lothsomenes might trouble vs if it were geauen in visible forme of flesh and bloud vnto vs. And to conclude The sonne of God is vnited vnto vs through the mysticall blessing corporally as man spirituallye as God Wherefore we doe not destroye one truth by an other neyther so beleiue the presence of Christ his bodye that in no case we wyll admit any significatiō or figure neither againe so magnifie signes and figures that we take awaye all reall presence S. Augustine teaching vs That the body of Christ is both a veritie and a figure a veritie whiles the substance of bread and wyne is made his bodye and bloud by the power of the holyghost and a figure because of that which is outwardly seene and perceyued And so against the next tyme if you can haue any answer prouide to proue not that Christ gaue a figure but that he gaue nothing else but a figure For if you will so graunt a figure that yet you will not denye the reall presence then will all our other cōclusions which you despyse now be deduced out of the principle of Christ his reall presence that you neede to make no further question about them As for the kynges brode seale vnto which you resemble the sacrament it may be well and trulye sayd that in deede the sacrament is a most sure confirmation of all the actes which Christ dyd worke for vs in the tyme of his visible conuersation emong vs. For how might we haue his verye true bodye emong vs except he receyued a true nature of man vpon hym or how might we Christians doubt of it whether he be rysen from death to immortalitie whose flessh and bloud is daily geauen to such as will to saue them frō corruption But if you make no more of it then that as the king his brode seale doth geaue a force to his letters patentes so lykewyse the sacramentall bread should confirme the testament and promyses of Christ and that in such a sense that as truly as our body is fedd with that bread so truly our sowle is norysshed with his spirite verely you haue taken a great wonder at a common and easye matter For euery man when he will not only in the church but at home and else where and not only by bread or wyne but also by euery thing that is true maye vse the lyke phrase and saye as truly as I stand as I sytt as this fyer burneth as the sonne shineth as I lyue as I eate c. so trulie God dyed once for vs to saue vs from death euerlasting And if you wil cōtend that although one maye so say of al thinges which are true yet that there is a speciall regarde to be had vnto bread wine which Christ him selfe appointed for that purpose yet you haue no great cause of wonder no more then you shold maruell in some weighty accompt which the kyng himselfe would sett for some profitable effect that one such peece of golde which right now stood but for a shilling should be sodainly remoued and made to signifie 1000000. Li. For if al the dignity and price of the Sacrament consisteth herein that it representeth a most wonderfull gyfte and benefyte which the soune of God bestowed vpon vs then are you very much to blame for defacing spoyling breaking and burning of crucifixes which did more lyuely represent the death of Christ then any externall forme of bread and wyne can doe Whereunto if you will answer that Christ appointed the one and not the other you maye yet gather thereby that according vnto your imagination there is no such great excellencye in the institution of bread and wyne to represent and declare vnto vs the veritie of Christ his promyses but that a paynter or caruer maye as euidently expresse them by his arte and colours and more effectually also perchaunse for the playne symple deuout and good men of the world Wherefor that the holye doctors and fathers of Christ his church ▪ should meane nothing els by their termes of transmutatiō transelementation mutation conuersion alteration c. But the chainge of the externall elementes into this meanyng that they doe showe the effecte of the Sacrament and seale vpp vnto vs the promyses of Christ it is a very abiect and vyle mysconstruyng of them For they declare most expreslye that in the externall elementes there is no chainge at all but the chainge is onely in the substance of the bread into Christ his bodye which at an other tyme is to be proued more largelie but now S. Cyprian alone maye suffise saying This bread which our Lord◠dyd vnto his disciples delyuer being chainged not in outward shew but in nature is made flesh by the allmightynes of the worde c. But as much as you can for shame you extenuate and debase the greatnes of Christ his benefytes towardes vs. For Christ saying this is my body you vnderstand hym to meane a figure onely of his body and the holy doctors prouing vnto vs that it should not be vncredible that of simple bread he maketh vnto vs his precious body because he made all thinges of no thing and can doe more then is ordynary by the cōmon course of nature yet saye you they speake of no other chainge but that which is about the external elementes And one of them hauing this similitude Lyke as wax being sett vnto fyer is lykened vnto it no substance remaineth no ouerplus resteth so doe thow thinke the misteries to be consumed by the substance of Christ his bodie No say you it is not so or els it is to be vnderstanded after this maner that lyke as when the king his broad seale is sett vnto his lettres patētes then haue those letters their effect so I trow that the Sacrament should be lyke a pece of wax to confirme I can not tell what letters For if you meane the promysses of euerlasting lyfe before we come to receiue the Sacramēt we beleiue God and his church doubt nothing of them and therefor I confesse my ignorance that I can not tell what maner of leases or grauntes you conceyue to be vnconfirmed before the seale of bread and wine be added vnto them But as I began to tell you you take all thinges at the lowest and basest maner and this perchaunse is that which you obiect vnto vs when your delicate and deyntie eloquence could not abyde to heare the Catholike to speake of the pulling skaulding drawing and rosting of a capon before you dyd eate hym resembling vs vnto the seruant which being commaunded to make the dyner readye would thinke vpon great prouysion the master hym selfe meaning to haue nothing els but such colde meate set vpon the table as was in the house As who should saye we shal be saued and fare well inough if we do but imagine that Christ dyed for us As for the hauing of his naturall bodye because it is a matter
A REPLIE against an answer falslie intitled in Defence of the truth made by Iohn Rastell M. of Art and studient in diuinitie Forte est vinum fortior est Rex fortiores sunt mulieres super omnia vincit VERITAS Wyne ys strong a Kyng ys stronger Women be stronger but aboue all thinges truth ouercummeth Imprinted at Antwerp by Aegidius Diest x. Martij Anno M.D.LXV CVM PRIVILEGIO Regiae Maiestatis Priuilegio permissum est Iohanni Rastello in Artibus Magistro Sacrae Theologiae candidato vti per aliquem Tipographorum admissorum impunâ— ei liceat imprimi curare per omnes suae ditionis Regiones distrahere librum inscriptum A replie against an answer falslie intitled in defence of the truth omnibus aliis inhibitum ne eundem absque eiusdem Iohannis consensu imprimant vel alibi impressum distrahant sub poena in Priuilegio contenta Datum Bruxellae .x. Martij Anno M.D.LXV Wouwere TO THE READER THE more worthie of loue and honor that the nature of Truth is the more shamefull without doubt and hatefull it must be to doe any violence vnto it For where more occasions are offered to staie men from their euill purposes there to passe the bondes of rightuousnes it proueth a greater impudencie As for example in young ladies whom coÌ„plexion hath made bewtifull and lacke of brothers onlye heires and good education worthie of all praises and pure loue of holines hath perswaded to contynue virgins if any act dishonorable or vile rape be committed what straunger is so vnkind and far of from the countrie or sight of that person and vertue which but hearing only of her iniurie doth not rise in his hart againste the worker of it But what virgin euer was there so faire so princelie so noble so chast and so without all spott as Truth And what greater vilanie can be practised then by dissimbling lying slaundering blind reasoning to go about to defloure such a vertue Surelie yf those eyes and iudgementes by which spirituall bewties are considered were as generallie and coÌ„monlie in mens heades as the bodilie eyes are which iudge of colours it would offend the gentell bloude and hart a thowsand tymes more to see the truth abused then to behold a Lucretia yf you will of their familie violentlie to be taken of some villane and constrayned to serue hym at his pleasure But so greate and greauouse is the plage which thorough Adam his disobedience falleth vpon euery soule our education allso and conuersation is so carnall corruptible by reason of grosse and sensible thinges with the which we are so well acquaynted that a blowe geauen vnto some worshipfull frinde of ours or a fowle worde and opprobrious spoken to the face of our naturall Prince doth more frett the hart with compassion or indignation then when we heare it readen neuer so plainelie and treatablie that Pilate then toke Iesus and whipped him And the souldiars platting a crowne of thornes dyd put it on vpon his head and set a purple robe abowt hym And thei came to hym and saied Haile o kyng of the Iewes and thei boxed and buffeâ—ed him After which sort yf but a cusson of anye Christian Prince in the world â–ª should be ordered of his tenantes and seruantes at this present what exclamations would we make and what detestations would we coÌ„ceiue against them There is not vndoubtedlie ther is not that zeale for the truth it self which is vttered in defence of playne vanitie and God most allmightie and glorious is not so attentiuelie considered as a man or a mase or a badge onlie vpon the sleeue which are nothing in comparison For defence yet of which thinges so small how greate angers and stomakes are taken and how much is he coÌ„temned in the world which dissembleth an iniurie in such matters And in deede allthough the thinges them selues are but simple yet the truthe is in them allso moderatelie to be folowed and in right iudgement it were not to be suffered that either officers either orders should be freelie disgraced how much more iustlie then are the sacrameÌ„tes the auncient maners of the Catholike faith to be considered of all sober heades and maintayned in all humilitie and if truth in wordlie and common matters be embraced of euery honest man whi is the euerlasting veritie and cause of owr sowle which should be chiefest either not sought for when it is easelie to be fownd either els not cared for when it is euidentlie perceaued Hath he trow you a good iudgement or a noble hart which either affecteth ignorance and wil not turne ouer the leffe least he should haue a conscience of the truthe once knowen either being conuinced by euident reason that his forfathers beleiued well and trulie doth thinke that diuines onlie haue to thinke of such matters and foloweth outwardlie the fond and newfound brothers Or thei which reade the bokes of both sides and either through lightnes and vanitie doe beare awaye no more then the phrase and maner of writing of the authors either for malice and enemitie consider onlie how to find faultes with the writer doe thei shew therein anye point of great witt and grauitie And so whiles some thinke and those I feare no young babes or beggars I hold with Christ whom all confesse and further if I should consider the question I might be made to my cost a papist and others saie priuilie in deed the old religion is best when all is done but we must beare a litle with the world further when on other sort reporteth it is smoothelie done or he paieth his aduersarie home or he runneth lyke oile or he byteth lyke vineger and finallie whiles others saie directing their eye not to the matter but against the author that herein he declareth litle good nurture in not belording some person or he misseth in congruitie of speach or he telleth old dreames and stories or he iesteth and dalieth all togeather the conclusion is that verie few do honor the truth or seeke ernestlie for it For thei which refuse to be acquainted with it or dissimble the knowledge thereof doe without all doubt geaue occasion to disgracing of it Like as in court to make as though you knew not some notable and worthie Lord it is halfe a dishonor vnto hym And others which busie themselues about wordes and titles and passe ouer with out consideration the sense of thinges and the matter are lyke them which loke a man in the face whiles he telleth them a sadd tale for their profite thinke all that while vpon nothing els in a maner but what tailer it shold be which made his cote and apparell I appeale therefore vnto euerie conscience and my selfe I prouoke to the vttering and the Reader to the considering of the truthe It is not inough to reade but thow must allso consider and it litle profiteth to consider except it be a truthe worth the marking Of the .ij. women which
was hym selfe that they should take them so as the ministers of God and dispensators or distributours of his misteries Againe This ys it that hath discoraged Christen people from the often vse and frequenting of the Sacrament As though that if there were no priestes at all there would be continuall receauing or that priestes would receaue more oft then they do if they were free and not bound vnto it The people say you is left free to come as seldome as they wil. You speake cuttedly and vntruly Vntrulie because yourselfe confesse that the church hath takeÌ„ order that the people receaue at Easter and then are thei not left free to come as seldome as thei wyll which must come ones a yeare And cuttedlie because thei are left free to come in one yeare not as seldome as thei wyll but allso and rather as oft as they will And if it be in their wil and power to come euerie weeke or daie in which masse is celebrated how should the state of the priest be the cause of stopping their libertie You shall goe with hym for his wysedome which being condempned for robberie sayed that if he had neuer praied to Sainct he had neuer come to haÌ„ging As you do now put the cause of the peoples fault in the holye order and office of priesthode But I trust you had somwhat that moued you against priestes about their office of sacrificing Where vpon it foloweth Sure I am that neither the institution of Christ maketh mention of any oblation or sacrifice to be done by the minister sauing only the sacrifice of thankesgeauing nor yet the scripture apointeth any bounden duetie for the priest more to vse the sacrament then other godlie and well disposed Christians Whether the priest ys bound to vse the sacrament more theÌ„ other good people it is nothing to the purpose to aske it except you take the word vse for sacrificing I tell you so oft of your euill maner herein because you should hereafter amend it But for the other matter which in deed ys now in question what if you reade not in the institution of Christ speciall mention of oblation to be done by the priest are you straitwaies at your wittes end that you can not tell where to seeke further for the truth Doe yow not know that our Sauior was found after iij. dayes seeking in the middle of doctours and doe not holy men interprete vs our Sauiors meanyng such as ourselues should neuer find in scripture yf we loked till our eies were out in the letter only and text of it Allso where find you in the institution of Christ any precise mention made of the sacrifice of thaÌ„kes geauing which onlie sacrifice yow find there or els you lie Then as you might thinke vs of very small iudgemeÌ„t if we would denie the sacrifice of thankes geauyng because we doe reade no such word sacrifice in the text of Christe his institution of the sacrament so as we may be content that you shew vnto your selfe therein some part of fauor and beleue that which is not expressie writen yet do ye not vse such argumeÌ„tations by negatiues with vs hereafter except we should reason only for makyng of sport or spending of tyme. Yet to declare vnto you shortly that some see more then you doe in this matter I answer that hoc facite which is to saie doe this or make this standeth emong other his significations there allso for sacrificare For so is facere taken in sundrie places of the scripture And if you take facere in his most common signification I saie that Christ dyd make an oblation and sacrifice of his bodie in his last supper and his Apostles are authorised and charged to do as he dyd ergo thei were bound to offer and to sacrifice Bishopes also priestes now must folow their example whom thei succede in office For Christ our Sauior after he had ended the eating of the lambe according to the manner of the old law he instituted and brought in the eating of his owne fleshe of the truth of which the old paschal was but a figure Reade S. Hierome vpon the. 27. of S. Matheu But the paschal lambe was offâ—red vp to God before it was eaten therefor vndoubtedly that the truth might answer the figure Christ offered hymselfe in his maundie before the Apostles receaued hym Consider allso that a sacrifice properlie ys when any thing is made holie to the honor of God and what thing in old or new testament did euer sett furth the honor of God more worthely then the geauing of his owne flesshe to feede wretches Or where was there any thing euer made of prophane holie if not then when Christ toke breade in to his handes and saied in his allmightines This ys my bodie I note besides all this vnto you that in S. Luke his Ghospell it is saied expreslie of our Sauior takyng the bread in to his handes This ys my body which ys geauen for you Not which shall be geauen only vpon the crosse but which presently is geauen neither geauen only to you at this present as though all consisted in the eating but euen now geauen for you by which an oblation a present a sacrifice or some such seruice of his bodie is signified Thinke you theÌ„ that you might not reade in the verie institution of the sacrament that his bodie was offered of hymselfe and that the Apostles had commaundement to folow his example therein if you had a simple and faithfull eie to see all that to be true which the church spelleth vnto you But a sacrifice is a thing geauen vnto God the sacrament was a thing geauen vnto vs nothing can therefore be of nature more contrarie then your sacrifice and Christ his sacrament You must not stand herein if you doe well For Luthers opinion and Zuinglius encountring hym in the sacrament are a thousand tymes more contrarie theÌ„ a sacrifice and a sacrament For thei can neuer be brought to agreement but sacrament and sacrifice doe very quietlie stand togeather what Dyd you thinke that we offered sacrifice vnto any other then to God Or if we had any part in it for ourselues weened ye that God must be vnserued Marie Syr if there were nothing els yet because we haue a God there is nothing more conuenient then to haue a sacrifice for hym and nothing to hym ys more wellcome then his verie owne soun his body Were it not a great absurditie that of our corne or any lyke thing we might make both an offeryng vnto God and meate allso for our selues afterwarde and that Christ of his bodie the true and sweete floure or meale shold make no larger commoditie theÌ„ to geaue vndeserued breade to synners where lerned you that one the selfe same thing can not be both a sacrifice and a Sacrament we haue sucked you saie our error out of the fashions of speaking