The Sacrament of the Lords Supper — Peter Martyr Vermigli

The Sacrament of the Lords Supper · Peter Martyr Vermigli

But than dooeth that saying make againste these menne, whiche we reade in the woordes of the Lord: This is my body, which is deliuered for you, and this is my bloude, whiche shall bee shed for you, by whiche woordes he playnlye …eweth and declareth hymselfe to mene the bodye whiche he had than at that presente, and the bloude, which he vsed at that honre. For Christe had not these thynges glorifyed and vnpassible till after his resurreccion. But leat vsus suppose that the matier wer as thei holde. Than dooe we thus argue. The state and properties of a passible bodye, and of a glorifyed bodye, be contrary the one to the other… so that they can not in one respecte bee in one bodye together and at one tyme: wherefore it foloweth, yf ye wyll hauehave bothe the sayed contraries of passible and glorifyed to bee in Christes bodye bothe at one selfe tyme: that ye make Christes body a double bodye.

Experience also and the veraye hystories dooe …ewe vsus,The .x…. argume…te. that this transubstanciation is not to bee graunted. For it is wrytten in the hystories, that Uictor the Byshoppe of Rome dyed of drynkynge poyson oute of the Chalice at his Masse. And Henry the Emperour receiued poyson by eatyng the breade of the Sacramente. If all thynges there bee chaunged by transubstanciacion, and nothynge there leafte remaynynge but onelye the accidentes. Howe coulde suche thynges as these hauehave been dooen?

Furthermore we knowe that all Sacramentes bee made and doe consiste of two partes,The .x…. argume…te. that is to wete, of matier, and of fourme (as the veray aduersaries selfes are wonte to terme it in theyr Schoole termes.)

And by the matier thei mene the outwarde signes or elementes and stuffe that goeth to it,Ma…ier. as the breade and wyne in this sacrament. By the fourme Fourme.thei mene that same that is added to the signes or elementes of bread and wyne by pronouncing of the wordes which make it a sacramente.

Nowe to our purpose, that that is made of two partes: ought not, nor can so caste away the one part, that nothyng but the onelyonly accidentes of thesame shal remayne for than y^e nature & propertie of the framing and ioyning together of the sayd matier and fourme in the sacramente should not be obserued and kept.The mati…r of the sacrament cānot bee caste awaye no more then the fourme. Wherfore the conclusion foloweth, that the substaunces of breade and wyne muste needes remayne styll in the sacramente.

And whiles thei thus ouer shoote themselfes for lacke of takyng hede, the body of Christ is by them depriued and spoyled of his quantitie,The trāsubstāciatoures depriue chris…es body of his qua…titie. of his situacion and placyng, and of the distaunce and proporcionyng of the partes and membres of his bodye one from another, so that all his whole bodye must by that meanes bee compelled and driuen to bee conteyned and enclosed in a veray lytell piece of breade.

This Sacramente is not onelyonly sayed to bee the Sacramente of the body of our sauiour Christe, but also of the mistical body of Christ: Wherefore Paule in thissame his former epistle to the Corinthians saied: Ye bee the body of Christe, and also: We beeyng many, are one lofe and one bodye, all we that be partakers of one bread or lofe. And Austen Aus…en.in the tenth chapiter of the two and twentieth boke of hys woorcke entituled,Quia ips… id sunt vide lice… corpus christi. De ciu…ta…e de…. saieth, that Christian mēne dooe not offer sacrifice to the martyrs. But the sacrifice is Christes bodye, whyche bodye is not offred to the martyrs: for martyrs them selues (sayeth Austen) are Christes bodye misticall. Nowe therfore, seynge that this sacramēte doth comprehende and conteyne indifferentlye bothe bodyes, that is to wete, Christes owne body,The breade is not cha… ged into ch…istes body, no more thē into the bodye m…stical. and the body mistical tooe: euen as they be not wont to holde that the substaunce of the breade is chaunged into the substaunce of the misticall bodye: so it shall not be necessarie to require, that the substaunce of y^e bread be chaunged or turned into the bodye of Christe, seynge that thys sacramente is said to bee the sacramente of both these two bodies indifferently.

And of thys opinion it woulde folowe,The .xliiii. argument. that not onelyonly the fayethfull and beleuynge sorte, but also the infideles that lacke fayth, may receiue Christes body, whyche thynge I hauehave at large disproued in an other place, wyth two sondry argumentes: the one that seeynge Christes bodye canne not be deuided from hys spirite, it would then folow that the vngodly or wicked lyuers dooe receyue the spirite of Christe also.

Secondarelye, that where as the Infideles be as dead personnes (as touchyng the inwarde man) they vtterlye lacke the toole or instrument, wherwith they shoulde receyue spirituall thynges.…sten None re…iue Christes bodye but suche as are of Christes bodye. And Austens saiynge is playnelye, that no folke, eate Christes bodye: sauynge suche as are of Christes body.Ierome And Hierome in the two and twenty Chapter of hys fourth booke vponupon Ieremy sayth: And where the prophet bringeth in and sayth. They shal not eat & drinke, &c. it is to be vnderstand the bodie and bloud of our sauioure. For in that place he spake of herityckes, and the same Hierom also in the threskore & sixt chapter vponupon Esai. And as longe as they be not holy both in bodie and in spirite, they do nether eate Christes fleashe, nor drynke Christes bloude. And a numbre there be in the olde aunci…nte wryters, of suche lyke places as these.

The .xlv. ArgumenteAnd where as they do ofte tymes in thys matter brynge forth manye myracles agaynste vsus: men must not be so quycke, nor so lyght of credence, as to beleue euerye thynge. For myracles are not wounte to be brought forth, but bycause they be straunge thynges and wonderfull, by reason of whose seldom effect, and vnwonted comminge to passe: Goddes word maye be the more estemed and regarded. For at such times when suche miracles chaunce: menne be striken with a greate wonderynge. And thereby men are easelye or quyckely perswaded to regarde, and to beleue christes sayinges, and doctryne.

But in thys sacramente there is nothynge chaunged as farre as our eye can iudge, neyther is there anye suche chaunge made, as myghte prouoke vsus to anye wonderynge. Wherfore these trāsubstantiatours seme in vayne to seke anye healpe for their purpose by myracles.It is in vaine for the transubstā tiatours to seke healpe of miracles for their trā subtiatiatiō A true matter it is in dede that the vyrgin Marye dyd conceyue of the holye ghoste: but she hyr selfe dyd perceyue and fele that so it was.

And in case any man hauehave at anye tyme bene conuerted to Christe: they hauehave perceyued and felte that theyr mynde, and theyr lyfe hathe chaunged frome theyr olde conuersation.

But in thys Sacramente, there is not perceyued anye one of these miracles whyche they feygne. Onelye they set out two wordes, but not one of them all canne be proued, eyther by anye reason, or by experience, or by scripture.

Ye maye see moreouer,The .xlvi. argumente against trā substantiation. that loke what respecte or proportion there is, betwene the breakynge of the breade, and the deathe and passion of Christe. Euen the same respecte and proportion there is betwene the breade and Christes bodye.

But the breakynge of the breade, (as these menne theim selues graunte also) is a Sacramente and a sygne of Christes breakynge or sufferynge vponupon the crosse, and yet there is no suche transubstanciation of the same, into Christes passion, y^t the breakyng of y^e breade shoulde make the sayde passion, or sufferynge of Christe to be really there present: therfore shal not the breade neyther bee chaunged into Christes bodye to make hys bodye carnallye presente.

And so, seynge that thys opynion hath nothynge in it but onelye pratlynge and babblynge aboute tryfles, and bryngeth men, as it were into a maze, that they canne not gette oute of, whan they are once in, it auayleth nothynge at al nor helpeth to the furderaūce of deuotion or godlines.

But nowe as concernynge the auncient fathers & wryters,The .xlvii. argumente Ireneus. it behoueth vsus to see whether they were of the same opinion or no. Irenaeus agaynste the herytykes called Valentinians, sayd: that the earthlye breade whan it taketh hys name of Goddes worde: is nowe no longer commune bread, suche as menne cōm…nely vse to eate: but it is nowe made the sacramentes of thankes geuyng, which in y^• greke is called Eucharistia. EucharistiaWhyche Eucharistia or sacramente of thankes geuing is made of two partes, the one earthly, and the other heauenlye. &c. Here fyrste and formoste, he denieth not that the sacrament of thankes geuynge, called Eucharistia (as is aforesayde) is bread, excepte ye wyl make it, or suppose it to be suche commune breade, as men do communely vse to eate at theyr repastes. And afterwarde he sayeth, that the sayde sacramente doeth consyste of two thynges, of whyche two thynges, the one is earthlye, and that is the breade, the other is heauenlye, as Christes bodye. And lyke as the veritye is kept in the tone parte (that is to wete, as touching Christes bodye) euen so muste the veritye be kepte in the other parte also (that is to wete, as touchyng the breade).

And he addeth by a similitude, or comparison. And so our bodyes (sayth he) receyuynge the sacramente of thankes geuynge, are nowe no longer subiecte to corruption.

TertullianTertullian in the fyrste booke agaynste Marcion sayth, that God dyd not caste awaye the breade (beynge Goddes creature) for as much as with that bread Christ represēted hys body, & in the fourth boke agaynste the same. Marcion, he sayeth, When Christ had taken bread, and had deuided it amonge hys disciples, he made that breade hys bodye, by sayinge: Thys is my bodye, That is to saye, the fygure of my bodye, but it shoulde not be a figure of hys bodye, vnlesse the body hadde bene a verye true body, in dede.

OrigenOrigen vponupon the boke of Numeri in the .xvi. homilie we are said, y^t we do not onelyonly drinke Christes bloud, whan it is ministred vntounto vsus in the ordinarye geuing of the Sacramentes: but also whan we receiue his woordes. Which self same thing also Hierome wrote in one place, vponupon the third chapitur of Ecclesiastes. The same Origen also vponupon the .xxvi. Chapitur of Matthew, hath these wordes: Panis iste, quem deus verbum Corpus suum esse fatetur, verbum est nutritorium animarum: that is to saie, this breade whiche god the woorde (whiche is Christe) dooeth plainelye affirme and saie bee his bodye, is a woorde good and holsome to nourishe oure soules. The same Origen also in the seuenthe homelie vpō the booke of Moses entitled Leuiticus thus speaketh: For euen in the ghospels also there is a litteral sense which killeth, and not in the olde testamēt onelyonly. For if ye folow the litteral sence in this sentence, vnles ye eate my fleash. &c. And in thesame boke in y^e nynth homely: doe not thou staigh nor dwel in the bloude of the fleashe, but learne rather the bloude of the woorde, and heare himselfe sayinge vntounto thee, that this is my bloode whiche is shed forthe for you. The same Origen agayn vponupon the fiftienth chapitur of Matthewe: The breade that is halowed, passeth into the bealie (as touchyng his material parte) and is cast forth into the draught. &c. And within a fewe woordes after he saieth thus. Neither is it the matter or substaunce of the breade, but it is goddes woorde spoken vponupon the said breade, whiche profiteth those that eate the same not vnworthely. The same Origen in another place agaynst Celsus in the eight booke:Celsus. whan we hauehave geuen thankes for the benefites of God bestowed vponupon vsus, we eate the breade whyche was offred.Ciprian

Cyprian in the syxte Epistle of the fyrste booke to Magnꝰ hath these wordes: The lorde hauyng bread made of manye graynes of wheate ioyned togyther dothe call it hys bodye, and hauynge wyne whyche was troden and pressed oute of manye clusters of grapes, he calleth it hys bloud. And the same Ciprian where he declareth and expouneth the Lordes prayer, calleth the Lordes bodye breade, And in hys sermon of the Lordes supper he sayeth, that we dooe not whette or sharpen oure tethe, but sayeth, that wee breake or eate the breade onelye wyth a pure faith. The same Cipriā in a sermon which he entitleth de chrismate that is, of the Chrisme, sayeth plainely that Sacramentes hauehave the names of those thynges, whyche thynges they sygnifye. Whych… two poyntes (of callynge it breade, and of eatynge it with sincere fayth onelyonly) it semeth that Austen dyd borow and take of hym, the laste thynge Austen hath in hys epistle to Boniface and the other thing, whan he sayd

Quid paras dentem, aut vetrem? Crede, et manducasti.

That is to saye, why dost thou make readye thy toth or thy bealye: beleue thou, and thou hast eaten it. And these wordes are in the fyue and twentye treasyse vponupon Iohn. But the same Cipriā, in hys thyrde epistle of the seconde boke, to Cecilius sayth: that the bloude of Christe is shewed or sette forthe in the wyne. And agaynste those menne whyche were called Aquarii, he holdeth that the bloude of Christe can not appeare to be presente in the cuppe or chalyce, if the wyne cease to be there: whyche thynge shoulde so come to passe, by the transubstantiation whyche these men do put. And in hys sermon vponupon the Lordes supper… he wryteth that the sygnes be chaunged into Christes body, but yet in suche wyse, that he taketh hys similitude of Christ him selfe, in whom the humanitie or humaine nature appeared, & the godheade was not to be sene, but was inuisible. By whyche similitude ye see, that he meaneth, that lyke as two natures remayned in Christe, so also in thys Sacramente two natures be reserued,

Also Ciprian in the thyrde epistle of the second boke hath these wordes: After such sorte as neyther floure or meale alone, or water alone can be Christes body, vnlesse both thynges be ioygned, & coupled to gyther and made into one whole masse or lumpte, by knyttynge it togyther into one breade or lofe, wyth the whyche selfe same breade beynge nowe putte to the vse of a Sacrament, our people is playnelye shewed and declared to be a people ioygned togyther in one.

Athanasius also declarynge these wordes of Christ.Athanasius If any man speake a worde agaynst the sonne of man, it shall be forgeuen hym, but he whiche speaketh agaynst the holy ghost, shal neuer hauehave it pardened or for geuē him in thys world, nor in the world to come, wryteth in thys maner. And howe greate a body should it be to bryng to passe that al the world shoulde eate and fede thereof. But he bryngeth in afterwardes, that the matter shuld be vnderstāded spiritually, and that Christe in that place therefore made mention and spake of his ascension againste the Capernaites.

Basilius.Basilius in his boke entitled liturgia calleth the bread foreign Corpus Christi the exaumple or paterne or counterpaine of Christes body. And this he sayeth to bee after the wordes of con…ecracion are once paste.

Dio…isiusDionisius in his weorke entitled de hierarchia Eclesiastica in the thyrd chapitur saythe: The bishop openeth the bread which was couered and vndeuided, and cutteth it in pieces.

Ambrose.Ambrose declaryng the first epistle to the Corinthiās, saieth: Sith the entente of the matter is, that this thing bee dooen for a memorial and remembraunce of Christe and of Christes death: we in eatinng and drinkyng the Sacramente dooe signifye the fleashe and bloude of Christe, which wer offred on the Crosse. And the same man about the same place, saieth, that we drynke of Christes mysticall cuppe for a figure of Christes bloud. And in the fourthe chapitur of the fourth boke entitled de sacramentis, that is to saie, of the sacramentes, where he putteth the chaunge of the signes, he treateth also of our chaungynge into Christe, and yet is there not anye transubstanciacion sayed to bee in suche as receiue the Sacrament. And the same man in the same fowerth booke of the Sacramentes, and the fourth chapitur, saieth: leat vsus therefore make this by good reason, how that thing whiche is nowe bread may be Christes body by consecracion of certain woordes pronounced ouer it. And not many lines after, he saieth: If so great a strength and vertue bee in the woordes of the lorde that thynges begynne to be that thei were not afore: how much more than can he weorke and bryng to passe, that those thinges maye still remayne the same that they were before, and yet maye be chaunged into an other thynge too.

Hierome vponupon Mathewe sayeth playnlye,Hierome. that the bodye and bloude of Christe is represented by the breade, and by the wyne.

Chrisostome vponupon the second epistle to the Corhinthians sayeth:Ch…isostom that not onelyonly that thyng is Christes bodye whych is sette before the Christians at the lordes table: but also that the pore folcke are hys bodye, to whome we are bounde to shewe and to minister the worckes of charitye. For euen the same Christe whyche sayde, thys is my bodye, sayde also by his worde, that he was in nede and necessitie whan poore folcke lacked: and that he had kyndenes and benefyte shewed to hym selfe, whan they receyued our almesdedes. The same Chrisostome in the eleuenth homelie vponupon Mathewe, in the worcke whyche is intituled, Imperfectum sayeth thus. It is not christes bodye and christes bloude, whyche is contayned in the holye vesels, Sed misterium corporis et sanguinis Christi, that is to say, But it is the mistery of Christes body, & bloude. The same Chrisostome in the .xxvii. homelie vponupon the eleuenth chapitur of the second epistle to the Corinthyans. For as christe bothe in the breade, and also in the cuppe sayde. Do ye thys in remembraunce of me, as often as ye shal eate of thys bread, and drynke of thys cuppe. &c. The same vponupon the .xxii. psalme. Thou hast prepared an eatynge table in my syght, that he might shew forth daily to vsus in the sacramēt bread and wyne accordynge to the order or fashyon vsed of Melchisedek for a similitude, of christes body & blud.

EmisenusAnd Emisenus whome they cite or alledge oute of the canon lawe, in the title, De consecratione and in the seconde distinction, where he semeth to putte a chaunge of the symboles or sygnes, and matter of the Sacramente, euen the same manne maketh mention of oure chaungynge into christe.

Austen.Austen hathe manye testimonies of thys mattier fyrst vponupon the .lxxxix. psalme. Ye shal not eate this body which you see with your eye, neither shal ye drinke the same very blud, whych the Iewes wil shede forth vponupon the crosse. But the thinge which I speake vntounto you is a mysterie, and an highe secrete poynte, whiche if it be spirituallye vnderstanded, shall quicken you to life. Also in the thyrde booke, de trinitate, Panis ad hoc factus in sacramento accipiendo consumitur. that is to saye, the breade whyche was made for this purpose, is cō sumed awaye, whan the sacrament is receyued. Neither is there anye tytle or reason, why Fysher late bishope of Rochester shuld so hauehave gone aboute to racke thys sentence, and to apply it to the shewe breades of the olde lawe, whyche were called, Panes prepositionis. For we hauehave before this declared and by diuerse reasons proued, that hys declaration doth not, ne canne bee agreable to serue for that matter. Firste bicause that if thou folowe the easye and plaine sence of the wordes, and that sence of the letter, whiche offereth it selfe, and commeth to thy minde at the fyrste syght or readinge: thou shalte see plainelye, that Austen there speaketh of Eucharistia, whyche is thys Sacramente of thankes geuynge, as is afore sayde. And it is a worde muche vsed to signyfye the Sacramente of Christes bodye. &c.

And Erasmus in the worckes of Austen whiche he corrected, and sette forthe of newe, when he commeth to the wordes aboue cited,…asmus hath for a note in the margente of the booke directlye agaynste the sayde clause sette thys worde, Eucharistia. to signifye that the sayde clause is mente, of thys Sacramente of Christes bodye and bloude.

Moreouer the sayde Austen a little after, in the same Chapitur, and whyle he yet treateth vppon the same matter, dothe so plainly make mention of Eucharistia, that the verye aduersarie canne not denye it, nor saye againste it. And he hadde wrytten of the same Eucharistia, before in the fourthe chapitur of the selfe same boke: whan he beganne to treate of the same matter. Ye maye adde to thys also, that the word Sacramēt is of purpose expreslie mente, and playnelye named in these wordes of Austen whych we hauehave now in hād. For if he woulde thys worde Sacramente to be taken cōmunely, it myght euen as well in eueryevery behalfe hauehave bene applyed to those other thynges which Austen in that place had rehearsed before, (as for example to the brasen serpente, and to the stone that was erected vp by Iacob) as it myghte be applied or referred to the loues of propositiō, or the shewe breades afore mentioned.

But Austen whan he spake and treated of those other thynges, dyd not make any expresse mention of thys worde Sacramente, whyche worde afterward in thys clause, he woulde in no wise leaue oute, bicause he woulde vsus to vnderstande hym directlye to speake of Eucharistia,

Fynallye, to cōclude the very wordes of Austen are these: The bread whiche was made for this purpose is cousumed in receyuynge of the sacramente, or whan the Sacramente is receyued, whyche thynge doeth in no wyse agree, nor can not be applyed to the shewe breades of the olde Testamente. For the lawes of the shewe bread were not made to any such vse or ende that they shoulde be eaten, but that they beynge sette vponupon a table, shoulde remayne there before the Lorde, and so continue from tyme to tyme in that place, for the whyche cause they were called in the Hebrue tonge. Panim.Pa…im

Afterwardes by a lyttle chaunce (as ye woulde say) and of an other occation it came to passe, that they were eaten, for thys cause doubtelesse, to auoyde leste they shoulde putrefye before the Lorde. And for that cause, were they chaunged weakelye. And whan they were once offered, & dedicated to God, he would hauehave thys honoure geuen to theim, that they shoulde be eaten of the priestes. But the breade of oure sacramente of Eucharistia, is made verily for this onelyonly purpose and ende, that it shoulde be eaten and spente in receyuinge of the sacramente. And to the argumentes that I hauehave alreadie made, I adde and ioygne thys one more also, whiche is of more force.

For saynte Austen speaketh by the presente tense, and sayeth, it is spente, and not, it was spente, whych oughte to hauehave bene sayde, if he hadde spoken of the fygure and ceremonye of the olde Testamente. In the ninteenth chapitur of hys boke entitled, De side, that is to saye, of fayeth, to one Peter, he callethe it the Sacramente of bread and wyne.

He doeth enstruc…e the sayd Peter in the feithe, of the memorie of Christ, & of his death euē at large: but yet of this transubstanciacion, the whiche these men doe now at this daie so earnestly harpe vponupon, and labour to bring in, he speaketh not so muche as one worde. In the twentieth booke against Faustus, and the one & twentieth chapitur, he declareth that the fleashe and bloude of Christ was promised to vsus in the olde testament vnderunder the similitude of the sacrifices, and geuen to vsus in dede vponupon the crosse, and in the sacramentes to bee celebrated vnderunder a remēbraūce or memorial of hym. And in the fyue and twentieth chapitur of the one and twentieth booke de ciuitate dei, he plainely affirmeth that the wicked and vngodlye sorte dooe not eate the veray thing of the sacrament, that is to saye, the body of Christe. For that man (sayeth he) oughte not to be thought to eate the bodye of Christe whiche is not in the bodye of Christe, and in whome Christe dooeth not dwell, nor he in Christe. And in the twentieth treactise vponupon Ihon, he hath euen the like saying And in the thirtieth treactise, he sayeth that the bodye of Christe is in one certain place in heauen, but the veritie of it to be sprede abroade in euerie place. Whiche thing he sayth for this consideracion, because the truth is a spiritual thing, and is continually euermore with the feithfull. And they that dooe receiue the communion, wheresoeuer they bee, dooe confesse Christ, and beleue that he had a true bodye and not a counterfaicte or a phantastical body, as the Heritikes dyd suppose. In the booke againste Adimantius one of the Manychies secte in the twelfth chapitur, he writeth in this manner: The Lorde dyd not doubte to saye, this is my body, whereas yet he gaue them but the signe of his body. Neither is it of any force yf one woulde saye, he gaue them bothe the signe and the thyng. For Austen had no respecte hereunto, but his mynde was to declare, that it was a figurate speache, and lyke to the other which he allegethe out of the Deuterenomi. Bloud is the soule or life. The Lorde (sayeth he) therfore dyd not doubte, because we are some what bolde in vsyng some tropes, that is to saye, such maniers of speakyng as sometimes the scripture doth vse. In the thyrde booke de doctrina Christiana, that is to saye, of christian doctrine, and the sixth chapitur, he doeth teache vsus that this saying in the sixthe of Iohn is figurate, Except ye eate the fleashe of the sonne of man. &c. For (saieth he) here semeth an haynous thyng to bee commaunded. For it is a thing more horrible and odious to eate the fleashe of man,Here is partly touched the place that is in the seconde booke against the aduersitie of the lawe and prophetes in the ninthe chapitur. than to kylle hym: and to drincke his bloud, than to shede it Therefore (saieth he) it is a figure geuing vsus enstruction that we swetelye and profitablye hauehave in memorie that the fleashe of Christe was crucifyed & wounded for vsus. In his epistle to Boniface he declareth moste playnly, that the Sacramentes beare the name of those thynges wherof thei be… sacramentes. And he expresseth by name that the sacramente of the body of Christe is the bodye of Christe after a sorte: and he sayeth a litell after, that the Sacramente of the bloud of Christe, is the bloude of Christe. And al this dyd Austen write that he might proue baptisme to be the sacrament of feith, and that therefore it maye bee sayed, that it is feith: & that childrē baptised hauehave feith because thei receiue that a sacrament.

And leste any man should saye, y^• they be signes of a thing which present in veray substaunce (as these men terme it) leat vsus diligently weygh the similitudes that are brought in of this father & auncient doctour whō we hauehave now alleged. Which is (sayth Austen) much lyke for an exaumple as whan Easter tyme is nere at hande, we thus saie: Tomorowe shall be the Lordes passiō: or, y^e next day after to morow shal y^• lordes passiō be. And on y^e sunday beyng Eastur daye, we saye: Christ hath this daye arisen agayne frō death to lyfe. Wheras yet these thinges be not now presēt, but wer doen long agon. And so Austē after these wordes affirmeth y^t the baptisme of y^e litel chyldrē is feyth, which feith neuerthelesse y^e chyldrē hauehave not presently: Yea & ferthermore y^e same Austen (as it appereth in y^e second distinction, in y^e chapitur y^t beginneth, interrogo uos, y^t is, I aske of you) sayeth, y^t it is an offense of equal and of lyke negligence to suffre y^e word of god which is preached to skyp out of our myndes, and to leat parte of y^e sacramentes fall vntounto the yearth. But yf we graunte this transubstanciacion, thā wer this thinge not so agreable. For it semeth a ferre more vnmete thing that the veray body of Christ should fal vntounto the yearth or to be troden on, thā to heare any part of holy scripture negligētly, ferthermore vpō the third psalme he saith, that Christ had Iudas w^t him at this feaste whan he deliuered y^• figure of his body. They be wōt to saye, y^e the body of Christe couered vnderunder the acc…ēdtes in this sacrament is a fygure or signe of himselfe, euen as he hanged on y^e crosse a dead bodye without life & bloud: And y^e the bloud which is hidden vnderunder y^e accidētes of wyne, is the figure and signe of his bloudeshedde on the aulter of the crosse.

But what is he that cannot see and perceiue all this same, to bee these mennes fond and vaine imaginacions? For the signe and figure ought to bee more sensible and more easie to perceiue, and to be better knowen then the thyng whiche is signifyed by it. And therefore the master of the sentences defineth a sacramente after Austens opinion in this maner: A Sacramente (saieth he) is a visible signe of an vnuisible grace. But the bodye of Christe hidden vnderunder the accidentes (as these mennes doctrine teacheth) is as vnknowen as that whiche did hange on the crosse. Yea (and if a man maye saye the trueth) more vnknowen too, and more obscure or darke to perceiue, than is that whiche is signifyed whiche thinges are muche ageynste the nature bothe of a signe and of a figure. For the bodye of Christ (as it hanged on the crosse) is more easie to bee knowen and comprehended in a mannes mynde, then as it is of these men placed in the sacramente.

Leo bishop of Rome.Leo the Bysshoppe of Rome in his Epistle to the cleargi and people of Constantinople wryteth that this distribution is mystycall, and that it is a spirituall norishment and heauenly vertue that we here receiue, to the ende that we maye be altered and transefourmed or chaunged into the fleashe of Christe, who for our sakes tooke oure fleashe vponupon hym.

Cirillus in the fowerth booke and the fowertenthe chapitur vponupon Ihon saieth thus:Cirillus. And so to his disciples whiche did beleue he gaue pieces of bread saying: take ye… &c. the same doctoure in his Epistle to one Calosi…ius sayeth: Therefore it became him after a sort to be ioyned to our bodyes by hys holye fleashe and preciouse bloude the whyche we receyue in thelyuelye blessynge in breade and wyne.

And now wyl we bryng forth Theodor…tus who was byshop of Cyre, and lyued in Cyrilles tyme, & was in the counsell kept at Ephesus, and Calcēdonie and was estemed for a man of excellent learnyng, and a man of wonderfull eloquence. And where as in the counsell holden at Ephesus, there be fell a variaunce betwixte Iohn the Patriarke of Antioche, and Cyrill the Byshop of Alexandria.

Thys Theodoritus semed to leaue to y^e Patriarke of Antioche: but that variaunce was taken vp and pacified, and set at an ende, euen in that counsell. And then afterwarde at the counsell of Calcedonie, the sayde Theodoritus was acknowledged, and demed ā ma… singulerly well learned, and an holy membre of Christes churche. Yea, and in the bookes whyche he wrote,Nestorius an heritike. he dothe of sette purpose resiste Nestorius and writeth agaynste him by name. The boke was printed at Rome.

And the Papistes for as much as they hauehave espied that he is moste playnelye agaynste transubstanciation, they hauehave excused him two waies. Fyrste that the churche had not as yet in his time determined this matter, as thoughe we did searche what the Pope w^t hys Cardinals hauehave decreed, either at Constaunce or in the counsell where Beringatius was condempned, and not rather, what was bothe preached and taught & also beleued in the olde church. Secondelye they excuse Theodoritus, and saye, that in writing against the heritikes whan he traicted of mysteries, he leaned some what to muche the other waye agaynste transubstantiation, to thys intent and purpose, that hys aduersaries mighte the better, and the more effectuallye be confuted.

But howe triflynge an excuse thys is, it maye very well appeare, of the whole sequell of thys wryters processe in hys wrytynge, where as one maye …e, not the scape of a word or twaine, but the whole argumente and pythe of the mattier to be fette, and to be taken oute of the nature of a Sacramente, so that if ye mengle transubstanciation therewyth all, the matter canne be broughte to no conclusion on hys parte, but contrarywyse the heritykes should wynne the whole victorye.

They alledge furthermore that he speaketh sumetime verye honourablye, and reuerentelye of the sacramente in thys same boke.

But if ye loke it all thorowoute, he neuer speaketh so honourablye, or so reuerentelye of it, that he is anye thyng agaynste thys senten…e whiche we do here holde.

Hys boke is a disputation agaynst suche persons as denye that Christe had a true bodye, and do saye that hys bodye in the tyme of hys ascention was all togyther chaunged into a diuine nature.

Firste he bringeth in for his purpose, the prophecy of the aunciente Patriarke Iacob, out of the .xlix. Chapter of Genesis, to the ende that he might therby make him selfe awaye to bringe his argumentes oute of the sacramentes. And his wordes ben these.

But for the better and more plainer declaration of the matter, I the translatour hauehave thought necessarie to admonish the good christian reader, to vnderstand & to note y^• the purpose of Theodoritus is, to proue that the body of Christ (as it is nowe in heauen raignynge in the glorye of hys father) is hys verye true, and naturall bodye, and the same bodye whyche he hadde whan he was conuersaunte here on earth in hys manhoode, and that the same bodye remaynethe euen styll, and euer shall do, in the same his verye true nature of manhoode, that it than hadde, and is not chaunged into the nature and substaunce of hys godheade.

For euen at those dayes some heritiques did beginne to deuise and to write of Christe, that after hys resurrection and ascention, hys manhoode was now chaunged into his godhead, and was no longer a natural bodye, so that he was not now both god & man (sayde they) but God onelye, for as muche as by rysynge frome deathe to lyfe, and by ascending into heauen he hadde ouercomed al corruptebilitie, and hadde cast of all earthlinesse of hys natural body, and of his manhoode.

And the wordes are written in Theodoritus in maner and forme of a dialoge betwene a good Christian mā, beyng of right opiniōs in matters of religiō whō we shal here at thys tyme cal by the name of Orthodoxus, as the auctoure doeth, and a Compaig…ion of hys beynge as it were an Heritique or miscreaunte whome wee shall here for thys presente call by the name of Aduersaries to the trueth) and thus do they talke togyther.

Theodoritus as hereafter foloweth, he washed hys stole in wyne, and hys garmente in the bloude of the grape. Ortho. Doest thou know that God called bread his own body. Ad. Yea I know it very wel. Ortho. Dost thou know also that in an other place againe he called his body, wheat, corne? Aduer. Yea, I knowe that too, euen verye well. For I hauehave heard that he sayde. The houre is come that the sonne of man muste be glorified. And except the wheate corne being caste downe into the earth do there dye, it remayneth it self alone, but if it dye, it bringeth forth muche frute. Orthod. Trulye in the very geuing and deliuerynge of the mysteries, he called the breade hys body, and the cup he called hys bloud. Aduer. In dede so did he name it. Orthod. But euen a body after nature too, that is to saye: hys owne bodye & his bloude, might it hauehave bene so called. Aduer. It is a playne matter to graunte. Orthod. Yea and trulye our sauiour hym selfe chaunged the names, and gaue to hys bodye the name of the sygne, and to the sygne, the name of hys bodye.

And in the same maner whan he hadde called him selfe a vyne, he called the verye sygne by the name of hys bloude. Aduersa. In dede that worde hath thou spoken verye truly. And I woulde fayne learne the cause too, whye he so chaunged the names. Ortho. That is an open marke to knowe vntounto all suche as are entred to be partakers of oure holy sacramentes. For his wyll was that suche as wer partakers of the heauenly mysteries… should not hauehave respect to the nature of the thynges whiche thei see: but that by the chaungyng of the names thei should beleue the alteracion whiche is made through grace. For the same Christe whiche called his naturall bodye a wheate corne and breade, & also named hymself a vyne: the selfe same Christ honoured the visible …ignes with the name of his bodye a…d bloude: not chaungyng the nature of the thynges, but geuyng grace vntounto the nature of them.

Aduers. In dede the mys…icall thynges wer mystically spoken. And now hath it been of thee clerely expouned and opened, that is not knowen to all folkes. Orthodo…. Forasmuche therfore as he openly protesteth the Lordes bodye to be called of the Patriarche Iacob in the olde testamente both a stoole and a garmente and we are now entred into a talke of the heauenly mysteries: Tell me plainly and truely, whereof thynkest thou that same most holy meate to be a signe and a figure: whether of the verai godhead of Christe our Lorde, or els rather of his body and bloud? Aduer. Truly of these same verai thynges, that they hauehave taken the names of. Ortho. of his bodye and bloude is it than that thou saiest. Aduer. yea euen so doe I saye. Ortho. Thou hast saied euen truely. For the Lorde whan he tooke the figure in his hande, sayed not: This is my godheade: but, this is my body. And again: This is my blo…d, And in another place: But the breade whiche I shall geue, is my fleashe, whiche I wyll geue for the life of the world. Aduer. In dede al this is veray true. For they be the lordes wordes. Ortho. And certes, if it be all true, than the Lorde had veraily a body. Aduer. But I saye, that he is without a body. Ortho. But thou confessest alreadie, and canste not denye that a body he had.

Now the wordes of thesame Theodoritus, out of his second dialogue. Aduer. Truelye it behoueth vsus to vse all meanes & wayes possible, that we maye atteygne to the veritee and trueth of thynges, but moste speciallye in the doctrines and opinions of diuinitie now propouned and put forthe at this presente to talke of. Ortho. Tell me than, those same mystical signes whiche are offred vntounto god by the holye ministers, of what thinges are thei the signes? Aduer. Of the Lordes bodye and bloud. Ortho. Of his veraye true and reall body, or not real? Aduersari. Of his true and reall bodye. Orthodoxus. Ueraye well saied: For anye counterpaine muste needes bee the true counterpaine of the thyng that it shall resemble. For the peinctures doe counterfayct and resemble nature, and dooe peincte the ymages, and lykenesses of suche thynges, as are naturall and visible thinges in dede. Auersari. Ye true it is that thou sayest. Ortho. Nowe than, if those holy and godly mysteris bee paternes of a body that is a true body in dede: than is the bodye euen nowe at this present the veraie bodye of oure Lorde. And yet is not his bodye chaunged into the nature of his Godheade, but it is replete & fylled with the glorie of his Godhead. Adue. Thou hast in veraye good seasō moued this present talke of these hea…nly mysteries. For out of thesame will I shewe vntounto th…e the chaungyng of the Lordes bodye i…to another nature. Aunswer thou therfore vntounto my questions, that I shall put forth vntounto thee. Orthod. I wyll aunswere vntounto theim. Aduersari. That same gifte that is offred vp, what dooest thou call it before the inuocation that the prieste or minister maketh. Ortho. It behoueth not vsus herein to speake opēly in playn termes. For it is veray lykely that some there be here present, whiche are not as yet entred and …nstructed in the profession of Christianitie. Aduersa. Well than, leat thine aunswere bee mysticall and couer…ly sette foorth as it we… in a riddle. Orthodoxus. Than I saye, it is, an eatable thynge made of suche kynde of sede or graine. Aduersa. And the other figure, by what name dooe we call it. Ortho. This name is a common name also, signifying a kynde of cuppe to drynke of. Aduersari. And after the halowyng of it by what name dooest thou calle these thynges. Orthodoxus. The bodye of Christe and the bloude of Christe. Aduersari. And dooest thou beleue thy selfe to receiue the body and bloud of Christe? Orthodox. Yea truely I beleue it. Aduersari. Than lyke as the …ignes of the Lordes bodye and bloude, are in dede one kynde of thynges before the inuocacion of the Priest or Minister, and after the inuocacion thesame signes are chaunged, and are made another kynde of thynges: euen so the Lordes bodye too is after his assumption into heauen chaunged into the substaunce of his mere godhead. Orthodoxus. Loe, thou arte now… caught in thesame nette, whiche thou haddeste sette to catche me in.

Note here that the signes doe not leue ne cast awaye nor lese theyr own p…oper nature.For those same mystical signes doe not depart away out of theyr owne proper nature after the halo winge of thē. For thei remaine styl in theyr former substaūce, and their former shape, and their former kinde, and are euen as well seen and felt, as thei wer afore. But the thinges that are dooen are vnderstanded, and are beleued, and are wurshipped, euen as thoughe thei wer in veray dede the thynges that are beleued. Therfore compare nowe the ymage or firste paterne with the counterpayne, and thou shalt see the similitude. For the figure muste of necessitie bee agreable and aunswerable to the truith. For the self same bodye hath verayly his owne former kynde, his owne former shape, his owne former circumscription (that is to saye, occupying of a rome and place accordyng to his quantitee if it wer so requisite,) and (to speake plainly without any subtilties) euen the very same corporall and bodely substaunce that it had before. But from the tyme of his resurrection foorthwarde it became immortall, and had ouercomed all corruptibilitee and was iudged worthie to bee placed in the seate of glorie whiche is on the right hande of God, and wurshipped it is of all creatures, as beyng the veray naturall bodye of our Lorde. Aduer. Yet neuerthelesse that same mysticall signe that we treate of dooeth chaunge the former name that it was called by. For it is not afterwarde called by thesame name that it was called by afore, but it is called the bodye. &c. The trueth therfore and the thing selfe, of whiche this is the counterpayne oughte no more to be called God and no more to be called a body. Ortho. Thou semest now to me a man that knoweth litell. For it is not called the bodye onelyonly, but also the breade of life. For so dyd the lorde himselfe call it.It is in the Greke foreign, that is to sai geuing lyfe, which in the latin he calleth … i…ific… that maketh aliue, o… that maketh liue lye. Yea and thissame body we call a diuine or heauenly body, and a body that geueth lyfe, and our maisters body and the lordes bodye, teachynge, that it is not a common body of any man indifferently without any choyce, but the body of our Lorde Iesus Christe beeyng both God and man, for Iesus Christe yesterday, and this daye is one & the same without any chaunge now and for euer and euer. &c.

Chrisostome in his epistle to one Cesarius a manne than hadde geuen hym selfe to a solitarie lyfe,Chrisostome wrytten in the tyme of his seconde banishemente ageynste Appollinarius and others whiche made no distinction betwixt the godhead and the humanitee or manhood in Christ, and his Epistle is to bee had in the Library at Florence al though it be not printed, (Christ saieth he) is both god and man, God for his impassibilitee and man for his passion, one sonne, and one Lorde the veray self same without doubte that hath one power & one dominion of the two natures ioyned together, although thei be not consubstancial that is to saye of one substaunce but so ioyned together that euerie of them beyng seuerall without menglyng doeth still kepe a knolege and a token of his owne propre nature because they be two distincte natures and vnconfounded, forlyke as before y^• bread is sanctifyed we call it breade, but whan the diuine grace hath sanctified it, the priest beeyng minister it is deliuered from the name of bread and is coūpted worthy the name of the Lordes bodye althoughe the nature of bread hath styl remained in it and it is called not two bodies but one body of the sonne: in lykewise this diuine constitution, the nature of the bodye adioyned the two bothe together make on sonne, and one persone.

Hesechius in the twentieth booke vponupon the eighte chapitur of Leuitici commaundyng fleashe (sayth he) for this cause to be …aten with breade,Hesechius. that we might vnderstande… that he meaned that mysterie, whiche is bothe breade and fleashe.

Gelasius.Gelasius ageynst Entichetes wryteth that the substance and nature of breade and wyne doeth not ceasse to bee in the sacrament of the Lordes supper called Eucharistia and he maketh a comparison of this sacramente with Christe, in whome remayneth the diuine and humain nature both the natures beyng hole and perfect, as in this Sacrament do remaine the nature of breade and the bodye of Christe.

Gregorius.Gregorie in his registre sayeth, as well whan we receyue vnleauened breade as leauened, we bee made one body of the Lorde our Sauiour.

Bertram.Bartram in his booke of the bodye and bloude of the Lorde sayeth of the nature of the signes: Looke what they wer as concernyng the substaunce of the creatures before the consecration, the same they continue also afterwardes.

Bernarde in his sermon of the supper of the Lord,Bernarde. doeth make a manifeste similitude of a ringe, whereby a manne doeth receyue either the promesse of Matrimonie, or the possession of any dignitie, as it is vsed in makyng of Byshoppes, whereas the ryng or croasier staffe, or Rotchet, be signes or tokens of the thinges whiche are geuen or graunted, and yet thei bee no vayne signes, for thei do moste surely bringe with them the thynges that they signifie, the whiche same thynge also he declareth to be dooen in the Sacramentes.

Nowe muste we answere to the argumentes of these menne, where with thei gooe aboute to proue their transubstantiation. And as concernyng the first, we aunswere, that Christ did promisse vsus his fleashe or his bodye and bloude, to be our meate and dryncke and that in the sixth Chapitur of Ihon, whiche thing he dooeth as ofte as we dooe truelye beleue that he dyed for vsus, he dyd also perfourme the same, whan at his laste Supper he ordeyned this Sacramente, for he ioygned the sygnes to that spirituall eatyng. But they dyd most chiefelye and principally laye agaynste vsus this sentence. This is my bodye, aboute the veritie of whiche sayinge is nowe all oure controuersie, but all oure contencion consisteth in this onelye poyncte, howe and in what mannier it is his bodye for bothe partes, that is to weete, as well oure aduersaries as we dooe holde that it is a true proposicion or sentence. And all oure contencion and striefe is onelye aboute the sense or meanynge of it.

Thei saye, it is a playne sentence: & we on the other syde put them in remembraunce of that whiche Augustine teacheth in his booke entitled de doctrina Christiana, that is, of Christiā doctrine. Where he saieth, that one place must not be so expouned, that it be contrarie to manye other, but rather so as it agree with manye others.

Neither muste we euermore allege the plainenes of the sentence and stande altogether vponupon the woordes, for than, where it is sayed: Leate vsus make man after our Image and lykenesse.

The heritiques named Anthropomorphita,Anthropomorphitae. A kinde of heritiques that affirmed god to hauehave a bodely substaūce or beeing, & shape as we hauehave… do by & by aryse, and make an argumente, that God hathe a bodye, and a soule, and other membres as we se to be in mans bodye. Thou sayest in thys behalfe, that this similitude or lykenes of mā to God, the image of god muste be referred to the mynd or soule of man, wherby man hath rule ouer all other Creatures lyke vntounto God, but the sayde heritiques wyll saye againe, that these thynges are there in playne wordes wrytten of manye, and that thou doest in vayne go about to applye that whyche is written of the whole man, to the one parte onelye, that is to wete to the soule or mind. Thou alledgeste agayne, that G…d is a spirite, and that a spirite hath no fleshe & bones, and …o thou gathereste the sence of thys one place o…te of other places of scripture.

In lyke maner the Arians sayde that they hadde the playne and cleare sence of thys place of scripture.Some sentēce in scripture whiche seme moste playne in woordes. muste not alwayes be vnderstāded without sōe interpretacion. My father is greater then I, Thou dost apply this saying onelyonly to the humayne nature of Christ bycause that in other places of the scripture the godheade of Christe is declared and playnelye taught, as in the fyrste chapter of Iohn, & in the ninthe chapter of the epistle to the Romains, and in the fyrst Chapter of the first epistle of sainte Iohn.

Also Christ sayeth,In expouning of one place, a… eie must be had vntounto other places of scrip…ure. He that hath no swerd let hym bye him one, in whyche wordes it semeth that he prouoketh men to auengemente. But if ye hauehave an eye to other places, ye shall see that it is figuratelye spoken. Saincte Paule hath this sayinge: Pray ye without intercession or ceassing And anone ther started vp a kynde of heritiques called Euchite, Euchitae a kinde of heritiques cō cerninge prayer.whyche thought that we ought to vse continual prayers, neuer ceasyng to murmure, then wher as yet it is sayde in an other place. He that hathe not care of them that belonge to hym, specially of such as be of hys houshold, hath renounced the fayth, & is worsse then an infidell.

And againe, Let al thinges be done in ordre & in an other place: he y^t laboureth not, let him not eate. Also a certeine secte of Heretiques named Chiliastae that is to say,Chiliastae a kinde of Heretiques. a certaine secte that taught how Christ should reigne a thousand yeares. This secte thought that they had the moste euident word of god that coulde bee for theyr opinion in the Reuelacion of Ihon in the twentieth chapitur, of these thousande yeares in the whiche Christe should reigne with his. And the Sabelliās did hold y^t there was no difference of personnes betwene the father and the soonne,Sabellians another sect of Hereti…ues. and that same thei did of this place, I and the father bee one: and also of this place, Philip he that seeth me, seeth the father also. And againe: As I doe remayne in the father so doeth the father remaine in me, these places thei said wer plain places & sayinges of scripture, & that y^e same made for thē. The Ebionites did take Christe to be a creature only,Hebionit…s an other secte of heriques. & sayd y^t this saying: god my god why hast thou leaft or forsaken me? could be none otherwise vnderstanded, for God (sayed they) dooeth neuer leaue ne forsake himselfe.

And of thys sentence written in the sixte of Iohn: He that eateth my fleshe, & dryncketh my bloude, shall not dye for euer. Manye sayde that it folowed, that those whych dyd once come lawfullye to the communion, coulde not peryshe for euer.

The whyche erroure, saynte Austen in hys boke entituled, De ciuitate dei, that is of the Cytye of God, doeth clearelye reproue. Also the wordes of the canticles whych are entitled, Cantica canticorum … if ye take thē as they sounde in wordes, at the firste apprearaunce they are but songes or ballades of louelove, or maryage Songes. We must not therfore alwayes alledge the plainenes of the words, & go no further. Christ saith, He that hath eares to hear, let him hear, and he that readeth, let him vnderstand.

Neyther is it conueniente by and by, to take the fyrste sence that sheweth or offreth it selfe without regardynge or considerynge and conferryng of other places wyth it. Christe sayde to hys Apostles, Beware of the leuen of the Phariseis. The Apostles by and by thoughte that he hadde spoken of breade, where as Christe spake of theyr doctrine. He sayed also. Lazarus our frende slepethe. Here dyd the Apostles slepe also, and sayde. If he slepe, he shall do well inoughe, & recouer agayne. where as Christe spake of hys death. The Lorde sayeth in an other place. Destroye you thys temple, and in three dayes I shall builde it vp agayne. neyther dyd the Apostles vnderstande that he spake of hys bodye. He that kepeth my commaundementes shall not dye for euer. And here also dyd the Iewes thynke that he spake of the bodilye deathe. Necodemus dyd grosselye vnderstande the newe generation & byrthe that Christe spake of. Neither was the Samaritane woman anye thing lesse deceyued aboute that matter whyche Christ promised hyr.

The Hebrues also were deceyued whan Christe sayde vntounto them. Abraham did se my dayes, and did reioyce. Let theim not therefore saye euermore vntounto vsus, thys scripture is plaine, This is my body, for we answere thē, y^t it is plaine as cō cerning y^e significatiō of y^e wordes. But the sence of y^e words is not plaine, as apeareth in such other like sē tēces as these. Christe is a stone, Christe is a lambe, Ye are the bodies of Christe, Wee (though we be many) ar one bread, & one body, Al these be the wordes of god, & we may saye of theym, that they be playne, and that they be euident, and yet none of thē al proueth transubstātiatiō. Wherefore there is no cause, why the plainnes of the wordes shoulde so muche be alleged. We muste of other places of scripture, and of the circumstaunces wel consider what is in thys mattier mente aud intended.

We wyl therfore expoune this proposition, somwhat depelye repetynge the matter from the bottome God was wyllynge to drawe man vntounto hym wyth large and greate promises: as, that he woulde make him happye and blessed.

And bycause he knewe oure beleuynge herte, he woulde that there shoulde be manye benifites of hys shewynge towardes mankind, remayne and appeare in memorie, whereby he might allure and drawe man vntounto hym. Wherefore he dyd not onelye giuegive all creatures vntounto man, but also in the tyme of the floude, he deliuered our kinde (whiche hadde full euyll deserued it) from the destruction of the water.

To Abraham he declared hym selfe very fauorable and louinge. To Isaac also, & to Iacob his sonnes sonne. He prospered their stocke whan they were oppressed, he deliuered them, and gaue them a fruitefull contrye to dwell in, and promoted them to the dignitie of kynges and priestes, and yet were they continually men of a harde beliefe, and did not perfectelye thincke that God owed them good wyll. Wherefore for their infidelitie, he cast them oute into diuers captiuities, & agayne manye sondrye tymes he deliuered them.

In conclusion to the entente that there shoulde be no place lefte of doubtinge of hys goodnesse, he gaue them the greateste and highest benefite of al benefites that is to wete, hys sonne takynge on him our fleshe, that he shoulde dye on the crosse for oure healthe & saluation, the whiche benefite was suche and so greate, that Paule to the Romaynes, sayeth: howe hath he not geuē vsus al thinges with his sōne: And than lefte thesame so greate and so hyghe a benefite, should any more bee forgotten, his wil and pleasure was, that it should euermore nowe and than bee renewed in this sacrament of thankes geuyng, to then tente that we should continually by faith thinke in our myndes that Christ was geuē by his father to death and that by the beleuyng thereof, we shoulde eate his fleashe and drincke his bloud, whiche thing to thentēt that it might the more effectually bee dooen, the signes of bread and wyne were ioygned vntounto it, whiche should more earnestly moue vsus then bare woordes alone had been wont to dooe. Therfore whan he saith, This is my body, he vnderstoode none other thing, than he promised in the sixthe of Iohn whan he sayed: I am the bread of life, he spake of himself as concernyng his body and fleashe deliuered to death, or rather that should afterward be deliuered as plainly appereth by his woordes Neither ment he, eny other thyng, but that these thinges shoulde be vntounto vsus breade and meate, wherwith our solles might be comforted and cōfirmed, and by the mynde or solle the body also should be confyrmed, and so consequentlye all the whole man. Christ therfore at his last supper mēt nor went about nothyng els, but turned and sette the woordes of his former saying: one in anothers place: and lyke as afore he had sayde his bodye and fleashe to be bread, so now placyng the wordes in the contrary ordre, and shewyng forth the bread, he saieth that the bread is his body. And whyle he pronoūced these woordes. This is my body, it was euē as much as if he should hauehave sayed: My body receiued by feith shall be vntounto you in stede of breade, and shall bee lyke as it wer bread, wherewith ye maie be spiritually fed and nourished. Leat therfore the sence and plaine meaning be this: I geue you breade to eate, and in the meane tyme I propoune and set foorthe vntounto you my body which shall bee nailed vponupon the crosse, that ye maye with feithefull remembraunce and with moste attentiue mynde spiritually eate thesame with youre selues: and that, as ye eate breade with your body, so ye maye eate my fleashe with your solle. What canne there bee either more easie or more clere and plaine to vnderstand, then this interpretacion and exposicion, or that maye better agree with the promise whiche oure Lorde Iesus Christ made vntounto vsus in the sixthe chapitur of Ihon? That if any man shall make any earnest matier, that that same first sayinge of Christe, I am the liuely bread. &c. is to be taken and applied to his diuine nature and to his Godheade (as Chrisostome in dede semeth to will it:) Fyrst we saye, that this sence dooeth not veray well agree therwith. For Christ had there entred a talke concernyng the eatyng of his bodye, and in stede of yearthly breade he offred vntounto the Capernaites his fleashe to bee eaten: whiche thyng so to bee is euident and plaine euen by the ordre and processe of the woordes, (although he there sayth that the breade was come downe from heauen: For often tymes the thyng that belongeth to his godhead is made common as it were emparted, to his humanitee also… But yf this exposicion of Chrisostom be of suche pith and effecte with them, leat thesame mannes exposicion be of lyke auctoritee with them where he afterwarde auoucheth that same sayinge of Christe: The breade whiche I shall geue, is my fleashe, whiche I will geue for the lyfe of the worlde. &c. to apperteyne to this Sacrament of thankes geuyng called Eucharistia. Neyther dooeth Chrisostome alone holde that opinion: but the other expositurs also dooe assente and agree with hym ther in. Forasmuche therefore as the Lorde dooeth there saye and affirme breade to bee his fleashe: he dooeth now at his supper testifie the selfe same thynge. For shewyng forth the bread he sayeth: This is my bodye. So in bothe places he auoucheth his bodye or his fleashe to bee breade, that is to wete, breade of the solle, and of our substaunce nowe regenerate and borne of newe, whiche breade is to bee spirituallye eaten.

And thus takyng it,What manier of figu…ate speakyng is conteyned in these woordes, this is my bodye. there shall bee no conuersion at al of the proposition or sentence, but thesame shal in bothe places bee taken one manier of waye. That if we take it all whole together, that is to wete, the breade, and the thynge offred by the breade that is to saye, Christes bodye: than we admitte the figure of Syuecdoche,Sinecdoche because that thinge is sayed of the whole or of one parte, whiche belongeth to another parte.

For Synecdoche is, whan that, that belongeth but to a parte of a thynge, is attributed or assigned to the whole: as for an exaumple, if one shoulde saye: My foote is sore, whan nothyng is sore but his toe or his hele onelye, it were Synecdoche, because that the sorenesse or griefe whiche is in the toe alone, is spoken of the who…e foote, or lykewyse if one shoulde saye of a blacke Moorian: this manne is white in the teeth, wheras no parte of the manne is whyte but the teethe onelyonly. &c.

But in case ye refferre the saying to the breade, which dooeth boeth signifie and offre vntounto vsus the bodye of Christe to bee eaten: it shall than bee a figurate maner of speakyng called Metonimia, Metonimiawhich in our manier of speakyng, is whan the name of the thynge that is signifyed, is geuen to the signe, as here whan the name of Christes bodye is geuen to the breade. In this exposicion also takynge it after this sence laste afore goyng all pointes are light, and easye, and playn to vnderstande: all poinctes of vnconueniences are auoyded, and o…e place of the Scripture is not repugnaunt to another.

The aduersaries ferther alleged, as we hauehave afore sayed in the fyrst beginning of this worke where we brought al the reasons that the schole men de…ise and make for theyr transubstanciacion, Tropes of Scriptu…e. Excepte we vse tropes, we shall not bee hable to resist the heretiques.the aduersaries (I saye) alleged for them, that if place be geuen to tropes, that is to saye, to figurate maniers of speakynge in Scripture: that than the Heretiques wyll peruerte altogether And I on the other syde saye agayn, that excepte we vse tropes and figuratiue maniers of speakyng in scripture: the Heretiques bee sure of the ouer hande, as in those places whiche euen nowe a lytell before we hauehave cited, it is mooste playne and euidente.

For the heritiques also on theyr parte, wyll stycke to the propresence and signification of the wordes, and to that sence, whych at the fyrst choppe offreth it selfe to the reader.

Therefore thys onelye poynte doeth nowe remayne that we shewe suche phrases of speakinge, and such figuratiue maners of speakinge, to be much and often vsed in the holye scriptures. Whyche thinge to shewe and to proue will be a lighte mattyer, and an easye.

We reade written, The sede is the word of God. And. The stone was Christe. &c. Albeit I knowe that many dooe make cauillations, and woulde hauehave it taken that there is no trouth nor figuratiue speaking in thys last clause, bycause that Paul dyd restraigne this sayinge, and applied it to a spirituall stone, whyche spirituall stone, they anouch to be Christe trulye, and verilye, and without any trope or figuratiue speakinge at all… Yet neuertheles both Austen and Origen make on our side, which plainely say, that that same external and outward stone, did signifie Christe.

But leste we maye be thought slightly to auoyde that is obiected agaynste vsus: we saye, that in case the aduersaries will in this sentence aforegoinge, take & vnderstande a spirituall stone. Lette them also in thys our matter of the sacrament take and vnderstande the breade a spirituall breade and allegoricall, that is to saye, figurately spoken throughoute in euerye place, that mentioneth it, and then will we graunt vntounto thē that trulie and verilie, and withoute anye trope or figurate speakynge at all, it is Christe. More ouer the Lorde sayd, I hauehave chosen you twelue, and one of you is a de…yl. And yet was not Iudas therefore transubstanciated into a deuill.

Concerning circumcision, it is written in the scripture. My couenaunte shall be in your fleshe, where as circumcision was not the couenaunt, but only a signe or token of the couenaunte. In the three and thirtieth Chapitur of Genesis, Iacob is reported that he builded an aultare, whyche aultare he called the mightye God of Israell.Iacobs aulter, the mighe… God of Israell

Moses aulta…e, the Lord is my ban…e….And Moses in the seuententh Chapitur of Exodus, after the vyctorie gotten againste Amalech, buylded an aultare, and called the name of it. The Lorde is my bannier. And Hieromie the Prophete… maketh mention of a Cytye that shoulde be called God our rightuousenes.Hie…emies citie, God our rightuousnes Bycause that these shoulde afterwardes be monumentes and tokens or markes of those thynges whiche they dyd expresse by those names.

Of Iohn the Baptist, it is written, that he was a candell burnynge, and geuynge lighte, and aga…ne of the same Iohn.Iohn. xv. Uerilye it is Helias, if ye will receyue hym. Christe sayeth of hym selfe. I am the vyne, and the braunches.Luke. ii. I am the dore. Of the same Christe: we hauehave also that he is a stone set for to be the ruine & fall, and also the arisynge agayne of manye in Israell.

In the Deuteronomie, it is written: The bloud is the soule. Where as it is but that thing wherby the soule is conserued and signified. Iudas the brother of Iosephe, speakynge of Iosephe, and speakynge that he myghte not be slayne, sayd: He is our owne fleshe. By the whyche phrase of speakynge, the natural knyttyng togyther, and necessitie of bloud and kynred was signifyed.

Saynte Paule sayeth, that we beynge manye are one breade. &c. whyche sayinge it canne not be chosen nor auoyded, but that it muste …e vnderstanded to bee fyguratelye spoken.

And Christe breathed forthe vponupon hys disciples, and sayde: Take ye the holye Ghoste. &c. Yet was not hys breathynge transubstanciated into the holye ghoste.Gene… vi.

In the boke of Genesis it is sayd. My Spirite shall not styll dwell in man, bicause he is fleshe, and in the fyrste Chapitur of Iohn. The worde became fleshe. &c. in whyche place is the plain figure of Sinecdoch. For y^e whole mā is vnderstanded vnderunder the name of flesh. And our lord Iesus hāging on the crosse, said to Mary his mother. Woman, behold thy sonne. And to his disciple Ihō Behold thy mother. Yet were neyther of theim trāsubstanciated, but remained styl the selfe same persons that they were afore: but there was constituted betwene them a newe ordre and degree, a newe referrynge and respecte.

Of Christe it is saide in the scriptures, that he is oure peace, where as he is only the cause of our peace. Also in an other place. My wordes are spirite and life. where as they did but betoken the same, or else were cause of them to the beleuers. Iohn Baptiste sayde of Christ. Behold the lambe of god and yet was not his nature chaunged into the nature of a Lambe.

It is reade here and there, in manie places of the holie scriptures, that the Lordes wordes are iudgemente and trueth, and ryghtuous…nes, where as these thinges are but signified & expressed in the saide wordes of the Lorde. And this similitude or comparison doeth passinge wel serue and agre to the sacramentes, whych are said to words visible. In the Apocalipes, it is reade. I am α and ω,Alpha Omega. whereby is mente, the firste begynnynge, and the laste ende of all thynges. And Paule speakynge of hys owne gospell which he preached sayeth. The power of God it is to saluation vntounto eueryevery one that beleueth. Where as it is but onelyonly whereby the power of God declareth it selfe, for the sauinge of men.

And of the preachinge of the crosse he sayeth: that vntounto the wicked sorte, it is folishenes, that is to saye: it signifieth vntounto suche maner of menne but a folishe thynge, but to the Godly sort, he saith it is the power and wysedome of God, for bicause it sheweth and declareth the saide power and wisedome of God vntounto the godlye. And of the lawe of Moses God sayd, that it did put deathe and lyfe, blessinge and curssinge vntounto the people of the Hebrewes: which is none other but by the signification and notifiynge of the lawe, the promises and threatenynges of God whiche were in them expressed. In the boke of Genesis,Gene. xl…. the seuen kyne, and the seuen yeares of corne, are saide to be seuen yeres, and that is no more but in signifiynge the same.

Ahias the Prophete a Silonite gaue vntounto Hieroboam ten pieces of a cut or torne cloke,iii. Ki…. xi and sayde: that he gaue to Hieroboam the kyngedome of ten of the tribes of Israell. Also in this same very epistle to the Corinthians and the same eleuenth chapitur whyche we nowe traicte of. S. Paule wrote that a woman shoulde hauehave a power on hyr heade, by the whyche worde power, he signifieth a coueringe, by the whiche couerynge, is signified the power and superioritie of the man ouer the woman.

And in the seconde epistle to the same Corinthians it is cōtayned, that God made Christe to be sinne whiche was nothinge els, but to the likenes of synne and representation of our fleshe. Yea, and the ghoste that was offred vp for synne, was called sinne. And the prestes were sayd… to …ate the synnes of the people whyche mente nothinge els but eating the hostes that were slayne and offred vp for the sinnes of the people In the prophet Ezechiel it is written. I wil poure forthe cleane water vponupon you, & by the wa…er he signifieth the holy ghost… whych selfe same thing we reade of Christ, whan he sayth. Who so drinketh of this water. &c. In whiche place the Euangeliste mencioneth that Christe spake of the holye ghoste whyche they shoulde afterwarde receiue. Of the Lambe we heare, that it was called Pascha, (thoughe some there be that attempte the same to denye) But the playne words of y^e Hebrue doth declare it where it is sayd. The sacrifice is Pascha, that is the passeouer. By the sacrifice there can not be vnderstanded anye other thinge, but either the slaine hoste that was offred vp, or els that same veray acte of sacrifisynge the sayde host. So we hauehave the body of Christ expressed, bothe by breade and wine, and also by the acte, as well of eatynge as of drynkinge. And the said Lambe was not the passinge ouer of the Aungel, but onelyonly a monumente and token or signification of hym so passing ouer. Christ sought a place wher he might eat the passeouer with his Apostles, and by the word of passeouer, he vnderstode those meates, & those consecrate or hallowed thynges, which dyd betoken and signifie the passe ouer. S. Paule also said. Christe our passe ouer hath bene offered vp. &c. And in the same place he called Christe hymselfe our solemnitie, & oure passage or passeouer, whych thinges can not be taken nor vnderstanded, but as figuratelye spoken. And the sayde lambe was not the passinge ouer of the aungell whyche was thē to be done, or in doyng: but whiche was done in old tyme, many hundred yeres afore, the remembraunce, whereof was represented by these same externall signes. Here also in thys sacrament we hauehave the bodye of Christ, that heretofore suffered, not that is nowe at thys present deliuered vntounto the crosse, or whose bloud is now at thys day shedde forth but a great while ago. And in case these mē wold straightly expoune the words of Christ, whē he saith. This is my bodye. whyche is betrayed for you. They coulde not chose but saye, that the breade shoulde be crucified, or at leaste wyse Christe couered vnderunder the accidentes of the bread in the sacramente, as their exposition and determination is. For Christe shewinge forthe that, y^• he thē had in hys handes, sayd, that the same it was that shoulde be betrayed and deliuered, and shedde forthe for them. That if they saye, that in dede the same it was that was betraied and deliuered but not after the same manier, nor in the same fourme or shape, than do they seke interpretacions and expositions of the texte and sterting holes, and do not take the proposition or the clause playnelie as the wordes sound, without any ferther addicion or circumstaūce.

And the selfe same thynge also ye maye see in the wordes, is betraighed or deliuered, and is shedde forth. The which wordes (if while we pronounce the wordes in the con…ecration and halowing they betakē as they so…ne, the body of Christe shall be signified, that euen now, it is deliuered vntounto the crosse and hys bloude is euen nowe at thys presente shedde forthe, or els immediatlye to be shedde forthe.

But nowe they wyll hauehave these wordes to be referred to the tymes pas…e, so that we muste vnderstand the body to be already deliuered, & the bloud already to be shed a great while ago: & so to do, is hādle the matier with tropes, and figuratiue speakinges, whā one tyme is taken for another, and one tyme referred to an other, or vsed for another.

Nowe where Paule sayd that they were gyltye of the body & bloud of y^e lord, which eat it vnworthely, & also that such persons dooe eat iudgement vntounto them selues, bicause they make no difference of the Lordes bodye, all this is no matter at all.

For Ambrose maketh answere as touching the fyrst, while he enterpreteth that same very place of scripture and there he thus sayeth. They shall be punished for the Lordes deathe, bycause he was put to deathe for such as accoumpt and reken his benifite in vaine. Ambrose dothe expoune such to be guiltye of the Lordes death… (as we hauehave heard) and yet …s not transubstā tiation thereunto required. And suche as take it vnworthelye, are iustelye affirmed not to put such difference as they oughte, that is they are iudged not to hauehave the lordes body in due price and estimation. For so great a coniunction there is betwne the signes, and the things that are signified, that the despisyng… or vnreuerente vsinge of the one, redoundeth to the other.The vnreue…ent vsinge of the sacrament redoū …eth to the bodi of Christe, which is the thing of the Sacrame…te After the same maner spake Paule, whan he sayde. A man prayinge or preachynge wyth hys heade couered, dothe open vilanye vntounto Christe. Where Paule playnely determined, that it redounded to Chri…t, and touched Christes honoure, that was done about the heade of a man, bycause it was a sygne and token of Christe.

It is further to be considered, that Paule wrote vntounto the Corinthians, whyche were a people not altogyther destitute of fayeth: but they were infected wyth certaine infirmities, and as for such kinde of people, we hauehave not sayde that they receyue onelye the sygnes, and not to hauehave the body of Christe: but it is of infideles, Epicuriās that thynke there is no god, and of suche as are cutte of frome the congregation, of suche it is (I saye) that we pronounce that they receyue the sygnes onelye.

Wherfore it myght well be sayd to the Corinthiās not only as cōcernyng the signes, but also as touching the thyng of the Sacrament, that they were guiltie of the bodye and bloud of the lorde, and that they didde not putte a difference betwene the Lordes bodye, for asmuche as thei receiued the thynges with feith, and did not expresse the same feith in theyr liuyng. And here this thyng also is diligently to be marked, that Paule whan he traicteth of the sacramentall accion or dooing, that is to wete, of eatynge and drynkynge of the sacrament at the veray receyuyng of it, he so speaketh of it, that he calleth it breade, saying: Who so eateth this breade. &c: but afterwarde whan he goeth about to shewe the fault of ill receiuing it how great and grieuous it is, than doeth he so make mencion of it, that he calleth it the lordes bodye. Ferthermore if the matier bee well examined, and iustely rekoned, it shall bee found that in all his trai…yng of this Sacramente, the Apostle hath oftener expressed the name of bread, then he hath mencioned the Lordes body. For ye maye well fynd that fiue tymes he made expresse mencion of breade: but of the Lordes bodye no more but fower tymes. But now is it to bee seene and considered, what occasions thei bee that dooe so earnestly moue vsus to take this clause and sayinge of Chr…ste, This is my body, as a thing figurately spoken. Fyrst and formoste we dooe consider that Christ himselfe was presente at the supper, so that it was a thyng nedelesse for hym to shewe his bodye to the Apostles. For thei sawe hym there presente with theyr yies. Secondly how coulde it possibly bee doen, that hymselfe should really and corporally or bodylye eate his owne selfe? And that he did cōmunicate with his Apostles, is not onelyonly aff…rmed by the old fathers and auncient wryters, but also Christ hymselfe doeth saye it, as thou haste in the ghospell of Matthewe, wher Christ sayeth: After this tyme I shall not drynke of this fruite of the vinetree. Ferthermore we hauehave a regard, that here it is treated of the memoryal and remembraunce of his death and passion, wherein is well to be notifyed that there is a figuratiue speakyng in the woordes. And as for these transubstanciatours we se that thei dooe chaunge the tymes, so that, that whiche is spoken by the future tense, that is to saye, for the tyme to come, or by the presentense, that is to saye, for the tyme that is now… present, of the delyueryng of the Lordes bodye and of the sheddyng foorth of his bloud: that same dooe thei expoune by the preter tense, that is to saye, for the time past. After all this, we ferther consider that they can not lacke tropes in the consecratyng of the sacrament, for this woorde, Est, is, they take for conuertitur, is chaunged, or transubstanciatur, is transubstanciated or chaunged insubstaunce, or els forfyt is made. And forasmuche as Christ did institute it as a sacrament, and for a sacrament it is conuenient that the signes be taken accordinge to their significacions and betokenynges of the thyng, and that they bee taken as figuratly spoken accordyng to the nature of a sacrament, whiche is, that it be a signe. We hauehave also a respecte to the ascension of Christe into heauen, and to the veritee and trueth of his humayne nature whiche he toke here vponupon hym, and also to that that is conteyned in. S. Iohns ghospell whan it is sayed to the Capernaites: My woordes are spirite and lyfe, the fleashe profiteth nothyng, (as in dede true it is, if it bee carnally and fleashly eaten:) the spirite it is, that geueth lyfe: And agayne we consider Paule who in this place to the Corinthians doeth in moste playne woordes, put the terme of Breade, where neuerthelesse these men will nedes hauehave that there is a trope and a figure, thoughe they so greatlye abhorre that in the other place of oures there shoulde bee anye trope. We heare also Paule hymselfe witnessing that the auncient fathers of the olde testament had the veray selfe same sacramentes that we nowe hauehave. For, as Austen recordeth, he thoughte it not enoughe that thei had spirituall meate and drinke, but he also added, cundem, that is to saye, the veray same. And agayne because thou shouldest, not doubte but that Paule mēte that theyr sacramētes and ours are al one, he expressed baptisme by name, whiche baptisme he sayeth the fathers atteigned and had in the sea and in the cloude. Wherof it is euident that the saied fathers of the olde lawe had theyr sacramentes not onelyonly emonge themselues, but also that thei had the veraye same that we hauehave. We see also that other sayinges of the scripture beeyng veraye nere and muche lyke vntounto this saying that we traicte of, are euen of these our aduersaries taken as woordes figurately spoken. For it is thus expressed: The breade whiche we breake, is the Communion or partakynge of Christes bodye. And, this cuppe is the newe testamente. &c. which woordes we hauehave now somwhat often rehearsed. Besides all this, it dooeth not properly agree nor accorde to the bodye of Christ for to bee eaten.

And of the premisses it is open at ful and manifest, what ought to bee sayed to the secound argumēt or reasō of the transubstanciatours, in whiche thei obiected against vsus, that a sentence or clause in scripture ought not to be taken after any trope or figure, except there were some thyng conteyned either afore, or comyng after in the same sentence whiche did aduise and iustly moue vsus that it wer so to bee dooen.

And thei went ferther with vsus also, allegynge that wher Christ saieth: this is my body, that shalbe geuen vp for you, we did take the latter part of this sentence in the bare and propre sence of y^e wordes w^tout any chaunge or alteracion which thyng is manifestlye false, for so muche as we there chaūge the tymes, and do not admitte or take it to be the same bodye whiche was betrayed and geuen vppe to death for vsus. For that bodye was not alonelye visible but also passible. Neyther can there be in one and the same substaunce or subiecte at one and the same tyme the properties and qualities of a bodye corruptible together with the gyftes and properties of a bodye glorifyed: so that one and thesame body at one instaūt tyme should bee bothe passible and not passible. And besydes this we hauehave nowe alreadye showed what other places caused vsus to admitte the figures afore spoken of and declared, that is to wete, Synecdoche and Metonimia where the thynge instituted is takē for the auctoure, that is to saye, for hym that dyd institute it.

Nowe will we make aunswere to the argumēt which is the thyrde ceason alleged in the beginnyng of this booke for the establishyng of transubstanciacion:An answer to the third argumente that was made for transubstā ciacion, and the argumente is concernyng thynges of dyuerse and contrary natures whiche are called of the Logicians in the schoole terme disparata as is afore sayed, whiche are so vnlyke (saye they) and so disseuered one from another, that the one of them can not be sayed nor verifyed of the other. Whereunto we aunswere, that suche thynges as of themselues are in suche sorte dyuerse, & vnlyke, and disseuered or contrary of nature and kinde the one to the other: yet yf they bee well ioigned together wel applyed and proporcioned y^e one to the other for the better signifying and expressinge of a thynge, they maye nowe in suche case bee so ioygned together that they will make a good proposicion and a perfecte sentence. Whiche thing we see to hauehave been dooen not onelyonly of Christe where he sayeth, The seed is the worde of God & in another place, I am a vine tre: but also of Paule where he saieth, that we all are one breade, & in another place, the breade whiche we breake is the partakyng and cōmunion of the body of Christ: and agayn: this cup is the new testamēt in my blud. Nor we do not muche passe on y^t that some saie, that Mathew & Mark did in plain & expresse wordes say, this is my bloud of the new testamēt. &c. for we deny not but y^• these Euangelistes did so write, but in the meane tyme we stifly hold & saye y^t the wordes which Luke and Paule hauehave writen, are to bee receaued and allowed too, aswell as the others. And those woordes of Luke and Paule we affirme (as we hauehave saied of the other sentences) that thei are made of wordes so ferre disagreyng and disseuered in theyr natures that they maye after the sayd schoole terme of the Logiciās be but wel called disparata: but yet in the way of signifying and for the better expressing of the mattier that is ment and entended by theim, they bee veraye aptly ioygned and knitte together and do veraye well accorde.

In another argument it was sayed, y^t when Christe spake these wordes,An answere to y^• fourth argumente that was alleged for transubstanciacion. This is my body, he sayed not this signifieth or represēteth my body, this bread is a figur or signe of my body. &c. To this we answer & lay again for vsus, y^t likewise Christ neuer sayed y^t his body laye lurkyng and hidden vnderunder those accidentes without a subiecte (as the transubstanciacioners doe imagyn,) nor Christ did neuer saye that the substance and matier of the bread dooeth cease to bee there in the sacrament or that it was chaunged and turned by any kinde of transubstanciation into the substaunce of his body, and thē ferther I do muche meruaile how men can obiecte those thynges in this wyse against vsus, seyng that these exposicions that it be taken in that sence are moste playnelye conteyned and expressed in the fathers and auncient writers of the churche. For they hauehave veray often in their bookes and writynges these mannier of speakynges the body and bloud of Christ to be represented, to be signifyed, to bee poynted, to bee betokeneded, and to bee shewed.

And the signes of breade and wyne they doe calle by these termes, the seale, the figure, & the pype or paterne, and the counterpaine of the true and veray thyng it selfe. Neither is ther any cause why any man maye cauill and obiecte that the fathers did referre and applye in these signes or figures to the death of Christe, and …ot to the body of Christe. For the fathers dooe moste playnlye in theyr bookes wryte, and saye, that the bodye and bloude of Christe is signifyed & betokened in the sacramente. And that we hauehave the signes and figures geuen vsus of the verai bodye and bloude of Christe. For the ferther proufe whereof, and that thou maieste well knowe it to bee true, we shall of dyuers and sundrye places of theyr wrytynge treacte and bryng in a fewe here ensuyng.

Austine in his tra…ctyse whiche he made of catechysynge and enstructinge the rude and ignoraunte,Auste…. sayeth: As touchyng the sacrament that he hath receyued (saieth Austen,) he must be enstructed and taught that the seales and signes of the heauenly thynges are visible. But the thynges selues that are inuisible to be honoured in them.

The same Austen in the fifthe Chapitur of the tenth booke de ciuita…e dei, sayeth: thus therfore the visyble sacrifice is a sacrament, that is to say, an holy signe or token of a sacrifice inuisible.

Hierome in the fowerth booke vponupon Matthew and the sixth and twentieth chapitur wryteth in this wise: To the entente that as in the prefiguracion of hym.

Melchisedech the priest and ministerie of the moste high God did whan he offred vp bread and wyne, so Christ himself should represente the veritee and trueth of his body and bloud.

Bartram.Bartram also wryteth in this manner: by laying & applying the testimonies of y^e holy scriptures and the sayinges of the fathers together, it is most euidentlye proued and declared, that the breade whiche is called the bodye of Christe, and the cuppe whiche is called the bloud of Christe, is a figure: because it is a mysterie, & hath a further thyng hyd vnderunder it.

Tertullia…And Tertullian agaynste the heretique Marcion in his fowerth booke: the breade which he had taken in handes, & had distributed to his disciples, he made it his bodye saying, This is my body, that is to saye, a figure of my body.

Cyp…ian.Cyprian in his secound booke and third epistle: we see in the water the p…ople to bee vnderstanded, and in the wyne the bloud of Christ to bee vnd…rstanded.

Ambrose in his booke whiche he made and entitled de his qui initiantur mister…is, that is to …aye, of them that are entred to the ordre of the holy mysteries saieth in this manier:Ambrose. before the blissyng with the holy wordes another kynd is named: but after the consecracion the body of Christ is signified.

The same Ambrose in the fifthe Chapitur of his fowerth booke entiled de sacramentis, that is to saye, of the Sacramentes: Make and doe vntounto vsus that this our oblation maye bee reasonablye and acceptablye, which is the figure of the body and bloud of our lorde Iesus Christe.

And the same Ambrose agayne vponupon the eleuenth Chapitur of the former epistle of Paule to the Corinthians. Wee beynge mindeful hereof in …ating and drynkynge, signifie the fleashe and bloude of Christe, whiche were offered vp for vsus, and wythin a f…we lynes againe. In the fourme and signe of whom wee receyue the misticall cuppe of hys bloud, to the safegarde and defence of our soules.

Barnarde in hys Sermon whyche he made vponupon the Lordes supper,Barnarde. speaketh in thys wyse. Into hym herefore the Lorde drawynge nere vntounto hys passion, vouchsafed of his grace and fauour to clothe and couer hys disciples, to the ende that his inuisible grace might be geuen and deliuered by some visible signe.

Chrisostome in the fyrste epistle to the Corinthians and the tenth chapitur:Chrisostom For what do I call the cōmunion? that we are all but one veray bodye. What doth the breade signifie… the bodye of Christe. What become they, or what are they made, that receyue it… the bodye of Christe.

Basilius in hys boke entitled Liturgia,Basilius. calleth it foreign, that is: y^e sample, or paterne, or coūterpaine, of a thynge, & thys doth he cal it after y^e consecration.

And Austen in the thyrde booke Detrinitate, and the fourth chapitur.Austen. The Apostle (sayth he) might by signifiynge, hauehave preached and sette forthe the Lord Iesus Christe dyuerse and sondrye waies, as one way by hys tonge and wordes, or otherwise by hys epistles and writinges, or els another waye, by the Sacramente of hys bodye and bloude. The same Austen in the boke that he writeth agaynste Adimanus hathe these wordes. The Lord doubted not to say. This is my body, whan he gaue but the sygne of hys bodye. And likewyse the same Austen vppon the thyrd psalme. He admitted Iudas to hys maūdye, in the which he gaue & cōmaūded vntounto his disciples a figure of his body. The same mā against Maximinus in the .iii. boke, & .xxii. chap. sayeth thus. In the sacramentes it is diligentelye considered and regarded, not that they were, but what they sh…we and signifie. For the sacramentes are signes of thynges, and are in veraye dede one thynge, and yet signifie an other thyng. By these places y^u perceiuest & seest, y^• the fathers and aūcient wryters, do not abhorre to put a signification of the body of Christ in this sacramēt but do playnly put, y^t there is a significatiō of Christes body in the sacramēt. Ferthermore we hauehave alredi shewed out of y^e holy scriptures,The solutiō and confutation of the fourth reason, that was first recited for trā substātiatiō that there are many suche maners of speakinge, as to saye: that thys or that thinge is suche a thyng, or such a thing, whā the menyng is, that this or y^• thing signifieth such a thing, or such a thīg. Wher fore thys argument is playn blanke, & is brought to nought. Therefore whā they obiect y^• Christ dyd not say, y^t it did eyther signifie, or represent hys body: we make answere, y^t yet neuertheles euen out of the scriptures it may so be taken, & that hauehave we proued lately inough before. Neither do we as (they thynke) reason or argue after thys maner & sort. Thyskind & maner of speking is so takē in other places, & therfore it ought so to be taken here. But we only make answere to thē, who when they should proue their transubstanciatiō they brynge for their purpose thys texte. Thys is my body, which is the verie place that all the doubt and controuersie is of, and of whose sence & mening al the doubt is. They obiecte agaynst vsus the naked and symple texte, and grate still therupon, where as by other pla…s of the scriptures it is manifeste that their reason is nothynge firme nor substantial, for so much as thys kinde of speakinge is oftentimes to be taken otherwise in the scriptures. Many moo and other reasons we hauehave to proue our sētence and opinion of the sacramentes: neyther dooe we brynge thys for anye of our argumentes, but we do by thys re…son onelyonly answere vntounto them, whan they laye such a phrase of speaking in our lappes, and we …aie: that very often it doth signifie otherwise, & therefore we say, that it is but a weake & a feble cōclusion or argumēt y^t they make by that reasō.The cōfutaciō of the sixte reason that was made for tr…subs…anciation in the beginning of this worcke. The reason afterward cōcerning worshypping of it, that if there were breade lefte remayning in the sacramēt, thē the same bread should be worshiped in y^• sacramēt. But I wonder muche, howe they be come thus so dainely so reuerent obseruers of the true worshyppinge: seynge y^t in other matters, both wood and pictures and images be worshipped among thē and prayed vntounto. But peraduenture, they will saye, they worship not the stockes or pictures, but the thinges selues which are represēted therby. But why wil they not graūt y^e same thinges of y^e bread if it remain in y^• sacramēt, y^• it shal not be worshipped it selfe, but those things which y^e same bread doth note & signifie. Thā further (I prai you) whi did they by y^e like reasō reproue & take a wai the accidētes also, lest peraduē ture y^e same accidētes might apere to be worshiped & praied to in y^e sacramēt… But peraduēture they wil excuse this matter, & sai, y^• no mā wil worship y^• accidē tes in y^• sacramēt, wheras we al do very wel know y^t the picturs… & images which thei stil suffer & worship in their churches are nothinge but accidentes, nether before which thei bow & knele down to worship thē. For and if they longed to do worshyppe to the substaunce of woode or of stone, and not to the accidētes they mighte fynde eueryevery where in the woodes, and in the streates store inoughe of stockes & stones to worshyppe and praye vntounto.

The Sacrament of the Lords Supper, Text (2 of 4)