certayn tymes and was sent to do al thinges that pertained to saluation or that in his office of settynge foorthe Goddes word he vsed no witty persuasions whiche in deede he vsed moste discreetely or that the grafter and waterer bee nothyng whych be Goddes creatures made to his similitude without whose worke there shuld be no increase or to say that he was not alyue who both lyued and ranne from cuntrey to countrey to set foorth Goddes glory or clerely to affirme that he gloried and reioyced in no other thyng thā in Christes crosse who reioyced with all men that were in ioye and sorowed with all that were in sorowe or to deny vtterly that we wrastle agaynst fleshe and bloud whych ceasse not dayly to wrastle and warre agaynst our enemies the worlde the fleshe and the dyuel In all these sentences S. Paule as I sayde ment not clerely to deny these thyngs which vndoubtedly were all trewe but he ment that in comparison of other greatter thynges these smaller were not muche to be estemed but that the greater thynges were the chief thyngs to be consydered As that syn committed by his infirmitie was rather to be imputed to original syn or corruption of nature which lay lurkyng within hym than to his owne will and consent And that although he was sente to baptyse yet he was chiefely sent to preache Goddes worde And that althoughe he vsed wyse and discreete persuasions therin yet the successe therof came principally of the power of God and of the workyng of the holy spirite And that althoughe the grafter and waterer of the gardeyn be some thynges and doo not a lyttell in theyr offyces yet it is God chiefely that geueth the increace And that although he lyued in this worlde yet his chiefe lyfe concernyng God was by Christ whome he had lyuyng within hym And that although he gloried in many other thynges ye in his owne infirmitees yet his greattest ioy was in the redemption by the crosse of Christe And that althoughe oure spiryte dayly fyghteth agaynste our fleshe yet our chiefe and principall fyght is agaynst our gostely enemies the subtill and puisant wicked spirites and diuels The same maner of speeche vsed also S. Peter in his fyrste epistle saiyng That the apparayle of women shoulde not be outwardly with broyded heare and settynge on of golde nor in puttynge on of gorgious apparayle but that the inwarde man of the harte shoulde be with out corruption In whyche maner of speche he intended not vtterly to forbid al browderyng of hear al gold and costly apparell to al women For euery one muste bee apparailed accordyng to their condition state and degree but he ment hereby clerely to condempne all pryde and excesse in apparayle and to moue all women that they should study to deck their soules inwardly with al vertues not to be curious outwardly to deck and adorne their bodies with sumptuous apparell And our sauiour Christe hymselfe was full of suche maner of speeches Gather not vnto you saieth he treasure vpon earthe wyllynge vs therby rather to set our myndes vpon heauenly treasure whyche euer endureth than vpon earthly treasure whiche by many sundry occasions perysheth and is taken awaye frome vs. And yet wordly treasure muste nedes bee had and possessed of some men as the person tyme and occasion dooth serue Likewyse he said Whan you be brought before kynges and princes thynke not what and howe you shal answer Not willyng vs by this negatiue that we shuld negligently and vnaduisedly answere we care not what but that wee shoulde depende of our heauenly father trustynge that by his holy spirite he wyll sufficientely instructe vs of answere rather than to truste of any aunswere to bee deuised by oure owne wytte and study And in the same manner he spake whan he sayde It is not you that speake but it is the spirite of God that speaketh within you For the spirite of god is he that principally putteth godly wordes into our mouthes and yet neuer the lesse we do speake accordyng to his mouyng And to be short in al these sentences folowing that is to saie Call no man your father vpon erth Let no man cal you lord or master Fear not them that kyll the body I came not to send peace vpon earth It is not in me to set you at my right hand or left hande You shal not worshyp the father neither in this mount nor in Ierusalem I take no witnes at no man My doctrine is not myne I seke not my glory In all these negatiues oure sauiour Christe spake not precisely vtterly to deny al y e forsayd things but in cōparison of them to prefer other thinges as to preferre our father and lord in heuen aboue any worldly father lord or master in earth and his feare aboue the feare of any creature and his word and gospell aboue al worldly peace Also to preferre spirituall and inward honoryng of God in pure hart mynd aboue locall corporal outward honor and that Christe preferred his fathers glorye aboue his owne Now forasmuch as I haue declared at length the nature and kynd of these negatiue speches whyche bee no pure negatiues but by comparison it is easy hereby to make answere to S. Iohn Chrysostome who vsed this phrase of speche moste of any author For his meanynge in his foresayde homily was not that in the celebration of the Lords supper is neyther bread nor wyne neither priest nor the body of Christe which the Papistes themselues must nedes cōfesse but his entēt was to draw our myndes vpwardes to heauen that we shuld not consider so muche the bread wine priest and body of Christ we shuld consyder his diuinitee and holy spirite gyuen vnto vs to our eternall saluation And therfore in the same place he vseth so many tymes these words Thinke and thinke not willyng vs by those wordes that we shulde not fixe our thoughtes myndes vpon the bread wine priest nor Christes body but to lyft vp our hartes higher vnto his spirite and diuinite without the whiche his body auaileth nothynge as he saith hym selfe It is the spirite that gyueth lyfe the fleshe auayleth nothyng And as the same Chrysostom in many places moueth vs not to cōsider the water in baptisme but rather to haue respect to the holy ghost receued in baptisme and represented by the water euen so doth he in this homily of the holy cōmuniō moue vs to lift vp our mynds frō al visible corporal things to thīgs inuisible spiritual In so muche that although Christe was but ones crucified yet would Chrysostome haue vs to thynke that we see hym dayly whypped and scourged before our eies and his body hāgyng vpon the Crosse and the speare thruste into his side and the most holy bloud to flowe out of his syde into our mouthes After whiche maner S. Paule wrote to the
not in his humayne nature as the Papistes would haue vs to beleue but the olde authors saye that he is in heauen as concernyng his manhoode and neuerlesse both here and there and euery where as concernyng his Godhead For although his diuinitee bee suche that it is infinite without measure compasse or place so that as concernyng that nature he is circumscribed with no place but is euery where and fylleth all the worlde yet as concernyng his humayne nature he hath measure compasse and place so that whan he was here vpon yearth he was not at the same tyme in heauen and nowe that he is ascended into heauen as concernyng that nature he hath nowe forsaken the yearth and is onely in heauen For one nature that is circumscribed compassed and measured can not be in dyuers places at one tyme. This is the fayth of the olde Catholike churche as appeareth as well by the authors before rehersed as by these that hereafter foloweth Sainct Augustyne speakyng that a body must nedes be in some place saith that if it be not within the compasse of a place it is no where And if it be no where than is it not And S. Cyril consideryng the proper nature of a very body sayd that if the nature of the Godhead were a body it must needes bee in a place and haue quantitee greatnes and circumscription If than the nature of the Godhead muste nedes bee circumscribed if it were a body muche more must the nature of Christes manhoode bee circumscribed and contayned within the compasse of a certayne place Didymus also in his booke De spiritu sancto whiche sainct Hierome did translate proueth that the holy ghost is very God because he is in many places at one tyme whiche no creature can be For sayth he all creatures visible and inuisible be circumscribed and inuironed either within one place as corporal and inuisible thynges be or within the proprietee of their owne substance as Angels inuisible creatures bee so that no Angel sayth he can bee at one tym◠in two places And forasmuche as the holy ghost is in many men at one tyme therefore sayth he the holy ghost must nedes be God The same affirmeth also sainct Basyle That the Angel whiche was with Cornelius was not at the same tyme with Philippe nor the Angell whiche spake to zachary in the altare was not the same tyme in his proper place in heauē But the holy ghost was at one tyme in Abacuk and in Danyel in Babylon and with Hieremy in prison and with Ezechiell in Chober wherby he proueth that the holy ghost is God Wherfore the Papistes whiche saie that the body of Christe is in an infinite numbre of places at one tyme doo make his body to bee God and so confounde the two natures of Christ attributyng to his humaine nature that thynge whiche belongeth onely to his diuinitee whiche is a moste heynous and detestable heresy Agaynst whome writeth Fulgentius in this wyse speakyng of the distinction and diuersitee of the two natures in CHRISTE One and the selfe same Christe saythe he of mankynd was made a man compassed in a place who of his father is God without measure or place One and the selfe same person as concernyng his mans substaunce was not in heauen whan he was in yearth and forsooke the yearthe when he ascended into heauen but as concernynge his godly substaunce whiche is aboue all measure he neither lefte heauen when he cam from heauen nor he left not the yearthe whan he ascended into heauen whiche may be knowen by the moste certayn worde of Christ hym self who to shewe the placyng of his humanitee sayd to his disciples I ascende vp to my father and youre father to my God and your God Also when he had sayd of Lazarus that he was dead he added saiyng I am glad for your sakes that you maye beleeue For I was not there but to shewe the vnmeasurable compasse of his diuinitee he sayd to his disciples Beholde I am with you alwaies vnto the worldes ende Nowe how dyd he go vp into heauen but because he is a verye man conteined within a place Or howe is he present with faythfull people but because he is very God beynge without measure Of these wordes of Fulgentius it is declared most certainly that Christe is not here with vs in earth but by his godhead that his humanitee is in heauen onely and absent from vs. Yet the same is more plainly shewed yf more playnely can bee spoken by Uigilius a byshop and an holy martyr He writeth thus agaynste the heretike Eutyches whyche denyed the humanite of CHRISTE holdynge opinion that he was onely God and not manne Whose erroure Uigilius confutynge proueth that CHRISTE hadde in hym two natures ioyned togyther in one persone the nature of his Godhead and the nature of his manhode Thus he writeth Christ sayd to his disciples If you loued me you wold be glad for I go vnto my father And agayn he sayde It is expedient for you that I go for yf I go not the comforter shal not come to you And yet surely the eternal word of God the vertue of God the wysedome of God was euer with his father and in his father yea euen at the same tyme whan he was with vs and in vs For whan he dyd mercyfully dwelle in this worlde he left not his habitation in heauen for he is euery where whole with his father equall in diuinitee whome no place can conteyne for the Sonne fylleth all thynges and there is no place that lacketh the presence of his diuinitee From whence than and whither dyd he say that he wolde go Or howe dyd he say that he went to his father from whome doubtelesse he neuer departed But that to go to his father and frome vs was to take from this worlde that nature whiche he receaued of vs. Thou seest therfore that it was the propretee of that nature to bee taken away and go from vs which in the ende of the worlde shall bee rendered agayne to vs as the angels wytnessed saiyng This Iesus which is taken from you shal com agayn lyke as you saw hym goyng vp into heauen For looke vpon the myracle looke vpon the mysterie of bothe the natures The sonne of God as concernyng his humanitee went from vs as concernynge his diuinitee he sayde vnto vs Behold I am with you all the dayes vnto the worldes ende Thus farre haue I rehersed the woordes of Uigilius and by and by he concludeth thus He is with vs and not with vs For those whome he lefte and went from them as concernyng his humanitee those he lefte not nor forsoke them not as touchyng his diuinitee For as touchyng the form of a seruant which he toke away from vs into heuen he is absent from vs but by the fourme of God whyche goeth not from vs he is present with vs in earth and
neuerthelesse both present and absent he is all one Christe Hytherto you haue herd Uigilius speke that Christ as concernynge his bodily presence and the nature of his manhode is gone from vs taken from vs is gone vp into heuen is not with vs hath left vs hath forsaken vs. But as concernyng the other nature of his deitee he is styl with vs so that he is bothe with vs and not with vs with vs in the nature of his deitee and not with vs in the nature of his humanitee And yet more clerely doth the same Uigilius declare the same thyng in an other place sayenge If the worde and the fleshe were bothe of one nature seyng that the word is euery where why is not the fleshe than euery where For whan yt was in earthe than verily it was not in heauen and nowe whan it is in heauen it is not surely in yearth And it is so sure that it is not in earth that as concernyng it we looke for hym to come from heauen whom as concernyng his eternall woorde we beleue to bee with vs in earthe Therfore by your doctrine saith Uigilius vnto Eutyches who defended that the diuinitee and humanite in Christe was but one nature either the word is conteyned in a place with his fleshe or els the fleshe is euery where with the worde For one nature can not receaue in it selfe two diuers and contrary thinges But these two thinges be dyuers and farre vnlyke that is to say to be conteyned in a place and to be euery where Therfore in as muche as the word is euery where and the fleshe is not euery where it appeareth playnly that one Christ hym self hath in hym two natures that by his diuine nature he is euery where and by his humain nature he is conteined in a place that he is created hath no beginnyng that he is subiect to death can not die Wherof one he hath by the nature of his worde wherby he is God the other he hath by y ◠nature of his fleshe wher by the same God is man also Therfore one son of God the self same was made the sonne of mā and he hath a begynnynge by the nature of his fleshe and no begynnynge by the nature of his Godheade He is created by the nature of his fleshe and not created by the nature of his Godhead He is comprehended in a place by the nature of his fleshe and not comprehended in a place by the nature of his Godhead He is inferiour to angels in the nature of his fleshe and is equall to his father in the nature of his Godhead He dyed by the nature of his fleshe and died not by the nature of his Godhead This is the faithe and catholyke confession whyche the Apostles taught the martyrs dyd corroborate and faithfull people kepe vnto this daie All these be the saiynges of Uigilius who accordyng to al the other authors before rehersed and to the faith and catholike confession of the apostles martyrs and all faithfull people vnto his tyme saith that as concernyng Christes humanitee whan he was here on erthe he was not in heauen and nowe whan he is in heauen he he is not in earthe For one nature can not bee both conteyned in a place in heauen and be also here in earthe at one tyme. And for asmuche as Christe is here with vs in earth and also is conteined in a place in heauen he proueth thereby that Christ hath two natures in hym the nature of a man wherby he is gon from vs and ascended into heauen and the nature of his godhed wherby he is here with vs in erth So that it is not one nature y t is here with vs that is gone from vs that is ascended into heauen and ther cōteined that is permanēt here with vs in erth Wherfore the Papistes whiche nowe of late yeares haue made a newe faythe that Christes naturall bodye is really and naturally present bothe with vs here in earthe and sytteth at the ryght hande of his father in heauen do erre in two very horrible heresies The one that thei confound his two natures his godhead his manhod attributynge vnto his humanitee that thyng which appertaineth only to his diuinitee that is to say to be in heuen and erth and in many places at one tyme. The other is that they deuide and separate his humain nature or his body makyng of one body of Christ. ii bodyes and ii natures one whiche is in heauen visible and palpable hauing al membres and proportions of a most perfect natural man an other which they say is in erth here with vs in euery bread and wyne that is consecrated hauing no distinction forme nor proporcion of membres whiche contrarieties diuersities as this holy martyr Uigilius saith can not be together in one nature But now seyng that it is so euident a matter bothe by the expresse wordes of scripture also by all tholde authors of the same that our sauior Christ as cōcernyng his bodely presence is ascended into heauē and is not here in yerth And seyng that this hath been the true confession of the catholike fayth euer sithens Christes ascencion it is nowe to be cōsidered what moued the Papistes to make a newe and contrary fayth what scriptures they haue for their purpose What moued them I knowe not but their own iniquitie or the nature and condicion of the sea of Rome whiche is of all other most contrary to Christ and therfore most worthy to be called the sea of Antichrist And as for scripture thei allege none but only one that not truly vnderstāded but to serue their purpose wrested out of tune wherby they make it to gerre sound cōtrary to al other scriptures partainyng to that matter Christ toke bread say they blessed and brake it and gaue it to his disciples saiyng This is my body These woordes they euer styll repeate and beate vpon that Christe sayd This is my body And this saiyng they make their shote anker to proue therby aswell the real and nataral presence of Christes body in the sacrament as their imagined Transubstantiation For these woordes of Christ say they be most playne and most true Than forasmuch as he sayd This is my body it must nedes be true that that thyng whiche the priest holdeth in his hādes is Christes body And if it be Christes body than can it not be bread whereof they gather by their reasonyng that there is Christes body really present and no bread Nowe forasmuche as all their profe hangeth onely vpon these wordes This is my body the true sence and meanyng of these wordes must be examined But say they what nede thei any examinacion What wordes can bee more playne than to say This is my body Truth it is in deede that the woordes bee as playne as may be spoken but that the sence is not so plaine it
expounding these wordeÌ„s thei vary amoÌ„g them selfes which is a tokeÌ„ that thei be vncertain of their owne doctrine For some of them saye that by this pronoune demonstratiue this Christ vnderstode not the bread nor wyne but his body and bloud And other som say that by the pronoune this he ment nether the bread nor wyne nor his body nor bloud but that he ment a particular thyng vncertayne whiche they cal Indiuiduum vagum or Indiuiduum in genere I trow some Mathematicall quiditee they can not tell what But let all these Papistes together shew any one authoritee either of scripture or of auncient author either Greke or Latin that saith as thei say that Christ called not breade and wyne his body and bloud but Indiuiduum vagum and for my part I shall geue theim place and confesse that they say trewe And if they can shewe nothynge for theym of antiquitee but onely their owne bare wordes than it is reason that thei geue place to the truthe confirmed by so many authoritees both of scripture and of auncient writers which is that Christ called very material bread his body and very wyne made of grapes his bloud Nowe this beyng fully proued it must nedes folow consequently that this maner of speking is a figuratiue speeche For in playne and proper speche it is not true to saie that breadde is Christes body or wyne his bloud For Christes body hath a soule life sence reason but bread hath neither soule nor life sense nor reason Likewise in playne speche it is not true that we eate Christes body and drynke his bloude For eatynge and drynkynge in their proper and vsuall signification is with the tong teeth and lyppes to swalow diuide and chawe in peeces whiche thyng to do to the fleshe and bloudde of Christ is horrible to be heard of any christian So that these speches To eate Christes body and drynk his bloud be speches not taken in the proper signification of euery worde but by translation of these wordes eatyng and drinkyng from the signification of a corporal thyng to signifie a spiritual thyng and by callyng a thyng that signifieth by the name of the thyng which is signified therby Which is no rare nor straÌ„ge thyng but an vsual maner and phrase in coÌ„mon speeche And yet least this fault shulde be imputed vnto vs that we doo fayne thynges of our owne heades without authoritee as the Papistes bee accustomed to do here shalbe cited sufficient authoritee as well of scripture as of olde auncient authors to approue the same Fyrst when our sauiour Christ in the sixte of Iohn sayd that he was the bread of life the wheÌ„che whosoeuer did eate should not dye but liue for euer that the bread whiche he would geue vs was his fleshe and therefore whosoeuer should eate his fleshe and drynke his bloud should haue euerlastyng lyfe and they that should not eate his fleshe and drynke his bloud should not haue euerlastyng life When Christ had spoken these woordes with many mo of the eatyng of his fleshe and drinkyng of his bloud both the Iewes mani also of his disciples wer offended with his wordes and sayd This is an hard saiyng For howe can he geue vs his fleshe to be eaten Christ perceiuing their murmuring heartes because they knewe none other eatyng of his fleshe but by chawyng and swalowyng to declare that they should not eate his body after that sorte nor that he ment of any suche carnall eatyng he sayd thus vnto theim What if you see the sonne of man ascende vp where he was before It is the spirite that geueth life the fleshe auayleth nothyng The wordes whiche I spake vnto you be spirit and life These wordes our sauior Christ spake to lift vp their myndes froÌ„ yearth to heauen froÌ„ carnal to spiritual eatyng that thei should not phaÌ„tasy that they should with their trethe eate him preseÌ„tly here in yearth for his flesh so eateÌ„ sayth he should nothyng profite them And yet â—o thei should not eate him for he would take his body away from them and ascend with it into heuen And there by fayth not with teeth they should spiritually eate him sittyng at the right hand of his father And therfore sayth he The wordes whiche I do speake be spirite and life that is to say are not to be vnderstand that we shall eate Christ with our teethe grossely and carnally but that we shall spiritually gostly with our fayth eate him beyng carnally absent from vs in heauen And in suche wyse as Abraham and other holy fathers did eate him many yeres before he was incarnated and borne As S. Paule sayth that they did eate the same spiritual meate that wee do and dranke the same spirituall drynke that is to saye Christe For they spiritually by their fayth were fed and norished with Christes body and bloud and had eternal life by him before he was borne as we haue nowe that come after his ascencion Thus haue you hearde the declaracion of Christe him selfe and of sainct Paule that the eatyng and drinkyng of Christes fleshe bloud is not taken in the common signification with mouthe and teethe to eate and chawe a thyng beyng present but by a liuely fayth in heart and mynde to chawe and degest a thyng beyng absent either ascended hence into heauen or els not yet borne vpon yearth And Origene declaryng the sayd eatyng of Christes flesh and drinkyng of his bloud not to be vnderstand as the wordes do sound but figuratiuely wryteth thus vpon these woordes of Christ Except you eate my fleshe and drinke my bludde you shall not haue lyfe in you Considre saith Origen that these thinges written in gods bokes are figures and therefore examine and vnderstande them as spirituall and not as carnall men For if you vnderstand them as carnall menne they hurte you and feede you not For euen in the gospels is there founde letter that kylleth And not only in the olde testamente but also in the newe is there found lettre that slayeth him that doth not spiritually vnderstande that whiche is spoken For if thou folowe the lettre or woordes of this that Christe saide Excepte you eate my fleshe and drinke my bludde this lettre kylleth Who canne more plainlye expresse in any wordes that the eatinge and drinkinge of Christes fleshe and blood are not to be taken in common significacion as the wordes pretend and sound than Origene doth in this place And S. Iohn Chrysostom affirmeth the same saying that if any man vnderstand the woordes of Christ carnally he shall surely profite nothyng therby For what meane these woordes The fleshe auaileth nothinge He ment not of his fleshe god forbid but he ment of them that fleshely and carnally vnderstode those thynges that Christe spake But what is carnall vnderstanding To vnderstand the woordes simply as they be spoken and nothinge els For we ought not so to vnderstande the
say that they dyd eate his body drunke his bloud although he was not yet borne nor incarnated They say that the body of Christ is euery day many tymes made as often as there be Masses sayd that than and there he is made of bread and wyne We say that Christes body was neuer but ones made and than not of the nature and substance of bread and wyne but of the substance of his blessed mother Thei say that the Masse is a sacrifice satisfactory for sinne by the deuocion of the priest that offereth not by the thyng that is offered But we say that their saiyng is a most haynous lye detestable error against the glory of Christ. For the satisfactiō for our synnes is not the deuociō nor offeryng of the priest but the only hoost and satisfaction for all the sinnes of the world is the death of Christ the oblacion of his body vpon the crosse that is to say the oblacion that Christ him selfe offered ones vpon the crosse and neuer but ones nor neuer none but he And therfore that oblation whiche the priestes make dayly in their papistical Masses can not be a satisfactiō for other mens synnes by the priestes deuocion but it is a mere elusion and subtyll craft of the deuil wherby Antichrist hath many yeres blynded and deceiued the worlde They say that Christe is corporally in many places at one tyme affirmyng that his body is corporally and really present in as many places as there be hoostes consecrated We say that as the sonne corporally is euer in heauen and no where els and yet by his operation and vertue the Sonne is here in yearth by whose influence and vertue all thynges in the worlde be corporally regenerated encreased and growe to their perfecte state so lykewise oure sauiour Christe bodely and corporally is in heauen sittyng at the right hande of his father although spiritually he hath promised to be present with vs vpō yearth vnto the worldes ende And whansoeuer two or thre be gathered together in his name he is there in the myddes among them by whose supernal grace all godly menne bee first by him spiritually regenerated and after encreace and growe to their spiritual perfection in God spiritually by fayth eatyng his fleshe and drinkyng his bloud although the same corporally bee in heauen farre distant from our sight Nowe to returne to the principal matter lest it might bee thought a newe deuise of vs that Christe as concernyng his body his humayne nature is in heauen and not in yearth therfore by Gods grace it shal be euidently proued ▪ that this is no newe deuised matter but that it was euer the olde fayth of the catholike churche vntyll the Papistes inuented a newe fayth that Christ really corporally naturally and sensibly is here styll with vs in yearth shut vp in a boxe or within the compasse of bread and wyne This nedeth no better nor strōger profe than that whiche the old authors bryng for the same that is to say the generall profession of all christian people in the common Crede wherein as concernyng Christes humanitee thei be taught to beleue after this sorte That he was conceiued by the holy ghost borne of the virgyn Mary that he suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buryed that he descended into hell and rose againe the third day that he ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of his almightie father and from thence shal come to iudge the quicke and dead This hath been euer the catholyke fayth of christian people that Christ as concernyng his body and his manhood is in heauen and shall there continue vntyll he come doune at the last iudgement And forasmuche as the Crede maketh so expresse mencion of the article of his ascencion and departyng hence from vs if it had been an other article of oure fayth that his body taryeth also here with vs in yearth surely in this place of the Crede was so vrgēt an occasion geuen to make some mention therof that doutlesse it would not haue been passed ouer in our Crede with silence For i◠Christe as concernyng his humanitee be both here gone hence and both those two be articles of our fayth whan mencion was made of the one in the Crede it was necessary to make mencion of the other least by professyng the one we should be dissuaded from beleuyng the other beyng so contrarye the one to the other To this article of oure Crede accordeth holy scripture and all the olde auncient doctours of Christes churche For Christe himselfe saide I leaue the worlde and go to my father And also he saide You shall euer haue poore folkes with you but you shall not euer haue me with you And he gaue warninge of this errour beefore hande saying That the tyme wolde come whan many deceiuers shulde be in the worlde and saye Here is Christe and there is Christe but beleue theim not said Christ. And S. Marke writeth in the last chapiter of his gospell that y e Lorde Iesus was taken vp into heauen and sytteth at the ryghte hande of his father And S. Paule exhorteth all men to seeke for thinges that be aboue in heauen where Christe sayth he sitteth at the ryght hand of God hys father Also he saith that we haue such a bishop that sitteth in heauē at the ryght hand of the throne of Gods maiesty And that he hauing offred one sacrifice for sinnes sitteth continuallye at the right hande of God vntyll his enemyes be put vnder his feete as a foote stoole And herevnto consent all the olde doctoures of the churche Fyrste Origen vpon Mathew reasoneth this matter howe Christe maye be called a stranger that is departed into an other cūtrey seing that he is with vs alwai vnto the worldes end and is among al them that be gathered togither in his name and also in the middes of them that know him not And thus he reasoneth If he be here among vs stil how can he be gone hence as a strāger departed into an other contrey Wherevnto he answereth that Christe is both god and man hauinge in him two natures And as a manne he is not with vs vnto the worldes ende nor is present wyth all hys faythfull that bee gathered togyther in his name but his diuyne power and spirite is euer with vs. Paule saith he was absent from the Corinthes in his body when he was present wyth them in his spirite So is CHRIST sayth he gone hense and absent in his humanitee whiche in his diuine nature is euery where And in this saying saith Origene we diuide not his humanitee for S. Iohn writeth that no spirite that diuideth Iesus can be of God but we reserue to both his natures their owne properties In these wordes Origene hath plainly declared his mind that Christes body is not both present here with vs also
gone hence estranged from vs. For that were to make two natures of one body to diuide the bodye of Iesus for as much as one nature can not at one tyme be both with vs and absent from vs. And therfore saith Origen that the presence must be vnderstand of his diuinitie and the absence of hys humanitee And according herevnto S. Augustin writeth thus in a pistle ad Dardan Doubt not but Iesus Christe as concernynge the nature of his manhode is now there from whence he shal come And remēbre well and beleue the profession of a christian man that he rose from death ascēded into heauen sitteth at the righte hande of his father and from that place and none other shall he come to iudg the quick and the dead And he shal come as the angels said as he was sene go into heauen that is to say in the same forme substaunce vnto the which he gaue immortalitee but changed not nature After this forme saith he meaning his mans nature we may not thinke that he is euery where For we must beware that we do not so stablyshe hys dyuinitee that wee take awaye the veritee of his body These bee S. Augustines plaine wordes And by and by after he addeth these woordes The Lorde Iesus as god is euery where and as manne is in heauen And fynally he concludeth this mattier in these fewe woordes Doubt not but our lorde Iesus Christe is euerye where as God and as a dwellar he is in man that is the temple of God and he is in a certayne place in heauen bicause of the measure of a very bodye And againe S. Augustine writeth vpon the gospell of S. Iohn Our Sauiour Iesus Christ saith S. Augustine is aboue but yet his truth is here His body wherein hee arose is in one place but his truthe is spred euerye where And in an other place of the same boke S Augustine expoundyng these woordes of Christe You shaleuer haue poore menne with you but me you shall not euer haue saithe that Christ spake these woordes of the presence of his bodye For saith he as concernyng his diuine maiestie as concerninge his prouidence as concerninge his infallible and inuisible grace these woordes bee fulfilled whiche hee spake I am with you vnto the worlds end But as concerning the flesh which he toke in his incarnation as concerninge that which was born of the vigin as cōcerning that which was apprehended by the Iewes and crucified vppon a tree and taken doune frome the Crosse lapped in linnen clothes and buried and rose againe and appered after his resurrection as concernyng that fleshe he said You shall not euer haue me wyth you Wherfore seeyng that as concernyng his fleshe he was conuersaunt with his disciples fortye daies and they accompanyeng seyng and folowyng him he wente vp into heauen bothe hee is not here for hee sytteth at the ryght hande of his father and yet hee is here for hee departed not hense as concernynge the presence of hys diuine Maiestie As concernynge the presence of his maiestie wee haue Christe euer with vs but as concernyng the presence of hys fleshe he said truely to his disciples Ye shall not euer haue me with you For as concernynge the presence of hys fleshe the churche had Christ but a fewe dayes yet nowe it holdeth hym faste by faythe though it see him not with eyes All these be S. Augustines woordes Also in an other booke entitled to sainct Augustine is written thus We muste beleue and confesse that the sonne of god as cōcerning his diuinite is inuisible without a body immortal and incircumscriptible but as concernyng his humanitee we ought to beleue and confesse that he is visible hath a body and is contayned in a certayne place and hath truely al the membres of a man Of these wordes of S. Augustyne it is most cleare that the profession of the catholike fayth is that Christ as cōcernyng his bodely substāce and nature of man is in heauen and not present here with vs in yearth For the nature and property of a very body is to be in one place and to occupie one place and not to be euery where or in many places at one tyme. And though the body of Christ after his resurrection and ascencion was made immortal yet the nature therof was not chaunged for than as saint Augustyn sayth it were no very body And further sainct Augustyne sheweth bothe the maner fourme howe Christ is here present with vs in yearth howe he is absent saiyng that he is present by his diuine nature and Maiestie by this prouidence and by his grace but by his humaine nature and very body he is absent frō this worlde and present in heauen Cyrillus likewyse vpon the Gospel of sainct Ihon agreeth fully with S. Augustyne saiyng Although Christ toke away frō hence the presence of his body yet in the Maiestie of his Godhead he is euer here as he promised to his disciples at his departyng saiyng I am with you euer vnto the worldes ende And in another place of the same boke sainct Cyril sayth thus Christian people must beleue that although Christ be absent from vs as concernyng his body yet by his power he gouerneth vs and all thynges and is present with all them that loue him Therfore he sayd Truly truly I say vnto you whersoeuer there be two or thre gathered together in my name there am I in the myddes of them For like as when he was conuersant here in yearth as a man yet than he fylled heauen did not leaue the company of Angels euen so beyng nowe in heauen with his fleshe yet he fylleth the yerth is in them that loue him And it is to be marked that although Christ should go away onely as concernyng his fleshe for he is euer present in the power of his diuinite yet for a lytle tyme he sayd he would bee with his disciples These be the wordes of sainct Cyril Sainct Ambrose also sayth that we must not seeke Christ vpon yearth nor in yearth but in heauen where he sytteth at the right hand of his father And likewyse sainct Gregorye wryteth thus Christe sayth he is not here by the presence of his fleshe and yet he is absent no where by the presence of his Maiestie What subtiltee thynkest thou good reader can the Papistes nowe imagyne to defend their pernitious errour that Christe in his humayne nature is bodely here in yearth in the consecrated bread and wyne seyng that all the olde Churche of Christ beleued the contrary and all the olde authors wrote the contrary For they all affirmed beleued that Christe beyng but one parson hath neuerthelesse in him twoo natures or substaunces that is to say the nature of his Godhead and the nature of his manhood They say furthermore that Christe is both goone hence from vs vnto heauen and is also here with vs in yearth but
wee should remembre howe muche Christ hath done for vs and howe he dyed for our sakes Therefore saith saint Paul As often as ye shal eate of this bread and drinke the cuppe you shall shew foorth the Lordes death vntyll he come And forasmuche as this holy breade broken and the wine deuided doo represent vnto vs the death of Christ nowe passed as the kyllynge of the Paschall lambe dyde represent y â— same yet to come therfore our sauiour Christ vsed the same maner of speeche of the bread and wyne as God before vsed of the Paschall lambe For as in the olde Testament God sayd This is the Lordes Passeby or Passeouer euen so sayth Christ in the new Testament This is my body This is my bloude But in the old mistery and sacrament the Lambe was not the Lordes very Passeouer or passyng by but it was a figure whiche represented his passynge by So likewise in the newe Testament the breade and wine be not Christes very body and bloude but they be figures whiche by Christes institution bee vnto the godly receauers thereof Sacramentes tokens significations and representations of his very fleshe and bludde instructyng their faith that as the bread and wine fede them corporally and continue this temporall lyfe so the very fleshe and bloud of Christ feedeth them spiritually and geueth them euerlastyng lyfe And why shulde any man thinke it strange to admit a figure in these speches This is my body This is my bloude seyng that the coÌ„munication the same nyghte by the Papistes owne confessions was so full of figuratiue speeches For the Apostles spake figuratiuely whan they asked Christ where he would eate his passeouer or passeby And Christe hym selfe vsed the same figure when he sayd I haue muche desyred to eate this passeouer with you Also to eate Christes body and to drynke his bloude I am sure they wyl not say that it is taken proprely to eate drike as we doe eate other meates and drynkes And when Christe sayde This cup is a newe testament in my bloude here in one sentence bee two figures One in this worde Cup whych is not taken for the cup it selfe but for the thynge conteyned in the cup. An other is in this worde Testament for neyther the cuppe nor the wyne contained in the cuppe is Christes Testament but is a token signe and figure whereby is represented vnto vs his Testament confirmed by his bloudde And if the Papists wil say as thei say in dede that by this cup is neither ment the cup nor the wine conteyned in the cuppe but that therby is ment Christes bloud contained in the cuppe yet must they nedes graunt that there is a fygure For Christes bloude is not in proper speche the New testameÌ„t but it is the thyng that coÌ„firmed the new testament And yet by this strange interpretation the Papistes make a very straunge speche more strange then any figuratiue speche is For this they make the sentence This bloud is a newe testament in my bloud Which saiyng is so fonde and so farre from all reason that the foolyshenes therof is euident to euery man Nowe forasmuch as it is plainly declared and manifestly proued that Christe called bread his body and wyne his bloud and that these sentences be figuratiue speeches and that Christe as concernyng his humanitee and bodily presence is ascended into heuen with his whole fleshe and bloudde and is not here vpon earthe and that the substance of breade and wyne doo remayne styll and be receaued in the sacrament and that although they remayne yet they haue changed theyr names so that the bread is called Christes bodye and the wyne his bloudde and that the cause why theyr names bee chaunged is this â–ª that we should lyft vp our hartes and myndes frome the thynges whyche we se vnto the thinges whyche we beleue and be aboue in heauen wherof the bread and wyne haue the names althoughe they bee not the very same thynges in dede These thynges well considered and waied all the auctoritees and argumentes whyche the Papistes fayne to serue for theyr purpose be cleane wyped awaie For whether the authors which they alledge say that we doo eate Christes fleshe and drynke his bloudde or that the bread and wyne is conuerted into the substance of his fleshe and bloud or that we bee tourned into his fleshe or that in the Lordes supper we do receaue his very fleshe and bloudde or that in the breadde and wyne is receaued that whyche dydde hange vppon the Crosse or that Christe hathe lefte his fleshe with vs or that Christe is in vs and wee in hym or that he is whole here and whole in heauen or that the same thynge is in the Chalice whyche flowed oute of his syde or that the same thynge is receaued with our mouthe whyche is beleued with our faythe or that the breade and wyne after the Consecration bee the body and bloudde of CHRISTE or that we bee nouryshed with the body and bloude of Christ or that Christe is bothe gone hence and is styll here or that Christe at his laste supper bare hym selfe in his owne handes These and all other like sentences may not be vnderstanded of Christes humanitee litterally and carnally as the wordes in common speeche doo proprely signifie for so doothe no man eate Christes fleshe nor drinke his bloudde nor so is not the bread and wyne tourned into his fleshe and bloud nor we into hym nor so is the breade wyne after the consecration his flesh and blud nor so is not his fleshe and bloud whole heere in earth eaten with our mouthes nor so dydde not Christe take hym selfe in his owne handes But these and all other lyke sentences whiche declare Christe to be here in earth and to be eaten and dronken of christian people are to bee vnderstande eyther of his diuine nature wherby he is euâ—ry where or els they must be vnderstanded figuratiuely oâ— spiritually For figuratiuely he is in the breade and wyne and spiritually he is in them that worthyly eate and drinke the bread and wyne but really carnally and corporally he is onely in heauen frome whence he shall come to iudge the quycke and deade This briefe aunswere wyll suffice for all that the Papistes can bryng for their pourpose yf it bee aptely applyed And for the more euidence hereof I shall applye the same to somme suche places as the Papistes thynke doo make moste for theym that by the aunswere to those places the reste maye bee the more easyly aunswered vnto They alledge saint Clement whose words be these as thei report The sacramentes of Gods secretes are coÌ„mitted to thre degrees to a priest a Deacon and a minister whiche with feare and tremblyng ought to kepe the leauynges of the broken peeces of the Lordes body that no corruption be founde in the holy place least by negligence great iniury bee done to the portion
Lyon a byrdes image a byrde and an image of a tree and herbe is called a tree or herbe So were we wont to say Our lady of Walsyngham Our lady of Ipiswyche Oure lady of Grace Our lady of pytie sainct Peter of Myllan Sainct Ihon of Amyas and suche like not meanyng the thynges them selues but callyng their images by the name of the thynges by them prepresēted And lykewise we were wont to say Great sainct Christopher of Yorke or Lyncolne Oure lady smyleth or rocketh her childe Let vs go in Pilgrymage to sainct Peter at Rome and sainct Iames in Compostella And a thousand lyke speeches whiche were not vnderstand of the very thinges but onely of the images of them So doth sainct Ihon Chrysostome say that wee see Christ with oure eyes touche him feele him and grope him with our handes fixe oure teethe in his fleshe taste it breake it eate it and digest it make redde our tongues and dye them with his bloud and swalowe it and drynke it And in a Cathechisme by me translated set furth I vsed like maner of speeche saiyng that with our bodely mouthes we receiue the body bloud of Christ. Whiche my saiyng diuers ignorant persones not vsed to reade olde auncient authors nor acquainted with their phrase and maner of speeche did carpe and reprehende for lacke of good vnderstandyng For this speeche and other before rehersed of Chrysostome all other like he not vnderstand of the very fleshe and bloud of our sauior Christ whiche in very deede wee neither feele nor see but that whiche wee do to the bread and wyne by a figuratiue speeche is spoken to bee done to the fleshe bloud because they bee the very signes figures and tokens instituted of Christ to represent vnto vs his very fleshe and bloud And yet as with our corporal eyes corporal hādes and mouthes wee do corporally see feele taste and eate the bread and drynke the wyne beyng the signe and sacramentes of Christes body euen so with oure spiritual eyes handes and mouthes we do spiritually see feele taste eate his very fleshe and drynke his very bloud As Eusebius Emissenus sayth Whan thou commest to the reuerend altare to be fylled with spiritual meates with thy fayth looke vpon the body bloud of him that is thy god honor him touche him with thy mynde take him with the hād of thy heart drynke him with the draught of thyne inwarde man And these spiritual thinges requyre no corporall presence of Christ him selfe who sytteth continually in heauen at the right hand of his father And as this is most true so is it ful and sufficient to answere all thynges that the Papistes can bryng in this matter that hath any apparance for their partie Nowe it is requisite to speake some thyng of the maner and forme of worshippyng of Christ by them that receiue this sacrament lest that in the steade of Christ him selfe be worshipped the sacrament For as his humanitee ioyned to his diuinitee and exalted to the right hande of his father is to be worshipped of all creatures in heauen yearth and vnder the yearth 〈◊〉 if in the steade thereof we worshyp the signes and sacramentes we committee as greate Idolatrye as euer was or shall be to the worldes ende And yet haue the very Antichristes the subtilest enemies that Christe hath by their fyne inuentions and crafty scholastical diuinitee deluded many simple soules and broughte theym to this horrible Idolatry to worshyp thynges visible and made with their owne handes persuadyng them that creatures were theyr creatour theyr God and theyr maker For els what made the people to runne frome theyr seates to the altar from aultar to aultar and frō sakeryng as they called it to sakeryng peepyng tootyng and gasynge at the thynge whiche the priest helde vp in his handes if they thought not to honour that thyng whiche they sawe What moued the priestes to lyft vp the sacrament to hye ouer their beades or the people to crie to the prieste holde vp holde vp and one man to saie to an other stoupe downe before or to saie This daie I haue sene my maker And I can not be quiet excepte I see my maker ones a daie What was the cause of al these and that as well the priest as the people so deuoutely dyd knocke and kneele at euery syghte of the sacrament but that they woorshypped that vysyble thynge whyche they sawe with theyr eyes and tooke it for very God For yf they worshypped in spirite onely Christe syttynge in heauen with his father what needed they to remoue oute of theyr seates to toote and gaase as the apostles dyd after Christe whan he was gone vp into heauen If thei worshypped nothyng that they sawe why dyd they ryse vp to see Doubtles many of the simple people woorshipped that thyng which they sawe with their eies And although the subtyl Papistes doo colour and cloke the matter neuer so finely sayeng that they worshyp not the sacramentes whiche they see with theyr eyes but that thyng whyche they beleue with their faith to be really and corporally in the sacramentes yet why doo they than run frō place to place to gase at the thinges whiche they see yf they worshyp them not giuyng therby occasion to them that be ignorant to worship that whyche they see Why doo they not rather quietly syt styll in their seates and moue the people to doo the lyke woorshyppynge God in hart and in spirite than to gadde aboute from place to place to see that thyng whyche they confesse theim selues is not to bee worshipped And yet to eschue one inconuenience that is to saie the worshyppyng of the sacrament they fall into an other as euyl and worshyp ▪ nothyng there at al. For they worship that thyng as thei say whiche is really and corporally and yet inuisibly present vnder the kinds of bread and wine whiche as before is expressed and proued is vtterly nothyng And so they geue vnto the ignorant occasion to worshyp breade and wyne and they them selues worshyp nothynge there at all But the Papistes for their owne commoditee to kepe the people styll in Idolatrye do often allege a certain place of S. Augustyne vpō the Psalmes where he sayth that no man dothe eate the fleshe of Christe excepte he fyrste worship it and that we do not offende in worshippyng therof but we should offende if we should not worship it That is true whiche sainct Augustyne sayt◠in this place For who is hee that professeth Christe and is spiritually fedde and nourished with his fleshe and bloud but he wyll honour and worship him sittyng at the right hande of his father and tendre vnto him frō the bottome of his heart all laude prayse and thankes for his mercyfull redemption AND as this is moste true whiche sainct Augustyne sayth so is that moste false whiche the Papistes would persuade vpon sainct Augustynes woordes that