Answer unto a Crafy and Sophistical Cavillation, Debate · Confutation of book 2 · Section 39
Caunterbury.
THe third reason I framed not my selfe (as you say I did) but had it ready framed out of your owne shoppe in your booke of the Diuels sophistry. And as for the vi. chapiter of Ihon, I hauehave sufficiently shewed my mind therin in my answere to Doctor Smithes preface, which shall suffice also for aunswere to you in this place.
And as for Cirill is clearly agaynst you,Cyrill. Ihon. 6. who declareth that when Christ sayd, I will geue my flesh for the life of the world, he fulfilled not that promise in his supper, but in the crosse. For if Christ had geuen to vsus life in his supper, what should he hauehave needed after to dye for the same purpose? The wordes of Cirill be these vponupon the wordes of Christ Panis quem ego dabo, caro mea est quam ego dabo pro mundi vita. Morior (inquit) pro omnibus, vt permeip sum omnes viuificem, & caro mea omnium redemptio fiat, morietur euim mors morte mea. Which wordes meane thus much in English. I will dye for all, that by my death I may geue life to all, and that my flesh may be the redemption of all, for death shall dye by my death. Thus expoundeth Cirill the wordes of Christ, that when he sayd: I will geue, he did not fulfill that promise in his spuper, but in the crosse, giuing vsus life by his death not by eating and drinking of him in his supper, as you most ignorantly say. And yet all men may iudge, how much I beare with you, when I call it but ignorance. Now followeth myne answere to the authors wrested by the papistes.
Cap 11. Authors wrested by the Papistes for their transubstantiation.Now that I hauehave made a full direct and playne answer to the vayne reasons and cauilations of the Papists, order requireth to make likewise answer vntounto their sophisticall allegations and wresting of authors vntounto their phantasticall purposes. There be chiefely three places, which at the first shew, seeme much to make for their intent, but when they shallbe throughly wayed, they make nothing for them at all.
Cyprianns de coena nomini.The first is a place of Ciprian, in his sermon of the Lords supper, where he sayth, as is alledged in the Detection of the deuils Sophistry.
This bread which our Lord gaue to his disciples, changed in Nature but not in outward forme, is by the omnipotency of gods word, made flesh.
Here the Papists sticke tooth and nayle to these wordes, Changed in nature, Ergo say they,The aunswerr . the nature of the bread is changed. Here is one chiefe poynt of the diuels sophistry vsed, who in the allegation of Scripture vseth euer eyther to adde therto, or to take away from it, or to alter the sence therof. And so hauehave they in this author left out those wordes, which would open playnly all the whole matter. For next the wordes, which be here before of them recited, do follow these wordes. As in the person of Christ the humanity was seene, and the diuinity was hid, euen so did the diuinity ineffably put it selfe into the visible sacrament. Which wordes of Ciprian do manifestly shew, that the sacrament doth still remayne with the diuinity: and that sacramentally the diuinity is poured into the bread and wine, the same bread & wine still remayning: like as the same diuinity by vnity of person was in the humanity of Christ, the same humanity still remayning with the diuinite.
And yet the bread is changed, not in shape nor substance, but in nature, (as Ciprian truly sayth) not meaning that the naturall substance of bread is cleane gone, but that by Gods word, there is added therto an other higher propertie, nature and condition, farre passing the nature and condition of common bread, that is to say, that the bread doth shew vntounto vsus, (as the same Ciprian sayth) that we be partaker of the spirite of God, and most purely ioyned vntounto Christ, and spiritually fead with his flesh and bloud, so that now the sayde misticall bread is both a corporall food for the body, and a spirituall foode for the soule.
And likewise is the nature of the water changed in baptisme, for as much as beside his common nature (which is to wash and make cleane the body) it declareth vntounto vsus that our soules be also washed and made cleane by the holy ghost: And thus is answered the chiefe authoritie of the doctours, which the Papists take for the principall defence of their errour. But for further declaration of S. Ciprians mind herein, reade the place of him before recited, fol. 320.