legem vngebantur quia ipse Dominus primus in coena mystica intelligibilem accepit sanguinem atque deinde calicem Apostolis dedit Sed ecce legislator hic post vnctionem Aaron filiorum subdidit De sanguine reliquum fudit super altari per circuitum Quod et Christum fecisse inuenimus Bibens enim ipse et Apostolis bibere dans tunc intelligibilem sanguinem super altare videlicet suum corpus effudit Corpus autem Christi Ecclesia est et omnis plebs eius Quod specialiter dicentem Marcum inuenimus Et sumens gratias agens dediteis et biberunt ex eo omnes et dixit eis Hic est sanguis meus noui testamenti qui pro multis effusus est But first the preist and after him his Sonnes were according to the lawe anoincted with blood For our Lorde him self also first in the misticall Supper did take the intelligible blood and then gaue the cuppe to hys Apostles But yet lo this lawgeuer after the enoincting of Aaron and his sonnes saieth The rest of the blood he powred rownde aboute vpon the Altar Whiche thing also we finde Chryst to haue doen. For he drinking and geuing his Apostles to drinke then he powred the intelligible bloode vpon the altar that ys to saie vpon his bodie The bodie of Chryst ys the Churche and all his people Whiche thinge we finde Chryst drāke his owne blood and gaue yt to his Apostles Marke speciallie sainge And he tooke the cuppe and gaue thankes and gaue yt to them and they all dranke of yt and he saied vnto them Thys ys my blood of the newe Testament whiche ys shedde for manie Thus moche Isychius I shall not nede to note any thing in this place of this Authour wher euery parte of his saieng ys so plain Yt ys verie manifest that he saieth that Why Christ first drank his owne blood Christ gaue vnto the Apostles his bloode whiche he calleth as before ys declared the intelligible bloode Which ys as moche to saie as the bloode of Chryst figured by the bloode of the lambe and also of the Ramme offred for Aaron ad his Sonnes Whiche bloode as Chrysostō also together with this Author wittnesse Chryst himself because his Apostles beleuing yt verilie according to the woorde of their master to be bloode shoulde not therfore loathe to drinke of yt dranke first vnto them and then dranke all they Yf Chryst dranke his owne blood he dranke yt either spirituallie or corporallie Spirituallie he could not wherfore he dranke yt corporallie As touching this wittnes of Chrysostome more shall be saied in the second booke And although this place conuinceth the Proclamer who saith Li. 2. ca. 55 that we can not bringe anie one olde catholique Doctour or Father Yet in the thirde booke shall be brought oute of this father diuerse and many places more plainlie teaching Gods truthe then this doth Wherfore leauing him with his ioint felowe who haue plainly testified Chrystes verie presence in the Sacrament for that the figure must be aunswered by the verie thing and truthe wherof yt ys the figure I shall cal two other mo wittnesses to testifie the same THE SEVENTENE CHAPITER PROCEADETH in the same matter by sainct Cyprian and Euthymius SAincte Cyprian martir Bishoppe of Carthage a man in learninge and vertuouse conuersacion most excellent and in propinquitie of time to Chryst right aunciente as Eusebius doth testifie whom sainct S. Cyprian his commēdacion Lab. 7. eccl li. Hist. c. 2 Cypriā de coena Augustine in his workes doth moche reuerence who liued aboute 256. yeares after Chryste whome I make to folowe emong the latines Tertullian for that he so moche esteemed and loued him as ys before saied In this matter he speaketh after this sorte Coena itaque disposita inter sacramentales epulas obuiarunt sibi instituta noua antiqua consumpto agno quem antiqua traditio proponebat inconsumptibilem cibum magister apponit discipulis Nec iam ad elaborata impensis et arte conuiuia populi inuitantur sed immortalitatis alimonia datur à communibus cibis differens corporalis substantiae retinens speciem sed virtutis Diuinae inuisibili efficientia probans adesse praesentiam The Supper therfore beinge ordered emonge the sacramental meates their mett together the olde ordeinances and the newe And when the lambe was consumed or eaten which the olde tradition did sett furth the master did put before hys disciples the inconsumptible meate Neither nowe be the people bidden to feastes prepared with conninge and charges but here ys geuen the food of immortalitie differing from common meates reteining the forme of corporall substance but prouinge by the inuisible efficiencie the presence of Gods power to be therin Thus sainct Cyprian Christ gaue his disciples inconsumptible meat Sacramentaries giue ther disciples ccnsumptile meat In the which woordes of this holy Father ye perceaue first the comparison of the two passouers Which he calleth the olde ordeinaunce and the newe that mette together emong the sacramentall meates Secondarelie ye maie perceaue the difference of thē bothe For the olde Passouer was a lābe which was cōsumed Whiche he teacheth when he saieth Et consumpto agno and when the lambe was consumed which the olde tradicion dyd sett furth The other ys a meate whiche neuer ys able to be consumed whiche he plainlie vttereth thus The master meening Chryst did put before his disciples inconsumptible meat Nowe note howe different the Sacramentaries be from this holie elder Sacramentaries glose vpon S. Cyprian ouerthrowen of Chrystes church They saie ther ys put or sett before vs but bread which ys consumptible as the paschall lambe was but this Father saieth The master put before hys disciples inconsumptible meat Neither maie they here vse their feigned glosing sainge that we do receaue inconsumptible meate in the Supper of the Lorde for we receaue Chryst spirituallie that ys the merite and grace of his passion For neither these Meate of Christes supper differeth frō common meates woordes will beare that glose neither the woordes that folowe For these woordes saie that the master did putte before them inconsumptible meate He did not putte the merite of his passion before them For yt ys not a thing of that nature that yt maie be taken by hand and laied before men in seight but yt ys taken by the inward man onelie But this meate was put before them H. 3. Bread of the hereticall cōmunion differeth not frō common bread Christes meat reteining the forme of corporall substāce cānot be the spirituall meat of the Sacramentaries And the woordes that do folowe do yet more clearlie shewe the matter and wype awaie their glose for yt foloweth that this meate whiche Chryste putte before his disciples did differ from cōmon meates and yet yt reteined the forme of naturall substance Yf yt did differ from common meates then yt can not be taken for the bread vsed
de illo cuius nostis sacrisicium Ther were before the sacrifices of the Iewes after the ordre of Aaron in the offringe of beastes and that in mysterie The Sacrifice of the body and blood Sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech ys nowe diffused troughout the worlde of our Lorde the whiche the faithfull and they that haue red the gospell knowe was not yet Whiche Sacrifice ys nowe diffused throughoute all the woorlde Sette before your eyes therfor the twoo sacrifices both that after the order of Aarō and this after the ordre of Melchisedech For yt ys written The Lord hathe sworne and yt shall not repent him Thowe arte a preist for euer after the ordre of Melchisedech Of whom ys yt saied Thowe arte a preist after the ordre of Melchisedech Of our Lorde Iesus Chryste who was this Melchisedech King of Salem Salem was before time that same Cittie which as the learned haue declared was afterwarde called Hierusalem Therfor before the Iewes reigned ther the preist Melchisedech who ys written in Genesis the preist of the high God was ther. He mett with Abraham when he had deliuered Loth from the hand of them that did persecute him and he ouerthrewe them of whom he was holden and deliuered his brother And after the deliuerance of his brother Melchisedech mette him So great a man was Melchisedech of whō Abrahā was blessed he brought furth bread and wine and blessed Abrahā and Abraham gaue him tithes Beholde what he brought and whom he blessed And yt ys saied afterwarde Thowe arte a preist for euer after the ordre of Melchisedech Dauid spake this in spirit long after Abraham Melchisedech was in the time of Abraham Of whom in an other place saieth he Thowe arte a preist For euer after the ordre of Melchisedech But of him whose sacrisice ye knowe Thus farre saincte Augustine Ye haue here heard the distinction of the two orders of preisthead of Aaron and of Melchisedech Ye haue heard also the distinction of the two sacrifices the one according to the order of Aaron the other after the order of Melchisedech What this sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech ys sainct Augustin hathe declared wher he saied The sacrifice of the bodie and Sacrifice auouched blood of our Lorde was not yet whiche sacrifice ys nowe diffused throughoute all the worlde What he meeneth when he saieth as yet the sacrifice of the bodie and bloode of our Lord was not and also whether this sacrifice be after the ordre of Melchisedech in a breif sentence of fewe woordes he doth verie plainlie in an other place open and declare Sublatum est sacrificium Aaron caepit esse sacrificium secundùm ordinem Melchisedech The sacrifice of Aaron was taken awaie And the sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedcch beganne By the which sentence yt ys manifest that while the sacrifice of Aarō endured this sacrifice was not vsed But whē that was taken awaie this sacrifice began Likewise he hath taught also that the sacrifice of the bodie and blood of Chryste ys the sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech For wher before Sacrifice of the bodie and blood of Chryst in the Sacr. ys after the order of Melchisedech he saied that the bodie and blood of our Lord was not yet And nowe he saieth that the sacrifice of Melchisedech began when Aarons sacrifice was taken awaie What doth he ells fignifie but that they be all one thing that ys that the bodie and blood of Chryste be the sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech And so conuertiblie that the sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech ys the bodie and blood of Chryste Which bodie and bloode be no wher ells offred in sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech but in the sacrifice of the Altar wher bread and wine be turned into the same bodie and bloode For the bodie of Chryste vpon the crosse was a bloodie sacrifice perfected with bloodshedding after the maner of Aarō Therfore the holie sacrifice of the Altar which as sainct Austen saieth ys nowe diffused and spredde through all the world ys the verie bodie and blood of Chryste Although this that ys alleaged oute of sainct Augustin ys so plain that the Aduersaries can not but see the trueth and so strong that they can not against saie yt Yet that they maie see all this that ys spoken confirmed and made more plain and that so being confownded by the euident trueth they maie geue ouer their erroure and yelde vnto trueth we will heare the sentence of the same saincte Augustine treating of this same matter in an other place Thus yt ys Coram regno patris sui mutauit vultum suum dimisit eum et abijt quia erat ibi sacrificium secundùm ordinem Aaron et postea ipse corpore et sanguine suo instituit sacrificium secundùm ordinem Melchisedech Mutauit ergo vultum suum in In Psalm 33. Cōcion 3. sacerdotio et dimisit gentem Iudaeorum et venit ad gentes Before the kingdom of his Father he hath chaunged his cowntennce and lefte him and went awaie bicause ther was ther the sacrifice after the ordre of Aaron And after ward of his bodie and blood he instituted the sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech He chaūged therfor his contenaunce in preisthead and left the people of the Iewes and came to the Gentiles Thus sainct Augustin Dooye marke what ys here saied Yf ye doo ye must nedes vnderstand yt yt ys so plain For what can be more breiflie and more plainlie saied then that Chryste did institute a sacrifice of his bodie and blood after the ordre of Melchisedech By this breif sentence manie thinges be aunswered First where the Aduersaries most slaunderouslie haue saied to bring the thing in hatred emongethe people that the Pope made the holie Sacrament a sacrifice to obscure the glorie of Chryste and to diminish the woorthinesse and merit of Chrystes sacrifices vpon the crosse and therwithall to bring the people into beleiff that the Sacrifice of Chryste vpon the crosse was not sufficient withoute this And that without authoritie as this Proclamer saieth we offer vppe Chryst vnto his Father And thus with a nombre of like lies The Pope and the Papistes were made Authours and founders of this sacrifice Not the Pope nor the Papistes made the sacrament a sacrifice but Chryst himself after S. Augustin But basshe and be ashamed thowe slaunderouse mā thowe Enemie of the trueth and open thine eies to see and thine eares to heare what saincte Augustine that holie Father and learned doctour here teacheth that ys that Chryste did of his owne bodie and blood institute a sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech So that Chryst euen by this bolie Fathers testimonie ys the institutour and founder of this blessed Sacrifice and not the Pope neither the papistes as thowe termest them But they be the humble receauers of this same institucion of
consummantes verum mysterium sequi figuras quae praedicta sunt demonstrant Neque enim est eiusdem temporis Sed aliud quidem pertinere ad figuram aliud autem ad veritatem qui vtraque sanciuit praecepit Propter quod Christus primùm celebrauit figuratum Pascha Pòst caenam autem intelligibilem tradit angustante eam tempore pro die horā immutauit vel magis etiam diem Sic enim ad vesperam quartae decimae diei caenae Iudaicae Paschalis festiuitatis celebratur Post hoc autē Christus propriam tradidit caenam The thin ges therfore which are afore saied doe declare that we hauing present and doinge the true misterie maie not folowe figures Neither ys yt apperteining to the same time But he that ordeined both cōmaunded one time to appertein to the figure an other time to the veritie Wherfore Crist also did first celebrate the figuratiue passeouer but after supper he deliuered the intelligible Supper and the time straicting the same he chaunged an howre for a daie or raither also the daie For so in the euening of the fourtenth daie the Supper of the Iewish Paschall solemnitie ys celebrated And after this Christe deliuered his owne Supper Thus farre Isychius In whose woordes yt maie be perceaued first what was the Iewish Paschall offring whiche was an oxe or à shepe whiche were a figure of Christ our Paschall oblation Secondlie he teacheth that we nowe hauing the true misterie maie not folowe figures In whiche wordes note gentle Reader that he saieth that we nowe haue the true misterie wherby we are taught that we haue in our Paschall solemnitie the verie or true presence of Christe For he putteh here this terme true misterie to answere the figuratiue presence in the figure Paschal lābe ād christ compared The figure hath but the shadowe of the thing but that that ys figured hath the thing yt self The Paschall Lambe of the Iewes eaten in their Passouer was a figure of Christ our Paschall lambe eaten in our Passouer Wher for as the Iewes had a verie earthlie lambe the figure in their supper So we haue the verie heauenlie Lambe Christ the truthe of that figure in our Supper Whiche thing this Authour in the woordes folowinge doth plainlie declre For saieth he one time serueth not for the figure and the thing figured Verie Christ in oure Passouer but ther ys one time for the figure an other time for the veritie Note then again that he calleth the thing figured the veritie what ys the veritie but the verie thing in dede that the figure did perfigurate The lambe the figure did perfigurate Christ Wherfore verie Christe ys in our passouer This ys not fallen from this Authour as a thing vnwittinglie spoken but proceading aduisedlie in the matter and applieng the thinge figurated and declaring the accomplishing of the thing by Christe he saieth Wherfore Christ also did first celebrate the figuratiue Passouer But after supper he deliuered the intelligible Supper What ys meāt by the intelligible Supper ye shall better perceaue by other places of this Authour wher he vseth this woorde whiche he doth almost in every leaf As in his same chapiter shewing wherof Aegipte ys a figure he saieth Etenim AEgyptus intelligiblis praesens mundus quia AEgyptus cōtenebratio inter Isych Ibid. pretatur The intelligible Aegipt ys this present worlde For Aegipt by interpretacion ys called a darkning Likewise vpon this text of Leuiticus wher Allmightie God saied to the children of Israel by Moyses When ye shall come into the land whiche I will geue vnto yowe and reape downe the haruest therof ye Iebitic 23. shall bring a sheife of the first fructs of your haruest vnto the preist who shall waue the sheife before the Lorde to be accepted for yowe First teaching who were figured by the sheiues he saieth Illi enim sunt Jsic li. 6. ca. 23. Matth. 9. messores et intelligibiles segetes ad quos Dominus dicebat Messis quidem multa operarij autē pauci etc. They be both the reapers and the intelligible sheiues to whom our lord said The haruest trulie ys great but the woorkmen or reapers are fewe And likewise opening who was figured by the preist that shoulde make their oblacion accepted of God for them he saieth Manipulum autem primitiarum intelligibilis sacerdos Christus corpus proprium offerebat The intelligible preist Chryst did offer his owne bodie a sheif of first fruicts Again in the same chapiter vpon this text And ye shall offer that daie when ye waue the sheife an he lambe withoute blemish of a yeare olde for a burnt offring vnto the Lorde he saieth Volens nos in die qua celebramus Domini resurrectionem et manipuli intelligibilem oblationem celebramus non obliuisci dominici sacrificij ex quo nobis est oblatio manipuli sed caedere agnum immaculatum anniculum in holocaustum Domino intelligibilem agnum Domini traditionem immolantes mysticè et offerentes ipsius autem vt sacrificium caedentes memoriamfecit Owre Lorde willing vs in the daie wherin we do celebrate the resurrection of him and do celebrate the intelligible oblacion of the sheif not to forgett our Lordes sacrifice of the which we haue the oblacion of the sheif but to offer vppe a lambe withoute spotte of one yeare olde for a burnt sacrifice to our Lorde mysticallie sacrificing and offring the intelligible lambe being the tradicion of our Lorde in the doing of this sacrifice he hath made his memoriall In an other place also wher almightie God saied A man that hath sinned Isich li. 7. ca. 5. through ignorance and hath doen against the lawe and knoweth himself giltie shall offer an vnspotted Ramme vnto the preist Rectè intelligibilis aries Christus huius peccatum in sacrificio pro eo oblatus diluit Euen verie wel Chryste the intelligible ramme being offred for him in sacrifice wipeth awaie the sinne of this man In all these places these woordes the intelligible Egypte the intelligible sheiues the intelligible preist the intelligible oblacion the intelligible lambe the intelligible Ramme what doe these ells signifie but the verie thinges shadowed and signified by the figures Wherby we maie conclude by this authour that the legall Supper and the lambe therin eaten were the figures of Chrystes Supper and the lambe therin eaten beinge the verie thinges in dede that ys Chrystes owne Supper and hys owne blessed bodie whiche ys the intelligible lambe that was and ys therin eaten And that this shall be so plain that the Aduersarie shall not against saie Leuit. 24. yt heare this Authour clerelie opening the matter Expownding howe Aaron and hys children were touched with the bloode of the Ramme Isich in Leuit li. 2. ca. 8. that was sacrificed for them and applieng yt to that that yt was a figure of he saieth Sed tamen primus sacerdos sanguine post eum filij eius secundùm
in those daies An other thing woorthie of note in this reporte of saincte Ambrose ys that he with cōmēdaciō declareth the affiāce that his brother had in the Sacrament Whiche was soche that seing imminēt perill and remēbring what he had aboute him did not seke earthlie or worldly helpe but reposing his trust in the Sacramēt that he had aboute him he perswaded him self to haue helpe enough and nothing distrusting rested onelie vpon that helpe and in that hope committed him self to the fearfull and terrible vaiues of the sea I praie thee good Reader weigh this well ād iudge whether this good mā the brother of sainct Ambrose did thinke or beleue the Sacramēt to be but a peice of bread a figure or sign of Chryst onelie Wolde he thinke yowe in that great daūger perill haue cōmitted the sauing of his life all other helpes sett a parte te a poour dūme creature a litle peice of bread And aboue this wold that good mā in that agonie so endaūgered his soule as to cōmitte so horrible ydolatrie in placing and putting that his great trust in a peice of bread whiche aught onelie to haue ben reposed in God No yt ys not to be thought but this raither that he being a faithfull and godlie man folowed the example of faithfull Peter who being in a shippe and hearing Chryst whom he sawe walking on the sea saing to them that were in the Matth. 14 shippe be of good trust yt ys I be not afraied saied to him yf yt be thowe lorde cōmaunde me to come to thee vpon the waters And he went out of the shippe and walked vpon the sea toward Chryst Euen so this man by faith knowing his master Chryst to be at hand with him presentlie in the sacrament he cōmitted him self with Peter to the sea and was the first that was saued Adde vnto this that whiche ys an other thing to be noted that sainct Ambrose cōmending this brother for the great faith trust and affiance that he had in the Sacrament well declareth also his owne faithe that he also beleued the verie presence of Chryst in the Sacrament Holie men commēde not the misbeleif of mē to the worlde no not by mouthe moche lesse by bookes whiche must remain For that then that sainct Ambrose hath written this no dowbte aswell to our Imitaciō as to the cōmendaciō of his brother bothe the faith of the Churche beleuing Chrystes presence in the Sacrament ys to be approued and the reseruacion of the same Sacrament for the comforth of vs being seke or wholl ys not to be dissalowed And yet ys ther a more euident testimonie of this matter of reseruacion in an epistle of Chrisostom to Innocentius wherin he maketh complainte of the calamitie that happened in his churche of Constantinople by wicked Soldiers and emong other thinges reporteth thus Ipso magno Sabbato Chrysost epist. ad Jnnocent collecta manus militum ad vesperam diei in ecclesias ingressa clerum omnem qui nobiscum erat vi eiecit armis gradum vndique muniuit Mulieres quoque quae per illud tēpus se exuerant vt baptisarentur metu grauiorum insidiarum nudae aufugerunt neque enim concedebatur vt se velarent sicut mulieres honestas decet multae etiam acceptis vulneribus eijciebanttur sanguine implebantur natatoria sancto cruore rubescebant sluenta Neque hic rerum finis erat Nam sanctuaria ingressi sunt milites quorum aliquos scimus nullis initiatos mysteris viderunt omnia quae intus erant quin sanctissimus Christi sanguis sicut in tali tumultu contingit in praedictorum militum vestes effusus est Euen vpon the great Sabboth daie meaning Easter daie at the euentide an Armie of Soldiers entred the churche and by violence cast oute all soche as were with vs of the cleargie And kept with strēght the entrie The womē also whiche at that time had put of their cloathes to be baptised for feare of more daūger fled naked awaie Nether were they suffred to couer thē selues as becometh honest women manie of them also being wounded were cast oute and the fontes prepared to baptise them in were full of bloode and the waters of the fontes were made red with bloode But this was not the ende of the businesse For the Soldiers also went into the holie places of the whiche Chrystes blood in the Sacr. shed vpon the soldiers cloathes we knowe some to haue receaued no parte of the chrystian religion and they sawe all the thinges that were within And besides that the most holie bloode of Chryst as yt doth happen in soche tumulte was shedde vpon the garmēts of the Soldiers Thus facre Chrisostom In this complaint first note when these wycked soldiers entred vpon the churche they entred in the euening At whiche time they entring into the Sanctuarie Ye perceaue they fownde the Sacrament ther for he saieth that yt was shedde vpō the cloathes of the Soldiars In the time of Chrisostō yt was not in vse to cōsecrate the Sacramēt in the after noone but onely in the morning This then being kept in the Sanctuarie and shed vpon the garmēt of the Soldiers in the euening yt proueth inuinciblie and most plainly that the Sacrament was reserued Presence of Chrystes blood in the Sacra and reseruation auouched by Chrysost Yf ye will also knowe what the Sacrament was whether yt was a figure onely or the thing yt self Christostom by as plain woordes teacheth vs that yt was the bloode of Christ And that we should perceaue yt was so in dede he cōtented not him felf onelie to cal yt the blood of Chryst but the most holie blood of Chryst By Chrisostom then the reseruacion of the Sacrament ys so plainly wittnessed that the Proclamer can not denie yt the very presence of Christes bloode in the same ys so auouched that the Sacramentary ys confounded Yt ys with moche reuerence termed and called the most holie blood of Chryst wherby the vureuerent and spitefull railing and raiging of the blasphemer ys reproued and rebuked But let vs yet proceade further maie we not finde the reseruacion of the Sacrament in S. Hieromes time Yes verilie For he wittnesseth yt Reseruatiō in S. Hieroms time him self declaring to one Rusticus the godlie life and great libertie of Exuperius Bishoppe of Tolosse and signifieng the great contempt of worldelie thinges the same had and his great pleasure in heauenly thinges writeth thus Nihil illo ditius qui corpus Domini in canistro vimineo sanguinem portat in vitro Ther ys no man richer then he who beareth the bodie of our Lorde in a wicker basket and his bloode in a glasse As who might saie So litle regardeth this good Bisshoppe Exuperius the riches of the worlde that geuing awaie all his substance and bearing aboute him the bodie of our Lord but in a litle wicker baskett and the blood of
est ad eum c. Tu es sacerdos Hebr. 5. in aeternum secundùm ordinem Melchisedech Euen so Chryste also glorified not him self to be made the high pteist but he that said vnto him c. Thowe arte a preist for euer after the order of Melchisedech And declaring the great benefitte that came by him being the high preist to all beleuers he saieth again Et consummatus factus est omnibus obtemperantibus sibi causa salutis aeternae appellatus à Deo Pontifex iuxta ordinem Melchisedech And Ibid. he being perfight was the cause of eternall saluacion vnto all them that obeied him and ys called of God an high preist after the ordre of Melchisedech Likewise he calleth him in the VI. chapiter And the wholl VII chap. he occupieth in applieng Melchisedech to Chryst prouing by this prophecie the abrogacion of the preisthead of the lawe and so consequētlie of the lawe yt self Wherfore he saied Yf nowe therfore perfection came by the preistheade Hebr. 7. of the Leuites for vnder that preisthead the people receaued the lawe what neadeth further that an other preist shoulde rise to be called after the ordre of Melchisedech and not after the order of Aaron For yf the preisthead be translated then of necessitie must the lawe be translated also c. For after this maner dothe he testifie Thowe arte a preist for euer after the order of Melchisedech Then the commaundement that went before ys disanulled bycause of weakenesse and vnprofitablenesse And further declaring the excellencie of Chrystes preisthead aboue the preisthead of Aaron he saieth For these preistes were made withoute an othe but this preist with an othe by him that saied to him The Lorde sware and will not repent him Thowe art a preist for euer after the order of Melchisedech Thus as the lawe of nature hath in Melchisedech figured Chryste And the lawe of Moyses by prophecie forespoken yt So hath the lawe of the Gospell as ye haue nowe learned by sainct Paule fullfilled the same and most plainlie and euidentlie proued yt so to be Yf then Chryste be a preist after the order of Melchisedech we must seke what the order of the preistheade of Melchisedech ys and wherin yt consisteth And therbie shall we knowe the preistheade of Chryste wherin yt consisteth Sainct Paule generallie declareth the order of a preist when he saieth Omnis namque Pontifex ex hominibus assumptus pro hominibus constituitur in ijs Hebr. 5. quae sunt ad Deum vt offerat dona sacrificia pro peccatis Euery high preist that ys taken from amonge men ys ordeined for men in thinges perteining to God to offer giftes and Sacrifices for sinne By whiche description of saincte Paule yt dothe appeare that the order of preisthead standeth in two partes The first he teacheth when he saieth Ordre of preisthead standeth in two partes Pro hominibus constituitur in ijs quae sunt ad Deum He ys ordeined for men in thinges perteining to God Wherby ys ment the preaching to the people and teaching them the lawes of God and ministring the Sacramentes to them as yt was saied vnto Moyses Esto tu populo in ijs quae ad Exod. 18. Deum pertinent vt referas quae dicuntur ad eum ostendasue populo ceremonias ritum colendi viam per quam ingredi debeant opus facere Be thowe vnto the people to Godward that thowe maist bringe the causes vnto God And thowe shalt teache them ordinaunces and lawes and shewe them the waie wherin they must walke and the worke that they must doo The seconde parte of the order of preistheade standeth in offring giftes and sacrifices for the sinnes of the people Then they that be called of God as was Aaron and doo preach and teache one faith of God vnto the people and offer vnto God one maner of sacrifice they be one order of preistheade So that these two must concurre or ells yt ys not a perfight order For Elias the prophet of God and the 3. Reg. 18. preistes of Baall did offer one maner of thinge in sacrifice for they both offred oxen yet they differed in preisthead For Helias was the preist of God the other the preistes of Baall And why was this difference bycause they taught not one faithe in one God Melchisedech and Aaron taught one God and were bothe preistes of Gen. 14. Leuit. 8. Heb 5. God For Melchisedech was the preist of the most high God as the booke of Genesis wittnesseth and Aaron was called of God as the booke of Leuiticus and saincte Paule to the Hebrues testifie And yet they were not of one order of preisthead bycause their sacrifices were not of one maner By this then yt maie be taken for a trueth that Chryst not being a preist after the order of Aaron but after the order of Melchidech whiche two orders differed not in faith but in maner of sacrifice ys so called a preist after the order of Melchisedech for the maner of the sacrifice For he must agree with Melchisedech in that thing that maketh the difference betwixt the order of Aaron and the order of Melchisedech and that was and ys in the maner of sacrifice For Aaron offred in blood the other in bread and wine But here the Aduersarie will saie that Chryst ys not likened to Melchisedech for anie sacrifice by all the processe of saincte Paule But for Obiection that Melchisedech was Rex Salem kinge of Salem and withall the preist of God and for that he was with oute Father withoute Mother hauing neither beginning of daies nor ending in these pointes he ys the figure of Chryste who ys both king and preist hauing no Father in earth nor mother in heauen neither as concerning his Godhead anie beginning and as touching his Godhead and Manhead no endinge And so ys he a preist for euer To this I saie that the thing that saincte Paule principallie intended ys to be considered And then yt shall easilie be perceaued why he did not Principall entent of S. Paule in his epist to the Hebrues make rehersall of the maner of the sacrifice of Melchisedech nor mencion of the doing of the same in Chryste The principall entent of saincte Paule in this place was to proue and make manifest the excellencie of Chryst and his preisthead aboue Aaron and his preisthead Whiche excellencie in nothing more appeared then in that that Chryst was an euerlasting preist and his preisthead euerlasting and not in the maner of sacrifice For yf he had alleaged that Melchisedech did sacrifice in bread and wine The Hebrues wolde quickly haue saied that their sacrifices in that respecte moche excelled and had a moche more gloriouse shewe and cowntenance then the sacrifice of Melchisedech being but bread and wine And therfor saincte Paule omitted to make mencion VVhie S. Paule spake nothing of she sacrifice of Melchisedech in his epist
corruption and controuersie taught beleued and folowed I claime also creditte to be geuen to the holie aunciēt Fathers whom I haue alleaged who being in that pure time when faith was purely taught do cōmunicate to vs soche doctrine as the Churche of God then had whose doctrine howe moche yt ys different from the doctrine of this wicked teacher that hathe thus exclamed and howe repugnāte his doctrine ys to the teaching of these Fathers yt ys as easie to discerne as darknesse frō light or white frō blacke Wherfore gentle Reader nowe being by me aduertised after soche sorte as yt hath pleased my lorde God to imparte his grace vnto me yf thowe hauest not erred reioice in God and be confirmed Yf thowe hauest erred repent before God and be reduced And thus moche of the scriptures of the olde Testament THE SEVEN AND THIRTITH CHAP. MAKETH a breif Recapitulacion of thinges before written with thapplicacion of them to the Proclamacion of the aduersarie and so concludeth this first booke ALthough I am not ignorante gentle Reader that in the Psalmes be diuerse other prophecies whiche according to the minde of saincte Hierom do speake of this blessed Sacrament and sacrifice of Chrystes bodie and bloode that shoulde be offred in the Churche of Chryst and of the whiche the poour in spiritte shoulde eate and be satisfied as in the xxi xxij lxxj cx psalmes Yet for that the figures of this Sacrament be allreadie aunswered by prophecies to them aunswerable And these that be lefte maie by iust occasion be spoken of hereafter I shall for the Readers ease disauauntage my self of the allegacion of them to the setting furth of the matter here taken in hand by me to be defended and so cōclude this booke with a breif recapitulacion of some thinghes bfore saied to the entent they maie be applied to aunswere some one or mo mēbres of the Aduersaries proclamacion not yet spoken of I did of pourpose omitte to applie that ys saied as aunswer to that parte of his wicked proclamacion whiche yt doth fullie confute by cause I wolde not to moche trouble my processe but thought yt best to reserue yt to this place as in other matters I haue also doen the like in this booke Wherfor that yt maie well be perceaued that this that ys saied doth clean ouerthrowe this mans doctrine vnderstand first what ys his doctrine Thus in his proclamacion he crieth Yf any one of all our Aduersaries be able plainlie and clerely to proue by soch authoritie of the scriptures the old Doctours and Councells as ys before saied that the preist had then authoritie to offre vpp Chryst vnto his Father c. In which his proclamaciō he denieth the Sacrifice of the Churhe which ys the bodie and blood of our sauiour Chryst which he saieth the Churche hath none authoritie to offre to God in sacrifice Against this his false doctrine call to minde what ys in this booke saied speciallie in the setting furthe of the prophecies of the preisthood of Chryst The deuell hath bewitched the Proclamer after the ordre of Melchisedech of the prophecies of Daniel and Malachie wher but that the deuell hath bewitched this man and to his perdition hath cast a mist before his eies that he shoulde not see the trueth he coulde not ells but see that the bodie and blood of Chryste were of him self offred in his last supper and ther and then instituted and ordeined to be offred and continued in his Church as the memoriall of his passion and death S. Ciprian as yt ys alleaged saieth that our Lorde Iesus offred the same Cyprian that Melchisedech offred that ys bread and wine that ys to saie saieth he his bodie and blood Isychius saieth that we haue the sacrifice of Chryst the intelligible Melchisedech Isychius whiche sacrifice was perfectlie doen in bread and wine when Chryste saied This ys my bloode that shal be shedd for yowe S. Hierom saieth that as Melchisedech offred bread and wine so shall Chryste Hieron offred his bodie and blood the true bread and true wine S. Augustin saieth Chryst did institute the sacrifice of his bodie and blood according to the ordre of Melchisedech to succeade the sacrifice after Augustin the ordre of Aaron Wher note that he saieth Chryst did institute the sacrifice of his bodie and bloode after the ordre of Melchisedech Yf he did institute the sacrifice then ys ther authoritie by the same institution geuen to the Church to offre the same Whiche well appeareth by the saing of Origen whiche foloweth in this processe We saith Origen being obedient to the Creatour of thinges when we Origen haue geuen thankes we receaue the breades that were offred whiche be turned into a certain holier bodie whiche bodie trulie maketh them holier that with a sownde and pure minde vse yt Note then that our obedience standeth not onely to eate the bread but to eate the bread that ys offred and therforre we must both offre and eate The church must both offre and eate yf we will be obedient Yf yt be our obedience to offer then ther ys commaundement geuen to offre Yf commaundement be geuen then Authoritie also Theophilact saieth that the oblacion conteining Chryste our Lorde Bishoppe and Sacrifice ys continuallie offred by the ministres of God Seing that Chryste ys offred Theophila as Theophilact saieth by the ministres of God yt ys euident that yt ys doen with authoritie For withoute authoritie can none offre him Martialis one of the disciples of Chryste saieth that we for our health offre that vpon the holie Altar that the Iewes did offre vpon the Crosse for enuie And yf ye S. Martia We offre ou the altar that the Iewes offred on the crosse Irenaeus require by what authoritie we do it he saieth that our Lord cōmaunded vs so to doo in the remembrance of him And yf ye will vnderstande howe the authoritie cometh ordrely to vs to offre the bodie of Chryste to God the Father Irenaeus will teache you For he saieth that Chryste geuing instructions to his Apostles to offre sacrifice to God tooke the creature of bread and gaue thankes and saied this ys my body And the cuppe also he tooke and confessed yt to be his bloode and so of the newe Testament taught the newe oblacion whiche the Churche taking of the Apostles offreth yt yn all the worlde to God according to the prophecie of Malachie Can not nowe this Proclamer or raither Blasphemer see or perceaue what authoritie the preist hath to offre Chryst to God the Father Yt ys deriued from Chryst to the Apostles from the Apostles to the Church and so vsed through out all the worlde S. Augustine saieth that the pure and clean sacrifice that Malachie speaketh of that shall be offred in euery place ys the sacrifice after Augustin the ordre of Melchisedech What the sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech ys by the minde of S.
euery place God vsing preoccupacion wittnesseth theÌ„ to be acceptable vnto him Thus Iustinus of whom we maie learn that the Sacrifices of the SacrameÌ„t are deliuered to vs by Iesus Chryst So that the authoritie of this maner of sacrificing cometh froÌ„ him aÌ„d ys not of our selues S. Hierom ouer and aboue that that ys allreadie alleaged of him saieth thus Quòd autem ait Tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundùm ordinem Melchisedech mysterium in Li. quest Hebraic verbo ordinis significatur nequaquam per Aaron irrationabilibus victimis immolandis sed oblato pane vino id est corpore sanguine Domini Iesu Wheras he saieth Thow arte a preist for euer after the ordre of Melchisedech our mystery in the woorde of order ys signified not by Aaron in offring brutish sacrifices But in offring bread and wine that ys to saie the bodie and bloode of our Lorde Iesus Thus sainct Hierom. Of Iustinus we learned that the sacrifices of the Chrystians wer deliuered vnto vs by Iesus Chryst Of S. Hierom we learn that these sacrifices be the bodie and blood of our Lord Iesus So by these two in most manifest aÌ„d plain woords we be taught that Iesus Chryst deliuered vnto vs the authoritie to offre in sacrifice hys bodie and bloode S. Ambrose also teacheth vs the same lesson saing thus Ego enim Domine memor In prima oratione prepar ad Missam venerandae passionis tuae accedo ad altare tuum licet peccator vt offeraÌ„ tibi sacrificium quod tu instituisti offerri praecepisti in commemorationeÌ„ tui pro salute nostra For I o Lord being mindefull of thy passion come vnto thine Altar although I be a sinner that I maie offre vnto thee the sacrifice that thowe didest institute and commaunde Chryst instituted and commaunded the Sacrifice of the Churche to be offred in the remembrance of thee for our health Thus holie Ambrose who maketh the matter oute of all coÌ„trouersie that a preist hath authoritie to offre Chryste in sacrifice And to declare what sacrifice he saieth the same sacrifice that Chryst did institute And to lett yow vnderstand by what authoritie he wolde offre yt he saieth by that that Chryst commaunded yt to be offred in the remembrance of him As this maie well instructe the reader what ys the plain and verie trueth of this matter So yt maie verie well compell the Proclamer to confesse that this ys a plain sentence impugning his false doctrine and acknowleging other his ignorance or malice submitte him self to the trueth But yet let vs descend a degree lower towardes our time and see what was then taught Isidorus who liued aboue nine hundreth years agon in Isydorus li. 1. de off ca. 18. this matter geueth this testimonie Sacrificium quod à Christianis offertur Deo primum Christus Dominus noster magister instituit quando commendauit Apostolis corpus sanguinem suum priusquam traderetur sicut legitur in Euangelio Accepit Iesus panem calicem benedicens dedit eis The sacrifice that ys offred of the Chrystians vnto God first our Lord and master Iesus Chryst did institute When he gaue his bodie and blood to his Apostles before he was betraied as yt ys readde in the Gospell Iesus tooke bread and the cuppe and blessing them gaue the same vnto them In these fewe woordes of this Authour we maie learn that Chryst did institute the sacrifice of the christians We maie learn that the thing that ys offred in sacrifice ys the bodie and bloode of Chryst We maie learn to whoÌ„ yt ys offred that ys vnto God We maie also learn what time yt was instituted euen at that time when Chryst tooke the bread and the cuppe and when he had blessed them gaue them to his Apostles Whiche was in his last Supper All these ioined to gether doo well beare the contrary proposition to this mans proclamacion that ys that Chryst gaue authoritie to offre his bodie and bloode vnto God A Consonante testimonie haue we also of Haymo who as he ys of good auncientie So ys he accompted a learned Authour This man expownding Haymo in 5. ad Heb. the epistle of sainct Paule to the Hebrues and declaring Chryst to be a preist after the ordre of Melchisedech saieth thus In cuius ordine sacerdotij Christus factus est sacerdos non temporalis sed aeternus nec offerens victimas legales sed instar illius panem vinum carnem videlicet sanguinem suum de quibus ipse dixir Caro mea verè est cibus sanguis meus verè est potus Ista quoque duo munera panem videlicet vinum commisit Ecclesiae suae in memoriam sui offerenda Vnde patet sacrificium pecudum perijsse quod fuit ordinis Aaron illud manere potius quod fuit ordinis Melchisedech quia Christus illud corroborauit Ecclesiae suae tenendum reliquit In the ordre of the preisthead of Melchisedech Chryst being made not a temporall but an euerlasting preist neither offring legall sacrifices but like vnto him meening Melchisedech bread and wine that ys to saie his bodie and his bloode of the whiche he saieth My flesh ys verilie meat and my bloode ys verilie drinke These two giftes that ys to saie bread and wine he hath committed to this Churche to be offred in the remembrance of him Thus Haimo Wherby yt yt manifest that the Sacrâ—… of beastes ys vanished awaie whiche was of the ordre of Aaron and thaâ—â—…at raither remaineth which ys of the ordre of Melchisedech bycause Chryst also hath confirmed yt and left yt to his Churche to be kept and vsed From whence the authoritie comet that the Church offreth the sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech this Authour like as the other before alleaged hath declared that yt coÌ„meth from Chryste And opening what the Churche doth offer he saieth that Chryst did offre bread and wine that ys saieth he his bodie and bloode whiche bread and wine he committetd to the Churche to be offred in the remenbrance of him Plain sentences for master Juell Eycept that the calling of a man a man or an oxe an oxe be no plain speaches these sentences of these Authours in this matter be plain speaches and plain senteÌ„ces Yet to coÌ„clude this matter we will heare a greciaÌ„ speaking as plain as anye of these whiche ys Nicolaus Cabasila who although he be long yet for hys plainesse he ys pleasaunt And for that he ys a grecian we shall learn of him the faith that ys yet receaued in that Church Nich. Cabasila c. 27 as before of long tyme yt hath ben This authour shewing howe the blessed Sacrament ys consecrated sacrificed and ministred ther saieth thus Cùm venerandam illam coenam narrauit quomodò ante passionem ipsam dedit sanctis suis Discipulis quòd accepit calicem quòd accepit panem actis
gratiis sanctificauit quòd dixit ea per quae significauit mysterium cùm ea ipsa verba dixit deinde procidit orat supplicat diuinas illas voces ipsius vnigeniti seruatoris nostri etiam in donis propositis applicans vt suscepto eius sanctissimo omnipotente Spiritu conuertatur quidem panis in ipsum preciosum sanctum eius corpus vinum autem in ipsum immaculatum sanctum eius sanguinem Haec cùm orauit dixit vniuersum sacrificium peractum perfectum est dona sunt sanctificata hostia integra perfecta effecta est magna hostia victima quae pro mundo mactata est supra sacram mensam sita cernitur Panis enim non ampliùs figura Dominici corporis neque donum ferens imaginem veri doni neque ferens aliquam descriptionem ipsius seruatoris passionum tanquà m in tabula sed ipsum verum donum ipsum sanctissimum corpus Domini quod omnia illa verè suscepit probra contumelias vibices quod crucifixum quod interfectum quod sub Pontio Pilato pulchrum testimonium confessum est quod colaphis appetitum quod contumelijs affectum sputa passum est felgustauit Similiter vinum ipse sanguis qui exilijt occiso corpore hoc corpus et sanguis qui ex Spititu sancto constitutus est natus ex Maria virgine qui sepultus est qui resurrexit tertio die qui ascendit in coelos sedet ad dexteraÌ„ Patris When he hath declared that honourable Supper and howe he gaue yt before hys passion to hys holie disciples and that he tooke the bread and tooke the cuppe and geuing thankes sanctified them and saied those woordes by the which he declared the mysterie And when he hath spoken those woordes then he falleth down and praieth and maketh humble request applieng those sainges of God the onely begotten Sonne our Sauiour to the giftes The bread of the Sacrament ys turned into the verie bodie of Chryst aÌ„d wine into his blood and ys no figure of them sett furth that hys Almightie and most holie Spirit being receaued the bread maie be turned into the self same preciouse and holie bodie of him and the wine into the self same immaculate and holie bloode of him When he hath praied and saied these thinges all the whol sacrifice ys throughlie doeÌ„ and perfected and the giftes are sanctified and an wholl and perfecte host ys made And the great host and sacrifice whiche was ssain for the worlde ys seen sett vpon the holie table For the bread ys no more a figure of our Lordes bodie neither ys yt the gifte bearing the image of the true gifte neither as in a table but the very gifte yt self the verie most holie bodie of our Lord whiche verilie suffred reproches contume lies beatinges which was slain whiche confessed a goodlie testimonie vnder Ponce Pilate which being buffited and with contumelies affected suffred spitting and tasted gall Likewise the wine ys the self same blood that gusht oute of the ssain bodie This ys the bodie and bloode that was made by the holie Gost borne of the virgen Marie which was buried which rose again the thirde daie whiche ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Thus moch this Authour who as he hath verie plainly and fullie testified the sacrificing of Chrystes bodie in the holie table So doth he immediately in the next chapiter declare the commaundement of Chryst vnto the Apostles Idâ—ca 28. and the Church to doo the same aÌ„d saieth thus Ipse dixit Hoc est corpus meum hic est sanguis meus Ipse etiam inssit Apostolis per Apostolos vniuersae Ecclesiae hoc facere Hoc enim inquit facite in meam recordationem Non iussisset autem facere nisi esset potestatem daturus vt possent hoc facere He saied this ys my bodie this ys my blood He also commaunded his Apostles and by hys Apostles the vniuersall Churche this to doe For do ye this saieth he in my remembrance But he had not commaunded them to doo yt except he wolde geue theÌ„ power that they might doo yt And in the end of this chapiter he saieth thus Dominus autem videtur contrectatur per veneranda sacra mysteria vt qui naturant nostram susceperit ferat in aeternum Haec est sacerdotij potestas hic est sacerdos Etenim qui seip sum semel obtulit sacrificauit à sacerdotio non cessauit sed perpetuum hoc sacrificij munus nobis obit per quod etiam est aduocatus pro nobis ad Deum in aeternum Owre Lorde ys seen and felt by the honourable and holie mysteries as he who hathe bothe taken our Nature vpon him and will beare yt for euer Thys ys the power of the preisthead This ys the preist For be that hath once offred and sacrificed himself Chryst ceasseth not to execute his perpetuall preist hood and Sacrifice ceaseth not from hys preisthead but he dothe execute the perpetuall office of sacrifice in vs by the which also he ys Aduocate for vs to God for euer Nowe this Authour as other before haue don hath taught vs both that Chrystes bodie ys sacrificed and also that he hath commaunded hys Apostles and by the Apostles all the Churche to doo euen the same And therto he hath also geuen power to hys Church to offre Chryst For as this Authour saieth except he had geuen powre to doe yt he wolde neuer haue commaunded yt to be doen. And that the verie bodie and blood be sacrificed and not onelie a peice of bread eaten in the remembrance of Chryst this Authour so plainlie teacheth that this Proclamer can not auoid him but as hys Father Luther did aunswer saincte Iames epistle in the matter of iustificacion reiecting the same epistle For first to auoid the figures tropes and signes whiche the Aduersaries comonlie cast vpon this matter this Authour saieth that by the Almightie powre of the Spirit of God the bread ys turned into the very bodie of Chryst and not into an image of Chryst And the wine into hys immaculate bloode Secondarely to auoyd their figures by expresse woordes he saieth that Note this master Juel aÌ„d see your hereticall doctrine directlie impugned after the consecracion the bread ys no more a figure of our Lordes bodie neither ys yt an image of the verie thing neither an onely description of Chryst as a thing might be described in a table but yt ys the thing yt self euen the verie same bodie that was crucified and the self same bloode that yshued out the same crucified bodie What can we haue more What more plainesse can be desiered Ye see that the bodie of Chryst ys offred in sacrifice ye see that powr authoritie and commaundement ys geuen to the Church so to doo And nowe I doubte not but the reader seeth good plain
Chryst that he was but a bare man naturallie And therfor the Councell who tooke the same scriptures to improue that that Nestorius semed to himself to haue proued must nedes vse the same sense of the scripture as touching the substance of the thing that ys in disputacion Reall presence auouched by the Ephesine Councell or ells they shoulde nothing proue against him For yf Nestorius spake of the verie flesh of Chryst and the Councell of the spirituall flesh of Chryst what coulde they conclude against him not speaking of the same thing that the other spake of And therfore vndoubtedliē they spake of the verie reall flesh of Chryst which ys the own propre flesh of God Whiche thing also the A plain saing of a Councell for M. Juel woordes of the Councell do proue wher yt ys saied We come to the mysticall benedictions being made partakers of the holie bodie and preciouse blood of Chryst the Redemer of vs all receauing yt not as common flesh but as the flesh truly geuing life Yt maketh also for this vnderstanding not a litle that Cyrill being president of the Councell who as before ye heard doth plainlie affirme that we do not onelie by faith and charitie spirituallie receaue the flesh of Chryste but also verilie and reallie wolde not nowe nor did not speake of the spirituall receauing onelie which onelie receauing of Chryst spirituallie and not otherwise in the Sacramēt he did earnestlie denie and stronglie improue by the scriptures And therfor yt ys most euident that this texte nowe in hand was vnderstanded by that Councell of the Sacrament as being the very reall bodie and blood of Chryst whiche yf we receaue not we haue no life To this holie Councell I thinke yt vnsemlie to ioin anie one particular man Wherfore to ende here the exposition of this said texte I will onelie adde to yt being an holie multitude the practise of an other holie multitude euen the auncient Church who so streictlie and yet directilie for the substance of the thing did take this text to be vnderstanded of the verie reall and The church of Affrica vnderstanding the vi of S. John of the Sacr. ministred yt to infantes substanciall flesh and blood of Chryst in the Sacrament that they thought yt a matter of necessitie to ministre the same to infantes as withoute receipt wherof they thought they coulde not be saued The practise wherof we finde to haue endured in the Affrican Church from the time of S. Cyprian vntill the tyme of S. Augustine at the least By whiche yt ys manifest that the Churche then vnderstood thys scripture of the Sacrament and yet not of the bare Sacrament onelie but of the verie flesh and bloode of Chryst ther reallie to be receaued and not of yt spirituallie to be receaued for that they well knewe that ther lacked in those infantes that knowledg whiche necessarilie ys required to the spirituall receauinge of Chrystes bodie and therfor they did not receaue yt spirituallie but sacramentallie And though this practise of the communicating of infantes grounded vpon this vnderstanding of this scripture was ceassed yet that the Churche did still retein that vnderstanding this well proueth that Petrus Dresensis perswading Iacobellus de Praga to minister the Sacrament vnder bothe kindes vsed this texte here expownded as being vnderstanded of the Sacrament by the comon consent of the Churche for hys argument which text when Iacobellus had weighed and considered howe yt hadde ben alwaies vnderstanded in the Churche he began to perswade the people that they aught of necessitie yf they wolde haue euerlasting life to receaue the Sacrament vnder both kindes as vnder whiche they shoulde both eate hys flesh and drinke hys blood of whiche matter more large disputacion shall be made in the ende of this booke wherfor I think yt not mete here to trouble the reader with all but to refer him thither thinking yt sufficient for this place to aduertise him that all the authours herto fore alleaged vpon this text and all these holie fathers in the Ephesine Councell representing the Churche and the Chuch in the time of S. Cyprian and so to S. Augustine and from him to the time of Petrus Dresensis and Iacobellus and after ther time in the time of soche as haue written vpon the gospells vntill the time of Luther did vnderstand this text of the flesh and bloode of Chryst in the Sacrament as their workes do well testifie But thus moche maie I here well saie that yt pitieth me to see howe the people suffer them selues to be deluded of these newe inuentours of disordres and by them both to be drawen from true faith and also to breake the vsuall ordre of the Churche that wher our Sauiour Chryst saied by plain woordes Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloode ye shall not haue life in yowe Whiche text as ye haue heard ys fullie proued to be ment of Chrystes verie bodie and bloode in the Sacrament yet being inueigled by Both flesh and blood was before vnder one kind now neither of both vnder two kindes thaduersaries doctrine hardlie beleue this mening of the Catholique Fathers to be true and therfor wher the Aduersaries maliciouslie perswade thē that the ministres of the Churche deceaued them in geuing them the Sacrament but vnder one kinde they are contented to encline and yelde vnto them And so wher before they did vnder one kinde receaue the verie flesh and bloode of Chryste they are nowe contented vnder two kindes to receaue neither flesh nor bloode THE SEVENTENTH CHAPITER EXPOVNDETH THE next text folowing in the sixte of S. Iohn by saincte Augustine and Cyrill NOwe will I proceade to the text folowing in S. Iohn whiche for asmoche as yt ys not moche discrepant from that before but as yt were an affirmatiue sequele of the same I will not troble the reader with long treacting vpon yt but breiflie shewe the meninge therof and haste me to other that contein more matter not so plainlie spoken of before as this hath ben The text ys Qui manducat meam carnem bibit meum sanguinem habet vitam aeternam He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life As the absteining from the eating of the flesh and blood of Chryste causeth lacke Foode of Chrystes flesh cause of immortalitie of life So ys yt consequent that the feading on the flessh and blood of Chryst causeth the hauing of life As the meat ys soche ys the effecte and operacion of yt Yf a man eate corruptible meate yt will for a while maintein but yt will not preserue from corruption Yf a man feade on mortall thinges yt can not preserue from mortalitie but fuffer him to be mortall So if a man feed on spirituall thinges and digest them well yt will make a man spirituall Yf a man feed of immortall thinges yt will bring the like effect and make a
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 cānot 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 Sacramētaries 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 thē 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 accōpte 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 maximū 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 cōtemnereue 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 mē 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 ād 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 descēded frō heauen and the flesh which ys eatē for bicause they had heard him saie flesh they thought that he wolde compell them to be deuourers of flesh ād 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 vnderstāding 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
same meat nowe in the Sacrament after consecraciō which before the consecracion was corporal meate Owre faith the vertue grace or meritte of Chrystes passiō were neuer corporall meate wherfore this authour speaketh not of thē And therfore we maie conclude that yt ys the bodie of Chryst into whose substance the substāce of breade that before Christes woordes was able onelie to sustein the bodie nowe after the wordes ys turned into the substāce of Chryst whiche ys able to comforte both bodie and soule and ys become the substanciall breade geuing and mainteining our substāciall life whiche ys the euerlasting life Of this place of S. Ciprian forasmoche as I haue more at large spoken in the opening of the figure of Melchisedech I shall desire the reader if he wolde In the first booke c. 29. see what maie be more saied vpon yt to resort thither wher I turst he shall finde matter to the better opening of this place But yet that yt maie be fullie perceaued that S. Cyprian in this place meneth as ys saied that the verie bodie of Chryst ys in the Sacrament and that soche was his faith and that Chryst so taught and his schoole so learned we will heare an other testimonie of the same S. Cyprian in the same treactice Cypr. de cae na Dom. A plain place for M. Iuell that this sentēce before alleaged ys in which ys this Nouae est buius Sacramēti doctrina scholae cuangelicae hoc primū magisteriū portulerunt doctore Christo primū haec mūdo innotuit disciplina vt biberēt sanguinē christiani cuius esum legis antiquae authoritas districtissimē interdicit Lex quippe esū sanguinis probibet Euangeliū praecipit vt bibatur In quibus mādatis hoc maximè discernere debet christiana Religio quòd sanguis animaliū à sanguine Chricti per omnia differens tēporalis tantū habet viuificationis effectū vita corum finem habet sine reuocacione constitutū The doctrine of this Sacrament The lawe dyd forbidde the eating of blood the Gospell cōmaundeth yt ys newe and the euangelicall schooles first brought furth this maner of teaching and Chryst being the teacher this learning first was knowen to the worlde that chrystian men shoulde drinke bloode the eating wherof the authoritie of the olde lawe did most strictlie forbidde The Lawe forbiddeth the eating of bloode The Gospell commaundeth that yt be dronke In whiche commaundementes this most cheiflie aught the chrystian religion to discerne that the bloode of beastes by all means differinge from the blode of Chryst hath onely the effect of temporall releif and the life of them hath an ende appoincted withoute reuocacion Thus he I wishe the gentle reader against the blasphemies of the Aduersaries to weigh well euery parte of this saing of S. Cyprian The Aduersarie saieth that the doctrine of the Sacrament ys the Papistes diuise and their inuencion But S. Cyprian teacheth vs first that yt ys a newe doctrine he teacheth vs in what schoole yt was first taught In the schoole saieth he of the Gospell he teacheth vs who was the schoole master who was the first teacher of yt Chryst faieth he was the first teacher of yt he first did notifie yt to the worlde But if ye aske what ys this newe doctrine He saieth that yt ys a newe doctrine of the Sacrament that chrystian men shoulde drinke bloode Yf ye proceade Doctrine of the real presence howe yt ys called newe and aske whether they must drinke verie blood He saieth verie blood For yt ys soche bloode as the lawe did forbidde to be eaten And that assuredlie was verie bloode Wherfore this ys verie bloode Yf ye question farder if the chrystians must drinke verie bloode whose bloode must they drinke He answereth Chrystes bloode as in the comparison of the commaundementes of the two lawes the olde lawe forbidding bloode the newe lawe commaunding bloode yt ys euident to be seen that he saieth newe lawe commaundeth the bloode of Chryst to be dronke In this then ye maie perceaue that the doctrine of the presence of Chrystes bodie and blood in the Sacrament ād the real receipt of the same ys not the inuencion or deuise of the Papistes but yt ys as this holie Father and martir of Chryste and therfore a good scholer of Chryst saieth who knewe Doctrin of the real presence ys no new īnuention of the Papistes the learning of his master wel yt ys saieth he the doctrine of Chryste yt ys his ordeinance yt ys his inuencion diuise and institucion Wherfore they maie bashe and be a shamed yea they maie tremble for feare to see themselues fallen into that impietie that the Iewes were who seinge Chryste casting oute the dumbe spiritte oute of a man maliciouselie and wickedlie ascribed the miraculouse worke to Belzebub whiche was doen by the power of God in Chryst So they wickedly ascribe this institucion of the Sacramēt this doctrine of the presence of Chrystes bodie and bloode in the same Luc. 11. whiche ys the miraculouse worke of God to the Papistes at yt pleaseth them to terme them But here maie ye learn that Chryst ys the first teacher of this doctrine And this shall we make more euidentlie to appeare to yowe by the woordes of this authour And first where he saieth that the doctrine of the Sacrament ys newe This doth plainly and stronglie reiecte the figure and Tropes of the Aduersaties from the Sacrament For if the Sacrament be but the figure and not the thing howe ys yt or howe can yt be a newe doctrine To offre bread and wine as figures of Chryste we finde Melchisedech in the lawe of nature Gen. 14. Exod. 16. 1. Cor. 10. to haue so doen. That the people of the Iewes did eate Manna and breade from heauen and dranke the water of the rocke as figures of Chrystes bodie and blood yt ys more manifest then can be denied The two tenth deales of fine flower made in cakes and the wine also that was offred for a drinke offring stinted in Leuiticus by the measure of a fourt deale of an hyn were offred as figures of Chrysts bodie and bloode as Isichius witnesseth so Li. 6. ca. 23 that to haue bread and wine or to eate and drinke soche thinges as figures of Chrystes bodie and bloode yt ys no newe doctrine Yt was in the lawe of nature yt was in the lawe of Moises Wherfore yt can not be a newe doctrine The newe doctrine then ys to receaue the verie thing of these figures verilie reallie and presentlie whiche in dede ys a newe doctrine neuer taught to be vsed and parctised before Chryst taught yt yea and commaunded yt When and wher did he teache yt Before his passion at his last supper and as Cyprian termeth yt in the schoole of the Gospell Wher in the Gospell then finde we this new doctrine or commaundement The doctrine we finde as before ys declared in the sixt
wickedly corrupte sainge that the breade and the cuppe are signes that we partake and communicate the bodie and bloode of Chryst This man saieth that we partake both the flesh and Godhead of Chryst And that we shoulde not thinke him to fauoure the hereticall exposition of the Aduersarie he declareth the catholique faith and also reiecteth the contrarie opinion in that he dissolueth that that of the Aduersarie might be An argument of the Sacramentaries soluted by Damascen taken for an argument against the trueth For although saieth he some haue called yt the exemplaries of the bodie and bloode of Chryst that ys saieth he before the consecracion or sanctificacion not after the sanctificacion signifieng to vs that after the cōsecracion they be the verie thinges themselues that ys the verie bodie and blood of Chryst and not the exemplaries signes or figures of them This authour ys to plain and to strong to be wrested or by violence to be drawen to make any countenannce towarde the signes and figures of the Aduersaries For in the same very chap. expownding the woordes of Chrystes This ys my bodie he saieth thus Hoc est meum non figurae corporis sed corpus non figura sanguinis sed sanguis This ys not the figure of Damasc ibid. my bodie but my bodie and not the figure of my bloode but my bloode wherby he plainlie denieth the Deuells exposition settfurth by the Aduersarie And yet in the ende of the same chapter he calleth the Sacrament exemplaries but in soche sorte and maner as he affirmeth withall the verie presence For this ys his sainge Exemplaria autem futurorum dicuntur non vt non existentia verè corpus sanguis Christi sed quoniam nunc quidem per ipsa participamus Christi Diuinitatem tunc autem intellectualiter per solam visionem They are called Damascen ibidem the exēplaties of thinges to come not as not being the bodie and bloode of Chryst verilie but that we nowe therby partake the God head of Chryst but then intellectuallie by onely vision By whiche sainges as the reader dothe clerelie see that damascen so constantlie doth teache and affirme the presence of Chryst in the Sacramēt that he vtterly reiecteth the figures of the Aduersarie So maie he well vnderstande that the saied Damascen speaking of the participacion of the flesh of Chryst and his Godhead of the whiche participacion S. Paule maketh mencion speaketh of the verie participacion of wholl Chryst God and man verilie and not figuratiuely And forasmoche as this ys so plainly taught by Damascen that the Aduersarie can by no meās coulour yt nor by anie shift or sleight of falshoode auoide yt I wolde to God that he wolde see his erroure and calling to God to geue him the spirit of humilitie he wolde so humble him self that he wolde confesse his saied errour knowing this that yt ys bothe more easie and more profitable to be a litle confownded here then to be so greatlie confounded before the iudgement seat of Chryst in the seight of his Angells and Sainctes and all the woorlde at the daie of his fearfull and terrible generall iudgement THE NINETENTH CHAP. CONTINVETH the exposition of the same text by Isidore and Oecumenius SEinge that of necessitie I must be shorter for that moche ys yet to be saied as the one of the wittnesses in the last chapiter hath directlie affirmed the presence the other the sacrifice So will we heare two breiflie auouching the like The first shall be Isidorus who speaking of this text nowe in hande geueth a breif and clere exposition of Isidor li. of fic ca. 18. The bread that we break vs the bodie of Chryst etc. the same in this wise Panis quem frangimus corpus Christi est qui dicit Ego sum panis vinus qui de coelo descendi vinum autem sanguis eius est Et hoc est quod scriptum est Ego sum vitis vera The breade that we breake ys the bodie of Chryst who saieth I am the bread of life whiche came down frō heauē But the wine ys his blood and this ys yt that ys written I am the true vine In thys exposition that the text might be plain to the reader wher S. Paule saied The bread which we breake ys a communicacion of the bodie of Chryst This authour geuing the vnderstanding of yt saieth that the bread which we breake ys the bodie of Chryste And that he wolde haue yt taken for the verie bodie he saieth that yt ys the bodie of Chryst who saied I am the bread of life And who he was the sixt chap. of S. Iohn declareth that yt was verie Chryste no figuratiue Chryste And what the cuppe of blessing dothe contein he fullie declareth when he saieth The wine ys his bloode whiche maner of speache ys so plain and standeth so directlie against the saing of the Aduersarie that as for the plainesse of yt I neither can nor nede to saie anie thing to make yt more plain so can I but woonder that men can erre that either knowe or haue readde these holie fathers except they be puffed vppe with soche pride and be brought to soche singularitie in ther owne conceat that they contempn all mens iudgementes sainges and learning besides their owne of what faith trueth aunciētie holinesse or learning so euer they be as this Isidore who liued well near a thousande yeares agō and was famouse in all the chrystiā orbe and as a strong piller stoode against the Arrians whiche then were mightie in Spain and hath left learned workes as testimonies of his learning and godly zeale ys not to be disdained but to be reuerenced And although for his learning and aunciētie he ys to be credited yet he ys the more so to be for that to eche part of his saing he alleageth the scripture For as to the first part he alleageth the sixt of S. Iohn so to the other parte he alleageth the sainge of Chryst in the xv of S. Iohn wher he saieth I am the true vine For in dede as he ys the true vine so cometh oute of him the true wine The earthlie wine helpeth to maintein the earthlie life whiche Joan. 15. as S. Gregorie saieth compared to the eternall life ys raither to be called death then life But the heauenly wine that cometh out of the true vine nourisheth to euerlasting life whiche ys the true life And bicause we be by faith inserted and griffed into Chryst this blessed wine whiche ys the Iuice of that true vine ys of vs as of braunches of the same vine receaued and so Cyrill in 16. Ioan. maketh vs his liuely braunches not onely spirituallie by faith but also by nature whiche thing holie Cirill doth very liuely open and declare Annon conuenienter dici potest vitem humanitatem eius nos palmites propter identitatem We are braunches of the vine Chryst both spirituallie and corporallie naturae Eiusdem
S. Paule said Masse be remembred that Masse as yt ys taken in the propre significacion ys no more but the consecracion oblacion and receauing of Chrystes blessed bodie and bloode Masse largelie taken ys both the consecracion oblacion receauing and also a certain ordre of rites ceremonies praiers and reading of scripturs added therunto Nowe that S. Paule did consecrate the bodie of Chryst and sacrificed the same his doctrin in the x. and xi of his epistle to the Corinth hath and shal so declare the same that the Proclamer by no honest mean shall denie yt this being presupposed that he did as moche as he taught But he taught the bodie and blood of Chryst to be consecrated and sacrificed Wherfor he did the same yf he did that then saied he Masse as of Chryst yt was instituted But to this institucion S. Paule also as S. Peter added a certain maner and ordre of praiers and ceremonies and therfore yt maie be saied that he saied Masse in the large maner of the acceptiō of Masse 1. Cor. 11. That he made a certain ordre his own woordes will proue yt For when he had trauailed to reduce the Corinthiās to the right instituciō of Chryst that ys to the honourable maner of the mynistracion of his bodie and blood which ys the consecraciō oblaciō and godlie receauing of the same in the ende of all he saieth Caetera cùm venero disponā Other things I shal sett in ordre when I come As who might saie I haue now geuē instructiōs as touching the substancial parts of the Masse aboute the well doing of the whiche lieth the great weight I haue put yow in mind of the verie instituciō of Chryst I haue taught yow how ye aught to examin yower selues before ye come to receaue that blessed bread the bodie of Chryste I haue let yowe vnderstand what horrible daunger abideth thē that vnwoorthilie receaue that bodie ād drinke that blood and that ye might perceaue some foreshewe and feel as yt were a foretaste of the wrath and displeasure of God vpon them that vnwoorthilie receaue the bodie and blood of Chryste I haue certified yowe that for soche vnwoorthie receauing God hath plagued manie with diuerse diseases and sicknesses yea and manie with death Thus haue I instructed yowe in the weightie pointes of this honorable mynistracion As for the extern maner of ceremonies and praiers to be vsed therat after the maner of some other Churches to bring yowe to one forme when I come I shall make that ordre for yowe That thus S. Paule did meen the expositours of the scriptures beare witnesse Hugo Cardinalis saieth thus Caetera necessaria ad sumptionem Eucharistiae et ad ordinationem ecclesiasticam cùm venero disponam Other thinges necessarie for the receipt of the Sacrament and the ordeinance of the Church I shall dispose Hugo in 11 1. Cor. and set in ordre when I come But though this exposition maie like the quiett man Yet yt ys like not to please the contentiouse Sacramentarie Wherfore we will heare S. Hierom who breiflie saieth thus Caetera de ipsius mysterii sacramento cùm venero disponam Other thinges as concerning the sacrament Hierō ibid of that mysterie when I come I shall take ordre for them Thus S. Hierom. The necessarie substanciall and weightie parts of the Sacrament being spoken of in the x. and xi chapters yt ys easie to gather and perceaue that here he speaketh of the ordeinance of the rites ceremonies and praiers tobe doen aboute the mynistracion But that all cauille of the Aduersarie maie vtterlie Aug. ad Ianuar. be remoued the plain exposition and sentence of S. Augustine shall be heard vpon this place who saieth thus Vnde datur intelligi quia multum erat vt in epistola totum agendi ordinem insinuaret quem vniuersa per orbem obseruat Ecclesia ab ipso ordinatum esse quòd nulla morum diuersitate variatur Wherbie yt ys geuen tobe vnderstanded that yt was to moche that in an epistle he shoulde declare all that ordre of mynistracion which the vniuersall Churche throughout the worlde taketh to be ordeined of him forasmoch as yt ys not by anie diuersitie of maners varied or altered Yf then S. Paule deliuered to the Corinthians both the substanciall parts of the Masse as ys saied and also by this testimonie of S. Augustine deliuered vnto them the ceremonial part that ys the ordre and maner of celebracion and mynistracion what can we ells saie but that he deliuered and taught thē the ordre of Masse And that he did so S. Augustines wordes prooue inuinciblie For he saieth that he speaketh of that ordre which the vniuersal Church Ad Januar epist 118. obserueth But the vniuersall Church obserueth the ordre of Masse Wherfor yt ys the ordre of Masse that S. Paule speaketh of And what should we think but that these two cheif Apostles ād the other also should setfurth the ordre of the mynistracion of the Sacrament the ordre of the Masse sith that Christ instituting the thing left the ordre and maner of the mynistracion to them Chryst himself instituted the substanciall parts of the Masse but left the order of mynistracion to the Apostles as S. Augustine ys a strong and a plain wittnesse saing Non praecepit quo deinceps ordine sumeretur vt Apostolis per quos ecclesias erat dispositurus seruaret hunc locum Chryste gaue no commaundement after what ordre yt shoulde afterwarde be receaued bicause he wolde leaue that place to his Apostles by whom he wolde sett his Church in ordre In this saing of S. Augustin note that Chryst instituting the holie mynistracion did as ys saied onelie institute the substanciall parts of the Masse the thing yt self and not the ordre and maner how yt should be doen. Wherbie maie be perceaued the vanitie of the railing of the Aduersarie against Chryst catholique Churche for the rites and ceremonies vsed in the Masse For saieth he Chryste commaunded no crouching no kneelinge nor no soche dumbe ceremonies as the Papistes doo vse Yt ys true he commaūded none soche but he left the ordre of them to his Apostles that they in those matters should take ordre Wherfor the Aduersarie maie not drawe the Church to do nothing more in the holie mynistracion then Chryste did For so as by S. Augustine yt maie be perceaued Chryste himself wolde not but he wolde haue an ordre and maner therin whiche he wolde shoulde be made by hys Apostles and Churche wherfore let not the Aduersarie vse anie more his vain argumēt Chryst did not this or Chryst did not that therfor we should not doo yt For soch doings he lefte to the ordre of his Church And forasmoch as he so did we must with reuerent obedience accept and regard that by her ys ordeined And now seing that Chryste hath lefte soch ordre by other then by himself to be
not onelie testifie the Cypr serm de coena dead to be praied for by the decree of the Apostles but also that they are to be praied for in the celebracion of the honourable mysteries Which mysteries after when he speaketh of the praiers of the preistes ād the people he calleth the fearfull sacrifice wherbie ys fullie taught that this holie celebraciō ys a sacrifice Finallie howesoeuer the Deuel hath bewitched some that they in their death beddes make speciall request not to be praied for when they be dead and at the buriall of the dead praier ys abandoned yet of S. Chrysostom we maie learn that yt ys highlie beneficiall to the dead that the preistes and the people shoulde in the presence of the blessed sacrifice which ys Chrystes bodie and bloode praie for the dead But let vs go to S. Basills Masse and see whether he did therin praie for the dead In his Masse Basil in Missa I finde this praier Nos autē oēs de vno pane de vno calice participantes coadunari Spiritus sancti cōmunione nullū nostrū ad iudiciū aut condemnationē facias accipere sanctū corpus sanguinē Christi tui Sed vt inueniamus misericordiā gratiā in coetu omniū sanctorū qui à seculo tibi placuerunt Auorū Patrū Patriarcharū Prophetarù Apostolorū Euangelistarū Martyrum Confessorum Doctorū omnis spiritus iustorum finē in fide habentium Praecipuè sanctae intermeratae benedictae dominatricis nostrae Dei genitricis semper virginis Mariae sancti Ioannis praecursoris Baptistae Sancti illius cuius memoriam facimus omnium sanctorum tuorum quorum postulationibus visita nos Deus Et memento omnium dormientium in spe resurrectionis vitae aeternae refrigera eos vbi visitat lux vultus tui Make all vs partaking of one bread and cuppe to be made S. Basil praeied in his Masse for the dead and made intercessiō to Sainctes one together in the Communion of the holie Goste and make none of vs to receaue the holie bodie and blood of thy Chryst to iudgement and condemnacion but that we maie finde mercie and grace in the companie of all sainctes which haue pleased euen from the time of owre Graunfathers Fathers Patriarches Prophetes Apostles Euangelistes Martyrs Confessours doctours and of the spirittes of all righteouse men hauing their ende in faith speciallie of the holie and vndefiled our blessed Ladie the Mother of God and euer virgen Marie of sainct Iohn the forerunner and Baptist and of that Sainct whose memorie we make this daie and of all thie sainctes by whose praiers visite vs o God And remembre all them that sleape in the hope of resurrection of euerlasting life and refresh them wher the light of thy countenaunce comforteth Thus fare S. Basill In this praier yt not onely request made for them that be deade whiche Iacob in Missa S. James made intercession to Sainctes ys one thing among other for the whiche the Aduersarie raileth at the Masse But ther ys also intercession made to sainctes which ys an other matter that misliketh him therin which intercession also ys in the Masse of sainct Iames. For thus shall yowe finde ther Commemorationem agamus sanctissimae immaculaiae gloriosissimae benedictae Dominae nostrae Matris Dei semper virginis Mariae ac omnium sanctorum iustorum vt precibus atque intercessionibus eorum omnes misericordiam consequamur Let vs make a commemoracion of the most holie vndefiled most gloriouse our blessed ladie the Mother of God and perpetuall virgen Marie and all holie and iust men that by their praiers and intercessions we maie all obtein mercie See ye not peticion here made that by the intercessions and praiers of all sainctes and iust men mercie maie be obteined Nowe yf the knowledge of S. Iames Masse teacheth vs the consecracion of the bodie and bloode of Chryst yf yt teach vs the same bodie and bloode ther to be offred in sacrifice yf yt teache vs yt to be auaiable to the quicke and the dead yf yt teache vs the intercession of Sainctes and yf the same thinges be in the Masse nowe vsed in the Churche howe happened yt that the Proclamer coulde make that to be ignorance in our Masse that ys knowledge in sainct Iames Masse sithen ther ys one knowledge in them bothe Yf yowe will knowe how yt happened I shall shewe yowe Yt happened by the same mean that he in an other comparison saieth that sainct Iames in hys Masse preached and setfurth the death of Chryst but they in their Masse speaking of the catholique Church haue onelie a nombre of dumbe gestures and Ceremonies which they themself vnderstande not and make no maner mencion of Chrystes death The mean that he spake this by was the spiritt but wilt thow aske me what spirit For ther be two spirittes Spiritus veritatis qui docet omnem veritatem The Spiritte of The spiritt of the Proclamer trueth that teacheth all trueth And Spiritus mendax in ore prophetae the liēg spiritt in the mouth of the Prophet To the question then I saie that yt can not be the spiritt of the trueth that teacheth all trueth For that spiritt can teach and vtter nothing but trueth ād with vntrueth he medleth not But yt ys the lieng spiritte who although somtime he vtter a trueth yet yt ys to maintein an vntrueth and to sett a countenance of a trueth vpon an vntrueth and so by that countenance of trueth to make sale of his bragge and vntrueth For in the comparison vnder this trueth that S. Iames in his Masse preached and setfurth the death of Chryst he vttereth three vntrueths against the Three vntrueths vttered in one place by the Proclamer catholique Church First he saieth that they in their Masse haue onely a nōbre of dūbe gestures and ceremonies How farre wide this ys from the trueth yt ys easie to perceaue by his one testimonie For he saieth that in the Masse ys holie praier holie doctrine of the woorde of God holie consecracion and holie receauing But contemning his testimonie ther ys as in S. Iames Masse the sacrifice of lawd es and thankesgeuing ther ys the holie sacrifice of Chrystes bodie with praiers for all states and soch other ther ys a remembrance of Chrystes frendes the holie Apostles and Martyres and Sainetes What thinges be conteined in the Masse now vsed to the settingfurth of Gods honour in them who so mercifullie hath wrought in them that in their weake bodies he wolde woorke the stronge confession of his holy name euen to the sheding of their bloodes for the same ther ys charitable praier for the soules departed according to the tradicion of the Apostles all which be more thē onelie dūbe gestures ād ceremonies wherfor by this he ys conuinced to haue spokē and writtē an vntrueth The seconde vntrueth ys that he saieth that we oure selues vnderstāde
The bodie and bloode of Chryste consecrated to two ends and blood ys cheiflie and principallie doen for two endes The one that yt should by an vnblooddie maner in the name of the wholl Church be offred vnto God our heauenly Father in sacrifice representatiue ād cōmemoratiue of that his blody sacrifice offred vpō the crosse The other thatyt should be receaued when yt ys offred Yf yt haue these two endes as alwaies yt hath for after yt ys cōsecrated yt ys allwaies receaued Thē hauing the endes that yt was ordeined for yt can not be saied absolutelie to be doen in vain In some respect yet yt maie be saied to be doen in vain as in the godlie entent of Chrysostom who of godlie zeale to prouoke his people to receaue the blessed Sacrament did by himself and his preistes dailie offre the solemne sacrifice which forasmoch as he did yt to the pourpose that they should cōmunicate and yet did not he might verie well saie that his pourpose was frustrated and that sithen they came not hys doing in that respect was vain And that this was hys mening his woordes doe well declare For when he had saied that the dailie sacrifice was doen in vain and that he stoode at the aultar in vain he addeth the cause For saieth he ther ys none that will partake with vs. As who might saie In this respect that we looke that the people shoulde communicate and yet none will come we stand in vain at the aultar That he ment not that the holie oblacion was absolutelie vain yf the people did not communicate yt ys more plain then that yt neadeth anie probacion For first yf yt were so wolde so great a learned man so holie a mā either haue offred the sacrifice himself or cause yt to be offred dailie whē he knewe yt to be doen in vain Secondlie howe can he saie that holie mynistracion to be doen in vain wher himself confesseth in the consecracion so li. 3. de sacerd great a miracle to be doen so great beneuolence of God to be shewed to mankinde that in the same time of consecracion Chryst that sitteth aboue with the Father ys nowe in the handes of men Again doeth he mean yt to be doen in vain that saieth that the mynistracion ys so high so excellent and Jbid. li 7. so honourable that Angels in that time doe accompanie the preist and that the heauenlie powers be assembled together in the honoure of him that ys ther offred Farder doeth he thinke this sacrifice to be doen in vain that saieth we offre Hom. 17. ad Hebr. the same sacrifice that Chryst offred Moreouer ys yt like that he taketh yt to be doen in vain wher praier ys made for princes for rulers and for all that doe acknowledge Christ wher also praier ys made for peace for health for wealth for prosperitie and for the helpe and releif of all that be sicke in Idem in Liturgia Sermon in Enceniis Serm. 3. ad Philip. pain in captiuitie and in pryson wher all the heauenly powers doe praie for vs with the preist Finallie yt can not be saied that he thinketh yt to be in vain that saieth that the Apostles did know that moche releif and moche profitte cometh to the soules departed by the oblacion of this holie sacrifice Wherfor I conclude that he spake yt to be vain not absolutelie but in respect of his pourpose and desire which was frustrated bicause the people did not communicate That the Sacrament maie be receaued alone without a nōbre of communicantes Euseb li. 6. ca. 34. the historie ecclesiasticall also proueth inuinciblie For ther we read that one Serapion being sicke sent his seruant to the preist desiering that he wolde mynistre the Sacrament to him that he might depart The preist being sicke and not able to go himself and yet loath but that the man shoulde Serapion being sick receaued the Sacramēt alone receaue the Sacrament or that he died in this necessitie sent of the Sacrament by the messenger which when yt was brought the sicke man receaued yt withoute anie to communicate with him which maie well be saied both for that the historie maketh no mencion of anie communicantes and also that as the historie testifieth the quantitie of the Sacramēt that was sent was verie litle not able to suffice anie nombre By this then yt maie be perceaued that in the auncient Church yt was not reputed or taken as an heynouse crime to receaue the Sacrament alone as now the Proclamer wold make yt but yt was thought good and commendable when occasion serued A moch like testimonie for this matter haue we of S. Augustine wherof mencion ys made before which ys that a certein man hauing hys house infested with euell spirittes came to sainct Augustin house S. Augustin being absent and desiered of hys preistes that they wolde ease him of that molestacion One of them went and saied Masse ther and praied earnestlie and the euell spirittes ceassed anie more to trooble the house Here we perceaue the Sacrifice to be offred Masse to be saied but we heare no woorde of a communiō As by this that ys hitherto saied yt maie be perceaued that the preist mynistring or anie other person maie receaue the blessed Sacrament with oute anie other communicantes according to the practise of the primitiue and auncient Church so shall yt now be declared by auncient lawes and decrees that the people were by lawe bownd but to heare Masse and not allwaies to receaue Soter that was the eleuenth Bishoppe of Rome after S. Peter and liued aboute the yeare of our Lorde lxiii made this decree Nullus presbyterorum Missarum solemnia celebrare praesumat nisi duobus praesentibus sibiue respondentibus ipse Soter vndecimus Rō Epis Epist secund ad Episcop Jtaliae tertius habeatur quia cùm pluraliter ab eo dicitur Dominus vobiscum illud in secretis Orate pro me apertissimè conuenit vt ip sius respondeatur salutationi Let none of the preistes presume to celebrate the solemne office of the Masse except ther be two present and answering him so that he maie be the thirde for when yt ys plurallie saied of him Owre Lorde be with yowe and in the secretes Praie for me yt ys most manifestlie conuenient that his salutacion be answered Here ye see yt commaunded that some be present at the Masse but not alwaies to communicate but answere the salutacion of the preist In a Councell also thus we finde yt decreed Missas die Dominico secularibus totas audire speciali ordine praecipimus ita vt ante benedictionem sacerdotis egredi populus Concil Agathen habetur de consecr Dist 1. non praesumat quodsi fecerint ab Episcopo publicè confundantur We commaunde the secular people by speciall order vpon the sondaie to heare the wholl Masse So that the people presume not to go furth before the benediction of the
true wheer ther ys equalitie betwixt the thinges themselues ther ys the abuse I mean the vnwoorthie receauing equall also But to an equall abuse iustice inflicteth an equall pain Wherfor for the abuse of the Sacrmentes of both lawes ther shoulde be equall pain But the pain for the abuse of both Sacramentes are not equall For the pain of the abuse of this Sacrament exceadeth the other as farre as the Sonne of God exceadeth Rāmes and bulls Wherfor the Sacramentes also are not equall By that then that the pain of the vnwoorthie receauinge of the blessed Sacrament so farre exceadeth the pain of the abuse of the Sacramentes of the olde lawe yt maie well be perceaued that this Sacrament incomparablie excelleth the other And for as moche as S. Basill teacheth them to be as farre different and as farre to passe the one the other as the Sonne of God exceadeth Rammes and bulls yt ys euident that the thinges them selues be euen the same that he speaketh of as abused by euell receipt Wherbie also yt must nedes folowe that the bodie of the Sonne of God ys receaued of euell men in the bless Sacrament But that ye maie heare him by most plain woordes teache as moche harken what he saieth in an other place Si verò is qui fratrem propter cibum offendit Basil de Bapt. li. 1. cap. 3 A plain place that euell men maie eate the bodie of Chryste and drinke his blood But vnprofitablie Ioan. 6. à charitate excidit sine qua magnorum donorum iustificationum operationes nihil prosunt Quidnam dixerit quis de eo qui ociose inutiliter edere audet corpus bibere sunguinem Domini nostri Iesu Christi Yf he that for meate offendeth his brother falleth from charitie whitoute the whiche both the woorkes of great gistes and also of iustificacions doe nothing auaill what shall a man saie of him that idely and vnprofitablie dareth to eate the bodie and drinke the bloode of our lorde Iesus Chryst What can the Aduersarie saie to this Be not these woordes plain Saieth not Basill that a man maie eate the bodie and drinke the blood of Chryst ydelie and vnprofitablie And who can eate the bodie of Chryst and drinke his bloode vnprofitablie but the euell and sinfull man For of the good receauer Chryst saieth Qui manducat meam carnem bibit meum sanguinem habet vitam aeternam He that eateth mi flesh and drinketh my blood hath euerlasting life But I haue taried long vpon Sainct Basill I will therfor be short aboute Sainct Hierom who ys placed with Sainct Basill to shewe the enacted trueth of the vnderstanding of Sainct Paule in the latin Church as the other hath doen in the greke Churche Thus writeth Sainct Hierom vpon this verse of the psalme Adhuc escae eorum erant in ore ipsorum ira Dei descendit supercos Hieron in Psal 77. While the meat was yet in their mouthes the wrathe of God fell vpon them Haec de his qui Deum past acceptnm Manna dereliquerunt Nam nunc in Ecclesia si quis carne sanguine Christi reficitur declinat ad vitia nouerit iudicium Dei sibi imminere sicut Paulus Apostolus ait Qui acceperit corpus sanguinem Domini indignè reus erit corporis sanguinis Domini These woordes be spoken of them A plain exposition of S. Paules woordes for the Proclamer that did forsake God after they had receaued Manna For nowe in the Church yf anie man be fedde with the bodie and bloode of Chryste and doeth decline to vices let him knowe that the iudgement of God ys at hand as the Apostle Paule saieth He that taketh the bodie and bloode of our lorde vnwoorthilie shall be giltie of the bodie and bloode of our lorde Marke here the saing of Sainct Paule reported by Sainct Hierom and so shalt thowe see the verie minde and true vnderstanding of Sainct Paules sentence whose vnderstanding we nowe seke S. Hierom saieth that S. Paule saieth thus He that taketh the bodie and bloode of our Lorde vnworthilie shal be giltie of the bodie and bloode our lorde In dede as yt ys allreadie often rehersed the woordes of Sainct Paule be not soche yet Sainct Hierom saieth he saieth so bicause in verie dede the authour saieth that that Sainct Paule doeth meen As when Chryst did saie Destroie this Temple and in three daies I Ioan. 2. will reedifie yt The Iewes according to the outward sownde of the woordes saied that he spake that saing of their verie Temple But the Euangelist well knowinge the minde of his master saied Hoc autem dicebat de templo corporis sui This he saied of the temple of his bodie Nowe yf a man shoulde saie that Chryst saied Destroie ie or kill this my bodie and in three daies I will raise yt vppe again he shall with the Euangelist saie the trueth of Chrystes saing though Chrystes woordes were not the same woordes yet Chryst did so saie bicause he did so meen So likewise here doth Sainct Hierom. Sainct Paule speaketh of bread as Chryst did of the Temple The Iewes tooke him to haue spoken of the verie materiall temple as the Sacramentaries doe Sainct Paule of materiall breade But as the Euangellst testifieth that solde that he might haue remission of his sinnes yf he wolde not haue had ben wicked For Iudas was present and was partaker of that sacrifice Thus farre he In these woordes that Chrisostō saieth that Chryst offred Iudas the blood that he solde ys both taught vs the presence of Chrystes bodie and bloode in the Sacrament and also that euell persons doe receaue the same For as Iudas so all like vnto Iudas And let these woordes gentle Reader be well noted of thee that Chrisostome saieth that Chryst gaue Iudas the blood that the solde Yf he gaue him that he solde he gaue him his verie blood and not the figure of his bloode For not the figure but he blood yt self was solde Wher also in the ende of this place nowe alleaged Chrisostom saieth that Iudas was present at the last Supper and was partaker of the Sacrisice these twoo pointes nowe here inquired are reuiued and the trueth of them to vs confirmed For the sacrifice offred in the last Supper by Chryst was the sacrifice of his bodie as before in the first and second and also in this thirde booke yt ys euidentlie prooued and here also by Chrisostom signified Wherbie we are taught that the bodie of Chryst ys present in the Sacrament and Iudas was at Chrystes supper and receaued there c. so Iudas being a partaker of that sacrifice was though he were a traditour and a wicked man a receauer of the bodie of Chryst Which being so yt maie be concluded that euell and wicked men maie receaue the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament Allthough this that ys produced oute of Chrisostom maie fullie satisfie
bless Sacr. t. ys proued byour Lorde Iesus to be his bodie bodie to be receaued of sinners As touching the Frst the presupposall or cause why a man shoulde be giltie of the bodie and bloode of Chryste when he doeth vnwoorthilie receaue the Sacrament ys saieth Anselmus bicause by the authoritie of our Lorde Iesus yt ys proued that this bread that we speake of here ys his bodie and that the wine here also spoken of in the vse of the Sacrament ys his bloode Note I praie yowe that this Authur saieth that yt ys prooued of Sainct Paule by the authoritie of our Lorde Iesus that the bodie of the same our Lorde Iesus ys in the Sacrament formoche as the bread and wine ther ys no other but the bodie and bloode of Chryst And doe not onelie as by transcourse lightlie reade these woordes but earnestlie note that he saieth yt ys prooued by the authoritie of our Lorde Iesus Yf yt be proued by him who can improoue yt Yf he saie yt who can denie yt Yf he so teache yt why shall we otherwise beleue yt Let the Proclamer nowe let all the Sacramentaries whiche be his companions bringfurth one Authour that saieth that yt ys proued by the woordes of our Lorde Iesus that the bread and wine of the bless Sacrament be not the bodie and blood of our Lorde Iesus but onelie figures of the same bodie and bloode and not the thinges themselues and shewe the place as we doe and they shall haue the victorie But let them painte their matters as well as they can to bleer the eyes of the simple yet Vincit Veritas the trueth ouercometh And so shall yt in the ende faull oute that they shall be perceaued to be destitute of trueth For their vntrueth shall be confownded by the trueth Though vntrueth for a time gett the vpperhand and be mainteined by the princes and mightie of the earthe for that their sensuall libertie ys not by her restreined but by her in that respectt they are moche pleasured yet as all vanitie faileth vadith and vanisheth So yt being of the same kinde shall fall awaie and consume as the smooke and the fauourers of the same shall be as the dust which the winde bloweth awaie from the face of the crathe But so while I am a litle passed the compasse of the ringe my second matter knocketh and calleth me again wherin breiflie to touche moche matter Three sortes of euell receauers this Authour maketh three sortes of euell and vnwoorthie receauers The first ys of them that doe otherwise celebrate or receaue this holie misterie then yt was deliuered of Chryst In the whiche sorte as he touched the Berengarians whiche were in his time So doeth he the Oecolampadians and the Caluinists of this our time whiche both otherwise celebrating and otherwise receauing this holie misterie then yt was of Chryst instituted they make theÌ„selues vnwoorthie receauers Chryst instituted his bodie to be distributed aÌ„d geuen in this holie refection They geue and receaue a peice of bread and a cuppe of wine Chryst instituted a sacrifice to be celebrated They celebrate a beare tokeÌ„ of remeÌ„brance Wherfor by the iudgement of this Authour they altering Chrystes institucion are accompted among the euell receauers An other sorte ys of them that receaue the holie Sacrament without due reuerence Of this sorte be all the Lutherans who although they coÌ„fesse the verie presence of Chrystes bodie in the SacrameÌ„t yet they denie anie honour or woorshippe to be doen vnto yt Which fond and infatuate doctrine I caÌ„ but woonder at wel knowing that whersoeuer Chryst ys either in heaueÌ„ or Philip. 2. in earth he ys as Chrysostome saieth woorthie of most high honoure aÌ„d if God hath so exalted him and geuen him a name which ys aboue all names that in the name of Iesu euery knee shal bowe both of thinges in heaueÌ„ and things in earth and thinges vnder the earthe by what authoritie caÌ„ or will man will or coÌ„maunde no honour to be doen to him but of this we haue alreadie 3 spooken wherfore staing anie more to saie of yt here I come to the third sorte of receauers which ys saieth this authour of them that presume to come to the receipt of the blessed Sacrament before they haue pourged theÌ„selues and clensed their consciences by penance Of this sorte be all they who well beleuing yet not well liuing come with the filthinesse of sinne allreadie coÌ„mitted yet remaing vpon them or ells with pourpose of sinne to be committed by which both they make themselues vnwoorthie receauers Here nowe ye see a varietie of euel receauers and yet saieth this authour that they all receaue the Sacrament And the Sacrament saieth he by the authoritie of our Lord Iesus ys proued to be the bodie aÌ„d the blood of Chryst Which thing this authour yet by more expresse woordes teacheth in the exposition Anselm ibid. of the other text wher S. Paule as by repeticion saieth He that eateth and drinketh vnwoorthilie eateth and drinketh his owne damnacion saing thus Ideo prius se discutiat purget Quia qui manducat bibit indignè id est sine sui examinatione iudicium sibi manducat bibit Sicut enim Iudas cui buccellam tradidit Dominus non malum accipiendo sed malè accipiendo locum in se Diabolo praebuit sic indignè quisque sumens Dominicum Sacramentum vt quia ipse malus est malum sit quod accepit aut quia non ad salutem accipit nihil acceperit corpus enim Domini sanguis Domini nihilominus est sed ille accipit hoc non ad vitam sed ad indicium quia non diâ—uidicat corpus Domini id est non discernit quà m sit dignius omnibus creaturis hoc corpus quod videtur esse panis Si enim cogitaret hoc corpus esse Verbo Dei personaliter vnitum vitam ac salutem eorum esse qui hoc dignè accipiunt non praesumeret indignus accipere sed dignum se praepararet Let him therfor first examine himself and pourge himself For he that eateth aÌ„d drinketh vnwoorthilie that ys without examinacion of himself eateth and drinketh his owne damnacion making no difference of the bodie of our Lord. For as The bless Sacr. ys the bodie and blood of Chryst though euell men receaue yt Iudas to whome our Lorde gaue a morsell not taking an euell thinge but taking yt in euell maner gaue to the Deuell a place in himself so whosoeuer receaueth the Sacrament of our Lorde vnwoorthilie causeth not bicause heys an euell man that thing which he hath receaued ys euell or bicause he receaued yt not to saluacion that he receaued nothing For yt ys neuerthelesse the bodie of our Lorde and the blood of our Lord but he taketh this not to life but to condemnaciou bicause he maketh no difference of the bodie of our Lord that ys he discerneth not howe moch more
heretiques in all ages be heretiques and heretiques be like heretiques He saieth that the heretiques did forsake the one aultar of the Church and framed to themselues manie aultars So in this our time they haue forsaken the one aultar of Chrystes Church and framed to themselues manie aultars For first Luther forsaking the aultar of Chrystes Church framed himself an other aultar But Carolstadius Zuinglius and Oecolampadius not likinge either the aultar of the Church or of Luther framed to thēselues after their phātasie an other aultar The Anabaptistes framed themselues an other aultar after their deuise The Swenck feldians misliking all that was doen before them framed after their conceit a newe aultar altogether spirituall The Caluinistes thinking to passe them all haue inuented an other maner of aultar euen altogether after the maner of the Arrians aultar or not moch vnlike as Richerus Caluines preacher hath in Frasice plainly declared Al whiche aultars as ours also in Englond with like diuersitie haue not ben to appease God but raither to heape vppe the multitude of iniquities to the great prouocacion of hys yre wrath and indignacion against vs. Wherbie they being puffed vppe with the vanitie of their mindes and contemning the lawes of God whiche before they had receaued are nowe reiected and not thought woorthie of the lawes of God and therfor as men corrupted in iudgement like mē in furiouse feuers who mislike in taste and appetite all thinges that be holsome and profitable and vehementlie desierouse of thinges vnholsome and noisome reiect all the holsome lawes the holie religion the catholique faith the orders rites and Ceremonies vnder whiche they were born in the whiche thei were baptised in the which they liued whiche they receaued and professed whiche with moche peace moche concorde were manie nombres of years established holden obeied and reuerenced and haue desire to haue no other faith religion constitucions ordeinannces or lawes but soche as they can presentlie Soch be the phansies of men of this time inuent and deuise So great ys their desire to alter chaunge and make newe thinges that they wolde leaue nothinge that they fownde in vse But why God fuffreth them to doe this sainct Hyerom declareth bicause he thinketh them vnwoorthie to receaue his lawes forasmoche as they haue contemned the lawes whiche before they had receaued As touchinge their allegacions of the scriptures S. Hierom saieth that their vnderstanding of them ys no better than to be compared to the sainges of Ethnickes For hauinge the letters or woordes of the scriptures and Force of the scripturs falselie alleaged by heretiket not the true sense howe moche soeuer they bragge of the woorde of the Lorde they haue not the woorde of God as yt doeth well appeare in their handlinge of the vi of S. Iohn the xxvi of S. Mathew the x and xi chapt of the first epistle of S. Paule to the Corinthians the fift to the Ephe. the thirtenth to the Hebrues and other whiche in this booke we haue taken from their violent wrestinge and tirannouse captiuitie and haue restored them to the libertie of the concorde and true vnderstandinge of Chrystes Churche as yt hath ben taught to vnderstande the same by the magisterie of the holie Gost the right and appoincted Schoolemaster of the same Churche by our Lorde and God Iesus Chryste To proceade in the sainge of S. Hierome he saieth that they doe not eate the flesh of Chryst whiche sainge howe true yt ys with the greif of my heart This ys a chaunge for the wouse I saie yt yt ys to well knowen For what thinge doe they more detest and abhorre then to beleue and confesse Chrystes bodie and verie naturall flesh to be in the Sacrament and there to be receaued And therfor to the intent that they wolde not eate his flesh they haue altered Chrystes institucion they haue altered his faith they haue abandoned his holie feast of his blessed bodie and bloode and haue in place of yt inuented a poour bare receauing of a drie peice of bread and a sippe of wine And beinge as they be yt ys well For the flesh of Chryst ys not meate for them but yt ys the meate as S. Hierō saieth of beleuers Finallie what soeuer this kinde of people doeth Fasting for meritte ys punishable by statute whether they fast as they doe not for fastinge by them ys exiled or praie whiche by them ys almost to nothing shortened or vowe chastitie whiche they runne so fast vnto that they hate all that doe not marrie as the greater nombre of them ys married and soche of them as doe not marrie doe yt for the like holinesse that was in Iouinian not for perfection of life but for quiettnesse and ease and to auoide then combrances that maie happē by a shrewed weif For thorowoute they condemne the vowe of chastitie though S. Hierom S. Ambrose S. Augustine Chrysostome and all holie writers highlie esteem and commende the same But to ende what good dedes soeuer they flatter them selues to doe as by their dissembled humilitie to shewe them selues lowlie or by sweet and flatteringe woordes to deceaue the simple God S. Hyerome saieth receaueth no part of soche their sacrifices Seinge then their doinges are accepted of God in no better part I wish all men to leaue their vanitie and walke in the veritie to leaue heresie and to walke in faith to leaue their inuented toies and to walke in gods established and long continued lawes to leaue their manie aultars framed vpon dissent and diuision and to cleaue to the one aultar of Chrystes catholique Churche whiche ys our helpe and protectiō to leaue their houngrie cheer of bare bread and wine and to enioie the roiall feast of Chrystes bodie and bloode to leaue their colde maner of fastinge and praier and to acquainte them selues with sharpe fasting and feruent deuocion to leaue their pretensed matrimonie and to delight in pure chaistitie to leaue their licenciouse maner of life and come to the trade of a penitent life For in the ende Veritas liberabit trueth will deliuer And then when conscience shall be sett before the iudgement seat of God in the daie when he shall iudge the secrettes of men thē vnto them that be rebells and that doe not obeie the trueth but folowe vnrightwisnes shall come indignacion and wrathe tribulacion and angnishe vpon the soule of euery man that doeth euell as saith S. Paule and as he saieth to the Iewe first and also to the Rom. 2. gentile so saie I to the chrystian first and also to the infidell but to euery man that doeth good shall come praise honour and peace God therfore that hath once called vs to his holie faith confirme and establish soche as haue not yet swarned from yt and reduce and bringe home again soche as haue wādred like lost sheape that we be maie all be of the nombre of them that shall receaue praise honoure and peace