A DETECTION OF THE Deuils Sophistrie wherwith he robbeth the vnlearned people of the true byleef in the most blessed Sacrament of the aulter Timeo ne sicut serpens euam seduxit astutia sua ita corrumpantur sensus uestri excidant asimplicitate 2. Cor. 11. 1546. ¶ STEVEN Bisshoppe of Winchester to the reader COnsyder gentle reader how ful of iniquite this tyme is in whiche the hyghe mysterie of our religion is so opeÌ„ly assaulted Byleue not euery spirite and mystruste thyne owne iudgement aboue the reache of thy capacite If thou beest hungry for knowledge take hede thou fallest not on euery careyn Be desyrouse of the very truth and seke it as thou art ordered by the direction of Christes churche and not as deceytfull teachers wold leade the by theyr secrete waies Folow God and his mynisters whom he ordereth to rule and rather conforme knowlege to agre with obedience where goddes truthe repugnethe not vnto it then with violation of obedience which is a displeasaunt fault to enterprise the subuersion of goddes honoure and glory Finally reade wheÌ„ thou readest with fauour to that truth whiche the consent of Christes churche hath from the beginnynge commended vnto vs and reuerentlye at theyr handes receyue the true vnderstaÌ„dynge of scriptures whose true testimonie hath certified vs of the selfe same scriptures And haue alwaies in remembraunce the wordes of saint Iames howe God resisteth the presumptuouse and arrogant and geueth grace to suche as be in spirite meke and lowly whiche gyfte God graunte the and well to feare A DETECTION OF the Deuyls Sophistrie wherwith he robbeth y e vnlearned people of the true belefe in the moost blessed Sacrament of the aulter THe first chiefe and pryncypall poynt of deceyte and sophistry is to make euery maÌ„ thiÌ„ke of him selfe further then is in dede in him by this persuasioÌ„ that god graunteth true vnderstandinge and wisedome to euery man that wold haue it hath nede of it asketh it in his name whiche hathe suche an euydente truth in it as no man can dyrectly deny it and gainesay it for so god doth in dede yet not so as the vnlerned do take it thinketh it to be vnderstanded For albeit god giueth al knowlege to fede the soule as he giueth also all foode and nourriture to the corporall bodies and it is for both generally sayd Iacta super dominum curaÌ„ tuam et ipse te enutriet â–ª wherin god hath also to shew his omnipotency giueÌ„ sodenlye speche to them that could not speake as to Ieremy geuen the vnlerned sodenly knowlege to confound the great clerkes chaunged water into wine in a moment to make chere to gestes of the feast and multiplied by his blessing the fiue loues to the necessary releef of the hungry fed his people with manna in desert and geuen theÌ„ for releef out of the hard dry stone water Yet we may not hereof presume that god bycause he can alwaies therfore also he wil alwaies contynually worke new myracles and giue his giftes out of ordre and make heruest in February or children and rude ignorantes lerned before they go to scoole And in dede we myght aswel and better aske our bodely foode without our labour and sesonable time as aske the knowledge of lernynge to instructe the soule without tyme or â—ue endeuor wherwith to attayne the same It is goddes worke that we come by it when we come by it with our labour and teachynge of other for neque qui plantat est aliquid neque ê— rigat sed qui incrementum dat deus And we that in our Pater noster aske our daylye bread knowledge it to come of god when we haue it and yet no man bosteth him selfe to haue it by cause he hath asked it or loketh otherwise for it but by thapplyeng of his labour and industry thervnto which persuasion if these symple vnlerned had in the atteinynge of wisedome they wold mistrust their owne iudgement and thinke themself as they be vnlerned and with out longe exercise and diligent endeuor with a vessell mete and apte to receiue the same not thinke theÌ„ selfe to haue obteined that gifte of god ne be able for want therof to discusse of lerning This false persuasion of lerning wherewith the deuyll inueigleth the simple and ingendreth in them a pryde of conninge and vnderstandinge whiche they haue not is the foundacion roote wherupon is buylded and groweth false doctrine in the high misteryes of our religion specyally in the most blessed SacrameÌ„t of thaulter wherin diuerse haue of late peuersely reasoned vnlearnedly spoken w t such presuÌ„ptuouse pride intollerable arrogancy as declare plainly the same to procede of the spirite of the deuyl ful of errours lyes blyndenes ignoraunce by reason wherof they stuÌ„ble in the playne way can not see in the mydde day For what can be more euidently spoken of the preseÌ„ce of Christes natural body and bloud in the most blessed sacrameÌ„t of the aulter theÌ„ is in those wordes of scripture whiche our Sauioure Christ ones said and be infallible truth and styll sayth in consecration of this most holy Sacrament by the coÌ„mon ministre of y e church This is my body But againste this truth the deuyll striueth and fyghteth by his ministers lewde apostles with sophistical deuyses wherwith he troubleth the grosse imaginacioÌ„s of the symple people And hauynge ones enchaunted the rude wyttes with this charme of presuÌ„ptuouse knowledge wherof I spake before wherby the ignorauÌ„t waxeth so arrogaÌ„t as he maketh himself able to iudge and discerne betwene playnnes and craft bytwene reason and sophisticacion betwene argument and argument exposition and expositioÌ„ suche as be thus ouerthrowen in their iudgement and so blynded in themselfe the deuyll easely entangleth and byndeth fast to him with carnall reasons deceitfull expositions crooked argumentes and counterfet coÌ„tradictioÌ„s and therby leadeth them away captiue and thralde from the true catholtque byleefe in this moost holye sacramente which sophystry and deceptes be diuersely tempered after these sortes AND FYRST to the carnall man the deuyll bringeth carnall reasons and for conformation and proufe of them calleth to witnes the carnall senses both of the bodye and soule And streyght thyne eye sayeth there is but bread and wyne Thy tast saith the same Thy felinge and smellynge agre fully with them Herevnto is added the carnall mans vnderstandyng whiche bycause it taketh the begynning of the senses procedeth in reasoning sensually And as the Epicures dyd concludeth that y e senses togither can not be deceyued wherevpon also the Epicurians saide the sonne was but two fote brode because theyr eye iudged it to be no bygger And from this they wolde not be brought but remayned as ferme in that foly as some heretiques do in this mischeuous deuellysh misbeleefe against the moost blessed Sacrament of the aulter Wherefore all suche as ground their errour agaynst
beggers As we se lykewyse by the deuylles sophistical entisementes by seueral inquisitions of the validitie of this or that ceremony alone ceremonies so contempned of many as the substaunce of oure religion is amonge manye prodigall chyldren wasted and consumed by contempte of the preist and his garmentes aparte by small regarde to the place and other ceremonyes neglected Chryste hym selfe in the sacramente of the aulter is despised mocked skorned with suche toyes and termes as the Iewes deuised not more spiteful euen when they saluted him w t Aue rex Iudeorum and spette in his teeth But after the same sorte reuerence decaieth towardes all estates and innocencye as one writeth departeth from man by degrees no man begynneth with the greatest abhominacion but where small faultes be not duely corrected the greate and abhominable shall neuer be eschewed The marchaunte that wyll thryue estemeth his farthynge is therin throughlye wyttie to matche with the deuylles sophistry and can espy that althoughe a farthinge considered alone is nothinge yet he is therein as wyse as Hesiodus who for a lesson of thriuinge sayeth Lytle to litle maketh a great heape So wyse be the chyldren of this world in theyr generation to ordre y e wicked Mammona And for conseruation of our religion whiche shulde for euer conserue vs we be so foolysshe to be deceyued with the deuyls false sophistrye in diuision and call all nothinge that conteine not the hole suÌ„me wherof ensueth the dissipation of all amonge many to the destruction of body and soule for euer as we haue latelye sene in a few y t died most miserably to the terrible example of other to beware by them The wrath of god hath lighted on them but they onelye were not in faulte Derelinquat impius uiam suam uir iniquus cogitationes suas Beleef hath ben so moch talked on with talking men fallen into suche ydelnesse of workes that the deuyll hath taken his opportunitie to spoyle men of their true beleef for onelye beleefe waÌ„teth that hath ben so much tratteled of onelye to suffyse Cato the Romaine as a worldely wyse man vttered a prudent sentence that he feared the youth of the Romaines shulde leaue their valyaunte actes after they beganne ones so muche to talke of them The speache was not the cause thereof for then we shoulde saye learninge were not good but yet we often see them concurre togither wherby appearethe suche corruption in manes nature as speache in a coÌ„mon welth shuld be committed to fewe and the multitude in sylence to speake of vertue with their dedes Accordinge wherevnto saint Paule said Two or thre of the prophetes shoulde speake in the coÌ„gregacion and the reste holde their peace and none speake agayne onlesse he hadde a newe reuelacion If men waxe as wanton in their speache as wemen why shulde not suche be vnder the precepte of scylence aswell as wemen and if they be desirouse of knoweledge ascende to the mountayne where it is placed by suche degrees as Gregorye Nazianzene speaketh of very necessarye to be obserued For els in the tonge and knowledge is moche loosenes and temeritie oneles the same be ordered and stayed by the feare of god For where is the feare of god there is keping of his comaundementes Where the comaundementes be kepte the carnall parte is purged whiche elles maketh mannes soule cloudye and suffreth it not to se clearely y e beame of godly light Where is suche purgynge there is clearenes whiche causeth muche desyre euermore to ascende frome vertue to vertue which is the stay of knowledge and confirmacioÌ„ of it and so by these degrees doinge is the waye to knowledge But this ordre is pretermytted wherof foloweth suche effecte of knowlege as sainte Paule speaketh of How knoweledge swelleth and puffethe vp mennes stomackes the faulte whereof is not in learnynge but in the indisposicioÌ„ of such as presume vnto it which fault god of his infinite mercye amende for he onely can and wyll when his pleasure shalbe whiche our behauyour towardes hym maye haste or delaye If requeste intercession desyre to all enterlaced with sharpe punyshmente to some and mercye plentifullye mynystred to other can refourme y t is amysse all hath ben assayed and attempted on the kynges maiesties behalfe As he is a prynce furnyshed with knowledge and power goddes specyall gyftes and great so he hath vsed both for the reformacion of his people The conseruation of true belefe is only desyred for the maynetenaunce of gods glory wherin y e deuyll also pretendeth to laboure and trauayle but deceytfullye and also sophistycally as I haue purposed to declare vnto you whiche howe I wold haue done for the releif of other I knowe and howe I haue done shal leaue it to youre iugement which god direct to the atteyninge of al truth which is only in our sauiour Iesus christ and by hym whom all good christen meÌ„ haue from the beginning do still beleue most assuredly to be present really in the sacrament of thaulter without leauinge his seate in heauen where he is also continuallye our aduocate to relieue our infirmities as he is in the sacrament of thaulter to fede our weake bodies soules wherby to make vs stroÌ„g to come to him liue without end Amen Prynted at London in Aldersgate strete by IhonÌ„ Herforde at the costes charges of Roberte Toye dwellynge in Paules churcheyarde at the sygne of the Bell. 1546. The deuell deceyuyth most craftely when he pretendyth truth Psalm 54. lerimae 1. Ioan. 2. Math. 14. Exodi 16. Exodi 17. I Cor. 3. Math. 4. Chrisost ho. 60 Non sunt humane uirtutis hee opera que tunc in illa cena confecit iyse nunc quoque operatur ipse perficit nosmi nistrorum ordinem tenemus qui uero hec saÌ„ctificat traÌ„s mutat ipse est Grego Naizan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chriso bo 60. Credamus ubi ê™ deo neque repugnemâ—s ei etiam si sensvi cogitacioin nostrae absus Lum esse widetur quod dicit superetque sensum rationem nostram quod in omnibus prâ—â—â—pue imysteriâ—â— hâ—â— quâ— ante nos iacent solum moâ—o spicientes sed uerâ—â— quoque eius todmentes Nam uerbis eius defreudari non possumus sensus uero noster deceptu facilli mus est illa falsa esse non possunt is saepius acsaepius decipitur Quoni amergo ille di xit Hoc est corpus meum nulla teneamur imbiguitate sed credamus 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 14. Psal 15. Roma 6. Luc. 4. Mat. 2. Chriso h o. 60. Illa noÌ„ alia meÌ„sa est hec nulla re minor quam uls est Non enim illam Christus hac homo quis piam facit sed utranque ipse Hier adâ—ebidiaÌ„ 1. Cor. 11. These be the doubtes of incredulite Non in persuasibilibus humanae sapienciae uerbis 1. Cor. 2. D. August de Trinitate Prouet 15. Eccle. 3. Augustine 〈…〉
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
communicamus eius carneÌ„ ac diuinitatem participamus communicamus etiam dum inuicem vnimur hac communione Quandoquidem enim ex vno pane participamus omnes unum Christi corpus vnus sanguis concorporei christo existentes mutua inuicem membra efficimur Omni igitur cautione obseruandum est ne ab hereticis participationeÌ„ admittere sustineamê° sed nec illis dare Et enim ne detis sancta canibus dnÌ„s inquit neque proijcite margaritas uestras ante porcos ut non participes erroris malae eorum fidei efficiamur condempnationis Si uerò omninò est unio nobis ad Christum inuicem nobis cum est denique omnibus omninò eadem nobiscum consentionem et uoluntatem participantibus etiam unio est Ipsa enim unitas ex libera animi electione fit non absque nostra sententia uoluÌ„tate Omnes enim unum corpus sumus quod ex uno pane participamus vt inquit diuinus apostolus Exemplaria uerò futuroruÌ„ dicuntur noÌ„ taÌ„quam uere non sint corpus sanguis Christi sed ê™ nuÌ„c per illa participamus Christi diuinitatem tunc autem intellectualiter per solam uisionem THe good and all good saithe Damascene and tâ— excellyng good god beynge altogether goodnes wolde not suffre the same goodnes that is to saie his verye nature to remaine sole withoute participation made thereof by other And therefore god firste made the intellectuall and heauenlye vertues After that the visible and sensible world and then man of a nature that hath both sense and vnderstandynge So all thinges whiche be made of god be so farre forth partakers of his goodnes in that they haue all a beynge for of hym and in hym selfe all thynges be not onely for that he brought theÌ„ from nothing to haue a beinge but also for that his operation continuynge lykewise conserueth and mainteineth all thinges that he made But in this participation suche thinges aboue other participate as haue lyfe which communicate of gods goodnes not onely in that they be partakers of their beinge but also of their lyfe Reasonable creatures forsoth besides beinge and lyfe furthermore participate of gods goodnes in that they haue reason which reasonable creatures be somewhat more nere and familier vnto god then the other and yet god so excelleth all aboue all proportion as neither can there be comparyson with hym nor iudgemente of hym Neuerthelesse man a reasonable creature and constitute in fredome with the gyfte of free wyl receiued therwith also power and facultie through his owne choyse and election to be vnited to god continually yf he had remained and perseuered in that goodnes that is to say the obedience of hym that created hym But after man had transgressed the precepte of hym that made hym and was thereby subiecte to death and corruption the maker and workeman of mankynde such is the tendernes of his mercy beynge made in all thinges lyke vnto vs was made man withoute synne and so vnited to our nature And bycause he had delyuered vnto vs his owne image and spirite whiche we haue not preserued and kepte he hathe taken vpon hym oure nature thenne poore and weake to the intente he shoulde pourge vs and make vs incorruptible and restore vs alsoo againe to be partakers of his godhed deitie It behoued moreouer not onely the fyrste fruytes of our nature to be brought to be partaker of the better but also all y e hole kynde of man suche as are wel willyng both to be borne againe with a newe natiuitie and nourysshed with a newe meate agreable to y e natiuite and so with endeuoure to attayne the measure of perfection wherfore by Christes natiuite that is to saye his incarnation and baptisme passion and resurrection he hath delyuered our nature frome the synne of our firste father from deathe also and corruption And beinge hym selfe made the cheife and first and as it were the firste fruites of resurrection he hath appointed hym selfe to be the waye forme and example to this ende that we folowynge his steppes shulde by adoption be made the chyldren heyres of god as he is by nature and so become coheretours with hym for which purpose as I haue saide he hath geuen vs the seconde natiuite whereby as we beynge borne of Adam resembled Adam enherited thereby curse and corruption So beinge borne of god we shulde resemble hym and shoulde atteyne by enheritaunce incorruption blessynge and his glory And bycause Christe is the spiritual Adam it is semely that oure natiuite shulde be spirituall and lykewyse also our meate In asmusche also as we be doubble that is to saye of body and soule and so not of one single nature but compounded it was mete oure byrth shulde be doubble likewise and our meat dubble also Our birth then is giuen vs by the water and the holye ghoste The meate forsothe is the foode of lyfe our lord Iesus christ that descended from heauen For our lorde Iesus Christe when he shulde take on hym his death wyâ—â—lyngly for vs in the nyght in whiche he gaue hymselfe he ordred a newe testameÌ„t to his holy disciples and apostels by them to al otheâ— y t bileue in him In a chambre therâ—â—fore of y e holy gloriouse Syon eatynge the olde paschall with his disciples and fulfillynge the olde testamente he wasshed his disciples feete giuinge them therin a token of holye baptisme Afterwarde breakynge bread gaue it to them sayeng Take ye eate ye this is my body that is broken for you in remyssion of synne Lykwyse takynge the cuppe of wyne and water â–ª deliuered it vnto them sayeng Drinke of this al this is my bloud of the newe testameÌ„t that is shedde for you into remissioÌ„ of synnes Do this for remembraunce of me For as often as ye eate this breade drinke this cuppe ye do shew forth the death of the sonne of man and confesse the resurrection of him whiles he coÌ„meth If the worde of god be lyuely and effectuall and all thing y t our lord wold he made If he saide Be y e light made and light was made Be the firmameÌ„t made and the firmameÌ„t was made If the heauens be establyshed by y e woâ—de of god and also the strength and vertue of them is lykewyse establyshed by the breathe of his mouth If heauen and earth water fier and ayre and all thournamente of them be perfited by the worde of our lorde and not onelye these but also man him self a beast of al other most renowned spokeÌ„ of If the essentiall word very god wyllyng so to be was made man and made the pure and vndefyled bloud of the holy and perpetuall virgin to be hys flesshe withoute any seede of man Can not he make the breade his body And the wine and water his bloude He saide in the beginning Let the earth bring forth grene
grasse And vnto thys day the earth when it raineth bringeth forth his owne buddynges beynge by goddes precepte styred strengthened to do the same God sayde This is my body and this is my bloud and doo this in remembraunce of me whiche by his precepte that is omnipotente is done vntyll he commeth For so he sayde vntyll he came vnto whiche newe kynde of tyllage the vertue of the holye ghoste ouershadowyng it is by speciall inuocation in the stead of raine for lyke as all thyng that god hathe made is made by the operation of the holy ghost So nowe the efficacye of the same holye ghoste worketh these thynges that be aboue nature whiche can not be comprehended but by faith onely How shall this be said the holy virgin seinge I know no man The archeangel Gabriel answered The holy ghost shall come downe to the and the vertue of the higheste shall shadowe the. And nowe thou askest howe this bread is made the bodye of Christe and the wyne and water the bloude of Christ Wherein I aunswere also vnto the. The holye ghoste commeth and worketh these thinges aboue reason and vnderstandynge The breade and wyne be taken to this mysterye For god knowethe mans weakenes whiche with some displeasure eschueth many thinges that be not before by vse made smothe familier vnto hym wherfore our sauiour Christ so condescendeth to our infirmitie as he vseth thinges to vs accustomed and agreable wherewith to make thinges that be aboue nature And lyke as in baptisme seinge men commonlye vsed to wasshe them selues in water and annoynte thē selues with oyle Christe added to the oyle and water the grace of y e holy ghoste and made it the wasshynge of regeneration So for that men were accustomed to eate breade and drynke wyne and water Christe ioyned vnto them his godhed and made them his body and bloude that by thynges accustomed and agreable to nature we myght be placed in thinges that be aboue nature The body is verely vnited to y e Godhed I meane the same body that was taken of the holy virgin not that the same body taken descended from heauē but that the bread wyne be transfourmed into the body and bloude of God If thou doest aske me the maner how it is done it shuld suffyce the to heare aunswered that by the holy ghost lyke as of the holy mother of God by the holye ghoste oure lorde made to hym selfe flesshe and in hym selfe withoute seede of manne In whiche matter we know no more but that the worde of god is true of efficacie and omnipotent but as for the maner is vtterly inscrutable and such as can not by serche be deprehēded foūde And yet it were not amisse to say thus that like as the breade by eatynge and wyne by drynckynge is naturallye chaunged into the bodye and bloude of hym that eateth and drinckethe nowe are become another body other then their owne body whiche they had before euen so the breade prepared to be consecrate and the wyne and water by inuocatyon and commynge downe of the holy ghoste be aboue nature chaūged into the body bloude of Chryste and be not two but one and the same Whiche worke is wroughte and is to the that worthely receiue it in fayth the remyssyon of synne for lyfe euerlastynge and to be a safegarde for bodie and soule And to them that be vnfaithfull and receiue it vnworthely to their punish mente and vengeaunce For so is lykewyse the deathe of oure lorde That is to say to suche as beleue lyfe and incorruptiō with the fruition of euerlastynge blesse and on the other parte to them that be vnfaithfull and were murderers of our lorde punysshement and vengeaunce euerlastynge The breade and wyne be not a figure of the body and bloud of Christ That may not be sayde but the very body of our lorde deified that is to saye made god For our lorde saide this is not the fygure of my body but my body and not the fygure of my bloude but my bloude And before that sayde to the Iewes that yf ye eate not the flesshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue not lyfe in your selfe For my fleshe is very meate and my bloud is very dryncke And agayne he that eateth me shall lyue Let vs then come to it w t a fearfulnes a cleane conscience and stedfast fayth and then in al thynges shalbe to vs as we byleue constantly Let vs honour it with all clennes bothe of the body and soule also as it were with a double worshyppynge For the same we worshyp is also double that is to say the fleshe of our sauiour Christe and godhed also Come we vnto it with an ardent fyry desyre and facyonynge oure handes in the figure of a crosse let vs so receaue the body of hym that was crucified fynally approching with our eyes lyppes and forehed let vs receiue that godlye cole so as the fyre of our feruent desyre receyuynge the fierynes of that cole maye burne vp our synnes and lyghten our hartes and by partetakynge of that godlye fyre be throughly enflammed and deified Esaias sawe a cole A cole is not wood onely but woode vnited vnto fyre So the foode of our communion is not foode onelye but foode vnited to the godhead The body vnited to the godhed is not to be sayed one nature but the nature of the body is one and the nature of the godhed vnited vnto it is an other So as both together be not one nature but two Melchisedech the preist of god that is highest receiued and chered Abraham with bread and wyne when he returned from the slaughter of the foraine straungers That table fygured this mysticall table lyke as that preiste was y e fygure and ymage of our true prest christ Thou arte sayth god a preist for euer after the ordre of Melchisedech Those loues whiche in the olde lawe were called the breades of proposicion that is to saye the breades appointed to an holy vse were a figure of this bread This sacrifice is the pure vnbloudy sacrifice which god sayde by his prophet shuld be offered vnto hym from the east to y e west The bodye and bloude of Christe for the establyshmente of body and soule receiued be not cōsumed or corrupted nor passeth with our corruptions through vs into y e vyle place fy on y e speach but encreaceth our substaunce and preserueth it It is tharmour of defence frome all maner of annoyaunce and lykewise the purgation and cleansynge of all fylthe Certaynlye if it fyndeth the golde adulterate that is to say corrupt with any other mettall it purgeth it by the same vertue whiche is apprropriate to fyre wherby it disceuereth frō the gold and putteth away that is corrupt to thintent we shulde not be condemned in the worlde to come It purgeth diseases and all sortes of annoiaunce And as saith the godly apostle If we iudge
our self we shall not be iudged when we be here iudged of our lord we be therby chastised that we shulde not be condempned with the worlde And thus it meaneth that he sayth who so euer is partaker of the body bloud of our lorde vnworthely he eateth and drynketh condemnatioÌ„ vnto hym selfe By whiche sacrament beyng purged we be vnyted to the holye body and the holy spirite of hym and be made the body of Christe This fode is the fyrste fruytes of the foode to come which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in greke For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth eyther the foode to come that is to say of the world to come or the foode we receyue for the preseruation of oure substaunce And bothe significations may be aptly sayde for whither it be taken in the one signification or the other it maye well be sayde of the body of our lorde For the flesh of our lorde is spirite that gyueth lyfe beynge conceyued of the holy ghoste that gyueth lyfe for that is begotten of spirite is spirite And thus moche I saye not myndynge by these wordes to take awaye the nature of the body out of this sacramente but onely myndynge to shewe how the same gyueth lyfe is godly And yf any call the sacrament the example or token of the body and bloud of Christ as saint Basyle sayde they speake it not of thoblacion after the consecracion but before the same be saÌ„ctified It is also called participation for by it we be made partakers of y e godheade of Iesu It is also called coÌ„munion and is so verely for by it we communicate with Christ and be partakers of his flessh and god hed we communicate al by it togither in that we be thereby made one For seinge we participate all of one breade we be made thereby one body bloude among our self beyng of the same body with our sauiour christ be also to our selfe eche others meÌ„bres Let vs theÌ„ beware as much as we may that we neither geue communion to hererikes ne receiue it of them Giue not your holy thynges to dogs sayth our lord nor cast not youre precious stones before hogges lest ye be made ê‘takers of their euyll beleef and of their condeÌ„nation also consideringe that being an vnitie throughlye betwene vs and christ also betwene our selues we shal likewise be vnited throughly with all suche as we shall chose to participate with vs. For this vnitie is made by oure choyce and free wyll not without oure mynde and determinacion and we all one bodye in that we participate of one breade as the holy apostle saith This sacrament is called also the examples of that is to come not in such an vnderstanding as though the very body and bloude of christ were not present but that nowe by this sacrament we be made partakers of the godheade of christ and in the worlde to come shall participate with onely contemplacion in the ful lyght of knowledge and vnderstandynge NOw ye haue hearde Damascene speake who well hearde with the eares of hearynge were sufficient for the matter too declare howe christes wordes as they were playne for the substaunce and fouÌ„datioÌ„ of our byleef So haue they in theyr playnnesse maynteyned y e true byleef of the churche as this author for .viii. C. and .xvi. yeares paste declareth euidently and testifieth playnely yf thou wylt vse hym for comfyrmatioÌ„ of that thou doest fyrste truely beleue and not abuse hym after the facyon of the worlde to wrythe hym mystake hym as some men do the scripture And to thintent thou mayste be the more able to mete with suche as wolde abuse them selfe in hym and thy selfe the depelyer conceyue the godly lerned consideration of this writer in the matter I wyll note certayne thynges vnto the worthy to be noted Fyrste this man testifyeth the presence of the naturall body and bloude of oure sauyour Christe in the sacrament of thaulter and expressely reproueth the vnderstandynge of them that wolde saye there shulde be but a figure as at this letter G. in the margyn thou shalte fynde so as thou hearest by this author truth affirmed and falsehed coÌ„demned This man testifyeth also the worshyppyng of the sacrament with inward outward cleÌ„nesse deuotioÌ„ of the soule outwarde gesture of the body as thou mayest se in y e letter H. wherin thauthor declareth a coÌ„gruence and conuemency that as the meat which we receyue and worshyp is dubble and conteyneth Christes flesshe and godhed so shulde oure worshyppyng be dubble that is to say of our two partes of body and soule whiche bothe be nouryshed by this precious meat And where thou findest this letter A. the author sheweth that as we be dubble and of two partes y t is to say body and soule so shulde we haue a dubble natiuite a dubble meat The dubble natiuite is of water and y e holy ghoste of water agreable to our body as corporall and the holy ghost to our soule which also agreeth with that Gregory NaziaÌ„zene writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As he was spirite flesh so god perfiteth w t water the holy ghost And as for this precious meat y e author sheweth that it is a meate dubble not one as where thou findest this letter L. where he saith The bodye vnited to y e godhed deitie is not made one nature but remaineth .ii. natures And bicause y e natures be two he calleth christes body our meate in y e sacrameÌ„t a dubble meat And yet thou maist finde in the letter F y t he calleth it but one as where he saith y t the bread wyne chauÌ„ged by gods myghty word into the body bloud of christ be not two but one and so there remayneth the only substaunce of the body bloude of christe where as yf the nature of breade remained also he wolde haue called it in that respecte two as he doth in the other places in two natures vnited And so thou seest where remaine two natures vnited they be called in y t respecte two double and not one and yet againe bicause in the consecration there is not an vnion of breade to the body of christ but transmutation as the worde transmutatioÌ„ expresseth an alteratioÌ„ of substauÌ„ce the sacrament is not called two but one And concernynge worshyppinge this is to be noted that this great clerke was not ignoraÌ„t of the wordes of the gospel Io. iiii that Veri adoratores adorabuÌ„t patrem in spiritu veritate True worshyppers shall worshyp in spirite and truth And yet speaketh this author of worshyppyng with the body for by the texte of the gospell is not denyed outwarde adoration with the body whiche body is with the soule created of god shalbe hereafter glorified with the soule but the sense of that texte declareth the true order of adoratioÌ„ whiche must be rooted grounded and directed by the spirite truth and from thence it
must procede where that faylâ—th the reste is hypocrysye But els y t the body shuld not folowe and obey the soule and be affected as y e soule is and with outward semely gesture represente the same that we myght not say as Dauyd dyd Cor meum caro mea exultauerunt in deum viuum My harte my flesh hath reioysed in the lyuinge god there is no such scripture but Christes hauoure in y e tyme of his prayeng teacheth the contrary for he fell downe on his face and praied And the publicane commended in the gospell knocked on his breste and prayed And in this auctor thou seest an exhortacion for men to laye their handes on crosse And good men haue taken greate comforte in the signe of the crosse wherewith they haue blessed them selfe and haue bene glad to receaue the blessinge of other with the token of the crosse â–ª And therevpon Tertullian in his worke De resurrectione carnis saith Caro signatur vt anima muniatur The flesshe is marked that the soule may be defended But to returne to my purpose to note vnto y e that is notable in Damascene in the letter C. to theÌ„ that aske and humbly question how these misteries be wrought lyke auÌ„swer may be made as Gabriell made vnto our Lady by occasioÌ„ wherof thou mayest marke two sortes of questions wherof one proceding of pride arrogancie doubtfulnes and mystruste declareth incredulitie such as the Capharnaites made when they said How can this man gyue vs his fleshe to eate And another in mekenesse and humilite with desyre of so moche knowlege only as the secrecie of y e thinge permitteth wherin y e hole is remytted to goddes power and omnipotencie â–ª with which our Lady contented herself sayde Ecce anâ—illa dnÌ„i fiat mihi secunduÌ„ verbuÌ„ tuuÌ„ Lo the handmayd of our lord be it to me according to thy word which was goddes worde by the omnipotencie of which wheÌ„ we se how many thiÌ„ges aboue mans capacitie haue bene wrought why shulde it not suffice to stay men from further arguing and reasonynge in the most blessed sacrament of the aulter Another thing thou maiest marke in the letter D y t this auctor testifieth howe Christ made the breade and wyne with water his body bloud wherby thou maist perceiue how it hath ben taughte in the churche constaÌ„tlye that after the consecration the substaunce of bread remaineth not and yet it is called breade for it is called that it was as I shal speake hereafter And albeit when thauthor alludeth to the cole sene by Esaye as thou mayest se in the letter K. he maketh thys resemblaunce that as the cole is not wood alone but wood with fyre so the foode of communion whiche is in latin panis communionis and in greake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath y e dietie adioined vnto it thou maiest perceiue by that streight foloweth howe he vsed the worde Panis to signifye the body and flesshe of Christ wherâ—vnto the deitie is annexed whiche body and flesshe is the substaunce of the nourriture in this holy meat accordynge as Christe sayde Panis quem ego dabo vobis caro mea est and Caro mea vere est cibus whiche flesshe hauyng the godhed annexed vnto it is of two partes as the cole is and remayneth two natures and so is a dubble meate â–ª to fede the body and soule of man whiche be lykewise two partes of man And when he sayde in the letter D. the breade hath the deitie annexed vnto it he signifieth the body and flesshe of Christ into which by goddes omnipotency the bread is conuerted as thou mayest plainly see declared by hym in the place where thou fyndeste the letter F. and the sentence before in whiche he speaketh so playnely and openly as can not be desyred more euydence for the matter I can not pretermytte also to note vnto the this that maye serue for a lesson to such as be captiouse of wordes and by the outwarde apparaunce of them note contradictions thou shalte fynde in the letter M. that the sacrameÌ„t is two and not one and in the letter F. one and not two which be no contraries Fyrste in that place where he sayth they be not two is signified that there is not two substaunces of the breade and the body of Christ but onely of Chrystes substaunce Againe there be not two bodyes of Christe one in heauen anothere in the sacrament for as he saythe after in the letter E. the body of Christ descended not but as we truely beleue in the article of our Crede he sytteth on the ryghte hande of the father and theÌ„ yf thou askest how can it be so the aunswere is goddes worde is omnipotent the maner inscrutable In the other place where he saith the sacrament is two dubble as in the letter F there he declarethe him self that he speaketh of two natures the humanitie the godhed Thou maiest note also that albeit in one place he sayeth Christes body is verely in the sacrameÌ„t it is not a figure yet in the latter parte he sheweth how it may be called a figure not so but there is the very body of christ but y t it is in y e sacrament a pledge of the glory to come and his feadinge vs here a fygure of that feadynge we shall haue in heauen whiche in the thinge is all one for Chryste is the feaste here and there but the maner differeth For then we shall haue full fruytyon by knowledge and contemplacion in the steade of oure faythe and hope wherby we receaue frutefully Christes feadyng here Thou maieste note also in the letter O. howe afraied he was to be mystaken bycause he spake of the generacion of the spirite whereof Christes flesshe was conceiued leste he shulde be sene to agree w t the Marcionistes and deny Christes naturall bodye So captious haue noughtye men euer ben that study to make of truthe matter of contentioÌ„ In the letter N. thou shalte se the carnal reasons aunswered in fewe wordes with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in greake whiche sygnyfyeth a detestacyon of the speache before as we speake wyth one syllable in englyshe fye And fye worse on theÌ„ that so say and amend not And of the coÌ„pany of suche he amonisheth all to beware in thende and note his reason whye with that also saynt Paule alleged of the ethnike author Corrumpunt bonos mores colloquia praua Euyll talke corrupteth good maners I wryte now to the multitude in whiche be manye to whom I neaded not to haue made these notes onlesse I wolde for formalitie gather notes as lawiers do in their lessons but yet I take my selfe suche pleasure in redynge of the author in thys place who so lyuely godly setteth forth this matter and so fully aunswereth al thwartinges to the contrary that I my selfe delyte to tary in him and wolde haue the reader do the lyke For
his ascention that is to saye to speake to vs and companie with vs as he dyd with his apostelles and disciples or to be felte of vs as he was of saynte Thomas to the satisfaction of oure bodely senses whiche absence of Christe in conuersation repugneth not to y e truth of our catholyke faith whiche is that christ presenteth and exhibiteth vnto vs his natural body and bloud in the sacrament of thaulter For the diuersyte in the maner of beynges present taketh away the coÌ„trarietâ— that shulde seme in the matter Now as touchyng the myscoÌ„struynge wronge takynge and somtyme false bearing in hand of that the good holy fathers of Christes churche haue written of the most blessed sacrament oâ— thaulter First I shall saye this that howe so euer the same holy doctours do agre in the most certeyne truth of our beleef moche labour hath ben taken to pâ—ke out wordes and sentences and disâ—eueryng them out of theyr places by cyrcuÌ„stauÌ„ce wherof they had theyr true vnderstandynge to make them sound to such as wold haue it so to the coÌ„firmatioÌ„ of their vntrue and false doctrine in this most blessed sacrament And lyke as suche as labour to coÌ„found the truth be the chyldren of darkenes So in the scriptures and doctours also they resorte to serche the truth iÌ„ obscure darke places where they maye haue opportunite to iuggle and deceiue the symple reader For where the doctors speake playnly against theyr falsehead they fare as though they knewe not y t place or had not redde it and then resorte to an other place not so open and playne and there fall to coÌ„iectures and constructions of theyr owne and labour in exposition of those obscure places as thoughe they could there more certeynly declare the mynde of the doctours to conferme theyr lyes then the doctours theÌ„ self do in another place of theyr owne workes where they playnly openly manifestly and without ambiguite declare them selfe to agre with the truth And where as the truth grounded in scriptures and opened more clerely by holy writers hath ben in Christes churche â–ª after discussion and triall sette forth in a holsome fashion and coÌ„uenient ordre of wordes whiche wordes the true meanyng and vnderstandyng purged from all ambiguities whiche mans busy witte hath also in holy wordes engendred to thintent as we beleue one truth we myghte also in wordes speache vniformely agree in the same truthe Suche as labour to breake this godly agremeÌ„t in harte and tonge they neuer ceasse tyll by speache they maye brynge the truth agayne in a corner and with pretence they meane well speake symply without obseruation euen as they haue redde forsoth in that holye man for example in dede a holy martyr saint Cipriane for hym they alledge Whiche sainte Cyprians speche as it was by hym deuoutly vttered not disagreyng from the truth so is it by these men maliciously brought forth wherby to interrupte the consente truely agreed on bothe in the speache and vnderstandyng I wyll somwhat speake of this one speach of saynte CypriaÌ„ particularly wherby thou mayest esteme good reader the deuyls sophystrie in handelyng of y e reste We beleue truely as the catholyke church teacheth that there remayneth no substaunce of bread in the sacrament of thaulter but y e onely substaunce of the body and bloud of our sauiour Christe And yet sainte Cyprian speakynge deuoutly of the food and nourriture whiche good Christen men receyue in the communion of this mooste holy Sacrament whereby the body and soule be conioyned with Christe vseth the worde Panis and calleth y e blessed sacramente sacramentaleÌ„ panem whiche wordes be not perfitely expressed in englysh if in traÌ„slatioÌ„ it were termed sacrameÌ„tal bread as malicious fayned simplicitie pretendeth but rather sacrameÌ„tal fode for Panis in latyn is a general word signifieth not only bread wherew t meÌ„ be fed but also al other nourriture wherw t man is susteined which the word bread doth not in englysh but soundeth to vs a name of special nourriture foode made of corne Now if any man shall vnder pretence of symple playne speache cal always that breade in english which he findeth in laten called panis he myghte of well wheresoeuer he founde sella in latyn call it in englysh a saddell and then in translatinge some places oute of latyn into englyshe he shuld somtime set sodenly on horsebacke in englysh him that he redde in latyn sitting in a seat on y e grouÌ„d Herin the ignoraunt that perceiue not this wyll saye I vse sophistrye but I open the deuyls sophistrye herein wherwith he doth abuse the people in speache and entangle them so in it as they for want of other knowlege can not wade out therfore alloweth him that wheÌ„ he readeth in saint Cypryan y e sacramente of the aulter called sacrameÌ„talem panem calleth it in englisshe sacramentall bread And here he spurneth and wyll ye make me beleue sayth he that panis signifieth not breade then for confirmacion adde this Say we not in oure Pater noster PaneÌ„ nostruÌ„ quotidianem da nobis hodie whiche is translate in englisshe Gyue vs to day our dayly breade And in dede if I wolde replye throughly herevnto I muste saye more then it were necessarie now to entreate yet I may not passe it all ouer For I muste saye that panis in our Pater noster signified not only bread but all foode bothe for the body soule and is so well knowen by the exposition that in thenglysh when it is translate bread we may easely conceyue by a parte the reste and by signification of some parte the hole But where as there is an extour spredde by the deuyll abrode against Christes myracle in consecration of his moost preciouse body in the sacrament of the aulter â–ª whiche errour is that there shulde after y e consecracioÌ„ remaine bread in this time of errour to translate in euery place the word panis that signifieth in some place foode into the english worde bread can that be without a maliciouse purpose to aduaunce the deuilles enterprise with his sophistrie cloked vnder pretence of plaines After whiche sorte of outwarde simplicite wherwith to cloke malice Some when they shulde speake of the blessed sacrament with the catholike churche confesse the truth therin plainly openly then they say they will speake as saint Paule spake his wordes they wyl vse whiche were writteÌ„ by the holy ghost and for so muche they say true and herewith they wyll aske disdainefully whyther any man wyll correcte saynte Pauls teachinge as though there were any suche sacrilege intended against gods scripture where in dede this is onely desyred and necessary in Christes church that one shulde vnderstand another al coÌ„ceiue one true meaning of S. Paul whose moste holy true wordes diuers as s Peter sayth haue for y e hardnes of theÌ„ peruerslye vnderstanded them for the exchewynge whereof it
not to be allowed for in eueryplace of offering is but the same one Chryst here ful hole Christ and there full hole christ and euery where y e same one bodye And as the sacrifice euerye where where it is offered is one body and not many bodyes so it is also but one sacrifice And our chiefe byshop is he that offred the hoste that clensed vs and the same hoste we offer also nowe whiche beinge then offred could not be consumed For that we do is in remembraūce of that was done For Christ saide Do this in remembraunce of me Wherein we do not make another sacrifice as the byshop of the olde lawe dyd but make alwaies the same sacrifice or rather worke the represētatiō of y e same But because I haue made mention of this sacrifice I wil speake a fewe wordes to you whiche ye remember a fewe wordes in measure but conteynynge greate pyth and commodite for you That I shal say procedeth not of my selfe but of thinstigatiō of gods holy spirite What wyll I say then This it is that many be partakers of this sacrifice ones in the yere some twyse and some oftener My speache is directed to all not only to those that be here but also those that syt in wyldernes For such be houseled ones in the yere peraduenture not in two What is the matter then Whome do we moost allowe Those that receyue ones in the yeare those that receiue oftner or those that receiue seldome Neither those that receiue ones nor them that receiue oftner nor them that receyue seldome but those that alwayes comme to be partetakers of thys sacryfyce with a cleane conscience with a clene harte and a lyfe wythoute reproche And those that be not suche I allowe them not to come ones Why so Bycause they receyue iudgement damnacion and punishment And hereof maruaile not For as meate beinge naturally nourishynge when it happeneth to come into hym that is corrupted with euyl meates marreth and corrupteth all and is occasion of a sycknes and disease So lykewise y t is cōteined in this dredful sacramēt where thou hast fruition of spirituall foode haste fruition of the kynges table and after defylest thy mouthe againe w t fylthy mire y u art throughly anoynted with y e precious anointmēt and fyllest thy selfe againe with euyl sauering stēches I pray the tel me Ones in the yere thou reparest to this holy communion Doest thou thinke .xl. dayes sufficient to clense thy synnes of all that tyme past within a weke after returne to thy former filthynes How saiest thou to me If y u wart in .xl. daies healed frō a long bodely disease shuldest returne to that meate that was cause of thy disease haddest thou not lost thy former labour If the natural partes of man be so sone altered with moch lesse the partes of mās wyll may be chaunged wherein I mene this that as we naturally se and haue by natures ordre hole eyes yet by some alteration oure syghte is hurte And yf thynges y t be natural in vs be so sone chaūged moch more that is ordred by our wyl is voluntarie Sparest thou onelye .xl. dayes to to prouyde for thy soule helthe I thinke not al togither so muche and yet thou hopeste to haue god pleased with the. Thou doest rather tryfle Hitherto I haue translate Chrysostomes sentence and to note vnto the these fewe wordes laste spoken What wolde Chrisostome saye to the state of this worlde nowe in whiche a nombre do not onelye neglecte to appoint so much tyme as the lente is whiche Chrisostom meneth to attayne goddes fauoure againe but thinke it al superfluous and not necessarie And bost onlye the mercy of god without feare of his iustice Marke this place of Saynte Chrisostome and compare it to onely faith marke this place of saynte Chrisostom note how the .xl. dayes in y e lēt were spēt not by the byshoppe of Romes ordinaunce but by directiō of y e true discipline in christes church in whiche Misecordia veritas abuia uerūt sibi iustitia pax osculatae sūt As wherin mercy was so preached as y e truth of gods iustice was not neglected iustice in due order of al thinges was so decētly obserued as peace and concord remained in christes church But this matter is besides the principall purpose and yet not out of al purpose for this time In s Chrisostoms interpretation concernyng daily sacrifice of christes body bloud thou maist se reader how the church hath obserued this most preciouse continual sacrifice of Christ hym selfe by himselfe the high preist for euer after the order of Melchisedech offred on the aulter where the minister of the church by Christes commaundemente executethe the same whiche commaundement as Chrysostome saythe is conteyned in these wordes Hoc facite Nowe I returne to reherse other that haue spoken of the moost blessed sacrament of the aulter among whome Ignatius a gloriouse martyr and nexte vnto the apostles in an epistle that he writeth to y e Romaines saith in this wise Panem dei uolo panē coelestem uitae qui est caro Iesu Christi filij dei uiui qui natus est in nouissimo ex semine Dauid Abrahae potum volo sanguinem eius qui est dilectio in corruptibilis vita aeterna I desyre saith Ignatius the fode of god the heauenly foode of lyfe whiche is the flesshe of Iesu Cyrist the sonne of the lyuynge god who was borne in the laste tyme of the sede of Dauid and Abrahā and I desyre for drincke the bloud of hym who is loue without corruption and lyfe euerlastinge And to thintent thou mayest perceiue reader that this nourriture is vnderstanded of the body and soule togyther so as in this holy communion mans flessh is also comforted herewith Note what Ireneus sayth Quomodo negant carnem capacem esse donationis dei qui est uita aeterna quae sanguine corpore Christi nutritur membrū eius sit quēadmodum Apostolus ait in ea quae est ad Ephesios epistola Quoniā membra sumus corporis eius de carne eius de ossibus eius non de spirituali aliquo inuisibili homine dicens haec Spiritus enim neque carnem neque ossa habet sed ea dispositione quae est secundum hominem quae ex carnibus neruis consistit qui de calice qui est sanguis eius nutritur de pane qui est corpus eius augetur Whyche may be englyshed thus Howe cā it be denied that mans flesshe may be partetaker of the gifte of god who is lyfe euerlastynge consyderynge it is nourysshed wyth the bloude and body of Christe as the apostle sayth in his epystle to the Ephesians For we be membres saith the apostle of his bodye of the flesshe of hym and of the bones
of hym whyche thynges thapostle speaketh not of anye spirituall or inuisible man for a spirite hath neither flesshe nor bones but it is spoken of suche an habitude disposicion and composition as man in his owne nature hathe whiche consysteth of flesshe and senewes beynge nourished of the cuppe which is Christes bloude and encreased of the breade whyche is his bodye This sayth Ireneus And Tertulian as foloweth Videamus nunc de propria christiani nominis forma quanta huic substantiae friuolae ac sordidae apud deum praerogatiua sit etsi sufficeret illi ê™ nulla omnino anima salutem possit adipiscinisi dum est in carne crediderit adeò caro salutis est cardo de qua cum anima deo alligatur ipsa est quae efficit vt anima alligari possit Sed caro abluitur ut anima emaculetur Caro inungitur ut anima consecretur Caro signatur ut anima muniatur Caro manus impositioÌ„e adumbratur ut anima spiritu illuminetur Caro corpore sanguine christi uescitur ut anima de deo saginetur These wordes be writteÌ„ in a worke made by this author for confirmation of the article of oure belefe for resurrection of the fleshe whereby to refel such as denied the same and in englysh they haue this sense Let vs nowe saith Tertulian consider the platforme of a christen mans state and se what preeminence is gyuen by god to the brykle vyle substauÌ„ce of the flesshe althoughe to it this prefermeÌ„t myght suffice y t no soule can attaine euerlasting lyfe onles it beleue whiles it is in the fleshe so euident is it that the flesshe is as it were the groundeselpece of mannes saluacion In whiche when the soule is knytte to god it is the flesh that bringeth to passe that it maye so be knytte yea also the flesh is wasshed that the soule may be clensed of her spottes The flesh is annoynted that the soule may be halowed The fleshe is marked that the soule maye be defended The fleshe by imposition of the mynisters handes is shadowed that the soule may be illuminate with the spirite The fleshe is fedde with the body and blood of Christ that the soule may be made fatte of god In these wordes be conteyned many good thynges declarynge the vse of the visible sacramentes in the begynnynge of the churche such as in these dayes some â—este and rayle at commenly besides the intollerable presumption agaynst the most blessed sacrament wherof how this man speaketh it is euident how so euer the deuyll vsed Frith as a mynystre to depraue him in this behalfe And yet this nourriture that mans flesshe hath by christes precious body is after an other maner as sainte Augustine saith then our coÌ„men nourriture is for non digeritur in carnis nostre substantiam sed ipse nos in corporat sibi Christes body is not digested into the substaunce of our flesshe but it incorporateth vs vnto it And note y e word digested appropriate to other common meates This most preciouse foode conserueth our substaunce as Damascene sayth maye therfore be called supersubstantialis but it is by incorporation of vs into it wherof here what Saint Cyprian saith that holy martir who expounding the Pater noster and declaringe the fourth petition in it PaneÌ„ nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodiè vnderstandeth it to conteyne a desyre of the holy communion in the blessed sacrament and saythe Ideo panem nostrum id est christuÌ„ dari nobis quotidiè petimê° ut qui in christo manemus uiuimus à sanctificatione corpore eius non recedamus Therfore we aske our daylye breade that is to saye Christe to be gyuen vnto vs that we which abyde and liue in Christ go not backewarde from the state of holynes and communion of the bodye Here Saynte Cypryan calleth the sacrament Chryste as he is in deede there present really and shewethe therewith an effecte of this holy communion that beynge so partakers of his most precyouse naturall body we maye be preserued in the continuaunce of our sanctificacion and not depart froÌ„ the felowshyp of Christes mysticall body the churche whiche churche Christ vniteth to him not onely spiritually by faith and charitie but also corporally by eating of his precious body drinkinge of his bloude declarynge that he loueth his churche as his flesshe as Saynte Paule writeth to the Ephesians where admonishinge the husbaÌ„des to loue their wiues as their owne bodies he sayeth No maÌ„ euer hated his owne flesh but nourisheth it as Christe dothe his churche for we be membres of his bodye of his flesshe and of his bones To whiche purpose Cirillus vpon the .xv. of Saynte Iohn writeth against an heretike as foloweth Non inquit negamus recta nos fide charitateque syncera Christo spiritualiter coniuÌ„gi sed nullam nobis coniuÌ„ctionis rationem secundum carnem cum illo esse id profectò pernegamus idque a diuinis scripturus omnino alienum ducimus Quis enim dubitauit Christum etiam sic uitem esse nos palmites qui vitam inde nobis acquirimus Audi Paulum dicentem quia omnes vnum corpus sumus in Christo Quia si multi sumus vnum tamen in eo sumus omnes enim vno pane participamus An fortasse putas ignotaÌ„ nobis misticae benedictioÌ„is virtuteÌ„ esse quae cum in nobis fiat nonne corporali ter quoque facit communicatione carnis Christi ChristuÌ„ in nobis habitare cur enim meÌ„bra fidelium meÌ„bra suÌ„t christi Nescitis inquit quoniaÌ„ meÌ„bravâ—Ì„a meÌ„bra suÌ„t christi meÌ„bra igitur Christi meretricis faciam membra Absit Saluator etiam qui manducat carnem meam bibit sanguinem meum in me manet ego in eo We deny not saith Cyril against the heretique but we be spirituallye ioyned to christ by faith and sincere charitie but that we shulde haue no maner of coniunction in our flesshe with christ that we vtterlye denye and thinke it vtterlye discrepant from goddes holy scriptures For who doubteth but christ is so the vyne tree and we so the braunches as we get thence our lyfe Here what S. Paule saith we be al one body with Christe For though we be many we be one in hym All we participate in one foode Thinketh this heretique that we know not the strength and vertue of the mystical benedictioÌ„ so this autor expresseth the holy sacrameÌ„t of thaulter calling it the misticall benedictioÌ„ which when it is made in vs doth it not make Christ by coÌ„municacion of his flesh to dwel corporally in vs Whye be the meÌ„bres of faithfull mens bodyes called the membres of Christ knowe ye not saith S. Paule that your meÌ„bres be the members of Christ And shal I make the membres of christ partes of the hores bodye God forbydde And oure sauyour also saith He that eateth my flesh drinketh my
mysteries And therefore Gregory Nazianzene hath his sentence in his sermon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There be other thinges of y e Iewes perfited with them in fygure whiche be restored againe vnto vs in mysterye So as all the thinges vsed in tholde lawe be not vtterly reproued and coÌ„dempned not to be doone but not to be so done for the figure ceassethe when truthe is come and the lawe prophetes were vnto saint Iohn baptistes tyme as Christ saide Neuer thelesse as Gregorye Nazianzene saith y e same thinges may be nowe restored mistically not at euerye priuate mannes pleasure and deuise as saint Augustyne writeth ad Ianuarium but by teachynge of the churche and orderinge y e same not for â—uperstition but direction as thapostelies dyd in the begynninge when they decreed it by inspiration of the holy ghoste that men shulde abstaine frome that was strangled and bloude whych repugned not wyth the vysyon to saynte Peter that all tâ—ynge was cleane to them that in cleannes receiued it ne dissented from christes teachinge that not to defile the maÌ„ that entreth in at the mouthe but it was a dispensacion of the truth betwene the ceassynge of the lawe and springyng of the gospell with such a teÌ„perameÌ„t as the chaunge for compassion of weake consciences shulde not be sodayne and at ones but by lytle and lytle as the daye springeth and the night goeth away UpoÌ„ which consideratioÌ„ y e same thinges were in the church of Christ forbydden y t were before for another ende forbidden in Moses lawe onely the cause of prohibicion varied but the thynge was alone But to returne to the purpose whervpon this was broughte in Distinction and ordre in tyme is not supersticiouse but necessarye and therfore with sermons or studye whiche bothe be in their tyme good to interrupte the tyme of praier that is not good greatlye worse when the sermons be suche and so fashyoned as they mayntayne talke and communication and be not directed to stirre the peoples dulle and sluggy endeuor to folow vertue and flee vyce and leauynge a parte matter of contention or reformacion to be ordered by the high powers to tell the audience of their speciall faultes and to diswade them from the same by alwaies and meanes Such were the sermons in the primatiue churche So preached Sainte Chrisostome Sainte Augustine Soo preached Gregory Nazianzene where in a sermon he made of the feast of Ester he hadde entred to speake of the secrecye of god lefte that matter with this speache 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I purpose not saith he to dispute or reason of god now but to dispense his truth that is to saye distribute it conuenieÌ„tly with al circumstaunces mete of whiche office in cyrcumspecte distribution S. Paule calleth the cheife mynystres dispensatores and him selfe sometyme fedde them with mylke and sometyme with stronger meates which is not euery mans gifte and therefore hath ben in the churche coÌ„mitted to few and in respecte of the number verye fewe and of late ouer fewe and ouer many also Ouer fewe of them that cryeth out of mens maners and ouermany of those that flatter the multitude w t vtteringe suche matter as the number of nature variable is glad to here Nowe many nowe a dayes be so trauayled in them self with hearyng the sermon as they wepe and waile and saye Quid faciemus uiri fratres Who preacheth lyke Ioâ—as to warne men of their destruction both in body and soule if they amende not their maners and lyuynge In a miserable state of iniquitie and synne some wolde haue nothinge preached but mercy with onely Christe and howe he beareth all sinne payeth all purgeth all and clenseth all whiche is true and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it can not be blamed but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath a great faulte For albeit this be truth is good meate yet it is not well distribute for it wolde serue better at supper then at dyner To men lusty drowned in the worlde and ouerwhelmed with synne and in the mydde daye whiles there is tyme of wakynge the iustice of god is to be cryed out Christes second coÌ„ming to be beaten in peoples eares hys terrible iudgement to be layde before mens eyes which is a truth as the other is and profitable to be learned taught and thoughte on wherevpon men shulde be exhorted to confesse their synnes to god and his mynyster to do penaunce for synne to fast for synne to praye for synne to do almes for synne to wayle for synne Dauyd confessed and felte goddes mercy and yet cried Amplius laua me ab iniquitate mea a peecato meo munda me quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco peccatum meum contra me est semper and therewith saide turbatus est a furore oculus meus his eye was troubled with goddes displeasure at the tyme he mystrusted not goddes mercy and therfore said Laboraui in gemitu meo lauabo per singulas noctes lectuÌ„ meuÌ„ he trauailed in wailing wasshed his couche with teares But nowe so be men enueigled by the deuylles sophistry as mercy extolled and sette forthe with onelye fayth and onelye sauyour and ommisufficieÌ„t nisufficieÌ„t sauiour serueth to make men forget goddes iustice waxe wantons as they be termed babes and youngelynges and clerely fal from dreade and feare of god whiche where it wanteth synne muste nedes encrease and ouerflowe and by custome mennes consciences so blynded as they discerne them not to be synnes and faultes And thus muche I haue spoken of sermons whiche and they were neuer so well made and conceiued yet so to vse them as they shoulde occupie the tyme of prayer requisite S. Gregory in an Omilie noteth not good And therefore on Christemas day when the churche hath thre masses he said he could not spend so much tyme with his audience that daye as he was wonte to do And yet sermons at those dayes as appeareth by y e sermons they made were not longe But longe or shorte as they be good holesome and requisite in the churche at their tyme necessary so hauyng not theyr tyme but with iusteling an other good thing out of ordre that is not well and moche lesse study to be vsed in time of prayer whiche prayer and study as they haue a distincte nature so they shulde be in tyme distinct And theunomians opinion by contrary exercise reproued to thinke that readinge is the onely waye to heauen But herein I haue taried ouer longe as some wyll fynde faulte at me and aske what is prayer and fastinge to the sacramente of the aulter and muche lesse sermons or study in tyme of prayer Wherevnto thus I aunswer that hauynge occasion mynystred by this greate clerke Gregorye Nazianzene I haue spoken of them And because the deuyll entendeth to subuerte all I shewe also his so phistrie in lower matters then is the sacramente of