graciouse presence maketh heauen wher yt pleaseth the same graciouslie to be Yf this place of Chrysostome with the notes of the same be diligentlie weighed yt shall easelie appeare to the reader how vain the glose of Cantorburie Crāmer his glose vpon Chrysostome Li. 4. ca. 8. vpon this and all the like saings of Chrysostom ys wherin of hys absolute authoritie without proofe he saieth that wher Chrysostome saieth that we see Chryst with our eyes we touche him with oure handes we receaue him with our mouthes be not to be vnderstanded of the verie flesh and blood of Chryste but of the bread and wine whiche be the signes of them But for that this glose confowndeth the texte yt ys to be reiected for the woordes of Chrysostom can not beare yt For he saieth not that thowe seist bread and wine but the kinges bodie whiche ys in heauē which ys now sett furthe before thee in earth to be seen Yf we shoulde aske of Chrysostome what we do see in the Sacrament here vpon earth he aunswereth the kinges bodie Yf ye aske again which kinges What ys seen in the Sacrament bodie He answereth the Kinges bodie whiche ys in heauen Yf ye proceade asking where do we see yt he aunswereth before thee So that he maketh no mencion of bread or wine Wherfore I wolde knowe what warrant this Crāmer gloseth withoute warrant man had to geue soche a glose to Chrysostome Yf Chrysostome ment as this man gloseth straunge yt ys that he wolde speake so plain contrary to his mening as to saie yt ys the kinges bodie and ment yt was not Yf the Aduersarie saie the bodie of Chryst cānot be seē No more saie I cā the substance of mā be seen And yet wesaie we see soche a man when we see but the outward accidentes of man we saie we see the king when we see no Obiection Answer parte of him but the garment that he hath vpon him and so of other thinkes when we see ther outwarde formes and consider ther substance we saie Cap. 62. Anignorāt obiection of the Aduersaries and that truly we see the thing But I will speake of this more in the second booke But here the Aduersarie will further obiecte and saie Yf that thing be in the Sacrament that ys woorthie of most high honour as Chrysostom saieth and one parte of that high honour ys to be sacrificed vnto Then Chryste ys not in the Sacrament For as your selues saie Chryst ys your sacrifice Who being in the Sacrament ye offer vnto that thing that ys in the Sacrament And so foloweth this absurditie that the Sacrifice and he to whome the Sacrifice ys offred ys all one This obiection conuinceth the obiectour of ignorance of the faith of the church or ells of malice against the receaued faith of the same For yf he had The answere either red what S. Augustine writeth in this matter or yf he haue red yt he wolde not arrogantly and maliciouslie contemne the same he wolde either not thus obiecte or sooen be by sainct Augustine satisfied To aunswer this thus saieth he Christus vnus manet cum illo cui offert vnum se facit cum illis pro Li. 4. de trini ca. 14 quibus ipse se offert vnus est cum illis qui offerunt vnum cum illo quod offertur Chryste saieth he abideth one with him to whome he offreth and he maketh him self one with them for whom he dothe offer and he ys one with them which do offer and one with that that ys offred Thus S. Augustine Weighe with me gētle Reader eche parte of this sentēce First he saieth Christ doth both offre and ys offred vnto that Chryste abideth one with him to whom he offreth In whiche sainge note that Chryste dothe both offer and ys also he to whome he offreth For Cbryste as man offreth hys owne bodie in sacrifice to him self as God Et tamen Deus homo vnus est Christus as saieth Athanasius And yet God and man ys one Chryste Wherby ys aunswered in fewe woordes the obiection of the Aduersarie In Simbolo For Chryste ys bothe he to whome the sacrifice ys made And he him self also ys the Sacrifice yt self that ys made as the latter parte of sainct Augustines sainge dothe shewe Et vnum est cum illo quod offertur He ys one withyt that ys offred In the whiche saing yow maie perceaue that Chryst ys the preist that offreth he ys the Sacrifice that ys offred and he ys he to whome the sacrifice ys offred Obiectiō Perchance the Aduersarie who seketh by all meanes to impugne And therbie to flee from the truth and his saluacion will saie that sainct Augustin speaketh this of the Sacrifice offred vpon the Crosse and not of the Sacrifice offred in the Masse Answer In case yt so were yet the former maliciouse obiection of him ys not onelie perceaued but also soluted For in dede Chryst making his sacrifice vpon the crosse was bothe the preist the sacrifice and also he to whom the sacrifice was made And therfor falleth that argument that shoulde proue that Chryst ys not in the Sacrament bicause he was the sacrifice that was offred to him self in the Sacrament who as Chrysostome saied ys most woorthie of the highest honoure But that this was spoken of the Sacrifice offred in the Masse the selfe same sentence of sainct Augustin shall declare and proue For first yt ys manifest that no man did offer Chryst vpon the Crosse in consideracion of a sacrifice but he himself But here sainct Augustine speaketh not onelie of the sacrifice of Chryst by him self but by other also as yt ys euident when he saieth Et vnus est cum illis qui offerunt And he ys one withe them that doo offer Now ioining the whol sētēce together ād not taking yt trūcatelie or by peice meall as heretikes doo to maintein there heresies and to deceaue the simple wher ys ther any sacrifice the which ys offred of manie with the which and them that offer and with the Sacrifice offred and with him to whom yt ys offred Chryst ys one but in the Sacrifice of the Masse in the which the Churche being they that doo offer which Churche ys the bodie of Chryst and Chryste beinge the heade of the same bodie be one with yt And therfore Christ is offered of his Church and the Churche of Christ when the Churche dothe offer that sacrifice Chryste as one with yt offreth also And so by this wonderfull connexion of the head and the bodie yt cometh to passe that bothe the Churche ys offred by Chryste and Chryst by the Churche as saincte Augustin doth saie Sacerdos ipse est ipse offerens ipse oblatio Cuius rei sacramentum quotidianum voluit esse Ecclesiae sacrificium cum ipsius corporis ipse sit caput ipsius capitis ipsa sit corpus tam ipsa per
withall we beleue that his Godhead ys euery wher Yt ys not denied but declared aboue also that the bodie of Chryst in whiche he did rise maie be in one place So that we dissent not one title from sainct Augustin For though the bodie of Christe maie be in one place yet yt ys not enforced that yt must of necessitie be in one place Nowe gentle Reader thowe hauest seen the trueth of this matter testified by wittnesses sufficient thow hauest seen the obiections of the Aduersaries â—ullie dissolued I wish thee nowe soche faith as Abraham had wherbie he was iustified Who hearing the promisse of God that his seed shoulde be as the starres of heauen and Sandes of the Sea fainted not in faith nor yet considered Gen. 13. 15. Rom. 4. hys owne bodie whiche was nowe dead euen when he was almost an hondreth yeares olde neither yet that Sara was past childe bearing he staggered not at that promisse of God through vnbelief but became strong in faith and gaue God the praise being full certified that he whiche had promised was also able to make yt good that thow likewise knowing by faith whiche thowe hauest learned of the Fathers as they haue learned the same of the verie woorde of God that Chrystes blessed bodie ys in the Sacrament and also in heauen consider not nowe the naturall ordre of thinges as Abraham did not neither of hys owne bodie neither of hys wieues but become strong in faith and faint not neither stagger at the promisse of God through vnbelief But consider and be fullie certified that Chryste who hath spoken and saied This ys my bodie ys able to make yt Naturall ordre had no place in manie of Chrystes doinges good And he that against the ordre of nature began ths life of man for that he was born of a virgen and against the same ordre withoute enforcement gaue vppe his owne soule and died at his owne pleasure and that crieng with a great voice and likewise contrarie to the same nature rose from death the third daie passing through the stone for that hys monument was â—ast closed aÌ„d the eight daie after as yt ys testified passed through the doores into his disciples and finallie ending hys a boade vpon earth besides nature ascended into heauen that he appointing hys bodie to be here in the Sacrament and in heauen also ys so to be beleued though naturall ordre repeine For seing he hath so appointed yt ys so in verie dede THE THIRTENHT CHAPITER BEGINNETH THE exposition of an other text in the sixt of S. Iohn I Will nowe leaue this matter of Chrystes being in manie places as sufficientlie treacted of and proued and return to the sixt chapiter of S. Iohn and entre the exposition of the text ther ensewing whiche ys this Dixit ergo eis Iesus Amen Amen dico vobis nisi manducaueritis carnem filij hominis biberitis eius sanguinem non habebitis vitam in vobis Iesus therfor saied vnto them Verilie Verilie I saie vnto yowe except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke hys blood Ioan. 6. ye shall haue no life in yowe Wheras the Iews through vnbelief thought yt an vnpossible thing for Christ to geue his flesh to be eaten Chryst here aunswering theÌ„ declareth yt to be possible and necessarie to be doen yea and so necessarie that except we eate his flesh and drinke his bloode we shal not haue life For as man concerning his naturall life must haue two thinges necessarie to life that ys birth to beginne and entre life and then foode to nourish and maintein the same with out the whiche yt can not be continued So as concerning the spirituall life man must haue accordinglie his birth and foode birth to be born and entre into that life whiche birth ys baptisme whiche ys of soche necessitie that as he speaketh heare of the necessitie of the foode so speaketh he of the necessitie of this birthe saing to Nicodemus Amen Amen dico tibi nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua et Spiritu sancto non potest introire in regnuÌ„ Dei Verilie verilie Joan. 3. I saie vnto thee Except a man be born again of water and the holie Gost he can not entre into the kingdom of God Nowe when man by Baptisme ys born in to the spirituall life and hath begon yt he must nedes haue foode to sustein the same or ells he shall not continewe life whiche foode ys the bodie and blood of Chryste a foode by Chryste himself appointed whiche yf we take not we can not liue And therfore he saieth Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke hys bloode ye shall not haue life in yowe Hitherto the Aduersarie will agree with me expownding all that ys saied in his sense of spirituall eating and drinking of the flesh and blood of Chryste with whoÌ„ I will thus farre agree also that soche as be of mature age and Corporall eating with out the spiritual eating auaileth not haue atteigned to the yeares of discrecion except they eate the flesh of Chryst and drinke hys bloode spirituallie they shall not liue For the corporall eating withoute the spirituall eating ys not auailable But both these together nourishe life in man and make him lustie and stronge in God But that this texte extendeth not the necessitie therin mencioned to the corporall eating and drinking of Chrystes flesh and blood also which thys Aduersarie affirmeth that ys vntrue He wolde haue no other receauing of Chryste but the spirituall receauing bicause he wolde haue no other presence but the spirituall presence but that this texte speaketh also of the corporall eating and receauing of the reall and substanciall bodie of Chryste in the Sacrament the connexion and dependence of the Scriptures do proue For the first sainge of Chryste whiche we haue allready expownded that the bread whiche he wolde geue ys hys flesh c. speaketh of Chrystes naturall flesh to be geuen in the Sacrament as ys allready declared and sufficientlie proued And this texte speaketh of the same flesh as the connexion well proueth Wherfore Chryste here speaketh also of the corporall eatinge of hys flesh in the Sacrament The necessitie of whiche eating ys soche that yf we contemne that eating of yt being as ys saied of mature age and discrecion we shall not haue life But that yt maie appeare that the Church through oute all ages hath eueÌ„ thus vnderstanded this texte as I do I will conuerte me to the ordre that I haue prescribed to my self to heare the great auncient men and learned Fathers of both sides of Chrystes Parliament house both of the greke and of the latin Churche And although yt might suffice for the vnderstanding of all that ys here spoken of the Sacrament for thatthey vnderstoode the first text of the same to proue that therfore the rest whiche apperteineth to the same matter must be euen so vnderstanded
doen yt ys a thing vnpossible and who can abide to heare yt But yf they wolde as Theophilact saieth vnderstand aboue the senses that ther ys the very reall body of Chryst which ys yet a spirituall meat and not take yt so grosslie and carnallie but yet verilie and spiritually they should not be grosse deuourers of flesh but yet eate the verie flesh of Chryst not with teeth percing and hurting that which ys liuing impassiblie and yet with the mouth receauing that flesh faithfullie THE FOVR AND THIRTETH CHAP. BEGINneth the exposition of this text Si ergo videritis c. by sainct Augusten and sainct Cyrill OWre Sauiour perceauing some of hys owne Disciples and other who heard him so plainlie speaking of the eating and drinking of his flesh and bloode to be offended bicause thei phansied that he wolde haue them groslie to deuoure his flesh ād drinke his blood to lead and bring them from this ther grosse vnderstanding he saied doth this offended yowe Si ergo videritis filium hominis ascendentē vbi erat prius What Joan. 6. and if ye shall see the Sōne of man ascēde vppe thither wher he was before Or we entre to shewe the exposition of this text as to know to what pourpose or wherfore Chryst spake these woords to the Iewes and how he doth aunswer their in credulitie to his woordes or dissolue their errour this ys to be examined how Chryst doth saie that the Sonne of man shall ascend wher he was before Yt ys knowen to all that professe Chryst being of discrecion that Chryst as man was born of the Virgen in earth and was neuer in heauen before he spake these woordes Howe then doth he saie that the Sonne of man shall ascende wher he was before As I haue learned of S. Augustine howe to dissolue this doubte So do I Aug. tract 27. in Ioan thinke yt mete that ye do for that his authoritie ys great and his saings be weightie In this matter thus he reasoneth Illud non negligenter praetereundum est quod ait Si ergo videritis filium hominis ascendentem vbi erat prius filius hominis Christus ex virgine Maria. Ergo filius hominis hic coepit esse in terra vbi carnem assumpsit ex terra vnde propheticè dictum erat Veritas de terra orta est Quid ergo sibi vult quod ait Cùm videritis filium hominis ascendentem vbi erat prius Nulla est quaestio si ita dixisset Si videritis filium Dei ascendentem vbi erat prius Cum verò filium hominis dixit ascendentem vbi erat prius nunquid filius hominis in coelo erat priusquà m in terra esse coepit Hic quidem dixit vbi erat prius quasi tūc non ibi esset quando haec loquebatur Alio autem loco ait Nemo ascendit in coelum nisi qui descendit de coelo filius hominis qui est in coelo Non dixit erat sed filius inquit hominis qui est in coelo In terra loquebatur in coelo se esse dicebat Quò pertinet nisi vt intelligamus quod etiā pristino sermone commendaui charitati vestrae vnam personā esse Christu Deum hominē non duas ne fides nostra non sit Trinitas sed Quaternitas Christus ergo vnus est Verbum anima caro vnus Christus filius Dei filius hominis vnus Christus filius Deisemper filius hominis ex tempore tamen vnus Christus secundùm vnitatem personae in coelo erat quando in terra loquebatur Sic erat filius hominis in coelo quemadmodum filius Dei erat in terra filius Dei in terra in suscepta carne filius hominis in coelo in vnitate personae That ys not necligently to be ouerpassed that he saieth What and yf ye see the Sonne of man ascending wher he was before The Sonne of man Chryst of the Virgen Marie Therfore the Sonne of man began How christ the Sone of man was in heauē whē he spake in earth here in earth wher he tooke flesh of the earth Wherfor yt was spoken by the Prophet Trueth shall spring oute of the earth What meneth then that he saieth when yow shal see the Sonne of man ascende wher he was before Ther were no question yf he had saied What yf yow shal see the Sōne of God ascēd vppe wher he was before but when he saied the Sonne of man to ascende wher he was before was the Sonne of man in heauen before he begā to be in earth Here he saied where he was before as though he were not then ther when he spake these woordes In an other place he saieth No man ascendeth vppe to heauen but he that came down from heauen euen the Sonne of man which ys in heauen He did not saie which was but the Sonne saieth he of man which ys in heauen He spake in the earth and he saied he was in heauen To what powrpose yt ys but that we maie vnderstand which I haue alreadie declared to yowr charitie that Chryst God and man ys one person not two least our faith be not a trinitie but a quaternitie Chryst therfor ys one The Sonne of God the soule and the flesh one Chryst The Sonne of God and the Sonne of man one Chryst Chryst the Sōne of God euer the Sōne of mā in time Yet for al that one Chryst after the vnitie of persō was in heauen when he spake in earth The Sonne of man was so in heauē as the Sonne of God was in earth The Sonne of God was in the earth in the receaued flesh the Sonne of man was in heauen in the vnitie of person Thus farre sainct Augustine Although this sentēce be somwhat lōg yet if ye weigh yt wel yt shall not repētyow of the reading of yt For in yt ye maie see the doubt fullie dissolued for the being of Chryst the Sōne of mā in heauē who thē presentlie spake in earth and howe he was before in heauē who was born in time in the earth Nowe this doubt being dissolued let vs seke the vnderstanding of the scripture why Christ made mencion of hys ascension in the vi of S. John we haue to expownde which in a great parte we shall do yf we knowe wherfor Chryst here made mencion of his ascension into heauen seing he was now in setting furth howe his bodie should be eaten in earth The cause why he maketh here mencion of hys ascension ys declared by the same S. Augustine who vpon this text saieth thus Quid est hoc Hinc soluis illos quos nouerat Hinc aperuit vnde fuerant scandalizati hinc planè si intelligerent Illi enim putabant eum erogaturum corpus suum Ille autem dixit ascensurum se in coelum vtique integrū Cùm Tract 27. in Ioan. videritis filiū hominis ascendentē vbi erat prius certè vel
of all Euen so also do I shewe thee neither Angells nor Archangells not heauens nor the heauen of heauens but the Kinges bodie whiche ys in heauen whiche nowe ys setfurth before thee in earth to be seen the lorde of all theise doo I shewe thee Doest thowe marke howe thowe doest not onelie beholde in earth that that ys greatest and cheifest of all thinges But thowe doest touche The verie bodie of Christ ys set furth before vs in earth yt neither doest thowe onelie touche yt but thowe doest eate yt And that receaued thowe goest home Wipe therfore and make clean thy soule from all filthinesse prepare thy minde to the receipt of these misteries For yf the Kinges childe being deckt in purple and Diadeame were deliuered to thee to be caried woldest thowe not cast all down vpon the grownde and take him But nowe when thowe takest not the childe of a kinge being a man but the onelie begotten Sonne of God Saie I beseche thee arte thowe not The onlie begotten Sonne of God receiued in the Sacramēt afraied And doest thowe not cast awaie the loue of all worldelie thinges Thus moche Chrisost Among so manie goodlie notes as this sentence dothe contein let me gentle Reader with thy pacience note two or three whiche be verilic woorthie of note and consideracion The first shall be that we obserue the notable titles that he geueth to the table This note hathe two partes For first he calleth ytlife c. after in the sentēce next adioined he calleth yt a sacrifice Wherfore we shall first speake of the titles in the first sentence and then of the title in the next sentence In the first sentence he calleth yt the strength of our sowle our fundacion hope Honorable and woorthie titles of the Sacrament health light and life Whiche thinges for that they can not be attributed to the materiall table yt ys easie for euery man to perceaue that the Authour meneth them of the thing that ys of the meat or foode vpon the table after the maner of our common speache whiche saieth Soche a man kepeth a good table wherbie ys ment the good fare on the table Nowe then yf the thinge on the table be a thing of soche woorthinesse that yt maie be called our strenght health hope light and life yt can not be a peice of breade but he that ys so in verie dede Iesus Chryst our Sauiour God and mā Yt ys he that ys our strēght according to the Psalmist Dominus fortitudo plebis suae Owre Lorde ys the strenght of his people He ys our health and Psalm 27. Matth. 1. Joan. 1. saluacion for Ipse saluum faciet populum suum à peccatis eorum He shall saue his people from ther sinnes He ys our light For he ys Lux vera quae illuminat omnem hominem venientem in hunc mundum The verie light that lightneth euery Jbid. 14. man comminge into this worlde He ys ourlife For he ys Via veritas vita the waie the trueth and the life Wherfore seing that these titles appropriated onelie to Christ are by this Chryst yt verilie vpō the Altar auncient father declared to be applied to the thing vpon the Altar or table yt must of necessitie be concluded that the thing vpon the Altar or table ys verilie Chryste The further proofe wherof appeareth in the sentence immediatelie folowing whiche ys the seconde of the notes before mencioned wher he saieth thus Yf we shall departe hence being defended with this sacrifice we shall with most great trust go vppe to the holie place In the whiche sainge what he before called the table he calleth yt nowe the sacrifice Wherbie ys declared the first parte of the note that he ment not the materiall table but the thing vpon the table Secondarelie calling yt a sacrifice by the whiche with greate trust we go vppe to the holie place he plainlie teacheth Heb. 9. that the thing vpon the table ys Chryste who ys our verie and most woorthie sacrifice who by his oblacion founde eternall redemption of the which more hereafter The seconde note ys that he saieth Trulie that that ys wourthie of most high honour that will I she we thee in earth What thinge ys that that ys woorthie of most high honour but that that sainct Paule speaketh of when he saieth Regi seculorum 1 Tim. 1. Honour due to God alone called Latria wherin yt consisteth immortali inuisibili soli Deo honor gloria Vnto God king euerlastinge immortall inuisible be onlie honour and praise for euer What ys the most highe honour but that honour whiche the learned call Latriam the honour due to God alone whiche honour consisteth in faith beleuinge that he ys the creatour and conseruatour of all thinges in hoope trusting by him to be saued in Charitie louinge him aboue all thinges created yea euen aboue our owne selues through the whiche loue we are readie louinglie to obey his most holie commaundementes in Sacrifice as wherbie we exhibitte and testifie outwardlie our seruice to our onely Lorde God to be geuen vsed and frequented whiche sacrifice whether yt be of praise or thankes geuing or of the offring vppe of our owne bodyes Rom. 12. or anie other thing appoincted of God ys as sainct Paule testifieth called our reasonable seruing of God Yf thē that that ys shewed in earth be woorthie of this most high honour The thing woorthie most high honoure ys in the Sacrament and the shewing therof ys in the table of the whiche Chrysostom spake in the beginning of the this fentence what ells doth he meen or what ells can yt be but Chryst God and man verilie present in the Sacrament who ys wourthie of this honour But what neadeth me to trauaill to expownde Chryfostome and to declare what the thing ys that he woulde shewe in earth seing that he himself so clerelie expowndeth him self in his owne woordes that do folow For as in kinges howses saieth he not the walls not the golden Rooffe but the Kinges bodie sitting in the Throne ys the cheifest and woorthist of all Euen so also the Kinges bodie which ys in heauen whiche ys nowe sett furth before thee to be seen in earth not Angells nor Archangells not heauens nor the heauens of heauens but the verie Lorde of all these doo I shewe thee In whiche woordes ye maie clerelie perceaue that the thing whiche he saieth ys to be shewed in earthe ys the kinges bodie which ys in heauen the verie lorde of Angells and Archangells the Lorde of heauens and of the heauen of heauens Which ys not present in figure and absent in dede but ys verilie present in so true a maner verie Chryst verie God and verie man that he so being with vs in misterie here in earth maketh the same earth saieth Chrysostom to be an heauen vnto vs whiche coulde not so be but by the presence of him who ys Lorde of heauens whose
proclamacion whether the bodie of Chryst ys or maie be in a thousand places or mo at one time Whiche albeit in sense yt be coincident to the other before mencioned yet in vtterance yt sheweth a more doubtfull countenance For asking whether Chrystes bodie can be in a thousand places at once he doth both by the woorde thousand moche declare his incredulitie to the misteries of God and by the same persuadeth to his hearers an impossibilitie And for that this maner of questioninge ys a questioÌ„ on incredulitie as the Iewes was and spring bothe oute of vnbeleif I haue thought good to ioin them to gether and after the handling of the one to handle the other And to them bothe to saie As the Iewe remaining with in the coÌ„passe of his carnall vnderstaÌ„ding coulde not atteign to the vnderstaÌ„ding of this matter which was by faith and yet possible So these meÌ„ measuring Chryste and his power by naturall knowledge whiche ys but grosse dregges and suddes to the pure knowledge of faithe they come in doubte and aske a questioÌ„ as of a thinge vnpossible when yet yt ys very possible But perchaunce ye will saie to me yf it be a thinge so verie possible howe Obiection with answer Faith iudgeth yt possible that reason iudgeth impossible dothe yt appeare to this maÌ„ and his likes vnpossible I answere that yt appeareth to them vnpossible bicause they leauing the knowledge of faith are returned to the onelie knowledge naturall and therby will they measure Chrystes doinges in this matter And for so moche as this appeareth vnpossible to that knowledge therfor they also saie that yt ys vnpossible For allthough bycause they wolde seme to builde vpon faith they do sometime alleage the article of our faith that Chryst ascended into heauen an sitteth at the right hand of God to Father yet the grounde of their disputacion the force of their praclamacion yea the shottanker of their refuge in this matter ys naturall reason euen plain naturall philosophie That thowe maist see this gentle Reader I will for example make one of their arguments that Chrystes bodie can not be in the Sacrament Thus they reason He ascended into heaueÌ„ and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Ergo he ys not in the Sacrament Yf the true chrystian saie yt ys no good consequence For though yt be true that Chryst beat the right haÌ„d of the Father yet yt improueth not the presence of Chryst in the SacrameÌ„t For the catholique faith coÌ„fesseth both that Chryst ys preseÌ„t with his Father in heaueÌ„ according to the article of the faithe and also preseÌ„t in the SacrameÌ„t according to his worde wheÌ„ he saied This ys my bodie This ys my bloode This do ye in remeÌ„brance of me So that his presence in heauen denieth not his presence in the Sacrament but he ys present in bothe in maner conuenient to bothe Against this they replie and saie Euery naturall bodie can be but in one place Chryst hath a naturall bodie Ergo yt can be but in one place But yt ys in heaueÌ„ as in a place Ergo yt ys ther and in no other place Marke ye nowe howe they flie to naturall phisolophie as to their great strenght to maintein Sacramentaries cheif growndes be naturall reasons their faithe ys yt not a sure peice of faith that ys builded vpon naturall philosophie and naturall reason and not vpon the scriptures the auncient fathers or the vniuersall receaued faith PerchauÌ„ce yt maie be saied that I reason thus of my self to deface the validitie of their matter Well to auoide this ymaginacioÌ„ I will bring in the verie argument of Oecolampadius the great fownder and prince of this schoole Oecolamp De verbis coenae Domini in our time and the master of this Proclamer in this matter Thus he reasoneth Si dicas panis continet corpus vide quid sequitur ergo panis locus erit vnum corpus erit in multis locis multa corpora in vno loco corpus in corpore etc. Yf thow saiest the bread coÌ„teineth the bodie looke what foloweth theÌ„ the bread shall be a place aÌ„d one bodie shall be in many places aÌ„d manie bodies in one place and one bodie in an other Thus Oecolampadius Doo I nowe feign this maner of reasoning Dothe not Oecolampadius resorte to naturall phisolophie to prooue his heresie and impugne the faith catholique Although in dede the argumeÌ„t proceadeth directlie against Luther who taught the bread in the Sacrament to remain with the bodie of Chryste soche ys the agrement of the Father aÌ„d the SoÌ„ne of the master aÌ„d the scholer of Luther aÌ„d OecolaÌ„padius aÌ„d so of one of theÌ„ with an other yet yt ys also against the catholique faith for yt impugneth the preseÌ„ce of Chryste in the SacrameÌ„t But howe as ys saied by naturall reason And shall I saie why they proue this their doctrin by natural reason In dede bicause yt ys so farre vnknowen to the scriptures that I dare saie they neuer were nor shall be able to bring fruthe anie one scripture to proue yt and so moche to diminish the omnipotencie or allmightie power of God But to aunswere Oâ—colampadius for his naturall reason I thinke the saing of saincte Ambrose to be a good answere Quid hic quaeris naturae ordineÌ„ in Christi corpore De initiaÌ„d myst cap. 9 cum praeter naturam sit ipse Dominus Iesus partus ex virgine What sekest thowe saieth saincte Ambrose the ordre of nature in Chrystes bodie here seing the self same our Lord Iesus besides nature was born of a virgen And to adde to saincte Ambrose saieÌ„g not onelie his birthe was besides nature but manie other his actes as his great learning aÌ„d wisdome declared in his disputacioÌ„ with the doctours in the teÌ„ple wheÌ„ he was but twelue yeares of age his Naturall order had no place in many of Chrystes doinges walking vpon the sea his voluÌ„tarie death in geuing vppe his blessed sowle at his owne pleasure withoute force or violeÌ„ce as yt were to thrust yt oute and to cause vt to departe His resurrection and his ascension withall be as moche against the ordre of nature as his blessed bodie to be in diuerse places and as good argumentes maie the Aduersarie finde in natural philosophie against them as against this Whiche if he do or maie doo shall we therfore denie Chrystes walking on the sea his death his resurrection Mahomets patched religion and the Sacramentaries â—och like and his ascension as theie do his presence in the Sacrament Then shall we make a mingled faith as the Turkes do For as they kepe parte of Moyses lawe parte of Mohometes inuention So we must haue a faith partelie grownded vpon the scriptures partelie on naturall reason But so that wheÌ„ we will scripture shall rule naturall reason and when we list naturall reason shall commaunde and withstand both faith and scripture This ys a madsetled faith Wherfore
Neither do we nowe offer one lambe and to morowe an other but allwais euen the self same Therfore ys this one sacrifice by this reason Otherwise for that The sacrifice offred in manie places ys but one Chryst yt ys offred in manie places ther be manie Chrystes Not so But ther ys one Chryste euery wher bothe here being full and ther full euen one bodie And as he that ys euery wher offred ys one bodie and not manie bodies Euen so also ys the sacrifice one Weigh well this testimonie of Chrysostom gentle Reader and first this that he saieth That the sacrifice of Christes bodie ys but one For otherwise bycause yt ys offred in manie places ther shoulde be manie Christes In whiche woordes howe plainlie dothe he saie that Chryste ys offered in manie places and yet not manie Chrystes but one Chryste This Father teacheth not like a naturall Philosopher but like a diuine Philosopher a louer of the wisdom of Chrystes faith according to the whiche and contrarie to Philosophie he confesseth Chrystes bodie to be in manie places at once and that with reuerence and not with doubtfull admiracion and exclamacion as this Proclamer doth to be in a thousand places at once Althouh in his reuerent woordes ther ys as moche implied as the woordes folowing do well declare Whiche also good reader note For he saieth vbique offertur he ys euery wher offred and that ys more then in a thousand places And although this mans heresie hath fretted and eaten in manie places moche like a deadlie cankre yet I beleue Chryste ys not so forsaken but he ys yet offred in mo then a thousand places and shall be except our sinnes shall deserue that he be taken awaie from vs. As for that that he saieth that Chryste ys our sacrifice and therfore present I will leaue yt withoute note to be considered in a place more conuenient As before ye haue heard S. Basill and Chrysostom vttering almost all one and the same woordes of this matter So shall ye heare Saincte Ambrose speaking almost the same woordes that Chrysostome did So be these good Fathers linked together in one trueth that they oftentimes speake all one and the same woordes in one and the same matter Thus writeth saincte Ambrose Proinde vnum est hoc sacrificium Alioquin hac ratione quoniam Ambr. in 10. Heb. multis in locis offertur multi Christi sunt Nequà quam Sed vnus vbique est Christus hic plenus existens illic plenus vnum corpus Sicut enim qui vbique offertur vnum corpus est non multa corpora ita etiam vnum sacrificium Therfore this sacrisice ys Chryst offred euerie wher ys but one bodie and one sacrifice one or ells by this reason for that yt ys offred in manie places ther be manie Chrystes Not so but euerie wher one Chryst both here being full and ther full euen onē bodie For euen as he that ys offred euerie wher ys one bodie and not manie bodies Euen so also ys the sacrifice one I will not trouble yow with noting sainct Ambrose woordes but what ys geuen yow to note vpon Chrysostom note the same euen here likewise and I will hast me to heare an other place of S. Ambrose wher he saieth thus Vidimus Principem sacerdotum ad nos venientem Vidimus audiuimus offerentem pro nobis sanguinem suum Sequamur vt possumus sacerdotes vt offeramus pro populo sacrificium Amb. in Psalm 38. etsi infirmi merito honorabiles tamen sacrificio quia etsi nunc Christus non videtur offerre tamen ipse offertur in terris quādo Christi corpus offertur We haue seen the high preist coming to vs. We haue seen and heard him offring for vs his bloode Let vs priestes as we maie folowe that we maie offre sacrifice for the people although by merite we are weake yet are we by the sacrifice honorable For although Chryste ys not nowe seen to offrer Yet ys he offred in earth when the bodie of Chryste ys offered Leuing all other thinges that maie be here noted this ys not to be ouerpassed that saincte Ambrose saieth that Christe ys offred in earthe But when Chryst ys offred in earth whē his bodie ys offred ys he offred When his bodie ys offred Wherbie yt ys manifest that as we maie confesse Chryste verilie to be in glorie So maie we also confesse that he ys verilie in earth for somoche as he ys ther offred in sacrifice And so being verilie both in heauen and earth that ys true that we trauaill here to proue But that that ys yet remaining to be saied in this matter will not suffer me to tarie to note and saie what might be noted and saied here For besides other thinges we haue yet to heare the goodly testimonie of S. Bernarde who so plainlie teacheth this matter and so godly that yt were pitie the reader shoulde be defrauded of the reading of so notable a sentence Thus he writeth Sed vnde hoc nobis pijssime Domine vt nos vermiculi reptantes super faciem terrae nos inquam qui puluis cinis sumus te praesentem habere mereamur Bernard sermone de coena Dom. prae manibus prae oculis qui totus integer sedes ad dextram Patris qui etiam vnius horae momento ab ortu solis vsque ad occasum ab Aquilone vsque ad Austrum praestò es omnibus vnus in multis idem in diuersis locis vnde hoc inquam Certè non ex debito neque ex merito nostro sed ex voluntate tua dulcedinis tuae beneplacito But howe happeneth this vnto vs O most mercifull Lorde that we litle woormes creping vpon the face of the earthe maie haue thee present before our handes before our eyes whiche all and wholle sittest at the right hand of the Father Which also in the minute of an howre from the East to the West from the North to the South Chryst being one ys at one time in manie places arte present to all Thowe being one arte in manie and being the self same arte in diuerse places from whence cometh this I saie Trulie not of anie duetie neither of our desert but of thy will and the pleasure of thy gentlenesse Thus saincte Bernard See ye not howe this holie Bernard not with woordes of skoffes and doubtfullnesse but with godlie simplicitie and reuerence confessing the veritie of Christes presence both at the right hand of God the Father and also in the Sacrament before our handes before our eyes and therof nothing doubting woundereth at the great goodnesse and mercie of our Sauiour Chryste howe he doth vouchsaif so moche to do for vs poour litle woormes creping vpon the earth Suche was the simplicitie of faith the humblenesse of minde in good Fathers that beleuing the thing they did agnise the great benefitt of God wher this Proclamer puffed vppe
the substance of euerlasting life and who soeuer shall eate this bread he shall not die for euer and yt ys he bodie of Chryst Thus farre he What this bread ys that descended from heauen and what the profit and benefitt of yt ys sainct Ambrose hath in this his saing declared the bread ys the bodie of Chryst saieth he whiche bodie ys the meat that the faithfull doth take and the benefite of this so taken ys euerlasting life Wherfor sainct Ambrose being so plain I will bring in his yocke folowe Chrysostome who hath according to the counsell of sainct Paule not caried the yocke with the vnfaithfull but with the faithfull whiche ys the yocke of Chryst whiche as he himself saieth ys sweet Thus he saieth Dicit ergo Qui manducat carnem meam in morte non peribit neque damnabitur Sed non de communi dicit resurrectione siquidem omnes resurgent sed de clara illa gloriosa quae 2. Cor. 6. Math. 11. Homiti 46 in Ioan. praemium meretur Patres vestri manducauerunt Manna in deserto mortui sunt Qui manducat hunc panem viuet in aeternum Frequenter idem repetit vt auditorum animis imprimatur Vltima enim haec erat doctrina vt resurrectionis vitae aeternae fidem confirmaret Quocirca post vitae aeternae promissionem resurrectionem proponit postquam illaÌ„ futuram ostendit hoc vnde constat à scripturis ad quaâ— eos semper relegat vt inde erudiantur Cùm autem dare vitam mundo dicit in aemulationem eos adducit vtsi aliorum bono mouentur nolint ipsi excludi Frequenter autem Mannae meminit differentiam conferendo ad fidem allicit Nam si possibile fuit vt quadraginta annos sine messibus frumento aliis ad victum necessarijs viuerent longè magis nunc cùm ad matoâ—… venerint Nam si in illis figuris sine labore expositum colligebant nunc profectò magis vbi nulla mors verae vitae fruitio Vitae autem vbique meminit Nam eius trahunur cupiditate nihil suauius quà m non mori Etenim in veteri Testamento longa vita multi dies promittebantur Nunc verò non simpliciter vitae longitudo sed vita sine fine promittitur He saieth therfor he that eateth my flesh shall not perish in death neither shal be damned But he doth not speake of the common resurrection for all shall rise but of that clere and gloriouse whiche deserueth rewarde Yower fathers haue eaten Manna in the wildernesse and be dead He that eateth this bread shall liue for euer he doth often repete the same that yt might be ymprinted in the mindes of thearers This was the last doctrine that he might confirme the faith of the resurrection and euerlasting life wherfor after the promisse of eternall life he proueth the resurrection after he had shewed that yt was to come And from whence doth his appeare by the scriptures vnto the whiche he doth allwaies send them that from theÌ„ce they might be taught When he saieth yt to geue life to the woorlde he bringeth them to folow that if they be moued with the profit or commoditie of other they wolde not be excluded Often he maketh mencion of Manna and conferiring the difference allureth them to faith For if yt were We cometo greater thiÌ„ges in the Sacr â–ª then the Jewes did in MaÌ„na possible that they shoulde liue fortie years withoute haruestes and other necessares to their liuing moch more nowe when they are comed to greater things For if in these figures they did gather withoute labour the thing settfurth or made ready to their handes nowe truly moche more wher ys no death and the fruicion of true life Of life he maketh mencion euery where For we be drawen with desire therof and nothing ys more pleasaunt then not to die For in the olde Testament long life and manie daies were promised Nowe not simplie lenght of life but life withoute ende ys promised Thus he Albeit Chrysostom in this sentence maketh no great mencion of the Sacrament in open and expresse woordes yet folowing the sense in the beginning of this part of this chapter whiche by his iudgement ys of the Sacrament if yt be well considered he saieth sufficiently as also wher he saieth that yf yt were possible for the Iewes to liue fortie yeare without haruest or corne moche more nowe when we be commed to greater thinges Manna was a great miracle as sainct Ambrose saieth and if they did well receaue yt they did MaÌ„na and the Sacrament compared receaue spirituallie Chryst Then if our SacrameÌ„t be as the Sacramentaries saie a peice of bread whiche ys no like thing to Manna the one being from heauen by miracle the other by common course from the hand of the artificer withoute any miracle or wonder and in the receipt of yt Chryst spiritually receaued as in the receipt of Manna howe then be we comed to greater thinges then the figure of Manna was seing that in both Chryst ys receaued but spirituallie And Manna ys from heauen by God the bread from the earth by the baker Wherfor by these woordes of Chrysostome that we be comed to greater thinges ys signified to vs that the SacrameÌ„t coÌ„teineth a woorthier thing and a thing of greater miracle then Manna was whiche also was a miraculouse thing which thing conteined in the Sacrament ys the very bodie of Chryst of the whiche Manna was the figure of the whiche more shall be saied in the thirde booke But here to be short if the reall presence of Chrystes bodie be not in the Sacrament then ys Manna a woorthier and greater thing then yt by al meanes as by that that ys allready saied yt maie appeare And so shall Chrysostome be reproued of an vntrueth for that we are not comed to greater thinges But I shall sooner refuse the sainges of these aduersaries then I will the sainges of Chrysostome and so I trust will the wise reader THE ONE AND THIRTITH CHAP. PROCEAdeth in the the exposition of the same text by S. Hierom and S. Cyrill LEt vs heare the testimonie of an other coople for the vnderstanding of this text S. Hierom saith Si ergo panis qui de coelo descendit corpus Hieron ad Hedibiq 2 est Domini vinum qùod Discipulis dedit sanguis illius est noui Testamenti qui pro multis effusus est in remissionem peccatorum iudaicas fabulas repellamus ascendamus cum Domino coenaculum magnum stratum atque mundatum accipiamus ab eo sursum calicem noui Testamenti ibiue cum eo Pascha celebrantes inebriemur ab eo vino sobrietatis Non enim est regnum Dei esca potus sed iusticia gaudium pax in Spiritu sancto Nec Moyses dedit nobis panem verum sed Dominus Iesus ipse conuiua conuiuium ipse comedens qui
tūe videbitis quia nō eo modo quo putatis erogat corpus suū Certè vel tunc intelligetis quia gratia eius non consumitur morsibus What if yow see the Sōne of man ascend vppe wher he was before what ys this saieth S. Augustine By this he solued them whom he had knowen By this he hath opened wherby they were offended by this plainly if theywold vnderstand For they thought that he wolde deale furth hys bodie but he saieth that he wolde ascende into heauen and that wholl When ye shall see the Sōne of man ascende vppe wher he was before certenlie euen then shall ye see that not after that maner that ye thinke he geueth oute his bodie certenlie euen thē shall ye vnderstande that his grace ys not consumed by morsels Do ye not here see the cause why Chryst spake of his ascension S. Augustin hath opened yt vnto yow They thought that Chryst wolde haue geuen his bodie in lumpes or peices among them Therfor to plucke thē frō that grosse and carnal vnderstanding he telleth them before that he wil leaue no part nor peice of his bodie behinde but he will whollie ascende into heauen with an wholl bodie But let not now the Aduersarie neither the weake man take anie occasiō of errour wher none ys iustly geuen that bicause S. Augustin saieth that the Disciples thought that he wolde geue his bodie emōg thē and Chryst saied he wolde ascend vppe wholl that therfor by no means Chryst geueth hys bodie vnto vs in the Sacramēt For if by no means then he geueth yt not spirituallie neither and so were the doctrine of the Aduersaries ouerthrowen But that he geueth not his verie real bodie in the Sacramēt although the Aduersaries wolde haue yt so onely to be vnderstanded yet yt doth not so meē but as S. Augustin saieth non eo modo quo putatis erogat corpus suum not after soch maner as yowe thinke he geueth oute his bodie So that he denieth not the geuing oute of Chrystes bodie but the maner of the geuing oute of hys bodie And what maner doth he denie that maner that the grosse Disciples thought which maner S. Augustin more plainly declareth in an other place saing Tunc autem quando Dominus hoc commendans de carne sua locutus erat dixerat Nisi quis manducauerit carnem meam non habebit in se vitam aeternam scandalizati Jn Psalm 98. sunt quidam ex septuaginta dixerunt Durus est hic sermo Quis potest eum intelligere recesserunt ab eo ampliùs cum eo non ambulauerunt Durum illis visum est quod ait Nisi quis manducauerit carnem meam non habebit vitam aeternam Acceperunt illud stultè carnaliter illud cogitauerunt putauerunt quia praecisurus esset Dominus particulas quasdam de corpore suo daturus illis dixerunt Durus est hic sermo Then saieth S. Augustin when our Lord setting furth thys had spoken of his flesh and had saied Except a man eate my flesh he shall not haue Capharnaites how thei vnderstood Chryst carnallie in himself life euerlasting Certain of the seuentie Disciples were offended and saied This ys an hard saing Who can vnderstand yt And they went from him and walked no more with him Yt semed harde to them that he saied Except a man eate my slesh he shall not haue in himself life euerlasting They tooke yt foolishlie carnallie they thought yt And they thought that our Lord wolde cut certain peices from hys bodie and geue to them and they saied This an harde saing Thus S Augustin Here ye perceaue after what maner the Disciples thought that Chryst wolde geue them his bodie to eate and this maner doth sainct Augustin denie not the maner that the Chrystian faith teacheth but onely that maner that the grosse Disciples thought and therfor S. Augustin saith Non co modo quo putatis not after that maner that yowe thinke so that S. Augustine 2. Arg. detu◠th not the geuing furth of Chryst 〈…〉 reallie but thegrosse maner conceaued of the Disciples Obiection out of S. Aug. aunswered in this place dothe neither denie the geuing oute of Chrystes bodie verilie ād reallie to be receaued nor yet the maner cōuenient to the geuing oute of the same which now the catholique Church throughout the world vseth Wherfor let neither the weake man wauer for thys neither the Aduersarie triumphe thinking his heresie to be confirmed and himself to haue gotten the victorie Ne ante victoriam canat triumphum Least he make a triumphe before the victorie But yet the Aduersaries will saie that S. Augustin doth not teache here the presence of Chrystes bodie reallie but spiritually that ys by grace for he saieth plainlie that then when the Sonne of man ys ascended vppe wher he was before we shall perceaue that his grace ys not consumed with morsells Wher he teacheth the presence of Chryst by grace not by reall presence This reason or argument ys as good here as yt ys in some other places of S. Augustins workes wher bicause he speaketh of the spirituall receauing of Chryst therfore ye will clean expell the reall receauing of hys bodie And thus might some other Heretique contrarie take some other place of S. Augustin where he speaketh of the reall presence and therby contend against yow that ther ys no spirituall presence But an vppright reader shall as ys before saied finde in S. Augusten both maners of the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament that ys a reall presence and a spirituall presence and agreablie therunto a reall receauing of the same bodie and a spirituall But that the reader maie perceaue that this ys true that I haue saied that S. Augustin teacheth the reall presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament harken howe sainct Augustin taught as yt were the yonge Aug. serm ad Neoph. Aplain place of S. Aug for M. Juel scholers in the faith of Chryst in this matter Thus he taught them Hoc accipite in pane quod pependit in cruce Hoc accipite in calice quod effusum est de latere Christi Erit enim illi mors non vita qui mendacem putauerit Christum Take ye this in the bread that did hang on the crosse Take this in the chalice that was shedde oute of the side of Chryst He shall haue death not life that thinketh Chryst a Lyar. What ys ther to be thought here but that S. Augustine teaching yonge scholers wolde speake in plain woordes and plain sentence that the yong learners might perceaue the thing to be as yt ys spoken and not vse to them obscure figures and tropes For in these do not they vnderstand what ys to be beleued Yf therfor Chryst were in the Sacrament but as in a figure then wolde sainct Augustin haue taught these yong ones thus Take ye this bread as a sign token or figure of Chrystes bodie and
when ye see yt broken remembre that Chrystes bodie was broken vpon the Crosse for yowe And likewise take thys wine as a sign or token of Chrystes bloode shedde for yowe vpon the Crosse But vnderstande that yt ys not in verie dede the bodie and blood of Chryst but signes and tokens of them Thys were a maner of speache mete to teache yong ones yf the trueth of the thing were agreable but bicause the trueth ys not so therfore S. Augustin taught them by soche plain speache as the truth wolde beare that ys that they wolde take in the Sacrament that bodie that hanged vpon the Crosse and in the cuppe that blood that was shedde oute of Chrystes side Yea and that they shoulde so take he addeth a cōminaciō that they should Chryst ys made a liar when his woord ys not beleued take death and not life which think Chryst a lyar Why What saied Chryst Take eate thys ys my bodie He then that dothe not beleue Chryst herin but saieth yt ys not his bodie but a figure of hys bodie he ys the Aduersarie of Chryst the reprouer of Chryst And he maketh Chryst a lyar as S. Augustin saieth and therfor shall haue death and not life In time therfor take hede yf thow beest in errour thow cannest not make Chryst a lyar but thow thy self shalt be fownde a lyar And therfore thowe shalt not be admitted to the blessed companie of the master of the trueth but to the cursed and damnable companie of the Father of lyes Repēt thee therfore of thine heresie and embrace the trueth that by yt thowe maist atteign to the true life Nowe to this learned Father shall be ioined S. Cyrill who saieth thus Ca. 22. sup 6. Ioann Ex imperitia multi qui Christum sequebantur verba ipsius non capientes pertur babantur Nam cùm audissent Amen amen dico vobis Nisi comederitis carnem filij hominis biberitis eius sanguinem non habebitis vitam in vobis Ad immanes ferarum mores vocari se à Christo arbitrabantur incitariue vt vellent crudas hominis carnes manducare sanguinem bibere quae vel auditu horribilia sunt nondum enim mysterij huius formam dispensationem pulcherrimam cognouerant Illud etiam adhoc cogitabant Quomodò caro huius hominis aternā nobis vitam largietur aut quomodò ad immortalitatē adducere poterit Quae cùm intelligeret is cuius oculis omnia nuda sunt atque aperta alia eos re mirabili ad fidem impellit Frustra inquit o vos propter verba mea conturbamini Quòd si credere non vultis vitam vobis à meo corpore dari quid facietis quando in coelum me volare conspicietis Non enim ascensurum me solummodò profiteon ne rursus quomodò id fieri possit quaeratis sed oculis etiam ita fieri vestris cernetis Quid ergo hoc videntes dicetis Annon erit hoc magnum Capharnaites howe thei vnderstood Chryst. Joan. 6. vestrae dementiae argumentum Si enim putatis carnem meam vitam vobis afferre non posse quomodò tanquam volucris in coelum ascendet quomodò per aëra volabit hoc enim similiter generi humano impossibile est Quod si praeter naturam caro mea in coelum conscendet quid probibet ne similiter praeter naturam viuificet For lacke of knowledg manie that did folowe Chryst not vnderstanding his woordes were troobled For whē they heard verily verelye Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke hys blood ye shall not haue life in yowe They thought themselues to be called of Chryst to the cruell maners of wilde beastes and to be moued that they shoulde eate the rawe flesh of a man and drinke hys bloode whiche thinges are horrible euen to heare They had not yet knowen the goodly forme and dispensacion of this mystery Moreouer also they thought Howe should the flesh of this man graunt vs eternall life or howe can yt bring vs to immortalitie Whiche thinges when he did vnderstand vnto whose eyes all thinges are naked and open with an other merueilouse thing he driueth them to the faith O yowe saieth he vainlie are ye troobled for my woordes For yf ye will Chrystes flesh besiae nature ascendedin to heauen beside nature yt geueth life in the Sacra not beleue life to be geuen yow of my bodie what will ye do when ye shall see me flie vppe into heauen I do not saie that I will onely ascende into heauen least yow aske again howe that maie be doen but ye shall euen so see yt with yowr eyes What therfore wil ye saie seing this shal yt not be a great argument of yowr madnesse Yf ye thinke that my flesh can not bring life vnto yow how shall yt as a slieng thing ascende into heauen howe shall yt flie by the ayer for this likewise ys vnpossible to mankinde Then yf my flesh shall go vppe into heauen beside nature what dothe let that yt likewise beside nature maie not geue life Thus moche S. Cyrill Yow maie in this goodlie and liuely expositiō perceaue two vain thoughtes that the grosse Disciples had one that they shoulde after the cruel maner of wildes beastes eate the rawe flesh of Chryst as yt were tearing yt or cutting Two vain thoughtes of the Capharn yt oute by peices and so Chrystes blessed flesh as other thinges that be eaten to be consumed The other vain thought was how that flesh which they accompted but as the flesh of a naturall man onely and not as the flesh of God ioined to the Godhead in vnitie of person and therfor supposed yt to be a mortall and a corruptible flesh howe I saie that mortal and corruptible flesh coulde geue vnto them immortalitie and incorruption Nowe to answer bothe these vain thoughtes and to reforme thē Chryst saied what yfye see the Sonne of man ascende vppe wher he was before By which one saing he answereth bothe their thoughtes and teacheth as concerning the first that wher they thought that his bodie shoulde be cutte or torne in peices that they had an euell vnderstanding For yt shoulde ascende vppe into heauen and that wholl as S. Augustine saied And that they might the better beleue yt they shoulde see yt as S. Cyrill here saieth The other vain thought ys also answered in that he saieth his bodie shall ascend vppe to heauen which ascension ys aboue the order of nature Therby instructing them that as his bodie aboue the course of nature shoulde ascende So yt aboue the course of nature shoulde geue life How the flesh of Chryst shoulde geue life S. Cyrill heretofore hathe declared vpon the sainges of Chryst that yt ys by the eating of Chrystes flesh And therfor he saied of the power of Chrystes flesh Non verbo solùm verumetiam tactu mortuos excitabat vt ostenderet corpus quoque suum viuificare posse Quodsi
iust cause to mistrust them and flie from them And cleaue to that cōpanie wher ye see the auncient trueth taught by auncient fathers as here ye haue doen And not by prowde arrogant will as the other haue doen flie from the trueth Their doctrine ys to be suspected that flie from the common vnderstanding of the scripture receaued in the Churche as yt ys nowe to be perceaued that these singular men haue doen by their single sigularitie As our Sauiour Chryst saied to the Iewes Si non venissē locutus eis non fuissē peccatū non haberent Nunc autem excusationem non habent de peccato suo Yf I had not Ioan. ca 15. comed and not spoken vnto them they shoulde haue had no sinne but nowe they haue no excuse of their sinne Yf then soche as haue heard the woorde of Chryste teaching thē his promesse of the geuing furth of his verie bodie and bloode and do not beleue yt haue no excuse to saue them frō eternall dānacion moche more when they haue the same woorde expownded and declared by the holie Churche of the whiche the holie Gost ys the master the guide and leader in to all trueth and yet wil persist in peruerting the scriptures and through arrogancie will credit none but them selues they be not onely voide of all excuse but their damnacion ys greatlie encreased Wherfore ye that haue erred staie and looke vppe in time beholde all the chrystiā worlde professing Gods true faith and religiō and come to the same Lurke not in the corners of darkenesse whiche will bring yowe to extreā darknesse but com to the light which Chryst hath lefte in his Churche which shall lighten yowe the waie to that light that euer hath shewed and shined and neuer was darkned nor shadowed THE ONE AND FOVRTETH CHAP. BEGINneth the exposition of these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie after the minde of the Aduersaries GReate and manifolde are the maliciouse inuencions and deuiseis of the graund enemie of mankind against the same Whiche enemie perceauing man to be in that state to come and enioie the glory and felicitie that he was fallē frō enuied him and subtellie vnder the countenāce or pretēte of a cōmodtie brought him to a most miserable incōmoditie vnder the colour of their aduaūcemēt dignitie and great exaltaciō he wrought vnto thē their deiectiō ouerthrowe and dānacion Ye shall not die saieth the enemie to the womā but God doth knowe that the same daie that ye eate therof yower eies shall be opened and ye shal◠be as Gods knowing good and euel To whiche his perswasiō and false assertiō the womā geuing place by to light Gen. 3. creditte seing also the fruit of the tree to be delectable and pleasaunt to the eies not regarding the certē and most true woorde of her Lorde God who before had saied that in what daie they did eate of the tree of the knowledge of good and Jbid. 2. euell that they shoulde die the death she tooke of the forbidden fruit and did eate therof and gaue to her husbande who did eate of yt also and so not beleuing the woorde of their Lorde God but transgressing his commaundemēt they were not onely expelled oute of that pleasaunt garden of Paradise but also being fallen vnder the heauie burden of gods wrathe and iustice were nowe banished from the eternall felicitie and glorie of heauen and made bonde to hell and euerlasting damnacion Euen so the same enemie seing the chrystiā people redemed with Chrystes most preciouse bloode and restored to that felicitie and ioie whiche by his Temptaciō of our first parentes and of Christians in these daies compared meās he had once caused thē to lose ād that they were nowe quiet ād in godlie order in the eartlie Paradise of Chrysts Church he not bearing their happinesse in the vnitie of faith and godlie cōuersaciō hath vsed his like subtletie and craft to make vs trāsgresse the cōmaundemēt of our lorde God as he did our first Parētes to the entēt he wolde cause vs to be banished frō the inheritāce of the glorie of God wherunto by Chrystes bloode we are made free And will ye see howe like his subtilties be Owre first Parentes had an order appointed to thē what meat they shoolde eate in the Paradise wher they liued The builder of our Paradise hath appoincted vs what the meat shall be that we shall eate saing Take eate this ys my bodie The enemie tempted them to breake their order about their meat and foode he tempteth vs to breake our order about our meat and foode Their meat was the fruit of euerie tree in Paradise sauing the tree of knowledge of good and euell God saing Of euerie tree that ys in the gardē thowe shalt eate but as touching the Gen. 2. tree of knowledg of good and euell thowe shalt not eate of yt Owre meat in the Paradise of Chrystes Churche ys his verie bodie and bloode he him self saing Take eate this ys my bodie Take drinke this my blood The enemie not withstāding gods owne saing to our Paretes In what daie soeuer ye eate of that tree ye shall die the death he directlie cōtrary saied Ye shall not die The same enemie notwithstāding Chrystes owne saing This ys my bodie This ys my blode directlie cōtrarie saieth yt ys not his bodie yt ys not his bloode yt ys but a peice of bread but a cuppe of wine figures signes or tokēs of his bodie and his bloode and to cōpasse that this his perswasion and assertiō maie be receaued as to our first parētes he saied that yf there did eate of that fruict they shoulde be as Gods knowing both good and euell pretēding a great cōmoditie so nowe he saied Esteem this no better thē a peice of bread ād a cuppe of wine and not as the bodie and bloode of Chryst For so foramoch as Chrystes bodie ys in heauen and therfor can not be here ye shall not cōmitte idolatrie whych ys yower great commoditie And as to the furtherance of the temtacion of owre Parētes the pleasing of their senseis in seing the fruict fair and pleasaunt and not regarding the woorde of their Lorde God did moche prouoke thē so in this our tēptaciō he willeth vs not regarding the woorde of Chryst our Lorde God to folowe the pleasant iudgemēt of our sensies And for somoche as we see nothing but bread and wine we tast nothing but bread and wine we feell nothing but bread and wine Therfore we must beleue nothing to be ther but bread and wine By whiche maner of iudgement we are moche prouoked the sooner to assent to his temptacion Nowe if we so assent and eate of the meate which the enemie perswadeth vs to eate of and not of the meat whiche our Lorde and God hath appoincted we shall not onely be expelled oute of this Paradise of Chrystes Church by the Angell of God but also being disherited frō the inheritāce of
we read ther Qni supra vnà cum Patre sedes hic vnà nobiscum inuisibiliter Chrysâ—an Liturg. versaris Dignare potenti manu tua nobis impartiri impolutum corpus tuum preciosum sangninem tuum per nos toti populo Deinde sacerdos adorat Diaconus in eo in quo est loco ter secretò dicentes Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori Et populus similiter Omnes cum pietate reuerentia adorant Thowe that sittest aboue with the Father and also arte with vs here inuisiblie vouchesaif with thy Preist deacon and all the people adored the Sacr. in Chrysaime mightie hand to geue vnto vs thy vndefiled bodie and thy preciouse blood and by vs to all the people This ys his praier After this praier he geueth this rule Then the preist adoreth and the Deacon also in the place that he ys in thrice saing God be mercifull vnto me sinner And all the people likewise with godlinesse and reuerence doo adore Perceaue ye not in this saing Chryst both to be aboue with his Father and also here with vs See ye not the rule of Chrysostome that the preist the Deacon and all the people did adore before they receaued the Sacrament These places might suffice to anie man that ys not contenciouse But that the Reader maie see plentie of matter to staie him and to confounde the Proclaimer that so vntreuly reporteth of the holie Fathers we will heare one place more of Chrysostom whiche ys this Christus suam carnem dedit Homi l. 24 10. 1. Cor. vobis vt ea saturemur quo nos in sui amorem plurimum allexit Ad eum igitur cum feruore accedamus dilectione quà m vehementissima ne grauius subeamus supplicium Quanto enim maius beneficiuÌ„ accipimus tanto magis puniemur quaÌ„do eo indigni apparebimus Hoc corpus in praesepireueriti sunt Magi viri impij barbari longo itenere confecto cum timore et tremore plurimo adorauerunt Imitemur igitur barbaros nos qui caeloruÌ„ ciues sumus Illi enim cùm id praesepe tugurium tantùm neque eorum quidquam quae tu nunc intueris viderent summa accesserunt reuerentia horrore Tu verò non in praesepi id sed in Altari non mulierem quae in vlnis teneat sed sacerdotem praesentem Spiritum per abundè super proposito diffusum sacrificio vides Nec simplex vt illi corpus vides sed et eius potentiam omnem agnoscis administrationem nihil eorum quae per ipsum facta suntignoras diligenter initiatus es in omnibus Excitemur horrescamsque maiorem quam barbari illi prae nobis feramus pietatem Chryst gaue vnto vs his flesh that with yt we might be fedde wherby he moche alleured vs into his loue Let vs therfor with feruencie and most vehement loue come vnto him leest we suffre a more greuouse condemnacion The greater benefit we take the Chryst hath geuen vs his flesh to feede vpoÌ„ more shall we be punished yf we be fownde vnwoorthie of yt This bodie did the wise men and men without God and barbarouse reuerence and woourshippe And after they had ended a long iourneie with moche feare and tremblinge did adore yt Let vs therfor at the leest folowe the example of these barbarouse we that be the cittizens of the heauens for they when they sawe that maunger and cottage onelie and did not see anie of these thinges whiche thowe doest nowe beholde they came with great reuerence and horrour But thowe seest not that bodie in the maunger but in the aultar thowe seest not a woman that holdeth yt in her armes but thowe seest the preist present That same body on the aultar that was in the maunger and the Spirit plentifullie powred vpon the proposed sacrifice Neither doest thowe see a bare bodie as they did but thowe knowest all his power and rule and thowe art ignoraunt of nothing that ys doen by him But thowe art diligently instructed in all poinctes Let vs be stirred vppe and feare and let vs declare a more godlinesse then those barbarouse men Thus moche Chrysostom Nowe haue we hearde three testimonies of Chrysostom In the first we were taught his faith as touching the honouring of the Sacrament whiche he saieth to be so honourable that not onely men But also Angells doo honoure yt In the second he declared the practise or execution of the honouring of the Sacrament by him self his ministers and his people before the receipt of the same Sacrament In the thirde he geueth generall exhortacion to all men to do the same And therunto prouoketh by the example of the three wise men that came to honour Chryst at his birth teaching vs that we honour the same bodie in the aultar that they did in the maunger These places being plain enough let vs leaue them and heare Sainct Ambrose who saieth thus evpownding a verse of the Prophet Dauid Per seabellum terra intelligitur per terram autem caro Christi quam bodie quoque in mysterijs adoramus quà m Apostoli in Domino Iesu vt suprà diximus adorarunt Neque Amb. despiritu S. li. 3. ca. 12. We adore the flesh of Chryst in the mysteries enim diuisas est Christus sed vnus By the footestoole ys vnderstanded the earth by the earth ys vnderstanded the flesh of Chryst whiche nowe also we adore in the mysteries whiche the Apostles as before we haue saied did adore in our Lorde Iesus Neither ys Chryst diuided but one what thinke you gentle Reader doth not Sainct Ambrose plainlie enough testifie and teache the adoracion of Chryst who that ye shall not be caried awaie with the wicked gloses of heretiques which to robbe Chryste of his honoure in the most holie and blessed Sacrament saie that thowe must adore Chryst in heauen teacheth you by expresse woordes that the flesh of Chryst ys to be adored and honoured in the Sacrament whiche he calleth the mysteries wher he affirmeth the same flesh to be that the Apostles did adore in our Lorde Iesus Nowe after S. Ambrose we will heare S. Augustine who in diuerse places teacheth vs to adore Chryst in the Sacrament But yt shall be best first to laie before you that place of Sainct Augustine at the lenght whollie and plainly whiche this Proclamer with sleight doth truncately and by peice meale touche that yt might appeare to his readers and heares that that place of Sainct Augustine nothing impugned his doctrine whiche in deed doth plainlie ouerthrowe yt This ys the wholl place of Sainct Augustine Adorate scabellum pedum eius quomam sanctum est Sed videte fratres quid nos iubeat adorare Alio loco scriptura dicit Coelum mihi sedes est terra Aug. in Isal 98. autem scabellum pedum meorum Ergo terram iubet nos adorare quia dixit alto loco quod sit
scabellum Dei Et quomodò adorabimus terram cùm dicat apertè scriptura Dominum Deum tuum adorabis Et hic dicit Adorate scabellum pedum eius Exponens autem mihi quid sit scabellum pedum eius dicit Terra autem scabellum pedum meorum Anceps factus fam timeo adorare terram ne damnet me qui fecit coelmi terram Rursum timeo non adorare scabellum pedum Domini mei quia Psalmus mihi dicit Adorate scabellum pedum eius Quaro quid sit scabellum pedum eius dicit mihi scriptura Terra scabellum pedum meorum Fluctuans conuerto me ad Christum quia ipsum quaero hic inuenio quomodò sine impietate adoretur terra sine impietate adoretur scabellum pedum eius Suscepit eium de terrae terram quia caro de terra est de carne Mariae carnem assumpsis Et quia in ipsa carne hic ambulauit ipsam carnem nobis manducandam ad salutem dedi◠Nemo autem carnem illam manducat nisi priùs adorauerit inuentum est quemadmodum adoretur tale scabellum pedum Domini non solùm non peccemus adorando sed peccemus non adorando Adore ye the footestoole of his feete for yt ys holie But marke ye bretheren what he commaundeth vs to adore In an other place the scripture saieth Heauen ys my seat and the earth ys my footestoole Then he commaundeth vs to adore the earth For he hath saied in an other place that yt ys the footestoole of God And howe shall we adore the earth seing the scripture openlie saieth Thowe shalt adore thy Lorde God And here saieth Adore his footestoole And expowdding to me what ys his footestoole he saieth The earth ys my footestoole I am doubtfull I feare to adore the earth leest he damne me that made heauen and earthe Again I feare not to adore the footstoole of my Lorde bycause the Psalme saieth to me Adore his footestoole Thus wauing vppe and downe I turne me vnto Chryst for I seke him here and I finde howe withoute impietie the earth maie be adored howe withoute The flesh born of the Virgen ys geuen vs to eate whiche we must also adore or ells we do offende impietie his footestoole maie be adored For he tooke earth of earth for flesh ys of the earth and he tooke flesh of the flesh of Marie And bicause he liued here in the same flesh and the same flesh he gaue vs to eate to our saluacion and no man eateth that flesh eycept he first adore yt yt ys perceaued howe soche a footestoole of our Lorde maie be adored And we shall not onely not sinne in adoring yt but we shall offende in not adoring yt Thus haue ye hearde S. Augustine at lenght Yf ye haue marked ye maie perceiue a goodlie and pleasaunt discurse howe he trieth oute the footestoole of God and howe yt maie be adored The footestoole of God at the last he findeth to be the flesh of Chryst the same flesh that he here liued in the same flesh also that he geueth vs to eate This flesh then ys the footestoole of God This footestoole ys to be adored saieth Sainct Augusten that in heauen yt aught to be adored at all times no man doubteth But forasmoche as the same footstoole the same flesh of Chryst ys geuen vs to be eaten we must also remembre our duetie before we receaue yt that we adore yt and honourelyt For yf we do not honour yt omitting then our duetie we offende saieth Sainct Augustine This flesh we receaue in the Sacrament wherfore we must honour yt in the Sacrament Yf Sainct Augustin ment not this adoracion to be doen to the Sacrament he wolde neuer haue spoken of this slesh of Chryst as eaten in the Sacrament but as exalted in glorie and sitting at the right hande of the Father Yt ys an easier waie to induce vs to honour a thing for that yt ys in heauen glorified then for that yt ys here in earth receaued But bicause this adoracion of the Sacrament was in vse among chrystians and gaue him light to vnderstande the Prophet Dauid Therfor he spake of yt That the adoracion was in vse yt appeareth in sondrie places of the whiche I shall bring furth one or two Sainct Augustine declaring the godlinesse of his mother lieng in her Li. 9. confe cap. 13. death bedde saieth thus of her Illa imminente die resolutionis suae non cogitauit corpus sunm sumptuosè contegi aut condiri aromatibus aut monumentum electum concupiuit aut curauit sepulchrum paternum Non ista mandauit nobis sed tantummodò memoriam sui ad altare tuum fieri desiderauit cui nullius diei praetermissione seruierat vnde sciret dispensari victimam sanctam qua deletum est Chirographum quod erat contrarium nobis qua triumphatus est hostis She when she perceaued the daie of her departinge to be at hand she had no care to haue her bodie sumptuouslie buried or to be spiced with swete spices neither did she couet a speciall monument or cared to be buried in her owne contrie She did not charge vs with those thinges but she desiered that her memorie might be made at thie aultar which she withoute anie daies missing had serued from whence she knewe that The mother of S. Augu. serued the aultar dailie holie sacrifice to be dispensed by the which the obligacion that was against vs was cancelled wherbye the enemie also was ouercomed Thus he In this that Sainct Augustine to the comendacion of his mother before God and the woorlde saieth that she dailie did serue the aultar I Aultar wolde learn of the Proclamer what seruice yt was that she did was yt not the seruice of Chryst her Lorde God and redemer that she did yea trulie And why did she yt at the aultar and not in heauen as the Proclamer wolde that we shoulde onely dooe Bicause she knewe as Sainct Augustine S. August plain against the Proclamer witnesseth that Chryst owre sacrifice was from thence dispensed and ministred So wher this Proclamer denieth the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament Sainct Augustine confesseth that same Chryste to be there that cancelled the writing that was against vs and so made vs free And wher the Proclamer discommendeth them and crieth oute against them that honour Chryst in the Sacrament Sainct Augustine writeth yt to the perpetuall commendacion and praise of his Godlie mother The Proclamer wolde yt shoulde neuer be vsed Sainct Augustin declareth that his mother dailie did vse yt And as she so likewise her doinge argueth the vse of the like honowringe and seruing of Chryst amonge and chrystian people Besides this the opnion that manie had of the chrystian people who not knowing the hidden mysterie of Chrystes presence in the Sacrament The fame that the Chrystiās did honour Ceres and Bacchus Proueth their adoracio of the Sacr. in the Primitiue
to thinges of like condiciō but whē yt ys cōpared to a thing that ys insinite yt maie not stād in comparison for Finiti ad infinitum nulla est comparatio of a thing finite to a thing infinite ther ys no comparison Wherfore the inconsumptible meat of our lambe in our Sacrament so farre excelleth being infinite that the consumptible meat of the olde lawe being finite maie not stande with yt in comparison Again S. Cyprian calleth our Sacramēt the foode of immortalitie the Paschall lambe of the Iewes was none soche Wherfore our Sacrament by all meanes excelleth that sacramēt of the Iewes S. Cyprian also applieng our Sacrament to the figure of the same vsed by Melchisedech doth most plainlie Cyprian ibidē vide sup li. 1. cap. 39. declare the excellencie of yt Significata olim à tempore Melchisedec prodeunt sacramenta filiis Abrahae facientibus opera eius summus sacerdos panē profert vinum Hoc est inquit corpus meum Manducauerant biberant de eodem pane secun dùm formam visibilem c. The sacramentes signified in the olde time from the time of Melchisedech come nowe furth and the high preist to the children of Abraham doing his woorkes bringeth furth breade and wine This ys saieth he my bodie They had eaten and dronken after the visible forme of the same bread But before those woordes that cōmon meat was profitable onely to nourish the bodie and did ministre helpe to the corporall life Sacrifice propitiatorie But after yt was saied of our lorde This do ye in the in the remembrance of me This ys my flesh and this ys my bloode as often as yt ys don with these woordes and this faith this substanciall bread and cuppe consecrated with the solemne benediction yt doth auail to the health and life of the wholl man and ys both a medicin and sacrifice to heale infirmities and to pourge iniquities Thus moche S. Cyprian But forasmoch as these two sainges are handled in the first booke wher the figure and the thing figured be at large opened I thinke yt not meete anie more of them here to saie then toucheth this present matter whiche they do wonderfullie set furth Yt ys more then manifest that the sacrifices Hebr. 10. The blood of bulls and goates in the olde lawe did not take awaie sinnes but the sacrifice of the newe lawe pourgeth iniquities of the olde lawe were not of that force power and vertue to pourge or take awaie sinnes S. Paule saing Impossibile est sanguine taurorum aut hircorum auferri peccata Yt ys vnpossible sinnes to be taken awaie with the bloode of bulls and goates But this owre sacrifice of the newe lawe whiche ys the flesh and blood of Chryste ys auailable to the wholl mā that ys to the health both of the bodie and soule of man For yt ys a medicin to heale infirmities and a sacrisice to pourge iniquities Yf this then be not a notable excellencie whiche the holie martir Cyprian geueth vnto this gloriouse and blessed Sacrament aboue the excellencie of these figures I knowe not what excellencie ys But the matter requireth to haue other holy Fathers to speake what they thinke in this matter S Ambrose for that he speaking of this matter affirmeth the like operacion and effect of this Sacrament as S. Cyprian did he shall be ioined vnto him Thus he saieth Ipse Dominus Iesus testificatur nobis quod corpus suum accipiamus sanguinem Nunquid debemus de eius fide testificatione dubitare Iam redi me cum ad propositionem meam Magnum quidem venerabile quod Manna Iudaeis pluit Li. 4. de sacram cap. 5 è coelo Sed intellige quid est amplius Manna de coelo an corpus Christi Corpus Christi vtique qui author est coeli Deinde Manna qui manducauerit mortuus est qui manducauerit hoc corpus fiet ei remissio peccatorum non morietur in aeternum The Lorde Iesus him self saieth S. Ambrose testifieth vnto vs that we receaue his bodie and bloode awght we of his testificacion and trueth to doubte Nowe come again with me to my proposition Yt ys a great thing trulie and venerable Manna ae creature frō heauen moche inferiour to Christe the authour of heauen that he rained Manna to the Iewes from heauen But vnderstand whiche ys the greater Manna from heauen or the bodie of Chryst The bodie of Chryst trulie who ys the authour of heauē Farder he that hath eatē Manna hath died he that eateth this bodie he shall haue remission of sinnes and shall not die for euer Thus farre S. Ambrose Doest thowe not Reader in this goodly saing see the great excellencie of the Sacrament aboue Manna as thow didest in S. Cyprian aboue the Paschall lambe and the sacrifice of Melchisedec Doest thowe not also note the goodly argrement of these two in cōmending vnto vs the great and woorthie Effectes of the S. Sacr. prouing the excellencie of yt effectes of this Sacrament by the whiche yt doth withoute all controuersie woonderfully excell all the sacramātes and sacrifices of the olde lawe As S. Cyprian applieng the bodie of Chryst to the Paschall lambe called yt the inconsumptible meat wherby yt excelleth the figure whiche was consumed So S. Ambrose applieng the bodie of Chryst to Manna as to his figure saieh that though Manna came from heauen Yet Chryst who ys the authour of heauen ys more excellent As S. Cyprian called the bodie the foode of imortalitie So S. Ambrose saieth that he that eateth this bodie he shall newer die As S. Cyprian saieth that yt ys a sacrisice to pourge iniquites So S. Ambrose saieth that he that eateth this bodie his sinnes shall be remitted These goodly effectes were not in the sacramentes and sacrifices of the olde lawe Wherfore they being in this Sacrament yt excelleth them all Yf thowe aske why or howe these effectes be in this Sacrament I answere bicause he ys ther verily substancially and reallie in quo inhabitat omnis plenitudo diuinitatis corporaliter in whom dwelleth all the fullnesse of the deitie corporally Colloss 2. and vnto whom Non ad mensuram dat Deus Spiritum God geueth not his Spirit by measure Et cui data est omnis potestas in coelo in terra And to whō Joan. 3. ys geuen all power in heauen and in earth whose flesh coniuncta ei quae naturaliter Math. 28. vita est viuifica effecta est being ioined vnto that whiche naturally ys life ys made also able to giue life as S. Cyrill saieth Cyrillus Of this his presence in the Sacrament for that that Chryst him self saieth and testifieth vnto vs that we do receaue his bodie we sholde not neither we aught as S. Ambrose saieth to doubt of his wittnesse and trueth Of the whiche as also of farder testimonie to the proof of the excellencie of the Sacrament he saieth in
bless Sacr. t. ys proued byour Lorde Iesus to be his bodie bodie to be receaued of sinners As touching the Frst the presupposall or cause why a man shoulde be giltie of the bodie and bloode of Chryste when he doeth vnwoorthilie receaue the Sacrament ys saieth Anselmus bicause by the authoritie of our Lorde Iesus yt ys proued that this bread that we speake of here ys his bodie and that the wine here also spoken of in the vse of the Sacrament ys his bloode Note I praie yowe that this Authur saieth that yt ys prooued of Sainct Paule by the authoritie of our Lorde Iesus that the bodie of the same our Lorde Iesus ys in the Sacrament formoche as the bread and wine ther ys no other but the bodie and bloode of Chryst And doe not onelie as by transcourse lightlie reade these woordes but earnestlie note that he saieth yt ys prooued by the authoritie of our Lorde Iesus Yf yt be proued by him who can improoue yt Yf he saie yt who can denie yt Yf he so teache yt why shall we otherwise beleue yt Let the Proclamer nowe let all the Sacramentaries whiche be his companions bringfurth one Authour that saieth that yt ys proued by the woordes of our Lorde Iesus that the bread and wine of the bless Sacrament be not the bodie and blood of our Lorde Iesus but onelie figures of the same bodie and bloode and not the thinges themselues and shewe the place as we doe and they shall haue the victorie But let them painte their matters as well as they can to bleer the eyes of the simple yet Vincit Veritas the trueth ouercometh And so shall yt in the ende faull oute that they shall be perceaued to be destitute of trueth For their vntrueth shall be confownded by the trueth Though vntrueth for a time gett the vpperhand and be mainteined by the princes and mightie of the earthe for that their sensuall libertie ys not by her restreined but by her in that respectt they are moche pleasured yet as all vanitie faileth vadith and vanisheth So yt being of the same kinde shall fall awaie and consume as the smooke and the fauourers of the same shall be as the dust which the winde bloweth awaie from the face of the crathe But so while I am a litle passed the compasse of the ringe my second matter knocketh and calleth me again wherin breiflie to touche moche matter Three sortes of euell receauers this Authour maketh three sortes of euell and vnwoorthie receauers The first ys of them that doe otherwise celebrate or receaue this holie misterie then yt was deliuered of Chryst In the whiche sorte as he touched the Berengarians whiche were in his time So doeth he the Oecolampadians and the Caluinists of this our time whiche both otherwise celebrating and otherwise receauing this holie misterie then yt was of Chryst instituted they make theÌ„selues vnwoorthie receauers Chryst instituted his bodie to be distributed aÌ„d geuen in this holie refection They geue and receaue a peice of bread and a cuppe of wine Chryst instituted a sacrifice to be celebrated They celebrate a beare tokeÌ„ of remeÌ„brance Wherfor by the iudgement of this Authour they altering Chrystes institucion are accompted among the euell receauers An other sorte ys of them that receaue the holie Sacrament without due reuerence Of this sorte be all the Lutherans who although they coÌ„fesse the verie presence of Chrystes bodie in the SacrameÌ„t yet they denie anie honour or woorshippe to be doen vnto yt Which fond and infatuate doctrine I caÌ„ but woonder at wel knowing that whersoeuer Chryst ys either in heaueÌ„ or Philip. 2. in earth he ys as Chrysostome saieth woorthie of most high honoure aÌ„d if God hath so exalted him and geuen him a name which ys aboue all names that in the name of Iesu euery knee shal bowe both of thinges in heaueÌ„ and things in earth and thinges vnder the earthe by what authoritie caÌ„ or will man will or coÌ„maunde no honour to be doen to him but of this we haue alreadie 3 spooken wherfore staing anie more to saie of yt here I come to the third sorte of receauers which ys saieth this authour of them that presume to come to the receipt of the blessed Sacrament before they haue pourged theÌ„selues and clensed their consciences by penance Of this sorte be all they who well beleuing yet not well liuing come with the filthinesse of sinne allreadie coÌ„mitted yet remaing vpon them or ells with pourpose of sinne to be committed by which both they make themselues vnwoorthie receauers Here nowe ye see a varietie of euel receauers and yet saieth this authour that they all receaue the Sacrament And the Sacrament saieth he by the authoritie of our Lord Iesus ys proued to be the bodie aÌ„d the blood of Chryst Which thing this authour yet by more expresse woordes teacheth in the exposition Anselm ibid. of the other text wher S. Paule as by repeticion saieth He that eateth and drinketh vnwoorthilie eateth and drinketh his owne damnacion saing thus Ideo prius se discutiat purget Quia qui manducat bibit indignè id est sine sui examinatione iudicium sibi manducat bibit Sicut enim Iudas cui buccellam tradidit Dominus non malum accipiendo sed malè accipiendo locum in se Diabolo praebuit sic indignè quisque sumens Dominicum Sacramentum vt quia ipse malus est malum sit quod accepit aut quia non ad salutem accipit nihil acceperit corpus enim Domini sanguis Domini nihilominus est sed ille accipit hoc non ad vitam sed ad indicium quia non diâ—uidicat corpus Domini id est non discernit quà m sit dignius omnibus creaturis hoc corpus quod videtur esse panis Si enim cogitaret hoc corpus esse Verbo Dei personaliter vnitum vitam ac salutem eorum esse qui hoc dignè accipiunt non praesumeret indignus accipere sed dignum se praepararet Let him therfor first examine himself and pourge himself For he that eateth aÌ„d drinketh vnwoorthilie that ys without examinacion of himself eateth and drinketh his owne damnacion making no difference of the bodie of our Lord. For as The bless Sacr. ys the bodie and blood of Chryst though euell men receaue yt Iudas to whome our Lorde gaue a morsell not taking an euell thinge but taking yt in euell maner gaue to the Deuell a place in himself so whosoeuer receaueth the Sacrament of our Lorde vnwoorthilie causeth not bicause heys an euell man that thing which he hath receaued ys euell or bicause he receaued yt not to saluacion that he receaued nothing For yt ys neuerthelesse the bodie of our Lorde and the blood of our Lord but he taketh this not to life but to condemnaciou bicause he maketh no difference of the bodie of our Lord that ys he discerneth not howe moch more
34. item lib. 3. cap. 33 Chryste commaunded himself to be offred lib. 3. cap. 16 Chryste offred euerie wher ys but one bodie and sacrifice lib. 2. cap. 10 Chryste gaue his owne bodie to his Apostles cap. 50. 64. he geueth himself to be eaten in the Sacrament lib. 1. cap. 14. Chrystes woordes This ys my bodie be not figuratiue lib. 2. cap. 42. 43. 44. sequent Chryste verīe bodie in the blessed Sacrament not the figure onelie lib. 1. cap. 21. item lib. 2. cap. 7. item lib. 3. cap. 7. 59. Chryste geueth vs the same flesh by whiche he was ioined to vs or tooke of our nature lib. 1. cap. 14. item lib. 2. cap. 5 Chryste ys ioined to vs corporallie lib. 1. cap. 14. Chryste and the Paschall lambe compared lib. 1. cap. 15. Chryst in our passouer verilie perfectlie lib. 1. cap. 16. 19. in the Iewes passouer vnper fectlie cap. 17 Chryste yf he be receaued but spirituallie then ys our passouer all one with the Iewes passouer cap. 19 Chryste first eate and dranke his bodie and blood and then gaue to his Apostles and whie lib. 1. cap. 16. item lib. 2. cap. 55. Chryste gaue inconsumptible meat tho Sacramentaries consumptible meat li. 1. cap. 17. Chryste consecrated his owne bodie lib. 3. cap. 51. and commaundeth the same to be consecrated li. 1. ca. 20. the preist consecrateth Chryste and not the pope made the Sacra-Chrysts bodie ibid. ca. 18 Chryste did three notable things in the institution of the blessed Sacrament lib. 3 cap. 16. Chryste commended to vs his bodie and blood 24 Chryste in the lawe presented in figure represented in the Gospell in veritie lib. 1. cap. 18 Chryste ys nowe receaued in veritie li. 3. ca. 5. 59. Chrystes verie bodie set before vs in earth lib 1. ca. 18. Chryste the onelie begotten Sonne of God receaued in the blessed Sacrament ibid. lib. 3. ca. 25 Chryste verilie vpon the aultar lib. 1. cap. 18. Chryste geueth his owne blood in the cuppe lib. 2. cap. 61 Chryste turned the bread into his bodie and the wine into his blood lib. 1. cap. 20. he made the bread his bodie lib. 2. cap. 49. Chryste saing this ys my bodie with the woorde made the thing cap. 55 Chryste not man doth consecrate lib. cap. 20. 31 Chrystes woordes this do ye be referred to the substance not to the maner lib. 1. cap. 27 Chrystes maner in ministring hath no cōmaundement ca. 26. neuer synce vsed ibid. Chryste left the maner of ministracion to be ordered of his Apostles cap. 26. lib. 3. cap. 34. Chryste in his supper bare himself in his hands lib. 2. cap. 10. 54 Chryste geueth his flesh in substance verilie not in maner grosselie ca. 36 Chryste in his supper the geuer and the gifte ca. 47. 53 Chryste the meat that we all feed on lib. 3 cap. 6. Chryste ys the substance of the blessed Sacrament cap. 10 Chrystes bodie as verilie receaued in the Sacrament as yt ys beleued to haue hanged on the crosse ibid. Chrystes blood in the Sacrament shed vpon the soldiours garments lib. 1. cap. 24 Chrystes bodie receaued with mouth both of bodie and soule li. 1. cap. 20. li. 2. ca. 14. 25. Chrystes flesh ys not disgested as other meates lib. 1. cap. 14. yt turneth vs into yt li. 2. ca. 5. lib. 3. ca. 59. Chryst ys not there receaued spirituallie where he ys not beleued that he maie be receaued reallie li. 1. cap. 31. Chryste doth sanctifie and transmute the bread and wine ibid. See bread Chrystes bodie vpon the crosse called bread li. 2. ca. 6 Chryste doth blesse sanctifie and diuide his holie bodie to the receauers lib. 2. cap 8. Chrysts flesh in the Sacrament geueth life to the woorthie receauers li. 2. cap. 6. li. 3. cap. 7. Chryste in all receauers naturallie in good receauers both naturallie and spirituallie lib. 2. cap. 20. 24. 25. lib. 3. cap. 6. Chryste as verilie in the blessed Sacrament as he was verilie incarnated lib. 2. cap. 24. Chryste by his incarnacion ioined to vs we by the Sacrament ioined to him lib. 2. cap. 14. 28. item lib. 3. cap. 27. 59. Chrystes bodie shall raise our bodies lib. 2. cap. 26. Chryste feadeth vs with a bread whiche ys his flesh ca. 32 Chryste moued the Iewes to beleue in his godhead and to eate the flesh of his manhead li. 2. ca. 2 Chryste by the Sacrament maketh vs one with his bodie and among our selues li. 3. cap. 26. Chryste instructed his Apostles in the faith of the blessed Sacrament before he in stituted yt cap. 56 Chryste spake plentifullie of his bodie and bloode in the sixt of Sainct Iohn lib. 2. cap. 55. Chrystes institucion ys to receaue his bodie and bloode in the remembrance of his death li. 3. cap. 36. Chrysts bodie ys not in the Sacramentall bread of the communion cap. 42 Chryste whie he instituted the Sacrament vnder two kindes lib. 2. ca. 67 Chryste being whollie vnder eche kinde the people be not defrauded receauing but th one ibid. Chryste saied Masse li. 3. cap. 33 Chryste taught the newe sacrifice of the newe Testament lib. 1. cap. 34. 37. item lib. 2. ca. 56. 58. Chryst ment a sacrifice li 1. ca. 31 Chryste must of necessitie be graunted to haue offred sacrifice in his supper ibid. Chryste ceasseth not to excute his perpetuall preisthead and sacrifice cap. 37 Chryste offred euery wher ys but one bodie and one sacrifice li. 2. cap. 10 Chryste both in heauen and earth in veritie ibid. Chrystes being in the Sacrament ys miraculouse contrarie to the rules of philosophie ibid. Chryste bodie vpon the crosse in heauen and on the aultar all one lib. 2. cap. 15. 22. Chryste the Sonue of man howe he was in heauen when he spake in earth lib. 2. cap. 34. Chrysts godhead and manhead distincted as two breades ca. 3. 15. Chryst sitteth in heauen and yet ys dailie sacrificed by the preist ca. 46 Chrystes bodie on the aultar that was in the maunger ca. 45. Chryste why he made mencion of his ascension in the vi of Sainct Iohn cap. 34. 35. Chrystes flesh besides nature ascended into heauen and besides nature geueth life in the blessed Sacrament ca. 34. Chrystes woordes wrested to xvi diuerse senses by protestants ca. 41 Chryste was the spirituall rocke not the materiall and therfor ys ther no figure in Sainct Paules speache lib. 3. cap. 3 Chryste before the consecracion of his bodie lift vppe his eies and gaue thankes to his Father li. 3. ca. 34 Chryste tooke the cuppe of wine mixed with water into his handes and blessed and sanctified them cap. 35 Chrysts blood not onelie in heauen but also in the chalice ca. 25 Chryste entred in to his Apostles the doores being shett li. 2. ca. 11 Chryste shall come to iudgement with the sign of the crosse and prints of his woundes li. 3. ca 45. Chryste howe he ys hath ben and shall be a
nec aperire possunt nisi ille reserauerit qui habet clauem Dauid qui aperit et nemo claudite claudit et nemo aperit In Actis Apostolorum sanctus Eunuchus imo vir sic enim eum scriptura cognominat cum legeret Esaiam interrogatus à Philippo Putà sne intelligis quae legis Respondit Quomodò possum nisi aliquis me docuerit Ego vt de me loquar interim nec sanctior sum hoc Eunucho nec studiosior qui de Aethiopia id est de extremis mundi finibus venit ad templuÌ„ reliquit aulam et tantus amator legis diuinaeque scientiae fuit vt etiam in vehiculo sacras literas legeret et tamen cum librum teneret et verbum Domini cogitatione conciperet lingua volueret labijs personaret ignorabat eum quem in libro nesciens venerabatur Venit Philippus ostendit ei Iesum qui clausus latebat in litera O mira doctoris virtus eâdem hora credit Eunuchus baptisatur et sanctus factus est The heauens were open to Ezechiel whiche to the sinfull people were shette Dauid saith Open thowe mine eies and I shall see the wonderfull thinges of thy lawe The lawe ys spirituall and yt hathe nede of reuelacion that yt maye be vnderstanded and that with open face we maie beholde the glorie of God The booke in the Apocalips ys shewed signed or fastened with seueÌ„ seales whiche if thow geue to a man hauing knowledge of letters that he maye read it he will aunswer I can not For it ys sealed Howe manie nowe a daies thinke Manie nowe a daies holde the booke of scripture scaled them selues learned and do holde the booke sealed neither yet can open it except he onlocke it which shetteth and noman openeth openeth and no man shetteth In the Actes of the Apostles the holie Eunuche yea raither a man for so the scripture doth call him when he did reade Esaie the Prophet being asked of Philippe Thinkest thow thow vnderstandest what thow readest he answered howe can I except some bodie shall teache me As for me that I maie speake somthing of my self I am neither more holie then this Eunuch nor more studiouse whiche came from Aethiope that ys from the furthest coastes of the worlde vnto the TeÌ„ple He left the Courte and was so great a louer of the lawe and godlie Science that he wolde euen in his Chariett read the holie scriptures And yet when he helde the booke and conceaued in his minde the woord of God when he spake it with his tounge and sownded it with his lipps he knew not him whom vnwitting he woorshipped in the booke Philippe came he shewed him Iesus who laie hidde in the letter O great vertue of a teacher The same howre the Eunuch beleued he was baptised and made faithfull and holie Thus farre saincte Hierom. In whose sentence marke well howe many scriptures this holie doctour hath brought forth to declare and proue that the scriptures be obscure and therfore of necessitie require to haue some exercised and learned in them to open and declare them as sainct Hierom declaring the cause whie alleageth these scriptures whiche ye haue heard and immediately addeth and saieth Haec à me breuiter perstricta sunt vt intelligeres te in scripturis sanctis sine praeuio et monstrante semitam non posse ingredi Theise thinges are breiflie touched of me to the entent thow shouldest vnderstande that withoute a leader and one shewing the path thow canst not entre in to the scriptures Not moche vnlike to this declaring the obscuritie and hardnesse of the olde Testament he writeth in his epistle to Algasia Quaestiunculaetuae de Euangelio Hieron ad AlgasiaÌ„ tantum de Apostolo propositae indicant te veterem scripturam aut non satis legere aut non satis intelligere quae tantis obscuritatibus suturorum typis obuâ—luta est vt omnis interpretatione egeat Thy questions propownded onelie out of the gospell and the Apostle doo declare that either thowe hauest not sufficientlie red the olde scripture or ells doest not sufficientlie vnderstand yt whiche ys enwrapped with so manie obscurities and figures of thinges to come that euery parte of yt had nede of interpretacon Thus moche saincte Hierom. Saincte Basill teacheth that all the scriptures are not to be published and made coÌ„mon for that some parte of them semeth to require a scilence or closenesse for their obscuritie Wherfor he diuideth the scriptures into two sortes or partis saieng Aliud est Dogma aliud Praedicatio Dogmata silentur Basil li. de Sp. S. ca. 27 Praedicationes verò publicantur Silentij autem species est obscuritas qua vtitur scriptura ita dogmatum sententiam construens vt aegrè assequi possis The pointes of learning be one thing and morall instruction ys an other Pointes of learning be kept close or secret Morall instructions are published and openlie taught A kinde of scilence also ys the obscuritie whiche the scripture vseth so framing the meening of the secret pointes of learning that a man maye hardlie atteign therto Saint Ambrose also in a fewe woordes saieth moche to this matter calling Lib 7. epist 44. the scripture of God the great sea hauing in yt a depenesse withoute Botome of depe senses and vnderstaÌ„dinges into the whiche manie flouddes doo entre Chrysostom also vpon this text Vae vobis qui clauditis regnum caelorum Wo be Math. 23. Chrysost oinel 44. in Matth. to yow whiche shett vppe the kingdom of heauen saieth thus Regnum est beatitudo caelestis Ianua autem eius est scriptura per quam intratur ad eam Clauicularij autem sunt sacerdotes quibus creditum est verbum docendi et interpretandi scripturas Clauis autem est verbum scientiae scripturarum per quam aperitur homimbus ianua veritatis Adapertio autem est interpretatio vera Videte quia non dixit Vae vobis qui non aperitis regnum caelorum sed qui clauditis Ergo non sunt scripturae clausae sed obscurae quidem vt cum labore inueniantur non autem clausae vt nullo modo mueniantur Propterea dicit Petrus in epistola sua de scripturarum obscuritate quia non sicut voluit homo locutus est spiritus sed sicut voluit spiritus ita locutus est homo Ratio autem obscuritatis multiplex est tamen satisfactionis causa dicimus duas Obscurata est notitia veritatis ne non tam vtilis inueniatur quà m contemptibilis Contemptibilis enim est si ab illis intelligatur à quibus nec amatur nec custoditur The kingdom ys the heauenlie blesse The gates of yt ys the scripture by the whiche we entre into yt The keibearers Preistes are the keiebearers of the scriptures are the preistes vnto whom the woorde ys committed to teache and interprete the scriptures The keie ys the woorde of the knowledge of the scriptures by the whiche
so with varietie of colours to make yt perfecte Euen so Christ did in the table He did both describe the figure of the passouer and also shewed the possouer of the truth Wher willt thowe that we make readie for thee to eate the passouer That was the Iudaicall Passouer But let the shadowe geue place to the light And the ymage be ouercōmed of the truthe Thus Chrisostom What neadeth me here to trauaill to open the Authours mening where he himself vseth so plain speche that he neadeth no interpretour He hath not onelie made a iust comparison betwen the olde Paschall lambe and our Paschall lambe but also by tearmes applied to them he hathe declared the contentes of thē and what they be That lambe saieth he was a shaddow This lambe the trueth That lambe a figuratiue passouer this the true Passouer I wolde to God all that haue romed astraie in the matter of this blessed Sacrament wolde open their eies and clerelie beholde howe by these woordes true and trueth whiche Chrisostom in this sentence so often hath vsed the true faith and the trueth of the faith of the Churche the piller of trueth ys taught maintened and aduaunced and the falsed of the false prophetes and preachers weakened and conuinced These preachers teache that the Sacrament ys but a figure a sign or token of Christes bodie Chrisostom saieth that the olde Paschall lambe was but a figure but our Paschall lambe caten in the Sacrament ys the trueth That the shaddowe This the light Yf then the olde Paschall lambe were the figure and the shaddow and our newe Paschall lambe the trueth and the light thē are they moche more then bare figures and signes for they are the verie thinges But to make an euasion from this argument they will saie that Christ ys our true Paschall lābe and ys truelie eaten in the receipte of the Sacrament Heretiques euasion frō Chrysostō And therfore we saie with Chrisostom we haue the trueth and the verie true Paschall lambe ys receaued of the faithfull euen the very bodie of Christe But if yowe procead to demaunde of them yf the verie bodie of Christe be consecrated on the Altar and deliuered by the preist to the hande or mouthe of the faithfull and so receaued here they starte backe and can not abide this voice that yt shoulde be on the Altar but onelie in the heart of the godlie receauer But Chrisostome saieth that his true Passeouer wherbye he meneth the bodie of Christ was on the table where the olde passeouer was In that table saieth he both the Passeouer of the figure and of the trueth were celebrated And that none occasion of misunderstanding or wresting of his woordes Figuratiue passouer ād true Passouer both in one table shoulde be taken he speaketh the same sentēce after warde in more plain woordes saing Christ in the table did bothe describe the figure of the Passeouer and shewed also the true Passeouer Note then bothe that Christe did shewe the true Passeouer And that he did shewe yt in the table whiche bothe do importe a reall presence For to shewe the true thing ys to shewe the verie thing yt self to shewe the verie thing yt self ys to shewe the reall presence of the thinge To shewe yt in or vpon the table importeth a substanciall maner of beinge farre differente frō their spirituall maner of beinge whiche ys onelie in the hearte For yt ys outwardlie vpon the table and therfore neadeth a presence reall And here somwat more to presse the Proclamer yt wolde be learned of him why S. Hierom and S. Chrisostom call not the iudaicall Passouer the light the trueth ād the veritie as they do oure Paschall lambe seing as he and his likes do saie they receaued Christ as well as we and we in our Sacrament no more them they for they spirituallie and we spirituallie and our Sacrament no better then theirs But vnderstand Reader that they so saing speak lies and deceaue thee The holie Fathers calling the olde sacramētes figures and shaddowes and ours the light the trueth and the thinges in dede teache that those sacramentes had not the verie presence of Christ and that our Sacrament hath And that ye maie the better perceaue that Chrisostom meneth as here ys declared ye shal heare him in an other place vttering his minde and faith yea the faithe of the Churche in his time in more plain and expresse woordes Thus he writeth Ipsa namque mensa animae nostrae vis est nerui mentis fiduciae vinculum fundamentum spes salus lux vita nostra Si hinc hocsacrificio muniti migrabimus Homeli in 10. 1. Corin. maxima cum fiducia sanctum ascendemus vestibulum tanquam aureis quibusdam vestibus contecti Et quid futura commemoro Nam dum in hac vita sumus vt terra nobis coelum sit facit hoc mysteriū Ascende ad coeli portas diligenter attende imò non coeli sed coeli coelorum tunc quod dicimus intueberis Etenim quod summo honore dignum est id tibi in terra ostendam Nam quemadmodum in regijs non parietes non tectum aureum sed regium corpus in throno sedens omniū est praestantissimū ita quoque in coelis regium corpus quod nunc in terra videndum tibi proponitur Neque Angelos neque Archangelos non coelos non coelos coelorum sed ipsum horum tibi omnium Dominum ostendo Animaduertis quónam pacto quod omnium maximū est atque praecipuum in terra non conspicaris tantum sed tangis neque tangis solùm sed comedis co accepto domū redis Absterge igitur ab omni sorde animā tuā praepara mentē tuā ad horū mysteriorū susceptionem Etenim si puerreguis purpura diademate ornatus tibi ferēdus traderetur nónne omnibus humi abiectis cum susciperes Verùm nunc cum nō hominis regiū puerū sed vnigenitū Dei filium accipias dic quaeso non horrescis omnium secularium rerūamorē abiicis That table ys the strenght of our soule the Sinnewes of the minde the bande of trust the fundacion hope health light and our life Yf we beinge defended with this sacrisice shall departe hence with most great trust we shall as couered with certain golden garmentes ascend to the holie place But what do I reherse thinges that be to come For while we be in this life this misterie causeth that the earth ys an heauen vnto vs. Go vppe therfor vnto the gates of heauen but not of heauen but of the heauen of heauens and diligentlie marke And then thowe shalt beholde what we saie For The thing woorthie of most honour ys in the Sacrament trulie that that ys woorthie of most highest honour that shall I shewe thee in earthe For as in Kinges howses not the walls not the golden Rooffe but the Kinges bodie sitting in Throne ys most cheif and woorthiest
ipsum quà m ipse per ipsam consuetus De ciuit Dei li. 10. cap. 20. offerri He ys the preist he ys the offerer and the oblaciō The sacramēt of the which thinge he willed the dailie Sacrifice of the Churche to be forasmoche as of that bodie he ys the head and of that head she ys the bodie being vsed or accustomed aswell she by him as he by her to be offred Thus saincte Augustine Christs bodie the dailie Sacrifice of the Church Nowe yowe see not onely their inuented obiections soluted but also the trueth taught and confirmed by auncient Authoritie that ys that Chrystes bodie which ys in heauen ys also in earth in the Sacrament as Chrysostō teacheth which bodie ys so verilie present that ys ys the dailie Sacrifice of the Churche not a sacrifice of mans inuention inuented to the derogacion of Christes blessed sacrifice vpō the Crosse as the Aduersaries blaspheme but a Sacrifice that Christ him self wolde haue dailie frequented in the Churche as sainct Augustin teacheth as a sacrament of that blessed Sacrifice past and doen. Although christian Reader the plentifullnesse of this matter and the delectacion of the same and the earnest desire that I haue that all men wolde be obedient to Gods trueth and bringe their imaginacions into captiuitie to the obedience of Chryste and specially my bretheren and contriemen after the flesh for whome I wolde wish my self accursed that they 2. Cor. 10. might be saued doth carie me awaie making me to forgett my self in long Roin 9. tarieng vpon this one Author yet nowe I will staie my self and breiflie note the thirde note of Chrysostom and then procead to other The thirde note ys the similitude whiche Chrysostome vseth in exhortacion to moue vs to the woorthy receauing of so gloriouse a thinge Yf the kinges sonne saieth he deckt with purple and diademe were deliuered to thee to be born woldest thowe not cast all thinges down on the grounde ād receaue him But nowe when thowe takest not the sonne of a king being a man but the onelie begotten Sonne of God saie I praie thee arte thowe not afraied Note then that ye receaue not in the Sacrament a bare peice of bread but ye receaue the onelie begotten sonne of God Iesus Chryst God and man At whose What we receiue in the Sacrament presence we aught to tremble and feare lest anie filthinesse shoulde remain in our consciences wherwith the eyes of his maiestie shoulde be offended In the receipt of a peice of bread we nede not to trēble or quake neither in the receipt of the merite of Chrystes passion which ys the spirituall receauing of Chryst For in receauing of that we receaue great comforth with al Trembling at the receipt of the Sacr. prooueth the presence of Christ. and no feare but raither we shoulde feare yf we receaue yt not For then are we destitute of our saluacion whiche commeth to vs by the passiō of Chryste But Chrysostome asketh yf we tremble not when we receaue the onelie begotten Sonne of God which must nedes be at the presence of so high a maiestie for consideracion aboue saied as Peter did vpon the contemplacion of the powre of Chryste in wourking the miracle of the taking ef the great nombre Luc. 5. of fishes who fell down at his feet and saied Exi à me Domine quia homo peccator sum Lorde go from me for I am a sinfull man And Centurio likewise Matth. 8. Domine non sum dignus vt intres sub tectum meum I am not wourthie o Lorde that thow shouldest enter into my house Mary Magdalen though in the presence of Christe she humbled her self Luc. 7. hauing no doubte both feare and sorowe for her sinnes committed Yet I dare saie she trēbled neuer a whitte at this ioifull voice Remittuntur tibi peccata tua Thy sinnes be forgeuen thee but she reioiced and was gladde in God So vndoubtedlie a man beinge certified by the Spirit of God that he ys a partaker of the merittes of Chrystes passion and therby through the receauing of the Sacramentes ys made a liuelie membre of Chryst can not at the receipt of so high a benefit tremble and quake but ioye and be gladde and praise God with manie other that receaued benefits at Chrystes hand of whom the Gospell maketh mencion Wherfor yt ys euident that yt ys the the verie reall presence of Chrystes bodie that we aught to tremble at and feare when we receaue yt lest peraduenture anie sinne shoulde be in vs which shoulde offende his blessed Maiestie wherbie we might receaue him to our damnacion And not at the receipt of the Chryste spirituallie THE NINGTENE CHAPITER CONTINVETH the proofe of the same matter by S. Augustin and S. Cyrill IN the chapiter before ye hearde two famouse Fathers not dissenting but consenting but consenting not infirming but confirming the sainges of the other aunciēt elders before brought furth Nowe will we likewise heare other two whiche will plainlie declare what was enacted ād receaued in the house of God for the verie trueth of this matter The first shall be saincte Augustine a miracle of chrystendom passing S. Augustine cōmendded by this Authour withoute controuersie all writers that haue written both Grekes and Latines in profownde learninge and in nombre of bookes a man so famouse that euery childe almost in christendom hath sainct Augustin in his mouthe A man of soche grauitie and authoritie that all Chrysten men do reuerence him and staie vpon the saing of him A man of soche zeale to the trueth of Chrystes faith that by his learned trauaill he pourged Affrick of the heresies of the Manicheis the Donatistes and the Pelagians And with all he ys so aunciēt being born aboute the yeare of our lorde 354. that he ys withoute suspicion of corruption in this matter of our controuersie To declare what the trueth of this matter ys he saieth thus Aliudest Paschal Cōt literas Petiliani quod adhuc Iudaei celebrant de oue Aliud autem quod nos in corpore sanguine Domini celebramus Yt ys an other Passouer that the Iewes do yet celebrate with a shepe an other that we doo celebrate in the bodie and bloode of Christe In the which sainge ye do first perceaue that he doth first declare a difference of the Iudaicall Passeouer and the Chrystian Passeouer yet comparing them together as the figure to the thing figured and by expresse woordes sheweth what they be The Iudaicall Passeouer was a shepe our Passeouer ys the bodie and bloode of Chryste What more plain woordes wolde the Proclamer wish to be spokē for the Au obiection determinacion of this controuersie And yet yt maie be that the enemie will here delude the simple and holde in the arrogant with one of hys common An obiection aunswers that Chryste spirituallie ys our spirituall Paschall Lambe but not Chryst reallie present in the Sacrament For
gratiis sanctificauit quòd dixit ea per quae significauit mysterium cùm ea ipsa verba dixit deinde procidit orat supplicat diuinas illas voces ipsius vnigeniti seruatoris nostri etiam in donis propositis applicans vt suscepto eius sanctissimo omnipotente Spiritu conuertatur quidem panis in ipsum preciosum sanctum eius corpus vinum autem in ipsum immaculatum sanctum eius sanguinem Haec cùm orauit dixit vniuersum sacrificium peractum perfectum est dona sunt sanctificata hostia integra perfecta effecta est magna hostia victima quae pro mundo mactata est supra sacram mensam sita cernitur Panis enim non ampliùs figura Dominici corporis neque donum ferens imaginem veri doni neque ferens aliquam descriptionem ipsius seruatoris passionum tanquà m in tabula sed ipsum verum donum ipsum sanctissimum corpus Domini quod omnia illa verè suscepit probra contumelias vibices quod crucifixum quod interfectum quod sub Pontio Pilato pulchrum testimonium confessum est quod colaphis appetitum quod contumelijs affectum sputa passum est felgustauit Similiter vinum ipse sanguis qui exilijt occiso corpore hoc corpus et sanguis qui ex Spititu sancto constitutus est natus ex Maria virgine qui sepultus est qui resurrexit tertio die qui ascendit in coelos sedet ad dexteraÌ„ Patris When he hath declared that honourable Supper and howe he gaue yt before hys passion to hys holie disciples and that he tooke the bread and tooke the cuppe and geuing thankes sanctified them and saied those woordes by the which he declared the mysterie And when he hath spoken those woordes then he falleth down and praieth and maketh humble request applieng those sainges of God the onely begotten Sonne our Sauiour to the giftes The bread of the Sacrament ys turned into the verie bodie of Chryst aÌ„d wine into his blood and ys no figure of them sett furth that hys Almightie and most holie Spirit being receaued the bread maie be turned into the self same preciouse and holie bodie of him and the wine into the self same immaculate and holie bloode of him When he hath praied and saied these thinges all the whol sacrifice ys throughlie doeÌ„ and perfected and the giftes are sanctified and an wholl and perfecte host ys made And the great host and sacrifice whiche was ssain for the worlde ys seen sett vpon the holie table For the bread ys no more a figure of our Lordes bodie neither ys yt the gifte bearing the image of the true gifte neither as in a table but the very gifte yt self the verie most holie bodie of our Lord whiche verilie suffred reproches contume lies beatinges which was slain whiche confessed a goodlie testimonie vnder Ponce Pilate which being buffited and with contumelies affected suffred spitting and tasted gall Likewise the wine ys the self same blood that gusht oute of the ssain bodie This ys the bodie and bloode that was made by the holie Gost borne of the virgen Marie which was buried which rose again the thirde daie whiche ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Thus moch this Authour who as he hath verie plainly and fullie testified the sacrificing of Chrystes bodie in the holie table So doth he immediately in the next chapiter declare the commaundement of Chryst vnto the Apostles Idâ—ca 28. and the Church to doo the same aÌ„d saieth thus Ipse dixit Hoc est corpus meum hic est sanguis meus Ipse etiam inssit Apostolis per Apostolos vniuersae Ecclesiae hoc facere Hoc enim inquit facite in meam recordationem Non iussisset autem facere nisi esset potestatem daturus vt possent hoc facere He saied this ys my bodie this ys my blood He also commaunded his Apostles and by hys Apostles the vniuersall Churche this to doe For do ye this saieth he in my remembrance But he had not commaunded them to doo yt except he wolde geue theÌ„ power that they might doo yt And in the end of this chapiter he saieth thus Dominus autem videtur contrectatur per veneranda sacra mysteria vt qui naturant nostram susceperit ferat in aeternum Haec est sacerdotij potestas hic est sacerdos Etenim qui seip sum semel obtulit sacrificauit à sacerdotio non cessauit sed perpetuum hoc sacrificij munus nobis obit per quod etiam est aduocatus pro nobis ad Deum in aeternum Owre Lorde ys seen and felt by the honourable and holie mysteries as he who hathe bothe taken our Nature vpon him and will beare yt for euer Thys ys the power of the preisthead This ys the preist For be that hath once offred and sacrificed himself Chryst ceasseth not to execute his perpetuall preist hood and Sacrifice ceaseth not from hys preisthead but he dothe execute the perpetuall office of sacrifice in vs by the which also he ys Aduocate for vs to God for euer Nowe this Authour as other before haue don hath taught vs both that Chrystes bodie ys sacrificed and also that he hath commaunded hys Apostles and by the Apostles all the Churche to doo euen the same And therto he hath also geuen power to hys Church to offre Chryst For as this Authour saieth except he had geuen powre to doe yt he wolde neuer haue commaunded yt to be doen. And that the verie bodie and blood be sacrificed and not onelie a peice of bread eaten in the remembrance of Chryst this Authour so plainlie teacheth that this Proclamer can not auoid him but as hys Father Luther did aunswer saincte Iames epistle in the matter of iustificacion reiecting the same epistle For first to auoid the figures tropes and signes whiche the Aduersaries comonlie cast vpon this matter this Authour saieth that by the Almightie powre of the Spirit of God the bread ys turned into the very bodie of Chryst and not into an image of Chryst And the wine into hys immaculate bloode Secondarely to auoyd their figures by expresse woordes he saieth that Note this master Juel aÌ„d see your hereticall doctrine directlie impugned after the consecracion the bread ys no more a figure of our Lordes bodie neither ys yt an image of the verie thing neither an onely description of Chryst as a thing might be described in a table but yt ys the thing yt self euen the verie same bodie that was crucified and the self same bloode that yshued out the same crucified bodie What can we haue more What more plainesse can be desiered Ye see that the bodie of Chryst ys offred in sacrifice ye see that powr authoritie and commaundement ys geuen to the Church so to doo And nowe I doubte not but the reader seeth good plain
authoritie or credite ys he of that teacheth in the pulpet by speaking then he that teacheth by open writing Yf ye will not beleue me writing ye will not beleue me preaching Yf ye wil beleue me preaching for that I speake the trueth by the scriptures and auncient fathers Beleue me also writing the trueth by the scriptures aÌ„d auncieÌ„t fathers And yf these alowed writers of these later daies teach the trueth by the scripturs aÌ„d auncieÌ„t fathers theÌ„ must they neds be receaued And ther for trulie yt ys necessarie that they be alleaged to th eÌ„tent the trueth maie be perceaued to be one throughout all and that they being ioined with the auncieÌ„tes yt maie be seeÌ„ that the same trueth is taught now that was taught a thousand yeares agoÌ„ before And therfor haue I determined not to geue place to this refusall of Heretiques but to alleage the Authours of these later yeares that the coÌ„sonancie and vnitie of the trueth maie be perceaued in all ages and that ther ys no other trueth taught now theÌ„ was taught in the Primitiue Church and the time of the Apostles yea no other trueth then was taught by oure Sauiour Chryst himself and by his holie Spirit the Authour of all trueth Wherby the foule railinges and slaunders which bemost comoÌ„ lie in the mouthes of the enemies maie be taken awaie and they of their vntrueth and malice woorthilie confownded Thus moche I thought good to saie for that in this book I minde to vse the testimonies of these late writers for th entent aboue specified And nowe therfore to Theophilacte the Grecian I shall ioin the learned doctour Nicolaus de Lyra a latin Authour who writing vpon the sixt of S. Iohn cometh to this text Et panis quem ego dabo caro mea est And the bread whiche I will geue ys my flesh and expowndeth yt thus Postquam egit de pane spirituali qui est Verbum hic consequenter agit de pane spirituali qui est Sacramentum After he hath don saieth this Authour of Chryst with the spirituall bread which ys Nico. Lira in 6. Ioan. the woorde here consequentlie he treacted of the spirituall breade whiche ys the Sacrament What dothe this authour dissent from the Fathers dothe he not signifie that Chryste before the sentence so often alleaged did speake of the spirituall bread hys Godhead which he calleth the woord And doth he not now saie that in yt that foloweth Chryst speaketh of the Sacrament These be sufficient to declare the true vnderstaÌ„ding of our Sauiour Chrystes processe and ordre in the sixte of S. Iohn And for that ye perceaue the same aswell after the minde of Chryste the verie texte so leading vs to vnderstand yt as also after the minde of diuerse learned authours I will nowe procead to see the vnderstaÌ„ding of diuerse textes of the rest of this chapiter that treacte of the blessed Sacrament THE FOVRTH CHAPITER BEGINNETH A further proof of the former matter by S. Cyprian and Euthymius THis distinction of these two breades last before mencioned perceaued and being withall remeÌ„bred that at this text The bread which I shall geue ys my â—…esh whiche I will geue for the life of the world Chryst began to speake of the Sacrament and continueth the disputation therof to the ende of the chapiter to proue the same more manifestlie to the Reader and withall to make yt clere that that processe ys not of a figuratiue flesh but of Chrystes verie propre flesh and bodie I will beginne at the same text and so descending to the last by a nombre of the most auncient Fathers of Chrystes Parliament house open both the one and the other I trust to the full contentacion of the godlie Reader The firste that shall shewe hys minde of this matter shall be the holie Martyr Cyprian who saieth thus Panis vitae Christus est panis hic omnium non est sed noster est Et quomodò dicimus Pater noster quia intelligentium credentium pater est sic paneÌ„ nostruÌ„ vocamus quia Christus noster qui eius corpus coÌ„tingimus panis est Hunc autem paneÌ„ dari nobis quotidiè postulamus ne qui in Christo sumus Eucharistiam quotidie ad cibuÌ„ salutis accipimus intercedente grauiore aliquo delicto dum abstenti noÌ„ coÌ„municantes à caelesti pane prohibemur à Christi corpore separemur ipso praedicante monente Ego sum panis vitae qui de caelo descendi Si quis ederit de hoc pane viuet in aeternum Panis quteÌ„ quem ego dedero caro mea est pro seculi vita The bread of life ys Chryst and this breade ys not the breade of all men but yt ys ours And as we do saie Oure Father because he ys the father of all that do beleue and vnderstande Euen so also oure bread call we whiche touche his bodie bicause owre Chryste ys bread This breade we dailie desire to be geuen vs least we which be in Chryst and take the Sacrament dailie to oure meate of health some greuouse offence coming betwene while we being excoÌ„municated and not receauing be forbidden from the heauenlie bread maie be separated from the bodie of Chryste he himself openly saing and teaching I am the bread of life whiche descended from heauen Whosoeuer shal eate of this bread shall liue for euer The bread which I will geue ys my flesh for the life of the worlde Thus moch S. CypriaÌ„ In this sentence I doubte not but ye perceaue that this holy Martyr applieth the sentences of the sixt of S. Iohn to the SacrameÌ„t of Chrystes bodie and blood According to whiche vnderstanding he calleth Chryst our bread S. Cyprian aplieth the sixt of S. Iohn to the Sacrament whom he so calleth not onelie bicause of his Godhead but also bicause he feadeth vs in the Sacrament with his bodie For saieth he we being in Chryste do receaue the Sacrament dailie to the meate of health But yf by sinne we forbeare to receaue the heauenlie bread we be separated from the bodie of Chryste Wherby we maie perceaue that not onelie the sixt of S. Iohn ys to be vnderstanded of the Sacrament But also when S. Cyprian calleth the Sacrament the meat of health the heauenly bread and the bodie we are taught that in the SacrameÌ„t ys the verie presence of that bodie to the which proprelie these goodlie titles maie be wourthilie applied Whiche bodie can be none other but the bodie of Chryst God an man But forasmoch as the faith of this famouse Father and holie Martyr Cyprian in this poinct hath ben notablie and manifestlie declared in sentences before alleaged in the first booke and more herafter shall be spoken I will not nowe trooble the reader with any longer declaracion of the same but will ioin with Cyprian one of the other side of Chrystes Parliament house euen Euthymius a grecian whose sentence Reader yt shall
not repent thee to hear yf thowe desire to knowe the trueth Vpon the text of S. Iohn before treacted of he maketh this exposition Duobus modis dicitur Christus esse panis secundùm diuinitatem scilicet humanitatatem Euthymins in 6. Ioan. Postquam ergo docuit de modo qui secundùm diuinitatem est nunc etiam docet de modo qui est secundùm humanitatem Non autem dixit quem do sed quem dabo Daturus namue erat in vltima coena quando sumptum panem actis gratijs fregit deditue Discipulis ait Accipitt comedite Hoc est corpus meum Chryste ys saied to be bread two waies that ys after his Godhead and after his manhead Therfore when he had taught the maner whiche ys after his Godhead Nowe dothe he also teache the maner whiche ys after hys manhead For he did not saie which I do geue but which I will geue For he wolde geue yt in the last Supper when thankes being geuen he brake the bread which he had taken and gaue yt to the disciples and saied Take eate this ys my bodie What can the Aduersaries saie against so manifest and so plain a sentence Do not their chekes waâ—e red for shame Ys not blind ignorance or deuelish malice to be laied vnto these men that either do not know the learning of so manie great clerlees or ells yf they knowe do so maliciouslie so deuelish lie preferre their owne arrogant phantasies and opinons and presume to saie the contrarie to that so manie in soch sundrie ages declaring also therby the wholcoÌ„seÌ„t of the church through al âges in the same do affirme aÌ„d teach whiche ys that Chryst did treact of and promisse in sixt of Iohn the Sacrament of his bodie and bloode Now gentle Reader wilt thow beleue them in their matters when they be deprehended in soche notable falshead as all the Church doth reprehende them for And yet their falshead shall more appeare by other mo herafter Wherby yt shall most clerely be perceaued that they haue attempted against all trueth to wrest the sixt chapiter of saincte Iohn from the Sacrament And so shalt thowe se howe farre they haue swarued and doo swarue from the treuth THE FIFTH CHAPITER PROCEADETH VPON the same text by saincte Augustin and Chrysostome THat ye maie see more of the vnderstaÌ„ding of this text an other coople shall be produced to shewe yow howe this place of IhoÌ„ ys vnderstanded The first of them shall be famouse Augustine who saieth thus Mensa sponsi tui panem habet integrum poculum sanctuÌ„ quem paneÌ„ etsi fractuÌ„ comminutumue vidimus integrè tamen cum August de cultura agri Dominici ipso suo Patre manet in caelis De quo pane dicit Panis quem ego daho caro mea est pro mun di vita The table of thy spouse hath perfect or pure bread and an holie cuppe Whiche bread although we haue seen broken and bruysed on the crosse yet yt abydeth with that his Father wholl in heauen Of the whiche bread he saieth The bread that I will geue ys my flesh whiche I will geue for the life of the worlde S. Augustine speaking here to the spouse of Chryste saieth that the table of her Spouse or husbande hath a perfect bread The bread on the table of Chryste what ys yt but the Sacrament Of this bread whiche ys the Sacrament in the table of Chryste the same Chryste saieth S. Augustine saieth The bread whiche I will geue ys my flesh By which woordes yt ys ineuitablie manifest that that sentence of S. Iohn ys spoken of the Sacrament But nowe whether yt be spoken of the SacrameÌ„t as of a bare signe which signe as the Aduersaries alleage as other signes likewise dothe but take the name of the thing that yt ys the signe of or no let vs searche by sainct Augustine here Yt ys euident that saincte Augustine here teacheth that yt ys spoken of the verie thing whiche ys signified and not of the bare signe For S. Augustine speaking of the bread and that of one bread dothe declare yt to All one bodie that was broken on the Crosse ys with the Father in heauen and on the altar be and to haue ben in three sundrie places that ys on the table on the crosse and in heauen with his Father The Sacrament that ys the externe signe was neither on the crosse neither ys in heauen Wherfore yt ys the verie bodie of Chryste which was vpon the crosse and ys with the Father in heauen that ys nowe on the table of Chryste For note the saing well and ye shall finde that he speaketh but of one bread For when he had spoken of yt as being on the table he speaketh again of the same by the relatiue saing which bread although we haue seen broken on the crosse A relatiue as the grammarian knoweth maketh rehersall of a thing spokeÌ„ of before Then when he saied whiche he speaketh of the bread on the table So that by S. Augustine that same bread that ys on the table ys yt whiche was broken on the crosse And that that was broken on the crosse ys yt that ys wholle sitting in heauen with the Father Wherbie yt ys consequent that yt ys the same and verie bodie of Chryste that ys on the table that was vpon the crosse and ys at the right hande of God the Father As saincte Augustine in fewe woordes hath pithilie touched that that we here seke namelie that this place of the sixt chapiter of saincte Iohn speaketh of the Sacrament and yet not of the Sacrament as of a bare signe but of the verie bodie of Chryste and of the same dodie by the name of bread spake the sentence The Bread whiche I will geue ys my flesh So I breiflie haue touched and noted the same to yowe hasting to heare the sainges and expositions of Chrysostome vpon the same text Chrysostome after he had in his learned maner declared in his 44 home lie that Chryste spake this texte of S. Iohn which we treact of nowe of his bodie when he cometh to the same in his owne place after he had repreheÌ„ded the Iewes for their incredulitie and slacknes in the beleif of Chrystes woordes saieth that they therfore tooke no profitte of them Illi tunc temporis Chrysost hom 45. in Ioan. nihil ex ijs dictis nos illius beneficij vtilitatem cepimus Quare necessariò dicendum quà m admiranda misteria cur data sint quae eorum vtilitas They at that time tooke nothing by those woordes we haue taken the profitt of the benefitte wherfore necessarilie yt ys to be saied howe wonderfull the misteries be and wherfore they be geuen and what ys the profitt of them These woordes Chrysostome speaketh vpon the woordes of Chryste The bread which I will geue ys my flesh In the whiche woordes forsomuche as Chryste saied he wolde geue his flesh Chrysostom
with pride reiecteth the simplicitie of faith and contemneth the benefitt of God But contemning him that contempneth God let vs heare more of this good Father that honoured our Lord God In the same sermon he hath also this saieng speakinge to the Churche whiche ys the Spouse of Chryst to stire her also to agnise this great benefitte of God saing thus Gratulare sponsa gaude Bernard serm cod incomparabiliter Praesidentem habes rectorem sponsum in praesentis exilij militia Pignus habes arrham tenes quibus foeliciter vniaris sponso in patria gloriosa amabilis sponsa In terra sponsum habes in sacramento in coelis habitura es sine velamento hic ibi veritas sed hic palliata ibi manifestata Gene thankes O spouse reioice incomparablie In the warrefare of this present bannishment thowe hauest thy husband president and ruler thowe hauest the pledge thowe hauest thy earnest money by the whiche thowe maist as a gloriouse and beloued Chryst both in heauen and earth in veritie Spouse be vnited and ioined to thy Spouse in heauen with felicitie In earth thowe hauest thy Spouse in the Sacrament In heauen thowe shalt haue him withoute anie couert Bothe here and ther ys the veritie But here couered ther openly shewed This ys a goodlie sentence and woorthie well to be noted but this for our purpose specialle that the Churche hath her Spouse Chryst in earth in the Sacrament whiche in heauen she shall haue in open vision Here verilie Chryst and ther verilie Chryst all the difference ys that here he ys vnder couerture ther manifestlie seen To conclude that the aduersarie shall not reiecte sainct Bernard for his plain sainge yt shall be confirmed by the like saing of Chrystom who saieth Chrysost li. 3. de sacer thus O miraculum O Dei benignitatem qui cum Patre sursum sedet in illo ipso temporis articulo omnium manibus pertractatur ac se ipse tradit volentibus ipsum accipere ac complecti Chryst sitting aboue ys also in the handes of men O miracle O the gentle godnesse of God he that sitteth aboue with God the Father euen in that same poincte of time ys handeled with the handes of all and he deliuereth him self to them that will receaue him and embrace him Thus moche Chrysostome Beholde nowe good reader howe Chrysostom agreablie to the speache of sainct Bernard acknowlegeth the great goodnesse of God that Chryst whiche sitteth at the right hand of the Father ys in that time meening the time of ministracion in the handes of men In that he saieth he ys in the handes of men yt argueth a reall presence for the spirituall presence can not be in handes but in heart To the proofe of this also yt maketh inuinciblie that Chrysostome exclameth Chrystes being in the Sacr. ys miraculouse contrarie to the rules of philosophie with reuerent wonder saing O miracle In this that he acknowlegeth yt a miracle he dothe acknowlege more then the bread to be a figure of Chrystes bodie For that ys no miracle to be wondered at But he doth acknowledge the miracle to be that Chryste that sitteth aboue with the Father shoulde also be in the Sacrament in the handes of men This ys the miracle For this ys both aboue nature and against nature and doen by the onelie power of God and therfore ys a miracle Thus then yt ys manifest by the humble lowlie and faithfull confession of the faith of these holy fathers that Chrystes bodie miraculouslie ys both in heauen and in earth in the Sacrament and so in manie places at one time notwithstandinge the contemptuouse exclamacion of this Proclamer limiting the power of God by an impossiblitie as yt appeareth to his vnbeleuing vnderstanding that the bodie of Chryst shoulde be in a thousand places Which his exclamacion was his best argument to bring the people from their fathe But yf he will acknowledge the miracle with Chrysostom he shall perceaue howe foolish his argument ys THE ELEVENTH CHAPITER PROVETH THAT as two bodies maie be in one place so the bodie of Chryst being one maie be in diuerse places AS the Aduersaries to ouerthrow the worke of faith haue vsed naturall philosophie So to maintein their naturall philosophie they haue vtterlie denied the verie Gospell the grownd of faithe For wher the good catholique learned men of charitable pitie laboured to bring them from this their wicked errour persuading thē not to cleaue to naturall reason as therwith to measure and streicten that which ys the bodie of the Sonne of God exalted to be in vnitie of person with the Godhead as they wolde doo our bodies which be but naturall and earthlie bodies onelie infinite degrees vnder the condicion of that blessed bodie of Chryste but to consider that as the bodie of Chryst though yt be a naturall bodie might be with an other bodie in one place at one time whiche ys against naturall Philosophie and reason So the same being but one bodie might be in diuerse places at one time notwithstanding naturall reason and Philosophie To proue two bodies to be in one place at one time the Gospell of saincte Joan. 20. Iohn was alleged wher we read Venit Iesus ianuis clausis stetit in medio eorum dixit Pax vobis Iesus came the doors being shett and stood in the middest of them and saied Peace be with yowe This beinge testified of saincte Iohn for the miraculouse coming in of Chryste to his Apostles proueth that he so coming in passed through doore or wall as his pleasure was to do and so doinge ther was contrarie to Oecolampadius saing Corpus in corpore duo corpora simul One bodie in an other and two bodies together one place Cranmer in his aunswer agaīst winch I remembre that this scripture was obiected by master Smith against Cranmer and for aunswere therunto thus saith Cranmer But peraduenture Master Smith will aske me this question Howe coulde Chryste come into the house the doore beinge shett except he came through the doore To your wise question master Smith I will aunswer by an other question Coulde not Chryste come aswell into the house when the doore was shette as the Apostles coulde go oute of prison the doore being shett Coulde not Act. 5. God wourke this thing except the Apostles must go through the doore and occupie the same place that the doore did In this aunswere by Cranmer made by questions as ther be two questions so ther be two partes But by the aunswering of the first the aunswering to the second shall be the easier The first questiō asketh yf Chryst coulde not come as well into the house the doores being shett as the Apostles coulde go oute of prison the doore being shett whiche question I praie thee Reader well to weigh Which yf thow doo thowe shalt perceaue that to auoid this argument and to deceaue Cranmer falsifieth the scripture
the bodie of the Sonne of God Whiche for that yt ys so yt passeth by infinitie degrees the state and condicion of one of our bodies Wherfore methinke the Aduersaries be to streict yea and cruell to the bodie of Chryste that wher for causes aboue saied yt ys so excellent a bodie and yet for our sakes he made himself obedient to death euen to the death of the crosse they will for all this excellencie geue vnto yt no more prerogatiue nor preuilege then they will do to an other bodie whiche ys an iniurie to that blessed bodie I wish that the Aduersaries should not onelie after the counsell of Cyrille thinke that yt ys the bodie of the Sonne of God and leaue yt as a naturall bodie ioined to the Godhead but also consider the singular prerogatiues that yt hathe by the same coniunction to the Godhead And then shall they see howe that bodie maie aboue the comon condicion of other bodies through the power of the Godhead be in sundrie places Although yt be not apperteining to the bodie of a man to geue life yet Cyrill saieth that the bodie of Chryste for that yt ys ioined to that whiche Cyrill in 6. foā ca. 14. ys life yt geueth life Thus he speaketh yt Quoniā Saluatoris caro Verbo Dei quod naturaliter vita est coniūcta viuifica effecta est quādo eā comedimus tunc vitā habemus in nobis illi coniūcti quae vita effecta est Bicause the flesh of our sauiour ioined to the Sonne of God whiche ys naturallie life ys made able to geue life when we eate that flesh then haue we life in vs being ioined to that flesh whiche ys made life See this great prerogatiue that Cyrill geueth to the fleshe of Chryste for that yt ys ioined to the Godliead Yf yt haue prerogatiue to geue life to them that receaue yt can not God geue a lesse prerogatiue to yt to be in diuerse places Obiection Perchaunce yt maie be saied to me that God can thus do but we finde not that he doth yt Answer To the former parte of this obiection I saie that yf the Aduersaries thought that God coulde do yt then the Proclamer was to blame to speake of Chrystes being in a thousand places or mo as therbie to signifie an impossibilitie Again Oecolampadius wolde not laboure to bringe in so manie inconueniences vpon yt yf yt appeared possible to him To the second parte I saie that yt ys sufficientlie shewed allreadie that Chryst caused his bodie to be in diuerse places at one time and that the holie Fathers of Chrystes Churche yea and that a good nombre teach some of them that he ys both in heauen with his Father and also in earth in the Sacrament some that he ys in manie places as yt ys declared in the tenth chapiter And thus although the scriptures alleaged by Oecolampadius seem yf a man will onelie lean to naturall philosophie to be against the faith that the catholique Churche teacheth yet when those scriptures be compared to other scriptures and the Fathers well weighed and vnderstanded and the omnipotencie of God considered and the excellencie of the bodie of Chryste remembred yt shall be perceaued that the Scriptures be not against vs neither we against them For they saie that Chryste ys in heauen and so saie we and yet neuerthelesse we saie that he ys in the Sacrament and so saie they Yf the Scriptures that be alleaged had saied that Chryst ys in heauen onelie and can be in no other place then the Aduersarie might haue triumphed But saing that he ys in heauen withoute anie exclusiues or exceptiues ther ys no deniall implied in that his being to a chrystian man but that he maie be beleued to be also in the Sacrament And this I trust maie suffice to aunswer all the Scriptures that be or can be produced of the being of Chryste in heauen as therby to exclude and denie his presence in the Sacrament Ther ys made an other obiection oute of saincte Augustine who writeth thus Cauendum est ne ita Diuinitatem astruamus hominis vt veritatem auferamus August ad Dardanum corporis Non est autem consequens vt quod in Deo est ita sit vbique vt Deus We must beware that we do not so affirme the deitie of man that we take awaie the veritie of the bodie For yt ys no consequent that that which ys in God shoulde so be euery wher as God ys Again in the same place Iesus vbique per id quod Deus est in coelo autem per id quod homo Iesus by that that he ys God ys euery where by that that he ys man he ys in heauen For aunswere to these places of Sainct Augustin first vnderstand that S. Augustin his place to Dardan declared one Dardanus wrote to Sainct Augustine to dissolue this question whether Chrystes manhead for that yt was vnited to the Godheade in vnitie of person was euerie whear as his Godhead ys For aunswere to whiche question emong other thinges S. Augustin wrote the propositions which Oecolampadius alleageth against Chrystes being in the Sacrament and in heauen for that by his iudgement his bodie can not be in two places at one time Wherfore firste I wish yow to note that S. Augustin in that epistle not speaking of the Sacrament the sentences alleaged make not against the matter And although thys might suffice yet for the better vnderstanding of the matter more shall be saied Wherfore that a thing maie be at one time in manie places vnderstand that yt maie be twoo waies One thing in manie places at one time two waies Hiere 23. Esai 66. The one ys by nature the other by gifte By nature to be in manie or all places at one time yt apperteineth onelie to God who by hys immensitie ys euery where so that ther ys no place in heauen in hel in earth or in the waters in the which God ys not And therfore he saieth Ego coelum terram impleo I fill bothe heauen and earth And again Coelum mibi sedes est terra autem scabellum pedum meorum Heauen ys my seat and the earth ys my foote stoole After this sorte that ys by nature no creature can be in all places but onelie God Wherfore Didymus by this did well make his argument to proue the holie Goste to be God bicause of hys owne nature he ys euery wher and so Didym de Spiritu S. can no creature be The other waie that a thing maie be in manie places not by nature but by the gifte of God maie be in man For nothing being vnpossible to God yt ys then possible to him to geue hys gifte to hys creature that yt maie be in manie and diuerse places at once which maner of being ys in the Manhead of Chryst which man head hath yt not of the own nature to be in manie places at one time but by the
gifte of the Godhead And therfore the argument of Oecolampadius ys nothing woorth And yt semeth to me he did not vnderstand this difference of being in manie places at once when he argued that yf Chryste coulde be in manie places at one time by the like he might be in al places ād so should a creature become God whiche somtime was no God whiche ys a great absurditie By this argumente yf yt were good yt mighte be proued that Chrystes flesh ys not quickning or geuing life bicause yt apperteineth to God alone to geue life And so shoulde Chrystes saieng be vntrue wher he saieth Qui manducat meam carnem bibit meum sanguinem habet vitam aeternam He that Ioan. 6. Cyril in 6. Joan. ca. 14 eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloode hath euerlasting life And Cyrille saieth as ye haue heard that the flesh of Chryste being made the flesh of the Godhead whiche ys life ys made also able to geue life But this ys verie true that the flesh of Chryste ys able to geue life Whiche thing ys aswell onely perteining to God to do yt by nature and of himself as yt ys to be in manie or all places And yet Chrystes flesh hauing this powre to geue life ys not for all that when yt ys considered in yt self thought that yt ys God for yt hath yt not of yt self but by the power of the Godhead wherunto yt ys ioined in vnitie of Person No more ys the bodie of Chryste thought to be a God bicause yt maie be in manie places at one time bicause yt ys not so of the owne nature but by the power of the Godhead And this difference yt to be obserued in all thinges that be geuen of God to creatures wherfore when Chryst saied Nemo bonus nisi vnus Deus No man God alone good by nature creatures by participacion Gen. 1. ys good but God alone Yt ys not therfore to be thought that euerie creature that ys good ys furth with also God for then all the creatures of God be Gods for they be all good as the Scripture saeth Vidit Deus cuncta quae fecerat erant valdè bona God sawe all thinges that he had made and they were verie good but yt ys to be considered that that that ys good of yt self ys God and so ther ys none good but God alone All creatures are good by participacion of the goodnesse of God and therfor though they be good yet be they no Gods And by this ye maie perceaue that the Church dothe according to the aduertisement of saincte Augustine For yt dothe not so deifie the manhead of Chryste that yt thinketh yt of the owne nature able to be in manie places for then shoulde yt take awaie the veritie of the flesh or bodie of Chryste But as touching that nature in yt self yt ys acknowledged to be in one place in heauen but as touching the power of the godhead wherunto yt ys annexed with the consideracion of the ordinaunce of the Sacrament in the whiche ys appointed also the presence of the same bodie yt ys beleued that the same one bodie ys in diuerse and manie places at one time Vnto all this for the perceauing of a more difference betwene the nature of the God head and the nature of the manhead in Chryste Note Godheade of Chryst hath not possibilitie but to be euerie wher his Manhead hath possibilitie to be somwher that the nature of the Godhead of yt self ys so in euery place that yt hath not possibilitie to be oute of anie place The nature of the manhead of Chryste though by the power of the Godhead yt ys and maie be in diuerse places at one time yet yt hath allwaies a possibilitie to be but in one place alone and maie so be and ys By this also we maie see that ther ys moche difference betwene the Godhead and manhead wherby we maie easely and clearlie perceaue that though Chrystes bodie be in manie places yet we cōfesse yt not to be the Godheade but acknowledge yt to be the flesh of the Sonne of God and one of the natures of the person of Chryste and therfore an excellent bodie and woorthie moche honour and estimacion And thus moche for aunswer and vnderstanding of saincte Austen in that epistle to Dardanus And other obiection ther ys made oute of the same epistle whiche doth raither declare the maliciouse ignorance of the Aduersarie then make any thing against this trueth here defended And if we shall here write yt euē as Oecolāpadius did then shall we also see his subtiltie and crafte Thus yt ys to be fownde in his booke Spacia locorū tolle corporibus nusquā erūt quia nusquam Augustin ad Dardā erūt nec erūt Tolle ipsa corpora qualitatibus corporū non erit vbi sint ideò non alibi quā in coelo corpore fatemur Christū Take the spaces of places from bodies and they shall no wheare be And bicause they shall no whear be they shall not be Take those bodies from the qualities of bodies ther shall no place be fownde Oecolamp falsisieth S. August by a subtile ad dicion wher they maie be and therfore we cōfesse Chryste in bodie to be no whear ells but in heauē thus Oecolāpadius Ye heare all this alleaged as the wholl wer of S. Augustine but yt ys not For Oecolāpadius hath wickedlie patched on a cōclusiō as though it were saincte Augustines owne woordes but yt ys not He hath craftilie pciced yt to deceaue the simple For these woordes And ther for we confesse Chryste in bodie to be no whear but in heauen be the woordes of Oecolampadius and not of Sainct Augustin Soche ys the sincereritie of these men that they can not maintein ther euell and false matters but with crafte and subtletie Nowe to aunswer saincte Augustines owne woordes they be not spokē of the bodie of Chryste but they be spokē of naturall bodies vpon the earth whiche be subiect to earthlie qualities Glorified bodies soch as Chrystes bodie ys are deliuered from earthlie qualities For they areneither hote nor colde weet nor drie wherfore yt maketh nothing for the Aduersaries pourpose to alleadge saincte Augustine in this place more then to declare that blinde malice wolde be saing somwhat against the trueth yt careth not what An other place ys produced oute of saincte Augustine and yt ys this Augustin 30. Tract in Ioan. Sursū est Dominus sed etiā hic est veritas Domini Corpus enim Domini in quo resurrexit in vno loco esse potest veritas eius vbique diffusa est Owre Lorde ys aboue but hys veritie ys also here The bodie of Chryste wherin he did rise maie be in one place but his veritie ys diffused euerie wher Thus farre sainct Augustine That that ys before saied doth fullie aunswere this For we beleue that owre Lorde ys aboue with the Father and
As Chryst yt the verie SoÌ„ne of the Father so ys his verie in flesh the Sacr. flesh of Chryst onely But of the verie substanciall flesh of Chryst For he maketh yt by similitude plain that as Chryst ys the very Sonne of God euen of the substance of the Father Euen so ys yt verie flesh that we receaue whiche ys thus moche to saie As Chryst ys the very Sonne of God So ys this verilie flesh that we do receaue And as he ys the Sonne of the substance of the Father So ys this flesh whiche we receaue of the substance of Chrystes fleshe By whiche woordes of sainct Ambrose the fonde phansies of these phantasticall men be taken awaie For here ys not alowed the figure of Chrystes flesh but the thing in dede not a spirituall receauing of Chryst onely but a reall and spirituall receauing of the substanciall flesh of Chryste And thus ye maie see the trueth of the faith to be had in this matter vttered plainlie withoute any darke maner of speache and so stronglie set furth that yt can not be draweÌ„ to any other vnderstanding And therfor I maie boldely chalenge this scripture from the heretikes which so euidentlie refuseth the figure and so plainly teacheth the reall and substanciall presence of Chryst in the Sacrament THE NINETENTH CHAPITER PROCEAdeth vpon the same text by Eusebius Emis and S. Augustine NOwe that ye haue heard two auncientes vnderstanding thys text nowe in hande we will heare one other coople of eche side of Chrystes ParliameÌ„t house one as the other were aÌ„d these agreyng in one minde as the other did which shall be Eusebius Emisenus and sainct Augustin Of the which Eusebius being the elder shall shewe hys minde who in hys time was a great learned man as sainct HieroÌ„ witnesseth and wrote many workes as against the Iewes aÌ„d also against the gentiles and vpon the Gospells and the epistles of S. Paul also Thys maÌ„ being so profowndly learned so auncient in time as liuing aboute the yeare of our Lord. 344. so famouse in constancie of faith and holy in liuing ys woorthie of credit In a certain homelie alleaging this text he sheweth the same to be vnderstanded thus Quia corpus assumptum ablaturus erat ab oculis illaturus sideribus necessarium erat vt in die coenae sacramentum nobis corporis sanguinis consecraret vt coleretur Euseb Emisen homil spasch iugiter per mysterium quod semel offerebatur in precium vt quia quotidiana indesessa currebat pro omnium salute redemptio perpetua esset redemptionis oblatio perennis victima illa viueret in memoria semper praesens esset in gratia vera vnica perfecta hostia fide aestimanda non specie neque exteriori censenda visu sed interiori affectu Vnde coelestis consirmat authoritas quia caro mea verè est cibus sanguis meus verè est potus Bicause he wolde take awaie hys assumpted bodie from our eyes and bring yt vppe into the heauens yt was necessarie that in the daie of hys Supper he should consecrate vnto vs the Sacrament of hys bodie and of hys blood that yt might continuallie be woorshiped in mysterie that once for vs was offred in price that bicause the dailie and incessaunt redemption did renne for the health of all men the oblacion of the same redemption should be perpetuall and that perpetual sacrifice should liue in memorie and alway be present in grace A true one onelye and perfect sacrisice to be estemed by faith and not by outwarde forme nor to be iudged by the outwarde seight but by the inwarde affecte Wherfor the heauenly authoritie consirmeth saing that my flesh ys verilie meat and my blood ys verilie drinke Thus Eusebius In this sentence yt ys first to be considered that this authour declaring the cause of the institucioÌ„ of the Sacrament and of the continuaÌ„ce of the same and also instructing vs how we shoulde esteme yt beleuing ther to be another maner of thing then ther doth appear in outward seight teacheth vs by the allegacioÌ„ of this scripture that yt ys the verie flesh aÌ„d blood of Christ which we must esteme by faith and iudge by our inward affect And therfor he saieth not that Chryst doth saie but that the authoritie of Chryst confirmeth yt so to be wherfor thys ys without all controuersie that this scripture now in hand ys by this authour vnderstanded of the Sacrament But here the Aduersaries do triumphe as allwais they doo when any authour Obiection of the Sacramentaries oute of Eusebius speaketh anie woord that maie by any wresting be drawen to their vnderstanding though in verie dede he ment nothing lesse First they saie that this authour doth no affirme that Chryst did consecrate hys bodie and blood but did consecrate the Sacrament of his bodie and blood And after saieth again speaking of the sacrifice of Chrystes bodie vpon the Crosse that the euerlasting sacrifice shoulde liue in memorie and allwaies be present in grace But note saie they that he doth not saie that that he ys present in bodie but in grace But staie a while Reader and be not troobled with these their notes For ye shall see immediatelie that these notes shall be the notes of their coÌ„fusioÌ„ Aunswer aÌ„d declaracioÌ„ of their false doctrin For God be praised though this authorment yea and did set furth the true faith of Chryst by this that ys allreadie alleadged whiche yet might be peruerted by mysvnderstanding of the maliciouse who haue peruerted euen the very plain woordes of Chryst Yet adioining immediatelie to this sentence more of this matter he addeth woordes so plain that they will neither suffer theÌ„selues neither the woords which the Aduersaries haue gone aboute to wrest to be so vnderstanded as the Aduersaries wolde haue them His woordes immediatelie adioined to the sentence of Chryst by him alleaged be these Recedat ergo omne infidelitatis ambiguuÌ„ quandoquidem qui autor est muneris ipse est testis veritatis Nam inuisibilis sacerdos visibiles Eusebins ibid. creaturas in substantiaÌ„ corporis sanguinis sui verbo suo secreta potestate conuertit Let therfore al doubt of infidelitie go awaie for truly he that ys the authour of the gifte he also ys the wittnesse of the trueth For the inuisible preist by a secret power with hys woorde doth conuert or turne the visible creaturs into the substance of bys bodie and blood Thus he What can the Aduersaries now saie Do ye not heare what this authourment by the sainges whiche the Aduersaries wolde wrest and peruert to The presence plainlie auâ—ached by Euseb against M. Iuell their wicked vnderstanding Did not he as well ther as here though not with so plain woordes teache the treuth of this matter that Chrystes bodie and blood ys in the Sacrament Do ye not nowe perceane that he allead ged the text of S. Iohn to declare that the
bodie of Chryst yt self Hath not Origen and Chrysostome saied as moche before and diuerse other And when thys Authour remoueth figures from the Sacrament doth not he thē both impugn the clowdie doctrine and the obscure shadowes of the Aduersaries figures signes and tokens and teacheth that the verie substance of Chrystes bodie and blood ys present in the Sacrament He saieth that we receaue no other bodie in the Sacrament but that bodie of Chryst that was betraied forvs and that same blood that was shedd for vs The like woordes speaketh Chrysostome as before ys alleaged more then once or twice and herafter more shall be Thus then we maie conclude that this Authour both vnderstandeth the sixt of sainct Iohn of the Sacrament and that also in yt he confesseth withoute figure the very bodie of Chryst THE EIGHT AND TVENTETH CHAP. ENdeth the exposition of this text by Haymo and Euthymius SVfficient testimonie being produced for the right and rtue vnderstanding of this text I haue determined nowe to ende the same with this one onely coople mo whom I will breiflie alleadg and ouerpasse The first of these shall be Haymo who alleaging this scripture declareth well howe yt ys to be vnderstanded For speaking of the Haim in 10. 1. Cor. flesh and bodie of Chryst he saieth thus Sicut illa caro corpus Christi est it a iste panis transit in corpus Christi Nec sunt duo corpora sed vnum corpus Diuinitatis enim plemtudo quae fuit in illo replet istū panē ipsa diuinitas Verbi quae implet coelū et terram omnia quae in eis sunt ipsa replet corpus Christi quod à multis sacerdotibus per vniuersis The God head of the Sonne filleth the bodie of Chryst sanctisied by the preistes orbē sanctificatur Et facit vnū Christi corpus esse Et sicut ille panis sanguis in corpus Christi trāseunt ita omnes qui in Eccle sia dignè comedūt illud vnū corpus Christi sunt sicut ipse dicit Qui māducat carnē meam bibit sanguinē meū in me manet ego in eo As that flesh ys the bodie of Chryst euen so this bread passeth in to the bodie of Chryst Neither be they two bodies but one bodie For the plenitude or fulnesse of the Godhead that was in him doth also fil this bread ād the sāe Godhead of the Sōne of God which doth sil heauē ād earth ād al things that be in them the same doth fill the bodie of Chryst which ys sanctified of manie preistes through all the worlde and makety yt to be one bodie of Christ And as that bread and blood do passe into the bodie of Chryst Euen so all that do woorthilie in the Church eate yt they are one bodie of Chryst as he himself saieth He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloode dwelleth in me and I in him Thus farre Haymo I do merueill howe the Aduersarie could haue the face to denie this the sixt of S. Iohn to be vnderstanded of the Sacrament seing that soch a nombre with so great consent do not onely in generall woordes saie that yt ys vnderstanded of the Sacrament but do also expownde euery sentence particularly as hytherto gētle Reader thowe maist perceaue euen to this authour Who when he had declared the wholl matter of the Sacrament as first howe the bodie of Chryst shoulde be in the Sacrament which he saieth ys by that that the bread passeth into the bodie of Chryst which ys doen by the turning of the substance of the bread into the substance of the bodie of Chryst vnto thys he addeth and teacheth by whom thys merueilouse worke ys wrought and doen saing that yt ys doen by the power of the Godhead euen the same that was fullie in Chryst euen the same that filleth both heauen and earth that same ys fullie saieth he in the bodie of Chryst whiche ys sanctified of manie preistes And here note Reader against the carnall disputers that allthough he saie that the bodie of Chryst be consecrated of manie preistes through the whol The bodie of Chryst consecrated of manie preistes ys but one bodie worlde yet he saieth not that they be manie bodies of Chryst but onely one bodie And sheweth also howe that ys brought to passe and who ys the woorker of yt The Godhead saieth he that ys fullie in Chryst maketh thys to be one bodie Thus when he had shewed howe great a thing the Sacrament ys in yt self then he beginneth to shew what yt ys towarde vs and what yt woorketh in vs yf we receaue yt woorthilie As the bread saieth he ys become the bodie of Chryst So all they that woorthilie eate the same are the bodie of Chryst. And to proue this he alleageth the saing of Chryst whiche we haue in hande He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in hym So then in this discourse yt ys easilie perceaued that he teacheth the bread to be turned into the bodie of Chryst that the bodie of Chryst ys in the Sacrament and not alone but with the Godhead in yt and so perfect God and man that though the bodie of Chryst be cōsecrated of manie preistes yet by the powre of the Godhead yt ys wrought to whom nothing ys vnpossible Finallie that we receauing this bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament according to Chrystes saing we maie dwell in Chryst and he in vs. And thus yt ys manifest that thys Authour vnderstandeth thys text of the Sacrament Now this being plain we will breiflie heare hys yocke felowe whom for thys time we make Euthymius Thus writeth he Si inquit de vno corpore Jn Matth. 26. sanguine omnes fideles participamus omnes vnum sumus per ipsam horum mysteriorum participationem in Christo omnes Christus in omnibus Qui edit inquit meam carnem bibit meum sangumem in me manet ego in eo Verbum siquidem per assumptionem The flesh that the Sōne of God tooke by in carn ys vnited to vs by the Sacra carni vuitum est haec rursus caro vnitur nobis per participationem Yf all we saieth Euthymius do partake of one bodie and one blood all we are one by participacion of these mysteries and we be all in Chryst and Chryst in vs all He saieth Chryst that eateth my bodie and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him For trulie the Sonne of God by taking of flesh vpon him ys vnited to the flesh Again this flesh ys vnited to vs by participacion Thus Euthym. This sentence ys but short but yt ys effectuouse But hasting to ende the exposition of this text I will note here but one thing leauing the rest to the diligent reader to consider The thing that I note ys that this Authour saieth that the flesh whiche the Sonne of God by assumption did
comeditur Yf therfor the bread that descended from heauen be the bodie of our Lorde and the wine that he gaue to his Disciples be his blood of the newe Testament whiche was shed for The bread that descended from heauen ys the bodie of our Lorde manie in remission of sinnes let vs repell and cast from vs Iudaicall fables and let vs ascende with our Lorde in to the great parlour paued and made clean and let vs from aboue take of him the cuppe of the newe Testament and ther celebrating with him the Passeouer let vs be satisfied of him with the wine of sobrietie For the kingdom of God ys not meat and drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioie in the holy Gost Neither did Moyses geue vs the true bread but our Lorde Iesus he ys the feaster and he ys the feast he ys he that eateth and ys eaten Thus farre S. Hierom. By these woordes we are after the vnderstandinge of S. Hierom fullie Chryst ys the feast and the feester enstructed what the bread ys that our Sauiour Chryst speaketh of when he saied This ys the bread that descended from heauē Yt ys saieth S. Hierom the bodie of our Lorde and the wine ys the bloode that was shed for manie in the remission of sinnes By the which woordes he doth not onelie teache vs that this scripture ys to be vnderstanded of the Sacrament but by the same also he hath testified with other holie Fathers the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament For in the beginning he saied that the bread that descended from heauen ys the bodie of our Lorde and to shewe vs wher he ment yt to be in the ende he saieth that not Moyses did geue the true bread but our Lorde Iesus he ys the feaster and the feast he ys he that doth eat and ys eaten Wherby he well sheweth that that bread ys the bodie of our Lorde which ys in that holie feast wher our sauiour Chryst ys the feaster and he him self also ys the meat and drinke of the feast and so the wholl feast In the whiche as he doth in his membres being the head of them eate the blessed meat of that holie feast So yt ys euen he euen his very dodie and bloode that ys ther eaten and dronken Wherfor soch a noble feaster being present and so holie meat being ther eaten the Church right well with goodlie concorde and consent singeth O sacrum conuiuium in quo Christus sumitur O holie feast in the which Chryst ys receaued But the prolixitie of this matter if yt shoulde be woorthilie folowed calleth me backe and moueth to staie and heare the other that ys ioined to saincte Hierom whiche ys S. Cyrill who saieth thus Non enim prudenter quae ad breue tempus sufficiunt hoc nomine appellabuntur nec panis erat ex Deo quem maiores Iudaeorum comederunt mortui sunt Nam side coelo ex Deo fuisset liberasset à morte participantes Contrà verò corpus Christi panis de coelo est quia aeternam comedentibus vitam largitur Those thinges which for a short time suffice shall not wisely be called by this name Neither that bread which the elders of the Iewes did eate and be dead was of God For if yt had ben from heauen and of God yt had deliuered the partakers of yt from death Contrary wise the bodie of Chryst ys the bread from heauen For yt graunteth the eaters eternall life As S. Hierom saied that the bodie of Chrystes ys the bread that descended from heauen So by like woordes saieth S. Cyrill here And that we shoulde knowe what he meneth he applieth the figure of yt eaten by the elders of the Iewes whiche did not giue life whiche was Manna vnto the bodie of Chryst whiche being eaten doth giue life eternall Wherfor Manna being a figure of Chrystes bodie eaten in the Sacramēt yt must nedes folowe that he vnderstandeth this scripture of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament of the whiche no man that hath redde Cyrill can doubte whose wholl processe ys so plain in the matter THE TWO AND THIRTETH CHAP. ENDETH THE exposition of this text by saincte Augustin and Theoph. NOwe let vs heare as breifly one coople mo and then we shall leaue this text S. Augustin saieth thus Hic est panis qui de coelo descendit vt illum man ducando viuamus quia aeternam vitam ex nobis habere non possumus Non sicut inquit manducauerunt patres vestri Tract 26. in Joan. Manna mortui sunt Qui manducat hunc panem viuet in aetenum Quòd ergo illi mortui sunt ita vult intelligi vt non viuant in aeternum Nan temporaliter profectò hi moriuntur qui Christum manducant sed viuunt in aeternum quia Christus est vita aeterna This ys the bread that descended from heauen that we eating him maie liue For we can not of our selues haue eternall life Not saieth he as yower Fathers haue eaten Manna and are dead he that eateth this bread shall liue for euer That they then be dead thus he wolde yt shoulde be vnderstanded that they liue not for euer For tēporallie these truly shall also die which do eate Chryst but they liue for euer For Chryst ys eternall life Thus farre he What gloses the Aduersaries do here vpon S. Augustins saing inuent I leaue them to their the same inuencion But forsomoche as Chryste him self and S. Augustin expownding Chrystes saing doth applie the figure of Manna and the eating of yt to this bread that came from heauen and Manna by all the Fathers iudgementes ys the figure of the holie Sacrament yt ys manifest that therfor this scripture ys to be vnderstanded of the Sacrament Whiche Theophilact who at this present ys ioined with S. Augustin will Jn 6. Ioan. by expresse woordes declare Patres vestri comederunt Manna in solitudine Hoc saepe multum versat in ore vt persuadeat hominibus Nan si possibile fuit quadraginta annis sine messe semente pasci homines conseruari illorum vitam multòmagis nunc conseruabitnaturam spiritualem meliori pane Dominus carne sua quae absque semine viri ex virgine constituta est Yower fathers haue eaten Manna in the wildernesse Thys saieth Theophilact oftē and moche he speaketh that he might perswade men For yf yt were possible men to be fedde and their liues to be conserued fortie yeares withoute sowing or haruest moche more nowe shall our lorde with a better bread that ys his flesh which without the seed of man ys made of a virgen conserue our spirituall life Thus he Obserue as ys before noted that the applicacion of the figure argueth the thing figured here to be spoken of which thing ys the Sacrament And for the veritie of the same yf this authour had nothing spoken here expresselie yet that whiche he hath hitherto vpon this part of the sixt
solo tactu suo corrupta redintegrantur quomodo In 6. Joan cap. 14. non viuemus qui carnem illam gustamus manducamus Reformabit enim omnino adimmortalitatem suam participes sui Ne velis iudaicè quomodò quaerere sed recordare quamuis aqua naturaliter frigidior sit aduentu tamen ignis frigiditatis suae oblita aestuat Chryst did not with his woorde onelie but also with hys touching he did rase dead men that he might shewe that his bodie also coulde geue life Yf then with his onely touching corrupted things are made sownde again how shall not we liue which taste and eate that flesh He will withoute all doubte reforme the partakers of him to this immortalitie Neither do thowe after the Iewes maner aske howe but remembre that though the water naturallie be colde yet by the coming of the fire to yt hauing forgotten her coldnesse waxeth hote So that by S. Cyrill here yowe maie perceaue that the flesh of Chryst which the vnbeleuing Disciples did thinke coulde not geue life doth geue life to them that receaue and eate yt Let not the Aduersaries nowe cast in ther comon glose that Cyrill speaketh of the spirituall receauing and eating of Chrystes flesh For he teacheth more then in one place that we are ioined to Chryst not onely spirituallie but also after the flesh by the eating of the same verie flesh And to this pourpose also tendeth this his disputacion in this sentence last alleadged that he wolde proue the flesh of Chryst to geue life by the corporall touching of yt and therfor yt geueth life to vs that corporallie do tast and eate the same And therfor let not the Sacramentarie aske howe For as Chryst ascended aboue the course of nature of man So he geueth him self in the Sacrament to be eaten aboue the order and course of the nature of man And nowe ye maie perceaue wher the Aduersaries haue abvsed this scripture to proue that ther ys no reall presence of Chryst in the Sacrament by cause they saie that Chryst by this text minded onelie to pluck the Disciples from their grosse thought of the carnall eating of him to a spirituall maner of eating and therfor here ys no reall flesh to be eaten Wherupon they The Sacramentaries sifte the Sacra so fine that they leaue nothing but the brā for themselues charge vs not onely with the name but also with the grosse erroure of the Cpharanaites that we like as they did do go farre wide from the true mening of the scripture But they are so busie in charging vs with the grosse carnalitie of the Capharnaites and so curiouse in sifting of their spiritualytie which they sifte so long and so finely that they let all the fine flower of Chrystes heauenlie bread fall from them and kepe nothing but the bare branne of the signifieng sign in their owne hande which in dede ys the grosse bread they feed on For as ye haue heard neither S. Augustin nor S. Cyrill do so expownde yt that ther ys no reall presence of Chryst in the Sacrament but that Chrystes minde was onely to remoue the carnall and grosse maner of eating whiche the Capharnaites had conceaued of the whiche maner bothe these fathers haue made mencion But as for the maner of our eating ys no soche grosse and beastlie maner as Chryst wolde remoue from the Capharnaites but yt ys soche a maner as ys bothe reall and yet spirituall taught vnto vs by our Sauiour Chryst himiself and testified by his holie Churche and set furth by the holie Fathers of the same as yowe maie perceaue by S. Austen and S. Cyrill who although they reproue the maner of the Capharnaites yet they commende to vs the maner vsed and receaued in the Churche THE FIVE AND THIRTETH CHAP. PROCEADETH in the exposition of the same text and endeth yt by Euth and Petrus Cliniacen NOwe hauing heard one coople of the elder house expownding this text we will heare one coople mo onely expownde the same and Jn 6. Ioan. so ende yt and passe to the next Euthymius expownding this scriptute writeth thus Si ergo videritis filium hominis ascendentem vbi erat prius quid dicetis Loquitur de futura sui in coelum assumptione Ascendentem quoad humanitatem vbi prius erat quoad diuinitatem Qui enim potest hanc carnem reddere coelestem potest vtique ipsam cibum hominum efficere What yf ye see the Sonne of As easiefor Chryst to make his flesh meat in the Sa. as to make it to ascēd man ascende vppe wher he was before what will ye saie saieth Enthymius He speaketh of the assumption of him self in to heauen to come what if ye see him ascending Ascending vppe as touching his humanitie where he was before as touching his deitie For he that can make his flesh heauenly can also make the same meate of men Note I praie yowe that this authour by the possibilitie of the worke of Chryst to make his flesh heauenly concludeth the possibilitie to make the same the meat of men not grosslie after the rude phantasie of the Capharnaites but verilie and reallie after the pleasure of Chryst And that this authour meneth of the reall flesh of Chryst to be the meat Argument of the ascēsion vsed by Chryst Jo. vi ys vain to proue the spirituall eating but good to proue the reall eating of his flesh of men yt do the most euidenlie appeare by his argument deduced wpon the possibilitie of Chryst in making his flesh heauenlie For yf he had spoken of Chrystes flesh to be eaten spirituallie ther neded no soche argument vpō possibilitie to be made vpon his verie reall flesh For the flesh of Chryst was spirituallie the meate of the holie fathers in the olde lawe Wherfor that neded not to be proued possible which so manie yeares had ben in vse but that was nedefull to be proued to be possible which before was not in vse whiche was that the verie flesh of Chryst shoulde be eaten of men reallie Yf the saing and mening of Chryst had ben that the Iewes shoulde haue eaten his flesh spiritually onelie as the Aduersaries wolde haue yt this argument of his ascension shoulde not haue neaded but he might haue saied to them As I gaue yower fathers Manna from heauen that they eating yt shoulde also spiritually eate me in a figure that I was then to come So nowe ye shall eate a peice of bread and drinke a cuppe of wine in a figure and for the remembrance of me that I am comed and haue suffred for yowe This maner of eating of Chrystes flesh as yt was vsed of the good and beleuing Iewes and well knowen to them both in Manna and in the Paschall lambe So if Chrystes mening had bē to no further matter of eating his flesh but in soche sort they wolde neuer haue staied and sticked so moche at yt But he ment the receipt of his flesh
vs in the mysteries ys not onely a figure of our Lordes bodie but the very flesh of our Lorde For he did not saie The bread that I will geue ys a figure of my flesh but yt ys my flesh And howe yt cometh to passe that this bread shoulde be the very flesh of Chryst and by whom yt ys so compased and wrought the same Theophilact furthwith Spirituall vnderctanding what yt ys declareth That bread saieth he ys transformed with the secrett woordes by the mysticall benediction and the coming of the holy Gost into the flesh of our Lorde Thys ys the spirituall vnderstanding of Theophilact which ys in dede a spirituall vnderstanding For yf that be spirituall that ys wrought hy the worke of the Spiritt of God and that ys aboue the reason of man and ys not with in the compasse of sensuall knowledge but ys apprehended and knowen onely by faith then ys this a spirituall vnderstanding That yt ys wrought by the Spiritt of God this Authour doth testifie that yt ys aboue naturall reason yt ys manifest For ther ys no naturall mean vsed in the doing of yt That yt ys not within the compasse and the knowledge of the senseis this Authour also doth ther shewe And howe saieth he ys yt that yt doth not appeare flesh to vs but bread That we shoulde not saieth he abhorre from the eating of yt For yf yt shoulde haue appeared flesh we shoulde haue had no pleasure to the Communion But nowe our Lorde condescending to our infirmitie the mysticall meat appeareth soche as we haue ben otherwise accustonmed withall This flesh then of Chryst ys not seen of vs. And so trulie ys yt not perceaued of anie sense And therfor for somoch as yt ys perceaued by no sēse but that faith ys of hearing in that respect yt maie also be called spirituall What Serm. adin fances ys knowen in the Sacrament by senses and what aught to be knowen by faith S. Augustin also teacheth saing Quod videtis in altari panis calix est quod etiam oculi vestri renuntiant Quod autem fides postulat instruenda panis est corpus calix est sanguis Potest animo cuiuspiam cogitatio talis suboriri Dominus Iesus Christus nouimus vnde carnem acceperit de Virgine Maria scilicet nutritus est creuit sepultus est resurrexit coelum ascendit illuc leuauit corpus suum vnde venturus est iudicare viuos mortuos Ibi est modò sedens ad dextram Patris quomodò ergo panis corpus eius vel quod habet calix quomodò est sanguis eius Ista ideo fratres dicuntur sacramenta quia in eis aliud videtur aliud intelligitur Quod videtur speciem habet corporalem quod intelligitur sructum habet spiritualem That ye do see in the aultar yt ys bread and the cuppe which also yowr eyes do she we yowe but that faith requireth to be instructed the bread ys the bodie and the cuppe ys the bloode But in the minde of som A plain saing of S. August for the Proclamer bodie soch a thought maie ryse We knowe from whence our Lorde Iesus Chryste hath taken flesh that ys of the virgen Marie he was nourished he did growe he was buried he did rise he hath ascended into heauen thither he hath lifted vppe hys bodie from whence yt shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead Ther ys he nowe sitting at the right hande of the Father Howe then ys the bread hys bodie or that the chalice hath howe ys yt hys bloode Bretheren therfore these thinges be called Sacramentes bicause ther ys one thing seen in them and an other vnderstanded That whiche ys seen hath a corporall forme that which ys vnderstanded hath a spirituall fruit or profyt Thus farre sainct Augustine In the whiche woordes S. Augustin doth plainly open what ys iudged to be in the Sacrament by the iudgement of the senseis and what by Senses and faith iudge diuer selse the iudgement of faith The eyes iudge yt bread and a cuppe of wine but faith iudgeth that that the eyes haue iudged bread to be the hodie of Christ and that that by the senseis ys iudged wine to be the blood of Chryst Then yf the bodie of Chryst be not knowen in the Sacrament by anye other knowledge then by the knowledg of the faith then yt ys no carnall knowledge but a spirituall knowledg yf so then we vnderstande Chrystes woordes spiritually and not as the Capharnaites carnallie as the Sacramētaries do slanderously charge vs but like lowlie subiectes vnto our master Chryst striuing against our naturall knowledge and though euen by faith we cannot comprehende the wholl mysterie yet for that he hath saied yt we beleue yt so to be as Algerus werie well to this pourpose saieth Dum in mysterio quod non est apparet quod est occultatur fidei lucta proponitur vt meritum augeatur Dum contra hoc quod videtur credens quod non videtur de credita intus veritate de suprata exteriùs falsitate duplicem assequitur gratiam Algerus li. 2 ca. 3. Caetera enim Christi miracula cùm sint infidelibus in signum vt conuertantur hoc solùm sidelibus datur ad meritum vt illo erudiantur In illis enim quae Deus in extrinseca materia secit roboratur fides In hoc autem solo quod ex seipso facit fides exercitatur vt victa et inuicta faciliùs coronetur Victa inquam ne comprehendat sed inuicta ne diffidat dum exteriores quidem sensus obiecta panis vini speciem colore odore sapore ipsum quod fuerat mentiendo panem vinum quod non est nituntur instruere Interior autem intellectus ipsum quod est corpus scilicet Christi contemplans uec comprehendere sufficiens non tamen desistit credere While in the my sterie that that ys not appeareth that that ys ys hidden battaill vnto faith ys propownded that meritte maie be encreased while that against yt that ys seen beleuing yt that ys not seen of the beleued inwardly veritie of the ouercomed outward falsitie she getteth duble grace For other miracles of Chryst wher they be to the vnfaithfull for a sign that they maie conuerte this alone ys geuen to the faithfull to merite that by yt thei maie be taught In those miracles that God did make in an owtwarde matter faith ys strenghtned In this alone that he maketh of himself faith ys exercised Faith ouer cōmed and not ouer comed in the misterie of the Sacr. that being ouercomed and vnouercomed she maie be more easilie crowned I saie ouercomed that she can not comprehende vnouercomed that she distrust not while the outward senseis by the formes of bread and wine obiected the coloure the sauour and the taste falsly saing to be yt that yt was doo laboure to affirme yt bread and wine which yt ys not But the inwarde
continue and neuer to haue ende This if yowe haue marked the sainges of S. Augustine Chrysostom and Cyrill ys to vnderstand Chryst carnallie Which maner of vnderstāding ther ys no good chrystian hath But these woordes of them are vnderstanded spirituallie And what ys the spirituall vnderstanding of this processe of Chryst for the eating of his flesh yt hath ben by manie places of S. Augustin alledged Sup. ca. 22 declared But at this present to be short these his woordes maie declare Caro eius est c. Yt ys his flesh whiche we take couered vnder the forme of bread and his bloode whiche we do drinke vnder the forme and taste of wine This ys the spirituall vnderstanding of S. Augustin Spirituall vnderstanding of the Sacrament as concerning the substance of the Sacrament although ther be an other maner of spirituall vnderstanding whiche both he and all the holie Fathers and all good catholique men doo beleue receaue and approue and do not denie this spirituall maner but both must be ioined and concurre in euery good chrystian man yf time and condicion will serue as before ys saied Nowe what S. Cyrill saieth whom here we place with S. Augustine Let vs heare Verba quae ego locutus sum vobis spiritus vita sunt Totum corpus suum viuifica spiritus virtute plenum esse ostendit Spiritum enim hic ipsam carnem suam nuncupauit non quia carnis naturam amiserit in spiritum Ca. 24. in 6. Joan. mutata sit sed quia summè cum eo coniuncta totam viuificandi vim hausit Nec indecenter hoc dictum quisquam existimet Nam qui Domino conglutinatur vnus cum eo spiritus est Quomodò igitur caro sua vna cum eo non appllabitur Huiusmodi ergo est quod dicitur Putatis me dixisse viuificum natura sui esse terrestre mortale hoc corpus ego verò de spiritu vita locutus sum Non enim natura carnis secundùm se viuificare potest sed virtus ipsius spiritus viuificantem carnem reddidit Verba ergo quae locutus sum id est èa quae locutus sum vobis suntspiritus vita qua ipsa etiam caro mea viuit viuifica est The woordes which I haue spokē vnto yowe are spiritt and life He sheweth all his whol bodie to be full of the quickning The verie flesh of Chryst called spirit power of the spiritte For he calleth here the spiritte his verie flesh not that yt hath leftof the nature of flesh and ys chaunged into a spirit but bicause being excellently conioined with him yt hath taken the wholl power to quickē Neither let anie man thinke this to be spokē vndecētlie For he that ys surely ioined to our Lorde ys one spirit with him howe then shall not his flesh be called one with our Lord Yt ys therfor after this sashiō that ys saied ye thinke me to haue saied this mortall and earthlie bodie of the owne nature to be quicking or geuing life but I haue spoken of spiritt and life For the nature of the flesh yt self cā not geue life But the power of the Spiritt hath made the flesh geuing life The woordes therfor that I haue spokē that ys the thinges that I haue spokē vnto yowe are spiritt and life by the which the same my flesh also doth liue and ys quickning Thus farre S. Cyrill In whiche woordes yt ys easie to be perceaued that wher S. Augustine before expownding these woords of Chryst saied that they are to be vnderstanded spirituallie this authour as yt were expownding him and the woordes of Chryst saieth that so they are to be expownded spirituallie not by an expositiō of a singular imagined spirituall maner of vnderstanding that shall be so spirituall that yt shall vtterly denie Chrystes flesh but the verie reall and naturall slesh of Chryst for that yt ys so inteirlie ioined to the God head which Cyrill here calleth the Spirit yt ys soche a spirituall flesh that yt maie be called also the Spirit as S. Hierom also for like consideracion and for that yt ys so exalted calleth yt the diuine flesh So that S. Cyrill vnderstādeth Chryst that wher he saied the woordes that I haue spoken to yowe are spirit and life yt ys thus to be vnderstāded that the flesh of Chryst ys spirit and life And therfor the Aduersaies seme to be carnall and grosse that wher the Sacramentaries are Capharnaites se holie Fathers vnderstāde the verie flesh of Chryst to be a spirituall flesh for cōsideracions aboue specified they maliciouslie and despitefullie to the great derogacion of so high a misterie call vs Capharnaites as though we shoulde receaue nothing but carnall flesh the flesh of an onelie bare naturall man and not the flesh of Chryst whiche being inseparablie ioined to the God head and therfore the very flesh of God ende wed with the power of the same Godhead to geue life ys called both Spirit ād life and so ys bothe very The flesh of Chryst ys both naturall and spirituall naturall and yet spirituall flesh And therfor the catholique people receaue Chrystes verie reall flesh spirituallie bicause yt ys a spirituall flesh and also by cause yt ys knowen with a spirituall knowledg not with the knowledg of naturall reason nor with the knowledge of carnall senseis but with the spiritual knowledge of faith which beleueth that in the Sacrament that reason can not comprehende nor the senses perceaue And so as Algerus saieth Etsi sciri non potest credi potest quia quod videtur non materiale corpus panis est sed species corporalis Quod autem intelligitur Alger li. 2. cap. 3. Christus est qui omnia quaecunque vult in coelo in terra potest Sicue dum exteriorum sensuum testimonio non acquiescit nec interiori inquisitione comprehendens de veritate tamen non titubat fit per Dei gratiam vt in tali suo agone fides nostra exerceatur exercendo augeatur augendo perficiatur perfecta coronetur Although yt can not be knowen yet yt maie be beleued for that that ys seen ys not the materiall bodie of bread but the forme of bread but that that ys vnderstanded ys Chryst who can doe all thinges that he will in heauen and in earth and so Conflict of faith with reason and senses while man doth not agree to the wittnesse of the outwarde senses neither by the inwarde inquisition cōprehending doth not yet doubte of the trueth yt ys doen by the grace of God that faith in soche her conflicte ys exercised in exercising ys encreased in encreasing ys perfected and being perfect ys crowned Thus Algerus So farre wide then ys the catholique faithe from carnalitie in beleuing and recauing Chrystes very bodie in the Sacramēt vnder the forme of breade as this authour saieth that our faith hath a great battaill and conflicte with reason and the knowledg
heauē which Chryst our Sauiour by his blod hath bought vs to we shall be cōdēpned to that pain that we were once redemed frō ād so eternallie become miserable with him vnto whoos 's wordes we wolde geue credditte before the woordes of our Lorde God As nowe ye perceaue howe like the tēptacions be so maie ye perceaue howe like the rewarde of the assēting or agreing to the tēptaciō of the enemie ys Yf therfor ye will auoide the rewarde which ys pain eternal withstād the temptacion whiche beginneth the thrall A mong manie other two thinges methinketh shoulde with the assistēce of Two thinges which aught to moue vs to resist the temptatiōs of the Sacramentaries gods grace moche moue yowe to withstād his wicked tēptacions in this be half the one ys that as in the first tēptaciō to our first parentes he spake the plain cōtrarie of that God had spokē so in this his tēptacon he speaketh the verie contrarie to that that Chryst our Lorde God hath spoken For Chryst saied This ys my bodie But Sathā saieth yt ys not his bodie Now whē anie thing ys taught that ys manifestlie repugnant to the woorde of our Lorde God who cā speak nothing but trueth except we be woorse bewitched them the Galathians were we must nedes deme and iudge that doctrine to be false coming from Sathan the father of lies vntrueth and falshod And being false what ells ys to be doen but to withstande and reiecte yt The other thing that aught to moue vs to withstād this tēptaciō ys that Sectes of Sacramentaries Bereng Wicleff Io. Hus. the woordes of his doctrine be not consonant nor agreable For besides his diuerse and cōtrarie spirit which he breathed into Berengarius the first publique and open impugner of this blessed misterie as yt ys saied in the preface of this book into Wiceff and Hus he hath in this our time poured oute manie contrarie spitites and meruelouslie shewed himself the authour of dissētion and repugnant doctrine in the same misterie But for that I might be iudged partiall in the report of this diuerse doctrine I will not vse mie owne woordes but the woordes of Luther Satans cheif and first Commissionar in this maner of proceading and of Melancthon his right ofspring and defendour of his doctrine Luther in his breif confession noting the diuerse and repugnant spirittes that reigned amongest the Sacramentaries saieth in this maner At the first Eight disaegreing spirittes amōg the Sacramentaries nombred by Luther Carolstad Zwinglius Oecolamp Swenckfel these men were well warned of the holie Gost when that vpon that one text they diuided them selues into seuen spirits eche one differing allwaies from the other First Carolstadius wold haue the text so that this ys my bodie should signifie here sitteth my bodie Then Zwinglius saieth that that coulde not be well saied no though the Father of heauen had reueiled yt Therfor being moued with an other holie spirit of his own thus he turned the text Take eate this signifieth my bodie The thirde Oecolampadius brought furth his third holie spirit which turned that text into an other hew as thus Take eate this ys the token of my bodie The fourth Swenckfeldius thinking to make his stench to smell as muske brought vs furth of his holie spirit this rule These woordes this ys my bodie must be remoued from oure seight For they do let vs of the spirituall vnderstanding The fifth holie spirit being but excrementes of that other doth thus read that text Take and eate that which ys deliuered for yowe in this my bodie The sixt holie spirit saieth Take and eate this ys my bodie in remembrance as though Chryst had saied Take and eate this ys the monument of my bodie The seuenth holie spirit Ioannes Campanus bringeth this exposition Take and eate this ys my breadie bodie or bodie of bread Beside all these an other spirit flieth Ioan. Cam aboute For the Deuell ys an holie and great spirit whiche persuadeth men that herein ys no article of oure faith and therfor we aught not to contend of this matter but leaue yt free to euery man to beleue herein what he list Thus farre Luther See ye not by Luthers one woordes seuen and in th end of his collection one mo to make eight dissonant and disagreable doctrines vpon these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie See ye not Sathan diuided against Sathan See ye not his ministres plaing at crosse wasters for the victorie Be persuaded then that wher soche contencion soche strife soche Battaill ys amongest men springing all oute of one Gospell that in that Gospell ys no treuth But we haue not yet seen the ende Melanchton the right of spring and heire of the Lutheran doctrine was not onelie intoxicated with a diuerse spirit from his Father and Fiue sectes of Sacramētaries amōg the Lutherans nombred by Melanct. master Martin Luther in the ende of his life but also reporteth that among the Lutherans them selues ther were fiue Sacramentaries sectes or heresies For some saieth he be of Helhusius minde some of Sarcerius minde some other folowe the ministers of Breme and some Ioachimus Morlinus other also he alleageth whose opinion ys that Chrystes bodie maie be in euery place Whiche sectes being fiue in nombre yf ye put them to the eight enombred by Luther they make thirtene Thus by their own report yt ys to be perceaued that the woordes of Sathans doctrine be not of one sownde of one agreeement but his spirit Chrystes woordes wrested to sixtene diuerse senses by the Protestants hath breathed into his disciples vpon these fewe woordes of Chryst diuerse and and plain repugnant expositions and doctrines To these thirtene diuerse doctrines yf we adde and putto the expositions of Luther himself Melanchton and Caluine whiche esteemed them selues as the lightes of the worlde we shall make vppe sixtene diuerse expositions and doctrines of this matter fettfurth by Sathans disciples As for Luther yt ys euindent that he expounded Chrystes woordes farre vnlike to Zuinglius Oecolāpadius or anie of that line yea vnto Berengarius himself For he saieth they must be thus vnderstāded This ys my bodie that ys this bread ys my bodie Melanchton in his later daies as yt ys common to heretiques to growe worse and worse forsooke Luthers spirit and tasted of Zwinglius spirit Melancth His mutabilitie but so as he wolde in soch wise correct him that he wolde make him a newe spirit And therfor he wolde haue this sense vpon Chrystes woordes This ys my bodie that ys This ys a participacion of my bodie whiche newe interpretacion saieth Staphilus ys plainlie a newe Sacramentaries heresie Last of all the doctrine of Caluine swarueth from all these teaching that Chryst ys geuen to vs reallie but not corporallie as though the sense of Io. Caluine Chrystes woordes might be This ys my bodie that ys This ys the verie substance of my bodie but it ys
owre minde we maie not doubte of yt in anie point We haue hearde what S. Cyrill with all his felowbishoppes gathered together in Ephesus dothe beleue what Grece doth with them What Aegipt and also Sainct Hierom the preist And therfore although some maie erre of ignorance ther ys no man yet hitherto that openlie against saieth this so to be whiche the worlde dothe beleue and confesse Wherfore derely beloued doubte nothing in this mystery which Chryst the trueth hath of him self graunted vnto vs. For although Chryst sitteth in heauē and yet ys dailie sacrificed by the preist he sitteth at the right hande of his Father in heauen he disd meth not dathe by the handes of the preist in the Sacrament as a true sacrifice not vntrulie to be sacrificed Thus farre Paschasius See ye not the faith of the presence of Chrystes bodie and bloode in the Sacrament stande vntouched and not shaken with anie heresie against saing yt openlie vntill the time of this writer Perceaue ye not Sainct Hilarie Sainct Ambrose Sainct Augustine Sainct Cyrill with all the Bishopps in the Councell at Ephesus whiche were foure hundreth and eightene Sainct Hierom also all Grece and Aegipt and finallie that the wholl worlde in this writers time did so beleue and so confesse The cause why the Proclamer denieth the Sacrament to be adored ys that he The Proclamer impugneth adoraciō of the Sacr. bicause he beleueth not reall presence denieth also Chrystes bodie and bloode to be ther. But yf that blindenesse of heresie taken from his heart he coulde by pure and clere faith see that blessed bodie ther ther ys no doubte but he wolde adore yt Euen so forasmoche as all the worlde with godlie confession acknowledged Chrystes presence in the Sacrament euen the same that was born of Marie as Sainct Ambrose saieth whiche Chryst ys of all Chrystians humblie to be adored and honoured who can doubte but that they wher they beleued him to be ther they honoured him Before this Authour was Leo more then foure hundreth yeares For he liued aboute the yeare of owre Lorde 452. and so more then eleuen hundreth yeares agone in whose time what the faith of Chrystes Churche was in the matter of the blessed Sacrament ye shall heare him reporte Separentur buiu smodi a sanctis membris corporis Christi neque sibi catholica libertas infidelium Leo Epi. 22 ad Costant iugum patiatur imponi Extra enim domum diumae gratiae extra Sacramentum habendi sunt salutis humanae qui negantes naturam nostrae carnis in Christo Euangelio contradicunt Symbolo reluctantur Nec sentiunt se in hoc praeruptum sua obcaecatione deduci vt nec in passionis Dominicae nec in resurrectionis veritate consistant quiae vtrumque in saluatore vacuatur si in eo nostri generiscaro non creditur In quibus isti ignorantiae tenehris in quo hactenus desidiae torpore iacuere vt nec auditu descerene nec lectione agnoscerent quod in Ecclesia Dei in omnium ore tam consonum est vt nec ab insantium linguis veritas corporis sanguinis Christi inter communis Sacramenta fidei taceatur quia in illa mystica distributione spiritualis alimontae hoc impertitur hoc sumitur vt accipientes virtutem caelestis cibi in caruem ipsius qui caro nostra factus est transeamus Let soche maner of men be diuided from the holie membres of Chrystes bodie neither let the catholique libertie suffre the yocke of infidelitie to be Eutyches and Diose their heres putte vpon yt Theie are to be accompted oute of the house of Gods grace and oute of the Sacrament of mans health whiche denieng the nature of our flesh in Chryst do bothe speake against the Gospell and striue against the Symboll Neither do they perceaue them selues through their blindenesse to be brought into soche daunger that they can not abide in the veritie neither of our Lordes passion neither of his resurrection For both these be voide in our Sauiour yf the flesh of our kinde be not beleued in him In what darkenesse of ignorance in what sluggishnes of sloothe hath these men hitherto lien in that neither by hearing they coulde learn neither by reading they coulde knowe that in the Churche of God in the mouthe of all men ys so agreablie spoken that not asmoche as of the tounges of infantes the veritie of the bodie and bloode of Chryst among the Sacramentes of the common faithe ys vnspoken of For in that mysticall distribution of the spirituall foode this bodie ys geuen furth this bodie ys receaued that receauing the vertue of that heauenly meate we maie be made his flesh who was made our flesh Thus Leo. Of this Authour also being both auncient and holy ye perceaue yt testified Veritie of the bodie and bloode of Chryst st◅en of by the tounges of babes that the veritie of the bodie and bloode of Chryst in the Sacrament was so certenly beleued and so commonlie receaued that yt was not onelie confested by the mouthes of all men but also yt was spoken by the mouthes of babes And here with all note that this Authour doth merueill at Eutyches and Dioscorus and their adherentes howe they coulde denie Chryst to be a verie man seing that all Chrystian people confessed the naturall bodie of Chryst God and man to be in the Sacrament For confessing the veritie of his bodie and bloode which thinges be not of the nature of the godhead yt must nedes folowe that they confesse the nature and bodie of his manheade and so Chryst to be very man Thus ye maie perceaue that the prefence of Chrystes verie bodie and The reall presence so certenlie beleued that auncient Fathers made argumēt therof to cōfute heresies bloode in those daies was reputed esteemed and beleued so certen so sure and so vndoubted a matter of faith that learned men did vse yt as a stronge argument to confute and conuince diuerse heresies For as this Authour did vse yt against the heretikes of his time So did Irenaeus and Hylarius whiche were long before him against the heretiques of their times Whiche they wolde neuer haue doen yf in their times also the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament had not ben a clere matter oute of all controuersie and receaued of all aswell heretiques as catholiques as a substanciall poinct of their faithe whervpon an argument might be well grownded Nowe ye haue hearde the presence of Chrystes bodie testified to haue ben receaued of all the chrystian Churche from this our time to the time of Leo and before his time as by Paschasius yt ys aboue reported to the time of Sainct Hilary And so to the time of Irenaeus who was the Jn catolog script disciple of Polycarpus as Sainct Hierom witnesseth which Polycarpus was disciple of Sainct Iohn the Euangelist so neare was this man to the Apostles time This discourse haue
of Chryst This Proclamer with mocking and taunting derideth and dispraiseth them that do so honoure Chryst Sainct Gregorie by all mens iudgementes as he was auncient so ys he iudged to be catholique and to fauoure Chryste and the catholique Churche This Proclamer as he ys of these daies and but younge of age so dissentinge from this holie Father maie well be iudgd the enemie of Chryst and his catholique Churche And as we haue saied of Sainct Gregorie So maie we saie of Sainct Ambrose who commendeth in his brother the great faith affiance and trust that he had in the holie Sacrament For what more honour what higher honour can we do to God then to setle our faith our hope and our trust in God acknowledging him one not onely able and of power to helpe vs to deliuer and saue vs from all perills and daungers that maie happen to vs but also assuredly trust that he will so doe Thus Sainct Ambrose to the praise of his brother reporteth that he did to the Sacrament as before ys at large declared Seinge then this Proclamer dispraiseth that that holy Ambrose did praise yt ys easie to perceaue what ys to be thought of him and which of their doctrins ys to be embraced and whiche of them ys to be folowed euerie good chrystian will soen determine In this matter also ys Eusebius Emisenus a goodlie witnesse writing thus Quia corpus assumptum ablaturus erat ab oculis nostris sideribus illaturus necessarium Eus Emis Hom. pas erat vt nobis in hoc die Sacramentum corporis sanguinis consecraret vt coleretur iugiter per mysterium quod semel offerebatur in precium For that he wolde take awaie his assumpted bodie from our eyes and carie yt into the heauens yt was necessarie that in this daie he shoulde consecrate the Sacrament of his bodie and bloode that yt might continuallie be honoured by mysterie that once was offred for our price Thus he Nowe wher the Proclamer saieth that Chryst did institute the Sacrament onely that yt shoulde be receaued in the remembrance of his death Eusâ—b Em. directlie against the Proclamer This Authour saieth that bicause the visible presence of his bodie shoulde be taken from vs he did institute the Sacrament that the same his bodie might continuallie be honoured by mysterie And forsomoch as yt ys so he exhorteth vs so to doe sainge Cùm reuerendo altari caelestibus cibis satiandus accedis sacrum Dei tui corpus sanguinem fide respice honora mirare mente continge cordis manu suscipe maximè haustu interiori assume When thowe comest Euseb ibi to the reuerend aultar to be satisfied with heauenly meates looke with faith vpon the bodie and bloode of thy God Honoure yt woonder at yt touche yt with thy minde receaue yt with the hand of thy heart and cheiflie receaue Euseb biddeth vs honour the Sacrament yt with the inwarde draught This Authour in this his exhortacion first teacheth vs what we shall beholde by faithe when we come to the reuerende aultar the bodie saieth he of our God Wherby he teacheth the presence of our Lordes bodie in the Sacrament whiche in dede by faith onely ys ther to be seen and not by senseis except yt please God by miracle to some so to reuele yt as we reade that sundrie times he hath so doen. But let not the Proclamer walkinge in his darke mistes of his figures saie that Chryst ys in the Sacrament as in a figure bicause this Authour saieth that we by faith must beholde him and thervpon triumphe that this Authour ys on his side For this cauille ys auoided by the woordes that shortlie after folowe whiche be these Sicut autem quicunque ad fidem Christi veniens ante verba Baptismi adhuc est in vinculo veteris debiti ijs verò memoratis mox exuitur omni fece peccati ita quando benedicendae verbis caelestibus creaturae sacris a taribus imponuntur antequam inuocatione summi nominis consecrentur substantia est illic panis vini pòst verba autem Christi corpus sanguis Christi As anie man cominge to the faith of Chryst before the wooordes of Baptisme ys yet in the bands of the olde debte but when the woordes be spoken ys furthwith deliuered from all the dregges of sinne Euen so when the creatures that are to be blessed with the heauenly woordes are putte vpon the holie aultars before they be consecrated by the inuocacion A plain place for M. Juell of the most high name ther ys the substance of bread and wine but after the woordes of Chryst the bodie and bloode of Chryste Thus Eusebius This his sainge clean dissolueth the cauill of the Aduersarie For though before the woordes of Chryste yt be bread and wine yet after the woordes yt ys the bodie and bloode of Chryste Thus the minde of Eusebius being declared that Chrystes bodie and bloode be in the Sacrament after the consecracion yt foloweth in his exhortacion Reall presence and adoracion plainlie auouched by Euso Emis as meit ys we shoulde doe Honora honoure yt When by soche an auncient holie Father we be moued and aduertised to honour the bodie of our God and that not onelie in heauen but when we come to the reuerende aultar wher after the woords of Chryste ys the bodie and bloode of Chryst ys yt meit suppose ye to leaue so auncient doctrine and to cleaue to the newfangled inuencion of this Proclamer After this he saieth mirare that ys merueill or woonder As who might saie that the bodie of thy Lorde God ys in the Sacrament the senseis of man can not perceaue yt his imaginacion can not compasse yt his might and power can not woorke yt his reason can not comprehende yt therfore with reuerence and honour merueill and wonder at yt Remembre that to God nothing ys vnpossiblie Remembre the workes of God be merueillouse And therfor reuerentlie woonder and saie Tu es Deus qui facis mirabilia Thowe arte the God whiche doest merueillouse thinges Nowe yf ther were but a figure but bread and wine signes and tokens of Figures of thinges be not merueillouse but the blessed Sacram. ys merueilouse the bodie of Chryst what neaded this Authour to aduertise euery chrystian man and saie Mirare merueill Ther was neuer man that bidde the Iewes merueill at the Paschall lambe bycause yt was a figure of Chryste ther was neuer man bidde wonder at Isaac at Ioseph at Ionas at the brasen serpent and soche other bicause they were figures of Chryste but the merueill ys here at the ineffable and vnspeakeable worke of God who aboue all mans deuise maketh present by his allmightie power the bodie and bloode of his Sonne our Sauiour Chryst This therfore toucheth the wicked saing of Oecolampadius who thinking verie basely of this Sacrament denieth anie miracle to be wrought in yt whose saing howe false yt
ys this Qui duxit viduam aut diuortio separatam à viro aut meretricem aut ancillam aut aliquam quae publicis sit mancipata spectaculis Episcopus presbyter Canon 18. aut Diaconus aut demque ex consortio sacerdotali esse non potest He that hath married a widowe or a woman diuorced from her husbande or an harlott or a bond maiden or a anie that ys accustomed to plaie in enterludes can neitherbe Bishoppe preist nor Deacō nor be of the cōpanie of the preistes By this breif discourse ye maie perceaue the Fathers of the later times made decrees of that was in vse in the Apostles time wher vnto they were enforced by the wickednesse and licenciouse life of men in their times not to make newe deuises but to cause the olde auncient lawes to be obserued and kept Ther be decrees made in these later daies for the fasting of Lent bothe Lent fast commaunded by Councells and Popes As for example to produce one In the eight Councell of Tolett thus we finde declared Illis qui ausu temerario quadragesimae dies contemnunt nec voracitatis ingluuiem frenant quod peius est Paschalia festa Concilium Toletā 1. illicitorum esuum perceptione profanant ex hoc adeò acerrimè interdicitur vt quisquis sine ineuitabili necessitate atque fragilitate euidenter languore seu etiam impossibilitate aetatis diebus quadragesimae esuin carnium praesumpserit attentare non solùmreus erit resurrectionis Dominicae verumetiam alienus ab eiusdem diei sancta communione Et hoc illi cumuletur ad poenam vt ipsius anni tempore ab omni esu carnium abstineat quia sacris diebus abstinentiae oblitus est disciplinam Vnto them that presumptuouslie contemne the daies of Lent neither do refrein the excesse of their greadinesse and that which ys woorst of all do prophane the Easter solemnities with the eating of vnlaufull meates from hencefurth we straightlie commaunde that whosoeuer withoute ineuitable necessitie and weaknesse and euident sicknesse great weakensse of age shall presume in the daies of Lent to eate flesh he shall not onely be giltie of the resurrection of our Lorde but shall be also excommunicated from the holie Communion of that same daie And thys shal be added to his farther pain that that yeare he shall abstain from all eating of flesh bicause in the holy time of Lent he forgotte the discipline of abstinence Thus the Councell In the which Councell the fast of Lent ys commaunded as ye perceaue but this proueth not that yt was but then begonne and that yt ys a newe deuise For S. Hierom who liued moch aboue twoo hūdreth years Hieron aduersus Mōtan before that Councell saieth thus Nos quadragesimam secundùm traditionē Apostolorum ieiunamus We fast the Lent according to the tradition of the Apostles But this fast of Lent not withstanding that yt ys the tradicion of the Apostles hath ben in diuerse Councels since the Apostles and long after their The queen that nowe ys commaūded Lent to be fasted and yet yt was in vse before time commaunded bicause in processe of time the deuociō of the people decaied as yt doth to moch in these our daies Wherbie the decrees of the Apostles being contēned as nowe also they be yt was necessarie by a newe cōmaundement to reuiue and confirme the same and so cause them to be continued which ells had ben omitted Euen so Honorius perceauing the deuociō of the people to be decaied and their regard of the blessed Sacrament through the wicked doctrine of Berengarius which yet as yt maie be thought late smoldering in putrified and rotten postes and stickes to be moche abated to reuiue that that so long had continued he gaue commaundement to honoure the Sacramēt as the like maie be doē whē the catholique faith shal be resumed in Englōd Thus ye maie perceaue both how fōd and weake the argument of the Proclamerys and therwith howe false and vntrue After this yt liketh him to dallie and solace himself in alleadging certain scholastical doctours as S. Thomas Dunce Durande Holkot and other not in reprouing Mocking and skorning easie kindes of confutacion their learning by learning which he can not doe but reprouing yt with mocking and skorning which ys in deed easie to doe The Summe of all that long disputacion ys onely to make the matter appeare to the worlde that yt ys a daungerouse thinge to honour the Sacrament for that the people can not discerne the accidentes or the outwarde formes of the Sacrament from the bodie of Chryste and therfore maie soen committe idolatrie in honouring the outward formes in the stead of Chrystes bodie Yt ys a woorld to see thys man that when he hath no substācial argument to make against the matter derectlie he seketh oute daūgers to bring himself ād the people into more daūger For wher yt ys our duetie to honour our sauiour Chryst whersoeuer we know him by faith to be to auoide his inuēted daunger he wold haue vs by omissiō of owr duetie to rūne into a certē daūger ād to auoide soch abuse as he imagineth to take away the thing yt self as Licurgus did who seing wine to be abused for that mē took excessiuelie of yt caused all the vines in the contrie to be cutte dowen that ther shoulde be no wine So this man for an abuse that he phantasieth he wolde take awaie the thing By like phantasie he might also moue vs not to honoure Chryst in heauen Like Phantasie ioined with auarice pulled down all Abbeis in England But moche more yt might seem to haue moued the Apostles and other that were conuersaunt with Chryst in the flesh and beleuing in him honoured him What daunger were they in that seing the humane bodie of Christ and percase not sufficientlie discerning the humanitie from the deitie nor fully perceauing the vnition of these two natures in the vnitie of person neither yet well vnderstanding how the bodie of Chryst ys to be adored and howe yt ys not howe the deitie was in that person of Chryst and howe to be considered and yet did adore him Al these poinctes as yt maie be gathered by the peticion of Philippe were not well vnderstanded of the Apostles themselues For when he saied Domine ostende nobis Patrem et sufficit nobis Lord shewe vs the Father and yt ys enough for vs yt semeth that he had not that consideracion of the Deitie that faith required And further by the aunswer of Chryste yt semeth that the Apostles didnot yet knowe Chryst For he saied Tanto tempore vobiscum sum non cognouistis me Haue I ben so long time with yowe and haue ye not knowen me Yf they that had ben so long conuersaunt withe Chryst and so long traded in the schoole of Chryste did not know Chryst how did the three wise men of the east the woman of Chananie the man born blind
restored to his seight with other which did adore Chryst without reproche Did they trowe ye know Chryst seing the Apostles did not know him Did they trowe ye vnder stand this quidditie of faith how the flesh and bodie of Chryst was to be adored and howe yt was not to be adored And yet were not they in the simplicitie of their faith well accepted And to come nearer to answer this man do all Chrystian people which at this present daie adore Chryst in heauen vnderstand this quidditie how the flesh of Chryst being a creature maie be adored with Godlie honoure To adore the Godhead of Chryst with godlie honour yt ys a plain matter but to adore the manhead to adore the naturall flesh of a natural man to adore a verie man with God I thinke the Disciples of this Proclamer who not vnderstanding howe the accidentes be fownded in the Sacrament nor how to discern them frō the bodie of Chryst that ys couered with these accidentes therfor flie from the honouring of Chryst in the Sacrament for feare of cōmitting Idolatrie were neuer so well taught by ther master well to vnderstand these quiddities aboue mencioned Will he also therfore that they not vnderstanding these thinges should also flie the honour of Chryst in heauē I thinke verilie yt will therto growe at the last as yt doth allreadie break out among the Caluinistes For doth not Richerus forbidde to praye to Chryst least we shoulde honour hys humanitie with godly honoure Hath he Richerus a Calumist forbiddeth to praie to Chryst not saied that he ys to be accompted an heretique that saieth that Chryst must necessarely be praied vnto See yowe not howe Satthan goeth aboute by prettie means to take awaie Chryst from yowe Among the Caluinistes as nowe among yowe he began to take awaie the adoracion of Chryst in the Sacrament but nowe he taketh awaie the adoracion of Chryst in heauen Take heed therfor Sathan ys subtle He saieth that the schoolemen make a doubte of the adoracion of the Sacrament bicause the vnlearned maie cōmitte Idolatrie yf they happen to Damascen li 4. ra 3. woorshippe the outward formes or shewes of bread ād geue honour to that in stead of Chrystes bodie Damasen saieth that the flesh of Chryst the humanitie of Chryst ys not in some consideracion to be adored and if they Phanticall daungers maie not drawe vs from oure saith and duetie doing so adore and honore yt they committe Idolatrie shall all the vnlearned christians therfore bicause they maie committe Idolatrie in adoring Chrystes flesh and bodie geue ouer their dueties and ceasse to honour Chrystes bodie in heauen Yf daungers maie withdrawe vs from the matters of our faith and the doing of our duetie in the same forsomoche as in manie matters of faithe manie daungers maie happen manie matters of our faith must be omitted and forsaking Among the daungers that maie happen in matters of faith this man to disswade his hearers and readers from the faith bringeth in one other aboute the consecracion of the holy Sacrament what saieth he if yt happned the preist not to consecrate what if he leaue oute the woordes of consecracion and neuer speake them or what if the preist haue no minde or intencion to consecrate As this man goeth aboute to shake the fundacion and building of this Sacrament which ys as S. Dionise saieth the perfection all other Sacramentes So his bothers and likes haue goen aboute to shake the fundacion of the sacrament of Baptisme For Brentius saieth that baptisme ys good and maie be ministred withoute the forme of the woordes of Baptisme But yt shall be best that I asscribe his owne woords that I be not thought to misreport him Thus he writeth Christus non collocauit fundamentum Baptismi super certis literis sillabis aut dictionibus nec alligauit nos ad certa verba non enim instituit magiam quae ad certam verborum formam aut ritus alligata est sed instituit coelestia sacramenta Brentius in explicatione Baptismi quae constant sua ipsius sententia voluntate his vel illis verbis significata Itaque si quis post recitationem Symboli Apostolici in Baptismo diceret ad baptisandū haec verba Audiui iam ex te confessionem fidei tuae quòd credas in Deum Patrem omnipotentem creatorem coeli terrae Et in Vnigemtum Filium eius Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum in Spiritum sanctum In hanc igitur confessionem sidem intingo te in aquam seu perfundo te aqud vt hoc signaculo certus fias te insertum esse in Iesum Christum communionem omnium bonorum Vade ergo in pace Hic certè Baptismus verè esset Baptismus Chryste hathe not settled the fundacion of Baptisme vpon certen letters Berentius impugneth the forme of Baptisme sillables or woordes For he hath not instituted magike that ys to saie incantacion sorcerie or witchcrafte which ys bownden to certen form of woordes or ceremonies but he hath instituted heauenly sacramentes whiche are established by his owne will and sentence signified by these or these woordes Therfor if anie man after the rehersall of the Symbole or Creed of the Apostles in Baptisme shoulde saie these woordes to him that ys to be baptized I haue now heard of thee the confession of thy faith that thowe beleuest in God the Father allmightie maker of heauen and earth And in his onely begotten Sonne our Lord Iesus Chryst And in the holie Gost Vpon this consession therfor and faith I dippe thee in the water or I washe thee with water that by this signe thowe maist be made certen that thowe arte inserted or engraffed into Iesus Chryst and into the cōmunion of all good thinges c. Therfor go thie waie in peace Certenly this Baptisme shoulde be verilie Baptisme Ye see here howe this man reiected the woordes of Baptisme and accounted yt sorcerie and supersticion to be bownde to a certen forme of woordes in the ministracion not onely of this but of other sacramentes Yt ys lamentable to see the wickednesse of these men howe they labour to weaken all the fundacion of our faithe and wolde make vs viode of all certentie in the ministracion of Chrystes Sacramentes But to returne to our Proclamer and to aunswer him with his owne learning for Brentius and he be of one religion and doctrine or ells Sathan ys diuided in him self seinge that to vse a prescript forme of woordes in the Sacrament ys supersticion and Magicke what nedeth he to make any doubte whether those formes whiche the holy auncient Fathers call the woordes of consecracion be vsed or no as shough ther were daunger if they were omitted where by the learning of his schoolefelowe Brentius to omitte them ys raither religion then daunger For if the woordes of the forme of Baptisme maie withoute daunger be omitted why maie not the woordes of consecracion withoute daunger be
heare what he saieth farder of yt that yt maie fullie appeare to the reader that yt ys not reputed of him as a doubtful matter but as a certen and substaÌ„cial sure matter Wherfore let him vnderstand that to the more full declaracion of this that ys before Euseb Emiss ibid. saied the authour immediatelie addeth this that foloweth Ergo vt ad nutuÌ„ Domini praecipientis repentè ex nihilo substiterint alta coelorum profunda sluctuuÌ„ vasta terrarum ita pari potentia in spirituall 〈◊〉 Sacramentis verbo praebetur virtus reiseruit effectus Quanta itaque quà m celebranda vis diuinae benedictionis operetur quomodò tibi nouuÌ„ impossibile videri non debeat quòd in Christi substantiam terrena mortalia coÌ„mutantur teipsum qui iam in Christo es regeneratus interroga Therfor as at the will of our Lord coÌ„maunding sodenlie of nothing the heightes of the heauens the deapths of the waters the greatnesse of the earth were in substaÌ„ciall being Euen so in the spirituall Sacramentes vnto the woorde ys geuen vertue or power and the effect ys brought to passe Therfore how great and How the bread and wine beturned into the bodie aÌ„d blood c. notable things the power of the diuine benediction maie woork and howe yt should not seme to thee as newe or impossible that earthlie and mortall things are coÌ„muted or chauÌ„ged into the substaÌ„ce of Chryst aske of thy self who art now regenerate in Chryst Thus Eusebius Who to proue that which he had before saied that the visible creaturs of bread aÌ„d wine are turned into the substaÌ„ce of the bodie aÌ„d blood ofChryst bringeth this argumeÌ„t that asat as the coÌ„maundement of God hys onelie woord sodeÌ„lie the heaueÌ„s the waters and the wholl worlde was made of nothing So by like power he woorketh in the Sacrament to make the substance of his bodie and blood of the substance of the bread and wine An other argument he bringeth by the chaunge that God maketh of a man in Baptisme that he that was a straunger and a banished maÌ„ from God yea and dead before God sodenly ys reuiued and of a banished man ys made a frende and of a straunger ys made an adoptiue Sonne of God Wherby he wolde not haue yt thought impossible but that earthlie and mortal thinges as the bread and wine in the Sacrament maie be and are chaunged into the substance of Chryst In the same homelie to this pourpose also he maketh this perswasion Nec dubitet quispiam primarias creaturas nutu diuinae poteÌ„tiae praesentia summae maiestatis in domiaici Euseb ibid corporis posse transire naturaÌ„ cùm ipsum hominem videat artificio coelestis misericordiae Christi corpus effectum Neither let anie man doubte that by the commaundement of the diuine power by the presence of his high maiestie the former creatures mening bread and wine can passe or be chaunged into the nature of 〈◊〉 of â—… 〈◊〉 and â—…me the bodie c ys not to be doubted of the bodie of our Lordes bodie seing that he maie see man himself by the workmanshippe of the heauenlie mercie made the bodie of Chryst And ther again yt foloweth immediatelie Sicut auteÌ„ quicunque ad fideÌ„ Christiâ—… eniens ante verba Baptismi adhuc in vinculo est veteris debiti ijs verò memoratis mox exaitur omni fece peccatiâ—ta quaÌ„do benedicendae verbis coelestibus creaturae sacris altaribus imponuntur antequà m inuocacione summi nominis consecrentur substantia est illic panis vun post verba auteÌ„ Christi corpus sanguis Christi Quid auteÌ„ miruÌ„ est si ea quae poâ—…t Eused ibid. verbo creare verbo possit creata conuertere As anie maÌ„ coming to the faith of Chryst before the woords of Baptisme ys yet in the baÌ„d of the old debt but as soen as they be spokeÌ„ furthwith he ys deliuered froÌ„ al filth of sinne Euen so when the creatures are sett vpoÌ„ the holie altars to be blessed with the heaueÌ„ly Before the woordes of Chryst ther ys the substance of brâ—ad after the bodie of Chryst a plain samâ— for M. Juel woords before they be coÌ„secrated with the inuocacioÌ„ of the most high name ther ys the substaÌ„ce of bread aÌ„d wine but after the woords of Chryst the bodie aÌ„d blood of Chryst What wooÌ„der ys yt if he that could create these things with his woord caÌ„ now being created turn theÌ„ with his woord And he addeth Imo iaÌ„ videtur minoris esse miraculi stid quod ex nihilo agnoscitur coÌ„di lisse â—am condituÌ„ in melius valeat coÌ„mutare Yea raither yt semeth to be a lesse miracle if that that he ys knowen to haue made of nothing he can now when yt ys made chaunge yt into a better thing Thus moch Eusebius Whome ye see by diuerse goodly examples and meaÌ„s teaching the presence of Chrysts bodie in the Sacrament by the turning or chaunging of the bread and wine into the substance and nature of the bodie and blood of Chryst But yt shall doo well to heare some other besides him what testimonie they geue in this matter that therbie the reader maie haue morefull instruction Among these we wil first heare Gregory Nissen the brother of Basil who saieth 〈◊〉 Nisâ—… 〈…〉 thus Sicut auteÌ„ qui paneÌ„ videt quodaÌ„modò corpus videt humanuÌ„ quoniaÌ„ panis incorpore existens corpus euadit ita diuinuÌ„ illud corpus panis nutrimentuÌ„ accipieÌ„s ideÌ„ quodammcdò erat cum illo cibo vt diximus in eius naturaÌ„ immutato Quod enim cuiusque carnis proprâ—im est id etiam illi conuenisse confitemur Nam corpus illud pane sustentabatur corpus autem proptereaquod Deus Verbum in illo habitauit diuinam obtinuit dignitatem QuamobreÌ„ rectè nunc etiam Dei verbo sanctificatum paneÌ„ in Dei Verbi corpus credimus immutari As he that seeth bread in a maner seeth the bodie of a maÌ„ for bread being in the bodie becometh a bodie Euen so that bodie of God taking the nutriment of bread was in a maner all one with the same meat that was as we haue saied chaunged into the nature of his bodie For that that ys propre to euery man that same do we confesse to haue apperteined to him For that bodie also was susteined with bread but that bodie for that God the Sonne did abide in him yt obteined the dignitie of God wherfore nowe also doo we very well beleue the bread sanctified by the woord of God to be chaunged into the bodie of the Sonne of God Thus he Let not this eschape thee reader without diligent note that this authour Transubst beleued of the auncieÌ„t fathers doth not onelie saie that the saÌ„ctified bread ys chauÌ„ged into the bodie of the SoÌ„ne of God but he saieth also as yt were in the persoÌ„ of the wholChurch that we beleue yt so to be
be vnited vnto vs by hys flesh and therbie imparte life to vs in maner conuenient for vs as yt hath by that yt ys vnited to the Sonne of God he by hys power woorketh in the bread and wine so that he turneth them into hys very flesh and bloode that in that maner takinge hys verie flesh and blood we might haue them as the seedes of life and so growe to life Thus breiflie vnderstanding the minde Euthym in 26. Matth of Cyril we go on to Euthymius who saieth in this matter thus Quemadmodum super naturaliter assumptam carnem deificauit si ita loqui liceat ita haec ineffabiliter transmutat in ipsum viuificum corpus suum in ipsum preciosum sanguinem suum in gratiam ipsorum As he supernaturallie did deifie yf yt be leefull so to speak hys assumpted flesh Euen so vnspeakablie doeth he transmute or chaunge those things mening the bread and wine into hys very liuing bodie and into hys verie preciouse blood and into the grace of them Thus ye here also in this authour ye see a transmutacion of the bread ād wine into the verie bodie ād verie blood of Chryst and that as adsuredlie as he deified the flesh that he tooke of the Virgen Remig. in 1. Cor. cap. 10. A moch like testimonie geueth Remigius saing Caro quam Verbum Dei Patris assumpsit in vtero virginali in vnitate suae personae panis qui consecratur in Ecclesia vnū corpus Christi sunt Sicut enim illa caro corpus Christi est ita iste panis transit in corpus Christi nec sunt duo corpora sed vnū corpus The flesh which the Sōne of God the Father flesh of the Sonne of God and the cōsecrated bread one bodie tooke in the virgens wombe in the vnitie of hys person and the bread which ys cōsecrated in the Church are one bodie of Chryst For as that flesh ys the bodie of Chryste so this bread passeth or ys chaunged into the bodie of Chryst and yet they are not two bodies but one bodie Ye see yt also in this authour testified that the bread consecrated in the church ys the bodie of Chryste ye see also how yt ys doen. For saieth Remigius the bread goeth Plain sainges for M. Juell passeth or ys chaunged into the bodie of Chryste and that as adsuredlie as the flesh which he tooke of the virgen was hys verie bodie so ys this bread made hys verie bodie Yf men wolde haue plain speach and plain asseueracion of matters of faith I iudge this to be so plainly spokē that they will not leaue anie man in doubte but him that will not be resolued The like plainesse shall ye find in Damascen who saieth thus Corpus secundùm Damasc li. 4. ca. 14. veritatē coniunctū est diumitati quod ex sancta virgine corpus est non quòd ipsum corpus assumptū ex coelo descenderit sed quòd ipse panis vinū transmutantur in corpus sanguinē Dei. Si autē modū requiris quo pacto id fiat sat sit tibi audire quoniā per Spiritū sanctū quemadmodū ex sancta Deipara seipso in seipso Dominus carnē sustentauit nihil amplius cognoscimus quà m quod verbū Dei verū est efficax omnipotens modus autē inscrutabilis That bodie that ys a bodie born of the holie virgē ys in verie dede ioined to the Godhead not that that assūpted bodie cometh down Bread and wine transmuted into the bodie and bloode fo God frō heauē but that that bread and wine be transmuted into the bodie and blood of God Yf thow require the maner how yt ys doen let yt suffice thee to heare that by the holie Goste euen as of the holie mother of God our Lorde by himself and in himself did make vppe a flesh and we know no more then that the woorde of God ys trewe and effectuouse and the maner ys inscrutable Thus moch Damascen This authour doth not onelie testifie to vs that the verie bodie ād blood of Chryst be in the Sacramēt but also opening the maner how yt ys doen Thinges spokē of God must be beleued though the maner of doing be vnknowen declareth that yt should be sufficient for vs to vnderstand that the bread and wine be transmuted into the bodie and blood of Chryst by the operacion of the holie Goste and that as adsuredly as the same bodie was by him framed in the virgens wōbe And with this saieth he should we be contented knowing that the woorde of God ys true and omnipotent ād therfor effectuouse adsuredly woorking that that yt saieth though the maner of the doing of yt be inscrutable A testimonie not moch vnlike to this geueth also Theophilact saing in this maner Theoph. in 6. Joan. Non enim dixit Dominus Panis quē ego dabo figura est carnis meae sed caro mea est Transformatur enim arcanis verbis panis ille per mysticā benedictionē accessionē sancti Spiritus in carnē Domini Et ne quē conturbet quòd credendus sit panis caro Etenim in carne ambulante Domino ex pane alimoniā admittente panis ille qui manducabatur in corpus eius mutabatur similis fiebat sanctae eius carni in augmentū sustentationē Bread which Chryst gaue no figure but flesh cōferebat iuxta humanū morē Igitur nunc panis in carnē Domini mutatur Owr Lord did not saie the bread that I will geue ys a figure of my flesh but yt ys my flesh For yt ys transformed with the secret woords by the mystical benedictiō ād the coming to of the holie Gost into the flesh of our lord ād let yt not trooble anie man that the bread ys to be beleued flesh For when owre Lord walked in the flesh and tooke sustenaunce of bread that bread that he tooke was chaunged into hys bodie and was made like to his holie flesh and A plain saing for M. Juell yt gaue encrease and sustentacion according to the maner of mans nature Thersor now also ys the bread chaunged into the slesh of our Lord. Agreablie writeth Paschasius with whome we will ende being certen by the supputacion of learned men that he was an hondreth yeares before Berengarius and therfore before anie publique controuersie in this matter of the Sacrament thus he writeth Spiritus sanctus qui hominem Christum in vtero Paschasius li. de corp sang Dom. virginis sine semine creauit etiam ipse panis ac vini substantiam carnem Christi sanguinem inuisibili potentia per sacramenti sui sanctificationem operatur quamuis nec visu exteriùs nec gustu saporis comprehendatur Sed quia spiritualia sunt fide intellectu pro certo sicut veritas praedixit plenissimè sumuntur Quòd in veritate corpus sanguis fiat
will therfor leaue him and heare the minde of his yocke felowe whom we Hieron ad He did q. 2. haue in this place appointed to be S. Hierō who writeth thus Nos autem audiamus panē quem Dominus fregit deditue Discipulis suis esse corpus Domini saluatoris ipso dicente ad eos Accipite comedite Hoc est corpus meū calicē illū esse de quo iterum locutus est Bibite ex hoc omnes Hic est sanguis meus noui testamenti qui pro multis effundetur Iste est calix de quo in Propheta legimus Calicē salutaris accipia alibi Calixtuus The bread which our Lord gaue was his bodie ād the cuppe hys blood inebrians quà m praeclarus est Si ergo panis qui de coelo descendit corpus est Domini vinum quod Discipulis dedit sanguis illius est noui testamēti iudaicas fabulas repellamus c. But let vs heare that bread which our Lord brake and gaue to hys Disciples to be the bodie of our Lord our Sauiour forasmoch as he saied vnto thē Take and eate This ys my bodie And the cuppe to be that of the which again he saied Drinke ye all of this This ys my blood of the newe Testament which shall be shedd for manie This ys the cuppe of the which we read in the Prophete I wil receaue the cuppe of saluacion And in an other place Thy cuppe inebriating ys verie noble Yf therfore the bread that descended frō heauen ys the bodie of our Lord and the wine which he gaue to his Disciples ys his blood of the newe Testament let vs repell the Iewish fables Thus moch S. Hierom. For the better vnderstanding of this saing yt ys to be considered that a certain vertuouse woman named Hedibia sent to sainct Hierom to be resolued in certain questions Among the which she desiered to be instructed how the saing of Chryst in S. Matthew was to be vnderstanded wher he saied I will not from hencefurth drinke of this generacion of the vine vntill that daie in whiche I shall drinke yt newe with yow in the kingdome of my Father To the answeringe wherof he declareth vnto her first the fond opinion of some that vpon that place inuented a fable that Chryst shoulde reign a thousand yeares corporally in which time of his reign he shoulde drinke wine and so shoulde be fullfilled hys saing that he wolde drinke no more wine Heresie of the Millenaries vntill he dranke yt in the kingdom of his Father in the whiche he shoulde then reign But sainct Hierom well vnderstanding howe great and howe weightie a matter was spoken of in the place wher from these woordes were taken namely of the bodie and blood of Chryst and being greued that yt being so great a worke of God so great a benefitt to man shoulde be intermengled and obscured with soche vain inuentions of soche fables he openeth the true sense of the place and moueth the good woman Hedibia that all soche phantasies reiected and forsaken she shoulde regarde the woordes of Chryst and credit them and that the bread and wine that Chryst spake of in that place were no soch thinges as vpon which soch vain fables should be grownded but they were the bodie and bloode of Chryst forasmoch as he that can speake but trueth saied Thys ys my bodie Thys ys my bloode Now cōsider with me yf Chryst had geuē to hys Apostles but Bread ād wine S. Hierom his woordes weighed ād conferred with the doctrine of the Protestātes as figures of hys bodie and blood wolde S. Hierō being required to geue the true vnderstāding of the scriprure ād he taking vpō him so to doe wold he trowe ye haue saied Let vs vnderstād that the bread which our Lord gaue to his Disciples was his bodie ād that the wine which he gaue was hys blood except we should beleue ād vnderstād thē so to be in dede Were this an opening of the true vnderstanding of the scriptures Were yt not raither an hiding or a darkning of the scriptures to bid vs to beleue one thing ād the scripture biddeth an other He biddeth vs beleue that yt ys the bodie ād blood of Chryst that Chryst gaue to his Apostles ād the scriptur as the Aduers saieth biddeth vs beleue that they be but figurs Wold S. Hierō being alwaies an enemie to heresie teache soche an heresie Wolde not he raither if the trueth had ben so haue taught this vertuouse woman the trueth of the matter that she sought at his hand and saied vnto her This vnderstand that the bread and wine which Chryst gaue to his Apostles were but figurs of the bodie and bloode of Chryst and not the thinges themselues And alleaging Chrystes woordes This ys my bodie This ys my bloode wolde he not if they had ben so to be vnderstanded haue saied these woordes are spoken by a figure they be figuratiue speaches and are thus to be vnderstanded this ys a figure of my bodie this ys a figure of my bloode To instructe thē that Nomenciō of figuratiue speache in S. Hierōs woordes wolde learn the true vnderstāding of this scripture if yt were so to be vnderstanded this were the right waie of teaching But here ys no soche woorde here ys no soche maner of teaching And yt ys to be thought that S. Hierō was not ignorant howe to teache neither was he ignorāt of the trueth that in this place shoulde be taught Wherfor seing he knewe the trueth and knewe howe to teache yt and nowe he was in place to teache and had good occasion being as ys saied therunto required for somoche as he willeth vs to vnderstande that the bread and wine whiche Chryst gaue to this Apostles were his bodie and bloode and the cause why we shoulde so vnderstāde thē ys the woorde of Chryst saing This ys my bodie This ys my bloode Let vs thinke and beleue that the trueth of this matter ys that his bodie and bloode be present verilie in the Sacramēt and that the woordes of Chryste are to be vnderstanded withoute figure simplie and plainlie as they lie And that yt ys the bodie of Chryst the woordes which S. Hierom vseth as the conclusiō of the matter dothe also prooue For thus he concludeth Si ergo panis qui de caelo descendit c. Yf then the bread that descended from heauen be the bodie of our Lorde and the wine that he gaue to his Disciples be his bloode of the newe testamēt let vs cast awaie Iewish fables As who might saie forasmoche as these woordes of Chryst speake of no cheering nor banquetting that the Iewes doe dreame shall be in Chrystes worldlie kingdom but they speake of the bread which Chryst gaue to his Apostles which they saie to be his bodie and of the wine which they saie to be his bloode therfor let vs cast awaie soche vain fables and cleaue to the true
vnderstanding of Chrystes woordes and beleue that the bread and wine be Chrystes bodie and bloode And therfor looking for no soche worldlie kingdom nor kinglie palace of Chryst here vpon the earth Ascendamus cum Domino caenaculum magnum strastum atque mundatum accipiamus ab eo sursum calicem noui testamenti ibiue cum eo Pascha celebrantes inebriemur ab eo vino sobrietatis Let vs saieth S. Hierom go vppe with our Lorde into the great dining chambre allreadie prepared and made clean and ther let vs receaue of him aboue the cuppe of the newe testament and ther with him celebrating the Passouer let vs be satisfied with the wine of sobrietie I can not here withoute sorowe and greif passe these last woordes of S. Hierom but note to thee gentle reader the maliciouse doing of the Proclamer who impugning the presence of Chrystes bodie and bloode The Proclaemer cutteth of the woordes of Sain Hierom to deceaue his auditorie in the Sacrament trauaileth to prooue that his wicked doctrine by some of the holie fathers whome he wolde wrest to make them saie that Chryst ys onelie to be adored and honoured in heauen as wherbie yt might appeare that his presence were onelie ther. Among the whiche full euell fauoredlie he bringeth in these last woordes of S. Hierom cuttinge them of from the middest of the sentence and leauing oute that that goeth before whiche as ye haue heard maketh alltogether against him and also that that soloweth whiche as ye shall heare doeth make against him likewise And suatcheth truncatelie these fewe woordes and maketh a false shew with them as well as he can to deceaue his Auditorie Thus yt foloweth in S. Hierom ymmediately woorde for woorde Non enim est regnū Dei cibus potus sed iusticia gaudium pax in Spiritu sancto Nec Moyses dedit Hierō ibid nobis panē verū sed Dominus Iesus ipse conuiua conuinium ipse comedens qui comeditur Illius bibimus sanguinem sine ipso potare non possumus quotidie in sacrificiis eius de genimine vitis verae viueae Sorec quae interpretatur electa rubentia musta calcamus nouum ex iis vinum bibimus de regno Patris ne quaquam in vetustate literae sed in nouitate spiritus cantantes canticum nouum quod nemo potest cantare nisi in regno Ecclesiae quod regnum Patris est For the kingdom of God ys not meat and Chryst ys the feaster ād the feast whose blood we drinke in his sacrifices drinke but righteousnesse ād ioie and peace in the holie Gost Neither did Moyses geue vs the true bread but our lorde Iesus for he ys both the feaster and the feast he ys he that eateth and ys eaten His bloode drinke we and withoute him we can not drinke and dailie in his sacrifices of the generacion of the true Vine and of the wine of Sorec whiche by interpretacion ys called chosen doe we presse ruddie newe wines and oute of these we drinke the newe wine of the kingdom of the Father not in the oldenesse of the letter but in the newenesse of the spiritte singing a newe song which no mācan singe but in the kingdom of the church which ys the kingdom of the Father Thus moche S. Hierom. Who in refelling of the Iewish fables declareth that in the kingdom of Chryst shall be no matter of wordlie cheering For saieth he the kingdom of God ys not meate and drinke And returning to the right cheer of Chrystes kingdom he compareth yt with the cheer of Moyses and saieth that Moyses gaue vs not the true bread but our Lorde Iesus Whie did not Moyses geue the true bread seing that the bread that he gaue was a miraculouse bread a bread that came from heauen and the bread that Chryst gaue was no miraculouse bread but yt was common vsuall bread made here by the hand of man vpon earth Yf ye saie that the bread of Chryst was a figure of Chryst so was the other also and more liuely thē this for manie causes whiche in the thirde booke shall be declared But if ye will learn the true cause why our Lorde Chryst gaue the true breade and Moyses did not learn of S. Hierom who teacheth vs that yt ys Cap. 12. bicause Chryst geueth vnto vs not an onelie figure of him self but bothe the figure and him self also For in the feast that Chryst maketh he ys he that both maketh the feast as S. Hierom saieth and also the meat of the feast So thē he geueth him self who in dede ys the verie bread of life he geueth vs the true bread that Moyses coulde not geue For Moyses gaue the figure of yt but he gaue not the thing And therfore he gaue not the true bread Note then that Chryste ys the feaster for he biddeth vs to the feast and saieth Take and eate He ys the meate also of the feast for appoincting the A saing of S. Hierom. opened meat he saieth This ys my bodie And thus ye maie perceaue that S. Hierom ioineth with the woords of Chryst And farder he saieth by expresse woordes comminge to the poinct of the drinking of Chrystes wine in the kingdome of his Father Illius bibimus sanguinem We drinke his bloode But where drinke we yt In sacrificiis eius In his sacrifices Howe come we by this wine Joan. 15. of his whiche ys his bloode In sacrificiis eius de geminine vitis verae rubentia musta calcamus In his sacrifices we presse oute of the true vine the ruddie new wine Who ys the true vine Chryst who saied Ego sum vitis vera I am the true wine Howe presse we oute this newe ruddie wine oute of the generacion of this true wine By speaking the woordes of Chryst as he hath cōmaunded by which as S. Ambrose saieth that that ys in the cuppe ys made the bloode that redemed the people But in what place muste we drinke this newe wine Amb. li. 4 de Sa. ca. 5 Nouum bibimus vinum in regno Patris We drinke this newe wine in the kingdom of the Father For soche as be in this kingdom maie be partakers of Chrystes wine dronken in his sacrifices Other maie not Habemus altare de quo edere non habent potestatem qui tabernaculo deseruiunt We haue an aultar of whiche they maie not eate that serue the tabernacle For they singe not a newe song but remain in the olde letter None can sing this newe sōg but they that be in the kingdom of the Churche whiche ys the kingdom of Hcb. 13. the Father saieth S. Hierom. By this then ye maie perceaue not onelie the answer of S. Hierom to the questiō of Hedibia but also his assertion for the presēce of Chryst in the Sacrament For he saieth not in all this discourse that Chryst geueth vs a figure of the true bread but the true bread
the elder Fathers I will call a companie of them both that their doctrine maie be conferred with the elders before alleadged and so to be approued and also that by them we maie know the enacted trueth of the true vnderstanding of The Proclamer mocketh holie ād learned fathers Chrystes woordes in the lower house of Chrystes Parliament wherby the Aduersarles heresie maie be more manifestlie confuted and the faith of the good Chrystian more confirmed and staied And although yt liked the Proclamer in his high pride to solace himself with the mocking of the learning of Siluester Isidore Innocentius the thirde Gerson Durand Holkot S. Thomas Dunce Fisher and other and made their argumentes as foolishlie as he listed therbie to commende himself and his doctrine to soche as were light whiche yet was and ys discommendable to them that be graue sobre and wise yet in the ende ye shall see that these men shall confute him and ouerthrowe him in the iudgement of them whome gods grace hath not A lamentable time to see preachers in pulpittes mocke Sainctes in heauen forsaken For who ys he that ys wise and as the wiseman saieth hath his eies in his heade that seith not to moche arrogancie in that man that taketh vpon him in open audience to deride mocke and skorne holie auncient learned men of which some of them be Sainctes in heauen some of them liued with great fame of learning aboue a thousand yeares agon some eight or nine hundreth years agon some three hundreth years agon or ther aboute All which are but babes and punies in his seight But I will not intermedle this worke of the heigh and great matter of the Sacrament with soche vain toies of mockeries but they shall be reserued to some other more meit place as either to a Christenmasse skaffold and so a plaier by a plaier or ells to the Paruise in Oxforde a paruise toie by a paruise boie to be aunswered Wherfore conuerting my self to the matter I wil produce Damascen as the first and eldest of this companie of the lower house whiche I haue selected and chosen among all other to expownde vnto vs Chrystes woordes This Damascen although he be placed in the lower house as in consideracion that the aduersarie doeth not accept or regarde hys authoritie yet he liued more then eight hundreth yeares agon and therfore ys woorthie to be hearde Thus he writeth vpon the woordes of Chryst Propositionis panis vinum aqua per inuocationem aduentum sancti Spiritus supernaturaliter Damascen li. 4 ca. 14. transmutantur in corpus sanguinem Christi non sunt duo sed vnum idem The shewe bread the wine and the water by the innocacion and the coming of the holie Gost are supernaturallie transmuted into the bodie and bloode of Chryst and they be not twoo but one and the verie same And after a fewe woordes of exhortacion in the same matter he saieth thus of the same breade and wine Non est figura panis vinum corporis Bread and wine not a sigure of the bodie and blood of Chryste sanguinis Christi absit enim hoc credere sed ipsum corpus Domini deificatum ipso dicente Hoc est meum non mei corporis figura sed corpus non figura sanguinis sed sanguis Et ante hoc ipsis Iudaeis Quoniam nisi manducaueritis carnem filij hominis biberitis eius sanguinem non habebitis vitam in vobis Caro mea verè est cibus sanguis meus verè est potus Proinde omni cum timore conscientia pura indubitabili fide accedamus The bread and wine ys not a figure of the bodie and blood of Chryst God forbidde we shoulde beleue that but yt ys the verie bodie of our Lorde deified himself saing This ys not a figure of my bodie but my bodie not a figure of my bloode but my bloode And before this he saied to the Iewes that except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloode ye shall haue no life in yowe My flesh ys verilie meat and my bloode ys verilie drinke Therfore with all feare and pure conscience and vndoubted faith let vs come vnto yt In these fewe woordes of Damascen ye see foure thinges taught The transubstanciacion The presence of Chrystes verie bodie and bloode with a plain deniall of the aduersaries figure The applicacion of the sixt chap. of sainct Iohn to these woordes of Chryst And finallie an exhortacion for owre due coming to the receipt of the same bodie and blode Of transubstanciacōn we haue allreadie spoken and that by the authoritie also of this man amonge other Fathers wherfore I will not tarie vpon yt onely I wolde that the reader shoulde be aduertised that though the Aduersarie doe so moche exclame against the thing yet the learned Fathers according to the catholique faith of Chrystes Church doe plainlie and agreablie teache the same and therfore I wolde wish that by repeticion of the same yt maie remain in memorie wherbie as meit yt ys their authouritie declaring the trueth with great agreement and consent maie be regarded and esteemed and the arrogant falsheade of the Aduersarie teaching vntrueths and heresie maie be vtterlie condemned and forsaken and thus ouerpassing this matter as not principallie here sought I will come to that that ys here cheislie intended For the whiche I wish yt to be well noted that this Authour expownding the woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie the seking of the exposition of Figuratine expositions of the Sacr. slatlie denied whiche woordes ys our trauaill doeth plainlie by expresse woordes denie refuse and reiect the fonde exposition of the Aduersarie and teacheth that these woordes are to be vnderstanded in their propresense And therfore saieth that yt ys not a figure mening that yt ys not a bare figure of a thing absent in substance and onelie present in figure but yt ys saieth he the verie bodie And this ys not to be ouerpassed that to this exposition he addeth these woordes God forbidde that anie man shoulde so beleue whiche maner of woordes we vse in matters that be perilouse daungerouse and horrible and matters to godwarde wher the thing ys moche offending God and prouoking his heauie displeasure yre and indignaciō Wherbie maie be perceaued the great daunger that ys ensewing to them that so beleue and the great necessitie of the right beleif that ys to beleue that the Sacrament ys not a bare figure but the verie bodie of Chryst Thus once again to aduertise yowe ye see that wher the Aduersarie saieth This ys my bodie that ys saieth he a figure of my bodie This learned authour saieth God for bidde yowe should so beleue Yt ys not saieth he a figure of the bodie of Chryst but his bodie not a figure of the blood of Chryst but his blood in deed This exposition as yt ys dissonaunte and repugnaunte to the
doeth well aduertise vs of the office of faith that aught to be in vs which grownded vpon the woorde of God beleueth what yt teacheth though no one of our senses geue vs anie aide ther vnto And here ys Cranmers grosse sensuall heresie improued rebuked the grosse maner of Cranmer who saieth that faith teacheth nothing against the senseis and therfor for somoche as we see no flesh nor bloode nor tast none in the Sacrament ther ys none in the Sacrament But I will not nowe tarie to refell that grosse and sensuall erroure of the senseis forasmoche as I doe more at large speake of yt in an other place Therfor I will no more doe here but by conferring of the doctrine of this authour with the doctrine of the Fathers so by that waie improoue the doctrine of Cranmer Yt ys not saieth this authour seē with our eies nor tasted by our mouthes that the bread ys made flesh nor that the wine ys turned into bloode for yf yt shoulde so be yt shoulde nothing encreace our saluacion Cyrill ad Calosyr Chrystes owne verie flesh in the Sacrament but yt shoulde bring moch loathsomnesse And therfor yt ys so the flesh and blood of Chryst as yt maie be meit for our vse and sufficient also for our saluacion Agreablie to this ye haue heard declared oute of S. Cyrill Leest we should loath flesh and blood sett vpon the holie altars God condescending vnto our weaknesse powred into the offred thinges the power of life turning the same into the treuth of his owne flesh Here ye see Chrystes owne flesh taught to be in the sacrament but so as no sense perceaue the same least we shoulde loath yt if she shoulde see yt or tast ys as verie flesh Damascen also hath the like sainge and Theophilact in diuerse places but one of thē Theophil shall suffice for all Bycause we are weake and loath to eate rawe flesh speciallie the flesh of man therfor yt appeareth bread but yt ys flesh Note this last part of Theophilactes saing yt appeareth bread but yt ys flesh Are we not taught by this that faith teacheth vs one thing and the senseis teache vs an other thing Yt Faith teacheth one thing and senses an other appeareth bread What ys that Owre seight iudgeth yt to be breade owre tast iudgeth yt to be breade owre tast iudgeth yt to be breade and so furth of other senseis But yt ys flesh For owre faith grownded vpon the certen and infallible truthe of Chrystes woorde beleueth and knoweth yt bicause he saieth This ys my bodie to be his flesh Nowe our senseis teache yt to be that that yt ys not For they teach that yt ys bread wher faith teacheth that yt ys flesh in dede Vain therfor ys Cranmers sainge vain also be they that saie bicause they see not nor tast no flesh nor bloode they will beleue none to be ther. As they be sensuall men so they frame to themselues a sensuall faith But God make them once rightlie spirituall And nowe to our pourpose yowe haue seen a conference and a plain agreement betwixt this authour and other in these two poinctes Finallie he expowndeth the woordes of Chryst of the verie presence for saieth he the bread ys chaunged into that thing that Chryst maie trulie saie This ys my bodie And so the wine ys turned into that thing that he maie trulie saie by yt This ys my bloode These woordes with that that ys aboue saied prooue most sufficientlie that the woordes of Chryst are to be vnderstanded withoute figure metaphor or trope This being thus plain we will see what his felowe will doe who ys Nicolaus Methanensis Thus he writeth Quis ille qui conculcat filium Dei Nonne qui sanguinem Nicolaus Methan eius ingratus abrogat nec admittit veracis ab omniue mendacio alieni oris trrditionem mandatum nihili facit Hoc est corpus meum dicentis hic est sanguis meus nisi manducetis carnem filii hominis bibatis eius sanguinem non habetis vitam in vobis Quid haesitas Quid omnipotenti impotentiam attribuis Nonne ipse est qui ex nihilo omnia vt essent fecit Vnus trium personarum diuinitatis qui postremis incarnatus est panem in suum corpus transmutari iussit Quid requiris causam ordinem naturae panis transmutationis in Christi corpus aquae viniue in sanguinem cùm supra naturā rationem mentem cogitationem ex virgine sit natus Non credes itaque nec mortuorum resurrectionem nec in caelos eius assumptionem alia Christi miracula supra naturam mētem cogitationem eminentia Who ys he that treadeth vnder foote the Sonne he treadeth vnder foot the Sonne of God that beleueth not his bodie and blood to be in the Sacr. of God ys yt not he that as an ingrate and vnkinde man dothe abrogate his bloode and will not alowe yt and setteth nothing by the commaundement and tradicion of that true mouthe which ys all wide from all vntrueth saing This ys my bodie And this ys my bloode And except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloode ye haue no life in yowe What doest thowe doubte What doest thowe attribute impotencie to the omnipotent Ys yt not he that made all thinges of nothing one of the three persons in god head who in these last times was incarnated and commaunded the bread to be transmuted into his bodie What doest thow require the cause ād order of the transmutacion of the natuae of bread into Chrystes bodie and of the water and the wine into the bloode sithen that he aboue nature reasō vnderstanding and thought was born of a virgen Thowe wilt not then beleue neither the resurrection of the dead nor the assumption of him into heauen nor other miracles of Chryst being aboue the reach of nature vnderstanding and thought Thus farre he Ye haue nowe hearde an other wittnesse but not telling yowe an other tale diuerse from him that he ys coopled with or frō anie here before alleaged In the maner of the vtterance of his testimonie he doeth somwhat like vnto Chrisostome speake with wonder and admiraciō that men shoulde doubte of the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament seing that Chrystes owne mouth hath spoken yt Wherin he wel declareth that this faith in this matter was so firme so sure and so stable that yt was a matter of wonder to him that anie man coulde not beleue yt that had ben brought vppe in Chryst in somoche that he reputeth the misbeleuers of this Sacrament of the nombre of those that treade Chryst vnder foote vpon whome as S. Paule saieth shal come heauie and greuouse punishmentes He teacheth vs as Gregorie Nissen Chrysostom and manie mo haue taught that the bread ys transmuted or chaunged into the bodie of Chryst In the setting furth wherof he vseth
infunditur irrorat mentes piorum obdulcat fauces corum Thowe askest me why the Lord God did rain Manna to the people of the Fathers and nowe he doth not rain Yf thow knowest he raineth now and dailie he raineth Manna froÌ„ heauen vnto them that serue him And in diuerse places the same corporall Manna ys nowe fownde but yt ys not nowe a thing of so great miracle for that ys comed that ys perfecte But that perfecte ys the bread from heaueÌ„ Howe moche more excellent are these then the other aboue rehersed whiche ys the bodie born of the virgen of the whiche the gospell sufficient lie teacheth Howe moche more excellent are these then the other aboue rehersed Who soeuer did eate that Manna that ys that bread they are dead But this bread whosoeuer eateth shal liue for euer But this ys a spiritual Manna that ys the spirituall rain of wisdom whiche ys powred into them from heauen that be wittie and do seke yt and yt dothe dewe the mindes of the Godlie and maketh swete their Iawes hitherto S. Ambrose Of whom we maie learn as ys before saied that not onelie the woord and Oecolap his shaÌ„ful abusing of the auncieÌ„t Fathers namelie of S. Ambr. wisdom of God ys called Manna but also the bodie of Chryste whiche was born of the virgen whiche he calleth perfecte Manna And here yt ys not to be ouerpassed that Oecolampadius the enemie of this Sacrament who of indurate malice wrote a booke against the same in the whiche to the entent he might more easilie deceaue the vnlearned and simple as to make them beleue that the holie fathers were of his side he vseth to alleage diuerse of theÌ„ but so that somtime he doth wrest them shamefullie some time he falfifieth them somtime he corrupteth them somtime he truncateth them somtime alleaging them and taking vpon him trulie to reporte them he doth mutylate them in the middest of their sainge as impudenilie and wickedlie he doth vse S. Ambrose here in this place last alleaged of the whiche for that he perceaued yt made against him he left oute a sentence whiche I haue noted in the margen both the latin and the english to the entent ye shoulde perceaue the sentence alone and with all see howe that wicked man ioined the rest of the sentence to gether mutilating and cutting this awaie This ys the sinceritie of heretikes in handling of matters of faith and religion And thus maie ye see what credite they be wourthie of By this ye maie perceaue also whether they offende of ignorance of simplicitie or ells of deuelish malice Ys not this deuelish malice that seing a sentence in the middest that impugneth his heresie he cutteth yt of and peiceth yt together again as though ther were nothing lacking Did not his conscience trowe ye reprehend him wheÌ„ he did yt Ys not he the childe of his father Sathan that seeth and perceiueth that this waie ys naught and wicked and yet by gile and crafte will trauaill to induce men into yt and bringing manie to damnacioÌ„ aggrauate his owne euen as his father doth I haue thought good reader here to aduertise thee of their impostures that though they sett oute their doctrine with neuer so good a countenance of holinesse learning and consent or testimonie of holie Fathers yet be well assured that vnder the faire countenaunce of the enemie of mankinde tempting our mother Eue ther was a mortiferouse serpent vnder his swete woordes which to well liked the hearer was most bitter falshood and vntrueth Vnder the sweet woordes of Heretiques lieth bitter poisoÌ„ of falshead In that goodlie pleasaunt and delctable aple was cruell and horrible death and damnacion so in their faire countennance ye shall finde serpentine infection in their woordes falshead errour and heresie and in the taking of their doctrine or consenting to yt plain damnacion But nowe that ye maie perceaue howe moche this sentence whiche denelishlie he cutt of dothe impugne his doctrine and make for the trueth I will somwhat open the same and so shall ye perceaue that of sett pourpose and of very malice he left yt oute S. Ambrose answering Irenaeus saieth that Manna nowe a daies though yt be fownde in many places at this present time yt ys not a thing of so great miracle He addeth the cause bicause saieth be that ys nowe comed that ys perfect as who might saie The figures of the lawe though manie of theÌ„ when they were in vse were great thinges and semed to be merueilouse yet when the thinges came of the whiche they were figures they were not so merueilouse like as the light of a torche in the night time semeth to be a great light a very perfect light yet in the daie the brigth beames of the Sunne shining and glistering yt ys but an vnperfecte and almost no light so the figures of the olde lawe compared to the thinges figured in the newe lawe Wherfor Manna being but a figure of that perfect thing the bodie of Chryst when that once came in place Manna appeared to be but an vnperfect thinge When S. Ambrose had made this comparison of the figure to the thing figured and sawe the perfectioÌ„ of the one and the impefection of the other the excellencie of the one and the weaknesse or basenesse of the other he brought in this senteÌ„ce which OecolaÌ„padius left oute Quanto sunt praestaÌ„tiora haec superioribus Howe moche more excellent are these then the other aboue rehersed howe moche more excellent ys the bodie born of the virgen our verie true Manna and the right bread of heauen whiche we feade vpon in the Sacrament then Manna whiche the Iewes did eate And here note SacrameÌ„taries to maintein their heresie denie the excellencie of the Sacramentes of the newe lawe again gentle reader that this wicked man and other his complices who denie as ye perceaue the presence of Chryst in the blessed Sacrament do also as wickedly teache that the Sacramentes of the newe lawe geue no grace And to maintain these two euell and wicked opinions they take the third against the trueth that all Chrystes Churche receaued whiche ys that the Sacramentes of the newe lawe are of no more excellencie then the Sacramentes of the olde lawe For yf they shoulde graunt that they were more excellent then must they nedes also admitte the Sacrament of Chrystes bodie and bloode to be more theÌ„ a bare sign figure or token of his bodie And so must be enforced to graunt the presence Nowe by cause Oecolampadius impugneth that presence and fowde in S. Ambrose that he taught that the Oecolamp his best soliâ—cion to S. Amb. argumet thinges of the newe testament are more excellent then thinges of the olde and sawe that he was pressed with the weight of S. Ambrose his argument he had no better solucion then clean to leaue yt oute and so to shippe yt ouer I trust ye perceaue that this litle
sentence of S. Ambrose left oute by Oecolampadius dothe not a litle impugn his pestilent doctrine whiche he mainteined against the presence of Chrystes bodie in the blessed Sacrament and also ouerthroweth by plain woordes his heresie against the excellencie of the Sacramentes of Chrystes Churche wherbie I think yt maie wel appeare of what wicked pourpose he left yt oute And as in this he ys deprehended to be a falsarie so I doubte not but he shall be fownde the like herafter in the sentences and sainges of other holie fathers Nowe to proceade with S. Ambrose yt ys euident that he calling the bodie of Chryste born of a virgen the perfect thing in comparison of Manna Manna a figure of the bodie of Chryst. whiche he meneth to be the vnperfect thing as euery figure ys in respecte of the thinge figured that he doth vnderstande Manna to be the figure of our true Manna the bodie of Chryst our heauenly foode and verie bread geuē frō heauen whiche ys not ment of the bodie of Chryste absolutely as the bodie onelie born of the virgen but of the bodie born of the virgen and geuē vs in sacrament to fede on to our spirituall comforth which thing S. Ambrose signifieth in that same epistle wherwith also Oecolampadius wolde not medle but coulde ouerpasse yt as yt were a thing in a mist which he coulde not see Oriente autem iusticiae Sole plendidioribus Christicorporis sanguinis sacramentis refulgentibus cessarent inferiora perfecta illa sumenda populo forent The Sunne of rightwisnesse appearing and the bright Sacramentes of Chrystes bodie and bloode shininge the inferiour thinges shoulde ceasse and those perfect thinges shoulde be taken of the people Thus S. Ambrose By whiche he dothe not onelie teache vs that the sacramentes of Crystes S. Ambro. his magnifieng of the blessed Sa. argueth it to be more thē a figure bodie and blood are the perfect things and the figures therof inferiour thinges but also that the bodie and blood of Chryst as in Sacramentes whiche Sacramentes for the presence of that bodie and bloode are bright and shining Sacramentes ys the clere light of the whiche Manna was the figure and the shadowe In whiche maner of speache yt ys notable howe S. Ambrose doth magnifie this most wrouthie and excellent Sacrament I wish yt of the Reader to be cōsidered Yf that blessed Sacrament were but a bare sign or figure as they terme yt why shoulde yt be called of S. Ambrose the bright and shining Sacrament aboue Manna wher as yf yt were not for the presence of him that ys the light of the worlde Manna in and hundreth partes were more wonderfull more excellent and farre surmounting the figure or signe of Chrystes bodie as here after shall most clerelie appeare vnto yowe Wherfore we are not onely taught by S. Ambrose that Manna was the figure of the bodie of Chryst but also that the same bodie ys present in the Sacramēt of his bodie and bloode wherby yt ys made a wonderfull an excellent and a bringt shining Sacrament Neuer the lesse the same S. Ambrose teacheth vs that the woorde of God whiche he calleth the rain of spirituall wisdom ys also a spirituall Manna whiche vndoubtedlie well and dewlie taken feadeth the soule Non in solo pane viuit homo sed in omni verbo quod procedit de ore Dei Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery woorde whiche proceadeth from the mouth of God Dent. 8. Matth. 4. Thre kinds of Manna So that of S. Ambrose yt maie be learned that ther be three kindes of Māna Manna whiche God rained frō heauen to the people in the deserte whiche ys the figure Manna the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament which duely taken feadeth both bodie and soule to euerlasting life And Manna the worde of God whiche illumineth nourisheth and feadeth the soule and moysteth yt with the dewe of gods wisdom and maketh man wise in God This doctrine ys not dissonant from the Gospell for in the sixte of S. Iohn we are taught that Manna the figure was geuē to the Iewes and that yt figured not onelie the woord and the Godhead of Chryst but also his manheade whiche both are called the breades of life as in the seconde booke ys declared The declaracion of the figure and applicacion of yt to the thinge figured ys plainlie settfurth by Chryste when the Iewes saied vnto him Patres nostri Ioan. 6. manducauerunt Manna in deserto Owre Fathers haue eaten Manna in the desert To whom Chryste minding to bring them frō the bread Manna whiche did but nourish the bodie to the mainteinance of the corporall life whiche bread and life in respect of the heauenly bread and euerlastinge life be no true bread and true life to him self the true bread and geuer of true life saied Non Moises dedit vobis panem de coelo sed Pater meus dat vobis panem de coelo verū Moyses did not geue yowe breade from heauen but my father geueth yowe the true bread from heauen This text Euthymius verie liuely and plainlie expowdeth Quia putabant Manna esse panem ab eo quod coelum propriè appellatur eò quòd scriptum esset Panem de coelo dedit eis corrigit erroneam eorum opinionem Nam ibi scriptura impropriè aerem vocauit coelum Quemadmodum etiam dicuntur volucres coeli In. 6. Ioan. Et rursum Intonuit de coelo Dominus Ait ergo Non Moyses dedit tunc nationi vestrae panem qui de coelo propriè sit sed Pater meus nunc dat vobis panem ab eo quod propriè coelum appellatur Nam sicut Pater propriè dicitur coelestis ita filius coelestis propriè panis vtpote cor hominis confirmans Bicause they thought Manna to be Heauen taken for the aier bread from that that ys proprelie called heauē bicause yt ys written He hath geuen them bread from heauen He doth correcte ther erroniouse opinion For the scripture ther called the aier vnproprelie heauen as also the birdes be called the birdes of heauen And again The Lorde thondered oute of heauen He saieth therfore Moyses did not geue then vnto yower nacion bread whiche ys from that whiche ys proprelie called heauen but my Father geueth yowe nowe bread from that ys proprely called heauen Eor as the Father ys called heauēly euē so the Sonne ys heauēly and called breade as cōfirming the heart of Man Thus Euthymius In whiche expositiō this ys first taugh that wher the scripture saieth that God gaue the Iewes bread frō heauē yt ys not ment that he gaue thē that breade or foorde of Manna frō heauē in dede but frō the aire whiche in diuerse places of the scriptures ys called heauen as in the exāples yt ys shewed ād diuerse other places maie likewise be produced A gain vpon this ys taught the excellencie of Chryst the thing figured aboue
to dallie or raither as a man in darknesse goeth he can not tell whether so he in this darknesse of heresie speaketh he can not tel what and wandereth he can not tell whether But to conclude this parte that the sixt chapter of S. Iohn or raither Chryste in that chapter teacheth that Manna ys a figure of his bodie in the Sacramēt as before yt ys taught to be a figure of his God head Marke what Chryst saieth in that parte wher Chrysostom saieth he speaketh of his bodie Joan. 6. He that eateth me shall liue by the means of me This ys that bread which came down frō heauen Not as yowr fathers did eate Manna and are dead He that eateth this bread shall liue euer In whiche woordes of Chryste ys made a iust comparison of him self the thing figured to Manna the figure of the whiche as Chrysostom saieth he often maketh mencion as yt were by yt to allure them to the faith Homil. 46. in Ioan. This ys his sentence Frequenter autem Mannae meminit differentiam conferendo ad fidem allicit Nam si possibile fuit vt quadraginta annos sine messibus frumento aliis ad victum necessariis viuerent longè magis nunc cùm ad maiora venerint Nam si in illis figuris sine labore expositum colligebant nunc profectòmagis vbi nulla mors sed vaere vitae fruitio Often he maketh mencion of Manna and conferring the difference allureth them to faith For yf yt were possible that they shoulde liue fourtie years without haruest and corne and other necessaries to their liuing moche more nowe when they are come to greater thinges For yf in those figures they did gather withoute labour the thing made readie to ther handes nowe truly moch more wher ys no death but the fruycion of the true life Thus moche Chrysostome Why Chryste made so often mencion of Māna 90. 6. In whose saing as yt first offreth yt self ▪ so yt ys first to be noted that Christ often maketh mencion of Manna but to what pourpose that by conferring of himself and Manna as the thing and the figure he might allure thē to the faith of him vnto whom the lawe and all the figurs of yt did lead them Another that Chrysostome by expresse woordes calleth yt a figure For saieth he yf in those figurs they withoute laboure did gather that that was readie laied before them moch more now c. By which he meneth Manna which God raining from heauen and so being prepared withoute their laboure they did but gather yt and had sufficiēt to serue their necessitie Thus I trust yt ys manifest that Manna ys a figure of the bodie of Chryst bothe by the woordes of Chryst himself in the sixt of S. Iohn and also by holie learned men in the exposition of the same chapiter so teaching vs wherfore nowe leauing yt we will repair to our text of S. Paule and seke howe yt ys taken their of the auncient Fathers Likewise what the water that flowed oute of the stone whiche for the most parte are ioined together did signifie THE FIFTE CHAP. TEACHING THAT MANna and the water of the stone were figures of the bodie and blood of Chryst by Origen and S. Ambrose AS our Sauiour Chryst hath taught that Manna was a figure of his bodie And as he laboured with the Iewes by yt to make thē to vnderstande him and from yt the sign and figure of him to lead and bring thē to him the thing signified and figured so S. Paule trauaileth with his Corinthians by figures to vnderstand the verities as well of verie benefites by figurs of benefites as of verie plagues by the figurs of plagues that they should not be puffed vppe with pride neither led with a negligēce of holie life now that they be vnder Chryst and haue receaued the great gift of the newe byrthe by baptisme and haue ben fedde with the bodie and blood of Chryst For yf they did these great giftes notwithstanding God wolde haue no pleasure in them no more then he had in manie of the Iewes whiche were vnder Moyses and were baptised in the clowde and in the sea and did eate of one spirituall meat and drink of one spirituall drinke whiche were figures of these benefittes but he wolde cast them of as he did the Iewes For they were ouerthrowen in the wildernesse of the which more at large was spoken in the first chapter Wherfore I will not now detein the reader but entre to the pourpose and heare the mindes of the fathers what they thinke of these figures and whether they be figurs of figures and signs of signes or ells figures of verie things and signes of thinges now present and not absent In this processe Origen for that he ys right auncient shall first be heard Modo Origen homil 7s in Num. enim cum Moyses venit ad nos coniunctus est nostrae Aethyopissae lex Dei iam non in figuris in imaginibus sicut priùs sed in ipsa specie veritatis agnoscitur Et quae priùs in aenigmate designabantur nunc in specie veritate complentur Et ideo ille qui species figurarum anigmatum disserebat dicit Scimus quoniā patres nostri omnes sub nube erant omnes mare transierunt omnes in Moyse baptisati sunt in Nube in mari omnes eandem escam spiritualem manducauerunt omnes eundem potum spiritualem biberunt biberunt autem de spiritali consequente eos petra Petra autem erat Christus Vides quomodò aenigmata legis absoluit Paulus species aenigmatum docet Nowe when Moyses came vnto vs and was ioined to this owre Ethyopisse the law of God ys not nowe knowen in figurs and images as before yt was but in the If Chryst be nowe receaued in figure he ys receaued as in Moyses lawe in darke maner plain forme of trueth And soche things as before were appoincted in a dark maner now they are fulfilled in plain formād trueth And therfor he who declared the plain formes of darke thinges saieth We knowe that all our Fathers were vnder the clowde and all passed through the Sea and all were baptised vnder Moyses in the clowde and in the Sea and all haue eaten one spirituall meat and all haue dronke one spirituall drinke They dranke of that spirituall rocke that folowed them The rocke was Chryst Thowe seest howe Paule openeth the darke thinges of the lawe and teacheth the plain formes of the darke thinges And after he had shewed of the rocke the clowde and the sea he cometh to Manna and saieth Tunc in Acnigmate erat Manna cibus nunc autem in specie caro Verbi Dei est verus cibus sicut ipse dicit Caro mea verè est cibus sanguis meus verè est potus Then in a darke maner Manna was meat but nowe in plain and open maner the flesh of
the Sonne of God ys the true meat as he himself saieth My flesh ys meat in dede and my bloode ys drinke in dede Thus farre Origen In the whiche saing of Origen ther ys nothing as me thinketh to be desiered either for the expresse maner of affirming Manna to be a figure of the bodie of Chryst or ells for the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament For yf the Iewes in eating Manna did figuratiuelie receaue Chryste that ys did eate Manna as a figure of Chryst whiche Origen calleth the darke maner then yt must nedes be that the Chrystians who receaue Chryst in plain maner as Origen termeth yt must receaue Chryst verilie that ys not figuratiuelie onelie Chryste ys not nowe receaued of the chrystians as he was of the Iewes for then in figure nowe in veritie which ys the dark maner but verilie that ys substanciallie and reallie which ys the true and very maner or ells yt were all one to Origen and ther were no difference betwixt a clere maner and a darke maner which were to moche absurditie to affirme Yt can not therfor by the minde of Origen be saied that the Chrystians in receauing the Sacrament receaue but a sign or a figure of Chryst For they shoulde them receaue him in a darke maner onely and so shoulde Chryst be all one waie meat to the Iewes and to vs. Whiche ys not true for he was meate vnto them figuratiuely but to vs verilie according to his owne sainge which Origen alleageth My flesh ys meat in dede and my bloode ys drinke in dede And so ys yt true that the very flesh and blood of Chryste ys reallie and verilie receaued in the Sacrament To Origen shall be ioined that the holie reuerend Father sainct Ambrose who declaring howe the Chrystian people reioice and glorie in the excellency and honour of the table of Chryste geueth to this matter a goodlie testimonie Ille ergo antè despectus iam praeferor iam anteponor electis Ille ego antè despectus populus peccatorum iam babeo coelestium sacramentorum veneranda consortia Ambro. in psal 1 10. iam mensae coelestis honore suscipior Epulis meis non pluuia vndatur non terrae partus laborat non arborum fructus Potui meo non flumina quaerenda non fontes Christus mihi cibus est Christus mihi potus Caro Dei cibus mihi Dei sanguis est potus Non iam ad satietatem mei annuos expecto prouentus Christus mihi quotidie ministratur Non verebor ne quae mihi coeli intemperies aut sterilitas ruris immineat si pij cultus diligentia perseuerat Non iam coturnicum pluuias mihi opto descendere quas antè mirabar Non Manna quod antè cibis omnibus praferebant quia qui Manna manducauerunt patres esurierūt Meus cibus est quem qui manducauerit non esuriet Meus cibus est qui non corpus impinguat sed confirmat cor hominis fuerat mihi antè mirandus panis de coelo Scriptum est enim Panem de coelo dedit eis manducare sed non erat verus ille panis sed futuri vmbra Panem de coelo illum verum mihi seruauit pater Euen I saieth S. Ambrose in the person of the newe become faithfull Chrystians before despised now I am preferred nowe I am sett before the chosen Euen I before a despised people of sinners now I haue the woorshippefull companies of the heauenlie sacramentes Now I am aduaunced to the honour of the heauenlie table The raign ys not powred downe for my meat the spring of the earth laboureth not neither the fruicts of the trees To my drinke neither riuers are to Plain sainges of S. Ambrose for the Proclamer be sought nor wells Chryst ys my meat Chryst ys my drinke The flesh of God ys my meate the bloode of God ys my drinke Now for my satietie I looke not for yearlie profittes Chryst ys euery daie mynistred vnto me I will not feare leest anie waie the vntemperatnesse of the heauē or the barennesse of the earth come vpō me yf the diligence of Godlie tillage do continue I desire not now the raynes of quaills to descende vnto me the whiche before I wondred at Not Manna which before they preferred before all other meates For the fathers whiche haue eaten Manna haue hungred My meate ys which fatteth not the bodie but yt maketh stronge the heart of man Before the bread from heauen was merueilouse to me for yt ys written he hath geuen them bread frō heauen to eate but the bread which was not the true bread but the shadowe of the bread to come The Father hath kept for me that true bread from heauē Hitherto S. Ambrose Of whome first that ys here to our pourpose we maie learn that Māna was Māna was a figure of Chrystes bodie in the B. Sacram. a figure of Chrystes bodie in the Sacramēt for he saieth that yt was a shadow of the true bread which true bread the Father of heauen hath kept for him What this true bread ys he also sheweth saing Chryst ys my meate Chryst ys my drink And that these hys woords should not be misvnderstāded by the simple or wrested by the wicked he addeth as yt were an expositiō what he meneth by Chryste and saieth The flesh of God ys my meat the blood of God ys my drinke And yet for that yt was forseen by the holie Gost that the Aduersarie wold wrest these woordes though they were thus plainly spoken to eschew yt he addeth where the flesh of the Sonne of God and the bloode of the The fleshof God oure meat the blood of God oure drink and that on the table Sonne of God be hys meat and drinke saing Iam habeo coelestium sacramentorum veneranda consortia Iam mensae coelestis honore suscipior Nowe saieth he haue I the worshippefull companies of the heauenly Sacramentes Nowe am I aduanced to the honoure of the heauenlie table In the heauenly table then wher he hath the woorshippefull companies of the heauenly Sacramentes ther receaueth he the true bread that the father hath kept for him ther receaueth he his meat which ys the flesh of God ther receaueth he his drinke which ys the bloode of God Which woordes do most euidentlie proue vnto vs that in the heauenly Sacramentes of Chrystes bodie and bloode mynistred in that heauenly table ys this wourthie and excellent meat Chryst euen hys verie flesh and hys verie bloode In this breif opening of S. Ambrose woords which maie as well be perceaued of the vnlearned Chrystiā as of the learned I haue not Iam sure dissentet frō the minde of S. Ambrose no more haue I gone frō his woords that the trueth might as yt ys appeare Oecolāpadius Whose cōscience was cawtherised hauing a pretēce of sinceritie in handling of the scripturs ād the Fathers but not in dede as ye perceaued before so shal ye nowe
again perceaue how wickedlie he Oecol hys wresting of S. Ambrose opened hath abused S. Ambrose in wresting him to his wicked pourpose In this fame sermon wher these woordes be written which as yeperceaue be very plain and of that force that they coulde not well be wrested by the craftie engines of Oecolampadius immediatelie after folowe other woords whiche he perceauing that he might wrest left oute all this that ys before alleadged and tooke onely this that foloweth whiche when yt ys applied to this that ys before rehersed then iudge Reader whether yt be not violentlie wrested from the true mening of sainct Ambrose or no. Thus he alleadgeth Mihi ille panis Dei descendat de coelo qui dat vitam huic mundo Non Iudaeis non Synagogae descendit sed Ecclesiae descendit sed populo minori Nam quomodò Iudaeis descendit Ambr. ibid. panis cùm omnes qui illum manducarunt hoc est quem Iudaei putarunt Manna in deserto mortui sunt Quomodò Synagogae descendit cùm omnis Synagoga interierit aeterno ieiunio fidei defecerit Denique si accipissent panem verum non dixissent Domine semper da nobis panem hunc Quid petis Iudaee vt tribuat tibi Panem quem dat quotidie dat semper in teipso est vt accipias hunc panem Accede hunc panem accipies eum De hoc pane dictum est Omnes qui se elogant à te peribunt Si elongaris ab eo peribis Si appropinquaris viues Hic est panis vitae Qui vitam manducat mori non potest Quomodò enim moritur cui vita cibus est Quomodò deficiet qui habet vitalem substantiam Accedite ad eum satiemini quia panis est Accedite ad eum potate quia fons est Accedite ad eum illuminemini quia Lux est Accedite ad eum liberemini quia vbi Spiritus Domini ibi libertas Accedite ad eum absoluimini quia est remissio peccatorum Qui sit iste quaeritis Audite ipsum dicentem Ego sum panis vitae qui venit ad me non esurâ—et qui credit in me non sitiet vnquam Audistis eum vidistis eum non credidistis ei ideo mortui estis That bread of God descend vnto me from heauen whiche geueth life to the worlde He hath not descended to the Iewes not to the Synagoge but he hath descended to the Church he hath descended to the inferiour people For howe hath that bread descended to the Iewes seing that all that haue eaten yt that ys whome the Iewes thought to be Manna in the wildernesse are dead Howe hath he descended to the Synagog seing that all the Synagog hath perished and with the hungar or fast of faith hath failed or decaied Yf they had receaued the trewe bread they had not saied Lorde geue vs allwaie this bread What doest thowe aske O Iewe that he shoulde geue vnto thee The bread whiche he geueth to all whiche he geueth dailie whiche he geueth alwaies yt ys in thy self that thow maist take that bread Come vnto this bread and thowe shall receaue yt Of this bread yt ys saied All that make themselues farre from thee shal perish Yf thow make thy self farre from him thow shalt perish yf thow drawe neer to him thowe shalt liue This bread ys the the bread of life He that eateth life can not die Howe can he die vnto whome life ys meate Howe shall he faill that hath that liuelie substaÌ„ce Come vnto him aÌ„d be filled for he ys the foode Come vnto him and drinke for he ys the well Come vnto him and be lightned for he ys the light Come vnto him and be made free For wher the Spirit of God ys ther ys fredome Come vnto him and be absolued for he ys the remission of sinnes Who thys ys do ye aske Heare him saing I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall not bungar and he that beleueth in me shall not thirst at anie time Ye haue heard him ye haue seeÌ„ him aÌ„d haue not beleued him Therfor ye are dead Thus moche of S. Ambrose ys alleaged of Oecolampadius whiche for that yt hath none of those expresse woordes which be in the rest of S. Ambrose which I haue before alleadged Therfor he tooke this part of S. Ambrose that he might the better wrest yt and left that whiche I haue alleaged bicause he could not so well blind the eie of his reader with the wresting of yt Nowe what wolde ye thinke of a man that so vseth anie holie authour as to bring him against a matter or raither as seming to speake against a matter who in dede speaketh nothing against yt but in the next line speaketh so manifestlie and so plainlie with yt that the wrester ys ashamed and dare not bring him furth and reporte that that there he saieth but knowing that he ys for the trueth will bring him furth as though he were against the trueth There ys no other thing but that he ys an Angell of Sathan transforming himself into the Angell of light and by swete woordes entrappeth the heartes of the simple and of soche as be not ware and circumspecte And therfore yowe must thinke that yt ys necessarie to be vigilant and by earnest prayer to desire the Lord of all Spirittes to geue yowe grace to discern betwixt spirittes I meen betwixt the spirit of trueth and the spirit of errour and so to flie the euell and cleaue to the good And when ye see soche wicked wresters so to abuse the authours thinke as ye haue iust cause that their matter ys naught who seke by soche naughtie meanes to maintein yt Nowe I wish that yf the reader be learned he wolde read these two allegacions in sainct Ambrose yf he be not learned reade them as they be here alleaged For so moche as Oecolampadius alleadgeth foloweth in sainct Ambrose immediately after that that I alleadged euen as yt doth here Nowe ioin them together as one as they be in dede and then iudge yf they teach not the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament and Manna to be a figure of the same howe soeuer Oecolampadius wolde wrest yt to the contrarie This also by the waie ys to be noted that where this and the rest of the Aduersaries of Gods trueth teache that ther ys no difference betwxit the Difference betwene Manna aÌ„d the blessed Sacrament Sacramentes of the olde lawe and the newe as touching anie more excellencie or woorthinesse in the one then in the other but that the one signified Chryst to come the other as comed that sainct Ambrose here noteth a more difference saing that Manna was not the true bread but our bread ys the true bread that was a shadowe our the very thing that gaue not life our geueth life Be not these differences shewing the one more excellent then the other Did not Origen
de caelo descendit corpus est Domini vinum quod Discipulis dedit sanguis illius est noui Testamenti qui pro multis effusus est in remissionem peccatorum Iudaicas fabulas repellamus Yf the bread that descended from heauen be the bodie of our Lorde and the wine that he gaue to his disciples be his bloode of the newe Testament whiche was shedde for manie in remission of sinnes let vs cast awaie Iewishe fables And again a litle after Nec Moyses dedit nobis panem verum sed Dominus Iesus ipse conuiua conuiuium ipse comedens qui comeditur Illius bibimus sanguinem sine ipso potare non possumus Neither hath Moyses geuen vs the treu bread but our Lorde Iesus He ys bothe the feaster and the feast He ys bothe the eater and he that ys eaten We drinke his bloode and withoute him we can not drinke Thus S. Hierome For that both these places do applie the figure to the thing figured that ys Manna to the bodie of Chryst the true bread whiche Manna in the sixth of Sainct Iohn ys called the bread from heauen and likewise in diuerse places therfor I thought them meet for this place In the first vnder a condicionall tearme he teacheth a plain assercion that the bread that descended from heauen ys the bodie of our Lorde and the wine that he gaue to his Disciples ys his bloode whiche ys a plain maner of speache affirming the presence of Chryst and not a figuratiue speache signifieng his absence In that he saieth that our Lorde Iesus bodie ys the bread that descended from heauen he declareth the veritie of Manna the figure to be the bodie of Chryst For when the Iewes had saied to Chryst Owre Fathers did eate Manna in the desert in whiche woordes they spake of the figure Chryst answering ioined them both together and saied Non Moyses dedit vobis panem de coelo sed pater meus dat vobis panem de coelo verū Moyses hath not geuē Ioan. 6. you bread frō heauē But my Father geueth you the true bread frō heauē And after speaking of the bread whiche ys his bodie and applieng yt to the figure he saieth Hic est panis qui de caelo descendit Non sicut manducauerunt patres vestri Manna mortui sunt Qui manducat hunc panem viuet in aeternum This ys the bread that descended from heauen Not as your Fathers haue eaten Manna in the desert and be dead He that eateth this bread shall liue for euer Nowe then Sainct Hierom saing that the bread that descended from heauen ys the bodie of owre Lorde Iesus He teacheth against the Aduersarie that the sixt of Sainct Iohn speaketh of the Sacrament and also auoucheth that the veritie of the figure Manna ys the bodie of Chryst The like also he doth in the next sentence saing That not Moyses but our Lorde Iesus gaue vs the true bread And that by this true bread whiche Chryst gaue vs he meneth his bodie in the blessed Sacrament yt ys inuinciblie proued by that that he adioined He ys the feaster and the feast yt ys he that eateth and ys eaten As Chryst in his last supper was bothe he that prepared the feast as Cyprian saied Et consumpto agno quem antiqua traditio proponebat inconsumptibilem De caena Domini cibum magister apponit Discipulis And when the lambe was consumed whiche the olde tradicion did set furth the master set before his disciples inconsumptible meate and one that did partake of the feast as among diuerse other Chrysostome saieth speaking of the cuppe of his bloode Ipse In 26. Ma. Hom. 83. quoque bibit ex eo ne auditis verbis illis dicerent Quid igitur sanguinem bibimus carnem comedimus ac ideo perturbarentur He also dranke of yt himself leste when they had heard those woordes they shoulde saie What then do we drinke bloode and eate slesh and therfor shoulde be troubled So was he the feast himself I meen the meat of the feast whiche as he then gaue yt sitting at his last supper with his Apostles So geueth he yt nowe For as Chrystome Hom. 30. de prodit saieth he ys nowe present and sanctifieth So that this table that ys dailie ministred ys in nothing inferiour to that table of his last supper Haec enim illa non alia mensa est haec nulla re minor quam illa est This ys euen the same table Hom. 83 in Matty and not an other this ys in nothing lesse then that And as Sainct Augustin saieth that he ys the preist that doth offre and De ciu Dei li. 10. ca. 20 the offring or oblacion that ys offred So ys he he that eateth as Sainct Hierom saieth and he that ys eaten Thus Reader thowe doest not onelie perceaue the euident and strong testimonie of Sainct Hierom against the Aduersarie But also thowe perceauest the goodlie concorde and agreement of the Fathers together so mightilie knit together in the plain confession of Gods trueth that yf a legion of enemies were conspired together they coulde not by all their pulling and wresting drawe them into their parte And yet to fortifie this trueth not for yt self but for the Reader we will nowe heare Sainct Cyrill whome we promissed to ioin with S. Hierom. Cyr. ca 19 in 6. Joan Thus he saieth Non enim prudenter quae ad breue tempus sufficiunt hoc nomine appella buntur nec panis erat ex Deo quem maiores Iudaeorum comederunt mortui sunt Nam si de coelo ex Deo fuisset liberasset à morte participantes Contrà verò corpus Christi panis de coelo est quia aeternam comedentibus vitam largitur Those thinges whiche suffice but for a short time shall not well be called by this name Neither was yt bread from God whiche the elders of the Iewes haue eaten and be dead For yf yt had ben from heauen and of God yt had deliuered the partakers of yt from deathe But contrary wise the bodie of Chryste ys the bread from heauen for yt graunteth euerlasting life of the eaters Thus he Thisys a breif and a plain testimonie in the whiche mencion ys made of the figure that ys of the bread whiche the elders of the Iewes did eate whiche bread was Manna and of the thing figured whiche ys the veritie whiche by expresse woordes he calleth the bodie of Chryst So that agreablie to all that before hath bē spokē he teacheth that the thing figured by Māna was not a sigure or a signe of the bodie of Chryste but the verie bodie of Chryst in dede For as in diuerse places before alleadged oute of the same Cyrill yt dothe well appeare that he ys no figurer but a plain a auoucher of the presence of Chrystes bodie in the blessed Sacrament and that we receaue the same bodie reallie and
figurabatur de coelo certè Manna veniebat Attende quem figurabat Ego sum inquit panis vinus qui de caelo desceÌ„di Nowe saieth S. August the light being brought in let vs seke what the other thinges do signifie What the clowde the sea and Manna do meen For these thinges he hath not expownded But what the stone was he hath shewed The passing through the sea ys Baptisme But bicause Baptisme that ys to saie the water of health ys not of healthe excepte yt be consecrated in Chrystes name who shed his blood for vs the water ys blessed with his crosse and that Manna from heauen ys plainlie expownded of our A figure geueth not life but the blessed Sac. geueth life ergo yt ys more then a figure Lorde himself Your Fathers saieth he haue eaten Manna in the Wildernesse and they be dead When shoulde they liue A figure maie prenunciate life but yt can not be life They haue eaten saieth he Manna and be dead that ys to saie Manna that they did eate coulde not deliuer them from death not that Manna was death vnto them but bicause yt deliuered not from death He shoulde deliuer from death who was figurated by Manna The Manna trulie came from heauen Marke whom yt figured I am saieth â—e the liuing bread whiche came downe from heauen Thus farre S. Augustine In whose woordes ye see a goodlie applicacion of the figures to the thinges figured Howe well and aptelie the redde sea figured Baptisme whiche ys made redde in vertue by the bloode of Chryst Sainct Augustine most godlie hathe declared And he hath doen no lesse in the applicacion of Manna to Chryste in the Sacrament Marke saieth he whom Manna did figure Yt figured him who saied I am the bread of life whiche came downe from heauen That Chryst spake these woordes ther ys no doubte But whether he spake them of his bodie in the Sacrament the Sacramentarie will make a doubte But that S. Augustine meent that the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament ys the thing figured by Manna he himself doth so plainlie open in an other place that we are deliuered from doubte therof Thus he saieth Manna typus est escae spiritualis quae resurrectione Domint veritas facta est in Eucharistiae mysterio Manna ys a figure of that spirituall meat whiche in the resurrection Lib. quest 〈…〉 test quest 65. of our Lorde was made the veritie in the Sacrament In whiche woordes ye see the iust applicacion of the figure to the thinge sigured Manna ys the figure the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament ys the thing figured and the veritie Let yt not trooble the Reader that he calleth yt the spirituall meat as though therby were not affirmed the verie reall presence But remembre that MaÌ„na howe yt was called a spiritual meat and the water of the rock a spiritual drinke S. Paule calleth Manna a spirituall meat although yt were corporall and the water also he calleth spirituall althoug yt were likewise corporall not that he wolde so teache them to be spirituall that they were not in very dede corporall but bicause they were miraculouslie and wonderfullie not by the ordinarie power and worke of God whiche he dailie worketh in the producing and conseruing of his creatures but by a speciall and vnwonted maner geuen to the people of Israell Wherfore yt liked S. Augustin as he might very well to call yt beinge the veritie a spirituall meate as Manna the figure was called spirituall meat Wherby the one better answereth the other And in dede as Manna was sent to the Iewes beside the course of nature So was Chryst sent to vs beside the course of nature And as yt was made meat to them merueillouslie So ys the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament made meat for vs merueillously And thus both these be spirituall The bodie of Chryst in the Sacr. howe yt ys called a spirituall meat meates although the bodie of Chryst more spirituall both for that after his resurrection his bodie was glorified and indewed with the giftes of immortalitie agilitie impassibilitie subtilitie and claritie and also for that in the Sacrament yt ys beholden by faith and not by senses whiche ys a spirituall maner Thus then yt appeareth very manifestly that the bodie of Chryst ys and maie be called for diuerse consideracions a spirituall meat and yet be neuer the lesse a corporall substance That thus in this place yt ys to be vnderstanded to be a spirituall meate and not after the maner that the Aduersarie wolde haue yt wrested the very woordes of Sainct Augustin enforce For he saied that this spirituall meat ys in the mystery or Sacrament The spirituall maner that the Aduersarie wolde here violentlie intrude and thrust in ys not nor can not be in the Sacrament but in the receauer who by faithe and charitie receaueth after that spirituall maner whiche faith and charitie be not in the Sacramentall bread as they tearme yt but in the man the receauer of yt Of the whiche spirituall meat the bread ys a signe or a figure as they teache saing that as they receaue that bread to nourish the bodie So they spiritually receaue Chryst to nourish the soule So that that spirituall meat of the whiche they speake ys not in the Sacrament Therfor yt ys to be concluded that he speaketh of the naturall meat of Chrystes bodie whiche ys according to the minde of this holy Father and the doctrine of the catholique Churche verilie really substanciallie in the Sacrament and yet neuer the lesse spirituallie in maner aboue declared In this matter diuerse other places might be brought in but for that I wolde not wearie the Reader but raither delight him with the hearing of some other and that conuenient place might be had for Oecumnnius we shall ceasse with thus moche of Sainct Augustine and heare the said Oecumenius Oecumen 1. Cor 10. vpon the same text of Sainct Paule Thus he writeth Comederunt nempe Manna sicut nos corpus Christi Potum spiritualem hoc est aquam è rupe siue petra seaturientem biberunt quemadmodum nos sanguinem Christ They haue saieth A plain saing for the Procla Oecumenius eaten Manna as we the bodie of Chryst They heaue dronke a spirituall drinke that ys water running oute of a rocke or a stone as we the bloode of Chryste Thus he This ys but a breif exposition but yet wonderfull weightie and mightie to ouerthrowe the enemie Methinke I shoulde nothing saie here to opeÌ„ the matter wher all ys so plain but to declare that I wonder that men will or can be so deluded in a matter so clerely taught as yt ys here I merueill also howe malice can preuaill or howe yt self against so manie fast a trueth by soche expresse woords vttered that no mistes or clowdes of wicked glose can wrest but in soche wise as yt maie very well be perceaued But to come to the pourpose this ys
yt was receaued then and comparing it to the auncient Church the faith of whiche we haue hearde by soche as hetherto haue ben alleaged ye shall be sure that ye shall not be deceaued of the very true auncient faith Nowe therfore let vs heare these two and first Haimo He expowndeth the text of Sainct Paule nowe in hande on this wise Haimo 1. Cor. 10. Et omnes eandem spiritualem escam manducauerunt Et omne eundem potum c. Manna quod de caelo id est de isto aere eis datum est Et aquam quae de Petra sluxit dicit spiritualia esse vel quia spiritualiter intelligenda sunt significabant enim corpus sanguinem Domini quod modò consecratur percipitur in Ecclesia vel quia non mundana lege consuetudine parata sunt Manna whiche was geuen The bodie and bloode of our Lorde are cōsetrated in the church them from heauen that ys from this aier and the water whiche flowed from the stone he saieth to be spirituall either bicause they are spirituallie to be vnderstanded For they signifie the bodie and blood of our Lorde whiche ys nowe consecrated and receaued in the Churche Or ells bicause they were prepared not after the lawe and custome of worldlie thinges Hitherto Haimo In whose exposition ye haue to perceaue two causes whiche he assigneth wherfor the Apostles called Manna and the water spirituall meat and spirituall drinke The one was that they be spiritually to be vnderstanded What the spirituall vnderstanding of them ys he declareth They did signifie saieth he the bodie and blood of Chryst In the whiche he agreeth with the rest before alleaged that Manna and the water were figures of the bodie and blooode of Chryst But nowe to come to the poinct of the controuersie of what bodie of Chryst were they figures of his bodie corporall or spirituall Attend and marke well what he saieth They signified saieth he the bodie and bloode of our Lorde whiche ys nowe consecrated and receaued in the churche In this saing the doubte ys dissolued and the matter ys opened For yt ys the very bodie of of Chryst reallie and substanciallie in the Sacrament that was figured by Manna And this ys proued by the woorde Consecrated whiche he vseth saing the bodie and blood of Chryste be consecrated in the blessed Sacrament Although this woorde Consecracion be a woorde that the Aduersaries can not abide yet yt ys more manifest then that they can denie that yt ys a woorde from whose vse the graue and auncient Authours did not alhorre but did vse yt as yt ys beforesaied and declared oute Consecraciō what yt ys of Chrysostome Sainct Ambrose and other wher also yt ys taught by Chrysostome what consecracion ys whiche to vse his tearmes ys to make the bodie and blood of Chryst of the thinges sett furth vpon the table Wherby he meneth the bread and wine where also he declareth who doth consecrate and by what woordes the consecracion ys doen. As touching him that doth consecrate he saieth yt ys not man but Chryste himself who was crucified for vs. By what woordes consecracion ys doen he sheweth thus Hoc est ait corpus meum Hoc verbo proposita consecrantur De pro. Iu. Hom. 30. This ys saieth he mening Chryst my bodie With this woorde saieth Chrysostom the thinges settfurth that ys the bread and wine are consecrated But where vnto are they consecrated into the bodie and bloode of Chryst as Chrysostom hath saied And herevnto also Sainct Ambrose ys a witnesse who saieth Non erat Lib. 4. de Sac. cap. 4. corpus Christi ante consecrationem sed post consecrationem dico tibi quod iam corpus est Christi Ipse dixit factum est ipse mandauit creatum est Yt was not the bodie of Chryst before the consecracion But after the consecracion I saie to thee that nowe yt ys the bodie of Chryste He hath saied and yt was made he hath commaunded and yt was created And leest the Aduersarie shoulde cauille and saie that the bread after The cauill of sacramētall bread impugned the woordes come to yt ys Sacramentall bread and therfore yt maie take vpon yt the name of the thing of whiche yt ys a Sacrament and so meneth Sainct Ambrose To this maie be saied that that glose ys to violent for so plain woordes For yt ys to be thought that Sainct Ambrose wolde not haue saied with soche a vehement maner of speache that yt ys the bodie yf yt shoulde be but called the hodie and not be the bodie in dede For this maner of speache I saie vnto thee that nowe yt ys the bodie of Chryst importeth an other maner of force of the thing that ys spoken of to be so in dede then to be so called And that he ment no lesse then he saied his owne woordes in the same chapiter proue where obiecting against him self in the person of a weake man at the seight of the Sacrament he saieth thus Tu fortè dicis meus panis Amb. ibid. est vsitatus Sed panis iste panis est ante verba Sacramentorum vbi accesserit consecratio de pane fit caro Christi Thowe perchaunce saiest Yt ys my vsuall bread But this bread before the woordes of the Sacramentes ys bread but when the consecracion cometh to yt of the breade ys made the flesh of Chryst In these woordes of Sainct Ambrose yt maie well be perceaued that he meneth that the bodie of Chryst ys in the Sacrament substanciallie and not that the Sacramentall bread as they tearme yt ys onely so called For the flesh of Chryst ys made of the bread the substance of the bread being turned into the substance of the flesh of Chryst by the Almightie power of God thorough the worke of the holie Gost as Sainct Cyprian testifieth Panis quem Dominus Discipulis edendum porrigebat non effigie sed natura De coena Domini The bread chaunged in nature ys made flesh mutatus omnipotentia Verbi factus est caro The bread whiche our Lorde gaue to his disciples to eate being chaunged notin outwarde forme but in nature by almightinesse of the woorde ys made flesh Sainct Ambrose saieth the flesh of Chryste ys made of the bread Sainct Cyprian saieth that the bread by the allmightinesse of the woorde ys made flesh And that this shoulde not seme vnpossible though yt be wonderfull Theophilacte maketh a very apte similitude sainge Et ne quem conturbet quod credendus sit panis caro Etenim in carne ambulante Domino ex pane alimoniam admittente panis ille qui manducabatur in corpus eius mutabatur c. And let yt not trooble anie man that the bread ys to be beleued flesh For when our Lorde walked in the flesh and receaued the foode of bread the same bread whiche was eaten was chaunged into his bodie and was made Whie ther
flesh not being chaunged into flesh but by taking flesh vpon him So bread and As rightlie as we cōfesse Chryste to haue ben crucified so rightlie we cōfesse him to be in the Sacr. wine both lifte vppe from the lowest ys made the bodie and bloode of Chryste not chaunged into the taste of flesh or into the horriblenesse of bloode but inuisiblie taking the veritie of bothe the immortall substances whiche be in Chryst that ys to saie both of God and man Therfor as we rightly and catholikely confesse the man whiche being born of the Virgen hanged on the crosse to be God So this that we receaue at the holie aultar we trulie saie to be Chryst we openly confesse yt to be the lambe of God Thus Rupertus This saing nedeth no commentarie Wherfor breifly note gentle Reader that he saieth that the bread and wine be made the bodie and bloode of Chryst Note that the bread and wine haue the veritie of the substances of both natures of Chryst Note that as catholikely as we confesse Chryst to be God So catholikely do we confesse yt that we receaue at the Aultars holie holy aultar to be Chryst and the lambe of God Also yf the aultars be holie as this Authour saieth they be Yt can be no holie dede to pull them down with despite as Germanie and Englond haue doen. This I trust sufficeth to open this Authours faith as concerning the presence of Chryst in the holie Sacrament Wherfor nowe leauing him his folowe shall be hearde who ys Holkot an english man who writing vpon the booke of wisdom saieth thus Per Manna in sacra scriptura figuratur signanter Holkot in li sap cap. 16 Eucharistiae Sacramentum Sicut enim filij Israel transeuntes per desertum versus terram à Domino promissam cibi refocillabantur alimento ita nos per mundum ad coelum pergentes corporis sanguinis Christi quotidiano viatico recreamur By Manna in the holie scripture the Sacrament ys notablie figured For as the Manna a notable figure of the Sacrament children of Israell going through the desert towarde the land promised vnto them of God they were recreated with the foode of that meat Euen so we going through the worlde to heauen are recreated with the dailie iourneing meat of the bodie and bloode of Chryst Of this Authour though he be of the later daies we learn no other thing in this matter but euen the verie same that the great auncientes haue before taught and auouched So that I can not perceaue why the masters of wickednesse shoulde reiect him and soche other but onely of malice for there plain testimonie As all that before be alleaged haue taught Manna to be a figure of the Sacrament So doth this Authour likewise As they haue auouched the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament So doth this Authour also For he saieththat we are fedde in this worlde in our iourneie to heauen warde with the bodie and bloode of Chryst. Nowe ye haue hadde these matters reported and testified to yowe by twelue witnesses whiche be sufficient by the lawes yf were in matter of life and death as in dede this ys for they that beleue this as they haue testified maie haue life but they whiche do not shall die the death They haue testified that Manna ys a figure of the Sacrament they haue testified that in the same Sacrament ys Chryst verilie and therwithall some of them by expresse woordes haue testified the excellencie of this Sacrament aboue the Sacramentes of the olde lawe and in effecte so haue they euery one For sainge that we haue the veritie wher they hadde but the figure yt declareth as moch excellencie in owres ahoue theirs as ys of the bodie aboue the shadowe These be not twelue bare witnesses but they are substanciall witnesses all being of Chrystes Parliament house and most of them of the higher house I meen of them that were aboue nine hundreth yeares agon who testific vnto vs no other but that trueth and faithe whiche then was receaued as an enacted trueth Wherfor Reader contemne not their testimonie contemne not their aunciencie and with all neclect not thy saluacion but yf thowe will yt obtein heare these witnesses reuerently beleue them faithfullie abide in that beleif constantly and yf all other poinctes of life and faith be in thee agreablie thowe shalt no doubte liue perpetually Nowe finallie to conclude and shet vppe the exposition of this text I haue thought good to adde the thirtenth witnesse who shall be Gagneius a mān of the later daies but not to be contemned but woorthilie for his learning to be receaued Whom for that he breiflie expowndeth the wholl text of Sainct Paule here treacted of I haue placed him in the last place for the Readers better remembrance Thus he writeth Admonet hoc capite Paulus Corinthios ne de donis à Deo perceptis efferantur Futurum enim vt per elationem Gagneius in Paulum 1. Cor. 10. hanc atque alia peccata ijs donis excidant à Christo eijciantur idue exemplo Iudaeorum docet Quos licet in figura similibus tamen donis ab eo affectos probat sed hinc tamen ob sua delicta excidisse Sicut enim Corinthij in spiritu sanclo aqua baptisati veri Pharaonis seruitutem excusserunt Christi carne pasti eius sanguine potati sunt It a patres Iudaei excussa Pharaonis seruitute transgresso marirubro quodam modo in mari nube baptisati sunt similitudinariè scilicet Quod enim illis nubes protegens conducens ac refrigerans id nobis spiritus sanctus actionum nostrarum dux ptotector libidinumue moderator extinctor Quod illis mare hoc Corinthijs aquae Baptismatis Corinthij Christi carnem manducabant illi figuram eius Manna quam spiritualem vocat escam quod miraculosè coelitus descenderit Corinthij Christi sanguinem bibebant Iudaei spiritualem potum quem miraculosè petra sudit biberunt neque tame ntot affecti beneficijs praeter duos tantùm in terram promissionis peruenerunt sed in deserto prostrati sunt ac mortui Qua in re sigura nostri fuere vi scilicet à vitijs illorum abstineamus alioquin in deserto perpetuae vastitudinis perituri neque veram promissionis terram ingressuri Paule doth admonish the Corynthians in this chapiter that they be not prowde of the giftes whiche they haue receaued of God For yt maie come that by this pride and other sinnes they maie fall from these giftes and be cast oute from Chryst And that he teacheth by the A notable conference of the figures and the thirges figured and of the benefittes of bothe example of the lewes whom he proueth to haue had the like benefittes although in figure and yet by their sinnes to haue fallen from them For as the Corynthians baptised in the holie Gost and water brake of the seruitude of
the beleuers the true bread from heauen whiche Manna did signifie which ys the meat of Angells in dede whiche Sonne of God feedeth the corruptible incorruptiblie who that man might eate was made flesh and dwelled among vs. As Sainct Hierom and Sainct Augustin be well agreing in the exposition of the sainges of the Prophet Dauid So also Cassiodorus a man well towarde their time in nothing dissenteth from them expownding the same psalme of Dauid Et pluit illis Manna ad manducandum Pluit dixit vt Cassiod in Psal 77. ostenderet escae mmiam largitatem quae tanquam pluuia de caelo descendit Et ne dubitares quae fuerit illa pluuia sequitur Manna manducare Manna interpretatur quid est hoc quod sanctae communioni decenter aptamus quia dum admirando cibus iste perquiritur corporis dominici munera declarantur Addidit Panem coeli dedit eis Quis est alter panis coeli nisiChristus Dominus vnde coelestia spiritualem escam capiunt deleclatione inestimabili perfruuntur Denique sic sequitur Panem Angelorum manducauit homo Panis ergo Angelorum bene dicitur Christus quia aeterna ipsius laude pascuntur Neque enim corporalen panem Angeli manducare credendi sunt Sed illa contemplatione Domini quia sublimis creatura reficitur verim hic panis in coeloreplet Angelos nos pascit in terris And he rained down Manna vnto them to eate He saied rained that he might shewe the great plentie of the meat which like vnto rain came down from heauen And that thowe shouldest not doubte what that rain was yt foloweth To eate Manna Manna ys interpreted what ys this Whiche we verie well Manna what yt ys by interpretacion applie to the holie communion For while this meat ys gotten with woondering the giftes of our Lordes bodie be declared He added He gaue them bread from heauen Who ys the other bread from heauen but Chryst our Lorde of whome heauenly thinges do receaue spirituall meat and ioifullie vse inestimable delectacion Then yt foloweth thus Man hath eaten the bread of Angells Chryst than ys well called the bread of Angells bycause they are fedde with his euerlasting lawde and praise Neither are Angells to be thought to eate corporall meat but with that contemplacion of our Lorde with the whiche the high creature ys fedde they are fedde But this bread filleth Angells in heauen yt feadeth vs in the earth Thus farre Cassiod The testimonies of these Authours whiche here be produced vpon the Prophet Dauid are so consonant and agreable that I dissere to make anie note of them vntill we heare one mo who shall be Titelman a writer vpon the Psalmes not to be contemned though he be of the later daies Whom I ioin with the better will to these auncientes that yt maie well appeare to the Reader that these later writers being agreable and nothing dissenting from them the false slaunders of the Aduersaries be but vain and without cause moued This Authour in his annotacions for the Hebrue and Caldeie toung saieth that the bread whiche in our communion text ys called Panis Angelorum the bread of Angells in the Hebrue as Sainct Titell in annot super Psal 77. Hierom and other do translate yt ys called Panis fortium robustorum the bread of strong and mightie men And giuing two causes why yt ys so called he putteth this for one Aut fortè propter significationem panis viui illius tempore gratiae mundo descensuri desuper cuius non dubium est Manna corporeum fuisse figuram panis fortium aut robustorum dictus intelligatur quia is cuius typum gerebat panis viuus de coelo mittendus confortaturus erat corda sumentium in vitam aeternam inxta quod apud Ioannem Saluator testatur dicens Qui manducat hunc panem viuet in aeternum qui manducat me ipse viuet propter me Or ells this bread maie be vnderstanded to be called the bread of the strong and mightie for the significacion of that liuely bread that shoulde descend from aboue to the worlde of the whiche bread without doubte that corporall Manna was a figure for that liuing bread to be sent from heauen of the whiche the other was the figure shoulde make strong the heartes of the receauers to euerlasting life according to that our Sauiour testifieth in Sainct Iohn saing He that eateth this bread shall liue for euer And he that eateth me shall liue through me Thus moche this Authour Nowe ye haue hearde these Authours with great concorde expownding the Prophet Dauid And forsomoche as their sainges here be euen like to them that before are saied vpon Sainct Augustine to auoide prolixitie I shall raither geue a breif note vpon their sainges then long to stand vpon them This ys to be obserued in them all that they applie this Prophecie to Chryst as the foode of heauen the very liuing bread that geueth soche strengh to them that duely eate therof that they liue for euer which foode ys receaued in the Sacrament of his bodie and bloode For Sainct Hierom applieng yt to Chryst as the foode of mans soule alleageth the sixt Chapiter of Sainct Iohn which Chapiter as yt ys inuinciblie proued in the second booke treacteth of the Sacrament Wherof also Sainct Hierom ys ther a witnesse as a great nombre mo be And for the more plain proofe of this in the exposition of the hundreth and fourth Psalme he saieth by expresse woordes that we be fedd with the bodie of the lambe as they were with Manna whiche plain maner of speache leaueth vs in no doubte what faith Sainct Hierom was of and howe he vnderstandeth the Prophet Dauid And thus considering howe long I haue ben vpon this one text of Sainct Paule and remembring howe manie mo ther remain likwise to be expownded I shall leaue the rest of the Authours here alleaged to be weighed by the Reader and in the next chapiter make an ende of that that vpon this scripture ys to be saied THE TWELTH CHAPITER PROVETH BY occasion of that that ys saied with farder Authoritie that the Sacramentes of the newe lawe are more excellent then the Sacraments of the olde lawe FOrasmoche as all the Anthours alleaged for the exposition of the text of Sainct Pāule nowe last handled and treacted of doo all together conspire and agree in this trueth that Manna was the figure and the bodie of Chryst whiche we receaue in the Sacramēt the veritie and the veritie allwais ys more excellent in good thinges then ys the figure euē as moche more excellent as the bodie of a man ys aboue the shadowe Yt must nedes then of necessitie folowe that the Sacraments of the newe lawe whiche be the thinges figured by the figures of the olde lawe must as farre excel them as the veritie doth the figure and as the bodie doth the shadowe For further proof of this consider as yt ys declared at
birth in her age shoulde conceaue and bring furth Iohn the Baptist but yt was more miraculouse that a maide withoute man shoulde conceaue and bring furth a childe And therfore this conception ys more excellent than the other but thys increaseth the excellēcie that here be mo miracles thā in the other For in this cōceptiō was cōceaued God ād mā in the other mā onelie But that this excellēcie maie appeare betwixt two figures I shall bring exāple of two figures of the Sacramēt As yt ys sufficiētly proued in the first book the Shew bread was a figure of the Sacramēt And as yt ys here proued Manna ys a figure of the same The Shew bread was but plain artificiall bread about the whiche was no speciall work of God but soch as ys aboute all other thinges formed and made to the conseruacion of man Aboute Manna ther was no artificial worke but a speciall worke of God and that beside the naturall custome and Cōparison of the B. Sacr. to the figure Manna ordre Wherfore Manna ys the more excellent figure in that respect For the one was made by man the other was wrought by God Aboute the one also was no miracle aboute the other were manie miracles and therfor in that respect yet more excellent In these three poincts yf cōparison be made betwixt our Sacramēt and Māna yf our Sacramēt haue not the presence of Chrystes bodie then Manna farre excelleth For first our Sacrament being a figure of Chryst and not conteining Chryst as the Aduersarie saieth nothing exceadeth Manna For Manna was a figure of Chryst also So that as touching the thing figured ther ys no excellencie For they be figures of one thing In the second poinct which ys the liuely significacion and ful figuracion of the thing signified and figured Manna moche excelleth the Sacrament For as Chryst was a bread frō heauen so was Manna a bread from heauen As Chryst descended frō heauen that his people might feed vpon him to euerlasting life so Manna descended frō heauen that the people might feed vpon yt to the mainteinance of their life As Chryst ys aboue naturall ordre sent vnto vs by God the Father so was Manna aboue naturall ordre sent to the Israelites from God as by Chrysostome yt ys before testified Now yt cōparison be made betwixt the Sacrament and Chryst the Sacrament ys nothing so liuely a figure so fullie figuring Chryst as Manna hath doen. For Chryst ys a bread frō heauen the Sacrament a bread frō the earth as Irenaeus saieth and as oure cōmon knowledge testifieth Chryst ys our food to euerlasting life the Sacrament in respect that yt ys a Sacrament feedeth vs not to the sufficiēt mainteinaunce of this life as Manna did the Israelites Chryst was sent to vs aboue naturall ordre as also Manna was the Sacramēt by natural and artificiall ordre Who then seith not that Māna in all respects more liuely and more fullie signifieth and figureth Chryst then our Sacrament doth Wherfor yt maie then well be saied that Manna ys the more excellent figure As touching the third poinct ther can be no controuersie but that Māna was alltogether miraculouse our Sacrament in no poincte miraculouse yf yt contein not the presence of Chrystes bodie and blood About Manna were manie miraculous woorkes of God aboute our Sacrament not one Manna was frō heauen our Sacramēt frō the earth Manna wrought by the especial worke of God our Sacrament by the cōmon work of man Manna besides naturall order our Sacrament by naturall and artificiall ordre Manna tasted in euery mans mouth as he listed our Sacrament but as bread and wine Māna although yt putrified being kept more then one daie in the weke daies yet yt remained vnputrified vpō the Sabboth daie And although being reserued after the Sabboth daie yt wolde putrifie yet of the same reserued in the goldē pott in the Arke ther remained manie years vnputrified swete ād good Owre bread and wine neither putrifieth sooner neither remaineth lōger thē other bread and wine after the comon ordre doth Yt ys then a most plain matter that yf our Sacramēt be robbed of the real presence of Chrystes bodie and blood that yt ys in nothing more excellent thē the figure of yt But contrariwise the figure in all respects ys moch more Yf our Sa. haue not the reall presence of Chrystes bodie and blood yt ys moche baser figure then Māna excellent then yt as by that that ys saied yt doth manifestly appeare Wherfore the Aduersarie must of necessitie graunt one of these two that either in the Sacrament ys the presence of Chrystes bodie and so ys yt more excellēt then the figure Manna or ells denieng the presence graunt that our Sacrament ys not equall but a baser and inferiour Sacrament to Manna But to graunt that a Sacrament of the newe lawe ys inferiour or baser then a Sacrament of the olde lawe ys a plain absurditie wherfore so ys that likewise that yt floweth oute of that ys that ther ys no presence of Chryst in the Sacrament Yt must then of very necessitie be concluded that Chrystes bodie ys verilie in the Sacrament THE THIRTENTH CHAP. PROVETH THE the same by scriptures and doctours SOche hath ben the malice of Sathan against God and hys Chryst and against his beloued church that to hinder the honoure of God to shadowe or abase the woorthinesse of the mediacion of Chryst and to drawe men from saluacion he ceasseth not hys laboure and industrie he sleapeth not frō his inuencions and deuises he spareth not hys engines and waies but bussier ys he to impair and destroie then we be to repair and saue Wherfore as before the coming of Chryst he drewe mē from the true honour of God to Idolatrie and therin deceaued the very Iewes whiche were speciallie called to the true knowledge of God So to abase the woorthinesse of his annointed after his coming he stirred vppe diuerse wicked membres as Cerinthus Ebion Sabellius Paulus Samosatenus Marcion Arrius Ne storius Eutiches and a great nombre mo of like rable By some of the which he impugned his Godhead and by other some he impugned his manhead and Luther allowed two sacramētes Melācthō three The Saxons foure Postellus six Suenckfeldiut neuer one withall miserablie tormented and diuided hys church to the losse of many a soule So nowe in these daies he hath inuented some other engins as wher Chryst had instituted sacramentes by the which as by certain instrumētes or conductes the merit of his passion in sondrie sortes shoulde come and be applied vnto his people and by the whiche the people should haue moch comforte he hath to sett furth his engins stirred vppe other disciples and wicked mēbres as Luther Oecolampadius Caluine Zuinglius Bucer Brentius Cranmer Radley Iuel and a filthy nōbre of soch like by the which he hath not onelie by some of thē laboured to take awaie three of thē by other some
speaketh plentifullie of yt We read in no place of S. Iohns Gospell that he speaketh plentifullie of Chrystes bodie and blood in the Sacrament but in the sixt chapiter Wherfor S. Augustine vnderstandeth the sixt chapter of S. Iohn to speake of the bodie and bloode of Chryst In these woordes also of S. Augustin yt ys not to be ouerpassed but by the waie to be noted that he saieth not that S. Iohn speaketh of the Sacrament figure or sign of the bodie of Chryst but plainlie he calleth yt the bodie and bloode of Chryst and saieth that S. Iohn speaketh of them in the sixt chap. This then being certen and euident that the woordes of Chryst in the sixt of S. Iohn as by Chrysostom and Euthymius by S. Augustin and Teophilact they are distincted be spoken and vnderstanded of his bodie and blood according to the distinction we shall bring in the woordes of Chryst for the proof of this that ys here to be prooued Thus Chryst saieth Non sicut manducauerunt patres vestri Manna mortui sunt Qui manducat hunc panem viuet in aeternum Not as yowr Fathers did eat Ioan. 6. Manna and be dead he that eateth this bread shall liue for euer In the whiche saing of Chryst we are taught two thinges The first that Manna ys a figure of our heauenly Manna I meen of Chryst in the Sacrament our most pleasant foode as the comparison of the one to the other made by Chryst him self doth well proue and as at large yt ys testified by the testimonie of manie Fathers in the. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. and tenth chapiters of this booke Thexcellēcie of the B Sacr. aboue Manna The second thing ys the excellencie of our Manna the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament the thing figured by the other Manna Whiche excellencie Chryst very manifestlie declareth when he saieth that the eaters of Manna are dead but the eaters of this Manna in the Sacrament shall not onely liue but they shall liue for euer As life in naturall thinges ys moch more excellent then death so that which geueth naturall life ys moche more excellent then that whiche geueth yt not life As betwixt life and death ther ys no iust cōparison both for that inter ens non ens nulla est comparatio betwixt some thing and nothing ys no comparison and also for that no comparison can be grownded wher ys no positiue so betwixt temporall life and eternall life ys no comparision for that as S. Gregory saieth Temporalis vita aeternae vitae comparata mors est potius dicenda quà m vita The temporall life compared to the eternall life ys raither Gregorius to be called death them life Then the eternall life so farre passing the temporall life as life doth death how moch then surmounteth the Manna Māna the figure gaue but tēporal life Māna the thing eternall life of the chrystians the Manna of the Iewes wher as this geueth but temporall life the other eternall as saieth S. Augustin Manna de coelo apertè ab ipso Domino exponitur Patres vestri inquit manducauerunt Manna in deserto mortui sunt Quādo enim viuerent Figura vitam praenunciare posset vita esse non posset Manducauerunt inquit Manna mortui sunt id est Manna quod manducauerunt non illos potuit de morte liberare non quia ipsum Manna mors eis fuit sed quia à morte non liberauit Ille enim liberaturus erat á morte qui per Manna figurabatur De coelo certè Manna veniebat Attende A figure maie fore the we life but yt can not be life quem figurabat Ego sum inquit panis vinus qui de coelo descendi Manna from heauen ys plainly expownded of our lorde himself Yowr fathers saieh he haue eaten Manna in the wildernesse and are dead for when shoulde they liue A figure maie foreshewe life but yt can not be life They haue saieth he eaten Manna and are dead that ys to saie Manna which they haue eaten could not deliuer them from death not that that Manna was death vnto them but bycause yt deliuered them not from death He shoulde deliuer them from death who was figured by Manna Certenlie that Manna came frō heauen Take hede whom yt did figure I am saiethe he the liuing bread whiche descended from heauen Thus farre S. Augustin Seing then that Manna the figure whiche rained to the Iewes coulde not deliuer from death as here yowe haue heard S. Augustin testifie and Manna the bodie of Chryst the thing figured and conteined in our Sacramēt doth Our Sacr. geuing lise sarre excelteth Māna that gaue got life deliuer from death and therfor of consequent geueth eternall life as Chryst him self also auoucheth in the text alleaged yt can not otherwise be concluded but that our Sacrament of Chrystes bodie and bloode ys incomparablie excelling Manna and anie other sacrament that in the olde lawe did figure Chryst As here by the comparison which Chryst hath made betwixt Manna and his bodie the excellencie of the one aboue the other ys easie to be discerned so nowe shall we see the like handling of the figure and the veritie by the holy fathers Holy Cyprian sheweing the meting and applicacion of the olde Paschall lābe which was a figure of our new Paschall lābe declareth most plainlie the excellencie of the one aboue the other Caena disposita inter sacramentales epulas obuiarunt sibi instituta noua antiqua Et consumpto agno quem antiqua traditio proponebat Cyprian de cana Do. inconsumptibilem cibum magister apponit Discipulis Nec iam ad elaborata impensis arte conuiuia populi inuitantur sed immortalitatis alimoniae datur à comunibus cibis differens corporalis substantiae retinens speciem sed virtutis diuinae invisibili efficien tia probans adesse praesentiam The supper being ordined emong the Sacramentall The inconsumptible 〈◊〉 geuē to the Apostles both conteined the presēce of diuine power and also reteined the forme of corporall substance meates ther mett together the newe and the olde ordinances and the lambe which the olde tradiciō did sett furth being consumed the master sett before his disciples inconsumptible meate Neither are the people bidden to feastes prepared with charges and conning but the foode of imortalitie ys geuen differing from comon meates reteining the forme of corporall substance but prouing by inuisible woorking the presence of the diuine power to be present Thus S. Cyprian As in this sentēce ye see the applicaciō of the ordinaūces of the old law to the newe so maie ye easilie perceaue that the one farre excelleth the other The meat whiche was geuen according to the olde ordeinaunce was consumed but the meat whiche was geuen according to the new ordeinance was inconsumptible That that ys of a limited power and finite yt maie haue a certain degree of excellencie cōpared
an other place Considera nunc vtrum prestantior sit panis Angelorum an caro Christi quae vtique est corpus vitae Manna illud è coelo hoc supra coelum Ambrosius De initiand myst ca. 9. Illud coeli hoc Domini coelorum Illud corruptioni obnoxium si in diem alterum seruaretur hoc alienum ab omni corruptione Quod quicunque religiosè gustauerit corruptionem sentire non poterit Illos ad horam satiauit aqua te sanguis diluit in aeternum Iudaeus bibit sitit tu cùm biberis sitire non poteris Et illud in vmbra hoc in veritate Et post pauca Cognouisti praestātiora potior enim lux quà m vmbra veritas quà m figura corpus authoris quà m Manna de coelo Consider nowe whether the bread of Angells ys more excellent or the flesh of Chryst whiche ys also the bodie of life That Manna was from heauen this aboue heauen That of heauen this of the lorde of heauens That subiect to corruptiō yf yt were kept till the next daie this free from all corruption whiche whosoeuer shall tast deuoutely shall not be able to feele corruption Vnto them water did flowe oute of the rock Manna proued moche inferiour to the B. Sacr. by S. Amb. his cōparison vnto thee bloode oute of Chryst. Them did water satisfie for a litle time thee doth blood wash for euer The Iewe dranke and thirsteth thowe when thowe hauest dronke canst not thirst And that was in shadowe this in treuth And after a fewe wordes he saieth Hauest thowe knowen the more excellent The light ys more excellent thē the shadow The veritie then the figure The bodie of the authour then Manna from heauen Thus S. Ambrose Nede we anie plainer testimonie for the proof of this our matter in hande I thinke the holy Gost directed the penne of S. Ambrose to answere and confute the wicked assertion of Oecolampadius for this so ouerthroweth his heresie as though yt had ben nowe written in these daies to confute him But perchaunce the Aduersarie will saie that this maketh nothing against him for here S. Ambrose speaketh not of the Sacrament but of the bodie of Chryst as suffring for vs to woorke our redemption To this ther maie be manifolde answers made First that Manna ys not proprely a figure of Chryst as suffring but of Chryst as feeding vs. For Manna descended from heauen Obiection to feed the Israelites and not to suffer for them so Manna being the foode from heauen of the people of God ys a figure of owre heauenly foode Thanswer Chryst in the Sacrament Farder also yt ys well knowen that S. Ambrose in that booke treacteth of mysteries and sacramentes wherfore in this place yt ys most like that he treacteth of the Sacrament Finallie the plain woordes of S. Ambrose inuincible proue the same For immediatelie and iointlie to this sentence last alleadged he obiecteth to himself as nowe the Aduersarie doth in these daies vnto vs and saieth Fortè dicasialiud video quomodò tu mihi asseris quòd Christi corpus accipiam Et hoc nobis superest adhuc vt probemus quantis Ambr. ibid. vide sup li. 2. ca 51. igitur vtimur exemplis c. Perchaunce thowe maist saie I see an other thing howe doest thowe saie vnto me that I receaue the bodie of Chryst And this remaineth yet vnto vs to proue Howe manie examples maie we therfore vse Let vs prooue this not to be that thing whiche nature hath formed but that the blessing hath consecrated and the power of the blessing to be greater then of nature For by the blessing nature yt self ys chaunged Moyses did holde a rodde he cast yt down and yt was made a serpent Again he tooke the taill of the serpent and yt returned into the nature of the rodde Thowe seest therfore euen by the propheticall grace The B. Sa. ys not that that nature hath formed but that the blessing hath consecrated nature to be twice chaunged both of the serpent and of the rodde The riuers of Egypt did runne with a pure course and sodenly oute of the veines of the fountaines ther began blood to breake oute so that ther was no drinke in the riuers Again at the praiers of the Prophet the bloode of the floodes ceassed and the nature of the water returned The people of Israell were compased aboute on euerie side on this side with the Egyptians on the other side with the sea Moyses lift vppe the rodde the water deuided yt self and congealed in maner of walls and so betwen the waters ther appeared a foote path Iordan turned backward against hys nature he returned into his well spring Ys yt not clere then that the nature either of the waueis of the sea or of the course of the riuer hath ben chaunged The people of the fathers did thirst Moyses touched the stone and water flowed oute of yt Did not grace woorke besides nature that a stone shoulde powre oute water whiche nature had not and after other mo examples he concludeth thus we perceaue therfore grace to be of greater Consecracion of the B. Sacr. of what force yt ys power then nature And yf mans blessing was of soche force that yt might turne nature what shall we saie of the diuine consecracion wher the verie woordes of our Lord and sauiour do woorke For this Sacrament whiche thowe receauest ys made by the woorde of Chryst Yf then the woorde of Helias was of so great power that yt might putt down fire from heauen shall not the woorde of Chryst be able to chaunge the natures of the elementes Thowe hauest readde of the workes of all the worlde that he hath saied and they were made he hath commaunded and they were created The woorde of Chryst then which coulde of nothing make that that was not can yt not chaunge those thinges that be into that they were not Yt ys nolesse matter to geue vnto thinges newe natures then to chaunge natures Thus moch S. Ambrose In this answer as pithie and plain as yt ys long the Aduersary ys not one Three notes out of S. Ambr. ly fullie aunswered but we are also instructed in three thinges The first that concerneth this matter ys that in the applicacion of the veritie to the figure he vnderstandeth the veritie of the figure Manna to be the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament by the which he taketh the Sacrament to be moche more excellent then the figure which although in euery parte of his sentēce he toucheth yet in this he most plainly declareth yt whē he saith The light ys more excellent then the shadowe the veritie then the figure And expownding which ys the light and veritie which ys the shadowe and figure he addeth The bodie of the authour than Manna from heauen The seconde thing that he teacheth ys howe and by what meanes the bodie of Chryst ys in the Sacrament which he
declareth to be in two poinctes The one ys that yt ys doen by consecracion which ys doen by the woord of Chryst Wherfor he saieth We perceaue grace to be of greater power then nature For In the consecracion of the B. Sac. the woordes of our Sauiour do woorke yf the benediction of a man was of so great power that yt might turne nature what shall we saie of the diuine consecracion yt self wher the verie woordes of our Lord and Sauiour do woorke As who might saie Yf Moyses did cast downe the rodde and yt was turned into a serpent and tooke yt vppe again and yt was turned into a rodde and soch like Yf Helyseus did make the axe against his nature to swimme aboue the water Yf Helyas by his woorde caused fire to descend from heauen Yf the woorde of these men but seruantes did woork soch wonders how moch more maie the woorde of the Lord and master of these men woorke The second poinct ys that he sheweth by what means the woord of Chryst woorketh the presence of his bodie in the Sacrament that ys saieth he by the chaunging of the natures of the creatures into the nature of his bodie ād blood which he signifieth when he saieth Yf the woorde of Helyas was of soch power that yt might bring down fire frō heauen shall not the woorde of Chryst be of soch power that yt maie chaunge the natures of the elementes And again the woorde of Chryst that coulde of nothing make that that was not can yt not chaunge those thinges that be in to that thing that they were not The meā then by the which the woorde of Chryst maketh the bodie of Chryst present in the Sacrament ys by chaunging the natures of bread and wine into the nature of his bodie ād blood which bicause the chaunging of natures ys the chaunge of substances Transubstanciation what yt ys therfor the Church doth call yt Transubstanciacion forsomoch as the nature or substance of one thing ys chaunged by Gods power into the nature or substance of an other thing The thirde thing that we are taught of S. Ambrose which also ys diduced of these two ys the verie presence of Chryst in the Sacrament Which so being as most certenly yt ys we maie conclude that this ys in comparablie a more excellent Sacrament then either Manna or the Paschall lambe notwithstanding the saing of the Aduersarie And although S. Augustin saieth that Sacramenta in signis diuersa in re tamen quae significatur paria sunt Sacramentes in signes being diuerse in the thing yet that ys signified they are like Yet that taketh not awaie the excellencie of Difference betwē Māna and the blessed Sac. this Sacrament For although Manna and the Paschall lambe did signifie the same Chryst that our Sacrament doth and so in that respect of significacion be like yet for that the other sacramentes did but signifie and this Sacramēt doth both contein and geue that yt doth signifie therfor yt doth farre excell them To this that ys saied although yt be sufficient to proue that that ys here entended yet yf the reader will adde the saing of S. Ambrose in the eight chapter of the booke last alleaged whiche to auoide tediousnesse I ouerpasse and wil remembre what the saied S. Ambrose saieth in the fourth chapter of this booke and Chrysostom in the sixth chapter and Theophilact and Haymo in the ninth chap and other treacting of Manna and the bodie of Chryst of which he shall find diuerso from the fourth chapter to the eleuēth chapiter of this booke I doubte not but he shall see so moche that he will merueill that euer anie heretike could so shamelesly teach soch wicked doctrine so repugnant to the catholique faith and so direct contratie to the sainges of so manie holy Fathers being wittnesses of this trueth but aboue all that they shoulde so blasphemously dishonour the sacramentes of God and his Chryst Who for the setting furth of his honour and sor owre helpe and comfort in the perigrinacion of this life that we maie haue strength against owre enemies whiche cruelly lie in wait for vs and our assured hope of the mercie of God in the ende of our iourney hath instituted these sacramētes and by them woorthilie vsed and receaued hath geuen vs manie benefittes of all which as also of Gods honour they wolde robbe both him and vs. But Reader beware of them and be not led awaie with soch doctrines as were born but yesterdaie But cleaue to that ys tried receaued approued and testified manie hondreth years of the whiche thowe shalt learn that the Sacramentes of Chryst and of the newe lawe are moch more excellent then the sacramentes of the olde lawe THE FYFTENTH CHAPITER PROVING all our Sacramentes generallie to be more excellent then the sacramentes of Moyses AS ye haue heard by sufficient testimonie that the blessed Sacrament of Chrystes bodie and bloode ys more excellent then Manna and the Paschall lambe the figures of the same of the which I haue speciallie treacted bicause this wholl rude woork ys cheifly settfurth for the commendacion of the trueth of the same Sacrament Nowe that the other sacramentes be not left in the handes of the enemies and by them spoiled ād ouer moche wronged somwhat also shall be breiflie saied wherby they maie be knowen as they be and be deliuered from the handes of their enemies who falselie report of them and deuellislie trauaill to dishonour them Among all the sacramentes next vnto this blessed and most honorable Sacrament of Chrystes bodie and blood yt ys to be merueiled that they could Baptisme instituted by Chryste and commēded by the wholl Trinitie so vnreuerentlie speake of the sacrament of Baptisme which was so instituted and commended to the Chrystian worlde as no sacrament more solemnelie At the setting furth of this Sacrament Chryst himself being present and baptised the voice of the Father was heard saing This ys my wel beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heauen was opened and the holy Gost was seen in the forme of a doue descending from heauen and abyding vpon Chryst So that in the ministracion of this sacrament was present the Father the Sonne and the holie Gost Which noble presence semeth to bring with yt some more noble gift than a bare sign or token as the wicked saie that yt ys But what shall I nede to stand to declare the woorthinesse of this sacrament against these enemies of God seing that heauen and the wholl Trintie testifieth against them Wherfore leauing to speake any more of this sacrament speciallie or of the other particularlie for feare of prolixitie and for that yt ys spoken of here but by occasion we shall heare sainct Augustin speaking of Aug. cōt Faustū li. 19 cap. 13. them generallie Prima sacramenta quae obseruabantur celebrabantur ex lege praenunciatiua erant Christi venturi quae cùm suo aduentu Christus impleuisset
wickedly corrupte sainge that the breade and the cuppe are signes that we partake and communicate the bodie and bloode of Chryst This man saieth that we partake both the flesh and Godhead of Chryst And that we shoulde not thinke him to fauoure the hereticall exposition of the Aduersarie he declareth the catholique faith and also reiecteth the contrarie opinion in that he dissolueth that that of the Aduersarie might be An argument of the Sacramentaries soluted by Damascen taken for an argument against the trueth For although saieth he some haue called yt the exemplaries of the bodie and bloode of Chryst that ys saieth he before the consecracion or sanctificacion not after the sanctificacion signifieng to vs that after the cōsecracion they be the verie thinges themselues that ys the verie bodie and blood of Chryst and not the exemplaries signes or figures of them This authour ys to plain and to strong to be wrested or by violence to be drawen to make any countenannce towarde the signes and figures of the Aduersaries For in the same very chap. expownding the woordes of Chrystes This ys my bodie he saieth thus Hoc est meum non figurae corporis sed corpus non figura sanguinis sed sanguis This ys not the figure of Damasc ibid. my bodie but my bodie and not the figure of my bloode but my bloode wherby he plainlie denieth the Deuells exposition settfurth by the Aduersarie And yet in the ende of the same chapter he calleth the Sacrament exemplaries but in soche sorte and maner as he affirmeth withall the verie presence For this ys his sainge Exemplaria autem futurorum dicuntur non vt non existentia verè corpus sanguis Christi sed quoniam nunc quidem per ipsa participamus Christi Diuinitatem tunc autem intellectualiter per solam visionem They are called Damascen ibidem the exēplaties of thinges to come not as not being the bodie and bloode of Chryst verilie but that we nowe therby partake the God head of Chryst but then intellectuallie by onely vision By whiche sainges as the reader dothe clerelie see that damascen so constantlie doth teache and affirme the presence of Chryst in the Sacramēt that he vtterly reiecteth the figures of the Aduersarie So maie he well vnderstande that the saied Damascen speaking of the participacion of the flesh of Chryst and his Godhead of the whiche participacion S. Paule maketh mencion speaketh of the verie participacion of wholl Chryst God and man verilie and not figuratiuely And forasmoche as this ys so plainly taught by Damascen that the Aduersarie can by no meās coulour yt nor by anie shift or sleight of falshoode auoide yt I wolde to God that he wolde see his erroure and calling to God to geue him the spirit of humilitie he wolde so humble him self that he wolde confesse his saied errour knowing this that yt ys bothe more easie and more profitable to be a litle confownded here then to be so greatlie confounded before the iudgement seat of Chryst in the seight of his Angells and Sainctes and all the woorlde at the daie of his fearfull and terrible generall iudgement THE NINETENTH CHAP. CONTINVETH the exposition of the same text by Isidore and Oecumenius SEinge that of necessitie I must be shorter for that moche ys yet to be saied as the one of the wittnesses in the last chapiter hath directlie affirmed the presence the other the sacrifice So will we heare two breiflie auouching the like The first shall be Isidorus who speaking of this text nowe in hande geueth a breif and clere exposition of Isidor li. of fic ca. 18. The bread that we break vs the bodie of Chryst etc. the same in this wise Panis quem frangimus corpus Christi est qui dicit Ego sum panis vinus qui de coelo descendi vinum autem sanguis eius est Et hoc est quod scriptum est Ego sum vitis vera The breade that we breake ys the bodie of Chryst who saieth I am the bread of life whiche came down frō heauē But the wine ys his blood and this ys yt that ys written I am the true vine In thys exposition that the text might be plain to the reader wher S. Paule saied The bread which we breake ys a communicacion of the bodie of Chryst This authour geuing the vnderstanding of yt saieth that the bread which we breake ys the bodie of Chryste And that he wolde haue yt taken for the verie bodie he saieth that yt ys the bodie of Chryst who saied I am the bread of life And who he was the sixt chap. of S. Iohn declareth that yt was verie Chryste no figuratiue Chryste And what the cuppe of blessing dothe contein he fullie declareth when he saieth The wine ys his bloode whiche maner of speache ys so plain and standeth so directlie against the saing of the Aduersarie that as for the plainesse of yt I neither can nor nede to saie anie thing to make yt more plain so can I but woonder that men can erre that either knowe or haue readde these holie fathers except they be puffed vppe with soche pride and be brought to soche singularitie in ther owne conceat that they contempn all mens iudgementes sainges and learning besides their owne of what faith trueth aunciētie holinesse or learning so euer they be as this Isidore who liued well near a thousande yeares agō and was famouse in all the chrystiā orbe and as a strong piller stoode against the Arrians whiche then were mightie in Spain and hath left learned workes as testimonies of his learning and godly zeale ys not to be disdained but to be reuerenced And although for his learning and aunciētie he ys to be credited yet he ys the more so to be for that to eche part of his saing he alleageth the scripture For as to the first part he alleageth the sixt of S. Iohn so to the other parte he alleageth the sainge of Chryst in the xv of S. Iohn wher he saieth I am the true vine For in dede as he ys the true vine so cometh oute of him the true wine The earthlie wine helpeth to maintein the earthlie life whiche Joan. 15. as S. Gregorie saieth compared to the eternall life ys raither to be called death then life But the heauenly wine that cometh out of the true vine nourisheth to euerlasting life whiche ys the true life And bicause we be by faith inserted and griffed into Chryst this blessed wine whiche ys the Iuice of that true vine ys of vs as of braunches of the same vine receaued and so Cyrill in 16. Ioan. maketh vs his liuely braunches not onely spirituallie by faith but also by nature whiche thing holie Cirill doth very liuely open and declare Annon conuenienter dici potest vitem humanitatem eius nos palmites propter identitatem We are braunches of the vine Chryst both spirituallie and corporallie naturae Eiusdem
sacrifices by the mening of Theophilact yt shoulde some that S. Paule wolde haue saied of the chrystians that they are partakers of the aultar as the Iewes and not by speciall woorde haue saied they are partakers of the bodie of Chryst Nowe in the disputacion of S. Paule yt ys plain to see that speaking of the sacrifice of the Chrystians he nameth wherof they are partakers As when he saieth The cuppe of blessing which we blesse ys yt not a partaking of the blood 1. Cor. 10. of Chryst And the bread whiche me breake ys yt not a partaking of the bodie of Chryst Wher by speciall woordes he nameth the thinges their receaued and partaken But speaking of the sacrifices of the Iewes throughoute all the disputacion he nameth no speciall thinge but vseth as I saied the generall terme of the aultar Wherby we maie conclude with Theophilactes woordes Non enim altaris sumus sed Domini corporis ipsi participes We are not partakers of the aultar but we are partakers of the bodie of Chryste Yf the bodie of Chryste were absent from the sacrifice we shoulde be by Theophilactes iudgement partakers of the aultar but bicause the bodie of Chryst ys present in the sacrifice and ys the sacrifice yt self that ys offred therfore are we partakers of the bodie of Chryst By which processe of Theophilact yt ys plain to be perceaued that he vnderstandeth Sainct Paule here to haue spoken of the verie bodie and bloode of Chryst of the whiche we are verie partakers The bloode of Chryste ys not onely in heauen but also in in the chalice Of this who can doubte that remembreth his exposition of the first text of this disputacion of Sainct Paule wher he saieth speaking of him That that he saied ys after this maner This bloode that ys conteined in the cuppe ys euen the same that flowed oute of Chrystes side This bloode when we receaue we do partake that ys we are ioined to Chryst. Who can doubte of the faith of this man and howe he vnderstandeth Sainct Paule that so plainlie expowndeth him He saieth that we receaue not a figure onely but the bloode of Chryste And this blood ys not onely in heauen whether onely the Aduersarie saieth we must by faith lift vppe our eyes and heart but yt ys conteined saieth Theophilact in the cuppe wher also by faithe we must beholde yt And this ys not onely a Sacrament of Chrystes bloode so called bicause Sacramentes haue the names of thinges wherof they are Sacramentes but yt ys saieth Theophilacte euen the same bloode that flowed oute of Chrystes side and not a thing bearing the name of the bloode of Chryst Nowe Chrystian Reader iudge yf the Aduersarie haue not plain authoritie against him that wher he wolde that yt shoulde be prooued that Chrystes naturall and substanciall bodie ys in the Sacrament Yf that bodie vpon the croosse oute of the whiche for mannes redemption did plentifullie flowe oute bloode were naturall forasmoche as this bloode in the holie Sacrament ys euen the same bloode yt must nedes folowe that the naturall bodie and naturall blood of Chryst ys in the Sactament Why stand I so long vpon so clere a matter seing that Anselmus who ys ioined with him to shewe the faith of the latin churche as Theophilact hath doen of the greeke churche ys euen as plain as he Thus expowndeth he Sainct Paule Non potestis calicem Domini in quo sanguis est eius bibere calicem Daemoniorum in quo vinum est sacrilegae superstitionis Nec potestis mensae id est altaris Ansel in 10. 1. Cor. Domini in quo corpus eius est participes esse mensae id est altaris Daemoniorum Ye can not drinke the cuppe of our Lorde in the whiche ys his bloode and the cuppe of Deuells in whiche ys the wine of sacrilegall supersticion Neither can yow be partakers of the table that ys of the aultar of our Lorde in the whiche ys his bodie and of the table that ys of the aultar of Deuels Thus he In this Authour who liued within xvi yeares of fiue hundreth yeares agon ye see a very plain exposition fullie agreing yea allmost vsing the same woordes that Theophilact did Who was liuing almost three hundreth yeares before him Which Theophilact vseth the woordes of Chrysostome who liued more then foure hundreth yeares before Theophilact Whose saing ye shall finde in the xvi chapiter of this booke I saie in this Authour here alleadhed ye haue a plain exposition of Sainct Paules woordes For first he expowndeth what S. Paule meneth by the cuppe of our Lorde and saieth that yt ys the cuppe of our Lorde bicause the blood of our Lorde ys in yt Then teaching what he meneth by the table of our Lorde he saieth he meneth the aultar of our Lorde Whiche ys so called bicause the bodie of our Lorde ys vpon yt So that as the cuppe ys called the cuppe of our Lorde bicause his bloode ys in yt So ys the table called the aultar of our Lorde bicause the bodie of our Lorde ys vpon yt I thinke these woordes be plain enough wher by expresse woordes ys taught the presence of the very bodie and bloode of Chryst in the Sacrament and that in no other sorte of woordes than Theophilact before him and Chrysostome before him as ye haue hearde did teache Peraduenture ye will saie he expowndeth the table to be an aultar which A proof of the vse of aultars euē frō the Apostles time Dion Are. eccles Hie. par 3. ca. 3 cometh in but of late daies and ys a terme not vsed amonge the auncient doctours That bothe the woorde and the thinge was in vse in the time of the auncient doctours yt shall be made manifest to thee gentle Reader and that euen from the Apostles Sainct Dionyse the disciple of S. Paule declaring the order of Chrystes Churche in his time among other declaracions of the blessed Sacrament maketh mencion of the same sett vpon the aultar saing thus Sed illud sacratius intuere quod impositis altari venerabilibus signis per quae Christus signatur sumitur adest protinus sanctorum descriptio But reuerentlie beholde that that when the honorable signes be put vpon the holy aultar by the whiche Chryst ys both fignified and receaued furthwith their ys a description of sainctes In these woordes ye perceaue bothe the name of the aultar and the vse of yt For the vse of yt was to put vpon yt the holie Sacrament for the whiche vse sake this auncient holie Father called yt the holie aultar Whiche wolde be noted of thē who in these our daies geue the aultar moche baser tearmes yf I shall saie no woorse of them And herwithall note that this Authour doth not onely call this Sacrament honourable but also furthwith addeth the cause for bicause saieth he Chryst ys bothe signified and receaued So that by the outwarde formes he ys not
of religioÌ„ to the maner of the Apostles aÌ„d the primitiue Church whie doeth he not obserue this which he can not denie ther to haue ben obserued and by the Councels of Cartage and Constantinople decreed accordinglie to be receaued But yt ys not the primitiue Church that he trauaileth for to be regarded but yt ys his phantasie and will that he seeketh to be receaued God geue him a better minde This also ys not to be ouerpassed that the Councel of Constantinople testifieng that S. Iames did setfurth in writing the holie mynistracion doth call yt by the name of Sacrifice saing that he did setfurth the mysticall sacrifice Masse called a sacrifice by the Counc of ConstaÌ„tin which name the Proclamer abhorreth But what do I tarie so long aboute the settingfurth of these wittnesses seing ther be diuerse other that testifie the same As Nicolaus Metbonen S. Bernard Algerus Bessarion and other whom for breuitie sake I thinke yt sufficient to haue named Nowe Reader wher the Proclamer in the second place that he speaketh of S. Iames saieth that we constantlie affirme that S. Iames saied Masse I praie thee maie we not so doo and doo truelie And yf he and his complices saie the contrarie shall they not saie falselie we haue wittnesse and good authoritie to maintein that we saie He deskanteth voluntarilie with manie discordes all oute of tune For he singeth without his rule hauing nothing well alleaged to maintein what he saieth Thie parte therfore shall be Reader to lean and cleaue to that side that groâ—ndeth yt self vpon substanciall authoritie and not vpon phantasie and willfull affection But yt ys time that we also see the maner of consecracion vsed in the latime Church in time of the auncient Fathers of the same of the whiche one maie nowe suffice for all whiche one shall be S. Ambrose who thus reporteth yt Vis scire quia verbis coelestibus consecratur Accipe quae sunt verba Dicit sacerdos Fac nobis inquit hanc oblationem ascriptam rationabilem acceptabilem quod est Ambr. li. 4 de sac ca. 5 figura corporis sanguinis Domini nostri Iesu Christi Qui pridie quà m pateretur in sanctis manibus suis accepit panem respexit ad coelum ad te sancte Pater omnipotens aeterne Deus gratias agens benedixit fregit fractumue Apostolis suis Discipulis tradidit dicens Accipite edite ex hoc omnes Hoc est enim corpus meuÌ„ quod pro multis confringetur Similiter etiam calicem postquà m coenatum est pridie quà m pateretur accepit respexit ad coelum ad te sancte Pater omnipotens aeterne Deus gratias agens benedixit Apostolis et Discipulis suis tradidit dicens Accipite et bibite ex eo omnes Hic est enim sanguis meus Wilt thow know that the Sacrament ys consecrated with heauenlie woordes Marke what be the woordes The preist saieth Make this oblacion saieth he Conferre this praier with the Masse book and yt agreeth nere conferre yt with the CoÌ„munion aÌ„d yt dissenteth farre alowed reasonable and acceptable which ys a figure of the bodie and blood of our Lord Iesus Chryste Who the daie before he wolde suffer tooke bread in his holie handes and looked vnto heauen to thee holie Father allmightie euerlasting God geuing thankes he blessed yt he brake yt and brokeÌ„ he deliuered yt to his Apostles and Disciples saing Take ye and eate ye of this all For this ys my bodie which shall be broken for manie Likewise also the daie before he wolde suffre he tooke the cuppe after they had supped he looked to heauen vnto thee Father allmightie euerlasting God geuing thankes he blessed yt and gaue yt to his Apostles and Disciples saing Take and drinke ye all of this For this ys my blood Hitherto S. Ambrose hath opened the praier vsed in the Church immediatelie before the consecracion and the consecracion also Which doen he maketh a certain exposition of yt and saieth thus Vide omnia illa verba Euange listae sunt ad Accipite siue corpus siue sanguinem inde verba sunt Christi Vide singula Qui pridie inquit quà m pateretur in sanctis manibus suis accepit panem Antequà m consecretur panis est vbi autem verba Christi accesserint corpus est Christi Denique audi dicentem Accipite edite ex eo omnes hoc est corpus meum Et ante verba Christi calix est vini aquae plenus vbi verba Christi operata fuerint ibi sanguis efficitur qui plebem redemit Marke all those woordes be the woordes of the Euangelist vnto these woordes Take either bodie or blood froÌ„ hencefurth they be the woords of Chryste Note enerie thing Who saieth he the daie before he wolde suffer tooke bread in his holie handes Before yt ys consecrated yt ys bread when the woordes of Chryste haue comed to yt yt ys the bodie of Chryste For hear him saing Take and eate ye all of this This ys my bodie And before the woordes of Chryst yt ys a cuppe full of wine aÌ„d water wheÌ„ the woords of Chryst haue wrought ther ys made the blood that redemed the people Now of S. Ambrose ye haue heard the praier preparatiue to the coÌ„secracion Ye haue heard the coÌ„secracion yt self which be the woords of Chryst Ye haue heard the effect of consecracion as yt was beleued of the holie catholique Church before aÌ„d in the time of S. Ambrose aÌ„d of S. Ambrose him self as his owne woordes not onelie here but in diuerse and sondrie other places do declare Who among other expownding the Pater noster saieth thus Memini sermonis mei cùm de sacrameÌ„tis tractareÌ„ dixi vobis quòd ante verba Christi quod offertur panis dicitur vbi Christi verba deproÌ„pta fuerint iam non panis dicitur sed corpus appellatur Ambr. in oratione dominica I remeÌ„bre my saing wheÌ„ I treacted of the Sacr. I saied vnto yow that before the woords of Chryst the thing that ys offred ys called bread when the woords of Christ be vttered now yt ys not called bread but ys called the bodie of Chryst The like woordes hath S. Augustine Now what the maner of consecracion hath ben among the Fathers of the primitiue and auncient Church as we haue learned yt in the last chapter by All one consecracioÌ„ in the Masse vsed by the Apostles their Disciples the Fathers of the primitiue Church aÌ„d of the Churche nowe foure Apostles and S. Paule so in this we haue learned yt by foure Fathers and S. Dionyse the Disciple of S. Paule all which doe well agree that yt maie well be perceaued that Proclus saied that yt ys all one consecracioÌ„ of one Masse varied in shortnesse or lenght in some praiers or extern ceremonies or gesturs onelie for the variacion of the maners of the people but not in the substanciall parts For proof
and other Disciples did in the Masse make oblacion and offre sacrifice as the Apostles did This man S. Clement I meen euen as S. Iames did immediatelie after the holie consecracion praied thus Memores igitur passionis eius mortis resurrectionis reditus in coelos futuri eius secundi aduentus in quo veniet iudicaturus viuos mortuos redditurusque cuique secundùm opera sua offerimus S. Clemens in Missa vt refert Methon ibi Regi Deo secundùm eius institutionem panem hunc hunc calicem gratias tibi per eum agentes quod nos dignatus fueris astare coram te tibi sacrificare Being therfor mindefull of his passion death resurrection ascension into heauen and of his second coming in the whiche he will iudge both quicke and dead and will geue to euerie one according to his workes We offre vnto the King and God according to his institucion this bread and this cuppe geuing thee thanks by him that thow hauest vouchsafe vs to stand before thee and to offre sacrifice to thee Thus S. Clement Let not the good Chrystian be dismaied nor the Sacramentarie triumphe S. Clement offred Chrysts bodie and blood in sacrifice that he saieth we offre this bread but let them both vnderstand that as our Sauiour Chryste in the vi of S. Iohn and S. Paule in the x of the first to the Corinth whiche ys allreadie declared and in the xi of the same whiche here shall be declared doo call the bodie of Chryste bread So doth S. Clement here For proofe wherof haue recourse to the praier of S. Clement in the last chapter before and see his faith what he beleued to be in the Sacrament wher ye shall finde him desiering that the holie Gost maie be sent who maie make the bread the bodie of Chryste and the wine the blood of Chryste Yf then the bread by the worke of the holie Gost be made the bodie of Chryst then ther ys no other bread there after consecracion to be offred in sacrifice but the bread of the bodie of Chryst and the cuppe of his blood Neither can the Sacramentarie with all his wresting malice vnderstand this of materiall bread For this that ys here offred ys offred according to the institucion of Chryste but as the Sacramentarie can not but confesse Chryste neuer instituted materiall bread to be offred in sacrisice Wherfor yt can not be vnderstanded of materiall bread Yt ys euident then that S. Clement offred Chrysts bodie and blood the verie true bread and true wine in sacrifice This being made plain we shall descende to S. Basill and see what he did whether he offred in his Masse or no. He as S. Clement immediately after S. Basill offred the like sacrifice to S. Ja. ād S Clem. the consecracion continued his holie taulke to God saing on this wise Memores ergo Domine nos salutarium eius passionum viuificae crucis triduanae sepulturae ex mortuis resurrectionis in caelum ascensionis in dextra tua Dei Patris sessionis gloriosae ac terribilis secundae eius praesentiae tua ex tuis tibi offerimus We also therfor o Lorde being mindfull of his holsom passions liuelie crosse three daies buriall his resurrection from the dead his ascension into hauen his sitting at thie right hand God and Father and of his gloriouse and terrible second presence we offre thine to thee oute of thine Thus he See ye not here as in S. Iames and S. Clement an oblacion of the bodie and bloode of Chryste whiche be thinges of God consecrated of his creaturs bread and wine and so offred vnto God Hitherto then ye see the holie Fathers to haue offred Chrystes bodie and blood and therfor in their woordes and writings not to haue abhorred the tearmes of offring or making oblacion and sacrifice as the newe brothers do But for farder proofe of the practise of the Sacrifice we will procede and see what Chrysostom did in his Masse For he keping the order before mencioned immediatelie vpon the consecracion addeth this praier Memores igitur salutaris huius mandati omnium eorum quae pro nobis facta sunt crucis sepulchri Chrysostome offred sacrifice in Masse resurrectionis ad caelos ascensionis sessionis ad dextram secundi gloriosi rursus aduentus tua ex tuis tibi offerimus Remembring therfor this holie commaundement and all those thinges that haue ben doen for vs as the crosse buriall resurrection ascension into heauen sitting at the right hand the seconde and gloriouse coming again we offre thine vnto thee of thine owne Thus ther. Yt can not be that they that so iustlie agree in woordes and sentēce shoulde varie and dysagree in sence and vnderstanding Wherfor Chrysostom as the other did did in his Masse offre sacrisice I labour not here to seke the deapt of this matter for that I haue done allreadie in diuerse places of this worke but I cheiflie seke by the woordes of these Fathers to declare that all S. Ambrose and the church that he liued in offred sacrifice in the Masse they did offre sacrifice What they offred and to what effect yt ys and shal be declared and as yt maie for this place suffice by S. Ambrose yt shall be made euident what he and the auncient Church in his time did offre Wherby also we shall be assured what the former Fathers did offre this being certen that holie Ambrose did nothing contrarie to the holie faith of the primitiue Church Thus he reporteth of the practise of the auncient Church of his time and before Sacerdos dicit Ergo memores gloriosissimae eius passionis ab inferis resurrectionis in coelum ascensionis offerimus tibi hanc immaculatam hostiam rationabilem hostiam incruentam hostiam hunc panem sanctum calicem vitae aeternae Being therfor mindful of thie most gloriouse passion and resurrection frō death ād ascension into heauen we offre vnto thee this vndefiled sacrifice reasonable sacrifice vnbloodie sacrifice this holie bread and cuppe of life euerlasting Note here what maner of sacrifice was offred in the Masse Doo ye not here see by the testimonie of S. Ambrose that the preist did offre sacrifice in the remēbrance of Chrysts passion resurrection and ascension But note and marke well what maner of sacrifice An immaculate or vn defiled sacrifice a pure sacrifice What sacrifice ys yt that man can offre to God that he maie boldlie so tearm and call No pure man dare so farre presume of his owne doings of offrings to God This pure and vndefiled sacrifice then can be none other but that pure and innocent lambe of God that purifieth and clenseth vs by taking awaie the sinnes of the worlde euen Iesus 1. Joan. 1. Ibid. 6. Chryste his verie bodie and blood Which maner of vnderstanding the later woordes of this offring sentence doeth also enforce vs to take determining
that which thie high preist Melchisedec did offre vnto thee an holie sacrifice ād an vndefiled hoste And immediatelie yt foloweth thus Supplices te rogamus omnipotens Deus iube haec perferri per manus sancti Angeli tui in sublime altare tuum in conspectu diuinae maiestatis tuae vt quotquot ex hac altaris participatione sacrosanctum Filij tui corpus et sanguinem sumpserimus omni benedictione coelesti Woordes in the Masse nowe vsed repleamur et gratia per eundem Christum Dominū nostrū We mekelie besech thee o allmightie God cōmaunde these to be caried by the hands of thie holie Angells vnto thie high aultar in the seight of thy diuine maiestie that as manie of vs as do by this participacion of the aultar receaue the most holie bodie and blood of thy Sonne maie be fulfilled with all heauenly blessing and grace by the same our Lord Iesus Chryst These be the praiers that the Proclamer in his sermon derideth mocking withall the godlie doings of the catholique Church Here he triumpheth here he sheweth his trifling toies and merie cōceates to delight himself ād soch as were of light heads and gracelesse heartes in his audience Here his dissembled grauitie failing he shewed himself in his owne colours euen like a man of his profession that ys to misconstrue to misunderstand to wrest to distort to adulterate soch things as they read and yet shameleslie with bolde countenaunce to vtter yt to compasse therbie a mischief But that he be no otherwise charged then his own woordes will require we shall reporte them as they be Thus he saieth as touching these praiers Moreouer the preist desiereth God so to accept the bodie of his Sonne Iesus Christ as he The woordes of the Proclamer See what blind iudgement blind malice pronounceth of all the chrystian world once accepteth the sacrifice of Abell or the oblaciō of Melchisedec Yt ys knowē that Abell offred vppe of his fruict of his slocke a lābe or a shepe and that Melchisedec offred vnto Abrahā and his cōpanie returning frō the battaill bread and wine And think we that Christ the Sonne of God standeth so farre in his Fathers displeasure that he nedeth a mortal and miserable man to be his spokesmā to procure him fauour or think we that God receaueth the bodie of his onelie begotten sonne none otherwise then he once receaued a shepe or a lābe at the hands of Abel or then Abrahā receaued bread and wine of Melchisedec Yf no why doth the preist then make this praier in the Canon immediatelie after consecraciō Supraquae propitio ac sereno vultu respicere digneris accepta habere sicuti accepta habere dignatus es munera pueri tui iusti Abel sacrificiū Patriachae nostri Abrahae quod tibi obtulit summus sacerdos tuus Melchisedec that ys to saie Looke down with mercifull contenāce vpō these sacrifices that ys the bodie of Chryst thy Sōne and the cuppe of his blood and vouchesafe to receaue thē as thow somtime vouchsafest to receaue the oblaciōs of the child Abel the iust and the sacrifice of our Patriarch Abrahā and that thing that was offred to thee by thy high preist Melchisedec Besides this he desiereth that an Angell maie come and carie Chrysts bodie awaie into heauen This ys the praier that he maketh Iube haec perferri per manus sancti Angeli tui in sublime altare tuum What a fable ys this that Chryst should be born vpon an Angel and so caried vppe awaie into heauen Thus moch the Proclamer How saie yow Haue not seen him plaie his part Haue ye not seen a meruelouse mockrie of Gods holie mysteries Haue ye not heard the phrase of The praiers of the Canō of the Masse be the praiers of Fathers of the primitiue Church the praiers of the holie Apostles ād of their Disciples of the aunciēt Fathers of the primitiue Church ād of all the catholike Church derided ād skorned For thus skorning ād abusing the praiers of the canō of the Masse vsednow in the catholique Church he skorneth and abuseth the praiers of all thē a foresaied For the praiers of the Canon contein their woordes ād are cōpiled of thē The beginning of these woordes produced by the Proclamer that ys Supra quae propitio ac seren c. ys taken oute of S. Clement who praied thus Rogamus vt propitio serenoque vultu respicias super haec doua The Church saieth vpō which vouchesafe with a mercifull and pleased countenāce to looke vpō c. S. Clement saied We beseche thee that with a merciful and pleased countenaunce thow wilt look vpon these gifts or sacrifices that that foloweth in the praier of the Canon yt ys whollie in S. Ambrose sauing that yt ys ther diuided as yt were into two praiers that S. Ambr. cōprehēdeth in one For wher in the praier of the Churche yt foloweth thus accepta habere sicuti accepta c. And vouchesafe to receaue these as thow vouchsafest to receaue the gifts of Abel the iust and the sacrifice of our Patriarch Abraham c. yt ys in S. Ambrose woorde for woorde in effect For thus he praied Petimus precamur vt hancoblat c. supra We desire ād praie thee that thow wilt receaue this oblaciō by the handes of the Angels into thie high aultar as thowe vouchsafest to receaue the gifts of thy childe Abel the iust and the sacrifice of oure Patriarch Abraham and that that thie high preist Melchisedec offred vnto thee See ye not nowe that the catholique Church vseth the verie same woordes that S. Ambrose and the auncient Church in his time did vse well let vs procede to see and compare the rest The Church goeth further in the Canon and praieth thus Suplices te rogamus omnipotens Deus iube haec perferri c. We humblie beseche thee o Allmightie God that thowe wilt commaunde these sacrifices to be caried by the hands of thy holie Angell into thie high aultar in the seight of thine diuine Maiestie S. Ambrose praieth thus Petimus et precamur vt supra We desire and praie that thow wilt receaue this sacrifice by the hands of the holie Angells into thie high aultar Nowe ye see the praier of the Canon of the Masse vsed in the catholique Churche with which the Proclamer hath fownd soche fault ye see also the praiers of S. Clement and S. Ambrose and by conference ye perceaue them so to agree that the woordes of the praier of the Church nowe be none other then the woordes of S. Clement and S. Ambrose Maie yt not then be truelie saied that the Proclamer deriding and skorning the praier of the Church nowe vsed dothe deride and skorn S. Clement and S. Ambrose and the church that they liued in But let vs consider the great enormities and abuses that the Proclamer pretendeth to be in these praiers of the Canō in the Masse Three feigned
faultes fownd in the Canon of the Masse by the Proclamer Ther be in all three principall and horrible blasphemies as he feigneth ād setteth thē furth cōmitted in these praiers The first is that Christ should so stand in the displeasure of his heauenlie Father that he nedeth a mortall and miserable man to be his spokesman The second that the bodie of the onelie begotten Sonne of God should in no better wise be receaued of the father then a lambe at the hands of Abel The third that desire ys made that an Angell maie come and carie awaie Chrysts bodie into heauen Answer to the first As touching the first hath the Proclamer no more learning and knowledge in the phrasis of the scripturs and doctours then here his railing blasphemie declareth Or wher the Fathers in the scriptures vpon the oblacion of their sacrifices were yt oxe calf kidde or lambe made their praiers for acceptacion will he also mock them and saie that they vnsemelie praied to God to receaue an oxe calf kidde or lābe at their hāds or that they praied for soch brute beasts as they offred to be receaued into his fauour But to discusse this point within the list and compasse of oure owne matter When S. Iames in his Masse praied as ys before alleaged saing For these offred and sanctified preciouse heauenlie vnspeakeable immaculate gloriouse dreadfull horrible diuine gifts let vs praie that oure Lord accepting these into his holie heauenlie mentall and spirituall aultar vnto the sauour of spirituall fragrance And when S. Basill saied For the offred and sanctified moste honorable gifts of oure Lorde and God let vs praie And when Chrysostom likewise saied Let vs praie to oure Lorde for the offred and sanctified preciouse gifts wher vndoubtedly by these sanctified precioufe dreadfull offred gifts they vnderstood and ment the bodie and blood of Chryst ther on the aultar offred in sacrifice Wil the Proclamer I saie mock all these and other holie Apostles ād Fathers and skorning their phraseis saie that they praie to God the Father for the bodie of his Sonne Iesus Chryst to be accepted Ys this the learning and grauitie wherwith a matter of so great importance of so great weight of so long continuance of so great estimacion reuerence and honoure shal be ouerthrowē Maie so great a mysterie of christiā religiō be without scripture against saied without autoritie cōuelled withoute graue reasō impugned without strōg argumēt cōuinced ād without formall processe clean defaced Trust me gētle reader in al his vehemēt inuectiue against this part of Mockes ād skoffes the onely argumentes of the Proclamer in this matter the Canon of the Masse he hath impugned yt with no other good learning or authoritie no other graue reason or argument then onelie gibing mockes This ys one that ys woorthie to occupie the place of a Bishoppe this ys one that ys reputed a famouse preacher this ys a Iuell to helpe to plucke down the Churche of Chryste and to sett vppe the Sinagog of Sathan that can with a false feigned skoff seeme to sticke down all that stand in his waie doctours Fathers Bishopps Disciples Apostles and all Can anie chrystian heart thinke that S. Iames S. Clement S. Basill S. Chrysostom S. Ambrose and all other holy fathers vsing these alleaged praiers did thinke thē selues spokesmen to intreate the Father for Chryste Yf yt can not be thought of them howe can yt be thought of the catholique Churche vsing the same praiers To conclude therfor this first part against the maliciouse mocke of the Proclamer I saie that yf the Apostles and Fathers vsing this maner of phrase in their praiers were spokesmen to the Father for Chryst his Sonne then ys the Church so nowe likewise yf they were not no more ys the Churche The mening of the Curche in the first poincte The Apostles and fathers and the Church did allwaies and doth well know Chryste as he ys the onelie begotten so ys he the welbeloued Sonne of the Father They beleue they teache and preache that yt ys he in whō the Father ys wel pleased yea they beleue that in him the Father ys so wel pleased that whatsoeuer thei aske of the Father in his name he wil geue yt thē Wher vpon the churche in this praier making humble intecession as the Apostles and fathers before haue doen not for Chryst but by Chryste not to procure fauour for him but to procure mercie to them selues from God the Father cocludeth their peticions and requests in these same praiers whiche the Proclamer skoffinglie abuseth with these woordes Per Christum Dominum nostrum By Chryste oure Lorde which ys as moche to saie All this we desire for Chryste our Lorde his sake In this first part then behold the slaunderouse vanitie and so let vs examine the next pretended fault Answer to te the secōd fault In the seconde he accuseth the Churche that yt wolde Chrstes bodie no better to be accepted of the Father then the sacrifice of Abel of Abraham of Melchisedec Abel Abraham and Melchisedec were men acceptable to God whose sacrifices were also acceptable not for the thinges them selues that were offred by them as a shepe a ramme bread wine for of these thinges as God hath no nede being the Lorde of the wholl earth and all that ys ther in so of them as of them selues he hath no pleasure In these sacrifices then not the things but the seruice of them which offred those thinges was acceptable God looked not on the thing offred in the olde sacifices but on the deuociō of the offerers and pleasaunt vnto God Abel offred sacrifice to God so also did Cain But respexit Dominus ad Abel ad munera eius ad Cain autem ad munera eius non respexit God did looke vnto Abel and to this gifts but vnto Cain and to his gifts he did not looke He looked first to Abel him self then to his gifts He behelde his hartie deuocion and for that looked to his seruice in his ductifull sacrifice he sawe in Cain a slacknesse or coldenesse of deuocion wherfor he neither looked fauorablie to him nor to his seruise in offring sacrifice Noē offred sacrifice and God smelled a swete sauoure saith the scripture not that God was delighted with the kitchē sauour of burnt meate as here the Proclamer might in his licenciouse maner skoff at the phrase of the scripture as he doth at the phrase of the catholique Churche but God smelled the swete sauour of his deuoute and duetifull seruice As God then was not desiered by Abel to receaue his shepe in to heauen nor by Melchisedec to take vppe thither bread and wine nor by Abraham to take the ramme that he offred but that their humble seruice and obedience therby shewed and declared might be accepted So the Churche desiereth not that her sacrifice whiche ys Chryste might be accepted being most acceptable in yt self and all other made acceptable by yt
but that her deuocion humble seruice and obedience in doing that sacrifice maie be soche that yt maie be accepted as was the seruice of Abel of Melchisedec and of Abraham in the offring of their In this same sense praied the Apostolique and primitiue Churche S. Iames Jacob. in Miss in this maner Respice in nos o Deus ad nostrum hoc rationabile obsequium in tuere idue accipe vt Abel dona accepisti Noē sacrificia Moysis Aaronis sacerdocia Samuelis pacifica Dauidis poenitētiā Zachariae incensum Looke vpō vs o Lord and be hold this our resonable seruice ād receaue the same as thowe didest receaue the gifts of Abel the sacrifices of Noe the preistlie oblaciōs of Moyses ād Aarō the peace offrings of Samuel the penance of Dauid the inceuse of Zacharie S. Basill in his Masse praied almost with same woordes Respice in nos Deus vide super seruitutem nostram hanc suscipe eam sicut susepisti Abel munera Noe Basil in Miss sacrificium Abrahae horocaustum Moyses Aronis sacrationes Samuelis hostias pacificus sicut susepisti de sanctis tuis Apostolis verum istud mysterium sic ex manibus nostris peccatorum suscipe munera ista in benignitate tua Domine c. Looke vpon vs o God and looke vpon this our seruice and receaue yt as thow didest receaue the presentes of Abel the sacrifice of Noē the burnt offring of Abraham the oblaciōs of Moyses and Aaron the peace offrings of Samuel euen as thowe hauest receaued this true misterie of thie holie Apostles so o Lord receaue these sacrifices of oure hands being sinners in thy benignitie S. Ambrose and the auncient latin Churche that he liued in as ye haue heard yt allreadie testified vsed a moche like phrase We beseche thee o Lorde saieth he vouchsafe to receaue this sacrifice as thowe hauest vouchedsafe to receaue the gists of thy childe Abel the iust the sacrifice of our Patriarche Abraham and that whiche thy high preist Melchisedec did offre vnto thee Thus haue ye nowe seen the praiers for acceptacion of sacrifice that were praied by the Apostles vsed of the greke Church receaued of the auncient The seruice in doing of sacrifice ys desierd to be accepted not the sacrifice yt self latin Churche and cōtinued by the catholique Churche euē to this our time Nowe did S. Iames ād the Apostles praie for the acceptaciō of Chryste their sacrifice Did S. Basill and the greeke Churche desire that the bodie of Chryste might no otherwise be accepted thē the sacrifices of Abel Noē Abrahā c. Did S. Ambrose ād the fathers of the latin Church for these xii hūdreth years so basely think of the woorthinesse of Chrysts bodie and sacrifice that they thought a shepe an oxe or breadād wine as acceptable as the bodie of Christ No they thought nothing so but thei desiered as ys saied that their seruice in offring this sacrifice might be accōpted as the seruice of those other was accepted This acceptiō thē hath respect to the offrers ād not the sacrifice off And that the Proclamer shall not saie that this exposition ys feigned by me let him vnderstād that this same expositiō hath ben made by diuerse learned fathers some hundreth years agon of the whiche for profe I will alleage the saing of one whiche shall be Hugo de S. victore who expownding the canon of the Masse vpō this praier which the Proclamer by his mooking so blasphemouslie Lib. 2. de eccl off ca. 33. abuseth and derided saieth thus Quasi per gradus scalae ascēdens cōme morat munus Abel pueri sacrificiū Abrahae Patriarchae oblationē Melchisedec sacerdotis qui in pane vino speciē veri sacrificii elegāter expressit sicut Abrahā veritatē in filio et Abel inuocentiae munus in agno Quod dicit Sicuti accepta habere dignatus es munera c. non optat similiter acceptari oblationes haec enim multo est acceptabilitor sed offerentes As one going vppe by the steppes of a ladder he maketh mencion of the gifte of Abel his childe of the sacrifice of Abraham the Patriarch and of the oblacion of Melchisedec the preist who in bread and wine did well setfurth the figure of the true sacrifice as Abraham the veritie in his Sonne and Abel the gift of innocentie in a lambe That he saieth As thowe hauest vouched safe to accept the gifts of thy childe Abel c. he desireth not the oblacions or sacrifices to be in like accepted for this sacrifice ys moche more acceptable but the offerers Yf of this vnderstanding the Proclamer wolde see more he maie read Gabriell and other whiche treacte of the Canon of the Masse and The mening of the Churche in the secōde poinct he shal see so moch that he maie haue iust cause to be ashamed of his vain ād wicked saings and false imaginacions against the godlie doings of Chrysts catholique Churche To conclude then this seconde parte also yt ys euidēt that the Churche desiereth not the sacrifice of Chryste to be equallie taken with the sacrifices of Abel Abraham Melchisedec but raither the offerers of these sacrifices that ys that the preist and people offring this sacrifice maie so do yt as bothe they and their seruice in so doing maie please God and be accepted as were Abel Abraham Melchisedec and their seruice in offring their sacrifices to God Answere to the thirde fault The third faulte that the Proclamer falselie I wil not saie folishlie pretēdeth to be in the Canon ys that as he fableth desire ys made that an Angel maie come and carie Chrystes bodie awaie into heauen Ys not this a fonde deuised toie of a man pretending grauitie Did euer man as moche as dreame anie soche phantasie that had his witts not intoxicated with the poison of heresie and his heart not fiered with the furiouse flames of malice Ah good Lord who wolde haue thought that euer soche time wolde haue comed that a Chrystian man shoulde be so depelie drowned in heresie that by force of malice therof he shoulde blowe oute soch blasts of contempt of honorable antiquities and soche horrible blasphemie against Gods blessed sacrrfice and ministerie and that in so honorable audience and not so to ceasse but afterward in printe to publish the same to the notice of the worlde or that chrystian people coulde euer haue patientlie heard soche vain inuēted toies so farre vide from all good reason and learning soche wicked vntrueths so farre abhorring from all godlie pitie and religion or that euer they shoulde like to read them So farre hath this Proclamer presumed so clean hath he cast awaie all reuerence and semelie iudgement of all holie forefathers and their doinges folowing therin Melhoserus Zuin glius and soche like that he iudgeth them insensate men and verie fooles and thinkes him self onelie wise But that thowe gentle reader maie not
by my woordes onelie but by good substanciall matter iudge these maliciouse false imaginacions to be his inuēted toies void of all learning and rrueth and aswell impugning and skorning the phrase of holie scripture and auncient fathers as of the catholique Church in these daies vnderstand that the scriptures haue this maner of speache that an Angell doth carie oure praiers into the seight of God For the Angell Raphaël saied vnto the holie father Tobias Quandò orabas cum lachrimis sepiliebas mortuos c. ego obtuli orationem tuam Domino when thowe didest praie with tears and didest burie the dead c. I did offre or present thy praier to God Nowe will the Proclamer here skoff at the saing of the Angell Raphaël and Tob. 12. aske in his histrionicall maner whether he caried Tobies praiers in a cart or a whelebarow or will he aske him whether God could not knowe the praiers of Tobie except he had brought them vppe into his seight Soche fond friuolouse questions might he aswell here moue against the saing of the Angell in the holie scripture as he doth against the same maner of speache in the Canon of the Masse S. Ambrose praied in this poinct as the Churche doth nowe S. Ambrose as before ys seen declareth that he and the Churche wher in he liued vsed the like maner of speache in their praier within the Canon of the Masse saing thus We desire and prate thee that thow wilt receaue this sacrifice into thie high aultar by the hands of thie holie Angells Nowe did S. Ambrose and the Churche that he liued in desire by this maner of praier as the skoffing Proclamer fableth that their sacrifice whiche was he bodie of Chryste might be caried a waie into heauen by Angells Was S. Ambrose of so small learning and knowledge or of so litle witte and vnderstanding as to iudge or think that Naie the lacke of learning knowledg witte and grace also ys raither in the Proclamer who of so learned and holie a man and of the wholl Churche withall so rashlie and wickedlie iudgeth S. Ambrose so praieng foloweth the maner of speache vsed in the scripturs and the Churche nowe vsing the same phrase foloweth both the scripturs and S. Amhrose and the auncient Churche wherfor in the vsing of soche phrase ther ys no soche fable entended as the Proclamer maliciouslie pretendeth and feigneth But that the right sense of this phrase maie be here more fullie declared Of the ministerie of Angells vnderstād that as S. Paule saieth the Angells of God are all ministring spirittes sent to helpe thē that shal atteing the inheritance of saluacion In the old law they did to Abraham to Isaac to Iacob to the parents of Sampson and to diuerse other innumerable ministeries To holie Tobie the Angel Raphael was the minister to conduct his sonne to Raguel in Rages and ther to him he was Gen. 22. ibid. 28. Judic 13 Tob. 3. 4. 5 the counsailour not onelie to take Sara to wieff but also by chaistvsage of her and by other means to restreign and debarre the wicked assaulting and molesting spirit that infested that house To the same father Tobie the Angell so ministred that his seight was restored His praiers also and other good Ibid. 10. 11. 12. dedes he did present in the seight of God In the newe testament the Angell Gabriell was the messenger of the ioifull conception of the Sauiour of the world An Angell was the Messenger to Luc. 1. ibid Ma. 2. Act. 5. 8. Zacharias to tell him before of the birth of his sonne Iohn the Baptist An Angell was messenger to the poore sheperds to geue them to vnderstand that they had a Sauiour born An Angell attended vpon Peter and opened the doores of the prison guided him oute and dimissed him in safetie What shall I stand to enombre the nōbre of the places of scripture to this matter Euerie mā hath a propre Angell apperteining whiche be allmost immunerable This ys certen that both men and children haue their Angells to kepe them helpe them and to offre vppe their praiers to God for them Angelis suis mandauit de te c. He hath Psal 90 Math. 18. commaunded his Angells saieth the Psalmist to attende thee that they maie kepe thee in all thie waies they shall carie thee in their hands that thowe hurt not thy foote with a stone And for children Chryste gaue monicion Bern. ser 7 in Cant. saing Nolite scandalizare vnum ex his pusills Do not offend one of these litle ones I saie vnto yowe that their Angells do allwaies see the face of my Father Angells offre vppe our praiers to God which ys in heauen Diuerse of these scripturs are treacted of by S. Bernard and expownded to the same sense that I haue alleaged them for Of the place of Tobie thus he saieth Credimus Angelos sanctos astare orantibus offerre Deo preces vota hominum vbi tamen sine ira disceptatione leuari puras manus perspexerint Probat hoc angelus ita loqueus ad Tobiam Quando orabas cum lachrimis c. We beleue that the holie Angells be present with them that do praie to offre to God the praiers and Idem ser 12 in psal 90. desires of men wher they see clean hands to be lifted vppe withoute wrath and disceptaciō This doth the Angell prooue thus speaking to Tobie when thowe didest praie with tears and didest burie the dead c. I did offre thie praier before God And vpō the saing of the Psalmist he saieth thus Quantā tibi ibidem debet hoc verbum inferre reuerentiam adferre deuotionem conferre fiduciam Reuerentiā pro praesentia deuotionem pro beneuolentia siduciam pro custodia Cautè ambula vt videlicet cui adsunt Angeli c. Howe moche reuerence howe moche deuocion howe moche trust aught this woorde to bring to vs Reuerence for the presence deuocion for beneuolence trust for their custodie walke wiselie forafmoche as Angells be present Adsunt adsunt tibi non modò tecum sed etiam prote Adsunt vt protegāt adsunt vt prosint They are present and vnto thee they are present not onelie with thee but also for thee They are present to defend they are present to profitt thee and to doo thee good That the saing of Chryste teacheth that Angells attend young children S. Bernad doth also wittnesse thus Parum est quod facis Angelos tuos spiritus facis Angelos paruulorum Denique Angeli eorum semper vident faciem Patris Yt ys but a small matter to thee o God that thowe makest thie Angells spirits thowe makest thē also the Angells of litle children To conclude with S. Bernarde speaking of the ministerie of Angells aboute vs in the seruice of God thus he saieth Attendite principes vestros cùm statis Jdem ser 7. in Cant. ad orandum vel psallendum state
faithfull and wise stewardes ād that we maie finde grace and mercie in that fearfull daie of the iust and good rewarde Thus moch S. Iames Masse Not minding to tarie vpon the beginniug of the praier wher ye maie perceaue that like maner of praier ys vsed as in the last chapter ys spokē of namelie that this sacrifice maie be receaued gratefullie acceptably c. Whiche I doe but touche wishing yt to be noted the better to perceaue the malice of the Proclamer who as ye haue heard reproueth and skorneth that in the Church that was vsed of the Apostles I minde not I saie to tarie but to hast me to note these thinges that now we haue to speake of namely that the sacrifice of the Masse ys auailable both to the quicke ād the dead which both be here testified whē the Apostle praieth that this sacrifice maie be pleasing and acceptable vnto the remissiō of sinnes ād to the rest of the soules of thē that sleape before vs. Doe not these woordes teach vs that S. Iames took this for a sacrisice propiciatorie whē he desiereth that the sacrifice maie be accepted to the propiciaciō of our sinnes And did he not thinke yt auailable to the dead whē he praieth that yt maie be to the rest of the sowles of thē that be dead The woordes be so plain that yt can not be deuied And as Caiphas though he were an euel Bishoppe spake one trueth of the S. James Masse ys full of knowlege euē by the iudgement of the Proclamer death of Chryst so the Proclamer though he be an euell mā spake one trueth of S. Iames Masse For he saieth that S. Iames Masse ys full of knowledge Yf yt be full of knowledge by the testimonie of the Aduers thē feare thowe not whether thow be catholike or other to saie that this ys good knowledg that the sacrifice of the Masse ys aualeable to the quick ād the dead For soch ys the knowledge in S. Iames his Masse And that thow maist be farder assured that the Apostles taught praier and the Masse to be profitable to the dead harken first what Dionyse the Disciple to sainct Paule saieth for the one and what Chrysostome testifieth for both S. Dionyse describing the maner Dionys eccles Hier. cap 7. parte prim of the buriall and exequies vsed in his time and before his time in the churche for parte of yt saieth thus Accedens venerandus Antistes precem sacram super mortuum peragit precaturue diuinam clementiam vt cuncta dimittat per infirmitatem humanam admissa peccata defuncto eumue in luce statuat in sinibus Praier for the dead vsed in S. Dionyse time Abrahae Isaac et Iacob in loco vbi aufugit dolor et tristicia et gemitus The reuerēde Bishoppe coming maketh holie praier vpon the dead and praieth the goodnesse of God that he wold forgiue the dead person al hys sinnes which he hath through infirmitie committed and that he will place him in the place of light in the Bosomes of Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the place frō whēce flieth sorowe heauinesse ād morning Thus moch S. Dynise See yowe not praiers here made for the Sinnes of the dead See yowe not peticion made for him that he maie come to the place of light to the place wher he maie feell neither sorowe nor heauinesse Yf this maner of praier was vsed in the time of the Apostles in whose time this Dionyse liued what shall we thinke but that S. Iames being one of them praied for the dead as the other Apostles did Obiection Perchaunce yt maie be saied that yf the Apostles had thought yt necessarie to praie for the dead they wolde haue left yt writtē in some of their epistles To this I saie that yt neaded not For first amōg the Iewes yt was before the coming of Chryst in vse to praie and offre sacrifice for the dead as the secōd booke of the Machabies doeth testisie Which booke although the Aduersarie doeth reiect yet S. Augustin saieth yt ys in the Canon of christē men And August de cura promortu Lib. vniuers fid Indaeorum Antonius Margarita one conuerted frō a Iewe to a Chrystian man in a booke that he made of the faith of the Iewes declareth the praier that they made for the dead which ys not moch vnlike to this praier of S. Dionyse And ouer he saieth that they haue a booke wherin be written the names of them that be dead which thrice in a yeare be redde and so praied for Which order ys yet amongest them so that then neaded not As for the Gētiles although they vsed funerall obsequies yet for that they were vngodlie after the heathē maner the Apostles gaue thē commaundement by tradicion to burie their dead and to praie for thē after the chrystiā maner Of the which cōmaundement S. Clement maketh mēciō how yt was geuē by S. Peter And so doth Chrysostome that yt was doē by the Apostles Clemens epist 1. Hom. 3. Philip. pri For he saieth thus Non frustra ab Apostolis sancitū est vt in celebratione venerandorū mysteriorū memoria fiat corū qui hinc decesserunt Nouerunt illis multū hinc emolumenti fieri multū vtilitatis Stante siquidē vniuerso populo manus in coelos extendente coetu itē sacer dotali verendoque posito sacrificio quomodò Deū non placaremus pro istis orantes Yt was not but to good pourpose decreed of the Apostles that in the celebracion of the honourable mysteries wherby he meneth the Masse a memorie or remē The Apostles decreed that the dead should be praied for in the Masse brance should be made of thē that haue departed hence They knew that moch commoditie shoulde come from thence to thē and moch profit For all the people standing and holding vppe their hāds into heauē the cōpanie also of preistes and the fearfull sacrifice being settfurth how shall we not appease God praing for these Thus Chrysostome As before ye haue seen the praier of the Apostle S. Iames praing for the dead so now ye see yt testified by Chrysostome that the Apostles cōmaūded the dead to be praied for in the celebraciō of the holie mysteries whiche ys the Masse wher the holie and blessed bodie and blood of Sauiour Chryst ys setfurth in the seight of the Father wherby his passiō ād death being liuelie remēbred ād hūble peticiō in the presence therof and for the meritte therof by the preistes ād people being made yt cā not be saieth Chrysost but that God will be appeased ād mercie for the soules obteined For as S. Cypriā saieth In huius praesentiae nō superuacuè mēdicāt lacrimae veniā nec vnquā patitur cōtriti cordis holocaustū repulsam In the presence of this vnderstād sacrifice teares doe adsurediebegge pardō neither doeth the sacrifice of acōtrite heart at anie time suffre repulse Ther for in this sentēce Chrysostome doeth
assured though reason though senses though hell gates wolde arise against yt this ys and shall be a trueth and euer endure a trueth 3 Reg. 18. In the time of Elias the Prophett when God and his holie faith and religion as nowe yt ys with vs was so farre forsaken that none were fownde that openlie for the feare of the king and wicked Iesabell wolde professe the same although some laie in caues and dennes as nowe I trust ther doe some faith fullie seruing God Elias moued by the spiritt of God to haue the religiō and faith of God discerned frō the religion of Baall wolde the triall of the same shoulde be made by somme miracle from heauen Wher vnto the Kinge and the people agreed that if anie miracle were doen on Baalls side he shoulde be taken for God and his religion receaued yf on Elyas side his God and his religion shoulde be embraced The preistes of Baall laied on their sacrifice they called on their God in their maner no fire came from heauen no miracle was doen. After that they had doen Elyas prepaired the saicrifice he called on his God fire came from heauen and burnt the sacrifice Wherupō the people seing the miracle cried Dominus ipse est Deus Dominus ipse est Deus Owre Lorde ys God owre Lorde ys God Euen so nowe the ministers of Baall haue peruerted Chrystes faith and religion The people in outwarde countenance for seare of lawes haue forsaken the same They are nowe taught that Chryst ys not reallie in the Sacrament duelie ministred They are taught that his bodie ther ys not to be honoured They are taught that the blessed Sacrifice of Chrystes bodie and bloode ys nothing auailable either to the quicke or to the deade with soche other Chryst ys not in the sacramentall bread of the newe ministers but he ys in the B. Sacr. duelie ministred by a preist Nowe let them search all histories of antiquitie and shewe anie one miracle that God hath wrought either in the time of Berengarius of Wicleff and Husse of Zwinglius Oecolampadius or of this Proclamer for the confirmacion and declaraciō of that their faith and if they doe we shall saie that their faith ys good Yf theie doe not and we doe let them yelde and saie that owre waie ys good For like yt ys the trueth ther to be wher yt pleaseth God to confirme the same by miracle And like yt ys no trueth to be on the contrarie side wher God doth not vouchsaffe at anie time to commende yt by some miracle Nowe the catholique Church teacheth the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament The Aduersarie teacheth no bodie but the figure of the bodie The catholique Church teacheth Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament to be honoured Luther and the Sacramentaries teache that yt ys not to be honoured The catholique Church teacheth that Masse ys to be vsed Luther and the Sacramentaries teache that yt ys to be abhorred Nowe as Elyas willed the preistes of Baall first to confirme their waie with miracles So lett the Lutherans and the Sacramentaries bring furth first some Miracle As for miracles for the confirmacion of their doctrine as touching this matter of the Sacrament I neuer did nor coulde heare or reade of anie but onelie of one which ys a miracle meet for the doctrine Of whiche miracle Luther himself ys the reporter Ionas his disciple being interpretour in his booke of priuate Masse wher he saieth thus Ego coram vobis reuerendis patribus Luther sanctis confessionem faciam date mibi absolutionem bonam quae vobis opto quamminimum noceat Contigit me semel sub mediam noctem subito expergefieri Ibi Sathan mecū caepit eiusmodi disputationem Audi inquit Luthere doctor perdocte Nosti te quindecim annis celebrasse Missas priuatas penè quotidiè Quid si tales Missae horrenda essent Idololatria Quid si ibi non adfuisset corpus sanguis Christi Sed tantùm panem vinum adorasses aliis adorandum proposuisses I will before yowe reuerend and holie Fathers make a confession geue me a good absolucion which I wish maie nothing hurte yowe Yt happened me once at midnight sodenlie to be wakened Sathan appeared to Luther ād disputed with him of priuate Masse Ther Sathan beganne this maner of disputacion with me Hearken saieth he thowe well learned doctour Luther Thowe knowest that by the space of these fiftene years thowe hauest saied priuate Masse all most euerie daie What if soche priuate Masses were abhominable Idolatrie What if ther hath not ben present the bodie and blood of Chryst but that thowe haddest honoured onely bread and wine and haddest sett yt furth to other to be honoured Thus moch Sathan to Luther In which talke Sathan goeth aboute to confirme three pointes of their doctrine that ys that Chrystes bodie and bloode be not in the Sacrament but onelie bread and wine That Chryst in the Sacrament ys not to be adored And that priuate Masses are not to be vsed See ye not nowe what a miracle here ys that Sathan wolde vouchesaf to speake with Lurher at middenight ys not this doctrine moche confirmed nowe that Sathan hath perswaded yt who knoweth not that Sathan perswadeth to heresie not to the right faith to euell not to good to falshoode not to trueth Wherfor chrystian reader if thowe wise be flee that he perswadeth thee vnto and embrace that he diswadeth thee from And thus to a good chrystian this doing of Sathan maie be occasion of confirmacion in faith For wher Sathan disswadeth Luther from the Masse from the beleif of the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament from the honouring Ioan. 8. of Chryst ther we maie be certen and sure that the Masse ys good that the presence of Chryste in the Sacrament and the honouring of him ther be holsom and good doctrines For he being as Chryst saieth a liar and 1. Pe. 5. a manisleer from the beginning seketh not to teache vs the trueth nor to helpe to saue ys but raither as S. Paule saieth he being our aduersarie goeth aboute like a roaring lion seking whome he maie deuoure whom God graūt vs stronglie to withstande in faith Thus I saie occasion ys geuen vs to be cōfirmed in that faith from the whiche Sathan wolde disswade vs. But as touching the matters which Sathan wolde perswade by his deuelish apparition to Luther if ther were no more saied a wise reader wolde by these fewe woordes easelie perceaue howe good and true the doctrine of the Proclamer ys which ys soche as Sathan perswaded and euen the verie same This being all the miracles that I can finde of the confirmacion of the Proclamers doctrine I maie thus conclude that forasmoch as this doctrine ys setfurth by the apparition and perswasion of Sathan and not by God that yt ys Sathans doctrine and not gods Nowe for the catholique doctrine let vs see if God hath besides his figures
this Vel hunc ad modum intelligere iuxta Diui Cyrilli sententiam Cyrill poteris Perinde ac in corpore immoratur anima immoratur autem ipsi corpori essentialiter indiuisibiliter ac citra mixturam caeterum ipsa quidem anima per mortem à corpore separatur Deus autem Verbum nunquam ab assumpta carne separatus est verum etiam in sepulchro aderat ipsam incorruptibilem seruans animaeque apud inferos praedicans sine donans captiuis remissionem Ye maie also according to the minde of S. Cyrill thus vnderstand yt that as in the bodie dwelleth the soule but yt dwelleth in the bodie essentiallie and indiuisiblie and that withoute the commixtion of the two natures But yet the soule ytself ys separated from the bodie by death But God the Sonne ys neuer separated from the flesh whiche he hath taken but he was with yt bothe in the graue keping yt from corruption And with the Soule declaring or geuinge remissiō of sinnes vnto them that were in captiuitie Thus farre he By all this ys ment that the verie Godhead ys substanciallie in Chryst as the soule ys substāciallie in the bodie so that we cometo that bodie of Chryst in the whiche dwelleth fullie that ys to saie substanciallie the Godhead which Chryst ys God and man And for somoche as we come to so woorthie a person meet yt ys that we compownde ourselues accordinglie In this Father then this maie we learne as in the other allreadie alleadged that S. Paule speaketh of the bodie of Chryst and ys so to be vnderstanded For clls when he moueth vs to prepare our selues as to come to the bodie of Chryst what shoulde yt appertein to the pourpose to alleadge Sainct Paule yf Sainct Paule did not or doe not speake of the same thinge that he ys alleadged for What ys yt to the pourpose to alleadge Sainct Paule speaking of a peice of bread to prooue that we must examine or selues before we receaue Chrystes bodie Betwixt the bodie of Chryst and a peice of bread ther ys no comparison Likewise are we taught here that euell men maie receaue the bodie of Chryst For if they coulde not why shoulde he dehort them from soche receipt Vain yt were to moue a man not to doe a thing whiche Euell men receaue the bodie of Chryste ys vnpossible to be doen. Yt were straung to perswade a man not to pull dowen heauen with his handes He were to beskorned that wolde moue men to eate the starres And whie Bicause he shoulde moue them to doe that that ys vnpossible to be doen. Euen so yf euell men can not receaue the bodie of Chryst as the Aduersarie teacheth what vanitie ys yt for this holie Father and other his likes to make so manie and earnest exhortacions that men shoulde not receaue the bodie of Christe vnwoorthilie Forsomoche then as these graue wise and learned Fathers gaue vs so manie godlie exhortacions so manie vertueouse admonicions that we shoulde not receaue the bodie of Chryste vnwoorthilie yt ys most certen that we maie so receaue yt And yf so then euell men maie receaue the bodie of Chryst To Isichius ys ioined Sedulius who in euery parte affirmeth what the other hath taught For he saieth thus vpon these woordes of Chryst recited of S. Paule Take ye This ys my bodie Qnasi dixisset Paulus Cauete ne illud corpus indignè comedatis dum Corpus Christi est Indignè hoc comedetis si pauperes confundatis siue escam aliquam ante spiritualem Dominicam Caenam comedatis As though the Apostle had saied Beware ye that ye eate not that bodie vnworrhilie forsomoche as yt ys the bodie of Chryst Ye shall eate this bodie vnwoorthilie yf ye confownde the poour yf also ye eate anie other meate before the spiritual meat the Supper of Lorde Thus Sedulius Wher Sainct Paule saieth he that eateth this bread vnwoorthilie c. This man saieth that Sainct Paule in that wholl proceasse spake of the bodie of Chryst And therfor saieth he when S. Paule Sedulius saieth that S. Paule spake of the bodie of Chryst. had recited the woordes of Christ Take ye and eate This ys my bodie yt was as moche as though the Apostle had saied Beware that ye eate not that bodie vnwoorthilie for somoche as yt ys the bodie of Chryst In sewe woordes then yt ys euidēt and plain that the Apostle theer spake of the bodie of Chryst whiche thing that yt sholude be perceaued to be voide of all doubte this Authour not contēted with once speaking of the bodie saieth with an addicion For yt ys the bodie of Chryst. Whiche maner of speache maketh an assurance vnto vs that yt ys so This also ys to be obserued that as he saieth that S. Paule teacheth vs the presence of Chrystes bodie that he also geueth vs an admonicion that we be ware that we receaue not that bodie vnwoorthilie Wherby as before ys noted what ells ys geuen vs to vnderstande but that that bodie maie be receaued The bodie of Chryste maie be receaued of vnwoorthie persons of vnwoorthie receauers Whiche ys as moche to saie as euell men maie receaue the bodie of Chryst Nowe let not the good Christian be brought in doubte with the vain argument of the Sacramentaries who doe reason thus The Spiritt of Chryst ys allwaies with his bodie or ys not We maie not saie that yt ys not for that the spiritte of Chryst ys This argumens was made to me in the Bishop of Elies house bye one yet liuing inseparable from him Yf then yt be allwaies with him then the euell man receauing Chrystes bodie receaueth also his Spiritte And so shall the Spiritte of God be in sinners whiche ys not to be saied This vain argument shall the substanciall and pithie sainge of the holie Martir Ciprian clean dissolue and wipe awaie who saieth thus Sacramenta quidem quantum in se est sine propria esse virtute non possunt Nec vllo modo diuina se absentat maiestas mysterijs Sed quamuis ab indignis se sumi vel contingi Sacramenta permittunt non possunt tamen Spiritus esse participes quorum infidelitas vel Ciprian serm de Caena indignitas tantae sanctitati contradicit Ideoue alijs sunt haec munera odor vitae in vitam alijs odor mortis in mortem quia omnino iustum est vt tanto beneficio priuentur gratiae contemptores nec indignis tantae gratiae puritas sibi faciat mansionem The Sacramentes Solucion of the argument by S. Ciprian trulie formoche as in them ys can not be withthoute their propre vertue Neither doeth the diuine maiestie by anie meanes absent yt self from the misteries But although the Sacramentes suffre them selues to be touched or receaued of the vnwoorthie they for all that whose vnbeleif or vnwoorthinesse doeth withstand so great holinesse can not be partakers of the Spiritt And therfor are
regem coelorum impudens exoscularis anima tua tam vitits olente atrox sanè contumelia est res huiusmodi dic tu mihi Num eligas illotis manibus ad tam venerabilem victimam accedere Non puto quin vt coniicio malis prorsus tibi temperare ab aditu quam sordidis accedere manibus At interim in paruo tam religiosus cum sis animam autem habens coeno vitiorum squalentem accedis audes impudens contingere Etiamsi ob manuum sordes ad tempus quis contineat sed ad animam omni elunic vitiorum repurgandam totus interim redeat Consider nowe what great godlinesse of life the receauers of the olde sacrifice did vse what did they not Sacrifice of the aultar honourable to Angels They were alwaies purified and doest thow coming to this healthsome sacrifice which the angells theÌ„selues doe with trembling honour doest thowe measure so great a thing with the compasse of time with what countenauÌ„ce wilt thow stand before the iudgement seat of Chryste who hauest ben so bolde with impure and vnclean hands and lippes so impudentlie to touche his bodie Thowe woldest not if thowe haddest a stinking mouthe take vpoÌ„ thee to kisse the kinge And doest thowe thow impudent man kisse the king of heauens thy soule so sore stinking with vices and sinnes This maner of thing ys a cruell reproache Tell me woldest thow take vpon thee to come to this honorable sacrifice with vnwashed hands I thinke not But as a gesse thow haddest leuer altogether forbeare to go to yt then to come to yt with filthie handes And whilest thowe arte so religiouse in a small thing darest thow thowe impudent man touche this hauing a soule defiled with the filthinesse of sinnes Although a man for the vncleannesse of his handes doe witholde himself for a time but yet to clense his soule froÌ„ the pestilent stinking sinke of vices let him whollie geue himself Thus he Thow hauest heard reader a notable godlie saing of Chrysostome Thow maist therin as I haue saied finde faithfull instruction and godlie exhortacioÌ„ 1 Three poincts of instruction in Chrysost woordes As concerning instruction thow art instructed here in three poinctes First that Chrystes verie bodie ys in the Sacrament Which thow art taught by expresse woordes when he saieth to the finful man darest thow with vncleaÌ„ hands and lippes impudently touche his bodie wherin he teacheth that the bodie of Chryst ys so present in the Sacrament that yt ys touched both with hands and lippes wheÌ„ yt ys receaued which maner of receauing argueth the corporall substance of Chryst to be present which maie be touched according to Chrystes owne sainge Palpate videte quia spiritus carnem ossa non habet sicut me vidâ—tis habere Feel and see that a Spiritt hath not flesh and bones as yt see me to haue Again wher he saieth to the like man Thowe woldest not take vpon thee with a stinking mouthe to kisse the kinge And darest thowe kisse the kinge of heauens thy soule so stinking with vices Marke yt well So certenlie ys the bodie of Chryst presentlie touched that he calleth the same the King of heauens What wise godlie or learned man making sermons to the people wolde euer call the Sacramen if therin were nothing but a peice of bread the bodie of Chryst and the king of heauens and so leaue yt to them to beleue if yt were not as he calleth yt Yt were not to teach but to deceaue not to edifie 2 The bodie of Chryste maie be touched and receaued of him that hath a silthie soule but to destroye Wherfore vnderstand that by the doctrine and instruction of Chrysostome the verie bodie of Chryst the verie kinge of heauens ys in the Sacrament receaued into our handes and lippes The seconde poinct of instruction confirmeth the first whiche poinct ys that men defiled in soule maie yet receaue with their handes and mouthes the bodie of Chryst the king of heauens Which poinct although he doeth open and declare throwoute the wholl processe yet speciallie when he saieth darest thowe not kisse the King if thow hauest a stinking mouthe And darest thowe kisse the king of heauens thy soule stinking with filthie and stinking vices By which woordes he fullie teacheth that men defiled and corrupted in soule maie yet though to their condemnacion receaue the bodie and blood of Chryst But vpon this bicause moch ys allreadie saied and this ys so plainlie testified by Chrysostome I will not tarie 3 Sacrifice auouched The thirde poinct of his instruction that also confirmeth the presence ys that he saieth that the Sacrament ys a sacrifice which he doeth in the beginning of his saing wher alluding to the preparacion of the receauers of the sacrifices of the olde lawe he saieth they clensed purified and ordred theÌ„selus And wilt thow saieth he come to this holsome sacrifice which Angels with treÌ„bling doe honoure by the measure of time Meaning that the people should not coÌ„me to receaue vpoÌ„ this onelie pourpose that yt ys a solemne feast but vpoÌ„ this that they be pure and clean in conscience froÌ„ all filthiness of sinne Wher ye see that Chrysostome doeth not onelie call yt a sacrifice but also saieth yt to be soch a sacrifice as Angels with trembling doe honoure which Sacrifice ys not our sacrifice of thankesgeuing as the Sacramentaries doe feign for that ys no soch thing as wherunto the Angels should doe honoure or in the presence of which thei should treÌ„ble No this sacrifice ys soch as vnto the which Chrysost exhorteth to preparacion contrarie to Luthers doctrine being in yt self honourable yet we maie come to yt with vnwashed hands saieth Chrysostome wherfor yt ys of an other sorte which ys in dede the Sacrifice of Chrystes bodie and blood which ys alwaies to the Angels honourable He geueth also godlie exhortacioÌ„ which whollie consisteth in the preparacioÌ„ of our selues to pourge and clense our selues from all filthinesse of euell liuing or viciouse affectioÌ„ To this he persuadeth bi the exaÌ„ple of them that were partakers of the sacrifices of the olde lawe which purified and cleÌ„sed themselues and kept theÌ„selues clean in that time By the exaÌ„ple also of a man that will not presume for bicause he hath a stinking mouth to kisse the King that we moch more hauing stinking soules should not presume to receaue Chryst our King And thirdly by example of extern reuerence doeÌ„ to the Sacrament in the time of Chrysostome at which time the people receauing the Sacramentes into their handes vsed not so to receaue but they had wasshed their haÌ„ds before By all which exaÌ„ples he moueth the receauers of this blessed holie and diuine Sacrament to pourge theÌ„selues to clense their consciences to purifie their soules froÌ„ the stinking sinke of vices and so with all cleannesse of bodie and soule to come to the receipt of the mysteries In all which proceasse howe moch he varieth