Answer to the Devilish Detection of the Bishop of Winchester, Treatise · Part 2
❧ The reſoluſion of certen doubtes contained in Wincheſters booke
THus hauehave I put you out of doubt▪ that we doubte in no article of the chriſtiā faith. But I doubt that you b…e not yet out of doubte in thoſe thinges that you doubt of in your detection, amongeſt whych this is the greateſt doubt. You doubt (you ſaye) how the ſonne of god whome you cal I…ſus) ſhoulde be contained in the wōbe of the virgine. VntoUnto this your boubt, I anſwere, that as he was and is God: ſo was▪ he and is wythout begining and ende. And the heauen, yea the heauen of Apocal. xxii. iii Reg. viiii.al heauens, can not containe hym (much leſſe a littlle boxe to be ſhut therin (but as he was verie man, ſo was it true that the prophete dyd ſpeake. That a woman ſhoulde cōpaſſe a man. And thys body (that was borne of of the woman) can you not proue to be ſcatterred throught out all corners of the erthe and to be in heauen alſo. For ſo ſhoulde you make hym a ſpirite and no bodye (yea all together God & no crature, for no creature can be in …o places thē one at one) cōtrari to the chieffeſt article of our faith, which is that he was incarnat & became mā like vntounto vsus in al thynges (ſynne onelye excepted) and that in the ſame fleſhe he dyed once, roſe againe, and aſcended into heauen, and there ſitteth at the right hande of God the father, from when … he ſhall come euen verie man as he aſended, Acto. i.hauinge all the propreties of an incorruptible bodye, that is to ſaye, beinge viſible and local, haueing quantitie and qualities as his fayethfull diſciples and Apoſtles ſawe and perceined hym to hauehave after his reſurrection whyche proprites declared hym to di…er frō a ſpirite (muche more from God) as concerneinge the bodye wherin theſe qualitites be. The godheade differeth and is knowne frō the bodye by that it is immenſe, and can be cōtayned in no place neither is it ſenſible, nor can be perceiued by any of the ſenſes. Wher as contrariwyſe, the bodye is ſenſible and maye be boeth felt and ſene, and muſt nedes be alwayes contained in ſome one place, other elſe is it no bodie. And thought by miracle, God hauehave caried any corporall bodie frō place to place, cōtrarie to the cours of nature as he dyd Elias, in the firely chariot. Or as iiii. Reg. ii.he caried Abacuke for the confort of daniell, and as the ſpirite of God toke awaye Philip, when he had chriſtened the Ennuche of quene Candaces, and ſet him at Azotū. And Acto. viiias by the ſpirite, Peter was brought out of priſone, taken from the foure quaternians of ſouldiours, hys bodye lowſed forth of all the chaines and priſons ſodaynelye, yea the Act. xii.…ate of Irone openeinge agaynſte hym, contrarie to the naturall order: yet can no man proue by theſe or any lyke miracle, that one bodye hath ben in. ii. places at once, much les that any of theſe bodies maie be eueri where, as you do maynetayne (by miracle of Chriſt comeinge into the houſe when the Apoſtles had ſhette the dores and wyndowes, for the feare of the Iewes) that the natural bodye of Chriſte maye be in ten thouſande boxes and aultres, when you do not knowe whether the dores dyd open agaynſt Chriſte as the Iron gate dyd agaynſt Peter. But you bringe in your ſophiſtrie agaynſte al reaſone, wyth out any ſcripture, and therfore wythout any fayeth, affirmeinge that. ii. bodies are in one place together & occupi the ſame place at one time, which neither faieth, reaſone, nor any of the ſēſes (that ought bi the ordinaū … of God to iudge of all bodilie thynges) could at any time, either by miracle or otherwiſe perceiue.Act. v.
We reade in the. v. of the Actes, that the ſecte of the Sadduceis, dyd caſte the Apoſtles into priſone, & that they were brought fourth by an angell. Yet when the miniſters were ſent to bring them to examinacion, thei founde the priſon diligently ſhotte and the kepers ſtandeinge at the gates. But nowe it were a verie ſlender reaſon, to proue that the bodies of the Apoſtles maie be in many pla… …es at once. And yet is this euen lyke matter with the entring in of Chriſt to his Apoſtles when the dores were ſhette. But boeth theſe miracles were wrought to cōfirme the fayth of the Apoſtles, not that Chriſt myghte lye hid in a little breade, for they neuer taught thys fayeth to the world. But this was their doctrin, that theyr God coulde deliuer from priſone, and rayſe from death, for as muche as he was the trwe God, euen Chriſte Ieſu the ſoune of the lyueinge God, whome they preachede to be as then riſen frome deathe.
But you are not contented wyth thys becauſe it hath ſome ſhadow of the of the truth your purpoſe is to deceiue by ſnbtyle wordes, But nowe you myxt open falſehod and ſaye that Chriſte dyd riſe out of the graue the ſame beinge ſtyll ſhet, where al the foure euangeliſtes do witneſſe agaynſte you ſayeing that the ſtone was taken awaye or roled from the dore of the graue or monument. It is no meruaile therfore, thought you would baniſhe as many as is poſſible frome readeinge of the ſcripture, for if no man myght reade the ſcripture but you and your cōpleis then myght you lye at the large wythout …heke, and plaie your legerdemayne without beinge eſſpied of any man. Firſte Iohn, the Iohn, xx.chiefe ſecretarie of God, writteth thus. The firſte daye of the Sabuthe, Marie magdalene dyd come perlie when it was yet darely vntounto the graue: and ſhe dyd ſe the ſtone tak… awaie from the graue. And Mathew telleth▪ howe the ſtone was taken awaye▪ The Angell of the Lorde (ſayeth he) dyd come dow… Mat. xxviii.from heauen and dyd rolle the ſtone frome the dore and ſit vponupon it.
In Marke and Luke (good chriſtians) yo… maye reade (if the byſhoppe wyll geue you leaue to loke on Chriſtes holy worde) that the ſtone was rolled a waye, and the womē went into the graue. By thys maye all men ſe that luſte, that you ar better ſene in the popes lerning thē inthe goſpel of Chriſt. Who ſo liſteth to be deceiued: let them truſte ſuche byſhopes
More ouer, leſte it ſhoulde ſeme ſtrange to you that the graues ſhould open: we read in Mathewe, that the graues were opened Math. xxvii.and many bodies of the ſayntes which were deade dyd riſe, and after the reſurrection of Chriſt, dyd come into Ieruſalem and appeared to manye. What if one of your doctours laye that Chriſtes graue dyd not open whā he roſe: muſt you gather therof a newe article of oure fayth, to be defended wythe fyr…, and conclud, that eithere ther were. ii. bodies together in one place, and occupied the ſame place at one tyme (whiche is but a ſophiſtrie mattier, whyche if you coulde proue we care not greatly) or elſe (whych is lyke madneſſe) that one bodye naturall, maye be in. ii. thouſande places at once?
In the. viii. leafe of your boke, where you laboure a bout certayne reaſons that hauehave bene made coucernemge your God theſe be your wordes.Wincheſters wordes in the viii. leafe of his boke.
If it were true that is taught in the ſacrament of the aultare by the papiſtes (whyche terme ſerueth …or a tokē to them to proue the mattier nought) ſuch and ſuch inconneniēces ſhoulde not folowe to oure ſenſes. By theſe wordes you do miniſter occaſion to ſpeake The anſwerof. ii. thinges. One is, wh… you donot cal this the ſacrament of Chriſt, and the remābraunce of hys deathe and paſſion, accordeinge to the Luk. xxii.ſcriptures, whych ſaie. Do this in the remembraunce of me. And agaiue. So ofte as ye i. Corh. xi.ſhall drinke of thys cuppe and eate of thys breade: you ſhall ſhewe the Lordes death tyl he come or elſe the ſupper of the Lorde, as Paule calleth it in the ſame Chap, or elſe as Luke. xxiiii. Acto. ii.Luke calleth it, the breakeinge of the breade. But goddes holye worde you care not for, your owne gloſes delight you ſo much. The cauſe is, that you are papiſtes & do as your father hath done before you. Whoe (as he is the verie antichriſt and the wicked man ſowing the iuil wede, which you would faine deni and you durſt be ſo bolde) ſo likewiſe muſt ii. Tehſſ. ii Math. xiii.you lyfte your ſelfe a boue that whyche is God or godlye, & thinke that you can name al thynges better and teache, enerie thynge more wiſely then the ſpirile of God coulde do it in his holie ſcriptures. For this do you call it the ſacramente of the Aultare, and do hange it vp in a bande, ful vnreuerendelie (if it be a god) ſheweing the ſhame of your god (as Baruch ſayeth) that can not ſtand alone. Thys muſte we worſhip wyth al godly honour (ſaye you) and ſo furth in all other cere monies, bloweing, bleſſing, croſſeing, kiſſing and other mad geſtures. All thys muſte we do euen as your father the pope taught. Are ye not worthy to be called papiſtes, when you rage and reuell, burne and broyle, boeth the worde of God and the mayntainers ther of becauſe you can not hauehave the poppe and his name ſtyl, and for that you perceiue that the people begynne to loeth the baggage brought in by his ſubtill legerdimayne? Do ye not declare your ſelues hearein to be righ papiſtes: All that is crept into the mas (more then the Epiſtle and Goſpell, and theſe wordes Hoc eſt corpus meum, wyth a fewe wodes fuloweinge) for the whiche you prouid… verie well that we ſhall neither heare them nor vnderſtande thē.) what other thynge are they then the documentes of your father the pope: Not of Peter, but of hys ſuperſtitious ſucceſſours and vieares as you call them.
Eche of thē cobbled on hys cloute. As Celeſtinus A reherſall of the benefactours and founders of the maſſe.for his parte, or deined the praiers that the prieſt ſayeth when he rauiſheth himſelfe to maſſe (as you place your termes) Damaſus ordeined Confiteor. Gregorie cauſed Kirie leſone to be ſayed. ix. tymes together. Gregorie and Gelaſius gathered the collectes, wherof many are plaine hereſie if they were waighed to their worthineſſe. Thei ordeined alſo the grayle. The tracte was diuiſed by Teleſphorus. And the ſequences were firſte inuented bi one Notherus an Aabbt Anaſta ſius, commaunded that men ſhoulde ſtande vp at the Goſpel. Eutichianus, did ordaine the offertorie to be ſonge whylſe the people offered for the conforte of the poore, Gelatius made the preface, and ſextus put to the ſanctus. Pope Leo the threde ordeyneh the in ſenſe. The ſecretes of the maſſe called the cannon (whiche is made geare) was patched vp by diuerſe. Gelaſius made Teigitur. Siritius added communicantes and pope Alexander made qui pridie. Leo made Hancigitur Gregorie patched the peticions, diesque noſtros. Innocentius the firſt ordeyned that the prieſte ſhoulde kyſſe, and the paxe ſhoulde be geuen▪ to the people. Sargins ordeyned the agnus dei. Alexander the firſte dyd ordeyne that the bread ſhoulde be vnleuened, & water ſhuld be mixed with wine. In your ſecretes, you hauehave a beadrol of benefactors, & another of halowes▪ makeinge your mas a memorie of thē, & not of chriſt, ſo that in good faith we think in cōſciēce that we can not hauehave a fi…ter terme to hādle our matter with al, thē to cal this mas of yours popeiſh, for vpō the pope it is grounded, he was wōtte to be named in the middle of it, & was the onelyonly maker of it, Popeiſhe is the fitteſte name that can be geuē to the maſſe& in his remēbraūce it is done. Chriſogonus and other popeiſhe hauehave it done in theyre remēbraunce, what better name (therfore) can we geue it then popeiſhe: You alſo, mayntayneing the ſame, in mine opinion can hauehave no fitter name geuen you then papiſtes, for the fautours and maintayners▪ of the ſame ſectes & religiōs are named after the authors of the ſame ſectes and religiōs, as wel in the good parte as in the ill. If the pope therfore wer author of theſe things: thē is it but reaſō that you (the mayntayners therof) be called papiſtes. And I thynke not cōtrarie but you lyke the name verie well, for you renownce it not at all, neytther doe you miſlyke any thynge that ſubtyle Antichriſte dyd inuent but do ſtiffly take parte wyth the cruell papiſtes in the defence therof I thinke you are aſhamed or elſe your herte wyll not ſerue you, to renownce that your profeſſion perchance the othe that you made of olde doeth ſomewhat trouble your conſcience. Well ye paſſe it ouer wyth ſilence, ſo that we maye Silence betokeneth conſent of the minde or cō ſience.take you as you are and be nothynge deceyued in calleyng you papiſte. For if we were deceiued in you: you woulde neither mayntayne popeiſhe mattiers ſo ſtyfelye, nor yet accuſe ſo greuouſely, the wickedneſſe of this tyme, wherin men laboure ſo greatelye to de face the Popes doeynges. Yea ye woulde (at the leaſte waye, once in ſo longe a boke) hauehave taken occaſion to ſpeake agaynſte ſome popeiſhe madneſſe. But cleane contrarie, the more do ye eſtablyſh the popes kyngdome.
And at the lenght in the ende of your boke to declare your ſelfe a ſworne papiſte: you make the popeiſhe ceremonies, as gowne, crowne, and other baggage of popeiſhe inuentions: the farthynges wherof your religion wholely ſtandeth. Let them that hauehave eyes to ſe and eares to heare: iudge what you ar. Thā bring you a profe, made bi reaſonne Wincheſters wordes.and ſenſes of man, againſt your God.
❧ That the papiſtes call their God ſome tyme is eaten of a mouſe, ſometyme waxeth grene mould, red moulde, and blewe mould and ſo forthe. Therfore it is no God.
Al thys you ſolute wyth the diuill ſaieth, the diuell refreſheth hys yongelynges, and The anſwerſtil your tonge renneth vponupon the diuel, wherfore I feare me he is with in you For, of the a boundaunce of the herte, doeth the mouthe ſpeake, ſayeth Chriſte. It woulde become a chriſtian biſhoppe to name Chriſte more oft then the deuell. You confeſſe afterward that theſe thiges be true: and yet your ſolucion is heare that the diuel ſaieth it. Than adde you thys reaſone of the Deuel you ſaye.
❧ God is impaſſible, incorruptible and Wincheſters wordes.immortal. But that which the papiſtes mak their God is corruptible (for the mouſe doth eate it, the handes doe breake it mans teeth maye teare it, It maye alſo be burned, Ergo it is no God, but an Idolle.
❧ Then go you about to illude thys with The anſwera lyke argument (whyche is verie craftie ſopheſtrie) ſayeinge that you wil reaſone after the ſame ſorte and ſaye,
❧ God is impaſſible, Chriſte was God, ergo he ſuffered not. Or thus.Wincheſters wordes.
❧ God is impaſſible. Chriſt ſuffered, ergo he was not god.
Surelye you are a ſubtile Sophiſte, and The anſwerful able to deceiue. But take your ſolution wyth you. You do reaſone (as the ſophiſters ſaye) a ſimuli, but not a ſufficienti ſimlitudine. The ſufferinge by a mouſſe is nothynge lyke the ſufferinge of Chriſte who muſt needes Luke. xxiii.thus ſuffer for vsus and ſo enter into hys glorie. In whome no thinge was doene, but that hys father dyd decre before
That by death (as Paul ſaieth) he might Act. iiii.do awaye hym that had the authoritie ouer death, euen the deuell, whoe coulde not kepe Hebru. ii. Coloſo. ii. Pſal. xv.hym captiue, but he dyd riſe agayne and triumphe in the fleſhe, neither coulde his fleſheſe corruption. Thus are you deceiued double. Firſt for that you hauehave no ſcripturs whithys your handyworke ſhoulde be called God. Secondly becauſe it can by no ordynaunce, profite or commoditie: ſuffer of the mouſe or corruption as Chriſt hath done for our ſi…nes. So that I maruaile greatly you be not a ſhamed to compare it wyth Chriſte either in calleinge it God, or in the ſuffering of it by a mouſe. Is the paſſiō of Chriſt our) onelyonly, ſaluacion) no more regarded of you, but that you dare couple it wyth ſuch ſimilitudes? Chriſt (as he was God) coulde not ſuffer, but in hys fleſh he ſuffered for vsus, and yet▪ coulde not that ſame fleſhe of hys ſe corruptiō, as Dauid wittneſſeth. But this your white… and rownde thynge doeth daiely corrupt and periſh… wherfore it is not Chriſtes fleſh. Wherfore, if I might optaine ſo much fa…e of my prynce and people, as dyd Ih… amonge the Iſraelites: I woulde boeth deſtray this your Idole, and his groues of ceremones wherin you hid him, & bid Ba…ll auēge him ſelfe. But your God is ſo Iudic. vi.weake that you muſte deſende hym wyth fyre. Let hym do but ſo muche as a ſnayle doeth, and put o…t hys horne forthe of hys ſh…ll to afayre his enimies: and we wyl ſaye he is God and all together that you deſire. But the backes, cattes and birdes are not afrayde of hym in the churche. Therfore, as Baruch ſayeth, he is no God. But we wyll leaue all the reuenge aunce, boeth of thys Idole it ſelfe and you the makers therof: vntounto oure Lorde the liueinge God, for he promyſeth he wyll repayre it, and ſo hath he doene euen from the beginninge of the worlde, and Rom. xii.yours is at hande.
Your boke (byſhopye Stephane) is verie longe and tediouſel, and your talke ſubtyle, that if I ſhoulde to your worthyneſſe examine euerie ſentence: it would not be anſwered in fewe wordes. Yet I truſte your mattier and argumentes ſhall be ſufficiently ope ned, and your popeiſhe herte vtterred, and your ſophiſtrie cōfuted in this mine anſwere of my fayeth and hope whiche I hauehave conceiued of the liueing God and his ſōne Chriſte oure ſauioure.
In your tenth leafe, you do vehemently prouoke vntounto fayeth, grounded vponupon the worde of God and hys omnipotencie. For the omnipotencie, you are alredie anſwered, that it is no good argument, to ſaye that becauſe God is almighti, he is a piece of bread duſte, aſſhes or ſuch vile thynge. No you do blaſpheme the maieſtie of God in compareinge hym to ſuche vile creatures. As for that he did become verie man, it was for this purpoſe to aduaunce thys his noble creature the whole kynde of man (accordeinge to his promiſe) euen a bone the angelles, whome we i. Corh. vi.ſhall iudge, for they are all ſpirites, and are ſent forth to do ſeruice vntounto them which are the heyres of ſaluacion. Agayne, he dyd not take the angelles, but the ſeade of Abraham. Hebru. i.Therefore ought he in all pointes to be like hys bretherne. If ther were any ſuch worthyneſſe to be loked for vntounto the creature of breade, by the worde of God after thys life, then lo, we woulde graunte that he had aſſumpted thys fourme of breade wyth hym▪ But oh thou man, thou vile wretch and caytife to thy maker. Was it not ynoughe was it not ynoughe, I ſaye that Chriſt dyd come downe frome the boſome of the godheade, & the glorie of hys father, to take the fourme af aſernaunte, refuſeinge the fourme of angelles, and dyd be come (for a ſpace) inferiour vntounto them, verie man of the ſede of Eua Me….ſubiecte vntounto al humane miſerie (ſinne onelyonly excepted) humbled vntounto the deathe, euen the ſpitful death of the croſſe? That he nowe in his manhode exalted aboue all thynges heauenly, erthelye, and infernall: ſhoulde ſitte at the ryght hande of hys father aperpetuall mediatour and peace maker betwene vsus an his father, were not thys inoughe man for hys humblinge hym ſelfe, vntounto the, vnleſſe thou call hym downe into other vyle creatures (bread and wyne) & make him aſſūpt a newe fourme of breade, with a mernaylouſe Metamorphoſis, a ſodayne and inſenſible chaung, to make. ii. ſponeful of wine a God for to be worſhiped wyth all godly honoure (as your ſtatut of the. vi. articles of the faith of your Engliſhe churche doeth blaſpheme) to make a littell breade, the whole naturall and real bodie, fleſhe, bloude and bones and all as he hanged on the croſſe, or as he was borne of the vergine marie:
Truly, truly I ſaye vntounto the, becauſe he … omnipotent he wyll not be chaunged into any newe formes, by the mūbling and breathing of an whormōger or ſodomitical prieſt that you maye ſe your owne reaſone of the om…ipotēcie to be cleare agaynſt you whoſe omnipotente power yf you did once dred or feare his maieſty, you durſt neuer vt…er this blaſphemie. Nowe, our whole cōtention and ſtrife is aboute the fayth g…d vponupon the worde of god. All the world may iudge that we ſeke and requier none other thinge.
You hauehave but one ſcripture, which is this. Hoc eſt corpus meum. The Arrieus (whome you mēcion very often) had as much as that for their purpoſe, that is to ſay this texte.
Pater maior me eſt. They had as plain wordes in that text as you hauehave in yours. Iohn. xiiij.They hauehave the Verbe eſt (or is) that you make of ſo greate ſtrengthe. But yet you are in your proceading vponupon your text ſomwhat worſe thē they. For wher you ſay that this faith is groundid vpō the worde of god whereby we beleue euerie worde that procedeth from the mouth of God, as be theſe. This is my bodie whiche is geuen for you.
And this cup is the newe teſtament in thy bloude, whiche ſhalbe ſhed for many to the forgiuenes of their ſinnes▪ you ſay but right and we beleue no les. But whē you procede withe your ſophiſtrie and philoſophie of the bodie really and carnally, ſubſtancially (and naturally? cōſecrated, altered and changed i… to the forme of accidentes, qualities, and qu… tities: Then go you farder then did the Arians. For herein you bring with you a rabble of termes, fetchide forthe of the bottome of ſophiſtry and philoſuphy, and this deuiliſhe gronde muſt we either beleue or els be brent.
It is for theſe termes, for theſe your gloſes that you do ſtryue & mak your cruell lawes For you neuer deſpred nor procured Acte of parliamēt, that he whiche had not, or vnderſtode not the worde of god. ſhuld be brent, nor yet loſe one farthynge.
But many times hauehave you biſſhopes burned (and do dayly) bothe the newe teſtament & the olde (al that we hauehave lefte of the worde of lyfe) together wyth the maynteners and profeſſers of the ſame, and all them that will not maintain your gloſes. That you biſſhopes, the bloude ſheders of the newe teſtamēt may follow the trade of your holy …athers of the old law, who did ſlea Chriſt hym felfe as you do his beloued membres. But our liuinge god is the reuenger.
This Arius did drawe vntounto his wycked opinion, the emperoure▪ Conſtantius, the excellēt learned biſſhope Euſebius, and many other excellent biſſhopes and learned men.
Then god ſtired vp, Athanaſius, who cō futed, his errour with the hole courſe of ſcripture, as many godly men hauehave done yours, if you had grace to ſe it.
But lo, then did Arius ſeke for falſe accuſers, to hauehave cauſed the Emperoure to hauehave put this good man to deathe, but god did preſerue hym in his innocentie, and ſhewed his vengeaunce vponupon, Arius, ſo that he died moſt ſhamfully, his intralles and guttes fallinge from hym in to a preuie in the Sinode of Nece (as Athanaſius doth writ) vponupon the pſalme. Quicūque vult. Beware, you are admoniſſhed.
Where as you reaſō, that your god muſt mould & putrifie, muſt be deuoured, and corrupt, to the open cōfuſion of your ſenſes, becauſe your faith cā not other wiſe merite, verily, it is done to the confuſiō of your fonde braines and madnes, that will make ſo vile a creature (as can not help it ſelfe) your god honouringe wythe all godly honours, the thing that is weaker and worſe thē a worme or mouſe that waſteth it. Not onlie leauing the euerlaſting and almyghti god your ſelfe (who hath your breath in his hande to take it from you or lende it you ſo long as it lykethe hym) but alſo teachinge other alwais that this cūiured …ake is god. And yet ſo ſone as you put him to your mouth, your breathe onelyonly (whiche can hurte no other creature) chaungethe him into clammy paſt, that cleaueth by the ro…fe of your mouthes.
HaueHave you not learned, that the thinge whiche goeth into the mouth doth neather make the man holie, nor vnholie.
But god lokethe vponupon the hertes the grounde of all holines. For the beautie of this Kinges daughter, is inwarde. Can you not perceyue how ſhamful a chaunge you make frome the almightie to him that can do nothinge. Frō him that ſauethe al, to hym that can not ſaue hym ſelfe. Frome the ſtrongeſt creator, and maker of al, to the weakeſt of al creatures. From the heſt to the worſt.
Surely your ſenſes be confounded, and you may worthely be aſhamed, yea, you your ſelues and your god ſhal be confounded and aſhamed, when the wrathe and vengeance of god ſhal come downe vpō al Idols and Idolatours, whiche is at hande be ye ſure. But you ſay that this muſt moulde and putrifie that your faithe may merite. What ſhall it merite for this lewdly eſtemynge god and his ſonne Chriſt, but euerlaſting damnation For this is lyfe Euerlaſtinge to knowe the true God and whō he hath ſent Iheſu Chriſt Thē muſt it nedes be euerlaſting death, thus Iohn. vi.blaſphemouſly to Iudge of them bothe.
He that beleuethe in me hathe Euerlaſtinge lyfe (ſaithe Chriſt) we do thus beleue on the Iohn. v.ſone of god therfore hauehave we this witneſſe within our ſelues.
And ſeing we hauehave life euerlaſtynge and are made the chyldren of God by the teſtimony Rom. viij.of the ſpirite, we do ſeke no farther merite. But this worde merite is one of our iugling termes, wherewyth you blynde the people You promiſe merite for your mattēs, merite for your maſſe, merite for your eatynge of fiſhe, merite for al maner holines that you haunte. Worſhippinge of, Images, Creping to the croſſe, Setting vp of Candles, and all our workes muſt be done for our merites ſo that the merites of Chriſte (who onelyonly hath deſerued euerlaſting life for vsus) is cleane for gotten and fordone. Agayne you ſaye.
A good true chriſtian beleuinge man, knoweth Wincheſters wordes.this by faithe, that god is inuiolable impaſſible, incorruptible, immortall, and that our ſauiour the ſeconde perſone in trinitie, verie god, haueing the humayne nature now vnite to the godhed, whiche beinge glorified can not any more ſuffer violence or corruptiō nor be violated or brought to mortalitie.
All thys is playne agaynſt your owne The anſwer.doctrine, for ſeinge that the bodie of bread is cleane gone, and yet there remaineth a body that the mouſe or ape catcheth in his mouthe (or e…s they coulde not carie it awey) What ſhal we conclude by your doctrine: but that the mouſe or ape runneth awaye wyth that bodie whiche by your enchauntment, is conceiued into the place of the bread, which (blaſphemouſly) do name the body of Chriſt cō ſecrated into the fourme of breade? But, you do anſwere, that lyke as Chriſt whē he was here in the fleſhe, dyd fyrſt eſcape the handes of Herode, when he ſlewe the chyldren, and afterwarde the furious Iewes, when they woulde hauehave precipitate hym: tranſiens per Math. iij. Luke. iiii.medium illorum ibat. Chriſte eſcapped thorowe the middeſt of them. So doth he nowe ſaye you. Your ſimilitude is euyll applied. For beſydes that there is no compariſon of Chriſte comynge in the fleſhe for the wealth of the world, vntounto the bread thus altered for your pompe and pryde: we knowe, and Ioſeph and Mary do wytneſſe vntounto vsus that they knewe and perceyued by the benifite of theyr ſenſes, that thys ſame oure Sauioure Chriſte was in ſhape a very man. And we knowe alſo (by the teſtimonies of the ſcriptures) that he continued here very man in fourme and ſhape, beinge ſubiected vntounto all our infirmities (ſynne alwaye excepted) for the ſpace of. xxx. yeres and more, and that then he ſuffered death and roſe agayne, his fleſhe neyther being conſumed nor putrified, but ſtyll remayneth fleſhe incorruptible and immortal. Where as in the fourme of bread (wherein you ſay we ſee hym and eate him) we perceyue neither incorruption nor immortalitie. For it neuer continueth paſte the date of one monethmonth (if you incurre not the daunger of your fathers decrees) and commonly not one quarter of an houre, muche after the rate of the dayly newe created monſtros, of whō Ariſtotle maketh mētion. Who doubtles if he had harde of theſe monſtrous gods (made and marred all in an houre) woulde hauehave wrytten wonders vntounto his poſteritie. If the cakes were preſerued from corruption and dyd continewe ſtyl immortal, as Chriſt his fleſhe did: then woulde your ſimilitude (in theſe two miracles) ſerue you ſomewhat better. But ſeing that your cakes do mould and corrupte, and his fleſhe eſcaped Herode, and the handes of his enemies, and coulde Pſalme. xv.neuer ſee any corruption: thys your ſimilitude proueth, that thoſe cakes of yours can by no meanes be his naturall body. Theſe two miracles therfore (as all his other) were done to declare hym to be ſubiecte to no power of man, but to worke all his workes ſo, that no man can lette and hyndre ought that he hath determined to be done, but you muſt wreſt all that you can, to cloke your Sophiſtrie wythall.
Nowe, your affirmation of. xv. hundred yeres wythout any proufe, but only becauſe you ſay ſo: hath ben anſwered by many learned men. As …adinius, Ecolāpadius, Zwin glius, and other: prouing by your doctours, that the true fayth and ſpirituall vnderſtandyng of thys mattier, continued longe in the beſt ſorte of them. Howe be it, ſurely I wyll graunt this much vntounto you, that this blinde, groſſe and carnall opinion of the carnall eatyng of Chriſte, hath ben crept vp euer ſence the deuyl was lowſed. This thouſāde yeres that thys enemy hath troubled the worlde wyth popiſhe pompe and pryde, keepynge and lockyng vp the worde of God from vsus: God hath not deſtituted and forſaken, but hath alwayes, from tyme to time, ſteared vp witneſſes of his truth, whom partly the popiſhe hauehave ſlayne, but ſome God hath reſerued, and alwayes the good ſimple people hauehave had theyr eyes vntounto the lyuynge God in heauen, what ſo euer the prieſt dyd babble of thys his owne hādy worke. Neither could thoſe termes of your ſtraite lawes really, & ſubſtātially, the chaunge of the bread ſo that …here remayne onelyonly accidentes wythout ſubiecte, and conſecration into the quantitie and qualitie of breade) euer be vnderſtande of the pore ſimple people. For thoſe termes do ſprynge and hauehave their beginnyng of the ſchole learnyng and Sophiſtrie (as all men of knowledge can teſtify with me) and were neuer gyuen in cōmaundemēt to thys bloudy generation, to be deliuered vnderunder payne of death. It were but foly to ſtriue with you concerning your doctours. Howe they hauehave in ordre and courſe, by litle and litle, fallen from the trueth in thys and other thynges. For it is no merueile though you cā expound your doctours to maynteyne your opinion, ſeinge you dare be ſo bolde to cauſe Chriſtes wordes to ſerue for your carnall purpoſe. I entende not therfore, to brynge in any proufe of doctours but only of the worde of God, leauyng you to your doctours to trye them at leaſure. But thys one thynge I ſhal deſire you. To bringe ſome apparant proufe of your termes: and I promiſe you it ſhall be anſwered.
Good men be neuer offended wyth the Wincheſters wordes in his. xiij. leafe.breakynge of the hoſte, beinge perſuaded Chriſtes body to be preſent in the ſacrament really and materially, whereunto wyth worſhippinge, they dyd lift vp their handes, and nothinge doubted but God was impaſſible, …e vſed not to miſt…uſte God his immortalitie, when they hauehave ſene a ſicke man receyue the ſacrament a quarter of an houre before his naturall death, as though in that mā the hoſte conſecrated wherin the body of Chriſt is preſēt) ſhould wyth Gods iniury, moulde or corrupte, waſt or conſume.
Here is muche mattier offered, but that I The anſwer.perceyue my ſelfe to tary ſomwhat to longe vponupon your occaſions. Who ſhall trye the…e good men therfore, but euē the boke of wiſedome: where it is ſayed. Bleſſed be the good man for he hath no Idoll. I know there hauehave ben good men, whiche hauehave hated all Idolatrie, and the perſecution of al ages can report the ſame. The bokes alſo of theyr fayth (ſo many as hauehave eſcaped your handes) do yet teſtifie that they were ſore offended wyth thys blynde chaunge of theſe dead ceremonies, in the ſteede of the lyuely feaſte of the Lorde where al men ſhoulde be fed wyth the body and bloud of Chriſt the ſonne of God not turned into bread but lyuely workynge by the ſpirite in our ſoules. And they do a…he thys queſtion, why you do breake his body in three, and why you do put one piece into the chalice to the wyne: ſeinge you d… teache that the wine alone is fleſhe & bones, though you do put, no groſſer ſubſtaunce thereunto. For becauſe it is liquidum, you can make it what you luſt, and dare entre ſome deale far ther then Chriſte did, for he at the vttermoſt made it but bloude, but you wyll make it bloud, bones and fleſhe, & ſay we ſhalbe brēt if we do not beleue you, and yet for all the ſtickinge to the bare letter, you hauehave not one word through out the whole Bible, wherby you maye clooke thys matter, that the wyne ſhalbe the whole body, fleſhe, bloud & bones: though ye crie. The worde, the word. Faith, fatyh. Theſe heritickes wyll not beleue the worde of God.
For your terme really preſēt: you ſhal vnderſtande When realitie was inuē ted.that after Bonifacius the thirde, about the yere of our Lorde. vi. C. and. iij. obteyned of Phocas the falſe Emperour, to be the heade of the churche (by the craftie practiſe of the monkes, Paſchaſius, Humbertus, Guimundus, Algerus, Rogerus, Frauciſcꝰ Anſelmus and ſuch other) was realitie inuē ted, and termed to the ſacramēt: Before that time, the ſpiritual eating only was magnified amonge the olde doctours. But then beganne the churche of Rome to be gyuē ouer to al pōpe. wickednes and Idolatrie, the mother church of al miſchiefe. The biſhop & his adherētes of the Antichiſtes generation, are now fully bent to lifte vp thē ſelues againſt eueryevery thynge that is good and godly, commaunding Images, and other vile creatures to be worſhypped. But the Emperour Leo the. iiij. gathered a counſayle at Byſantium, of CCC. biſhoppes, which decreed that only God ought to be worſhypped, and cauſed the Images to be brēt and deſtroyed. Then Damaſ…en becommeth their proctoure, ſtubburnely reſiſtynge the Emperour ſo longe: tyll he had his ryghte hande cut of, howe he gatte it agayne (you muſt bringe ſome credible authoure, or els we wyll not beleue you) longe after, when Idolatrie had gotten the vpper hande, then dyd Petrus Lombardus, (maiſter of your ſophiſticall ſentēces) bringe vp your tranſmutation, and tranſaccidentatiō (About the yere of our Lorde, M. Cxlvi) gathered out of certeyne blynde wordes of the doctours afore his tyme. Then Pope Innocent the thyrde gaue it thys newe name, that you maynteyne wyth fyre. He called it Accidens ſine ſubiecto. Of the whiche Sophiſme, doctoure Duns, doctoure Dorbell and doctoure Thomas de Aquino, do diſpute verie ſubtilely. Theyr termes you may ſee more at large, by the moſte diligent confounder of theyr errours Ihou Bale in his boke named the miſterie of iniquitie. Then folowed the blynde rable of Scotiſtes, and Thomiſtes, and they hauehave broughte the worlde into thys contention, that we nowe heare and are buſyed wyth all. Thus was thys high miſterie of mannes ſaluation, and moſte comfortable ſacrament, cleane chaunged from the inſtitution of Chriſte, whiche was to be taken (wyth thankeſgyuynge) in cōmune amongeſt chriſtian men, that (wyth open herte) euerie man myght reioyce in the death of his Sauiour, and gyue thankes for his redemption, that thereby, fayth myghte be eſtabliſhed, and brotherly louelove nouriſhed. But nowe it is become a vayne gaſyng and ſtarynge vponupon the ſacrament in the ſteede of the Sauiour, takyng the ſacrament, for hym that made it a ſacrament. Worſhippyng the creature in the ſteede of the creatoure, as we ſee nowe thys blynde ſwarme, whiche for the lyuely preachynge of the death of Chriſt to be the life of the ſoule: do cauſe mumbling al in a ſtraunge tonge, that the people might ſurely be kept from the conſideration of the miſterie.
And where Chriſt cōmaundeth vsus to deuide it amongeſt vsus, and that we ſhoulde all dry… of the …ppe: the popiſhe prieſt muſte get him into a corner alone, and there ſo many ſhall be part takers of the merites of his blowing, bleſſyng and other coniuringe, a… wyll gyue hym any thynge. They ſhall be prayed for in the middeſt of his Maſſe, and ſhal hauehave their ſinnes takē away. This win… they that wyll be the prieſtes benefactou…s. The other ſhal ſee Chriſt really (they ſaye) but becauſe he is dombe there and can not ſpeake, and the priſtes leſſon is no peny, no Pater noſter: they maye knocke hande on breaſt and worſhip they wot not what, lyfte vp their hādes and ſtroke their heades, lyke the Popes owne deare chyldrē: but they ſhal hauehave no parte there, neither of the ſacrament (whereof they are appoynted to be part takers, by the opē worde of Chiſte (eate and drinke of this you all) nor yet of the remiſſiō of thoſe ſynnes that the prieſt wor…heth for, …nleſſe they gyue ſome money.
Thys money it is that cauſeth it to fyght ſo ſore agaynſte Chriſtes inſtitution, and to maynteyne your gaynful ſacrifice and reall preſēce. This money, for the maynteinaunce of your dignities and Lordelyke porte: hath cauſed you euer ſith you were firſt poiſoned therewyth, to magnifie your owne handy worke. But the God immortal wil aduenge his iniuries vponupon al Idols, and Idolatours.
Nowe, to miſtruſt the immortalitie of the euerlaſtynge God (as you laye vntounto oure charge) by whom all thynges endure: were extreme blindnes. And ſo likewiſe, to compt your God (which neuer had breath of lyfe) immortall, when the prieſt that hath made him, and perchaunce eaten him, the ſame day that he dyeth, is mortall, and goeth to the graue, with his newe made God, and many other mē (as you ſay) that dye wythin a quarter of an houre after they hauehave eaten him. In whō you make the doubte whether the hoſte conſecrate, ſhall mouide, corrupte or cōſume, lyinge in their bodies, beinge deade, for you are the firſt (to my knowledge) that euer moued that queſtion.
To call this immortall, I ſaye, that neuer lyued, & lyeth in the grounde wyth the dead man: maye well be called fo…de Sophiſtrie. But to toutche your wordes a little more. You call thys the hoſte wherein the body of Chriſt is preſēt. You begynne (me thynketh) to waxe aſhamed to call this your hoſte the bodie of Chriſt, contrary to your playne text of ſcripture. Thys is my bodie. I muſt alſo laye thys vntounto your charge. Why you dare call hym hoſte, by a newe terme, and not breade by the olde terme. Some thynke it is becauſe you take your owne wordes to be wyſer then the wordes of Chriſte and his choſen Apoſtles. And ſurely it is needfull that you biſhoppes, whiche buyld your ſelues a newe churche, cleane coutrar… (both in life and learning) vntounto the church o… Chriſt: ſhoulde hauehave al thinges newe chaunged, both rites or ceremonies & wordes, th… thynges them ſelues and their names. An… yet in the. xiiij. leafe, you ſaye thus.
The true churche hath taughte playnely… that the ſubſtaunce of bread is chaunged in… Wincheſter. wordes.to the ſubſtaunce of Chriſtes naturall body.
Is it not the churche of Rome that you meane? I am ſure it is. For vntounto ſuche tyme The anſwer.as your holy father Bonifacius and Innocentius (Byſhoppes of Rome) became the vniuerſal heades and fathers, and their ſtout chāpion Peter the Lōbarde and other worldly clerkes, blynded wyth ambitiou, and bewitched wyth ſchole learnyng and ſuch like doctrine of the Deuyll, Sophiſtrie and contentious babblynge: thys chaunge of ſubſtaunces was neuer imagined. But cleane cō trary wyſe. The true churche, euen from the begynnyng, hath fed of the ſpirituall meate that folowed them, that is, hath had their cō forte in Chriſte, beinge the lambe all readie ſlayne before the begynnynge of the worlde. The promyſed ſeede of the woman, who ſhould breake the ſerpentes heade. The ſeede in whom all nations of the earth ſhoulde be bleſſed. They hauehave, I ſay, by their fayth, eatē the ſame ſpiritual meate, and drūckē the ſame ſpiritual drynke, and therfore hauehave ben fedde wyth thys onelyonly fode of the ſoule, and hauehave gotten the forgyuenes of their ſynnes, and therefore lyfe euerlaſtyng, by the ſame fayth in the death of Chriſte that we hauehave. Who if he be a ſufficient Sauiour, in that he dyd come in the fleſhe, and thereby onelyonly taketh away ſinne: you ſhal neuer driue vsus to ſeeke him (as a ſauiour & raūſome for ſyn) in your …ōiured bread, & vnſēſible chaūge of ſubſtāce.
This ſpiritual feadeinge of Chriſt crucifiede: you maye learne in Auguſtine, Chriſoſtome and all the olde doctours, ſaueinge that ſome of thē (in al thinges that they wyl magnifie) do ſpeake ſo at learge: that they open many holes to ſubtile ſophiſters. to eſtablyſhe their craftilie inuented ſophiſmes of ſacrifice and realitie. And ſome of them ſlide from the ſpirite, to the fleſhe, both in this and other mattiers.