falsehode and sophystry from playnnes But it is mere sophistry for in those other places the matter sheweth they be spoken in a parable bycause christ spake somtyme in parables we maye not saye he speaketh alwayes in parables And bycause when he sayde Ipse est Helias est singified a resemblaunce not the beynge as the verbe substaÌ„tiue properly doth signifie that therefore it signifieth so in Christes wordes wheÌ„ he said Hoc est corpur meum in whiche est is declared the verye beynge And although when Christe sayd Soluite templum hoc in triduo reedisicabo illud Destroye this temple and I shall in thre dayes buylde it agayne The worde templum signifieth not there a verye temple but Christes bodye which argument one ignoraunte made we maye not saye that therefore the worde corpus shall not here signifie Christes very body when christ sayde Hoc est corpus meum And when scripture saith we must cloth our selfe w e Christ in which is not signified Christes naturall body but Christes teaching so the word Christ hath his sense hydden we may not say that therfore the same worde Christ shall not in another place haue his owne open euident sense of the signification of Chrystes naturall person These maner of argumeÌ„tes may circumuent the vnlerned and vnstable and suche as be prone to chaunge though it be ior the worse but lerned men se theÌ„ trifles such lerned meÌ„ I meane as vse theÌ„ not for pastime as some haue done â— good men can not be shaken or moued w t theÌ„ But heare what s Câ—priâ—aÌ„ saith Panis iste queÌ„ dominus discipulis porrigebat noÌ„ effigie sed natura mutatus omnipotentia uerbi factê° est caro This bread whiche our lord gaue to his disciples chaunged in nature but not in y e outward fourme is by the omnipotency of gods worde made fleshe Which misterie when christ spake of before the vnfaithfull Capharuaites They asked howe god roulde giue his flesshe to be eaten and went their waye but the disciples whoÌ„ god had prepared by the formet myracle of fiue loues and the miraculouse multiplication of them to beleue this they taried confessed Christe to haue the wordes of lyfe And where as in other places of scripture where Christe spake in parables the disciples desired Christ to open theÌ„ said Edis sere nobis parabolaÌ„ Shewe and declare vs this parable So when Christe consecrated his body and gaue it vnto them to eate y e demonstracion of the thynge neaded no further explycation to vnderstand it but faith to beleue it For christe takinge the breade in his handes blessinge it and geuinge thankes said Take ye eate ye this is my body What other meaninge shulde here be sought for wher be so plain wordes w t suche circumstaunce as can haue none other meaninge to coÌ„ceiue which meaning as I said christe hadde prepared the myndes of his disciples when he sayde Panis queÌ„ ego dabo vobis caro mea est pro mundi vita The bread that I shall geue you is my flesshe for the lyfe of the world So as in the very coÌ„secration because it was y e exhibition of that Christe had promysed and they had confessed hym to haue the wordes of lyfe when they sawe him and harde hum execute the same they vnderstode with his wordes his meanynge and beleued hym But I thinke it muche better to pretermytte further occasion of that might be my praise to expound vnto you the scriptures omytrynge myne owne speache to lay before you such exposition and opening of the holy and incoÌ„taminat mysteries of Christe as other haue lefte wrytten whych I do afterwarde in a speciall place for it yet me thinketh here is offered an opportunitie to write that Ihon Damascene sayth alone For he alone openeth the matter so plainly as he might alone suffise for declaration of the thynge and confutation of the deuylles sophistrye deuysed to impugne the same This Ihon Damascene was a greate clerke and one of the greke church and wrote in greke so as they nede not to be offended that loue not y e latyn tongue Two thinges in him shal offendsome One that he stout lye defended the maintenaunce of ymages and vehemently inueyed against them that brake them and wold not haue them stand wherin he wrote so vehementlye as vpon false accusemeÌ„t for another matter deuised coÌ„triued against him his ryght hande was striken of hanged in the market place as y e hand of and offender whych neuerthelesse after he had obteined incontinentlye by grace and fauoure libertye to take it downe the same hande was by myracle restored to his body and ioyned agayne to his arme in perfitte vse as it was before for restitucioÌ„ wherof he prayed to our ladye in wordes of this sentence Domina sanctissima mater quae deum meuÌ„ peperisti amputata est dextera mea ob sanctas diuinas imagines tu qua de causa Leo seui at non ignoras proinde â—iocius succurre dextera enim altissimi quae de te incarnata est per tuas in tercessiones multas facit uirtutes sanet oro hanc meam dexteram tuis praecibus The englysshe of whiche prayer is this O Ladye and mooste holye mother the whiche hast brought forth my god my ryghte hande is cutte of for ymages such as represente godlynes holynes vnto vs thou knoweste for what cause Leo themperoure is so fierce therefore helpe spedely The ryght hande of the highest whiche is incarnate of the hathe wroughte manye vertues by thine intercessions I praye the therfore that he may by thy prayers heale this my right hand Whereby appeareth what opinion this man had of images praier to saintes by his testimony also what was vsed in the church in his tyme whiche myghte releaue suche as can not abyde images or allowe prayer to saintes For this we haue written of hym and in greke and translated by Oecolampadius the Germaine and printed within these sixe yeares in Basile in Germanye where the contrary opinion amoÌ„g the coÌ„mon people is mayneteined so as no maÌ„ shal haue cause to diffame it as set forth by any papist But to y e purpose This Damascene hath wrytteÌ„ an excelleÌ„t worke vnder this tytle De orthodoxa fide of the right catholyque fayth in the .iiii boke whereof the .xiiii chapter he entreateth reuerentlye thinstitution of the most holy sacrament of the thaulter deducyng the conueniency therof from the beginning of our participation of gods goodnes and bicause it is worthye many readynges I haue ben the rather persuaded to write in the originall in greke and therwith the translacioÌ„ in laryn also english Ie shal not greatly augmente the boke and bycause some children learne greake in this time it maye serue them for a lessoÌ„ wherwith to occupy their tender wittes and conferme them
remembraunce of him And yet euyll men do receaue the same to their owne condemnation whiche good men do with a perfit remembraunce of christ whose benefites w t his preceptes they haue in effectual remembraunce Wherin forasmuch as the Corinthyans abused them selfe Saynt Paule threteneth them with gods sharpe iudgement whyche euerye manne procureth hym selfe when he receiueth the blessed sacrament vnworthely not consyderinge nor vnderstandynge that there is in that feast the very naturall bodye and bloud of our sauiour christ which s Paul signifieth in those wordes non dijudicans corpus domini Whiche wordes be translate in englyshe puttynge no difference betwene the lordes bodye And this place by suche as presumynge of their owne knowlege frame also a sense of their owne makynge or folowinge suche as willingly abuse their knowledge to subuerte the truth hathe ben mystaken and of some so taken as though the CorinthiaÌ„s were in those wordes blamed because they which is a fond imaginacion and yet men that waÌ„der alone go easely farre wide out of the right waye toke the sacrament to be the very body of christ and put no difference betwene it breade But saint Paule contrarywyse as tholde authors expounde that place declareth in those wordes non dijudicans corpus domini howe suche as eate vnworthely do not acknowledge whom they receiue For if they dyd they could not so abuse them selfe and therefore the worde dijudicans signifieth not puttinge no difference but not vnderstandynge not consyderynge as the greake interpreters say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not considerynge not vnderstandynge who is in that feast to be receiued whose presence if men considered they shoulde neade none other admonyshment howe to prepare them self to come thither and howe to vse them selues at the same And other scripture is lykewise misconstrued and crokedly expounded Spiritus viuificat caro non prodest quicâ— As thoughe it were to be vnderstanded that the presence of the natural bodye and bloude of our sauiour our christ were not fruteful to vs therefore by theyr reason shulde not be there where in dede our sauyour Christ refelled in those wordes the grosse vnderstandinge of y e Capharnaites as though oure sauiour christ had ment to distribute his natural body in lumpes of flesshe and so make them a feest of it and thervpon gaue a generall lesson vnto them whiche serueth for y e true vnderstandyng of our hole relygion which is that our godly lyfe is engeÌ„dred in vs not of the flesshe but of the spirite for quod natum est ex carne caro est quod auteÌ„ ex spuÌ„ spiritus est y t is borne of the flesshe is flesh and that is borne of the spirite is spirite and the faithfull men be not borne of the flesshe nor the flesshe reuealeth not the truth of god for the flesshye manne can not se goddes mysteries and they that dwell in the flesshe can not please god and thus scripture speakethe of the flesshe the carnal parte of man not illuminate by y e spirite of god and the Capharnaites fansied of Christes flesshe grossly to be cutte as buchers do in the market whiche so coÌ„sidered profiteth nothing but onely the spirite giueth lyfe And so spiritus viuificat caro non prodest quicquam the spirite gyueth lyfe and the flesshe profitethe nothing By which maner of spech the fleâ—she of our sauyour christes moost precious bodye beinge caro viuifica lyuely flesshe and whiche hath the holy spirite inseparablye annexed vnto it is not improued but as it is by goddes hygh power ministred vnder fourme of breade wyne is also most holsom most confortable vnto such as receyue it worthely of which christ spake Caro mea vere est cibus sanguis meus uere est potus panis quem dabo uobis caro mea est My flesshe is verely meate and my bloude verely drinke and the breade whiche I shall geue you is my flesshe And the speache of this scripture Caro non prodest quicâ— is in such wise to be taken as wheÌ„ saint Paule saith Scientia inflat charitas edificat wherein knoweledge is not vtterlye condemned but onely suche knowledge as waÌ„teth and is not tempered with charitie And lykewise littera occidi spiritus viuificat wherein not all letters and wrytinges be noted to do hurte but onely suche as be destitute and want right spiritual vnderstandinge And after y e same fourme said christ Spiritê° viuificat caro noÌ„ prodest quicâ—â— The spirit giueth lyfe y e flesshe profiteth nothyng whiche is as muche to saye after the order of vnderstaÌ„ding in the former speaches that the flesh porfiteth nothynge where the spirite of god wanteth whiche in the most blessed body of our sauiour Christ is alway present can not be seperate from it Thus I haue somwhat trauailed in thexpositioÌ„ of this text Caro non prodest quicâ— whiche in dede ê‘teyneth not to y e purpose of y e matter but only as the deuil wrangleth with it as he doth in susteining heresyes with many other and amonge other in this matter these If I go not from you sayth Christe the holy ghoste shall not comme to you And in an other place ye shall not se me for I go to my father And also in an other place I leaue the worlde and go to my father With suche lyke whiche sounde to improue the presence of Christes naturall body and blood in the sacrament of thaulter but sounde so onely to suche as before they marke this souÌ„de of wordes wold haue them to sounde so For that meane the deuyl vseth to inueigle men fyrste to allure them by â–ª some worldelye temptation to be incline able rather to this or that opinion and in many men not for anye respecte they haue to any truthe or falseshed but onelye bycause they had rather haue it vnderstanded so as they fansye then otherwyse And beynge so waywardlye affected they conceaue then of the scripture as they do of a confuse souÌ„de of belles that is to saye the selfe same sentence and meaning which they wolde haue taken and estemed for truth and none other And to such men so inueigled by the deuyll it is harde to induce the persuasion of truthe for they care not for it or be maliciouse and euyl wyllynge against the truthe And therfore wysedome as y e wyse man saith can not entre into them The deuyl for mayntenaunce of his errour he ceasseth not to note to the simple reader how Christ speaketh of goynge his waye and goyng to his father and in an other place of leauynge the worlde in an other place that he wyll be seene no more of theÌ„ And when y e spouse is gone then we shall wayle and faste All whiche in the true vnderstandyng signifie to vs the absence from vs of Christe in his bodely coÌ„uersatioÌ„ among vs in such sorte as he was before his passyon and before
haue bene before vs accepted and allowed for teachers and of theyr scoolers alsoo good christen people who haue accepted humblye their teachinge in the truthe of the preciousenes and substaunce of the moost blessed sacrament of the aulter and take theÌ„ altogether representynge Christes churche for scoolemaisters in thys matter And yet there is no cause to aske whiche shulde seme to implye matter of doubte but constantly to continue in that we haue here in truely receyued without whyes or whattes whiche engendre altercation without edificacion or fruit Shall we after xv C. yeare begin to enquyre whither the state of our relygyon be establyshed in meere ydolatrye as they do now a dayes terme it blasphemouslye Can we take suche a serche and examinacion otherwyse then to be a quarell moued to the hole to prepare the way to Mahomete of whose lawes some in some thinges write nowe abrode indyfferentelye For as I sayd before if reason or rather vnreasonablenes may nowe conquer oure fayth herein the vyctory wyll hardely be stayed from conqueste in the reste whiche punisshemente we may se in other yf we haue grace to consyder it Let vs stande ferme therefore in our fayth receiued in the moste blessed sacramente and kepynge our selfe in sauegarde by the strength of the same faith note howe the deuyll assaulteth the symple to ouercome them in the same The deuyl ye knowe is but plaine Iwys and where playnnes maye deceyue makethe his pretence to speake playnely and professeth simplycytie speakynge alwaye as his postles saye of this sacrament as S. Paule spake and call it bread And albeit as I spake before of spellynge with one tyttle diuersely so lykewyse one worde is taken diuersely yet the deuyll pretendeth symplycite and wyl haue one word taken but one way which is a craft to leade men out of the waye For if in sainte IohnÌ„s gospell where it is written that Chryste was in the worlde the worlde was made by hym and the worlde knewe him not yf there the word world shuld haue one signyfycation it shoulde engender a meruaylous confuse sense And in the worde bread wheÌ„ Christe sayde He was the breade that discended from heauen the worde breade maye not there signifie the same it dothe where the gospell spake of fyue barlye breades And therfore to the rude can be nothinge more daungerouse then to be entangled with this the deuyls sophystrye insygnificacyon of names the dyscussion whereof requireth learninge and the conceiuing of the true faith by gods gift only simplicitie to beleue w tout howes as is preached vnto the by the churche of christ But besides this point of sophistry cometh in another of y e rude ignoraunt sodenly forgettyng the name of the holy masse only pretendeth knowledge of y e lordes supper And herein is muche a do and the name of the masse reiected all is applyed to the lordes supper and yet they wolde steale away the precyouse foode of the body of our sauyour Chryste in thende make it a bare drinking of onely breade and wyne And where they wyll passe noone of their owne priuate suppers euen on the greattest fastynge day without flesh for deintyes yet in thys supper of the lord as they call it they deuyse a deitie without delicacies to haue nothiÌ„g present but bread and wyne A merueilouse matter of the inclination of mannes nature for declaracyon of instabilitie to be fonde of innouacions nouacions What the word masse meaneth they can not tell and soo reâ—uâ—e they wote not what by their owne confession And the name supper they allowe with a lytle knowledge what they saye callynge it a supper but only because it varieth from the name of the Masse For that whiche in the fyrst institucion was called Coena domini and the supper of oure lorde by reason the worde Coena because of the tyme towardes euenyng signified a supper Nowe the churche hathe ordered all men to receyue theyr holye communion afore all other meates fastynge it shuld nowe more conueniently be called in Englysshe the feast of oure lorde or the dyner then a supper wherwith the worde Coena wyll agree and requirethe not any suche translacion in specyal to be called a supper but coena domini may be called ConuiuiuÌ„ sacrum as the churche syngeth deuoutly wherin Christ is receiued and therwith a memorye celebrate of his moost blessed passion and a pledge is lefte with vs of lyfe euerlasting And Gregory Nazianzene noteth that albeit in this holy communion y e churche chaungeth the tyme yet the thinge is all one whyche he speaketh after this sorte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quandoquidem alia multa aliter tum prodita fuere quam ut nunc se habere conspiciuntur Veluti Ieiunauit christus paululum ante tentationem nos verò ante Paschaâ— Quòd ad ieiunia attinet utrobique idem temporum uerò utriusque ieiunij non modica discrepantia Christus enim ieiunium tantquam propugnaculum adhibuit contrà tentaciones nobis uerò ad id ualet uâ— Christo coÌ„morîamur iteÌ„ purgatio quaedam est quae festuÌ„ praecedat Porro christus ieiunauit dies quadraginta erat enim Deus nos verò ieiunium ad facultatis nostrae modum attemperauimus etiamsi quidam zelo affecti noÌ„nihil supra uires conati sunt Rursum christus sacra Paschae mysteria cum discipulis celebrat in coenaculo et post coenam pridiequam pateretur nos verò in aedibus orationis quideÌ„ ante coenam ac post resurrectioneÌ„ Surrexit item Christus post triduuÌ„ nos autem post multum temporis neque tamen coÌ„mittuÌ„tur cum illius nostra sed neque ad temporis rationem coniungantur quatenus uerò ad exemplum eorum quae nos age remus tradita sunt exactaÌ„ per omnia similitudineÌ„ effugerunt The sense wherof is this in englysshe There be many mo thinges other wyse set forth theÌ„ they appere to be now Christ fasted a litle before his temptacion we fast before Easter As touchynge the fast that is all one but in the tymes of the fastes there is a greate diuersitie For Christe vsed fastinge as a defence and bulwarke against temptatioÌ„ and in vs fasting auayleth that we myghte dye wyth Christ and it is a clensynge purgation byfore the feast Christ fasted fourty dayes for he was god we haue measured our fasting with our power although some moued with zeale do attempt herein aboue their power Chryst kepte his pascal feast with his disciples in a chambre after supper and the daye before he suffered we do the same in houses of prayer before supper and after the resurrection Chryste rose after thre dayes we ryse ageine after a longe tyme. And yet that we do in y e mysteries repungneth not with Chrystes doynges but they be not conioyned in tymes And in asmuche as they were deliuered vnto vs to be our exaÌ„ple their through lykenes
this moost blessed Sacrament vpon the testimonye of theyr sight their taste felyng or smell or otherwise vpon their carnall vnderstandinge bycause they can not by their carnall reason compreheÌ„d it all such be bestly and blynd and farre from the knowledge of the miseries of our religion as wherin our senses and reasoÌ„ be vy faith condempned and reproued finally declare them selue to be suche men as seme to require teachinge in the principles and begynnynges of our religion wherin their grosse carnall reasons yf they were truly mortified they shulde not so stobbernly and arrogantly meddle in the discussion of the inscrutable misterye in the most blessed sacrament of thaulter For yf theyr senses were by true faith ouerthrowen put to confusioÌ„ in the bylefe of y e holy trinite y e father of heaueÌ„ the sonÌ„e holy ghost to be inseparably deuided in thre ê‘sons diuisibly eioyned iÌ„ one godhed essece which Gregorye Nazianzene speaketh thus in greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherein we knowe by faith the truth so to be howe so euer our reason spurneth and tentech vs to the contrarye If these mennes senses were tamed in the beleuynge scripture of creation of the worlde by god in time and of nothynge contrarye to the discussion of mans reason whiche the philosophers coulde not temper to agre that of nothynge was anye thynge made If in the misterie of the incarnation of our sauioure Christe the rebellion of mans senses were throughlye trode vnder fete and brought in due subiection to gyue place to faythe wherby we byleue that the sonne of god which we confesse truly to be immensus was yet conteyned in the holy virgins wombe a creature to conteyne the creatour and as the churche reioysing doth daylye acknowledge in worshypping the blessed vyrgin Marye Quem totus non capit orbis In tua se clausitviscera factê° homo Whiche to mannes reason implieth an insoluble contradiction to saye that in her wombe shulde be shut in that al the world could not conteyne And then further the true story of Christes gospel wherin is truely reported to vs howe Christ entred to his disciples after his resurrection the gates beynge shut and role out of his graue the same remaining styl shut which to our vnderstandyng maketh a signification of two bodies to be in one place togither and occupie the same place at one tyme And is to mannes sensuall and carnal knowledge impossible and is neuerthelesse in y e said myraculouse passage of our sauyour Christ moost truly verified But if in these and many other the carnall man had in the foundacion of our faith fully acknowleged his weaknes his bliÌ„dnes his imbecillitie ignoraunce the same wolde neuer presume agayne eyther to improue the presence of the naturall body of our Sauiour Christe in the most blessed Sacrament of the aulter in fourme of bread wine by carnal deuyses ne trauayle to be satisfied in consideration of the circumstauÌ„ces of the same For lyke as in the other misteries of the Trinite the creation of the world the incarnation of Christ and also resurrection of the fleshe wherof I haue not spoken but may say as I haue in the other carnal reason is excluded by certentie of faith so shulde it be in all other mysteries whiche all together be the body of our reeigion wherein we haue the true knowledge of god which the deuil laboureth to subuerte and ouerthrowe and vseth therin the instrument of mannes presumptuouse arrogance to know all as god doth and to compreheÌ„de in his capacite the same and what so euer excedeth it or repugneth thervnto to call that false folye lyes and vntruth After whiche sorte mans foolyshe wysedome hath enterprised at sundry tymes to impugne the secrete misteries of goddes hyghe wysedome incomprehensible workes And so the deuyll by the Arrians as he doth by the Turkes at this daye hath assaulted the castell and forte of our religion by denyall of Christe to be very God and with truthes falsly applied gone about to make batterye and entrye to ouerthrowe the same lyke as he hath also attempted manye other misteries But beinge in them by goddes power resisted the deuyll assayeth to make entry nowe by subuertinge the truthe in the most blessed Sacrament of thaulter and to allure y e multitude of most carnall and rude capacities diuulgeth abrode grosse carnall reasoÌ„s and wolde persuade the vnlerned that their ignoraunce in the circumstaunce how should playnely proue to them that the thing is not therwith whistleth in their eares this enchauntment If it were true that is taught in the sacrameÌ„t of thaluter by the papistes whiche terme serueth for a token to theÌ„ to proue y e matter nought such and such incoÌ„uenieÌ„ces should not to our senses folowe Do we not se saith the deuyll the sacrament of thaulter that they call god their ydol o blasphemous toÌ„gue sometyme eaten of a mouse sometyme waxe grene moulde redde moulde and blue mould and here the deuyll refressheth his yonglynges with manye abhominable tales suche as a scoffinge lestynge witte could deuyse to haue benne done Doth it not enter sayth the deuyll into the body and so furth and speaketh that lyketh him more then honest eares can endure And then the deuyll frameth the matter in fashion of lerninge and firste with a counterfet religioÌ„ of mayntenaunce of gods truth propoueth god to be impassible incorruptible and immortal which is a most vndoubted truth theÌ„ foloweth thintended lye thus That which these papistes make God call y e sacrament of thaulter that is corruptible And here the senses beare witnes The papistes god the deuyll sayth is also passible And here y e senses be also redy shall affirme they haue sene the mouse eate it mans hande breake it mans teth teare it It is also mortal saith the deuyll for the seÌ„ses beare testimony they haue sene it with a sodayn fire in a churche coÌ„sumed Ergo then with this the deuyl triumpheth â—cludeth there is not god but it is an ydol whiche wordes they vttermost blasphemouselye falsely But coÌ„sider christeÌ„ reader how far is it out of y e waye to examyne mens senses or carnall reasoÌ„ what they can depose of god or his high secrete workes This reasoning might serue to proue y t eyther Christe was not God whiche no christeÌ„ eare can endure or els not to be true which is most true certeine that Christe dyed or suffered for vs. And thus the deuilles disciple wyll reason God is impassible Christe suffred Ergo he was not god Or thus God is impassible Christe was god Ergo he suffered not So as by these reasos and reasonynges wherin the senses serue for a proufe or carnall reason frameth thargumeÌ„t eyther we must with the Arryans denye Christ god blasphemousely or consent moste folyshly to other false dreames that Christ suffred not at al. But as we be learned most truly certeynely in faith that
Christ was very God and perfyght mā and without iniury to his godhed whiche is impassible suffered neuerthelesse naturall death for he was naturall man without synne and when we knowe this truth assuredly by faith regarde not what all our senses repugne to the contrarye ne we do not leane to their testimony in it So in this high mystery of the sacrament of thaulter when we knowe by faith the presence of Christes naturall body and bloud by the mighty operaciō of his word prouoūced in the consecratiō by y e minister what a tentation is it of the deuyl to kepe a court w t our sēses carnall reasoning which be blind can not vnderstāde it of thē to make an enquest to knowe whyther my byleef therin be right or no which senses if they had bē enquired of christes body being cōuersaūt in erth theyr testimony had bē of christ y t he was but a man as other were euen as they now affyrme the Sacrament to be but brede as other brede is Theyr capacite is no further and therfore it is a madnes and ouer rude grossenes to commen with them in a matter I knowe well they can no skille of But herin we shulde leane to our faith groūded vpon goddes truth and confesse all to be so as god worketh by his omnipotēcy and therwith acknowledge the weakenes of mans capacite not able to comprehende it forasmuch as the plaine wordes of scripture declare and testifie vnto vs the presence of y e most preciouse bodye and bloud of our Sauiour Christ in the sacramēt of thaulter we should not be shaken or altered from that byleef what so euer oure sēses or carnal vnderstāding shuld barke to the cōtrary If myne eye seeth the host cōsecrate broken whiche is dayly done in the masse or deuoured by a mouse or otherwise percase abused whiche happeneth rarely is this a iust cause why my faith shulde by and by wauer and mystrust the truth by god declared vnto me Or els must carnal reasō and vnderstāding be satisfied how it commeth to passe that standyng our faith in the most blessed sacrament of the presence of the natural body and bloude of our sauioure Christ the same sacrament may be broken the same may be deuoured of the mouse the same maye be corrupte or otherwise mysused Whervnto fyrst I saye this that if after the wordes of consecratiō the hoste consecrate were so by god preserued from the iniuries and violences of other creatures as it eoulde not be brokē deuoured or corrupt it were such an outwarde myracle to the open confusiō of our carnal senses as wherby to take away the merite of our faith For vnto the faithfull suche myracles as saint Paule saith be not shewed but to the infidels And a good true christen beleuyng man knoweth this by faith that good is inuiolable impassible incorruptible immortall and that our sauyoure Christ the seconde person in trinite very god hauynge the humayne nature nowe vnite to the godhed and gloryfied can not any more suffre in that bodye violence or corruptiō ne be violate or brought to mortalyte Quia nō dabis sanctū tuum videre corruptionem And therfore what so euer mans senses affyrme of the violation corruption or destruction of the hoste consecrate a christen mannes faythe knoweth most certeinly that the most preciouse body of christ there present in that host is not violate is not corrupted is not destroyed for the faithful is asserteyned that Christus resurgens ex mortuis iam non moritur mors illi vltra nō dominabitur And therfore the same beynge truely taughte and enfourmed of goddes omnipotēcie consydereth that as Christ beynge conuersaunt in earth amonge the maliciouse Iewes before the tyme of his passion and when the same was not yet come as the gospell saith when the furiouse Iewes wolde haue precipitate him Transiens per medium illorū ibat And whē Herode slew al y e rest of y e children Christ beyng a child was preserued So in y e most blessed sacramēt of y e aulter how soeuer y e same be abused by mans malice or negligence or otherwise broken in the mystical vse of it yet the very body of our sauiour Christ there presēt continueth inuiolate impassible and is beyond the reach of any violence to be inferred by man beste or any other accidental occasion of any other cause ne y e true faithfull man can be induced by any worldly demonstration to departe or swarue from his true faith what so euer reasons may be made to the contrary he taketh them onely as tentacions of the deuill wherby to subuerte and ouerturne his stedfast faith being so firme stronge in a good christen man as the gates of hell can not preuaile against it muche lesse worldely fansies reasons or demonstraciōs and specially such as be grounded vpon the senses and carnal argumentes whiche can not atteine the secretes of gods mysteries The deuyl now a dayes diuulgeth by his wycked mynysters his leude tales of the abuses of the host consecrate when by to impugne the faith of the presence of the bodye of our sauyoure Christ And here is made mention of moulding mouse deuouryng with such lyke mysuses which the presēce of christes natural body if it were there as they say shuld defende wherein I wolde aske suche sorte of men as be moued by these reasones how moch these inconueniences so abhomynably tolde do excede and be more straunge wherby to shake our fayth but the wonderynge and murmurynge of our senses then those thynges whiche the churche doth daylye ordayne and openly do wherewith the true beleuers haue not ben offended Doth not the preiste daylye in the masse hath done alwaye breake the host consecrate in the syght of the people without offence or sclaūder of suche as haue these xv.c. yeres and do at this daye byleue the presence of the naturall bodye of Christ Haue not men of weake stomackes fearing they could not cōteine y e they receyued vsed reuerētly to forbeare to receyue y e most blessed Sacramēt where they certeynly beleued y e presēce of christes natural body to be able of power to heale body soule And haue eyther of these reuerēt vses amōge good mē empayred y e beleef amōg thē or good men ben inquisitiue howe god could be broken beynge impassible and presente in the sacrament of the aulter or bencuriouse to aske whye men shulde forbeare to receyue the sacrament for feare of any weakenes of stomack seinge god whome they beleue there present is able to heale al Good men were neuer offended with brekinge of the host whiche they dayly saw beyng also perswaded Christes body to be present in the sacrament naturally and really whervnto with worshyppinge they lyfted vp their handes and therewith nothinge doubted but god was inuiolable impassible when they saw the hoost broken in the masse ne vsed not to my struste goddes
immortalite when they haue sene a sycke man receiue the sacrameÌ„t not a quarter of an houre before his natural deth as though in that man the host consecrate wherein the body of Christ in present shulde with goddes iniury moulde or corrupt wast and consume And yet these right vses of the most blessed sacrament coÌ„teyne as straunge matter to mans seÌ„ses and carnall iudgement as do the leude and blasphemouse tales deuised and tolde wherby to inueigle mens vnderstaÌ„dynges and spoyle them of their true byleef And yet also these breakinges and vses of the moost blessed sacrament were neuer hyddeÌ„ in the churche ne kept secrete as thoughe the true belefe shulde therby decay or be diminished The churche hath not forborne to preache the truthe to the confusion of mans senses and vnderstanding whervnto men faithfull and obedient haue yelded acknowleginge gods omnipotency which mans reasoÌ„ can not matche The true churche hath taughte plainly and teacheth that by the omnipotencie of gods worde the substaunce of bred is conuerted to the substaunce of Christes natural bodye whiche is there then by his myghty power not by mutacyon of place by leauynge of heauen where he is euer present but by his infinite power wherby he can do all and of a specyal fauour to wardes vs worketh continually in his churche this mysterye and miracle and in forme of bread and wyne exhibiteth and presenteth himself to be eaten drunken of vs So as there is in the sacrameÌ„t of thaulter none other substaunce but the substaunce of the body and bloud of our sauiour christe yet remayneth the fourme and accidentes of bread and wyne not altered by this myracle froÌ„ knowledge of the senses wherwith they were before known also by gods sufferaunce subiecte to the same passibilite they were in before And yet here in this mystery and myracle wrought by gods power we acknowledge y t contrary to the comeÌ„ ordre of nature the substaunce of bred beyng conuerted into the naturall bodely substauÌ„ce of our sauiour Christ the other accideÌ„tes of bred wyne as quantities qualities remayne stil without iniury of Christes most preciouse body be as we dayly se altered broken and remayniÌ„g abyding without theyr owne fourmer substaÌ„ce of the creatures of bred wine whervnto they were by nature adioyned do now seruice theyr creatoure there present the very substauÌ„ce of all substaunces vnder which accidentes that is to say as we truely speake vnder fourme of bred and wine the naturall body receyued of vs iÌ„ the sacrameÌ„t of thaulter who so ordred himselfe to be eaten and dronken of vs in his last supper whiche continueth styll tyll the worldes ende with a perpetuall continuaunce also of the meruelouse workynge of the same festemaker presence of the same most preciouse meate Christe him selfe cum ipse sit coÌ„uiua conuiuiuÌ„ wher w t he coÌ„tinually fedeth such as come vnto hym in his churche which church according to his commaundement by special mynisters deputed thervnto vseth and exerciseth the same fest in the most holy masse where vnto good christen meÌ„haue daily accesse which most holy feste when men abuse as the Corynthians dyd it is their condemnation and can be nothyng preuidiciall or daungerouse to good mennes true beleef Suche I saye as haue their faith established vpon the true teachyng of the church that after the wordes of consecration the substaunce of bread is turned into the substaunce of the natural body and bloude of our Sauiour Christe Against which teachyng good men kicke not with howes and whattes for that is a token of incredulite if the chauÌ„cell were with fyre sodenly burned as hath happened by diuerse chaunces they thinke not christ that is god immortall there killed because he was there in the hoste after consecracion or forbeare anye whyt lesse to worshyp christ whom with theyr eyes of faith they se present in the sacrament of thaulter because their bodely syght perceyueth not any visible alteracion of the host before the consecracion after fynally such good meÌ„ beleue most stedfastly without sclaunder of theyr senies that the breakynge of the most blessed sacrament by the ministre in the masse doth no violacioÌ„ to christes most precious body there present â—e breaketh the most precyouse body whiche is impassible but only the fourme of bread vnder whiche it is coÌ„teyned and that the same most precyouse bodye is after hooly in eche of the partes of the host broken without any encrease in nuÌ„ber as thoughe there were theÌ„ many christes preseÌ„t but alwayes one christ the same christ But y e deuyl taketh his oportunite of mans carnall lyuynge whiles the bely hath the vpperhaÌ„d among a great many of the world by reason wher of the senses be had in estimation sturreth vp this abhominable heresy against the most blessed sacrament of the aulter vpon the senses maketh the chyefe groundes wherby now that afore was passed ouer in sylence when mennes senses were brought in obedience with true byleef is questioned and enquyred of as a newe matter And nowe men be asked how a mouse can eate god howe god can corrupt and waxe mo uld how god can be broken in pâ—eces which be fondly framed questioÌ„s And to y e great prouocatioÌ„ of gods hygh indignation blasphemously vttered Answer me then saith the deuyll by his apostels wherunto a true aunswere is this and the simplicitie required in a christeÌ„ maÌ„ sufficient Beleue that a mouse can not deuour god byleue that god can not corrupt Beleue that god can not be broken now after he is ones riseÌ„ and beleue also therwith that Christ god and man is naturally presente in the sacrament of thaulter For so Christe saith So the church of god teacheth So we be bounde to byleue If thou beest further taughte of the deuyll to replye y t if there remayne in y e host no substaunce but the substaunce of the body and bloude of Christ it must nedes be then that the same corrupteth or elles when goth it awaye or where haue ye scripture to declare the going away and departyng of Christ from the hoost And if Christ departe then is there no substaunce remayning where is no substaunce is nothynge And so thou wylte saye as the deuell lerueth the that by this teaching we shall haue nothynge somwhat And in dede the deuyl hath taught the to speake somewhat that is in effecte nothynge or worse then nothynge wherunto if men in these dayes can not aunswer probablye as I doubt not a great number can and yet in this tyme the world is rather occupied in garnyshynge the tonge with wordes theÌ„ to entre the further consyderatioÌ„ of iÌ„tricate sophistication wherby to be able to refell the same Shall the true faith of the churche in this hyghe mystery perish in the by the deuyls secrete tentation bycause I or such other can not aunswer thy sophisticall argument
teacheth this to be the true byleef of the most blessed Sacrament of the aulter that there is present the natural body and bloud of our sauiour Christe Good men in the same churche with theyr bodylye senses haue seen and herde as moch matter repugnaunt to theyr senses in the mysticall and deuoute vse of the blessed sacrament as the deuyl now telleth in scoffynge tales and yet therwith reteyned styl the same faith inuiolably wherfore al good men shulde lykewise do the same nowe without curiosite or serche how the same myght be whiche to good men shulde be a solucion for the hole matter For true byleuers knowe that as the handes of the mynisters that breake y e sacrameÌ„t in the masse the teeth also of them that receyue it ne y e naturall heate of theyr body wherin it desceÌ„deth doth no violence of passibylitie bringeth no corruption alteratioÌ„ or coÌ„sumptioÌ„ to the most precyouse bodye of our sauiour Christe no more can any beest y t shulde touche the host irreuerently or any temperature of the ayre and place in the moulding or alteryng of the hoste And further more I aunswer that beinge in the most blessed Sacrament of thaulter two considerations one that it is a sacrameÌ„t another y t it is also the thing it self of y e sacrament that is to saye Christes most preciouse body bloud albeit there is in y e host no substauÌ„ce of bread but only the substaunce of y e most precious body bloud of our sauiour Christ yet there is which appere to our bodelye senses the forme of bread and wyne vnder whiche the most precyouse substaunce of the bodye and bloude of our sauiour Christ is couered and hidden from our bodely eyes for our weakenes and infirmitie as Theophilus Alexandrius sayeth And when we call the Sacrament of the aulter God we vnderstand the substaunce of that sacrament which is Christ God and maÌ„ there present and accordinge to that vnderstandynge attribute all godly honour vnto it and in this speach the worde SacrameÌ„t sygnyfieth and gyueth vnderstandynge by a speciall signification and by excellencye as learned men speake of it the thynge signified there present that is to saye the bodye bloude of our sauiour Christ whiche can not be broken with hande can not be torne with teeth or be altered consumed moulded or deuoured of beeste or putrified ne herein the bodely senses can beare any witnes to the contrarye for they can not atteyne that But wheÌ„ we vse the worde Sacramente or the worde hoste and apply the speache of it to suche a matter as maye not be saide of the naturall body of Christ then the speache is verefied in those fourmes of bread and wyne vnder whiche the most precious body of christ is couered As when we say that the sacrameÌ„t is broken or moulded or altered it is only vnderstanded of the sayde forme of bread and wine beyng the outward accidentes as the qualities or dimensioÌ„s which god there preserueth not otherwise by outward miracle beyng theÌ„ susteined by his most preciouse bodely substaunce then when they be naturally ioyned to the substaunce of bread wherof that god thus doth not mannes senses because those accidentes be sensible may iudge for we se it so and those accydentes be perceptible by the bodely sight and sence and with the eye of the soule in fayth we se the presence of the most preciouse body of our sauioure Christe who there is the only substaunce of the sacrament so longe remaynynge vnder those accidentes as the fourme of bread and wyne vnder whiche by the omnipotency of his worde it pleaseth hym to exhibite hym selfe vnto vs doth remayne and coÌ„tinue Here the deuyll whyspereth If god were there he wolde not suffre thaccidentes corrupt or be violate by any outwarde violence Wherunto as I haue before touched I saye this is verely the deuils suggestion to make the foundacyon of our sayth not vpoÌ„ godly teachynge but vpon the continuall outwarde myracle and nothynge to be in myâ—â—ery whervnto mylde simplycite yeldeth but in al open violent signes suche as the vnfaythfull could not resiste And yet yf the accidentes of the hoste were by goddes power for declaration of his presence made impassible and incorruptible the deuyll wolde fur her require that mans body receyuynge the same shulde also be made impassible and incorruptible by the myght of Christes presence For els Magi Pharaonis wolde presume to couÌ„terfet the other myracle call it witchecrafte For the deuyl is calumniator and laboureth to depraue all thynge But good meane haue yelded to goddes true teachyng in his churche and subduyng the carnall vnderstandyng haue auoyded by his grace this tentacion of the deuyll to requyre outwarde signes as thoughe god shuld testify his presence in the moost blessed sacrament with preseruation of thaccidentes in the sacrament and theyr bodely state frome presente corruption and immortalitie that receyue hym and so the sycke manne by the holy communion to attayne streyghte bodely helthe wherin al though god hath somtyme for encreace of his glory and to the edification of his churche shewed his power yet it hath not ben requyred as necessary among good men and for the increase of our merite in faythe not expedient so as the holy martyrs who after they had for theyr strength in martyrdome which they sawe immineÌ„t receyued Christes moost preciouse body in the sacrament of thaulter continued neuerthelesse in their bodies subiecte to outwarde violence to be slayne as they were by tirauntes wherwith the reste of suche as truely beleued were not offended For if the carnall senses shall haue suche a preeminence and prerogatrue as the want of a newe outwarde myracle to theyr satisfactioÌ„ shall empayre the true faythe of goddes inwarde workynge with vs and for vs we maye worthely be called Gens incredula quae signum quaerit non dabitur eâ— By suche mystruste the Capharnaites loste the fruite of Christes teachynge but we shulde knowlege as the disciples of Christe dyd that Christes wordes be lyfe euerlastynge And surely suche as beleue not symply oure Moyses chryste and the holy prophetes of his churche they wyll gyue small credence to any other newe myracles though men rose agayne froÌ„ death to speake with them but rather study to dysproue all thynge that repugneth to theyr opynion who beyng lyfted vp by y e deuil in vayneglory of knowlege aboue y e pinacle of the temple thynke they had more wytte learning then al bysshoppes priestes that be mynisters of the temple But now coÌ„meth the deuill as a mediatour in an other cote and vnder pretence to satisfye all vnderstandynges he wolde haue the beleef in the sacrament in one poynt releaued wolde we shuld beleue the remaynynge of the substaunce of bread wherwith to assoyle the argumentes of the mouse and yet graunte the substaunce of the body of christ to be there for the substaunce and foode of christen men which kinde of
beleef good christeÌ„ men taugh by the spyrite of god haue not receyued for it can not be maynteyued of Christes wordes who spake playnely This is my body makynge demonstratioÌ„ of the bread when he sayd This is my body by the myghte of whiche wordes of Christe that was demonstrate by the demonstratioÌ„ this which was the bread was altered and chaunged into his body wherby the substaunce of bread was conuerted in to the substaunce of his moste preciouse body wherin was declared Christes meruelouse power wherof Theophilus speaketh in this wyse Our lorde condescendynge to oure infirmitie altered not the fourme of bread and wyne but coÌ„serueth them turneth the bread and wyue into y e truth of his fleshe and bloude and this is the true vnderstaÌ„dyng of Christes speach whiche and yf we vnderstande so as the breade shuld remayne then folowe many absurdyties and chiefely that Chryste hath taken the nature of bread as he toke the nature of man and so ioyned it to his substaunce And then as we haue God verely incarnate for our redemption so shulde we haue God impanate and then shuld we haue in Christe besydes the diuine essence two other substauÌ„ces absque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and be compelled to fayne to the truthe that christen eares abhorre to the subuersion of the same as we haue seen amonge other come to passe Wherfore as the truthe whiche the churche hath and dothe playnly and syncerely teache is moost certeyne and sure grounded vppon the playne wordes of oure Sauyoure Christe in the moost blessed sacrament so euery christen man shulde receyue it and beleue it fyrmely without wauerynge or diuisyng any addition to the same Let men forsake theyr carnal erthlye senses and the wycked kynred of malicious seducers get the out thense good reader and resorte to the company of true faythful men and knowledge with them the reuelation in the moste blessed Sacrament of the presence of the naturall bodye and bloude of oure sauyour Iesu Christ whiche caro et sanguis can not declare but onlye Pater noster qui est in coelis who hath declared it and taughte it oure mother the churche ANother point of the deuelish sophistrie is betwene y e wordes and meanyng wherein the deuyl shyfteth y e matter thus Where the wordes of scrypture be playne euydente manyfeste and confyrme the catholique truth there the deuyll deuyseth an other meanynge and aduertiseth his scholers that the wordes be nothynge withoute the meanynge and therfore sayth he we must vnderstande Chrystes wordes as he ment them and therfore saith the deuyl beware of the wordes and take hede of the meanyng Christ sayth the deuyl sayd This is my body but take hede sayth sathan what Christ ment O abhominable Sathan full falsely doest thou meane O good christen faythful man marke thou this sophistrye For it is in dede a true lesson that the very worde of god is the true meanynge of scripture and who hath that true meanyng which is not taughe by maÌ„s wyt and deuyse of vnderstanding but by declaration from god reueled to the churche he hath goddes wordes to hys comforte and consolation and who hath the wordes of scripture peruersely taken is therwith infected and poysened to his coÌ„fusion as the Arrians Sabellyans and an infinite numbre of heretikes haue ben So as it must nedes be grauÌ„ted that in the meaning of scripture is the marie the carnel the swetnes y e fode the hony of scripture without whiche the wordes be a bytter shale and an harde bone without foode or sustenaunce This must nedes be confessed of all men as an euident truthe whiche the deuyll abuseth by cauyllacion and sophistrie to ouerturne the truthe in the moost blessed sacrament of thaulter For openynge of which sophistrie it is to be consydered that somtyme in scripture the wordes be so placed and ordered as the meanyng is vttered and opened with the wordes at ones and hath such lyght of the wordes as they appere bothe togyther and without further serche be streyght coÌ„ueyed to our vnderstandynge Somtyme agayne the wordes be such or so vsed and placed as they brynge not theyr meanynge streyght with them in the same lyght but more darkely and as it were hydden vnder the wordes Nowe in the fyrste sorte of wordes whiche brynge theyr sense with them yf we shuld in them cal for a meanyng And when we rede Humiliauit semetipsum dominus noste lesus Christus factus obediens vsque ad mortem Our lorde Iesus Christe hath humbled hym selfe beynge obedyent to the deth we shulde call for a meanyng and saye we muste vnderstande these wordes as sayncte Paule mente them Can we meane any thynge by callynge soo for a meanynge but to calle the certayne meanynge quam aenigma sit loeÌ„m Heliam esse intellectu opus ad intelligendum inquit Qui habet aures ad audiendù audiat Ita inducens eos vt interrogent ac discant Whiche wordes in latin be in englysh this sentence And yf ye wyll receyue it he is Helias whiche shulde haue coÌ„me If ye wyll sayth Theoph. receyue it that is to saye iudge it ryghtly and not with an enuiouse mynde he is Helias whom the prophet Malachie sayd shulde come For saincte IohnÌ„ that came before Christ and Helias haue ben bothe allotted to one office The one to go before y e fyrst comyng of christ and the other before the laste commynge And then shewynge howe this was a darke speache y t IohnÌ„ was Helias conteyned a secrete vnderstandynge in it and requyred therfore another sense to be perceyued sayd He that hath eares of hearynge let hym heare so inducyng them to aske learne Thus saith Theophilacte by whome we be learned of the circumstance to note the meanyng if it be hydden and so not onely the wordes to be noted in theyr common sense but the meanyng to be asked and learned which lesson neglected as the deuyll medleth with such as marketh it not engendreth in y e knowledge of truth a greate perplexite wherof the deuyl taketh opportunite to inueigle them and somtyme preacheth somtyme writeth to the vnlearned on this wyse Christes wordes be true when he sayde This is my body but as he mente them For so he sayde he was a waye he was a vyne he was a doore but he was not a naturall vyne he was no such way as men walke in no such doore as men coÌ„monly entre into but only a resemblaunce of all these bycause he is our waye to heauen oure doore to entre in to lyfe our vynestocke in whome we as braunches be nouryshed kepte in lyfe And so lyke wyse ê™ the deuyll when Christe saith This is my body he meaneth that it is onely a resemblaunce a figure a tokeÌ„ a signe of his body which semeth a stronge argumeÌ„t to suche as haue not theyr senses exercised as s Paule saith to discerne good euyll that is to saye truthe from
againe called Iacob whych latter callinge of Iacob dydde nothynge preiudicate the truthe of gods worde vttered before Forasmuch as this laste maner of callynge was not a through namynge of hym but only as it were a pointing to distinct outwardly the man and because he was ones Iacob is called Iacob againe As the sacrament because it was ones breade is called bread againe And now I returned to this that yf mens fayth were such as is required of christen men they wold be wiselye deefe as the serpente that stoppethe her eares and nothynge be altered with the deuyls intricacions or incantacioÌ„s in wordes and names euen as we beleue certainely that Christ is perfytte god and perfyt man what so euer names be attribute in scripture vnto hym as he is called a shepe a worme a lyon and many other And althoughe Christe saith hym selfe his father is greatter then he yet this is true that his father he be equall and yet equall and greater be in apparaunce contrarye And so beleuynge as euerye good Christen man muste beleue that Christ is equall to his father in substaunce and deitie we beleue the contrary in apparaunce to senses vnexercysed of that Christ sayd hym selfe But these notwithstandynge howe so euer thapparaunce of wordes be in scriptures we beleue the truth taught vs by y e churche as euery man lerneth to spell that sometime c with a â—yttell spelleth est in another place e with a title spelleth en as when we write AmeÌ„ and another tyme e with a tytle spelleth em as meÌ„ brum whiche varietie goeth by rule in place whereunto an humble scoler obeyeth and not by reason as an arrogant witte wolde requyre So in all the secretes and contractions as we myghte call them and misteries hydden of our religion good men haue euer leaned to the rule of teachinge in christes churche and taken a title some tyme for n and sometyme for m as they were taught the place to require and not to spell after theyr owne iudgemente as euerye man weneth it shulde be after his vehement reason of his owne diuise Doth not s Paule saith he call it breade and be not these wordes of scripture And be any words truer or better then the wordes of scripture Of whome I aske this question agayne Hath not the churche had and vnderstanded these wordes of scrypture that ye soo vehementlye alledge Hathe not the churche deliuered those wordes vnto vs And hath not the same churche notwythstandynge taughte thys truthe howe the breade by consecratyon is conuerted into the precyouse bodye of Chryste and condemned those that wolde affyrme breade to remayne and with that theyr condemnation reteyned and kepte in honoure saint Paule who wrote these wordes that ye make so greate matter of The churche hathe condemned the Arryans that denyed Chryste to be equalle wyth his father and yet the same churche hathe stylle kepte in honoure the Euangelyst that wrote howe Chryste sayde his father was greatter then he And yet the Arryans sayde they spake none other then the Euangelystes testyfyed in playne wordes as some wyll saye nowe a dayes they speake none otherwyse then Saynte Paule dothe But suche heretyques wyll heddelye spell as they lyste and not folowe the rule of ryghte vnderstandyng without whiche men muste neades wauer and swarue in their owne coniecture beynge the coniecture the rule of leade that men now a daies sensually folowe plyable to theyr fansyes eueÌ„ so fondely as some like worshipful clerkes haue taken the wordes of scrypture written by the euangelistes for god him selfe and those haue gyuen thankes to the lord for their hyghe knowledge acheued by continuall readynge by them selfe alone and hauynge a newe testamente by theyr gyrdell wherby they haue bosted them self deliuered from the greatte ignoraunce wherwith other were blinded for by their owne deuise iÌ„ their wyse imagination they had seene god and harde god euen face to face by hearinge and seinge the wordes of scripture which they fansied to be god hym selfe because of the wordes of sainte Ihons gospel where it is written The word was god I do not herein fayne reader but wrytte the matter in dede and in dyuerse men deprehended and founde whiche fonde errour hathe ben engendred of blynde arrogancye amongest those that thinke theÌ„ selfe able to wade throughe the scriptures withoute direction of suche teachynge as the churche taught by y e scripture of god hath gathered of y e same scryptures Damascene of whome I haue before spoken hath this good lesson that as it is signified to vs by scripture that we shall be all taught of god so by the same scripture we be admonished to aske of our elders they shall tell vs whiche declareth a maner of reachyng not to be coÌ„tempned of men who despisinge al other men for teachers as they solysshly vnawares learne other to contemne them so do they despise god accordynge to Christes wordes Qui vos spernit me spernit He that despiseth you despiseth me Here may come in percase in thys high matter a scoffe with a questioÌ„ which you And then why shal not I teache you aswell as you me or rather I you For doth not Chryst saye I knoweledge to the father thou haste hydden these thinges from the wise and shewed them to the yongelinges And Paule saith the wysedome of the worlde is folysshenes afore god And then an other question in what vniuersitie was sainte Peter made doctoure And so shall aryse the controuersy whiche the deuyll engendreth who shall teache other who shall be the scoler and who the maister wythout eche man shulde playe bothe partes as of some number eche maÌ„nowe a dayes wolde playe alone al partes and euery man be mayster to him self to himself scoler also with requeste to god that he wyll vouchesaue to teache hym secretelye by often readynge and spelling after his fashion for he may not be instruct by man nor for shame submytte hym selfe to hys felowe to make his mate his maister to haue power ouer hym accordynge to Saynte Paules wordes as he raketh them where he is fashyoned to saye to the Corynthians I wyll be vnder no mans power For soo thenglysshe hathe althoughe the sence be otherwise And this conclusion do these questions engendre where euery man muste be so aunswered as his sensualite may be coÌ„tented which is impossible But to the purpose The churche is a bodye distincte as saynte Paule saith to the Corinthyans wherein euery member hathe not one office confuselye but some be prophetes and some be pastours and teachers c. And where some be appointed to reache some other muste also be appointed to be taught howebeit to auoyde this contentyon betwene this questyoner and me and to eschue all comparyson for this time I am contente to be with hym in y e place of a scooler and aske wyth hym of other that is to saye of those that
domino quod tradidi uobis I haue receyued of our lorde whiche I haue by tradition delyuered vnto you Whereby and by that foloweth when he saith Cetera cum venero disponam I shall ordre the reste when I come it appereth he hadde taught the Corrinthians the summe of this hygh mistery and the vse of it without writyng before and wolde adde more whē he came whichmore he taught and yet we haue no wrytynge of it but the churche hath not forgotten it but hath taught it without writynge as she receiued it And it appeareth in that epistle of S. Paule that rehersynge suche tradicion as they had receiued of hym he blameth and reproueth them for the not obseruation of it And thus muche for the worde institution that pleaseth which scripture hath not and the worde tradicion abhorred that scripture hathe so as wordes go but by fauour as this matter is hādled But y e matter of this obiectiō must be aunswered seriousely which is grounded vpon the texte of scripture Frustra colūt me doctrinis hominum They worshippe me in vayne wyth the doctrine of men the true sense wherof is all oute of thys purpose and the vse of thys scrypture as it is mysvnderstanded serueth to ouerturne all For the churche is congregate of men and women whyche both be comprehended vnder that worde men And all the outwarde teachynge in this churche hathe ben by men All thappostles sent to teache the gospell were mē Saynt Paule at his conuersion frome darkenes to lyght when it was said to him y t it shuld be tolde hym what he shuld do then was Ananias by god ordred to go to Paule and declare what he shuld do Moyses leader of y e synagoge y e figure of our church was a mā And the prophetes were men So as if god be worshypped in vayne by teachinge of men Inanis est fides nostra our fayth is a vayne thynge whiche is ex auditu of hearing and taughte vs by men men I saye as ministres to god wherof god is thauthor à quo omne datum optimum et omne donum perfectum Christ sayd Sine me nihil potestis facere But hereby appereth y t this text hath another vnderstandynge and the worde men not to signifie the hole numbre of men so as it shuld comprehend eche man throughly how so euer they be qualified but onely the corrupte state of man seuered from god and his church in christ of whiche hole state not endued w t goddes grace it is sayde Omnis homo mendax All men be lyers That is to saye all suche as haue not putte vpon them Christe who is truthe And frustra colunt me doctrinis hominū They worshyp me in vayne with the teachynges of suche as remayne in the state of men onelye and then teache their owne of them selfe For all suche teachynge is lyke the teacher that is to say carnall For the carnall man non percipit ea quae sunt spiritus deus est spiritus in spiritu adoratur and therefore god is worshipped in vaine with the teachinge of men For it hathe the pretence of worshyppe and is not directed to hym but onelye deuysed to vpholde worldelye polycye Suche deuises had Numa pompilius with the Romaines and afore him Licurgus with the Lacedemonians and of late Mahomete with the Turkes and more lately all such as haue taken vpon them to vnderstande the scriptures alone and them selfe alone deuised howe they wold haue god worshipped after their fashion withoute noyse or brute without the compasse of our eares or eyes only by readynge that they vnderstande not sauyng some be so ful of knowledge as they encombre the companye more with their harse rude voice in prattelynge then the parysshe clerke with his horse breste in singinge Of all these sortes of mens teachinges which be mens deuises seuered frō Christes churche maye be sayde frustra me colūt doctrinis hominum But such men as be membres of Christes mysticall body in his churche and haue the place of ordering and teaching in the same vnto whome other are bounde to obeye and gyue eare vnto them suche men be comprehended in this text Frustra colunt me doctrinis hominum But he that cōtemneth those thinges that they teache agreablye to the truthe receyued non hominem spernit sed deū who saith Obey such as haue the ordre of you and obedience is preferred al other sacrifices wherw t god is worshipped not invaine but meritoriouselye And therefore that texte alledged agaynste the teachinge in christes churche is as grossely abused as a key to cleaue logges For if the doctryne be not repugnaunt to the scripture or the custome suche as hyndreth not gods glory it can not be in vaine that maketh to oure edificacion procedeth from authoritie which hath power to rule and leade vs whereby we be all directed to do one thyng to declare sette forthe that we be one bodye wherein god is glorified accordynge as Chryst sayd Vt videāt opera vestra bona glorificent deū qui in coelis est And so when S. Paule ordered the women to be couered in y e churche to signifie her subiection and that she had ones offended in her preuarication agaynst her husbād and god and with presumption to haue knowledge was the ruine of mankynd and furder ordered her to kepe sylence in y e congregation this text of frustra colūt me doctrinis hominum yf it had bene then written wold not haue serued the women to replye and saye These were small matters whyche god regardeth not and therfore sayd Frustra colunt me doctrinis hominum They worshyppe me in vayne with the doctrines of men For saint Paule was not in the numbre of these men as I sayde before and his authorite was of god and the thynges ordered for a godly purpose wherwith god is in the decente semely ordre of his people duely worshipped and also pleased This matter I haue now spoken wyll be called a digressiō and out of the matter of the sacrament in dede it is not all togyther in it but toward it for I trust hereby that commen weapō shall be layde asyde of frustra colunt me doctrinis hominum whiche manye had in their mouthe as they haue a blunt dagger by their syde to be sene to speake scripture though it be nothing to the purpose And now I wyl com to the institution of christ of the holy sacrament And here men must take heede that they be not deceyued in the word institutiō as signifieng furder vnto them then the scriptures do testyfye For yf by the worde institution shulde be signyfyed a precise ordre sette forth with all the circumstaunce in the nature of a precyse lawe signifienge that it muste be frome thenseforth so obserued and none otherwise whych matter the worde institution semeth to include and soundethe so in common