moche as here after shall be saied In 10. 1. Cor. hom 23. Chrystians eate the bodie of Christ as the Iewes did Manna All though ye haue had here clere testimonie of Chrysostome in this matter yet he ys more plain in an other place expownding the same scripture and applieng yt to the veritie thus Quae autem sequntur sacram mensam significant Nam quemadmodum tu corpus Dominicum manducas ita illi Manna manducauerunt Et sicut tu sanguinem bibis ita illi aquam de petra biberunt These thinges that do folowe do signifie the holie table For as thowe doest eate the bodie of our Lorde so they also haue eaten Manna and as thowe drinkest bloode so they haue dronke the water of the stone And again in the same homelie speaking of the benefittes whiche God gaue to the Iewes as Manna and the water in figures of the benefittes of his bodie and bloode whiche he geueth vnto vs and shewing him to be the geuer of them bothe saieth in the person of S. Paule Qui enim illa illis prebuit inquit hic hanc praeparauit mensam Et ipse idem illos per mare te per baptisma adduxit Et illis Manna aquam tibi corpus sanguinem dedit He that prepared saieth he those thinges to theÌ to these hath he also prepared this table And euen the very same hath brought them through the Sea and the through Baptisme And vnto them he gaue Manna and the water and vnto thee the bodie and bloode What can the Aduersarie once saie against these so clere and manifest testimonies for the trueth What blinde glose or maliciouse interpretacion can he bring to make these sainges anie thing looke towarde him Yf the Iewes receaued the figure and we the veritie what baser or lower thing ys yt theÌ the bodie of Chryst Yf the Aduersarie saie that we receaue Chryst spirituallie so did they in the receipt of Manna also I meen all they that receaued Yf the christiaÌ receaue Chryste but in figure spirituallie as the Iewe did wher ys theÌ the veritie well What then receaue we more nowe in or with the veritie vnder Chryst in the Gospell then they did with their figures vnder Moyses in the lawe Yf they proceade and saie that we receaue the Sacramentall bread as a figure of Chryst so receaued the Iewes Manna as a figure of Chryst Yf in euery place the figure wher ys the veritie Yf ther a figure and here a figure yf ther Chryst spiritually and here spirituallie and no more in the one then in the other what then fignifieth the veritie and wher ys the veritie Farder as ye hearde Chrysostome before saie the veritie must haue excellencie aboue the figure yf then we haue the veritie as Chrysostom also saieth then of necessitie yt must folowe that yf the Iewes had the figure of Chryst in Manna and yf the goode receauers with the figure Manna receaued also Chryst spirituallie that we must haue a certen excellencie with our veritie whiche be none other but the presence of him that ys the veritie in dede whiche ys Chryst For we haue a figure with the Iewes and a spirituall receauing with the Iewes and in these we be equall and on our parte ther ys no excellencie This therfore ys the excellencie that where they had the figure we haue both figure and the thing figurated whiche ys the bodie and bloode of Chryste Of these two authours then as of the other ye perceaue these three thinges auouched whiche were before mencioned that ys Manna and the water to befigures of Chrystes bodie and blood and that same bodie and bloode be in the Sacrament and that ther ys an excellencie in the thinges prefigured aboue the figures as to the veritie yt apperteineth aboue the figure THE SEVENTH CHAP. PROCEADETH TO DEclareth the same by saincte Hierom and sainct Cyrill WHen I consider with my self howe long the veritie of the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament hath ben receaued and beleued howe not in one corner of the chrystian orbe as nowe the Aduersaries of this trueth do occupie but throughoute in all places where Chryste was professed as well in the east Chruch as the west churche in the greke churche as in the latin Churche this trueth was embraced the Sacrament moch reuerenced Chryst God and man there truly and highlie honoured the same also by the greatest grauest and holiest learned men taught and preached and in their bookes by the testimonie of their handes testified and to all the worlde comended I can not ceasse to merueill howe men of this our time be bewitched and infatuated to leaue so sure an anker while they be in the trooblesom sea of this worlde and take holde of a feather in the whiche there ys no suertie nor staie but raither great occasion of present perill and destruction They be not alltogether vnlike the dogge in the fable who swimming through the water and hauing a good bone in his mouthe sawe the shadowe of the same in the water and Protestanres compared to the dogge in the fable soddenlie withoute consideracion leauing his good bone snatched at the shadowe to haue caught yt and so lost for the shadowe the substancial thing So these men swimming through the trooblesome water of his worlde and hauing in their mouthes the substanciall woorde of trueth that was able to feed them seing the shadowe of this vain doctrine whiche like a shadowe appeareth to be somwhat but ys nothing in dede they let the catholique and substanciall doctrine fall from their mouthes and catche the shadowe But as long as they haue but the shadowe their feeding will be so bare or raither nothing that their soules which shoulde be fedde withe the true woorde of God shall perish with famine yt encreaseth my merueilling and woondering that they seing these graue fathers and learned writers so manifestlie teaching the trueth yet as men addicted to swear to the woordes of their wicked masters they moue not from their phantasies What then Shall we ceasse to call vpon them Naie God forbidde S. Paule although he well sawe the stif neckes of the Iewes that they wolde not bowe to the faith yet he saied Quamdiu sum gentium Apostolus ministerium meum Rom. 11. honorificabo si quomodò ad aemulandum prouocem carnem meam saluosfaciam aliquos exillis As long as I am the Apostle of the gentiles I will magnifie mine office yf by anie mean I maie prouoke them whiche are my flesh and might saue some of them God graunte the charitie of S. Paule to all whom God hath called to the office of teachers that they maie magnifie their office and call vpon the people continuallie that some maie be saued though damnacion to them that be called and will not heare be the more greuouse Wherfor although these two coople in the chapiters before alleaged might suffice to certifie vs
holie scripturs he reprehended them imagining coÌtradictioÌs in theÌ he reputed theÌ saith Niceph. as things of naugh to yowe conteÌne the learned coÌmentaries aÌd writings of the Saincts of God vpoÌ the scripturs aÌd matters incideÌt aÌd apperteining to the scripturs with skoffes yowe trauail to repreheÌd their graue authoritie aÌd godlie writings Yowe plaie and dallie with them before the people like a ioung Porphirie as though they were things of naught Thus yow maie see as all that be wise and staied by Gods grace doo see howe fullie herin yowe bear the image and iustlie folowe the steppes of him that fiercelie as yowe doe persecuted with deadlie hatred the church and religion of Chryste Your third offence ys yet worse and more heinouse wher yowe haue vttered so manie vntrueths and lies euen aduersus DominuÌ aduersus ChristuÌ eius against our Lord aÌd against his Chryste against his holie gospell and against his holie woord Ys yowr matter soch M Iuell as yt can not be mainteined without lies and as the holie man Iob saied Nunquid Deus indiget vestro mendacio Hath God nede of your lies No so litle nede hath he of lies that he will destroie al theÌ that speak lies as the psalmist saieth But that I seeÌ not to charg yowe without proof as yowe do other ys not one of your chalenging articles against the presence of Chrysts bodie and blood in the blessed Sacr ys not the doctrine yowe teach and preache in that poinct directlie contrarie to the doctrine of our Sauiour Chryst WheÌ he saieth This ys my bodie This ys my blood and yowe auouche and teache that yt ys verie bread and verie wine ys not this a contrarie doctrine to his ys yt not plain against his manifest woorde ys yt not in effect to charge him with vntrueth though yowe daie not yet in flat woordes saie that he lied The craftie sleight yowe vse in handling the scripture wher the trueth of Chrysts doctrin doeth appeare aÌd your wielie suppressioÌ of those woords which cheiflie declare the same trueth aÌd opeÌ yowr vntrueth doe wel proue youre wicked meening to be none other For taking the woords of S. Paule for the theme of your sermoÌ yowe produced theÌ truncatedlie and passed theÌ with moch sleight Thus yowe vtter theÌ I haue receaued of the Lord that thing which also I deliuered vnto yow that ys that the lord Iesus in the night that he was betraied took bread aÌd ther yowe end Wher although yowe preteÌted to teach the first institucioÌ of the Sacr. yet either of malice to suppresse Christs trueth or for feare to disclose your own vntrueth you wold not or durst not reherse the verie words of the institucioÌ which I wish al meÌ to note but both in the latin aÌd inglish as your faith staeth in bread and as yow wold the faith of your audieÌce should do the like your theme ended in bread in so moch as wheÌ yowe come to your last matter to speak of priuate Masse as yow tearm yt though falselie for ther ys none soch and to proue yowr CoÌmunioÌ beginne again to repete the woords of the institucioÌ Lord what shift yowe make to suppresse the words of Chryst This ys my bodie This ys my blood in the which lieth al the effect of his institucioÌ These woords yowe flie as froÌ a serpeÌt yowe caÌ not abide the sownd of theÌ aÌd therfor with shamful craft yowe passe theÌ saing thus Chryst in the last supper ordeined a CoÌmunioÌ aÌd shewed no maner token of priuate Masse as maie plainlie appeare both by the woordes that he spake and also by the order of his doings For be tooke the bread brake yt deuided yt aÌd gaue yt to his Disciples and saied Drinke ye all herof These be yowr own woords Yowe preteÌded to proue your matter by Chrysts woords aÌd order but wheÌ yowe come to the verie point yowe do not as moch as touch his woords but skippe ouer theÌ so well maie your prof appeare bi theÌ aÌd so loath are yowe to vtter Christ words that his trueth might appear aÌd your falshead be disclosed Against your first offeÌce which ys your abuse of the doctours in mutilating their saings as yow doo Anacletus in falsifieng their meening as yow do Tertullian and S. Cyprian in craftie alleaging two or three woordes that apparantlie maie seem to make for yowe leauing oute the rest that mightilie maketh against yowe as yowe doe sainct Augustine in corrupting authours by putting woordes to their saings which they haue not as yowe doe with Leo wherbie euidentlie appeareth yowr conteÌpt of their autoritie whom by so manie means yowe labour to abuse to shadowe and hide the trueth by them so clerelie settfurth I come in right vse reuerentlie alleaging them whollie and fullie producing them truelie reporting them and their mening iustlie letting euerie of them plainlie to testifie that whiche he hath written and causing euerie one to speake his owne woordes without corruption And that yowe maie perceaue that the catholique Churche ys strong against the whiche the gates of hell the power of heresie shall not preuaill knowe yowe that yt ys Terribilis castorum acies ordinata a terrible fortresse in most goodlie order appoincted Oute of the which fortresse in goodlie order ys comed a great nombre against yowe marching by cooples eche coople to shewe the vnitie of trueth and faith professed in bothe Churches being one of the greke church and other of the latine churche and the seniours for the most part placed in the forewarde These haue I brought furth not one alone and by piece meale so to rume awaie with the matter as yowe doo but in good nombres and with their full saings and the same doo I oftentimes conferr together that the full and perfect cleernesse of the trueth in ther consonant sentences maie appear and shine to all that list to looke therat and be disposed to knowe the trueth Against yowr second offence which ys the mocking of holie writers and Saincts wherbie yowe seke to dishonour and deface bothe them and the religion they professed I come with due reuerence and honour of them whoÌ I knowe by Chrysts promesse to be honourable before the Father in heauen for their constant confession of his holie name whilest they liued here vpon earth Wherfor as being vpon the earth they were not gests and straungers but the felowes of Saincts and of the house of God I tearme them as senatours of the Parliament house of Chryste as knowing the enacted and receaued trueth of the matters of faith perteining to that house For this cause I regard all their writings which the catholique Churche hath allowed considering that the same Churche that hath taught me that the gospell that ys the verie woorde of God written by the mocion and instruction of his holie Spirit hath taught me that these mens wiritings vpon the same are good and commendable And as with S. Augustine
mutabatur similis fiebat sanctae eius carni in augmentum sustentationem conferebat iuxta humanum morem Igitur nunc panis in carneÌ Domini mutatur Et quomodò inquit non apparet nobis caro sect panis Vt non abhorreamus ab eius esu Nam si qui dem caro apparuisset insuauiter affecti fuissemus erga communionem Nanc autem condesâeÌdeÌte domino nostrae infirmitati talis apparet nobis mysticus cibus qualibus aliquando asue Chrystes verie flesh in the Sacrament not the figure ti sumus Take hede that the bread whiche ys eaten of vs in the mysteries ys not onelie a certain figuring of the bodie of our Lord but the verie flesh of our Lord. For he did not saie The bread which I wil geue ys a figure of my flesh but yt ys my flesh For the bread ys tranfoarmed by the secret woords of the my sticall benedictioÌ and coming of the holie Goste into the slesh of our Lord. And let yt not trooble any maÌ that the bread ys to be beleued flesh For our Lord walking in the flesh aÌd receauing foode of bread that bread which was eateÌ was chaunged into his bodie aÌd was made like to his holie flesh and yt went to the augmentacioÌ and susteÌtacioÌ of him according to the maner of man How the bread ys turned into slâsh and why flesh ys not seen in the Sacrament Therfore also now the bread ys chauÌged into the flesh of our Lord And how saieth he doth yt not appeare flesh but bread ⪠that we should not abhorre froÌ eating of yt For yf yt had appeared flesh we should not haue ben well affected towards the CoÌmunion But now our Lorde condescending to our infirmitie the mysticall meat appeareth soche to vs as we haue ben otherwise accustomed vnto Thus Theophilacte By whom yt ys moste manifest that this texte of S. Iohn yet in hand ys vnderstanded of the blessed Sacrament And further he most plainly auoucheth the reall presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament when he saieth that the bread by the work of the holy goste ys transfourmed into the flesh of Chryste wherby ye are not onelie taught withoute all obscuritie and darknesse of speache that the verie flesh of Chryste ys verilie and reallie present in the SacrameÌt TransubstanciacioÌ auouched But ye are also taught the maner how the flesh ys made present that ys by transubstanciation which although he vtter by an other woorde yet in effecte yt ys all one For wher as he saieth yt ys transformed and euery creature hath two formes an outward forme and an inwarde and he affirmeth and declareth that the outward forme remaineth when he saieth yt Forme nature esseÌce substance all one appeareth bread whiche also our senses iudge and perceaue then yt must nedes be that this transformacion must be of the inwarde forme whiche inuarde forme as learned men do knowe for somoch as forma natura essentia and substantia be all one ys the nature and substance of the thing whiche forme nature or substance being chaunged that chaunge maie aswell be called transubstanciacion for the chaunge of substance as transformacion for the chaunge of forme forme and substance being all one verie thing And that he ment of the chaunge of the verie substance of the bread into Bread in the Sacra chaunged into flesh aplain saiÌg for the Proclamer the flesh of Chryst he declareth by that he saieth that as when our Sauiour walked here vpon the earth and being a naturall man did for his natural sustentacion eate hread which bread was chaunged into the substance of hys flesh aÌnd was so chaunged that yt was made like to his holie flesh as Theophilactes woordes be EueÌ so now saieth he the bread ys chaunged into his flesh By which similitude he most plainlie teacheth that as the substance of the bread which Chryste did eate by natural dispositioÌ was substaÌciallie chauÌged into the substance of Chrystes flesh So ys now the substance of bread by the operacioÌ of the holie Gost chaunged into the substaÌce of Chrystes flesh And to proue this he vseth the woordes of scripture noting to vs that Chryst did not saie The bread which I will geue ys a figure of my flesh but my slesh Yf then yt be not the figure of Chrystes flesh and yet ys flesh yt must nedes be hys verie naturall and substanciall flesh Neither ys this to be ouerpassed and left vnnoted to the reader that thys Oecolampadius falsifieth Theophilacte authour by a plain negatiue denieth the false affirmatiue of the Aduersarie For wher the Aduersarie saieth yt ys but a figure This authour saieth yt ys not onely a figure And yet this woorde onely did OecolaÌpadius put to of hys owne in the traÌslating For the greke hath not that woorde as the learned in that tounge haue noted And wher the Aduersarie saieth by the negatiue yt ys not flesh This authour boldlie vsing the woorde and trueth of his master Chryst saieth the affirmatiue that yt ys flesh And thus reader thowe maist perceaue the great impudencie and shamelessnes of these Professours of heresie that what the holie writers and auncient authours do expressedly affirme that do they denie and that that the auncient Fathers doo manifestlie denie that doo they affirme what now ys to be iudged of these I leaue to thee Reader The other whose testimonie shall finish the expositioÌ of this text shall be Lyra one of the other side of Chrysts ParliameÌt house who albeit in time he be not auncieÌt yet in treuth he ys auncient in the which he coÌcordeth and agreeth euen with the most auncieÌt as yt shal appeare Vpon this same text Nico Lyra in 6. IoaÌ of S Iohn so often repeated without all maner of high speache he writeth thus plainlie Sciendum quòd in sacramento Eucharistiae continetur ipsum Verbum incarnatum Et ideo ostendens qualitate huius sacramenti quatuor tangit Primum est illud quod est ibi sacramentuÌtantùm scilicet species panis cùm dicit Et panis c. Secundum est author huius sacramenti qui est ipse Christus summus sacerdos Sacerdos auteÌ qui est minister huius sacramenti tantuÌmodo profert verba non in propria persona sed in persona Christi In aliis autem sacramentis vtitur minister verbis suis vel verbis Ecclesiae quibus exprimitur actus quem facit vt in Baptismo cum dicitur Ego baptisote c. Sed in Sacramento refert solùm verba Christi cùm dicit Qui pridie quà m pateretur c. et sequuÌtur postea verba Christi coÌsecrationeÌ efficientia hoc notatur cùm dicitur Ego dabo c. Tertium est res significata coÌtenta scilicet verum Christi corpus cùm dicitur Caro mea est QuartuÌ est res signata sed non contenta scilicet corpus Christi mysticum quod coniungitur capiti
I saie that I wolde not beleue the Gospell but that the authoritie of the Churche moueth me therunto no more wolde I beleue the Fathers expownding the scripturs but that thervnto I am moued by the Churche Then yt foloweth well that as I ought to beleue the Gospell for the authoritie of the Churche so ought I to beleue the doctours for the autoritie of the Churche And here to ouerthrowe your contempt of them and your self also I do oftentimes conferre the expositions of the later Fathers with the expositions of the elder fathers and finding them alltogether grauelie against youre euell doctrine to consent and yt to confute as hereticall and deuelish I let your light mockes and skornes flie home again to yowe as fleshflies to their carien Against your thirde wickednesse I meen your coÌtempt abuse and vntrue handling of the holie scripturs I come in euerie place where mencion ys made of the bless Sacrament with the wholl processe ther conteined In the vi of S. Iohn the xxvi of S. Matth the xxiiii of S. Luke the x. and xi of the first epistle to the Corinth the v. to the Ephesians and the xiii to the Hebrues somoch as the Fathers expownd to appertein to the holie Sacr. I produce not truncatelie and falselie but fullie and trulie euery sentence and euery woord submitting my self to the authoritie of gods woord aÌd not bi sleight subdewing yt to mine owne autoritie But here the learned perchaunce maie merueill that I wold ioin with yowe in the scripturs considering the auncient counsell of Tertullian who wolde not that anie catholique shoulde entre into disputacion with an heretique with the scripturs Nihil proficit congressio scripturarum cum haereticis nisi planè vt aut stomachi quis meat euersionem aut cerebri c. To ioin saieth he in disputacion with heretiques with scripturs yt doeth nothing auaill except a man will turne vppe side down either his stomacke or his brain what shall thowe gain thowe great learned man in the scripturs when yf thowe defend anie thing yt shall be denied of the contrarie part yf thowe denie anie thing yt shall be defended c. And after he concludeth thus Ergo non ad scripturas prouocandum est c. We maie not therfor appeall to the scripturs neither maie we appoinct our disputacion in them in the which ther ys either none or vnceten victorie or not verie certen For this cause and for that S. Hierom saieth that Scripturae non in legendo coÌsistunt sed in intelligendo the scripturs coÌsist not in reading but in vnderstanding I haue trauailed by diligent scarching of the fathers from the Apostles to this our time to trie oute by ther common consent howe the scripturs are to be vnderstanded and so haue I as by a line drawen from hand to hand descended from age to age that the true vnderstanding of them receaued and approued in all that diuersitie of ages and places might be perceaued and knowen In this my doing I haue fulfilled the counseill of Vincentius lyrinen who for remidies against errours among other willeth that if anie errour hath ben committed in the olde time either by certain men or by anie one wholl citie or by anie Prouince to reforme that the decrees of auncient generall Councells must be sought and yf none soche can be founde as in these daies though they be fownd they be not regarded then saieth he operam dabit vt collatas inter se maiorum consulat interrogetiîue sententias c. He shall gene diligence to seke and learn the iudgemeÌts of the elders and coÌferr theÌ together but of those elders onelie which although they were in diuerse times and places abiding yet in the CoÌmunion and faith of one catholique Churche were allwaies allowed as masters or men of autoritie And what soeuer he shall knowe what not one or two of them but what alltogether with one consent haue holden written and taught openlie coÌmonlie and continuallie let him vnderstand that that ys without all doubt to be beleued Thus he As this counseill ys on my part fulfilled in that I haue searched and conferred the iudgements of the fathers and fownd them though they were in diuerse ages and places fullie and whollie agreeng in the matters of the presence of Chrysts bodie and blood in the blessed Sacrament of the oblacion of the same and of other articles apperteining ther to whiche as in this worke yt maie be clerlie perceaued not one or two but euery one of them haue not obscurely but manifestlie not in one place or at one time but coÌmonlie and continuallie holden taught and written So wolde wolde I that yowe M. Iuell if yowe regarde the Fathers of the primitiue Churche in dede as yowe bragge in woorde that yowe I saie shoulde receaue and embrace these scripturs as expownded and deliuered to yowe by their hands and their expositions to accept as a cleer and certen vndoubted trueth whiche trueth so opened by theÌ I bring furth against your vntrueths and not the bare scripture alone as Tertullian wolde I shoulde not This I trust yowe shall well perceaue if leauing your corruted affection apart yowe will with a cleer eie and vpright iudgement read this worke wherin yowe shall see all the Fathers that commonlie haue expownding the scripturs written of these articles of the Sacrament whiche yowe in your iolitie I will not saie more arrogantlie than as a chrystian preacher should mekelie and lowlie more rashlie then wiselie or aduisedlie with so great bragge wttered in your sermon all soche Fathers I saie shall yowe see aswell grekes as latines aswell auncient as of later time with one coÌmon consent and agreement so expownding the scripturs as though they had ben in one time and had coÌspired vpon one sense and vnderstaÌding all those shall yowe see impugning your negatiues aÌd by the scripturs affirming the catholike doctrine and faith catholiquelie and vniuersallie professed aÌd thus shal the trueth of the scripturs ouerthrow the vntrueth of your heresies Nowe I haue in a generall maner shewed your offences whiche moued me to write against yowe in like generalitie I haue shewed howe I do procead against yowe the specialitie of your offences and of the processe aunswerable to the same yowe shall finde in this worke though simplie without coolour yet plainlie without craft declared Yf my trauaill herein obtein not his enreÌded effect namelie your conuersioÌ and ameÌdement and to doo yowe that good that yow maie be staied froÌ running to pertual damnacion yet staing other that by your pestilent heresies might be brought to that wofull dauÌger I shall not onelie do theÌ that good I wish but also helpe to make your daÌnacioÌ the easier whiche howe greuouse yt shall be he knoweth best that knoweth howe manie soules yowe haue brought to damnacioÌ Yf yowe being obdurated persist in your impietie yt caÌ not be auoided but yowe doe yt of malice hauing ben aduertised and
admonished of your wicked errours and heresies hertofore by doctour Harding and other and nowe by me Yowe knowe who saieth Haereticum hominem c. after one or two admonicions flie the companie of an heretique knowing that soche one ys subuerted forsomoche as he ys euen by his owne iudgement condemned In dede being as I saied thus admonished and seing with all your wicked doctrine by the whol multitude here alleaged so plainlie and cleerly condemned yt can not be but by your owne iudgemeÌt yowe must be condeÌned For this ys so euideÌtlie true that yowe or any man can not denie yt that no doctrine nowe holdeÌ of the catholique Churche for a trueth and impugned by the Sacramentaries was euer yet at anie time by the churche or by any catholique writer reputed as heresie or errour Again this ys as true that euerie doctrine holden of the Sacramentaries and nowe impugned by the catholiques hath ben before time of the catholique Church and wtiters reputed and adiudged erour and heresie a fewe late inuencions onelie excepted which also are now by catholikes impugned and by plain testimonies of the auncient Church proued to be erours and heresies and so condemned To make good the first saing I will reherse certain catholique propositions Chrysts bodie ys verilie in the blessed Sacrament Chrysts bodie ys ossred in sacrifice in the Masse The holie Sacrament ys to be reserued for the coÌmunion of the sicke The blessed Sacrament maie be receaued vnder one kinde The bodie of Chryste in the Sacrament ys to be adored Saincts in glorie praie for vs and are to be praied vnto by vs. The dead receaue great benefitte by the sacrisice of the Masse Praier and almose dedes doen for the dead doe auaill them These and soche like the catholiques doe holde the heretiques denie I will not here proclame against yowe but I will ioine this issue with yowe that if yowe can bring anie catholique CouÌcell or catholique doctour impugning these or anie of theÌ as hereticall or erroneous I will subscribe vnto yowe and saie as yowe saie yf yowe can not as I am sure yowe can not theÌ will I saie as I maie well that your doctrine ys erroneous hereticall and deuelish Nowe to saue your doctrine froÌ this fowle reproache proue by soche testimonie as I haue saied that our doctrine ys erroneous or ells the shame will be on your side that teach the contrarie To make good my second assertion I will also reherse certain propositions of your doctrine Chrysts bodie ys not reallie in the Sacrament The Sacrament ys onelie a figure of Chryste and not his bodie The substance of bread ys not by due consecracion chaunged turned transmuted nor transelementated into the substance of the bodie of Chryste Ther ys no sacrifice of Chrystes bodie offred in the Masse Praier and almose dedes nothing auaile the dead neither the sacrifice of the Masse These and soche like do yowe and your likes teache and defend for the whiche I will ioin this issue with yowe that if I haue not in this booke sufficientlie proued or can not hereafter if I be required more fullie proue euerie of these to be erroneous and hereticall and long agon for soche to haue ben condemned I will subscribe to them and consesse theÌ to be good Yf I haue or can euidentlie proue theÌ so to be then confesse yowe theÌ to be naught and deuelish Yf yowe refuse thus to doo yet for the defence of your doctrine yf yt maie be defended doo that to vs that I haue doen to yowe I haue doen to yowe in this booke three things First I haue shewed yowe the beginning of the doctrine of the bless SacrameÌt the progresse and coÌtinuance of yt and the defence of yt SecoÌdlie of the Masse which ys the soleÌne sacrifice of Chrysts Church I haue shewed yowe good presidents certeÌ and assured practises and these right auncient Thirdlie for the SacrameÌtaries doctrine I haue shewed wheÌ yt began by whoÌ yt was inueÌted wheÌ and wher yt was condeÌned and so ce assed and by whom yt was raised again in these our daies in the whiche yt ys also laufullie again condeÌned Nowe doo yowe the like for your doctrine and against ours Shew the beginning progresse coÌtinuance and defence of your Sacramentaries doctrine Shewe the originalls and auncieÌt presidents of your CoÌmunion which ys the kaie and note of your religion and coÌferre theÌ as we haue done the Masse with the auncieÌt presidents of the primitiue Churche Shew howe all your innouacions whiche within these feweyears were in no place of the christian world vsed were put down howe and by whoÌ that was compased in what Popes time and Emperours reign they were suffred to be doen yf anie suffred persecucioÌ or exile for theÌ who stoode against these that ouerthrewe them who wrote against theÌ that banished your religioÌ and wher be the bookes Yf your doctrine be so notablie good and ours so notablie wicked as yowe teache and preache yt to be so great an alteracioÌ and decaie of religion froÌ so great a good to so grete an euell coulde not be doeÌ in the world withoute great note without large testimonies of histores and cronicles of so lamentable a chauÌge Bring furth therfor yf yowe can the monimeÌtes and testimonies of this chaunge Yf yowe can not wise maÌ will thinke and beleue that ther was neuer none soche Yf ther was none theÌ be your procedings but nouelties inueÌted in these later daies and neuer before in vse and therfor well tearmed the newe religioÌ newe doctrine newe faith newe churche newe Communion Two things M Iuell I doubt not but yowe knowe Thone that in the primitiue and auncient church ther arose no notable heresie but yt was spedelie impugned Thother that of the originall and progresse of euerie soch ther were notes made and moniments for memorie left As concerning the first yt ys certeÌ that eueÌ in the beginning of Chrystes Church Ebion and Cerinthus sowing their heresie were streight impugded by S. Iohn against whoÌ he was moued to write his gospell and epistles Against the same also with other as Valentinus Marcion Cerdon Symon Samarites Basilides Carpocrates and soch like wrote the holie Father Irenaeus not long after who as in his workes yt maie be seen in diuerse places vsed for an argument against those heretiques the presence of Chrysts bodie in the SacrameÌt and yet the same Irenaeus was neuer noted of errour for his so affirming and teaching Origen his works being fownde inspersed with diuerse errours was noted for them but wher he testifieth the presence of Chrystes bodie in the bless Sacrament he was neuer blamed Ciprian the holie martir was verie vehemeÌt against Nouatus the heretique and his sect he diligentlie laboured to cut of soche weedes This holie maÌ in the matter of the presence wrote so plainlie as no maÌ more plainlie he wrote also of baptisme In the matter of the presence the church hath
allowed him in the matter of Baptisme notwithstanding his holinesse they haue refused him To be short Epiphanius and S. Augustine wrote bookes of the heresies of them that were before and in their times and although manie besides the fore meÌcioned had spoken so plainlie of the blessed Sacr. that they cleerly coÌfessed the presence of Chrysts bodie in the same as Martialis Ignatius Iustinus Tertullianus Hilarius and manie other yet be none of all these nor none other for that doctrine noÌbred ther amoÌg heretiques which vndoubtedlie they should haue ben if the matter had so deserued But trulie yt was neuer yet red in anie god writer nor somoche as dreamed that the coÌfessioÌ of the preseÌce of Chryste in the bless SacrameÌt ys heresie or errour Nowe as touching histories witnessing the wicked beginning the miserable progresse and open end and confusion of heresies yt were superfluouse for me to write sith ther hath ben no notable heresie or heretique which are not recorded either by Eusebius Teodoret Sozomenus Nicephorus Aeneus Siluius and soche other whose bookes be dailie in mens hands By whom when your SacrameÌtaries heresie begaÌ we knowe howe loÌg yt continued openlie we knowe who withstood yt and wrote against yt we knowe in howe manie Councells yt hath be coÌdemned we knowe Furder who haue renewed the same in these later daies we knowe when and howe Luther reigned we knowe howe Oecolampadius folowed though an other waie we knowe howe Caluine hath coÌtroled both catholiques and heretiques we knowe what the doings of these and their complices haue ben and be we knowe and that they haue ben and be condeÌned for heretiques we know To be short ther hath ben no notable alteracion or molestacion in religion by heresie but yt ys committed to memorie in histories Yf theÌ your doctrine and faith your religion and profession your notable CoÌmunion or raither confusioÌ were once good and catholique yt can not be but of so great an alteracion as to make catholique faith damnable heresie or holie coÌmunion wicked diuisioÌ ther must be some notable mencion in histories or some auncient monimeÌt in writing to declare yt Yf yowe haue anie soche bring them furth and theÌ yowe shall doo foÌwhat to allure wise men vnto yowe For in this poinct I hold him nothing wise that will repute either your doctrine faith religion or communion to be good and catholique vntill yowe shewe good testimonies and presidents of the catholique vse of them which I am certen yowe can neuer doo As for soche euidences as your self nowe and your auncetours heretofore haue picked oute of the right and true euidences of the catholique Churche I meen the holie scripturs Councells doctours and approued histories and with great boldnesse haue shewed theÌ to the world and auouched them to be yours and to assure your cause they are allreadie well knoweÌ aÌd tried not to be yours in dede but to make all for the catholique faith and religioÌ and mightilie against your singular phaÌsies and to ouer throw your wicked heresies when they be plainlie opened and deliuered froÌ your craftie corruptions as they haue ben by sondrie and manie famouse learned men as well in this age as before our time And I to my power haue in this booke for soche matters as I haÌdle detected your forgerie and corrupting of the euidences therto appertening by your wresting glosing cutting peicing diminishing adding and other wise falsifieng the right cleer wholl perfect godlie and true testimonies of the scripturs Councells aÌd auncieÌt doctours And soch as be so flatte against your cause as yowe can haue no aide of them but be forced therfor either to depraue their authoritie with mocking and skorning or flatlie to denie their workes they are defended and holdeÌ in their woorthie estimacions and their denied works restored to the right authours The first therfor that ys the scripturs CouÌcells and auncieÌt doctours yowe can no more abuse for shame and chaleng to be on your side wheÌ being sifted froÌ your sleights and clered froÌ your falshead all meÌ maie perceaue theÌ not to be your right euideÌce making as thei do so plainlie against yowe aÌd mightilie ouerthrowing your cause The other that ys the later learned writers and holie fathers yow maie no loÌger contemne being proued to agree as they doe with their elders and approued as they be of the church to be catholique and holie writers your skoffesand mocks against them will stand for no reason before wise men Nowe yowe vnderstand M. Iuell what I haue here doen to the whiche yf either yowe or anie other for yowe shall by railing Rethorike make a pretensed answer I do yowe to witte that I will not vouchsafe to putt my penne to the papire for that kinde of answer For I haue begonne with yowe in an other sort and like a diuine railing I haue left to ruffins and skoldes and coolours of persuasions to rethoricians directlie according to my profession with all plain trueth haue I proceaded Yf answere therfor shall be made let yt be either a direct answere or none Direct answer ys soche as I make to yow where yowe abuse the vnderstaÌding of the scripture or doctour to proue the same vnto yowe where yowe falsilie to alleage the place truely where yowe corrupt to shewe the right saing when yowe adde and put to to declare what yowe adde and put to wheÌ yowe leaue oute to expresse the woordes so by yowe left oute And finallie by full plain and expresse testimonie of scripturs Councells or doctours as the condicioÌ of the matter requireth to open and declare the trueth and by like authoritie to proue and coÌfirme the same Thus haue I doeÌ to yowe in pleÌtifull maner in euery matter here by me handled so that the trueth of euerie thing ys so fullie opened and by good authoritie so confirmed that I trust euerie man that will see maie see and euerie man that will vnderstand maie vnderstand where the weight of the trueth ys Read therfor M. Iuell and diuorcing your self froÌ vainglorie to the which ye haue hen a loÌg time maried let your vnderstaÌding be captiuated vnto the seruice of Chryste Let not your vain estimacioÌ in errour and heresie detein yowe to come to the honorable estimacion that ys gotten in the professing of Gods trueth Let yt not be saied of yowe as the holie father and Pope Leo saied of Eutiches Noluit intelligere vt bene ageret IniquitateÌ meditatus est in cubili suo My good will was that this mi doing should haue beÌ in your haÌds a loÌg timeer this for yt was finished full three years past but sicknesse pouertie and lacke of oportunitie to printe yt haue thus long staied yt But sith nowe at the last yt ys by Gods helpe comed abroad I heseche him of his great goodnesse to grauÌt that it maie be to his honour aÌd to the helpe of his people aÌd that it maie be a medicine of health to yow aÌd
In the whiche sentence two thinges maie emong other be noted the one ys that be ye neuer so wise yet ye maie be wiser Wherfore disdain not to learn either by hearing or by reading The other that all these which S. Hierom bringeth in for example contented them selues to heare and by hearinge came to more wisdoÌ Let not then the prowde or arrogant be singular in his owne conceat for the superiour maie heare and learn of the inseriour as here ye haue perceaued Moyses to doo of Ietro his wifes Father Yf theÌ we should hear aÌd learn of al meÌ moche more should we heare and learn of them whome God hath appointed in his Churche to be pastours aÌd teachers whom of deutie we aught to heare as being coÌmended vnto vs by God and his Church and preaching vnto vs nowe by their bookes as somtime they did by their mouthes whose holines and learning was soche that they maie verie wel be takeÌ for the elders that Iesus Sirach speaketh of saing Ne despicias narrationeÌ presbyteroruÌ sapientiuÌ in prouerbijs eoruÌ conuersare Ab ipsis enim disces sapientiaÌ doctrinaÌintellectus c. Despise not the sermons of soche Eccles 8. elders as haue vnderstaÌdinge but acqueint thy self with the wise senteÌces of theÌ For of them shalt thow learn wisdom and the doctrine of vnderstaÌding But for asmuche as men maie appoincte to theÌ selues soche elders as they 2. Tim. 4. phantasie as saincte Paule prophecieng both of soche masters and disciples saith The time shall come when they shall not suffer holsome doctrine but after their owne lustes shall they whose eares doo ytche gett them an heape of teachers and shall withdrawe their eares froÌ the trueth and shal be turned to fables yt ys expedieÌt that we learn of the wise what elders we shal folowe Iesus Syrach teacheth vs to learn of soche elders as had learned of their Fathers Ne te praetereat narratio seniorum ipsi enim didiceruÌt à patribus suis quoniaÌ ab ipsis disces intellectum in teÌpore necessitatis dare responsum Go not from the doctrine Ibid. â of the elders for they haue learned yt of their fathers For of them thowe shalt learn vnderstaÌding so that thow maist make auÌswer in the time of nede In this godlie counsel ye perceaue the cause geuen why ye shoulde learn of your elders bicause saieth he they haue learned of their Fathers As who Elders that are to be folowed might saie the learning that ys learned of the Fathers ys no new inueÌted doctrine yt ys no straunge doctrine vnknoweÌ to the coÌgregacion of the which S. Paule geueth yow admonitioÌ saieng Doctrinis varijs et peregrinis nolite abduci OptimuÌ est enim gratia stabilire cor Be not caried awaie with diuerse and strauÌge doctrines for yt ys a good thing that the heart be established with grace But StrauÌge doctrines are not to be folowed yt ys a doctrine tried and continued froÌ successioÌ to sucessioÌ a doctrine that ys permanent through all ages Elders that are not to be folowed Therfor go not froÌ that doctrine neither chose yow anie other elders to learn of but soche as haue learned of their fathers Therfor chose not soche elders as be inueÌtours of their owne doctrine as the LutheraÌs chose Luther who teaching that womeÌ maie preache teacheth an inueÌted doctrine against the scripture For S. Paule saieth Mulieres in ecclesiis taceant non enin permittitur eis loqui etc. 1. Cor. 14. Let your women kepe scilence in the congregacion for yt ys not permitted vnto them to speake but to be vnder obedience as saieth the law Yf they will learn anie thing let theÌ aske their husbandes at home For yt ys a shame for women to speake in the âongregacion Luthers straunge doctrine Luther taught that coÌtritioÌ maketh a man a more sinner In assert art 6. And that the righteouse man doth in euerie good worke that he dothe mortallie offende Luther also taught that euery christian man ys a preist for the coÌmon ministrie Ibid. ar 31 These be straunge doctrines bothe to the scriptures and to oure elders and therfore we maie not learn of him for he hath not learned of the Fathers Zuinglius straunge doctrine Zuinglius taught that original offeÌce ys no sinne In libell de Baptismo Yet Dauid in the psalme huÌblie confesseth Psalm 50. Ecce in iniquitatibus conceptus sum et in peccatis concepit me mater mea Behold saieth he I was conceaued in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceaued me And saincte Paule saieth Natura sumus filij irae of nature we be the children of wrathe or damnacion Zuinglius taught also In articulis in fine that the children of christen men nede not to be Baptised but yf they die withoute Baptisme they shall be saued yet Chryst saieth Ioan. 3. Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua et spiritu sancto non potest introire in regnum Dei Except a man be born again of the water and the holie goste he can not entre into the kingdoÌ of God Luthers lucifero use pride Of this man therfore maie ye not learn neither doo ye heare him for whie he hath not learned of the fathers Whiche thinge most arrooantlie euen Luther like as yt becometh a Lucyferan folowing his master Lucifer prowdelie protesteth not a fewe times and saieth that he will not be taught of men but of God O deuelish and wicked saing This ys a second Paule The first Paule saieth speaking of the gospell Neque ab homine accepi illud neque didici sed per reuelationem Iesu Christi Nether haue I receaued yt of man nether learned yt but by the In lib. coÌâ Canon reuelation of Iesus Chryst The second Paule saieth that he will not learn of man but of God But as ther ys a first Adam and a seconde the one earthlie the other heauenlie And as in the first Adam all doo die and in the secoÌde 1. Cor. 15. all be reuiued So our first Paule ys heauenlie this second earthlie that first leadeth to saluation This seconde to damnacion Zuinglius wrote de claritate verbi Dei of the clerenesse of the woorde of God an whol booke to the entent to make you suppose hard thinges to be Zuinglius wrote a booke of the clerenesse of scripture easie and so to passe through theÌ not as the trueth woulde lead yowe which ys hard to finde but as yowre phantasie should moue you which ys at haÌde and that he might with like facilitie bringe yowe to errour scisme and heresie and so consequentlie to damnacion Wherof he being soche a secoÌd Paule ys the right ministre Howe falselie that booke ys compiled this that ys here saied dothe manifestlie declare and inuincible proue What shoulde I troble thee Reader with rehersall of the false doctrine of Heretiques disseÌt
emoÌg them selues but conspire al agaiÌst the Church Heretiques what Fathers they folowe OecolaÌpadius of Bullingerus of Caluinus of Bucer aÌd of soche like Who although they dissent emong themselues in manie thinges yet in manie they agree aÌd specialle in this that they be all mortall enemies to the catholique Churche Of theise fathers hath this our Aduersaire learned his doctrine of the which he ys a stowte mainteiner as ye haue partlie heard But maye we hope to drinke swete water oute of a stinking puddle Maie we gather as our Sauiour Chryst saieth grapes of thornes or figges of thistles Maie we hope to learn the wholsom trueth of him who hath sucked the lothsom poyson of Heresie of Luther and Zuinglius of whose detestable doctrines ye haue Math. 7. heard of many their wicked assertions afewe rehersed that by them ye maie iudge of the rest He that foloweth soche doctors and buildeth vpoÌ soche sandes forsaketh the strong rocke he also leaueth the fountain of the water of life and puddleth Heretiques whie they are not to be folow in the fowle puddles which they haue digged whiche can not holde water Wherfor as they be not to be folowed no more ys this Aduersarie being certen that none of theÌ all haue taught the doctrine that they learned of holie catholike Fathers but of soche fathers as be of the noÌbre of the elders aÌd teachers that faincte Peter spake of whiche shoulde come emong vs. Fuerunt in populo Pseudoprophetae sicut in vobis erunt magistri mendaces qui introducent sectas perditionis etc. Ther were false Prophetes in the people as emoÌg yow ther shal be false teachers or lieng masters which shall bring in damnable sectes euen denieng the Lorde that hath bought theÌ aÌd shal bring vpoÌ theÌ selfs swifte daÌnation Wherfor couÌt theÌ not as elders mete to learn of leest ye be of the noÌbre of theÌ that saincte Peter immediatlie speaketh of And manie saieth he shal folow their daÌnable waies bi whoÌ the waie of trueth shal be blasphemed Of theise folowers ther be some that solowing the arrogancie of their masters Corner teachers wil asseÌble coÌpanies in corners aÌd being rude aÌd illiterate not brought vppe in the studie of scieÌce but onelie in trade of worldlie craftes wil take vpon theÌ to teache before they learn as S. HieroÌ saieth And this emong other ys lamentable that meÌ will sett so litle by the faith of their Lord God so litle by the doctrine of Gods Churche so litle finallie by their owne sowles that they will hassard all these vpon the credite of soche an ignoraÌte vppestarte who neuer learned of his Fathers neither knewe what the Fathers had taught But be not so light o Brethren be not so light haue a more staie in you be not so easilie caried awaie froÌ your Lord God to your destruction Yf ye haue coÌmitted your selfs to soche light masters open nowe your eyes aÌd be holde howe ye haue ben deceaued And to exhorte you with saincte Paules woordes froÌ hencefurth be no more babes wauering and caried aboute Ephes 4. with euerie winde of doctrine by the wilinesse of meÌ through craftinesse wherwith they laie in wait for yowe to deceaue yowe But folow the trueth in charitie and in all thinges growe in him which ys the head euen Chryste And this shall yowe the better do yf ye wil well regard the counsel of Salomon who saieth thus to euerie one of yowe Audi fili mi disciplinam patris tui Teachers meet to be beleued Prou. 1. et ne dimittas legem matris tuae My Sonne heare thy fathers doctrine and forsake not the lawe of thy Mother Vpon the which text sainct Hierom saieth thus Notandum quod ita nos disciplinam patris audire praecipit vt legem quoque matris nullo modo dimittamus quia non sufficit vt quis se Deum diligere eius praeceptis obtem Hier. ibid. perare dicat si vnitatem Ecclesiae fraterna charitate noÌ sequatur Yt ys to be noted that he commaundeth vs so to heare the doctrine of the father that we also by no means forsake the lawe of the Mother For yt sufficeth not that anie maÌ shall saie that he loueth God and obeyeth his commaundementes yf with brotherlie charitie he folowe not the vnitie of the Churche Note well Reader this note of saincte Hierom and by this learne to knowe bothe when your teacherys good and when his learninge ys good Howe to know good teachers yf your teacher remain in the vnitie of the Churche and his learning swarue not from the same nor teache dissention from that that in yt ys taught then ys your teacher and his learninge soche as ye maie withoute dauÌger accept Yf otherwise slee yt as from a serpent And yf ye wolde learn or being learned wolde be resolued in doubtes as ys before said seke not onelie soche as be onelie learned but seke soche as being best learned haue learned of their Fathers and abiding in the same do so embrace the doctrine of their Fathers that they in no poincte forsake the lawe of their mother the Churche as by this Aduersary ye are taught to doo For yf all christeÌdom maie be called the Churche theÌ teacheth he yow to forsake the lawe of your mother the Church For wher ys this doctrine of his professed through oute the Churche and not raither the contrarie Before Straunge doctrines these fewe yeares where was yt taught in all the Christian worlde that Chrystes bodie ys not in the Sacrament that yt ys not to be offred for the quick and the dead that yt ought not to be reserued for the commoditie of the sick that yt aught not to be honoured that soule 's departed are not to be praied for that we maie not make requestes to Sainctes to praie for vs aÌd manie soche other Teachers not meet to be beleued Seing theÌ he forsaketh the lawe of his mother though he pretende to haue learned of the Fathers yet ys he not to be folowed bicause he hath not bothe theise two that ys bothe the learning of his father and also the lawe of his mother For they onelie are to be folowed that haue both theise Thus shall ye finde the holie Fathers to haue doen as first for exaÌple saincte HieroÌ a maÌ not of the coÌmon sorte of learned meÌ but an excelleÌt and singular maÌ who neither hauinge affiance in his owne iudgement notwithstanding his great learning neither seking obscure teachers but most famouse reporteth this of himfelf Non ab adolesceÌtia aut legere vnquam aut doctos viros ea quae nesciebaÌ Hieron in Prohemio Epist. ad Eph. ad Paul Eusto Saincte Hierom howe he learned the scriptures interrogare cessaui meipsum taÌtùm vt plerique habui magistruÌ Denique nuper ob haÌc vel maximè causam AlexaÌdriaÌ perrexi vt videreÌ DidymuÌ ab eo in scripturis
the misterie of our redemption by these and soche other like figures to the Fathers in their oweÌ persons So did he the like by sundrie and manifolde figures in ceremonies and sacrifices of the lawe of Moises What was the wholl preisthood of Aron with all the sacrifices therto apperteining but a prefiguracion of the sacrifice doen by our Sauiour Christe vpon the Altar of the crosse Wherof sainct Paule being not ignorant doth at large treacte in his epistle to the Hebrues not onelie conferring and comparing the thing figurated to the figure but also therby prouing the excellencie wourthinesse value and force of Christes sacrifice confirmeth and establissheth the placing and continuance of the newe Testament so set furthe by the same newe sacrifice to endure for euer In the ninght chapiter he teacheth that the olde lawe had ordinaunces and seruinges of God and describeth the ordre of the tabernacle and the ordre also of thinges Hebr. 9. therin conteined in a brief maner of whiche he saieth he can not speake particularlie And after that he had in a like compendiouse sorte touched the maner of sacrifices doen as well in the first Tabernacle as in the second into the whiche the high preist alone entred once euery yeare and that not withoute blood whiche thinges were figures of better thinges to come as ther he saieth that the holie Goste by these thinges signified that the waie of holie thinges was not yet opened he descendeth to the thinges signified and figurated But Christ saieth he being an high preist of good things to come came by a greater and a more persect tabernacle not made with handes that ys to saie not of this buildinge neither by the bloode of goates and calues but by his owne blood he entred once into the holie place and fownde eternall redemption In the which saieng yt ys woorthie to be noted howe wounderfullie well he adapted the thinges figurated to the figures and therwith declareth the excellencie of them aboue theise In whiche applicacion this we maie learn that the high preist of the lawe figured Christe our high preist The tabernacle by which he entred into the holie place figured the tabernacle of Christes bodie by whiche he entred into the holie place The blood wherwith the preist entred figured the Chrysost in 9. ad Heb. blood of Christe The entring and sacrificing of the high preist once in the yeare figured the sacrificing of Christ and his entringe into the holy place of heauen once for all The cleinsing and purifieng of the people by vertue of the sacrifice of the high preist whiche as saincte Paule saieth purified the vnclean as touching the purifieng of the flesh figured the clensing and purifieng of the consciences of the beleuers from dead workes and all filthinesse of sinne For Lauit nos à peccatis nostris in sanguine suo he hath washed vs Apoca. 1. from our sinnes in his bloode saieth saincte Ihon As the death and blood shedding of kiddes and calues and soche other aÌd the sacrifices doen by theÌ did figure the passioÌ and bloodshedding of Christ aÌd the holie sacrifice offred by him for he was sacerdos victima both preist and sacrifice by the whiche the beleuing people in Chryst to come were instructed that the Sauiour of the woorlde shoulde die for the sinnes of the same So by figures also were they taught that he should rise again the third daie As by that figure which Chryst applieth to him self for that pourpose in the Gospell Sicut enim Ionas suit in ventre ceti tribus diebus tribus noctibus sic erit filius hominis in corde terrae c. As Ionas saieth he was three daies and three nightes in the whalls bellie So shal the Sonne of man be thre daies aÌd three Matth. 12 nightes in the heart of the earth Which figure liuelie declareth not onelie that Chryst shoulde be three nightes in the earth as Ionas was in the belly of the whall But that as Ionas the third daie caÌ oute of the whalls bellie aliue So Christ the third daie shoulde rise oute of the earth aliue Whiche thing to be verified and so doen in Chryst all the Euangelistes do testifie As his buryall and abode in the graue and his resurrection was figured by Ionas So was his Ascension by the takinge vppe of Elias in a chariett of fyre into heauen Elias went to heauen by the powre of God Chryst ascended into heauen by the power of his Godhead Tediousnes that should moche offende the Reader moueth me to staie to bring in anie mo figures of Chryste at this present to this pourpose Wherfore I will ceasse at this time any farder to procead therin and treact of the like matter by prophecies which ys the third waie by which God vsed in sundrie times and ages to reueill the misterie of our redemption THE ELEVENTH CHAPITER DECLARETH by the Prophetes of what line Messias shoulde come with his conception birth passion and deathe IN the shewing aÌd opening of the prophecies I wil obserue this ordre before vsed First to set furthe of what line Messias shall come Secondlie of his conception and birth Thirdlie of his passioÌ and death Fourthlie of his resurrectioÌ and last of his asceÌsioÌ As coÌcerning the first As God promised that the same Messias Sauiour of Prophecie of the line and stock of Christ. the worlde should be of the seede of AbrahaÌ aÌd of the fruict of the bodie of Dauid So long after their times by his prophet Esaie did he manifestlie speak the same Egredietur virga de radice Iesse et flos de radice eius asceÌdet Ther shal come a rodde oute of the kinred of Iesse aÌd a blossom or flowre shal flowrish oute of his roote Who ys the roote the rodde and the flower S. Ambrose expouÌdeth Esay 11. saing Radix familia IudaeoruÌ virga Maria flos Mariae Christus est qui foetoreÌ mun Ambr. de Benedict Patriach ca. 4. danae colluuionis aboleuit et odoreÌ vitae aeternae infudit The roote ys the familie of the Iewes The rod ys Marie The flower of Marie ys Christ who hath takeÌ awaie the stinke and hath powred in the odoure of euerlasting life That Christ ys that flower that the Prophete speaketh of the scriptures also that do ther immediatelie folowe do euidentlie proue Whiche to auoid prolixitie and in consideracion that I writte not to Iewes but to ChristeÌ meÌ I leaue to induce referring the Reader to the place of the Prophet which he maie easelie peruse supposing yt sufficieÌt to shew how Gods woords aÌd his trueth ys constante vnifourme and permanente in all ages and howe agreable his woorde spoken by his prophete ys to his promissemade to Abraham and Dauid as before ys mencioned Nowe therfor let vs procead to weigh other prophecies howe they will Prophecie of the coÌceptioÌ of Christ Esay 7. aunswer the figures And first the prophecie of the
dothe speake of the greate prouidence of God in ordering and disposing all thinges in heauen in earthe and in the Seas signifieng therby in the spirite of prophecie the goodlie disposition of thinges in the Church of Christe beautified adorned and confirmed with Sacramentes in most goodlie wise of the which Christe and his Churhe ys the wholl prophecie of that booke as here after more at large shall be declared amonge the whiche sacramentes speaking of the Sacrament of Christes bodie and bloode the prophet saied Vt educas panem de terra vinum laetificet cor hominis panis cor hominis confirmet That thow maist bringe furthe foode Psalm 103 oute of the earth and wine that maketh gladde the heart of man and bread to strenghthen mà ns hearte yt shall suffice for this present to declare the same by the woordes alleaged of saincte Hierom. For he ther declaring the ceassing of the olde Paschall lambe and the beginning of the newe whiche he calleth the true Passouer in the beginning of the same saieth thus Assumit panem qui confortat cor hominis He taketh bread whiche comforteh the hearte of man Yt was most certen as saincte Ciprian saieth that Manducauerunt de eodem pane secundùm formam visibilem They had eaten of the same bread after a visible maner But to that bread so eaten sainct Hierome wolde not applie the sainge of the Prophete but wher he beginneth to shewe howe Christe commeth to the institucion of this blessed Sacrament in the whiche they shoulde eate the true Paschall Lambe the bodie of Christe the verie bread of life and comforth Ther he applieth the propheicie of the Prophete to the verie thing that yt prophecied of and saieth He taketh the breade that comforteth the heart of man Thus the placing and applicacon of that Scripture well considered and weighed of the reader shall cause him well to perceaue howe the same ys to be vnderstanded as ys by me before saied And nowe altough saincte Hierom hath sufficientlie declared his faith in this matter of the veritie enacted and receaued throughout all the house of Christe in his time Yet for the satisfieng of them that thirst for the trueth I will bring in saincte Hierom in an other place speaking so plain woordes Hieron ad HeliodoruÌ cpistola 1. Christes bodie ys coÌsecrated of the preist as neither the enemie can withstaÌde so euident a trueth nor other men take occasioÌ of doubte Absit saieth he vt de ijs quicquam sinistruÌ loquar qui apostolico gradui succedentes Christi corpus sacro ore conficiunt God forbidde that I shoulde speake anie euell of them whiche succeading the Apostolike degree with their holie mouth do consecrate the bodie of Christe In the whiche sainge ye maie perceaue that sainct Hieroms faith was being so taught of the churhe wherin he liued that he preist doth consecrate the bodie of Christe wherby also then yt ys most manifest that Christes verie bodie ys in the Sacrament And this also ys not to be ouerpassed that the he saieth the preistes doo Amb. de saor lib. 4. cas Euseb Emise hoÌ pasch Chry. de prod Hom. 30. with their holie mouth consecrate the same bodie of Christ For hereby ys reiected that foolish heresie void aswell of reason as of authoritie which taught that the faith of the receauer made the presence of Christ in the Sacrament for yt ys as S. Ambrose Eusebius and Chrysostom saie the holie woord of Christ spoken as sancte Hierom here saieth by the mouth of the preist that consecrateth the bodie of Christ And thus also if by the mouth of the preist the bodie of Christ be consecrated then ys that bodie verilie present And further yt maie be learned of this great learned and holie father that the ordre of preisthoode ys not to be contemned but reuerenced who Preistes aught to be reuereÌced for their ordre and office with a maner of speache of vehemencie saieth God forbidde that I shoulde speake anie euell of them c. By whiche maner of speache he noteth yt to be a greate crime to speake euell of them The causes why he wolde not speake euell of them be that they succeade the Apostles in office whiche ys an high degree and that the worke of their ministracioÌ ys great and that they do consecrate the bodie of Christe And nowe that this noble maÌ hath so plainlie opened the treuthe enacted Chrysostom his woorthinesse of learning holinesse constancie and auncientie and receaued of the one side of Christes Parliament house we will also heare what one of the other side will saie Whiche shall be golden mouthed Chrisostome who ys wourthie so to be called for the golden sentences that proceade oute of his mouthe Who also ys woorhie to be beleued not onelie for his holinesse and great learning But also for his constancie of faith and auncientie in time Who being in the time of the heresie of the ArriaÌs aboute the yeare of Christe 350 and therfore aboute 1200 yeares a gone gaue no place to yt neither for Princes neither for the losse of his Bishopperick neither for banishment neither for anie persecucion that did come to him for his constancie in faithe but stood immoueable inflexible and streight vpright by the right piller of trueth Wherfore we maie conceaue a good opinion of him that he will doo and hath doen the like in teachinge vs the matter that we nowe seke Let vs therfore heare Thus he saieth Sed per hoc etiam aliud maius beneficium monstrabatur quòd ille agnus futuri agni fuit typus ille sanguis dominici sanguinis monstrabat aduentum ouis illa spiritalis ouis Omel. de prodi Juda. fuit exempluÌ Ille agnus vmbra fuit Hic veritas Sed postquam sol iusticia radiauit vmbra soluitur luce ideò in ipsa mensa vtruÌque Pascha typi veritatis celebratu est NaÌ sicut pictores pingendam tabulam vestigijs quibusdam adumbrare solent et sic coloruÌ varietate perficere ita Christus fecit in mensa typuÌ Paschae descripsit et Pascha veritatis ostendit Vbi vis paremus tibi comedere Pascha Iudaicum Pascha erat sed vmbralumini cedat aduectata imago veritate superetur But by that also an other great benefitte was shewed that that lambe was a figure of the lambe to come and that bloode declared the cominge of our Lordes bloode and that shepe was an exaÌple of the spirituall shepe That laÌbe was a shaddow This laÌbe the trueth But after that the SuÌne of righteousnes shewed furth his beames the The olde Paschal lambe a shaddowe oure lambe the trueth shadowe ys put awaie with the light And therfor in that tablebothe the passeouers both of the figure aÌd of the trueth were celebrated For as the painters are wont to shaddowe the table that ys to be paincted with certain signes and lineamentes and
so with varietie of colours to make yt perfecte Euen so Christ did in the table He did both describe the figure of the passouer and also shewed the possouer of the truth Wher willt thowe that we make readie for thee to eate the passouer That was the Iudaicall Passouer But let the shadowe geue place to the light And the ymage be ouercoÌmed of the truthe Thus Chrisostom What neadeth me here to trauaill to open the Authours mening where he himself vseth so plain speche that he neadeth no interpretour He hath not onelie made a iust comparison betwen the olde Paschall lambe and our Paschall lambe but also by tearmes applied to them he hathe declared the contentes of theÌ and what they be That lambe saieth he was a shaddow This lambe the trueth That lambe a figuratiue passouer this the true Passouer I wolde to God all that haue romed astraie in the matter of this blessed Sacrament wolde open their eies and clerelie beholde howe by these woordes true and trueth whiche Chrisostom in this sentence so often hath vsed the true faith and the trueth of the faith of the Churche the piller of trueth ys taught maintened and aduaunced and the falsed of the false prophetes and preachers weakened and conuinced These preachers teache that the Sacrament ys but a figure a sign or token of Christes bodie Chrisostom saieth that the olde Paschall lambe was but a figure but our Paschall lambe caten in the Sacrament ys the trueth That the shaddowe This the light Yf then the olde Paschall lambe were the figure and the shaddow and our newe Paschall lambe the trueth and the light theÌ are they moche more then bare figures and signes for they are the verie thinges But to make an euasion from this argument they will saie that Christ ys our true Paschall laÌbe and ys truelie eaten in the receipte of the Sacrament Heretiques euasion froÌ ChrysostoÌ And therfore we saie with Chrisostom we haue the trueth and the verie true Paschall lambe ys receaued of the faithfull euen the very bodie of Christe But if yowe procead to demaunde of them yf the verie bodie of Christe be consecrated on the Altar and deliuered by the preist to the hande or mouthe of the faithfull and so receaued here they starte backe and can not abide this voice that yt shoulde be on the Altar but onelie in the heart of the godlie receauer But Chrisostome saieth that his true Passeouer wherbye he meneth the bodie of Christ was on the table where the olde passeouer was In that table saieth he both the Passeouer of the figure and of the trueth were celebrated And that none occasion of misunderstanding or wresting of his woordes Figuratiue passouer aÌd true Passouer both in one table shoulde be taken he speaketh the same senteÌce after warde in more plain woordes saing Christ in the table did bothe describe the figure of the Passeouer and shewed also the true Passeouer Note then bothe that Christe did shewe the true Passeouer And that he did shewe yt in the table whiche bothe do importe a reall presence For to shewe the true thing ys to shewe the verie thing yt self to shewe the verie thing yt self ys to shewe the reall presence of the thinge To shewe yt in or vpon the table importeth a substanciall maner of beinge farre differente froÌ their spirituall maner of beinge whiche ys onelie in the hearte For yt ys outwardlie vpon the table and therfore neadeth a presence reall And here somwat more to presse the Proclamer yt wolde be learned of him why S. Hierom and S. Chrisostom call not the iudaicall Passouer the light the trueth aÌd the veritie as they do oure Paschall lambe seing as he and his likes do saie they receaued Christ as well as we and we in our Sacrament no more them they for they spirituallie and we spirituallie and our Sacrament no better then theirs But vnderstand Reader that they so saing speak lies and deceaue thee The holie Fathers calling the olde sacrameÌtes figures and shaddowes and ours the light the trueth and the thinges in dede teache that those sacramentes had not the verie presence of Christ and that our Sacrament hath And that ye maie the better perceaue that Chrisostom meneth as here ys declared ye shal heare him in an other place vttering his minde and faith yea the faithe of the Churche in his time in more plain and expresse woordes Thus he writeth Ipsa namque mensa animae nostrae vis est nerui mentis fiduciae vinculum fundamentum spes salus lux vita nostra Si hinc hocsacrificio muniti migrabimus Homeli in 10. 1. Corin. maxima cum fiducia sanctum ascendemus vestibulum tanquam aureis quibusdam vestibus contecti Et quid futura commemoro Nam dum in hac vita sumus vt terra nobis coelum sit facit hoc mysteriuÌ Ascende ad coeli portas diligenter attende imò non coeli sed coeli coelorum tunc quod dicimus intueberis Etenim quod summo honore dignum est id tibi in terra ostendam Nam quemadmodum in regijs non parietes non tectum aureum sed regium corpus in throno sedens omniuÌ est praestantissimuÌ ita quoque in coelis regium corpus quod nunc in terra videndum tibi proponitur Neque Angelos neque Archangelos non coelos non coelos coelorum sed ipsum horum tibi omnium Dominum ostendo Animaduertis quónam pacto quod omnium maximuÌ est atque praecipuum in terra non conspicaris tantum sed tangis neque tangis solùm sed comedis co accepto domuÌ redis Absterge igitur ab omni sorde animaÌ tuaÌ praepara menteÌ tuaÌ ad horuÌ mysterioruÌ susceptionem Etenim si puerreguis purpura diademate ornatus tibi fereÌdus traderetur nónne omnibus humi abiectis cum susciperes Verùm nunc cum noÌ hominis regiuÌ pueruÌ sed vnigenituÌ Dei filium accipias dic quaeso non horrescis omnium secularium reruÌamoreÌ abiicis That table ys the strenght of our soule the Sinnewes of the minde the bande of trust the fundacion hope health light and our life Yf we beinge defended with this sacrisice shall departe hence with most great trust we shall as couered with certain golden garmentes ascend to the holie place But what do I reherse thinges that be to come For while we be in this life this misterie causeth that the earth ys an heauen vnto vs. Go vppe therfor vnto the gates of heauen but not of heauen but of the heauen of heauens and diligentlie marke And then thowe shalt beholde what we saie For The thing woorthie of most honour ys in the Sacrament trulie that that ys woorthie of most highest honour that shall I shewe thee in earthe For as in Kinges howses not the walls not the golden Rooffe but the Kinges bodie sitting in Throne ys most cheif and woorthiest
ipsum quà m ipse per ipsam consuetus De ciuit Dei li. 10. cap. 20. offerri He ys the preist he ys the offerer and the oblacioÌ The sacrameÌt of the which thinge he willed the dailie Sacrifice of the Churche to be forasmoche as of that bodie he ys the head and of that head she ys the bodie being vsed or accustomed aswell she by him as he by her to be offred Thus saincte Augustine Christs bodie the dailie Sacrifice of the Church Nowe yowe see not onely their inuented obiections soluted but also the trueth taught and confirmed by auncient Authoritie that ys that Chrystes bodie which ys in heauen ys also in earth in the Sacrament as ChrysostoÌ teacheth which bodie ys so verilie present that ys ys the dailie Sacrifice of the Churche not a sacrifice of mans inuention inuented to the derogacion of Christes blessed sacrifice vpoÌ the Crosse as the Aduersaries blaspheme but a Sacrifice that Christ him self wolde haue dailie frequented in the Churche as sainct Augustin teacheth as a sacrament of that blessed Sacrifice past and doen. Although christian Reader the plentifullnesse of this matter and the delectacion of the same and the earnest desire that I haue that all men wolde be obedient to Gods trueth and bringe their imaginacions into captiuitie to the obedience of Chryste and specially my bretheren and contriemen after the flesh for whome I wolde wish my self accursed that they 2. Cor. 10. might be saued doth carie me awaie making me to forgett my self in long Roin 9. tarieng vpon this one Author yet nowe I will staie my self and breiflie note the thirde note of Chrysostom and then procead to other The thirde note ys the similitude whiche Chrysostome vseth in exhortacion to moue vs to the woorthy receauing of so gloriouse a thinge Yf the kinges sonne saieth he deckt with purple and diademe were deliuered to thee to be born woldest thowe not cast all thinges down on the grounde aÌd receaue him But nowe when thowe takest not the sonne of a king being a man but the onelie begotten Sonne of God saie I praie thee arte thowe not afraied Note then that ye receaue not in the Sacrament a bare peice of bread but ye receaue the onelie begotten sonne of God Iesus Chryst God and man At whose What we receiue in the Sacrament presence we aught to tremble and feare lest anie filthinesse shoulde remain in our consciences wherwith the eyes of his maiestie shoulde be offended In the receipt of a peice of bread we nede not to treÌble or quake neither in the receipt of the merite of Chrystes passion which ys the spirituall receauing of Chryst For in receauing of that we receaue great comforth with al Trembling at the receipt of the Sacr. prooueth the presence of Christ. and no feare but raither we shoulde feare yf we receaue yt not For then are we destitute of our saluacion whiche commeth to vs by the passioÌ of Chryste But Chrysostome asketh yf we tremble not when we receaue the onelie begotten Sonne of God which must nedes be at the presence of so high a maiestie for consideracion aboue saied as Peter did vpon the contemplacion of the powre of Chryste in wourking the miracle of the taking ef the great nombre Luc. 5. of fishes who fell down at his feet and saied Exi à me Domine quia homo peccator sum Lorde go from me for I am a sinfull man And Centurio likewise Matth. 8. Domine non sum dignus vt intres sub tectum meum I am not wourthie o Lorde that thow shouldest enter into my house Mary Magdalen though in the presence of Christe she humbled her self Luc. 7. hauing no doubte both feare and sorowe for her sinnes committed Yet I dare saie she treÌbled neuer a whitte at this ioifull voice Remittuntur tibi peccata tua Thy sinnes be forgeuen thee but she reioiced and was gladde in God So vndoubtedlie a man beinge certified by the Spirit of God that he ys a partaker of the merittes of Chrystes passion and therby through the receauing of the Sacramentes ys made a liuelie membre of Chryst can not at the receipt of so high a benefit tremble and quake but ioye and be gladde and praise God with manie other that receaued benefits at Chrystes hand of whom the Gospell maketh mencion Wherfor yt ys euident that yt ys the the verie reall presence of Chrystes bodie that we aught to tremble at and feare when we receaue yt lest peraduenture anie sinne shoulde be in vs which shoulde offende his blessed Maiestie wherbie we might receaue him to our damnacion And not at the receipt of the Chryste spirituallie THE NINGTENE CHAPITER CONTINVETH the proofe of the same matter by S. Augustin and S. Cyrill IN the chapiter before ye hearde two famouse Fathers not dissenting but consenting but consenting not infirming but confirming the sainges of the other auncieÌt elders before brought furth Nowe will we likewise heare other two whiche will plainlie declare what was enacted aÌd receaued in the house of God for the verie trueth of this matter The first shall be saincte Augustine a miracle of chrystendom passing S. Augustine coÌmendded by this Authour withoute controuersie all writers that haue written both Grekes and Latines in profownde learninge and in nombre of bookes a man so famouse that euery childe almost in christendom hath sainct Augustin in his mouthe A man of soche grauitie and authoritie that all Chrysten men do reuerence him and staie vpon the saing of him A man of soche zeale to the trueth of Chrystes faith that by his learned trauaill he pourged Affrick of the heresies of the Manicheis the Donatistes and the Pelagians And with all he ys so auncieÌt being born aboute the yeare of our lorde 354. that he ys withoute suspicion of corruption in this matter of our controuersie To declare what the trueth of this matter ys he saieth thus Aliudest Paschal CoÌt literas Petiliani quod adhuc Iudaei celebrant de oue Aliud autem quod nos in corpore sanguine Domini celebramus Yt ys an other Passouer that the Iewes do yet celebrate with a shepe an other that we doo celebrate in the bodie and bloode of Christe In the which sainge ye do first perceaue that he doth first declare a difference of the Iudaicall Passeouer and the Chrystian Passeouer yet comparing them together as the figure to the thing figured and by expresse woordes sheweth what they be The Iudaicall Passeouer was a shepe our Passeouer ys the bodie and bloode of Chryste What more plain woordes wolde the Proclamer wish to be spokeÌ for the Au obiection determinacion of this controuersie And yet yt maie be that the enemie will here delude the simple and holde in the arrogant with one of hys common An obiection aunswers that Chryste spirituallie ys our spirituall Paschall Lambe but not Chryst reallie present in the Sacrament For
booke But nowe that the Aduersarie ys pressed so sore he ys driuen to his common refuge of the woorde Spirituallie and will peraduenture saie that the bread in the Sacrament ys not the verie thinge that aunswereth the figure of the Paschall lambe but the flesh and bloode of Chryst as Cyrill here alleageth Spirituallie receaued But howe farre this their common glose dissenteth from the truthe yt shall by Gods helpe streight waie euidentlie appeare First this ys most certen that the faithfull people of the olde Testament 1. Cor. 10. whiche through faithe in Chryste to come were the children of faithfull Abraham did eate the flesh and drincke the bloode of Chryst spirituallie as saincte Paule wittnesseth Omnes candem escam spiritualeÌ manducauerunt omnes eundem potum spiritualem biberunt bibebant autem de spirituali consequente eos petra Petra autem erat Christus All our Fathers did eate of one spirituall meat and and did all drinke of one maner of spirituall drinke For they drancke of that spirituall Rocke that folowed them whiche Rocke was Chryst Yf Chryst was then spirituallie eaten and dronken of the fathers the Spirituall receauing of Christ was not sigured by the Pasechall laÌbe spirituall eatinge and drinknige of Chryste or Chryste spirituallie eaten and dronken was not figured by the Paschall laÌbe neither can the Pascall LaÌbe be applied to Chryste spirituallie eateÌ as the propre figure to the thing figured And this shall be proued For all the Sacramentes and Ceremonies of the olde Lawe were figures of thinges to come and to be doen and fullfilled in the newe lawe And if Chryst were receaued spirituallie of the Fathers in the olde lawe then was the Paschall lambe no figure of Chryst to be spirituallie receaued in the newe lawe That the Sacrifices and Ceremonies of the law were figures of thinges to come S. Paule testifieth Vmbram habens lex futurorum bonorum c. The lawe hauing the shaddowe of good thinges to come and not the verie fashion Hebr. 10. of the thinges them selues c. And saincte Augustine also as before ys alleaged saieth that the sacrifices of the Hebrues were prophecies of the sacrifices to come whiche Christ did offer Wherunto Chryst him self who came to fullfill the lawe hauing regarde saied Iota vnum aut vnus apex non praeteribit à lege donec omnia fiant One iotte Math. 5. or one title of the lawe shall not scape till all be fullfilled Whiche maner of speache shoulde not nede yf the thinges that were figured were doen allreadie Wherfor seing the spirituall receauing of Chryst was not a thing to comme but was in vse euen with the figuts in the time of the lawe And also forsomoche as the Sacramentall bread as they do terme yt whiche ys but a sign or a figure of Chryst ys not the thing that ys figured For the thinge that ys figured must nedes be Chryst and as yt ys nowe proued yt can not be Chryst spirituallie therfor of necessitie yt must be verie Chryst reallie And therfore to conclude when Cirill saied in the ende of his sentence Thowe hauest knowen the figure learn therfor the verie thinge And alleageth this Scripture My flesh ys verilie meate and my blood ys verilie drinke Bothe he and the Scripture meen the verie thinge whiche ys the reall and substanciall slesh of Christ and his verie bloode and not the spiritual flesh and blood onely Ioan. 6. THE TWENTETH CHAPITER IOINETH sainct Gregorie and Damascen to confirme the same matter YE haue all readie heard certain cooples of the two sides of the higher house of Parliament whiche howe they agree within them selues and howe Iustlie and trulie they reporte the enacted veritie of the same and therwith howe mightilie they ouerthrowe the pestilent sectes of the wicked I trust the gentle Reader dothe well perceaue Nowe though this great master of heresie will not accept the Authours that haue written within the compasse of theise nime hondreth yeares whiche therfore I diuide from the other that did write within sixe hondreth years after Chryst calling them of the lower house and theise of the higher house yet for asmoche as I write as well for the comforth of the true beleuing Chrystian as for the confutacon of the false Chrystian I will consult with an other coople of the whiche the one ys last of the higher house and the other one of the firste or cheifest of the lower house and after with other of the lower house that the trueth reported of manie maye the more ioifullie be embraced and they that refuse them and their authoritie wourthilie defaced For yf these of the lower house do agree with them of the higher house and haue all one tune and sownde with them in the trueth then both their prowde arrogancie whiche haue so contemptuouslie reiected so manie verteuouse and learned mens authorities ys condignelie to be rebuked and also their falce imposture teaching that the Churche hath swerued from the trueth and lien in erronr so manie yeares to thentente that they getting estimacon as the Inuentours of trueth might sell their lies vnder the colour of truth maie the better be perceaued This Authour whom I called the last of the higher house ys sainct Gregorie Sainct Gregorie hys coÌmeÌdacioÌ who somtime was cheif head vnder Chryst of the howse a man both learned and vertuouse as appeareth not onclie by him that setteth oute his life in storie but also by his own woorkes sauouring as well of vertue and holinesse as of learning and faithfull trueth This holie learned Father in a Paschall homelie comparing the olde Paschall Lambe to the newe saieth thus Quae videlices cuncta magnam nobis aedisicationem Omil. 22. Pascha pariunt si fuerint mystica interpretatione discussa Quid namîue sit sanguis agni non iam audiendo sed bibendo didicistis Qui sanguis super vtrunque postem ponitur quaÌdo non solùm ore corporis sed etiam ore cordis hauritur Nam qui sic redemptoris sui sangumeÌ sumit vt imitari passionem eius necdum velit in vno poste sanguinem posuit All whiche thinges do bring furth to vs great edificacion yf they shall be with a misticall interpretacion discussed What the bloode of the laÌbe ys ye haue not onelie by hearing but by drinking learned Whiche blood ys put vpon bothe the postes when not onelie with the mouthe of the bodie but also with the mouthe of the heart yt ys receaued For he that doth so receaue the bloode of his redemer that he wolde not yet folowe his passion he hath put the bloode but vpon one poste Thus moche saincte Gregorie As in this saing he hath made mencion of the bloode of Chryst So proceadinge vpon the same matter in the same homelie he speaketh of the Chrystes bodie and blood receiued with mouth of bodie and soule both eating of the olde Paschall Lambe and of the eating of Chrystes
very plainlie teacheth Marke therfore wel his woordes thus he saieth Hoc ipsum antiquis constituit vt in figura facerent id quod nunc est in rerum veritate The same thing God appoincted the olde Fathers to doo in a figure which thing ys nowe in trueth or verie dede Note I praie yow that he appointeth the figure of Chryst to the Fathers of the lawe of Moyses to vs that be nowe in the lawe of Chryst he appointeth not the figure but the thing yt self euen verie Chrystes bodie But the serpent ys a wilie beast and sekinge some litle holle or crannie to slippe through and to slide awaie from this sentence that presseth him so sore will to delude the Simple graunt that we whiche be in the lawe of Chryst haue verilie Chryst euen that same that was born of the virgen Mary that was curcified that rose from death to life that ascended into heauen These be gaie gloriouse woordes But take heade reader ther ys a snake CraÌmer his gloriouse woordes to cloake euell meening lib. 4. Iohn frith his heresie vnder these fair flowres Looke diligentlie vpon them and aske him howe we haue him that was born of the virgen c. And thowe shalt see him by and by betraie him self and runne to his olde and common shift and saie that he ys ther sacramentallie Which maner of being or presence as Iohn Frith our contrie man and many other masters of that heresie do teache ys as moche as ys the presence of the wine in the Iuie garlande at the tauern doore or the loue of the husbande in the ringe whiche he geueth to his wife Whiche maner of presence ys next doore to nothing for all their gloriouse woordes Yf ye porcead and vrge him saing that after this sorte he was in all the figures of the lawe that were figures of him But this Authour appointing that maner of presence to the lawe saieth that his presence with vs ys in verie dede whiche ys a maner of presence other and more then they vnder the lawe had Nowe he must to his cheifest refuge and saie that we haue him spirituallie heretiquet refuges in reasoning Here to mete with him again ye maie saie and that trulie as before ys saied and proued in the xix capiter of this booke that so the Iewes in the lawe receaued him and had him spirituallie in their Paschall lambe so that by this maner of presence ther ys no perrogatiue nor difference of our Sacrament and the presence of Chryst ther in aboue theirs nor from theirs The contrarie wherof all chatholique Fathers dooteache Nowe ys he commed to his last refuge that ys that the Iewes receaued him spirituallie as yet to come but we receaue him spirituallie as allready comed Yf this be all what neadeth this difference of speache that this Authour vseth saing God appointed the Fathers of the lawe to do that thing in a figure that we do nowe in verie dede Ys to doe a thinge in figure and to doe a thing in dede all one maner of doinge A verie babe will not graunt that Thus I suppose yt ys easie to be perceaued that the Aduersaries faith ys soche that when he hath spoken the best of yt yt will not nor can ioin with the faith of the learned men of Chrystes Parliament house But ys as farre distant from them and their faith as falshood from trueth Wherof ye shall haue yet better experience and further prooff by an other parte of this Authours sentence when yt ys noted to yowe and the aduersaries doctrine conferred with yt That other parte ys this Citties saieth he by the ymages of soche as haue doen them good haue onelie but their figures we haue by this oblacion not the figure of Christes bodie but the bodie yt self whiche most stoutlie handled yt self Note well this conference The citties had but the figures of soche wourthie men as had noblie doen for them We haue not the figure of Christ but the bodie yt self whiche wrought vs the great benefitt of our Redemption Remembre I praie yowe what the latin Authour before alleadged saied that this man being of the greke churche and conferred with him yt maie Not the figure but verie bodie of Christ ys yn the Sacrament appear what agreement in doctrine and faithe in this matter ther ys yn both the churches The latin Authour saied thus The bread ys chaunged into the flesh of our Lorde and the wine into his bloode not by a figure or in a shaddowe but in verie dede This greke Authour saieth that we haue not the figure of Christ but his verie bodie euen that whiche so mightilie fought for vs. See ye not a consonant agreement betwen these two do thiey not both teache the verie presence of Christes bodie in the SacrameÌt and ther with by a plain negatiue denie the figure Maie not our Proclamer our newe Goliath well see and trulie saie that here be two plain sentences against him Let them be conferred and yt will planlie appeare These Authours saie that the Sacrament conteineth not a figure onelie Doctrine of the SacrameÌtaries conferred with the Fathers The Aduersarie saieth that yt hath no more but a figure These saie that the Sacrament conteineth the very bodie of Christe The Aduersarie saieth that yt ys Iewesh so to thinke and that they be grosse Capharnaites that saie that the bodie of Christ ys substanciallie in the Sacrament In this conference ye maie see the stowte repugnance of the Aduersarie against catholique writers In the same ye see the said writers by expresse woordes denie the doctrine of the Aduersarie that wher he saieth yt ys a figure they saie yt ys not a figure And here will I yoin an yssue withe the Proclamer that yf he caÌ bring any Issue ioined with the Proclamer touching the preseÌce Scripture anie catholique Councell or anie one approued doctour that by expresse and plain woordes doth denie the reall preseÌce of Chryste in the Sacrament as these writers doo denie his figure or figuratiue presence then will I geue ouer and subscribe to him But wher he vntrulie hath saied that he was sure that we coulde bring furthe no one approued Authour to testifie the reall presence of Christ in the Sacrament I will saie trulie that I am sure that neither he nor all the Aduersaries can bring anie one teaching by expresse woordes the contrarie Obiection Yf percase anie man will obiecte here to me that though these men denie the figure and teache that Chrystes verie bodie ys present in the SacrameÌt yet they saie not so moche as your Aduersarie requireth that his bodie ys substanciallie and reallie present Answer The aunswer to this ys easie whiche the Aduersarie will graunte that yf the bodie of Chryst be in the Sacrament not by a figure but in verie dede then yt must nedes be ther reallie and substaÌciallie For the Aduersarie hathe Sacramentaries make two
saieth sainct Paule Thus ye see howe well the thing figured aunswereth the figure And albeit that no maÌ can bring anie other thing in the newe testameÌt that ys figured by the Shewe bread but our heaueÌlie bread before saied Yet for that I will not chaleÌge to me any soche credite or Authoritie that by cause I saie yt ys so therfor yt ys so as manie of our Pheudochrystians doe I shall repair to the holie elders of Chrystes parliament house and teache by them what was the enacted and receaued trueth in his matter And first I will heare what sainct Hierom saieth Siautem Laicis imperatur vt propter orationem abstineant se ab vxorum coitu quid de Episcopo sentiendum Hieron ca. â ad TituÌ est qui quotidie pro suis populiîue peccatis illibatas oblaturus est victimas Relegamus Regum libros inueniemus sacerdotem Abimelech de panibus propositionis noluisse dare Dauid pueris suis nisi interrogaret vtrum mundi essent pueri à muliere non vtique aliena sed coniuge Et nisi audisset eos ab heri nudiustertiùs vacasse ab opere coniugali nequaquam panes quos prius negauerat concessisset Tantum interest inter propositionis panes corpus Christi quantum inter vmbram corpora inter imaginem veritatem inter exemplaria futurorum ea ipsa quae per exemplaria praefigurabantur Quomodò itaque mansuetudo patientia sobrietas moderatio abstinentia lucri hospitalitas quoque benignitas praecipuè esse debent in Episcopo inter cunctos laicos eminentia sic castitas propria vt ita dicam pudicitia sacerdotalis vt non solùm se ab immundo opere abstineat sed etiam à iactu oculi cogitationis errore mens Christi corpus confectura sit libera Yf the laye men saieth sainct Hierom be coÌmanded that for praier they Laie men coÌmauÌded for praier times to abstein from their wieues abstein froÌ the coÌpanieng with their wiues what ys to be thought of the Bishoppe whiche dailie for his owne sinnes and the peoples shall offer vnto God vndefiled sacrifices Let vs reade the bookes of the kiÌges and we shall finde that Abimelech the preist wolde not geue to Dauid and his seruaÌtes the shewe breade besore he asked wether the seruaÌtes were cleaÌ not froÌ a straunge womaÌ but froÌ their viues And except he had heard that froÌ yesteraie and the daie before they had absteined from the worke of matrimonie he had not graunted them the bread whiche before he had denied Ther ys as great Difference betwixt the Shew bread and the bodie of Chryst difference betwene the Shewe bread and the bodie of Christe as ys betwene the Shaddow and the bodies betwene the ymage and the trueth betwene the exemplars of the thinges to come and the thinges themselues that were perfigurated by the exemplars Therfor as mekenesse pacience sobrietie moderacion abstinence froÌ lucre hospitalitie also and benignitie shoulde be chieflie in a Bishoppe and emoÌg all laie men a surmouÌting emineÌcie So also a propre or peculiar chaistitie Chastitie required in a preist and as I might saie a preistlie shamefestnes that not onelie he shoulde whith holde himself froÌ the vnclean worke but also that the minde whiche shall consecrate the bodie of Christe maie from the casting of the eie and from wandring of thought be free Hither to saincte Hierom. In whiche woordes coÌcerning the thing which ys nowe principallie sought wher as he saieth ther ys as great differeÌce betwene the Shew bread and the bodie of Christ as betweÌ the shaddow aÌd the bodies betwen the ymage and the trueth What ells dothe he geue vs to vnderstaÌde but that the Shew bread ys the figure aÌd the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament the thing figured Whiche thing figured yf yt were also but a figure as of late the people be taught howe coulde ther be so great differeÌce betwne a figure and a figure as betwene the shaddowe and the bodie betwene the ymage and the trueth Wherfore contrarie wise let euerie man perceaue that as this holie learned maÌ in the statutes of Chrystes enacted faithe doth teache as the Shewe bread was the shaddowe So ys the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament a verie bodie and as the Shewe breade was the ymage So ys the thing represented the verie tueth Obiection But peradueÌture some captiouse false ChrystaÌ will saie I adde more then my Authour speaketh of and wrest him to my pourpose For wher this Authour saieth that ther ys as moche difference betwene the shewe bread and the bodie of Chryst I adde and saie the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament Whiche sainct Hierom speaketh not Answer I adde nothing to the Authours mening For although he saieth the bodie of Chryst absolutelie withoute anie addicion of the maner of the bodie here or ther in plain vision or in mysterie whiche maner whatsoeuer yt be the substance ys all one yet he meneth of the bodie of Chryst in mysterie or in Sacrament For by the example of the puripuritie of life that was required to the eating of the Shewe breade in the olde lawe he moueth the Bishopps of the newe lawe to soche puritie and cleannesse of life as to that lawe ys meet to be had And forsomoche as the office of a Bishoppe aboute the Sacrament Preistes must consecrate offre aÌd receaue standeth in thre pointes that ys yn consecracion oblacion and reauing he frameth an exhortacioÌ to this pourpose thus that seing they in the olde lawe which shoulde eate of the Shew breade must haue soche puritie that they might not for a time knowe their one vieues moche more they that coÌsecrate offer and receaue the bodie of Cryste whiche as farre excelleth the Shew bread as the bodie dothe he shaddowe must excell them of the olde lawe in puritie and cleannesse of life Nowe then when saincte Hierom speaketh of the bodie of Chryste that ys coÌsecrated by the Bishoppe and so offred in sacrifice and receaued dothe he not meen of the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament And when he speaketh of the bodie consecrated dothe he not meen the verie bodie of Chryst reallie in the Sacrament as the holie Churche doth teache and beleue In this sentence also sainct Hierom doth not onelie impugne the heresie of the SacrameÌtaries in that he teacheth the veritie of Chrystes bodie in the Wanton lustes of Bishoppes and preistes reproued Sacrament but he also reproueth the fleshlie wanttoÌnesse of our Bishoppes and preistes in these daies who against all lawe and ordre being preistes take wieues as they terme theÌ and vnder the countenaÌce of pretensed matrimonie continewe their vnchaist and viciouse life who shoulde excell all the people in puritie and cleannesse of life to thintent they might coÌsecrate the bodie of Chryste and dailie offer pure sacrifice to God for theÌ selues and for CoÌsecracioÌ and sacrifice put awai
for to kepe women the people as sainct HieroÌ saieth they should But bicause these high fuÌctioÌs and the keping of womeÌ caÌ notioin together raither theÌ they will put awaie ther womeÌ they haue deuised to putte awaie the coÌsecracion of the bodie of Chryst and the sacrifice also whiche they shoulde offer Of whiche matter for that yt ys impertinente to my pourpose I will not speake but ouerpasse yt and not medle withall Nowe haue ye here heard one wittnesse of the one side of the higher house of Parliament reporting the trueth of this matter We will heare one of the other side and of the lower house to reporte the same trueth who shall be Damascen Thus he saieth Hunc panem panes figurabant propositionis This Li. 4. c. 14. de orthodox sid bread mening the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament did the Shew bread figure That he speake of the bodie of Chryst the learned reader shall sooen perceaue if he will peruse this place in Damascen wher he shall finde that after he moste plainly had affirmed the verie reall presence of Chrystes bodie in the SacrameÌt by the woordes of our Sauiour Chryst in the vj. of Iohn and in the other Euangelistes he cometh to exhortacion for the wourthie receauing of the same saing thus Proinde cum omni timore conscientia pura indubitabili fide accedamus veneremur ipsum omni puritate animi corporis Accedamus ei desiderio ardenti manus in modum crucis formantes crucifixi corpus suscipiamus Therfor let vs comme to yt with all feare Dam. ibi and pure conscience and with a sure faith and let vs woorshippe him whith all puritie of minde and bodie Let vs go to him whith burning desire fashioning our handes in maner of a crosse let vs receaue the body of him that was crucified And after a fewe scriptures alleaged he speaketh the woordes whiche I before recited that the Shewe bread did figure this bread Wherby yt ys euident that he meneth that he Shewe bread was a figure not of a figure but of Chryst him self who promised that the bread that he wolde geue shoulde be his flesh whiche flesh he wolde geue for the life of the woorlde Ioan. 6. THE THREE AND TWENTHETH CHAPIT ceadeth in the proof of the same by S. Augustine and Isychius ALthough the Authours alleaged might suffice for the declaracion and proof of this matter nowe entreacted of yet for the ful contentacion of the reader some mo shall be brought to make the thing more plain and the truthe more certen The first of these shall be sainct Augustin who saied thus Dicit cessisse pani pecus tanquam nesciens tunc in Domini mensa panes Propositionis poni solere et nunc Ad Casulanum epist. â6 se de agni immaculati corpore partem accipere Dicit cessisse poculo sanguine non cogitans et nuncse accipere in poculo sanguineÌ Quanto ergo melius et congruentius vetera transisse et noua in Christo facta esse sic diceret vt cederet altare altari gladius gladio ignis igni panis pani pecus pecori sanguis sanguini Videmus in ijs omnibus carnalem vetustatem spiritali cedere nouitati He saieth that the beast hath geuen place to the breade as though he knewe not that euen then the Shew breades were wounte to be putte vpon the table of our lorde and that nowe he dothe take parte of the bodie of that vndefiled lambe He saied that bloode hathe geuen place to the cuppe not remembring that he also nowe doth receaue blood in the cuppe Howe moche better therfor and more agreablie shoulde he saie that the olde are goen and new be made in Chryst so as the Altar gaue place to the Altar the swoord to the swoorde fire to fire breade to breade beast to beast bloode to bloode We doo see in all these the carnall oldenesse to geue place to the spirituall newenesse Thus farre S. Augustin In these woordes S. Augustin correcting the euell saing of one that saied that in the coming of the newe Testament the Sacrifices of the olde lawe whiche were doen in beastes as sheepe laÌbes kiddes heckfers oxeÌ and soche other did geue place to breade meening the Sacrament dothe declare that these proprelie did not geue place to yt As though he should saie that these beastes wer not figures of the SacrameÌt but of the blooddie Sacrifice of Chryst offred vppoÌ the cross after the maner of AaroÌ But he saieth the shew breads gaue place to our bread And therfore he saieth that the Aduersarie saing that the beastes gaue place to bread he spake yt as though he knew not that the Shewe breades were wount to be putte vpon the table of our Lord mening that the Shew breades were a figure of the Sacrament And therfore when the truth came those breades as the figure must nedes geue place to the true bread which ys Chryst in the blessed Sacrament And therfore S. Augustin teaching this man to make due applicacion of eche figure to the thing figured saieth that he should better haue saied that the Altar gaue place to the Altar signifieng that the Altar of the Iewes was a figure of the Altar of the Chrystians and that bread gaue place to breade signifieng that the Shew bread was a figure of our blessed breade Obiection oute of S. Augustin But here perchaunce the Aduersarie will saie that sainct Augustin calleth the Sacrament but breade mening that the Shew bread was a figure of the Sacramentall breade I wolde to God the Aduersarie who being aduersarie to Gods trueth ys most aduersarie to hys owne sowles health wolde in soche sentences of holie Fathers as narrowlie looke and espie the trueth whiche they do teache as he dothe for some one woorde to make some apparant shew to maintein his heresie and false doctrine Answer Trueth yt ys that S. Augustin doth call yt bread to shewe the iust applicacion of the figure to the thing figured That bread was the figure of bread for outwardlie yt appeareth bread and inwardlie yt ys the true breade that ys the bread of life But marke sainct Augustin well and ye shall haue nede of no expositour to knowe his faith and mening in this saing For in the beginning he saieth that the beast hath geuen place to the bread as though he knewe not that the shewe breades were wount to be sett vpon the table of our Lorde and that nowe he doth take parte of the bodie of the vndefiled lambe to whiche bodie and not to sacramentall bread the Shewe bread gaue place Note well sainct Augustin therefor here that speaking what thing he dothe receaue doth saie not sacramentall breade but the bodie of the vndefiled lambe which ys the lambe that tooke awaie the sinnes of the worlde So that which he first called bread nowe he calleth yt the bodie of the vnde filed lambe who ys the
of Scripture Doctour or Councell taught that the presence of Chryst was in the Sacrament yf yt were receaued Yf not ther was no presence And vpon this reseruacion of the Sacrament was of him denied Oute of this Luther sprang first Corolstadins who impugned his masters doctrine and taught as our Proclamer teacheth that ther ys no presence of Carolstad Chryst in the Sacrament With whom shortlie ioined Oecolampadius and Zuinglius Whiche first among all other wrote and sett oute their bookes Oecolamp Zuinglius against the Sacrament and denieng the wholl as of consequence yt must be they denied the parte also And for that the Lutherans and the named Sacramentaries did pietifullie disturbe rent teare and diuide those contries of Saxonie and Heluetia with other in Getmanie with these rehersed heresies and an infinite nombre mo whiche dailie grewe vppe to the great endammaginge of manie chrysten Soules Paule the thirde then Bishoppe of Rome to represse these heresies called a Councell at Trident wher emonge manie other good and godlie determinacions as touching the matter of the reseruacion whiche we haue nowe in hande ys this Canon Consuetudo asseruandi in sacrario sanctam Eucharistiam adeò antiqua est vt eam Conci Trident seculum etiam Niceni Concilij agnouerit Porro deferri ipsam sacram Eucharistiam ad infirmos in hunc vsum diligenter in ecclesijs conseruari praeterquam quòd cum summa aequitate ratione coniunctum est tum multis in Concilijs praeceptum inuenitur vetustissimo catholicae Ecclesiae more obseruatum Quare haec sancta Synodus retinendum omnino salutarem hunc necessarium morem statuit The custome to kepe the holy Sacrament in the holie place ys of soche antiquitie that the worlde NyceÌ CouÌcell did agnise Reseruacion in tyme of the Nicen Councell did agnise yt Moreouer that the Sacrament shoulde be caried to them that are sicke and for this pourpose to be diligentlie kept in Churches be side that yt ys agreable to equitie and reason yt ys also fownde to be commended in manie Councells and in the most auncient maner of the catholique Churche obserued Wherfor this holie Synode hath commaunded this holsom and necessarie maner to be reteined and kept still Thus moche the Councell I wish that the reader taking these woordes as the woordes and saing of a Councell and as the agreable saing of a great nombre of learned men wolde marke and learn ther in first that the vse of the reseruacion ys of great antiquitie Secondly that reseruacion to the entent the Sacrament shoulde be allwais readie for the sicke ys here testified to be commaunded by manie Councells Thirdlie that this Councell iudgeth meet and consonant to reason that yt shoulde be doen. Fourtly that by the autoritie of a Councell they haue commaunded this vse of reseruacion to be reteined and continued Yf all these be as they ought to be well weighed why shoulde they not conteruaill yea and so weightilie weigh down all contrarie sainges as these shoule be as a light feather in respecte of a thousande weight when they be in lanceis to be weighed together Yf a Parlament of a Realme geue soche authoritie to the Actes and Statutes ther made that the priuate talke of rebelliouse and disobedient persons Yf a Parlament be of force to binde why not a Councell though they be manie can not dissolue them Why ys not the like preeminence geuen to the Parlament of Chrystes catholique Churche Wher decrees are made not by the people of one Realme but of manie yea of all christian Realmes that list to come and theie not vulearned but learned Yf the one doth binde why not the other But not minding to enter into the disputacion of so large a matter and ther by to make to long digression from my pourpose I will staie and yet wish the reader to consider what foloweth in the same Councell decreed against soche as shall contemptuouslie speake against this matter of reseruacion Soche a Canon ther I finde Si quis dixerit non licere sacram Eucharistiam Canon 7. in sacrario reseruari sed statim post consecrationem astantibus necessariò distribuendam aut non licere vt illa ad infirmos honorificè deferatur Anathema sit Yf Deniers of reseruacion accursed anie man shall saie that yt ys not laufull to reserue the holie Sacrament but that streight waie after the consecracion yt ys of necessitie to be distributed to them that be present and that yt ys not laufull reuerently to carie yt to them that be sicke accursed be he Although I knowe the Aduersarie contemneth thys heauie sentence forsamoche as he vilipeÌdeth and derideth the Councells Yet I thanke God of that his grace I regard them I reuerence their sentence I feare and dread the same hauing in minde the sainge of our Sauiour Chryste Qui non Math. 18. audiuerit Ecclesiam sit tibi sicut Ethnicus publicanus He that willnot heare the Churche let him be to thee as an ethnicke and publicane And again Qui Luc. 10. vos spernit me spernit et qui me spernit spernit euÌ qui me misit Hethat despiseth yow despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me This being spoken and ment of the Apostles and their successours the spirituall rulars of the Churche the Proclamer and hys likes so doing what doo they ells but as Chryst saieth contemne him and hys Father yf they saie they contemne not the rulars of the Churche but obeie them let them answere me Whom did their great fathers Luther Carolstadius Oecolampadius Obedience of the newe Churches how yt staÌdeth Zuinglius Bullinger c. obey in the Churche yf ye wyll saie they coulde obeye none of all the wholl Churche that was then and before for yt was no Churche well let this your false aunswere stande Yf then your Churche began with Luther he being sole head why did Carolstadius Oecolampadius and the rest disobeie him Yf all they were the Churche why did Thomas Monetarius and SweÌckfeldius disobey them and not heare them But to be shorte good Reader they obey none neither will they heare anie but onelie soche as saye as they saie And this ys propre to euery secre of them so that the Oecolampadians will not heare the Lutheraus the Anabaptistes will not heare the Oecolampadians the Swenckfeldians will heare none of all these Yet euery of these sectes saie they be the Churche and euery of them Euery sect of ProtestaÌtes chalenge to theÌ the woorde of God and the name of the Churche saie they haue the very woorde os God and therupon they saie they builde And yet the woorde of God as yt ys one so hath yt one trueth whiche euery one of these for saking do miserablie adulterate that holie and blesset woorde of God and in stede of trueth sell vnto the people their hereticall lies vnder the
pretence of Gods woorde and his trueth I am lothe to entre any further in the opening of the rebelliouse diuisions sectes and factions that be emonge them And they be so manie as wolde require a iust volume to sette them furth soch ys the consent agreemeÌt and obedience emong them selues wiche ys euen the iust plague of God For as man falling from the obedience of God fownde by Gods permission a merueillouse rebellion in his owne bodie and membres So these men falling from the obedience of God in his Church fall to continuall disobedience and implacable rebellion among them selues But ther was a Churche before Luther began his malignant Churche whiche former Churche being fownded vpon Christe continueth for that yt ys builded vpon à surestone And this ys that Churche that must be hearde and obeied Against thys Churche Berengarius as before ys saied began BâreÌgarius Wicleff Hus. to be disobedient but he humbled him self and desired to be restored again Wiclefand Husse also rebelled and moued warre but they coulde not preuaill And allthough for our sinnes God suffred the Philystines nowe to make warre against Israell as he did against the carnall Israell yet nothing mistrusting his mercie and hauing sure affiance in his promesse that Portae inferi non Math. 16. praeualebunt aduersus eaÌ the gates of hell shall not preuaill against his Churche I doubte not but he will at his mercifull pleasure looke vpon yt and send peace to yt And nowe to return to that from which I haue a litle digressed I saie I do regarde the sentence of the Churche for yt ys terrible to be cutte of from that mysticall bodie of Chryst and to be made a dead membre like vnto a rotten or dead sticke meit for no pourpose but to be cast in the fire and burnt Perchaunce the aduersarie will saie he feareth not to dissent from the Churche wher the Church dissenteth from the Scripture as yt doth in this Jssue ioined with the proclamer touching reseruacion matter of reseruacion Yere will I again ioin yssue with the proclamer that if he can bring any plain scripture catholique Doctour or Councell that by expresse woordes forbiddeth reseruacion I will subscribe and come to him Yf he can bringe â one soche what shamelesse rashnesse ys yt for him to calumniate the Churche for that thing for the whiche he hath no good warrant Ys he so imperiall ouer the Churche that he maie and will haue yt to leaue of reseruacion of the Sacrament at his pleasure which yt hath vsed from the beginning an can shewe no scripture no catholique Doctour no auncient Councel that forbiddeth yt Ys this woorde of the disciples of Pythagoras ipse dixit he saied yt a sufficient warrant for vs Shall we so lightlie cast awaie the orders rites Auncient and godlie customes are not to be left for the bare saing of à ProtestaÌt customes and maners of so long time receaued vsed and through all the Churche frequented for soche mens bare woorde Yf he finde any thing amisse let him reforme yt by scriptures Doctours or Councells and we shall heare otherwise yt shall be more easey for the Churche to repell his obiections then yt shall be for him to proue them And methinke nay I do not onelie thynk yt but I saie yt ys a shame for him to enterprise soche prohibition and to crie out vpon the Churche as though she had committed most high treason against God aswell in other thinges as in the vse of reseruacio whiche ye haue hearde to be coÌmaunded by decrees with in these nine hondreth yeares made to be continued as yt was vsed in the primitiue Churche and by the space of manie yeares after and to bring no peice of lawe to charge her by and iustlie to proue that she hathe offended THE SIXE AND TWENTETH CHApit aunswereth the cheis obiection of the aduersaries YF anie thing maie be obiected against reseruacion of the SacrameÌt this ys yt whiche ys Achilles with them and euen ther common argument aswell against reseruacion as other rites and orders of the Churche in the ministration of the Sacraments In the institution of the Sacrament ther ys no mencion made of reseruacion wher for saie they yt aught not to be vsed Will ye see the great force of this argument Ther ys no mencion made ProtestaÌts argumeÌt es of negatiues eluded of praier in the institution of the Sacrament of Baptisme when Chryst was baptised Ergo ther aught to be no praier made in the ministration of yt nowe Again ther ys no mencion made of the Baptising of children in the institucioÌ of Baptisme Ergo children aught not to be chrystened Ther were no wittnesses as godfathers or godmothers to Chryste Ergo ther aught none to be in the ministracion of Baptisme to children Ther is no mencion made of this terme Sacrament as calling Babtisme or the Supper of our lorde a Sacrament Ergo they ought not so to be called Likwise ther ys no mencion made of praiers in the institucion of the Supper of our lorde Ergo ther aught none to be said at the ministracion ther of Ther is no mencion made that any women were at Chrystes Supper Ergo ther aught no women to come to the communion Ther is no mencion made in the institucion of the The proclaemer vseth the same maner of disputacioÌ he denieth all and proueth nothing Sacrament that yt shoulde be done in the daie time Ergo yt ought not so to be doen. And a great nombre of soche might in this wise be inferred wher by yt dothe well appeare howe fonde the argument ys And yet this ys a common and inuincible maner of argument with these people For in other matters they vse yt thus Ther is no mencion of purgatorie in the scripture Ergo ther ys none Ther ys no mencion in the scripture to praie for the dead Ergo they are not to be praied for There ys no mencion in scripture of the inuocacion of sainctes Ergo rhey are not to be praied vnto Ther ys prescribed no daies of fasting in the scripture Ergo we are not bownde to fast This ys the maner of disputacion of that Schoole But to ioine with theÌ in the solucioÌ of their argumeÌt Ther be thre maner Three maner of doinges as touching the Scripture of doinges as concerning the Scripture One ys to do so moche as the Scriture biddeth An other to do against that the Scripture biddeth The thirde ys to do something besides that the Scripture biddeth As concerning the first wher Chryst toke bread and made yt his bodie and wine and made yt his bloode And commaunded them to be eaten and dronken in the remembrance of his passion and death Yf the true chrystian to whom Authoritie ys geuen doth take the like matter of bread and wine and doth consecrate yt according to Chrystes commaundement Hoc facite This daye and so eate yt and drinke yt in the
Lorde representing yt by this Sacrament Hauing no regarde of the contempt of the Aduersarie contemning the learned men of the later age I will among manie that maie be brought for the auoiding of tediousnesse and yet to shewe the conformitie of doctrine in this age with the auncient age bring the exposition of one named Hugo whose saing ys this Dixerat quòd sumerent corpus Domini sanguinem in commemorationem eius hic determinat in quam quia in Dominicae passionis Hugo Car. in 11. 1. Co. He had saied that they shoulde receaue the bodie and blood of oure Lorde in the remembrance of him Here he determineth in what remembrance In the remembrance saieth he of our Lordes passion Nowe ye haue heard diuerse expownding these woordes Hoc sacite do this all agreing that they are to be refered and vnderstanded to and of the substance and vse of the Sacrament that ys that yt shoulde be receaued in the remembrance of Chrystes passion and deathe But that we are by those woordes commaunded to obserue that maner and forme that our Sauiour obserued in his ministracion otherwise then ys saied both in the The Proclamer vseth his owne authoritie in expounding the scriptures for he hath none other last chapiter and in this also ther ys no one title in these Authours By this then yt maie well be thought and supposed that this man vsing his absolute authoritie for lacke of other helpe had iuuented and framed soche an exposition vpon this scripture as was not knowen to the auncient expositours nor yet to them of the later time and so verie like neuer seen written or heard spoken hefore this time And yet with a pretense of simplicitie and synceritie yt ys commended to the people as the trew syncere woorde of God when yt hath neither Gods woorde nor aide of holie Fathers to bear yt but ys a plain inuencion of his owne void of all trueth Thus moche being doen by authoritie I shall also by good reason proue The Proclamer his exposition im pugned by reason his exposition false For he him self graunteth that for fiue or sixe hundreth yeares after Chryste the Churche vsed the institucion of Chryst purelie and well withoute the breach of Chrystes woorde or commaundement But for the most parte of that time they did not obserue the practise of Chrystes institucion in soche forme and sorte as he did him self Wherfor to practise that that Chryste did in his last supper in some other maner or sorte then he did ys not the breach of his woorde Yf yt be not the breach of his woorde then ys this mans exposition false That the primitiue and auncient Church vsed an other forme and maner in the ministracion of the SacrameÌt then Chryst did in the institucion of the Masses in the primitiue church varied freÌ the forme and maner of Chrystes institucion same the Masse of saincte Iames of the whiche this man maketh mencion the Masse of saincte Basill the Masse of Chrysostome the Masse vsed in Millan by sainct Ambrose with the wholl practise as well of the Apostles as of other doth moste manifestlie testisie And these Masses vsed in the primitiue and auncient Churche did all agree in the Substance of the Sacrament But in the forme maner and sorte of ministracion ther was great diuersitie one moche varieng from an other and euerie one of them varieng from the maner that Chryste vsed and yet euery one godlie and good We maie then conclude that either the primitiue and auncient Churche varieng from the forme and sorte of Chrystes ministracion did offende which ys not to be thought or ells that this Proclamer so wresting the scripture to maintien his false Docttine hath offended which I dare auouche maie well be saied We maie also impugne this exposition by this mans owne practise who Proclamer his reason impugned by his owne practise being soche a precise reformer of the abuses of the Church as he termeth yt will not in his doinges committe anie notoriouse abuse howe so euer he doth in his woordes Yt ys notoriouse that he ministreth in other sorte and forme then Chryst did Wherfor yf ther be no abuse in his doing ther ys abuse in his sainge For his saing and doing in this matter be plainly contrarie He saieth we must practise in soche sort and forme as Chryste did but his doinges be not in soche sort and forme as Chryst did That his forme ys not soche as Chryst vsed yt ys more manifest then I neade to make rehersall For Chryst ministred when the Apostles had eaten this man when the people be fasting Chryste in the euening this man in the morning Chryste I am not certen but Jâudge the best with vsuall vuleauened bread this man withe wafer cakes Chryste withoute any other straung garment then his owne vsuallie worn this man in other garmentes appoincted to that pourpose Chryst did sitte with the twelue this man standeth with an vncertain nombre with manie other like And here yf this expositour will haue his exposition streictly laied to all the forme sorte of Chrystes doing in his supper I wolde learn of him whether I knowing a man to be farre vnworthie to receaue the blessed Sacrament shall admitte him to the table and ministre vnto him notwithstanding his vnwoorthinesse bycause that Chryst did knowe Iudas to be vnwoorthie and yet ministred to him But to return ye maie perceaue that the forme and sorte which this man vseth in his communion ys moche in many thinges discrepant from the doinges of Chryst in his supper And yet I suppose that he thinketh Chrystes maner in ministracioÌ of the SacrameÌt neuer since vsed well of him self in his so doing Yf then his doing be good then ys his exposition naught And to coÌclude seing the Apostles the Fathers of the primitiue Churche the auncieÌt doctours that were within three foure and fiue hundreth yeares of Chryst obserued not the forme and sort that Chryste vsed in the ministracion of his Supper nor any other age since that time neither this man himself hath or dothe practise the same we maie boldelie saie that yt ys no charge geuen of Chryste to do all thinges in the ministracion in soche sorte and forme as he did but the substance doen the other thinges be of no necessitie but be at the libertie of the Churche to dispose and ordre as yt hath doen. Then as manie thinges haue ben doen aboute the ministracion whiche Chryst did not So maie reseruacion be doen though Chryste did yt not This argument then being as I trust fullie solued I finde nothing in his sermon that he obiecteth against this matter of reseruacion directlie But I finde a prettie sleight that he vseth as therby to make his audience beleue that to reserue the SacrameÌt ys an abuse whiche sleight when I haue opened to the reader he shall I trust perceaue that vnder the pretence and cowntenance of synceritie and
simplicitie he iugleth with craft and subtletie For the better perceiuing of this sleight yf ye do not remembre what ys alleaged oute of Tertullian and saincte Ciprian in the xxiiij chapiter of this booke haue recourse thither and reade them This Proclamer being pressed with those places for they make mightilie and directlie against him in this matter enombring diuerse and sondrie abuses of the Sacramentes of Baptisme of the bodie and bloode of Chryst yt liked him to putte that that Tertullian and Ciprian spake of the Sacrament reserued and receaued of good women among his abuses wherin in dede he moche abuseth himself His woordes be these A sleight of the Proclamer to abuse Tertul. and S. Cyprian In the time of Tertullian and saincte Cyprian whiche was a thousande and foure hundreth yeares agon women commonly tooke the Sacrament home with them in their napkins and laied yt in their chestes and receaued a porcion of yt in the morning before other meates See ye not howe by this sleight he wolde dasell the eyes and iudgement of the reader that when he shoulde happe to read these places he shoulde repute and esteem theÌ not as good examples but as abuses and so shaddowe the matter of reseruacion whiche they proue But dothe he finde this spoken of Tertullian as an abuse Dothe Tertullian so terme yt Naie I am sure he doth not Yf TertulliaÌ doo not so accoÌpt yt whie dothe this newe maker of abuses so terme yt Tertulian speaketh of yt as a thing well doen what commission then aboue Tertullian had this man to saie yt ys euell doen. As for saincte Ciprian the Aduersarie perhappe wolde glose yt a litle and proue yt an abuse bycause the woman wheÌ she opened her coafer wher the holie Sacrament laie ther sprang oute a fire that feared her that she durst not touch yt But let the Proclamer veiue that place of saincte Cyprian well and he shall finde none other abuse mencioned ther of him but that the woman wolde haue presumed to touche the holie thinge of our Lorde as he termeth yt with vnwoorthie haÌdes This ys the abuse that S. Cyprian reherseth ther. But that she reserued yt he accompteth yt no abuse For ther ys no soche woorde in saincte Cyprian Wherfore Reader be ware of soche sleightes and by this perceaue that all ys not trewth that this man so gloriouslie setteth furth And yf he accompt yt an abuse bycause they caried yt home what will he saie to the vse of the Churche in the time of Iustinus Martyr was not then the Sacrament caried home to soche as were absent This holie man so testifieth saing thus Cùm autem is qui praeest gratias egerit totus populus Just. in Apologia approbauerit hi qui vocantur apud nos Diaconi distribuunt vnicuique praesentium vt participent de pane in quo gratiae actae sunt et de vino et aqua et ijs qui non sunt praessentes deferuÌt domuÌ WheÌ he that ys cheif hath geueÌ thankes and all the people hath coÌsented to yt these that with vs be called Deacons do distribute of the coÌsecrated The SacrameÌt caried home to theÌ that were absent bread and of the wine and water to euery one that ys present to receaue and to those that be absent they carie yt home Thus Iustinus Sainct Basill also wittnesseth that holie men liuing in wildernesse did reserue the Sacrament in their Cells and as deuocion moued them receaued yt Thus he saieth Epist. ad Caesariam Patriciam Omnes in eremis solitariam vitam agentes vbi non est sacerdos CoÌmunionem domi seruantes à seipsis communicant All that lead solitarie liues in the wildernesse wher ther ys no preist keping the Sacrament in their houses receaue yt by them selues Thus sainct Basill The Sacr. reserued in Rome in S. Hieroms time Saincte Hierom also in his Apologie against Iouinian testifieth that the people of Rome in his time vsed to kepe the Sacrament in their houses and receaued yt by them selues Nowe yf the Sacrament were caried to the houses of soche as were absent as appareth by Iustinus and of diuerse kept to be receaued as deuocion serued as ys wittnessed by saincte Basill and saincte Hierom And so to doo was theÌ the vse of the Churche yt doth well appeare that for soche godlie pourposes to carie yt home and to reserue yt ys no abuse Wherfor in this that the Proclamer accompted yt an abuse bycause yt was caried from the Churche and receaued at home as before ys saied in making that accompte he moche abuseth him self And here Reader beside that good vse to carie the Sacrament to soche as neaded yt ys ther not in Iustine a good argument for reseruacion was not the Sacrament when all the Communion was doen in the Churche reserued to be caried to them that were absent Nowe yf yt maie be reserued but so long time why maie yt not be kept a longer time Yf not a longer time let the Proclamer bring furthe the iust prescript time oute of the Scriptures the Doctours or Councells and we shall regarde the prescription yf he can not as I am sure that he can not let him ceasse with these his vain inueÌted trifles to vexe disturbe diuide molest and slaunder the catholike Churche and let him acknowledge that the Churche in these our daies carieÌg the Sacrament to soche as be sicke and to soche as caÌ not come to the Church offendeth not neither abuseth the Sacrament in so doing but foloweth the godlie example of the auncient catholique Churche as nowe ye haue heard to the full testified And wher the Churchc kepeth and reserued the Sacrament on the altar or ells wher let him knowe by saincte Basill and saincte Hierom that so yt The church nowe reseruing the Sacr and sending yt to the sick offendeth not was in their time and from the beginning likewise reserued and kept so that the Churche neither in sending the Sacrament to sicke folkes or other absent in their necessitie neither in keping yt in the churche dothe other wise then was doen in the primitiue Churche Wherfor I wishe thee gentle Reader to staie thy self and not to suffer thy self to be caried awaie with soche vain diuerse and straunge Doctrines but consider well the practise of the Churche declared vnto thee in this matter Consider the vse of reseruacion through oute all the Churche vntill this time of Scisme and heresie to be doen not onelie in Englonde but in all Realms Chrystened whiche being so vniuersallie receaued maie not be thought to be euell doen or anie abuse to be therin committed but yt aught with all humblenesse to be obeied receaued and folowed For two thinges by the doctrine of saincte Augustine must we obserue the one ys what so euer ys taught vs of the Scripture the other what we finde obserued throughoute all the Churche Soche rule gaue he to Ianuarius Si
Wherfore note that yn this litle werse twoo thinges being conteined the one that Chryst ys a preist for euer the other that he ys of the ordre of Melchisedech The first ys at large expownded by saincte Paule but the other that ys the order of Melchisedech ys not expownded by saincte Paule Wherfor saincte Hierom saieth immediately Hoc solùm dicamus quare dixcrit secundùm ordinem Let vs onelie declare this Why he saieth after the ordre As who might saie Sainct Paule hath plentifullie saied of the eter nitie of the priestgood of Chryste Wherfore yt were vain for me to speake of that But I will onelie speake of the order of the preisthood of Chryst for that hath not sainct Paule spoken of And entring to shewe of what ordre of presthoode Chryst ys he speaketh in the persoÌ of God the Father and saieth Thowe shalt not be a preist after the or dre of offrings of the Iewes sacrifices but thowe shalt be a preist after the ordre of Melchisedech And howe he shoulde doo sacrifice after that ordre he furtwith declareth For as Melchisedech saieth he king of Salem did offer bread and wine So shalt thowe also offer thy bodie and bloode the true bread and true wine A breif exposition but as plain as yt ys breif Nowe as saincte Paule to the hebrues hath oponed the first parte for the eternitie of the prestheade of Chryste So here saincte Hierom hath as touching this order and sacrifice opened the second parte wherin reader first note that wher the Aduersaries as ys before said in the last chapter to denie the sacrifice of Chryst after the ordre of Melchisedech doo first denie that Melchisedech him self did offer breade and wine saing that in Genesis yt ys not readd of Melchisedech Obtulit panem vinum he offred bread and wine but protulit panem vinum he brought furth bread and wine Yet Melchisedech offred bread and wine after S. Hierom. sainct Hierom knowinge the olde Testament and well vnderstanding the hebrue toung saieth that Melchisedech did offer bread and wine and vsith the latin woorde obtulit he offred and not protulit he brought furth wherby we are taught that this ys the true mening and vnderstanding of the place Further also as we are taught that Melchisedech did offer bread and wine So also are we taught whiche ys in the se coÌd parte to be noted bothe that Chryst did offer and what he did offer he did offer after the ordre of Melchisedech bread and wine not bare bread and bare wine as Melchisedech did in the figure but his verie bodie and blood the true bread and true wine as saincte Hierom expresseth wherbie we are taught not onelie the verie presence of Chrystes bodie and blood in the sacrament But also that he in his last Supper did offer the same bodie after the ordre of Melchisedech Whiche for somoche as yt ys so plainlie spoken I shall not neade either to bring in anie other saing of the same saincte Hierom to declare his minde more plainlie in this or I my self to tarie anie longer in opening of this his sainge being all readie so plain that yt can be made or spoken no plainer Onely this I shall desire thee gentle Reader to call to thy memorie the ende of the saing of saincte Ciprian last alleadged in the chapiter before and compare yt to the ende of this saing and I thinke verilie yt will wonderfullie delight thee to see the trueth not onely so painlie but also with so goodlie consonannt agreement vttered and spoken Sainct Ciprian saied who ys more proprelie the preist of the most highe God thaÌ our Lorde Iesus Christe Who offred a sacrifice to God the Father and offred the same that Melchisedech offred that ys bread and wine euen his bodie and bloode Saincte Hierom saieth As Melchisedech Aplain place for master Iuell offred bread and wine So shalt thowe offer thy bodie and blood the true bread and true wine what goodlie consent ys this what plain maner of speache ys this what more neadeth to be saied in this matter Ys yt not coÌsessed that Chryst offred in his last Supper his bodie and bloode I trust the proclamer himself will graunt yt and saie yt ys most plain ffor who can doubt that these woordes be spoken of the sacrifice in the Supper sainct Hierom saing that this Melchisedech meening Chryst deliuered vs these misteries c. Wherfor leauing further explicacion of this Authour we will heare Theodorete one of the other side of Chrystes parlament house who as breiflie as plainlie openeth the trueth of the matter whiche we seke as yt shall appeare in this his sainge Antiquam genealogiam conscribens diuinus Moyses docuit nos quòd Adam cùm tot annos natus esset genuit Seth. Ei cùm tot annis vixisset finem vitae accepit Ita etiam dixit de Seth Enos alijs Melchisedech et generationis Theodoretus Dial 2. initium et vitae finem silentio praeterijt Ergo si historia spectetur nec initium dicrum nec vitae finem habet Reuerà autem Dei filius nec esse coepit nec finem accipiet In ijs ergo maximis et verè diuinis fuit Melchisedech figura Christi Domini In sacerdotio autem quod hominibus magis quà m Deo conuenit Dominus Christus Pontifex fuit secunduÌ ordinem Melchisedech Melchisedech enim fuit gentium Pontifex Et Dominus Christus pro omnibus hominibus sactum et salutiferum sacrificium obtulit The godlie Moyses writing the olde genealogie hath taught vs that Adam when he was thus manie years olde he begatte Seth And when he had liued so manie yeares he made an ende of his life Euen so also he saieth of Seth and Enos with other As for the beginning of the generacion of Melchisedeh and the ende of his life he ouerpasseth yt with scilence Wherfor if the historie be looked on he hathe neither beginning of daies nor the ende of life So in verie dede the Sonne of God neither hathe beginning of his being neither shall haue ending In these great thinges then verie diuine was Melchisedech a figure of our Lorde Chryst In the preisthead also whiche ys more mete or agreable for men then for God our lorde Chryst was an high preist after the ordre of Melchisedech For Melchisedech was the high preist of the gentiles And our lorde Chryst offred for all men an holie and holsom sacrifice Thus moche Theodorete Whom ye do perceaue to testifie not onelie that Melchisedech was a sigure of Chryste as concerninge his eternitie but also as concerning his Christes of fring of sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech ouerthroweth the heresie of Eutiches preisthead and Sacrifice which did appertein to him as man By whiche Applicacion he conuinceth the Eutichians who forsaking the catholique faith whiche teacheth that in Chryst be two natures that ys to saie the perfecte nature of God and
a swete sauoure to God were not the sacrifices of the olde lawe soche Doth not Moises from Gods mouth so terme them Yt can not be denied but the scripture doth so call them But as Chryste saieth Nemo bonus nisi solus Deus Ther ys no man good but God alone And yet again he saieth Bonus homo de bono thesauro prosert bona The good Man oute of good treasure bringeth Luc. 18. Matth. 12 God good by nature man by participacion furth good thinges So though God alone of him self and of his diuine nature be onlie good yet men be good also not of them selues nor of their owne natures but by participacion of the goonesse of God So ther ys one sacrifice whiche onely ys pure for that yt ys pure of yt self whiche sacrifice ys the bodie and bloode of our Sauiour Iesus Chryst Other sacrifices that be called pure and clensing sacrifices they be so called by participacion that they doo please God and purifie men by the vertue and merite of that pure Sacrifice Iesus Chryst who ys the lambe that was slain from the beginning of the worlde geuing vertue to all sacrifices that were yet offred from the beginninge of the worlde And therfore when the Prophett putteth Apoc 13. this difference to this sacrifice that shall succead the sacrifices of the Iewes that yt shall be a pure sacrifice Yf yt were pure but by vertue of other as the sacrifices of the Iewes were then were this woorde pure no woorde of difference but raither a superfluouse woorde making no distinction betwen the two sortes of sacrifices But for so moche as the Prophet hath put yt as a difference seing the other were pure by vertue of other this must nedes be the sacrifice that ys pure of yt self whiche as ys before said ys the bodie and bloode of Chryst Neither maie this nowe be drawen to that most blessed Sacrifice of the bodie and blood of Chryst vpon the Crosse For that Sacrifice in that maner was offred in one place onelie that was vpon the mounte Caluarie But this Sacrifice saieth God by the Prophet ys offred in euery place Wherfore of necessitie this must be vnderstanded of the pure Sacrifice of Chrystes bodie and blood offred on the Altar which ys offred not in Hierusalem not on Sacrifice of the crosse and of the altar al one in substaÌce but diuerse in maner Caluery but in euery place where Chryst ys knoweÌ and receaued Whiche sacrifice although in maner of offring yt differeth from that offred vpon the Crosse yet in substance yt ys all one Nowe ye maie perceaue that the expositions of the staÌderd bearers of the wicked armie of the enemies of gods trueth ys but a violeÌt or a wrested exposition and will not be born of the text THE FOVRE AND THIRTITH CHAP. EXPOwndeth the Prophecie of Malachie by Martialis and Irenaeus THat the Aduersaries shall not saie that I am iudge in mine owne cause although I am certen that I builde vpon the rocke Yet to the better contentacion of the Reader and more manifest confutacion of these Aduersaries I will reporte the Iugement of the right auncient Elders of Chrystes ParliameÌt house as touching the enacted trueth of this matter by their owne woordes Sanctus Martialis a great auncient in Chrystes house as being one of Chrystes disciples and after the death of his and our master almost continuallie in the Companie of the Apostle Peter ys a notable wittnesse of this trueth and wourthie to be credited This holie man maketh mencioÌ of this prophecie of Malachie after this maner S. Martialis Martyr epist. ad BurdegaleÌ cap. 3. Sacrificium Deo creatori offertur in ara non homini neque Angelo Nec solùm in ara sanctificata sed vbique offertur Deo oblatio munda sicut restatus est cuius corpus sanguinem in vitam aternam offerimus dicentes Spiritus est Deus eos qui adorant euÌ in spiritu veritate oportet adorare Ipse enim corpus habens immaculatum sine peccato quia conceptus est de Spiritu sancto natus ex Maria virgine ipsum in ara crucis permisit immolari Quod autem Iudaei per inuidiam immolauerunt putantes se nomen eius à terra abolere nos causa salutis nostrae in ara sanctificata proponimus scientes hoc solo remedio nobis vitam praestandam mortem effugandam The sacrifice ys Chrystes bodie and blood ys offred euerie wher a pure oblacion to euerlasting life offred vnto God our creatour on the altar not vnto men nor vnto Angell nor onelie on halowed altar but euery wher ys offred to God a pure oblacion as he hath wittnessed whose bodie and blood we offer to euerlasting life sainge God ys a spirit and they that adore him must adore him in spiritte and trueth For he hauing an immaculate bodie and withoute Sinne for he was conceaued by the holie Gost born of the virgen Mary he suffred that same bodie to be sacrificed on the altar of the Crosse And that that the Iewes did sacrifice by enuie thinking to abolishe hys name from the earthe we for cause of our health doo sett furth in the sanctified altar knowing that by this onelie remedie life ys to be geuen and death to be driuen awaie Thus moche this holie Martyr Martialis What a notable sentence ys this Do ye not see that he maketh mencion of the saing of the Prophet Malachie saing Euery wher ys offred the pure oblacion or sacrifice And perceaue ye not that immediately he saieth that we offer the bodie and blood of Chryst vnto euerlasting life And that this his mening should not be wrested nor mystaken he declareth what bodie of Chryst we offer and what bodie we offre in what place and to what effect wher The bodie of Chryste whiche we doo offer ys that bodie that the Iewes offred by enuie The place that we offer yt on ys the halowed altar The effecte that the Iewes sought by the offring of Chrystes bodie was to take life from him and therby to abolish his name from the earth The effect that we chrystians seke by the sacrificing of his bodie on the altar ys to magnifie hys name and by that sacrifice as by the only remedye to gett vs life and to driue awaie death Note well that this holie Martyr and auncient Father teacheth that pure doctrine that the primitiue church of the Apostles did professe and teache And iudge yf the church that nowe ys which the Aduersaries haue so vilely reuiled and so maliciously railed on hath taught anie other doctrine then this holie disciple of Chryste hath taught The Churche hath taught and doth nowe teache that the bodie of Chryst ys in the Sacrament of the altar reallie This holie man teacheth that the same whiche the Iewes crucified we sett furth vpon the holowed altar The Iewes crucified the reall bodie of Chryste Wherfore we sett
to be wise in oure owne conceiptes we maie embrace the trueth of yt earnestlie and vnfeignedlie beleuinge the same trueth and by beleuing also vnderstand yt for Nisi credideritis non intelligetis saieth the Prophete Except ye beleue ye shall not vnderstande And therfor let vs all call to the Esay 7. Authour of grace and geuer of faithe with the Apostles and saie Domine adauge nobis sidem Lord encrease our faithe and I doubte not but yf he see that Luc. 17. we come to him he will haue compassion vpoÌ vs and renne and mete with vs and fall one oure neckes and kisse vs and so receauinge vs with moche Luc. 15. ioie and gladnesse walke with vs on the waie and interprete the Scriptures vnto vs and so open oure eyes whiche were holden before that we shall Ibid. 24. knowe him in breaking of the bread And here be aduertised Reader that yf thowe be not with Chryste in the breaking of bread thy eies shall neuer be opened to knowe Chryste For saincte Augustine shewing that the eies of the two disciples that went in Emaus were holden from the knowledge of Chryst vntill the breaking of bread saieth Non enim incoÌgruenter accipimus hoc impedimentuÌ in oculis eoruÌ Ã Satana fuisse ne agnosceretur Iesus sed tantùm à Christo propter eorum sidem ambiguam facta Agust de consensu EuaÌgelist est permissio vsque ad sacramentum panis vt vnitate corporis eius participata remoueri intelligatur impedimentum inimici vt Christus posset agnosci We do not take yt incongruentlie that this impediment in their eies mening the two disciples that went to Emaus was of Satan that Iesus shoulde not be knowen But onelie yt Luc. 24. was permitted of Chryste for their doubtfull faith sake vntill they came to the sacrameÌt of breade that the vnitie of Chrystes dodie beinge participated yt might be perceaued that the impediment of the Enemie was remoued that Chryste might be knowen Agreablie to this also saieth Theophilact vpon Luk. Insinuatur aliud quiddam Theop. in Luc. ca. 24 nempe quod oculi eorum qui benedictum paneÌ assumunt aperiuntur vt agnoscant illum Magnam enim indicibilem vim habet CARO DOMINI An other thinge also ys here insinuated that ys that the eies of them which do take the blessed breade are opened that they maie knowe him mening Christe For the slesh of oure Lorde hathe a great and vnspeakable powre or strenght Thus moche Theophilacte Thus although the two disciples were in the companie of Chryste and hearde him interprete the scriptures vnto them yet he was a straunger vnto Soche as haue not a sowndfaith in the veritie of the Sacrament are straungers to Chryst. them for they knewe him not And verie well For as they for lake of perfecte and full faith in him were straungers to him So he agreablie as a straunger appeared vnto them And euen so though manie haue hearde the interpretacion of scriptures yea and can them selues interprete and vnderstande manie of them and can speake and talke of Chryste as these disciples did yet be they straungers to Chryste they knowe not Chryste for that they haue not a sownde faith in the veritie of the Sacrament and so in diuerse other poinctes and matters of faithe Whiche happeneth to all sohe as will not be with Chryste in the breaking of the breade For note well this Reader that whosoeuer he be that erreth in the matter Who erreth in the Sacrament erreth in many other matters of faithe of the Sacrament he erreth in manie mo So did Luther the Raiser and stirrer vppe of heresies in oure time So did Oecolampadius Zwinglius Bullingerus Bucerus and Petrus Martir So did our contrie men Cranmer Ridley Latimer and Taler So dothe this Chalenger as his owne confession in his sermoÌ well prouethe So do soche as yet liue conuertlie cloaking and dissemblinge their heresies So that though some other heresie maie be alone in a maÌ yet be well assured the heresie against the blessed Sacrament ys neuer alone in anie man but accompanied with so manie other heresies as he that hath them becometh a straunger to Chryste and for lacke of a sownde faithe knoweth not Chryste Come therfore and ioin with Chryste in the breaking of the breade be partaker of the vnitie of Chrystes bodie that as saincte Augustine saieth the impediment of the Enemie whiche letteth thee to knowe Chryste maie be remoued and taken awaie For the flesh of Chryste as Theophilacte saiethe hath an vnspeakeable powre or strenght soche power or strenght that after the receipt The ffesh of Chryst in the Sacrament hath an vnspeakable powr of yt in due maner of faithe and sincere deuocion yt will open thine eies that thowe shalt knowe him trulie whiche nowe phantasieng that thowe doest knowe him knowest him but phantasticall Seing then this blessed Sacrament ys of soche great and vnspeakable vertue and geueth so great a benefitt let vs heare the Authour of veritie and of the Sacrament also commending to vs the veritie of the same THE SECONDE CHAPITER EXPOVNDETH THE sixt of saincte Iohn according to the letter THe holie gospell teacheth vs that the Authour of this blessed SacrameÌt made two notable mencions therof at two sondrie Two notable mencioÌs made by Chryst of the Sacrament times The one was the promisse of the institution of yt with a declaracion of the befitte that shoulde ensewe to men therbie whiche ys sett surth and declared in the sixt chapiter of saincte Iohn The other was the plain and certen institutioÌ of yt in the last supper accomplishing the promisse before made Of these two by the helpe of the Authour of them with thassistance and direction of that his Spirit of trueth whiche he hathe promised shoulde lead vs into all trueth this booke shall tell the verie trueth And forasmoch as by ordre the promisse goeth before the accomplishment of the promisse although saincte Iohn who ys the writer of yt did write yt manie years after the other EuaÌgelistes had written the last supper yet will I as yt was spoken of Chryst first before the other was doen so first treacte of the same Oure Sauiour Chryst being God and man and knowinge for that nothing was hidden to him all thinges as well the present secrete thinges and thoughtes of man as also the ordre and succession of thinges to come foreseeing that the people wolde resorte vnto him and that mete occasioÌ shoulde be geuen and that the time wolde verie well serue for the preparinge of the mindes of soche as wolde beleue in him to speake of the high misterie of the receauing of his bodie and bloode he began with the great miracle of the multiplieng of fiue batlie loaues and two fishes By the whiche miracle they being moued to consider his great power might the more easilie be induced to the beleif of the greate miracle
Substances in Chryst be but one person As touching the difference of time in the geuing of these two breades The first ys geuen presentlie and therfore Chryst saied Panis enim Dei est qui de coelo descendit dat vitam mundo For the breade of God ys he which commeth down from heauen and geueth life vnto the worlde Wher he allwais speaketh of the present time saing that he cometh and geueth life to the worlde Nowe speaking of the thirde breade he spaketh of the time not present but of the time to come saing The bread which I will geue So that as ther ys two plain differeÌces of time that ys the time present and the time to come So be the two breades two different Substances the one being expressed as the cheifer parte to be beleued on the other as the inferiour parte by the name of flesh to be eaten on This I dare auouche to be the verie natiue sense and the true vnderstanding of this scripture as ye maie perceaue the verie scripture yt self enforceth vs to take this sense accordinge to the letter Neuer the lesse that ye maie perceaue that I will not arrogate to my self soche authoritie to expownde this scripture as the Aduersaries haue doen who haue so impudentlie vpon their owne head and authoritie taught that Chryst here spake no one woorde of his bodie and bloode in the SacrameÌt but onelie of his woorde and our beleif in the same for the confirmacion of that which yt hath pleased god to be vttered by me and the confutacioÌ of that that Satan hath moued the Aduersaries to saie against the trueth I wil as hertofore ys doen consulte with certain of the elders of Chrystes Par liament house and learn of them yf in that same house ther ys acknowledged and receaued any soche differences of breades in the sixte chapiter of saincte Iohn as I haue declared or no. whiche differences when they shall be by them auouched I will vse their testimonie and authoritie to expownde the rest of the chapiter that toucheth my matter cheiflie intended and not mine owne Whose authoritie Reader yf thowe wilt not by thy affection so farre abase that thowe wilte counteruaill the same with a bare saing of a light Newling and preferre him before so manie graue Auncientes I doubte not but thowe shalt se matter enough to drawe thee to the auncieÌt and verie trueth professed and receaued manie hundreth years in the Churche of Chryste THE THIRDE CHAPITER PROVETH BY THE doctours that the sixte of sainct Iohn speaketh as wel of the bread Chrystes slesh in the Sacrament as of the bread his Godhead ANd first let vs see the distinction of breades As for the breade whiche oure Sauiour Chryst multiplied and the breade Manna which be manifestlie distincted in all mens knowledges and of the whiche ther ys no Controuersie I shall not nede to speake any more Of the other two breades wher oure Sauiour Chryst began to enter disputacion of them and in the beginning of the same saied Ego sum panis vitae Ioan. 6. Chrysost homil 44. in Ioan. Ther Chrysostom in expownding the same text saieth Iam in mysteriorum traditionem deueÌturus est et primùm de diuinitate sua sic disputat Ego sum panis vitae Neque enim de corpore hoc dictum est de quo circa finem inquit Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est Sed adhucde diuinitate Etenim ille propter Deum VerbuÌ panis est quemadmodum hic panis propter aduenientem ei SpirituÌ panis caelestis efficitur Nowe will he meening Chryste come to the setting furth of the mysteries and first of his Godhead he saieth thus I am the bread of life For this was not spoken of hys bodie of the which aboute the end he saieth The bread which I will geue ys my slesh But as yet of his Godhead For as that ys bread for God the Sonne So ys thie breade made heauenlie bread for the Spirit coming to yt Thus moche Chrysostom Chrystes Godhead and manhead distincted as two breades Ys not this a cler testimonie Do ye not see here a plain distinctioÌ of breads This saieth he I am the bread of life ys spoken of the Godhead and coÌtinueth disputacion of yt till he come to this text The bread that I wil geue ys my slesh And this saieth he ys spoken of his bodie And dothe not nowe the sixt of S. Iohn speake of the bodie of Chryste in the Sacrament Note further that he saieth as the Godhead ys bread for God the Sonne meening that the Godhead in Chrystys God the SoÌne So saieth he this bread meening the slesh of Chryst ys made the heauenlie breade for the spirit coming to yt But I will not trooble thee Reader with manie woords in so plain a matter I will raither produce some other one of the other side of Chrystes Parliament house to see yf their testimonie be agreable and whether they be taught of one Spirit one true exposition of Chrystes Gospell S. Augusten expownding the same text that ChrysostoÌ saieth Chryst spake of his bodie writeth thus Determinat consequenter Dominus quomodò se paneÌ dicat non tantùm secundùm diuinitateÌ quae pascit omnia sed etiaÌ secuÌdùm humanaÌ naturaÌ quae est assumpta à Verbo Dei cum subdit Et panis queÌ ego dabo caro mea est Owr Lord saieth S. Augustine determineth consequentlie how he calleth him self bread not onelie after his Godhead whiche fedeth all thinges but also after his humane nature which ys assumpted of the Sonne of God wheÌ he saied afterward And the breade whiche I will geue ys my flesh c. Doth not here S. Augustin agreablie with Chrysostome teach a plain difference of the bread of the Godhead of Chryst and the bread of his MaÌhead doth not he saie that Chryst in this text The bread which I will geue ys my flesh dothe speake of his humane nature Consider then Reader the authoritie and auncientie of these two great and famouse Fathers of Chrystes Churche and accept their iudgementes before these newfangled Inuentours in the exposition of the scriptures And now that ye haue heard these two of the higher house agreablie reporting how the Church in their times vnderstood the sixt chap. of S. Ihon of the SacrameÌt We will also heare some of the lower house aÌd some of theÌ not of the later daies but of the auncieÌts of that sorte being well toward a thousand years agone Of the whiche we will first heare Theophilacte the folower of Chrysostome in manie thinges whether he folowe him in this also or no. Thus he writeth vpon the same text Manifestè autem nobis hoc loco de communione corporis dicit Nam panis inquit quem Theophilact in 6. Ioan. ego dabo caro mea est quam ego dabo pro mundi vita Porro potestatem suam indicans quòd non vt
seruus minor patre crucifigendus sed voluntariè inquit Ego dabo carnem meam pro mundi vita Manifestlie doth Chryst speake vnto vs of the mysticall communion of hys bodie For the bread saieth he whiche I will geue yowe ys my flesh which I will geue for the life of the worlde And shewing his power that he should be crucified not as a seruaunt and lesse then the Father but willinglie he saieth I will geue my flesh for the life of the worlde Note here that Theophilacte doth not onelie folowe and agree with Chrysostome but also he semeth to signifie that yt was a clere matter a plain matter a matter receaued of all men of Chrystes Churche in his time withoute controuersie when he saeth that Chryst in that text spake manifestly of the communion of his bodie A merueilouse matter that that Chryst did speake so manifestlie and of these Fathers was coÌceaued so clerly shoulde nowe a daies be taken of these peruerters of Gods scripturs so obscurelie By this ye maie see that in the cler light they are blinde and can not see For blinde maliciouse ignorance hath vtterlie blinded them Therfore an other daie except in time they repente Sap. 5. they shall saie and lamentablie confesse as in the booke of wisdom ys saied in the persons of soch Errauimus à via veritatis et iustitiae lumeÌ noÌ illuxit nobis c. We haue erred from the waie of trueth and the light of righteousnes hath not shined to vs and the Sunne of vnderstanding rose not vppe vpon vs. We haue wearied our selues in the waie of wickednesse and destruction Tediouse waies haue we goen but as for the waie of the Lorde we haue not knowen Whiche maner of lamentacion God auerte from them and geue them grace in time to repent that the Sunne of vnderstanding maie rise vpon theme To procead and therby to trie whether soch as haue writen of late years I mene whiche were within these three hundreth years or ther aboute whiche haue ben so vilie estemed of these singular phantasied men of our time did dissent from these elders in the exposition of this scripture And whether the Church these two or three hundreth years last past did otherwise vnderstand the scriptures then the fathers did by the hearing of someone we shall perceaue And to speake here what I thinke verilie I thinke the subtle and craftie conueighance of the Aduersaries and this Proclamer also was and ys to contemne and despise these late authours first bicause they wer as they saie not cloquent and therfore Erasmus moche inueigheth against Lyra. Then these are not auncient and therfor not to be alleaged Last they open theÌselues a litle more and saie these authours are not to be alleaged but reiected bicause their doctrine ys not sownd but corrupted And they haue corrupted saie they and peruerted and destroied Gods woord with the inuentioÌs of meÌ And by this were al the learned writers which were within these sixe or seuen huÌdreth years defaced and reiected as S. Tho. Aquinas S. Bonauentura Petrus Lombardus Dionysius Carthusianus Hugo Cardinalis Holcot and N. Lyra Fathers in olde time spake of the mysteries couertlie with a great noÌbre mo of that age which are not esteemed nor accepted as of authoritie nor none that haue writen within the compasse of these thousand years can be allowed by some of the Aduersaries And why was this Bicause they wrote so plainlie that they coulde not be wrested As for other Fathers that were before a thousand years though manye of them did writte verie plain as occasion did serue when they did write to christen men Yet oftentimes when they did preache to the people or write to soche as were weake in faith as in those daies the Churche was mingled with those that had not receaued the faithe then bicause PerfectoruÌ est solidus cibus strong meat ys for them that be perfecte and Paruulis in Christo lac dandum To âonglinges in Christe milke ys to be geuen therfore they oftentimes as yt was necessarie that the mysteries of our faithe shoulde not be vttered to them that coulde not beare them did speake of the same couertlie and closelie and therfore they were fain oftentimes to knitte vppe ther talke of the Sacrament with this or like saieng Norunt fideles the faithful do knowe And by like occasion did in manie places write obscurelie in this matter and did not so manifestlie and plainly vtter yt bicause ther was no occasion geuen them by heresie in that matter but all were of one minde in yt hauing most godlie peace and quietnes in the same And therfore the Aduersarie more delighted with obscure places which he thinketh better to drawe to his sence then the plain places whiche will Heretikes ⪠how they alleage the fathers not suffer them selues to be drawen hath laboured to reiecte soche as did write since the Churche was well settled and staied and might therfore write plainly what their faith taught them in this mysterie But cheiffie all them that did write since the time of Berengarius whiche vpon occasion of heresie were enforced to write plainly in this matter But God be praysed the eldest and auncientest Fathers haue yet in diuerse places written so moche in plain maner that yt ys able to conuince and ouerthrowe the heresies of the Aduersaries as partelie ye haue heard allreadie And yet for all the pretensed auncientie they sought refusing these learned men that were within a thousand years yet one of them wolde alleage Like to lik Zuinglius slain in a rebellioÌ begoÌ by himself an other as Bullinger alleaged Zuinglius in his exposition vpon sainct Paules epistles whiche Zuinglius was so holie and so auncient a father that he was slain in a sedicion raised by him and his disciples against the magistrates of hys contrie And this ys as good a chaung as the heretiks made in the beginning of this wicked time of heresie when they putte the holy saincte and Polycarp put out of the KaleÌder Martyr Policarpus that was saincte Iohn the Euangelistes disciple oute of the kalender and putt in the heretike Thomas Hutten that was bournt for heresie Nowe notwithstanding their craftie iniquitie in reiecting these good catholique authours I will vse plain simplicitie in the accepting of them that the trueth which they professe being auncient though the authours be of late daies and the consonancie of these with the most auncient authours in teaching and vttering the same trueth maie be perceaued For yf these of late yeares agree with them of the olde time in the truerh Thautoritie of late writers approued by good reasons and teache the same trueth that thother do what shoulde lette vs to heare them and accepte them Yf none shoulde be receaued but soche as were a thousand years since and soche also as be of this our time shal be refused theÌ preachers must ceasse For of what more
authoritie or credite ys he of that teacheth in the pulpet by speaking then he that teacheth by open writing Yf ye will not beleue me writing ye will not beleue me preaching Yf ye wil beleue me preaching for that I speake the trueth by the scriptures and auncient fathers Beleue me also writing the trueth by the scriptures aÌd auncieÌt fathers And yf these alowed writers of these later daies teach the trueth by the scripturs aÌd auncieÌt fathers theÌ must they neds be receaued And ther for trulie yt ys necessarie that they be alleaged to th eÌtent the trueth maie be perceaued to be one throughout all and that they being ioined with the auncieÌtes yt maie be seeÌ that the same trueth is taught now that was taught a thousand yeares agoÌ before And therfor haue I determined not to geue place to this refusall of Heretiques but to alleage the Authours of these later yeares that the coÌsonancie and vnitie of the trueth maie be perceaued in all ages and that ther ys no other trueth taught now theÌ was taught in the Primitiue Church and the time of the Apostles yea no other trueth then was taught by oure Sauiour Chryst himself and by his holie Spirit the Authour of all trueth Wherby the foule railinges and slaunders which bemost comoÌ lie in the mouthes of the enemies maie be taken awaie and they of their vntrueth and malice woorthilie confownded Thus moche I thought good to saie for that in this book I minde to vse the testimonies of these late writers for th entent aboue specified And nowe therfore to Theophilacte the Grecian I shall ioin the learned doctour Nicolaus de Lyra a latin Authour who writing vpon the sixt of S. Iohn cometh to this text Et panis quem ego dabo caro mea est And the bread whiche I will geue ys my flesh and expowndeth yt thus Postquam egit de pane spirituali qui est Verbum hic consequenter agit de pane spirituali qui est Sacramentum After he hath don saieth this Authour of Chryst with the spirituall bread which ys Nico. Lira in 6. Ioan. the woorde here consequentlie he treacted of the spirituall breade whiche ys the Sacrament What dothe this authour dissent from the Fathers dothe he not signifie that Chryste before the sentence so often alleaged did speake of the spirituall bread hys Godhead which he calleth the woord And doth he not now saie that in yt that foloweth Chryst speaketh of the Sacrament These be sufficient to declare the true vnderstaÌding of our Sauiour Chrystes processe and ordre in the sixte of S. Iohn And for that ye perceaue the same aswell after the minde of Chryste the verie texte so leading vs to vnderstand yt as also after the minde of diuerse learned authours I will nowe procead to see the vnderstaÌding of diuerse textes of the rest of this chapiter that treacte of the blessed Sacrament THE FOVRTH CHAPITER BEGINNETH A further proof of the former matter by S. Cyprian and Euthymius THis distinction of these two breades last before mencioned perceaued and being withall remeÌbred that at this text The bread which I shall geue ys my ââ¦esh whiche I will geue for the life of the world Chryst began to speake of the Sacrament and continueth the disputation therof to the ende of the chapiter to proue the same more manifestlie to the Reader and withall to make yt clere that that processe ys not of a figuratiue flesh but of Chrystes verie propre flesh and bodie I will beginne at the same text and so descending to the last by a nombre of the most auncient Fathers of Chrystes Parliament house open both the one and the other I trust to the full contentacion of the godlie Reader The firste that shall shewe hys minde of this matter shall be the holie Martyr Cyprian who saieth thus Panis vitae Christus est panis hic omnium non est sed noster est Et quomodò dicimus Pater noster quia intelligentium credentium pater est sic paneÌ nostruÌ vocamus quia Christus noster qui eius corpus coÌtingimus panis est Hunc autem paneÌ dari nobis quotidiè postulamus ne qui in Christo sumus Eucharistiam quotidie ad cibuÌ salutis accipimus intercedente grauiore aliquo delicto dum abstenti noÌ coÌmunicantes à caelesti pane prohibemur à Christi corpore separemur ipso praedicante monente Ego sum panis vitae qui de caelo descendi Si quis ederit de hoc pane viuet in aeternum Panis quteÌ quem ego dedero caro mea est pro seculi vita The bread of life ys Chryst and this breade ys not the breade of all men but yt ys ours And as we do saie Oure Father because he ys the father of all that do beleue and vnderstande Euen so also oure bread call we whiche touche his bodie bicause owre Chryste ys bread This breade we dailie desire to be geuen vs least we which be in Chryst and take the Sacrament dailie to oure meate of health some greuouse offence coming betwene while we being excoÌmunicated and not receauing be forbidden from the heauenlie bread maie be separated from the bodie of Chryste he himself openly saing and teaching I am the bread of life whiche descended from heauen Whosoeuer shal eate of this bread shall liue for euer The bread which I will geue ys my flesh for the life of the worlde Thus moch S. CypriaÌ In this sentence I doubte not but ye perceaue that this holy Martyr applieth the sentences of the sixt of S. Iohn to the SacrameÌt of Chrystes bodie and blood According to whiche vnderstanding he calleth Chryst our bread S. Cyprian aplieth the sixt of S. Iohn to the Sacrament whom he so calleth not onelie bicause of his Godhead but also bicause he feadeth vs in the Sacrament with his bodie For saieth he we being in Chryste do receaue the Sacrament dailie to the meate of health But yf by sinne we forbeare to receaue the heauenlie bread we be separated from the bodie of Chryste Wherby we maie perceaue that not onelie the sixt of S. Iohn ys to be vnderstanded of the Sacrament But also when S. Cyprian calleth the Sacrament the meat of health the heauenly bread and the bodie we are taught that in the SacrameÌt ys the verie presence of that bodie to the which proprelie these goodlie titles maie be wourthilie applied Whiche bodie can be none other but the bodie of Chryst God an man But forasmoch as the faith of this famouse Father and holie Martyr Cyprian in this poinct hath ben notablie and manifestlie declared in sentences before alleaged in the first booke and more herafter shall be spoken I will not nowe trooble the reader with any longer declaracion of the same but will ioin with Cyprian one of the other side of Chrystes Parliament house euen Euthymius a grecian whose sentence Reader yt shall
Deo defertur oratione petitur pro populo pro regibus pro caeteris Vbi venitur vt coÌsiciatur venerabile SacrameÌtuÌ iaÌ non suis sermonibus vtitur sacerdos sed vtitur sermonibus Christi Ergo sermo Christi hoc conficit Sacramentum Let vs then teache this How CoÌsecracioÌ how yt ys doen caÌ that that ys bread be the bodie of Chryste By consecracioÌ By what aÌd whose woordes ys the consecracion Of our Lord Iesus For all the other things that be saied laude ys geueÌ to God peticioÌ ys made in praier for the people for kinges and other WheÌ the time ys comed that the honorable Sacrament shall be made then the preist vseth not his owne woordes but the woordes of Chryste Therfor Yt ys the woorde of Christe that maketh this Sacrament A plain place of S. Amb. for master Iuell Thus moche S. Ambrose whose woords are so plain that I nede not by notes vnto yow declare the same aÌd his testimonie so coÌsonaunt and agreable with the Fathers before alleaged for this matter her haÌdled that ye maie euideÌtlie perceaue howe one trueth and the self same doctrine hath beÌ coÌstantly taught in the diuerse ages in the whiche these Fathers liued And to ascend a litle higher and nearer to the Apostles time we will for the full declaracion of this treuth and doctrine allready auouched heare Eusebius Emis in homil pasch Christ doth consecrate his own bodie by turning the substance of bread c. the testimonie of Eusebius Emissenus an auncient Father in Chrystes church who saieth thus Inuisibilis sacerdos visibiles creaturas in substantiam corporis sanguinis verbo suo secreta potestate conuertit The inuisible preist with his woord by a secret power turneth the visible creatures into the substance of his bodie and bloode Thus Eusebius Whome heare yowe here tomake the bodie of Chryste dothe not the inuisible preist which ys our Sauiour Iesus Chryste and not the preist who ys but the ministre as the Auersaries maliciouslie blaspheme But leauing to thee gentle reader to weigh and consider what maner of people they are that haue feigned soche abhominable vntrueths as to saie to deceaue with all that the preist made God and to iudge what credite aught to be geuen to soche as with lies slaunders and blashemies go aboute to maintein their detestable heresies I will ioin one more of like auncientie to this Eusebius and then I trust this maie satisfie thee in this matter And this shall be Cyprian that holie martir who speaking of euell receauers Cypr. decoena Dom. saieth thus Melius erat illis mola asinaria collo alligata mergi in pelagus quà m illota conscientia de manu Domini accipere qui vsque hodie hoc veracissimuÌ sanctissimuÌ corpus suuÌ creat sanctificat et benedicit piè sumentibus diuidit Yt were better for theÌ a milstone tied to their neckes to be drowned Christ doth create sanctisie and blesse his own bodie a plain saig of S. Cyp. in the sea then with an vnwasshed conscieÌce to take the morsell at the haÌde of our Lorde who vntill this daie doth create and sanctifie and blesse and to the godlie receauers diuide this his most true and most holie bodie Thus Cipr. Do ye not see and learn by this holy martir who doth make the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament Oure Lord saieth he dothe euen till this tune create sanctifie and blesse this his most holie bodie Note also against these signe makers and figure feigners that he saieth not he createth a bodie But his bodie Corpus suum and not an imaginatiue bodie but veracissimuÌ sanctissimuÌ corpus suuÌ his most true aÌd most holie bodie And he did not onelie so do in his last supper as the PetrobrusiaÌs saied sed vsque hodie creat vntil this daie he dothe create sanctisie and blesse this his most true and most holie bodie Wherbie ys taught that Chryste and none other dothe coÌtinuallie create in that holie ministracioÌ aÌd make his bodie Nowe ye haue heard froÌ the latter daies vntill the time of this holie martir CipriaÌ and Eusebius before alleaged who were nere to the primitiue churche what hath beÌ taught as coÌcerning this matter in diuerse ages and that Supra li. 1. cap. 31. aswell in the Greke Church as in the Latin Churche whiche ys that Chryste himself doth woorke this wonderfull worke of consecracion to make present in this blessed sacrament his verie bodie and bloode and not the preist who as Chrysostom hath taught speaketh the woordes but the power and grace of God dothe consecrate the thinges Wherfore Reader take hede of this wicked sorte of people who as ye maie perceaue haue not onelie for the setting furthe of their wicked heresies wickedlie slaundered the wholle Churche and the holie ministerie of the same But also most impudeÌtlie haue spoken the contrarie of that that the famouse learned holie Fathers haue taught What trueth maie be thought to be in theÌ in other matters by this ye maie coniecture But nowe leauing this matter as sufficientlie declared and proued against them I will resume my entended pourpose to expownde the sixt of saincte Iohn wherof ye haue heard one texte and the testimonie of diuerse Fathers auouching the same to be vnderstanded of the blessed Sacrament and of the reall presence of Chrystes bodie in the same Nowe will I proceade to other textes in the same chapiter touching this matter THE NINTH CHAPITER EXPOVNDETH THE next text that foloweth in sainct Iohn THe next text folowing in the sixt chapiter of saincte Iohn ys this Litigabant ergo Iudaei adinuicem dicentes Quomodò potest hic nobis carnem suam dare ad manducandum The Iewes stroue emong them Ioan. 6. selues sainge How can this felowe geue vs his flesh to eate The Iewes vnto whom as saincte Paule saieth vsque in hodiernum diem cùm legitur Moyses velamen positum est super cor eorum Vntill this daie when 2. Cor. 3. Moyses ys red the veill ys putt vpon their heartes their vnderstandinges being carnall and couered with so grosse a veill that they coulde not perceaue the spirituall talke of Chryste they stroue together and asked howe he coulde geue them his flesh to eate They lacked the right principle of the vnderstanding of his matter whiche ys faith Esay 7. For Nisi credideritis non intelligetis Vnlesse ye beleue ye shall not vnderstaud They did not vnderstand yt bicause they did not beleue yt No more shall they vnderstande vntill they turne vnto God by true beleif as saincte Paule saieth Cùm autem conuersi fuerint ad Dominum auferetnr velameÌ de corde eoruÌ Neuerthelesse when they turne to our Lord the veile shall be taken awaie froÌ their hearte And then shall they not vse this woorde of incredulitie and doubtfullnesse whiche neuer passith from man but in the wante of faithe as saieth Chrysostom
Neither do we nowe offer one lambe and to morowe an other but allwais euen the self same Therfore ys this one sacrifice by this reason Otherwise for that The sacrifice offred in manie places ys but one Chryst yt ys offred in manie places ther be manie Chrystes Not so But ther ys one Chryste euery wher bothe here being full and ther full euen one bodie And as he that ys euery wher offred ys one bodie and not manie bodies Euen so also ys the sacrifice one Weigh well this testimonie of Chrysostom gentle Reader and first this that he saieth That the sacrifice of Christes bodie ys but one For otherwise bycause yt ys offred in manie places ther shoulde be manie Christes In whiche woordes howe plainlie dothe he saie that Chryste ys offered in manie places and yet not manie Chrystes but one Chryste This Father teacheth not like a naturall Philosopher but like a diuine Philosopher a louer of the wisdom of Chrystes faith according to the whiche and contrarie to Philosophie he confesseth Chrystes bodie to be in manie places at once and that with reuerence and not with doubtfull admiracion and exclamacion as this Proclamer doth to be in a thousand places at once Althouh in his reuerent woordes ther ys as moche implied as the woordes folowing do well declare Whiche also good reader note For he saieth vbique offertur he ys euery wher offred and that ys more then in a thousand places And although this mans heresie hath fretted and eaten in manie places moche like a deadlie cankre yet I beleue Chryste ys not so forsaken but he ys yet offred in mo then a thousand places and shall be except our sinnes shall deserue that he be taken awaie from vs. As for that that he saieth that Chryste ys our sacrifice and therfore present I will leaue yt withoute note to be considered in a place more conuenient As before ye haue heard S. Basill and Chrysostom vttering almost all one and the same woordes of this matter So shall ye heare Saincte Ambrose speaking almost the same woordes that Chrysostome did So be these good Fathers linked together in one trueth that they oftentimes speake all one and the same woordes in one and the same matter Thus writeth saincte Ambrose Proinde vnum est hoc sacrificium Alioquin hac ratione quoniam Ambr. in 10. Heb. multis in locis offertur multi Christi sunt Nequà quam Sed vnus vbique est Christus hic plenus existens illic plenus vnum corpus Sicut enim qui vbique offertur vnum corpus est non multa corpora ita etiam vnum sacrificium Therfore this sacrisice ys Chryst offred euerie wher ys but one bodie and one sacrifice one or ells by this reason for that yt ys offred in manie places ther be manie Chrystes Not so but euerie wher one Chryst both here being full and ther full euen oneÌ bodie For euen as he that ys offred euerie wher ys one bodie and not manie bodies Euen so also ys the sacrifice one I will not trouble yow with noting sainct Ambrose woordes but what ys geuen yow to note vpon Chrysostom note the same euen here likewise and I will hast me to heare an other place of S. Ambrose wher he saieth thus Vidimus Principem sacerdotum ad nos venientem Vidimus audiuimus offerentem pro nobis sanguinem suum Sequamur vt possumus sacerdotes vt offeramus pro populo sacrificium Amb. in Psalm 38. etsi infirmi merito honorabiles tamen sacrificio quia etsi nunc Christus non videtur offerre tamen ipse offertur in terris quaÌdo Christi corpus offertur We haue seen the high preist coming to vs. We haue seen and heard him offring for vs his bloode Let vs priestes as we maie folowe that we maie offre sacrifice for the people although by merite we are weake yet are we by the sacrifice honorable For although Chryste ys not nowe seen to offrer Yet ys he offred in earth when the bodie of Chryste ys offered Leuing all other thinges that maie be here noted this ys not to be ouerpassed that saincte Ambrose saieth that Christe ys offred in earthe But when Chryst ys offred in earth wheÌ his bodie ys offred ys he offred When his bodie ys offred Wherbie yt ys manifest that as we maie confesse Chryste verilie to be in glorie So maie we also confesse that he ys verilie in earth for somoche as he ys ther offred in sacrifice And so being verilie both in heauen and earth that ys true that we trauaill here to proue But that that ys yet remaining to be saied in this matter will not suffer me to tarie to note and saie what might be noted and saied here For besides other thinges we haue yet to heare the goodly testimonie of S. Bernarde who so plainlie teacheth this matter and so godly that yt were pitie the reader shoulde be defrauded of the reading of so notable a sentence Thus he writeth Sed vnde hoc nobis pijssime Domine vt nos vermiculi reptantes super faciem terrae nos inquam qui puluis cinis sumus te praesentem habere mereamur Bernard sermone de coena Dom. prae manibus prae oculis qui totus integer sedes ad dextram Patris qui etiam vnius horae momento ab ortu solis vsque ad occasum ab Aquilone vsque ad Austrum praestò es omnibus vnus in multis idem in diuersis locis vnde hoc inquam Certè non ex debito neque ex merito nostro sed ex voluntate tua dulcedinis tuae beneplacito But howe happeneth this vnto vs O most mercifull Lorde that we litle woormes creping vpon the face of the earthe maie haue thee present before our handes before our eyes whiche all and wholle sittest at the right hand of the Father Which also in the minute of an howre from the East to the West from the North to the South Chryst being one ys at one time in manie places arte present to all Thowe being one arte in manie and being the self same arte in diuerse places from whence cometh this I saie Trulie not of anie duetie neither of our desert but of thy will and the pleasure of thy gentlenesse Thus saincte Bernard See ye not howe this holie Bernard not with woordes of skoffes and doubtfullnesse but with godlie simplicitie and reuerence confessing the veritie of Christes presence both at the right hand of God the Father and also in the Sacrament before our handes before our eyes and therof nothing doubting woundereth at the great goodnesse and mercie of our Sauiour Chryste howe he doth vouchsaif so moche to do for vs poour litle woormes creping vpon the earth Suche was the simplicitie of faith the humblenesse of minde in good Fathers that beleuing the thing they did agnise the great benefitt of God wher this Proclamer puffed vppe
their argumeÌtes whiche apparantlie confirmed their sainges Yt ys a verie treuth that Chryst ys both God and man and yet ther were that saied he was not God as Ebion and Cerynthus and ther were that saied he was no man as Eutyches and Dioscorus Yt ys a certen trueth that God the Sonne ys God coequall and consubstanciall to the Father yet Arius saied that he was a creature not equall to the Father in deitie power or maiestie Yt ys an infallible trueth that the holie Goste ys God yet Macedonius taught that he was a creature Yt ys a certen trueth that Chryste suffred death for vs yet ther were that saied that yt was Symon Cyrinensis of whome ther ys mencion made in the Gospell that he bare Chrystes crosse These and an innumerable sorte mo haue all apparant argumentes to make a cowntenance that their doctrines be true and do intermingle in August ho. All false doctrine hath some treuth admixed dede some trueth with their falshead as sainct Augustine saieth Nulla porrò doctriâa falsa quae non aliqua vera intermisceat Ther ys no false doctrine that dothe not intermingle some treuth therbie the better to vtter their heresie So of this matter of the presence of Chryste in heauen and in the Sacrament apparant argumentes be made by other Aduersaries to deceaue the people which well weighed and examined haue no force nor weight to proue that they intended As for this Aduersarie the Proclamer as yt ys saied made no argumente in his matter for that he wolde haue the people receaue but his onelie bare proclamacion wherfore to him the aunswere ys soen made But his great master Oecolampadius heapeth vppe in dede a great nombre of Scriptures by quotacion onely which he saieth he shall not nede to alleage Scriptures alleaged against the presence by Oecolamp at large bycause yt ys an article of our faithe that Chryste sitteth at the right hande of the Father Of the which scriptures I will alleadge some that the reader maie both knowe them and also perceaue that they be not against the doctrine of Chrystes Churche as touching the reall presence of Chrystes bodie and blood in the blessed Sacrament In saincte Iohn his gospell we finde written thus Iesus knowinge that this howre was comed that he shoulde go oute of this worlde to the Father c. And in an Joan. 13. other place thus A litle while saieth Chryste and ye shall not see me and a litle Ibid. 16. while and ye shall see me For I go to the Father And in the same place I went furth from the Father and came into the worlde again I leaue the worlde and go to the Father Jbid. Again in an other place And nowe I am not in the worlde and these be in the worlde and I come to thee And in the Actes of the Apostles This Iesus that ys taken from Act. 1. yow into heauen shall so come as ye haue seen him going into heauen These and all other like scriptures that teache vs of Chrystes going to his Father of his exaltacion aboue all poures and soche other we reuerence theÌ Phil. 2. we accept them we beleue them we embrace them For they teache vs that which we doo confesse that Chryste ys God that he ys ascended Arsicle of the Ascension impugneth not Chrystes presence in the Sacr. that he ys in glorie But when we confesse this and beleue this doth this take awaie this treuth that Chryste ys verilie present in the Sacrament No in deed For that standeth still as an vntouched truthe neither impugning the other neither impugned of the other And therfore we consesse both to be true For he that saied Vado ad Patrem I go to the Father saied also Hoc est corpus meum Hoc facite This ys my bodie This do ye Wherbie he bothe consecrated his bodie for as Chrysostome saieth Qui enim dixit Chrystome 51. in Mat. I loc est corpus meum rem simul cum verbo confecit He that saied This ys my bodie made the thing together with the woord and also gaue authoritie to his preistes to do the like Whiche thing Luther denieth not Then forasmoche as Chryste willed that this mysterie shall be continued frequented and vsed vntill his comminge in the whiche mysterie by his power ys his bodie we maie not thinke anie contrarietie or repugnaunce in his woordes but beleue that as he ys the verie truthe So ys yt all treu that he hath spoken And as he ys allmightie So ys he able to performe and make good that he hath saied And therfore aught we to beleue both that he ys in heaueÌ and also in the Sacrament forasmoch as by his woorde we learn his presence in bothe Yf this our Sauiour Chryste wher naturall knowledge saieth Omne graue ExaÌples of manie thin ges doen by our Sauiour Chryst aboue and contrarie to nature appetit deorsum euerie heauie thinge ys inclined downward coulde yet by his power make the earthlie bodie of Peter whiche was a mere naturall bodie and therfore heauie contrarie to his nature to walke vpon the sea and when yt pleased him to leaue him to his nature to suffer him to sinke and beginne to drowne can not he at his owne pleasure make that blessed bodie of his which ys so excellentlie conceaued and born and therwith vnited to the Godhead in vnitie of person that although yt be a naturall bodie yet yt doth surmounte and ys aboue all nature and naturall bodies can not he I saie at his pleasure demise lett downe or abase that his bodie to the state and condicion of a verie naturall bodie and again at his pleasure exalte and magnifie the same aboue the state of a naturall bodie He did fast fortie daies and fortie nightes and eate no meat whiche Matt. 4. was aboue naturall ordre In the ende of that fast he was hungrie and Jbid. 17. therin he subiected him self to naturall ordre He was transfigured in the Mounte where as yt pleased him he shewed Ioan. 4. his power and made his face to shine as bright as the Sunne and his garmentes white as snowe whiche was aboue the state of a bare naturall man An other time he was wearie of his iourneie whiche was agreable to the nature of man The Iewes came to apprehend him and with the voice of his mouthe Jbid. 18. Jbid. 19. Mat. 27. he threw them all to the grownde Again he abased him self and suffred him self not onelie to be taken of them whom he had so easilie ouer throweÌ but also to be buffited and to be scourged and finallie to be crucified What shall I stand in the rehersall of these thinges whiche be so plentifull in the Gospell Therfore to conclude I will saie with Cyrille we maie not thinke of the bodie of Chryste as of the bodie of a bare naturall man but we must thinke of that bodie as of
and allmesses be not desiled with the contagion of erroure For then ys bothe the oblacion of the sacrifice clean and the geuing of almesse holie when they that doo these thinges vnderstand what they doe For when our Lord saieth Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drink hys bloode ye shall haue no lyfe in yowe Ye shoulde so communicate of the holie table that ye shoulde nothing at all doubte of the veritie of the bodie and bloode of Chryst For that ys taken and receaued by mouthe which ys beleued in faithe And in vain ys Amen aunswered of them of whom against that that ys receaued The mouthe receaueth that faith beleueth argument ys made Thus moch Leo. Who as ye maie perceaue so certenlie tooke this texte to be vnderstanded of the Sacrament and of the verie presence of Chrystes bodie in the same that he vseth yt for an authoritie to prooue the same and saieth that for asmoche as our Lord did saie yt we shoulde nothing at all doubte of the veritie of Chrystes bodie and bloode Wherby this also maie be gathered that he vsing this as an authoritie against heretiques did vse yt as a scripture receaued and so vnderstaÌded throughout all the catholique Church which I saie he vsed against heretikes not against them in the matter of the Sacrament for ther were no soche in those times but against Eutyches and hys disciples whiche most pestileÌtlie taught that the nature of man which the Sonne of God did take of the virgen was turned Eutiches his heresie into that nature of God And so destroyed the coÌiunctioÌ of the two natures in that one persoÌ of Chryst Against the which heresie this holie maÌ brought this sentence of scripture as a sentence receaued of all men for the veritie of Chrystes flesh in the Sacrament therwith to prooue that forasmoche as the verie flesh of the manhead of Chryste was in the Sacrament Chryste had still the verie nature of man in him Thus ye maie perceaue that the truthe of this matter of the Sacrament that ys to saie that Chrystes verie bodie and blood be reallie in the Sacrament Reall presence so certenlie beleued that auÌcieÌt fathers vsed yt for authoritie in coÌfuting of heresies was in those daies so clear withoute doubte and controuersie so substanciallie beleued that yt was reputed esteemed and accompted an authoritie sufficient to confute the heresie of Eutyches and to defende and maintein the true catholique faithe that in Chryste was both the natures of God and man Now yf the verie flesh and blood of Chryst were not trulie verilie and reallie in the Sacrament the matter of the Sacrament coulde proue nothing against this heresie but raither make with yt But forsomoche as ther ys the verie flesh of Chryste yt proueth very well that the verie nature of man ys in Chryst directlie against the heresie of Eutyches This alone in my opinion might suffice to reduce men from erroure considering that thys was a trueth thus receaued a thousand yeares agon in the whiche time we be well assured that the Church was withoute errour in this matter and men so zelouse in the trueth of the catholike faith that an heresie did not so soone appeare and shewe yt self but yt was furthwith impugned as to the learned yt ys well knowen But this matter of the Sacrament was neuer yet impugned of anie catholique writer that hath liued since Chryst as the learned also do knowe wherfore yt ought to be taken as an vndoubted trueth But omitting to make any further prooff herof by thys authour I will according to my ordre prescribed ioin vnto him Euthymius a greke authour who in hys exposition of this texte geueth vs thus to vnderstand yt saing Nisi comederetis carnem filii hominis biberitis eius sanguinem non habebitis Euth in 6. Joan. vitam in vobis Illi quidem hoc impossibile iudicabant ipse verò omnino possibile ostendit neque id tantùm sed necessarium quod etiam fecit ad Nicodemum Addit autem de sanguine significans de pane ac poculo quae vt dictum est daturus erat Discipulis in vltima coena Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke hys blood ye shall not haue life in yowe They meening the Iewes thought this vnpossible but he meening Chryste declared yt alltogether to be possible and not that onelie but also necessarie Whiche thing he also did to Nicodemus He speaketh also of hys blood signifieng that he speaketh of the bread and the cuppe whiche he wolde geue as yt ys saied to his Disciples in his last supper Thus Euthymius I haue thought good in this exposition first to note to yow that thys authour notwithstanding the wicked wresting of the Aduersarie vnderstandeth thys scripture with the other holie Fathers of the Sacrament For by plain woordes he saieth that our Sauiour speaketh here of the bread and cuppe that he wolde geue in the last supper And signifieng that he forgatt not what he had saied in the same matter before referreth himself to that that he had before saied saing Sicut dictum est as yt ys allreadie saied For before he saied that Chryst ys called bread two waies that ys after hys deitie and after hys humanitie Therfore after he had spoken of the Chryst called bread two waies bread whiche ys hys deitic nowe in thys place he speaketh of the bread whiche ys hys humanitie of the whiche bread he saied not whiche I do geue yowe but I will geue yowe for he wolde geue yt in his last supper but when when he tooke the bread and after thankes geuen brake yt and gaue yt to his Disciples saing Take eat This ys my bodie And therfor yt ys withoute al scruple or doubte that seing Chryst speaketh here of the bread and cuppe that he wolde geue in his last Supper therfore these woordes be spoken of the Sacrament Neither maie the Aduersarie here cauille vpon these woordes bread and wine that this authour doth meen that in the Sacrament ys nothing but bread and wine as figurs of the bodie and blood of Chryst For so farre wide was this from his meening that he plainlie denieth the substance of the Sacrament to be a figure signe or token of the bodie and blood of Chryst but the verie bodie and blood of Chryst as shall better and more at large appeare by this same authours exposition vpon the xxvi of Matthew in the lviii chap. of this booke Euthimius denieth that which the Sacramentaries affirme aÌd affirmeth that they de nie So then thys ys first certen that this sixt chapiter of S. Iohn ys by this authour vnderstanded of the Sacrament which ys one thing that ys denied by the Aduersaries So likewise this authour denieng the substance of the Sacrament to be a figure or signe of the bodie and blood of Chryst but the verie reall and substanciall bodie and
in Chrysostome and Theophilact Wherfor comminge to them remembre this and conferr theÌ to gether and thowe shalt finde good matter and agreable to the trueth of this assercion THE ONE AND TVENTETH CHAPITER CONTInueth the same exposition by Chrysostome and Lira WHeras ye haue hitherto hearde the senteÌces of the Fathers and auncientes of the higher house vpon this text nowe in hande Herafter for the better declaracion of the consonaÌt doctrine of this trueth in all times and for the more confusion of the Aduersaries who so maliciously haue depraued the writers of the later time I will as before ys promised ioin to some of the elder sort some of the yoÌger Of the whiche the first coople shall be Chrysostome and Lira the one a grecian Homil. 40. in Joan. Chryst in the sixt of S. John spake not para bolicallie or obscurelie and of the higher house the other a latin and of the lower howse as ye haue heard Chrysostome vpon this text saieth thus Quid autem signat Caro mea verè est cibus sanguis meus verè est potus Aut quòd is est verus cibus qui saluat animam aut vt eos in praedictis confirmet ne obscurè locutum in parabolis arbitrarentur What meneth this sainge My flesh ys verilie meat and my bloode ys verilie drinke Either that this ys the true meat that saueth the soule or ells that he might confirme them least they shoulde thinke that he had spoken obscurelie in parables Wher note that Chrysostome saieth that Chryst did speake these woordes in plain speache and not darkelie in paraboles Whiche saing wonderfully confuteth the Aduersaries For yf Chryst did not speake parabolicallie then he ment that the woordes shoulde signifie no other thing then in their propre significacion they do signifie and then must yt nedes be that Chryst spake here of his very flesh and of his very blood with oute all obscuritie or darke maner of speache by figures tropes similitudes or paraboles whiche the Aduersaries wolde here ensparse My flesh is meate in dede and my blood is drinke in dede ys no obscure speache nor no figuratiue speache saieth Chrisostome let the Aduersaries then wrest and wring and peruert the scriptures as they list I will creditt holy Chrysostom and the churche that he liued in before anie of the Aduersaries and their malignaÌt church whiche they liue A a plain saing of Chrysost for M. Iuel in Yf the Proclamer will not saie that this ys a plain saing when ther ys no parbole in yt I knowe not what he will saie ys plain these woordes being of them selues so plain Nowe whether the exposition of Lira who was of the latin Churche and of the later daies be consonant and agreable to Chrysostome or not let vs heare vpon the same text he saieth Hic ostenditur buius Sacramenti veritas Christus enim frequeÌter parabolicè Discipulis loquebatur Et ideo ne crederent quòd caro eius cotinere Lira in 6. Ioann tur in hoc sacramento Eucharistiae tantummodò sicut in signo ideo hoc remouet dicens Caromea uerè est cibus quia hic sumitur realiter non figuratiuè Et eodem modo est de sanguine sub specie vini ideo subdit Et sanguis meus verè est potus Dicitur ctiam caro Christi verè cibus sanguis eius verè potus quia reficiunt animam quae est immortalis Cibus autem corporalis tantùm reficit corpus quod est corruptibile Here ys shewed saieth Lira the veritie of this Sacrament For Chryst oftentimes did speake to his disciples parabolicallie And therfor leest they shoulde beleue that this flesh were conteined in this Sacrament onely as in a figure he remoueth that saing my flesh ys verily meat For yt ys here receaued really and not The flesh of Chryst in the Saeaten reallie not figurat figuratiuely And after the same maner ys yt of the bloode vnder the forme of wine The flesh of Chryst ys also called meat in dede and his bloode drink in dede bicause they refresh the soule whiche ys immortall But corporall meat refresheth onelie the bodie whiche ys corruptible Thus he Remembre Reader the exposition of Chrysostome wherin he saied two thinges The one that Chryst saieth that his flesh ys verily meat bicause yt faueth the soule The other that Chryste so saied bicause he wolde confirme them in the forsaied thinges that he did not speake in paraboles And nowe conferr this authour to him and see yf he speake anie other thing but euen the same two thinges that Chrysostom did For wher Chrysostome saieth that yt ys the true meat that saueth the soule This authour saieth that the bodie of Chryst ys called verily meate and his bloode verily drink bicause they refresh the soule whiche ys immortall Chrysostome saieth that Chryst wolde shewe him self not to speake nowe in paraboles This authour more at large saieth that bicause Chryst did ofteÌ speake parabolicallie leaste they shoulde thinke or beleue that his flesh were conteined in the Sacrament as in a signe onlie therfor he remoueth that saing that this flesh ys verily meat bicause yt ys receaued really and not figuratiuely Thus ye see agreement betwen these authours and one trueth spoken here amost by one maner of woordes of him that did write aboue a thousande yeares agone and of him that did write not fullie three hoÌdreth years agon Wherby ye maie perceaue that the same doctrine hathe ben continued and taught in these latter years by writers of late time whiche was receaued and taught in the churche in auncient time as touching thexposition of this scripture we haue in hande THE TVO AND TVENTETH CHAP. CONTInueth yet thexposition of the same text by S. Cyrill and Dionise AS in the chapter last before ye hearde one coople farre distant in time of ther lifes but consonant in sownde of their faithe So shall ye in this chapter heare an other coople the one very auncient the other of later time likewise agreablie declaring their faith and opening the right sense of our text nowe yet in hande This coople shall be Cyrill and Dionise the Carthusian the one of the greke churche the other of the latin churche as they before alleadged were S. Cyrill saieth thus Vmbram figuram nosti Disce ipsam rei veritatem Caro enim mea inquit verè est cibus sanguis meus verè est potus Rursus distinguit inter Li. 4. ca. 16. in JoaÌ mysticam benedictionem Manna aquarum fluenta ex lapide calicis sancti communicationem ne magis Mannae miraculuÌ admirentur sed ipsum potius suscipiant qui caelestis panis est aeternae vitae largitor Mannae namque alimentum non aeternam vitam sed breue famis remedium attulit Non erat ergo ille verus cibus SanctuÌ verò Christi corpus ad immortalitatem vitam aeternam nutriens
cibus est Aqua etiam illa è petra ad momentum sitim corporalem leuabat nec quicquam adferebat pretereà Non erat ergo potus ille verus sed verus potus est sanguis Christi quo radicitus mors euertitur destruitur Non enim hominis simpliciter sanguis est sed eius qui naturali vitae coniunctus vita effectus est Hauest thowe knowen the shadowe and the figure Learn the verie trueth of the thing My flesh saieth he ys meat in dede and my bloode ys drinke in dede He doth again make a distinction betwixt the misticall benediction and Manna the streames of waters oute of the rocke and the partaking of the holy cuppe leaste they shoulde more esteem the miracle of Manna but Figures of the olde Lawe and veritie of the newe be as the shadow aÌd the thing shadowed raither shoulde receaue him the whiche ys the heauenly bread and the geuer of eternall life For the foode Manna did not bringe eternall life but a short remedie of hungar but the holie boodie of Chryste ys a meat nourishinge to immortalitie and eternall life That water also oute of the stone did for a litle while ease the bodilie thrist but the trae drinke ys the bloode of Iesus Chryst by the whiche death ys turned vppe by the rootes and destroied Yt ys not the blood of a bare man but of him who beinge conioined to the naturall life ys made life Thus farre sainct Cyrill Do ye not perceaue in these woordes that he speaketh as moch and the very same in sense though not in woordes that Chrysostom did He had treacted before of the paschall lambe and therby moued the Iewes to consider the Shadowes of Moyses lawe wherby being instructed they shoulde be the readier to vnderstande these misteries of the newe testament and therfor saieth Hauest thowe knowen the figure learn also the very trueth of the thing what ys that My flesh ys meat in dede and my bloode ys drinke in dede Marke then Reader the figures were the Paschall lambe Manna and the water flowing oute of the stone The veritie saieth he that these figures did prefigurate ys that trueth that Chryst vttered saing My flesh ys meat in dede Yf this be the veritie then yt ys not a figure yf yt be no figure then Chryst speaking yt spake neither parabole nor figure as the last coople hath also taught And in this ye perceaue again the confutacion of the Aduersaries that this ys spokeÌ of Chrystes very flesh in the SacrameÌt and that yt ys no figuratiue speache as they wolde feign yt to be but a speache teaching the thinge to be reallie and verilie present But that I be not to tediouse in tarieng to long vpoÌ euery authour I will saie no more of this mans testimonie at this present both for the cause alleged and also that through all the sixt chapiter of saincte Iohn and allmost through all the gospell of saincte Iohn he ys not onely plentifull inmaking mencion of this matter but also as plain as he ys plentifull And that knowe the aduersaries right well Therfor we will heare what Dionise who ys ioined to him doth saie Thus I teade ther Caro mea verè est cibus sanguis meus verè est potus Hoc ait Saluator ne putaretur parabolicè loqui Dionys Carthus in Ioan. 6. solito more ita quòd carnem suam diceret panem quia significaretur per panem esset sub forma panis solùm sicut in signo vel propter aliquam proprietatem cum pane cibus diceretur quomodò dicit Apostolus Petra erat Christus quoniam figurauit Christum Et Esaias Verè foenum est populus propter conuenientiam quandam Et infrà ait de seipso Saluator Ego sum vitis vera Ad insinuandum ergo quòd caro sua sit verè substantialiter sub specie panis veraciterîue sumatur à communicante Sanguis quoque ipsius verè sub specie vini contineatur recipiatur adiecit Caro mea id est corpus sumitur enim nunc earo non prout ossa excludit pro toto corpore neruos venas ossa habente verè est cibus animae non corporis quia non visibiliter nec corporaliter sumitur quamuis verum corpus sumatur My flesh ys verily meat and my blood ys verilie drinke Thus saied our Sauiour leest he shoulde be thought after his customable maner to speake parabolicallie so that he shoulde call his flesh bread bicause yt shoulde be signified by the bread and shoulde be vnder the forme of bread onelie as in a signe Or that yt should be called meat for some propretie that yt hath with bread Euen as the Apostle doth saie The stone was Chryst bicause yt figured Chryst And Esaie Truly the people The verie flesh of Chryst vnder the forme of bread and his verie blood vnder the forme of vine ys grasse for a certain agrement to the same And in the gospell our Sauiour saieth of him self I am the true vine To insinuate therfor vnto vs that his flesh ys verilie and substaÌciallie vnder the forme of bread and that yt ys truly receaued of the coÌmunicant and his bloode also ys conteined in dede vnder the forme of wine and ys receaued he added My flesh that ys to saie my bodie For flesh ys nowe here taken not as yt doth exclude the bones but for the wholl dodie hauing sinewes vaines and bones ys verilie meat of the soule not of the bodie For yt ys not taken or receaued visiblie nor corporallie although the verie bodie be receiued Thus moche Dionise Although I nede not here to note anie thing wher euery senteÌce and peice of the same ys so plainly laied furth to our vnderstanding yet I haue thought yt good not to ouerpasse to aduertise thee reader that this authour though he speake thus plain yet he dissenteth not froÌ the auncieÌtes before alleaged namelie Chrysostom and Cyrill For as they saied that this saing of Chryst ys no parable nor figure nor darke speache but conteining the veritie and the very thing in deed that by figurs was perfigurated So this authour drawing by the same line saieth that wher Chryst was accustomed to speake parabolicallie yet to geue vs to vnderstand that yt was neither figure nor parabole that he spake of here but that yt was his flesh verilie and substanciallie that ys vnder the forme of bread and his bloode in verie dede that ys vnder the forme of wine He saied my flesh whiche ys here taken for the wholl bodie this wholl bodie ys verilie meate Secondarely where some of them saied yt was verie meat bicause yt saued the soule Some other saied yt was the meat of the soule bicause yt brought to the soule immortalitie and euerlasting life so this Authour also saieth that yt ys the meate of the soule not of the bodie Thus in these pointes ye see no dissencion betwixt the Authours
of auncient time and the Authours of the later time Yf ye obiecte that Chrysostome did vse no soche woordes as this Authour dothe For Chrysostome though he saied that yt was the very meat that saued the soule yet he did not saie that this very meat was vnder the formes of bread and wine as this man doeth Ys this trowe yow abhorring from the sainges of the auncient Fathers though Chrysostom dothe not here speake yt by expresse woordes as this Authour doth Dothe not Chrysostome saie that this ys no parabolicall speache wherby what dothe he ells insinuate but that ther ys the thing euen as yt ys spoken of Chryst whiche ys the verie flesh the very meat of the faithfull Yf this flesh be verilie ther as most certenly yt ys and we do see but the forme of bread then yt ys ther vnder the forme of bread But to declare vnto yow that this maner ofspeache and wordes ys not of late vsage or of late or newe inuencion harke what sainct Augustin saieth Caro eius est quam forma panis opertam in Sacramento accipimus sanguis Lib. sente Prosp A plain place for M. Juell eius est quem sub vini specie sapore potamus Yt ys the flesh of him whiche we receaue couered in the Sacrament vnder forme of bread And yt ys the blood of him whiche we drinke vnder the forme and taste of wine Do ye not heare in these woordes of Saint Augustine the same forme of woordes vsed by Dionise Do ye not heare the forme of bread and Formes of bread and wine a speache knowen to S. Augu. wine Do ye not heare that Chrystes flesh ys vnder the one and his bloode vnder the other Why then do ye sticke still in the mire Why do ye not frame your selues to be obedient to the faith of Crystes Churche Or do ye thinke that ye alone haue the true faithe whiche the Churche had not in the time of sainct Augustine Why do ye perseuere deceauing the simple and vnlearned feading them with lies in stead of trueth with heresie in stead of faith and with Scisme in stead of vnitie of Gods religion Saie not nowe as yt hath ben your common slaunder that these late writers were full of corrupte doctrine For ye see yet that they teache no other doctrine in this matter then the auncient Fathers did And yet in this saing of sainct Augustine ther ys one thing wourthie of note that wher the Aduersaries trauailed to impugne this doctrine of Chrystes being in the Sacrament vnder the formes of bread and wine by the alteracion or chaunge of the significacion of this woorde species Species and forma vsed both in one significacioÌ saing that the woorde doth signifie the nature or kinde of a thinge and not the outwaade forme Let them here weigh well and consider saincte Augustines maner of speache who taketh here this woorde species applied to the wine in the same significacion that he taketh forma applied to the bread But this woorde forma ys taken for the outwarde forme wherfor this woorde species must nedes be so likewise And here also I wolde wish the vnlearned that haue erred in this matter that they wolde be aduertised by this good Father and learned man Dionise that they will not abuse these sentences of the scripture Petra erat Christus verè foenum est populus The stone was Chryste and Truly the people ys grasse to the maintenaunce of their errour that bycause these be spoken figuratiuelie therfor this also Caro verè est cibus My flesh ys meate in verie dede Ys spoken figuratiuelie For yf ye will so then might ye make these sentences Tu es Christus filius Dei viui Thowe arte Chryst the Sonne of the liuing God Et verè filius Dei erat iste And trulie this man was the Sonne of God ye might I saie make these sentences figuratiue speaches and so consequentlie subuert the sense of holie scripture and all our faith Therfor vnderstand by this Authour that they be figuratiue speaches or speaches so vsed for some agreablenesse of the thinges compared together and do not ouertwartly turn that to impugne the trueth that ys brought in example for the declaracion of the trueth as I hearde a Reader do in Cambridge who being willing to please the worlde he liued in began to impugne the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament and the Masse Schoole argumentes made for the opening of trueth produced of a Protestant to coÌfirme a false doctrine And to make his matter good in apparaunce he induced manie argumentes and delighted him self very moche in them as by whiche his matter was moche confirmed and strengthed as he thought In the hearing of the argumentes methought they were soche as I had readde wherfor the lecture being ended I repared to my studie and supposing I had readde theÌ in Dunce I tooke him in hande and turned and fownde them Whiche as Dunce had moued against the truthe to be solued for the better declaracion and opening of the trueth So did this man bring them in against the truth to confirme his false doctrine So that soche argument as Dunce framed for an argument of impugnacion this reader vsed yt as an argument of confirmacion And so I feare verilie that manie seke good Authours and what they finde in them to impugn falsheade with that do they defende and fortifie the same Wherfor reader do not the like here that what this Authour bringeth in for a better and further declaracion of the trueth thowe take yt to impugne the trueth I thought yt good also not to omitte that this Authour saieth that we receaue in the Sacrament the very reall and wholl bodie of Chryst with veines sinnewes and bones for that I haue hearde some of the Iewish Capharnaites aske what do we receaue Chrystes bodie bones and all Howe can yt come wholl in to my mouthe Ah thow man of litle faith why doest thowe doubte bicause thowe imaginest with the Capharnaites no other presence but after the grosse corporall The presence of Christes bodie in the Sac. no more impossible theÌ many other his workes which some as impossible to naturall knowledge maner But thowe errest fowllie He ys ther spirituallie and yet verilie and really and no more to be thought impossiblie to thee than that that bodie was born of a virgen then that yt walked vpon the sea then that yt was transfigurated on the mount then that yt rose from death life then that yt passed oute of the graue the monument being still fast shett and close then that yt entred into the Apostles the doores being shett then that yt ascended into heauen all whiche factes yf thowe measure by naturall knowledge they will seme as vnpossible as the other For naturall knowledge wondereth and saieth howe coulde the bodie of Chryst being a perfect bodie Hauing flesh and bones passe oute of the sepulchre the sepulchre not being opened
comedit carnem bibit sanguinem meum in me manet ego in eo Owre Lorde being born ys laied in the maunger that yt shoulde be signified that the holie beastes whiche long vnder the lawe were fownde fasting shoulde be filled withe the heie of his incarnacion Being borne he filled the maunger who gaue him self meat to the mindes of the mortall sainge He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloode dwelleth in me and I in him Thus S. Gregorie In this sentence ye heare that Chryst gaue himself meat to mortall men and that according to our text he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloode c. Whiche text as ye haue hearde of other fathers before alleaged ys to be vnderstanded of the eating of Chrystes flesh in the Sacrament But yf the Aduersarie reclame and saie that S. Gregory saieth Chryst gaue Obiection oute of S. Gregorie aunswered himself meat to the mindes of the faitfull and that therfor he meneth not of anie corporall receipt for the minde taketh none soche Therto I saie that trueth yt ys that sainct Gregorie saieth that Chryst geueth himself meate to the mindes of the mortall but I praie you howe take ye the minde here do ye not take yt for the soule and do not all the holie writers saie that the flesh of Chryst in the SacraeÌmt ys the meate of the soule dothe not Chrysostom saie that yt ys verus cibus qui saluat animam Yt ys the very meat in dede that saueth the soule Why then what do ye winne by this that ye saie yt ys the meat of the soule seing that the holie Fathers haue so plainly testified that the very substanciall bodie of Chryst being in very dede receaued in the blessed Sacrament ys the meat of the soule What then doth S. Gregorie helpe your cause seing he saieth none otherwise then they which haue ouerthrowen your cause And that yow shall perceaue that he agreeth with the rest acknowledging two maner of receiptes of Chrystes bodie and blood as they doo ye shall heare him open himself Quid namque sit sanguis agni non iam audiendo sed bibendo Greg. in Homil Pasch dedicistis qui super vtrumque postem ponitur quando non solùm ore corporis sed etiam ore cordis hauritur For what the bloode of the lambe ys ye haue not onely learned by hearing but also in drinking Which blood ys putt on bothe the postes when yt ys not onely dronken with the mouth of the bodie but also with the mouth of the heart Se ye not here S. Gregorie when he saieth the bloode of the lambe ys Chrystes blood drok with mouth of bodie and mouth of heart dronke both with the mouth of the bodie and with the mouth of the heart Doth he not plainlie distincte and disseuer these two receiptes as the receipt of the bloode of the lambe with the mouth of the bodie to be the corparall receipt and with the mouthe of the heart to be the spirituall receipt which although they be distincted receiptes yet he wished them in this homelie to be ioined together for then we shall be sure to haue the blood vpon both our postes to our more sauegarde against the destroier Yt maie be but vpon one poste for as he saieth not moche after Qui sic Redemptoris sui sanguinem sumit vt imitari passionem eius necdum velit in vno poste sanguinem posuit He that doth so receaue the blood of his Redemer that as yet he will not folowe his passion he hath put the blood vpon one poste Thus we vnderstande by S. Gregorie not onely two maner of receiptes of Chrystes flesh and bloode but also we be taught by him that they maie concurre and be both doen at once And also that the corporall receipt maie be withoute the spirituall as also the spiritual maie be without the corporal THE SIX AND TWENTETH CHAPITER CONTInueth this expositon by S. Cyrill and Lyra. TO adde yet mo wittnesses howe this text ys to be taken S. Cyrill expowndeth yt in this wise Qui manducat meam carnem bibit meum Jn Ioan. cap. 15. sangumem in me manet ego in eo Vnde considerandum est quòd non habitudme solùm quae per charitat em intelligitur Christum nobis inesse verùm etiam participatione naturali Nam quemadmodum si quis igne liquefactam ceram alij cerae similiter liquefactae ita miscuerit vt vnum quid ex vtrisque factum videatur Sic communicatione corporis sanguinis Christi ipse in nobis est nos in ipso Non poterat enim aliter corruptibilis haec natura corporis ad incorruptibilitatem vitam traduci nisi naturalis vitae corpus ei coniungeretur Owre Sauiour Chryst saieth He that eateth my flesh and drinketh Two waies of Chrystes being in vs that ys spirituallie and naturallie my bloode dwelleth in me and I in him Whervpon saieth Cyrill yt ys to be considered that not onelie by inwarde disposition whiche ys vnderstanded by charitie Chryst to be in vs but also by naturall participation For as yf anie man wolde mengle waxe that ys melted by the fire with other waxe that ys likewise melted so that of both ther maie be perceaued to be made one So by the parta king of the bodie and bloode of Chryst he ys in vs and we in him For this corruptible nature of the bodie coulde not otherwise be brought to incorruptiblitie and life except the bodie of naturall life shoulde be conioined to yt Thus Cyrill What can the Aduersaries saie to this Authour ys ther no other receipt of Chrysts bodie but a spirituall receipt yes this auncient father as the other auncient fathers haue doen before saieth that Chryst ys not in vs onely by charitie wherbie he vnderstandeth the spirituall maner but also by naturall participacion that ys by the eating and drinking of naturall flesh and bloode And that this shoulde not be taken for a phantasie he saieth that Chrystes flesh ys so in vs and we in him as two waxes melted and put together be made one So also as S. Hilarie saieth before as God the Sone and God the Father be one in substance So we by this receipt of Chryst be one with him and by him also ioined to the godheade I nede not to note then to yow that Cyrill vnderstandeth this text of the blessed SacrameÌt wher the woordes whollie fownde A plain place of S. Cyrill for the procl to that pourpose The reall presence also ys sufficieÌtly taught when he saieth that we do partake the naturall flesh and bloode of Chryst whose naturall flesh ys not nor can be receaued but wher yt ys reallie present The effect of of this also proueth the receipt bicause we be not onely in minde affection and soule ioined to Chryst but also by our natural flesh receauing his natural flesh This sentence alone trulie yf a maÌ hath not
of S. Iohn allreadie declared wolde and maie sufficiently shewe his minde vpon this But God be praised he doth verie plainlie here also open the matter For Oure lord feadeth vs with a bread which ys his flesh A plain saing for the Procla when he had saied that our Lorde wolde feed vs with a better bread expownding yt that ys saieth he his flesh And that he wolde not make yt an imaginarie flesh he saieth that he feedeth vs with the same flesh whiche withoute the seed of man was born of the Virgen Whiche maner of speache ys so plain that I caÌnot but merueill that men will suffer them selues to be seduced and led awaie by vain men when soche auncient Fathers do teache them in soche sorte that they haue nothing to kepe them selues from the trueth but self will and malice THE THREE AND THIRTETH CHAP. PROCEADETH to the next text in the sixt of saincte Iohn HItherto our SauiourChryst speaking of this great mistery of the eatinge and drinking of his flesh and bloode doth here nowe make an ende of the same And therfor saieth the Euangelist to declare the same Hec dixit in Sinagoga docens in Cpharnaum These thinges saied he in the Sinagog as he taught in Capharnaum Joan. 6. But for asmoche as manie hearning this doctrine of Chryst were not edified but offended therwith as manie of our faint Chrystians are whose maner of incredulitie and hardnesse of beleif with Chrystes proceading to SacrameÌtaries of oure time are Capharnaites reforme the same as the Euangelist setteth yt furth our Capharnaites through vnbeleif of that that Chryst spake to the better declaracion of his doctrine haue taken to the more occasion of their doubte eroure and ruine seing that they wolde so take his woordes to turne them against him self and with them to impugne that trueth that he hath taught and left in his Church to remain and continue vntill he come we shall by his grace take these scriptures from them and by like processe as hertofore ys vsed shewe the true vnderstanding of them that all men maie perceaue that these Aduersaries haue raither sought occasion to be raither enemies of Gods trueth then fauourers of the same whiche name they moche vsurpe cloathing them selues with shepes cloathinge but inwardlie they are very wolues Heretikes call their phantasies gods woord and their lies trueth outwardlie they euer crie Gods woorde when in dede they vtter their inuencions grownded vpon affection raither to please the peoples phantasies then fullfill Gods pleasure So they crie the trueth the trueth when they in very dede set furth lies and heresie to impugn and destroie the trueth And as they that misliked the doctrine of Chryst were of his Disciples So these nowe that mislike the same doctrine were of his Disciples but nowe abierunt retro post Satanam they are gone back after Satan And as the disciples saied when they heard this doctrine Durus est hic sermo quis potest eum audire This ys an hard saing who can abide the hearing of yt So these men saie that yt ys an hard saing and they can not abide the hearing of yt But as sainct Augustin saied by the Disciples which first spake these woordes Aug in Psal 98. So maie yt be saied by their disciples who in these daies do folowe theÌ Ipsi erant duri non sermo They were hard and not the woorde But as he saieth in an other place Si Discipuli durum habuerunt istum sermonem quid inimici Yf the Disciples counted this woorde harde what do the enemies Yf those that did knowe and folow Chryst of late daies do accoÌpte yt an hard saing that we saie according to Chrystes doctrin that we do eate his very flesh in the Sacrament what maie the Iewes and Infideles do But yf Chryst did labour to abduce the Iewes from the figures and shaddowes and adduce them to the very thing and trueth moche more they that haue professed Chryst should be brought from figures and learn to knowe the trueth of figures which ys nowe in the newe testament Which was Chrystes pourpose though they lept backe as Theophilact saieth speaking of the processe of Chrystes doctrine as concerning this mysterie Quod lucrum ex his verbis imò plurimum maximuÌ Theophilact in 6. Joan. Nam quoniam memores erant subinde cibi corporalis ostendens eis quia omnia illa figura erant vmbrai Quae autem ab ipso nunc introducuntur veritas sunt eius gratia haec dicit spiritualis cibi recordatur vt faciat eos à sensibilibus aliquantum remergere coÌtemnereîue figuras vmbras accurrere ad veritatem Sed illi cùm nibil possent intelligere quod supra sensum est meliores non fiunt sed magis resiliunt dicunt Durus est hic sermo hoc est asper qui suscipi nequeat Quis enin cùm carnalis sit posset suscipere spiritualem cibum panem qui de coelo descenda carnem quae comeditur c. Nam quia carnem audierant putabant quòd eos cogeret carnis sanguinis fieri deuoratores quia autem nos spiritualiter intelligimus neque carnium voratores sumus imò sanctificamur per talem cibum What aduantage or gain of these woordes very moche and great For for that they were often mindefull of bodilie meat Chryst shewing that all those thinges were but a figure and a shaddowe but soche things as by him were brought in were the trueth for this cause he saied these thinges and remembreth the spirituall meate that he might make them somwhat return from sensible thinges and to contemne figures and shaddowes But they Carnall meÌ vnderstanding nothing aboue thersensies leape backe from the vnderstanding of the Sacr. when they can vnderstand nothing that ys aboue the senseis they are made neuer the better but they leape aÌd saie This saing ys harde that ys vnpleasaunt to sensuall knowledge and which can not be receaued For what ys he who when he ys carnall can receaue spirituall meat and the bread that desceÌded froÌ heauen and the flesh which ys eateÌ for bicause they had heard him saie flesh they thought that he wolde compell them to be deuourers of flesh aÌd blood But bicause we vnderstand the spirituall meat we are not the deuourers of flesh but raither we are sanctified by soch meat Thus moch Theoph. Who geuing a cause why this doctrine of Chryst semed hard to them saieth yt was bicause they coulde not vnderstand anie thing that was aboue Carnall vnderstaÌding the knowledge of the senseis Euen so our sensuall and carnall men vnderstanding not howe Chrystes verie bodie should be in the Sacrament vnlesse yt shoulde occupie the place of a bodie neither be eaten vnlesse yt shoulde be felt with our teeth as other flesh and soch like after the grosse knowledg of the senseis they leape backe and saie yt can not be
iust cause to mistrust them and flie from them And cleaue to that coÌpanie wher ye see the auncient trueth taught by auncient fathers as here ye haue doen And not by prowde arrogant will as the other haue doen flie from the trueth Their doctrine ys to be suspected that flie from the common vnderstanding of the scripture receaued in the Churche as yt ys nowe to be perceaued that these singular men haue doen by their single sigularitie As our Sauiour Chryst saied to the Iewes Si non venisseÌ locutus eis non fuisseÌ peccatuÌ non haberent Nunc autem excusationem non habent de peccato suo Yf I had not Ioan. ca 15. comed and not spoken vnto them they shoulde haue had no sinne but nowe they haue no excuse of their sinne Yf then soche as haue heard the woorde of Chryste teaching theÌ his promesse of the geuing furth of his verie bodie and bloode and do not beleue yt haue no excuse to saue them froÌ eternall daÌnacion moche more when they haue the same woorde expownded and declared by the holie Churche of the whiche the holie Gost ys the master the guide and leader in to all trueth and yet wil persist in peruerting the scriptures and through arrogancie will credit none but them selues they be not onely voide of all excuse but their damnacion ys greatlie encreased Wherfore ye that haue erred staie and looke vppe in time beholde all the chrystiaÌ worlde professing Gods true faith and religioÌ and come to the same Lurke not in the corners of darkenesse whiche will bring yowe to extreaÌ darknesse but com to the light which Chryst hath lefte in his Churche which shall lighten yowe the waie to that light that euer hath shewed and shined and neuer was darkned nor shadowed THE ONE AND FOVRTETH CHAP. BEGINneth the exposition of these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie after the minde of the Aduersaries GReate and manifolde are the maliciouse inuencions and deuiseis of the graund enemie of mankind against the same Whiche enemie perceauing man to be in that state to come and enioie the glory and felicitie that he was falleÌ froÌ enuied him and subtellie vnder the countenaÌce or preteÌte of a coÌmodtie brought him to a most miserable incoÌmoditie vnder the colour of their aduauÌcemeÌt dignitie and great exaltacioÌ he wrought vnto theÌ their deiectioÌ ouerthrowe and daÌnacion Ye shall not die saieth the enemie to the womaÌ but God doth knowe that the same daie that ye eate therof yower eies shall be opened and ye shalâ be as Gods knowing good and euel To whiche his perswasioÌ and false assertioÌ the womaÌ geuing place by to light Gen. 3. creditte seing also the fruit of the tree to be delectable and pleasaunt to the eies not regarding the certeÌ and most true woorde of her Lorde God who before had saied that in what daie they did eate of the tree of the knowledge of good and Jbid. 2. euell that they shoulde die the death she tooke of the forbidden fruit and did eate therof and gaue to her husbande who did eate of yt also and so not beleuing the woorde of their Lorde God but transgressing his commaundemeÌt they were not onely expelled oute of that pleasaunt garden of Paradise but also being fallen vnder the heauie burden of gods wrathe and iustice were nowe banished from the eternall felicitie and glorie of heauen and made bonde to hell and euerlasting damnacion Euen so the same enemie seing the chrystiaÌ people redemed with Chrystes most preciouse bloode and restored to that felicitie and ioie whiche by his TemptacioÌ of our first parentes and of Christians in these daies compared meaÌs he had once caused theÌ to lose aÌd that they were nowe quiet aÌd in godlie order in the eartlie Paradise of Chrysts Church he not bearing their happinesse in the vnitie of faith and godlie coÌuersacioÌ hath vsed his like subtletie and craft to make vs traÌsgresse the coÌmaundemeÌt of our lorde God as he did our first PareÌtes to the enteÌt he wolde cause vs to be banished froÌ the inheritaÌce of the glorie of God wherunto by Chrystes bloode we are made free And will ye see howe like his subtilties be Owre first Parentes had an order appointed to theÌ what meat they shoolde eate in the Paradise wher they liued The builder of our Paradise hath appoincted vs what the meat shall be that we shall eate saing Take eate this ys my bodie The enemie tempted them to breake their order about their meat and foode he tempteth vs to breake our order about our meat and foode Their meat was the fruit of euerie tree in Paradise sauing the tree of knowledge of good and euell God saing Of euerie tree that ys in the gardeÌ thowe shalt eate but as touching the Gen. 2. tree of knowledg of good and euell thowe shalt not eate of yt Owre meat in the Paradise of Chrystes Churche ys his verie bodie and bloode he him self saing Take eate this ys my bodie Take drinke this my blood The enemie not withstaÌding gods owne saing to our Paretes In what daie soeuer ye eate of that tree ye shall die the death he directlie coÌtrary saied Ye shall not die The same enemie notwithstaÌding Chrystes owne saing This ys my bodie This ys my blode directlie coÌtrarie saieth yt ys not his bodie yt ys not his bloode yt ys but a peice of bread but a cuppe of wine figures signes or tokeÌs of his bodie and his bloode and to coÌpasse that this his perswasion and assertioÌ maie be receaued as to our first pareÌtes he saied that yf there did eate of that fruict they shoulde be as Gods knowing both good and euell preteÌding a great coÌmoditie so nowe he saied Esteem this no better theÌ a peice of bread aÌd a cuppe of wine and not as the bodie and bloode of Chryst For so foramoch as Chrystes bodie ys in heauen and therfor can not be here ye shall not coÌmitte idolatrie whych ys yower great commoditie And as to the furtherance of the temtacion of owre PareÌtes the pleasing of their senseis in seing the fruict fair and pleasaunt and not regarding the woorde of their Lorde God did moche prouoke theÌ so in this our teÌptacioÌ he willeth vs not regarding the woorde of Chryst our Lorde God to folowe the pleasant iudgemeÌt of our sensies And for somoche as we see nothing but bread and wine we tast nothing but bread and wine we feell nothing but bread and wine Therfore we must beleue nothing to be ther but bread and wine By whiche maner of iudgement we are moche prouoked the sooner to assent to his temptacion Nowe if we so assent and eate of the meate which the enemie perswadeth vs to eate of and not of the meat whiche our Lorde and God hath appoincted we shall not onely be expelled oute of this Paradise of Chrystes Church by the Angell of God but also being disherited froÌ the inheritaÌce of
heaueÌ which Chryst our Sauiour by his blod hath bought vs to we shall be coÌdeÌpned to that pain that we were once redemed froÌ aÌd so eternallie become miserable with him vnto whoos 's wordes we wolde geue credditte before the woordes of our Lorde God As nowe ye perceaue howe like the teÌptacions be so maie ye perceaue howe like the rewarde of the asseÌting or agreing to the teÌptacioÌ of the enemie ys Yf therfor ye will auoide the rewarde which ys pain eternal withstaÌd the temptacion whiche beginneth the thrall A mong manie other two thinges methinketh shoulde with the assisteÌce of Two thinges which aught to moue vs to resist the temptatioÌs of the Sacramentaries gods grace moche moue yowe to withstaÌd his wicked teÌptacions in this be half the one ys that as in the first teÌptacioÌ to our first parentes he spake the plain coÌtrarie of that God had spokeÌ so in this his teÌptacon he speaketh the verie contrarie to that that Chryst our Lorde God hath spoken For Chryst saied This ys my bodie But SathaÌ saieth yt ys not his bodie Now wheÌ anie thing ys taught that ys manifestlie repugnant to the woorde of our Lorde God who caÌ speak nothing but trueth except we be woorse bewitched them the Galathians were we must nedes deme and iudge that doctrine to be false coming from Sathan the father of lies vntrueth and falshod And being false what ells ys to be doen but to withstande and reiecte yt The other thing that aught to moue vs to withstaÌd this teÌptacioÌ ys that Sectes of Sacramentaries Bereng Wicleff Io. Hus. the woordes of his doctrine be not consonant nor agreable For besides his diuerse and coÌtrarie spirit which he breathed into Berengarius the first publique and open impugner of this blessed misterie as yt ys saied in the preface of this book into Wiceff and Hus he hath in this our time poured oute manie contrarie spitites and meruelouslie shewed himself the authour of disseÌtion and repugnant doctrine in the same misterie But for that I might be iudged partiall in the report of this diuerse doctrine I will not vse mie owne woordes but the woordes of Luther Satans cheif and first Commissionar in this maner of proceading and of Melancthon his right ofspring and defendour of his doctrine Luther in his breif confession noting the diuerse and repugnant spirittes that reigned amongest the Sacramentaries saieth in this maner At the first Eight disaegreing spirittes amoÌg the Sacramentaries nombred by Luther Carolstad Zwinglius Oecolamp Swenckfel these men were well warned of the holie Gost when that vpon that one text they diuided them selues into seuen spirits eche one differing allwaies from the other First Carolstadius wold haue the text so that this ys my bodie should signifie here sitteth my bodie Then Zwinglius saieth that that coulde not be well saied no though the Father of heauen had reueiled yt Therfor being moued with an other holie spirit of his own thus he turned the text Take eate this signifieth my bodie The thirde Oecolampadius brought furth his third holie spirit which turned that text into an other hew as thus Take eate this ys the token of my bodie The fourth Swenckfeldius thinking to make his stench to smell as muske brought vs furth of his holie spirit this rule These woordes this ys my bodie must be remoued from oure seight For they do let vs of the spirituall vnderstanding The fifth holie spirit being but excrementes of that other doth thus read that text Take and eate that which ys deliuered for yowe in this my bodie The sixt holie spirit saieth Take and eate this ys my bodie in remembrance as though Chryst had saied Take and eate this ys the monument of my bodie The seuenth holie spirit Ioannes Campanus bringeth this exposition Take and eate this ys my breadie bodie or bodie of bread Beside all these an other spirit flieth Ioan. Cam aboute For the Deuell ys an holie and great spirit whiche persuadeth men that herein ys no article of oure faith and therfor we aught not to contend of this matter but leaue yt free to euery man to beleue herein what he list Thus farre Luther See ye not by Luthers one woordes seuen and in th end of his collection one mo to make eight dissonant and disagreable doctrines vpon these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie See ye not Sathan diuided against Sathan See ye not his ministres plaing at crosse wasters for the victorie Be persuaded then that wher soche contencion soche strife soche Battaill ys amongest men springing all oute of one Gospell that in that Gospell ys no treuth But we haue not yet seen the ende Melanchton the right of spring and heire of the Lutheran doctrine was not onelie intoxicated with a diuerse spirit from his Father and Fiue sectes of SacrameÌtaries amoÌg the Lutherans nombred by Melanct. master Martin Luther in the ende of his life but also reporteth that among the Lutherans them selues ther were fiue Sacramentaries sectes or heresies For some saieth he be of Helhusius minde some of Sarcerius minde some other folowe the ministers of Breme and some Ioachimus Morlinus other also he alleageth whose opinion ys that Chrystes bodie maie be in euery place Whiche sectes being fiue in nombre yf ye put them to the eight enombred by Luther they make thirtene Thus by their own report yt ys to be perceaued that the woordes of Sathans doctrine be not of one sownde of one agreeement but his spirit Chrystes woordes wrested to sixtene diuerse senses by the Protestants hath breathed into his disciples vpon these fewe woordes of Chryst diuerse and and plain repugnant expositions and doctrines To these thirtene diuerse doctrines yf we adde and putto the expositions of Luther himself Melanchton and Caluine whiche esteemed them selues as the lightes of the worlde we shall make vppe sixtene diuerse expositions and doctrines of this matter fettfurth by Sathans disciples As for Luther yt ys euindent that he expounded Chrystes woordes farre vnlike to Zuinglius OecolaÌpadius or anie of that line yea vnto Berengarius himself For he saieth they must be thus vnderstaÌded This ys my bodie that ys this bread ys my bodie Melanchton in his later daies as yt ys common to heretiques to growe worse and worse forsooke Luthers spirit and tasted of Zwinglius spirit Melancth His mutabilitie but so as he wolde in soch wise correct him that he wolde make him a newe spirit And therfor he wolde haue this sense vpon Chrystes woordes This ys my bodie that ys This ys a participacion of my bodie whiche newe interpretacion saieth Staphilus ys plainlie a newe Sacramentaries heresie Last of all the doctrine of Caluine swarueth from all these teaching that Chryst ys geuen to vs reallie but not corporallie as though the sense of Io. Caluine Chrystes woordes might be This ys my bodie that ys This ys the verie substance of my bodie but it ys
not my bodilie substance Thus aboute the sense of Chrystes woordes ye haue among these Egyptians seen a merueillouse varietie who creping and groping in their palpable darknesse tooke that for trueth that Sathan suffred to come first to their hand by which mean euerie one of them vttered that for trueth that in his darknesse he had lighted on But among all note howe by Swenckfeldius SathaÌ wolde haue berieued yowe not onelie of this Sacrament but of all other and not onelie of them but of the scriptures also This ys a miserable progresse this ys the right building of Babell wher the tounges of men be confownded that a man can not vnderstand his neighbour neither can the catholike vnderstand the protestant nor the protestant the protestant But nowe returning to my pourpose again I wish that to be perceaued in this processe whiche before I spake of to be noted the better to withstand Sathan in his temptacions against the true doctrine and faith namelie that his doctrine ys not consonant nor agreable in yt self but dissonant and repugnant some of his disciples teaching that the bodie of Chryst ys in the Sament with the bread some that the bodie of Chryst ys in the Sacrament in and vnder the bread other some that the bread ys the bodie of Chryst other of the contrarie maner denieng the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament but yet diuerslie some of them teaching that the Sacrament ys but a signe of the bodie of Chryst other some that the bread ys a figure of the bodie of Chryst other that it ys the powre vertue or efficacie of the bodie of Chryst other that Chryst ys reallie exhibited vnto vs but not bounde nor exclosed in the bread other whiche be the worste sort teaching that ther ys neither bodie nor Sacrament In which diuersitie and contrarietie of doctrines yt ys easelie to be perceaued not onely how moche dissonant they are froÌ the doctrine and woordes of Chryst but also howe farre disagreing they are among them selues Whiche faut perceaued I thinke him more then bewitched that will geue credittte to anie of them forsomoche as ther ys no man but knoweth that in the doctrine of God ys concorde agreement And forsomoch as in these other doctrins ther ys none agreement but repugnance and contrarities yt ys certen that they be not of God Besides this what proof haue anie of all these either in the scriptures or holie Fathers that this saing of Chryst This ys my bodie shoulde be vnderstanded as eche of them stowtly seeme to auouche and that after their sondrie maners They be contrarie one to an other yet eche of them perswade their disciples that they teache the true woorde of God And yet the scriptures of God beare no soche contrarie sense is Nowe therfor Reader staie thie self and choose raither to beleue Chryst then Sathan who goeth aboute to deceaue thee as he did thie first parentes who through light creditte neclecting what God had saied and beleuing what the serpent saied fell into preuaricacion and were condemned Thus moche then being saied of Sathans maner of temtacion to abduce and lead awaie men from the faith of Chryst and of his sondrie and manie inuented false expositions disagreeng and clean repugnant euen amongest them selues of these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie I shall nowe addresse my self first somewhat to saie of thinges apperteining to the true vnderstanding of those woordes and afterwarde open to youe he right vnderstanding of the same woordes by the most auncient and holie Fathers of Chrystes Church wher ye shall perceaue not a repugnance as in Sathans schoole but concorde and agrement meit for Chrystes schoole THE TWO AND FOVRTETH CHAP. BEGINNETH the exposition of the woordes of Chryst after the catholike maner with certain proofes of the same AS ye haue hearde SathaÌ teaching his scholers with moche contrarietie strife and repugnance to expownd or raither to expuncte the woordes of Chryst and to peruert them as yt hath pleased the same ther master to moue them some one waie some another but neuer one of them the right waie so shall ye nowe heare the disciples and scolers of Chryst and of his holie spirit with all agremeÌt concorand peace expownde yowe the same woordes of Chryst after the learning of their master not some one waie and some an other waie but all one waie as yt were with one mouthe spoken Yt shall moche coÌmende this goodlie amitie and concorde of this schoole yf we first in the entrie of this declaracion shall heare howe the cheif and highest scholers of this schoole do agree in the reporte of these woordes of Chryst whose exposition we seke The cheifest scholers reporters of these woordes be the three Euangelistes Matthew Marke and Luke and the Apostle Paule S. Matthew reporteth yt thus Iesus tooke bread and when he had blessed it he breake it and gaue it to the disciples Mat. 26. and saied Take eate this ys my bodie And he tooke the cuppe and thanked and gaue it them saing Drinke ye all of this This ys my bloode whiche ys of the newe testament whiche ys shedde for manie for the remission of sinnes S. Marke agreablie testifieth the same thus Iesus tooke breade and blessing Mar. 14. he brake it and gaue to them and saied Take eate this ys my bodie and he tooke the cuppe and when he had geuen thankes he tooke it to them And they all dranke of it and he saied to them This ys my bloode of the newe testament whiche ys shedde for manie S. Luke reporteth yt after this maner And wheÌ he had takeÌ bread he gaue thaÌkes and brake it and gaue it vnto them saing This ys my bodie whiche ys geuen for yow Likewise Luc. 22. also when he had supped he tooke the cuppe saing This cuppe ys the newe Testament in my bloode whiche ys shedde for yowe With this testimonie of S. Luke agreeth S. Paule thus Owre Lorde Iesus the same night that he was betraied toke bread and when he had geuen thankes he brake 1. Cor. 11. it and saied Take ye and eate this ys my bodie whiche ys broken for yow This do in remembrance of me After the same maner also he tooke the cuppe when supper was doen saing This cuppe ys the newe testament in my bloode This do as often as ye drinke yt in the remembraunce of me Thus ye see first these foure highe scholers of Chrystes schoole consonaÌtlie and agreablie reporting the doctrine of their master namelie that he tooke bread and after he had geueÌ thankes or blessed yt gaue yt to them saing take eate this ye my Tropes and figures patched to Chrystes woordes excluded bodie Of the whiche ye see not one making anie one title or mencion of tropes figures or fignificacions whiche the Aduersurie wolde patche vnto this text to coÌfownde the saing and mening of Chryste and to shadowe his great mercie and loue toward vs in
his eyes Whervpon belcuing the mysteries of the Chrystians to be merueillouse and wonderfull the next daie he came to S. Basill and desired to be baptised and made a chrystian Thus we maie perceaue that the workes of God be great and merueillouse who vnto this Iewe but suspecting the chrystians to eate flesh and drinke bloode in their mysteries made yt soch to him as he suspected yt to be and to appeare soche to his seight as yt was couertlie to other in verie dede But he sawe yt with his bodilie eye for his instruction that the true Chrystian seeth with his faithfull eye to his saluacion But to return to our first matter so great was the fame that the Chrystians did eate maÌnes flesh in their mysteries that to deliuer theÌ froÌ the enuie that was coÌceaued against theÌ for the same Iustinus the holie martyr was enforced in his Apollogie made vnto Antonius Pius to reueil and declare vnto him all the wholl order of the mysteries of the chrystians and what was their faith therin whiche thing was not vsed in those daies to be declared to anie prophane man and infidel but allwaies kept secrette so moche as yt might be And yet vpon this enforcemeÌt this Iustinus declared the matter so plainlie as no man of his auncientie to soche men more plainlie as shortlie here after ye shall perceaue As these thinges then hitherto saied do proue by the same that Chryst ys present in the Sacrament and so consequentlie that the woordes of Chryst haue ben and so ought to be vnderstanded in their propre sense withoute trope or figure So wolde I wish them of all chrystians in these daies to be receaued And as by these thinges we maie be moued So by other reasons we maie from the contrarie vnderstanding be disswaded Among manie of whiche I wil bring but one or two that Rupertus doth make and the first ys this Nonne Ioannes Euangelista dicit in Apocalipsi Si quis apposuerit ad haec apponet super illuÌ Rupert li. 6. in Joan. Apoca. 22. Deus plagas scriptas in libro isto Et si quis diminuerit de verbis prophetiae libri huius auferet Deus partem eius de ligno vitae de ciuitate sancta de ijs quae scripta sunt in libro isto Nunquid minùs timenda est hic illa maledictio vt non detrahamus vel apponamus quidquam verbis dicentis Hoc est corpus meum quod pro vobis tradetur Hic est sanguis meus noui testamenti qui pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum Cùm enim illo dicente Hoc est corpus meum nos subauditionem apposuerimus dicentes figuratiuum vel per similitudinem dictum Cùm inquam illo dicente Hoc est corpus meum nos dixerimus hoc signisicat corpus meum nonne multum est quod apponimus vel praua demutatione detrahimus sensum generamus quem tantus Author Deus homo nusquaÌ est locutus nec ascendit vnquam in cor eius Dothe not the Euangelist Iohn saie in the Apocalipse Yf anie man shall adde vnto these thinges God shal adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke And yf anie man shall minishe of the woordes of the booke of this prophecie God shall take awaie his parte oute of the booke of life and oute of the holie To the woordes of God maie nothing be added nor diminished citte and the thinges whiche are written in this booke Ys this maledictioÌ or curse lesse to be feared here that we diminish not or putte any thing to the woordes of him that saied This ys my bodie whiche shall be deliuered for yow This ys my bloode of the newe testament whiche shall be shedde for manie in the remissioÌ of sinnes For when he saieth This ys my bodie we shall putto an vnderstanding saing a figuratiue bodie or that yt ys spoken by a similitude when I saie he saieth This ys my bodie we shall saie this signifieth my bodie ys yt not moche that we putto his woordes or by an euell chaunge take from them and make a sense whiche so great an Authour God and man in no place hath spoken neither at anie time did yt ascende in to his heart Thus Rupertus This ys the first reason of this Authour whiche yf yt be well weighed and the thing well considered howe moche we by figures tropes and significacions do alter and chaunge howe moche we putto in woordes and diminish in substance howe the exposition denieth that the text affirmeth we haue good cause to feare the malediction of God spoken by S. Iohn who beareth not soche expositions denieng what he hath saied nor soche gloses confownding his text Wherfore we maie well be dissuaded from soche expositions or rather deprauacions and the rather that their ys no warrant to beare vs so to expownde these woordes of Chryst as of the circumstance of the place maie be perceaued whiche this Authour vseth as an other reason to moue vs not so to vnderstande Chrystes woordes of his supper as the Aduersarie dothe expownde them And thus he saieth Cùm obijcit quis suisîue scriptitat in sedulis quod itidem dixerit eadem veritas Ego sum vitis tam audacter quaÌ imperitè in argumentum mendosum illud attrahit cum statim subsequentia verba dicentist Sicut palmes non potest ferre fructum à semetipso nisi manserit in vite sic nec vos nisi in me manseritis manifestè per similitudinem compellant intelligi praesertim cùm non signanter dixerit Ego sum haec vitis sicut signanter dixit Hoc est corpus meum hic est sanguis meus apposita protinus descriptione verae proprietatis de corpore inquiens quod pro vobis tradetur de san guine autem qui pro multis effundetur Igitur ne veniant super nos plagae nouissimae neque apponimus neque diminuimus quicquam diuinae definitioni vel descriptioni quam incarnatum Verbum ore proprio deproinpsit Imo quia perfecta charitas foras mittit timorem non tam plagarum timore qunm veritatis amore confitemur quia panis iste corporeus postquam signauerit eum Pater vinum hoc expressum acinis praesentibus mox vt eodem signo signatum est per manus ecclesiae dicentis vt nobis corpus sanguis fiat dilectissimi filij tui Domini nostri Iesu Christi etc. vsque in memoriaÌ mei facietis corpus sanguis eius qui huius traditionis author est hoc sacrisicium ipse Christus est cuius passione vt sacrificium fieret à Deo Patre in veritate signatum est WheÌ one obiecteth and writeth yt also in his bookes euen as boldlie as vnlearned These woordes J am a vine Ioan. 15. are proued by the circuÌstance to be a similitudi lie that the same trueth mening Chryst saieth also I am a vine he draweth yt
of the scripture refuseth tropes and figures and enforceth to accept the propre sense onelie Wherfore chrystian Reader beware of that flattering contenaunce and deceiptfull lieng of the olde serpent Sathan flie the hissing of the vipers be not caried awaie with light creditte as our first parentes were therby to creditte the deuel and discreditte God But knowe the one to be thie enemie and feare him knowe the other to be thy Lorde God thy Sauiour and Redemer and embrace him Of the which matter harke farder to the godlie saing of Rupertus Accipe inquit comedite Hoc est corpus meum Et alibi Qui manducat carnem meam bibit sanguinem meum in me manet ego in eo Cùm haec dicit agnus Dei oportunè nobis ad memoriam recurrit illud quod dixit serpens imo per serpentem Diabolus hostis bumani generis Accipite comedite eritis sicut dij Optimae spectabiles valdè propositiones Ille serpens erat iste agnus est Ille vetus peccator iste antiquut creator Ille spiritu Diaboli falsum sibilans iste spiritu Dei verum euangelizaus Ille de ligno non suo raptor optulit Iste de corpore sanguine suo largitor dedit Ille quod non habebat mendaciter promisit eritis inquiens sicut dij Iste quod habebat quod semper naturaliter habet fideliter dedit vt simus dij dum manet ipse in nobis Illi tandem nephandissimè creditum est plusquam Deo Credatur è contrario buic Deo si non plus at saltem quantum creditum est illi Diabolo Creditum est enim quod illi pomo inesset quod non videbatur scilicet vis deos efficiendi Credatur buic Sacramento inesse quod non videtur videlicet veritas carnis sanguinis valens efficere nos corporales Vnigenito filio Dei. Hoc enim ratio vel ordo iustitiae exposcit Accipite ergo inquit comedite Accipere est fideliter credere cum gratiarum actione diligere compatienti affectu corporis huius traditionem sanguinis huius effusionem respicere Hoc fieri non potest nisi priùs reijciaturid quod ab illo malè acceptum est Illud igitur mendacium execrantes hanc veritatem accipite approbate amplectimini contra cibum mortis paneÌ comedite vitae eternae calicem bibite salutis perpetuae He saieth mening Chryst take Conference of Chrystes woordes and the serpents and eate this ys my bodie and in an other place He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloode dwelleth in me and I in him When the lambe of God saieth these thinges yt cometh in due time to our memorie that the serpent saied or raither by the serpent the Deuell the enemie of man kinde Take and eate and ye shall be as Gods Goodlie and verie notable propositions He was a serpent this ys a lambe He an olde offender this an auncient creatour He by the spirit of the Deuel hissing oute an vntrueth this by the spirit of God preaching a trueth He a theeif gaue of the fruit that was not his This a right geuer gaue of his owne bodie and bloode He falsely promised that that he had not ye shall saieth he be as Gods This trulie gaue that he had whiche allwaies naturallie he hathe that ys that we maie be Gods forsomoche as he dwelleth in vs. Vnto him neuer the lesse most wickedly was geuen more credit then to God Vnto this coÌtrarie wise let credit be geuen being God yf not more yet at the least as moche creditte as was geueÌ to the Deuell For yt was beleued that to be in that apple whiche was not sein that ys to saie power to make Gods Let yt be beleued to be in the Sacrament that ys not seen that ys to saie the veritie of the flesh and bloode of Chryst able to incorporate vs to the onely begotteÌ Sonne of God Thus moche reason or ordre of iustice dothe require Take therfore saieth he and eate To take ys faithfully to beleue with thankes geuing To take Chrystes bodie what yt ys to loue with a compatient affection to beholde the deliuerance of this bloode This caÌ not be doen except that be reiected that of the enemie was euel receaued Detesting therfor that lie receaue approue and eÌbrace this trueth and against the meat of death eate ye the bread of euerlasting life and drinke the cuppe of euerlasting saluacion Thus being by this good Father admonished of the true vnderstanding of Chrystes woordes I will nowe make the same plain before thine eyes by the testimonie of a nombre of holie Fathers to the whiche good Reader I praie thee geue good heede THE THREE AND FOVRTETH CHAP. BEGINNETH to prooue the vnderstanding of Chrystes forsaied woordes not to be figuratiue by the anthoritie of the Fathers And first by Alexander and Instinus FOrsomoche as the misunderstanding of the woordes of the supper of Chryst hath and doth maintein great and lameÌtable contencion among soche as professe Chrystes name and the right vnderstaÌding of the same ought to be the occasion of the restitucion of peace and concorde Let yt not greiue thee gentle Reader though I tarie somwhat long vpon this text in producing manie holie Fathers of Chrysts schoole who shal teache vs howe these woordes This ys my bodie were ther taught to be vnderstanded and therby shall do vs to witte what ys the enacted trueth of Chrystes Parliament house as touching this matter nowe among chrystian men in controuerfie For the plain declaracion wherof I shall produce manie of the eldest Fathers and fewe I trust that do treact of these woordes being of any fame or authoritie shall be omitted And for a speciall note to discerne the trueth from falsheade the scholers of Chryst from the scholers of Sathan and the graue and constant staied Senatours of Chrystes Parliament house from the light and vauering whisperers of the Conciliables of Sathan Marke and note well that as in the one and fourteth chap. ye haue pceaued the sectes of Sathan are merueillouslie dissected and by great and fowle contencion amoÌg them selues diuided So shall ye perceaue that Chrystes disciples are vnited all of one minde all of one vnderstanding all speaking one thing in full peace and perfect concorde Remembre that the high scholers and cheif noble men of Chrystes Parliament honse I meen the foure EuaÌgelistes and S. Paule so agree that among them there ys no one title spoken of the Aduersaries tropes and figures but euery one of them testifie the matrer plainlie leauing the woordes in their propre sense So shall ye see all this noble companie of Fathers doo Let vs then in Chrystes name heare them vtter what ys the enacted trueth of the vnderstanding of Chrystes woordes Although ther are right auncient Fathers that doo verie no tablie declare and testifie the presence of Chrystes bodie and bloode in the Sacrament as Martialis
oblacion woorthier then this but this excelleth all other whiche ys to be offred to our Lorde with a pure conscience and to be receaued with a pure minde Among the Chrystians ther ys no sacrifice to be offred and with pure minde to be receaued but the sacrifice offred on the aultar And thus of necessitie yt foloweth that this Authour graunteth the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament and that yt ys a sacrifice and that the woordes of Chrystes supper are to be vnderstanded without figure The thirde note ys that when he had taught that the sacrifice must be of Adoracion of the Sacrament auouched fred with a pure coÌscience and receaued with a pure minde he teacheth also that yt must be woourshipped and honoured and that with no lowe degree of woorshippe and honour but as this sacrifice saieth he doth precel al so it ys aboue all to be honoured By whiche doctrine yt maie appeare that yf the thinge of the sacrifice dothe excell all other and ysaboue all other to be honoured and the onely sacrifice of Chrystes bodie and blood excelleth all other ys to be honoured that then that blessed bodie and blode are there present to be honoured wher they be offred They be offred wher they be receaued they be receaued in the Sacrament wherfore they are to be honoured in the Sacrament Now when all this disputacion of this holie Father ys graunted vpoÌ these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie this ys my bloode yt can not be but that these woordes of Chryst must be vnderstanded simplie and plainly in their propre sense with oute figure or trope And thus to conclude for these two great Seniours of Chrystes schoole and Parliament house ye perceaue that they vse Chrystes woordes in ther propre sense And also thervpon testifie to vs the enacted trueth of Chrystes very presence in the holy Sacrament whiche ys the cheifest matter here sought THE FOVRE AND FOVRTETH CHAP. BY occasion of the woordes of Alexander treacteth of the adoracion and honouring of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament BVt occasion being geuen by this holie Father Alexander to speake of the adoracion of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament I can not ouerpasse somewhat more to saie of yt to the confutacion of the most impudent and blasphemouse vntrueth spoken and vttered by this Proclamers woordes against adoracion recited and coÌfuted Proclamer for thus he saieth Chryst that best knewe what aught to be doen herein when he ordeined and deliuered the Sacrament of his bodie and bloode gaue no commaundement that anie man should fall dowen to it or woourshippe it S. Paule that tooke the Sacrament at Chrystes hande and as he had taken it deliuered it to the Corynthians neuer willed adoracion or godlie honour to be geuen vnto it The olde doctours and holie Fathers of the Churche S. Cyprian S. Chrysostom S. Ambrose S. Hierom S. Augustine and others that receaued the Sacrament at the Apostles hands and as it maie be thought continued the same in soche sorte as they receaued it neuer make mencion in any of all their bookes of adoring or woourshipping of the Sacrament Yt ys a verie newe deuise and as it ys well knowen came but lately into the Churche oboute three hundreth yeares past Honorius then being Bishoppe of Rome commaunded the Sacrament to be lifted vppe and the people reuerentlie ta bowe downe vnto yt After him Vrbanus the fourth appoincted an holie feast of Corpus Christi And graunted oute large pardons to the kepers of it that the people shoulde with the better will resorte to the Churche and kepe it holie This ys the greatest antiquitie of the wholl matter aboute three hundreth yeares ago it was first fownde oute and putte in practise But Chryst and his Apostles the holie Fathers in the primitiue Churche the Doctours that folowed them and other godly and learned men what soeuer for the space of a thousand and two hundreth yeares after Chrystes ascension into heauen this woourshipping of the Sacrament was neuer knowen nor practised in any place within the wholl catholike Churche throughout the wholl worlde Thus moche the Proclamer WheÌ I readde these his woordes I staied as one astoined considering that they coulde not proceade from anie man but either by ignorance or ells by peruerse malice that wittinglie wolde al shame set apparte vtter soche an vntrueth as the meaÌ learned I suppose of all the catholike Churche knoweth it so to be And the more did I merueill that it was so impudeÌtly setfurth with a repeticioÌ as therbie with moch boldnesse to auouche the matter Nowe for that the Authour of the woordes ys not vnlearned I coulde not asscribe theÌ to ignorance And considering his callinge ther shoulde be in him no soche peruerse malice But remembring howe Macedonius Nestorius and diuerse soche other leauing the doctrine of the catholike Church and the mociou of the spirit of God in the same and folowing the doctrine of priuate men according to the mocion of the spirit of Sathan did forget their calling and peruersedlie vsed them selues So likwise I perceaue this man doth the more ys the pittie But that we maie perceaue howe farre wide he ys from the trueth we will examen his woordes His first argument ys that Chryst neuer gaue commaundement to woourshippe the Sacrament Ergo yt ys not to be doen. To this first I saie to him as to one exercised in schooles that an argument of negatiues concludeth The ngatiue argumeÌt of the Proclamer concludeth nothing nothing But for more large declaracion to the vnderstanding of the Reader yt ys not redde in the Gospell that Chryst commaunded anie bodie to adore him while he here liued in the earth yt ys therfore a good argument that he was not to be adored The three wise men of the east came with their giftes and offringe them adored the babe Chryst They had no coÌmaundement of Chryst so to do shoulde they not therfore haue doen yt or did they offende in so doing Diuerse that were cured of Chryst came and adored him but not commaunded of Chryst so to do Yt ys not redde in the Gospells that the Apostles during their familiare conuersacion withe Chryste before his passion that they fell down and adored him Shall we therfore frame an argument that Chryst in his mortall state was not to be adored by cause the Apostles be not readde to haue adored him And that Mary Magdalen the woman of Canaan and the Leeper that did adore him did offende Yt ys a faint kinde of argumentacion I will in like maner reason with this disputer in his owne kinde of disputacion Chryst gaue the Sacrament of his bodie to his Apostles onelie and gaue no commaundement that all people indifferentlie shoulde receaue the same as nowe they doe Wherfor yt aught not to be doen. Yf this argument be good then ys his good But the trueth ys this argument ys naught and so ys his but this disputer knewe well
what schoole he was in he was certen that ther was no respondent that presentlie wolde return his argument into his lappe I beleue he wolde not for shame haue made soche argument in a schoole except yt had ben to haue occupied the time while he might haue studied a better or ells for lacke of other kinde of argumentes in the matter that he impugneth as I dare saie he do the here as yt well appeareth in the processe of his disputacion For the next argument ys of like force but of more vntrueth this yt ys S. Paule that tooke the Sacrament at Chrysts hand an as he had taken yt deliuered yt to the Corynthians neuer willed adoracion or godly honour to be geuen to yt Leauing this argument as a thinge of no force to conclude that the Authour The proclamers argumeÌt oute of S. Paule faileth for waÌt of trueth therof intendeth let vs examen the trueth of yt This Proclamer first alleaging Chrystes institucion wherin he saieth Chryst made no mencion of adoracion ioineth S Paule to yt as one receauing of Chryst no other order then in the ministracion of Chryst was vsed and deliuered also to the Corynthians no other nor no more then Chryst did whiche thing howe false and vntrue yt ys S. Paule him self shall declare S. Paule deliuered to the Corynthians that the vnwoorthie receauer shall be giltie of the bodie and bloode of our Lorde Chryst who to vse the woordes of this Proclamer knewe best what aught to be doen when he instituted this Sacrament gaue no soche lawe Sainct Paule geueth a rule or commaundement that a man must examine him self and so eate of that bread Chryst in the institucion gaue no soche commaundement but raither admitting Iudas to the receipt of the holie mysteries whose wicked intentes and pourposes were not vnknowen neither was he ignorant that he nothing examined himself semed to practise the contrarie of that S. Paule setteth furthe to be obserued Wherfor this disputer referring the maner and all other circumstances of the deliuerie of the Sacrament by Sainct Paule to the Corinthians to the maner and circumstances of the deliuery of the Sacrament by Chryst in his supper ys foulie deceaued in his argument taking therin as yt dothe appeare an vntrueth for a trueth and so deceauing his Auditorie geueth them chaffe for good corne Thus ye maie perceaue that S. Paule deliuered diuerse doctrines to the Corynthians concerning the receipt of the holy Sacrament which Chryst ys not fownde by the testimonie of anie of the Euangelistes to haue deliuered to his Apostles and yet who being a chrystian doubteth that yt ys the doctrine of God and of our Sauiour Chryst In this argument this disputer also saieth that S. Paule neuer willed adoracion or godlie honour to be geuen S. Paule willed adoracion to be geueÌ to the SacrameÌt to the Sacrament yf he speake of the woorde adoracion I consent vnto him for trueth yt ys that S. Paule hathe not these woordes Adore the Sacrament But yf he speake of the thing I dissent from him For that I iudge to be vntrue Manie thinges are spoken of in verie dede when the propre vocable appropriated to the same thing to signifie yt to a mans vnderstanding ys not spoken or vttered As yf I saie Plato was a reasonable liuing creature Though I applie not the propre vocable of a man to Plato yet to the vnderstandinge I signifie as moche in deed as yf I had called him a man So though S. Paule speake not in the deliuerie of the Sacrament to the Corynthians of these woordes adoracion or honour yet he speaketh of the thing in deed For when he geueth this rule Probet seipsum homo Let a man examen him self and so let him Yt ys great honour to the SacrameÌt to examen our selues er we presume to receaue yt eate of that bread and drinke of that cuppe Dothe he not will vs to geue moste singular honour to the Sacrament What more honour can be doen then to fee that our faith towarde the Sacrament be firme and stable voide of all sinistre opinions thinking nothing of so great a mysterie but that that ys semelie Howe great an honour do we to the Sacrament also that to receaue yt we examen and search our consciences and what we finde filthie and fowle we purifie clense and make clean by earnest contricion by pure confession and humble penaunce S. Augustine saieth Placuit enim Spiritui sancto vt in honorem tanti Sacramenti in os Christiani prius Dominicum corpus intraret quam exteri cibi Yt hath pleased the holie Ad Jan. Epist 118. Gost that in the honour of so great a Sacrament the bodie of our Lorde shoulde entre the mouth of a chrystian before worldlie meates Yf the holiÌe Gost doeth esteme yt as doen to the honour of the Sacrament to receaue yt Yf corporal abstinence be to Gods honour moch more spirituall abstinence fasting before al meats how moch more ys it to the honour of the SacrameÌt that we fasting from all vices from all horrible sinnes and crimes come with pure conscience hongring and thirsting righteousnesse to receaue in the Sacrament the Lorde and geuer of righteousnesse Yf any honour be doen to God by corporall abstinence or fasting howe moche more ys doen by spirituall abstinence from sinne But the Aduersarie will saie that this honour ys not doen to the Sacrament but to God and to his grace receaued in the receipt of the Sacrament Wherunto I saie that the verie woordes of S. Paule ouerthroweth this saing For S. Paule by expresse woordes speaketh of the Sacrament saing Let a man examen himself and so let him eate of that bread and drinke of that cuppe He saieth not Let him examen himself and so he shall receaue the grace of God and the vertue of the meritte of Chrystes passion and deathe whiche ys a matter moche and almost generallie taught thorowoute all the Gospell For what ys more taught then remission of sinnes to true penitentes by the vertue of Chrystes passion But here S. Paule speaketh of the Sacrament by a speciall maner and therfor saieth And so let him eat of that bâead and drinke of that cuppe For more manifest proof of this note that S. Paule referreth the honour or dishonour that ys doen by woorthie or vnwoorthie receauing not 1. Cor. 11. Honour or dishonour doen by the receauer ys referred to the Sacrament by expresse woordes of S. Paule immediately to the grace of God or meritte of Chrystes passion But to the Sacrament and therfor saieth Itaque quicunque manducauerit panem biberit calicem Domini indignè reus erit corporis sanguinis Domini Who soeuer therfore shall eate the bread and drinke the cuppe of our Lorde vnwoorthilie he shall be giltie of the bodie and bloode of our Lorde so that the vnwoorthie receauing ys referred to the bread and the cuppe of our
ys this Authour who willeth vs to merueill at yt doth declare for no wise man willeth men to merueill wher no thinge ys to merueilled at Wherfore in this SacrameÌt something ys wrought wher at we maie iustlie merueill whiche ys in dede the merueillouse worke of God to make present the bodie of Chryste our Sauiour But I see I stande to long in the alleadging of the Fathers wherfor leauing theise auncientes whiche haue taught vs the practise of the primitiue Churche in the adoracion of the holie Sacrament we will among manie of the later time heare but holie Bernardo to see the agreement of the two times Christus enim pridie quà m pateretur Discipulis suis huius sacramenti formam praescripsit efficaciam exhibuit Cùm adhuc caenaretur surrexit à caena Discipulorum pedes Dominus Bernar. de dign sacer vniuersorum lauit Dehinc ad mensam regressus ordinat sacrificium corporis sanguinis sui Christus in coena illa munerans munus cibans cibus conuiua conuiuium offerens oblatio Obstupescentes admiramtui nulli Angelorum nullis spiritibus supernis sed hominibus nec tamen omnibus sed ordini vestro tantùm mandatam esse tanti sacramenti celebrationem in altari quod Christus fecit manibus suis in coena Paschali Quid facis indigne quid facis homo ingrate Adora deuotiùs recole frequentiùs in Sacramento altaris salutem mundi pro te passam Chryste the daie before that he wolde suffer prescribed to his disciples the forme of this Sacrament he declared the efficacie of yt When they were yet at supper he rose from the same and being the Lorde of all washed the feete of his disciples After that being returned to the table he ordeined the sacrifice Chryst in his supper the geuer and the gifte the feeder and the foode the seaster and the feast the offerer and the offering of his bodie and bloode In that supper Chryst was the geuer and the gifte the feede and the foode the feaster and the feast the offerer and the offeringe Wonder ye therfor and merueill for to none of the Angells to none of the heauenly spirittes but to men neither yet to all men but onely to your order was appoincted the celebracion of so great a Sacrament in the aultar which Sacrament Chryst made with his handes in the Paschall supper what doest thowe thowe vnwoorthie man What doest thowe thowe vnthankfull man In the Sacrament of the aultar adore deuoutely remembre often the health of the worlde that suffred for thee Of this Sainct Bernarde we maie first learn as he did of the Euangelist Sainct Iohn Chrystes order both in the preparacion of his Apostles towarde Washing of the Apostles feet what yt signifieth the institucion of the holie Sacrament and also what he himself did in the same institucion He prepared his Apostles towarde the institucion not onely signifieng to them by the washing of their feet that they and all chrystians that will come to this holie mysterie must be pure and clean from all wordlie vnclenlie and eartlie affections and also humble meke and lowly not onely to God with all submission being readie to obey his holie commaundements but also by penance for the transgression of anie of them and therwith meke and lowly one to an other Yf I saieth he haue washed your feete being your Lorde and master yowe also aught to wash Joan. 13 one an others feet For I haue geuen yowe an example that as I haue doen ye shoulde so doe Thus moch doen for the preparacion of his Apostles and all Chrystians he returneth to the institucion of the Sacrament In the which what he did S. Bernarde also declareth He did saieth he ther institute the sacrifice of his bodie and bloode and of his bodie and bloode ther ys no other sacrifice but the same his bodie and bloode And that he so did S. Bernarde teacheth by the woordes immediatelie folowing For he saieth that in that supper Chryst was the geuer and the giste The feeder and the foode The feaster and the feast The offerer and the offering Marke well gentle Reader these propre speaches For as they contein a notable declaracion of the trueth So also be they not spoken withoute imitacion of holie auncient doctours For the first yf Chryst him self were in his supper the geuer the feader the feaster and the offerer as most certenlie he was then was he also the thing that was geuen he was the foode or meat that was eaten he was the wholl feast he was the oblacion What ys Chryst him self but God and man Then was Chryst God and man so geuen of him self in the last supper These maner of speaches be vsed of S. Hierom S. Ambrose and S. Augustine S. Hierom saieth thus Dominus Iesus ipse conuiua conuiuium ipse comedens Hieron ad Hedib q 2 Amo orat Prapar ad missam ãâ¦ã in psal 33. conc 1. qui comeditur Owre Lorde Iesus he ys bothe the feaster and the feast he ys the eater and that which ys eaten Sainct Ambrose praing to Chryst saieth Tu es sacerdos sacrificium mirabiliter ineffabiliter constitutus Thowe arte the preist and the sacrifice wonderfullie and vnspeakeablie appoincted Sainct Augustin speaking of Chryst saieth Ferebatur manibus suis He was born in his owne handes Then Chryste bearing him self in his owne handes was bothe the bearer and that was born These I hauebroughtin that the Reader might perceaue that S. Bernarde hath not framed soche maner of speaches of his owne inuencion but hath taken theÌ of the Farhers by imitacion Whiche maner of speaches I haue the more willingly setfurth at large bicause they doe verie well and godly declare the true catholique faithe they mightilie ouerthrowe the heresie of the Aduersarie they also confirme and comfort the true chrystian notablie prouinge vnto vs the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament This presence of Chryst by S. Bernarde so setfurth then he putteth vs in Chryst in the Sac. denoathe to be adored minde of our duetie sainge Adore in the Sacrament the health of the worlde that suffred for thee Obserue diligently that he willeth thee to adore Chryst in the Sacrament whiche woordes be directlie against the woordes of the Proclamer who willeth thee not to adore Chryst in the Sacrament but onely in heauen Nowe Reader wher the Proclamer saied that Sainct Ambrose Sainct Augustine Sainct Chrysostome made no mencion of the adoracion of Chryst in the Sacrament thowe hauest hearde them plentifullie testifieng the contrarie Wher also he saied that no other doctours made mencion of yt thowe hauest hearde diuerse declaring the contrarie And not onelie these doctours but also thowe hauest heard S. Paule theaching vs to honoure Chryst in the Sacrament Thus thowe feest a nombre of wittnesses produced for the declaracion of the catholique faith for the wicked doctrine of the Proclamer thowe feest
Aduersarie Marcion And after to his farder confutacion for that a figure must nedes be a figure os a bodie he saieth also that yt ys the figure of Chrystes bodie and so confesseth bothe the verie bodie and the figure of the bodie This vnderstanding of Tertullian must nedes be good and vpright For Li. de resur carnis A plain saing for the Proclamer after this maner he agreeth with himself both in this place and other as wher he saieth Caro corpore sanguine Christi vescitur vt anima de Deo saginetur The flesh eateth the bodie and bloode of Chryst that the soule maie be made fatte with God Wher in plain woordes he saieth that man not by spiritte but by his flesh eateth not a peice of bread a signe or figure onely of Chrystes bodie but yt eateth Chrystes verie bodie and bloode yt self After this vnderstanding also he agreeth with sainct Augustine and Theophilact and other holy Fathers as partely ye haue before hearde and shall herafter plentifullie heare And thus vnderstanded he agreeth to be shorte with the wholl catholique Churche which alwaies hath and doth teache the bodie of Chryst both to be a figure and the thing yt self in veritie Wherfore neither Tertullian neither sainct Augustine in these places alleaged neither against Amantus be either refused or denied but accepted and embraced For the Churche doth acknoledge as moche as they saie and they with the Churche doe acknowledge the Sacrament to be bothe But let the Aduersarie bringe but one auncient authour that saieth as he doeth that yt ys figura tantùm onely a figure and therwith saieth as he dothe that the reall and verie bodie of Chryst ys not in the Sacrament and then I will saie he hath doen somwhat Hetherto all they haue doen nothing to effecte to prooue their matter but onely made some cowntenance and apparance No catholike authour saieth that the Sacr. ys onelie a figure in woordes to deceaue the people and to plucke them from the catholique faith For wher their doctrine ys that the Sacrament ys a figure onelie when they reade this woorde figura in Tertullian S. Angustine or anie other authour they runne awaie with yt and violentlie wrest yt making their auditorie beleue that the authour saie as they saie And that ys false For the authours saie no not one of them that yt ys onely a figure which ys the thing that the Aduersarie must prooue and that shal he neuer doe Wherfor Reader looke to thy self and be not deceaued marke well whiche parte saieth as Tertullian saieth and folowe that parte Tertullian saieth that the breade ys made the bodie of Chryst so saieth the cathoiique so saieth the holie Churche but that denieth the Aduersarie Tertullian saieth that yt ys a figure of the bodie of Chryst so saieth the catholique so saieth the holie Churche so after a maner saieth the Aduersarie but the maner ys soche that though in the woorde Figure yt seemeth so to saie and to haue agreemeÌt with Tertullian yet in sense yt denieth the wholl For neither dothe the Aduersarie agree vpon the thing that ys the figure neither dothe he saie as Tertullian dothe saie that yt ys a figure but with an exclusuie that yt ys a figure onely which as yt ys more then Tertullian saieth so yt ys more then ys true and thus trusting ye clerely and fullie perceaue who agreeth and who dissenteth from this auncient Father of the primitiue Church I ende with him and proceade to heare other THE FIFTETH CHAP. ABIDETH IN THE EXposition of the same woordes by S. Cyprian and Athanasius NOt long after Tertullian was S. Cyprian who being a senior in Chrystes schoole and an auncient in his Parliament house will shewe vs the faith taught and continued in that schoole and the trueth enacted and receaued in that Parliament house Cypry de coena Dom. vide sup li. 1. cap. 29. Thus he writeth Significata olim à tempore Melchisedech prodeunt sacramenta filiis Abrahae facientibus opera eius summus sacerdos paneÌ profert vinuÌ Hoc est inquit corpus meum c. The sacramentes signified long agon froÌ the time of Melchisedech come nowe abroade and the high preist to the childe ren of Abraham doinge his workes bringeth furth bread and wine This saieth he ys my bodie They had eaten of the same bread after the visible forme but before those woordes that coÌmon meate was onely meate to nourishe the bodie and ministred the helpe of the corporall life But after that our Lorde had saied Doe this in my remembrance This ys my flesh and this ys my bloode As often as yt ys doen with these woordes and this faith that substanciall bread and cuppe consecrated by the solemne benediction doth profitte to the health and life of the wholl man being both a medicen and a sacrifice to heall infirmities and to pourge iniquities Thus he What sense the woordes of Chrystes supper haue this holy Ciprian dothe manifestlie declare who rehersing them saieth but after that our Lorde had saied This doe in the remembrance of me This ys my flesh and this ys my bloode that substanciall bread and cuppe consecrated doth profitte the wholl man that ys both the bodie and soule of man for so moche as yt ys a medicen to heale the infirmities of them and a sacrifice to pourge their iniquities In the Sacrament after the woordes of S. Cyprian saing that the bread and cuppe after the coÌsccracioÌ ys a medicine to heal insir and a sacrifice to pourge iniquit proueth inuincible the reall presence of Chrysts bodie Chryst spoken what can be saied to be that profiteth both bodie and soule and ys a medicen and also a sacrifice what I saie can ther ells be that shoulde be these great workes but the bodie and blode of Chryste Yt ys that bodie that ys our medicen yt ys that bodie that ys our sacrifice Wherfore S. Cyprian mening that after the woordes of our Lorde that bodie and blode ys in the SacrameÌt inuinciblie proueth against the proclamer the presence of Chrystes bodie and that the woordes of our Lorde be not to be vnderstand figuratiuely but proprely in their owne sense And this ys not to be ouerpassed what differeÌce this authour maketh betwixt the coÌdicion of the bread before the woords of Chryst spokeÌ aÌd after the woords Before the woordes saieth he yt ys coÌmon meate meet onelie to nourish the bodie but after the woordes yt ys as ye haue hearde profitable both for bodie and soule This also ys to be noted that this authour speaking of these great benefittes doth not attribute theÌ to faithe nor to the vertue of the passioÌ of Chryste Benefites at tributed to the Sacra nor to the spirituall bodie of Chryst or receipt of that although all these be necessarie for that withoute theÌ the befittes before meÌcioned caÌ not be obteined but dothe attribute theÌ to the
Chryst deliuered to his Apostles his own bodie Of these verseis this maie be the sense in english When Chryste had thus saied he tooke bread in his handes and when he had geuen thankes he diuided yt to his Disciples and taught them that he deliuered vnto theÌ his owne bodie And after that our Lorde tooke the cuppe filled with wine he sanctifieth yt with thankes geuing and geueth yt to them to drinke and teacheth them that he hath geuen them his blood and saieth This bloode shall remitte the Sinnes of the people Drinke ye this my bloode c. This Authour setting furth the historie of the Gospell in verse and therwith oftentimes geuing vs with the historie the sense and vnderstanding of yt dothe euen so here For he dothe not onely saie that Chryst saied Thys ys my bodie but geueth the vnderstanding of yt saing that Chryst taught his Apostles that he deliuered vnto them his owne bodie In whiche maner of speache note this also that he saieth not onelie that Chryst deliuered them his bodie But addeth this woorde owne and saieth that he taught them that he deliuered to them his owne bodie Whiche maner of speach hath soche force and strenght with yt that as yt declareth the catholique saith and geueth great testimonie of the same so yt beateth and driueth awaie the wicked glose of onely figures and signes inuented by the Aduersaries to peruert the trueth For what more plain testimonie wolde we desire for the vnderstanding of Chrystes woordes then to saie that when Chryst saieth Take eate this ys my bodie that he taught his Apostles that he gaue them his owne bodie A plain saing for the Procla Thus maie yow see that for the catholique faith yow haue plain testimonie for the heresie of the Aduersarie yow haue not one woorde For I assure yowe of this as partlie before ys saied ther ys not one catholique writer neither olde nor yong from Chryst to Berengarius that euer taught or wrote that the Sacrament ys onely a figure or signe of the bodie of Chryst And therfor Reader looke to thie self be not caried awaie from Chrystes faith with onely bragges and glosing woordes voide of all good proofe But raither settle thy self wher thowe findest the trueth sett furth to thee with simplicitie and plainnesse commended with moche proofe and authoritie But hauing yet manie mo wittnesses let me hast me to bring him that ys appoincted to be this authours yockfelowe to declare the continuance of the vnderstanding of Chrystes woordes in the greke churche as the other hath doen in the latin churche This ys Eusebius Emisenus who by the supptacion of learned men liued in the same time that Iuuencus did He writeth thus Recedat omne infidelitatis ambiguum quoniam quidem qui author est muneris ipse est etiam testis veritatis Nam inuisibilis sacerdos visibiles creaturas in substantiam corporis sanguinis sui verbo suo secreta potestate conuertit ita dicens Hoc est corpus meuÌ Et sanctificatione repetita Accipite bibite ait Hic est sangnis meus Let all doubte Euseb Emis Homil 5. Pa. Visible bread and wine turned into the substance of the bodie and blood of Chryst of insidelitie or vnbeleif departe For truly he that ys the authour of the gifte he also ys the wittnesse of the trueth For the inuisible preist by his secret power dothe with his woorde conuert or turne the visible creatures into the substance of his bodie and bloode saing thus Take and eate This ys my bodie and the sanctificacion repeted Take and drinke saieth he this ys my bloode In this saing of Eusebius ther ys no soche darke maner of speache that the reader nede to doubte of the true presence of Chryste in the Sacrament or howe to vnderstand the woordes of Chrystes supper seing that he so plainlie saieth that Chryste whom he calleth the inuinsible preist with his power and woorde saing This ys my bodie This ys my bloode turneth the visible Reall presence and transubstaÌtiacioÌ plainlie auouched by Euseb Emis creatures of bread and wine into the substance of his bodie and bloode Yf they be turned into the substance of his bodie and bloode as by the testimonie of this authour they trulie be then these woordes Corpus sangnis bodie and blode in the sainges of Chryst doe not signifie the figures of the bodie and bloode of Chryst but the substance of the bodie and bloode of Chryste into which substance to make the bodie and blood verilie present the creatures of bread and wine be turned and so Chryst saing This ys my bodie this ys my blood yt ys asmoch as he had saied This ys the substaÌce of my bodie this ys the substance of my blood This doctrine ys so certen so sure and so true that this authour gaue exhortacion and admonicioÌ in the beginning of his saing that in this matter ther should be no doubte all vnbeleife should departe and so faithfullie to beleue Chrystes woordes that forasmoch as he ys the authour of all trueth and saieth This ys my bodie This ys my blood vndoubtedly so to take yt Beside this doctrine of faith of the presence of Chrystes verie substanciall bodie and blood in the Sacrament this authour also teacheth the meaÌ how Transubstantiacion treacted of God woorketh yt and saieth that yt ys doen by turning the creatures of bread and wine into the substance of the bodie and blood of Chryst which turning or chaunging of one substance into an other as the holy Fathers do diuersly terme some of theÌ calling yt a conuersion or turning some of theÌ mutacioÌ or chauÌging some communicacion or translacion some transelementacioÌ some traÌsmutacion so the Church fullie and liuelie to expresse the thing that ys doen and therby the better to repell the heresies that haue risen and encoÌbred the Church since the time of Berengarius hath tearmed yt TransubstanciatoÌn which terme importeth no more in this matter then transmutacion or transelementacion but yt sowndeth and openeth the thing that yt signifieth more liuelie and suffreth notthe heretiques to wrest yt as they doe the other Which ys the cause that manie be so greuouslie offeÌded with the terme But bicause the Proclamer doth lightlie ouerpasse yt I will not tarie loÌg vpoÌ yt But in the allegacioÌ of the Fathers as thei shal make meÌcioÌ ofit so shal I breleiflie not it And yet that the reader shall not thinke that that matter ys so barren that nothing can be saied of yt or being desielrouse to learn should be frustrate of his desire aÌd expectacioÌ I shall somewhat here saie of yt desiering withal that as they do read the doctours that shall be hereafter alleaged they will note in them what they shall finde as therunto I shall geue theÌ occasion in euerie one that doth speake of this matter And for that we haue taken occasioÌ of this authours woordes to speake of yt we wil first
will therfor leaue him and heare the minde of his yocke felowe whom we Hieron ad He did q. 2. haue in this place appointed to be S. HieroÌ who writeth thus Nos autem audiamus paneÌ quem Dominus fregit deditîue Discipulis suis esse corpus Domini saluatoris ipso dicente ad eos Accipite comedite Hoc est corpus meuÌ caliceÌ illuÌ esse de quo iterum locutus est Bibite ex hoc omnes Hic est sanguis meus noui testamenti qui pro multis effundetur Iste est calix de quo in Propheta legimus CaliceÌ salutaris accipia alibi Calixtuus The bread which our Lord gaue was his bodie aÌd the cuppe hys blood inebrians quà m praeclarus est Si ergo panis qui de coelo descendit corpus est Domini vinum quod Discipulis dedit sanguis illius est noui testameÌti iudaicas fabulas repellamus c. But let vs heare that bread which our Lord brake and gaue to hys Disciples to be the bodie of our Lord our Sauiour forasmoch as he saied vnto theÌ Take and eate This ys my bodie And the cuppe to be that of the which again he saied Drinke ye all of this This ys my blood of the newe Testament which shall be shedd for manie This ys the cuppe of the which we read in the Prophete I wil receaue the cuppe of saluacion And in an other place Thy cuppe inebriating ys verie noble Yf therfore the bread that descended froÌ heauen ys the bodie of our Lord and the wine which he gaue to his Disciples ys his blood of the newe Testament let vs repell the Iewish fables Thus moch S. Hierom. For the better vnderstanding of this saing yt ys to be considered that a certain vertuouse woman named Hedibia sent to sainct Hierom to be resolued in certain questions Among the which she desiered to be instructed how the saing of Chryst in S. Matthew was to be vnderstanded wher he saied I will not from hencefurth drinke of this generacion of the vine vntill that daie in whiche I shall drinke yt newe with yow in the kingdome of my Father To the answeringe wherof he declareth vnto her first the fond opinion of some that vpon that place inuented a fable that Chryst shoulde reign a thousand yeares corporally in which time of his reign he shoulde drinke wine and so shoulde be fullfilled hys saing that he wolde drinke no more wine Heresie of the Millenaries vntill he dranke yt in the kingdom of his Father in the whiche he shoulde then reign But sainct Hierom well vnderstanding howe great and howe weightie a matter was spoken of in the place wher from these woordes were taken namely of the bodie and blood of Chryst and being greued that yt being so great a worke of God so great a benefitt to man shoulde be intermengled and obscured with soche vain inuentions of soche fables he openeth the true sense of the place and moueth the good woman Hedibia that all soche phantasies reiected and forsaken she shoulde regarde the woordes of Chryst and credit them and that the bread and wine that Chryst spake of in that place were no soch thinges as vpon which soch vain fables should be grownded but they were the bodie and bloode of Chryst forasmoch as he that can speake but trueth saied Thys ys my bodie Thys ys my bloode Now coÌsider with me yf Chryst had geueÌ to hys Apostles but Bread aÌd wine S. Hierom his woordes weighed aÌd conferred with the doctrine of the ProtestaÌtes as figures of hys bodie and blood wolde S. HieroÌ being required to geue the true vnderstaÌding of the scriprure aÌd he taking vpoÌ him so to doe wold he trowe ye haue saied Let vs vnderstaÌd that the bread which our Lord gaue to his Disciples was his bodie aÌd that the wine which he gaue was hys blood except we should beleue aÌd vnderstaÌd theÌ so to be in dede Were this an opening of the true vnderstanding of the scriptures Were yt not raither an hiding or a darkning of the scriptures to bid vs to beleue one thing aÌd the scripture biddeth an other He biddeth vs beleue that yt ys the bodie aÌd blood of Chryst that Chryst gaue to his Apostles aÌd the scriptur as the Aduers saieth biddeth vs beleue that they be but figurs Wold S. HieroÌ being alwaies an enemie to heresie teache soche an heresie Wolde not he raither if the trueth had ben so haue taught this vertuouse woman the trueth of the matter that she sought at his hand and saied vnto her This vnderstand that the bread and wine which Chryst gaue to his Apostles were but figurs of the bodie and bloode of Chryst and not the thinges themselues And alleaging Chrystes woordes This ys my bodie This ys my bloode wolde he not if they had ben so to be vnderstanded haue saied these woordes are spoken by a figure they be figuratiue speaches and are thus to be vnderstanded this ys a figure of my bodie this ys a figure of my bloode To instructe theÌ that NomencioÌ of figuratiue speache in S. HieroÌs woordes wolde learn the true vnderstaÌding of this scripture if yt were so to be vnderstanded this were the right waie of teaching But here ys no soche woorde here ys no soche maner of teaching And yt ys to be thought that S. HieroÌ was not ignorant howe to teache neither was he ignoraÌt of the trueth that in this place shoulde be taught Wherfor seing he knewe the trueth and knewe howe to teache yt and nowe he was in place to teache and had good occasion being as ys saied therunto required for somoche as he willeth vs to vnderstande that the bread and wine whiche Chryst gaue to this Apostles were his bodie and bloode and the cause why we shoulde so vnderstaÌde theÌ ys the woorde of Chryst saing This ys my bodie This ys my bloode Let vs thinke and beleue that the trueth of this matter ys that his bodie and bloode be present verilie in the SacrameÌt and that the woordes of Chryste are to be vnderstanded withoute figure simplie and plainlie as they lie And that yt ys the bodie of Chryst the woordes which S. Hierom vseth as the conclusioÌ of the matter dothe also prooue For thus he concludeth Si ergo panis qui de caelo descendit c. Yf then the bread that descended from heauen be the bodie of our Lorde and the wine that he gaue to his Disciples be his bloode of the newe testameÌt let vs cast awaie Iewish fables As who might saie forasmoche as these woordes of Chryst speake of no cheering nor banquetting that the Iewes doe dreame shall be in Chrystes worldlie kingdom but they speake of the bread which Chryst gaue to his Apostles which they saie to be his bodie and of the wine which they saie to be his bloode therfor let vs cast awaie soche vain fables and cleaue to the true
blood in of Chryst in dede wher ys nowe the bread and wine that the Aduersarie so moche talketh of wher be the onely figures and signes As signes oftentimes be tokens of thinges that be not in dede so these sainges of the Aduersaries be signes of a thing that they wold haue brought to passe and yet yt ys not in dede For all their talke in this sorte of this matter ys but vain A plain place for the Proclamer and issue ioined with him thervpon fond and withoute grownde Here ye see in this auncient authour that we haue good grownd For he saieth yt ys the bodie aÌd blood in verie deed Let the Proclamer bring one of like auncieÌtie saing that yt ys not the bodie and bloode in dede and as before I haue ioined with him so will I nowe again that I will subscribe Yf he can not let him performe his promesse and subscribe to the catholique Churche For here ys one that by expresse woordes saieth that the Sacrament ys the bodie and blloode in verie deed wherbie the onelie figure of the Aduersaries ys excluded And here maie the Proclamer and all that ioine with him in this matter see their state whiche ys the state of ignorance For he saieth this authour that receaueth thys Sacrament and knoweth not the power and dignitie of yt and that yt ys Protestantes not taking the Sacr. to be the bodie and blood of Chryst in verie dede receaue yt by ignorance the dodie and bloode in deed as the Proclamer and his complices doe he receaueth yt in ignorance I wish yt maie please our mercifull Lorde God to haue mercie vpon them and to open their eies that they maie see their owne ignorance and with humilitie mollifie their stonie hartes that vain singularitie and pride forsaken they maie humblie receaue the commaundement of God figuratiuelie spoken and plainlie expownded by this authour that their ignorance maie be remoued from them What ys the commaundement of God that they shoulde doe They must saieth allmightie God putto a fifte parte vpon the holie thing and that will make them clerelie to vnderstand Gods misteries This sifte part saieth Isichius ys the woorde that was spoken of Chryst himself vpon the mysterie of God What woorde that was yt ys doubted of neither partie neither of the catholiques neither of the aduersaries to be this This ys my bodie This ys my blood Ipse liberat nos ab ignoratia That woorde saieth Isichius deliuereth vs from ignorance Nowe remembre that the ignorance ys that a man receaueth the Sacrament Ignorance of the Sacrament what yt ys and howe yt ys remoued and knoweth not the power and dignitie of yt whiche power and dignitie ys that in yt ys the bodie and bloode of Chryst in verie dede This ignorance ys remoued by this woorde This ys my bodie This ys my bloode bicause this woorde simplie without any trope or figure teacheth that in the Sacrament ys the bodie and blood Ioin then the woordes of this authour to gother He saied before that the bodie and bloode be in the Sacrament in verie deed and he saieth that these woordes of Chryst doe make vs clerely to vnderstand yt wherfor these woordes are to be vnderstanded as spoken of the bodie and blood of Chryst in deed and not of the figure of them Yf ye will yet heare more and be more fullie certified of the trueth of this matter this authour as other did that be allreadie alleaged teacheth who ys the woorker of yt and by what mean yt ys brought to passe For proceading in the exposition of the text he saieth thus Quicunque ergo sanctificata per ignorantiam comederit ignorans eorum virtutem sicut diximus addet quintam eius super eo dabit sacerdoti in sanctnarium Sanctificationem enim mystici sacrificij à sensibilibus ad intelligibilia translationem siue commutationem ei qui verus est sacerdos videlicet Christo oportet dari id est ipsi de eis miraculum cedere imputare quia pen eius virtutem prolatum ab eo verbum qua videntur tam sanctificata sunt quà m cunctum carnis excedunt sensum Whosouer therfor shall eate the holie thinges by ignorance not knowing their power as we haue saied he shall putto a fifte parte of yt vppon yt and shall geue yt vnto the preist into the Chaunge of seÌsible thinges to intelligible in the Sacr. must begeueÌ to Christ sanctuarie For the sanctificacion of the misticall sacrifice and the translacioÌ or commutacion from sensible to intelligible thinges must be geuen to him that ys the true preist that ys to saie to Chryste that ys to geue and impute the miracle wrought in these thinges to him bicause by his power and the woorde spokeÌ of him the things that are seen are so sanctified as they passe al the witte of man Thus he See ye not here who ys the dooer of this matter perceaue ye not who woorketh this miracle The dooing of all this saieth Isichius must be referred and imputed to Chryste For he by his power and the woorde spoken of Bread and wine so sanctisied in the blessed Sacr. as yt passeth maÌs witte him sanctifieth the visible bread and wine as yt passeth mans witte to knowe Let vs here then first vnderstand that if the bread and wine were but made figures of Chrystes bodie and bloode signifienge to vs that as these feed the bodie so Chryst feedeth the soule yt were not a matter passing mans witte But mans witte maie well atteign to perceaue that in soch sorte they maie be figures Wherfor ther ys a greater matter wrought in the bread and wine then that whiche we maie perceaue by that he saieth that they be sainctified By which woorde ys not onelie refelled the wicked saing of Cramner that bread and wine can not be sanctified but also ther ys geuen a farder matter to consider in the worke of Chryste Wherfor vnderstand again that this sanctificacion declareth the mean howe this worke ys brought to passe that ys wrought For by this sanctificacion ther ys wrought as Transubstantiacion proued by Isych the termes of this authour be a translacion or a commutacion from sensible thinges to intelligible that ys ftom breade which ys perceaued by senseis to the bodie of Chryst which ys in this maner not perceaued by senseis Which tearmes importe that that the Churche calleth Transubstantiacion For when ther ys a translacion commutacion or chaunging of thinges sensible to thinges not sensible which ys a chaunge of one thing of one nature or substance into an other thing of an other nature or substance what shoulde let that yt maie not be called Transubstantiacion But what doe I tarrie in these thinges fullie and esfectuouslie testified by this authour For he hath thaught vs that Chrystes bodie and bloode be in the Sacrament in verie deed he hath taught vs that to be wrought by the traÌslacion or
healthe in the remembrance of our Lordes passion suffred for vs. Whiche thing when yt ys brought by the handes of men to that visible forme yt ys not sanctified that yt maie be so great a Sacrament but by the Spirite of God woorking inuisiblie Hitherto sainct Augustin Of whome ye see that we are taught that thoug Chryst be by diuerse meanes settfurth and preached as by scriptures preachinges and by the Sacrament yet these thinges be not all of like degree For ther ys none of these called the bodie of Chryst but onelie the bread that ys consecrated by the mysticall praier that ys by the woordes of Chryst Thys ys my bodie that onelie ys called the bodie of Chryste Oecolamp craftilie abuseth S. Augustin Nowe Oecolampadius wolde that bicause sainct Augustin saieth that Chryst ys preached by scripture woorde and Sacrament that these three be of one sorte no more being in the Sacrament then in the other two But note I praie thee gentle reader howe he abuseth sainct Augustin to proue that hys wicked sainge Of this place of sainct Augustin nowe alleadged he taketh onely thus moche Paule might by signifieng preache our Lorde Iesus Chryst otherwise by hys toung otherwise by epistle otherwise by the Sacrament of his bodie and blood And vpon thys he growndeth hys argument and wolde be seen well to haue confirmed Not toung nor writing nor soche other shewing furth Chryst be called his bodie but bread and wine consetrated hys doctrine But all the rest of sainct Augustines woordes whiche folowe whiche ouerthrowe all his building he craftelie lefte oute For yt foloweth Yet doe we call neither his toung neither his epistle nor his writinges the bodie of Chryste but onely we call that the bodie of Chryste that ys taken of the fruictes of the earth and ys by the mysticall prayer consecrated that doe we call the bodie of Chryst All thys doth he leaue oute Soche was the synceritie of the man in alleaging the holie Fathers So good ys the cause that he defended that the doctours muste be mutilated and brought oute in peice meall or ells yt coulde not stand Ys yt not merueilouse that he coulde bring this place of sainct Augustin whiche although the first peice taken alone seemeth somwhat to sownde to his pourpose yet the wholl taken together ys alltogether against him Alas that euer anie man wolde so deceaue the people of God and by soche frawde and abuse of the holie writers make them to embrace erroure in stead of trueth weigh the place throughlie and yowe shall perceaue howe yt mainteineth the catholique trueth of the presence of Chrystes boin the Sacrament verie moch Ye haue nowe heard that neither the worde written nor the woorde spoken though Chryst be preached by them be called the bodie of Chryst but onely the Sacrament ys called the bodie of Chryst And why yt ys called the bodie of Chryste he declareth Not bicause saieth he by the handes of man yt ys brought to be a visible forme but bicause yt ys sanctified and made so great a Sacrament by the inuisible woorking of the holie Goste Note these two poinctes that S. Augustine saieth that the bread ys sanctified and made so great a Sacrament And again that he saieth yt ys so sanctified and made by the inuisible worke of the holie Goste Ther ys great difference betwixt the sanctificacion of the Sacrament yt self and the soule of man that receaueth the Sacrament Now Oecolampadius and Cranmer saie that the Sacramentes being dumbe Oecolamp and Cranmer their heresies creatures receaue no sanctificacion but onely the sowles of men They saie also that the holie Gost woorketh not in the thinges that be the Sacramentes but in the men that receaue the SacrameÌtes Thys they saie bicause they wolde auoid the presence of Chryste in the Sacrament which ys made ther present by sanctificacion of the bread But against these their saings S. Augustin saieth that the same bread that ys made by the handes of men ys sanctified S. Augustin plain against Oecolamp aÌd Cranmer and receauing sanctitie ys made so great a Sacrament Against them also he saieth that the holie Goste woorketh inuisiblie in the bread I wolde now learn of the Aduersaries what S. Augustine meneth by calling the SacrameÌt so great a Sacrament and what worke yt ys that the holie Goste woorketh inuisiblie in the bread The woorkes of the holy Gost be no trifles Yt ys great and miraculouse that he woorketh And what he woorketh S. Iames in his Masse S. Basill also and Chrysostom in their Masses by their humble praiers doe declare S. Iames thus Spiritum tuum sanctissimum demitte nunc Domine in nos in haec sancta dona proposita vt superueniens sancta bona gloriosa sua praesentia sanctificet Diuus Iac. in Missa efficiat hunc panem corpus sanctum Christi tui calicem hunc preciosum sanguinem Christi tui Sende downe now o Lord thy most holie Spirit vpon vs and vpon these holie giftes settfurth that he coming ouer them maie with his holy good and gloriouse presence sanctifie and make this bread the holie bodie of thy Chryst aÌd this cuppe the preciouse blood of thy Chryst Thus S. Iames. S. Basill and Chrysostome haue the like woordes See ye not nowe then howe the bread ys sanctiâied See ye not what ys the worke of the holie Goste Perceaue ye not howe that S. Augustine vpoÌ good cause called the Sacrament so great a Sacrament ys yt not a great Sacrament Bread sanctified contrarie to Cranmers assertion aÌd Oecolamp in which by worke of the holie Gost ys made present the bodie of Chryst To haue hidden this trueth Oecolampadius by peice meall brought in S. Augustine But now ye haue seen the catholique faith well testified the falshead of the Aduersaries detected and to return to oure matter and to conclude ye perceaue this Sacrament by mystical praier which ys by Chrystes woordes to be consecrated the effecte of which consecracion being the bodie of Chryste as ys saied the woordes must nedes be taken without figuratiue sense Thus if my iudgement faill me not ye haue hearde two other noble men of Chrystes schoole and Parliament house very plainlie testifieng the enacted trueth of the vnderstanding of Chrystes wordes yea so plainly that yt caÌnot but moch confirme the good Chrystian and confute the Pheudochristian But to go forwarde I will ende with these two and call other two THE FIVE AND FIFTETH CHAPITER tarieth in the exposition of the same woordes by Chrysostom and Sedulius NOw among the learned Fathers of the greke church we are descended to Chrysostome of whome I maie saie as besore ys saied of S. Ambrose that he ys so full of godlie testimonies testisieng to vs the true vnderstanding of Chrystes woordes that as I knowe not whiche of them first to take so doe I merueill that they being so manie the Proclamer coulde for shame saie
that ther ys not one auncient doctour that maketh for the catholique faith of the Sacrament Thus ChrysostoÌ expownding these woordes of owre Sauiour Chryst in the xxvi of Matthew saieth Credamus vbique Deo nec repugnemus ei etiamsi sensui cogitationi nostrae absurdum esse videatur quod dicitur superet sensum rationem Chrys in 26 Math. hom 83. nostram sermo quaeso ipsius quod in omnibus praecipuè in mysterus faciamus non illa quae ante nos iacent solummodò aspicientes sed verba quoque eius tenentes Nam verbis eius defraudari non possumus sensus verò noster deceptu facillimus est Illa falsa esse non possunt hic soepius ac soepius fallitur Quoniam ergo ille dixit Hoc est corpus meum nulla teneamur ambiguitate sed credamus oculis intellectus id perspiciamus Let vs in Gods word euen coÌtrarie to senses must be beleued euerie place beleue God and let vs not striue against him although that that he saieth seem to our sense and thought vnlikely Let hys woorde I beseche yowe ouercome bothe our wittes and reason which thing let vs doe in all thinges but cheiflie in the mysteries not onely loking on those things whiche lie before vs but also regarding hys woords For by hys woords we cannot be deceaued our sense ys easie to be deceaued they can not be false this our sense ys often and often deceaued Forasmoche them as he hath saied This ys my bodie Let vs be holden with no ambiguitie or doubte but let vs beleue and with the eies of our vnderstanding let vs verilie see yt Thus farre Chrysostom In this saing yt ys to be perceaued howe he laboureth that in this matter of the SacrameÌt we should discredit our senseis aÌd creditte Chrysts woords And sorasmoche as he saied This ys my bodie thouh yt passe our reason to comprehend the worke of God in making present the bodie of Chryst and our senseis can not of themselues atteign to perceaue the same bodie for neither But yt passeth not reason tomake present a figure of his bodie our eies doe see yt neither our tast discern yt neither our feeling or other senses perceaue yt yet saieth Chrysostome we maie not doubte of yt but beleue yt to be the bodie of Chryst bicause he saied yt was so Nowe consider with me if the woordes of Chryst had an other sense theÌ they doe outwardlie purporte as that they shoulde teache vs that yt ys but a figure of Chrystes bodie and not the bodie yt self wolde Chrysostom trow ye in this his open sermon wil the people to beleue and not to doubt of the trueth of the woords as they be spokeÌ and wold not raither first vtter the true sense and vnderstanding of them yf anie other were and then perswade the people of that sense not to doubt Yt ys an euel maner of teaching to will the people to beleue the woordes of scripture as they lie and are not so to be vnderstanded but in a sense moche different from that Yt ys not the Chryso willeth Chrystes woordes to be vnderstaÌded as they be spoken maner of Chrysostom so to teache wherfore for so moche as he willeth them not to doubte but to beleue the woordes as they be spoken whiche he dothe in that that he teacheth no other sense yt ys manifest that these woordes are to be vnderstanded in their propre sense withoute the Aduersaries figure And that Chrysostome himself did so vnderstand them thys proueth that he in sondrie and manie places of his workes treating of these woords Reall presence auouched by Chryso of Chryst Thys ys my bodie he neuer addeth this sense Thys ys a figure of my bodie But euer leaueth them in the sense that they be spoken and in some place by expresse woordes in some place by plain circumstance he dcclareth the verie presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament By expresse woordes as wher he saieth Qui dixit Hoc est corpus meum rem simul cum verbo consecit Jn 14. Marc. hoÌ 51. He that saied Thys ys my bodie He with hys woorde made the the thing also I wishe these fewe woordes of Chrysostom to be well marked that they Chryst saing This ys my bodie with the woorde made the thing neuer fall from memorie but maie allwaies be reteined as a rule to vnderstand him in all places wher he speaketh of the Sacrament of Chrystes bodie and blood For yf Chryst with hys woorde made the thing also that he spake of and the thing that he spake of was hys bodie then with the speaking of hys woorde he made hys bodie This then being trueth as Chrysostome here teacheth yt can not be denied but that by expresse woordes he teacheth the presence of Chrystes verie bodie in the Sacrament And thus by Chrysostome ys clerely wiped awaie the hereticall figuratiue Figure of the Sacramentaries wiped awaie by Chrysost vnderstanding of these woordes of Chryst Thys ys my bodie For the Aduersaries wolde haue yt so a figure as of a thing absent But Chryst as Chrysostome saieth made the thing together with the woorde Wherfore as the woorde was present so was the thing present Yf the thing be present then the figure of the Aduersaries can not here be admitted Vpon the certentie of which presence the same Chrysostome in the same homelie thus taught hys people Quando igitur sacerdotem corpus tibi prebere Plain places of Chrysost for the Pooclamer Chrys ibi videris noli sacerdotis sed Christi manum ad te porrigiarbitrari Therfore when thow seest the preist geue thee the bodie thinke not the hand of the preist but the hand of Chryst to be put furth to thee And that the people shoulde geue full creditte to this trueth he vseth this perswasion in the same homelie Qui enim maius idest animam suam prote posuit quare dedignabitur suum tibi tradere corpus Audiamus igitur tam sacerdotes quà m alij quà m magna quà m admirabilis res nobis concessa est Audiamus oro perhorrescamus carnes suas nobis tradidit seipsum immolatum nobis proposuit Quam igitur satisfactionem offeremus cum tali pabulo nutriti peccemus cum Agnum comedentes in lupos conuertamur cum ouinis carnibus refecti vt leones rapiamus He that hath geuen a greater thing for thee that ys to saie his life why will he disdein to deliuer hys bodie to thee Let vs therfore heare bothe preistes and other howe great and wonderfull a thing ys graunted vnto vs. Let vs heare I praye yowe and let vs feare He hath deliuered vnto vs hys flesh himself offred hath he putte before vs. What satisfaction then shall we offre that being nourished with soch foode doe sinne When eating the lambe we are turned into wolues when satisfied with shepes flesh we rauine as lions Thus farre Chrysostom Note well
this perswasion of his Yf Chryst hath vouched saif to geue his life for thee will he not vouche safe to geue his bodie he hath geuen his life for thee whiche ys a great matter will he not geue thee his bodie whiche ys not so great a matter After that we haue considered this perswasion let vs somwhat more depelie weigh this place of Chrysostom and we shall finde yt so euident in declaring the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament that Sathan himself Tearmes to plain for figuratiue speaches can not well open hys mouthe against yt moche lesse hys mynisters For if they will glose this place of Chrysostom they must bestowe a great nombre of figures vpon yt For here be manie plain woordes and tearmes as his bodie his flesh a great and a woonderfull thinge himself offred settfurth before vs soche foode the lambe the flesh of the shepe whiche doe declare vnto vs the presence of Chrystes bodie And therfore as ys saied they must be darkened with manie figures and mystie gloses yf they shall be peruerted to the Aduersaries corruption of the trueth And trulie yt were wonderfull that Chrysostom preaching to the people wolde vse so manie plain tearmes and leaue them as sownding in their owne significacion when in verie dede as the Aduersaries saie and wolde bear vs in hand they doe all signifie figuratiuelie But let vs yet a litle deapelier consider the wholl place and tearmes of the same And first as touching the perswasion let vs weigh the comparison that ys made in the same by this authour to declare the great loue and mercie of Chryst towardes vs wherin he compareth the life of Chryste whiche he gaue for vs to his bodie which he geueth to vs. Nowe if the Aduersarie by the bodie will vnderstand a figure of the bodie howe vnmeet a comparison will he cause Chrysostom to make as to compare a bare figure to the life of Chryst Or who will thinke that Chrysostome Figures be no wonderfull things wolde vse soche a great matter as the life of Chryst geuen for vs to perswade vs to beleue so small a matter as that Chryst geueth vs a peice of bread a figure of his bodie after the sense of the Sacramentarie But that yt can not beare that sense the woordes that folowe doe well prooue For he saieth that the thing that ys geuen vnto vs ys a great and a wonderfull thing Yf yt be but a figure yt ys no great thing For figures haue ben since the beginning and for the most parte not esteemed as great thinges in the respect that they were figures Yf the Aduersarie will saie that Chrysostom speaketh of the bodie of Chryst spirituallie receaued whiche ys a great thing Yet yt will not helpe wonderfull what ys proprelie him to wrest Chrysostom to him For albeit the bodie of Chryst spirituallie receaued be a great thing yet yt ys not proprelie woonderfull For that ys proprely woonderfull that ys not in vse but rare seldom and almost not seen as saieth sainct Augustine Nowe to receaue the bodie of Chryst spirituallie ys no rare matter for yt hath ben in vse from the beginning SpuÌall receipt onelie of Chryst ys not wonderfull of the worlde yt was comon to the holie Fathers and Patriarches in the lawe of nature Yt was in vse among the faithfull Iewes and so among the faithfull Chrystians though not among the false Chrystians yt ys no straunge matter and therfore not a woonderfull thing though a greate thing But to receaue Chrystes bodie bothe spirituallie and reallie that ys both a great thing and a woonderfull thing woonderfull I saie for that yt was neuer in vse the bodie of Chryst reallie to be receaued before Chryst saied Take eate this ys my bodie at whiche time he did institute and ordein yt so to be receaued Before Chryst did so by his woorde instite the worlde neuer knewe this maner of receipt yt was neuer in vse neuer in practise And therfore yt ys a wonderfull thing not onelie for that yt exceadeth the compasse of reason and passeth the reache of the senseis that a naturall bodie shoulde in soche maner be receaued but also for that before Chrystes institucion yt was neuer in vse But what needeth me to trauaill so moche in declaring this when the SpuÌall and real receipt together of Chrystes bodie ys wonderfull authour himself openeth what the great and wonderfull thing ys that he speaketh of heare saing in the same place Audiamus oro perhorrescamus carnes suas nobis tradidit seipsum immolatum nobis proposuit Let vs heare I beseche yow and let vs feare He hath deliuered to vs his flesh himself offred hath he sett before vs. Thys ys the great thing that he spake of this ys the woonderfull thing that ys geuen to vs which he meneth of the slesh of Chryste Chryst himself sett before vs. Which thing that we shoulde well geue heed vnto and perceaue the greatnesse and wonderfullnesse of yt he preuenteth vs with hys aduertisement saing Let vs heare and feare whiche kinde of aduertisement neaded not if yt were but a peice of breade And note here that Chrysostome to the entent the thing might fullie be perceaued according to the trueth and his mening in the same he did not content himself onelie to saie that Chryst hath deliuered vnto vs his flesh but he addeth that Chryst sett himself offred before vs wherbie are remoued all the SathaÌs seales can not be hanged to Chrysostomes woordes figures and tropes whiche the Aduersaries to the corruption of the trueth wolde here haue putto For yf Chrysostome had saied no more But that Chryst hath geuen to vs his flesh then wolde Sathan by his ministers hanged on one of his comon seales as this woorde figuratiuelie or spirituallie and so made yt to haue appeared that yt ys his euidence But the holie Gost being a good schoolemaster hath taught hys scholer Chrysostom so to frame his woordes that if the enemie wolde go aboute to falsifie them by putting to one of his comon seales yet his falhead shoulde needes appeare For when Chrysostome had saied that Chryst had deliuered vnto vs hys flesh he immediately added as an exposition of those woordes himself hath he setfurth before vs. By whiche woordes the matter ys made plain for yf Chryst himself be sett before vs then ys the bare figure taken awaie and denied Yf he be sett before vs then ys he not onely spiritually receaued For spirituall receipt ys in vs and not before vs. Chryst by the doctrine of the Aduersarie ys within vs and not in the Sacrament before vs but Chrysostom saieth that he ys before vs and speaketh of the being of Chryst in the Sacrament Wherfore he himself ys in the Sacrament before vs and so ys excluded the onely spirituall maner whiche ys the other seale of the Aduersarie and the reall presence ys proued whiche ys the doctrine catholique The farder
That this ys the cause Chrysostome by plain woordes declareth saing Chryst did drinke first of yt lest when they had heard the woordes of Chryste which were these Eate This ys my bodie Drinke This ys my bloode they shoulde saie what doe we eate flesh and drinke bloode and therfor they shoulde be troobled Note that he saieth that the Apostles wolde haue saied whi doe we eat flesh Trooble of the Apost shoulde haue ben bicause they knewe they should eate verie flesh and drinke bloode In the whiche woordes he doth plainlie expresse their faith that they beleued yt to be flesh and bloode And bicause they did certenlie beleue yt to be flesh and bloode and that they shoulde so haue receaued yt yt might haue ben a cause to trooble them Therfor Chrysostom addeth Ac ideo perturbarentur And therfor they shoulde be troobled Therfor that ys bicause they shoulde eate the flesh and drinke the blood of a man Fot that ys the cause that Chrysostom doeth assign of their trooble That whiche foloweth also moche helpeth the declaracion of this matter that when Chryst saieth Chysostom did speake of these thinges before manie for the woordes alonelie were offeÌded In that he saieth that they were offeÌded for the wordes alone he geueth vs to vnderstaÌd that the Apostles shoulde not nowe haue beÌ offended so but for the doing that where Chryst before did speake of the geuing of his flesh nowe he did both speake of yt and geue yt in dede And so in the receipt of yt in dede they shoulde haue ben offended But saieth Chrysostom that that might not happen he dranke first that they animated and comforted by his example might with a quiett minde neither thinking yt straunge neither lothsome receaue the misteries in the whiche as a mistery requireth was hidden a thinge not open to senseis whiche was the bodie of Iesus Chryste Nowe ye haue heard the minde of Chrysostom vpon the woordes of Chryst and howe he vnderstandeth them yowe maie perceaue and by the same also yowe maie knowe both howe he did beleue and howe also the Apostles who first tooke this misterie at Chrystes hand did beleue And nowe forasmoche as I haue taried long vpon Chrysostom but not without profitt to the reader as I trust I will with the more expedition breislie ouerpasse the breif saing of Sedulius who at this time ys ioined to Chrysostom Sedul in 11 prim Cor. as his yockefelowe to testifie the true vnderstaÌding of Chrystes wordes in the latin churche as Chrysostome hath doen in the greke churche Thus he saieth Accipite hoc est corpus meuÌ quasi dixisset Paulus Cauete ne illud corpus A plain place for M. Iuell indignè comedatis duÌ corpus Chisti est Take this ys my bodie as though Paule had saied Beware that ye eate not that bodie vnworthilie forasmohe as yt ys the bodie of Chryste Thus mochehe Who expownding the woordes of Chryst vttered by S. Paule to the Corinthians dothe by expresse woordes geue vs to vnderstande theÌ in their propre sense as speaking of the verie bodie and of no figure or trope For if they were so to be vnderstaÌded this learned man taking vpon him the office of an expositoure and so to expownde the woordes of Chryst and the mening of S. Paule in the alleaging of them wolde haue taught nowe that theie are to be vnderstaÌded by a figure as an expositour aught to doe But forasmohe as he teacheth that they are vndestanded of Chrystes bodie as in opening S. Paules minde yt doeth wel appeare yt can not otherwise be but the woordes Sedulius coÌmended of Chryste are to be taken simplie as teaching vs that Cryste and S. Paule spake of the very bodie and not of the bare figure of yt This maÌ was both learned and auncient not moche aboue foure hondreth years after Chryste who as by learning he was not voide of good knowledg so by auncientie he was not voide of true faith Wherfor we must nedes confesse that this doctrine ys according to the true faith and so consequentlie acknowledge that yt ys the true faith to beleue Chrystes verie bodie in the Sacrament Thus Reader thowe hauest heard these twoo noble men of Chrystes Parliament The ProclaÌer must subscribe to the catholique doctrin of the Church if he will kepe promesse howse openinge to vs the enacted trueth of the vnderstanding of Chrystes woordes bothe of them testifieng the presence of Chrystes bodie by the same woordes and no one title of the Aduersaries figures and signes and that so plainlie and euidentlie that methinke the Proclamer shall doe me wronge if he subscribe not to this trueth for somoche as he hath promised so to doe vpon the seight of anie one plain place in scripture Councell or doctoure Chrysostom I am sure ys so plain and with all so euident and strong against the wicked assertion of the Proclamer that he shall neuer be able with all his engins and false shiftes that he had to withstand his force But yf hys mouthe will not for pride confesse the trueth his conscience I doubte not accuseth him as confownded THE SIX AND FIFTETH CHAP. ABIDETH in the exposition of the same woordes by Theophilus and Leo. NOw gentle Reader coming towardes the ende of these famouse and noble men of Chrystes higher house of Parliament I meen of soche as were within sixe hondreth years after Chryst I trust thowe wilt not fainte to proceade and see the ende And to thy more ease I also as a man trauailing in iourneie and coming towarde the ende being desierouse of the same taketh courage to him and maketh the more hast to atteign his desire Euen so I nowe drawing to the ende will be shorter then I haue ben and so make hast that I maie obtein that that I desire And nowe of those fathers that remain Theoplnlus Archibishoppe of Alexandria Origen his heresic shall be the first that in our matter shall geue his testimonie This man writing against Origen for that he saied that the deuells shall be saued at Theop. Alexand li. 2. pasch the last saieth thus Consequens est vt qui priora susceperit suscipiat quae sequuntur Et qui pro Doemonibus Christum dixerit crucifigi ad ipsos quoque dicendum suscipiat Hoc est corpus meum accipite Hic est sanguis meus Si enim pro Daemonibus crucifigitur vt nouorum dogmatum assertor affirmat quod erit priuilegium aut quae ratio vt soli homines corpori eius sanguiniîue communicent non Daemones quoque proquibus in passione sanguinem fuderit Yt ys consequent that he that receaueth the first thinges shoulde also receaue those thinges that folowe And he that doeth saie Chryst to be cruicified for Deuels alow also to be saied vnto theÌ This ys my bodie and Take this ys my bloode For yf Chryst shall be crucified also for Deuells as the auoucher of newe
doctrines doeth affirme what shall be the priuilege or what reason that onely men shoulde communicate the bodie and bloode of him and not Deuells also for the whiche in his passion he did shedde his bloode hitherto Theoph. Who improuing the opinion of Origen before mencioned saieth that if the bodie of Chryst shoulde suffre for Deuells and his blood shoulde be shedde for theÌ then vnto theÌ he shoulde haue saied as he hath to his Apostles and all faithfull men Take eate This ys my bodie Take and drinke This ys my blood Whiche argumeÌt as yt doth confute the errour of Origen for that yt ys meit that all they that be partakers of the redemption purchaced by the bodie and blood of Chryst should also be soche as to whoÌ in time conuenient yt Deuells be not redemed by Chrystes passion but if they might receaue him spirituallie they shoulde be partakers of his merittes might be saied Take eat This ys my bodie Take drinke This ys my blood Whiche thing to Deuells ys not saied so also yt doeth impugn the errour of our Aduersarie in that that no mencion being made of figures and tropes the wordes of Chryst be left in their owne propre sense teaching vs that we must take and eate his verie bodie and drinke his verie bloode And that they doe so teache vs by the minde of this authour the woordes that folowe in his second argumeÌt doo well prooue For the better perceaving wherof vnderstaÌd first as the trueth of the catholique faith ys that Deuells be not redemed by the passion of Chryst neither be they nor can be partakers of the vertue and benefitt of the same Nowe to receaue Chryst spirituallie ys to receaue the grace and fruict of this passion When then in his second argument this authour saieth that the Deuells be not parone bloode excludeth an other and the legall solemnitie when yt ys chaunged ys fulfilled Thus Leo. For the better vnderstanding of this saing of the authour yt ys to be obserued that he doth compare the solemnitie of the olde iudaicall Passouer to the newe Passouer solemnely begonne by Chryst in his last supper Whiche thing maie well be perceaued by the last woordes of the authour wher he saieth as the conclusion of all that he had before spoken legalis festiuitas dum mutatur impletur And the legall solemnitie when yt ys chaunged ys fulfilled The legall solemnitie was the feast of the Paschall lambe This feast was chaunged and then fullfilled when Chryst in stead of that lambe being the figure made his solemne feast and gaue his owne bodie and bloode the bodie and blood of the right and verie true lambe of God that taketh awaie the sinnes of the worlde of which matter more ys saied in the first booke In the whiche feast saieth the authour that the shadowes shoulde geue place to the bodie and the images shoulde ceasse in the presence of the trueth the olde obseruance ys taken awaie with a newe sacrament Marke then in the legall solemnitie was the shadowe in Chrystes supper the bodie in the legall solemnitie were the Images in Chrystes feast was the presence of the trueth that ys the verie thing signified by the image which ys the bodie and bloode of Chryst not nowe in figure but in verie deed See ye not nowe then what ys in Chrystes supper Ys ther not the bodie of the shadowe and not the onelie shadowe Ys ther not the verie thing and not the image Ys not the bodie of the shadowe In Chrystes supper ys the verie bodie and not the shadow and the verie thing of the image the bodie and blooode of Chrysts Then the verie bodie and bloode of Chryst be in hys supper Thus maie ye perceaue what he ment when he saied that Chryst did ordein the Sacrament of hys bodie and bloode not a Sacrament voyde of hys bodie and bloode but a Sacrament conteining hys bodie and bloode Will ye see this again plainlie taught This authour saieth that the olde obseruance ys taken awaie with a newe Sacrament But what ys thys Sacrament Yt ys a sacrament that ys a sacrifice remouing and ending the sacrifice of the Paschall lambe and others of that nature Yt ys a Sacrament wherin ys bloode excluding the bloode of legall sacrifices Hostia in hostiam transit sanguis sanguinem excludit one sacrifice passeth into an other sacrifice one bloode excludeth an other bloode The sacrifice of the olde lawe passeth into the sacrifice of Chrystes bodie and ther endeth and the bloode of Chryst excludeth and putteth awaie the bloode of the sacrifice of the olde lawe and so ys the sacrifice of that bloode ended Chryste in his supper did not institute a bare Sacrament onelie Thus maie yowe perceaue that when this authour saied that Chryst ordeined the Sacrament of hys bodie and bloode that he ment not onely the institucion of a bare Sacrament but also the consecracion of the bodie and bloode of Chryst lieng hidden vnder the formes of bread and wine in the same Sacrament Whiche ordeinance and consecracion was doen by the woordes of Chryst when he saied Take eate This ys ys my bodie And Take drinke this ys my bloode And so the woordes teache the verie presence of Chrystes bodie and blood in the Sacrament and not a naked figure Yf thus moch satissie not the reader forsomoch as ys here saied of and vpoÌ this authour as I trust yt maie anie that ys not contenciouse yf he desire to see more of this authour let him reparie to the sixt of sainct Iohn and to the beginning of this processe vpon the woordes of the Supper and he shall see more wherfore remitting the reader to those places I staie to saie anie more vpon this coople but hast me according to my promesse to heare an other coople THE SEVEN AND FIFTETH CHAP. PROceadeth in the exposition of the same woordes by sainct Cyrill and sainct Gregorie THough yt be moche that ys allready saied vpon these sewe woordes of Chryst and maie well suffice to teache the trueth of this matter yet that the arrogancie of the Proclamer maie be beaten down and his vntrueth against gods trueth well perceaued we shall yet bring in one or twoo cooples mo of the higher house of Chrystes Parliament and then descend to other of the lower house Of the higher house ther yet remaineth holy Cyrill whose faith in the Sacrament although yt maie well be knowen to vs by hys manie and sondrie sentences both in the first booke and in this vpoÌ the vi of S. Iohn alleadged yet that the faith of the catholique Church maie be discerned from errour and heresie with which titles some heretiques wold defame the same we wil heare him teache vs the faith that ought to be had and geuen to the woordes of Chryst and howe we shall vnderstand them euen as he taught Calosyrius to whom he wrote vpon the woords of Chryst in this maner Non dubites an hoc verum
sit eo manifestè dicente Hoc est corpus meum sed potius suscipe verbum Cirill ad CalosyriuÌ Chrystes woordes manifest and without doubt saluatoris in side Cùm enim sit veritas non mentitur Doubt not whether this be true or no seing that he manifestlie saieth This ys my bodie But raither receaue the woord of our Sauiour in faith For lie forasmoch as he ys tureth he lieth not Weigh these fewe woordes of S. Cyrill well gentle Reader and first that he willeth Calosirius not to doubte whether this that Christ manifestlie saied This ys my bodie be true or no. For in that he willed him and by him all chrystians not to doubte what clls willeth he but that al errour heresie opinion wandering wauering and colde faith shoulde be remoued and firme suro and fast faith should be geuen to the woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie S. Cyrill she weth the Proclamer plain woordes whiche woordes he saieth be manifest Yf they be manifest then they haue no obscure sense then they must be taken in the sense that manifestlie lieth open before vs. That sense ys the graÌmaticall sense Then the figuratiue sense ys taken awaie For that sense as the woordes be nowe spoken ys not manifest but obscure Then also must the Proclamer subscribe For by the iudgemente of S. Cyrill the woordes of Chryst be manifest Yf they be manifest as vndoubtedlie they be then ther ys one scripture that manifestly teacheth the presence of Chrystes bodie Again sainct Cyrill saieth that forasmoche as Chryst ys the trueth he lieth not but he taking the bread and wine saied This ys my bodie Therfore he being the trueth and lieng not the thinges were as he saied then were they his bodie and bloode For so saied he that they were Yf the bread and wine he saing Thys ys my bodie This ys my bloode were not made by his allmightie power and woorde the bodie and blood of Chryst these woords being spoken by demoÌstracioÌ of certain singular things in nature without anie circuÌstance to declare anie other sense vpoÌ these woordes then in the first hearing they sownde to haue Yf I saie these creatures remain still in their nature and substances and be but figures of Chrystes bodie and blood then I saie that Chrystes woordes were not true For he saied that they were his bodie and bloode And by the opinion of the Aduersarie they be not so but bread and wine figures of Chrystes bodie and blood Forasmoche as my cheef pourpose ys to helpe and staie them in their faith that be vnlearned to whome quiddities in learning be raither trooblesom then pleasaunt or profitable I haue determined not to dispute with the Proclamer in anie quidditie or ells I wolde somwhat haue saied to him for The Proclamer to disgrace our faith plaieth with indiuiduÌ vagum that yt liketh him to dallie and to aske where we finde that this woord hoc in english this poincteth not the bread but indiuiduum vagum For if yt shall be his phantasie to disgrace the trueth before the comon people by plaing with some quidditie that they can not vnderstand he maie so soen disgrace our faith in the holie and blessed Trinitie For if he lyst so to plaie he might moue matter of the distinction and relacion of the persons and by soche toieng bring the people to stagger in their faith in the blessed Trinitie as by this mockerie of the demonstracion he wolde make them fall from their faith of the blessed Sacrament Yt were conuenient that as the people should be taught simplie to beleue in God the Father God the Sonne and God the holie Gost and not to be troobled with the learned quiddities of the generacion of the Sonne of the spiracion as touching the holie Goste of the procession of the same from the Father and the Sonne and with the distinction and relacion of the persons so shoulde they be taught simplie to beleue as the scripturs doe teache and the holie fathers doe declare and expownde the same that the bodie and bloode of our Sauiour Chryst euen People are simplie to be taught not with Quiddities full Chryst God and man after the consecracion which as before ys declared ys doen by the secrett power of God by the worke of the holy Goste at the pronunciacion of Chrystes woordes by his sufficient mynister ys verilie reallie substanciallie and naturally present in the Sacrament and not to be troobled with demonstracions with accidentes with substances with placing of that bodie circumscriptiuelie definitiuelie by the maner of substance or by the maner of quantitie For these matters are for learned men to dispute not for good Chrystian vnlearned people to call in question of beleue In the schooles yt had ben a meit matter to dispute in the pulpitie yt was no matter to teache to edifie But yt liked him to talke of soche quiddities bicause by their obscuritie and darkenesse they being vnpleasaunt vnto the people shoulde the more myslike them and by that means haue the redier waie to deface the catholique faith and to sett vppe his heresie But I minding for that litle that in me ys to maintein that holie faith of Chryst my Sauiour that ys taught in his catholique Churche I will leaue these quiddities and simplie treact of the thing that we haue in hande And therfore nowe returning to Cyrill from whom I haue a litle digressed I saie with him that Chryst being trueth and saing This ys my bodie yt must nedes be as he saied and so simplie we must beleue the bodie and blood of Chryst according Cyrillus ibidem to his woorde to be present in the Sacrament Whiche thing as he saied here that Chryst manifestlie saied Thys ys my bodie So he manifestlie in the same epistle after a fewe lines doth open and Chryst turneth the bread into his owne verie flesh declare to be true wher he thus writeth Ne horreremus carneÌ et sanguineÌ apposita sacris altaribus coÌdescendeÌs Deus nostris fragilitatibus instuit oblatis vim vitae coÌuerteÌs ea in veritateÌ propriae carnis vt corpus vitae quasi quoddaÌ semeÌ viuificatiuuÌ inueniatur in nobis That we shoulde not loath flesh and bloode sett vpon the holie aultars God condescending to our fragilities hath powred into the thinges offred the power of life conuerting or turning them into his verie owne flesh that the bodie of life maie be fownde in vs as a certain quickning seede For that I haue vpon this place of Cyrill saied somthing allreadie I will nowe no more but note vnto yowe howe manifestlie howe apertlie and howe plainlie he teacheth vs not onely that the bodie of Chryst ys in the Sacrament but also the meanes howe yt ys ther which ys that God turneth the bread sett vpon the holie aulanrs into his verie flesh After this he rendreth to vs two Two causes whie the substaÌce in the Sacr. being
flesh appeareth not causes of the goodnesse of God towarde vs and shewed in this Sacrament the one ys that though yt be flesh in dede yet as Euthymius and Theophilact also doe saie God considering or condescending to our infirmities maketh yt not to appeare vnto vs that that yt ys in dede but yt appeareth still to vs as yt was before as bread and wine The other cause whie we receaue the verie flesh of Chryst though not in the forme of flesh ys saieth Cyrill that the bodie of Chryst whiche in an other place he calleth the bodie of life might be in our bodies as the seede of life to communicate life vnto vs and so make vs by vertue therof to liue euerlastinglie Nowe if the Sacrament were but a figure and not the bodie of Chryst as the Aduersarie saieth howe coulde Cyrills saing be true that God turneth the offred thinges into his flesh Again if in the Sacrament we receaue The flesh of Chryst receaued in the Sacr. ys the seed of euerlasting life not the bodie of Chryste howe then standeth Cyrills sainge that the bodie of Chryst to the intent yt maie be the seed of life ys fownde in vs Yt maie then well be perceaued that the doctrine of the Aduersarie teaching that Chrystes bodie and bloode be not in the Sacrament ys pestilent perniciouse and vntrue not onely in that yt ys repugnant to the doctrine of this holie Father and others before alleadged but also to the verie woorde of Chryst who plainlie saieth This ys my bodie and the Aduersarie saieth yt ys not his bodie But a figure of his bodie But yt ys time that we heare S. Grogorie whom we haue appoincted to ioin with S. Cyrill to declare what was the faith of the latin church in his daies Thus he writeth Debemus itaque praesens seculum vel quia iam conspicimus de fluxisse tota mente contemnere quotidiana Deo lachrimarum sacrisicia quotidianas carnis Grog li. 4 dialog ca. 58. sanguinis eius hostias immolare Haec namque singulariter victima ab aeterno interitu animam saluat quae illam nobis mortem Vnigeniti per mysterium reparat Qui licet resurgeÌs ex mortuis iam non moritur mors ei vltrà non dominabitur tamen in seipso immortaliter atque incorruptibiliter viuens pro nobis iterum in boc mysterio sacrae oblationis immolatur Eius quippe ibi corpus sumitur eius caro in populi salutem partitur eius sanguis non iam in manus infidelium sed in ora fidelium funditur Hinc ergo pensemus quale sit pro nobis hoc sacrificium quod pro absolutionè nostra passionem Vnigeniti filii sui imitatur Quis enim fidelium haberè dubium possit in ipsa immolationis hora ad sacerdotis vocem caelos aperiri Dailie sacrifice of Chrystes bodie and blode ys to be ofred in illo Iesu Christi mysterio Angelorum Choros adesse summis ima sociari terrena coele stibus iungi vnum quoque ex visibilibus inuisibilibus fieri We aught therfor forasmoche as we see this present worlde to haue comed to nothing with all owre minde to contemne yt and to offre vnto God the dailie sacrifices of teares the dailie sacrifices of his flesh and bloode This singular sacrifice saueth the soule from euerlasting destruction whiche reneweth vnto vs by misterie the death of the onelie begotten Sonne Who allthough rising from death dieth no more and death shall neuer more haue lord shippe ouer him yet in himself liuing immortallie and in corruptiblie he ys offred again in this misterie of the holie oblacion for vs. Ther trulie his bodie ys receaued his flesh to the health of the people ys geuen abroede his not bloode ys nowe shedde not into the handes of the vnfaithfull but into the mouthes of the faithfull By this theÌ let vs weigh what maner of sacrifice this ys for vs whiche for our deliuerance dothe allwais folowe the passion of the onely begotten Sonne What faith full man can doubte in the time of that sacrificing at the woorde of the preist the heauens to be opened in that misterie of Iesus Chryste companies of Angells to be present vnto high thinges lowe thinges to be coopled to heauenlie thinges earthlie thinges to be ioined one thing also of inuisible and visible thinges to be made Thus moche S. Gregorie Yt maie perchaunce be saied that though this place of S. Gregorie doeth moche prooue the verie presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament yet yt teacheth not the vnderstanding of Chrystes woordes This ys my body whiche ys the matter that I nowe take in hande to declare Trueth yt ys that the woordes of Chryst be not here recited by expresse woordes but they are heare vnderstanded and the true vnderstanding of them ys also here settfurth for the vnderstanding wherof I first note vnto yowe this sentence of Gregories authoritie What faithfull man saieth he can doubte in that time of immolacion at the voice of the preist the heauens to be opened c. what voice of the preist yt ys at whiche the heauens be opened the companies of angells be present high thinges are coopled to lowe thinges but that voice of the woordes of Chryst spoken by the preist in the person of Chryst This ys my bodie This ys my blood For vnto that time saieth S. Ambrose the preist vseth The heaueÌlie bodie of Christ ys ioâned to the earthlie formes of bread and wire at the pronouincing of the woordes of Chryst his owne woordes but then he vseth not his owne woordes but the woordes of Chryst at the whiche voice all these wonderfull thinges are doen. S. Gregorie then by this voice of the preist vnderstandeth these woordes of Chryst vttered by the preist The true vnderstanding of whiche woordes he teacheth when he saieth that at the speaking and pronunciacion of them vnto high thinges lowe thinges are coopled vnto heauenly thinges earthlie thinges are ioined What be these high thinges and heauenly thinges coopled and ioined to lowe thinges and eartlie thinges but the heauenly and gloriouse hodie and bloode of our Sauiour Chryst whiche by his diuine power turning the substances of bread and wine into the substance of the same his bodie and bloode and being in the Sacrament vnder the earthlie formes of bread and wine he being high and heauenly ys ioined and coopled to lowe and earth lie thinges Jrenaeus li. 4. ca. 34. After this maner the holie martir Irenaeus did settfurth the holie SacrameÌt for he saieth Qui est à terra panis precipiens vocationem Dei iam non communis panis est sed Eucharistia ex duabus constans rebus terrena coelesti The bread whiche ys of the earth receauing the vocacion of God that ys the woordes of consecracion ys nowe not common bread but Eucharistia a good grace of God being Amb. ora prepar ad Missam compact of two thinges
earthlie and heauenlie S. Ambrose also hath euen the same woordes that S. Ghregorie hath saing vbi summa imis iunguÌtur Wher high thinges be ioined to lowe thinges Heauenlie and earthlie thinges os the Sacr. discussed what they be by confereÌce of thaduersar doctrine Yt shall moche helpe the setting furth of the trueth if we maie conferring with the doctrine of the aduersaries discusse what ys this heauenlie or high thinge that ys ioined in the Sacrament with the eartly thinge And here we must according to the doctrine of Irenaeus first confesse and agree that these twoo thinges of the whiche the Sacrament ys made are twoo permanent thinges twoo thinges standing and abiding Nowe the aduersaries doctrine seking by all means to displace and remoue Chryst from the Sacrament feigneth manie thinges to be the heauenlie parte of the Sacrament which in dede will not stand with the doctrine of Irenaeus In some place yt saieth that the grace of God which cometh to the Grace ys not one of the partes of the Sacr. but the effecte receauers of the Sacrament ys the heauenly parte of the Sacrament This can not stand as part for grace ys the effect of the Sacrament and not the parte And grace therfor must be and ys in the receauer and not in the Sacrament as a part therof For if grace were in the Sacrament as a part of the Sacrament then either vnwoorthie men receauing the SacrameÌt receaue grace also which ys not to be saied or ells yt must be saied that forasmoche as they receaue not grace they receaue no Sacrament for a thing ys receaued when yt ys whollie receaued And thus shall they be vncerten when the Sacrament ys ministred Of some yt maie be saied that bicause the Sacrament ys called the bread of thankes geuing that thankes to God ys the heauenly parte of the Sacrament Thankes geuing ys not th one parte of the Sacr. This also can not be For this ys well knowen to all men that haue but reason that thankes geuing ys either in him that geueth them or in him that receaueth them and not in the bread for yt neither geueth nor receaueth thankes Yf they saie bicause S. August saieth Accedit verbuÌ ad elementuÌ et fit SacramentuÌ that ys the woorde cometh to the element and yt ys made a Sacrament The worde ys not that one part of the Sacrament that therfore the woorde ys the heauenly part of the Sacrament That also can not be saied of the Sacrament allreadie consecrated for the woorde ys raither the cause of the Sacrament then the part bicause the woorde ys not a permanent thing but these partes of the Sacrament must be twoo permanent or constant thinges as Irenaeus saieth Yf they will flee to this shifte and saie that though the woorde be not a Sanctificacion of the creaturs caÌnot be the heauenlie part of the Sacram. by the doctrine of the aduer permanent thing yet the sanctrification that ys doen in the bread by the woorde remaineth and that ys the heauenly part of the Sacrament This also euen by their owne learning can not stande For Oecolampadius and Cranmer and all the rable of that Sect teache constantlie that dumbe thinges be not partakers of sanctificacion Nowe what ells they can feign to maintein their euell matter I can not deuise but of these no one will serue Wherfor leauing them we will hearewhat the catholique faith teacheth to be the heauenly part of the SacrameÌt whiche thing we maie easilie doe trauailing no farder then to S. Gregorie whom we haue nowe in hande For we haue heard him saie that Iesus Chryst liuing in himself immortallie and incorruptiblie ys offred for vs in the holie mysterie wher The heaueÌlie part of the blessed Sacrament what yt ys his bodie ys receaued wher his flesh ys geuen abroade to the people wher the bloode ys not shedde vpon the haÌdes of the vnfaithfull but into the mouthes of the faithfull Here maie yowe see the heauenly parte of the Sacrament what yt ys Yt ys verie bodie and bloode of Chryst that ys geuen in the holie misterie to the people yt ys the high thing coopled to lowe thinges yt ys the heauenlie thing ioined to earthlie thinges yt ys that one inuisible thing that ys made one with visible thinges And here note that this place of S. Gregorie can not be wrested to the onely spirituall receauing of Chrystes bodie but yt must be vnderstande of the corporall receipt For he saieth that the blood of Chryst in the Sacramen Corporall receauing of the bodie and blood of Chryste auouched by S. Greg. ys powred into the mouthes of the faitfull whiche maner of receipt ys corporall euen the receipt of Chrystes verie reall and substanciall bloode The other receipt ys onely in the soule and can not be receaued of the bodie Wherfor we maie conclude that he speaketh here of the corporal receipt of Chrystes bloode whiche thing also ys confirmed by that he accompteth all one bloode that was shed vpon the handes of the vnfaithfull and into the mouthes of the faithfull That that was shed vpon the handes of the vnfaithfull Iewes in the passion of Chryst was Chrystes verie reall and substanciall bloode wherfor that that ys receaued by the mouthes of the faithfull ys Chrystes verie substanciall bloode Thus by S. Gregorie we are taught that Chrystes verie bodie and bloode be verilie in the Sacrament whiche so being the catholique doctrine ys that Chrystes bodie and bloode be the heauenly parte of the Sacrament But of both partes distinctlie sainct Bernarde whom onely at this time I will produce dothe verie learnedly speake treacting of the Sacrament in this maner Quemadmodum species ibi videntur quorumres vel substantiae ibi esse non creduntur sic res veraciter substantialiter creditur cuius species non cernitur videntur enim species panis vini sabstantia panis vini non creditur Creditur autem substantia Bernar. de Coen Dom. corporis sanguinis Christi tamen species non cernitur As the formes be ther seen whose thinges or substances be not beleued ther to be so a thing ys verilie and substanciallie beleued whose forme ys not seen For the forme of bread and wine ys seen and the substance of bread and wine ys not beleued Forme of bread seen the substance not beleued substaÌce of Christs bodie beleued the for me not seeÌ the substance of the bodie and bloode of Chryst ys beleued and yet the forme ys not seen Again in the same sermon he writeth thus Quod auteÌ videmus species est panis vim quod autem sub specie illa credimus verum corpus est verus Christi sanguis quod pependit in cruce qui fluxit de latere That that we see ys the forme of bread and wine but that we beleue vnder the forme ys the verie bodie and verie bloode of Chryst that did
exposition of the Aduersaries so ys yt consonaunte and agreable to the doctrine and exposition of the elders In the next chapter before this yowe sawe the exposition of Euthymius vpoÌ these woordes of Chryst not vnlike vnto this but altogether like Euth in 26. Matt. Doctrine of the Sacramentarie contrarie to the sathers bothe in woordes and sentence yt ys not saieth he a figure of Chrystes bodie but his bodie not a figure of hys bloode but his bloode Wherfore Reader when thowe seeist the authours agree and agreyng saie the contrarie of that that the Aduersarie teacheth thowe maist be well adsured that the doctrine of the Aduersarie ys false Wherfore seing yt plain before thine eyes flee the falhead and cleaue to the trueth The third note also maketh for the declaracion of this matter that he alleaging the sixt of sainct Iohn referreth yt to the Sacrament in the same sense that he vnderstoode Chrystes other woordes which ys as Theophilact also vpon the same sixt of sainct Iohn saieth Non figura carnis sed caro med est Not a figure of my flesh but yt ys my flesh So that by these authours the sixt of S. Iohn perteineth to the Sacrament notwithstanding the contrarie saing of Luther and Oecolampadius and other of that rable In which chapter ys promised the geuing not of a figure of his flesh but his verie flesh And as yt was ther promised verilie to be geuen so was the same to the accomplishment of the same promesse in verie dede deliuered and receaued euen the verie flesh and verie blood of Iesus Chryst and not the onelie figure of them The fourte note also whiche ys for the due receauing of the Sacrament geueth also light to the vnderstanding of the presence of Chrystes verie bodie in the Sacrament But for that the conuenient place to speake of this matter ys in the thirde booke we shall not here trooble the reader with all We haue nowe seen a goodlie and an euident testimonie testifieng howe Chrystes woordes were vnderstanded in the greke Church we will likewise heare one that shall declare the vnderstanding of them in the latin Church Who shall be Haymo who vpon these woordes of Chryst writeth thus Expletis solemnijs veteris Paschae transit Dominus ad sacramenta noui Paschae demonstranda Haymo in 26. Matth Postquam coenauit dedit eis panem vinum in mysterio videlicet corporis sanguinis sui Quia enim panis cor hominis confirmat vinum anget sanguinem in homine meritò idem panis in carnem Domini mutatur idem vinum in sanguinem Domini transfertur non per figuram neque per vmbram sed per veritatem Credimus enim quia in veritate caro est Christi similiter sanguis The Solemnities of the olde passeouer being fullfilled our Lord goeth to shewe the sacramentes of the newe Passouer After he had supped he gaue them breade and wine in mysterie BreadchauÌged into the bodie and wine into the blood of Chryst not in figur but in trueth that ys of his bodie and bloode Bicause bread doeth make strong the heart of man and wine encreaseth blood in man therfor the same bread ys verie well chaunged into the flesh of Chryst and the same wine ys transferred into the blood of our Lorde not by figure nor by shadowe but by trueth For we beleue that in verie dede yt ys the flesh of Christe and likewise that yt ys hys bloode Thus moch Haymo Yowe see nowe here in the latin Church also a goodlie testimonie and a clere exposition of Chrystes woordes so clere and plain that I shall not nede to trauaill to open the same but onely I haue thought good to note to thee Reader the goodlie order that this authour obserueth in his exposition First he ioneth our newe Passouer to the olde as the verie trueth to the figure whiche being in place the figure vanisheth awaie Wherbie yt ys consequent that yf the Passouer whiche Chryst did institute were the trueth whiche the olde passouer did prefigurate that the newe Passeouer was a true thing in dede and not a bare figure For otherwise shoulde the figure be the figure of a figure and not of a trueth which ys against the nature of a figure And when he had thus ioined the trueth to the figure he declareth wheÌ yt was doen saing that after he had supped he gaue them bread and wine in the mysterie of his bodie and bloode Then proceading he geueth a cause whie Chryst vsed bread and wine in this mysterie of his bodie and blood bicause saieth he the materiall bread comforteth the heart and the materiall wine encreaseth the blood therfor to signifie that as these twoo things doe A chaunge in the Sacr. in trueth not in figure woorke ther effectes in our material bodies so thy being transmuted and chaunged into heauenlie bread and wine of Chrystes bodie and blood the bread of the life they woorke the like effect spirituallie in our soules And forasmoche as he had saied that the bread and wine be turned and chaunged into the bodie and bloode of Chryst he immediatelie teacheth howe yt ys chaunged They are chaunged saieth he not by figure nor by shadowe sed per veritatem but in verie dede whiche ys asmoche to saie as yt ys chaunged or turned into the verie flesh and blood of Chryst in verie dede and not into a bare Sacramentall bread as the Aduersarie tearmeth ys Now as I haue doen with DamasceÌ so will I with this authour first coÌferr this dictrine with the doctrine of the elders to see howe they agree and after the doctrine of the aduersarie both that yt maie appeare which of theÌ best agree with the auncient Churhe and whether ther be anie iust cause why the Aduersarie shoulde reiect this authour or his likes This authour Greg. Nissen serm cathec de diuinis Sacramen saieth that the bread ys chaunged into the bodie of our Lorde and the wine into his bloode doeth not among the elders the great elder Gregorie Nissen vse the like woordes Quamobrem saieth he rectè nunc etiam Dei verbo sanctificatum panem in Dei Verbi corpus credimus immutari Wherfor we doe nowe also verie well beleue the bread that ys sanctified by the woorde of God to be chaunged into the bodie of the sonne of God See ye not then that the doctrine which Haymo here teacheth of the transmutacion chaunging or turning of the bread into the bodie of Chryst TraÌsubstaÌciacoÌn that ys chaunge of bread aÌd wine into the bodie and bloode of Chryst a matter of faith which nowe the Church tearmeth Transubstantiacion ys an auncient doctrine and if yowe will conferre them diligentlie ye shall haue occasion to thinke that this authour Haymo did in this matter folowe Gregorie Nissen their sainges be so like For as Gregorie maketh this matter of the chaunging of the bread into the bodie of Chryst no matter
almost S. Ambrose sentence and woordes S. Ambr. li. de myst c. 9. Ambrose saieth Quid hic queris naturae ordinem in Christi corpore cùm preter naturam sit ipse Dominus Iesus partus virgine What doest thowe here seke the order of nature in the bodie of Chryst sith the same Lorde Iesus Chryste was beside nature conceaued of a virgen This authour saieth what doest thowe seke the cause or ordre of the transmutacion of the nature of breade into the bodie of Chryst and of the wine and water into his bloode sith he aboue nature and reason was born of a virgen So farre wide was yt from the mening of this authour to varie from the mindes of the auncient fathers that he vseth their woordes To end yt ys easie to perceaue that this man teaching transmutacion or transubstancion and soche creditte to be geuen to the plain woorde of Chryst for the verie presence of his bodie in the Sacrament vnderstandeth Chrystes woordes withoute figure as also Rupertus did THE THREE AND SIXTITH CHAP. TARIETH IN the exposition of the same wordes by Innocentius and Germanus IN this proceasse we are descended to InnoceÌtius the thirde who liued the yeare of our Lorde 1300. and therfor about 362 years agon In this matter he writeth thus Agnus Paschalis siue dubio figurabat Jnnocen de offic Miss Dominicum corpus sed panis azimus sincerum opus Sicut autem Ioannes Baptista qui dixerat Eccè agnus Dei per adiunctum determinauit Ecce qui tollit peccata mundi Sic Christus qui dixerat Hoc est corpus meum per adiunctum determinauit quod pro vobis tradetur Sicut ergo corpus Christi veraciter tradebatur sic verè demonstrabatur non in figura quaeiam cessauerat sed in veritate quae iam aduenerat The paschall lambe without doubte was a figure of our Lordes bodie but the vnleauened breade signified a sincere worke As Iohn the Baptist The bodie of Chryst both deliuered and demonstrated not in figur but in trueth who saied Behold the lambe of God by a clause adioined did determine yt saing Behold him that taketh awaie the sinnes of the worlde So Chryste who had saied This ys my bodie by a clause adioned determined the same saing which shall be deliuered for yowe Therfor as the bodie of Chryst was verilie deliuered so was yt verilie demonstrated not in a figure whiche nowe had ceassed but in trueth which nowe was comed This authour minding to expownde Chrystes woodes doeth first declare that the Paschall lambe wherof we haue at large spoaken in the first booke was vndoubtedlie a figure of Chrystes bodie wherbie the geueth vs to vnderstand that nowe the figure being taken awaie which can not other wise be ceassed but by the cominge of the veritie that nowe the bodie of Chryst ys not onelie as in a figure as yt was in the paschall lambe but yt ys nowe in veritie He prooueth yt by Chrystes owne woorde who saied and spake nothing but trueth This ys my bodie That he spake yt by his owne naturall and substanciall bodie he prooueth by the determinacion that he put to yt which was this Which shall be deliuered for yowe This particle added determineth his sainge to be of his naturall bodie For he deliuered not his siguratiue bodie neither his spirituall bodie nor his misticall bodie Wherfor yt was spoaken of that bodie whiche might be deliuered for the sinnes of the worlde whiche was onelie his owne naturall bodie Then he concludeth vpon these two partes that as Chrystes bodie was verilie deliuered to deathe so was yt verilie spokeÌ of Chryst in the supper not in a figure which ys nowe past and hoen but in veritie which ys comed To be shorte as he breislie concludeth the trueth so with asmoche breuitie Figure of the Sacramentaries flatlie denied he excludeth the vntrueth He sendeth the emptie figure to the olde Lawe he appointeth the fullnesse of the veritie in the newe Lawe Thus the Aduersaries figure being also denied by this authour as yt hath ben by manie other the conclusion maie be made that Chrystes woordes are to be vnderstanded not figuratiuely but in their propre sense simplie and literallie Nowe on the other side shall geue testimonie the holie man Germanus Germanus epis Constantin Bishoppe of Constantinople who did write an exposition vpon the Masse of the greke church wher in he writeth thus Ipse dixit Hoc est corpus meum hic est sanguis meus Ipse Apostolis iussit illos vniuersae Ecclesiae hoc facere Hoc enim ait facite in meam commemorationem Non sanè id facere iussisset nisi vim inditurus fuisset vt id facere liceret He saieth This ys my bodie this ys my blood He also commaunded the Apostles and by them the wholl Church this to doe For saieth he This doe ye in the remembrance of me Trulie he wolde not haue commaunded them so to doe except he had geuen them powr that thei might doe yt What ys their power afterwarde he declareth saing Spiritus sanctus qui semel egressus est in posterum non dereliquit nos sed est nobiscum erit in perpetuum aeuum haec per manum sacerdotum linguam mysteria conficit Ac non sanctum Spiritum dumtaxat misit Dominus noster vt maneat nobiscum sed ipse policitus est se mansurum nobiscum vsque ad consummationem seculi At Paracletus inconspicuus adest quia ipse corpus non gestauit Dominus verò conspicitur tangi se patitur per tremenda sacra mysteria vt quinostraÌ naturaÌ acceperit eamîue gestet in secula The holie Gost The holie Gost consccrateth the Sacr. by the hand and toung of the preistes who once came furth to vs and neuer hereafter doeth forsake vs but shal be with vs for euer to the worldes ende dothe consecrate these misteries by the hand and tounge of the preistes And our Lorde hath not sent his holie Spiritte that he onelie shoulde abide with vs But he himself also hath promised to dwell with vs vnto the ende of the worlde The holie Gost ys with vs but not seen bicause he had no bodie But our Lord ys both seen and suffreth himself by the fearfull and holie misteries to be touched as one that hath taken our nature vpon him and will beare yt for euer The power theÌ of the ministres of Chryst ys that they be the instrumeÌtes of holie Gost by whose haÌd aÌd toung these mysteries be coÌsecrated In that he saieth the holie Gost doeth woork this great work by the touÌg of the preist he meneth at the pronunciacion of Chrystes woordes by the mouthe of the preistes at the whiche the holie God inuisiblie woorketh the presence of Chrystes bodie and bloode agreablie to the woordes of Chryst Li. 4. de Sacr. spoken by the preist in the person of Chryst saing
the power of him that brought oute all of nothing Of this authour as of all the rest we learn the power and mightie worke of Chrystes woordes God and man by which the bread and wine be transmuted and chaunged into the bodie and blood of the same owre master aÌd Sauiour Iesus Chryst And wher transmutacion and transubstanciacion ys confessed and taught as this authour confesseth bothe ther ys the Aduersaries figure denied and the propre sense of Chrystes woordes and not the figuratiue sense admitted and alowed But we shall heare him with his owne woordes declare himself Thus he saieth Corpus est duplex Verum alterum alterum mysticum Et verum quidem est quod in hoc diuino Eucharistiae sacramento consecratur atque conficitur sub visibili specie panis The true bodie of Chryste vnder the forme of bread ac vini Hoc idem est cum eo corpore quod fuit ex beata Virgine Spiritus sancti obumbratione conceptum De quo ipse Dominus in exhibitione sacramenti cum nobis sensibileÌ panem vinumque ostendisset ait Hoc est corpus meuÌ hic est sanguis meus Deinde addidit Quod pro vobis traditur qui pro vobis effunditur in remissioneÌ peccatoruÌ MysticuÌ auteÌ eius corpus est Ecclesia congregatio fideliuÌ Chryst hath two bodies A true bodie and a mysticall bodie The true bodie ys yt that ys coÌsecrated and made in this diuine Sacrament vnder the visible forme of bread and wine This ys all one with that bodie that was by the ouershadowing of the holie Goste conceaued of the blessed virgen Of which bodie our Lorde himself in the geuing furth of the Sacrament when he had shewed to vs sensible bread and wine saied This ys my bodie and this ys my blood Then he added which ys deliuered for yowe and whiche ys shed for yowe in the remission of sinnes But his mysticall bodie ys the Church and the congregacion of the faithfull And afterward by expresse woordes denieng the Aduersaries figure saieth thus Cauendum autem ne quis propterea quòd Eucharistiae mysterium figura esse dicitur A great blasphemie to saie or thinke the Sacr. ys not the bodie of our Lord. dicere aut omnino suspicari audeat non esse verum Domini corpus Absit tanta blasphemia à fidelium mentibus Yt ys diligentlie to be taken heed vnto that no man bicause the Sacrament ys called a figure be so bolde to saie or by anie meanes to thinke that yt ys not the verie bodie of our Lorde God forbidde so great a blasphemie from the mindes of the faithfull Thus farre he In whiche saing as before diuerse times ys saied the authour according to the catholique faith teacheth that the Sacrament ys both a figure and the bodie of Chryst But bicause yt ys a figure therfore as the Aduersarie saieth yt ys not the bodie of Chryste That blasphemie saieth this good man God kepe from the mindes of the faithfull Beholde Chrystian reader that to saie that the Sacrament ys a figure and not the verie bodie of Chryst yt ys a blasphemie O mercifull Lord howe moche blasphemie then ys ther nowe committed God of his mercie preserue soche as yet haue not that they neuer speake blasphemie against ther Lorde God in this matter and call again soche as haue that his heauie indignacion fall not vpon vs. I see I haue taried long vpon these fewe woordes of Chryst And therfore although I might haue brought furth manie moo of the lower house as the learned knowe ther be manie yet I haue of them takeÌ but sixe cooples remembring that I had a good nombre of the higher howse and they mynistred moche occasion of matter vpon which I had better will to tarie bicause the Proclamer aloweth their authoritie Who in dede if he will looke well vpon himself and will thinke no more of himself then ys meet nor take more vpon him then becometh him shoulde not with skorn and contumelie reiect anie of these of the lower house nor disalowe soch learned men as he doeth and soche a nombre and of so long time and so manie yeares except MisunderstaÌding of Chrystes woordes mother of all the heresies of the Sacramentaries he doeth yt vpon like policie as some men doe who mystrusting their cause refuse manie to go vpon their questes bicause they shall be fownde giltie I haue I saie taried long vpon this short text and fewe woordes of Chryst bicause the misunderstanding of them whiche ys the mainteinance of their heresie and the mother and damme of all the wicked opinions in this matter maie be taken awaie and the true vnderstanding whiche ys the grownde of true faithe and the verie fowntain and liuelie well spring of whollsom doctrine maie be staied settled and with like mindes of men to be receaued For he that hath the true vnderstanding of the woordes of Chryst can not lightlie erre in the matters of the Sacrament And he that misunderstandeth them for the most parte erreth in all matters that be moued by euell men against the blessed Sacrament Nowe ye haue heard first the three holie Euangelistes and S. Paule reporting in one maner those woordes of Chryst ye haue heard eleuen cooples of Chrystes higher house of parliament of eche side that ys both of the greke Churche and latine Church men not obscure but most famouse among all writers that haue written vpon these woordes of Chryst not onelie in learning but in auncientie Catholiques howe they vnderstand Chrystes woordes in holinesse and in grauitie ye haue heard sixe cooples of Chrystes lower howse of Parliament chosen also of both sides of the howse men also in their times famouse both in learning in holinesse of life and in my iudgement most woorthie men I saie amonge those that I coulde finde that did treact of the woordes of Chryst by waie of exposition In the processe also ye haue hearde the propositions or saynges of the catholiques and of the aduersarye as touching the vnderstanding of these woordes of Chryst wherin standeth the controuersie The catholiques haue twoo saynges The one that the woordes of Chryst are to be vnderstanded withoute figure The other Sacramentaries howe they vnderstaÌd them whiche foloweth vpon that that Chryst spake of his verie bodie The Aduersaries contrarie wise haue two sainges the one that Chrystes woordes are to be vnderstanded with a figure The other that Chryst did not speake these woordes of his verie bodie The catholique vpoÌ his sainges growndeth this trueth that Chrystes verie bodie and verie bloode after the coÌsecracion be reallie and substanciallie in the Sacrament and so geuen to the receauers The aduersarie vpon his sainges growndeth his erroure that Chrystes verie bodie and blood be not reallie and substanciallie in the SacrameÌt but in the SacrameÌt ys onelie a figure of the bodie and ys geueÌ to the receauers as a signe or tokeÌ of Chryst As coÌcerning
the bodie of Chryst And before the woordes of Chryst yt ys a cuppe full of water and wine but when the woordes of Chryst haue wrought ther ys made the bloode that redemed the people Gregorie nissen saied the bread by the woorde ys chaunged into the bodie as yt was saied of the woorde mening Chryst This ys my bodie And again he saieth we doe beleue that the bread sanctified by the woorde of God ys chaunged into Greg. Niss ser cathec Hier. ad Hed. qn 2 Isich in Leuit li. 6. ca. 22. the bodie of the Sonne of God S. Hierom saied Let vs vnderstand that the bread which our Lorde gaue vnto his Disciples ys the bodie of our Lorde and Sauionre forasmoch as he saied This ys my bodie aÌd that the cuppe ys that of the whiche again he saied Drinke ye all of this This ys my blood of the newe Testament Isichius saied he receaueth the sacrifice by ignorance that knoweth not the power and dignitie of yt that knoweth not that yt ys his bodie and Ang. in Psalm 33. con 1. Chrysosthom 83. in 26 Math. hom 51. in 14 Marc Cyrill ad CalosyriuÌ bloode in verie dede but receaueth the misteries and knoweth not the power of theÌ S. Augustine saied that Chryst was born in his owne handes when geuing furth that same his bodie he saied This ys my bodie For he did beare that bodie in his handes Chrysostome saied Forasmoche as he hath saied this ys my bodie let vs be holden with no doubte but let vs beleue and with the eies of our vderstanding let vs verilie see yt Again he saied He that saied This ys my bodie alltogether with his woorde he made the thing also S. Cyrill saied Doubte not whether this be true or no sith he manifestlie saieth this ys my bodie but raither receaue the woorde of our Saiouur in faith For he forasmoche as he ys the trueth he lieth not S. Gregorie saied Chryst ys offred for vs in this misterie of the holie sacrifice Ther trulie his bodie ys receaued his flesh to the health of the people ys geuen abroade his Grego li. 4. Dial. ca 58 blood ys nowe shedde not vpon the handes of the vnfaithfull but into the mouthes of the faithfull And again whiche of the faithfull can doubte in that time of the sacrifice at the woorde of the preist the heauens to be opened in that misterie of Iesu Chryst coÌpanies of Angells to be preseÌt vnto high thinges lowe thinges to be coopled vnto heauenly thinges earthlie thinges to be ioined one thing also of inuisible and visible thinges to be made Isidor saied The sacrifice that ys offred of the Chrystians vnto God Chryst our Lorde and master did first institute when he gaue to his Apostles his bodie and bloode before he wolde be betraied as yt ys redde in the Gospell Jsidorus de âffi âccl ca 1â Iesus tooke bread and the cuppe and blessing them gaue them to them Thus haue I breissie tocuhed so moche as maie serue to prooue the second proposition of the catholiques Yf anie desire to see anie more of these authours let him repair to their chapters and ther shall he see them at large And nowe ye see that as by manie wittnesses the figure in the first proposition was denied so by all these that Chryst in his woordes spake of his verie bodie yt ys here affirmed And yet all these notwithstanding yf the Aduersarie can bringe furth but one auncient Father that by expresse woordes saieth as he saieth that Chryst in his supper did not speake of his bodie or that his bodie after coÌsecracioÌ duelie doeÌ ys not in the Sacrament I will ioine with him The Proclaimer more arrogantlie theÌ trulie saieth of the catholique Churche and that with repeticioÌ saing once again I saie as therby with The bragge of the proclamer boldecountenance to beare oute his fal shood and vntrueth that of all the woordes of the holie scriptures of all the examples of the primitiue Churche of all the olde fathers of all the anncient doctours in these causes they haue not one Nowe iudge whether he be true or no and what credditte ys to be geueÌ vnto him in other matters that so shameleslie speaketh in this To the farder proofe of the trueth of Chrystes substanciall presence in the Sacrament also beside that that ys saied of manie of the authours seuerallie I haue treacted of tansubstancion wherfor I remitte the reader thither and nowe hauing but one scripture in the Euangelistes to speake of I will breiflie touche yt and so finish this second booke THE FIVE AND SIXTETH CHAP. TREACTETH of the bread blessed and geuen by Chryst to the two disciples in Emaus and prooueth by Theophilact and Bede that yt was the Sacrament IN the gospell after sainct Luke we read that Chryst ioining him self to two of his Disciples goinge to Emaus wheÌ he cam thither Luc. 24. he satte downe with them And tooke bread and blessed and brake yt and gaue yt to them and their eies were opened and they knewe him And these Disciples returned with ioie to Hierusalem and tolde the The bread geuen to the Disciples in Emaus was Chrystes blessed bodie Apostles what was doen in the waie and howe they knewe him in the breaking of bread This bread that was here blessed and broke and geuen to the Disciples the holie learned men do testifie not to be common bread but to be by the blessing of Chryst made the bread of life euen his owne bodie Wherfor seinge yt ys so vnderstaÌded I thought yt apperteining to that pourpose that I haue taken in hande to see the mindes of the holie fathers in yt And at this time to ascende I will beginne with Theophilact who writeth thus vpon the same scripture Insinuatur autem aliud quiddam nempe quod oculi corum qui benedictum panem assumunt aperiuntur vt agnoscant illum Magnam enim Theophil in 24. Luc. indicibilem vim habet caro Domini An other thing also ys geuen vs to vnderstande that ys that the eies of theÌ which doe take the blessed bread are opened that they maie knowe him mening Chryst For the flesh of Chryst hath a great and vnspeable power Thus he By this authour yt doeth not onely appeare that Chryst gaue vnto the two disciples his bodie but yt ys also euident For when he had first saied that their eies were opened that receaued the blessed bread so well that they might knowe Iesus immediatelie opening what this blessed bread was he saieth For the slesh of Chryst hath an vnspeakeable power The blessed bread then blessed of Chryste to be geuen to the Disciples was so of him blessed by the testimonie of Theophilact that yt was made the flesh of Chryst Whiche he prooueth by the effecte For although Chryst had walked with them somoche waie and had conferred with them and had rebuked their slacknesse of faith and
So that in this maner of speache Chryst did but answer the opinion of the Iewes and therfore did not assertiuelie saie that Iohn was Helias but Chryst did not assertiuelie saie that Iohn was Helias with a circumstance yf ye will receaue yt whiche thing also ys noted of Chrysostome Significauit autem Ioannem Heliam esse Heliam Ioannem Vtrique enim vnam administrationem susceperunt praecursores ambo constituti sunt ⪠Quare non dixit hic est profectò Helias sed si vultis suscipere hie est He signified Iohn to be Helias and Helias Iohn For bothe they haue taken one administracion and both be made percursours Wherfor he did not saie this ys verilie Helias But yf ye will so take yt this ys he Thus Chrysost Neither ys yt the propre sense or vnderstanding of this proposition that Iohn ys a figure of Helias or Iohn ys a signe or token of Helias as by this he wolde proue the other saing of Chryst This ys my bodie to be vnderstanded for that this ys spoken with a circumstance and as yt were with a condicion and not simplie as Chryst saied This ys my bodie Now to applie all these other scriptures which Oecolampadius hath brought in Marke diligeÌtlie I beseche thee good Reader yf anie of them all be of like speach as these woordes This ys my bodie The scripture saieth not The doue ys the holie Goste neither dothe yt saie that either the breathing into the Apostles or the fierie tounges be the holie Gost But farre otherwise as ys allreadie saied and farre vnlike to this maner of speache Thys ys my bodie For the one ys spoken by a liklihead and therfore vsed with this terme as the other by the very substance and therfore expressed with this woorde ys And yet withall note howe yt pleaseth God that as he made Balaams Asse OccolaÌp likned to balaams asse to speake to the reproche of her master so yt pleaseth him to woorke in this man who through malice made dumbe to speake the trueth willinglie but yet vnwittinglie hath broughtin these scriptures whiche being considered and weighed make nothing against the trueth but moche for the trueth And first wher he began his building with our text Petra erat Christus The rocke was Chryst whiche he saied was a figuratiue speache yt ys proued that ther ys none but a plain speache for the spirituall rocke was Chryste Therfore yt standeth well to be applied to the catholique trueth that as the rocke was not figuratiuelie but verilie Chryst so the substance of the Sacrament of the aultar ys not figuratiuely but verilie the bodie of Chryst And as the holie Gost was verilie vnder a corporall forme like a doue and verilie present with the fierie tounges and also verilie geuen to the Apostles with the breathing of Chryste so ys the bodie of Chryst verilie and trulie vnder the corporall formes of bread and wine Presence of the holie Gost vnder the forme of the doue with the fierie tounges and breath of Chryst conferred with the preseÌce of Chryst in the Sacr. as the holie Goste vnder the forme of a doue and verily also geuen to the faithfull as the holie Goste to the multitude And vnder that corporall forme as trulie receaued of the Chrystians as the holy Gost was by the breathing of Chryst receaued of the Apostles So that ther ys a conformitie and great likelihead betwixt these scriptures and moueth the Chrystian very stronglie to beleue the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament For as we are taught to beleue that the holie Goste was vnder a corporall forme bicause the scripture saieth that the holy Gost descended in a corporall forme so are we taught to beleue that Chrystes bodie ys vnder the forme of bread bicause the scripture saieth that Chryst blessing the bread saied Thys ys my bodie and so of the rest And as the scripture saieth not that the doue or the tounges were the holie Goste No more dothe yt saie that the forme of bread ys the bodie of Chryst But as the scripture teacheth that with these formes the verie thinges be geuen and not the bare signes onelie so are we taught that with the the forme of bread ys geuen the very thinge sanctified whiche ys the verie bodie of Chryst himself sainge Take eate This ys my bodie Thus maie ye perceaue howe goodlie God hath sett furth hys mysteries that one maie aptlie be conferred with an other as that therby the faith of the weake maie be moche holpen and the faith of the strong moche comforted and delighted and the more when they maie see howe God turneth the weapons of the enemies vpon them selues and so withe their weapons defendeth vs. THE FOVRTH CHAP. BEGINNETH TO DEclare by the holie fathers of what thinges Manna and the water be figures NOwe this text of S. Paule being truly expownded according to the mindes of the holie catholique fathers and deliuered from the violent wresting of the Aduersarie yt ys time and place conuenient that we seke of what things these two yet not applied that ys Manna and the water be figures of That they be figures yt ys most certen but of what thinges yt ys in controuersie The Aduersarie affirmeth Manna to be onely of the woorde of God a figure as wherby the soule of man ys fedde as the Iewes were in desert But the good catholique teacheth that yt ys not onely a figure of the woorde of God but also of the bodie of Chryste in the Sacrament wherwith man ys fedde to euerlasting life and made strong to walke through the desert of this worlde to the heauenlie lande of promisse And for further openinge of this matter vnderstand that one Irenaeus wrote an epistle to S. Ambrose asking whie God did not rain Manna from heauen as he did to the Iewes S. Ambrose answering him treacteth not onelie of MaÌna yt self but also of that whiche was figured by yt And so in that processe declareth that not onelie Ad Jrenaeum epla 62 the worde of God ys a spiritual MaÌna but also the bodie of Chryst in the Sament ys Manna Thus writeth S. Ambrose Quaeris à me cur Dominus Deus Mannapluerit populo patrum nunc non pluat Si cognoscis pluit quotidiè pluit de coelo Manna seruientibus sibi Et corporeum quidem illud Manna hodie plerisque in locis QuaÌto praestantiora sunt haec superioribus iuuenitur Sed nunc non est res tanti miraculi quia venit quod perfectum est Perfectum autem panis de coelo corpus ex virgine de quo satis Euangelium te docet Quanto praestaÌtiorà sunt haec superioribus Illud enim Manna hoc est panem illum qui manducauerunt mortui sunt Hunc autem panem qui manducauerit viuet in aeternum sed est spirituale Manna hoc est plumia spiritualis sapientiae quae ingeniosis quaerentibus de coelo
infunditur irrorat mentes piorum obdulcat fauces corum Thowe askest me why the Lord God did rain Manna to the people of the Fathers and nowe he doth not rain Yf thow knowest he raineth now and dailie he raineth Manna froÌ heauen vnto them that serue him And in diuerse places the same corporall Manna ys nowe fownde but yt ys not nowe a thing of so great miracle for that ys comed that ys perfecte But that perfecte ys the bread from heaueÌ Howe moche more excellent are these then the other aboue rehersed whiche ys the bodie born of the virgen of the whiche the gospell sufficient lie teacheth Howe moche more excellent are these then the other aboue rehersed Who soeuer did eate that Manna that ys that bread they are dead But this bread whosoeuer eateth shal liue for euer But this ys a spiritual Manna that ys the spirituall rain of wisdom whiche ys powred into them from heauen that be wittie and do seke yt and yt dothe dewe the mindes of the Godlie and maketh swete their Iawes hitherto S. Ambrose Of whom we maie learn as ys before saied that not onelie the woord and Oecolap his shaÌful abusing of the auncieÌt Fathers namelie of S. Ambr. wisdom of God ys called Manna but also the bodie of Chryste whiche was born of the virgen whiche he calleth perfecte Manna And here yt ys not to be ouerpassed that Oecolampadius the enemie of this Sacrament who of indurate malice wrote a booke against the same in the whiche to the entent he might more easilie deceaue the vnlearned and simple as to make them beleue that the holie fathers were of his side he vseth to alleage diuerse of theÌ but so that somtime he doth wrest them shamefullie some time he falfifieth them somtime he corrupteth them somtime he truncateth them somtime alleaging them and taking vpon him trulie to reporte them he doth mutylate them in the middest of their sainge as impudenilie and wickedlie he doth vse S. Ambrose here in this place last alleaged of the whiche for that he perceaued yt made against him he left oute a sentence whiche I haue noted in the margen both the latin and the english to the entent ye shoulde perceaue the sentence alone and with all see howe that wicked man ioined the rest of the sentence to gether mutilating and cutting this awaie This ys the sinceritie of heretikes in handling of matters of faith and religion And thus maie ye see what credite they be wourthie of By this ye maie perceaue also whether they offende of ignorance of simplicitie or ells of deuelish malice Ys not this deuelish malice that seing a sentence in the middest that impugneth his heresie he cutteth yt of and peiceth yt together again as though ther were nothing lacking Did not his conscience trowe ye reprehend him wheÌ he did yt Ys not he the childe of his father Sathan that seeth and perceiueth that this waie ys naught and wicked and yet by gile and crafte will trauaill to induce men into yt and bringing manie to damnacioÌ aggrauate his owne euen as his father doth I haue thought good reader here to aduertise thee of their impostures that though they sett oute their doctrine with neuer so good a countenance of holinesse learning and consent or testimonie of holie Fathers yet be well assured that vnder the faire countenaunce of the enemie of mankinde tempting our mother Eue ther was a mortiferouse serpent vnder his swete woordes which to well liked the hearer was most bitter falshood and vntrueth Vnder the sweet woordes of Heretiques lieth bitter poisoÌ of falshead In that goodlie pleasaunt and delctable aple was cruell and horrible death and damnacion so in their faire countennance ye shall finde serpentine infection in their woordes falshead errour and heresie and in the taking of their doctrine or consenting to yt plain damnacion But nowe that ye maie perceaue howe moche this sentence whiche denelishlie he cutt of dothe impugne his doctrine and make for the trueth I will somwhat open the same and so shall ye perceaue that of sett pourpose and of very malice he left yt oute S. Ambrose answering Irenaeus saieth that Manna nowe a daies though yt be fownde in many places at this present time yt ys not a thing of so great miracle He addeth the cause bicause saieth be that ys nowe comed that ys perfect as who might saie The figures of the lawe though manie of theÌ when they were in vse were great thinges and semed to be merueilouse yet when the thinges came of the whiche they were figures they were not so merueilouse like as the light of a torche in the night time semeth to be a great light a very perfect light yet in the daie the brigth beames of the Sunne shining and glistering yt ys but an vnperfecte and almost no light so the figures of the olde lawe compared to the thinges figured in the newe lawe Wherfor Manna being but a figure of that perfect thing the bodie of Chryst when that once came in place Manna appeared to be but an vnperfect thinge When S. Ambrose had made this comparison of the figure to the thing figured and sawe the perfectioÌ of the one and the impefection of the other the excellencie of the one and the weaknesse or basenesse of the other he brought in this senteÌce which OecolaÌpadius left oute Quanto sunt praestaÌtiora haec superioribus Howe moche more excellent are these then the other aboue rehersed howe moche more excellent ys the bodie born of the virgen our verie true Manna and the right bread of heauen whiche we feade vpon in the Sacrament then Manna whiche the Iewes did eate And here note SacrameÌtaries to maintein their heresie denie the excellencie of the Sacramentes of the newe lawe again gentle reader that this wicked man and other his complices who denie as ye perceaue the presence of Chryst in the blessed Sacrament do also as wickedly teache that the Sacramentes of the newe lawe geue no grace And to maintain these two euell and wicked opinions they take the third against the trueth that all Chrystes Churche receaued whiche ys that the Sacramentes of the newe lawe are of no more excellencie then the Sacramentes of the olde lawe For yf they shoulde graunt that they were more excellent then must they nedes also admitte the Sacrament of Chrystes bodie and bloode to be more theÌ a bare sign figure or token of his bodie And so must be enforced to graunt the presence Nowe by cause Oecolampadius impugneth that presence and fowde in S. Ambrose that he taught that the Oecolamp his best soliâcion to S. Amb. argumet thinges of the newe testament are more excellent then thinges of the olde and sawe that he was pressed with the weight of S. Ambrose his argument he had no better solucion then clean to leaue yt oute and so to shippe yt ouer I trust ye perceaue that this litle
the Sonne of God ys the true meat as he himself saieth My flesh ys meat in dede and my bloode ys drinke in dede Thus farre Origen In the whiche saing of Origen ther ys nothing as me thinketh to be desiered either for the expresse maner of affirming Manna to be a figure of the bodie of Chryst or ells for the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament For yf the Iewes in eating Manna did figuratiuelie receaue Chryste that ys did eate Manna as a figure of Chryst whiche Origen calleth the darke maner then yt must nedes be that the Chrystians who receaue Chryst in plain maner as Origen termeth yt must receaue Chryst verilie that ys not figuratiuelie onelie Chryste ys not nowe receaued of the chrystians as he was of the Iewes for then in figure nowe in veritie which ys the dark maner but verilie that ys substanciallie and reallie which ys the true and very maner or ells yt were all one to Origen and ther were no difference betwixt a clere maner and a darke maner which were to moche absurditie to affirme Yt can not therfor by the minde of Origen be saied that the Chrystians in receauing the Sacrament receaue but a sign or a figure of Chryst For they shoulde them receaue him in a darke maner onely and so shoulde Chryst be all one waie meat to the Iewes and to vs. Whiche ys not true for he was meate vnto them figuratiuely but to vs verilie according to his owne sainge which Origen alleageth My flesh ys meat in dede and my bloode ys drinke in dede And so ys yt true that the very flesh and blood of Chryste ys reallie and verilie receaued in the Sacrament To Origen shall be ioined that the holie reuerend Father sainct Ambrose who declaring howe the Chrystian people reioice and glorie in the excellency and honour of the table of Chryste geueth to this matter a goodlie testimonie Ille ergo antè despectus iam praeferor iam anteponor electis Ille ego antè despectus populus peccatorum iam babeo coelestium sacramentorum veneranda consortia Ambro. in psal 1 10. iam mensae coelestis honore suscipior Epulis meis non pluuia vndatur non terrae partus laborat non arborum fructus Potui meo non flumina quaerenda non fontes Christus mihi cibus est Christus mihi potus Caro Dei cibus mihi Dei sanguis est potus Non iam ad satietatem mei annuos expecto prouentus Christus mihi quotidie ministratur Non verebor ne quae mihi coeli intemperies aut sterilitas ruris immineat si pij cultus diligentia perseuerat Non iam coturnicum pluuias mihi opto descendere quas antè mirabar Non Manna quod antè cibis omnibus praferebant quia qui Manna manducauerunt patres esurieruÌt Meus cibus est quem qui manducauerit non esuriet Meus cibus est qui non corpus impinguat sed confirmat cor hominis fuerat mihi antè mirandus panis de coelo Scriptum est enim Panem de coelo dedit eis manducare sed non erat verus ille panis sed futuri vmbra Panem de coelo illum verum mihi seruauit pater Euen I saieth S. Ambrose in the person of the newe become faithfull Chrystians before despised now I am preferred nowe I am sett before the chosen Euen I before a despised people of sinners now I haue the woorshippefull companies of the heauenlie sacramentes Now I am aduaunced to the honour of the heauenlie table The raign ys not powred downe for my meat the spring of the earth laboureth not neither the fruicts of the trees To my drinke neither riuers are to Plain sainges of S. Ambrose for the Proclamer be sought nor wells Chryst ys my meat Chryst ys my drinke The flesh of God ys my meate the bloode of God ys my drinke Now for my satietie I looke not for yearlie profittes Chryst ys euery daie mynistred vnto me I will not feare leest anie waie the vntemperatnesse of the heaueÌ or the barennesse of the earth come vpoÌ me yf the diligence of Godlie tillage do continue I desire not now the raynes of quaills to descende vnto me the whiche before I wondred at Not Manna which before they preferred before all other meates For the fathers whiche haue eaten Manna haue hungred My meate ys which fatteth not the bodie but yt maketh stronge the heart of man Before the bread from heauen was merueilouse to me for yt ys written he hath geuen them bread froÌ heauen to eate but the bread which was not the true bread but the shadowe of the bread to come The Father hath kept for me that true bread from heaueÌ Hitherto S. Ambrose Of whome first that ys here to our pourpose we maie learn that MaÌna was MaÌna was a figure of Chrystes bodie in the B. Sacram. a figure of Chrystes bodie in the SacrameÌt for he saieth that yt was a shadow of the true bread which true bread the Father of heauen hath kept for him What this true bread ys he also sheweth saing Chryst ys my meate Chryst ys my drink And that these hys woords should not be misvnderstaÌded by the simple or wrested by the wicked he addeth as yt were an expositioÌ what he meneth by Chryste and saieth The flesh of God ys my meat the blood of God ys my drinke And yet for that yt was forseen by the holie Gost that the Aduersarie wold wrest these woordes though they were thus plainly spoken to eschew yt he addeth where the flesh of the Sonne of God and the bloode of the The fleshof God oure meat the blood of God oure drink and that on the table Sonne of God be hys meat and drinke saing Iam habeo coelestium sacramentorum veneranda consortia Iam mensae coelestis honore suscipior Nowe saieth he haue I the worshippefull companies of the heauenly Sacramentes Nowe am I aduanced to the honoure of the heauenlie table In the heauenly table then wher he hath the woorshippefull companies of the heauenly Sacramentes ther receaueth he the true bread that the father hath kept for him ther receaueth he his meat which ys the flesh of God ther receaueth he his drinke which ys the bloode of God Which woordes do most euidentlie proue vnto vs that in the heauenly Sacramentes of Chrystes bodie and bloode mynistred in that heauenly table ys this wourthie and excellent meat Chryst euen hys verie flesh and hys verie bloode In this breif opening of S. Ambrose woords which maie as well be perceaued of the vnlearned ChrystiaÌ as of the learned I haue not Iam sure dissentet froÌ the minde of S. Ambrose no more haue I gone froÌ his woords that the trueth might as yt ys appeare OecolaÌpadius Whose coÌscience was cawtherised hauing a preteÌce of sinceritie in handling of the scripturs aÌd the Fathers but not in dede as ye perceaued before so shal ye nowe
first to be noted in this Authour that he applieth the figure to the veritie in both partes that ys Manna to the bodie of Chryst and the water to the bloode of Chryst In the whiche ye maie perceaue howe well he agreeth with Sainct Augustin with whom he ys here ioined and howe both they agree with them that be before alleadged whiche all haue taught that Manna and the water be figures of the bodie and bloode of Chryste and that not of the bodie and bloode of Chryst absolutelie withoute respecte but of the bodie and bloode of Chryste as eaten and dronken whiche ys onely in the Sacrament as touching the corporall eating of his bodie Obserue also for the presence of Reall presence and corporall receipt of Chrystes bodie anouched Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament howe this Authour speaketh withoute tropes withoute figures or anie soche like speach and in most plain maner saieth That they did eate Manna as we the bodie of Chryste they dranke of the water of the rocke as we the bloode of Chryst. In the whiche comparaison I wolde learn of the Aduersarie howe this aduerbe of similitude shoulde agree with his spirituall maner as concerning the eatinge of yt as this Authour speaketh yt taking as they be in dede Manna for the figure and the bodie of Chryst for the veritie Yf the bodie of Chryste the veritie be eaten but spiritually then Manna was not eaten corporallie but spirituallie whiche ys to wide from the trueth For they did eate Manna as we the bodie of Chryst then yt foloweth that we eate the bodie of Chryst corporallie For they did eate Manna corporallie What folie wolde these masters of most folie laie in these holie Fathers that wher yf the hereticall assertion be true we receaue not Chrystes very bodie but the figure of yt or signe they as Chrysostom Sainct Hierom and this Authour expownding and by their expositions taking vpon them to settfurth to vs the true mening and right vnderstanding of this scripture of Sainct Paule geue vs no light of vnderstanding but raither darkenesse no true mening but a wrong mening no right vnderstandinge but a misvnderstanding and that so perilouse as therbie they bring vs into the daunger of Idolatrie For they shoulde teache vs as the heretikes wolde haue yt and saie that as the children of Israell did eate Manna a figure of Chryst So we eate the Sacramentall bread as a figure of Chryst As they the good Iewes receauing the figure receaued Chryst by faith spiritually So we receauing the Sacramentall bread as a figure receaue likewise by faith Chryst spirituallie As they receaued Manna corporally but not Chryst corporallie but onely spirituallie So we receaue the bread corporallie but Chryst not corporallie but onely spirituallie This ys the hereticall pure and syncere doctrine and yet this maner and No catholique doctour teacheth the Sacr. to be onelie a figure forme of doctrine yf yt be fownde in anie one of all the holie Fathers that haue taught synce Chryst in anie time or age I will lese my credite and geue the victorie So pure ys ther doctrine and spirituall that yt cometh not vnder our senseis either to be seen or hearde as the doctrine of the Fathers But the Fathers teache that we receaue the very bodie of Chryst and they putte no trope nor figure to yt Wherfore they expownding the Scriptures are to be vnderstanded as they speake When Chrysostome expowndeth this text of Sainct Paule he vseth no other maner or phrase of woordes in his exposition but this Ille illis Manna aquam tibi corpus sanguinem dedit He mening God gaue vnto them Manna and water and vnto thee his bodie and bloode Yf God geueth not vnto vs the bodie and bloode of Chryst verilie as the woordes in their true significacion do purporte why dothe he not by plain woordes so saie vnto vs in an exposition whiche shoulde be all cleare and plain Sainct Hierom also saied not we are fedde with the figure of Chrystes Note well these plain senteÌces reader for thy state bloode whiche yf yt had ben none other ther ys no doubte but in his exposition of the scripture he wolde so haue spoken yt But he saied Et potum accipimus de latere Christi manantem And we receaue drinke flowing oute of the side of Chryst Wherby what ells can be ment but that we receaue the very bloode of Chryst that flowed oute of his side and not the bare figure Whiche might moche better haue ben expressed by other woordes then by so plain liuelie woordes as these be whiche vttereth the very thing mightilie and not the figure So also this Authour expownding the scripture therby to geue vs the true vnderstanding doth not teache that we take but a figure Whiche he shoulde haue doen yf the trueth were so But by plain woordes signifieng the verie thing he saieth that the Iewes did eate MaÌna as we the bodie of Chryst And they dranke water of the stone as we the bloode of Chryst What shall we nowe then doubte of the matter Coulde not these holie men and learned Fathers as well knowe to speake as Oecolampadius Zwinglius Bullinger Bucer Peter Martyr Cranmer or Iuell Were yt not to straunge that yf yt were but a figure that none emong so manie shoulde so expownde yt and declare yt Yf ther were no more but this yt might sufficientlie staie anie man not destitute of grace to beleue that the Sacrament ys not onely a figure but yt conteineth also the very bodie and bloode of Chryst as the woordes of these Authours be whiche bodie and bloode be the verities of ther figures Manna and the water of the rocke THE NINTH CHAP. PROCEADETH IN the declaracion of the same by Haimo and Theophilact HItherto we haue ben busied in the testimonies of soche as be of the most auncient Nowe we will descend to some of later time and yet not yester daie born but soche as were well towarde a thousand yeares agon and therfore before Berengarius time before the time of controuersie in the Sacrament Whom as their time doth nothing discommend So their learning ioined with holie life hath gotten them moche estimacion The coople we meen here to produce be Haimo and Theophilact whiche both haue trauailed to expownde the epistles of Sainct Paule Wherfore we can not mistrust but that they will geue vs that exposition and vnderstanding of them that the holie Churche had in their times as the other auncient Fathers before alleadged haue doen. For howe soeuer yt be in this our time yt was reputed and accompted with the holie men a great and an horrible offence to dissent or depart from anie thing that the Churche had receaued accepted approued or allowed And therfor they wolde not by anie meanes admitte that wherby they shoulde be fownde to varie from the faithe of the Churche Nowe then being sure that they report to vs the faith of the Churche as
haue none they wolde triumphe moche against the trueth But hauing none to denie that that they denie but manie to denie that they do affime yt ys most deuellish arrogancie to stand in yt But let vs heare Theophilact in an other place treacting of Manna and the Sacrament Patres vestri comederunt Manna in solitudine Hoc saepe multùm In 6. Joan. versat in ore vt persuadeat hominibus Nam si possibile fuit quadraginta annis sine messe semente pasci homines conseruari illorum vitam multo magis nunc nostram spiritualem meliori pane Dominus carne sua quae absque semine viri ex virgine constituta est Your Fathers haue eaten Manna in the Wildernesse This saieth Theophilact speaking of Chryst he hath moche and often in his mouthe that he might persuade men For yf yt were possible men to be sedde fortie yeares without haruest and sowing and their life to be conserued moche more nowe he shall conserue our spirituall life with that better bread his flesh which withoute seed of man was born of the virgen In this ye perceaue the comparaison of the figure to the thing figured which thing figured ys not a peice of bread of no better sorte condicion or dignitie then Manna But yt ys a better bread saieth Theophilacte that ys the thing figured which ys not an onelie figure of the flesh as the Aduersary wolde glose yt but yt ys the flesh of Chryst in very dede For yt ys the same flesh that was born of the virgen withoute seed of man Albeit more might be saied oute of Theophilacte who ys both plain and plentifull in in this matter yet trusting that this maie suffice a Chrysten reader I will ceasse and come to the last coople vpon this texte THE TENTH CHAP. PROCEADETH vpon the same text by Rupertus and Rich. Holkot and endeth with Gagneius PErceauing that in these former allegacions I haue ben somwhat long being desierouse that the Reader shoulde well perceaue the faith of these auncientes and learn the trueth of them to the condemnacion and vanquishing of the falshead of heresie in the opening of these three for that they be not of great auncientie but yet of most substanciall trueth I shall to ende this text make with them a short conclusion Rupertus who ys a learned writer and so reputed and accepted of learned men writing vpon Exodus and treacting of Manna saieth thus vpon Rupert in Exod. this text Nec qui plus collegerat habuit amplius nec qui minus parauerat reperit minus Hoc pro virtute cibi spiritualis potus id est corporis sanguinis Christi sciendum firmiter tenendum est quia non pro quantitate portionis quam ore percipit secundùm visibilem speciem panis vini alius plus alius minus consequitur de gratia spiritus viuificantis sed singuli iuxta id quod possunt edere congregant id est quod possunt credere remissionem peccatorum percipiunt vitam aeternam Sicut enim pater qui primus peccauit cuius nos iniquitatem portauimus non pro quantitate morsus sui siue pomi quod momordit sententiam vel damnationem instam accepit tantumîue illi valuit pomum vnum momordisse quantum quicquid pomorum in arbore illa fuit deuorasse ad condemnationem infidelitatis inobedientiae Sic è contrario quisque nostrum non pro quantitate portiunculae viuisici panis quae frangitur illi quam ore sumit aut dentibus terit gratiam vel vitam accipit sed tantùm illi valet ad consequutionem Iustitiae exiguum quid percipisse quà m valeret si totum quod oblatum est proprio solus ore perciperet Rectè ergo sancta Christi Ecclesia panes non valdè grandes sed exiguas ad consiciendum corpus Christi componit similas valdè tenues Neque vini multum sed exiguum quid insundit quia sicut iam dictum est nec qui plus collegit habuit amplius nec qui minus parauerat repperit minus Vnto him that had gathered moche ther remained nothing ouer and to him that had gathered litle ther was no lacke This ys to be knowen and firmely to be holden for the vertue of the spirituall meate and drinke that ys to saie of the bodie and bloode of Chryst that not for the quantitie of the porcion which anie man taketh with his mouthe according to the visible forme of bread and wine one getteth more an other lesse of the grace of the quickning spirit but euery one acording to that that they can eate do gather that ys according as they can beleue they receaue remission of their sinnes and life euerlasting As our Father which first offended whose iniquitie we haue borne not for the quantitie of his bitte or morsell or ells of the apple whiche he bitte hathe he receaued sentence or iust damnacion For yt had ben as moche for him to haue bitten one apple to the condemnacion of his infidelitie and disobedience as to haue deuoured all the apples on that tree So contrary wise euerie one of vs receaueth grace or life not for the quantitie of the litle porcion of the quickninge bread whiche ys broken vnto him whiche he receaueth with his mouthe or bruseth with his teeth But asmoche yt shall auaill him to the obteining of righteousnes to haue receaued a litle porcion as yt shoulde auaill him yf he alone shoulde receaue with his owne mouthe all that ys offred Therfore the holie Churche of Chryst doth well whiche maketh not great loanes to consecrate the bodie of Chryst But small cakes and thinne Neither dothe she occupie moche wine but a litle For as yt ys saied vnto him that had gathered moche remained nothing ouer and to him that had gathered litle ther was no lacke Thus farre Rupertus Who expownding the sixtenth Chapiter of Exodus in the whiche ys declared the feding of the children of Israell with Manna expowndeth in the same the miraculouse worke of God which Moyses declareth to be doen in the gathering of the same Manna whiche was that where they were commaunded that they shoulde euery Man gather a certain measure called a Gomer whiche shoulde suffice a man yf anie gathered for gredinesse or otherwise anie more then his measure whiche God apappoincted him yet he had no more yf he gathered lesse then the measure yet he had ynough This Authour applieng this worke and miracle of God in Manna to the Sacrament as to the thing figured he declareth howe answerablie God woorketh nowe in the thing figured to the figure teaching as great a miracle in the one as in the other in that respect of hauing more or lesse Allthough as touching the substance of them the one so farre exceadeth the other that ther ys no comparaison By whiche yt ys most manifest that he taketh Manna to be a figure of Chryst in the Sacrament That he
were made partakers of the aultar the answer ys bicause they did eate of the sacrifice Again to applie to the other what ys the cause that the christians be partakers of the bodie and bloode of Chryst shall the answer be bicause they eate a peice of bread and drinke a cuppe of wine no the causes be not like and that cause can not make vs partakers of the bodie and bloode of our Lorde As the Israelites and infidels had their sacrifices so the chrystians haue their sacrifice eueÌ the bread and cuppe of blessing What ys the cause then That that ys like the other whiche ys this Bicause the chrystians do eate of the sacrifice therfore they be partakers of the sacrifice whiche ys the verie bodie and bloode of Chryst For so sainge ther ys a good argument to be made from the liklihood of the causes in eche of theÌ to the like effectes of eche of them As thus to saie The Israelites bicause they did eate of the sacrifice they were partakers of the Aultar So the Corinthians bicause they did eate of Idolathites whiche were sacrifices of Idolls they were partakers of Idolls Of like maner the christians bicause they eat of the sacrifice of Chryst they be partakers of the bodie and blood of Chryst And thus the disputacion of S. Paule ys of force and prouerh well his enteÌt And that S. Paule did aswell take the bread of our Lorde and his cuppe to be a sacrisice of the chrystians as the Idolathites of the Corinthians to be the sacrifice of the Infidells euen this doth strongly proue yt that he setteth the table and the cuppe of our Lorde against the table and cuppe of deuells Ye can not saieth he drinke of the cuppe of our Lorde and the cuppe of Deuells Ye can not be partakers of the table of our Lorde and of the table of Deuells In the whiche maner of speache as by the cuppe and table of Deuells he vnderstandeth the sacrifice doen to Deuells so must yt nedes be that by the table and cuppe of our Lorde he vnderstandeth the sacrifice doen to our lorde As yt might in plain maner thus haue ben saied Ye can not eate and drinke of the sacrifice that ys offred vnto God and of the sacrifice that ys offred to Deuells For except they were both sacrifices the setting of the one against the other were of no great force And again yf S. Paule did not aswell take the cuppe and table of our The cuppe and table of oure Lorde takeÌ for the sacrifice of oure Lorde Lorde to be a sacrifice as the cuppe and table of Deuells to be a sacrifice he wolde not haue vsed like termes to them bothe but as he had vnderstaÌded a difference or diuersitie in the thinges so wolde he haue vsed a diuersitie in woordes and tearmes to expresse and declare the same But for somoche as he vnderstanding therby the sacrifice of deuells called the same the cuppe and table of Deuells yt ys manifest that he calling the meat of our Lorde by the like terms vnderstood the thing also to be like that ys to be a sacrifice In this opening of the text gentle Reader thowe perceauest two thinges Reall presence and sacrifice proued by S. Paule to be here learned of S. Paule The one ys the presence of Chrystes bodie and bloode in the Sacrament the other ys that the same bodie and blood be a sacrifice But that yt maie appeare to yowe that this ys not my owne dreame or phantasie in thus vnderstanding S. Paule but the comoÌ sentence of the Fathers of Chrystes Parliament house we shall for triall therof and for better setting furth of Gods trueth and the faith catholique heare the sainges of a In 10. 1. Cor. good nombre of them And first of the auncient Father Chrysostom who expownding this text saieth thus Maximè his sibi verbis fidem facit horrorem Eorum autem huiusmodi est sententia Quod est in calice id est quod à latere fluxit illius sumuâ participes Calicem autem benedictionis appellauit quoniam cùm prae manibus cum habemus cum admiratione horrore quodam inenarrabilis doni laudamus benedicentes quia sanguinem effudit ne in errore permaneremus Neque tantùm effudit sed nos omnes eius participes effecit Itaque si sanguinem cupis inquit noli Idolorum aram brutorum animalium coede sed meum altare meo sanguine aspergere Quid hoc admirabilius Dic quaeso quid amabilius Hoc amantes faciunt cum amatos intuentur alienoruÌ cupiditate allectos propriis elargitis suadent vt ab illis abstineant Sed amantes quidem in pecuniis vestibus possessionibus hanc ostendunt cupiditatem in proprio sanguine nemo vnquam Christus autem in hoc curam vehementem in nos dilectionem ostendit With these woordes he doth gette greatly vnto him self both creditte and feare Of those woordes this ys the mening That that ys in the chalice ys yt that flowed from the side and we are partakers of yt But he hath called yt the cuppe of blessing For when we haue yt before our handes with admiracion and certein A plain saing of ChrysostoÌ for the Proclamer horrour of the vnspeakeable gift we laude blessing that he hath shedde his bloode that we shoulde not abide in errour Neither hath he onely shedde yt but he hath made vs all partakers of yt Therfore if saieth he thowe doest desire blood do not sprenkle the aultar of Idolls with the slaughter of brute beastes but sprenkle mine aultar with my bloode Saie I praie thee What ys more merueilouse then this What ys more louing This do louers also wheÌ they see these whom they loue allured with desire of straunge thinges when they haue geuen frely to them of ther owne they moue theÌ that they abstein from the other But louers shewe this desire in money in apparell in possessions but in his owne blood no man at anie time hath doen yt But Chryst in this also hath shewed his care and vehement loue towardes vs. Thus moche Chrysostom God for euer and allwaies be praised who although yt be his pleasure Note here that this ys the meaning of St Paules woordes that that ys in the chalice which flowed out of Chryctes side that his church shall be vexed and tried with the fire of tribulacion as at this present yt ys miserablie afflicted shaken and torne yet he leaueth yt not destitute of sufficient staie and comforte of trueth wherby yt maie bothe defende yt self and impugne the enemie as in this authour expownding this scripture we maie well perceaue Doste thowe reader marke the expositioÌ of the text S. Paule saieth Ys not the cuppe of blessing whiche we blesse a partaking of the bloode of Chryst Chrysostome saieth of these woordes this ys the meaning That that ys in the cuppe ys yt that flowed oute of the side
and of yt we are partakers Yf this be the meaning of S. Paule why then walke we in errour in this matter Why wander we in the mistes and darke clowdes of tropes and figures and significacions wher Chrysostom expownding the scripture and minding to shewe vs the verie vnderstanding and plain mening of yt teacheth that not a trope figure or sign of the blood of Chryst ys in the cuppe but the bloode of Chryste that flowed oute of his side In the whiche exposition we maie in clere maner see and beholde the verie trueth euen the right catholique faith so sett furth that ther ys no helpe for the aduersarie to cloke his heresie withall The proclamer requireth one plain sentence to proue the reall presence of Chryste in the Sacrament what more plain speache wolde anie man desire to be spoken in this matter as wherbie to geue him perfect instruction in the same than to saie that that did flowe once of the side of Chryst ys in the chalice Yf the aduersarie with forced violence wolde thrust into ChrysostoÌ woordes his comon glose that the figure of yt that did flowe oute of Chrystes side ys in the cuppe then shoulde he make Chrysostome an vntrewe man For Chrysostome saieth that that which he saied vpon that scripture was the mening of the woordes of S. Paule Now if the Aduersarie will expownd Chrysostom with an other mening then either Chrysostome did not geue vs the true meaning of S. Paule which ys not to be thought or ells the Aduersarie reporteth vntrulie of him whiche ys his coÌmon practise For so farre wide ys yt that these two meninges should be one that the one saieth yea the other saieth no th one saieth yt ys thother saieth yt ys not the one ys an heresie and thother a truthe So fare I saie be these from being one that for these two sentences this lamentable diuision and greuouse contencion in the Churche ys raised by heretiques What ys a mening but a simple and plain opening and declaracion of a woorde or sentence of a mans conceipt or speache doubtfullie or darkly conceaued or spoken before Wherfor Chrysostom saing that this was the mening of S Paules woordes did by plain woordes simplie declare the same This then being the true mening of S. Paules woordes what trueth was ther in the saing of Cranmer or the Authour of that booke who alleaging S. Paules woordes abused by Cranmer this text abused yt to a cleane contrarie vnderstanding Thus he saieth Neither that wine made of grapes ys his verie bloode or that his bloode ys wine made of grapes but signifie vnto vs as S. Paule saieth that the cuppe ys a communion of Chrystes bloode Howe wickedlie and vntrulie this ys spoken and howe this scripture ys drawen to a false vnderstanding this exposition of Chrysostom dothe wel proue as other also hereafter shall do That he wolde haue no soche mening vpon these his woordes as the Aduersarie wolde yll fauouredlie peice and patche vpon them his like maner of speache in an other place declareth where he saieth Reputate salutarem sanguinem Chrysost ser de Euch in Enceniis The bloode of Chryst. in the Sacr. how yt ys to be estemed quasi è diuino impolluto latere essluere ita approximantes labijs puris accipite Regarde or esteme the holsome bloode as to flowe oute of the diuine and vndefiled side and so coming to yt receaue yt with pure lippes Whiche woordes forsomoch as he spake them in a sermon to the common people he spake them in plain maner in that sense as they sownded to the hearing of the people which was that they shoulde accompte the cuppe of our Lord to be his blood And therfore they shoulde come and drinke yt euen as oute of his side as who should saie yt ys all one In this also that he willeth them to take yt with pure lippes he teacheth the reall presence For the spirituall maner of Chrystes blood ys not to be receaued with lippes but with heart and soule Wherby yt ys plain that Chrysostom wolde his woords no otherwise to be vnderstanded then they were spoken Wherfore not to tarie long vpon this saing of Chrysostom whiche ys so plain that euery childe maie vnderstande yt I wish yt onely to be imprinted in the memorie of the reader that ys of him saied which ys again to repeat yt that yt that ys in the cuppe ys yt that flowed oute of the side and of yt we are partakers Chrysost in 10. 1. Cor. As by this we are taught the trueth of the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament So in the rest of his sainges vpon the same text he teacheth vs that yt ys a sacrifice Thus he saieth In veteri testamento cùm imperfectiores essent quem idolis offerebant sanguinem cum ipse accipere voluit vt ab idolis eos auerteret Quod etiam inenarrabilis amoris signum erat Hic autem multo admirabilius magnificentius sacrificium Chryste coÌmaunded himself to be offred praeparauit cum sacrificium ipsum commutaret pro brutorum caede scipsum offerendum praeciperet In the olde Testament when they were more vnperfecte to the entent he wolde turne them from Idolls that blood which they offred vnto Idolls he himself wold accept which also was a token of an inenatrable loue But here he hath prepared a moch more woonderfull and magnificall sacrifice both when he did chaunge the saied sacrifice and for the slaughter of brute beastes commaunded himself to be offred In this saing of Chrysostom ther be two notable notes to be obserued which as they do moche declare and confirme the catholique doctrine So do they as plainly and as mightilie ouerthrowe the wicked heresie of the Aduersarie The first ys that declaring the great loue of God towarde the vperfect people of the olde lawe that to turn them from Idolatrie he was contented to accept to be offred to him in sacrifice soche bloode of brute God prepared a moch more wonderfull and magnificall sacrifice for the newe Testament then was in the olde beastes as they offred to their Idolls when he cometh to the sacrifice of the newe lawe he saieth that here he hath prepared a moche more woonderfull and magnificall sacrifice What I praie thee Reader coulde be spoken more plainlie against the wicked assertion of the Aduersarie teaching that the sacrifices of the newe lawe are nothing more excellent then the sacrifices of the olde lawe then to saie that Chryst here in the newe lawe hath prepared a moche more woonderfull and magnificall sacrifice Which woordes Chrysostom speaketh setting the sacrifices of both lawes together and therfore they were spoken in comparison of the sacrifices of the olde lawe And to the intent that the Aduersarie being here sore pressed with the woordes of Chrysostom shall not with his common glose cloake him self and gette a subterfuge saing that Chrysostom spake of the sacrifice of Chryst
body of Chryst not manie but one bodie For as bread ys made one of manie cornes though they do not appeare cornes but yet they be cornes yet without certen difference ioined together So we both within our selues and with Chryst are ioined together For thowe art not fedde or nourished of one bodie and he of an other but all of one and the selfsame Therfore he addeth all whiche do partake of one bread Thus moch Chrysostome In these woordes ye see the minde of Chrysostome vpon sainct Paule and therwith ye maie see the minde of S. Paule himself For in the first entrie of the exposition Chrysostom moueth not the question in hys owne person but in the person of sainct Paule For after this maner he moueth Three thinges learned oute of S. Paule yt What doe I call saieth he communicacion mening sainct Paule so that that ys here spoken ys after the minde of sainct Paule Therfore of sainct Paule we maie here learn three things as he ys opened of Chrysostome The first ys what ys communicacion What yt ys we are taught for yt ys to be all one bodie For when S. Paule had saied ys not the bread which we break a communicacion of the bodie of our Lorde And shewing that yt ys a communicacion and withall what a communicacion yt ys added For we being manie eating of one breade and drinking of one cuppe are one bodie and one bread As though he had saied we eating one bodie are made the same bodie And thus yt cometh to passe that Chrysostome saieth that coÌmunicacion ys we be all one bodie The second thing what that ys by the eating wherof we are made one bodie Chrysostom expownding S. Paule asketh this question What ys the bread that S. Paule here speaketh of He aunswereth that yt ys the bodie of Chryst Note then Chrystian Reader that by Chrysostom yt ys euident that S. Paul here by the bread ment not materiall bread but the true bread the verie bodie of Chryste which ys euen that one bread of the whiche though we be manie we maie all receaue and by yt being one we all maie be made one both with yt and within owre selues whiche can not be doen by materiall bread And here this ys not to be ouerpassed that some one either of malice or ignorance hath corrupted and falsefied Chrysostome in this place that wherin ChrysostoÌ corrupted by the traÌslatour the greke Chrysostom asketh what ys the bread he altered yt in translation saing what dothe the bread signifie For the triall of this I haue not onelie seen diuerse bookes in the which this question ys thus corrupted but other also in whiche yt ys corrected and besides I haue conferred with diuerse well learned in the greke toung whose greke bookes being seen yt was in them all fownde thus what ys the bread and not what signifieth the bread Soche ys the falshead of Sathan and his Angells to corrupt the doctours to maintein their heresie And yet yf yt might so haue ben iuggled in the deuell had ben begiled For yt coulde not beare the sense that S. Paule shoulde aske what materiall bread did signifie but what the woord bread did in that place signifie Wherunto when S. Paules aunswer had ben added that that woorde bread did signifie the bodie of Chryste had yt not made against Sathan stil But nowe that the trueth of the question ys what ys the bread and the aunswer ys that yt ys the bodie of Chryste ys not Sathan nowe laied flatt vpon his backe and Chrystes presence in the holie Sacrament most plainlie taught so plainlie that the Proclamer if he will open his eies maie here see a plain place to induce him into the plain trueth whiche trueth Chrysostom in that that foloweth in this exposition dothe verie clerelie commende and Chrystes flesh of one nature with our but free froÌ sinne but ful of life ys mingled with vs to deliuer vs froÌ sinne aÌd to make vs immortall setfurth Thus yt foloweth there Non enim simpliciter corpus suum tradidit sed cùm prior carnis natura à terra formata à peccato mortalis facta à vita deserta esset aliam vt ita dicam massam fermentum induxit hoc est carnem suam natura quidem eandem verùm à peccato liberam vitae plenam quam omnibus tribuit vt participes fierent vt ea nutriti priore abiecta quae mortua erat per hanc mensam viuentem immortalem comisceremur He hath not simplie deliuered his bodie but wher the first nature of the flesh being formed of the earth was by sinne made mortall and of life forsaken he brought in as I might saie an other lumpe and leauen that ys his flesh in nature the same but free from sinne and full of life which he hath geuen to all that they maie be made partakers that being nourished The immortall table ys the immortal foode of the table that ys Chrictes flesh wherwith we are nourished to immortalitie with yt and the first whiche was dead cast awaie by this liuinge and immortall table we shoulde be mixed together Thus Chrysostom Doest thowe not see here Reader what bread yt ys that we be partakers of by the which we be mixed together to be this one bodie Chrysostome hath plainly taught that yt ys the flesh of Chryst in nature all one with our flesh but that yt ys free from sinne aÌd full of life which Chryst hath brought in an geueth to vs to the intent we shoulde be partakers of yt And that ther should remain in this matter nothing doubtfull but all scruple taken awaie as that this flesh spoken of here shoulde not be drawen to the flesh vpon the crosse or to the spirituall flesh or figuratiue flesh or anie soche other he doth by expresse woordes declare that he speaketh of the flesh of Chryst on the table For saieth he he hath geuen vs thys flesh that webeing nourished with yt by this liuing and immortall table we shoulde be mixed together Ther ys none I thinke so insensate or withoute vnderstanding but he knoweth what Chrysostom meneth by the table He meeneth the meat of the table Nowe this meat of the table ys not as the Aduersarie dreameth a peice of dead bread but yt ys a liuing and an immortall meat as Chrysostome termeth yt whiche ys the flesh of Chryst of whiche he spake before saing that yt was free from sinne and full of life Calling yt then before full of life and here liuing and immortall there saing that of yt we are made partakers and here by yt we are mixed together ther that by yt we are nourished and here calling yt the meat of the table argueth besides the continuance of the sentence which proueth the same that he spake of one thing whiche ys the flesh of Chryst which ys on the table by the nutriment of which we are partakers of that one bread and so
their vntrueth and their deuelish setting furth of the same and to kepe vs in in the right waie that we erre not with them if we will geue eare to good aÌd holsome doctrine And therfore seing God hath sent soche plentie of good authours yt were pitie but that they shoulde be brought furth wherby God in his trueth maie glorified and his people in the same edefied Of all these that remain first cometh to hande the learned grecian Euthymius who withoute all darke maner of speache openeth to vs the true vnderstanding Euth in 26 Matth. of S. Paules saing Thus he writeth Quemadmodum panis confortat ita Christi corpus hoc facit ac magis etiarn corpus animam sanctificat Et sicut vinum taetificat ita sanguis Christi hoc facit insuper praesidium efficitur Quodsi de vno corpore sanguine omnes fideles participamus omnes vnum sumus per ipsam horum Flesh vnited to the Sonne of God by assumption the same vnited to vs by participacion myst eriorum participationem in Christo omnes Christus in omnibus Qui edit inquit meam carnem bibit meum sanguinem in me manet ego in eo Verbum siquidem per assumptionem carni vnitum est baec rursus caro vnitur nobis per participationem As bread doth comforte so doeth the bodie of Chryst also this and more yt sanctifieth both bodie and soule And as wine dothe make gladde Euen so the blood of Chryst doth this also and moreouer yt ys made a defence And if all the faithfull do partake of one bodie and bloode we are all one by the same participacion of the mysteries For all be in Chryst and Chryst in all he that eateth saieth he my slesh and drinketh my bloode dwelleth in me and I in him For truely the Sonne of God ys vnited to the flesh by assumption Thys flesh again ys vnited to vs by participacion Thus Euthym. I nede not as to me yt semeth to saie anie thing to the opening of this authours minde For he ys both plain in himself and also plainlie dothe open the minde of sainct Paule vnto vs. Whose sentence he setteth furth in the plain tearmes and leaueth the tropes For wher sainct Paule saieth that we that eate of one bread and drinke of one cuppe are one bodie He saieth that we that partake of one bodie and bloode are made one So that wher the text calleth Bread and cuppe in S. Paule meeÌ the bodie aÌd blood c. yt bread the expositour calleth yt the bodie and what the text calleth the cuppe that this authour calleth the bloode Wherfore the true mening must be taken as the expositour doth expownde yt For somoche then as the expositour doth expownd the bread and the cuppe calling them the bodie and the blood yt can not be auoided but that yt ys so except the Aduersarie will saie that the text expowndeth the exposition For vnto that sense that he wolde wrest all the authours vnto the text ys more nearer then the exposition The aduersarie wolde haue yt bread and the text calleth yt bread The Aduersarie wolde not haue yt the bodie of Chryst but this authour saieth yt ys the bodie of Chryst Wherfore to the sense of the Aduersarie the text ys more clere then the exposition And so yt cometh to passe as before ys saied that the text expowndeth the exposition whiche ys after the maner of other of their doinges For they turn the catte in the panne and make light darknesse and darknesse light But thowe Reader be thowe sure that Chryst who hath promised his holie spiritte to his Church which ys the pillour of the trueth hath not left yt contratie to his promisse destitute of this guide of trueth these thousand yeares but yt was that Spiritt that did leade the minde and the penne of these holy Fathers to vnderstand and perceaue the true sense of the scriptures and so to write yt to vs. God hath left vnto vs bread euen the holie scripture to feede vs withall but as he bidde his Apostles to breake the breade that he had Ioan. 6. Bread of the woord of God how yt ys brokeÌ blessed for the siue thousand people so by his mynistres in the church he hath commaunded the bread of the scripture to be broken to the people and what ys yt to breake yt but to expownd yt And why shoulde they expownd yt yf their were not places to be opened and cleared by exposition And therfore I saie these holie fathers being appointed to breake this bread of the woorde of God vnto vs ther ys no doubte but as they had learned of the master of trueth so they brake yt truly vnto vs and haue geuen vs the true vnderstanding of yt And therfore the bread and the cuppe expownded by so manie to be the bodie and bloode of Chryst yt must nedes be true that by so manie and so manie yeares hath with concorde and consent withoute contradiction ben preached taught and written This also ys not to be ouerpassed that thys Authour leaueth yt not vntaught howe we are made all one in Chryst bicause saieth he we do all partake of one bodie and bloode we are all made one by the participacion of the mysteries So that although he well knewe that we are all made one in Chryst by faith and charitie yet he also saieth that we are made one by the participacion of the mysteries And that yt shoulde moste manifestlie well be be perceaued what maner of vnion this ys of the whiche he speaketh here when he had alleaged the saing of Chryst He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I him mening therby to proue this vnion he by most plain woordes openeth the same saing The Sonne of God ys vnited to the flesh by assumption this flesh again ys vnited to vs by participacion wherby yt ys very manifest that we are vnited to Chryst by the vnion of his flesh For that flesh vnto the whiche the Sonne of God was vnited that same ys vnited to vs. Chryst was vnited to vs by his incarnacion we be vnited to him by participacion c. So that as Chryst was vnited to vs by taking of our flesh in his incarnacion and so was made one with vs In like maner we are vnited to him by the taking of his flesh in the Sacrament and are therby made one with him Wherfore note that he saieth not that we are in the receipt of the Sacrament vnited to Chryst by faith but by participacion of his flesh And yet this authour was not ignorant that we are also vnited to Chryst by faith But minding to open the peculiar commoditie of this mysterie he teacheth that by flesh we are vnited to Chryst Consider therfore Reader that wher the Aduersarie trauaileth to obscure and hide the benefittes of God whiche he geueth to the woorthie receauers of his
blessed and honourable Sacrament we on the other side labour to open and declare them vnto thee that thowe maist according to thy duetie more reuerentlie prepare thee to the recept of them and also more thankfullie accept them For we teache thee by the authoritie of these scriptures and holie fathers alleaged that thowe woorthilie receauing the Sacrament doest not onely enioie the vnion vnto Chryst by faith whiche onely vnion the Aduersarie teacheth but also the vnion by the flesh of Chryst by the which thow arte verilie vnited to him being nowe of his flesh as he by his incarnacion ys of thy flesh as this authour hath saied These two poinctes then I trust be made clere that in the Sacrament ys The natural flesh of Chryst in the B. Sac. couseth natural vnitie of vs to Chryste the very substanciall and naturall bodie of Chryst and that the woorthie receauers of yt are vnited and incorporated to Chryst spirituallie by faith and also naturallie by the flesh of Chryst Whiche coniunction ys taught of sainct Cyrill to be so necessarie that he thinketh that our mortall bodie coulde not atteign to immortalitie yf yt shoulde not be so ioined to this liuing and immortall flesh of Chryst Non poterat aliter corruptibilis haec natura corporis ad incorruptibilitatem vitam traduci nisi naturalis vitae corpus ei coniungeretur This corruptible nature of the bodie saieth he coulde not otherwise be brought to incorruptibilitie and life except the bodie of naturall Cyrill 15. cao in 6. Ioac life shoulde be ioined to yt And saieth he if thowe beleuest not me saing these thinges I beseche thee beleue Chryst saing verilie I saie vnto yowe Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloode ye shall haue no life in yowe Whether that sainct Cyrill here speaketh of this naturall coniunction of the naturall bodie of Chryst to our naturall and corruptible bodie yt ys more manifest then yt nedeth either probacion or declaracion As for Euthymius yf the Aduersarie wolde wrest him and corrupt him yt can not be suffred For wher he speaketh these woordes here alleadged within a verie fewe lines before he speaketh of the transmutacion of the bread and wine into the bodie and bloode of Chryst and therwith expownding the woordes of Chryst This ys my body denieth by expresse woordes anie figure to be in these woordes of Chryst Wherfore as he ys a stowte auoucher of the trueth of the catholique Churche and a mightie vanquisher of the Aduersarie so can not he by anie engine be drawen from his assertion But the Aduersarie maie waxe red for shame when he shall see so manifest testimonie against him that he can not once open his mouth to auoide yt And nowe that this grecian hath so notablie testified the trueth and opened the verie true faith of Chrystes Parlament house what yt was in his time and before Beholde here cometh one of the latine church being of these later daies which to trie concorde and consent in faith to be in both their sides and in both their times and ages sheweth what was professed throughoute the latin church in his time who in the exposition of this text of S. Paule saieth thus Dico quod vnum sumus cum Christo per sumptionem sacramenti Eucharistiae Quoniam omnes quidem participamus id est participes efficimur vel quoad speciem vel quoad effectus coÌmumonem vnde benè dicit participamus propter diuisionem quae fit aliquando in specie panis vel propter effectus diuersos quos habent ipsi sumentes Altam enim gratiam recipit ille aliam ille sumendo dignè Sacramentum illud Qui de vno pane id est de corpore Christi de vno calice id est de sanguine Christi licet multi sumus participamus Non dicit omnes quia non omnes qui sumunt hoc sacramentum effectum Hugo Card in Dec. 1. Cor. illius recipiunt ideo non sunt vnus panis quo reficiatur Dominus nec vnum corpus cum Christo. Licet inquam multi tamen sumus vnus panis per vnionem fidei spei charitatis Quae vnto initiatur in fide consummatur in charitate Et vnum illius capitis quod est Christus I saie that we are one with Chryst by the receipt of the Sacrament of the aultar For we do all partake that ys to saie we are made partakers either as touching the forme or ells as touching the effect of the communion Wherfore he saieth well that we partake for the diuision All we partake of one bread that ys the bodie of Chryste and of one cuppe that ys the blood of Chryst. whiche ys doen somtime in the forme of bread or ells for diuerse effectes whiche the receauers haue For he receaueth one grace and he another receauing the Sacrament woorthilie which although we be manie do partake of one bread that ys to saie of the bodie of Chryst and of one cuppe that ys of the blood of Chryst He doth not saie all for all that do receaue this Sacrament do not receaue the effect of yt And therfore they be not one bread with the whiche our Lorde maie be fedde neither one bodie with Chryst Although I saie we be manie yet we are one bread by the the vnion of faith hope and charitie which vnion ys begoÌne by faith and ys consummated by charitie and we are one bodie of that head which ys Chryst In this authour as in the rest before alleadged owre two cheif poinctes whiche are here sought are plainly taught For he dothe bothe teache the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament and also that by the receipt of that bodie we are made one with Chryst As touching the first as the other authour last before alleadged expownded these woordes The bread and the cuppe to be the bodie and bloode of Chryst so this authour likewise expowndeth the bread and the cuppe to be the bodie and Bloode of Chryst Wherfore betwixt them ys goodlie consent soche as although they were so farre distant in time and place yet in this they be not a finger breadeth a sondre but euen iointlie together I nede therfore no more to trauaill in this the matter ys clere in yt self The other poinct ys likewise as plainlie settfurth to vs. For in the first entrie he saieth that by the receipt of the SacrameÌt we are made one with Christ yf by the Sacrament then not by faith onely yf by the Sacrament not by bare bread For onelie bread can not make all Chrystians whersoeuer they be abiding to be one with Chryst and among them selues And the Aduersarie himself saieth that bread hath no soche powre And all Chrystians can not be made one but by that that ys one thing to vs all of the which all we be partakers And in the SacrameÌt can nothing be imagined to be one to all the ChrystiaÌ church
So that yt ys most manifest that he speaketh distinctlie bothe of the bread that ys partaken Whiche bread ys the bodie of Chryst and that verilie and also of the partakers who be made his misticall bodie therby See then Reader what a plain document this ys howe mightilie yt confirmeth the catholique trueth and confuteth the Aduerscries heresie Weighe yt well and thowe shalt perceaue good grownde to staie thie self vpon Consider that the authour ys an auncient writer of the Greke churche and for that which he hath written he was neuer by anie godlie writer impugned No man hath inucighed against him for his assercion of Chrystes presence Catholiqus fathers agree all in one in the Sacrament Oecolampadius Zwynglius Carolstadius and that rable they haue not onelie ben impugned but also their wicked heresies in this poinct haue ben in manie and sondrie Councells condemned erthey tooke vpoÌ them by the mocion of Sathan to pull them oute of that filthie and stinking pitte wher they and manie other heresies laie buried And nowe yet again they and their heresies against the blessed Sacrament haue ben newlie by a generall Councell condemned This authour standeth vpright clean vntouched and vndefiled Consider that he expownding the text of S. Paule last before this treacted of that ther he called the cuppe of blessing the cuppe of the bloode of Chryst So that as ther he taught the presence of Chrystes very bloode so here he agreablie teacheth the presence of his bodie Ther ys not in his mouthe neither in the mouthe of anie of the other catholique fathers whose doctrine we folowe bothe yea and naie but onelie yea In the mouthe of Luther OecolaÌpadius and other ther ys both yea and naie yt ys so and yt ys not For Luther hath not onelie preached and taught the preseÌce of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament as the catholique Churche doth but hath also writteÌ yt euen so Again he hath preached taught and written moche against that that the catholique Church dothe teach In this he agreeth with the catholique churche that he teacheth the verie reall presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament But in this he varieth that he saieth the bread ys the bodie of Chryst and the wine ys his bloode And here note that heretiques falling froÌ the catholique church as they Heretiques dissent froÌ the church and among them selues dissent and varie from yt so do theye amonge them selues For as heresie ys election so they though they take occasion by some one or other to folowe some deuelish doctrine yet they will haue in diuerse thinges a speciall choice neither agreable with the catholique Churche neither with these heresiarkes whoÌ they folowe As Luther who ys a great folower of Wicleff hath not chosen to folowe him in his assertion of the Sacrament as he left yt but hath a peice of his propre phansie as he thought yt good For wicleff affirming Luther the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament but denieng transubstanciacion taught that the bread remained with the bodie of Chryst so that ther was both the substance of bread and the substance of the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament But Luther varieth from this and choosing to folowe his owne inuencion so affirmeth the presence of Chryst that he wolde auouche the bread to be the bodie of Chryst Nowe Oecolampadius the disciple sometime of Luther hath in this mouth OecolaÌpad both yea and naie For he somtime both taught and preached yea also did write that Chrystes bodie was reallie present in the Sacrament euen as the catholique Churche doth teache Afterwarde being by his owne election the disciple of Luther he beganne to haue a peice of a naie in his mouthe to that to the whiche before he had saied yea And finallie as his master Luther choose to varie from his Master Wicleff and to folowe his owne phantasie so this Oecolampadius chose to varie from his Master Luther and to folowe his phantasie For he neither with his master neither his graunt M. Wicleff wolde phantasie as they did but all together the contrarie teaching that ther was no presence of Chryst in the Sacrament but as in a signe or figure In the whiche he was so vehemeÌt that he wrote against his master Luther and that verie earnestlie So that in these mens mouthes ye maie perceaue ther hath ben yea and naie Their mouthes were soche of the which S. Iames speaketh that oute of them cometh bothe blessing and cursing They are soche springes as oute of the whiche come waters both salte and fresh bitter and swete So that as ther ys no staie in them selues so can no man be staied by them in any good certentie The masters whom God hath appointed in his catholique Churche they be not inconstant they be not double tunged with yea and naie in one matter they saie not nowe this and then that The master saieth not one thing and the scholer an other The pestilence and destruction of comon wealths whiche be discorde contencion and diuision ys not among them But as allmightie God saied by his Prophet Malachie of Leui. Lex veritatis Malach. 1. fuit in ore eius iniquitas non est inuenta in labiis eius In pace aequitate ambulauit mecum The lawe of trueth was in his mouthe and ther was no wickednesse fownde in his lippes he walked with me in peace and equitie and did turne manie one awaie from their sinnes This as S. Hierom saieth The office of a persight preist in three poinctes being the description of the office of a persight preist agreeth very well to these holie preistes of the stocke of spirituall Leui our auntient Fathers and writers in whose mouthes was the lawe of trueth and they walked with God in peace and equitie and turned manie from their sinnes This being the office of a perfight preist and Luther and his complices taking vpon them to reforme the state of the wholl Church as though they were the masters of perfection let vs make a proof how yt will agree with them The first point of this office ys that the lawe of trueth shoulde be in their mouthes But this poincte ys not in them For besides that the catholique Church argueth and reproueth them of most detestable falshead and heresie they among them selues do reproue one an other of fasheade and vntreuth Oecolampadius writing against Luther and so his wholl sect of Sacramentaries against the sect of the Lutherans wherin the one conuincing the other of vntrueth they make this true that the lawe of trueth ys not in their mouthes Hauocke made in the churchs by heretiques An touching the secoÌd which ys that a preist should walke with God in peace and equitie in this also they are to farre wide For ther yt not onely a great lacke of peace betwixt God and their conscience But also they be fixed in deadlie warre against his holy spouse the church Whiche they haue most cruellie
the preist who ys the common ministre of the Churche and offreth for them all to be offred of them all And therfore the preist saieth plurallie offerimus we offre And when he hath doen he likewise saieth plurallie obtulimus we haue offred And this common offring or sacrifice ys commonly called Masse The other ys that ther maie be mo Masses then one in a Church on one daie Whiche nombre of Masses in one church the Proclamer impugneth Ther maie be mo masses then one in one churche and one daie by a membre of his proclamacion and chargeth the catholique Church with an abuse in that ther haue ben in one Churche mo Masses than one in one daie Yf he saie that yt was doen that the people might communicate I content me let yt be so though the trueth ys ys was doen that all the people might sacrifice Then for communion ther maie be no Masses then one in one daie Then yf ther be fiue ten or twentie communions in one daie ther maie be fiue ten or twentie Masses in one Church in one daie For why not aswell twentie as two and those aswell for thoffring of sacrifice as for communion what scripture hath the Proclamer to the contrarie But thus moche oute of the principall matter by occasion as the like shall happen again when we shall alleadge Telesphorus But nowe as touching the name of Masse we finde yt also vsed of Sainct Ambrose For he saieth of him self Ego mansi in munere missam Ambrosius epist 33. facere cepi orare in oblatione Deum vt subueniret I did abide in my office I began to saie Masse to praie God in the sacrifice that he wolde helpe In which saing Sainct Ambrose vseth the name of Masse to expresse to vs the sacrifice of God that he began to doe Whiche by plain woordes he openeth when he saied he began Masse to praie God in the sacrifice to helpe So that to saie Masse was to offre sacrifice and the oblacion of yt to make praier to God So familiare was the name of the Masse that as yt ys thought Sainct Ambrose making two godly praiers to be saied before Masse he entitled them the praiers preparatiue before Masse Yt ys not vnlike that the name of Masse was familiar in Sainct Ambrose daies seing yt was in vse in the time of Telesphorus Who being the seuenth Byshoppe of Rome after Sainct Peter was wellnigh three hundreth yeares before Sainct Ambrose This man made a statute that in the feast of the natiuitie of our Lorde there shoulde three Masses be songe The first at midnight when Chryst was born in Bethleem The seconde in the morning when he was seen of the shepards The thirde aboute the howre that Chryst suffred his passion And ye maie perceaue that yt was the Masse nowe in vse for a Telesphor Three masses coÌmaunded to be doen on Chryst maesse daie 140 yeares agoÌ great parte of yt calling the Masse the wholl Ceremonie that was by this man appoincted For by him was Gloria in excelsis commaunded to be songe before the sacrifice shoulde be offred From this mans time who liued more the fourten hundreth yeares agon not onely the name of Masse hath ben in the Churche But also on the daie of the Natiuitie of our Lorde three Masses haue ben vsed in the Church For some proofe wherof we haue Sainct Gregorie who vpon the Gospell of Sainct Luke readde that daie in the Churche making an homelie or sermon to the people saieth thus Quia missarum solemnia ter hodie celebraturi sumus diude Greg. hom Euangelica lectione loqui non possumus Bicause this daie we must sing three solemne Masses we can not long speake of the Euangelicall lesson That this hath ben also obserued in these later daies ther ys no doubte Then seing yt hath ben solemnely obserued so long time to sing three solemne Masses vpon the daie of Chrystes birth who can be so blinde not to see the name to haue ben from the primitiue church vsed Nowe here by the waie note howe true the article of the Proclamer ys wher in he auoucheth that yt can not be shewed that mo Masses then one were saied in one daie Yt ys I suppose laufull to haue mo then one on a daie when first we finde yt by so auncient and so holie a Martyr commaunded and that so nere to the beginning of the Churche Secondarely for that Leo gaue ordre that in one daie and in one Church mo Masses should be celebrated then one Thirdlie we maie iudge yt laufull forasmoche as we finde yt so obserued to Sainct Gregories time In all which time who can doubte the Churche to haue ben in good perfection And yf the Churche did repute yt well doen that time Yf so manie learned men as were in that flowrishing time whiche was for the space of foure hundreth yeares in the which time liued Tertullian Cyprian Hylary Hierom Ambrose Augusten and a nombre of men both famouse in holinesse of life and excellencie of learning did practise the same did obserue and folowe the same What maie we or can we saie but yt ys laufull to haue mo Masses saied then one in one daie and in one Churche For yf three be commaunded to be saied Why maie not fiue be saied Why not ten Why not not fiftene and so furth wher the nombre of preistes and denocion of the people suffice and require The Proclamer brageth moche of the primititiâe churche but his doinges be against yt Thus ye maie see howe the Proclamer bragging of the primitiue Churche ys confownded by the primitiue Churche He wolde with woordes of the primitiue Churche bleer the eyes of men when the doinges of the same Church shall cause them to see him ouerthrowen And thus by shamefull speakinge against the trueth he geueth occasion to his owne shame to haue the trueth shewed And here also yt ys to be obserued that this impugnacion of the nnmbre of Masses can not procead oute of anie godly or vertuouse principle For yf yt be godly and to our duetie apparteining highlie to esteeme Chrystes passion and death for oure redemption therin wrought to rendre to God and our Sauiour Chryst most humble heartie and often thankes and often also to doe that solemne memoriall that Chryst himself hath appoincted to be doen all whiche be doen in the Masse what shoulde let or what likelie or apparaunt dissuasion can this Proclamer make that the Masse shoulde be seldomer and not raither oftener doen Soche doctrine as moueth to vertue to the setting furth of Gods honoure ys to be embraced Soche as dissuadeth from vertue and causeth a decaie of deuocion and slacknes of our duetie in remembring of Chrystes passion and death and thankes geuing for the same ys not onely to be suspected but to be iudged euell deuelish and abhominable And truelie in this ys a farder matter entended by Sathan and his mynisters then ys yet opened But this
holie Gost instituted and not of Chryste In this processe then be diligent to see the agreement in the substanciall matters of ministracion be yt either Masse or Communion and yf anie be fownde to varie in the substanciall partes from the doctrine of the Apostolique and primitiue Chruche discredit them and reiect them and soche as shall be fownd to retein like doctrine in inthose parts to the primitiue Churche receaue them and embrace them So vpright and indifferent will I be that other thing then trueth will I will not require And that the matter as yt ys confessed on either part maie clerlie appear and as yt were lie flat before yowe vnderstand that the catholique Masse what yt ys Churche reteining the name of Masse confesseth yt as ys saied tobe a consecracion and oblacion of the bodie and blood of Christe in the memoriall of his passion and dath to the releef and comforte both of the liuing and of the dead and the holie receauing of the same blessed bodie and blood And although the Proclamer and his complices moche raill against the name of Masse yet the thing that they shoote at and wherwith they are most greiued ys the presence of Christes bodie and blood and the sacrifice of the same Take awaie these two and they will not force what name ys put to yt But frasmoche as the catholique Churche teacheth these things and these be they that the Aduersarie impugneth yf we can shewe these two things to haue ben vsed of the Apostles and their disciples and the Fathers of the primitiue church we shall caselie prooue them to haue vsed Masse whiche thing by Gods helpe I doubte not to doe And doing this I must to eche of these adde one other thing as it were an handmaidden to wait vpon them For to consecracion must be added intencion and to sacrifice praier for acceptation Fo so shall we see a great part of the order of the Apostolique and primitiue Churche in this holie ministracion vnderstand therfor that of these four that ys of the two principals and their haÌdmaides we wil seuerallie treat after this order First of consecration then of the intencion of the consecratours after that of oblacion last of praier for acceptacion of the same In treating of euerie of whiche I will laie to the practise of the Apostolique and primitiue Churche the doinges of the catholique Church in these daies and of the schismaticall Churche that iust triall maie be made whiche agreeth withe the Apostles and Fathers which dissenteth from them To enter into this matter let vs first see the maners of the ministration of the Apostles And forasmoche os the Proclamer with a certain skof or skorn of some saie beginneth with the cheif Apostle S. Peter saing that some saie he saied Masse at Rome I will also first beginne with him And albeit as ys saied yt ys spoken with skorn that he saied Masse yet yf yt be well weighed the skorn turneth to the Proclamers owne head For yf some saie that he saied Masse and none saie the contrarie I meen among the catholique writers then that S. Peter saied Masse bicause yt ys of some affirmed yt ys a trueth And that he saied no Masse whiche this Proclamer saeth bicause yt ys of no catholique writer affirmed ys an vntreuthe And thus though in skorn he hath confessed more for the trueth then he ys hable to bring to maintein his vntrueth For yf we haue some to saie for vs and he none to saie for him whose cause ys best yt ys easie to iudge That S. Peter saied Masse at Rome I can not doubt for that he and S. Paule being the fownders of the Churche ther as Irenaeus witnesseth and Peter being ther Bishoppe resident xxv years as bothe Eusebius and S. Hierom do testifie yt maie not be thought of soche an Apostle so feruentlie Irenaeus li. 3 cap. 3. Euseb eccl hist. lib. 3. cap. 2. Hieron li. eccl scriptoruÌ Hugo de S. Vict. lib. 2. de Sac. part 8. cap. 14. professing and folowing Christe for so long time to haue neclected that part of his duetie And that he thersaied Masse yt proueth well that before being resident at Antioche he ys of diuerse testified so to haue doen. Wherfor yt well foloweth that he saing Masse at Antioche wher he was first resident did the like at Rome wher as Irenaeus saieth he fownded the churche and was all the rest of his life resident That he saied Masse at Antioche Hugo de S. Victorys a plain wittnesse who saieth thus Celebratio Missae in coÌmemorationeÌ passionis Christi agitur sicut ipse praecepit Apostolis tradens eis corpus sanguinem suum dicens Hoc facite in meam commemorationem Hanc Missam beatus Petrus Apostolus primus omnium Antiochiae dicitur celebrasse in quae tres tantùm orationes in initio fidei dicebantur The celebracion of the Masse ys doen in the commemoracion of the passion of Chryste as he commaunded the Apostoles deliuering vnto them his bodie and blood saing This doye S Peter saied Masse at Antioche in remeÌbraÌce of me This Masse S. Peter the Apostle ys saied first of all to haue saied at Antioche in the which in the beginniÌg of the faith ther were oneli three praiers saied Thus moche he In whom besides his testimonie that S. Peter saied Masse at Antioche yt ys also testified and taught that Chryste did institute the Masse in the which he deliuered his bodie and blood And that yt shoulde not be left in doubt what Masse S. Peter saied this authour saieth that he saied this Masse wherin ys deliuered the bodie and blood of Chryst whiche ys the Masse of the catholique Church A moch like testimonie geueth Remigius But yt shal suffice to heare the testimonie of Isi lorus who ys the eldest of these three for he liued more then Jsid li. 1. de off ecl cap. 15. nine hundreth years agon who saieth thus Ordo Missae vel orationum quibus oblata Deo sacrificia consecrantur primùm est à sancto Perro institutus The ordre of the Masse or of the praiers with the which the sacrifices offred to God are consecrated was first instituted of S. Peter Thus Isidorus In whiche his saing yt ys to be noted that he maketh not S. Peter the institutour or authour of the Cap. vltim Masse For as yt ys shewed in the first booke he doth attribute that to Chryste but he maketh him the authour of a certain ordre of the Masse and of praiers to be saied at the consecracion oblacion and mynistracion doen in the Masse but not of the Masse yt self Thus moch being saied to aunswer the Proclamer for S. Peters Masse let vs nowe procead Yt maie perchaunce seem straunge to the Proclamer to saie that S. Paule saied Masse but that he did so to the faithfull Chrystian considering the weight of that that shall be saied yt shall be made manifest Yt ys therfore to
faithfull and wise stewardes aÌd that we maie finde grace and mercie in that fearfull daie of the iust and good rewarde Thus moch S. Iames Masse Not minding to tarie vpon the beginniug of the praier wher ye maie perceaue that like maner of praier ys vsed as in the last chapter ys spokeÌ of namelie that this sacrifice maie be receaued gratefullie acceptably c. Whiche I doe but touche wishing yt to be noted the better to perceaue the malice of the Proclamer who as ye haue heard reproueth and skorneth that in the Church that was vsed of the Apostles I minde not I saie to tarie but to hast me to note these thinges that now we haue to speake of namely that the sacrifice of the Masse ys auailable both to the quicke aÌd the dead which both be here testified wheÌ the Apostle praieth that this sacrifice maie be pleasing and acceptable vnto the remissioÌ of sinnes aÌd to the rest of the soules of theÌ that sleape before vs. Doe not these woordes teach vs that S. Iames took this for a sacrisice propiciatorie wheÌ he desiereth that the sacrifice maie be accepted to the propiciacioÌ of our sinnes And did he not thinke yt auailable to the dead wheÌ he praieth that yt maie be to the rest of the sowles of theÌ that be dead The woordes be so plain that yt can not be deuied And as Caiphas though he were an euel Bishoppe spake one trueth of the S. James Masse ys full of knowlege eueÌ by the iudgement of the Proclamer death of Chryst so the Proclamer though he be an euell maÌ spake one trueth of S. Iames Masse For he saieth that S. Iames Masse ys full of knowledge Yf yt be full of knowledge by the testimonie of the Aduers theÌ feare thowe not whether thow be catholike or other to saie that this ys good knowledg that the sacrifice of the Masse ys aualeable to the quick aÌd the dead For soch ys the knowledge in S. Iames his Masse And that thow maist be farder assured that the Apostles taught praier and the Masse to be profitable to the dead harken first what Dionyse the Disciple to sainct Paule saieth for the one and what Chrysostome testifieth for both S. Dionyse describing the maner Dionys eccles Hier. cap 7. parte prim of the buriall and exequies vsed in his time and before his time in the churche for parte of yt saieth thus Accedens venerandus Antistes precem sacram super mortuum peragit precaturîue diuinam clementiam vt cuncta dimittat per infirmitatem humanam admissa peccata defuncto eumîue in luce statuat in sinibus Praier for the dead vsed in S. Dionyse time Abrahae Isaac et Iacob in loco vbi aufugit dolor et tristicia et gemitus The reuereÌde Bishoppe coming maketh holie praier vpon the dead and praieth the goodnesse of God that he wold forgiue the dead person al hys sinnes which he hath through infirmitie committed and that he will place him in the place of light in the Bosomes of Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the place froÌ wheÌce flieth sorowe heauinesse aÌd morning Thus moch S. Dynise See yowe not praiers here made for the Sinnes of the dead See yowe not peticion made for him that he maie come to the place of light to the place wher he maie feell neither sorowe nor heauinesse Yf this maner of praier was vsed in the time of the Apostles in whose time this Dionyse liued what shall we thinke but that S. Iames being one of them praied for the dead as the other Apostles did Obiection Perchaunce yt maie be saied that yf the Apostles had thought yt necessarie to praie for the dead they wolde haue left yt writteÌ in some of their epistles To this I saie that yt neaded not For first amoÌg the Iewes yt was before the coming of Chryst in vse to praie and offre sacrifice for the dead as the secoÌd booke of the Machabies doeth testisie Which booke although the Aduersarie doeth reiect yet S. Augustin saieth yt ys in the Canon of christeÌ men And August de cura promortu Lib. vniuers fid Indaeorum Antonius Margarita one conuerted froÌ a Iewe to a Chrystian man in a booke that he made of the faith of the Iewes declareth the praier that they made for the dead which ys not moch vnlike to this praier of S. Dionyse And ouer he saieth that they haue a booke wherin be written the names of them that be dead which thrice in a yeare be redde and so praied for Which order ys yet amongest them so that then neaded not As for the GeÌtiles although they vsed funerall obsequies yet for that they were vngodlie after the heatheÌ maner the Apostles gaue theÌ commaundement by tradicion to burie their dead and to praie for theÌ after the chrystiaÌ maner Of the which coÌmaundement S. Clement maketh meÌcioÌ how yt was geueÌ by S. Peter And so doth Chrysostome that yt was doeÌ by the Apostles Clemens epist 1. Hom. 3. Philip. pri For he saieth thus Non frustra ab Apostolis sancituÌ est vt in celebratione venerandoruÌ mysterioruÌ memoria fiat coruÌ qui hinc decesserunt Nouerunt illis multuÌ hinc emolumenti fieri multuÌ vtilitatis Stante siquideÌ vniuerso populo manus in coelos extendente coetu iteÌ sacer dotali verendoque posito sacrificio quomodò DeuÌ non placaremus pro istis orantes Yt was not but to good pourpose decreed of the Apostles that in the celebracion of the honourable mysteries wherby he meneth the Masse a memorie or remeÌ The Apostles decreed that the dead should be praied for in the Masse brance should be made of theÌ that haue departed hence They knew that moch commoditie shoulde come from thence to theÌ and moch profit For all the people standing and holding vppe their haÌds into heaueÌ the coÌpanie also of preistes and the fearfull sacrifice being settfurth how shall we not appease God praing for these Thus Chrysostome As before ye haue seen the praier of the Apostle S. Iames praing for the dead so now ye see yt testified by Chrysostome that the Apostles coÌmauÌded the dead to be praied for in the celebracioÌ of the holie mysteries whiche ys the Masse wher the holie and blessed bodie and blood of Sauiour Chryst ys setfurth in the seight of the Father wherby his passioÌ aÌd death being liuelie remeÌbred aÌd huÌble peticioÌ in the presence therof and for the meritte therof by the preistes aÌd people being made yt caÌ not be saieth Chrysost but that God will be appeased aÌd mercie for the soules obteined For as S. CypriaÌ saieth In huius praesentiae noÌ superuacuè meÌdicaÌt lacrimae veniaÌ nec vnquaÌ patitur coÌtriti cordis holocaustuÌ repulsam In the presence of this vnderstaÌd sacrifice teares doe adsurediebegge pardoÌ neither doeth the sacrifice of acoÌtrite heart at anie time suffre repulse Ther for in this senteÌce Chrysostome doeth
neclect that in all thinges bothe in faith and doinges we maie among our selues consent and agree These be the verie woordes of Leo. Thys ys the place which the Proclamer taketh in hande to reporte Iudge now I saie gentle Reader whether he hath truelie reported him or no. And first wher he alleadged Leo to prooue his communion vieue well I praie thee the authour and obserue diligentlie yf ther be in him anie one woorde of communion or communicantes and See here the impudencie of the Proclamer thowe shalt perceaue that ther ys no mencion made therof What trueth then ys to be thought either in the man or in the cause that he defendeth when to maintein yt he ys fain to falsifie the authours that he alleageth Ys yt not lamentable to see his shamelesse boldenesse that he wolde wittinglievtter in an honorable audieÌce and also publish the same in printe to an wholl realme that he knewe to be false and clean otherwise then was the intent or minde of the authour which he alleaged That yt was not the minde of the authour thowe shalt easilie perceaue For first wher the Proclamer vseth these woordes communicate and communion The authour hath these See here his false sleight woordes the oblacion of the sacrifice and the sacrifice Nowe bicause the Proclamer hateth this woorde sacrifice as a scorpion as being applied to the holie SacrameÌt of Chrystes bodie and blood therfore to ease his maliciouse affection and to delude his hearers and readers yt liked his Chrystian sinceritie properlie tearmed hereticall malignitie to corrupt and falsifie the authour and reporte soche matter to be in him as ther ys in dede no woorde toward yt in him I mene to that sense and vnderstanding Again thowe seist that in all that sermon yf yt be woorthie of that name his cheifest pourpose ys to inueigh against that holie mynistracion whiche ys called the Masse in so moch that he saieth that this name Masse was not in vse manie years after Chryst which ys before improoued yet in this authour Leo euen in this place whiche he alleaged ther ys expresse and liuelie mencion made of the Masse and he calleth yt Masse that thys man calleth Communion And these twoo woordes sacrifice and Masse Sacrifice and Masse cause the Proclamer to falsisie Leo. vsed of this authour caused as I haue saied thys man to falsifie the authour so that he durst not alleadge him as he wrote but as yt might serue to helpe hys wicked cause To ende this note of the falsifieng of this authour by this Proclamer this also ys to be obserued and marked howe God suffreth Sathan and his Disciples to be blinded that they shall bring furth and alleadge places whiche being well weighed and taken as they lie according to the minde of the authour shall not onely ouerthrowe their matter as this authour in testifieng both sacrifice and Masse but shall also geue and mynistre occasion that theyr falshead their corruption of authours their blinding of the people shall be perceaued as nowe allreadie yt hath ben perceaued in sainct Hierom and this authour and shall more hereafter in thys matter But the Proclamer proceadeth and prooueth by the Masse booke that ther shoulde be a Communion bicause the preist saieth oremâis Let vs praie I see this man wolde plaie smal game raither then he will set out he wolde content himself with some ssender shewe or countenaunce of proofe raither then mainteining an euell matter to seem to be destitute of all proofe I praier thee good reader weigh with me what proof ys yt of the communion of the Sacrament that the preist saieth oremus Let vs praie what dependance ys ther of that woorde to proue the communion of the Sacrament Yf he can by that woorde prooue the communion of the Sacrament Let vs praie ys saied in the morning and euenning praier wheÌther ys no CommunioÌ he maie doe the like in the Sacrament of Baptisme and in other sacramentes also for ther the preist saieth Oremus Let vs praie Yf by yt he had trauailed to proue a communion in praier he had doen right but to abuse yt to prooue the necessitie of the Communion of the Sacrament in soch sorte as he meneth yt ys raither a declaracion of his malice against the churche then anie proofe of his pourpose That ther ys a Communion in praier the other woordes of the preist whiche he also alleageth for hys pourpose doe manifestlie declare The preist saieth he saieth The Lorde be with yowe and the people aunswer And with thie spirit Doe ye not see here howe the preist and CommunioÌ in praier at Masse the people ioin themselues together one praing for the other Whiche maner of Communion ys also liuelie settfurth by that that he afterwarde produceth oute of the order of the Masse The preist saieth he turneth him to the people and saieth Orate pro me fratres sorores Praie for me brothers and sisters Here as before ye haue perceaued and shall hereafter perceaue he vseth a sleight he durst not for shame tell yowe why the preist desiereth the people to praie for him but as traitours clippe the kinges coin and deceaue the people so he clippeth manie of the places whiche he alleageth to deceaue gods people But that his falshead maie be perceaued and the cause knowen why the preist desiereth the people An other sleight of the Prolamer to praie for him I shall laie before yowr eies the wholl praier Thus he praieth Orate fratres sorores pro me vt meum pariter vestrum acceptum sit omnipotenti Deo sacrificium Whiche ys thus moche to saie in english Praie for me brothers and sisters that my sacrifice and yowr maie be accepted of our Lord God Two Communions in the Masse besides the rauing of the Sacra Se ye now his sleight Ys here anie praier for the communion whiche he intendeth Doe these woordes proue that the preist can not receaue alone Ys ther anie mencion made here of that his communion Doe ye not perceaue that with two or three woordes he wolde blere yowe eyes and as the inglish prouerbe ys make yowe beleue that the Moone ys made of a green cheese The desire of the preist ys not that all they that be present wolde receaue the Communion but that they wil praie that their common sacrifice maie be acceptable to God This with the bringing in of two or three woordes wolde this man craftelie haue concealed and suppressed being as I suppose ashamed and grudged in conscience to let yowe know the verie thing required to be praied for which ys the acceptacion of the sacrifice which sacrifice he and his complices doe wickedlie denie Thus ye see that he wolde claime helpe of the Masse booke which in dede doeth him no other helpe but open his shame Yt doeth vs thus moch helpe that hereby we learn two Communions The first ys of praier the second of
preist And if they doe let them be openlie rebuked of the Bishoppe Here we finde soch order commaunded as the catholique church for all the west part of yt obserued namelie that the people shoulde heare Masse euerie sondaie but of communion here ys no title A like decree we finde in an other Concil Aurelian councell in these woordes Cùm ad celebrandas missas in Dei nomine conuenitur populus non ante discedat quà m Missae solemnitas coÌpleatur vbi Episcopus non suerit benedictionem à sacerdote percipiat When they be come together in the name of God to celebrate Masse the people maie not departe before the solemnitie of the Masse be fulfilled And wher ther ys no Bishoppe present let them receaue the benediction of the preist This decree commaundeth no more but that the people shall not departe vntill Masse be doen of the communion therys no woorde S. Augustin also made this ordeinaunce as yt ys to be seen in the first distinction of consecracion in these woordes Et hoc attendendum vt missae peculiares quae per dies solemnes à sacerdotibus fiunt non ita in publico fiant vt propter eas populus Aug. de conse Dist 1. cap. ct hoc à publicis missarum solemnibus quae hora tercia canonicè fiunt abstrahatur sed sacerdotes qui in circuitu vrbis aut in eadem vrbe sunt populus in vnum ad missarum publicam celebrationem conueniant And this ys to be obserued that the peculiar Masses that be saied of the preistes vpon the solempn daies be not so openly doen that for them the people be not drawen awaie from the publique solemnitie of Masses whiche be canonicallie doen the thirde howre But the preistes that dwell aboute the cytie or within the same citie and the people also shall come together to the publique celebracion of Masses Thus he In this ordeinanceye first perceaue that peculias Masses were saied in one citie beside the high or coÌmon Masse to the which the people might so resorte as that they might not be letted or withdrawen froÌ the high Masse Ye see again that both the preistes that had saied Masse and the people that had heard theÌ were appoincted neuer the lesse to come to the high Masse Now if none maie be present as the Aduersarie teacheth but soch as will communicate and these preistes hauing saied their peculiar Masses and ther communicated must yet be present at the high Masse by S. Augustines ordeinance yt foloweth that the doctrine of the Aduersarie ys contrarie to the ordeinaunce of S. Augustin And although the name of Masse be so odiouse to the Proclamer yet ye maie perceaue yt was not so to sainct Augustine bus he aloweth both peculiar Masses and high or publique Masses at bothe the whiche although the people might and aught to be yet ther ys no commaundement for them al to communicate as in his ordeinaunce yt ys to be perceaued What shall I nede anie more to saie in this matter sith yt ys manifest by manie practises of the primitiue and auncient churche that both pristes at the ministracion and other persons as well wholl as sicke did and therfor maie nowe receaue the blessed Sacrament alone withoute a nombre of coÌmunicantes And therfor to returne part of the Proclamers woordes home to him and his complices again I saie O mercifull God who wolde thinke ther coulde be so moche wilfullinesse in the heart of man so maliciouslie so slaunderouslie to caluminate the Churche for that she like a good mother doeth suffer her children to take their blessed and holie foode of Chrystes bodie and blood either by nombre or by one alone as deuocion and occasion shall serue sith that both maners haue ben allwaies practised as before ys prooued Wherfor we maie trulie saie O Iustine o Tertullian o Basill o Hierom o Chrysostom o Austen o Leo o auncient councells if we be deceaued ye are they that haue deceaued vs. But sure we are that we are not deceaued but we rest in the trueth that ye haue taught vs. But alas whose heart wolde yt not greiue to see the blasphemie of the Proclamer against Chryst and S. Paule and his detestable slaunder of the holie doctours whom he chargeth to haue taught him his Scismes diuisions and heresies Ys Chryst who ys the trueth the ministre of heresie Ys Paule the doctour and Apostle of the gentiles the teacher of Scismes Be the holie doctours and Fathers of Chrystes Church who haue ben pastours and feaders of Chrystes flocke and kepers of the same with in his folde in vnitie and peace the authours of diuisions and dispersions of the shepe of Chryst Naie yt ys Sathan the first lie maker the father of lies and vntrueth the authour of diuision betwixt God and man that hath taught him heresie Scisme and diuision whose wicked inspiracion the more ys the pitie he foloweth For neither Chryst nor Paule not Iustine nor Basill c. hath taught that the celebracion or ministracion of Chrystes Sacrament ys not godlie or good if ther be not manie communicantes at yt But they haue taught that manie maie receaue yt and that manie did receaue yt and that one alone maie receaue yt and that diuerse alone did receaue yt and both to be true And nowe to ende this matter as the Proclamer hath doen all that he can and yet by no autoritie as ys saied hath prooued that a preist or anie other maie not receaue alone so I saie that neither he nor all his complices though they be ioined all together shall euer bring furth anie expresse place of scripture Councells or doctours that doeth by commaundement forbidde a well disposed chrystian to receaue the Sacrament alone And thus the three principall partes of the Masse being auouched by scriptures Councells and doctours I shall confirme the same by miracle wrought by God in the blessed Sacrament in the Masse time THE TWO AND FOVRTETH CHAP. DROOueth the trueth of these matters of the Sacrament by that yt hath pleased God to confirme the same with miracles ALlthough the cominge of Chryst into the flesh was most certenly taught by promisses figures and prophecies as before in the first booke ys saied yet the same his coming his conception his birth and abode with vs was commended vnto vs by manie protentes miracles and woonders which the Gospell doeth declare Euen so yt hath pleased the goodnesse of God well knowing owre infirmitie and weaknesse to deale with vs in the matter of the Sacrament of the bodie and bloode of the same his Sonne Iesus Chryst The certen trueth wherof although by figures prophecies and by the liuelie woorde of Chryst himself yt be certenlie commended vnto vs yet to the consirmacion of the same trueth to vs warde which otherwise in yt self ys most certen yt hath I saie pleased him to confirme the same trueth to vs by diuerse miracles that we maie be
the differeÌce for anie thing that he in these comparisons hath saied that as before he was borne they were in substance all one so be they still and so will remain when he shall be rotten But where I haue made comparisons betwen S. Iames Masse and the Communion of the Churche of this Proclamer and his complices yowe maie see manifest and great differences not by my woordes not by toies of rethoricall inuencion not by vntrueths but in the things them selues in their substanciall poincts in matters of weight and trueth For soche ys the SubstaÌcial dyffereÌces of the Masse and the newe CoÌmnunioÌ difference betwen S. Iames Masse whiche ys the Masse of all the holie Apoles and fathers and of the catholique Churche that hath ben or nowe ys for in substance all ys one and the newe CoÌmunion of the newe Churche that first wher the Masse setting furth the matter of the Sacrament doth vse bread wine and water the newe Communion vseth no water wherin yt doth neither folowe the Apostles nor so well and liuelie set furth the death of Chryste as the Masse For as oute of the side of Chryste yssued oute bothe blood and water so the Masse in the latine Churche at the putting in of the water into the chalice saith thus of him be this water blessed oute of whose sideo ran oute both blood and water And the greke Church saieth these woordes of the scripture Et vnus militum lancea latus eius aperuit continuò exiuit sanguis aqua And one of the Soldiers perced his side with a speer and furth with ther went oute blood and water both well minding that blessed welspring of Chrysts side oute of the whiche ran that clensing water and blood that washed awaie the filth of our sinnes Here yowe see one difference in substance The Masse of the Apostles Fathers and catholique Churche as ys saied had intencion and beleued that they folowing Chrysts institucion shoulde consecrate the bodie and blood of Chryste The newe Communion of the newe Churche hath no soche intencion nor beleueth no nor mindeth nor pourposeth to consecrate the bodie and blood of Chryste according to his institucion The Masse as before ys saied foloweth the institucion and coÌmaundement of Chryste who commaunded saing This do ye in the remem and consecrateth as he did his verie bodie and blood The newe Communion neither consecrateth the bodie and blood of Chryste neither abideth the name of consecracion so farre ys yt from that Church either to obeie Chryste or to folowe the church of his Apostles and Fathers The Masse according to Chrysts institucion and commaundement as ys proued offreth his bodie and blood in sacrifice to the Father in the remembrance of his passion and death The newe Communion not onelie abhorreth this to do but also detesteth both the name of sacrifice and the name of him that hath authoritie to do yt that ys A preist The Masse aswell of the Apostles as other offreth the same sacrifice as yt ys also proued for the liuing and the dead The newe Communion of the newe Churche deriding both offreth neither for the one nor for the other The Masse of the catholique Churche desiereth the aide and intercession of blessed Saincts to commende their seruice and praiers to God The newe Churche skorneth yt and vseth yt not in their Communion The Apostles and fathers with great reuerence and lowlie humblenesse came to an aultar semelie as meit yt was adorned to do this blessed oblacion and memoriall of Chrysts death The minister of the newe Communion commeth Tapster like to a pelting table onelie to eate and drinke and to deliuer to a fewe mo a bare peice of bread and a cuppe of wine so that the Apostles and catholique Churche in their Masse fedde them selues and the people with the blessed bodie and blood of Chryste the fatt and the sine flower of the heauenlie wheat and these feed them selues and the people with chaf and bran in respect euen a bare peice of bread and a cuppe of wine Soche differeÌce ys ther and soche maie yowe see betwixt the Apostles Masse and the newe communion And these defferences be in weightie matters and substanciall poincts soche as the doing or refusing of them bringeth life or death heauen or hel saluacion or damnacion Wherfor Reader looke well to thie doings ther ys no dallieng in Gods matters For the Masse ther haue ben brought furth without all haulting or colouring withoute all dissembling and lieng the auncient presidents of the Apostles of their Disciples and of the Fathers of the Apostolique and primitiue Churche as plainlie as truelie and as simplie as they be commended to vs by the books of our elders As for the comparisons of the Proclamer besides that they be but voluntarie deskant they are toies colours of Rethorik cloaked vntrueths setfurth withoute all authoritie Nowe therfor which ys to be embraced whether the Masse commended to vs by so good authoritie great antiquitie long and reuerend continuance or the newe Communion set furth without good authoritie and of no antiquitie and neuer yet reuerentlie continued yt ys of him that hath either grace or wisdom easie to be perceaued Wherefor trusting that I haue sufficientlie instructed and warned the reader aboute the Masse I ende and go forwarde in my matter THE FOVRE AND FOVRTETH CHAPT RETVRning to the exposition of S. Paule expowndeth this text As often as ye shall eate of this bread c. by S Hyerom and Theophilact IDoo here omitte the institucion of the Sacrament declared by S. Paule to the Corinthians as he had receaued the same of our Lorde for that in the seconde booke those woordes of Chryste and that his institucion ys largelie spoken of and expownded by a great nombre of holie learned Fathers Wherfor I thought yt wolde be to tediouse to the reader and superfluouse for me to expownde the same woordes here a gain I come therfor to the woordes immediatelie folowing in S. Paule As often as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of the cuppe ye shall shewe furth the death of oure Lorde vntill he come For that this text hath ben woonderfullie abused and by soche abuse manie of the simplie haue ben deceaued and caused otherwise to thinke and beleue of the blessed Sacrament than the trueh ys I haue thought yt good to open the true vnderstanding of the same scripture to the reader that he being instructed maie withdrawe his foote from the snares of Sathan and well espie his falshoode and so eschewe soch erroure as he wolde entrappe him into Vpon this text the ministres of Sathan haue grownded two argumentes against Chrystes reall presence in the blessed Sacrament The one ys as Two arguments of the Sacramentaries grownded vpon S. Paule theie saie that by this scripture yt ys manifest that the Sacrament ys instituted for a memoryall of Chryst A memoriall ys of a thing that ys absent Wherfor the Sacrament
ys a memoriall of Chryst that ys absent and not present For saie they what neadeth a thinge present anie memoriall yt will cause yt self to be remembred The Sacrament then being a memoriall of Chryst argueth Chryst not to be present in the Sacrament but to be absent The other argument ys that S. Paule calleth the Sacrament not the bodie of Chryst but calleth yt bread For he saieth that as often as ye shall eate of this bread and saieth not as often as ye shall eate the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament wherfor saie they the Sacrament ys but breade and not the bodie of Chryst As touching the first yt ys not true that Chryst did institute this Sacrament Solucions of the same argu as a memoriall of him self or of his bodie but of his passion and death suffred in his bodies which thing S. Paule here by expresse woordes doeth teache saing As often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cuppe ye shall declare or setfurth the death of our Lorde So that the eating and drinking of this Sacrament ys not for a remembraÌce or a memoriall of the bodie of Chryste in yt self as the Aduersare falselie pretendeth but ys as ys saied a memorial of the passion and death suffred as ys saied in that bodie which passion and Receipt of the B. Sac. ys not a memoriall of Chrysts bodie but of his passion and death death be once doen actuallie aÌd neuer shall so be again in that gloriouse bodie but onely in mysterie Wherfor the passion and death whose memoriall ys celebrated in that solemne institucioÌ of Chrystes Sacrament ys and euer shall be absent and neuer present And so ys the Sacrament the memoriall of a thing absent and not present which thing ys the passion and death of Chryste As touching their second argument true yt ys that S. Paule calleth the Sacrament bread but will the Aduersarie therupon induce that S. Paule meneth materiall bread euen bakers bread Though he wolde so induce yet he neither doth nor can so prooue yt nor neuer shall Bread he calleth yt but Joan 6. S. Paulecalleth the Bl. Sacr. bread but he addeth withal the article this to signifie a speciall bread what bread euen soch as Chryst the institutour of the Sacrament called yt wheÌ he saied Panis queÌ ego dabo caro mea est quam dabo pro mundi vita The bread that I will geue ys my flesh which I will geue for the life of the world Wherfor S. Paule did not barelie call yt bread but with an article saing This bread As who might saie As often as ye shall eate of this bread which ys no common bread but the bread of the flesh of Chryst which as he gaue yt for the life of the worlde So he did according to his promisse geue yt vs to eate in the Sacrament that we shoulde alwaies haue that his passion and death in minde Therfore so often as ye eate of this bread be ye mindefull of Chrystes passion and remembre his death suffred for yowr redemption Wherfor the wholl Chrystian church aswell the greke church as the latin immediatelie Woords of the CanoÌin the Masse after the consecracion as before ys declared doe saie this in effect Were therfor o Lorde being mindefull of the passion of thy Sonne our Lord Iesus Chryst doe offre vnto thee c. The wholl catholique Church by open profession of their duetie in the holie mynistracion declareth their obedience and the fulfilling of Chrystes commaundement in that they offring and receauing the blessed sacrifice of Chrystes bodie and bloode be mindefull of the passion and death suffred in that same bodie at the effusion of that preciouse blood Thus ye see howe they abuse this scripture For both S. Paules owne woordes and also the practise of the wholl Church doth declare that the holie Sacrament was instituted as a memoriall of Chrystes death and that yt ys not coÌmon bread by S. Paules owne woords but yt ys as ys saied a speciall and singular bread noted with an article But that this trueth maie be proued and therby their falshead the more confuted I will also as I haue vpon other textes produce the expositions aÌd vnderstanding of holie Fathers and doctours that yt maie be fullie perceaued Hieron in 11. 1. Cor. how this scripture ys to be vnderstanded not by phantasie but by their sownde doctrines And first we will heare sainct Hierom vpon the same text who saieth thus Ideo hoc saluator tradididit Sacramentum vt per hoc semper commemoremus quia pro nobis est mortuus Nam ideo cùm accipimus à sacerdotibus commonemur quia corpus sanguis est Christi vt beneficiis eius non existimemur ingrati Therfor our sauiour deliuered this Sacrament that by this we shoulde allwaies remembre that he died for vs. For therfore also when we receaue yt What S. Paule calleth bread S. Hieron calleth yt the bodie of Chryste we are warned of the preistes that yt ys the bodie and blood of Chryst that we be not thought to be vnthankfull for his benefittes If this saing of S. Hierom be well noted those two thinges which I before taught shall be fownde to be taught of him also I taught according to sainct Paule that the Sacrament was instituted for the memoriall of Chrystes passion and death sainct Hierom saieth that Chryst therfore gaue furth the Sacrament that we should allwaies remembre that he died forvs so that yt ys the death of Chryst that ys to be remembred I saied that though sainct Paule in this text vseth this woord bread yet he meneth not materiall bread but the heauenly bread the bodie of Chryst so ys he vnderstanded of sainct Hierom. For he saieth that when we receaue the Sacrament we are admonished that yt ys the bodie and blood of Chryst So what sainct Paule in the text calleth bread that S. Hierom in the exposition calleth the bodie and bloode of Chryste Nowe who doubteth but the expositions of holie doctours be to explain that that semeth in the text not to be plain and so plainlie and clerely to open the trueth and the true meaning of the text Forsomoch then as sainct Hierom doeth so here we must nedes saie that by this woorde bread in this text of S. Paule ys vnderstand the blessed bread of Chrystes bodie To S. Hierom we shall ioin Thcophilact to declare howe this scripture was vnderstanded in the greke Church Thus he writeth Hoc facite quottes biberitis in meam commemorationem Per poculum isthuc inquit memoriam facis Dominicae passionis Theoph. in 11. 1. Cor. Quid tu ig tur solus bibis mebriaris tremendo isto calice omnibus ex aequo tradito This doe as often as ye shall drinke in the remembrance of me By this cuppe saieth he thowe makest a memoriall of our Lordes death why theÌ doest thow alone drinke aÌd arte dronkeÌ seeing
ys not taken for that loue that a man flattereth him self to haue when he thinketh he loueth his neighbour but for that charitie that S. Paule spake of when he saied Qui diligit legem impleuit He that loueth hath fullfilled the Lawe This loue causeth a man to ioin in vnitie with God and man Yt causeth obedience to an ordinarie power Yt causeth a man also to flee all corrupt licenciouse and voluptuouse life Wher this charitie ys not be his faith neuer so sownde he ys no woorthie receauer Wherfor Scismatiques and contemners of ordinarie power and voluptuouse or corrupt liuers be no woorthie Two things to be considered in S. Paules woordes receauers Thus moche being saied of woorthie and vnwoorthie receauers ther remaineth two other thinges in S. Paules woordes to be spoken of the one ys what ys receaued the other the peine inflicted for vnwoorthie receauing The thing to be receaued ys signified when he saieth This bread and the cuppe of our Lorde The peine that he shall be giltie of the bodie and blood of our Lorde For the first what the bread and the cuppe of our Lorde ys yt was opened in the exposition of the last scripture that S. Paule ment therby the bodie and bloode of our Lorde Whiche exposition shall here again be verisied and iustified by a nombre of holie Fathers to the entent the trueth receaued in Chrystes Parliament house maie be well knowen and the vntrueth of the aduersarie as well perceaued and seen The second whiche ys the pein inflicted to the vnwoorthie receauer forasmoche as yt shall be plainlie opened and declared by soche auncient writers as I shall alleage I will to auoide prolixitie omitte to speake of yt my self and referre the Reader to the expositions of the Fathers For the whiche consideracion also forasmoche as S. Paule repeteth this text again I haue thought good for the ease of the reader to ioin them together in exposition onelie letting him vnderstand the difference betwixt them that in this text the pein as ys saied of the vnwoorthie receauer ys declared in the other both the pein and the cause also ys opened Of both whiche full declaracion shall be made by the Fathers But before I entre into the exposition of these Fathers I wish the Reader The Sacramentaries abuse S. Paules woordes in two poinctes to vnderstand that the Aduersarie hath also abused this scripture in two poinctes The one that by cause S. Paule calleth the Sacrament bread Therfor yt ys after yt ys consecrated materiall bread the other whiche ys more stowtelie then trulie mainteined they saie that euell men doe not receaue the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament These their wicked assertions by Gods grace shall be plainlie ouerthrowen For yt shall be ineuitablie proued that by the bread and cuppe that S. Paule speaketh of ys vnderstanded and meaÌt the bodie and bloode of Chryst whiche being by S. Paule receaued of euellmen yt must necessarilie folowe that euell men receaue the bodie of Chryst in the Sacra And here maie we see the miserable strictes that men teaching an vntreuth be brought vnto who for the maintenaÌce of that vntrueth are enforced to fall into manie moo For the damnable heresie inuented against the presence of Chryst in the Sacrrment they are compelled to denie the plain woordes of S. Paule as ye shall in the processe perceaue But let vs heare the holie Fathers agreeablie shewing their learninges and faith in vnderstanding S. Paule of the whiche the first coople shall be saincte Cyprian and Origen S. Cyprian writing to certain Martirs and confessours and lamenting the rash admission of certain that had offended to the recipit of the holie Sacrament writeth thus of them so had admitted the offendours Illi contra euan gelii Cypr. li. 3. epist 15. legem vestram quoque honorificam peticionem ante actam paenitentiam ante exomologesin grauissimi atque extremi delicti factam ante manum ab Episcopo clero in paenitentiam impositam offerre pro illis Eucbaristiam dare id est sanctum Domini corpus prophanare audent cùm scriptum sit Qui ederit panem aut biberit calicem Domini indignè reus erit corporis sanguinis Domini They against the lawe of the Gospell and yowr commendable peticion before they had doen penannce before they had made confession of their most greuouse and extreame offence before anie hand was putt vpon them of the Bishoppe and the cleargie vnto penance they were so bolde both to offre for them and also to geue vnto them the Sacrament which ys as moch as to prophane the holie bodie of our Lorde Forasmoch as yt ys written He that eateth the bread and drinketh the cuppe of our Lorde vnwoorthilie shall be giltie of the bodie and blood of our Lorde Of this holie Father and martir S. Cyprian if yowe will learn what ys to minister the Sacrament to anie vnwoorthie person yt ys saieth he to prophane to holie bodie and blood of our Lorde That yt ys prophaned in so doing he prooueth by this scripture of S. Paule He that eateth and drinketh vnwoorthilie shall be giltie of the bodie and bloode of our Lorde A thing ys prophaned when yt being holie ys occupied aboute vnholie or coÌmon vses As a church dedicated to God to be made a stable The ornamentes The practise of prophanacioÌ ys lament ablie to be seeÌ in Englond of the same to be applied to the vanitie of mans pride as to make beddes hanginges or cooshinges The plate of yt as king Balthasar did with the plate of the temple to make them vessells for the bankettes of men So the bodie of our Lorde saieth S. Cyprian ys prophaned forasmoch as yt being holie ys cast into an vnholie thing whiche ys the vnwoorthie receauer Now if by the bread spokeÌ of in S. Paules senteÌce were not vnderstaÌded the bodie of our Lorde to what pourpose should S. CypriaÌ alleadge that text as therby to prooue the bodie of Chryst prophaned That thing ys prophaned that ys deliuered and so abused Yf theÌ not the bodie of our Lorde be deliuered in the SacrameÌt but mere materiall bread than ys the bread prophaned and not the bodie But CypriaÌ saieth the bodie ys prophaned wherfore the bodie ys deliuered And here I wish the ministers of Chrystes Churche to take hede and to be verie circuÌspect that they looke well to whoÌ they ministre this holie SacrameÌt leest they be dot onelie giltie of the prophanacioÌ of the holie bodie of our Lorde but also be in verie dede not feeders but deceauers not deliuerers froÌ sinnes but heapers and increacers ther of as S. CypriaÌ saieth in the same li 3. epla 15. epistle Ea enim coÌcedere quae in pernitieÌ vertaÌt decipere est Nec erigitur sic lapsus sed per Dei offensam magis impellitur ad ruinam To geue or graunt those thinges that turne to a mans destructioÌ ys to deceaue
and drinke his blood in whome yet neither Chryst shall dwell nor they in Christe But they for their presumption presuming with a filthie Soule to receaue so pure a bodie shall suffre their iust condemnacion Thus by these two Fathers as by other before alleadged yt ys testified that the very presence of Chrystes bodie ys in the Sacrament and that the same ys receaued of euell men though to their condempnacion THE ONE AND FIFTETH CHAP. ABIDETH IN the exposition of the same text by Cassiodorus and Damascen YT Ys moche for the probacion and confirmacion of the trueth to see the goodlie consent and agreement emong the holie Fathers of Chrystes parliament house Wherfor perceauing Cassiodorus to ioin the vj. of S. Iohan whith S. Paule as Primasius did as hauing both one vnderstaÌding I haue thought good of this coople that here shall be brought furth first and next to Primasius to place Cassiodorus that yt maie more liuely be perceaued that of them ys by me reported This Cassiodorus in his commentaries vpon the psalmes expowndinge this verse spoken as a prophecie of Chryst Thow arte a preist for euer after the ordre of Melchisedech writeth thus Cui potest veraciter et euidenter aptari nisi Domino saluatori Cassiodor in versu Tues sacerdos c. qui corpus sanguinem suum in panis ac vini erogatione salutariter consecrauit Sicut ipse in Euangelio dicit Nisi manducaueritis carnem filij hominis biberitis eius sanguinem non habebitis vitam in vobis Sed in ista carne sanguine nil cruentum nihil corruptibile mens humana concipiat ne sicut dicit Apostolus Qui enim corpus Domini indignè manducat iudicium sibi manducat sed viuificatricem substanciam atque salutarem ipsius verbi propriam factam per quam peccatorum remissio aeternae vitae dona praestantur Vnto whome maie this be trulie and euently applied but vnto our Lorde Chryste coÌsecrated his bodie and blood and Sauiour Who in the geuing furth of bread and wine to our health consecrated his bodie and bloode as he in the Gospell saieth Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloode ye shall not haue euerlasting life But in this flesh and bloode let not the minde of man conceaue anie thinge grosse anie thing corruptible least as the Apostle doeth saie he that eateth the bodie of our Lorde vnwoorthilie eateth his owne condempnacion but let man conceaue yt to be a substance geuing life and saluacioÌ and soche a substance as ys made the verie owne substance of the Sonne of God himself by the whiche remission of sinnes and the giftes of euerlastinge life be geuen Ye haue nowe heard the weightie and pithic sainge of the holie Senatour Cassiodorus Who as for his wisdome was woorthilie called to be a Senatour to geue counsell in worldly affaires So for his godlinesse and learninge he ys a Senatour of Chrystes house in heauenlie thinges In these fewe woordes he hath vttered manie trueths and geuen vs manie instructions First he vttereth this trueth that Chryst in his last Supper did consecrate his bodie and his bloode Whiche his sainge as yt declareth and setteth furth the trueth of the catholique faith So yt openeth and declareth and therwith impugneth the vntrueth of the heresie of the Sacramentaries Secondly wher he saied that Chryst had to our health consecrated the same his bodie and blood he proueth yt by Chrystes faing in the vj. of S. Iohn wher he saieth Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood ye shall not haue life in yowe Wherby yt ys manifest that as by the forbearinge to eate the flesh of Chryst we leese the benefett of euerlasting life So by eatinge the same as yt ys to be eaten we obtein life euerlasting Whiche being so his sainge ys affirmed and prooned wher he saied that Chryst to our health and saluation consecrated his bodie and blood in his last Supper For hauinge euerlasting life by the eating of that his bodie consecrated in his last Supper we maie iustlie saie that yt was consecrated to our saluacion Thirdlie by that that the vj. of Iohn ys so alleaged yt prooueth well that the same speaketh of the bodie and blood of Chryst that shoulde be consecrated by him in his last Supper to ower health and saluacion as ys saied Forthlie we are instructed and taught what What we shoulde thinke of the bodie of Chryste coÌsecrated we aught to conceaue and thinke of that blessed bodie and flesh of Chryst so consecrated We maie not thinke yt a phantasticall bodie as Marcion and MaÌnicheus did or the bodie of a mere man as did Ebion and Cerynthus against whiche heretiques as S. Hierom saieth S. Iohn first was moued to write his gospell therby moued to open declare and settfurth the deitie or godhead of Chryst whiche heresie afterward notwitstanding S. Iohns Gospell and Epistles as Philaster wittnesseth was settfurth by Theodotus who was condemned by Victor then Bishoppe of Rome who was the thirtenth Bishoppe ther after S. Peter as the computacion of some doeth testifie Neither maie we thinke that bicause ther be in Chryst two natures that Two natures in Christe but not two persoÌs ther be also in him two distincted persons as did Nestorius so that the nature of man in Chryst ys so distincted and diuided froÌ the Godhead that yt hath no soche coniunctioÌ with the Godhead as that yt by the reason of the vnitie of person shoulde either be called the Sonne of God or the propre and verie flesh of God but the Sonne of man onelie For all these thought yt a corruptible flesh the flesh of a pure man and not the flesh of the Sonne of God as yt ys in dede but we must thinke yt as this Authour teacheth that yt ys a substance quickning vs to saluacion and euerlasting life forasmoche as yt ys made the verie owne and propre flesh of the Sonne of God by the whiche we haue remission of sinne and life euerlastinge And this also are we taught of holie Cyrill who geueth also a reason whie the flesh of God shoulde geue life sainge thus Quoniam saluatoris caro verbo Dei quod naturaliter vita est coniuncta viuifica effecta est quando eam comedimus tunc vitam Cyrill in 6. Joan. cap. 14. habemus in nobis illi coniuncti quae vita effecta est Forasmoche as the flesh of our Sauiour being ioined to the Sonne of God who naturallie ys life ys made geuing life when we eate that flesh theÌ haue we life in our selues for asmoche as we ar ioined to yt whiche ys made life Thus then maie we perceaue that not onelie corrupt maners but also corrupt faithe otherwise conceauing or phantasinge of Chrystes bodie then the catholique Faithe teacheth diuideth vs from Chryst and maketh vs vnwoorthie receauers of that blessed bodie Yf they
be accompted amonge euell receauers that otherwise thinke of the bodie of Chryst then ys to be thought of yt What ys to be thought of them that wher Chryst promised that the bread which he wolde geue shoulde be his fleshe whiche he wolde geue for the life of the worlde and by expresse woordes for the perfourmaÌce of the same promesse takinge bread saied plainlie This ys my bodie And S Paule as the wholl companie of the Fathers hitherto haue testified and mo yet shall testifie saieth that in the Sacrament ys the bodie of Chryst what I saie ys to be thought of them that will not thinke Chrystes bodie to be his bodie but withe the Ebionites and Cerinthians will make Chryst no God with the Manicheis will make him but a phantasticall figure and with the Nestorians will as they made a distinction betwixt the two naturs leauing the nature of man deuided and distincted from the Godheade so make the holie Sacrament distincted from Chryst wher in verie dede as God and man ys one Chryst So the blessed Sacrament as touchinge the Substance and Chryst ys all one the Substance of the Sacrament being none other but the verie substance of Chryst These euell receauers and abusers of Chrystes holie Sacrament as they abuse the thinge yt self So by slaunderouse tearmes doe they abuse them that well vse the same For the true Christians that honour God call they Idolaters Soche as acknowledge Chrystes verie bodie in the Sacrament call they grosse Capharnaites And soche as beleue the substance of bread by the omnipotencie of God to be chaunged and made the substance of Chryste they call Papistes But God geue them a better minde and the catholiques plentie of pacience patiently to suffre their railinges so long as God for our correction will permitte the same to continue And nowe to return to our matter this finallie ys to be noted in our Cassiod howe he vttereth Sainct Paules woordes Authour that alleging our text of Sainct Paule he vseth not the woordes of Sainct Paule but the meaning and vnderstandinge Thus he alleageth Sainct Paule Qui enim corpus Domini indignè manducat iudicium sibi manducat For he that eateth the bodie of our Lorde vnwoorthilie eateth his owne iudgement Note well that he saieth not he that eateth the bread but he that eateth the bodie of our Lorde expownding what bread Sainct Paule spake of in that scripture the bread I saie of Chrystes bodie as oftentimes yt ys allreadie saied What can be saied more plainer wolde the Proclamer haue anie plainer speache then this Let him note the woordes and the circunstance also and weigh yt well and he shall finde yt so plain that all his engines and wrestinges and all his subtiltiesâ with the aide of all his complices shall not be able to withstand the plain trueth of yt But Let vs heare Damascen speaking as plainlie as he and by like woordes openinge to vs the true mening of Sainct Paule This Damascen setting Damascen li. 4. ca. 14. furth the vertue goodnesse and power of the Sacrament saieth thus Si aurum offendat adulteratum per iudicialem correptoriamîue ignitionem purgat vt non in futuro cum mundo damnemur Curat enim morbos omnimoda damna quemadmodum dicit Apostolus Si nos vtique iudicaremus non vtique iudicaremur Cùm iudicamur autem à Deo corripimur vt non cum mundo condemnemur Et hoc est quod dicit Quare qui participat corpus sanguinem Christi indignè iudicium sibi tosi manducat bibit Per illud purgati vnimur corpori Domini spiritui eius efficimur corpus Christi Nam spiritus viuificans est caro Domini quia ex viuificante spiritu concepta est Quod enim natum est ex spiritu spiritus est Hoc autem dico non auferens corporis naturam sed viuificationem diuinitatem eius ostendens Yf yt finde golde that ys corrupted by iudiciall and correptorie fieringe yt pourgeth yt that we be not in time to come condemned with the worlde For yt cureth diseases and all maner of hurtes as the Apostle saieth Yf we wolde iudge our selues we shoulde not be iudged but when we are iudged of God we are chasticed that we shoulde not be damned with the worlde And this ys yt that the Apostle saieth Wherfor he that receaueth the Damascen vttereth the woordes of S. Paule as other elders before bodie and blood of Christe vnwoorthilie he eateth drinketh his owne damnacion We being purged by that are vnited to the bodie of our Lorde and to his Spiritt and are made the bodie of Chryste For the flesh of our Lorde ys a quickning Spiritt bicause yt was conceaued by the quickninge Spirite For that that ys borne of the Spiritte ys a Spiritte This doe I saie not taking awaie the nature of the bodie but declaring his Godhead and power to geue life Thus he Leauing diuerse good and godlie notes in this sainge of Damascen to be considered by the Reader I hast me to note those thinges that be to the pourpose of this present cause Of the whiche the first and cheifest ys that he alleaging the sainge of Sainct Paule shewinge vs the exposition of the scripture and geuing vs the vnderstanding of the same and the right meninge of Sainct Paule speaketh yt by these woordes He that receaueth the bodie and blood of Chryst vnwoorthilie eateth and drinketh his owne damnacion In whiche maner of speache as an expositour aught to doe by vnwrestable woordes he declareth what Sathan wolde wrest and soo by plain woordes calleth that that Sainct Paule calleth the bread and cuppe of our Lorde the bodie and blood of Chryst he right well knowing that they be so in verie dede I trust the Proclamer will not here vpon this Authour cast the stinking mist of his figure considering that yt ys an exposition And the nature of an exposition ys to be plainer then the thing expownded And although both the text and the exposition speake the trueth yet he knoweth that what the text oftentimes speaketh obscurely or doubtfullie that must the exposition speake plainlie clerely and manifestlie Whefor he must nedes confesse that this Authour shewing the minde of S. Paule and expownding the bread and the cuppe to be the bodie and bloode of Chryst that yt ys plainlie so And wher diuerse of the adhereÌts of this Proclamer beare great Stomacke against this Authour for his plain trueth in manie matters Lett both him and them knowe that as in all pointes of this matter the wholl catholique Churche hath alowed him So ys he agreable to all that hitherto haue ben alleaged in the exposition of S. Paule which all be right auncient or hereafter shall be alleaged though they be not so auncient A Breif note also can I not but make of Damascen wher he saieth that we being pourged are by the receipt of the bodie of Chryste vnited to the same
bodie and to his Spiritt and are also made his bodie For as by these fewe wordes the trueth ys opened Woorthie receauers os the bless Sacr. What benefitts they haue and the great commodities that come to vs by the woorthie receipt of the Sacrament declared So ys the vain argument of the Aduersarie before moued fullie solued and answered The trueth ys that both good and bad receauing the Sacrament doe receaue the bodie of Chryst Commodities thercome none but to the woorthie receruer whiche coÌmodities be three The first ys that we be vnited to the bodie of Chryste of the whiche moche ys saied in this booke vpon the teÌth to the Corinthians The second benefitt ys that we be also vnited to his holie Spiritte The thirde ys that we be made the misticall bodie of Chryste These three commodities and benefites doe we enioie by the receipt of the Sacrament saieth this authour But when when saieth he we being pourged doe receaue yt For otherwise we receaue not soche commodities but we receaue great and notable incommodities For we receaue saieth S. Paule our owne damnation Then wher the Aduersarie Vnwoorthie receauers what they receue boyleth vppe his violent argument that wher Chryst ys ther his Spirite ys also And so yf euell men receaue in the Sacrament the bodie of Chryst they receaue his Spirite also Yt ys true that they receaue Chryst and his Spirite as touching their presence but not as touching grace For although they receaue his presence yet forsomoch as they be not as this Authour saieth pourged they receaue him not to grace For neither be they vnited to the bodie of Chryst neither to his holie Spirite neither be they therby made membres of Chrystes mistical bodie for as Primasius hath saied they eate not that flesh as yt ys to be eaten nor drinke that blood as yt aught to be dronke For in dede yt ys not to be eateÌ and dronkeÌ but of soche as be clensed and pourged from sinne by penaunce and be clerelie voide of pourpose to sinne again And to soche yt bringeth these three commodities and manie moe to the other nothing but they them selues woorke their owne damnacion Thus gentle Reader thowe maist perceaue that yf with the minde of the holie Fathers of Chrystes Parliament house thowe wilt reade the Scriptures and by them learn to vnderstande the same thowe shallt not onelie not be deceaued but also in all matters of controuersie be settled and staied and clerelie see the toies and phantasies of the Aduersaries to be maliciouslie and deuellislie forged and inuented THE TVVO AND FIFTETH CHAP. ENDETH THE exposition of this text by Theodoret and Anselmus HItherto none be produced to shewe vs the minde of S. Paule but soch as by the testimonie of diuerse writers were a thousaÌd years agon and more saue this last alleadged Damascen whome some so place as he had not liued full nine hundreth yeares agon But be yt that he were so yet he ys of so che antiquitie as he maie verie well be called as wittnesse in this matter for that he was before this controuersie was raised in the Churche I meen before the time of Berengarius Before whose time I am sure the Aduersaries can make no prescription nor yet since but by startes as Sathan might gett occasion and ministers nowe and Whie God suffreth Sathan noweto wexe his Church with heresies then to disturbe gods Churche Whiche I take ys suffred of God bothe to correct our euell liues and also to stirre vs to seke the knowledge of gods trueth Whiche although we had as yt were an vpper face of the knowledge of yt yet through necligence we did not wade to the deapth of yt But be yt that Damascen were not nine hundreth years agon yet the promisse of Chryst being considered that he wolde be with his Churche to the ende of the the worlde aÌd that he wolde also sende his holie spirite into the same his Churche that shoule lead yt into all trueth As yt ys to moche shame for the Aduersarie to saie that all this time since Damascen taught Chrystes promesse hathe failed So yt ys as moche shame to saie that all this time his owne doctrine hath ben suppressed In dede I wolde thinke that this Proclamer shoulde doe that that all his The Proclamers doctrine hath no presideÌt that yt hath ben quietly receaued progenitours coulde neuer yet doe yf he coulde shewe that doctrine of the Sacrament that he professeth to haue ben receauedvuiuersallie and quietly but one huÌdreth yeares yea one half hundreth years yea one twentie years or yf he can not doe that as I am sure he can not Let him shewe yt receaued and coÌtinued as ys saied but one yeare Yf he can make no soche prescriptioÌ of his doctrine he ys to blame to reiect the catholique doctrine which by manie of their confessions hath stand these thousande yeares and to obtrude vnto vs his doctrine that neuer was yet staied quietlie one yeare Yf euer his droctrine was vniuersallie receaued yt coulde neuer withoute great and notable trooble to the wholl Churche be taken awaie Let him then shewe when by whome and by what meanes yt was taken awaie by the authoritie of anie autentique historie or catholique authour and theÌ he shall doe somwhat but that somwhat will neuer be doen. Seing then the doctrine of the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament hath vniuersallie ben recaued since the time of Damascen vntill the time of this heresie as we should be madde men to receaue sochenouelties of so small staie or holde So ys the Proclamer more madde so to moue vs. Damascen then teaching that that all the Christian worlde receaued and that also long before the controuersie was moued cannot he iustlie reiected but ys to be regarded These being twelue in nombre are sufficient to be a quest and to geue their verdicte vpon this matter Whiche all finde that S. Paule here spake of rhe bodie and blood of Chryst in the Sacrament no mencion being made of material bread Whiche so being yt ys easie by the same verdicte to pronownce that to saie that Chrystes bodie and bloode be not in the blessed Sacrament ys wicked heresie matter and not delighted with some varietie whiche of manie ys desiered I will but note our principall matters that are of his text of Sainct Paule to be learned whiche as before ys declared are but two and so ouerpasse the rest The one that Sainct Paule here speaking of the Sacrament and calling What bread S. Paul spake of yt the bread of our Lorde and somtime with and article this bread mente not common bread but a speciall bread that ys as often before ys saied the heauenly bread of Chrystes bodie whiche ys the bread of our Lorde in veriedede For in him onely consisteth the power to make this bread and to geue yt to the people The other that God suffreth this heauenlie bread of Chrystes The
Sacrament Yt hath also consideracion why he wolde nowe washe his Disciples feete who before coÌtrarie to the maner of the Iewes not onelie suffred but also defended his Apostles for the eatinge of their meate with vnwasshed handes The other part of puritie of life whiche consisteth in the adourning of our selues with vertuouse and godlie actes was not left vntaught of Chryst but when he saied This doe ye in the remembrance of me he bothe willed that godlie acte to be doen and also that we shoulde be mindefull of his death and passion and of his great loue towordes vs in suffring of the same and therby to be moued not onelie to render vnto him most humble and lowlie thankes but for his sake for the proporcion of owre possibilitie to practise the like charitie and shewe the like loue to our bretheren Nowe he that hath suche charitie what lacketh he to the sufficient furniture of his soule with all godlie vertues necessarie But a merueilouse matter as godlie a thing as yt ys for a man to examine himself as plain as yt ys bothe by Chrystes doinges and S. Paules woordes that yt shoulde so be yet Sathan coulde gett a minister to teache that no other preparacion neadeth for the receipt of the SacrameÌt but onely faith Ys ther moche hope of trueth to be reposed in him that so teacheth Libertie a baite of the Deuell setfurth by his ministers luther and his likes ys not the religion to be suspected or raither detested that ys settfurth by soche a patrone yet this ys the doctrine of Luther who ys the fownder of this newe religion the inuentour of this faith the setter vppe of the woorde the restorer as they saie of trueth and the bringer of light But Sathan and his minister also knewe well howe to winne the people They knew that libertie was a goodly bait to catche them withall Wherfor to deliuer the people from the trooble of contricion and heauinesse for sinnes to make them free from the heauie yocke as yt ys taken of confession to ease them of the laboure of praier to disburden them of the care of godlie life Sathan by his minister Luther teacheth that to the receipt of the Sacrament ther neadeth no other examinacion or preparacion but onelie that they beleue that they shall receaue grace and that ys sufficient But that I maie not be thought to misreport him at my pleasure I will Luth. in Assert Acti 15. reherse his owne woordes whiche be these Magnus error est eorum qui ad sacramentum Eucharistiae accedunt hinc innixi quod sint confessi quòd non sint sibi conscii ali cuius peccati mortalis quòd praemiserint orationes suas praeparatoria Omnes illi iudicium sibi manducant bibunt Sed si credant confidant se gratiam ibi consecuturos haec sola fides facit eos puros dignos Great ys the erroure of them that come to the Sacrament trusting to this that they be confessed that they knowe not them selues giltie of anie mortall sinne that they haue saied their praiers before that they haue prepared them selues All they doe eate and drinke their owne condemnacion But if they beleue and trust that they shal there obtein grace this faith alone maketh them pure and woorthie receauers Haue ye not hearde the same serpent nowe speaking to chrystian people that in paradse spake to owre first parentes Haue ye not heard him likewise encounteringe with his negatiue the affirmatiue of Chryst and S. Paule as he did the affirmitiue of God who saied In what day ye eate of this fruict ye shall die he contrariwise saing Ye shall not die Haue ye not heard that Chryst vsed that solemne preparacion of wasshing the feet of his Disciples before he wolde minister vnto them the Sacrament of his blessed bodie and blood Saied not Chryst after that wasshing I am vos mundi estis Nowe ye Joan. 13. are clean Did he not also then prepare them to humilitie and lowlinesse whiche ys moche required in all that receaue the Sacrament Yf I saith Chryste haue wasshed yowr feete being Lorde and Master then ought yowe also to wassh one an others feete I haue geuen yowe an example that as I haue doen euen so that ye doe Ys not lowlinesse a necessarie vertue to a receauer of this Sacrament yt ys not meet that a man knowe his owne filthinesse before he receaue and ther fore go to Chryste to be wasshed with the water of his grace Ys yt not coÌmendable that we saie with the Centurion Lorde I am not woorthie that thowe entre Mith. 8. vnder my roofe Ar we not so moued to doe by the olde Father Origen Ouer and aboue all this also we are willed by S. Paule to examine our selues and yf we doe not we shall eate and drinke our owne condemnacion And yet this beast this Serpent shameth not to saie clean coÌtrarie that yf ye confesse yowr sinnes yf ye finde yowr self clere from all mortall sinne yf before ye receaue ye geue yowr self to praier yf ye vse soche prepatiues then ye eate and drinke yowr owne condempnacion Who euer heard soche doctrine What eares can abide yt And yet this ys the doctrine of him that lightned the worlde with the knowledge of the trueth as blinde men call yt But perchaunce some Lutheran in desence of his Patriarche will saie that S. Paule willing a man to examine himself spake onely as Luther doeth of What moued S. Paule to write of the Sacrament to the Corinth the examinacion of faithe To trie this let vs haue recourse to the letter of S. Paules epistle and there see what moued him to write this That moued him to write this that moued him to write the wholl processe of the SacrameÌt in the same eleuenth chapter He wrote to the Corinthians in the matter of the Sacrament for that they coming to the receipt therof admitted diuerse faultes and abuses in maners but not in faith For first of all saieth S. Paule when ye come together into the congregacion I heare that ther ys dissention among yowe Ther ys also an other faulte that euerie man beginneth a fore to eate his owne supper And besides this in the eating of yowr Supper ther ys litle charitie For one ys hungrie and an other ys dronken in the whiche their doinge they semed to despise the congregacion of God and shame the poor that of pouertie had nothing to eate And for these cause when ye come together the supper of our Lorde can not be eaten saieth S. Paule Of faithe here ys no one title For S. Paule fownde no fault in the Corinthians as touching the matters of faith aboute the Sacrament but aboute their maners in receauing of yt And therfor as touching maners he saied Let euery man examine him self and so let him eate of that bread and drinke of that cuppe Ye see then that S. Paule moued by the euell
receaue the bodie of our Lorde shoulde haue bothe a newe and a clean minde Thus moch S. Hierom. In whome first we haue to obserue that expowndinge S. Paule who in this place calleth the Sacrament breade and not absolutelie bread but with an article that bread expowndeth yt to be the bodie of our Lorde whiche also he doeth in an other place by so expresse woordes that yt can not be denied In his apologie against Iouinian he thus vttereth S. Paule saing Probet se vnusquisque sic ad corpus Christi accedat Let euerie man examine him self and so let him come to the bodie of Chryste saieth S. Hierom yt were not an exposition but a confusion of the trueth yf he shoulde call that the bodie of Chryst that ys but breade But yt ys more then euident in all Hieron Apolo pr. lib. aduers JouinianuÌ that place of S Hierom as the circunstance also inuinciblie prooueth that he vnderstandeth S. Paule ther to haue spoken of the bodie of Chryst and of no earthlie breade In the ende of this exposition he doeth not onelie coÌfirme this trueth of Chrystes verie presence but also he infirmeth and against saieth the wicked assertion of Luther He saieth that Ioseph burieng the bodie Chryst in a clean sheet and a newe Tumbe prefigured that they that shoulde receaue the bodie of Chryst shoulde haue both a clean and a newe minde For the presence marke that he saieth by plain woordes that we receaue the bodie of Let the proclamer see here howe plainlie S. Hierom vttereth S. Paules meninge Chryst Against Luther who wolde haue no other preparacion in vs in the receipt of the bodie of Chryst but onelie faithe he faieth that they that will receaue the bodie of Chryst must haue bothe a clean and a newe minde wherbie what ells ys ment but that we must clense owre consciences from dead workes whiche putrifie and stinke in our sowles and so leauinge the olde man we must be renewed in spiritte of our minde and be cloathed with the newe man whiche after God ys shapen in righteousnesse and true holinesse But let S. Hierome open him self who expownding this text of S. Paule Whosoeuer eateth this bread and drinketh the cuppe of oure lord vnwoorthilie shall be giltie of the bodie and bloode of our lorde saieth thus Sicut scriptum est Omnis mundus manducabit Et iterum Anima quae manducauerit immunda exterminabitur de populo suo Hier. in 11 1. Cor. Et ipse Dominus ait Si ante altarè recordatus fueris quia habet frater tuus aliquid aduersum te relinque munus tuum antè altare vade reconciliari fratri tuo Prius ergo perscrutanda est conscientia si in nullo nos reprehendit sic aut offerre aut commnnicare debemus Quidam sane dicunt quia non indignum sed indigne accipientem reuocet à sancto Siergo dignus indignè accedens retrahitur Quanto magis indignus qui non potest accipere dignè Vnde oportet ociosum cessare a vitiis vt sanctum Domini corpus sanctè accipiat As yt ys written Euery clean man shall eate and again That soule that shall eate being vnclean shall be putt from amonge his people And our Lorde him self saieth Yf thowe remembre being before the aultar that thie brother hath anie thing against thee leaue thy gift before the aultar and go to be reconciled to thy brother Therfore the conscience ys first to be searched yf yt doe in nothing reprehende vs and so we aught Howe men aught to prepare them selues to receaue the bless Sacr. either to offre or communicate Ther besome that saie that he doeth not hereforbidde the vnworthie man from the holie thinge but him that receaueth vnwoorthilie Yf the woorthie cominge vnwoorthilie be for bidden howe moche more the vnwoorthilie that can not receaue woorthilie Wherfore the euell doer must ceasse from vices that he maie holilie receaue the holie bodie of our Lord. hitherto S. Hierom. Who in euery parte improoueth the pestilent doctrine of Luther First by the olde Testament whose extern cleanesse or vncleannesse being commaunded or forbidden in the eating of the holie thinges of the same lawe be figures of spirituall cleannesse or vncleannsse of our consciences required or prohibited in the receipt of the holie misteries in the newe lawe So that as ther was required an outwarde cleannesse in the bodie So here ys required an inwarde cleannesse of conscience Besides this he beateth him downe with the plain and mightie authoritie Mè aught to prepare theÌselues be for the receipt of the bless Sacr. euen by Chryst rule of Chryst him self who hathe geuen vs this order that being at the aultar and remembring that our brother hath anie matter against vs we must first be reconciled to our brother or that we can dooe anie thinge at the aultar or offre sacrifice or receaue the holie Sacrament Ys not this a notable preparacion commaunded by our M. Chryste what can Luther and all his Disciples saie to this Ys ther here nothinge required but faithe ys not here full and perfect reconciliacion commaunded Ys not here a discussion and examinacion of our consciences in calling to minde and remembrance yf anie grief be betwixt vs and our brother Yt ys so certenly Wherfor S. Hierom concludeth sainge Therfor first ys the conscience to be searched yf yt dooe not reprehende vs then maie we either offre or receaue Yf the conscience be to be searched for soche matters of offence before we receaue wher ys Luthers onelie faith that will make vs woorthie receauers Luther saieth we maie not searche whether we finde our self giltie of anie offence or not S. Hierom not onely saieth that our consciences are to be searched but he also saieth that the euell dooer must ceasse from vices that he maie receaue the holie bodie of our Lorde holilie in which woordes note geatle Reader bothe thy preparacion before thowe receaue and also what thowe doest receaue Thy preparacion ys to ceasse from vices wherunto manie things appertein the thinge that thowe receauest ys the holie bodie of our Lorde But S. Hierome hath saied sufficientlie both for the trueth of the presence and also against Luthers licenciouse doctrine Wherfore we will nowe heare Chrysostome dooe the like He also expowndeth this text of S. Paule and saieth thus Probet seipsum homo quod in secunda inquit Vosinet tentate si estis in fide ipsi vos probatè non quemadmodum nunc facimus temporis gratia accedentes magis quà m animi studio neque vt praeparati ad vitia nostra expurganda compuctionis pleni accedimus Chrysost in 11. 1. Cor. sed vt in solemnitatibus simus quando omnes adsunt consideramus Sed non ita Paulus praecipit Sed vnum tempus nouit quo accideremus communicationis conscientiae puritatem Let a man examin himself Whiche thinge also he saieth in the seconde epistle Proue yower selues
preparacion for our seemelie coming to the receipt of the bless Sacrament what soeuer the Aduersaries S. Ambr. and Origen vse plaintearmes for the Procla the Sacramentaries and the Proclamer saie against the holie and blessed bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament sekinge by termes as by Sacramentall bread by figure by an holie signe and soche like to deface yt and yet with soch holie tearmes to cloake their vnholie heresie and loathing by expresse words to call yt the bodie of Chryst yet this holie Father and Bishoppe S. Ambrose in bothe these places alleadged and Origen in his sainges in this chapter produced calleth the Sacrament sixe or seuen times by plain woords the bodie of our Lorde the doubtful tearmes of the Aduersarie left as by which they could not so liuelie expresse and shewe furth the trueth To ende with these two Fathers of Chrystes Parliament house we maie perfectlie by them vnderstand that God punisheth vnwoorthie receauers of the bodie of Chryst some temporallie by feuers sicknesses aÌd death some eternally by perpetuall damnacion Wherbie as by the greuousnesse of the punishmeÌtes we maie learn the greuousnesse of the offence So by the great nesse of the offence we maie learn the greatnesse of the blessed Sacrament in the receipt of which no soch offence coulde be committed if he were not ther present whose maiestie being great maketh the offence great THE EIGHT AND FIFTETH CHAP. ENDETH the exposition of the same text by Theophilact and Anselm FOrasmuche as the matter treacted of by S. Paule in this text ys apperteinent and dependeth of the matter spoken of before in the which we haue proceaded at the lenght therfor I haue determined to content my self with the two Fathers in the last chapter produced by whome we maie learn the enacted trueth of the vnderstanding of this text in the higher house and with two other Fathers of the lower house who shall open vnto vs also the vnderstanding of the same in the lower house which two shall be Theophilact and Anselme Theophilact writeth thus Accipite demonstrationeÌ ex iis quae apud vos contingunt Hinc enim sunt immaturae mortes diuturnaeîue aegritudines morbi eò quòd multi in dignè assumant Quid igitur Qui non aegrotant ad extremam vsque senectam seruantur Theophilact in 11. 1 Cor. incolumes nonne peccant Peccant sanè Sed non huius temporis paenae solae indignè accedentibus destinatae sunt sed in futuro quoque seculo Take ye a demonstracion of those thinges which happen among yowe For bicause manie do receaue vnwoorthilie therfor ther be hastie deathes and long disseases and sicknesses What then They that are not sick but to their extearm age are kept in health doe they not sinne They sinne trulie but not the onelie paines of this time are apointed to vnwoorthie receauers but ther be also in the world to coÌme more harde and more greuouse punishmentes reposed As the Iudgementes of God be merueilouse and incomprehensible so deepe also that no man can reache vnto the profunditie therof so are they also God punisheth some tempor illie but not eternallie some eternallie not temporallie some ãâã temparallie and eternallie vpright iust and full of equitie geuing to euery man according to hys workes By whiche he punisheth some in this life but not eternallie some eternallie but not in this life temporallie some both temporallie and eternallie So likewise of them that by vnwoorthie receipt contemne and foulie abuse the blessed Sacrament some by sicknesses and diseases are punished who humblie receauing the same and repenting their former doings and amending their liues God temperinge hys iustice with mercie punisheth them but in this life Other some ther be that abusing the holie Sacrament by vnwoorthie receipt and continuing the same doe yet some good workes though not in the right ordre of good workes soche God of hys mercie punisheth not temporallie but differring the punishment punisheth theÌ eternallie Some being of most beastlie and detestable life and continuinge in the same without repentance as men euen solde ouer to sinne and touched with sicknesse will not huÌblie receaue the same as Gods mercifull punishment to the amendmeÌt of life but raither heapinge euells vpoÌ euells doe murmure aÌd grudge yea aÌd with all violeÌt impacieÌcie blaspheme his holie name aÌd reprooue his correctioÌ with manie vnsemelie woords manie soche are punished both temporallie aÌd eternallie Thus by Theopilacle then we maie learn that to vnwoorthie receauers of the bless Sacrament soche punishmentes haue ben inflicted of God wherby as ys saied maie be perceaued that as the offence ys great so yt ys doen against him who ys great euen Chryst our Sauioure and redemer whose blessed bodie being present in the Sacrament ys by wicked receauers moche abused I stand not to declare the faith of Theophllact as touchinge the presence For yt ys more then manifest that he that denieth the Aduersaries figure in the Sacrument confesseth the presence whiche this authour doeth in diuerse places expowndinge the scripturs as in this worke also yt maie be seen Wherfor leauinge him we will heare Anselmus who vpon this text folowinge S. Ambrose and vsinge his woordes writeth thus as speakinge to the Anselm in 11. 1. Cor. Corinthians in the person of S. Paule Quia indignè manducatis hoc corpus sanguinem bibitis ideo sunt inter vos multi infirmi qui graui morbo languent imbecilles qui diuturua inualitudine torpent dormiunt etiam multi id est somno mortis sunt occupati vt verum probaret quia examen futurum est accipientium corpus Domini Iam hic imaginem iudicii ostendit in nonnullis qui corpus illud inconsiderate acceperant dum aegrotationibus longis inualitudinibus tenerentur multi morerentur vt in eis caeteri discereÌt se non impunè corpus Domini necligenter accipere paucoruÌ exeÌplo caeteri territi emenda rentur scientes quia grauiores paenas in futuro seculo propter hanc culpaÌ ipsi forent passuri sinon corrigerentur Bicause ye doe eate aÌd drink his bodie and blood vnwoorthilie therfor ther be amoÌg yow manie sick of greuous sicknesse aÌd weak which faint with loÌg disease aÌd manie also sleape that ys they are preueÌted with The Corinthians did eate and drinke the bodie and blood of our Lord vnworthilie death To prooue that a iudgemeÌt or condeÌnacioÌ shall come of theÌ that receaue the bodie of our Lord he doeth now shew the ymage of the iudgemeÌt in manie whiche had incoÌsideratelie reaeaued that bodie forasmochas they were holden with sicknesses and long weaknesse and manie died that by them other shoulde learn that they shoulde not receaue the bodie of our Lorde necligentlie withoute punishment and other feared with the example of a fewe shoulde be amended knowinge that theie shall suffre more greuouse paines in the worlde to come for this
wicked assertion of the Sacramentaries who against all trueth that maie be learned in scriptures and the most auncient Fathers teache that neither Chrystes verie naturall flesh ys receaued in the Sacrament neither that Chryst ys naturallie in vs but onely spirituallie The contrarie wherof ys not onely by this Authour in plain woordes taught but also by Chrysostome and sainct Cyrill as before ys shewed That sainct Hilarie intended by his disputacion to confute the Arrians denieng Chryst to be naturallie in vs and also the holie Gost as yt maie be thought left the same to confute the Sacramentaris yt doeth verie well appeare by a conclusion that he maketh vpon the same disputacion thus sainge Haec idcireo à nobis commemorata sunt quia voluntatis tantùm inter Patrem Filium vnitatem haeretici mentientes vnitatis nostrae ad Deum vtebantur exemplo tanquam nobis ad Filium per filium ad Patrem obsequio tantùm ac voluntate religionis vnitis nulla per Sacramentum sanguinis naturalis communionis proprietas indulgeretur cùm per honorem nobis datum Dei filii per manentem in nobis carnaliter Dei filium in eo nobis corporaliter inseparabiliter vnitis mysterium verae ac naturalis vnitatis sit praedicandum These thinges are for this cause spoken of vs that heretiques vntruely saing the vnitie betwixt the Father and the Sonne to be onelie the vnitie of will vsed the example of our vnitie with God as though we being by obedience and will in religion onelie vnited to the Sonne and by the Sonne to the Father no proprietie of naturall communion shoulde be geuen by the Sacrament of the flesh and bloode sithen that both by the honour of the Sonne of God geuen to vs and by the Sonne of God carnallie abidng in vs and we being corporallie and inseparablie vnited in him the mysterie of the true and naturall vnitie ys to be declared Thus moch he By these woordes as S. Hilarie improoueth the Arrians saing that Chryst The Sacramentaries ioin with the Arrians in denieng natural vnion be twè Chryst and vs by the bless Sa ys not naturallie in vs so doeth he the Sacramentaries teaching the same And thus maie we see the sinceritie of them who doe maintein the pestilent doctrine of the Arrians And that that was confuted and reprooued as heresie twelue hondreth yeares agon ys nowe with a litle false skouring and colouring solde to the people for trueth The Proclamer hath promised that he wolde subscribe yf we coulde bringe furth but one that by plain woordes coulde teache the trueth of soche articles as he Proclamed Here nowe be two both right auncient and famouse The first saieth that ower flesh ys nourished withe the cuppe He saieth not as the Sacramentarie doeth with the cuppe of the Lorde but he speaketh as the catholique Churche doeth sainge With the cuppe whiche ys the bloode of oure Lorde Neither vseth he the hereticall phrase sainge that our flesh ys nourished with the Sacramentall bread but the phrase of Chrystes Churche sainge that our flesh ys nourished A plain saing for the Procla with the breade whiche ys the bodie of our Lorde calling them by expresse woordes the bodie and bloode of Chryste Ys not this a plain speache The other saieth that as trulie as the Father ys naturallie in the Sonne So trulie ys Chryst naturallie in vs by the receipt of his naturall flesh in the Sacrament Whiche speach ys also so plain that except men will not As God the Father ys naturallie in the SoÌne so ys the SoÌne by his naturall flesh receaued in the bless Sacr. naturalie in vs. see or will not heare or hearinge will not vnderstand they can not choose but see heare and vnderstand a merueillouse plain trueth Whiche trueth was so euident plain famouse and notoriouse in the time of these Fathers that they might vpon the same grownde and frame strong argumentes against great and famouse heresies as nowe ye perceaue these Fathers to haue doen. To conclude then seinge the one of these Fathers saieth that we be nourished with the flesh of Chryst by the receipt of the same in the blessed Sacrament And the other that by the same receipt Chryst ys naturallie in vs and we naturallie one with him we maie verie well saie with sainct Paule that we are membres of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones THE SIXTETH CHAP. TREACTETH VPON this text of sainct Paule to Hebrues He haue an Aultar c. IN the xiii chapter of S. Paules epistle to the Hebrues we finde this sainge We haue an Aultar of the which yt ys not laufull for them to eate that serue in the tabernacle Whiche saing I finde so expownded that by the Aultar ys vnderstanded the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament So that the sense of those woordes maie be these We haue the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament of the whiche yt ys not laufull for anie Iewe resting and abidinge in the lawe of Moyses to eate Isich in leuit li. 1. c. 4. That thus yt ys to be vnderstanded I haue wittnesses but I will not trooble the reader with manie but onelie produce a coople which bothe be grecians And they be Isichius and Theophilact the one of the higher house and the other of the lower Isichius saieth thus expownding a text of Leuitic Omnem sanguinem reliquum Vituli fundi circa basim altaris holocausti quod est in tabernaculo testimonii praecepit Altare holocaustomatis rursus Christi corpus intelligamus Sicut enim ipse Sacerdos sacrificium est sic altare est Quia autem intelligibile altare corpus Domini beatus Paulus intelligit ipso dicente cognosce Ait enim habemus Altare de quo edere non habent potestatem qui tabernaculo deseruiunt corpus videlicet Christi dicens De illo enim comedere Iudaeis fas non est He comaunded all the rest The aultar of the which the Jewes maie not eatc ys the bodie of Chryst of the blood of the calfe to be powred oute aboute the foote of the Aultar of the burnt sacrifice which ys in the Tabernacle of wittnesse Let vs again vnderstande the Aultar of the burnt Sacrifice to be the bodie of Chryste For as he ys the preist and the Sacrifice so ys he the Aultar also That sainct Paule also doeth vnderstand the intelligle Aultar the bodie of Chryst know by his owne saing For he saieth We haue an Aultar of the which yt ys not lauful for them to eate that doe serue in the Tabernacle that ys to saie the bodie of Chryst sainge that of yt yt ys not laufull for the Iewes to eate Thus moche Isichius I nede not here moch to saie to open the place for yt ys open enough of yt self and can not well be wrested but that in the literall sense yt must be Hoopers glose edere 1. credere vnderstanded of the
nec aperire possunt nisi ille reserauerit qui habet clauem Dauid qui aperit et nemo claudite claudit et nemo aperit In Actis Apostolorum sanctus Eunuchus imo vir sic enim eum scriptura cognominat cum legeret Esaiam interrogatus à Philippo Putà sne intelligis quae legis Respondit Quomodò possum nisi aliquis me docuerit Ego vt de me loquar interim nec sanctior sum hoc Eunucho nec studiosior qui de Aethiopia id est de extremis mundi finibus venit ad templuÌ reliquit aulam et tantus amator legis diuinaeque scientiae fuit vt etiam in vehiculo sacras literas legeret et tamen cum librum teneret et verbum Domini cogitatione conciperet lingua volueret labijs personaret ignorabat eum quem in libro nesciens venerabatur Venit Philippus ostendit ei Iesum qui clausus latebat in litera O mira doctoris virtus eâdem hora credit Eunuchus baptisatur et sanctus factus est The heauens were open to Ezechiel whiche to the sinfull people were shette Dauid saith Open thowe mine eies and I shall see the wonderfull thinges of thy lawe The lawe ys spirituall and yt hathe nede of reuelacion that yt maye be vnderstanded and that with open face we maie beholde the glorie of God The booke in the Apocalips ys shewed signed or fastened with seueÌ seales whiche if thow geue to a man hauing knowledge of letters that he maye read it he will aunswer I can not For it ys sealed Howe manie nowe a daies thinke Manie nowe a daies holde the booke of scripture scaled them selues learned and do holde the booke sealed neither yet can open it except he onlocke it which shetteth and noman openeth openeth and no man shetteth In the Actes of the Apostles the holie Eunuche yea raither a man for so the scripture doth call him when he did reade Esaie the Prophet being asked of Philippe Thinkest thow thow vnderstandest what thow readest he answered howe can I except some bodie shall teache me As for me that I maie speake somthing of my self I am neither more holie then this Eunuch nor more studiouse whiche came from Aethiope that ys from the furthest coastes of the worlde vnto the TeÌple He left the Courte and was so great a louer of the lawe and godlie Science that he wolde euen in his Chariett read the holie scriptures And yet when he helde the booke and conceaued in his minde the woord of God when he spake it with his tounge and sownded it with his lipps he knew not him whom vnwitting he woorshipped in the booke Philippe came he shewed him Iesus who laie hidde in the letter O great vertue of a teacher The same howre the Eunuch beleued he was baptised and made faithfull and holie Thus farre saincte Hierom. In whose sentence marke well howe many scriptures this holie doctour hath brought forth to declare and proue that the scriptures be obscure and therfore of necessitie require to haue some exercised and learned in them to open and declare them as sainct Hierom declaring the cause whie alleageth these scriptures whiche ye haue heard and immediately addeth and saieth Haec à me breuiter perstricta sunt vt intelligeres te in scripturis sanctis sine praeuio et monstrante semitam non posse ingredi Theise thinges are breiflie touched of me to the entent thow shouldest vnderstande that withoute a leader and one shewing the path thow canst not entre in to the scriptures Not moche vnlike to this declaring the obscuritie and hardnesse of the olde Testament he writeth in his epistle to Algasia Quaestiunculaetuae de Euangelio Hieron ad AlgasiaÌ tantum de Apostolo propositae indicant te veterem scripturam aut non satis legere aut non satis intelligere quae tantis obscuritatibus suturorum typis obuâluta est vt omnis interpretatione egeat Thy questions propownded onelie out of the gospell and the Apostle doo declare that either thowe hauest not sufficientlie red the olde scripture or ells doest not sufficientlie vnderstand yt whiche ys enwrapped with so manie obscurities and figures of thinges to come that euery parte of yt had nede of interpretacon Thus moche saincte Hierom. Saincte Basill teacheth that all the scriptures are not to be published and made coÌmon for that some parte of them semeth to require a scilence or closenesse for their obscuritie Wherfor he diuideth the scriptures into two sortes or partis saieng Aliud est Dogma aliud Praedicatio Dogmata silentur Basil li. de Sp. S. ca. 27 Praedicationes verò publicantur Silentij autem species est obscuritas qua vtitur scriptura ita dogmatum sententiam construens vt aegrè assequi possis The pointes of learning be one thing and morall instruction ys an other Pointes of learning be kept close or secret Morall instructions are published and openlie taught A kinde of scilence also ys the obscuritie whiche the scripture vseth so framing the meening of the secret pointes of learning that a man maye hardlie atteign therto Saint Ambrose also in a fewe woordes saieth moche to this matter calling Lib 7. epist 44. the scripture of God the great sea hauing in yt a depenesse withoute Botome of depe senses and vnderstaÌdinges into the whiche manie flouddes doo entre Chrysostom also vpon this text Vae vobis qui clauditis regnum caelorum Wo be Math. 23. Chrysost oinel 44. in Matth. to yow whiche shett vppe the kingdom of heauen saieth thus Regnum est beatitudo caelestis Ianua autem eius est scriptura per quam intratur ad eam Clauicularij autem sunt sacerdotes quibus creditum est verbum docendi et interpretandi scripturas Clauis autem est verbum scientiae scripturarum per quam aperitur homimbus ianua veritatis Adapertio autem est interpretatio vera Videte quia non dixit Vae vobis qui non aperitis regnum caelorum sed qui clauditis Ergo non sunt scripturae clausae sed obscurae quidem vt cum labore inueniantur non autem clausae vt nullo modo mueniantur Propterea dicit Petrus in epistola sua de scripturarum obscuritate quia non sicut voluit homo locutus est spiritus sed sicut voluit spiritus ita locutus est homo Ratio autem obscuritatis multiplex est tamen satisfactionis causa dicimus duas Obscurata est notitia veritatis ne non tam vtilis inueniatur quà m contemptibilis Contemptibilis enim est si ab illis intelligatur à quibus nec amatur nec custoditur The kingdom ys the heauenlie blesse The gates of yt ys the scripture by the whiche we entre into yt The keibearers Preistes are the keiebearers of the scriptures are the preistes vnto whom the woorde ys committed to teache and interprete the scriptures The keie ys the woorde of the knowledge of the scriptures by the whiche
the gate of trueth ys opened vnto men The opening ys the true interpretacion Marke ye that he did not saie Wo be vnto yowe that do not open the kingdom of heauen but to yowe whiche do shette yt Therfore the scriptures be not shett vppe but obscure that with labour they maye be fownd but not shette vppe that by no meanes they maie be fownd Therfor Peter saieth in his epistle of the obscuritie of the scriptures Not as man wolde hathe the Spirit spoken but as the Spirit wolde so spake man Ther be manie causes of the obscuritie of yt But to satisfie I tell twain The knowledge of the trueth ys obscured least yt shoulde not be fownd as profitable as contemptible yf yt maie be vnderded of those of whoÌ yt ys neither loued nor kept Thus moche ChrysostoÌ Who also geueth an other cause of the obscuritie of the scriptures whiche I reserue to be declared in the next chapiter minding to heare the saieng of sainct Gregorie forsomoche as yt ys moche like and agreable to the sainge of Chrysostome Magnae vtilitatis est ipsa obscuritas eloquiorum Dei quia exercet sensum vt fatigatione Gregorius super Ezech. hom 9. dilatetur exercitatus capiat quod capere non potest ociosus Habet quoque adhuc maius aliud quia siscripturae sacrae intelligentia in cunclis esset aperta vilesceret quae in quibusdam locis obscurioribus tanta maiore dulcedine inuenta reficit quanto maiore labore fatigat animum quaesita The obscuritie of the woordes of God saieth saincte Gregorie ys of great profit For yt dothe exercise the vnderstandinge that by wearinesse yt maie be stretched oute and being exercised yt maie take that that yt coulde not take being idle Yt hath yet an other greater thing For yf the vnderstanding of the scriptures were in all thinges open and plain yt shoulde waxe vile The whiche vnderstanding in certain obsture places being fownde dothe with so moche the more pleasure or swetenesse delight as with the more labour being sought yt wearyeth the minde Thus moche Saincte Gregorie I might euen to wearinesse load the Reader with saienges of the Fathers testifieng the obscuritie of the scriptures But for that I haue entred into this matter to vse yt but as a preparatiue to that that ys here principapallie entended to betreacted of I will not tarie vpon yt but heare the testimonie Hieron ad Paulin. Fewe doe well vnderstand the epistles of Peter James Iohum c. of saincte Hierom as concerning the lesser epistles called canonicall I meen the epistles of Iames Peter Iohn and Iude of the whiche he saieth thus Iacobus Petrus Ioannes Iudas Apostoli septem epistolas aediderunt tam mysticas quà m succinctas breues pariter et longas Breues in verbis longas in sententijs vt rarus sit qui in eorum lectione non caecutiat The Apostles Iames Peter Iohn and Iude made seuen epistles as misticall as succincte and bothe short and long Shorte in woordes but long in Sentences So as he ys a rare man that in the reading of them doth not want seight of vnderstandinge Thus moche saincte Hierom. Ye haue nowe heard the censure and iudgement of diuerse famouse Fathers as touching the difficultie and obscurytie of the scriptures the contrarie wherof hath not onelie most falslie and shamfullie ben taught by Luther as I haue saied But also with like foolish arrogancie hath ben pratled by his pettie disciples to the entrapping and snaring of manie a simple Soule For thei being persuaded that the scriptures were easie to be vnderstanded proceaded with rash boldenesse to vnderstand euery scripture as their Heresie through arrogancie hath almost ouerrunne Christendom phansic moued them vsing the scriptures as simple children do the bells phatasing them to sownd euen as their phansie conceaueth according to the common saieng As the childe doth sing So dothe the bell ring By the whiche arrogant presumption heresie hath at this daie onerrunne yea almost ouerwhelmed a great parte of christendome Whiche howe lamentable yt ys the charitable christian heart feleth and perceyueth But nowe consider with me gentle Reader two thinges Firste their arrogancie and after their blindenesse Their arrogancie ys to manifest that wher the scriptures them selues as yehaue heard doo testifie that they are obscure and hard And sainte Peter by most plain woordes teacheth that the epistles of saincte Paule be hard to be vnderstanded the common consent and iudgement of the noblest learned men of Chrystes Churche be agreable to the same the experience also not onely of this our myserable time but of diuerse other times in the whiche heresies haue vexed the churche whiche haue risen vpon the ohscuritie of scriptures as Isidore saieth doth proue yt and conuince yt yet these arrogant heretikes will auouche them to be easie and plain Ys yt not more then impudent arrogancye to stand against so manie true substanciall and inuincible wittnesses ys yt not wicked that saincte Peter saing that saincte Paules epistles be hard Luther and his disciples yea his verie petties that can but read and yet not that well shall saie that they be esaie and plain Ys ther anie credite to be geueÌ to theise wicked men in other matters that so arrogantlie against all treuth teache this Howe litle will they bassh in soome other matter wher they maie through the darknesse and obscuritie of the scriptures somwhat cloake and shadow their falshood wheÌ in so manifest a matter as this ys they bassh neuer one whitte As touching their blindnesse the ignorant that through ignorance can nothing saie dothe not more open his blindnesse then these men do theirs in sainge that the scriptures be esaie and plain For as learning witte and knowledge moue question Scruple and doubte So ignorante blindnesse doth perceaue nothing but plainesse easincsse and saiftie The learned medleth with the scriptures with feare diligence and painfull Ignorance as bolde as blinde studie The ignorant with boldnesse necligence and slackenesse wherbie yt cometh to passe that ys commonlie saied who ys bolder then blind biarde As then Origen Hierom Ambrose Augustin Chrysostome and Gregorie through knowledge and learning holpen with grace did finde perceaue and see the scriptures respersed with manie difficulties and doubtes So Luther and his ofspring through blinde arrogancie destitute and void of grace see no other but that the scriptures be easie and plain for euerie man to read and vnderstande and findeth neither Scruple ne doubte Wherfore Reader I wissh thee to be aduertised raiher to folowe Origen Hierom and the other holie Fathers and with them to perceaue that the scriptures be hard and so with circumspection and instruction of the learned to read or ells contenting thy self to heare to forbear reading raither then to folowe the blinde and so withoute mistrust walke in rough places and ther stumbling fall into the ditche An obi ⣠ection But here perchaunce ye will obiect and saie why