erthly God that coulde not erre â—…deceiued yea offerring his shoes to be kiâ—… kinges and Emperours Thus I saye thys Romeish church changed frome pouertie to pride creepeinge vp like the Iuie by the rootes of the great trees be gan to ouer renne and subdue kingedoÌ„es and empieres yea to put downe kinges and Emperours For the mainteners of this diuellishe life and doctrine they had taÌ„ken such awaie and order that if we take theym and their adherentes that is to saye all theyr sworne doctours anointed byshoppes and shauen priestes for the true church we muste neades by theyr learning lyuinge and all their workes coÌ„demne Christ and his membres The true churche remayneth still pore persecuted and sore oppressed all the time of their tyrannie whiche coulde neuer beriefe Christe of hys witnesses for in al times and ages ther haue ben faitheful witnesses of the truthe though their names and doctrine haue alwaies bene obscured and sclaundered by these papistes who were allwaies bothe the Iudges and accusers the scribes and reporters of their doeynges This churche as it was alwaie ruled by the spirite of Christe so did it vnderstande the scripture spiritually by the spirite of god and worship him in spirite and truthe Like as amonge the fathers of the old testameÌ„t the ambitiouse scribes and phariseis and the fleashly minded bothe priestes and people did knowe non other holmesse by the circumcision of the fleshe and the bodily sacrifices where contrary wife Moyses and Dauid and the little chosen flocke led bi thâ— spirite of god did knowe circumcision of the fleashe to be nothingâ— wythout the circumcision of the hert and the sacrifices to be but shadowes of our Christe vpon whom all waies they did feade and sâ—tt their delyght knowyng him to be the vnspoted lambe and red heyfer offred for the finnes of the people euen so the hole popeyshe churche cleane coÌ„trarie to the doctrine of the spirite hathe fol lowed fleashely Imaginations of their own brayne in all their doctrine and sete up their own workes and sacrisices to take awai sinnes as did the old phariseis wherby it commethe to passe that al Idolatrie iâ—… stablished their own doctours and decres stroÌ„gly mainteined and the word of god â—…alli regarded The pore shepe of Christe fisshers and shepherdes plowemen and all vnder the degre of gentilmen are by your decrees banished froÌ„ the swete pastours and fode of theyâ— soules And yf it chaunce any of theÌ„ to break in to the pleasaunt bankes of Christe his doe trin and fead on the hilles of saluatioÌ„ the popysh bishops can smel hym xl myles froÌ„ theÌ„ and then shall the innocent lambe be burned and suffer death for the reding of this word for the whiche Christe his shepeherde and heade died for the establisheynge therof by the shâ—adynge of hys herte bloude Iudge nowe who is the true churche for Christe did not cheuse the wise nor the men of powre nor many menne of noble birth But the eternall wisdome of god chose that whiche was foleishe before the worlde that he might shame the wise And those that are weake in the worlde did he cheuse to shame the mighty and stroÌ„g powrs And those that are vile and dispised and of no reputacion ⧠The vtteringe of the popeyshe Sophismes BVt to returne to your wordes and to coÌ„sider how you of this popeish churche wolde captiue our wittes aboute this sacrameÌ„t thus you say and writ Ther is in the sacrament of the aulter non other substaunce but the substaunce of the bodie and bloude of our sauiour Christ and yet remaynethe the forme and accidentes of breade and wyne not altered by this miracle from knowelege of the senses wherewithe they were before knowne and also by god his sufferaunce subiectes to the passibilitie that they were in before Oh when will you waxâ— ashamed The mouse may eate yt as you say your selfe 〈◊〉 yet it must be the self same substaâ—nce of the body of Christ wer it not for shame to bable longe in this matter I wolde bringe in the scriptures that proue all them to haue euerlastinge lyfe that eate his fleshe and drincke his bloud But go to I wil stope your monthe withe your owne madnes Pope Victor the thyrd was poysoned in this sacrament and yet must it be the bodie of Christ which can bringe nothinge but helthe and life The Emperour HeÌ„ry the seuenth was poysoned by a Dominik frier named Barnardinus de monte policiano in receyuinge the sacrameÌ„t and yet may it be non other substaunce but the bodie and bloâ—de of our sauiour Christe God and man wher yf he had ben man they had poysoned hym firste but yf he had bene God he woulde first haue espied theyr poyson by cause he can not be deceyued and bycause he can not deceyue he would not haue poisoned the Emperour who mistrustid no thinge But let them passe they be the learnynge and practises of your churche You goo on still with the same Sophistrie of the forme and accidentes of bread and wyne Alwaye synginge one songe that with often rehersall you maye bringe it into credence If you preache this forme these accidentes 〈◊〉 this passibilitie to the pore people they may wel wonder at your high learnyng but thei can knowe litle what you meane These thinges I haue somwhat touchide and shall dâ— more here after You say that these accideÌ„tes are not altered vnto the senses but are subiect to the same passibilitie I pray you what sophistrie hath taught you that accidentes are become subiectes of passibilitie If euer you learned Logike or philosophi you know that the subiect to passibilitie must neades bee a substauÌ„ce Wherfor seyng you wil haue such passibilitie suche chaunges both corruptioÌ„ of the cake and generation oâ— anewe bodie you must coÌ„fesse some other substaÌ„ce in thes chauÌ„ges that sustaynethe the accidentes after the chaÌ„ge for the infallible rule of Logike is this Ther is no accident without his subiect periculiar substance And coÌ„sequeÌ„tly if you wil wade in these dark termes of sophistrie â–ª you shalbe coÌ„pelled to graunt an other substance which sustayneth the accideÌ„tes bysides the bodie and bloude of Christ And seyng that Godhath created none other substaÌ„ce which hath these peculiar qualities that we feele smel se and tast stil to remain but onli bread and wyne we must nedes by the properties bi god onli attributed to these creatures conclud against you that here be the two substaÌ„tes and creatures of breade and wyne vnto whome God did in theyr creation attribute and gyue these qualities these accidentes these selfe same properties the selfe same forme and shape that we se doth stil remayne vuchainged vnder your fingers and in your mouthes As for your holi entralies I know not what passibilitie thei suffer there In this place of your booke I muste pas ouer with scilence certayne of your wordes as are these The creatour of al
dignitie the maintenaunce of Idolatrie Popetrie hath caused the bishop to wryte his boke and to rayle agaynste the trueth And shall not the crowne of glorie whiche can neuer decaye the glory of the only euerlasting God steare faythful men to make answere for the trueth agaynst falsehode specially seinge that we haue thys playne testimonie spoken by the mouth of our sauiour He that confesseth me before men him wyl I confesse before my father that is in heauen and hym that denieth me before men shall I denie also before my father and his holy angels If I be blamed if I be imprisoned yea if I be burned for Christes cause the trueth yet am I happie by the opeÌ„ testimonie of Christ in Math. My name shall be restored in the heauens in the boke of lyfe to be a fayethfull witnesse I shalbe set at libertie for euer with Christ the sonne of God my bodie brent into ashes where it hath put of mortalitie shal be restored vnto me muche better immortall and incorruptible If I lose wyfe and childe father and mother I shal receiue for them an hundreth folde And for aduauntage aboue all for fâ—ll recoÌ„pence lyfe euerlasting Who wyl not be ammate and encouraged by such large promises ⧠God saue Kynge Edward from all errours God defende his tender age from all â—he subtile malice of al Hypocrites and trayâ—…urs The lyuyng God establishe his herte in the waye of the trueth for euer and euer So be it ⧠FINIS ⧠The Table A A Rehersall of the benefactours and founders of the Masse Fol. liij An Image can not be a womans husbande Fol. cxlij A declaration of the true churche Fol. lxv Augustine to Dardanius Fol. cxv A double errour Fol. cxxi At his departynge Christe commaunded his remembraunce to be celebrated Fol. cxlix A vaine muÌ„bling called the masse Fol. cxlix A double causion Fol. cl AbrahaÌ„ was iust before circumcisioÌ„ Fol. clxii An answere to the principal pointes after the Doctours Fol. clxvi A broade shauen crowne Fol. clxxi All men muste knowe etc. Fol. lxxviii Accidentes muste haue c Fol. lxxiiii A right bishop c. Fol. lxxv Al the workes of God c Fol. lxxix An apt similitude Fol. clxxxxvii Lit. Dd A shauen crowne c. Fol. clxxxxvii Dd A longe gowne Fol. clxxxxviii Dd An Englishe bishop Fol. ccvi Anne Askue Fol. cciiii B Beleue not euerie spirite Fol. xii Be no more Caparnaites Fol. xxxiiii By what fruite you may know theÌ„ Fol. xli Bonifacius putteth Christ out etc. fol. lxxii Bishops defende wyckednesse fol. cxxxix Baptisme is not estemed as it c fol. lxxxv Because all thinges are possible c. fol. clviii By the workes you shall etc. fol. lxxvii Beware of my Lordes lyes fol. clxxxxii Barnes fol. cciiii Bylnaye fol. cciii C Christ dyd not coÌ„secrate the bread fol. xxxvii Christ can not be eaten without fruite fol. xl Christes comyng is at hande fol. cxxxviii Christes fleshe gyueth lyfe fol. cxiv Christ is the verie vine fol. lxxxxvi Christ shal coâ—… againe visible fol. lxxxxvii Christ onely must be our bishop fol. clix Christ neuer preached traÌ„substaÌ„ c fol. clxiii Cato fol. ccvi D Doctour Buttes fol. cxli Damascen putteth water into c fol. cv DamasceÌ„ wil haue water made bloud fol. cv Damascen fol. cxi Dogges wyl not eate dogs fleshe fol. cxx Doctrine preached at Pauls crosse fo clxxxxi E Ecolampadius repented fol. ciii Exemples of mennes c fol. clxxxxii Cc. F Fewe are founde faythfull fol. lxvi Fyre can not preuayle fol. lxix Fayth receyueth Christes body fol. cxliii Feare not the breade God fol. clvii Fryth is not confuted fol. clxvii From the Elders c fol. clxxiiii Fishe prouoketh lust fol. clxxxx Fyl the bealy fol. ccvii G Go no farther theÌ„ your coÌ„mission fol. xxxvi God hath neuer forsakeÌ„ his churche fol. lxv God flryketh and healeth agayne fol. lxvii Gyue eare for God sayeth it fol. cxlv God regardeth them that worshippe hym in spirite fol. cl God is nere to euerie one of vs. fol. cli God is the father of spirites fol. cli God hath his ministers of venge c. fol. clii God giueth warning before ven c. fol. cliiij God is far in dette to his makers sol clvi God is not chaungable fol. clvi God accepteth iustice by fayth fol. clxiâ— God regardeth not the osferyng of signes or sacramentes fol. clxiii God ment vs good fol. clxiiii God regardeth none of our inueÌ„ c. fol. clxv God is pacient Fol. clxvii Gregorie Nazienzene Fol. clxxxvi Gods word must giue place c. Fol. clxxxix Gyue no eare c Fol. clxxxxiii Lit. Cc. H Howe full of iniquitie this time is Fol. xi Howe God giueth wisedome to al that aske it in fayth fol. xviii Howe the Papistes reason a posse c fol. xx He that hath eyes to see let him see fol. xxxv He that wyl fynde Christ fol. clx Hidra the monster fol. clxxxviii Howe fasting dryueth out c fol. clxxxx He that knoweth not God fol. lxxvii He that is once c fol. lxxix Holy water fol. cci Hunne fol. cciiii Husse fol. cciii I I woulde wishe my Lorde this c fol. xxxiii In two wordes lieth the whole etc. fol. xxxix If we wyl entre into Christes etc. fol. cxlv Iudas dyd not eate the body etc. fol. lxxxxiiii It is possible for God to chaunge etc. fol. cv Idols shal be brent fol. cxlvii Idols be thanked for Gods giftes fol. cliiii In what respect the fleshe of Christ was heauenly breade fol. clxi Iohn Lasselles fol. cciiii It is more easie to liue wel then Ill fol. clxix If thynges be auncient etc. fol. clxix If the prelates had had â–ª etc. fol. clxxiiii It is for the papistes profite fol. clxxvi K Knowledge of the senses fol. xli L Learne to eate the fleshe bloud c. fol. xxxiâ—i Learne to resist sophistrie fol xxxviii Learne to knowe the membres of Christes churche fol. lxviii Learne witte at the mouse fol. lxxxvi Let them that doubt etc. fol. clxvii Learne to auoyed offence etc. fol. clxxxiii Learne at the bishops to fast fol. clxxxiii Learne wherin to folowe Christ fol. clxxxvii Learne to knowe etc. fol. clxxxxix Dd M Marke what meate Christ c fol. xxxiii Marke howe God prouided etc. fol. lxvi Marke who hath ben the. c fol. lxx Maxentius the tirant fol. lxxi My Lorde woulde haue no traÌ„ c. fol. cxliii Marke the fruites of my lordes c. fol. lxxxii Marke my Lordes intent fol. lxxxâ—i Marke my Lordes sophistrie fol. lxxxvi My Lordes owne swerde stryketh of his heade fol. lxxxviii My Lordes wordes ende in ly fol. lxxxxv My Lorde hath loste his witnesse fol. câ—i My lordes similitudes serue not for his purpose fol. cvi Marke the constancie of the Doct. fol. cvii Marke thexaâ—…ation of these c. fol. cxxvi My lorde might haue ben asha c. fo cxxxvii Man hath made hâ—m Goddes fol. cxlviii More
the olde testameÌ„t where the Idoles of the heatheÌ„ ar named in the singular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet for to settâ— forth the vnitie of the godhead alwaie with this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the plural nuÌ„bre is adioined a verbe of the singuler as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And also in the hygh name of God which the Iewes had in so high estimacioÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth sigâ—ifie vnto vs that onely euerlasteing powre wherbi al thinges haue their being is manifestli opeÌ„ed the vnitie indiâ—…sible Of this spirit is it writeÌ„ thus He that hath not the spirite of Christe is none of hys And agayne Who so ener are led by the spirit of God they are â–ª the childreÌ„ of God So â–ª that as we can not be wythout God or Christe su can we not be wythout this spirite proceadeinge from them boeth as Christ him selfe witnesseth saieinge The conforter euen the holye goste whome my father shal sende in my name Againe WhaÌ„ the holy â–ª goste shall come whom I shal send from my father Of this spirite dyd the prophetes speake muche vnder the name of water and fire as Esaie I shall poure forth my spirit vpoÌ„ the thirstie miâ—floudes vpon the drie land I shal poure forth my spirit vpon thy sede and my blesseing vpon thy buddes and the same shal saye I am the lordes Lyke vnto these are there other places as in Esaie xii Eze. xxxvi Psal C. xlvi lxiii This spirit together wyth the father and the sonne this Trinitie and Vnitie that can not be diuided do we belieue and teach not by a blynde saiynge of any doctoure as you do but by the worde of God and the worke of his spirite whiche is able to leade vs into all truth neuer faileth his church builded vpon the rock Christe agaynste the which the gates of hel can not preuaile For by this spirit thus workyng faieth in Christ and loue to God and maâ— is knowne the true church as Iohn sayeth By thys do we knowe that we dwell in hym and he in vs because he hath geuen vs of hys spirite And Paule saieth generally to alâ— the faithful Do you not knowe that you are the church of God and the spirit of God dwelleth in you If any man do defile the teÌ„ple of God him wyl God destroye Thys church of God is holy which you are wher he doeth not meane of the Popes Churche though it wer builded of v. M. proude cardinales and bishopesse much les of our english church built vpoÌ„ the blind ignoraÌ„ce sinful lyueing but of x. oâ— xi horned Miters for three or foure of you woulde all were well so it were not longe of theâ—… but of that onely Churche whyche doeth alwayes knowe heare and folowe the voice of Christe theâ—â— heade and shepeherde and wyll not harkeâ— to the voyce of any straâ—nger Who though they be but. ii or iii. gathered together in the name of Christe beinge alwayes dispersed abrode by the Idole shepherde yet is Christ in the middes of them and shal at the length gather them all in one that ther maye be one shepherde and one folde Thys church is washed this church is sanctified and made holie This churche is iustified by the name of the Lorde Iesu and by the spirite of oure God sayeth Paule Christe so loued thys churche that he spent him selfe for hyr to make hyr holye clenâ—ed throughe the fountaine of water by hys worde that he myght make hir vnto hym selfe a gloriouse churche haueinge no spot blemish or wrinckle or any such thynge But you wyl doubt still O byshopes whether of vs be thys church Whether you gloriouse in the worlde or we despiced Firste therfore marke the fouÌ„dacioÌ„s of this church for ther can no man laie anye other then that is al redye layed the Lorde Iesu Christe ⧠The fyrst foundacion Whome the fayeth hath set as the chosen stoâ— for the fouÌ„dacioÌ„ of the tru church Sion ⧠The seconde foundacion Christe is the heade of thys churche ⧠The threde foundacion And heade shepeherde of thys folde For the fyrste all men iudge that you al ledgeinge so muche mans lawaâ—es establisinge and buildinge your fayeth wyth mans â—â—raâ—y settinge your cousciences vpon your doctours who are but fleshe and bloude do not so greately regarde Christe as we do whyche wyl haue hym oure onely foundacion and wyll admitte nothinge but that is spoken by hys spirite in his scriptures This fayle you in your fyrst foundacion Secondelye if Christe be heade and maister who dyd come humble meke and pore rideinge vpon an asse not hauinge an house where to â—aye hys heade dispisinge al worldly an outwarde glorie when the people would haue made him a kinge why do you ride on mules trapped wyth goulde Why haue you suche castelles holdes parckes and palaices Why wyll you be Lordes worldelie and take to you suche outwarde glorie Christe sayed that hys kyngedome was not of thys worlde and why wyl you beare suche rule heare Yea Christe forbade you to be called maister and why wyll you be called Lorde On the contrarie parte we haue the worde of Christ our heade for vs. Who sayeth Ther is no seruaunt greater then his Lorde and maister If they haue persecuted me they wil persecute you If they haue kept my word they wil kepe yours If the world do hate you knowe that it dyd hate me before it dyd heate you If you were of the worlde the worlde woulde loue that which is his owne But because you are not of the worlde but I haue chosen you forthe of the worlde therfore the worlde hateth you Yet do I leue you peace and my peace do I geue vnto you but not as the worlde geueth do I geue it vnto you â–ª Yea more ouer they shall curse and excommunicate you whyche was your olde practise o prealates and not onely that but the time shal come that who so euer sleath you shall thincke that he doeth high sacrifice vnto God And thys shall they do because they neither knowe my father nor peâ— me Tyrdlye If Christe be the heade shepeherde and dyd for your exemple saye that the learneynge whyche he taught was not hys but his fathers that sent him howe daâ—e you be so boulde to grownde so many thynges on your doctours Christe coÌ„maundeth you to feade hys flocke but you â—…ea them Christ coÌ„maundeth you to edifie but you distroye Christe byddeth you go into all the world to preach his word to al the worlde and to preach hys worde to al creatures but you saie naye none shal haue it but geÌ„tlemeÌ„ the other pore knaues shal haue a sophistrie boke of your gloses I praie you whoÌ„e make you the heade shepeherde in this and al your doeinges Not Christe but your doctours and Idle braines
not onlie the Apostles were scaterid among the heathen but also Ioseph of Arimathia a capitain that buried Christ did fle as our olde cronicles do report bi the prouideÌ„c of god brought the faith into this realme of Englande then called Bretan This persecutioÌ„ of the true churche whiche was the flocke dispiced was stil encreased by the bisshopes of the Iewes criynge that the disciples of Christe were disceyuers teaching a newe faieth errours and herisies goynge aboute to withdrawe from the lawe of Moyses as aperithe throughout the boke of the Actes of the Apostles And this endured xlii yeres vntil the Iewes were coÌ„pellid to forsake their owne contrey being vanquishide and ouercome and by the greate and iust punishemeÌ„t of god distroyed by Titus and vespasianus The disciples also being scatered thorow the heathen but fewe in numbre and as yt were a sede for haruest apointyd did so preache the onely and euerlastynge god and his sone Christe sent in the fleshe to gyne light vnto the world that Idoles began to decay so that the priestes of the Idoles aÌ„d the work men and makers of al suche Idoles yea and their owne brethern the Iewes did in al places moue and sterre persecution Thus was this pore churche beynge but here and there an hanfull to gether caried before kynges Emperowres scourged imprisoned stoned beheaded but in all this did they ouer come through their head Christ who gaue theÌ„ suche spirite and wysedom that no man coulde resist So that the more christiaÌ„ men wer put to deathe by fore and cruell tormentes the more boldli and maÌ„fulli did newe souldiours arise in their stedes Nowe when the helly powre can not preuayle by this way of open tyranny agaynst Christes true churche then dothe the deuille send forthe the disciples and shcolars of the preistes of these Idols whiche were the subtyle philosophers and especially the Grekes of Athens who bringgynge forth reasones of Aristotle and suche other did subtilly dispute agaynste the resurrection In so muche that in his time Paule sayd we do preache Christ crucified to the Iewes an occasion of falling and to the grekes folishnes The Romaines also were at that tyme bothe enstructed withe the Grekes sciences and puffed vp so proudely wyth their great conquestesâ— that they accompted all other menne barbarouse and foleyshe in regarde of them selues So that thei smalli regarded this weake and wearish company of Christ and his scholares that the saying of Christe myght be true the worlde loueth his own and though the sound of their voice wente thorowe the world and they did continually growe and encrease yet did the world persecute them for the space of iii. hundred yeares And at that time wer they most cruelly handled bi Maxentius the tirant Then god stirred vp Constantine who shewed greate fauoure to christian men suffered them frely to preache gaue them leue to builde churches and at the later ende of his life was christened in Nicomedia Now persecution of the church began to cease and than streight began the name of christen men and Christes churche to be coÌ„mune to many but so many heresies sectes and dissentions did arise vp by subtelite of the deuill and by this crafte stopped the truthe in suche sorte that the true church was but in fewe Euen then the chief of your doctours menne suerly whom I neuer do dispise but when you do bringe them as witnesses agaynst the truthe the best lerned I sai of al your doetours partli blinded by the greke philosophy wherin they were noselled euen from their infancie and partly driuen therunto by the subtill arguments of the crafti heretickes Arius Macedonius Nestorius Eurites and suche other were coÌ„pelled to write many suche thinges as they did afterwarde retracte and recante as their own workes do sufficiently witnes testifyinge of them selues that they were faâ—e to take suche weapons in hande some time as had but smal grounde in holie scripture But to go forthe withe our purpose thus was the church of Christ in the time of Constantinus euen in the dispite of the wicked groune vp into estimation and made so generall of so small beginning that al the children of god might openly beholde that the folyshenes of god is wiser then men and the weakenes of god is stronger then men But such is the estate condicion of men agayne by the prouidence of God that nothinge sholde longe continewe in prosperite And if at any tyme it chaunce so to doe we waxe ouer proude and so forget who is the geuer therof Yet did the churche florish so long as the bishopes did preache the gospell of Christe in pouertie so longe as the bishope of Rome was not lord ouer the empier but a feder of Christes flocke so long as al other bishopes were no lordes but pastours and herde men watching carefully vp on their folde not de sirynge dominion rule and worldlye gouernaunce neyther sekyng theyr owne honoure and gayne But teachinge their britherne the kingdome of God Suche good bisshoppes were Athanasius and Epiphanius Such good bisshopes were the membres of the true church for yet wer they not so proud to name them selues God makers but ministers of God seruantes apointed to bestow his treasures And as they wer begotten children of the churche of Christ by the worde of truthe so did thei liue and growe vp by the same word and by no mans doctrine Thus continued they in christian pouertie to the yere of our Lorde ccccc xix When Iustinius the Emperour of Constantinople did call them forth agayne beinge longe disquietid and sore oppressed by the continuall warres of all realmes and prouinces and boeth he and Iustinianus hys sisters sonne dyd shewe vnto theÌ„ greate beâ—euolence and fauour He gaue them greate giftes and appointed them salares and wages TheÌ„ was Agapitus byshop of Rome sent to the emperour by Theodocius to bring al thinges vn to a christian vnitie This Agapitus was so holy a man that as he entred the gates of CoÌ„staÌ„tinople a certayn blind man receiued hys sight Then folowed Gregorius magnus after whome we reade of no true preachinge of the worde of god by any bishoppes And therfore dyd the bishopes and their scholars from that daye forward growe into a Sâ—nagoge of sathaÌ„ firste gounded in pride and ambicion as appeareth by their owne histories Bonifacius the thirde optaiueinge of Phocas to be byshoppe of all bishopes and to be the spirituall heade of the churche puttinge Christ from his office whom onely al christiaÌ„ meÌ„ must acknolege the spiritual head of his church though all Kinges and gouernours be by god appointed the ciuile heades of the bodye politicke This dyd he growe vp by little and little he I saye and hys successours euen to the highest estate of Antichrist banisheinge Christe hys worde and his fourme of liueinge seting him selfe in the hertes and consciences of men the uerie true churche of God nameing hym selfe an
againe Haueinge no nede as other byshopes haue to offer for hys owne sinnes and then for the synnes of the people for he hath done that once whan he offerred him selfe Againe in the. ix Chap By hys owne bloude wente he in once into â—he holie place euerlasteinge redemption opâ—ained The whiche euerlasteinge redemption if we haue optained al redie in that he offerred hym selfe by spirite euerlasteinge as Paule sayeth without spot vnto God and so hath purified oure conscience from deade workes what neade we an other pope Byshope or prieste to offer hym agayne Hath he not sufficiently and aboundantly offered hym selfe for the sinnes of the whole world Howe can the priest then offer hym to take a waâ—e sinnes or profite quicke and deade For those selfe same sinnes wer taken away before by Christ or else shal they neuer be taken waie by the pâ—istes Therfore is this but vaine iug linge for money and for the maintenaunce of your dignities Againe Christe is gone into heauen that he maye appeare nowe in the sight of God for vs not that he may oft offer hym self what authorite than I pray you hath the priest oft to offer hym for than muste he oft haue suffered sith the world was made But now once at the later ende of the worlde for to driue awaye sinne dyd he appeare by the offeringe of hym self And where as all men once must die and after receyue iudgment so also Christe is once offerred vp that he maye take awaye the sinnes of manye Agayne in the. x. wee are made holie by the offeringe of the bodâ— of Christe once done What it is that yoâ— priestes do offer so ofte I shal tel you anoâ—… Euerie priest sayeth Paule standeth daie â–ª ly doinge sacrifice and offerringe the saâ—… oblacions often tymes which neuer can take awaye sinne Which wordes â—houghe thei 〈◊〉 spoken onely of the priestes of the olde lawe yet coÌ„parynge that which foloweth it shalbe proued true in you of the newe lawe For Christe after one offeringe offerred for sinnes â—â—tteth for euer at the right hande of god A gaine By one onely offerringe hath he made peâ—fecte for euer so many as are made holie Iâ— he haue made vs perfect by one only offeringe wherto serue the priestes â–ª that we maye conclude as Paulle doeth Where ther is remission of and forgeuenesse of sinnes be 〈◊〉 in the olde testament or the newe â—hâ—re remaineth no farther oblacion or offerringe for them Contrariwise as Paulle reasone the with them so maie we reasone with you if thys offeringe myght take a waye sinne or make theÌ„ perfecte that vse it woulde they not haue leste of the offerringe of it for them selfe their foundars and all suche as they vsed it for Because nowe they shoulde haue had no conscience of their sinnes which hade thus sacrified and bene once purged Therfore sayeth Paule in the sacrifices of the olde lawe whyche were not done wyth out bloude was onely the commemoracion and remembraunce yerely of sinnes And Christe hym selfe sayeth of thys oure sacrament Do thys in the remembraunce of me Lyke as in the passouer whyche was the figure of oure deliueraunce by Christe the vn spotted lambe yerely remembraunce was commaunded to be done Though by the open word of god who is able to chaunge what lyketh hym whose powre no man euer doubted of that had but the gifte of reasone the ceremonie of oure redemption which they had but in shadowe and we haue in trueth and therfore it ceased whan the bodye that is Christe did come and offer the true passeouer lambe thoughe I saye thys ceremonie of the Iewes be by these open wordes of God thus named Thys is the passouer of the Lorde yet was ther neuer any of the Iewes priestes so mad to saye that God chaunged any substaunce by thys worde is yet were they all baptised by Moyses as Paule witnesseth in the cloude â–ª and in the sea And they all did eate the same spiritual meate and drinke the same spirituall drinck for they dyd drinke of the spirituall drinke whiche folowed them The stone was Christe But we more grosse and carnall by much in all oure doeinges blowe inges and blâ—ssâ—iâ—ges then were â—he pharisies though Christe sâ—ke such worshipers as shall worshâ—e hym in spirite not contented wyâ—h the spirituall fode of the soule wherwiâ—â— onely he feadeth the soule because it is also a spirit and therfore taketh no fode but onely Christe and hys worde spiritually ministred whyche are spirite and life where as â—he fleshe profiteth nothinge â—oeth as we reade in the sixt of Iâ—hâ— and the manifeste example of the olde byshopes haueinge hym carnally present amonge them â–ª and as you will haue it Iudas and all the wicked do carnally and fleshely eate hym and yet do not abyde in hym but haue damnacioâ— contrarie to the sainge of Christ He that eateth my fleshe and dâ—…h my bloude hath euerlastinge life and I shall raise hym vp at the laâ—â—e daye And againe He that eateth mi fleshe and drincketh my â–ª bloude abydeth in me and I in hym And as Iohn sayth in hys firste Epistle God hath geuen vs euerlastinge lyfe and thys lyfe is in hys sonne He that hath the sonne hath life and he that hath not the soÌ„ne of God hath not lyfe All whiche scriptures â—oeth they that teach vs that Christe can no more nether neadeth againe in bodye to be offerred and sacrificed and therfore compell vs to graunt that these wordes thys is bodie which shalbe geuen for you were neuer ment so carnally that euerie prieste â—…blinge these wordes in a strange language with breathing and bloweing shoulde cause Christe to come downe from the right hand of the father to be chaunged into bread that he myght sacrifice hym newe againe to take awaye sinnes In lyke maner do those scriptures that teach all sacrifices to be perpetuall commemoracions and remembraunces of the spirituall eateinge of Christe amonge the fathers of the olde testameÌ„t and that Christ likwise wyll haue thys sacrament ministred in the remembraunce of hym in the newe testameÌ„t wher as the speache maye feme verie idle to saye make me in the remembrauÌ„ce of me althought it so were that it myght be so sayed without intolerable arrogancie as it can not in any wise whether you saie you make him by hys worde or no as shall appeare afterwarde Those scriptures also whyche teach that we haue life euerlasteinge so â—â—â—y of vs as eate hâ—s fleshe and drinke hys bloude yea that we shall neuer be hongrie or â—hirstie agayne so many of vs â–ª as once do taâ—e of thys bread comming from heauen Finally alscriotures that teach how and after what sort Christ is profitable vnto vs for they are the chiefe establyshementes of oure fayeth that were not present with him at suche time as he was budilie vpon the earth That is to saye that the flesh profiteth no thinge The wordes that I
haueinge but one texte thorough out al the Bible that maketh for your purpose do swareue frome that and put ther vnto your gloses whyche do also driue you frome the firste texte this is my bodye when you write that it is in fourme of bread and vnder the accidentes and qualites of breade For Christe dyd not saye in thys is my bodie or vnder this is mi bodie But this is my bodie Wherfore nowe 〈◊〉 â—…e you shoulde slaunder vs no more wyth denieing of the scripture for we denie but your gloses It is scripture that we striue for It is scripture that we desier It is scripture that you denie vs vnder the degre of geÌ„tile men Wherein doublesse if we boeth had our senâ—… diligently occupied and exâ—…sed spiritually â–ª nâ— doubte not onely thys text but al the misterie of redempcion shoulde be so well knowne that we woulde no longer seke our redemer vpon eâ—…er here nor ther but onely at the right hande of hys father from whâ—â—e sendeingâ— his spirite he maxe saue vs at the fâ—ll so many as by hym wyll go to God We do beleue wyth oure herte and must playnely and simplye coÌ„fesse with oure mouth that thys is the bodie of Christ thys is the bloude of Christ thys cup is the newe testament that the fleshe of Christe is verie meaâ—e and hys bloude verie drinke That Christ is the waye the trueth and the liâ—… the doâ—e the good shepeherde Christe is the verie true vine and we the braunchese That all we are one breade and one verie bodie so mani as be partakers of one breade And al these thynges I do beleue more surely then if I dyd se them wyth mine eyes or perceiue them with any other sense â—ecause the knowledge of the spirite farre passeth all other knowledge and the heauenly thynges are sure when the other are but decâ—euable shadowes It is neither Manna that fed the fathers neither any other thinge or name vnder heauen but onely the breade comminge downe from heauen that is the verie true meaâ—e geueinge lyfe to the worlde Thus are we fully taught in the text of Iohn where we maye most playnely se this spâ—…ual eatinge whereof onely all confort lyfe and fode of the soule do arise and stowe forth In that Chap we learne that the people folowinge Christ for the hope of meate because he had fed them a little before were by him called according to the whole course of the scriptures as maye appeare specially to hym that hath bene diligently exercised in the misteries of the prophetes from the sensible and outwarde bodily thynges to thynges inwarde and spirituall For the beautie of thys kinges daughter as Dauid saieth is inwarde And therefore doeth our sauiour admonishe them that sought hym for meate that before all thynges they shoulde worcke the meate that neuer perisheth Thus goeth he frome the meate that nourisheth the bodie vnto the meate of hys heauenly worde that nourisheth the soule This meate he calleth the heauenly meate that geueth lyfe vnto the worlde and that so abundantly that who so eateth it shall neuer be hungri agayne Thys meate as the maner of the Hebrues is to call all kinde of meate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so doothe he same tyme call it breade 〈◊〉 meate When they hearinge thys dyd imagine bodily meate as Manna that Moses gaue he openeth thys meate sayinge I am the breade of lyfe He that cometh to â—â—e shall not be hungrie and he that beleueth in me shall neuer be thirstie By the whyche wordes he meaueth none other thynge but that those that come vnto hym that is to saye beleue in hym for so are the wordes folowinge they can none other wayes be wrasted Qui veuit ad me non esuriet et qui credit in me non sitiet vnquam They shall seke none other foode but onely thys verie breade that cometh downe from heauen The Iewes astonied that he called hym selfe the breade comming downe from heauen and the liuely meate sayed Is not thys the sonne of Ioseph But Christe admonished them againe byddinge them not grudge at thys for it standeth not in the capacite of man but by the inspiracion of the spirite as the prophet saied They shalbe al taught of God Wherfore it is not possible for any maÌ„ to beleue that Christe was borne from heauen the meate of the soule excepte the father drawe hym Then goeth he farther to shewe howe he is the meate of the soule and howe he shoulde be eaten For the firste he saieth thus Verilie I saie vnto you He that beleueth in me hath euerlasting life I am the breade of life whiche came downe from heauen that men might eate of thys breade and not dye But to tell the wattier plaine Thys breade that I wyll geue you is my fleshe which I wyll geue for the lyfe of the worlde Thys offeringe of my selfe for you shall reconcile the worlde vnto my father and therby geue it life This therfore is it that I haue spoken so longe vnto you whan I shal be offerred vp for the worlde and dye for the sinnes therof than shall I be the meate of soules wherby they liue ascerteined of the mercie of God who nowe can denie nothinge vnto man seinge he hath geuen his owne sonne for him Thus therfore is my fleshe the meate of the soule beinge flaine for the deade that thei might liue Not as you thinke geueing it vnto you as I am counersant amonge you for that whyche is engendred of the fleshe is fleshe and therfore my fleshe carnally eaten can bring furth nothing but fleshe but contrariewise the fleshe of Christe â—…ge for vs maketh vs spirituaâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therfore the childreÌ„â—… of God On thys sorte it is verie meaâ—e and verie drinke But the Iewes coulde not perceiue thys but sayed againe Howe can he geue vs his flesh to eateâ— vnto 〈◊〉 Christ sayeth againe excepte 〈◊〉 the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloude you shal noâ— haue lyfe in you What Lorde hath no man lyfe but that denoureth the wyâ—h hys teâ—h and swaloweth the downe hys throte Or hath euerie suche euerlastynge lyfe as doeth eate the carnally and bodâ—â—e euen the same bodie wherein thou liuedest wheÌ„ thou saidest He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude hath euerlastinge lyfe and I wil raise him at the laste daye Naye surely For than euerie Idolatour and whorâ—â—onger who can haue no parte in thy kingdome myght make them selfe sure of life by their owne worcke For they saye they eate the carnally and bodily fleshe bloude and bones But o men ouer muche carnall and fleshlye and yet not once vnderstaÌ„dinge what should folowe of the coÌ„mone iudgment of the senses Bâ—t as Iudas propâ—ecied vpon you euê in suche thinges as you haue the knowledge of by the course of nature commune wyth brute beastes in the same you are corrupted Ipraie you therfore suffer me to reasoÌ„e with you accordeinge to your
fleshe profiteth nothinge thought it were eaten euerie meÌ„bre after other But the spirite giueth life Who leadeth vs to the fode that bringeth lyfe euerlasteinge And thus by the spirite whiche onely isprofitable we vnder stande these wordes Take and eate thys is my bodie which is giuen for you That like as I geue the bread to be eaten wyth the bodilie tethe so do I geue mi bodie to be eaten bi faith and that of the spirite For nowe shal it be geuen vnto the death that you maye haue lyfe And thus is my fleshe verie meate and my bodie breade and fode whiche maye be taken and receiued onely spiritually and not carnally bodilie or really In lyke maner therfore as you do bodilie take this brad at my hande eate it wyth your mouth and so receiue it into your stomake and bodie for the fode and sustentacion of your naturall lyfe so muste â–ª you by fayth the onely meane wherby ye maye eate or haue me present vpon erth receiue my body beleueing that my bodie is geuen for you that where you were deade frome God by your synnes I haue brought youfurth to leue in good workes vnto my father who compteth you nowe aâ—… children an heâ—ers prepared to euerlasteingâ—… lyfe so many as belieue truste in my deathâ—… Thus doeth Christe geue the breade to bâ—… eaten bodily with the mouth but hys bodiâ—… to be eaten spiritually in the spirite by faith And thys is it that good byshop Augustine sayeth What doest thou prepare thy teeth and thy bealiâ—… Beleue and thou haste eaten It is fleshe as I haue saied before what so euer bringeh not lyfe and therfore it profiteth nothing so ar al things that ar don without faith wherfore if christ might be eaten with the mouth as he might be in dede if he were bodilie in the breade which boeth fayethfull and vnfaythful do eate then myght Christe be eaten wythout fruite whiche is contrarie to the manifeste worde of God which affirmeth that who so euer eateth him hath euerlasteinge lyfe We do conclude therefore that there is but one onely eateinge of the bodie of Christ whyche is perceiued of the faythfull onely none otherwyse then these wordes whyche is geuen for you and whyche is shed for the remission of sinnes are proper and peculiar vnto them onely And to tell you somewhat of your sophistrie WhaÌ„ you reasone in this wyse Thys is the bodie of Christe therfore 〈◊〉 is naturally really and bodily hys bodie It is a fallax or deceiueable argument of sophistrie affirminge that simpliciter quod est modo aliquâ— Thys câ—n euerie sophiste of Cambridge tell you And we knowe that it is small reasone to conclude that Iohn baptist was thâ— same Elias that was dead many hundred yeres before hys tyme because Christe saâ—ed that he was Elias except we shoulde be of the opinion of the fonde Phylosophers who helde that the soules of men departed went into other newe bodies and so coÌ„tinued stil immortal In like maner whaÌ„ Iosephe saieth that the. vii fatte oxen are vii good yeres and the. vii leane one 〈◊〉 vii yuell yeres â–ª we maye not coÌ„clude that oxâ— or â—ieÌ„ aâ— natural yeres More ouer wheÌ„ Christ saieth that the worde of God is a sede it is but a slender argument to saye therfore it is a bodylye sede An hundred suche places maye be brought And yet if thei can bring but one place where God hath sayed This is such a thynge and woulde haue at corporally so to be I wyll gladly geue place vnto them thoughe it be so that the thynge do not appeare to be as God hath sayed it is But I do know â—…m certaine in my beliefe that al the workes of the Lorde be trueth And as he hath sayed that they be so shall they be and are in dede either in spirite or else in the sight of all men bodilie ¶ An answere coÌ„cerneing the knowledge of The seÌ„ses and a declaracion of al the. xii Articles of the fayth whyche euerie true Christian man muste beleue in herte and Confesse wyth moUth THus far haue I brought in mi faith plainely contrarie to no place of scripture except you call Your gloses scripture And where I myght haue your owne doctours to confirme the same yet wyll I not stir contencion so farre Knoweinge that no thynge hath bene so popeishlie thaught neither worshiping of Images and Idoles praieing to saintes and fond pilgrimages nor yet monasteries monkes purgatorie and the poppe hym selfe but it hath bene by theÌ„ and their subtile argumeÌ„tes diuised and by their writeinges set forth and maintained Wyth dainger therfore haue we folowed them ouer long But nowe you maye not thyncke styll to leade vs captiues from Christe whome we loke for spedilye to come into iudgement wyth vs when we shalbe iudged by his word and not by their writeinges We haue folowed you to longe beinge but blynde guides gropeinge after your blynde wayes in the darcke wythout wit reasone or faith but onely because your holie father of Rome and that holie mother churche dyd so belieue and teach and nowe at lengh as our holy mother church of Englande doeth leade and therfore maye you worthyly cal vs as you do beastely blinde and therfore far from the knowledge of our religion But nowe that your father is fallen and weseke for our father in heauen desireinge hys kingedom to come vpon the erthe and praieing for the foode of our soules his heauenly breade whiche you haue so longe banished and neither woulde your selfe enter into his kingedome nor suffer them that woulde to enter accordeinge to the sayeinge of Christe our sauioure we knoweynge that what so euer is not of fayth is sinne and that fayth is of heareynge not of you Byshoppes and your doctours but of the worde of God whyche can deceiue no man nor yet be deceiued desire and require you to beate into oure heades no longer as articles of oure faith your chaunge of suâ—… staâ—… your accidentes qualities and quaÌ„tities in fourme and vnder the fourme of dreade to go awaye from it when the bread musteth and brenneth you knowe not how For thys your answere is an euident argument that you knowe as little howe it came ther. And thinke not much I praie you that we do in thys mattier â—…ye your crafte â—…d falsehode not onely wyth scriptures but also wyth oure reasones and outwarâ—e senses The whyche three that is to saye Fayeth grownded vpon the worde of God reasone that caâ—â—e not be resisted and the senses as sight tasteinge smellinge and felinge which can by no learneinge but by your schole be deceiued Yet you woulde haue vs wholely captiuated vnto you in all these thinges that you might leade vs wher you lyste to make vnseÌ„sible chauÌ„g where you blowe and blesse crosse and kisse No faile in thynges far distant as is the â–ª sinne moue and sterres and diuers other thynges he senses maye
needfull that you bishoppes whiche buyld your selues a newe churche cleane coutrarâ— both in life and learning vnto the church oâ— Christ shoulde haue al thinges newe chaunged both rites or ceremonies wordes thâ— thynges them selues and their names Anâ— yet in the. xiiij leafe you saye thus The true churche hath taughte playnelyâ— that the substaunce of bread is chaunged inâ—… to the substaunce of Christes naturall body Is it not the churche of Rome that you meane I am sure it is For vnto suche tyme as your holy father Bonifacius and Innocentius Byshoppes of Rome became the vniuersal heades and fathers and their stout chaÌ„pion Peter the LoÌ„barde and other worldly clerkes blynded wyth ambitiou and bewitched wyth schole learnyng and such like doctrine of the Deuyll Sophistrie and contentious babblynge thys chaunge of substaunces was neuer imagined But cleane coÌ„trary wyse The true churche euen from the begynnyng hath fed of the spirituall meate that folowed them that is hath had their coÌ„forte in Christe beinge the lambe all readie slayne before the begynnynge of the worlde The promysed seede of the woman who should breake the serpentes heade The seede in whom all nations of the earth shoulde be blessed They haue I say by their fayth eateÌ„ the same spiritual meate and druÌ„ckeÌ„ the same spiritual drynke and therfore haue ben fedde wyth thys onely fode of the soule and haue gotten the forgyuenes of their synnes and therefore lyfe euerlastyng by the same fayth in the death of Christe that we haue Who if he be a sufficient Sauiour in that he dyd come in the fleshe and thereby onely taketh away sinne you shal neuer driue vs to seeke him as a sauiour rauÌ„some for syn in your â—oÌ„iured bread vnseÌ„sible chauÌ„ge of substaÌ„ce This spiritual feadeinge of Christ crucifiede you maye learne in Augustine Chrisostome and all the olde doctours saueinge that some of theÌ„ in al thinges that they wyl magnifie do speake so at learge that they open many holes to subtile sophisters to establyshe their craftilie inuented sophismes of sacrifice and realitie And some of them slide from the spirite to the fleshe both in this and other mattiers ¶ A declaracion of the true churche what sorte of people haue bene the same church euen from the beginninge TO trie therfore thys true churche which hath coÌ„tinued in the doctrine not of the fleshe but of the spirite euen froÌ„ the the beginninge Who also did not knowe any other waye to heauen then Christe not eaten fleshe bloud and bones but hoped for and beleaued vpon to be the light of the heathen the glorie of Israell and the saluacion of the whole worlde That like as by fleshe and by man euen the firste man Adam all the worlde was loste and deade so by Christe takinge the flesh of man named the secound Adame all shoulde be saued and haue life Vnderstande that the true church hath alwayes had this belife of Christe Firste that he was to come and nowe that he is come in the fourme of maÌ„ in none other fourme of any other creature And thys church though it were alwaies a little flocke as Christ our heade calleth it yet was it neuer destitute either of thys spiritual knoweledge or yet of trwe teachers and maintainers of the same But God allwaies of his goodnes hath continually stirred vp his faithful witnesses of his trueth to the coÌ„deÌ„nacion of the world whiche canne go no farther then the fleshe leadeth Firste had we Adame who liued many yeres after Abel was slaine and taught hys posteritie of this sede promised by God For he perceiued by the death of thys innocent that â–ª a lambe should be slaine as Iohn sayth he was Nain euen from the beginuing of the worlde and dyd firmely belieue because of the promise made that by the sede of the womaÌ„ and none other creature the heade of the serpent should be broken After these we had Seth Enoch Mathusalem Noe and Sem. After them or rather in the time of Sem so sone as wickednes did beginne to springe againe God sent faithful Abraham taught him the sacrifice of his soÌ„ne Christ In whom taking the nature of man and so offred a sacrifice vnto his father lest we should seke any other sacrifice but Christ comeyng in the flesh and dieyng for vs in the same the true faith hath this only foundacion Than folowed Isac Iacobe and Iosephe Men taken forth of their own kinredes and â—ontries and but a fewe and smal numbre in regarde of the greate multitude that myght be laied against theÌ„ if any multitude might appres the truth yet did they spread leaue behinde them the true trade of the spirituall worship of God and full trust in him onely vnto the worldes foloweinge Than whan Ioseph was almost forgotteÌ„ not of the faith full but of the Egiptians God stirred vp Moyses and he teacheth plainely that the lorde shal raise vp a man euen like him and he that wyll not heare hym shall dye Thus teacheth he lyfe by the spiritual â–ª eating of Christe that is to saye by the hearinge of his worde and receiueinge hym into oure hertes by saieth acknoweledgeing that by the deathe of hys fleshe all fleshe liueth Yet for all the wonderfull worckes that this Moses wroughte for al the plain teacheinges that he taughte so that he was worthyly called the faithfull minister of the house of God onely Iosue and Caleb are alowed of God amonge the greate nombre of manye thousandes that Moyses led that it maye clearely appeare that many are called and fewe founde fayethfull witnesses of the trueth to his chosen churche which hangeth onely on the hande of the liueinge God not regardeing fleshe or any outward thing but onely the worcke of the spirite and the promise to be perfourmed bi Christ GOD and manne in all thynges After all these God sterred vp Gedeon the beater downe of Idolatrie and other such iudges vnto the time of Samuel Dauid and Elias who made hys complainte sayeinge Lorde they haue destroyed thine altares and slayne thy Prophetes and I am lefte alone and they seke my life In this mannes steade was Eliseus taken from the 〈◊〉 low to be an ernest witnesse After him folowed Esaias and streighte after him Hiereâ—…ias Than Daniell and after hym Zacharias Onias and the faythfull wittnesses of the Machabees Than Simion Zacharias and Iohn Baptiste who alwayes called vppon the liuing God and trusted vpon hym so that no manne can deny me but that thys your God impanate is your God onely whom our fathers knewe not at any time Worthy therfore is he to be stoned to death that teacheth anye suche newe God to the posterietie All these had the same spirituall meate and the same spirituall drincke for the refreshing of their soules that we nowe haue because they were of the true church whereof Christ is the heade of whom as of the first begotten all spirituall kinreddes haue theyr
you are the braunches And continuinge in these parables whiche he accustomed his speache vnto in al his sermons and nowe moste specially towardes his death he opened his mistèries for to rauishe the myndes of his disciples that he myghte prynte them the better in their memorie and contrariwyse that the wycked shoulde heare wyth their eares and not vnderstande see wyth their eyes and not perceyue as Christe alledgeth out of the. vi of Esaie in the. xiii of Math. Thus is the highe wysdome of God alwayes vsed from the begynnyng In Moyses wyth his figures In Solomon with his Prouerbes And ryghte so in all the scriptures to the intent that the preciouse Margarite shoulde not be caste to the hogges He wonderfully enstructed his disciples of his departyng Sometyme in parabbles soâ—…tyme wythout parables in thys and the. ii chapters folowing Wheras he might haue conforted them substancially â—…t one worde as you teache if he had sayed I wyl not go from you for alwayes when you wyll haue me do onely blowe these iiii wordes this iâ— my body ouer a litle breade and you shall haue me straighte wayes at hande But oh blynde guides Christe telleth you that the fleshe profiteth nothynge though you haue it present as the Iewes Iudas and the bishoppes had Yea though Iudas had eaten it as you wryte that he dyd in the supper No though he had eaten hym alyue when he kyssed and betrayed him Though he had then eaten Christe I saye euen as he went on the grounde whiche is the thynge that you do so sore stryue about that he must be eaten as he went on the earth sauyng onely that thys muste be done inuisibly Thoughe as you say he were thus eateÌ„ in fleshe Christ sayth the fleshe profiteth nothyng at al. And where as you cal thys the chiefe holines and chiefe worshippe Christe sayeth his father seeketh suche worshippers as wyll worshippe hym in spirite and trueth and not in the fleshe shadowes and ceremonies Agayne Christe sayeth I dyd not speake these thynges vnto you from the beginning because I was wyth you But you papistes wyl answer So art thou present styl though thou be hid in a boxe or a litle breade Christe sayeth nowe do I go vnto hym that sent me and I demaunde of you papistes howe he went vnto his father that sent hym Not the Deuyl but the scripture and the angelles of God shall answere for you Christe after he was rysen froÌ„ death gathered his Apostles together and commaunded them to tarie at Hierusalem and to awayte for their conforâ—our the holy spirite whom he had promised to sende them when he departed in fleshe froÌ„ the earth And whilse he spake thus vnto theÌ„ he was in the sight of them all taken vp and a cloude couered hym And whylse they loked stedfastly vp into heauen beholdyng his goinge beholde ii men stode by theÌ„ in white garmentes whiche sayed Ye men of Galesee why stande you gasyng vp into heauen Thys same Iesus whiche is taken vp from you into heauen shal so come as you haue seene hym go into heauen He is gone none otherwyse but in the fleshe his fleshe therefore is not in the breade When he cometh agayne he shall come visibly euen as he went in the syght of them al as the angelles wytnes He is not therfore inuisible in the bread Nowe thys your opinion of his being vpon the earth in the fleshe and sufferyng of hym selfe to be hid in a litle boxe and such cakes whereof an hundrede are scarse worth one halfpeny is to shamfull There is no reuerence of God in his sonne remaynynge iâ—… your hertes And therefore as the Propheâ—… Osee sayeth though God shewe the trueth of his lawe neuer so often vnto you yet do you take it but for a straung doctrine Wheras they do sacrifice sayth the Prophete offeryng the fleshe and eatyng it the Lorde wyll haue no pleasure therin but wyll remembre their wickednesse and punishe their synnes Israell woulde turne agayne into Egypte to the fleshe pottes They put fleshe theyr arme which is ment by seekinge to Egypte In many places of the kynges also Yea alwayes both in figures and open wordes the folowyng of the fleshe and outward holines whiche is communely voied of the spirite is sore rebuked greuously punished Therfore addeth the prophete They haue forgotten hym that made them they buylde churches and Iuda maketh many stronge bulworkes I wil therfore sende a fyre into their cities and it shall consume their palaices Agayne sayeth Ose As for the Prophete you holde hym a fole aâ—d hym that is ryche in the spirite for a madde man So greate is your wickednesse Fleshe you are fleshe you seeke voied and destitute altogether of the spirite of God the onely authour of al truth and vnfeyned holines Christe sayeth I tell you truth it is profitable to you that I go for if I do not go froÌ„ you the spirite of conforte can not come vnto you But if I go I shall sende hym vnto you These wordes were fyrste proued true in the Apostles whiche were conforted by the spirite after theyr mournyng for the bobily absence of theyr maister And nowe also doth it appeare true in you papistes that the liuely coÌ„fort of the spirite is â—mally felt or regarded amoÌ„gest you whilse you thinke your selues to haue Christe bodily amonge you Agayne Christe sayeth vnto his father Thys is euerlastynge lyfe to knowe the onely the true God and whom thou hoste sent Iesu Christe You saye is euerlastyng lyfe and the chiefe misterie of our religion to knowe thys cake to be a God to knowe the wyne to be a whole Christe God and man where all faythfull hertes muste needes confesse that it is no god nor caÌ„ be god what so euer is made with mans hande For both the thinge that is made as the boke of wisedom telleth is inferiour to the man that made it and because maÌ„ him selfe is mortal the thing that he maketh caÌ„ not be god immortall But I knowe your answere The priest maketh it by the worde of God I answere you agayne We can neither see nor perceyue any maner of thynge there but onely the breade that is made by the hande of the bakar and therfore made and facioned by the handes of man who hath but a borowed spirite and vnhappie are they and amonge the deade is theyr hope that call them Gods whiche are the workes of mens handes Thys is the errour of mannes lyfe when men ascribe vnto stockes and stones and other vile creatures the name of God whiche ought to be gyuen vnto no creature Yea they are twise vnhappy and accursed that do hereby make the creature abominable also depriue the creatoure and maker of all of his dewe honoure But marke agayne that whiche Christ sayth in the same chapter of Iohn Nowe am I not in the worlde and these are in the worlde and
of moste weight importaunce Wherby is wrought the marueilous wisedome of God who onely wyl be accompted alwaies true vprighte and iuste in all his wordes and that all men should appeare as they are lyars If in any one man shoulde rest the fulnes of al trueth we woulde by our weakenesse verie proudely swere into his wordes thereupoÌ„ establish oure beliefe and make hym as it were an earthly God Paule therefore led by the spirite of God taketh his maister Gamaliell and the greate Rabines to no counsell in the settynge furth of the high misteries which God had reueiled vnto him No he woulde not confer with fleshe and bloude that is with any man notwithstanding he him selfe was wonderfully enstructed in the lawe and became irreprehensible therin beinge a pharisei that is to saye an interpreter and as your men are a doctoure hym selfe Notwythstandynge he bryngeth nothynge of Thalmud he teacheth not hynge by the traditious of their fathers but by Moyses by the prophetes and the open worde of God whereupon onely fayth can haue his foundation Fayth is of hearing sayth Paule and this is by the hearing of the worde of God and not of mans doctrine Though you therfore do cal this your doctrine of the real and carnal preseÌ„ce of Christ vnder the fourme of bread and wine the fouÌ„dation of our faith yet were they neuer set in our olde Crede beliefe nor nuÌ„bred among the. xii articles of our faith And Paule wheÌ„ he said I do only know Iesu Christ and him crucified which is the very fouÌ„dation of our faith wherby we might be saued though we lyued in wyldernesse or dyed vpon the seas without thys sacrament Yea though we be murdered in your presence and by your formentes put to death wythout the receyueinge of this Sacrament For our â—ayth standeth fully grounded vpon this worde Whâ— so euer confesseth Christe to be come in the fleshe he is borne of God and who so euer beleueth and is baptised the same is saued Adde you hereunto what newe foundations you please We feele in oure hertes beinge taughte by the open worde that no man can laye any other foundation but Iesu Christe By whose death we dye from confidence in all creatures and by whose rysynge from death we do ryse agayne and do seeke thinges that are aboue where Christe sitteth at the right hande of God ⧠Of contrarietie and coÌ„tradiction THe Deuyll hath an other piece of Sophistrie which is in conterfaite contradictions wherein he vseth for a preface and introduction a moste certeyne trueth whiche is that trueth agreeth wyth it selfe and hath no parte contrarie to an other Wherefore seinge the worde of God is an infallible trueth it hath no contrarieties in it selfe All the worlde muste assent hereunto But thus the Deuyll procedeth to his cauillations from thynges euidently true by little chaunge to thinges euideÌ„tly false HeaueÌ„ and earth haue a kinde of contradiction Christe is in heauen where saynt Stephane dyd se him Ergo he is not in the earth in the sacrament of the aultare Christe ascended into heauen Ergo he taryeth not here He sitteth at the righte hande of God Ergo he is not in the sacrament of the aultare He is the creatoure Omnia per ipsum sacta sunt All thinges be made by him Ergo he is not a creature made of breade He dwelleth not in the teÌ„ples made with mannes handes Ergo he is not in the box vpon the high aultare Your solution to these opeÌ„ scriptures and moste euident argumentes is at one worde and that is this They be taken for notable coÌ„tradictions and insoluble sophisines and in effecte in all these argumentes there is no contrarietie or contradiction in the thinges but onely a repugnaunce and impossibilitie to mans carnal capacitie But I beseche you good bishop is there no contrarietie in the thinges Is not heauen and earth cleane contrarie Haue you so captiuated your wittes and dulled your vnderstandinge that you caÌ„ not perceiue those two thinges to the coÌ„trarie God is the creatoure and maker of all therefore can he not be a creature made of breade He dwelleth not in the temples made with mannes handes for the heaueÌ„ of heauens can not contayne him therfore is he not enclosed in a litle box and hanged vp by a bande It is to muche shame for any priest bishoppe or christian man to thinke so vnreuerently of the secrete maiestie of God as that he mighte be bounde vnto a place enclosed in a cake or a litle boxe seinge boeth heauen and earth be full of his dreadfull maiestie and we what so euer we be do lyue be moued and haue our beinge of him He is infinite incomprehensible vnmeasurable higher then the high heauens lower then the deape botomles waters he measureth the wyde worlde wyth his spanne and coÌ„teyneth all enclosed in his fiste Wyth him the light dwelleth and the sunne beames are at his orderynge By hym is ruled lyghte and darkedesse lyfe and death and altogether Wherefore when thou canâ—t inclose in the box the rageyng seas when thou canst catche the moue in a corner aâ—d sparre her vp in a case when thou canst penne vp the sunne beinge but a creature in thy pix then wyl I graunte the to haue power ouer thinges infinite and incomprehensible In the meane tyme I muste take it impossible not onely by carnall capacitie but also by spiritual iudgement grounded vpon the worde of God by the gifte of reason wherby al men coÌ„sidering the worke of God in the cretion maye knowe their creatoure to exeell all creatures farre and that he can therefore be made by no creature neither of any creature muche lesse can he be enclosed in a box of an yâ—che and an halfe deape when the priest wyll â—…mble foure wordes in a corner and there lye tyed tyll he wax foystie vnlesse the prieste lose hym Oh abominable Idolatours howe muche doeth thys derogate to the maiestie of God And howe farre contrarie is thys to his godlie nature Nowe that it is contrarie to the humaine nature of Christe to be enclosed in bread and sparred in a litle box thus mape we more largely proue vnto you Christe in his humaine bodie forsaketh the worlde he goeth vnto the father He dyd keepe those that were his so longe as he was in the worlde And when he departed out of the worlde he desired his father to keepe them He coÌ„forted them when he went awaye sayinge that it was profitable for theÌ„ that he departed that the spirite of coÌ„fort might come He promised to come againe visibly and with glorie as he went and in the scriptures there is none other comynge of Christ taught vs but the coming first in humilite to take our flesh vpoÌ„ him afterward in glorie to iudge all fleshe whiche thynges are declared Math. xxvi Marke xvi Luke xxiiii Iohn xiii xvi xxii Actuum i. vii Rom. viii Ephe. i. ii Corhi
vi Hebru viii ix x. xii i. Thess iiii i. Petre. ii So that by the scriptures we muste needes be compelled to deny the bodie of Christ and his humaine nature to be nowe any where vpon the earth â—or els with the Marcionistes muste we take from him the veritie of his body and deny that he hath a body according to our nature This thinge doeth Augustine handle at large in the epistle he writeth to Dardamê° vnto whom I sende you that sticke so muche to doctours There he teacheth you that as he is God Christe is in euery place But in that he is man he is in heauen onely whiche all the scriptures do testifie And it is the chiefest poynte of oure beliefe that he is in heauen and sitteth at the righte hande of the father Nowe our fayth which can be grounded on no manneâ— sayinge can seeke him in nonâ— other place but where the worde of Christ declareth him to be seinge Christe hym selfe warneth vs that false prophetes shall come and saye lo here is Christ lo there is Christ and commaundeth vs that in nowife we beleue them But we shall then onely loke for him when he shal come with such shyne and brightnesse as is the lighteninge from the east to the west thorowout the whole world Which wordes thoughe they maye be well vnderstande of the fall and decaye of al these outwarde rites wherein the Iewes and hypocrites of all tymes haue set the high worshippe and kingdome of God and also of suche seducers as woulde promise them selues false Christes and sauiours yet neuertheles as the spirite of God hath al thinges present whiche are whiche haue bene and shall be so are the wordes of the spirite generall seruing for all tymes fit apte and meete to reproue al abuses And here may we plainly espie that they are spoken agaynste al maner of bodily presence of Christe both in the aultares here and there in the breade and in the chambers and corners where he is holdeÌ„ vp and shewed betwene the priestes fingers to be worshipped But if you desire yet some one place of scripture so plaine that it can not be resisted by any gloses or sophistrie but that it shall stande plaine contrarie and cantradictorie to your doctrine reade the thirde of the Actes That heauen muste receyue and haue Iesu Christe vnto the tyme that all thinges be restored The wordes of that place are verie playne for he doeth not onely make Iesu Christe a very man as Moyses was whose nature was not to be in two places at once but he addeth also these playne wordes That the heauen muste receyue thys same Iesu Christ vnto the tyme that al thinges be restored QueÌ„ oportet celum accipere vsque ad tempus restitutionis omnium Thus do we procede therefore Christe hath by his departynge his sittynge at the ryghte hande of his father and returnynge agayne at the tyme appoynted so playnely appoynted by the scriptures one onely place where we shall seeke his naturall bodie that so many of vs as wyll not stryue agaynste the manifest trueth can not double but that his bodie remayneth there onely where he sheweth hym selfe to be We conclude therefore that it is contrarie to Christes religion to seeke him vpoÌ„ the earth enclosed in a box Secondly Christe hath shewed where he wyll be vntyll the daye of iudgement that is to saye at the right hande of God his father tyll that he hath made all his enemies his fote stole Wherefore we can seeke hym in none other place wyth sure fayeth to fynde hym Thirdly agaynste your whole doctrine that the bodie of Christe maye be infinitely scattered thorowout the world and your wordes a litle after folowyng which are that the humaine bodie is not diuisible by tyme or place wherin you do coÌ„found the natures of Christ 〈◊〉 giue that vnto the maÌ„hode which is onely the proprietie of the godheade and so opeÌ„ the way vnto two heresies we haue the plaine testimonie of the Angel You do seeke Christe crutified he is rysen he is not here Where as if his maÌ„hode had ben infinite as is the godhead theÌ„ shoulde he haue ben there preseÌ„t For no maÌ„ caÌ„ deny but there was his godhead presently Neither caÌ„ you escape by this cauillatioÌ„ that then he is infinite indiuisible 〈◊〉 without circuÌ„scriptioÌ„ of time or place wheÌ„ you wil haue him like as you do multiply your cakes into millions and thousaÌ„des of thousaÌ„des at Easter whiche do al perishe as it were in a momeÌ„t for that which is infinite or indiuisible caÌ„not chaung the nature to haue his bondes and finite order aypoynted him Wherfore we do most truly cal God his power only infinite where man in al his nature hath his determinate measure of substaÌ„ce quaÌ„tities qualities and knowledge as appeareth in Christe who as he was very maÌ„ did not knowe the houre and time of the day of iudgement of all fleshe was enclosed in the graue and dyd walke vpon the earth and appeare alwayes vnto his disciples in that sorte and maner that at no tyme any occasion myght be taken that he infinitly did fyll all places no not that at any tyme he mighte appeare to be in two places at once all his miracles do so faythfully witnes and reporte the truth of his humaine nature and natural body whiche your vaine opinion of enclosing him in breade and making him infinite goeth about to subuert But nowe when you haue no scripture to proue your mattier true that Christ as he is man maye be in heauen and yet fyll all the Aultares of the earth you do renne to the sayinge of Esaie the prophete If you beleue not you shall not vnderstande The whiche wordes beinge spoken to Achas and the vnfaythful house of Dauid that was afraied at the comming of two kinges of Syria and Damascus whom the prophet doth threaten to be destroyed because Achas wyll not beleue serue nothynge to your purpose The wordes be these If you do not beleue the cause is you wil not be faythfull And so agreeth it well with the wordes folowing when Achas wil aske no signe Is it but a small thynge sayeth Esaie to werie men wyth your infidelitie onelesse you do werie my God And thus in the trewe sense we maye ryghtly tourne it vpon your owne heades whyche wyll wery boeth God and man wyth your braynelesse Imaginations and wyll not beleue the open worde of God because you are vnfaythfull Then come you in wyth your Lordelyke sentence In thys high misterie where God worketh his speciall worke miraculousâ—ie it is sufficieÌ„t to knowe that it is wrought though I can not tell howe it is wrought nor howe it agreeth wyth other his workes I marueile bishoppe Stephane that you wax not ashamed of your writing You saye that here is a wonderfull miracle wrought but you knowe not howe it is wroughte nor oure senses vnderstandynge and fayth