immaculatus vnus I do euery day sayd saint Andrewe sacrifice to God almyghty whiche is the true and one god not the smoke of incense not the flesshe of lowing bulles not the bloude of gootes but I sacrifice dayly in the aulter of the crosse the lambe withoute spotte whose flesshe after all the faythfull people haue eaten it and droncke the bloude of it the lambe that is sacrificed contynueth hole and on lyue And all be it this laÌ„be is verely sacrificed and the fleshe of it verelye eaten of the people and the bloude of it verelye drunken yet as I sayde it remaynethe hole without spotte and styll on liue These be the wordes of the holye Apostle and martyr sainte Andrewe who knewe the truth of that is written by the euangelystes before the Euangelyes were wrytten and he knewe it taughte of our sauiour Christe and speakethe herein consonantlye to the wordes of scrypture and the faythe of the catholyque churche wherein yf thou wylte spurne because Saynte Andrew speaketh of daylye sacrifice and Sainte Paules true doctryne is that Christ was but ones sacrificed on the crosse then it was as saint Paule sayeth to the Hebrewes perfited for euer beynge a hole and sufficient sacryfice for all the synnes of the world Thou doest herein reherse a true sayeng of saynt Paule suche as all the worlde must confesse For the sacrifice of Christe is eternall and is one perfyte consummate suffycient auayleable sacrifice and nedeth no repetitioÌ„ or iteracion for the more validitie of it And yet this truth is nothing touched or preiudicate with y e dayly sacrifice of Christ in the aulter whiche to him y t beleueth is easely declared to hym that will wraÌ„gle against all truthe is in vayne entreated of and as Hylarius sayth Non est humano aut seculi sensu in rebus dei loquenduÌ„ Godly matters shulde not be commened of after carnall vnderstandynge â–ª But as saynte Andrewe spake so y e church doth practyse it For Chryste is daylye offered and sacryficed on the aulter If thou askest by what auctorytie it may be aunswered by thauctorytie of Chrystes word who said Hoc facite Do this and saynte Paule as Damascene noteth it sheweth howe longe in the wordes donec ueniat tyl he come hath from the beginning taught his church so to vnderstande hym â–ª If thou askest howe can ones manye tymes stande togyther This howe declareth yf if it be contencyous thou doest not yet beleue but arte in mystruste of the churche that teacheth the and if thou askest in humilitie Sainte Chrysostome in expoundinge that place of s Paule to the Hebrewes where he ones offeringe is spoken of openeth and dyscussethe thy doubte as foloweth Nonne per singulos dies offerimus Offerimê° quidem sed ad recordationem facientes mortis eius Et una est haec hostia non multae Quomodo vna est non multae Et quia semel oblata est illa oblata est in sancta sanctorum hoc autem sacrificium exemplar est illius idipsum semper offerimus Nec nuÌ„c quidem alium agnum crastina aliuÌ„ sed semper idipsum Proinde unâ— est hoc sacrificium Aliquin hac ratione quoniaÌ„ in multis locis offertur multi Christi sunt NequaquaÌ„ sed unus vbique est Christus hîc plenus existens illic plenus unum corpus Sicut enim qui vbique offertur vnum corpus est non multa corpora ita etiam unum sacrificium PoÌ„tifex autem noster ille est qui hostiam mundantem nos obtulit ipsam offerrimus nunc quae tunc oblata est consumi non potest Hoc autem quod nos facimus in commemorationem quideÌ„ fit eius quod factuÌ„ est Hoc enim facite inquit in meaÌ„ coÌ„memorationeÌ„ NoÌ„ aliud sacrificiuÌ„ sicut pontifex sed idipsum semper facimus magis autem recordationem sacrificij operamur Sed quia sacrificij huius meÌ„tionem feci uoeo pauca ad vos dicere quae recor damini pauca quidem mensura magnam autem habentia virtuteÌ„ vrilitatem Non enim nostra suÌ„t sed diuini spiritus quae dicuntur Quae ergo sunt Plurimi ex hoc sacrificio semel accipiunt in toto anno alij bis alij saepius Ad omnes ergo nobis sermo est non ad eos qui hîc suÌ„t tantum sed etiam ad eos qui in eremo sedent Illi enim semel in anno perticipantur fortassis enim post duos annos Quid ergo est Quos magis acceptamus Eos ne qui semel an eos qui saepius an illos qui rarò accipiuÌ„t Neque illos qui semel neque qui saepius neque qui rarò sed eos qui cum munda coÌ„scientia qui cum mundo corde cum uita irreprehensibili istùc semper accedunt Qui verò tales noÌ„ sunt neque semel Quid ita quia iuditium sibi accipiunt damnationem supplicium Et noÌ„ mireris Sicut enim cibê° naturaliter nutritorius extans si in eum qui prauis cibis corruptus est incidat omnia perdit corruÌ„pit efficitur occasio morbi sic etiam ista quae ad haec terribilia pertinent sacramenta Frueris mensa spiritali mensa regali iterum polluis coeno os tuum perungis vnguento praecioso iterum foetoribus illud imples Dic mihi rogo post annum perceptionem participaris quadraginta dies putas tibi sufficere admundationem peccatorum totius temporis iterum septimana transeunte trades teipsum scrdibê° primis Dic enim mihi si saluus factê° quadraginta diebus ab egritudine longa iterum te illis morbificatoribus cibis tradas nonne primum laborem perdes Si enim naturalia sic mutantur quanto amplius uoluntaria Vt puta ueluti quid dico Naturaliter uidemus sanos habemus oculos secundum naturam sed aliquando ex mala quadam affectione leditur noster obtutus Si igitur naturalia mutantur quanto amplius quae ad voluntatem pertinent Quadraginta dies tantum tribuis saluti animae tuae arbitror autem quia neê° quadraginta dies speras propitiari deum locaris magis I wyl traÌ„slate al this place for it maye edifie the reder in this other matter Do we not saith s Chrisostome offer daylye We do in dede offer but in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of his death And it is one sacrifice not many Howe is it one and not many For being ones offered it is theÌ„ preseÌ„ted in y e inward most holy place wherof this our sacrifice is a represeÌ„tacioÌ„ so as we offer alway the same not one lambe now another at another tyme but at all tymes y e same So as it is but one sacrifice or els by the same reasoÌ„ bycause christ is offred in many places we myght saye there were many Christes whiche is
immortalite when they haue sene a sycke man receiue the sacrameÌ„t not a quarter of an houre before his natural deth as though in that man the host consecrate wherein the body of Christ in present shulde with goddes iniury moulde or corrupt wast and consume And yet these right vses of the most blessed sacrament coÌ„teyne as straunge matter to mans seÌ„ses and carnall iudgement as do the leude and blasphemouse tales deuised and tolde wherby to inueigle mens vnderstaÌ„dynges and spoyle them of their true byleef And yet also these breakinges and vses of the moost blessed sacrament were neuer hyddeÌ„ in the churche ne kept secrete as thoughe the true belefe shulde therby decay or be diminished The churche hath not forborne to preache the truthe to the confusion of mans senses and vnderstanding whervnto men faithfull and obedient haue yelded acknowleginge gods omnipotency which mans reasoÌ„ can not matche The true churche hath taughte plainly and teacheth that by the omnipotencie of gods worde the substaunce of bred is conuerted to the substaunce of Christes natural bodye whiche is there then by his myghty power not by mutacyon of place by leauynge of heauen where he is euer present but by his infinite power wherby he can do all and of a specyal fauour to wardes vs worketh continually in his churche this mysterye and miracle and in forme of bread and wyne exhibiteth and presenteth himself to be eaten drunken of vs So as there is in the sacrameÌ„t of thaulter none other substaunce but the substaunce of the body and bloud of our sauiour christe yet remayneth the fourme and accidentes of bread and wyne not altered by this myracle froÌ„ knowledge of the senses wherwith they were before known also by gods sufferaunce subiecte to the same passibilite they were in before And yet here in this mystery and myracle wrought by gods power we acknowledge y t contrary to the comeÌ„ ordre of nature the substaunce of bred beyng conuerted into the naturall bodely substauÌ„ce of our sauiour Christ the other accideÌ„tes of bred wyne as quantities qualities remayne stil without iniury of Christes most preciouse body be as we dayly se altered broken and remayniÌ„g abyding without theyr owne fourmer substaÌ„ce of the creatures of bred wine whervnto they were by nature adioyned do now seruice theyr creatoure there present the very substauÌ„ce of all substaunces vnder which accidentes that is to say as we truely speake vnder fourme of bred and wine the naturall body receyued of vs iÌ„ the sacrameÌ„t of thaulter who so ordred himselfe to be eaten and dronken of vs in his last supper whiche continueth styll tyll the worldes ende with a perpetuall continuaunce also of the meruelouse workynge of the same festemaker presence of the same most preciouse meate Christe him selfe cum ipse sit coÌ„uiua conuiuiuÌ„ wher w t he coÌ„tinually fedeth such as come vnto hym in his churche which church according to his commaundement by special mynisters deputed thervnto vseth and exerciseth the same fest in the most holy masse where vnto good christen meÌ„haue daily accesse which most holy feste when men abuse as the Corynthians dyd it is their condemnation and can be nothyng preuidiciall or daungerouse to good mennes true beleef Suche I saye as haue their faith established vpon the true teachyng of the church that after the wordes of consecration the substaunce of bread is turned into the substaunce of the natural body and bloude of our Sauiour Christe Against which teachyng good men kicke not with howes and whattes for that is a token of incredulite if the chauÌ„cell were with fyre sodenly burned as hath happened by diuerse chaunces they thinke not christ that is god immortall there killed because he was there in the hoste after consecracion or forbeare anye whyt lesse to worshyp christ whom with theyr eyes of faith they se present in the sacrament of thaulter because their bodely syght perceyueth not any visible alteracion of the host before the consecracion after fynally such good meÌ„ beleue most stedfastly without sclaunder of theyr senies that the breakynge of the most blessed sacrament by the ministre in the masse doth no violacioÌ„ to christes most precious body there present â—e breaketh the most precyouse body whiche is impassible but only the fourme of bread vnder whiche it is coÌ„teyned and that the same most precyouse bodye is after hooly in eche of the partes of the host broken without any encrease in nuÌ„ber as thoughe there were theÌ„ many christes preseÌ„t but alwayes one christ the same christ But y e deuyl taketh his oportunite of mans carnall lyuynge whiles the bely hath the vpperhaÌ„d among a great many of the world by reason wher of the senses be had in estimation sturreth vp this abhominable heresy against the most blessed sacrament of the aulter vpon the senses maketh the chyefe groundes wherby now that afore was passed ouer in sylence when mennes senses were brought in obedience with true byleef is questioned and enquyred of as a newe matter And nowe men be asked how a mouse can eate god howe god can corrupt and waxe mo uld how god can be broken in pâ—eces which be fondly framed questioÌ„s And to y e great prouocatioÌ„ of gods hygh indignation blasphemously vttered Answer me then saith the deuyll by his apostels wherunto a true aunswere is this and the simplicitie required in a christeÌ„ maÌ„ sufficient Beleue that a mouse can not deuour god byleue that god can not corrupt Beleue that god can not be broken now after he is ones riseÌ„ and beleue also therwith that Christ god and man is naturally presente in the sacrament of thaulter For so Christe saith So the church of god teacheth So we be bounde to byleue If thou beest further taughte of the deuyll to replye y t if there remayne in y e host no substaunce but the substaunce of the body and bloude of Christ it must nedes be then that the same corrupteth or elles when goth it awaye or where haue ye scripture to declare the going away and departyng of Christ from the hoost And if Christ departe then is there no substaunce remayning where is no substaunce is nothynge And so thou wylte saye as the deuell lerueth the that by this teaching we shall haue nothynge somwhat And in dede the deuyl hath taught the to speake somewhat that is in effecte nothynge or worse then nothynge wherunto if men in these dayes can not aunswer probablye as I doubt not a great number can and yet in this tyme the world is rather occupied in garnyshynge the tonge with wordes theÌ„ to entre the further consyderatioÌ„ of iÌ„tricate sophistication wherby to be able to refell the same Shall the true faith of the churche in this hyghe mystery perish in the by the deuyls secrete tentation bycause I or such other can not aunswer thy sophisticall argument
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
bloud dwelleth in me and I in him Hitherto be Cirylles wordes whereby is declared our corporall habitacion in christe by this precious sacrament wherein is present christ him selfe â–ª wherof here what Hilarius Pictauiensis an olde author in christes churche in the .viii. boke de Trinitate vpon discussion of this question whither chryste be in vs by the veritie of nature or coÌ„corde agreaunce in our will aunswereth in this wise Si enim uerè uerbum caro factum est nos uerè uerbuÌ„ carneÌ„ cibo dominico sumimê° quo modo non naturaliter manere in nobis existimandus est qui naturam carnis nostrae iam inseparabilem sibi homo natus assumpsit naturam carnis suae ad naturam aeternitatis sub sacramento nobis coÌ„municaÌ„dae carnis admiscuit Ita enim omnes unum sumus quia in christo prÌ„ est christus in nobis Quisquis ergo naturaliter patreÌ„ in christo negabit neget prius noÌ„ naturaliter uel se christo uel christuÌ„ sibi inesse quia in christo prÌ„ christus in nobis unuÌ„ unuÌ„ in hijs esse nos faciuÌ„t Si uerè igitur carnem corporis nostri chruÌ„s assuÌ„psit uerè homo ille qui ex Maria natê° fuit chruÌ„s eÌ„ nosque uero sub misterio carneÌ„ corporis sui sumimê° per hoc unuÌ„ erimê° quia pater in eo est ille in nobis quomodo voluÌ„tatis unitas asseretur cuÌ„ naturalis per sacramentuÌ„ proprietas perfecta sacramentum sit unitatis If the worde was made verely fleshe and we verely receyue the worde beinge fleshe in oure lordes meate how shal not christ be thought to dwell naturally in vs who being borne man hath taken vnto him the nature of our flesshe that can not be seuered and hath put together the nature of his fleshe to the nature of his eternitie vnder y e sacrament of the communion of his flesshe vnto vs For so we be al one by cause the father is in Chryste and Christ in vs. Wherefore who soeuer wyll deny the father to be naturally in Christe he muste deny fyrst eyther hym self to be naturally in Christe or Christ not to be naturallye in hym for the being of the father in Chryst and the being of Chryste in vs maketh vs to be one in theÌ„ And therefore yf Chryst hath taken verelye the flesshe of oure body and the man that was verelye borne of y e virgyn Mary is Christ also we receyue vnder the true mysterie the fleshe of his bodye by meanes wherof we shal be one for the father is in Christ and Christ in vs how shal that be called the vnite of wyll when the natural propriete brought to passe by y e sacramente is the sacrameÌ„t of vnite I haue thus translate this holy fathers testimony farre exceding the capacite of the symple vnlearned and yet most euidently declaringe the mysterie of the sacrament of thaulter not to be thinuention of maÌ„ as these beastes now a dayes fayne but the godly tradicion of the truthe expressed in Christes wordes plainly truely receiued also taught and continued in the church syns the beginning by this mans testimony aboue .xii c. yeres past And were it not that I thinke good men wyll delyte to reade the truth I wolde esteme it labour loste to suche as be obstinate For they be as saint Paule saith ouerthrowen in their owne iudgement and so full of malyce as nothinge els can entre But I wyll not omytte for them to prosecute my purpose And nowe shall ye here what Theophylus Alexandrinus a noble author in christes churche and in the begynnynge of christes churche saieth who declaringe the gospel of s Marke and expoundyng the wordes of christe writeth in this wise Benedicens fregit i. gratias agens fregit quod nos facimus orationes super addentes dedit eis dicens Sumite hoc est corpus meum hoc scilicet quod nunc do quod nunc sumitis Non autem panis figura tantuÌ„ corporis christi est sed in propriuÌ„ Christi corpus transmutatur Nam Dominus ait Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est sed tamen caro christi non uidetur propter nostraÌ„ infirmitatem panis enim uinum de nostra consuetudine est si uerò carnem sanguinem cerneremus sumere non sustineremus propter hoc Dominus nostrae infirmitati condescendens species panis vini conseruat sed panem uinuÌ„ in veritateÌ„ conuertit carnis sanguinis Thenglysshe whereof is this Christe blessinge brake that is to saye gyuynge thankes brake whiche also we do adding praiers thervnto and gaue it theÌ„ saieng Take this is my body the same that is to say that I nowe giue you nowe take For the breade is not an only figure of the body of christe but it is chaunged into Christes verye bodye For oure lorde saide The breade whiche I shall giue is my flesshe yet the flesshe of christ is not sene in respecte of oure infirmitie for the breade and wine be accustomed vnto vs but if we shuld se the flesshe and bloude we shulde not endure to receiue it and therfore our lorde condescendynge to our infirmitie conserueth the fourmes of breade and wine and turneth the breade and wyne into the veritie of his flesshe and bloude Thus testifieth Theophilus and who can desire a more playne testimonye in whiche thou mayest also note howe the fourme of breade and wyne by goddes goodnes remaineth in respecte of oure infirmitie and yet the breade and wyne is turned in to the body and bloude of oure sauyoure Christe whiche speache implyeth a difference betwene the substauÌ„ce of breade and the fourme that is to say apparaunce of breade whiche euery symple wytte can not coÌ„ceiue but euery witte shuld humbly reuerently beleue For Christ sayde This is my body as appeareth testified by suche as I haue rehersed being witnesses of tholde worlde when there reigned in christes churche simplicitie faith charitie mekenes deuotion with feruent religion when goddes worde dwelt in mennes hartes and came neuer abrode to walke in mennes tunges but with maiestie and reuerence accompanied with all vertuous lyuynge where as nowe iesters raylers rimers players ianglers pratelers and simperinge parettes take vpon them to be admynystratours and officers to sette forthe goddes worde whereof they make a plurell number of wordes without all fruyte and effecte But I wyll leaue these and praye god amende them and adde the deuout writinges of saint Austen saynte Iherome and sainte Chrisostome touchinge the moost preciouse sacrament of the aulter And fyrst of saynte Chrisostome that he writeth vpon the .vi. chapter of s Iohn in this matter Necessariò dicendum quam admiranda mysteria cur data sint quaenam eorum vtilitas Vnum corpus sumus meÌ„bra ex carne ossibus eius Quare
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
thaulter towardes destruction whereof he made him self and entry by ouerthrowing that might stande in his waye and so the more facyly to assaulte the highest as he hath done and therein as I haue said maketh a great matter of the name of the masse wyll haue it called our lordes supper wherein he wyll haue all obserued as christ ministred it whiche this Gregory Nazianzene saith is not necessarye But we shulde here in gyue credite to oure mother the churche the piller of truthe who truelye teacheth vs that is truthe Who forasmuche as with the obseruation of this feaste in receyuyng eatynge and drynkynge Christes moost preciouse bodye and bloude is also celebrate the perpetual only pure sacrifice prophecyed by the prophet Malachie to be obserued and kept continually in the churche of Chryste whiche sacryfyce is the body and bloude of our sauyour Christ The same church hath receyued one worde of Hebrewe to signifie altogether and vsed in the latyn Missa in englyssh masse wherein besides the gloriouse presence of the body bloud of Christ the holy circumstaunces vsed and ceremonies doone be also manye godly and moost deuoute prayers spoken and vttered by the preiste as a common minister to the hole churche for and in the name of the hole churche by whyche churche Christ as heade is offered and the churche also as member of his misticall bodye is offered to god the father by hym as Saynte Augustine sayethe Ipsa per ipsum ipse per ipsam suetus offerri The church by hym and he by the churche accustomed to be offered So as the masse conteininge the hole supper that is to say the hole feast with the continuall oblation of the churche is by the deuylles inuention assaulted diuers wayes Some deny the masse because they reade not the worde masse in scrypture whiche and it were a good cause of deniall it shuld serue to renewe the Arryans heresye and to put out of the crede called Symbolum apostolorum whiche all Christen men receyue without contradictioÌ„ where filius is called consubstantialis patri Other allow masse they say but not priuye masses as though there were two sortes of masses where in deede the masse beinge but one and alwayes executed in the name of y e hole churche may by reason of the place be called priuate as it maye be by reason of saieng called a low masse and so differre from a masse sunge but els the churche by the common mynystre the preist executeth the masse her selfe howe fewe soeuer or howe manye be presente and whyther it be done at churche before y e multitude or in an oratory before fewe And yet with the name of priuate masses and deniall of them the vnlearned be slaundered as some be also with requeste of coÌ„munion vnder both kyndes as necessarye and not to be pretermitted In whyche pointe the deuyll goth aboute craftely to seduce the symple addynge a wordly instigation of enuye as thoughe the preistes had withdrawen the one parte of y e Sacramente of verye dysdaine to put a difference betwene the state of preistes and the state of lay men where in dede the obteyninge of communion vnder bothe kyndes shulde serue the deuyll onelye for an introduction to subuerte y e true belefe in the most blessed sacrameÌ„t Whiche matter only he entendeth leaueth nothing vntouched to obteine y e same For where the church teacheth truely y t vnder eche kind is coÌ„teined hole christ therefore now vnder the one kind eche man receiueth as much as vnder bothe vpon which grouÌ„d good deuoute meÌ„ haue abstained froÌ„ coÌ„munion vnder both kyndes coÌ„teÌ„ted them selfe w t one king of their good deuout mind if now vpon grudge of such as contente not theÌ„ selfe with the order they find in the churche y e church shuld graunt communion vnder both kindes to satisfye the false complaynt of necessite it must nedes engender a slaunder in the truth of the faith as thoughe hole christ were not vnder eche kinde which by the denil is only intended And in this matter of coÌ„munioÌ„ vnder both kyndes it was neuer denied but all states of men euer might and al state of meÌ„ in the beginning haue communicate in both kindes and among them children also nâ— there hath ben any lawe made to y e contrary as the deuyll surmyseth Onely this hath bene that good christen men beinge certainely perswaded vnder eche kinde of bread and wine to be coÌ„teined hole christ All suche christen men aswell preistes as other besydes the preiste that celebrate haue bene contente to receiue their communion vnder one kynde Whiche deuout custome when the deuyll by his ministers hath gone aboute to improue there was ones a lawe made to mainteine y e good custome againste the deuilles enterpryse as in thys realme â–ª the hole perlyament hath made the like whereby those be onely put to silence that say communion vnder bothe kyndes is necessary whiche is an opinion damnable and worthelye reproued but elles that by order of y e churche all men might communicate vnder bothe kyndes no man contendeth For first in the deuout custome of communion vnder one kynde wherein was professed the truth taughte by the churche in the sacramente of thaulter onely charitie was the rule whereby good men were moued for a semelynes decency in the church and eschewynge that they sawe sometimes vnsemely chaunce of thâ—mselfe without constraint of a law to forbeare that they mighte haue required no man by law expelled from that he myght haue asked Whiche charitie because it is now waxed cold and some men for singularite wold differre from the reste it is for conseruation of ordre well prouided by the lawe that no man shall presume to require furder then is necessary to the slaunder and offence of his neighbour but with humilitie conteine him selfe within the limitâ—es of common ordre whiche is the beautie and comelye state or euery number assembled beinge so muche regarded of sainte Paule as he willed men to forbeare to coÌ„panye with any brother that walketh out of order But here will be replied that christes ordre is to be preferred all other deuises And here commeth in the common place of scripture Frustra colunt me doctrinis hominum They worshyp me in vayne with the teachynges of men And these good me I spake of shall be called good fooles the whiche had zelum dei sed non secundum scientiam the zeale to god but not accordynge to true knowlege whiche now appeareth they wyll say when men se clerely Christes institution of this sacrament whiche when it is vsed accordynge to Christes institution is the sacrament and otherwise as they saye not And this worde institution is often repeted yet y e same word institution is not in scripture by those syllables but Saynt Paule speakethe of tradytyon of the vse of this Sacramente as he receyued it of oure lorde Ego enim accepi Ã
domino quod tradidi uobis I haue receyued of our lorde whiche I haue by tradition delyuered vnto you Whereby and by that foloweth when he saith Cetera cum venero disponam I shall ordre the reste when I come it appereth he hadde taught the Corrinthians the summe of this hygh mistery and the vse of it without writyng before and wolde adde more whē he came whichmore he taught and yet we haue no wrytynge of it but the churche hath not forgotten it but hath taught it without writynge as she receiued it And it appeareth in that epistle of S. Paule that rehersynge suche tradicion as they had receiued of hym he blameth and reproueth them for the not obseruation of it And thus muche for the worde institution that pleaseth which scripture hath not and the worde tradicion abhorred that scripture hathe so as wordes go but by fauour as this matter is hādled But y e matter of this obiectiō must be aunswered seriousely which is grounded vpon the texte of scripture Frustra colūt me doctrinis hominum They worshippe me in vayne wyth the doctrine of men the true sense wherof is all oute of thys purpose and the vse of thys scrypture as it is mysvnderstanded serueth to ouerturne all For the churche is congregate of men and women whyche both be comprehended vnder that worde men And all the outwarde teachynge in this churche hathe ben by men All thappostles sent to teache the gospell were mē Saynt Paule at his conuersion frome darkenes to lyght when it was said to him y t it shuld be tolde hym what he shuld do then was Ananias by god ordred to go to Paule and declare what he shuld do Moyses leader of y e synagoge y e figure of our church was a mā And the prophetes were men So as if god be worshypped in vayne by teachinge of men Inanis est fides nostra our fayth is a vayne thynge whiche is ex auditu of hearing and taughte vs by men men I saye as ministres to god wherof god is thauthor à quo omne datum optimum et omne donum perfectum Christ sayd Sine me nihil potestis facere But hereby appereth y t this text hath another vnderstandynge and the worde men not to signifie the hole numbre of men so as it shuld comprehend eche man throughly how so euer they be qualified but onely the corrupte state of man seuered from god and his church in christ of whiche hole state not endued w t goddes grace it is sayde Omnis homo mendax All men be lyers That is to saye all suche as haue not putte vpon them Christe who is truthe And frustra colunt me doctrinis hominū They worshyp me in vayne with the teachynges of suche as remayne in the state of men onelye and then teache their owne of them selfe For all suche teachynge is lyke the teacher that is to say carnall For the carnall man non percipit ea quae sunt spiritus deus est spiritus in spiritu adoratur and therefore god is worshipped in vaine with the teachinge of men For it hathe the pretence of worshyppe and is not directed to hym but onelye deuysed to vpholde worldelye polycye Suche deuises had Numa pompilius with the Romaines and afore him Licurgus with the Lacedemonians and of late Mahomete with the Turkes and more lately all such as haue taken vpon them to vnderstande the scriptures alone and them selfe alone deuised howe they wold haue god worshipped after their fashion withoute noyse or brute without the compasse of our eares or eyes only by readynge that they vnderstande not sauyng some be so ful of knowledge as they encombre the companye more with their harse rude voice in prattelynge then the parysshe clerke with his horse breste in singinge Of all these sortes of mens teachinges which be mens deuises seuered frō Christes churche maye be sayde frustra me colūt doctrinis hominum But such men as be membres of Christes mysticall body in his churche and haue the place of ordering and teaching in the same vnto whome other are bounde to obeye and gyue eare vnto them suche men be comprehended in this text Frustra colunt me doctrinis hominum But he that cōtemneth those thinges that they teache agreablye to the truthe receyued non hominem spernit sed deū who saith Obey such as haue the ordre of you and obedience is preferred al other sacrifices wherw t god is worshipped not invaine but meritoriouselye And therefore that texte alledged agaynste the teachinge in christes churche is as grossely abused as a key to cleaue logges For if the doctryne be not repugnaunt to the scripture or the custome suche as hyndreth not gods glory it can not be in vaine that maketh to oure edificacion procedeth from authoritie which hath power to rule and leade vs whereby we be all directed to do one thyng to declare sette forthe that we be one bodye wherein god is glorified accordynge as Chryst sayd Vt videāt opera vestra bona glorificent deū qui in coelis est And so when S. Paule ordered the women to be couered in y e churche to signifie her subiection and that she had ones offended in her preuarication agaynst her husbād and god and with presumption to haue knowledge was the ruine of mankynd and furder ordered her to kepe sylence in y e congregation this text of frustra colūt me doctrinis hominum yf it had bene then written wold not haue serued the women to replye and saye These were small matters whyche god regardeth not and therfore sayd Frustra colunt me doctrinis hominum They worshyppe me in vayne with the doctrines of men For saint Paule was not in the numbre of these men as I sayde before and his authorite was of god and the thynges ordered for a godly purpose wherwith god is in the decente semely ordre of his people duely worshipped and also pleased This matter I haue now spoken wyll be called a digressiō and out of the matter of the sacrament in dede it is not all togyther in it but toward it for I trust hereby that commen weapō shall be layde asyde of frustra colunt me doctrinis hominum whiche manye had in their mouthe as they haue a blunt dagger by their syde to be sene to speake scripture though it be nothing to the purpose And now I wyl com to the institution of christ of the holy sacrament And here men must take heede that they be not deceyued in the word institutiō as signifieng furder vnto them then the scriptures do testyfye For yf by the worde institution shulde be signyfyed a precise ordre sette forth with all the circumstaunce in the nature of a precyse lawe signifienge that it muste be frome thenseforth so obserued and none otherwise whych matter the worde institution semeth to include and soundethe so in common
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
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
his ascention that is to saye to speake to vs and companie with vs as he dyd with his apostelles and disciples or to be felte of vs as he was of saynte Thomas to the satisfaction of oure bodely senses whiche absence of Christe in conuersation repugneth not to y e truth of our catholyke faith whiche is that christ presenteth and exhibiteth vnto vs his natural body and bloud in the sacrament of thaulter For the diuersyte in the maner of beynges present taketh away the coÌ„trarietâ— that shulde seme in the matter Now as touchyng the myscoÌ„struynge wronge takynge and somtyme false bearing in hand of that the good holy fathers of Christes churche haue written of the most blessed sacrament oâ— thaulter First I shall saye this that howe so euer the same holy doctours do agre in the most certeyne truth of our beleef moche labour hath ben taken to pâ—ke out wordes and sentences and disâ—eueryng them out of theyr places by cyrcuÌ„stauÌ„ce wherof they had theyr true vnderstandynge to make them sound to such as wold haue it so to the coÌ„firmatioÌ„ of their vntrue and false doctrine in this most blessed sacrament And lyke as suche as labour to coÌ„found the truth be the chyldren of darkenes So in the scriptures and doctours also they resorte to serche the truth iÌ„ obscure darke places where they maye haue opportunite to iuggle and deceiue the symple reader For where the doctors speake playnly against theyr falsehead they fare as though they knewe not y t place or had not redde it and then resorte to an other place not so open and playne and there fall to coÌ„iectures and constructions of theyr owne and labour in exposition of those obscure places as thoughe they could there more certeynly declare the mynde of the doctours to conferme theyr lyes then the doctours theÌ„ self do in another place of theyr owne workes where they playnly openly manifestly and without ambiguite declare them selfe to agre with the truth And where as the truth grounded in scriptures and opened more clerely by holy writers hath ben in Christes churche â–ª after discussion and triall sette forth in a holsome fashion and coÌ„uenient ordre of wordes whiche wordes the true meanyng and vnderstandyng purged from all ambiguities whiche mans busy witte hath also in holy wordes engendred to thintent as we beleue one truth we myghte also in wordes speache vniformely agree in the same truthe Suche as labour to breake this godly agremeÌ„t in harte and tonge they neuer ceasse tyll by speache they maye brynge the truth agayne in a corner and with pretence they meane well speake symply without obseruation euen as they haue redde forsoth in that holye man for example in dede a holy martyr saint Cipriane for hym they alledge Whiche sainte Cyprians speche as it was by hym deuoutly vttered not disagreyng from the truth so is it by these men maliciously brought forth wherby to interrupte the consente truely agreed on bothe in the speache and vnderstandyng I wyll somwhat speake of this one speach of saynte CypriaÌ„ particularly wherby thou mayest esteme good reader the deuyls sophystrie in handelyng of y e reste We beleue truely as the catholyke church teacheth that there remayneth no substaunce of bread in the sacrament of thaulter but y e onely substaunce of the body and bloud of our sauiour Christe And yet sainte Cyprian speakynge deuoutly of the food and nourriture whiche good Christen men receyue in the communion of this mooste holy Sacrament whereby the body and soule be conioyned with Christe vseth the worde Panis and calleth y e blessed sacramente sacramentaleÌ„ panem whiche wordes be not perfitely expressed in englysh if in traÌ„slatioÌ„ it were termed sacrameÌ„tal bread as malicious fayned simplicitie pretendeth but rather sacrameÌ„tal fode for Panis in latyn is a general word signifieth not only bread wherew t meÌ„ be fed but also al other nourriture wherw t man is susteined which the word bread doth not in englysh but soundeth to vs a name of special nourriture foode made of corne Now if any man shall vnder pretence of symple playne speache cal always that breade in english which he findeth in laten called panis he myghte of well wheresoeuer he founde sella in latyn call it in englysh a saddell and then in translatinge some places oute of latyn into englyshe he shuld somtime set sodenly on horsebacke in englysh him that he redde in latyn sitting in a seat on y e grouÌ„d Herin the ignoraunt that perceiue not this wyll saye I vse sophistrye but I open the deuyls sophistrye herein wherwith he doth abuse the people in speache and entangle them so in it as they for want of other knowlege can not wade out therfore alloweth him that wheÌ„ he readeth in saint Cypryan y e sacramente of the aulter called sacrameÌ„talem panem calleth it in englisshe sacramentall bread And here he spurneth and wyll ye make me beleue sayth he that panis signifieth not breade then for confirmacion adde this Say we not in oure Pater noster PaneÌ„ nostruÌ„ quotidianem da nobis hodie whiche is translate in englisshe Gyue vs to day our dayly breade And in dede if I wolde replye throughly herevnto I muste saye more then it were necessarie now to entreate yet I may not passe it all ouer For I muste saye that panis in our Pater noster signified not only bread but all foode bothe for the body soule and is so well knowen by the exposition that in thenglysh when it is translate bread we may easely conceyue by a parte the reste and by signification of some parte the hole But where as there is an extour spredde by the deuyll abrode against Christes myracle in consecration of his moost preciouse body in the sacrament of the aulter â–ª whiche errour is that there shulde after y e consecracioÌ„ remaine bread in this time of errour to translate in euery place the word panis that signifieth in some place foode into the english worde bread can that be without a maliciouse purpose to aduaunce the deuilles enterprise with his sophistrie cloked vnder pretence of plaines After whiche sorte of outwarde simplicite wherwith to cloke malice Some when they shulde speake of the blessed sacrament with the catholike churche confesse the truth therin plainly openly then they say they will speake as saint Paule spake his wordes they wyl vse whiche were writteÌ„ by the holy ghost and for so muche they say true and herewith they wyll aske disdainefully whyther any man wyll correcte saynte Pauls teachinge as though there were any suche sacrilege intended against gods scripture where in dede this is onely desyred and necessary in Christes church that one shulde vnderstand another al coÌ„ceiue one true meaning of S. Paul whose moste holy true wordes diuers as s Peter sayth haue for y e hardnes of theÌ„ peruerslye vnderstanded them for the exchewynge whereof it
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
not to be allowed for in eueryplace of offering is but the same one Chryst here ful hole Christ and there full hole christ and euery where y e same one bodye And as the sacrifice euerye where where it is offered is one body and not many bodyes so it is also but one sacrifice And our chiefe byshop is he that offred the hoste that clensed vs and the same hoste we offer also nowe whiche beinge then offred could not be consumed For that we do is in remembraūce of that was done For Christ saide Do this in remembraunce of me Wherein we do not make another sacrifice as the byshop of the olde lawe dyd but make alwaies the same sacrifice or rather worke the represētatiō of y e same But because I haue made mention of this sacrifice I wil speake a fewe wordes to you whiche ye remember a fewe wordes in measure but conteynynge greate pyth and commodite for you That I shal say procedeth not of my selfe but of thinstigatiō of gods holy spirite What wyll I say then This it is that many be partakers of this sacrifice ones in the yere some twyse and some oftener My speache is directed to all not only to those that be here but also those that syt in wyldernes For such be houseled ones in the yere peraduenture not in two What is the matter then Whome do we moost allowe Those that receyue ones in the yeare those that receiue oftner or those that receiue seldome Neither those that receiue ones nor them that receiue oftner nor them that receyue seldome but those that alwayes comme to be partetakers of thys sacryfyce with a cleane conscience with a clene harte and a lyfe wythoute reproche And those that be not suche I allowe them not to come ones Why so Bycause they receyue iudgement damnacion and punishment And hereof maruaile not For as meate beinge naturally nourishynge when it happeneth to come into hym that is corrupted with euyl meates marreth and corrupteth all and is occasion of a sycknes and disease So lykewise y t is cōteined in this dredful sacramēt where thou hast fruition of spirituall foode haste fruition of the kynges table and after defylest thy mouthe againe w t fylthy mire y u art throughly anoynted with y e precious anointmēt and fyllest thy selfe againe with euyl sauering stēches I pray the tel me Ones in the yere thou reparest to this holy communion Doest thou thinke .xl. dayes sufficient to clense thy synnes of all that tyme past within a weke after returne to thy former filthynes How saiest thou to me If y u wart in .xl. daies healed frō a long bodely disease shuldest returne to that meate that was cause of thy disease haddest thou not lost thy former labour If the natural partes of man be so sone altered with moch lesse the partes of mās wyll may be chaunged wherein I mene this that as we naturally se and haue by natures ordre hole eyes yet by some alteration oure syghte is hurte And yf thynges y t be natural in vs be so sone chaūged moch more that is ordred by our wyl is voluntarie Sparest thou onelye .xl. dayes to to prouyde for thy soule helthe I thinke not al togither so muche and yet thou hopeste to haue god pleased with the. Thou doest rather tryfle Hitherto I haue translate Chrysostomes sentence and to note vnto the these fewe wordes laste spoken What wolde Chrisostome saye to the state of this worlde nowe in whiche a nombre do not onelye neglecte to appoint so much tyme as the lente is whiche Chrisostom meneth to attayne goddes fauoure againe but thinke it al superfluous and not necessarie And bost onlye the mercy of god without feare of his iustice Marke this place of Saynte Chrisostome and compare it to onely faith marke this place of saynte Chrisostom note how the .xl. dayes in y e lēt were spēt not by the byshoppe of Romes ordinaunce but by directiō of y e true discipline in christes church in whiche Misecordia veritas abuia uerūt sibi iustitia pax osculatae sūt As wherin mercy was so preached as y e truth of gods iustice was not neglected iustice in due order of al thinges was so decētly obserued as peace and concord remained in christes church But this matter is besides the principall purpose and yet not out of al purpose for this time In s Chrisostoms interpretation concernyng daily sacrifice of christes body bloud thou maist se reader how the church hath obserued this most preciouse continual sacrifice of Christ hym selfe by himselfe the high preist for euer after the order of Melchisedech offred on the aulter where the minister of the church by Christes commaundemente executethe the same whiche commaundement as Chrysostome saythe is conteyned in these wordes Hoc facite Nowe I returne to reherse other that haue spoken of the moost blessed sacrament of the aulter among whome Ignatius a gloriouse martyr and nexte vnto the apostles in an epistle that he writeth to y e Romaines saith in this wise Panem dei uolo panē coelestem uitae qui est caro Iesu Christi filij dei uiui qui natus est in nouissimo ex semine Dauid Abrahae potum volo sanguinem eius qui est dilectio in corruptibilis vita aeterna I desyre saith Ignatius the fode of god the heauenly foode of lyfe whiche is the flesshe of Iesu Cyrist the sonne of the lyuynge god who was borne in the laste tyme of the sede of Dauid and Abrahā and I desyre for drincke the bloud of hym who is loue without corruption and lyfe euerlastinge And to thintent thou mayest perceiue reader that this nourriture is vnderstanded of the body and soule togyther so as in this holy communion mans flessh is also comforted herewith Note what Ireneus sayth Quomodo negant carnem capacem esse donationis dei qui est uita aeterna quae sanguine corpore Christi nutritur membrū eius sit quēadmodum Apostolus ait in ea quae est ad Ephesios epistola Quoniā membra sumus corporis eius de carne eius de ossibus eius non de spirituali aliquo inuisibili homine dicens haec Spiritus enim neque carnem neque ossa habet sed ea dispositione quae est secundum hominem quae ex carnibus neruis consistit qui de calice qui est sanguis eius nutritur de pane qui est corpus eius augetur Whyche may be englyshed thus Howe cā it be denied that mans flesshe may be partetaker of the gifte of god who is lyfe euerlastynge consyderynge it is nourysshed wyth the bloude and body of Christe as the apostle sayth in his epystle to the Ephesians For we be membres saith the apostle of his bodye of the flesshe of hym and of the bones
sine ipso potare non possumus quotidiè in sacrificijs eius de genimine uitis uerae uineae So rec quae interpretatur electa rubentia musta calcamus nouum ex hijs uinum bibimus de regno patris nequaque in uetustate litterae sed in nouitate spiritus cantantes canticum nouum quod nemo potest cantare nisi in regno ecclesiae quod regnum patris est Lette vs here this that the breade which our Lorde brake and gaue to hys disciples is the bodye of our lorde our Sauyoure he hym selfe sayenge vnto them Take ye and eate this is my body And the cuppe is that whereof he spake agayne Drynke of this all This is my bloude of the nevve testamente vvhiche shall be shedde for many This is the cup of whiche we rede in the prophete I shall take the cup of the sauyour And in another place How excellent is thy cuppe that is so plentifully filled If theÌ„ the body of our lorde be the breade that descended from heauen and the wine that he gaue his disciples is his bloude of the newe testameÌ„t whyche is shedde for manye in remyssyon of synnes lette vs putte awaye the Iewes fables and lette vs ascende wyth oure lorde into the greate chaumber strowed and clensed and lette vs take of hym alofte the cuppe of the newe testamente and kepynge our Easter let vs with him be made drunke with the wine of sobernes For the kyng dome of God is not meate and drinke but iustice ioy and peace in the holy ghost Nor Moses dyd not giue vs y e true foode but our lorde Iesus him selfe beynge the geste feast it selfe him selfe that dyd eate is eaten His bloude we drynke and withoute him can not drynke dayly in his sacrifices we presse out redde muste newe wyne of the grape of y e true vyne tree the vyne of Sorec whiche is interpretate chosen and hereof we drinke newe wine of the kyngdom of the father not in the oldenesse of the lettre but in the newenes of spirite syngyng the newe songe that no man can synge but in the kingedome of the church which is the kingdome of the father Nowe ye haue herde s Iheromes wordes full of mysteries but so to the pointe to testify the misterie of the sacrament of thaulter as the more coulde not be desired for our instruccion in the true vnderstandynge or rather a true Eccho of that is truely vnderstanded For the original truth procedeth of Christes wordes the true sound wherof redoundeth in good mens brestes being apte and mete to receyue the same so rendre the noyse as they receyued it frome the mountayne of truthe oure sauiour Chryst by y e holye ghoste taughte vttered spredde abrode by whom good men be ledde into all truthe lyke as euyll men by the deuyll his aungelles be ledde into all falsehed and lyes Of whome beware and regarde not Ioye Bale Turnoure Frith whome theyr owne malyce with the deuylles suggestion hath subuerted Regard not what peruerse obstinacie worketh in refusinge god and resisting his powers of the worlde thexample whereof hathe latelye appeared in such as suffered who being ouercome with intollerable presumptiâ—â— on and disperate malyce obstinately continued in their peruersitie to thende openly The deuyl hath his wytnesse as s Austen saith and frowarde obstinacye in falseheade hath in the world counterfeted the constancie of martyrs as vyce with ypocrisy in many hath resembled vertue Therfore in Christes true martirs not the paynes onelye wherein they were tormented but therwith the cause wherefore they were persecuted was specially regarded For els as werynes of this lyfe hathe wrought among many a vehemeÌ„t desyre to be hence esteming no paines to achue their entente and therefore haue mooste cruelly deuysed theyr owne death many times letted haue wilfully coÌ„tinued in prosecutioÌ„ of the same so hath froward stubbernes mixte with vaineglory done the lyke as â—mong many in our tyme hath manifestlye appeared In whiche the Anabaptisâ—es and Sacramentaries haue with a deuelysh pertinacy mainteined their heresies whose wilfull death in obstinacie yf iâ— shulde serue for an argumente to proue y e truth of their opinion the truth of gods scriptures shuld be brought in muche perplexite and men drawen hither and thither as peruerse malyce shulde leade But god that is mercyfull suffreth not man to be tempted with these argumeÌ„tes more theÌ„ may be borne of mannes infirmitie And yf suche as lately suffered were seuerallye considered there maye appeare tokens sufficiente besides the condicion of the matter they suffred for to declare their zeale not to haue proceded of the spirite of god but of arrogaunt pryde and presumption the spirite of y e deuyl which is no tyme to speake on nowe but I shall adde what sainte Austine saith the readyng wherof is frutefull and leaue the remembraunce of these monstruouse proude people whose doynges be vnfruteful to them selfe and other S. Austen saith thus vpon the .xcviii. Psalm in thexposition of this text Et adâ—srate scabellum pedum eius quoniam sanctum est worshyp y e fotestole of his seat for it is holye Quid habemus adorare ScabelluÌ„ pedum eius SuppedaneuÌ„ dicitÌ„ scabellum quod dicuÌ„t graeci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dixerunt Latini scabellum alij dixerunt suppedaneum Sed videte fratres quid nos iubeat adorare Alio loco scriptura dicit Coelum mihi sedes est terra autem scabellum peduÌ„ meorum Ergo terram iubet nos adorare quia dixit alio loco q sit scabellum pedum dei Et quomodo aborabimus terraÌ„ cuÌ„ dicat apertè scriptura Dominum deum tuum adorabis hîc dicit Adorate scabellum pedum eius Exponens autem mihi quid sit scabelluÌ„ pedum eius dicit Terra autem scabellum pedum meorum Anceps factus sum timeo adorare tertam ne damnet me qui fecit coeluÌ„ terram Rursum timeo non adorare scabellum pedum domini meiquia psalmus mihi dicit Adorate scabellum pedum eius Quaero quid sit scabellum pedum eius Et dicit mihi scriptura Terra scabellum pedum meorum FluctuaÌ„s conuerto me ad Christum quia ipsum quaero hîc inuenio quomo do sine impietate adoretur terra sine impietate adoretur scabellum pedum eius Suscepit enim de terra terram quia caro de terra est de carne Mariae carnem accepit Et quia in ipsa carne hîc ambulauit ipsam carnem nobis manducandam ad salutem dedit nemo autem illam carnem manduâ—cat nisi prius adorauerit inuentuâ— est quemadmodum adoretur talâ— scabellum pedum domini noÌ„ soâ—luÌ„ non peccemus adoraÌ„do sed peâ—cemus non adorando What haue we to worshyppe The stole of his feete for so we call that stayeth vnder the foote That the greakes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
mysteries And therefore Gregory Nazianzene hath his sentence in his sermon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There be other thinges of y e Iewes perfited with them in fygure whiche be restored againe vnto vs in mysterye So as all the thinges vsed in tholde lawe be not vtterly reproued and coÌ„dempned not to be doone but not to be so done for the figure ceassethe when truthe is come and the lawe prophetes were vnto saint Iohn baptistes tyme as Christ saide Neuer thelesse as Gregorye Nazianzene saith y e same thinges may be nowe restored mistically not at euerye priuate mannes pleasure and deuise as saint Augustyne writeth ad Ianuarium but by teachynge of the churche and orderinge y e same not for â—uperstition but direction as thapostelies dyd in the begynninge when they decreed it by inspiration of the holy ghoste that men shulde abstaine frome that was strangled and bloude whych repugned not wyth the vysyon to saynte Peter that all tâ—ynge was cleane to them that in cleannes receiued it ne dissented from christes teachinge that not to defile the maÌ„ that entreth in at the mouthe but it was a dispensacion of the truth betwene the ceassynge of the lawe and springyng of the gospell with such a teÌ„perameÌ„t as the chaunge for compassion of weake consciences shulde not be sodayne and at ones but by lytle and lytle as the daye springeth and the night goeth away UpoÌ„ which consideratioÌ„ y e same thinges were in the church of Christ forbydden y t were before for another ende forbidden in Moses lawe onely the cause of prohibicion varied but the thynge was alone But to returne to the purpose whervpon this was broughte in Distinction and ordre in tyme is not supersticiouse but necessarye and therfore with sermons or studye whiche bothe be in their tyme good to interrupte the tyme of praier that is not good greatlye worse when the sermons be suche and so fashyoned as they mayntayne talke and communication and be not directed to stirre the peoples dulle and sluggy endeuor to folow vertue and flee vyce and leauynge a parte matter of contention or reformacion to be ordered by the high powers to tell the audience of their speciall faultes and to diswade them from the same by alwaies and meanes Such were the sermons in the primatiue churche So preached Sainte Chrisostome Sainte Augustine Soo preached Gregory Nazianzene where in a sermon he made of the feast of Ester he hadde entred to speake of the secrecye of god lefte that matter with this speache 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I purpose not saith he to dispute or reason of god now but to dispense his truth that is to saye distribute it conuenieÌ„tly with al circumstaunces mete of whiche office in cyrcumspecte distribution S. Paule calleth the cheife mynystres dispensatores and him selfe sometyme fedde them with mylke and sometyme with stronger meates which is not euery mans gifte and therefore hath ben in the churche coÌ„mitted to few and in respecte of the number verye fewe and of late ouer fewe and ouer many also Ouer fewe of them that cryeth out of mens maners and ouermany of those that flatter the multitude w t vtteringe suche matter as the number of nature variable is glad to here Nowe many nowe a dayes be so trauayled in them self with hearyng the sermon as they wepe and waile and saye Quid faciemus uiri fratres Who preacheth lyke Ioâ—as to warne men of their destruction both in body and soule if they amende not their maners and lyuynge In a miserable state of iniquitie and synne some wolde haue nothinge preached but mercy with onely Christe and howe he beareth all sinne payeth all purgeth all and clenseth all whiche is true and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it can not be blamed but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath a great faulte For albeit this be truth is good meate yet it is not well distribute for it wolde serue better at supper then at dyner To men lusty drowned in the worlde and ouerwhelmed with synne and in the mydde daye whiles there is tyme of wakynge the iustice of god is to be cryed out Christes second coÌ„ming to be beaten in peoples eares hys terrible iudgement to be layde before mens eyes which is a truth as the other is and profitable to be learned taught and thoughte on wherevpon men shulde be exhorted to confesse their synnes to god and his mynyster to do penaunce for synne to fast for synne to praye for synne to do almes for synne to wayle for synne Dauyd confessed and felte goddes mercy and yet cried Amplius laua me ab iniquitate mea a peecato meo munda me quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco peccatum meum contra me est semper and therewith saide turbatus est a furore oculus meus his eye was troubled with goddes displeasure at the tyme he mystrusted not goddes mercy and therfore said Laboraui in gemitu meo lauabo per singulas noctes lectuÌ„ meuÌ„ he trauailed in wailing wasshed his couche with teares But nowe so be men enueigled by the deuylles sophistry as mercy extolled and sette forthe with onelye fayth and onelye sauyour and ommisufficieÌ„t nisufficieÌ„t sauiour serueth to make men forget goddes iustice waxe wantons as they be termed babes and youngelynges and clerely fal from dreade and feare of god whiche where it wanteth synne muste nedes encrease and ouerflowe and by custome mennes consciences so blynded as they discerne them not to be synnes and faultes And thus muche I haue spoken of sermons whiche and they were neuer so well made and conceiued yet so to vse them as they shoulde occupie the tyme of prayer requisite S. Gregory in an Omilie noteth not good And therefore on Christemas day when the churche hath thre masses he said he could not spend so much tyme with his audience that daye as he was wonte to do And yet sermons at those dayes as appeareth by y e sermons they made were not longe But longe or shorte as they be good holesome and requisite in the churche at their tyme necessary so hauyng not theyr tyme but with iusteling an other good thing out of ordre that is not well and moche lesse study to be vsed in time of prayer whiche prayer and study as they haue a distincte nature so they shulde be in tyme distinct And theunomians opinion by contrary exercise reproued to thinke that readinge is the onely waye to heauen But herein I haue taried ouer longe as some wyll fynde faulte at me and aske what is prayer and fastinge to the sacramente of the aulter and muche lesse sermons or study in tyme of prayer Wherevnto thus I aunswer that hauynge occasion mynystred by this greate clerke Gregorye Nazianzene I haue spoken of them And because the deuyll entendeth to subuerte all I shewe also his so phistrie in lower matters then is the sacramente of
reason there appeareth not in scripture any institution of this nature For we rede not in scripture that Chryste dydde prescribe any suche precyse ordre of receiuing or ministryng â–ª but as in his supper he in dede consecrated both kindes ministred bothe kyndes whereby appearethe that all myghte receaue bothe kindes as all sometime haue done Soo lykewise when he mynystred the sacrament to his disciples in Emaus and other amonge the apostles who vnderstode Christe we reade of the ministracion of the one kynde wherby appeareth that the one kynd vnder forme of bread may be ministred alone And therefore of any suche institucyon as y e worde institution doth sounde at the first hearing is not testified in scriptures But yf we meane by institution the firste consecration of it when by goddes mighty worde the miracle was wroughte in the conuersion of breade and wyne in to the body and bloud of christ w t commaundemente to the churche to do the same tyll he comme Of this the euangelistes beare wytnesse which the church hath receiued And as s Paule saide Ego accepi à domino quod tradidi vobis So the hole churche may saye the same wordes with lyke credite by whose mynystery the same feast is dayly prepared for y e hole church with consecracion of the body and bloude of Christe whereof good men reioysynge them self with the presence of the hole mystery which they se in the masse at which tyme good meÌ„ also spiritually eate and drynke the same with the common mynystre and beleuynge the hole to be in eche kynde haue by example of christes disciples in Emaus contented them self in the sacramental communion with the one kynde not repelled as vnworthie to receyue the other kynde but forbearynge of them selfe reuerently for the more semelye distribucion and ordre amonge them whiche the churche hath allowed as our mother and nourse who contynually feadeth vs with the foode of truth And therfore seing we be assured that as Chryst dyd institute the sacrament so he instituted the church to be fedde with the same sacrament and to haue the ministracion distribution ordre of it tyll he came And vnto this daye we be onely ascertayned by tradicion of the church in the true vnderstandyng of theuaÌ„gelystes of our ordre in coÌ„secracion of the said sacrament and the cyrcumstaunce of the pronunciation of chrystes wordes wherby the same is wrought What can it meane but confusion to wrangle with the church in this matter by cauilacioÌ„ of wordes trouble y e symple vnderstandynges What a worde is institution with the vnderstandyng they geue it to astoine the rude eares For who can suffre to here spoken that Christes institution shulde be broken or altered considering the word carieth with it a sonnde of precysenes and commaundemente in Christe of this or that ordre whiche can not be verified speakynge of the institution of the sacramente and the worde well vnderstoode maye be suffred sygnifienge the fyrste exhibicion and ministracion of it And so some wryte that as Chryste dydde in the syxte of IohnÌ„ promise the institution of the sacramente sayenge Panis quem dabo uobis caro mea est pro mundi vita The breade I shall gyue you is my flesh for the lyfe of the worlde So dydde he institute the same in his laste supper of whiche institucion men wolde nowe make a precise lawe as the ordre shulde be taken awaye from the churche mother of truthe whiche folowynge Christes example and the apostels hath suffered coÌ„munion vnder one kynd and hath reiected suche as wolde improue the same as men onely studiouse to impugne an establyshed ordre whiche faulte is now moche spred abrode both in this high matter also in ceremonies and namelye suche as garnisshe Christes religion wherein the deuyl vseth a merueilsouse point of sophistry by diuision and examininge partes alone whiche partes so considered seuerallye be nothynge and yet ioyned togither be somewhat and verye necessarye and here I saye necessary for our estate although not necessarye in respect of the pryncypall thynge I wyl open this point of sophistry whyche consystethe in dyuysyon in whiche the smalenes of the part deuyded from the reste and consydered alone is in respecte of the hole called nothing And in comen speache it hath obteined to cal that nothinge which by comparison of a farre greater is very lytell As yf one were asked whither a farthinge wolde make a ryche man A simple man wolde aunswere Naye and in dede a farthing considered alone is nothinge regarded and yet of suche lyttell farthinges in numbre set togither ryches coÌ„systeth by the same disseuered is induced pouertie A quantitie maye be so minutely deuided that his partes be accompted nothinge yet those same together ioyned make the greate masse and haue an estimation And therfore in the dyscussion of ceremonies semelynes and orders the deuyl frameth his questions by diuysion and asketh of eche thynge alone disseuered from the reste As for example Whither a shauen crowne maketh a preiste where vnto a man muste aunswere as he wolde do to the question of a farthinge before moued and saye Naye Well ê™ the deuyll then awaye with youre crowne and calleth it a fleshmarke because he wyl with a nycke name deface it Then he asketh whether a longe gowne maketh a preist of that colour or that fashyon then it must be aunswered Naye And then there must be a songe made of it with awaye with it Then the deuyll commeth to the ceremonies in ordres geuinge and asketh of ceremonies seuerallye alone whervnto as he disseuereth them y e aunswere must be no whervpon he concludeth Ergo they be nothinge requisite After whyche sorte he shall also diuide you the sacramentall wordes and aske of euery worde of them alone And as it is graunted how that one word doth it not that worde is layde aside And so he wyll peruse all and by sophistrye in deuision wipe out all as nothinge And in other matters lykewise frame this question for example Shall forbearinge of meates saue a man The aunswer must be No. And then Ergo eate all daye longe Dothe watchinge bringe a man to heauen Naye Ergo slepe and spare not Is y e place cause why a mans praier is good The aunswere muste be Nay And what nedeste thou comme to churche then sayth the deuyll onles it be to heare my false teachynge set forthe And thus by these subtle questions the deuyll robbeth simple men euen of the substaunce by degrees of true religion as parasites and flatterers robbe wanton heyres of their worldlyge substauÌ„ce by alluring them to prodigall and wastefull distribution of their goâ—des and landes in seueral litle portions with these questions to the wise yonge maÌ„ what is this to you sir a small matter in your purse and nothinge to youre substaunce But by suche nothinges we haue sene yonge heyres sodeÌ„ly brought to nothinge and made verye