Answer to the Devilish Detection of the Bishop of Winchester, Treatise · Part 11
¶ The playne openyng of this text, Do this in the remembraunce of me, and other textes of the ſcripture.
DO this in the remembraunce of me i. Corh. xi.doth much buſye your braynes (O biſhop) and firſt for that you bring in the Deuyl lurkynge in ſo lytle a word as (but) you make vsus to ſuſpect that he maye lurke in a byſhop, eſpecially if we can proue that you byſhops ought to be the angels of lyght, and ſome of you are nowe be come, both in learnyng and liuyng, the ſtout ſouldiours of Sathan, breathyng furth nothyng oute at your mouthe but the Deuyll ſayth it, when you your ſelfe teach nothynge in a maner but Idolatry and deuylyſhe doct…yne. For what thyng I pray you (aunſwer if you dare for ſhame) is there in the worlde or hath bene at any tyme, concernynge anye deuyliſhe doctrine: but Biſhops hauehave defended Byſhoppes hauehave ben and be the defenders of all wyckednes.it… In liuynge (when you ſaye Chriſt muſt bee preached) Byſhoppes ar… ſo abhominable, and ſo contrary to Chriſt: that ether Chriſt and his Apoſtles (which thyng is horible to be imagined) or elſe you proude byſhoppes, are the deuyls dearlynges. Whoſo luſteth to compare the texte and open worde to your interpretations and ſimilitudes: ſhal ſone perceine your gloſes to be of ſmale knoledge.
For Paule knowyng that ſuche ſhoulde come after hym, as woulde not ſuffer holeſome doctryne: expouneth his owne wordes ſtrayght wayes, declaryng them to be of the outward remembraunce of Chriſtes death, which is doone in this Sacramente, as in all other, bothe of the olde Teſtamente and of the newe: and not of the inwarde memorie, muſt be continual at al tymes, and not in the eating of this bread only. So oft as you eate th…s bread and drinke this cup (ſayth Paule) i. Chrin. xi.you ſhewe forth the death of the Lorde to the tyme that he come (as Eraſmus doeth tranſlate it) and after the olde tranſlation: you ſhal ſhewe furth the death. The greke worde▪ foreign cauſeth thys ambiguitie. For it may be either the preſent tyme of the indicatyue, or the preſent of the imparatiue: commaundyng the memorie to be done. And ſo agreeth it wyth Luke. Do thys in the remē braunce of me. So agreeth it with the paſſeouer, in whoſe ſteede we hauehave it, for they had ſpeciall commaundemente of lyke remembraunce of the worke of God.
Thus agreeth it wyth diuers other commaundementes, for the merueylous worke Exod. xii.of God to be had in memorie, as appeareth by Ioſue the. iiij. and Erod. xiiii And vponupon theſe are the verſes of Dauid knowen to be true. Great are the workes of the Lorde and worthy to be ſearched furth that all delite and pleaſure maye be in them. Glorie and maieſtie are his workes, and his ryghtuouſnes remayneth for euer. He made a memoriall of his workes. etc. The Hebrues do vſe the imparatyue for the future tens, of whoſe phraces the newe teſtament is full.
Thys memorie of the workes of God, and highe eſtimation of his loueinge mercies: ought to be had in perpetual remembraunce, & therfore doth Dauid braſt furth into ſuche wordes, by the vehemēcie of the ſpirite, ſaying. Oh al you ſeruaūtes of the Lorde, praiſe you the Lorde. Optabilis laus eius. Pſalme. Cxlvii. His praiſe is to be wiſhed and deſired Paſ. Cxrxiiii, and. Cxlv.and therfore we deſire & praye that his name may be ſanctified, hallowed, renowmed, and prayſed. Sanctificetur nomen tuum. Ex ore infantium et lactantium perfeciſti laudem. The prophete truly inſtructed by the ſpirite of God: knoweth that he hath made perfecte his prayſe by the mouth of infautes, ſuckelynges and babes, and therefore byddeth he that yonge men and maydens, olde men and childrē ſhould prayſe the name of the Lorde, ſayinge that this prayſe becometh all his holions. It was the courſe of the olde teſtamēt (and the Iewes vſe the ſame at thys daye) Pſa. Cxlviii.that the whole congregation, ſhoulde (after the lawe and prophetes reade vntounto them) acknowledge theyr ſynnes and gyue thankes for theyr beuefi…es, or elles promiſe to do the thynges commaunded, and wyth one herte and mouth thus glorifie God. And the ſame ordre continued amongeſt vsus tyl ſuche tyme as you byſhoppes by your arrogant ignoraunce dyd ſhutte vp the kyngdome of heauen (whiche ſtandeth chiefely in the renowmynge, prayſynge, and glorifiynge of God) and neither woulde entre in your ſelues: no ſuffre them that woulde entre.Math. xxiii.
Paule alloweth thys generall prayſynge and preachyng of Chriſtes benifites and wō derous workes, ſaying. So oft as you come together, eueryevery one of you hath a ſonge, hath …. Corint. xiiiia doctrine, hath a tonge, hath a reuelation, hath an interpretation. Agayne you maye all prophecie one by one, that al may learne and al maye hauehave conforte. But biſhoppes wyll none of thys. It is ynough (ſay you) to hauehave it done once for all, it needeth not to be done againe. Yea you wyll not hauehave it done at all. You wyl hauehave vsus mūble al our life longe in a blinde and vnknowne lāguage. But the ſermon and preaching, and ſhewing furth of the lordes death, muſte be in our liuing after the exēple of the biſhoppes and prelates in louelove, We muſt cō firme our lyues to the biſhoppes lyfe.charitie, and the contempt of the worlde. Not in makynge a ſermon wyth the tonge declaring howe Chriſte died for vsus.
Oh blynde guides, you oughte to wiſhe that the name of God and the ſpecial worke of his mercies, in the death of his ſonne Chriſte mighte be moſte largely renowmed, praiſed and ſanctified in the cōgregation, not only by the mouth of ſucklinges and babes) by the loweſt, by the higheſt, by the ſmalleſt by the greateſte: but if it were poſſible, that the very ſtones ſhould braſt furth his praiſe.
And wheras we are all to ſlacke and negligēt in rēdering thankes for this great benifit that we hauehave thorow the death of Chriſt: good biſhoppes woulde encourage vsus and ſteare vp this heauy ſlackenes in vsus, callyng vpō vsus to be thankeful. But cōtrariwiſe, you diſcourage vsus ſo muche as you can poſſibly, commaundinge that we ſhall not eueryevery man preache furth the Lordes death in this moſte The prelates diſcourage vsus frō preaching the Lordes death.worthy ſacramēt, but in ſteede therof, you do by your cōma…demēt eſtabliſhe your Idolatrous ſacrifice, wherwith we muſt be fully contented and ſatiſfied, and not ſo hardy as once to demaunde in it any one worde to be ſpokē to the edification of the vnlearned. So that your biſhoppe Deuyll, lurketh in thys worde (not) more wickedly working his purpoſe, to put to ſilence the death of Chriſte: thē in the greateſt (but) that euer was made. Howe be it if we myghte opteyne of our noble Prince (as no doubte we ſhall, if your Deuyll do not ouer renne all together) if we myghte opteyne I ſaye (the thynge that Paule commaundeth) that nothynge ſhoulde be ſpoken in ſtraunge language in the congregation, wythout an enterpretoure: that we myghte all wyth knowledge, and not wyth blynde mumblynge matte…s worſhip god & gyue glorie to his name: your Idol woulde wax ſo ſicke (Idoubte not) that you ſhould ſtāde nede of ſome expert maiſter of phiſicke to ſee his water. Doctour Buttes (if he were on lyue) coulde do it ryght well.Doctoure Buttes.
Where as you deride thys thynge, that euerie man ſhoulde make a ſermon: I wyſhe that eueryevery man coulde do it, and wyll exhort them that can do it (enē for the louelove of God) that they do it more diligently. For I do nothynge feare that they wyll be ouer ready to the thinge that is good. No, I hauehave dwelled fully ſeuen yeres in a place where I neuer hearde ſermon. But for the declaration of the text: vnderſtande that we do not thynke eueryevery mā bounden and cōmaunded to make a ſermō, but to reioyce & bleſſe God. Which is all one (borowed of the Hebrue language) to acknowledge in our herte, and (if occaſion to profite the cōgregation or the ordre of the churche and aſſemble do permitte it) to confeſſe wyth the mouth, the death and benifite of Chriſte, and generally to gyu… thanke… together in comlineſſe and ordre, that by the multitude thus prayſyng and gyuing thankes: the honoure of God maye be amplified, and we the better reſēble that heauenly Hieruſalē, where they do inceſſantly ſyng praiſe criynge wyth one voice. Sanctus, ſanctus, that is holye, holy, holy. And this is mēt by the worde foreign in diuers places of Deutronomie. The wordes are theſe. Thou ſhalte come to the prieſt that ſhall be Deut. xxvi.in thoſe daies, and ſay vntounto hym. I acknowledge this day before the Lorde my god: that I am entred into the lande for the whiche he ſweare to our fathers, that he woulde giuegive it vntounto vsus. Here is a like memorie of God, commaunded by Moyſes. Whereby (as in thys ſacrament) is ment a reuerent thankes gyuyng and acknowledgyng, for ſ… is the Hebrue word, foreign trāſlated foreign Iudicum. i…. Whereby we may perceyue the Iud. ix.worde bleſſing to agree with the other greke word, foreign. Thus we therfore hauehave by the healpe of the Hebrue tonge and the olde teſtament, furth of the whiche two, all rites and ceremonies, and the trueth of al the principal places of the newe teſtament: hauehave both their cōfirmation and declaration, and by the circumſtāces of the places: proued vntounto you, firſt that in this ſacrament, there muſte be a general profeſſion of oure ſayth in the death of Chriſt outwardly, and thē priuately, eueryevery one muſt in hert acknowledge & giuegive thā kes. And if the profite of his brethren do ſo require it, or the ordre of the cōgrega…iō permit: they muſte with mouth celebrate and prayſe this great benifite, to the glorie of God and the conforte of the congregation.
Your firſt declaration that we muſt hauehave Chriſt preſent in this memorie by fayth: maketh nothinge agaynſt vsus. For this is it that we do beleue and teach, that vntounto the eyes of our faith, there is preſēt in the ſacrament, the natural body of our ſauiour Chriſt, the ſame body that ſuffered. And your ſimilitude of An Image cā not be a womannes huſbande.the maried womā that wyl make an Image of her huſbāde for a remēbraūce of him: maketh much againſt you. For this I dare ſaye, that al the eloquēce you hauehave …ā not proue vn to a righte ſelêder witted woman: that the Image thus made for a memorial, is hir owne natural houſbāde, and ſo make hir do honor and reuerence vntounto him at bed and at bourd, as you woulde hauehave vsus to do to this very Image (as you cal it) of Chriſt, beinge departed in body frō his churche, and leauing this moſt perfect Image of him ſelfe (and as you ſay, him ſelfe) for a memorie.
Furthermore. If you coulde proue vntounto this womā that this image were the natural body, …leſh, bloud and bones of hir huſband: what neede ſhe to loke for hym in any other place abſēt, whō ſhe hath thus really preſent at all tymes. What ſhal we ſay: Is hir huſbande gone? Nay verely, hir huſbande lyeth hid, in and vnderunder the Image. Lo whither your blynde ſimilitudes do leade you.
But to proue his body to be in diuers places wythout any chaunge of place: you had neede to aſke better counſayle of your ſophiſters, and then we ſhal anſwere you agayne.
For the texte folowinge. Non d…dicans corpus domini, makynge no difference of the Lordes body: which wordes be ſo tranſlated in the Bible that you hauehave allowed by Act of parliament. For the ſcriptures (ſuche is oure miſerie) can be no farther good and profitable for vsus, but as yon wyll allowe it. That is to ſaye, the laſte yere good for all men: but thys yere good for gentlemen onelyonly. In the laſt proclamation, you condemned three tranſlations and ſaued one. But in thys your boke, you ſeme to be wery of that one, for My lorde woulde hauehave no tranſlatiō by his wyll.you fynde fautes therein, and wyll not hauehave at reade at ſuche tymes as men meete together in the churche.
But God is the Iudge of your doinges. You do not Iudge and knowe that God is as preſently in his wordes and ſcriptures (whiche you do burne) as he is in the Sacramentes, whiche are made and take theyr ſtrength of the ſame worde. Oh byſhoppes. If thys thynge that you do, be for the pure …eale of Goddes worde: then take ſo muche paynes (amongeſt you al) as to ſet furth one trāſlatiō, ſo true▪ that no man may fynde any faut therwyth. But you cā not heare on that ſide. You hauehave burned fiue thouſande: but of your tranſlation we fynde not one. It is eaſy therefore to iudge what your purpoſe hath bene.
But to returne to the wordes. Non diiudi cās. etc. Your engliſh text is, making no differēce of the Lordes body. But your owne interpretation is, not vnderſtanding, not cōſide ring. But if you wyl adde thereunto the ſignification of the greke worde (not iudging) I wyl ſay al is true and agreeth very wel. For who ſo euer doeth eate this bread and drinke this cup vnworthily, eateth his owne iudgemēt, making no differēce, not vnderſtanding conſideringe or iudgynge the Lordes body. Where he that doeth eate it worthily: doeth Fayth is the mouth that receyueth Chriſtes bodie.by his faith, eate the very body of the Lorde, ſo ofte as he eateth of this bread and drinketh of this cup, and fedeth his ſoule by the reioycing in the death of the lorde. For who ſoeuer ſeketh the ſpirituall fode: he regardeth nothinge but the body of Chriſt offered for his ſinnes, though with his mouth bodily he receiue the bread, the figure of the ſame. If any hauehave …ſcōſtrued this texte: do not charge vsus therewyth. But if we do take it wronge, reproue vsus by ſcripture. No man doubteth but that he is giltie of the bloud of Chriſt, which taketh Baptiſme vnreuerently. Yet dare we not ſaye that in the water is really preſente the body and bloud of Chriſte. He deſpiceth me (ſaith Chriſt) that deſpiceth you, ſpeaking of his Apoſtles. Yet is it no good argument to ſay therefore, that Chriſte is corporally in his Apoſtles. But ſpiritually we muſt boeth beholde & moſt thākefully receiue our Chriſt in al his ſacramentes & in al his meſſengers.
The third text. Spiritus viuificat, caro nō prodeſt quicquā. In engliſh, the ſpirite giueth Iohn. vi.life, the fleſh profiteth nothyng: maketh much agaynſte you. Yea thoughe you take it after your owne gloſe, which is, that this text is a general leſſon for the true vnderſtandyng of oure whole religion. But thys gloſe ſhall we touche hereafter. This texte. The ſpirit gyueth lyfe, the fleſhe profiteth nothynge: is boeth proued true and manifeſtly declared, in the. xvi. chapter folowinge, where Chriſte ſayeth. I tel you truth that it is profitable for you that I departe, for if I do not go awaye: that confortynge ſpirite ſhall not come vntounto you. But if I go: I wyll ſende hym vntounto you, etc. Whereby it appeareth playnely (agaynſte your wordes) that the preſence of the bodie carnally, is not profitable vntounto vsus nowe after his aſcendynge into heauen, becauſe Chriſte ſayeth it is profitable that in bodie he ſhoulde departe, but you ſaye it is profitable to hauehave hym here in a cake, notwythſtandyng that he ſayeth, that onleſſe he go his waye the ſpirite of conforte can not come. The exemple of Peter and all the Apoſtles The Apoſtles were ſtrō ger in Chriſtes abſence thē in his pre…ence.(who were ſtronger by the confort of the ſpirite, then by the preſence of the bodie) doeth declare the ſame thynge. This thynge maye be made euident alſo, to hym that with a cleare conſcience, marketh the ſame, conſiderynge that thereof chiefely and onelyonly we hauehave cauſe to reioyce that Chriſte beinge verie man vponupon earth, hath for our ſakes ouercom…n all helly and earthly powers, and nowe ſitteth at the righte hande of God our perpetuall aduocate. Thys is the ſpirituall feedynge and not the fleſhly, whiche who ſo feeleth: he wyll neuer route vponupon the earth for fleſhe any more.
Of the profite of the ſpirite and the departyng of the fleſhe, reade Iohn the. xiiij. Thou mayſt alſo marke in all the ſcripture, howe the fleſhe is ſmally regarded. As to be mother and brother after the fleſh. Mathew. xij. Marke. iii. and Luke. viii. Agayne, Chriſte hymſelfe doth attribute the true bliſſe and in fallible felicitie, nether carnally to beare hym … the wombe, nor yet to gyue him ſucke of …e breſtes (whiche are the greateſt thynges The true bliſſe is to hear theword of God and folowe it.…at can be touchynge the fleſhe) but to heare the worde of God and to do the ſame. Thys thynge becauſe it is of the ſpirite onelyonly, profiteth and maketh a man bleſſed.
You do well that you couple theſe two textes, Caro non prodeſt quicquam, et quod natum eſt ex carne, caro eſt, ſpoken to Nicodemus. For in verie deede they teache boeth one thynge, and are a generall rule of the true vnderſtandynge of oure whole religion as you do ſaye. Whiche is that all godly lyfe and holyneſſe is borne in vsus (not of the fleſhe, neither viſibly nor inuiſibly) but of the inuiſible power of the ſpirite, whereof If we wilenter into Chriſtes kyngdōe we muſte bec borne a newewe muſte be borne a newe, if euer we entre into the kyngdome of God, as oure ſauioure Chriſt taught Nicodemus. The which wordes if any man ſhould ſo groſſely interprete, as to expounde it thus, ſayinge, that by the power of God inuiſible, a man myght enter his mothers wombe, and ſo this fleſhe borne inuiſibly ſhoulde be profitable: eueryevery man woulde laugh at his foliyſhneſſe. And thys is euē muche lyke your gloſes, cōtrary to the which we hauehave proued by the ſcriptures, that it is profitable that the fleſhe do depart that the ſpirite may come vntounto vsus, & that the fleſh which in this humilitie hath once ſuffered … the croſſe, and done the wyll of the father: is no longer profitable vntounto vsus vponupon the earth▪ but nowe we muſte be borne of the ſpirite▪ al our conforte, al our hope muſte be of the ſpirite. For what ſo euer is borne of the fleſhe, is fleſhe, and therefore carnall, and no parte of our ſpiritual religion and ſpiritual byrth. You adde theſe gloſes, that inuiſibly we muſte hauehave this fleſhe preſent in the fourmes of breade and wine, and ſo muſte we eate the fleſhe of Chriſte really, but yet inuiſibly you ſaye. And ſhall we by inuiſible fleſhe (but yet very fleſhe) brynge lyfe vntounto oureſelues, and be borne a newe agaynſte the leſſons of the ſpirite? If the preſence of the fleſhe in the bread be ſo profitable (whiche you can proue by no worde of ſcripture, and therefore we neede not beleue you excepte we luſt.) wherfore thynke you, woulde Chriſte rather hide him ſelfe in bread, then ſhewe hym ſelfe opē ly, ſeinge boeth are lyke poſſible vntounto hym: He ſayeth that thys is the wyll of the father that ſent hym, that whoſoeuer ſeeth the ſonne and beleueth in hym hath euerlaſtyng lyfe. Now for this doubt that you do moue, whether his fleſhe be caro viuifica, that is fleſhe Chriſtes fleſhe giueth lyfe.giuing life: that it is ſo, is the very foūdacion of our faith, and we both agree in this point▪ But here ariſeth the doubte, howe this fleſhe geueth lyfe. You ſaye by eateinge the ſame reallye, and naturally in the breade wythout any ſcripture. But we taught by the whole courſe of the ſcriptures that the ſpirite onelyonly is profiteable: do vnderſtand a ſpiritual eateinge of thys fleſh, whiche is taught in the. vi▪ of Iohn to be by the beliefein this fleſh, offered Iohn. vi.for the lyfe of the worlde as it is taught at length before.
And where as you ſaye that Chriſte dyd by theſe words rebuke the groſſe and earnal Caparnaites: it is verye true an ſerueth ſtyl agaynſte all them that ſaye Chriſte muſt be carnallie eaten, be it in lōpes (as you ſpeake) or the whole bodie ſwalowed downe al togither, as you defende your ſelfe. If you ſaye (as you do) againe in thys place that Caro fleſhe, is taken for the carnall parte of man, then do you nothinge cōſider the circumſtāce howe Chriſte laboreth in this place, to teach the people, howe his owne fleſhe is profitable vntounto them. Thys doctrine of yours therfore, is confuſed to gether, makeinge the ſpirituall eateing, carnal, and the verie feſh and bodie to be the ſpirite. For in your chaunge, howe can this be his verie bodie, which you cauſe to go and come, no man knoweth how… …einge he hym ſelfe ſaieth vntounto Didimus his bodie hath verie fleſhe and verie bones, and is not lyke the ſpirite. You make him lyke a ſpirite to come and go into thouſand miliōs of cakes and aultares inſenſibly. You make him geue life alſo which is the chiefe and only propertie of the ſpirite. And wher you woulde cloke the firſte mattier ſayeinge that his bodie maye be in ſo many places, and be inſenſible becauſe it is adioyned to the God heade: you muſt learne to be ware, that in no wiſe you confounde the natures, as I hauehave ſpoken before. And likewiſe, whan you ſaye that this fleſhe geueth life alwaies, becauſe it is inſeparably adioyned to the ſpirite: you muſt acknowledge the proprieties of theſe. ii. in ſunder, grauntinge it to be the properietie of the ſpirite onelyonly, to geue life, according to thys text ſpiritus eſt qui viuificat: though it do (by the fleſh and dodie of Chriſte, as the onelyonly inſtrumēt and peculiar ſacrifice wherwith the wrath of God myght be pacified) worke in vsus that be faythfull, the ſame lyfe. And this ſame fleſhe of Chriſte, is a ſtumbling ſtone in Zyon, to the wicked (as the prophet wittneſſeth) and is ſet vp to the rniue and reſurrection of many. It was vntounto the Phariſeis a blindyng, and liuely to them onlie, that were ordeined to life, VntoUnto the Iewes whiche handled it, and to Iudas which kyſſed it, and (as you would hauehave it) did eate it: it was death beynge of it ſelfe the ſauiour frome deathe. So that we maye verie well conclude, that the ſpirite onelyonly geueth lyffe, and to them onelyonly that hauehave thys ſpirite in their hertes, to thē I ſay, the fleſhe of Chriſt is profitable, and to them hys fleaſh is verie meate and hys bloude verie drynke, for they onelyonly can feade ſpiritually of Chriſte God and man. For it is the breade that commeth frō heauē (ſaieth Iohn) that geueth lyfe vntounto the worlde. And thys heauenly breade of the ſpirite doeth fede vntounto lyfe euerlaſtynge, ſo that who ſo euer doth once taſte therof, ſhall no more be hongrye nor thyrſtie after the carnall fode. And as for your opiniō cōcernynge that the fleaſh (carnally eaten) ſhould be lyuely and confortable: you are not able to iuſtifi by any ſcripturs. And therfore beware how you eſtabliſhe it wyth your tyranny. wee hauehave learnyd thys goſpell, that Chryſt was crucified to ſaue ſynners, and to gyue lyfe vntounto the worlde.
But that he muſt be eaten bodylye to gyue lyfe: is a newe goſpell. For Iohn in hys ſyxte chapiter, doeth wholly declare and ſet forth the ſpirituall eateynge of the fleaſh of Chriſte by fayth, as is before declarede, contrarie to your carnall writynges.
Whē you ſaye that we make the ſcripture like a cōfuſe ſonne of belles: I do take all mē to witneſſe (yea I dare appeale your owne conſcience) whether of vsus hath the ſcriptures in more eſtimacion, You and your doctours which do accoſtomably preach and writ that the ſcriptures are like a noſe of wax, eaſie to be tuurned to al purpoſes: or we that compt no lerneing of mā, nor yet ani doctrine taugh by the apearans of Angelles, to be ſure and ſtable, vnleſſe it be confirmed by the word of God and his infallible ſcriptures? A gayne how lightly and vnreuerently you iudge of the authority of the ſcriptures of God: your …larckelye cloked foreign, ſhall teſtifye to the whole worlde, wherin you are nothinge aſhamed, to recite, how that openlye My Lorde myght hauehave ben aſhamed to make thys boaſte.in the greate cownſaile (lyke A byſhope) ſtreightwayes at your beginning (to be ſure to folowe the foundacion of your Romeiſh church) you compted the authoritie of ſcriptures vnprofitable for your purpoſe, becauſe the ſenſe therof (as you ſay) maie be drawne at pleaſure to both partes. You cloke the matter with clēlier termes (O biſhop, as you do al your mattiers) but in effect, this is al one with the noſe of waxe & cōfuſed ſoune of belles. Your words be theſe. Prefatus ſum, inutiliter me verba effuſurum, ſi ad frāgendam hominum pertinaciam ſcripture authoritati (vt nunc ſunt hominum ingenia) inniterer, cuius ſēſus pro arbitrio vtrinque diſtahatur. Iudge (O you that do ſyte & hauehave not your conſciences all readie marked) boeth of theſe wordes and of the brennyng of the ſcripturs for loe here may you ſe the cauſe why the biſhope wyll neither meddle wyth them hym ſelfe in hys diſputacions, nor ſuffer them that woulde (ſo much as in hym ſelfe lyeth) but burne them and banyſh the diligent interpretatours of them, becauſe he and hys felowes do thinke that they may ſo eaſilie be wraſted to the madneſſe of man. Oh what ſhall we ſay or thinke of ſuche biſhopes: It is no maruaile though you hauehave your brethern in ſmal reputacion and rayle vponupon them at your pleaſure, ſeynge the worde of God is ſo ſmally regarded with you. Yea how can you louelove God whom you ſee not when you hate your brethern, wyth whom you lyue, conuerſant derydeyng, deſpiſeing, and brenninge al that you can hauehave of God, in thys worlde, his holie word and ſcriptures. we take God to our Iudge, that to our knowledge, we do not abuſe the ſcriptures, neither write we any thinge, but wyth ſuche mindes, hertes & conſcience, as we are redi to ſtand before hym and make anſwer at the greate day when he ſhall appere. And becauſe we do knowe the ſcriptures inſpired aboue, from God hym ſelfe to be profitable to teache, to improue, to amende, to enſtructe in ryghtuouſeneſe that the man of God may be perfecte and prepared vntounto all good workes: therfore hauehave we it in ſuche eſtimacion, that we can counte no learning good, but that is hereby confirmed and eſtablyſſhed.
But let vsus▪ returne to your fyrſt expoſitiō of theſe wordes. Caro non prodeſt quicquā, Iohn. vi.ſpiritus eſt qui vinificat. and Quod natum eſt ex carne caro eſt. That is The fleaſh profiteth nothynge, it is the ſpirite that geueth lyfe, that which is borne of the fleaſh is fleſh Thys (you ſay) is the true rule of our whole religion. The fleaſhe when it is carnallye eaten (as you wil hauehave it) engendreth nought els but fleaſh. Then if it be but fleaſh that it engendreth: then hauehave we no profit therbi for the fleaſh doeth nothynge profit. Contrary wyſe, the ſpirituall eatinge geueth life and engendrethe the ſpirite whiche onelyonly feadeth the ſoule therfore we nede nothing to regard the carnall eatinge, whyche neither feadeth the ſoule nor bodie, for no bodily thyng can enter the ſoule nor no ſpirituall thynge can feade the bodie.
Now, where you would myxte the fleaſhe and the ſpirite to gether by this ſoluſiō, that the fleaſh of Chriſt can not be wythout the ſpirite, marke what we do anſwere.
If we hauehave lyfe by the ſpirituall eatynge of Chriſt once offered for vsus (as thepiſtle to the Hebrues doeth witnes) if we hauehave al one Hebr. x. i. Corhi. x.ſpiritual fode with the fathers, if we hauehave lif ſo many of vsus as do thus beleue in hym, by the benefite of the ſpirite, as the. vi. of Iohn doeth tell at larg, if the rightuous liue by the fayth and not by bodily eatynge, if that whiche cometh from the herte do make the man holye or propha…e, and not that which goeth into the mouth. if he that beleueth in Chriſte ſhall not be condemned, but hauehave euerlaſting lyfe, if God hauehave graunted to all them that receyue Chriſt that they ſhalbe the chyldren of God (that is to ſaye) as many as beleue in hys name, as Iohn doeth interprete hym ſelfe, if he that drinketh of the fountayn of life by faieth, ſhall neuer be thyrſty, but be refreſſhed into euerlaſtynge lyfe, if he that heareth the worde of God and beleueth, hauehave euerlaſtinge life? what auayleth the fleaſhly eatynge, or what can you wyn therby.
As doctour Ciprian, callynge the breade of thys ſacrament, Sacramentalem panem (that is to ſay) bread ſignifiyng by ſacramēt farther thynge than breade: it is a mattier ſo euidēt that we nede not to ſtriue for it foreign, panis, breade in all languages, hauehave al one propre ſignification of the bread made of graine. An other ſignificatiō they hauehave by tranſlaciō, wherby they ſignifie al maner of fode but your doctour muſt hauehave a lōg gloſe of your biſhoplyke brayne, wherby (you are ſo wyttie) you can depraue eueryevery thing. For you are not content to hauehave gloſed your doctour: but you muſt forbyd Paul to cal it ani lenger bread, bicauſe that you biſhopes hauehave eſpied that (panis) may ſignifie fode. But I prei you good biſhop leaue your daliing and tel vsus what chriſt did take in hys hādes as he ſate at ſupper. It was not a pece of the lambe to hauehave a ſimilitude of fleaſh, but it was bread the general ſubſtaunce of mans bodily lyfe, euen lyke as Chriſt is the onelyonly breade of lyfe and ſpiritual fode of the ſoule. Bread (I ſaye) it was to declare that lyke as breade is made of many graynes, whych all to gether do make but one bodie: ſo lykewiſe we Note the cauſe why this ſacramēt was inſtituted in breade.(beynge many beleueynge in Chriſt) are all one bodie in Chriſt, We are one breade and one bodie, ſayeth Paul, ſo many as be partakers of one breade. Why then ſhoulde we call it fode? Yea marie ſaye you. For there is a greate errour ſpred a brode about the ſacramentes that ther remayneth breade after the conſecraciō. And the heretykes ſaye that they wyll ſpeake playne as Paul doeth▪ But can you teach theſe heretikes to ſpeake better: ſpeake they not well when they ſpeake as paul the apoſtle dyd: Yea Paul is hard and can not be vnderſtande. Oh it is a wōderful harde thynge for a plowe man to vnderſtāde what bread is. Thus would you cap…tue our wyttes, to take Chriſte and hys Apoſtles as blinde guides. leadynge vsus wronge by theyr darke termes, but your doctours and you biſhopes do teache all ſo playnly, that vntounto you onelyonly we muſt herken and le…e the other goe with al theyr bokes and wrytinges paynes and burnynge.
But I praye you, hauehave theſe heretykes no more to allege for theyr purpoſe but Paule: Yes truly, they hauehave the playne wordes of Chriſt for them alſo, or els we woulde condemne them to gether with theyr man Paule and driue them out of all credite by the autorite of our doctours. But Chriſt after he had conſecrated and bleſſed thys breade and thys wine (as you ſay) he calleth it ſtyl bread and the frutes of the vine. But truly Chriſt and Paul ſpeake darkely, and woulde not hauehave vsus vnderſtand them. Harken therfore to our doctours and you ſhal learne the mattier ſubſtauncially. Thus ren you about the buſh to kepe vsus in captiuitie. Thys is babilo…al bondage and captiuite of conſcience. Frome the whyche we beſeche the allmyghtye and euerlyuyng God to delyuer his lyttle flo…
But what ſhal we now doe? you cal them heritikes, which bring your doctours for thē as playnly as you hauehave thē for your purpoſe as appeareth by Fryth whom you hauehave not yet confuted, but with your lawes and authoritie put him to ſilence, and than with one worde you call him an herityke, and ſaye he defameth the doctours. This is an ea…y way to anſwer. And thus might a man make anſwer to your boke ſpedilie, ſaying at one worde, that it is crafty ſophiſtre. As for Ecolā padi…s a man of ſingular learning, vertu & ſobreneſſe: whom you …o ligtly regarde and deſpiſe: You biſhope Stephane and al your felowes (cōterfayte biſhopes) compared to ſuch a notable clerke, are but ſhadowes, and your learnyng and eloquence, but cōterfaits to hys. How excellent was he in the Hebrue Greke and laten tonge: how wel learned in all ſcienſes? How deape a ſerchear of the miſteries of the prophetes and other ſcriptures How learned & faithfull trāſlatour of your owne doctors? This ſhal his workes declare and witnes with me vntounto the worldes ende, do what you cā to deſtroy thē, that you may triumph alone like a cradē cocke on his owne …ghil. Thinke you that if Ecolampadius were a liue, & heard ſuch a foleiſhe ſētence of …our writing, as here foloweth, that he had not rather be diſprayſed thē prayſed of ſuche a fōde braine? your words be theſe wythout any addicion.
This is in dede cōueniēt, that Chriſt in his bodi liuing, ſhuld be a figure ſigne & memori Wiucheſters wordes.of his bodie dead vpō ye croſe for vsus: & chriſt in the ſacrament of the aulter to be a fygure ofhys miſticall bodye the churche.
Who techeth you to ſpeke thus fōdely but your dotyug doctours: Is chriſt in his bodie The anſwer.liuing a figure ſigne & memorie of his bodie dead on the croſſe? wher lerne you this thing in the ſcriptures? No forſoeth. Thē nede we not to beleue your lies. Had this be a likely tale for Chriſt to hauehave told his diſciples whē he did ſite at the table in his liuing bodie, and did gyue thē, in the figure of his liuing bodi which was thē redie to depart frō them, this creature bread which could not moue becauſe it had no life: At that time his bodie was not glorified nor changed frō the cōdicion of our natural bodie, to be infinite without chaung of time or place, how ſo euer you hauehave chaunged it ſēce that time. It was thē a liuing bodi & no figure or ſigne of a bodie. Neither hade it be poſſible to hauehave perſwaded the Apoſtels thys prepoſition of yours to be true▪ If you had ſayed the cōtrarie, that the deade bodie had ben the figure, ſigne or memorye of the lyuing bodye: ſome ſymple ſoule, that knoweth not what a figure, ſigne or memori meaneth myght hauehave bene deceyued bi your ſubtiltie▪ But to go nere you. You know that theſe wordes figure, ſygne, memorie muſt be So much differēce is betwene the ſigne and the thing ſngnified: as is betwen the maiſter and ſeruant.referred and applied vntounto other thynges thē theyr owne ſelues, and are therfore (in learnynge) called relatyues bicauſe they can not be fully knowne, but onelyonly by ſuch thynges as are by thē figured, ſignified and brouggt into memori. And can you ſhewe me any thinge in the worlde either ſpirituall or worldly that is boeth the figur and the thing figured the ſigne and the thinge ſignified: the memorie of a thinge done, and the ſelfe ſame thing by the memorie repeated? Yea it is a ſtrong argument (by all the learnynge that euer I heard) to reaſone a relatiue oppoſitis. So that one and the ſelfe ſame thyngecan by no meanes (in regarde and reſpect of it ſelfe in the ſame effectes, as you ſpeake afterwarde) be boeth the relatiue and correlatyue, the figure and the thynge figured, the ſigne and the thynge ſignified: more then the ale p…le or yuie buſhe, can be the ale or wyne therby repreſented, or circumciſion the couenaunt and the braſen ſerpent Chriſt.
Nowe in the ſeconde ſentence, where you ſaye that Chriſt is the figure of his miſticall bodie: what reaſone is in it: For ſcripture hauehave yee none. Whoe euer harde before that the heade polyticke, ſpyrituall or bodyly: ſhoulde be named the figure of the bodie, wherof it is the head? Is the Kinges maieſtie figure of Englande: Is or can the huſbād be the figure of his wyfe: Oh fond and deceiuable ſophiſtrie confoundeyng all thynges together. But marke the ſpirituall doctryne (chriſten reader) & thou ſhalt be taught that it is the bread that is both. Chriſtis bodi and ours in figure, and that for. ij. purpoſes, wythout chaunge of either of our ſubſtāces Firſt, for that in Chriſt it repreſenteth hym to be the general fode of al ſoules, and right ſo in vsus, the manifolde mēbres, vnited and knyte vntounto the ſame our heade. Thus is it truly ſayed of Chriſt, This is my bodie and of vsus, we are one breade and one bodie, ſo many as are partakers of one bread. Thys ſame verbe ſubſtātiue Sumus we are) maketh no chaung in our ſelues: Wherfore then ſhal we imagyne it to hauehave ſuch an enchaunteynge power ouer Chriſte God and man.
In the opinion of the Arrians maie be perceiued ſomewhat if yours, for that you are ſo buſie with the prouerbe, Malum bene cō ditū ne moueas, an olde errour. As for luther (though he were the little Dauid that killed grat Goliath) it is eaſilie perceiued by cōparing of his bokes with Ecolāpadius & zwin glius: how far vnable he was to defēde thys cauſe. What mildenes of ſpirit, & ouer much care of chriſtian quietneſſe, cauſed Bucere, in wordes (ſo far as the trueth could any thing yelde) to agre with you: al men that read his bokes with iudgement may iudge. Zwinglius workes (who ſo readeth thē) as he was a man of in comparable eloquence and lerneing: are able to cōfound all the rabble of the papiſtes, and al his aduerſaries that ſpeake againſte him. But nowe come you into your ruffe againe with your doctours of thouſād yeres, yet maie we proue ſome of thē to hauehave ben ſcarſelie. v. hundred yeres, & other ſome of ſmall Authoritie, and the beſt ſmally ſerueing for your purpoſe. Amōgeſt thē all, the moſt aunciēt is S. Andrewe the apoſtle you ſaie, whom you alledge, not out of the ſcripture (for we hauehave nothinge of his writeinge there) but out of your holy legēda auria, as I ſuppoſe, or elſe I praie you whens ſhall this thing hauehave his authoritie? of the porteous perchan̄ce, which techeth vsus to locke for ſaluaciō, by the merites of Thomas Beket, by ſetting vp a cādle or building a chapel in the name of. S. Margarete It appeareth that you would faine hauehave the mattier, good whē you flie to your popeiſh portous. Thus woulde you craftilie deceine the people. Let Paul anſwere your porteouſe mā, which ſaieth he doth dailie ſacrifice Chriſt on the aul…re of the croſſe. We lerne in the Epiſtle of Paule to the Heb. that it is the propre & peculiar vii. viii. ix. x.office of Chriſt to offer him ſelfe, & that with his owne offering he hath made his, holy for euer, by his own offering once don, & therfore was he made prieſte after the order of Melchiſedech, without ſucceſſour. Wher for, they that go about to ſacrifice Chriſte: do rob him of his prieſthod. For Chriſt onelyonly was called vntounto that office, for he ouelie was called as Aaron was, and no mā maye take vntounto him that office: vnleſſe he be caled as Aaron was Not with ſtandinge, that we maie pleaſe al and offēd no mā (if it be ſo poſſible) take the wordes of S. Andre. ſpirituallie, as no doubt he was ſpiritual, & would ſpeake thē none otherwaies but ſpiritually, and thā make thei nothing againſt vsus. He ſacrificed, not on the aultare of ſtone, but vpō the aultare of the croſſe. And for the maintenaunce of thys ſacrifice: he hym ſelfe was alſo ſacrificed on the croſſe. What dyd he ſacrifice: The vnſpotted lambe. Where he alludeth to the olde figure, as is ſaied, whoſe fleſh and bloud beinge ſpiritually receyued: feadeth al the faythfull people. Thus maiſt thou anſwere (gentle reader) euen vntounto the beſt of the doctours vnderſtandeinge them ſpirituallye. And that they ſhoulde be ſo vnderſtanded, appeareth by the firſte wordes that you bring out of Chriſoſtome we offer (ſayeth he) but for the remembraunce of hys death. Again, this ſacrifice is a reſemblan̄ce of the other. Agayne alludeinge to the olde figure he ſayeth. We do offer one lambe, or elſe ſhould ther be many Chriſtes. Then ſheweth he who is the byſhop that offereth the ſacrifice. Not Chriſoſtom nor Andrewe▪ but Chriſte. And thys whiche they do is the remembraunce of that whiche is done alredie Theſe olde writtes had muche more libertie to ſpeake ſuch wordes becauſe at that tyme ther wer no ſuche errours hard of as you do defend nowe by your popeiſhe prerogatiue.
But whan you anſwere that Chriſte byde…h you priſtes ſacrifice him becauſe he ſayeth Hoc facite: I dare ſaye you finne in wylfull blindeneſſe. And that boeth for that you My …ord ſinneth i… wylful blindnes.lea…e out thef…t and principall parte of the ſentence whiche moſte declareth the purpoſe of Chriſt (in the remembraunce of me) and alſo becauſe you knowe well inowghe what ſignificacion Hoc facite muſte hauehave boeth in thys place and all other. I knowe well that you engliſh biſhopes be not ſo ſlēderly learned as the Sorbouiſtes or doctors of Pariſe whiche in their determinations, do bringe incum faciam vitulam. Take the whole ſētēce together therfore, and make of it what you can. Hoc facite in mei memoriam, do thys in the remembraunce of me.
Donec veniat, tyll he come, maketh cleare againſt you that ſaye he is heare al redie, let Damaſcene dote as longe as he luſteth. If you wreaſt this playne text, do this in the remembraunce of me vntill I come: what ſcripture can be ſalfe from your gloſes: Yet by your doctoures by whom you cā gloſe forth al thinges: I wyl not greatly contende with you, as I dyd proteſte in the begining. Firſt and principally, becauſe our fayeth maye be grounded vponupon no mās ſaings, but vponupon the worde of God onelyonly, whiche is able to teach Ro. x.to reproue, and to enſtructe a man to eueryevery good worcke. Secondly, becauſe this contencion ſhal neuer hauehave an ende, ſo long as you maye hauehave authoritie to gloſe euerie worde of the doctours accordinge to your owne pleaſure. Thirdely, becauſe ther hath ben no …ning ſo lewed, but it hath ben proued, and is at this daye allowed, by the authorite of the doctours. Fourthli, becauſe the ſcripture muſt be the to…chſton and i…dge of all other thynges, wordes, ſayinges and writeynges, and may be Iudged by non other. Sixtli becauſe we our ſelues ſhalbe Iudged and examined whether we hauehave kept that whyche Chriſte cōmaunded vsus and not that which doctours hauehave written, Seuenthly and finally becauſe in the worde of god, lyeth al truth and we hauehave an eſpeciall commaundement frome the father to here Chriſte the authoure therof, the ſpirite comeynge down from heauen with his open teſtimonie, Thys is my dearly beloued ſōne in whom I delyte, heare hym. where the doctours contrarie wyfe as they are men, and this ſcripture muſt nedes be true Omnis homo mendax, euerie man OnelyOnly God is true, and al men are lyars.is a lyar: ſo do they trie. them ſelues as men contendeynge one with an other, eche one cō trarie to his felowe. Yea and the ſelfe ſame man retracteynge and recanteynge that, that he had wrytten before, that we may learne to truſt in no man nor to put fleſhe our arme, for feare of the great curſe, but to ſtycke vntounto the euerlaſtinge worde of God as a lantern vntounto our fete, wherof ther ſhall not one Iote or tytle periſhe, though the heauen and the earth do melt awaye. In thys we ſhall finde ſufficient fode for our ſoules (if we can paciently reſt and fead therin. Wherfore (for this tyme) all your doctours ſet aparte, and your dyuell ſayeth neglected, becauſe your hope is ſo muche in man, and you are not aſhamed ſo often to brinde in: the deuil ſayeth I praye you here the complaynt of God by his prophetes, vpō the Idolatours of al ages and do not thinke much to herkē what God ſayeth of you of this time, which cā non other wayes mayntain your pompe, but with the cōtumely of your creatour, & the plain denial of the only ſacrifice of his ſon Chriſt. Think not ſtraing that the thing is writtē in the perſone of God, for al truth is of god. G…ie pacient eare therfore vntounto our God ſayth: as we hauehave done toyour deuill ſayth, al thys while.Gene eare for God ſayth it