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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
this moost blessed Sacrament vpon the testimonye of theyr sight their taste felyng or smell or otherwise vpon their carnall vnderstandinge bycause they can not by their carnall reason compreheÌ„d it all such be bestly and blynd and farre from the knowledge of the miseries of our religion as wherin our senses and reasoÌ„ be vy faith condempned and reproued finally declare them selue to be suche men as seme to require teachinge in the principles and begynnynges of our religion wherin their grosse carnall reasons yf they were truly mortified they shulde not so stobbernly and arrogantly meddle in the discussion of the inscrutable misterye in the most blessed sacrament of thaulter For yf theyr senses were by true faith ouerthrowen put to confusioÌ„ in the bylefe of y e holy trinite y e father of heaueÌ„ the sonÌ„e holy ghost to be inseparably deuided in thre ê‘sons diuisibly eioyned iÌ„ one godhed essece which Gregorye Nazianzene speaketh thus in greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherein we knowe by faith the truth so to be howe so euer our reason spurneth and tentech vs to the contrarye If these mennes senses were tamed in the beleuynge scripture of creation of the worlde by god in time and of nothynge contrarye to the discussion of mans reason whiche the philosophers coulde not temper to agre that of nothynge was anye thynge made If in the misterie of the incarnation of our sauioure Christe the rebellion of mans senses were throughlye trode vnder fete and brought in due subiection to gyue place to faythe wherby we byleue that the sonne of god which we confesse truly to be immensus was yet conteyned in the holy virgins wombe a creature to conteyne the creatour and as the churche reioysing doth daylye acknowledge in worshypping the blessed vyrgin Marye Quem totus non capit orbis In tua se clausitviscera factê° homo Whiche to mannes reason implieth an insoluble contradiction to saye that in her wombe shulde be shut in that al the world could not conteyne And then further the true story of Christes gospel wherin is truely reported to vs howe Christ entred to his disciples after his resurrection the gates beynge shut and role out of his graue the same remaining styl shut which to our vnderstandyng maketh a signification of two bodies to be in one place togither and occupie the same place at one tyme And is to mannes sensuall and carnal knowledge impossible and is neuerthelesse in y e said myraculouse passage of our sauyour Christ moost truly verified But if in these and many other the carnall man had in the foundacion of our faith fully acknowleged his weaknes his bliÌ„dnes his imbecillitie ignoraunce the same wolde neuer presume agayne eyther to improue the presence of the naturall body of our Sauiour Christe in the most blessed Sacrament of the aulter in fourme of bread wine by carnal deuyses ne trauayle to be satisfied in consideration of the circumstauÌ„ces of the same For lyke as in the other misteries of the Trinite the creation of the world the incarnation of Christ and also resurrection of the fleshe wherof I haue not spoken but may say as I haue in the other carnal reason is excluded by certentie of faith so shulde it be in all other mysteries whiche all together be the body of our reeigion wherein we haue the true knowledge of god which the deuil laboureth to subuerte and ouerthrowe and vseth therin the instrument of mannes presumptuouse arrogance to know all as god doth and to compreheÌ„de in his capacite the same and what so euer excedeth it or repugneth thervnto to call that false folye lyes and vntruth After whiche sorte mans foolyshe wysedome hath enterprised at sundry tymes to impugne the secrete misteries of goddes hyghe wysedome incomprehensible workes And so the deuyll by the Arrians as he doth by the Turkes at this daye hath assaulted the castell and forte of our religion by denyall of Christe to be very God and with truthes falsly applied gone about to make batterye and entrye to ouerthrowe the same lyke as he hath also attempted manye other misteries But beinge in them by goddes power resisted the deuyll assayeth to make entry nowe by subuertinge the truthe in the most blessed Sacrament of thaulter and to allure y e multitude of most carnall and rude capacities diuulgeth abrode grosse carnall reasoÌ„s and wolde persuade the vnlerned that their ignoraunce in the circumstaunce how should playnely proue to them that the thing is not therwith whistleth in their eares this enchauntment If it were true that is taught in the sacrameÌ„t of thaluter by the papistes whiche terme serueth for a token to theÌ„ to proue y e matter nought such and such incoÌ„uenieÌ„ces should not to our senses folowe Do we not se saith the deuyll the sacrament of thaulter that they call god their ydol o blasphemous toÌ„gue sometyme eaten of a mouse sometyme waxe grene moulde redde moulde and blue mould and here the deuyll refressheth his yonglynges with manye abhominable tales suche as a scoffinge lestynge witte could deuyse to haue benne done Doth it not enter sayth the deuyll into the body and so furth and speaketh that lyketh him more then honest eares can endure And then the deuyll frameth the matter in fashion of lerninge and firste with a counterfet religioÌ„ of mayntenaunce of gods truth propoueth god to be impassible incorruptible and immortal which is a most vndoubted truth theÌ„ foloweth thintended lye thus That which these papistes make God call y e sacrament of thaulter that is corruptible And here the senses beare witnes The papistes god the deuyll sayth is also passible And here y e senses be also redy shall affirme they haue sene the mouse eate it mans hande breake it mans teth teare it It is also mortal saith the deuyll for the seÌ„ses beare testimony they haue sene it with a sodayn fire in a churche coÌ„sumed Ergo then with this the deuyl triumpheth â—cludeth there is not god but it is an ydol whiche wordes they vttermost blasphemouselye falsely But coÌ„sider christeÌ„ reader how far is it out of y e waye to examyne mens senses or carnall reasoÌ„ what they can depose of god or his high secrete workes This reasoning might serue to proue y t eyther Christe was not God whiche no christeÌ„ eare can endure or els not to be true which is most true certeine that Christe dyed or suffered for vs. And thus the deuilles disciple wyll reason God is impassible Christe suffred Ergo he was not god Or thus God is impassible Christe was god Ergo he suffered not So as by these reasos and reasonynges wherin the senses serue for a proufe or carnall reason frameth thargumeÌ„t eyther we must with the Arryans denye Christ god blasphemousely or consent moste folyshly to other false dreames that Christ suffred not at al. But as we be learned most truly certeynely in faith that
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
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
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