sacramentes we can doo no lesse then of chrysten charitie to wyshe that all those who in thys late scismaticall tyme haue vndoutedlye by the instigation of the deuyll eyther vtterlye contempned or litle regardrd these sacramentes and emongeste them speciallye this sacramente of extreme vnction will nowe after our ioyfull reconciliation to the vnytie of the catholyke churche regarde all the sayde sacramentes as they ought to do and soo lyue heare in thys transitory worlde that they conunynge to there extreme passage which at one time or other they can not escape maye from deathe come to lyfe and from death of the body haue euerlastyng lyfe of the soule and in conclusion after the generall resurrectiō haue the body ioyned vnto the soule in blysse euerlastynge whiche almyghty God graunt vnto vs all ¶ Here nowe doo folowe the ten commaundementes of almyghty God whiche are taken oute of Exodus the. xx oute of Leuiticus the xxvi and out of Deuteronomie the. v. chapiters .i. Thou shalt not haue straūge Goddes before me .ii. Thou shalte not make to the anye grauen thinge nor anye lykenesse of anye thynge that is in heauen aboue aud that is in earth beneth nor of them that be in the waters 〈◊〉 der the earth Thou shalt not adore them nor honour them with godly honoure .iii. Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lorde God in vayne .iiii. Remembre that thou kepe holye the Saboth daye .v. Honoure thy father and thy mother .vi. Thou shalt not kyll .vii. Thou shalt not commytte adultery Thou shalt not steale viii Thou shall not vtter or beare false wytnesse agaynst thy neighboure ix Thou shalte not couette thy neyghboures x. house nor desyre thy neighbours wife nor his seruaunt nor hys maiden nor his oxe nor his asse nor any thing that is hys ¶ The preface of the. x. commaundementes THree partes of oure promyse beynge nowe perfourmed it is to wytte first what fayth is and how it is to be taken in this boke secondly the exposytion of the twelue articles of the chrysten beleife theyrdely the declaration of the. vii sacramentes the promysed order nowerequyreth that in this fourth place the tenne commaun dementes with theyr declaration be set fourth vnto you for an introduction vnto whiche ye shall note foure poyntes Fyrste what is the lawe or the commaundemente of God Secondelye howe the commaundementes of God must be obserued to the plea sure of God and our saluation Thyrdely what gre uous punyshmentes God dothe in holye Scripture threaten and manace vudoutedlye to be inflycted to the breakers of his commaundementes and fourthlye what greate rewardes the keapers of hys law cōmaundementes shall receaue at Goddes handes Touchynge the fyrst poynte whiche is what the law and commaundemente of God is you shall knowe that the lawe of God is a rule gyuen to vs of God for the good guydynge of our selues Whiche rule declareth and sheweth to vs what is the wyll and plea sure of God for vs to doo or not to dooe in thoughte worde and dede And when I call it a rule I meane that as the bryckelayer cannot make a wal euen and strayghte withoute the direction of hys lyne nor a mason can not hewe any coygne or assler stone with 〈◊〉 the direction of his squyre and rule nor the 〈◊〉 master can guyde or styre his shyppe safely to good hauen or harborough withoute the direction of the compasse so neyther man nor woman can order guyde and rule theyr lyfe euenly dyrectly streightlye to the wyll and pleasure of almyghty God without the knowledge and direction of his lawe and commaundementes which are the lyne rule squyre and compasse whereby we maye reare our workes vpryghtly frame our selfes in vertue constantly and gouerne the course of lyfe into the hauen of felicitie prosperouslye And where I saye that the commaun dementes are geuen to vs of God I declare thereby that onely God hath both throughe the lawe of nature in our hartes prynted them and also in the law of Moyses with his owne fynger that is to saye by the vertue of the holy spyryte in two tables of stone wrytten them And laste of all our sauioure Chryste beynge both God and man hath ratified and expoūded them in the newe lawe of the Gospell to the intent that with all diligence we shoulde studye to obserue and kepe the sayd commaundements not onely because they are so expediente and profitable vnto vs but especially because that thei are geuen to vs of God who therby doth declare to vs his godlye wyll and pleasure vnto whom both we and all creatures els are bounde to be obedient And as touchynge the seconde poynte whiche is howe we muste obserue and kepe the commaundementes of God to his pleasure and thereby obtayne of him rewarde in heauen ye shall here note that we must kepe the 〈◊〉 three maner of wayes first holy and 〈◊〉 in theyr perfecte number being ten accordyng wherevnto in the first chapiter of S. Luke in the high and greate commendation of Zachary and Elyzabeth the parentes of Saint Ihon Baptyste it is wrytten Erant autem iusti 〈◊〉 de um incedentes in omnibus mandatis et iustificationibus domini sine querela That is to say And thei both were iust before GOD walkyng or lyuyngem all the cōmaundementes iustifications of GOD without any complaynte agaynst them And I do saye those wordes Holye and fully forasmuch as it is not inough to kepe parte or some of the sayd commaundementes of God and to leaue parte of them vnkepte But as in a harpe a lute or a vyol being instrumentes of 〈◊〉 euery string with other must be tuned and none lefte vntuned leste thereby some vnpleasant soundes and discords might be vttered so we muste putte all and euerye the commaundementes of God to theyr tuneable fashion and practyse lest that yf any be left vnused or 〈◊〉 of vs there might to the pure and cleane eares and iudgemente of Almyghtye GOD come thereby some vnpleasaunte sownde and vnswete reporte of our lyues and doynges Accordyng wherevnto Saynt Iames in the. ii chapiter of his epistle sayeth 〈◊〉 totam legem 〈◊〉 rit offendat autem in uno factus est omniū reus That is to saye whosoeuer shall kepe the hole lawe and yet offende in one poynte or parte thereof is become gyltie of all The second way by whiche we must kepe the commaundementes of God is that we doo kepe them with a ryght intention that is for the loue for the honor and for the glory of God onelye and not for anye honoure or glorye to be geuen to vs of man in thys lyfe For whosoeuer in doinge of hys good dedes intendeth principally to get honor glory or reward of man hath a wronge intention and hys dede soo done yea although it be commaunded of God is not pleasaunte or acceptable vnto God And of thys ryghte intention speaketh our sauiour Chryst in the vi chapiter of Saynte Mathewe sayinge
requireth of vs and so prepare our selues and order our 〈◊〉 towardes God that we may be in a readines at all tymes whansoeuer it shall 〈◊〉 God to call sommon vs to appeare before hym in the sayde generall iudgement there by his mercye and goodnes to receaue the crowne which he promysed vnto all men that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and loue hym and walke in hys wayes This article the declaration thereofhath many and most manifest testimonyes bothe in the olde Testament and in the newe of whych amonge many other these places folowing may for thys presente suffyce Psal 92. Eccle. 11. Esa. 13. 51. Zach 14. Mala. 4. Soph. 1. Iohel 3. Math. 13 16. 24. 25. Mar. 9. 13. Luc. 9. 17. 21. Act. 1. 1. Corrinth 1. 2. Corin 〈◊〉 2. Tessa 1. 2. 1. Thesi. 4. Phil 4. 2. Pet 3. Heb. 10. Apo. 3. 22. ¶ Thexposition or declaration of the eyghte article of the crede which is I beleue in the holy ghost FOr the better vnderstandynge of thys article ye shal note that as there is in the Trynitie one 〈◊〉 son which is and so also called God the father and as the same Trynytye there is an other personne whyche is and so also called God the sonne soo in the same Trinitie there is a thyrd person whyche is and so also called God the holye Ghoste And knowe you also that it is not inoughe to beleue onely that there is an holy Ghost but we must also beleue in him likewyse as we do concernyng God the father and God the sonne for it is not ynough for vs onely to beleue that there is a God the father and that ther is a God the sonne But we must beleue in them al as is more specially and largelye declared before in thexposytyon of the first Article And this holye Ghost beyng the thirde personne in Trinitie is in dede very God and Lorde author and former of al thynges created and dothe procede bothe from God the father and from God the son of one with thē in nature and substaūce and of the same euerlastyng essence or being which the father and the sonne be of and is equall also vnto thē both in almyghtynes of power and in the worke of creation and in all other thynges pertaynynge vnto the deytie or Godhed wherefore he is also to be honored and glorified equally wyth them both This holy Ghost which is the spyryte of God is of his nature all holye yea holynes it selfe That is to say he is the onely Ghost or spyryte whych with the father and the sonne is was and euer shal be the author causer and worker of all holynesse purytye and sanctimonye and of all the grace comforte and spirituall lyfe whych is wrought and commethe into the harte of any man in so muche that no man canne thinke well or do any thinge that good is but by the motion ayde and assistence of this holye spirite neythere is it possible that the Deuyll or anye of those euel spyrites which do possesse and reigne in suche per sons as be subiecte vnto 〈◊〉 can be expelled or put out of them but by the power of thys holye spyryte neyther is it possyble that the harte of anye manne beinge once corrupted made as prophane by synne can be purged purified sanctified or iustified wythout the worke and operation of thys holye spyryte neyther is it possible for any man to be reconciled vn to the fauoure of God or to be made and adopted in to the number of his chyldren or to obtayne that in comparable treasure whyche oure sauioure Iesus Chryste 〈◊〉 purchased and layd vppe for mankynd oneles this holy spyryte shall first illumyne and lyghten his harte with the ryght knowledge and faythe of Chryst and stirre him by grace to haue dewe 〈◊〉 penaunce for his synnes shall also instruct hym gouerne hym aide hym dyrecte hym and indue him wyth such spiritual gyftes and graces as shal be requisite and necessary to that ende and purpose Moreouer thys holy spirite of God is of hys owne nature full of all goodnes and benignitie 〈◊〉 goodnesse it selfe from whome procedeth all and singuler graces gyftes of feare wysedome vnderstandyng counsell strength faythe charitie hope and all other whych be geuen conferred and distributed vnto vs mortall men here in the Earth at his owne wyll and dispensation and that no man canne purchase or obteyne ne yet receaue retayne or vse anye of them wythoute the operatyon of thys holy Spyryte whych gyftes neuerthelesse he geueth not nor dispen seth the same equally and to euery man a lyke but he deuideth them particularly and speciallye to euerye member of the Churche as is most necessarye for the hole body and in suche plentye and measure as vnto his Godly will and knowledge is thought to be most beneficiall and expediente for the same All whyche thynges he doth of his mere mercy and goodnes frely and aboue our deseruyng Furthermore this holy spirit is of his owne nature ful of charitie holy loue yea charitie it self frō whōe procedeth al charitye so by his godly operatiō is the bond knot wherewith our Sauioure Iesus Christ and his most dere espouse the Church whiche is also hys misticall body be vnyted knytte and conioyned together in such perfect euerlastinge loue and charitie that the same cannot be dyssolued or separated And ouer this is also the very bond and knot where by all and euerye one of the verye members of Chrystes Churche and Bodye be vnited coupled conioyned the one of them with the other in mutuall loue and charitie Also thys holye spyryte of God is the spyrite of truthe and the aucthour of all holye scripture conteined in the hole canon of the byble and dyd not onely inspyre and instruct all the holy patriarches and prophetes with all the other members of the Catholike Churche that euer were from the begynnyng of the worlde in all the Godlye truthes and verytyes that euer they dyd knowe speake or wrytte but also descended and appeared in the similitude and lykenesse of fyrye tonges and dyd lyghte vpon the Apostles Dyscyples of Chryste and inspyred them wyth the knowledge of all truth and replenyshed them wyth heauenly gyftes and graces and shal be contynually present in the Catholyke Church and shal teach and reuele vnto the same Church the secretes and mysteryes of all truth whych are necessarye to be knowen and shall also continuallye from tyme to tyme rule dyrecte gouerne and sauctyfye the same Churche gyue remyssion of synnes and all spirituall comforte aswell inwardelye by secret operations as also outwardelye by the open mynystratyon and effycacye of the worde of God and of the holy Sacramentes in the sayd Churche and shall endue it wyth all such spyrytual graces and gyftes as shal be necessarye for the same 〈◊〉 shall also note that albeit holy Scrypture dothe worthely attribute vnto the holy Ghost our sanctification our
they maye and ought to be baptised and so receyue the graces and vertues of the same AND albeit baptysme be of this great efficacye yet ye shall vnderstande that there remaineth in vs that be baptyzed a certayne infirmitie or inclination to synne called concupiscence whiche by lustes and desyres doth moue vs many times to synnes and wickednes neuerthelesse almyghtye God of hys greate merci and goodnes hath 〈◊〉 vs such grace in this his holye Sacrament of baptysne that suche carnall and fleshely lustes and desyres shal not ne can in any wyse hurte vs excepte we do fyrst consent vnto them By whiche grace also we be made more stronge and able to resist and withstand the sayd concupyscences and carnall desyres than another man is that neuer was christened BVT this shall you note by the way that chyldren or men beyng once duley baptized ought not in any wyse as the Anabaptistes haue taught to be baptized agayne for Saynct Paule in the sixt chapter of hys Epistle to the Hebrewes sayth thus Impossibile enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui semel sunt illuminati gustauerūt etiā donū celeste et participes factisunt spiritus sancti gustauerunt nichilominus bonum dei uerbum uir tutes que seculi uenturi et 〈◊〉 sunt rursus renouari 〈◊〉 penitentiam That is to saye Impossible in dede it is those who once be illuminate and also haue tasted the heauenlye gyftes and haue bene partakers of the holye Ghoste and haue tasted besides the good word of God the vertues or power of the world to come and be fallen to be renewed agayne vnto penaunce Where by suche renewynge Saynt Paule vnderstandeth baptisme AND because aswell this sacrament of baptysme as all other sacramentes instituted by Chryste haue all theyr vertue efficacye and strength by the worde of God whyche by his holye spirite worketh all the graces and vertues whiche bee geuen by the sacramentes to all those that worthelye receyue the same Therefore we muste vnderstande and knowe that althoughe he whiche doeth minyster the sacrament be of a synnefull and euyll conuersatyon yet the vertue and effect of the sacramente is thereby nothynge dimynished or hurted neyther in infantes nor yet in them whyche beinge endued wyth the vse of reason come there vnto truly contryte and penytente of all theyr synnes done before beleuynge and confessinge al the articles of the Crede and hauyng a sure faithe and truste in the promysses of GOD of remyssyon of theyr synnes and purposynge euer after to lyue a chrysten lyfe FINALLY ye shall note concernyng thys Sacra ment of Baptisme that it maye well be called a coue naunte betwene GOD and vs whereby GOD testifyeth that he for hys sonne Chrystes sake iustifyeth vs that is to say forgyueth vs our synnes and indueth vs with his holy spiryte and gyueth vs suche graces that there by we be made able to walke in the workes of Justice ordeyned by God to be exorcised of vs in thys presente lyfe to the glorye and prayse of GOD And so perseuerynge to inioye the fruite of the lyfe euerlastyng And we agayne vpon our parte oughte most diligently to remember and kepe the promysse that we in baptysme haue made to almyghtye God that is to beleue onely in him onely to serue him and obeye him to forsake al 〈◊〉 and the workes of Sa tan to mortify our affections of the fleshe and to liue after the spirite in a newe life Of which promise and conuenaūt by vs made to GOD S. Paule putteth vs in remembraunce saying Rom. vi Knowe ye not that all we whiche are baptyzed in Iesus Chryst are baptysed to dye wyth hym for we be buryed with him by baptysme to dye that likewyse as Chryste was raysed vp frō death by the glorye of his father euen soo we shoulde walke in a newe lyfe By the whyche wordes S. Paule gyueth vs to vnderstande that al we whyche be baptized in Chryste That is to saye whyche are incorporated into the misticall bodye of Chryst haue professed and 〈◊〉 our selfe in Baptysme to dye from synne and vtterlye to abstayne from the corruption of our olde synnefull lyfe and to walke and procede in a newe lyfe of grace and the spirite into the whych we are called by the word of God and by fayth and due receauynge of thys holy Sacrament are brought and set into the same ¶ Of the Sacrament of Confyrmation and thexposition or declaration thereof HAVINGE last entreated of the Sacra mente of Baptysme by the which al maner of synne aswell original as ac tuall is remitted and the holy ghost therein geuen whiche doth regenerate vs into a newe creature doth thereby so weakē attenuate the fome or rage of cōcu piscēce in vs yea so help the weakenes of our corrupt nature that the sayd fome of concupiscence can in no wyse hurt vs excepte we wyll againe consente vnto synne mete and conuenient it shal be to intreat of cōfirmation whych is the seconde Sacrament aboue touched and rehearsed For albeit that the Sacrament of Baptysme alone to al such as haue receaued the same and bene therby regenerated by water and the holy ghost is sufficient to saluation and to brynge them to heauen if in that state of innocencye recouered and gotten by 〈◊〉 they shoulde by and by depart thys world Yet yf they hauing passed the red sea shoulde entre into the greate wildernesse and deserte of thys large and miserable worlde in asmuche as they should encountre haue much to doo wyth theyr outwarde and inwarde enemyes aswell the fleshe the deuyll and the worlde before they shoulde come to the land of promyse requisite and expediente it were for them to be armed at all pointes and made apte vnto the battayll and to abyde all assaultes that theyr enemyes woulde goo aboute to make agaynste them In consyderatyon whereof lykewyse as in the olde testament almyghtye God was benefyciall and good to the chyldren of Israell whom he caused safelye to passe the red sea drowning theyr enemyes and confortyng the sayde Israelites manye wayes aswell in spreadyng abroade ouer them the cloude in the daye for theyr protection as geuynge them fyre to lyght them in the nyght ouer and besydes the feadyng of them with celestiall fode and refreshynge of them with water that yssued oute of the harde rocke So oure blessed Sauyour Iesus Chryste hauynge fulfylled the fygures and shadowes of the olde lawe doth after baptysme geue vnto his Isralites the christen people dyuers gyftes of the holy Ghost and manyfoide graces whereby he doth hold vppe and confyrme or make stronge his sayd people that they are able to abyde to ouercome all the assaultes of theyr 〈◊〉 and amongest other he geueth vnto them hys holy Sacramentes of the whych confyrmatyon is one succedyng in order after Baptisme 〈◊〉 thys Sacramente of Confyrmation albeit the heretyckes in our tyme haue folyshlye busely and maliciously gone aboute to deface it scant 〈◊〉
iudgement of our senses shoulde make vs once to doute of any one trueth in Chrystes religiō were it neuer so contrarye to the course of nature neuer so farre aboue our capacities and neuer so absurde to the appearaunce of our outwarde senses But forasmuch as through the iniquitie of these later euyll yeares diuers haue hadde sondrye fonde dowtes and scruples put into theyr heades especyally agaynst the presence of Chrystes body bloud in the Sacrament of the aultare and through such dowtes haue swarued from the true belefe therein therefore here shall folowe aunsweres and solutyons to such dowtes as haue ben most commen that from hence for the no man shal nede to be seduced by them or other lyke ¶ Fyrst it hath bene obiected that our sauiour Christ immediatlye after that he had instituted and delyuered to his Apostles the sacramente dyd say vnto them Do this in remembraunce of me Upon which wordes some haue concluded that the bodye of our sauiour Christ cannot be in the sacrament ¶ But let vs duely waye that words and meaning of the same and we shall moost plainly perceaue theyr erroure and mysvnderstandyng Sainct Paule in hys fyrst Epystle to the Corinthians and in the. xi chapter of the same Epistle intreating of the institu tion of the Sacrament of the aultar and there ope nyng the true sense of that commaundemente of Chryst sayth in this maner As oft as you eate of that breade and drinke of that cup you shall shew forthe the Lordes death vntil he come So then the remembraunce whych oure sauyoure there requirethe of vs is the remembraunce of hys death which is past and not presente and therefore after most proper maner of speache may well be remembred Now this remembraunce can in no wise possibly be so lyuely and so effectually worke in our hartes as when we most certenly beleue that in that sacrament of the aultare is verely the selfe same bo dy in substaunce which died for vs and therefore that Prophet Dauid foreseyng in spirit this so excellēt a memory sayeth in his 〈◊〉 Psalme Oure mercyfull gratious Lord hath made a memori of all his marueylous workes and by by decla 〈◊〉 in what maner he maketh that memori he addeth those wordes he hathe geuen a foode to suche as feare hym This fode which 〈◊〉 Prophet sayeth that Christ should leaue in remembraunce of al his maruelous workes that is of his incarnatiō his passion his ascension and glorye in heauen and other lyke workes most chiefely is to be verefied of the body and bloud of our sauyour Christe in the sacrament of the aultare Besydes thys the body and bloude of our sauiour Christ as it is in the sacramēt vnder the fourmes of breade and wine may in that respecte also very weli be a remembraunce of it selfe as it honge on the crosse in the vysyble fourme of a mortal man and as it is nowe in heauen in the forme of an immortall man Farthermore when our sauiour sayd Do this in the remembraūce of me he ment they should do the whol ministratiō which he then dyd in remembraunce of hym which whole ministration cannot be accordynglye doone otherwyse but that there must nedes be present the very body and bloude of our sauyoure Christe ¶ Another common obiection there is gathered of the wordes of Christ. Mathew xxvi when he sayd Poore men ye shal haue alwayes with you but me shal ye not alwayes haue with you Some haue vpon these wordes concluded that the body and bloude of our sauiour Christ cannot be in the sacrament of the aulter for then say they Christ should be alway with vs whereof hymselfe saythe the cōtrary ¶ But yf those mē so concludyng wold no more but confer sainct Marke and sayncte Ma thew together tonchynge the foresayde wordes of Christ and by that the one Euāgelist sayeth would sincerely iudge what the other ment they should sone perceue this ther obiectiō to be of no force or strēgth at al to proue that they thereby goo about to proue For sainct Marke iu his xiiii Chapiter fyrst telleth the story of the woman whych cam to Chryste and brought with her an Alablaster boxe of moost precious oyntment and poured the ointmēnt on his head next he telleth how certene of the disciples did murmure and grudge at that facte of the woman and sayd What meaneth this losse and waste of oyntment Might it not haue bene sold for more then three C. pence geuē to the pore Thyrdely he telleth howe oure sauioure beynge offended wyth the dysciples for theyr murmurynge agaynst the woman and how withall he allowing and commendynge her facte dyd say iu this maner Let her alone Why are ye greuouse vnto her she hath done a good dede for alwayes shal you haue poore men amongest you and when ye shal please you may bestowe your charitie on them but me shal ye not haue alwayes amongest you This woman hath bestowed on me that she had and she hathe preuented to anoint my bodi against it shal be 〈◊〉 By this processe of S. Marke it is euydent that our sauiour in al that his talke had a respecte to the charitie whiche that womau then shewed vpon hym when she poured the precious oyntmente on hys heade the lyke whereof he sayethe no man should be able to shew on him in tyme to come meaning that when he should once ryse from death to lyfe and haue an immortall bodye that then he woulde not looke to 〈◊〉 the lyke at anye mannes handes but that then men myght at their pleasure bestowe on the poore who alwayes are in the worlde in the mortall estate and maye by charity of good folke be releued and comforted In such sorte in dede oure sauiour is not nowe amongest vs but the beynge of his body and bloud in the Sacrament of the aulter is atter another sorte For in the Sacrament he is to fede vs with his body and bloude and not vysyble to shewe him selfe vnto vs as he thē did to his apostles nor to haue ointment poured on hym as he then had ¶ Another obiection is there gathered partely of S. Paule in the. x. of hys firste Epystle to the Corinthians where he speakethe of a spirituall meate and spyrytuall drynke partelye of Christes wordes in the. vi of Ihon where he sayeth that It is the spirite whych geueth lyfe and that the fleshe 〈◊〉 nothing partely vpon the common maner of speakyng vsed of the Catholyke churche which calleth the Bodye and bloude of our Sauiour Chryste in the sacrament of the aul tar a spirituall meate and a spirituall drynke ¶ For aunswere to which obiection it is syrste to be vnderstanded that one selfe thing may be bothe spirituall and yet neuerthelesse of a corporall substuunce to As for example the bodye of man after the 〈◊〉 shall as S. Paule wytnessheth in the. xv chapeter of hys fyrst
the surest pyller that men maye lene vnto be they learned or vulearned and such a pyller as who that most strongly cleueth to is in most assured state of euerlastyng lyfe ¶ There are othere obiectyons vpon iii. partyculer artycles of our crede whyche are that Christ is ascended and sytteth at the ryght hand of God the father from thense shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade ¶ Whych articles yet being ryghtly vnderstanded shoulde rather confyrme vs in the true catholyke belefe of the presence of christes body in the sacrament of the aultare For as it is aboue nature for a manes bodye to ascende and aboue the worthynes of manes nature to syt at the ryghte hande of God the father that is to be of equall power and glorie with God the father and fynallye as it is aboue the aucthoritie of mans nature to gyue sentence of eternall deathe and lyfe vpon all mankynde and yet euerye good manne stedfastlye beleueth al these supernatural powers in Christ touching hys manhed bycause he is both God and man and to god nothyng is impossible euen so shuld we with like belefe knowinge that Christ is omnipotent credite all othere thinges done or spoken by Chryst and be moost certen that how so euer they seme in apearaunce to our reason yet in very dede they agree and stand ryghte well with those foresayd iii. articles of our crede that though we cannot by oure wittes conceaue howe Chryst is ascended and is neuertheles in the Sacra ment also yet they must nedes be bothe beleued bycause gods worde doth affyrme them bothe and the catholyke churche dothe beleue them bothe whyche churche hath alwayes taught that Chryst is in heauen in the visyble fourme of a man and in the sacrament vnder the 〈◊〉 fourmes of bread and wine hys wysdome so ordeyning that wyth oure hartes we woulde beholde hys golry as he syttethe in heauen at the ryghte hande of the father and wythall should fede on hys very body in the sacrament to re ceaue the more grace and there vpon so to be gouerned wyth hys spirite that hereafter we also myghte be partakers of the lyke glory in heauen And albeit these solutyons myghte suffise and instructe sufficientlye the vnlearned people to aunswere bothe to these and all othere common 〈◊〉 made agaynste the Sacramente of the Aultare troublynge moche the heades of the symple people by there folye in crediting euyll and per nicious schole maysters to theyr destructyon wher giuing credite to the catholyke churche they myght auoyde all 〈◊〉 and meryte a great deale yet to open further the 〈◊〉 and noughtines of the heretique teachers in our tyme and howe glad willinge they are to 〈◊〉 the symplicitie of the vnlerned people ye shall haue here added some moo obiections and solutions geuē to them to thys ende that if the sayde symple people haue bene infected with the sayd obiections or such lyke they maye be wel satisfied in their conscience therevpon adhere vnto the catholyke faythe maynteyned and obserued in the catholique churche out of whych there is no saluation And to prorede herein this is one othere common obiection that much troubleth the ig noraunt people it is to wite ¶ How can that bodi and bloude of our Sauioure Chryst be in the blessed sacrament of the aultar seing that not only euyll men do many tymes receue the same but fyre also maye consume it and other like chaunces may happen vn to it ¶ For 〈◊〉 to whyche obiectiō it is fyrst principally to be sayd that this obiection procedethe of a vayne curiositie of them whyche rather delyte fondly to talke of thys high mystery theu to prepare themselues to receaue the same accordyngly Sure we are that our Sauiour Chryste is nowe man incorruptible and impassible nether by fyre nor by ought els can suffer violence and therefore where it pleaseth hym of hys tender mercy and goodnes for our great comforte and soule helth by hys omnipotent word to tourne the substaunce of breade and wyne into hys most prerious body and bloud in the sacramente of the aultare and yet so to make thys turne that neuerthelesse he sufferethe the fourmes sensible qualities of the breade and wine to remaine in there nature as they were before the consecratyon it is to be vnderstauded that the vyolence or force that is or in ye be 〈◊〉 to thys sacramente is done onely to the fourmes and qualities sensible which in dede are subiecte to passibilite corruption but in no wise to the vncorruptible bodi bloud of oure sauiour Chryst vnder them conteyned Doo we not read I pray you in the fourthe of Mathew how that our sauyour suffered the deuyll to take hym and carye hym vp into the pynacle of the temple afterward to the toppe of an high mountayne and yet who doth not know that he suffered no vilany therby at al The sonne beames also many tymes do shyne on thynges impure vncleane yet are they no whit thereby defyled The bodye of mā is with a greter vnion ioyned to the soule then are the fourmes of bread and wine to the body and bloude of our sauionr Chryst in the Sacrament of the aultar and yet we know that 〈◊〉 putrifaction and other such lyke thynges chauncynge to our body the soule hath in it no suche passion for that it is immortall The very Godhed of oure sauiour Chryst was in vnitie of personne vnited to hys manhod yet none of the passiōs paines or griefes which he sustayned in hys manhod broughte vyolence alteration or chaunge to hys godhed For the godhed is in alterable vnpossible The simplicity of Chrysten people in the primatyue churche was suche that they beleuynge mooste certenly the body and bloud of our sauiour Chryste to be in the sacrament of the aulter vnder the fourmes of bread and wine dyd without al curious talke of the fourmes accidentes bende thē selues to be 〈◊〉 at masse where in the myghtye woorke of consecratyon is wrought bi god and wherin our sauiour Christ also is in fourmes of bread and wyne offered vp to the heuenly father by the preist for the soner obteinyng of mercy and fauoure towardes vs and the sayde people beyng at masse they wyth moost feruent deuotion dyd praye and did honour the blessed sacrament of the aulter the body and bloude of our sauiour Christe and besydes this they dyd oftentimes wyth feare and tremblynge prepare them selues to the worthy teceyte therof and by suche theyr godly behauiour they dyd purchase to them selues greate aboundaunce of grace wher we by the cōtrary and moost vnchristian behauiour prouoke gods wrath dayly more and more vpon our selues and that whole realme For nothyng 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God to auengeaunce then the presumption of such as 〈◊〉 curiously enter into hys hidden secretes and thervpon doo contempne all that whyche by theyr feble wyttes they are not