beleef good christeÌ„ men taugh by the spyrite of god haue not receyued for it can not be maynteyued of Christes wordes who spake playnely This is my body makynge demonstratioÌ„ of the bread when he sayd This is my body by the myghte of whiche wordes of Christe that was demonstrate by the demonstratioÌ„ this which was the bread was altered and chaunged into his body wherby the substaunce of bread was conuerted in to the substaunce of his moste preciouse body wherin was declared Christes meruelouse power wherof Theophilus speaketh in this wyse Our lorde condescendynge to oure infirmitie altered not the fourme of bread and wyne but coÌ„serueth them turneth the bread and wyue into y e truth of his fleshe and bloude and this is the true vnderstaÌ„dyng of Christes speach whiche and yf we vnderstande so as the breade shuld remayne then folowe many absurdyties and chiefely that Chryste hath taken the nature of bread as he toke the nature of man and so ioyned it to his substaunce And then as we haue God verely incarnate for our redemption so shulde we haue God impanate and then shuld we haue in Christe besydes the diuine essence two other substauÌ„ces absque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and be compelled to fayne to the truthe that christen eares abhorre to the subuersion of the same as we haue seen amonge other come to passe Wherfore as the truthe whiche the churche hath and dothe playnly and syncerely teache is moost certeyne and sure grounded vppon the playne wordes of oure Sauyoure Christe in the moost blessed sacrament so euery christen man shulde receyue it and beleue it fyrmely without wauerynge or diuisyng any addition to the same Let men forsake theyr carnal erthlye senses and the wycked kynred of malicious seducers get the out thense good reader and resorte to the company of true faythful men and knowledge with them the reuelation in the moste blessed Sacrament of the presence of the naturall bodye and bloude of oure sauyour Iesu Christ whiche caro et sanguis can not declare but onlye Pater noster qui est in coelis who hath declared it and taughte it oure mother the churche ANother point of the deuelish sophistrie is betwene y e wordes and meanyng wherein the deuyl shyfteth y e matter thus Where the wordes of scrypture be playne euydente manyfeste and confyrme the catholique truth there the deuyll deuyseth an other meanynge and aduertiseth his scholers that the wordes be nothynge withoute the meanynge and therfore sayth he we must vnderstande Chrystes wordes as he ment them and therfore saith the deuyl beware of the wordes and take hede of the meanyng Christ sayth the deuyl sayd This is my body but take hede sayth sathan what Christ ment O abhominable Sathan full falsely doest thou meane O good christen faythful man marke thou this sophistrye For it is in dede a true lesson that the very worde of god is the true meanynge of scripture and who hath that true meanyng which is not taughe by maÌ„s wyt and deuyse of vnderstanding but by declaration from god reueled to the churche he hath goddes wordes to hys comforte and consolation and who hath the wordes of scripture peruersely taken is therwith infected and poysened to his coÌ„fusion as the Arrians Sabellyans and an infinite numbre of heretikes haue ben So as it must nedes be grauÌ„ted that in the meaning of scripture is the marie the carnel the swetnes y e fode the hony of scripture without whiche the wordes be a bytter shale and an harde bone without foode or sustenaunce This must nedes be confessed of all men as an euident truthe whiche the deuyll abuseth by cauyllacion and sophistrie to ouerturne the truthe in the moost blessed sacrament of thaulter For openynge of which sophistrie it is to be consydered that somtyme in scripture the wordes be so placed and ordered as the meanyng is vttered and opened with the wordes at ones and hath such lyght of the wordes as they appere bothe togyther and without further serche be streyght coÌ„ueyed to our vnderstandynge Somtyme agayne the wordes be such or so vsed and placed as they brynge not theyr meanynge streyght with them in the same lyght but more darkely and as it were hydden vnder the wordes Nowe in the fyrste sorte of wordes whiche brynge theyr sense with them yf we shuld in them cal for a meanyng And when we rede Humiliauit semetipsum dominus noste lesus Christus factus obediens vsque ad mortem Our lorde Iesus Christe hath humbled hym selfe beynge obedyent to the deth we shulde call for a meanyng and saye we muste vnderstande these wordes as sayncte Paule mente them Can we meane any thynge by callynge soo for a meanynge but to calle the certayne meanynge quam aenigma sit loeÌ„m Heliam esse intellectu opus ad intelligendum inquit Qui habet aures ad audiendù audiat Ita inducens eos vt interrogent ac discant Whiche wordes in latin be in englysh this sentence And yf ye wyll receyue it he is Helias whiche shulde haue coÌ„me If ye wyll sayth Theoph. receyue it that is to saye iudge it ryghtly and not with an enuiouse mynde he is Helias whom the prophet Malachie sayd shulde come For saincte IohnÌ„ that came before Christ and Helias haue ben bothe allotted to one office The one to go before y e fyrst comyng of christ and the other before the laste commynge And then shewynge howe this was a darke speache y t IohnÌ„ was Helias conteyned a secrete vnderstandynge in it and requyred therfore another sense to be perceyued sayd He that hath eares of hearynge let hym heare so inducyng them to aske learne Thus saith Theophilacte by whome we be learned of the circumstance to note the meanyng if it be hydden and so not onely the wordes to be noted in theyr common sense but the meanyng to be asked and learned which lesson neglected as the deuyll medleth with such as marketh it not engendreth in y e knowledge of truth a greate perplexite wherof the deuyl taketh opportunite to inueigle them and somtyme preacheth somtyme writeth to the vnlearned on this wyse Christes wordes be true when he sayde This is my body but as he mente them For so he sayde he was a waye he was a vyne he was a doore but he was not a naturall vyne he was no such way as men walke in no such doore as men coÌ„monly entre into but only a resemblaunce of all these bycause he is our waye to heauen oure doore to entre in to lyfe our vynestocke in whome we as braunches be nouryshed kepte in lyfe And so lyke wyse ê™ the deuyll when Christe saith This is my body he meaneth that it is onely a resemblaunce a figure a tokeÌ„ a signe of his body which semeth a stronge argumeÌ„t to suche as haue not theyr senses exercised as s Paule saith to discerne good euyll that is to saye truthe from
men neglecte them not and the deuyll shewethe him selfe so openlye as al maye se him that be not wilfully blynde And muche more euidentlye the same shall appeare vnto you by consideracion of these good vertuouse holy mens writinges in this matter whiche I haue reherced myndinge to be shorte passe ouer the great number that is to saye in this place al that syns these Myeres haue ben teachers and written for the edificacion of Christes churche besides a great manye of them that wrote before THyrdely let vs consider how the deuyl tosseth the wordes and first theword sacrament wherby he wolde it semed that by that name it was euer mente that it is onely a signe and tokeÌ„ of an inuisible grace and in as muche as it is a signe it is not the thing it self as the churche teachethe For a signe and a thinge whereof the signe is muste neades differre Wherevnto â–ª I saye that the worde Sacramente as manye other wordes in speache haue the like hath thre significations to oure vnderstandynge One moste general in whiche it signifieth any secrete hidden thyng without difference whither the same hydden thing be holy or no. And after that acceptioÌ„ it is applyed to many secrete matters and misteries both godly natural Another acceptioÌ„ is specyal is restrained to signifi the seuen special holy misteryes in our religion which we cal and be the .vii. sacramentes vnto whiche y e name sacrament is in the comen speache onelye applyed whervnto this diffinitioÌ„ is truely attribute a sacramente to be a visible signe of an inuisible grace Another acception is in a most special signification wheÌ„ we speake of the sacrament of the aulter whych doth vs vnderstande a specyall difference of excellencye from the other sacramentes as wherein is present the plentye of all grace and the purchacer of all grace receyued in the other sacramentes Chryste hym selfe Whereof when men be thus lerned and taughte and the thing so set forth truely as it is in dede it is then mere sophistrie to resort to disputacion of the word wherwith to ouerthrowe the truth of the thynge After whiche sorte they daly also that make foundacion of argument to proue y e substauÌ„ce of bread to remaine in the mooste blessed Sacrament bicause S. Paule calleth y e sacrament breade and yet in dede saynt Paul calleth it this breade whiche importeth a speciall vnderstandinge and to suche as truely beleue the myracle of christes coÌ„secration of his most preciouse bodye turnynge by the omnipotency of his myghty word the substaunce of breade into the substaunce of his naturall bodye to suche men of true belefe y e thing remayneth as it is ne is in their conscience altered with expression of y e name of that it was And that whiche before the consecration was commen breade with the naturall substaunce of bread is now by goddes speciall myracle in his secrete operation omnipotent the onelye substaunce of the bodye of our sauyoure Christe And so maye be called with an addition wherewith to marke the mistery this breade But whye shulde the name trauayle vs when we rede so ofte in scripture thinges to be named not as they be but as they were and the rod turned in to a serpent by gods miracle before Pharao styl to be called a rodde when it was a serpent but the rodde was conuerted by gods power into the serpent and styll called it a rodde when it was not so But why should men be so scrupulouse in names After god had signified to the patriarche Iacob that he shulde be called no more Iacob but Israell yet afterward the same scripture testifieth howe god spake to Israel ad puteum iuramenti and called Iacob Iacob Here if a man wolde trifle in the sounde of the worde Iacob shulde he not make an argumente to improue the truthe of that god had spoken wherewith the deuyll myghte inueigle the presumptuouse ignoraunt that estemeth him selfe so muche as he measureth al knowledge by his rude capacitie But here thexercised senses in learninge can consider how names be of two sortes sometime they do onlye signifie anye litle token of the thynge whervnto they be added and then we may not make foundacion of the name as declarynge hollye the thyng signified or to be demed the propre name After whiche sorte Chryst was called synne bycause he dyed for synne and yet had not synne in hym as the word shold import And when we speake thus that Chryste saueth synners we sygnify by the worde synners suche men as were synners and be by Chryst washed purged from synne mete to be receyued to saluacyon For as Saynte Paule sayth to the Ephesians Chryst purgeth his churche and leaueth neyther spot ne wrincle And when we call noughtye men christen men we signify not by the name what they be now in dede for they be the deuyls men and not Chrysten men but callynge them nowe Christenmen we signifie y t they were ones in the state of grace at the tyme of their baptisme We call a mans writinge also his hande onely because his hande wrote it In whiche sorte of naminges the significacion extendeth no further for declaracion of the thinge named theÌ„ the pointing or direction of a maÌ„s finger with a parte of speache called a pronowne as this or that Mary other names that be added to geue lighte and knowledge of the substauÌ„ce nature or chiefe qualitie of the thynge those be so ioyned and knytte to the thynge as they do not onely poynte it but open it also and be not onely an out warde marke of the thinge but presente to oure vnderstandynges what is conteined in the thinge it selfe And therfâ—re as the name Iacob was onely an outward marke of the corporall man of the patriarche So Israel declared the speciall fauoure of God wherby Iacob sawe god whâ—che the word Israell doth signifie the continuauÌ„ce whereof god promysed saienge he shulde no more be called Iacob but Israell Accordinge whervnto after the breade is consecrate by y e preiste goddes minister and by the omnipotâ—cye of Christes myghtye worde is conuerted into the bodye of Christe the name that â—ignifieth the substaunce of that sacramente is the body of Christe And therefore the same sacrameÌ„t can no more be called breade but the bodye of Christe as Iacob shulde no more be called Iacob but Israel And yet as scrypture sayth in the hystory oâ— Iacob God called after that Iacob againe by the name Iacob without preiudice of the truthe of goddes worde spoken before that he shulde be no more so called So Saynte Paule calleth the same holy sacrament breade because it was soo before the consecracyon and yet so he calleth it withoute preiudice of the truth that it is in dede beinge not breade but the very body of Christ at the time when it is by hym neuerthelesse called breade As Iacob was in dede Israell by goddes fauoure when he was after by gods mouth
A DETECTION OF THE Deuils Sophistrie wherwith he robbeth the vnlearned people of the true byleef in the most blessed Sacrament of the aulter Timeo ne sicut serpens euam seduxit astutia sua ita corrumpantur sensus uestri excidant asimplicitate 2. Cor. 11. 1546. ¶ STEVEN Bisshoppe of Winchester to the reader COnsyder gentle reader how ful of iniquite this tyme is in whiche the hyghe mysterie of our religion is so opeÌ„ly assaulted Byleue not euery spirite and mystruste thyne owne iudgement aboue the reache of thy capacite If thou beest hungry for knowledge take hede thou fallest not on euery careyn Be desyrouse of the very truth and seke it as thou art ordered by the direction of Christes churche and not as deceytfull teachers wold leade the by theyr secrete waies Folow God and his mynisters whom he ordereth to rule and rather conforme knowlege to agre with obedience where goddes truthe repugnethe not vnto it then with violation of obedience which is a displeasaunt fault to enterprise the subuersion of goddes honoure and glory Finally reade wheÌ„ thou readest with fauour to that truth whiche the consent of Christes churche hath from the beginnynge commended vnto vs and reuerentlye at theyr handes receyue the true vnderstaÌ„dynge of scriptures whose true testimonie hath certified vs of the selfe same scriptures And haue alwaies in remembraunce the wordes of saint Iames howe God resisteth the presumptuouse and arrogant and geueth grace to suche as be in spirite meke and lowly whiche gyfte God graunte the and well to feare A DETECTION OF the Deuyls Sophistrie wherwith he robbeth y e vnlearned people of the true belefe in the moost blessed Sacrament of the aulter THe first chiefe and pryncypall poynt of deceyte and sophistry is to make euery maÌ„ thiÌ„ke of him selfe further then is in dede in him by this persuasioÌ„ that god graunteth true vnderstandinge and wisedome to euery man that wold haue it hath nede of it asketh it in his name whiche hathe suche an euydente truth in it as no man can dyrectly deny it and gainesay it for so god doth in dede yet not so as the vnlerned do take it thinketh it to be vnderstanded For albeit god giueth al knowlege to fede the soule as he giueth also all foode and nourriture to the corporall bodies and it is for both generally sayd Iacta super dominum curaÌ„ tuam et ipse te enutriet â–ª wherin god hath also to shew his omnipotency giueÌ„ sodenlye speche to them that could not speake as to Ieremy geuen the vnlerned sodenly knowlege to confound the great clerkes chaunged water into wine in a moment to make chere to gestes of the feast and multiplied by his blessing the fiue loues to the necessary releef of the hungry fed his people with manna in desert and geuen theÌ„ for releef out of the hard dry stone water Yet we may not hereof presume that god bycause he can alwaies therfore also he wil alwaies contynually worke new myracles and giue his giftes out of ordre and make heruest in February or children and rude ignorantes lerned before they go to scoole And in dede we myght aswel and better aske our bodely foode without our labour and sesonable time as aske the knowledge of lernynge to instructe the soule without tyme or â—ue endeuor wherwith to attayne the same It is goddes worke that we come by it when we come by it with our labour and teachynge of other for neque qui plantat est aliquid neque ê— rigat sed qui incrementum dat deus And we that in our Pater noster aske our daylye bread knowledge it to come of god when we haue it and yet no man bosteth him selfe to haue it by cause he hath asked it or loketh otherwise for it but by thapplyeng of his labour and industry thervnto which persuasion if these symple vnlerned had in the atteinynge of wisedome they wold mistrust their owne iudgement and thinke themself as they be vnlerned and with out longe exercise and diligent endeuor with a vessell mete and apte to receiue the same not thinke theÌ„ selfe to haue obteined that gifte of god ne be able for want therof to discusse of lerning This false persuasion of lerning wherewith the deuyll inueigleth the simple and ingendreth in them a pryde of conninge and vnderstandinge whiche they haue not is the foundacion roote wherupon is buylded and groweth false doctrine in the high misteryes of our religion specyally in the most blessed SacrameÌ„t of thaulter wherin diuerse haue of late peuersely reasoned vnlearnedly spoken w t such presuÌ„ptuouse pride intollerable arrogancy as declare plainly the same to procede of the spirite of the deuyl ful of errours lyes blyndenes ignoraunce by reason wherof they stuÌ„ble in the playne way can not see in the mydde day For what can be more euidently spoken of the preseÌ„ce of Christes natural body and bloud in the most blessed sacrameÌ„t of the aulter theÌ„ is in those wordes of scripture whiche our Sauioure Christ ones said and be infallible truth and styll sayth in consecration of this most holy Sacrament by the coÌ„mon ministre of y e church This is my body But againste this truth the deuyll striueth and fyghteth by his ministers lewde apostles with sophistical deuyses wherwith he troubleth the grosse imaginacioÌ„s of the symple people And hauynge ones enchaunted the rude wyttes with this charme of presuÌ„ptuouse knowledge wherof I spake before wherby the ignorauÌ„t waxeth so arrogaÌ„t as he maketh himself able to iudge and discerne betwene playnnes and craft bytwene reason and sophisticacion betwene argument and argument exposition and expositioÌ„ suche as be thus ouerthrowen in their iudgement and so blynded in themselfe the deuyll easely entangleth and byndeth fast to him with carnall reasons deceitfull expositions crooked argumentes and counterfet coÌ„tradictioÌ„s and therby leadeth them away captiue and thralde from the true catholtque byleefe in this moost holye sacramente which sophystry and deceptes be diuersely tempered after these sortes AND FYRST to the carnall man the deuyll bringeth carnall reasons and for conformation and proufe of them calleth to witnes the carnall senses both of the bodye and soule And streyght thyne eye sayeth there is but bread and wyne Thy tast saith the same Thy felinge and smellynge agre fully with them Herevnto is added the carnall mans vnderstandyng whiche bycause it taketh the begynning of the senses procedeth in reasoning sensually And as the Epicures dyd concludeth that y e senses togither can not be deceyued wherevpon also the Epicurians saide the sonne was but two fote brode because theyr eye iudged it to be no bygger And from this they wolde not be brought but remayned as ferme in that foly as some heretiques do in this mischeuous deuellysh misbeleefe against the moost blessed Sacrament of the aulter Wherefore all suche as ground their errour agaynst
this moost blessed Sacrament vpon the testimonye of theyr sight their taste felyng or smell or otherwise vpon their carnall vnderstandinge bycause they can not by their carnall reason compreheÌ„d it all such be bestly and blynd and farre from the knowledge of the miseries of our religion as wherin our senses and reasoÌ„ be vy faith condempned and reproued finally declare them selue to be suche men as seme to require teachinge in the principles and begynnynges of our religion wherin their grosse carnall reasons yf they were truly mortified they shulde not so stobbernly and arrogantly meddle in the discussion of the inscrutable misterye in the most blessed sacrament of thaulter For yf theyr senses were by true faith ouerthrowen put to confusioÌ„ in the bylefe of y e holy trinite y e father of heaueÌ„ the sonÌ„e holy ghost to be inseparably deuided in thre ê‘sons diuisibly eioyned iÌ„ one godhed essece which Gregorye Nazianzene speaketh thus in greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherein we knowe by faith the truth so to be howe so euer our reason spurneth and tentech vs to the contrarye If these mennes senses were tamed in the beleuynge scripture of creation of the worlde by god in time and of nothynge contrarye to the discussion of mans reason whiche the philosophers coulde not temper to agre that of nothynge was anye thynge made If in the misterie of the incarnation of our sauioure Christe the rebellion of mans senses were throughlye trode vnder fete and brought in due subiection to gyue place to faythe wherby we byleue that the sonne of god which we confesse truly to be immensus was yet conteyned in the holy virgins wombe a creature to conteyne the creatour and as the churche reioysing doth daylye acknowledge in worshypping the blessed vyrgin Marye Quem totus non capit orbis In tua se clausitviscera factê° homo Whiche to mannes reason implieth an insoluble contradiction to saye that in her wombe shulde be shut in that al the world could not conteyne And then further the true story of Christes gospel wherin is truely reported to vs howe Christ entred to his disciples after his resurrection the gates beynge shut and role out of his graue the same remaining styl shut which to our vnderstandyng maketh a signification of two bodies to be in one place togither and occupie the same place at one tyme And is to mannes sensuall and carnal knowledge impossible and is neuerthelesse in y e said myraculouse passage of our sauyour Christ moost truly verified But if in these and many other the carnall man had in the foundacion of our faith fully acknowleged his weaknes his bliÌ„dnes his imbecillitie ignoraunce the same wolde neuer presume agayne eyther to improue the presence of the naturall body of our Sauiour Christe in the most blessed Sacrament of the aulter in fourme of bread wine by carnal deuyses ne trauayle to be satisfied in consideration of the circumstauÌ„ces of the same For lyke as in the other misteries of the Trinite the creation of the world the incarnation of Christ and also resurrection of the fleshe wherof I haue not spoken but may say as I haue in the other carnal reason is excluded by certentie of faith so shulde it be in all other mysteries whiche all together be the body of our reeigion wherein we haue the true knowledge of god which the deuil laboureth to subuerte and ouerthrowe and vseth therin the instrument of mannes presumptuouse arrogance to know all as god doth and to compreheÌ„de in his capacite the same and what so euer excedeth it or repugneth thervnto to call that false folye lyes and vntruth After whiche sorte mans foolyshe wysedome hath enterprised at sundry tymes to impugne the secrete misteries of goddes hyghe wysedome incomprehensible workes And so the deuyll by the Arrians as he doth by the Turkes at this daye hath assaulted the castell and forte of our religion by denyall of Christe to be very God and with truthes falsly applied gone about to make batterye and entrye to ouerthrowe the same lyke as he hath also attempted manye other misteries But beinge in them by goddes power resisted the deuyll assayeth to make entry nowe by subuertinge the truthe in the most blessed Sacrament of thaulter and to allure y e multitude of most carnall and rude capacities diuulgeth abrode grosse carnall reasoÌ„s and wolde persuade the vnlerned that their ignoraunce in the circumstaunce how should playnely proue to them that the thing is not therwith whistleth in their eares this enchauntment If it were true that is taught in the sacrameÌ„t of thaluter by the papistes whiche terme serueth for a token to theÌ„ to proue y e matter nought such and such incoÌ„uenieÌ„ces should not to our senses folowe Do we not se saith the deuyll the sacrament of thaulter that they call god their ydol o blasphemous toÌ„gue sometyme eaten of a mouse sometyme waxe grene moulde redde moulde and blue mould and here the deuyll refressheth his yonglynges with manye abhominable tales suche as a scoffinge lestynge witte could deuyse to haue benne done Doth it not enter sayth the deuyll into the body and so furth and speaketh that lyketh him more then honest eares can endure And then the deuyll frameth the matter in fashion of lerninge and firste with a counterfet religioÌ„ of mayntenaunce of gods truth propoueth god to be impassible incorruptible and immortal which is a most vndoubted truth theÌ„ foloweth thintended lye thus That which these papistes make God call y e sacrament of thaulter that is corruptible And here the senses beare witnes The papistes god the deuyll sayth is also passible And here y e senses be also redy shall affirme they haue sene the mouse eate it mans hande breake it mans teth teare it It is also mortal saith the deuyll for the seÌ„ses beare testimony they haue sene it with a sodayn fire in a churche coÌ„sumed Ergo then with this the deuyl triumpheth â—cludeth there is not god but it is an ydol whiche wordes they vttermost blasphemouselye falsely But coÌ„sider christeÌ„ reader how far is it out of y e waye to examyne mens senses or carnall reasoÌ„ what they can depose of god or his high secrete workes This reasoning might serue to proue y t eyther Christe was not God whiche no christeÌ„ eare can endure or els not to be true which is most true certeine that Christe dyed or suffered for vs. And thus the deuilles disciple wyll reason God is impassible Christe suffred Ergo he was not god Or thus God is impassible Christe was god Ergo he suffered not So as by these reasos and reasonynges wherin the senses serue for a proufe or carnall reason frameth thargumeÌ„t eyther we must with the Arryans denye Christ god blasphemousely or consent moste folyshly to other false dreames that Christ suffred not at al. But as we be learned most truly certeynely in faith that
our self we shall not be iudged when we be here iudged of our lord we be therby chastised that we shulde not be condempned with the worlde And thus it meaneth that he sayth who so euer is partaker of the body bloud of our lorde vnworthely he eateth and drynketh condemnatioÌ„ vnto hym selfe By whiche sacrament beyng purged we be vnyted to the holye body and the holy spirite of hym and be made the body of Christe This fode is the fyrste fruytes of the foode to come which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in greke For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth eyther the foode to come that is to say of the world to come or the foode we receyue for the preseruation of oure substaunce And bothe significations may be aptly sayde for whither it be taken in the one signification or the other it maye well be sayde of the body of our lorde For the flesh of our lorde is spirite that gyueth lyfe beynge conceyued of the holy ghoste that gyueth lyfe for that is begotten of spirite is spirite And thus moche I saye not myndynge by these wordes to take awaye the nature of the body out of this sacramente but onely myndynge to shewe how the same gyueth lyfe is godly And yf any call the sacrament the example or token of the body and bloud of Christ as saint Basyle sayde they speake it not of thoblacion after the consecracion but before the same be saÌ„ctified It is also called participation for by it we be made partakers of y e godheade of Iesu It is also called coÌ„munion and is so verely for by it we communicate with Christ and be partakers of his flessh and god hed we communicate al by it togither in that we be thereby made one For seinge we participate all of one breade we be made thereby one body bloude among our self beyng of the same body with our sauiour christ be also to our selfe eche others meÌ„bres Let vs theÌ„ beware as much as we may that we neither geue communion to hererikes ne receiue it of them Giue not your holy thynges to dogs sayth our lord nor cast not youre precious stones before hogges lest ye be made ê‘takers of their euyll beleef and of their condeÌ„nation also consideringe that being an vnitie throughlye betwene vs and christ also betwene our selues we shal likewise be vnited throughly with all suche as we shall chose to participate with vs. For this vnitie is made by oure choyce and free wyll not without oure mynde and determinacion and we all one bodye in that we participate of one breade as the holy apostle saith This sacrament is called also the examples of that is to come not in such an vnderstanding as though the very body and bloude of christ were not present but that nowe by this sacrament we be made partakers of the godheade of christ and in the worlde to come shall participate with onely contemplacion in the ful lyght of knowledge and vnderstandynge NOw ye haue hearde Damascene speake who well hearde with the eares of hearynge were sufficient for the matter too declare howe christes wordes as they were playne for the substaunce and fouÌ„datioÌ„ of our byleef So haue they in theyr playnnesse maynteyned y e true byleef of the churche as this author for .viii. C. and .xvi. yeares paste declareth euidently and testifieth playnely yf thou wylt vse hym for comfyrmatioÌ„ of that thou doest fyrste truely beleue and not abuse hym after the facyon of the worlde to wrythe hym mystake hym as some men do the scripture And to thintent thou mayste be the more able to mete with suche as wolde abuse them selfe in hym and thy selfe the depelyer conceyue the godly lerned consideration of this writer in the matter I wyll note certayne thynges vnto the worthy to be noted Fyrste this man testifyeth the presence of the naturall body and bloude of oure sauyour Christe in the sacrament of thaulter and expressely reproueth the vnderstandynge of them that wolde saye there shulde be but a figure as at this letter G. in the margyn thou shalte fynde so as thou hearest by this author truth affirmed and falsehed coÌ„demned This man testifyeth also the worshyppyng of the sacrament with inward outward cleÌ„nesse deuotioÌ„ of the soule outwarde gesture of the body as thou mayest se in y e letter H. wherin thauthor declareth a coÌ„gruence and conuemency that as the meat which we receyue and worshyp is dubble and conteyneth Christes flesshe and godhed so shulde oure worshyppyng be dubble that is to say of our two partes of body and soule whiche bothe be nouryshed by this precious meat And where thou findest this letter A. the author sheweth that as we be dubble and of two partes y t is to say body and soule so shulde we haue a dubble natiuite a dubble meat The dubble natiuite is of water and y e holy ghoste of water agreable to our body as corporall and the holy ghost to our soule which also agreeth with that Gregory NaziaÌ„zene writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As he was spirite flesh so god perfiteth w t water the holy ghost And as for this precious meat y e author sheweth that it is a meate dubble not one as where thou findest this letter L. where he saith The bodye vnited to y e godhed deitie is not made one nature but remaineth .ii. natures And bicause y e natures be two he calleth christes body our meate in y e sacrameÌ„t a dubble meat And yet thou maist finde in the letter F y t he calleth it but one as where he saith y t the bread wyne chauÌ„ged by gods myghty word into the body bloud of christ be not two but one and so there remayneth the only substaunce of the body bloude of christe where as yf the nature of breade remained also he wolde haue called it in that respecte two as he doth in the other places in two natures vnited And so thou seest where remaine two natures vnited they be called in y t respecte two double and not one and yet againe bicause in the consecration there is not an vnion of breade to the body of christ but transmutation as the worde transmutatioÌ„ expresseth an alteratioÌ„ of substauÌ„ce the sacrament is not called two but one And concernynge worshyppinge this is to be noted that this great clerke was not ignoraÌ„t of the wordes of the gospel Io. iiii that Veri adoratores adorabuÌ„t patrem in spiritu veritate True worshyppers shall worshyp in spirite and truth And yet speaketh this author of worshyppyng with the body for by the texte of the gospell is not denyed outwarde adoration with the body whiche body is with the soule created of god shalbe hereafter glorified with the soule but the sense of that texte declareth the true order of adoratioÌ„ whiche must be rooted grounded and directed by the spirite truth and from thence it
must procede where that faylâ—th the reste is hypocrysye But els y t the body shuld not folowe and obey the soule and be affected as y e soule is and with outward semely gesture represente the same that we myght not say as Dauyd dyd Cor meum caro mea exultauerunt in deum viuum My harte my flesh hath reioysed in the lyuinge god there is no such scripture but Christes hauoure in y e tyme of his prayeng teacheth the contrary for he fell downe on his face and praied And the publicane commended in the gospell knocked on his breste and prayed And in this auctor thou seest an exhortacion for men to laye their handes on crosse And good men haue taken greate comforte in the signe of the crosse wherewith they haue blessed them selfe and haue bene glad to receaue the blessinge of other with the token of the crosse â–ª And therevpon Tertullian in his worke De resurrectione carnis saith Caro signatur vt anima muniatur The flesshe is marked that the soule may be defended But to returne to my purpose to note vnto y e that is notable in Damascene in the letter C. to theÌ„ that aske and humbly question how these misteries be wrought lyke auÌ„swer may be made as Gabriell made vnto our Lady by occasioÌ„ wherof thou mayest marke two sortes of questions wherof one proceding of pride arrogancie doubtfulnes and mystruste declareth incredulitie such as the Capharnaites made when they said How can this man gyue vs his fleshe to eate And another in mekenesse and humilite with desyre of so moche knowlege only as the secrecie of y e thinge permitteth wherin y e hole is remytted to goddes power and omnipotencie â–ª with which our Lady contented herself sayde Ecce anâ—illa dnÌ„i fiat mihi secunduÌ„ verbuÌ„ tuuÌ„ Lo the handmayd of our lord be it to me according to thy word which was goddes worde by the omnipotencie of which wheÌ„ we se how many thiÌ„ges aboue mans capacitie haue bene wrought why shulde it not suffice to stay men from further arguing and reasonynge in the most blessed sacrament of the aulter Another thing thou maiest marke in the letter D y t this auctor testifieth howe Christ made the breade and wyne with water his body bloud wherby thou maist perceiue how it hath ben taughte in the churche constaÌ„tlye that after the consecration the substaunce of bread remaineth not and yet it is called breade for it is called that it was as I shal speake hereafter And albeit when thauthor alludeth to the cole sene by Esaye as thou mayest se in the letter K. he maketh thys resemblaunce that as the cole is not wood alone but wood with fyre so the foode of communion whiche is in latin panis communionis and in greake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath y e dietie adioined vnto it thou maiest perceiue by that streight foloweth howe he vsed the worde Panis to signifye the body and flesshe of Christ wherâ—vnto the deitie is annexed whiche body and flesshe is the substaunce of the nourriture in this holy meat accordynge as Christe sayde Panis quem ego dabo vobis caro mea est and Caro mea vere est cibus whiche flesshe hauyng the godhed annexed vnto it is of two partes as the cole is and remayneth two natures and so is a dubble meate â–ª to fede the body and soule of man whiche be lykewise two partes of man And when he sayde in the letter D. the breade hath the deitie annexed vnto it he signifieth the body and flesshe of Christ into which by goddes omnipotency the bread is conuerted as thou mayest plainly see declared by hym in the place where thou fyndeste the letter F. and the sentence before in whiche he speaketh so playnely and openly as can not be desyred more euydence for the matter I can not pretermytte also to note vnto the this that maye serue for a lesson to such as be captiouse of wordes and by the outwarde apparaunce of them note contradictions thou shalte fynde in the letter M. that the sacrameÌ„t is two and not one and in the letter F. one and not two which be no contraries Fyrste in that place where he sayth they be not two is signified that there is not two substaunces of the breade and the body of Christ but onely of Chrystes substaunce Againe there be not two bodyes of Christe one in heauen anothere in the sacrament for as he saythe after in the letter E. the body of Christ descended not but as we truely beleue in the article of our Crede he sytteth on the ryghte hande of the father and theÌ„ yf thou askest how can it be so the aunswere is goddes worde is omnipotent the maner inscrutable In the other place where he saith the sacrament is two dubble as in the letter F there he declarethe him self that he speaketh of two natures the humanitie the godhed Thou maiest note also that albeit in one place he sayeth Christes body is verely in the sacrameÌ„t it is not a figure yet in the latter parte he sheweth how it may be called a figure not so but there is the very body of christ but y t it is in y e sacrament a pledge of the glory to come and his feadinge vs here a fygure of that feadynge we shall haue in heauen whiche in the thinge is all one for Chryste is the feaste here and there but the maner differeth For then we shall haue full fruytyon by knowledge and contemplacion in the steade of oure faythe and hope wherby we receaue frutefully Christes feadyng here Thou maieste note also in the letter O. howe afraied he was to be mystaken bycause he spake of the generacion of the spirite whereof Christes flesshe was conceiued leste he shulde be sene to agree w t the Marcionistes and deny Christes naturall bodye So captious haue noughtye men euer ben that study to make of truthe matter of contentioÌ„ In the letter N. thou shalte se the carnal reasons aunswered in fewe wordes with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in greake whiche sygnyfyeth a detestacyon of the speache before as we speake wyth one syllable in englyshe fye And fye worse on theÌ„ that so say and amend not And of the coÌ„pany of suche he amonisheth all to beware in thende and note his reason whye with that also saynt Paule alleged of the ethnike author Corrumpunt bonos mores colloquia praua Euyll talke corrupteth good maners I wryte now to the multitude in whiche be manye to whom I neaded not to haue made these notes onlesse I wolde for formalitie gather notes as lawiers do in their lessons but yet I take my selfe suche pleasure in redynge of the author in thys place who so lyuely godly setteth forth this matter and so fully aunswereth al thwartinges to the contrary that I my selfe delyte to tary in him and wolde haue the reader do the lyke For
thauthor is notable and of a great auncientye that is to say viii.c. and xvi yeres and he writeth in the greake tonge for a furder testimonye vnder title De orthodoxa fide of y e right catholique faith whiche hath nowe bene troubled in this the hyghest mysterye And herein they can not tel what they meane nor what they wolde haue they begyn to speake of an other meanynge in the vnderstandynge of Christes playne wordes when he sayde This is my body whych be the foundation of our fayth in their right catholique vnderstandynge as the churche hath taught and good chrysten men beleued hitherto THe deuyll hath another peece of sophistrye whiche is in coūterfette contradictions wherein he vseth for a preface and introduction a most certayne truth which is that truthe agreeth in it selfe and hath no parte contrarye to another Wherfore seing the worde of god is an infallyble truth it hath no cōtrarieties in it selfe All the worlde muste assent herevnto But thus y e deuyll procedeth to his cauyllaciō ab euidenter ueris per breuissimas mutationes ad euidenter falsa From thinges euydently true by lyttle chaunginges to thinges euidently fals Heauē and earth haue a kind of contradictiō Christ is in heauen where saint Steuen sawe hym Ergo he is not in earth in the sacramente of the aulter Christe ascended into heauen ▪ Ergo he tarieth not here He syttethe on the right hand of the father Ergo he is not in the sacrament of thaulter He is the creature for Omnia per ipsum facta sunt All thinges be made by hym Ergo he is not a creature made of breade He dwelleth not in temples made with mans hande Ergo he is not in the boxe vpon the high aulter Christ shall descende from heauen to iudge the quycke and the deade Ergo he cōtinueth there and is not in the sacrament of the aulter And these be taken for notable contradictions and insoluble sophismes and in effecte in all these argumentes there is no contrarite or contradiction in y e thinges but only a repugnaūce and impossibilitie to mans carnall capacite And therefore here is occasion to admonish men by the wordes of the prophet Nisi credideritis nō intelligetis yf ye beleue not ye shall not vnderstande In this hygh mysterye where god worketh his secrete speciall worke myraculously it is suffycient to know it is wroughte thoughe I can not tell howe it is wroughte ne howe it agreth with other of his workes and yet it agreeth But in this sophistrye the deuell maketh a man forget goddes omnipotencye excedynge our capacite and causeth vs to measure goddes doinges by our naturall imbecillite Because we can not be in two places at ones distaunte one from an other we iudge the same repugnaunt in god but christes beyng in heauen whiche saint Steuen truely confessed was nothinge contrarye to saynte Paules true affirmatiō that christ was sene after thascention to hym in earth It repugneth not to christes power to syt on the right hand of the father in heauen and yet fede the infinite number of his people with the same his moost precyouse body in erth It is no repugnaūce to goddes goodnes being creator of al therw t in the fourme of bread to fede vs his creatures In which we say not god is become the creature of bread as y e deuyl inspyreth his mēbres to report blasphemouslye but that christ familiarlye and of a merueilouse entier loue towardes vs consecrateth him selfe in those formes of breade and wyne to be so eaten and drunken of vs. God fylleth heauen and earth is not comprehēsible to be conteined in temples made with mans hand ne man can lymitte goddes dwellynge place God hath power ouer man but man hath no power ouer God And therefore Salomons godly temple was no habitation to restrayne goddes presence from other places And yet scripture telleth vs howe our sauyoure chryste god and man hath taught in tempels taried in temples made with mannes hande and that he dwelleth with good men and also in tēples made with mans hande for the assembly of good menne where good men truste to be releiued w t common prayer and refresshed w t the mooste precyouse foode of hys bodye and bloude he presenteth and exhibiteth hym selfe to be receiued and eaten and there is present and tarieth in the hoste consecrate not by mans ordinaunce as the deuyll inuyously and spytefullye speaketh it but by his owne institution to be a continuall and daylye foode wherwith beinge nouryshed we maye strongely walke tyll we come to the mounte of god where is euerlastynge lyfe And thys beynge of Christe in the most blessed sacrament repugneth nothinge to the continuinge of Christ in heauē tyll the daye of iudgemente whose most preciouse humaine body now glorified and vnited to the diuinitie is not diuisible by time or place ne by multiplication of tyme or place can be multiplied in number but remaineth in the same number and in variacion of tyme ▪ or alteration of place kepeth styll thappellacion to be called the same And notynge this well to be true althoughe we can not discusse it by oure reason we shall easely auoide the deuylles sophystrye in thys behalfe wherevnto we maye be somewhat induced by consideration of y t god worketh otherwise in vs who by his gifte of imaginaciō and thinkinge in our soule may represent our selfe althoughe not in oure grosse bodye whiche is corporall yet in our mynde I saye we may represent our selfe in dyuerse places at ones and one distante farre from another The philosophers that sayde Anima was tota in toto and tota in qualibet parte the hole in the hole and the hole in euery parte they coulde not se how it was and neuertheles toke it so to be and yet what a contradiccion is it to call the parte the hole And furder do not the wordes spoken of men to a multitude passe holye to euerye one of the hearers eares indifferētly that stand with in the compasse of hearyng And if y e matter be intelligible to thē al do not eche one heare and vnderstand one as moche as another beynge the speache but one and not diminished by the participation of the multitude These similitudes do nothing atteine to expresse the high mysterye of the most blessed sacrament and in many thinges vnlike and specially in this that in al these similitudes be no corporal thinges spoken of and in the sacrament is presēt christes very body but these similitudes only serue to declare y t in these lower workes of god whiche we may call Posteria eius there be many thinges excedyng our capacities to discusse thē how they be y t we know very certainly to be yet because they be common quotidian maruaile not at thē much lesse doubt of them such fondnes hath mans curiositie as was noted by this
sayenge Quod ante pedes est non vident coeli scrutantur plagas that is afore the feete they se not and serche the costes of the heauen The deuyll tempted christ in a rare miracle to make of stones directly breade whiche to be the power of god the deuill then confessed and yet god dyd it not bycause it shulde not haue furthered his glorye to the deuyl who was indurate Neuertheles god whose power ruleth gouerneth and tempereth the workes of nature doth cōtinuallye in the worke of nature make of stones breade when corne is nouryshed of the stones and stones altered and resolued into erth whiche nourisheth the corne sedes and encreaseth the same and lykewyse in other workes of nature sheweth dayly manifold wonders of his power whiche we consyder not because they be commēly done and onely for raritie and newenes maruayle when we maruayle at y e is done and not for the thinge And herein the deuill vttereth his sophistrye and maketh vs forget that is continuallye done before our eyes and by impossibilite of our carnall imaginacions in thinges aboue our capacitie seduceth vs and deceiueth vs in the beleef of goddes high mysteries and specially in the misterie of the sacramēt of thaulter wherby to hynder vs and depryue vs of oure great comforte and consolation in the same wherein God instituted Memoriam mirabilium suorum escā se dedit timentibus eum that is to say a memorie of his maruailes gaue hym selfe mete to them that louingly feare hym THere resteth now to open the deuils sophistrie in the peruerse croked craftie expositions of dyuers places of scripture y e saienges of holy writers and of such wordes as be attribute to singifie and name that moost blessed sacrament vnto vs wherin hathe ben moche paine taken moch craftie imaginacion deuised to abuse the simple vnlerned wyttes and vpholde in errour the maliciouse arrogant and newe fangled iudge menetes As touching scriptures I wyl passe ouer the fransies of them who writhe the principall theife texte This is my body frō consecration of the sacrament to the demonstration of Chrystes body there sittinge and then mynistringe vnto the apostels where in they declare their malyce that they care not to chaunge the right sense with any other were it neuer so fonde and false The truth they abhorre and seke vtterly for lyes them they embrace who so euer bring them and leane to suche exposycions of the scriptures as helpe to the subuertion of the truth But let vs consyder how sophistically they handle the wordes that Christ sayde Do this in remēbraunce of me for here is made a greate matter of the word remembraunce whiche they saye declareth that Christe him selfe is not presente in the sacrament and that the sacrament is but a memorye of hym but a remembraunce of hym And here the deuyll lurketh in a litle worde but for in often repetition of remembraunces the but is taken in and the speache goethe rounde as though the wordes imported that the sacramente is but a remembraunce of Christ In whiche speache if but were lefte oute as the scripture hath it not the worde memory or remembraunce is nothinge repugnaunt to Christes presence in the most blessed sacramēt For seing christ is the eternal word of god and descēded frō heuen into earth not only to suffre for man but also to declare the wil of god to be obserued folowed and obeyed vnto of man whiche wyll of god beyng taught vs by Christ we shulde not forget but day and nyght w t the benefites also of christes passyon remember therw t the wil of god taught vs in the same passion can there be so effectuall a memoryall of Christes death teachynges declared and taught in y e same death as if with the eyes of oure faith we se present the naturall body of our sauiour christ the selfe same body that suffered If y e hearing of christes death entringe at a mannes eares or the seyng of a picture or image grauen representing christes deathe to y e bodely eyes doth styrre vp mans memory to haue remembraunce of that is done by christ for hym how moche more doth the liuely presence of christes natural body styr such as perfytely beleue the p̄sence of the same to the remēbraūce of christes passion And if among men where honest loue reigneth as betwene y e man wife such as be godly conioyned in maryage they vse to leaue for memory of eche other in their absence an image of thē selues as lyuely set forth as mans crafte can attayne knowynge by experience that y e image styrreth vp the memorie most effectually Shulde we not thinke that oure sauiour Christ moch more affected and ioyned in loue to his spouse the chyrch than any man is to his wife hath lefte the same churche his spouse a most perfitte image of him selfe that is to say hym self for a memorye who by his omnipotencye can exhibite and present hys very ymage hys owne verye bodye without chaunge of place or leauynge his seate in heauen when as oft as it pleaseth hym Who also so loueth his churche as we haue cause to thīke he wold do it and by scriptures maye vnderstand yf we close not our owne vnderstandynges that he doth it in dede in this moost blessed sacrament wherein his presence dothe most effectually styrre vp in good mens hartes such a remembraūce of hole Chryst hys benefytes and preachynges together as in thys mooste holye communyon good men be so comforted so strenghtened so confyrmed in Christes doctryne as thereby shall in their manours theyr hauyours theyr conuersation and lyuynge shewe and sette forth in them selues christes deathe with hys resurrection also whyles the day of iudgement when shall be Chrystes seconde commyng in maiestie and glorye And thus the holy vertuous man Basile expoundeth the wordes of saint Paule As often as ye eate this bread and drink the cuppe of our lord ye shall shew the death of our lorde tyl he cometh which wordes of s Paule declare the strēgth of this heuēly foode to worke this effecte and brynge forth such frute in vs not that euerye man receyuyng the sacrament shulde with his tonge then make a sermō how Christ dyed for vs whyche the presence of the sacrament it self preacheth yf men vnderstande who is there present and this poynt shuld be learned at ones and so perfitly beleued as it neaded not to be learned againe For it is the grounde foundacion and begynnyng But the sermō preaching and shewing of Christes deathe of suche as receaue thys mooste blessed sacramente worthely shulde be in their maners and lyuynge theyr loue and charitie theyr contempt of the worlde and desyre to be with god wherby shuld appere that by receiuing this most preciouse fode we remember christes death passion for vs practise it effectually and frutefully in vs. For suche only celebrate this holy communiō with an effectual
remembraunce of him And yet euyll men do receaue the same to their owne condemnation whiche good men do with a perfit remembraunce of christ whose benefites w t his preceptes they haue in effectual remembraunce Wherin forasmuch as the Corinthyans abused them selfe Saynt Paule threteneth them with gods sharpe iudgement whyche euerye manne procureth hym selfe when he receiueth the blessed sacrament vnworthely not consyderinge nor vnderstandynge that there is in that feast the very naturall bodye and bloud of our sauiour christ which s Paul signifieth in those wordes non dijudicans corpus domini Whiche wordes be translate in englyshe puttynge no difference betwene the lordes bodye And this place by suche as presumynge of their owne knowlege frame also a sense of their owne makynge or folowinge suche as willingly abuse their knowledge to subuerte the truth hathe ben mystaken and of some so taken as though the CorinthiaÌ„s were in those wordes blamed because they which is a fond imaginacion and yet men that waÌ„der alone go easely farre wide out of the right waye toke the sacrament to be the very body of christ and put no difference betwene it breade But saint Paule contrarywyse as tholde authors expounde that place declareth in those wordes non dijudicans corpus domini howe suche as eate vnworthely do not acknowledge whom they receiue For if they dyd they could not so abuse them selfe and therefore the worde dijudicans signifieth not puttinge no difference but not vnderstandynge not consyderynge as the greake interpreters say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not considerynge not vnderstandynge who is in that feast to be receiued whose presence if men considered they shoulde neade none other admonyshment howe to prepare them self to come thither and howe to vse them selues at the same And other scripture is lykewise misconstrued and crokedly expounded Spiritus viuificat caro non prodest quicâ— As thoughe it were to be vnderstanded that the presence of the natural bodye and bloude of our sauiour our christ were not fruteful to vs therefore by theyr reason shulde not be there where in dede our sauyour Christ refelled in those wordes the grosse vnderstandinge of y e Capharnaites as though oure sauiour christ had ment to distribute his natural body in lumpes of flesshe and so make them a feest of it and thervpon gaue a generall lesson vnto them whiche serueth for y e true vnderstandyng of our hole relygion which is that our godly lyfe is engeÌ„dred in vs not of the flesshe but of the spirite for quod natum est ex carne caro est quod auteÌ„ ex spuÌ„ spiritus est y t is borne of the flesshe is flesh and that is borne of the spirite is spirite and the faithfull men be not borne of the flesshe nor the flesshe reuealeth not the truth of god for the flesshye manne can not se goddes mysteries and they that dwell in the flesshe can not please god and thus scripture speakethe of the flesshe the carnal parte of man not illuminate by y e spirite of god and the Capharnaites fansied of Christes flesshe grossly to be cutte as buchers do in the market whiche so coÌ„sidered profiteth nothing but onely the spirite giueth lyfe And so spiritus viuificat caro non prodest quicquam the spirite gyueth lyfe and the flesshe profitethe nothing By which maner of spech the fleâ—she of our sauyour christes moost precious bodye beinge caro viuifica lyuely flesshe and whiche hath the holy spirite inseparablye annexed vnto it is not improued but as it is by goddes hygh power ministred vnder fourme of breade wyne is also most holsom most confortable vnto such as receyue it worthely of which christ spake Caro mea vere est cibus sanguis meus uere est potus panis quem dabo uobis caro mea est My flesshe is verely meate and my bloude verely drinke and the breade whiche I shall geue you is my flesshe And the speache of this scripture Caro non prodest quicâ— is in such wise to be taken as wheÌ„ saint Paule saith Scientia inflat charitas edificat wherein knoweledge is not vtterlye condemned but onely suche knowledge as waÌ„teth and is not tempered with charitie And lykewise littera occidi spiritus viuificat wherein not all letters and wrytinges be noted to do hurte but onely suche as be destitute and want right spiritual vnderstandinge And after y e same fourme said christ Spiritê° viuificat caro noÌ„ prodest quicâ—â— The spirit giueth lyfe y e flesshe profiteth nothyng whiche is as muche to saye after the order of vnderstaÌ„ding in the former speaches that the flesh porfiteth nothynge where the spirite of god wanteth whiche in the most blessed body of our sauiour Christ is alway present can not be seperate from it Thus I haue somwhat trauailed in thexpositioÌ„ of this text Caro non prodest quicâ— whiche in dede ê‘teyneth not to y e purpose of y e matter but only as the deuil wrangleth with it as he doth in susteining heresyes with many other and amonge other in this matter these If I go not from you sayth Christe the holy ghoste shall not comme to you And in an other place ye shall not se me for I go to my father And also in an other place I leaue the worlde and go to my father With suche lyke whiche sounde to improue the presence of Christes naturall body and blood in the sacrament of thaulter but sounde so onely to suche as before they marke this souÌ„de of wordes wold haue them to sounde so For that meane the deuyl vseth to inueigle men fyrste to allure them by â–ª some worldelye temptation to be incline able rather to this or that opinion and in many men not for anye respecte they haue to any truthe or falseshed but onelye bycause they had rather haue it vnderstanded so as they fansye then otherwyse And beynge so waywardlye affected they conceaue then of the scripture as they do of a confuse souÌ„de of belles that is to saye the selfe same sentence and meaning which they wolde haue taken and estemed for truth and none other And to such men so inueigled by the deuyll it is harde to induce the persuasion of truthe for they care not for it or be maliciouse and euyl wyllynge against the truthe And therfore wysedome as y e wyse man saith can not entre into them The deuyl for mayntenaunce of his errour he ceasseth not to note to the simple reader how Christ speaketh of goynge his waye and goyng to his father and in an other place of leauynge the worlde in an other place that he wyll be seene no more of theÌ„ And when y e spouse is gone then we shall wayle and faste All whiche in the true vnderstandyng signifie to vs the absence from vs of Christe in his bodely coÌ„uersatioÌ„ among vs in such sorte as he was before his passyon and before
is necessarely requisite that preseruyng the wordes of S. Paule inuiolable as they be most holy we shuld in other wordes fashioÌ„ of speche truely agreed on in y e church confesse in all tonges the truth playnly in such wyse as such as haue their beleef establyshed in one vnderstandynge shuld also vtter the same in one maner of spech wherby the speache whiche is ordered of god to do seruyce to expresse the inwarde meanyng of the harte to the knot and coniunction of men in vnitie be not by the variaction diuersitie in it matter and occasion of discorde and confusion wherin the deuyll by his membres trauayleth by all meanes to disseuer that christ hath congregate to dissolue that christ hath knyt together But to returne to the doctors and fathers of y e church who lefte most playne and euydent testimony in their writinges of their beleef in the sacrament of thaulter euen the verye same that amonge good men continueth styll Hathe not Fryth for all that in a detestable boke remaynynge after hym in Englysshe defamed Tertulian Chrisostome and saynt Austen in that matter And hath not before hym Oecolampadius in our tyme most maliciousely and vntruelye in falsely reportynge those holy meÌ„ attempted the same And hath not this ben their crafte herein to seke out places of derkenes and ambiguitie wherewith to deceyue them selue other also As for example If they redde any doctour in anye place of hys boke cal the sacrameÌ„t of y e aulter a fygure or a signe that place they brought forth and they put to the deuylles syllable but and sayde those doctours take it to be but a signe but a figure but a memorie herein the but hath done moche hurt for it is sleighly brought in and a smal sillable For this is in dede coÌ„uenient that christ in his body lyuing shulde be a fygure signe and memory of his body deade vpon the crosse for vs Christ in the sacrament of thaulter to be a figure of his misticall body the churche whiche he vnitethe to him in that sacrament and of that effecte the sacrament of thaulter is named the holy communion and because the maner of Christes beinge in the sacrament differeth froÌ„ his maner of beynge as he satte at the borde with his disciples althoughe the selfe same body was in the sacramente that satte at the boorde and the selfe same body is now in the sacrament that is nowe in heauen not by shyftynge of places but by omnypotencye whereby god maye do all for these considerations in all these respectes the speache hath not ben abhorred to call the sacrament of thaulter a fygure and to call it a signe and a memoriall for so it is but not only a fygure not onelye a signe not onlye a memoriall but therewith the thynge it selfe as the same doctours that haue vsed those wordes sygne and fygure do plainely testyfye Nowe yf mans wytte by the deuylles instygacyon shall trauaile with sophisticacion in wordes to subuerte the truthe what can remaine vntouched of that we shoulde haue moost sure We beleue truelye that Chryste is the same substaunce with his father to the condemnacion of tharrians And yet saint Paule in his epistle to the Hebrewes calleth christe the image of his fathers substaunce Then saythe the deuyl yf Chryst be but the ymage of his fathers substance do ye not se howe but crepeth in then is he not the same substaunce Nowe bycause Christe sheweth vs the father as he sayde to Philip Philippe qui videt me uidet patreim Phylyppe he that seeth me seeth my father and in another place Nemo nouit patrem nisi filius et cui voluerit filius reuelare No maÌ„ knoweth the father but his sonne and to whom he wil reueale it Et deuÌ„ nemo uidit unâ— vnigenitus filius ipse ennarrauit Neuer man sawe god his onelye begotten sonne hathe shewed him forth For these effectes christe is the ymage of the fathers substaunce and we may not therfore make the deuyls addition of but or make the captious sophisme of Meâ—demus Alterum ab altero alterum est The image is not the thing wherof it is y e image as maÌ„ is not god of whom he is y e image Ergo Christ is not the same substaunce with the father beyng as Saynte Paules wordes before rehersed purport the ymage of his substaunce And as this argumeÌ„t is folysshe in this pointe and yet captious to deceiue the vnlearned So be the argumentes made against the sacrament of the aulter of the worde fygure or the worde sygne or the worde memorye or the worde Symbolum token whiche wordes for a certeine relatition may be spoken of it withoute preiudice of the true substaunce there present of y e body and bloude of Christ besydes those relations And thus Luther and all that folowed hym haue defended against Oecolampadius and enforced Bucer by declaration of the places to yelde vnto hym in it and to confesse the presence of the natural body of our sauiour christ notwithstanding those termes of figure signe and memorie the misconstruynge wherof was but mere cauillacion sophistrie So as to coÌ„demne the madnes of such as folowe Frith or Oecolampadius or swinglius or amonge vs Ioye Bale Turner or such like y e deuils lymmes the truth of Christes church hath thayde of al Luthers secte But w tout their ayde the truthes strength is sufficient bycanse thou mayst se reader how playnly y e holy fathers haue spoken of y e most blessed sacrameÌ„t wherby the more to abhorre the blasphemy of some such wretches as most vyllainously write speake and as they dare iest at this day I wyl of certaine notable writers such only as were before one thousand yere past take out theyr playn confession of this most blessed Sacrament by redyng wherof good men may coÌ„ceiue as much ioyfull pleasure to the confirmation of their beleef and swete meditation therin as lewde lyght persons take wanton delite to here scoffing â—estinge to the deprauation of the same non diiudicaÌ„tes corpus domini And fyrst I shall reherse y t hath beÌ„ spoken of this preciouse sacramente by one of the first since christ as of saint Andrewe thapostle who continuing coÌ„stantly in the true confession of christ and abhorryng ydolatry when he was moued therunto by Egeas said in this wise Omnipotenti deo qui unus uerus est ego omni die sacrifico noÌ„ thuris fumuÌ„ nec tauroruÌ„ mugieÌ„tiuÌ„ carnes nec hircoruÌ„ sanguineÌ„ sed immaculatum agnuÌ„ quotidiè in altari crucis sacrifico cuius carnes postâ— omnis populê° credentium manducauerit eius sanguinem biberit agnus qui sacrificatus est integer perseuerat vnus Et cum verè sacrificatus sit verè carnes eius manducatae sint a populo verè sanguis eius bibi â—us tamen vt dixi integer permanet
againe called Iacob whych latter callinge of Iacob dydde nothynge preiudicate the truthe of gods worde vttered before Forasmuch as this laste maner of callynge was not a through namynge of hym but only as it were a pointing to distinct outwardly the man and because he was ones Iacob is called Iacob againe As the sacrament because it was ones breade is called bread againe And now I returned to this that yf mens fayth were such as is required of christen men they wold be wiselye deefe as the serpente that stoppethe her eares and nothynge be altered with the deuyls intricacions or incantacioÌ„s in wordes and names euen as we beleue certainely that Christ is perfytte god and perfyt man what so euer names be attribute in scripture vnto hym as he is called a shepe a worme a lyon and many other And althoughe Christe saith hym selfe his father is greatter then he yet this is true that his father he be equall and yet equall and greater be in apparaunce contrarye And so beleuynge as euerye good Christen man muste beleue that Christ is equall to his father in substaunce and deitie we beleue the contrary in apparaunce to senses vnexercysed of that Christ sayd hym selfe But these notwithstandynge howe so euer thapparaunce of wordes be in scriptures we beleue the truth taught vs by y e churche as euery man lerneth to spell that sometime c with a â—yttell spelleth est in another place e with a title spelleth en as when we write AmeÌ„ and another tyme e with a tytle spelleth em as meÌ„ brum whiche varietie goeth by rule in place whereunto an humble scoler obeyeth and not by reason as an arrogant witte wolde requyre So in all the secretes and contractions as we myghte call them and misteries hydden of our religion good men haue euer leaned to the rule of teachinge in christes churche and taken a title some tyme for n and sometyme for m as they were taught the place to require and not to spell after theyr owne iudgemente as euerye man weneth it shulde be after his vehement reason of his owne diuise Doth not s Paule saith he call it breade and be not these wordes of scripture And be any words truer or better then the wordes of scripture Of whome I aske this question agayne Hath not the churche had and vnderstanded these wordes of scrypture that ye soo vehementlye alledge Hathe not the churche deliuered those wordes vnto vs And hath not the same churche notwythstandynge taughte thys truthe howe the breade by consecratyon is conuerted into the precyouse bodye of Chryste and condemned those that wolde affyrme breade to remayne and with that theyr condemnation reteyned and kepte in honoure saint Paule who wrote these wordes that ye make so greate matter of The churche hathe condemned the Arryans that denyed Chryste to be equalle wyth his father and yet the same churche hathe stylle kepte in honoure the Euangelyst that wrote howe Chryste sayde his father was greatter then he And yet the Arryans sayde they spake none other then the Euangelystes testyfyed in playne wordes as some wyll saye nowe a dayes they speake none otherwyse then Saynte Paule dothe But suche heretyques wyll heddelye spell as they lyste and not folowe the rule of ryghte vnderstandyng without whiche men muste neades wauer and swarue in their owne coniecture beynge the coniecture the rule of leade that men now a daies sensually folowe plyable to theyr fansyes eueÌ„ so fondely as some like worshipful clerkes haue taken the wordes of scrypture written by the euangelistes for god him selfe and those haue gyuen thankes to the lord for their hyghe knowledge acheued by continuall readynge by them selfe alone and hauynge a newe testamente by theyr gyrdell wherby they haue bosted them self deliuered from the greatte ignoraunce wherwith other were blinded for by their owne deuise iÌ„ their wyse imagination they had seene god and harde god euen face to face by hearinge and seinge the wordes of scripture which they fansied to be god hym selfe because of the wordes of sainte Ihons gospel where it is written The word was god I do not herein fayne reader but wrytte the matter in dede and in dyuerse men deprehended and founde whiche fonde errour hathe ben engendred of blynde arrogancye amongest those that thinke theÌ„ selfe able to wade throughe the scriptures withoute direction of suche teachynge as the churche taught by y e scripture of god hath gathered of y e same scryptures Damascene of whome I haue before spoken hath this good lesson that as it is signified to vs by scripture that we shall be all taught of god so by the same scripture we be admonished to aske of our elders they shall tell vs whiche declareth a maner of reachyng not to be coÌ„tempned of men who despisinge al other men for teachers as they solysshly vnawares learne other to contemne them so do they despise god accordynge to Christes wordes Qui vos spernit me spernit He that despiseth you despiseth me Here may come in percase in thys high matter a scoffe with a questioÌ„ which you And then why shal not I teache you aswell as you me or rather I you For doth not Chryst saye I knoweledge to the father thou haste hydden these thinges from the wise and shewed them to the yongelinges And Paule saith the wysedome of the worlde is folysshenes afore god And then an other question in what vniuersitie was sainte Peter made doctoure And so shall aryse the controuersy whiche the deuyll engendreth who shall teache other who shall be the scoler and who the maister wythout eche man shulde playe bothe partes as of some number eche maÌ„nowe a dayes wolde playe alone al partes and euery man be mayster to him self to himself scoler also with requeste to god that he wyll vouchesaue to teache hym secretelye by often readynge and spelling after his fashion for he may not be instruct by man nor for shame submytte hym selfe to hys felowe to make his mate his maister to haue power ouer hym accordynge to Saynte Paules wordes as he raketh them where he is fashyoned to saye to the Corynthians I wyll be vnder no mans power For soo thenglysshe hathe althoughe the sence be otherwise And this conclusion do these questions engendre where euery man muste be so aunswered as his sensualite may be coÌ„tented which is impossible But to the purpose The churche is a bodye distincte as saynte Paule saith to the Corinthyans wherein euery member hathe not one office confuselye but some be prophetes and some be pastours and teachers c. And where some be appointed to reache some other muste also be appointed to be taught howebeit to auoyde this contentyon betwene this questyoner and me and to eschue all comparyson for this time I am contente to be with hym in y e place of a scooler and aske wyth hym of other that is to saye of those that