Innocētius Zosimus and other auncient fathers what better reason haue they to kepe the infantes from the cuppe then the Anabaptistes haue to kepe them from theire baptisme If they allege their impotencie of remembring our lordes death the Anabaptistes will lihewise allege their impotencie of receiuing and vnderstāding doctrine that Christes institution in this behalfe semeth to require Thus th' aduersaries of the churche them selues doo agnise that the vse of the cuppe in the Sacrament perteineth not to all of necessitie So haue they neither godly charitie to ioyne with the churche neither sufficient reason to impugne the churche And although herein we could be content infantes not to be spoken of yet it maye easely be proued that the communion vnder bothe kyndes hath not euer ben generall And as we doo not cōdemne it but confesse it might be restored agayne by th'auctoritie of the churche lawfully assembled in a generall councell vppon mature deliberation before had and a holesome remedie against the inconueniences thereof prouided euen so are we hable to shewe good auctoritie for the defence of the one kynde now vsed in the churche And because M. Iuell beareth the world in hand nothing can be brought for it of oure syde some places I will allege here that seme to me very euidently to proue that the vse of bothe kyndes hath not alwayes ben thought necessary to all persons and that the communion vnder one kynde hathe ben practised and holden for good within the six hundred yeres after Christ that he would so faine bynde vs vnto Proufes for communion vnder one kinde Here maye be alleaged first the example of our lord him selfe out of the 24. chapter of S. Luke which is spoken of before where it is declared that he gaue the Sacrament to the two disciples at Emaus vnder the forme of bread only which place ought to haue the more weight of auctoritie in a catholike mannes iudgement because it is brought by the councell of Constance and also by the councell of Basile for proufe of the communion vnder one kynde That it was the Sacrament the auncient doctours doo affirme it playnely and the wordes cōferred with the wordes of our lordes supper doo agree and that it is not nedeful of oure owne head to adde thereto the administration of the cuppe as oure aduersaries doo by their figure synecdoche it appeareth by that those two disciples declared to the twelue Apostles assembled together in Ierusalem how they knew our lorde in fractione panis in breakinge of the breade to them which can not be taken for the wine and as sone as they knewe him in breaking of the breade he vanished awaye from theire syght er that he tooke the cuppe in to his handes and blessed it and gaue it vnto them as it appeareth euidently ynough to S. Augustine to Bede and to all other that be not willfully opinatiue Agayne what nede is it to vse violence in this scripture and ioyne vnto it a patche of oure owne deuise by so simple a warrant of a figure sith that according to the minde of the learned fathers Christ gaue here to the two disciples not a piece of the sacrament but the whole Sacrament as it is proued by th'effecte of the same and th'effecte presupposeth the cause For saint Augustine confesseth by that Sacrament of breade so he calleth it De cōsensu Euangelistarū li. 3. ca. 25. Vnitate corporis participata remoueri impedimentum inimici vt Christus posset agnosci that thereby they were made partakers of the vnitie of Christes bodye that is to saye made one bodye with Christ and that all impediment or lette of the ennemie the deuil was taken awaye so as Christ might be acknowleged What more should they haue gotten if they had receiued the cuppe also Here might be alleaged the place of the Actes in the 2. chapter where mention is made of the communion of breakinge of the breade the cuppe not spoken of which the heretikes called Waldēses dyd confesse that it must be vnderstanded of the Sacrament in confessione ad Vladislaū and likewise the place of the twentith chapter and specially that of the seuen and twentith chapter of the Actes Where Chrysostome and other fathers vnderstād the breade that saint Paul in perile of shipwracke tooke gaue thankes ouer brake and eate to be the holy Sacrament It is not to be merueiled at albe it S. Paul deliuered to the Corinthians the institution of oure lordes supper vnder hothe kyndes that yet vppon occasion geuen and when condition of tyme so required he ministred the communion vnder one kynde sith that with out doubte he tooke that holy mystery vnder one kynde for the whole Sacrament as we perceiue by his wordes 2. Cor. 10. where he sayeth Vnus panis et vnum corpus multi sumus omnes qui de vno pane participamus One breade and one body we being many are all that doo participate of one breade Where he speaketh nothing of the cuppe And likewise by his wordes where he speaketh disiūctiuely as the greke and the true latine texte hath Quicunque manducauerit panem 1. Cor. 11. vel biberit calicem domini indignê reus erit corporis et sanguinis domini Who so euer eateth the bread or drynketh of the cuppe of our lord vnworthely he shall be gylty of the bodye and bloude of our lorde Whereon dependeth an argument of the contrary that who so euer either eateth this bread worthely or drinketh this cuppe worthely he eateth and drinketh righteousnes and lyfe For thys purpose we haue a notable place in the hebrew gospell of S. Matthew which S. Hierome sayeth he sawe in the librarie of Caesarea and translated it This place is cited by S. Hierome in his booke de ecclesiasticis scriptoribus in Iacobo fratre domini The wordes touching the communion that S. Hierome rehearseth agree thoroughly with those of S. Luke 24. chapter Matthaeus sic refert Dominus autem etc. Matthew reporteth thus When oure lorde had geuen his shrowde vnto the bishopes seruant he went to Iames and appeared vnto him for Iames had made an oth that he would not eate breade from that howre he dranke of the cuppe of our lorde vntill he saw him raysed from the dead It foloweth a litle after Afferte ait dominus mensam panem Statimque addit Tulit panem benedixit ac fregit dedit Iacobo iusto dixit ei frater comede panem tuum quia resurrexit filius hominis à dormientibus Bring the table and set on bread quoth our lorde and by and by it is added he tooke bread and blessed it and brake it and gaue it to Iames the iust and sayde vnto him my brother eate thy breade for the sonne of man is risen agayne from the dead No man can doubte but this was the Sacrament And wine was there none geuen for any thing that may be gathered For it is not likely that S. Iames had
crucified And such maner bloud was at his passion shedde foorth of his body in sighte of them which were then present But after that Christ rose againe from the deade his body from that tyme forward euer remaineth immortall and liuely in dāger no more of any infirmitie or suffering much lesse of death but is become by diuine giftes and endowmētes a spirituall and a diuine body as to whom the godhed hath communicated diuine and godly properties and excellencies that ben aboue all mannes capacitie of vnderstanding This fleshe and body thus considered which sundry doctours call corpus spirituale deificatum a spirituall and deified body is geuen to vs in the blessed sacrament This is the doctrine of the church vttered by S. Hierome in his commentaries vppon th'Epistle to the Ephesians where he hath these wordes Lib. 1. ca. 1. Dupliciter verò sanguis caro intelligitur vel spiritualis illa atque diuina de qua ipse dixit Caro mea vere est cibus sanguis meus verè est potus Et nisi manducaueritis carnē meam sanguinem meum biberitis non habebitis vitam aeternam vel caro quae crucifixa est sanguis qui militis effusus est lancea that is The bloud and fleshe of Christ is vnderstanded two waies either that it is that spiritual and diuine fleshe of which he spake him selfe My fleshe is verely meate and my bloud is verely drinke And excepte ye eate my fleshe and drinke my bloud ye shall not haue lyfe in you Or that fleshe which was crucified and that bloud which was shedde by pearcing of the souldiers speare And to the intent a man shuld not take this differēce according to the substance of Christes fleshe and bloud but according to the qualitie onely S. Hierome bringeth a similitude of our fleshe as of which it hath ben in double respecte sayde Iuxta hanc diuisionem in sanctis etiam diuersitas sanguinis carnis accipitur vt alia sit caro quae visura est salutare Dei Luc. 3. alia caro sanguis quae regnum Dei nō queant possidere 1. Cor. 15. According to this diuision diuersitie of bloud and fleshe is to be vnderstanded in sainctes also so as there is one fleshe which shal see the saluacion of God and an other fleshe and bloud which may not possesse the kingdom of God Which two states of fleshe and bloud seme as it appeareth to the vnlearned quite contrarie But Saint Paul dissolueth this doubte in the fiftenth chapter of his first epistle to the Corinthians saying that fleshe of such sorte as we beare about vs in this lyfe earthly mortal fraile and bourthenouse to the soule can not possesse the kingdom of God because corruption shal not possesse incorruption But after resurrection we shal haue a spirituall gloriouse incorruptible and immortall flesh and like in figure to the gloriouse body of Christ as S. Paul sayeth This corruptible body must putte on incorruption and this mortall immortalitie Then such fleshe or our fleshe of that maner and sorte shall possesse the kingdom of God and shal beholde God him selfe And yet our fleshe now corruptible and then incorruptible is but one fleshe in substāce but diuerse in qualitie and propertie Euen so it is to be thought of our lordes fleshe as is afore sayde The due weghing of this differēce geueth much light to this matter and ought to staye many horrible blasphemies wickedly vttered against this most blessed Sacrament Now whereas M. Iuell denyeth that Christen people were of olde tyme taught to beleue that Christes body is really substantially corporally carnally or naturally in the Sacrament I doo plainely affirme the cōtrarie Yet I acknowledge that the learned fathers which haue so taught would not thereby seme to make it here outwardly sensible or perceptible Hom. 83. in Matt 60 ad popul Antiochen For they confesse all with Saint Chrysostome that the thing which is here geuen vs is not sensible but that vnder visible signes inuisible thinges be delyuered vnto vs. But they thought good to vse the aforesayed termes to put awaye all doubte of the being of his very body in these holy mysteries and to exclude the onely imagination phantasie figure signe token vertue or signification there of For in such wise the Sacramentaries haue vttered their doctrine in this pointe as they may seme by their manner of speaking and wryting here to represent our lordes body onely in deede being absent as kinges oftentymes are represented in a Tragedie or meane persones in a Comedie Verely the maner and waye by which it is here present and geuen to vs and receiued of vs is secrete not humaine ne naturall true for all that And we doo not atteine it by sense reason or nature but by faith For which cause we doo not ouer basely consyder and attende the visible elementes but as we are taught by the councell of Nice lifting vp our mynde and spirite we beholde by faith on that holy table put and layde so for the better signification of the real presence their terme sowndeth the Lambe of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that taketh awaye the synnes of the worlde And here saye they we receiue his pretiouse body and bloude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye verely and in deede which is no other wise nor lesse then this terme really importeth And touching these termes fyrst Verely or which is all one Really and substantially me thinketh M. Iuell shuld beare the more with vs for vse of the same sith that Bucer him selfe one of the greatest learned men of that syde hath allowed them yea and that after much writing against Luther in defēce of Zuinglius and Oecolampadius by him set forth and after that he had assured him selfe of the truth in this article by diuine inspiration as most constantly he affirmeth with these wordes In responsione ad Lutherū Haec non dubitamus diuinitus nobis per scripturam reuelata de hoc sacramento We doubte not sayeth he but these thinges concerning this sacramēt be reueled vnto vs from god and by the scripture If you demaunde where this may be fownde in the actes of a Councell holden betwen the Lutheranes and Zuinglianes for this very purpose in Martine Luthers house at Wittenberg in the yere of our lord 1536. you shal fynde these wordes Audiuimus D. Bucerum explicantem suam sententiam de Sacramento corporis sanguinis Domini hoc modo Cum pane vino verè substantialiter adest exhibetur sumitur corpus Christi sanguis Et sacramentali vnione panis est corpus Christi porrecto pane verè adest verè exhibetur corpus Christi We haue heard M. Bucer declare his mynde touching the sacrament of the body and bloud of our Lord in this sorte With the bread and wyne the body of Christ and his bloud is present exhibited and receiued
in the throne and to the lambe for euer And the fouer and tvventie elders fell dovvne on their faces and adored him that lyueth vntill vvorldes of vvorldes But it shall be more tediouse then nedefull to recite places out of the scriptures for proufe of th'adoratiō of Christ there may of thē be fownde so great plentie Contrarietie in the first diuisers of the nevve gospell Yet because Luther was either so blinde or rather so deuilishe as to denye th'adoration where notwithstāding he cōfessed the presence of Christes true and natural body in the Sacrament I will here recite what the Sacramentaries of Zurich haue written against him therefore What saye they is the bread the true and natural body of Christ and is Christ in the supper as the Pope and Luther doo teache present Wherefore then ought not the lord there to be adored where ye saye him to be present Why shall we be forbydden to adore that which is not onely sacramentally but also corporally the body of Christ Thomas toucheth the true body of Christ raysed vp from the dead and falling downe on his knees adoreth saying My God and my lord The disciples adore the lord as well before as after his Ascension Matth. 28. Act. 1. And the lord in S. Iohn sayeth to the blinde man Ioan. 9. beleuest thou in the sonne of God and he answered him saying Lord who is he that I may beleue in him And Iesus sayed to him Thou hast bothe sene him and who speaketh with thee he it is Then he sayeth lord I beleue and he adored him Now if we taught our lordes bread to be the natural body of Christ verely we would adore it also faithfully with the papistes This much the Zuinglians against Luther Whereby they prooue sufficiently th'adoration of Christes body in the Sacrament and so consequently of Christ him selfe God and man because of the inseparable coniunction of his diuine and humaine nature in vnitie of persone so as where his body is there is it ioyned and vnited also vnto his godhed and so there Christ is present perfitely wholly and substantially very god and man For the cleare vnderstanding whereof the better to be atteined the scholastical Diuines haue profitably deuised the terme concomitantia plainely and truly teaching that in this Sacrament after consecration vnder the forme of breade is present the body of Christ and vnder the forme of wine his bloud ex vi sacramenti and with the body vnder forme of bread also the bloud the soule and godhed of Christ and likewise with the bloud vnder the forme of wyne the body soule and godhed ex concomitantia as they terme it in shorter and playner wise vttering the same doctrine of faith which the holy fathers dyd in the Ephesme councell against Nestorius Whereby they meane that where the body of Christ is present by necessary sequell because of the indiuisible copulation of bothe natures in the vnitie of person for as much as the Word made fleshe neuer lefte the humaine nature there is also his bloud his soule his godhed and so whole and perfite Christ God and man And in this respecte the terme is not to be misliked of any godly learned man though some newe Maisters scoffe at it who fill the measure of their predecessours that likewise haue ben offended with termes for the apter declaration of certaine necessary articles of our faith by holy and learned fathers in generall councelles holesomly deuised Of which sorte ben these homousion humanatio incarnatio transubstantiatio etc. Now here is to be noted how the Zuinglians whom M. Iuell foloweth in th'article of adoration confute the Lutherans as on the other syde the Lutherans in th'article of the presence confute the Zuinglians As though it were by gods speciall prouidence for the better staye of his churche so wrought that bothe the truth shuld be confessed by the enemies of truth and also for vttering of vntruth the one shuld be condemned of the other that by the warre of heretikes the peace of the churche might be established and by their discorde the catholike people might the faster grewe together in concorde Now hauing sufficiētly proued by the scriptures and that with the Zuingliās also adoration and godly honour to be due vnto Christes body where so euer it please his diuine maiestie to exhibit the same present let vs see whether we can finde the same doctrine affirmed by the holy and auncient fathers What the Apostles taught in their tyme concerning this Article we may iudge by that we reade in Dionysius that was S. Paules scholer and for that is to beleued He adoreth and worshippeth this holy mysterie with these very wordes Ecclesias hierarch cap. 3. Sed ò diuinum penitus sanctumque mysterium etc. But ô diuine and holy mysterie which vouchesafest to open the cooueringes of signes layd ouer the vtter thy light to vs openly and plainely and fill our spirituall eyes with the singular and euident brightnes of thy light Origen teacheth vs how to adore and worship Christ in the Sacrament before we receiue it after this forme of wordes Hom 5. in diuersos Euangelij locos Quādo sanctum cibum etc. when thou receiuest the holy meate and that vncorrupt banket when thou enioyest the bread and cuppe of lyfe thou eatest and drinkest the body and bloud of our lord then our lord entreth in vnder thy roofe And therefor thou also humbling thy selfe folowe this Cēturion or captaine and saye Lord I am not vvorthy that thou enter vnder my roofe For where he entreth in vnworthely there he entreth in to the condemnation of the receiuer What can be thought of S. Cyprian but that he adored the inuisible thing of this Sacrament which is the body and bloud of Christ seing that he confesseth the godhed to be in the same nolesse then it was in the person of Christ which he vttereth by these wordes In Ser. d◠coena do Panis iste quem dominus discipulis porrigebat etc. This bread which our lord gaue to his disciples chaunged not in shape but in nature by the almighty power of god is made fleshe And as in the person of Christ the manhode was sene and the godhed was hydden euen so the diuine essence hath vnspeakeably infused it selfe into the visible sacramēt Chrysostom hath a notable place for the adoration of Christes body in the Sacrament in his commentaries vpon S. Paul In 10. cap. prioris ad Corinth where he affirmeth also the real presence and the sacrifice Let vs not let vs not sayeth he be willing impudently to kill our selues And when thou seest that body set forth saye with thy selfe for cause of this body I am no lenger earth and ashes no lenger captiue but free This body fastened on the Crosse and beaten was not ouercome with death After this he exhorteth all to adore and worship our lordes body in the Sacrament This body sayeth he the wise men worshipped
sacramentally with the priestes as it is before proued ergo there were Masses done with out other receiuing the Sacrament with the priestes And then further ergo priuate Masses in Chrysostomes dayes were not straunge and then yet one steppe further there to staye Ergo M. Iuel according to his owne promise and offre must yelde subscribe and recant Iuell Or that there was then any communion ministred vnto the people vnder one kynde Of communion vnder one kynde ARTICLE II. THis being a Sacramēt of vnitie euery true christen man ought in receiuing of it to consyder how vnitie may be acheued and kepte rather thē to shewe a streightnes of conscience aboute the outward formes of bread and wyne to be vsed in the administratiō of it and that so much the more how much the ende of euery thinge is to be estemed more then that which serueth to the ende Otherwise herein the breache of vnitie is so litle recompensed by the exacte kepinge of th' outward ceremonie that according to the saying of S. Augustine who so euer taketh the mysterie of vnitie and kepeth not the bonde of peace he taketh not a mysterie for him selfe but a testimonie against him selfe Therefore they haue great cause to weigh with them selues what they receiue in this sacrament who moued by slēder reasons made for bothe kyndes do rashely and dangerously condemne the churche for geuing of it vnder one kinde to all that doo not in their owne persons consecrate and offer the same in remembraunce of the sacrifice once offered on the crosse And that they may thinke the churche to stād vpon good growndes herein may it please them to vnderstand that the fruite of this sacramēt which they enioye that worthely receiue it dependeth not of the outward formes of bread and wine but redoundeth of the vertue of the fleshe and bloude of Christ And whereas vnder either kynde whole Christ is verely present for now that he is risen againe from the deade his fleshe and bloude can be sundred no more Rom. 6. because he dyeth no more this helthfull sacrament is of true christen people with no lesse fruit receiued vnder one kynde then vnder bothe And as this spirituall fruite is not any thinge diminished to him that receiueth one kinde so it is not any whitte increaced to him that receiueth bothe The Sacramentaries that beleue not the truth of Christes bodye and bloude in this holy Sacramēt I remitte to sundry godly treatises made in defence of the right faith in that pointe I thinke it not necessarie here to treate thereof or of any other matter which M. Iuell hath not as yet manifestly touched in his sermon Now concerning th' outward formes of bread and wyne their vse is imployed in significatiō onely and be not of necessitie so as grace may not be obteined by worthy receiuing of tbe Sacrament onlesse bothe kindes be ministred Therefore in consecrating of the Sacrament according to Christes institution bothe kyndes be necessarie for as much as it is not prepared for the receiuing onely but also for renewing and stirring vp of the remembraunce of oure lordes death So in as much as the sacrament serueth the sacrifice by which the death and oblation of Christ is represented bothe the kyndes be requisite that by diuerse and sundry formes the bloude of Christ shedde for our synnes and separated from his body may euidently be signified But in as much as the faithful people doo receiue the sacrament thereby to atteine spirituall grace and saluatiō of their soules diuersitie of the formes or kyndes that be vsed for the signification onely hath no further vse ne profite But by one kynde because in it whole Christ is exhibited abundance of all grace is once geuen so as by the other kynde thereto ouer added which geueth the same and not an other Christ no further augmentation of spirituall grace may be atteined In consideration of this the catholike churche taught by the holy ghost all truth whiles in the daily sacrifice the memorie of oure lordes death and passion is celebrated for that it is necessarie therein to expresse most playnely the shedding and separating of the bloude from the bodye that was crucified hath alwayes to that purpose diligently vsed bothe kyndes of breade and wine But in distributing of the blessed sacramāt to christen people hath vsed her libertie which Christ neuer imbarred by any commaundement to the contrary so as it hath euer ben most for the behoufe and commoditie of the receiuers and hath ministred sometymes bothe kindes sometymes one kynde onely as it hath ben thought most expediēt in regard of tyme place and persons Matth. 26 Christes vvordes bynde not the laitie to receiue both kindes Ante passionē nobis solis praecepit hoc facere inquiūt Apostoli apud Clementem lib. 8. constitu Apostolicarū cap. vlt. As touching the wordes of Christ Bibite ex hoc omnes Drinke ye all of this they perteine to the Apostles only and to their successours For to them only he gaue commaundement to doo that which he dyd in his supper as Clement sayeth To them only saying doo this in my remembrance he gaue commission to consecrate offer and to receiue the sacrament in remembrance of his death and passion by the same wordes ordeining thē priestes of the newe testamēt Wherefore this belongeth not to the laye people neither can it be iustely gathered by this place that they are bounde of necessitie and vnder paine of deadly synne to receiue the sacrament vnder bothe kyndes And this vnderstoode they which aboue an hundred yeres past chaunging the olde custome of the churche of receiuing the communion vnder one kynde by theire priuate auctoritie would nedes vsurpe the cuppe also For seeing them selues not to haue sufficient proufe and warrant for their dooing of these wordes drinke ye all of this the better to bolster vp their newe flangled attempte Ioan. 6. they thought it better to alleage the wordes of Christ in S. Iohn Excepte ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloude ye shall not haue lyfe in you which wordes for all that oure new maisters of these xl yeres past will to be vnderstanded of the spirituall and not of the sacramentall eating Which place although it be taken for the sacramentall eating as it may be and is taken for bothe of the doctours vewed a parte yet in all that chapter there is no mention of the cuppe nor of wine at all Wherefore they that crye so much on the Institution and commaundement of Christ can not fynde in all the scriptures neither commaundement where he gaue charge the sacrament so to be geuen neither so much as any example where Christ gaue it vnder bothe kyndes to any other then to the Apostles Where as contrary wise it may be shewed of oure parte that the sacrament was geuen vnder one kynde only to the two disciples that went to Emaus Luc. 24. For that the
temerê condemnandi aut inuicem iudicandi That the controuersie for the one or bothe kyndes may be taken awaye it shall be very well done that holy churche made it free to receiue this sacrament in one or bothe kyndes yet vnder suche condition as hereby no occasion be geuen to any bodye rashely to condēne the vse which the church hath so long tyme kepte nor to iudge one an other Soothly he which would haue it free and at libertie to receiue the sacrament vnder one or bothe kyndes and holdeth opinion that the olde custome of the one kynde onely is not to be condemned semeth plainely ynough to confesse that nothing hath ben instituted or commaunded of Christ touching this matter as necessarie to saluation Thus we may see playnely that they which haue diuided them selues from the mysticall bodye of Christ that is his churche who were of greatest learning and iudgement make it a matter indifferent as it is in dede of it selfe lefte to the libertie of the churche whether the sacrament be ministred vnder one kynde or bothe And this much hath ben cōfessed against M. Iuell and his secte not onely by the learned aduersaries of the churche in oure tyme but also by a learned man of Bohemia aboue six score yeres past His name is Iohn Przybxam of whose writinges some are set foorth in printe This learned man whereas he endeuoured to proue the vse of bothe kyndes of the wordes of Christ written by S. Iohn Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloude ye shal not haue lyfe in you at length vttereth these wordes according to the eloquence of his tyme. In libr. de professione fidei catholieae cap. 19. Veruntamen hic Deum timens mores impios aliorum praecauens fateor quòd quaslibet personas de ecclesia communion fidelium sub vtraque specie repugnantes damnare aut haereticare non intendo But here hauing the feare of god before myne eyes and being well ware I folowe not the wicked conditions of others I grawnt that what persones so euer of the churche repine against the communion of the faithfull people vnder bothe kyndes I entend not to condemne them nor to holde them for heretikes But if it be the commaundement of God that the Sacrament be receiued of all vnder bothe kyndes why shuld he be forbydden by the feare of God to cōdemne those that wythstād that order of communion Seeing that who so euer goeth against Gods commaundement is worthy to be cōdemned Therefore by his testimonie the vse of one or bothe kindes is indifferent Thus we are able to alleage Luther Melanchthon Bucer and that learned Bohemian for the Indifferencie of the communion to be minister either vnder one kynde or bothe Whereby I meane not that the vse of the sacramēt is so lefte to euery mannes libertie as he that listeth may require bothe kyndes and an other may content him selfe with one kynde not so euery man is bownde to folow the order of the churche but the churche is not bownde of necessitie by Gods commaundement to minister it vnder bothe kyndes to the laitie And whereas it was ministred in bothe kyndes at Corinth as it appeareth by S. Paul and in sundry other places Causes mouing the churche to cōmunicate vnder one kinde as we finde most euidently in the writinges of diuerse auncient fathers yet the churche hath ben moued by diuerse and weighty causes to take order that the people should receiue their cōmunion vnder one kynde not onely in the councell of Basile but also in that of Constāce and long before them aboue a thousand yeres in the first councell of Ephesus as many doo probably gather and mamely Vrbanus Regius a doctour of Luthers scoole confesseth in his booke De locis communibus One cause and not the leaste was that thereby the heresie of Nestorius might the rather be extinguished who emonges other errours held opinion that vnder the forme of bread in the Sacramēt is cōteined the body of Christ with out his bloude and vnder the forme of the wine his bloude onely without his bodye Many other causes moued those fathers to take that order for th'auoyding of many inconueniences dangers and offences which might happē in the vse of the cuppe as vnreuerence of so high a Sacrament whereof christen people at the beginning had a meruelouse care and regarde the lothsomnes of many that can not brooke the taste of wine the difficultie of getting and impossibilitie of keping wine from corruption in countries situated neare to the north Pole in that clime where is knowen to be great extremitie of colde besyde a number of the like So that it had ben beside reason to haue bounde all to the necessitie of bothe kyndes Now in very dede if we would graunt to oure aduersaries which in no wise we do not graunt that it hath ben commaunded of Christ the laye people should communicate vnder bothe kyndes by these wordes Drinke ye all of this yet this notwithstanding the exacte streightnes of gods ordināce may without synne in cases be omitted in such thinges which be not necessaryly to be obserued of them selues or of the prescripte of the lawe of nature so that great and weighty causes the rule of charitie exactely obserued require the same For euident proufe of this we haue exāples bothe of the olde and also of the newe testamēt Leuit. 24. Dyd not God commaunde that none shuld eate of the shewebread but the priestes onely 1. Reg. 21. Dauid eate thereof and yet Christ cleareth him of all blame Mar. 2. The lawe of circuncisiō so streightly commaunded Genes 17. 34. was for the space of forty yeres by the people of Israel quite omitted whiles they passed from Egypte to the land of promesse and God fownde no faulte with them for it God gaue the law of keping holy the Saboth daye with out exception Exod. 20. 1. Mach. 1. The Machabés notwithstanding stickte not to arme them selues against Antiochus and to spende that daye in the fielde in theire defence hauing no scruple of conscience for breach of that law Many the like examples we fynde in the olde testament But let vs come to the newe testament and to the Sacraments of the tyme of grace In due cōsideration of which we may fynde that Christ hath scarcely commaunded any outward thing the moderation qualifying and ordering whereof he hath not lefte to his churche as according to the cōdition of the tyme it hath ben sene most expedient for the common prefermēt and edifying of the same So that notwithstanding there be no swaruing from the scope and principal intente and no creature defrauded of that good which by the outward thinges is to be atteined Touching the Sacrament of baptisme though nothing be sayde of the teaching of them that shuld be baptized neyther of the dipping of them in to the water Matt. 28. which Christes charge in
this behalfe geuen semeth plainely to require go you sayeth he to his Apostles and teach all nations baptizing them etc and yet the church hath not feared to baptise infantes that be with out capacitie of teaching and for the due administration of this Sacrament to many hath thoughte powring or sprinkling of water vpon them sufficient though this be not spoken of I saye it is much to be consydered to this purpose that the Apostles stickte not for a tyme to alter and chaunge the very essentiall forme of wordes with which Christ would this sacrament to be ministred For where as he commaunded them to baptise in the name of the father and of the sonne Act. 8. and of the holy ghost thâ—y baptized in the name of Iesus Christ only intending thereby to make that to be of more fame and celebritie So to retourne to the Sacrament of the bodye and bloude of Christ whereof we treate no man can denye but many thinges were at th'institution of it done by the example of Christ and by him commaunded which now be not obserued and yet in that respecte no faulte is fownde Christ washed the Apostles feete and gaue them an expresse commaundement to doo the same with these moste plaine wordes If I that am your Maister and lorde Ioan. 6. haue wasshed your feete you also ought to wash one an others feete For I haue geuen you an example that as I haue done you doo so likewise Which commaundement of Christ according to the outward letter verely bindeth no lesse then these wordes Drinke ye all of this yet this commaundement is not kepte but cleane growen out of vse Though it appeare by Saint Bernard In ser de coena do who calleth it Magnum Sacramentum a great Sacrament and long before by reporte of S. Cyprian In serm de vnctione chrismatis that Christ dyd not onely washe his Apostles feete but commaunded also by solemne request and ordeined that th'apostles afterward should doo the same Whether this ordinance of Christ hath ben abolished for that it should not be thought a rebaptization as it may be gathered of S. Augustine Ad Ianuarium c. 18 or for any other cause it forceth not greatly But this is much to be merueiled at that this so earnestly commaunded is so quietly and with such silence suffered vndone and in the ministration of the Sacrament the vse of the cuppe so factiously and with so much crying out required Neither in many other rites and ceremonies we do not as Christ dyd Christ celebrated this sacrament after that he had supped we do it in the morning and fasting Christ sate at the table with his twelue Apostles neither sytte we at a table neither thinke we it necessary to obserue such number Christ brake the bread we thinke it not necessary to breake the hoste that is to be delyuered to the faithfull participantes Here is to be noted that saint Cyprian rebuking them which thought sprinkling or powring of water not to be sufficient for baptisme declareth that the saraments be not to be estemed according vnto their extreme and rigorouse obseruation or administration of all the externe elementes but rather according to the integritie and soundnes of faith of the geuer and of the receiuer and that diuine thinges vsed in a compendious sorte conferre and geue neuerthelesse to the right beleuers their whole vertue lib. 4. epist 7. Many other coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of God concerning outward thinges might here be rehearsed which notwithstanding by litle and litle in the churche haue ben omitted as the forebearing of strangled thinges and bloude which was coÌ„maunded by God in the olde testament and according to the pleasure and aduise of the holy gost decreed by the Apostles in the newe testament yet for as much as concerneth outward thinges both this and many other the like haue in processe of tyme growen out of obseruation and haue with out any scruple of conscience ben abrogated I truste no man will gather of that I haue sayde here that it is none offence to doo against Gods commaundemente My meaning is farre otherwise Neither saye I that this saying of Christ in Mathew Drinke ye all of this or that in Ihon Excepte ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloude ye shal not haue lyfe in you or other coÌ„maundementes of Christ be not to be kepte but this is that I saye and that euery catholike man sayeth that the vniuersall churche doth better vnderstand which are the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of Christ and how they ought to be kepte then Berengarius Wiclef Hus Luther Zuinglius Caluine Cranmare Peter Martyr or any their scolers and folowers which now be sundry sectes As for example God hath thus coÌ„maunded Matth. 5. Exod. 20. thow shalt not sweare and thow shalt not kylle and if thine eye cause the to offende pull him out and cast him awaye from the. Whereas certaine sectes of heretikes as namely they which be called Waldenses and Picardi by their construction hereof haue mainteined opinion that no othe ought to be geuen or made in no case or respecte lyke wise that in no case or respecte a man may doo an other to death and also that after the outward letter of the gospell sometyme a man is bounde to pull out his eye and cast it from him which thing hath beÌ„ done by some of the Picardes as it is reported as though elles Gods commaundement were not kepte this hath so ben vnderstanded by the catholike churche confessing neuerthelesse these to be gods commaundementes as in tyme in place and in certaine cases a man might and ought without breach of commaundement bothe sweare and kylle and likewise kepe his eye in his head and therein offend God nothing at all So the catholike churche vnderstandeth Drynke ye all of this to be Christes commaundement and of necessitie to be obserued but of priestes onely I meane of necessitie and that when in the sacrifice of the church is celebrated the memorie of Christes death which in that degree be the successours of the Apostles to whom that commaundement was specially geuen when they were consecrated priestes of the new testameÌ„t who so dyd drinke in dede as S. Marke witnesseth Et biberunt ex eo omnes Mar. 14. And they dranke all of it To these onely and to none other the catholike churche hath euer referred the necessitie of that coÌ„maundement Elles if the necessitie of it should perteine to all and because Christ sayde Drinke ye all of this if all of euery state and condition of necessitie ought to drinke of the cuppe how is it come to passe that oure aduersaries them selues who preteÌ„de so streight a conscience herein kepe from it infantes and young children vntill they come to good yeres of discretion specially where as the custome of the primitiue churche was that they also should be partakers of this sacrament as it may playnely be sene in S. Dionyse Cyprian Augustine
praecipuè ecclesia Romana quae Caput est omnium ecclesiarum and specially the church of Rome which is the Head of all the churches Naming the church of Rome he meaneth the bishop there or his legates to be sent in his stede Thus it is proued by good and auncient auctorities that the name and title of the Head ruler president chiefe and principall gouernour of the church is of the fathers attributed not onely to Peter but also to his successours bishops of the See Apostolike And therefore M. Iuell may thinke him selfe by this charitably admonished to remember his promise of yelding and subscribing I will adde to all that hath ben hytherto sayde of this matter a saying of Martin Luther that such as doo litle regarde the grauitie of auncient fathers of the olde church may yet somewhat be moued with the lightnes of the young father Luther Patriarke and fownder of their newe churche Lightnes I may well call it for in this saying which I shall here rehearse he doth not so soberly allowe the Popes Primacie The popes primacie acknovvleged by Martin Luther as in sundry other treatises he doth rashly and furiousely inueigh against the same In a litle treatise intituled Resolutio Lutheriana super propositione sua 13. de potestate papae his wordes be these Primum quod me mouet Romanum pontificem esse alijs omnibus quos saltem nouerimus se pontifices gerere superiorem est ipsa voluntas Dei quam in ipso facto videmus Neque enim sine voluntate Dei in hanc monarchiam vnquam venire potuisset Rom. Pontifex At voluntas Dei quoquo modo nota fuerit cum reuerentia suscipienda est ideoque non licet temerè Romano pontifici in suo primatu resistere Haec autem ratio tanta est vt si etiam nulla scriptura nulla alia causa esset haec tamen satis esset ad compescendam temeritatem resistentium Et hac sola ratione gloriosissimus martyr Cyprianus per multas epistolas confidentissimè gloriatur contrà omnes episcoporum quorumcunque aduersarios sicut 3. Regum legimus quòd decē tribus Israel discesserunt à Roboam filio Salomonis tamen quia voluntate Dei siue auctoritate factum est ratum apud Deum fuit Nam apud theologos omnes voluntas signi quam vocant operationem Dei non minus quà m alia signa voluntatis Dei vt praecepta prohibitiua etc. metuenda est Ideo non video quomodo sint excusati à schismatis reatu qui huic voluntati contraueniētes sese à Romani pontificis auctoritate subtrahunt Ecce haec est vna prima mihi insuperabilis ratio quae me subijcit Romano pontifici Primatū eius confiteri cogit The first thing that moueth me to thinke the B. of Rome to be ouer all other that we knowe to be bisshops is the very will of God which we see in the facte or dede it selfe for without the will of God the B. of Rome could neuer haue commen vnto this monarchie But the will of God by what meane so euer it be knowen is to be receiued reuerently And therefore it is not lawfull rashly to resiste the B. of Rome in his primacie And this is so great a reason for the same that if there were no scripture at all nor other reason yet this were ynough to stay the rashnes of them that resiste And through this onely reason the most gloriouse martyr Cyprian in many of his epistles vaunteth him selfe very boldly against all the aduersaries of Bishops what soeuer they were As in the thirde booke of the kinges we read that the ten tribes of Israel departed from Roboam Salomons sōne Yeat because it was done by the will or auctoritie of God it stoode in effecte with God For among all the diuines the will of the signe which they call the working of God is to be feared no lesse then other signes of Gods will as commaundemētes prohibitiue etc. Therefore I see not how they may be excused of the gilte of schisme which going against this will withdrawe them selues from the auctoritie of the B. of Rome Lo this is one chiefe inuincible reason that maketh me to be vnder the bisshop of Rome and compelleth me to confesse his Primacie This farre Luther Thus I haue briefly touched some deale of the scriptures of the canons and councells of the edictes of Emperours of the fathers sayinges of the reasons and of the manifolde practises of the church which are wonte to be alleaged for the Popes Primacie and supreme auctoritie With all I haue proued that which M. Iuell denyeth that the B. of Rome within sixe hundred yeres after Christ hath ben called the vniuersall bishop of no small number of men of great credite and very oftentymes Head of the vniuersall church both in termes equiualent and also expressely Now to the nexte article Or that the people was then taught to beleue Iuell that Christes body is really substantially corporally carnally or naturally in the Sacrament Of the termes really substantially corporally carnally naturally fovvnde in the Doctours treating of the true being of Christes body in the blessed Sacrament ARTICLE V. CHristen people hath euer ben taught that the body and bloud of Iesus Christ by the vnspeakeable working of the grace of God and vertue of the holy Ghoste is present in this most holy Sacrament and that verely and in dede This doctrine is fownded vppon the plaine wordes of Christ which he vttered in the institution of this sacrament expressed by the Euangelistes and by S. Paul As they were at supper sayeth Matthewe Iesus tooke breade and blessed it and brake it Matth. 26 and gaue it to his disciples and sayeth Take ye eate ye this is my body And takyng the cuppe he gaue thankes and gaue it to them saying Drynke ye all of this For this is my bloude of the newe testament which shall be shedde for many in remission of synnes With like wordes almost Marke Luke and Paul Marc. 14. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 11. doo describe this diuine institution Neither sayde our lord onely This is my body but least some shuld doubte how his wordes are to be vnderstanded for a playne declaration of them he addeth this further Wich ys geuen for you Luc. 22. Likewise of the cuppe he sayeth not onely This is my bloude But also as it were to putte it out of all doubte Which shall be shed for many Now as faithful people doo beleue that Christ gaue not a figure of his body but his owne true and very body in substance and like wise not a figure of his bloude but his very pretiouse bloude it selfe at his passion and death on the crosse for our Redemption so they beleue also that the wordes of the institution of this Sacrament admitte no other vnderstāding but that he geueth vnto vs in these holy mysteries his selfe same body and his selfe same bloude in truth of
adoration of christes bodie in them present And thus for the Eleuation or holding vp of the sacrament we haue sayde ynough Or that the people did then fall downe and worship Iuell the Sacrament with godly honour Of the vvorshipping or adoration of the Sacrament ARTICLE VIII IF the blessed SacrameÌ„t of the aulter were no other then M. Iuell and the rest of the Sacramentaries thinke of it then were it not well done the people to bowe downe to it and to worship it with godly honour For then were it but bare bread and wyne how honorably so euer they speake of it calling it symbolicall that is tokening and sacramentall bread and wyne But now this being that very bread which god the father gaue vs from heaueÌ„ as Christ sayeth Ioan. 6. This bread being the fleshe of Christ which he gaue for the life of the world this being that bread and that cuppe 1. Cor. 11. whereof who so euer eateth or drinketh vnworthely shall be gylty of the body and bloud of our lord in this Sacrament being conteined the very reall and substantiall body and bloud of Christ as him selfe sayeth expressely in the three first euangelistes and in S. Paul this being that holy Eucharistia which Ignatius calleth the fleshe of our Sauiour Iesus Christ In epistola quadaÌ„ ad Smyrnenses vt citatur à Theodori to in Polymorph Lib. 4. coÌ„trà haereses ca. 34. that hath suffered for our synnes which the father by his goodnes hath raysed vp to life againe This being not common bread but the Eucharistia after consecration consisting of two thinges earthly and heauenly as Irenaeus sayeth meaning by the one the outward formes by the other the very body and bloud of Christ who partely for the godhed inseparably thereto vnited and partly for that they were conceiued of the holy ghoste in the most holy virgine Mary are worthely called heauenly This being that bread which of our lord geuen to his disciples not in shape but in nature chaunged by the almighty power of the word In Ser. de coena do is made fleshe as S. Cyprian termeth it This being that holy mysterie wherein the inuisible priest tourneth the visible creatures of bread and wyne in to the substaÌ„ce of his body and bloud by his word with secrete power Homil. 5. de Pascha as Eusebiê° Emisenus reporteth This being that holy foode by worthy receiuing whereof Christ dwelleth in vs naturally that is to witte is in vs by truth of nature and not by concorde of will onely Lib. 8. de trinitate as Hilarius affirmeth Againe this being that table whereat in our lordes meate we receiue the worde truly made fleshe of the most holy virgine Mary as the same Hilarie sayeth This being that bread which neither earing nor sowing nor worke of tyllers hath brought forth but that earth which remained vntouched and was full of the same that is the blessed virgine Marye as Gregorie Nyssene describeth Lib. de vita Mosis cap. 48. CoÌ„stitut Apostol li. 8. c. vlt. In Leuit. lib. 1. ca. 4. This being that supper in the which Christ sacrificed him selfe as Clemens Romanus and as Hesychius declareth Who furthermore in an other place writeth most plainely that these mysteries meaning the blessed sacrament of th'aulter are sancta sanctorum the holiest of all holy thinges because it is the body of him selfe of whom Gabriel sayd to the virgine Luc. 1. the holy ghost shall come vpon the and the power of the highest shall ouershaddowe the therefore that holy thing which shall be borne of the shall be called the sonne of God and of whom also Esaie spake Holy is our lord and dwelleth on high verely euen in the bosome of the father On the holy table where these mysteries are celebrated the lambe of God being layed and sacrificed of priestes vnbloudely as that most auncient and worthy councell of Nice reporteth Briefly in this highest SacrameÌ„t vnder visible shape inuisible thinges soothly the very true reall liuely natural and substantiall body and bloude of our Sauiour Christ being conteined as the scriptures doctoures councelles yea and the best learned of Martin Lutheres schoole doo most plainely and assuredly affirme This I saye in conclusion being so as it is vndoubtedly so we that remaine in the catholike churche and can by no persecution be remoued from the catholike faith whom it liketh M. Iuell and his felowes to call papistes beleue verely that it is our bownden duetie to adore the Sacrament and to worship it with all godly honour By which word Sacrament notwithstanding in this respect we meane not the outward formes that properly are called the sacrament but the thing of the sacrameÌ„t the inuisible grace and vertue therein conteined euen the very body and bloud of Christ And when we adore and worship this blessed Sacrament we doo not adore and worship the substance it selfe of bread and wine because after consecratioÌ„ none at all remaineth Neither doo we adore the outward shapes and formes of bread and wine which remaine for they be but creatures that ought not to be adored What Christen people adore in the Sacrament but the body it selfe and bloud of Christ vnder those formes verely and really conteined lowly and deuoutly doo we adore And therefore to speake more properly and according to skill least our aduersaries might take aduaÌ„tage against vs through occasion of termes where right sense onely is meant we proteste and saye that we doo and ought to adore and worship the body and bloud of Christ in the Sacrament And here this much is further to be sayde that in the Sacrament of the aulter the body of Christ is not adored by thought of mynde sundred from the word but being inseparably vnited to the word For this is specially to be considered that in this most holy Sacrament the body and bloud of Christ are not present by them selues alone as being separated from his soule and from the godhed but that there is here his true and lyuing fleshe and bloud ioyned together with his godhed inseparably and that they be as him selfe is perfite whole and inseparable Which is sufficiently confirmed by sundry his owne wordes in S. Iohn I am sayeth he the bread of lyfe Againe this is bread comming downe from heauen that if any eate of it he dye not I am the liuely bread that came downe from heauen if any eate of this bread he shall lyue euerlastingly And to shewe what bread he meant he coÌ„cludeth with these wordes And the bread which I shall geue is my fleshe which I shall geue for the life of the world By which wordes he assureth vs plainely that his fleshe which he geueth vs to eate is full of lyfe and ioyned with his godhed which bringeth to the worthy receiuers thereof immortalitie as well of body as of soule Which thing fleshe and bloud of it selfe could not performe as our lord him selfe declareth plainely where he
which is at this present receiued and may of mannes nature be sene is called an image In this saying of Origen this word image doth not in significatioÌ„ diminishe the truth of thinges so as they be not the very thinges in dede for the thinges that Christ dyd in fleshe were true thinges but when they are termed the image of thinges thereby is signified so farre as the condition and nature of man can beholde and see them This is most plainely vttered by Oecumenius a Greke writer vppon these wordes of saint Paul to the Hebrewes Non ipsam imaginem rerum Hebr. 10. Not the image it selfe of thinges id est verità tem rerum that is the truth of thinges sayeth he and addeth further Res appellat futuram vitam imaginem auteÌ„ rerum Euangelicam politiam vmbram verò imaginis rerum vetus Testamentum imago enim manifestiora ostendit exemplaria adumbratio autem imaginis obscurius haec manifestat nam haec veteris testamenti exprimit imbecillitatem The sense of which wordes may thus be vttered in English S. Paul calleth the lyfe to come the thinges and the ordinance or disposition of the thinges in the gospell he calleth the image of thinges and the olde testament he nameth the shadowe of the image of thinges For an image sheweth samples more manifest but the adumbration or shadowing of the image sheweth these thinges but darkely for this doth expresse the weakenes of the olde testament By this place of Oecumenius we see that although it be proper to an image to exhibite the truth of thinges and therefore by interpretation he sayeth Imaginem id est veritatem the image that is the truth yet the proper and right taking of the word signifieth the waye or maner of a thing to be exhibited not the thing it selfe that what the image hath lesse then the thing it selfe it is to be vnderstanded in the maner of exhibiting not in the thing it selfe exhibited Hitherto we haue brought examples to declare that the wordes figure and image signifie the truth of thinges exhibited in dede though in secrete and priuie maner Certaine fathers vse the wordes signum sacramentum that is signe and Sacrament in the same signification Saint Augustine in libro SententiaruÌ„ Prosperi De consecra dist 2. can VtruÌ„ sub figura sayeth thus Caro eius est quam forma panis opertam in sacramento accipimus sanguis eius quem sub vini specie sapore potamus carâ— videlicet carnis sanguis est sacramentúm sanguinis carne sanguine vtroque inuisibili spirituali intelligibili signatur visibile domini nostri Iesu Christi corpus palpabile plenum gratia omnium virtuâ—um diuina maiestate It is his fleshe that we receiue do â—â—â—ered with the forme of bread in the Sacrament and his bloud that vnder the shape and sauour of wyne we drinke soothly fleshe is a sacrament of fleshe and bloud is a sacrament of bloud by the fleshe and the bloud bothe inuisible spirituall intelligible our lord Iesus Christ his visible and palpable body full of the grace of all vertues and diuine Maiestie is signified or as it were with a signe noted In these wordes of Saint Augustine we see the fleshe of Christ called a sacrament of his fleshe and the bloud a Sacrament of his bloud in as much as they be coouered with the forme of bread and wyne yet verely and in substance present and likewise he letteth not to call this veritie or truth of the thinges them selues thus couertly exhibited a signe of Christes visible and palpable body so that the naming of a signe doth not importe a separation from the truth but sheweth a distincte maner of the truth exhibited And therefore according to the truth of the maner of exhibiting it is not the fleshe of Christ but the sacrament of the fleshe of Christ for that the fleshe doth not exhibite it selfe in his owne shape but in a Sacrament And therefore in an other place he writeth thus Sicâ—t ergâ— coelestis panis De consecra dist 2. can Hoc est quod dicimus qui caro Christi est suo modo vocatur corpus Christi cum re vera sit sacramentum corporis Christi illius videlicet quod visibile quod palpabile mortale in cruce positum est vocaturque ipsa immolatio carnis quae sacerdotis manibus fit Christi passio mors crucifixio non rei veritate sed significante mysterio Sic Sacramentum fidei quod Baptismus intelligitur Fides est As the heauenly bread sayeth Saint Augustin which is the fleshe of Christ in his maner is called the body of Christ when as in very dede it is the sacrament of Christes body euen of that which is visible which is palpable and being mortall was put on the crosse and the sacrificing it selfe of his fleshe which is done by the priestes handes is called the passion the death the crucifying of Christ not in truth of the thing but in mysterie signifying So the Sacrament of faith which is vnderstanded to be baptisme is faith By heauenly bread he vnderstanded not wheaten bread but that heauely meate which he sayeth to be the fleshe of Christ and this farre he affirmeth the truth of his fleshe it selfe which he sayeth to be called suo modo in his maner the body of Christ as who should saye whose truth notwithstaÌ„ding if ye beholde on the behalfe of the maner of exhibiting in very dede it is a Sacrament of Christes body which is in visible shape so as he speaketh of Christes body that hath suffred In Psa 98. In 1. cap. Ephes Agayne S. Augustine sayeth in an other place Non hoc corpus quod videris comestari estis Not this body which ye see shall ye eate And Saint Hierom sayeth diuinam spiritualem carneÌ„ manducandam dari aliam quideÌ„ ab ea quae crucifixa est that diuine and spirituall fleshe is geuen to be eaten other beside that wich was crucifyed Wherefore in respecte of the exhibiting the fleshe is diuided that in it selfe is but one and the fleshe exhibited in mysterie is in very dede a Sacrament of Christes body visible and palpable which suffred on the crosse And thus it foloweth of conuenience whereas the fleshe is not the same according to the qualities of the exhibiting which was crucifyed and which now is sacrificed by the handes of a priest againe where as the passion death and resurrection are sayde to be done not in truth of the thing but in mysterie signifying it foloweth I saye that the fleshe is not the same in qualities so as it was on the crosse though it be the same in substance Many mo auctorities might be alleaged for the opening of this matter but these for this present are ynough if they be not too many as I feare me they will so appeare to the vnlearned reader and to such as be not geuen to earnest studie and diligent
of the Sacrament being the Institution of Christ and the maner number and other rites of the receiuing not fixed nor determined by the same but ordered by the Churches disposition whether many or fewe or but one in one place receiue for that respecte the ministration of the priest is not made vnlaufull But if they alleage against vs the exāple of Christ saying that he receiued it not alone but did communicate with his twelue Apostles and that we ought to folow the same I answer that we are bounde to folow this example quo ad substantiam nō quo ad externam ceremoniam for the substance not for the outward ceremonie to the which perteineth the number and other rites as is a fore sayde Christes exāple importeth necessitie of receiuing onely the other rites as number place tyme etc. be of congruence and order In which thinges the churche hath taken order willing and charging that all shall communicate that be worthy and disposed And so it were to be wished as oftentymes as the priest doth celebrate this high sacrifice that there were some who worthely disposed might receiue their rightes with him and be partakers sacramētally of the body and bloude of Christ with him But in case such do lacke as we haue sene that lacke commonly in our tyme yet therefore the cōtinuall and dayly sacrifice ought not to be intermitted For sith this is done in remembraunce of Christes oblation once made on the Crosse for the Redemption of all mankinde therefore it ought dayly to be celebrated thorough out the whole churche of Christ for the better keping of that great benefite in remembraunce and that though none receiue with the priest And it is sufficient in that case if they that be present be partakers of those holy mysteries spiritually and communicate with him in prayer and thankes geuing in faith and deuotion hauing their mynde and will to communicate with him also facramentally when tyme shall serue M. Iuell and many other of that syde thinke to haue an argument against priuate Masse of the word Communio as though the sacramēt were called a communion in cōsyderation of many receiuers together So he calleth that a Communion In his sermō fo 41. which is for the whole congregation to receiue together And therefore in his sermon oftentymes he maketh an opposition betwen priuate Masse and communion and alleaging diuerse places where mention is of a communion inferreth of eche of them an argument against priuate Masse But this argument is weake and vtterly vnlearned as that which procedeth of ignorance For it is not so called because many Why the sacramēt is called a cōmuniō or as M. Iuell teacheth the whole congregation communicateth to gether in one place but because of the effecte of the Sacrament for that by the same we are ioyned to God and many that be diuerse be vnited together and made one mysticall body of Christ which is the churche of which body by vertue and effecte of this holy Sacrament all the faithfuls be membres one of an other and Christ is the head Thus diuerse auncient doctoures doo expounde it and specially Dionysius Areopagita Ecclesias hierarch cap. 3. where speaking of this sacrament he sayeth Dignissimum hoc Sacramentum sua praestantia reliquis sacramentis longè antecellit atque ea causa illud meritò singulariter communio appellatur Nam quanuis vnumquodque sacramentum id agat vt nostras vitas in plura diuisas in vnicum illum statum quo Deo iungimur colligat attamen huic Sacramento Communionis vocabulum praecipuè ac peculiariter congruit This most worthy Sacrament is of such excellencie that it passeth farre all other sacramentes And for that cause it is alonely called the communion For albe it euery Sacrament be such as gathereth our lyues that be diuided a sunder many wayes in to that one state whereby we are ioyned to God yet the name of cōmunion is fitte and conuenient for this sacrament specially and peculiarly more then for any other By which wordes and by the whole place of that holy father we vnderstand that this sacramēt is specially called the communion for the speciall effecte it worketh in vs which is to ioyne vs nearely to God so as we be in him and he in vs and all we that beleue in him one body in Christ And for this in dede we doo not communicate alone For in asmuch as the whole churche of God is but one house De coena domini as Saint Cyprian sayeth Vna est domus ecclesiae in qua agnus editur There is one house of the church wherein the lambe is eaten and S. Paul sayeth to Timothe ◠Tim. 3. that this house of God is the churche of the lyuing God who so euer doth eate this lambe worthely doth cōmunicate with al christen men of all places and countries that be in this house and doo the like And therefore S. Hierom a priest shewing him selfe loth to contend in writing with S. Augustine a bishop calleth him a bishop of his communion Inter epistolas Augustini epist 14. His wordes be these Non enim conuenit vt ab adolescentia vsque ad hanc aetatem in monasteriolo cum sanctis fratribus labore desudans aliquid contrà Episcopum communionis meae scribere audeam eum Episcopū quem ante coepi amare quâm nosse It is not meete sayeth he that I occupied in labour from my yowth vntil this age in a poore monasterie with holy brethren shuld be so bolde as to write any thing against a bishop of my communion yea and that bishop whom I beganne to loue er that I knewe him Thus we see that S. Hierom and S. Augustine were of one communion and dyd comunicate together though they were farre a sunder the one at Bethlehem in Palestina the other at Hippo in Aphrica Thus there may be a Communion though the communicantes be not together in one place What if foure or fyue of sundry houses in a sicknes tyme being at the pointe of death in a parrish requyre to haue their rightes er they departe The priest after that he hath receiued the sacrament in the church taketh his naturall sustenaunce and dyneth and then being called vpon carieth the reste a mile or two to the sicke in eche house none being disposed to receiue with the sicke he doth that he is requyred Doth he not in this case communicate with them and doo not they cōmunicate one with an other rather hauing a will to communicate together in one place also if oportunitie serued Elles if this might not be accōpted as a lawfull and good communion and therfore not to be vsed th' one of these great inconueniences shuld wittingly be committed That either they shuld be denyed that necessarie vitayle of lyfe at their departing hence which were a cruel iniurie and a thing contrary to the examples and godly ordināces of the primitiue
Gelasius went about to spredde their heresie in Rome and in the parties of Italie Their hereticall opinion was that Christ tooke not oure fleshe and bloude but that he had a phaÌ„tasticall bodye and dyed not ne rose agayne trulye and in dede but by waye of phantasie And therefore at the communion they absteined from the cuppe and the better to cloke their heresie came to receiue the Sacrament in the forme of breade with other catholike people Against whom Leo sayeth thus Serm. 4. de quadra gesima Abdicant enim se sacramento salutis nostrae etc. They dryue theÌ„ selues awaye from the Sacrament of oure saluation And as they denye that Christ oure lorde was borne in truth of oure fleshe so they beleue not that he dyed and rose agayne truly And for this cause they condemne the daye of oure saluation and gladnes that is the sunnedaye to be their sadde fastinge daye And where as to cloke theire infidelitie they dare to be at oure mysteries they temper them selues so in the communion of the Sacramentes as in the meane tyme they may the more safely kepe them priuye With vnworthy mowth they receiue Christes bodye but to drinke the bloude of oure redemption vtterly they will none of it Which thing we would aduertise your holynes of that bothe such men maye be manifested by these tokens vnto you and also that they whose deuilish simulatioÌ„ and fayning is fownde being brought to light and bewrayed of the felowship of saintes maye be thrust out of the churche by priestly auctoritie Thus farre be Leo his wordes Gelasius that succeded fourty yeres after Leo imployed no lesse diligence then he dyd vtterly to vanquish and abolish that horrible heresie of whom Platina wryteth that he banished so many maniches as were fownde at Rome and there openlye burned their bookes And because this heresie shuld none elles where take roote and springe he wrote an epistle to Maiâ—ricus and Ioannes two bisshops amongest other thinges warning them of the same Out of which epistle this fragment onely is taken whereby he doth bothe briefly shewe what the Maniches dyd for cloking of their infidelitie as Leo sayeth and also in as muche as their opinion was that Christes bodye had not verye bloude as being phantasticall onely and therefore superstitiously absteined froÌ„ the cuppe of that holy bloude geueth charge and commaundement that either forsaking their heresie they receiue the whole Sacramentes to witte vnder bothe kyndes or that they be kepte from them wholy Here the wordes of Leo afore mentioned and this canon of Gelasius conferred together specially the storye of that tyme knowen it may sone appeare to any Iuell Or that the people had their commen prayers then in a straunge tonge that they vnderstoode not Of the Church Seruice in learned tonges vvhich the vnlearned people in olde tyme in sundry places vnderstoode not ARTICLE III. IF you meane Maister Iuell by the peoples common prayers such as at that tyme they commonly made to God in priuate deuotion I thinke they vttered them in that tonge which they vnderstoode and so doo Christen people now for the most parte and it hath neuer ben reproued by any catholike doctour But if by the common prayers you meane the publike Seruice of the churche whereof the most parte hath ben pronounced by the bishops priestes deacoÌ„s and other ecclesiasticall ministres the people to sundry partes of it saying Amen or otherwise geuing their assent I graunt some vnderstoode the language thereof and some vnderstoode it not I meane for the tyme you referre vs vnto euen of syx hundred yeres after Christes conuersation here in earth For about nyne hundred yeres past it is certaine the people in some countries had their Seruice in an vnknowen tonge as it shall be proued of our owne countrie of England But to speake first of antiquitie and of the compasse of your first syx hundred yeres it is euident by sundry auncient recordes bothe of doctours and of councelles specially of the councell Laodicene in Phrygia Pacatiana holden by the bishops of the lesser Asia about the yere of our lord 364. that the Greke churches had solemne Seruice in due order and forme set forth with exacte distinction of psalmes and lessons of houres dayes feastes and tymes of the yere of silence and open pronouncing of geuing the kisse of peace to the bishop first by the priestes then by the laye people of offering the Sacrifice of the only ministers coÌ„ming to the aulter to receiue the communion with diuerse other semely obseruations As for the Latine churches they had their prayers and Seruice also but in such fixed order long after the Grekes For Damasus the Pope first ordeyned that psalmes shuld be longe in the churche of Rome alternatim enterchaungeably or by course so as now we sing them in the quyere and that in the ende of euery psalme shuld be sayde Gloria Patri Filio Spiritui sancto sicut erat etc. Which he caused to be done by counsell of S. Hierome In rescripto Hieronymi ad 2. epist Damasi Papae ad HieronymuÌ„ presbyterum that the faith of the 318. bishops of the Nicene councell might with like felowship be declared in the mowthes of the Latines To whom Damasus wrote by Bonifacius the priest to Ierusalem that Hierom would send vnto him psallentiam Graecorum the maner of synging of the Grekes so as he had learned the same of Alexander the bishop in the East In that epistle complayning of the simplicitie of the Romaine churche he sayeth that there was in the Sunnedaye but one epistle of the Apostle and one chapter of the Gospell rehearsed and that there was no synging with the voice hearde nor the comelynes of hymnes knowen among them About the same tyme S. Ambrose also tooke order for the Seruice of his churche of Millane and made holy hymnes him selfe Lib. ConfessionuÌ„ In whose tyme as S. Augustine writeth when Iustina the young Emperour Valentinians mother for cause of her heresie wherewith she was seduced by the Arianes persecuted the catholike faith and the people thereof occupied them selues in deuoute watches more then before tyme ready to dye with their bishop in that quarell it was ordeyned that hymnes and psalmes shuld be song in the churche of Millane after the maner of the east parties that the good folke thereby might haue some comfort and spirituall reliefe in that lamentable state and continuall sorowes Thereof the churches of the West forthwith tooke example and in euery countrie they folowed the same In his seconde booke of Retractations Cap. 11. he sheweth that in his tyme such maner of synging began to be receiued in Aphrica Before this tyme had Hilarius also the bishop of Poiters in Fraunce made hymnes for that purpose of which S. Hierom maketh mention In 2. prooemio coÌ„mentariorum epist ad Galat. Much might be alleaged for proufe of hauing Seruice in the Greke and in the
hanging vp of it or for the Canopie Iuell Or that in the Sacrament after the wordes of Consecration there remayneth only the accidentes and shewes without the substance of breade and wyne Of the remaining of the Accidentes vvithout their substance in the Sacrament ARTICLE X. IN this Sacrament after consecration nothing in substaÌ„ce remayneth that was before neither breade nor wine but onely the Accidentes of breade and wine as their forme and shape sauour smell colour weight and such the like which here haue their being miraculously without their subiecte for as much as after consecration there is none other substance then the substance of the body and bloud of our lord which is not affected with such accidentes as the scholasticall doctours terme it Which doctrine hath alwayes though not with these precise termes ben taught and beleued from the beginning TransubstantiatioÌ„ affirmed and depeÌ„deth of the Article of Transubstantiation For if the substance of bread and wyne be chaunged in to the substance of the body and bloud of our lord which is coÌ„stantly affirmed by all the learned and auncient fathers of the churche it foloweth by a necessary sequell in nature and by drifte of reason that then the accidentes onely remaine For witnes and proufe whereof I will not let to recite certaine most manifest sayinges of the olde and best approued doctours S. Cyprian that learned bishop and holy martyr sayeth thus in sermone de coena domini Panis iste quem dominus discipulis porrigebat non effigie sed natura mutatus omnipotentia verbi factus est caro This bread which our lord gaue to his disciples chaunged not in shape but in nature by the almighty power of the word he meaneth Christes word of ConsecratioÌ„ is made fleshe Lo he confesseth the breade to be chaunged not in shape or forme for that remayneth but in nature that is to saye in substance And to signifie the chaunge of substance and not an accideÌ„tarie chaunge onely to witte from the vse of common breade to serue for Sacramentall bread as some of our newe Maisters doo expounde that place for a shifte he addeth great weight of wordes whereby he farre ouerpeiseth these mennes light deuise saying that by the almighty power of our lordes word it is made fleshe Verely they might consyder as they would seme to be of sharpe iudgement that to the performance of so small a matter as their sacramentall chaunge is the almighty power of gods worde is not nedefull And now if here this worde factus est may signifie an imaginatiue making then why may not verbum caro factum est likewise be expounded to the defence of sundry olde haynouse heresies against the true manhod of Christ Thus the nature of the bread in this sacrament being chaunged and the forme remayning so as it seme breade as before consecration and being made our lordes fleshe by vertue of the word the substance of bread changed into that most excellent substance of the fleshe of Christ of that which was before the accidentes remaine onely without the substance of breade The like is to be beleued of the wyne De consecrat dist 2 caâ— omnia quaecuÌ„que Nothing can be playner to this purpose then the sayinges of S. Ambros. Licet figura panis vini videatur nihil tamen aliud quam caro Christi et sanguis post consecrationem credendum est Although sayeth he the forme of bread and wyne be sene yet after consecration we must beleue they are nothing elles but the fleshe and bloud of Christ After the opinion of this father the shewe and figure of breade and wyne are sene and therefore remaine after coÌ„secratioÌ„ And if we must beleue that which was breade and wyne before to be no other thing but the fleshe and bloud of Christ then are they no other thing in dede For if they were we might so beleue For beleefe is grownded vpon truth and what so euer is not true it is not to be beleued Hereof it foloweth that after consecratioÌ„ the accideÌ„tes and shewes onely remayne without the substaÌ„ce of breade and wyne De SacrameÌ„tis lib. 4. cap. 4. In an other place he sayeth as much Panis iste etc. This bread before the wordes of the SacrameÌ„tes is bread as sone as the coÌ„secratioÌ„ coÌ„meth of bread is made the body of Christ Againe in an other place he sayeth most plainely De ijs qui initiaÌ„tur That the power of consecration is greatter then the power of nature because nature is chaunged by consecration By this father it is euident that the nature that is to saye the substance of breade and wine by consecration being chaunged into the body and bloude of Christ their natural qualities which be accidentes contynewing vnchaunged for performance of the Sacrament remayne without the substance of bread and wyne According vnto the which meaning Theodoritus sayeth videri tangi possunt sicut prius Dialog 2. IntelliguÌ„tur autem ea esse quae facta sunt creduntur The breade and wyne may be sene and felte as before coÌ„secratioÌ„ but they are vnderstaÌ„ded to be the thinges which they are made and beleued We do not in like sorte sayeth S. Augustine take these two formes of breade and wine after coÌ„secratioÌ„ as we tooke them before In lib SeÌ„tent Prosperi de coÌ„se dict 2. ca. Nos autem Sith that we graunt faithfully that before consecration it is bread and wyne that nature hath shapte but after consecration that it is the fleshe and bloud of Christ that the blessing hath consecrated De verbis domini SecunduÌ„ LucaÌ„ Sermone 28. In an other place he sayeth that this is not the bread which goeth in to the body meaning for bodily sustenance but that bread of life qui animae nostrae substantiam fulcit which susteineth the substance of our soule No maÌ„ can speake more plainely hereof then Cyrillê° Hierosolymitanus an olde auctor who wrote in greke and is extant but as yet remayning in written haÌ„de and commen to the sighte of fewe learned men His wordes be not much vnlike the wordes of the scole-doctoures Praebetur corpus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in specie siue figura panis Item praebetur sanguis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christes body sayeth he is geuen vs in forme or figure of bread Againe his bloud is geuen vs in forme of wine A litle after these wordes he sayeth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etc. Ne mentem adhibeas quasi pani vino nudis sunt enim haec corpus sanguis vt Dominus pronunciauit Nam tametsi illud tibi sensus suggerit esse scilicet panem vinum nudum tamen firmet te fides ne gustatu rem dijudices quin potius pro certo ac comperto habe omni duhitatione relicta esse tibi impartitum corpus sanguinem Christi Consyder not sayeth this father these as bare bread and wyne For these are his body
Iuell denyeth Irenaeus receiued the same from Saint Iohn the Euangelist by Polycarpus Saint Iohns scoler He declareth it with these wordes Eum qui ex creatura punis est accepit gratias egit dicens Libro 4. cap. 32. Hoc est corpus meum Et calicem similiter qui est ex creatura quae est secundum nos suum sanguinem confessus est noui testamenti nouam docuit oblationem quam Ecclesia ab Apostolis accipiens in vniuerso mundo offert Deo De quo in duodecim prophetis Malachias sic praesignificauit Non est mihi voluntas in vobis dicit Dominus exercituum Malac. 1. munus non suscipiam de manu vestra He tooke that which by creation is bread and gaue thankes saying this is my body And likewise the cuppe full of that creature which is here with vs and confessed it to be his bloud and thus taught the newe oblation of the newe testament which the churche receiuing of the Apostles doth offer to God through the whole worlde whereof Malachie one of the twelue prophetes dyd prophecie thus I haue no lyking in you sayeth our lord almighty neither will I take sacrifice of your handes because from the rysing of the sunne to the going downe of the same my name is glorified among the nations and incense is offered to my name in euery place and pure sacrifice for that my name is great among the nations What can be vnderstanded by this newe oblation of the newe testament other then the oblation of that which he sayde to be his body and confessed to be his bloude And if he had offered bread and wine onely or the figure of his body and bloud in bread and wine it had ben no newe oblation for such had ben made by Melchisedech long before Neither can the prophecie of Malachie be vnderstanded of the oblation of Christ vpon the crosse for as much as that was done but at one tyme onely and in one certaine place of the world in Golgoltha a place without the gates of Ierusalem neare to the walles of that citie Concerning the sacrifice of a contrite and an humbled heart and all other Sacrifices of our deuotion that be mere spirituall they can not be called the newe oblation of the Newe testament for as much as they were done as well in the olde testameÌ„t as in the newe neither be they all together pure Wherefore this place of Irenaeus and also the prophecie of Malachie wherewith it is confirmed must nedes be referred to the sacrifice and oblation of the body and bloud of Christ dayly throughout the whole world offered to God in the Masse which is the externall Sacrifice of the churche and proper to the newe testament which as Irenaeus sayeth the church receiued of the Apostles and the Apostles of Christ Now let vs heare what S. Cyprian hath written to this purpose Because his workes be common Lib. 2. epist 3. to be shorter I will rehearse his wordes in English If in the Sacrifice which is Christ none but Christ is to be folowed soothly it behoueth vs to obey and doo that which Christ dyd and coÌ„maunded to be done For if Iesus Christ our lord and God very he him selfe be the high priest of God the father and him selfe first offered sacrifice to God the father and coÌ„maunded the same to be done in his remeÌ„braunce verely that priest doth occupie the office of Christ truly who doth by imitation the same thing that Christ dyd And then he offereth to God the father in the church a true and a perfite sacrifice if he begynne to offer right so as he seeth Christ him selfe to haue offered This farre S. Cyprian How can this Article be auouched in more plaine wordes he sayeth that Christ offered him selfe to his father in his supper and likewise coÌ„maunded vs to doo the same Here we haue proued that it is lawfull and hath alwaies from the begynning of the newe tâ—stament ben lawfull for the priestes to offer vp Christ vnto his father by the testimonies of three holy martyrs two Grekes and one Latine most notable in sundry respectes of antiquitie of the rome they bare in Christes churche of learning of constancie of faith stedfastly kepte to death suffred in places of fame and knowledge at Paris at Lions at Carthage Our aduersaries crake much of the sealing vp of their newe doctrine with the bloud of such and such who be writteÌ„ in the booke of lyes not in the booke of lyfe whom they will nedes to be called martyrs Verely if those Moonkes and freres Apostates and renegates wedded to wiues or rather to vse their owne terme yoked to sisters be true martyrs then must our newe Gospellers pull these holy fathers and many thousandes mo out of heauen For certainely the faith in defence of which either sorte dyed is vtterly contrary The worst that I wishe to them is that God geue them eyes to see and eares to heare and that he shut not vp their hartes so as they see not the light here vntill they be throwen awaye into the owtward darkenes Matt. 15. where shall be weeping and grynting of teeth Leauing no small number of places that might be recited out of diuerse other doctours I will bring two of two worthy bishops one of Chrysostome the other of S. Ambrose confirmig this truth Chrysostomes wordes be these Pontifex noster ille est qui hostiam mundantem nos obtulit ipsam offerimus nunc Chrysost in epist ad Heb. Homil 17. quae tunc oblata quidem consumi non potest Hoc autem quod nos facimus in commemorationem fit eius quod factum est Hoc enim facite inquit in mei coÌ„memorationem He is our bishop that hath offered vp the hoste which cleanseth vs. The same doo we offer also now which though it were then offered yet can not be consumed But this that we doo is done in remembraunce of that which is done For doo ye this sayeth he in my remembraunce S. Ambrose sayeth thus In Psalm 38. Vidimus principem Sacerdotum ad nos venientem vidimus et audiuimus offerentem pro nobis sanguinem suum sequamur vt possumus Sacerdotes vt offeramus pro populo sacrificium etsi infirmi merito tamen honorabiles sacrificio Quia etsi Christus non videtur offerre tamen ipse offertur in terris quando Christi corpus offertur We haue sene the prince of priestes come to vs we haue sene and heard him offer for vs his bloud Let vs that be priestes folowe him as we maye that we may offer sacrifice for the people being though weake in merite yet honorable for the sacrifice Because albeit Christ be not sene to offer yet he is offered in earth when the body of Christ is offered Of these our lordes wordes which is geuen for you and which is shedde for you and for many Here S. Ambrose exhorteth the priestes to offer
which celebrateth it may sufficiently be proued by an hundred places of the fathers the matter being vndoubted two or three may suffise First Chrysostom writeth thus in an homelie vpon the Actes In Acta homil 21. Quid dicis in manibus est hostia omnia proposita sunt bene ordinata adsunt angeli adsunt archangeli adest filius Dei cum tanto horrorè adstant omnes adstant illi clamantes omnibus silentibus putas simpliciter haec fieri Igitur alia simpliciter quae pro ecclesia quae pro sacerdotibus offeruntur quae pro plenitudine ac vbertate absit Sed omnia cum fide fiunt What sayest thou hereto the hoste is in the priestes handes and all thinges set forth are in due order The Angels be present the Archangels be present the sonne of God is present Whereas all stād there with so great feare whereas all they stand there crying out to god and all other holde their peace thinkest thou these thinges be done simply and without great cause Why then be those other thinges done also simply bothe the thinges which are offered for plentie and abundaunce God forbydde but all thinges are done with faith Saint Ambrose in his funerall oration made of the death of Valentinian the Emperour calling the Sacrament of th'aulter the holy and heauenly mysteries and the oblation of our mother by which terme he vnderstandeth the church sayeth that he will prosecute the godly soule of that Emperour with the same This father writing vpon the 38. Psalme exhorteth priestes to folowe Christ that as he offered for vs his bloud so priestes offer sacrifice for the people his wordes be these Vidimus principem sacerdotum etc. We haue sene the prince of priestes cōming vnto vs we haue sene and hearde him offering for vs his bloud Let vs that be priestes folowe as we can so as we offer sacrifice for the people though weake in merite yet honorable for the sacrifice etc. That the oblatiō of the Masse is profitably made for others S. Gregorie witnesseth very plainely homilia 37. expounding the place of S. Luke cap. 14. alioqui legationem mittens ea quae pacis sunt postulat Elles he sendeth forth an ambassade and sueth for peace Hereupon he sayeth thus Mittamus ad Dominum legationem nostram flendo tribuendo sacras hostias offerendo Singulariter namque ad absolutionem nostram oblata cum lachrymis benignitate mentis sacri altaris hostia suffragatur Let vs send to our lord our Ambassade with weeping geuing almose and offering of holy hostes For the hoste of the holy aulter that is the blessed Sacrament offered with teares and with the mercifull bountie of our mynde helpeth vs singularely to be assoyled In that homilie he sheweth that the oblation of Christes body in this Sacrament present which is done in the Masse is helpe and cōfort not onely to them that be present but also to them that be absent bothe quycke and dead which he proueth by examples of his owne knowledge Who so listeth to see antiquitie for proufe hereof and that in the Apostles tyme bishops and priestes in the dredfull sacrifice offered and prayed for others as for euery state and order of men and also for holesomnesse of the ayer and for fertilitie of the fruites of the earth etc. Let him reade the eight booke of the constitutions of the Apostles set forth by Clement Iuell Or that the priest had then auctoritie to applye the vertue of Christes death and Passion to any man by the meane of the Masse Of the application of the benefites of Christes death to others by meane of prayer in the Masse ARTICLE XIX THe vertue of Christes death and passion is grace and remission of synnes the appeacing of Gods wrath the recōciliation of vs to God delyueraunce from the deuill hell and euerlasting damnation Our aduersaries imputing to vs as though we sayde and taught that the priest applyeth this vertue effecte and merite of Christes death to any man by the meane of the Masse either belye vs of ignoraunce or sclaunder vs of malice Verely we saye not so Neither doth the priest applye the vertue of Christes passion to any man by the meane of the Masse vvhat applyeth the priest vnto vs in the Masse He doth but applie his prayer and his intent of oblation beseching almighty God to applye the merite and vertue of his sonnes death the memorie whereof he celebrateth at the Masse to them for whom he prayeth It is God and none other that applyeth to vs remission of synne the priest doth but praye for it and by the commemoration of his sonnes death moueth him to applye So as all that the priest doth is but by waye of petition and prayer leauing all power and auctoritie of applying to God which prayer is to be beleued to be of most force and efficacie when it is worthely and deuoutly made in the Masse in the which the priest beareth the person of the whole churche and offereth his prayer in the sacrifice wherein the churche offereth Christ and it selfe through Christ to God Which his prayer and deuout seruice he besecheth to be offered vp by the handes of Angelles vnto the high aulter of God in the sight of the diuine maiestie Sermon◠de coena Domini Of what strēgth prayer made at the Masse is the holy bishop and martyr S. Cyprian witnesseth where he sayeth In the presence of this Sacrament teares craue not in vayne and the sacrifice of a cōtrite harte is neuer denyed his request Or that it was then thought a sounde doctrine Iuell to teache the people that the Masse ex opere operato That is euen for that it is sayde and donne is able to remoue any parte of our sinne Of opus operatum vvhat it is and vvhether it remoue synne ARTICLE XX. IN dede the doctrine vttered in this Article is false and derogatorie to the glorie of our Sauiour Christ For thereby the honour of Christes sacrifice whereby he hath once satisfied for the synnes of all shuld be trāsferred to the worke of the priest which were great wickednes and detestable blasphemie And therefore we will not requyre M. Iuell to yelde and subscribe vnto this Article For we graunt this was neuer thought a sounde doctrine within syx hūdred yeres of Christes Ascensiō nor shall be so thought within syx thousand yeres after the same of any man of sounde beleefe Neither hath it ben at any tyme taught in the catholike churche how so euer it liketh our aduersaries to charge the scolasticall doctours with the sclaunderous reporte of the contrary For it is Christ onely and none other thing that is able to remoue our synnes and that hath he done by the sacrifice of his body once done vpon the crosse Of which sacrifice once performed vpon the crosse with shedding of his bloud this vnbloudy sacrifice of the aulter which is the daily sacrifice of