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
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
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
naturall bodie and bloode of Chryst wherby also yt ys manifest that the naturall bodie and bloode of Chryste be in the Sacrament For if they were not howe coulde they so be receaued Again yt ys manifest that not onelie the inwarde man the inuinsible or The outward naturall man receaueth the bodie and blood of Chryste spirituall man receaueth the bodie and bloode of Chryst but also the outwarde the visible and naturall man And for the full and perfect vnderstanding of this note well the cheife grownde of this auncient holie Father Irenaeus His pourpose ys to prooue that our flesh although yt be a mortall thinge shall receaue immortallitie although yt be earthilie yt shall receaue an heauenly and euerlastinge life howe proueth he that By that that our mortall flesh receaueth the immortall flesh and bloode of Chryst and therby nourished shall in his time atteign to immortalitie ād life euerlastinge The Sacramentaries denieng the receipt of Chrystsnaturall bodie into our denie withall the argument of Jren. ād of consequent the immortallitie of our bodie after resurrect Consider then that the argument of this holie father against this heresie to prooue that our bodies shall rise and that they at the same resurrection shall atteign to immortallie ys that we receaue the bodie ād blood of Christ by the whiche yt beinge immortall and also able to geue immortalitie we shall be made immortall and receauers of euerlastinge life The Sacramentarie then denienge that we receaue the bodie of Chryst into our bodies denieth the argument of this holie Father and tectlie also denieth owre resurrection and immortalitie which to manie of them haue allreadie apertlie doen and robbeth vs of one great article of our faith and of our cheif and high comforte that we hope to haue in our resurrection For as S. Paule saieth Si in hac vita tātùm in Christo sperātes sumus omnibus hominibus c. Yf in this life onelie we beleue on Chryst then are we of all men most miserablie Yf then they will robbe vs of the mean to atteign to this resurrection and immortallitie whiche mean ys the very receipt of the bodie and blood of Chryst they shall also robbe vs of the effect For the cause being taken awaie the effect also must be taken awaie as the cause beinge admitted the effect must necessarilie folowe For the cause of the immortalitie of our flesh ys the coniunction of the immortall flesh of Chryst with owre whiche ys doen 1. Cor. 15. by the receipt of the same in the Sacrament Of these two Chryst ys a full wittnesse for the first he saieth Nisi manducaueritis carnem filii hominis biberitis eius sanguinem non habebitis vitam in vobis Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood ye shall haue no life in yowe wherby ys testified that the receipt of the bodie and blood taken awaie from vs immortalitie and euerlastinge life ys also taken awaie For the other Chryst also testifieth Qui manducat meā carnem bibit meum ibid. sangumem habet vitam aeternam He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath euerlastinge life Wherby ys taught that the receipt of the bodie and bloode of Chryst ys the cause and mean of and to euerlasting life But that the Aduersarie shall not cauill and saie that I speake moche in this matter at mine owne libertie and ther vnto expownde the scripturs by mine owne authoritie he shall heare the holie Father Cyrill affirme as moche as I haue saied and expownde the scripturs to the same sense Thus he Cirill in 15 ca Joan. writeth Non poterat aliter corruptibilis haec natura ad incorruptibilitatem vitam traduci nisi naturalis vitae corpus ei coniungeretur Non credis mihi haec dicenti Christo te obsecro fidem praebe dicenti Amen amen inquit dico vobis Nisi manducaueritis carnem filu hominis biberitis eius sanguinem non habebitis vitam in vobis Qui manducat meam carnem bibit meum sanguinem habet vitam aeternam Audis apertè clamātem non habituros nos vitam nisi sanguinem cius biberimus carnem manducauerimus In vobis autem ipsis dicit id est in corpore vestro Vita autem iure ipsa vitae caro intelligi potest Haec enim nos in nouissimo die suscitat quomodò dicere non grauabor Caro vitae facta Vnigeniti caro ad virtutem vitae traducta est Non potest igitur morte superari Propterea in nobis facta interitum à nobis expellit Non enim abest ab ea vnigenitus Deisilius Vnde quia vnus est cum carne sua Ego inquit suscitabo cum This corruptible nature of owre bodie could not other wise be brought to incorruptibilitie Oure corruptible nature could not atteign to incorruptibilitie but by the receipt of the incorruptible flesh of Chryste and life except the bodie of naturall life shoulde be ioined to yt Beleuest thowe not me sainge these woordes I praie thee then beleue Chryst sainge Verilie verilie saieth he I saie vnto yowe except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloode ye shall haue no life in yowe He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloode hath euerlastinge life Thowe hearest him openlie saing that we shall haue no life except we drinke his bloode and eate his flesh He saieth in yower selues that ys in yower bodie By life maie of right be vnderstanded that flesh of life For this flesh shall raise vs vppe in the last daie And howe yt shall not greiue me to tell The flesh of life being made the flesh of the onelie begotten Sonne of God ys brought to haue the power of life Yt can not therfor be ouercomed of deathe Wherfor that flesh beinge in vs expelleth deathe from vs. For the onelie begotten Sonne of God ys not absent from that flesh Wherfore bicause he ys one withe his flesh he saied I will rayse him vppe Se ye not here plainlie affirmed by sainct Cyrill and that by those places of the vi of sainct Iohn that this corruptible nature of owre bodie can not atteign to immortalitie and life except the bodie of Chryst whiche he calleth the bodie of life be conioined to yt To returne then the argument of Irenaeus ys of great force For in dede that The flesh can not be subiect to mortalitie that duelie receaueth the flesh of immortalitie flesh can not be subiecte to mortalitie that receaueth the flesh of Chryst whiche geueth immortalitie But once to ende with Irenaeus I wishe the Reader to be aduertised of two thinges The one that wher Irenaeus and S. Cyrill saie that by the receipt of the bodie of Chryst we receaue immortalitie he maie not thinke them to speake against the scripture whiche saieth Quis est homo qui viuit non videbit mortem What man ys
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
diuinis scripturis erudjtiss et non minus Lanfrancus Tritemius sanctitate quam scientia clarus a man in the dyuyne scryptures most excellentlie learned and no lesse in holynesse then in knoweledge notable Against the same also wrote Algerus and Guitmundns men not by my commēdacion onelie to be accepted but by the Iudgement of Erasmus also a man Algerus Guitmundus not onely knowen to the worlde but also specyallie famouse in thys Realme of Englonde who openyng to vs what these two men were sheweth therwtih the benefitt of God that cometh to hys churche by hys sufferāce of errours and heresyes to growe And enombryng dyuerse heresies cōceaued against the blessed Sacrament he saieth thus Et tamen horum omnium error in hoc profecit vt in tanti mysterij cognitionem magis ac magis tum erudita tum confirmata Sras in epistola ad Balthasarum Episc Hildesùm sit ecclesia Nulli tamē plus debet quà m Berēgario imo nō Berēgario sed Chrstisapiē tiae qui malitiā hominū vertit in bonūsponsaesuae Quos qualiū virorū calamos excitauit impudens error Berengarij Nuper exijt opus Guitmundi ex monacho Benedictino episcopi Auersensis Nunc prodit Algerus ex scholastico monachus eiusdem instituti Guitmundus acrior est ardētior plus habet spiritus Rethorici hic sedatior est ac religiosior vterque tum Dialectices tum reliquae philosophiae bellè peritus licet citra ostētationem vterque in canonicis scripturis ac priscis illis doctoribus Cypriano Hilario Ambrosio Hieronimo Augustino Basilio Chrisostomo quorum scripta plurimùm adhuc reserunt spiritus Apostolici studiosè versatus vterque tantum habet eloquentiae quantum requirere à theologo par est Certè dictionis argutiam collectionis acumen nusquam in eis desideres Agunt solidis rationibus nec vt nunc quidam faciunt bonam voluminis partem rixis Christ turneth the malice of Heretiques to the profett of his Church contentionibus occupant aut sophisticis ratiunculis rem tractant And yet the erroure of all these saieth Erasmus dyd prosytt in this that in the hnowledge of so great a mysterye the Churche shoulde be both more and more instructed and also confyrmed Yet ys she to none more bownde then to Berengarius yet not to Berēgarius but to the wysdō of Chryste who turneth the malice of men to the profett of his spouse ▪ what writing iea and of what men hath this impudent erroure of Berengarius stirred vppe Of late went oute Erasmus calleth the errour of Berēgarius impudent the woorke of Quitmundus somtyme a benedyctyne Monke and Bishoppe of Auergne nowe commeth furth the worke of Algerus of a scholer made a monke of the same ordre Guitmundus ys sharpe and vehement and hath more of the rethoricall spiritte the other milde and religiouse bothe of them well learned both in logike and philosophie although withoute ostētation both of them well studied both in the canonicall scriptures and in the olde doctors Cyprian Hillarie Ambrose Hierom Augustin Basill and Chrisostome whose writinges do yet declare moche of the Apostolicall spiritte Bothe of thē haue as moch eloquence as ys meet to be required of a diuine As for wittie speache and sharpenesse of collection ther ys no lacke in them in anie place They go to yt with substanciall reasons neither do they as some whiche occupie a good parte of ther bookes with braulinges and contenciōs and handle the matter with sophisticall disputacions reasons Thus moche Erasmus I haue the more willinglie transcribed thus moche of Erasmus bicause the Aduersaries haue had him in good price and regarded his sainges Yf this champion do the like let him diligentlie obserue that Erasmus calleth the erroure of Berengarius an impudenterroure Whiche so being forsomoch as this man ys drowned in the same and mainteineth the same maie we not Errour of the Proclamer impudent iustlie saie that he impudentlie mainteineth an impudent erroure Let him also note howe he commendeth these men and what Iudgement he hath of their learning bothe in liberall sciences in Scriptures and doctours whō he doth also no lesse extoll but that by their writinges God hath doen a great benefet to his Churche whiche so standing yt can not be but that the Scriptures and doctours be plain and euident for the proof of the veritie Yf their writing be a benefett then this chalengers doimgeys a detriment Petrus Waldo skoureth the estie heresie of Berēgarius of the reall presence of Christes bodie in the Sacrament whiche scriptures and doctours adduced by these learned men be mo then one or one score and yet this Proclamer crieth bring one doc c. After Berengarius rose one Petrus Waldo a citizen of Lions a man vnlearned yet as vulearned as he was when he had newlie skoured the rustie condemned heresie of Berēgarius in soch rude maner as yt was manie were so folish and so readie to fall from faith to heresie from life to death and damnacion from teaching of the learned to the teaching of the ignorarūt that thei chose raither to folowe the phantasie of this one rude man void of knowledge than to remain in the Substancial tried doctrine of a nombre of holie and most excellent learned men of Christes Churche Thus more pietie yt was a mombre folowed hym and became his disciples and were called Waldenses Waldenses Heretiques condēned Vnto whom becomminge an Aucthor and blinde guide according to Christes saing he led them so as both fell into the ditche This secte and heresie of this Waldo was not suffred to stand but as Guido saieth was condemned in a Councell holden at Rome And yet this Proclamer saieth ther was neuer man indged for an heretike that saied the Sacrament was a figure a token c. In the tyme of saincte Bernarde Satan wolde moue yet some more trooble to the Churche and therfor raised one Peter de Bruis whom he taught to Petrus Brusian his heresie sell theise lies to the people for trueths that though Christ in his last supper did in the Sacramēt geue hys bodie to his Apostles yet no preist doth so nowe by the power of his woorde as yt ys saied that they doe For neuer anione quoth he but Christ alone did geue his bodie in the Sacrament Although thys heresie geuing soche preeminence to Christ that by cause he saied thys ys my bodye teacheth that he in dede gaue to hys Apostles hys verye bodie ys woorthy of more fauour thē the heresie whiche thys Proclamer teacheth for not withstanding that our Sauiour Chryst saied Thys ys my bodie yet thys Aduersarie teacheth yt ys not yet passed not this heresie awaie in scylence but was wrytten against by dyuerse Among whyche Petrus Gluniacensis whose commendation ys so moche settfurth in dyuerse Epistles of saynct Bernarde that he nedeth not myne to commend hym wrote Petrus
Cluniacen a booke in the matter of the Sacrament against the sect of the same Peter de Bruys called Petrobrusians and other cleauing to them called Henrycyans In the whiche booke I am certen ther be mo then one scripture one doctour Almaricus a Sacramentarie condemned in the Coūcell of lateran c. alleaged and brought furth Yt ys saied that one Almaricus amōge other heresies dyd also sette furth thys heresie against the Sacrament who with thys hys heresie and hys other as Bernardus de Lutzēburgo saith were condemned in the great Lateran Councell After all these commeth the famouse heretike Ihon Wycleff oure contrey man whom God suffred with manye pestylent heresies to trouble the Churche Amonge whiche heresies he helde two or three against Iohn wicleff oure cōtrie man an heretique condēned the Sacrament All whose articles being in nombre fortie and fiue Ioannes Hus besides other of hys owne inuencion dyd holde and maynteyn auouching them to be good and godlie And as he embraced the doctryn of VVycleff So dyd Hierom de Praga both the doctryne of Wycleff and of the said Ioannes Hus who being conuented for the same in the Couuncell Ioānes hus condēned Horonimus de Praga condemned of Constance dyd fyrst as Berengarius dyd abiure hys heresies After to declare what constancie was in hym he reuoked hys abiuracion ād auouched the doctrine of Wicleff and Hus. All whiche three with their heresies were in that Councell of Constance condemned Luther and Oecolampadius although repugnaunt one to the other in this Luther Oecolampad our time they haue saied and doen as moche as this champyon can doe and thought themselues as mightie as he An yet they haue not onely bē impugned by writers but also condemned as heretikes in the generall Councell of Trydent Thus haue ye nowe seen the wholl descent of this heresie against the blessed Sacrament euen from Berengarius the first open teacher of the same vnto Luther and Oecolampadius the newe furbushers and skourers of the same Ye perceaue that from time to time they were euer condemned by Councells as heretikes that taught the blessed Sacrament to be but a figure or token of Christes bodie and not the bodie yt self ye haue seen that learned mē haue written against them and with learning beaten them downe for that they reputed esteemed and iudged them as heretikes and the enemies of gods trueth as the breakers subuerters and destroyers of peace and dissoluers of the vnitie of Christes churche Maye I not therfore well saie that this proclamer ys an impudent man a shamelesse man which feareth not to speake so openlie to preache so boldelie to write so shameleslie so manyfest an vntrueth as to saie in effecte that neuer man was iudged an heretike that denied the presence of Christes bodie in the Sacrament when they were neuer yet otherwise iudged But to ende this parte of the matter this dare I saie for that I knowe I shall speake yt trulie that to this daie ther was neuer man iudged or condemned by any generall Councell that euer was to be an heretike that saied that Christes bodie ys reallie and substanciallie in the Sacrament Nowe yf this doctrine neuer and the other euer hath ben condemned yt ys easie to iudge what eche of these doctrines ys To come to this our time beside the condemnacion of the heresies of Luther and Oecolampadius in the matter of the Sacrament as before ys saied Euē as Lanfrancus Algerus Guitmundus did aginst Berengarius auouche the catho like doctrine by their workes and Boorkes sett furth for the same pourpose Euen so a great nombre as well of owre contrie men as other haue by scriptures Councells and doctours against the said Luther and Oecolampadius doen the like For to beginne with our contrie men first hath not the learned graue and reuerend Father Ihon somtime Byshoppe of Rochester encountred against Rofensius neuer yet aunswered them and with Scriptures Coūcells and doctours so mightilie and inuiuciblie ouerthrowen them that neuer till this daie any Philistin durst take weapon in hāde against hym to helpe vppe and recouer ther Goliaths and champions And can not this Goliath see one scripture one Councell nor one doctour in all those his woorkes written to that pourpose Tonstall of Tonstallus Dunelmen Steph. wint duresme and Stephen of winchester bothe reuerend Fathers men not one lie in Englonde but also in other nacions right famouse haue they not left their woorthie monumentes behinde them replenished with scriptures Councels and doctours for the assertion of their faithe in this matter of the Sacramēt to the cōfusiō of the aduersaries Also Ihon late of winchester Ioā wyntō hathe he not collected into one booke two hundereth wittnesses of scriptures Councells and doctours for the veritie of Christes bodie in the Blessed Sacrament Doctour watson Bishoppe of Lincolne as heys right woorthely learned watsonus Lincoln So to hys moche prayse hath he writtē godlie and learned Sermons of the blessed Sacramēt in the whiche be mo plain testimonies of scriptures Coūcells and doctours alleaged for the trueth of this matter of the Sacrament then the protestantes can bring apparaunt for their herisie Doctour Albane Albanus Lāgdallue Langdale Archdeacon of Chychestre in the confntacion of the determinacion made by Redleye at the disputacion holden at Cambridge for the matter of the Sacrament ys so plentyfull in scriptures Councells and doctours and so pythie withall and so plainlie laieth them furth for that pourpose that this Goliath with all his blasphemouse and prowde woordes shal neuer be able to conuince him Yf heresie were not by election and election of singularitie and singularitie sett not more by her owne phantasie then by most mens iudgementes Heresie ys by election be they neuer so graue neuer so wyse neuer so well learned the iudgement of these men in the scriptures Councells and docturs whiche they alleadge as sentēces euidēt and plain certēlie and clerely prouing the reall presence of Christes bodie in the Sacrament mighte suffice to pull downe the peacockes taile of this singular man But in the iudgement of them that be wyse I doubte not but hys bragge semeth more prowde than true Besydes all these to speake of other that be straungers hath not this man hearde of the fame of Alfonsus who not long sence was here in Englonde Alfonsus and wrote here parte of his booke which he hath written and sett furthe against al heresies in the whiche he inueyeth against this newe Goliath and all like Philistines their adherents and complices yea and against all their Thirtē sundrie heresies against the Sacrament Auncetours Where he maketh rehersall of thirten sundrie heresies inuented by that wicked generacion against this holie and blessed Sacrament and conuinceth them all as well with scriptures and Councells as with many holie doctours and famouse writers and yet this proclamer cryeth bring furth one scripture one Councell
one doctour one example c. The time wolde not serue to nombre all that haue written in this matter and tedyousnesse wolde encombre the Reader wherfore leauing manie as Gropperus who right learnedlie and largelie hath haÌ„dled and setfurthe the Gropperus faithe of the Churche in all times of the high pointes of the SacrameÌ„t auouching the same by scriptures doctours and Councells And Wernierus who like vnto the Nycen Councell hath made Collection of three hondreth Vernierus eighten places of scriptures doctours and Councells for the assertion of the trueth of the Sacrament And also Tauernerius Eckius Pighius Hoffmeisterus Garetius Tauernerius Eckius Pighius Hosfmeister Garetius with other manie I will onelie bring two who be soche as I suppose this man will better regard and better like their iudgementes in this matter then of these before mencioned The one of them shall be Erasmus who in hys epistle aboue alleaged wryteth thus Ex euangelio habemus Hoc est corpus meum quod pro vobis tradiâ—ur Ex Paulo Erasmus ad Balthas Episcop habemus Ego enim accepi à Domino quod tradidi vobis c. Et qui ederit biberit indignè reus erit corporis sanguinis Domini Hoc nobis immobile fundamentum Oute of the Gospell we haue This ys my bodie whiche ys delyuered for yowe Oute of Paule we haue I haue receaued of our lorde which I delyuered also vnto yowe and so furthe And he that eateth and drinketh vnwourthylie Erasmus his iudgement of the SacrameÌ„t shall be giltie of the bodie and blood of our lorde This ys vnto vs an vmnoueable foundacion And after a fewe woordes he saieth Cum igitur tam euidens à Christo Paulo habeamus testimonium quum per hos viros euidentissimè declaratum sit priscos quibus non sine causa tantum auctoritatis tribuit ecclesia concorditer sensisse in Eucharistia veram esse substantiam corporis sanguinis Domini quum ijs omnibus etiaÌ„ accesserit SynodoruÌ„ constaÌ„s autoritas tantusque populi Christiani coÌ„sensus simus et nos concordes in tam caelesti mysterio hic sub enigmate edamus de pane et calice Domini donec aliter edamus bibamus in regno Dei Vtinam autem qui Berengarium secuti sunt errantem sequantur paenitentem Seing then we haue both of Christ and of Paule so euident testimonie seing also by these men meening Guitmundus and Algerus yt ys most euidentlie declared that the olde auncyent Fathers vnto whom the Churche not withoute cause yeldeth so moche authoritie haue agreablie vnderstand the verie substaÌ„ce of the bodie and blood of our Lorde to be in the Sacrament Seing also that to all theise agreeth the constant Authoritie of the Councells and so great a consent of Christian people let vs also agree in so heauenly a mysterie and let vs here in a darke maner as vnder a couert eate of the bread and drinke of the cuppe of our lorde vntill otherwyse we maye eate and drinke in the kingdom of God Wolde to God that all they that haue folowed Berengariut in errour wolde folowe hym also in penaunce Thus farre Erasmus Note gentle Reader and I wolde the Aduersarie shoulde note also that here ys most euident testimonie affirmed and auouched out of Christ and Paule and the common concorde of all the doctours the constante Authoritie of Councells the vniuersall and wholl consente of Christian people all agreyng beleuing and teaching the very substance of Christes bodie and blood to be in the Sacrament Forasmoch then as here ys produced asmoche and more to then thys chalenger did require for he did require but anye one scripture one doctour one couÌ„cell and here be produced sundrie scriptures all the olde doctours the Authortie of the Councels and besydes these the common and vniuersall consent of the Christian orbe yf ther be anye trueth in thys man he will perfourme his promisse and subscribe to this trueth whiche wolde to God were doen by him that to conclude with Erasmus his sayng he might folowe Berengarius in penaunce as he hath folowed hym in erroure Nowe to the better confirmacion of this matter and to the more confutacion of this hys impudent boast and shamefull blasphemye I shall ioyn his owne schoole with hym I meen the learned of the Germanes whiche write thus Decimus Articulus approbatus est in quo confitemur nos sentire quod in coena Domini verè Apologia Confess August substantialiter adsint corpus sanguis Chrysti verè exhibeantur cum illis rebus quae videntur pane vino his qui sacramentum accipiunt Hanc sententiam constanter defenderunt concionatores nostri Et comperimus non tantùm Romanam ecclesiam affirmare corporalem praesentiam Chrysti sed idem nunc sentire olim sensisse Graecam ecclesiaÌ„ vt testatur canon Missae apud Graecos Et extant quorundam scriptorum testimonia Nam Cyrillus in Ioannem cap. xv inquit ChrystuÌ„ nobis corporaliter exhiberi in coena Sic enim ait Cyrillus Non tamen negamus recta nos fide charitateue syncera Chrysto spiritualiter coniungi Sed nullam nobis coniunctionis rationem secundùm carnem cum illo esse id profectò pernegamus idue à scripturis diuinis omnino alienuÌ„ dicimus An sortasse putaÌ„t ignotaÌ„ nobis mysticae benedictionis virtuteÌ„ esse quae cum in nobis fit nónne corporaliter quoque facit coÌ„municatione carnis Chrysti ChrystuÌ„ in nobis habitare Et paulo post Vnde consideranduÌ„ est non habitudine solùm quae per charitateÌ„ intelligitur ChrystuÌ„ in nobis esse verumetiam participatione naturali etc. Haec recitauimus vt clarius perspicerent qui ista legent nos defendere receptam in tota ecclesia sententiam quòd in coena Domini verè et substantialiter adsint corpus The Germanes acknowlege the verie presence of Chryst in the Sacrament et sanguis Christi The tenthe article ys approued in the whiche we confesse that we beleue that in the supper of our Lorde be verilie and substantiallie present the bodie and blood of Chryst and that they be verilie geuen with those thinges that be seeÌ„ that ys with bread and wine vnto them that receaue the SacrameÌ„t Thys senteÌ„ce haue our preachers coÌ„stantlie defended And we finde not onelie the churche of Rome to affirme the corporall presence of Chryst in the SacrameÌ„t but also the greke churche both nowe to beleue The greke and latine Churches both nowe and in olde time affirme the corporall presence and of olde time to haue beleued the same as the CanoÌ„ of the Masse emoÌ„g the grekes dothe testifie And ther be also extant the testimonic of certain writers For Cyrillus vpon Iohn in the fiuetene chapter saieth that Chryst ys corporallie deliuered vnto vs in the Supper Thus he saieth We do not denie that we be spirituallie ioyned vnto
Chryst by faith and syncere charitie But that we haue no maner of cōiunctiō with him after the flesh that we verilie denie and that we saie ys altogether against the scriptures Doth he thinke the power of the mystical benediction to be vnknowen vnto vs which whē Chryst dwelleth in vs corporallie not onlie spirituallie The receaued doctrine in all the Church ys that Chryst ys verily and substātiallie present in the Sacramēt yt ys doen in vs doth yt not also by the communication of Chrystes flesh make Chryst corporallie to dwell in vs And a litle after he saieth Wherfor yt ys to be consydered that not by inward disposition onelie wihiche ys vnderstand by charitie Chryst dwelleth in vs but also by naturall participaciō c. These thinges haue we recited that what soeuer they be that shall read thys they shoulde the more clearly perceaue that we defende the doctrine receaued in all the Churche whiche ys that in the supper of our Lorde are verilie and substanciallie present the bodie and bloode of Chryst Thus moche the Germans in their Apologie I suppose this proclamer will nowe take a better minde with him and somwhat contracte and drawe in the large sales of his great bragge so vehementlie puffed vppe with a mightie vain gloriouse winde when he seeth the learned of Germanie so franklie and plainly publishing their faith whiche though yt be not in euery point sownde yet auouche they the contrarie to the doctrine of this proclamer and encoūter with him in this chalenge For first they cōfesse the very substāciall presence of the bodie and blood of Chryst in the Sacrament Secondarely they confirme the same by the authoritie of all the Christian churche as well the latin as the greke church for that in them both not nowe onely but of olde time also yt hath ben so taught receaued and beleued Thirdly they alleadge a clere and most plain place oute of Cyrill whiche by their iudgement as yt dothe appeare doth manifestly and inuinciblie proue the corporall presence of Chryst in the Sacrament And as yt so doth by their iudgement so doth yt by the iudgement of all catholike men not onelie withstand this prowde Goliath But yt plainly ouerthroweth hym Of the force of whiche sentence more shall be saied hereafter Fourthlie earnestly acknowledging this trueth and willing yt to be knowen to all the worlde they declare that the cause of their thus writing ys that all men might knowe that they do defende the trueth receaued of all the Churche which ys saie they that the bodie and blood of Chryst be verilie and substanciallie in the Sacrament This then being a treuth that ys and hath ben receaued of all the wholl Church of Chryste as besides these mens confession all catholique people through oute all christendome do acknowlege yt so to be I praie thee good Reader what parte doth this mā take to defende who with might and main dothe maintein the cōtrarie And impugneth that that the wholl Churche receaueth reuileth that that the whol Church reuerenceth blasphemeth that that the wholl Churche honoureth and that so arrogantlie and impudētlie Yt ys pittie that ther ys so moche impudencie and so moche arrogancie The Proclamer ys to be pitied mixed with vntrueth in him I saie pittie for that he ys Gods creature and in Baptisme once professed Christes name in this respecte charitie moueth me to pittie him and the more for that he receauing the plentifull giftes of God doth so wickedlie to the more encrease of his damnacion abuse them and forsaking God and his trueth becometh enemie to them bothe which he well declareth in that with soche violence he impugneth and blasphemeth them both In this parte and respecte as I cā not ioin with him so for my masters cause and the defence of my Mother the catholique Churche in whose house I desire to cōtinewe I cōtende with him and contēne him yea and hate him not the substance that God hath created in him but the wicked heresie that the Deuell hath breathed into him by which as he ys become enemie to God so must all the people of God become enemies to him as of the Prophet Heresiemaketh mā enemie to God Psalm 148 Dauid we haue good example Do not I o lord saeth he hate them that hate thee And am not I greiued with those that ryse vppe against thee Yea I hate them right sore euen as though they were my enemies And yet as I moue my penne against him So shall I moue my tounge to praye for him Possible yt ys that he being in the highest of his mischief maye be stryken downe as Paule was in the hyghest of his rage of persecucion Saincte Augustine when he walked in heresie and did most stowtly contempne the catholique professiō of Christes name yt pleased God sodenlie as yt were to geue him a newe minde and caused him to reuerence that that before he despiced The like happie chaunce I wishe this mā against whom yf I haue ben or in this boke shall seme to be sharpe let yt be referred to the euel cause wich the man defendeth and not the person himself The doctrine ys so wicked so directly against Gods holie woord so discrepant from the holie Councells so dissonant from the auncient Fathers so dissenting frō the common consent of Christian people so iniuriouse and contumeliouse to the wholl Churche that hath ben from Christ vntill this daie that yt ys by no means tollerable Nowe Reader I trust thowe seist that as moche as this iolie Chalenger required ys nowe perfourmed to him let him therfor perfourme his promesse and subscribe to the catholique faith and confesse Christes reall presence in the Sacrament Yf he will yet maliciouslie persist and saie ther ys no scripture nor doctour nor Councell brought furth that plainly proueth yt thē we must prouoke to iudges Yf he will not beleue the Germanes being Protestantes not Erasmus who ys accompted of them an vppright man not the Catholiques of our owne contrie and of other contries not the Councells which be alleaged not Cyrills plain and manifest sentēce not the cōmon receaued faith of the wholl Churche as well of that of the olde time as that that ys nowe bothe of the latines and of the grekes not the plain woordes of Christ who plainlie saith This ys my bodie Whiche woordes Erasmus saieth be owre sure and vmmoueable fundacion I praie thee Reader whome will he beleue besides himself Who shal bringe furth that one scripture doctour or Councell that he will accept as plainlie prouing the matter None but he himself or his likes moche like to the Felon that pleadeth not giltie and stoutlie crieth to be tried by God and the contrie And when by verdict of the iurie and sentence of the iudge he ys cōdēned he defieth thē all callinge bothe iudge and q̄st false harlotts ad saieth that true mē wolde neuer haue cōdēned him But the true mē that he meeneth be
soche as heys himself Soche true mē they be nowe also that this mā wil creditte in this matter euē soche as he ys himself yf he doe refuse all these kindes of mē aboue produced But howesoeuer he shall take this and the rest of my booke in outwarde countenance I trust yt shal touche his conscience And then as Chrysostom Smalle conforte wher conscience ys consounded saieth Leuis erit consolatio vbi conscientiae sentiunt se esse confusas Yt ys but a light or small comfort when the consciences of men perceaue them selues confownded God of his mercie reduce him and all that be gone astraie home to hys folde again that they be not in his terrible iudgement confownded before him and all his Angells Nowe Reader that the order of this my rude worke maye be knowen vnto Ordre of the Booke thee vnderstād that wher the enemie of Gods trueth hath in his saied sermō made his boast that he ys sure that not one sentēce cā be brought by the catholiq̄s to proue the Articles ther by him rehersed amōge the which beside the reall and substāciall presence of Christ in the Sacramēt he addeth manie other thinges apperteininge to the same which he ioineth together vnder one predicamēt that ys that we haue no proof for them that he maye be perceaued to be a vain and false man I will proue yt by scriptures doctours and Councells And incidentlie diuerse other of his rehersed matters to this principal apperteining Whiche allthough I ouerpasse them not in soche maner as he doth onelie to saie and nothing to proue or improue thē as they be of him vttered yet ye shall finde thē answered wher occasion ys ministred to speake of soche matter And although manie profownde and excellent learned men whose latchettes of their shoes I am not woorthie to loose haue woorthlie written in this matter yet for that none of them to my knowledge hathe after this maner proceaded orderlie to expownde the scriptures that treact of the Sacrament whiche methinke to the confutacion of this man ys necessarie I will by the helpe of God that waie proceade and not by mine owne phantasie but by the verie mindes of the doctours truely seke oute the true vnderstanding of them And for that these scriptures be in three sundrie bookes of the Bible that ys in the olde Testament in the Gospells and in the epistles ther The contens and ordre of this work for the matter beinge lōg I haue diuided this rude worke into three bookes In the first booke are opened soche promisses figures and prophecies of the olde Testament as appertein to the Sacrament The seconde booke geueth yow vnderstanding of the scriptures apperteininge to the same conteined in the vj. of sainct Ihon his Gospell the xxvj of sainct Matthew and in the xxiiij of saincte Luke The thirde booke expowndeth so moche of the tenth and the eleuenth chapiter of the first epistle to the Corinthians as toucheth that matter and also one sentence of the epistle to the Ephesians and one other to the Hebrues In this exposition to the more confutacion of the Aduersaire and confirmacion of the catholique I for the most part bringinge sundrie and diuerse doctours vpon euerie text doe ioin a greke doctour and a latine together that the concord and agreement of bothe churches maye well appeare and fullie be seen So haue I also ioined the doctours that haue written within the compasse of these nine hondreth yeares to them that haue written before that yt maie be iudged whether that these of the later time doo differ or dissent from them of the auncient time in the substanciall poinctes of our faith as the aduersarie saieth they doo By which processe gētle Reader thow shalt I trust perceaue that where the arrogante Philistine both blasphemouslie and vntruelie hathe said of the Catholique Church of the liuing God that yt hathe not one scripture one doctour nor one Councell yt hathe vndoubredly as touching the blessed Sacramēt and other articles apperteining to the same not onelie al the holie Scriptures that treact of that holie mysteric but also the holie Fathers and Councells that speake of the same both Grekes and latines and them aswel of the auncient time before a thousand yeares as thē that were of the later time within the cōpasse of a thousand yeares So that the scriptures being thus explained by the common consent of so manie doctours and all the same also conspiring vpon this one trueth as yt shall be perceaued not by a vain bragge withoute proofe but by euident and plain testimonie we maic as truelie as boldlie returning his bragge into his owne lappe saie that this philistine and his cōplices for the maintenance of their heresie against the presence of Christ in the blessed Sacramēt haue not one scripture one doctour nor one Catholiq̄ Coūcel to make for thē Which thīge I dare saie the indifferēt Reader whē he shal haue perused this booke wil not feare to auouche with me And wishinge that this my laboure might be profitable to the simple and Catholique Church Christes Parliamēt house vnlearned for whose helpe I haue most speciallie taken yt I haue framed my writing as neare as the matter will suffre to their capacities And wher in ciuill and politike regiment Lawes Actes and statutes haue their force by Councells and Parliamentes therfor wher the veritie of Christes reall presence in the Sacrament ys a trueth establissed enacted and receaued by Christes Parliament house I meen the catholique Churche yt liketh me oftentimes to allude to the name and therto agreablie to name this booke I haue Title of the booke not entēded to fall one heere breadth frō the faith of the catholiq̄ Churche Yf anie thing hath slipped from me I submitte yt to the correction of Christes catholique Churche and my self also Prainge thee god Reader to accept my labours in good part and remembre me in thy prayers Vale. THE FIRSTE BOOKE THE FIRST CHAPITER VPON OCCASION THAT THIS ADVERSARIE THIS PROCLAMER AND CHALENger wolde haue the scriptures red of all men presupposing the same to be easie to be vnderstanded entreth as by preamble to treact of the difficultie of the scriptures and to prooue that they aught not of all men to be red without an hable interpretour or teacher HAVING in pourpose to declare by the testimonie of the noble men of Christes Parliament house the enacted and receaued treuth or true meening of all or most of soche scriptures as treact of the blessd Sacrament of the bodie and bloode of our Sauioure Christe ther cometh to my minde the doctrine of Luther the great Progenitour of this Aduersarie who in his booke De seruo arbitrio Luther de seruo arbitr as other his ympes likewise in their bookes teacheth that the scriptures of them selues be easie of all men to be vnderstanded and nede no interpretour Wherunto also the more to infatuate the people he addeth
dothe speake of the greate prouidence of God in ordering and disposing all thinges in heauen in earthe and in the Seas signifieng therby in the spirite of prophecie the goodlie disposition of thinges in the Church of Christe beautified adorned and confirmed with Sacramentes in most goodlie wise of the which Christe and his Churhe ys the wholl prophecie of that booke as here after more at large shall be declared amonge the whiche sacramentes speaking of the Sacrament of Christes bodie and bloode the prophet saied Vt educas panem de terra vinum laetificet cor hominis panis cor hominis confirmet That thow maist bringe furthe foode Psalm 103 oute of the earth and wine that maketh gladde the heart of man and bread to strenghthen mà ns hearte yt shall suffice for this present to declare the same by the woordes alleaged of saincte Hierom. For he ther declaring the ceassing of the olde Paschall lambe and the beginning of the newe whiche he calleth the true Passouer in the beginning of the same saieth thus Assumit panem qui confortat cor hominis He taketh bread whiche comforteh the hearte of man Yt was most certen as saincte Ciprian saieth that Manducauerunt de eodem pane secundùm formam visibilem They had eaten of the same bread after a visible maner But to that bread so eaten sainct Hierome wolde not applie the sainge of the Prophete but wher he beginneth to shewe howe Christe commeth to the institucion of this blessed Sacrament in the whiche they shoulde eate the true Paschall Lambe the bodie of Christe the verie bread of life and comforth Ther he applieth the propheicie of the Prophete to the verie thing that yt prophecied of and saieth He taketh the breade that comforteth the heart of man Thus the placing and applicacon of that Scripture well considered and weighed of the reader shall cause him well to perceaue howe the same ys to be vnderstanded as ys by me before saied And nowe altough saincte Hierom hath sufficientlie declared his faith in this matter of the veritie enacted and receaued throughout all the house of Christe in his time Yet for the satisfieng of them that thirst for the trueth I will bring in saincte Hierom in an other place speaking so plain woordes Hieron ad Heliodorū cpistola 1. Christes bodie ys cōsecrated of the preist as neither the enemie can withstāde so euident a trueth nor other men take occasiō of doubte Absit saieth he vt de ijs quicquam sinistrū loquar qui apostolico gradui succedentes Christi corpus sacro ore conficiunt God forbidde that I shoulde speake anie euell of them whiche succeading the Apostolike degree with their holie mouth do consecrate the bodie of Christe In the whiche sainge ye maie perceaue that sainct Hieroms faith was being so taught of the churhe wherin he liued that he preist doth consecrate the bodie of Christe wherby also then yt ys most manifest that Christes verie bodie ys in the Sacrament And this also ys not to be ouerpassed that the he saieth the preistes doo Amb. de saor lib. 4. cas Euseb Emise hō pasch Chry. de prod Hom. 30. with their holie mouth consecrate the same bodie of Christ For hereby ys reiected that foolish heresie void aswell of reason as of authoritie which taught that the faith of the receauer made the presence of Christ in the Sacrament for yt ys as S. Ambrose Eusebius and Chrysostom saie the holie woord of Christ spoken as sancte Hierom here saieth by the mouth of the preist that consecrateth the bodie of Christ And thus also if by the mouth of the preist the bodie of Christ be consecrated then ys that bodie verilie present And further yt maie be learned of this great learned and holie father that the ordre of preisthoode ys not to be contemned but reuerenced who Preistes aught to be reuerēced for their ordre and office with a maner of speache of vehemencie saieth God forbidde that I shoulde speake anie euell of them c. By whiche maner of speache he noteth yt to be a greate crime to speake euell of them The causes why he wolde not speake euell of them be that they succeade the Apostles in office whiche ys an high degree and that the worke of their ministraciō ys great and that they do consecrate the bodie of Christe And nowe that this noble mā hath so plainlie opened the treuthe enacted Chrysostom his woorthinesse of learning holinesse constancie and auncientie and receaued of the one side of Christes Parliament house we will also heare what one of the other side will saie Whiche shall be golden mouthed Chrisostome who ys wourthie so to be called for the golden sentences that proceade oute of his mouthe Who also ys woorhie to be beleued not onelie for his holinesse and great learning But also for his constancie of faith and auncientie in time Who being in the time of the heresie of the Arriās aboute the yeare of Christe 350 and therfore aboute 1200 yeares a gone gaue no place to yt neither for Princes neither for the losse of his Bishopperick neither for banishment neither for anie persecucion that did come to him for his constancie in faithe but stood immoueable inflexible and streight vpright by the right piller of trueth Wherfore we maie conceaue a good opinion of him that he will doo and hath doen the like in teachinge vs the matter that we nowe seke Let vs therfore heare Thus he saieth Sed per hoc etiam aliud maius beneficium monstrabatur quòd ille agnus futuri agni fuit typus ille sanguis dominici sanguinis monstrabat aduentum ouis illa spiritalis ouis Omel. de prodi Juda. fuit exemplū Ille agnus vmbra fuit Hic veritas Sed postquam sol iusticia radiauit vmbra soluitur luce ideò in ipsa mensa vtrūque Pascha typi veritatis celebratu est Nā sicut pictores pingendam tabulam vestigijs quibusdam adumbrare solent et sic colorū varietate perficere ita Christus fecit in mensa typū Paschae descripsit et Pascha veritatis ostendit Vbi vis paremus tibi comedere Pascha Iudaicum Pascha erat sed vmbralumini cedat aduectata imago veritate superetur But by that also an other great benefitte was shewed that that lambe was a figure of the lambe to come and that bloode declared the cominge of our Lordes bloode and that shepe was an exāple of the spirituall shepe That lābe was a shaddow This lābe the trueth But after that the Sūne of righteousnes shewed furth his beames the The olde Paschal lambe a shaddowe oure lambe the trueth shadowe ys put awaie with the light And therfor in that tablebothe the passeouers both of the figure ād of the trueth were celebrated For as the painters are wont to shaddowe the table that ys to be paincted with certain signes and lineamentes and
eating the olde Paschall Lambe and the beginning of the newe testament with the newe Paschall Lambe Which Paschall Lambe how yt was and what yt was and how yt ys wrought ād made he leaueth yt not vndeclared He tooke bread saieth he mening Chryst and brake yt and gaue yt to his disciples saing Take eate This ys my bodie And that he might leaue no place to the enemies to misconstrue him and to wrest him to their pourpose he addeth the probacion of yt by the powre of God in other of hys workes which ys also a most plain declaracion of hys faith That as God by his woorde made heauen and earth and all thinges in Chryst turned the bread into his bodie and the wyne and water into his blood them conteined So by his woorde saing Thys ys my bodie yt ys euen so made in dede as yt ys saied For can not he saieth Damascen make the bread his bodie and the wine and water his bloode Which woordes being so plain nede no in terpretaciō For he affirmeth that God by hys woord and allmightie powre dothe make the bread his bodie and the wine and water his bloode And wher the Aduersarie hath against this saied that he doubteth not of the power of God but that he ys able to do yt yf he will or yf yt be his pleasure but we finde not saieth he in the scripture that his pleasure ys that the preist pronouncing the woordes shoulde by gods power consecrate the bodie of Chryste This ys their ignoraunt scruple But if they had leuing all arrogancie mekelie consulted with thys Damascē they shoulde haue fownd yt in the scripture that Gods pleasure ys that the bodie of Chryste shoulde be consecrated by the poower of God and by the preist as his mynister For God saieth Damascen Chryst commaunded his bodie to be cōsecrated saied at the beginning Let the earth bring furth grene herbe and vntill this time the earth being holpen with Godes commaundement doth bringe furth fruict God saied This ys my bodie this ys my bloode this doe ye in remembrance of me And by his allmightie commaundement yt ys so made Note then that when Chryst by his powre had of bread made his bodie for he saied yt was his bodie and his saing ys making Then he gaue commaundement to his mynistres saing Hoc facite This doo ye by the whiche allmightie commaundement saieth Damascen yt ys doen. But nowe when the scripture ys produced and laied before their face hauing no good will to accept the trueth they procead to questioning and aske howe How the question of the faithlesse aūswered proue ye that Chryst by these woordes commaunded the consecracion THE ONE AND TWENTETH CHAPITER CONcludeth this matter of the figure of the paschall lambe by Haymo and Cabasila THe nombre ys great that might be called oute of this lower house whiche for that yt wolde make thys rude worke to growe into to great a volume I will content my self and staie after I haue brought furth one coople mo and so leaue this figure The first of theise shall be Haymo for that he ys the elder being aboute the yeare of Chryst 734. and so aboue eight hundreth yeares agon before the time of Berengarius who was the first open and notable Aduersaire of this Sacrament that laboured to take awaie the reall presence of Chryste Therfor this learned Father maie wel be cōsulted with all who being before this controuersie was moued ys to be thought to speake vpprightlie ād not parciallie In his exposition therfore vpon S. Matthew he saieth thus Coenantibus Haymo in 26. Matt. autem eis accepit Iesus panem c. Expletis solemnijs veteris Paschae transit Dominus ad sacramenta noui Paschae demonstranda Postquam coenauit dedit eis panem et vinum in mysterio videlicet corporis et sanguinis sui Quia enim panis cor hominis confirmat vinum auget sanguinem in homine meritò idem panis in carnem Domini mutatur et idem vinum in sanguinem Domini transfertur non per figuram neque per vmbram sed per veritatem Credimus enim quia in veritate caro est Christi similiter et sanguis As they were eating at Supper Iesus tooke bread c. When the Solemnities of the olde Passouer Bread and wine chaūged into the bodie and blood of Chryst not in figure but in trueth were fullfilled our Lorde goeth to shewe furthe the Sacrament of the newe Passouer After he hadde Supped he gaue them bread and wine in mysterie of his bodie and bloode For bicause bread doth strenghten the hearte of man and wine encreaseth the bloode in man the same bread ys woorthilie chaunged into the flesh of our Lorde and that same wine transferred into the bloode of our Lorde not by figure nor by shaddowe but by the verie trueth For we beleue that in trueth yt ys the flesh of Cbryst and likewise his bloode Thus farre Haymo The two principall pointes here enquired this holie Father hath agreablie bothe to the elders of the higher house and also to them of the lower house declared First hys comparing of the olde Passeouer to the newe ys easie to be perceaued And then what the newe Passeouer ys he doth most plainlie manifest Yf he had left the matter of the newe Passeouer when he had said He deliuered bread and wine in mysterie of hys bodye and bloode then the Aduersaries wolde haue vsed their accustomed violence to haue drawen him by force to be a wittnesse of their syde I saie by force bicause this Authour not mening as they do as after yt shall appeare yet they wolde with great boast haue saied that he had mened as they doo Heretiques how they alleage the Fathers Which maner of doinge Reader ys their cōmō practise For wher they in their workes alleage the holie Fathers they alleadge thē in doubtful places wher they vse the common termes of Sacrament mysterie and soch other whiche when controuersie and contencion ys raised by wicked men maie Sacramētaries can not bring one Father teaching the Sacrament to be only a figure be drawen to either parte Albeit the Authours intended and ment but the onelie one true waie of Chrystes trueth and faith as this Authour nowe alleaged did But gentle reader yf thow perusest their bokes and findest that they bring anie allowed Authour saing by expresse woordes and plain sentence that the Sacrament ys but a figure or a sign or by plain deniall shall saie that Chrystes bodie ys not in the Sacrament reallie or in verie dede we shall yelde and geue them the victorie for certen I am that they can not But on our syde that ys on the parte of the catholique faithe of Chrystes Churche ye shall heare a nombre that by expresse woordes shall affirme the verie presence of Chrystes bodie of whiche nōbre ye haue allreadie heardsome And by like expresse woordes shall denie that yt
for to kepe women the people as sainct HieroÌ„ saieth they should But bicause these high fuÌ„ctioÌ„s and the keping of womeÌ„ caÌ„ notioin together raither theÌ„ they will put awaie ther womeÌ„ they haue deuised to putte awaie the coÌ„secracion of the bodie of Chryst and the sacrifice also whiche they shoulde offer Of whiche matter for that yt ys impertinente to my pourpose I will not speake but ouerpasse yt and not medle withall Nowe haue ye here heard one wittnesse of the one side of the higher house of Parliament reporting the trueth of this matter We will heare one of the other side and of the lower house to reporte the same trueth who shall be Damascen Thus he saieth Hunc panem panes figurabant propositionis This Li. 4. c. 14. de orthodox sid bread mening the bodie of Chryst in the Sacrament did the Shew bread figure That he speake of the bodie of Chryst the learned reader shall sooen perceaue if he will peruse this place in Damascen wher he shall finde that after he moste plainly had affirmed the verie reall presence of Chrystes bodie in the SacrameÌ„t by the woordes of our Sauiour Chryst in the vj. of Iohn and in the other Euangelistes he cometh to exhortacion for the wourthie receauing of the same saing thus Proinde cum omni timore conscientia pura indubitabili fide accedamus veneremur ipsum omni puritate animi corporis Accedamus ei desiderio ardenti manus in modum crucis formantes crucifixi corpus suscipiamus Therfor let vs comme to yt with all feare Dam. ibi and pure conscience and with a sure faith and let vs woorshippe him whith all puritie of minde and bodie Let vs go to him whith burning desire fashioning our handes in maner of a crosse let vs receaue the body of him that was crucified And after a fewe scriptures alleaged he speaketh the woordes whiche I before recited that the Shewe bread did figure this bread Wherby yt ys euident that he meneth that he Shewe bread was a figure not of a figure but of Chryst him self who promised that the bread that he wolde geue shoulde be his flesh whiche flesh he wolde geue for the life of the woorlde Ioan. 6. THE THREE AND TWENTHETH CHAPIT ceadeth in the proof of the same by S. Augustine and Isychius ALthough the Authours alleaged might suffice for the declaracion and proof of this matter nowe entreacted of yet for the ful contentacion of the reader some mo shall be brought to make the thing more plain and the truthe more certen The first of these shall be sainct Augustin who saied thus Dicit cessisse pani pecus tanquam nesciens tunc in Domini mensa panes Propositionis poni solere et nunc Ad Casulanum epist. â—6 se de agni immaculati corpore partem accipere Dicit cessisse poculo sanguine non cogitans et nuncse accipere in poculo sanguineÌ„ Quanto ergo melius et congruentius vetera transisse et noua in Christo facta esse sic diceret vt cederet altare altari gladius gladio ignis igni panis pani pecus pecori sanguis sanguini Videmus in ijs omnibus carnalem vetustatem spiritali cedere nouitati He saieth that the beast hath geuen place to the breade as though he knewe not that euen then the Shew breades were wounte to be putte vpon the table of our lorde and that nowe he dothe take parte of the bodie of that vndefiled lambe He saied that bloode hathe geuen place to the cuppe not remembring that he also nowe doth receaue blood in the cuppe Howe moche better therfor and more agreablie shoulde he saie that the olde are goen and new be made in Chryst so as the Altar gaue place to the Altar the swoord to the swoorde fire to fire breade to breade beast to beast bloode to bloode We doo see in all these the carnall oldenesse to geue place to the spirituall newenesse Thus farre S. Augustin In these woordes S. Augustin correcting the euell saing of one that saied that in the coming of the newe Testament the Sacrifices of the olde lawe whiche were doen in beastes as sheepe laÌ„bes kiddes heckfers oxeÌ„ and soche other did geue place to breade meening the Sacrament dothe declare that these proprelie did not geue place to yt As though he should saie that these beastes wer not figures of the SacrameÌ„t but of the blooddie Sacrifice of Chryst offred vppoÌ„ the cross after the maner of AaroÌ„ But he saieth the shew breads gaue place to our bread And therfore he saieth that the Aduersarie saing that the beastes gaue place to bread he spake yt as though he knew not that the Shewe breades were wount to be putte vpon the table of our Lord mening that the Shew breades were a figure of the Sacrament And therfore when the truth came those breades as the figure must nedes geue place to the true bread which ys Chryst in the blessed Sacrament And therfore S. Augustin teaching this man to make due applicacion of eche figure to the thing figured saieth that he should better haue saied that the Altar gaue place to the Altar signifieng that the Altar of the Iewes was a figure of the Altar of the Chrystians and that bread gaue place to breade signifieng that the Shew bread was a figure of our blessed breade Obiection oute of S. Augustin But here perchaunce the Aduersarie will saie that sainct Augustin calleth the Sacrament but breade mening that the Shew bread was a figure of the Sacramentall breade I wolde to God the Aduersarie who being aduersarie to Gods trueth ys most aduersarie to hys owne sowles health wolde in soche sentences of holie Fathers as narrowlie looke and espie the trueth whiche they do teache as he dothe for some one woorde to make some apparant shew to maintein his heresie and false doctrine Answer Trueth yt ys that S. Augustin doth call yt bread to shewe the iust applicacion of the figure to the thing figured That bread was the figure of bread for outwardlie yt appeareth bread and inwardlie yt ys the true breade that ys the bread of life But marke sainct Augustin well and ye shall haue nede of no expositour to knowe his faith and mening in this saing For in the beginning he saieth that the beast hath geuen place to the bread as though he knewe not that the shewe breades were wount to be sett vpon the table of our Lorde and that nowe he doth take parte of the bodie of the vndefiled lambe to whiche bodie and not to sacramentall bread the Shewe bread gaue place Note well sainct Augustin therefor here that speaking what thing he dothe receaue doth saie not sacramentall breade but the bodie of the vndefiled lambe which ys the lambe that tooke awaie the sinnes of the worlde So that which he first called bread nowe he calleth yt the bodie of the vnde filed lambe who ys the
pretence of Gods woorde and his trueth I am lothe to entre any further in the opening of the rebelliouse diuisions sectes and factions that be emonge them And they be so manie as wolde require a iust volume to sette them furth soch ys the consent agreemeÌ„t and obedience emong them selues wiche ys euen the iust plague of God For as man falling from the obedience of God fownde by Gods permission a merueillouse rebellion in his owne bodie and membres So these men falling from the obedience of God in his Church fall to continuall disobedience and implacable rebellion among them selues But ther was a Churche before Luther began his malignant Churche whiche former Churche being fownded vpon Christe continueth for that yt ys builded vpon à surestone And this ys that Churche that must be hearde and obeied Against thys Churche Berengarius as before ys saied began Bâ—reÌ„garius Wicleff Hus. to be disobedient but he humbled him self and desired to be restored again Wiclefand Husse also rebelled and moued warre but they coulde not preuaill And allthough for our sinnes God suffred the Philystines nowe to make warre against Israell as he did against the carnall Israell yet nothing mistrusting his mercie and hauing sure affiance in his promesse that Portae inferi non Math. 16. praeualebunt aduersus eaÌ„ the gates of hell shall not preuaill against his Churche I doubte not but he will at his mercifull pleasure looke vpon yt and send peace to yt And nowe to return to that from which I haue a litle digressed I saie I do regarde the sentence of the Churche for yt ys terrible to be cutte of from that mysticall bodie of Chryst and to be made a dead membre like vnto a rotten or dead sticke meit for no pourpose but to be cast in the fire and burnt Perchaunce the aduersarie will saie he feareth not to dissent from the Churche wher the Church dissenteth from the Scripture as yt doth in this Jssue ioined with the proclamer touching reseruacion matter of reseruacion Yere will I again ioin yssue with the proclamer that if he can bring any plain scripture catholique Doctour or Councell that by expresse woordes forbiddeth reseruacion I will subscribe and come to him Yf he can bringe â— one soche what shamelesse rashnesse ys yt for him to calumniate the Churche for that thing for the whiche he hath no good warrant Ys he so imperiall ouer the Churche that he maie and will haue yt to leaue of reseruacion of the Sacrament at his pleasure which yt hath vsed from the beginning an can shewe no scripture no catholique Doctour no auncient Councel that forbiddeth yt Ys this woorde of the disciples of Pythagoras ipse dixit he saied yt a sufficient warrant for vs Shall we so lightlie cast awaie the orders rites Auncient and godlie customes are not to be left for the bare saing of à ProtestaÌ„t customes and maners of so long time receaued vsed and through all the Churche frequented for soche mens bare woorde Yf he finde any thing amisse let him reforme yt by scriptures Doctours or Councells and we shall heare otherwise yt shall be more easey for the Churche to repell his obiections then yt shall be for him to proue them And methinke nay I do not onelie thynk yt but I saie yt ys a shame for him to enterprise soche prohibition and to crie out vpon the Churche as though she had committed most high treason against God aswell in other thinges as in the vse of reseruacio whiche ye haue hearde to be coÌ„maunded by decrees with in these nine hondreth yeares made to be continued as yt was vsed in the primitiue Churche and by the space of manie yeares after and to bring no peice of lawe to charge her by and iustlie to proue that she hathe offended THE SIXE AND TWENTETH CHApit aunswereth the cheis obiection of the aduersaries YF anie thing maie be obiected against reseruacion of the SacrameÌ„t this ys yt whiche ys Achilles with them and euen ther common argument aswell against reseruacion as other rites and orders of the Churche in the ministration of the Sacraments In the institution of the Sacrament ther ys no mencion made of reseruacion wher for saie they yt aught not to be vsed Will ye see the great force of this argument Ther ys no mencion made ProtestaÌ„ts argumeÌ„t es of negatiues eluded of praier in the institution of the Sacrament of Baptisme when Chryst was baptised Ergo ther aught to be no praier made in the ministration of yt nowe Again ther ys no mencion made of the Baptising of children in the institucioÌ„ of Baptisme Ergo children aught not to be chrystened Ther were no wittnesses as godfathers or godmothers to Chryste Ergo ther aught none to be in the ministracion of Baptisme to children Ther is no mencion made of this terme Sacrament as calling Babtisme or the Supper of our lorde a Sacrament Ergo they ought not so to be called Likwise ther ys no mencion made of praiers in the institucion of the Supper of our lorde Ergo ther aught none to be said at the ministracion ther of Ther is no mencion made that any women were at Chrystes Supper Ergo ther aught no women to come to the communion Ther is no mencion made in the institucion of the The proclaemer vseth the same maner of disputacioÌ„ he denieth all and proueth nothing Sacrament that yt shoulde be done in the daie time Ergo yt ought not so to be doen. And a great nombre of soche might in this wise be inferred wher by yt dothe well appeare howe fonde the argument ys And yet this ys a common and inuincible maner of argument with these people For in other matters they vse yt thus Ther is no mencion of purgatorie in the scripture Ergo ther ys none Ther ys no mencion in the scripture to praie for the dead Ergo they are not to be praied for There ys no mencion in scripture of the inuocacion of sainctes Ergo rhey are not to be praied vnto Ther ys prescribed no daies of fasting in the scripture Ergo we are not bownde to fast This ys the maner of disputacion of that Schoole But to ioine with theÌ„ in the solucioÌ„ of their argumeÌ„t Ther be thre maner Three maner of doinges as touching the Scripture of doinges as concerning the Scripture One ys to do so moche as the Scriture biddeth An other to do against that the Scripture biddeth The thirde ys to do something besides that the Scripture biddeth As concerning the first wher Chryst toke bread and made yt his bodie and wine and made yt his bloode And commaunded them to be eaten and dronken in the remembrance of his passion and death Yf the true chrystian to whom Authoritie ys geuen doth take the like matter of bread and wine and doth consecrate yt according to Chrystes commaundement Hoc facite This daye and so eate yt and drinke yt in the
to the Heb. of the sacrifice and choose to speake of that that moost manifestlie and also inuinciblie proued the excellencie of Chryst and his preistheade aboue the preist and preisthead of the lawe And therfor emong other pointes declaring the excellencie of Chryst as that he was made a preist with an othe other withoute an othe last as the cheifest he reherseth his eternitie saing Among them meening the preistes of Aaron manie were made preistes bycause they were not suffred to endure by reason of deathe But this man bycause he endureth euer he hath an euerlasting preistheade Wherfore he ys able also euer Heb. 7. to saue them to the vttermost that come vnto God by him Seing he euer liueth to make intercession for vs. Thus nowe ye maie perceaue that the obiection of the Aduersarie ys aunswered when saincte Paules principall entente ys once knowen Yf by the sacrifice of Melchisedech the excellencie of Chryst might as well haue appeared to the Hebrues who as yet were soche as Quibus lacte opus erat non solido cibo whiche had neade of milke not strong meate and coulde not beare the mysteries of our faith as by his eternitie be you well assured Saincte Paule wolde not haue omitted yt But bycause in the conceit of the Hebrues their sacrifices appeared to them more gloriouse and more excellent then the sacrifice of Melchisedech therfore saincte Paule did not speake of yt But yet the Aduersarie who can not ceasse to impugne the trueth when he seeth that he can not preuaill with his first obiection he hathe inuented an other whiche ys soche one as men ouercommed with furie and malice do make Whose reason and knowledge being obscured do speake they cannot tell what and in that rage vtter as soen a falsehood as a trueth and hauing no sownde Iudgemēt saie good ys euell and euell ys good darkenesse light and light darkenesse Their obiection ys this Melchisedech saie they did not offer bread and wine in sacrifice but he Obiection of the Aduersaries mett with Abrahā retourning from the slaugter of the Kinges and brought furth bread and wine as yt were to welcome Abraham homewarde from the battaill For the scripture saie they hath not in that place of Genesis the woorde offerre to offer but proferre to bring furth For the text ys At verò Melchisedech Rex Salem proferens panem vinum And Melchisedech king of Salem brought furth bread and wine and blessed him This obiection ys so vain that yt ys raither woorthy to be exploded then Thanswere with penne to be remembred raither to be laught and hissed at of the children in the schooles then to be answered and solued Notwithstanding that the vanitie of the same maie the better appeare to the reader and that he also maie be satisfied yt shall be answered both by Scriptures and also by the eldest and noblest learned men of Chrystes Parliament house Yt ys manifest by that that ys aboue saied that one of the partes of the function of a preist ys to offer sacrifice Nowe for asmoche as the Scripture when yt saied that Melchisedech brought furth bread and wine and immediatelie added For he was the preist of the most high God what dependance ys ther of this one parte of this scripture to the other or why shoulde this that he was the preist of the most high God be added as the cause why he brought furth bread and wine but that he as the preist of God had sacrificed that that he brought furth What direct cause ys yt that Melchisedech bycause he was the preist of the most high God shoulde bring furth bread and wine Yt ys nothing perteigning to the preistheade to bring furth bread and wine in the absolute or bare respecte of bread Yt perteined not to Melchisedech his preisthead to bringfurth but to offre bread and ctine and wine but in the respecte that bread and wine were the thinges that he did vse in sacrifice whiche he had at that time offred to God for a thankes geuing for the victorie of Abraham so yt apperteineth to the preisthead And this parte of the text for he was the preist of the most hig God maie very well be added as the cause as in verie dede yt ys Otherwise the bringing furth of bread and wine ys not apperteining to the Preisthead neither to be the preist of the most high God ys or can be the directe and propre cause of the bringing furth of bread and wine This vnderstanding the verie connexion of the scripture and dependēce of the same enfortceth vs to take and none other can be admitted And thus the scripture taken in his owne natiue sense and then to saie he brought furth bread and wine doth nothing improue the sacrificing of Melchisedech in bread and wine as more at large yt shall appeare to yowe when we come to heare the Fathers Nowe for somoche as Melchisedech did sacrifice in bread and wine and to sacrifice ys one of the essentiall and necessarie partes of preisthead and Chryst ys a preist after the order of Melchisedech of necessirie he must then doo sacrifice withe bread and wine This necessitie sainct Paule affirmeth to the Hebrues Omnis namque Pontifex ad offerenda munera hostias constituitur vnde necesse est hunc habere quod offerat Euery high preist saieth he ys ordeined to offer giftes and sacrifices wherfor yt ys of necessitie that this man also haue somwhat to offer Chryste then beinge a preist after the ordre of Melchisedech must nedes haue somwhat to offer after the maner of that order But we neuer redde that he made anie mo oblacions then two The one was vpon the crosse Chryst executed his preisthead after the ordre of Aaron upon the Crosse but after the ordre of Melchisedech in his Last supper when he offred his owne bodie to be slain and that oblation was after the maner of Aaron The other in his last supper wher we must nedes confesse except we will saie that Chryst altogether neclected the preisthead appointed him of God whiche ys not to be saied that he did execute the office of his preisthead after the order of Melchisedech when taking bread and wine he said to his Apostles Take eate this ys my bodie Take and drinke this ys my bloode Yf not then let the Aduersarie shewe when and wher Chryst did sacrifice after the ordre of Melchisedech Yf he did neuer sacrifice after that ordre then ys yt not true that he was a preist after that order for somoche as one cheif parte and office of preisthead standith in sacrificing But vndoubtedlie he a was preist after that order and in his last supper he shewed him self so to be When vnder the formes of bread and wine he offred his owne bodie and blood an vnbloodie sacrifice after the order of Melchisedech And thus moche for the proof of this matter by the Scripture THE NINE AND
rites and sacrifices of the Chrystians Among theise Ceremonies what ys ther that can be proprely called the pure or clean sacrifice but the pure sacrifice of Chrystes bodie and blood whiche as befor ys saied ys a pure sacrifice in yt self ād of yt self and ys able to purifie all other That the bodie and blood of Chryste be a sacrifice among the chrystians S. Hierom in this same chapiter declareth who speaking to Bisshopps Preistes and Deacons and other that necligentlie come to the Altar of God saieth Offertis inquit super altare meum panem pollutum Polluimus panem id est corpus Christi quando indigni accedimus ad altare sordidi mundum sanguinem bibimus Ye offer saieth Allmightie God defiled bread vpon mine Altar We defile the bread that ys the bodie of Chryste saieth S. Hierom when we being vnwourthie come to the Altar and being filthie drinke the clean blood of Chryst In this exposition of S. Hierom ys geuen vs to vnderstand not S. Hierom expowndeth the scriptures contrarie to the Sacrvmētries onelie that the bodie and blood of Chryst be the sacrifice of vs that be chrystians whiche we offer vpon the Altar but also we are taught an other maner of exposition then the Aduersaries teache yea euen a clean contrarie For they where in the scriptures or doctours they reade these woordes the bodie of Chryst they expownde yt to be bread a figure of the bodie of Chryste contrarie S. Hierom declaring howe we offre defiled bread and howe we defile yt expowndeth the bread to be the bodie of Chryste Neither can the Aduersarie shifte him self from this saing of S. Hierom with the inuented glose of his owne head that we defile and doo iniurie to the bodie of Chryste when we take the Sacramēt of his bodie vnworthilie For he doth not onelie saie that by the bread ys vnderstanded the bodie of Chryst but he also by most plain woordes saieth that we drinke his blood He doth not saie that we defile the bloode of Chryste when we drinke the Sacramentall wine but he saieth we defile the bloode of Chryst when we being defiled doo drinke the same So that by sainct Hierō we doo not take one thing ād doo iniurie to an other but receauing a pure thing whē we be defiled we doo iniurie to the same Wherfore receauing the bread that ys the bodie of Chryst we doo iniurie to the same receauing yt vnwourthilie and drinking the pure blood of Chryst we doo iniurie to the same yf we receaue yt being vnpure our vnclean our selues Yf ther were not the bodie and bloode of Chryste in the Sacramēt wolde S. Hierom who in this place taketh vpon him to be an expositour which ys to make thinges clear and plain that be darke and lie hidden wolde he trowe ye so handle the matter that the thinges he speaketh of shoulde implie more difficultie more darknesse and harder maner of vnderstanding then they had before Yf ther were not the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament S. Hierom wolde haue saied we defile the bread when we take that bread whiche ys the Sacrament of Chrystes bodie vnwourthilie And we defile his blood when we take the Sacrament of yt vnpurely And this were the plain maner of an expositour to speake liuely and plainlie to vtter the matter with oute anie tropes or figures but saing as before ys saied and speaking yt as an expositour we must vnderstande that he teacheth that the bread on the Altar ys the bodie of Chryste and that ther ys also his very bloode whiche two be the sacrifice of the Chrystians also after the minde of S. Hierom. Damascen also breflie commeth to the point and affirmeth all that ys saied by S. Hierom. For he speaking of the verie reall presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament and teaching that yt ys the sacrifice that Malachie spake of saieth thus Haec est pura illa hostia incruenta quam ab ortu solis vsque Damasc li. 4. ca. 14. ad occasum ipsi offerri per prophetā Dominus loquitur corpus videlicet sanguis Christi in stabilimentum animae nostrae corporis inconsumptū incorruptum non in secessum abiens absit enim huiusmodi imaginatio sed in nostram sustentationem conseruationē omnimodo nocumenti reparatio sordis omnis purgatio This ys that pure sacrifice and vnbloodie that our Lorde speaketh by the Prophet to be offred to him from the rising of the sunne to the going downe of the same that ys to saie the bodie and bloode of Chryste vnto the inconsumed and incorrupted stablishment of our bodie and Sowle not going into secesse God forbidde that any soche imaginacion shoulde be but yt ys a purgacion of all maner of filth and a reparation of all maner of hurte vnto our sustentacion and conseruacion Thus Damascen this saing nede no exposition yt ys so plain that euery childe maie perceaue that the pure sacrifice that the Prophet speaketh of ys the bodie and blood of Chryst which maie not be wrested to be saied that the sacramentall Sacramētaries gloses ouerthrowen by Damascen bread as the Aduersaries terme yt ys figuratiuely the bodie of Chryste For this Authour excludeth all soche interpretacions when he saieth that the bodie and bloode he speaketh of goeth not into secesse which can not be verified of their bread whiche they saie and confesse that yt goeth into secesse Wherbie ye maie perceiue that this Authoure who ys an auncient of Chrystes Parliament house not to be contemned reported to vs that enacted trueth that Chrystes bodie and bloode be reallie in the Sacrament and that that bodie and blood ys also the sacrifice that was prphecied of the Prophet Malachie to be the Sacrifice that should succeade the sacrifice of the Iewes and to be offred vnto the God of the Chrystians wherby his blessed name shoulde be glorified among them And thus this Authour agreing which the rest alleadged for the declaracion of this matter whiche other be of the most auncient and famouse men of Chrystes Churche men of holy life of great learning and withoute corruption of iudgement methinke men shoulde raither appoint them selues to folowe their iudgements then the light and rashe sainges of soche as neither integritie of life neither incorruption of iudgement nor auncientie of time doth commende but raither the contraries of these do them discommend Nowe as ye haue hearde this prophecie So haue ye heard other Prophecies and figures that did prophecie and figurate this blessed Sacrament of Chrystes bodie and bloode duely iustlie and truelie applied to the thing In the doing wherof I claime not creditte to be geuen to me as to my self for so moche as I am in the wicked time in the time of corruption in the time of Controuersie But I claim creditte to be geuen to me for the trueths sake whiche I folowe Whiche trueth hath ben in auncient time before this time of
seruus minor patre crucifigendus sed voluntariè inquit Ego dabo carnem meam pro mundi vita Manifestlie doth Chryst speake vnto vs of the mysticall communion of hys bodie For the bread saieth he whiche I will geue yowe ys my flesh which I will geue for the life of the worlde And shewing his power that he should be crucified not as a seruaunt and lesse then the Father but willinglie he saieth I will geue my flesh for the life of the worlde Note here that Theophilacte doth not onelie folowe and agree with Chrysostome but also he semeth to signifie that yt was a clere matter a plain matter a matter receaued of all men of Chrystes Churche in his time withoute controuersie when he saeth that Chryst in that text spake manifestly of the communion of his bodie A merueilouse matter that that Chryst did speake so manifestlie and of these Fathers was coÌ„ceaued so clerly shoulde nowe a daies be taken of these peruerters of Gods scripturs so obscurelie By this ye maie see that in the cler light they are blinde and can not see For blinde maliciouse ignorance hath vtterlie blinded them Therfore an other daie except in time they repente Sap. 5. they shall saie and lamentablie confesse as in the booke of wisdom ys saied in the persons of soch Errauimus à via veritatis et iustitiae lumeÌ„ noÌ„ illuxit nobis c. We haue erred from the waie of trueth and the light of righteousnes hath not shined to vs and the Sunne of vnderstanding rose not vppe vpon vs. We haue wearied our selues in the waie of wickednesse and destruction Tediouse waies haue we goen but as for the waie of the Lorde we haue not knowen Whiche maner of lamentacion God auerte from them and geue them grace in time to repent that the Sunne of vnderstanding maie rise vpon theme To procead and therby to trie whether soch as haue writen of late years I mene whiche were within these three hundreth years or ther aboute whiche haue ben so vilie estemed of these singular phantasied men of our time did dissent from these elders in the exposition of this scripture And whether the Church these two or three hundreth years last past did otherwise vnderstand the scriptures then the fathers did by the hearing of someone we shall perceaue And to speake here what I thinke verilie I thinke the subtle and craftie conueighance of the Aduersaries and this Proclamer also was and ys to contemne and despise these late authours first bicause they wer as they saie not cloquent and therfore Erasmus moche inueigheth against Lyra. Then these are not auncient and therfor not to be alleaged Last they open theÌ„selues a litle more and saie these authours are not to be alleaged but reiected bicause their doctrine ys not sownd but corrupted And they haue corrupted saie they and peruerted and destroied Gods woord with the inuentioÌ„s of meÌ„ And by this were al the learned writers which were within these sixe or seuen huÌ„dreth years defaced and reiected as S. Tho. Aquinas S. Bonauentura Petrus Lombardus Dionysius Carthusianus Hugo Cardinalis Holcot and N. Lyra Fathers in olde time spake of the mysteries couertlie with a great noÌ„bre mo of that age which are not esteemed nor accepted as of authoritie nor none that haue writen within the compasse of these thousand years can be allowed by some of the Aduersaries And why was this Bicause they wrote so plainlie that they coulde not be wrested As for other Fathers that were before a thousand years though manye of them did writte verie plain as occasion did serue when they did write to christen men Yet oftentimes when they did preache to the people or write to soche as were weake in faith as in those daies the Churche was mingled with those that had not receaued the faithe then bicause PerfectoruÌ„ est solidus cibus strong meat ys for them that be perfecte and Paruulis in Christo lac dandum To â—onglinges in Christe milke ys to be geuen therfore they oftentimes as yt was necessarie that the mysteries of our faithe shoulde not be vttered to them that coulde not beare them did speake of the same couertlie and closelie and therfore they were fain oftentimes to knitte vppe ther talke of the Sacrament with this or like saieng Norunt fideles the faithful do knowe And by like occasion did in manie places write obscurelie in this matter and did not so manifestlie and plainly vtter yt bicause ther was no occasion geuen them by heresie in that matter but all were of one minde in yt hauing most godlie peace and quietnes in the same And therfore the Aduersarie more delighted with obscure places which he thinketh better to drawe to his sence then the plain places whiche will Heretikes â–ª how they alleage the fathers not suffer them selues to be drawen hath laboured to reiecte soche as did write since the Churche was well settled and staied and might therfore write plainly what their faith taught them in this mysterie But cheiffie all them that did write since the time of Berengarius whiche vpon occasion of heresie were enforced to write plainly in this matter But God be praysed the eldest and auncientest Fathers haue yet in diuerse places written so moche in plain maner that yt ys able to conuince and ouerthrowe the heresies of the Aduersaries as partelie ye haue heard allreadie And yet for all the pretensed auncientie they sought refusing these learned men that were within a thousand years yet one of them wolde alleage Like to lik Zuinglius slain in a rebellioÌ„ begoÌ„ by himself an other as Bullinger alleaged Zuinglius in his exposition vpon sainct Paules epistles whiche Zuinglius was so holie and so auncient a father that he was slain in a sedicion raised by him and his disciples against the magistrates of hys contrie And this ys as good a chaung as the heretiks made in the beginning of this wicked time of heresie when they putte the holy saincte and Polycarp put out of the KaleÌ„der Martyr Policarpus that was saincte Iohn the Euangelistes disciple oute of the kalender and putt in the heretike Thomas Hutten that was bournt for heresie Nowe notwithstanding their craftie iniquitie in reiecting these good catholique authours I will vse plain simplicitie in the accepting of them that the trueth which they professe being auncient though the authours be of late daies and the consonancie of these with the most auncient authours in teaching and vttering the same trueth maie be perceaued For yf these of late yeares agree with them of the olde time in the truerh Thautoritie of late writers approued by good reasons and teache the same trueth that thother do what shoulde lette vs to heare them and accepte them Yf none shoulde be receaued but soche as were a thousand years since and soche also as be of this our time shal be refused theÌ„ preachers must ceasse For of what more
thus moche to conclude with saincte Ambrose let vs not seke the ordre of nature in Chrystes bodie but let vs seke the ordre of faithe and cleaue to that But this proclamer wolde haue some one scripture doctour or Councell that shoulde declare that Chryststes bodie ys or maie be in a thousand places or mo at one time In dede to auÌ„swer trulie I must coÌ„fesse I finde neither scripture nor doctour nor Councell teaching this matter in soche maner For ther ys not one of these that speaketh so fondlie aÌ„d so vnreuerentlie to prescribe the omnipotencie of God a certen limitacion and a stinted noÌ„bre aÌ„d that with soch a diffidencie vttered as this Proclamer saieth in a thousand places or mo signifieng therby an impossibilitie that yt ys vnpossible for Chryste to be in a thousand places at one time so in dede I finde not But I finde theÌ„ with reuerence and faith withoute prescription of nombre of places for that they leaue to Gods wil saieng and teaching that the bodie of Chryste ys in diuerse or in manie places And this gentle reader for thy satisfaction shall I by the testimonie of diuerse and manie of the most auncient Fathers laie before thee And here I confesse that this matter by learned Fathers hath ben so well laboured that I can not bring in moche more then they haue before me gathered together but that their confession of this treuth and their faith therin maie not be vnknowen to thee I will not sticke hitherto asscribe that I find collected in other raither then thowe shouldest be defrauded of so moche good knowledge and this fonde membre of this Proclamers proclamacion not fullie aunswered And first to declare and proue this matter by the scripture I saie that our sauiour Chryste taking the bread and blessing yt made yt his bodie Mat. 26. Mare 14. Luc. 22. sainge Hoc est corpus meum This ys my bodie Whiche being doen his bodie was at that time present in diuerse places as in his owne handes in the handes also of euery of his Apostles That at that time he did beare or holde him self in his owne handes saincte Augustin ys a notable wittnesse speaking of king Dauid and applieng yt to Chryste saing Et ferebatur manibus suis Hoc verò fratres quomodò August in Psalm 33. possit fieri in homine quis intelligat Quis enim portatur in manibus suis Manibus altorum potest portari homo manibus suis nemo portatur Quomodò intelligatur in ipso Dauid secundùm literam non inuenimus In Christo autem inuenimus Ferebatur enim Christus in manibus suis quando commendans ipsum corpus ait Hoc est corpus meum And he was borne in his owne handes But bretheren howe this maie be doen Chryst in his supper bare himself in his own handes in man who can vnderstand Who ys borne or caried in his owne handes A man maie be caried in the handes of other men in his owne handes no man ys borne Howe yt maie be vnderstanded in Dauid himself accordinge to the letter we finde not But that yt maie be vnderstanded in Chryste we finde For Chryst was borne in his owne handes when he geuing furth the self same bodie saied This ys my bodie Ye haue here heard sainct Augustin affirming that Chryste caried him self in his owne handes Then this must nedes folowe that the self same bodie that did bear or carie and the self same bodie that was born or caried being but the verie one bodie of Chryste was then at one time in diuerse places And the same one bodie of Chryste being geuen furth to eche of his Apostles and they sitting in diuerfe places argueth that the same one bodie of Chryste was at one time in twelue sundrie places at the least And as yt was then in so manie So maie yt be nowe in fewer or mo according to the omnipoteÌ„t pleasure of him that ys Lorde of nature and naturall ordre and ys subiecte to neither of them but ruleth and altereth them as to his wisdome semeth conuenient for the setting furth of his honour and glorie This was so well knowen and so firmelie beleued of Saincte Basill that holie Father that hereunto agreablie he praieth in his Masse thus Respice Domine Basil in sua Liturgia Plain places for the Proclamer Iesu Christe Deus noster de sancto habitaculo tuo veni ad sanctificandum nos qui sursum Patri consides hic nobiscum inuisibiliter coes Dignare manu tua sorti dare nobis sanctum intaminatum corpus tuum preciosum sanguinem per nos peccatores populo tuo Looke o Lorde Iesu Chryst our God from thy holie tabernacle and come to sanctifie vs. Which sittest aboue with thie Father and arte with vs here inuisiblie vouchesafe with thie mightie hand to geue vnto vs thy holie and vndefiled bodie and preciouse bloode and by vs sinners to thy people Chrysostome in his masse hath almost the same woordes that he praieth Respice Domine Iesu Christe Deus noster de sancto habitaculo tuo de sede gloriae regnitui Chrysâ—in sua Liturg. veni ad sanctificandum nos qui sursum cum Patre sedes deorsum nobis inuisibiliter assistis Dignare tua potenti manu tribuere nobis immaculatum corpus tuum preciosum sanguinem per nos omni populo O Lord Iesu Chryste our God looke from thy holie tabernacle and from the seat of the glorie of thy kingdom and come to sanctifie vs whiche sittest aboue with the Father and standest by vs beneath inuisiblie vouchsaif with thy mightie hande to geue vnto vs thy vndefiled bodie and preciouse bloode and by vs to all thy people These two holie Fathers what soeuer naturall reason or ordre wolde not withstanding they praied according to the ordre of faithe and therunto according they confessed and acknowledged Chryste both to be aboue with the Father and also present with vs in the Sacrament Although Chrysostom dothe so plainlie with Basill testifie the presence of Chryste both with the Father in heauen and with vs here in earth yet more plainlie he dothe wittnesse the same in an other place speaking of the sacrifice of Chrystes bodie offred in the Churche and saieth Hoc autem sacrificium Chrysost in 10. ad â—c hom 17. exemplar est illius Idipsum semper offerimus nec nunc quidem alium agnum crastma alium sed semper eundem ipsum Proinde vnum est hoc sacrificium hac ratione Alioquin quoniam in multis locis offertur multi Christi sunt Nequaquam Sed vnus vbique est Christus hic plenus existens illic plenus vnum corpus Sicut enim qui vbique offertur vnum corpus est non multa corpora ita etiam vnum sacrificium This sacrifice ys an exemplar of that that Chryste offred Euen the self same do we allwaies offer
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
possibilia sunt Deo Si enim potuit ante passionem clarificare illud sicut splendorem Solis quare non potuit post passionem ad quantam vellet subtilitatem in temporis momēto redigere vt per clausa ostia posset intrare Neither let vs geue eare to them that denie the same bodie to haue risen Christes bodie against the nature of a bodie entred through the shett doores that was putte in the graue Neither let yt moue vs that yt ys written that sodenlie he appeared to his disciples the doores being shett that therfore we shoulde denie yt to be a mans bodie bycause we see yt against the nature of this bodie to entre in through the shette doores For all thinges are possible to God For yf he coulde before his passion make yt as clear as the brightnesse of the Sunne why might he not after his passion also in a moment of time bring yt to asmoche a subtilitie as he wolde that he might entre in through the shett doores Note here in saincte Augustine that where the Aduersarie wolde not that the bodie of Chryste shoulde be in diuerse places for offending the lawe of naturall ordre he saieth that Chryst against the nature of this bodie entred in through the shett doores so that the bodie of Chryste maie not be bownde to the lawe or ordre of nature for that he ys the lord of nature not an onelie man but a person that ys God and man as Cirill saieth Clausis Cyrill in Joan. li. 12. cap. 53. foribus repentè Dominus omnipotentia sua natura rerum superata ingressus ad Discipulos est Nullus igitur querat quomodò corpus Domini ianuis clausis penetrauit cùm intelligat non de homine nudo vt modò nos sumus sed de omnipotente filio Dei haec ab Euangelista describi Nam cùm Deus verus sit rerum naturae non subiacet quod in caeteris quoque miraculis patuit The gates being shett our lorde through his omnipotencie the nature of thinges beinge ouercomed sodenly went in to his disciples Let no man therfore aske howe the bodie of our Lorde went through the gates beinge shett forasmoche Chryst ys not subiect to lawe of nature as he maie vnderstand these thinges to be described of the Euangelist not of a bare man as we be nowe but of the Allmightie Sonne of God Who forasmoche as he ys verie God ys not subiecte to the lawe of nature Whiche thing did appeare in other his miracles also Thus Cyrill Nowe ye haue heard a sufficient nombre of holy learned Fathers auouching this great miracle of Chryste not as some of the Aduersaries saie that he came into his disciples after the doores were shett after the maner of other men neither as some other of them do saie that he caused the doores or walls to open and so came in neither that an Angell did open the doores to him as to the Apostles that were in prison but that he being verie God gaue vnto that his manhead that singular subtilitie aboue all other that yt was not subiect to nature as Cirill saieth but aboue nature so farre and in soche excellent degree that yt might passe through those doores the doores not broken as saincte Ambrose saied In this matter thus moch haue I laboured both that the miraculouse worke of Chryst might not be obscured nor shadowed by the malignitie of men and also that yt might be perceaued that in the workes of Chryste we maie not so looke to the ordre of nature to naturall reason or naturall philosophie that for the mainteinaunce therof we shall denie the worke of Chryste Naturall philosophie hath manie propositions that will not stande with oure faith For naturall philosophie teacheth that mundus est perpetuus the worlde ys perpetuall or ouerlasting Faith teacheth that In principio creauit Gen. 1. Deus coelum terram In the beginninge God created heauen and earth and Psal 191. that therfore the worlde had a beginninge And yt teacheth also that yt shall haue an ende For coelum terra transibunt heauen and earth shall passe awaie Of the whiche both the Prophete saieth In principio Domine terram creasti et opera manuum tuarum sunt coelitipsi peribunt tu autem permanes c. Thowe in the beginning O Lorde didest laie the fundacion of the earthe and the heauens are the workes of thy hand They shall perish but thowe doest abide Of the whiche matter also saincte Peter maketh plain declaracion Likewise naturall philosophie teacheth quod vnum corpus non potest esse simul semel in diuersis locis that one bodie can not be at one time in diuerse places But faith teacheth vs as yt ys declared in the last chapiter that Chrystes bodie ys and maie be in diuerse places Naturall philosophie teacheth that duo corpora non possunt simul esse in vno eodem loco Two bodies can not be together in one place Yet the Scripture teacheth as ye haue heard the holie learned Fathers vnderstand them that Chrystes bodie entred in through the doore and so ther were two bodies at one time in one place Nowe therfore forasmoch as these two that ys that the bodie of Chryste ys in diuerse places and that the bodie of Chryste and the doore that he entred through were in one place be the workes of God let vs in the consideracion of them forgett naturall philosophie and remembre faith That these appertein to faith yt ys proued by a nombre of the holie Fathers and both these be acknowledged of them to be miraculouse workes of Chryste aboue nature And as these workes were verilie doen by Chryste So ys the other mencioned in the chapiter before doen by Chryste Wherfore chrystian reader weigh well what in these two chapiters ys saied howe many holie and learned Fathers be alleaged howe plainlie they testifie the matter and haue regarde to them staie thy self by them and be not caried awaie with them that haue nothing to confirme their doctrine but naturall philosophie For as touching the matter spoken of in this chapiter let the Aduersatie bring anie one sufficient Authour that shall by expresse woordes teache the contrarie and I will ioin with him THE TWELVETH CHAPITER AVNSWERETH certain obiections that seme to impugne the catholique doctrine of this matter THere ys nothing so true in all our holie faith but some heresie Nothing so true but he resie maie impugne yt Deut. 6. Heresies against God and euerie person in the trinitie maie be fownde to against saie yt and argumētes deuised to impugne yt Yt ys a most a certen trueth that ther ys but one God the scripture saieng Deus noster Deus vnus est Owre God ys one God Yet ther were that taught that ther̄ were two Gods as Apelles and Manichaeus Who taught that ther was a good God and an euell And for the mainteinaunce of this their heresie had
the bodie of the Sonne of God Whiche for that yt ys so yt passeth by infinitie degrees the state and condicion of one of our bodies Wherfore methinke the Aduersaries be to streict yea and cruell to the bodie of Chryste that wher for causes aboue saied yt ys so excellent a bodie and yet for our sakes he made himself obedient to death euen to the death of the crosse they will for all this excellencie geue vnto yt no more prerogatiue nor preuilege then they will do to an other bodie whiche ys an iniurie to that blessed bodie I wish that the Aduersaries should not onelie after the counsell of Cyrille thinke that yt ys the bodie of the Sonne of God and leaue yt as a naturall bodie ioined to the Godhead but also consider the singular prerogatiues that yt hathe by the same coniunction to the Godhead And then shall they see howe that bodie maie aboue the comon condicion of other bodies through the power of the Godhead be in sundrie places Although yt be not apperteining to the bodie of a man to geue life yet Cyrill saieth that the bodie of Chryste for that yt ys ioined to that whiche Cyrill in 6. foā ca. 14. ys life yt geueth life Thus he speaketh yt Quoniā Saluatoris caro Verbo Dei quod naturaliter vita est coniūcta viuifica effecta est quādo eā comedimus tunc vitā habemus in nobis illi coniūcti quae vita effecta est Bicause the flesh of our sauiour ioined to the Sonne of God whiche ys naturallie life ys made able to geue life when we eate that flesh then haue we life in vs being ioined to that flesh whiche ys made life See this great prerogatiue that Cyrill geueth to the fleshe of Chryste for that yt ys ioined to the Godliead Yf yt haue prerogatiue to geue life to them that receaue yt can not God geue a lesse prerogatiue to yt to be in diuerse places Obiection Perchaunce yt maie be saied to me that God can thus do but we finde not that he doth yt Answer To the former parte of this obiection I saie that yf the Aduersaries thought that God coulde do yt then the Proclamer was to blame to speake of Chrystes being in a thousand places or mo as therbie to signifie an impossibilitie Again Oecolampadius wolde not laboure to bringe in so manie inconueniences vpon yt yf yt appeared possible to him To the second parte I saie that yt ys sufficientlie shewed allreadie that Chryst caused his bodie to be in diuerse places at one time and that the holie Fathers of Chrystes Churche yea and that a good nombre teach some of them that he ys both in heauen with his Father and also in earth in the Sacrament some that he ys in manie places as yt ys declared in the tenth chapiter And thus although the scriptures alleaged by Oecolampadius seem yf a man will onelie lean to naturall philosophie to be against the faith that the catholique Churche teacheth yet when those scriptures be compared to other scriptures and the Fathers well weighed and vnderstanded and the omnipotencie of God considered and the excellencie of the bodie of Chryste remembred yt shall be perceaued that the Scriptures be not against vs neither we against them For they saie that Chryste ys in heauen and so saie we and yet neuerthelesse we saie that he ys in the Sacrament and so saie they Yf the Scriptures that be alleaged had saied that Chryst ys in heauen onelie and can be in no other place then the Aduersarie might haue triumphed But saing that he ys in heauen withoute anie exclusiues or exceptiues ther ys no deniall implied in that his being to a chrystian man but that he maie be beleued to be also in the Sacrament And this I trust maie suffice to aunswer all the Scriptures that be or can be produced of the being of Chryste in heauen as therby to exclude and denie his presence in the Sacrament Ther ys made an other obiection oute of saincte Augustine who writeth thus Cauendum est ne ita Diuinitatem astruamus hominis vt veritatem auferamus August ad Dardanum corporis Non est autem consequens vt quod in Deo est ita sit vbique vt Deus We must beware that we do not so affirme the deitie of man that we take awaie the veritie of the bodie For yt ys no consequent that that which ys in God shoulde so be euery wher as God ys Again in the same place Iesus vbique per id quod Deus est in coelo autem per id quod homo Iesus by that that he ys God ys euery where by that that he ys man he ys in heauen For aunswere to these places of Sainct Augustin first vnderstand that S. Augustin his place to Dardan declared one Dardanus wrote to Sainct Augustine to dissolue this question whether Chrystes manhead for that yt was vnited to the Godheade in vnitie of person was euerie whear as his Godhead ys For aunswere to whiche question emong other thinges S. Augustin wrote the propositions which Oecolampadius alleageth against Chrystes being in the Sacrament and in heauen for that by his iudgement his bodie can not be in two places at one time Wherfore firste I wish yow to note that S. Augustin in that epistle not speaking of the Sacrament the sentences alleaged make not against the matter And although thys might suffice yet for the better vnderstanding of the matter more shall be saied Wherfore that a thing maie be at one time in manie places vnderstand that yt maie be twoo waies One thing in manie places at one time two waies Hiere 23. Esai 66. The one ys by nature the other by gifte By nature to be in manie or all places at one time yt apperteineth onelie to God who by hys immensitie ys euery where so that ther ys no place in heauen in hel in earth or in the waters in the which God ys not And therfore he saieth Ego coelum terram impleo I fill bothe heauen and earth And again Coelum mibi sedes est terra autem scabellum pedum meorum Heauen ys my seat and the earth ys my foote stoole After this sorte that ys by nature no creature can be in all places but onelie God Wherfore Didymus by this did well make his argument to proue the holie Goste to be God bicause of hys owne nature he ys euery wher and so Didym de Spiritu S. can no creature be The other waie that a thing maie be in manie places not by nature but by the gifte of God maie be in man For nothing being vnpossible to God yt ys then possible to him to geue hys gifte to hys creature that yt maie be in manie and diuerse places at once which maner of being ys in the Manhead of Chryst which man head hath yt not of the own nature to be in manie places at one time but by the
withall we beleue that his Godhead ys euery wher Yt ys not denied but declared aboue also that the bodie of Chryst in whiche he did rise maie be in one place So that we dissent not one title from sainct Augustin For though the bodie of Christe maie be in one place yet yt ys not enforced that yt must of necessitie be in one place Nowe gentle Reader thowe hauest seen the trueth of this matter testified by wittnesses sufficient thow hauest seen the obiections of the Aduersaries â—ullie dissolued I wish thee nowe soche faith as Abraham had wherbie he was iustified Who hearing the promisse of God that his seed shoulde be as the starres of heauen and Sandes of the Sea fainted not in faith nor yet considered Gen. 13. 15. Rom. 4. hys owne bodie whiche was nowe dead euen when he was almost an hondreth yeares olde neither yet that Sara was past childe bearing he staggered not at that promisse of God through vnbelief but became strong in faith and gaue God the praise being full certified that he whiche had promised was also able to make yt good that thow likewise knowing by faith whiche thowe hauest learned of the Fathers as they haue learned the same of the verie woorde of God that Chrystes blessed bodie ys in the Sacrament and also in heauen consider not nowe the naturall ordre of thinges as Abraham did not neither of hys owne bodie neither of hys wieues but become strong in faith and faint not neither stagger at the promisse of God through vnbelief But consider and be fullie certified that Chryste who hath spoken and saied This ys my bodie ys able to make yt Naturall ordre had no place in manie of Chrystes doinges good And he that against the ordre of nature began ths life of man for that he was born of a virgen and against the same ordre withoute enforcement gaue vppe his owne soule and died at his owne pleasure and that crieng with a great voice and likewise contrarie to the same nature rose from death the third daie passing through the stone for that hys monument was â—ast closed aÌ„d the eight daie after as yt ys testified passed through the doores into his disciples and finallie ending hys a boade vpon earth besides nature ascended into heauen that he appointing hys bodie to be here in the Sacrament and in heauen also ys so to be beleued though naturall ordre repeine For seing he hath so appointed yt ys so in verie dede THE THIRTENHT CHAPITER BEGINNETH THE exposition of an other text in the sixt of S. Iohn I Will nowe leaue this matter of Chrystes being in manie places as sufficientlie treacted of and proued and return to the sixt chapiter of S. Iohn and entre the exposition of the text ther ensewing whiche ys this Dixit ergo eis Iesus Amen Amen dico vobis nisi manducaueritis carnem filij hominis biberitis eius sanguinem non habebitis vitam in vobis Iesus therfor saied vnto them Verilie Verilie I saie vnto yowe except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke hys blood Ioan. 6. ye shall haue no life in yowe Wheras the Iews through vnbelief thought yt an vnpossible thing for Christ to geue his flesh to be eaten Chryst here aunswering theÌ„ declareth yt to be possible and necessarie to be doen yea and so necessarie that except we eate his flesh and drinke his bloode we shal not haue life For as man concerning his naturall life must haue two thinges necessarie to life that ys birth to beginne and entre life and then foode to nourish and maintein the same with out the whiche yt can not be continued So as concerning the spirituall life man must haue accordinglie his birth and foode birth to be born and entre into that life whiche birth ys baptisme whiche ys of soche necessitie that as he speaketh heare of the necessitie of the foode so speaketh he of the necessitie of this birthe saing to Nicodemus Amen Amen dico tibi nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua et Spiritu sancto non potest introire in regnuÌ„ Dei Verilie verilie Joan. 3. I saie vnto thee Except a man be born again of water and the holie Gost he can not entre into the kingdom of God Nowe when man by Baptisme ys born in to the spirituall life and hath begon yt he must nedes haue foode to sustein the same or ells he shall not continewe life whiche foode ys the bodie and blood of Chryste a foode by Chryste himself appointed whiche yf we take not we can not liue And therfore he saieth Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke hys bloode ye shall not haue life in yowe Hitherto the Aduersarie will agree with me expownding all that ys saied in his sense of spirituall eating and drinking of the flesh and blood of Chryste with whoÌ„ I will thus farre agree also that soche as be of mature age and Corporall eating with out the spiritual eating auaileth not haue atteigned to the yeares of discrecion except they eate the flesh of Chryst and drinke hys bloode spirituallie they shall not liue For the corporall eating withoute the spirituall eating ys not auailable But both these together nourishe life in man and make him lustie and stronge in God But that this texte extendeth not the necessitie therin mencioned to the corporall eating and drinking of Chrystes flesh and blood also which thys Aduersarie affirmeth that ys vntrue He wolde haue no other receauing of Chryste but the spirituall receauing bicause he wolde haue no other presence but the spirituall presence but that this texte speaketh also of the corporall eating and receauing of the reall and substanciall bodie of Chryste in the Sacrament the connexion and dependence of the Scriptures do proue For the first sainge of Chryste whiche we haue allready expownded that the bread whiche he wolde geue ys hys flesh c. speaketh of Chrystes naturall flesh to be geuen in the Sacrament as ys allready declared and sufficientlie proued And this texte speaketh of the same flesh as the connexion well proueth Wherfore Chryste here speaketh also of the corporall eatinge of hys flesh in the Sacrament The necessitie of whiche eating ys soche that yf we contemne that eating of yt being as ys saied of mature age and discrecion we shall not haue life But that yt maie appeare that the Church through oute all ages hath eueÌ„ thus vnderstanded this texte as I do I will conuerte me to the ordre that I haue prescribed to my self to heare the great auncient men and learned Fathers of both sides of Chrystes Parliament house both of the greke and of the latin Churche And although yt might suffice for the vnderstanding of all that ys here spoken of the Sacrament for thatthey vnderstoode the first text of the same to proue that therfore the rest whiche apperteineth to the same matter must be euen so vnderstanded
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
and allmesses be not desiled with the contagion of erroure For then ys bothe the oblacion of the sacrifice clean and the geuing of almesse holie when they that doo these thinges vnderstand what they doe For when our Lord saieth Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drink hys bloode ye shall haue no lyfe in yowe Ye shoulde so communicate of the holie table that ye shoulde nothing at all doubte of the veritie of the bodie and bloode of Chryst For that ys taken and receaued by mouthe which ys beleued in faithe And in vain ys Amen aunswered of them of whom against that that ys receaued The mouthe receaueth that faith beleueth argument ys made Thus moch Leo. Who as ye maie perceaue so certenlie tooke this texte to be vnderstanded of the Sacrament and of the verie presence of Chrystes bodie in the same that he vseth yt for an authoritie to prooue the same and saieth that for asmoche as our Lord did saie yt we shoulde nothing at all doubte of the veritie of Chrystes bodie and bloode Wherby this also maie be gathered that he vsing this as an authoritie against heretiques did vse yt as a scripture receaued and so vnderstāded throughout all the catholique Church which I saie he vsed against heretikes not against them in the matter of the Sacrament for ther were no soche in those times but against Eutyches and hys disciples whiche most pestilētlie taught that the nature of man which the Sonne of God did take of the virgen was turned Eutiches his heresie into that nature of God And so destroyed the cōiunctiō of the two natures in that one persō of Chryst Against the which heresie this holie mā brought this sentence of scripture as a sentence receaued of all men for the veritie of Chrystes flesh in the Sacrament therwith to prooue that forasmoche as the verie flesh of the manhead of Chryste was in the Sacrament Chryste had still the verie nature of man in him Thus ye maie perceaue that the truthe of this matter of the Sacrament that ys to saie that Chrystes verie bodie and blood be reallie in the Sacrament Reall presence so certenlie beleued that aūciēt fathers vsed yt for authoritie in cōfuting of heresies was in those daies so clear withoute doubte and controuersie so substanciallie beleued that yt was reputed esteemed and accompted an authoritie sufficient to confute the heresie of Eutyches and to defende and maintein the true catholique faithe that in Chryste was both the natures of God and man Now yf the verie flesh and blood of Chryst were not trulie verilie and reallie in the Sacrament the matter of the Sacrament coulde proue nothing against this heresie but raither make with yt But forsomoche as ther ys the verie flesh of Chryste yt proueth very well that the verie nature of man ys in Chryst directlie against the heresie of Eutyches This alone in my opinion might suffice to reduce men from erroure considering that thys was a trueth thus receaued a thousand yeares agon in the whiche time we be well assured that the Church was withoute errour in this matter and men so zelouse in the trueth of the catholike faith that an heresie did not so soone appeare and shewe yt self but yt was furthwith impugned as to the learned yt ys well knowen But this matter of the Sacrament was neuer yet impugned of anie catholique writer that hath liued since Chryst as the learned also do knowe wherfore yt ought to be taken as an vndoubted trueth But omitting to make any further prooff herof by thys authour I will according to my ordre prescribed ioin vnto him Euthymius a greke authour who in hys exposition of this texte geueth vs thus to vnderstand yt saing Nisi comederetis carnem filii hominis biberitis eius sanguinem non habebitis Euth in 6. Joan. vitam in vobis Illi quidem hoc impossibile iudicabant ipse verò omnino possibile ostendit neque id tantùm sed necessarium quod etiam fecit ad Nicodemum Addit autem de sanguine significans de pane ac poculo quae vt dictum est daturus erat Discipulis in vltima coena Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke hys blood ye shall not haue life in yowe They meening the Iewes thought this vnpossible but he meening Chryste declared yt alltogether to be possible and not that onelie but also necessarie Whiche thing he also did to Nicodemus He speaketh also of hys blood signifieng that he speaketh of the bread and the cuppe whiche he wolde geue as yt ys saied to his Disciples in his last supper Thus Euthymius I haue thought good in this exposition first to note to yow that thys authour notwithstanding the wicked wresting of the Aduersarie vnderstandeth thys scripture with the other holie Fathers of the Sacrament For by plain woordes he saieth that our Sauiour speaketh here of the bread and cuppe that he wolde geue in the last supper And signifieng that he forgatt not what he had saied in the same matter before referreth himself to that that he had before saied saing Sicut dictum est as yt ys allreadie saied For before he saied that Chryst ys called bread two waies that ys after hys deitie and after hys humanitie Therfore after he had spoken of the Chryst called bread two waies bread whiche ys hys deitic nowe in thys place he speaketh of the bread whiche ys hys humanitie of the whiche bread he saied not whiche I do geue yowe but I will geue yowe for he wolde geue yt in his last supper but when when he tooke the bread and after thankes geuen brake yt and gaue yt to his Disciples saing Take eat This ys my bodie And therfor yt ys withoute al scruple or doubte that seing Chryst speaketh here of the bread and cuppe that he wolde geue in his last Supper therfore these woordes be spoken of the Sacrament Neither maie the Aduersarie here cauille vpon these woordes bread and wine that this authour doth meen that in the Sacrament ys nothing but bread and wine as figurs of the bodie and blood of Chryst For so farre wide was this from his meening that he plainlie denieth the substance of the Sacrament to be a figure signe or token of the bodie and blood of Chryst but the verie bodie and blood of Chryst as shall better and more at large appeare by this same authours exposition vpon the xxvi of Matthew in the lviii chap. of this booke Euthimius denieth that which the Sacramentaries affirme ād affirmeth that they de nie So then thys ys first certen that this sixt chapiter of S. Iohn ys by this authour vnderstanded of the Sacrament which ys one thing that ys denied by the Aduersaries So likewise this authour denieng the substance of the Sacrament to be a figure or signe of the bodie and blood of Chryst but the verie reall and substanciall bodie and
Chryst that he was but a bare man naturallie And therfor the Councell who tooke the same scriptures to improue that that Nestorius semed to himself to haue proued must nedes vse the same sense of the scripture as touching the substance of the thing that ys in disputacion Reall presence auouched by the Ephesine Councell or ells they shoulde nothing proue against him For yf Nestorius spake of the verie flesh of Chryst and the Councell of the spirituall flesh of Chryst what coulde they conclude against him not speaking of the same thing that the other spake of And therfore vndoubtedliē they spake of the verie reall flesh of Chryst which ys the own propre flesh of God Whiche thing also the A plain saing of a Councell for M. Juel woordes of the Councell do proue wher yt ys saied We come to the mysticall benedictions being made partakers of the holie bodie and preciouse blood of Chryst the Redemer of vs all receauing yt not as common flesh but as the flesh truly geuing life Yt maketh also for this vnderstanding not a litle that Cyrill being president of the Councell who as before ye heard doth plainlie affirme that we do not onelie by faith and charitie spirituallie receaue the flesh of Chryste but also verilie and reallie wolde not nowe nor did not speake of the spirituall receauing onelie which onelie receauing of Chryst spirituallie and not otherwise in the Sacramēt he did earnestlie denie and stronglie improue by the scriptures And therfor yt ys most euident that this texte nowe in hand was vnderstanded by that Councell of the Sacrament as being the very reall bodie and blood of Chryst whiche yf we receaue not we haue no life To this holie Councell I thinke yt vnsemlie to ioin anie one particular man Wherfore to ende here the exposition of this said texte I will onelie adde to yt being an holie multitude the practise of an other holie multitude euen the auncient Church who so streictlie and yet directilie for the substance of the thing did take this text to be vnderstanded of the verie reall and The church of Affrica vnderstanding the vi of S. John of the Sacr. ministred yt to infantes substanciall flesh and blood of Chryst in the Sacrament that they thought yt a matter of necessitie to ministre the same to infantes as withoute receipt wherof they thought they coulde not be saued The practise wherof we finde to haue endured in the Affrican Church from the time of S. Cyprian vntill the tyme of S. Augustine at the least By whiche yt ys manifest that the Churche then vnderstood thys scripture of the Sacrament and yet not of the bare Sacrament onelie but of the verie flesh and bloode of Chryst ther reallie to be receaued and not of yt spirituallie to be receaued for that they well knewe that ther lacked in those infantes that knowledg whiche necessarilie ys required to the spirituall receauinge of Chrystes bodie and therfor they did not receaue yt spirituallie but sacramentallie And though this practise of the communicating of infantes grounded vpon this vnderstanding of this scripture was ceassed yet that the Churche did still retein that vnderstanding this well proueth that Petrus Dresensis perswading Iacobellus de Praga to minister the Sacrament vnder bothe kindes vsed this texte here expownded as being vnderstanded of the Sacrament by the comon consent of the Churche for hys argument which text when Iacobellus had weighed and considered howe yt hadde ben alwaies vnderstanded in the Churche he began to perswade the people that they aught of necessitie yf they wolde haue euerlasting life to receaue the Sacrament vnder both kindes as vnder whiche they shoulde both eate hys flesh and drinke hys blood of whiche matter more large disputacion shall be made in the ende of this booke wherfor I think yt not mete here to trouble the reader with all but to refer him thither thinking yt sufficient for this place to aduertise him that all the authours herto fore alleaged vpon this text and all these holie fathers in the Ephesine Councell representing the Churche and the Chuch in the time of S. Cyprian and so to S. Augustine and from him to the time of Petrus Dresensis and Iacobellus and after ther time in the time of soche as haue written vpon the gospells vntill the time of Luther did vnderstand this text of the flesh and bloode of Chryst in the Sacrament as their workes do well testifie But thus moche maie I here well saie that yt pitieth me to see howe the people suffer them selues to be deluded of these newe inuentours of disordres and by them both to be drawen from true faith and also to breake the vsuall ordre of the Churche that wher our Sauiour Chryst saied by plain woordes Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloode ye shall not haue life in yowe Whiche text as ye haue heard ys fullie proued to be ment of Chrystes verie bodie and bloode in the Sacrament yet being inueigled by Both flesh and blood was before vnder one kind now neither of both vnder two kindes thaduersaries doctrine hardlie beleue this mening of the Catholique Fathers to be true and therfor wher the Aduersaries maliciouslie perswade thē that the ministres of the Churche deceaued them in geuing them the Sacrament but vnder one kinde they are contented to encline and yelde vnto them And so wher before they did vnder one kinde receaue the verie flesh and bloode of Chryste they are nowe contented vnder two kindes to receaue neither flesh nor bloode THE SEVENTENTH CHAPITER EXPOVNDETH THE next text folowing in the sixte of S. Iohn by saincte Augustine and Cyrill NOwe will I proceade to the text folowing in S. Iohn whiche for asmoche as yt ys not moche discrepant from that before but as yt were an affirmatiue sequele of the same I will not troble the reader with long treacting vpon yt but breiflie shewe the meninge therof and haste me to other that contein more matter not so plainlie spoken of before as this hath ben The text ys Qui manducat meam carnem bibit meum sanguinem habet vitam aeternam He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life As the absteining from the eating of the flesh and blood of Chryste causeth lacke Foode of Chrystes flesh cause of immortalitie of life So ys yt consequent that the feading on the flessh and blood of Chryst causeth the hauing of life As the meat ys soche ys the effecte and operacion of yt Yf a man eate corruptible meate yt will for a while maintein but yt will not preserue from corruption Yf a man feade on mortall thinges yt can not preserue from mortalitie but fuffer him to be mortall So if a man feed on spirituall thinges and digest them well yt will make a man spirituall Yf a man feed of immortall thinges yt will bring the like effect and make a
taken and dronken do bring it to passe that both we be in Chryst and Chryst in vs. Thus he Among many goodlie notes to be gathered in this saing three thinges will I breifly note The first ys that this our text ys vnderstanded of the Sacrament but not of the Sacrament as of a bare figure but as conteining the thing that yt dothe signifie whiche thing ys the bodie and bloode of Chryst And this matter appeareth so plain so euident and so certen to this great learned and holy man that by the instruction that faithe gaue him to vnderstande this scripture he saied that of the veritie of Chrystis flesh and bloode ther A plain saing for M. Iuell ys no place to doubte And why was ther no place left to doubt He sheweth the cause For nowe saieth he by the suing of oure Lorde and our faith it ys verilie flesh and verilie bloode O this was a blessed simplicitie a godlie obedience that curiously wolde not aske with the Iewes howe yt should be flesh and bloode and howe his flesh and bloode shoulde be meate but reuerently captiuating his vnderstanding to the obsequie of Chryst saieth by cause Chryst did saie that his flesh was verilie meate ther ys no place of doubte lefte but that yt ys flesh in dede and bloode in dede And in this saing yt ys not to be ouer slipped that he faith that by the saing of our Lorde and our faith So that he putteth our faith to the saing of Chryst Faith how yt ys requisite in the Sacrament not that our faith ys a woorker with the saing of Chryst to woorke the substance of the thing but that as by the saing of Chryst the thing in yt self ys most certenly true so by faith beleuing and accepting yt yt ys certen also to vs. For as Chryste hath died for the sinnes of the wholl worlde whiche in yt self ys most certen So yet to all yt ys not so certen but to soche as by faith beleue and accepte yt And so yt ys also certen to vs. Wherfor though to S. Hilary by the faith that he gaue to Chrystes woorde yt was very flesh and very blood yet to heretikes that haue not soche faith as Hilary had yt ys not the flesh and bloode of Chryst not that yt ys not so in dede but vnto them yt ys as though yt wer not so How moch then maie they be abasshed at this saing of S. Hilary who declareth that by his faith he beleued yt to be the very flesh and blood of Chryst and they like shamelesse obstinate men leauing the faith that S. Hilary had and cleauing to their owne inuented imaginacions and naturall reason saie they can not beleue yt But God geue them a better minde The second note ys that this verie flesh and verie bloode ys taken of vs and drokē Flesh and blood of Chryst verilie eaten and dronkē in the Sacr. of vs whlche dothe teache vs the corporall receauing of Chryst in the Sacrament corporall I saie in two respectes that bothe we receaue his very reall and substācial dodie and that we with our bodie and into our bodie receaue that same self blessed bodie So yt ys a corporall receipt in respecte of the thing receaued and of the receauer also This thing the same S. Hilarie in the same booke dothe open more at large when he saieth Si enim verè verbum caro factum est nos verè verbum carnē Hilar ibid. cibo Dominico sumimus quomodò non naturaliter in nobis manere existimandus est qui uaturam carnis nostrae iam inseparabilem sibi natus assumpsit naturam carnis fuae ad naturam aeternitatis sub sacramento nobis communicandae carnis admiscuit Yf the worde were verilie made flesh and we receaue the woorde made very flesh in our Chryst naturallie in vs by receipt of the Sacra Lordes meat howe ys yt to be thought that he doth not naturallie abide in vs who being born man hathe bothe taken the nature of our flesh vpon him nowe inseparablie and also vnder the Sacrament of his flesh to be cōmunicated vnto vs hath admixed the nature of his flesh to the nature of the eternitie Thus he In the whiche saing what wolde we wishe to be more plainly spoken thā that the Sonne of God was made flesh and that same Sonne of God A plain place of S. Hilar. for the Proclamer being made flesh we receaue in the Lordes meate Neither maie that glose here be hearde that we receaue him verilie in the Sacrament but spiritually For that whiche foloweth in the text will not beare that glose Whiche ys when he saieth Howe ys he to be thought not naturallie to abide in vs Marke well these woordes howe can Chryste naturallie abide in vs but by the receipt of his naturall flesh and bodie The spirituall receauing woorketh not a naturall abiding but eche of them agreablie the spirituall receauing maketh a spirituall abiding and the corporall receauing of his naturall bodie maketh a naturall abiding of Chryst in vs. Wherfor if he be naturally abiding in vs by the receipt of his flesh in the Sacrament that receipt ys agreablie of his very naturall and reall flesh into our naturall bodies and then yt must nedes be that we receaue Chrystes bodie really in the Sacrament The thirde note ys that Chryste thus receaued woorketh in vs this effect that we therby be in Chryste and Chryst in vs of the whiche maner of being the text whiche foloweth in saincte Iohn will geue vs occasiō to speake more Wherfor we will diffre yt till we come thither And now wil we come to Euthymius who in fewe woordes saith thus Caromea verè est cibus verus est cibus siue aptissimus vtpote animā quae proprijssima hominis In. 6. Joan. My fleshys verilie meat ys no parabolical or figuratiue speache pars est nutriēs Et similiter de sanguine Aut hoc dixit confirmans quod nō enigmaticè neque parabolicè loqueretur My flesh ys meat in dede Yt ys the verie or most aptest meate as whiche nourisheth the soule whiche ys the most propriest or wourthiest parte of a man And likewise of the blood Orells he saied thus confirming that he did speake neither obscurelie nor parabolicallie Thus Euthymius Doest thowe not perceaue reader that one spirit was in the mouthe of all these holie and auncient Fathers do they not agree in sentence Marke well howe this Auncient Father expowndeth this text remouing and denieng the figure wherby he declareth him self to vnderstand this text of the very reall flesh of Chryst as Hilarie doth yt ys saieth he no parabolicall speache yt ys no figuratiue speache but yt ys a plain speache signifieng no other waies then the woordes sownde that ys the very flesh and the very bloode not the figure of them Whiche maner of exposition thowe shallt see Reader in other that do folowe especiallie
but still closed and shett howe coulde that bodie hauing as ys saied flesh and bones enter into the disciples the doores still being shett So doth yt also saie Howe can a man receaue the wholl bodie of Chryst with his mouth But as these two former thinges be made possible to thee by faith let this third so be also For yf thowe beleue them bicause the scripture teacheth thee beleue the scripture and the holie Fathers also which teache thee that this bodie of Chryst ys so present and so receaued And yf yt be present yt must nedes be that same bodie that was born that was crucified But not as yt was born and crucified That same bodie in substance not the same in qualitie and condicion But yet the verie same wholl bodie So did Chrystome teache that we shoulde take In 10. 1 Co. Hom. 24. yt saing thus Et quando id propositum videris dic tecum propter hoc corpus non amplius terra cinis ego sum hoc corpus crucifixum verberatum morte victum non est Hoc idem corpus cruentatum lancea vulneratum fontes sanguinis aquae vniuerso orbisalutares scaturiuit When thowe saieth Chrysostom speaking of the Sacrament seist that thing sett furth saie with thy self for this bodie I am no more earth and ashes This bodie crucified and beaten was not ouercomed with death This same verie bodie bloodied and wounded with a speare hath lett runne oute fountains of water and bloode holsome to all the worlde Thus he Note Reader that Chrysostom willeth yowe when ye see the Sacrament The same bodie ys in the Sacr. that was crucisied sett furth to saie with your self This bodie being crucified was not ouercomed with death This same verie bodie wounded with a speare sent holsom streanies of water and bloode to the worlde Wherby ye are taught that the same bodie ys in the Sacrament that was crucified And therfor are ye not willed to saie at the seight of the Sacrament This ys a signe figure or token of the bodie that was crucified but this ys the self same bodie and none other For Chryste hath but one bodie and that same one bodie ys in the Sacrament substanciallie whollie and perfectlie And therfor as that Chryste was incarnate we knowe and by whose worke yt was doen we knowe but the maner howe that flesh was wrought we knowe not That Chryst did rise from deathe and that his soule was in Hell we knowe but howe yt came to his bodie again we knowe not yet by whom yt was doen we knowe So that Chrystes bodie ys in the Sacrament we knowe and by whom yt ys wrought that yt ys ther we knowe but howe yt ys ther more then ys saied we knowe not Nowe yf ye will not beleue his bodie to be in the Sacrament bicause ye knowe not howe yt ys ther howe will ye beleue that Chrystes soule returned to his bodie seing ye knowe not howe yt came ther. Chryst made the water wine in Cana Galilaeae But howe we knowe not Joan. 2. For he spake no extern woord neither did anie extern facte toward the turning of yt appeare more thē that he did bid the ministers to drawe and geue the stewarde The fiue loanes and two fishes the seuen loanes and the fewe fishes we knowe to be multiplied and by whom but howe whether by Ibid. 6. Matt. 15. putting to of an other substance or they thē selues were encreased or otherwise we knowe not That Lazarus was dead and so certēlie that he being foure Joan. 11. daies in the graue did stinke we knowe but howe the soule came to that putrisieng bodie and from whence and howe that stinkinge bodie was made hole and swete we knowe not but by whome yt was doen we knowe Therfor the maner of these and manie mo being wrought by the diuine power for somoche as the scripture saieth that they were doen though the maner of the doinge be vnknowen we beleue them So forasmoche as the scripture saieth that the slesh of Chryst ys meate in deed and that we must eate yt yf we will haue life Let vs beleue yt though we knowe not howe yt ys so made nor can comprehende howe soche a bodie shoulde entre into a VVe maie not be curiouse in the workes of God mans mouth Let vs not be curiouse in searching the wonderfull workes of God Yf he did saie yt yt ys knowledge enough for a Chrystian man to beleue that yt ys so I tarie to long here but the chrystian charitie I beare to them that haue erred that they maie be reduced and staied hath thus caried me THE THREE AND TWENTETH CHAPITER endeth the exposition of this text by Theophilact and Beda THe last coople whiche shall be brought furth for the expownding and vnderstanding of this text of S. Iohn shall be Theophilact and Beda Whome I will breiflie alleage bicause I wolde be gone from this to other in same chapiter Theophilacte saieth thus Non enim nudi hominis caro est quae manducatur sed Dei quae deificare valet vtpote contemperata Deitati Ista etia vere est cibus eò quòd non ad paruum tēpus duret neque corrumpatur sicut corruptibilis cibus sed aeternae vitae sit subsidium Similiter et potus sanguinis Domini verè est potus quiae Jn 6. Joan. non ad tempus sufficit siti sed semper absque siti conseruat nec indigere permittit bibentem sicut et ad Samaritanam dicebat Qui bibit ex aqua quam ego dabo non sitiet Nam quisquis grattam sancti Spiritus per sumptionem diuinorum mysteriorum susceperit neque famem spiritualem neque sitim patietur qualem incredult Yt ys not the flesh of a bare man whiche ys eaten but of God and whiche ys able to make vs as yt were Goddes as contemperated to the Godhead This flesh also ys meat in very dede bicause yt endureth not for a litle while neither ys yt corrupted as the corruptible meat but yt ys the helpe of eternall life likwise also the drinke of the bloode of our Lorde ys drinke in dede bicause yt sufficeth the thirst not for a time but allwaies yt conserueth from thrist and suffreth not the drinker to lacke as he saied to the Samaritane He that drinketh of the water whiche I shall geue him he shall not thirst so as do the vnbeleuers Thus moche Theophilacte I shall not nede to trauaill here to shewe that he vnderstandeth this text of the Sacrament For that ys all readie made so manifest that yt can not be denied And for the presence I will not trouble the reader to make any farther proofe or declaracion here seing yt maie be well perceaued by that that ys allreadie saied what this Authours meening ys in this matter I will therfor passe him thus ouer and come to Beda who breiflie writeth thus Dixerat superiùs Qui manducat
comeditur Yf therfor the bread that descended from heauen be the bodie of our Lorde and the wine that he gaue to his Disciples be his blood of the newe Testament whiche was shed for The bread that descended from heauen ys the bodie of our Lorde manie in remission of sinnes let vs repell and cast from vs Iudaicall fables and let vs ascende with our Lorde in to the great parlour paued and made clean and let vs from aboue take of him the cuppe of the newe Testament and ther celebrating with him the Passeouer let vs be satisfied of him with the wine of sobrietie For the kingdom of God ys not meat and drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioie in the holy Gost Neither did Moyses geue vs the true bread but our Lorde Iesus he ys the feaster and he ys the feast he ys he that eateth and ys eaten Thus farre S. Hierom. By these woordes we are after the vnderstandinge of S. Hierom fullie Chryst ys the feast and the feester enstructed what the bread ys that our Sauiour Chryst speaketh of when he saied This ys the bread that descended from heauē Yt ys saieth S. Hierom the bodie of our Lorde and the wine ys the bloode that was shed for manie in the remission of sinnes By the which woordes he doth not onelie teache vs that this scripture ys to be vnderstanded of the Sacrament but by the same also he hath testified with other holie Fathers the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament For in the beginning he saied that the bread that descended from heauen ys the bodie of our Lorde and to shewe vs wher he ment yt to be in the ende he saieth that not Moyses did geue the true bread but our Lorde Iesus he ys the feaster and the feast he ys he that doth eat and ys eaten Wherby he well sheweth that that bread ys the bodie of our Lorde which ys in that holie feast wher our sauiour Chryst ys the feaster and he him self also ys the meat and drinke of the feast and so the wholl feast In the whiche as he doth in his membres being the head of them eate the blessed meat of that holie feast So yt ys euen he euen his very dodie and bloode that ys ther eaten and dronken Wherfor soch a noble feaster being present and so holie meat being ther eaten the Church right well with goodlie concorde and consent singeth O sacrum conuiuium in quo Christus sumitur O holie feast in the which Chryst ys receaued But the prolixitie of this matter if yt shoulde be woorthilie folowed calleth me backe and moueth to staie and heare the other that ys ioined to saincte Hierom whiche ys S. Cyrill who saieth thus Non enim prudenter quae ad breue tempus sufficiunt hoc nomine appellabuntur nec panis erat ex Deo quem maiores Iudaeorum comederunt mortui sunt Nam side coelo ex Deo fuisset liberasset à morte participantes Contrà verò corpus Christi panis de coelo est quia aeternam comedentibus vitam largitur Those thinges which for a short time suffice shall not wisely be called by this name Neither that bread which the elders of the Iewes did eate and be dead was of God For if yt had ben from heauen and of God yt had deliuered the partakers of yt from death Contrary wise the bodie of Chryst ys the bread from heauen For yt graunteth the eaters eternall life As S. Hierom saied that the bodie of Chrystes ys the bread that descended from heauen So by like woordes saieth S. Cyrill here And that we shoulde knowe what he meneth he applieth the figure of yt eaten by the elders of the Iewes whiche did not giue life whiche was Manna vnto the bodie of Chryst whiche being eaten doth giue life eternall Wherfor Manna being a figure of Chrystes bodie eaten in the Sacramēt yt must nedes folowe that he vnderstandeth this scripture of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament of the whiche no man that hath redde Cyrill can doubte whose wholl processe ys so plain in the matter THE TWO AND THIRTETH CHAP. ENDETH THE exposition of this text by saincte Augustin and Theoph. NOwe let vs heare as breifly one coople mo and then we shall leaue this text S. Augustin saieth thus Hic est panis qui de coelo descendit vt illum man ducando viuamus quia aeternam vitam ex nobis habere non possumus Non sicut inquit manducauerunt patres vestri Tract 26. in Joan. Manna mortui sunt Qui manducat hunc panem viuet in aetenum Quòd ergo illi mortui sunt ita vult intelligi vt non viuant in aeternum Nan temporaliter profectò hi moriuntur qui Christum manducant sed viuunt in aeternum quia Christus est vita aeterna This ys the bread that descended from heauen that we eating him maie liue For we can not of our selues haue eternall life Not saieth he as yower Fathers haue eaten Manna and are dead he that eateth this bread shall liue for euer That they then be dead thus he wolde yt shoulde be vnderstanded that they liue not for euer For tēporallie these truly shall also die which do eate Chryst but they liue for euer For Chryst ys eternall life Thus farre he What gloses the Aduersaries do here vpon S. Augustins saing inuent I leaue them to their the same inuencion But forsomoche as Chryste him self and S. Augustin expownding Chrystes saing doth applie the figure of Manna and the eating of yt to this bread that came from heauen and Manna by all the Fathers iudgementes ys the figure of the holie Sacrament yt ys manifest that therfor this scripture ys to be vnderstanded of the Sacrament Whiche Theophilact who at this present ys ioined with S. Augustin will Jn 6. Ioan. by expresse woordes declare Patres vestri comederunt Manna in solitudine Hoc saepe multum versat in ore vt persuadeat hominibus Nan si possibile fuit quadraginta annis sine messe semente pasci homines conseruari illorum vitam multòmagis nunc conseruabitnaturam spiritualem meliori pane Dominus carne sua quae absque semine viri ex virgine constituta est Yower fathers haue eaten Manna in the wildernesse Thys saieth Theophilact oftē and moche he speaketh that he might perswade men For yf yt were possible men to be fedde and their liues to be conserued fortie yeares withoute sowing or haruest moche more nowe shall our lorde with a better bread that ys his flesh which without the seed of man ys made of a virgen conserue our spirituall life Thus he Obserue as ys before noted that the applicacion of the figure argueth the thing figured here to be spoken of which thing ys the Sacrament And for the veritie of the same yf this authour had nothing spoken here expresselie yet that whiche he hath hitherto vpon this part of the sixt
vnderstanding beholding yt that yt ys that ys to saie the bodie of Chryste neither being able to comprehende yt ceasseth not yet to beleue Thus farre Algerus Thus farre be we from the Capharnaites that wher they rested within the cōpasse of carnall knowledg ād vnderstanding we flie to the height of faiths crudicion and so leauing carnall knowledge mete for the senseis we accept and cleaue to that ys spirituall according to the instruction of faith Therfore seing that nothing ys taught of the catholique Church or beleued as cōcerning Chrysts very bodie in the Sacrament that cometh vnder natural knowlege either of reason or of the senseis what blinde malice ys ther in the Aduersaries to call vs carnall Capharnaites who iudged of Chryst no otherwise then by naturall reason and senseis Yf they will saie that we be carnall bicause we beleue Chrystes diuine flesh miraculouslie by the diuine Cpharnaites iudged only by reason and senses power to be in the Sacrament and verilie to be receaued of the faithfull then maie they call vs carnall bicause we beleue the same flesh to be vnited to the Godhead in vnitie of person and nowe to be exalted aboue all creatures and to be at the right hande of God the Father For what more carnalitie ys yt to beleue the bodie of Chryst to the in the Sacrament then to beleue the same bodie to be at the right hand of God the Father For as the power of God woorketh the one So yt woorketh the other And as by the scriptures we be certified of the one So be we therby also certified To beleue Chrystes flesh to be in the Sacr. ys a spirituall faith of the other And therfor as all faith concerning Chrystes bodie as hys incarnacion passion resurrection and ascension ys spirituall and not carnall though yt be aboute Chrystes flesh So ys the faith beleuing the same flesh to be in the Sacrament a spirituall faith And the beleuers in that respect be like wise spirituall and not carnall And Albeit yt were necessarie of this to haue saied more for that the Aduersaries haue moch delighted themselues with their spiritualitie and haue moche slattered themselues to be by this their heresie right spirituall when in dede they be therby verie carnall heresie being a worke of the stesh and haue thought themselues with this alone clean to abolish the name of the catholique Church and the memorie of the same from the earth the contrary effect wherof they haue seen yet for that I see the matter so to fall oute that this rude booke will excead the quantitie and proporcion by me intended to the more trooble of the reader and for that I haue ben longer vpon Theophilact then I minded I will breiflie touche his yockefelowe S. Bernarde and so ende this chapter Thus writeth S. Bernarde Quis non illic vehementer cupiat pasci propter pacem propter adipem propter satietatem Nihil ibi sormidatur nihil fastiditur nihil deficit Bernard serm 33 in Cant. Tuta habitatio Paradisus dulce pabulum verbum opulentia multa nimis aeternitas Habeo ego verbum sed in carne mihi apponitur veritas sed in Sacramento Angelus ex adipe frumenti saginatur nudo saturatur grano me oportet interim quodam sacramenti cortice esse contentum carnis fursure literae palea velamine fidei Et haec talia sunt quae gustata adferunt mortem si non primitijs Spiritus quantulumcunque accipiant condimentum Prorsus mors mihi in olla nisi ex prophetae farinula dulcoretur Denique absque Spiritu Sacramentum ad in dicium sumitur caro non prodest quicquam litera occidit fides mortua est sed Spiritus est qui viuificat vt viuam in eis Who desiereth not earnestlie ther to be fedde both for peace and for the fatte and for satietie Ther ys nothing feared nothing loathed nothing lacking Ther ys Paradise a saif habitacion the woorde a swete foode eternitie great abundance I also haue the woorde but in the flesh and the veritie ys sett before me but The veritie of Christes flesh ys set furth before vs in the Sacr. in the Sacrament The Angell ys fedde of the fatte of the qwheat and ys filled or satisfied with the open corne in seight In the mean while I must be contented with a certain barke of the Sacrament with the branne of the flesh with the chaffe of the letter with the veil or couering of faith and these thinges be soche that being tasted they bring death yf of the first fruites of the Spiritte thei take not some maner of seasoning my death ys surely in the potte except yt be made sweete with the Prophetes meall Lastly withoute the Spirit the Sacrament also ys taken to condemnacion and the flesh profiteth nothing at all and the letter killeth and faith ys dead but yt ys the Spiritte that geueth life that I maie liue in them Thus moche S. Bernarde Who in this chapiter shewing the great difference betwixt this present life and the blessed life to come openeth the commodities of the one and the incommodities of the other the perfection of the one and the imperfection of the other among which to our pourpose he saieth that Paradise ys a saif habitacion Ther the Sonne of God ys the sweete foode Wherunto comparing the state of this life he saieth I also haue the woorde the Sonne of God but in the flesh the veritie ys settfurth before me but in the Sacrament Here first note that the veritie ys settfurth in the Sacrament and not a bare figure and yet this Sacrament though yt hath the veritie yet yf yt be receaued withoute the Spirit yt ys saieth sainct Bernard receaued to condemnacion Spirit takē two maner of waies For the flesh prositeth nothing But yt ys the Spiritt that geueth life The spirit as before ye haue ben taught of Chrysostom and Cyrill ys taken two maner of waies either for a spirituall vnderstanding in beleuing and therbie vnderstanding the verie flesh of Chryst to be verilie in the Sacrament not after a grosse maner to be cutte oute to vs in Lumpes as the Capharnaites vnderstood yt but spirituallie and yet verilie vnspeakeablie and yet crediblie by the worke of Gods powre euen verie wholl Chryst orells for the flesh of Chryst as a diuine or godlie flesh vnited to the spirit whiche ys the Godhead and so becomed nowe spirituall and quickning able to geue life for that yt ys the flesh not of a sole man but the flesh of God Nowe saieth S. Bernard the veritie ys in the Sacrament the verie flesh of Chryst ys ther receaued but yf yt be receaued withoute the spirit as ys declared the flesh alone profiteth nothing yf ye ioin the spirit to the flesh as sainct Augustin willeth yow the flesh prositeth moche For to take the flesh alone and so to vnderstand carnallie the flesh profiteth nothing
not my bodilie substance Thus aboute the sense of Chrystes woordes ye haue among these Egyptians seen a merueillouse varietie who creping and groping in their palpable darknesse tooke that for trueth that Sathan suffred to come first to their hand by which mean euerie one of them vttered that for trueth that in his darknesse he had lighted on But among all note howe by Swenckfeldius Sathā wolde haue berieued yowe not onelie of this Sacrament but of all other and not onelie of them but of the scriptures also This ys a miserable progresse this ys the right building of Babell wher the tounges of men be confownded that a man can not vnderstand his neighbour neither can the catholike vnderstand the protestant nor the protestant the protestant But nowe returning to my pourpose again I wish that to be perceaued in this processe whiche before I spake of to be noted the better to withstand Sathan in his temptacions against the true doctrine and faith namelie that his doctrine ys not consonant nor agreable in yt self but dissonant and repugnant some of his disciples teaching that the bodie of Chryst ys in the Sament with the bread some that the bodie of Chryst ys in the Sacrament in and vnder the bread other some that the bread ys the bodie of Chryst other of the contrarie maner denieng the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament but yet diuerslie some of them teaching that the Sacrament ys but a signe of the bodie of Chryst other some that the bread ys a figure of the bodie of Chryst other that it ys the powre vertue or efficacie of the bodie of Chryst other that Chryst ys reallie exhibited vnto vs but not bounde nor exclosed in the bread other whiche be the worste sort teaching that ther ys neither bodie nor Sacrament In which diuersitie and contrarietie of doctrines yt ys easelie to be perceaued not onely how moche dissonant they are frō the doctrine and woordes of Chryst but also howe farre disagreing they are among them selues Whiche faut perceaued I thinke him more then bewitched that will geue credittte to anie of them forsomoche as ther ys no man but knoweth that in the doctrine of God ys concorde agreement And forsomoch as in these other doctrins ther ys none agreement but repugnance and contrarities yt ys certen that they be not of God Besides this what proof haue anie of all these either in the scriptures or holie Fathers that this saing of Chryst This ys my bodie shoulde be vnderstanded as eche of them stowtly seeme to auouche and that after their sondrie maners They be contrarie one to an other yet eche of them perswade their disciples that they teache the true woorde of God And yet the scriptures of God beare no soche contrarie sense is Nowe therfor Reader staie thie self and choose raither to beleue Chryst then Sathan who goeth aboute to deceaue thee as he did thie first parentes who through light creditte neclecting what God had saied and beleuing what the serpent saied fell into preuaricacion and were condemned Thus moche then being saied of Sathans maner of temtacion to abduce and lead awaie men from the faith of Chryst and of his sondrie and manie inuented false expositions disagreeng and clean repugnant euen amongest them selues of these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie I shall nowe addresse my self first somewhat to saie of thinges apperteining to the true vnderstanding of those woordes and afterwarde open to youe he right vnderstanding of the same woordes by the most auncient and holie Fathers of Chrystes Church wher ye shall perceaue not a repugnance as in Sathans schoole but concorde and agrement meit for Chrystes schoole THE TWO AND FOVRTETH CHAP. BEGINNETH the exposition of the woordes of Chryst after the catholike maner with certain proofes of the same AS ye haue hearde Sathā teaching his scholers with moche contrarietie strife and repugnance to expownd or raither to expuncte the woordes of Chryst and to peruert them as yt hath pleased the same ther master to moue them some one waie some another but neuer one of them the right waie so shall ye nowe heare the disciples and scolers of Chryst and of his holie spirit with all agremēt concorand peace expownde yowe the same woordes of Chryst after the learning of their master not some one waie and some an other waie but all one waie as yt were with one mouthe spoken Yt shall moche cōmende this goodlie amitie and concorde of this schoole yf we first in the entrie of this declaracion shall heare howe the cheif and highest scholers of this schoole do agree in the reporte of these woordes of Chryst whose exposition we seke The cheifest scholers reporters of these woordes be the three Euangelistes Matthew Marke and Luke and the Apostle Paule S. Matthew reporteth yt thus Iesus tooke bread and when he had blessed it he breake it and gaue it to the disciples Mat. 26. and saied Take eate this ys my bodie And he tooke the cuppe and thanked and gaue it them saing Drinke ye all of this This ys my bloode whiche ys of the newe testament whiche ys shedde for manie for the remission of sinnes S. Marke agreablie testifieth the same thus Iesus tooke breade and blessing Mar. 14. he brake it and gaue to them and saied Take eate this ys my bodie and he tooke the cuppe and when he had geuen thankes he tooke it to them And they all dranke of it and he saied to them This ys my bloode of the newe testament whiche ys shedde for manie S. Luke reporteth yt after this maner And whē he had takē bread he gaue thākes and brake it and gaue it vnto them saing This ys my bodie whiche ys geuen for yow Likewise Luc. 22. also when he had supped he tooke the cuppe saing This cuppe ys the newe Testament in my bloode whiche ys shedde for yowe With this testimonie of S. Luke agreeth S. Paule thus Owre Lorde Iesus the same night that he was betraied toke bread and when he had geuen thankes he brake 1. Cor. 11. it and saied Take ye and eate this ys my bodie whiche ys broken for yow This do in remembrance of me After the same maner also he tooke the cuppe when supper was doen saing This cuppe ys the newe testament in my bloode This do as often as ye drinke yt in the remembraunce of me Thus ye see first these foure highe scholers of Chrystes schoole consonātlie and agreablie reporting the doctrine of their master namelie that he tooke bread and after he had geuē thankes or blessed yt gaue yt to them saing take eate this ye my Tropes and figures patched to Chrystes woordes excluded bodie Of the whiche ye see not one making anie one title or mencion of tropes figures or fignificacions whiche the Aduersurie wolde patche vnto this text to cōfownde the saing and mening of Chryste and to shadowe his great mercie and loue toward vs in
into a false argument seing that the woordes immediately folowing of him saing thus As the braunche can beare no fruit of him self except he abide in the vine So neither can yowe except ye abide in me Do manifestlie enforce that saing to be vnde by a similitude speciallie for that he did not with a singular demonstracioÌ„ sate I am this vine as with a singular demonstracion he saied This ys my bodie this ys my bloode Wherunto furthwith he put the description of the true propertie of eche of them of the bodie saing whiche shall be deliuered for yowe of the blood also whiche shall be shedde for manie Therfor that these later plagues come not vpon vs we neither diminish nor put to any thing to the diuine definition or discription whiche the Sonne of God incarnate hath spoken or vttered with his owne mouthe But raither bycause perfecte charitie casteth oure feare not so moche for the feare as for loue of trueth we do confesse that this bodilie breade after the Father hath blessed it and this wine pressed oute of these present grapes as sooen as yt ys blessed by the handes of the churche saing that yt maie be made to vs the bodie and bloode of thy most beloued some Iesus Chryst and so furth vntill ye come to these woordes ye shall do yt in the remembrance of me that yt ys the bodie and bloode of him who ys the Author of this tradicion and that this sacrifice ys Chryst him self by whose passion yt was blessed of God the Father in verie dede that yt might be made a sacrifice Thus farre he Two thinges I thinke good geÌ„tle Reader in this reason of this Authour to note to thee The one ys that where the Aduersarie bringeth furth certain places of the scripture whiche be vnderstand by tropes as wher Chryste saieth I am a vine I am the dore and soche like therby to prooue that these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie shoulde so be vnderstande also whiche in dede proueth nothing this Authour declareth that the circumstance of these places doth compell vs so to vnderstand them as in the opening of this text I am a vine he hath declared So this scripture also I am the doore the woordes of Chryste immediately folowing teache vs that they are to be vnderstande by Joan. 10. a similitude for streight waie he saieth By me who soeuer entreth he shall be saued and shall go in and go oute and finde foode So that we haue Chrystes owne warrant Willfull or naturall reason ys no sufficient warrant allwaies in the court of faith so to vnderstand them But to vnderstande the woordes of Chrystes supper in like maner vieue the place ye shall finde no title in the texte to cause yt to beare the Aduersaries sense So that they haue no other warraÌ„t but wilfull and naturall reason whiche warrant ys not allwaies sufficient and aloweable in the courte of faith Wherfore as these scriptures be to be vnderstanded by a trope bicause the circumstance ther so teacheth So are the other woordes in their propre sense to be vnderstanded bicause the circumstance so teacheth For declaracion of whiche matter I maie deuide the seconde note into two partes The one ys to note the enunciacion of bothe scriptures For though Chryst saied I am a vine yet he did not particularly take a braunche of a vine and saie I am this vine or this vine ys my bodie but vsed the generall woorde and saied I am a vine But speaking of the mysterie of his bodie he did not vse that maner of speache saing I am bread whiche maner of phrase maie seeme well to beare a trope yf anie circumstaÌ„ce had ben adioined to declare and open the same But leauing the generall woorde of bread and particularlie taking a peice of bread in his handes and blessing and geuing thankes saied with a particular and speciall demonstracion This ys my bodie As these two propositions spoken of an olde man I am a childe and by speciall demonstracion to this childe saing This ys my childe haue a great difference The first I am a vine and this ys my bodie be no like speaches being spoken by a similitude for that reason witte vnderstanding and senseis being decaied in him he maie saie I am a childe that ys like a childe The other being spoken of his owne childe and importing not a similitude but a naturall substance of him in the childe So these propositions I am a vine and this ys my bodie haue great difference The one being spoken by a similitude bicause Chryst ys like a vine The other by certen demonstracion of substance for that that Chryst made demonstracion vnto was his verie substance The second parte of the note ys that the circumstance of the scripture reiecting figures and tropes dothe mightilie prooue the sense of that place to be propre and not figuratiue or tropicall For the propretie saieth he apper teinâ—ng to the bodie whiche can not be applied to the figure ys furthwith added whiche ys that the thing ys there whiche shaÌ„ll be deliuered for manie And that ys in the cuppe whiche shall shed in the remission of sinnes whiche can be nothing ells but the bodie and bloode of Chryste Who onelie gaue his bodie to be crucified and his bloode to be shed for owre redemption Thus then ye perceaue that these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie were spoken of him withoute the putting to of anie trope figure or signe They This ys my bodie no figuratiue speache are left to vs written by the three holie Euangelistes whithoute any mencioÌ„ of trope or figure They were so taught by S. Paule to the Corinthians and afterwarde so writteÌ„ The promisse of Chryst wherin he saied The bread which I will geue ys my flesh which I will geue for the life of the worlde was plainlie whithoute any trope spoken Yt ys so reported of the Euangelist S. Iohn Yt ys so expownded of all the auncient doctours and so shewed what the woordes be teaching the perfourmance of that promisse Ye perceaue also the fame of the communion of the Chrystians emong the infidels to be not by a figure of flesh but by verie flesh in dede Ye perceaue emong Chrystians the beleif of the Sacrament to be the flesh of Chryst to be so commonlie receaued and beleued that younge babes in those daies coulde speake yt Ye perceaue that yt ys not laufull for vs to putte to or to take awaie from the woorde of Chryst For yf we do we fall into the daunger of Gods malediction and other plagues All these consideracions and manie mo shewe vnto vs that we shoulde take the woordes of Chryste as they be of him spoken yf ye put to anie of these woordes Signum or figura Token or figure ys not that put to that Chryst spake not and do ye not so fall into the daunger of Gods plagues Ouer and besides this ye perceaue that the circumstance
Church Cont. Fau. li. 2. cap. 13 saied that they did honour Ceres and Bacchus Gods among the gentiles dothe prooue the vse of the honouring of Chryst in the Sacrament For yf the chrystians had doen no more but eate their bread and drinke their wine soche reporte had not risen of them But bicause they were perceaued to honoure the Sacrament therfore they were so reported Of this same opinion fame and reporte speaketh Sainct Augustin writing against Faustus sainge Quomodò ergo comparas panem calicem nostrum parem Religionem dicis errorem longè à veritate discretum peius desipiens quà m nonnulli qui nos propter panem calicem Cererem Liberum colere existimant Howe doest thowe compare our bread and wine and saest errour farre diuided from the trueth to be like religion plaing the foole woorse then manie whiche for the bread and the cuppe thinke vs to honour Ceres and Bacchus And again in the same place he saieth Sicut a Cerere Libero Paganorum Dijs longè absumus quamuis panis calicis Sacramentum quod ita laudastis vt in eo pares nobis esse volueritis nostro ritu amplectamur ita patres nostri longè fuâ—runt à Saturniacis catenis c. As we are farre from Ceres and Bacchus the After the maner of oure religioÌ„ we honoure the Sacr. saieth S. August Gods of the Pagans although after the maner of our religion we honoure the Sacrament of bread and wine whiche ye haue so praised as in yt ye wolde be equall to vs Euen so our Fathers were farre from the bondes of Saturn although for the time of the Prophecie they haue obserued the vacacion of the Sabboth Thus the vse of the honouring of the Sacrament in and before the time of Sainct Augustine being perceaued we will heare one place more of him and so for this matter ende him Thus he writeth Edent pauperes saturabuntur Quid edunt Quod sciunt fideles Quomodò saturabuntur Imitando passiones Domini sui non sine causa accipiendo precium suum c. Diuites quid Etiam ipsi edunt sed quomodò Jn psal 4â— edunt Manducauerunt adorauerunt omnes diuites terrae Non dixit manducauerunt saturati sunt sed manducauerunt adorauerunt Adorant quidem Deum sed humanitatem nolunt exhibere fraternam Manducant illi adorant Manducant isti et saturantur tamen omnes manducant The poour shall eate and be satisfied What eate they That the faithfull do knowe Howe shall they be satisfied In folowing the passions of their Lorde and taking their price not in vain What do the riche They also eate but howe do they eate All the riche of the earth haue eaten and haue adored He saied not they haue eaten and be satisfied But they haue eaten and haue adored They doe in deed adore God but they will not shewe furth brotherlie humanitie They doo eate and adore these doe eate and be satisfied yet all doo eate hitherto he As the scripture ioineth eating and adoring together saing They haue Eating and adoring both referred to the Sacrament eaten and adored So Sainct Augustine expownding the scripture and declaring that the thing that ys eaten ys our price a thing knowen to the faithfull which our price and thing knowen to the faithfull ys the bodie of Chryst he ioineth also adoracion to the same And so bothe by the Scripture and by Sainct Augustine eating and adoring be referred to the Sacrament Whiche thing although he dothe plainlie enough here setfurth yet handling the same scripture in an other place he doth more plainly open the matter saing Neque enim frustra it a distincts sunt vt de pauperibus suprà diceretur Ad Honorae tuÌ„ Epi. 129. Edent pauperes et saturabuntur Hic verò Manducauerunt et adorauerunt omnes diuites terrae Et ipsi quippe adducts sunt ad mensam Christi et accipiunt de corpore et sanguine etus sed adorant tantùm non etiam saturantur quoniam non imitantur Manducantes enim pauperem dedignantur esse pauperes quia Christus pronobis The poore eat and are satisfied the riche eat and adore onlie passus est relinqnens nobis exemplum vt sequamur vestigia euis Neither are they withoute pourpose so distincted that before of the poour yt shoulde be saied The poore shall eate and shall be satisfied And here All the riche of the earth haue eaten and haue adored For they also are brought to the table of Chryst and they receaue of his bodie and his bloode But they doe adore onelie they are not also satisfied for that they folowe not For they eating the poour man meaning Chryst they disdein to be poour For Chryst suffred for vs leauing vs an example that we shoulde folowe his steppes Among Chrystian people Sainct Augustin findeth two sortes Some Two sortes of chrystiaÌ„ people that be riche that ys not leauing worldely affections but riche in heart not humble in spirit not submitting them selues to the sweet yocke of Chryst and yet beleuinge and therfor when they eat poour Chryste when they receaue of his bodie and blood they knowe by faithe what they receaue and they adore and honoure Chryste whom they receaue But they are not satisfied An other sorte ther be whiche be called poour and they contemning at the leest labouriug to suppresse wordly affections not being riche in desire of heart but poour and humble in spiritte taking their crosse and so folowing Chryst do walke vnder his holie yocke These receauing poour Chryst eating of his bodie and drinking of his bloode they doe not onelie adore but also they be satisfied they are filled For they folowe Chryste and their conuersacion declareth that the iuice of this foode the grace and vertue of that blessed meate appeareth in their actes in their deedes in their liuinges that they haue well fedde and be satisfied In which twoo sortes of men who seith not howe Sainct Augustine teacheth both the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament and the adoracion of the same when the chrystian people receaue him Thus nowe ye maie perceaue that euen of those Authours whiche the The authours named by the Proclamer make against him Proclamer did name as making no mencion of adoracion or woourshipping of the Sacrament in their bookes ye maie perceaue I saie that they make soche plain mencion of yt as yt not onely ouerthroweth his pestilent doctrine but also geueth him iust occasion to rubbe his forehead for verie shame that he shoulde so vntruely bothe speake and write THE SIXT AND FOVRTETH CHAPITER prooueth by other Doctours that the Sacrament ys to be adored I Haue first in his matter of adoracion produced some of these Authours whiche the Proclamer named Nowe for somoche as after the naming of them by a generall terme he spake the like of other doctours I shall also
that authour shoulde be repugnant as to S. Ambrose S. Cyprian to Irenaeus Iustinus and Alexander which all teache as before ys declared that the Sacrament of Chrystes bodie and blood conteineth the very bodie of Chryst and ys not a bare figure or signe onely For the better vnderstāding of this matter I wish thee reader to perceaue that for somoch as to our pourpose apperteineth a figure maie be taken two maner of waies One waie as yt ys a signe or token of a thing absent in dede A figure maie be taken two waies but present in figure or sign As a ring geuen of a man to his louing spouse ys a signe or token of remembrance of him being absent An other waie a figure maie be taken as of a thing absent in maner and condicion soche as somtime yt hath ben in but present in verie deed and substance As the spouse beholding her verie husbande and seing the skars and tokens of wounds that he suffred for her defence and sauegarde and of his children an hers ys A figure maie be of a thing present in substance brought in remembrance of his louing kindnesse and of the daungers susteined for hir sake In which case although the substāce of the man be present yet to his wife he ys a figure and token of remembrance of himself absent in condicion of a man nowe in fight and daungered with sore and depe woondes For nowe he ys no soch mā but whol ād sownd and a perfect mā Nowe wher Tertullian saieth that the Sacrament ys a figure of Chrystes bodie yt ys true after the second maner of acception of a figure For Chrystes The Sacr. ys a figure of a thing present bodie nowe present in the Sacrament and ther by faith certenlie and assuredlye seen and beholden ys a figure and a token of remembrance to hys spouse the Church of his afflictions passions and woundes suffred vpon the Crosse for her sauegarde and deliuerie which bodie although yt be substanciallie present yet in that maner of a passible and suffring bodie yt ys not nowe present Caro carnis sanguis sacramentum est sanguiuis vtroque inuisibiliter August il sentē Pros spirituali intelligibili signatur Domini Iesu Christi corpus visibile palpabile plenum gratia omnium virtutum diuina maiestate The flesh saieth S. Augustin ys a Sacrament of the flesh and the blood ys a sacrament of the bloode By both which being inuisiblie spirituall and intelligle ys signified the visible and palpable The inuisible bodie of Chryst in the Sacr. ae figure of the same visible c. bodie of our Lord Iesus Chryst full of grace and all vertues and diuine maiestie Thus moche he Here do we learn of S. Augustine that the bodie of Chryste and blood in the Sacrament being vnder the formes of bread and wine inuisible spirituall and intelligible be figures of the same bodie visible and palpable Let not this then seme incredible to thee gentle Reader seing S. Augustine testifieth yt by so plain woordes and the scriptures also testifie vnto vs that Chryst was made in the likenesse of men and yet was he neuerthelesse Philip. 2. a very naturall and substancial man and that he ys the very image of the Father and yet he ys of the substāce of the Father also So that as we are taught that Chryst ys made to the likenesse of men and ys also a verie man and ys the image of the substance of the Father and yet of the verie substance of the Father also So we be taught that the Sacrament ys a figure and the thing yt self also For we saie the bodie of Chryst vnder the forme of breade and his bloode vnder the forme of wine to be a figure of that bodie that suffred vpon the Crosse and of the blood ther yssuing oute of the same bodie and diuided from yt And yet neuerthelesse to be the same very bodie in substance that hanged vpon the Crosse and the same blood in substance that ranne oute of that blessed bodie And therfor Tertullian might verie well call yt a figure as before he called yt the bodie of Chryst for yt ys both This shall farder appeare by two places of S. Augustin in the which speaking of one thing he calleth the Sacrament in one the figure of the bodie of Chryste in the other he calleth yt or price or Redemption which ys as moche to saie as the bodie of Chryst Thus he saieth speaking of Iudas the traditour Cùm Christus eius cogitationes non ignoraret eum tamen adhibuit and conuiuium in quo sui corporis sanguinis figuram Discipulis commendauit When Chryst was not ignorant of the thoughtes of Iudas yet he had him Aug. in Psalm 3. present at the feast in the which he commended to hys Disciples the figure of hys bodie and blood Here ye perceaue that sainct Augustine calleth the Sacrament the figure of Chrystes bodie and bloode In an other place he saieth thus Tollerat ipse Dominus Iudam Diabolum furem venditorem suum Sinit Epist 162. Judas receaued the bodie of christ which ys our price accipere inter innocentes Discipulos quod norunt fideles precium nostrum Owre Lorde himself doth suffre Iudas a deuell a theef and his seller he suffreth him to take among the innocent Disciples that the faithfull knowe our price or redemption Nowe marke that what in the other sentence he called the figure of Chrystes bodie here he calleth yt our price or redemption which ys Chryst him self as sainct Paule testifieth Qui factus est nobis sapientia iustitia sanctificatio redemptio Who ys made to vs wisdom and righteousnesse and sanctificacion and redemption Yf the Sacrament be but a bare figure yf yt be but bread and wine yt ys not then our price yt ys not then our redempcion as S. Augustine saieth yt ys By this then yt ys manifest that the bodie and blood of Chryst in the Sacrament being our price and redempcion be the figures of the same bodie and blood of Chryst crucified for our redemptiō And therfor yt maie rightly be called both the bodie of Chryst and the figure of the bodie of Chryste Wherunto agreably saieth Theophilact Attende quòd panis qui à nobis in mysterijs manducatur non est tantùm figuratio quaedam carnis Domini sed ipsa caro Domini Note or take head that the bread whiche ys eaten of vs in the mysteries Jn 6. Joan. Bread of the Sacra verie flesh A plain saing for M. Juell ys not onely a certain figure of the flesh of our Lorde but the flesh yt self of our Lorde Thus by this declaracion of sainct Augustine and Theophilact ye maie clerely see and perceaue the right and true vnderstanding of Tertullian who according to the Chrystian and catholique faith taught that Chryste made the bread hys bodie wherby he conuinceth hys
of S. Iohn Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est quam dabo pro mundi vita The breade that I will geue yowe ys my flesh whiche I will geue for the life of the worlde And that which foloweth in the same chapter concerning the Sacrament The commaundement we finde in the three other Euangelistes and in S. Paule Accipite comedite hoc est corpus meum Bibite ex hoc omnes Hic est calix sanguinis mei Take and eate This ys my bodie drinke ye all of this This ys the Matth. 26 Mar. 14. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 11. cuppe of my bloode Cyprian saieth that Chryst first taught that men shoulde drinke bloode and that the schoole of the Gospell did first sett yt furth and also the Gospell did commaunde yt But in all the Gospell we finde no soche coÌ„maundement but this that ys nowe saied Wherfor these woordes doe commaunde vs to drinke the verie bloode of Chryst and not the onely figure of yt Whiche being so yt prooueth the verie reall presence of Chrystes bodie and bloode in the Sacrament and these commaundements in the woordes of Chrystes supper to be literall and not tropicall Nowe foloweth Athanasius whome for that he was not long after Cyprian I haue coopled with the same as a famouse auncient father of the greke churche with an holie famouse martir of the Latin church Thus writeth Athanasius Corpus est ergo cui dicit Sede à dextris meis Cuius etiam fuit inimicus Diabolus Athanasius li. de fide vt â—iÌ„tatur à Theodoret Dialogo 2. Inconfusus cum malis potestatibus Iudaei Greci per quod corpus Pontifex Apostolus fuit dictus est per id quod tradidit nobis mysterium dicens Hoc est corpus meum quod pro Vobis frangitur Et sanguis noui testamenti non veteris qui pro vobis effunditur c. Yt ys therfore a bodie to the which he saied Sitte on my right hande whose enemie was the Deuell with the euell powers and the Iewes and the grekes By whiche bodie he both was in dede and was called an high preist and an Apostle by that misterie that he deliuered vs saing This ys my bodie which ys broken for yowe and the bloode of the newe Testament not of the olde whiche ys shed for yowe The Godheade hath neither bodie nor bloode but man which he did take of the virgen Mary Theodorete who in his second dialoge laboureth to prooue two distincted natures without confufion that ys the nature of God and the nature of man eche of them full and perfight ioined but not commixed in vnitie of person in Chryst owre sauiour alleageth this saing of Athanasius wher in Athanasius touching both natures doth most abide to prooue the nature of man to remain in Chryst And to prooue that he proueth that Chryst had a verie mans bodie and that by two argumentes The first ys that where Dauid in the psalme prophecied that Chryst shoulde be exalted to sitte on the right hand of God the Father and therfor saied The Lorde saied to my Lorde sute thowe on my right hand This coulde not be saied but to a bodie But Chryst as God had neither bodie nor bloode Wherfore yt ys spoken to Chryst as man The other argument ys after this sorte Chryst by that that he deliuered vnto vs the misterie of his bodie and bloode was in dede and so also was called an high preist But in the deliuering of this misterie he saied This ys my bodie This ys my bloode And the Godhead of Chryst hath neither bodie nor bloode Wherfor he spake hy his verie maÌ„heade which had both bodie and bloode This ys my bodie This ys my bloode In both these argumentes this ys principallie entended to prooue Chryst a verie man by that that he had a verie bodie Nowe to our pourpose in the seconde argument to proue that he had a bodie by that that Chryst saied This ys my bodie doth yt not proue that this authour vnderstaÌ„deth Chryste to haue spoken this by his very bodie yf the shoulde not so doe what shoulde yt helpe his matter that he entendeth to prooue to bring in this saing of Chryst This ys my bodie yf yt be not spoken of his bodie To prooue that this auhour dothe so vnderstande this place of Chryst as spoken of his verie bodie this maketh yt most certen and yt maie not be against Scriptures must be alleaged in their literal sense in matters of faith saied S. Augustine saieth and yt ys a rule among all the learned diuines that in the disputacion of matters of faithe all scriptures must be alleaged in their literall sense Forasmoche then as this scripture ys alleaged in the disputacion of an highe matter of faithe as ye haue hearde yt must be taken aÌ„d vnderstaÌ„ded in the literal sense The woords are takeÌ„ to prooue that Chryst had a verie bodie Wherfore in the literall sense they are spoken and vnderstand of his verie bodie Thus ye maie perceaue that figures signes tokens and tropes are not admitted by this authour to geue vs the true sense and mening of these woordes And thus moche maie we here note as I haue before touched that the beleif of the presence of Chrystes verie bodie in the Sacrament was in the auncient churche of Chryste so faithfullie receaued so generallie accepted so highlie esteemed that the learned Fathers grownded their argumetes against heretikes vpon the matter of the Sacrament as vpon a principle of faith This haue yowe seen in Irenaeus This haue yowe seen in Tertullian This same ye see in Athanasius Whiche as yt aught to be an occasion of an assured staie and confirmacion of our faithe in the same matter in the Sacrament so wishe I that yt maie be a reuocacion of the Proclamer and all other walking in erroure with him to the verie faith of the Sacrament that Chryst maie by the mouthe of all that professe his name be in his Sacramentes praised and magnified euen according to his holie will and pleasure THE ONE AND FITITETH CHAP. SHEWETH the minde of Iuuencus and Euseb Emisen vpon the woordes of Chryst. AMonge the Latines that doe open vnto vs the vnderstanding of the woordes of Chrystes supper the next that I finde to S. Ciprian ys Juuencus lib. 4. Euangelice histor Iuuencus the preist a chrystian Poete in Spain who in Verse geueth a notable and a plain vnderstandinge of Chrystes woordes He ys verie auncient he did write a good nombre of yeares aboue xii hundreth yeares agone Thus saieth he Haec vbi dicta dedit palmis sibi frangere panem Diuisumue dehinc tradit sanctumue precatus Discipulos docuit proprium se tradere corpus Hinc calicem sumit Dominus vinoue repletum Gratis sanctificat verbis potumue ministrat Edocuitue suum se diuisisse cruorem Atque ait hic sanguis populi delicta remittet Hunc potate meum c.
maie be by this perceaued that the Aduersaries figuratiue speache hath no place as they vnderstande yt in this saing of Chryste But this ys raither to be saied that his interprise in so wresting and abusing of Chrystes woordes ys wicked and detestabele For yf that sense might haue ben here vpon these woordes placed who can doubte that S. Ambrose so often rehersing them wolde not in one place or other haue reported the true sense and saied yt had ben but a signe But forasmoche as in no place he so doeth but continuallie and constantlie saieth yt ys the bodie of Chryst let no man doubte of the trueth of that that he teacheth Consecracion the terme of the Papistes vsed of S. Ambr. seriousâ—ie but embracing that let him flie the feigned figures In these sainges also of S. Ambrose this ys breiflie to be touched with a note that wher the Aduersarie in skorne when he happeneth to speake of this woorde consecracion for the most parte addeth as the Papistes teare yt yet ye perceaue that yt ys vsed of S. Ambrose and not sknorned And howe so euer yt liketh him to dallie and trifle withe that woorde yet S. Ambrose in so weightie a matter dothe vse the woorde seriouslie And if for that he vseth this woorde the Aduersarie will also accompte him for a papist I had leuer be a Papist wiht the one then an heretique with the other But yt ys time to call in an other coople THE THREE AND FIFTETH CHAP. CONTINVeth in the exposition of Chrystes woordes by Gregorie Nissen and S. Hierom. AS a man permitted to come into a councell chambre and admitted through speciall fauoure to talke withe eche of the counselours and haue their senerall aduertisementes howe he shall safelie beare him self in the state that he ys called vnto or as a man desierouse to be resolued in a matter of learning entreth an assembley of learned men and gentlie receaued heareth their seuerall iudgementes vttered with great and full agreement to his full resolucion and contentacion can not be but therwith moche delighted so I trust the reader being as yt were in Godes counsell chambre or in Gods Schoole and hearing the aduertisementes and iudgementes of Gods counselours and learned men so seuerallie and yet so agreablie vttered to his full and perfect resolucion I trust I saie he ys delighted and the more for that all these with whiche he hath conference and yet for a good nombre shall haue be all verie auncient and with in the compasse of sixe hondreth yeares after Chryst Wherfor let vs in Gods name proceade with delight and pleasure to heare the other that remain to be conferred with all for they be as ys saied a good nombre of theÌ„ bothe auncient and learned and though all be not auncient yet all learned and approued Of these auncientes that remain the first ys Gregorie Nissen the brother of S. Basill and therfor in the greke church meet next to folowe him This ys his iudgement in this matter Thus he writeth Qua ex cause panis in co corpore mutatus in diuinam virtutem transiit eadem de causa idem nunc fit Vt enim illic verbi Greg. Nissen anserm catathetico de diuinis sacram Dei gratia sanctum efficit illud corpus cuius firmamentum ex pane constabat ipsum etiam quodammodò panis erat sic panis vt ait Apostolus per verbum Dei orationem sanctificatur non quia comeditur eo progrediens vt Verbi corpus euadat sed statim per verbum in corpus mutatur vt dictum est à Verbo Hoc est corpus meum By what cause bread in that bodie chaunged passed into the diuine vertue by the same cause that same thinge ys nowe doen. For as ther the grace of the Sonne of God made that bodie whose substanciall nutriment was of bread and yt also in a maner was bread so also this bread as the Apostle saieth ys sanctisied by the woorde of God and praier not tending to this poinct that bicause yt ys eaten yt ys the bodie of the Sonne of God but that furthwith by the woorde yt ys chaunged into the bodie as yt was saied of the Sonne This ys my bodie By this authour who vndoubtedlie geueth a notable testimonie for the veritie of the Sacrament be ouerthrowen three heresies in the same matter Three heresies ouerthrowen by one saing of Gregor Nissen Of the whiche Luther or at the least the Lutherans did settfurth one which was that the Sacrament was the bodie of Chryst if yt were receaued and to him that receaued yt yt was the bodie of Chryst otherwise yt was not Another ys sett furth bothe by Luther and all the Lutherans and by Oecolampadius and all the Oecolampadians and by this Proclamer whiche ys that the bread and wine be not chaunged into the substance of the bodie and bloode of Chryst of the whiche we haue somwhat at large spoken before The thirde ys settfurth by Carolstadius Oecolampadius and their disciples and also by this Proclamer whiche ys that Chrystes substanciall bodie ys not verilie present in the Sacrament Against these three this authour teacheth vs very good documentes according to that that the catholique Churche now teacheth And nowe for the first that the Lutherans doo teache wher they saie that in the Sacrament ys the bodie of Chryst to him that receaueth the Sacrament otherwise yt ys not the bodie of Chryst this authour hath direct What warrant haue the LutheraÌ„s for this woordes to the contrarie wher he saieth Hic panis sanctificatur per verbum Dei orationem non quia comeditur eo progrediens vt verbi corpus euadat This bread ys sanctified by the woorde of God and praier not tending to this poinct that bicause yt ys eaten therfore yt ys the bodie of the Sonne of God So that yt ys not receauing or not receauing eating or not eating that causeth the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament Receauing or notreceauing causeth nor presence nor absence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacr. but the power of God with the woorde of Chryst as before ys saied The cause of so great a worke as to make present the bodie of Chryst dependeth not of so simple and weake cause as the will of man whiche yt should dooe if yt should depende vpon the receipte For yf the man wolde receaue yt then were yt the bodie of Chryste yf he wolde not receaue yt were not the bodie of Chryst so willing and not willing shoulde make bodie or no bodie after that fonde opinion But to adde somwhat beside the authoritie of this auncient Father which ys more then sufficient to conuince so vain and foolish an heresie what apparance haue they of anie scripture or holie writer For substanciall grownde in ame of them both they haue none to make some shewe or counteinance for the maintenance of their heresie yt ys certen that they haue
commutacion of the bread and wine into the same bodie and blood of Chryste he hathe taught vs that Chryst ys the woorker of yt by his power and by the woorde spoken of him Finallie he teacheth that by the woordes of Chryst we are clearlie taught the presence of his bodie in the Sacrament and so by consequent we are taught that they be no figuratiue speaches Thus moche being saied of Isichius and testified by him let vs also heare August in Psal 33 concion S. Augustine who at this time ys ioined with him Thus writeth he in this matter vpon the 33 psalme treacting a storie of king Dauid and applieng yt to Chryst Et ferebatur in manibus suis Hoc verò fratres quomodò posset fieri in homine quis intelligat quis enim portatur manibus suis manibus aliorum potest portari Chryst bare his bodie in his owne hādes whē he saied This ys my bodie homo manibus suis nemo portatur Quomodò intelligatur in ipso Dauid secùndum literam non inuenimus In Christo autem inuenimus ferebatur Christus in manibus suis quando commendans ipsum corpus suum ait Hoc est corpus meum ferebat enim illud corpus in manibus suis And he was caried in his owne handes Bretheren howe this can be doen in a man who can vnderstande Who ys born is his owne handes In the handes of an other a man maie be born in his owne handes no man ys born howe yt maie be vnderstand in Dauid himself according to the letter we finde not but in Chryst we finde yt He was born in his owne handes when geuing furth the same his bodie he saied This ys my bodie For he did beare that bodie in his handes Thus farre he For asmoch as S. Augustiye by discussion did finde that the woordes whiche he treacted of coulde not be vnderstanded literallie in Dauid euen so as yt coulde not be perfourmed in him that he being but a man shoulde beare his own bodie in his owne handes no more coulde yt or can yt be perfourmed in anie other pure naturall man Therfor enforced to make a farder searche he had recourse to Chryst who was more then a naturall man and in him at no other time dothe he finde yt perfourmed and fullfilled according to the letter but when he gaue furth his bodie to his Disciples saing This ys my bodie Yf then yt was at that time fulfilled in him according to the letter when he saied This ys my bodie and if then he caried his owne bodie in his handes then this scripture also must so be vnderstanded or ells what shoulde yt make to the pourpose For Chryst did not carie his bodie in his owne hands yf he caried but the figure of his bodie Wherfor the wresting that Oecolampadius maketh vpon these woordes of S. Augustine Ipse se portabat quodā modo cùm diceret Hoc est corpus meū He did beare him self after a certain maner when he saied This ys my bodie will not Oecolamp his wresting of S. Augustin wil not stād serue to prooue that he did beare him self onely in a figure For if S. Augustine had vnderstand the woordes of bearing of a mans bodie in his owne handes to be to bear the figure of his bodie he wolde not haue saied that he coulde not finde yt in Dauid For who doubteth but that Dauid might haue born a figure of himself in his owne hand and so maie anie other naturall man And Chryst bare his owne figure in his hand when he had the Paschall lābe in his hand And therfor in that maner of vnderstanding yt might be fownde to be doē in Dauid and in other mē But this maner of bearing was soche as coulde not be doen in Dauid or anie other being onely a naturall man but onely in Chryst God and man Who aboue the power of man by his great diuine power coulde cōpasse that that man by no meanes can reach vnto Wherfor hauing the bread in his handes and by his allmightie The true vnderstanding of S. Augustine power and woorde saing This ys my bodie he turned that bread into his bodie and so in that certein maner after S. Augustines woords and mening he did beare his owne bodie in his owne handes And so was this fullfilled in Chryst according to the letter And therfor as to the verifieng of the letter yt must nedes be that Chryst caried verilie him self self his owne handes so to the verifieng of that acte yt must nedes be that these woords This ys my bodie must be vnderstanded in their propre and literall sense Thus then yt ys euident that forsomoche as Chryst bare him felf in his owne handes in geuing furth the Sacrament to his Apostles that this verie bodie ys born also of his ministres nowe in the Sacrament geuē furth to his faithfull beleuers For as Chrysostome saieth this table of Chryst nowe vsed Chrysost in 26. Mathom 83. according to his instituciō ys nothing inferiour to the table that Chryst him self satte personallie at For as Christ did sanctifie that table so doeth he this And therfor we must otherwise thinke of this Sacramēt thē we doe of other thinges whiche doe shew furth Chryst to vs to the which the aduersarie of tētimes doth compare this Sacrament to abase and diminish the dignitie of the same For although the Apostles by their woorde and epistles did shewe furth Chryst yet neither the one nor the other ys called the bodie of Chryst but onelie that that ys consecrated by the woordes of Chryst in the aultar as S. Augustine saieth Potuit Paulus significando praedicare Dominum Iesum Christum aliter per linguam suam aliter per epistolam aliter per sacramentum corporis sanguinis August de Trin. li. 3. cap. 4. eius Nec linguam quippe eius nec membranas nec atramentum nec significantes sonos lingua editos nec signa literarum conscripta pelliculis corpus Christi sanguinem dicimus sed illud tantùm quod ex fructibus terrae acceptum prece mystica consecratum ritè sumimus ad salutem spiritualem in memoriam pronobis Dominicae passionis quod cùm per manus hominum ad illam visibilem speciem producitur non sanctificatur vt sit tam magnum sacramentum nisi operante inuisibiliter Spiritu Dei Paule might by signifieng preache our Lorde Iesus Chryst or ells by his tonge or ells by epistle or ells Bread and winearenos sanctified to be so great a Sacramēt but by the inuisible worke of God by the Sacrament of his bodie and blood yet doe we call neither his toung nor his parchement nor inke nor the signifieng sowndes settfurth by the tounge nor the markes of the letters written together in skinnes the bodie and bloode of Chryst but onely that whiche being taken of the fruictes of the earth and by the mysticall praier consecrated we receaue to our spiritual
healthe in the remembrance of our Lordes passion suffred for vs. Whiche thing when yt ys brought by the handes of men to that visible forme yt ys not sanctified that yt maie be so great a Sacrament but by the Spirite of God woorking inuisiblie Hitherto sainct Augustin Of whome ye see that we are taught that thoug Chryst be by diuerse meanes settfurth and preached as by scriptures preachinges and by the Sacrament yet these thinges be not all of like degree For ther ys none of these called the bodie of Chryst but onelie the bread that ys consecrated by the mysticall praier that ys by the woordes of Chryst Thys ys my bodie that onelie ys called the bodie of Chryste Oecolamp craftilie abuseth S. Augustin Nowe Oecolampadius wolde that bicause sainct Augustin saieth that Chryst ys preached by scripture woorde and Sacrament that these three be of one sorte no more being in the Sacrament then in the other two But note I praie thee gentle reader howe he abuseth sainct Augustin to proue that hys wicked sainge Of this place of sainct Augustin nowe alleadged he taketh onely thus moche Paule might by signifieng preache our Lorde Iesus Chryst otherwise by hys toung otherwise by epistle otherwise by the Sacrament of his bodie and blood And vpon thys he growndeth hys argument and wolde be seen well to haue confirmed Not toung nor writing nor soche other shewing furth Chryst be called his bodie but bread and wine consetrated hys doctrine But all the rest of sainct Augustines woordes whiche folowe whiche ouerthrowe all his building he craftelie lefte oute For yt foloweth Yet doe we call neither his toung neither his epistle nor his writinges the bodie of Chryste but onely we call that the bodie of Chryste that ys taken of the fruictes of the earth and ys by the mysticall prayer consecrated that doe we call the bodie of Chryst All thys doth he leaue oute Soche was the synceritie of the man in alleaging the holie Fathers So good ys the cause that he defended that the doctours muste be mutilated and brought oute in peice meall or ells yt coulde not stand Ys yt not merueilouse that he coulde bring this place of sainct Augustin whiche although the first peice taken alone seemeth somwhat to sownde to his pourpose yet the wholl taken together ys alltogether against him Alas that euer anie man wolde so deceaue the people of God and by soche frawde and abuse of the holie writers make them to embrace erroure in stead of trueth weigh the place throughlie and yowe shall perceaue howe yt mainteineth the catholique trueth of the presence of Chrystes boin the Sacrament verie moch Ye haue nowe heard that neither the worde written nor the woorde spoken though Chryst be preached by them be called the bodie of Chryst but onely the Sacrament ys called the bodie of Chryst And why yt ys called the bodie of Chryste he declareth Not bicause saieth he by the handes of man yt ys brought to be a visible forme but bicause yt ys sanctified and made so great a Sacrament by the inuisible woorking of the holie Goste Note these two poinctes that S. Augustine saieth that the bread ys sanctified and made so great a Sacrament And again that he saieth yt ys so sanctified and made by the inuisible worke of the holie Goste Ther ys great difference betwixt the sanctificacion of the Sacrament yt self and the soule of man that receaueth the Sacrament Now Oecolampadius and Cranmer saie that the Sacramentes being dumbe Oecolamp and Cranmer their heresies creatures receaue no sanctificacion but onely the sowles of men They saie also that the holie Gost woorketh not in the thinges that be the Sacramentes but in the men that receaue the SacrameÌ„tes Thys they saie bicause they wolde auoid the presence of Chryste in the Sacrament which ys made ther present by sanctificacion of the bread But against these their saings S. Augustin saieth that the same bread that ys made by the handes of men ys sanctified S. Augustin plain against Oecolamp aÌ„d Cranmer and receauing sanctitie ys made so great a Sacrament Against them also he saieth that the holie Goste woorketh inuisiblie in the bread I wolde now learn of the Aduersaries what S. Augustine meneth by calling the SacrameÌ„t so great a Sacrament and what worke yt ys that the holie Goste woorketh inuisiblie in the bread The woorkes of the holy Gost be no trifles Yt ys great and miraculouse that he woorketh And what he woorketh S. Iames in his Masse S. Basill also and Chrysostom in their Masses by their humble praiers doe declare S. Iames thus Spiritum tuum sanctissimum demitte nunc Domine in nos in haec sancta dona proposita vt superueniens sancta bona gloriosa sua praesentia sanctificet Diuus Iac. in Missa efficiat hunc panem corpus sanctum Christi tui calicem hunc preciosum sanguinem Christi tui Sende downe now o Lord thy most holie Spirit vpon vs and vpon these holie giftes settfurth that he coming ouer them maie with his holy good and gloriouse presence sanctifie and make this bread the holie bodie of thy Chryst aÌ„d this cuppe the preciouse blood of thy Chryst Thus S. Iames. S. Basill and Chrysostome haue the like woordes See ye not nowe then howe the bread ys sanctiâ—ied See ye not what ys the worke of the holie Goste Perceaue ye not howe that S. Augustine vpoÌ„ good cause called the Sacrament so great a Sacrament ys yt not a great Sacrament Bread sanctified contrarie to Cranmers assertion aÌ„d Oecolamp in which by worke of the holie Gost ys made present the bodie of Chryst To haue hidden this trueth Oecolampadius by peice meall brought in S. Augustine But now ye haue seen the catholique faith well testified the falshead of the Aduersaries detected and to return to oure matter and to conclude ye perceaue this Sacrament by mystical praier which ys by Chrystes woordes to be consecrated the effecte of which consecracion being the bodie of Chryste as ys saied the woordes must nedes be taken without figuratiue sense Thus if my iudgement faill me not ye haue hearde two other noble men of Chrystes schoole and Parliament house very plainlie testifieng the enacted trueth of the vnderstanding of Chrystes wordes yea so plainly that yt caÌ„not but moch confirme the good Chrystian and confute the Pheudochristian But to go forwarde I will ende with these two and call other two THE FIVE AND FIFTETH CHAPITER tarieth in the exposition of the same woordes by Chrysostom and Sedulius NOw among the learned Fathers of the greke church we are descended to Chrysostome of whome I maie saie as besore ys saied of S. Ambrose that he ys so full of godlie testimonies testisieng to vs the true vnderstanding of Chrystes woordes that as I knowe not whiche of them first to take so doe I merueill that they being so manie the Proclamer coulde for shame saie
the bodie of Chryst And before the woordes of Chryst yt ys a cuppe full of water and wine but when the woordes of Chryst haue wrought ther ys made the bloode that redemed the people Gregorie nissen saied the bread by the woorde ys chaunged into the bodie as yt was saied of the woorde mening Chryst This ys my bodie And again he saieth we doe beleue that the bread sanctified by the woorde of God ys chaunged into Greg. Niss ser cathec Hier. ad Hed. qn 2 Isich in Leuit li. 6. ca. 22. the bodie of the Sonne of God S. Hierom saied Let vs vnderstand that the bread which our Lorde gaue vnto his Disciples ys the bodie of our Lorde and Sauionre forasmoch as he saied This ys my bodie aÌ„d that the cuppe ys that of the whiche again he saied Drinke ye all of this This ys my blood of the newe Testament Isichius saied he receaueth the sacrifice by ignorance that knoweth not the power and dignitie of yt that knoweth not that yt ys his bodie and Ang. in Psalm 33. con 1. Chrysosthom 83. in 26 Math. hom 51. in 14 Marc Cyrill ad CalosyriuÌ„ bloode in verie dede but receaueth the misteries and knoweth not the power of theÌ„ S. Augustine saied that Chryst was born in his owne handes when geuing furth that same his bodie he saied This ys my bodie For he did beare that bodie in his handes Chrysostome saied Forasmoche as he hath saied this ys my bodie let vs be holden with no doubte but let vs beleue and with the eies of our vderstanding let vs verilie see yt Again he saied He that saied This ys my bodie alltogether with his woorde he made the thing also S. Cyrill saied Doubte not whether this be true or no sith he manifestlie saieth this ys my bodie but raither receaue the woorde of our Saiouur in faith For he forasmoche as he ys the trueth he lieth not S. Gregorie saied Chryst ys offred for vs in this misterie of the holie sacrifice Ther trulie his bodie ys receaued his flesh to the health of the people ys geuen abroade his Grego li. 4. Dial. ca 58 blood ys nowe shedde not vpon the handes of the vnfaithfull but into the mouthes of the faithfull And again whiche of the faithfull can doubte in that time of the sacrifice at the woorde of the preist the heauens to be opened in that misterie of Iesu Chryst coÌ„panies of Angells to be preseÌ„t vnto high thinges lowe thinges to be coopled vnto heauenly thinges earthlie thinges to be ioined one thing also of inuisible and visible thinges to be made Isidor saied The sacrifice that ys offred of the Chrystians vnto God Chryst our Lorde and master did first institute when he gaue to his Apostles his bodie and bloode before he wolde be betraied as yt ys redde in the Gospell Jsidorus de â—ffi â—ccl ca 1â— Iesus tooke bread and the cuppe and blessing them gaue them to them Thus haue I breissie tocuhed so moche as maie serue to prooue the second proposition of the catholiques Yf anie desire to see anie more of these authours let him repair to their chapters and ther shall he see them at large And nowe ye see that as by manie wittnesses the figure in the first proposition was denied so by all these that Chryst in his woordes spake of his verie bodie yt ys here affirmed And yet all these notwithstanding yf the Aduersarie can bringe furth but one auncient Father that by expresse woordes saieth as he saieth that Chryst in his supper did not speake of his bodie or that his bodie after coÌ„secracioÌ„ duelie doeÌ„ ys not in the Sacrament I will ioine with him The Proclaimer more arrogantlie theÌ„ trulie saieth of the catholique Churche and that with repeticioÌ„ saing once again I saie as therby with The bragge of the proclamer boldecountenance to beare oute his fal shood and vntrueth that of all the woordes of the holie scriptures of all the examples of the primitiue Churche of all the olde fathers of all the anncient doctours in these causes they haue not one Nowe iudge whether he be true or no and what credditte ys to be geueÌ„ vnto him in other matters that so shameleslie speaketh in this To the farder proofe of the trueth of Chrystes substanciall presence in the Sacrament also beside that that ys saied of manie of the authours seuerallie I haue treacted of tansubstancion wherfor I remitte the reader thither and nowe hauing but one scripture in the Euangelistes to speake of I will breiflie touche yt and so finish this second booke THE FIVE AND SIXTETH CHAP. TREACTETH of the bread blessed and geuen by Chryst to the two disciples in Emaus and prooueth by Theophilact and Bede that yt was the Sacrament IN the gospell after sainct Luke we read that Chryst ioining him self to two of his Disciples goinge to Emaus wheÌ„ he cam thither Luc. 24. he satte downe with them And tooke bread and blessed and brake yt and gaue yt to them and their eies were opened and they knewe him And these Disciples returned with ioie to Hierusalem and tolde the The bread geuen to the Disciples in Emaus was Chrystes blessed bodie Apostles what was doen in the waie and howe they knewe him in the breaking of bread This bread that was here blessed and broke and geuen to the Disciples the holie learned men do testifie not to be common bread but to be by the blessing of Chryst made the bread of life euen his owne bodie Wherfor seinge yt ys so vnderstaÌ„ded I thought yt apperteining to that pourpose that I haue taken in hande to see the mindes of the holie fathers in yt And at this time to ascende I will beginne with Theophilact who writeth thus vpon the same scripture Insinuatur autem aliud quiddam nempe quod oculi corum qui benedictum panem assumunt aperiuntur vt agnoscant illum Magnam enim Theophil in 24. Luc. indicibilem vim habet caro Domini An other thing also ys geuen vs to vnderstande that ys that the eies of theÌ„ which doe take the blessed bread are opened that they maie knowe him mening Chryst For the flesh of Chryst hath a great and vnspeable power Thus he By this authour yt doeth not onely appeare that Chryst gaue vnto the two disciples his bodie but yt ys also euident For when he had first saied that their eies were opened that receaued the blessed bread so well that they might knowe Iesus immediatelie opening what this blessed bread was he saieth For the slesh of Chryst hath an vnspeakeable power The blessed bread then blessed of Chryste to be geuen to the Disciples was so of him blessed by the testimonie of Theophilact that yt was made the flesh of Chryst Whiche he prooueth by the effecte For although Chryst had walked with them somoche waie and had conferred with them and had rebuked their slacknesse of faith and
eche kinde cleaueth to his phantasies and singular deuises and foloweth not the doctrine of the Fathers But we sainge Vale to Melancton and his inuencion we cleaue to the substanciall and auncient doctrine of the Fathers and by that we conclude Wholl Christe being vnder eche kinde the people be not defrauded receauing but one kinde that the bodie and bloode of Chryst ys necessarelie vnder eche kinde as whollie and perfectlie vnder the one as vnder the other And forasmoche as the Godhead ioined to Chryst in vnitie of person ys inseparable from the manhead therfor yt foloweth of necessitie also that the bodie being vnder eche kinde the godhead that hath taken to yt self the same bodie ys with the same bodie vnder eche kinde and so vnder eche kinde ys wholl Chryst God and man And being so he ys there with all his giftes graces merittes and vertues Wherfor he that receaueth the Sacrament vnder one kinde receaueth woll Chryst God and man And yf he receaue yt woorthilie receaueth him with his giftes and graces according to the measure of the gift of Chryst Nowe then perceauing what ys doen in the receipt of the Sacrament vnder one kinde namelie that ther ys receaued wholl Chryst God and man with all his giftes and graces as fullie and perfectlie as yf both kindes were receaued so that the receauer ys nothing defrauded of the effect of the Sacrament yt maie be perceaued that so to receaue ys well doen and laufullie doen. Yf yt be then asked whie Chryst did institute the Sacrament vnder both kindes yf yt be sufficient to receaue the one the aunswer ys made whie Christ instituted the Sacr. vnder bothe kindes before that he did institute the Sacrament vnder bothe kindes to be frequented as the solemne memoriall of his passion and death in the presence of his Churche yet he himself ministred vnder one kinde to declare that to priuate men he leaueth yt indifferent to receaue vnder one or bothe Thus moche ys saied vpon the scripture for the receauing of the blessed Sacrament vnder one kinde THE EIGHT AND SIXTETH CHAPITER prooueth the same receipt vnder one kinde to be laufull by the auncient practise of the Churche AS the enemies of Chrystes Churche in the subuersion of Boemia reioiced that they had sownde oute as they thought some notable errour in the Churche whiche ys as they wolde haue yt vnderstanded directlie against the scriptures namelie the receauing of the Sacrament vnder one kinde against this sainge of Chryst in Sainct Iohn Except ye eate the slesh of the Sonne of man and drink his blood ye shall not haue life in yowe So the Aduersaries of Chrystes Church in these our daies likewise reioice and in their owne conceipt triumphe against the same saing that yt erreth and doeth directly both against the plain institucion of Chryst who did institute the same Sacrament vnder two kindes and so gaue yt furth to be receaued and also against the vse and example of the primitiue Churche which did minister the same manie hundreth yeares after Chryst vnder both kindes Among these the Proclamer singeth a part and saieth that the Communion vnder both kindes was vsed throughoute the wholl Churche sixe hundreth yeares Proclamers obiection of the practise of the primitiue churche after Chrystes ascension without exception But for the proofe of this his sainge he bringeth in but a litle fragment of Gelasius an olde Father of the Churche and a Bishoppe of Rome whiche ys this Diuisio vnius eiusdemue mysterij sine grandi sacrilegio non potest peruenire The diuision of one verie mysterie can not be doen withoute great sacriledge But as the one parte of their wicked slaunder ys allreadie declared to be vntrue for that to receaue the Sacrament vnder one kinde as ys saied ys not against the scriptures So shall yt be made as plain that the other ys as vntrue for that ye shall euidentlie see the practise and examples of the primitiue Churche in diuerse ages to haue vsed the Sacrament vnder one kinde But first we shall aunswere the obiection that the Proclamer maketh by Gelasius For the whiche yt ys to be vnderstanded that the heresie Gelasius his meening opened of the Manicheis whiche began in the time of Belix the fiue and twenteth Bishop of Rome after Sainct Peter in the yeare of our Lorde two hundreth seuenteth and two continued to the time of Gelasius who ruled the Church of Rome the yeare of our Lorde four hundreth neinteth and foure whiche heresie as Sainct Augustine did with great labour and like learning impugne so did diuerse holie Fathers and rulers of Chrystes Church trauail for yt did moche vexe the Church to represse and vtterlie to extinguish yt Nowe in the time of Gelasius ther were manie of them in Rome who vsinge dissimulacion to cloake their heresie came among the Chrystian Manicheis howe they dissimuled in receauīg the Saer people to the receipt of the Sacrament But for that they beleued that Chryst had no verie naturall bodie of man born of the Virgen Marie but a phantasticall bodie therfor they contented them selues to receaue the Sacrament vnder the forme of bread they wickedlie phantasieng yt as a memoriall of the phantasticall bodie of Chryst But when they shoulde come to receaue the Sacrament vnder the forme of wine they conueighed them selues awaie bicause they beleued that the bodie of Chryst which as ys saied they did take to be phantasticall had no bloode And therfor they wolde receaue no Sacrament of his blood The Eutychians also Eutychians their heresi denieng the humane nature to abide in Chryste and therfor to haue anie perfect naturall bodie in the Sacrament ioined at that time with the Manicheis and with like dissimulacion contenting them selues to receaue the Sacrament vnder the forme of bread as the Sacrament of a certain diuine and heauenlie bodie they as the other did sledd from the receipt of the other kinde phantasieng no blood to be in soche a bodie Of whiche their wicked doinges Gelasius hauing intelligence to the intent they might be discerned and well knowen from the true Chrystians and so to be deprehended he made a like decree as before him for the same pourpose and against the same men did the holie Father Leo the first Bishopp of Rome not manie yeares before Gelasius The verie woordes of which Leo to the better vnderstanding of the matter I thinke verie necessarie to asscribe and they be these Abducant se Sacramento salutis humanae Christum Dominum nostrum sicut in veritate carnis nostrae denegant natum Leoser 4. de quadr ita mortuum verè resurrexisse non credunt ob hoc diem salutis nostrae laetitiae nostrae sui ieiunij moerore condemnant Cumue ad tegendum infidelitatem suam nostris audeant interesse mysterijs ita in Sacramentorum communione se temperant vt interdum tutius lateant Ore indigno Christi corpus
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
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
Manna was froÌ„ the aier Christe our bread ys from heauen the figure For wher the bread of the Iewes was but froÌ„ the aier our bread Christe ys from heauen in dede and not from heauen as a comon heauenlie thing but from heauen as a thing heauenlie as the Father ys heauenly and withall not as a coÌ„mon bread but as a bread that ys proprelie called and ys heauenlie bread in verie dede bicause yt confirmeth and maketh strong the heart of man And yet immediatelie by expresse woordes this authour declareth as a cause why that MaÌ„na was not the trewe bread and speaketh yt in the person of Chryst Siquidem panis ille siguratiuus erat me inquit praesigurans Manna a figure of Chryste oure bread In 6. Joan. hom 44. qui sum ipsa veritas For that bread was a figuratiue bread prefigurating me saieth Chryst whiche am the treuth yt self Here vnto agreablie also saieth Chrysostome Panem autem simpliciter non verum illum appellat non quòd falsus esset in Manna miraculum sed quòd figura esset non veritas He calleth yt onelie bread and not the true bread not that in Manna was a false miracle but bicause yt was a figure and not the veritie Nowe then as in the woordes of Chryst comparing and also preferring him self before and aboue the bread that the Iewes had vnder Moises in the desert he declareth him self to be the thing figured by that breade and that bread to be the figure so haue ye hearde these learned men expownding this scripture to teache the like or raither the verie same Yf nowe the aduersarie will obiecte and saie that Manna was a figure of the Godhead but not of his Manhead and so consequentlie not of his bodie for that these textes and scriptures speake of the deitie or God head of John 6. Euthim. ibidem Chryst and not yet of his humanitie as Euthimius whom we haue alleaged doeth also testifie expownding this saing of Chryst Ego sum panis vitae I am the bread of life Panis viuificans qui vt dictuÌ„ est dat vitaÌ„ aeternaÌ„ NaÌ„ ea proprie dicitur vita quae aeterna est Quae enim ad teÌ„pus durat noÌ„ vita est sed vitae imago Panem auteÌ„ vitae suaÌ„ vocat diuinitateÌ„ SiquideÌ„ ipsa panis est quae de caelo descendit I am the bread of life the bread that maketh to liue aÌ„d which as yt ys saied geueth eternal lif For that proprelie ys called life which ys euerlasting That that endureth but for a time yt ys not life but an image of life The bread of life he calleth his Godhead For yt ys the bread that descended from heauen Thus Euthim. Yt ys true that all that Chryste hath spoken of him self hitherto sithen he began to speake of Manna ys spoken of his Godhead For so dothe Chrysostome also wittnesse And therfor we accept that that Euthimius saieth and graunt the same But then I wold ye weÌ„t to the next line of Euthymius aÌ„d read Euthim. what he addeth to this sentence that ys nowe oute of him alleaged Yt foloweth ther immediatelie Tandem verò etiam corpus panem vocat Afterwarde also he calleth his dodie bread Whiche he doth when he saieth And the bread Chryste called bread two waies whiche I will geue ys my flesh whiche I will geue for the life of the worlde vpoÌ„ the which text he saieth Duobus modis Christus dicitur esse panis secundùm diuinitatem scilicet bumanitatem Postquam ergo docuit de modo qui secundùm Diuinitatem est nunc etiaÌ„ docet de modo qui est secundùm humanitateÌ„ Two maner of waies Chryste ys saied to be bread that ys to saie after his Godhead and after his Manheade Therfore after he hath taught of the maner whiche ys after his Godhead nowe also he teacheth of that maner whiche ys after his Manhead Thus then yt ys manifest Chryste him self teaching and Euthimius Chrysostom with diuerse other so declaring as ye maie see in the second booke wher the sixt chapter of S. Iohn ys by a nombre of learned Fathers expownded that Chrystes bodie ys called bread and yerie well both for that by that name yt aunfwereth the figure And also as Manna fedde the Iewes so in a more excellent maner the bodie of Chryste feadeth the Chrystians he him self witnessing and speaking of his owne bodie thus Qui manducat Joan. 6. hunc panen viuet in aeternum He that eathe this bread shall liue for euer And here I can but merueill at the maliciouse blindnesse of Oecolampadius who trauaileth by all means to proue that the bodie of Chryst feadeth not the soule and so wolde make Chryst contrarie to him self bothe in this sentence last alleaged and also in this sentence wher he faieth Caro mea verè est Jbid. â— cibus sanguis meus verè est potus My flesh ys meat in dede and my bloode ys drinke in dede But Oecolam wolde haue that the soule ys fedde onely whith the worde of God and faith and therfor speaking of the flesh of Chryste he saith Neque opus est carnem in ipsam ingredi animam Quod ne imaginaremur satis cauerat Dominus dicens Caro non prodest quicquam Neither yt ys nedefull that the flesh entre into the soule whiche thing that we shoulde not imagen the lord did diligently prouide sainge The flesh profitetb nothinge And yet Chryste saieth Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood ye haue no life in yowe I am loath as in the prouerbe yt ys saied Actum agere to doo that thing In the xxxvi chap. c. that ys doen all readie and so with prolixitie and tediousnes to greue the readie Wherfor all these scriptures of the sixt chap. of S. Iohn being sufficiently declared in the second booke and among other this text whiche Oecolampadius bringeth inwhiche ys The flesh profiteth nothing ther truly by S. Augustine Chrysostom Theophilact and other expownded and declared to be of an other maner of sense then he deuilishlie wolde wrest yt to and ther also being shewed howe the flesh of Chryst feadeth and profiteth the soule very moche I shall referr the reader thither wher he shall finde Oecolampadius fullie aunswered and matter sufficient I trust wherwith he him self shall be satisfied Wherfor nowe I will but touche a woorde of Oecolampadius wher he saieth that the inwarde man ys fedde by faithe Yt ys a maner of feede that I haue not redd in anie autentike authour But this maie be and ys red that Chryst and his woorde receaued by faith doth feed the soule but not faithe yt self Neither haue I red anie catholique authour that Jnward maÌ„ ys fedde by â—aith the glose of OecolaÌ„p touched teacheth that the flesh of Chryst entreth in to the soule as yt liketh Oecolampadius whith his feigned speache
moche as here after shall be saied In 10. 1. Cor. hom 23. Chrystians eate the bodie of Christ as the Iewes did Manna All though ye haue had here clere testimonie of Chrysostome in this matter yet he ys more plain in an other place expownding the same scripture and applieng yt to the veritie thus Quae autem sequntur sacram mensam significant Nam quemadmodum tu corpus Dominicum manducas ita illi Manna manducauerunt Et sicut tu sanguinem bibis ita illi aquam de petra biberunt These thinges that do folowe do signifie the holie table For as thowe doest eate the bodie of our Lorde so they also haue eaten Manna and as thowe drinkest bloode so they haue dronke the water of the stone And again in the same homelie speaking of the benefittes whiche God gaue to the Iewes as Manna and the water in figures of the benefittes of his bodie and bloode whiche he geueth vnto vs and shewing him to be the geuer of them bothe saieth in the person of S. Paule Qui enim illa illis prebuit inquit hic hanc praeparauit mensam Et ipse idem illos per mare te per baptisma adduxit Et illis Manna aquam tibi corpus sanguinem dedit He that prepared saieth he those thinges to thē to these hath he also prepared this table And euen the very same hath brought them through the Sea and the through Baptisme And vnto them he gaue Manna and the water and vnto thee the bodie and bloode What can the Aduersarie once saie against these so clere and manifest testimonies for the trueth What blinde glose or maliciouse interpretacion can he bring to make these sainges anie thing looke towarde him Yf the Iewes receaued the figure and we the veritie what baser or lower thing ys yt thē the bodie of Chryst Yf the Aduersarie saie that we receaue Chryst spirituallie so did they in the receipt of Manna also I meen all they that receaued Yf the christiā receaue Chryste but in figure spirituallie as the Iewe did wher ys thē the veritie well What then receaue we more nowe in or with the veritie vnder Chryst in the Gospell then they did with their figures vnder Moyses in the lawe Yf they proceade and saie that we receaue the Sacramentall bread as a figure of Chryst so receaued the Iewes Manna as a figure of Chryst Yf in euery place the figure wher ys the veritie Yf ther a figure and here a figure yf ther Chryst spiritually and here spirituallie and no more in the one then in the other what then fignifieth the veritie and wher ys the veritie Farder as ye hearde Chrysostome before saie the veritie must haue excellencie aboue the figure yf then we haue the veritie as Chrysostom also saieth then of necessitie yt must folowe that yf the Iewes had the figure of Chryst in Manna and yf the goode receauers with the figure Manna receaued also Chryst spirituallie that we must haue a certen excellencie with our veritie whiche be none other but the presence of him that ys the veritie in dede whiche ys Chryst For we haue a figure with the Iewes and a spirituall receauing with the Iewes and in these we be equall and on our parte ther ys no excellencie This therfore ys the excellencie that where they had the figure we haue both figure and the thing figurated whiche ys the bodie and bloode of Chryste Of these two authours then as of the other ye perceaue these three thinges auouched whiche were before mencioned that ys Manna and the water to befigures of Chrystes bodie and blood and that same bodie and bloode be in the Sacrament and that ther ys an excellencie in the thinges prefigured aboue the figures as to the veritie yt apperteineth aboue the figure THE SEVENTH CHAP. PROCEADETH TO DEclareth the same by saincte Hierom and sainct Cyrill WHen I consider with my self howe long the veritie of the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament hath ben receaued and beleued howe not in one corner of the chrystian orbe as nowe the Aduersaries of this trueth do occupie but throughoute in all places where Chryste was professed as well in the east Chruch as the west churche in the greke churche as in the latin Churche this trueth was embraced the Sacrament moch reuerenced Chryst God and man there truly and highlie honoured the same also by the greatest grauest and holiest learned men taught and preached and in their bookes by the testimonie of their handes testified and to all the worlde comended I can not ceasse to merueill howe men of this our time be bewitched and infatuated to leaue so sure an anker while they be in the trooblesom sea of this worlde and take holde of a feather in the whiche there ys no suertie nor staie but raither great occasion of present perill and destruction They be not alltogether vnlike the dogge in the fable who swimming through the water and hauing a good bone in his mouthe sawe the shadowe of the same in the water and Protestanres compared to the dogge in the fable soddenlie withoute consideracion leauing his good bone snatched at the shadowe to haue caught yt and so lost for the shadowe the substancial thing So these men swimming through the trooblesome water of his worlde and hauing in their mouthes the substanciall woorde of trueth that was able to feed them seing the shadowe of this vain doctrine whiche like a shadowe appeareth to be somwhat but ys nothing in dede they let the catholique and substanciall doctrine fall from their mouthes and catche the shadowe But as long as they haue but the shadowe their feeding will be so bare or raither nothing that their soules which shoulde be fedde withe the true woorde of God shall perish with famine yt encreaseth my merueilling and woondering that they seing these graue fathers and learned writers so manifestlie teaching the trueth yet as men addicted to swear to the woordes of their wicked masters they moue not from their phantasies What then Shall we ceasse to call vpon them Naie God forbidde S. Paule although he well sawe the stif neckes of the Iewes that they wolde not bowe to the faith yet he saied Quamdiu sum gentium Apostolus ministerium meum Rom. 11. honorificabo si quomodò ad aemulandum prouocem carnem meam saluosfaciam aliquos exillis As long as I am the Apostle of the gentiles I will magnifie mine office yf by anie mean I maie prouoke them whiche are my flesh and might saue some of them God graunte the charitie of S. Paule to all whom God hath called to the office of teachers that they maie magnifie their office and call vpon the people continuallie that some maie be saued though damnacion to them that be called and will not heare be the more greuouse Wherfor although these two coople in the chapiters before alleaged might suffice to certifie vs
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
birth in her age shoulde conceaue and bring furth Iohn the Baptist but yt was more miraculouse that a maide withoute man shoulde conceaue and bring furth a childe And therfore this conception ys more excellent than the other but thys increaseth the excellēcie that here be mo miracles thā in the other For in this cōceptiō was cōceaued God ād mā in the other mā onelie But that this excellēcie maie appeare betwixt two figures I shall bring exāple of two figures of the Sacramēt As yt ys sufficiētly proued in the first book the Shew bread was a figure of the Sacramēt And as yt ys here proued Manna ys a figure of the same The Shew bread was but plain artificiall bread about the whiche was no speciall work of God but soch as ys aboute all other thinges formed and made to the conseruacion of man Aboute Manna ther was no artificial worke but a speciall worke of God and that beside the naturall custome and Cōparison of the B. Sacr. to the figure Manna ordre Wherfore Manna ys the more excellent figure in that respect For the one was made by man the other was wrought by God Aboute the one also was no miracle aboute the other were manie miracles and therfor in that respect yet more excellent In these three poincts yf cōparison be made betwixt our Sacramēt and Māna yf our Sacramēt haue not the presence of Chrystes bodie then Manna farre excelleth For first our Sacrament being a figure of Chryst and not conteining Chryst as the Aduersarie saieth nothing exceadeth Manna For Manna was a figure of Chryst also So that as touching the thing figured ther ys no excellencie For they be figures of one thing In the second poinct which ys the liuely significacion and ful figuracion of the thing signified and figured Manna moche excelleth the Sacrament For as Chryst was a bread frō heauen so was Manna a bread from heauen As Chryst descended frō heauen that his people might feed vpon him to euerlasting life so Manna descended frō heauen that the people might feed vpon yt to the mainteinance of their life As Chryst ys aboue naturall ordre sent vnto vs by God the Father so was Manna aboue naturall ordre sent to the Israelites from God as by Chrysostome yt ys before testified Now yt cōparison be made betwixt the Sacrament and Chryst the Sacrament ys nothing so liuely a figure so fullie figuring Chryst as Manna hath doen. For Chryst ys a bread frō heauen the Sacrament a bread frō the earth as Irenaeus saieth and as oure cōmon knowledge testifieth Chryst ys our food to euerlasting life the Sacrament in respect that yt ys a Sacrament feedeth vs not to the sufficiēt mainteinaunce of this life as Manna did the Israelites Chryst was sent to vs aboue naturall ordre as also Manna was the Sacramēt by natural and artificiall ordre Who then seith not that Māna in all respects more liuely and more fullie signifieth and figureth Chryst then our Sacrament doth Wherfor yt maie then well be saied that Manna ys the more excellent figure As touching the third poinct ther can be no controuersie but that Māna was alltogether miraculouse our Sacrament in no poincte miraculouse yf yt contein not the presence of Chrystes bodie and blood About Manna were manie miraculous woorkes of God aboute our Sacrament not one Manna was frō heauen our Sacramēt frō the earth Manna wrought by the especial worke of God our Sacrament by the cōmon work of man Manna besides naturall order our Sacrament by naturall and artificiall ordre Manna tasted in euery mans mouth as he listed our Sacrament but as bread and wine Māna although yt putrified being kept more then one daie in the weke daies yet yt remained vnputrified vpō the Sabboth daie And although being reserued after the Sabboth daie yt wolde putrifie yet of the same reserued in the goldē pott in the Arke ther remained manie years vnputrified swete ād good Owre bread and wine neither putrifieth sooner neither remaineth lōger thē other bread and wine after the comon ordre doth Yt ys then a most plain matter that yf our Sacramēt be robbed of the real presence of Chrystes bodie and blood that yt ys in nothing more excellent thē the figure of yt But contrariwise the figure in all respects ys moch more Yf our Sa. haue not the reall presence of Chrystes bodie and blood yt ys moche baser figure then Māna excellent then yt as by that that ys saied yt doth manifestly appeare Wherfore the Aduersarie must of necessitie graunt one of these two that either in the Sacrament ys the presence of Chrystes bodie and so ys yt more excellēt then the figure Manna or ells denieng the presence graunt that our Sacrament ys not equall but a baser and inferiour Sacrament to Manna But to graunt that a Sacrament of the newe lawe ys inferiour or baser then a Sacrament of the olde lawe ys a plain absurditie wherfore so ys that likewise that yt floweth oute of that ys that ther ys no presence of Chryst in the Sacrament Yt must then of very necessitie be concluded that Chrystes bodie ys verilie in the Sacrament THE THIRTENTH CHAP. PROVETH THE the same by scriptures and doctours SOche hath ben the malice of Sathan against God and hys Chryst and against his beloued church that to hinder the honoure of God to shadowe or abase the woorthinesse of the mediacion of Chryst and to drawe men from saluacion he ceasseth not hys laboure and industrie he sleapeth not frō his inuencions and deuises he spareth not hys engines and waies but bussier ys he to impair and destroie then we be to repair and saue Wherfore as before the coming of Chryst he drewe mē from the true honour of God to Idolatrie and therin deceaued the very Iewes whiche were speciallie called to the true knowledge of God So to abase the woorthinesse of his annointed after his coming he stirred vppe diuerse wicked membres as Cerinthus Ebion Sabellius Paulus Samosatenus Marcion Arrius Ne storius Eutiches and a great nombre mo of like rable By some of the which he impugned his Godhead and by other some he impugned his manhead and Luther allowed two sacramētes Melācthō three The Saxons foure Postellus six Suenckfeldiut neuer one withall miserablie tormented and diuided hys church to the losse of many a soule So nowe in these daies he hath inuented some other engins as wher Chryst had instituted sacramentes by the which as by certain instrumētes or conductes the merit of his passion in sondrie sortes shoulde come and be applied vnto his people and by the whiche the people should haue moch comforte he hath to sett furth his engins stirred vppe other disciples and wicked mēbres as Luther Oecolampadius Caluine Zuinglius Bucer Brentius Cranmer Radley Iuel and a filthy nōbre of soch like by the which he hath not onelie by some of thē laboured to take awaie three of thē by other some
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
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
concludeth that therfore nowe also the bread ys chaunged into the flesh of Chryst Whiche conclusion must contein as moch as the premisses of the argument that as the foode which Chryst receaued was substancially chaunged into the substance of the bodie of Chryste so now the bread by the mysticall benediction and coming of the holie Gost with the secrett woordes ys substanciallie chaunged into the substance of the flesh of Chryst In this processe of the declaracion of the minde of Theophilact ys not onely Peter Martir his glose as plainlie ouerthrowen as yt was maliciouslie deuised ouerthrowen the wicked wresting of Peter Martyr but also the veritie of the Sacrament so sensiblie as yt were opened that as I suppose ther ys no place of doubte left to make a Chrystian to doubte in For yf ye will conferre the exposition of S. Paule nowe here brought in with the other sainges yt alone will sufficiently teache a man the perfect catholique faith aboute the Sacrament of Chrystes bodie and bloode Wherfore so moch being spoken of the minde of Theophilact in the which I haue taried longer then I entended I will nowe hast me to inferre Haymo who ys placed here with this grecian Theophilact to declare the faith of the latin In. decim 1. Cor. Church in his time This haymo thus expowndeth this text of sainct Paul Et panis quem frangimus in altari nonne participatio corporis domini est vtique primùm consecratur benedicitur à sacerdotibus spiritu sancto deinde frangitur cum iam licet panis videatur in veritate corpus Christi est Ex quo pane quicūnque communicant corpus Although ther seem baead in the Bl. Sa. yt ys the bodie of Chryste Christi edunt And the bread which we do breake in the aultar ys yt not a partaking of the bodie of our Lord Yt ys so First yt ys consecrated and blessed of the preistes and the holie Gost and afterward yt ys broken And although nowe yt seemeth bread in verie deed yt ys the bodie of Chryst of the which bread whosoeuer do communicate they do eate the bodie of Chryst Thus Haymo Here ye see an other exposition of S. Paule his text whiche although yt differ from the other in woordes in the thing that they speake of they fullie Haimo ād Theoph. their saings conferred agree Theophilact saied that the blood that ys in the cuppe ys the same that flowed oute of the side of Chryst so that he teaching the presence of the verie blood of Chryst in the Sacrament teacheth by the same the verie presence of the bodie of Chryst So this man teaching the very presence of the bodie of Chryst by the same teacheth also the presence of the verie bloode of Chryst The order also howe the bread ys turned into the bodie of Chryst ys here testified as yt was of Theophilact For he saied that the bread ys trāsformed by the mysticall benedictiō and the accesse of the holie Gost This man saieth that yt ys consecrated and blessed of the preistes and the holie Gost Theophilact saieth that God chaungeth the bread into the flesh of Chryst the outward formes remaining still This man saieth that allthough yt seeme bread in verie deed yt ys the bodie of Chryst Wherby we maie see the goodlie consent and agrement that the God of vnitie and peace woorketh in them that do loue and embrace his trueth Theophilact also saieth that the bloode of Chryst ys in the cuppe This man saieth that the bodie of Chryst ys in the aultar Whiche bothe maner of speaches proue a reall presence For the spirituall presence ys neither in the aultar neither in the chalice but in the soule of man Hitherto by all these auncientes we can learn none other but that sainct Paule in this scripture spake of the verie reall and substanciall presence of Chrystes bodie and blood in the blessed Sacrament And therfor receauing this saied blessed Sacrament we are partakers of the same bodie and bloode of Chryste THE ONE TWENTETH CHAPITER PROceadeth yet vpon the same text by Anselmus and Bruno NOwe that we haue heard S. Paule expownded by the auncient elders and learned writers that be of all studentes of the Chrystian faith to be reuerenced and so receaued to bring the matter euen home to our time for that the later writers be so contemned and without iust cause of the aduersarie reiected some Anselmus in Deci 1. Cor. of them shall be produced that triall maie yet be made whether they agree with these elders or dissent from them And first Anselmus his exposition shall be hearde thus he writeth Panis quem frangimus est participatio corporis Domini quia ipse panis quem multis diuidimus est verum corpus Domini Et qui de illo accipiūt de corpore Domini accipiunt atque fiunt etiam ipsi quod accipiunt The bread that we The bread diuided to many ys the bodie of our Lord. breake ys partaking of the bodie of our Lorde for that bread which we diuide to manie ys the very bodie of our Lorde And they that do take of yt they receaue the bodie of our Lorde and they also be made that that they receaue Thus Anselmus This exposition dissenteth not from the expositions of the elders but as they taught that S. Paule speaketh here of the very bodie of Chryst so doth this man also For saieth he the bread which we diuide to manie ys the very bodie of our Lord wherfor they that receaue yt receaue the bodie of our Lord. And with S. Augustine expownding yt that S. Paule saieth that yt ys a communicacion of the bodie of our Lorde he saieth that they that receaue the bodie of Chryst are made that they receaue For they that receaue yt duely are made membres of the mysticall bodie of Chryst But in this exposition the reader ys to be aduertised that this authour saing that the bread which we geue to manie ys the bodie of Chryst meneth not as Luther doth that the materiall bread in the Sacrament ys the very bodie of Chryst For after the consecracion whē we distribute the holie Sacramēt their ys no materiall bread but he that ys the heauēli bread who saieth Ioan. 6. Ego sum panis vitae Et panis quem ego dabo caro mea est quam dabo pro mundi vita I am the bread of life and the bread which I shall geue ys my flesh which I will geue for the life of the worlde So that we distribute in the Sacrament no other bread but that bread Wherfore he saied very well that that bread ys the very bodie of Chryste Not minding to trooble the reader with long declaracion where the authours for their plaines in sentences nede none soch I shall leaue Anselmus and call the good holy man Bruno who was more then foure hundreth years Bruno in dec 1 Cor. agon
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
had sufficientlie doen penance and made amendes for the same rebuketh them both the preistes sor that they suffred yt and the receauers for that they presumed to receaue yt Whose rebuke yf you marke ys verie sore sharpe and terrible whiche of so graue and godlie holie martyr shoulde not haue ben doen yf the thing that they receaued had ben but a peice of breade For soche graue men as holie Cyprian was did with moche grauitie and godlie wisdome rebuke offences with iust measure a small faulte gentlie and easilie a great faulte seuerely and sharpelie Wherfor this rebuke of S. Cyprian being sharpe and sore yt argueth that their offence was great and so in dede yt was For they being so filthilie desiled presumed to come to receaue the blessed bodie of Chryst For they yet Table of our Lorde the bodie of our Lorde smelling of the deadlie infection saieth S. Cyprian of the eating of the Idolatites came violently vpon the bodie of our Lorde to receaue yt By whiche his woordes as ye maie perceaue ther was a great offence committed iustly deseruing so great a rebuke So maie ye perceaue that by the table of our Lorde spoken of by S. Paule he vnderstandeth the bodie of our Lorde So that when S. Paule saieth Ye can not be partakers of the table of our Lorde yt ys asmoche to saie as ye can not be partakers of the bodie of our Lorde In this then the one parte heretofore in the former processe taught ys confirmed namely that S. Paule rightly vnderstanded taught the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament I shall not nede to make farder proof of this seeing that yt ys manifest that S. Cyprian correcting them that being defiled with Idolathites did presume to receaue our Lordes bodie dothe touche them with the saing of S. Paule Ye can not be partakers of the table of our Lorde Whiche texte in dede shoulde nothing touche them yf the thing that S. Cyprian spake of were not the same that S. Paule spake of And so contrarie wise yt ys manifest then that S. Cyprian speaking of the euell receauing of the bodie of Chryst that S. Paule also spake of the bodie of Chryste and so both of them of the very presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament The other parte also namely that he speaketh of the bodie of Chryst as of a sacrifice ys also easie in him to be pceaued For to what pourpose ells shoulde Sainct Cyprian alleadge that place of Leuiticus forbidding the vnclean person to receaue anie parte of the sacrifice of our Lorde but that that prohibition being spoken of the sacrifice that was the figure shoulde directlie be applied to the sacrifice which ys the thing which ys the bodie of Chryst our sacrifice and so teache vs that euery vnclean person ys forbidden to eate of this holie sacrifice For to that pourpose did S. Cyprian alleadge that text as a scripture by the which we are forbidden to be partakers of our Lordes sacrifice yf we be ioined in anie folowshippe with Sathan I minde not to stande long vpon this matter for that I haue saied moche of yt allreadie both in the first booke and also in this booke Wherfore thus leauing Cyprian I will call in Chrysostom as one of the other side of Chrystes parliament house of whose iudgement in the matter of the Sacrament soche a nombre of his sainges being produced I trust the Reader ys not ignoraÌ„t of the whiche also diuerse produced vpon this Epistle of Sainct Paule whiche we nowe treat of be so plain and clere that none can be desiered more clere But for that vpon this text I finde him not by expresse woordes speaking so plainlie as the matter maie fullie appeare to the Reader for the opening of the matter that ys here to be spoken of I will produce him where he speaketh of the same sense that S. Paule doth and withall openeth our matter very plainly Thus he writeth Quomodò sacrum videbimus Pascha quomodò sanctum suscipiemus sacrificium quomodò mirabilibus communicabimus mysterijs lingua Chry. hom 11. ad pop Antioch illa qua Dei legem conculcauerimus lingua illa qua animam contaminauerimus Si nemo namue purpuram regalem manibus accipere inquinatis auderet quomodò Dominicum corpus lingua polluta suscipiemus Iuramentum enim maligni Sacrificium verò Domini Quae igitur communicatio luci ad tenebras vel quae conuenientia Christo ad Belial Howe shall we see the holie Easter howe shall we receaue the holie sacrifice howe Sacrifice plainly auouched with reall presence shall we communicate the wonderfull mysteries with that tounge whiche we haue contemned the lawe of God withall with that toung wherwith we haue defiled our soules For yf no man wolde be so bolde with defiled handes to take the kinges robe howe shall we with a defiled toung receaue the bodie of our Lorde Swearing ys of the wicked The sacrifice ys of our Lorde What folowshippe then ys ther betwixt light and darknes or what agreement betwixt Chryst and Beliall Thus Chrysostom Who diswading the people from vain and superfluouse swearing Whervnto Swearing to moche vsed wicked custom hath at these daies also to moche brought our people saieth in effect that they can not receaue and become partakers of the bodie of our Lorde with the same toung with whiche they blaspheme Gods holy name and contemne his holy lawe Whiche ys euen the same that S. Paule saieth here ye can not be partakers of the table of our Lorde and of the table of Deuells And here note that as S. Paule by the table of our Lorde vnderstandeth the sacrifice of our Lorde of the whiche the wicked can not be partakers So here Chrysostome by expresse woordes saieth that the wicked blasphemour can not be partaker of the sacrifice of our Lorde By the whiche sacrifice he vnderstandeth the bodie of Chryste For the better perceauing wherof note that he tearmeth the holie Sacrament with these tearmes He calleth yt the holy sacrifice He calleth yt the wonderfull Excellent titles of the blessed Sac. mysteries He calleth yt the bodie of our Lorde He calleth yt light Yea he calleth yt Chryst himself By whiche tearmes he declareth vnto vs the excellencie of the Sacrament as in which ys the very presence of Chrystes bodie verilie and substancially whiche ys also our sacrifice These two partes we shall breiflie open in this Authour The verie reall presence he teacheth when he saieth Howe shall we with Reall presence ê“ued by Chryso a defiled toung receaue the bodie of our Lorde Yt ys manifest that with our mouth and toung we can receaue nothing but that that ys substancial and corporal but with these saieth Chrysost we receaue the bodie of Chryst Wherfor we receaue the substaÌ„cial and corporal bodie of Chryst And therfor this being well knowen to the Aduersarie he with might and main denieth that we receaue the bodie of Chryst
two significacions of the Sonne and of the holie Gost and to the washing of the Soule from sinne by grace geuen in the ministracion of the same Sacrament yet the wholl ministracion and praiers aswell before batisme as after vsed in the same by a generall significacion ys called Baptisme So ys the consecracion and oblacion of the bodie of Chryst with all praiers and Ceremonies either going before or folowing the same by generall significacion called Masse This breif description of the Masse being made let vs examin the partes of yt whiche of them or howe manie of thē be against the woorde of God and the example or practise of the primatiue Church as yt ys pretended that yt maie be perceaued what iust cause the Proclamer hath so moche to exclame against the Masse The first parte ys consecracion This parte for that by yt ys taught the Parts of the Masse presence of Chrystes bodie and bloode whiche the Proclamer can not abide ys one cause why he reiecteth the Masse But howe iustly he doth it yt maie be perceaued through oute all this booke in which ys prooued the presence whiche the catholique Church teacheth and the figure ys improued whiche the Aduersary mainteineth An other parte ys oblacion or sacrifice wherin the Churche offreth Chryst to God the Father according to the commaundement of the same owne maister Chryst in the memoriall of his passion and deathe That this parte ys not against the scriptures and the holy Fathers yt ys allready proued in the declaracion of the prophecies of Melchisedech Daniel and Malachie in the first booke wherunto ys made an addicion whiche thowe shalt finde in the xxxvij chapiter of that same booke sufficient I trust to aunswere and satisfie anie reasonable man An other parte ys receauing of the Sacrament In the whiche twoo thinges do offend the Proclamer The one ys that the people do receaue vnder one kinde The other that the preist receaueth alone Whether the receauing vnder one kinde be against the Scriptures or the practise of the Primitiue Churche yt ys disputed and the trueth declared in the seconde booke from the lxiiij chap. to the. end of lxvijchap As for the receauing whiche the Proclamer termeth priuate yt shall be hereafter treacted of In doctrine which ys an other parte I knowe not what fault he can finde In praier the first and last parte of the Masse he findeth two faultes The one that praier ys made to sainctes The other that praier ys made for the dead for these two we shal haue recourse to the primitiue Churche and there make triall whether the Church doth well in so doing or the Aduersarie euell in denieng the same to be laufull and good Nowe for the first parte of the Masse whiche ys consecracion I will not moche otherwise here treact of yt but onelie laing furth the practise of the Apostolique and primitiue Churche therin compare the doinges of the catholique Churche nowe therwith that yt maie be perceaued howe iustlie yt foloweth the example therof As for the effect of consecracion whiche ys the presence of Chrystes bodie ther neadeth here no speciall treactice for that the woll booke treateth therof so fullie that yf the Proclamer will finde fault in the Masse forthat the presence ys taught ther to be he maie in other places of this worke finde sufficiēt matter for the proofe of the presence whiche yf yt will not satisfie him neither maie a fewe woordes here spoken moche helpe him As for the seconde parte whiche ys the oblacion or sacrifice of Chrystes bodie as before yt ys declared that yt ys offred according to the will and commaundement or Chryst himself and that by the testimonie of the Scripturs as they be vnderstāded of a nombre of the most auncient Fathers and by diuerse other graue authorities So shall yt be nowe set furth and cōmended to yowe by the practise of the Primitiue Churche Whiche we haue differred to this place And forasmoche as the Proclamer to extenuate and abase the honorable estimacion of the Masse whiche yt ought to haue in the heartes of the people doth for shame and with shame conceale the names of soche auncient Authours as do testifie that both Sainct Peter and Sainct Iames saied Masse the one at Rome the other at Hierusalem and doth also to Whē truth and learning serueth not mocking and skorning be their best argumētes bring the matter in contempt aske by waie of skorn whie raither we saie not that Chryste him self saied Masse for that were the neerer waie to bring the Masse in creditte I shall by good and sufficient authoritie shewe that not onelie Sainct Peter and Sainct Iames but also Chryste him self did saie Masse And so beginning at Chryst descende to three or foure hundreth yeares after Chryst and shewe the practise of the Churche And for this time I will ouerpasse the farder mocke and skorn that he maketh against the blessed Masse asking whie we doe not raither saie that Aaron and his chapleins saied Masse For in dede saieth he as yt hath ben vsed the Churche hath had moch more of the Robes of the Ceremonies and of the sacrifices of Aaron then of the institucion or ordeinance of Chryste For ys I shoulde touche him for that I shoulde cause Arons garment worne for a Bishopporke and the Cōmunion ministred in a cope him to be perceaued to impugne and in that behalf to skorne the ministracion of the Communion For that ys ministred in coapes and other soche garmentes as before were vsed in the Churche and he himself refuseth not to weare Aarons garment for a Bishoppericke So well agreeth his doing and his preaching together And thus scoffing at the garmentes that be nowe yet vsed he seemeth to me not to like this order of Religion that he liueth in but raither to reprooue this as he doth the other For in this poinct by his iudgement they holde both of Aaron But letting this passe I will returne to my matter and wish the Reader to remembre what this woorde Masse doth signifie as yt ys declared in the last chapiter and therwith to haue in minde as yt ys saied in this chapiter Chryste saied Masse that Masse ys the action of the consecracion oblacion and receauing of the bodie and bloode of Chryst and so vnderstanding Masse I saie that Chryst did saie Masse For he in his last Supper did institute Masse and did ther consecrate his bodie and bloode and offred them in sacrifice and gaue them to his Apostes to be receaued and commaunded that so yt shoulde be doen in the remembrance of his passion and death In this matter who listeth to be satisfied forsomoche as one auncient Authour maie satisfie a man let him reade the Epistle of Sainct Ciprian to Cecilius Epist li. 2. Epist. 3. and he shall ther sinde euery parte of the Masse here reckned to be doen by Chryst First for the consecracion he saieth thus Vt in Genesi
remembrance of me for asmoche as holie Ciprian saieth that Chryst hath commaunded vs to offre his bodie in sacrifice and before him so saied Irenaeus and after him so saied Sainct Ambrose and diuerse other holie learned Fathers I wolde learn of them what place ells in the scripture ther ys wherupon these auncient Fathers dooe grownde these their sainges But let them mocke and skorn at Chrystes trueth as the Phariseis and Scribes did at him self yet as Chryst remained and remaineth and shall for euer remain and shall condemne the wiked generacion So dothe and shall this trueth remain to their condemnacion And howesouer they will laboure to obscure yt yet the holie doctours who verie well knewe by the doctrine of the primitiue Churche howe the scripture ys to be vnderstanded shall allwaies open the same and make yt clere As nowe Sainct Cyprian in declaring the commaundement of Chryst doth almost speake the verie woordes of the commaundement Chryste saied Hoc facite in meam commâ—morationem This doe ye in the remembrance of me Ciprian saieth he commaunded this sacrifice to be doen in the remembrance of him Sainct Ambrose likewise growndeth himself vpon these saine woordes of Chryst when he saied I lorde being mindfull of thy honorable passion come vnto thing aultar although vnwoorthie and a sinner that I maie offre vnto thee the sacrifice that thowe didest institute and commaundest to be offred in the remembrance of thee The Ambr. oratione praepar ad Missem same allusion haue other Fathers also So that yt ys as clear as the daie light amonge the auncient doctours that Chryst by these woordes commaunded his Churche to offre his bodie and bloode in sacrifice Nowe once to ende the notes that maie be made vpon Sainct Ciprian and to stoppe the mouthes of them that speake wicked thinges as saieth the spalmist Note well the last parte of Sainct Ciprians sainges and ye shall see that both Chryst did offre sacrifice in his last Supper and that we also do òffre sacrifice yf we doe obserue and kepe the institucion of Christ For Sainct Ciprian saieth Sacerdos vice Christi verè sungitur si id quod Christus secerit imitatur sacrificium verum pleanum tunc offert in Ecclesia Deo Patri si sic incipiat offerre secundùm quod ipsum Christum viderit obtulisse The preist doeth truelie exercise the ministracion of Chryste yf he folowe that that Chryst hath doen and then doeth he offre in the Chruche vnto God the Father a true and sull sacrifice yf he so beginne to offre as he hath seen Chryst to haue offred In which sentence this maie be noted first that Chryst did offre sacrifice in the last Supper which the Aduersarie denieth Secondarely that the Church folowing the institucion of Chryste offreth to God a full and a true sacrifice whiche also the Aduersarie denieth By this then ye perceaue these two partes of the Masse that ys holie consecracion and oblacion to be doen by Chryst in his holie ministracion As for the thirde whiche ys holy receauing ther ys no controuersie betwixt vs and the Aduersarie Yt ys more then neadeth to be spoken of that both Chryst him self and all the Apostles present at the borde of Chryst did eat of that holie oblacion or sacrifice These three being the substanciall partes of the Masse and the verie true Masse in dede and being by Christ instituted ordeined and appoincted as yowe haue perceaued what can we ells saie but that Chryste ys the Authour of the Masse that he instituted the Masse and that he saied Masse Yf anie desire to be better satisfied in these two partes namely consecracion and oblacion for the first let him repaire to the second booke and ther from the xli chapiter to the ende of the booke he shall finde enoughe to satisfie him For the other in the first booke from the xxxiij chapiter to the ende of that booke he shall likewise finde that maie content him THE FOVR AND THIRTETH CHApiter sheweth the vse of the Masse vsed and practised by the Apostles THe Masse as ys saied and proued being instituted by Chryste and by him also coÌ„maunded to be practised and vsed of his Church yt shall be expedient and necessarie that we see how and in what maner that his commaundement was executed and his institucioÌ„ practised first by the Apostles and after by the holie Fathers of the primitiue and auncient Chruche For they well knowing Chrystes verie minde their doinges are to vs a perfect expositioÌ„ and declaracioÌ„of the same Wherfore minding to see them they shall yet so be seen as both the practise of the Masse of the catholique Church nowe in vse and the practise also of the Schismaticall Churche maie be plainlie laied furth and compared to the former practises that therbie triall maie be made whether of these two agree or disagree with the Apostolique and primitiue Churche Yf we of the catholique Churche dissent either from Chrystes institution or from the Apostles and Fathers as touching the substanciall parts of the Masse or anie other weightie matter of the faith let vs suffre the reproche Yf the Proclamer and and his complices haue swerued from them let them repent and seke gods mercie This I promisse before God that I will laie furth the matter as simplie for the declararatioÌ„ of the trueth as I can deuise that the fault maie be fownd wher yt ys And before I enter to declare this practise I wish the reader to be aduertised and to haue this for a generall rule that wher in this Processe we shall treact of the Masse and call yt the Masse of S. Peter of S. Andrewe of S. Iames of S. Clement or S. Dionise Masse S. Basills Masse Chrisostomes Masse S. Ambrose Masse and soche other that we doe not neither ys yt so to be betaken that these distinctions be vpon the propre significacioÌ„ of the Masse that ys that these Masses be distincted in the substanciall parts of Masse as that the Masse of S. Peter shoulde be substanciallie distincted from the Masse of S. Iames and the Masse of S. Iames substanciallie different from the Masse of S. Basill and so furth But the difference ys taken of the generall acception or significacioÌ„ of Masse that ys that they be different in extern thinges as in some ceremonies in praiers and in other gestures or maners but not in intern or inwarde substanciall thinges For in them all ye shall finde one thing onely consecrated one thing onelie offred in sacrifice one thing onelie receaued And therfore in Consecracion oblacion and receauing they being not different Masse of the Apostles and Fathers and that ys vsed nowe in the Church all one in substance But all one are not called S. Peters Masse nor S. Iames Masse and so furth But Chrystes Masse For these thinges be of his institucion and not of theirs The diuersitie of Ceremonies praiers and other maners ys of theÌ„ by the magisterie of the
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
faultes fownd in the Canon of the Masse by the Proclamer Ther be in all three principall and horrible blasphemies as he feigneth ād setteth thē furth cōmitted in these praiers The first is that Christ should so stand in the displeasure of his heauenlie Father that he nedeth a mortall and miserable man to be his spokesman The second that the bodie of the onelie begotten Sonne of God should in no better wise be receaued of the father then a lambe at the hands of Abel The third that desire ys made that an Angell maie come and carie awaie Chrysts bodie into heauen Answer to the first As touching the first hath the Proclamer no more learning and knowledge in the phrasis of the scripturs and doctours then here his railing blasphemie declareth Or wher the Fathers in the scriptures vpon the oblacion of their sacrifices were yt oxe calf kidde or lambe made their praiers for acceptacion will he also mock them and saie that they vnsemelie praied to God to receaue an oxe calf kidde or lābe at their hāds or that they praied for soch brute beasts as they offred to be receaued into his fauour But to discusse this point within the list and compasse of oure owne matter When S. Iames in his Masse praied as ys before alleaged saing For these offred and sanctified preciouse heauenlie vnspeakeable immaculate gloriouse dreadfull horrible diuine gifts let vs praie that oure Lord accepting these into his holie heauenlie mentall and spirituall aultar vnto the sauour of spirituall fragrance And when S. Basill saied For the offred and sanctified moste honorable gifts of oure Lorde and God let vs praie And when Chrysostom likewise saied Let vs praie to oure Lorde for the offred and sanctified preciouse gifts wher vndoubtedly by these sanctified precioufe dreadfull offred gifts they vnderstood and ment the bodie and blood of Chryst ther on the aultar offred in sacrifice Wil the Proclamer I saie mock all these and other holie Apostles ād Fathers and skorning their phraseis saie that they praie to God the Father for the bodie of his Sonne Iesus Chryst to be accepted Ys this the learning and grauitie wherwith a matter of so great importance of so great weight of so long continuance of so great estimacion reuerence and honoure shal be ouerthrowē Maie so great a mysterie of christiā religiō be without scripture against saied without autoritie cōuelled withoute graue reasō impugned without strōg argumēt cōuinced ād without formall processe clean defaced Trust me gētle reader in al his vehemēt inuectiue against this part of Mockes ād skoffes the onely argumentes of the Proclamer in this matter the Canon of the Masse he hath impugned yt with no other good learning or authoritie no other graue reason or argument then onelie gibing mockes This ys one that ys woorthie to occupie the place of a Bishoppe this ys one that ys reputed a famouse preacher this ys a Iuell to helpe to plucke down the Churche of Chryste and to sett vppe the Sinagog of Sathan that can with a false feigned skoff seeme to sticke down all that stand in his waie doctours Fathers Bishopps Disciples Apostles and all Can anie chrystian heart thinke that S. Iames S. Clement S. Basill S. Chrysostom S. Ambrose and all other holy fathers vsing these alleaged praiers did thinke thē selues spokesmen to intreate the Father for Chryste Yf yt can not be thought of them howe can yt be thought of the catholique Churche vsing the same praiers To conclude therfor this first part against the maliciouse mocke of the Proclamer I saie that yf the Apostles and Fathers vsing this maner of phrase in their praiers were spokesmen to the Father for Chryst his Sonne then ys the Church so nowe likewise yf they were not no more ys the Churche The mening of the Curche in the first poincte The Apostles and fathers and the Church did allwaies and doth well know Chryste as he ys the onelie begotten so ys he the welbeloued Sonne of the Father They beleue they teache and preache that yt ys he in whō the Father ys wel pleased yea they beleue that in him the Father ys so wel pleased that whatsoeuer thei aske of the Father in his name he wil geue yt thē Wher vpon the churche in this praier making humble intecession as the Apostles and fathers before haue doen not for Chryst but by Chryste not to procure fauour for him but to procure mercie to them selues from God the Father cocludeth their peticions and requests in these same praiers whiche the Proclamer skoffinglie abuseth with these woordes Per Christum Dominum nostrum By Chryste oure Lorde which ys as moche to saie All this we desire for Chryste our Lorde his sake In this first part then behold the slaunderouse vanitie and so let vs examine the next pretended fault Answer to te the secōd fault In the seconde he accuseth the Churche that yt wolde Chrstes bodie no better to be accepted of the Father then the sacrifice of Abel of Abraham of Melchisedec Abel Abraham and Melchisedec were men acceptable to God whose sacrifices were also acceptable not for the thinges them selues that were offred by them as a shepe a ramme bread wine for of these thinges as God hath no nede being the Lorde of the wholl earth and all that ys ther in so of them as of them selues he hath no pleasure In these sacrifices then not the things but the seruice of them which offred those thinges was acceptable God looked not on the thing offred in the olde sacifices but on the deuociō of the offerers and pleasaunt vnto God Abel offred sacrifice to God so also did Cain But respexit Dominus ad Abel ad munera eius ad Cain autem ad munera eius non respexit God did looke vnto Abel and to this gifts but vnto Cain and to his gifts he did not looke He looked first to Abel him self then to his gifts He behelde his hartie deuocion and for that looked to his seruice in his ductifull sacrifice he sawe in Cain a slacknesse or coldenesse of deuocion wherfor he neither looked fauorablie to him nor to his seruise in offring sacrifice Noē offred sacrifice and God smelled a swete sauoure saith the scripture not that God was delighted with the kitchē sauour of burnt meate as here the Proclamer might in his licenciouse maner skoff at the phrase of the scripture as he doth at the phrase of the catholique Churche but God smelled the swete sauour of his deuoute and duetifull seruice As God then was not desiered by Abel to receaue his shepe in to heauen nor by Melchisedec to take vppe thither bread and wine nor by Abraham to take the ramme that he offred but that their humble seruice and obedience therby shewed and declared might be accepted So the Churche desiereth not that her sacrifice whiche ys Chryste might be accepted being most acceptable in yt self and all other made acceptable by yt
cum reuerentia disciplina gloriamim quiae Angeli vestri quotidie vident faciem Patris nimirum missi in ministerium propter Angells what ministeries they do for vs. nos qui haereditatem capimus salutis deuotionem nostram in superna ferunt reserunt gratiā When ye stand to praie or to sing praises to God remembre your rulers mening Angells and stand with reuerence and good ordre or semelie maner and reioice that your Angells do dailie see the face of the Father For they being sent in ministerie for vs which receaue the inheritance of saluacion do carie vppe our deuoute seruice into heauen and bring vs again grace That Angells then be present with vs that they kepe vs that they helpe vs that they carie vppe oure praiers and deuoute seruices and offre them to God not withstanding the Proclamers apish mockrie yt ys euident both by scripturs and Fathers But that the reader maie vnderstād howe they offre our praiers and what ys therby ment and to the intent also that both he maie be deliuered from all scruple of that matter and the Proclamers vntrue feigning vpon this place of the Canon perceaued to be all together against the minde of the Churche as a thing neuer by anie of them ther thought or spoken I shall for this time produce one of the same Churche expownding the same praier of the Canō whiche the proclamer so shamefullie abuseth and wickedlie wresteth to a deuelish sense This shall be the reuerend Father Hugo de S. Victore who expowndeth yt thus Sacrificium per manus Angeli perferri nihil aliud intelligimus li. 2. ca. 34. de ossic ecl quà m ipsum cooperari nostrae deuotioni Cooperatur autem nobiscum pro nobis orando modoue inenarrabili et inuisibili bona mentibus nostris suggerendo The sacrifice to be caried by the hands of the Angells we vnderstand to be no other thing but the Angell to woorke with our deuocion He woorketh with vs both praieng for vs and also by a merueilouse and inuisible maner putting good things into our mindes The Angell then after the minde of the Churche to carie oure sacrifice ys to helpe vs by godlie suggestion to doo our seruice therin humblie and deuoutlie and by faith and charitie effectuallie and therin to praie with vs and for vs that our doing maie be acceptable and pleasant in the seight of The mening of the Church in the third poinct God This ys and euer hath ben the minde of the Churche in this praier of the Canon And here will I ioin issue with the Proclamer that yf he bring furth anie one catholique writer be he neuer so slender neuer so vnlearned neuer so auncient or neuer so young that saieth that the praier of the Canō ys to be vnderstanded as he hath most vainlie and falselie after his hereticall maner folowing Melhoferus feigned and diuised I will yelde to him and saie that the wholl Church hath offended yf he can bring no one as certen I am he can not and I dare saie he himself knoweth that he can not let him blush and be ashamed of this his wicked toieng and let the reader see his vanitie and beware of his false hereticall subtiltie knowing that this ys but a vain imagined and maliciouse diuised vnderstanding of heretiques neuer asmoche as once dreamed of any good catholique And here I saie farder to the Proclamer that yt can not be but that he hath vttered this feigned vnderstanding either of ignorance or of malice Yf of ignorance yt ys to moche shame for him occupieng the place of a Bishoppe so fierelie and in soche audience to impugn that he ys ignorant of Yf of malice whiche ys more like then must yt nedes be of the Deuell who so leadeth men that although they knowe the trueth he maketh them maliciouslie to impugn and depraue yt they knowe to be the trueth and so to speake directlie against their knowledge and their consciences By whiche of these the Proclamer hath thus depraued the godlie praiers of the Churche I will not here certenly pronownce but leaue yt to his conscience whiche I dare saie doth greuouslie accuse him Thus these praiers being deliuered frō wicked vnderstanding and opened according to the true mening and so finallie consecracion intencion oblacion and acceptacion by full declaracion from the Apostles and Primitiue Churche proued I shall here ceasse of them any farder to treact and go to other Matters of the Masse THE NINE AND THIRTETH CHAPT TREacteth of the value of the Masse to the quicke and the dead NOw foloweth the fourth thing I pourposed to speake of namelie of the value of the sacrifice for the quicke and the dead For the whiche also I will haue recourse to the time of the Apostles and the Fathers of the primitiue Churche as here tofore I haue doen in the proof of matters reproued by the Aduersaries and the proclamer Yf yt shall be made euident that S. Iames in his Masse S. Basill in his Masse S. Chrysostom in his Masse and other auncient Fathers in their writings doo saie that the sacrifice of the Masse auaileth all that be faith full both the quicke and the dead and not one can be brought that denieth yt reason wolde that oure cause shoulde be approued and alowed and the cause of the Aduersaries disprooued and disalowed And for that the Aduersaries will sooner graunt yt to be profitable to the quicke then to the dead and the proof of the value of yt to the dead proueth well the value to the quicke I shall stand the more vpon yt and so by proof of the one make good the other And first to see what was doen of and among the Apostles we will see what was doen in S. Iames Masse thus praied he Recipe munera haec proposita pertuam benignitatem fac vt oblatio nostra grata et acceptabilis sit per Spiritum sanctum sanctificata in propitiationē peccatorum nostrorum eorum quae populus per ignorantiā admisit in requiem animarum eorum qui ante nos dormiunt vt nos abiecti peccatores indigni serui tui digni habiti qui sine dolo ministremus sancto altari tuo mercedem accipiamus fidelium prudentium dispensatorum gratiamue inueniamus et misericordiam in die illa tremenda retributionis tuae iustae et bonae Receaue through thy mercifulnesse these giftes of our handes which be sinners ād graunt that our oblacion maie be pleasing and acceptable sanctified by the holie Gost vnto the S. James praieth both forthe quick and the dead forgeuenesse of our sinnes and of those which thy people hath cōmitted by ignorance and vnto the rest of the soules of them which sleape before vs ād that we also abiectes and sinners and thy vnwoorthie seruantes maie be accōpted woorthie which maie without gile mynister at thie holie aultar and that we maie receaue the rewarde of the
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
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
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
anie man for that yt ys euident and plain yet that yt maie be perceaued by that he speaketh the same in sondrie places that yt was a trueth assured and commonlie receaued I will touche a place or two moo of his Of the whiche this ys one Nullus igitur fictus accedat nullus fucato animo tantis audeat mysterijs proximare ne condemnetur sententiam mereatur quod Iudas sustinuit patiatur Nam in illum post communicationem mensae Diabolus intrauit non quia contempsit Dominicum corpus sed quia impudentia Iudae malignitas mentis vt aduersarius Sathan entred into Iudas not in contempt of the bodie of Chryste but to punish the treason of Iudas in eo habitaret essecit Let therfore no feigned man come let none be so bolde with a counterfeit minde to come neare so great misteries lest he be condemned deserue sentence and suffre that that Iudas suffred For after he had partaken of Chrystes table the Deuell entred into him not that he contemned the bodie of our Lorde but bicause the impudencie of Iudas and the mischeif of his minde had caused that the Deuell shoulde dwell in him Wher Chrisostome saieth that after Iudas had receaued the Deuell not contemning the bodie of Chryst entred into him what ells therby doeth he teach but that Iudas receaued the bodie of our Lorde For yf he did not receaue yt Chrisostom neded not to declare that the Deuell entred not vpon contempt of the bodie of Chryst For what contempt shoulde he seme to make to the bodie of Chryst by entring into Iudas yf the bodie of Chryst entred not into that person before Yf anie contempt shoulde appeare to be in that entrie yt shoulde be that that wicked Aduersarie and miserable damned creature shoulde presume to entre to that place wher his Lorde and master had so latelie entred But saieth Chrisostome he did not so entre as contemning the bodie of our lorde but raither to the punishement of his detestable treason doen and committed against his master And for his presumption then vsed that he being defiled with soche trecherie wolde with dissimuled holinesse and loue receaue into his filthie and sinfull bodie that pure and innocent bodie And so the Deuell entred as a subiect whom God suffred for the torment of Iudas his mischeif and not as a Lorde by power to contemne the Lorde of all Lordes ther entred Chris hom 83. in 26. Math. A like sentence hath he in an other place whiche ys this Caenantibus autem eis accepit Iesus panem benedixit atque fregit dedit Discipulis suis O caecitatem proditoris qui cùm ineffabilibus mysterijs communicasset idem permansit diuina mensa susceptus in melius commutari noluit quod Lucas significauit dicens Quia post hoc introiuit in cum Satanas non quia dominicum corpus despiceret sed quia proditoris stoliditatem irridebat When they were at Supper Iesus tooke bread and blessed yt and brake yt and gaue yt to his disciples O the blindenesse of the traditour who when he had taken of the vnspeakeble misteries he remained the same man and being allowed at Gods table he wolde not be chaunged into better whiche thing Luke signified sainge that after that Sathan entred into him not bicause he despised the bodie of our Lorde but bicause he skorned the leudnesse of the traditour Here again ye see as before that the Deuell despised not the bodie of Sacramentall bread and wine be not vnspeakeable misteries our Lorde receaued of Iudas though he entred into him after yt That he had receaued yt these woordes of Chrisostom goinge a litle before doe well declare when he saieth When Iudas had taken of the vnspeakeable misteries he remained all one man Whiche be the vnspeakeable misteries not a peice of bread and a cuppe of wine receaued as signes and tokens of the bodie and bloode For so these Sacramentes be not vnspeakeable misteris but the matter ys well able to be spoken of as other figures of the olde lawe were whiche by the doctrine of the Aduersarie be as good as this and this no better then they Yf then the figures of the olde lawe were not vnspeakeable misteries as in dede they were not then be these figures of bread and wine no vnspeakeable misteries Yf bread and wine as onelie figures be no vnspeakeable misteries and Iudas in Chrystes Supper receaued vnspeakeble misteries then he receaued not bare bread and wine Yt remaneth then that he receaued the bodie and blood of Chryst vnder the formes of bread and wine whiche in dede be vnspeakeable misteries For neither can reason atteign the knowledge of the worke of the holie Gost herein nor toung speake and expresse the same but onelie faith as Damascen saieth Deus spiritus sancti operatione haec super naturam Damnasc li. 4. ca. 14. operatur quae non potest capere nisi sola fides God by the operacion of the holie Gost woorketh these thinges aboue nature wich thinges onely faith can vnderstand Wherfor thus speaking of the holie misteries we manie well call them vnspeakeable misteries whiche vnspeakeable misteries Chrisostom August epictola cont Donatist post collation S. August reporteth the woordes of S. Paule as S. Hier. and Chryso did before saieth that Iudas did receaue The like are we taught of Sainct Augustine but we will first heare him geue vs his vnderstanding of the saing of Sainct Paule which he doeth without all circumstance euen by plain woordes as other haue doen before him Thus he writeth against the Donatists Quisquis autem in hac Ecclesia bene vixerit nihil ei praeiudicant aliena peccata quia vnusquisque in ea proprium onus portabit sicut Apostolus dicit Et quicunque corpus Christi manducauerit in dignè iudicium sibi manducat bibit Nam ipse Apostolus hoc scripsit Whosoeuer shal liue wel in this Churche other mens sinnes shall nothing hinder him For in her euerie man shall beare his owne burden as the Apostle saieth And in her whosoeuer shall eate the bodie of Chryst vnwoorthilie eateth and drinketh his owne condēnacion For the Apostle himself hath written this Note in this sainge howe Sainct Augustine vttereth the sainge of Sainct Paule he saieth not whosoeuer eateth the bread but as an expositour whose office ys to geue light to the text yf anie part of yt be darke and to geue the true sense of woordes that maie be diuerselie vnderstanded he expowndeth the text and openeth yt and plainlie teacheth vs that by bread ys vnderstanded the bodie of Chryst Wherfore by plain wordes he speaketh Sainct Paules sentence sainge Whosoeuer shall eate the bodie of Chryste vnwoorhilie c. Thus maie ye see the true vnderstandinge of this scripture and by yt maie ye learn that Sainct Augustine vnderstoode that in the Sacrament ys the verie bodie of Chryste and that euell men though to their
condemnation receaue the same of whiche bothe Sainct Augustine saieth again Sicut enim Cont. donatist lib. 5 cap. 8. Iudas cut buccellam tradidit Dominus non malum accipiendo locum in se Diabolo praebuit sic indignè quisque sumens Dominicum Sacramentum non essicit vt quia ipse malus est malum sit aut quia non ad salutem accipit nihil accipiat Corpus enim Domini sanguis Domini nihilominus erat etiam illis quibus dice bat Apostolus Qui manducat bibit indignè iudicium sibi manducat bibit As Iudas to whome our lorde gaue a morsell not taking an euell thing but euell takinge the thinge gaue place to the deuell in himself So anie man receauinge vnwoorthiely our Lordes Hell gates cā not preuail against these places let the Proclamer well consider them Sacrament causeth not bicause himself ys euell that yt shoulde be euell or bicause he receaueth yt not to saluacion that he receaueth nothinge For yt was neuerthelesse the bodie of our Lorde and the bloode of our Lorde also vnto then to whom the Apostle saied he that eateth and drinketh vnwoorthily eateth and drinketh his owne condemnation Thus moche Sainct Augustine Yt ys nowe to be remembred that the Aduersarie denieng the reall and substanciall praesence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament ys compelled for the mainteinaunce of that his wicked heresie to saie that Chrystes bodie ys receaued spirituallie that ys that the grace the vertue and the meritte of Chrystes passion suffred in the same his bodie ys receaued And for that these benefittes be not receaued of an euell man as beinge an euell man therfor he mainteineth an other wicked heresie against the scripture and the holie Doctours that euell men receaue not the bodie of Chryst For the confutacion of whiche euell doctrine as the liuelie and plain sentences of holie Fathers haue ben produced So nowe speaketh S. Augustine as plainlie against yt For he contented not himself onelie to saie that euell men receaue the Sacrament A◠vnto Iudas yt was the verie bodie and blood of Chryste that he receaued So yt ys to all other yll receauers Angu in Ioan tract 26. of our Lorde Whiche woordes the Aduersarie wolde haue wrested to his pourpose but by expresse woordes he saieth that ys was the bodie of our Lorde and the bloode of our Lorde vnto them also of whom the Apostle saied he that eateth and drinketh vnwoorthilie c. Nowe what they be that receaue vnwoorthilie yt neadeth no declaracion being manifest that they be euell men And thus by S. Augustine yt ys taught that the verie bodie of Chryst beinge in the Sacrament ys receaued of euell men And although this place of S. Augustine ys so euidentlie gainst them yet in an other place he presseth them so strictlie that they haue no refuge and yt ys this Quantum autem pertinet ad illam mortem de qua terret Dominus quia mortut sunt patres eorum Manducauit Manna Moises manducauit Manna Aaron manducauit Manna Phinees manducauerunt multi qui Domino placuerunt mortui non sunt Quare quia visibilem cibum spiritualiter intellexerunt spiritualiter esurierunt spiritualiter gustauernnt vt Spiritualiter satiarenter Nam nos hodie accepimus visibilem cibum Sed aliud est Sacramentum aliud virtus Sacramenti quam multi de altari accipiunt moriuntur accipiendo moriuntur Vnde dicit Apostolus Iudicium sibi manducat bibit As touching that deathe of the whiche our Lorde saieth that their Fathers be dead Moises also did eate Manna and Aaron did eate Manna and Phinees did eate Manna and manie did eate whiche pleased our Lorde and they died not Whie Bicause they vnderstoode a visible meate spirituallie They did spirituallie hungar yt they did spirituallie eate yt that they might be spirituallie satisfied And we also this daie haue taken a visible meate But the Sacrament ys one thinge and the vertue of the Sacrament an other thing whiche vertue manie doe receaue at the Aultar and doe die and in receareceauing yt doe die Wherfor saieth the Apostle He eateth and drinketh his damnacion Thus farre he Note here the distinction that S. Augustine maketh betwixt the Sacrament and the vertue of the Sacrament sainge that the Sacrament ys one thinge and the vertue of the Sacrament an other Then of the vertue of the Sacrament he saieth that manie receaue yt at the Aultar and doe die meaning according to the saing of the Apostle that receauing yt vnwoorthilie they die in the Soule eating and drinking their owne damnacion Nowe wolde yt be learned of the Aduersarie howe he will vnderstand S. Augustine in this woorde Vertue First certen yt ys that yt ys not taken for the Sacramentall Vertue of the blessed Sacr. what yt ys and that euell men reccaue yt bread For that ys the other membre of the distinction Then must yt either be taken for the vertue of the passion of Chryst or for the bodie of Chryst yf self For in the Sacrament be no more but these three to be receaued The Sacrament the bodie of Chryst and the vertue of his passion Yt can not be taken for the vertue of Chrystes passion for that ys not nor can not be death and damnacion to the receauer in the receauing but life and saluacion This vertue that S. Agustine speaketh of ys soche that manie doe die in the receauing of yt Yt remaineth then that by this vertue of the Sacrament ys vnderstanded the bodie of Chryst whiche manie by vnwoorthie receauing doe wickedlie abuse and so receauing kill their soules and die the deathe that Iudas did What shall I tarie in the rehersall of Sainct Augustines sainges that touche this matter They were euough to make a iust volume Wherfor omitting manie I will ende with one whiche also expowndeth this our text Thus he saieth Recordamini vnde sit scriptum Quicunque manducauerit panem aut biberit calicem Domini indignè reus erit corporis sanguinis Domini Et de iss erat sermo cùm Apostolus August in Ioan. tra 6. hoc dicerit qui Domini corpus velut quemlibet alium cibum indiscretè necligenter ue sumehant Remembre from whence yt ys written Whosoeuer shall eate the bread and drinke the cuppe of our Lorde vnwoorthieli shall be giltie of the bodie and bloode of our Lorde For when the Apostle saied this he spake yt of them Whiche receaued the bodie of our Lorde vndiscreetlie and necligentlie as they wolde doe anie other meat Marke this well that Sainct Augustine saieth plainlie that Sainct Paule spake this of them that necligentlie and vndiscreetlie receaued not a peice of Sacramentall bread but the bodie of our Lorde Then yt ys manifest that the bodie of our Lorde ys receaued in the Sacrament and that yt ys also receaued by the testimonie of Sainct Augustine of negligent and vndiscreet persons whiche make no differēce
yf ye be in saith doe ye yowr selues examine yowr selues Not as we dooe nowe comminge raither for the times sake then for anie earnest affectiō or desire of the minde Neither doe we come as full of compunction prepared to pourge oute our vices but our consideracion ys vpon that that all the people be assembled to gether that we also maie be in the solemnities But Paule doeth not so commaunde but he knewe one time in the whiche we shoulde come that ys the puritie or cleannesse of communicacion and conscience That we shoulde not come to the receipt of the holie Sacrament but when we be prepared and haue pourged oute oure vices by compunction and repentaunce he declareth by an apt similitude sainge Nam si sensibili nunquam communicamus mensa si febre laboramus malis humoribus abundamus neperderemur longè magis hanc tangere nephas est absurdis cupiditatibus impediti quae febribus grauiores sunt Cùm autem absurdas dico cupiditates etiam corporum dico pecuniarum irae succensionis omnes simpliciter absurdas Quae omnia accedentem exhaurire oportet it a purum illud attingerè sacrificium non pigrè disponi miserè cogi propter solemmtatē acccedere neque rursum compunctum praeparatum impediri eo quòd non sit solemnitas Solemnitas enim operum est demonstratio animae puritas vitae certitudo quae si habueris semper celebrarè poteris solemnitatem semper accedere Propterea inquit probet autem scipsum homo sic edat For if we be sicke of a feuer and doe abunde with humours we wolde neuer be partakers of the cōmondiett This wholl sentence impugneth luthers wicked assertiō lest we sholde be cast awaie moche more yt ys wicked to touche this table beinge entangled with odiouse lustes whiche be sorer then the feuers When I speake of naughtie and odiouse lustes or desires I speake also of the lustes and desires of owre bodies and of moneie and of wraithe and of anger and plainlie of all lustes that be naught All whiche he that cometh to receaue must ridde awaie and so receaue that pure sacrifice not to be flouthfullie disposed nor miserablie to be compelled to come for the solemnitie Neither again beinge penitent and prepared to be letted bicause ther ys no solemnitie Solemnitie ys an euident declaracion of good woorkes the puritie of soule the assurednesse of life Whiche thinges if thowe hauest tho we maist allwaies celebrate a Solemnitie and allwaies come to the recept of the Sacrament therfor he saieth let a man examine himself and so lett him eate Thus farre Chrysostome In these woordes the saing of Luther ys also as by S. Hierom detected to be deuelish and wicked Luther will haue no preparacion of a man to come to receaue the Sacrament But iudge thow reader whether we be not earnestlie admonished by Chrysostome to be prepared whether we be not willed to cast awaie all the lustes of the bodie of couetousnesse and soch other whether we shoulde not be penitent For saieth he all that will receaue must as a man labouring of a feuer and full of humours not receaue vntill he hath pourged himself But when he hath pourged himself then he maie eate of the meat that before he might not Manie goodlie occasions trulie be geuen for exhortacion to godlie receauing farre otherwise then Luther hath geuen which to auoide prolixitie I leaue to the consideracion of the reader wishing him yet to vnderstand what yt ys that Chrysostome moueth vs to receaue Yt ys saieth he purum illud sacrificium that pure sacrifice What ys or can be that pure sacrifice but the bodie of Chryste Wherfor by Chrysostome yt ys the bodie of Chryst that we receaue Chrys Ho. oportet haeresies c. But thow shalt heare himself speake yt in plain woords in an homely wher he saieth thus moch of this matter Deinde vbi multum disputauit de his qui indigné communicant mysteriis eosue repraehendisset grauiter demonstrasset quòd idem supplicium passuri essent quod ij qui Christum occiderant si sanguinē eius corpus absque probacione temerè accipiant rursum ad propositam materiā sermonē conuertit Then when Daunger of the vnwoorthie receauing of the bless Sacr. he hath disputed moch of those which vnwoorthilie receaue the mysteries and had greuouslie rebuked thē and had declared that they should suffre the same punishment that they did which had slain Chryst if thei receaue the bodie and blood of Chryst rashlie withoute anie examinaciō he turneth again his communicacion to the matter in hand Note this then well that by expresse and plain woordes Chrysostome saieth that we shall suffre the same pain that they which crucified Chryst if we rashlie without examinacion of our selues receaue the bodie and blood of Chryst Wherby he teacheth that we receaue the bodie of Chryst in the Sacramēt ād that which ys more ād ys the great proof of the reall ād substācial presence of Chrystes bodie ād blood in the blessed Sacr. that euell men receaue yt which argueth that presence ther to be by the assured power of God at the due pronunciaciō of his woord according to the catholike faith grownded vpon Gods holie woorde And not to depende vpon the vncertē Sacramentaries doctrine ys without all grownd or authoritie of scripturs vnadsured and sleight faith of the receauer according to the phantasticall doctrine of the Sacramentaries grownded and fownded vpon no one title of Gods woord but onelie vpon their own pleasures and phansies Let this Proclamer if he cā if he cā not let him praie aide of his likes and bring furth one scripture that teacheth this doctrine that faith onelie maketh Chryst present vnto vs in the Sacr. and that he ys not verilie and reallie present in the Sacr. as ys saied and he shall haue the victorie Yf he cā not let him for shame let him yelde let the trueth haue the victorie Better yt ys for him a litle here to be confownded then to suffre euerlasting confusion in the worlde to come But to return to our matter I wolde here ende but that I thinke yt moche pitie to kepe from the knowledge of the godlie reader so godlie a lesson as Chrysostome hath in this matter conteining both faithfull instruction and godlie exhortacion Thus he writeth Considera nunc quanta illi veteris sacrificii participes vitae frugalitate vtehantur Quid enim ii non faciebant omni tempore purisicabantur Hom. 3. in Epist ad Eph. Et tu ad salutarē hanc hostiam accessurus quam angeli ipsi cum tremore suscipiut rē tantam circūscribis tēporū ambitu Qua frōte teipsum sistes ad Christi tribunal praesentē qui impuris manibus ac labiis sic impudenter ipsius corpus ausus sis attingere Regem vtique non eligas exosculari siquidem os tuum olet grauiter
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
whiche God of his mercie graunt Amen THE ONE AND SIXTETH CHAPITER maketh a recapitulacion of that that ys doen in this worke NOwe gentle Reader haue I goen thorowe all those scriptures that treact of the holie Sacrament speciallie soche as be commonlie alleadged either by the catholiques to proue the same or by the Aduersaries to improoue yt In the hādling of which scriptures so litle haue I geuen to mine owne iudgement that yt beinge suppressed I haue as meit yt ys and as I wolde wish all that liue in this time of controuersies to doe geuē place to the iudgementes of the learned fathers of Chrystes Churche in all ages In the setting furth of which Fathers I haue in sundrie places and matters cōferred the doctrine of the elder and the younger together that the concorde that ys betwixte thē might fullie be perceaued This being trulie and faithfullie doen the iudgement wher of I referre to the catholique Churche and submitte both myself and this ys my worke to the correction of the same yt maie and doeth easilie appeare and maie clerelie be seen howe vain the bragge of the Proclamer ys who wolde haue but one scripture one doctour or one Councell produced for the testimonie of the trueth of the catholique faith And nowe ther be so manie scriptures doctours and Councells brought furth that ther ys not one left to bolstar vppe his heresie The scriptures which he and his complices pretend to haue in their possession are by the iudgement of the Fathers of Chrystes Parliament house prooued neuer to be theirs but are and haue ben allwaies in the possession of the catholique Churche Considre Reader howe manie fathers of the greke churche be here produced as Dionise Iustyne Irenaeus Origen Gregorie Nazianzen Basill Chrisostom Cyrill with other of the elder sort which although they were of one Churche yet they were of diuerse times some of them with in one hundreth yeare after Chryst some two hundreth some three and yet all these agree in one trueth of the presence of Chrystes bodie in the bless Sacrament In the latine Churche were Alexander Tertullian Cyprian Hilarie Optatus Hierom Ambrose Augustine and other whiche although they were farre distaunte manie hundreth of miles from the fathers of the greke Churche yet in consent and agreement together in this matter they ioin and go together Of the greke churche again be produced other that were manie yeares after the other Fathers before rehersed as Theodorete Euthimius Damascen Theophilact Oecumenius and Bessario with other whiche although they liued in great diuersitie of ages hauinge manie hundreth yeares passing betwixt them yet they liued in the vnitie of faith and religion Again also in the latine Churche answerablie to these were produced Gregorie Beda Haymo Anselme Paschasius Thomas de Aquino Lyra and Dionise with other whiche also liuinge with moche difference of times and diuersitie of places were yet with the eldest and the midlest and with the latest all of one minde And here note that these authours as they doe according to the rule of Vincentius Lirinen alltogether teache Chrystes presence in the Sacrament so doe they yt manifestlie commonlie and continuallie For Origen Basill Chrysostome Cyrill Theodoret Euthymius and Theophilact whiche be the greater writers of the grecians are not produced once onely neither speaking obscurelie but they are often and manie times and that with speache most plain and manifest and that commonlie in euerie weightie matter of the booke Likwise be the Fathers of the latine churche whiche in euery place beare agreable testimonie to the Fathers of the greke churche And for asmoche as these fathers haue expownded the scriptures to vs that doe treact of the Sacrament and doe therin agree yt ys meete for vs to accept that sense and vnderstanding that by the handes of so manie Fathers ys so consonantlie deriued to vs. All they vnderstande them of the presence of Chryst in the bless Sacrament wherfor yt ys meete that we also vnderstand them so and not onelie yt ys meete but we aught and are bownde to doe so Nowe therfor let the Proclamer turne his Historie of Mitridates vnto his owne heade and his likes who lainge wicked seige to the citie of Gods Church wolde beare the citizens in hand that the armie of the holie learned Fathers and doctours of Chrystes Churche were on their side But God be praised the contrarie nowe appeareth For this holie armie ys comed down and haue ioined with Gods citizens and haue vanquished Mitridates and his companie and deliuered the citie from their cruel tirannie of he resie and haue declared them selues to all the worlde that they be frendes of Gods citie and defenders of the same and aduersaries to Mitrydates the Proclamer and vanquishers of the same For we haue not by bragge onelie saied that the scriptures doctours and Councells be on our side as this Mitrydates this proclamer did But we haue euidentlie and inuinciblie prooued yt in dede Giezi the lieng and leprouse seruante of Heliseus coulde not when his master was compased aboute with the theues of Syria see anie that were on his masters side but against his Master he sawe manie yet in verie dede there were mo on the Prophets side then on the Syrians part as after yt was well declared So this Giezi this Proclamer the lieng leprouse seruant seeth not what a noble companie ys on Christs side but on the Syrians side the enemies of Chryste he seeth multitudes For hitherto beinge blinded with ambition and as Giezi did lieng for some gain or promotion he hath since fallen into the deapth of the spirituall leprey which S. Austen calleth heresie Leprosi saieth he non absurdè in telliguntur qui scientiā verae fidei non habentes varias doctrinas profitentur erroris Nulla porrofalsa doctrina est quae non aliqua vera intermiseat Vera ergo falsis inordinaté permixta in vna narratione vel disputatione hominis tanquam in vnius corporis colore significant lepram tanquam veris falsisue colorum fucis humana corpora variantem atque maculantem The lepres are verie well to be vnderstanded those whiche not hauinge the knowledge of the true faith doe professe diuerse doctrines of errour For their ys no salse doctrine whiche hathe not some true thinges medled with yt True thinges therfore inordinatelie permixed with false thinges in one narracion or disputacion of a man as yt were appearing in the coloure of one bodie doeth signifie the leprey altering and defiling the bodies of men as yt were with true and false shewe of coloures By these means then this man was so blinded that he could not see one scripture one doctour nor one Councell on Chrystes side or on his trueths side But on the enemies side on heresies side he could see an wholl armie But I compare this armie vnto the people that were with in the walls of Hierusalem at the time of the destruction of the same whiche as Iosephus
li. 2. ca. 12. Asseurance of mercie promised to man before full sentence pronownced against him li. 1. cap. 9. Auncient and godlie customes are not to be left for the bare saing of a protestāt ca. 25. Aultars holie li. 3. cap. 31. testified by Optatus and S. Austen and abuse of them punished ibid. Aultars in vse in time of S. Cyprian ib. ca. 39 Aultars from the Apostles time cap. 31. Aultar wherfor yt serueth ibid. Aultar and sacrifice correlatiues ibid. S. Austen to Dardan opened li. 2. cap. 12. Austens cheifintent vpon the vi of S. Iohn lib. 2. cap. 16. Austen teacheth three things in one sentence against the Secramentaries ca. 19. Austen anknowlegeth both spirituall and corporall receauing ca. 16 Austen produced by the Sacramentaries in wrong sense ca. 24. Austen against Oecolamp and Cranmer ca. 54. Austens assertions conferred with the iudge ment of the Aduersa li. 3. ca. 15 Austen calleth the bread and cuppe of our Lorde a sacrifice ca. 18. Austen trulie understanded li. 2. ca. 54 Austen vttereth S. Paules wootdes expreslie of the bodie and blood of Chryste li. 3 ca. 55. S. Austen corrupted by the Proclamer li. 3. ca. 31. Authoririe of late writers proued good by good reason li. 2. ca. 3. Authoritie ys to be obied wher corruption of life ys li. 1. ca. 6. B Baptisme receaued of all indifferentlie li. 3. cap. 2. Baptisme and the read sea compared ibid. Baptisme of chryste and Iohn moch differēt ibid. Baptisme instituted by chryste and commended by the wholl Trinitie li. 3. ca. 14 Basill and Greg. Nazian how they atteigned the knowlege of the scripturs lib. 1. ca. 7. Basill howe he taught the simple to beleue of the Sacram. li. 2. ca. 52 Basill and Chrysostom not fownders of the Masse but setters furth of soche order as they fownd receaued by tradicion lib. 3. cap. 35. Basill beleued the bread and wine to be made the bodie and blood of Chryste ca. 36. Basill offred the bodie and blood of chryste in sacrifice ca. 37. Basill in his Masse praied for the dead and to saincts ca. 39 Benediction what power yt hath li 2. ca. 51. ca. 62. Benefitts and plagues of the Iewes figurs of our benefitcs and plagues li. 3. ca. 1 Berengarius the first open impugner of the B. Sacrament condemned in foure Councells prolog Berengarius recanted and abiured ibid Berengarius neither excellēt in learning nor commendable in life ibid. Berengarius foolishlie obiected S. Austen as the Sacramentaries do nowe li. 2. cap. 14. Bertramus wrote obscurelie and suspiciouslie of the Sacr. prolog Blasphemie to saie the B. Sacr. to be onely a figure li. 2. ca. 64 Blessing of Chryste what force yt hath cap. 58. Blessing of more power then nature cap. 62. Blood of Chryste on the crosse and in the Sacr. all one li. 2. ca 5. li. 3. ca. 20. Blood in the chalice the same that was shedd on the crosse li. 2. cap. 60 Blood of Chryste in the Sacr. howe to be estomed li. 3. ca. 16 Blood of the Paschall lambe a figure of chrystes blood in the B. Sacr. ibid. Bodie of chryste ioined to vs by corporall receipt not by spirituall onelie li. 2. cap. 14. Bodie of chryst consecrated of manie preists all one bodie ca. 28. Bodie of chryste inuisible in the Sacrament a figure of the same bodie visible ca. 49. Bodie of chryste demonstrated ād deliuered not in figure but in veritie ca. 63. Bodie of chryst howe yt ys called a spirituall meat li. 3. ca. 8 Bodie of the lambe chryst fedeth vs. ca. 11 Bodie of chryst vnder forme of bread ca. 26. Bodie of chryste consecrated to two endes cap. 41. Bookes of scripture sealed to manie li. 1. ca. 5 Bread of the newe communion differeth not from common bread li. 1. ca. 17. howe the same ys nowe vsed li. 3. ca. 47. Bread broken in the Sacrament the medicin of immottalitie li. 1. ca. 17. Bread by the omnipotencie of the woord ys made flesh ibid. li. 3. ca. 9. 20 Bread and wine chaunged into the bodie and blood of chryste not in figure but in veritie li. 1. ca. 21. li. 2. ca. 59. 60. 51. 53. Bread and wine offred by Melchisedecfigurs of that which chryst offre in his supper li. 1. ca. 29 Bread turned into an holier thing cap. 31. 37. Bread taken three waies in the vi of Iohn li. 2. ca. 2. Bread howe yt ys turned into flesh and why flesh ys not seen in the Bless Sacrament li. 2. cap. 7. 8. 19. 57 li. 3. cap. 20. Bread that descended from heauen ys the bodie of our Lord. li 2. ca. 31 Bread whiche Chryste deliuered no bare figure but flesh ca 51. 53 Bread and wine so sanctified in consecracion as yt passeth mans witte cap. 54. Bread geuen to the two Disciples in Emaus was the bodie of Chryste cap. 65. 66. Bread whiche we breake ys the bodie of Chryste lib. 3. ca. 19. 27. Bread semeth to be in the Sacrament but yt ys flesh li. 3 ca. 20 Bread diuided to manie ys the bodie of our Lorde li. 3. ca. 21. Bread and cuppe in Sainct Paule the bodie and bloode of Chryste lib. 3. cap. 27. 50. Brentius impugneth the forme of Baptisme lib. 2. cap. 28. C. Canon of the Apostles corrupted by the Proclamer li. 3. ca. 40 Canon forbiddetb not the preist to receaue aloue ibi Capharnaites vnderstood Chryste carnallie lib. 2. cap. 34. had twoo vain thoughts ▪ ibid. Carnall vnderstanding ys by reason and senses onelie cap. 37 Carnall men vnderstanding nothing aboue their senses leape backe from the vnderstanding of the mysterie of the Sacrament cap-33 Cassiodorus howe he vttereth Sainct Pauleswoordes li. 3. ca. 51 Catholique preists folowing the Schisme be in miserable case lib. 3. cap. 36. Catholique faith described cap. 53. Chastitie required in preists lib. 1. cap. 22. Chryste turneth the malice of heretiques to the profitte of his Churche prolog Chryste dwelleth in vs corporallie not onelie spirituallie in Prolog item lib. 1. cap. 14. lib. 3. cap. 23. 26 Chrystes reall presence in the Sacrament a receaued doctrine in all the chrystian Churche prolog Chrystes Parliament house the catholique Church ibid. Chrystes interpreting of the scripture proueth the difficultie li. 1. cap. 7. Chryste not Salomon the seed promised to Dauid cap. 9 Chryste and Sampson compared ca. 10 Chrystes passion conferred to the prophecies therof lib. 1. cap. 11. item his resurrection and ascension ca. 12. Chrystes bodie and bloode an euerlasting sacrifice cap. 13. item 31. lib. 3. cap. 36. a dailie sacrifice ibi Chryste ys offered of his Church and his Church of him lib. 1. cap. 18. item lib. 3. cap. 36 Chryste and Melchisedech compared lib. 1. cap. 13. Chryste offred bread and wine that ys his bodie and blood ca. 29 Chrystes oblacion after the order of Melchisedech ouerthroweth the heresie of Eutyches cap. 30 Chryste offred sacrifice in his supper and commaunded yt to be contiuued li. 1. ca. 32.