but must also geue to other So likewise yt proueth aswell that forasmoche as Chryste reserued no parte of the Sacrament no more shoulde the Churche nowe Yt ys a great libertie that this man taketh vnto him self to make soche expositions as liketh him self and vpon his owne exposition to grownd an argument to condemne the practise of the wholl Church as though yt were Locus Topycus a sure grownded argument when yt ys fownded but vpon his owne authoritie I haue not redde this maner of exposition in anie catholike Authour auncient or of the later daies that these woordes of Chryst do this shoulde be a charge and commaundement to celebrate the memoriall of Chrystes death in the same sorte and maner that Chryst did but raither that his bodie and blood shoulde be receaued in the Sacrament as the Substance whervpon the memoriall should be grownded withoute anie charge geuen of the maner and forme So doth Saincte Hierom expownde these woordes referring the commaundement to the doing of the thing and not to the doinge of the maner for the memoriall of Chryste This ys his saing Ideò hoc Saluator tradidit Sacramentum vt per hoc semper commemoremus quia pro nobis est mortuus Nam ideò cùm accipimus à sacerdotibus commonemur In 11. cap. 1. Cor. quia corpus sanguis est Christi vt beneficijs eius non existamus 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 we are putte in minde by the preistes that yt ys the bodie and bloode of Chryste that we shoulde not be vnthankfull for the benefittes receaued Thus sainct Hierom. Chrysostom also dissenteth not from this maner of exposition For thus he saieth Deinde de coena illa referens praesentia his quae tunc fuerant copulat vt quemadmodum in illa ipsa vespera mensa dispositi ab ipso Christo hoc acceperunt Jn 11. 1. Co. sacrificium it a nunc disponerentur inquit Quotiescunque comederitis panem hunc sanguinem hunc biberitis mortem Domini annunciabitis donec veniat Quemadmodum Christus in pane in calice in commemorationem hoc facite dixit causam nobis aperiens quare mysterium daret cum alijs hanc esse dicens sufficientem noâ—…s ad pietatem Nam cùm intelliges quid propter te Dominus passus est sapientior efficieris Ita ipse iterum inquit Quotiescunque manducaueritis mortem eius annunciabitis Et haec illa Coena est Afterward speaking of that supper he coopleth thinges present to those that then were that as in the same euentide and table they being disposed did receaue of Chryste him self this sacrifice euen so nowe also they shoulde be disposed and saied As often as ye shall drinke this bloode ye shall declare the death of our Lorde vntill he come For as Chryst both at the bread and at the cuppe saied Do this in my remembrance opening a cause why he wolde geue the mysterie among other saied this to be sufficient to godlinesse For when thowe shalt vnderstande what our Lorde hath suffred for thee thowe shalt be made the wiser Euen so he also saieth again As often as ye shall eate ye shall declare his death and this ys euen the same Supper Thus farre Chrysost In whose woordes as well as in saincte Hieroms we see this commaundement of Chryst Hocfacite do this to be referred to the Substance that Chrystes woordes This do ye c. Be referred to the substaÌ„ce not to the maner ys to the bodie and bloode of Chryste to be receaued for his memoriall and not to the maner of receauing And by the waie gentle reader note and beare awaie these woordes of saincte Hierom that he saieth that when we receaue we are admonished of the preistes that yt ys the bodie and bloode of Chryste wherby we are taught both wherunto tendeth the commaundement of Chryste and also what we receaue in that holie and honorable Sacrament I wishe also that Chrysostome might be noted howe he vttereth the woordes of saincte Paule Sainct Paule saieth thus As often as ye shall eate What S. Paule calleth the cuppe Chrysost calleth yt to bloode this bread and drinke this cuppe Chrysostom thus As often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this bloode not reporting euery wher the verie woordes of saincte Paule but raither the sense and vnderstanding So wher saincte Paule calleth yt the cuppe of our Lorde this maÌ„ expownding S. Paule calleth yt the blood of Chryst wherby we are taught what ys in the cuppe of our Lorde eueÌ„ the bloode of Chryste and not bare wine yf yt be so in that parte of the SacrameÌ„t theÌ„ in the other ys the bodie of Chryst and not bare bread But to return to our pourpose Euthymius also expowndinge the saied woordes of Chryst vnderstandeth them not of the maner but of the SubstaÌ„ce These be his woordes Ait autem Lucas hoc quoque dixisse Christum Hoc Euth in 26 Matth. sacite in mei recordationem hoc inquit nouum mysterium non illud vetus illud mysterium in recordationem inductum est salutis Hebraeorum primogenitorum in Aegypto ac libertatis Hebraeorum hoc autem in recordatiouem Domini Per tale enim sacrificium reminiscimur quòd corpus suum in mortem tradiderit sanguinem suum effuderit ac ita continuitate memoriam renouamus Luke saieth that our Lorde also saied Do ye this in my remembrance This newe mystery saieth he and not that olde For trulie that olde mysterie was instituted in the remembrance of the sauing of the first born of the Hebrues and of the deliuerance of the Hebrues But this ys in the remembrance of our Lorde By soche a sacrifice we remembre that he deliuered his bodie to death and shed furth his bloode and so by continuance we renewe memorie Thus moche Euthymius Who as the other Fathers aboue alleaged vnderstandeth Chrystes commaundement of the substance of the Sacrament no mencion made of the maner After these to see some of the later writers howe they vnderstood these woordes yt shall not be amisse that hauing the mindes of men of diuerse ages what the true vnderstanding ys yt maie the better appeare Sainct Thomas among learned and holie men that haue ben with in these foure hundreth yeares a man right famouse saieth thus Hoc facite c. Iniungit vsum huius Sacramenti dicens Hoc facite quotiescunque sumetis in meam Tho. Aqui. in 11. 1. Co. commemorationem id est in memoriam meae passionis Do this c. He commaundeth the vse of the SacrameÌ„t saing This do ye as often as ye shall receaue in my commemoracion that ys in the memorie of my passion And again he saieth Mortem Domini annunciabitis repraesentando eam per hoc Sacramentum Ye shall shewe furth the death of our
vs in the mysteries ys not onely a figure of our Lordes bodie but the very flesh of our Lorde For he did not saie The bread that I will geue ys a figure of my flesh but yt ys my flesh And howe yt cometh to passe that this bread shoulde be the very flesh of Chryst and by whom yt ys so compased and wrought the same Theophilact furthwith Spirituall vnderctanding what yt ys declareth That bread saieth he ys transformed with the secrett woordes by the mysticall benediction and the coming of the holy Gost into the flesh of our Lorde Thys ys the spirituall vnderstanding of Theophilact which ys in dede a spirituall vnderstanding For yf that be spirituall that ys wrought hy the worke of the Spiritt of God and that ys aboue the reason of man and ys not with in the compasse of sensuall knowledge but ys apprehended and knowen onely by faith then ys this a spirituall vnderstanding That yt ys wrought by the Spiritt of God this Authour doth testifie that yt ys aboue naturall reason yt ys manifest For ther ys no naturall mean vsed in the doing of yt That yt ys not within the compasse and the knowledge of the senseis this Authour also doth ther shewe And howe saieth he ys yt that yt doth not appeare flesh to vs but bread That we shoulde not saieth he abhorre from the eating of yt For yf yt shoulde haue appeared flesh we shoulde haue had no pleasure to the Communion But nowe our Lorde condescending to our infirmitie the mysticall meat appeareth soche as we haue ben otherwise accustonmed withall This flesh then of Chryst ys not seen of vs. And so trulie ys yt not perceaued of anie sense And therfor for somoch as yt ys perceaued by no sēse but that faith ys of hearing in that respect yt maie also be called spirituall What Serm. adin fances ys knowen in the Sacrament by senses and what aught to be knowen by faith S. Augustin also teacheth saing Quod videtis in altari panis calix est quod etiam oculi vestri renuntiant Quod autem fides postulat instruenda panis est corpus calix est sanguis Potest animo cuiuspiam cogitatio talis suboriri Dominus Iesus Christus nouimus vnde carnem acceperit de Virgine Maria scilicet nutritus est creuit sepultus est resurrexit coelum ascendit illuc leuauit corpus suum vnde venturus est iudicare viuos mortuos Ibi est modò sedens ad dextram Patris quomodò ergo panis corpus eius vel quod habet calix quomodò est sanguis eius Ista ideo fratres dicuntur sacramenta quia in eis aliud videtur aliud intelligitur Quod videtur speciem habet corporalem quod intelligitur sructum habet spiritualem That ye do see in the aultar yt ys bread and the cuppe which also yowr eyes do she we yowe but that faith requireth to be instructed the bread ys the bodie and the cuppe ys the bloode But in the minde of som A plain saing of S. August for the Proclamer bodie soch a thought maie ryse We knowe from whence our Lorde Iesus Chryste hath taken flesh that ys of the virgen Marie he was nourished he did growe he was buried he did rise he hath ascended into heauen thither he hath lifted vppe hys bodie from whence yt shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead Ther ys he nowe sitting at the right hande of the Father Howe then ys the bread hys bodie or that the chalice hath howe ys yt hys bloode Bretheren therfore these thinges be called Sacramentes bicause ther ys one thing seen in them and an other vnderstanded That whiche ys seen hath a corporall forme that which ys vnderstanded hath a spirituall fruit or profyt Thus farre sainct Augustine In the whiche woordes S. Augustin doth plainly open what ys iudged to be in the Sacrament by the iudgement of the senseis and what by Senses and faith iudge diuer selse the iudgement of faith The eyes iudge yt bread and a cuppe of wine but faith iudgeth that that the eyes haue iudged bread to be the hodie of Christ and that that by the senseis ys iudged wine to be the blood of Chryst Then yf the bodie of Chryst be not knowen in the Sacrament by anye other knowledge then by the knowledg of the faith then yt ys no carnall knowledge but a spirituall knowledg yf so then we vnderstande Chrystes woordes spiritually and not as the Capharnaites carnallie as the Sacramētaries do slanderously charge vs but like lowlie subiectes vnto our master Chryst striuing against our naturall knowledge and though euen by faith we cannot comprehende the wholl mysterie yet for that he hath saied yt we beleue yt so to be as Algerus werie well to this pourpose saieth Dum in mysterio quod non est apparet quod est occultatur fidei lucta proponitur vt meritum augeatur Dum contra hoc quod videtur credens quod non videtur de credita intus veritate de suprata exteriùs falsitate duplicem assequitur gratiam Algerus li. 2 ca. 3. Caetera enim Christi miracula cùm sint infidelibus in signum vt conuertantur hoc solùm sidelibus datur ad meritum vt illo erudiantur In illis enim quae Deus in extrinseca materia secit roboratur fides In hoc autem solo quod ex seipso facit fides exercitatur vt victa et inuicta faciliùs coronetur Victa inquam ne comprehendat sed inuicta ne diffidat dum exteriores quidem sensus obiecta panis vini speciem colore odore sapore ipsum quod fuerat mentiendo panem vinum quod non est nituntur instruere Interior autem intellectus ipsum quod est corpus scilicet Christi contemplans uec comprehendere sufficiens non tamen desistit credere While in the my sterie that that ys not appeareth that that ys ys hidden battaill vnto faith ys propownded that meritte maie be encreased while that against yt that ys seen beleuing yt that ys not seen of the beleued inwardly veritie of the ouercomed outward falsitie she getteth duble grace For other miracles of Chryst wher they be to the vnfaithfull for a sign that they maie conuerte this alone ys geuen to the faithfull to merite that by yt thei maie be taught In those miracles that God did make in an owtwarde matter faith ys strenghtned In this alone that he maketh of himself faith ys exercised Faith ouer cōmed and not ouer comed in the misterie of the Sacr. that being ouercomed and vnouercomed she maie be more easilie crowned I saie ouercomed that she can not comprehende vnouercomed that she distrust not while the outward senseis by the formes of bread and wine obiected the coloure the sauour and the taste falsly saing to be yt that yt was doo laboure to affirme yt bread and wine which yt ys not But the inwarde
the disciple of Chryst Ignatius the disciple of S. Iohn the euangelist Dionysius Arcopagita the disciple of S. Paule with diuerse other yet the eldest that I finde after the Euangelistes and S. Panle treacting of the woordes of Chryst are Alexander and Iustinus of the whiche although Alexander be the elder yet for that by him occasion ys geuen to speake of some matter more at large I shall first produce Iustinus This holie martyr for answer and defence of the Chrystians who were slaundered that they shoulde eate mans flesh wrote to the Emperour Antonius Pius and among other thinges declareth what ys the religion of the christians aboute the Sacrament and what faith they were taught to haue of yt and saieth thus Cùm autem is qui preest gratias egerit totus populus approbauerit hi qui vocantur apud nos Diacom distribuunt vnicuique praesentium vt participent de pane Justin. Apolog. 2. in quo gratiae actae sunt de vino aqua ijs qui non sunt presentes deferunt Atque hoc alimentum apud nos vocatur Eucharistia De quo nulli alij participare licitum est nisi qui credit vera esse quae docentur à nobis et qui lauacro in remissionem peccatoruÌ„ in regenerationem lotus est sic viuit sicut Christus tradidit Neque vt communeÌ„ panem commune poculuÌ„ haec suscipimus sed quemadmodum per verbum Dei incarnatus Iesus Christus Seruator noster carnem sanguinem habuit Sic verbi sui oratione consecratum gratiarum actione alimentum ex quo caro nostra sanguis per transmutationem aluntur ipsius incarnati Iesu Christi carnem sanguinem esse edocti sumus Apostoli enim in commentarijs suis quae Euangelia vocantur sic ipsis praecipisse tradiderunt Cùm accepisset panem gratijs actis dixisse Hoc facite in mei commemorationem Hoc est corpus meum Et poculum similirer cum accepisset gratias egisset dixisse Hic est sanguis meus solis ipsis impartisse When the preist hath ended his thankes geuing and all the people haue saied Amen they whom we call Deacons distribute to euery one then present to be partakers of the bread wine and water consecrated Bread wine and water consecrated in the primitiue churche and carie part to them that be absent And this ys the foode whiche among vs ys called Eucharistia Wherof yt ys laufull for no man to be partaker except he beleue those thinges to be true that be taught vs And be baptised in the water of regeneracion in remission of sinnes and so liueth as Chryst hath taught For we do not take these as common bread and wine but like as Iesus Chryst our Sauiour incarnated by the woorde of God had flesh and blood for our saluacion Euen so we be taught that the foode wherwith our flesh and bloode be nourished by alteracion when yt ys consecrated by the praier of his Bread and wine after consecracioÌ„ be the bodie and blood of Chryst. woorde to be the flesh and bloode of the same Iesus incarnated For the Apostles in those their bookes whiche be called Gospells teache that Iesus did so commaunde them when he had takeÌ„ bread and geuen thankes saied Do this in my remeÌ„brance This ys my bodie And likewise taking the cuppe when he had geuen thankâ—s saied This ys my bloode and gaue them to his Apostles onelie Thus moche holy Iustine In this Authour be many thinges woorthie note But omitting them all I shall onely note that that he ys at this time alleaged for namely for the right vnderstanding of Chrystes woordes in their propre sense withoute figure or trope For the which note well that he saieth that we be taught that the foode mening the bread wine and water after the consecracion ys the flesh and bloode of Iesus incarnate He saieth not that they were taught that they were signes tokens or figures of the flesh of Iesus neither that they be onely called the flesh of Iesus Ye maie then perceaue what the teaching and doctrine of the primitiue church was ye maie well see that they were plainly taught that the bread wine and water be the flesh and bloode of our Sauiour Iesus And herwith all note howe certen this doctrine was Yt was as certen and sure as the mysterie of the incarnacion of Chryst For saieth this Authour Doctrine of the reall presence as certen as the incarnacion to the primitiue church Like as Iesus Chryst our Sauiour incarnated by the woorde of God had flesh and bloode for our saluacion Euen so we be taught the breade wine and water after the consecracion to be the flesh and bloode of the same Iesus Weigh this gentle Reader and marke these woordes well that euen as we be taught as a principle of our faith to beleue that Iesus Chryst in his incarnacion had flesh and bloode euen so we be taught the foode of the holie Sacrament to be the flesh and bloode of the same Iesus But howe doth this Authour proue that this doctrine was so taught By this proof For the Apostles saieth he in their workes whiche they call Gospells do teache that our Lorde Iesus so commaunded them saing when he had taken breade and geuen thankes doe this in the remembrance of me This ys my bodie And likewise taking the cuppe when he had geuen thankes saied This ys my bloode In this proof of this Authour ther be two thinges to be noted The one against the blasphemouse reproche of the Aduersaries and this Proclamer Reall presence plainlie auouched by Justinus whiche saie that yt ys an inuencion of the papistes to teache Chrystes flesh and bloode to be in the SacrameÌ„t But this Authour saieth that the Apostles taught that our Sauiour Iesus did commaunde them so to doe So thar yt ys his commaundement and tradicion an not the papistes inuencion but yf they will accompt Iesus Chryst for this his so doing to be a papist Then in dede they maie saie yt ys the inuencion of a papist The other note ys for the applicacion of the woordes of Chryst to the SacrameÌ„t Ye haue perceaued that we be taught that the foode of the Sacrament ys the flesh of Iesus Chryst Yeperceaue also that the same Iesus Chryst so coÌ„mauÌ„ded as the Apostles haue taught in their Gospells But wher ys that coÌ„maundement in the Gospells This ys the commaundement Doe this in the remembrance of me This ys my bodie this my bloode By these woordes we are commaunded to doe the thing By these woordes we are taught what the thing ys The thing as this authour saieth ys the flesh and bloode of Iesus Chryst incarnated And this thing also he saieth we are taught by these woordes Wherfore these woordes are to be vnderstanded of the flesh and bloode of Iesus Chryst Nowe looke well vpon the doctrine of Chryst and his primitiue Church compare
solemnia Domino offeruntur passio Domini miscenda est vt eius cuius corpus sanguis consicitur passio celebretur ita vt repulsis opinionibus superstitionum panis tantùm Alexand. 1 epist 1. vinum aqua permixtum in sacrificio offerantur Non debet enim vt à patribus accepimus ipsa ratio docet in calice Domini aut vinum solum aut aqua sola offerri Sed vtrumque permixtum quia vtrumque ex latere eius in passione sua profluxisse legitur Ipsa verò veritas nos instruit calicem panem in sacramento offerre quando ait Accepit Iesus panem benedixit deditue Discipulis suis dicens Accipite manducate Hoe est enim corpus meum quod pro vobis tradetur Similiter postquam coenauit accepit calicem deditue Discipulis suis dicens Accipite bibite exco omnes Hic est calix sanguinis mei qui pro vobis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum Crimina atque peccata oblatis ijs Domino sacrificijs delentur Idcirco passio eius in iis commemoranda est qua redempti sumus saepius recitanda haec Domino offerenda Talibus hostijs delectabitur placabitur Dominus peccata dimittet ingentia Nihil enim in sacrificijs maius esse potest quà m corpus sanguis Domini Nec vlla oblatio hac potior est sed haec omnes praecellit Quae pura conscientia Domino offerenda est pura mente sumenda atque ab omnibus veneranda Et sicut potior est caeteris it a potiùs excoli venerari debet In the oblacions of the Sacramentes whiche in the solemne doinges of the Masses be offred the passion of our Lorde ys to be intermedled that the Masse passion of him whose bodie and bloode ys consecrated maie be celebrated so that the supersticions of opinions repelled onely bread and wine mixed with water maie be offred For ther aught not as we haue receaued of our Fathers Neither wine alone nor water alone aught to be offred in the sacrifice and also reason yt self dothe teache either wine alone or water alone to be offred in the cuppe of our Lorde but bothe mixed together bycause yt ys redde that both in the time of his passion did flowe oute of his side The verie trueth yt self doth teache vs to offer bread and wine in the Sacrament when he taking the bread and blessing yt saied Take ye and eat This ys my bodie whiche shall be deliuered for you Likewise when he had supped he tooke the cuppe and gaue yt to his disciples saing Take ye and drinke ye all of this For this ys the cuppe of my bloode whiche shall be shedde for yow in remission of sinnes These sacrifices being offred to our Lorde crimes and offences are wiped awaie Therfor his passion also by the whiche we are redemed ys in these to be remembred and often to be recited and yt also ys to be offred to our Lorde For with soche sacrifices Among all sacrifices none of more estimacion then the bodie and bloode of our Lorde our Lorde will be delighted and appeaced and will forgeue great sinnes Among all sacrifices nothing can be of more estimacion then the bodie and bloode of Chryst Neither ys ther any oblacion more woorthie But this doth precell all Whiche ys to be offred to our Lorde with a pure conscieÌ„ce and with a pure minde to be receaued of al and woourshipped And as yt ys more woorthie then other Euen so yt aught more woorthilie to be honoured and woourshipped Thus farre Alexander Who alleaging the woordes of Chryst This ys my body And this ys my bloode doth by other his woordes therwith declare that they are not to be vnderstanded by figure or trope but in their propre sense And among manie notes that maie here be made I will take but three to prooue the same Threenetes plainite unpâ—gning three articles of the Proclamer The first ys that he confesseth the presence of Chrystes bodie and bloode in the Sacrament for that he agreablie to holie Iustine who saied that the bread and wine after the consecracion be the bodie and bloode of Iesus incarnated He I saie agreablie saieth that the bodie and bloode of him ys in the Masse consecrated Whose passion ys ther celebrated The passion of Chryst Reall presence auouched ys in the Masse celebrated wherfore his bodie and bloode be ther consecrated Who soeuer confesseth Chrystes bodie to be consecrated on the aultar confesseth that consecracion to be doen by these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie c. Wherfore who soeuer confesseth soch consecracion confesseth the woordes to be vnderdanded withoute figure and trope This Authour confesseth soche consecracion Wherfor he confesseth soche vnderstanding And here by the waie note that this auncient olde Authour hath that maner of phrase and speache that the catholike Churche at this daie vseth namehe when he saieth that the bodie and bloode of Crhyst be consecrated in the Masse and not the maner of speache of the Aduersarie saing that yt ys made a sacramentall bread a figure signe or token of Chrystes bodie He hath no soche woorde no more hath anie one of all these fathers and holy doctours that shall be alleaged in that sense and vnderstanding that the Aduersarie most vntruly blustereth abroade And yet euery learned catholike man confesseth the SacrameÌ„t to be a figure but soche a figure as denieth not the reall presence of Chryst The second note to prooue the woordes of Chryste to be vnderstaÌ„d withoute figure ys that alleaging these wooordes This ys my bodie This ys my bloode Sacrifice propiciatorie auouched immediatelie he saieth By these sacrifices offred offences and sinnes be wiped awaie by whiche woordes calling those thinges whiche Chryste before spake of in the woordes of the Supper sacrifices and that soche sacrifices as put awaie sinnes and we haue no sacrifice to put awaie sinnes but the Sacrifice of Chrystes bodie and bloode Yt ys more then manifest that the vnderstandeth the woordes of Chryst in theirpropre sense of the bodie and blood of Chryste and not of the figure of his bodie for that ys no sacrifice to putte awaie sinnes That he calleth the bodie and bloode of Chryste in the Sacrament of the aultar sacrifices the woordes folowing in the same processe do well prooue and declare when he saieth Nihil in sacrificijs maius esse potest quà m corpus sanguis Domini Among the sacrifices ther ys nothing greater then the bodie and bloode of our Lorde And that he speaketh this of the sacrifice and oblacion of Chrystes bodie and bloode in the Sacrament of the aultar yt ys made certen by the woordes that do folowe whiche be these Nulla oblatio potior est sed haec omnes praecellit quae pura Domino conscientia offerenda est puramente Sacrament of the aultar ys a sacrifice sumenda There ys no
and wine in sacrifice as a figure Wherfore if this sacrifice be but bread and wine a bare figure then yt ys no newe oblacion In the leuiticall lawe also we finde bread and wine offred in the sacrifice The shewe bread also was offred in sacrifice Wherfor of necessitie yt must be vnderstand of an oblacion and sacrifice not hertofore accustomed to be offred whiche by that reason maie be called a newe oblacion which ys none other but the verie bodie and bloode our Sauiour Chryste Which although yt were figuratiuelie offred before of Melchisedech in materiall breade and wine yet nowe in the newe testament yt ys offred as neuer before not in figure but in verie dede the verie bodie and blood of Chryst him self the heauenly breade and heauenlie wine answering the bread and wine of Melchisedech as the thing the figure And so yt ys a newe oblaciō instituted to be offred in the newe Testamēt Wherfor also Chryst to shewe the adaptaciō of the figure to the thing and the figure therin to be fullfilled tooke bread and wine and consecrating them into his bodie and bloode confessed them as this authour saieth to be his bodie and bloode that the figure might be manifestlie shewed ther to be termined in that heauenly bread and wine the verie thing figurated by that figure Yf the malice of the aduersarie will go aboute to peruerte this plain sainge and testimonie of his authour sainge that allthough Chryst did confesse the bread and wine to be his bodie and bloode yet yt foloweth not that they were so in dede This were a merueilouse saing that Chryst shoulde confesse a thing to be in plain maner of speache withoute anie circunstance leading vs to an other sense and yet in deed not to be so But that he shall not so wickedly auoide the trueth vttered here by this authour he shal heare an other testimonie of the same in the whiche as before he saied that Chryst confessed the bread and wine to be his body and bloode so here the authour affirmeth them to be the bodie and blode Thus he saieth Quomodò constabit cum panem in quo gratiae actae sunt corpus esse Domini sui calicē sanguinis eius si non ipsum fabricatoris mundi filium dicant c. Quomodò autem rursum Irenaus li. 5. cont Heresie dicunt carnem in corruptionem deuenire non percipere vitam quae à corpore Domini sanguine alitur Howe shall yt be manifest that bread in the whiche than kes be geuen to be the bodie of their Lorde and the cuppe of his bloode yf A plain saing of Irenaeus for the Proclamer they saie that he ys not the sonne of the maker of the worlde c. And again howe saie they the flesh to come into corruption and not to receaue life whiche ys nourished of the bodie and bloode of our Lorde Ther be here in this testimonie twoo notes wherby as the aduersarie ys aunswered and conuinced so ys the trueth notablie settfurth and confirmed The first ys that he saieth that the bread in the whiche thankes are geuen ys the bodie of our Lorde and the cuppe ys the cuppe of his bloode The bread in the which Chryst gaue thinkes was the bread which the Euangelistes saie that Chryst tooke in his handes and gaue thankes saing This ys my bodie Chryst then might verie well confeffe yt to be his bodie seing as Irenaeus saieth yt ys his bodie So that of this authour we learn yt not onely to be called and confessed the bodie of Chryst but also to be and that not in obscure woordes but in plain and euident sentence The other note ys that our flesh ys nourished of the bodie and bloode of Oure flesh ys nourished of the bodie and blood of our Lord. our Lorde Wherby the erroure of the Aduersarie teaching that Chryst ys onely spiritually and not reallie receaued in the Sacramēt ys ouerthrowen and fownde false For by that spirituall maner our flesh ys not nourished wherfor of necessitie the other maner that ys Chrystes verie reall bodie must be in the Sacrament receaued Yt shal helpe yowe the better to perceaue the minde of this authour as concerning the reall presence of Chryst in the Sacrament if ye doe vnderstande wherfore he wrote this that ys here alleaged Vnderstand therfore that by this place last alleaged he impugneth two heresies the one was that Chryst was not the Sonne of God that made the worlde but that he was a man liuing in Iewrie who did not onelie dissolue Two heresies cōfuted by one argument grownded vpon the Sacr. the lawe and the Prophetes but also all the workes of that God that made the worlde The other taught that the soule onely shall be saued and liue euerlastinglie and not the bodie for that yt being a grosse thing made of the earth yt ys not possible that yt shoulde atteing to euerlasting life To confute these two heresies Irenaeus growndeth him self vpon the Sacrament as a matter certen euident plain and knowen aswell of the heretiques against whom he disputed as of the true catholique Chrystians Nowe against the first heresie he proueth Chryst to be the Sonne of God by that that they confessed the bodie of their Lorde to be in the Sacrament For yf he whose bodie ys in the Sacrament were not the Sonne of him that made the worlde but a bare naturall man howe coulde a man of hys owne powre compasse that his bodie should so be and howe coulde yt be the bodie of their Lorde yf he were not the Sonne of God So all the weight of this argument standeth and resteth vpon the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament Nowe denie the presence with thys Proclamer and then the argument maketh nothing against the heresie and so the argument which this holie Father thought to be stronge shall be but weake But who can doubte of the true knowledge of this auncient Father When he grownded hys argument vpon the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament he was sure that hys grownde was fast and good Yf the Sacrament were nothing but a figure what more proofe coulde be grownded vpon yt then vpon anie other figure of the olde lawe The second heresie he also impugneth by the receipt of the bodie and bloode of Chryst in the Sacrament For wher that heresie denied the bodie of man to be able or like to atteign to life euerlasting this holie man proueth that yt shall For howe can yt saieth he but receaue life seing yt ys nourished by the bodie and bloode of Chryst as though he might Cyrill in 6. Ioan. ca 14 haue saied as sainct Cyrill saieth Quoniam Saluatoris caro Verbo Dei quod naturaliter vita est coniuncta viuifica effecta est quando eam comedimus tunc vitam habemus in nobis illi coniuncti quae viuifica effecta est Bycause the flesh of our Sauiour ioined to the Sonne of God
Chryst deliuered to his Apostles his own bodie Of these verseis this maie be the sense in english When Chryste had thus saied he tooke bread in his handes and when he had geuen thankes he diuided yt to his Disciples and taught them that he deliuered vnto thē his owne bodie And after that our Lorde tooke the cuppe filled with wine he sanctifieth yt with thankes geuing and geueth yt to them to drinke and teacheth them that he hath geuen them his blood and saieth This bloode shall remitte the Sinnes of the people Drinke ye this my bloode c. This Authour setting furth the historie of the Gospell in verse and therwith oftentimes geuing vs with the historie the sense and vnderstanding of yt dothe euen so here For he dothe not onely saie that Chryst saied Thys ys my bodie but geueth the vnderstanding of yt saing that Chryst taught his Apostles that he deliuered vnto them his owne bodie In whiche maner of speache note this also that he saieth not onelie that Chryst deliuered them his bodie But addeth this woorde owne and saieth that he taught them that he deliuered to them his owne bodie Whiche maner of speach hath soche force and strenght with yt that as yt declareth the catholique saith and geueth great testimonie of the same so yt beateth and driueth awaie the wicked glose of onely figures and signes inuented by the Aduersaries to peruert the trueth For what more plain testimonie wolde we desire for the vnderstanding of Chrystes woordes then to saie that when Chryst saieth Take eate this ys my bodie that he taught his Apostles that he gaue them his owne bodie A plain saing for the Procla Thus maie yow see that for the catholique faith yow haue plain testimonie for the heresie of the Aduersarie yow haue not one woorde For I assure yowe of this as partlie before ys saied ther ys not one catholique writer neither olde nor yong from Chryst to Berengarius that euer taught or wrote that the Sacrament ys onely a figure or signe of the bodie of Chryst And therfor Reader looke to thie self be not caried awaie from Chrystes faith with onely bragges and glosing woordes voide of all good proofe But raither settle thy self wher thowe findest the trueth sett furth to thee with simplicitie and plainnesse commended with moche proofe and authoritie But hauing yet manie mo wittnesses let me hast me to bring him that ys appoincted to be this authours yockfelowe to declare the continuance of the vnderstanding of Chrystes woordes in the greke churche as the other hath doen in the latin churche This ys Eusebius Emisenus who by the supptacion of learned men liued in the same time that Iuuencus did He writeth thus Recedat omne infidelitatis ambiguum quoniam quidem qui author est muneris ipse est etiam testis veritatis Nam inuisibilis sacerdos visibiles creaturas in substantiam corporis sanguinis sui verbo suo secreta potestate conuertit ita dicens Hoc est corpus meū Et sanctificatione repetita Accipite bibite ait Hic est sangnis meus Let all doubte Euseb Emis Homil 5. Pa. Visible bread and wine turned into the substance of the bodie and blood of Chryst of insidelitie or vnbeleif departe For truly he that ys the authour of the gifte he also ys the wittnesse of the trueth For the inuisible preist by his secret power dothe with his woorde conuert or turne the visible creatures into the substance of his bodie and bloode saing thus Take and eate This ys my bodie and the sanctificacion repeted Take and drinke saieth he this ys my bloode In this saing of Eusebius ther ys no soche darke maner of speache that the reader nede to doubte of the true presence of Chryste in the Sacrament or howe to vnderstand the woordes of Chrystes supper seing that he so plainlie saieth that Chryste whom he calleth the inuinsible preist with his power and woorde saing This ys my bodie This ys my bloode turneth the visible Reall presence and transubstātiaciō plainlie auouched by Euseb Emis creatures of bread and wine into the substance of his bodie and bloode Yf they be turned into the substance of his bodie and bloode as by the testimonie of this authour they trulie be then these woordes Corpus sangnis bodie and blode in the sainges of Chryst doe not signifie the figures of the bodie and bloode of Chryst but the substance of the bodie and bloode of Chryste into which substance to make the bodie and blood verilie present the creatures of bread and wine be turned and so Chryst saing This ys my bodie this ys my blood yt ys asmoch as he had saied This ys the substāce of my bodie this ys the substance of my blood This doctrine ys so certen so sure and so true that this authour gaue exhortacion and admoniciō in the beginning of his saing that in this matter ther should be no doubte all vnbeleife should departe and so faithfullie to beleue Chrystes woordes that forasmoch as he ys the authour of all trueth and saieth This ys my bodie This ys my blood vndoubtedly so to take yt Beside this doctrine of faith of the presence of Chrystes verie substanciall bodie and blood in the Sacrament this authour also teacheth the meā how Transubstantiacion treacted of God woorketh yt and saieth that yt ys doen by turning the creatures of bread and wine into the substance of the bodie and blood of Chryst which turning or chaunging of one substance into an other as the holy Fathers do diuersly terme some of thē calling yt a conuersion or turning some of thē mutaciō or chaūging some communicacion or translacion some transelementaciō some trāsmutacion so the Church fullie and liuelie to expresse the thing that ys doen and therby the better to repell the heresies that haue risen and encōbred the Church since the time of Berengarius hath tearmed yt Transubstanciatōn which terme importeth no more in this matter then transmutacion or transelementacion but yt sowndeth and openeth the thing that yt signifieth more liuelie and suffreth notthe heretiques to wrest yt as they doe the other Which ys the cause that manie be so greuouslie offēded with the terme But bicause the Proclamer doth lightlie ouerpasse yt I will not tarie lōg vpō yt But in the allegaciō of the Fathers as thei shal make mēciō ofit so shal I breleiflie not it And yet that the reader shall not thinke that that matter ys so barren that nothing can be saied of yt or being desielrouse to learn should be frustrate of his desire ād expectaciō I shall somewhat here saie of yt desiering withal that as they do read the doctours that shall be hereafter alleaged they will note in them what they shall finde as therunto I shall geue thē occasion in euerie one that doth speake of this matter And for that we haue taken occasiō of this authours woordes to speake of yt we wil first
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
sit eo manifestè dicente Hoc est corpus meum sed potius suscipe verbum Cirill ad Calosyriū Chrystes woordes manifest and without doubt saluatoris in side Cùm enim sit veritas non mentitur Doubt not whether this be true or no seing that he manifestlie saieth This ys my bodie But raither receaue the woord of our Sauiour in faith For lie forasmoch as he ys tureth he lieth not Weigh these fewe woordes of S. Cyrill well gentle Reader and first that he willeth Calosirius not to doubte whether this that Christ manifestlie saied This ys my bodie be true or no. For in that he willed him and by him all chrystians not to doubte what clls willeth he but that al errour heresie opinion wandering wauering and colde faith shoulde be remoued and firme suro and fast faith should be geuen to the woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie S. Cyrill she weth the Proclamer plain woordes whiche woordes he saieth be manifest Yf they be manifest then they haue no obscure sense then they must be taken in the sense that manifestlie lieth open before vs. That sense ys the grāmaticall sense Then the figuratiue sense ys taken awaie For that sense as the woordes be nowe spoken ys not manifest but obscure Then also must the Proclamer subscribe For by the iudgemente of S. Cyrill the woordes of Chryst be manifest Yf they be manifest as vndoubtedlie they be then ther ys one scripture that manifestly teacheth the presence of Chrystes bodie Again sainct Cyrill saieth that forasmoche as Chryst ys the trueth he lieth not but he taking the bread and wine saied This ys my bodie Therfore he being the trueth and lieng not the thinges were as he saied then were they his bodie and bloode For so saied he that they were Yf the bread and wine he saing Thys ys my bodie This ys my bloode were not made by his allmightie power and woorde the bodie and blood of Chryst these woords being spoken by demōstraciō of certain singular things in nature without anie circūstance to declare anie other sense vpō these woordes then in the first hearing they sownde to haue Yf I saie these creatures remain still in their nature and substances and be but figures of Chrystes bodie and blood then I saie that Chrystes woordes were not true For he saied that they were his bodie and bloode And by the opinion of the Aduersarie they be not so but bread and wine figures of Chrystes bodie and blood Forasmoche as my cheef pourpose ys to helpe and staie them in their faith that be vnlearned to whome quiddities in learning be raither trooblesom then pleasaunt or profitable I haue determined not to dispute with the Proclamer in anie quidditie or ells I wolde somwhat haue saied to him for The Proclamer to disgrace our faith plaieth with indiuidū vagum that yt liketh him to dallie and to aske where we finde that this woord hoc in english this poincteth not the bread but indiuiduum vagum For if yt shall be his phantasie to disgrace the trueth before the comon people by plaing with some quidditie that they can not vnderstand he maie so soen disgrace our faith in the holie and blessed Trinitie For if he lyst so to plaie he might moue matter of the distinction and relacion of the persons and by soche toieng bring the people to stagger in their faith in the blessed Trinitie as by this mockerie of the demonstracion he wolde make them fall from their faith of the blessed Sacrament Yt were conuenient that as the people should be taught simplie to beleue in God the Father God the Sonne and God the holie Gost and not to be troobled with the learned quiddities of the generacion of the Sonne of the spiracion as touching the holie Goste of the procession of the same from the Father and the Sonne and with the distinction and relacion of the persons so shoulde they be taught simplie to beleue as the scripturs doe teache and the holie fathers doe declare and expownde the same that the bodie and bloode of our Sauiour Chryst euen People are simplie to be taught not with Quiddities full Chryst God and man after the consecracion which as before ys declared ys doen by the secrett power of God by the worke of the holy Goste at the pronunciacion of Chrystes woordes by his sufficient mynister ys verilie reallie substanciallie and naturally present in the Sacrament and not to be troobled with demonstracions with accidentes with substances with placing of that bodie circumscriptiuelie definitiuelie by the maner of substance or by the maner of quantitie For these matters are for learned men to dispute not for good Chrystian vnlearned people to call in question of beleue In the schooles yt had ben a meit matter to dispute in the pulpitie yt was no matter to teache to edifie But yt liked him to talke of soche quiddities bicause by their obscuritie and darkenesse they being vnpleasaunt vnto the people shoulde the more myslike them and by that means haue the redier waie to deface the catholique faith and to sett vppe his heresie But I minding for that litle that in me ys to maintein that holie faith of Chryst my Sauiour that ys taught in his catholique Churche I will leaue these quiddities and simplie treact of the thing that we haue in hande And therfore nowe returning to Cyrill from whom I haue a litle digressed I saie with him that Chryst being trueth and saing This ys my bodie yt must nedes be as he saied and so simplie we must beleue the bodie and blood of Chryst according Cyrillus ibidem to his woorde to be present in the Sacrament Whiche thing as he saied here that Chryst manifestlie saied Thys ys my bodie So he manifestlie in the same epistle after a fewe lines doth open and Chryst turneth the bread into his owne verie flesh declare to be true wher he thus writeth Ne horreremus carnē et sanguinē apposita sacris altaribus cōdescendēs Deus nostris fragilitatibus instuit oblatis vim vitae cōuertēs ea in veritatē propriae carnis vt corpus vitae quasi quoddā semē viuificatiuū inueniatur in nobis That we shoulde not loath flesh and bloode sett vpon the holie aultars God condescending to our fragilities hath powred into the thinges offred the power of life conuerting or turning them into his verie owne flesh that the bodie of life maie be fownde in vs as a certain quickning seede For that I haue vpon this place of Cyrill saied somthing allreadie I will nowe no more but note vnto yowe howe manifestlie howe apertlie and howe plainlie he teacheth vs not onely that the bodie of Chryst ys in the Sacrament but also the meanes howe yt ys ther which ys that God turneth the bread sett vpon the holie aulanrs into his verie flesh After this he rendreth to vs two Two causes whie the substāce in the Sacr. being
the power of him that brought oute all of nothing Of this authour as of all the rest we learn the power and mightie worke of Chrystes woordes God and man by which the bread and wine be transmuted and chaunged into the bodie and blood of the same owre master ād Sauiour Iesus Chryst And wher transmutacion and transubstanciacion ys confessed and taught as this authour confesseth bothe ther ys the Aduersaries figure denied and the propre sense of Chrystes woordes and not the figuratiue sense admitted and alowed But we shall heare him with his owne woordes declare himself Thus he saieth Corpus est duplex Verum alterum alterum mysticum Et verum quidem est quod in hoc diuino Eucharistiae sacramento consecratur atque conficitur sub visibili specie panis The true bodie of Chryste vnder the forme of bread ac vini Hoc idem est cum eo corpore quod fuit ex beata Virgine Spiritus sancti obumbratione conceptum De quo ipse Dominus in exhibitione sacramenti cum nobis sensibilē panem vinumque ostendisset ait Hoc est corpus meū hic est sanguis meus Deinde addidit Quod pro vobis traditur qui pro vobis effunditur in remissionē peccatorū Mysticū autē eius corpus est Ecclesia congregatio fideliū Chryst hath two bodies A true bodie and a mysticall bodie The true bodie ys yt that ys cōsecrated and made in this diuine Sacrament vnder the visible forme of bread and wine This ys all one with that bodie that was by the ouershadowing of the holie Goste conceaued of the blessed virgen Of which bodie our Lorde himself in the geuing furth of the Sacrament when he had shewed to vs sensible bread and wine saied This ys my bodie and this ys my blood Then he added which ys deliuered for yowe and whiche ys shed for yowe in the remission of sinnes But his mysticall bodie ys the Church and the congregacion of the faithfull And afterward by expresse woordes denieng the Aduersaries figure saieth thus Cauendum autem ne quis propterea quòd Eucharistiae mysterium figura esse dicitur A great blasphemie to saie or thinke the Sacr. ys not the bodie of our Lord. dicere aut omnino suspicari audeat non esse verum Domini corpus Absit tanta blasphemia à fidelium mentibus Yt ys diligentlie to be taken heed vnto that no man bicause the Sacrament ys called a figure be so bolde to saie or by anie meanes to thinke that yt ys not the verie bodie of our Lorde God forbidde so great a blasphemie from the mindes of the faithfull Thus farre he In whiche saing as before diuerse times ys saied the authour according to the catholique faith teacheth that the Sacrament ys both a figure and the bodie of Chryst But bicause yt ys a figure therfore as the Aduersarie saieth yt ys not the bodie of Chryste That blasphemie saieth this good man God kepe from the mindes of the faithfull Beholde Chrystian reader that to saie that the Sacrament ys a figure and not the verie bodie of Chryst yt ys a blasphemie O mercifull Lord howe moche blasphemie then ys ther nowe committed God of his mercie preserue soche as yet haue not that they neuer speake blasphemie against ther Lorde God in this matter and call again soche as haue that his heauie indignacion fall not vpon vs. I see I haue taried long vpon these fewe woordes of Chryst And therfore although I might haue brought furth manie moo of the lower house as the learned knowe ther be manie yet I haue of them takē but sixe cooples remembring that I had a good nombre of the higher howse and they mynistred moche occasion of matter vpon which I had better will to tarie bicause the Proclamer aloweth their authoritie Who in dede if he will looke well vpon himself and will thinke no more of himself then ys meet nor take more vpon him then becometh him shoulde not with skorn and contumelie reiect anie of these of the lower house nor disalowe soch learned men as he doeth and soche a nombre and of so long time and so manie yeares except Misunderstāding of Chrystes woordes mother of all the heresies of the Sacramentaries he doeth yt vpon like policie as some men doe who mystrusting their cause refuse manie to go vpon their questes bicause they shall be fownde giltie I haue I saie taried long vpon this short text and fewe woordes of Chryst bicause the misunderstanding of them whiche ys the mainteinance of their heresie and the mother and damme of all the wicked opinions in this matter maie be taken awaie and the true vnderstanding whiche ys the grownde of true faithe and the verie fowntain and liuelie well spring of whollsom doctrine maie be staied settled and with like mindes of men to be receaued For he that hath the true vnderstanding of the woordes of Chryst can not lightlie erre in the matters of the Sacrament And he that misunderstandeth them for the most parte erreth in all matters that be moued by euell men against the blessed Sacrament Nowe ye haue heard first the three holie Euangelistes and S. Paule reporting in one maner those woordes of Chryst ye haue heard eleuen cooples of Chrystes higher house of parliament of eche side that ys both of the greke Churche and latine Church men not obscure but most famouse among all writers that haue written vpon these woordes of Chryst not onelie in learning but in auncientie Catholiques howe they vnderstand Chrystes woordes in holinesse and in grauitie ye haue heard sixe cooples of Chrystes lower howse of Parliament chosen also of both sides of the howse men also in their times famouse both in learning in holinesse of life and in my iudgement most woorthie men I saie amonge those that I coulde finde that did treact of the woordes of Chryst by waie of exposition In the processe also ye haue hearde the propositions or saynges of the catholiques and of the aduersarye as touching the vnderstanding of these woordes of Chryst wherin standeth the controuersie The catholiques haue twoo saynges The one that the woordes of Chryst are to be vnderstanded withoute figure The other Sacramentaries howe they vnderstād them whiche foloweth vpon that that Chryst spake of his verie bodie The Aduersaries contrarie wise haue two sainges the one that Chrystes woordes are to be vnderstanded with a figure The other that Chryst did not speake these woordes of his verie bodie The catholique vpō his sainges growndeth this trueth that Chrystes verie bodie and verie bloode after the cōsecracion be reallie and substanciallie in the Sacrament and so geuen to the receauers The aduersarie vpon his sainges growndeth his erroure that Chrystes verie bodie and blood be not reallie and substanciallie in the Sacramēt but in the Sacramēt ys onelie a figure of the bodie and ys geuē to the receauers as a signe or tokē of Chryst As cōcerning
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
oblacion woorthier then this but this excelleth all other whiche ys to be offred to our Lorde with a pure conscience and to be receaued with a pure minde Among the Chrystians ther ys no sacrifice to be offred and with pure minde to be receaued but the sacrifice offred on the aultar And thus of necessitie yt foloweth that this Authour graunteth the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament and that yt ys a sacrifice and that the woordes of Chrystes supper are to be vnderstanded without figure The thirde note ys that when he had taught that the sacrifice must be of Adoracion of the Sacrament auouched fred with a pure cōscience and receaued with a pure minde he teacheth also that yt must be woourshipped and honoured and that with no lowe degree of woorshippe and honour but as this sacrifice saieth he doth precel al so it ys aboue all to be honoured By whiche doctrine yt maie appeare that yf the thinge of the sacrifice dothe excell all other and ysaboue all other to be honoured and the onely sacrifice of Chrystes bodie and blood excelleth all other ys to be honoured that then that blessed bodie and blode are there present to be honoured wher they be offred They be offred wher they be receaued they be receaued in the Sacrament wherfore they are to be honoured in the Sacrament Now when all this disputacion of this holie Father ys graunted vpō these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie this ys my bloode yt can not be but that these woordes of Chryst must be vnderstanded simplie and plainly in their propre sense with oute figure or trope And thus to conclude for these two great Seniours of Chrystes schoole and Parliament house ye perceaue that they vse Chrystes woordes in ther propre sense And also thervpon testifie to vs the enacted trueth of Chrystes very presence in the holy Sacrament whiche ys the cheifest matter here sought THE FOVRE AND FOVRTETH CHAP. BY occasion of the woordes of Alexander treacteth of the adoracion and honouring of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament BVt occasion being geuen by this holie Father Alexander to speake of the adoracion of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament I can not ouerpasse somewhat more to saie of yt to the confutacion of the most impudent and blasphemouse vntrueth spoken and vttered by this Proclamers woordes against adoracion recited and cōfuted Proclamer for thus he saieth Chryst that best knewe what aught to be doen herein when he ordeined and deliuered the Sacrament of his bodie and bloode gaue no commaundement that anie man should fall dowen to it or woourshippe it S. Paule that tooke the Sacrament at Chrystes hande and as he had taken it deliuered it to the Corynthians neuer willed adoracion or godlie honour to be geuen vnto it The olde doctours and holie Fathers of the Churche S. Cyprian S. Chrysostom S. Ambrose S. Hierom S. Augustine and others that receaued the Sacrament at the Apostles hands and as it maie be thought continued the same in soche sorte as they receaued it neuer make mencion in any of all their bookes of adoring or woourshipping of the Sacrament Yt ys a verie newe deuise and as it ys well knowen came but lately into the Churche oboute three hundreth yeares past Honorius then being Bishoppe of Rome commaunded the Sacrament to be lifted vppe and the people reuerentlie ta bowe downe vnto yt After him Vrbanus the fourth appoincted an holie feast of Corpus Christi And graunted oute large pardons to the kepers of it that the people shoulde with the better will resorte to the Churche and kepe it holie This ys the greatest antiquitie of the wholl matter aboute three hundreth yeares ago it was first fownde oute and putte in practise But Chryst and his Apostles the holie Fathers in the primitiue Churche the Doctours that folowed them and other godly and learned men what soeuer for the space of a thousand and two hundreth yeares after Chrystes ascension into heauen this woourshipping of the Sacrament was neuer knowen nor practised in any place within the wholl catholike Churche throughout the wholl worlde Thus moche the Proclamer Whē I readde these his woordes I staied as one astoined considering that they coulde not proceade from anie man but either by ignorance or ells by peruerse malice that wittinglie wolde al shame set apparte vtter soche an vntrueth as the meā learned I suppose of all the catholike Churche knoweth it so to be And the more did I merueill that it was so impudētly setfurth with a repeticiō as therbie with moch boldnesse to auouche the matter Nowe for that the Authour of the woordes ys not vnlearned I coulde not asscribe thē to ignorance And considering his callinge ther shoulde be in him no soche peruerse malice But remembring howe Macedonius Nestorius and diuerse soche other leauing the doctrine of the catholike Church and the mociou of the spirit of God in the same and folowing the doctrine of priuate men according to the mocion of the spirit of Sathan did forget their calling and peruersedlie vsed them selues So likwise I perceaue this man doth the more ys the pittie But that we maie perceaue howe farre wide he ys from the trueth we will examen his woordes His first argument ys that Chryst neuer gaue commaundement to woourshippe the Sacrament Ergo yt ys not to be doen. To this first I saie to him as to one exercised in schooles that an argument of negatiues concludeth The ngatiue argumēt of the Proclamer concludeth nothing nothing But for more large declaracion to the vnderstanding of the Reader yt ys not redde in the Gospell that Chryst commaunded anie bodie to adore him while he here liued in the earth yt ys therfore a good argument that he was not to be adored The three wise men of the east came with their giftes and offringe them adored the babe Chryst They had no cōmaundement of Chryst so to do shoulde they not therfore haue doen yt or did they offende in so doing Diuerse that were cured of Chryst came and adored him but not commaunded of Chryst so to do Yt ys not redde in the Gospells that the Apostles during their familiare conuersacion withe Chryste before his passion that they fell down and adored him Shall we therfore frame an argument that Chryst in his mortall state was not to be adored by cause the Apostles be not readde to haue adored him And that Mary Magdalen the woman of Canaan and the Leeper that did adore him did offende Yt ys a faint kinde of argumentacion I will in like maner reason with this disputer in his owne kinde of disputacion Chryst gaue the Sacrament of his bodie to his Apostles onelie and gaue no commaundement that all people indifferentlie shoulde receaue the same as nowe they doe Wherfor yt aught not to be doen. Yf this argument be good then ys his good But the trueth ys this argument ys naught and so ys his but this disputer knewe well
damnacion but not to the hurte of the people if they knewe yt not And here also to saie I beleue that if any catholique preist had ben knowen to this man so to haue doen as he saieth he wolde without all dowbte to the helpe of his cause wher vnto he hath none haue named him But forasmoche as he speaketh yt of him self and his conspired complices which secretly Conuenerunt in vnum adnersus Dominum aduersus Christum eius haue conspired against our Lorde and against his annoincted when they durst not vtter what they had wickedly conceaued he ys a shamed to name him self to haue committed so heinouse a facte Yf yt be not so yt ys like to be a feigned matter to supplie when certen and true matter lacketh But to returne to the matter and to moue the same scruple to him that he moueth against the catholique Churche What if some that ministre the communion after the sorte that ys nowe receaued do neither speake the woordes of Chryst vpon the bread For Richerus a Caluinist reiecteth the woordes of consecracion as not nedefull to be spoken or munbled as his terme ys vpon insensible creatures neither entende to make anie sacramentall bread what then do your people receaue Yf they receaue no sacramēt as yt ys none if bothe woordes and intencion be lacking then they receaue no promisse they receaue no remission of sinnes nor soch other benefittes for the promisses be annexed to the sacramentes howe are they then deceaued Howe then ys the Sacrament of Chrystes bodie and bloode in due forme ministred Howe ys the death of Chryst shewed furthe according to Chrystes minde whiche must be shewed furth when we eate that bread and drinke that cuppe as S. Paule teacheth vs As often as ye shall eate of this breade and drinke of the cuppe he saieth not bread generallie but this breade mening the bread of the Sacrament Thus if men shall improue the great matters of religion withe why what and howe and inuented daungers and abuses your owne religion whiche yowe magnifie as most sure and good maie be proued vnsure and weake To be short all his argumentes grownded vpon if and and are to no pourpose For if maketh no certen argument Wherfore leauing them as sufficiently touched I shall reuert to matter of more substance and proceade in the allegacion of the fathers for the exposition of Chrystes woordes nowe in hande THE NINE AND FOVRTETH CHAP. PROCEAdeth in the vnderstanding of Chrystes woordes by Irenaeus and Tertullian ALlthough betwen Iustine and Irenaeus ther were some holy Fathers that haue left behinde them goodly testimonies for the proofe of Chrystes very presence in the Sacrament Yet I finde Irenaeus li. 4. cap. 32. cont heres none that doe alleage Chrystes woordes and therby geue vs light to vnderstand them vntill we come to Ireneus who writeth thus Sed Discipulis suis dans consilium primitias Deo offerre ex suis creaturis non quasi indigenti sed vt nec ipsi infructuosi nec ingrati sint eum qui ex creatura panis est accepit gratias egit dicens Hoc est corpus meum Et calicem similiter qui est ex ea creatura quae est secundum nos suum sanguinem confessus est noui testamenti nouam docuit oblationem quam Ecclesia ab Apostolis accipiens in vniuerso mundo offert Deo Geuing also instruction to his disciples the authour speakethe of Chryste Sacrifice of the new Testament instituted ād taught by Chryst in consecraciō of his bodie and blood to offre to God the first fruictes of his creatures not as to one hauing nede but that they shoulde be neither vnfruictfull neither vnthankfull he tooke that breade whiche ys a creature and gaue thankes saing This ys my bodie And the cuppe likewise whiche ys a creature as we be he confessed to be his bloode and of the newe Testament taught a newe oblacion whiche the Churche receauing of the Apostles offreth to God in all the worlde Thus Irenaeus who when he had declared howe allmightie God instituted and appoincted sacrifices and oblacions in the olde testament as thinges to be geuen to him not as to one that neaded soche thinges or giftes but for the exercising of their obedience and faithe in the whiche God ys delighted not yet that God had anie profitt or aduantage therbie but that they doing these thinges profitt and aduantaie might ensewe to them from God for whose commodities sake God did institute them So he declareth that in the newe Testament also the people of the same might exercise their faith and obedience New sacrifice of the new Testament what yt ys and therbie pourchase gain and profitte and for benefittes receaued be fownde thankfull Chryst also taught his Apostles to offre sacrifice And what the sacrifice ys he teacheth saing that yt ys his bodie made of the creature of bread and his bloode made of the creature of wine Howe this thinge ys brought to passe he sheweth when he saieth that Chryst tooke the bread whiche ys a creature and gaue thankes saing This ys my bodie And likewise the cuppe which also ys a creature and confessed yt to be his bloode In whiche woordes wher he hath expressedly saied that Chryst confessed yt to be his bloode and the like ys ment of the bread to be his bodie what more plain speache wolde we desire of anie authoure Yf Chryst confessed yt to be his bodie Li. 4. de Sacramēt c. 6 and his confession ys allwaies true howe then standeth the sainge of the Aduersarie that yt ys not his bodie Shall we doubte of the trueth of Chryste as S. Ambrose saieth Ipse Dominus Iesus testificatur nobis quod corpus suum accipiamus sanguinem Nunquid debemus de eius fide testificatione dubitare Owre Lorde Iesus testifieth vnto vs that we receaue his bodie and bloode ought we to doubte of his treuth and testimonie Seing then this authour saieth that Chryst confessed his bodie and bloode Jrenaeus auoucheth both reall presence ād sacrifice to be present and that by these woordes This ys my bodie This ys my bloode yt ys plain that he vnderstandeth them in their propre sense withoute figure or trope and so acknowledgeth the very reall presence of Chrystes bodie ād blood in the Sacramēt For farder proof wherof the woordes that immediately in the same authour doe folowe do make very moch wher he saieth Et noui Testamenti nouam docuit oblacionem And of the newe Testament he taught a newe oblacion This newe oblacion of the newe Testament ys the bodie and bloode of Chryste as before in the first booke ys declared and prooued And here to the pourpose farder to saie yf the sacrifice that Chryst instituted to be the newe oblacion of the newe testament were but a peice of Sacramentall breade yt were no newe oblacion For then yt were the same that Melchisedech offred who offred bread
Aduersarie Marcion And after to his farder confutacion for that a figure must nedes be a figure os a bodie he saieth also that yt ys the figure of Chrystes bodie and so confesseth bothe the verie bodie and the figure of the bodie This vnderstanding of Tertullian must nedes be good and vpright For Li. de resur carnis A plain saing for the Proclamer after this maner he agreeth with himself both in this place and other as wher he saieth Caro corpore sanguine Christi vescitur vt anima de Deo saginetur The flesh eateth the bodie and bloode of Chryst that the soule maie be made fatte with God Wher in plain woordes he saieth that man not by spiritte but by his flesh eateth not a peice of bread a signe or figure onely of Chrystes bodie but yt eateth Chrystes verie bodie and bloode yt self After this vnderstanding also he agreeth with sainct Augustine and Theophilact and other holy Fathers as partely ye haue before hearde and shall herafter plentifullie heare And thus vnderstanded he agreeth to be shorte with the wholl catholique Churche which alwaies hath and doth teache the bodie of Chryst both to be a figure and the thing yt self in veritie Wherfore neither Tertullian neither sainct Augustine in these places alleaged neither against Amantus be either refused or denied but accepted and embraced For the Churche doth acknoledge as moche as they saie and they with the Churche doe acknowledge the Sacrament to be bothe But let the Aduersarie bringe but one auncient authour that saieth as he doeth that yt ys figura tantùm onely a figure and therwith saieth as he dothe that the reall and verie bodie of Chryst ys not in the Sacrament and then I will saie he hath doen somwhat Hetherto all they haue doen nothing to effecte to prooue their matter but onely made some cowntenance and apparance No catholike authour saieth that the Sacr. ys onelie a figure in woordes to deceaue the people and to plucke them from the catholique faith For wher their doctrine ys that the Sacrament ys a figure onelie when they reade this woorde figura in Tertullian S. Angustine or anie other authour they runne awaie with yt and violentlie wrest yt making their auditorie beleue that the authour saie as they saie And that ys false For the authours saie no not one of them that yt ys onely a figure which ys the thing that the Aduersarie must prooue and that shal he neuer doe Wherfor Reader looke to thy self and be not deceaued marke well whiche parte saieth as Tertullian saieth and folowe that parte Tertullian saieth that the breade ys made the bodie of Chryst so saieth the cathoiique so saieth the holie Churche but that denieth the Aduersarie Tertullian saieth that yt ys a figure of the bodie of Chryst so saieth the catholique so saieth the holie Churche so after a maner saieth the Aduersarie but the maner ys soche that though in the woorde Figure yt seemeth so to saie and to haue agreemēt with Tertullian yet in sense yt denieth the wholl For neither dothe the Aduersarie agree vpon the thing that ys the figure neither dothe he saie as Tertullian dothe saie that yt ys a figure but with an exclusuie that yt ys a figure onely which as yt ys more then Tertullian saieth so yt ys more then ys true and thus trusting ye clerely and fullie perceaue who agreeth and who dissenteth from this auncient Father of the primitiue Church I ende with him and proceade to heare other THE FIFTETH CHAP. ABIDETH IN THE EXposition of the same woordes by S. Cyprian and Athanasius NOt long after Tertullian was S. Cyprian who being a senior in Chrystes schoole and an auncient in his Parliament house will shewe vs the faith taught and continued in that schoole and the trueth enacted and receaued in that Parliament house Cypry de coena Dom. vide sup li. 1. cap. 29. Thus he writeth Significata olim à tempore Melchisedech prodeunt sacramenta filiis Abrahae facientibus opera eius summus sacerdos panē profert vinū Hoc est inquit corpus meum c. The sacramentes signified long agon frō the time of Melchisedech come nowe abroade and the high preist to the childe ren of Abraham doinge his workes bringeth furth bread and wine This saieth he ys my bodie They had eaten of the same bread after the visible forme but before those woordes that cōmon meate was onely meate to nourishe the bodie and ministred the helpe of the corporall life But after that our Lorde had saied Doe this in my remembrance This ys my flesh and this ys my bloode As often as yt ys doen with these woordes and this faith that substanciall bread and cuppe consecrated by the solemne benediction doth profitte to the health and life of the wholl man being both a medicen and a sacrifice to heall infirmities and to pourge iniquities Thus he What sense the woordes of Chrystes supper haue this holy Ciprian dothe manifestlie declare who rehersing them saieth but after that our Lorde had saied This doe in the remembrance of me This ys my flesh and this ys my bloode that substanciall bread and cuppe consecrated doth profitte the wholl man that ys both the bodie and soule of man for so moche as yt ys a medicen to heale the infirmities of them and a sacrifice to pourge their iniquities In the Sacrament after the woordes of S. Cyprian saing that the bread and cuppe after the cōsccraciō ys a medicine to heal insir and a sacrifice to pourge iniquit proueth inuincible the reall presence of Chrysts bodie Chryst spoken what can be saied to be that profiteth both bodie and soule and ys a medicen and also a sacrifice what I saie can ther ells be that shoulde be these great workes but the bodie and blode of Chryste Yt ys that bodie that ys our medicen yt ys that bodie that ys our sacrifice Wherfore S. Cyprian mening that after the woordes of our Lorde that bodie and blode ys in the Sacramēt inuinciblie proueth against the proclamer the presence of Chrystes bodie and that the woordes of our Lorde be not to be vnderstand figuratiuely but proprely in their owne sense And this ys not to be ouerpassed what differēce this authour maketh betwixt the cōdicion of the bread before the woords of Chryst spokē ād after the woords Before the woordes saieth he yt ys cōmon meate meet onelie to nourish the bodie but after the woordes yt ys as ye haue hearde profitable both for bodie and soule This also ys to be noted that this authour speaking of these great benefittes doth not attribute thē to faithe nor to the vertue of the passiō of Chryste Benefites at tributed to the Sacra nor to the spirituall bodie of Chryst or receipt of that although all these be necessarie for that withoute thē the befittes before mēcioned cā not be obteined but dothe attribute thē to the
certentie also of this matter ys added when he saieth that we eate the lambe wherby he meneth the Lambe that taketh awaie the sinnes of the worlde Iesus Chryst that innocent Lambe figured by the olde Paschall lambe Likewise saing that we eat the flesh of the shepe he meneth the flesh of Chryst who ys he Qui tanquam ouis ad occisionem ducebatur tanquam agnus coram se tondente obmutescebat non aperiebat os suum who as a shepe was ledde to Esay 53. be slain and as a lambe before the sherer did holde his peace and did not open his mouthe Finallie that in this discourse he speaketh of the verie reall presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament and that we verilie and substanciallie receaue yt and be nourished with yt his last woordes doe inuinciblie prooue Sinners receaue the bodie of Chryst in the Sacr. not spirituallie but yet reallie In whiche mouing a question vpon the woordes before saied he saieth Quam satisfact c. what maner of amendes or satisfaction shall we make to him that being in sinne doe receaue soche foode that being wolues doe eate the lambe that being lions doe rauine the flesh of the shepe Nowe certen yt ys both by the doctrine of the Catholique and the Protestant that the sinner eateth not the bodie of Chryst spirituallie wherfore yt must needes be that soche as being wolues and lions in wickednesse of life and doe yet by the doctrine of Chrysostom eate the flesh of the lambe and deuoure the flesh of the shepe forasmoch as ys saied that they doe not eate the flesh of Chryst spirituallie that they eate yt in the Sacrament reallie and substanciallie For this ys well knowen to the Aduersarie that the euell man can not receaue Chrystes bodie but in the Sacrament But Chrysostom saieth that the euell man receaueth the bodie of Chryst Wherfor in the Sacrament Thus if my iudgement fail me not Chrysostom hath by expresse woordes taught vs the reall presence of Chryst in the Sacrament Nowe we shall Reall presence auonched of Chrysost bi circunstāce heare him teach the same by circunstance but so plainlie and euidently that yt can not be against saied The circunstance consisteth in the comparison of the Paschall Lambe and in the woordes of Chryste the sixt of S. Iohn by whiche both he prooueth these woordes of Chryst This ys my bodie to be spoken in their propre sense and to teach vs the reall presence of Chryst in the Sacrament The woordes be these Praecipuam eorum solemnitatem dissoluit ad aliam mensam horroris plenam eos conuocat dicens Accipite comedite Chrys homil 83. in 16. Math. Hoc est corpus meum Quomodò igitur turbati non sunt hoc audientes quia multa magna de hoc antea audierant He dissolueth their cheif Solemnitie and to an other table full of terriblenesse he calleth them saing This ys my bodie Howe then were they not troobled hearing this bicause he had spoken manie and great thinges of this before Thus he In this saing two thinges breiflie noted I passe to the next place The first ys that the other table wherunto Chryst did call his Apostles was full of terriblenesse or trembling whiche sheweth that ther was in that table aboue the table of the Paschall lambe from the whiche they were called some thing that was of soche maiestie that yt was to be feared whiche thing was Table of the old Paschal lambe not terrible as onelie but a figure the table of Chryst ys terrible ād therfor more then a figure not in the other table In the other table was the Paschall lambe a liuelie figure of Chryst our Paschall lambe and in yt Chryst was figuratiuely eaten And although yt were their cheifest solemnitic yet Chrysostom doth not call yt a fearfull table Yf then in that solemne table ther was the figure of Chryst and Chryst was ther figuratiuely eaten and yet that table was not terrible or ful of horroure then in the table of Chryst ys not onelie a figure of Chryst and Chryst figuratiuelie eaten but ther ys a great matter ther that maketh this table to be fearfull What ys that Hoc est corpus meum This ys my bodie For Chrysostom saieth that when Chryst called them to this table he saied This ys my bodie Yf these woordes This ys my bodie did no more but cause the figure of Chrystes bodie to be in the table of Chryst and so Chryste to be eaten in a figure as he was in the table of the Paschall Lambe thē this table had ben no more full of horroure then the other But for so moche as by that sainge of Chryst the table was full of horroure yt argueth as before yt ys alleaged oute of Chrysostome that he so saing with the woorde made also the thing so that as he spake the woorde presentlie so the thing that ys his bodie was ther presentlie For the saing of the woorde and the making of the thing went iointlie togeather Wherby then as yt doth plainly appeare that the bodie of Chryst was present in that table so also dothe yt appeare that the bodie being made present at the saing of these woordes This ys my bodie that these woordes are to be taken and vnderstanded in their propose sense The second note ys that wher Chrysostome moueth a question saing how were not the Apostles troobled when they heard Chryst saie Take eate This ys my bodie He aunswereth that they were not troobled bycause they had heard him speake manie and great thinges of this thing before Wher this vs to be noted that Chryst did not speake moche of this matter but onely in the sixt of sainct Iohns Gospell Nowe yt ys allready prooued that ther Chryst spake of his flesh and his bloode Then if he speaketh here of that he spake of ther then he saing This ys my bodie this ys bloode speaketh here of his verie flesh and verie bloode And so these woordes must be vnderstanded in their propre sense And here ys to be remēbred that the author of Cranmers booke growndeth Crāmers argument agunst the Sacrament an argument as he supposeth vpon a good grownde but in verie dede yt ys vpō the sande against the Sacrament saing that if Chryst had made his bodie in the Sacrament yt being so great a woorke so great a misterie yt shoulde haue ben declared either by Chryst himself shewing the verie thing so to be or by the Euangelistes in processe of the storie or of the cirumstance But for somoche as the Gospell saieth no more but Sacramentaries denie the vi of S. Iohn tospeake of the Sacr. that yt should appeare a matter of no weight breiflie without all preuiall disposition to the doing of the thinge and without all circumstance that he tooke bread and gaue thankes and brake yt and gaue yt to his Disciples saing Take eate This ys my bodie c. Therfor saieth
doctrines doeth affirme what shall be the priuilege or what reason that onely men shoulde communicate the bodie and bloode of him and not Deuells also for the whiche in his passion he did shedde his bloode hitherto Theoph. Who improuing the opinion of Origen before mencioned saieth that if the bodie of Chryst shoulde suffre for Deuells and his blood shoulde be shedde for thē then vnto thē he shoulde haue saied as he hath to his Apostles and all faithfull men Take eate This ys my bodie Take and drinke This ys my blood Whiche argumēt as yt doth confute the errour of Origen for that yt ys meit that all they that be partakers of the redemption purchaced by the bodie and blood of Chryst should also be soche as to whō in time conuenient yt Deuells be not redemed by Chrystes passion but if they might receaue him spirituallie they shoulde be partakers of his merittes might be saied Take eat This ys my bodie Take drinke This ys my blood Whiche thing to Deuells ys not saied so also yt doeth impugn the errour of our Aduersarie in that that no mencion being made of figures and tropes the wordes of Chryst be left in their owne propre sense teaching vs that we must take and eate his verie bodie and drinke his verie bloode And that they doe so teache vs by the minde of this authour the woordes that folowe in his second argumēt doo well prooue For the better perceaving wherof vnderstād first as the trueth of the catholique faith ys that Deuells be not redemed by the passion of Chryst neither be they nor can be partakers of the vertue and benefitt of the same Nowe to receaue Chryst spirituallie ys to receaue the grace and fruict of this passion When then in his second argument this authour saieth that the Deuells be not parone bloode excludeth an other and the legall solemnitie when yt ys chaunged ys fulfilled Thus Leo. For the better vnderstanding of this saing of the authour yt ys to be obserued that he doth compare the solemnitie of the olde iudaicall Passouer to the newe Passouer solemnely begonne by Chryst in his last supper Whiche thing maie well be perceaued by the last woordes of the authour wher he saieth as the conclusion of all that he had before spoken legalis festiuitas dum mutatur impletur And the legall solemnitie when yt ys chaunged ys fulfilled The legall solemnitie was the feast of the Paschall lambe This feast was chaunged and then fullfilled when Chryst in stead of that lambe being the figure made his solemne feast and gaue his owne bodie and bloode the bodie and blood of the right and verie true lambe of God that taketh awaie the sinnes of the worlde of which matter more ys saied in the first booke In the whiche feast saieth the authour that the shadowes shoulde geue place to the bodie and the images shoulde ceasse in the presence of the trueth the olde obseruance ys taken awaie with a newe sacrament Marke then in the legall solemnitie was the shadowe in Chrystes supper the bodie in the legall solemnitie were the Images in Chrystes feast was the presence of the trueth that ys the verie thing signified by the image which ys the bodie and bloode of Chryst not nowe in figure but in verie deed See ye not nowe then what ys in Chrystes supper Ys ther not the bodie of the shadowe and not the onelie shadowe Ys ther not the verie thing and not the image Ys not the bodie of the shadowe In Chrystes supper ys the verie bodie and not the shadow and the verie thing of the image the bodie and blooode of Chrysts Then the verie bodie and bloode of Chryst be in hys supper Thus maie ye perceaue what he ment when he saied that Chryst did ordein the Sacrament of hys bodie and bloode not a Sacrament voyde of hys bodie and bloode but a Sacrament conteining hys bodie and bloode Will ye see this again plainlie taught This authour saieth that the olde obseruance ys taken awaie with a newe Sacrament But what ys thys Sacrament Yt ys a sacrament that ys a sacrifice remouing and ending the sacrifice of the Paschall lambe and others of that nature Yt ys a Sacrament wherin ys bloode excluding the bloode of legall sacrifices Hostia in hostiam transit sanguis sanguinem excludit one sacrifice passeth into an other sacrifice one bloode excludeth an other bloode The sacrifice of the olde lawe passeth into the sacrifice of Chrystes bodie and ther endeth and the bloode of Chryst excludeth and putteth awaie the bloode of the sacrifice of the olde lawe and so ys the sacrifice of that bloode ended Chryste in his supper did not institute a bare Sacrament onelie Thus maie yowe perceaue that when this authour saied that Chryst ordeined the Sacrament of hys bodie and bloode that he ment not onely the institucion of a bare Sacrament but also the consecracion of the bodie and bloode of Chryst lieng hidden vnder the formes of bread and wine in the same Sacrament Whiche ordeinance and consecracion was doen by the woordes of Chryst when he saied Take eate This ys ys my bodie And Take drinke this ys my bloode And so the woordes teache the verie presence of Chrystes bodie and blood in the Sacrament and not a naked figure Yf thus moch satissie not the reader forsomoch as ys here saied of and vpō this authour as I trust yt maie anie that ys not contenciouse yf he desire to see more of this authour let him reparie to the sixt of sainct Iohn and to the beginning of this processe vpon the woordes of the Supper and he shall see more wherfore remitting the reader to those places I staie to saie anie more vpon this coople but hast me according to my promesse to heare an other coople THE SEVEN AND FIFTETH CHAP. PROceadeth in the exposition of the same woordes by sainct Cyrill and sainct Gregorie THough yt be moche that ys allready saied vpon these sewe woordes of Chryst and maie well suffice to teache the trueth of this matter yet that the arrogancie of the Proclamer maie be beaten down and his vntrueth against gods trueth well perceaued we shall yet bring in one or twoo cooples mo of the higher house of Chrystes Parliament and then descend to other of the lower house Of the higher house ther yet remaineth holy Cyrill whose faith in the Sacrament although yt maie well be knowen to vs by hys manie and sondrie sentences both in the first booke and in this vpō the vi of S. Iohn alleadged yet that the faith of the catholique Church maie be discerned from errour and heresie with which titles some heretiques wold defame the same we wil heare him teache vs the faith that ought to be had and geuen to the woordes of Chryst and howe we shall vnderstand them euen as he taught Calosyrius to whom he wrote vpon the woords of Chryst in this maner Non dubites an hoc verum
appeareth not flesh in the Sacr. like vnto his holie flesh and yt auailed to his augmentacion and sustentacion after the maner of man Therfor nowe also the bread ys chaunged into the flesh of our Lorde And howe saieth he dothe yt not appeare flesh but bread That we shoulde not abhorre from the eating of yt What can be saied against these so manifest and so plain testimonies Maie we not or raither aught we not to saie as these holie famouse and learned men do raither then to saie as a fewe phantasticall heretiques and Apostaties do Let vs beleue these pillers of Chrystes Churche and beleuing them seke to be saued as they be Thus haue ye hearde enough I suppose to declare vnto yowe that by consecracion whiche Haimo spake of the bodie of Chryst ys in the Sacrament And therfor Manna as he saied signifieng the bodie of Chryst consecrated signifieth the very reall and substanciall bodie of Chryst And thus hauing opened the minde of this authour who as he ys agreable to the holie auncient Fathers before alleadged So ys he plain and pithie to the readers and strong and mightie to debell the Aduersaries I will come to heare Theophilacte expownde the same place of Sainct Paule Thus he writeth Vt enim nos aqua Baptismi perfusi corpus dominicum manducamus Sic Manna illi mari traiecto in esum sunt vsi Et quemadmodum ipsi Domini sanguinem bibimus Sic illi erumpentem è percusso lapide aquam biberunt As we washed A plain saing for M. Iuell with the water of Baptisme do eate our Lordes bodie So they hauing passed through the sea vsed Manna for their foode And as we drinke the bloode of our Lorde So they dranke the water that gushed out of the smitten Rocke Thus Theophilacte These two testimonies be so like in sense and phrase that they might raither be iudged to come oute of one minde and oute of one mouthe them from two men different in time distant in place and contrie But God who ys not as Sainct Paule saieth Dissentionis Deus sed pacis 1. Cor. 14. The spirit of vnitie among catholiques vnitatis The God of dissention but of peace and vnitie who by his holie spirit wrought that Multitudinis credentium erat cor vnum anima vna The multitude that beleued were of one heart and of one soule made them being of one faith to speake one thing as he did his foure holy Euangelistes Who although they did write in diuerse times and places yet they agreed in vnitie of one trueth But they that can not content them selues with that ordre and condicion that God hath placed them in but being puffed vppe with the spirit of pride go aboute to buyll the tower of Babell to get them a name The spirit of diuision among Protestantes God by his spirit of humilitie and vnitie not working withe them their tounges are diuided and dissention ys among them they agree not they speake not of one thing as yt ys easie to see in the schoole of confusion euen an other Babell the Tower of the wicked name of Luther Among whose disciples was nor ys the spirit of vnitie neither were nor be yet that multitude of one heart nor of one soule but of diuerse Luther he spake with one toung and saied the verie bodie of Chryst was in the Sacrament reallie and substanciallie Oecolampadius he spake in an other toung contrarie to his Master and saied that Chrystes bodie was not ther but as in a sign Some other of Luthers disciples saied that Magistrates and rulers must be obeied Some of them had other tounges and saied that we are called to libertie and therfor we be all equall and owe no obedience to Man Some tounges saied that children must be chrystned again Some other tounges saied naie Some tounges saied that ther were but two Sacramentes Some saied their were three Some otherwise with a nombre of diuisions not onely among the multitude but among them selues I meen that one of them in all places and at all times did not agree with him self but here saied this in an other place clean contrarie as hereafter by the helpe of Gods grace more at large shall be shewed But God qui facit habitare vnius moris in domo Who maketh men to Psal 67. be of one minde in the house maketh men that dwell in his house of his holie Churche to be of one toung of one minde to beleue one thing and to saie one thing Therfor let these men of Babell go these men of confused tounges and let vs heare the people of agreement Ye see I saie howe Theophilacte agreeth with Haimo and yf ye ascende to Oecumenius to Chrysostome and other ye shall see soche agrement in sense soche liknesse in woordes that a man might saie that they were all spoken not of diuerse men but of one man Conferre them together Reader and trie my ttueth I shall not nede to trooble thee with many woordes to open the saing The Iewes eate Māna we our Lordes bodie They dranke water we the bloode of Christ of Theophilacte for yt ys so euident and plain that yt nede no expositour Onelie I wish that for the pourpose that he ys alleadged that ye note first that he compareth Manna and the water to the bodie and bloode of Chryst as the figures to the verities in that he saieth As we eate our Lordes bodie So they Manna As we drinke the blood of our Lorde So they drinke the water of the Rocke That by the bodie and blood of Chryst he meneth the bodie and bloode in the Sacrament whiche he most manifestlie affirmeth and by expresse woordes denieth the onelie figure of the Aduersarie so wickedlie auouched Cap. lx yt appeareth in his exposition of this saing of Chryst This ys my bodie in the six and twenteth of Sainct Matthew and in the fourtenth of Sainct Marke whiche bothe be alleageth in the seconde booke in the exposition of the same saing of Chryst Likewise also dothe he vpon the vj. of Sainct Iohn wher he saieth thus Theoph. in 6. Ioan. Marke that the bread which ys eaten of vs in the mysteries ys not onelie a figure of the bodie of our Lorde but the flesh yt self of our Lorde For he did not saie the bread whiche I will geue ys a figure of my flesh But yt ys my flesh In this sentence yt perceaue Theophilacte not onelie auouching the verie substanciall presence of Chrystes flesh in the Sacrament whiche ys the Reall presence auouched and the hereticall figure denied catholique doctrine but also denieng the figure whiche ys the hereticall doctrine What wicked obstinacie ys this that wher this Authour denieth yt to be a figure they affirme the contrarie and wher he affirmeth the substanciall presence of Chrystes flesh they denie yt Yf the Aduersaries had but one soche place to denie the presence as certen I am they
sub speciebus panis sumimus nonne participatio corporis Domini est id est nonne declarat nos partem bahere cùm corpore Domini in illud consentire The cuppe of blessing which we blesse that ys whiche we receaue with thankes geuing ys yt not a Commucacion of the blood of Chryst that ys do not we taking the cuppe of Chryst and drinking his bloode communicate with him and declare vs to haue an entredoing with him And the bread whiche we break that ys the bodie of Chryst which we vnder the formes of bread do receaue yt ys not a participacion Communicacion and participation of Chrystes bodie and blood what they be of the bodie of our Lorde that ys dothe yt not declare vs to haue part with the bodie of our Lorde and into yt to consent Hitherto Gagneius Who although he wrote but last daie yet he agreeth in the expownding of S. Paule with them that wrote aboue thousand yeares agon And teacheth as they did that S. Paule in this place spake of the very reall presence of the bodie and bloode of Chryst in the Sacrament which we receaue and by the which we are made partakers of the same bodie and bloode For wher S. Paule saieth The bread whiche we breake that ys to saie saieth this authour the bodie of Chryst which we receaue vnder the forme of bread maketh vs to haue part with the bodie of our Lorde Nowe reader if thowe wilt gather together the expositions of all these famouse Fathers and learned men which to shewe thee the vnderstanding A breif rehersall of the doctours alleaged for this text of S. Paule vpon this text ▪ I haue here alleaged and laie them in a breif before thy face thowe shalt I suppose see soche a plain declaraciō of the trueth so euident so manifest so clere so consonant so agreing and so consenting one with an other although spoken in diuerse ages in sondrie churches and in moche difference of times that I thinke thowe wilt wonder with me that euer men coulde be so stubbornlie blind that they will not see an opē treuth whiche can not be so couered and hidden with their deuelish glooses but yt will allwaie lie aboue of all men readie to be seen Chrysoste Chrysostome saieth that this ys the meening of S. Paule that that which ys in the cuppe vs yt that flowed oute of the side S. Hierom saieth that we partake of the bloode of Chryst as he him self saieth He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloode c. Hieron Whiche saing of Chryst as ther ys declared ys spoken of the eating of the verie bodie of Chryst and drinking of his verie blood wherfor S. Hierom so vnderstādeth S. Paule Damascen who can not abide these woordes of Chryst Damascen This ys my bodie to haue a figuratiue sense saieth that in the participacion and the communion of the bread we partake the flesh of Chryst and his Godhead also S. Augustin saieth that S. Paule speaking this text did shewe them to August what sacrifice they shoulde pertein which was to the sacrifice wherby they shoulde be partakers of the bodie and bloode of Chryst Oecumenius saieth that S. Paule calleth the cuppe of the bloode of Chryst the cuppe of blessing So that he Oecomen taketh yt for a cuppe of Chrystes bloode Isidore saieth that the bread whiche we breake ys the bodie of Chryst He saieth not yt ys called but yt ys the bodie Theophilact saieth that the blood whiche ys cōteined in the cuppe ys the same that Isidorus Theophil flowed oute of the side of Chryst Haymo saieth that the bread whiche we breake in the aultar although yt seem bread in very dede yet yt ys the bodie of Chryst Anselmus saieth that the bread whiche we brake and diuide to manie ys the verie bodie of our Lorde Bruno saieth are we not by the bloode receaued vnited to Chryst Haymo Anselm Bruno and ys not the bread that ys the very bodie of Chryst whiche semeth to be broken and ys not in deed do not we by this bodie receaue God into vs and incorporate him to vs Dionise saieth that that ys conteined in the cuppe ys the bloode of Chryst by the which bloode we are blessed So that yt ys verilie the bloode of Chryst Dionys geuen vnto vs making vs to haue communion with Chryst and to be partakers of the merittes of the effusion of the same his bloodd And last Gagneius saieth that the bread whiche we breake that ys to saie the bodie of Chryst Gagneius whiche we receaue vnder the forme of bread doth yt not declare vs to haue parte with the bodie of our lorde Doth anie of these twelue finde anie trope or figures in the saing of S. Paule No they do all teach yt to be a plain speache and a plain assercion of the verie bodie of Chryst and not a bare sign of yt And here to conclude this matter and to make an ende of this expositiō of this text I haue thought good to heare the minde of the right godlie and learned Father Roffensis who as all thinges that he did so doth he handle this text learnedly and pithilie Roffen in proem li. 5 Thus he saieth Poculum benedictionis cui benedicimus nonne communicatio sanguinis Christi est Panis quem frangimus nonne communicatio corporis Christi est Quid hic audimus figuras ne corporis sanguinis Christi Nequaquam sed veritatem corporis sanguinis quibus nos verè communicare Paulus asserit Profectò si figuram solam hic indicasset Paulus non adeo frequenter haec nulla vspiam figurarum habita mentione vocasset corpus sanguinem Domini Sed nec arbitratur Oecolampadius nos per panem et vinum suum communicare corpori sanguini Christi sed fidem solam buius communicationis causam esse contendit Et certè qui fieri potest vt merus panis aut vinum eam efficatiam habeat vt nos veri corporis sanguinis Christi reddat participes Quare consentaneum est vt quum huius panis esu liquoris eius qui in poculo est potatione verè corpori sanguini Christi communicamus eiusdem corporis sanguinis veritatem hic adesse ceu compertissimum habeamus The cuppe of blessing whiche we blesse yt ys not a communicacion of the bloode of Chryst the bread whiche we breake ys S. Paule in all his processe of the Sacra maketh not one title of mencion of anie figure yt not a communicacion of the bloode of Chryste What heare we here Figures of the bodie and bloode of Chryst Not so but the veritie of the bodie and bloode of Chryst which Paule affirmeth vs verily to cōmunicate Truly yf Paule had iudged hero to be an onely figure he wolde not so often haue called these thinges the bodie and bloode of Chryste no mention in anie place beinge made
their vntrueth and their deuelish setting furth of the same and to kepe vs in in the right waie that we erre not with them if we will geue eare to good ād holsome doctrine And therfore seing God hath sent soche plentie of good authours yt were pitie but that they shoulde be brought furth wherby God in his trueth maie glorified and his people in the same edefied Of all these that remain first cometh to hande the learned grecian Euthymius who withoute all darke maner of speache openeth to vs the true vnderstanding Euth in 26 Matth. of S. Paules saing Thus he writeth Quemadmodum panis confortat ita Christi corpus hoc facit ac magis etiarn corpus animam sanctificat Et sicut vinum taetificat ita sanguis Christi hoc facit insuper praesidium efficitur Quodsi de vno corpore sanguine omnes fideles participamus omnes vnum sumus per ipsam horum Flesh vnited to the Sonne of God by assumption the same vnited to vs by participacion myst eriorum participationem in Christo omnes Christus in omnibus Qui edit inquit meam carnem bibit meum sanguinem in me manet ego in eo Verbum siquidem per assumptionem carni vnitum est baec rursus caro vnitur nobis per participationem As bread doth comforte so doeth the bodie of Chryst also this and more yt sanctifieth both bodie and soule And as wine dothe make gladde Euen so the blood of Chryst doth this also and moreouer yt ys made a defence And if all the faithfull do partake of one bodie and bloode we are all one by the same participacion of the mysteries For all be in Chryst and Chryst in all he that eateth saieth he my slesh and drinketh my bloode dwelleth in me and I in him For truely the Sonne of God ys vnited to the flesh by assumption Thys flesh again ys vnited to vs by participacion Thus Euthym. I nede not as to me yt semeth to saie anie thing to the opening of this authours minde For he ys both plain in himself and also plainlie dothe open the minde of sainct Paule vnto vs. Whose sentence he setteth furth in the plain tearmes and leaueth the tropes For wher sainct Paule saieth that we that eate of one bread and drinke of one cuppe are one bodie He saieth that we that partake of one bodie and bloode are made one So that wher the text calleth Bread and cuppe in S. Paule meē the bodie ād blood c. yt bread the expositour calleth yt the bodie and what the text calleth the cuppe that this authour calleth the bloode Wherfore the true mening must be taken as the expositour doth expownde yt For somoche then as the expositour doth expownd the bread and the cuppe calling them the bodie and the blood yt can not be auoided but that yt ys so except the Aduersarie will saie that the text expowndeth the exposition For vnto that sense that he wolde wrest all the authours vnto the text ys more nearer then the exposition The aduersarie wolde haue yt bread and the text calleth yt bread The Aduersarie wolde not haue yt the bodie of Chryst but this authour saieth yt ys the bodie of Chryst Wherfore to the sense of the Aduersarie the text ys more clere then the exposition And so yt cometh to passe as before ys saied that the text expowndeth the exposition whiche ys after the maner of other of their doinges For they turn the catte in the panne and make light darknesse and darknesse light But thowe Reader be thowe sure that Chryst who hath promised his holie spiritte to his Church which ys the pillour of the trueth hath not left yt contratie to his promisse destitute of this guide of trueth these thousand yeares but yt was that Spiritt that did leade the minde and the penne of these holy Fathers to vnderstand and perceaue the true sense of the scriptures and so to write yt to vs. God hath left vnto vs bread euen the holie scripture to feede vs withall but as he bidde his Apostles to breake the breade that he had Ioan. 6. Bread of the woord of God how yt ys brokē blessed for the siue thousand people so by his mynistres in the church he hath commaunded the bread of the scripture to be broken to the people and what ys yt to breake yt but to expownd yt And why shoulde they expownd yt yf their were not places to be opened and cleared by exposition And therfore I saie these holie fathers being appointed to breake this bread of the woorde of God vnto vs ther ys no doubte but as they had learned of the master of trueth so they brake yt truly vnto vs and haue geuen vs the true vnderstanding of yt And therfore the bread and the cuppe expownded by so manie to be the bodie and bloode of Chryst yt must nedes be true that by so manie and so manie yeares hath with concorde and consent withoute contradiction ben preached taught and written This also ys not to be ouerpassed that thys Authour leaueth yt not vntaught howe we are made all one in Chryst bicause saieth he we do all partake of one bodie and bloode we are all made one by the participacion of the mysteries So that although he well knewe that we are all made one in Chryst by faith and charitie yet he also saieth that we are made one by the participacion of the mysteries And that yt shoulde moste manifestlie well be be perceaued what maner of vnion this ys of the whiche he speaketh here when he had alleaged the saing of Chryst He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I him mening therby to proue this vnion he by most plain woordes openeth the same saing The Sonne of God ys vnited to the flesh by assumption this flesh again ys vnited to vs by participacion wherby yt ys very manifest that we are vnited to Chryst by the vnion of his flesh For that flesh vnto the whiche the Sonne of God was vnited that same ys vnited to vs. Chryst was vnited to vs by his incarnacion we be vnited to him by participacion c. So that as Chryst was vnited to vs by taking of our flesh in his incarnacion and so was made one with vs In like maner we are vnited to him by the taking of his flesh in the Sacrament and are therby made one with him Wherfore note that he saieth not that we are in the receipt of the Sacrament vnited to Chryst by faith but by participacion of his flesh And yet this authour was not ignorant that we are also vnited to Chryst by faith But minding to open the peculiar commoditie of this mysterie he teacheth that by flesh we are vnited to Chryst Consider therfore Reader that wher the Aduersarie trauaileth to obscure and hide the benefittes of God whiche he geueth to the woorthie receauers of his
example In the blessing of Iuda Iacob saied Iuda ys a lions whelpe from the spoill my sonne thowe arte comed on high He laied him dowen Gen. 49. and couched him self as a lion and as a lionesse who wil stire him vppe And after a litle He shall binde his fole to the vine and his Asses colte to the braunch He wasshed his garment in wine and his mantle in the bloode of grapes His eies are reader then wine and his teeth whiter then milke Soche like be the other Howe easie theise be for the vnlearned to vnderstande I referre yt to thy iudgement Reader Exodus and Leuiticus withe the rest of Pentateuchon although they require an higher sense for a Christian to vnderstand then the letter sowndeth as Origen declareth whiche not all the learned atteign vnto besides the applicacion of the figures to the things figured in the newe testament by Allegories as sainct Paule dothe in the Epistle to the Galatians and in his Epistle to the Hebrues yet they conteyn diuerse obscure senses seming almost to haue no reason in them as this in Leuitious Ye shall kepe my ordenances Thowe shalt not let cattle gendre with a contrarie kinde neither Leuit. 19. so we thy felde with mingled seede Neither shalt thow put on anie garment of linnen and wollen And in Deutronomio God thus commaunded Yf thowe chaunce vpon a birdes nest by the waie in whatsoeuer tree yt be or on the grownde whether Deut. 22. they be younge or egges and the dame sitting vpon the younge or vpon the egges Thowe shalt not take the dame with the younge but shalt in any wise let the dame go and take the young to thee that thowe maist prosper and prolong thy daies Thowe shalt not sowe thy vineyeard with diuerse seedes lest the fruicte of thy vineyeard be defiled Thowe shalt not Ibid. 23. plowe with an oxe and an asse together And again in an other place Thowe shalt not mosell the oxe that treadeth oute the corne in the Bearn Shall we take theise places in their grammaticall sense dothe the high prouidence of God occupie yt self in making ordeinances for birdes nestes And by gods ordeinance shall a man prosper and prolong his daies that taketh not the dame with the younge dothe the wisdom of God ioin soche rewardes to soche trifles And making the ordeinance for the thressing oxe dothe God as sainct Paule alleaging the same asketh take thought for oxen No. yt hath an other vnderstanding as ther sainct Paule alleaging this 1. Cor. 9. ordeinance of God applieth yt vnto Yt were enough to make a iust volume yf all the obscure places shoulde be recited that be in the olde Testament But as by theise yt maie be perceaued that the scriptures be not so easie as men phansie them to be So truly yt ys perilous that they as the aduersaries wolde shoulde be handeled commonlie of them whose vnderstanding atteigning to none other sense then the grammaticall sense and oftentymes not to that neither doo wounderfullie abuse them to the great dishonour of God and plain cōtempt of the scriptures his holiewoorde As yf the rude and simple shoulde read theise sentences aboue alleaged oute of Genesis Leuiticus and Deutronomium wolde he not saie they were fond and trifeling thinges And wher as wisedom and knowledge be the goodlie gifes of God yf the Eccls. 1. vnlearned shoulde reade the booke of the Preacher wher yt ys saied I commoned with my owne heart saieng lo I am comed to a great state and haue gotten more wisdom then all that haue ben before me in Hierusalem yea my hearte hath great experience of wisdome and knowledge for therunto I applied my minde that I might knowe what were wisdom and vnderstandinge what were errour and foolishnesse and I perceaued that this also was but a vexaciō of minde For wher moche wisdome ys ther ys also great trauaill and disquitnes c. Yf the vnlearned I saie shoulde reade this might he not take occasion to contēpne bothe wisdome and knowledge and so dishonour God in his giftes wherunto appeareth more occasion to be geuen in the next chapiter folowing wher yt ys writen thus Then I tourned me to consider wisdome errour and foolishnes for who ys he emonge men that might be compared to me the kinge in soche workes Jbid. 2. and I sawe that wisdome excelleth foolishnes as farre as light dothe darknesse For a wise man hathe his eies in his head but the foole goeth in darknes I perceaued also that they bothe had one ende Then thought I in my minde Yf yt happen to the foole as yt doth vnto me what neadeth me thē to labour any more for wisdome So I confessed within my heart that this also was but vanitie What maie appeare more vehement to dissuade a man from wisdom Howe moche ys wisdom the goodlie gifte of God abased to appearance in this saing Howe ys the gift of God magnified to the aduancement of gods honour when in appearance Salomon accompteth the labour for yt to be but vanitie I saie to yowe before God whom I call to wittnes that I speake trueth I heard a man of woorshippe of grauitie of wisdom of godlie life and of competent learning able to vnderstand and likewise excercysed in in the scriptures vpon the reading of this booke and conference had betwixt hym and me for the same earnestlie saye that yt was a naughtie booke Yf he dyd thus what will the rude the rashe vnlearned and the vngodlie reader doe Howe litle incitament of vertue appeareth to be in the Ballettes of Salomon Yea raitheir howe vngodlie and wanton seme they to be raither in the outwarde face teaching and prouoking wantonnesse then godlynesse of life In the first chapiter ye reade thus O howe faire arte thowe my loue howe fair arte thowe Thowe hauest doues eies O howe fair arte thowe my Cant. 1. beloued howe well fawoured arte thowe Owre bed ys deckt with flowres the syllinges of oure house are Cedre tree And again O stand vppe my loue my beautifull and come For lo the wynter ys nowe past the rain ys awaie and gone The flowres are comed vppe in the feldes the tyme of the birdes syngynge ys comed and the voice of the Turtle doue ys heard in oure lande The figge tree bringeth furthe her figges and the Vines beare blossomes and haue a good smell O stande vppe my loue my beautyfull and come my doue oute of the caues of the Rockke oute of the holls of the walls O let me see thy coūtenāce and heare thy voice For swete ys thie voice and fair ys thie face c. Like vnto this ys all that booke What can the vnlearned finde or vnderstande here any thinge to edificacion of godlie life or rather as ys saied a prouocation to wanton life Yet Iesus Sonne of Syrac semeth to haue more vnsemelie woordes then theise yea so vnsemelie as an honest mē wolde be ashamed to speake them
sore against mankinde For sinne we hearde Thowe arte earth and into earth thowe shalt retourn But for asmoche as Chryst woolde ouerthrowe by his flesh this cruell Tyranne therfore that was shadowed among the olde Fathers in a misterie and they being sanctified withe the flesh and blood of a shepe God so willing did escape the plague aÌ„d destructioÌ„ Wher for then thowe Iewe art thow troubled seing nowe the trueth long before prefigurated why I saie arte thowe troubled yf Chryste do saie Except ye cate the flesh of the sonne of man and drink his bloode ye shall haue no life in yowe seing yt behoueth thee beinge instructed in Moises lawes aÌ„d taught by the olde shaddowes to beleue to be most readie to vnderstaÌ„d these misteries Thowe haest knowen the shaddowe aÌ„d the figure Learn therfor the veritie of the thing My flesh saieth he ys verilie meat and my blood ys verilie drinke Thus farre Cyrill Whome ye haue hearde at lenght declaring the figuratiue Paschall laÌ„be and the benefit that the Iewes had by the same Likewise ye haue heard him declaring the true Paschall Lambe and the benefite that commeth to vs therbie And when he hath applied the figure to the thing figured whiche ys the trueth of the figure as a matter sufficieÌ„tlie taught ther to be beleued of the Iewes He falleth into a wonder at the incredulitie of theÌ„ and reprouinge them all in the person of one saieth Why arte thowe o Iewe troubled seing nowe the verie veritie long before this prefigurated Yt behoued thee being instructed by Moises Lawes and verie well taught by the olde shadowes to beleue to be most readie to vnderstande these misteries Yf Cyrill did so earnestlie reproue the Iewes for their incredulitie being taught but by Moyses and the figures howe wolde he reproue our men who well instructed not by Moyses but by Chryste not by shaddowes and figures but by the gospell of treuth and veritie not moued as the Iewes semed to be to beleue a straunge noueltie but an aunciente faithe receared of antiquitie Yf the Iewes I saie be woorthie of reproche who knowe not the true faithe whiche they neuer yet had by plain knowledge receaued False Christians worthilie reproued for saking their faith how moche more be our false Chrystians to be reproued which the faithe that they were brought vppe in that they once embraced and receaued that they earnestlie beleued nowe haue maliciouslie not onelie contemned but also Reuiled detested and abiected God that ys the verie light lighten their heartes that they maie see into howe depe damnacion they haue deiected and cast them selues by their forsaking of the catholique faith being nowe bare and void of all excuse forsomoche as they did once knowe the trueth whiche nowe deuelishlie they blaspheme Si non venissem locutus eis fuissem peccatum non haberent nuÌ„c autem excusationem non habent de peccato suo Yf I had not commed saied Chryst Joan 15. and spokeÌ„ to them they shoulde not haue had sinne but nowe they haue none excuse of their sinne God I saie therfore haue mercie vpon them whilest time of mercie for them endureth and geue them grace dailie with the Prophett Dauid to crie and saie Respice exaudi me Domine Deus meus Illumina oculos meos ne vnquam obdormiam in morte ne quando dicat inimicus meus praeualui aduersus eum Consider Psal 12. and heare me o Lorde my God lighten mine eies that I sheape not in death lest mine enemis saie I haue preuailed against him What a preie and Spoill ys yt to our gostlie enemie and howe moche dothe he reioice when he deceaueth one that hath ben in the true faith and beâ—ieueth him of the same and so driueth him from God No doubte he counteth yt a great Spoill and reioiceth moch at yt as the verse of the same psalme immediatelie folowing dothe saie Qui tribulant me exultabunt si motus fuero They that trouble me will reioice at yt yf I becast down Return therfor in time and cleaue hard to the streight and strong piller of trueth For if ye be cast downe ye shall fall verie lowe and sinke depe Chryste sending his Apostles to preache taught them thus Into what cittie soeuer ye shall come enquire who ys worthie in yt and ther abide Math. 10. till ye go thence and whosoeuer shall not receaue yowe nor will heare yowe preachinge when ye departe oute of that house or cittie shake of the dust of yowe feete Verilie I saie vnto yowe yt shall be easier for the lande of Sodom and Gomorre in the daie of Iudgement then for that citte Consider therfore and heauie hand of God vpon Sodom and gomorre which in soche terrible sorte being sonke and destroied with fire and Brimstone from heauen argueth a more terrible damnacion to ensewe and folowe and yet yt shall be more easie to them in the daie of Iudgement then to soche as will not receaue faith Howe moche more greuouse then shall yt be to them which forsake that faith that not onelie they them selues haue receaued but the wholl Churche of Chryst throughoute all Chrystendom whiche faithe although yt hath diuerse times ben impugned as nowe in theise daies yt ys Yet God be praised yt was neuer ouerthowen nor neuer shall be and will cleaue to an heresie whiche hath ben not onelie sundrie and diuerse times ympugned but ouerthrowen condemned cursed and extincted Surelie as their reproche ys moche in this worlde for their so doing So shall yt be moche more before the face of God and his electe in the daie of his terrible iudgement But I will retourn from whence I haue digressed and touche one note more of Cyrill and so passe to other After he had thus rebuked the Iewes for their hardnesse of beleue he saied Vmbram figuram nosti disce ergo ipsam rei veritatem Thow hauest knowen the Shaddow and the figure learn therfore the verie thinge Note here again as before in Chrysostom ys noted that the olde Paschall lambe was a figure and owre Paschall Lambe the verie thinge Then yt ys not a peice of bread a bare sign or figure of Chryst for then these sainges of the learned Fathers were not true whiche saie plainlie that yt ys the verie thinge And this Father when he had willed the Iewes to learn the verie thing he declared furthwith what the verie thing ys Caro mea verè est cibus sanguis meus verè est potus My flesh saieth Chryst ys verilie meat and my bloode ys verilie drinke This saieth Cyrill ys the verie thing of the figure the verie flesh and bloode of Christ whiche be verilie meat and verilie drinke Howe this texte and other apperteining to the same matter in the sixte of S. Iohn haue ben wrested and wried and violentliie drawen by the enemies of gods trueth from their natiue and true sense yt shall be shewed more at large in the second
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
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
cibus est Aqua etiam illa è petra ad momentum sitim corporalem leuabat nec quicquam adferebat pretereà Non erat ergo potus ille verus sed verus potus est sanguis Christi quo radicitus mors euertitur destruitur Non enim hominis simpliciter sanguis est sed eius qui naturali vitae coniunctus vita effectus est Hauest thowe knowen the shadowe and the figure Learn the verie trueth of the thing My flesh saieth he ys meat in dede and my bloode ys drinke in dede He doth again make a distinction betwixt the misticall benediction and Manna the streames of waters oute of the rocke and the partaking of the holy cuppe leaste they shoulde more esteem the miracle of Manna but Figures of the olde Lawe and veritie of the newe be as the shadow ād the thing shadowed raither shoulde receaue him the whiche ys the heauenly bread and the geuer of eternall life For the foode Manna did not bringe eternall life but a short remedie of hungar but the holie boodie of Chryste ys a meat nourishinge to immortalitie and eternall life That water also oute of the stone did for a litle while ease the bodilie thrist but the trae drinke ys the bloode of Iesus Chryst by the whiche death ys turned vppe by the rootes and destroied Yt ys not the blood of a bare man but of him who beinge conioined to the naturall life ys made life Thus farre sainct Cyrill Do ye not perceaue in these woordes that he speaketh as moch and the very same in sense though not in woordes that Chrysostom did He had treacted before of the paschall lambe and therby moued the Iewes to consider the Shadowes of Moyses lawe wherby being instructed they shoulde be the readier to vnderstande these misteries of the newe testament and therfor saieth Hauest thowe knowen the figure learn also the very trueth of the thing what ys that My flesh ys meat in dede and my bloode ys drinke in dede Marke then Reader the figures were the Paschall lambe Manna and the water flowing oute of the stone The veritie saieth he that these figures did prefigurate ys that trueth that Chryst vttered saing My flesh ys meat in dede Yf this be the veritie then yt ys not a figure yf yt be no figure then Chryst speaking yt spake neither parabole nor figure as the last coople hath also taught And in this ye perceaue again the confutacion of the Aduersaries that this ys spokē of Chrystes very flesh in the Sacramēt and that yt ys no figuratiue speache as they wolde feign yt to be but a speache teaching the thinge to be reallie and verilie present But that I be not to tediouse in tarieng to long vpō euery authour I will saie no more of this mans testimonie at this present both for the cause alleged and also that through all the sixt chapiter of saincte Iohn and allmost through all the gospell of saincte Iohn he ys not onely plentifull inmaking mencion of this matter but also as plain as he ys plentifull And that knowe the aduersaries right well Therfor we will heare what Dionise who ys ioined to him doth saie Thus I teade ther Caro mea verè est cibus sanguis meus verè est potus Hoc ait Saluator ne putaretur parabolicè loqui Dionys Carthus in Ioan. 6. solito more ita quòd carnem suam diceret panem quia significaretur per panem esset sub forma panis solùm sicut in signo vel propter aliquam proprietatem cum pane cibus diceretur quomodò dicit Apostolus Petra erat Christus quoniam figurauit Christum Et Esaias Verè foenum est populus propter conuenientiam quandam Et infrà ait de seipso Saluator Ego sum vitis vera Ad insinuandum ergo quòd caro sua sit verè substantialiter sub specie panis veraciterue sumatur à communicante Sanguis quoque ipsius verè sub specie vini contineatur recipiatur adiecit Caro mea id est corpus sumitur enim nunc earo non prout ossa excludit pro toto corpore neruos venas ossa habente verè est cibus animae non corporis quia non visibiliter nec corporaliter sumitur quamuis verum corpus sumatur My flesh ys verily meat and my blood ys verilie drinke Thus saied our Sauiour leest he shoulde be thought after his customable maner to speake parabolicallie so that he shoulde call his flesh bread bicause yt shoulde be signified by the bread and shoulde be vnder the forme of bread onelie as in a signe Or that yt should be called meat for some propretie that yt hath with bread Euen as the Apostle doth saie The stone was Chryst bicause yt figured Chryst And Esaie Truly the people The verie flesh of Chryst vnder the forme of bread and his verie blood vnder the forme of vine ys grasse for a certain agrement to the same And in the gospell our Sauiour saieth of him self I am the true vine To insinuate therfor vnto vs that his flesh ys verilie and substāciallie vnder the forme of bread and that yt ys truly receaued of the cōmunicant and his bloode also ys conteined in dede vnder the forme of wine and ys receaued he added My flesh that ys to saie my bodie For flesh ys nowe here taken not as yt doth exclude the bones but for the wholl dodie hauing sinewes vaines and bones ys verilie meat of the soule not of the bodie For yt ys not taken or receaued visiblie nor corporallie although the verie bodie be receiued Thus moche Dionise Although I nede not here to note anie thing wher euery sentēce and peice of the same ys so plainly laied furth to our vnderstanding yet I haue thought yt good not to ouerpasse to aduertise thee reader that this authour though he speake thus plain yet he dissenteth not frō the aunciētes before alleaged namelie Chrysostom and Cyrill For as they saied that this saing of Chryst ys no parable nor figure nor darke speache but conteining the veritie and the very thing in deed that by figurs was perfigurated So this authour drawing by the same line saieth that wher Chryst was accustomed to speake parabolicallie yet to geue vs to vnderstand that yt was neither figure nor parabole that he spake of here but that yt was his flesh verilie and substanciallie that ys vnder the forme of bread and his bloode in verie dede that ys vnder the forme of wine He saied my flesh whiche ys here taken for the wholl bodie this wholl bodie ys verilie meate Secondarely where some of them saied yt was verie meat bicause yt saued the soule Some other saied yt was the meat of the soule bicause yt brought to the soule immortalitie and euerlasting life so this Authour also saieth that yt ys the meate of the soule not of the bodie Thus in these pointes ye see no dissencion betwixt the Authours
Paschasius As this authour agreeth with other aboue named for that he ther saied so for this that he here saieth he agreeth with sainct Augustine For as this man saieth that the bodie and blood which was geuen to the Apostles was euen the same that was to be deliuered to death and to be shed for the remission of sinne and so all one with his owne bodie sitting among them in visible forme so as ye haue heard sainct Augustine saied that Chryst caried himself in his owne handes when he gaue furth his bodie to his disciples and saied Take eate this ys my bodie And so the bodie that did carie and the Aug in Psal 33. conc 1. bodie that was caried was all one bodie of Chryste So nowe to conclude yt ys manifest that as sainct Augustine in that place taught the verie presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament and the woordes of Chryste to be vnderstanded withoute figure in their propre sense so doth this authour also Wherfor this being plain I ende and go to an other coople THE ONE AND SIXTETH CHAP. CONTInueth the exposition of the same woordes by Oecumenius and Anselmus NOwe of the lower house we haue hearde two cooples whiche although they be so placed yet are they both of good antiquitie the yongest of them which ys Paschasius being almost seuen hundreth yeares agon and also soche as aught to be receaued for that they were a good time before Berengarius began the controuersie of the blessed Sacrament These that folowe be soche as were after the controuersie was moued by Berengarius yet soche as haue ben in estimacion price and reuerence both in the greke Church and in the latin Churche and soche whose doctrine the Churche hath approued and receaued Wherfore reason and good order wold notwithstanding the arrogancie of the Aduersaries who haue appointed them selues iudges vpon the Churche to which they aught to be subiectes and so refuse soche as they list that they that loue the Church of Chryst and wish to be or be membres of the same shoulde accept whome the Church accepteth and approue whom the Churche approoueth The testimonie then of these we will heare that to the confutaciō of the enemie yt maie appeare that they are vniustlie reiected of thē whē they teache as the fathers doe And therwithall we shall see the trueth of the Sacrament setfurth and commended vnto vs to the great comfort I trust of soche as loue the catholique faith and the honoure of that blessed Sacrament Oecum in 〈…〉 Prim. Corr. Among these therfore that yet remain Oecumenius one of the greke church who ys accompted to haue liued aboute foure hondreth and seuentie years agon writeth thus vpon Chrystes woordes Erant quoque in veters testamento pocula in quibus libabant vbi etiam postquà m victimas immolassent sangulnem irrationabilium excipientes poculis libabant Pro sanguine igitur irrationabilium Dommus proprium Our Lorde geueth his owne blood in a cuppe sanguinem dat bene in poculo vt ostendat vetus Testamentum anteà hoc delineasse Ther were also in the olde Testament cuppes in the whiche they did sacrifice wherin also after they had offred their sacrifices receauing the bloode of vnreasonable beastes they did sacrifice yt in cuppes Therfore for the bloode of vnreasonable beastes our Lord geueth his owne blood And well in a cuppe that he might shewe the olde Testament to haue delined this before Thus Oecumen Besides the aptacion and applieng of the thing figurated to the figure in the whiche this authour meneth that as verilie as the bloode of vnreasonable beastes was receaued in cuppes so verilie also haue we the bloode of Chryst in cuppes besides this I saie his speache and maner of woordes are to be weighed The figure of Chrystes bloode ys not his owne bloode Wherfore sainge that Chryst geueth vs his owne bloode he remoueth the aduersaries figure For the one importeth proprely the thing yt self the other a figure or token of the same And yet farder to consider the verie woordes of this authour wher geueth Chrystes blood ysnot conteined in cuppes spirituallie Chryst his owne bloode vnto vs He saieth In poculo In the cuppe Yf then yt be geuen vs in the cuppe yt ys not the bloode of Chryst spirituallie for that ys not receaued in cuppes but in the soule of man Being than Chrystes own bloode and receaued in a cuppe yt must nedes be the bloode of Chryst reallie to the which yt well apperteineth for so moche as Chryst hath so appointed yt to be receaued in a reall cuppe for that yt self ys a reall thing Besides this the authour saieth that yt aunswereth the figure verie well that the bloode of Chryst ys in a cuppe bicause the figure had so as yt were foresaied that yt shoulde so be in that that the bloode of beastes was offred in cuppes Then Chryst geuing his own bloode in the cuppe to hys Disciples and saing Drinke ye all of this This ys my blood did speake these woordes in their propre sense And as he did them so did he vndoubtedlie these This ys my bodie And thus by this authour we haue like testimonie as by other before alleaged We shall nowe likewise see what agreable testimonie Anselmus will geue who ys appointed to geue the same for the latin Church as Oecumenius hath Ansel li. de of sic dini doen for the greke church Thus he writeth Sic enim habemus in euangeliis Accepit Iesus panem benedixit fregit deditue Discipulis suis dicens Accipite manducate ex hoc omnes Hoc est enim corpus meum quod pro vobis tradetur Quando in manus accepit panis erat sic enim dixit Accepit panem per illam benedictionem panis factus est corpus Christi non tantùm significatiuè sed etiam substantiuè Neque enim ab hoc sacramento figuram omnino excludimus neque figuram solam admittimns Veritas est quiae corpus Christi est figura est quiae immolatur quod incorruptibile habetur Consideremus ver ba Domini Manducate inquit ex hoc omnes Hoc enim quod vobis trado ad manducandum est corpus meum Et vt certi essent quod reuera esset corpus Christi signa expressit quibus hoc dignoscerent Hoc est inquit corpus meum quod pro vobis tradetur Si hoc corpus corpus Christi non substantiuè sed significatiuè tantùm fieret hoc figura corporis Christi tantùm existeret Nihil ad figuram quod sequitur Quod pro vobis tradetur Nec panem nominauit postquam panem benedixit sed corpus nec vinum nominauit postquam vinum benedixit sed sangumem Igitur sicut fides catholica credit panis qui offertur sacerdoti ad ad consecrandum per sacerdotalem consecrationem fit corpus Christi non significatiuè tantùm sed substantiuè Thus haue we in the Gospells Iesus tooke
doeth well aduertise vs of the office of faith that aught to be in vs which grownded vpon the woorde of God beleueth what yt teacheth though no one of our senses geue vs anie aide ther vnto And here ys Cranmers grosse sensuall heresie improued rebuked the grosse maner of Cranmer who saieth that faith teacheth nothing against the senseis and therfor for somoche as we see no flesh nor bloode nor tast none in the Sacrament ther ys none in the Sacrament But I will not nowe tarie to refell that grosse and sensuall erroure of the senseis forasmoche as I doe more at large speake of yt in an other place Therfor I will no more doe here but by conferring of the doctrine of this authour with the doctrine of the Fathers so by that waie improoue the doctrine of Cranmer Yt ys not saieth this authour seē with our eies nor tasted by our mouthes that the bread ys made flesh nor that the wine ys turned into bloode for yf yt shoulde so be yt shoulde nothing encreace our saluacion Cyrill ad Calosyr Chrystes owne verie flesh in the Sacrament but yt shoulde bring moch loathsomnesse And therfor yt ys so the flesh and blood of Chryst as yt maie be meit for our vse and sufficient also for our saluacion Agreablie to this ye haue heard declared oute of S. Cyrill Leest we should loath flesh and blood sett vpon the holie altars God condescending vnto our weaknesse powred into the offred thinges the power of life turning the same into the treuth of his owne flesh Here ye see Chrystes owne flesh taught to be in the sacrament but so as no sense perceaue the same least we shoulde loath yt if she shoulde see yt or tast ys as verie flesh Damascen also hath the like sainge and Theophilact in diuerse places but one of thē Theophil shall suffice for all Bycause we are weake and loath to eate rawe flesh speciallie the flesh of man therfor yt appeareth bread but yt ys flesh Note this last part of Theophilactes saing yt appeareth bread but yt ys flesh Are we not taught by this that faith teacheth vs one thing and the senseis teache vs an other thing Yt Faith teacheth one thing and senses an other appeareth bread What ys that Owre seight iudgeth yt to be breade owre tast iudgeth yt to be breade owre tast iudgeth yt to be breade and so furth of other senseis But yt ys flesh For owre faith grownded vpon the certen and infallible truthe of Chrystes woorde beleueth and knoweth yt bicause he saieth This ys my bodie to be his flesh Nowe our senseis teache yt to be that that yt ys not For they teach that yt ys bread wher faith teacheth that yt ys flesh in dede Vain therfor ys Cranmers sainge vain also be they that saie bicause they see not nor tast no flesh nor bloode they will beleue none to be ther. As they be sensuall men so they frame to themselues a sensuall faith But God make them once rightlie spirituall And nowe to our pourpose yowe haue seen a conference and a plain agreement betwixt this authour and other in these two poinctes Finallie he expowndeth the woordes of Chryst of the verie presence for saieth he the bread ys chaunged into that thing that Chryst maie trulie saie This ys my bodie And so the wine ys turned into that thing that he maie trulie saie by yt This ys my bloode These woordes with that that ys aboue saied prooue most sufficientlie that the woordes of Chryst are to be vnderstanded withoute figure metaphor or trope This being thus plain we will see what his felowe will doe who ys Nicolaus Methanensis Thus he writeth Quis ille qui conculcat filium Dei Nonne qui sanguinem Nicolaus Methan eius ingratus abrogat nec admittit veracis ab omniue mendacio alieni oris trrditionem mandatum nihili facit Hoc est corpus meum dicentis hic est sanguis meus nisi manducetis carnem filii hominis bibatis eius sanguinem non habetis vitam in vobis Quid haesitas Quid omnipotenti impotentiam attribuis Nonne ipse est qui ex nihilo omnia vt essent fecit Vnus trium personarum diuinitatis qui postremis incarnatus est panem in suum corpus transmutari iussit Quid requiris causam ordinem naturae panis transmutationis in Christi corpus aquae viniue in sanguinem cùm supra naturā rationem mentem cogitationem ex virgine sit natus Non credes itaque nec mortuorum resurrectionem nec in caelos eius assumptionem alia Christi miracula supra naturam mētem cogitationem eminentia Who ys he that treadeth vnder foote the Sonne he treadeth vnder foot the Sonne of God that beleueth not his bodie and blood to be in the Sacr. of God ys yt not he that as an ingrate and vnkinde man dothe abrogate his bloode and will not alowe yt and setteth nothing by the commaundement and tradicion of that true mouthe which ys all wide from all vntrueth saing This ys my bodie And this ys my bloode And except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloode ye haue no life in yowe What doest thowe doubte What doest thowe attribute impotencie to the omnipotent Ys yt not he that made all thinges of nothing one of the three persons in god head who in these last times was incarnated and commaunded the bread to be transmuted into his bodie What doest thow require the cause ād order of the transmutacion of the natuae of bread into Chrystes bodie and of the water and the wine into the bloode sithen that he aboue nature reasō vnderstanding and thought was born of a virgen Thowe wilt not then beleue neither the resurrection of the dead nor the assumption of him into heauen nor other miracles of Chryst being aboue the reach of nature vnderstanding and thought Thus farre he Ye haue nowe hearde an other wittnesse but not telling yowe an other tale diuerse from him that he ys coopled with or frō anie here before alleaged In the maner of the vtterance of his testimonie he doeth somwhat like vnto Chrisostome speake with wonder and admiraciō that men shoulde doubte of the presence of Chrystes bodie in the Sacrament seing that Chrystes owne mouth hath spoken yt Wherin he wel declareth that this faith in this matter was so firme so sure and so stable that yt was a matter of wonder to him that anie man coulde not beleue yt that had ben brought vppe in Chryst in somoche that he reputeth the misbeleuers of this Sacrament of the nombre of those that treade Chryst vnder foote vpon whome as S. Paule saieth shal come heauie and greuouse punishmentes He teacheth vs as Gregorie Nissen Chrysostom and manie mo haue taught that the bread ys transmuted or chaunged into the bodie of Chryst In the setting furth wherof he vseth
and of yt we are partakers Yf this be the meaning of S. Paule why then walke we in errour in this matter Why wander we in the mistes and darke clowdes of tropes and figures and significacions wher Chrysostom expownding the scripture and minding to shewe vs the verie vnderstanding and plain mening of yt teacheth that not a trope figure or sign of the blood of Chryst ys in the cuppe but the bloode of Chryste that flowed oute of his side In the whiche exposition we maie in clere maner see and beholde the verie trueth euen the right catholique faith so sett furth that ther ys no helpe for the aduersarie to cloke his heresie withall The proclamer requireth one plain sentence to proue the reall presence of Chryste in the Sacrament what more plain speache wolde anie man desire to be spoken in this matter as wherbie to geue him perfect instruction in the same than to saie that that did flowe once of the side of Chryst ys in the chalice Yf the aduersarie with forced violence wolde thrust into Chrysostō woordes his comon glose that the figure of yt that did flowe oute of Chrystes side ys in the cuppe then shoulde he make Chrysostome an vntrewe man For Chrysostome saieth that that which he saied vpon that scripture was the mening of the woordes of S. Paule Now if the Aduersarie will expownd Chrysostom with an other mening then either Chrysostome did not geue vs the true meaning of S. Paule which ys not to be thought or ells the Aduersarie reporteth vntrulie of him whiche ys his cōmon practise For so farre wide ys yt that these two meninges should be one that the one saieth yea the other saieth no th one saieth yt ys thother saieth yt ys not the one ys an heresie and thother a truthe So fare I saie be these from being one that for these two sentences this lamentable diuision and greuouse contencion in the Churche ys raised by heretiques What ys a mening but a simple and plain opening and declaracion of a woorde or sentence of a mans conceipt or speache doubtfullie or darkly conceaued or spoken before Wherfor Chrysostom saing that this was the mening of S Paules woordes did by plain woordes simplie declare the same This then being the true mening of S. Paules woordes what trueth was ther in the saing of Cranmer or the Authour of that booke who alleaging S. Paules woordes abused by Cranmer this text abused yt to a cleane contrarie vnderstanding Thus he saieth Neither that wine made of grapes ys his verie bloode or that his bloode ys wine made of grapes but signifie vnto vs as S. Paule saieth that the cuppe ys a communion of Chrystes bloode Howe wickedlie and vntrulie this ys spoken and howe this scripture ys drawen to a false vnderstanding this exposition of Chrysostom dothe wel proue as other also hereafter shall do That he wolde haue no soche mening vpon these his woordes as the Aduersarie wolde yll fauouredlie peice and patche vpon them his like maner of speache in an other place declareth where he saieth Reputate salutarem sanguinem Chrysost ser de Euch in Enceniis The bloode of Chryst. in the Sacr. how yt ys to be estemed quasi è diuino impolluto latere essluere ita approximantes labijs puris accipite Regarde or esteme the holsome bloode as to flowe oute of the diuine and vndefiled side and so coming to yt receaue yt with pure lippes Whiche woordes forsomoch as he spake them in a sermon to the common people he spake them in plain maner in that sense as they sownded to the hearing of the people which was that they shoulde accompte the cuppe of our Lord to be his blood And therfore they shoulde come and drinke yt euen as oute of his side as who should saie yt ys all one In this also that he willeth them to take yt with pure lippes he teacheth the reall presence For the spirituall maner of Chrystes blood ys not to be receaued with lippes but with heart and soule Wherby yt ys plain that Chrysostom wolde his woords no otherwise to be vnderstanded then they were spoken Wherfore not to tarie long vpon this saing of Chrysostom whiche ys so plain that euery childe maie vnderstande yt I wish yt onely to be imprinted in the memorie of the reader that ys of him saied which ys again to repeat yt that yt that ys in the cuppe ys yt that flowed oute of the side and of yt we are partakers Chrysost in 10. 1. Cor. As by this we are taught the trueth of the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament So in the rest of his sainges vpon the same text he teacheth vs that yt ys a sacrifice Thus he saieth In veteri testamento cùm imperfectiores essent quem idolis offerebant sanguinem cum ipse accipere voluit vt ab idolis eos auerteret Quod etiam inenarrabilis amoris signum erat Hic autem multo admirabilius magnificentius sacrificium Chryste cōmaunded himself to be offred praeparauit cum sacrificium ipsum commutaret pro brutorum caede scipsum offerendum praeciperet In the olde Testament when they were more vnperfecte to the entent he wolde turne them from Idolls that blood which they offred vnto Idolls he himself wold accept which also was a token of an inenatrable loue But here he hath prepared a moch more woonderfull and magnificall sacrifice both when he did chaunge the saied sacrifice and for the slaughter of brute beastes commaunded himself to be offred In this saing of Chrysostom ther be two notable notes to be obserued which as they do moche declare and confirme the catholique doctrine So do they as plainly and as mightilie ouerthrowe the wicked heresie of the Aduersarie The first ys that declaring the great loue of God towarde the vperfect people of the olde lawe that to turn them from Idolatrie he was contented to accept to be offred to him in sacrifice soche bloode of brute God prepared a moch more wonderfull and magnificall sacrifice for the newe Testament then was in the olde beastes as they offred to their Idolls when he cometh to the sacrifice of the newe lawe he saieth that here he hath prepared a moche more woonderfull and magnificall sacrifice What I praie thee Reader coulde be spoken more plainlie against the wicked assertion of the Aduersarie teaching that the sacrifices of the newe lawe are nothing more excellent then the sacrifices of the olde lawe then to saie that Chryst here in the newe lawe hath prepared a moche more woonderfull and magnificall sacrifice Which woordes Chrysostom speaketh setting the sacrifices of both lawes together and therfore they were spoken in comparison of the sacrifices of the olde lawe And to the intent that the Aduersarie being here sore pressed with the woordes of Chrysostom shall not with his common glose cloake him self and gette a subterfuge saing that Chrysostom spake of the sacrifice of Chryst
of blessing that ys of thankesgeuing For hauing him in handes we geue vndoubtedlie thankes vnto him who for owre sake hath shed oute his bloode and hath esteemed vs woorthie of vnspeakeable giftes He did not saie participacion but communicacion that he might expresse somwhat more that ys to saie a most near coniunction But that that he hath saied ys after this maner This bloode whiche ys conteined in the cuppe ys the same that flowed oute of the side of Chryste This when we take we participate that ys to saie we are conioined to Chryst Thus Theophilact Yf thow reader desierest to be instructed howe this text ys to be vnderstanded and what ys the verie minde of sainct Paule yf euer man did clerely expownd yt no man more plainlier then this although Chrysostom and Oecumenius as plainly and almost by the same woordes Consider therfore Theophilact cōmended this exposition well and credit yt and thowe shalt atteign to the true sense and mening of sainct Paule Ther ys nothing to be desiered in this man that ys necessarilie required to one to whome creditte shoulde be geuen He ys so auncient that he was before anie controuersie as touching the presence of Chryst in the Sacrament for he was before Berengarius And after the councell of Sisimius in the tripartite historie they are to be called li. 9 ca. 19. to the decision or dissolucion of a controuersie whiche wrote before that controuersie was risen and forsomoche as this authour did so therfore he maie well be called to this matter That he ys vncorrupted I suppose the Aduersarie will depose For yt ys knowen to all men learned that Oecolampadius did translate him owte of greke into latin whose sinceritie and dexteritie in the doing of anie soch matter they that be of that side can not asmoche as once suspect And although he hath in other places offended and vitiated him yet here he hath not Learning ther lacketh none in this authour for that he doth ys by imitacion of Chrysostom whose sentences and matters being setfurth at lenght this man doth collect and in a breif maner settfurth By which fact as we be sure that that ys setfurth ys learned matter So be we sure that the setterfurth ys without all doubte learned for soch a worke can not be doen of an vnlearned man And besides that the voice of all learned men doth with moch estimacion and praise so commende him And therfore he ys so reputed esteemed and taken Breiflie ther was neuer yet authour that euer yt happened me to read that did either for learning trueth or anie other soche like matter make as moch as a note of anie reprehension or declared anie thinge that was to be desiered in Theophilact Therfore seing all thinges be in him that are required to be in an authour he ys withoute all exception woorthie of creditte and in this matter as a wittnesse maie iustlie be produced The same blood that flowed oute of the side of Chryste ys in the cuppe euen by the minde of S. Paule In this exposition then wher no tropes no signes no figures of the blood of Chryst be admitted but the presence of the verie bloode taught to be in the cuppe yea and the verie same that flowed oute of the side of Christ what can we or maie we ells do but so take yt that ys that sainct Paule when he saied The cuppe of blessing which we blesse ys a partaking of the bloode of Christ spake of no figure nor by no figure But of the substanciall bloode of Chryst to be verilie in the cuppe of blessing whiche we also take and receaue and so be verilie partakers of the bloode of Chryste and partaking yt be conioined to Chryst as this authour saieth And here ys to be noted that Theophilact doth not here speake as shewing his owne minde but opening vnto vs the minde and meaning of sainct Paul and therfore saieth Quod autem dixit tale est That he saied ys this or after thys maner as who should saie this ys yt that he saied So that this exposition ys to be taken as the woordes of S. Paule for that yt dothe declare the minde Peter Martir his wresting of Theophil vpon the woorde vertue and meaning of S. Paule Neither ys Peter Martyr to be hearde who wolde peruert all the negatiues of Theophilact wherbie he denieth in sondrie and diuerse places that the Sacrament ys onely a figure of Chrystes bodie as in the xxvi of S. Matthew in the xiiii of sainct Marke in the vi of sainct Iohn and ther auoucheth the verie reall presence by expresse woordes The saied Peter Martyr wolde I saie taking a small occasion of a woord vpon the xiiii of S. Marke by violent pressing euen turne the face of theophilact backwarde and make him looke Vide ca. 60. li. 2. an other waie and to speake a directe contrarie sentence to that that he spake within ten lines before In the xiiii of S. Marke to proue the woordes of Chyst This ys my body to be no figuratiue speach he bringeth in the saing of Chryst in the vi of S. Iohn and saieth thus Dominus enim dicit Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est non dixit Theoph. in 14. Marci figura est carnis meae sed caro mea est Et iterum Nisi ederitis carnem filii hominis quomodò inquis caro videtur O homo propter nostram infirmitatem istud fit Quia enim panis vinum ex his sunt quibus assueuimus ea non abhorremus Idcirco misericors Deus nostrae infirmitati condescendens speciem quidem panis vini seruat in virtutem autem carnis sanguinis transelementat Owre Lord saieth The bread that I wil geue ys my flesh ▪ He saied not yt ys a figure of my flesh but yt ys my flesh And The flesh of Chryste in the B. Sacrament appeareth not for oure infirmities sake again Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man And howe saiest thow ys not the flesh seen O man this ys doen for our infirmitie For bicause bread and wine be of these thinges vnto the which we haue ben accustomed we doe not abhorre them Therfor our mercifull God condescending to our infirmitie dothe kepe the outwardes formes of bread and wine but he turneth the substance into the vertue of flesh and bloode Here wolde Peter Martyr as ys saied wrest Theophilact that he wolde haue no reall presence and therfore that we receaue not the verie flesh and blood of Chryst in the Sacrament but the vertue of them But Reader I haue ascribed the full sentence of Theophilact to the entent that thow maist see that if anie soch sense should be gathered of him yt maie well appeare to thee that yt ys violentlie wrested and not truly according to the minde of the authour alleadged nor expownded And for proof of this first obserue and note that Theophilact
neclect that in all thinges bothe in faith and doinges we maie among our selues consent and agree These be the verie woordes of Leo. Thys ys the place which the Proclamer taketh in hande to reporte Iudge now I saie gentle Reader whether he hath truelie reported him or no. And first wher he alleadged Leo to prooue his communion vieue well I praie thee the authour and obserue diligentlie yf ther be in him anie one woorde of communion or communicantes and See here the impudencie of the Proclamer thowe shalt perceaue that ther ys no mencion made therof What trueth then ys to be thought either in the man or in the cause that he defendeth when to maintein yt he ys fain to falsifie the authours that he alleageth Ys yt not lamentable to see his shamelesse boldenesse that he wolde wittinglievtter in an honorable audieÌ„ce and also publish the same in printe to an wholl realme that he knewe to be false and clean otherwise then was the intent or minde of the authour which he alleaged That yt was not the minde of the authour thowe shalt easilie perceaue For first wher the Proclamer vseth these woordes communicate and communion The authour hath these See here his false sleight woordes the oblacion of the sacrifice and the sacrifice Nowe bicause the Proclamer hateth this woorde sacrifice as a scorpion as being applied to the holie SacrameÌ„t of Chrystes bodie and blood therfore to ease his maliciouse affection and to delude his hearers and readers yt liked his Chrystian sinceritie properlie tearmed hereticall malignitie to corrupt and falsifie the authour and reporte soche matter to be in him as ther ys in dede no woorde toward yt in him I mene to that sense and vnderstanding Again thowe seist that in all that sermon yf yt be woorthie of that name his cheifest pourpose ys to inueigh against that holie mynistracion whiche ys called the Masse in so moch that he saieth that this name Masse was not in vse manie years after Chryst which ys before improoued yet in this authour Leo euen in this place whiche he alleaged ther ys expresse and liuelie mencion made of the Masse and he calleth yt Masse that thys man calleth Communion And these twoo woordes sacrifice and Masse Sacrifice and Masse cause the Proclamer to falsisie Leo. vsed of this authour caused as I haue saied thys man to falsifie the authour so that he durst not alleadge him as he wrote but as yt might serue to helpe hys wicked cause To ende this note of the falsifieng of this authour by this Proclamer this also ys to be obserued and marked howe God suffreth Sathan and his Disciples to be blinded that they shall bring furth and alleadge places whiche being well weighed and taken as they lie according to the minde of the authour shall not onely ouerthrowe their matter as this authour in testifieng both sacrifice and Masse but shall also geue and mynistre occasion that theyr falshead their corruption of authours their blinding of the people shall be perceaued as nowe allreadie yt hath ben perceaued in sainct Hierom and this authour and shall more hereafter in thys matter But the Proclamer proceadeth and prooueth by the Masse booke that ther shoulde be a Communion bicause the preist saieth oremâ—is Let vs praie I see this man wolde plaie smal game raither then he will set out he wolde content himself with some ssender shewe or countenaunce of proofe raither then mainteining an euell matter to seem to be destitute of all proofe I praier thee good reader weigh with me what proof ys yt of the communion of the Sacrament that the preist saieth oremus Let vs praie what dependance ys ther of that woorde to proue the communion of the Sacrament Yf he can by that woorde prooue the communion of the Sacrament Let vs praie ys saied in the morning and euenning praier wheÌ„ther ys no CommunioÌ„ he maie doe the like in the Sacrament of Baptisme and in other sacramentes also for ther the preist saieth Oremus Let vs praie Yf by yt he had trauailed to proue a communion in praier he had doen right but to abuse yt to prooue the necessitie of the Communion of the Sacrament in soch sorte as he meneth yt ys raither a declaracion of his malice against the churche then anie proofe of his pourpose That ther ys a Communion in praier the other woordes of the preist whiche he also alleageth for hys pourpose doe manifestlie declare The preist saieth he saieth The Lorde be with yowe and the people aunswer And with thie spirit Doe ye not see here howe the preist and CommunioÌ„ in praier at Masse the people ioin themselues together one praing for the other Whiche maner of Communion ys also liuelie settfurth by that that he afterwarde produceth oute of the order of the Masse The preist saieth he turneth him to the people and saieth Orate pro me fratres sorores Praie for me brothers and sisters Here as before ye haue perceaued and shall hereafter perceaue he vseth a sleight he durst not for shame tell yowe why the preist desiereth the people to praie for him but as traitours clippe the kinges coin and deceaue the people so he clippeth manie of the places whiche he alleageth to deceaue gods people But that his falshead maie be perceaued and the cause knowen why the preist desiereth the people An other sleight of the Prolamer to praie for him I shall laie before yowr eies the wholl praier Thus he praieth Orate fratres sorores pro me vt meum pariter vestrum acceptum sit omnipotenti Deo sacrificium Whiche ys thus moche to saie in english Praie for me brothers and sisters that my sacrifice and yowr maie be accepted of our Lord God Two Communions in the Masse besides the rauing of the Sacra Se ye now his sleight Ys here anie praier for the communion whiche he intendeth Doe these woordes proue that the preist can not receaue alone Ys ther anie mencion made here of that his communion Doe ye not perceaue that with two or three woordes he wolde blere yowe eyes and as the inglish prouerbe ys make yowe beleue that the Moone ys made of a green cheese The desire of the preist ys not that all they that be present wolde receaue the Communion but that they wil praie that their common sacrifice maie be acceptable to God This with the bringing in of two or three woordes wolde this man craftelie haue concealed and suppressed being as I suppose ashamed and grudged in conscience to let yowe know the verie thing required to be praied for which ys the acceptacion of the sacrifice which sacrifice he and his complices doe wickedlie denie Thus ye see that he wolde claime helpe of the Masse booke which in dede doeth him no other helpe but open his shame Yt doeth vs thus moch helpe that hereby we learn two Communions The first ys of praier the second of
after he had once blessed yt and saied this ys my bodie he deliuered no breade but his bodie according to the trueth of his woorde Other thinges woorthie of note ther be in this authour but hauing declared that that sufficeth to the pourpose for the expownding of Chrystes woordes I leaue the rest to be considered by the reader and will hast me to bring in an other coople THE TVO AND SIXTETH CHAP. ABIDETH in the exposition of the same woordes by Rupertus and Nicolaus Methonen WIshing that the reader should fullie perceaue the descent of the faith of the Sacrament howe yt ys deduced frō Chryst to the Fathers and so from age to age and from time to time euen vnto this our time and therwith howe the woordes of Chryst are to be vnderstanded euen from Chrystes time of the speaking of thē vntill this our time forsomoch as I haue passed so neare to our time I will with thy pacience gentle reader go on vntil I bring the within a verie litle of this our time In Gods name then let vs proceade and go to the time of Rupertus who ys thought to haue liued the year of our Lord MCCXXiiii ād so about CCCCXXXViii agon of whome we shall learn what faith was in the latin Churche in his time as concerning the blessed Sacrament and howe the woordes of Chryst were vnderstanded Thus he writeth Coenantibus id est sedentibus adhuc in coena Rup de operib lib. 3. qua manducauerant carnes agni carnes Paschae veteris accepit panem benedixit Panem communem accepit sed benedicendo longè in aliud quà m suerat transmutauit vt veraciter diceret sic Hoc est corpus meum quod pro vobis tradetur Item vini substantiam accepit sed itidem gratias agendo vel benedicendo sic in aliud vertit vt diceret veritas quae non mentitur Hic est sanguis meus noui Testamenti qui pro multis effundetur Sed non videtur oculis carnis non sentitur gustu oris quòd panis ille caro factus sit quòd vinum illud in sanguinem versum sit Nimirum si videretur color aut sentiretur sapor carnis sanguinis humani homini non plus salutis sed plurimum adferret horroris Being at supper that ys sitting yet at supper in the whiche they had eaten the flesh of the Yf Chryst blessing the bread transmuted yt into a better thing M. Pilkintons argument healteth lambe the flesh of the olde Passouer he tooke bread and blessed yt he tooke comon bread but blessing yt he did transmute yt into a farre other thing than yt was that he might trulie saie This ys my bodie which shall be deliuered for yowe He did also take the substance of wine but likewise geuing thankes or blessing he did so turne yt into an other thinge that the trueth which lieth not might saie This ys my bloode of the newe Testament whiche shall be shedde for manie But yt ys not seen with the eies of the bodie yt ys not perceaued by the taste of the mouthe that that bread ys made the flesh of Chryst that that wine ys turned into bloode For trulie yf the cooloure of the flesh and bloode of man should be seen or the taste shoulde be perceaued yt shoulde bring no more health to a man but yt shoulde bring moch loathsomnesse Thus moche Rupertus In this authour as in Anselmus who went last before him in the last chapter ys declared the vertue and power of the benediction of Chryst when he Effect of Chrystes blessing of the bread blessed the bread and wine in his holie supper For as Anselmus saied that by the blessing of the bread and wine they were made the bodie and bloode of Chryst So this authour saieth that Chryst blessing the bread did transmute or chaunge yt into a farre better thing Whiche thing was soche that Chryst might trulie saie by yt This ys my bodie whiche ys geuen for yowe Neither let this seem straunge to the Aduersarie that these two authours saie that by the blessing of Chryst the bread and wine be chaunged or turned into the bodie and blood of Chryst For yt ys not a sainge yesterdaie inuented but yt ys a sainge of the great Fathers the auncientes and pillers of the Church Howe moche doeth sainct Ambrose speake of this thing how large a discourse doeth he make of yt treacting of the blessed Sacrament and prouing by examples of the scripture howe the grace and blessing of God doeth chaunge the nature of one thing into an other thing Amb. li. de imit myst cap. 9. He saieth thus Quantis igitur vtimur exemplis vt probemus non hoc esse quod natura formauit sed quod benedictio consecrauit maioremue vim esse benedictionis quam naturae quia benedictione etiam natura ipsa mutatur Howe manie examples haue we to proove that this ys not yt that nature formed but yt that the blessing hath consecrated and that the power of the blessing ys greater then the power Power of blessing greater thē power of nature of nature Bicause that by the blessing nature yt self ys chaunged And after manie examples ther produced to that pourpose he maketh this conclusion Quodsi tātum valuit humanabenedictio vt naturā cōuerteret quid dicimusde ipsa cōsecratione diuina vbi verba ipsa Domini saluatoris operātur Yf thē the blessing of mā were of so great force that yt might turn or chaunge nature what saie we of the diuine consecracion wher the verie woordes of owre sauiour doe woorke them selues Thus S. Amb. And thus maie we perceaue the great power of Chrystes blessing to be soche that not onelie yt maie but yt doeth also chaunge the nature of one thing into an other as the nature of bread and wine in the Sacrament into Transubstanciacion auouched the verie nature of the bodie and bloode of Chryst verilie and substanciallie And therfor this chaunge wrought and doen by the blessing of Chryst for somoche as yt ys a turning or chaunging of one nature or substance into an other nature or substance yt maie verie well beare the name of Transubstanciacion For that name doeth liuelie declare the acte that ther ys doen. Holie Cyrill also considering that the great worke of God whiche maketh present in the Sacrament the bodie and bloode of Chryst ys doen by the denediction of God doeth commonlie in his workes call the blessed Sacrament the misticall benedictiō As then this authour hath taught no other wise then he heard his Fathers speake before him of the power of Chrystes blessing no more doeth he in teaching the presence of Chrystes bodie and bloode although our senseis can not perceaue the same presence For saieth he though the bread be made the flesh of Chryst and the wine be turned into his bloode yet neither doe we see yt neither tast yt so to be By whiche his teaching he