thou dooest reigne and commaunde thou haste it by the benefyte and grace of IESVS CHRIST But wherevnto serueth this conference of kyngly or priestlye dignities namely vnto vs whyche neuer ne yet oure predecessoures haue at any tyme experimented of oure moste Christian kynges any vnseemely enterprise and that bee and doo succede in the states of them who neuer denyed the due obedience to their kynges no not once called the same in question The effect of his first proposition Lette then Sire the firste discourse of this proposition bee to this ende principally that all menne maye bee wytnesse in what reuerente sort we humble oure selues And howe muche wee woulde that bothe we and all they that be vnder our charge should shewe their faithfull obedience Let it be also a manifest declaration of the authoritie that God hath left to vs in the guidyng of soules in the doctrine of our faith and that vnder your protection to the ende that leauyng all other thynges aparte I maye make you vnderstande my charge and by whom I am therevnto authorised SYRE in this companie by your commaundement assembled we be a great numbre of Archbishops Byshops vpon whom thimposition of handes haue ben layd by their Metropolitanes and other byshops of the same prouince and through the grace of Iesus Christe the holy ghost hath ben geuen nominated by the kinges your predecessoures who do succede in the right of their people they referryng themselues to them and into theyr handes themselues beyng discharged of all that is necessarie to their choise or election We be receyued vpon the view and consent of our clergies and of our peoples that be vnder vs after our institution made by our holy fathers the Popes and the holye see Apostolique whom we acknowledge for our Superior and all these signes and markes be accompanyed with one succession from thapostles vnto vs very well continued There be also a good numbre of priestes sente by the Byshops that bee absent and by the chapters and Clergie and also Doctors of Parys whom I name for honors sake and of other famous vniuersities and to theym all I am inferior in vnderstandyng knowledge and eloquence and yet neuerthelesse by them all ordeyned to make you vnderstand one thyng The vnity of the prelates and 〈…〉 nce wherin thankes be vnto God we be all of one harte one soule of one fayth vnder one God vnder one head our sauior and redmer Iesus Christ vnder one onely Catholike churche his spouse hym we serue in spirite vnto hym with one intention mynde and prayer we bowe the knees of our heartes we worship and adore hym and by hym we aske the graces and gyftes of the holy ghost and haue no spotte of Idolatrie howesoeuer some men go about to lay vnto our chargs Vnderstande therfore Syre theffect of my message It is nowe eyght dayes passed that by your expresse ordinaunce a certayne number of persons were broughte into this place 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 who of long tyme haue seperated themselues from vs to our great sorow and griefe makyng a contrary profession of faithe and woulde not be obedient to our orders and obseruations and yet in wordes shew themselues as though they were desyrous to lerne and to be instructed reentryng into this their countrey and into the house and company of their fathers whom when they will acknowledge for fathers they shall be receyued and embraced for children Against theym we purpose not to obiecte any reproche but beare with their infirmitie not reiecte theim but call them agayne not separate them but vnite theim to th ende that we maye all with one mouthe geue honor to God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ To them therfore in all charitie and spirite of mekenesse we answer that we are verye glad of their profession made of tharticles of the Crede commune to all Christian men and doo desire with all our hartes that like as they dooe agree in woordes so also they woulde agreee with vs in sence and vnderstandyng as it hath appeared vnto vs they haue not doone by their definition of the catholike churche callyng the same to be the congregation of the chosen After that they touched summarily diuers pointes cleane contrary to that whiche the Catholike church doth teache and beleue and in so greate numbre that beyng well compared vnto our profession wherof not to speake without lawe but to proue if accordyng to holy doctrine euery poynte nedeth a whole day and so the debatyng of this matter woulde require whole monethes This hath ben the cause why at this tyme I haue charged my selfe of two pointes onely whereof the principall is to separate them and to make them strangers thother is the only rule wherby we may measure our controuersies and so come to agreement This latter is of the Catholike churche of the authoritie of the Scripture of the holy councelles and interpretations of the fathers 1. Tim. 3 whych point I will firste entreate of and the other is of the veritie of the bodye and bloude of IESVS CHRIST in the holy sacrament of the Eucharistia The one is the piller the strengthe the staye and establishmente of the truth The other is the sacrament of our vnitie beynge by hollye communion and participation of the bodye and bloud of our lord vnited and incorporated to our sauiour made all members of one body well composed and agreing wherof IESVS CHRIST is the head It is six score yeares and more before the counsell of Constance before which counsel there were some did affirm that the chirche was of the chosen only and that whosoeuer was a synner coulde not be accompted of the church and namely that a bishop whom God had reproued and so consequently whiche was a member of the diuell had no power ouer the faithful Ther folowed them other which saide that the vniuersall churche was onely of such as were predestinate Proffes that the Churche cōsisteth in good and euil Mat. 3. Luc. 3. Mat. 22. Mat. 25. Ioan. 15. Esai 5 Math 2 Mat. 12 Luc. 2 These errours and the renuers of them were in that councell reproued and condempned as altogether wholy repugnaunt to the holy scriptures wherin it is sayd that in the floure of our lord there shall alwayes be found chaffe with the corne which shall continue to the ende at what tyme the same shal be purged and clensed by the fanne of IESVS CHRIST The flocke of our lord doth conteyne both sheepe and goates the same shall not be seperated vntill his return Al the world is bidden to the banket but vpon the view which god shal make he that is found euil apparailed is driuen thens Among the virgins were founde fiue fooles against whom the gates were shutte The vineyarde of our Lord hath not brought foorth good grapes but also bastarde grapes whiche was not only tilled by good husbād men but also by euil whome god will destroy and
let out his vineyard to others And the kingdome of heauen which is the church Mat. 13. is compared to nettes that gather fyshe of all sortes whiche shall not be seperated or deuided vntill the nette be ful that is to say in the consummacion and ende of the worlde at what tyme the angels shall seuer the euyll from among the iust 2. tim â— And in this great house there be many vessels some appoynted to honor and some to dishonor To be shorte among the xii Apostles Iudas was reproued and of hym it is writen in the actes that the place of his apostleship should be filled Act. â— Psal 10â— as the psalme saithe An other shoulde take his bishoprike And notwithstandyng all these expresse testimonies of the scriptures contrary to this opinion sundry inconueniences haue risen makyng this church to bee vnknowen and fantasticall wherby the state therof shoulde be so vncertaine that neither byshops nor priestes should be certayne no assured baptisme and all the administration of the sacramentes vncertaine For Predestination or reprobation bee among the highest secretes of God the certaine knowledge wherof we can not attain And notwithstandyng this mixture of good and badde together 1. Tim. 3 Ioh 14.16 Mat 16. Mat â—5 Mat. 24 Marc 13 2 The 2 1 Tim 4 1 Tim. 3 2 Pet. 3. Epi 119. â—…p 19. The fame and glorie of the chirche Pro. 40. 2. Re. 22 Ephe. 6. Psal 119. the churche ceaseth not accordyng to the sayeng of S. Paul to be the piller and foundation of the truthe wherin she is throughly instructed by the holy ghost and builded vpon that stone against which hell gates shal neuer preuail with whom IESVS CHRIST her true spouse shall remaine to the worldes ende although she is aduertised by her lorde and by the holye scriptures of the assaultes whiche she shoulde suffer by meanes of false Christes false prophetes false apostles and of the abuses errours and heresies which should inuade her Howbeit as saint Austine answereth very wel to Ianuarius sayeng The Churche beyng sett and placed among so muche chaffe and cockle suffereth many thynges but those thinges that be against the faithe or good life bee not by her in any wise allowed or made wherin she dothe neither howe her peace nor yet dissemble vppon which sence we acknowledge that she can not go out of the waye nor yet erre eyther in the faithe or in good lyfe whiche we confesse and affirme as a thyng that no christian man can denaie and accursed bee he that gothe about to obscure her glorye and fame The firste place and chiefest authoritie belongeth to this shielde whiche is the brandishyng sword of all those that put their trust in God The true light which leadeth and geueth lyghte to our feete 2 Pet. 1 and is the lanterne of our waies and pathes profitable to teache to argue to correcte to instructe a man in iustice that he may be perfect and redy to all the good workes of God and that it is the word of God which abideth and shall abyde for euer 2. Tim. 12 Pet. 10 whiche by the prophetes and apostles hath been preached vnto vs. Moreouer with this we acknowledge his spirite that geueth lyfe and not the dead letter that kylleth 21. Co 3 And to vse saynt Hieromes owne wordes Lett vs not thynke saith he that the Gospell is in the wordes of the Scripture but in the sence thereof It is in the marowe not in the barke or outwarde apparaunce of letters in the roote of truth not in the leaues of wordes And this woorde of God we say is of more antiquitie and before the churche as it appeareth in the creation of the worlde and in the commandementes made to our fyrst father howe be it the churche was long beefore any written woorde For Moyses was the fyrst that dyd put the ordinances of God in writyng And our sauiour CHRIST beyng a long space in the worlde And after his departure in long successe of time his worde was taught and preached by the Apostles after his ascention before they beganne to write whyche gyueth vs to vnderstande that the worde of God is as well to bee receyued and acknowledged of vs which is delyuered vs by the traditions of the Apostles and their successoures vnwritten as that whyche is lefte vnto vs in writyng 8. The. 2 And we ought saithe Saint Paule to bold faste the traditions whiche we haue been taughte eyther by woorde or sent by Epistle In lyke sorte as commandement to obeye and kepe theym is geuen in the Actes of Thapostles Act 15. 1. Cor. 11 And agaynste suche holye traditions yf any be founde contentious lette it be sayde vnto hym for a full aunswere we nor the Churche of God haue no suche custome by aucthoritie whereof wee knowe what Scriptures bee Canonicall VinceÌ„t LyrineÌ„sis and what bee Apocriphall The Cannon whereof althoughe it bee perfecte and sufficiente yet oughte not the auctoritie of the vnderstandyng of the Churche to bee coumpted superfluous for that the holye and sacred Scripture by reason of her hyghenesse and maiestie is not all together receyued in one sence and vnderstandyng by reason of the diuersitie of opinyons in sundrye sortes of menne Wherefore it is very necessarye to addresse the ligne of thinterpretation of the Prophetes and Apostles accordynge to the trewe rule and exposition of the Catholike Churche quod vbique I speake namelye of this churche Catholike to the ende that gatherynge the force and meanyng of the woorde we maye holde that for Catholike and vniuersall whyche hath ben in all places where the Gospelle hathe been preached quod seÌ„per quod ab omnibê° beleued whiche alwaies and in all tymes from the tyme of IESVS CHRIST vnto oure tyme of all menne hathe been approued and allowed whiche ordre wee pourpose to followe and practise In Vniuersalitie if we dooe confesse that to bee the trewe faithe whiche thole churche throughout the worlde dothe confesse In Antiquitie meanyng that whiche hath been sayde and spoken in all tymes yf we doo receiue none other sence and interpretation then that whiche oure honorable forefathers haue approued In Consente whiche I speake generally of that antiquitie wherin we doo folowe the definitions and opinions of all the holy Martyrs Byshops and priests Aug ep 118. cap. 1 ad Ianuarium Act 15. Theffect and description of general counselles Mat. 18. chrysologus ser 132. Nice li. 15. ca. 19. and all other our auncient masters and instructours THIS causeth me to speake of the Councels especially of those that be generall the authoritie and vsage whereof hath alwais ben very holsome and profitable in the church the same beyng instituted by God froÌ„ whoÌ„ their auctoritie procedeth first practised put in vse by the apostles as appereth in their actes Al which being well considered what other thyng is it thaÌ„ an assemble of all the pastors doctors before
sundry ages because we shall fynde theym all to agree In the firste hundred yeares let vs appeale and calle for the apostelles and their successours as S. Clement s Ignatius and s Denis In the second hundred Alexander the firste Iustine Ireneus Tertullian Origene and Cyprian In the thirde hundred yeares Arnobius Lactantius Eusebius Athanasius sainct Hyllarie Emissene Isichius Nazianzene S. Ambrose S. Hierom S. Augustin S. Iohn Chrysostom In the fourth hundreth Leo the great Prosper Theodorite and Cyrill And in the .v. hundred let vs come to S. Gregorie further more if ye will let vs call Damascene and long after hym S. Bernard These shal be the iudges of our controuersies which be not to be suspected and of those which be most notable and ancient ye shal haue a brefe repetitiō or recital to thintent ye may acknowledge that by the cōmune vniuersal agreement of the holie Fathers there is no place or occasiō lefte vnto vs herein Hilla li. ◠de trinitate to doubte of the veritie of this body blood For by the words of our lord by our faith It is verily flesh verily blood which beyng receiued Accepta ait hausta doo so worke and make that we be in hym and he in vs. Is not this tho truthe But this can not be true to them which wholly deny Iesus Christ to be very God and to be the same which hath alwaies been in the churche of God so generally in all mens mouthes that amonge the sacramentes of the cōmune faith the veritie of the body and blood of IESVS CHRIST was not had in silence no not by the mouthes of infantes Leo epi◠13 vnto whom as to all other for otherwise we shold not beleue it much lesse vnderstand the same it was and is daiely saied and shall be vttered by the moste graue authoritie of the Churche that the same which is taken of the fruites of the earth and in the celebration of this sacrament placed vpon thaltare receiued after the custome of religion consecrated by mysticall praier offred and geuen and after the celebration finished as it appertayneth receiued to spirituall saluation vsed or consumed in the remembrance of the passion is the body and bloode of Iesus Christ whiche we perfectely beleue hath appeared in the kynde of humaine fleshe and that this likour or drinke did runne downe and distill from the side of him that was perced vpon the crosse Augu. li. 3. de trinite 4. 10 These good Fathers I say did teache their Auditorie to doubte nothyng at all before they should communicate at this holie table of the veritie of the body and blood of IESVS CHRIST Iohn 19 Leo sermo 6. de Ieiu 7. mens Chrys hom 7. operis impfect 1. Cor. 1. Isychius Leui. 22 For that is by the mouthe receyued whyche by the harte is beleued And in vaine they answer Amen which disputeth against that whiche they receaue They made no difficultie to saie that by the hande of the priest there is geuen and receaued not onely that which is seen and sanctified by him that gaue it but also that whiche there is vnderstanded is that sanctification whiche sanctifieth the receauour euen the bodye without doubt of our Lorde whiche as Sainct Paule writeth was made a sanctification for vs by the Father Contrary wise doo they affirme that he which ignorantly or through ignorance receaueth this holy misterie there not withstandyng he knoweth not the vertue thereof yet the same is the true bodye and bloode of our Lorde IESVS CHRIST In this wise thus plainly did the holy doctors both Greke and Latine speake touching this matter now long sithens Whose words specially of som of them we haue repeted so faithfully as we coulde So plainly I say haue our ancient fathers writen that one of them beyng the first Berēgarius apud Gu. Malingberien lib. 3 de gestis Anglo which long time after thē did otherwise teach that is to say that the body blood of Iesus Christ was none otherwise in this sacramēt but as a token or signe And after he had therof wel aduised himselfe disputed reasoned did not only in his lyfe time chāge his opinion but also at the point of deth which is the time to confesse the truth or neuer in his last words affirmīg stedfastly spake as foloweth Truly we beleue these misteries after the benedictiō or ecclesiastical cōsecration to be the very body blood of our sauior being induced and perswaded to beleue the same by thauctoritie of thancient churche We thā beleue cōfesse acording to the saying of the scripture and of the holy fathers that the body blood of Iesus Christ by thunspeakable operation of the grace of god the power of his holy spirite is in these holy misteries present geuen receiued we passe ouer to speake of the greatnes therof Chrysoh◅ i. 8◠in Mat. Wherby we shold seme to make our lord to be here outwardly visible sensible or perceptible Nothing saieth a holy father is here geuen vnto vs sensible but vnder visible sygnes inuisible thinges are there deliuered vnto vs. Ho. 60 ad popu antioch We absteine also from such maner of speache whereby contrary wise we might here seme onely to represent oure said sauiour being absent as in a tragedy or comedy Truely the maner and facion wherby he doth here present him selfe to vs wherby he geueth himself The maner of Christhi being in the sacrament Iohn 1. Cy. li. 4. in l 3. ca 1 14. Cy. Lu. 22 citāte Tho. 3 parte que 25 articu 1. Ioan. 6 where by he is receiued and participated is secret not humaine or natural and yet not therfore the lesse true We comprehend it not by sence reason or nature but by faith By which as the holy counsel of Nice the first of the foure chiefest dooth teache vs not to basely respectinge the visible elementes but lifting vppe the spirit we consider by faith the lābe of god to be there set in this holy table taking away the sinne of the world and truly we there receaue his precious body and bloud Better it is to follow the councell of the auncientes firmely to beleue the wordes of oure lorde god leauing vnto god of this his worke the meane the way and knowledge then in so highe a matter to thinke or vtter this Iewish word Quamodo a worde I saye of incredulitie perdition to the Iewes such as follow them Beleue saith the holy fathers vpō these words so often repeted Hoc est corpus meum Make no doubte thereat whether they bee true but receaue by faith the saying of our sauiour For seing that he is the truth Bernat ser 2 de caena he cannot lye Greate meruelies my brethern and thinges to be wondered at are saide of this sacramēt faith is there necessary Reason superfluous knowledge doth builde her foundation vpon
reason but faith vppon autority Let faith therfore beleue and serche not thunderstandyng These things my brethern do require necessarily faith and doth not admit reason They require a simple beleuer and reproue a curious questioner We muste therfore beleue simply that whiche cannot profitably be serched out It is nto I sure I say thus humbly to think and speake But seynge there be some that so highly do thinke and more thaÌ„ behaueth as we suppose questioning so much and pressing vs so neere of the manner of his presence we are contented freely to folowe their desires sithens so muche against our myndes they thus force vs. They cannot dissemble but they theirs be greuously offended with this worde Corporaliter in this matter But I take them to be men to muche exercised in the auncient writers whereby they can excuse theim selues but that they haue founde that woorde expressed in their writynges Cy. lib. â—o cap 13 in Ioan. Hâ—… 8. de Trinita de Chrysostome â— Hom. 15 in Ioan 83. Hom. in Math. 60. ho. ad popu antioch For the same and suche like be eft soones amonges them founde and repeted Wherfore better it is with modestie to interprete them then to take them in so euyll parte The fathers therfore both Grekes and Latins do denie that the christen men haue vnitie of beyng or coniunction onely by lyuely faithe and pure charitie or that which is to one effecte we be onely by faithe hope and loue by religion obedience and will spiritually ioyned and vnited to him But they with a more efficacie doo protest that by the speciall vertue and effect of this sacrament duely and woorthily receiued Iesus Christ dothe really and in dede communicate himself to vs by true receiuyng and participation of the nature and substance of his body and bloode and that verily he is and dwelleth in vs as we haue already sayd that these thynges taken and perceiued maketh that we bee in Iesus Christ IESVS CHRIST in vs accordyng as he saith Ioan. 6â— he that eateth my fleshe dwelleth in me and I in hym For the better exposition and the same also to recommend vnto vs of the said dwellyng vnitie and coniunccion of hym with vs and of vs with hym they dyd not abhorre these aduerbes Substantialiter naturaliter corporaliter especially S. Hillarie vseth to this purpose this worde carnaliter that is to say accordyng to the veritie of the substance and nature of the fleshe of the bodie and blood of our Lorde Iesus Christ In suche sort that in no other place somuch or more then here hath place and is true and accomplished that whiche saincte Paule saithe Quod sumus Christi comparticipes Ep. 3 5â— Cy. Hic â—soliâ—… 4. antioch corporaler addo vt ita loquar consanguineâ— quia membra sumus corporis eius de carne eius de ossibus eius That we bee of the selfe same fleshe and bloode with hym membres of his body of his fleshe and of his bones And we vsyng sometimes after and with them these termes we meane not therfore or saye that the maner of this so familiar and inwarde dwelling vnitie and coniunction of oure sauiour wyth vs and of vs with him shoulde bee therby naturall substantiall corporall or carnall but cleane contrarye we confesse it to be more if it may be spoken then supernaturall superstantial spiritual inuisible vnspeakeable speciall proper to this Sacrament not withstanding true not only figuratiue or significatiue And as touching the presence as little or rather lesse we say it to be locall circuÌ„scriptiue diffinitiue and subiectiue or of any other physique or naturall maner To be short in this matter we receaue no maner of Esse in whiche Aristotle or anye other philosopher hath For as we haue already sayde we doo not comprehende it by sence or vnderstanding by reason or nature that this true precious bodye and glorious bloud is here present or exhibited vnto vs but by the onely faythe grounded vpon the aucthority of the worde of God which faith beyng so is as Saint Paule sayth it Hebr. 11 of thynges inuisible and not apparent we beleue also that oure sauiour geueth vs here his diuinitie his humanitie wyth all his goddes tresoures graces and merites inuisibly or by an inuisible manner true notwithstanding as we haue always sayde beyng assured that euen as if we beleued it not we shall neuer vnderstande it as the prophete doth threaten so also if we humblye doo beeleue we shall vnderstand it Esa 7. Psal 83. and see it aboue when we shall see the God of Goddes as Dauid sayeth in Syon Which beeynge contrarye to iudgement and speculation of vnderstandyng and contrarye to the capacitye of mannes witte and inward spirite we must alwayes oppose and set the formalitie of these worees Hoc est corpus meum which shal be fier and lightnyng to all consciences in leauyng the proprietie as the fathers doth teache vs preachynge these wordes Let vs beleue in our lord obey him in al through al. Let vs not speake against him Chr. ho 60 ad po 83 in Math. although that which he shall say vnto vs shal seme very absurd not agreable cleancoÌ„trary to our sences vnderstandings That his worde surmounteth al thing is to vs as in dede it is more worthy then al other things Which thing is mete for vs to do in al things but specially in the holy misteries Let vs not regard so much the things only which we see but let vs kepe oure selues to his wordes For his word is infallible and cannot be false or deceauable CoÌ„trarywise the sence is easy to be begiled and oftentimes is deceaued Seyng then he hath said This is my bodye lette vs not doubte but beleue and obeye and wyth the eyes of our vnderstandyng beholde him Ma. 18 28 The proprietie I say of these words and consequently the presence of hys body here dothe agree with the other places of the scripture which speke of his presence with vs and repugne not with any article of our fayth especially wyth that article of the Ascention of our lorde aboue all the heauens and of his setting at the right hande of God his father The article of the crede not repugnaÌ„t against the presence of Christ in the sacrament Chr. ho. 2. ad po Concerning which articles ye ar the first to my knowledge in the remembraunce of manne that euer obiected them or made them to be repugnant against the presence of oure sauiour in his supper The holy fathers wer not so subtil craftie or curious but simply and humbly preached that the sonne of god together had his fleshe when he ascended vp to heauen and also lefte it vnto vs in these holy misteries To be here to be there Sursum helias Deorsum helias saith one of them much better then Helias who being rauished into the aire did leaue cast his cloke to
his disciple They praied thus in the celebratioÌ„ of this sacrameÌ„t Thou which sittest aboue with the father art here conuersant inuisibly with vs vouche safe froÌ„ thy mighty haÌ„d Notable places of tha old fathers to proue Christ to be in heauen and here also in the sacrament 103. de sacerdo to geue vs thine immaculate body precious bloud O what a miracle is this they cried O the great goodnesse of God He whiche on highe sitteth with the father in the selfe same instant is betwene our hands be geueth himself to all which wil receiue him doth this in the open sight of al the assistaÌ„ts wtout any deceit or illusioÌ„ Wherfore I se not but ther shold be here a faut if the things there represented wer not also present They said Our lord hath lifted vp into the diuine throne that which he giueth vs to eat the erth to be our heueÌ„ wheÌ„ as yet we ar here remainiÌ„g this roial bodi in heueÌ„ which ther is wortht of souerain honor is set bifore vs in erth shewed to vs to see to touch to rate They introduced Sermo debreuitate vite ho. 55. ad popu 15. 〈◊〉 1. ad Timoth IESVS CHRIST speakyng in thys wise of this holy table to them which camthither to receue Eate me drinke me I haue lefte the in heauen aboue and here in earthe beneath I am ioyned and vnited vnto thee not simply or in suche sorte as I am receiued of the but I am distributed vnto thee eaten and drunke of thee in suche sorte that there is so great an vnitie and coniunction made betwene vs that beyng so vnited and ioined we are not seperated one from an other by any meane or distance but as of two made one In this wise they dyd comfort the chirch wandring here in earth like a most amiable spouse sayeng Thou haste here in earth thy husbande in the Sacramente whom thou shalte haue in heauen withoute couer or vaille and yet here verily but vnder cloke and vaille but there manifest They were bolde thus also to speake to the husbande Bernardus 2. sermons de caeodomin How chanceth this swete Iesus that we little wormes craulyng on the earth we I say duste and ashes haue thee before our handes and eyes and in the meane whyle thou art all wholly sittyng at the right hande of the Father who in one moment of an houre from the east to the weste from the north to the southe art present and assistant to all men one in many thy selfe in diuers places whence commeth this Amb. 1 precari ad missi Truely not by our meanes or desert but of thy will and good pleasure and of thy goodnesse They prepared the priest before he should celebrate to adresse hymselfe in this wise to our Lord with what contricion of hart abundance of teares reuerence chastitie of harte and puritie of spirite ought we to celebrate this celestiall and diuine sacrifice wherin thy fleshe is verily receiued wherein thy blood is verily drunke wherin the highest thynges are ioyned to the lowest the diuine thyngs to the humain Truely they that teache preache thus douteth not but that the body of our Lord so many hundreth yeres passed beyng receaued aboue in heauen is there and here also together to bee vnto vs in this sacrament present presented and exhibited If thou require the maner so often to repete it Daâ— li. 4. ca. 14. and neuer to attaine the knowledge how this is done let it be sufficient for the to vnderstand that it is the worke of the holy ghost And we knowe nothyng more than that the worde of God is true of great efficacie and almightie but the maner ther of is inscrutable They thought nothing lesse than affirme that the said body of our Lord came downe from heauen or dyd remoue or depart or that it was drawen out as one of them sayde very welle Non quod ipsum corpus assumptuÌ„ ex coelo descendat c. With whome we agree and mynde with theÌ„ nothing lesse thaÌ„ to make him com down to pluck him from his fathers righte hande or to assent to all other suche vnfitte and vnseemely termes For contrarywise more than euery day in this holy misterie we make profession of the faith which we beleue of those articles singyng Qui sedes ad dexteraÌ„ patris miserere nobis Et SursuÌ„ corda Habemê° ad DominuÌ„ And yet not withstanding they lay to our charges suche and so vnworthy absurdities as though in this Sacrament Nos Christum Dominum coelo vel dimoueremus vel eliceremus vel etiam descendere faceremus Thom. 3. part quest â— artic 3. Epist 25. For euen oure schoole menne dooe teache the contrarie With like true meaning our aduersaries woulde make S. Augustine of their part alleagyng hym Ad Dardanum although they can not be ignorant if they reade the whole epistle as I doubte not but they doo that there is no mencion at all made in that place of this holye Sacrament And forasmuche as so often tymes this holie man Leuit. 13 hath in other places bothe preached written we ought to draw out his meanyng touchyng this point rather from al his other places then out of this epistle the meaning wherof we haue presently answered not waÌ„tyng other solucions in that behalfe Of like simplicitie and true dealing be our aduersaries here present that is to say being farre from Almaigne and as one would say contrary to the lawe slaunderynge the deaffe doo impugne that whiche we doe not defende that is to say the Consubstantiation whyche for that it is not receyued in our frenche churche we will leaue it to the princis and preachers of the holye Empire which be called Protestantes to mainteyne who at the least in this poynte doo agree with vs against them whome Germany together with vs calleth Sacramentaries Pref. 4. centur Magdeburgen And those Germains accordingly folowing the most plain most true most mighty words of our sauior do at this day constaÌ„tly hold and mainteyn the presence coÌ„munication of the body blood of our Lorde IESVS CHRIST to be in this Sacrament But nowe I come to that point which you haue both here and els where written of this Sacrament ouer and besides that whiche is conteined in the confession presented by you in the name of you all If you doo not esteme Iesus Christ to be in this worlde touchyng the fleshe since his ascention more than he was before his incarnation If you do not beleue no other body then visible De consecr dis 2. can Nos auÌ„â— caÌ„ Hoc est Gala. 3. albeit S. Austen whom you would to be of your syde calleth it so often inuisible if you thinke it not to be otherwise although more effectual in the vsage of the Sacramentes thaÌ„ in the preaching of his word or if you esteme theym thynges alyke to put on IESVS CHRIST