together ye shal easilie perceaue Which I saie not as that ther ys in dede no agrement or consonant trueth betwixt thē But that yt maie the raither appeare and be wel knowen that the trueth of the historie of the Gospell lieng hid yt ys not easie for euery man to finde oute the same Chrysostom also findeth an other obscure place for thus he saieth Illud Chrysostō in pri Matth. quoque inter occulta numeratur quomodo Elizabeth de Leuitica existens tribu Mariae cognata dicatur That also ys to be enombred emonge the hid thinges howe that Elysabeth being of the tribe of Leui maye be called the cosine of Mary Forasmuche as the lawe was that men shoulde marrie within their owne tribes yt dothe appeare that Elisabeth being married to Zacharie she was of the same tribe Likewise that Ioseph being of the tribe of Iuda and marrieng the virgen Mary that she was of the same trybe Whiche thinge ys declared by saincte Hierom and Chrysostom also in soluing this double Why the Euangelistes do bring the ordre of the genealogle of Christ to Ioseph seing that Ioseph was not the father of Christ in dede but his putatiue or supposed father To this they answere that Ioseph and Mary being of one tribe the Genealogie commeth right to Christe So then Mary being of the tribe of Iuda and Elisabeth of the trybe of Leui the doubte stādeth howe the virgen Marie shoulde be cousin to Elisabeth And yet the Euangelist saincte Luke recitinge the woordes of the Angell saieth Et ecce Elizabeth cognata tua ipsa concepit filium in senectute sua And beholde Luc. 1. thy cousin Elisabeth she also hath conceaued a sonne in her olde age Also yt ys not withoute Doubte that ys saied of our master Chryste as the Euangelist saincte Marke reciteth wher he speaking of the coming of Marc. 13. the Sonne of man to the general iugement saieth De die autē illa hora nemo nouit neque Angeli in caelo neque filius nisi pater But of that daie and howre knoweth no mā no not the Angells which are in heauē neither the Sonne himself saue the Father oneli Whiche doubte ys liuelie opened ād sett furth by the holie father Chrysostom in the xlviij homelie vpon saincte Matthew wher emong other godlie woordes as touchinge this matter he saieth thus Quis haec vnquā Chrysost hom 48. dicere potuit Patrem filius optimè nouit eo prorsus pacto quo pater filium diem autem illum ignorat Praeterea Spiritus dei profunda inuestigat Filius verò nec tempus nouit Sed quomodò quidem iudicare oporteat non fugit eum archana singulorum clam eo non sunt quod autem multo vilius est id ignorat Adhuc quomodò is per quem omnia facta sunt sine quo factum est nihil diem illum ignorabit Qui enim secula fecit is profectò creauit tempora diem produxit quomodò igitur quae ipse produxit ignorat Who coulde at any time saieth Chrysostom saie thesethinges The Sonne knoweth the Father verie well and euē the verie same waye that the Father knoweth the Sonne and dothe he not knowe that daie Moreouer the Spirit of God searcheth the depe Botomes of the secretes of God and dothe not the Sonne knowe the time But howe he must Iudge the worlde he ys not ignorante and the secretes of all men are not hidden from hym and ys he ignorante of that that ys not so wourthie a thinge Howe also dothe he by whom all thinges are made and withoute whom nothing was made not knowe that daie he that made the worldes he trulie created the tymes and brought furthe the daie howe thē doth he not knowe that that he produced Thus moche Chrysostome wherby ye maie see what doubte ther ys in the text Whiche yf yt shoulde be vnderstanded as yt lieth what errour and heresie shoulde spring oute of yt Thus as many a man swimming aboue vpon the smoothe of the water seeth not the depe botome therof So manie a man readinge the smoothe face of the Scripture seeth not the depe doubtes of the same Algasia and Hedibia women bothe vertueouse and studiouse by their studies Hieron ad Alg. qn 1. perceaued many darke places in the scriptures whiche they not taking vpō them rashlie to explicate as persuading them selues that the scriptures were not easie and plain sent from the fordest partes of Fraunce to saincte Hierom then being at Bethleem the one of them twelue questions The other eleuen questions whiche all be of the newe Testament as well of the gospells as of the Epistles Algasia moueth this doubte whie saincte Iohn the Baptist being in prison sent hys disciples to Chryste asking him this questiō Arte thowe he that shall come or do we looke for an other seing before he had appointed him Luc. 7. Ioan. 1. with his fingar saienge of him Ecce agnus Dei ecce qui tollit peccata mundi Beholde the lābe of god beholde him that taketh awaie the sinnes of the worlde Yt augmēteth the doubte also that Ihon had baptised Chryste at which time he knowing him to be Chryst the verie Messias did not onelie saie to Chryst I haue nede to be Baptised of thee and comest thowe to me But also sawe the heauens open and the Spirite of God descending like a doue Matth. 3. and lighting vpō him and heard also the voice from heauen saieng Thys ys my beloued Sonne in whō I am wel pleased howe then dothe he aske this whether he be the Messias that shoulde come or that they must looke for an other Thys as I suppose maie well appeare to be a doubte to a simple reader and not withoute consultacion of learned men to be dissolued Hedibia moueth this doubte emōg other in the gospell Howe saincte Matthew saieth Mary Magdalen with the other Mary fell downe at the feete of Ioan. 20. Matth. 28 Hed. qu. 5. Hieron ad Christ after his resurrection and helde his feet Seinge that sainct Iohn saieth that Christ forbod her saieng Touche me not For I haue not yet asscended to my Father Yt semeth that one of theise must be vntrue An other doubte moche like vnto this ther ys betwixt saincte Iohn and saincte Marke Sainct Marke saieth when the Sabboth was past Mary Magdalen Marc. 16. and Mary Iacobi and Salome bought swete odoures that they might come and anoynt Iesus And early in the morning the first daie of the Sabboth they came to the Sepulchre when the Sunne was risen Saincte Iohn saieth The first daie of the Sabboth came Mary Magdalen earlie in Ioan. 20. the morning when yet was yet darke Yt ys not verie eafie for an vnlearned reader to agree theise two In the storie of the resurrection of Christe ther be a great nombre of apparant Matth. 28. Ioan. 20. Marc. 16. contrarieties as of the time of the
est ad eum c. Tu es sacerdos Hebr. 5. in aeternum secundùm ordinem Melchisedech Euen so Chryste also glorified not him self to be made the high pteist but he that said vnto him c. Thowe arte a preist for euer after the order of Melchisedech And declaring the great benefitte that came by him being the high preist to all beleuers he saieth again Et consummatus factus est omnibus obtemperantibus sibi causa salutis aeternae appellatus à Deo Pontifex iuxta ordinem Melchisedech And Ibid. he being perfight was the cause of eternall saluacion vnto all them that obeied him and ys called of God an high preist after the ordre of Melchisedech Likewise he calleth him in the VI. chapiter And the wholl VII chap. he occupieth in applieng Melchisedech to Chryst prouing by this prophecie the abrogacion of the preisthead of the lawe and so consequētlie of the lawe yt self Wherfore he saied Yf nowe therfore perfection came by the preistheade Hebr. 7. of the Leuites for vnder that preisthead the people receaued the lawe what neadeth further that an other preist shoulde rise to be called after the ordre of Melchisedech and not after the order of Aaron For yf the preisthead be translated then of necessitie must the lawe be translated also c. For after this maner dothe he testifie Thowe arte a preist for euer after the order of Melchisedech Then the commaundement that went before ys disanulled bycause of weakenesse and vnprofitablenesse And further declaring the excellencie of Chrystes preisthead aboue the preisthead of Aaron he saieth For these preistes were made withoute an othe but this preist with an othe by him that saied to him The Lorde sware and will not repent him Thowe art a preist for euer after the order of Melchisedech Thus as the lawe of nature hath in Melchisedech figured Chryste And the lawe of Moyses by prophecie forespoken yt So hath the lawe of the Gospell as ye haue nowe learned by sainct Paule fullfilled the same and most plainlie and euidentlie proued yt so to be Yf then Chryste be a preist after the order of Melchisedech we must seke what the order of the preistheade of Melchisedech ys and wherin yt consisteth And therbie shall we knowe the preistheade of Chryste wherin yt consisteth Sainct Paule generallie declareth the order of a preist when he saieth Omnis namque Pontifex ex hominibus assumptus pro hominibus constituitur in ijs Hebr. 5. quae sunt ad Deum vt offerat dona sacrificia pro peccatis Euery high preist that ys taken from amonge men ys ordeined for men in thinges perteining to God to offer giftes and Sacrifices for sinne By whiche description of saincte Paule yt dothe appeare that the order of preisthead standeth in two partes The first he teacheth when he saieth Ordre of preisthead standeth in two partes Pro hominibus constituitur in ijs quae sunt ad Deum He ys ordeined for men in thinges perteining to God Wherby ys ment the preaching to the people and teaching them the lawes of God and ministring the Sacramentes to them as yt was saied vnto Moyses Esto tu populo in ijs quae ad Exod. 18. Deum pertinent vt referas quae dicuntur ad eum ostendasue populo ceremonias ritum colendi viam per quam ingredi debeant opus facere Be thowe vnto the people to Godward that thowe maist bringe the causes vnto God And thowe shalt teache them ordinaunces and lawes and shewe them the waie wherin they must walke and the worke that they must doo The seconde parte of the order of preistheade standeth in offring giftes and sacrifices for the sinnes of the people Then they that be called of God as was Aaron and doo preach and teache one faith of God vnto the people and offer vnto God one maner of sacrifice they be one order of preistheade So that these two must concurre or ells yt ys not a perfight order For Elias the prophet of God and the 3. Reg. 18. preistes of Baall did offer one maner of thinge in sacrifice for they both offred oxen yet they differed in preisthead For Helias was the preist of God the other the preistes of Baall And why was this difference bycause they taught not one faithe in one God Melchisedech and Aaron taught one God and were bothe preistes of Gen. 14. Leuit. 8. Heb 5. God For Melchisedech was the preist of the most high God as the booke of Genesis wittnesseth and Aaron was called of God as the booke of Leuiticus and saincte Paule to the Hebrues testifie And yet they were not of one order of preisthead bycause their sacrifices were not of one maner By this then yt maie be taken for a trueth that Chryst not being a preist after the order of Aaron but after the order of Melchidech whiche two orders differed not in faith but in maner of sacrifice ys so called a preist after the order of Melchisedech for the maner of the sacrifice For he must agree with Melchisedech in that thing that maketh the difference betwixt the order of Aaron and the order of Melchisedech and that was and ys in the maner of sacrifice For Aaron offred in blood the other in bread and wine But here the Aduersarie will saie that Chryst ys not likened to Melchisedech for anie sacrifice by all the processe of saincte Paule But for Obiection that Melchisedech was Rex Salem kinge of Salem and withall the preist of God and for that he was with oute Father withoute Mother hauing neither beginning of daies nor ending in these pointes he ys the figure of Chryste who ys both king and preist hauing no Father in earth nor mother in heauen neither as concerning his Godhead anie beginning and as touching his Godhead and Manhead no endinge And so ys he a preist for euer To this I saie that the thing that saincte Paule principallie intended ys to be considered And then yt shall easilie be perceaued why he did not Principall entent of S. Paule in his epist to the Hebrues make rehersall of the maner of the sacrifice of Melchisedech nor mencion of the doing of the same in Chryste The principall entent of saincte Paule in this place was to proue and make manifest the excellencie of Chryst and his preisthead aboue Aaron and his preisthead Whiche excellencie in nothing more appeared then in that that Chryst was an euerlasting preist and his preisthead euerlasting and not in the maner of sacrifice For yf he had alleaged that Melchisedech did sacrifice in bread and wine The Hebrues wolde quickly haue saied that their sacrifices in that respecte moche excelled and had a moche more gloriouse shewe and cowntenance then the sacrifice of Melchisedech being but bread and wine And therfor saincte Paule omitted to make mencion VVhie S. Paule spake nothing of she sacrifice of Melchisedech in his epist
the neutre gendre importeth a difference substanciall from the thing that yt ys compared to and so the two thinges that be compared together be of two different substances And therfore for somoche as the Father the Sonne and the holie Goste be three distincted persons the catholique faithe teacheth vs to saie Alius est Pater alius Filius alius Spiritus sanctus The Father ys one the Sonne ys an other and the holie Goste ys an other But formoche as they be not distincted in substāce we maie not saie Aliud est Pater aliud Filius aliud Spiritus sanctus The Father ys one thing the Sonne an other thing and the holie Gost an other thinge But cōtrarie wise bicause these three be one in substance the Scripture teacheth vs thus Tres sunt qui testimonium dant in coelo Pater Verbum Spiritus sanctus hi tres vnum sunt Ther be three that beare wittnesse Ioan. 5. Vnum in the neutre gēdre signifieth vnitie of substāce Ioan. 10. in heauen the Father the Sonne and the holie Gost and these three be Vnum that ys one thing or substance not Vnus one person So we reade in the Gospell Ego Pater vnum sumus I and the Father be one that ys in substance So here where sainct Cyprian saieth Aliud est quod appositum c. Yt ys one thinge that was sett before them and cōsumed and an other thing that the master did geue and distribute he sheweth that these two thinges were thinges substanciallie distincted For before yt was the substance of bread of the whiche he spake in the beginning of the sentence whē he saied Manducauerāt de eodem pane secundùm formam visibilem They had eaten of the same bread after a visible forme But nowe after the solemne benediction yt ys an other substance that ys the substance of Chryste whiche as before ys saied ys the medicin to heale our infirmities and the sacrifice to pourge our iniquities Yf ther were the same substance of bread still remaining after the consecracion by the solemne blessinge as was before so as ther were none other chaunge but an accidentall chaunge that ys as the Aduersaries saie that the bread before the woordes of Chryst spoken ouer yt For they abhorre to vse the woorde consecracion as saincte Cyprian dothe and other holie Fathers ys but comon bread but after the woordes be spoken yt ys a sacramentall bread then this Authour wolde not saie Aliud est yt ys an other thing Whiche latin woord Aliud respecteth the difference of the substance as ys before saied and ys as moch to saie as an other thing in substance or an other substance Wherfore to conclude this holie Martir of Chryste teacheth vs here The bread that before consecraciō serueth to nourish the bodie onelie after cōsecraciō ys an other thing whiche nourisheth the soule that the bread consecrated by the Solemne benediction wher before yt was bread onelie to nourish the bodie yt ys nowe after the consecracion a thing profitable for the healthe and life of the wholl man that ys both of the bodie and of the soule being a medicin to beale infirmities and a sacrifice to pourge iniquities Which thing ys an other thing from the thing that yt was before differing from that in substance We must nedes therfore affir me and professe that yt ys the verie bodie of Chryst substanciall and Reall But that this maie appeare vnto yow to be the verie minde of saincte Cyprian and not a sense of mine owne wresting as the Aduersaries for the more parte will saie when ells they coulde saie nothing being put to scilēce by force of the trueth ye shall heare an other place of the same Authour At Melchisedech Rex Salem protulit panem vinum fuit enim sacerdos Li. 2. Epi. 3. ad Cicil. Dei summi benedixit Abraham Quòd autem Melchisedech typum Christi portaret declarat Spiritus sanctus in psalmis ex persona Patris ad Filium dicens Ante luciferum genui te Iurauit Dominus non poenitebit eum tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundùm ordinem Melchisedech Qui ordo vtique hic est de sacrificio illo veniens inde descendens quòd Melchisedech sacerdos Dei summi fuit quòd panem vinum obtulit quòd Abraham benedixit Nam qui magis sacerdos Dei summi quà m Christus Iesus Dominus noster qui sacrisicium Deo Patri obtulit obtulit hoc idem quod Melchisedech obtulerat id est panem vinum suum scilicet corpus sanguinem And a litle after yt foloweth Vt ergo in Genesiper Melchisedech Sacerdotem benedictio circa Abraham possit ritè celebrari praecedit antè imago sacrificij in pane vino scilicet constituta Quam rem perficiens adimplens Dominus panem calicem mixtum vino obtulit qui est plenitudo veritatem praefiguratae imaginis adimpleuit And Melchisedech King of Salem saieth holie Cyprian brought furthe bread and wine For he was the preist of the most high God and he blessed Abraham And that Melchisedech did beare the figure of Chryste the holie Gost in the person of the Father to the Sonne dothe declare in the psalmes saing Before the daie starre haue I begotten thee Owre Lorde hath The ordre of Melchisedech came to Chryst not onelie in that he was the high preist but in that he offred bread and wine the like sacrifice sworn and yt shall not repent him Thowe arte a preist for euer after the ordre of Melchisedech Whiche ordre also ys this cominge from that Sacrifice and from thence descendinge that Melchisedech was the preist of the most high God that he offred bread and wine that he Blessed Abraham For who ys more the preist of the most high God then our Lorde Iesus Chryste who did offer sacrifice to God the Father And offred the verie same that Melchisedech had offred that ys to saie bread and wine euen hys bodie and bloode And after a fewe woordes he proceadeth thus That therfore the blessinge aboute Abraham might laufullie be celebrated by Melchisedech the preist in Genesis the ymage of the sacrifice goeth before appointed in bread and wine Whiche thing owre Lorde perfecting and fullfillinge hath offred the bread and the cuppe mixed with wine And he that ys the fullnesse hath fulfilled the trueth of the prefigurated ymage Thus farre saincte Cyprian What neadeth me here to saie any thing wher euery parte of the sentence ys so plain that yt clerelie and plainlie openeth yt self As touching the speciall matter of thys place do ye not see that he saieth Melchisedech was the figure of Chryst Do ye not perceaue that he also saieth that the holie Gost declareth the same in the psalme Do ye not also see that Melchisedech was the figure of Chryst in three poincts that ys in that he was the preist of the most high God
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
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
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
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
sore against mankinde For sinne we hearde Thowe arte earth and into earth thowe shalt retourn But for asmoche as Chryst woolde ouerthrowe by his flesh this cruell Tyranne therfore that was shadowed among the olde Fathers in a misterie and they being sanctified withe the flesh and blood of a shepe God so willing did escape the plague aÌ„d destructioÌ„ Wher for then thowe Iewe art thow troubled seing nowe the trueth long before prefigurated why I saie arte thowe troubled yf Chryste do saie Except ye cate the flesh of the sonne of man and drink his bloode ye shall haue no life in yowe seing yt behoueth thee beinge instructed in Moises lawes aÌ„d taught by the olde shaddowes to beleue to be most readie to vnderstaÌ„d these misteries Thowe haest knowen the shaddowe aÌ„d the figure Learn therfor the veritie of the thing My flesh saieth he ys verilie meat and my blood ys verilie drinke Thus farre Cyrill Whome ye haue hearde at lenght declaring the figuratiue Paschall laÌ„be and the benefit that the Iewes had by the same Likewise ye haue heard him declaring the true Paschall Lambe and the benefite that commeth to vs therbie And when he hath applied the figure to the thing figured whiche ys the trueth of the figure as a matter sufficieÌ„tlie taught ther to be beleued of the Iewes He falleth into a wonder at the incredulitie of theÌ„ and reprouinge them all in the person of one saieth Why arte thowe o Iewe troubled seing nowe the verie veritie long before this prefigurated Yt behoued thee being instructed by Moises Lawes and verie well taught by the olde shadowes to beleue to be most readie to vnderstande these misteries Yf Cyrill did so earnestlie reproue the Iewes for their incredulitie being taught but by Moyses and the figures howe wolde he reproue our men who well instructed not by Moyses but by Chryste not by shaddowes and figures but by the gospell of treuth and veritie not moued as the Iewes semed to be to beleue a straunge noueltie but an aunciente faithe receared of antiquitie Yf the Iewes I saie be woorthie of reproche who knowe not the true faithe whiche they neuer yet had by plain knowledge receaued False Christians worthilie reproued for saking their faith how moche more be our false Chrystians to be reproued which the faithe that they were brought vppe in that they once embraced and receaued that they earnestlie beleued nowe haue maliciouslie not onelie contemned but also Reuiled detested and abiected God that ys the verie light lighten their heartes that they maie see into howe depe damnacion they haue deiected and cast them selues by their forsaking of the catholique faith being nowe bare and void of all excuse forsomoche as they did once knowe the trueth whiche nowe deuelishlie they blaspheme Si non venissem locutus eis fuissem peccatum non haberent nuÌ„c autem excusationem non habent de peccato suo Yf I had not commed saied Chryst Joan 15. and spokeÌ„ to them they shoulde not haue had sinne but nowe they haue none excuse of their sinne God I saie therfore haue mercie vpon them whilest time of mercie for them endureth and geue them grace dailie with the Prophett Dauid to crie and saie Respice exaudi me Domine Deus meus Illumina oculos meos ne vnquam obdormiam in morte ne quando dicat inimicus meus praeualui aduersus eum Consider Psal 12. and heare me o Lorde my God lighten mine eies that I sheape not in death lest mine enemis saie I haue preuailed against him What a preie and Spoill ys yt to our gostlie enemie and howe moche dothe he reioice when he deceaueth one that hath ben in the true faith and beâ—ieueth him of the same and so driueth him from God No doubte he counteth yt a great Spoill and reioiceth moch at yt as the verse of the same psalme immediatelie folowing dothe saie Qui tribulant me exultabunt si motus fuero They that trouble me will reioice at yt yf I becast down Return therfor in time and cleaue hard to the streight and strong piller of trueth For if ye be cast downe ye shall fall verie lowe and sinke depe Chryste sending his Apostles to preache taught them thus Into what cittie soeuer ye shall come enquire who ys worthie in yt and ther abide Math. 10. till ye go thence and whosoeuer shall not receaue yowe nor will heare yowe preachinge when ye departe oute of that house or cittie shake of the dust of yowe feete Verilie I saie vnto yowe yt shall be easier for the lande of Sodom and Gomorre in the daie of Iudgement then for that citte Consider therfore and heauie hand of God vpon Sodom and gomorre which in soche terrible sorte being sonke and destroied with fire and Brimstone from heauen argueth a more terrible damnacion to ensewe and folowe and yet yt shall be more easie to them in the daie of Iudgement then to soche as will not receaue faith Howe moche more greuouse then shall yt be to them which forsake that faith that not onelie they them selues haue receaued but the wholl Churche of Chryst throughoute all Chrystendom whiche faithe although yt hath diuerse times ben impugned as nowe in theise daies yt ys Yet God be praised yt was neuer ouerthowen nor neuer shall be and will cleaue to an heresie whiche hath ben not onelie sundrie and diuerse times ympugned but ouerthrowen condemned cursed and extincted Surelie as their reproche ys moche in this worlde for their so doing So shall yt be moche more before the face of God and his electe in the daie of his terrible iudgement But I will retourn from whence I haue digressed and touche one note more of Cyrill and so passe to other After he had thus rebuked the Iewes for their hardnesse of beleue he saied Vmbram figuram nosti disce ergo ipsam rei veritatem Thow hauest knowen the Shaddow and the figure learn therfore the verie thinge Note here again as before in Chrysostom ys noted that the olde Paschall lambe was a figure and owre Paschall Lambe the verie thinge Then yt ys not a peice of bread a bare sign or figure of Chryst for then these sainges of the learned Fathers were not true whiche saie plainlie that yt ys the verie thinge And this Father when he had willed the Iewes to learn the verie thing he declared furthwith what the verie thing ys Caro mea verè est cibus sanguis meus verè est potus My flesh saieth Chryst ys verilie meat and my bloode ys verilie drinke This saieth Cyrill ys the verie thing of the figure the verie flesh and bloode of Christ whiche be verilie meat and verilie drinke Howe this texte and other apperteining to the same matter in the sixte of S. Iohn haue ben wrested and wried and violentliie drawen by the enemies of gods trueth from their natiue and true sense yt shall be shewed more at large in the second
bodie our true Paschall lambe In nocte quippe inquit agnum comedimus quia in sacramento modò Dominicum corpus accipimus quando adhucinuicem nostras conscientias non videmus In the night saieth he do we eate the lambe forsomoche as we do nowe receaue our lordes bodie in the Sacrament when as yet we doe not see one an others conscience In this his sainge ys not onelie perceaued the applicacion of the figuratiue Paschall Lambe to the verie true Paschall Lambe but to the full agreement with other holie Fathers before alleaged he doth most plainlie testifie the reall presence bothe by his woordes terming yt the bloode of our Redemer and the bodie of our lorde and also by the maner of the receauinge of yt In the whiche note that he teacheth that the bodie and bloode of Chryst ys receaued by two distincted and diuerse maners of receauinge One maner ys with the mouthe of the bodie whiche argueth the reall presence The other maner ys with the mouthe of the hearte and that ys the spirituall maner of receauing So that the learned men in Chrystes faithe doo teache the good Chrystian man to receaue Chrystes bodie both corporallie and spirituallie But the maliciouse learned man against Chrystes faith teacheth that the good Chrystian man receaueth Chryste but onelie spirituallie and so robbeth him of the other the contrarie of the whiche Doctrine ye see here auouched by sainct Gregorie as yt was also by other before alleaged with whom he well agreeth To this sainct Gregorie shall be yoined Damascen one of the other side of the Parliament house of Chryst that ys of the greke church and of the lowe house but one of the first and cheif in that place as ys before saied a man so excellentlie will seen in the statutes of Chrystes Parliament house that ys to saie in the knowledge of the receaued trueth of Chrystes faithe that he did write foure bookes of the same both learnedlie and godlie and in the fourthe booke of his workes emong other explicacions of matters of faith he declareth also the faithe of the Churche in this matter of the Sacrament at large wher as touching the same matter he saieth thus Natiuitas nobis per spiritum donata est per sanctum dico baptismum Cibus verò ipse Li. 4. de orthod sid c. 14. panis vitae Dominus noster Iesus Christus qui de coelo descendit Nam suscepturus voluntariam pro nobis mortem in nocte qua seipsum obtulit testamentum nouum disposuit sanctis Discipulis Apostolis per ipsos omnibus alijs in ipsum credentibus In coenaculo sanctae gloriosae Sion antiquum Pascha cum Discipulis manducans et implens instrumētum antiquum lauit pedes Discipulorum signum sancti baptismatis praebens Deinde frangens panem dedit illis dicens Accipite comedite Hoc est corpus meum quod pro vobis tradetur in remissionem peccatorum Similiter accipiens calicem ex vino aqua tradidit illis dicens Bibite ex eo omnes hic est sanguis meus noui testamenti qui pro vobis effunditur in remissionem peccatorum Hoc facite in meam cōmemorationem Quotiescunque enim manducabitis panem hunc calicem bibetis mortem filij hominis annunciatis resurrectionem eius cōfitemini donec veniat Si igitur verbum dei viuens est efficax omnia quaecunque voluit Deus fecit Si dixit Fiat lux facta est lux Fiat firmamentum factum est Si verbo Dei coeli firmati sunt spiritu oris eius omnis virtus eorum Si coelum terra aqua ignis aer omnis ornatus eorum verbo Dei perfecta sunt homo ipse vbique diuulgatum animal Si volens ipse Deus Verbum factus est homo c. Non potest panem suum ipsius corpus facere vinum cum aqua sanguinem Dixit in principio Deus Producat terra herbam virentem vsque nunc pluuia facta producit germina diuino coädiuta vigorata praecepto Dixit Deus Hoc est corpus meum hic est sanguis meus hoc facite in meam commemorationē omnipotentieius praecepto donec veniat efficitur A newe birth ys geuen to vs by the Spirit and the water I saie by holie Baptisme but the meat ys the verie bread of life our lorde Iesus Christ who descended from heauen For willing to take for vs a willing death in the night in the whiche he offred vppe him self he disposed a newe testamēt to his holie Disciples and Apostles and by them to all other beleuing in him In the parlour Chrystes cuppe cōteined wine ād Water therfore of holie gloriouse Sion eating the olde Passeouer with his disciples and fulfilling the olde lawe he washed the feet of his disciples geuing a sign of holie Baptisme Afterwarde breaking bread he gaue yt to thē saing Take eate This ys my bodie whiche shall be deliuered for yowe in the remission of sinnes Likewise taking the cuppe of wine and water he deliuered yt vnto them saing Drinke ye all of this This ys my bloode of the newe Testament whiche shall be shedde for yowe in the remission of Sinnes This do ye in my remembrāce For as often times as ye shall eate this bread ād drinke this cuppe ye shew furth the death of the Sōne of mā ād acknowledge his resurrectiō vntill he come Yf then the woorde of God be liuing ād mightie in operaciō and al thinges whatsoeuer he hath willed he hath doē Yf he saied The light be made and the light was made The firmament be made and yt was made Yf by the woorde of God the heauens were made and all the power of them with the breath of his mouthe Yf heauen earth water fire and the Ayer and al the furniture of them by the woorde of God were made perfect and man himself being euery where a knowen liuing creature Yf God the Sonne himself being willing was made man c. Can not he make breade his owne bodie and wine and water his bloode God saied at the beginning Let the earth bring furth green herbe And vntill this daie being holpen and made strong with Gods commaundement the rain comming Effect of Chrystes woordes of consecraciō yt bringeth furth fruicts God saied This ys my bodie and this ys my blood and this do ye in the remembrance of me And by hys allmightie commaundement yt ys so made and brought to effecte vntill he come Thus farre Damascen Whose saing ys long but as pithie and weightie as yt ys long In the which he hath not onelie declared hys faith but the faith of Chryst receaued in his Churche which ys the wholl matter and onelie argument of hys worke as the title of the same doth purporte And to the matter which we haue in hande he geueth woorthie testimonie declaring the accomplishment of the olde lawe in
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
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
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
consecratione mysterij nemo qui verbis diuinis credit dubitat The holie Gost who withoute seed created the man Chryst in the wombe of the Virgen he also No man that beleueth the woordes of God doubteth of the bodie of Chryst in the Sacr. with his inuisible powre by the sanctisicacion of his Sacrament woorketh the Substance of bread and wine into the flesh and bloode of Chryste although neither by the seight outwardlie neither by the tast of the sauoure they can be comprehended but bicause they be spirituall thinges they are by faith and vnderstanding most fullie of a suertie receaued as the trueth did before saie yt That in verie dede the bodie and blood ys made by consecracion of the mysterie non man that beleueth the woordes of God doubteth Hauing now alleaged a good nōbre to testifie that the substāce of bread ād wine be chaūged or turned into the substāce of the bodie ād blood of Christ whiche turning of substance into substance the Church calleth Transubstanciacōn forasmoche Transubstantiaciō what yt ys as they are plain and euident testimonies not encombred with dark speaches as I content my self to produce no mo so I trust these maie suffice anie man considering howe auncient they be to cause him to setle and fixe his faith in the matter of the Sacrament and not to wauer or doubte In these doctours and authours this ys to be considered that Eusebius S. Howthe Fathers proue Transubstantiacion to be a miraculouse work of God Eusc Emis Gregorie and sainct Ambrose whiche be the first doe proue this turning of substances by the great workes of Gods might and power As Eusebius by the creacion of the high heauens the huge and depe waters or sloudes the great and vast earth and by the great worke of God in chaunging a man that was detestable and filthie in sinne that was bonde to the wofull and miserable bond of damnacion that was a straunger to God and an enemie that God maketh him pure and clean from all that filthinesse and setteth him in the state of innocencie deliuereth him from the bond and maketh him free to the kingdom of heauen and of a straunger and an enemie maketh him a domestical and a sonne adoptiue S. Gregorie by that worke of God that he caused bread and other naturall foode to be chaunged into that merueilouse bodie conceaued by the S. Gregorie holie Gost and ioined to the Godhead in vnitie of person whiche was not a common bodie but the bodie of God And for that yt hath God abiding in yt yt ys exalted to the dignitie of God which in dede well weighed ys a merueilouse worke of God S. Ambrose by the chaunging of the nature of a rodde into a Serpēt and of the nature of the serpent into the rodde again ād by a great nōbre of other S. Ambrese works of God which their maner of teaching geueth vs to vnderstād that this turning or chaūging wrought by God in the Sacr. ys no small work but soch a worke as ys and maie be accompted amonge the great workes of God among those workes that be myraculouse that be wonderfull soche as mans witte and vnderstanding can not atteign vnto but by faith And ther fore in the Sacrament ys an other maner of worke wrought by God then to make the bread and wine to be signes and tokens of remembrance that Chryst hath suffred an died for vs for that ys not among the miraculouse and wonderfull workes of God S. Cyrill in sitting furth this matter findeth as yt were a necessitie S. Cyrill that this chaunge a fore saied shoulde be bicause the flesh of Chryst whiche ys hable to geue life to our naturall flesh might by the receipt of the same in the Sacrament make owre mortall bodies to liue being once raised vppe to liue euerlastinglie Remigius ioineth the worke of the incarnacion with the worke of God in transubstanciacōn Damascen doth the like and with all teacheth S. Remig. Damascen that as the holie Gost wrought in the wombe os the virgen the incarnacion of Chryst by turning her substance into the substance of Chryst so in the Sacrament he woorketh the transubstanciacion by turning the substance of the bread and wine into the substance of Chrystes bodie Theophil Paschas and bloode Theophilact and Paschasius do the like with other good and necessarie instructions Thus ye maie see that as they teache the thing certenlie to be doen so doe they asscribe yt to the power of God to the woorke of the holie Gost they so esteem yt so magnifie yt that they accompt yt and enombre yt among the great and miraculouse workes of God As merueilouse and miraculouse yt ys in dede that the substances of bread and wine shoulde be turned into the substance of the bodie and bloode of the Sonne of God But to appoint a thing to be a figure to be a sign or token of remembrāce Appointing of figures ys nospeciall miraculouse worke of God ther neadeth not soch speciall power of God nor soch special worke of the holie Gost For manie thinges haue ben appoincted to be signes and tokens of remembrance of Gods benefittes whiche the writers and learned men did neuer accōpte among the miraculouse and wonderfull workes of God As the twelue stones whiche God commaunded Iosue that people shoulde laie in an heape in remembrance that the twelue Tribes passed vnder Iosue through Iordane with drie foote to go to Hiericho Though this were a tokē of the remembrence of a miraculouse and a wonderfull worke and benefitt Iosue 4. of God doē to the people of Israell yet the laing together of the xii stones was neuer accompted as a miraculouse worke of God To come to thinges that were figures of Chryste as to the Brasen Serpēt Num. 21. Ioan. 3. whiche Chryst applieth to him self as a figure of him self to be crucified though yt were both a token of the great benefitt of God to the people of Israell in releiuing them of the plague that he had sent amonge them and also a sigure of Christ to be crucified wherbie the faithfull shoulde be released of the plague of euerlasting damnacion yet this serpent was not of learned men in Chrystes Churche magnified and exalted among the great miraculouse workes of God The Paschall Lambe that was both a token of remembrance to the Iewes of the benefittes that they receaued in their passage oute of Aegipt and also Exod. 12. a sigure of Chryst and that a notable liuelie figure yet ys ther no christian writer that accompteth the killing or eating of that lambe as a miraculouse worke of God in yt self To come nearer to the maner the Catechumeni that ys the newlie instructed in christes faithe but not baptised of the whiche ther were a great nombre in the primitiue Church they receaued a bread whiche S. Augustine calleth a Sacrament and accompteth yt an holie meate yea holier
benefittes shewed and doen saieth thus And the readde Sea didest thowe diuide before them 2. Esd 9. in sundre so that they went through the middest of the Sea drie shooed and their persecutours threwest thowe in to the depth as a stone in mightie waters and leddest them on the daie time in a clowdie piller and on the night season in a piller of fire to shewe them light in the waie that they went Thowe gauest them bread from heauen when they were hongrie and broughtest furth water for them oute of the rocke when they were thirstie The diuision of the read sea wherof Esdras first maketh mencion The read Sea shall be perceaued to be a great wonderfull worke of God and a great benefitt to the Israelites yf the historie of the same be considered In the booke of Exodus we read that when Pharao king of Egypt Exod. 14. had according to gods commaundement sent vnto him by Moyses permitted the children of Israell to departe oute of Egypte he being a man of wicked heart when they were goen with might and force prepared to folowe them and to persecute them Whose mighttie armie and great nombre of horses and chariettes when the Israelites sawe poursewing them and with all considering the great strait that they were in hauing Pharao and his hoste behind them at their backe and the readd sea before them So that ther appeared vnto them nothing but wofull distresse and ineuitable perill of death they were sore afraied and caried oute to God And Moyses stretched oute his hand ouer the read Sea and God caried awaie the Sea by a verie strong east winde all that night and made the Sea drie land so that the children of Israell went through the middest of the Sea with drie feet hauing the waters as a wall vnto them bothe on the right hand and on the leste And the Egyptians folowed after them into the middest of the Sea and God caused the waters to return vpon them and drowned them with their horses and chariettes For whiche great wonder Moyses sange in prayse to God Flauit spiritus tuus operuit cos mare submersi sunt quasi Exod. 15. plumbum in aquis vehementibus The winde blewe and the Sea couered them they sanke like lead in the mightie waters Filij autem Israell ambulauerunt per siccum in medio â—eius But the children of Israell went on drie land in the myddest therof As ye maie perceaue by this what a great worke of God and howe great a benefitt to the Iewes yt was that sainct Paule in these fewe woordes spake The clowde that all passed through the redde Sea So was yt likewise that he saied that all the Fathers were vnder the cloude Of the beginning of this clowd we read also in Exodus that when the children of Israell departed oute of Egypt that theyr iourney should not be vncerten and they wander without Exod. 13. 14. ordre the Lord went before them by daie in a piller of a clowde to lead them the waie and by night in a piller of the fire to geue them light that they might go both by daie and by night The piller of the clowde departed not by daie nor the piller of sire by night oute of the sight of the people Benefites of the Clowde This clowdie piller was not onelie a guide and a leader vnto the people but yt was also a bullwarke of defence For when Pharao with hys armie did persecute the children of Israell the aungell of God whiche went before the hoste of Israell remoued and began to go behinde them And the clowdie piller that was before the face of them began to stand behind theÌ„ and came betwen the host of the Egyptians and the hoste of Israell Yt was also a darke clowde and gaue light by night and all night long the one came Num. 9. not at the other Thys clowde did not onely nowe serue for the commoditie of the Israelites but further on their iourney in the wildernesse yt was a great benefitt vnto them as we read in the booke of Nombres wher we learn that yt couered the Tabernacle allwaie by daie and the similitude of fire by night And yt happened that when the clowde abode vpon the tabernacle from euen vnto the morning and was taken vppe in that morning then they iourneied Or yf the clowde taried two daies or a moneth or a long season vpon the tabernacle and remained theron the children of Israell aboad still and iourneied not And as sooen as the clowde was taken vppe they iourneied Of thys clowde also speaketh the Prophet Dauid in the psalme reck ninge yt amonge other as a great benefitte of God geuen to the Israelites Expandit nubem in protectionem eorum ignem vt luceret eis per noctem Manna He spred oute a clowde to be a couering and fire to geue them light in the night season Exd. 16. Thus this goodlie benefitt somwhat opened and declared we shal do the like aboute the next which ys Manna Of the whiche we read that the xv daie of the seconde moneth after the departing of the children of Israell oute of the lande of Egypte the wholl multitude of the children of Israell murmured against Moyses and Aaron in the wildernesse and the children of Israell saied vnto them wolde to God we had died by the hande of the Lorde in the lande of Egypte when we sett by the flesh pottes and when we did eate bread our bellies full For ye haue brought vs out into this wildernesse to kill this wholl multitude with honger Then saied the Lorde vnto Moyses Be holde I will rain breade from heauen to yowe and the people shall go oute and gather daie by daie And in the same chapiter yt foloweth And in the morning the dewe laie rownde aboute the host And when the dewe was fallen beholde yt laie vpon the grownde in the wildernesse small and rownde and when the children of Israell sawe yt they saied euery one to his neighbour yt ys Manna For they wist not what yt was And Moyses saied vnto them this ys the bread which the Lord hath geuen yowe to eate Thus God fedde the children of Israell in the wildernesse wher they did neither sowe ne reape with this bread from heauen of the whiche they had no lacke This ys the meate that sainct Paule speaketh of that all the fathers did eate of This ys yt that ys spoken of in the Psalme Et Psalm 77. pluit illis Manna ad manducandum panem caeli dedit eis He rained downe Manna also vpon them for to eate and gaue them foode from heauen Of the wounders of this bread more shall be saied in the next chapiter The last benefitt recited of sainct Paule in this place ys that they all dranke Mater of the Rocke of one drinke that came oute of the rocke Of this miraculouse drinke we read that when
saied Nisi abiero Paracletus non Ibid. 16. veniet ad vos si autem abiero mittam eum ad vos Except I go the comforter shall not come to yowe but yf I go awaie I will sende him to yowe At the whiche coming he promised them saing Accipietis virtutem superuementis Spiritus sancti in vos Ye shall receaue powre after the holie Goste Acto 1. ys comed vpon yowe yet nowe they receaued certain giftes of the holie Goste as Chrysostom wittnesseth Non erraret quispiam si tunc eos potestatem quandam gratiam spiritualem accipisse diceret non tamen vt mortuos suscitarent virtutes In. 20. Joā ostenderent sed vt peccata dimitterent Differentes enim sunt gratiae Spiritus Quare addidit Quorum remiseratis peccata remissa sunt ostendens quod virtutis genus largiatur A man shoulde not erre yf he saied that they did receaue a certain power The holie Gost was geuen by Chrystes breathing and spirituall grace not yet that they shoulde rayse the dead and shewe wonders but that they shoulde forgeue sinnes The graces of the Spirit are different wherfore he added Whose sinnes ye remitte they are remitted declaring that he graunted a kinde of power Thus Chrysostome By this then yt ys manifest that at that breathing Chryst gaue vnto his Apostles the holy gost Let vs nowe examin the fourth scripture which Oecolampadius alleageth to proue a trope in Chrystes woordes whiche ys that Chryst saied of Iohn the Baptist that he was Helias The woordes be these Omnes Prophetae ac ipsa lex vsque ad Ioannem prophetauerunt si vultis recipere ipse est Helias Iqui venturus erat All the Prophetes and the lawe yt self hath prophecied vnto Iohn And Math 11 yf ye will receaue yt This ys Helias whiche was for to come For the better vnderstanding of this text yt ys to be noted that the Iewes vpon the prophecie Opinion of the Iewes of the coming of Helias of Malachie which prophecieth that Helias shal come before the Iudgement of Chryst mistaking and mysvnderstanding the same that he shoulde come before his coming into flesh were in doubte whether Iohn the Baptist were Helias and therfore sent Messengers vnto him asking whether that he was Helias or no. Wher in dede the prophecie speaketh of the coming of Helias before the seconde coming of Chryste whiche shall be to iudgement as the woordes do declare Beholde saieth allmightie God by the Prophet I will sende yowe Helias the prophet before the coming of the great and fearful daie of the Lorde He shall turne the heartes of the fathers to their children and of the children to ther fathers Mala. 4. that I come not and smite the earth with cursing Two things in this prophecie ther be which do teache vs that Helias shal be the percursour of the iudgement of Chryste and not of his natiuitie The one ys that he shall come before the daie of the great and fearfull Lorde Chryste at his natiuitie came as Rex pacificus a king a peacemaker he came as Zacha. ◠Rex mansuetus as a lowlie kinge as Zacharie prophecied that he shoulde do Reioice saieth he greatlie thowe daughter of Syon be glad o daughter Hierusalem Forlo Math. 21. Mar. 11. Luc. 19. Jbid. 2. thy king cometh vnto thee euen the righteouse and sauiour lowlie and simple ys be he rideth vpon an asse and vpon the fole of an asse This to be fulfilled in Chryste the holie Euangelists do wittnesse At his birth also as the prophet willeth Syon ād Hierusalē to reioice so the Angell appearing to the sheperds saied Beholde I bring yow tidinges of great ioie that shall come to all people And streit waie ther was with the Angel a multitude of heauenlie soldiers pray sing God and saing Glorie to God on hight and peace on the earth and vnto men a good will By this yt doth well appeare that the first coming of Chryst ys not fearful but peaceable lowlie and Ioyfull The first coming of Chryste was ioifull the second shall be terrible The seconde thing be noted ys that the Prophet shall come to turn the heartes of the fathers to the Sonnes c. Lest when that Lorde cometh he smite the earthe with cursing Chryst at hys first coming came not to smite punish and curse as he himself not a fewe times doth testifie Non veni vt iudicem mundum sed vt saluificem mundum I came not to iudge the worlde but to saue the world Again Venit filius hominis quaerere saluum facere quod perierat The Sonne of man came to seke and saue that that had perished In so moch that when his Disciples moued him that Luc. 19. fire might descende from heauen to consume the Samaritanes that wolde not receaue him he saied The Sonne of man came not to destroye but to saue mens lifes All whiche places declare that Chryst at hys first coming came not to Luc. 9. iudge nor to punish but to seke and saue But hys seconde coming in dede shall be fearfull and terrible For then he shall come to iudgement at which time yf the heartes of the people be not turned he shall then be a seuere iudge and shall greuouslie smite the wicked nesse of men and shall pronunce the sentence of cursing vpon earthlie men saing Go ye cursed into the euerlasting fire whiche ys prepared for the Deuell and hys Matth. 25 Angells Of thys iudgement ye maie read in sainct Matthew more at large Forsomoche then as Chryst at that his seconde coming shall be a fearfull Lorde and shall smite the earth with cursing yt must nedes be that Helias must be a precursour of that coming and not of the first Nowe for that the Iewes where in that errour that they loked that Healias shoulde come before that Messias shoulde come in to the worlde Chryst saied vnto them Si vultis recipere ipse est Helyas qui venturus erat Yf ye will receaue yt this ys Helias which was for to come Whiche woordes Euthymius expowndeth thus Si vultis recipere quod futurum esse dictum est de boc tempore ipse est Helias Jn 1. Math qui venturus erat vtpote ipsum illius ministerium perficiens Yf ye will receaue that that ys spoken to be doen hereafter to be of this time present He ys Helyas whiche was for to come as one perfourming euen his very mynisterie and office As who might saie Wher as ye thinke that Helyas who shall be the percursour of my seconde cominge to prepare the heartes of the people that they maie eschape my terrible iudgement ys the precursour of this my first cominge to prepare the heartes of the people to receaue me and my faith as touchinge that office yf ye will so take yt Iohn ys Helias For to that office ys he by the prophetes appointed as Helyas ys to the other
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
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
large in the first booke and yt ys S. Augustins rule also that all euell thinges figured by figures of Good thinges figured better then the figures the olde lawe are moche woorse then the figures by the whiche they are figured Soo all good thinges figured are moche better and more excellent then the figures Yf then the Sacramentes and sacrifices of the olde lawe be figures of the Sacramentes and sacrifices of the newe as in dede they be then must the Sacramentes and sacrifices of the newe lawe be moch better then the Sacramentes or sacrifices of the olde lawe Yf moche better then more excellent And nowe note that yf yt were so as the Aduersaries falslie doe teache that the bodie of Chryst were not present verilie in the SacrameÌ„t and that the other Sacramentes of Chrystes Churche as the constant and true doctrine of the same Churche ys to the contrary did not geue grace then were the Sacramentes of the olde lawe not onely as excellent as the Sacramentes of the newe lawe but by all means passing and excelling them And bicause this shall not be declared and proued by examples that be straunge to our matter we will bring furth an example with in the limites of our matter euen of Manna yt self the figure of our Sacrament What great miracles and wonders were in that MaÌ„na the booke of Exodus doth declare whiche for the better vnderstaÌ„ding of theÌ„ that are not exercised in the scriptures are collected and set furth by Roffensis and they be in nombre twelue Twelue woÌ„ders in MaÌ„na declared Roff. lib. 1. cap. 12. The first ys that howe moche soeuer anie hadde gathered yet he had no whit more then the measure that God had appoincted them to gather The secoÌ„d that he that gathered lesse theÌ„ the measure appoincted he had asmoche when he caried yt home as he that had gathered the iust measure The thirde yf they had kept any porcion vntill the next daie yf yt were not the Sabboth daie yt wolde haue putrified The fourth although yt might so quickly and shortly putrifie yet yt was kept in the Arcke a great nombre of yeares and putrified not The fift yf yt were laied in the Sunne yt wolde melt yf before the fire yt wolde be very harde The sixte although yt did euerie other daie orderly fall from heauen yet vpon the Sabboth daie ther fell none The seuenth although other daies in the weke whether they gathered more or lesse yet they had but one measurefull called Gomer vpon the daie next before the Sabboth to serue them two daies bicause they were forbidden to gather vpon the Sabboth daie they had home with them two measures full The eight he that that daie gathered more or lesse had no more nor lesse then his two measures when he came home The ninthe although in so great a multitude ther were of diuerse stomackes diuerse appetites some eating more some lesse yet that measure sufficed the strong stomaked and was not to moche for the weake stomacke The tenth vnto them that were good yt tasted to euery one according to his desire The eleuenth although to the godly yt was a most pleasaunt taste yet to the vngodly yt was lothsom The twelth the children of Israell were fedde fourtie yeares with this Manna in the Wildernesse As these miracles be conteined in the scriptures as in Exodus Numeri and in the booke of wisdom So they are also setfurth by holy writers to Exod. 16. Num. 11. Sap. 16. Chrysost indictum Apost Nolo vos ignor the settingfurth of Gods glorie in his wonderfull workes Of diuerse of these Chrysostome maketh mencion saing Et hoc vtique mirabile Tentauerunt tunc aliqui per tempus illud plus quà m opus fuerat colligere nullum auaritiae suae fructum accipiebant Et quamdiu aequalitatem colebant mansit Manna quod Manna erat Postquam autem auari plus habere desiderauerunt auaritia mutauit Manna in vermem Quamuis hoc non cum detrimento aliorum faciebant Non enim rapiebant exalimento proximi cùm plus colligerent attamen cùm plus desiderarent condemnati sunt Nam tametsi neminem alium iniuria affecerunt tamen sibi ipsis maximè nocuerunt hoc colligendi modo auaritiae studentes atque sic simul erat cibus diuinae agnitionis instructio simul pascebat corpora erudiebat animam Neque pascebat solùm sed à laboribus liberabat non enim opus eratiungere bones neque trahere aratrum neque sulcos secare neque ad annum expectare sed mensam habebant subitò appositam semper recentem quotidie nouam rebusue ipsis discebant Euangelicum illud praeceptum non debere solicitum esse in crastinum Nulla enim vtilitas ipsis ab hac solicitudine proueniebat Nam qui plus colligerat corrumpebatur peribat auaritiae argumentum solùm dabat Insuper ne putarent illum imbrem iuxta naturae consuetudinem esse nihil talium in die Sabbati fiebat Deo duo illa ipsos docente quòd prioribus diebus ipse mirabilem priorem pluuiam operabatur per diem illum abstinebat vt inuiti etiam discerent illo die feriari And this also was merueilouse Some proued in that time to gather more then was nede and of their couetousnesse they tooke no profit And as long as they tooke their equall proporcion that that was Manna did abide Manna But after the couetouse desiered to haue more auarice turned Manna into a woorme although they did this withoute hurte of other when they wolde gather more they did not violentlie take awaie any parte of their neighbours foode and yet for all that wheÌ„ they desiered more they were condemned For although they did not wrong an other man yet after this maner of gathering geuing their mindes to auarice they did moche hurte them selues And so yt was both meat and also an instruction of the knowlege of God Yt did bothe feed the bodie and teache the soule Neither did yt onely feede but yt also deliuered them from labours For they had no nede to yocke their oxen to drawe their plough nor to cutte oute furrowes neither to tarie a yeare for the croppe But they had a table quicklie sett furth and made readie fresh and dailie newe And by the same thinges they did learn the Euangelicall commaundement that they shoulde not be carefull for to morowe For of this carefullnesse ther came no profet to them For he that gathered more yt was corrupted and perished and gaue onely a rebuke of their greadinesse or couetousnesse Moreouer that they shoulde not thinke that shower or rain to be according to Manna githered more 〈◊〉 was nâ—ede corrupted the custome of nature vpon the Sabboth daie ther was none soche God teaching them these two thinges who was the worker of that merueilouse rain in the other daies and that he vpon that daie absteined that they shoulde
onely signified but also verilie vnder them receaued Of the which two partes of the Sacrament we haue more at large spoken before Of the aultar and the vse of the same also Sainct Ambrose maketh mencion saing Ego Domine memor venerandae passionis tuae accedo ad altare tuum licet Amb. orat praepar Aultar and sacrifice both mēcioned by S. Amb. and vsed peccator vt offeram tibi sacrificium quod tu instituisti offerri praecepisti in commemorationē tui pro salute nostra I o Lorde being mindefull of thy honourable passiō come vnto thine aultar allthough a sinner to offre vnto thee the sacrifice that thowe didest institute and commaunde to be offred in the remembrance of thee for our health Here maie ye perceaue that S. Ambrose came to that aultar of whom also ye maie learn the vse of the aultar for he came to offre sacrifice vpon yt so that the vse of the aultar was to haue sacrifice offred vpon yt which thing S. Ambrose his facte dothe well declare For so holie a man as he was wolde notabuse the aultar Wherfore yt dothe well appeare that yt ys the right vse of the aultar The name and the vse of the aultar ys likewise declared vnto vs by his disciple S. Augustine who shewing the godlie zeale of his Mother lieng on her death bedd and what she desiered to be doen for her saieth Illa imminente die resolutionis suae non cogitauit corpus suum sum ptuosè contegi an t condiri aromatibus aut monumentum electum concupiuit aut curauit sepulchrum patrium Non ista mandauit Aug. lib. 9. cōfes ca. 13 nobis sed tantummodò memoriam sui ad altare tuum fieri desiderauit cui nullius diei praetermissione seruierat vnde sciret dispensari victimam sanctam qua deletum est chyrographum quod erat contrarium nobis She the daie of her death being at hand was not mindefull to haue her bodie sumptuously buried or to be spiced with Aultar serued wher facrifice was done spices nor coueted to haue a solemne monument neither desiered to be buried in her owne contrie These thinges did she not commaunde vs but onely desiered she to be remembred at thine aultar which she withoute anie daies omission had serued from whence she knewe that sacrifice to be despensed by the whiche the hand writing was put oute that was against vs. Thus of Sainct Augustine also ye heare the name of the aultar and the vse The vse ys like as ye haue hearde in S. Ambrose that ys to offre sacrisice vpon For S. Augustins mother knewe that that sacrifice was despensed or geuen from the aultar whiche redemed vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloode whiche euery true Chrystian will confesse to be the bodie of our Lorde Iesus Chryst The same S. Augustine also ys a plentifull withnesse of this matter of the aultar ad Casulanum And in his sermon to the infantes of whiche place also The Proclamers false sleight in his allegacion of S. August the Proclamer in his sermon maketh mencion but with soche sleight and crastie falsheade as I can not ouerpasse yt but note yt to the Reader For first wher S. Augustine vseth the plain terme or name of the aultar this man not liking that name corrupted S. Augustine and putteth in to the place of yt the name of table Secondly wher S. Augusten plainly teacheth the presence of Chrystes bodie and bloode He to deceaue his audience bringeth three or foure woordes of the place to make them beleue that S. Augusten reputed the Sacrament but as a peice of breade and leaueth oute all the rest But I shall first alleadge S. Augustine as his owne woordes be Thus he writeth Hoc quod videtis in altari Dei etiam transacta nocte vidistis Aug. serm ad infant Sed quid esset quid sibi velit quam magnae rei Sacramentum contineret nondum audistis Quod ergo vidistis panis est calix quod vobis etiam oculi vestri renunciant Quod autem fides vestra postulat instruenda panis est corpus Christi calix sanguis Dominus noster Iesus Christus nouimus vnde acceperit carnem de virgine Maria infant lactatus est nutritus est creuit ad iuuenilem aetatem peruenit à Iudaeis persecutionem passus est in ligno suspensus est in ligno interfectus est sepultus est tertia die resurrexit quo die voluit in coelum ascendere illuc leuauit corpus suum vnde est venturus vt indicet viuos mortuos Ibi est modò sedens ad dextram Patris Quomodò est panis corpus eius calix vel quod habet calix quomodò est sanguis eius Ista fratres ideò dicuntur Sacramenta quia in eis aliud videtur aliud intelligitur Quod videtur speciem habet corporalem quod intelligitur fructum habet spiritualem This that ye see in the aultar of God ye did also see yt the last night But what yt was what ytment Wher S. Aug. here nameth the aultar the Proclamer a shamed of so honourable a name calleth yt a table of howe great a thing yt conteineth a Sacramēt yet haue not yet hearde That then that ye haue seen ys bread and a cuppe whiche thing also your eyes doe tell yow but that your faith requireth to be instructed the bread ys the bodie of Chryst and the cuppe his bloode Owre Lorde Iesus Chryst we knowe from whence he tooke flesh euen of the virgen Marie being an infant he sucked he was nourced he grewe he came to the age of a young man he suffred persecucion of the Iewes he was hanged vpon the crosse vpon the crosse he died he was buried the thirde daie he rose what daie he wolde he ascended into heauē Thither did he cacrie vppe his bodie from whence he will come to iudge the quicke and the dead Ther ys he nowe sitting at the right hand of God the Father Howe ys the bread his bodie and the cuppe or that ys in the cuppe howe ys yt his bloode These thinges bretheren are therfore called Sacramentes bicause in them one thing ys seen an other thing ys vnderstanded That that ys seen hath a corporall forme that ys vnderstanded hath a spirituall profitte This ys the wholl saing of Sainct Augustine The Proclamer alleadgeth him thus Quod videtis in mensa panis est That ye see in the table ys bread In whiche his allegacion first ye maie perceaue that wher Sainct Augustine putte and vsed this woorde aultar This man to make him appeare to haue saied to his pourpose was contented to corrupt him and falsifie him in stead therof to put his woorde table In dede yt coulde not but haue sownded to his shame in soche a wise and learned audience yf he shoulde haue alleaged Sainct Augustine making mencion of the aultar and not onely calling yt the aultar but also the aultar of
time of Alexander who went next before him Nowe Reader thowe seist substanciall proofe against the Aduersarie wherby ys prooued this to be the saing of Alexander as some accompt the fifte Bishoppe of Rome after Sainct Peter whom the Aduersarie wolde reiect by cause he so planlie impugneth his heresie But this being thus prooued the trueth appeareth that the name of Misse hath bē in the Churche assuredlie withoute all double more then fourtene hondreth years And yf vaingloriouse pride did not to moche preuaill in the Aduersarie soche reuerence shoulde be geuen to antiquitie and speciallie to so holy a Martir as he was that that ys saied of him with the approbacion of the wholl Churche shoulde be embraced and humblie receaued and not arrogantlie and contemptuoslie reiected and despised And yet this ys to be thought of so holy and auncient a Martir that he himself wolde not inuent a noueltie of himself but raither that he tooke yt of his Fathers as the maner of his writing doth in good parte prooue And nowe that we haue driuen the matter thus farre let vs here rest with S. Augustins rule and counsell whiche ys this Illa quae per orbem vniuersa obseruat Ecclesia datur intelligi vel ab ipsis Apostolis vel à plenarijs Concilijs quorum Ad Ianua epus ◠18 est in Ecclesia saluberima authoritas statuta retineri Soche thinges as the wholl Churche through the worlde dothe obserue we maie vnderstand that they are retined as ordeined either of the Apostles them selues or ells of generall councells whose authoritie ys in the Churche most holsome or profitable Then forasmoche as the name of Masse ys reteined through This his false assurance declareth both vntreuth and arrogancie vntreuth for yt was in vse before foure hondreth yeare arrogancie that confessing the vse for Mc. years he dothe nowe reiect yt all the Churche For that which the Grekes call Liturgia the Latines call Missa and in the english tounge both be called Masse and that name was not appointed by anie generall councell but was in vse before the first generall councell that was holden we maie saie by S. Augustines rule that yt cometh from the Apostles And nowe wher ys the great assurance that this Proclamer made vnto yowe wen he saied I assure yowe Bretheren that the name of Masse was neuer named vntill foure hondreth years after Chryste And among vs english men I wolde see what other name either the Proclamer or anie other learned or vnlearned man can shewe to haue ben in this realme generallie vsed since yt receaued the faithe but onelie this name Yf thei haue none other name but this and this name they receaued when they first receaued the faithe as inglish men and haue from that time till within these fewe late yeares continued the same What nowe moueth the english man to reiecte that name that he receaued withe his faithe With the greif of my heart I tell the cause The cause ys that he reiecteth the faithe that was first receaued And therfor I feare that the english man reiecting the faith wherby he was first made a christian man and the names of thinges to that faithe apperteyning he will also reiect Chryst and the name also of a christian man But God of his mercie turne his face from our sinnes and turne vs home again to him that we perish not in our vnfaithfullnesse but by his grace acknowledging our offence we maie euerie one of vs determe with the prodigall Sonne and saie Surgam ibo ad patrem meum dicam ei Luc. 15. Pater peccaut in coelum coram te iam non sum dignus vocari filius tuus c. I will arise and go to my Father and I will saie to him Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee I am not woorthye to be called thy Sonne Whiche determinacion God graunt shortely to come to passe THE THREE AND THIRTETH CHApiter treacteth of the Masse yt self FOrasmoche as Masse hath a larger and straiter acception or significacion Masse hath two significations meet yt ys that both be declared that yt maie be discerned whiche of them yt ys that proprely ys called Masse Of Masse in his large signification the Proclamer though more like a Sicophant then a man of true and sincere reporte saieth that yt consisteth in foure partes Yf he had added the fifte or if in the holie consecracion he also vnderstandeth holy oblacion he hath declared what Masse ys in the large signification For the holie praiers that go before consecracion oblacion and receauing and that folowe them holie doctrine also as the epistle the Gospell and other scriptures ther placed and readde with all the Ceremonies therunto apperteining added and putto of diuerse holy Fathers to encrease nourish and conserue the deuocion of the people for the more reuerend vse of the Sacrement to the honour and glorie of God whose honour ys moche mainteined by the reuerend handling of his misteries are not proprelie called Masse but largelie forasmoch as they be annexed and ioined to that that proprely ys called Masse and be not the Masse yt self For the Masse yt self ys the holie consecration of the bodie Masse prophelie what yt ys and bloode of Chryst the holie oblacion and offringe of the same in the memoriall and remembrance of his passion and death with humble and lowlie thankes lawdes and praises for the same and holie receauing of that bodie and bloode so consecrated This ys yt that proprely ys called the Masse bicause thus moche ys instituted of Chryst him self For he in his last Supper when he had consecrated and offred his blessed bodie and bloode he saied Accipite comedite Hoc in mei memoriam facite Take and eate do this in remembrance of me So that consecracion oblacion with thankfull remembrance of Chrystes deathe and holie receauing of his blessed bodie be the thinges that proprely be called the Masse Nam per reliqua Ambr. de Sar. lib. 4. cap. 4. omnia quae dicuntur Laus Deo defertur oratione petitur pro populo pro Regibus pro caeteris Vbi venitur vt conficiatur venerabile Sacramentum iam non suis sermonibus sacerdos sed vtitur sermonibus Christi For by all the other thinges that be saied saieth Sainct Ambrose lawde and praise ys geuen to God praier ys made for the people for kinges and for other but when the honorable Sacrament shall be consecrated then the preist vseth not his owne woordes but the woordes of Christ So moche then as ys of Chrystes institucion ys properly called the Masse by the propre signification And the rest that of godlie men ys added for consideracions before mencioned ys generaly called the Masse by a general significacion As baptisme proprely ys no more nor proprelie extendeth yt selfe anie farder then to the washing of the bodie in the name of the Father and Baptisme vsed in
of ministres made after the schismaticall maner These men though they wolde vnwiselie haue intencion to consecrate yet laking the laufull authoritie they neither do nor can consecrate but as yt maie be iustlie thought hauing neither autoritie nor due faith and intencion they neither receaue nor distribute to the people anie other thing then bread and wine Whiche their doing and intencion compared to the Apostolique and primitiue Churche sooen sheweth yt self to be nothing like yt to haue nothing to do with yt nor nothing to folowe yt The condicion of this matter being soche what case be those preists in whiche hauing catholique authoritie and catholique faith and thinke but well of the catholique misteries and religion for feare or for liuing sake leaue The miserable state of catholique preists folowing the schisme that they knowe to be good and doo that they knowe to be euell What trembling hearts shall they haue before the terrible iudgement seat of God when their owne consciences shal accuse them saing we were called to serue the aultar we had authoritie geuen vs to confecrate Chrysts bodie and blood according to his holie institucion we might haue offred the same in sacrifice to the memoriall of Chrysts death to the cōfort of our owne soules and releiff of manie We might haue receaued that blessed food to the nutriment of our soules to euerlasting life Thus might we haue spent our time in the seruice of God thus might we haue liued in our calling wher omitting all these we haue ioined with schismatiques and heretiques and ben as yt were in armes against Chrystes ordeinance against his catholique Church and the holie religion of the same wo be to vs wo be to vs what shall we doo This or soche like or moche more bitter and greuouse accusation will yowr consciences make against yowe Awake therfor and looke a bout yowe in time Yt ys yet the time of mercie the time of iustice will come in whiche repentance shall come to late Thus hauing here to speake of intencion and faith for that I see yowe in countenance to decline form the excucion of that intencion and faith that shoulde be seen in yowe and professed of yowe I haue a litle digressed from my principall intencion to ad monish yowe to return to yowr deutifull intencion And here to conclude with yowe as I do with schismatiques and heretiques whiche ys a greif to my heart that I maie so doo I saie that hauing intent to receaue the creatures of bread and wine in the Sacrament ye fullfill not Chrysts institucion neither do ye folowe the intencion and faith of the Apostolique Churche neither of the primitiue and auncient Church THE SEVEN AMD THIRTETH CHAPITER treacteth of the oblacion and sacrifice of the Masse as yt was vsed of the Apostles and Fathers SO moche being all readie spoken of the oblacion and sacrifice of the Masse I should not nede but that the speciall order here taken so requireth to speake anie more of the same I minde therfor no otherwise here to treact of yt but onely as I haue doen in the matters of consecracion and intenciō to shewe furth the practise of the Apostles and fathers vsed in their Masses And here first for the practise vsed among the Apostles we will see what was doen by S. Iames being well assured that he did in this weightie matter of faith no otherwise then all the rest of the Apostles did For what he did all they did and what they did he did Iacob in Miss soche was their conspiracion common consent vnitie and agreement In his Masse immediately after consecracion thus he proceded Memores igitur nos peccatores passionum eius viuificarum crucis salutaris ac mortis sepulchri resurrectionis à mortuis tercio die ascensionis in caelos assessionis eius ad dextram tuam Dei Patris secundi glortosi tremendi eius aduentus cùm veniet cum gloria ad indicandùm S. James of fredsacrifice in the memorial of Chrysts Death viuos mortuos cùm reddet vnicuique secundùm opera euis offerimus tibi Domine hoc sacrificium verendum incruentum orantes ne secundùm peccata nostra nobiscum agas We sinners also therfor mindefull of his liuelie passions of his holsom crosse and death buriall and resurrection from the dead the third daie of his ascension into the heauens and of his sitting at the right hand of God the Father and of his second gloriouse and fearfull coming when he shall with glorie come to iudge the quicke and the dead when he shall geue to euery one according to his workes We offre vnto thee o Lord this dreadfull and vnbloodie sacrifice praing that thowe do not with vs according to our sinnes In this part of S. Iames Masse we maie perceaue three thinges The first that Chrysts bodie ys offred in sacrifice The second that yt ys offred in remembrance Three thīgs notable in S. James Masse of his passion and death resurrection ascension c. The third that yt ys doen for the remission of sinnes For the first yt ys to be noted that immediatelie after consecracion by the which ys wrought the presence of Chrysts bodie as ys saied hauing yt present he furthwith saieth We offre vnto thee o lord this dreadfull and vnbloodie sacrifice This saied S. Iames immediatelie vpon the consecracion when nothing ells was before him to offre but the bodie of Chryste Wherfor he then offred the bodie of Chryste To this vnderstanding manie things do enforce vs in the woords of S. Iames first that he vseth the demonstratiue thus saing this sacrifice whiche spoken at the aultar vpon the consecracion of Chrystes bodie whiche ys the verie true sacrifice signifieth vnto vs that he offreth yt Farder that he calleth the sacrifice whiche he offreth a dreadfull sacrifice What sacrifice that by man can be offred to God ys dreadfull but onelie the bodie of Chryste the bodie of God and man whiche for the maiestie of Godhead wherunto this bodie ys ioined in vnitie of person ys dreadfull other sacrifices what soeuer be not of themselus Wherfor the dreadfull sacrifice that he offred was the bodie of Chryste Lastlie he calleth yt an vnblooddie sacrifice Whiche verie well agreeth with the sacrifice of Chrysts bodie offred on the aultar For that bodie being nowe glorified ys impassible and immortall and neuer shall shedd blood to be sacrificed by death again but ys nowe offred to the Father with remembrance of that passion and death and blood shedding whiche he once suffred and shall neuer suffre again and ys so set before the face of his Father to procure vs mercie of the remission of oure sinnes and to obteign for vs the grace of God and the giftes of his holie Spirit Nowe the oblacion perceaued in this holie Apostle and by him in all the Apostles let vs descend to the Disciple of the cheif Apostle to see in him whether he
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
the verie Pharao after they were fedde with the flesh of Chryst and had dronken this bloode Euen so the Fathers the Iewes hauing broken the seruitude of Pharao and passed through the read sea after a certain maner they were baptised in the sea and the cloud that ys to saie similitudinarelie For what the clowde was vnto them defending conducting and refreshing them that vnto vs ys the holy Cost the guide of our doinges and protectour and of our euell lustes the moderatour and destroyer What the sea was vnto them that vnto the Corynthians was the water of Baptisme The Corynthians did eate the flesh of Chryste they did eate Manna the figure of yt which he calleth spirituall meat bicause yt miraculously descended from heauen The Corynthians dranke the bloode of Chryst the Iewes dranke the spirituall drinke whiche the Rocke miraculouslie powred owte And yet for all that being indued with so manie benefittes they came not into the lande of promesse two onely excepted but they were ouerthrowen in the desert and dead In the whiche they were a figure of vs that we shoulde abstein from their vices or ells we shall perish in the Wildernesse of euerlasting vastitie and not entre the true land of promisse Thus moche Gagneius Whom ye see not onely applieng Manna and the water of the Rocke as figures of Chrystes bodie and bloode and affirming the verie presence of thē bothe but also fullie and throughly expownding the text to the perfect vnderstanding of S. Paule and in nothing dissenting but consenting to the enacted trueth of Chrystes Parliament house with the other before alleaged And nowe thus moche of the figure Manna and of the exposition of the text of S. Paule conteining the same THE ELEVENTH CHAPITER DECLAreth the prophecies of the Sacrament vnder the names of Manna and the water of the Rocke ALthough of this blessed Sacrament ther be manie prophecies as in the first booke yt ys declared yet of yt as aunswerable vnto this figure there be not manie The prophet Dauid in the psalme maketh mencion of yt saing Et mandauit nubibus desuper ianuas caeli aperuit Et pluit illis Psalm 77. Manna ad manducandum panem caeli dedit eis Panem Angelorum manducauit homo He commaunded the clowdes aboue and opened the doores of heauen He rained down Manna also vpon them for to eate and gaue them foode from heauen So man did eate Angels foode Of this also he speaketh again Et pane celi saturauit eos Dirupit petram et sluxerunt aquae abierunt in sicco flumina And he filled thē with the bread of heauen He opened the Rocke of stone and the waters flowed oute so that riuers ran oute of drie places These wonderfull factes doen by the hand of God for his people the Applicaciō of Manna and the water to the blessed Sac. children of Israell the Prophet Dauid reherseth not as an historiographer vpon onely respect that they were doen as they be reported but that they shall be doen spirituallievpon his people the faithfull Chrystians whiche be his verie children of Israell as Sainct Paule saieth to the Romains And for this cause ys he called a prophet For he wrote all his Psalmes and Prophecies of Chryst and his Churche as Sainct Augustin saieth So that by this he prophecieth that as the children of Israell were fedde in the desert with Manna a foode from heauen So the children of Israell the Christians shall be fedde with the verie Manna from heauen euen the bodie of Chryst Rom. 4. And as vnto them water flowed oute of the Rocke So vnto the Chrystians oute of that stone vpon whome the Churche ys buylded whiche stone God did strike for our sinnes as Sainct Paule saieth flowed water and bloode of the whicch ther ys soche plentie that yt sufficeth for all the worlde to drinke of yt yf they will Vpon this text S. Hierom saieth Sed fontem Baptismi atque martyrij eadem In psai 77. petra ostendit De latere enim eius cùm percussus est sanguis aqua processit Quod Baptismum martyrium figurauit But the same stone also sheweth oute the fountain of Baptisme and of martyrdome For oute of his side when he was striken came furth bloode and water whiche did figure Baptisme and martyrdome And vpon the other text of Dauid applieng that as a prophecie he saieth Panem caeli dedit eis panem Angelorum manducauit homo Ipse homini Psal 77. Hier. ibid. cibum praebuit qui dixit Ego sum panis vitae qui de caelo descendi qui manducauerit ex hoc viuet in aeternum He gaue them foode from heauen so hath man eaten the foode of Angells He himself hath geuen meat to man who saied I am the bread of life whiche came down from heauen He that shall eate of that breade shall liue for euer In the whiche woordes S. Hierō expownding the Prophet declareth to what ende the woordes of the Prophet did tende namely that ther shoulde be an heauenly Manna geuen to the spirituall children of Israell whiche Manna was Chryst the bread of life whiche thing S. Hierom vpon the Prophet in an other place more plainlie doth opē The Prophet saieth Pane caeli saturauit eos Psal 104. With the bread of heauē he filled thē And S. Hierom saieth Sicut enim illi de coelis fluēte Māna refecti sunt Ita nos hodie in ecclesia corpore agni accepto reficimur Disrupit Petram fluxerunt aquae etc. Percussus est enim lapis ille pretiosus angularis immensos nobis protulit fontes qui nostros errores abluunt ariditates irrigant As they were fedde with Manna flowing from heauen So we nowe in the Churche are fedde with the bodie of the lambe being receaued We be sed with the bodie of the lambe He brake the stone and the waters flowed oute For that preciouse corner stone was smitten and he brought furth to vs vnmeasurable fowntaines which wash awaie our errours and water our drinesse Sainct Augustin also vpon the same psalme geueth a moch like exposicion August in psal 77. Qui enim mandauit nubibus desuper ianuas coeli aperuit pluit illis Manna ad manducandum panem coeli dedit eis vt panem Angelorum manducaret homo Qui cibaria misit eis in abundantia vt satiaret incredulos non est inefsicax dare credentibus verum ipsum de coelo panem quem Manna significabat qui verè cibus est Angelorum quod Dei Verbum corruptibiles incorruptibiliter pascit quòd vt manducaret homo caro factum est habitauit in nobis He that commaunded the clowdes aboue and opened the doores of heauen and rained down Manna to them to eate and gaue them bread from heauen that man might eate the bread of Angells who sent to them meat in abundance to fill the vnbeleuers he ys not vnable to geue vnto