement but repugnance and contrarities yt ys certen that they be not of God Besides this what proof haue anie of all these either in the scriptures or holie Fathers that this saing of Chryst This ys my bodie shoulde be vnderstanded as eche of them stowtly seeme to auouche and that after their sondrie maners They be contrarie one to an other yet eche of them perswade their disciples that they teache the true woorde of God And yet the scriptures of God beare no soche contrarie sense is Nowe therfor Reader staie thie self and choose raither to beleue Chryst then Sathan who goeth aboute to deceaue thee as he did thie first parentes who through light creditte neclecting what God had saied and beleuing what the serpent saied fell into preuaricacion and were condemned Thus moche then being saied of Sathans maner of temtacion to abduce and lead awaie men from the faith of Chryst and of his sondrie and manie inuented false expositions disagreeng and clean repugnant euen amongest them selues of these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie I shall nowe addresse my self first somewhat to saie of thinges apperteining to the true vnderstanding of those woordes and afterwarde open to youe he right vnderstanding of the same woordes by the most auncient and holie Fathers of Chrystes Church wher ye shall perceaue not a repugnance as in Sathans schoole but concorde and agrement meit for Chrystes schoole THE TWO AND FOVRTETH CHAP. BEGINNETH the exposition of the woordes of Chryst after the catholike maner with certain proofes of the same AS ye haue hearde Sathā teaching his scholers with moche contrarietie strife and repugnance to expownd or raither to expuncte the woordes of Chryst and to peruert them as yt hath pleased the same ther master to moue them some one waie some another but neuer one of them the right waie so shall ye nowe heare the disciples and scolers of Chryst and of his holie spirit with all agremēt concorand peace expownde yowe the same woordes of Chryst after the learning of their master not some one waie and some an other waie but all one waie as yt were with one mouthe spoken Yt shall moche cōmende this goodlie amitie and concorde of this schoole yf we first in the entrie of this declaracion shall heare howe the cheif and highest scholers of this schoole do agree in the reporte of these woordes of Chryst whose exposition we seke The cheifest scholers reporters of these woordes be the three Euangelistes Matthew Marke and Luke and the Apostle Paule S. Matthew reporteth yt thus Iesus tooke bread and when he had blessed it he breake it and gaue it to the disciples Mat. 26. and saied Take eate this ys my bodie And he tooke the cuppe and thanked and gaue it them saing Drinke ye all of this This ys my bloode whiche ys of the newe testament whiche ys shedde for manie for the remission of sinnes S. Marke agreablie testifieth the same thus Iesus tooke breade and blessing Mar. 14. he brake it and gaue to them and saied Take eate this ys my bodie and he tooke the cuppe and when he had geuen thankes he tooke it to them And they all dranke of it and he saied to them This ys my bloode of the newe testament whiche ys shedde for manie S. Luke reporteth yt after this maner And whē he had takē bread he gaue thākes and brake it and gaue it vnto them saing This ys my bodie whiche ys geuen for yow Likewise Luc. 22. also when he had supped he tooke the cuppe saing This cuppe ys the newe Testament in my bloode whiche ys shedde for yowe With this testimonie of S. Luke agreeth S. Paule thus Owre Lorde Iesus the same night that he was betraied toke bread and when he had geuen thankes he brake 1. Cor. 11. it and saied Take ye and eate this ys my bodie whiche ys broken for yow This do in remembrance of me After the same maner also he tooke the cuppe when supper was doen saing This cuppe ys the newe testament in my bloode This do as often as ye drinke yt in the remembraunce of me Thus ye see first these foure highe scholers of Chrystes schoole consonātlie and agreablie reporting the doctrine of their master namelie that he tooke bread and after he had geuē thankes or blessed yt gaue yt to them saing take eate this ye my Tropes and figures patched to Chrystes woordes excluded bodie Of the whiche ye see not one making anie one title or mencion of tropes figures or fignificacions whiche the Aduersurie wolde patche vnto this text to cōfownde the saing and mening of Chryste and to shadowe his great mercie and loue toward vs in
into a false argument seing that the woordes immediately folowing of him saing thus As the braunche can beare no fruit of him self except he abide in the vine So neither can yowe except ye abide in me Do manifestlie enforce that saing to be vnde by a similitude speciallie for that he did not with a singular demonstracioÌ„ sate I am this vine as with a singular demonstracion he saied This ys my bodie this ys my bloode Wherunto furthwith he put the description of the true propertie of eche of them of the bodie saing whiche shall be deliuered for yowe of the blood also whiche shall be shedde for manie Therfor that these later plagues come not vpon vs we neither diminish nor put to any thing to the diuine definition or discription whiche the Sonne of God incarnate hath spoken or vttered with his owne mouthe But raither bycause perfecte charitie casteth oure feare not so moche for the feare as for loue of trueth we do confesse that this bodilie breade after the Father hath blessed it and this wine pressed oute of these present grapes as sooen as yt ys blessed by the handes of the churche saing that yt maie be made to vs the bodie and bloode of thy most beloued some Iesus Chryst and so furth vntill ye come to these woordes ye shall do yt in the remembrance of me that yt ys the bodie and bloode of him who ys the Author of this tradicion and that this sacrifice ys Chryst him self by whose passion yt was blessed of God the Father in verie dede that yt might be made a sacrifice Thus farre he Two thinges I thinke good geÌ„tle Reader in this reason of this Authour to note to thee The one ys that where the Aduersarie bringeth furth certain places of the scripture whiche be vnderstand by tropes as wher Chryste saieth I am a vine I am the dore and soche like therby to prooue that these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie shoulde so be vnderstande also whiche in dede proueth nothing this Authour declareth that the circumstance of these places doth compell vs so to vnderstand them as in the opening of this text I am a vine he hath declared So this scripture also I am the doore the woordes of Chryste immediately folowing teache vs that they are to be vnderstande by Joan. 10. a similitude for streight waie he saieth By me who soeuer entreth he shall be saued and shall go in and go oute and finde foode So that we haue Chrystes owne warrant Willfull or naturall reason ys no sufficient warrant allwaies in the court of faith so to vnderstand them But to vnderstande the woordes of Chrystes supper in like maner vieue the place ye shall finde no title in the texte to cause yt to beare the Aduersaries sense So that they haue no other warraÌ„t but wilfull and naturall reason whiche warrant ys not allwaies sufficient and aloweable in the courte of faith Wherfore as these scriptures be to be vnderstanded by a trope bicause the circumstance ther so teacheth So are the other woordes in their propre sense to be vnderstanded bicause the circumstance so teacheth For declaracion of whiche matter I maie deuide the seconde note into two partes The one ys to note the enunciacion of bothe scriptures For though Chryst saied I am a vine yet he did not particularly take a braunche of a vine and saie I am this vine or this vine ys my bodie but vsed the generall woorde and saied I am a vine But speaking of the mysterie of his bodie he did not vse that maner of speache saing I am bread whiche maner of phrase maie seeme well to beare a trope yf anie circumstaÌ„ce had ben adioined to declare and open the same But leauing the generall woorde of bread and particularlie taking a peice of bread in his handes and blessing and geuing thankes saied with a particular and speciall demonstracion This ys my bodie As these two propositions spoken of an olde man I am a childe and by speciall demonstracion to this childe saing This ys my childe haue a great difference The first I am a vine and this ys my bodie be no like speaches being spoken by a similitude for that reason witte vnderstanding and senseis being decaied in him he maie saie I am a childe that ys like a childe The other being spoken of his owne childe and importing not a similitude but a naturall substance of him in the childe So these propositions I am a vine and this ys my bodie haue great difference The one being spoken by a similitude bicause Chryst ys like a vine The other by certen demonstracion of substance for that that Chryst made demonstracion vnto was his verie substance The second parte of the note ys that the circumstance of the scripture reiecting figures and tropes dothe mightilie prooue the sense of that place to be propre and not figuratiue or tropicall For the propretie saieth he apper teinâ—ng to the bodie whiche can not be applied to the figure ys furthwith added whiche ys that the thing ys there whiche shaÌ„ll be deliuered for manie And that ys in the cuppe whiche shall shed in the remission of sinnes whiche can be nothing ells but the bodie and bloode of Chryste Who onelie gaue his bodie to be crucified and his bloode to be shed for owre redemption Thus then ye perceaue that these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie were spoken of him withoute the putting to of anie trope figure or signe They This ys my bodie no figuratiue speache are left to vs written by the three holie Euangelistes whithoute any mencioÌ„ of trope or figure They were so taught by S. Paule to the Corinthians and afterwarde so writteÌ„ The promisse of Chryst wherin he saied The bread which I will geue ys my flesh which I will geue for the life of the worlde was plainlie whithoute any trope spoken Yt ys so reported of the Euangelist S. Iohn Yt ys so expownded of all the auncient doctours and so shewed what the woordes be teaching the perfourmance of that promisse Ye perceaue also the fame of the communion of the Chrystians emong the infidels to be not by a figure of flesh but by verie flesh in dede Ye perceaue emong Chrystians the beleif of the Sacrament to be the flesh of Chryst to be so commonlie receaued and beleued that younge babes in those daies coulde speake yt Ye perceaue that yt ys not laufull for vs to putte to or to take awaie from the woorde of Chryst For yf we do we fall into the daunger of Gods malediction and other plagues All these consideracions and manie mo shewe vnto vs that we shoulde take the woordes of Chryste as they be of him spoken yf ye put to anie of these woordes Signum or figura Token or figure ys not that put to that Chryst spake not and do ye not so fall into the daunger of Gods plagues Ouer and besides this ye perceaue that the circumstance
Chryst deliuered to his Apostles his own bodie Of these verseis this maie be the sense in english When Chryste had thus saied he tooke bread in his handes and when he had geuen thankes he diuided yt to his Disciples and taught them that he deliuered vnto thē his owne bodie And after that our Lorde tooke the cuppe filled with wine he sanctifieth yt with thankes geuing and geueth yt to them to drinke and teacheth them that he hath geuen them his blood and saieth This bloode shall remitte the Sinnes of the people Drinke ye this my bloode c. This Authour setting furth the historie of the Gospell in verse and therwith oftentimes geuing vs with the historie the sense and vnderstanding of yt dothe euen so here For he dothe not onely saie that Chryst saied Thys ys my bodie but geueth the vnderstanding of yt saing that Chryst taught his Apostles that he deliuered vnto them his owne bodie In whiche maner of speache note this also that he saieth not onelie that Chryst deliuered them his bodie But addeth this woorde owne and saieth that he taught them that he deliuered to them his owne bodie Whiche maner of speach hath soche force and strenght with yt that as yt declareth the catholique saith and geueth great testimonie of the same so yt beateth and driueth awaie the wicked glose of onely figures and signes inuented by the Aduersaries to peruert the trueth For what more plain testimonie wolde we desire for the vnderstanding of Chrystes woordes then to saie that when Chryst saieth Take eate this ys my bodie that he taught his Apostles that he gaue them his owne bodie A plain saing for the Procla Thus maie yow see that for the catholique faith yow haue plain testimonie for the heresie of the Aduersarie yow haue not one woorde For I assure yowe of this as partlie before ys saied ther ys not one catholique writer neither olde nor yong from Chryst to Berengarius that euer taught or wrote that the Sacrament ys onely a figure or signe of the bodie of Chryst And therfor Reader looke to thie self be not caried awaie from Chrystes faith with onely bragges and glosing woordes voide of all good proofe But raither settle thy self wher thowe findest the trueth sett furth to thee with simplicitie and plainnesse commended with moche proofe and authoritie But hauing yet manie mo wittnesses let me hast me to bring him that ys appoincted to be this authours yockfelowe to declare the continuance of the vnderstanding of Chrystes woordes in the greke churche as the other hath doen in the latin churche This ys Eusebius Emisenus who by the supptacion of learned men liued in the same time that Iuuencus did He writeth thus Recedat omne infidelitatis ambiguum quoniam quidem qui author est muneris ipse est etiam testis veritatis Nam inuisibilis sacerdos visibiles creaturas in substantiam corporis sanguinis sui verbo suo secreta potestate conuertit ita dicens Hoc est corpus meū Et sanctificatione repetita Accipite bibite ait Hic est sangnis meus Let all doubte Euseb Emis Homil 5. Pa. Visible bread and wine turned into the substance of the bodie and blood of Chryst of insidelitie or vnbeleif departe For truly he that ys the authour of the gifte he also ys the wittnesse of the trueth For the inuisible preist by his secret power dothe with his woorde conuert or turne the visible creatures into the substance of his bodie and bloode saing thus Take and eate This ys my bodie and the sanctificacion repeted Take and drinke saieth he this ys my bloode In this saing of Eusebius ther ys no soche darke maner of speache that the reader nede to doubte of the true presence of Chryste in the Sacrament or howe to vnderstand the woordes of Chrystes supper seing that he so plainlie saieth that Chryste whom he calleth the inuinsible preist with his power and woorde saing This ys my bodie This ys my bloode turneth the visible Reall presence and transubstātiaciō plainlie auouched by Euseb Emis creatures of bread and wine into the substance of his bodie and bloode Yf they be turned into the substance of his bodie and bloode as by the testimonie of this authour they trulie be then these woordes Corpus sangnis bodie and blode in the sainges of Chryst doe not signifie the figures of the bodie and bloode of Chryst but the substance of the bodie and bloode of Chryste into which substance to make the bodie and blood verilie present the creatures of bread and wine be turned and so Chryst saing This ys my bodie this ys my blood yt ys asmoch as he had saied This ys the substāce of my bodie this ys the substance of my blood This doctrine ys so certen so sure and so true that this authour gaue exhortacion and admoniciō in the beginning of his saing that in this matter ther should be no doubte all vnbeleife should departe and so faithfullie to beleue Chrystes woordes that forasmoch as he ys the authour of all trueth and saieth This ys my bodie This ys my blood vndoubtedly so to take yt Beside this doctrine of faith of the presence of Chrystes verie substanciall bodie and blood in the Sacrament this authour also teacheth the meā how Transubstantiacion treacted of God woorketh yt and saieth that yt ys doen by turning the creatures of bread and wine into the substance of the bodie and blood of Chryst which turning or chaunging of one substance into an other as the holy Fathers do diuersly terme some of thē calling yt a conuersion or turning some of thē mutaciō or chaūging some communicacion or translacion some transelementaciō some trāsmutacion so the Church fullie and liuelie to expresse the thing that ys doen and therby the better to repell the heresies that haue risen and encōbred the Church since the time of Berengarius hath tearmed yt Transubstanciatōn which terme importeth no more in this matter then transmutacion or transelementacion but yt sowndeth and openeth the thing that yt signifieth more liuelie and suffreth notthe heretiques to wrest yt as they doe the other Which ys the cause that manie be so greuouslie offēded with the terme But bicause the Proclamer doth lightlie ouerpasse yt I will not tarie lōg vpō yt But in the allegaciō of the Fathers as thei shal make mēciō ofit so shal I breleiflie not it And yet that the reader shall not thinke that that matter ys so barren that nothing can be saied of yt or being desielrouse to learn should be frustrate of his desire ād expectaciō I shall somewhat here saie of yt desiering withal that as they do read the doctours that shall be hereafter alleaged they will note in them what they shall finde as therunto I shall geue thē occasion in euerie one that doth speake of this matter And for that we haue taken occasiō of this authours woordes to speake of yt we wil first
Veritas odium parit trueth causeth hatred he gotte himself so moche hatred for this his plain treuth that had not the catholique Churche stande his good Mother he had ben cast oute of the doores by Oecolampadius as S. Iames epistle had ben by Luther for his plain speaking for god workes But God be praised as by her bothe these were approued so God aiding by her they are conserued A mong soche plentie therfor as I haue saied and as yt ys well knowen to them that be learned we will gather a flower or twoo for the mainteināce of the cōfortable sinell of the trueth of the which this shall be the first Ambr. li. 4 de Sacr. cap. 5. Antequam consecretur panis est vbi autem verba Christi accesserint corpus est Christi Denique audi dicentem Accipite edite ex eo omnes Hoc est corpus meum Et ante verba Christi calix est vini aquae plenus vbi verba Christi operata fuerint ibi sanguis efficicitur qui plebem redemit Before yt ys consecrate yt ys bread but when the woordes of Chryste haue comed to yt yt ys the bodie of Chryst Heare him sainge Plain saīgs of S. Amb. for the Procla Take and eate this ys my bodie And before the woordes of Chryst yt ys a cuppe full of wine and water but when the woordes of Chryste haue wrought ther ys made the bloode that redemed the people What can the Aduersaries saie to this place of S. Ambrose What can the Proclamer saie yf he folowe not his Father Oecolampadius and reiect S. Ambrose Can they for shame saie that the woordes of Chryst are spoken by a figure wher they be so plainlie expownded by this notable Father of the verie thing Doe ye not heare that after the woordes of Chryste be spoken vpon the bread yt ys the bodie of Chryst and again that after the woorking of the woordes of Chryste ther ys made in the cuppe the bloode that redemed the people Here ys no figure spoken of He saieth not that yt ys a figure of the bodie and a figure of the bloode but he saied they be the bodie and the bloode yea and that so verilie that he saieth yt ys the bloode that redemed the people As yt ys woonderfull so ys yt pittifull that men will still remain in blinde heresie when the trueth ys so simplie and plainlie vttered and that of so excellent a Father that they can not denie yt but maliciouslie to contein them selues in that miserable state will refuse the worke and saie yt ys not S. Ambrose worke and yet they knowe that S. Augustin himself wittnesseth that S. Ambrose wrote soche bookes of the Sacramentes and ther be none but these But yt ys but a bare shifte when they be ouercomed of the trueth to denie the authour and be not hable to prooue that they doe But lett vs returne to S. Ambrose and gather an other of his flowers Thus he saieth in an other place Tu fortè dicis meus panis est visitatus Sed panis Ambros ibid. li. 4. cap. 4. iste panis est ante verba sacramentorum vbi accesserit consecratio de pane fit caro Christi Thowe peraduenture saiest my bread ys vsuall or common bread But this bread before the woordes of consecracion ys bread but when the consecracion hath comed vnto yt of the bread ys made the flesh of Chryst And Amb. ibid again he saieth in the same chapiter Sed audi dicentem Ipse dixit facta sunt ipse mandauit creata sunt Ergo tibi vt respondeam Non erat corpus Christi ante consecrationem Sed post consecrationem dico tibï quòd iam est corpus Christi Ipse dixit factum est ipse mandauit creatum est But heare one saing He hath saied and they were made he hath cōmaunded and they were created Therfor that What plainer woords cā the Proclamer require I maie aunswer thee Yt was not the bodie of Chryst before the consecracion but after the consecracion I saie vnto thee that nowe yt ys the bodie of Chryst He hath saied and yt ys made he hath commaunded and yt ys created I nede not explane S. Ambrose in this place neither For as the parentes of the blinde born sonne saied of him Aetatem habet ipse pro se loquatur He hath age let him speake for himself so S. Ambrose hath soche grace soche learning and withall soche plain speache that he speaketh sufficently for him self and for Gods cause whiche he openeth and that ther ys nothing here to be desired but an humble reader And if ye will not beleue him yet beleue him to whom he referreth yowe that ys Chryst For he saieth Ipse Ambr. ibid. ca. 5. Dominus Iesus testificatur nobis quòd corpus suum accipiamus sanguinem Nunquid debemus de eius fide testificatione dubitare Owre Lorde Iesus him self testifieth vnto vs that we receaue his bodie and bloode shall we doubte of his trueth and testificacion Nowe let vs compare the doctrine of S. Ambrose with the doctrine of the Aduersaries S. Ambrose saieth that Chryst himself doeth testifie that we S. Ambr. doctrine and the Sacramentaries cōpared together receaue his bodie and bloode The Aduersaries saieth that we doe not receaue the bodie and bloode of Chryst But breade and wine the figures of the bodie and blood of Chryst whom shall we here beleue Chryst and S. Ambrose or the Aduersaries The choise aught soen to be made And therfor yt ys lamentable to see howe Sathan hath preuailed and caused the Aduersaries to call that in question and doubt which Chryst himself testifieth to be the verie trueth Yf yt were not the trueth S. Ambrose be ye well assured wolde not so haue reported yt But yf Chryst had testified to vs that we in the Sacrament receaue but a figure S. Ambrose wolde not haue reported that we receaue Chrystes bodie For as ther ys great difference betwen these two thinges so be the doctrines greatlie different And S. Ambrose who in these his bookes laboured to teache the thrueth and to deliuer men from doubte was not of soche grosse iudgement nor so rude in vtterance but he coulde well iudge betwene the thing and the figure and so vtter his iudgement that his speache shoulde not sownde one thing and hismening shoulde be an other for that were not the waie to deliuer from doubte but raither to bring into doubte not a waie of instruction but raither a waie of destruction But here to conclude this parte for as moch as S. Ambrose saieth that Figure of the Sacrmētaries excluded frō Chrystes woordes Chryst hath testified by these woordes This ys my bodie that we in the Sacramēt after the woords spokē receaue his verie bodie thei are not to be vnderstāded withe anie figure or trope but simplie ād plainlie in that sense that theie are spoken Wherfore yt
will therfor leaue him and heare the minde of his yocke felowe whom we Hieron ad He did q. 2. haue in this place appointed to be S. Hierō who writeth thus Nos autem audiamus panē quem Dominus fregit deditue Discipulis suis esse corpus Domini saluatoris ipso dicente ad eos Accipite comedite Hoc est corpus meū calicē illū esse de quo iterum locutus est Bibite ex hoc omnes Hic est sanguis meus noui testamenti qui pro multis effundetur Iste est calix de quo in Propheta legimus Calicē salutaris accipia alibi Calixtuus The bread which our Lord gaue was his bodie ād the cuppe hys blood inebrians quà m praeclarus est Si ergo panis qui de coelo descendit corpus est Domini vinum quod Discipulis dedit sanguis illius est noui testamēti iudaicas fabulas repellamus c. But let vs heare that bread which our Lord brake and gaue to hys Disciples to be the bodie of our Lord our Sauiour forasmoch as he saied vnto thē Take and eate This ys my bodie And the cuppe to be that of the which again he saied Drinke ye all of this This ys my blood of the newe Testament which shall be shedd for manie This ys the cuppe of the which we read in the Prophete I wil receaue the cuppe of saluacion And in an other place Thy cuppe inebriating ys verie noble Yf therfore the bread that descended frō heauen ys the bodie of our Lord and the wine which he gaue to his Disciples ys his blood of the newe Testament let vs repell the Iewish fables Thus moch S. Hierom. For the better vnderstanding of this saing yt ys to be considered that a certain vertuouse woman named Hedibia sent to sainct Hierom to be resolued in certain questions Among the which she desiered to be instructed how the saing of Chryst in S. Matthew was to be vnderstanded wher he saied I will not from hencefurth drinke of this generacion of the vine vntill that daie in whiche I shall drinke yt newe with yow in the kingdome of my Father To the answeringe wherof he declareth vnto her first the fond opinion of some that vpon that place inuented a fable that Chryst shoulde reign a thousand yeares corporally in which time of his reign he shoulde drinke wine and so shoulde be fullfilled hys saing that he wolde drinke no more wine Heresie of the Millenaries vntill he dranke yt in the kingdom of his Father in the whiche he shoulde then reign But sainct Hierom well vnderstanding howe great and howe weightie a matter was spoken of in the place wher from these woordes were taken namely of the bodie and blood of Chryst and being greued that yt being so great a worke of God so great a benefitt to man shoulde be intermengled and obscured with soche vain inuentions of soche fables he openeth the true sense of the place and moueth the good woman Hedibia that all soche phantasies reiected and forsaken she shoulde regarde the woordes of Chryst and credit them and that the bread and wine that Chryst spake of in that place were no soch thinges as vpon which soch vain fables should be grownded but they were the bodie and bloode of Chryst forasmoch as he that can speake but trueth saied Thys ys my bodie Thys ys my bloode Now cōsider with me yf Chryst had geuē to hys Apostles but Bread ād wine S. Hierom his woordes weighed ād conferred with the doctrine of the Protestātes as figures of hys bodie and blood wolde S. Hierō being required to geue the true vnderstāding of the scriprure ād he taking vpō him so to doe wold he trowe ye haue saied Let vs vnderstād that the bread which our Lord gaue to his Disciples was his bodie ād that the wine which he gaue was hys blood except we should beleue ād vnderstād thē so to be in dede Were this an opening of the true vnderstanding of the scriptures Were yt not raither an hiding or a darkning of the scriptures to bid vs to beleue one thing ād the scripture biddeth an other He biddeth vs beleue that yt ys the bodie ād blood of Chryst that Chryst gaue to his Apostles ād the scriptur as the Aduers saieth biddeth vs beleue that they be but figurs Wold S. Hierō being alwaies an enemie to heresie teache soche an heresie Wolde not he raither if the trueth had ben so haue taught this vertuouse woman the trueth of the matter that she sought at his hand and saied vnto her This vnderstand that the bread and wine which Chryst gaue to his Apostles were but figurs of the bodie and bloode of Chryst and not the thinges themselues And alleaging Chrystes woordes This ys my bodie This ys my bloode wolde he not if they had ben so to be vnderstanded haue saied these woordes are spoken by a figure they be figuratiue speaches and are thus to be vnderstanded this ys a figure of my bodie this ys a figure of my bloode To instructe thē that Nomenciō of figuratiue speache in S. Hierōs woordes wolde learn the true vnderstāding of this scripture if yt were so to be vnderstanded this were the right waie of teaching But here ys no soche woorde here ys no soche maner of teaching And yt ys to be thought that S. Hierō was not ignorant howe to teache neither was he ignorāt of the trueth that in this place shoulde be taught Wherfor seing he knewe the trueth and knewe howe to teache yt and nowe he was in place to teache and had good occasion being as ys saied therunto required for somoche as he willeth vs to vnderstande that the bread and wine whiche Chryst gaue to this Apostles were his bodie and bloode and the cause why we shoulde so vnderstāde thē ys the woorde of Chryst saing This ys my bodie This ys my bloode Let vs thinke and beleue that the trueth of this matter ys that his bodie and bloode be present verilie in the Sacramēt and that the woordes of Chryste are to be vnderstanded withoute figure simplie and plainlie as they lie And that yt ys the bodie of Chryst the woordes which S. Hierom vseth as the conclusiō of the matter dothe also prooue For thus he concludeth Si ergo panis qui de caelo descendit c. Yf then the bread that descended from heauen be the bodie of our Lorde and the wine that he gaue to his Disciples be his bloode of the newe testamēt let vs cast awaie Iewish fables As who might saie forasmoche as these woordes of Chryst speake of no cheering nor banquetting that the Iewes doe dreame shall be in Chrystes worldlie kingdom but they speake of the bread which Chryst gaue to his Apostles which they saie to be his bodie and of the wine which they saie to be his bloode therfor let vs cast awaie soche vain fables and cleaue to the true
commutacion of the bread and wine into the same bodie and blood of Chryste he hathe taught vs that Chryst ys the woorker of yt by his power and by the woorde spoken of him Finallie he teacheth that by the woordes of Chryst we are clearlie taught the presence of his bodie in the Sacrament and so by consequent we are taught that they be no figuratiue speaches Thus moche being saied of Isichius and testified by him let vs also heare August in Psal 33 concion S. Augustine who at this time ys ioined with him Thus writeth he in this matter vpon the 33 psalme treacting a storie of king Dauid and applieng yt to Chryst Et ferebatur in manibus suis Hoc verò fratres quomodò posset fieri in homine quis intelligat quis enim portatur manibus suis manibus aliorum potest portari Chryst bare his bodie in his owne hādes whē he saied This ys my bodie homo manibus suis nemo portatur Quomodò intelligatur in ipso Dauid secùndum literam non inuenimus In Christo autem inuenimus ferebatur Christus in manibus suis quando commendans ipsum corpus suum ait Hoc est corpus meum ferebat enim illud corpus in manibus suis And he was caried in his owne handes Bretheren howe this can be doen in a man who can vnderstande Who ys born is his owne handes In the handes of an other a man maie be born in his owne handes no man ys born howe yt maie be vnderstand in Dauid himself according to the letter we finde not but in Chryst we finde yt He was born in his owne handes when geuing furth the same his bodie he saied This ys my bodie For he did beare that bodie in his handes Thus farre he For asmoch as S. Augustiye by discussion did finde that the woordes whiche he treacted of coulde not be vnderstanded literallie in Dauid euen so as yt coulde not be perfourmed in him that he being but a man shoulde beare his own bodie in his owne handes no more coulde yt or can yt be perfourmed in anie other pure naturall man Therfor enforced to make a farder searche he had recourse to Chryst who was more then a naturall man and in him at no other time dothe he finde yt perfourmed and fullfilled according to the letter but when he gaue furth his bodie to his Disciples saing This ys my bodie Yf then yt was at that time fulfilled in him according to the letter when he saied This ys my bodie and if then he caried his owne bodie in his handes then this scripture also must so be vnderstanded or ells what shoulde yt make to the pourpose For Chryst did not carie his bodie in his owne hands yf he caried but the figure of his bodie Wherfor the wresting that Oecolampadius maketh vpon these woordes of S. Augustine Ipse se portabat quodā modo cùm diceret Hoc est corpus meū He did beare him self after a certain maner when he saied This ys my bodie will not Oecolamp his wresting of S. Augustin wil not stād serue to prooue that he did beare him self onely in a figure For if S. Augustine had vnderstand the woordes of bearing of a mans bodie in his owne handes to be to bear the figure of his bodie he wolde not haue saied that he coulde not finde yt in Dauid For who doubteth but that Dauid might haue born a figure of himself in his owne hand and so maie anie other naturall man And Chryst bare his owne figure in his hand when he had the Paschall lābe in his hand And therfor in that maner of vnderstanding yt might be fownde to be doē in Dauid and in other mē But this maner of bearing was soche as coulde not be doen in Dauid or anie other being onely a naturall man but onely in Chryst God and man Who aboue the power of man by his great diuine power coulde cōpasse that that man by no meanes can reach vnto Wherfor hauing the bread in his handes and by his allmightie The true vnderstanding of S. Augustine power and woorde saing This ys my bodie he turned that bread into his bodie and so in that certein maner after S. Augustines woords and mening he did beare his owne bodie in his owne handes And so was this fullfilled in Chryst according to the letter And therfor as to the verifieng of the letter yt must nedes be that Chryst caried verilie him self self his owne handes so to the verifieng of that acte yt must nedes be that these woords This ys my bodie must be vnderstanded in their propre and literall sense Thus then yt ys euident that forsomoche as Chryst bare him felf in his owne handes in geuing furth the Sacrament to his Apostles that this verie bodie ys born also of his ministres nowe in the Sacrament geuē furth to his faithfull beleuers For as Chrysostome saieth this table of Chryst nowe vsed Chrysost in 26. Mathom 83. according to his instituciō ys nothing inferiour to the table that Chryst him self satte personallie at For as Christ did sanctifie that table so doeth he this And therfor we must otherwise thinke of this Sacramēt thē we doe of other thinges whiche doe shew furth Chryst to vs to the which the aduersarie of tētimes doth compare this Sacrament to abase and diminish the dignitie of the same For although the Apostles by their woorde and epistles did shewe furth Chryst yet neither the one nor the other ys called the bodie of Chryst but onelie that that ys consecrated by the woordes of Chryst in the aultar as S. Augustine saieth Potuit Paulus significando praedicare Dominum Iesum Christum aliter per linguam suam aliter per epistolam aliter per sacramentum corporis sanguinis August de Trin. li. 3. cap. 4. eius Nec linguam quippe eius nec membranas nec atramentum nec significantes sonos lingua editos nec signa literarum conscripta pelliculis corpus Christi sanguinem dicimus sed illud tantùm quod ex fructibus terrae acceptum prece mystica consecratum ritè sumimus ad salutem spiritualem in memoriam pronobis Dominicae passionis quod cùm per manus hominum ad illam visibilem speciem producitur non sanctificatur vt sit tam magnum sacramentum nisi operante inuisibiliter Spiritu Dei Paule might by signifieng preache our Lorde Iesus Chryst or ells by his tonge or ells by epistle or ells Bread and winearenos sanctified to be so great a Sacramēt but by the inuisible worke of God by the Sacrament of his bodie and blood yet doe we call neither his toung nor his parchement nor inke nor the signifieng sowndes settfurth by the tounge nor the markes of the letters written together in skinnes the bodie and bloode of Chryst but onely that whiche being taken of the fruictes of the earth and by the mysticall praier consecrated we receaue to our spiritual
healthe in the remembrance of our Lordes passion suffred for vs. Whiche thing when yt ys brought by the handes of men to that visible forme yt ys not sanctified that yt maie be so great a Sacrament but by the Spirite of God woorking inuisiblie Hitherto sainct Augustin Of whome ye see that we are taught that thoug Chryst be by diuerse meanes settfurth and preached as by scriptures preachinges and by the Sacrament yet these thinges be not all of like degree For ther ys none of these called the bodie of Chryst but onelie the bread that ys consecrated by the mysticall praier that ys by the woordes of Chryst Thys ys my bodie that onelie ys called the bodie of Chryste Oecolamp craftilie abuseth S. Augustin Nowe Oecolampadius wolde that bicause sainct Augustin saieth that Chryst ys preached by scripture woorde and Sacrament that these three be of one sorte no more being in the Sacrament then in the other two But note I praie thee gentle reader howe he abuseth sainct Augustin to proue that hys wicked sainge Of this place of sainct Augustin nowe alleadged he taketh onely thus moche Paule might by signifieng preache our Lorde Iesus Chryst otherwise by hys toung otherwise by epistle otherwise by the Sacrament of his bodie and blood And vpon thys he growndeth hys argument and wolde be seen well to haue confirmed Not toung nor writing nor soche other shewing furth Chryst be called his bodie but bread and wine consetrated hys doctrine But all the rest of sainct Augustines woordes whiche folowe whiche ouerthrowe all his building he craftelie lefte oute For yt foloweth Yet doe we call neither his toung neither his epistle nor his writinges the bodie of Chryste but onely we call that the bodie of Chryste that ys taken of the fruictes of the earth and ys by the mysticall prayer consecrated that doe we call the bodie of Chryst All thys doth he leaue oute Soche was the synceritie of the man in alleaging the holie Fathers So good ys the cause that he defended that the doctours muste be mutilated and brought oute in peice meall or ells yt coulde not stand Ys yt not merueilouse that he coulde bring this place of sainct Augustin whiche although the first peice taken alone seemeth somwhat to sownde to his pourpose yet the wholl taken together ys alltogether against him Alas that euer anie man wolde so deceaue the people of God and by soche frawde and abuse of the holie writers make them to embrace erroure in stead of trueth weigh the place throughlie and yowe shall perceaue howe yt mainteineth the catholique trueth of the presence of Chrystes boin the Sacrament verie moch Ye haue nowe heard that neither the worde written nor the woorde spoken though Chryst be preached by them be called the bodie of Chryst but onely the Sacrament ys called the bodie of Chryst And why yt ys called the bodie of Chryste he declareth Not bicause saieth he by the handes of man yt ys brought to be a visible forme but bicause yt ys sanctified and made so great a Sacrament by the inuisible woorking of the holie Goste Note these two poinctes that S. Augustine saieth that the bread ys sanctified and made so great a Sacrament And again that he saieth yt ys so sanctified and made by the inuisible worke of the holie Goste Ther ys great difference betwixt the sanctificacion of the Sacrament yt self and the soule of man that receaueth the Sacrament Now Oecolampadius and Cranmer saie that the Sacramentes being dumbe Oecolamp and Cranmer their heresies creatures receaue no sanctificacion but onely the sowles of men They saie also that the holie Gost woorketh not in the thinges that be the Sacramentes but in the men that receaue the SacrameÌ„tes Thys they saie bicause they wolde auoid the presence of Chryste in the Sacrament which ys made ther present by sanctificacion of the bread But against these their saings S. Augustin saieth that the same bread that ys made by the handes of men ys sanctified S. Augustin plain against Oecolamp aÌ„d Cranmer and receauing sanctitie ys made so great a Sacrament Against them also he saieth that the holie Goste woorketh inuisiblie in the bread I wolde now learn of the Aduersaries what S. Augustine meneth by calling the SacrameÌ„t so great a Sacrament and what worke yt ys that the holie Goste woorketh inuisiblie in the bread The woorkes of the holy Gost be no trifles Yt ys great and miraculouse that he woorketh And what he woorketh S. Iames in his Masse S. Basill also and Chrysostom in their Masses by their humble praiers doe declare S. Iames thus Spiritum tuum sanctissimum demitte nunc Domine in nos in haec sancta dona proposita vt superueniens sancta bona gloriosa sua praesentia sanctificet Diuus Iac. in Missa efficiat hunc panem corpus sanctum Christi tui calicem hunc preciosum sanguinem Christi tui Sende downe now o Lord thy most holie Spirit vpon vs and vpon these holie giftes settfurth that he coming ouer them maie with his holy good and gloriouse presence sanctifie and make this bread the holie bodie of thy Chryst aÌ„d this cuppe the preciouse blood of thy Chryst Thus S. Iames. S. Basill and Chrysostome haue the like woordes See ye not nowe then howe the bread ys sanctiâ—ied See ye not what ys the worke of the holie Goste Perceaue ye not howe that S. Augustine vpoÌ„ good cause called the Sacrament so great a Sacrament ys yt not a great Sacrament Bread sanctified contrarie to Cranmers assertion aÌ„d Oecolamp in which by worke of the holie Gost ys made present the bodie of Chryst To haue hidden this trueth Oecolampadius by peice meall brought in S. Augustine But now ye haue seen the catholique faith well testified the falshead of the Aduersaries detected and to return to oure matter and to conclude ye perceaue this Sacrament by mystical praier which ys by Chrystes woordes to be consecrated the effecte of which consecracion being the bodie of Chryste as ys saied the woordes must nedes be taken without figuratiue sense Thus if my iudgement faill me not ye haue hearde two other noble men of Chrystes schoole and Parliament house very plainlie testifieng the enacted trueth of the vnderstanding of Chrystes wordes yea so plainly that yt caÌ„not but moch confirme the good Chrystian and confute the Pheudochristian But to go forwarde I will ende with these two and call other two THE FIVE AND FIFTETH CHAPITER tarieth in the exposition of the same woordes by Chrysostom and Sedulius NOw among the learned Fathers of the greke church we are descended to Chrysostome of whome I maie saie as besore ys saied of S. Ambrose that he ys so full of godlie testimonies testisieng to vs the true vnderstanding of Chrystes woordes that as I knowe not whiche of them first to take so doe I merueill that they being so manie the Proclamer coulde for shame saie
certentie also of this matter ys added when he saieth that we eate the lambe wherby he meneth the Lambe that taketh awaie the sinnes of the worlde Iesus Chryst that innocent Lambe figured by the olde Paschall lambe Likewise saing that we eat the flesh of the shepe he meneth the flesh of Chryst who ys he Qui tanquam ouis ad occisionem ducebatur tanquam agnus coram se tondente obmutescebat non aperiebat os suum who as a shepe was ledde to Esay 53. be slain and as a lambe before the sherer did holde his peace and did not open his mouthe Finallie that in this discourse he speaketh of the verie reall presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament and that we verilie and substanciallie receaue yt and be nourished with yt his last woordes doe inuinciblie prooue Sinners receaue the bodie of Chryst in the Sacr. not spirituallie but yet reallie In whiche mouing a question vpon the woordes before saied he saieth Quam satisfact c. what maner of amendes or satisfaction shall we make to him that being in sinne doe receaue soche foode that being wolues doe eate the lambe that being lions doe rauine the flesh of the shepe Nowe certen yt ys both by the doctrine of the Catholique and the Protestant that the sinner eateth not the bodie of Chryst spirituallie wherfore yt must needes be that soche as being wolues and lions in wickednesse of life and doe yet by the doctrine of Chrysostom eate the flesh of the lambe and deuoure the flesh of the shepe forasmoch as ys saied that they doe not eate the flesh of Chryst spirituallie that they eate yt in the Sacrament reallie and substanciallie For this ys well knowen to the Aduersarie that the euell man can not receaue Chrystes bodie but in the Sacrament But Chrysostom saieth that the euell man receaueth the bodie of Chryst Wherfor in the Sacrament Thus if my iudgement fail me not Chrysostom hath by expresse woordes taught vs the reall presence of Chryst in the Sacrament Nowe we shall Reall presence auonched of Chrysost bi circunstāce heare him teach the same by circunstance but so plainlie and euidently that yt can not be against saied The circunstance consisteth in the comparison of the Paschall Lambe and in the woordes of Chryste the sixt of S. Iohn by whiche both he prooueth these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie to be spoken in their propre sense and to teach vs the reall presence of Chryst in the Sacrament The woordes be these Praecipuam eorum solemnitatem dissoluit ad aliam mensam horroris plenam eos conuocat dicens Accipite comedite Chrys homil 83. in 16. Math. Hoc est corpus meum Quomodò igitur turbati non sunt hoc audientes quia multa magna de hoc antea audierant He dissolueth their cheif Solemnitie and to an other table full of terriblenesse he calleth them saing This ys my bodie Howe then were they not troobled hearing this bicause he had spoken manie and great thinges of this before Thus he In this saing two thinges breiflie noted I passe to the next place The first ys that the other table wherunto Chryst did call his Apostles was full of terriblenesse or trembling whiche sheweth that ther was in that table aboue the table of the Paschall lambe from the whiche they were called some thing that was of soche maiestie that yt was to be feared whiche thing was Table of the old Paschal lambe not terrible as onelie but a figure the table of Chryst ys terrible ād therfor more then a figure not in the other table In the other table was the Paschall lambe a liuelie figure of Chryst our Paschall lambe and in yt Chryst was figuratiuely eaten And although yt were their cheifest solemnitic yet Chrysostom doth not call yt a fearfull table Yf then in that solemne table ther was the figure of Chryst and Chryst was ther figuratiuely eaten and yet that table was not terrible or ful of horroure then in the table of Chryst ys not onelie a figure of Chryst and Chryst figuratiuelie eaten but ther ys a great matter ther that maketh this table to be fearfull What ys that Hoc est corpus meum This ys my bodie For Chrysostom saieth that when Chryst called them to this table he saied This ys my bodie Yf these woordes This ys my bodie did no more but cause the figure of Chrystes bodie to be in the table of Chryst and so Chryste to be eaten in a figure as he was in the table of the Paschall Lambe thē this table had ben no more full of horroure then the other But for so moche as by that sainge of Chryst the table was full of horroure yt argueth as before yt ys alleaged oute of Chrysostome that he so saing with the woorde made also the thing so that as he spake the woorde presentlie so the thing that ys his bodie was ther presentlie For the saing of the woorde and the making of the thing went iointlie togeather Wherby then as yt doth plainly appeare that the bodie of Chryst was present in that table so also dothe yt appeare that the bodie being made present at the saing of these woordes This ys my bodie that these woordes are to be taken and vnderstanded in their propose sense The second note ys that wher Chrysostome moueth a question saing how were not the Apostles troobled when they heard Chryst saie Take eate This ys my bodie He aunswereth that they were not troobled bycause they had heard him speake manie and great thinges of this thing before Wher this vs to be noted that Chryst did not speake moche of this matter but onely in the sixt of sainct Iohns Gospell Nowe yt ys allready prooued that ther Chryst spake of his flesh and his bloode Then if he speaketh here of that he spake of ther then he saing This ys my bodie this ys bloode speaketh here of his verie flesh and verie bloode And so these woordes must be vnderstanded in their propre sense And here ys to be remēbred that the author of Cranmers booke growndeth Crāmers argument agunst the Sacrament an argument as he supposeth vpon a good grownde but in verie dede yt ys vpō the sande against the Sacrament saing that if Chryst had made his bodie in the Sacrament yt being so great a woorke so great a misterie yt shoulde haue ben declared either by Chryst himself shewing the verie thing so to be or by the Euangelistes in processe of the storie or of the cirumstance But for somoche as the Gospell saieth no more but Sacramentaries denie the vi of S. Iohn tospeake of the Sacr. that yt should appeare a matter of no weight breiflie without all preuiall disposition to the doing of the thinge and without all circumstance that he tooke bread and gaue thankes and brake yt and gaue yt to his Disciples saing Take eate This ys my bodie c. Therfor saieth
doctrines doeth affirme what shall be the priuilege or what reason that onely men shoulde communicate the bodie and bloode of him and not Deuells also for the whiche in his passion he did shedde his bloode hitherto Theoph. Who improuing the opinion of Origen before mencioned saieth that if the bodie of Chryst shoulde suffre for Deuells and his blood shoulde be shedde for thē then vnto thē he shoulde haue saied as he hath to his Apostles and all faithfull men Take eate This ys my bodie Take and drinke This ys my blood Whiche argumēt as yt doth confute the errour of Origen for that yt ys meit that all they that be partakers of the redemption purchaced by the bodie and blood of Chryst should also be soche as to whō in time conuenient yt Deuells be not redemed by Chrystes passion but if they might receaue him spirituallie they shoulde be partakers of his merittes might be saied Take eat This ys my bodie Take drinke This ys my blood Whiche thing to Deuells ys not saied so also yt doeth impugn the errour of our Aduersarie in that that no mencion being made of figures and tropes the wordes of Chryst be left in their owne propre sense teaching vs that we must take and eate his verie bodie and drinke his verie bloode And that they doe so teache vs by the minde of this authour the woordes that folowe in his second argumēt doo well prooue For the better perceaving wherof vnderstād first as the trueth of the catholique faith ys that Deuells be not redemed by the passion of Chryst neither be they nor can be partakers of the vertue and benefitt of the same Nowe to receaue Chryst spirituallie ys to receaue the grace and fruict of this passion When then in his second argument this authour saieth that the Deuells be not parone bloode excludeth an other and the legall solemnitie when yt ys chaunged ys fulfilled Thus Leo. For the better vnderstanding of this saing of the authour yt ys to be obserued that he doth compare the solemnitie of the olde iudaicall Passouer to the newe Passouer solemnely begonne by Chryst in his last supper Whiche thing maie well be perceaued by the last woordes of the authour wher he saieth as the conclusion of all that he had before spoken legalis festiuitas dum mutatur impletur And the legall solemnitie when yt ys chaunged ys fulfilled The legall solemnitie was the feast of the Paschall lambe This feast was chaunged and then fullfilled when Chryst in stead of that lambe being the figure made his solemne feast and gaue his owne bodie and bloode the bodie and blood of the right and verie true lambe of God that taketh awaie the sinnes of the worlde of which matter more ys saied in the first booke In the whiche feast saieth the authour that the shadowes shoulde geue place to the bodie and the images shoulde ceasse in the presence of the trueth the olde obseruance ys taken awaie with a newe sacrament Marke then in the legall solemnitie was the shadowe in Chrystes supper the bodie in the legall solemnitie were the Images in Chrystes feast was the presence of the trueth that ys the verie thing signified by the image which ys the bodie and bloode of Chryst not nowe in figure but in verie deed See ye not nowe then what ys in Chrystes supper Ys ther not the bodie of the shadowe and not the onelie shadowe Ys ther not the verie thing and not the image Ys not the bodie of the shadowe In Chrystes supper ys the verie bodie and not the shadow and the verie thing of the image the bodie and blooode of Chrysts Then the verie bodie and bloode of Chryst be in hys supper Thus maie ye perceaue what he ment when he saied that Chryst did ordein the Sacrament of hys bodie and bloode not a Sacrament voyde of hys bodie and bloode but a Sacrament conteining hys bodie and bloode Will ye see this again plainlie taught This authour saieth that the olde obseruance ys taken awaie with a newe Sacrament But what ys thys Sacrament Yt ys a sacrament that ys a sacrifice remouing and ending the sacrifice of the Paschall lambe and others of that nature Yt ys a Sacrament wherin ys bloode excluding the bloode of legall sacrifices Hostia in hostiam transit sanguis sanguinem excludit one sacrifice passeth into an other sacrifice one bloode excludeth an other bloode The sacrifice of the olde lawe passeth into the sacrifice of Chrystes bodie and ther endeth and the bloode of Chryst excludeth and putteth awaie the bloode of the sacrifice of the olde lawe and so ys the sacrifice of that bloode ended Chryste in his supper did not institute a bare Sacrament onelie Thus maie yowe perceaue that when this authour saied that Chryst ordeined the Sacrament of hys bodie and bloode that he ment not onely the institucion of a bare Sacrament but also the consecracion of the bodie and bloode of Chryst lieng hidden vnder the formes of bread and wine in the same Sacrament Whiche ordeinance and consecracion was doen by the woordes of Chryst when he saied Take eate This ys ys my bodie And Take drinke this ys my bloode And so the woordes teache the verie presence of Chrystes bodie and blood in the Sacrament and not a naked figure Yf thus moch satissie not the reader forsomoch as ys here saied of and vpō this authour as I trust yt maie anie that ys not contenciouse yf he desire to see more of this authour let him reparie to the sixt of sainct Iohn and to the beginning of this processe vpon the woordes of the Supper and he shall see more wherfore remitting the reader to those places I staie to saie anie more vpon this coople but hast me according to my promesse to heare an other coople THE SEVEN AND FIFTETH CHAP. PROceadeth in the exposition of the same woordes by sainct Cyrill and sainct Gregorie THough yt be moche that ys allready saied vpon these sewe woordes of Chryst and maie well suffice to teache the trueth of this matter yet that the arrogancie of the Proclamer maie be beaten down and his vntrueth against gods trueth well perceaued we shall yet bring in one or twoo cooples mo of the higher house of Chrystes Parliament and then descend to other of the lower house Of the higher house ther yet remaineth holy Cyrill whose faith in the Sacrament although yt maie well be knowen to vs by hys manie and sondrie sentences both in the first booke and in this vpō the vi of S. Iohn alleadged yet that the faith of the catholique Church maie be discerned from errour and heresie with which titles some heretiques wold defame the same we wil heare him teache vs the faith that ought to be had and geuen to the woordes of Chryst and howe we shall vnderstand them euen as he taught Calosyrius to whom he wrote vpon the woords of Chryst in this maner Non dubites an hoc verum
sense and vnderstanding of them Wherfor we maie verie well conclude that the woordes of Chryst are to be vnderstanded withoute figure or trope accordinglie as this learned auncient hath taught Perchaunche the Proclamer will saie that although this authour denieth a figure in Chrystes woordes yet he doeth not as by him ys requested in his proclamacion saie plainlie by expresse woordes that Chrystes naturall bodie ys in the Sacrament To see the vanitie of this shift let vs searche howe manie thinges be called Chrystes bodie and by applicacion we shall perceaue that yt can not otherwise be but that this authour speaketh of the naturall bodie of Chryst Ther be foure thinges that be called the bodie of Chryste The figure the Churche the meritt fruit or vertue of his passion and his bodie naturall Foure thinges called the bodie of Chryst. The figure ys called the bodie of Chryst For S. Augustine saith that figures oftentimes haue the names of the thinges of the whiche they are figures This maner of bodie ys not here to be vnderstanded for yt ys by expresse woordes denied of this authour Yt ys not the Churche which S. Paule calleth the bodie of Chryst For to all men yt ys euident that the Sacrament ys not the Churche other wise then bicause the Sacrament ys a figure of the Churche Yt ys not the spirituall bodie of Chryst I meen the meritte vertue and grace of Chrystes passion For the bread and wine cannot be transmuted into yt as the Aduersarie him self doth graunt Yt remaineth then that yt must nedes be spoken of the naturall bodie of Chryst And wher of necessitie one thing must be vnderstanded and none other can ther be vnderstanded that place must nedes be called plain To be short wher a thing ys spoken of and if yt can not be applied to the figure of the thing yt must nedes be applied to the thing yt self speciallie Plain tearmes for proof of reall presc̄ce when the circumstance shall also fully prooue the same as here yt doeth For the transmutacion of the bread and wine into the thing and these terms his owne verie bodie and his own verie bloode with the comparisons of the propreties of the breade and wine to the propreties of the bodie and bloode of Chryst maketh the matter so plain that yt can not be but confessed so to be but as a man in a bringht Sunne shining daie will maliciouslie saie that the Sunne shineth nott But what doe I stande so long vpon so clere a place Yt ys time that the other that shall declare the faith of the latin Churche be produced who shall be Isidore This Isidore although he be not with in six hondreth yeares of Jsidorus cōmended Chryst yet he ys verie neare For he liued the yeare of our Lorde 626 I haue yet produced him to make vppe the coople with Euthymius both that he ys the eldest of the latin Church of them that remain and treact of the woordes of Chryst and also that he ys one that liued before anie controuersie Isydor de offic eccle cap. 18. was risen in the matter of the holie Sacrament Wherfore I might produce him as a sufficient and a meet wittnesse in this matter this ys his testimonie Sacrificium quod à Christianis Deo offertur primum Christus Deus noster magister instituit quando commendauit Apostolis corpus sanguinem suum priusquam traderetur Chryst instituted the sacrifice of fred of the Chrystiās sicut legiturin Euangelio Accepit Iesus panem calicem benedicens dedit eis The sacrifice that ys offred of the chrystians vnto God Chryst our Lorde and Master did first institute when he gaue to his Apostles his bodie and bloode before he shoulde be betraied as yt ys redd in the gospell Iesus tooke the bread and the cuppe and blessing them gaue them vnto them Thus Isidor In this breif saing of this authour ye learn not that Chryst gaue vnto his Apostles a figure of his bodie and bloode but that he gaue them his bodie The blessing of Chryst of great force and power and bloode We be here also aduertised of the time that yt was before he shoulde be betraied as yt ys readde in the Gospell whiche was in his last supper at which time as this authour maketh mencion he tooke the bread and the cuppe and blessing them gaue them to this Disciples Great ys the prowe of the blessing of Chryst And as the power ys great so ys the Matth. 14 Ioan. 6. Matth. 15 effect answerablie great He blessed the fiue loaues ād two fishes and by that blessing they so multiplied as they fedde fiue thousande people And when they were satisfied ther were gathered vppe twelue baskettes full of the fragmētes that they had lefte He blessed vii loaues and a fewe fishes and by the Effect of Chrystes blessing of the breade power of his blessing they were sufficient not onely to feede and satisfie foure thousande people but also to fill seuen baskettes after they had doen. Great therfor I saie ys the power of Chrystes blessing Wherfor taking in his last supper the breade and the cuppe and blessing them he wrought ther by soche and so great an effect the he saied This ys my bodie This ys my bloooe This great effect ys aunswerable to so great a power Yf by this blessing he had made the bread and wine onelie figures of his bodie and blode and not his verie bodie and bloode the effecte in respect had ben very small For manie Ioan. 3. To saie Chryst made but a figure of hys bodie by blessing the bread ys a derogacion of his power and honour thinges were figures without the expresse blessing of God The lambes the calues the oxen that were slain in the lawe of Moyses The brasen Serpent as Chryst him self testifieth was a figure of himself exalted vpon the Crosse And yet we read not that yt was blessed to be made a figure yt ys therfor but a vain dreame of the aduersarie and an abasing of Goddes power and a derogacion to his honour to saie that Chryst blessing the breade and wine did no more but make thē figures of his bodie and bloode Therfor acknowleadging the great power of Chrystes blessing with this holie Bishopp Isidore let vs saie as he saieth that Chryst gaue to his Apostles after he had blessed the bread and wine not nowe bread and wine in substance but the bodie and bloode of himself according to the trueth of his owne saing This ys my bloode As who might saie before I blessed yt yt was bread Amb. li. 4 de Sac. c. 4 Ang. de verbis Do. serm 28. Consent of doctrine among the holie and auncient sathers and wine but nowe that I haue blessed yt and by my blessing chaunged yt nowe I saie to yowe Take and eate This ys my bodie Take and drinke this ys my bloode This like maner of vnderstanding as ys
exposition of the Aduersaries so ys yt consonaunte and agreable to the doctrine and exposition of the elders In the next chapter before this yowe sawe the exposition of Euthymius vpō these woordes of Chryst not vnlike vnto this but altogether like Euth in 26. Matt. Doctrine of the Sacramentarie contrarie to the sathers bothe in woordes and sentence yt ys not saieth he a figure of Chrystes bodie but his bodie not a figure of hys bloode but his bloode Wherfore Reader when thowe seeist the authours agree and agreyng saie the contrarie of that that the Aduersarie teacheth thowe maist be well adsured that the doctrine of the Aduersarie ys false Wherfore seing yt plain before thine eyes flee the falhead and cleaue to the trueth The third note also maketh for the declaracion of this matter that he alleaging the sixt of sainct Iohn referreth yt to the Sacrament in the same sense that he vnderstoode Chrystes other woordes which ys as Theophilact also vpon the same sixt of sainct Iohn saieth Non figura carnis sed caro med est Not a figure of my flesh but yt ys my flesh So that by these authours the sixt of S. Iohn perteineth to the Sacrament notwithstanding the contrarie saing of Luther and Oecolampadius and other of that rable In which chapter ys promised the geuing not of a figure of his flesh but his verie flesh And as yt was ther promised verilie to be geuen so was the same to the accomplishment of the same promesse in verie dede deliuered and receaued euen the verie flesh and verie blood of Iesus Chryst and not the onelie figure of them The fourte note also whiche ys for the due receauing of the Sacrament geueth also light to the vnderstanding of the presence of Chrystes verie bodie in the Sacrament But for that the conuenient place to speake of this matter ys in the thirde booke we shall not here trooble the reader with all We haue nowe seen a goodlie and an euident testimonie testifieng howe Chrystes woordes were vnderstanded in the greke Church we will likewise heare one that shall declare the vnderstanding of them in the latin Church Who shall be Haymo who vpon these woordes of Chryst writeth thus Expletis solemnijs veteris Paschae transit Dominus ad sacramenta noui Paschae demonstranda Haymo in 26. Matth Postquam coenauit dedit eis panem vinum in mysterio videlicet corporis sanguinis sui Quia enim panis cor hominis confirmat vinum anget sanguinem in homine meritò idem panis in carnem Domini mutatur idem vinum in sanguinem Domini transfertur non per figuram neque per vmbram sed per veritatem Credimus enim quia in veritate caro est Christi similiter sanguis The Solemnities of the olde passeouer being fullfilled our Lord goeth to shewe the sacramentes of the newe Passouer After he had supped he gaue them breade and wine in mysterie Breadchaūged into the bodie and wine into the blood of Chryst not in figur but in trueth that ys of his bodie and bloode Bicause bread doeth make strong the heart of man and wine encreaseth blood in man therfor the same bread ys verie well chaunged into the flesh of Chryst and the same wine ys transferred into the blood of our Lorde not by figure nor by shadowe but by trueth For we beleue that in verie dede yt ys the flesh of Christe and likewise that yt ys hys bloode Thus moch Haymo Yowe see nowe here in the latin Church also a goodlie testimonie and a clere exposition of Chrystes woordes so clere and plain that I shall not nede to trauaill to open the same but onely I haue thought good to note to thee Reader the goodlie order that this authour obserueth in his exposition First he ioneth our newe Passouer to the olde as the verie trueth to the figure whiche being in place the figure vanisheth awaie Wherbie yt ys consequent that yf the Passouer whiche Chryst did institute were the trueth whiche the olde passouer did prefigurate that the newe Passeouer was a true thing in dede and not a bare figure For otherwise shoulde the figure be the figure of a figure and not of a trueth which ys against the nature of a figure And when he had thus ioined the trueth to the figure he declareth whē yt was doen saing that after he had supped he gaue them bread and wine in the mysterie of his bodie and bloode Then proceading he geueth a cause whie Chryst vsed bread and wine in this mysterie of his bodie and blood bicause saieth he the materiall bread comforteth the heart and the materiall wine encreaseth the blood therfor to signifie that as these twoo things doe A chaunge in the Sacr. in trueth not in figure woorke ther effectes in our material bodies so thy being transmuted and chaunged into heauenlie bread and wine of Chrystes bodie and blood the bread of the life they woorke the like effect spirituallie in our soules And forasmoche as he had saied that the bread and wine be turned and chaunged into the bodie and bloode of Chryst he immediatelie teacheth howe yt ys chaunged They are chaunged saieth he not by figure nor by shadowe sed per veritatem but in verie dede whiche ys asmoche to saie as yt ys chaunged or turned into the verie flesh and blood of Chryst in verie dede and not into a bare Sacramentall bread as the Aduersarie tearmeth ys Now as I haue doen with Damascē so will I with this authour first cōferr this dictrine with the doctrine of the elders to see howe they agree and after the doctrine of the aduersarie both that yt maie appeare which of thē best agree with the auncient Churhe and whether ther be anie iust cause why the Aduersarie shoulde reiect this authour or his likes This authour Greg. Nissen serm cathec de diuinis Sacramen saieth that the bread ys chaunged into the bodie of our Lorde and the wine into his bloode doeth not among the elders the great elder Gregorie Nissen vse the like woordes Quamobrem saieth he rectè nunc etiam Dei verbo sanctificatum panem in Dei Verbi corpus credimus immutari Wherfor we doe nowe also verie well beleue the bread that ys sanctified by the woorde of God to be chaunged into the bodie of the sonne of God See ye not then that the doctrine which Haymo here teacheth of the transmutacion chaunging or turning of the bread into the bodie of Chryst Trāsubstāciacōn that ys chaunge of bread ād wine into the bodie and bloode of Chryst a matter of faith which nowe the Church tearmeth Transubstantiacion ys an auncient doctrine and if yowe will conferre them diligentlie ye shall haue occasion to thinke that this authour Haymo did in this matter folowe Gregorie Nissen their sainges be so like For as Gregorie maketh this matter of the chaunging of the bread into the bodie of Chryst no matter
Paschasius As this authour agreeth with other aboue named for that he ther saied so for this that he here saieth he agreeth with sainct Augustine For as this man saieth that the bodie and blood which was geuen to the Apostles was euen the same that was to be deliuered to death and to be shed for the remission of sinne and so all one with his owne bodie sitting among them in visible forme so as ye haue heard sainct Augustine saied that Chryst caried himself in his owne handes when he gaue furth his bodie to his disciples and saied Take eate this ys my bodie And so the bodie that did carie and the Aug in Psal 33. conc 1. bodie that was caried was all one bodie of Chryste So nowe to conclude yt ys manifest that as sainct Augustine in that place taught the verie presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament and the woordes of Chryste to be vnderstanded withoute figure in their propre sense so doth this authour also Wherfor this being plain I ende and go to an other coople THE ONE AND SIXTETH CHAP. CONTInueth the exposition of the same woordes by Oecumenius and Anselmus NOwe of the lower house we haue hearde two cooples whiche although they be so placed yet are they both of good antiquitie the yongest of them which ys Paschasius being almost seuen hundreth yeares agon and also soche as aught to be receaued for that they were a good time before Berengarius began the controuersie of the blessed Sacrament These that folowe be soche as were after the controuersie was moued by Berengarius yet soche as haue ben in estimacion price and reuerence both in the greke Church and in the latin Churche and soche whose doctrine the Churche hath approued and receaued Wherfore reason and good order wold notwithstanding the arrogancie of the Aduersaries who haue appointed them selues iudges vpon the Churche to which they aught to be subiectes and so refuse soche as they list that they that loue the Church of Chryst and wish to be or be membres of the same shoulde accept whome the Church accepteth and approue whom the Churche approoueth The testimonie then of these we will heare that to the confutaciō of the enemie yt maie appeare that they are vniustlie reiected of thē whē they teache as the fathers doe And therwithall we shall see the trueth of the Sacrament setfurth and commended vnto vs to the great comfort I trust of soche as loue the catholique faith and the honoure of that blessed Sacrament Oecum in 〈…〉 Prim. Corr. Among these therfore that yet remain Oecumenius one of the greke church who ys accompted to haue liued aboute foure hondreth and seuentie years agon writeth thus vpon Chrystes woordes Erant quoque in veters testamento pocula in quibus libabant vbi etiam postquà m victimas immolassent sangulnem irrationabilium excipientes poculis libabant Pro sanguine igitur irrationabilium Dommus proprium Our Lorde geueth his owne blood in a cuppe sanguinem dat bene in poculo vt ostendat vetus Testamentum anteà hoc delineasse Ther were also in the olde Testament cuppes in the whiche they did sacrifice wherin also after they had offred their sacrifices receauing the bloode of vnreasonable beastes they did sacrifice yt in cuppes Therfore for the bloode of vnreasonable beastes our Lord geueth his owne blood And well in a cuppe that he might shewe the olde Testament to haue delined this before Thus Oecumen Besides the aptacion and applieng of the thing figurated to the figure in the whiche this authour meneth that as verilie as the bloode of vnreasonable beastes was receaued in cuppes so verilie also haue we the bloode of Chryst in cuppes besides this I saie his speache and maner of woordes are to be weighed The figure of Chrystes bloode ys not his owne bloode Wherfore sainge that Chryst geueth vs his owne bloode he remoueth the aduersaries figure For the one importeth proprely the thing yt self the other a figure or token of the same And yet farder to consider the verie woordes of this authour wher geueth Chrystes blood ysnot conteined in cuppes spirituallie Chryst his owne bloode vnto vs He saieth In poculo In the cuppe Yf then yt be geuen vs in the cuppe yt ys not the bloode of Chryst spirituallie for that ys not receaued in cuppes but in the soule of man Being than Chrystes own bloode and receaued in a cuppe yt must nedes be the bloode of Chryst reallie to the which yt well apperteineth for so moche as Chryst hath so appointed yt to be receaued in a reall cuppe for that yt self ys a reall thing Besides this the authour saieth that yt aunswereth the figure verie well that the bloode of Chryst ys in a cuppe bicause the figure had so as yt were foresaied that yt shoulde so be in that that the bloode of beastes was offred in cuppes Then Chryst geuing his own bloode in the cuppe to hys Disciples and saing Drinke ye all of this This ys my blood did speake these woordes in their propre sense And as he did them so did he vndoubtedlie these This ys my bodie And thus by this authour we haue like testimonie as by other before alleaged We shall nowe likewise see what agreable testimonie Anselmus will geue who ys appointed to geue the same for the latin Church as Oecumenius hath Ansel li. de of sic dini doen for the greke church Thus he writeth Sic enim habemus in euangeliis Accepit Iesus panem benedixit fregit deditue Discipulis suis dicens Accipite manducate ex hoc omnes Hoc est enim corpus meum quod pro vobis tradetur Quando in manus accepit panis erat sic enim dixit Accepit panem per illam benedictionem panis factus est corpus Christi non tantùm significatiuè sed etiam substantiuè Neque enim ab hoc sacramento figuram omnino excludimus neque figuram solam admittimns Veritas est quiae corpus Christi est figura est quiae immolatur quod incorruptibile habetur Consideremus ver ba Domini Manducate inquit ex hoc omnes Hoc enim quod vobis trado ad manducandum est corpus meum Et vt certi essent quod reuera esset corpus Christi signa expressit quibus hoc dignoscerent Hoc est inquit corpus meum quod pro vobis tradetur Si hoc corpus corpus Christi non substantiuè sed significatiuè tantùm fieret hoc figura corporis Christi tantùm existeret Nihil ad figuram quod sequitur Quod pro vobis tradetur Nec panem nominauit postquam panem benedixit sed corpus nec vinum nominauit postquam vinum benedixit sed sangumem Igitur sicut fides catholica credit panis qui offertur sacerdoti ad ad consecrandum per sacerdotalem consecrationem fit corpus Christi non significatiuè tantùm sed substantiuè Thus haue we in the Gospells Iesus tooke
exclude all other bodies sensible or insensible after he had saied Take this yt a bodie he adioined this worde mine he gaue then his owne bodie to his Disciples and not the bodie of anie other Again least anie priuie thought shoulde come to anie man that he might haue created in his handes a bodie that shoulde be his in deed but not that shoulde be yt that he was himself he added Whiche shall be deliuered for yowe As who shoulde saie doubte yowe not feign yowe not this or that to yowr self thinke not an other thing and an other thinge For thisys the bodie not an other or of an other but mine not permuted or newlie created but that which shall be deliuered for yowe shall be crucified for yowe shall die for yowe So like wise also of the cuppe This ys saieth he bloode not of an oxe nor of a Ramme nor of a lambe or of anie man but mine not an other or produced by a newe creation but which shall be shedde for yowe prouoked by skoorges extorted with nailes thrust oute with a speer Thus moch this authour To this exposition to adde anie thing as therbie to make yt plain to the reader I thinke yt superfluouse Yt ys allreadie so plain as no man in my iudgement can make a more plain exposition Onelie I will open the cause why he wrote this Ther was afect of heretiquesbegonne by one Peter de Bruys ād one Hēricus whose disciples were called Petrobrusions and Hēricians These had inuented a newe phantasticall heresie as yt ys propre to all soche men to make Phansies of Heretiques called the woorde of the Lorde their phantasies matters of faith and cuerie of their phantasies ys the pure and sincere woorde of the lord These had I saie inuented this phantasie that Christ alone at his last supper did cōsecrate his bodie and blood ād gaue yt to ys disciples ād they al receaued his bodie ād blood But since that time was yt neuer nor yet ys receaued of anie man Against these men did thys holie father write against whome taking the sword of the Spiritte which ys the woorde of God he fought with them with yt and ouerthrew rhē by the the woorde of Chryst that saied that the blood which he gaue in the cuppe to his disciples was the bloode of the euerlasting Testament wherupon taking an argument he saieth in the beginninge Saie o Lord the restatour of the newe testament whether this testament be of one daie as these men saie thow woldest yt to be or whether thow hauest decreed yt to be an euerlasting testament An other argument he maketh also of the commaundement of Chryste who saied This doe ye in the remembrance of me Wherby Chryst geuing them commaundement to doe that that he had doen and he by their owne confession consecrated his bodie wherin theye are more gentle to Chryste thē the Aduersaries and the Proclamer The argument ys good that soche to whom the authoritie ys deriued doe that that Chryst did that ys doo consecrate his blessed bodie and bloode I write thus moche that ye maie perceaue into what varietie and diuersitie of phantasies men doe fall in that beginne to withstande Gods holie faith of which varietie I haue allreadie spoken in the xli chapiter of this booke wherunto yf ye add this phantasie then shal yowe perceauc howe manie contrarie phantasies Sathan can deuise vpon these foure woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie And can as ys saied vtter thē all to the people for the pure woorde of God But to return to this authour as by these argumentes he hath ouerthrowen the heresie of the Petrobrusians so with these and the plain exposition of Chrystes woordes he conuinceth all the other wicked phantasies and leaueth Chrystes woordes in their propre and natiue sense figures and tropes not remembred I shall not nede to conferre him with the auncient and elder Fathers the conference of other saing as he doeth maketh good that he hath saied as yt did theirs which were cōferred with him Wherfor omitting that cōference with his seniours I shall bring in his iuniour to be conferred with him who ys Bessarion Patriarch of Constantinople and Cardinall who liued the yeare of our Lorde 1471. Wherfore not fullie one hondreth yeares agon And yet as his disputacion in the Florentine Councell against the grekes and his booke against Marcus Ephesinus doe proue he was an excellent learned man in this matter thus he writeth Nemo est quem lateat quemadmodum panis vini in corpus sangumem Christin instanti facta transubstautialitas humanam Bessarion li. de Sacr. Euchar. omnem excedit facultatem ingensue opus est certè diuinum it a etiam huius Sacramenti efficientia verba instar ipsius Sacramenti eximiae cuiusdam virtutis esse debere Christs verò dtuints verbis nihil esse potentius nihil ess◠acius esse posse manfestum est Quamobrem fateri necesse est Dominicis illis verbis nullis aliis dtuinum hoc sacramentum confict posse Nec enim diuinissima per diuinam potentiam confict negauerit quispiam nec verbis Christi nihil effiacius esse cùm non modò homo verumetiam Deus sit creatorue omnium qui solo nutu cuncta produxit qui verbo aegros curauit mortuos suscitauit caeteraue miracula fecit quae in Euangelio recitantur Ther ys no man but knoweth how that the trāsubstanciacion of the bread and wine doen in an instant into the bodie and bloode of Chryst doeth excede all power of man and ys a great and verie worke of God Euen The Sacrament maie be consecrated by noother woords then with these Hoc est cor etc. so also the efficient woordes of this Sacrament shoulde be of some great power like as the Sacrament ys Nowe yt ys manifest that nothinge can be more mightie more effectuouse then the diuine woordes of Chryst Wherfor we must nedes cōfesse that this diuine Sacram. maie with no other woords be cōsecrated thē with those woords of our Lord Neither will anie man denie these most holie thinges to be cōsecrated by the diuine power neither that anie thing ys more mightie in woorke then the woordes of Chryste sithen he ys not onely man but also God the creatour of al things who at his onelie pleasure produced all thinges of nothing who with his woorde healed the sicke raised the dead and did other miracles whiche be written in the Gospell Not the merites of man but the power of God consecrateth the Sacr. And within a fewe woordes he saieth thus Panis vini in corpus sanguinem transmutatio non petentium meritis sed eius potentia qui ex nihilo cuncta produxit per sacerdotem tanquam per instrumentum quoddam efficitur The transmutacion of the bread and wine into the bodie and bloode ys doen not through the merittes of the peticioners but by the preist as by a certain instrument through
added And they haue all eaten of one spirituall meate As thowe saieth he cominge vppe frō the wasshing place of the waters doest hast the to the table so they also cominge vppe from the sea came to a newe and a woonderfull table I speake of Manna In these woordes ye perceaue Chrysostome to expownde this same one meate whiche all the Fathers did eate of after they had passed through the red Sea to be Manna Agreablie wherunto S. Augustin also speaking of this text of S. Paule whiche we haue nowe in hande saieth thus Quando autē manducauit Manna populus Israel Cùm transisset mare rubrum When did the people of Tract 11. in Ioan. Israell eate Manna When they had passed through the red sea And a litle after he saieth Si ergo figura maris tantum valuit species Baptismi quantum valebit Si quod gestum est in figura traiectum populum ad Manna perduxit quid exhibebit Christus in veritate Baptismi sui traiecto per eum populo suo Yf then the figure of the Sea was of so great force of what force shall the veritie of the Baptisme be Yf that was doen in figure did bring the people that was ledde ouer vnto Manna what will Chryst in the veritie of his baptisme geue vnto his people led and cōducted by him Manna then as by the holy Fathers we are taught was the meate that all the Fathers did eate of Tho. Aqui Jn. 10. 1 Cor. But yt ys to be considered whie sainct Paule did call yt spirituall meat seing yt was sensible and corporall and did corporallie feade He dothe so call yt bicause yt was miraculouslie geuen vnto them as sainct Thomas in the exposition of this same text saieth Vocat cam spiritualem cùm esset corporalis miraculosè fuit data He calleth that meat spirituall when yet yt was corporall bicause yt was miraculouslie geuen The like cause why yt was called spirituall Jn. 10. 1. Cor. doth Chrysostome also assign Quamuis quae dabantur in sensu perciperentur spiritualiter tamen dabantur non secundùm naturam consequentium sed secundùm muneris gratiam Although those thinges whiche were geuen were perceaued in sense or sensiblie yet they were geuen spirituallie not according to the course Manna why it was called a spirituall meat of nature but after the gifte of grace For although Manna were a corporall thinge yet yt was made by God in the cloudes by his especiall worke causing yt to fall as yt were dewe vpon the earth whiche thing we see not to be doen by common course of nature for that the like ys not nowe done So that yt maie well be called a spirituall meat bicause yt had no naturall cause As their meat whiche God sent them in the desert was spirituall so was also ther drinke in the desert spirituall Wherfore sainct Paule saieth Et omnes eundem potum spititualem biberunt And all drank of one spirituall drinke Thys Water of the rock why yt was called spirituall drinke drinke ys called spirituall bicause yt was miraculouslie geuen them oute of the rocke by the powre and worke of the spirituall rocke which was Chryst as S. Paule immediatelie declareth Bibebant despirituali consequente eos petra Petra autem erat Christus They dranke of that spirituall Rocke that folowed them The Rocke was Chryste Yt ys moch against nature that an harde and a drie stone shoulde bring furth streames of water that ys both soste and moist So ys yt against nature that the great rocke whiche once gaue them water shoulde folowe them through the desert and geue them drinke sufficient for so great a multitude of people at all times and places But as the spirituall Rocke Chryste by his great powre and work gaue them gusshing streames of water in great plentie to serue their necessitie in that place oute of a materiall stone or rocke So did that spirituall rocke also and not that materiall rocke folowe them in their iourneie through the desert and gaue them drinke sufficient to satisfie their necessitie Whiche thing sainct Paule very plainly by expresse woordes saieth Bibebant de spirituali consequente eos petra They dranke of the spirituall rocke that folowed them Petra autem erat Christus but that Rocke was Chryst Note that sainct Paule saieth not they dranke of that materiall rocke but they dranke of a spirituall rocke whiche folowed them which spirituall Rocke was Chryst I wishe this to be well noted here bicause Oecolampadius the Archenemie Oecolāp abuseth S. Paules wordes The rock was Chryste of the Sacrament of the bodie and blood of Chryst affirmeth this text of sainct Paule the rocke was Chryst to be a figuratiue speache And vseth yt for his probaciō to proue the saing of Chryst This ys my bodie to be also a figuratiue speache Nowe forsomoche as this text ys here to be expownded being nowe in handling yt ys meet that yt be not onelie expownded in the natiue sense but also deliuered from all adulterine and violent expositions Oecolamp in Expsitiō Hoc est Corpus whiche the saied Oecolāpadius wolde wrest yt vnto for a further mischeif Let vs therfor heare his woordes and examin his expositiō and see yf the text of the scripture will beare yt His woordes be these Tēpus est vt probemus verba caenae Dominicae eodē tropo dicta quo illa quae Apostolus dixit Petra autē erat Christus hoc est petra significabat Christum vel erat figura Christi Yt ys time saieth he that we proue the woordes of the Lordes supper to be spoken by the same figure by the whiche the woordes which the Apostle saied are spoken The rocke was Chryste that ys to saie the rock fignified Chryste or the rocke was a figure of Christ Thus he Yf Oecolampadius will haue the woords of Chryst This ys my bodie vnderstanded with the same sense that these woordes of S. Paule The rocke was Chryst are to be vnderstanded I shall ioin with him For the woordes of S. Paule are to be vnderstanded withoute trope And by that parte of his argument so are These wordes The rocke was Chryste cānot be expownded by a Trope the woordes of the Lordes supper as he termeth them wherin I saie I shall ioin with him That the woordes of S. Paule are to be vnderstanded without trope yt ys manifest for he calleth not Chryste the materiall rock but the spirituall rock saing that they dranke all of the spirituall rocke which ys Chryst So that this sentence Chryst ys the spirituall rocke of the whiche the Iewes did drinke neadeth no tropicall or figuratiue sense to be expownded by Neither in this place and maner as S. Paule speaketh yt can yt beare a figuratiue sense as Oecolampaduis wolde patche and peice one to yt but the plain literall sense To this vnderstanding of this text as the scripture yt self enforceth vs so ys also Chrysostome a wittnesse
So that in this maner of speache Chryst did but answer the opinion of the Iewes and therfore did not assertiuelie saie that Iohn was Helias but Chryst did not assertiuelie saie that Iohn was Helias with a circumstance yf ye will receaue yt whiche thing also ys noted of Chrysostome Significauit autem Ioannem Heliam esse Heliam Ioannem Vtrique enim vnam administrationem susceperunt praecursores ambo constituti sunt ▪ Quare non dixit hic est profectò Helias sed si vultis suscipere hie est He signified Iohn to be Helias and Helias Iohn For bothe they haue taken one administracion and both be made percursours Wherfor he did not saie this ys verilie Helias But yf ye will so take yt this ys he Thus Chrysost Neither ys yt the propre sense or vnderstanding of this proposition that Iohn ys a figure of Helias or Iohn ys a signe or token of Helias as by this he wolde proue the other saing of Chryst This ys my bodie to be vnderstanded for that this ys spoken with a circumstance and as yt were with a condicion and not simplie as Chryst saied This ys my bodie Now to applie all these other scriptures which Oecolampadius hath brought in Marke diligētlie I beseche thee good Reader yf anie of them all be of like speach as these woordes This ys my bodie The scripture saieth not The doue ys the holie Goste neither dothe yt saie that either the breathing into the Apostles or the fierie tounges be the holie Gost But farre otherwise as ys allreadie saied and farre vnlike to this maner of speache Thys ys my bodie For the one ys spoken by a liklihead and therfore vsed with this terme as the other by the very substance and therfore expressed with this woorde ys And yet withall note howe yt pleaseth God that as he made Balaams Asse Occolāp likned to balaams asse to speake to the reproche of her master so yt pleaseth him to woorke in this man who through malice made dumbe to speake the trueth willinglie but yet vnwittinglie hath broughtin these scriptures whiche being considered and weighed make nothing against the trueth but moche for the trueth And first wher he began his building with our text Petra erat Christus The rocke was Chryst whiche he saied was a figuratiue speache yt ys proued that ther ys none but a plain speache for the spirituall rocke was Chryste Therfore yt standeth well to be applied to the catholique trueth that as the rocke was not figuratiuelie but verilie Chryst so the substance of the Sacrament of the aultar ys not figuratiuely but verilie the bodie of Chryst And as the holie Gost was verilie vnder a corporall forme like a doue and verilie present with the fierie tounges and also verilie geuen to the Apostles with the breathing of Chryste so ys the bodie of Chryst verilie and trulie vnder the corporall formes of bread and wine Presence of the holie Gost vnder the forme of the doue with the fierie tounges and breath of Chryst conferred with the presēce of Chryst in the Sacr. as the holie Goste vnder the forme of a doue and verily also geuen to the faithfull as the holie Goste to the multitude And vnder that corporall forme as trulie receaued of the Chrystians as the holy Gost was by the breathing of Chryst receaued of the Apostles So that ther ys a conformitie and great likelihead betwixt these scriptures and moueth the Chrystian very stronglie to beleue the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament For as we are taught to beleue that the holie Goste was vnder a corporall forme bicause the scripture saieth that the holy Gost descended in a corporall forme so are we taught to beleue that Chrystes bodie ys vnder the forme of bread bicause the scripture saieth that Chryst blessing the bread saied Thys ys my bodie and so of the rest And as the scripture saieth not that the doue or the tounges were the holie Goste No more dothe yt saie that the forme of bread ys the bodie of Chryst But as the scripture teacheth that with these formes the verie thinges be geuen and not the bare signes onelie so are we taught that with the the forme of bread ys geuen the very thinge sanctified whiche ys the verie bodie of Chryst himself sainge Take eate This ys my bodie Thus maie ye perceaue howe goodlie God hath sett furth hys mysteries that one maie aptlie be conferred with an other as that therby the faith of the weake maie be moche holpen and the faith of the strong moche comforted and delighted and the more when they maie see howe God turneth the weapons of the enemies vpon them selues and so withe their weapons defendeth vs. THE FOVRTH CHAP. BEGINNETH TO DEclare by the holie fathers of what thinges Manna and the water be figures NOwe this text of S. Paule being truly expownded according to the mindes of the holie catholique fathers and deliuered from the violent wresting of the Aduersarie yt ys time and place conuenient that we seke of what things these two yet not applied that ys Manna and the water be figures of That they be figures yt ys most certen but of what thinges yt ys in controuersie The Aduersarie affirmeth Manna to be onely of the woorde of God a figure as wherby the soule of man ys fedde as the Iewes were in desert But the good catholique teacheth that yt ys not onely a figure of the woorde of God but also of the bodie of Chryste in the Sacrament wherwith man ys fedde to euerlasting life and made strong to walke through the desert of this worlde to the heauenlie lande of promisse And for further openinge of this matter vnderstand that one Irenaeus wrote an epistle to S. Ambrose asking whie God did not rain Manna from heauen as he did to the Iewes S. Ambrose answering him treacteth not onelie of Māna yt self but also of that whiche was figured by yt And so in that processe declareth that not onelie Ad Jrenaeum epla 62 the worde of God ys a spiritual Māna but also the bodie of Chryst in the Sament ys Manna Thus writeth S. Ambrose Quaeris à me cur Dominus Deus Mannapluerit populo patrum nunc non pluat Si cognoscis pluit quotidiè pluit de coelo Manna seruientibus sibi Et corporeum quidem illud Manna hodie plerisque in locis Quāto praestantiora sunt haec superioribus iuuenitur Sed nunc non est res tanti miraculi quia venit quod perfectum est Perfectum autem panis de coelo corpus ex virgine de quo satis Euangelium te docet Quanto praestātiorà sunt haec superioribus Illud enim Manna hoc est panem illum qui manducauerunt mortui sunt Hunc autem panem qui manducauerit viuet in aeternum sed est spirituale Manna hoc est plumia spiritualis sapientiae quae ingeniosis quaerentibus de coelo
figurabatur de coelo certè Manna veniebat Attende quem figurabat Ego sum inquit panis vinus qui de caelo desceÌ„di Nowe saieth S. August the light being brought in let vs seke what the other thinges do signifie What the clowde the sea and Manna do meen For these thinges he hath not expownded But what the stone was he hath shewed The passing through the sea ys Baptisme But bicause Baptisme that ys to saie the water of health ys not of healthe excepte yt be consecrated in Chrystes name who shed his blood for vs the water ys blessed with his crosse and that Manna from heauen ys plainlie expownded of our A figure geueth not life but the blessed Sac. geueth life ergo yt ys more then a figure Lorde himself Your Fathers saieth he haue eaten Manna in the Wildernesse and they be dead When shoulde they liue A figure maie prenunciate life but yt can not be life They haue eaten saieth he Manna and be dead that ys to saie Manna that they did eate coulde not deliuer them from death not that Manna was death vnto them but bicause yt deliuered not from death He shoulde deliuer from death who was figurated by Manna The Manna trulie came from heauen Marke whom yt figured I am saieth â—e the liuing bread whiche came downe from heauen Thus farre S. Augustine In whose woordes ye see a goodlie applicacion of the figures to the thinges figured Howe well and aptelie the redde sea figured Baptisme whiche ys made redde in vertue by the bloode of Chryst Sainct Augustine most godlie hathe declared And he hath doen no lesse in the applicacion of Manna to Chryste in the Sacrament Marke saieth he whom Manna did figure Yt figured him who saied I am the bread of life whiche came downe from heauen That Chryst spake these woordes ther ys no doubte But whether he spake them of his bodie in the Sacrament the Sacramentarie will make a doubte But that S. Augustine meent that the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament ys the thing figured by Manna he himself doth so plainlie open in an other place that we are deliuered from doubte therof Thus he saieth Manna typus est escae spiritualis quae resurrectione Domint veritas facta est in Eucharistiae mysterio Manna ys a figure of that spirituall meat whiche in the resurrection Lib. quest 〈…〉 test quest 65. of our Lorde was made the veritie in the Sacrament In whiche woordes ye see the iust applicacion of the figure to the thinge sigured Manna ys the figure the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament ys the thing figured and the veritie Let yt not trooble the Reader that he calleth yt the spirituall meat as though therby were not affirmed the verie reall presence But remembre that MaÌ„na howe yt was called a spiritual meat and the water of the rock a spiritual drinke S. Paule calleth Manna a spirituall meat although yt were corporall and the water also he calleth spirituall althoug yt were likewise corporall not that he wolde so teache them to be spirituall that they were not in very dede corporall but bicause they were miraculouslie and wonderfullie not by the ordinarie power and worke of God whiche he dailie worketh in the producing and conseruing of his creatures but by a speciall and vnwonted maner geuen to the people of Israell Wherfore yt liked S. Augustin as he might very well to call yt beinge the veritie a spirituall meate as Manna the figure was called spirituall meat Wherby the one better answereth the other And in dede as Manna was sent to the Iewes beside the course of nature So was Chryst sent to vs beside the course of nature And as yt was made meat to them merueillouslie So ys the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament made meat for vs merueillously And thus both these be spirituall The bodie of Chryst in the Sacr. howe yt ys called a spirituall meat meates although the bodie of Chryst more spirituall both for that after his resurrection his bodie was glorified and indewed with the giftes of immortalitie agilitie impassibilitie subtilitie and claritie and also for that in the Sacrament yt ys beholden by faith and not by senses whiche ys a spirituall maner Thus then yt appeareth very manifestly that the bodie of Chryst ys and maie be called for diuerse consideracions a spirituall meat and yet be neuer the lesse a corporall substance That thus in this place yt ys to be vnderstanded to be a spirituall meate and not after the maner that the Aduersarie wolde haue yt wrested the very woordes of Sainct Augustin enforce For he saied that this spirituall meat ys in the mystery or Sacrament The spirituall maner that the Aduersarie wolde here violentlie intrude and thrust in ys not nor can not be in the Sacrament but in the receauer who by faithe and charitie receaueth after that spirituall maner whiche faith and charitie be not in the Sacramentall bread as they tearme yt but in the man the receauer of yt Of the whiche spirituall meat the bread ys a signe or a figure as they teache saing that as they receaue that bread to nourish the bodie So they spiritually receaue Chryst to nourish the soule So that that spirituall meat of the whiche they speake ys not in the Sacrament Therfor yt ys to be concluded that he speaketh of the naturall meat of Chrystes bodie whiche ys according to the minde of this holy Father and the doctrine of the catholique Churche verilie really substanciallie in the Sacrament and yet neuer the lesse spirituallie in maner aboue declared In this matter diuerse other places might be brought in but for that I wolde not wearie the Reader but raither delight him with the hearing of some other and that conuenient place might be had for Oecumnnius we shall ceasse with thus moche of Sainct Augustine and heare the said Oecumenius Oecumen 1. Cor 10. vpon the same text of Sainct Paule Thus he writeth Comederunt nempe Manna sicut nos corpus Christi Potum spiritualem hoc est aquam è rupe siue petra seaturientem biberunt quemadmodum nos sanguinem Christ They haue saieth A plain saing for the Procla Oecumenius eaten Manna as we the bodie of Chryst They heaue dronke a spirituall drinke that ys water running oute of a rocke or a stone as we the bloode of Chryste Thus he This ys but a breif exposition but yet wonderfull weightie and mightie to ouerthrowe the enemie Methinke I shoulde nothing saie here to opeÌ„ the matter wher all ys so plain but to declare that I wonder that men will or can be so deluded in a matter so clerely taught as yt ys here I merueill also howe malice can preuaill or howe yt self against so manie fast a trueth by soche expresse woords vttered that no mistes or clowdes of wicked glose can wrest but in soche wise as yt maie very well be perceaued But to come to the pourpose this ys
appeareth not flesh in the Sacr. like vnto his holie flesh and yt auailed to his augmentacion and sustentacion after the maner of man Therfor nowe also the bread ys chaunged into the flesh of our Lorde And howe saieth he dothe yt not appeare flesh but bread That we shoulde not abhorre from the eating of yt What can be saied against these so manifest and so plain testimonies Maie we not or raither aught we not to saie as these holie famouse and learned men do raither then to saie as a fewe phantasticall heretiques and Apostaties do Let vs beleue these pillers of Chrystes Churche and beleuing them seke to be saued as they be Thus haue ye hearde enough I suppose to declare vnto yowe that by consecracion whiche Haimo spake of the bodie of Chryst ys in the Sacrament And therfor Manna as he saied signifieng the bodie of Chryst consecrated signifieth the very reall and substanciall bodie of Chryst And thus hauing opened the minde of this authour who as he ys agreable to the holie auncient Fathers before alleadged So ys he plain and pithie to the readers and strong and mightie to debell the Aduersaries I will come to heare Theophilacte expownde the same place of Sainct Paule Thus he writeth Vt enim nos aqua Baptismi perfusi corpus dominicum manducamus Sic Manna illi mari traiecto in esum sunt vsi Et quemadmodum ipsi Domini sanguinem bibimus Sic illi erumpentem è percusso lapide aquam biberunt As we washed A plain saing for M. Iuell with the water of Baptisme do eate our Lordes bodie So they hauing passed through the sea vsed Manna for their foode And as we drinke the bloode of our Lorde So they dranke the water that gushed out of the smitten Rocke Thus Theophilacte These two testimonies be so like in sense and phrase that they might raither be iudged to come oute of one minde and oute of one mouthe them from two men different in time distant in place and contrie But God who ys not as Sainct Paule saieth Dissentionis Deus sed pacis 1. Cor. 14. The spirit of vnitie among catholiques vnitatis The God of dissention but of peace and vnitie who by his holie spirit wrought that Multitudinis credentium erat cor vnum anima vna The multitude that beleued were of one heart and of one soule made them being of one faith to speake one thing as he did his foure holy Euangelistes Who although they did write in diuerse times and places yet they agreed in vnitie of one trueth But they that can not content them selues with that ordre and condicion that God hath placed them in but being puffed vppe with the spirit of pride go aboute to buyll the tower of Babell to get them a name The spirit of diuision among Protestantes God by his spirit of humilitie and vnitie not working withe them their tounges are diuided and dissention ys among them they agree not they speake not of one thing as yt ys easie to see in the schoole of confusion euen an other Babell the Tower of the wicked name of Luther Among whose disciples was nor ys the spirit of vnitie neither were nor be yet that multitude of one heart nor of one soule but of diuerse Luther he spake with one toung and saied the verie bodie of Chryst was in the Sacrament reallie and substanciallie Oecolampadius he spake in an other toung contrarie to his Master and saied that Chrystes bodie was not ther but as in a sign Some other of Luthers disciples saied that Magistrates and rulers must be obeied Some of them had other tounges and saied that we are called to libertie and therfor we be all equall and owe no obedience to Man Some tounges saied that children must be chrystned again Some other tounges saied naie Some tounges saied that ther were but two Sacramentes Some saied their were three Some otherwise with a nombre of diuisions not onely among the multitude but among them selues I meen that one of them in all places and at all times did not agree with him self but here saied this in an other place clean contrarie as hereafter by the helpe of Gods grace more at large shall be shewed But God qui facit habitare vnius moris in domo Who maketh men to Psal 67. be of one minde in the house maketh men that dwell in his house of his holie Churche to be of one toung of one minde to beleue one thing and to saie one thing Therfor let these men of Babell go these men of confused tounges and let vs heare the people of agreement Ye see I saie howe Theophilacte agreeth with Haimo and yf ye ascende to Oecumenius to Chrysostome and other ye shall see soche agrement in sense soche liknesse in woordes that a man might saie that they were all spoken not of diuerse men but of one man Conferre them together Reader and trie my ttueth I shall not nede to trooble thee with many woordes to open the saing The Iewes eate Māna we our Lordes bodie They dranke water we the bloode of Christ of Theophilacte for yt ys so euident and plain that yt nede no expositour Onelie I wish that for the pourpose that he ys alleadged that ye note first that he compareth Manna and the water to the bodie and bloode of Chryst as the figures to the verities in that he saieth As we eate our Lordes bodie So they Manna As we drinke the blood of our Lorde So they drinke the water of the Rocke That by the bodie and blood of Chryst he meneth the bodie and bloode in the Sacrament whiche he most manifestlie affirmeth and by expresse woordes denieth the onelie figure of the Aduersarie so wickedlie auouched Cap. lx yt appeareth in his exposition of this saing of Chryst This ys my bodie in the six and twenteth of Sainct Matthew and in the fourtenth of Sainct Marke whiche bothe be alleageth in the seconde booke in the exposition of the same saing of Chryst Likewise also dothe he vpon the vj. of Sainct Iohn wher he saieth thus Theoph. in 6. Ioan. Marke that the bread which ys eaten of vs in the mysteries ys not onelie a figure of the bodie of our Lorde but the flesh yt self of our Lorde For he did not saie the bread whiche I will geue ys a figure of my flesh But yt ys my flesh In this sentence yt perceaue Theophilacte not onelie auouching the verie substanciall presence of Chrystes flesh in the Sacrament whiche ys the Reall presence auouched and the hereticall figure denied catholique doctrine but also denieng the figure whiche ys the hereticall doctrine What wicked obstinacie ys this that wher this Authour denieth yt to be a figure they affirme the contrarie and wher he affirmeth the substanciall presence of Chrystes flesh they denie yt Yf the Aduersaries had but one soche place to denie the presence as certen I am they
sub speciebus panis sumimus nonne participatio corporis Domini est id est nonne declarat nos partem bahere cùm corpore Domini in illud consentire The cuppe of blessing which we blesse that ys whiche we receaue with thankes geuing ys yt not a Commucacion of the blood of Chryst that ys do not we taking the cuppe of Chryst and drinking his bloode communicate with him and declare vs to haue an entredoing with him And the bread whiche we break that ys the bodie of Chryst which we vnder the formes of bread do receaue yt ys not a participacion Communicacion and participation of Chrystes bodie and blood what they be of the bodie of our Lorde that ys dothe yt not declare vs to haue part with the bodie of our Lorde and into yt to consent Hitherto Gagneius Who although he wrote but last daie yet he agreeth in the expownding of S. Paule with them that wrote aboue thousand yeares agon And teacheth as they did that S. Paule in this place spake of the very reall presence of the bodie and bloode of Chryst in the Sacrament which we receaue and by the which we are made partakers of the same bodie and bloode For wher S. Paule saieth The bread whiche we breake that ys to saie saieth this authour the bodie of Chryst which we receaue vnder the forme of bread maketh vs to haue part with the bodie of our Lorde Nowe reader if thowe wilt gather together the expositions of all these famouse Fathers and learned men which to shewe thee the vnderstanding A breif rehersall of the doctours alleaged for this text of S. Paule vpon this text ▪ I haue here alleaged and laie them in a breif before thy face thowe shalt I suppose see soche a plain declaraciō of the trueth so euident so manifest so clere so consonant so agreing and so consenting one with an other although spoken in diuerse ages in sondrie churches and in moche difference of times that I thinke thowe wilt wonder with me that euer men coulde be so stubbornlie blind that they will not see an opē treuth whiche can not be so couered and hidden with their deuelish glooses but yt will allwaie lie aboue of all men readie to be seen Chrysoste Chrysostome saieth that this ys the meening of S. Paule that that which ys in the cuppe vs yt that flowed oute of the side S. Hierom saieth that we partake of the bloode of Chryst as he him self saieth He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloode c. Hieron Whiche saing of Chryst as ther ys declared ys spoken of the eating of the verie bodie of Chryst and drinking of his verie blood wherfor S. Hierom so vnderstādeth S. Paule Damascen who can not abide these woordes of Chryst Damascen This ys my bodie to haue a figuratiue sense saieth that in the participacion and the communion of the bread we partake the flesh of Chryst and his Godhead also S. Augustin saieth that S. Paule speaking this text did shewe them to August what sacrifice they shoulde pertein which was to the sacrifice wherby they shoulde be partakers of the bodie and bloode of Chryst Oecumenius saieth that S. Paule calleth the cuppe of the bloode of Chryst the cuppe of blessing So that he Oecomen taketh yt for a cuppe of Chrystes bloode Isidore saieth that the bread whiche we breake ys the bodie of Chryst He saieth not yt ys called but yt ys the bodie Theophilact saieth that the blood whiche ys cōteined in the cuppe ys the same that Isidorus Theophil flowed oute of the side of Chryst Haymo saieth that the bread whiche we breake in the aultar although yt seem bread in very dede yet yt ys the bodie of Chryst Anselmus saieth that the bread whiche we brake and diuide to manie ys the verie bodie of our Lorde Bruno saieth are we not by the bloode receaued vnited to Chryst Haymo Anselm Bruno and ys not the bread that ys the very bodie of Chryst whiche semeth to be broken and ys not in deed do not we by this bodie receaue God into vs and incorporate him to vs Dionise saieth that that ys conteined in the cuppe ys the bloode of Chryst by the which bloode we are blessed So that yt ys verilie the bloode of Chryst Dionys geuen vnto vs making vs to haue communion with Chryst and to be partakers of the merittes of the effusion of the same his bloodd And last Gagneius saieth that the bread whiche we breake that ys to saie the bodie of Chryst Gagneius whiche we receaue vnder the forme of bread doth yt not declare vs to haue parte with the bodie of our lorde Doth anie of these twelue finde anie trope or figures in the saing of S. Paule No they do all teach yt to be a plain speache and a plain assercion of the verie bodie of Chryst and not a bare sign of yt And here to conclude this matter and to make an ende of this expositiō of this text I haue thought good to heare the minde of the right godlie and learned Father Roffensis who as all thinges that he did so doth he handle this text learnedly and pithilie Roffen in proem li. 5 Thus he saieth Poculum benedictionis cui benedicimus nonne communicatio sanguinis Christi est Panis quem frangimus nonne communicatio corporis Christi est Quid hic audimus figuras ne corporis sanguinis Christi Nequaquam sed veritatem corporis sanguinis quibus nos verè communicare Paulus asserit Profectò si figuram solam hic indicasset Paulus non adeo frequenter haec nulla vspiam figurarum habita mentione vocasset corpus sanguinem Domini Sed nec arbitratur Oecolampadius nos per panem et vinum suum communicare corpori sanguini Christi sed fidem solam buius communicationis causam esse contendit Et certè qui fieri potest vt merus panis aut vinum eam efficatiam habeat vt nos veri corporis sanguinis Christi reddat participes Quare consentaneum est vt quum huius panis esu liquoris eius qui in poculo est potatione verè corpori sanguini Christi communicamus eiusdem corporis sanguinis veritatem hic adesse ceu compertissimum habeamus The cuppe of blessing whiche we blesse yt ys not a communicacion of the bloode of Chryst the bread whiche we breake ys S. Paule in all his processe of the Sacra maketh not one title of mencion of anie figure yt not a communicacion of the bloode of Chryste What heare we here Figures of the bodie and bloode of Chryst Not so but the veritie of the bodie and bloode of Chryst which Paule affirmeth vs verily to cōmunicate Truly yf Paule had iudged hero to be an onely figure he wolde not so often haue called these thinges the bodie and bloode of Chryste no mention in anie place beinge made
Thus he saieth Scio Romae hanc esse consuetudinem vt fideles semper Christi corpus accipiant quod nec reprehendo nec probo Hieroe Apolo aduersus Iuni. Vnusquisque enim in suo sensu abundat Sed ipsorum conscientiam conuenio qui eodem die post coitum communicant iuxta Persium noctem flumine purgant Quare ad Martyres ire non audent Quare non ingrediuntur ecclesias An alius in publico alius in domo Christus est quod in ecclesia non licet nec domi licet Nihil Deo clausum est tenebrae quoque lucent apud Deum Probet se vnusquisque sic ad corpus Christi accedat I know at Rome this to be the custome that the faithfull doe alwaies receaue the bodie of Chryste which thing I neither reprehended nor alowe Euerie man doeth abunde in his owne sense But I call their conscience to iudgement which after the duetie of matrimonie doe euen the same daie communicate and according to the sainge of Persius they clense the night with the floode Why dare they not go to the Martyrs Why doe thei not entre the churchs Ys ther one Chryst in the open place and an other Chryste at home That that ys not laufull in the Churche ys neither laufull at home Ther ys nothing shett from God yea the verie darkenesse ys bright before him Let euerie man examin himself and so let him come to the bodie of Chryst Hitherto Sainct Hierom. As S. Basill reproued the Proclamer of vntrueth so doeth S. Hierō of craft The Proclamer saied that S. Hierom wittnesseth that vntill that time commonlie The Proclamers sleight in alleaging S. Hierom. euerie where but speciallie at Rome the people vsed to communicate euerie daie but craftelie he suppresseth the maner howe and where wher vpon resteth all the cōtrouersie The people of Rome in dede did alwaies cōmunicate but howe in the Church allwaies Naie but often in their houses and S. Hierome saieth that some of them when they had doen the office of matrimonie and durst not go to the Church to the commune receipt of the Sacrament nor to the memorialls of Martyrs they wolde yet receaue at home in their owne houses wher they had allwais the Sacrament readie for their which doing S. Hierom rebuketh them asking whether ther be one Chryst in the Church and an other at home In this saing then of S. Hierome we maie perceaue that the Chrystiā people of Rome did both receaue the Sacrament somtime priuatelie at home and somtime also openlie in the Church wherbie the assertion of the Proclamer ys reprooued In this saing also are we taught what ys in the Sacrament not bread but Chryst For saieth S. Hierom ther ys not one Chryst receaued at home and an other in the Churche but euery where one Chryst And here I wish the Sacramentaries to dispute with S. Hierom howe the bodie of Chryst maie be in diuerse places For here yt ys euident by S. Hieroms owne woordes that yt ys one Chryst that ys receaued in the Churche and at home And if he maie be in two places he maie be in two thousand and so furthe In this saing also we maie learn to vnderstande sainct Paule calling the Sacrament in the eleuenth chap. of the first epistle to the Corinthians bread as wher he saieth Let a man examine himself and so lett him eate of that bread and drinke of that cuppe that by that bread he meneth the bodie of Chryst For S. Hierom vsing the same text and vttering the right vnderstanding of the same speaketh yt thus Let euery man examine himself and so let him come to the bodie of Chryst So that sainct Paule by bread ment not material bread as the Sacramētaries wolde haue yt but the verie bodie of Chryst the bread The act of matrimonie for praier and receipt of tho B. Sacram. to be for born of euerlasting life In this saing also ys geuen an admonicion to maried persons that although matrimonie be honorable and the office of the same duelie doen not displeasant to God yet as S. Paule willeth a man to abstein frōyt when he will geue himself to praier And as Dauid ād his men might not eate of the shew bread except they had a certain time before absteined from ther wieues Euen so sainct Hierom rebuketh them that after soch acte with their wieues did presume to receaue the holie and blessed Sacrament Yf they which did vse their owne laufull wieues were fownde woorthie of reprehension bicause they did not dispose themselues to abstein when they entended to receaue howe great rebuke ys to be laied on our preistes who by their office being appoincted allwaies to mynistre or receaue when they be called on doe come frō their silthie doinges not with their laufull wieues but with their cloaked euell wemen to mynister or receaue What trowe ye wolde S. Hierom haue saied of them Let the pretensed maried preistes well warke sainct Hierom his saing vpon the epistle of sainct Paule to Titus And thus leauing vnto them the matter farder to be considered I will in my pourpose proceade and after sainct Hierom who hath testified the maner howe the people of Rome did communicate by themselues in their houses we will heare howe the preistes in Grece did the like in their churches Chrysostome for that he perceaued the godlie deuocion of the people as Chrys in cap. 1. ad Eph. ho. 3. The people did not dailie receaue though Chrysost did dailie saie Masse Wherfore in that respect he saied he did in vain offre sacrifice at the aultar touching the receipt of the Sacrament to waxe colde he earnestlie rebuked his people as I wish that our Bishopps and Pastours shoulde doe theirs and to their reproache saied thus Frustra habetur quotidiana oblatio frustra stamus ad altare Nemo est qui simul participet The dailie oblacion or sacrifice ys doen in vain we stand at the aultar in vain Ther ys no man that will partake with vs. In this saing of Chrysostome these two thinges maie be perceaued that by Chrysostom and his preistes the dailie sacrifice was offred in the Church of Constantinople that ys that Masse was dailie saied ther. For he saieth Quoti diana habetur oblatio The dailie sacrifice ys doen which ys to saie that euerie daie the sacrifice ys offred The other that although Masse were dailie saied yet manie times none did communicate with him that did offre the sacrifice And therfor he saied Nemo est qui simul participet Ther ys none that will take parte of the sacrifice Wherbie yt ys euident that in the greke Church Masse was saied though ther were no communicantes with the preist Neither let the Aduersarie grownde his sandie argument vpon this woorde Frustra for nothing ys absolutelie doen in vain that atteigneth anie end that yt was ordeined for Nowe wher the holie consecracion of Chrystes bodie Obiection with answ
of the bodie of our Lorde To make no differeÌ„ce saieth S. Augustine ys non discernere à ceteris cibis diuinuÌ„ corpus to make no differeÌ„ce of the bodie of our Lorde from other meates but euen as wewolde with polluted coÌ„sciences eate prophane meates aÌ„d with pourpose of sin ne without repentaÌ„ce or pourpose of amendmeÌ„t of life receaue our bodilie foode so receaue the bodie of our Lorde In whiche fewe woordes again S. Augustine teacheth the bodie of Chryst to be receaued of euell persons Thus ye haue the mindes of Chrysostome and Sainct Augustine in the vnderstaÌ„ding of S. Paule which bothe vnderstand him to haue spoken of the bodie of Chryste as the catholique Churche teacheth and not of SacrameÌ„tall bread as the malignaunt Churche feigneth Thus moche being doen we shall with like spede heare other that remain that the trueth of Chrystes faith maie be seen to the confusion of the enemie THE NINE AND FOVRTETH CHAP. CONtinueth the same exposition by Isichius and. Sedulius SAinct Augustine writing against the Manicheis in whiche sect he was by the space of nine years pietifullie deteined and deluded perceaued after his conuersion one great cause of the continuance of manie in that heresie to be that they wolde not heare the holie learned doctours and Fathers of the Churche Wherfor to remoue them from that euell minde he thus wrote to them Audite doctos catholicae Ecclesiae Viros tanta pace animi eo voto quo ego vos audiui Nihil opus erit nouem annis quibus Aug. de morib Eccl. cap. 25. me ludificastis Longè omnino longè beuiore tempore quid intersit inter veritatem vanitatemue cernetis Heare ye the learned men of the catholique Churche with so moche quiettnesse of minde and with that desire that I heard yowe Ther shall not nede the nine yeares in the whiche ye mocked me In a shorter time yea in a moche shorter time shall ye see what difference ys betwixt veritie and vanitie Euen thus doe I wish that they that haue ben deluded with vain perswasions and haue ben therbie insnared and entrapped in the heresie of the Sacramentaries wolde with as good will heare the learned Fathers of Chrystes Churche as they haue hitherto hearde them that haue deceaued them And I nothing doubte but yf they will so doe aÌ„d with deuoute praier to God for grace assistent and with humblenesse of minde enkindled with feruent desire all affection sett aparte Learn and knowe the verie trueth but that they shall sooen discerne betwixt veritie and vanitie Sixe nowe haue ben alleadged of the auncient and right famouse Fathers The Proclamer required one plain senteÌ„ce he hath had nowe these sixe and manie nio before aÌ„d herester yet mo shal haue whiche all with great and goodlie consent haue expownded the woordes of Sainct Paule to be vnderstanded of the bodie of Chryst Whiche expositions be not settfurth with obscurities in doubtfull maner as they maie seme to be vnderstanded diuerse waies whiche maner of sentences the Aduersarie doth produce to maintein his heresie But they are clere plain and easie to be vnderstanded in their right sense so that they can not be drawen to anie other sense And therfor let the Proclamer looke well vpon these expositions of these sixe Fathers past and he shall perceaue that they by expresse woordes teache that the bodie of Chryst ys in the Sacrament and ther receaued both of good and euell men whiche thinge he shall see also taught of sixe other or mo And therfor let him for shame recant and call in again his arrogant sainge that the catholique Churche hath not one scriptureÌ„ nor one doctour For I doubte not but by the iudgement of them that shall reade this worke that his sainge shall be prooued to be as false as vain Of these that yet remain to be alleaged the first coople shall be Isichius and Isich in Leuit ca. 26. Sedulius Isichius hath this sainge Propter quod sanctuarium eius paueamus vt nec corpus nostrum polluamus nec ad corpus Christi in quo est omnis sanctificatio in ipso enim omnis plenitudo inhabitat diuinitatis sine subtili dijudicatione nostri temerè accedamus sed potius nosmetipsos probemus reminiscentes eius qui dixit Quicunque manducauerit panem aut biberit calicem Domini indignè reus erit corporis sanguinis Domini Wherfor Jsich vnderstaÌ„deth S. Paule to haue speken of the bodie of Chryste let vs feare his holie place that we neither defile our owne bodie nor rashlie come to the bodie of Chryst in the whiche ys all sanctificacion For in him abideth the fullnesse of the Godhead withoute diligent examinacion of our selues But raither let vs trie our selues remembring him that saied Whosoeuer shall eate the bread aÌ„d drinke the cuppe of our Lorde vnwoorthielie shall be giltie of the bodie and bloode of our Lorde Howe this Authour vnderstandeth S. Paule yt ys withoute great studie to be perceaued For he exhorting vs to come with great examinacion of our selues with puritie and cleannesse of bodie and soule to the receipt of Chrystes bodie vseth for the place of his authoritie the sainge of S. Paule nowe in hand WhoÌ„soeuer eateth the bread and drinketh the cuppe of our Lorde vnwoorthielie shall be giltie of the bodie and bloode of our Lorde Wher in as the other Fathers haue doen before what Sainct Paule calleth the bread of our Lorde that doeth he by explaining woordes call the bodie of Chryste And that we shoulde not take yt for a figuratiue bodie but for the verie true and self same bodie of Chryst and therwith to stirre vs to haue the more regarde to our duetie as with all honour and reuerence to come to yt he saieth that in that bodie dwelleth the fullnesse of the Godhead that ys as Theophilact saieth Si quid est Deus Verbum in ipso inhabitat That that ys the Sonne of God dwelleth in him And farder expowndinge the same saieth Ne autem cùm audis Theoph. in 2. cap. ad Collâ—ss habitauit existimes quòd ageretur aut impelleretur sicut Prophetae commorabatur enim in illis Deus iuxta illud inhabitabo in ipsis inambulabo adiecit corporaliter hoc est non energia vel operatio quaedam verùm substantia ac veluti corporatus vna hypostasis existens cum assumpto Least thowe when thowe hearest this woorde Exod. 29. 2. Cor. 6. dwelleth shouldest thinke that he shoulde be moued or led as the Prophetes were for God dwelled in them also accordinge to that saing I will dwell in them and I will walke a mong them he added Corporally that ys not a certain force or operacion but a substance and as corporated and being one persoÌ„ with the nature assumpted Cyrill also by the testimonie of Theophilact expownding these woordes geueth great light to the vnderstanding of them by an example and saieth
wicked assertion of the Sacramentaries who against all trueth that maie be learned in scriptures and the most auncient Fathers teache that neither Chrystes verie naturall flesh ys receaued in the Sacrament neither that Chryst ys naturallie in vs but onely spirituallie The contrarie wherof ys not onely by this Authour in plain woordes taught but also by Chrysostome and sainct Cyrill as before ys shewed That sainct Hilarie intended by his disputacion to confute the Arrians denieng Chryst to be naturallie in vs and also the holie Gost as yt maie be thought left the same to confute the Sacramentaris yt doeth verie well appeare by a conclusion that he maketh vpon the same disputacion thus sainge Haec idcireo à nobis commemorata sunt quia voluntatis tantùm inter Patrem Filium vnitatem haeretici mentientes vnitatis nostrae ad Deum vtebantur exemplo tanquam nobis ad Filium per filium ad Patrem obsequio tantùm ac voluntate religionis vnitis nulla per Sacramentum sanguinis naturalis communionis proprietas indulgeretur cùm per honorem nobis datum Dei filii per manentem in nobis carnaliter Dei filium in eo nobis corporaliter inseparabiliter vnitis mysterium verae ac naturalis vnitatis sit praedicandum These thinges are for this cause spoken of vs that heretiques vntruely saing the vnitie betwixt the Father and the Sonne to be onelie the vnitie of will vsed the example of our vnitie with God as though we being by obedience and will in religion onelie vnited to the Sonne and by the Sonne to the Father no proprietie of naturall communion shoulde be geuen by the Sacrament of the flesh and bloode sithen that both by the honour of the Sonne of God geuen to vs and by the Sonne of God carnallie abidng in vs and we being corporallie and inseparablie vnited in him the mysterie of the true and naturall vnitie ys to be declared Thus moch he By these woordes as S. Hilarie improoueth the Arrians saing that Chryst The Sacramentaries ioin with the Arrians in denieng natural vnion be twè Chryst and vs by the bless Sa ys not naturallie in vs so doeth he the Sacramentaries teaching the same And thus maie we see the sinceritie of them who doe maintein the pestilent doctrine of the Arrians And that that was confuted and reprooued as heresie twelue hondreth yeares agon ys nowe with a litle false skouring and colouring solde to the people for trueth The Proclamer hath promised that he wolde subscribe yf we coulde bringe furth but one that by plain woordes coulde teache the trueth of soche articles as he Proclamed Here nowe be two both right auncient and famouse The first saieth that ower flesh ys nourished withe the cuppe He saieth not as the Sacramentarie doeth with the cuppe of the Lorde but he speaketh as the catholique Churche doeth sainge With the cuppe whiche ys the bloode of oure Lorde Neither vseth he the hereticall phrase sainge that our flesh ys nourished with the Sacramentall bread but the phrase of Chrystes Churche sainge that our flesh ys nourished A plain saing for the Procla with the breade whiche ys the bodie of our Lorde calling them by expresse woordes the bodie and bloode of Chryste Ys not this a plain speache The other saieth that as trulie as the Father ys naturallie in the Sonne So trulie ys Chryst naturallie in vs by the receipt of his naturall flesh in the Sacrament Whiche speach ys also so plain that except men will not As God the Father ys naturallie in the Sōne so ys the Sōne by his naturall flesh receaued in the bless Sacr. naturalie in vs. see or will not heare or hearinge will not vnderstand they can not choose but see heare and vnderstand a merueillouse plain trueth Whiche trueth was so euident plain famouse and notoriouse in the time of these Fathers that they might vpon the same grownde and frame strong argumentes against great and famouse heresies as nowe ye perceaue these Fathers to haue doen. To conclude then seinge the one of these Fathers saieth that we be nourished with the flesh of Chryst by the receipt of the same in the blessed Sacrament And the other that by the same receipt Chryst ys naturallie in vs and we naturallie one with him we maie verie well saie with sainct Paule that we are membres of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones THE SIXTETH CHAP. TREACTETH VPON this text of sainct Paule to Hebrues He haue an Aultar c. IN the xiii chapter of S. Paules epistle to the Hebrues we finde this sainge We haue an Aultar of the which yt ys not laufull for them to eate that serue in the tabernacle Whiche saing I finde so expownded that by the Aultar ys vnderstanded the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament So that the sense of those woordes maie be these We haue the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament of the whiche yt ys not laufull for anie Iewe resting and abidinge in the lawe of Moyses to eate Isich in leuit li. 1. c. 4. That thus yt ys to be vnderstanded I haue wittnesses but I will not trooble the reader with manie but onelie produce a coople which bothe be grecians And they be Isichius and Theophilact the one of the higher house and the other of the lower Isichius saieth thus expownding a text of Leuitic Omnem sanguinem reliquum Vituli fundi circa basim altaris holocausti quod est in tabernaculo testimonii praecepit Altare holocaustomatis rursus Christi corpus intelligamus Sicut enim ipse Sacerdos sacrificium est sic altare est Quia autem intelligibile altare corpus Domini beatus Paulus intelligit ipso dicente cognosce Ait enim habemus Altare de quo edere non habent potestatem qui tabernaculo deseruiunt corpus videlicet Christi dicens De illo enim comedere Iudaeis fas non est He comaunded all the rest The aultar of the which the Jewes maie not eatc ys the bodie of Chryst of the blood of the calfe to be powred oute aboute the foote of the Aultar of the burnt sacrifice which ys in the Tabernacle of wittnesse Let vs again vnderstande the Aultar of the burnt Sacrifice to be the bodie of Chryste For as he ys the preist and the Sacrifice so ys he the Aultar also That sainct Paule also doeth vnderstand the intelligle Aultar the bodie of Chryst know by his owne saing For he saieth We haue an Aultar of the which yt ys not lauful for them to eate that doe serue in the Tabernacle that ys to saie the bodie of Chryst sainge that of yt yt ys not laufull for the Iewes to eate Thus moche Isichius I nede not here moch to saie to open the place for yt ys open enough of yt self and can not well be wrested but that in the literall sense yt must be Hoopers glose edere 1. credere vnderstanded of the
bodie of Chryst in that maner that the Iewe obseruing yet the Lawe maie not eate him Whiche maner ys onelie by his reall presence in the Sacrament except we shall euell fauourablie as Hooper did expownde edere for credere to eate that ys to beleue And then the sense must be that we haue an Aultar which ys Chrystes bodie on the whiche the Iewes that doe obserue the lawe of Moyses maie not beleue Whiche sense as yt ys verie false so yt ys verie cruell God forbidde but that the Iewes shoulde beleue on Chryst as manie a thousand of them haue doen as the Actes of the Apostles and diuerse other hystories doe testifie The like sense shall this scripture haue yf we vnderstand yt with the Sacramentarie of the spirituall presence of Chryst and the spirituall eating of him So that a diligent reader maie in this place perceaue into what strictes and what inconueniences Theophil in 13. ca. epist ad Hebrues soche wrestinge expositours doe bringe themselues who leauing the true sownd and perfect expositions of the Fathers cleaue to their owne inuencions which be soche as although they like well the inuentours yet they neither like nor well agree with the scripturs nor withe the true and catholique expositours of the same But let vs heare Theophilact also vpon the same text Thus he saieth Quoniam dixerat non obseruandos esse cibos ne videantur nostra despicatui habenda quod obseruatione careant Nos inquit obseruationem habemus verùm haud eam quae sit in huiusmodi cibis sed super altare siue incruenta hostia viuifici corporis liuius enim vt sint participes ne pontisicibus quidem legalibus permittitur tantisper dum tabernaculo deseruiunt boc est legalibus vmbris siguris quae transeunt ac dissoluuntur Forasmoche as he had saied that regarde of meates Note well these tearms the aultar the vnbloodie sacrisice the liuing bodie c. should not be had least our thinges might seeme to be despiced bicause they had no regarde or reueronce We saieth he haue reuerend regarde but not that that was vpon these maner of meates but vpon the Aultar or the vnbloodie sacrisice of the liuinge bodie For of this Sacrifice to be partakers yt ys not permitted no not to high preistes of the lawe as long as thei serue in the tabernacle that ys as long as they serue the shadowes and figures of the lawe which passe a waie and are dissolued Here again by Theophilact as before by Isichius ye see this text vnderstanded of the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament He calleth yt the vnbloodie Sacrifice as the holie Nicen Councell did And that those woordes also of the vnbloodie Sacrifice shoulde not be drawen by the Sacramentaries the enemies and distroyers of this Sacrifice to the sacrifice of lawdes and thankesgeuinge as Cranmer doeth in his booke of Sacrifice he addeth and fullie calleth yt the vnblood die sacrifice of the liuing bodie or more proprielie of the bodie that geueth life or maketh to liue which ys not nor can be anie other but the bodie of Chryst which as in the last chapter ys saied beinge ioined to the Godhead and made the bodie of God which ys life yt self ys able to geue life and to make other to liue And therfor ys here of Theophilact verie well called Viuificum corpus the bodie that ys able to make to liue But note that we speake not here of this transitorie and passing life but of the permanent and euerlasting life In the woordes of S. Paule this also ys to be noted that allthough in hys The sacrisice of the Churche of fred in a thousand places ys but oneand the same sacrisice Hier lib. 3. in Oseam cap. 8. time the faith was largelie spred as in Rome in Corinthus in Galatia in Ephesus in Thessalonia in Collossis in Laodicea yea as he himself to the Romans doeth testifie from Hierusalem rownde aboute all the coastes vnto Illiricum he filled all the contries with the Gospel yet nowe writing to the Hebrues he saieth notplurallie we haue manie Aultars but singularlie we haue an Aultar For the Church of Chryst hath but one Chryst and one vnblood die Sacrifice as Chrysostome saieth Vna est haec hostia non multae This sacrifice ys one and not manie For we doe not offre one lambe to daie and an other to morowe but allwaies the same one sacrifice Proinde saieth he Vnum est hoc sacrificium Therfore this sacrifice ys one yt hath also but one Aultar as S. Hierom doeth testifie saing Vnum esse altare in ecclesia vnam fidem vnum baptisma Apostolus docet Quod haeretici deferentes multa sibi altaria sabricati sunt non ad placandum Deum sed in delictorum multitudinem propterea leges Dei accipere non merentur cùm eas quaes acceperant antè contempserint Etsi quid dixerint de scripturis nequaquam diuinis verbis sed Ethnicorum sensibus comparandum est Isti multas immolant hostias comedunt carnes earum vnam Christi hostiam deserentes nec comedentes eius carnem cuius caro cibus credentium est quicquid fecerint sacrificiorum ordinem ritumue simulantes siue dederint eleemosinam siue pudicitiā repromittant siue humilitatem simulēt fictisue blāditiis simplices quosque decipiāt nihil de huiusmodi sacrificiis Dominus suscipiet The Apostle teacheth to be in the Church one Aultar one faith and one baptisme which the heretikes forsakinge haue framed to thēselus manie Aultars not to appease God but to the heaping vppe of multitude of sinnes Wherfore they are not woorthie to receaue the lawes of God forasmoch as the lawes which they had receaued they had before contemned And yf they saie any thinge of the scriptures yt ys not to be compared to the woordes of God but raither to the senseis of Ethnickes These men offre manie sacrifices and doe eate the flesh of them forsakinge the one sacrifice of Chryst and doe not eate his flesh whose flesh ys the meat of the beleuers Whatsoeuer they doe dissemblinge the order and rite of sacrifices whether they geue almose whether they vowe chaistitie whether they dissemble humilitie or whether with feined flatteries thei deceaue the simple God taketh nothing of soch maner of sacrifices Hitherto S. Hierom. Whom yf we marke well we maie learn that he by this woorde aultar vnderstandeth Chryst as sainct Paule doeth in this scripture produced oute of the epistle to the Hebrues For where sainct Paule to the Ephesians saieth Vnus Dominus vna fides vnum baptisma c. One Lord one faith one Baptisme S. Hierom saieth that S. Paule teacheth that we haue but one aultar takinge the one aultar for our one Lorde Chryst But note with all howe liuelie he describeth the heretiques of our time Heretiques of oure time wel described by S. Hieron by the painting of the heretiques of and before his time For
34. item lib. 3. cap. 33 Chryste commaunded himself to be offred lib. 3. cap. 16 Chryste offred euerie wher ys but one bodie and sacrifice lib. 2. cap. 10 Chryste gaue his owne bodie to his Apostles cap. 50. 64. he geueth himself to be eaten in the Sacrament lib. 1. cap. 14. Chrystes woordes This ys my bodie be not figuratiue lib. 2. cap. 42. 43. 44. sequent Chryste verīe bodie in the blessed Sacrament not the figure onelie lib. 1. cap. 21. item lib. 2. cap. 7. item lib. 3. cap. 7. 59. Chryste geueth vs the same flesh by whiche he was ioined to vs or tooke of our nature lib. 1. cap. 14. item lib. 2. cap. 5 Chryste ys ioined to vs corporallie lib. 1. cap. 14. Chryste and the Paschall lambe compared lib. 1. cap. 15. Chryst in our passouer verilie perfectlie lib. 1. cap. 16. 19. in the Iewes passouer vnper fectlie cap. 17 Chryste yf he be receaued but spirituallie then ys our passouer all one with the Iewes passouer cap. 19 Chryste first eate and dranke his bodie and blood and then gaue to his Apostles and whie lib. 1. cap. 16. item lib. 2. cap. 55. Chryste gaue inconsumptible meat tho Sacramentaries consumptible meat li. 1. cap. 17. Chryste consecrated his owne bodie lib. 3. cap. 51. and commaundeth the same to be consecrated li. 1. ca. 20. the preist consecrateth Chryste and not the pope made the Sacra-Chrysts bodie ibid. ca. 18 Chryste did three notable things in the institution of the blessed Sacrament lib. 3 cap. 16. Chryste commended to vs his bodie and blood 24 Chryste in the lawe presented in figure represented in the Gospell in veritie lib. 1. cap. 18 Chryste ys nowe receaued in veritie li. 3. ca. 5. 59. Chrystes verie bodie set before vs in earth lib 1. ca. 18. Chryste the onelie begotten Sonne of God receaued in the blessed Sacrament ibid. lib. 3. ca. 25 Chryste verilie vpon the aultar lib. 1. cap. 18. Chryste geueth his owne blood in the cuppe lib. 2. cap. 61 Chryste turned the bread into his bodie and the wine into his blood lib. 1. cap. 20. he made the bread his bodie lib. 2. cap. 49. Chryste saing this ys my bodie with the woorde made the thing cap. 55 Chryste not man doth consecrate lib. cap. 20. 31 Chrystes woordes this do ye be referred to the substance not to the maner lib. 1. cap. 27 Chrystes maner in ministring hath no cōmaundement ca. 26. neuer synce vsed ibid. Chryste left the maner of ministracion to be ordered of his Apostles cap. 26. lib. 3. cap. 34. Chryste in his supper bare himself in his hands lib. 2. cap. 10. 54 Chryste geueth his flesh in substance verilie not in maner grosselie ca. 36 Chryste in his supper the geuer and the gifte ca. 47. 53 Chryste the meat that we all feed on lib. 3 cap. 6. Chryste ys the substance of the blessed Sacrament cap. 10 Chrystes bodie as verilie receaued in the Sacrament as yt ys beleued to haue hanged on the crosse ibid. Chrystes blood in the Sacrament shed vpon the soldiours garments lib. 1. cap. 24 Chrystes bodie receaued with mouth both of bodie and soule li. 1. cap. 20. li. 2. ca. 14. 25. Chrystes flesh ys not disgested as other meates lib. 1. cap. 14. yt turneth vs into yt li. 2. ca. 5. lib. 3. ca. 59. Chryst ys not there receaued spirituallie where he ys not beleued that he maie be receaued reallie li. 1. cap. 31. Chryste doth sanctifie and transmute the bread and wine ibid. See bread Chrystes bodie vpon the crosse called bread li. 2. ca. 6 Chryste doth blesse sanctifie and diuide his holie bodie to the receauers lib. 2. cap 8. Chrysts flesh in the Sacrament geueth life to the woorthie receauers li. 2. cap. 6. li. 3. cap. 7. Chryste in all receauers naturallie in good receauers both naturallie and spirituallie lib. 2. cap. 20. 24. 25. lib. 3. cap. 6. Chryste as verilie in the blessed Sacrament as he was verilie incarnated lib. 2. cap. 24. Chryste by his incarnacion ioined to vs we by the Sacrament ioined to him lib. 2. cap. 14. 28. item lib. 3. cap. 27. 59. Chrystes bodie shall raise our bodies lib. 2. cap. 26. Chryste feadeth vs with a bread whiche ys his flesh ca. 32 Chryste moued the Iewes to beleue in his godhead and to eate the flesh of his manhead li. 2. ca. 2 Chryste by the Sacrament maketh vs one with his bodie and among our selues li. 3. cap. 26. Chryste instructed his Apostles in the faith of the blessed Sacrament before he in stituted yt cap. 56 Chryste spake plentifullie of his bodie and bloode in the sixt of Sainct Iohn lib. 2. cap. 55. Chrystes institucion ys to receaue his bodie and bloode in the remembrance of his death li. 3. cap. 36. Chrysts bodie ys not in the Sacramentall bread of the communion cap. 42 Chryste whie he instituted the Sacrament vnder two kindes lib. 2. ca. 67 Chryste being whollie vnder eche kinde the people be not defrauded receauing but th one ibid. Chryste saied Masse li. 3. cap. 33 Chryste taught the newe sacrifice of the newe Testament lib. 1. cap. 34. 37. item lib. 2. ca. 56. 58. Chryst ment a sacrifice li 1. ca. 31 Chryste must of necessitie be graunted to haue offred sacrifice in his supper ibid. Chryste ceasseth not to excute his perpetuall preisthead and sacrifice cap. 37 Chryste offred euery wher ys but one bodie and one sacrifice li. 2. cap. 10 Chryste both in heauen and earth in veritie ibid. Chrystes being in the Sacrament ys miraculouse contrarie to the rules of philosophie ibid. Chryste bodie vpon the crosse in heauen and on the aultar all one lib. 2. cap. 15. 22. Chryste the Sonue of man howe he was in heauen when he spake in earth lib. 2. cap. 34. Chrysts godhead and manhead distincted as two breades ca. 3. 15. Chryst sitteth in heauen and yet ys dailie sacrificed by the preist ca. 46 Chrystes bodie on the aultar that was in the maunger ca. 45. Chryste why he made mencion of his ascension in the vi of Sainct Iohn cap. 34. 35. Chrystes flesh besides nature ascended into heauen and besides nature geueth life in the blessed Sacrament ca. 34. Chrystes woordes wrested to xvi diuerse senses by protestants ca. 41 Chryste was the spirituall rocke not the materiall and therfor ys ther no figure in Sainct Paules speache lib. 3. cap. 3 Chryste before the consecracion of his bodie lift vppe his eies and gaue thankes to his Father li. 3. ca. 34 Chryste tooke the cuppe of wine mixed with water into his handes and blessed and sanctified them cap. 35 Chrysts blood not onelie in heauen but also in the chalice ca. 25 Chryste entred in to his Apostles the doores being shett li. 2. ca. 11 Chryste shall come to iudgement with the sign of the crosse and prints of his woundes li. 3. ca 45. Chryste howe he ys hath ben and shall be a
sore against mankinde For sinne we hearde Thowe arte earth and into earth thowe shalt retourn But for asmoche as Chryst woolde ouerthrowe by his flesh this cruell Tyranne therfore that was shadowed among the olde Fathers in a misterie and they being sanctified withe the flesh and blood of a shepe God so willing did escape the plague aÌ„d destructioÌ„ Wher for then thowe Iewe art thow troubled seing nowe the trueth long before prefigurated why I saie arte thowe troubled yf Chryste do saie Except ye cate the flesh of the sonne of man and drink his bloode ye shall haue no life in yowe seing yt behoueth thee beinge instructed in Moises lawes aÌ„d taught by the olde shaddowes to beleue to be most readie to vnderstaÌ„d these misteries Thowe haest knowen the shaddowe aÌ„d the figure Learn therfor the veritie of the thing My flesh saieth he ys verilie meat and my blood ys verilie drinke Thus farre Cyrill Whome ye haue hearde at lenght declaring the figuratiue Paschall laÌ„be and the benefit that the Iewes had by the same Likewise ye haue heard him declaring the true Paschall Lambe and the benefite that commeth to vs therbie And when he hath applied the figure to the thing figured whiche ys the trueth of the figure as a matter sufficieÌ„tlie taught ther to be beleued of the Iewes He falleth into a wonder at the incredulitie of theÌ„ and reprouinge them all in the person of one saieth Why arte thowe o Iewe troubled seing nowe the verie veritie long before this prefigurated Yt behoued thee being instructed by Moises Lawes and verie well taught by the olde shadowes to beleue to be most readie to vnderstande these misteries Yf Cyrill did so earnestlie reproue the Iewes for their incredulitie being taught but by Moyses and the figures howe wolde he reproue our men who well instructed not by Moyses but by Chryste not by shaddowes and figures but by the gospell of treuth and veritie not moued as the Iewes semed to be to beleue a straunge noueltie but an aunciente faithe receared of antiquitie Yf the Iewes I saie be woorthie of reproche who knowe not the true faithe whiche they neuer yet had by plain knowledge receaued False Christians worthilie reproued for saking their faith how moche more be our false Chrystians to be reproued which the faithe that they were brought vppe in that they once embraced and receaued that they earnestlie beleued nowe haue maliciouslie not onelie contemned but also Reuiled detested and abiected God that ys the verie light lighten their heartes that they maie see into howe depe damnacion they haue deiected and cast them selues by their forsaking of the catholique faith being nowe bare and void of all excuse forsomoche as they did once knowe the trueth whiche nowe deuelishlie they blaspheme Si non venissem locutus eis fuissem peccatum non haberent nuÌ„c autem excusationem non habent de peccato suo Yf I had not commed saied Chryst Joan 15. and spokeÌ„ to them they shoulde not haue had sinne but nowe they haue none excuse of their sinne God I saie therfore haue mercie vpon them whilest time of mercie for them endureth and geue them grace dailie with the Prophett Dauid to crie and saie Respice exaudi me Domine Deus meus Illumina oculos meos ne vnquam obdormiam in morte ne quando dicat inimicus meus praeualui aduersus eum Consider Psal 12. and heare me o Lorde my God lighten mine eies that I sheape not in death lest mine enemis saie I haue preuailed against him What a preie and Spoill ys yt to our gostlie enemie and howe moche dothe he reioice when he deceaueth one that hath ben in the true faith and beâ—ieueth him of the same and so driueth him from God No doubte he counteth yt a great Spoill and reioiceth moch at yt as the verse of the same psalme immediatelie folowing dothe saie Qui tribulant me exultabunt si motus fuero They that trouble me will reioice at yt yf I becast down Return therfor in time and cleaue hard to the streight and strong piller of trueth For if ye be cast downe ye shall fall verie lowe and sinke depe Chryste sending his Apostles to preache taught them thus Into what cittie soeuer ye shall come enquire who ys worthie in yt and ther abide Math. 10. till ye go thence and whosoeuer shall not receaue yowe nor will heare yowe preachinge when ye departe oute of that house or cittie shake of the dust of yowe feete Verilie I saie vnto yowe yt shall be easier for the lande of Sodom and Gomorre in the daie of Iudgement then for that citte Consider therfore and heauie hand of God vpon Sodom and gomorre which in soche terrible sorte being sonke and destroied with fire and Brimstone from heauen argueth a more terrible damnacion to ensewe and folowe and yet yt shall be more easie to them in the daie of Iudgement then to soche as will not receaue faith Howe moche more greuouse then shall yt be to them which forsake that faith that not onelie they them selues haue receaued but the wholl Churche of Chryst throughoute all Chrystendom whiche faithe although yt hath diuerse times ben impugned as nowe in theise daies yt ys Yet God be praised yt was neuer ouerthowen nor neuer shall be and will cleaue to an heresie whiche hath ben not onelie sundrie and diuerse times ympugned but ouerthrowen condemned cursed and extincted Surelie as their reproche ys moche in this worlde for their so doing So shall yt be moche more before the face of God and his electe in the daie of his terrible iudgement But I will retourn from whence I haue digressed and touche one note more of Cyrill and so passe to other After he had thus rebuked the Iewes for their hardnesse of beleue he saied Vmbram figuram nosti disce ergo ipsam rei veritatem Thow hauest knowen the Shaddow and the figure learn therfore the verie thinge Note here again as before in Chrysostom ys noted that the olde Paschall lambe was a figure and owre Paschall Lambe the verie thinge Then yt ys not a peice of bread a bare sign or figure of Chryst for then these sainges of the learned Fathers were not true whiche saie plainlie that yt ys the verie thinge And this Father when he had willed the Iewes to learn the verie thing he declared furthwith what the verie thing ys Caro mea verè est cibus sanguis meus verè est potus My flesh saieth Chryst ys verilie meat and my bloode ys verilie drinke This saieth Cyrill ys the verie thing of the figure the verie flesh and bloode of Christ whiche be verilie meat and verilie drinke Howe this texte and other apperteining to the same matter in the sixte of S. Iohn haue ben wrested and wried and violentliie drawen by the enemies of gods trueth from their natiue and true sense yt shall be shewed more at large in the second