HOMElies sette forth by the righte reuerende father in God Edmunde Byshop of London not onely promised before in his booke intituled A necessary doctrine but also now of late adioyned and added therevnto to be read within his diocesse of London of all persons vycars and curates vnto theyr parishioners vpon sondayes holydayes Anno. M.D.LV. I.C. The Table i. Of the creation and fall of Man ii Of the misery of all mankynde and of hys condempnation to death iii. Of the redemption of Man iiii Howe the redemption in Chryst is apliable to man v. Of chrysten loue and Charitie vi Howe daungerous a thinge the breake of Charitie is vii Of the Churche what it is and of the commoditie thereof viii Of the aucthoritie of the Churche ix Of the Supremacy x. Of the Supremacy xi Of the true presence of Chrystes body blud in the sacrament of the Aultare xii Of transsubstantiation xiii Of certen Aunswers agaynst some commō obiections made agaynst the sacrament of the Aultare ¶ The Bysshoppe of London to all persons and curates within his dioces of London FOrasmuch as the people of my dioces beyng within your seueral cures charge do as in dede of reason they maye loke for to haue at theyr pastours hand or at the least way by his prouision meane good instruction and teachinge especiallye howe to serue and please God and how also otherwyse to do their dutie as to any one of them in theyr degre doth appertayne And forasmuch also as there is not now a dayes that multitude and plenteth of preachers whiche in tymes past hath ben and by Gods grace hereafter shal be And fynallye for that euery one of you in your owne person is not able to discharge the office of preaching which many good folke do greatly wyshe and desyre ye could and woulde Therfore desyrynge to haue somethyng done onward til God of his goodnes prouide something better I haue laboured with my chapleyns frendes to haue these Homelies prynted that ye may haue somewhat to instruct and teache your flocke withall requyrynge and charginge euerye one of you that diligentlye vpon the sondayes and holydayes ye reade to youre flocke frutefully and deliberately one of the said Homelies And thus fare you well Geuen at my house in London the fyrste daye of Iuly M.D.LV. ¶ An Homely of the creation and fall of man THe Prophette Dauid in his forescore and nintēth psalme exhortyng all people to synge prayse to almighti god to serue hī in gladnes and reioyse in his sight alledgeth thys as a sufficient cause thereof Scitote quoniam ipse est dominus Psalme cxix ipse fecit nos et non ipsi nos which is to saye Know you that he is our Lord it is he that made vs and we made not our selfes And in dede who that diligently wayeth the creatiō of man can not but therin most highly laude prayse almighty god his creator For wher in the creation of al other visible thinges he did but onely commaunde will that they should be made and incontinēt they were made in the creatyng of man he vsed great solempnitie and many notable circumstaunces Fyrst touchyng mā Genes i. he said let vs make mā which words be as it were the wordes of god the father to God the sonne to the holy ghost spoken after the maner of men when they go about some great matter at what time they take good aduisement or they begyn and doo ioyne with the best wysest counsellours that they can get Thys circumstaunce not beyng necessary of goddes parte as withoute the which he might haue created man doth most manifestly declare the special fauour of almyghty god towardes mankynde but that nexte circumstaunce which doth immediatly folowe thys fyrst is a more surer profe and declaration of gods tender loue towardes mā whē he sayth Let vs make man to our owne similitude likenes Now mark good people howe much god dyd for vs in our creation He made vs in very dede like vnto himselfe in so doynge what could he haue done more for vs A wonderfull excellēt benefite comfort is it vnto vs to consyder that man was made like vnto god And to vnderstand this thyng the better you shall know that the similitude and likenes of man to god was not in the body of man for this you must moost certenly beleue that the godhed is a spirite not a bodely substaunce but this similitude and likenes was in the soule which was endued with most heuenly god-like qualities as vnderstandyng memory and wil with sondry gyftes also of grace And here is to be noted by the way that where almighty god sayeth Let vs make man to our owne similitude lykenes he geueth vs to vnderstād that there be three parsons in trinitie yet but one god For in that he sayeth let vs make man therein is signified a pluralitie or number of persones agayne in that he sayeth to our similitude and likenes and not to oure similitudes and lykenesses by thys is signyfyed the vnitie also of one nature and substaunce But to procede further concernyng the creation of man ye shall vnderstand Genesis 2. that the second chapter of Moyses boke called genesis in speciall maner doth recorde the seuerall making as well of the bodye of man by it selfe as also of the soule by it selfe And as touching the body scrypture doth there say that God fourmed or shaped it of the earthe Noting therby the excellēcy of mans body aboue the bodyes of other liuynge creatures For we rede not of anye other lyuyng creature that god shaped or fourmed the body of it but onely that he made it and that at the cōmaundement of almighty god Genesis i. the earth brought fourth foure foted beastes the water in like maner brought fourth fysshes foules Only of the body of mā scripture witnesseth that God shaped it And as cōcerning the soule of mā it is written of it in the sayd second chapter of genesis Genesis 2. howe that god brethed it into the body which .ii. circumstaunces as they import a marueylous excellency of man aboue other bodely creatures so they most clerely declare thexcedyng great goodnes of God towardes man Now when god had in such a singuler fashion creted man he gaue hym souereigntie ouer all the fysshes of the sea ouer the foules of the ayer and ouer the beastes of the lande yea and made him a Kyng and Emperour on the earth And yet not satisfyed with al this he placed man in Paradyse that is in a most pleasaunt garden where he had planted all kynd of frute beautifull to beholde and delicious to eate for man to fede vpon onely one kynde of fruyte he charged hym on payne of death and that not of the body alone but of the soule also vtterlye to refrayne from which was the fruyte of the tree called in scrypture the tre of
knowledge of good and euyl And lyke as in a most maruelous sorte he made Adam the fyrste man so in as marueylous straunge a sort he made Eue the first woman euen of a rybbe taken out of Adams lefte syde and her he made parfytte and furnyshed her with like gyftes as he had done Adame the first man What canne we then thinke or deuyse that God might haue don more for vs in our creation then herein he dyd He made the soule immortall that is such as shulde continue for euer without ende He furnished it with moste singuler gyftes both of nature and of special grace also The body of man in the estate of originall innocencie had in it helth strength cumlines and other like qualities in the highest degre of perfection it had in it selfe then no fond lust or concupiscens no pronitie or inclination to euyl no lothsumnes in doing good no infirmitie or wekenesse no lacke or want of any qualitie fyt and decent for it The body of man was then obediente to the soule the soule altogether obedient to God So that on Gods parte oure maker and creator there is nothyng towardes vs but all perfection all great kyndnes al fatherly loue fauour Holy scrypture most euydently affyrmeth that al creatures were made good in their creation saying Vidit deus omnia que fecerat et erant ualde bona Gene. i. Genesis ◠That is God sawe al things which he had made and they were very good Which thyng as it is generally true in all creatures concerning their creation so is it in a certen degre of excellencye to be verified in man touchyng the estate of his originall innocency Thus we may perceaue that in the creation of man al was excellent parfytte whiche oughte greatly to inflame vs the more to loue and serue almighty God our most louynge creator But for asmuche as that blessed estate is lost mankynd by the losse thereof fell into extreme miserie and wretchednes it is consequently to be well considered of our part by what meanes man was brought from soo good and blessed a case to so euyll and miserable an estate whiche poynte well wayed is a sufficiente grounde to cause vs on the other syde vtterly to detest abhorre al synne For that greuous fal of man came of synne Synne it was for which God thrust man oute of paradyse synne it was that caused the fleshe to striue agaynste the spirite and the spirite agaynst the fleshe synne it was that broughte vnto mankynde necessitie of bodyly death and all the infirmities and diseases which man in thys transitory lyfe sustayneth synne fynally it was that caused all the posteritie of Adam and Eue to be borne in state of dampnation But some perchaunce are desyrous fardar to knowe by what meanes man was fyrst brought to commytte synne For the vnderstandyng whereof Genes 3. lette vs haue recourse to the iii. chap. of Genesis where it is wrytten how that the wyly serpent the deuyll came vnto Eue and sayde vnto her Why hath God gyuen you commaundement not to eate of euery tree in paradyse where vnto the woman answered and sayde of the fruyte which is in paradise we eate but of the frute of that tree that groweth in the myddest of paradyse GOD hath charged vs not to eate or touche it leste perchaunce we dye Then sayde the serpente to the woman Naye you shall not dye For God knoweth that whatsoeuer daye you shall eate thereof youre eyes shal be opened and you shal be like Gods knowynge good and euyll The woman therefore saw that the tree was good to eate of and beautifull to the eye and pleasaunte to beholde and she tooke of the fruyte thereof and dyd eate and gaue part to her husbād who also dyd eate Thus through the prouocation of the deuyll man first fell into synne Wherefore as we must alwayes abhorre synne and forbeare it bycause of the greate misery it brought vs vnto so should we no les hate and to the vttermost of our power fly the deuyl and all his suggestions knowing that thereby we were fyrst induced to commytte synne For as thys oure aduersary was busye at the begynnynge with oure fyrst parentes so is he no les i. Peter 5. but rather more busye with vs at thys present as wytnesseth Saynt Peter in the .v. chapiter of his first epystle saying Youre aduersary the deuyl as a roryng lion goeth about seking whom he may deuour Thys aduersary of mankynde disdaynynge at the greate felycytye that Adam and Eue were in neuer ceasyd questionynge and craftyng with the woman being the weker and trayler vessell vntyll he had made them disobey gods commaundement by which their doyng they lost the orygynall great innocency which they had at there creation which being lost nether the body woulde be obedient to the soule nor the soule to god but al was in man turned vpsidoune yea therby they fel also into necessitie of temporall death of body and which is worst of all into the estate of eternall damnation and euerlasting death both of body and soule But now because it maye paraduenture seme in some mans iudgement that seyng the thing that Adam and Eue did was but the eatynge of an appell therefore their faut was not great nor deserued so greuous punishment let vs consider the circumstaunces and we shall sone perceyue the offence not lyght but verye sore and heynous Fyrst the thyng which god commaunded man to forbeare was a thyng most easye for hym to forbeare and so much was his faute the greater Besides this whan a man is tolde before of great peryll and daunger that shall lyght vpon him if he doo this or that in case after such warnyng he offende therein his fault is thereby made the greuouser Thyrdly the lesse inclination a man hath to any synne the more he synneth yf he doo the same Nowe Adam and Eue had in them no inclination at al nother to one vice nor to other Fourthly when a man hath late receyued great benefites at hys soueraygns handes if he incontinently breake his expresse wyll the contempt and disobedience is made therby the greater The thyng that Adam and Eue dyd eate was in dede but an appell yet the eatyng thereof in that case was an high disobediēce against god and the corrupting of all mankynd for as much as they two were the very route whereof all men must ryse and the route being once naughte howe can the tree or braunches cummynge of that route be good Therfore S. Paule in his Epistle to the Romaines in the .v. chapiter thereof saieth Roma 5. By the offence of one man synne came vpon all men to condempnacion and in the same chapiter immediatly after he sayeth to lyke purpose throughe the disobedience of one man manye became synners And within a lytle after he saieth Sinne came into this world by one man through synne came death so death passed
to al mē Thus haue you hard fyrste the louynge kyndnes of God to man in that he created hym in so worthye a maner nexte ye haue harde the myschyfe that commeth to mankynd by synne and thirdly what an extreme enemy also the deuyll is vnto vs. In an other homily hereafter ye shal heare of the exceding great mercy of god in deliuering mākind by a meruelous maner out of the estate of this dampnatiō Wherfore to conclude for thys presente tyme this shal be to exhort you that you fayle not daylye and howrelye to geue most harty thankes to almyghty God for that he of his mere goodnes created you created you not without sense as the stones not without reason as the brute beastes but hathe gyuen you all notable qualities and powers that other corporall creatures haue and besydes hathe perticularlye planted in you reason and vnderstāding and sondry goodly qualities of body and soule seuerall to the nature of man only and not commō to man and other erthly creatures This is furthermore also to exhorte you that remembryng what miserye came to mankynde by synne and by such a synne as in some mēs iudgement might seme to be but very smale it is to wytte by eatynge of an appel you wyl be circumspecte in auoiding of al kinde of synne and disobedience be the thinge in hys owne nature neuer so smale a thynge whyche is by God hym selfe or by suche as we owe obedience vnto commaunded Fynallye and laste of al this is to exhorte you to consyder dilygently that we haue a deadly ennemy which is the deuil who desyreth oure destruction and doth moost craftely and busely trauayle by all meanes wyth vs to worke the same of whose mooste subtyll and wilye traynes we muste principally take hede of whiche graunt vnto vs all the blessed trinitie the father the Sonne and the holye ghoste to whome be all honoure and glorye worlde withoute ende Amen Io. Harpesfeld sacrae theologiae professor Arch. London ¶ An homely of the misery of all mankinde and of hys condempnation to euerlastynge deathe by hys owne synne THe holye ghoste in wryting the holy scripture is in nothyng more diligēt then to pull downe mannes vayne glory and pryde which of all vices is moost vniuersallye graffed in mankynde euen from the fyrste infection of our fyrste father Adam And therefore we reade in many places of scripture many notable lessons agaynst this olde rooted vyce to teache vs the moost cōmēdable vertue of humilitie howe to know our selues to remēber what we be of our selues In the booke of Genesis almyghty God geueth vs all a tytle name in oure great graunde father Adam which ought to admonishe vs al to consyder what we be whereof we be from whence we came whyther we shall sayenge thus In sudore vultus tui vesceris pane tuo Gene 3. donec reuertaris in terram de qua sūptus es quia puluis es et in puluerem reuerteris That is to saye In the sweate of thy face thou shalt eate thy breade vntyll thou retournest into the earth oute of whyche thou waste taken for dust thou art into dust thou shalt retourne Here as it were in a glasse we may learne to know ourselues that we be but grounde earthe and dust and that to grounde earthe and duste we shall returne agayne whyche name and title of earthe and duste appoynted and assigned by God to all mankynde the holye Patriarche Abraham dyd well remember and therefore he calleth hym selfe by that name when he maketh his earnest prayer for Sodome and Gomorre saying in the .xviii. of Genesis Cum sim puluis et cuius Gene. 18 that is to saye seyng I am dust and ashes Iudith 3. and. 9. Iob. 13. Hiere 6. and .25 And we reade that Iudith Hester Iob Hieremye with other holy men and women in the olde testament did vse sacke clothe and did caste duste and asshes vpon theyr heades when they bewayled theyr synnefull lyuynge They called and cryed to God for helpe and mercy with suche a ceremony of sacke clothe duste and asshes that thereby they might declare to the hole world what an humble and lowlye estimation they had of theim selues and howe well they remembred theyr name tytle aforesayde theyr vyle corrupte frayle nature duste earth and asshes The booke of wysedome also willynge to pull downe oure proude stomakes Sapience 7. moueth vs diligently to remember our mortall and earthely generation which we haue al of him that was first made and that all men aswell kynges as subiectes doo come into this worlde and doo goo oute of the same in lyke sorte that is as of oure selues full myserable as we maye daylye see And almyghtye God commaūded his Prophet Esay to make a proclamation Esai 11. and to crye to the hole worlde that all flesshe is grasse and that all the glorye of man is as the flower of the feilde the grasse is wythered and the flower doth fall away for the winde of our Lord bloweth vpon it The people surely is grasse whiche dryeth vp and the flower fadeth away but the woorde of our Lord abydeth for euer Accordynge wherevnto the holye prophet Iob hauynge in hym selfe great experience of miserable and synnefull estate of man dothe open the same to the worlde in these wordes Homo natus de muliere Iob. 14. breui viuens tempore repletur multis miserijs qui quasi flos egreditur et conteritur et fugit velut vmbra et nūque in eodem statu permanet et dignum ducis super huiuscemodi aperire oculos tuos et adducere eum tecum in iudicium quis potest facere mundum de immundo conceptum semine That is to say Man beynge borne of a woman lyuynge a shorte tyme is full of manyfolde miseries he spryngeth vp lyke a flower fadeth againe vanyshynge away as it were a shadow and neuer contineweth in one state And doest thou iudge it mete O Lorde to open thyne eyes vpon suche a one and to brynge hym to iudgement with thee who can make hym cleane that is cōceyued of an vncleane seede In dede all men of theyr euylnes and naturall prones were so vniuersallye gyuen to synne that God as the scripture testifyeth repented that euer he made man And by synne Gene. 5. and. 7. his indignation was so muche prouoked agaynste the worlde that he drowned all the worlde wyth Noes fludde except Noe him selfe and hys lytle householde It is not withoute greate cause that the scripture of God dothe so many times call all menne here in this worlde earthe sayenge O thou earth thou earth thou earthe heare the woorde of oure Lorde Hiere 22. Hiere xxij This oure ryght name vocation and tytle earthe earthe earth pronounced by the prophet sheweth what we be in dede by what soeuer other style tytle or dignitye mē doo call vs. Thus he plainly nameth vs who knoweth best bothe what
synfull man Let vs all saye with the holye prophet Dauyd Psal 160. We haue sinned with our fathers we haue done amysse and dealte wyckedlye Let vs all make confession with the prodigall sonne to oure father Luce. 15. and saye with him We haue synned agaynst heauen and before thee O father we are not worthye to be called thy sonnes Lette vs all saye with holye Baruch Baruch 2. O Lord our God to vs is worthely ascribed shame and confusion and to thee ryghteousnes We haue synned we haue done wickedly we haue behaued our selues vngodlye in all thy ryghteousnes Let vs all say with the holy prophete Danyell O Lorde rightuousnes belongeth to thee vnto vs belongeth confusion We haue synned Daniel 9 we haue bene naughtie we haue offended we haue fled from the wee haue gone backe from all thy preceptes and iudgementes So we learne of all good men in holy scripture to humble oure selues and to exalte extoll prayse magnifye and glorifye God Thus ye haue hearde howe euil we be of our selues how of our selues by our selues we haue no goodnes helpe nor saluation but contrarywyse synne dampnation and deathe euerlastynge whyche yf wee depely weyghe and consyder we shall the better vnderstande the great mercy of God and howe our saluacion commeth onely by Christe for in oure selues as of our selues we fynde nothynge whereby we may be delyuered from this miserable captiuitye into the whyche we were caste throughe the enuye of the deuyll by transgression of Gods commaundement in our fyrste parent Adam We are al become vncleane but we al of our selues are not hable to clēse our selues nor to make one an other of vs cleane We are by nature the chyldren of Gods wrathe we are not hable of oure selues to make vs the children and inheritours of Gods glorye We are shepe that runne astray we cānot without goddes grace i. Peter 2. and helpe come agayne to the shepe folde so great is our imperfection and weakenes In our selues therefore maye not we glorye which of oure selues are nothynge but synnefull neyther maye we bragge of our woorkes that we doo whyche all be so vnperfecte and vnpure that they are not of them selues hable to stande before the ryghteous throne of GOD as the holye Prophete Dauid sayeth Enter not into iudgemente wyth thy seruaunte O Lorde for no man that lyueth shal be founde ryghtuous in thy syghte To God therefore muste wee flye or els shall we neuer fynde peace rest and quyetnes of conscience in oure hartes For he is the father of mercyes and God of all consolation he is the Lord wyth whome is plenteouse redemption Psal 129. He is the God whyche of his owne mercy saueth vs and setteth out hys charitie and exceadyng loue toward vs in that of his owne voluntary goodnes when we were peryshed he saued vs and prouyded an euerlastynge kyngedome for vs. And all these heauenly treasures are giuē vs of hys mere mercy freelye And for whose sake Trulye for Iesus Christes sake that pure and vndefiled Lambe of God He is that dearely beloued sonne for whose sake God is fullye pacifyed satysfyed and set at one with man He is the Lambe of God i. Peter 2 whyche taketh away the synnes of the worlde of whome it maye be truely spoken that he dyd all thynges well and in his mouthe was founde no crafte nor subteltye Lykewyse he maye saye the prynce of the world came and in me he hath nothyng He maye say also whiche of you shall reproue me of anye faulte He is that hyghe and euerlastynge priest whyche hathe offred him selfe to God when he instituted the sacrament of the Aultar and once for all in a bloudye sacrifyce doone vpon the crosse with which oblation he hath made perfecte for euermore theim that are sanctifyed He is the mediatoure 1. Iohn 3 betwene God and man which payed our raunsome to God wyth hys owne bloude and wyth that hathe clensed vs from synne He is the Phisition whiche healeth all our diseases He is that sauioure Math. 1 whiche saueth the people from al theyr sinnes To be short he is that flowing and moost plenteous fountayne of whose fulnes all we haue receyued For in him are all the treasures of the wysedome and knowledge of God hydden And in hym and by him haue we from God the father al good thinges perteyning eyther to the bodye or to the soule O how muche then are we bounde to this oure heauenlye father for these his greate mercyes whiche he hathe so plenteously declared vnto vs in Christe Iesu oure Lorde and sauioure What thankes worthy and sufficiente can we giue to him Let vs all with one accorde burste oute wyth ioyful voices euer praysynge and magnifyenge this Lorde of mercy for hys tender kyndenes shewed to vs in hys dearely beloued sonne Iesus Christ oure Lorde Let vs nowe learne to know our selues our frayltie and weakenes withoute anye ostentation or boastynge of oure owne good deedes and merites Let vs also knowledge the exceadynge mercye of God towarde vs and confesse that as of our selues commeth all euyll and dampnation so lykewyse of hym commeth all goodnes and saluation as God him selfe saieth by the Prophet Oze Oze 13 O Israel thy destruction commeth of thy selfe but in me onely is thy helpe and comforte If wee thus humbly submyt our selues in the syghte of God we maye be sure that in the tyme of hys visitaciō he wil lyfte vs vp vnto the kyngedome of hys dearely beloued sonne Christe Iesu our Lorde to whome with the father and the holy gooste be all honoure and glorye for euer Amen Io. Harpesfeld sacrae theologiae professor Arch. London ¶ An Homelye of the redemption of man IT was declared vnto you good christen people in the last homelye howe oure fyrste parentes Adā and Eue were by the synguler goodnes and especiall fauoure of almyghtye God created ryghte worthye creatures and in the estate of parfytte innocencye It was also shewed howe thorough disobedience to theyr creator they broughte them selues and all mankind into the estate of euerlastynge damnation Nowe shall you consequentlye heare of the delyueraunce of man out of that dampnable estate that is of oure redemption For the vnderstandynge whereof you must perfytlye beare in mynde that the whole nature of man both in bodye and soule was thorough orygynall synne greatelye defiled For the soule which is the cheif part of man loste thereby the especiall gyftes of grace with whiche it was indued in the creation and besydes that it was also maymed in the gyftes of nature as in memorye intelligence wyll and other lyke And the body whiche is the inferior parte it also was by the meanes of orygynall synne brought to the necessarye estate of mortalitie so that it muste nedes die and was throughe that synne of our sayde fyrste parentes made weke and brought to be subiecte to sōdrye kyndes of infirmities and syckenes and nother coulde God of
his iustice receaue man agayne to fauor and state of eternall lyfe beynge thus in bodye and soule by his owne defaulte defyled vnles he were fyrst made pure and cleane againe nether man was able to helpe him selfe herein no nor yet anye angell at al. Wherefore almyghty God whose mercy excedeth all his workes pytienge the wretched case that mankynde was in dyd appoynt euen from the begynnynge his onely sonne the seconde person in trinitie to be the sauiour of the worlde and to restore man againe to perfit clennes both in body and soule and that by the way of very iustice in making a full amendes and payinge a sufficiente raunsome for synne And this sonne of God accordynge to the wyll of his father dyd take vpon hym the nature of man ioyninge to his euerlastynge Godheade the whole and perfyte nature of manhode not making that nature of man which he toke a new of nothing as he dyd heauen and earth nor yet makynge it of a clod of earth as he dyd the body of Adam but he toke the nature of man of the very substaunce of the vyrgyn Mary his mother that lyke as Adam and Eue brought them selues all theyr posteritie through sinne into the estate of eternal dampnatiō so Christ takynge vpon him the very selfe same nature beyng descended from Adam and Eue vnto the Vyrgin Mary and of her beynge taken and ioyned in hym to the godhead in vnitie of person should by his innocency through death wyllyngly suffered in that his most innocent bodye not only hym self become immortal mā haue glory euerlasting but make so many also partakers of lyke blessednes as shuld enioye the merites of his passion Wherefore it is a very pernicious errour to thynke that christ tooke not his fleshe of the verye fleshe of the blessed Vyrgyn Mary his mother Howe could his death haue done me good if it were not of the same nature that I am of Heb. ii therefore S. Paule in his seconde chapiter of his Epistle to the Hebrues sayeth Qui sanctificat et qui sanctificantur ex vno omnes that is He that sanctyfyeth and they which are sanctifyed are all of one and within a lyttle after he sayeth farther Debuit per omnia fratribus assimulari vt misericors fieret et fidelis pontifex ad deum vt repropitiaret delicta populi that is Christe muste in all poyntes become lyke to his brethren that he myght be a merciful and fruteful Bisshop to Godward to procure mercy for the sinnes of the people If Christ tooke not the flesh of the Virgin Marye howe is that promyse fulfylled which God made immediatly after the falle of our first parētes when he thrust them out of paradise at which tyme he said vnto the serpente as it is written in the thyrde chapiter of Genesis I wyl set enmitie betwixt the and the womans sede Gene. 3. and it shall treade downe thy hedde Lo how mercifully God dealeth wyth mankynde He promysed that one shoulde be borne of the sede and stocke of Eue which should vanquyshe our ghostly enemy the diuell Nowe in that he calleth hym the sede of the woman he moste playnely declareth that he must nedes haue in him the selfe same nature that the woman had Agayne God makyng the second promyse of the same sede to come of the stocke of Abraham the patriarke said vnto Abraham as is wytnessed in the .xxii. of Genesys In thy sede shall all the nations of the world be blessed Genes 22 many hūdred yeares after that he promyssed lykewyse to Kyng Dauyd that that sede should come of hym to Which promyses of almyghty God were not to be verified in Chryst if he toke not the substaūce of his flesh of the Virgin Mary his mother But here it may seme straūge to some that almighty god seing he intēded from the beginninge to sēd his sonne into the world to be incarnate for mans redēption did defer the sendinge of hym soo longe that is the space of foure thousande yeares or theraboute To whome it is to be aunswered that the long taryinge of Chryste before he was incarnate came not of lacke of good wyl in god towardes vs but of vnredines and lacke of good disposition to receyue hym on oure partes For if Chryste shoulde haue commen in the begynnyng of the worlde men would haue thought that if God had suffered them to vse theyr owne natural powers they would haue attayned saluation well inough without any other helpe on Gods parte Agayne thoughe after longe experience and trauayle of man folowing the onelye lyghte of nature it was euydente that he neded a speciall ayde from God to the attaynynge of euerlastynge lyfe yet the worlde myghte haue demed that in case God of hys goodnes had geuen vnto manne some speciall lyghte and knowledge of hys wyll and pleasure that then vndoughtedlye without farther helpe he folowynge suche specyall lyght and knowledge myght be able well inoughe to attayne to euerlastynge lyfe Therefore to take all suche excuses awaye and that we should plainelye vnderstande that after we once fell into sinne neither the light of nature in vs neyther the knowledge of the wyll of God by speciall reuelation opened vnto vs was able to helpe vs god suffred mankynde to trauel fyrst by the light of nature secondly by the lawe of Moyses and yet man ranne styll farther and farther into damnation Whereby it appereth that though knowledge of the truth be necessarye to the attayninge of euerlastinge lyfe yet suche knowledge be it neuer so great beyng in a man corrupted with synne is to feble and to weake to purge him of sinne For purgation clensing of synne commeth by some other meanes besides the knowledge of the truth and therfore S. Paule in the fyrste chapiter of his epistle to the Romaines most plainly affirmeth that in the time of the law of nature men knew inough of God but yet not withstanding theyr knoledge they fell into abhominable idolatry The wordes of S. Paule in that place are these So much as may be knowen of god is manifest in thē that is to say in those whiche liued vnder the lawe of nature from Adam vnto Moyses For his inuisible thinges euen his eternal power godhed were sene of thē being vnderstanded by the works of the creatiō of the world so that they are without excuse bicause that when they knew God they glorified hym not as god nether were thankeful but becamful of vanitie in their imaginacions And as the lyght whiche men had by the lawes of nature was not of force to kepe them from synne so nether the lawe of Moyses beyng opened from god him selfe by special reuelatiō could suffice to ryde mā from sinne as S. Paule in the second chapiter of his foresayde epistle testifieth saying Behold thou art a Iew Roma 2 and thou doest rest in the law and doest glory in god and doest know his wyl and pleasure being
instructed in the lawe thou doest allowe that is best and doest truste that thou art a guyde of the blinde a light to thē which are in darkenes an instructour of the folyshe a mayster of the ignorante and that thou knowest by the lawe the fourme of sciens truth but yet thou that teachest other teachest not thy selfe thou that prechest against aduoutri art an aduoutrer thy self thou that dooest defye Idoles commyttest sacriledge thy selfe thou that doest glorye in the lawe through transgressing of the lawe doest dyshoner God for the name of God throughe you is blasphemed amongest the gentyles Thus it is euydente by the doctryne of Saynte Paule that nother by the common lawe of nature nether by the special knowledge of the law of Moises man was able to auoyde eternal dāpnation but that he neded besides such knowledge of some other helpe that is of amendes to be made for his sinnes and thereby to be reduced into the fauour of god agayne and to haue aboundaunce of grace geuen vnto hym by which grace he should both in his knowledg be the better established be able also according to knowledge of the truth to walke in the truth For this amendes to be made the second person in trinitie being god immortal became mortal man was made in all partes like vnto one of vs sinne only excepted and he did vnite vnto his godhead the body and soule of man in vnitie of person in such a meruelous sort that as in vs the body being of one nature and the soule being of an other nature doo make yet but one person so in hym the nature of God and the whole perfect nature of man doo make but one person Of this incomprehensible vnion of the godhed manhed in Christ Iohn 1. S. Ihon speaketh in the fyrst chapiter of his gospell saying Verbum caro factum est et habitauit in nobis the worde that is the sonne of God Was made fleshe that is man dwelt amōgest vs. he dwelt here on the earth as scripture declareth aboue .xxxiij. yeares and when he had fulfylled al thynges accordyng to the sayinges of the holy prophetes whiche were to be fulfylled of hym before his passion then he suffred death willingly yea the death of the crosse by suche payne wrongefullye procured of the deuil against him to raunsome mankynde oute of captiuitie whiche it sustayned vnder the deuyll moost iustly and that this raunsome shold be perfyt he suffred sondry sortes of mooste spytefull wronges and intollerable paynes tormentes in his most pure and innocent body as buffeting bindinge scourgyng plattynge on his head a crowne of thorne hanginge on the crosse pearcing of his handes and fete with nayles openynge of his syde with a speare and shedynge of his mooste precious bloude whiche passion of his as it is a moost parfyt myrrour and glasse for vs therein to beholde the excedynge great loue of god towarde vs whiche spared not his onelye sonne but for vs all gaue hym to dye so it is a sufficient occasion to brynge all men in extreme hatred of the deuyll and synne from daunger of whome mankynde coulde not be rydde but onely by so paynefull a death of the sonne of God What can we loke for at gods handes yf we synne from hence forth but wrath and vengeaunce seynge he hath once delyuered vs from synne by so merciful a meanes All that our sauyoure Christe suffered he wyllingely suffered for our synnes hym selfe hauing neuer deserued anye whyt of payne as who neuer synned And yet his passion though it be in it selfe a sufficiente raunsome for the synnes of the whole worlde yet it taketh not place in all men not for insufficiencie in it selfe but for defaute in them that shoulde condignely receaue the merites thereof For this you must know that God requyreth in vs certayne thinges to be accomplished by our owne wil and consent without the whiche we can not be saued no more than yf Christ had neuer dyed for vs. What thinges these are shal be hereafter declared vnto you In the meane season lyft vp your hartes and open them awyde to receaue in vnto them a great loue towardes God who so nobylye created vs and when we through our owne defaute were fallen into the estate of endles misery and wretchednes so mercyfully redemed vs by the passion and death of his onely sonne our sauiour Christ Remember that synne and nought els brought vs fyrst oute of Gods fauour and that to take awaye synne the sonne of God was incarnate and suffered mooste paynefull death on the crosse and therefore hereafter flee you all kynde of synne and fight incessantly agaynst your ghostly enemye the deuyll who being vanquished by Christ is not able now to ouerthrow vs if we in the right fayth of Christ valiantly withstande hym whiche to doo graunt vnto vs the blessed trinitie the father the sonne and the holy ghost to whome be all honour and glory worlde without ende Amen Io. Harpesfelde sacrae theologiae professor Arch. London ¶ An Homely declaryng how the redemption in Christ is appliable to vs. ALthough the death and passion of our sauiour christ be in value a sufficient raunsome for the synnes of the whole world yet in effect it taketh not place in the whole world For neyther Turke Iew nor infidell wāting beleif in Christe can take good by the death and passiō of Christ the scripture most manifestly affyrming in the .xvi. Mar. 16. chapter of S. Marke that Whosoeuer doth not beleue shall be dāpned Agayne euyll lyfe bryngeth to the euyl lyuer eternall death beleue he neuer soo wel As S. Paule witnesseth in the .v. chapiter of his Epistle to the Galathians Gala. 3. where he sayth Walke after the spirite and fulfyll not the lustes of the fleshe For the flesh lusteth contrary to the spirit and the spirit contrary to the fleshe These are cōtrary one to another so that you do not what ye woulde But and yf ye be led of the spirit then are ye not vnder the law The dedes of the fleshe are manifest which are these aduoutry fornicatiō vnclennes wātonnes ydolatry wytchcrafte hatred variaūce contencion wrath stryfe sedition sectes enuye murder dronkennes glotony and such like of which I tel you before as I haue told you in tyme past that they which commit suche thinges shal not inherit the kingdō of heauē Thus you perceaue that to the enioying of the death and passion of Christe these two poyntes are requisit of our behalf the one to beleue rightly the other to lyue vpryghtlye whiche two poyntes no man is able otherwyse to knowe except it be by speciall reuelation from God but onely by the catholike churche whiche catholyke churche our sauioure Christe hath appoynted to be the onely scoole for all men to come and repayre vnto to learne suche truth as is mete for them to know for the attayning of euerlastyng life This catholike church and no other company
Beware of false prophets Math. 7 which come to you in shepes clothing but inwardly they are rauenynge wolues Our sauior calleth them wolues for that they deuoure the soules of so many as giue credite vnto thē he sayeth fardar of them that they come in lambes skins because they pretend the woord of God and therewith bleare the eyes of poore simple men and make them beleue that it is as they saye where in dede whatsoeuer is taught contrary to that that al christendome openly teacheth and from tyme to tyme hath taught is false and cannot possible be true vnlesse we wold say that christ him selfe were not true For he promyseth that hym selfe wil be for euer with the churche and that the holy ghost shal for euer gouerne the same Forasmuch than as there is no other schole on the earth for men to learne theyr duety towardes God and the world but the catholyke churche nor no other doctryne auayleable to eternall lyfe but that whiche the catholyke churche teacheth therefore all christē people are requyred to make a solempne vow at theyr baptisme to beleue the catholyke churche And he that so doeth is in an assured trade of saluation if in his conuersation he folowe the same but contrarywyse he that beleueth it not is in a mooste certayne estate of euerlastynge dampnation Wherefore that you maye knowe what the catholyke churche dothe in all poyntes beleue there shal be hereafter particularly set forth vnto you the seuerall matters requisit to be beleued and practised of all Christen people that no man maye haue iuste cause hereafter to pretende ignoraunce but all men beynge sufficiently instructed maye by folowynge suche doctryne attayne to euerlastynge lyfe whiche sende vnto vs all the blessed trinitie the father the Sonne and the holye Ghoste to whom be all honoure and glorye worlde without ende Amen Io. Harpesfelde sacrae theologiae professor Arch. London ¶ An Homely of Christian loue or Charitye FOrasmuch as the pithe and summe of all thinges which be conteyned eyther in the lawe or in the prophetes doth stād and cōsist in the loue of God and in the loue of oure neyghboure as our sauiour Christ dothe plainely testifye in the .xxii. Chapiter of sainct Mathewe Math. 22. sayenge One of the Pharises beynge a doctoure of the lawe tēpting did aske him and say mayster what is the great cōmaūdemēt in the law Iesus answerynge sayd vnto hym Thou shalte loue thy Lorde God wyth all thy harte wyth al thy soule and wyth all thy hole mynde this is sayeth he the greatest and fyrste commaundement And the seconde is lyke vnto it Thou shalte loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe and of these two commaundementes al the lawe dothe hange and the Prophetes And forasmuche also as we can not loue God well except we doo loue oure neyghboure in a due order ne yet loue oure neyghboure well excepte we doo loue God in that due order that we oughte to doo Sainct Ihon the Euangelist so testifyeng and declarynge Iohn 3. and 4. in the thyrde and fourthe Chapiters of his fyrst canonicall Epistle And finally forasmuche as he that loueth not after this sorte is by the testimonye of the sayde sainct Iohn in the sayde thyrd Chapiter iudged to be in death therefore it is ryghte expediente and necessarye to haue alwayes this loue whiche nowe in oure vulgare tongue and common talke is ofte named by the name of Charitie but very megerly and coldely practised and set fourthe in dede as it shoulde be And of trouthe yf we woulde iudge vpryghtly and well we ought to saye that of all thinges that be good to be taught vnto Christen people there is nothynge more necessarye to be spoken of and daylye called vpon then charitie aswell for that all maner of woorkes of righteousnes be cōteyned in it as also that the decaye thereof is the ruyne of the worlde the banyshement of vertue and the cause of all vice And forasmuche as almost euery mā maketh frameth to him selfe a charity after his owne appetyte and howe detestable so euer his lyfe be bothe vnto God and man yet he perswadeth with hym selfe styll that he hathe charitye Therefore you shall heare nowe a true and playne descripcion of charitie not of mens ymagination but of the very woordes and example of oure sauioure Iesus Christe In whyche description euerye man as it were in a glasse may consyder hym selfe and see plainely without errour whether he be in the true Charitye or not charitie is to loue God with all oure harte withall our life with al our powers with all our strength With all our harte that is to say that our hartes mynde studie be set to beleue his woorde to truste in hym and to loue hym aboue all other thynges whyche we doo loue best in heauen or in earthe Wyth all oure lyfe that is to saye that our chief ioye and delyte be sette vpon hym and his honoure and oure hole lyfe gyuen vnto the seruice of hym aboue all thynges wyth hym to lyue and wyth hym to dye yea and to forsake all other thynges rather then hym For he that loueth hys father or mother sonne or doughter house or lād more then me saieth Christ is not worthy to haue me Wyth all oure powers that is to saye that with our handes and feete wyth our eyes and eares oure mouthes and tongues and wyth all other partes powers bothe of body and of soule we shoulde be gyuen to the kepynge and fulfyllynge of hys commaundementes This is the fyrste and the principal parte of charity but it is not the whole For charitie is also to loue euery man good and euyll frende and fooe And what soeuer cause be gyuen to the contrarye yet neuertheles to beare good will and harte vnto euerye man to vse oure selues wel vnto thē aswel in woordes and countenaūce as in all our outeward actes and dedes For so Christ hym selfe taught and so also he perfourmed in dede And of this loue that we ought to haue amongest oure selues eche to other he instructeth vs thus Mathew v. You haue harde it taught in tymes paste Thou shalte loue thy frende and hate thy fooe but I tell you loue your enemyes speake wel of them that diffame you and doe speake euil of you doo well to them that hate you praye for thē that vexe and persecute you that you may be the children of your father that is in heauen For he maketh the sunne to ryse bothe vpon the euyl and good and sendeth rayne to the iuste and to the vniust For if you loue them that loue you what rewarde shal you haue Doo not the publicans lykewyse And yf you speake well onely of them that be your brethren and derely beloued frendes what greate matter is that doo not the heathē the same also These be the very woordes of oure sauioure Christ him selfe touching the loue of our neighbour And forasmuche as the Phariseis wyth theyr moost
why he prouided not for that case he aunswered that he veryly thought and beleued that no one beynge broughte vp in Athens vnder hys lawes wolde at anye tyme attempte suche an heynous synne Euen so may we say of our sauiour that he speaketh but of those foresayd three degrees of vncharitablenes for that it is not lykely christen men being traded in Chrystes most parfyt religion woulde at anye tyme procede in the violatyng of charitie fardar then so But here may be moued a question whether our sauiour hath so forbydden vs to be angry to saye Racha or thou foole one to an other that in no wise any man may so doo but thereby he falleth in daunger of iudgement of councell or of hel fyre For aunswer to thys question it is to be noted that our sauiour in thys place forbiddeth vs all kynde of vncharitablenes and nothyng els Forasmuch then as in the third of Mathewe Math. 3 S. Ihon Baptist calleth the scrybes and pharisies adders brode and S. Paule calleth the Galathians fooles Gala. 2. and men without vnderstāding in the second chapiter of his epistle wrytten to them Luc 24 yea Chryst himselfe in the .xxiiii. of Luke calleth his dere beloued apostles fooles and sloo of belefe and the thyng which they dyd cannot be iudged vncharitable therefore we must saye that when such as haue aucthoritie vpon a good and Godlye zeale rebuke trespassours and offenders thereby to make them ashamed of there euyl doynges and the rather to leaue the same that thys kynd of rebuking is laweful and in no wise ment in the foresaid talke of Chryst But the onely thing that is there forbydden is the breache of charitie when one man meaneth no good at all to an other but for the onelye satisfyeng of his vncharitable harte wysheth hym hurte in his harte or vtteryng his secret vncharitable mynde doth thou hym or tushe at hym or finally speaketh contumelious wordes expresly vnto hym callyng him foole idiot or by other lyke opprobrious names Wherefore to conclude seinge you nowe know what parfytte loue and charitie our sauiour Chryst doth requyre to be in vs lette all accustomed rancor and malyce from henceforthe be vtterlye banyshed from emongest vs that we dwellyng in charitie may dwel in God and haue here in this lyfe GOD dwell in vs and in the worlde to come dwell in heauen with hym for euer which graunte vnto vs the blessed trinitie the father the sonne and the holye Ghost to whome be all honor and glory world without ende Amen Io. Harpesfelde sacrae theologiae professor Arch. London ¶ An Homelie of the church what it is and of the commoditie thereof WHosoeuer good people wyll call to hys remembraūce the inestimable goodnes of almightye God and his inestimable mercye towardes vs nothing deseruing the same yf ther be any spotte of heuenly grace in that person he shall be ashamed of hys owne vnthankefulnes and disobediens and be compelled to fal downe in body and soule before our Lorde to aske pardon for his transgression Of the which goodnes and mercy of God you haue a sufficiente and moost euident declaration in these godly and deuoute homelies that are set fourth to you of the creation and redemption of mā Neuerthelesse for your further instruction ghostlye comforte in this behalfe I haue thought good to lette you vnderstande an other hye benefyte geuen to vs by our sauioure and redemer Iesus Chryste that we hauynge perfyt knowledge of God maye euermore prayse and magnifye hym accordynge to our moost bounden duetye And this hye and heauenlye benefyte is the holye catholyke churche whiche our deare and dreadfull Sauyour both before and after his paynefull death dyd ordeyne and appoynt to be for euer to vs a moost louynge tender mother a perpetual preseruation for our soule helth and a pyllar of truth in al oure doubtfull daungers Whiche churche forsomuche as it hath bene latelye assaulted by sundry sectes and heresies and so sore shaken that many more is the pytie hath separate them selues from the same and wylfully haue runne a straye beynge ledde and caried with euery waue and wynde of newe lernynge I purpose by Gods grace to open shortely to you what this churche is ☜ what maner of churche it is and what commoditie we haue by it Fyrst the churche is a conuocation of all people throughout the whole worlde professynge one fayth of God and one vse of all the holy sacramentes whiche churche because it is purchased and sanctified by the death of oure Sauyoure Iesus Christe it is moost derely beloued to God the father and is called in holy Scripture by most hie and excellent names as Corpus Christi Sponsa Christi Regnum coelorum c. that is to saye The bodye misticall of Christe the spouse of Christe the kyngedome of heauen For S. Paule speakynge of Chryste fayth Ephes 4. That he hath appoynted sundry officers to maintayne the holy ones into the worke of ministration to the edifieng of the body of Christ And kynge Salomon taught by the holy ghost did forsee the dignitie and beutye of this holye churche and sayde in the name of GOD therebye Vna est columba mea perfecta mea That is to saye One is my dooue Cantic 4. and my perfyt one With many other such louyng wordes as my syster my spouse c. And saynt Paule byddeth husbandes to loue there wyues Ephes 5 euen as Chryst loued the churche Lykewyse in the holy Gospell our sauiour Chryste doth compare the churche to sondry thynges vnder the name of the kyngdome of heauē Math. 20 as vnto a king which made a maryage for his sonne sometymes to tenne Vyrgynes Math. 25 and many such other by al which names and callyngs we may lerne that the churche is a high and excellent thing and dearely beloued to almyghty God who for hys churche sake dyd giue hys onely sonne to most vyle death and for the which also he hath prepared the kyngdome of heauen Nowe forasmuche as we rede of an other churche in the holy scrypture which is called Ecclesia malignantium Psalm 25 The churche of the malingnant noughtye people And yet of late a great number of scismaticall persones being in verye dede members of thys malygnant churche haue vsurped to thē selues the name of the true churche I intende to gyue you sufficient instruction to dyscerne and know the true churche of Chryst from all hereticall and scysmaticall congregations Fyrst this holye and true churche of Chryst is called in our Crede as it is in dede the catholyke churche That is to saye the vniuersal church bycause it is not lurkyng in anye corner or any one country but is in all countryes dyspersed neyther is thys catholyke churche hid from vs or inuisible or vnknowen but we may easely dyscerne and know the same For christ doth call it Ciuitatem supra montem A citie vpon an hyll Math. 5.
Christe yet one of them he calleth a deuyll Doth not Christe also saye Math 23. that Scribes and Phariseis doo syt in Moyses chayre neuerthelesse he woulde the people should obey theyr lessons Euen so thoughe some members of Christes catholyke churche doo not lyue accordynge to theyr vocatyon yet oughte no man therefore the lesse to regarde the fayth and doctryne of the same churche These thynges good people thoughe they are sufficiente to declare the holye Churche what it is and howe it may be knowen yet I besech you most diligently to note and carye awaye one rule which shall neuer deceaue you but is a sure tryall of the catholyke churche and the fayth thereof This rule is not myne but taken out of a learned auncient and ryghte godlye father in Christes Churche He sayth There are thre meanes to trye a churche Vincentius Lirenensis or doctryne the fyrst is antiquitie the second is vniuersalitie the thyrde is vnitie By the fyrst we are taught that a true doctrine must be knowē by that it is not lately spronge vp or rysen but commeth from Christ and his apostles and hath contynued styll in the churche By the seconde we maye vnderstande that a true fayth or doctryne of the churche is that onelye whiche vnyuersallye in all countreys hath ben taught beleued By the thirde we ought to learne that a true doctryne or fayth of the church doth alwayes agre and is alwayes one Nowe those three thinges well noted may instruct and teache any Christen man to knowe the catholyke churche whiche euer synce the Apostles tyme and in all countreys with one consent in al thinges concernyng our fayth hath shewed her self the worthy spouse of Chryst Contrary wyse false doctryne and heresye euer hath doone and shall doo to the worldes ende lately arise lurke in priuat corners neuer agre with itselfe Which thyngs I myght easelye at large proue and open to you by playne and manifest demonstration But because in the nexte homelie I intende to speake of the aucthoritie of the churche and also of the commoditie and profite that we haue by the same here I wyll make an ende Roma 12 besechyng all you good and godly people to geue your bodyes and soules an humble and holy sacryfyce to almyghtye God prayinge euermore that we may be altogether lyuelye membres of oure sauyoure Iesus Chryst and of his catholyke churche here vpon earth and after this lyfe partakers of the ioyfull kyngedome of heauen through the same our Lorde Iesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghoste be all honoure and glorye worlde without ende Amen H. Pendilton sacrae theologiae professoris ¶ An Homely of the aucthoritie of the churche declarynge what commoditie and profit we haue thereby LYkewyse as in the laste homelye it was declared to you good chrysten people what the churche is and how it maye be knowen soo nowe ye shall learne the aucthoritie of the same catholyke church and the commoditie or profyt that ensueth to vs all beynge members of the same churche Fyrste whan oure sauioure Iesus Christ dyd send forth the twelue apostles to preach who were and are the cheife and pryncipall pyllers of this catholyke churche he dyd geue to them great power and aucthoritie as saynt Mathewe beareth wytnes Math. 10 sayinge Iesus dyd call together the twelue disciples and gaue to them power ouer vncleane spirites that they shoulde cast them out and shoulde heale all maner of diseases and infirmities And sondrye tymes we do rede in the holy Gospell that our Sauiour Chryste doth speake to his Apostles after this maner Qui uos audit me audit qui uos spernit me spernit That is to saye He that heareth you Mathe. 10. heareth me and he that dispiseth you doth dispise me Meanynge Iohn 13. and wyllynge thereby that all the worlde shoulde know and confesse the aucthoritie of the catholyke church whiche Christ him selfe dyd buyld in and vpon these hys holye Apostles And to the same purpose he sayd to them Iam non dicam uos seruos sed amicos c That is to say Nowe I wyll no more call you seruauntes Iohn 15 but frendes for al thinges that I haue herde of my father I haue declared to you Iohn 20 And agayne he sayth As my father sente me euen so I sende you By these and many such other places we maye see that our louynge sauiour dyd giue greate aucthoritie to his Apostles But nowe it is expediente and nedefull to declare in what specyall poyntes this aucthorytie doth consyste and that the same aucthorytie was not onely geuen to the Apostles of Christe but also to theyr successours in the catholyke churche euer to endure Whiche aucthoritie thoughe it be greate and manyfolde yet these are the chefest partes thereof that hereafter doo folowe Fyrste almyghtye God hath geuen power The churche hath the true sence of the scripture and is iudge therof and aucthoritie to the catholike churche to haue the true sense and vnderstandynge of the holye Scripture yea and to approue also or reproue al wryting as Scripture or no Scripture Whiche thynge good christen people you may well vnderstande to be moost true yf ye cal to remembraunce who is the guyde and gouernour of the churche that is to wit the holy Ghost as Christe dyd promyse sayinge Ego rogabo patrem et alium paracletum dabit vobis vt maneat vobiscum ineternum Iohn 14. that is to saye I wyll aske my father and he wyll giue to you an other comforter that he maye abyde wyth you for euer And after that our Lord and sauiour had rysen frō death he dyd breathe vpon hys Apostles and sayde Accipite spiritum sanctum Take you the holy ghost and also Iohn 20. after hys ascension into heauen accordynge to his merciful promise he did sende downe the holy Ghost vpon his Apostles Act. ii as saincte Luke writeth Nowe that the holy ghoste was not gyuen to the Apostles onely but also to the catholyke churche to the worldes ende it is manyfest forasmuche as Chryste dyd promyse the conforter vt maneat vobiscum inaeternum That he should abyde sayeth he wyth you for euer Nowe we are mooste certayne Iohn 14 that the Apostles of Christe dyd suffer deathe for the faythe of Chryste and that within fewe yeres after they thus had receyued the holy ghoste Neuertheles Christ sending furthe hys Apostles to preache and baptyze sayd to thē Math. 28. Ecce ego vobiscū sum omnibus diebus vsque ad consūmationê seculi That is Behold I am with you at al tymes euen to the ende of the worlde Wherefore we maye playnly see that the holy ghoste beynge promised to the Apostles to abyde for euer and to the very ende of the world was promised and giuen to them and to their successours in the churche where he doth and shall abide for euer Now
forasmuche as the holye ghoste is the gouernour and ruler of the catholyke churche we ought there onely and in no other corner to serche the true vnderstandynge and dyscernynge of the scryptures And for this cause the aucient fathers were they neuer so godly and so wel learned yet woulde they neuer presume vpon theyr owne iudgementes but euer referred them selues to the vnderstandyng and interpretacion of the catholyke churche before them Therfore the godly lerned and ancient father Ireneus Ireneus li. 3 capi 4 wryting agaynste schismaticall heresyes sayeth thus Quid enim si qui de aliqua modica questione disceptatio esset nonne oporteret in antiquissimas recurrere Ecclesias c. that is to saye but what and yf there were contencion concerning some smal question were it not necessarye to returne to the mooste auncient churches and immediatly after he sayeth Quid autem si neque apostoli quidem scripturas reliquissent nobis nonne oportebat ordinem sequi traditionis quam tradiderunt hijs quibus committebant Ecclesias What sayeth this holye father yf the Apostles had lefte to vs no scripture at all had it not bene necessarye to folowe the order of that tradition whyche they delyuered to those to whome they dyd bequethe the churche Alas good people howe farre are manye in these dayes gone from this olde and aunciēt rule this blessed martir here exhorteth or rather commaundeth that yf any small dyscorde thoughe it be in a matter of lytle importaunce doo chaunce that we woulde not accordyng to our fantasy iudge therein but though we haue no scripture for the same yet sayeth he we ought to folowe kepe and obserue the tradition of the aunciente churches Where as in these late dayes the impudente procedars haue taughte the zely people that euery man shoulde and may be a iudge of controuersyes and that we oughte to obserue no tradition nor ceremonye other than we fynde in the holy scrypture Of suche the same holy Ireneus dooeth speake thus after many other notable lessons to the same purpose Omnes autem hij decidunt a veritate Ireneus li. 4 Cap. 43. et heritici quidem alienum ignem afferentes ad altare dei id est alienas doctrinas a celesti igne conburentur c. All these sayeth he doo fal from the trueth and the heretykes truely bryngynge straunge fyre to the aulter of God that is to saye straunge doctrine shal be brent with the heuenly fyre With suche lyke threatnynges in the same place to those that disobey the authoritie of the churche Lykewyse sainct Augustyne speakynge of the baptysme of chyldren and howe that sacrament can profyte them seynge many die before they know the effecte of the same affyrmeth that the faythe of those that brynge the chylde to christenynge shall profyte the childe that is broughte but for his probacion August de li. arb lib. 3. Cap. 23. he bryngeth thys Hoc commendat ecclesie saluberrima authoritas This thynge the mooste holsome aucthoritye of the churche doethe commende And euen wyth lyke reuerence the same saincte Augustyne dooth many tymes submytte all hys iudgementes Epist 7. In proemio Li. 3. De. Tri. and woorkes to the catholyke churche And fynally to declare hys iudgemente concernynge the aucthoritye of the catholyke churche He saieth thus Ego vero Euāgelio nō crederem nisi me catholicae Ecclesiae commoueret authoritas that is to say Truely August contra epist Manich. Capi. 3 I would not beleue the Gospell onles that the aucthoritye of the catholyke churche dyd moue me thereto And we ought here to consyder that after the ascension of our sauioure Christe for the space of certayne yeares there was no gospell at all wrytten but all thynges concernynge the faythfull christians were ruled and gouerned by the dyscyples of Christ beyng than the heades of the church Afterwarde we rede that dyuers of the dyscyples of Christe dyd wryte Gospelles as sainct Bartylmew Nicodemus and an other Gospel was called Euangelium Nazareorum But the authorite of the churche dyd onely admitte those fower euangelistes which nowe the whole churche dooth retayne Whyche thing might well seme maruelous seynge that bothe saincte Bartylmew and Nicodemus were present and dyd see the woorkes of Christ and also dyd here hys doctryne where as sainct Luke dyd learne hys gospell of saincte Paule and other and so lykewyse dyd S. marke but hereby it dooeth moost playnly appere that the catholike churche onely hathe this hye aucthorite to dyscerne scriptures and that scriptures allowed by the church shoulde not be refused of anye particulare persons Nowe therefore seynge that the catholyke churche bothe hathe delyuered to vs the scripture and in all ages and tymes hath bene taken of all Godly lerned men for the true iudge thereof I exhort and beseche all you good christen people that in all doutes opinions and controuersies ye would resort to the holy churche and there learne what the same catholyke church hath beleued and taught from time to time concernynge doutes or controuersies and yf wyth lowly and meke hartes ye wyll so doo surely the holy ghoste wyll instructe you he wyll comforte you and he wyl leade you into al trueth But yf in suche case ye wil fly from the catholike church aske coūsell of your selues or of any that dooth swarue from the sayd churche than for so muche as the holy ghost is not your guyde you shall fall from ignoraunce to errour and from doutyng and dysputyng to playne heresy and so from one to another to the vtter confusion An other aucthoriti of the churche of bothe body and soule Yet beside this great authoritie of the churche whereof you haue hearde there is an other gyuen by God of mooste hye excellencye that is power to forgyue and pardon the penitent synner and to punishe and correcte the obstinate or frowarde synner which power and aucthorite Leuit. 13. as it was fygured in the preesthood of the olde lawe as in Iudgynge of leprose persons and in punyshynge to death those that did not obey the priest euē so is it giuen by our sauiour Christ in very dede Deut. 17. in the gospel to his Apostles and to all theyr successours For after that our sauioure hadde rysen from deathe he came amonges hys Apostles and brethed vpon them and sayde Accipite spiritum sanctum quorum dimiseritis peccata Iohn 20. dimittuntur eis et quorum retinueritis retenta sunt That is take you the holy ghost whose sinnes you shall forgyue they are forgyuen to them and whose synnes you doo retayne they are retayned Whyche aucthorite by playne woordes gyuen by Christ though some hath or doo contemne and set at noughte Ciril in Iohn Lib. 12. capi 20. yet saincte Cyrill byddeth them cease to merueyle that Christ should giue suche power for he sayeth Certe absurdum non est peccata remitti posse ab illis qui spiritum sanctum in seipsis habeant
the aultare Ye must knowe that the presence of our sauioure Chryste in this sacrament of the aulter is not to the intente that Chryst should be conuersaunt with vs here in thys Sacrament in such sort and maner as he was with his Apostles when he liued here on earth that is to saye in the visible shape and fourme of a mā but his presence in the Sacrament is to the intent to be to vs an heauenly fode and therefore he is presente in the sacramēt vnder the fourmes of bread and wine so that our outwarde eyes and senses are certifyed with the outwarde fourmes and sensyble qualityes and the whole man with al receaueth the verye bodi and bloud of our sauiour Christ S. Augustine as is writen in a boke called Sententie prosperi dothe say Auguste in Sentētie Prosperi that christen men do honour vnder the formes of breade and wine which thei see with their bodely eies the bodie and bloude of our Sauiour Christ which they do not see Eusebius Emissenus Eusebius Emissenus also an aūcient father of the Greke churche speaking of the foresayd two partes conteined in the Sacrament of the aultar sayeth in thys maner This is the thing which bi al meanes we intend to proue that the Sacrifice of the churche doth consist and is made of two partes that is of the visible fourmes of the elemētes and of the inuisible body bloud of oure Sauiour Chryst S Ciprian in his treatise entituled Cipriane de coena domini De coena domini doeth most playnelye saye that the bread which our Lord did giue to his disciples was by the omnipotēcie of god made fleshe was chaūged in nature but not in fourme Eusebius Emissenus in a sermon of the bodi of Christ. The forenamed Eusebius in a sermō of his made of the body of Chryst dothe farder saye that Christ the inuisible priest doth tourne visible creatures bi his word through his secret power into the substaunce of his body blud Now for to signify this chaunge or turning of bread and wyne into the substaūce of Christes bodye and bloude the catholyke church vseth this word Trāssubstanciatiō which is as much to say as the chaūging of one substaunce into another Nether is it to be counted vnfyt that there should in the Sacrament of the aultare be the fourme of bread yet not the substaūce of bread seyng God is the doer worker therof Exo. 20 to whom nothing is impossible We read in the nynetenth Chapiter of Exodus how that when God came downe frō heauen vnto Mounte Sinai there was heard a soūd of a trumpet and yet material trumpet was there none vii chapiter of the fourth of the kinges In the fourth boke of the Kynges the .vii. chapiter God caused a soūde to be heard in the tentes of the Sirians as if it had bene of horses charets and of a greate armye yet was there nother horse charet nor armye In the thirde chapiter of Daniel it is recorded howe the three chyldren were in the myddest of the flamyng furnes and yet felte no heate soo that there was the substaunce of fyre and yet it dyd not bourne which to nature is impossible but to GOD is an easye matter In the .xvii. of Mathewe we reade Math. 17. howe that Chryste was transfygurated and that hys face dyd shyne as the Sonne and that hys apparel was made as whyte as snowe In the .xxiiii. of Luke Ln. 34. Chryst appeared to two of his dysciples goyng to Emaus like a straunger In al these foresayd examples we see as straunge a woorke as is transubstantiation yet no man douteth of them bycause God is the worker nor anye man asketh howe this or that coulde be but beleuethe it and soo oughte we to doo concernynge the chaunge of the substaunce of breade and wyne into the substaunce of Christes bodye and bloude and not aske howe it may be The blessed martyr Iustinus affyrmeth that this question howe Iustinus martir is a token of vnbelefe and S. Ciril writing vpon the .vi. Chapiter of S. Iohn blameth the Capernaites Ciril vpon the Vi. of S. Iohn bycause they dyd aske howe Chryst was able to giue thē his fleshe to eate The wordes of saincte Cyryll be these They aske not without great impietie how canne this man geue vs hys fleshe and they remember not that nothing is impossible to God but let vs sayeth he haue firme faith in the misteries and let vs neuer in so high matters eyther thincke or aske this how Whē God is the worker let vs not aske how but let vs leaue the knowledge of his worke to hym selfe Chrisostome vpon Iohn the Vi. S. Chrisostome lykewyse vpon the sayde .vi. Chapiter sayeth that when this question howe any thing is done commyth into our myndes then with all there commeth vnbelefe also But bycause in scrypture the thyng that we receyue when we come to the sacramente is called bread therefore men haue fansied with thē selues that there must be the substaunce of material breade deceauing themselues by mystakyng the signification of this worde breade For thoughe in our common speach we vse to signify by this word bread that one kinde of materiall substaunce which is made of corne or graine yet in scripture it signifieth all kynde of fode whether it be the fode of the body or the fode of the soule and so dothe also the latyne worde Panis elles when we desyre god in our Pater noster to geue vs our dayly bread we shold make an vnperfytte petition which yet is a mooste perfyt petition Iohn 6. wherby we aske of our heauenly father all necessary fode In the .vi. of Ihon Manna is called breade and yet was it made of no kynde of corne or grayne and in the same chapiter Christe is called breade bycause he is the fode of the soule and there lykewyse the fleshe of Christ in the sacramēt is called breade and not there onely but in S. Paules Epystle also to the Corinthians for that it is the fode whereon we fede when we receaue the sacrament Agayne it is a commen trade in scripture to cal thinges by the name of that thinge whyche they once were as Adam is called earth because he was made of Earth Math. 11 and Chryst sayeth the blinde see the lame walke the deafe heare the dumme speake meanyng by the blynde lame deafe and dumme suche as before had bene soo but then were otherwyse Thyrdlye for that the fourme of breade doeth remayne it is in that respecte too called breade For these causes good faythful hartes are nothyng greued wyth the callynge of it breade in the scrypture but groundynge them selfes vpon the woordes of oure sauioure Christe when he sayde thys is my bodye and knowynge that it to be bothe breade and hys bodye also at once is impossyble they vndoutedlye beleue that by the power of GOD the
to the catholike churche they myght auoyde all daunger and meryte a great deale yet to open further the falshed and noughtines of the heretique teachers in our tyme and howe glad willinge they are to abuse the simplicitie of the vnlerned people ye shall haue here added some moo obiections and solutions geuē to them to this ende that if the sayd symple people haue bene infected with the sayd obiections or such like they maye be wel satisfied in their conscience therevpon adhere vnto the catholyke faythe maynteyned and obserued in the catholique churche out of whych there is no saluation Obiection And to procede herein this is one other common obiection that much troubleth the ignorant people it is to witte ¶ How can the body and bloude of our Sauiour Chryst be in the blessed sacrament of the aultar seing that not only euyll men do many tymes receue the same but fyre also maye consume it and other like chaunces may happen vnto it ¶ Ansvvere For aunswer to which obiectiō it is fyrst and principally to be sayd that this obiection procedeth of a vayne curiositie of them whiche rather delyte fondly to talke of this high mystery then to prepare them selues to receyue the same accordyngly Sure we are that our Sauiour Chryste is nowe man incorruptible and impassible nether by fire nor by ought els can suffer violence and therefore where it pleaseth hym of hys tender mercy and goodnes for our great comforte and soule helth by hys omnipotent worde to tourne the substaunce of bread and wyne into his most precious body and bloude in the sacrament of the aultare and yet so to make thys turne that neuerthelesse he suffereth the fourmes sensible qualities of the breade and wine to remaine in there nature as they were before the consecratyon it is to be vnderstanded that the violence or force that is or may be done to thys sacramente is done onely to the fourmes and qualities sensible whiche in dede are subiecte to passibilite corruption but in no wise to the vncorruptible body bloud of oure sauioure Christ vnder them conteyned Doo we not reade I pray you in the fourth of Mathew howe that our sauiour suffered the deuyll to take hym and carye hym vp into the pinacle of the temple afterwarde to the toppe of an hygh mountayne and yet who doth not knowe that he suffered no vilany thereby at all The sonne beames also many tymes do shyne on thynges impure vncleane yet are they no whyt thereby defyled The bodye of mā is with a greater vnion ioyned to the soule then are the fourmes of breade and wine to the body and bloude of our sauiour Christe in the Sacramente of the aultar and yet we know that mortification putrifaction and other suche lyke thinges chauncynge to our body the soule hath in it no suche passion for that it is immortall The very Godhed of oure sauioure Christ was in vnitye of person vnited to hys manhod yet none of the passiōs paines or griefes whiche he sustayned in hys manhod broughte violence alteration or chaunge to hys godhed For the godhed is in alterable vnpassible The simplicity of Christen people in the primatyue churche was suche that they beleuynge mooste certenly the body and bloude of our sauiour Chryste to be in the sacrament of the aulter vnder the fourmes of breade and wyne dyd wythout al curious talke of the fourmes accidentes bende thē selues to be present at masse wherein the myghtye woorke of consecration is wrought by god and wherin our sauiour Christ also is in fourmes of breade and wyne offered vp to the heauenly father by the priest for the soner obteinyng of mercy and fauoure towardes vs and the sayde people beynge at masse they wyth moost feruent deuotion dyd praye and dyd honour the blessed sacrament of the aulter the body and bloude of oure sauiour Christe and besydes this they dyd oftentymes wyth feare and tremblynge prepare them selues to the worthy receyte thereof and by suche theyr godly behauiour they dyd purchase to them selues greate abundaunce of grace where we by the cōtrary and moost vnchristian behauour prouoke gods wrathe dayly more and more vpon our selues and the whole realme For nothyng soner styrreth God to auengeaunce then the presumption of suche as wyl curiously enter into hys hydden secrettes and therevpō doo contempne all that whiche by theyr feble wyttes they are not able to vnderstande ¶ Obiection Another obiection is of the woordes of our sauioure in the .vi. of Iohn Iohn vi where he saieth Qui manducat meam carnem et bibit meum sanguinem habet vitam eternam That is to saye He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude hathe euerlastynge lyfe Vppon these wordes they gather that if in the sacrament of the aulter be really the body and bloude of oure sauioure Christ then who so receueth the sacramēt must nedes enioye euerlastyng life But the scripture witnesseth that Iudas receaued it and sainct Paule in the .xi. 1. Corin. xi of his fyrste Epistle to the Corinthians saieth that Who so receueth the sacrament vnworthely receaueth it to his dampnation ¶ Obiection To this obiectiō it is to be aunswered that many sentences of scripture are to be vnderstande wyth a certayne restraynte or limittation as for example the scrypture sayeth Qui credit in me habit vitam eternam That is to say He that beleueth in me hath euerlasting lyfe And in the fyrst Epistle of S. Iohn 1. Iohn 4 the fourthe chapter it is written Quisquis confessus fuerit quoniam Iesus est filius dei deus in eo manet et ipse in deo That is to saye Who soeuer shall confesse that Iesus is the sonne of God in him dwelleth God and he in God There haue bene and are thousandes whyche beleue in Christe and that Christe is the very sonne of God and yet shall not for all that be saued but either for lacke of true belefe in other articles of the christian religion or for lacke of good lyfe shal be dampned This condition than is to be added to the forsayde sentences yf in suche beleif a mā dye and therewith is faythful in the necessarye articles and out of state of all deadely sinne he shall thā with out any doute inherite the kyngedome of heauen So in thys present obiection we muste make a limitation and saye that who so eateth and drynketh worthely c. ¶ To the cōfyrmacion hereof August sermon .xi. De verbis domini Sainct Augustine saieth in hys eleuēth sermō De verbis domini Profecto est quidam modus manducandi illam carnem quomodo qui manducauerit in Christo manet et Christus in eo Non ergo quocumque modo quisquā manducauerit carnem Christi et biberit sanguinem Christi manet in Christo et in illo Christus sed certo quodam modo quem modum vtique ipse videbat quando ista
dicebat That is to saye Verily there is a certayne maner of eatynge that fleshe after whiche maner he that shall haue eaten it doeth dwell in Christ Christe in hym Wherefore note in what maner soeuer a man doeth eate Christe fleshe and drinketh hys bloude he dwelleth in Christe and Christe in hym but he that eateth and drinketh after a certayne speciall maner to whiche maner Christ had respecte when he spake the foresayde woordes Idem contra Cresco gramaticum li. i. Capi. 24. The same saincte Augustine in his fyrste boke Contra Chrescouium gramaticū and the .xxiiii. Chapiter sayeth thus Quid de ipso corpore et sāguine domini vnico sacrificio pro salute nostra guamuis ipse dominus dicat Nisi manducaueritis carnē filij hominis c. non ne idē apostolus docet etiam hoc perniciosum male vtentibus fieri That is to saye What of the very body and bloude of our sauioure the onely sacrifyce for our saluation thoughe there of our Lord dothe saye vnles ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man c. doeth not the same Apostle meanynge Paule teache that it also is pernicious to them that doo vse it not duely and ryghtfully Obiection ¶ An other obiection there is also and it is thys Christ Iohn 10.15 Iohn .x. and .xv. dothe say I am a dore I am a vyne i. Corin. 10. and sainct Paule Pri. ad Corin. x. vseth suche lyke speache whiche speache of Christe and of sainct Paule in those places doth not import that Christ in euery dede by that saying was a dore or a vyne or suche lyke but speakyng after that figuratyfe speache or maner he dyd meane that he was a fygure of a dore of a vyne and suche lyke and that he had the propertie of a doore of a vyne so forthe Semblably saye they when Christ at his laste supper takynge breade and blessynge it dyd saye This is my bodye And takyng the cup giuing thankes dyd saye this is my blood of the new testamente c. hys speache soo pronounced and vttered dyd not import that Christe thereby dothe make of the breade and wyne his body and bloude but eyther he ment that the breade and wyne was sygnes and tokens of his bodye and bloude or els that they should be fygures of hys body and bloude and not hys very body and bloude in dede and consequently therefore they saye that in the sacrament of the aulter there is neyther the bodye neyther the bloude of Christe but bare material breade wyne beyng onely sygnes tokens and fygures of Christes body and bloud there ¶ For soluciō of this obiectiō Aunsvvere this maye be sayd that it is trouthe that Christ and saincte Paule in the places before alleged doo soo saye as is deduced in the begynnynge of this argumente or obiection and trouthe it is also that the speache of Christ I am a dore I am a vyne c. dothe not importe that Christe by that speakynge was in very dede a doore or a vyne but that he was a fygure of a doore and of a vyne and had the propertye of the doore and of the vyne But when it is sayde that the semblable is of Christes woordes This is my bodye this is my bloude that is neyther true nor dothe folow eyther by the rules of reason or of scripture for concerninge reason eyther muste we reason and saye that Christe alwayes in hys speakynge dyd vse fygures metaphores and tropes which to saye is moost false as it appeareth in the .xvi. of S. Iohn Iohn 16 eyther els we must say that Christe dyd but onely sometymes speake in fygures and not soo alwayes whiche beyng true and therefore to be graunted it foloweth not in reason that thoughe Christe in the .x. and .xv. of sainct Iohn c. dyd speake fyguratiflye Iohn x. and .16 that therefore here in these woordes of Christ this is my bodye this is my bloude he dyd also speake fyguratiflye wherefore let these sely soules that haue bene seduced by thys kynde of argumentes aske theyr teachers whether they can mayntayne and defende this theyr owne argumēt with soo feble a consequent or noo And yf they can not then tel thē that they be very varlettes in dede and as for the rule of scriptures that is of the circumstaūce of the letter and of other places of scripture cōferred with the same to gather therof that very meaning of the thing an example whereof we haue Iohn 2. and .16 Iohan. ii and .xvi. And here the vnlearned are to be taughte that althoughe in the prophetes and the histories of the olde testamente tropes and fygures are receyued and allowed forasmuche as by suche tropes and fygures the thing spoken is more vehemently declared and set forth yet as the excellent prelate and notable great clerke the Lorde byshop of winchester nowe most worthy Lord chaunceler of England in his learned booke of confutaciō of heresies against the sacrament of the aulter doth prudētly aduertise vs clerly affyrme in the doctrine preceptes of the now militāt churche al thinges of our religion faith ought to be taken symply plainely And in very dede yf in the sacramēt of the aulter were not the true body of Christ but a figure a significatiō onely of it thā the sacramēts of the new testamēt shold haue nothing more but rather lesse thē the sacramēts of the olde testamēt had which is against the catholyke doctrine of the churche against al good reasō ¶ Obiection An other obiection is this Christ at his laste supper takynge the chalice or cup into his handes dyd after that he had blessed it saye This cuppe is the newe testament in my bloude And seyng these woordes must nedes as they say be taken fyguratiuely inasmuch as the very material cup it selfe was neyther the newe testamente ne yet the bloude of Christ therefore lykewyse these wordes also whych Christ takīg bread into his hādes blessīg it saying This is my body must nedes be takē figuratiuely ¶ For answer whereunto we may say Aunsvvere as we did say before to the same obiection that this argument is noughte very euyl framed for thoughe we did admit a figure to be herein the cuppe yet it foloweth not therby that we must nedes take the other speche touchīg the body to be fyguratyue also especially for that in the one speache it is to wit touchyng the body al the circūstāces of the texte course of scripture doo enforce vs to take the speache properlye wherein the other speache touchynge the cup al the circumstances of the texte and course of scripture dothe importe the contrary ¶ Obiection An other obiection is that Christe hathe but one true natural body nowe say they one true natural body can not truely be but in one place therefore say they seynge Christes body is truely in heauen it can not be truely also in