est ad eum c. Tu es sacerdos Hebr. 5. in aeternum secundùm ordinem Melchisedech Euen so Chryste also glorified not him self to be made the high pteist but he that said vnto him c. Thowe arte a preist for euer after the order of Melchisedech And declaring the great benefitte that came by him being the high preist to all beleuers he saieth again Et consummatus factus est omnibus obtemperantibus sibi causa salutis aeternae appellatus à Deo Pontifex iuxta ordinem Melchisedech And Ibid. he being perfight was the cause of eternall saluacion vnto all them that obeied him and ys called of God an high preist after the ordre of Melchisedech Likewise he calleth him in the VI. chapiter And the wholl VII chap. he occupieth in applieng Melchisedech to Chryst prouing by this prophecie the abrogacion of the preisthead of the lawe and so consequētlie of the lawe yt self Wherfore he saied Yf nowe therfore perfection came by the preistheade Hebr. 7. of the Leuites for vnder that preisthead the people receaued the lawe what neadeth further that an other preist shoulde rise to be called after the ordre of Melchisedech and not after the order of Aaron For yf the preisthead be translated then of necessitie must the lawe be translated also c. For after this maner dothe he testifie Thowe arte a preist for euer after the order of Melchisedech Then the commaundement that went before ys disanulled bycause of weakenesse and vnprofitablenesse And further declaring the excellencie of Chrystes preisthead aboue the preisthead of Aaron he saieth For these preistes were made withoute an othe but this preist with an othe by him that saied to him The Lorde sware and will not repent him Thowe art a preist for euer after the order of Melchisedech Thus as the lawe of nature hath in Melchisedech figured Chryste And the lawe of Moyses by prophecie forespoken yt So hath the lawe of the Gospell as ye haue nowe learned by sainct Paule fullfilled the same and most plainlie and euidentlie proued yt so to be Yf then Chryste be a preist after the order of Melchisedech we must seke what the order of the preistheade of Melchisedech ys and wherin yt consisteth And therbie shall we knowe the preistheade of Chryste wherin yt consisteth Sainct Paule generallie declareth the order of a preist when he saieth Omnis namque Pontifex ex hominibus assumptus pro hominibus constituitur in ijs Hebr. 5. quae sunt ad Deum vt offerat dona sacrificia pro peccatis Euery high preist that ys taken from amonge men ys ordeined for men in thinges perteining to God to offer giftes and Sacrifices for sinne By whiche description of saincte Paule yt dothe appeare that the order of preisthead standeth in two partes The first he teacheth when he saieth Ordre of preisthead standeth in two partes Pro hominibus constituitur in ijs quae sunt ad Deum He ys ordeined for men in thinges perteining to God Wherby ys ment the preaching to the people and teaching them the lawes of God and ministring the Sacramentes to them as yt was saied vnto Moyses Esto tu populo in ijs quae ad Exod. 18. Deum pertinent vt referas quae dicuntur ad eum ostendasue populo ceremonias ritum colendi viam per quam ingredi debeant opus facere Be thowe vnto the people to Godward that thowe maist bringe the causes vnto God And thowe shalt teache them ordinaunces and lawes and shewe them the waie wherin they must walke and the worke that they must doo The seconde parte of the order of preistheade standeth in offring giftes and sacrifices for the sinnes of the people Then they that be called of God as was Aaron and doo preach and teache one faith of God vnto the people and offer vnto God one maner of sacrifice they be one order of preistheade So that these two must concurre or ells yt ys not a perfight order For Elias the prophet of God and the 3. Reg. 18. preistes of Baall did offer one maner of thinge in sacrifice for they both offred oxen yet they differed in preisthead For Helias was the preist of God the other the preistes of Baall And why was this difference bycause they taught not one faithe in one God Melchisedech and Aaron taught one God and were bothe preistes of Gen. 14. Leuit. 8. Heb 5. God For Melchisedech was the preist of the most high God as the booke of Genesis wittnesseth and Aaron was called of God as the booke of Leuiticus and saincte Paule to the Hebrues testifie And yet they were not of one order of preisthead bycause their sacrifices were not of one maner By this then yt maie be taken for a trueth that Chryst not being a preist after the order of Aaron but after the order of Melchidech whiche two orders differed not in faith but in maner of sacrifice ys so called a preist after the order of Melchisedech for the maner of the sacrifice For he must agree with Melchisedech in that thing that maketh the difference betwixt the order of Aaron and the order of Melchisedech and that was and ys in the maner of sacrifice For Aaron offred in blood the other in bread and wine But here the Aduersarie will saie that Chryst ys not likened to Melchisedech for anie sacrifice by all the processe of saincte Paule But for Obiection that Melchisedech was Rex Salem kinge of Salem and withall the preist of God and for that he was with oute Father withoute Mother hauing neither beginning of daies nor ending in these pointes he ys the figure of Chryste who ys both king and preist hauing no Father in earth nor mother in heauen neither as concerning his Godhead anie beginning and as touching his Godhead and Manhead no endinge And so ys he a preist for euer To this I saie that the thing that saincte Paule principallie intended ys to be considered And then yt shall easilie be perceaued why he did not Principall entent of S. Paule in his epist to the Hebrues make rehersall of the maner of the sacrifice of Melchisedech nor mencion of the doing of the same in Chryste The principall entent of saincte Paule in this place was to proue and make manifest the excellencie of Chryst and his preisthead aboue Aaron and his preisthead Whiche excellencie in nothing more appeared then in that that Chryst was an euerlasting preist and his preisthead euerlasting and not in the maner of sacrifice For yf he had alleaged that Melchisedech did sacrifice in bread and wine The Hebrues wolde quickly haue saied that their sacrifices in that respecte moche excelled and had a moche more gloriouse shewe and cowntenance then the sacrifice of Melchisedech being but bread and wine And therfor saincte Paule omitted to make mencion VVhie S. Paule spake nothing of she sacrifice of Melchisedech in his epist
holie scripturs he reprehended them imagining cōtradictiōs in thē he reputed thē saith Niceph. as things of naugh to yowe contēne the learned cōmentaries ād writings of the Saincts of God vpō the scripturs ād matters incidēt ād apperteining to the scripturs with skoffes yowe trauail to reprehēd their graue authoritie ād godlie writings Yowe plaie and dallie with them before the people like a ioung Porphirie as though they were things of naught Thus yow maie see as all that be wise and staied by Gods grace doo see howe fullie herin yowe bear the image and iustlie folowe the steppes of him that fiercelie as yowe doe persecuted with deadlie hatred the church and religion of Chryste Your third offence ys yet worse and more heinouse wher yowe haue vttered so manie vntrueths and lies euen aduersus Dominū aduersus Christū eius against our Lord ād against his Chryste against his holie gospell and against his holie woord Ys yowr matter soch M Iuell as yt can not be mainteined without lies and as the holie man Iob saied Nunquid Deus indiget vestro mendacio Hath God nede of your lies No so litle nede hath he of lies that he will destroie al thē that speak lies as the psalmist saieth But that I seē not to charg yowe without proof as yowe do other ys not one of your chalenging articles against the presence of Chrysts bodie and blood in the blessed Sacr ys not the doctrine yowe teach and preache in that poinct directlie contrarie to the doctrine of our Sauiour Chryst Whē he saieth This ys my bodie This ys my blood and yowe auouche and teache that yt ys verie bread and verie wine ys not this a contrarie doctrine to his ys yt not plain against his manifest woorde ys yt not in effect to charge him with vntrueth though yowe daie not yet in flat woordes saie that he lied The craftie sleight yowe vse in handling the scripture wher the trueth of Chrysts doctrin doeth appeare ād your wielie suppressiō of those woords which cheiflie declare the same trueth ād opē yowr vntrueth doe wel proue youre wicked meening to be none other For taking the woords of S. Paule for the theme of your sermō yowe produced thē truncatedlie and passed thē with moch sleight Thus yowe vtter thē I haue receaued of the Lord that thing which also I deliuered vnto yow that ys that the lord Iesus in the night that he was betraied took bread ād ther yowe end Wher although yowe pretēted to teach the first instituciō of the Sacr. yet either of malice to suppresse Christs trueth or for feare to disclose your own vntrueth you wold not or durst not reherse the verie words of the instituciō which I wish al mē to note but both in the latin ād inglish as your faith staeth in bread and as yow wold the faith of your audiēce should do the like your theme ended in bread in so moch as whē yowe come to your last matter to speak of priuate Masse as yow tearm yt though falselie for ther ys none soch and to proue yowr Cōmuniō beginne again to repete the woords of the instituciō Lord what shift yowe make to suppresse the words of Chryst This ys my bodie This ys my blood in the which lieth al the effect of his instituciō These woords yowe flie as frō a serpēt yowe cā not abide the sownd of thē ād therfor with shamful craft yowe passe thē saing thus Chryst in the last supper ordeined a Cōmuniō ād shewed no maner token of priuate Masse as maie plainlie appeare both by the woordes that he spake and also by the order of his doings For be tooke the bread brake yt deuided yt ād gaue yt to his Disciples and saied Drinke ye all herof These be yowr own woords Yowe pretēded to proue your matter by Chrysts woords ād order but whē yowe come to the verie point yowe do not as moch as touch his woords but skippe ouer thē so well maie your prof appeare bi thē ād so loath are yowe to vtter Christ words that his trueth might appear ād your falshead be disclosed Against your first offēce which ys your abuse of the doctours in mutilating their saings as yow doo Anacletus in falsifieng their meening as yow do Tertullian and S. Cyprian in craftie alleaging two or three woordes that apparantlie maie seem to make for yowe leauing oute the rest that mightilie maketh against yowe as yowe doe sainct Augustine in corrupting authours by putting woordes to their saings which they haue not as yowe doe with Leo wherbie euidentlie appeareth yowr contēpt of their autoritie whom by so manie means yowe labour to abuse to shadowe and hide the trueth by them so clerelie settfurth I come in right vse reuerentlie alleaging them whollie and fullie producing them truelie reporting them and their mening iustlie letting euerie of them plainlie to testifie that whiche he hath written and causing euerie one to speake his owne woordes without corruption And that yowe maie perceaue that the catholique Churche ys strong against the whiche the gates of hell the power of heresie shall not preuaill knowe yowe that yt ys Terribilis castorum acies ordinata a terrible fortresse in most goodlie order appoincted Oute of the which fortresse in goodlie order ys comed a great nombre against yowe marching by cooples eche coople to shewe the vnitie of trueth and faith professed in bothe Churches being one of the greke church and other of the latine churche and the seniours for the most part placed in the forewarde These haue I brought furth not one alone and by piece meale so to rume awaie with the matter as yowe doo but in good nombres and with their full saings and the same doo I oftentimes conferr together that the full and perfect cleernesse of the trueth in ther consonant sentences maie appear and shine to all that list to looke therat and be disposed to knowe the trueth Against yowr second offence which ys the mocking of holie writers and Saincts wherbie yowe seke to dishonour and deface bothe them and the religion they professed I come with due reuerence and honour of them whō I knowe by Chrysts promesse to be honourable before the Father in heauen for their constant confession of his holie name whilest they liued here vpon earth Wherfor as being vpon the earth they were not gests and straungers but the felowes of Saincts and of the house of God I tearme them as senatours of the Parliament house of Chryste as knowing the enacted and receaued trueth of the matters of faith perteining to that house For this cause I regard all their writings which the catholique Churche hath allowed considering that the same Churche that hath taught me that the gospell that ys the verie woorde of God written by the mocion and instruction of his holie Spirit hath taught me that these mens wiritings vpon the same are good and commendable And as with S. Augustine
Wherby we maie well conclude against the Aduersarie that reseruacion ys laufull and aught by example of this that we haue hearde to be vsed of all good chrystiā Churches not withstanding the vain barking of heretikes against yt To auoid tediousnesse I do not tarie to note howe notablie he speaketh of the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament But yet for so moche as yt ys so goodlie a place and so euidentlie plain I praie thee Reader cōsider yt and well weigh yt For I haue somwhat A plain place for Master Juell more to saie for reseruacion THE FIVE AND TWENTETH CHAP. PROueth the same by Councells that haue ben nearer to our time FOrasmoche as the Proclamer more arrogantlie then semely chargeth The church arrogantlie charged with erroure the Churche with◠errour these nine hondreth yeares and aboue and chalengeth to him and his likes the restauring of the trueth which during all these yeares hath ben lacking as though Chryst were false of his promisse who promised to lead his Church into all treuth and taketh vpō him to reiecte all Fathers to contēne all Coūcells and breiflie to saie to frustrate and adnihilate all that hath ben writen decreed determined or doen in matters of religion these ix hondreth yeares whiche ys a straung enterprise I will therfore produce certain decrees made as well by some other of authoritie as by Councells to make a triall howe the practise of the auncient Church will agree with the decrees and practise of the Church that hath folowed and continued whiche he so moch reproueth Among the whiche I finde alleaged Iustinian the Emperour who hauing a good zeale to godlie religion made a constitucion that monasteries of virgens Justinian const 123. de Nouuel shoule haue libertie to choose a preist who shoulde bring vnto them the holie communion This constitucion appointeth not the preist that shoulde be chosen by these virgens to celebrate the holie mysterie but that he shoulde bring them the holie communion when they were disposed to communicate And yf yt were brought yt argueth for the time a reseruacion In the decrees also ys alleaged the Councell of worms which was De cons dist 2. cap. Presbyter The preist must allwaies haue the Sacramēt readie for the sicke holden a boute the time of Charles the great in whiche soche a Canon was made Presbyter Eucharistiam semper habeat paratam vt si quis infirmatus fuerit statim eum communicet ne sine communione moriatur Let the preist allwaies haue the Sacrament in a readinesse that yf anie man be sicke he maie furthwith receaue the Sacrament that he die not withoute the communion I nede not to make here any note to the reader for his better vnderstanding for the decree ys plain enough for the confutacion of the Aduersarie But the Aduersarie that estemeth not the generall Councells perchaunce will with moche more contempt reiecte this Councell saing that yt was but a prouinciall Councell Yt was but a prouinciall Councell in dede and although a prouinciall Councell hath not authoritie to binde the wholl Churche by their priuate decrees yet yt hath authoritie to sett furth a trueth And that thys decree was not against the ordre receaued in the wholl Churche this proueth yt inuinciblie for that yt was neuer by any generall Councell condemned Ther was neuer prouinciall Councell that decreed anie thing contrary to Hereticall Councells allwaies suppressed the generall receaued faith but yt was noted and by some generall Councell confuted The Arrians called manie Councells besides that whiche they kept in Nicaea Thraciae but they coulde neuer take place nor authoritie neither did the Churche suffer them to be published but suppressed impugned confuted and conuinced them The seconde Ephesine Councell although ther was ther a great assemblie yet yt was ouerthrowen by the generall Councell of Calcedon What shall I nede to protracte this matter with mo examples Certen yt ys that yf this Councell had decreed any thing against the trueth of the catholique faith or against the receaued ordre of the Churche in matters of Religion yt shoulde haue ben impugned manie years er this Aduersarie had ben born But for asmoche as yt hath continued somany yeares not confuted by anie generall Councell nor impugned by anie cattholique learned man and ys agreable aswell to the order receaued in the aunciente Churche as by that that ys saied in the last chap. yt dothe well appeare as to the order of the catoliq̄ Churche that hath bē and ys in this our time for all these reasons and consideracions yt can not be but that the Decree of the Councell before alleaged ys catholique good and alowable And yf all this weigh not in the conceat of the Aduersarie yet he can not denie but that reseruacion was then in vse whiche well appeareth also by the Councell called Concilium Remense as yt ys alleaged in the same decrees Concil Remen and same distinction Whiche for the reuerence of the Sacrament straictlie forbiddeth the preist to deliuer the same to anielaie man or woman to carie yt to any sicke person but straictlie commaundeth that the preist go himself and minister to the sicke After these Councells was the generall Councell of Lateran whiche was a notable and a great Coūcell wherin were present besides a great nōbre of Bishoppes the foure Patriarkes as some writers testifie and manie grecians aswell as latines This Councell was celebrated vnder Innocentius the thirde Concil Lateran the yeare of our lorde M. CC. XV. and so CCC XLVI years agone In whiche great Councel this I finde ther Decreed Statuimus in cunctis ecclesijs vt Chrysma Eucharistia sub fideli custodia conseruentur We doo ordein Canon 20. that in all Churches the holie oile and the Sacrament be kept vnder faithfull custodie Here ye see howe the reseruacion being in vse in the beginning ys in this Councel appointed to be cōtinued and that not in some Churches but in all Howe so euer yt shall like the Proclamer to accepte or to reiect this Councell yet the sobre chrystian considering howe great a Councell yt was and that of the learned men as well of the greke Churche as of the latin Churche whiche coulde and did knowe as well as the Proclamer and see what ys to be doen as well as he doth And considering also that yt was holden more then three hondreth yeares agon at whiche present time althoug before and after their was no publique or open controuersie in that point and also that yt ys an ordinaunce agreable to the vse of the primitiue Churche will regarde yt and with humble maner obeie yt or at the leest wish yt to be obeyed After this Councell in the time of Leo the tenth Martyr Luther a newe Heresiarke or inuentour of heresie rose vppe who affirming the presence Luther his fonde opinion of the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament but verie fondlie without all authoritie
de illo cuius nostis sacrisicium Ther were before the sacrifices of the Iewes after the ordre of Aaron in the offringe of beastes and that in mysterie The Sacrifice of the body and blood Sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech ys nowe diffused troughout the worlde of our Lorde the whiche the faithfull and they that haue red the gospell knowe was not yet Whiche Sacrifice ys nowe diffused throughoute all the woorlde Sette before your eyes therfor the twoo sacrifices both that after the order of Aarō and this after the ordre of Melchisedech For yt ys written The Lord hathe sworne and yt shall not repent him Thowe arte a preist for euer after the ordre of Melchisedech Of whom ys yt saied Thowe arte a preist after the ordre of Melchisedech Of our Lorde Iesus Chryste who was this Melchisedech King of Salem Salem was before time that same Cittie which as the learned haue declared was afterwarde called Hierusalem Therfor before the Iewes reigned ther the preist Melchisedech who ys written in Genesis the preist of the high God was ther. He mett with Abraham when he had deliuered Loth from the hand of them that did persecute him and he ouerthrewe them of whom he was holden and deliuered his brother And after the deliuerance of his brother Melchisedech mette him So great a man was Melchisedech of whō Abrahā was blessed he brought furth bread and wine and blessed Abrahā and Abraham gaue him tithes Beholde what he brought and whom he blessed And yt ys saied afterwarde Thowe arte a preist for euer after the ordre of Melchisedech Dauid spake this in spirit long after Abraham Melchisedech was in the time of Abraham Of whom in an other place saieth he Thowe arte a preist For euer after the ordre of Melchisedech But of him whose sacrisice ye knowe Thus farre saincte Augustine Ye haue here heard the distinction of the two orders of preisthead of Aaron and of Melchisedech Ye haue heard also the distinction of the two sacrifices the one according to the order of Aaron the other after the order of Melchisedech What this sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech ys sainct Augustin hathe declared wher he saied The sacrifice of the bodie and Sacrifice auouched blood of our Lorde was not yet whiche sacrifice ys nowe diffused throughoute all the worlde What he meeneth when he saieth as yet the sacrifice of the bodie and bloode of our Lord was not and also whether this sacrifice be after the ordre of Melchisedech in a breif sentence of fewe woordes he doth verie plainlie in an other place open and declare Sublatum est sacrificium Aaron caepit esse sacrificium secundùm ordinem Melchisedech The sacrifice of Aaron was taken awaie And the sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedcch beganne By the which sentence yt ys manifest that while the sacrifice of Aarō endured this sacrifice was not vsed But whē that was taken awaie this sacrifice began Likewise he hath taught also that the sacrifice of the bodie and blood of Chryste ys the sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech For wher before Sacrifice of the bodie and blood of Chryst in the Sacr. ys after the order of Melchisedech he saied that the bodie and blood of our Lord was not yet And nowe he saieth that the sacrifice of Melchisedech began when Aarons sacrifice was taken awaie What doth he ells fignifie but that they be all one thing that ys that the bodie and blood of Chryste be the sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech And so conuertiblie that the sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech ys the bodie and blood of Chryste Which bodie and bloode be no wher ells offred in sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech but in the sacrifice of the Altar wher bread and wine be turned into the same bodie and bloode For the bodie of Chryste vpon the crosse was a bloodie sacrifice perfected with bloodshedding after the maner of Aarō Therfore the holie sacrifice of the Altar which as sainct Austen saieth ys nowe diffused and spredde through all the world ys the verie bodie and blood of Chryste Although this that ys alleaged oute of sainct Augustin ys so plain that the Aduersaries can not but see the trueth and so strong that they can not against saie yt Yet that they maie see all this that ys spoken confirmed and made more plain and that so being confownded by the euident trueth they maie geue ouer their erroure and yelde vnto trueth we will heare the sentence of the same saincte Augustine treating of this same matter in an other place Thus yt ys Coram regno patris sui mutauit vultum suum dimisit eum et abijt quia erat ibi sacrificium secundùm ordinem Aaron et postea ipse corpore et sanguine suo instituit sacrificium secundùm ordinem Melchisedech Mutauit ergo vultum suum in In Psalm 33. Cōcion 3. sacerdotio et dimisit gentem Iudaeorum et venit ad gentes Before the kingdom of his Father he hath chaunged his cowntennce and lefte him and went awaie bicause ther was ther the sacrifice after the ordre of Aaron And after ward of his bodie and blood he instituted the sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech He chaūged therfor his contenaunce in preisthead and left the people of the Iewes and came to the Gentiles Thus sainct Augustin Dooye marke what ys here saied Yf ye doo ye must nedes vnderstand yt yt ys so plain For what can be more breiflie and more plainlie saied then that Chryste did institute a sacrifice of his bodie and blood after the ordre of Melchisedech By this breif sentence manie thinges be aunswered First where the Aduersaries most slaunderouslie haue saied to bring the thing in hatred emongethe people that the Pope made the holie Sacrament a sacrifice to obscure the glorie of Chryste and to diminish the woorthinesse and merit of Chrystes sacrifices vpon the crosse and therwithall to bring the people into beleiff that the Sacrifice of Chryste vpon the crosse was not sufficient withoute this And that without authoritie as this Proclamer saieth we offer vppe Chryst vnto his Father And thus with a nombre of like lies The Pope and the Papistes were made Authours and founders of this sacrifice Not the Pope nor the Papistes made the sacrament a sacrifice but Chryst himself after S. Augustin But basshe and be ashamed thowe slaunderouse mā thowe Enemie of the trueth and open thine eies to see and thine eares to heare what saincte Augustine that holie Father and learned doctour here teacheth that ys that Chryste did of his owne bodie and blood institute a sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech So that Chryst euen by this bolie Fathers testimonie ys the institutour and founder of this blessed Sacrifice and not the Pope neither the papistes as thowe termest them But they be the humble receauers of this same institucion of
of auncient time and the Authours of the later time Yf ye obiecte that Chrysostome did vse no soche woordes as this Authour dothe For Chrysostome though he saied that yt was the very meat that saued the soule yet he did not saie that this very meat was vnder the formes of bread and wine as this man doeth Ys this trowe yow abhorring from the sainges of the auncient Fathers though Chrysostom dothe not here speake yt by expresse woordes as this Authour doth Dothe not Chrysostome saie that this ys no parabolicall speache wherby what dothe he ells insinuate but that ther ys the thing euen as yt ys spoken of Chryst whiche ys the verie flesh the very meat of the faithfull Yf this flesh be verilie ther as most certenly yt ys and we do see but the forme of bread then yt ys ther vnder the forme of bread But to declare vnto yow that this maner ofspeache and wordes ys not of late vsage or of late or newe inuencion harke what sainct Augustin saieth Caro eius est quam forma panis opertam in Sacramento accipimus sanguis Lib. sente Prosp A plain place for M. Juell eius est quem sub vini specie sapore potamus Yt ys the flesh of him whiche we receaue couered in the Sacrament vnder forme of bread And yt ys the blood of him whiche we drinke vnder the forme and taste of wine Do ye not heare in these woordes of Saint Augustine the same forme of woordes vsed by Dionise Do ye not heare the forme of bread and Formes of bread and wine a speache knowen to S. Augu. wine Do ye not heare that Chrystes flesh ys vnder the one and his bloode vnder the other Why then do ye sticke still in the mire Why do ye not frame your selues to be obedient to the faith of Crystes Churche Or do ye thinke that ye alone haue the true faithe whiche the Churche had not in the time of sainct Augustine Why do ye perseuere deceauing the simple and vnlearned feading them with lies in stead of trueth with heresie in stead of faith and with Scisme in stead of vnitie of Gods religion Saie not nowe as yt hath ben your common slaunder that these late writers were full of corrupte doctrine For ye see yet that they teache no other doctrine in this matter then the auncient Fathers did And yet in this saing of sainct Augustine ther ys one thing wourthie of note that wher the Aduersaries trauailed to impugne this doctrine of Chrystes being in the Sacrament vnder the formes of bread and wine by the alteracion or chaunge of the significacion of this woorde species Species and forma vsed both in one significaciō saing that the woorde doth signifie the nature or kinde of a thinge and not the outwaade forme Let them here weigh well and consider saincte Augustines maner of speache who taketh here this woorde species applied to the wine in the same significacion that he taketh forma applied to the bread But this woorde forma ys taken for the outwarde forme wherfor this woorde species must nedes be so likewise And here also I wolde wish the vnlearned that haue erred in this matter that they wolde be aduertised by this good Father and learned man Dionise that they will not abuse these sentences of the scripture Petra erat Christus verè foenum est populus The stone was Chryste and Truly the people ys grasse to the maintenaunce of their errour that bycause these be spoken figuratiuelie therfor this also Caro verè est cibus My flesh ys meate in verie dede Ys spoken figuratiuelie For yf ye will so then might ye make these sentences Tu es Christus filius Dei viui Thowe arte Chryst the Sonne of the liuing God Et verè filius Dei erat iste And trulie this man was the Sonne of God ye might I saie make these sentences figuratiue speaches and so consequentlie subuert the sense of holie scripture and all our faith Therfor vnderstand by this Authour that they be figuratiue speaches or speaches so vsed for some agreablenesse of the thinges compared together and do not ouertwartly turn that to impugne the trueth that ys brought in example for the declaracion of the trueth as I hearde a Reader do in Cambridge who being willing to please the worlde he liued in began to impugne the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament and the Masse Schoole argumentes made for the opening of trueth produced of a Protestant to cōfirme a false doctrine And to make his matter good in apparaunce he induced manie argumentes and delighted him self very moche in them as by whiche his matter was moche confirmed and strengthed as he thought In the hearing of the argumentes methought they were soche as I had readde wherfor the lecture being ended I repared to my studie and supposing I had readde thē in Dunce I tooke him in hande and turned and fownde them Whiche as Dunce had moued against the truthe to be solued for the better declaracion and opening of the trueth So did this man bring them in against the truth to confirme his false doctrine So that soche argument as Dunce framed for an argument of impugnacion this reader vsed yt as an argument of confirmacion And so I feare verilie that manie seke good Authours and what they finde in them to impugn falsheade with that do they defende and fortifie the same Wherfor reader do not the like here that what this Authour bringeth in for a better and further declaracion of the trueth thowe take yt to impugne the trueth I thought yt good also not to omitte that this Authour saieth that we receaue in the Sacrament the very reall and wholl bodie of Chryst with veines sinnewes and bones for that I haue hearde some of the Iewish Capharnaites aske what do we receaue Chrystes bodie bones and all Howe can yt come wholl in to my mouthe Ah thow man of litle faith why doest thowe doubte bicause thowe imaginest with the Capharnaites no other presence but after the grosse corporall The presence of Christes bodie in the Sac. no more impossible thē many other his workes which some as impossible to naturall knowledge maner But thowe errest fowllie He ys ther spirituallie and yet verilie and really and no more to be thought impossiblie to thee than that that bodie was born of a virgen then that yt walked vpon the sea then that yt was transfigurated on the mount then that yt rose from death life then that yt passed oute of the graue the monument being still fast shett and close then that yt entred into the Apostles the doores being shett then that yt ascended into heauen all whiche factes yf thowe measure by naturall knowledge they will seme as vnpossible as the other For naturall knowledge wondereth and saieth howe coulde the bodie of Chryst being a perfect bodie Hauing flesh and bones passe oute of the sepulchre the sepulchre not being opened
iust cause to mistrust them and flie from them And cleaue to that cōpanie wher ye see the auncient trueth taught by auncient fathers as here ye haue doen And not by prowde arrogant will as the other haue doen flie from the trueth Their doctrine ys to be suspected that flie from the common vnderstanding of the scripture receaued in the Churche as yt ys nowe to be perceaued that these singular men haue doen by their single sigularitie As our Sauiour Chryst saied to the Iewes Si non venissē locutus eis non fuissē peccatū non haberent Nunc autem excusationem non habent de peccato suo Yf I had not Ioan. ca 15. comed and not spoken vnto them they shoulde haue had no sinne but nowe they haue no excuse of their sinne Yf then soche as haue heard the woorde of Chryste teaching thē his promesse of the geuing furth of his verie bodie and bloode and do not beleue yt haue no excuse to saue them frō eternall dānacion moche more when they haue the same woorde expownded and declared by the holie Churche of the whiche the holie Gost ys the master the guide and leader in to all trueth and yet wil persist in peruerting the scriptures and through arrogancie will credit none but them selues they be not onely voide of all excuse but their damnacion ys greatlie encreased Wherfore ye that haue erred staie and looke vppe in time beholde all the chrystiā worlde professing Gods true faith and religiō and come to the same Lurke not in the corners of darkenesse whiche will bring yowe to extreā darknesse but com to the light which Chryst hath lefte in his Churche which shall lighten yowe the waie to that light that euer hath shewed and shined and neuer was darkned nor shadowed THE ONE AND FOVRTETH CHAP. BEGINneth the exposition of these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie after the minde of the Aduersaries GReate and manifolde are the maliciouse inuencions and deuiseis of the graund enemie of mankind against the same Whiche enemie perceauing man to be in that state to come and enioie the glory and felicitie that he was fallē frō enuied him and subtellie vnder the countenāce or pretēte of a cōmodtie brought him to a most miserable incōmoditie vnder the colour of their aduaūcemēt dignitie and great exaltaciō he wrought vnto thē their deiectiō ouerthrowe and dānacion Ye shall not die saieth the enemie to the womā but God doth knowe that the same daie that ye eate therof yower eies shall be opened and ye shal◠be as Gods knowing good and euel To whiche his perswasiō and false assertiō the womā geuing place by to light Gen. 3. creditte seing also the fruit of the tree to be delectable and pleasaunt to the eies not regarding the certē and most true woorde of her Lorde God who before had saied that in what daie they did eate of the tree of the knowledge of good and Jbid. 2. euell that they shoulde die the death she tooke of the forbidden fruit and did eate therof and gaue to her husbande who did eate of yt also and so not beleuing the woorde of their Lorde God but transgressing his commaundemēt they were not onely expelled oute of that pleasaunt garden of Paradise but also being fallen vnder the heauie burden of gods wrathe and iustice were nowe banished from the eternall felicitie and glorie of heauen and made bonde to hell and euerlasting damnacion Euen so the same enemie seing the chrystiā people redemed with Chrystes most preciouse bloode and restored to that felicitie and ioie whiche by his Temptaciō of our first parentes and of Christians in these daies compared meās he had once caused thē to lose ād that they were nowe quiet ād in godlie order in the eartlie Paradise of Chrysts Church he not bearing their happinesse in the vnitie of faith and godlie cōuersaciō hath vsed his like subtletie and craft to make vs trāsgresse the cōmaundemēt of our lorde God as he did our first Parētes to the entēt he wolde cause vs to be banished frō the inheritāce of the glorie of God wherunto by Chrystes bloode we are made free And will ye see howe like his subtilties be Owre first Parentes had an order appointed to thē what meat they shoolde eate in the Paradise wher they liued The builder of our Paradise hath appoincted vs what the meat shall be that we shall eate saing Take eate this ys my bodie The enemie tempted them to breake their order about their meat and foode he tempteth vs to breake our order about our meat and foode Their meat was the fruit of euerie tree in Paradise sauing the tree of knowledge of good and euell God saing Of euerie tree that ys in the gardē thowe shalt eate but as touching the Gen. 2. tree of knowledg of good and euell thowe shalt not eate of yt Owre meat in the Paradise of Chrystes Churche ys his verie bodie and bloode he him self saing Take eate this ys my bodie Take drinke this my blood The enemie not withstāding gods owne saing to our Paretes In what daie soeuer ye eate of that tree ye shall die the death he directlie cōtrary saied Ye shall not die The same enemie notwithstāding Chrystes owne saing This ys my bodie This ys my blode directlie cōtrarie saieth yt ys not his bodie yt ys not his bloode yt ys but a peice of bread but a cuppe of wine figures signes or tokēs of his bodie and his bloode and to cōpasse that this his perswasion and assertiō maie be receaued as to our first parētes he saied that yf there did eate of that fruict they shoulde be as Gods knowing both good and euell pretēding a great cōmoditie so nowe he saied Esteem this no better thē a peice of bread ād a cuppe of wine and not as the bodie and bloode of Chryst For so foramoch as Chrystes bodie ys in heauen and therfor can not be here ye shall not cōmitte idolatrie whych ys yower great commoditie And as to the furtherance of the temtacion of owre Parētes the pleasing of their senseis in seing the fruict fair and pleasaunt and not regarding the woorde of their Lorde God did moche prouoke thē so in this our tēptaciō he willeth vs not regarding the woorde of Chryst our Lorde God to folowe the pleasant iudgemēt of our sensies And for somoche as we see nothing but bread and wine we tast nothing but bread and wine we feell nothing but bread and wine Therfore we must beleue nothing to be ther but bread and wine By whiche maner of iudgement we are moche prouoked the sooner to assent to his temptacion Nowe if we so assent and eate of the meate which the enemie perswadeth vs to eate of and not of the meat whiche our Lorde and God hath appoincted we shall not onely be expelled oute of this Paradise of Chrystes Church by the Angell of God but also being disherited frō the inheritāce of
Church Cont. Fau. li. 2. cap. 13 saied that they did honour Ceres and Bacchus Gods among the gentiles dothe prooue the vse of the honouring of Chryst in the Sacrament For yf the chrystians had doen no more but eate their bread and drinke their wine soche reporte had not risen of them But bicause they were perceaued to honoure the Sacrament therfore they were so reported Of this same opinion fame and reporte speaketh Sainct Augustin writing against Faustus sainge Quomodò ergo comparas panem calicem nostrum parem Religionem dicis errorem longè à veritate discretum peius desipiens quà m nonnulli qui nos propter panem calicem Cererem Liberum colere existimant Howe doest thowe compare our bread and wine and saest errour farre diuided from the trueth to be like religion plaing the foole woorse then manie whiche for the bread and the cuppe thinke vs to honour Ceres and Bacchus And again in the same place he saieth Sicut a Cerere Libero Paganorum Dijs longè absumus quamuis panis calicis Sacramentum quod ita laudastis vt in eo pares nobis esse volueritis nostro ritu amplectamur ita patres nostri longè fuâ—runt à Saturniacis catenis c. As we are farre from Ceres and Bacchus the After the maner of oure religioÌ„ we honoure the Sacr. saieth S. August Gods of the Pagans although after the maner of our religion we honoure the Sacrament of bread and wine whiche ye haue so praised as in yt ye wolde be equall to vs Euen so our Fathers were farre from the bondes of Saturn although for the time of the Prophecie they haue obserued the vacacion of the Sabboth Thus the vse of the honouring of the Sacrament in and before the time of Sainct Augustine being perceaued we will heare one place more of him and so for this matter ende him Thus he writeth Edent pauperes saturabuntur Quid edunt Quod sciunt fideles Quomodò saturabuntur Imitando passiones Domini sui non sine causa accipiendo precium suum c. Diuites quid Etiam ipsi edunt sed quomodò Jn psal 4â— edunt Manducauerunt adorauerunt omnes diuites terrae Non dixit manducauerunt saturati sunt sed manducauerunt adorauerunt Adorant quidem Deum sed humanitatem nolunt exhibere fraternam Manducant illi adorant Manducant isti et saturantur tamen omnes manducant The poour shall eate and be satisfied What eate they That the faithfull do knowe Howe shall they be satisfied In folowing the passions of their Lorde and taking their price not in vain What do the riche They also eate but howe do they eate All the riche of the earth haue eaten and haue adored He saied not they haue eaten and be satisfied But they haue eaten and haue adored They doe in deed adore God but they will not shewe furth brotherlie humanitie They doo eate and adore these doe eate and be satisfied yet all doo eate hitherto he As the scripture ioineth eating and adoring together saing They haue Eating and adoring both referred to the Sacrament eaten and adored So Sainct Augustine expownding the scripture and declaring that the thing that ys eaten ys our price a thing knowen to the faithfull which our price and thing knowen to the faithfull ys the bodie of Chryst he ioineth also adoracion to the same And so bothe by the Scripture and by Sainct Augustine eating and adoring be referred to the Sacrament Whiche thing although he dothe plainlie enough here setfurth yet handling the same scripture in an other place he doth more plainly open the matter saing Neque enim frustra it a distincts sunt vt de pauperibus suprà diceretur Ad Honorae tuÌ„ Epi. 129. Edent pauperes et saturabuntur Hic verò Manducauerunt et adorauerunt omnes diuites terrae Et ipsi quippe adducts sunt ad mensam Christi et accipiunt de corpore et sanguine etus sed adorant tantùm non etiam saturantur quoniam non imitantur Manducantes enim pauperem dedignantur esse pauperes quia Christus pronobis The poore eat and are satisfied the riche eat and adore onlie passus est relinqnens nobis exemplum vt sequamur vestigia euis Neither are they withoute pourpose so distincted that before of the poour yt shoulde be saied The poore shall eate and shall be satisfied And here All the riche of the earth haue eaten and haue adored For they also are brought to the table of Chryst and they receaue of his bodie and his bloode But they doe adore onelie they are not also satisfied for that they folowe not For they eating the poour man meaning Chryst they disdein to be poour For Chryst suffred for vs leauing vs an example that we shoulde folowe his steppes Among Chrystian people Sainct Augustin findeth two sortes Some Two sortes of chrystiaÌ„ people that be riche that ys not leauing worldely affections but riche in heart not humble in spirit not submitting them selues to the sweet yocke of Chryst and yet beleuinge and therfor when they eat poour Chryste when they receaue of his bodie and blood they knowe by faithe what they receaue and they adore and honoure Chryste whom they receaue But they are not satisfied An other sorte ther be whiche be called poour and they contemning at the leest labouriug to suppresse wordly affections not being riche in desire of heart but poour and humble in spiritte taking their crosse and so folowing Chryst do walke vnder his holie yocke These receauing poour Chryst eating of his bodie and drinking of his bloode they doe not onelie adore but also they be satisfied they are filled For they folowe Chryste and their conuersacion declareth that the iuice of this foode the grace and vertue of that blessed meate appeareth in their actes in their deedes in their liuinges that they haue well fedde and be satisfied In which twoo sortes of men who seith not howe Sainct Augustine teacheth both the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament and the adoracion of the same when the chrystian people receaue him Thus nowe ye maie perceaue that euen of those Authours whiche the The authours named by the Proclamer make against him Proclamer did name as making no mencion of adoracion or woourshipping of the Sacrament in their bookes ye maie perceaue I saie that they make soche plain mencion of yt as yt not onely ouerthroweth his pestilent doctrine but also geueth him iust occasion to rubbe his forehead for verie shame that he shoulde so vntruely bothe speake and write THE SIXT AND FOVRTETH CHAPITER prooueth by other Doctours that the Sacrament ys to be adored I Haue first in his matter of adoracion produced some of these Authours whiche the Proclamer named Nowe for somoche as after the naming of them by a generall terme he spake the like of other doctours I shall also
vpon the crosse which he graunteth to be moche more excellent then the sacrifices of the olde lawe the seconde note of the saied Chrysostome shall clerely wipe awaie his glose and disapoint him of his cloake Wherfor obserue that when he saied that Chryst prepared this woonderfull sacrisice he opened the time also when he did prepare yt He did saieth he prepare this woonderfull sacrifice when he did chaunge the sacrifice of the olde lawe and when he commaunded A plain saing for M. Juell himself to be offred When did he these two thinges Reader yf thowe marke here be two thinges the one ys that Chryst chaunged the sacrifice the other that he commaunded himself to be offred When did he these two thinges In his last supper when as sainct Cyprian saieth obuiarunt sibi instituta noua antiqua consumpto agno quem antiqua traditio proponebat inconsumptibilem Cyp. de Cae. cibum magister apponit Discipulis The newe and the olde ordeinaunces mett together and the lambe which the olde tradicion did settsurth being consumed the master did sett to his disciples inconsumptible meate De prodition Iudae So that for this lambe of the olde tradicion he gaue nowe inconsumptible meate to his Disciples whiche was his bodie and bloode whiche was the veritie of that shadowe as Chrysostom saieth Ille agnus futuri agni typus fuit ille sanguis Dominici sanguinis monstrabat aduentum ouis illa spiritalis ouis fuit exemplum Ille agnus vmbra fuit hic veritas Sed postquam sol iusticiae radiauit vmbra soluitur luce ideo in ipsa mensa vtrumque Pascha typi veritatis celebratum est That lambe was the figure of the lambe to Blood of the Paschall laÌ„be figure of the blood of Chryste in the Sacr. come And that bloode shewed the coming of the bloode of our Lord and that shepe was an example of the spirituall shepe that lambe was the shadowe this the veritie But after the Sunne of righteousnesse did shyne with beames the shadowe was taken awaie with the light And therfore in that table bothe the passeouer of the figure and of the trueth was celebrated Thus he In which saing ys declared that the olde lambe was a figure of our lambe Chryst whiche were together in the table as two passeouers the olde and the newe But when the newe passeouer whiche was the bodie of Chryst ther consecrated was settfurth ther as a newe passouer whiche he calleth the sonne of righteousnesse then the olde Passeouer was taken awaie and this placed in the stead Then was the olde sacrifice chaunged and a newe sacrifice appointed So that ys true that S. Augustin saieth Aliud Cont. literas Petilia est Pascha quod Iudaei celebrant de oue aliud autem quod nos in corpore sanguine Domini celebramus Yt ys an other Passouer that the Iewes do celebrate with a shepe and an other whiche we celebrate in the bodie and bloode of Chryst Yt caÌ„ not be saied that Chryst did chaung the sacrifice of the olde lawvpoÌ„ the crosse for that sacrifice was after the maner of the sacrifices of the ordre of Aaron a bloodie sacrifice as they were But this chaunge of sacrifice must nedes then be when the shewing of the chaunge of preisthead was For as S. Paule saieth Necessarium fuit secundùm ordinem Melchisedec alium surgere sacerdotem non secundùm ordinem Aaron dici Yt was necessarie that an other preist Heb. 7. shoulde rise to be called after the order of Melchisedech and not after the order of Aaron Chryst neuer shewed himself a preist after the order of Melchisedec but in the last supper in the which he sacrificed after that order Wherfore then was the olde sacrifice chaunged when this newe preist after the ordre of Melchisedec did shewe himself in sacrificing The trueth of this ys well proued by the seconde note in the saing of Chrysostome whiche ys that he commaunded himself to be offred Let al the volume of the Gospell be turned and searched and in no place shall ye finde that Chryst commaunded himself to be offred but in the last supper when he had instituted this holie sacrifice of his and bodie and blood Then he saied Hoc facite This do ye By which woordes he gaue coÌ„maundement to all to whoÌ„ coÌ„mission of this holie ministracioÌ„ should be geueÌ„ that they should doe that that he had doeÌ„ In that high and woonderfull institucion he did three thinges that ys he Three notable thinges doen by Chryst in the inst it â—cion of the B. Sacr. consecrated his blessed bodie and blood he offred yt in sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech and receaued yt with his Apostles Wherfore saing and commaunding that his preistes shoulde that do that he then did forsomoch as among other his doinges he did then offre sacrifice Therfore he coÌ„maunded that he himself should be offred And thus yt maie be perceaued that Chrysostom looked to this place when he saied that Chryst commaunded himself to be offred Li. 4. ca. 32 Of this same sentence and minde be a nombre of the holie Fathers Irenaeus saieth Eum qui ex creatura panis est accepit gratias egit dicens Hoc est corpus meuÌ„ Et calicem similiter qui est ex ea creatura quae est secundùm nos suum sanguinem confessus est Et noui Testamenti nouam docuit oblationeÌ„ c. He took the bread saieth Irenaeus speaking of Chryst which ys a creature and gaue thankes saing This ys my bodie And the cuppe likewise which ys a creature as we he confessed to be his blood And of the newe Testament he taught a newe oblacion c. Jn primaoration praepar S. Ambrose also in his praier saieth Ego enim Domine memor venerandae passionis tuae accedo ad altare tuum licet peceà tor vt offeram tibi sacrificium quod tu instituisti offerri praecepisti in commemorationem tui pro salute nostra I Lorde mindefull of thy woorshippefull passion come vnto thy aultar although a sinner to offer vnto thee the sacrifice which thow hauest instituted and commaunded to be The Proclamermaie her learn that Chryst coÌ„manded his bodie to be offred in sacrifice offred in the remembrance of thee for our health Ye see these two graue and auncient wittnesses testifieng with ChrysostoÌ„ that Chryst commaunded this sacrifice which he instituted to be offred What the thing ys that we offre Chrysostome by moste plain woordes declareth when he saieth that Chryst commaunded himself to be offred So that Chryst himself ys our oblacion and sacrifice which we offre not vpon our owne inuencion but vpon his holie and most louing commaundement By this latter part then of Chrysostome his saing the two other partes before noted be well proued For by that that Chryst hath commaunded vs to offre him in our sacrifice yt ys most clere
yt he forgatt the counsell of Chryste and by like made his left hand of coūsell what the right hand did But whoso will with the right eie looke vpon this place of this holie Martir Iustine shall finde that trueth that before I testified that in the primitiue and auncient churche the people did receaue both in nombre and alone Perhapps the Proclamer being by this place of Iustine driuen to his shiftes will saie that yt was notwithstanding that some of the people did receaue at home a right communion for that both they and the people being at the ministracion did all receaue of one consecrate bread Will yowe see what a bare shift this ys And to ioin with him in his owne termes I will aske him whether by this one consecrate bread he mean one loaf of bread or one Sacramentall breade He can not speake of one loaf of bread For in the primitiue Church when the nombro of people did receaue one loaf coulde not suffice Yf he speake of one sacramentall bread or one consecrated bread as Iustine doth tearin yt ys not the bread consecrated to daie and the bread consecrated to morowe all one consecrated bread all one sacramentall breade ys yt not allwais one Sacrament Ys not the sacrament of Baptisme ministred to daie and ministred to morowe all one Baptisme forasmoch as S. Paule saieth Vnus Dominus vnae fides vnum Baptisma Ther ys one lorde one faith and one Baptisme Likewise ys not the bread consecrate in the morning and at noone all one consecrate bread And to saie more at large ys not the bread consecrated in the Supper of Chryst by Chryst him self and the bread consecrated nowe by his minister and that shall be consecrated in the last daie of the worlde all one bread yf yt be not so why saieth S. Paule that we are all partakers of one breade The reason why yt ys one breade Chrysostome sheweth speaking of the table of Chryst consecrated by the minister Homi 83 in 26. Math. saing Haec enim illa non alia mensa est Haec nulla re minor quà m illa est Non enim illam Christus hanc homo quispiam facit sed vtramque ipse This ys euen the same not an other table This in no poinct ys lesser then that For Chryst did not sanctifie that and this an other man but Chryst did sanctisie both So that the reason whie yt ys one bread ys by Chrysostom bicause yt ys sanctified and consecrated by one Chryst Yf then yt be a communion bicause they receaue all of one consecrated bread and S. Paule saieth that we all doe eate of one bread in somoch that by yt we are made one bread and one bodie ys yt not one Communion that the Apostles and the faithfull that nowe be and shall be in the last daie of the worlde haue made doe Priuate Cōmunion howe and wher yt ys and shall make Yf yt be so then among true Chrystians receauing as becometh them the holie Sacrament ther ys no priuate communion Priuate communion ys among priuate men soche as cutte them selues of frome the vniuersall churche and eate of one peice of bread to daie and of and other to morowe as heretiques doe and doe not all eate of one breade as the faithfull doe This Proclamer alleageth Leo Bishoppe of Rome that vpon consideracion that the churche being litle and not able to receaue the people ther might be three communions in one daie in one churche I wolde nowe knowe whether they that receaued at the first Second and thirde communion whether they did all communicate together or no. Yf they did not then were they not all of one communiō whiche ys not to be saied Yf they did and did not receaue of one cōsecrated bread nor at one time yt shoulde folowe that cōmunion dependeth vpon some other thing then one bread time or ministracion And in dede so yt doeth For yt depēdeth of one thing made common to vs all and which all we being faithfull doe receaue in the whiche we are made one and knitte together as membres of one bodie which thing ys the bodie and blood of Chryst which ys that one bread that S. Paule speaketh of and saieth that all we partake of whiche ys in dede the bread of life nowrishing vs to euerlasting life I haue taried to long vpon this place in opening the vanitie of this mans doctrine and the longer that yt might be perceaued that he alleaging this holie man was so blinded that he wolde not aswell see the one trueth as the other but brought yt as an argumēt to reproue the church wher yt reprooueth him self and to confute the trueth wher yt confuteth his heresie But let vs heare other testimonies and first of Tertullian who liued in the time of Seuerus the Emperour in whose time the chrystian religion not yet being receaued of the Princes of the worlde the chrystians liued vnder great and fearfull presecucion by reason wherof though the people were right godlie affected and well disposed to the seruice of God and the receipt of the blessed Sacrament yet they coulde not freely make their assemblies when they wolde Wherfor at soch time as they came together the Bishopps and pastours wold to soch as were right godlie and holie chystians deliuer the blessed Sacrament to carie home with them to receaue yt at home at soche time as they might bicause they coulde not otherwise when they wolde For the which pourpose as by S. Cyprian S. Basill and S. Hicrom yt maie be gathered the godlie brought with them either a faire cleā linnen cloath or a prettie boxe to carie yt home in The like yt appeareth that Tertullians wief did For he diswading her from the Marriage of anie gentile or heathen man after his decesse and knowing that she did secretlie receaue the Sacramēt at home ād wolde also doe the like though she maried an insidel vsed this for one part of his diswasion Non sciet maritus quid secretò ante omnem cibum gustes et si sciuerit panem non illum credet esse qui dicitur Shall not thy husbande knowe what thowe doest secretlie eate before all meat And Tertulliās wief receaued the B. Sacr alone or solie or priuatelie if he knowe yt he will not beleue yt to be that bread that yt ys called As who might saie As I being yowr housband doe know that yowe doe receaue the Sacrament secretlie So yt can not be but an heathē man being yowr husband shall perceaue also that yowe doe receaue yt secretlie Wherby yt shall come to passe that either he will restreign yowe from that libertie that nowe ye vse in yowr secrete receipt or ells taking and beleuing yt not to be that bread that yt ys he will with irreuerencie abuse yt In this saing of Tertullian yt ys easie to be perceaued that his wief did secretlie receaue the Sacrament at home yf secretlie then with no nombre
assured though reason though senses though hell gates wolde arise against yt this ys and shall be a trueth and euer endure a trueth 3 Reg. 18. In the time of Elias the Prophett when God and his holie faith and religion as nowe yt ys with vs was so farre forsaken that none were fownde that openlie for the feare of the king and wicked Iesabell wolde professe the same although some laie in caues and dennes as nowe I trust ther doe some faith fullie seruing God Elias moued by the spiritt of God to haue the religiō and faith of God discerned frō the religion of Baall wolde the triall of the same shoulde be made by somme miracle from heauen Wher vnto the Kinge and the people agreed that if anie miracle were doen on Baalls side he shoulde be taken for God and his religion receaued yf on Elyas side his God and his religion shoulde be embraced The preistes of Baall laied on their sacrifice they called on their God in their maner no fire came from heauen no miracle was doen. After that they had doen Elyas prepaired the saicrifice he called on his God fire came from heauen and burnt the sacrifice Wherupō the people seing the miracle cried Dominus ipse est Deus Dominus ipse est Deus Owre Lorde ys God owre Lorde ys God Euen so nowe the ministers of Baall haue peruerted Chrystes faith and religion The people in outwarde countenance for seare of lawes haue forsaken the same They are nowe taught that Chryst ys not reallie in the Sacrament duelie ministred They are taught that his bodie ther ys not to be honoured They are taught that the blessed Sacrifice of Chrystes bodie and bloode ys nothing auailable either to the quicke or to the deade with soche other Chryst ys not in the sacramentall bread of the newe ministers but he ys in the B. Sacr. duelie ministred by a preist Nowe let them search all histories of antiquitie and shewe anie one miracle that God hath wrought either in the time of Berengarius of Wicleff and Husse of Zwinglius Oecolampadius or of this Proclamer for the confirmacion and declaraciō of that their faith and if they doe we shall saie that their faith ys good Yf theie doe not and we doe let them yelde and saie that owre waie ys good For like yt ys the trueth ther to be wher yt pleaseth God to confirme the same by miracle And like yt ys no trueth to be on the contrarie side wher God doth not vouchsaffe at anie time to commende yt by some miracle Nowe the catholique Church teacheth the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament The Aduersarie teacheth no bodie but the figure of the bodie The catholique Church teacheth Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament to be honoured Luther and the Sacramentaries teache that yt ys not to be honoured The catholique Church teacheth that Masse ys to be vsed Luther and the Sacramentaries teache that yt ys to be abhorred Nowe as Elyas willed the preistes of Baall first to confirme their waie with miracles So lett the Lutherans and the Sacramentaries bring furth first some Miracle As for miracles for the confirmacion of their doctrine as touching this matter of the Sacrament I neuer did nor coulde heare or reade of anie but onelie of one which ys a miracle meet for the doctrine Of whiche miracle Luther himself ys the reporter Ionas his disciple being interpretour in his booke of priuate Masse wher he saieth thus Ego coram vobis reuerendis patribus Luther sanctis confessionem faciam date mibi absolutionem bonam quae vobis opto quamminimum noceat Contigit me semel sub mediam noctem subito expergefieri Ibi Sathan mecū caepit eiusmodi disputationem Audi inquit Luthere doctor perdocte Nosti te quindecim annis celebrasse Missas priuatas penè quotidiè Quid si tales Missae horrenda essent Idololatria Quid si ibi non adfuisset corpus sanguis Christi Sed tantùm panem vinum adorasses aliis adorandum proposuisses I will before yowe reuerend and holie Fathers make a confession geue me a good absolucion which I wish maie nothing hurte yowe Yt happened me once at midnight sodenlie to be wakened Sathan appeared to Luther ād disputed with him of priuate Masse Ther Sathan beganne this maner of disputacion with me Hearken saieth he thowe well learned doctour Luther Thowe knowest that by the space of these fiftene years thowe hauest saied priuate Masse all most euerie daie What if soche priuate Masses were abhominable Idolatrie What if ther hath not ben present the bodie and blood of Chryst but that thowe haddest honoured onely bread and wine and haddest sett yt furth to other to be honoured Thus moch Sathan to Luther In which talke Sathan goeth aboute to confirme three pointes of their doctrine that ys that Chrystes bodie and bloode be not in the Sacrament but onelie bread and wine That Chryst in the Sacrament ys not to be adored And that priuate Masses are not to be vsed See ye not nowe what a miracle here ys that Sathan wolde vouchesaf to speake with Lurher at middenight ys not this doctrine moche confirmed nowe that Sathan hath perswaded yt who knoweth not that Sathan perswadeth to heresie not to the right faith to euell not to good to falshoode not to trueth Wherfor chrystian reader if thowe wise be flee that he perswadeth thee vnto and embrace that he diswadeth thee from And thus to a good chrystian this doing of Sathan maie be occasion of confirmacion in faith For wher Sathan disswadeth Luther from the Masse from the beleif of the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament from the honouring Ioan. 8. of Chryst ther we maie be certen and sure that the Masse ys good that the presence of Chryste in the Sacrament and the honouring of him ther be holsom and good doctrines For he being as Chryst saieth a liar and 1. Pe. 5. a manisleer from the beginning seketh not to teache vs the trueth nor to helpe to saue ys but raither as S. Paule saieth he being our aduersarie goeth aboute like a roaring lion seking whome he maie deuoure whom God graūt vs stronglie to withstande in faith Thus I saie occasion ys geuen vs to be cōfirmed in that faith from the whiche Sathan wolde disswade vs. But as touching the matters which Sathan wolde perswade by his deuelish apparition to Luther if ther were no more saied a wise reader wolde by these fewe woordes easelie perceaue howe good and true the doctrine of the Proclamer ys which ys soche as Sathan perswaded and euen the verie same This being all the miracles that I can finde of the confirmacion of the Proclamers doctrine I maie thus conclude that forasmoch as this doctrine ys setfurth by the apparition and perswasion of Sathan and not by God that yt ys Sathans doctrine and not gods Nowe for the catholique doctrine let vs see if God hath besides his figures
Sacrament Yt hath also consideracion why he wolde nowe washe his Disciples feete who before cōtrarie to the maner of the Iewes not onelie suffred but also defended his Apostles for the eatinge of their meate with vnwasshed handes The other part of puritie of life whiche consisteth in the adourning of our selues with vertuouse and godlie actes was not left vntaught of Chryst but when he saied This doe ye in the remembrance of me he bothe willed that godlie acte to be doen and also that we shoulde be mindefull of his death and passion and of his great loue towordes vs in suffring of the same and therby to be moued not onelie to render vnto him most humble and lowlie thankes but for his sake for the proporcion of owre possibilitie to practise the like charitie and shewe the like loue to our bretheren Nowe he that hath suche charitie what lacketh he to the sufficient furniture of his soule with all godlie vertues necessarie But a merueilouse matter as godlie a thing as yt ys for a man to examine himself as plain as yt ys bothe by Chrystes doinges and S. Paules woordes that yt shoulde so be yet Sathan coulde gett a minister to teache that no other preparacion neadeth for the receipt of the Sacramēt but onely faith Ys ther moche hope of trueth to be reposed in him that so teacheth Libertie a baite of the Deuell setfurth by his ministers luther and his likes ys not the religion to be suspected or raither detested that ys settfurth by soche a patrone yet this ys the doctrine of Luther who ys the fownder of this newe religion the inuentour of this faith the setter vppe of the woorde the restorer as they saie of trueth and the bringer of light But Sathan and his minister also knewe well howe to winne the people They knew that libertie was a goodly bait to catche them withall Wherfor to deliuer the people from the trooble of contricion and heauinesse for sinnes to make them free from the heauie yocke as yt ys taken of confession to ease them of the laboure of praier to disburden them of the care of godlie life Sathan by his minister Luther teacheth that to the receipt of the Sacrament ther neadeth no other examinacion or preparacion but onelie that they beleue that they shall receaue grace and that ys sufficient But that I maie not be thought to misreport him at my pleasure I will Luth. in Assert Acti 15. reherse his owne woordes whiche be these Magnus error est eorum qui ad sacramentum Eucharistiae accedunt hinc innixi quod sint confessi quòd non sint sibi conscii ali cuius peccati mortalis quòd praemiserint orationes suas praeparatoria Omnes illi iudicium sibi manducant bibunt Sed si credant confidant se gratiam ibi consecuturos haec sola fides facit eos puros dignos Great ys the erroure of them that come to the Sacrament trusting to this that they be confessed that they knowe not them selues giltie of anie mortall sinne that they haue saied their praiers before that they haue prepared them selues All they doe eate and drinke their owne condemnacion But if they beleue and trust that they shal there obtein grace this faith alone maketh them pure and woorthie receauers Haue ye not hearde the same serpent nowe speaking to chrystian people that in paradse spake to owre first parentes Haue ye not heard him likewise encounteringe with his negatiue the affirmatiue of Chryst and S. Paule as he did the affirmitiue of God who saied In what day ye eate of this fruict ye shall die he contrariwise saing Ye shall not die Haue ye not heard that Chryst vsed that solemne preparacion of wasshing the feet of his Disciples before he wolde minister vnto them the Sacrament of his blessed bodie and blood Saied not Chryst after that wasshing I am vos mundi estis Nowe ye Joan. 13. are clean Did he not also then prepare them to humilitie and lowlinesse whiche ys moche required in all that receaue the Sacrament Yf I saith Chryste haue wasshed yowr feete being Lorde and Master then ought yowe also to wassh one an others feete I haue geuen yowe an example that as I haue doen euen so that ye doe Ys not lowlinesse a necessarie vertue to a receauer of this Sacrament yt ys not meet that a man knowe his owne filthinesse before he receaue and ther fore go to Chryste to be wasshed with the water of his grace Ys yt not cōmendable that we saie with the Centurion Lorde I am not woorthie that thowe entre Mith. 8. vnder my roofe Ar we not so moued to doe by the olde Father Origen Ouer and aboue all this also we are willed by S. Paule to examine our selues and yf we doe not we shall eate and drinke our owne condemnacion And yet this beast this Serpent shameth not to saie clean cōtrarie that yf ye confesse yowr sinnes yf ye finde yowr self clere from all mortall sinne yf before ye receaue ye geue yowr self to praier yf ye vse soche prepatiues then ye eate and drinke yowr owne condempnacion Who euer heard soche doctrine What eares can abide yt And yet this ys the doctrine of him that lightned the worlde with the knowledge of the trueth as blinde men call yt But perchaunce some Lutheran in desence of his Patriarche will saie that S. Paule willing a man to examine himself spake onely as Luther doeth of What moued S. Paule to write of the Sacrament to the Corinth the examinacion of faithe To trie this let vs haue recourse to the letter of S. Paules epistle and there see what moued him to write this That moued him to write this that moued him to write the wholl processe of the Sacramēt in the same eleuenth chapter He wrote to the Corinthians in the matter of the Sacrament for that they coming to the receipt therof admitted diuerse faultes and abuses in maners but not in faith For first of all saieth S. Paule when ye come together into the congregacion I heare that ther ys dissention among yowe Ther ys also an other faulte that euerie man beginneth a fore to eate his owne supper And besides this in the eating of yowr Supper ther ys litle charitie For one ys hungrie and an other ys dronken in the whiche their doinge they semed to despise the congregacion of God and shame the poor that of pouertie had nothing to eate And for these cause when ye come together the supper of our Lorde can not be eaten saieth S. Paule Of faithe here ys no one title For S. Paule fownde no fault in the Corinthians as touching the matters of faith aboute the Sacrament but aboute their maners in receauing of yt And therfor as touching maners he saied Let euery man examine him self and so let him eate of that bread and drinke of that cuppe Ye see then that S. Paule moued by the euell