Questions of Religion, Commonplaces · Commonplace 11
The .xj. Common place. Of the sacrament of the body and bloud of our Lorde, and of the receyuing vnderunder bothe kindes.
The .lx. Question.
Whether they beleeue that the liuing body and the very bloude of Christe, be substantially in the Sacramente, so that after the words of cōsecration, the bread is transubstantiated into the body of Christ, so as there then remaineth no more bread, but the true & naturall body of Christe?
The Answere.
CErtayne of the later DoctorsDiners opinions touching Christes presence in the Sacramente. of the Romish church. do euidently, and fréely confesse that before the councel of Lateran. whych was celebrated at Rome, Innocentius the third, thē Pope in the yéere of our Lord. 121, (in ye which Synode the doctrine of transubstantiaon was first decréed & confirmed) there were diuers and sundry opinions in the churche touching the presence and substance of Christe in the Sacramente. So that if any man did not beleue that the substance of bread was turned into the substance of Christes body, yet was he not reckened for an hereticke. But in this councell it is decreed, yt all those which will auoide the suspition of here…ie, muste beléeue that the very body of Christ is naturally in the Sacrament. and it is greatly to be wondred at, wherfore this councell would cōdemne the faithfull as hereticks: for that which hither vntounto for the space of. 1200, yeeres, was neuer done nor ment. Whereby lette any wise man thinke, whether the councell had authoritie now after. 1…00. yéeres to Decrée these things. For if those menne which liued from Christe 1200. yéeres, were not coūted heretikes, and yet did not beleue that the substāce of breade was chaunged into the substaunce of Christes body, whye then shoulde they now be called Heretickes, which beleeue not those things whiche the Churche neuer beléeued in all that space of yéeres before said? But if those things which that councell now holden 1200. yéeres after Christ, were true and necessary to be beléeued, then all those which liued before this time, and beléeued not these things, did not beléeue a righte: but if their faithe were true (as vndoutedly it was) then is it not necessary for vsus to beléeue that, which after were deuised and imagined.
And truely the auncient fathers didThe true and auncient doctrine of the sacramēt against transubstantiation. thus beléeue and teache concerning this holy Sacrament: to witte, that there is two things chéefely to be considered: the signes: that is, the bread and the wine: the things signified, that is, the body & bloud of Christe. But if it be true which the churche of Rome teacheth, that the substaunce of bread is not in the sacrament, but only the body of Christ, then surely, the Sacrament is no more a sacrament, but onelyonly the thing signified. And is not this their definition of a sacrament? A Sacrament is the signe of an holy thing? If therefore the breade be no breade, neither kéepeth hys substance, but in the place therof commeth the substaunce of Christes body, I pray yée then, what is that they doe breake in the sacrament? Is it the body of Christ, or what other thing else? For it is no breade, for they say there is no breade in the Sacrament. Therefore if the body of Christe be present onelyonly, then is the same broken, which thing cannot …e. Neyther is it any more a Sacramente, for it is not the signe of an holy thing, but the very holy thing it selfe. Then was there no nede that the Lord should hauehave giuen breade and wine in …ys laste Supper. But if it be as they were woonte to say, that the fourme and accidentes of the breade, as the …hytenesse, coloure, roundenesse and …aste, be the signes & the things that are …roken, then doe we demaunde of them … what substaunce the whitenesse, …oundnesse and taste doth abide? They …nne not say I trow, that they are the accidentes of Christes bodye, or that they rest in his substaunce, and therefore it necessarily followeth, that they remaine in the breade. And therefore the substaunce of the breade in this Sacramente, is not chaunged but remayneth, and so theyr Doctrine hathe no good foundation. Yea these woordes also, Substance, Accident, forme, and accident vvithout substaunce, dothe sufficiently declare that this their doctrine, was forged from the deuises of subtil… Sophisters and their craft, whereof the Apostles were altogither ignorante. But nowe, when they are at a sopp… game, then say they, these things a… altogyther done miraculously by the omnipotent diuine power of God: b… yet they cannot proue that, and there … no cause so false, but that it may be defended by this kinde of reason. In th… gospell and wrytings of the Apostles oftentimes this Sacrament is plaine… called breade and wine, & that without dout is in respecte of the signes, that might thereby manifestly appeare, that the substaunce of bread and wine doth… remaine in the sacrament, which thi… also we perceiue and fast, when we receiue the same, although the Papists go about to persuade vsus the contrary.
Neither by this dothe it folowe, thatThe faythefull doe not receiue bread only in the Supper. be acknowledge and receiue in this sacrament, nothing else but bread & wine only, as in other bankettes, where oure body is fed. For our Lord whē he gaue … his supper, the bread and the cup vn… his disciples, commaunding them to …ate and to drinke, he added: This is my body, this is my bloude. And it is to be …oted, that it is an vsuall thing, to geue …to the sacramētall signes, the names … those things, which they doe signifie▪ …s in this sacrament, the bread & wine …e the signes of the body and bloude of Christ, and therfore Christ nameth thē is body & bloud. The like is to be said Baptisme, Circumcision, the Passeoer and other Sacrifices. And they are …us called, to the ende we shoulde not …pende vponupon the signes, that is, on the …reade or on the Wine, but being by …ese visible things putte in mynde of …ings inuisible, we might lifte vp our …es vntounto heauen to the things signified, and that is to the bodye of Christ which was geuen for vsus, & to his blo… which was shed for vsus, and so study … receiue these.
But howe, or in what manner d… we receiue the body and blud of ChristHowe the true bodie of christ must be receiued. Truely, spiritually by Faithe, so … outwardly with oure bodely mouth… we eate and drinke the Lordes breade… and the Lordes wine, the holy signe… and inwardly with the mouthe of ou… soule, that is to say by faith, we recey… the bodye and bloude of Christe. F… like, as with oure mouthe, we recei… meats to sustaine our body, so likewis… by Faithe in Christe, is his bodye and bloud, which he offered on the Crosse made meate vntounto vsus, to eternall life▪ For the body of Christe which was … uen for vsus, and his bloud that was sh… for vsus, is our lyfe, or lyfe is therby purchased to vsus, and these do we receiue b… faithe, so as thereby Christe dothe li… in vsus, and we in him. Wherfore in th… holy supper of our Lord Jesus Christe▪ we do not eate bread, and drinke win… onelyonly, but his body and bloude also: bu… yet in suche sorte as before I hauehave said, spiritually by faithe, so as the presence of Christe in this supper, is spirituall, is the eating therof also is. For the body of Christe, which is, and remaineth … heauen, euen vntounto the laste day, is a …aturall body, subiecte to a place, and …s therefore in heauen ouer vsus, and can …n no wise, bodely or fleshly, be in di…ers places at once vppon this earthe, …r be carnally eaten. And therefore in the celebrating of this Supper, they hauehave alwayes sayd: Lift vp your harts. and therefore the aunciente wryters hauehave alwayes, in interpreatyng the …oordes of Christe touching the eating and drinking of his body and bloud, ex…ounded the same to be done spiritually by faithe, bicause the fleshe profiteth not, as in the sixth Chapter of John: and therefore they hauehave interpreated these …oords of Christ: This is my body, This is my bloud, thus: It so signifieth, or it is the signe or Sacrament, or token of my body and bloud. For euen immediatly after ye forsaid words, our Lord himself …aith: Do this in the remembrāce of me. And Paule saith, shevv you the Lordes death vntill he come, to witte, to iudgement. Wherefore to this Question we Answere: that the naturall body and true bloude of Christe is in heauen, as touching the substance, and that in the supper, or in the bread and wine (which two retaine their propre substaunces) they are Sacramentally or spiritually present, not substancially or bodily. For the bread and wine are the true Sacraments or signes of the bodye and bloud of Christe, which being once offered on the Crosse▪ are now abiding in heauen, and are spiritullay by faithe receiued of vsus vntounto eternall life. But some not beingHow ech man oughte to behaue himselfe in the controuersie of the sacrament. concente with this plaine exposition, obiecte, that in oure dayes there is great strife aboute the sacrament, some teaching that Christ must be eaten spiritually, other some saying that it ought to be carnally &c. And these men we hartely beseeche, that they woulde diligently marke those, which thus so earnestly holde, that the breade it selfe, or that vnderunder the breade or formes thereof the very body of Christe is presente, and corporally to be eaten: for after they hauehave contentiously tossed themselues and others herein, yet at the last they come to this poynt, that they confesse this not to be done so grosly or carnally, bicause the whole matter is heauenly, Sacramentall and Spirituall. Wherefore if this be true, why then yéeide they not here vntounto, and ceasse hencefoorth to bée contentiouse, and to perswade this thing to bée carnally spirituall, and that the substaunce of bread no longer remayneth. &c. Wherby neither them selues, nor yet others can tell what they meane. Let the auncient doctrine of Chrystes Churche remayne, which alwayes beléeued that Chryste had a true naturall body, and that glorified in hys resurrection, yet still remayning a true naturall body (euen suche as our bodies shall bée at the last day) and that with this body he ascended into heauen, there remayneth, and shall from thence come to iudge bothe the quicke and the dead. And that yet neuerthelesse he is present spiritually in the Sacramente of the supper, and so receiued of the faythfull spiritually, and not carnally, vntounto eternall life. This is the auncient & playne Apostolical truth, to whiche not onelyonly thou mayest yeelde thy selfe, but also know what thou beléeuest. Wherfore if thou goo foorth any further to séeke, to contende or to quarel, then must we let thee alone, that euen through thine own default, thou maiest al thy life long remayne and continue a most miserable man. &c.
The. xlj. Question.
Whether they do beleeue that Christ being present in the Sacrament, is to be worshipped, whē the same is eleuated or lift vp by the priest, giuē vntounto other, caried to the sicke, or is otherwise shewed or caried about?
The Answere.
TOuching the presence ofThe presence of Christ. Chryst, we hauehave answered in the former question: but if any man bée not sufficiently answered therwith, let him heare the answere of S. Augustine vponupon the words of Chryst Trac…. in …oan 50 The poore shall you hauehave alwayes with you, but me shall ye not hauehave alwayes Thus he wryteth: Accordyng to that substance, after which he was borne of the Virgin, taken of the Iewes, nayled on the Crosse, and appeared manyfestly in the resurrection, according to that substance you shal not hauehave me alwaies with you. VVherefore he was conuersaunt bodily fortie dayes with hys disciples, and after ascended into heauen, and is not nowe héere on earth. For there he sitteth on the righte hande of his father, & yet is here also: for the presence of his Maiestie did not depart. Therfore according to the presence of his maiesty we hauehave Chryst always present, but as touching the presēce of his humane body, we hauehave it not. For the Church had him present but a few dais, yet faith apprehēdeth him, though our eyes see him not. And this is S. Augustines doctrine. Touching the worshipping of Chryste, we beléeue he oughte to be worshipped in what place so euer he bee, in bodie. For whylest he was héere on earth the Apostles and others dyd worship him here: and after he ascended into heauē, they worshipped him there. Luk. 24. Wherfore sithe we hauehave already sufficiently declared, that Chryst is not bodily presente in the earthe vnderunder the fourme of bread, but is in heauen, therfore is he to be worshipped in heauen, sitting on the right hande of God, and not vnderunder the fourme of breade. Furthermore touching the worshipping of the Sacrament, we hauehave neither commaundement from God, nor example of the Apostles. For the Lorde sayth: Take yée, eate yee, and not shew it, and worship it. Neither dyd the Apostles kéepe this Sacrament and shut it in a Boxe, carrie it to the sicke, or in procession, or dedicate any festiuall day vntounto it, no more than they did to Baptisme, which notwithstanding is an holy Sacrament, giuen in the name of the blessed Trinitie, the father, the sonne, and the holy ghost. And wée truely do worship rightly the holy Trinitie, and yet not in Baptisme. Laste of all it is euident by Histories, that. 1200. yeres, and somewhat more after Chryste, the inuention and buylding of Chappels to the Sacraments, and feastes, and carying of the same aboute on procession, was inuented and ordeyned onelyonly by men cleane contrary to the worde of God. Dan. 11. and Math. 24.
The. xlij. Question.
Whether those Priests which are not consecrated, suche as a greate many bee amongest the gospellers, hauehave power to make of bread and wine, the true body and bloud of Chryst?
The Answere.
SAinct John in his GospellWhether the Priests make bred & wine, the verie body and bloud of Christ. biddeth men to attribute no more vntounto them selues, than they hauehave receiued frō aboue. Therfore tell vsus where the professors of the Gospell did at any tyme take vppon them authoritie or power, to make of bread and wyne the body and bloude of Chryste? No they neuer receyued any suche authoritie from God. But wee are not ignoraunt what the Churche of Rome teacheth of thys matter, and howe those whiche are cōsecrated by that church, & of their Byshops, into priests, shorne & anoynted with oile, hauehave these words by their Bishops pronoūced ouer them: O Lord voutchsafe to consecrate and sanctifye these handes by this Oyntmente, and through our blessing, that what soeuer they blesse, may be blessed, and what so euer they consecrate or hallow, may be consecrated or halowed. &c. And again: Receiue thou power to offer sacrifice to God, and to say Masse aswell for the liuing, as for the dead. &c. But we besech them of their curtesie to tell vsus who gaue them this authoritie or power? Did they receiue it of Chryst? If they did, then let them tell vsus where, and wyth what wordes he commaunded them to doo it? But had the Apostles trowe youe thys power, and gaue the same in lyke manner to others, and so after thys sorte dydde consecrate and ordeyne Ministers in the Churche? For the thyng it selfe whereof they speake, is very greate, and the power and authoritie suche and so wonderfull, that it is Diuine. Wherefore it is necessarie, that they shewe some commaundement or ordynaunce of the worde of GOD, to ratifie this their ordynaunce, consecration, and power. But as touchyng any one of these …hynges, it is vndoubted true, that they hauehave no manner of commaundemente, nor sufficiente warraunt from the woorde of God. And therefore wée may not allowe or ratifye their ordy…ance. In déede there are certaine thin…es written in the old Testament tou…hing the annoynting of Priestes, but …ll men know that the Leuitical priest…ood with all his ceremonies was abro…ated, and so detested of God, and for…idden to be renued in the Churche of Christ. We know yt the Apostles did in …e making or ordring of ministers vse …nely prayers and putting on of their …ds. And in the new Testament there is no mention made, no not a worde of this Romish custome touching the consecration and offering of sacrifices in the Masse. Neither did our Lorde say, I giuegive you this power, to pronounce the wordes of consecration ouer the bread and wyne, and of the same to make the true body and bloud of Chryste: But he sayde: Take and eate, this is my body: Take and drinke yee all of this, this is my bloud. Besides this there are diuers opinions amongst the Doctors of this Romishe Churche wyth what wordes our Lorde dyd consecrate. And the Apostles did not vse this fourme of consecration which the Romish church vseth. But in the reformed ChurchesThe true ordering or making of ministers. of the Gospell the Ministers are ordeined by election, and by laying on of hands, and the prayers of the congregation, according to the doctryne of Chryste and his Apostles. And therfore we doo not put the efficacie or force of the Sacraments in the power, déedes, or wordes of the Ministers, but in god, hys institution, power, and worde. And bycause God hathe commaunded that Baptisme and the Lords supper should be administred by them, we stedfastly beléeue, that when the minister doth recite the wordes and institution of the Lorde, and the Congregation doo reuerently obey the worde and ordynaunce of God, that then the Lorde him selfe is present, at hys institution and ordynaunce, making the same effectuall by his holy spirite, which thing the faythfull doo chiefly regarde. And hereof we hauehave else where more largely written.
The. xliij. Question.
Whether there be not as much comprehended vnderunder the Elemente of Breade, as vnderunder the two Elementes of Breade and Wyne, so that Chryste wholly may bee conteyned vnderunder the one Elemente of the Sacramente, and that therefore the whole body of Chryste may bee giuen to the lay men vnderunder one kinde onelyonly?
The Answere.
THere is no néede ofWhether Christ be wholi vnderunder one kind. these subtyle questions. But gyue you vntounto the faythful rather the same whyche Chryste ordeyned and appoynted for them. For wée know that the true and lyuely body of Chryste is not without bloud, but that they are ioyned togither, neither was christ ignorāt hereof, & yet neuerthelesse he dyd not institute this Sacrament in the forme of bread only but also of wyne. But if this Sacrament béeing receiued vnderunder one kinde bée sufficient for the lay people vntounto saluation, for that therein is the whole bodie of Chryste: then also why shoulde not whole Chryst be sufficient for yourThe papistes wil eate vp al Christ and no more. Priestes and then so to receiue but the one halfe of the Sacrament? But by this their Question and doing, the institution of Chryste is broughte into doubte. But the Lorde hymselfe teacheth, that this is the manner of them which defende and set vppe the ordynaúnces of men: for throughe these their traditions the commaundements and ordynaunces of God are violated and broken. Mat. 15.
The xliiij. Question.
Whether they beleeue that Chryste dyd celebrate his Supper wyth the Apostles onelyonly, and that the Lay men dyd not thus receyue both kindes?
The Answere.
IF the Apostles, (as anWhether the Lordes supper were giuen to the Apostles only. example for Priests only) dyd alone receyue the Sacramente of the Lordes Supper: then by good reason wée demaunde of you by what power, or by whose commaundemente the Priestes doo not onelyonly not delyuer the Cuppe, but why also they gyue the breade, or why they doo admitte women to the Lords supper, sith they also being numbred amongst lay men, were not present in the first institution of the same? If therefore the lay men oughte not to receiue the Cuppe of Chrystes bloud, bycause they were not at Chrystes last Supper, and that it belongeth to the Priestes, bycause they were there, it must néedes follow that the whole Sacrament belongeth only to the priests, and that neither the one nor the other kinde of the Sacrament oughte to bée giuen to the laitie. For the Priests doo very ill, and without al authoritie giuegive those things to the laytie which Christ gaue onelyonly to them selues. But this is a detestable saying. But the doctrine of the Gospel and of the Apostles is farre better and fuller of comfort, which teacheth, that Chryst our Lorde in his last supper spake of the redemption of all mankinde, which he should obteine by his body giuen on the crosse, and by the shedding of his bloud. And therfore he most playnly and euidently sayth: ThisBoth the kinds in the sacramēt are due to al men. is my body which is giuen for you: This is my bloud which is shed for you, and for many for the remission of sinnes. Wherfore sithe the body and bloude of Chryst are the onelyonly saluation, foode, & drinke of all the faythfull, whether they bée Priestes Ministers of the Church, women, men, laye people, or of what name or condition soeuer they bée: it then followeth, that the whole supper of the Lorde as well the cuppe as the bread, is frée for all men. But if the Sacramentes appertayne not vntounto them, then hauehave they no parte of the body and bloud of Chryst. But the Lorde playnely and distinctly saythe: Drinke you all of this: and Marke addeth saying, and they al dr…nk. Furthermore Paule sayth: That which he receiued of the Lorde, he gaue to the Church or congregation (and this not to the Priestes or Ministers onelyonly) but to all the Corinthians. And it may bée proued by seuen sufficient testimonies out of the tenth and eleuenth Chapters of his first Epistle to the Corinthians, that he gaue bothe kindes, that is to say, bread and wyne to all the faythefull, as well women as men, laymen as Priestes. And therefore it can not bée denyed but that he receyued thys from the Lorde to delyuer the Sacrament to the faythfull. Therefore it followeth that in Chrystes laste supper the Apostles were not onelyonly an example of the Priestes, but also of all other faythfull. And the Lorde gaue not a peculiar or proper Sacrament to the Priestes, and an other to the lay men: but he instituted one holy Sacrament to be giuen as wel to the lay men as to the Priests. For neither dothe the Priest receiue or doo more than the lay man, sauing onelyonly that when he ministreth the Sacrament, he executeth the office of a minister, and deliuereth the same vntounto others. And herein dothe the Romish churche greatly offende, that the Sacrament which is instituted of our Lorde to bee a Sacramente of vnitie, by whiche the faythfull might bée coupled into one body, they applye the same to defende their separation, power, and pryde, whereby they séeke to excell others, and to bée taken for gods, whome aboue all others wée ought to preferre with worship and honor. Of these matters hath Gabriell Biell vponupon the Canon of the Masse, Lect. 4. written very straunge & wonderful things, extolling the Priestes aboue the virgin Mary the mother of Chryst, aboue all the Angels and Sainctes, and aboue things both in heauen and in earth.
The. xlv. Question.
Whether they do beleeue that Chryste wyth the two Disciples in Emaus, and the Apostles. Act. ij. and Paule. Act. xx. and. j. Cor. xj. vsed but one kinde onelyonly, and gaue the bread onelyonly to the lay people?
The Answere.
THat Chryste sitting at theThe supper of Christ vvyth his tvvo disciples at Emaus. Table with his two Disciples at Emaus, brake breade, doth not proue that the lay men oughte onelyonly to be partakers but of the one halfe of the Sacrament. Neither yet can they proue that this supper was a commemoration of yt mysticall supper which he celebrated with his Disciples a lyttle before hys death. But yet if it were, neuerthelesse it coulde proue nothing, bycause it is an Historie of one singular facte contrary to a manyfest commaundement. For in the Gospell it is playnely set foorth, howe the Lordes supper oughte to b… administred, to wytte, with breade a… wyne. Wherfore sith this déede wherof Luke speaketh Chap. 24. agréeth no… with the institution of our Lords supper, it maketh nothing agaynst the first institution thereof Yea it may be also that one kinde is named, and the other vnderstanded by the figure Sinecdoch… Agayne they can not proue that Cleophas and his cōpanion were lay men. Wherefore if they were Disciples▪ Priests or Ministers, and chosen of our Lorde to preach the word, as it séemest moste lyke to bée, then this example can proue nothing. In the Actes of the Apostles the Lordes Supper is calle… the breaking of bread, as spoken in the respecte of one parte, and yet thereby can they not conclude, that they had no… the vse of the cuppe, sithe our Lorde did institute the same.
The. xlvj. Question.
Whether the Corinthiās which vsed both kindes, did not greatly offende when they vsed the Wine, and that Paule therfore wryteth vntounto them, saying, that when he commeth, he will better instructe them.
The Answere.
THe woords of S. Paul manifestlyThe Corrinthians dydde not offend bycause they vsed the cup of our Lord. teach that the Corinthians did amisse in other matters, & not in that they receiued the Sacrament in bothe the kindes. For the Apostle plainly sayth, that he receiued both kindes of the Lord, that he might so deliuer the same vntounto them, and therfore he willeth them to receiue it: and the woords of S. Paule. 1. Corin. 11. chapter, geue testimonie héereunto, to ye which place I remit those that wil read them. I pray you then howe coulde he wryte, that when he came, he would better instructe them, that is to say, teache them otherwise, than, he had done before out of the woords of Christ? And truely it is to be wondred at, that they dare bring forthe this Question, as in the name of Paule, which is in deede so plaine against Paul. Wherfore I might in this place more sharply dispute against thē, but that my purpose is rather, to lay the plaine truth euidently to the eyes of the godly and faithfull, than rigorously according to their desertes, to answere or reproue our aduersaries. And therfore I leaue this vntounto others, & as I hauehave begon so will I procéede & answer their questions: hoping hereafter to hauehave occasion to speake more hereof, and therefore I wil not nowe saye all, reseruing something to a more conuenient tyme.
The xlvij. Question.
Whether they beleue that in the Councels holden at Constā tinople & at Basil for the auoyding of many dāgers & striues, it was godly and wel decreed, that according to the doctrine of the Christian Churche, the lay men should hauehave onelyonly the one kinde of the sacrament?
The Answere.
YT plainly appeareth by theThe councel of Constance touchyug bothe the kyndes. thirtéenthe Session of the Councell holden at Constance, that the fathers then confessed that Christe did ordayne the Sacramentes vnderunder bothe kindes, and so gaue it vntounto his Disciples, and so likewise did the primitiue churche also vse the same. Wherfore if this be true, as it can not otherwise be, then I leaue it to the iudgement of any good Christian, whether that the councell of Constance, which was holden. 1400. yéeres after Christe, or the councell of Basill, which was celebrated since, or any other councell what so euer the same be of name or authoritie, hauehave power to abrogate that which Christ did ordaine, and the primitiue church did vse, or cō demne the same for heresie.
Surely no man, no not the Angels hauehave this power, and therefore if they goe forward to condemne that for heresie which Christ did institute, and was receiued of the first Apostolical church, it may then easily appeare to all men, that Christe him selfe, and his churche, is had in suspition by those Councels: And truely, I had rather be counted an hereticke with Christ and his churche, than to beare the name of a Christian with these late councels.
But yet héere hauehave they an otherof the decrees and sclanders that happe in the vse of both kindes. shift, to wit, to auoide slander and other daungers, least the lay men shuld shed any of the wine, and so by this meanes bring the sacrament into contempt. As thoughe the eternall wisdome of God sawe not these things before he instituted the cuppe, and could not he, if it had séemed to him good, hauehave forbidden the lay men the vse of the same? But sith the eternall wisedome of God hath giuen the same vntounto them, let vsus content our selues therewith, onlesse we would séeme to hauehave more wisdome than god. And may not the priests I pray yée, shed the wine as well as the lay men? And why then, shuld not the same be forbidden vntounto them? But the Lordes supper is brought into contempt for farre many other causes, than when any parte of the Wine falleth by chaunce on the grounde, or is shedde vnwillingly. For true faithe, burning charitie, stedfaste hope, faithfulnesse, mercy, iustice, and the puritie of those which cōmunicate, are the true ornamentes of the Sacramentes. Wherefore, what offences, or what honor they bring to this Sacrament which daily vse the same to gette their liuing thereby, & yet in the meane time are drunkardes, whoremaisters, vncleane persones, studying all vngodlynesse, & liue publikely in their naughtinesse, to the great offence of many, is nowe by the great mercy of God, most manifestly knowne. Wherefore I hartely beséeche almighty God to graunte all those the true knowledge of their sinnes, wherby they may repent and amend their liues.
Amen.