doth not lie that saith He is every day offer'd For if Sacraments had no similitudes or likeness of those Things whereof they be Sacraments they could in no wise be Sacraments and for their similitude and likeness commonly they have the names of the Things whereof they be Sacraments Wherefore as after a certain manner of speech the Sacrament of Christs Body is Christs Body the Sacrament of Christs Flood is Christs Blood so likewise the Sacrament of Faith is Faith c. After this manner of speech as St. Augustin teacheth in his Questions Super Leviticum contra Adamantium it is said That seven ears of Corn be seven years seven Kyne be seven years and the Rock was Christ Blood is the Soul The which last saying saith St. Augustin in his Book Contra Adamantium is understood to be spoken in a sign or figure for the Lord himself did not stick to say This is my Body when he gave the sign of his Body For we must not consider in Sacraments saith St. Augustin contra Maximinum Lib. 3. cap. 22. what they be but what they do signifie for they be signs of Things being one Thing in themselves and yet signifying another Thing for the Heavenly Bread saith he by some manner of speech is call'd Christs Body when indeed it is the Sacrament of his Body What can be more plain or more clearly spoken than are these places of St. Augustin if Men were not obstinately bent to maintain an untruth Yet one place more of St. Augustin will I alledge to this purpose That Christs Natural Body is in Heaven and not here Corporally in the Sacrament In his 50th Treatise upon John he speaks thus of Christ. By his Divine Majesty by his Providence by his unspeakable and invisible Grace That is fulfilled which he spake Behold I am with you unto the end of the World But as concerning the Flesh which he took in his Incaruation as concerning that which was born of the Virgin as concerning that which was apprehended by the Jews and Crucified upon the Tree and taken down from the Cross lapped in Linnen Cloths and buried and rose again and appeared after his Resurrection as concerning that Flesh he said Ye shall not ever have me with you Why so for as concerning his Flesh he was conversant with his Disciples forty days and they accompanying him seeing and not following him he went up into Heaven and is not here By the presence of his Divine Majesty he did not depart As concerning the presence of his Divine Majesty we have Christ ever with us but as concerning the presence of his Flesh he said truly to his Disciples Ye shall not ever have me with you For as concerning the presence of his Flesh the Church had him but a few days now it holdeth him by Faith tho it see him not Thus much St. Augustin speaketh repeating one thing so oft and all to declare and teach how we should understand the manner of Christs being here with us which is by his Grace by his Providence and by his Divine Nature And how he is absent by his Natural Body which was born of the Virgin Mary died and rose for us and is ascended into Heaven and there sitteth as is in the Article of our Faith on the right hand of God and thence and from none other place saith St. Augustin shall come on the latter day to judge the quick and the dead at the which day the Righteous shall then lift up their Heads and the light of Gods Truth shall so shine that all Falsehood and Errors shall be put to utter confusion Righteousness shall have then the upper hand and Truth that day shall bear away the Victory all the Enemies thereof quite overthrown to be troden under foot for evermore O Lord I beseech thee haste this day then shalt thou be glorified with the glory due unto thy holy Name and we shall sing unto thee in all joy and felicity laud and praise for evermore Here now would I make an end for methinks that St. Augustin is in this matter so full and plain and of that Authority that it should not need after this his Declaration to bring you any more Authors Yet because I promised to alledge three Writers of the Latin Church I will now alledge last of all Gelasius which was a Bishop of Rome but before the wicked Usurpation and Tyranny thereof spread and burst out abroad unto the World For this Man was before Bonifacius and Gregory the first in whose days both corruption of Doctrine and Tyrannical Usurpations did chiefly grow and had the over-hand Gelasius in an Epistle of the two Natures of Christ Gelasius Contra Eutychen writeth thus The Sacraments of the Body and Blood of Christ are Godly things whereby and by the same we are made partakers of the Divine Nature and yet nevertheless the substance or nature of Bread and Wine doth not depart or go away Note these words I beseech you and consider whether any thing can be more plainly spoken against the Error of Transubstantiation which is the ground and bitter root whereupon springeth all the horrible Errors before rehersed Wherefore seeing that the falsehood hereof doth appear so manifestly and by so many ways so plainly so clearly and so fully that no man needeth to be deceived but he that will not see or will not understand let us all that do love the Truth embrace it and forsake the Falsehood for he that loveth the Truth is of God and the lack of the Love thereof is the cause why God suâ—â—ered Men to fall into Errors and to perish therein Yea and the cause as St. Paul says why God sendeth unto them illusions that they believe Lies unto their own Condemnation because they loved not the Truth This Truth no doubt is Gods Word the Love and Light thereof Almighty God our Heavenly Father give us and lighten it in our Hearts by his holy Spirit through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen An Epistle of Mr. John Bradford Prisoner of the Lord to a faithful Christian in Coventry THe Peace which Christ left to his Church and to every true Member of the same the Holy Spirit the Guide of Gods Children be so ingraft in your Heart and the Heart of your good Wife and all my good Brothers and Sisters about you that unfainedly you may in respect thereof contemn all worldly peace which repugneth that peace I speak of and driveth it utterly out of the hearts of all them which would patch them both together For we cannot serve two Masters No Man can serve God and Mammon Christs peace cannot be kept with this Worlds peace God therefore of his mercy give unto you his peace which passeth all understanding and so keep your hearts and minds that they may be pure Habitacles and Mansions for the Holy Spirit yea for the Blessed Trinity who hath promised to come and dwell in all them that love Christ and keep his sayings
Iterum Incognitus mihi quidam de Ridleus scribarum numero ut opinor nihil ibi de Transubstantiatione decreverunt sed eam materiam tanquam Ecclesiarum concordiae minime convenientem intractatam reliquerunt quem vera dixisse Ridleius confirmabat Id nos adoramus quod Magi in praesepi adoraverunt Weston Chrysost. Hom. 20. in 1. Cor. sed Magi adoraverunt in praesepi positum verum naturale corpus Christi Ergo Et rursus ibidem Non hic Dominum in praesepi sed in altari nec mulierem in ulnis tenentem sed sacerdotem Adoramus nos fateor eundem verum Dominum Ridley servatorem mundi quem adoraverunt magi in praesepi Nos inquam adoramus eundem in mysterio in sacramento caenae Dominicae Sed eum adoramus spirituali libertate ut ait August lib. 3. de Doct. Christ. c. 10. non carnali servitute hoc est non adoramus serviliter signa pro rebus quod esset ut ille ait servilis Infirmitatis sed mente in caelum elevata illum sursum sedentem qui ab angelis adoratur eundem nos oculis fidei praesentem secundum gratiam spiritualiter in mensa sua assidentem intuemur adoramus Assistit enim semper Christus suis mysteriis ut habet Augustinus divina Majestas ut ait Cyprianus nunquam se absentat divinis mysteriis sed haec assistentia praesentia Christi quemad modum in Baptismo tota spiritualis est per gratiam non autem per carnis corporalem substantiam Ita plane habetur in mensa Domini legitime juxta verbum Dei rite administrata Sub finem Dominus Proloquutor hostiliter in me debacchatus Wiston est inimicum hominem palam appellans praefractum singularis audaciae Clamabat etiam Hereses jam sub ipsorum conspectu protritas conculcatas quamobrem omnes vehementer adhortabatur ad carmen victoriale 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concelebrandum ipso Doctore Proloquutore voce praeeunte Vicit veritas Vicit veritas Adque ad hunc modum triumphali applausu celebri acclamatione sanctissimorum sacrificorum Dominorum Doctorum qui pro aris focis pro Laribus Diis penatibus strenue dimicassent terminata est haec gloriosa Disputatio A Brief Treatise of the most blessed SACRAMENT of the Body and Blood of Christ. THE PREFACE MANY Things confound the weak memory a few places well weighed and proved lighten the understanding Truth is there to be searched with Diligence where it is to be had Tho God doth speak the Truth by man yet in mans word which God hath not revealed to be his man may doubt without mistrust in God Christ is the Truth of God reveal d unto man from Heaven by God himself and therefore in his word the truth is to be found which is to be embrac'd of all that be his Christ biddeth us ask and we shall have search and we shall find knock and it shall be open'd unto us Therefore O Heavenly Father Author and Fountain of all Truth the bottomless sea of all true understanding send down we beseech thee thy holy Spirit into our Hearts and lighten our understanding with the beams of thy heavenly grace We ask thee this O heavenly Father not in respect of our deserts but for thy dear Son our Saviour Jesus Christ's sake Thou knowest O heavenly Father that the controversy about the blessed Body and Blood of thy dear Son our Saviour Christ hath troubled not of late only the Church of England France Germany and Italy but also many years ago The fault is ours no doubt thereof for we have deserved thy Plague But O Lord be merciful and relieve our misery with some light of grace Thou knowest O Lord how the wicked World rolleth up and down and reeleth too and fro and careth not what thy Will is so it may abide in wealth If Truth have wealth then who is so stout to defend the Truth as they but if Christ's Cross be laid on Truth 's back then they vanish straight away as wax before the fire But these are not they O Heavenly Father for whom I make my most moan but for those silly ones O Lord which have a zeal unto thee those I mean which would and wish to know thy will and yet are letted holden back and blinded by the subtelties of Satan and his Ministers the wickedness of this wretched world and the sinful lusts and affections of the flesh Alass Lord thou knowest that we are of our selves but flesh wherein there dwelleth nothing that is good How then is it possible for man without thee O Lord to understand thy Truth indeed Can the natural man perceive the will of God O Lord to whom thou givest a zeal of thee give them also we beseech thee the knowledge of thy blessed Will suffer not them O Lord blindly to be led for to strive against thee as thou didst those alass which crucified thine own dear Son Forgive them O Lord for thy dear Son's sake for they know not what they do They do think alass O Lord for want of knowledge that they do unto thee good service even when against thee they do extreamly rage Remember O Lord we beseech thee the Prayer of thy Martyr St. Stephen of thy holy Apostle Paul which wisheth him accursed from thee for the salvation of his brethren the Jews Remember O Heavenly Father the Prayer of thy dear Son upon the Cross when he said to thee O Father forgive them they know not what they do With this forgiveness O good Lord God give me I beseech thee thy grace so briefly here to set forth the sayings and sentences of thy dear Son our Saviour Christ of his Evangelists and Apostles that in this foresaid controversy the light of thy truth by the Lanthorn of thy word may shine to all them that love thee Amen OF the Lords last Supper speak expressly three of the Evangelists Matthew Mark and Luke but none more plainly and more fully declareth the same than doth St. Paul partly in the 10th c. Cor. 1st As Matthew and Mark agree in form of words so doth likewise Luke and Paul but all four no doubt as they were altogether in one school and inspir'd with one spirit so taught they all one truth God grant us to understand it well Matthew setteth forth Christ's supper thus When Even was come he sate down with the Twelve as they did eat Jesus took Bread and gave thanks brake it and gave it to the Disciples and said take eat this is my Body and he took the Cup gave thanks and gave it to them saying drink ye all of this for this is my Blood of the new Testament that is shed for many for the remission of Sins I say unto you I will not drink of the Vine-tree untill that day when I shall drink it new in my Father's Kingdom and when they had said
My dearly Beloved the time is now come wherein Tryal is made of Men which have professed Christ and would have been counted keepers of his Testimonies but weale away the tenth person persevereth not The more part do part stakes with the Papists and Protestants so that they are become mangy Mongrels to the infecting of all the Company with them to their no small peril for they pretend outwardly Popery going to Mass with the Papists and tarrying with them personally at their antichristian and Idolatrous Service but with their Hearts say they and with their Spirits they serve the Lord and so by this means they save their Pigs which they would not lose I mean their worldly Pelf So they would please the Protestants and be counted with them for Gospellers yea marry would they But mine own beloved in the Lord flee from such persons as from men most perillous and pernicious both before God and Men for they are false to both and true to neither To the Magistrates they are clean contrary to God they are most untrue giving him but a piece which should have the whole I would they would tell me who made their Bodies Did not God as well as their Spirits and Souls And who keepeth both Doth not he still And alass shall not he have the service of the Body but it must be given to serve the new-found God of Antichrist his Inventions Did not Christ buy both our Souls and Bodies And wherewith with any less price than with his Precious Blood Ah wretches then that we be if we will defile either part with the rose colour'd Whore of Babylon her filthy Mass Abominations It had been better for us never to have been washed than so to wallow our selves in the filthy puddle of Popery It had been better never to have known the Truth than thus to betray it Surely surely let such men fear that their latter end be not worse than the beginning Their own Conscience now accuseth them before God if so be they have any Conscience that they are but Dissemblers and Hypocrites to God and Man For all the Cloaks they make they cannot avoid this but that their going to the Church and to Mass is of self-love that is they go thither because they would avoid the Cross They go thither because they would be out of trouble They seek neither the Queens Highness nor her Laws which in this point cannot bind the Conscience to obey because they are contrary to Gods Laws which bid us often to flee Idolatry and worshipping him after mens devices They seek neither I say the Laws if there were any neither their Brothers Commodity for none cometh thereby neither Godliness or good Example for there can be none found in going to the Mass c. but horrible offences and woe to them that give them But they seek their own selves their own ease their escaping the Cross. When they have made all the Excuses they can their own Conscience will accuse them that their going to Church is only because they seek themselves for if there would no trouble ensue for tarrying away I appeal to their own Conscience would they come thither Never I dare say Therefore as I said they seek themselves they would not carry the Cross and hereof their own Conscience doth accuse them Now if their Conscience doth accuse them at this present what will it do before the Judgment seat of Christ. Who will excuse it when Christ shall appear in Judgment and shall begin to be ashamed of them then which here now are ashamed of him Who I say then will excuse these Mass-gospellers Conscience Will the Queens Highness She shall then have more to do for her self than without hearty and speedy repentance she can ever be able to answer tho' Peter Paul Mary James John the Pope and all his Prelates take her part with all the singing Sir Johns that ever were are and shall be Will the Lord Chancellor and Prelates of the Realm excuse them there Nay nay they are all like then to smart for it so sore that I would not be in their places for all the whole World Will the Laws of the Realm the Nobility Gentry Justice of Peace c. excuse our Gospel Mass-mongers Conscience then Nay God knoweth they can do little there but fear tremble and quake for the heavy Vengeance of God like to fall upon them Will their Goods Lands and Possessions which they by their dissembling have saved will these serve to excuse them No no God is no Merchant as our Mass-Priests be Will Masses or Trentals and such Trash serve No verily the hunters of this Geer shall be then horribly ashamed Will the Catholick Church excuse Nay it will most of all accuse as will all the good Fathers Patriarchs Apostles Prophets Martyrs Confessors and Saints with all the good Doctors and good General Councils All these already condemn the Mass and all that ever use it as it is now being of all Idols that ever was the most abominable and blasphemous to Christ and his Priesthood Manhood and Sacrifice for it maketh the Priest that saith Mass Gods fellow and better than Christ for the Offerer is always better or equivalent to the Thing offered If therefore the Priest take upon him there to offer up Christ as they boldly affirm they do then must he needs be equal with Christ. O that they would shew but one jot of Scripture of God calling them to this Dignity or of their Authority to offer up Christ for the Quick and Dead and to apply the benefit and vertue of his Death and Passion to whom they will Surely if this were true as it is most false and blasphemous prate they at their pleasure to the contrary then it made no matter at all whether Christ were our Friend or no for he can apply us Christs Merits by his Mass if he will and when he will and therefore we need little to care for Christs Friendship They can make him when they will and where they will Lo here he is there he is say they but believe them not saith Christ Believe them not believe them not saith he For in his Humane Nature and Body which was made of the substance of the Virgins Body and not of Bread in this Body I say he is and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty in Heaven from whence and not from the Pix he shall come to judge both the Quick and Dead In the mean season Heaven saith St. Peter must receive him And as Paul saith He prayeth for us and now is not seen elsewhere or otherwise seen then by saith there until he shall be seen as he is to the Salvation of them that look for his coming which I trust be not long to For if the day of the Lord drew near in the Apostles time which is now above fifteen hundred years past it cannot be I trust long hence now I trust our Redeemer his coming