transfusa fortius sonat Vnde AEschines cum Rhodi Hieron ad Paulinum exularet legeretur illa Demosthenis oratio quam aduersus eum habuerat mirantibus cunctis atque laudantibus suspirans ait Quid si ipsam audissetis Bestiam sua verba resonantem The liuelie voice saieth saincte Hierom hath I wote not what an hidden vertue or clerenesse of demonstration and beyng vttered from The liuelie voice hath a more force in the eare then the dead letter in the eye the mouthe of the Authour into the eares of the disciple yt haith a more force in sownde wherfore Aeschynes when he was a banisshed man at the Rhodes and the oration which Demosthenes made against him was red when all men did wonder at yt and praise yt sithing he saied what yf ye had heard the beast him self vttering his owne woordes Thus moche saincte Hierom. In the whiche saieng he declareth that ther ys more clerenesse in a sentence liuelie spoken from the mouth of the Authour and the hearers shall more easelie preceaue yt and sooner vnderstande yt then they shall onelie reading the same in the dead letter Yt maie therfore be concluded that the gospell as yt ys written ys more hard to be vnderstanded then as yt was of the mouthe of Christe spoken But as yt was spoken yt was hard to be vnderstanded wherfore being written yt ys more harde to be vnderstanded Saincte Paule enombring the giftes of the Spirit saieth To one ys geuen 6. 1. Cor. 12. the vtterance of wisdome to an other the vtterance of knowledge to an other ys geuen faith to an other the giftes of healing to an other power to do miracles to an other prophecie to an other iudgment to discern spirites to an other diuerse tounges to an other interpretacioÌ„ of touÌ„ges All theise saieth he woorketh one and the self same Spirit diuiding to euerie man a seuerall gifte euen as he will In the whiche distinction of giftes ye perceaue that the vtterance of wisdome the vtterance of knowledge the gifte of tounges be seuerall giftes And that they be not geuen to all men indifferentlie but some to one some to other as yt pleaseth the holie will of that blessed Spirit that ys the Authour and distributour of the same gistes For saincte Paule in the ende of the same chapiter wher the former alleaged woordes be writteÌ„ saieth Are all Apostles are all prophetes are all teachers are all doers of miracles haue all the giftes of healing doo all speake with touÌ„ges doo all interprete c. whiche his maner of questioninge includeth a negatiue that euerie man hath not all thâ—se Then forasmuche as euerie man hath not the giste of vtterance of knowledge nor the gifte of prophecie nor the gifte of interpretacion c. Euerie Interpretation of Scripture not geuen to euerie man man hath not the vnderstanding of the scriptures Neither then be the scriptures easie to be vnderstanded of euerie man For vnto him that hath the gifte of knowledge prophecie and interpretacion of scriptures the same be easie But euerie man hath not these giftes wherfore the scriptures to all meÌ„ be not easie This also saincte Paule proueth verie well by the ordre and disposition of the naturall bodie from whiche he diduceth and taketh an argument to 7. 1. Cor. 12. proue an order in the misticall bodie the Churche Ye are saieth he the bodie of Christe and membres one of an other And God hath also ordeined in the Congregacion First Apostles secondarelie prophetes thirdlie Teachers then them that doo miracles after that the gifte of healinge c. In the whiche description of the order in Christes Churche ye see that the three cheifest and highest states be Apostles Prophetes and teachers Nowe if the Scriptures be easie for euerie mans vnderstanding then either these states be superfluouse bicause euerie man vnderstanding the Scriptures ther nedeth no teacher nor Prophete Or ells forasmoche as euery man vnderstandeth the scriptures he ys in this state to be a teacher All be not Prophets nor teachers and a prophete whiche ys directlie against saincte Paules doctrine For he saieth all be not Prophetes neither be all teachers Forasmoche then as Christe hath appointed as one of the cheifest states of his Churche the state of teachers there must be of necessitie a great nombre of inferiour membres that must be hearers and learners And whie shoulde they so be but that the scriptures being harde and obscure by the teachers they must be opened and declared that other maie learn So that as by this scripture yt maye be perceaued and learned that euery man hath not the gifte of knowledge and therfore no easie vnderstanding of the scriptures So by all the other before alleaged yt ys moste manifest that the scriptures be harde and full of difficulties whiche shall also by other means well appeare to the Reader in the processe ensewinge THE SECVNDE CHAPITER TO PROVE THAT THE SCRIPTVRES BE NOT EASIE RECITETH CERtain hard and obscure places of the olde testament ALBEIT that this that ys all readie saied ys sufficieÌ„t to proue the scriptures to be hard and not playn ne easie to be vnderstanded yet that ye maye see yt more manysestlie before yowe face certain places shall be laied before yowe whiche for their obscuritie and difficultie shall compell and enforce yowe to confesse that they be not easie for euerie mans vndestanding And first shall be brought some places of the olde Testament oute of the whiche I might bring not places but wholl bookes and of them not a fewe as all the Prophetes as well the greater as the lesse the Booke of Iob the booke of psalmes the booke of the Preacher and Cantica canticorum englished the Ballett of ballettes of Salomon All whiche bookes certen I am be of soche difficultie hardnesse and obsturitie that as queen Candaces ChaÌ„amberlain saied they can not be vnderstanded with oute a guide or ells Acto â— speciall inspiracion of god As for Genesis although it be counted so easie and so plain a booke yet Hieron presa in Ezech. Genesis might not be red of the Iewes before thirtie yeares of age the Iewes as saincte Hierome witnesseth might not read yt before they were thirtie yeares of age as in whiche were many thinges verie harde to be vnderstanded whiche required a staied heade of mature rype and graue Iudgement soberlie to seke the true sense and vnderstanding of them whiche rash youthe wolde sooen ouerpasse and frame an vnderstanding at their pleasure soche as they phantasied as manye do nowe a daies Oute of this booke although saincte Augustin and other that haue trauailed in the exposition of the same do mooue manie and sundrie doubtes yet I shall ouerpasse them wisshinge the Reader to consider the 49. chapiter in the whiche are coÌ„teined the blessinges of Iacob to his twelue Sonnes and let him trie howe he can waid through the vnderstanding of them as for
holie scripturs he reprehended them imagining cōtradictiōs in thē he reputed thē saith Niceph. as things of naugh to yowe contēne the learned cōmentaries ād writings of the Saincts of God vpō the scripturs ād matters incidēt ād apperteining to the scripturs with skoffes yowe trauail to reprehēd their graue authoritie ād godlie writings Yowe plaie and dallie with them before the people like a ioung Porphirie as though they were things of naught Thus yow maie see as all that be wise and staied by Gods grace doo see howe fullie herin yowe bear the image and iustlie folowe the steppes of him that fiercelie as yowe doe persecuted with deadlie hatred the church and religion of Chryste Your third offence ys yet worse and more heinouse wher yowe haue vttered so manie vntrueths and lies euen aduersus Dominū aduersus Christū eius against our Lord ād against his Chryste against his holie gospell and against his holie woord Ys yowr matter soch M Iuell as yt can not be mainteined without lies and as the holie man Iob saied Nunquid Deus indiget vestro mendacio Hath God nede of your lies No so litle nede hath he of lies that he will destroie al thē that speak lies as the psalmist saieth But that I seē not to charg yowe without proof as yowe do other ys not one of your chalenging articles against the presence of Chrysts bodie and blood in the blessed Sacr ys not the doctrine yowe teach and preache in that poinct directlie contrarie to the doctrine of our Sauiour Chryst Whē he saieth This ys my bodie This ys my blood and yowe auouche and teache that yt ys verie bread and verie wine ys not this a contrarie doctrine to his ys yt not plain against his manifest woorde ys yt not in effect to charge him with vntrueth though yowe daie not yet in flat woordes saie that he lied The craftie sleight yowe vse in handling the scripture wher the trueth of Chrysts doctrin doeth appeare ād your wielie suppressiō of those woords which cheiflie declare the same trueth ād opē yowr vntrueth doe wel proue youre wicked meening to be none other For taking the woords of S. Paule for the theme of your sermō yowe produced thē truncatedlie and passed thē with moch sleight Thus yowe vtter thē I haue receaued of the Lord that thing which also I deliuered vnto yow that ys that the lord Iesus in the night that he was betraied took bread ād ther yowe end Wher although yowe pretēted to teach the first instituciō of the Sacr. yet either of malice to suppresse Christs trueth or for feare to disclose your own vntrueth you wold not or durst not reherse the verie words of the instituciō which I wish al mē to note but both in the latin ād inglish as your faith staeth in bread and as yow wold the faith of your audiēce should do the like your theme ended in bread in so moch as whē yowe come to your last matter to speak of priuate Masse as yow tearm yt though falselie for ther ys none soch and to proue yowr Cōmuniō beginne again to repete the woords of the instituciō Lord what shift yowe make to suppresse the words of Chryst This ys my bodie This ys my blood in the which lieth al the effect of his instituciō These woords yowe flie as frō a serpēt yowe cā not abide the sownd of thē ād therfor with shamful craft yowe passe thē saing thus Chryst in the last supper ordeined a Cōmuniō ād shewed no maner token of priuate Masse as maie plainlie appeare both by the woordes that he spake and also by the order of his doings For be tooke the bread brake yt deuided yt ād gaue yt to his Disciples and saied Drinke ye all herof These be yowr own woords Yowe pretēded to proue your matter by Chrysts woords ād order but whē yowe come to the verie point yowe do not as moch as touch his woords but skippe ouer thē so well maie your prof appeare bi thē ād so loath are yowe to vtter Christ words that his trueth might appear ād your falshead be disclosed Against your first offēce which ys your abuse of the doctours in mutilating their saings as yow doo Anacletus in falsifieng their meening as yow do Tertullian and S. Cyprian in craftie alleaging two or three woordes that apparantlie maie seem to make for yowe leauing oute the rest that mightilie maketh against yowe as yowe doe sainct Augustine in corrupting authours by putting woordes to their saings which they haue not as yowe doe with Leo wherbie euidentlie appeareth yowr contēpt of their autoritie whom by so manie means yowe labour to abuse to shadowe and hide the trueth by them so clerelie settfurth I come in right vse reuerentlie alleaging them whollie and fullie producing them truelie reporting them and their mening iustlie letting euerie of them plainlie to testifie that whiche he hath written and causing euerie one to speake his owne woordes without corruption And that yowe maie perceaue that the catholique Churche ys strong against the whiche the gates of hell the power of heresie shall not preuaill knowe yowe that yt ys Terribilis castorum acies ordinata a terrible fortresse in most goodlie order appoincted Oute of the which fortresse in goodlie order ys comed a great nombre against yowe marching by cooples eche coople to shewe the vnitie of trueth and faith professed in bothe Churches being one of the greke church and other of the latine churche and the seniours for the most part placed in the forewarde These haue I brought furth not one alone and by piece meale so to rume awaie with the matter as yowe doo but in good nombres and with their full saings and the same doo I oftentimes conferr together that the full and perfect cleernesse of the trueth in ther consonant sentences maie appear and shine to all that list to looke therat and be disposed to knowe the trueth Against yowr second offence which ys the mocking of holie writers and Saincts wherbie yowe seke to dishonour and deface bothe them and the religion they professed I come with due reuerence and honour of them whō I knowe by Chrysts promesse to be honourable before the Father in heauen for their constant confession of his holie name whilest they liued here vpon earth Wherfor as being vpon the earth they were not gests and straungers but the felowes of Saincts and of the house of God I tearme them as senatours of the Parliament house of Chryste as knowing the enacted and receaued trueth of the matters of faith perteining to that house For this cause I regard all their writings which the catholique Churche hath allowed considering that the same Churche that hath taught me that the gospell that ys the verie woorde of God written by the mocion and instruction of his holie Spirit hath taught me that these mens wiritings vpon the same are good and commendable And as with S. Augustine
that we be all Theodidacti that ys to saie taught of God and of his Spirit so that yt shall not nede for one man to teache an other or for one to learn of an other Of whiche mynde this Aduersarie semeth also to be in that he woolde the scriptures shoulde be commō to all men Whiche doctrine yf yt were true then ys my pourpose here vain and superfluouse which ys to seke oute the true meening of the scriptures by the holie fathers and doctours Wherfore as a preamble to this rude worke I haue thought good to discusse and by discussion to make plain to the vnlearned Reader that the scriptures be obscure darke and harde to be vnderstāded and for that cause not of all men indifferentlie to be red Wherbie yt shall appeare that my pourpose shall be to good effecte And for the better cōpasing therof I minde to shewe to the vnlearned the waie to atteign to the true vnderstanding of the scriptures and that doen to proceade to my matter principallie intended And wher our cheif pourpose ys to treact of the blessed Sacrament this 1. Scriptures to be hard prooued by seuen argumentes 2. maie iustlie be the first argument that the controuersies therof in theise oure daies moued whiche be to manie do make yt more then manifest that ther be difficulties in the scriptures Yf difficulties then be they not plain The secōde the disciples whiche heard Christes owne disputacion of this mysterie proceading oute of his owne mouthe as oute of the liuelie welspring ād who for that they were disciples shoulde better haue disgested Cristes woordes then the people of the Iewes who groslie saied Quomodo potest hic dare nobis carnem suam ad manducandum howe can this man geue vs his flesh to eate Yet they the disciples I meen in the ende of the disputacion saied Durus Ioan. 6. The disciples vnderstode not Christes owne woordes est hic sermo quis potest eum audire This ys an hard saieng who can abide to heare him So that neither the people of the Iewes nor yet the verie disciples of Christe whiche shoulde moch haue exceaded the other did atteign to the trewe vnderstanding of Christes woordes carnall reason preuailing against humble and lowlie submission to faithe Vpon the whiche woordes of the disciples Chrystome saieth Quid ergo est Durus difficilis intellectu quē capere non posset eoram imbecillitas plenus formidinis Chrysost in 6. Joan. What then ys this woorde harde A saieng not easie to be vnderstanded and whiche being full of dread their imbecillitie coulde not beare or take Yf then the woordes whiche Christe spake being the gospell although vnwritten were as Chrisostome saieth not easie to be vnderstanded what more easinesse maie we thinke to be in thē nowe being the gospel written And further yf we trulie saie that the scriptures be easie and plain for euerie man to vnderstande yt shoulde appeare that yt was no great benefet 3. that Christe did to his Apostles in opening their wittes that thei might vnderstande the scriptures Neither was it anye great matter that he Luc. 24. did to the two disciples that went to Emaus vnto whome beginning at Moyses and the prophettes he interpreted in all scriptures whiche were written Jbid. of him But certenlie yt was agreat benefet that Christe did at theise two sundrie Christes interpreting of the scripturs and opēnig of wittes to vnderstād them argueth the difficultie 2. Petr. 3. tymes geue in openyng theyr wittes to vnderstand the scriptures to the one and in interpreting the scriptures to the other For withoute this benefet neither the one nor the other coulde haue atteigned to that gifte Wherfore the depenesse of the scriptures weighed and oure infirmitie considered we maie verie well conclude with saincte Peter that as he wittnessing the epistles of saincte Paule be hard so be the rest of the scriptures harde Of this the chamberlain of queen Candace of whome ys made mencion in the actes of the Apostles beinge so well affected to the scriptures that passing from Hierusalem homewarde and sitting in his chariette he was reading 4. Acto 8. them and yet vnderstoode them not had good experience That he vnderstoode them not yt dothe well appeare by his owne confession For Philippe beinge moued by the Spirit of God to ioin him self to his chariette heard him reade Esaie the Prophete and asked him saing vnderstandest thowe what thowe readest and he aunswered and saied howe can I except I had a guide wherefore when Philippe was with him in his chariette and the scripture was red the camberlain asked him saieng I praie thee of whome speaketh the Prophet this of him self or of some other man Philippe opened his mouthe and beganne at the same scripture and preached vnto him Iesus This place teacheth vs that not onelie by the saing and doing of the chamberlain but also by the doing of the holie Goste the scriptures be obscure Philippe sent by the holie Gost to expownd the Scriptures to the Eunuche and harde For the holie Spirit of God dothe nothing in vain wherfore when the same Spirit mercifullie beholding the good affection of this man and knowing the scriptures to be soche as he coulde not vnderstand them withoute an interpretour did send Philippe vnto him to open and declare that vnto him that was obscure and dake before yt dothe inuinciblie proue oure pourpose Whiche facte of the holie Goste had ben vainlie doen yf the scriptures were plain and easie of all men to be vnderstanded Nowe yf this man coulde not vnderstande them withoute an interpretour no more can anie other common man doo And then what dothe yt auaill the scriptures to be commonlie red withoute an interpretour The Apostles them selues when our sauiour Christe spake vnto them of 5. Ioan. 16. The Apostles vnderstood not Christes liuelie voice his passion and resurrection as yt appeareth in the xvj of Iohn coulde not vnderstande him For when he saied vnto them After a while ye shall not see me and again after a while ye shall see me For I go to the Father then saied some of them emongest them selues what ys this that he saieth vnto vs after a while ye shall not see me and again after a while ye shall see me and that I go to the father they saied therfore what ys this that he saieth after a while we can not tell what he saieth As this maner of speache beinge vttered by the liuelie voice of Christe was darke vnto the Apostles so the same beinge nowe written in deade letters ys yt not trowe ye as darke to manie as yt was to them till yt be opened and declared yf yt were not easie to them that heard Christe himself speake yt howe shoulde yt be easie to the vnlearned that do but read yt For as saincte Hierom saieth Habet nescio quid latentis aenergiae viua vox in dures discipuli de Autoris ore
exercituum est The lippes of the preist shall kepe knowledge and they shall require the lawe at his mouthe For he ys the messenger of the Lorde of hostes And forsomoche as yt ys so God willed the prophet Aggaeus to aske the Aggae 2. the preistes the law saieng Interroga sacerdotes legē Aske the preistes the lawe Vpon the which texte saieth saincte Hierome Considera sacerdotū esse officij de Hieron in 2. Agg. Office of preistes ys to knowe and expownd the scripture lege interroganti respondere Si sacerdos est sciat legem Domini si ignorat legem ipse se arguit non esse Domini sacerdotem Sacerdotis est enim scire legem ad interrogationē respondere de lege Cōsider saieth sainct Hierō that yt ys the office of a preist to aūsweer him that asketh of the Lawe Yf he be a preist let him knowe the lawe of God yf he be ignoraunte he argueth himself that he ys not the preist of God For yt ys appertaining to a preist to knowe the lawe and to aunswer vnto a question oute of the lawe Thus moche saincte Hierome This ordre thus appoincted in the olde lawe so farre was yt from the minde Authoritie ys to be obied wher corruption of life reigneth of our Sauiour Chryste to breake yt in the newe lawe that although the preistes were of corrupte maners and wicked life Yet he willed their authoritie to be obeyed and their office to be regarded The Scribes and the Phariseis saieth he sitte in Moyses seate All therfore what soeuer they bidde yowe obserue that obserue and doo But doo not ye after their workes for they saie and doo not Whiche thing also saincte Hierom by expresse woordes teacheth to be continewed in Hieron in Hggaei c. 2 the newe lawe and that by saincte Paules ordre to Timothee and Titus saing Et ne forsitan in veteri solùm instrumento haec praecepta videātur loquitur Apostolus ad Timotheū Episcopū non solum irreprehensibilē esse debere vnius vxoris 1. Tim. 3. virū sapientē pudicū et ornatū et hospitalē sed etiā doctorē Et ne casu hoc dixisse videatur ad Titum quoque super presbyteris quos et Episcopos intelligi vult ordinandis eadē cautela seruatur Propter hoc reliqui te Cretae vt quae residua erant corrigeres et ordinares per ciuitates presbyteros sicut ego praecepi tibi Si quis est irreprehensibilis vnius vxoris Tit. 1. vir filios habens fideles non in accusatione luxuriae vel insubiectos Oportet enim Episcopū irreprehensibilē esse sicut Dei dispensatorē non procacē non iracundū nō vinolentū nō percussorē non turpis lucri cupidū sed hospitalē benignū iustum sanctū cōtinentē habentē in doctrina sermonē fidelē vt possit cohortari in doctrina sana et eos qui contradicunt arguere Sunt enim multi non subiecti vaniloqui et seductores maximè qui de circumcisione sunt qui bus oportet imponere silentiū Haec prolixius posui vt tam ex veteri quà m ex nouo Testamē to sacerdotum esse officiū nouerimus scire legē Dei et respondere ad quae fuerint interrogati And leste peraduēture saieth saincte Hierom theise thinges maie seme to be cōmaunded onelie in the olde Testament the Apostle also speaketh to Timothie that a Bishoppe shoulde not onelie be irreprehensible and the husband Bishops ād preistes described of one wife and wise sobre discrete and a keper of hospitalitie But also a teacher And leste peraduenture he shoulde seme to haue spoken this by happe or chaunce the same cautele ys obserued vnto Tite for the ordring of preistes whome also he wil to be vnderstanded Bishoppes For this cause haue I lefte thee at Crete that thowe shouldest refourme the thinges that are vnperfecte and shouldest ordein preistes in euerie citie as I haue commaunded thee Yf anie be blamelesse the husbande of one wife hauing faithfull children whiche are not slaundered of riotte neither are dissobedient For a Bishoppe must be blamelesse as the Stewarde of God not stobbourne not angrie not geuen to moche wine no fighter not geuen to filthie lucre but a keper of hospitalitie one that loueth goodnesse sobre righteouse godlie temperate and soche as hathe the true woorde of doctrine that he maie be able also to exhorte by holsome learning and to reproue them that saie against yt For ther are manie vnrulie and talkers of vanitie and deceiuours of mindes speciallie they that are of the circūcision whose mouthes must be stopt Theise thinges I haue sette furthe at lenght that we might knowe as well oute of the newe testament as oute of the olde that the office of the preistes ys to knowe the lawe of God and to aunswer to soche thinges as they be asked of Thus moche saincte Hierome To this also maye be added that saincte Paule saieth to the Corinthians that god hath so ordered his Churche that he hath appointed some Apostles 1. Cor. 12. Gods ordre in hys Church some prophetes some doctours and teachers All that ys hitherto alleaged as well of the scriptures as of saincte Hierome teacheth and includeth thre thinges The first ys the duetie and office of a preist The seconde that the scriptures haue doubtes and difficulties The thirde that the people must be taught them and learn of the preistes As touchinge the first the duetie of à preist ys to be learned in the lawe of god and godlie life also To bothe whiche saincte Paule moueth Titus in one sentence ioininge them together euen as they anght to be iointlie Duetie ād office of preistes in him that ys a preist In all thinges saith he shewe thy self an ensample of good workes in the doctrine with honestie and grauitie and with the holsome woorde whiche can not be rebuked that he whiche withstandeth Tit. 2. maye be ashamed hauing no euell thing to saie of yowe As for the office of a preist sainct Paule declareth yt to Timothee I testifie saieth he before God and before oure Lorde Iesu Chryst preache 2. Tim. 4. thowe the woorde be feruent in season and oute of season improue rebuke exhorte with all long suffringe and doctrine doo the worke of an Euangelist fulfill thine office to the wttermoste As here the office and duetie of a preist ys breiflie and truelie declared So wisshe I that they maie as breiflie and trulie be planted and take good roote in all that beare that office For I write this with the greif of my heart before God that yt greueth me to see the great lacke of these two partes in those that take the office vpon them of the whiche manie lacke bothe good liuing and good learning God take mercie vpon his people and send them faithfull pastours whiche maye feede his shepe with the holsom foode of true doctrine and
will therfor leaue him and heare the minde of his yocke felowe whom we Hieron ad He did q. 2. haue in this place appointed to be S. Hierō who writeth thus Nos autem audiamus panē quem Dominus fregit deditue Discipulis suis esse corpus Domini saluatoris ipso dicente ad eos Accipite comedite Hoc est corpus meū calicē illū esse de quo iterum locutus est Bibite ex hoc omnes Hic est sanguis meus noui testamenti qui pro multis effundetur Iste est calix de quo in Propheta legimus Calicē salutaris accipia alibi Calixtuus The bread which our Lord gaue was his bodie ād the cuppe hys blood inebrians quà m praeclarus est Si ergo panis qui de coelo descendit corpus est Domini vinum quod Discipulis dedit sanguis illius est noui testamēti iudaicas fabulas repellamus c. But let vs heare that bread which our Lord brake and gaue to hys Disciples to be the bodie of our Lord our Sauiour forasmoch as he saied vnto thē Take and eate This ys my bodie And the cuppe to be that of the which again he saied Drinke ye all of this This ys my blood of the newe Testament which shall be shedd for manie This ys the cuppe of the which we read in the Prophete I wil receaue the cuppe of saluacion And in an other place Thy cuppe inebriating ys verie noble Yf therfore the bread that descended frō heauen ys the bodie of our Lord and the wine which he gaue to his Disciples ys his blood of the newe Testament let vs repell the Iewish fables Thus moch S. Hierom. For the better vnderstanding of this saing yt ys to be considered that a certain vertuouse woman named Hedibia sent to sainct Hierom to be resolued in certain questions Among the which she desiered to be instructed how the saing of Chryst in S. Matthew was to be vnderstanded wher he saied I will not from hencefurth drinke of this generacion of the vine vntill that daie in whiche I shall drinke yt newe with yow in the kingdome of my Father To the answeringe wherof he declareth vnto her first the fond opinion of some that vpon that place inuented a fable that Chryst shoulde reign a thousand yeares corporally in which time of his reign he shoulde drinke wine and so shoulde be fullfilled hys saing that he wolde drinke no more wine Heresie of the Millenaries vntill he dranke yt in the kingdom of his Father in the whiche he shoulde then reign But sainct Hierom well vnderstanding howe great and howe weightie a matter was spoken of in the place wher from these woordes were taken namely of the bodie and blood of Chryst and being greued that yt being so great a worke of God so great a benefitt to man shoulde be intermengled and obscured with soche vain inuentions of soche fables he openeth the true sense of the place and moueth the good woman Hedibia that all soche phantasies reiected and forsaken she shoulde regarde the woordes of Chryst and credit them and that the bread and wine that Chryst spake of in that place were no soch thinges as vpon which soch vain fables should be grownded but they were the bodie and bloode of Chryst forasmoch as he that can speake but trueth saied Thys ys my bodie Thys ys my bloode Now cōsider with me yf Chryst had geuē to hys Apostles but Bread ād wine S. Hierom his woordes weighed ād conferred with the doctrine of the Protestātes as figures of hys bodie and blood wolde S. Hierō being required to geue the true vnderstāding of the scriprure ād he taking vpō him so to doe wold he trowe ye haue saied Let vs vnderstād that the bread which our Lord gaue to his Disciples was his bodie ād that the wine which he gaue was hys blood except we should beleue ād vnderstād thē so to be in dede Were this an opening of the true vnderstanding of the scriptures Were yt not raither an hiding or a darkning of the scriptures to bid vs to beleue one thing ād the scripture biddeth an other He biddeth vs beleue that yt ys the bodie ād blood of Chryst that Chryst gaue to his Apostles ād the scriptur as the Aduers saieth biddeth vs beleue that they be but figurs Wold S. Hierō being alwaies an enemie to heresie teache soche an heresie Wolde not he raither if the trueth had ben so haue taught this vertuouse woman the trueth of the matter that she sought at his hand and saied vnto her This vnderstand that the bread and wine which Chryst gaue to his Apostles were but figurs of the bodie and bloode of Chryst and not the thinges themselues And alleaging Chrystes woordes This ys my bodie This ys my bloode wolde he not if they had ben so to be vnderstanded haue saied these woordes are spoken by a figure they be figuratiue speaches and are thus to be vnderstanded this ys a figure of my bodie this ys a figure of my bloode To instructe thē that Nomenciō of figuratiue speache in S. Hierōs woordes wolde learn the true vnderstāding of this scripture if yt were so to be vnderstanded this were the right waie of teaching But here ys no soche woorde here ys no soche maner of teaching And yt ys to be thought that S. Hierō was not ignorant howe to teache neither was he ignorāt of the trueth that in this place shoulde be taught Wherfor seing he knewe the trueth and knewe howe to teache yt and nowe he was in place to teache and had good occasion being as ys saied therunto required for somoche as he willeth vs to vnderstande that the bread and wine whiche Chryst gaue to this Apostles were his bodie and bloode and the cause why we shoulde so vnderstāde thē ys the woorde of Chryst saing This ys my bodie This ys my bloode Let vs thinke and beleue that the trueth of this matter ys that his bodie and bloode be present verilie in the Sacramēt and that the woordes of Chryste are to be vnderstanded withoute figure simplie and plainlie as they lie And that yt ys the bodie of Chryst the woordes which S. Hierom vseth as the conclusiō of the matter dothe also prooue For thus he concludeth Si ergo panis qui de caelo descendit c. Yf then the bread that descended from heauen be the bodie of our Lorde and the wine that he gaue to his Disciples be his bloode of the newe testamēt let vs cast awaie Iewish fables As who might saie forasmoche as these woordes of Chryst speake of no cheering nor banquetting that the Iewes doe dreame shall be in Chrystes worldlie kingdom but they speake of the bread which Chryst gaue to his Apostles which they saie to be his bodie and of the wine which they saie to be his bloode therfor let vs cast awaie soche vain fables and cleaue to the true
iste testis est qui etiamnum inter clinodia Ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae asseruatur In the time of the good gouernement of the church of Constantinople by The historie of a woman that for the Sac. receaued a stone Iohn Chrysostome a certain man of the heresie of the Macedonians had a wief of the same opinion This man when he had hearde Iohn Chrysostom teaching what was to be thought of God he commended his doctrine and exhorted his wief that she also shoulde be of his minde But when she did more regarde the woordes of noble women then his conuersacion or maner in saithe and after manie admonicions her husbande had doen no good in her he saied vnto her Except in the matters of God thowe be a companion withe me thowe shalt not hereafter be a partaker of liuing with me The woman when she had heard this and had dissimulatelie promised to consent vnto him she tolde the matter to a certain woman seruant whom she iudged to be trustie vnto her whose helpe she vsed to begile her husbande Aboute the time of the mysteries they that be taught the faith knowe what I saie she keping still that she had taken falleth downe as though she wolde praie This womā recaaued vnder one kinde onelie Her woman seruant standing by her geueth vnto her priueily that she had brought in her hande which thing when she had putte to her teeth yt congealed into a stone The woman being astoined fearing least some euell shoulde happen her for that thing which by Gods power had chaunced she goeth with spede to the Bishoppe and accusing her self she sheweth the stone hauinge yet the markes or printes of her bitinge and shewing an vnknowen matter and a merueillouse coloure and withall desiering with teares forgeuenesse she promiseth to agree to her husbande Yf this thing seeme to anie man incredible this stone ys witnesse of the matter whiche vntill this daie ys kept in the Churche of Constantinople As this historie ys notable so for the pourpose yt ys euident that the Sacrament was ministred vnder one kinde that was vnder the forme of breade For the woman takinge that in her hand and not minding to receaue yt kept that still and tooke some other thing of her seruant to eate and so thought to haue begiled her husbande so their was but one kinde receaued To be short as of the learned yt ys testifieth the maner of receauing vnder one kinde whiche ys vsed in all the latin Churche vpon good fridaie on The maner of receauīg vnder one kinde vpon good fridaie vsed in the primitiue Churche whiche daie the preist receaueth the host consecrated vpon Mawndie Thursdaie hath ben so vsed from the primitiue Churche Wherbie as by that that ys before saied also yt doeth well appeare that the receauing vnder one kinde hath ben practised in the primitiue Churche notwithstanding the false reporte of the Proclamer Wherfore Reader be not deceaued with soche bragges of vntrueth For though he hath saied yt he neither doeth nor can prooue yt but stand thowe to the doctrine of the catholique Churche who what she teacheth she prooued to be true as by this matter thowe doest perceaue Thus hauing nowe ended the scriptures of the Gospell with thankes to God we ende this seconde booke praing that yt maie be to his honour and to the profitte of the Readers Amen THE THIRDE BOOK THE FIRST CHAPITER ENTRETH BY PREface into the first text of saincte Paule that toucheth the Sacrament and expwndeth yt according to the letter DIdymus of whome for that he was a famouse learned man sainct Hierom desiered to be taught and instructed in his firste booke of the holie Gost whiche worke ys translated by sainct Hierom considering howe great a matter yt was to treacte of li. 1. de Spiritu sancto Diuine thinges are with reuerence anc diligence to be hādled diuine thinges and that therfor they aught with reuerence to be vsed he saieth thus Omnibus quidem quae diuina sunt cum reuerentia vehementi cura oportet intendere We must with reuerence and great care diligentlie looke vnto all thinges that be diuine Wherfore mindinge by Gods ayde to proceade in treacting of the blessed Sacrament of the bodie and bloode of Chryst and of the presence of the same our Sauiour Iesus Chryst werie God and verie man in that Sacrament with other matters therunto apperteining whiche be in deed diuine matters I wish not onelie vnto my self in the writing but also to the reader in the reading that reuerence that to eche of vs apperteineth Before in the beginning of the first booke And for my parte considering what I haue allreadie writen as concerning the holie scriptures that they be harde and darke so that as sainct Hierom saieth Sine praeuio monstrante semitam ingredi non possumus withoute a fore guyde and a shewer we can not entre the right path of them And for somoche also as ther ys the more pitie so great controuersie of the matter to be treacted of I will not be so rashe and irreuerent to the scriptures Jrē li. 3. ca 4. to handle them wrest them and abuse them after mine owne phantasie but I will as Irenaeus aduertiseth haue recouerse to the eldest churches and learn of them the truth and true mening of soche scriptures as be called in question aboute the matter of the said Sacrament of the whiche I Doubtes in controuersies wher to be dissolued shall nowe treacte Quid enim si quando de aliqua quaestione modica deceptatio esset nonne in antiquissimas oportet recurrere ecclesias in quibus Apostoli conuersati sunt ab eis de praesenti quaestione sumere quod certum rei liquidum est What yf at anie time ther be a deceptacion of a litle matter must we not runne or haue recourse to the eldest churches in the whiche the Apostles were conuersant and of them to take that that ys certen and plain Thys Ibidem holie Father geueth so moche vnto the auncient Fathers that yf ther were no scriptures he saieth we shoulde folowe the ordre of tradicion whiche the Apostles haue deliuered vnto them Quid autem si neque Apostoli quidem scripturas reliquissent nobis nonne oportebat ordinem sequi traditionis quem tradiderunt his quibus committebant ecclesias What saith Irenaeus yf neither the Apostles had lefte vs scriptures did yt not behoue vs to folowe the order of Tradicion yt to be folowed tradition whiche they deliuered vnto those to whome they committed the churches Thus Irenaeus In whiche sentence of this holie Martyr we are not onelie taught that we aught to repare to the Fathers to haue our doubtes dissolued and so to learn of them howe the Scriptures are to be vnderstanded but also for tradicions that be not written in the scriptures for the reporte of whiche as wel as for soche as be in the scriptures
S. Paule said Masse be remembred that Masse as yt ys taken in the propre significacion ys no more but the consecracion oblacion and receauing of Chrystes blessed bodie and bloode Masse largelie taken ys both the consecracion oblacion receauing and also a certain ordre of rites ceremonies praiers and reading of scripturs added therunto Nowe that S. Paule did consecrate the bodie of Chryst and sacrificed the same his doctrin in the x. and xi of his epistle to the Corinth hath and shal so declare the same that the Proclamer by no honest mean shall denie yt this being presupposed that he did as moche as he taught But he taught the bodie and blood of Chryst to be consecrated and sacrificed Wherfor he did the same yf he did that then saied he Masse as of Chryst yt was instituted But to this institucion S. Paule also as S. Peter added a certain maner and ordre of praiers and ceremonies and therfore yt maie be saied that he saied Masse in the large maner of the acceptiō of Masse 1. Cor. 11. That he made a certain ordre his own woordes will proue yt For when he had trauailed to reduce the Corinthiās to the right instituciō of Chryst that ys to the honourable maner of the mynistracion of his bodie and blood which ys the consecraciō oblaciō and godlie receauing of the same in the ende of all he saieth Caetera cùm venero disponā Other things I shal sett in ordre when I come As who might saie I haue now geuē instructiōs as touching the substancial parts of the Masse aboute the well doing of the whiche lieth the great weight I haue put yow in mind of the verie instituciō of Chryst I haue taught yow how ye aught to examin yower selues before ye come to receaue that blessed bread the bodie of Chryste I haue let yowe vnderstand what horrible daunger abideth thē that vnwoorthilie receaue that bodie ād drinke that blood and that ye might perceaue some foreshewe and feel as yt were a foretaste of the wrath and displeasure of God vpon them that vnwoorthilie receaue the bodie and blood of Chryste I haue certified yowe that for soche vnwoorthie receauing God hath plagued manie with diuerse diseases and sicknesses yea and manie with death Thus haue I instructed yowe in the weightie pointes of this honorable mynistracion As for the extern maner of ceremonies and praiers to be vsed therat after the maner of some other Churches to bring yowe to one forme when I come I shall make that ordre for yowe That thus S. Paule did meen the expositours of the scriptures beare witnesse Hugo Cardinalis saieth thus Caetera necessaria ad sumptionem Eucharistiae et ad ordinationem ecclesiasticam cùm venero disponam Other thinges necessarie for the receipt of the Sacrament and the ordeinance of the Church I shall dispose Hugo in 11 1. Cor. and set in ordre when I come But though this exposition maie like the quiett man Yet yt ys like not to please the contentiouse Sacramentarie Wherfore we will heare S. Hierom who breiflie saieth thus Caetera de ipsius mysterii sacramento cùm venero disponam Other thinges as concerning the sacrament Hierō ibid of that mysterie when I come I shall take ordre for them Thus S. Hierom. The necessarie substanciall and weightie parts of the Sacrament being spoken of in the x. and xi chapters yt ys easie to gather and perceaue that here he speaketh of the ordeinance of the rites ceremonies and praiers tobe doen aboute the mynistracion But that all cauille of the Aduersarie maie vtterlie Aug. ad Ianuar. be remoued the plain exposition and sentence of S. Augustine shall be heard vpon this place who saieth thus Vnde datur intelligi quia multum erat vt in epistola totum agendi ordinem insinuaret quem vniuersa per orbem obseruat Ecclesia ab ipso ordinatum esse quòd nulla morum diuersitate variatur Wherbie yt ys geuen tobe vnderstanded that yt was to moche that in an epistle he shoulde declare all that ordre of mynistracion which the vniuersall Churche throughout the worlde taketh to be ordeined of him forasmoch as yt ys not by anie diuersitie of maners varied or altered Yf then S. Paule deliuered to the Corinthians both the substanciall parts of the Masse as ys saied and also by this testimonie of S. Augustine deliuered vnto them the ceremonial part that ys the ordre and maner of celebracion and mynistracion what can we ells saie but that he deliuered and taught thē the ordre of Masse And that he did so S. Augustines wordes prooue inuinciblie For he saieth that he speaketh of that ordre which the vniuersal Church Ad Januar epist 118. obserueth But the vniuersall Church obserueth the ordre of Masse Wherfor yt ys the ordre of Masse that S. Paule speaketh of And what should we think but that these two cheif Apostles ād the other also should setfurth the ordre of the mynistracion of the Sacrament the ordre of the Masse sith that Christ instituting the thing left the ordre and maner of the mynistracion to them Chryst himself instituted the substanciall parts of the Masse but left the order of mynistracion to the Apostles as S. Augustine ys a strong and a plain wittnesse saing Non praecepit quo deinceps ordine sumeretur vt Apostolis per quos ecclesias erat dispositurus seruaret hunc locum Chryste gaue no commaundement after what ordre yt shoulde afterwarde be receaued bicause he wolde leaue that place to his Apostles by whom he wolde sett his Church in ordre In this saing of S. Augustin note that Chryst instituting the holie mynistracion did as ys saied onelie institute the substanciall parts of the Masse the thing yt self and not the ordre and maner how yt should be doen. Wherbie maie be perceaued the vanitie of the railing of the Aduersarie against Chryst catholique Churche for the rites and ceremonies vsed in the Masse For saieth he Chryste commaunded no crouching no kneelinge nor no soche dumbe ceremonies as the Papistes doo vse Yt ys true he commaūded none soche but he left the ordre of them to his Apostles that they in those matters should take ordre Wherfor the Aduersarie maie not drawe the Church to do nothing more in the holie mynistracion then Chryste did For so as by S. Augustine yt maie be perceaued Chryste himself wolde not but he wolde haue an ordre and maner therin whiche he wolde shoulde be made by hys Apostles and Churche wherfore let not the Aduersarie vse anie more his vain argumēt Chryst did not this or Chryst did not that therfor we should not doo yt For soch doings he lefte to the ordre of his Church And forasmoch as he so did we must with reuerent obedience accept and regard that by her ys ordeined And now seing that Chryste hath lefte soch ordre by other then by himself to be
maie be an exemplar or figure of the same bodie after or in an other maner Chryst shewed his bodie to Thomas and other the Apostles with the signes and tokens of his woundes was not that bodie now immortall and impassible an exemplar of the same both mortall and passible Chrysosthom decru Latrone The scripture saieth that the wicked shal in iudgement see Chryst whom they pricked and perced For as Chrysostom saieth he shall appeare with his crosse and woundes in the face of the worlde This ys his saing Sed cur cùm cruce veniat videamus scilicet vt hi qui eum crucifixerunt suae sentiant dementiae caecitatem ideo dementiae eorum signum portatur Ideo Propheta ait Tunc lamentabuntur tribus terrae videntes accusatorem agnoscentes peccatum Et quid mirum est si crucem portans adueniet quando vulnera corporis ipse demonstrat Tunc enim inquit videbunt quem compunxerunt Et sicut post resurrectionem Thomae voluit diffidentiam commutare illi clauorum loca monstrauit laterum vulnera declarauit dixit Mitte manum tuam vide quoniam spiritus carnem ossa non habet sic tunc ostendet vulnera crucemque demostrabit vt istum ostendat illum esse qui fuerat crucifixus But whie he cometh with a crosse let vs see forsooth that they that crucified him maie perceaue the blindenesse of their madnesse And therfor ys the signe of their Chryst shal come to iudgemēt with the signe of the crosse ād the printes of the woondes he suffred madnesse caried Therfore the Prophet saieth Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourne seing the accuser and they acknowleging the sinne And what wonder ys yt yf he come bringing a crosse seing that he himself doeth shewe furth his woundes For then saieth he shall they see whom they haue pricked And as after the resurrection he wolde amende the lacke of beleif in Thomas and did shew him the places of the nailes and opened the woundes of his sides and saied Put furth thy bande and see that a spiritt hath not flesh and bones So then also shall he shewe his woundes and shall openlie setfurth his crosse in seight that he maie shew this man to be him that was crucified Thus Chrysostome Seing then Chryst shall cōme to the generall iudgement with woundes ād crosse representing the state and condicion of himself somtime a passible ād a mortall man he yet now being impassible and immortall and being soche an examplar of himself as he shall cause the faithfull vpon the remembrance of that seight to reioice that they embraced his faith and receaued the benefett of their redemption wrought and doen vpon the crosse and by the suffring of the woundes nowe ther shewed and the wicked contrariwise vpon the same seight to waile and mourne that through their madnesse they contemned him by whom they now perceaue they might haueben saued Why maie not the same bodie in the Sacrament cause the faithfull nowe to their comforte as well to remembre the passion and death and their redemption wrought by yt and so to be a memoriall to them as yt shall be both to the faithfull and wicked at the daie of iudgement At the daie of iudgemēt that same bodie shall be a memoriall and an examplar of yt self yt being the same verie bodie in substance that yt was but chaunged in maner as ys saied why maie not the same bodie be now likewise to vs that be faithful who by faith see yt as certenlie though in a darke maner as then we shall see yt with open face Of these kindes of examples ther be manie in the scriptures but to him that will be satisfied these be sufficient For by these yt ys made euident that that Chryst in one maner of being maie be a figure of himself in an other maner of being Wherfore Chryst in the Sacrament vnder the formes of bread and wine maie right well be and ys a figure of himself hanging vpon the crosse and suffring for our redemption Thus ye see the true vnderstanding of this scripture laied before yowe oute of the holie doctours and the cauills of the Aduersarie solued which be against the same Now to the next scripture THE SIX AND FOVRTETH CHAP. BEGINNETH the exposition of this text Who soeuer therfor shall eate of this bread and drinke of the cuppe c. AS ye haue seen the scripture last handeled recouered from the wresting and wicked abusing of the Aduersarie so by Gods grace shall yowe see this that foloweth Thus ymmediatelie saieth S. Paule Itaque quicunque manducauerit panem hunc biberit calicem Domini indigne reus erit corporis sanguinis Domini Whosoeuer therfor shall eate this bread and shall drink of the cuppe of our Lorde vnwoorthilie shall be giltie of the bodie and bloode of our Lorde After the Apostle had declared the institucion of the honorable Sacrament and ther vnto had added the cause of the same namelie that yt shoulde be doen in the remembrance of Chrystes passion and death that neither the Corinthians to whome he wrote who abused the same Sacrament neither other chrystians shoulde thinke them selues to haue doen to God their high and due seruice if they onelie had receaued the same Sacrament as the memoriall of Chrystes passion and death other circumstances not regarded he goeth aboute to open vnto them two maner of receiptes and the rewardes apperteining vnto them that ys to saie an vnwoorthie receipt and condempnacion for the rewarde of yt and a woorthie receipt and grace ād glorie for the reward of yt Forasmoch thē as their ys soch difference in receauing meet yt ys that the difference be knowē that we maie discerne who ys a woorthie receauer and who ys an vnwoorthie receauer As woorthinesse and vnwoorthinesse be contraries and therfor the one ys knowen by the other So the woorthie receauer being knowen yt shall be easie to knowe the other TWoo thinges are required to a woorthie receauer true faith and perfight charitie For as Ignatius saieth Fides est principium vitae Charitas est consummatio Jgnatius epla ad Ephesios Faith and charitie together make woorthie receauers of the bless Sacr. Hae duae simul iunctae in vnitate factae Hominem Dei persiciunt Faith ys the beginning of life Charitie ys the consummacion These two ioined together and made in one doe perfect a man of God As the one of these withoute the other doth not make a perfect mā in God so the one without the other dothe not make a woorthie receauer But if both be ioined together in the receipt of the Sacrament then ys that man a woorthie receauer Faith here spoken of ys not a peiced or patched faith that beleueth one part of the catholique faith and refuseth and other but yt ys a true and an wholl faith Wherfor heretiques be no woorthie receauers Charitie here
bodie of Chryst in that maner that the Iewe obseruing yet the Lawe maie not eate him Whiche maner ys onelie by his reall presence in the Sacrament except we shall euell fauourablie as Hooper did expownde edere for credere to eate that ys to beleue And then the sense must be that we haue an Aultar which ys Chrystes bodie on the whiche the Iewes that doe obserue the lawe of Moyses maie not beleue Whiche sense as yt ys verie false so yt ys verie cruell God forbidde but that the Iewes shoulde beleue on Chryst as manie a thousand of them haue doen as the Actes of the Apostles and diuerse other hystories doe testifie The like sense shall this scripture haue yf we vnderstand yt with the Sacramentarie of the spirituall presence of Chryst and the spirituall eating of him So that a diligent reader maie in this place perceaue into what strictes and what inconueniences Theophil in 13. ca. epist ad Hebrues soche wrestinge expositours doe bringe themselues who leauing the true sownd and perfect expositions of the Fathers cleaue to their owne inuencions which be soche as although they like well the inuentours yet they neither like nor well agree with the scripturs nor withe the true and catholique expositours of the same But let vs heare Theophilact also vpon the same text Thus he saieth Quoniam dixerat non obseruandos esse cibos ne videantur nostra despicatui habenda quod obseruatione careant Nos inquit obseruationem habemus verùm haud eam quae sit in huiusmodi cibis sed super altare siue incruenta hostia viuifici corporis liuius enim vt sint participes ne pontisicibus quidem legalibus permittitur tantisper dum tabernaculo deseruiunt boc est legalibus vmbris siguris quae transeunt ac dissoluuntur Forasmoche as he had saied that regarde of meates Note well these tearms the aultar the vnbloodie sacrisice the liuing bodie c. should not be had least our thinges might seeme to be despiced bicause they had no regarde or reueronce We saieth he haue reuerend regarde but not that that was vpon these maner of meates but vpon the Aultar or the vnbloodie sacrisice of the liuinge bodie For of this Sacrifice to be partakers yt ys not permitted no not to high preistes of the lawe as long as thei serue in the tabernacle that ys as long as they serue the shadowes and figures of the lawe which passe a waie and are dissolued Here again by Theophilact as before by Isichius ye see this text vnderstanded of the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament He calleth yt the vnbloodie Sacrifice as the holie Nicen Councell did And that those woordes also of the vnbloodie Sacrifice shoulde not be drawen by the Sacramentaries the enemies and distroyers of this Sacrifice to the sacrifice of lawdes and thankesgeuinge as Cranmer doeth in his booke of Sacrifice he addeth and fullie calleth yt the vnblood die sacrifice of the liuing bodie or more proprielie of the bodie that geueth life or maketh to liue which ys not nor can be anie other but the bodie of Chryst which as in the last chapter ys saied beinge ioined to the Godhead and made the bodie of God which ys life yt self ys able to geue life and to make other to liue And therfor ys here of Theophilact verie well called Viuificum corpus the bodie that ys able to make to liue But note that we speake not here of this transitorie and passing life but of the permanent and euerlasting life In the woordes of S. Paule this also ys to be noted that allthough in hys The sacrisice of the Churche of fred in a thousand places ys but oneand the same sacrisice Hier lib. 3. in Oseam cap. 8. time the faith was largelie spred as in Rome in Corinthus in Galatia in Ephesus in Thessalonia in Collossis in Laodicea yea as he himself to the Romans doeth testifie from Hierusalem rownde aboute all the coastes vnto Illiricum he filled all the contries with the Gospel yet nowe writing to the Hebrues he saieth notplurallie we haue manie Aultars but singularlie we haue an Aultar For the Church of Chryst hath but one Chryst and one vnblood die Sacrifice as Chrysostome saieth Vna est haec hostia non multae This sacrifice ys one and not manie For we doe not offre one lambe to daie and an other to morowe but allwaies the same one sacrifice Proinde saieth he Vnum est hoc sacrificium Therfore this sacrifice ys one yt hath also but one Aultar as S. Hierom doeth testifie saing Vnum esse altare in ecclesia vnam fidem vnum baptisma Apostolus docet Quod haeretici deferentes multa sibi altaria sabricati sunt non ad placandum Deum sed in delictorum multitudinem propterea leges Dei accipere non merentur cùm eas quaes acceperant antè contempserint Etsi quid dixerint de scripturis nequaquam diuinis verbis sed Ethnicorum sensibus comparandum est Isti multas immolant hostias comedunt carnes earum vnam Christi hostiam deserentes nec comedentes eius carnem cuius caro cibus credentium est quicquid fecerint sacrificiorum ordinem ritumue simulantes siue dederint eleemosinam siue pudicitiā repromittant siue humilitatem simulēt fictisue blāditiis simplices quosque decipiāt nihil de huiusmodi sacrificiis Dominus suscipiet The Apostle teacheth to be in the Church one Aultar one faith and one baptisme which the heretikes forsakinge haue framed to thēselus manie Aultars not to appease God but to the heaping vppe of multitude of sinnes Wherfore they are not woorthie to receaue the lawes of God forasmoch as the lawes which they had receaued they had before contemned And yf they saie any thinge of the scriptures yt ys not to be compared to the woordes of God but raither to the senseis of Ethnickes These men offre manie sacrifices and doe eate the flesh of them forsakinge the one sacrifice of Chryst and doe not eate his flesh whose flesh ys the meat of the beleuers Whatsoeuer they doe dissemblinge the order and rite of sacrifices whether they geue almose whether they vowe chaistitie whether they dissemble humilitie or whether with feined flatteries thei deceaue the simple God taketh nothing of soch maner of sacrifices Hitherto S. Hierom. Whom yf we marke well we maie learn that he by this woorde aultar vnderstandeth Chryst as sainct Paule doeth in this scripture produced oute of the epistle to the Hebrues For where sainct Paule to the Ephesians saieth Vnus Dominus vna fides vnum baptisma c. One Lord one faith one Baptisme S. Hierom saieth that S. Paule teacheth that we haue but one aultar takinge the one aultar for our one Lorde Chryst But note with all howe liuelie he describeth the heretiques of our time Heretiques of oure time wel described by S. Hieron by the painting of the heretiques of and before his time For
THE PARLIAMENT OF CHRYSTE AVOVCHING AND DECLARING THE ENACted and receaued trueth of the presence of his bodie and bloode in the blessed Sacrament and of other articles concerning the same impugned in a wicked sermon by M. Iuell Collected and sethfurth by THOMAS HESKYNS Doctour of dyuinitie Wherin the reader shall fynde all the scripturs coÌ„monlie alleaged oute of the newe Testament touching the B. Sacrament and some of the olde Testament plainlie and truely expownded by a nombre of holie learned Fathers and Doctours ECCLESIAST VIII NON te praetereat narratio seniorum ipsi enim didicerunt à patribus suis Quoniam ab ipsis disces intellectum in tempore necessitatis dare responsum Go not from the doctryne of the elders for they haue learned of their fathers For of them thowe shalt learn vnderstanding so that thowe maist make answer in tyme of nede AVGVST LIB 1. de moribus Eccle. CAP. XXV AVDITE doctos catholicae Ecclesiae viros tanta pace animi eo voto quo ego vos audiui Heare ye the learned men of the catholique Churche with as quiet a mynde and with soche desyre as I haue heard yowe SCRVTAMINI Imprinted in Antvverpe At the golden Angell by VVilliam Silvius prynter to the Kynges Maiestie M.D.LXVI VVith Priuilege THE NAMES OF SOCHE AVTHOVRS AS BE ALLEAGED IN THIS BOOKE OF THE PARLIAment of Chryste placed as yt vvere in tvvo houses that ys to vvitte soche as vvere before a thousand years or verie neer in the higher house soche as vvere since in the lovver house Iesus Christus Apost Euangelist Ioannes Marcus Paulus Mattheus Lucas Andreas Latines of the higher house Clemens Alexander Sixtus Pius Soter Tertullianus Fabianus Cyprianus Siluester Iuuencus Hilarius Optatus Ambrosius Hieronimus Augustinus Primasius Vincentius lirinen Sedulius Leo primus Hilarius PP Cassiodorus Gregorius Isidorus Grecians of the higher house Martialis Abdias Anacletus Ignatius Dionysius Arcop Telesphorus Iustinus Irenaeus Origenes Eusebius Caesarien Athanasius Eusebius emis Basilius Gregorius Niss Gregorius Nazian Efrem Isichius Chrysostomus Theophilus Alexan. Amphilochius Didymus Proclus Cyrillus Euthymius Theodoretus Latines of the lower house Beda Haymo Remigius Paschasius Lanfrancus Algerus Guitmundus Anselmus Hugo de S. vict Rupertus Bernardus Petrus Clu. Innocentius 3 Thomas de Aqui. Nicolaus lyra Hugo Cardinalis Holkot Roffensis Titelmannus Grecians of the lower house Damascenus Theophilactus Occumenius Nicolaus Methonen Nicolaus Cabisila Germanus Bessario THE PARLIAMENT OF CHRISTE VPON the matter of the B. Sacrament 1 Figured Exod. 16. 2 Prophecied Malach. 1. 3 Promised Joan. 6 4 Jnstituted Math. 25 5 Practized Jac in Miss 6 Reserued â—…in epist â—… 7 Continued â— Cor. 11 8 Adoreâ—… Priuilegium REgiae Maiestatis diplomate permissum est Thomae Heskins S. Theologiae professori vti per aliquem TypographoruÌ„ in hisce omnibus ditionis suae Regionibus admissorum imprimendum curet librum inscriptum The Parliament of Chryste auouching and declaring c. Inhibitumue alijs omnibus intra eandem ditionem ne ante triennium proximum absque ipsius Thomae licentia imprimant aut alibi impressum diuendant sub poena in eodem diplomate expressa Datum Bruxellae 7. Iulij 1565. Subsign Burgeois Facuwez TO M. IO. IVELL THOMAS HESKINS VVISHETH GRACE AND RESTITVcion of faith DETESTING your heresie yet louing your person and therfor wishing your reformacioÌ„ and correctioÌ„ I haue M. Iuell coÌ„pilled this booke wherbie as I trust the vanitie of your bragge ys and shal be disclosed and perceaued so do I wish that by the same both yowe and soch as haue erred maie be reduced from your foule errour and all the people of my natiue contrie for whose cause especialie I haue takeÌ„ these labours so staied in faith that by your manifold vntrueths they be not seduced Yow haue not onelie enwrapped your self in errour but also to maintein the same coÌ„mitted three heinouse offences One is the abuse and conteÌ„pt of the authoritie aÌ„d doctrine of the holie Fathers of the primitiue aÌ„d auncieÌ„t Church Those Fathers youe do not onelie truncatelie alleage aÌ„d with craftie sleight abuse aÌ„d falsifie but also although yowe euideÌ„tlie see theÌ„ impugning your doctrine and heresie yet without all regard of their great learning aÌ„d authoritie of their perpetual coÌ„sent aÌ„d agreement of their reuereÌ„d antiquitie of their famouse holinesse yowe runne stil in the race of your deuised inuencion and phantasie vtterlie coÌ„teÌ„ning whatsoeuer hath ben by theÌ„ saied or doen contrarie to your blinde affection and wicked opinion Now to vse to yowe the woords of the holie Father Leo to Eutyches Quid iniquius quam impia supene sapientioribus doctoribusue non credere What ys more wicked then to haue vngodlie opinions and not to beleue theÌ„ that be wises and better learned Decet enim sequi patres nostros nec coÌ„mutare definitioneÌ„ eoruÌ„ perpetud quorli regulaÌ„ secundùm sacras scripturas esse didicimus Yt becometh vs saieth Flauianus to folowe our Fathers and not to chaunge their perpetuall definition whose rule we haue learned to be according to the scripturs But yow staied not here Yt was not enough for yow to coÌ„teÌ„ne or abusethe perpetuall definitioÌ„ of the Fathers but youe proceaded to the second offeÌ„ce eueÌ„ to mocke aÌ„d skorn the learned aÌ„d holie Fathers of Chrysts Church not onelie theÌ„ of the later daies but soch as liued a thousand years agon wherof some were famouse for their learning some so constant in their faith and perfect in life that of the vniuersal Church thei haue beÌ„ hitherto aÌ„d yet be reputed aÌ„d esteemed blessed Saincts Soch I saie as God hath exalted to his glorie soch as in heaueÌ„ be honourable soch haue yow in earth dishonoured yea mockt aÌ„d skorned aÌ„d as moch as in yow laie made despicable to the worlde Thus haue yow vsed or raither abused S. Siluester who liued in the time of CoÌ„staÌ„tine the great a maÌ„right vertueouse aÌ„d holie aÌ„d so reported in al good histories as yourself know aÌ„d so esteemed aÌ„d reuereÌ„ced of the whol Church Thus haue yow vsed S. Isidore a maÌ„ of great fame aÌ„d an holie bishoppe in the time of S. Gregorie Thus haue you vsed InnoceÌ„tius the third Thomas de Aquino aÌ„d Roffensis all meÌ„ of singular vertue aÌ„d in learning not inferiour to yowe I am sure but a great waie befor yow wherfor no soch as yow aught to deride and mock As for the Bishoppe of Rochester who both learnedlie aÌ„d godlie wrote against both Luther and OecolaÌ„p his works stand yet vntouched but of your mock not able to be impugned by any LutheraÌ„ OecolaÌ„padiaÌ„ Caluinist or otherlike for of which sect yow be I think yow disclose not In this your mockrie yow are the right imitatour of Porphirius the enemie of all chrystianitie For he as Euseb aÌ„d Niceph. wittnesse derided the EuaÌ„gelists aÌ„d Apostles the writers of the scripturs yow deride the holie Bishops aÌ„d saincts their successours writers vpoÌ„ the script He coÌ„teÌ„ned the
I saie that I wolde not beleue the Gospell but that the authoritie of the Churche moueth me therunto no more wolde I beleue the Fathers expownding the scripturs but that thervnto I am moued by the Churche Then yt foloweth well that as I ought to beleue the Gospell for the authoritie of the Churche so ought I to beleue the doctours for the autoritie of the Churche And here to ouerthrowe your contempt of them and your self also I do oftentimes conferre the expositions of the later Fathers with the expositions of the elder fathers and finding them alltogether grauelie against youre euell doctrine to consent and yt to confute as hereticall and deuelish I let your light mockes and skornes flie home again to yowe as fleshflies to their carien Against your thirde wickednesse I meen your cōtempt abuse and vntrue handling of the holie scripturs I come in euerie place where mencion ys made of the bless Sacrament with the wholl processe ther conteined In the vi of S. Iohn the xxvi of S. Matth the xxiiii of S. Luke the x. and xi of the first epistle to the Corinth the v. to the Ephesians and the xiii to the Hebrues somoch as the Fathers expownd to appertein to the holie Sacr. I produce not truncatelie and falselie but fullie and trulie euery sentence and euery woord submitting my self to the authoritie of gods woord ād not bi sleight subdewing yt to mine owne autoritie But here the learned perchaunce maie merueill that I wold ioin with yowe in the scripturs considering the auncient counsell of Tertullian who wolde not that anie catholique shoulde entre into disputacion with an heretique with the scripturs Nihil proficit congressio scripturarum cum haereticis nisi planè vt aut stomachi quis meat euersionem aut cerebri c. To ioin saieth he in disputacion with heretiques with scripturs yt doeth nothing auaill except a man will turne vppe side down either his stomacke or his brain what shall thowe gain thowe great learned man in the scripturs when yf thowe defend anie thing yt shall be denied of the contrarie part yf thowe denie anie thing yt shall be defended c. And after he concludeth thus Ergo non ad scripturas prouocandum est c. We maie not therfor appeall to the scripturs neither maie we appoinct our disputacion in them in the which ther ys either none or vnceten victorie or not verie certen For this cause and for that S. Hierom saieth that Scripturae non in legendo cōsistunt sed in intelligendo the scripturs cōsist not in reading but in vnderstanding I haue trauailed by diligent scarching of the fathers from the Apostles to this our time to trie oute by ther common consent howe the scripturs are to be vnderstanded and so haue I as by a line drawen from hand to hand descended from age to age that the true vnderstanding of them receaued and approued in all that diuersitie of ages and places might be perceaued and knowen In this my doing I haue fulfilled the counseill of Vincentius lyrinen who for remidies against errours among other willeth that if anie errour hath ben committed in the olde time either by certain men or by anie one wholl citie or by anie Prouince to reforme that the decrees of auncient generall Councells must be sought and yf none soche can be founde as in these daies though they be fownd they be not regarded then saieth he operam dabit vt collatas inter se maiorum consulat interrogetiue sententias c. He shall gene diligence to seke and learn the iudgemēts of the elders and cōferr thē together but of those elders onelie which although they were in diuerse times and places abiding yet in the Cōmunion and faith of one catholique Churche were allwaies allowed as masters or men of autoritie And what soeuer he shall knowe what not one or two of them but what alltogether with one consent haue holden written and taught openlie cōmonlie and continuallie let him vnderstand that that ys without all doubt to be beleued Thus he As this counseill ys on my part fulfilled in that I haue searched and conferred the iudgements of the fathers and fownd them though they were in diuerse ages and places fullie and whollie agreeng in the matters of the presence of Chrysts bodie and blood in the blessed Sacrament of the oblacion of the same and of other articles apperteining ther to whiche as in this worke yt maie be clerlie perceaued not one or two but euery one of them haue not obscurely but manifestlie not in one place or at one time but cōmonlie and continuallie holden taught and written So wolde wolde I that yowe M. Iuell if yowe regarde the Fathers of the primitiue Churche in dede as yowe bragge in woorde that yowe I saie shoulde receaue and embrace these scripturs as expownded and deliuered to yowe by their hands and their expositions to accept as a cleer and certen vndoubted trueth whiche trueth so opened by thē I bring furth against your vntrueths and not the bare scripture alone as Tertullian wolde I shoulde not This I trust yowe shall well perceaue if leauing your corruted affection apart yowe will with a cleer eie and vpright iudgement read this worke wherin yowe shall see all the Fathers that commonlie haue expownding the scripturs written of these articles of the Sacrament whiche yowe in your iolitie I will not saie more arrogantlie than as a chrystian preacher should mekelie and lowlie more rashlie then wiselie or aduisedlie with so great bragge wttered in your sermon all soche Fathers I saie shall yowe see aswell grekes as latines aswell auncient as of later time with one cōmon consent and agreement so expownding the scripturs as though they had ben in one time and had cōspired vpon one sense and vnderstāding all those shall yowe see impugning your negatiues ād by the scripturs affirming the catholike doctrine and faith catholiquelie and vniuersallie professed ād thus shal the trueth of the scripturs ouerthrow the vntrueth of your heresies Nowe I haue in a generall maner shewed your offences whiche moued me to write against yowe in like generalitie I haue shewed howe I do procead against yowe the specialitie of your offences and of the processe aunswerable to the same yowe shall finde in this worke though simplie without coolour yet plainlie without craft declared Yf my trauaill herein obtein not his enrēded effect namelie your conuersiō and amēdement and to doo yowe that good that yow maie be staied frō running to pertual damnacion yet staing other that by your pestilent heresies might be brought to that wofull daūger I shall not onelie do thē that good I wish but also helpe to make your dānaciō the easier whiche howe greuouse yt shall be he knoweth best that knoweth howe manie soules yowe haue brought to damnaciō Yf yowe being obdurated persist in your impietie yt cā not be auoided but yowe doe yt of malice hauing ben aduertised and
resurrectiō of the appearinge of the Angells in the Sepulchre of their nombre of their place and soche other whiche all generallie to enombre yt were to long The same Hedibia moueth also this doubte whether that Chryste breathinge on his Apostles as sainct Iohn saieth and saieng Take ye the holie Hieron ad Hed. q. 9. Ioan. 20. Act. 1. Goste gaue them then the holie Goste Seing that saincte Luke saieth immediatelie before his ascension he promised that he wolde send them the holie Goste Yf he gaue thē the holie Goste before his ascensiō yt appeareth that he wolde not or neded not to send him to thē after his ascension Tus yt maie be seē that ther be obscure and darke places in the Gospel To conclude ther be innumerable places hauing moche doubte whiche saincte Austen with great labour and trauaill doth right learnedlie dissolue making for that pourpose a great volume intiteled De consensu Euangelistarum of the consent of the Euangelistes whiche had ben vain and superfluouse yf the gospells were easie plain for euery man to vnderstand What neaded the commentaries of saincte Hierom. and of saincte Ambrose vpon the Euangelistes The homelies of Chrysostom and saincte Austen vpo the same The expositions also of a great nombre of famouse and learned men whiche with great studie labour and trauaill haue made their workes yf the scriptures be so plain and easie I haue brought but a fewe places of the Gospells to make a litle shewe and to aduertise the reader by these fewe to be circumspecte in medling For the scripturs be a depth of a great profunditie And nowe will I doo the like oute of the Epistles THE FOVRTH CHAPITER CONtaineth certain harde places of the Epistles TO beginne with the Epistle of saincte Paule to the Romans In the epistle to the Romans be mo obscure than plain places whiche as yt ys first in the ordre of the epistles so shall yt be here first spoken of yt ys more easie ther to finde obscure and darke places loaden with difficulties and doubtes then yt ys to finde easie and plain places Ther ys disputed the matter of iustification whiche howe harde a matter yt ys yf ther were none other argument to proue yt the controuersies that be thervpon risen in this oure time might sussice to declare yt And yet yt ys not easie for all men that reade that same epistle well to vnderstand this place of saincte Paule Arbitramur iustificari hominem per fidem sine Rom. 3. operibus legis We holde that a man ys iustified by faithe withoute the workes of the lawe seinge sainct Iames in his epistle saieth What auaileth yt my brethrē though a man saie he hath faithe yf he haue no works can faith saue him After he concludeth thus Euen so faith if yt haue no workes yt ys Iaco. 2. dead in ytself Again sainct Paule saieth We saie that faith was recknid to Abraham for Rom. 4. righteousnesse And saincte Iames saieth Was not Abraham our Father iustified by workes Jaco 2. In that epistle also ys sett furthe the reiection of the Iewes and the calling of the gentiles In the discourse wherof sainct Paule saieth thus alleaging the Prophete Esaie for the callinge of the gētiles I am fownde of thē that sought me not I am manifested vnto them that asked not after me But against Israel Rom. 10. he saieth All daie long haue I stretched furthe my handes vnto a people that beleueth not but speaketh against me And yet afterwarde he asketh thus hath God cast awaie his people He aunswereth God forbidde And yet he saieth again in the same chapiter speaking of the Iewes Yf the casting awaie of them be the reconciling of the worlde c. Wherbie he sheweth that the Iewes be cast awaie In that same chapiter also he asketh this question Nunquid sic offenderunt vt caderent Haue they so offended or stumbled that they shoulde fall He aunswereth God forbidde And yet within a fewe lynes after he saieth Propter incredulitatem fractisunt Bicause of vnbeleif they were broken of Theise matters require a clearer seight of vnderstanding and heades of deper studie and iudgemēt to decise thē then haue the cōmō sorte of readers which oftentimes are most busie thinking thē selues to see whē in dede they see nothing at all God geue thē grace and open their eies to see their owne ignorance that they maye walke within their compasse and not streign aboue their reache In the matter of predestinacion wher vpon saincte Paule entreth depely to dispute ther ys no sentence withoute difficultie So that as wher ther be a great nōbre of thinges a man staieth not knowing whiche to take first Euen so I in this great multitude of difficulties knowe not wher to beginne or whiche to take first But at the last I take one of the least which ys this Non Rom. 9. est volentis neque currentis sed miserentis Dei Yt lyeth not in the will of man nor the runninge of man but in the mercie of God This sentence besydes manie other hath this doubte that sainct Paule in a Supra ca. 7 chapiter before saieth Velle adiacet mihi perficere autē bonum non inuenio Will ys present with me but I finde no means to that whiche ys good The same saincte Paule saieth also Deus vult omnes hommes saluos fieri ad 1. Thim 2 agnitionem veritatis venire God will haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the trueth Yf God so will and as the same saincte Paule saieth in an other place voluntati eius quis resistet Who can withstand his wil Why then walke so manie in the broade waie to perdition And whie be Rom. 9. ther so manie Infidells that come not to the knowledge of the treuth And so manie heretikes that forsake the trueth And again yf God will haue all men to be saued how standeth the trueth of this scripture Multi vocati pauci electi Manie be called but fewe chosen Yf God will haue all saued then all must be chosen For whome he will haue saued him he choseth Algasia also moueth a doubte to saincte Hierom in the same chapiter of the epistle of saincte Paule to the Romans What saeth she meeneth saincte Hieron ad Alg. q 9. Algasia moueth great doubtes to sainct Hierom. Sup. 8. Paule by this saieng I haue wished my self to be cursed from Chryste for my kinsmen as perteining to the flesh To the whiche sainct Hierom aunswering openeth the questiō and saieth In very dede yt ys a great question how the Apostle who before had saied who shall separate vs from the loue of God shall tribulation or anguyshe or persecution or hungar either perill either swoorde And again I am sure that neither death neither life neither Angells neither Rule neither power neither thinges present neither thinges to come neither height neither lowght neither
any other creature shall be able to departe vs from the loue of God whiche we haue in Chryste Iesus our Lorde Nowe vnder an othe he saieth I saie the treuth in Chryste and lie not my conscience also bearing me wittnesse by the holie Gost that I haue great heauinesse by continuall sorowe in my heart For I haue wished my self to be cursed from Chryste for my brethren my kinsmen after the flesh Yf he be of so great loue to God that neither for feare of death neither for the hope of life neither for persecution hungar nakednesse perill nor swoorde he maye be separated from his loue And if Angells also and powers and thinges present and thinges to come and all the strenght of the heauens and if the heightes also and the dephts with the vniuersall creature shoulde come against him whiche can not be yet wolde he not be seperated from the loue of God whiche he hath in Iesus Chryst what ys this great mutacion or chaunge yea rayther a wysdom neuer heard of before that for the loue of Chryst he wolde not haue Chryst And least peraduenture we shoulde not beleue him he sweateth and confirmeth yt by Chryst and calleth the holie Gost to wittnes of hys conscience that he hath no light nor small but great and incredible heauinesse not sorowe that stingeth or vexeth for an howre but that continuallie abideth in his heart Whether tendeth this heauinesse to what auaileth this incessant sorowe He wisheth to be cursed from Chryste and to perish that other maie be saued Thus moche saincte Hierom. In the whiche woordes he openeth a great doubte that saincte Paule who so feruentlie loued Chryst that nothing either in heauen or in earthe coulde separate him from Chryste nowe semeth to wish for the loue he bare to the Iewes to be diuided from Chryst Whiche might be an argument that he loued the Iewes aboue Chryst As this after the sentence of saincte Hierom ys a great doubte So ys ther an other by the same Algasia moued vpon the same epistle to the Romans Hieron ad Alg. qu. 7. In what sense saieth she ys that to be taken that sainct Paule writeth to the Romās Vix enim pro iusto quis moritur Nā pro bono forsitan quis audet mori For skarce will any man die for the righteouse man Peraduenture for a good man durst a man die This sentence semeth so plain and the natiue sense therof so easie to be perceaued that saincte Hierom saieth for lacke of the true vnderstanding of Two contrarie heresies grownded vpō one scripture Marcion yt two horrible heresies being diuerse and vnlike in sentence but like in impietie and wickednesse tooke here moche occasion Marcion by this maketh two Gods one the iust God and creatour of the Lawe ād the Prophetes The other the good God which ys the God of the Gospell and the Apostles whose Sonneys Chryste For the iust God saieth he fewe or none haue died But for the good God whiche ys Chryst ther haue been innumberable Martyrs Arrius the other heretike saieth saincte Hierom contrariwise calleth Chryst the iust God and for his so saieng alleageth scripture oute of the Psalmes Arrius wher Dauid prophecieng of Chryst saied Geue the king thy iudgementes to God and thy righteonsnes vnto the kinges Sonne The good God he Psalm 71. calleth the Father of heauen of whom saieth he Chryst him self saieth what Luc. 18. callest thow me good ther ys none good but one God the Father As theise heretikes for the obscuritie of this sentence of saincte Paule for yt ys a darke maner of speache in dede to saie for a iust man scarce a manwildie But for a good man a man will peraduenture die as though ther were a great difference betwen the iust and the good mā through theyr wicked rashnesse and headinesse haue vpō yt mainteined two notable and abhominable heresies manifestlie repugnant So likewise haue some in this oure time through their arrogant willfullnes vpon one sentence fownded two conttarie heresies as moche repugnant as these But leauing the further opening of this to a more conuenient place I will proceade in that ys here appoincted to the doen. Amandus a preist writeth to sainct Hierom desiring to be resolued in foure Amādus questions Of the whiche one ys vpon the epistle of saincte Paule to the Corinthians wher disputing of the resurrection he cometh to this place He must reign till he hath put al his enemies vnder his feet The last enemie that 1. Cor. 15. shall be destroied ys deathe For he hath put all thinges vnder his feet But when he saieth all thinges are put vnder him yt ys manifest that he ys excepted whiche did put all thinges vnder him When all thinges are subdued vnder him then shall the Sonne also himself be subiect vnto him that put all thinges vnder him that God maie be all in all Besides manie doubtes whiche maie be moued vpon this scripture this ys one verie notable for the mainteining of the Arrians heresie wher he saieth that when all thinges be subdued then shall the Sonne himself also be subiecte vnto him as though the Sonne of God in Godhead were subiecte to God the Father Whiche maner of saing for somoche as the holie catholique faith confesseth that he ys equall to the Father ys to be taken Hila. li. 11. de Trinita detestable heriticall This proposition ys learnedlie handeled and treacted of by saincte Hillarie in his eleuenth booke against the Arrians and this doubte ther dissolued Yt were to tediouse and all most vnpossible for me to rehearse all the darke places of the epistles Therfor one or two mo and so an ende To the Collosians Saincte Paule writeth thus Nowe ioye I in my suffringes Colloss 1. for yowe and fulfill that whiche ys behind of the passions of Chryste in my flesh for hys bodies sake whiche ys the churche In the which sentence he semeth to make the passion of Chryste insufficient in that he saieth that he fulfilleth that that wanteth of the passions of Chryst To the Hebrues he hath this sentence For yt can not be that they which Hebr. 6. were once lightened and haue tasted of the heauenlie gifte and were become partakers of the holie Goste and haue tasted of the goodwoorde of God and of the promisse of the worlde to cōme yf they fall awaie and as concerning themselues crucifie the Sōne of God a fresh and make a mocke of him that they shoulde be renewed again by penaunce And again in the same epistle he saieth For if we sinne wilfullie after that we haue receaued the knowledge of the truthe ther remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne but a fearfull Ibid. 1◠looking for iudgement and violēt fire whiche shal deuour the Aduersaries Theise two sentences yf they had no fauourablier interpretacion thē they seem to beare in their grammaticall sense all Chrystendome might wail and mourne For the
former sentence semeth to teache that yf a Christian fall in to mortall sinne after that he ys christened and hath receaued the giftes of God therunto appertaining that he can not be reconciled by penaūce and so were all hope of mercie for the remission of sinnes clean taken awaie Which thing one Nouatus by occasiō of this scripture vnderstāding yt in the Nouatus sense that yt semeth in the first face to haue taught verie stoutelie and so becam the Authour of a wofull and wicked heresie Against whiche Athanasius wrote an epistle to Serapio wher he declareth that the same saincte Paule receaued the incestiouse Corinthian and also the Galathians that had erred Athanas in faith to whom he saied O insensati Galatae quis vos fascinauit non obedire veritati O insensate Galathians who hath bewitched yowe that ye shoulde not obey the treuth And yet afterwarde he saied Filioli mei quos iterum pariurio donec Galat. 3. Ibid. 4. formetur in vobis Chrystus O my litle children of whom I trauaill again in byrth vntil Chryste be fashyoned in yowe The second sentence also semeth vtterlie to denie all means to atteign to gods mercie after we haue wilfullie fallen to sinne whiche sentence yf yt shoulde be vnderstanded as it sowndeth desperaciō shoulde reign and hope shoulde be abandoned What shall I saie for the vnderstanding of the scripturs by the common people vnlearned when not onelie manie other learned men through their euell or wrong vnderstanding of them haue swarued and fallē into sundrie and diuerse heresies But also saincteHierom and saincte Augustin two lightes and pillers of the Christian orbe haue dissented vpon the vnderstanding of a sayeng of saincte Paule to the Galathians wher he saieth When Peter Galat. 2. was comed to Antioche I withstoode him openlie bicause he was wourthie to be blamed In the which their disagrement ther was nothing committed that either charitie betwixt thē was empaired or yet anie heresie obstinatelie defended but raither the trueth learnedlie enquired and searched Wherfor Reader I saie vnto thee Noli altū sapere sed time Be not high minded but feare For arrogācie is mother of errour Put on therfore an hūble spirit and in reading of the scriptures submitte thy self to the teaching of thy Rom. 11. Arrogācie mother of errour Mother the churche For the loulie bowing man maie easelie go withoute harme wher the stowte high looker shall breake his browe Be humble therfore and feare to trust thine owne iudgement in the exposition of the scriptures and so will the Spirit of God rest vpon thee For vpon whome saieth he Esay 66. shall my Spirit rest but vpon him that ys humble and fearing my woordes THE FIFT CHAPITRE DECLARING THE MINdes and Iudgementes of the Fathers and doctours vpon the difficultie of the Scriptures YT nedeth not to trauaill anye more in this matter when as I suppose the Reader ys by this that ys allreadie saied so perswaded that he wil with hand and foote as they saie go with me and ioin with me in one sentence and minde Yet that the arrogancie of the stoute ignorant and vnlearned and the vntrueth of the learned maie be confownded and suffer their wourthie shame the Reader shall heare the iudgement of the famouse learned Fathers and doctours as touching the difficultie and obscuritie of the scriptures Wherbie the impudencie of soche arrogant persons maie clerlie and manifestlie be perceaued and they if they haue not as the Prophet Hieremie in the voice of God saieth of the people of Israell gotten an whoores forehead and will not be ashamed maye then in dede be ashamed Hierem 3. Origen a man both auncient and famouse in learning handeling this place of saincte Paule to the Galathians Vos in libertatē vocati estis fratres Bretheren ye Galat. 5. Orig. 19. li. Storm are called vnto libertie saieth thus Difficilis locus est et ita à nobis disserendus videtur An hard place this ys and thus vnto me yt semeth to be expownded And after along discourse in the exposition of the same texte he saieth thus Quamobrem spiritum scripturae fructusque quaeramus qui non dicuntur esse manifesti Multo quippe labore et sudore et digno cultu in scripturis fructus spiritus inuenitur Vnde arbitror Paulum diligenter et cautè de scripturae sensibus dixisse carnalibus Manifesta sunt opera carnis De spiritualibus vero non vt ibi posuisse Manifestus est fructus Sed ita Fructus autcm spiritus est charitas gaudium pax etc. Wherfore let us seke the Spirit of the scripture and the fruicts of the same whiche are not saied to be manifest For trulie the fruicte of the Spirit ys fownde in the scriptures with moche labour and swette and wourthie trauaill Wherfore I Scripture must be studied withe moche labour thinke Paule diligentlie and warelie of the carnall senses of the scriptures to haue saied the workes of the flesh are manifest But of the spirituall senses not to haue putte as in the other The fruicte of the Spirit ys manifest but thus The fruicte of the Spirit ys charitie ioye peace c. Hitherto Origen In the whiche saing first by expresse and plain woordes ye perceaue hym to saie of that place of saincte Paule ther alleaged that yt ys an harde place And asterwarde he concludeth of the wholl scripture that the spirituall senses and vnderstandinges therof are not manifest but are to be sought with moche labour swette and wourthie trauaill Whiche he proueth by saincte Paule Nowe thinges that be easie and plain are acquired and gotten with moche facilitie without Laboure or with verie easie labour hard thinges be not so gotten but contrarie wise Wherfor by Origen yt maie be concluded that forasmoche as the right senses whiche he calleth the spirituall sense or vnderstanding of the scripture are to be gotten with moche labour swette and wourthie trauaill they be not easie but raither hard Sainct Hierom exhorting Paulinus to the studie of the scriptures as well by the exāples of Ethnickes and Philosophers as Plato Pithagoras Apollonius and soche other whiche for knowledge trauailed ouer seas and contries as also by the examples of christians as of Saint Paule Timothie Tyte and soche other maketh it not an easie matter but raither teacheth howe moch difficultie ys therin To the whiche pourpose he saieth Aperiebantur coeli Ezechieli qui populo peccatori clausi erant Reuela inquit Dauid oculos meos et considerabo mirabilia Hieron ad Paulinū de lege tua Lex enim spiritualis est et reuelatione opus est vt intelligatur ac reuelata facie gloriam Dei contemplemur Liber in Apocalypsi septem sigillis signatus ostenditur quem si dederis homini scienti literas vt legat respondebit tibi Non possum Signatus est enim Quanti hodie putant se nosce literas et tenent signatum librū
nec aperire possunt nisi ille reserauerit qui habet clauem Dauid qui aperit et nemo claudite claudit et nemo aperit In Actis Apostolorum sanctus Eunuchus imo vir sic enim eum scriptura cognominat cum legeret Esaiam interrogatus à Philippo Putà sne intelligis quae legis Respondit Quomodò possum nisi aliquis me docuerit Ego vt de me loquar interim nec sanctior sum hoc Eunucho nec studiosior qui de Aethiopia id est de extremis mundi finibus venit ad templuÌ„ reliquit aulam et tantus amator legis diuinaeque scientiae fuit vt etiam in vehiculo sacras literas legeret et tamen cum librum teneret et verbum Domini cogitatione conciperet lingua volueret labijs personaret ignorabat eum quem in libro nesciens venerabatur Venit Philippus ostendit ei Iesum qui clausus latebat in litera O mira doctoris virtus eâdem hora credit Eunuchus baptisatur et sanctus factus est The heauens were open to Ezechiel whiche to the sinfull people were shette Dauid saith Open thowe mine eies and I shall see the wonderfull thinges of thy lawe The lawe ys spirituall and yt hathe nede of reuelacion that yt maye be vnderstanded and that with open face we maie beholde the glorie of God The booke in the Apocalips ys shewed signed or fastened with seueÌ„ seales whiche if thow geue to a man hauing knowledge of letters that he maye read it he will aunswer I can not For it ys sealed Howe manie nowe a daies thinke Manie nowe a daies holde the booke of scripture scaled them selues learned and do holde the booke sealed neither yet can open it except he onlocke it which shetteth and noman openeth openeth and no man shetteth In the Actes of the Apostles the holie Eunuche yea raither a man for so the scripture doth call him when he did reade Esaie the Prophet being asked of Philippe Thinkest thow thow vnderstandest what thow readest he answered howe can I except some bodie shall teache me As for me that I maie speake somthing of my self I am neither more holie then this Eunuch nor more studiouse whiche came from Aethiope that ys from the furthest coastes of the worlde vnto the TeÌ„ple He left the Courte and was so great a louer of the lawe and godlie Science that he wolde euen in his Chariett read the holie scriptures And yet when he helde the booke and conceaued in his minde the woord of God when he spake it with his tounge and sownded it with his lipps he knew not him whom vnwitting he woorshipped in the booke Philippe came he shewed him Iesus who laie hidde in the letter O great vertue of a teacher The same howre the Eunuch beleued he was baptised and made faithfull and holie Thus farre saincte Hierom. In whose sentence marke well howe many scriptures this holie doctour hath brought forth to declare and proue that the scriptures be obscure and therfore of necessitie require to haue some exercised and learned in them to open and declare them as sainct Hierom declaring the cause whie alleageth these scriptures whiche ye haue heard and immediately addeth and saieth Haec à me breuiter perstricta sunt vt intelligeres te in scripturis sanctis sine praeuio et monstrante semitam non posse ingredi Theise thinges are breiflie touched of me to the entent thow shouldest vnderstande that withoute a leader and one shewing the path thow canst not entre in to the scriptures Not moche vnlike to this declaring the obscuritie and hardnesse of the olde Testament he writeth in his epistle to Algasia Quaestiunculaetuae de Euangelio Hieron ad AlgasiaÌ„ tantum de Apostolo propositae indicant te veterem scripturam aut non satis legere aut non satis intelligere quae tantis obscuritatibus suturorum typis obuâ—luta est vt omnis interpretatione egeat Thy questions propownded onelie out of the gospell and the Apostle doo declare that either thowe hauest not sufficientlie red the olde scripture or ells doest not sufficientlie vnderstand yt whiche ys enwrapped with so manie obscurities and figures of thinges to come that euery parte of yt had nede of interpretacon Thus moche saincte Hierom. Saincte Basill teacheth that all the scriptures are not to be published and made coÌ„mon for that some parte of them semeth to require a scilence or closenesse for their obscuritie Wherfor he diuideth the scriptures into two sortes or partis saieng Aliud est Dogma aliud Praedicatio Dogmata silentur Basil li. de Sp. S. ca. 27 Praedicationes verò publicantur Silentij autem species est obscuritas qua vtitur scriptura ita dogmatum sententiam construens vt aegrè assequi possis The pointes of learning be one thing and morall instruction ys an other Pointes of learning be kept close or secret Morall instructions are published and openlie taught A kinde of scilence also ys the obscuritie whiche the scripture vseth so framing the meening of the secret pointes of learning that a man maye hardlie atteign therto Saint Ambrose also in a fewe woordes saieth moche to this matter calling Lib 7. epist 44. the scripture of God the great sea hauing in yt a depenesse withoute Botome of depe senses and vnderstaÌ„dinges into the whiche manie flouddes doo entre Chrysostom also vpon this text Vae vobis qui clauditis regnum caelorum Wo be Math. 23. Chrysost oinel 44. in Matth. to yow whiche shett vppe the kingdom of heauen saieth thus Regnum est beatitudo caelestis Ianua autem eius est scriptura per quam intratur ad eam Clauicularij autem sunt sacerdotes quibus creditum est verbum docendi et interpretandi scripturas Clauis autem est verbum scientiae scripturarum per quam aperitur homimbus ianua veritatis Adapertio autem est interpretatio vera Videte quia non dixit Vae vobis qui non aperitis regnum caelorum sed qui clauditis Ergo non sunt scripturae clausae sed obscurae quidem vt cum labore inueniantur non autem clausae vt nullo modo mueniantur Propterea dicit Petrus in epistola sua de scripturarum obscuritate quia non sicut voluit homo locutus est spiritus sed sicut voluit spiritus ita locutus est homo Ratio autem obscuritatis multiplex est tamen satisfactionis causa dicimus duas Obscurata est notitia veritatis ne non tam vtilis inueniatur quà m contemptibilis Contemptibilis enim est si ab illis intelligatur à quibus nec amatur nec custoditur The kingdom ys the heauenlie blesse The gates of yt ys the scripture by the whiche we entre into yt The keibearers Preistes are the keiebearers of the scriptures are the preistes vnto whom the woorde ys committed to teache and interprete the scriptures The keie ys the woorde of the knowledge of the scriptures by the whiche
the gate of trueth ys opened vnto men The opening ys the true interpretacion Marke ye that he did not saie Wo be vnto yowe that do not open the kingdom of heauen but to yowe whiche do shette yt Therfore the scriptures be not shett vppe but obscure that with labour they maye be fownd but not shette vppe that by no meanes they maie be fownd Therfor Peter saieth in his epistle of the obscuritie of the scriptures Not as man wolde hathe the Spirit spoken but as the Spirit wolde so spake man Ther be manie causes of the obscuritie of yt But to satisfie I tell twain The knowledge of the trueth ys obscured least yt shoulde not be fownd as profitable as contemptible yf yt maie be vnderded of those of whō yt ys neither loued nor kept Thus moche Chrysostō Who also geueth an other cause of the obscuritie of the scriptures whiche I reserue to be declared in the next chapiter minding to heare the saieng of sainct Gregorie forsomoche as yt ys moche like and agreable to the sainge of Chrysostome Magnae vtilitatis est ipsa obscuritas eloquiorum Dei quia exercet sensum vt fatigatione Gregorius super Ezech. hom 9. dilatetur exercitatus capiat quod capere non potest ociosus Habet quoque adhuc maius aliud quia siscripturae sacrae intelligentia in cunclis esset aperta vilesceret quae in quibusdam locis obscurioribus tanta maiore dulcedine inuenta reficit quanto maiore labore fatigat animum quaesita The obscuritie of the woordes of God saieth saincte Gregorie ys of great profit For yt dothe exercise the vnderstandinge that by wearinesse yt maie be stretched oute and being exercised yt maie take that that yt coulde not take being idle Yt hath yet an other greater thing For yf the vnderstanding of the scriptures were in all thinges open and plain yt shoulde waxe vile The whiche vnderstanding in certain obsture places being fownde dothe with so moche the more pleasure or swetenesse delight as with the more labour being sought yt wearyeth the minde Thus moche Saincte Gregorie I might euen to wearinesse load the Reader with saienges of the Fathers testifieng the obscuritie of the scriptures But for that I haue entred into this matter to vse yt but as a preparatiue to that that ys here principapallie entended to betreacted of I will not tarie vpon yt but heare the testimonie Hieron ad Paulin. Fewe doe well vnderstand the epistles of Peter James Iohum c. of saincte Hierom as concerning the lesser epistles called canonicall I meen the epistles of Iames Peter Iohn and Iude of the whiche he saieth thus Iacobus Petrus Ioannes Iudas Apostoli septem epistolas aediderunt tam mysticas quà m succinctas breues pariter et longas Breues in verbis longas in sententijs vt rarus sit qui in eorum lectione non caecutiat The Apostles Iames Peter Iohn and Iude made seuen epistles as misticall as succincte and bothe short and long Shorte in woordes but long in Sentences So as he ys a rare man that in the reading of them doth not want seight of vnderstandinge Thus moche saincte Hierom. Ye haue nowe heard the censure and iudgement of diuerse famouse Fathers as touching the difficultie and obscurytie of the scriptures the contrarie wherof hath not onelie most falslie and shamfullie ben taught by Luther as I haue saied But also with like foolish arrogancie hath ben pratled by his pettie disciples to the entrapping and snaring of manie a simple Soule For thei being persuaded that the scriptures were easie to be vnderstanded proceaded with rash boldenesse to vnderstand euery scripture as their Heresie through arrogancie hath almost ouerrunne Christendom phansic moued them vsing the scriptures as simple children do the bells phatasing them to sownd euen as their phansie conceaueth according to the common saieng As the childe doth sing So dothe the bell ring By the whiche arrogant presumption heresie hath at this daie onerrunne yea almost ouerwhelmed a great parte of christendome Whiche howe lamentable yt ys the charitable christian heart feleth and perceyueth But nowe consider with me gentle Reader two thinges Firste their arrogancie and after their blindenesse Their arrogancie ys to manifest that wher the scriptures them selues as yehaue heard doo testifie that they are obscure and hard And sainte Peter by most plain woordes teacheth that the epistles of saincte Paule be hard to be vnderstanded the common consent and iudgement of the noblest learned men of Chrystes Churche be agreable to the same the experience also not onely of this our myserable time but of diuerse other times in the whiche heresies haue vexed the churche whiche haue risen vpon the ohscuritie of scriptures as Isidore saieth doth proue yt and conuince yt yet these arrogant heretikes will auouche them to be easie and plain Ys yt not more then impudent arrogancye to stand against so manie true substanciall and inuincible wittnesses ys yt not wicked that saincte Peter saing that saincte Paules epistles be hard Luther and his disciples yea his verie petties that can but read and yet not that well shall saie that they be esaie and plain Ys ther anie credite to be geuē to theise wicked men in other matters that so arrogantlie against all treuth teache this Howe litle will they bassh in soome other matter wher they maie through the darknesse and obscuritie of the scriptures somwhat cloake and shadow their falshood whē in so manifest a matter as this ys they bassh neuer one whitte As touching their blindnesse the ignorant that through ignorance can nothing saie dothe not more open his blindnesse then these men do theirs in sainge that the scriptures be esaie and plain For as learning witte and knowledge moue question Scruple and doubte So ignorante blindnesse doth perceaue nothing but plainesse easincsse and saiftie The learned medleth with the scriptures with feare diligence and painfull Ignorance as bolde as blinde studie The ignorant with boldnesse necligence and slackenesse wherbie yt cometh to passe that ys commonlie saied who ys bolder then blind biarde As then Origen Hierom Ambrose Augustin Chrysostome and Gregorie through knowledge and learning holpen with grace did finde perceaue and see the scriptures respersed with manie difficulties and doubtes So Luther and his ofspring through blinde arrogancie destitute and void of grace see no other but that the scriptures be easie and plain for euerie man to read and vnderstande and findeth neither Scruple ne doubte Wherfore Reader I wissh thee to be aduertised raiher to folowe Origen Hierom and the other holie Fathers and with them to perceaue that the scriptures be hard and so with circumspection and instruction of the learned to read or ells contenting thy self to heare to forbear reading raither then to folowe the blinde and so withoute mistrust walke in rough places and ther stumbling fall into the ditche An obi ∣ ection But here perchaunce ye will obiect and saie why
teache ye the scriptures to the hard and therby diswade men from the reading of them seing that Chrysostom in a nombre of places moste earnestlie exhorteth men to the reading of the scripturs and doth not feare them with the obscuritie and difficultie therof An aun ∣ swere I am not ignorante gentle Reader that Chrysostom doth so Neither do I forgett that Erasmus being very earnest that the scriptures should be red of the common people vseth for this pourpose both the doyng and authoritie of Chrysostom Wherfore I shall first aunswer thee for Chrysostom and after Erasmus Although Chrysostom exhorteth yow to read yet he maketh yow no warrantise of the easinesse of the scriptures that ye maie vnderstand interprete and expownd them and frame to your self a doctrine soch one as shall like your phantasie But as all ready ye haue heard he teacheth that the scriptures be hard and obscure But ther be two causes why Chrysostom willed the people to read One that he expownding the scriptures to his people he thought it shoulde be commodiouse to them for the better vnderstanding of the scripturs if they wolde read that scripture before they came to hym whiche he wolde expōde vnto them An other that they shoude read them to folowe thē To these pourposes and with this entent with Chrysost in psal 90. the remembrance also that they be full of difficulties and therfore circumspectlie to be red it were tollerable they shoulde be red But otherwise to folowe their phantasies to be doctours and framers of a faith and doctrine to them selues with the contempte of them whom God hath called and placed to be teachers that Chrysostom willeth not as in the next chapiter folowing ye shall heare him saie As for aunswer to Erasmus ther neadeth no better to be made thē Alfonsus Alfonsus maketh And yet first to saie to Erasmus yt ys merueilouse that he cōfessing the scripture to be hard as he dothe in the argument of the epistle of sainct hierom to Paulinus and in the argument of the epistle of saincte Paule to the Romans wher he dothe with soche maner of woordes set furth the difficultie of that epistle and yet truely that it wolde raither discourage a man from the reading of it then otherwise moue or prouoke him to read yt ys merueilouse I saie that he wolde the cōmō rude and vnlearned people shoulde read that that he teacheth to be so hard In the whiche for lacke of vnderstanding manie of them either they spend their labour in vain or ells vainly abuse the scriptures to errour and heresie according to the vanitie of their minde So that to confesse the scriptures to be hard and withall to will them to be common to the rude people yt hath but litle shewe of reason Yf they were easie and plain as Luther falslie teacheth yt might seme consonante to reason that the people might medle with them for that that for the easynesse therof they might wade through them Alfonsus aunswereth thus that although sayncte Chrysostom wolde the the people shoulde read the scriptures as in that tyme yt ys no good collection that it aught to be so at this time For oftentimes yt ys seen that an order or a lawe taken reputed to be good for the maners of the people and condicion of the tyme at one tyme ys lefte and not put in execution at an other time As in olde tyme yt was vsed to kepe night watches at the monumētes of holie Martyrs the name wherof whiche we call Vigills yet remaneth Vnto the hwich all maner of ages men women bachelers maidens and children repaired and came Whiche thing was so estemed in the time of saincte Hierom that when Vigilantius depraued yt saincte Hierom wrote verie sharpelie against him for yt And yet afterward the maners of of the people so requiring these Vigills were lefte Why then dothe not Erasmus as well seke to haue these Vigills reuiued and restored seing they were vsed in the tyme of sainct Hierom and of Chrysostome as well as the other was In the time of sainct Augustin children were communicated but nowe yt ys not in vse The Apostles made an ordinaunce at Hierusalem that strangled and bloode shoulde be forborne and not eaten of but yet yt ys not nowe in vse for that the condicon of the tyme and of the people ys otherwise Discipline and publike penance were in vse in the olde daies in the churche but we be loth now to haue yt again in vse So true yt ys that the people in the time of Chrysostom did read the scriptures but yt foloweth not therfore that yt ys good and expedient that yt be so nowe For the condicion of the time and maners of the people be farra different Whiche two ostentimes as they do alter chaunge cause alteracion of orders and lawes as yt semeth to the rulars expedient Yt ys the office of the people to heare and learn and so by that mean to knowe the lawe of their Lord God as the scriptures do testifie and putting yt in practise to vse due obedience toward God and his officers as the next chapiter more at large shall declare THE SYXTE CHAPITER DECLARING HOWE the people shall come to the vnderstanding of the scriptures ALmightie God who in moste goodlie wise disposith all thinges and ordeineth nothing in vain hathe thus appointed that the lawe shoulde be in the mouthe of ther preist and that the people shoulde learne yt of him as yt ys written Yf ther ryse a matter Deuteron 17 Matters of doubt must be refered to the preistes to harde for thee in iudgemēt betwene bloode and bloode betwē plee and plee betwē plague ād plague and the matters come to strife within thy gates Thē shalt thow rise ād get thee vppe vnto the place which the Lorde thy God hath chosen and come vnto the preistes the leuites and vnto the iudge that shall be in those daies and aske and they shall shewe thee the sentence of iudgement And thow must doo according to that whiche they of that place which the Lorde had choosen shewe thee And thowe shalt obserue to doe according to all that they enforme thee accordinge to the sentence of the Lawe which they teache thee and according to the iudgement which they tell thee shalt thowe doo and bowe not frō that whiche He that wil not heare the preist shall die they shewe thee neither to the right hande neither to the lefte And that man that will do presumptuouslie and will not harken to the preist that standeth ther before the Lorde thy God to ministre or vnto the iudge that man shall die and thowe shalt put awaie euell from Israel And all the people shall heare and feare and shall doo no more presumptuouslie Accordinglie to this also allmightie God saieth by his prophet Malachie Malac. 2. Labia sacerdotis custodient scientiam et legem requirent ex ore eius quia Angelus domini
we die not for we haue sinned in asking vs a king As theise people offended for that they abidde not in the ordre that God appointed thē So oure people nowe a daies folowing the inuentiōs of their heades and castinge awaie their rulers which God hathe appointed and takinge soche as God hath not appointed reiectinge also the holie religiō and faith of God vniuersallie receaued and framinge thēselues a faith and Religiō newlie inuēted and but priuately vsed haue not onelie offended but as sainct Augustine saieth they haue shewed their great madnesse Si quid diuinae Aug. ad Ianuar. Epla 118. scripturae praescribit autoritas non est dubitandū quin ita facere debeamus vt legimus Simi liter etiam si quid per orbem frequentat Ecclesia Nam hoc quin ita saciendum sit disputare insolentissimae insaniae est Yf the authoritie of the scripture of God dothe prescribe anie thing yt ys not to be doubted but that we aught to do as we read Likewise what so euer the Churche through the worlde dothe obserue for to dispute but that this aught so to be done yt ys most arrogant or foolish madnesse As I saie oure people haue offended with the childrē of Israel in theise and other before mencioned So God graūte thē to be cōtended with Gods ordre and to repēt with the childrē of Israell and saie peccauimus we haue offended ād so their eies through mekenes opened theymaie mekelie se their igno raunce and acknowledging the same maie iudge thēselues more mete to heare then to speake to learn then to teache to obie then to rule as the authoritie and exāples of the most famouse fathers and men of Chrystes Churchemaie moue Of whiche some shal be shewed in the next chapiter THE SEVENTH CHAPITER DECLARING THE same by examples of the Fathers and autorities of the Doctours of the Churche MOyses when his death drewe nere willing that the great woūders that God had wrought shoulde not by obliuiō be wiped oute of memorie not onelie to the childrē of Israel that thē liued but to al their posteritie as wel their spiritual as carnal childrē he gaue this rule Interroga patrem tuum annunciabit tibi maiores tuos dicent tibi Aske thy father and he will shewe thee thy Elders and they will tell thee Deut. 32. Although Moyses had writtē fiue bookes wherin he had most excellētlye declared the mightie workes and wounderful miracles of God Yet he did not sende all the people onelie thither to learn but he willed thē to learn of Scripture must be learned of the Fathers The Fathers learned of their elders The Apostles learned of Chryst. Praier required to vnderstād the scriptures their Elders what were the great workes of God Euē so nowe a daies all mē maie not be sent to the scriptures to learn but they must learn of their fathers what be the goodlie workes of God conteined in the Scriptures Yf ye aske all the holie auncient Fathers of whome they learned they wil aunswere of their teachers Fathers and Elders The Apostles learned of our master Chryste who were not in a soddein absolutelie and perfectlie learned but were three yeares and more in learning although they learned of so noble a Schoolemaster whom yt pleased so to vse his Scholers the holie Apostles as therby to insinuate vnto thē that the knowledge of the scriptures ys not rashlie to be had either with a daies hearinge or with a yeares studieng but yt ys as Origen saieth withgreate studie and praier to be gotten Non studin̄ solū nobis adhibendū est ad discendas sacras literas verùm supplicandū Domino diebus ac noctibus obsecrandū vt veniat Agnus ex tribu Iuda ipse accipiēs librū signatū dignetur aperire Not onelie studie saieth Origen ys to be applied to learn the holie scriptures but supplicacion must be made vnto our Lorde and praier vsed daies and nightes that the Lābe of the Tribe of Iuda maie come and that he takinge the sealed booke maie vouchesaif to open yt Thus moche Origen After this maner the holie disciples ād fathers did learn of their Seniours as Fathers of the Church learned of their Elders the histories do declare So did Marke Clemens Linus and Cletus learn of saincte Peter So did Titus Timothius Lucas and Dionysius of saincte Paule Ignatius Policarpus and Papias of saincte Ihon. Of Papias Tertulian Of Pantenus Origen Of Origen Dionysius Alexandrinus Of Tertulian Cyprian Of Dydimus and Gregorie Nazianzen saincte Hierō Of Theophilus saincte Cyrill Of saincte Ambrose sainct Augustin Of saincte Augustin Primasius and Orosius And so agreat nōbre of other which did not onelie with holie life ād deuoute praier applie their great and plainfull studie but also trauailed manie and diuerse cōtries to seke famouse and holie learned mē of whome they might be instructed in the Scriptures The Ecclesiastical historie declareth that two notable learned holie Fathers Eccles hist li. 11. ca. 9. Sainct Basill and Grego Naziā howe they learned the scriptures Basil and Gregorie Nazianzen laie thirtene years in a Monasterie in the studie of the Scriptures and yet presumed not of their owne heades but vsed the learned helpe and instructiō of their elders whose learninge and authoritie they diligentlie and obediētlie folowed The woordes of the historie be these Gregorius cum se totum dei seruitio mancipasset tantum de collegae amore praesumpsit vt sedentē Basiliū de doctoris cathedra deponeret ac secū ad Monasteriū manu iniecta perduceret ibiue per annos vt aiunt tredecim omnibus Graecorū saeculariū libris remotis solis diuinae scripturae voluminibus operā dabāt eorumue intelligentiā non ex propria praesum ptione sed ex maiorū scriptis autoritate sequebantur quos ipsos ex apostolica successione intelligendiregulā suscepisse constabat Gregorie when he had geuen and boūde himself whollie to the seruice of God presumed so moche vpon the loue of his felowe that he putte Basille sitting from the chaire of a doctour or teacher and taking him by the hande led him with him to the Monasterie and ther by the space of thirtene yeares as yt ys reported all prophane or secular bookes of the Grecians remoued they applied their diligēce and laboure to the onelie bookes of Gods Scripture and poursewed the vnderstāding of the same not of their owne presumption but by the writinges and autoritie of their Elders who also themselues as yt was wel knowē receaued the rule of vnderstanding by succession frō the Apostles Thus moche the historie Saincte Hierome of himself saieth Nobis curaefuit cum eruditissimis Hebraeorum hunc laborē subire vt circumiremus Prouinciā quam vniuersae ecclesiae Christi sonāt Fateor Hier. ad Domnion et Rogatiā Sainct Hierom howe he learned the scriptures enim mi Domnion Rogatiane charissimi nunquam me in diuinis voluminibus proprijs
holie scriptures and to the high misteries of God Be theise matters mete foode for all kinde of people Yf ther be any strong meat in all the scripturs this ys strong meat And saincte Paule saieth Perfectorum Hebr. 5. est solidus cibus eorum qui pro ipsa consuetudine exercitatos habent sensus ad discretionem boni et mali Strong meat belongeth to them that be perfecte euen those whiche by reason of vse haue their wittes exercised to discern bothe good and enell Agreablie to Saint Paule saieth Gregorie Nazianzen Non cuiusuis Christiani est Grego Nazian lib. 1. Theolog. de Deo disserere non adeò res hec est vilis neque eorum qui humi serpentes terrenis studijs occupantur Quoniam eorum tantùm est qui habito delectu ad tantum munus videntur idonei quique contemplandi acumine caeteros antecellunt qui iam antè corpus et animam ab affectu purgarunt Yt ys not apperteining to euery christian to reason and dispute of God This ys not so vile a matter nether ys yt apperteyning Euerie christian maye not reason and dispute of God to them whiche creping vpon the grownde are occupied in earthlie studies For yt belongeth onelie to them which beyng chosen are perceaued to be mete for so great an office and whiche also in sharpenesse of perceauing do excell other whiche haue allready pourged both bodie and soule from affection Thus moche Gregorie In whiche sentence ye maie percceaue what difference in Iudgement ther ys betwen theise destroiers of religion and order and this holie auncient Father for the medling with matters apperteining to God Yet the wicked confownders haue not onelie wrought this mischeif but they haue Laie mē haue vsurped the office both of preaching and ministring of Sacramētes also brought the people to soche contempte that laie men haue in diuerse famouse places openlie preached and not onely soche as haue folowed studie but plain Artificers Bricklaiers Shoomakers Tanners Stacionars Grossers and soche like men all void of learning but filled with pride and arrogancie Yet Luther desirous to haue all order broken and nothing to be doen in order he geueth libertie also to women to preache doo ye not see a wonderfull confusion And yet ther ys more For yt ys knowen that diuerse laie men haue ministred Sacramentes aswell Baptisme as other and haue not abashed to ministre them openlie in churches O Reader dothe yt not lothe thee to read these thinges as yt greiueth me to write them Time will not suffer me to go so farre in the rehersall of these abhominacōns as greif wolde enforce me And yet see how farre greif hath drawen me and as yt were by force and violence thrust me on when I wolde haue staied But God open ther eyes to see in the scriptures whiche they be so desierouse Paral. 26. Luc. 6. ibid. 10. Act. 14. 1. Tim. 4. c. 5. None maie exercise the office of a preist but he that ys called to read the plagues that God hath sent vpon them that haue vsurped the preistes office being not called therunto as theise doo and that they maie beholde the order that our Sauiour Christ began in choosing his Apostles and disciples and geuing them autoritie to execute their office to beholde also the imitation of the same in saincte Paule in the institution of Bishopps and preistes with his owne hande and the order prescribed to other to be circumspect before they did laie on their handes And then shall they perceaue that not euery man for his owne phantasie maye intrude him self but onelie soche as be called THE EIGHT CHAPITER EXHORTETH MEN to heare or to read the expositions of the scriptures and not to praesume vpon their owne vnderstanding SIt omnis homo saieth sainct Iames velox ad audiendum tardus autem ad loquendum et tardus ad iram Let euery mā be swifte to heare but slow to speake and slow to wrathe This counsel truly ys verie good and Jacob. 1. profitable For as in the man of manie woordes ther lacketh not of fence So the foole as the wise man saieth yf he holde his peace he shal be Prou. 10. Ibid. 17. Jbid. 17. reputed wise and to haue vnderstanding when he shetteth his lipps And whie for he hath the propertie of a wise man For as Salomon saieth he ys wise and discreet that tempereth his woordes As by scilence ys shewed wisdom So by hearing wisdom ys gotten For as Salomon saieth Audiens sapiens sapiētior erit intelligēs gubernacula possidebit Jbidem Sup. 1. By hearing the wise man shall come by more wisdom and hauing vnderstanding shall atteign to gouernment Vpon the whiche place sainct Hierom hath a goodlie saieng Quód autē ait sapientem cum audierit verbum sapientiorē effici ostendit neminem in hac vita ita sapientem fieri posse cuius sapientia nequeat augeri semperque moris esse sapientum vt dictis maiorum aliquando etiam minorum auscultent Hieron in ca. prim Prou. quicquid in illis vtilitatis audierint ad se replicent suoue in corde recondant Denique audiuit sapiens minor maiorem regina Saba Salomonem sapiētior redijt Audiuit Moises socerum multo inferiorem sublimior et sapientior redditus est Audierunt discipuli Christum spiritum sapientiae percipere meruerunt Audiuit Nicodemus audiuit Gamaliel audiuit discipulus eius tunc Saulus nunc Apostolus Paulus sapientes vtique verbum Euangelij sapientiores sunt facti Qui etiam Paulus cum ad tertium calum raptus audiuisset ea quae non licet hominibus verba loqui nihilominus ad terram reuersus aiebat Quia ex parte cognoscimus ex parte prophetamus Wheras he saieth the wise man to be made wiser when he heareth the woord he sheweth that no man in this life can be made so wise whose wisdom The wiseman by hearing maie be wiser maie not be encreaced And further he sheweth yt to be alwaie the maner of wisemen to take hede to the sainges of their betters and somtime also of their inferiours that what profitt so euer they finde in them they maie replie yt to themselues and laie yt vppe in their heart To be brief the lesser wise heard the greater the queen of Saba Salomon and she retourned wyser Moyses hearde his father in lawe the higher the farre lower and he was made the wiser The disciples heard Chryst and they receaued the Spirit of wisdom Nichodemus heard Gamaliel heard Saulus being then his disciple nowe the Apostle Paul heard all these being wise men heard the woord of the gospell and they were made wiser The which Paul also when he was rapt into the third heauen and had heard those woordes which yt ys not laufull for a man to speake yet being retourned to the earth he saied Oure knowledge ys vnperfect and oure prophecieng ys vnperfecte Thus moche saincte Hierom.
In the whiche sentence two thinges maie emong other be noted the one ys that be ye neuer so wise yet ye maie be wiser Wherfore disdain not to learn either by hearing or by reading The other that all these which S. Hierom bringeth in for example contented them selues to heare and by hearinge came to more wisdoÌ„ Let not then the prowde or arrogant be singular in his owne conceat for the superiour maie heare and learn of the inseriour as here ye haue perceaued Moyses to doo of Ietro his wifes Father Yf theÌ„ we should hear aÌ„d learn of al meÌ„ moche more should we heare and learn of them whome God hath appointed in his Churche to be pastours aÌ„d teachers whom of deutie we aught to heare as being coÌ„mended vnto vs by God and his Church and preaching vnto vs nowe by their bookes as somtime they did by their mouthes whose holines and learning was soche that they maie verie wel be takeÌ„ for the elders that Iesus Sirach speaketh of saing Ne despicias narrationeÌ„ presbyteroruÌ„ sapientiuÌ„ in prouerbijs eoruÌ„ conuersare Ab ipsis enim disces sapientiaÌ„ doctrinaÌ„intellectus c. Despise not the sermons of soche Eccles 8. elders as haue vnderstaÌ„dinge but acqueint thy self with the wise senteÌ„ces of theÌ„ For of them shalt thow learn wisdom and the doctrine of vnderstaÌ„ding But for asmuche as men maie appoincte to theÌ„ selues soche elders as they 2. Tim. 4. phantasie as saincte Paule prophecieng both of soche masters and disciples saith The time shall come when they shall not suffer holsome doctrine but after their owne lustes shall they whose eares doo ytche gett them an heape of teachers and shall withdrawe their eares froÌ„ the trueth and shal be turned to fables yt ys expedieÌ„t that we learn of the wise what elders we shal folowe Iesus Syrach teacheth vs to learn of soche elders as had learned of their Fathers Ne te praetereat narratio seniorum ipsi enim didiceruÌ„t à patribus suis quoniaÌ„ ab ipsis disces intellectum in teÌ„pore necessitatis dare responsum Go not from the doctrine Ibid. â— of the elders for they haue learned yt of their fathers For of them thowe shalt learn vnderstaÌ„ding so that thow maist make auÌ„swer in the time of nede In this godlie counsel ye perceaue the cause geuen why ye shoulde learn of your elders bicause saieth he they haue learned of their Fathers As who Elders that are to be folowed might saie the learning that ys learned of the Fathers ys no new inueÌ„ted doctrine yt ys no straunge doctrine vnknoweÌ„ to the coÌ„gregacion of the which S. Paule geueth yow admonitioÌ„ saieng Doctrinis varijs et peregrinis nolite abduci OptimuÌ„ est enim gratia stabilire cor Be not caried awaie with diuerse and strauÌ„ge doctrines for yt ys a good thing that the heart be established with grace But StrauÌ„ge doctrines are not to be folowed yt ys a doctrine tried and continued froÌ„ successioÌ„ to sucessioÌ„ a doctrine that ys permanent through all ages Elders that are not to be folowed Therfor go not froÌ„ that doctrine neither chose yow anie other elders to learn of but soche as haue learned of their fathers Therfor chose not soche elders as be inueÌ„tours of their owne doctrine as the LutheraÌ„s chose Luther who teaching that womeÌ„ maie preache teacheth an inueÌ„ted doctrine against the scripture For S. Paule saieth Mulieres in ecclesiis taceant non enin permittitur eis loqui etc. 1. Cor. 14. Let your women kepe scilence in the congregacion for yt ys not permitted vnto them to speake but to be vnder obedience as saieth the law Yf they will learn anie thing let theÌ„ aske their husbandes at home For yt ys a shame for women to speake in the â—ongregacion Luthers straunge doctrine Luther taught that coÌ„tritioÌ„ maketh a man a more sinner In assert art 6. And that the righteouse man doth in euerie good worke that he dothe mortallie offende Luther also taught that euery christian man ys a preist for the coÌ„mon ministrie Ibid. ar 31 These be straunge doctrines bothe to the scriptures and to oure elders and therfore we maie not learn of him for he hath not learned of the Fathers Zuinglius straunge doctrine Zuinglius taught that original offeÌ„ce ys no sinne In libell de Baptismo Yet Dauid in the psalme huÌ„blie confesseth Psalm 50. Ecce in iniquitatibus conceptus sum et in peccatis concepit me mater mea Behold saieth he I was conceaued in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceaued me And saincte Paule saieth Natura sumus filij irae of nature we be the children of wrathe or damnacion Zuinglius taught also In articulis in fine that the children of christen men nede not to be Baptised but yf they die withoute Baptisme they shall be saued yet Chryst saieth Ioan. 3. Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua et spiritu sancto non potest introire in regnum Dei Except a man be born again of the water and the holie goste he can not entre into the kingdoÌ„ of God Luthers lucifero use pride Of this man therfore maie ye not learn neither doo ye heare him for whie he hath not learned of the fathers Whiche thinge most arrooantlie euen Luther like as yt becometh a Lucyferan folowing his master Lucifer prowdelie protesteth not a fewe times and saieth that he will not be taught of men but of God O deuelish and wicked saing This ys a second Paule The first Paule saieth speaking of the gospell Neque ab homine accepi illud neque didici sed per reuelationem Iesu Christi Nether haue I receaued yt of man nether learned yt but by the In lib. coÌ„â— Canon reuelation of Iesus Chryst The second Paule saieth that he will not learn of man but of God But as ther ys a first Adam and a seconde the one earthlie the other heauenlie And as in the first Adam all doo die and in the secoÌ„de 1. Cor. 15. all be reuiued So our first Paule ys heauenlie this second earthlie that first leadeth to saluation This seconde to damnacion Zuinglius wrote de claritate verbi Dei of the clerenesse of the woorde of God an whol booke to the entent to make you suppose hard thinges to be Zuinglius wrote a booke of the clerenesse of scripture easie and so to passe through theÌ„ not as the trueth woulde lead yowe which ys hard to finde but as yowre phantasie should moue you which ys at haÌ„de and that he might with like facilitie bringe yowe to errour scisme and heresie and so consequentlie to damnacion Wherof he being soche a secoÌ„d Paule ys the right ministre Howe falselie that booke ys compiled this that ys here saied dothe manifestlie declare and inuincible proue What shoulde I troble thee Reader with rehersall of the false doctrine of Heretiques disseÌ„t
emōg them selues but conspire al agaīst the Church Heretiques what Fathers they folowe Oecolāpadius of Bullingerus of Caluinus of Bucer ād of soche like Who although they dissent emong themselues in manie thinges yet in manie they agree ād specialle in this that they be all mortall enemies to the catholique Churche Of theise fathers hath this our Aduersaire learned his doctrine of the which he ys a stowte mainteiner as ye haue partlie heard But maye we hope to drinke swete water oute of a stinking puddle Maie we gather as our Sauiour Chryst saieth grapes of thornes or figges of thistles Maie we hope to learn the wholsom trueth of him who hath sucked the lothsom poyson of Heresie of Luther and Zuinglius of whose detestable doctrines ye haue Math. 7. heard of many their wicked assertions afewe rehersed that by them ye maie iudge of the rest He that foloweth soche doctors and buildeth vpō soche sandes forsaketh the strong rocke he also leaueth the fountain of the water of life and puddleth Heretiques whie they are not to be folow in the fowle puddles which they haue digged whiche can not holde water Wherfor as they be not to be folowed no more ys this Aduersarie being certen that none of thē all haue taught the doctrine that they learned of holie catholike Fathers but of soche fathers as be of the nōbre of the elders ād teachers that faincte Peter spake of whiche shoulde come emong vs. Fuerunt in populo Pseudoprophetae sicut in vobis erunt magistri mendaces qui introducent sectas perditionis etc. Ther were false Prophetes in the people as emōg yow ther shal be false teachers or lieng masters which shall bring in damnable sectes euen denieng the Lorde that hath bought thē ād shal bring vpō thē selfs swifte dānation Wherfor coūt thē not as elders mete to learn of leest ye be of the nōbre of thē that saincte Peter immediatlie speaketh of And manie saieth he shal folow their dānable waies bi whō the waie of trueth shal be blasphemed Of theise folowers ther be some that solowing the arrogancie of their masters Corner teachers wil assēble cōpanies in corners ād being rude ād illiterate not brought vppe in the studie of sciēce but onelie in trade of worldlie craftes wil take vpon thē to teache before they learn as S. Hierō saieth And this emong other ys lamentable that mē will sett so litle by the faith of their Lord God so litle by the doctrine of Gods Churche so litle finallie by their owne sowles that they will hassard all these vpon the credite of soche an ignorāte vppestarte who neuer learned of his Fathers neither knewe what the Fathers had taught But be not so light o Brethren be not so light haue a more staie in you be not so easilie caried awaie frō your Lord God to your destruction Yf ye haue cōmitted your selfs to soche light masters open nowe your eyes ād be holde howe ye haue ben deceaued And to exhorte you with saincte Paules woordes frō hencefurth be no more babes wauering and caried aboute Ephes 4. with euerie winde of doctrine by the wilinesse of mē through craftinesse wherwith they laie in wait for yowe to deceaue yowe But folow the trueth in charitie and in all thinges growe in him which ys the head euen Chryste And this shall yowe the better do yf ye wil well regard the counsel of Salomon who saieth thus to euerie one of yowe Audi fili mi disciplinam patris tui Teachers meet to be beleued Prou. 1. et ne dimittas legem matris tuae My Sonne heare thy fathers doctrine and forsake not the lawe of thy Mother Vpon the which text sainct Hierom saieth thus Notandum quod ita nos disciplinam patris audire praecipit vt legem quoque matris nullo modo dimittamus quia non sufficit vt quis se Deum diligere eius praeceptis obtem Hier. ibid. perare dicat si vnitatem Ecclesiae fraterna charitate nō sequatur Yt ys to be noted that he commaundeth vs so to heare the doctrine of the father that we also by no means forsake the lawe of the Mother For yt sufficeth not that anie mā shall saie that he loueth God and obeyeth his commaundementes yf with brotherlie charitie he folowe not the vnitie of the Churche Note well Reader this note of saincte Hierom and by this learne to knowe bothe when your teacherys good and when his learninge ys good Howe to know good teachers yf your teacher remain in the vnitie of the Churche and his learning swarue not from the same nor teache dissention from that that in yt ys taught then ys your teacher and his learninge soche as ye maie withoute daūger accept Yf otherwise slee yt as from a serpent And yf ye wolde learn or being learned wolde be resolued in doubtes as ys before said seke not onelie soche as be onelie learned but seke soche as being best learned haue learned of their Fathers and abiding in the same do so embrace the doctrine of their Fathers that they in no poincte forsake the lawe of their mother the Churche as by this Aduersary ye are taught to doo For yf all christēdom maie be called the Churche thē teacheth he yow to forsake the lawe of your mother the Church For wher ys this doctrine of his professed through oute the Churche and not raither the contrarie Before Straunge doctrines these fewe yeares where was yt taught in all the Christian worlde that Chrystes bodie ys not in the Sacrament that yt ys not to be offred for the quick and the dead that yt ought not to be reserued for the commoditie of the sick that yt aught not to be honoured that soule 's departed are not to be praied for that we maie not make requestes to Sainctes to praie for vs ād manie soche other Teachers not meet to be beleued Seing thē he forsaketh the lawe of his mother though he pretende to haue learned of the Fathers yet ys he not to be folowed bicause he hath not bothe theise two that ys bothe the learning of his father and also the lawe of his mother For they onelie are to be folowed that haue both theise Thus shall ye finde the holie Fathers to haue doen as first for exāple saincte Hierō a mā not of the cōmon sorte of learned mē but an excellēt and singular mā who neither hauinge affiance in his owne iudgement notwithstanding his great learning neither seking obscure teachers but most famouse reporteth this of himfelf Non ab adolescētia aut legere vnquam aut doctos viros ea quae nesciebā Hieron in Prohemio Epist. ad Eph. ad Paul Eusto Saincte Hierom howe he learned the scriptures interrogare cessaui meipsum tātùm vt plerique habui magistrū Denique nuper ob hāc vel maximè causam Alexādriā perrexi vt viderē Didymū ab eo in scripturis
my God looke vpon me why hauest thow forsaken me When he Psal 21. Mar. 15. had thus cried one ranne and filled a sponge with vineagre and put yt vppō a Reed and gaue him to drincke Saincte Matthew saieth that they gaue him vineagre mingled with gall which fullie aunswereth the prophecie Math. 27. which saieth Dederunt in escam meam fel in siti mea potauerunt me aceto They gaue me gall to eate and when I was thirstie they gaue me vineagre to Psal 68. drinke Saincte Iohū concludinge here the wholl storie of the passion saieth thus Postea sciens Iesus quia omnia consummata etc. After these thinges Iesus knowing Ioan. 19. that all thinges were nowe perfourmed that the scripture might be fullfilled he saied I thirst Ther stoode a vessell by full of vineagre Therfore they filled a sponge with vineagre and wounde yt aboute with Isope and put yt to his mouth As sooen as Iesus receaued the vineagre he saied Yt ys finished and bowed downe his head and gaue vppe the Goste In this woord Consummatum est yt ys finished Christe who saied that all Ioan. 19. Luc. 24. must nedes be fullfilled which was written of him in the Lawe of Moises and in the prophetes and in the Psalmes perceauing that all those that spake of his incarnacion conuersation and passion the ende of whiche passion was instante were fullfilled in him and by him signified to vs the ende of the same whiche ende was that all thinges be doen in dede as these bookes forespake by woorde in figures and prophecies Nowe the end of these bookes being commed and therfore well finished as one that had doen his worke appoincted at his own pleasure he gaue himself to rest and yelded vppe his most blessed Spirit THE TVVELVETH CHAPITER BRIEFLIE TOVcheth a prophecie or two of Christs Resurrection and Ascension NOwe gentle Reader thowe hauest heard the goodlie storie of the passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christe not according to the woorthinesse of soche a matter treacted of and handled but for the avoiding of tediousnes breiflie and as yt were in a transcourse ouerrunne Wherin yet yf you well note the conference and applicacion of the storie of the Gospell to the prophecies and weigh well howe the one aunswereth the other yt will occasion yowe as I suppose to honour God in his prouident wisedom and foreknowledge and to reuerence his holie mysteries in the scriptures also teaching vs the same Nowe to perfourme my promisse I will bringe furth a prophecie or two of his Resurrection and ascension and so end this matter As the storie of the Gospell hath sufficientlie wittnessed that Christe our Sauiour gaue vppe the gost vppon the crosse and ther to declare himself a Prophecie of Chrystes resurrect and ascēsiō mortall man died So doth yt testifie vnto vs that he was buried and that the third daie he rose again and that as sainct Paule saieth accordinge to the Scriptures And for asmoche as the Gospell was not perchaunce then written or receaued as of autoritie to proue that article to vnbeleuing men 1. Cor. 15. yt ys to be supposed that saincte Paule ment the Scriptures of the Prophetes whiche did prophecie the resurrection of Christe of the whiche matter we read thus in the psalme I haue sett God allwais before me for he ys Psal 15. on my right hand therfor I shall not fall wherfore my hearte was gladde and my tounge reioced my flesh also shall rest in hope for whie Thowe shallt not leaue my sowle in Hell nether shalt thowe suffer thy holie one to see corruption That this prophecie speaketh of the resurrection of Christe saincte Peter in the first sermon that he made after he hadde receaued the holie Goste whiche was euen the same daie of Pentecost dothe alleage the same scripture by the teaching of the same holie Spirit to proue the resurrectiō of Christe wher he saieth thus Ye men of Israell heare these woordes Iesus of Nazareth Acto 2. a man approued of God emong yowe with miracles wonders and signes which God did by him in the middest of yowe as ye your selues knowe him haue ye taken by the handes of vnrighteouse persons after he was deliuered by the determinate counseill and foreknowledge of God and haue crucified and slain him whom God hath raysed vppe and loosed the sorowes of death bycause yt was vnpossible that he shoulde be holden of yt For Dauid speaketh of him before hand I sawe God allwais before me c. as ys before alleadged And proceading in this matter noteth the speciall poinctes of this Prophecie that doo proue the resurrection of Christe and saieth Therfore seing he was a Prophete speking of Dauid and knewe that God had sworne with an othe to him that Christe as concerninge the flesh shoulde come of the fruicte of his loines and shoulde sitte on his seat he knowing this before spake of the resurrection of Christe that his sowle showlde not be lefte in hell neither his flesh shoulde see corruption This Iesus hath God raised vppe wherof all we are wittnesses In the whiche wholl sentence and saieng of saincte Peter two thinges are to this pourpose to be noted First that before the allegacion of the prophete Dauid he saieth thus speaking of Christe whom God hath raised vppe and loosed the sorowes of death Yf ye aske the holie Apostle the cause whie God hath raised him from deathe he aunswereth Bicause yt was vnpossible that he shoulde be holden of yt Yf ye procead to aske him why yt was vnpossible he aunswereth For Dauid speaketh of him Wherin he noteth the immutabilitie of God and the certentie of his woorde As who should saie forsomoch as God hath spoken by his Prophete Dauid that he wolde raise vppe Christe again yt ys vnpossible but he must be raised and therfore he was raised The second thing to be noted in the Apostle ys that he noteth as yt were with his fingar the verie speciall woordes of the prophecie of Dauid that forespake the resurrection of Christe where the Apostle speking of Dauid saied He knowing of this before spake of the resurrection of Christe that his sowle shoulde not be left in Hell nether his flesh shoulde see corruption This sentence ys yt that plainlie proueth the resurrection Wherfore the Apostle to conferre the fullfilling of the prophecie to the prophecie yt self concludeth the sentence thus This Iesus hath God raised vppe wherof we all are wittnesses Albeit the learned Fathers alleage other places also yet for so moche as I haste to the matter principallie entended I will staie my hande in this matter Mindinge with like expedicion to finish the rest that remaineth to be doen by my promesse that ys onelie to declare the ascension of Christ by prophecie as I haue doen by figure Of the Ascension of our Sauiour Christe the Prophete Dauid also in the Psal 67. Prophecie of the Ascēsion psalme dothe Prophecie thus
vnderstande to the general iudgemēt wherbie yt doth appeare that this sacrifice ād preisthood 1. Cor. 11. shall continewe vnto the worldes ende These be the thinges whiche I saied before that God had sheued by figures and prophecies Whiche figures and prophecies being doen and past and ment of these thinges must as necessarelie be fullfilled as the other before mencioned figures and prophecies were fullfiled of the Authour and Institutour of them The figures and prophecies before mencioned were of thinges whiche as touchinge the facte not the vertue efficacie and merite which haue none ende were ended in Christe As his incarnacion ys doen and ended his passion resurrection and ascension be doen and ended in facte not in vertue efficacie and meritte But the newe Testament wherin the vertue efficacie and merites of these factes be continued and applied ys begonne and confirmed in Christes A new lawe a newe preisthood Heb. 7. bloode The preisthood also of the same whiche he ordeined in that newe lawe or Testament For a newe lawe must nedes haue a newe preisthood and a newe preisthood most haue a newe lawe as saincte Paule maketh this argument of necessitie that Translato sacerdotio necesse est vt legis translatiox fiat The preisthood being taken awaie the lawe must nedes be taken awaie A newe preisthood a newe sacrifice For lawe and preisthood go together And with a newe preisthood cometh a newe sacrifice For the diuersitie of preisthood standeth in the diuersitie of sacrifice These three shall endure and remain as the figures and prophecies of the same shall manifestlie declare and proue Of these thinges ther be figures in the lawe of nature and in the lawe of Moyses In the lawe of nature albeit that Seth Noe and other holie men did offer sacrifices vnto God yet were they not figures of this Sacrifice vsed nowe in Christes church but raither of Christes Sacrifice offred vpon Apoca. 13. the Crosse after the maner of Aaron For the whiche cause saincte Iohn saieth he ys Agnus qui occisus est ab origine mundi the Lambe that was slain from the beginning of the worlde Both for that he was figured in the sacrifices doen to God from the beginnig of the worlde also that he gaue vertue to all soche sacrifices But the first that figureth bothe the preisthood and sacrifice of the newe lawe ys Melchisedech of whome we read thus And Melchisedech king of Salem brought furth bread and wine for he was the preist of the most high God and blessed him saieng Blessed be Abraham vnto the high God possessour of heauen and earth And blessed be the high God whiche hath deliuered thine enemies into thy handes And Ahraham gaue him tithes of all Heb. 6. 7. Christ and Melchisedech cōpared togethe To proue this Melchisedech to be the verie figure of Christe we can haue no better argument then the applicacion which S. Paule maketh by the holie Goste in the epistle to the Hebrues wher in the ende of the sixte chapiter he saieth thus Wher the forerenner ys for vs entred euen Iesus that ys made an high preist for euer after the ordre of Melchisedech And then yt foloweth in the beginning of the next chapiter This Melchisedech king of Salē who being preist of the most high God mette Abraham as he returned again from the slaughter of the kinges and blessed him to whom also Abraham gaue tithes of all thinges first ys called by interpretation king of righteousnesse after king of Salem that ys to saie king of peace without Father without mother withoute kinred And hath neither beginning of daies neither ende of life but ys likened to the Sonne of God and continueth a preist for euer In the whiche sentence saincte Paule first reciteth the storie and after doth interprete the woordes and applie the same to Christe as the figure to the thing figured First saieth he ys he called the king of righteousnes wher in saincte Paule dothe interprete the name of Melchisedech For as the learned in the tounges saie Melec doth signifie kinge and Sedech righteousnesse and so saincte Paule by the name of Melchisedech calleth him king of righteousnesse After king of Salem Salem by interpretatiō ys peace And therfore saincte Paule saieth king of Salem that ys to saie of peace Yet ther was a Cittie in dede called Salem of the whiche Melchisedech as the Hebrues do saie being the eldest Sonne of Noë whome the scripture otherwise calleth Sem was the verie king In the whiche as saincte Hierom Hierom. in Esay 41. dothe testifie ther remain the ruines of his palace which doth testifie what a goodlie thinge yt was Whiche Melchisedech notwithstanding that he was a king he was also a preist For as saincte Hierom doth also saie the eldest or first born sonnes in the lawe of nature were preistes And therfore yt dothe appeare that he was an eldest Sonne Sainct Paule goeth on and saieth that he was withoute father and with oute mother By the whiche saincte Paule meeneth not that he had no father nor mother but that the Scripture maketh no menciō of his father nor mother Likewise ys that to be vnderstanded whiche foloweth wher he saieth that Melchisedech was withoute kin hauing neither beginning of daies nor yet endinge In dede he had bothe but the Scripture maketh no mencion of them But all these thinges doth saincte Paule inferre to declare howe liuely Melchisedech as a figure of Christe doth expresse him As First wher Melchisedech ys called king of righteousnesse he figureth Christe verie well For Christe ys that righteouse kinge who according to the saieng of the Prophete Esaie Non secundùm visionem oculorū iudicabit neque Esay 11. secundùm auditum aurium arguet sed iudicabit in iustitia pauperes c. He shall not geue sentence after the thing that shal be brought before his eies neither reproue a matter at the first hearinge but with righteousnes shall he iudge the poor And again the Prophete saieth He shall sitte vpon the seat of Dauid and in his kingdom to sett vppe the same and to establish yt with Id. 9. equitie and righteousnes for the whiche cause as the Prophete saieth vocabunt eum Dominus iustus noster They shall call his name owre righteouse Lord. And wourthilie ys he so called For dailie dothe he righteouslie for that Ioan. 5. that Pater omne iudicium dedit Filio The Father hath geuen all iudgement to the Sonne Before whome Omnes nos manifestari oportet vt referat vnusquisque 2. Cor. 5. prout gessit in corpore siue bonum siue malum We must all appeare that enery man maie receaue the workes of his bodie according to that he hath doen be yt good or euell At the whiche time Procedent qui bona fecerunt in resurrectionem vitae qui vero mala egerunt in resurrectionē iudicij They shall come furth Ioan. 5. that haue don good vnto the
beheld saieth he and lo a great multitude whiche no man coulde nombre of all nacions people and tounges stood Apoca. 7. before the seat and before the Lambe cloathed in long white garmentes and palmes in their handes And they cried with a Loude voice sainge Saluacion be asscribed vnto him that sitteth on the Seate of our lorde God and vnto the lambe which Lambe ys Chryste Of whome again he saieth by plain woordes I beheld and lo in the middest of the seate and of the foure beastes and in the middest of the elders Apocal 5. stoode a lambe as though he hadde ben killed And when he had taken the booke the foure beastes and the xxiiij elders fell down before the lābe and with instrumentes sang a newe songe saing Thow arte woorthie to take the booke and open the seales therof For thow was killed and hauest redemed vs with thy bloode But forasmoche as this parte of the figure namely the passion of Christe ys allreadie treacted of and of this ther ys no controuersie I shall diuert me to speake of the other parte of the figure which ys of the eatinge of the lambe Whiche figureth the eatinge of our Paschall lambe in the institucion of the newe passouer And of yt also nowe so frequented and vsed in the churche of the same Lambe our Sauiour Christe and that by his commandement whervpon standeth nowe the controuersie In this matter to make a comparison As the lambe killed was a figure of Christe verelie killed So the same lambe being verilie eaten ys a figure of Christ verilie eaten As the Lambe was eaten reallie and substanciallie So ys Christe eaten reallie and substanciallie That the eating of this lambe was a figure of the eating of Christ our lambe in his last Supper Christ himself doth wittnesse who speaking of the verie Paschall Lambe saied Desiderio desideraui hoc Pascha manducare vobiscum antequam patiar I haue Inwardlie desiderd to eate this Pasouer with yowe Luc. 22. before that I suffer This was not spoken of the olde pasouer whiche he had eaten with them before but of the newe whiche was figured by yt whiche he entred immediatelie to institute to answere the figure and to fullfill the Scripturs Therfore saincte Paule considering bothe the principall partes of the figure the lambe that he must be bothe offred in sacrifice and also eaten applieth them bothe vnto Christe and ioineth thē together sainge Pascha nostrū immolatus est Christus itaque epulemur Christe our pasouer ys offered vppe for vs behold here the sacrifice Therfore lett vs eate note here the eating of Christ For as the lambe that was offred for the passouer was also eaten So Christ as saincte Paule saieth was also offred vppe for our passouer therfor let vs eate The same lambe that was offred for the figure was eaten The same Christe that was offred to answer the figure was and ys eaten And for further probacion of his matter note that in good thinges the thing figured ys better then the thing that ys the figure And cōtrarie wyse August in Psal 77. Figures in good thinges not so god as the thinges figured Figures in euell thinges not so euell the figure in euell thinges ys better then the thing figured Or more proprelie and trulie to saie In euell thinges the thing figured ys woorse then the thing whiche ys the figure As for example first of this latter that we maie with the other procead King Pharao tirannouslie reigning ouer the children of Israell ys a figure of the Deuell tirannouslie reigninge ouer sinfull men and with holdinge them from the due seruice of God The seruitude that the childeren of Israell were in ys a figure of the seruitude of sinne that man was in The bretheren of Ioseph conspiring the sale of him were a figure of Iudas and the Iewes conspiring the like matter against Christe In the whiche as in other of like sorte ye maie note and preceaue that Pharo being the figure of the deuell and the seruitude of Egipte being the figure of the feruitude of sinne And the bretheren of Ioseph being the figure of Iudas and the Iewes the thinges figured are woorse then the figures For the Deuell the thing figured ys woorse then Pharao the figure The seruitude of sinne being the thing figured ys woorse then the seruitude of Egipte being the figure Iudas and the Iewes conspiring against our Sauiour Christe being the thinges figured are woorse then the bretheren of Ioseph being the figure So shall ye finde in all other figures of the olde lawe of thinges that be not good that the thing figured ys allwaies woorse then the thing that ys the figure But as for goodthinges the thing figured ys better then the thing that ys the figure As for example Abraham ys a figure of God the Father Isaac a figure of Christ Gods sonne God the Father and Christ his sonne the thinges figured are withoute comparison better then the thinges that be the figures The rodde of Aaron and the blossomme of the same are figures of the virgen Marie and Christ the blossome of the same The Brasen Serpent vpon the pole ys a figure of Christe vpon the crosse Ionas in the beallie of the whall a figure of Christe in the heart of the earth In euerie of these the thinges figured be better then the thing that ys the figure as by comparison Passouer of the Christians more excellent then the Passouer of the Jewes ye maie perceaue Nowe then to the pourpose As the Paschall Lambe beind offered was a figure of Christe offred So the lambe eaten ys a figure of Christ by ys eatē Wherfore as Christe offred being the thing figured ys better then the lambe offred being the figure So of consequence must the passeouer figured being eaten be better then the passouer the figure whiche was eaten Yf the passeouer which ys nowe eaten be but a peice of bread a bare signe or figure as the Sacramentaries do affirme then the Paschall lambe ys the sigure of a peice of bread which bread in special thinges hath no similitude to answer the figure as all thinges figured doo And so also shall not the thing figured in the newe Testament be better then the figure whiche ys in the olde testament whiche maie not be But that the Reader that hath ben seduced and drawen from the catholique faith conceaue no sinistre opinion of me and thinke that I go aboute to deceaue him with rules of mine owne inuencion as thinges feigned besides the Scriptures Let the same vnderstande that this rule that thinges figured be better then the figures as ys aboue declared ys not the dreame Argumēt of S Pauls epistle to the Hebr. of mine own head but a substanciall trueth grownded vpon the sure foundacion of Gods woorde I meen vpon the cheif argument of Saincte Paules epistle to the Hebrues For what dothe saincte Paule in that epistle trauaill to proue more than that
with pride reiecteth the simplicitie of faith and contemneth the benefitt of God But contemning him that contempneth God let vs heare more of this good Father that honoured our Lord God In the same sermon he hath also this saieng speakinge to the Churche whiche ys the Spouse of Chryst to stire her also to agnise this great benefitte of God saing thus Gratulare sponsa gaude Bernard serm cod incomparabiliter Praesidentem habes rectorem sponsum in praesentis exilij militia Pignus habes arrham tenes quibus foeliciter vniaris sponso in patria gloriosa amabilis sponsa In terra sponsum habes in sacramento in coelis habitura es sine velamento hic ibi veritas sed hic palliata ibi manifestata Gene thankes O spouse reioice incomparablie In the warrefare of this present bannishment thowe hauest thy husband president and ruler thowe hauest the pledge thowe hauest thy earnest money by the whiche thowe maist as a gloriouse and beloued Chryst both in heauen and earth in veritie Spouse be vnited and ioined to thy Spouse in heauen with felicitie In earth thowe hauest thy Spouse in the Sacrament In heauen thowe shalt haue him withoute anie couert Bothe here and ther ys the veritie But here couered ther openly shewed This ys a goodlie sentence and woorthie well to be noted but this for our purpose specialle that the Churche hath her Spouse Chryst in earth in the Sacrament whiche in heauen she shall haue in open vision Here verilie Chryst and ther verilie Chryst all the difference ys that here he ys vnder couerture ther manifestlie seen To conclude that the aduersarie shall not reiecte sainct Bernard for his plain sainge yt shall be confirmed by the like saing of Chrystom who saieth Chrysost li. 3. de sacer thus O miraculum O Dei benignitatem qui cum Patre sursum sedet in illo ipso temporis articulo omnium manibus pertractatur ac se ipse tradit volentibus ipsum accipere ac complecti Chryst sitting aboue ys also in the handes of men O miracle O the gentle godnesse of God he that sitteth aboue with God the Father euen in that same poincte of time ys handeled with the handes of all and he deliuereth him self to them that will receaue him and embrace him Thus moche Chrysostome Beholde nowe good reader howe Chrysostom agreablie to the speache of sainct Bernard acknowlegeth the great goodnesse of God that Chryst whiche sitteth at the right hand of the Father ys in that time meening the time of ministracion in the handes of men In that he saieth he ys in the handes of men yt argueth a reall presence for the spirituall presence can not be in handes but in heart To the proofe of this also yt maketh inuinciblie that Chrysostome exclameth Chrystes being in the Sacr. ys miraculouse contrarie to the rules of philosophie with reuerent wonder saing O miracle In this that he acknowlegeth yt a miracle he dothe acknowlege more then the bread to be a figure of Chrystes bodie For that ys no miracle to be wondered at But he doth acknowledge the miracle to be that Chryste that sitteth aboue with the Father shoulde also be in the Sacrament in the handes of men This ys the miracle For this ys both aboue nature and against nature and doen by the onelie power of God and therfore ys a miracle Thus then yt ys manifest by the humble lowlie and faithfull confession of the faith of these holy fathers that Chrystes bodie miraculouslie ys both in heauen and in earth in the Sacrament and so in manie places at one time notwithstandinge the contemptuouse exclamacion of this Proclamer limiting the power of God by an impossiblitie as yt appeareth to his vnbeleuing vnderstanding that the bodie of Chryst shoulde be in a thousand places Which his exclamacion was his best argument to bring the people from their fathe But yf he will acknowledge the miracle with Chrysostom he shall perceaue howe foolish his argument ys THE ELEVENTH CHAPITER PROVETH THAT as two bodies maie be in one place so the bodie of Chryst being one maie be in diuerse places AS the Aduersaries to ouerthrow the worke of faith haue vsed naturall philosophie So to maintein their naturall philosophie they haue vtterlie denied the verie Gospell the grownd of faithe For wher the good catholique learned men of charitable pitie laboured to bring them from this their wicked errour persuading thē not to cleaue to naturall reason as therwith to measure and streicten that which ys the bodie of the Sonne of God exalted to be in vnitie of person with the Godhead as they wolde doo our bodies which be but naturall and earthlie bodies onelie infinite degrees vnder the condicion of that blessed bodie of Chryste but to consider that as the bodie of Chryst though yt be a naturall bodie might be with an other bodie in one place at one time whiche ys against naturall Philosophie and reason So the same being but one bodie might be in diuerse places at one time notwithstanding naturall reason and Philosophie To proue two bodies to be in one place at one time the Gospell of saincte Joan. 20. Iohn was alleged wher we read Venit Iesus ianuis clausis stetit in medio eorum dixit Pax vobis Iesus came the doors being shett and stood in the middest of them and saied Peace be with yowe This beinge testified of saincte Iohn for the miraculouse coming in of Chryste to his Apostles proueth that he so coming in passed through doore or wall as his pleasure was to do and so doinge ther was contrarie to Oecolampadius saing Corpus in corpore duo corpora simul One bodie in an other and two bodies together one place Cranmer in his aunswer agaīst winch I remembre that this scripture was obiected by master Smith against Cranmer and for aunswere therunto thus saith Cranmer But peraduenture Master Smith will aske me this question Howe coulde Chryste come into the house the doore beinge shett except he came through the doore To your wise question master Smith I will aunswer by an other question Coulde not Chryste come aswell into the house when the doore was shette as the Apostles coulde go oute of prison the doore being shett Coulde not Act. 5. God wourke this thing except the Apostles must go through the doore and occupie the same place that the doore did In this aunswere by Cranmer made by questions as ther be two questions so ther be two partes But by the aunswering of the first the aunswering to the second shall be the easier The first questiō asketh yf Chryst coulde not come as well into the house the doores being shett as the Apostles coulde go oute of prison the doore being shett whiche question I praie thee Reader well to weigh Which yf thow doo thowe shalt perceaue that to auoid this argument and to deceaue Cranmer falsifieth the scripture
to maintien his heresie the reader he here vttereth a manifest and shamefull vntruthe and abuseth the Scripture for the maintenaunce of his heresie to wickedlie For he to make the readers beleue that the coming in of Chryste into the house and the goinge of the Apostles out of prison was of one maner saieth that the goinge oute of the Apostles and the coming in of Chryste were bothe the doores being shett Which ys verie false and directlie against the truth of the scripture For as concerning the going oute of the Apostles out of prison Looke the actes of the Apostles and ye shall finde that they went not oute the doors being shett as this man vntrulie reporteth but the doores being open Whiche thing the holie Goste lefte not vndeclared For thus shall ye reade ther The cheif preist rose vppe and all they that were with him which ys the secte of the Saduces and were full of indignacion and laied handes on the Apostles and putt them in the common prison But the Angell of our Lord by night opened the prison doors and brought them furth and saied Go and stande and speake in the temple to the people all the woordes of life When they heard that they entred earlie in the morning and taught But the cheif preist came and they that were with him and called a councell together and all the elders of the children of Israell and sent men to the prison to fetch them when the ministers came and fownde them not in prison they returned and tolde saing The prison trulie we founde shette with all diligence and the kepers standing withoute before the doores but when we had opened we fownd no man within In this scripture first note that when the Apostles were committed to prison the Angell of God came by night and opened the doores of the prison and not onelie opened the doores but also brought the Apostles oute Then ys yt false that this man saieth that the Apostles went oute of the prison the doores being shett Trueth yt ys that the doores were made fast again after their departure For the messengers that came in the morning to fetche the Apostles reported that they fownd the doores shet with all diligence and the kepers standing before the doore And herin wolde the holie Goste the miracle to be noted that the Angell opened the prison doores and shett them again and brought furth the Apostles and the kepers standing at the doore perceaued not But yet he wolde not this miracle of their going oute to be like the miracle of Chrystes Cominge in For as touching the Apostles the holie Goste plainly reporteth howe they went oute by the helpe of the Angell opening the doores But in Chrystes coming in ther ys no meanes declared howe he came in but yt ys absolutely spoken Venit Iesus ianuis clausis Iesus came the doores being shette signifieng that he came in Chryst entred in to his Apost the doores being shett more miraculouslie by the power of his Godhead not requiring the aide of the opening of any dore But that ye maie perceaue that I do expownd and vnderstand this facte and miracle of Chryste as the holie fathers doo and that ye maie the better credite the matter ye shall heare howe they vnderstand this place of saincte Iohan. Chrysostom to proue the Mother of Chryste a virgen both before and after his birth alleageth this place and saieth thus Sancta Maria beata Maria mater et Chrysost homil de Ioan. Bapt. virgo Virgo fuit ante partum virgo post partum Ego hoc miror quomodò de virgine virgo natus sit post nationem virginis mater virgo sit Vultis scire quomodò de virgine natus sit post natiuitatem mater ipsa sit virgo Clausa erant ostia ingressus est Iesus Nulli dubiū quin clausa sint ostia qui intrauit per ostia clausa non erat phantasma non erat spiritus verè corpus erat Quid enim dicit Respicite videte quia spiritus carnem ossa non habet sicut me videtis habere Habebat carnes habebat ossa clausa erant ostia Quomodò clausis ostijs intrauerunt ossa caro Clausa sunt ostia intrat quem intrantem non vidimus Vnde intrauit omnia clausa sunt locus non est per quem intret tamen intus est qui intrauit Nescis quomodò factum sit das omnipotentiae Dei Da potentiae Dei quia de virgine natus sit The holie Marie the blessed Marie mother and virgen she was a virgen before birth a virgen after birth I merueil at this howe of a virgen a virgen shoulde be born and after the birth of a virgen the mother shoulde be a virgen Will ye knowe how he was born of a virgen and after the birth howe she was both mother and virgen The doores were shett and Iesus entred in No man doubteth but that the doores were shette He that entred by the shett doors was no phantasie he was no spirit he was verilie a bodie For what saied he Looke and see that a spirit hath no flesh and bones as ye see me haue He had flesh he had bones and the doores were shette Howe did slesh and bones enter the doore being shette The doores be shette and he goeth in whome we sawe not going in How did he go in all thinges are closse ther ys no place by the which he might go in and yet he ys within that went in and yt doth not appeare howe he went in Thowe knowest not and doest referre yt to the omnipotencie of God Geue this also to the omnipotencie of God that he was born of a virgen Saincte Hierom vseth the same argumēt to the same pourpose and saieth Hieron in Apologia cont Jouin. Respondeant mihi quomodò Iesus ingressus est clausis ostijs cùm palpandas manus latus considerandum ossacarnemue monstrauerit ne veritas corporis phantasma putaretur Et ego respondebo quomodò sancta Maria sit mater virgo virgo post partum mater antequà m nupta Let them aunswer me saith saincte Hierom howe Iesus entred in the doores being shette when leste his bodie shoulde be thought a phantasie he shewed both flesh and bones and his handes to be felt and his side to be considered And I will aunswer them howe the holie Marie maie be bothe a mother and a yirgen A virgen before birth a mother before she was knowen of man In bothe these Autours we maie perceaue not onelie by their woordes but also by the argument whiche they make that the doores remained still shette both at the entring in of Chryste in to the house and after that he was entred in wherbie they proue that the clausures of the virginitie in the virgen Marie remained closse both before the birth in the birth and after the birth of Chryste Nowe yf the doores did open at the going
in of Chryste to his Apostles as some haue wickedlie taught raither seking to shadow the miraculouse worke of Chryste and to falsifie the scriptures then they wolde forsake their erroure or haue yt conuinced then coulde yt not proue that the clausures of the virginitie of the mother of Chryste notwithstanding his birth remained allwais closed whiche as ye maie perceaue they intended to proue Yt maie be that the Aduersarie being pressed with the authoritie of these graue and learned fathers will graunt that Chryste went in to this Apostles the doores being shett But yet he went not he will saie through the doore nor no other body so as there shoulde be two bodies in one place at one time That he went in the doores being shett he will graunte But howe he went in he can not tell To make this matter plain to the Aduersarie and thee Reader we will heare Chrysostom in an other place geuing some cause how he might so go in DignuÌ„ autem dubitatione est quomodò corpus incorruptibile formam clauorum acceperit Chrysost homil 86. in Joan. mortali manu tangi potuerit Sed hoc te non perturbet hoc enim permissionis fuit Corpus enim tam tenue leue vt clausis ianuis ingrederetur omni crassitudine earebat sed vt resurrectio crederetur talem se exhibuit Et vt ipsum crucifixum fuisse neminem alium pro eo resurrexisse intelligas proptered cum signis crucis resurrexit Yt yt woorthie of doubte howe the incorruptible bodie did take the forme of the nailes and Chrystes bodie was so void of grossnesse that yt might enter the doorees being shett coulde be touched with mortall hand But let not this trooble thee For this was doen of permission For that bodie being so subtile and light that yt might entre in the doores being shett was void of all grossnesse But that the resurrectioÌ„ might beleleued he shewed him self soche a one and that thowe mightest vnderstaÌ„d that yt waseueÌ„ he that was crucified and no maÌ„ ells did rise for him therfore he rose with the figures and tokens of the crosse Thus moche Chrysostome The cause whiche ys geuen here to helpe vppe the weaknesse of oure faith the sooner to beleue that Chryste passed through the doore ys that he had after his resurrection a pure clear and subtile bodie void of all corruption and grossnesse euen a spirituall bodie that might to oure own iudgement and reason the easelier so do and yet was yt a perfecte bodie of a man in substance and lineamentes But that he came in to his Apostles through the doore and howe and by what means he so did Chrysostom by expresse woordes in an other place declareth speaking in the person of Chryste after this maner Non est meum meos ludificare phantasinate vanam imaginem visus si timet veritatem corporis manus Chrys de resarrect sermon 9. digitus exploret Potest fortassis aliqua oculos caligo decipere palpatio corporalis verum corpus agnoscat Spiritus inquit carnem ossa non habet sicut me videtis habere Quòd ostia clausa penetraui sola est virtus diuini Spiritus non sola carnis substantia Yt ys not my propertie myne to delude with a phantasie Yf the seight feare a vain image Chryst entred trough the doores that were shett let the hand and fingar trie oute the veritie of the bodie Perchaunce some mist maie deceaue the eyes let the corporall feeling acknowledge a true bodie A spirit saied he hath not flesh and bones as ye see me to haue That I entred through the doores that were shett yt ys onelie the powre of the diuine spirit not the onelie substance of the flesh Thus Chrysostom As this place geueth goodlie instruction to the reader so doth yt fullie and mighteilie stoppe the mouthes of theÌ„ that speake wicked thinges against God in denienge the miraculouse workes of our Sauiour and master Chryste That Chryst with his perfecte bodie entred in to his Apostles Chrysostom proueth by Chrystes owen saieng being in the middest of them when he saied A spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue Howe this bodie being a perfecte bodie of a man entred he declareth when he saieth in Howe Christes bodie entred through the doores shett Amb. in Luc. li. 10. cap. 14. the person of Chryste that yt entred through the doores Yf ye will learn by what mean he saieth yt was not by the substance of the flesh but by the vertue or power of the Godhead Of this matter also sâ—inct Ambrose ys a goodlie wittnesse who vpon the Gospell of sainct Luke saieth thus Habuit admirandi causam Thomas cum videret clausis omnibus per inuia septa corporibus inoffensa compage Christi corpus insertum ideo mirum quomodò se natura corporea per impenetrabile corpus infuderit inuisibili aditu visibili conspectu tangi facilis difficilis aestimari Thomas had a cause to merueill when he sawe all thinges being shetvppe and closed the bodie of Chryste by clausures without all waies for bodie to entre the walls being vnbroken to be entred in emong them And therfore yt was wonder howe the corporall nature passed through the impenetrable bodie with an inuisible coming but with uisible beholding easie to be touched hard to be iudged Thus sainct Ambrose Yf ye note this testimonie yt varieth not from Chrysostom For yt testifieth that oure Sauiour Chryste came in to his Apostles the doores being shett And that notwithstanding he went through the clausures of the house they not being broken And herevpon saieth saincte Ambrose ys the great wonder how his naturall bodie coulde entre through an impenetrable bodie Wherby bothe these Fathers declare the trueth of the doctrine of the Churche that Chryste thus entring ther were two bodies in one place There be manie that beare verie plain testimonie in this matter But we will heare but two mo onely Whiche I suppose with these before alleaged being all men of soche grauitie holinesse authoritie and learning maie suffice not onelie to counteruaill these fond bablers void of like grauitie holinesse or learning but also with them that haue any sparke of grace and wisdom take soch effecte as to cause them flee these leude teachers and to hisse them oute of all chrystian companie forasmoch as they teache soche learninge as none of the holy Fathers doo teache but soch raither as ys contrarie to them But let vs heare saincte Augustine in this matter thus he saieth Nec eos audiamus qui negant tale corpus Domini resurrexisse quale positum August de agone Christi cap. 24. est in monumeÌ„to Nec nos moueat quòd clausis ostijs subitò eum apparuisse Discipulis scriptuÌ„ est vt proptereà negemus illud fuisse corpus humanum quin contra naturam huius corporis videmus illud per clausa ostia intrare omnia enim
their argumeÌ„tes whiche apparantlie confirmed their sainges Yt ys a verie treuth that Chryst ys both God and man and yet ther were that saied he was not God as Ebion and Cerynthus and ther were that saied he was no man as Eutyches and Dioscorus Yt ys a certen trueth that God the Sonne ys God coequall and consubstanciall to the Father yet Arius saied that he was a creature not equall to the Father in deitie power or maiestie Yt ys an infallible trueth that the holie Goste ys God yet Macedonius taught that he was a creature Yt ys a certen trueth that Chryste suffred death for vs yet ther were that saied that yt was Symon Cyrinensis of whome ther ys mencion made in the Gospell that he bare Chrystes crosse These and an innumerable sorte mo haue all apparant argumentes to make a cowntenance that their doctrines be true and do intermingle in August ho. All false doctrine hath some treuth admixed dede some trueth with their falshead as sainct Augustine saieth Nulla porrò doctriâ—a falsa quae non aliqua vera intermisceat Ther ys no false doctrine that dothe not intermingle some treuth therbie the better to vtter their heresie So of this matter of the presence of Chryste in heauen and in the Sacrament apparant argumentes be made by other Aduersaries to deceaue the people which well weighed and examined haue no force nor weight to proue that they intended As for this Aduersarie the Proclamer as yt ys saied made no argumente in his matter for that he wolde haue the people receaue but his onelie bare proclamacion wherfore to him the aunswere ys soen made But his great master Oecolampadius heapeth vppe in dede a great nombre of Scriptures by quotacion onely which he saieth he shall not nede to alleage Scriptures alleaged against the presence by Oecolamp at large bycause yt ys an article of our faithe that Chryste sitteth at the right hande of the Father Of the which scriptures I will alleadge some that the reader maie both knowe them and also perceaue that they be not against the doctrine of Chrystes Churche as touching the reall presence of Chrystes bodie and blood in the blessed Sacrament In saincte Iohn his gospell we finde written thus Iesus knowinge that this howre was comed that he shoulde go oute of this worlde to the Father c. And in an Joan. 13. other place thus A litle while saieth Chryste and ye shall not see me and a litle Ibid. 16. while and ye shall see me For I go to the Father And in the same place I went furth from the Father and came into the worlde again I leaue the worlde and go to the Father Jbid. Again in an other place And nowe I am not in the worlde and these be in the worlde and I come to thee And in the Actes of the Apostles This Iesus that ys taken from Act. 1. yow into heauen shall so come as ye haue seen him going into heauen These and all other like scriptures that teache vs of Chrystes going to his Father of his exaltacion aboue all poures and soche other we reuerence theÌ„ Phil. 2. we accept them we beleue them we embrace them For they teache vs that which we doo confesse that Chryste ys God that he ys ascended Arsicle of the Ascension impugneth not Chrystes presence in the Sacr. that he ys in glorie But when we confesse this and beleue this doth this take awaie this treuth that Chryste ys verilie present in the Sacrament No in deed For that standeth still as an vntouched truthe neither impugning the other neither impugned of the other And therfore we consesse both to be true For he that saied Vado ad Patrem I go to the Father saied also Hoc est corpus meum Hoc facite This ys my bodie This do ye Wherbie he bothe consecrated his bodie for as Chrysostome saieth Qui enim dixit Chrystome 51. in Mat. I loc est corpus meum rem simul cum verbo confecit He that saied This ys my bodie made the thing together with the woord and also gaue authoritie to his preistes to do the like Whiche thing Luther denieth not Then forasmoche as Chryste willed that this mysterie shall be continued frequented and vsed vntill his comminge in the whiche mysterie by his power ys his bodie we maie not thinke anie contrarietie or repugnaunce in his woordes but beleue that as he ys the verie truthe So ys yt all treu that he hath spoken And as he ys allmightie So ys he able to performe and make good that he hath saied And therfore aught we to beleue both that he ys in heaueÌ„ and also in the Sacrament forasmoch as by his woorde we learn his presence in bothe Yf this our Sauiour Chryste wher naturall knowledge saieth Omne graue ExaÌ„ples of manie thin ges doen by our Sauiour Chryst aboue and contrarie to nature appetit deorsum euerie heauie thinge ys inclined downward coulde yet by his power make the earthlie bodie of Peter whiche was a mere naturall bodie and therfore heauie contrarie to his nature to walke vpon the sea and when yt pleased him to leaue him to his nature to suffer him to sinke and beginne to drowne can not he at his owne pleasure make that blessed bodie of his which ys so excellentlie conceaued and born and therwith vnited to the Godhead in vnitie of person that although yt be a naturall bodie yet yt doth surmounte and ys aboue all nature and naturall bodies can not he I saie at his pleasure demise lett downe or abase that his bodie to the state and condicion of a verie naturall bodie and again at his pleasure exalte and magnifie the same aboue the state of a naturall bodie He did fast fortie daies and fortie nightes and eate no meat whiche Matt. 4. was aboue naturall ordre In the ende of that fast he was hungrie and Jbid. 17. therin he subiected him self to naturall ordre He was transfigured in the Mounte where as yt pleased him he shewed Ioan. 4. his power and made his face to shine as bright as the Sunne and his garmentes white as snowe whiche was aboue the state of a bare naturall man An other time he was wearie of his iourneie whiche was agreable to the nature of man The Iewes came to apprehend him and with the voice of his mouthe Jbid. 18. Jbid. 19. Mat. 27. he threw them all to the grownde Again he abased him self and suffred him self not onelie to be taken of them whom he had so easilie ouer throweÌ„ but also to be buffited and to be scourged and finallie to be crucified What shall I stand in the rehersall of these thinges whiche be so plentifull in the Gospell Therfore to conclude I will saie with Cyrille we maie not thinke of the bodie of Chryste as of the bodie of a bare naturall man but we must thinke of that bodie as of
whiche ioining Chrystes bodie is ioined to vs by corparall receipt not by spirituall ys not but by the corporall receipt of that bodie and not by the spirituall receipt whiche ioineth not the bodie of Chryst to our corruptible nature Therfore Cyrill proueth by this texte that of very necessitie we must receaue the verie flesh and bloode of Chryste verilie and reallie as that yt maie be ioined to this our corruptible bodie that yt by the other maie haue life and incorruptibilitie Wherfor they that take awaie the one and leaue vs but the other do vs wronge Heare therfor what the same Cyrill saieth in this same chapiter Non negamus nos recta fide charitateue syncera Chrysto spiritualiter coniungi sed nullam nobis In 15. Joan A plain place of S. Cyrill for the proclamer coniunctionis rationem secundùm carnem cum illo esse id profectò pernegamus idue à diuinis scripturis omnino alienum dicimus Quis enim dubitauit etiam sic Christum vitem esse nos verò palmites qui vitam inde nobis acquirimus Audi Paulum dicentem quia omnes vnum corpus sumus in Christo quia etsi multi sumus vnum tamen sumus in eo omnes enim de vno pane participamus An fortassis putat ignotam nobis mysticae benedictionis virtutem quae cum in nobis fiat nonne corporaliter quoque facit communicatione carnis Christi Christum in nobis habitare Cur enim membra fidelium membra sunt Christi Nescitis in quit quia meÌ„bra fidelium membra sunt Christi Membraigitur Christi meretricis faciam membra Absit We do not denie saieth Cyrill We are ioined to Chryst two waies corporallie aÌ„d spirituallie that we by right faithe and sincere charitie spirituallie be conioined to Chryst but that we haue no maner of coniunction withe him after the flesh that truly we vtterly denie and saie that that ys altogether contrarie to the scriptures of God For who hathe doubted Chryste euen so to be the vine and vs to be the braunches whiche from thence gett life Heare Paule saing that we be all one bodie in Chryst For although we be manie yet we be one in him For all we do partake of one breade Or peraduentuture doth he thinke that the power of the mysticall benediction ys vnknoto vs the whiche when yt ys doen in vs dothe yt not make by the partaking of Chrystes flesh Chryste corporallie to dwell in vs Wherfore be the membres of the faithfull the membres of Chryst knowe ye not saieth he that your membres be the membres of Chryst shall I then make the membres of Chryst the membres of an Harlotte God forbidde Thus moche Cyrill In the which saing ye perceaue he teacheth that we be ioined to Chryst bothe spirituallie and corporallie Spirituallie by faithe and charitie Corporallie by the partakinge of Chrystes flesh in the Sacrament by the whiche as Cyrill saieth Chryste abideth in vs corporallie by the which saing the doctrine of the Aduersarie ys quite ouerthrowen who wolde haue no other receipte of Chrystes bodie but a spirituall receipt and detesteth the corporall receipt S. Cyrill de nieth that we receaue Chrysts bodie onelie spirituallie But ye haue heard S. Cyrill earnestlie denieng yt and constantlie affirminge yt to be against the scriptures that Chryst should not be ioined to vs corporallie which corporall coniunction ys by the partaking of Chrystes flesh not in the mysterie of hys incarnacion as some haue feigned for theÌ„ Chryst tooke our flesh but in the mysterie of the SacrameÌ„t which Cyrill calleth the mystical benediction wher we take Chrystes flesh In the incarnacioÌ„ Chryst tooke our flesh aÌ„d by yt was ioined to vs in the Sacrament we take Chrystes flesh and be ioined to him In the incarnacioÌ„ he Chryst by his incarn ioined to vs We by the Sacra ioined to him tooke our flesh and the miseries of the same sinne onelie excepted in the Sacrament we take hys flesh and the merites of the same hys singular exaltacioÌ„ excepted In the incarnacion he did take in the Sacrament he doth geue Which both that ys the taking of our flesh to him aÌ„d the geuing of his flesh to vs Chryfostome speaking in the person of Chryste verie well and breiflie declareth saing Vester ego frater esse volui et coÌ„municaui carneÌ„ propter vos sanguineÌ„ Hom l. 45. in 6. Ioan. Et per quae vobis coniunctus sum ea rursus vobis exhibui I wolde be yow brother and for yowe I tooke flesh and bloode and by what thinges I was coÌ„ioined to yow those haue I again geuen to yow Thus Chrysostom And thus ye maie perceaue the false doctrine of these naughtie men and ther withe their bolde shamelessnes that wher the saings of the learned fathers so clerelie denie their onely spirituall maner of the conioining of Chryste to vs and auouche the corporall ioining by the scriptures and saie that these mens sainges be against the scriptures yet they will peruersedlie and arrogantlie proceade to maintein their heresie and geue no place eitherto the fathers or to the scriptures I can not ceasse to merueill that they will persist so obstinatelie against so plain a matter so plainly vttered and taught by this holie and learned Father S. Cyrill Wherfore reader weigh and consider well this that ys here spoken and yf thow hauest stand in faith perseuer and geue thankes yf thow hauest erred return and seke mercie Chryste casteth none awaie that come to hym THE FIFTENTH CHAPITER CONTINVETH the exposition of the same texte by Leo and Euthymius THat right holie man Leo the Pope who was elected vnto that office in the yeare of our Lord 443. so that he was aboue a thousand yeares a gone whose vertue and holinesse was soche that not onely of the Synode of Chalcedon wher were gathered 630. Byshoppes he was highlie commended but also of Platina who wolde speake no more to the comendacion of popes then trueth wolde beare him This holie Father saieth thus Hanc confessionem Dilectissimi toto corde promentes impia baereticorum commenta respuite vt ieiunia vestra eleemosinae nullius erroris contagio polluantur Lee ser 6. de iâ—iu septmensis Tunc enim sacrificij munda est oblatio misericordiaesancta largitio quando hi qui ista dependunt quid operentur intelligunt Nam dicente Domino Nisi manducaueritis carnem filij hominis biberitis cius sanguinem non habebitis vitam in vobis Sic sanctae mensae communicare debetis vt nihil prorsus de veritate corporis Christi sanguinis ambigatis Hoc enim ore sumitur quod side creditur frustra ab illis Amen respondetur à quibus contra id quod accipitur disputatur Thys confession most well beloued vttering furth with all yowr heart forsake the wicked coÌ„mentes of heretikes Aplain place of Leo for M. Iuell that yowr fastinges
Lorde Wherfore yt ys manifest that as the woorthie or vnwoorthie receauing ys referred to the Sacrament so ys the honour or dishonour doen by the same referred also to the Sacrament Wherfor then S. Paule teaching the chrystian people to examen them selues and to prepare them selues that they maie be woorthie receauers of so woorthie a Sacrament taught them in that to honoure the Sacrament Vnto all this this maie be added that forasmoch as S. Paule taught the Corynthians and by them all Chrystian people the presende of Chryst in the Sacrament that he might well teache them to honour him in the Sacrament For wher Chryst ys verilie present ther ys no daunger but the chrystian maie their honoure him That S. Paule teacheth the presence yt shall be made manifest to yow in the thirde booke wher the scriptures of S. Paule shall be more at large handled Wherfor to auoide prolixitie I leaue to speake anie more of them here But this maie be saied here that forasmoche as the woordes of Chryste whiche we haue nowe in hande do teache vs the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament that we maie also honour Chryst in the Sacrament And to conclude against this Proclamer ye maie perceaue by that that ys saied that S. Paule taught vs to honoure the Sacrament THE FIVE AND FOVRTETH CHAP. PROVETH BY the same doctours that the Proclamer nameth that the Sacrament ys to be honoured AFter this man had abused the scriptures to makesome shewe of his wicked pourpose he vsed his like synceritie in naming certain doctours whiche doctours as he saieth neuer make mencion in anie of their bookes of adoring or woourshipping of the Sacrament To declare the trueth of this man we will first produce them whome he hath named as making for him and afterwarde some other Among those whome he nameth Chrysostom ys one A merueillouse thing to see the impudencie or ignorance of this man He nameth Chrysostome as one who in his bookes maketh no mencion of the honouring of Chryst in the Sacrament and yet among all the learned Fathers that writte ther ys none that maketh more often and more plain mencion of that matter then he doth To bring manie of his testimonies the condicion of this rude booke will not suffer for yt wolde therby growe to great ▪ Wherfore one or two places shal be brought whiche shal so clerelie opē this matter that I beleue Reader thowe wi lt merueill that this Proclamer durst for shame name Chrysostome as one that maketh no mencion of the honouring of Chryst in the Sacrament In one place thus he saieth Cùm autem ille Spiritum sanctum inuocauerit Chrys de sacerd li. 6. sacrisiciumue illud horrore ac reuerentia plenissimum perfecerit communi omnium Domino manibus assiduè pertractato quaero ex te quorum illum in ordine collocabimus Quantam verò ab co integritatem exigemus quantam religionem Consideraenim quales manus illas administrantes esse oporteat qualem linguam quae verba illa effandat Denique quae anima non puriorem sanctioremue conueniat esse animam quae tantum illum tamue dignum spiritum reoeperit Per id tempus Angeli sacerdoti assident caelestium potestatum vniuersus ordo elamores excitat locus Altari vicinus in illius honorem qui immolatur Angelorum choris plenus est Id quod credere abundè licet vel ex tanto illo sacrificio quod tum peragitur Ego verò commemorantem olim quendam audiui qui diceret senem quendam virum admirabilem ac cui reuelationum mysteria multa diuinitus fuissent detecta sibi narrasse se tali olim visione dignum a Deo habitum esse ac per illud quidem tempus derepentè Angelorum multitudinem conspexisse quatenus aspectus humanus ferre poterat fulgentibus vestibus indutorum Altare ipsum circundantium Denique sic capitc inclinatorum vt si quis milites praesente Rege stantes videat id quod mihi ipse facilè persuadeo When he mening the preist hath called vpon the holie Gost and hath perfected that sacrifice most full of horrour and reuerēce when the vniuersall Lorde of all thinges ys in his handes handeled I aske of thee in what order of men shall we place him howe great integritie shall we require of him howe great religion or godlinesse Consider also what hands those aught to be that doe ministre What maner of tounge that speaketh those woordes mening the woordes of consecraciō last of al that it ys meet that that soule be purer and holier then anie other soule that receaueth him so great Angells attende vpon the preist in the time of oblacion and a visiō therof shewed to an olde man and so woorthie a spirit At that time the Angells also geue attendance to the preist and all the wholl order of the heauenlie powers singpraises and the place nighe to the Aultar in the honour of him that ys then offred in sacrifice ys full of Angells which thing a man maie fullie beleue for that great sacrifice that then ys doen. Trulie I also did once heare a certain man reporting that an olde woorshippefull man vnto whome manie secretes were by Gods pleasure reueiled declared vnto him that God did vouchefaif to shewe him soche a vision and that at that time as farre as the sieght of man might beare yt he sawe sodenlie a multitude of Angells cloathed in bright garmentes compassing the Aultar aboute and afterwarde so bowing downe their heads as yf a man shoulde see soldiours stand when the king ys present Whiche thing I easely beleue Thus Chrysostome In this saing easie yt ys to perceaue howe honorably he thinketh of the Sacrament and what honoure he thinketh yt of For that the Sacrament ys so honourable he knoweth not wher to place the preist that dothe consecrate yt He questioned what hands they aught to be that handle the vniuersall The vniuersall Lorde of all handled by the preist Lorde of all thinges What toung that aught to be that speaketh the mightie woordes of consecracion howe pure that soule aught to be that receaueth so woorthie a thing yea he acknowlegeth the Sacrament to be so honourable that he saieth that the Angells in the time of the ministracion of yt doe assist the preist and attend and for confirmacion of this he bringeth in a vision of an holie man who sawe Angells in bright garmentes Angells honoure the Sacram. stand aboute the Aultar and bowing downe their heades to honour the Sacrament Whiche thing Chrysostom saieth he did beleue Yf man for the ministracion of the Sacrament be so honourable yf yt be soche as Angells do honour yt howe moche aught man to honoure yt That man aught to honour yt the same Chrysostome in the ordre of the Masse by him sethfurth by his owne practise declareth wher we finde his praier and after his praier his rule for the honouring of this Sacrament Thus
all other of the cleargie whensoeuer they receaue as priuate persons that ys when they doe not that publique ministracion and solemne action of Chrystes memoriall for and before the Churche then doe they as all other doe receaue vnder one kinde contenting them selues in their so doinge by the example of Chryste as ys afore saied As Chryst by his doinges hath left vs an example what we maie laufullie doe as concerninge the receipt of the blessed Sacrament by whiche the Proclamer ys answered for that part of his obiection that obiecteth Chrystes institucion So shall we nowe answere for that he obiected of Sainct Paule He saieth that the woordes of Sainct Paule are sufficient also to prooue that the Sacrament aught to be receaued of all men vnder both kindes Yt ys a plain matter that Sainct Paule maketh no speciall institucion of the Sacrament but onely maketh a Proclamers 〈…〉 of S. Paule for receauing vnder both kindes anuswered rehersall of Chrystes institucion then this parte of his obiection maie be aunswered with that that ys saied to his obiection of Chrystes institucion forsomoche as this ys but a rehersall of that But yet shal we to the furtherance of the trueth make a farder aunswere Wherfor vnderstand that although S. Paule did deliuer to the Corynthians the institucion of Chryst as then deliuered vnder both kindes yet S. Paule teacheth not that of necessitie yt must allwaies be vsed in both kindes and no other For yf he had taught yt with an exclusiue excluding all other maner but this yt had some force But so he doeth not The scope of S. Paules doctrine resteth in these two poinctes that the Sacrament be receaued The scope of S. Paule touching the Sacra 1. Cor. 11. in the remembrance of Chrystes death And that yt be receaued woorthilie Wherfor I saie that so farre wide yt was from the minde of S. Paule by his doctrine there taught to forbidde the receipt of the Sacrament vnder one kinde that as Chryst did to his two disciples in Emaus so did S. Paule to Luke and his felowes in the shippe as Chrysostome witnesseth geue the Sacrament vnder the one kinde of bread Although these actes of Chryst and Sainct Paule are sufficient to prooue that the receipt of the Sacrament vnder one kinde ys laufull and good in maner aboue saied yet the same maie also appeare by the other place of the actes alleaged in the last chapiter Wher also mencion ys made that the Sacrament was ministred vnder one kinde namely of bread no title of mencion made of the other kinde And beside the good catholique men that doe vnderstand this place of the Sacrament the Waldenses also did so vnderstand yt Then sith the multitude of the faithfull euen immediatelie after the coming Acto 2. of the holie Gost did receaue the Sacrament vnder one kinde yt ys manifest that yt maie without offence be doen and vsed nowe in Chrystes Churche and maie not be reputed as yt ys of the Proclamer for an vnlaufull facte For he that impugneth the Churche for doing of that that the scripture sheweth the example and saieth that the acte of the Churche ys vnlaufull impugneth the scriptures and importeth that they be vnlaufull These actes of Chryst and Sainct Paule and the doinge of the multitude in the seconde of the actes doe not abbridge the first institucion of Chryst or take yt awaie as his seconde ordeinance in sending his Apostles to preache Acto 2. taketh awaie the first but they doe raither teache that oute of the solemne action of Chrystes memoriall whiche must be doen vnder both kindes of him that doeth that action other maie verie well receaue the Sacrament vnder one kinde And as yt maie be doen bycause the scriptures saie yt hath ben doen so shall yt appeare to euerie faithfull man that yt ys well doen yf he trulie conceaue and vnderstand what ys doen. In the catholique faith yt ys taught that after the consecracion as by manie yt ys allreadie testified in the Sacrament vnder the forme of bread ys the verie bodie of Chryst and vnder the forme of wine the verie bloode of Chryst not in this bloode withoute a bodie nor in that a bodie withoute bloode For Chryst as Sainct Paule saieth rising from the dead nowe dieth not death shall no more haue lordshippe ouer him Nowe yf the bodie were withoute bloode yt coulde not be liuinge and so shoulde death be in the bodie of Chryst again wherfor yt ys a bodie with bloode and so a liuing and a perfight bodie as the holie Martyr Cyprian testisieth yt to be sainge Panis iste communis in carnem sanguinem Domini mutatus procurat vitam This Cypr. de coena Dom Vnder forme of bread both fleshe and bloode of Chryst. Iren lib. 5. Vnder forme of wine the bodie of Chryste comon bread chaunged into the flesh and blood of our Lorde procureth life The bread then chaunged into the flesh and blood of Chryst teacheth vs that yt ys not flesh alone but yt ys both flesh and bloode So likewise vnder the forme of wine ys not the bloode of Chryst onelie but the bodie also Wherof we haue the testimonie of the auncient Martyr Irenaeus who saieth thus Calicem qui est creatura suum corpus consirmauit He affirmed the cuppe whiche ys a creature to be his bodie So that vnder eche of the kindes ys verilie and substanciallie the bodie and bloode of Chryste For where a liuelie bodie ys ther must be bloode also And where bloode ys ther must be slesh and veines also as Irenaeus saieth Sanguis non est nisi a venis carnibus à reliqua quae est secundum hominem substantia Bloode ys not but of the veines and slesh and the other substance whiche ys as man Wherfor I saie that Iren. ihid vnder eche of these kindes ys the bodie of Chryst Whiche thing also S. Bernarde teacheth by expresse woordes in his sermon of the supper of our Lorde sainge Idipsum o Christiane de vino sentias id Bern. serm de coen honores in vino quod scilicet de panis specie sensisti in ea honorasti Vnderstande euen the same o chrystian of the wine honour that in the wine that thowe didest vnderstand of the forme of bread and didest honoure in yt And wher Melancton saieth that this necessitie that where the bodie ys there must be bloode and where the blood ys ther of necessitie must be the bodie ys but mens inuencions and tradicions hauing a contenance of trueth but not the thing Thowe seest Reader that we stand not vpon phantasies but we stande and staie vpon the authoritie of the great auncient Fathers and holie Martyrs Sainct Irenaeus S. Cyprian and S. Bernarde who teache what in this poinct ys to be saied And therfor Melancton and his likes sainge that the one kinde ys but half the Sacrament and diuiding Chryste confesse him not to be whollie vnder
we must creditt the Fathers So that yt ys of this holie martyr to be learned howe moche the elders are to be esteemed howe moche to be credited and howe Which fathers are to be cōsulted with in controuersies for certen knowledge of thinges that be in doubte and controuersie they must be consulted with which were in the auncient church before the controuersie was euer moued Of the whiche matter we reade a like counsell in the tripartite historie Therfore as heretofore I haue not vsed mine owne iudgement or phantasie in the exposition of soche scriptures as Li. 9. ca. 19 do speake of this mysterie by me treacted of No more will I hereafter in soche as shall be brought oute of S. Paule for the proof and confirmacion of the trueth of the matter of the blessed Sacrament and the mynistracion therof And first to take the places and sentences here to be handled in order as they are written by sainct Paule we will beginne with this Nolo enim vos 1. Cor. 10. ignorare fratres quontam patres nostri omnes sub nube fuerunt omnes mare transierūt omnes in Moyse baptizati sunt in nube in mari omnes eandem escam spiritualem manducauerunt omnes cundem potum spiritualem biberunt bibebant autem de spirituali consequente cos petra Petra autem erat Christus Brethren I wolde not that ye shoulde be ignorant how that our fathers were all vnder the clowde and all passed through the Sea and were all baptised vnder Moyses in the clowde and in the sea and did all eate of one spirituall meate and did all drinke of one spirituall drinke and they dranke of that spirituall rocke that folowed them whiche rocke was Chryst Yt shall not be without profit for the better vnderstanding of this scripture yf we do search the cause why sainct Paule maketh rehersall of soche benefittes as the Iewes receaued at the hand of God at their departure oute of Egypte and in the desert The cause ys bothe breiflie and clerelie Homel in dictū Apostli Nolo vos ignor declared by Chrysostom who asketh the question and solueth yt thus Quare vnde incidit in hanc historiam Increpabat eos qui temerè non requisiti ad Idola ingrediuntur pollutam comedentes mensam tangentes Idolothyta Et cùm ostendisset quòd duplex damnum illi inde sustinerent nam insirmiores offendebant ipsi Daemoniorum participes erant cùm per praedicta satis spiritus corum humilasset docuisset ostendit fidelem spectare non solùm quae sua sunt debre sed quae multorum Volens eis incutere timorem veterem historiam eis recenset Siquidem illi magna de se sentiebant quasi sideles ab errore liberati scientiam assecuti ineffabilium sacramentorum participes effecti necnon ad regnum coelorum vocati Volens ergo declarare quòd illorum nulla sit vtilitas nisi adsit vita tantae gratiae respondens ex veteri historia ipsos erudit Wherfore Why S. Paule reherseth the benefittes that the Iewes receaued 1. Cor. 10. and from whence fell he into this storie He did rebuke them whiche rashlie and not being required did enter in to the Idolls eatinge the defiled table and touchinge thinges offred to Idolls And when he had shewed that they by yt did suffer double harme For they bothe offended the weak and thy themselues wer partakers of Deuells And when by the forsaied thinges he had sufficientlie humbled their spirittes and had taught them He declareth that the faithfull aught not onely to looke to those thinges that appertein to himself but also to thinges that appertain to other manie Nowe willing to strike feare into them he reherseth good religiō without good life not auaiable the olde historie vnto them For they also did thinke moche of themselues as that they were become faithful and deliuered from errour ād had obteined the knowledge of the vnspeakeable sacramentes and made partakers of the same and also that they were called to the kingdom of heauen Willing therfore to declare that of these thinges ther ys no prositte except ther be a life aunswering to so great grace he doth teache them oute of the olde historie Thus moch Chrysostom In whiche sentence ye perceaue the cause of the rehersall of the benefittes geuen to the Iewes and so in that place recited by sainct Paule to be to put the Corinthians in feare and to diswarde them from euell by the example of the Iewes who notwithstanding the receipt of so manie benefittes for that they were ingrate and disobedient not seking by an aunswerable life to please their Lord God as he by soche benefites did pleasure Benefites of the Jewesas they were figures of our benefites so their plagues of our plagues them God in them had no pleasure but plagued them and ouerthrewe them in the desert Euen so the Corinthians who had receaued the verie thinges and true benefittes as the Sacrament of Baptisme the holie Gost and had eaten the bodie of Chryst and dronken hys bloode Whiche benefittes were figured by the benefittes geuen to the Iewes that yf they wolde be prowde vnthankfull and disobedient and wolde not lead a life wourthie their vocacion that God wolde after the gift of so manie benefittes and so great as their demerittes required haue no pleasure in them but plague them and ouerthrowe them as he did the Iewes For as their benefittes were figures of our benefittes So their plagues and punishmentes we figures In 10. 1. Cor. hom 23. of our plagues and punishmentes as Chrysostom saieth Quemadmodnm enim dona figurae sunt ita supplicia Wherfore sainct Paule saieth Haec autem infigura facta sunt nostri vt non simus concupiscentes malorum sicut illi concupierunt These are figurs or examples vnto vs that we shoulde not lust after euell thinges as they lusted Faith with out woorks sufficethnot in persons of discretiō Here by the waie to note by these scriptures ys ouerthrowen the wicked heresie of them whiche haue taught that yf a man beleue in Chryst and haue receaued hys sacramentes howe wicked so euer hys life be he shall be saued For here ye perceaue that though the Corinthians had receaued the faith and the sacrament annexed to the same yet yf ther life and conuersacion were not agreable and aunswerable that they shoulde fall into Gods displeasure and neither faith neither sacramentes shoulde auaill them as Chrysostome doth expownde The cause thus knowen why sainct Paule recited these thinges yt were Foure benefites of the Jewes nombred not amisse to knowe what thinges they were and what commoditie or benefitt happened vnto the Iewes by these These thinges in nombre be foure The clowde the Sea Manna and the water that flowed oute of the rocke Of these foure Esdras reciting vnto God hys
enim munus illius baptismatis erat quod postea Christus instituit in hoc enim vetus noster homo crucisixus est ac sepultus ante crucem nunquam prorsus extitit remissio peccatorum siquidem vbique ipsius hoc sanguini deputatur Idem enim istud Paulus affirmat Sed mundati The baptisme of Christ gaue remissiō of sinnes the baptisme of Iohn not so which ouer throweth the doctrin of Caluine estis inquit sed sanctisicati estis non per Baptisma Ioannis sed in nomine Domini nostri Iesu Christi spiritu Dei nostri Et alibi ipse dicit Ioannes quidem praedicauit baptismum poenitentiae non ait remissionis sed vt crederent in aduenientem post cum For what cause was Iohn sent to the office of baptising Thus also the same Baptist declareth saing that he came in the region of Iordane preaching the Baptisme of penaunce in remission of sinnes And truly this Baptisme had not remission For this gifte apperteineth to the baptisme whiche Chryst afterward did institute In this baptisme our olde man was crucified and buried and before the crosse ther was vtterly no remissiō For trulie this euery wher ys deputed to his bloode For euen the same dothe Paule affirme But ye are clensed but ye are sanctified not by the baptisme of Iohn But in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God And in an other place he saieth Iohn did preache the baptisme of penaunce and he doth not saie of remission but that they shoulde beleue in him that was comming after him Thus farre Chrysostom By all this that ys saied of Chrysostome yt ys easie to be perceaued that Chryst ys the institutour of Baptisme that ys auailable before God for the remission of sinnes And that Iohn Baptised to penaunce therby to prepare men that they baptised with the Baptisme of Chryste might receaue remission Differēces of the Baptisme of John ād of Chryste of their sinnes for somoche as they were penitent Of these woourdes maie be gathered these differences of these two baptismes The baptisme of Iohn was a figure and preparacion of and to the very effectuall Baptisme of Chryst The baptisme of Chryst the thing prepared for and the true thing by figure signified The Baptisme of Iohn was in water The Baptisme of Chryst in water and the holie Goste The Baptisme of Iohn was in water to penaunce The baptisme of Chryste in water and the holie Gost to the remission of sinnes The Baptisme of Iohn was included in the Baptisme of Chryst as the lesser thing in the greater The Baptisme of Chryst conteined the Baptisme of Iohn as the woorthier thing maie conteine the vn woorthier and can neithier be included nor conteined of yt Chryste then the institutour of this Sacrament who leadeth vs from the Tirannie of the Satanicall Pharao and the seruitude of sinfull Egipte and bringeth vs through the miraculouse fowntain to walke through the desert of this worlde to the heauenly lande of promisse ys as necessarilie required as Moyses was to lead the people oute of Egipt through the sea into the deserte to iourney to the earthlie land of promesse who was the figure of Chryste as S. Austen hath testified Wherfor the thing figured must nedes aunswer the figure As Chryst the institutour ys necessarilie required so also ys the holy Gost and the water Chryst him self testifieng Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua Spiritu sancto non potest introire in regnum Dei Except a man be born a newe of the Ioan 3. water and the holy Gost he can not entre into the kingdom of God Nowe then these three that ys Chryst the holy Gost and the water being necessarilie required to the effectuall Baptisme whiche ys the thing figured The other three also as Moyses the clowde and the sea must nedes concurre in the figure fullie to signifie that ys here fullie required The Iewes vnder Moyses were baptised in the clowde and the sea in the darke maner of a figure The Chrystians in the holie Gost and the water in the clere maner of the trueth as Origen saieth Antea in enigmate fuit Baptismus Homil. 7. in Numer in nube in Mari Nunc autem in specie regeneratio est in aqua Spiritu sancto Before Baptisme was in a darke maner in the clowde and in the Sea But nowe in clere maner regeneracion ys in the water and in the holie Gost This thē that ys saied wel weeghed and considered the doubtes before moued are clerely solued and the text thus farre expounded THE THIRD CHAPITER EXPOWNDETH the resideu of the text Et omnes eandem escam spiritual c. IT ys to be reteined in memorie that as in the first chapter ys saied S. Paule in this sentence did reherse certain benefittes of God bestowed vpon the Iewes as figures of greater benefittes that God hath and dothe bestowe vpon the chrystians What the clowde and the sea did to the commoditie of the Iewes yt ys ther declared Likewise what Manna and the water flowing oute of the rocke The seconde chapiter began to declare what these great workes and wonders of God in the olde lawe did figure in the newe lawe and finished three of them that ys what Moses and what the clowde and what the read sea did signifie Nowe ther remaineth to be declared what Manna and the water of the rocke did signifie and of what thinges in the newe Testament they be figurs In this declaracion yt apperteineth to me to mēbre that in the first booke in the 22 chapter wher by ordre these two shoulde haue ben declared vpon consideracion that S. Paule did make mencion of them and that I wolde not be greuouse to the reader with the reading of one matter twice I differed yt and reserued yt to this place Wherfor I must I saie remēbre in the declaraciō of these two to kepe soche ordre as I wolde haue doen ther and as I did with the rest of the figures ther declared The ordre was by scriptures of the newe Testament and doctours to declare what thinges the figures did prefigurate That doen to declare what prophecies were of the same and them according to the minde of the holie Fathers to applie to the thing prophecied Omnes saieth S. Paule eandem escam spiritualem manducauerunt All did eat of one spirituall meat What this one meate was of the whiche they did all eate yt ys before declared that yt was Manna Whiche thing also Chrysostome doeth testifie Quia dixit de mari et de nube de Moise Adiecit preterea Et omnes eundem spiritualem cibum comederunt Sicut tu inquit à lauachro aquarum ascendens ad mensam curris sic illi à mari ascendentes ad mensam venere nouam admirabilem De Manna loquor By cause he had spoken of the clowde and of Moyses He also
writing vpon this text thus Cùm dixisset Chryso in 10. 1. Cor. quòd potum spiritualem bibebant addidit Bibebant enim de spirituali consequente eos petra adiunxit Petra autem erat Christus Non enim ipsius petrae natura aqua inquit scaturiebat Siquidem anie etiam scaturiisset sed alia quaedam spiritalis petra omnia operata est hoc est Christus qui praesens vbique omnia fecit miracula Ideo dixit consequente When he had saied that they dranke spirituall drinke he added They dranke of the spirituall rocke that folowed them and ioined to yt That rocke was Chryste For not the nature of that stone saieth he flowed oute water for then yt wolde haue flowed oute before that time but an other certain spirituall Chryste was the spirituall not the materiall rock ād therfor no figure ys in S. Paules saing stone wrought all these thinges that ys Chryst being present euery wher did all the miracles and therfore he saied that folowed Hitherto Chrysostome Whose woordes geue plain testimonie to the woordes of sainct Paule Chryst was the roke not the materiall rocke for than Oecolampadius trope must nedes haue taken place But he saieth that Chryste was that spirituall rocke of the whiche they dranke and therfore no trope can be admitted here And to proue that sainct Paule ment that Chryst was that spirituall rocke Chrysostome noteth sainge Ideo dixit Consequente Therfor saied Paule whiche folowed as who might saie for so moche as sainct Paule saieth that the Iewes dranke of a spirituall rocke whiche spirituall rocke was soche one as did folowe them But no other rocke did folowe them saue Chryst wherfore Chryste was the spirituall rocke so that we maie conclude that this proposition ys to be vnderstanded grammaticallie or literallie and not tropicallie or figuratiuelie Yf then Oecolampadius laie his fundacion of his building to proue the woordes of the Lordes supper to be figuratiue vpon a wrong vnderstanding Scriptures alleaged by Oecolāp to proue his figuratiue speache of the scriptures will he not trowe ye make his building of the same nature that ys that these woordes of Chryst shal be wrong vnderstanded also Which thing I doubte not but ye will credite when ye shall perceaue how wel he frameth other scriptures to his building Proceading in his profe he saieth that yt ys comō in the scriptures that the figures of thinges shall be named with the names of the thinges of whiche they be figures To proue this he bringeth in the fierie tounges which appeared vpon the Disciples The doue whiche appeared vpon Chryst at hys Baptism The breathing of Chryst vpon his Apostles and the saing of Chryst that Iohn was Helias al whiche he saieth be figures as the fierie tounges the doue and the breathing of Chryst were tokens or figurs of the holy Gost and Iohn a figure of Helyas Wher first note howe he abuseth the scripturs and laboureth to blinde Oecolamp his abusing of the scriptures opened and deceaue the reader For wher he pretending to proue this saing of Chryste This ys my bodie to be figuratiuely spoken bringeth in these rehersed places ther ys not one of them that hath the like enunciacion or maner of speache as the saing of Chryst hath Neither ys the fiery tounges the doue or the breathing of Chryst named in the scriptures to be the holie Gost as the other thing ys named to be the bodie of Chryst And that this maie manifestlie appeare I will simplie bring in euery of the scriptures of these places The first ys in the Actes of the Apostles where we reade thus Factus est repentè de coelo sonus tanquam aduenientis spiritus vehementis repleuit totam domum Act. 2. vbierant sedentes apparuerunt illis dispartitae linguae tanquam igms seditue super singulos eorum And sodenly ther came a sownde from heauen as yt had ben the cominge of a mightie winde and yt filled all the house wher they satte And ther appeared vnto them cloauē tounges like as they had ben of fire and yt satte vpon eche of them This ys the text Note nowe what Chrysostome shall saie vpon this this text Visae sunt inquit illis dispartitae linguae velut igneae Rectè vbique Jn. 2. Act. additum est velut ne quid sensibile de Spiritu suspicareris velut igneae inquit velut flatus Nec enim ventus erat simpliciter per aerem diffusus Ac tamen cum Ioanni deberet innotescere Spiritus velut columbae specie in caput Christi venit Nunc verò cum tota Fierie tounges are not saied to be the bolie Gost. multitudo conuertenda esset ad fidem venit in specie ignis And ther were seen saieth he to them cloauē tounges as fiery Yt ys in euery place added as that thow shouldest suspecte nothing sensible of the spirit As fiery saieth he and as a winde Neither was yt the winde simplie diffused by the aier And also when the holy Gost wolde be knowen to Iohn he came in the forme of a doue vpon the headde of Chryste but nowe when all the multitude was to be conuerted to the faith he cam in the shape or forme of fire Thus Chrysost Now albeit he hath in the ende of his sentence resolued vs for the maner of the coming down of the holie Goste in the likenesse of a doue yet will we heare the scripture that the agrement of the doctour and the scipture manie appeare together S. Luke saieth Iesu baptisato orante apertum est coelum descendit Spiritus sanctus corporali specie sicut columba in ipsum When Iesus was Luc. 3. baptised and did praie the heauē was opened ād the holie Gost came down in a bodilie shape like a doue vpon him In this text as ye perceaue that the holie Gost came downe like a doue but neither that the doue was the holie The doueys not saied to be the holie Gost Gost neither the holie Gost the doue so ye perceaue that Chrysostome agreeth ād saieth nothing cōtrario to the scripture But as the scripture saieth that the holie Gost came down like a doue ād that the sownd was as yt had bē the coming of a mightie winde ād the cloauē toūges as thei had bē of fire So Chrysostom noteth in euery place to be this woord as wherbie ys taught raither the likelihead of the thinges ther to be then the very things thēselus The thirde thing that Oecolampadius reherseth ys the breathing of Chryst vpon his Apostles In the Gospel of S. Iohn we read that Chryst thus saied to Joan. 23. his Apostles As my Father sent me euen so I sende yowe also And when he had saied those wordes he breathed on them and saied vnto them Receaue ye the holie Goste In whiche facte of Chryst although the holie Gost to the fullnesse of his giftes were not geuen for that Chryst
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
So that in this maner of speache Chryst did but answer the opinion of the Iewes and therfore did not assertiuelie saie that Iohn was Helias but Chryst did not assertiuelie saie that Iohn was Helias with a circumstance yf ye will receaue yt whiche thing also ys noted of Chrysostome Significauit autem Ioannem Heliam esse Heliam Ioannem Vtrique enim vnam administrationem susceperunt praecursores ambo constituti sunt ▪ Quare non dixit hic est profectò Helias sed si vultis suscipere hie est He signified Iohn to be Helias and Helias Iohn For bothe they haue taken one administracion and both be made percursours Wherfor he did not saie this ys verilie Helias But yf ye will so take yt this ys he Thus Chrysost Neither ys yt the propre sense or vnderstanding of this proposition that Iohn ys a figure of Helias or Iohn ys a signe or token of Helias as by this he wolde proue the other saing of Chryst This ys my bodie to be vnderstanded for that this ys spoken with a circumstance and as yt were with a condicion and not simplie as Chryst saied This ys my bodie Now to applie all these other scriptures which Oecolampadius hath brought in Marke diligētlie I beseche thee good Reader yf anie of them all be of like speach as these woordes This ys my bodie The scripture saieth not The doue ys the holie Goste neither dothe yt saie that either the breathing into the Apostles or the fierie tounges be the holie Gost But farre otherwise as ys allreadie saied and farre vnlike to this maner of speache Thys ys my bodie For the one ys spoken by a liklihead and therfore vsed with this terme as the other by the very substance and therfore expressed with this woorde ys And yet withall note howe yt pleaseth God that as he made Balaams Asse Occolāp likned to balaams asse to speake to the reproche of her master so yt pleaseth him to woorke in this man who through malice made dumbe to speake the trueth willinglie but yet vnwittinglie hath broughtin these scriptures whiche being considered and weighed make nothing against the trueth but moche for the trueth And first wher he began his building with our text Petra erat Christus The rocke was Chryst whiche he saied was a figuratiue speache yt ys proued that ther ys none but a plain speache for the spirituall rocke was Chryste Therfore yt standeth well to be applied to the catholique trueth that as the rocke was not figuratiuelie but verilie Chryst so the substance of the Sacrament of the aultar ys not figuratiuely but verilie the bodie of Chryst And as the holie Gost was verilie vnder a corporall forme like a doue and verilie present with the fierie tounges and also verilie geuen to the Apostles with the breathing of Chryste so ys the bodie of Chryst verilie and trulie vnder the corporall formes of bread and wine Presence of the holie Gost vnder the forme of the doue with the fierie tounges and breath of Chryst conferred with the presēce of Chryst in the Sacr. as the holie Goste vnder the forme of a doue and verily also geuen to the faithfull as the holie Goste to the multitude And vnder that corporall forme as trulie receaued of the Chrystians as the holy Gost was by the breathing of Chryst receaued of the Apostles So that ther ys a conformitie and great likelihead betwixt these scriptures and moueth the Chrystian very stronglie to beleue the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament For as we are taught to beleue that the holie Goste was vnder a corporall forme bicause the scripture saieth that the holy Gost descended in a corporall forme so are we taught to beleue that Chrystes bodie ys vnder the forme of bread bicause the scripture saieth that Chryst blessing the bread saied Thys ys my bodie and so of the rest And as the scripture saieth not that the doue or the tounges were the holie Goste No more dothe yt saie that the forme of bread ys the bodie of Chryst But as the scripture teacheth that with these formes the verie thinges be geuen and not the bare signes onelie so are we taught that with the the forme of bread ys geuen the very thinge sanctified whiche ys the verie bodie of Chryst himself sainge Take eate This ys my bodie Thus maie ye perceaue howe goodlie God hath sett furth hys mysteries that one maie aptlie be conferred with an other as that therby the faith of the weake maie be moche holpen and the faith of the strong moche comforted and delighted and the more when they maie see howe God turneth the weapons of the enemies vpon them selues and so withe their weapons defendeth vs. THE FOVRTH CHAP. BEGINNETH TO DEclare by the holie fathers of what thinges Manna and the water be figures NOwe this text of S. Paule being truly expownded according to the mindes of the holie catholique fathers and deliuered from the violent wresting of the Aduersarie yt ys time and place conuenient that we seke of what things these two yet not applied that ys Manna and the water be figures of That they be figures yt ys most certen but of what thinges yt ys in controuersie The Aduersarie affirmeth Manna to be onely of the woorde of God a figure as wherby the soule of man ys fedde as the Iewes were in desert But the good catholique teacheth that yt ys not onely a figure of the woorde of God but also of the bodie of Chryste in the Sacrament wherwith man ys fedde to euerlasting life and made strong to walke through the desert of this worlde to the heauenlie lande of promisse And for further openinge of this matter vnderstand that one Irenaeus wrote an epistle to S. Ambrose asking whie God did not rain Manna from heauen as he did to the Iewes S. Ambrose answering him treacteth not onelie of Māna yt self but also of that whiche was figured by yt And so in that processe declareth that not onelie Ad Jrenaeum epla 62 the worde of God ys a spiritual Māna but also the bodie of Chryst in the Sament ys Manna Thus writeth S. Ambrose Quaeris à me cur Dominus Deus Mannapluerit populo patrum nunc non pluat Si cognoscis pluit quotidiè pluit de coelo Manna seruientibus sibi Et corporeum quidem illud Manna hodie plerisque in locis Quāto praestantiora sunt haec superioribus iuuenitur Sed nunc non est res tanti miraculi quia venit quod perfectum est Perfectum autem panis de coelo corpus ex virgine de quo satis Euangelium te docet Quanto praestātiorà sunt haec superioribus Illud enim Manna hoc est panem illum qui manducauerunt mortui sunt Hunc autem panem qui manducauerit viuet in aeternum sed est spirituale Manna hoc est plumia spiritualis sapientiae quae ingeniosis quaerentibus de coelo
of the true vnderstanding of this scripture of S. Paule and of the matters depending vpon the same yet to the entent I maie by a nombre of woorthie wittnesses all with one consent and as yt were with one mowthe testifieng the auncient receaued treuthe prouoke some to folowe I will by gods helpe produce three or foure cooples mo that shall teache al one trueth though they were not all in one time but some fiue hundreth yeares after the other and some more and some lesse The first coople of these shall be S. Hierom and S. Cyrill whose fame and auncientie I nede not nowe to sett furth For I haue of yt allready saied and they are also well knowen But for that Sainct Hierom ys the elder his sentence shall be first hearde Expownding this scripture he saieth thus Et omnes eandem spiritualem escam manducauerunt c. Manna figura corporis Christi Hieron in 10. 1. Cor. ◠fuit And all did eate of one spirituall meate Manna was a figure of the bodie of Chryste Although these woordes be full enough and teache that that ys here sought for saing that Manna was a figure of the bodie of Chryst they teache that as the Iewes did eate Manna as the figure So nowe the figure being gon we eate the bodie of Chryst as the veritie of that figure yet more at large he openeth the wholl matter somwhat after saing Omnia enim quae in populo Israel illo tempore facta sunt in figura nunc in nobis in veritate celebrantur Sicut enim illi per Moysen ex Aegipto liberati sunt Sic nos per quemlibet sacerdotem vel doctorem de seculo liberamur Deinde christiani facti ducimur per deserta vt per exercitium contemptus mundi abstinentiae in obliuionem nobis eant Aegypti voluptates ita vt nesciamus ad seculum repedare Cùm verò Baptismi mare transimus tunc nobis Diabolus cum suo exercitu tanquam Pharao demergitur Deinde Manna cibamur potum accipimus de Christi latere emanantem Claritas quoque scientiae tanquam columna ignis in nocte seculi demonstratur in tribulationis aestu diuinae consolationis nube protegimur All thinges saieth S. Hierom whiche in that time were doen in the people of Israell in figure nowe they are celebrated in vs in veritie As they by Moyses were deliuered oute of Egypte So we by euery preist and doctour are deliuered from the worlde Then being made Chrystians we are ledde through the desertes that by the exercise of the contempt of the worlde and of abstenence the sleshlie pleasures of Egypt maie be of vs forgotten so that we shall not knowe to go backe again into the worlde When we passe through the sea of Baptisme then the Deuell with all his armie euen like as Pharao was ys drowned Thē we are fedde with Manna and take drinke flowing oute of the side of Chryste The brightnesse also of knowledge ys shewed in We drink◠drinke flowing oute of the side of Chryst the night of the worlde as the piller of fire and in the heat of tribulaciō we are defended with the clowde of diuine consolaciō Thus moche S. Hierom. In whom we see the wholl applicacion of the figurs mencioned in Sainct Paule to the thinges figured whiche thinges as by other before so by him they are called veritates the verities And therfore he saieth in the beginning of his sentence thal all thinges doen in the Iewes in figures are fulfilled in vs in veritie So that soche thinges as we haue whiche were prefigured in the Iewes As we haue not nowe Moyses but Chryste in dede not a figure of Baptisme but Baptisme in dede not the holie Goste in figure but in dede So not the figure of Chrystes bodie but his bodie in dede Hiero. ibi they be not with vs bare signes or figures as they were with them But although they be figures in some respecte yet they are also verities and the very thinges in dede Wherfor as Moyses was a figure of Chryst and nowe again we haue not a figure of Chryst but Chryst himself as the veritie or verie thing of the figure and as the sea was the figure of Baptisme and nowe we haue not an other figure of Baptisme but Baptisme yt self in very dede And as the clowde was a figure of the holie Gost and nowe we haue not an other figure of the holie Gost but the holie Gost in very dede so Māna as S. Hierō saieth here being the figure of the bodie of Chryst of like consequēce yt must folowe that nowe we hauing the veritie of the figure haue not an other figure of the bodie of Chryste but the very bodie of Chryste in dede that as the Iewes did verilie eate Māna and drinke verilie the water as the figures of the bodie and bloode of Chryst So as Chrysost saied in the last chap. thowe doest verilie eate his bodie and drinke his bloode Wherfore also S. Hierom in this applicacion of the figures to the verities coming to Manna saieth Cibamur Manna et potum accipimus de latere Christi emanantem We are sedde saieth he with Manna but that ye shoulde vnderstand him of the true Manna the bodie of Chryste he addeth And we take drinke slowing oute of the side of Chryst. What drinke slowed oute of that blessed side yt ys well knowen to be the preciouse bloode of our Sauiour Chryst So that ye see that Sainct Hierom as he dothe yt godlie and learnedlie So also simplie and plainlie and faithfullie confesseth and teacheth that as the Iewes did eate Manna and dranke the water of the stone So we eate the veritie of that figure and drinke the veritie of that figuratiue water whiche be the verie bodie and bloode of the spirituall stone Iesus Chryst And note that the masters of figures can not place their figure in Sainct Hieroms woordes For he contented not himself to saie onelie the bloode but to declare the realitie and substance in dede he saied the bloode that flowed oute of Chrystes side not a figure but that bloode in dede But peraduenture the Aduersarie will reiecte this authoritie bicause yt ys doubted of some whether yt be Sainct Hieroms worke or no that this authoritie ys taken oute of Whether yt be or no two thinges moue me to regarde and esteem the authoritie The first and the cheifest bicause yt ys a catholique saing not disagreing from the like sainges of the good catholique and auncient Fathers The second bicause yt ys no newe worke but of soche auncientie that yt might as yt appeareth be ascribed to Sainct Hierom yf yt be not his in dede But that the Aduersarie shall not cauill that we alleadge Sainct Hierom where in dede yt ys not Sainct Hierom we will alleadge Sainct Hierom that he shall not refuse to be Sainct Hierom. And this ys his saing Si panis Hieron ad Hedibiam quest 2. qui
first to be noted in this Authour that he applieth the figure to the veritie in both partes that ys Manna to the bodie of Chryst and the water to the bloode of Chryst In the whiche ye maie perceaue howe well he agreeth with Sainct Augustin with whom he ys here ioined and howe both they agree with them that be before alleadged whiche all haue taught that Manna and the water be figures of the bodie and bloode of Chryste and that not of the bodie and bloode of Chryst absolutelie withoute respecte but of the bodie and bloode of Chryste as eaten and dronken whiche ys onely in the Sacrament as touching the corporall eating of his bodie Obserue also for the presence of Reall presence and corporall receipt of Chrystes bodie anouched Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament howe this Authour speaketh withoute tropes withoute figures or anie soche like speach and in most plain maner saieth That they did eate Manna as we the bodie of Chryste they dranke of the water of the rocke as we the bloode of Chryst. In the whiche comparaison I wolde learn of the Aduersarie howe this aduerbe of similitude shoulde agree with his spirituall maner as concerning the eatinge of yt as this Authour speaketh yt taking as they be in dede Manna for the figure and the bodie of Chryst for the veritie Yf the bodie of Chryste the veritie be eaten but spiritually then Manna was not eaten corporallie but spirituallie whiche ys to wide from the trueth For they did eate Manna as we the bodie of Chryst then yt foloweth that we eate the bodie of Chryst corporallie For they did eate Manna corporallie What folie wolde these masters of most folie laie in these holie Fathers that wher yf the hereticall assertion be true we receaue not Chrystes very bodie but the figure of yt or signe they as Chrysostom Sainct Hierom and this Authour expownding and by their expositions taking vpon them to settfurth to vs the true mening and right vnderstanding of this scripture of Sainct Paule geue vs no light of vnderstanding but raither darkenesse no true mening but a wrong mening no right vnderstandinge but a misvnderstanding and that so perilouse as therbie they bring vs into the daunger of Idolatrie For they shoulde teache vs as the heretikes wolde haue yt and saie that as the children of Israell did eate Manna a figure of Chryst So we eate the Sacramentall bread as a figure of Chryst As they the good Iewes receauing the figure receaued Chryst by faith spiritually So we receauing the Sacramentall bread as a figure receaue likewise by faith Chryst spirituallie As they receaued Manna corporally but not Chryst corporallie but onely spirituallie So we receaue the bread corporallie but Chryst not corporallie but onely spirituallie This ys the hereticall pure and syncere doctrine and yet this maner and No catholique doctour teacheth the Sacr. to be onelie a figure forme of doctrine yf yt be fownde in anie one of all the holie Fathers that haue taught synce Chryst in anie time or age I will lese my credite and geue the victorie So pure ys ther doctrine and spirituall that yt cometh not vnder our senseis either to be seen or hearde as the doctrine of the Fathers But the Fathers teache that we receaue the very bodie of Chryst and they putte no trope nor figure to yt Wherfore they expownding the Scriptures are to be vnderstanded as they speake When Chrysostome expowndeth this text of Sainct Paule he vseth no other maner or phrase of woordes in his exposition but this Ille illis Manna aquam tibi corpus sanguinem dedit He mening God gaue vnto them Manna and water and vnto thee his bodie and bloode Yf God geueth not vnto vs the bodie and bloode of Chryst verilie as the woordes in their true significacion do purporte why dothe he not by plain woordes so saie vnto vs in an exposition whiche shoulde be all cleare and plain Sainct Hierom also saied not we are fedde with the figure of Chrystes Note well these plain sentēces reader for thy state bloode whiche yf yt had ben none other ther ys no doubte but in his exposition of the scripture he wolde so haue spoken yt But he saied Et potum accipimus de latere Christi manantem And we receaue drinke flowing oute of the side of Chryst Wherby what ells can be ment but that we receaue the very bloode of Chryst that flowed oute of his side and not the bare figure Whiche might moche better haue ben expressed by other woordes then by so plain liuelie woordes as these be whiche vttereth the very thing mightilie and not the figure So also this Authour expownding the scripture therby to geue vs the true vnderstanding doth not teache that we take but a figure Whiche he shoulde haue doen yf the trueth were so But by plain woordes signifieng the verie thing he saieth that the Iewes did eate Māna as we the bodie of Chryst And they dranke water of the stone as we the bloode of Chryst What shall we nowe then doubte of the matter Coulde not these holie men and learned Fathers as well knowe to speake as Oecolampadius Zwinglius Bullinger Bucer Peter Martyr Cranmer or Iuell Were yt not to straunge that yf yt were but a figure that none emong so manie shoulde so expownde yt and declare yt Yf ther were no more but this yt might sufficientlie staie anie man not destitute of grace to beleue that the Sacrament ys not onely a figure but yt conteineth also the very bodie and bloode of Chryst as the woordes of these Authours be whiche bodie and bloode be the verities of ther figures Manna and the water of the rocke THE NINTH CHAP. PROCEADETH IN the declaracion of the same by Haimo and Theophilact HItherto we haue ben busied in the testimonies of soche as be of the most auncient Nowe we will descend to some of later time and yet not yester daie born but soche as were well towarde a thousand yeares agon and therfore before Berengarius time before the time of controuersie in the Sacrament Whom as their time doth nothing discommend So their learning ioined with holie life hath gotten them moche estimacion The coople we meen here to produce be Haimo and Theophilact whiche both haue trauailed to expownde the epistles of Sainct Paule Wherfore we can not mistrust but that they will geue vs that exposition and vnderstanding of them that the holie Churche had in their times as the other auncient Fathers before alleadged haue doen. For howe soeuer yt be in this our time yt was reputed and accompted with the holie men a great and an horrible offence to dissent or depart from anie thing that the Churche had receaued accepted approued or allowed And therfor they wolde not by anie meanes admitte that wherby they shoulde be fownde to varie from the faithe of the Churche Nowe then being sure that they report to vs the faith of the Churche as
your eares for they heare Chryst was not ignorant that their soules did see and heare as the cause principall and yet he asscribeth the effect to the eye and to the eare by the which as by her organs she doth see and heare The scripture also vseth both these maner of speaches Sainct Paule saieth Secundùm suam misericordiam saluos nos fecit per lauacrum regenerationis renouationis spiritus sancti According to his mercie he hath saued vs by Tit. 3. the fowntain of regeneracion and the renouacion of the holie Gost In the whiche maner of sainge sainct Paule declareth that our saluacion commeth from God as from the cause principall and by Baptisme as the cause instrumentall Sainct Peter speaking of the Arke of Noe in the whiche Noe and his children were saued as the figure of Baptisme by the which we are saued saieth Nunc similis formae saluos vos facit Baptisma Nowe in like maner baptisme saueth yowe In which maner of speach doth 1. Pet. 3. not sainct Peter asscribe saluacion to Baptisme Yet was not he ignorant who was the principall cause of our saluacion Nowe what ys yt to saie that baptisme saueth vs but that baptisme geueth vs grace of remission of our sinnes what then do we offende to speake as the scripture doth and to saie that the sacramentes geue grace Doth S. Peter robbe God and Chryst of his honour bicause he doth asscribe saluacion to baptisme No no more dothe the Churche in saing that sacramentes geue grace Both be vprightlie spoken and Gods honour vprightlie saued Yf then as S. Paule saieth we be saued by Baptisme and as S. Peter saieth Baptisme saueth vs and by the sacramentes of the old lawe no man was saued neither did they saue anie man Nam neminem ad perfectum adduxit Lex for the lawe brought no man to perfection then yt maie be concluded that our sacramentes are more excellent then the sacramentes of the olde lawe Neither can Oecolampadius hys wicked glose stand to peruert the true definicion OecolaÌ„p his wicked glose of the woord cause coÌ„futed of a sacrament Causa non ad efficientiam sed ad significantiae euidentiam referri debet Cause saieth he ought to be referred not to the efficiencie or woorking of the effect but to the euidence of significacion For as Roffensis both well and learnedlie saith against him This woorde cause ys not referred to the euidence of significacion but to the efficacie or ells saieth he this particle of the definicion causa existit and ys the cause were superfluouse For by that particle that the definicion hath vt imaginem gerat that yt beare the image the euidence of significacion ys sufficientlie expressed To haue anie thing superfluouse in a definicion ys a great inconuenience among learned men Râ—ssâ—n li. 2 adversus OecolaÌ„p cap. 29. Wherfore nothing in this definicion being superfluouse yt must nedes stand that the sacramentes be causes effectuall and being so they excell the sacramentes of the olde lawe For wher they were but onelie signifieng owre are as the definicion teacheth both signifieng and effectuall Nam efficiunt quod significant For they bring that to effecte which they signifie Aug. in prolog psal 73 But let vs heare sainct Augustine teaching the difference of these sacramentes for he nothing dissenteth from this that ys saied but moche consirmeth yt Thus he saieth Oportunè non ex nostra sed Dei dispensatione factuÌ„ est vt modò audiremus ex euangelio quia lex per Moysen data est gratia veritas per Iesum Christum facta est Si enim discernimus duo Testamenta nec eadem promissa eadem tamen pleraque praecepta Nam non occides Non moechaheris Non furaberis Honora patrem matrem Non falsum testimonium dixeris Non concupisces res proximi tui non concupisces vxorem proximi tui nobis praeceptum est et quisquis ea non obseruanerit deuiat nec omnino dignus est qui accipere mereatur montem sanctum Dei de quo dictum est Quis babitabit in tabernaculo tuo aut quis requiescet in monte sancto tuo Innocens manibus mundo corde Haec dicimus fratres charissimi vt omnes de nouo testamento discatis non inhaerere terrenis sed coelestia adipisci Discussa ergo praecepta aut omnia CoÌ„parison of the lawe and the gospell and of their sacramentes eadem inueniuntur aut vix aliqua in euangelio quae non dicta sunt à prophetis Praecepta eadem Sacramenta non eadem promissa non eadem Videamus quare praecepta eadem quia secundùm haec Deo seruive debemus Sacramenta non eadem quia alia sunt sacramenta dantia salutem alia promittentia saluatorem Sacramenta noui Testamenti dant salutem sacramenta veteris testamenti promiserunt saluatorem Quando ergo iam teneas promissa quid quaeris promittentia saluatorem iam habens Haec dico teneas promissa non quòd iam accepimus vitam aeternam sed quia iam venit Christus qui per Prophetas praenunciabatur Mutata sunt sacramenta facta sunt faciliora pauciora salubriora In good season yt ys doen not of owre but of the dispensacion of God that nowe we shoulde heare oute of the Gospell that the lawe was geuen by Moyses but grace and veritie was doen by Iesus Chryste Yf we discern the two testamentes ther be not the same promisses but there be manie of the same coÌ„maundementes Forthowe shalt not kill Thowe shall not coÌ„mitte adulterie Thowe shalt not steale Honour thy father and thy mother Thowe shal not speake false wittnesse Thow shalt not desire thy neighbours goods And thowe shalt not desire the wief of thy neighbour yt ys to vs also coÌ„maunded And whosoeuer shall not obserue them he goeth oute of the waie neither by anie meanes ys he woorthie to take the holie hill of God of the which yt ys saied Who shall dwell in thie tabernacle or who shall rest in thy holie hill He that ys innocent of his handes and of a clean heart These thinges we saie derely beloued brethered that all yowe that be of the newe testament maie learn not to cleaue to earthly thinges but to gett heauenly thinges The coÌ„maundentes therfor discussed either they are all fownde to be the same or ells scarce anie in the Gospell whiche were not spoken of the Prophetes The coÌ„maundementes be all one The sacramentes be not all one The promesses be not all one Let vs see why the coÌ„maundementes be all Sacramentes of the newe lawe geue saluacion one bicause according to these we aught to serue God The sacramentes be not all one For they be other sacramentes geuing saluacion and other promising a Sauiour The sacramentes of the newe Testament geue saluacion The sacramentes of the olde testament haue promised a Sauiour Forasmoch then as thowe nowe holdest the promisses what
of sainct Paule whiche ys Calix cui Bened. HAuinge intended to sett furth in this booke the exposition of soche scriptures as be in the epistles of S. Paule which speake of the Sacrament of Chrystes bodie and bloode to searche oute the vnderstanding of the fathers whether they speake of yt as taking yt for a bare signe or figure of the bodie and bloode of Chryst orells as a Sacrament conteining the thing that yt signifieth I haue thought good if anie scriptures do come betwixte soche not to trooble the Reader with the exposition of them for that they be impertinent to owre matter but ouerpassing them to go to the next text to our matter apperteining Wherfor hauing now doen the scriptures in the beginning of the tenth chapiter I passe ouer to this text Calix benedictionis cui benedicimus nonne coÌ„municatio sanguinis Christi est Et panis quem frangimus nonne participatio corporis Domini est ys not the cuppe of blessing which we blesse partaking of the bloode of Chryst ys not the breade whiche we breake partaking of the bodie of Chryst For the better vnderstaÌ„ding of this text yt ys to be obserued that S. Paule trauailing to abduce the Corinthians from certain vices and euells whiche he hath remeÌ„bred vnto them to haue ben in the Iewes and for the whiche Sacrifice of the church proued by S. Paule they were punished of God enombring theÌ„ particularly and among other noting Idolatrie dehorteth them from yt sainge Fugite ab Idolorum cultura Flie froÌ„ the honouring of Idolls And for that the Corinthians were moche defiled and moche offended other by their resorting to the banquettes of Idolls and partaking of the Idolathites they thinking that for asmoche as they had learned that vnto the chrystian all meates are clean that they might do so S. Paule doth not onely dehorte them from yt but also by argument taken of the sacrifices of the Iewes and of the partaking of the same whiche might not stand with the partaking of Idolathites proueth that they maie not be partakers of the sacrifice of the chrystians and of the sacrifice of Idolaters And here entring to speake of an high misterie of the chrystian religion whiche ys not to be spoken to the weake and the carnall but to the wise and spirituall as in this epistle he testifieth saing Animalis homo non percipitâ—ea quae sunt Spiritus Dei The naturall man perceaueth not the thinges that belong to the spiritt of God Wher of the one he saieth thus Et ego fratres non potui 1. Cor. 2. loqui vobis quasi spiritualibus sed quasi carnalibus tanquam paruulis in Christo lac vobis potum dedi non escam Nondum enim poteratis And I coulde not speake vnto yowe bretheren as vnto spirituall but as vnto carnall Euen as vnto babes in Jbibid 3. Chryst I gaue yowe milke to drinke and not meat for ye were not theÌ„ stroÌ„g And of the other he speakith thus sapientiam loquimur inter perfectos We speake wisdome among them that are perfect Euen so nowe entending to speake of an high wisdome he warneth them with this saing vt prudentibus loquor vos ipsi iudicate quod dico I speake vnto them that are wise or haue discrecion Iudge ye yowr selues what I saie Ys not the cuppe of blessing whiche we blesse she partaking of the bloode of Chryst Ys not the breade whiche we breake partaking of the bodie of our Lorde As who might saie For as moch as ye are called to the chrystian religion and be made partakers of the misteries of the same and are nowe becomed wise in Chryst Iudge ye as wise men what I saie do not ye drinking of our Lordes cuppe in our sacrisices partake of the blood of our Lorde Chryste and eating of that bread of the chrystian sacrifice do ye not partake of the bodie of our Lorde yt must nedes so be For all that be partakers of sacrifices are partakers of yt to whom the sacrifice ys offred This I proue vnto yowe Consider and remembre the sacrifice of the carnall Israelites Aare not they whiche eate of the sacrifices whiche were offred emong them partakers of the aultars euen so yowe partaking of the sacrisices of Idolls which sacrifices are offred to deuells But I wolde not that ye shoulde be ioined in felowshippe with Deuells for if ye so be ye sustein great dammage and losse and what ys that Ye can not be partakers of Chryst For ye can not drinke of the cuppe of oure Lorde and of the cuppe of Deuells Ye can not be partakers of the table of the sacrifice of our Lorde and of the sacrifice of Deuells Wherfore if ye desire to be partakers of our Lordes bodie and bloode in eating of his bread and drinking his cuppe in his sacrifice leaue to be partakers of the sacrifices ofred to Idolls Wherby ye are made partakers and be ioined to Deuells For as ther ys no companie betwixt light and darknesse so ys ther no agreement betwixt our Lorde God and the Deuell neither maie God and Beliall dwell together And as he that beleueth hath no part with the infidel neither righteousnes felowshippe with vnrighteousnesse no more dothe the temple of God agree with Idolls As in this maner of periphrasis the wholl minde of S. Paule in this place ys settfurth and made clere and plain howe and by what perswasioÌ„ he laboured to diswade the Corinthians from Idolothites So also yt ys manifest that in his sentences in the processe of this chapiter whiche he vseth as argumentes grownded vpon the Sacrament that he vnderstandeth no trope or figure of the bodie and blood of Chryst but the very thinges theÌ„ selues in very dede And as he by that the carnall Israelites eating of their sacrifices were partakers of the same proueth that eaters either at our lordes table or at the table of Deuells be partakers of the same So doth he as well accompt that that ys vpon the table of our Lorde to be a sacrifice as either the sacrifice of the Israelites offred to God or of the gentiles offred to Deuells Yf yt be not so what awaileth or of what force ys the argument diduced from the sacrifices of the Iewes For if the eating of the sacrifice of the Iewes maketh them partakers of the aultar what proueth that that either Idolothites of the table of Idolls or the cuppe and bread of our Lorde his table doth make either the receauers of the one or of the other partakers of theÌ„ if that bothe the one and the other be not sacrifices as that ys froÌ„ the whiche the argument ys diduced and vpon the whiche yt ys grownded yt ys an euell maner of disputacion to go aboute to proue like effectes of vnlike causes but of like causes to proue like effectes yt ys a good maner of disputacion if due ordre and circumstance be obserued To make the matter plain what ys the cause that the Israelites
were made partakers of the aultar the answer ys bicause they did eate of the sacrifice Again to applie to the other what ys the cause that the christians be partakers of the bodie and bloode of Chryst shall the answer be bicause they eate a peice of bread and drinke a cuppe of wine no the causes be not like and that cause can not make vs partakers of the bodie and bloode of our Lorde As the Israelites and infidels had their sacrifices so the chrystians haue their sacrifice euē the bread and cuppe of blessing What ys the cause then That that ys like the other whiche ys this Bicause the chrystians do eate of the sacrifice therfore they be partakers of the sacrifice whiche ys the verie bodie and bloode of Chryst For so sainge ther ys a good argument to be made from the liklihood of the causes in eche of thē to the like effectes of eche of them As thus to saie The Israelites bicause they did eate of the sacrifice they were partakers of the Aultar So the Corinthians bicause they did eate of Idolathites whiche were sacrifices of Idolls they were partakers of Idolls Of like maner the christians bicause they eat of the sacrifice of Chryst they be partakers of the bodie and blood of Chryst And thus the disputacion of S. Paule ys of force and prouerh well his entēt And that S. Paule did aswell take the bread of our Lorde and his cuppe to be a sacrisice of the chrystians as the Idolathites of the Corinthians to be the sacrifice of the Infidells euen this doth strongly proue yt that he setteth the table and the cuppe of our Lorde against the table and cuppe of deuells Ye can not saieth he drinke of the cuppe of our Lorde and the cuppe of Deuells Ye can not be partakers of the table of our Lorde and of the table of Deuells In the whiche maner of speache as by the cuppe and table of Deuells he vnderstandeth the sacrifice doen to Deuells so must yt nedes be that by the table and cuppe of our Lorde he vnderstandeth the sacrifice doen to our lorde As yt might in plain maner thus haue ben saied Ye can not eate and drinke of the sacrifice that ys offred vnto God and of the sacrifice that ys offred to Deuells For except they were both sacrifices the setting of the one against the other were of no great force And again yf S. Paule did not aswell take the cuppe and table of our The cuppe and table of oure Lorde takē for the sacrifice of oure Lorde Lorde to be a sacrifice as the cuppe and table of Deuells to be a sacrifice he wolde not haue vsed like termes to them bothe but as he had vnderstāded a difference or diuersitie in the thinges so wolde he haue vsed a diuersitie in woordes and tearmes to expresse and declare the same But for somoche as he vnderstanding therby the sacrifice of deuells called the same the cuppe and table of Deuells yt ys manifest that he calling the meat of our Lorde by the like terms vnderstood the thing also to be like that ys to be a sacrifice In this opening of the text gentle Reader thowe perceauest two thinges Reall presence and sacrifice proued by S. Paule to be here learned of S. Paule The one ys the presence of Chrystes bodie and bloode in the Sacrament the other ys that the same bodie and blood be a sacrifice But that yt maie appeare to yowe that this ys not my owne dreame or phantasie in thus vnderstanding S. Paule but the comō sentence of the Fathers of Chrystes Parliament house we shall for triall therof and for better setting furth of Gods trueth and the faith catholique heare the sainges of a In 10. 1. Cor. good nombre of them And first of the auncient Father Chrysostom who expownding this text saieth thus Maximè his sibi verbis fidem facit horrorem Eorum autem huiusmodi est sententia Quod est in calice id est quod à latere fluxit illius sumu◠participes Calicem autem benedictionis appellauit quoniam cùm prae manibus cum habemus cum admiratione horrore quodam inenarrabilis doni laudamus benedicentes quia sanguinem effudit ne in errore permaneremus Neque tantùm effudit sed nos omnes eius participes effecit Itaque si sanguinem cupis inquit noli Idolorum aram brutorum animalium coede sed meum altare meo sanguine aspergere Quid hoc admirabilius Dic quaeso quid amabilius Hoc amantes faciunt cum amatos intuentur alienorū cupiditate allectos propriis elargitis suadent vt ab illis abstineant Sed amantes quidem in pecuniis vestibus possessionibus hanc ostendunt cupiditatem in proprio sanguine nemo vnquam Christus autem in hoc curam vehementem in nos dilectionem ostendit With these woordes he doth gette greatly vnto him self both creditte and feare Of those woordes this ys the mening That that ys in the chalice ys yt that flowed from the side and we are partakers of yt But he hath called yt the cuppe of blessing For when we haue yt before our handes with admiracion and certein A plain saing of Chrysostō for the Proclamer horrour of the vnspeakeable gift we laude blessing that he hath shedde his bloode that we shoulde not abide in errour Neither hath he onely shedde yt but he hath made vs all partakers of yt Therfore if saieth he thowe doest desire blood do not sprenkle the aultar of Idolls with the slaughter of brute beastes but sprenkle mine aultar with my bloode Saie I praie thee What ys more merueilouse then this What ys more louing This do louers also whē they see these whom they loue allured with desire of straunge thinges when they haue geuen frely to them of ther owne they moue thē that they abstein from the other But louers shewe this desire in money in apparell in possessions but in his owne blood no man at anie time hath doen yt But Chryst in this also hath shewed his care and vehement loue towardes vs. Thus moche Chrysostom God for euer and allwaies be praised who although yt be his pleasure Note here that this ys the meaning of St Paules woordes that that ys in the chalice which flowed out of Chryctes side that his church shall be vexed and tried with the fire of tribulacion as at this present yt ys miserablie afflicted shaken and torne yet he leaueth yt not destitute of sufficient staie and comforte of trueth wherby yt maie bothe defende yt self and impugne the enemie as in this authour expownding this scripture we maie well perceaue Doste thowe reader marke the expositiō of the text S. Paule saieth Ys not the cuppe of blessing whiche we blesse a partaking of the bloode of Chryst Chrysostome saieth of these woordes this ys the meaning That that ys in the cuppe ys yt that flowed oute of the side
and of yt we are partakers Yf this be the meaning of S. Paule why then walke we in errour in this matter Why wander we in the mistes and darke clowdes of tropes and figures and significacions wher Chrysostom expownding the scripture and minding to shewe vs the verie vnderstanding and plain mening of yt teacheth that not a trope figure or sign of the blood of Chryst ys in the cuppe but the bloode of Chryste that flowed oute of his side In the whiche exposition we maie in clere maner see and beholde the verie trueth euen the right catholique faith so sett furth that ther ys no helpe for the aduersarie to cloke his heresie withall The proclamer requireth one plain sentence to proue the reall presence of Chryste in the Sacrament what more plain speache wolde anie man desire to be spoken in this matter as wherbie to geue him perfect instruction in the same than to saie that that did flowe once of the side of Chryst ys in the chalice Yf the aduersarie with forced violence wolde thrust into Chrysostō woordes his comon glose that the figure of yt that did flowe oute of Chrystes side ys in the cuppe then shoulde he make Chrysostome an vntrewe man For Chrysostome saieth that that which he saied vpon that scripture was the mening of the woordes of S. Paule Now if the Aduersarie will expownd Chrysostom with an other mening then either Chrysostome did not geue vs the true meaning of S. Paule which ys not to be thought or ells the Aduersarie reporteth vntrulie of him whiche ys his cōmon practise For so farre wide ys yt that these two meninges should be one that the one saieth yea the other saieth no th one saieth yt ys thother saieth yt ys not the one ys an heresie and thother a truthe So fare I saie be these from being one that for these two sentences this lamentable diuision and greuouse contencion in the Churche ys raised by heretiques What ys a mening but a simple and plain opening and declaracion of a woorde or sentence of a mans conceipt or speache doubtfullie or darkly conceaued or spoken before Wherfor Chrysostom saing that this was the mening of S Paules woordes did by plain woordes simplie declare the same This then being the true mening of S. Paules woordes what trueth was ther in the saing of Cranmer or the Authour of that booke who alleaging S. Paules woordes abused by Cranmer this text abused yt to a cleane contrarie vnderstanding Thus he saieth Neither that wine made of grapes ys his verie bloode or that his bloode ys wine made of grapes but signifie vnto vs as S. Paule saieth that the cuppe ys a communion of Chrystes bloode Howe wickedlie and vntrulie this ys spoken and howe this scripture ys drawen to a false vnderstanding this exposition of Chrysostom dothe wel proue as other also hereafter shall do That he wolde haue no soche mening vpon these his woordes as the Aduersarie wolde yll fauouredlie peice and patche vpon them his like maner of speache in an other place declareth where he saieth Reputate salutarem sanguinem Chrysost ser de Euch in Enceniis The bloode of Chryst. in the Sacr. how yt ys to be estemed quasi è diuino impolluto latere essluere ita approximantes labijs puris accipite Regarde or esteme the holsome bloode as to flowe oute of the diuine and vndefiled side and so coming to yt receaue yt with pure lippes Whiche woordes forsomoch as he spake them in a sermon to the common people he spake them in plain maner in that sense as they sownded to the hearing of the people which was that they shoulde accompte the cuppe of our Lord to be his blood And therfore they shoulde come and drinke yt euen as oute of his side as who should saie yt ys all one In this also that he willeth them to take yt with pure lippes he teacheth the reall presence For the spirituall maner of Chrystes blood ys not to be receaued with lippes but with heart and soule Wherby yt ys plain that Chrysostom wolde his woords no otherwise to be vnderstanded then they were spoken Wherfore not to tarie long vpon this saing of Chrysostom whiche ys so plain that euery childe maie vnderstande yt I wish yt onely to be imprinted in the memorie of the reader that ys of him saied which ys again to repeat yt that yt that ys in the cuppe ys yt that flowed oute of the side and of yt we are partakers Chrysost in 10. 1. Cor. As by this we are taught the trueth of the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament So in the rest of his sainges vpon the same text he teacheth vs that yt ys a sacrifice Thus he saieth In veteri testamento cùm imperfectiores essent quem idolis offerebant sanguinem cum ipse accipere voluit vt ab idolis eos auerteret Quod etiam inenarrabilis amoris signum erat Hic autem multo admirabilius magnificentius sacrificium Chryste cōmaunded himself to be offred praeparauit cum sacrificium ipsum commutaret pro brutorum caede scipsum offerendum praeciperet In the olde Testament when they were more vnperfecte to the entent he wolde turne them from Idolls that blood which they offred vnto Idolls he himself wold accept which also was a token of an inenatrable loue But here he hath prepared a moch more woonderfull and magnificall sacrifice both when he did chaunge the saied sacrifice and for the slaughter of brute beastes commaunded himself to be offred In this saing of Chrysostom ther be two notable notes to be obserued which as they do moche declare and confirme the catholique doctrine So do they as plainly and as mightilie ouerthrowe the wicked heresie of the Aduersarie The first ys that declaring the great loue of God towarde the vperfect people of the olde lawe that to turn them from Idolatrie he was contented to accept to be offred to him in sacrifice soche bloode of brute God prepared a moch more wonderfull and magnificall sacrifice for the newe Testament then was in the olde beastes as they offred to their Idolls when he cometh to the sacrifice of the newe lawe he saieth that here he hath prepared a moche more woonderfull and magnificall sacrifice What I praie thee Reader coulde be spoken more plainlie against the wicked assertion of the Aduersarie teaching that the sacrifices of the newe lawe are nothing more excellent then the sacrifices of the olde lawe then to saie that Chryst here in the newe lawe hath prepared a moche more woonderfull and magnificall sacrifice Which woordes Chrysostom speaketh setting the sacrifices of both lawes together and therfore they were spoken in comparison of the sacrifices of the olde lawe And to the intent that the Aduersarie being here sore pressed with the woordes of Chrysostom shall not with his common glose cloake him self and gette a subterfuge saing that Chrysostom spake of the sacrifice of Chryst
he ys a sacrifice Chrysostome answereth ther to be a sacrifice where he permitteth to be broken He ys broken in the Masse vpoÌ„ the aultar wherfore he ys their in sacrifice But here vnderstande that although Chrysostom saieth that Chryst suffreth and that the Sacrament ys broken yet he meneth not that anie violence ys doen to that blessed bodie or that yt ys affected with greif pain or passion for yt being passed all these miseries yt ys nowe an impassible bodie and what violence soeuer anie cruell heart wolde inferre to yt yet yt being impassible no pain can be inflicted to yt Neither think this to be a straunge speache seing that Chryst himself when he was in hys passible bodie and gaue his passible bodie to his Apostles impassiblie saied Take eate This ys my bodie whiche ys broken for yowe For although he so saied yet in geuing oute of his bodie he suffred no violence nor pain And as that breaking wrought no greif to his blessed bodie then no more doth yt nowe For the same woundes that he bare in his passible bodie passiblie he beareth the same after his resurrection and now still impassiblie And nowe that ye haue hearde Chrysostome declaring vnto yowe the vnderstanding of this scripture in the whiche he hath in no darke speache but in plain maner with expresse woordes taught the presence of Chrystes bodie and blood in the Sacrament and yt also to be a sacrifice and that by this scripture we shall nowe leaue him for this place and heare S. Hierom. Who for this time shall be ioined with Chrysostome that one veritie maie Hieron in deci 1 Cor. be testified on both sides of Chrystes Parliament house S. Hierom ys but short and this ys his exposition Calix benedictionis ideo primum calicem nominauit vt possit de pane latius disputare nonne communicatio sanguinis Christi est sicut ipse saluator dicit Qui manducat carnem meam bibit sanguinem meum in me mâ—aet ego in eo The cuppe of blessing which we blesse therfore hath he first named the cuppe that he maie more at large dispute of the bread ys yt not a communicacion of the bloode of Chryst As our Sauiour himself saieth He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloode dwelleth in me and I in him Thus S. Hierom. This ys his breif exposition vpon this first parte of S. Paules text whiche ys not so bare and hungrie but that yt bringeth good foode with yt to nourish and comforte the faith of a Chrystian man in this matter of the Sacrament For when he cometh to the pith of the sentence whiche ys this ys yt not a communicacion of the blood of Chryst he addeth this for an exposition to yt as our Sauiour himself saieth He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him as who might saie yt ys soche a communicacion of the blood of Chryst that who so doth communicate of yt shall haue that benefitt that Chryst himself spake of saing He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloode dwelleth in me and I in him That he alleaging this scripture of Chryst to expownde the saing of S. Paule doth signifie vnto vs that S. Paule ys to be vnderstanded to haue spoken of the verie bloode of Chryst in the Sacrament he that hath redde sainct Hierom howe he vnderstandeth the sixth chapter of sainct Iohn whose authoritie hath ben vsed in the seconde booke for the same pourpose shall not nede to doubte But that the reader shall not be driuen to seke farre for the triall herof sainct Hierom shall be produced alleaging this same verie saing of Christ in the sixth of sainct Iohn Wherin he shall clerely see and perceaue the true vnderstanding of yt after Jn psalm 109. the minde of sainct Hierom. Thus he saieth vpon the psalme Quomodò enim Melchisedech Rex Salem obtulit panem vinum sic tu offeres corpus tuum sanguinem tuum verum panem verum vinum Iste Melchisedec ista mysteria quae habemus dedit nobis Ipse est qui dixit Qui manducauerit carnem meam biberiâ— sanguinem meum secundùm ordinem Melchisedec tradidit nobis sacramentum suum Sacrisice of Chryste in his supper and Melchisedecs compared For as Melchisedec King of Salem hath offred bread and wine so shalt thowe offre thy bodie and bloode the true bread and true wine This Melchisedec hath geuen vs these mysteries which we haue Yt ys he that hath said He that shall eate my flesh and drinke my bloode according to the ordre of Melchise dech be hath deliuered vnto vs his sacrament Hitherto S. Hierom. Do ye not see that our Melchisedech dothe offre the true breade and true wine his bodie and bloode noâ— after the ordre of Aron vpon the crosse but after the ordre of Melchisedec And hath not he geuen vs these misteries And doth not he of these misteries after the minde of S. Hierom saie he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloode dwelleth in me and I in him By this then yt ys euident that the saing of S. Paule referred and expownded by this ys vnderstanded of the true wine the bloode of Chryst as this ys The other text also ys but breiflie touched and folowed thus Et Panis queÌ„ Hieron Ibid. frangimus nonne coÌ„municatio corporis Domini est Ita panis Idololatriae Doemonum participacio esse monstratur And ys not the bread which we breake a communicacioÌ„ of the bodie of our lorde Euen so also the bread of Idolotrie ys a partaking of Deuells Albeit this expositioÌ„ in the first seight and face semeth not moche to saie to the maintenaunce of the catholique faith as touching the matter of the SacrameÌ„t yet if yt be well weighed yt shall be fownde to make moch And for the better weighing of yt yt shall be necessarie that yt be called to memorie that before ys saied in the last chapiter that the cause why meÌ„ be made partakers of Deuells ys that they do eate of soche meates as be offred in sacrifice to Deuells for ther ys no meat accompted to make men in that felowshippe what meat soeuer yt be in that onely respect that yt ys eaten but onely that that ys offred to Deuells Nowe then when in the exposition the probacion ys that as the eating of the breade which ys broken ys a communicacion of the bodie of Chryst So the bread of Idolatrie ys a participacion of Deuells must not both these be vnderstanded of the thinges offred in sacrifice yf not what auaileth the applicacion of the one to the other Howe can S. Paule proue the Corinthians to be partakers of Idolls but by the partaking of Idolathites Wherfor this expositour folowing S. Paule bringeth his argument from the sacrifice of Chryste as a thing cleare and manifest to the Corinthians As who might saie As the partaking of the bread of Chryst in sacrifice
maketh vs partakers of the bodie of our Lorde So the partaking of meates offred in sacrifice to An argumeÌ„t grownded vpon the sacrifice by S. Hierom. Deuells maketh vs partakers of Deuells And thus ther must be a sacrifice vnderstanded in both sides aswell in the one as in the other Which being so yt must nedes be confessed that the bread which S. Paule speaketh of here by the whiche we are made partakers of the bodie of Chryst ys a sacrifice and in that yt ys a sacrifice yt necessarily foloweth that yt ys the very bodie of Chryst whiche ys owre onely sacrifice And thus yt maie be perceaued that this short exposition well weighed had good matter in yt to coÌ„mende and settfurth the catholique faithe and to teache the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament and yt also to be the sacrifice of chrystians And nowe that yow haue hearde the expositions of these two we will proceade to heare other two vpon the same scripture THE FICHTTENTH CHAP. PROCEADETH IN the exposition of the same text by sainct Augustin and Damascen SAincte Augustine openeth the minde of S. Paule thus Nolo vos socios Daemoniorum fieri eos quippe ab Idololatria prohibebat Propter quod eis osteÌ„ dere volebat ita illos fieri socios Daemoniorum si Idolothita sacrificij manducauerint Aug. coÌ„t immie legis Prophet quomodò Israël carnalis socius erat altaris in templo qui de sacrificiis man ducabat Hinc enim caepit vt boc diceret Propter quod dilectissimi mihi fugite ab idolorum cultura Deinde secutus ostendit ad quod sacrificium debeant iam pertenere dicens Quasi prudentibus dico iudicate vos quod dico Calix benedictionis quem benedicimus non ne communicatio est sanguinis Christi Et panis quem frangimus nonne communicatio est corporis Domini c. I will not that ye be made felowes of Deuells He did truly forbidde them from Idolatrie For the which thing he wolde declare vnto them that they shoulde euen so be made felowes of Deuells if they did eate Idolathites of the sacrifice as the carnall Israell whiche did eat of S. Aug. câ—lleth the bread and cuppe of the B. Sacr. a sacrifice the sacrifices in the temple was felowe of the Aultar By occasion of that he began that he wolde saie this wherfor my most beloued flee from the honouring of Idolls Afterwarde folowing he sheweth to what sacrifice they aught now to pertein saing I speake as vnto wise men iudge what I saie ys not the cuppe of blessing whiche we blesse a coÌ„municacion of the bloode of Chryst And ys not the bread which we breake a comunicacion of the bodie of our Lorde Thus farre S. Austen This expositioÌ„ yf yt be well marked aÌ„d coÌ„pared to the expositioÌ„ of this text of S. Paul which ys in the xvi chap. of this book yt shall be perceaued that yt doth iustly agree with the same aÌ„d moch also coÌ„firme yt But leauing all other things therin coÌ„teined aÌ„d onely to touch that that to this matter apperteineth this ys here to be noted in S. August that he saieth this to be the minde of S. Paule that he labouring to bring the Corinthians from Idolothites by the whiche they were made felows of deuells he willed them to flee from them as nowe being of the calling they be of hauing nothing to do with them And therfore leauing the sacrifices of Idolls saieth S. Augustin he sheweth them to what sacrifice they shoulde nowe pertein And what sacrifice ys that euen the cuppe of blessing whiche we blesse and the bread which we breake by the which we are made partakers of the bodie and blood of Chryst By the which woords who seith not that the minde of S. Paul ys after the Sacrifice auouched by S. Paule after the vnstanding of S. August mening of S. Augustin that the SacrameÌ„t of Chrystes bodie aÌ„d bolde ys a sacrifice vnto the which as he wolde theÌ„ the CorinthiaÌ„s So aught al ChrystiaÌ„s to pertein For S. Augustin saing that S. Paul by these woords ys not the cuppe of blessing which we blesse a partaking of the blood of Chryst c. did shew theÌ„ the sacrifice vnto the whiche they did nowe pertein what can be saied but that he ment yt to be a sacrifice That S. Augustine taketh yt to be a sacrifice as yt ys most plainlie shewed in the first booke So in this also hereafter yt shall be made so euident that yt shall not be denied Damascen whom here we will ioin with S. Austen although he doth not by waie of exposition folowe the letter of S. Paule yet treacting of the Sacrament he expowndeth the tearmes namelie participacion and coÌ„municacion whiche here S. Paule vseth and applieth to the Sacrament of Chrystes bodie and bloode And forsomoche as the exposition of these termes geueth a great light to the clere vnderstanding of the minde of S. Paule as whether he ment that the Sacrament were a bare signe of the bodie and blood of Chryst or ells verilie conteining the same I thought to bring in that his saing And wher as this holie Sacrament for that yt ys of infinite vertue can not sufficientlie be expressed deuoute and godlie men minding as the measure of our weaknesse in the capacitie of so great misteries wolde permitte and suffer to signifie some parte of yt haue called yt by sondrie and diuerse names of the whiche Damascen remembring some doth thus saie of them Damascen li. 4. ca. 14 Et si quidam exemplaria corporis sanguinis Domini panem vinum vocauerunt vt deifer vocauit Basilius non tamen post sanctificationem dixit sed priusquam sanctificaretur ipsa oblatio ita vocabant Participatio etiam dicitur Nam per ipsam Iesu dininitatem participamus Dicitur coÌ„munio est reuera quia coÌ„municamus per ipsam Christo participamus eius carne Diuinitate quia coÌ„municamus vnimur inuiceÌ„ per illaÌ„ Although some haue called the bread and wine exemplaries of the bodie and bloode of our Lorde as the godly man Basill hath called yt yet they Bread and wine called exeÌ„plaries of the bodie and blood of Chryste before sanctificacion but not after did not so after the sanctificacion but before the oblacion was sanctified they did so call yt Yt ys also called a partaking For by yt we partake the God head of Iesus Yt ys also called a CoÌ„munion and yt ys in verie dede for by yt we coÌ„municate with Chryst both that we partake his flesh and God head and also that by yt we be vnited one with an other I nede not to tarie to open this saing of Damascen whiche lieth so open and plain that the simplest maie see the true vnderstanding of yt And wher S. Paule here speaketh of the partaking and of the coÌ„municacion of the bodie and bloode of Chryst which as before ys noted some wolde
that spirituall coÌ„munion that ys doen by faith Wherfor as before ys saied either by the receipt of the bodie and blood of Chryst they come into an other coÌ„munioÌ„ or ells they receaue that that they had before But here the Reader ys to be aduertised that as they that receaue the spirituall vnion by Baptisme receaue yt not but with coÌ„dicion So none can receaue this corporall vnioÌ„ to Chryste but with coÌ„dicion The Sacramentes be receaued of manie but not profitablie as touching the finall effect to all that receaue but to some Chryst hath died not onely for our sinnes but for the sinnes of all the worlde yet all atteign not remission of sinnes whiche ys the effecte of the same death And as God geuing vs Chryst gaue vs all thinges with him yet all receaue not all thinges Euen so though by the receipt of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament we be as yt ys saied vnited and incorporated to Chryst yet not all for the benefittes which God geueth vnto vs manie of them haue coÌ„dicions annexed as the benefittes before recited haue For as touching remission of sinnes all they shall haue yt that will obserue the condicion declared by S Iohn Si ambulauerimus in luce sicut ipse est in luce societatem habemus adinuicem 1. Joan. 1. sanguis Iesu Christi filii eius emundat nos ab omni peccato Yf we shall walke in light as he also ys in light we haue felowshippe together and the bloode of Iesus Chryst the Sonne of him clenseth vs from all sinne Eternall life ys geuen to vs by Chryst but ther ys a condicion annexed Si vis ad vitam ingredi serua mandata Yf thowe wilt entre into life kepe the commaundementes Vnitie with Chryst as that Chryst shall dwell in them and they in him that do eate the flesh of Chryst and drinke his bloode ys promised to them that so doe but not without a condicion that ys that they doe eate yt woorthilie Iudas eate the flesh of Chryst and dranke his bloode as hereafter shall be shewed But yet he obteined not the promisse he enioied not the effecte for not Chryst but Sathan abidde in him as the Gospell testifieth Wherfore S. Paule saied not that yowe all be one bread and one bodie but manie For indede as manie as shall woorthilie receaue that one bread and drinke of that one cuppe all they shall be one bread and one bodie both with Chryst and within themselues But the euell receauers not so This also ys not to be ouerpassed that sainct Paule saieth that we all eate of one bread and drinke of one cuppe Which in my iudgement proueth very moche that he tooke not this bread for bare materiall bread as the Aduersarie doth for then yt were not true For all do not eate of one bread For the grekes eate leauened bread and the latines fine and vnleauened bread In the catholique Church ys geuen to euerie communicant a sondrie bread In the scismaticall church they haue not throughout all one bread but in euery conuenticle a sondrie bread and somtime in the same conuenticle diuerse breades For yt were a meruailouse bread that shoulde suffice them all in all their wicked congregacions And as before ys noted their bread hath no soche vertue as sainct Paule dothe attribute vnto this bread and this cuppe which ys to make vs one bodie with Christ Wherfore yt can haue no other vnderstanding but that the bread which S. Paule speaketh of ys no materiall bread but yt ys the heauenly bread of Chrystes bodie which being but one ys eaten of euery faithfull and sufficeth Jnsermone Decana for all For he ys not so receaued in one aultar that he ys not nor cannot be in an other But as sainct Bernarde saieth speaking to Chryst in the Sacrament vnius horae momento ab ortu solis vsque ad occasum ab aquilone vsque ad austrum praesto es omnibus vnus in multis idem in diuersis locis In the moment of one howre from the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same from the North to the Sowthe thowe art at hande which arte one in manie places and the very same in diuerse places For as Chrysostome saieth Quoniam in multis locis offertur multi sunt Christi Nequaquam Sed vnus vbique est Christus hic plenus existens illic plenus vnuÌ„ corpus Jn deci â— Corn. hom 17. For that Chryst ys offered in many places be ther many Chrystes not so but euery wher one Chryst being full here and full ther all one bodie So that wher S. Paule saieth that they are one bodie and one bread that doth partake of that same one bread and that same one cuppe yt ys not very fied nor can be verified of anie other but of Chryst the true bread whiche as ys saied being one bodie one Chryst ys euerie where full Chryste here full and ther full of the whiche one all doo partake and so by that one they all are made one I meen as manie as do duelie receaue yt as ys before saied For by the receipt of that one bodie they growe to be one bodie both with the bodie that ys receaued and also among themselues THE FOVR AND TVENTETH CHAP. PROceadeth vpon the same text by Chrysostom and S. Augustine AS among philosophers yt ys vnseemlie to auouche anie thing withoute reason so among diuines speciallie in matters of controuersie yt ys vnsemelie to auouche anie thing withoute authoritie wherfor to doo that that to a diuine ys seemlie and withal to geue aduertisement to the Proclamer who in his sermon powreth oute manie of his hereticall deuises in matter of controuersie withoute authoritie although I haue not hitherto without authoritie but with authoritie expownded this text of S. Paule yet returning to my former order heretofore in other scripturs vsed I will proue the same exposition to be good by farder authoritie of the fathers coopled together oute of the latine and greke church In which processe I will beginne with Chrysostome who thus expowndeth the same text of S. Paule Quoniam vnus panis vnum corpus multi sumus Quid enim appello inquit communicationem Idem ipsum corpus sumus Quid nam est panis Corpus Christi Quid autem fiunt qui accipiunt Corpus Christi non multa sed vnum corpus Nam quemadmodum panis ex multis grauis vnitur vt minimè grana appareant sed tamen grana sunt verùm incerta discretione coniuncta sic inuicem Christo coniungimur Non enâ—m ex altero corpore tu ex altero illeeducatur sed ex eodem omnes Ideo subdit omnes qui de vno pane participamus For being manie we are one bread and one bodie What do I saieth he call coÌ„municacion We are the very same bodie What ys the bread The bodie of Chryst â–ª what be they made that receaue yt the
admonition that we beware with all diligence that we do not communicate with heretiques neither ministre the Sacrament vnto them For if we do we partake of their euell faith and condemnacion This admonicion as yt ys good so ys yt necessarie to be kept For yt ys agreable to the scriptures For as this place of S. Paule to the Corinthians doth forbidde them that they shoulde not be partakers with Idolaters in their Idolathites for then they shoulde entre into felowshippe with Deuells so doth yt forbidd vs to be partakers with heretiques For if we do we entre into felowshippe with them we seem to consent to their wicked heresie and so to be 2 Ioan. partakers of the same wherfor S. Iohn gaue streict charge saing Si quis venit ad vos hanc doctrinam non adfert nolite eum recipere in domum nec aue ei dixeritis Yf any man come vnto yowe and bring not this learning receaue him not to house neither bidde him God spede So farre wide was yt froÌ„ the minde of the Apostle that we shoulde entre into the house of God with heretiques and their to ioin with them in the partaking of sacramentes that he wolde that we shoulde not receaue them into our house neither as moche as to bidde them God spede And shewing the cause of this his commaundement saieth For he that biddeth him God spede ys partaker of his euell dede And to the entent this his admonicion shoulde be the better regarded and the daunger of the breach therof well knowen to them and feared he concludeth thus Beholde I haue tolde yowe before that ye shoulde not be ashamed in the daie of our Lorde In this saing of S. Iohn yt ys easie to perceaue that yt ys daungerouse to ioin with heretiques and speciallie in the communion of sacracmentes For if we do we shall be confownded in the daie of our Lorde Yf S. Paule did earnestly require the Thessalonians and that in the name of our Lorde Iesus Chryste they shoulde with drawe them selues from euery brother that did walke inordinatelie and not after the tradicion whiche 2 TessaloÌ„ 3. they had receaued shoulde we not withdrawe our selues froÌ„ them which do not onelie walke inordinately but do with all that in them lieth laboure to subuert the wholl order of Chrystes Churche and with all violence and blasphemie impugn not onelie the tradicions which they haue receaued but the Sacramentes and misteries of the true religion and the wholl faith of Chryst S. Paule willeth that with fornicators adulterers dronkers and idolaters we shoulde not asmoch'as eate meate Therfor with the other yt ys withoute 1 Cor. 5. doubte that we shoulde haue no felowshippe nor medle with them and speciallie in the communion of sacramentes And as yt ys not laufull for the true chrystian to communicate with them in the sacramentes of the catholique Churche no more ys yt laufull for him to communitate with anie in the newe forged sacramentes of the congregacion of heretiques for like perill enseweth vpon bothe But let not the reader take me that I meen that they which ignorantlie Heretiques how they must be auoided not knowing them to be soche incurre anie soche daunger if they communicate with them But I meen of them who knowing soch to be heretiques will yet communicate with them They vndoubtedlie incurre the daunger For when they be knowen to be soche and will not be reformed S. Paule willeth them to be auoided Haereticum hominem post vnam alteram admonitionem deuita sciens quia subuersus est qui eiusmodi est delinquit cùm sit proprio indicio condemnatus A man that ys an Heretique after the first and second admonicion Tit. 3. auoid knowing that he who ys soch ys peruerted and sinneth eueÌ„ daÌ„ned by his own iudgement According to this rule the people knowing Macedonius to be a notable Eccl. hist. tripar li. 4. ca. 39. li. 5. ca. 30 heretique did both men and women so auoid him that they wolde not although enforced with great and cruell tormentes once communicate with him as in the Tripartite historie yt ys more at large declared In the primitiue Churche this matter was so straightlie obserued that by the Canons of the Apostles ys was ordeined that Byshoppe preist or Deacon Can. 45. which did but onely praie with heretiques shoulde be putte from the comunion if they suffred them to do anie thing as clerkes they shoulde for their soche permission be depriued from their office Although ther be manie histories declaring this auoiding of the communion of heretiques to haue ben moche practised yet I omitte them for that this maie suffice to be spoken as but by occasion of the note of the woordes of Damascen whiche although breiflie yet with dumbe scilence I coulde not ouerpasse yt perceauing the note to be verie necessarie for this time In. 10. 1. Cor. And nowe here shall be place for Haymo whom I haue thought good to ioing with Damascen bicause his sentence ys but short and yet doth plainlie expresse the minde of S. Paule Thus he saieth Diuinitas Verbi quae implet coelum terram omnia quae in eis sunt ipsareplet corpus Christi quod à multis sacerdotibus per vniuersum orbeÌ„ sanctificatur facit vnuÌ„ corpus Christi esse Et sicut ille panis et sanguis in corpus Christi transeunt ita omnes qui in Ecclesia dignè comedunt illum vnum The God head silleth the bodie of Chryste which ys sanctified of the preist corpus Christi sunt sicut ipse dicit Qui manducat carnem meam bibit sanguinem meum in me manet ego in eo The Godhead of the Sonne which filleth heauen and earth and all that in them ys that same filleth the bodie of Chryst the whiche ys sanctified of manie preistes throughoute all the worlde and maketh one bodie of Chryst to be And as that bread and bloode do passe into the bodie of Chryst euen so all that in the Church do woorthilie eate yt they are one bodie as he himself saieth He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and â—…n him Thus moche Haymo Do ye not in these fewe lines see these two thinges that ys that in the Sacrament ys the verie bodie of Chryst and his verie blood and also that all The excelleÌ„cie of the blessed Sacrament they which do woorthilie receaue the same that they are one bodie of Chryst As concerning the first yt ys woorthie of note to see howe he doth settfurth the excellencie of the Sacrament whiche I wish the reader more diligentlie to obserue that the wickednesse of the Angells of Sathan maie be the better perceaued Beholde howe litle so euer they esteem yt or howe barelie so euer they terme yt yet this authour saieth that the Godhead of the Sonne of God doth fill the bodie of Chryst that ys
by flesh Go to let vs saie a fewe woordes of this matter and lett CoÌ„iunction of us to Chrysse by faith and charitie spirituallie by his flesh naturallie both auouched vs shewe the sense of the holie scripturs peruersly to be expownded of him Yet for all that we denie not that we be ioined spirituallie to Chryst by right faith and sincere charitie but that we haue no maner of coniunction with him after the flesh that truly we vtterlie denie and we saie that to be alltogether contrarie to the diuine scriptures For who hathe doubted Chryst also so to be the vine and we the braunches whiche from thence gett life vnto vs Heare Paule saing that we all are one bodie in Chryst for alltho we be manie yet we are one in him For we do all partake of one bread Do ye not here see that S. Cyrill bringeth in this text of S. Paule to proue that we haue not onely a communion spirituall with Chryste but also a communion after the flesh What plainer exposition can be desired for the vnderstandinge of the scripture then that sense in the whiche yt ys alleadged in argument to conuince an heresie And if sainct Cyrill did iudge him perâ—erslie to expownde the scriptures that saied that we had no corporall The Proclamer and his felowes setfurth that for a trueth now which S. Cyrill reputed an heresie communion with Chryst but onelie spirituall what shall we saie of the fautours of the like vntrueth Shall we not saie that they also peruerslie expownde the scriptures And shall we not woorthilie repute them as corrupters of Godes trueth and deceauers of his people whiche settfurth that to them for a trueth whiche was so manie hondreth yeares agon reproued as a falsheade and so of all catholiques and good Chrystians holden and estemed no doubte but God will so declare yt when yt shall please him to take his time to ouerthrowe their building Endure yt can not For they haue builded vpon the sandes and not vpon the rocke In the mean time let them bluster oute their stinking doctrine as yt shall please God to suffer them for the punishment of our sinnes for the triall of the constancie of hys faithfull and for the excercise of their pacience to the honour and glorie of God But veritas vincet The trueth shall ouercome and veritas Domini manet in aternum The trueth of our Lord abideth for euer Yt maie be impugned but ouerthrowen yt can not be What the trueth ys in this matter I trust yt maie easilie be perceaued and yet ther lacke no wittnesses for the better declaracion of the same S. Thomas a man approued as learned and holie of all the church hath trauailed in the exposition of the scriptures and that not withoute his immortall laude and praise He ys a woorthie wittnesse in this matter And for the fuller vnderstanding of him we will heare his exposition on bothe the textes iointlie as they lie one depending of the other Thus he saieth Et panis quem frangimus id est sumptio panis fracti in altari noune participatio corporis Domini est faciens noâ— vnum cum Christo quia sub specie panis sumitur corpus S. Thomas Aqui. in deci 1. cor Christi Deinde cum dicit Quoniam vnus panis c. ostendit quod omnes sumus vnum in corpore eius mystico tangit duplicem vnitatem primam incorporationis qua in Christum transformamur aliam vitae sensus quam à Christo capite accipimus quasi diceret Per hoc patet quod vnuni sumus cum Christo quoniam vnus panis vnione fidei spei charitatis vnum corpus multi sumus per subministrationem operum charitatis Corpus seilicet illius capitis qui est Christus Multi dico scilicet omnes qui de vno pane id est corpore Christi vno calice id est sanguine participamus digna participatione scilicet spirituali non tantùm sacramentali And the bread which we breake that ys to saie the receauing of the bread broken on the aultar ys yt not a partaking of the bodie of our Lorde Vnder the forme of bread ys receaued the bodie of our Lorde making vs one with Chryst For vnder the forme of bread ys receaued the bodie of Chryst TheÌ„ wheÌ„ he saieth For we are one bread c. he sheweth that we are all one in his mysticall bodie aÌ„d he toucheth a double vnitie The first ys the vnitie of incorporacion by the whiche we are transformed into Chryst The other ys of life aÌ„d feeling which we take of Chryst our head As who might saie by this yt ys manifest that we are one with Chryst For we being manie are one bread bi the vnioÌ„ of faith hope aÌ„d charitie And one bodie bi the subministracion of the workes of charitie that ys to saie the bodie of that head which ys Chryst I saie manie that ys to saie all we that do partake of one bread that ys to saie of the bodie of Chryst and one cuppe that ys to saie of the bloode of Chryst with a woorthie participacion not onely sacramentall but also spirituall Thus moch S. Thomas In whose exposition we finde nothing dissonant from the elders but in all consonaÌ„t The elders before alleadged haue expownded the bread and the cuppe whiche we partake of to be the bodie and blood of Chryst so doth S. Thomas his doctrine consonaÌ„t to the elders this S. Thomas They haue taught that S. Paules mindeys that by that participacion we are made one bodie with Chryst and the like teacheth he also Thus as God ys the God of peace and concorde so in his house ys agrement and consent in the substanciall poinctes of our faith and religion And this ys a trueth hetherto constantlie as yt were with one mouthe taught that the bread broken in the aultar or table of Chryst ys his bodie and all we woorthilie receauing yt are by the same incorporated to Chryst and made one bodie with him Wherfore we shall nowe leaue these and heare other THE SEVEN AND TVENTETH CHAPITER proceadeth vpon the same text by Euthym. and Hugo AS God hath builded his church vpon a Mounte to be seen of all men so hath he caused his trueth to be professed of manie that yt might be knowen to all men He sent his Apostles into all the woorlde to preach the Gospell to euery creature He hath appointed learned men in euery parte of the worlde to geue the true vnderstanding of the same to euery creature Praised therfore be his holie name that wher now Sathan hath sent his wicked mynistres to corrupt the trueth of the Gospell and to lead vs from the true vnderstanding of the same our mercifull Lorde God hath prouidentlie before prouided soche teachers by whom we maie not onelie see the falshead of the wicked but also haue sufficient knowledge and testimonie to rebuke detect and conuince
their vntrueth and their deuelish setting furth of the same and to kepe vs in in the right waie that we erre not with them if we will geue eare to good ād holsome doctrine And therfore seing God hath sent soche plentie of good authours yt were pitie but that they shoulde be brought furth wherby God in his trueth maie glorified and his people in the same edefied Of all these that remain first cometh to hande the learned grecian Euthymius who withoute all darke maner of speache openeth to vs the true vnderstanding Euth in 26 Matth. of S. Paules saing Thus he writeth Quemadmodum panis confortat ita Christi corpus hoc facit ac magis etiarn corpus animam sanctificat Et sicut vinum taetificat ita sanguis Christi hoc facit insuper praesidium efficitur Quodsi de vno corpore sanguine omnes fideles participamus omnes vnum sumus per ipsam horum Flesh vnited to the Sonne of God by assumption the same vnited to vs by participacion myst eriorum participationem in Christo omnes Christus in omnibus Qui edit inquit meam carnem bibit meum sanguinem in me manet ego in eo Verbum siquidem per assumptionem carni vnitum est baec rursus caro vnitur nobis per participationem As bread doth comforte so doeth the bodie of Chryst also this and more yt sanctifieth both bodie and soule And as wine dothe make gladde Euen so the blood of Chryst doth this also and moreouer yt ys made a defence And if all the faithfull do partake of one bodie and bloode we are all one by the same participacion of the mysteries For all be in Chryst and Chryst in all he that eateth saieth he my slesh and drinketh my bloode dwelleth in me and I in him For truely the Sonne of God ys vnited to the flesh by assumption Thys flesh again ys vnited to vs by participacion Thus Euthym. I nede not as to me yt semeth to saie anie thing to the opening of this authours minde For he ys both plain in himself and also plainlie dothe open the minde of sainct Paule vnto vs. Whose sentence he setteth furth in the plain tearmes and leaueth the tropes For wher sainct Paule saieth that we that eate of one bread and drinke of one cuppe are one bodie He saieth that we that partake of one bodie and bloode are made one So that wher the text calleth Bread and cuppe in S. Paule meē the bodie ād blood c. yt bread the expositour calleth yt the bodie and what the text calleth the cuppe that this authour calleth the bloode Wherfore the true mening must be taken as the expositour doth expownde yt For somoche then as the expositour doth expownd the bread and the cuppe calling them the bodie and the blood yt can not be auoided but that yt ys so except the Aduersarie will saie that the text expowndeth the exposition For vnto that sense that he wolde wrest all the authours vnto the text ys more nearer then the exposition The aduersarie wolde haue yt bread and the text calleth yt bread The Aduersarie wolde not haue yt the bodie of Chryst but this authour saieth yt ys the bodie of Chryst Wherfore to the sense of the Aduersarie the text ys more clere then the exposition And so yt cometh to passe as before ys saied that the text expowndeth the exposition whiche ys after the maner of other of their doinges For they turn the catte in the panne and make light darknesse and darknesse light But thowe Reader be thowe sure that Chryst who hath promised his holie spiritte to his Church which ys the pillour of the trueth hath not left yt contratie to his promisse destitute of this guide of trueth these thousand yeares but yt was that Spiritt that did leade the minde and the penne of these holy Fathers to vnderstand and perceaue the true sense of the scriptures and so to write yt to vs. God hath left vnto vs bread euen the holie scripture to feede vs withall but as he bidde his Apostles to breake the breade that he had Ioan. 6. Bread of the woord of God how yt ys brokē blessed for the siue thousand people so by his mynistres in the church he hath commaunded the bread of the scripture to be broken to the people and what ys yt to breake yt but to expownd yt And why shoulde they expownd yt yf their were not places to be opened and cleared by exposition And therfore I saie these holie fathers being appointed to breake this bread of the woorde of God vnto vs ther ys no doubte but as they had learned of the master of trueth so they brake yt truly vnto vs and haue geuen vs the true vnderstanding of yt And therfore the bread and the cuppe expownded by so manie to be the bodie and bloode of Chryst yt must nedes be true that by so manie and so manie yeares hath with concorde and consent withoute contradiction ben preached taught and written This also ys not to be ouerpassed that thys Authour leaueth yt not vntaught howe we are made all one in Chryst bicause saieth he we do all partake of one bodie and bloode we are all made one by the participacion of the mysteries So that although he well knewe that we are all made one in Chryst by faith and charitie yet he also saieth that we are made one by the participacion of the mysteries And that yt shoulde moste manifestlie well be be perceaued what maner of vnion this ys of the whiche he speaketh here when he had alleaged the saing of Chryst He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I him mening therby to proue this vnion he by most plain woordes openeth the same saing The Sonne of God ys vnited to the flesh by assumption this flesh again ys vnited to vs by participacion wherby yt ys very manifest that we are vnited to Chryst by the vnion of his flesh For that flesh vnto the whiche the Sonne of God was vnited that same ys vnited to vs. Chryst was vnited to vs by his incarnacion we be vnited to him by participacion c. So that as Chryst was vnited to vs by taking of our flesh in his incarnacion and so was made one with vs In like maner we are vnited to him by the taking of his flesh in the Sacrament and are therby made one with him Wherfore note that he saieth not that we are in the receipt of the Sacrament vnited to Chryst by faith but by participacion of his flesh And yet this authour was not ignorant that we are also vnited to Chryst by faith But minding to open the peculiar commoditie of this mysterie he teacheth that by flesh we are vnited to Chryst Consider therfore Reader that wher the Aduersarie trauaileth to obscure and hide the benefittes of God whiche he geueth to the woorthie receauers of his
Chrystes Churhe And for that these Aduersaries when they knewe the trueth wolde not abide in the trueth and when they knewe God wolde not glorifie him as God but they haue vanished awaie in their owne thoughtes and saing them selues to be wise they are become verie fooles So that as their likes the people of the host of Syria were striken with blindnesse so obscuratum est insipiens cor eorum their Rom. 1. foolish heart ys blinded So that nowe blinder then Moll 's they saie light ys darknesse and darknesse light And thus being blinde are contented to be caried in to the handes of their enemies as the Syrians were But God of his mercie woorke mercifullie with them that they perish not in the handes of their enemies in the end but that yt maie please him that they maie be deliuered by the charitable mean of the Prophet of God by the ministerie of the catholique preacher and that for his persecucō they maie sustein no other affliction but that they maie eate in the middest of the cittie the bread of the Israelites the bread of the true chrystians the bodie of Chryste in the holie Sacrament and so ceasse anie more to persequute Israell but to become one with thē in that sorte that Multitudinis credentium fiat cor vnum anima vna in Domino Of the multude of them that beleue Acto 4. ther be but one heart and one soule An ende they shall haue for to continue God will not suffre them and if their demerites so require as nowe ours do to be afflicted with them God will withholde that mercie from them that they maie not come to that ende which before I haue desiered for them Oh Lorde howe miserable then shall be the ende Wherfore Chrysten reader be of good cheer and feare not For though they haue worldlie might and power on their side yet they can not preuaill against vs. For ther be mo on our side then on theirs All the holie writers be with us of which thowe hauest hearde a good nombre and yet thowe shalt heare moo which shall not speake in darke maner so as thowe maist be doubtfull what they meen or howe they be to be taken and vnderstanded thowe shalt heare them in so clere maner testifie the trueth that yt shall be easie to saie this ys their meening and thus they are to be vnderstanded And for triall herof here ys first the testimonie of Oecomenius to be hearde Which ys this vpon the text of S. Paule nowe treacted of Vnus panis vnū corpus sumus Nam ex vno pane omnes participamus Ratiouem addit quomodò corpus Christi efficiamur Quid enim inquit est panis corpus nempe Christi Quid autem efficiciuntur Oecum iudeci 1 Cor. hi qui participant Corpus sanè Christi Nam participantes corpus Christi nos quoque illud efficimur Quoniam vnus panis est Christus Ex multis namue grauis vt exempli gratia loquamur vnus panis factus est nos multi ex ipso vno participantes efficimur Note howe Oecum foloweth the woordes of Chrysostom before alleaged saing what ys the bread and answereth the bodie of Chryste vnum corpus Christi Quontam enim vetus nostra caro corrupta est sub peccato opus nobis fuit noua carne We are one bread and one bodie for we do all partake of one bread He addeth a reason saieth Oecumenius howe we are made the bodie of Chryst What saieth he ys the bread Verilie the bodie of Chryst. And what are they made that do partake truelie the bodie of Chryst For we partaking the bodie of Chryst are also made the same For Chryst ys one bread for of manie granes As for example we maiespeake one bread ys made and we being manie partaking of that one are made one bodie of Chryste forasmoche as our olde flesh was corrupted vnder sinne we had nede of a newe flesh Thus he In my iudgement I nede not anie thinge vpon this exposition to saie as wherby to make yt clere or plain for that yt ys so plain of yt self but yet in consideracion that I write not to the learned but to helpe the vnlearned to whom nothing can be to plain I will somwhat saie therbie at the leest to ministre occasion to the reader the better to note what this authour doth saie S. Paule immediatelie before this text had saied that the bread whiche we breake ys a communicacion of the bodie of our lorde by the whiche woordes as also Chrysost did note S. Paule wolde teach that neer coniunction and vnion of vs to and with Chryst whiche ys no lesse then that we be made the bodie of Chryst Then S. Paule proceading to this text which we haue nowe in hande this authour saieth that wher before he had saied that we be made the bodie of Christ Herehe geueth a reason howe we are made the bodie of Chryst Among philosophers yt ys accompted vnsemelie to affirme anie thing without a reason the scripture also willeth vs to be readie to geue an answere to euerie one that asketh vs a reason of that hope that ys in vs. So when S. Paule as this authour implieth had taught that we be made the bodie of Chryst here he geueth a reason howe we be made the bodie of Chryst And that this reason of S. Paule maie the better appeare vnto vs the authour first openeth the partes of yt to vs. For wher S. Paule in his reason saieth that we do all eate of one breade to open what that bread ys he asketh a question saing what ys the breade he solueth the question furthwith and saieth verilie yt ys the bodie of Chryst 1. Pet. Note this then Reader that the bread whiche S. Paule speaketh of here ys the bodie of Chryste And note farder that he saieth not yt ys a figuratiue bodie but he saieth yt ys the bodie of Chryst verilie Wherbie the Aduersaries signes and figures are cutte of and in this sentence of S. Paule ther ys no place for them For yf yt be verilie the bodie of Chryst yt ys not figuratiuelie his bodie Yf the Aduersarie wolde seke some shifte to helpe to hide and couer his falshoode and wickednesse and saie that the bread whiche this authour asketh this question of and solueth yt to be the bodie of Chryst ys the congregacion of the faith full whiche he will graunt to be the very bodie of Chryst misticall This glosse will not serue him but raither declare him to be The reall bodie of Chryste partaken the misticall bodie the partakers a violent wrester of this authour as he ys of manie other mo For this authour speaketh of the bread that ys partakē and receaued and not of vs which do partake and receaue yt For when he had declared the bread to be the bodie of Chryst then immediatelie he asketh what be they made that dopartake yt
one bodie with Chryst Thus he Among other thinges woorthie of note in Theophilact to trooble the Reader with no mo then appertein to the declaracion of the matters whiche be here to be decided two onely shall be noted As for the presence of Chryste in the Sacrament as he doth euerie wher So dothe he here most plainlie teache the same Owre incorporacion also to Chryst by the receipt of the same bodie with other Fathers before alleaged he doth professe and acknowledge As for the first this Authour perswading vs to the vnitie of loue and charitie induceth for his cheif and great argument for that pourpose that we shoulde so be bicause our Lorde hath imparted his owne bodie to vs to the entent we shoulde be one And yf the Aduersarie wolde blinde the simple reader that this Authour meneth that he gaue vs his owne bodie vpon the crosse for our redemption yt ys true in dede that our Sauiour Chryste gaue his bodie for vs to the death of the crosse But that this Authour ment here of that his geuing of his bodie that ys most false For he speaketh of that maner of the geuing of the bodie of Chryst that S. Paule speaketh of in this scripture which he expowndeth And here Sainct Paule speaketh of the geuing of Chryst as he ys geuen in the Sacrament as the wholl processe of Sainct Paule doth well proue So that this Authour expownding Sainct Paule speaketh as Sainct Paule doth of the Sacrament Then speaking of the Sacrament this Authour saieth that Chryst geueth vs his owne bodie therin And here by the waie note that he saieth not this as of him self but saieth that Sainct Paule saieth so Wherhie he signifieth that this text of Sainct Paule speaketh not of materiall bread signifieng or figuring the bodie of Chryst but of the verie reall bodie of Chryst and therfore saieth that he Argument vpon the woorde bread in S. Paule refelled imparteth to vs his owne bodie He geueth vs not his owne bodie yf we haue but a peice of bread For the bread ys but a sign or figure of the bodie of Chryst not present to be geuen but absent So that wher the Aduersarie buyldeth as he thinketh his strong towers and bullwarkes against the veritie of this blessed Sacrament vpon this and other places of Sainct Paule of the whiche some be allreadie treacted of and the rest by the helpe of Gods grace hereafter shall be saing that yt ys but bread bicause Sainct Paule calleth yt bread ye maie well perceaue what a false grownde he taketh and howe vnsure his buylding ys For this Authour saieth that Sainct Paule in this place saieth that Chryst geueth vs his owne bodie wherby yt ys euident that though Sainct Paule calleth the Sacrament bread yet he meneth not nor vnderstandeth therbie materiall breade as the Adueasarie dreameth but meneth that yt ys that breade which ys Chryst in that sense that Chryst calleth himself when he saied Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est quam dabo pro mundi vita The bread whiche I will geue Ioan. 6. ys my flesh whiche I will geue for the life of the worlde This sentence as Chrysostome Theophilact and manie mo as yt ys declared in the seconde booke do testifie ys spoken of the Sacrament and then wolde I aske the Aduersarie whether Chryst calleth him self materiall bread here or no. Yf he shoulde aunswer that he did so then the saing of Chryst must nedes haue this sense that materiall bread which I will geue ys my slesh And so shall he bothe graunt a presence of Chrystes flesh in the Sacrament and also condescend to Luthers heresie who saieth that this ys a good and true proposition This bread ys my bodie and this wine ys my bloode Yf he saie yt that ys not taken there for materiall bread but in the generall significacion for foode as the scripture calleth Manna as when yt saieth Panem caeli dedit eis panem Angelorum manducauit homo He gaue them bread of heauen Man hath eaten the bread of Angells Of the which in the Psal 77. same significacion Chryst saieth Non Moyses dedit vobis panem de coelo Moyses did not geue yow bread from heauen Whie then maie not Sainct Paule Ioan. 6. S. Paule calleth the bodie of Chryste bread as Chryste called himself in the 6 of S. Iohn 1 Cor. 2. speaking of the Sacrament vse the same terme in the significacion that his master Chryst did when he spake of the same Sacrament and yet the same not to be taken for material bread but for foode as yt was in the sense of his master Sainct Paule was no soche disciple to varie and chaunge the significacion of a woorde wherby he shoulde varie from his master in sense For he well knewe the minde of his master as he saied Nos sensum Christi habemus We vnderstand the minde of Chryst Yf then Chryst vsed this woorde Panis not for materiall bread but for foode when he spake of the Sacrament that he wolde geue furth and leaue to vs will not trowe ye his chosen vessell who vnderstandeth the minde of his master when he speaketh of the same thing that his master spake of and vseth the same woorde that his master did will not he vse the woorde in the same significacion that his master did to kepe the minde of his master and not to varie from yt He shoulde haue varied from the minde of his master all the heauen wide as they saie yf he shoulde take this woorde panis for materiall bread For then this great mysterie of our incorporacion to Chryst and this gteat benefit of the incorruptibilitie and immortalitie of our flesh and bodie which cometh to vs by the partaking of Chrystes flesh shoulde be attributed to a peice of materiall bread Which thing what ys yt but plain idolatrie geuing the diuine honours of Chryst to a creature a dumbe peice of bread Wherfor to ioin with this learned Authour we must saie for that otherwise we can not trulie saie that Sainct Paule saieth here that Chryst imparteth to vs his owne bodie And so Sainct Paule speaketh here of no materiall bread but of that high and godlie foode the bodie of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Chryst Wher then nowe ys the force of the herculeouse argument of the Aduersarie who by this processe of Sainct Paule wolde proue that the Sacrament The argument of the Sacramētarie ouer throwen for S. Paule speaketh not of materiall bread ys but bread bycause Sainct Paule calleth yt bread after the consecracion For he speaketh saieth he of the bread broken to the vse of the communion whiche ys after consecracion Wherfor seing Sainct Paule calleth yt bread after the consecracion yt ys after the consecracion but bread Yf this woorde bread were not vsed in the scripture in an other significacion then for materiall bread and were not also of our Sauiour Chryst him self speaking of this Sacrament otherwise
yt ys the bodie of Chryst and so moche he saieth therbie not onely declaring his owne faithe but also the faith of the Church he liued in Nowe reader when thowe seest so auncient and with all so euident testimonie of and for the trueth laie hande to yt and be not caried awaie with the vain woordes of this Proclamer And thus ending this text we will go to an other THE THIRTETH CHAPITER BEGINNETH THE exposition of this text Ye can not drinke of the cuppe of oure Lorde and of the cuppe of Deuells By S. Cyprian and Chrysost FOrasmoche as in the sixtenth chapiter of this booke Wher I began the exposition of this disputacion of Sainct Paule with the Corynthians the dependence of these scriptures the one of the other and also the minde of Sainct Paule ys opened what he here intendeth I will not trooble the Reader with that argument again in this place but remitte him thither Onelie this I wish him to obserue that Sainct Paule diswading the Corynthians from Idolathites vseth three means to doe the same One ys the declaracion of the greuouse punishment of the Iewes whiche S. Paule vseth three meanes to diswade the Corynthiās frō Idolathites they susteined for Idolatric Whiche being laied before their faces they might be moued to flye the like offence for feare of like pain The seconde ys vpon the communion of the bodie and bloode of Chryst that wher by the communion of that that they did communicate they were vnited to yt which they did communicate And vnited they coulde not be bothe to Chryst and to deuells Therfor forsomoche as by the communion of Chrystes bodie and bloode they were vnited to him they must forbeare the communion with deuells by Idolathites by which they shoulde be separated and diuided from Chryst again The thirde ys as Sainct Thoms saieth by the similitude of the legall sacrifice whiche Sainct Paule bringeth in as an argument of like to prooue this communion or participacion when he saieth Nonne qui edunt hostias participes sunt altaris Are not they whiche eate of the sacrifice partakers of the aultar To ioin the partes of the similitude together and to make yt fullie to Thomas Aqui. in dec prima Cor. appeare thus Sainct Thomas doth sett yt furth Are not they whiche eate of the sacrifices partakers of the aultar as they whiche eate of the flesh of Chryst are partakes of the bodie of Chryst Forasmoche as eche of these be so and Chryst and Baall can not dwell together neither can we serue two masters Therfor as a perfect conclusion he inferreth and saieth Non potestis calicem Domini bibere calicem daemoniorum Ye can not drinke of the cuppe of our Lorde and of the cuppe of Deuells Where note this conclusion depending vpon the premisses must include in yt tearmes of the same significacion that were in the premisses Forasmoche then as the premisses spake of the partaking of sacrifices yt must nedes be that Sainct Paule speaking here of the partaking of the table of our Lordre and of the table of deuells speaketh of the sacrifice of our Lorde and the the sacrifice of deuells That he teacheth the bread and wine to be a sacrifice yt shall be opened to yow after the exposition of the doctours although this ys sufficiētlie testified Sacrifice auouched by S. Paule before from the sixtenth chapiter vnto this place yet that yt maie well be perceaued of the Reader that my saing ys agreable to the holie Fathers and that this text was spoken of Sainct Paule as of the sacrifice of the bodie and bloode of our Lordre on the aultar the holie Fathers shall be brought furth as before they haue ben vpon the other scriptures by whose testimonie this matter shall be made clere And for that Sainct Cyprian rebuketh the same offence that Sainct Paule doth and vseth the same woordes that Sainct Paule doth wherby the true mening and vnderstanding maie the better be perceaued we shall first let his saing be hearde This yt ys Contra euangelij vigorem contra Domini ac Cyp ser 5. de lapsis Dei legem temeritate laxatur incautis communicatio irrita falsa pax periculosa dantibus nihtl accipientibus prosutura Non quaerunt sanitatis paenitentiam nec veram de satisfactione medicinam Paenitentia de peccatoribus exclusa est Grauissimi extremiue delicti memoria sublata est Operiuntur morientium vulnera plaga laetalis altis profundis viseeribus infixa dissimulato dolore contegitur A diaboli aris reuertentes ad sanctum Domini sordidis infectis nidore manibus accedunt Mortiferos idolorum cibos adhuc penè ructantes exhalantibus nunc etiam fcelus suum faucihus contagia funesta redolentibus Domini corpus inuadunt cùm occurat scriptura diuina clamet dicat Omnis mundus manducabit carnem anima quaecunque manducauerit ex carne salutaris Leuit. 7. sacrificij quod est Domini immundicia eius super ipsum peribit anima illa de populo Apostolus item testetur dicat Non potestis calicem Domini bibere 1. Cor 10. calicem ' daemoniorum Non potestis mensae Domini communicare meusae daemomorū Against the force of the Gospell against the lawe of our Lorde and God through the rashnesse of some communicacion ys frelie genen to the necligent being a false peace and of no force yet perilouse to the geuer and which shall nothing profitte the receauer They seke not the penance of Penance of health and the medicē of satisfactiō S. Gp. tearmes healthe neither the true medicen of satisfaction penance ys excluded from sinners the memorie of the extreame and most greu ouse offence ys taken awaie The woundes of them that be dieng be couered and the deadlie plague stricken into the depe bowells ys with a dissimuled sorowe hidden Returning from the aultars of the Deuell with filthie and infected handes with the sauoure they come to the holie thing of our Lorde Theie yet almost breathing owte the deadlie meates of idolls their chekes puffing oute euen yet their mischeuouse dede and smelling of the deadlie infection they violently come vpon the bodie of our Lorde When yet the scripture of God cometh against them and crieth and saieth Euery clean person shall eate the slesh But yf anie eate of the flesh of the holsome sacrifice which belongeth to our Lorde hauing his vncleannesse vpon him the Leuit 7. same soule shall perish from among his people The Apostle also witnesseth and saieth Ye can not drinke the cuppe of our Lorde and the cuppe of Deuells Ye can not communicate of the table of our Lorde and of the table of Deuells Thus moche Sainct 1. Cor. 10. Cyprian Who being moche offended with the necligence of soche preistes as did admitte them to the receipt of the holie Sacrament which had defiled them selfes with Idolathites before they
he accuseth them that they so were and in facte they did so but to Gods pleasure and the wealth of their soules they coulde not do so For yt ys proprely saied that we maie doe that that we maie doe well And that we can not doe whiche we can not doe well To this sense also Chrysostome by his interrogatiue including soch a negatiue saied The blaspbemers of Gods name coulde not with the same mouth and toung that they blasphemed with receaue the bodie of our Lorde receaue the sacrifice of our Lorde Whiche his sainge yet rebuketh them bicause they did so Wherfore yt ys not a negatiue absolute A like sainge ys ther ascribed to Origen for yt ys vncerten whether yt Origenes be his worke or no oute of the which yt ys taken and yt ys this Multa porrò de ipso Verbo dici possunt quod factum est caro cibusue verus quem qut comederit viuet in aeternum quem nullus malus potest comedere Manie thinges also maie be saied of the Sonne of God himself that yt was made flesh and verie meat whiche whosoeuer shall eate shall liue foreuer whiche no euell man can eate Thus moche Origen As S. Paule and S. Cypriane saied that they that were parteners of Idolathites A place of Origen opened coulde not be partakers of our Lordes table And as Chrysostom saied that vain swearers by Gods holie name coulde not with the same mouthe and tounge receaue the holy sacrifice whiche ys the bodie of our Lorde whiche ys the table that S. Paule and S. Cyprian spake of in whiche their sainges they haue made mencion but of two vices that shoulde let them from the partaking of the holie and blessed meate of our Lordes table So Origen declareth that all vices that be mortall and whiche make a man an euell man do diuide him from the same table And saieth that soche a man can not eate of the meat of our Lorde not that soche a one doth not eate yt but that soche a one dothe not eate yt to his profitte but raither to his condemnacion bycause with the offence of God he doth abuse the bodie of Chryst with moche irreuerence ioining yt as yt were in the house of his bodie with Sathan betwixt whom and Chryst as betwixt God and Beliall ys none agreement A liuely argument wherof ys declared in the first booke of kinges where 1. Reg. 5. we read that the Azotyans hauing the Arke of God put yt into the temple of Dagon And forasmoche as they accompted yt as the Arke of the God of Israell of whose great might and power they had heard moche they set yt by their Idoll Dagon But in the morning when the Azotians came into the temple they fownde Dagod lieng grooueling vpon the grownde They set him vppe again and the next daie coming into the temple they fownde him lieng before the Arke of God like a trunke cast downe to the grownde his head and palmes of his handes cutte of By this ys signified vnto vs that although yt pleased God through his great sufferance so to be abused as to be ioined with Sathan Behall or Dagon yet to declare that he ys offended withall he throweth down Dagon and causeth him to be fownde lieng like a stocke or trunke and with all striketh the people with a great glague By this then as by that that ys before saied yt maie be perceaued howe this scripture of S. Paules epistle ys to be vnderstanded and the doctours also whiche haue ben hetherto alleaged for the exposition of the same or shall hereafter be alleaged THE ONE AND THIRTETH CHAP. ENDETH the exposition of this text by Theophilact and Anselmus I Shoulde not nede to alleadge so manie holie Fathers and doctours vpon euery scripture as I doe so to seke oute the true vnderstanding of them but that the impudencie of the Proclamer hath thervnto enforeed me He saieth the catholike Churche hath not one scripture nor doctour for them but yt ys and shall be made manifest that yt hath not one in dede alone but yt hath all the scriptures and holie doctours that treacte of the blessed Sacrament But bicause vpon this tenth chapiter of Sainct Paule a long exposition by diuerse and manie doctours ys allreadie made by whom being made plain howe these scripturs going before are to be vnderstanded yt ys the easier to perceaue the vnderstanding of this nowe in hande depending of them therfor I will cuttof some parte of my pourpose and nowe vpon this text bring in but one coople more of the which Theophilact shall be the first Who for that that S. Paule willed the Corinthians to consider the Iewes who vsed to offre sacrifices and be partakers of the aultar to the entent that they being chrystians might perceaue that of soche sacrifice as they offred they were partakers by expresse woordes openeth and declareth what S. Paule ment that the Corinthians were partakers of Thus he saieth De Iudaeis namque nil intulit Theoph. in Dec. 1. Cor. quod de eo participarent sed Altaris sunt participes dixit in quo quod immolandum suisset impositum igni consumebarur De Christi autem corpore haud quaquam res ita se habet sed Christi corporis fuit participatio Non enim altaris sumus sed Dominici corporis ipsi participes Of the Iewes he saied nothing that they shoulde partake of yt meninge the sacrifice but he saied that they are partakers of the aultar We are partakers euen of the bodie of our Lord offred on the aultar vpon the which aultar that that was to be offred in sacrifice when yt was put vpon yt yt was consumed with fire But of the bodie of Chryst the matter ys not so but ther was a participacion of the bodie of Chryst For we are not partakers of the aultar But we are partakers euen of the bodie of our Lorde Thus moche Theophilact In whome this cometh woorthilie to be noted that S. Paule speaking of VVhie S. Paule saied not that the Iewes were partakers of their sacrifices as the chrystians of theirs the sacrifices of the Iewes doth not name anie thing by speciall name wherof they shoulde be partakers but onely vseth the generall tearme of the aultar saing that they be partakers of the aultar And whie bicause in some of these Sacrifices yt was ordeined that they shoulde be burnt and consumed And therfor he saied not that they shoulde be partakers of the thing offred but of the aultar But when he spake of the bodie of Chryst saieth Theophilact he did not handle the matter so but by expresse and speciall woordes saied allwais that ther was a partaking of the bodie of Chryste Nowe yf the bodie of Chryst by his ascension were absumed frō vs as the sacrifice of the Iewes was consumed from them by fire so that we did no more by no nearer partaking by presence receaue Chryst then they did their
ys a memoriall of Chryst that ys absent and not present For saie they what neadeth a thinge present anie memoriall yt will cause yt self to be remembred The Sacrament then being a memoriall of Chryst argueth Chryst not to be present in the Sacrament but to be absent The other argument ys that S. Paule calleth the Sacrament not the bodie of Chryst but calleth yt bread For he saieth that as often as ye shall eate of this bread and saieth not as often as ye shall eate the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament wherfor saie they the Sacrament ys but breade and not the bodie of Chryst As touching the first yt ys not true that Chryst did institute this Sacrament Solucions of the same argu as a memoriall of him self or of his bodie but of his passion and death suffred in his bodies which thing S. Paule here by expresse woordes doeth teache saing As often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cuppe ye shall declare or setfurth the death of our Lorde So that the eating and drinking of this Sacrament ys not for a remembrāce or a memoriall of the bodie of Chryste in yt self as the Aduersare falselie pretendeth but ys as ys saied a memorial of the passion and death suffred as ys saied in that bodie which passion and Receipt of the B. Sac. ys not a memoriall of Chrysts bodie but of his passion and death death be once doen actuallie ād neuer shall so be again in that gloriouse bodie but onely in mysterie Wherfor the passion and death whose memoriall ys celebrated in that solemne instituciō of Chrystes Sacrament ys and euer shall be absent and neuer present And so ys the Sacrament the memoriall of a thing absent and not present which thing ys the passion and death of Chryste As touching their second argument true yt ys that S. Paule calleth the Sacrament bread but will the Aduersarie therupon induce that S. Paule meneth materiall bread euen bakers bread Though he wolde so induce yet he neither doth nor can so prooue yt nor neuer shall Bread he calleth yt but Joan 6. S. Paulecalleth the Bl. Sacr. bread but he addeth withal the article this to signifie a speciall bread what bread euen soch as Chryst the institutour of the Sacrament called yt whē he saied Panis quē ego dabo caro mea est quam dabo pro mundi vita The bread that I will geue ys my flesh which I will geue for the life of the world Wherfor S. Paule did not barelie call yt bread but with an article saing This bread As who might saie As often as ye shall eate of this bread which ys no common bread but the bread of the flesh of Chryst which as he gaue yt for the life of the worlde So he did according to his promisse geue yt vs to eate in the Sacrament that we shoulde alwaies haue that his passion and death in minde Therfore so often as ye eate of this bread be ye mindefull of Chrystes passion and remembre his death suffred for yowr redemption Wherfor the wholl Chrystian church aswell the greke church as the latin immediatelie Woords of the Canōin the Masse after the consecracion as before ys declared doe saie this in effect Were therfor o Lorde being mindefull of the passion of thy Sonne our Lord Iesus Chryst doe offre vnto thee c. The wholl catholique Church by open profession of their duetie in the holie mynistracion declareth their obedience and the fulfilling of Chrystes commaundement in that they offring and receauing the blessed sacrifice of Chrystes bodie and bloode be mindefull of the passion and death suffred in that same bodie at the effusion of that preciouse blood Thus ye see howe they abuse this scripture For both S. Paules owne woordes and also the practise of the wholl Church doth declare that the holie Sacrament was instituted as a memoriall of Chrystes death and that yt ys not cōmon bread by S. Paules owne woords but yt ys as ys saied a speciall and singular bread noted with an article But that this trueth maie be proued and therby their falshead the more confuted I will also as I haue vpon other textes produce the expositions ād vnderstanding of holie Fathers and doctours that yt maie be fullie perceaued Hieron in 11. 1. Cor. how this scripture ys to be vnderstanded not by phantasie but by their sownde doctrines And first we will heare sainct Hierom vpon the same text who saieth thus Ideo hoc saluator tradididit Sacramentum vt per hoc semper commemoremus quia pro nobis est mortuus Nam ideo cùm accipimus à sacerdotibus commonemur quia corpus sanguis est Christi vt beneficiis eius non existimemur ingrati Therfor our sauiour deliuered this Sacrament that by this we shoulde allwaies remembre that he died for vs. For therfore also when we receaue yt What S. Paule calleth bread S. Hieron calleth yt the bodie of Chryste we are warned of the preistes that yt ys the bodie and blood of Chryst that we be not thought to be vnthankfull for his benefittes If this saing of S. Hierom be well noted those two thinges which I before taught shall be fownde to be taught of him also I taught according to sainct Paule that the Sacrament was instituted for the memoriall of Chrystes passion and death sainct Hierom saieth that Chryst therfore gaue furth the Sacrament that we should allwaies remembre that he died forvs so that yt ys the death of Chryst that ys to be remembred I saied that though sainct Paule in this text vseth this woord bread yet he meneth not materiall bread but the heauenly bread the bodie of Chryst so ys he vnderstanded of sainct Hierom. For he saieth that when we receaue the Sacrament we are admonished that yt ys the bodie and blood of Chryst So what sainct Paule in the text calleth bread that S. Hierom in the exposition calleth the bodie and bloode of Chryste Nowe who doubteth but the expositions of holie doctours be to explain that that semeth in the text not to be plain and so plainlie and clerely to open the trueth and the true meaning of the text Forsomoch then as sainct Hierom doeth so here we must nedes saie that by this woorde bread in this text of S. Paule ys vnderstand the blessed bread of Chrystes bodie To S. Hierom we shall ioin Thcophilact to declare howe this scripture was vnderstanded in the greke Church Thus he writeth Hoc facite quottes biberitis in meam commemorationem Per poculum isthuc inquit memoriam facis Dominicae passionis Theoph. in 11. 1. Cor. Quid tu ig tur solus bibis mebriaris tremendo isto calice omnibus ex aequo tradito This doe as often as ye shall drinke in the remembrance of me By this cuppe saieth he thowe makest a memoriall of our Lordes death why thē doest thow alone drinke ād arte dronkē seeing
ys not taken for that loue that a man flattereth him self to haue when he thinketh he loueth his neighbour but for that charitie that S. Paule spake of when he saied Qui diligit legem impleuit He that loueth hath fullfilled the Lawe This loue causeth a man to ioin in vnitie with God and man Yt causeth obedience to an ordinarie power Yt causeth a man also to flee all corrupt licenciouse and voluptuouse life Wher this charitie ys not be his faith neuer so sownde he ys no woorthie receauer Wherfor Scismatiques and contemners of ordinarie power and voluptuouse or corrupt liuers be no woorthie Two things to be considered in S. Paules woordes receauers Thus moche being saied of woorthie and vnwoorthie receauers ther remaineth two other thinges in S. Paules woordes to be spoken of the one ys what ys receaued the other the peine inflicted for vnwoorthie receauing The thing to be receaued ys signified when he saieth This bread and the cuppe of our Lorde The peine that he shall be giltie of the bodie and blood of our Lorde For the first what the bread and the cuppe of our Lorde ys yt was opened in the exposition of the last scripture that S. Paule ment therby the bodie and bloode of our Lorde Whiche exposition shall here again be verisied and iustified by a nombre of holie Fathers to the entent the trueth receaued in Chrystes Parliament house maie be well knowen and the vntrueth of the aduersarie as well perceaued and seen The second whiche ys the pein inflicted to the vnwoorthie receauer forasmoche as yt shall be plainlie opened and declared by soche auncient writers as I shall alleage I will to auoide prolixitie omitte to speake of yt my self and referre the Reader to the expositions of the Fathers For the whiche consideracion also forasmoche as S. Paule repeteth this text again I haue thought good for the ease of the reader to ioin them together in exposition onelie letting him vnderstand the difference betwixt them that in this text the pein as ys saied of the vnwoorthie receauer ys declared in the other both the pein and the cause also ys opened Of both whiche full declaracion shall be made by the Fathers But before I entre into the exposition of these Fathers I wish the Reader The Sacramentaries abuse S. Paules woordes in two poinctes to vnderstand that the Aduersarie hath also abused this scripture in two poinctes The one that by cause S. Paule calleth the Sacrament bread Therfor yt ys after yt ys consecrated materiall bread the other whiche ys more stowtelie then trulie mainteined they saie that euell men doe not receaue the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament These their wicked assertions by Gods grace shall be plainlie ouerthrowen For yt shall be ineuitablie proued that by the bread and cuppe that S. Paule speaketh of ys vnderstanded and meāt the bodie and bloode of Chryst whiche being by S. Paule receaued of euellmen yt must necessarilie folowe that euell men receaue the bodie of Chryst in the Sacra And here maie we see the miserable strictes that men teaching an vntreuth be brought vnto who for the maintenāce of that vntrueth are enforced to fall into manie moo For the damnable heresie inuented against the presence of Chryst in the Sacrrment they are compelled to denie the plain woordes of S. Paule as ye shall in the processe perceaue But let vs heare the holie Fathers agreeablie shewing their learninges and faith in vnderstanding S. Paule of the whiche the first coople shall be saincte Cyprian and Origen S. Cyprian writing to certain Martirs and confessours and lamenting the rash admission of certain that had offended to the recipit of the holie Sacrament writeth thus of them so had admitted the offendours Illi contra euan gelii Cypr. li. 3. epist 15. legem vestram quoque honorificam peticionem ante actam paenitentiam ante exomologesin grauissimi atque extremi delicti factam ante manum ab Episcopo clero in paenitentiam impositam offerre pro illis Eucbaristiam dare id est sanctum Domini corpus prophanare audent cùm scriptum sit Qui ederit panem aut biberit calicem Domini indignè reus erit corporis sanguinis Domini They against the lawe of the Gospell and yowr commendable peticion before they had doen penannce before they had made confession of their most greuouse and extreame offence before anie hand was putt vpon them of the Bishoppe and the cleargie vnto penance they were so bolde both to offre for them and also to geue vnto them the Sacrament which ys as moch as to prophane the holie bodie of our Lorde Forasmoch as yt ys written He that eateth the bread and drinketh the cuppe of our Lorde vnwoorthilie shall be giltie of the bodie and blood of our Lorde Of this holie Father and martir S. Cyprian if yowe will learn what ys to minister the Sacrament to anie vnwoorthie person yt ys saieth he to prophane to holie bodie and blood of our Lorde That yt ys prophaned in so doing he prooueth by this scripture of S. Paule He that eateth and drinketh vnwoorthilie shall be giltie of the bodie and bloode of our Lorde A thing ys prophaned when yt being holie ys occupied aboute vnholie or cōmon vses As a church dedicated to God to be made a stable The ornamentes The practise of prophanaciō ys lament ablie to be seē in Englond of the same to be applied to the vanitie of mans pride as to make beddes hanginges or cooshinges The plate of yt as king Balthasar did with the plate of the temple to make them vessells for the bankettes of men So the bodie of our Lorde saieth S. Cyprian ys prophaned forasmoch as yt being holie ys cast into an vnholie thing whiche ys the vnwoorthie receauer Now if by the bread spokē of in S. Paules sentēce were not vnderstāded the bodie of our Lorde to what pourpose should S. Cypriā alleadge that text as therby to prooue the bodie of Chryst prophaned That thing ys prophaned that ys deliuered and so abused Yf thē not the bodie of our Lorde be deliuered in the Sacramēt but mere materiall bread than ys the bread prophaned and not the bodie But Cypriā saieth the bodie ys prophaned wherfore the bodie ys deliuered And here I wish the ministers of Chrystes Churche to take hede and to be verie circūspect that they looke well to whō they ministre this holie Sacramēt leest they be dot onelie giltie of the prophanaciō of the holie bodie of our Lorde but also be in verie dede not feeders but deceauers not deliuerers frō sinnes but heapers and increacers ther of as S. Cypriā saieth in the same li 3. epla 15. epistle Ea enim cōcedere quae in pernitiē vertāt decipere est Nec erigitur sic lapsus sed per Dei offensam magis impellitur ad ruinam To geue or graunt those thinges that turne to a mans destructiō ys to deceaue
receaued in the bl Sace but spirituallie howe ean the sinner presume vpon the bodie which he nor will nor cā receaue moche greater Chryst ys then the temple so moche more greuouse and horrible pain remaineth for them that being defiled in the soule dare touche the bodie of Chryst than doeth them that touche but Rammes and bulls In whiche woordes the sacrifices of both lawes are expressed The sacrifice of the olde lawe were Rammes and bulls The sacrifice of the newe lawe ys the bodie of Chryst The euell or vnworthie partakers of the sacrifices of the lawe were soche as were vnclean with vncleānesse described in the lawe The vnwoorthie partakers of the Sacrifice of the Gospell are soche as with deadly Sinne or the pourpofe of yt being defiled in Soule doe presume to receaue Chrystes bodie in the holie Sacrament The pain of an vnwoorthie partaker of the Sacrifices of the lawe was death corporall The pain of an vnwoorthie receauer of the sacrifice of the newe lawe which ys the bodie of Chryst ys death eternall This he prooueth by the scriptures of S Paule whiche we nowe haue in hand For saieth he S. Paule saieth Whosoeuer shall eate the bread and drinke the cuppe of our Lorde vnwoorthilie shall be giltie of the bodie and bloode of our lorde Nowe gentle Reader weigh with me I paraie thee that wher S. Basil saied that so greuouse and horrible condemnacion shall fall vpon them that with vncleannesse of soule presume to touche the bodie of Chryst howe doth he prooue the same by this sainge of S. Paule yf by the bread and cuppe therin spoken of be not vnderstand the bodie and bloode of Chryst Yt ys therfor most certē that holie Basil so aleading S. Paule vnderstood him by the bread and cuppe to haue most assuredlie mēt that blessed bread of Christes bodie and the cuppe of his holie bloode in the Sacrament Basill was not so base in learning nor so simple in iudgement that he speaking of the vnworthie receauers of Chrystes bodie wolde for the confirmacion of his sainge alleadge a text that speaketh but of a peice of bread and nothing to his pourpose No he was of an other maner of learning and grauitie of iudgement As this text by his iudgement ys vnderstanded of the bodie and bloode S. Basill vnderstandeth Sainct Paule to speake of the bread of Chrysts bodie of Christ So ys the other also which saieth he S. Paule speaketh by repeticiō Vpon the which text he maketh like exposition as he did of the other before but in more compendiouse maner saing thus Si verò qui in sola immundicia est adeo horrendum habet iudicium quanto magis qui in peccato est contra corpus Christi audet horrendum attrahet indicium Yf he that ys in the vncleanesse of the lawe onelie hath so horible iudgement howe moche more he that ys in sinne and dare presume vpon the bodie of Chryst shall drawe vnto him horrible iudgement In the wiche who seeth not that he as one expownding and declaring S. Paules wordes geueth vs to vnderstand that S. Paule by the bread meneth the bodie of Chryste For wher S. Paule saieth He that eateth this bread vnwoorthilie eateth his owne damnacion S. Basill saieth He that presumeth vpon the bodie of Chryst shall haue horible Damnacion A moche like questiō the same S. Basil moueth in the same booke which also openeth the trueth of our matter This ys the questiō Whether yt be withoute daunger that he that ys not pure in heart from an euell conscience and vncleannesse of life maie doe the office of a preist In the aunswere of which questiō he saieth thus Dominus dicens plus templo hic est erudit nos quòd tanto magis impius est qui audet tractare corpus Domini qui dedit semetipsum pro nobis oblationem hostiam in odorem suauitatis quantum corpus vnigeniti filij Dei excedit arietes tauros non in comparationis ratione Incomparabilis est enim excellentia Owre lorde saing This man ys greater then the temple mening him self teacheth Let schismaticall ād irreuerent preists note well this saing of S. Basill vs that he ys so moche the more wicked that ys so bolde to handle the bodie of our Lorde who gaue him self an oblacion and sacrifice of swete Sauour as moche as the bodie of the onelie begotten Sōne of God doeth excead Rammes and Bulls not by the mean of comparison For the excellencie ys incomparable Thus ther. Of Sainct Basill in this place we learn that the office of preists ys not as the Aduersarie saieth to handle a peice of Sacramentall bread but to handle the bodie of our lorde euen the same bodie that the same lorde gaue an oblacion and sacrifice to God the Father in the Sauoure of swetenesse And as that bodie incomparablie exceadeth Rammes and Bulls whiche were figures of that blessed bodie So doeth yt in cōparablie excead a peice of bread being also but a figure of that bodie And here Reader if thowe be desierouse to knowe the trueth note and marke well howe great condemnacion commeth to them that vnwoortilie handle the Sacrament aboue them that vnwoorthilie handle the sacrifices of the olde lawe ād Testament They are Saieth Sainct Basill as moche more wicked as the bodie of the onelie begotten Sonne exceadeth Rammes and bulls Yf the vnwoorthie receauer of the Sacrament be so moche more wicked aboue the vnwoorthie receauers of the Sacrifices of the olde lawe as the bodie of the onelie begotten Sonne of God exceadeth Rammes and bulls yt prooueth well that the receauer of the Sacrament receaueth the bodie of the onelie begotten Sonne of God or elles why shoulde he be so incomparablie wicked yf he did not wickedlie receaue that bodie Soche incomparable wickednesse so greuouse and exceading condemnacion can not be but vpō the abuse of an incōparable thing which ys the bodie of Chryst and not Sacramentall bread The receipt of Sacramentall bread ys but a receipt of a figure The receipt of a figure though yt be euell ys not incomparablie wicked Wherfor the receipt of the Sacramentall bread though yt be euell receaued ys not incomparablie wicked but the receipt of the Sacrament yf yt be euell ys incomparablie wicked Wherfore the receipt of the Sacrament ys not the receipt of Sacramentall bread And here plainlie to saie yf the Sacrament were but a figure of the bodie of Chryst and did not contein the same whie shoulde the receauer of yt be Yf the bless Sacr. be but a figure as the Sacramēts os the old lawe were whie do the euell receauers offend so incomparablie more wicked and suffer more greuouse and horrible damnacion then they that receaued the figures of Chryst in the olde lawe And here Reader vnderstanded that by the doctrine of the Aduersarie the Sacramentes of the newe lawe are no better then the Sacramentes of the olde lawe Which yf yt be
of Chryste bodie and drinke his bloode both he ys in vs and we in him Take heede to thy self therfor Brother hast thee to adorne the bride chambre of thy heart continuallie with vertues that with his blessed Father he maie make his mansion with thee And then ther shall be to thee before Angells and Archangells praise and glorie and with great ioie and gladnesse shalt thowe entre into Paradise Thus farre holie Esfrem Ye haue hearde a long testimonie but as godlie as long and as true as godlie Cuppe of blood near to vs. Ye haue heard that the cuppe of the blood of Chryst ys neare at hand with vs. Yf yt were not in the Sacrament as the Sacramentarie saleth yt ys not then were Syloë being vpon the earth nearer vnto vs then the bloode of Chryst which by their saing ys neuer vpon the earth but allwaies in heauen This cuppe of bloode maie not be vnderstanded by a figure as to saie we haue at hand a cuppe of wine whiche ys the figure of Chrystes bloode For the woordes of singular praise whiche this Authour addeth vnto the cuppe of the bloode which he speaketh of can not be applied nor verified in the figuratiue cuppe The cuppe that this Authour speaketh of ys as he tearmeth yt a preciouse cuppe A cuppe of wine in this respect ys not preciouse This cuppe ys full of life and light the figuratiue cuppe by the Aduersaries owne saing hauing no holinesse hath neither life nor light This cuppe the Authour by plain tearmes calleth the cuppe of Chrystes bloode The other ys not so but a figure of Chrystes bloode By all these titles then of singular praise yt ys euident that this Authour iudged the preciouse cuppe of Chrystes verie bloode to be neare at hand with vs and so teacheth the verie presence of Chryst in the blessed Sacrament who in dede ys full of life and light he trulie sainge of him self Iam the life Iam the light of the worlde This Authour also openeth the minde of S. Paule saing that whoso commeth Bread in S. Paule ys not materiall bread to the misteries of Chryst vnwoorthilie doeth condempne his owne soule He geueth the cause why For saieth the Authour he doeth not receaue that heauenly king and immortall bridegrome into the bride chambre of his heart being purified and clensed but fowlie araied defiled The thing then receaued in the misteries of Chryst called of S. Paule the bread of our Lorde ys not materiall bread but yt ys Chryst the heauenlie bread the verie heauenlie kinge and immortall bridegroome of our soules as this Authour declareth For immediatelie declaring that Chryst ys ioined to our Soules as the bridegroome to the bride he saieth that yt ys doen by the Sacramentes For saieth he when we eate his bodie and drinke his bloode then he dwelleth in vs and we in him In dede in the receipt of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament ys wrought the perfect coniunctiō betwixt Chryst and vs yf he be therin receaued as he aught to be receaued For then we are not onelie conioined to him spirituallie by faith and charitie but also as Chrisostom and S Cyrill saie naturallie For both we be in him by that he tooke our nature into him in his incarnation And he ys in vs by that we take his naturall bodie in the holie ministracion Wherfor reason wolde duetie wolde and loue also wolde that as he ioined our nature to that gloriouse personne the Sonne of God in deitie that we also shoulde trauaill and labour to ioin again that his blessed bodie to our nature adorned with vertue ād lifes puritie Of this coniunction moche ys saied in the beginning of this booke and more shall be saied God willing in the ende Wherfor nowe ouerpassing yt I hast to heare what Primasius will saie to helpe vs to vnderstand S. Paules sainge nowe in hande Thus he writeth Qui Primasius n◠Apocal. edit meā carnem bibit meum sanguinem in me manet ego in eo pro eo acsi diceret qui sic edent vt edent est sic bibent vt bibendus est sanguis meus Multi enim cùm hoc videantnr accipere in Deo non manent nec Deus in ipsis quia sibi iudicium manducare perhibētur He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him As yf he shoul saie they that so shall eate my flesh as yt ys to be eatē and shall so drinke my bloode as yt ys to be dronken For manie wen they are seen to receaue this Sacrament neither dwell they in God nor God in them bicause they are wittnessed to eat and drinke their owne damnation Primasius in this place alleadged expowndeth two scriptures the one oute of the vj. of S. Iohn the other whiche we nowe haue in hand oute of S. The vj. of S. John ād S. Paule speak of one thing Paule Oute of the vj. of S. Iohn wher Chryste saieth He that cateth my flesh and drinketh my bloode dwelleth in me and I in him Ys not so to be vnderstanded that what soeuer he be and in what state or condicion soeuer he be in sinne or oute of sinne delighting in sinne or detesting Sinne penitent or impenitēt viciouse or vertuouse yf he eate the flesh of Chryst and drinke his blood that he dwelleth in Chryst and Chryste in him But yt ys to be vnderstāded that he that eateth the flesh of Chryst and drinketh his blood as yt ys to be eaten and dronken that ys with sownde faith with perfect charitie with puritie of minde and cleannesse of conscience that then he dwelleth in Chryst and Chryst in him To prooue this he hath recourse to S. Paules sainge that manie doe eate the flesh of Chryst and drinke his bloode that doe eate and drinke ther owne damnacion by whiche his allegacion he also expowndeth howe that Scripture ys to be vnderstanded Whiche of him that will well weigh the allegacion shall be easelie perceaued First yt ys to be considered that the vj. S. of Iohn oute of the whiche he alleageth this scripture as yt ys allreadie invinciblie prooued speaketh of the verie flesh and verie bloode of Chryste Secondlie yt ys to be noted that he expowndeth this text and saieth that yt ys not to be vnderstanded indifferentlie of all men to dwell in Chryste and Chryst in them that do eate his flesh and drinke his bloode but of them that eate and drinke them as they aught to be eaten and dronken and alleadgeth for his proof our text of S. Paule Whiche so being alleadged prooueth that he vnderstandeth S. Paule ther to haue spoken of the same thing that the vi of S. Iohn spake of But the vj. of S. Iohn spake of the flesh and bloode of Chryst in the Sacrament Wherfor by this Authour so doeth S. Paule here And so yt foloweth by S. Paule and this Authour that euell men maie eate the fleshe of Chryst
be accompted amonge euell receauers that otherwise thinke of the bodie of Chryst then ys to be thought of yt What ys to be thought of them that wher Chryst promised that the bread which he wolde geue shoulde be his fleshe whiche he wolde geue for the life of the worlde and by expresse woordes for the perfourmāce of the same promesse takinge bread saied plainlie This ys my bodie And S Paule as the wholl companie of the Fathers hitherto haue testified and mo yet shall testifie saieth that in the Sacrament ys the bodie of Chryst what I saie ys to be thought of them that will not thinke Chrystes bodie to be his bodie but withe the Ebionites and Cerinthians will make Chryst no God with the Manicheis will make him but a phantasticall figure and with the Nestorians will as they made a distinction betwixt the two naturs leauing the nature of man deuided and distincted from the Godheade so make the holie Sacrament distincted from Chryst wher in verie dede as God and man ys one Chryst So the blessed Sacrament as touchinge the Substance and Chryst ys all one the Substance of the Sacrament being none other but the verie substance of Chryst These euell receauers and abusers of Chrystes holie Sacrament as they abuse the thinge yt self So by slaunderouse tearmes doe they abuse them that well vse the same For the true Christians that honour God call they Idolaters Soche as acknowledge Chrystes verie bodie in the Sacrament call they grosse Capharnaites And soche as beleue the substance of bread by the omnipotencie of God to be chaunged and made the substance of Chryste they call Papistes But God geue them a better minde and the catholiques plentie of pacience patiently to suffre their railinges so long as God for our correction will permitte the same to continue And nowe to return to our matter this finallie ys to be noted in our Cassiod howe he vttereth Sainct Paules woordes Authour that alleging our text of Sainct Paule he vseth not the woordes of Sainct Paule but the meaning and vnderstandinge Thus he alleageth Sainct Paule Qui enim corpus Domini indignè manducat iudicium sibi manducat For he that eateth the bodie of our Lorde vnwoorthilie eateth his owne iudgement Note well that he saieth not he that eateth the bread but he that eateth the bodie of our Lorde expownding what bread Sainct Paule spake of in that scripture the bread I saie of Chrystes bodie as oftentimes yt ys allreadie saied What can be saied more plainer wolde the Proclamer haue anie plainer speache then this Let him note the woordes and the circunstance also and weigh yt well and he shall finde yt so plain that all his engines and wrestinges and all his subtilties◠with the aide of all his complices shall not be able to withstand the plain trueth of yt But Let vs heare Damascen speaking as plainlie as he and by like woordes openinge to vs the true mening of Sainct Paule This Damascen setting Damascen li. 4. ca. 14. furth the vertue goodnesse and power of the Sacrament saieth thus Si aurum offendat adulteratum per iudicialem correptoriamue ignitionem purgat vt non in futuro cum mundo damnemur Curat enim morbos omnimoda damna quemadmodum dicit Apostolus Si nos vtique iudicaremus non vtique iudicaremur Cùm iudicamur autem à Deo corripimur vt non cum mundo condemnemur Et hoc est quod dicit Quare qui participat corpus sanguinem Christi indignè iudicium sibi tosi manducat bibit Per illud purgati vnimur corpori Domini spiritui eius efficimur corpus Christi Nam spiritus viuificans est caro Domini quia ex viuificante spiritu concepta est Quod enim natum est ex spiritu spiritus est Hoc autem dico non auferens corporis naturam sed viuificationem diuinitatem eius ostendens Yf yt finde golde that ys corrupted by iudiciall and correptorie fieringe yt pourgeth yt that we be not in time to come condemned with the worlde For yt cureth diseases and all maner of hurtes as the Apostle saieth Yf we wolde iudge our selues we shoulde not be iudged but when we are iudged of God we are chasticed that we shoulde not be damned with the worlde And this ys yt that the Apostle saieth Wherfor he that receaueth the Damascen vttereth the woordes of S. Paule as other elders before bodie and blood of Christe vnwoorthilie he eateth drinketh his owne damnacion We being purged by that are vnited to the bodie of our Lorde and to his Spiritt and are made the bodie of Chryste For the flesh of our Lorde ys a quickning Spiritt bicause yt was conceaued by the quickninge Spirite For that that ys borne of the Spiritte ys a Spiritte This doe I saie not taking awaie the nature of the bodie but declaring his Godhead and power to geue life Thus he Leauing diuerse good and godlie notes in this sainge of Damascen to be considered by the Reader I hast me to note those thinges that be to the pourpose of this present cause Of the whiche the first and cheifest ys that he alleaging the sainge of Sainct Paule shewinge vs the exposition of the scripture and geuing vs the vnderstanding of the same and the right meninge of Sainct Paule speaketh yt by these woordes He that receaueth the bodie and blood of Chryst vnwoorthilie eateth and drinketh his owne damnacion In whiche maner of speache as an expositour aught to doe by vnwrestable woordes he declareth what Sathan wolde wrest and soo by plain woordes calleth that that Sainct Paule calleth the bread and cuppe of our Lorde the bodie and blood of Chryst he right well knowing that they be so in verie dede I trust the Proclamer will not here vpon this Authour cast the stinking mist of his figure considering that yt ys an exposition And the nature of an exposition ys to be plainer then the thing expownded And although both the text and the exposition speake the trueth yet he knoweth that what the text oftentimes speaketh obscurely or doubtfullie that must the exposition speake plainlie clerely and manifestlie Whefor he must nedes confesse that this Authour shewing the minde of S. Paule and expownding the bread and the cuppe to be the bodie and bloode of Chryst that yt ys plainlie so And wher diuerse of the adherēts of this Proclamer beare great Stomacke against this Authour for his plain trueth in manie matters Lett both him and them knowe that as in all pointes of this matter the wholl catholique Churche hath alowed him So ys he agreable to all that hitherto haue ben alleaged in the exposition of S. Paule which all be right auncient or hereafter shall be alleaged though they be not so auncient A Breif note also can I not but make of Damascen wher he saieth that we being pourged are by the receipt of the bodie of Chryste vnited to the same
maners of the Corinthians and not by their euell faith was moued to entre the treactise of the Sacrament S Paule corrected the maners of the Corinth and not their faith wherfor therin he correcteth their maners and not their faith S. Paule then trauailing to remoue dissension and to plant concorde to remoue glottonie and to plant temperance to remoue pride whiche the riche had in the shewe of their great suppers and to plant humilitie to remoue lacke of mercie whiche was in the riche they being dronke while their poor were right hongrie and to plant pitie to remoue disdain and contempt and to plant seemly regarde saing also that these vices being in place the supper of our Lorde coulde not well and as yt ought be eaten did he not prepare the Corinthians and in them all chrystians to the woorthie receipt of the Sacrament did he not herein folowe the example of his master Chryste goinge aboute to wassh awaie the filthinesse of their feet that ys of their earthlie and carnall affections But what stand I so long in so open a matter Finallie wher Luther saieth that if we haue faith that we shall receaue grace ther that grace alone maketh vs pure and woorthie receauers First I maie aske him by what rule he speaketh this wher ys his scripture for yt Might the Corinthians trowe ye being in the case that they were in and hauing as they had faith might they I saie receaue grace Yf they might then S. Paule was not true that saied they shoulde receaue condemnacion But to looke somwhat nearer to this saing of Luther yt wolde haue ben desined and determined seing ther be so manie faiths nowe a daies by whiche faith a man shoulde receaue this grace Yf he saie by the faith that he him self hath framed the Carolstadins Zwinglians and Oecolampadius will denie that Yf OecolaÌ„padius will saie by his faith that he hath deuised the Swenck feldians who denie all Sacramentes denie that Yf Caluine will chalenge yt to his faith that he hath inueuted the Anabaptistes will not abide that Thus leauing vs in vncertenties as manie others of his likes doe in other matters he concludeth nothing In the ende forasmoche as the Apostle speaketh of the vnwoorthie receauer signifieng therby that ther ys a woorthie receauer yt apperteineh to owre Woorthie or vnworthie reteauers of the bless Sacr. who be pourpose to discusse yf anie man maie be a woorthie receauer yt ys plain that a sinner ys no woorthie receauer And S. Iohn saieth Yf we saie that we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues and ther ys no trueth in vs yea so manie be our sinnes that the Prophet Dauid saieth Yf thowe Lorde will be extreame to marke what ys doen a misse oh Lorde who maie abide yt as who might saie no man can abide yt And therfor concluding all liuing men vnder sinne saieth In thie seight o Lorde shall no man liuinge be iustified yf no man liuinge can 1. Joan. 1. be iustified then no man liuing vs woorthie to receaue this blessed misterie Psal 130. What nowe then shall we faie to S. Paule that appointeth woorthie receauers Yt ys the minde of S. Paule to pronownce who ys an vnwoorthie receauer but he describeth not the woorthie receauer For in dede speaking of woorthinesse in the propre significacion of yt no man that liueth be he neuer so iust no though he were an Angell yea if he were an Archanngell yf he were of the highest of the Angells as of Cherubines and Seraphines can be accompted woorthie in that maner to receaue this high and heauenlie misterie Woorthinesse proprelie what yt ys For proprelie that man ys woorthie of an other thing when he him self or his desertes be equiualent and doe fullie aunswere the goodnesse of the thinge wherto yt ys referred as in our coÌ„moÌ„ speache we saie that foure pence be woorth a grote And the woorkman ys woorthie his wages in this kinde of woorthinesse no man ys or can be woorthie An other kinde of woourthinesse ys by reputacion or acceptacion when one ys accepted as woorthie wheÌ„ in very dede he ys not As a queeÌ„ to maririe a lowe subiect A noble womaÌ„ to marrie her seruaÌ„t betweÌ„ whoÌ„ wheÌ„ coÌ„parison ys made ther ys neither birth nor honour nor liuing nor dominioÌ„nor richesse in the maÌ„ that can cownteruaill the womaÌ„ yet for somoch as yt liketh her so to accept him by her acceptacioÌ„ he ys made nowe woorthie of her who of himself before was not EueÌ„ so our mercifull Lorde God in power wisdome aÌ„d goodnesse infinite betwixt whoÌ„ and vs sinfull creaturs ther ys no coÌ„parison makinge through his great mercie of sinners iust meÌ„ and of vnwoorthie woorthie when he seith vs in our weake maner endeuour ourselues to accomplish his holie will when he beholdeth howe we prepare and adonrne the tabernacle of owre hearte being holden with moche desire ther in to receaue him yt liketh him though we maie still crie Lorde I am not woorthie that thowe shouldest come vnder my roofe yet he accepteth vs vpon soche preparacion as woorthie to his mercifull contentacion and to our health and saluacion Thus the text in part opened and the detestable heresie of Luther somwhat touched I shall for the farder exposition of the one and the stronger confutacion of the other after my accustomed maner repair to the holie Fathers and vnderstand also therin their mindes THE FOVRE AND FOVRTETH CHAP. BEGINneth the exposition of the Fathers vpon the same text with sainct Hierom and Chrysostome IN the allegacion of the Fathers that nowe shall be produced to geue vs the vnderstanding of this text bicause manie be alleaged vpon the last scripture and this dependeth vpon that and so the one fullie expownded the other ys the easier to be perceaued I shall be the shorter both in the nombre and also in the abiding vpon them The first coople that commeth to my hande ys S. Hierom and Chrysostom S. Hierom expownding the epistles of S. Paule for the exposition of this text hath thus moche Siâ—jn lintheum vel vas sordidum non illud mitterè audet quanto magis in corde polluto quam immundiciam Deus super Hieron in 11. 1. Cor. omnia execratur quae sola iniuria est eius corpori Nam Iosephille iustus propterea sindone munda inuolutum in sepulchro nouo corpus Domini sepeliuit praefigurans corpus Domini accepturos tam mundam mentem babere quà m nouam Yf a man dare not putte that bodie into a filthie vessell or cloath howe moche more in a defiled S. HieroÌ„ expowndeth S. Paule to speake of the bodie of our Lord. heart which vncleannesse God aboue all thinges detesteth as which ys the onelie wronge that nowe can be doen vnto his bodie For therfor did Iosph also the righteouse wrappe the bodie of our Lorde in a clean sheet and so buried yt in a newe Tumbe prefiguring that they that shoulde
hurteth The Sacramentarie leaueth no more in the Sacrament by his doctrine but Sacramentall bread and Sacramentall wine whiche both saieth he remain in their substance and nature so that ther ys no other thinge taking thing for substance but the substance of bread and wine Certen yt ys that as God suffereth the Sunne to shine vpon good and euell and raineth vpon the iust and vniust So do the he suffre the substance of bread and wine to feede and nourish both good and euell as well to profitte the wicked as the rightwise no more measure beinge obserued to hurt the one then the other Yf than the substance of bread so indifferent that yt profiteth as well the wicked as the good the substance of bread ys not the thinge that holie Cyprian saith to be in the Sacrament which onelie prositeth the good and hurteth the euell yf yt be receaued Wherfor yt doeth necessarelie folowe that ther ys an other thing in the Sacrament than the substance of bread whiche ys the bodie of Chryst as the holie fathers before alleaged haue confessed and the holie Churche catholique professeth and beleueth Noweye haue heard the presence of Chrystes bodie and bloode taught by S. Paule in the epistle to the Corinthians ye haue heard yt testified yea and auouched by a nombre of auncient holie Fathers ye haue hearde yt prooued that by the testimonie ās well of S. Paule as the Fathers yt ys plain and euident that the euell and vnwoorthie receaue the same bodie of Chryst in the bless Sacrament that the good and woorthie doth Ye haue heard paines both temporall and eternall appoincted to soche vnwoorthie receauers Ye haue seen greate difference of the pains of the vnclean receauers of the figures of the olde lawe and of the vnwoorthie receauers of the Sacrament of the newe lawe wherby also ys inuinciblie prooued a great difference of thinges receaued in both lawes For in the olde lawe Chryst was receaued figuratiuely In the newe lawe he ys receaued verilie In the olde lawe onelie spirituallie In the newe lawe of good people bothe spirituallie and substanciallie Thus moche beinge doen if grace be at hande with the reader ther ys enough doen to expell the Sacramentaries heresie and to moue to receaue the catholique veritie Wherfore although ther be other scriptures in S. Paule I will not stand and abide vpon them as hitherto I haue doen vpon other but I will touche them and so ende THE NINE AND FIFTETH CHAP. TREACteth of these woordes of S. Paule We are membres of his bodie of his slesh and of his bones by Irenaeus and Hylarius IN the epistle to the Ephesians S. Paule exhorting men to loue their wieues willeth them so to loue them and nourish them as Chryst doeth his Churche And for proof that they shoulde so doe he saieth that no man at anie time hath hated his owne slesh but nourisheth and cheriseth yt as Chryst doeth his Churche For we are saieth he mēbres of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones Whiche sainge forasmoche as the great auncient Father Irenaeus doeth vnderstande of the flesh bodie and bloode of Chryst in the Sacrament I haue thought good to lett the reader perceaue the same ▪ Thus he writeth Quomodò carnem negant esse capacem donationis Dei quae est vita aeterna quae sanguine corpore Christi nutritur membrum eius fit quemadmodum Apostolus ait in ea quae est ad Ephesios epistola Quoniam membra sumus corporis Iraen li. 5. eius de carne eius de ossibus eius non de spirituali aliquo inuisibili homine dicens haec spiritus enim neque ossa neque carnes habet sed de ea dispositione quae est secundùm hommem quae ex carnibus neruis ossibus consistit quae de calice qui est sanguis eius nutritur de pane qui est corpus eius augetun Howe denie they the flesh to be hable to receaue the gift of God whiche ys euerlasting life whiche ys nourished with the bodie and blood of Chryste and ys made a membre of him as the Aplain saing of Iren. agunst the Proclamer Apostle also saieth in the epistle to the Ephesians For we are membres of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones not speaking these woordes of any spirituall or inuisible man but of that disposition whiche ys after the nature of man whiche ys of flesh Sinnewes and bones whiche ys nourished of the cuppe whiche ys his blood and ys encreased by the bread whiche ys his bodie hitherto Iren. For the better vnderstanding of this sainge the occasion whie he wrote this ys to be declared although this Irenaeus were so auncient and so neare to the time of the Apostles that he was the disciple of Policarpus whiche Policarpus was the disciple of sainct Iohn the Euangelist yet before and in his time were risen manie heretiques as Symon Samarites who The flesh of mā shall haue euerlaing life bicause yt ys nourished with the flesh of Chryst. other wise ys called Symon Magus Menander Carportes Basilides Cerinthus Ebion and Marcion whiche fowlie and diuerslie erringe aboute the person of Chryst some of them also denienge the resurrection sainge that owre earthlie and grosse flesh coulde not be partaker of saluacion Against whiche heresies Irenaeus wrote fiue bookes and in the fiste booke amonge other thinges impugning that heresie that saied that owre flesh coulde not enioie euerlastinge life prooueth that yt maie and shall And by that yt ys nourished with the fleshe and bloode of Chryste And therfora sketh a question sainge howe denie they our flesh to be partaker of the gifte of God whiche ys euerlastinge whiche flesh ys nourished with the bodie and blood of Chryst and ys made a membre of him That our flesh ys nourished by the bodie and blood of Chryst and therby also made a membre of him he prooueth yt by this Scripture of S. Paule that we be membres of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones Both bodie and soule haue benefite by the bodie of Christe And here note howe goodlie he confirmeth the catholique faith and howe mightilie he ouerthrowe the heresie of the Sacramentarie The Catholique saieth that the wholl man bothe bodie and sowle taketh benefitte and ys nourished by the bodie and bloode of Chryste The Sacramentarie saieth that onelie the inwarde man the spirituall man ys spirituallie nourished by faith But this false glose ys here by expresse woordes reproued and conuinced S. Paule saieth Irenaeus speaketh not this of anie spirituall or inuisible man but of the verie naturall man which ys made of flesh sinnewes and bones whiche naturall man ys nourished and augmented by the cuppe whiche ys the bloode of our Lorde and the breade whiche ys the bodie of our Lorde Yt ys manifest then against the Sacramentarie yt ys manifest against the Proclamer that the naturall man doeth eate and drinke the
declareth were not onelie plagued by pestilence and famine at the hande of God and with swoorde and fire at the handes of their enemies without the walls but also they being with in the walls plagued them selues with great debates discordes insurrections and mortall warres So that the slaughter was as great within as yt was withoute Euen so this armie hath ben moche plagued at Gods hande yt hath raised moche sedicion and tumulte bothe in Germanie Frannce and Englonde euen within their owne walls yt hath bē from time to time persecuted with swoorde and fire and the heade capitaines haue not agreed among thē selues as in these our daies yt ys more then manifest that they doe not This armie therfor though yt be fuffred yet as touching the cause they are not to be feared For we standing with our Prophete our cause can not faill and when yt shall please owre Prophete the armie that was with Helizeus shall ioin with vs and deliuer vs whiche armie haue among them no diuision no discorde ther be amongest them no inwarde warres no insurrections no tumultes as be amongest the other but of them all ther ys one heart and one mouth What one saieth all saie what one denieth all denie On the other side looke howe manie citties howe manie contries so manie doctrines somanie faiths so manie religions yea almost howe manie heades so manie opinnions Howe doeth Luther agree with Oecolampadius howe doeth Melancthon with Bullinger yea howe doeth Luther agree with him self or Melancthon with himself As for their disagreinge with the holie fathers yt ys to manifest The holie fathers teache the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament they denie yt They teache that the sacrifice of Chrystes bodie ys to be offred for the quicke and the dead these denie yt They teache almose and praiers to be auailable to the dead these denie yt To this yf yowe adde the gates that they open to all licenciouse libertie as the taking awaie of Confession the contempt of penāce the mocking of fasting the common maner of diuorcing and marieng again the voluptuouse taking of women to preists without all discrecion be she maide or widowe yf no worse the indempnitie of vsurie yt were enough and to moche to offend an honest heart but to heare soche things Yt were to long a repeticion to reherse all the licenciouse doctrines that be settfurth against godlie and vertuouse liuing But yf ther were no more but these two euells last rehersed in them namelie their dissenting from the fathers and their geuing of libertie to viciouse liuing yt wer enough to geue anie man iust occasion to suspect yea and vtterlie to forsake their doctrine In the other side forasmoche as the Catholiques embrace the doctrine of the Fathers and teache vertueouse liuing as penaunce contricion confession and satisfactiō charitable lending chaist matrimonie in maried people pure chaistitie in preistes and religiouse persons fasting and soche other iust occasion ys geuen to credite them and to folowe them God nowe of his mercie open the eies of all his people that hauing a breif shewe of the teachers of trueth and vntrueth of verteuouse liuinge and of licēciouse liuinge maie by his grace take the one and leaue the other folowe the good and leaue the euell and so framing their lifes to liue in the true faith and good life maie by his mercie atteign to the euerlasting life with him to whome be all honoure and glorie worlde withoute ende Amen Volumen hoc ab eximio viro M. n. Thoma Heskins De praesentia corporis sanguinis domini Anglico idiomate conscriptum perlectum est a viris illius idiomatis sacrae Theologiae peritissimis quibus sicutipsi authori meritò id tribuendum esse iudico vt ad vtilitatem gentis anglicae euulgetur Ita testor et iudico Cunerus Petri de Brouwershauen Pastor sancti Petri Louanij 4. Iulij anno 1565. FINIS THE CHEIF AND MOSTE MATter 's conteined in this booke wher nomber of booke ys omitted ye be referred to the next before A. AArons garment wotn for a Bishoprick lib. 3. cap. 33. Abstinence from sinne honoureth God lib. 2. ca. 44. Adoracion of the B. Sacrament taught by S. Paule lib. 2. cap. 44. by Alexander cap. 43. by S. Augustin cap. 45. by S. Dionyse ca. 47. by Eusebius Emis ib. by S. Bernarde ibid. Adoracion practised by Angells lib. 2. ca. 45. by preist deacon and people in the Greke Church by S. Ambrose in the latin Churche by S. Austens mother ca. 45 by Erasmus and al chrysten people ca. 46. by Gorgonia cap. 27. Adoracion impugned and denied by I uther lib. 2. cap. 48. by the Proclamer cap. 46. by wicked doctrine ibid. Adoracion proued by the same doctours that the Proclamer alleaged against yt li. 2. cap. 45. Adoracion aught to be doen before we receaue ibid. Adoracion vsed in and before the time of S. Austen ibid. Adoracion in the primitiue Church infamed by infidells for idolatrie ibid. Adoracion ys to be alowed wher the presence ys admitted li. 2. cap. 46. Adoracion neuer by catholique writer denied cap. 47. Adoracion first denied about xl yeares past cap. 48. Adoracion not to haue ben vsed before the time of Honorius ys vntrue ibid. Aerius denieng the sacrifice of the Masse to auaill the dead condemned for an heretique aboue a thousand years agon lib. 3. ca. 39. Ale geuen in stead of wine in a Communion lib. 1. cap. 26. Alexanders authoritie approued li. 2. ca. 32. Alfonsus nombreth xiij heresies against the B. Sacrament in Prolog Algasia moued doubtes of scripture to S. Hierom. lib. 1. cap. 4. Aliud in the neuter gendre signifieth difference insubstance ca. 29. Almaricus a Sacramētarie condēned in Pro. S. Ambrose vnderstandeth S. Paule to speake of the verie bodie of Chryste li. 3. ca. 57 Ambrose corrupted by Oecolāpadius ib. ca. 5 Ambrose his doctrine compared with the Sacramentaries lib. 2. ca. 52. Ambrose commended the faith of his Brother Satyrus in the B. Sacramēt li. 1. ca. 24. Ambr. geueth three instruct li. 3. ca. 14. Ambr. offred sacrifice in the Masse cap. 37. he praied as the Church doth ibid. S. Andrewe offred the dailie sacrifice ca. 34. Angells attend vpon the preist in the time of sacrifice li. 2. ca. 45. Angells appoincted to euerie man and offre our praiers to God li. 3. ca. 38. Antichryste shall cause the dailie sacrifice to ceasse lib. 1. cap. 32. Appologie and proclamaciō both like bolts lib. 3. cap. 33. Apostles vnderstood not Chrystes owne woordes li. 1. ca. 1. Apostles learned of Chryste cap. 7. Apostles decreed that the dead should be praied for at Masse lib. 3. cap. 39. Argument of Chrysts ascension in the vi of S. Iohn proueth the reall presence in the Sacrament li. 2. ca. 35. Argument of Theophil to proue the bread made flesh lib. 3. cap. 20. Arrogancie mother of errour lib. 1. cap. 4. Ascension of Chryste improueth not the presence in the Sacrament
Excellencie of Sacramēts standeth in three points cap. 12 Excellencie of the blessed Sacrament aboue Manna cap. 14. item 25. excellent titles therof cap. 30 Exhortacion to preparacion by Chrysost ca. 54 F. Fabianus made a lawe that the people shoulde communicate thrice in the year lib. 3 cap. 40. Faith howe yt ys requisit to the receauing of the blessed Sacrament lib. 2. cap. 20. lib. 3 cap. 53 Faith that beleueth the flesh of Chryste to be in the blessed Sacrament a spirituall faith li. 2. cap. 37. Faith aboue senses and reason and teacheth manie things contrary to them lib. 1. cap. 16. lib. 2. cap. 39. 62. 10. Faith 〈…〉 in the mysterie of the 〈…〉 lib. 2. cap. 37. Faith iudgeth possible that reason iudgeth impossible cap. 10. 30 Faith and Baptisme inseparable means of saluacion ca. 48 Faith without woorks sufficieth not in persons of discrecion li. 3. ca. 1 Faith nourished by the bodie and bloode of Chryste lib. 2. ca. 49 Faith catholique described li. 3. ca. 53 False Chrystians more woorthie reproche then Iewes lib. 1. cap. 19. item lib. 2 cap. 9. False doctrine hath some trueth admixed cap. 12 Fame of the chrystian rites among infidells proueth the presence ca. 42 Fasting for merit punishable by statute lib. 3. ca. 60 Fathers learned of their elders lib. 1. cap. 7 Fathers in the primitiue Churche spake of the mysteries often couertlie lib. 2. cap. 3 Figurs of Chrystes incarnacion li. 1. ca. 10 Figurs be not in all points comparable ibi Figures of the blessed Sacrament foure cap. 15. Figurs in good things not so good as the things figured in euell things not so euell ibid. Figuratiue passouer and the true passouer both on one table ca. 18 Figurs of the olde lawe and veritie of the newe lawe be as shadowes and the thing shadowed li. 2. ca. 22 Figurs of things be not merueillouse but the Sacrament ys merueillouse ca. 47 Figure taken two waies cap. 49. Figurs contein what reason conceaue the Sacrament what faith beleueth cap. 51. Figure of the Sacramentaries excluded from Chrysts woordes lib. 2. cap. 51. 52. wiped awaie by Chrysost cap. 55. denied cap. 58. 59. 60. 62. Figure what yt must be li. 3. ca. 2 Figure geueth not life but the blessed Sacrament geueth life ergo c. cap. 8 Figurs and things figured compared cap. 10. Figure maie forshewe life but yt can not be life ca. 14 Flesh of Chryste in the Sacrament hath an vnspeakeable power lib. 2. ca. 1 Flesh of Chryste called life as being the flesh of God who ys life ca. 14 Flesh and blood of Chryste both vnder one kinde in the catholique maner of ministracion neither of both vnder two kindes in the hereticall Communion cap. 16. Foode of Chrystes flesh cause of our immortalitie lib. 2 cap. 17. 26. item lib. 3 cap. 24. 58. 59. Flesh of Chryste meate in plain maner lib. 2. cap. 18. lib. 3. cap. 5 Flesh of Chryste geueth life and yet remaineth still naturall flesh cap. 27. Flesh profiteth nothing Iohn vi ys not spoken of the flesh of Chryste for that profiteth moche cap. 36. Flesh of Chryste both naturall and spirituall cap. 36. lib. 3. cap. 10. Flesh of the Sonne of God and the consecrated bread one bodie cap. 52. Flesh of Chryste appeareth not in the B. Sacrament for our infirmities sake lib. 2. ca. 7. 8. 19. 57. lib. 3. ca. 20. Flesh vnited to the Sonne of God by assumtion the same vnited to vs by participacion li. 3. cap. 27. Flesh of Chryste called spirit li. 3. ca. 10. Flesh of Chryste receaued in the B. Sacramēt seed of euerlasting life li. 2. ca. 57. Forme essence nature substance all one lib. 2. cap. 7. Formes of breade and wine a speache knowē to S. August ca. 22. and forme of bread remain cap. 60. Foure thinges called the bodie of Chryste ca. 58. Foure benefitts of the Iews nōbred li. 3. ca. 1. G. Gelasius his meaning opened li. 2. ca. 68. Gelasius truncatelie alleaged by the Proclamer auoncheth two thinges whiche he concealed ibid. Genesis not red of the Iewes before thirtie yeares of age li. 1. ca. 2. Germanes acknowlege the reall presence prolog Good religion professed withoute good life not auailable li. 3. ca. 1. God appointed no vain figure li. 1. cap. 24. God and his spirit in his creaturs two waies li. 3. ca. 49. God good by nature man by participacion li. 1. cap 33. li. 2. cap. 12. God plagueth vs in these daies for the abuse of the bl Sacrament lib. 2. ca. 5. God punisheth some tēporallie some eternallie some both waies li. 3. ca. 58. Gods woorde contrarie to senses must be beleued li. 2. ca. 55. Gods order in his Church for doctrine lib. 1. cap. 6. Gods order inuerted ibid. Godhead of Chryste hath not possibilitie but to be euery where his manhead hath possibilitie to be somwhere li. 2. ca. 12. Godhead of the Sonne filleth his boddie sanctified by the preist lib. 2. cap. 28. lib. 3. cap. 25. Gospell hath two commodities li. 2. cap. 1. Gospell hath not the figurs but the verie things ca. 18. Gospell commaunded the eating of blood the lawe did forbidde yt ca. 50. Gospell and lawe compared li. 3. cap. 15. Grekes affirme the real presence prol H. Heresie maketh man enemie to God prol Hetesie by arrogancie moche preuaileth lib. 1. cap. 5. Heresie the farder yt goeth the worse yt fretteth cap. 31. Heretiques haue moued warre against the church prolog Heretiques agree in conspiring against the Church li. 1. cap. 8. Heretiques why they are not to be folowed ibid. Heretiques barke against the trueth as dooges against the Moon cap. 16. Heretiques build there faith vpon reason and senses ibid. Heretiques howe they alleage the fathers lib. 1. ca. 21. li. 2. ca. 3. Heretiques haue no faith but opinions li. 1. cap. 21. Heretiques refuges in reasoning of the Sacrament ibid. Hereticall Councells allwaies repressed ca. 25. Hereticall expositions of the prophecie of Malch cap. 33. Heretiques call their phansies Gods woorde li. 2. ca. 33. Heretiques must be shunned li. 3. ca. 25. Heretikes of oure time wel described ca. 60 Heretiques like men in feuers ibid. Heretiques saings cōpared to the saings of Ethnikes ibid. Hierom of praga condemned prolog S. Hierom howe he learned the scripturs li. 1. ca. 7. et 8. he expowndeth the scripturs contrarie to the Sacramentaries ca. 39. S. Hieroms saing opened li. 2. ca. 57. he expowndeth S. Paule of the bodie of Chryste li. 3. ca. 44. S. Hilarie vnderstandeth the vi of S. Iohn of the Sacram. li. 2. ca. 24. Holie Gost consecrateth the B. Sacr. by the hande and tung of the preist li. 2. ca. 63. Holie Gost woorketh the consecracion aboue our vnderstāding li. 1. ca. 20. li. 2. ca. 63. Holie bread vsed in the primitiue church li. 2. ca. 51. li. 3. ca. 23. Honour due to God wherin yt consisteth li. 1. ca. 18. Honour or dishonour doen by the receauer ys referred to the Sacr. li.
2. ca. 44. Honorable titles and great effects of the Sa. li. 2. ca. 5. Hoopers glose li. 3. ca. 60. Hornes figuracion li. 2. ca. 14. How the question of the faithlesse answered li. 1. ca. 20. li. 2. ca. 13. I. Iames and Iohns epistles of few vnderdāded li. 1. ca. 5. S. Iames in his Masse did three notable thinges li. 3. ca. 37. he offred sacrifice ibid. he praied for the quicke and dead ca. 39. he maketh intercession to Saincts ibid. S. Iames in consecracion directed his speche to God the Father ca. 34. S. Iames Masse full of knowledge as the proclamer graunteth ca. 39. Ignorance as bold as blind li. 1. ca. 5. Ignorance of the B. Sa. what yt ys and howe to be remoued li. 2. ca. 54. Immortalitie when and howe yt shal be geuē li. 3. ca. 59. Intencion of the Apostles and fathers in the ministracion of the catholiques now and of the newe ministers ca. 36. Iohn Wicleff and Iohn Husse condemned prolog Ioseph and Chryste compared li. 1. ca. 10 Isaac a figure of Chryste ibid. Isichius acknowlegeth the presence of Christes bodie and blood in the B. Sa. ca. 29. Iewes did eate Manna we oure lordes bodie They dranke water of the rocke we the blood of Chryste li. 3. ca 9. A Iewe by a miracle in the S. Sacrament induced to be a christian li. 2. ca. 42. Issue ioined with the Proclamer for the presence li. 1. ca. 21. li. 2. ca. 54. for reseruacion li. 1. ca. 25. 26. for sacrifice li. 1. ca. 37. for adoracion li. 2. ca. 47. for priuate Masse li. 3. ca. 40. for praier for the dead ca. 39. Iudas receaued the bodie of Chryste which ys oure price cap. 49. Iuell falsifieth li. 3. ca. 46. L Latine church hath and doeth confesse the reall presence prolog Laie men for praier commaunded to abstein from their wieues li. 1. ca. 21. Lawe of Moyses had two offices li. 2. ca. 1. Lent fast commaunded ca. 48. Libertie a bait of the deuell li. 3. ca. 53. Luther condemned prolog Luther contrarie to him self li. 1. ca. 7. his prowd bragges and lies ibid. Luther his straunge doctrin ca. 8. and his pride ibid. Luthers fond opinion of the presence ca. 25. Luther condemned Sainct Iames epistle li. 2. ca. 16. Lutherans doctrine hauing no apparance of scripture ys ouerthrowē euen by their owne argument ca. 53. Luthers prowde contempt of the holie learned fathers ca. 59. Luther wher he learned his faith li. 3. ca. 53. Luther ys contrarie to S. Paule to Chrysostō and the fathers ca. 54. M Mahomets patched religion and the Sacramentaries moche like li. 2. ca. 10. Manna why yt was called a spirituall meat li. 3. ca. 3. 8. Manna a figure of Chryste ca. 4. 5. applied to the Sacr. ca. 11. 12. Manna three kindes ca. 4. Manna had xii wonders ca. 12. Manna what yt ys by interpretacion ca. 11. Manna and the Sacr. compared li. 2. ca. 30. li 3. ca. 10. 11. 12. Manna moche inferiour to the B. Sacr. ca. 5. 14. but more excellent then the sacramentall bread ca. 12. Manna was from the aier Chryste from heauen ca. 4. a creature but Chryste the creatour ca. 14. Manna the figure gaue but temporall life Manna the thing geueth eternall life ibi Manna gathered more then was commaunded corrupted ca. 12. Man eatheth the bodie of Chryste li. 1. ca. 16 Marie Chrysts mother by nature and aboue nature li. 1. ca. 13. Masse taken two waies li. 3. cap. 33. and what yt ys proprelie ibid. cap 34. Masses in the primitiue Church varied in maner from Chrysts doing cap. 27. Masse of S. Iames alowed by the Proclam cap. 34. Masse of the Apostles fathers and of the Churche nowe all one in substance ibid. Masse called a sacrifice in the Councell of Constantinop ca. 35. Masse setteth furth the death of Chryste more liuelie then the newe communion cap. 39. Masse the woorde howe yt cometh cap. 32. and in yse within CCCC hundreth years after Chryste euen by the Proclamers confession ibid Masses mo then one maie be saied in one Church and one daie ibid. three saied on Chryst masse daie fourtene hūdreth years agon ibid. Masters and teachers of the scripture must be had and consulted li. 1. ca. 7. Matters of doubt are to be referred to the preists ca. 6. Matthew and Luke seme to varie in the genealogie of Chryste ca. 3. Meate of Chrystes supper differeth from cōmon meates ca. 17. Melancthon his mutabilitie li. 2. ca. 41. Melchisedech and his sacrifice treacted of and compared to Chryste and his sacrifice li. 1. ca. 30. 31. Membres onelie of Chrystes bodie knowe Chryste li. 2. ca 65. Memories and monumēts of holie and worthie men defaced li. 1. ca. 21. Ministers of the newe church can not consecrate li. 3. ca. 34. Ministers of two sortes ca. 36. Ministerie of Agells aboute men ca. 38. Miracles wrought in the blessed Sa. li. 1. ca. 24. li. 3. ca. 42. Misunderstanding mother of heresie li. 1. ca. 7. Misunderstanding of Chrystes woordes causeth all the heresies of the Sacramentaries li. 2. ca. 64. Mocks and skoffs the onelie arguments of the Proclamer against the Masse li. 3. ca. 38. Mother of Chryste and of Sampson compared li. 1. ca. 10. Mouth receaueth that faith beleueth li. 2. ca. 15. Misteries of religion not common to all mē li. 1. ca. 7. Mysteries of the church wonderfull li. 2. ca. 5. Mysterie what yt ys and howe the B. Sacr. ys called a mysterie li. 3. ca. 57. My flesh ys verilie meate Iohn vi no figuratiue speache li. 2. ca. 20. 21. N Naturall order had no place in manie of Chrysts doings li. 2. ca. 10. 12. Naturall vnitie of Chryste to vs. li. 2. ca. 24. see vnitie Naturs two in Chryste not two persons li. 3 ca. 51. Nature corrupted could not be brought to incorruption but by the incorruptible bodie of Chryste li. 3. ca. 59. Nestorius and Eutiches heresies li. 2. ca. 15. Newe lawe requireth a new presthead li. 1. ca 13. Newe mynisters maner in their comunion li. 3. ca. 34. Newe church chargeth Chryste with an vntreuth ca. 39. Nothing so true but heresie maie impugn yt li. 2. ca. 12. O Obedience to be shewed euen wher corruption of lifeys li. 1. ca. 6 Obedience of the newe church how yt standeth ca. 25. Obiection oute of Tertullian li. 1. ca. 16. oute of S. Austen ca. 19. item ca. 23. oute of S. Clement ca. 24. oute of Chrysostome li. 2. ca. 5. oute of S. Aug. ca. 14 oute of Euseb Emis ca. 19 oute S Gregorie ca. 25 oute of S. Aug. ca. 34 oute of Tertull. ca 49. oute of Leo. ca. 56. oute of Rupert li. 3 ca. 10. Obiction of the Aduersarie solued li. 1. ca. 18. Obiection oute of S. Hierom solued ca. 22. Obiection vpon Melchisedec answered ca. 28 Obiection of Chrysts being in diuersse places li 2. ca. 12. Obiection of the spirituall eating of Chryst ca. 37. Obiections of the