Defense of the True Doctrine of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, Book 1
THE FYRST BOKE IS OF THE TRVE AND CATHOLIKE DOCTRINE AND VSE OF the sacrament of the body and bloud of our Sauiour Christe.
THE SVPPER OF the Lorde, otherwise called The holy Communion or Sacrament of the body and bloode of our sauiour CHRISTE, hathe beene of many men, and by sondry wayes, very much abused, but speciallye within these fower or fiue hundreth yeares. Of some it hathe beene vsed as a sacrifice propici…torye for synne, and otherwise supersticiously, farre frome the intent that CHRIST dyd fyrst ordaine the same at the beginning, doing therin greate wronge and iniurye to his death and passion. And of other some it hath beene verye lyghtly esteemed, or rather contemned and dispised, as a thynge of small or none effect. And thus betwene bothe the parties hath been muche variance and contention in diuers places of Christendome. Therefore to the intent that this holy sacrament or Lordes supper, may here after neither of the one partie bee contemned or lyghtly estemed, nor on the other partie be abused to any other purpose, than Christe hym selfe dyd fyrste appoynte and ordeyne the same, and that so, the contention on bothe parties may be quieted and ended, the most sure and playn way is, to cleaue vntounto holy scripture. Wherin what so euer is found, must be taken for a moste sure grounde and an infallible truthe, and what soeuer can not bee grounded vponupon the same (touchyng our faithe) is mans deuise, chaungeable and vncertayne. And therfore here are set forth the very wordes, that Christe hym selfe and his apostle saynt Paule spake, bothe of the eatyng and drynkyng of Christes body and bloud, and also of the eatyng and drynkynge of the sacrament of the same.
The eatyng of the body of Christ.FYRST as concernyng the eatyng of the body and drinkyng of the bloude of our sauyour Christe, he speaketh hym selfe in the .vi. chapiter of saynt Iohn in this wyse.
Ihon. 6.Ueryly verily I saie vntounto you, except you eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud, you hauehave no life in you. Who so eateth my fleshe & drinketh my bloud, hath eternall lyfe, and I will rayse hym vp at the laste daye. For my fleshe is very meate, and my bloud is very drink. He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloud, dwelleth in me, and I in hym. As the liuyng father hath sent me, and I liue by the father, euen so he that eateth me, shall lyue by me. This is the bread whiche came doune from heauen. Not as your fathers dyd eate Manna, and ar dead. He that eateth this breade, shall lyue for euer.
Of these wordes of Christe it is playne and manyfest,Augustin in Ioan Tractat. 26. that the eatyng of Christes fleshe and drynkyng of his bloude, is not lyke to the eatyng and drynkyng of other meates and drinkes. For although without meate and drynke man can not lyue, yet it foloweth not, that he that eateth and drynketh, shall lyue for euer. But as touchyng this meate and drynke of the body and bloude of Christe, it is true, bothe he that eateth and drinketh them, hath euerlasting life, and also he that eateth and drynketh them not,Eodent tract. hath not euerlastynge life. For to eate that meate and drynke that drynke, is to dwell in Christe and to hauehave Christ dwellyng in him
And therfore no man can say or thynk,Aug. de Ciuitate. Lib. 21. cap. 25. that he eateth the body of Christ or drinketh his bloud, excepte he dwelleth in Christe, and hath Christe dwellyng in hym. Thus hauehave ye hearde of the eatynge and drynkynge of the very fleshe and bloud of our sauiour Christ.
Chap. 3.Nowe as touchynge the sacramentes of the same,The eting of the sacramente of his bodye. our sauiour Christe dyd institute them in breade and wyne, at his last supper, whiche he had with his apostles the night before his deth. At whych tyme (as saynt Mathewe sayth)
Math. 26When they were eatyng, Iesus toke breade, and when he had geuen thankes, he brake it, gaue it to his disciples and sayd: Take, eate, this is my body. And he toke the cup, and when he had geuen thankes, he gaue it to theim, saiynge. Drynke ye all of this, for this is my bloud of the new testament, that is shed for many, for the remission of synnes. But I saie vntounto you, I will not drynke hensforth of this fruite of the vine, vntil that day, when I shal drink it new wt you in my fathers kyngdom.
This thyng is rehersed also of saynt Marke in these woordes.
Mat…. 14As they dyd eate, Iesus toke bread, and when he had blessed, he brake it, and gaue it to theim, and sayd: Take, eate, this is my body: And takyng the cuppe, when he had geuen thankes, he gaue it to them, and they all dranke of it. And he sayd to them: This is my bloud of the newe testament, which is shed for many. Uerily I saie vntounto you, I will drynke no more of the fruite of the vine, vntyl that daie that I drinke it newe in the kyngdome of God.
The Euangelist S. Luke vttereth this matter on this wyse.
When the howre was come,Luc. 22. he sat down, and the .xii. apostles with hym. And he sayd vntounto them: I hauehave greatly desired to eate this pascha with you before I suffre. For I saie vntounto you: Hensforth I wil not eat of it any more, vntyll it be fulfylled in the kyngdome of god. And he toke the cup, and gaue thankes, and sayd: Take this, and diuide it amōg you. For I say vntounto you: I wil not drink of the frute of the vine, vntill the kyngdom of God com. And he toke bread, and when he had geuen thankes, he brake it, and gaue it vntounto them, sayeng: This is my body, whiche is geuen for you. This dooe in remembrance of me. Likewise also whā he had supped, he toke the cup, saiyng: This cuppe is the newe testament in my bloud, whiche is shedde for you.
Hytherto you hauehave heard all that the Euangelistes declare, that Christ spake or did at his last supper, concernyng the institucion of the Cōmunion and sacrament of his body & bloud. Nowe you shall heare what sainct Paule sayth cōcernyng the same, in the tenth chapiter of the first to the Corinthians, where he writeth thus.
1. Cor. 10.Is not the cup of blessynge, whyche we blesse, a comunion of the bloude of Christe? Is not the bread, whiche we breake, a communyon of the bodye of Christ? We beyng many, ar one bread and one body. For we all ar partakers of one bread and of one cuppe.
And in the eleuenth he speaketh on this maner.
1. Cor. 11.That whiche I deliuered vntounto you, I receaued of the Lorde. For the lord Iesus, the same nyght, in the which he was betraied, toke breade, and whan he had geuen thankes, he brake it, and sayde: Take, eate, this is my bodye, whiche is broken for you. Doo this in remembrance of me. Likewise also he toke the cup, whan supper was doone, saiyng: This cuppe is the newe testament in my bloude. Doo this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as you shal eat this bread and drinke this cuppe, shew forthe the Lordes death tyll he come. Wherfore who so euer shall eate of this breade or drynke of this cuppe vnworthily, shall be gyltie of the body and bloude of the Lord. But let a man examine him self, and so eate of the bread, and drynke of the cuppe. For he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily, eateth and drynketh his owne damnation, bycause he maketh no difference of the Lordes body. For this cause manny are weake and sycke among you, and many do sleape.
By these wordes of Christ rehersed of the Euangelistes, and by the doctrine also of saynte Paule (whiche he confesseth that he receaued of Christe) two thynges specially are to be noted.
Chap. 4.Fyrst that our sauiour Christ called the materiall bread whiche he brake,Christ called the materiall breade his body. his body, and the wyne (whyche was the fruite of the vyne) his bloud. And yet he spake not this, to the intente that men shulde thynke, that materiall bread is his very body, or that his very body is materiall bread: neither that wyne made of grapes is his very bloud, or that his very bloud is wyne made of grapes, but to signifie vntounto vsus (as S. Paule saith) that the cuppe is a communion of Christes bloud that was shedde for vsus, and the bread is a cōmunion of his fleshe that was crucified for vsus. So that although in the truth of his humane nature, Christe be in heauen, and sitteth on the ryghte hande of God the father, yet who so euer eateth of that bread in the supper of the Lorde, accordynge to Christes institution and ordinaunce, is assured by Christes owne promyse and testament, that he is a membre of his body, and receyueth the benefittes of his passion, whych he suffered for vsus vponupon the Crosse. And lykewise he that drynketh of that holly cuppe in that supper of the Lorde, accordynge to Christes institution, is certified by Christes legacie and testament, that he is mad partaker of the bloude of Christe, whyche was shed for vsus. And this ment saynte Paule, when he saith: 1. Cor. 10.Is not the cuppe of blessyng which we blesse, a communion of the bloude of Christe? Is not the breade, whiche we breake, a communion of the body of Christe? So that no man can contemne or lyghtly esteme this holy communion, excepte he contemne also Christes body and bloud, and passe not whether he hauehave any felowshyp wyth hym or no. And of those men saynte Paule saieth,1. Cor. 11. that they eate and drynke their owne damnation, bycause they esteme not the body of Christe.
The seconde thyng whiche may bee lerned of the forsayd wordes of Christe and saynt Paule is this:Chap. 5. Euill men do eate the sacrament but not the bodye of Christe that although none eateth the body of Christ, and drynketh his bloud, but they hauehave eternall lyfe, (as apereth by the wordes before recited of S. Iohn) yet both the good and the bad do eate and drynk the bread and wyne, whiche be the Sacramentes of the same.Iohn. 6. But beside the Scaramentes, the good eateth euerlastyng lyfe, the euyll euerlastyng death. Therefore S. Paule saith: 1. Cor. 11:Whosoeuer shall eate of this breade, and drynketh of the cuppe of the Lorde vnworthyly, he shall be giltie of the body and bloudde of the Lorde. Here sainte Paule saith not, that he that eateth the bread and drinketh the cup of the Lorde vnworthyly, eateth and drynketh the body and bloud of the Lorde, but is giltie of the body and bloud of the Lord. But what he eateth and drinketh S. Paule declareth, saiynge: … Corin. 11.He that eateth and drynketh vnwoorthyly, eateth and drynketh his owne damnation.
Thus is declared the summe of all that scripture speaketh of the eatyng and drynkynge, bothe of the body and bloud of Christ, and also of the sacrament of the same.
Chap. 6.AND as these thynges be most certainly true, because they be spoken by Christe hym selfe, the author of all truth,These thī ges suffice for a christen mans faith concerninge this sacrament. and by his holy apostle S. Paule, as he receaued them of Christ, so all doctrines contrary to the same, be moste certainly false and vntrue, and of all christian men to bee eschued, bycause they be contrary to gods word. And al doctrine concernyng this matter, that is more than this, whiche is not grounded vponupon Goddes word, is of no necessitee, neither ought the peoples heades to be busied, or theyr consciences troubled with the same. So that thynges spoken and done by Christe, and written by the holy Euangelistes and S. Paule, ought to suffise the faith of christen people, as touching the doctrine of the Lordes supper, and holy communion or sacrament of his body and bloud.
Whiche thynge beeyng well consydered and waied, shalbe a iust occasion to pacifie and agree bothe parties, as well them that hytherto hauehave contemned or lyghtly estemed it, as also theym whiche hauehave hitherto for lacke of knowledge or otherwyse, vngodly abused it.
CHRISTE ordeyned the sacrament to moue and styrre all men to frendeshyp,Chap. 7. louelove, and concorde, and to put away all hatred,The sacrament whiche was ordained to make louelove and concord, is turned into the occasiō of variāce and discord variance and discord, and to testifie a brotherly and vnfained louelove betwene all theim that bee the membres of Christ: but the diuell, the ennemy of Christ, and of al his membres, hath so craftily iuggled herein, that of nothyng ryseth so muche contention as of this holy sacrament.
God graunt that al contention set aside, both the parties may come to this holy communion with suche a liuely faith in Christe, and such an vnfained louelove to all Christes membres, that as they carnally eate with their mouth this sacramentall bread and drink the wine, so spiritually they maye eate and drynke the very fleshe and bloud of Christe whiche is in heauen, and sitteth on the right hande of his father. And that finally by his meanes, they may enioy with him the glory and kyngdome of heauen. Amen.
Altho in this treatie of the sacramente of the body and bloude of our sauiour Christ,Chap. 8. I hauehave already sufficiently declared the institution and meanynge of the same, accordynge to the very wordes of the gospell and of saint Paule, yet it shall not bee in vayne somewhat more at large to declare the same, accordyng to the mynde, as well of holy scripture, as of olde auncient authors, and that so sincerely and plainly, without doubtes, ambiguitees, or vayn questions, that the very symple and vnlerned people, may easily vnderstande the same, and be edified therby.
And this by Goddes grace is myne only intent and desyre, that the …locke of Christ dispersed in this realme (among whom I am appointed a speciall pastour) may no longer lacke the commoditee and fruite, which springeth of this heauenly knowledge. For the more clerely it is vnderstande, the more swetenes, fruit, comfort, and edification it bryngeth, to the godly receauers thereof. And to the clere vnderstandynge of this sacramente, dyuers thynges muste bee consydered.
Chap. 9.FYRST, that as all men of them selues bee synners,The spirituall hunger & thirstinesse of the soule. and thorough synne bee in Goddes wrathe, banyshed far away frō hym, condemned to hell and euerlastyng damnation, and none is clearely innocent, but Christe alone: so eueryevery soule inspired by God,Ephe. 2. Rom. 3. is desyrous to be deliuered from synne and hell, and to obteyn at Goddes handes, mercy, fauour, righteousnes, and euerlastyng saluation.
And this earnest and greate desyre, is called in scripture, The hunger and thirst of the soule: with whyche kynde of hunger Dauid was taken, whan he sayde: Psal 41As an harte longeth for sprynges of water, so doth my soule long for the O God. My soule hath thyrsted after God, who is the well of lyfe.Ps. 62. My soule thyrsteth for the, my fleshe wysheth for thee.
And this hunger the sely poore synfull soule is dryuen vntounto, by meanes of the lawe, whiche sheweth vntounto her the horriblenes of synne,Rom. 4. the terrour of Goddes indignation,Roma. 7. and the horrour of death and euerlastyng damnation.
And whan she seeth nothyng but damnation for her offences,Rom. 8. by iustice and accusation of the lawe, and this damnation is euer before her eies, than in this great distresse the soule beyng pressed with heuynesse & sorowe, seketh for some comfort, and desireth some remedy for her miserable and sorowful estate. And this feelynge of her damnable condicion, and gredy desyre of refreshyng, is the spirituall hunger of the soule.
And who soeuer hath this godly hunger, is blessed of God, and shal hauehave meate and drynke ynough, as Christ hym self said: Blessed be they that hunger and thirst for rightousnes, for they shalbe fylled ful.Math. 5. And on thother side, they that see not their owne synfull and damnable estate, but thynke theim selues holy ynoughe, and in good case and condicion ynough, as they hauehave no spirituall hunger, so shall they not bee fed of God with any spirituall foode. Luc. 1.For as almighty God feedeth them that be hungry, so doth he sende awaie empty all that be not hungry.
But this hunger and thyrst is not easily perceyued of the carnall man. For when he hereth the holy ghoste speake of meate and drynk, his mynde is by and by in the kytchen and buttery, and he thynketh vponupon his dyshes and pottes, his mouthe and his bealy.
But the scripture in sundry places vseth speciall wordes, wherby to drawe our grosse myndes from the phantasyeng of our teeth and belly, and from this carnall and fleshely imagination. For the Apostles and disciples of Christe, when they were yet carnall, knew not what was ment by this kynde of hunger and meate, and therfore when they desired hym to eate,Iohn. 4. to withdrawe their myndes from carnall meate, he said vntounto theim: I hauehave other meate to eate, whiche you knowe not. And why knewe they it not? Forsothe because their myndes were grosse as yet, and had not receyued the fulnesse of the spirite. And therfore our sauiour Christ, myndyng to drawe them from this grossenes, tolde theim of an other kynd of meate, then they phantasied (as it were) rebukyng them, for that they perceiued not, that there was any other kynde of eating and drinkyng, besides that eatyng and drinkyng, whiche is with the mouth and the throte.
Likewyse whan he sayd to the woman of Samaria: Who so euer shall drynke of that water,Iho. 4. that I shall geue hym, shall neuer be thirsty agayn. They that heard hym speake those wordes, might well perceyue, that he went about to make them wel acquaynted with an other kynd of drinkynge, than is the drynkynge with the mouth and throte. For there is no suche kynd of drynke, that with ones drynkyng, can quenche the thirst of a mans body for euer. Wherfore, in saiyng: He shall neuer be thirsty agayn. he dyd drawe theyr myndes from drynkynge with the mouth, vntounto an other kind of drinkyng wherof they knew not, and vntounto an other kynd of thirsting, wherwith as yet thei wer not acquainted.
Also when our sauiour Christe saide:Iohn. 6. He that commeth to me, shal nat hunger: and, He that be leueth on me, shall neuer bee thyrstye. he gaue them a plaine watche worde, that there was an other kynd of meat and drinke, then that, wherwith he fedde them at the other syde of the water: and an other kynde of hungryng and thyrstynge, then was the hungrynge and thirstyng of the body. By these wordes therfore he droue the people to vnderstand an other kynde of eatyng and drinkyng, of hungring and thyrstyng then that, whiche belongeth onelyonly for the preseruation of temporal lyfe.
Nowe then as the thyng that comforteth the body, is called Meate and drynke, of a lyke sor the scripture calleth the same thynge that comforteth the soule, Meate and drynke.
Wherfore as he…e before in the fyrste note is declared the hungre and drought of the soule,Cha. 10. so is it nowe secondly to bee noted, what is the meate,The spiritual foode of the soul drynke, and foode of the soule.
The meate, drynke, foode and refreshynge of the soule, is our sauiour Christe, as he sayd him selfe: Math. 11.Come vntounto me all you that trauayle and bee laden, and I will refreshe you. And, Yf any man be drye (saieth he) let hym come to me and drynke.Iohn. 7. He that beleueth in me, flouddes of water of life shall flowe out of his bealy. And, I am the bread of life (sayth Christ) He that commeth to me,Ioh. 6. shal not be hungry: and he that beleueth in me, shal neuer be dry.
For as meate and drynke do comfort the hungry body, so doth the death of Christes body, & the sheddyng of his bloud comforte the soule, when she is after her sort hungry. What thyng is it that comforteth & norisheth the body? Forsooth meate and drynke. By what meanes than shall we call the body and bloud of our sauiour Christe (whiche doo comforte and nouryshe the hungrye soule) but by the names of meate and drynke? And this similitude caused our sauiour to say: Iho. 6.My fleshe is very meate, and my bloud is very drynke. For there is no kynde of meate that is comfortable to the soule, but onelyonly the death of Christes blessed body: nor no kynde of drynke, that can quenche her thyrst, but only the bloudsheddyng of our sauiour Christe, whiche was shed for her offences.
For as there is a carnall generation, and a carnal feedyng & nourishement, so is there also a spiritual generation, and a spiritual feadyng.
And as eueryevery mā by carnal generation of father and mother, is carnally begotten and born vntounto this mortall lyfe, so is eueryevery good christiā spiritually borne by Christ vntounto eternall life.
And as eueryevery man is carnally fedde and nourished in his body by meate & drynke, euen so is eueryevery good christian man spiritually fedde and nourished in his soule by the fleshe and bloud of our sauiour Christ.
And as the body liueth by meate and drynke, and thereby increaseth and groweth frō a yong babe vntounto a perfect man, (whiche thyng experience teacheth vsus) so the soule lyueth by Christe him selfe, by pure fayth eatyng his fleshe and drynkyng his bloud. And this Christ him selfe teacheth vsus in the sixt of Ihon,Iohn. 6. saiyng: Uerely verely I say vntounto you, excepte ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man, and drynke his bloud, you hauehave no life in you. who so eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloud, hath eternal life, and I wyl raise him vp at the last day: For my fleshe is very meate, and my bloud is very drynke. He that eateth my fleshe & drynketh my bloud dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the liuyng father hath sent me, and I liue by the father, euen so he that eateth me, shal liue by me. Gal. 2.And this S. Paule confessed of him selfe, saiyng: That I hauehave life, I hauehave it by fayth in the sonne of God. And nowe it is not I that liue, but Christ lyueth in me.
The third thyng to be noted is this,Chap 11. that although our sauiour Christ resembleth his fleshe and bloud to meat & drynke,Christ… far excelleth all corporall foode. yet he farre passeth and excelleth all corporall meates and drynkes. For although corporall meates and drynkes do norishe and continue our life here in this world, yet they begyn not our lyfe. For the beginnyng of our life we hauehave of our fathers and mothers, and the meate, after we be begotten, dothe feede and nourishe vsus, and so preserueth vsus for a time. But our sauiour Christ is bothe the first beginner of our spiritual lyfe, (who first begetteth vsus vntounto God his father) and also afterward he is our lyuely foode and nourishement
Moreouer, meate and drinke doth fede and norishe onelyonly our bodies, but Christ is the true and perfect norishement, both of body and soule. And besides that, bodily food preserueth the lyfe but for a tyme, but Chrst is such a spirytual and perfect foode, that he preserueth both body & soule for euer.Ioh. 11. As he said vntounto Martha: I am resurrection and life. He that beleueth in me, although he dye, yet shall he lyue. And he that liueth and beleueth in me, shall not dye for euer.
Cha. 12.Fourthly it is to be noted, that the true knowlege of these thynges, is the true knowlege of Christ,The sacramēts wer ordeyned to cōfirme our faithe and to teache these thynges, is to teache Christe, and the beleuyng and feelyng of these thynges, is the beleuyng and felyng of Christe in our hartes. And the more clerely we see, vnderstande and beleeue these thynges, the more clerely we se and vnderstande Christ, and hauehave more fully our faithe and comfort in hym.
And although our carnall generation & oure carnall nourishement, be knowen to all men by dayly experience, and by oure common senses, yet this our spirituall generation and our spirituall nutrition, be so obscure and hyd vntounto vsus, that we can not attayn to the true and perfecte knowledge and feelyng of theym, but onelyonly by faith, whyche muste bee grounded vponupon Gods moste holy worde and sacramentes.
AND for this consideration our Sauioure Christe hath not onelyonly sette forth these thynges moste playnly in his holy woorde, that we maie heare them with our eares, but he hath also ordeyned one visible sacrament of spiritual regeneration in water, and an other visible sacrament of spiritual norishment in bread and wine to the intente, that as muche as is possible for man, we may se Christ with our eies, smell him at our nose, taste hym with our mouthes, grope hym with our handes, and perceue him with all our senses. For as the word of god preched, putteth Christ into our eares, so likewyse these elements of water, bread and wine, ioyned to gods word, do after a sacramētal maner, put Christ in to our eies, mouthes, handes and al our senses.
And for this cause Christ ordeyned baptisme in water, that as surely as we se, fele and touch water with our bodies, and be washed with water, so assuredly ought we to beleue, whan we be baptised, that Christ is veryly present with vsus, and that by hym we bee newly borne agayn spiritually, and washed from our synnes, and grafted in the stocke of Christes own body, and be apparailed, clothed, and harnessed with hym, in suche wyse, that as the dyuel hath no power agaynst Christe, so hath he none against vsus, so long as we remayne grafted in that stocke, and be clothed with that apparel and harnesed with that armour. So that the washyng in water of baptisme, is as it wer shewyng of Christ before our eyes, and a sensible touchyng, feelyng and gropyng of hym, to the confirmation of the inwarde faithe, whiche we hauehave in hym.
And in lyke maner Christ ordeined the sacrament of his body and bloud in bread and wine, to preach vntounto vsus, that as our bodies be fedde, nourished, and preserued with meate and drink, so (as touchynge our spirituall lyfe towardes God) we be fed, nourished and preserued by the body and bloud of our sauiour Christ, and also that he is such a preseruation vntounto vsus, that nother the deuils of hell, nor eternall deth, nor syn, can be able to preuaile against vsus, so long as by true and cōstant faith, we be fed and nouryshed with that meate and drynke. And for this cause Christ ordeyned this sacrament in bread & wine (whiche we eate and drynke, and be chiefe nutrimentes of our body) to the intent, that as surely as we see the breade and wine with our eies, smell theim with our noses, touche theym with our handes, and tast them with our mouths, so assuredly ought we to beleue, that Christ is our spirituall lyfe and sustinance of our soules, like as the sayd bread and wyne is the foode and sustinaunce of our bodies. And no lesse ought we to doubt, that our soules bee fedde and lyue by Christe, then that our bodies be fed and lyue by meate and drinke. Thus oure sauiour Christe, knowing vsus to be in this world (as it were) but babes and weakelynges in faith, hath ordeined sensible signes and tokēs, wherby to allure and drawe vsus to more strengthe and more constaunt faith in hym. So that the eatyng and drinkyng of this sacramentall breade and wyne, is as it were a shewyng of Christ before our eies, a smellyng of hym with our noses, a feelyng and gropyng of hym with our handes, and an eatyng, chawyng, digestyng and feedyng vponupon hym to our spirituall strength and perfection.
Fyftly it is to be noted, that although there be many kyndes of meates and drynkes,Chap. 13. whych feede the body,Wherfore this sacrament was ordeyned in breead and wyne yet our sauiour Chryst (as many) auncient authours write) ordeyned this sacrament of our spyrytual feedyng in bread & wine, rather than in other meates & drinkes, because that bread and wyne doo moste lyuely represent vntounto vsus the spiritual vnion and knot of al faithfull people, aswell vntounto Christ, as also emonges them selfs. For lyke as bread is made of a great numbre of graynes of corne, grounde, baken, & so ioyned together, that therof is made one lofe: And an infinite numbre of grapes be pressed togyther in one vessell, and therof is made wyne, likewyse is the whole multitude of true christiā people spyrytually ioyned, fyrste to Christe, and then among them selues togyther, in one faith, one baptisme, one holy spyrite, one knotte and bonde of louelove.
Sixtely,Chap. 14 it is to bee noted, that as the breade and wyne whiche we do eate,The vnite of Christs mysticall body be turned into our fleshe and bloude, and bee made our very fleshe and very blud, and be so ioyned and mixed with our fleshe & bloud, that they be made one whole body togither, euen so be al faithful christians, spiritually tourned into the body of Christ, and be so ioyned vntounto Christ, & also together among themselues, that they do make but one misticall body of Christ,…. Co. 10. as sainct Paule saithe: We bee one bread and one body, as many as bee partakers of one bread and one cuppe. DionysiusAnd as one lofe is geuen amonge many men, so that eueryevery one is partaker of the same lofe: and lykewyse one cup of wyne is distributed vntounto many persons, wherof eueryevery one is partaker, euen so our sauiour Christ (whose fleshe and bloud be represented by the mystical bread and wine in the lordes supper) doeth geue hym selfe vntounto all his true membres, spiritually to fede them, noryshe them, and to geue them continuall lyfe by hym. And as the braunches of a tree, or membre of a body, if they be dead or cut of, they neyther lyue, nor receiue any nourishement or sustinaunce of the body or tree, so lykewyse vngodly & wycked people, (which be cut of from Christes misticall body, or be dead membres of the same) doo not spiritually fede vponupon Christs body & bloud, nor hauehave any lyfe, strength or sustentation therby.
Chap. 15Seuenthly it is to be noted, that where as no thynge in this lyfe is more acceptable beefore God,This Sacramente moueth al mē to louelove and frendshyp or more pleasaunt vntounto man, than christen people to lyue togither quietly in louelove & peace, vnitee and concorde: this sacrament doth most aptly and effectuously moue vsus thervnto. For when we bee made all partakers of this one table, what ought we to thynke, but that we be al membres of one spiritual body? (wherof Christ is the head) that we bee ioyned together in one Christ, as a great numbre of graines of corne be ioyned together in one loofe? Surely they hauehave very harde and stony heartes, whiche with these thinges be not moued. And more cruel & vnreasonable be they then brute beastes, that can not be persuaded, to bee good to their christian brethren and neighbours (for whom Christ suffred death) when in this sacrament they be put in remembraunce, that the sonne of God bestowed his life for his enemies. For we see by dayly experience, that eatyng and drynkyng together, maketh frendes, and contynueth frendshippe. Muche more than ought the table of Christ to moue vsus so to do. Wylde beastes and byrdes bee made gentle by geuyng them meate and drynke, why then should not christen men waxe meeke and gentle with this heauenly meate of Christe? Herevnto wee bee stirred and moued as well by the bread and wyne in this holy supper, as by the woordes of holy scripture recited in the same. Wherfore whose heart soeuer this holy Sacrament, Communion and supper of Christ, wil not kindle with louelove vntounto his neighbours, and cause him to put out of his heart all enuye, hatred and malice, and to graue in the same all amitee, frendshyp, and concorde, he deceaueth hym selfe, if he thynke that he hath the spirite of Christe dwellyng within hym.
The doctrine of trāsubstā tiation doeth cleane subuerte our faythe in ChristeBut all these forsayd godly admonitions, exhortations and comfortes, doo the Papistes (as muche as lyeth in them) take away from al christen people, by their transubstantiation.
For if we receaue no breade nor wyne in the holy communion, than al those lessons and comfortes be gone, whiche we shulde learne and receyue by eatyng of the bread, and drynkynge of the wyne. And that phantasticall imagination, giueth an occasion vtterly to subuert our whole faythe in Christe. For yf this sacrament bee ordeyned in bread and wyne (whiche be foodes for the body) to signifi and declare vntounto vsus our spirituall foode by Christ, then yf our corporal fedyng vponupon the bread and wine be but phantasticall (so that there is no bread nor wine there in dede to fede vponupon, although they apere there to be) than it doth vsus to vnderstande, that our spirituall feedyng in Christe is also phantasticall, and that in dede we fede not of him. Which sophistrie is so diuelyshe and wicked, and so much iniurious to Christ, that it could not come from any other person, but onelyonly from the diuell hym selfe, and from his speciall minister Antichriste.
Chap. 16.The eyght thyng that is to bee noted is, that this spirituall meate of Christ is body and blud, is not receaued in the mouthe,The spiritual etyng is with …he harte, not with the teethe. and digested in the stomacke (as corporall meates and drynkes commonly bee) but it is receaued with a pure harte, and a sincere faithe. And the trewe eatyng and drinking of the sayd body and bloude of Christ, ys wyth a constant and a lyuely faith to beeleue, that Chryste gaue hys bodye, and shedde hys bloude vppon the Crosse for vsus, and that he doeth so ioyne and incorporate himselfe to vsus, that hee is our heade, and wee his membr…s, and fleshe of his fleshe, and bone of his bones, hauinge hym dwellynge in vsus, and wee in hym. And herein standeth the whole effecte and strength of this sacrament. And this faith God woorketh in wardely in our hartes by hys holy spirite, and confyrmeth the same outwardly to our eares, by hearinge of hys woorde: and to our other senses, by eatynge and drynkynge of the sacramentall breade and wyne in hys holy supper.
What thynge then can be more comfortable to vsus, than to eate thys meate and drynke thys drynke? Wherby Christ certyfyeth vsus, that we bee spirytually and trewely fedde and nouryshed by hym, and that wee dwell in hym, and he in vsus. Canne this bee shewed vntounto vsus more playnly,Iohn. 6. than whan he saith hym selfe: He that eateth me, shall lyue by me?
Wherfore whosoeuer doth not contemne the euerlasting lyfe, how can he but highely esteme this sacrament: How can he but imbrace it, as a sure pledge of his saluacion? And whan hee seeth godly people deuoutly receaue the same, howe can he but be desyrous oftentymes to receiue it with them? Surely no man that wel vnderstandeth, and diligently wayeth these things can bee without a greate desire to come to thys holy supper.
All men desyre to hauehave goddes fauoure, and when they knowe the contrary, that they be in his indignacion, and caste out of his fauoure, what thinge can comforte them? Nowe be theyr myndes vexed? What trouble is in their consciences? All goddes creatures seme to be against them, and do make theym afraide, as thinges being ministers of goddes wrath and indignacion towards them. And rest and comfort cā they finde none, neither within them, not withoute them. And in this case thei do hate as well God as the diuel: God as an vnmerciful and extreme iudge, and the dyuell as a moste malicious and …ruel tormentour.
And in this sorowful heauines, holy scripture teacheth theim, that our heauenly father can by no meanes be pleased with theim againe, but by the sacrifice and deathe of his only begotten sonne, whereby God hathe made a perpetuall amitee and peace with vsus, doth pardon the sinnes of them that beleue in him, maketh theim his chyldren, & giueth them to his first begotten son Christe, to be incorporate into him, to be saued by him, and to be made heires of heuen with him. And in the receauing of the holy supper of our Lorde, wee bee putte in remembraunce of this his deathe, and of the whole mysterye of our redemption. In the which supper is made mention of his testamente, and of the aforesayde Communion of vsus with Christe, and of the remission of oure sinnes by his sacrifice vppon the crosse.
Wherefore in this sacrament (yf it be rightly receaued with a true faithe) we bee assured that our sinnes bee forgiuen, and the leage of peace and the testament of God is confirmed betwene hym and vsus, so that who so euer by a true faithe doth eate Christes flesh, and drinke his bludde, hath euerlastinge lyfe by hym. Whiche thynge when wee feele in oure hartes, at the receauynge of the Lordes supper, what thing can be more ioyfull, more plesaunte or more comfortable vntounto vsus?
All this to bee trewe, is moste certaine by the woordes of Christe hym selfe, whanne hee dydde fyrst institute his holy supper, the nyght beefore his deathe, as it appeareth as well by the woordes of the Euangelistes, as of S. Paule. Luce. 22Dooe thys (saythe Christe) as often as you drynke it, in remembraunce of me. And Saint Paule saithe: As often as you eate this breade,1 Cor. 11. and drynke this cuppe, you shall shewe the Lordes death vntyll he come. And againe. Christ saide:Luce. 22 This cup is a newe testament, in mine owne bloud, whiche shal be shed for the remission of sinnes.
This doctrine here recited, maye suffice for all that be humble and godly, and seek nothing that is superfluous, but that is necessarye and profitable. And therefore vntounto suche persones may bee made here an ende of this booke. But vntounto them that be contencious Papists & ydolaters, nothing is enough. And yet bicause thei shall not glory in their subtile inuencions and deceiuable doctrine, (as though no man were able to answere them) I shall desire the readers of pacience, to suffre me a litell while, to spend some time in vaine, to confute their most vaine vanities. And yet the time shall not bee altogither spent in vaine, for there by shall more clearly appeare the lyghte frome the darkenes, the truth from false sophisticall subtelties, and the certaine word of God, from mens dreames and phantasticall inuentions.
Chap. 17BUt these things can not manifestly appear to the reader, except the principall pointes be first set out,Four principall errors of the Papistes. The fyrste is of transubstantiation. wherin the Papistes vary frō the truth of Gods worde, whiche be chiefely fower.
Fyrst the Papis…s say that in the supper of the Lorde, after the words of consecracion (as they call it) there is none other substaunce remaynyng, but the substaunce of Christes fleshe and blud, so that there remaineth neither bread to be eaten, nor wyne to be dronken. And althoughe there be the colour of bread & wyne, the sauour, the smell, the bygnes, the fashion, and all other (as they call them) accidentes, or qualities and quātities of bread and wyne, yet (say they) there is no very bread nor wyne, but they bee turned into the fleshe & bloud of Christ. And this cōuersion they call Transubstantion, that is to say, turnyng of one substāce into another substāce. And although all the accidentes, bothe of the bread and wyne, remayne styl, yet (say they) the same accidentes, be in no maner of thyng, but hang alone in the ayre, without any thyng to stay them vponupon. For in the body and bloud of Christ (say they) these accidentes can not be, nor yet in the ayre, for the body and bloud of Christ and the ayre, be neither of that bignes, fashion, smell, nor colour, that they bread and wyne be. Nor in the bread and wyne (say they) these accidentes can not be, for the substāce of bread and wyne (as they affirme) be cleane gone. And so there remaineth whitnes, but nothing is white: there remayneth colours, but nothing is coloured therwith: there remaineth roundnes, but no thyng is round: and there is bygnes, and yet no thyng is bygge: there is swetenes, without any swete thyng: softnes, without any soft thyng: breakyng, without any thyng broken: diuision, without any thyng deuided: and so other qualities & quantities, witout any thyng to receyue them. And this doctrin they teache as a necessary article of our fayth.
But it is not the doctrine of Christe, but the subtill Inuension of Antechrist,De summa trini. et fide catholica. fyrst decreed by Innocent the thyrd, and after more at large set furth by schole authors, whose studye was euer to defende and set abrode to the worlde all suche matters, as ye byshop of Rome had once decreed. And the deuil by his minister Antichrist, had so daseled the eyes of a great multitude of christen people in these latter dayes, that they sought not for their fayth, at the cleare light of Gods worde, but at the Romishe Antichrist, beleuyng whatsoeuer he prescribed vntounto thē, yea though it were against all reason, all senses, and Gods most holy worde also. For els he could not hauehave been very Antichrist in dede, except he had been so repugnaunt vntounto Christe, whose doctrine is cleane contrary to this doctrine of Antichrist. For Christ teacheth, that we receiue very bread and wyne in the most blessed supper of the Lord as sacramentes to admonishe vsus, that as we be fedde with bread & wyne bodely, so wee be fedde with the body and bloud of our sauiour Christ spiritually. As in our baptisme we receiue very water, to signifye vntounto vsus, that as water is an element to washe the body outwardly, so be our soules washed by the holy ghost inwardly.
The secōd is of the presēce of Christ in this sacrament.The seconde principall thyng, wherein the Papistes varry from the truth of Gods worde, is this. They say, that the very natural fleshe and bloud of Christe, whiche suffered for vsus vponupon the crosse, and sitteth at the right hand of the father in heauen, is also really, substancially, corporally, and naturally, in or vnderunder the accidentes of the sacramental bread and wyne, which they cal, the fourmes of bread and wyne. And yet here they varry not a lytle among them selues. For some say, that the very natural body of Christ is there, but not naturally, nor sensibly. And other saye, that it is there naturally and sensibly, and of the same bygnes & fashion that it is in heauen, and as the same was borne of the blessed virgyn Mary, and that it is there broken and torne in peeces with our teethe. And this appeareth partly by the schole authors, and partly by the confession of Beringarius,De consecrati. Distin. 2. Ego Beringarius. whiche Nicholaus the second constrayned him to make, whiche was this. That of the sacramentes of the Lordes table the sayd Beringarius should promise to holde that fayth, whiche the sayd Pope Nicholas and his counsail held, whiche was, that not onelyonly the sacramentes of bread and wyne, but also the very fleshe and bloud of oure Lorde Iesu Christ, are sensibly handeled of the priest in the altare, broken and torne with the teethe of the faythfull people. But the true catholike fayth, grounded vponupon Gods moste infallible woorde, teacheth vsus, that our sauiour Christ (as concernyng his mannes nature and bodely presence) is gone vp vntounto heauen, & sitteth at the right hand of his father, and there shall he tarry vntyl the worldes ende, at what tyme he shal come agayn, to iudge both the quicke and the dead, as he sayth him selfe in many scriptures. Ioan. 6.I forsake the worlde (sayth he) and go to my Father. And in another place he sayth:Mat. 26 You shal hauehave euer poore men among you, but me you shall not euer hauehave. And again he sayth:Mat. 24 Many hereafter shall come and laye: Loke here is Christe, or looke there he is, but beloue them not. And sainct Peter sayth in the Actes,Act. 3. that heauen must receiue Christe, vntyll the tyme that all thynges shall be restored.And saint Paule writyng to the Colossians,Colos. 3 agreeth hereto, saiyng: Seke for thinges that be aboue, where Christ is sittyng at the right hand of the father. And sainct Paule speakyng of the very sacrament,1. Cor. 11 sayth: As often as you shall eate this bread, and drynke this cuppe, shewe furth the Lordes death vntyll he come. Tyll he come sayth S. Paule, signifiyng, that he is not there corporally present. For what speeche were this or who vseth of him that is already present, to say, Untyl he come? For Untyl I come, signifyeth that he is not yet present. This is the catholike fayth, whiche we learne from our youth in our common Crede, and whiche Christ taught, the Apostles folowed, and the martyres confirmed with theyr bloud.
And although Christ in his humayne nature substantially, really, corporally, naturally and sensibly, be present with his father in heauē, yet sacramentally and spiritually he is here present in water bread and wyne, as in signes and sacramentes, but he is in deede spiritually in the faythfull christian people, whiche accordyng to Christes ordinaunce be baptised, or receyue the holye communion, or vnfainedly beleue in him. Thus hauehave you hard the seconde pryncipal article, wherin the Papistes vary from the truthe of Goddes worde, and from the catholike faith.
Nowe the thyrde thynge, wherin they varye, is this.
The Papistes saye,The thyrd is that euil men eate & drinke the very bodye and bloode of Christ. that euell and vngodlye men receaue in this sacramente the very bodye and bloud of Christe, and eate and drynke the selfe same thinge, that the good and godly men doo. But the truthe of Gods woorde is contrary, that al those that be godly mēbres of Christe, as they corporally eate the bread and drinke the wyne, so spiritually they eate and drinke Christes very fleshe and bloude. And as for the wycked membres of the dyuell, they eate the sacramental bread, and drinke the sacramental wyne, but they doo not spiritually eate Christs fleshe nor drinke his blode, but they eate and drinke theyr owne damnation.
The fourthe thynge, wherein the Popyshe preestes dissente frome the manifest woorde of God, is this. They saie, that they offre Christe eueryevery day for remission of sinne, and distribute by their Masses, the merites of Christes passion. But the prophetes, apostels and euangelistes doo saye, that Christe him selfe in his owne person made a sacrifice for our sinnes vppon the Crosse, by whose woundes all our diseases were healed, and our sinnes pardoned, and so dyd neuer no preest, man, nor creature but he, nor he dyd the same neuer more than ones. And the benefite hereof is in no mannes power to gyue vntounto any other, but eueryevery man muste receaue it at Christes handes him selfe,A…acult. 2. by his owne faith and beliefe, as the prophete saieth.
HERE ENDETH THE fyrste booke.