A DETECTION OF THE devils Sophistry, wherewith he robbeth the unlearned people, of the true byleef, in the most blessed Sacrament of the altar.  
Timeo ne sicut serpens evam seduxit astutia sua: ita corrumpantur sensus vestri, & excidant asimplicitate. 2. Cor. 11.  
1546.   

¶ STEVEN bishop of Winchester to the reader.  
Consider gentle reader, how full of iniquity this time is, in which, the high mystery of our religion is so openly assaulted. believe not every spirit, and mistrust thine own judgement, above the reach of thy capacite. If thou be'st hungry for knowledge, take heed thou fallest not on every carrion. Be desyrouse of the very truth, and seek it as thou art ordered, by the direction of Christ's church, and not as deceitful teachers, would lead thee, by their secret ways. Follow God and his ministers, whom he ordereth to rule, and rather conform knowledge to agree with obedience, where god's truth repugneth not unto it, then with violation of obedience, which is a displeasant fault to enterprise the subversion of god's honour and glory. Finally read when thou readest, with favour, to that truth, which the consent of Christ's church, hath from the beginning commended unto us, and reverently at their hands receive the true understanding of scriptures, whose true testimony hath certified us of the self same scriptures. And have always in remembrance the words of saint james, how God resisteth the presumptuous and arrogant and giveth grace to such as be in spirit, meek and lowly, which gift, God grant thee, and well to fear.   

A DETECTION OF the devils Sophistry, wherewith he robbeth the unlearned people, of the true belief, in the most blessed Sacrament of the altar.  
THe first chief and principal point of deceit and sophistry is, to make every man think of himself, further than is in deed in him, by this persuasion, 
The devil deceiveth most craftily when he pretendyth truth.  that god granteth true understanding and wisdom, to every man, that would have it, hath need of it, & asketh it, in his name, which hath such an evident truth in it, as no man can directly deny it, and gainsay it, for so god doth in deed, & yet not so as the unlearned do take it, & thinketh it to be understanded. For albeit god giveth all knowledge, to feed the soul, as he giveth also all food and nouriture to the corporal bodies, and it is for both, generally said, jacta super dominum curam tuam, 
Psalm. 54.  et ipse te enutriet▪ wherein god hath also, to show his omnipotency given suddenly, speech to them that could not speak, 
lerimae. 1.  as to jeremy, given the unlearned, suddenly knowledge, to confounded the great clerks, 
joan. 2.  changed water into wine in a moment, to make cheer to gests of the feast, and multiplied by his blessing, 
Math. 14.  the five loves to the necessary relief of the hungry, 
Exodi. 16.  fed his people with manna in desert, 
Exodi. 17.  and given them for relief, out of the hard dry stone water: Yet we may not hereof presume, that god, because he can always, therefore also he will always continually work new miracles, and give his gifts out of order and make harvest in February, or children and rude ignorantes, learned before they go to school. And in deed, we might aswell and better ask our bodily food without our labour, and sesonable time as ask the knowledge of learning, to instruct the soul, without time or ●ue endeavour, wherewith to attain the same. It is god's work, that we come by it when we come by it with our labour and teaching of other, 
I Cor. 3.  for neque qui plantat est aliquid, neque ꝗ rigat, sed qui incrementum dat, deus. And we that in our Pater noster, 
Math. 4.  ask our daily bread, knowledge it to come of god when we have it, and yet no man boasteth himself to have it, by cause he hath asked it, or looketh otherwise for it, but by thapplying of his labour and industry thereunto, which persuasion if these simple unlearned, had in the attaining of wisdom, they would mistrust their own judgement and think themselves (as they be) unlearned, and with out long exercise and diligent endeavour, with a vessel meet and apt to receive the same, not think themself to have obtained that gift of god, ne be able for want thereof, to discuss of learning. This false persuasion of learning, wherewith the devil inveigleth the simple and engendereth in them a pride of cunning and understanding, which they have not, is the foundation & root, whereupon is builded and groweth false doctrine in the high mysteries of our religion, & specially in the most blessed Sacrament of th'altar, wherein diverse have of late peversely reasoned, & unlearnedly spoken with such presumptuous pride, & intolerable arrogancy as declare plainly the same to proceed of the spirit of the devil full of errors, & lies, blindness, & ignorance, by reason whereof, they stumble in the plain way, 
Chrisost. ho. 60 Non sunt human virtutis he opera, que tunc in illa cena confecit, iyse nunc quoque operatur, ipse perficit, nosmi nistrorum ordinem tenemus qui vero hec sanctificat, & trans mutat, ipse est.  & can not see in the mid day. For what can be more evidently spoken of the presence of Christ's natural body and blood, in the most blessed sacrament of the altar, than is in those words of scripture which our saviour Christ once said, and be infallible truth, and still saith, in consecration of this most holy Sacrament, by the common ministre of the church. This is my body. But against this truth, the devil striveth, and fighteth by his ministers, & lewd apostles, with sophistical devices, wherewith he troubleth the gross imaginations of the simple people. And having once enchanted, the rude wits with this charm of presumptuous knowledge (whereof I spoke before) whereby the ignorant, waxeth so arrogant, as he maketh himself able to judge and discern, between plainness and craft, between reason and sophistication, between argument and argument, exposition and exposition, such as be thus overthrown in their judgement, and so blinded in themself, the devil easily entangleth and bindeth fast to him, with carnal reasons, deceitful expositions, crooked arguments, and counterfeit contradictions, and thereby leadeth them away, captive and thralled, from the true catholtque byleefe in this most holy sacrament, which sophystry and deceptes, be diversely tempered, after these sorts.  
AND first to the carnal man, the devil bringeth carnal reasons, and for conformation, and proof of them calleth to witness, the carnal senses, both of the body and soul. And straight thine eye sayeth, there is but bread and wine. Thy taste says the same. Thy felinge and smelling agree fully with them. Hereunto is added the carnal man's understanding, which because it taketh the beginning of the senses, proceedeth in reasoning sensually. And (as the Epicures did) concludeth that the senses together, can not be deceived. whereupon also the Epicurians said the son was but two foot broad, because their eye judged it to be no bigger. And from this they would not be brought, but remained as farm, in that folly, as some heretics do, in this mischievous devilish misbelief, against the most blessed Sacrament of the altar. Wherefore all such as ground their error, against this most blessed Sacrament, upon the testimony of their sight, their taste, feeling, or smell, or otherwise upon their carnal understanding, because they can not by their carnal reason, comprehend it, all such be beastly and blind, and far from the knowledge of the miseries of our religion, as wherein our senses and reason, be vy faith condemned and reproved, finally declare them selue to be such men, as seem to require teaching in the principles and beginnings of our religion, wherein their gross carnal reasons, if they were truly mortified, they should not so stobbernly and arrogantly meddle, in the discussion of the inscrutable mystery in the most blessed sacrament of th'altar. For if their senses were by true faith, overthrown & put to confusion, in the bylefe of the holy trinity, the father of heaven, the son, & holy ghost, to be inseparably divided in three persons, & divisibly ejoined in one godhead & essece which Gregory Nazianzene speaketh thus in greke. 
Grego. Naizan. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherein we know by faith, the truth, so to be, how so ever our reason spurneth and tentech us to the contrary, If these men's senses were tamed, in the believing scripture of creation of the world, by god in time, and of nothing, contrary to the discussion of man's reason, which the philosophers could not temper, to agree, that of nothing, was any thing made, If in the mystery of the incarnation of our saviour Christ, the rebellion of man's senses, were throughly trod under feet, and brought in due subjection, to give place to faith, whereby we believe that the son of god (which we confess truly) to be immensus, was yet contained in the holy virgin's womb, & a creature, to contain the creator, and as the church rejoicing, doth daily acknowledge, in worshipping the blessed virgin Marye.  
Quem totus non capit orbis,  
In tua se clausitviscera, factus homo  
Which to man's reason implieth an insoluble contradiction, to say that in her womb, should be shut in, that all the world could not contain. And then further the true story of Christ's gospel wherein is truly reported to us how Christ entered to his disciples, after his resurrection the gates being shut, and role out of his grave the same remaining still shut, which to our understanding, maketh a signification of two bodies to be in one place together and occupy the same place, at one time, And is to man's sensual and carnal knowledge impossible, and is nevertheless in the said myraculouse passage of our saviour Christ most truly verified. But if in these, and many other, the carnal man had in the foundation of our faith fully acknowledged his weakness, his blindness, his imbecility & ignorance, the same would never presume again, 
Chriso. bo. 60. Credamus ubi ꝙ deo, neque repugnem●s ei. etiam si sensvi & cogitacioin nostrae absus Lum esse widetur quod dicit, superetque sensum & rationem nostram quod in omnibus, & pr●●●pue imysteri●● h●● qu● ante nos jacent solum. mo●o spicientes said uer●● quoque eius todmentes. Nam verbis eius defreudari non possumus, sensus vero noster deceptu facilli mus est, illa falsa esse non possunt, is saepius acsaepius decipitur. Quoni amergo ille di xit, Hoc est corpus meum, nulla teneamur imbiguitate, sed credamus 〈◊〉  either to improve the presence of the natural body of our Saviour Christ, in the most blessed Sacrament of the altar, in form of bread & wine, by carnal devices, ne travail to be satisfied in consideration of the circumstances of the same. For like as in the other mysteries of the trinity, the creation of the world, the incarnation of Christ, and also resurrection of the flesh, (whereof I have not spoken, but may say, as I have in the other) carnal reason is excluded, by certainty of faith: so should it be in all other mysteries, which all together, be the body of our reeigion, wherein we have the true knowledge of god, which the devil laboureth to subvert and overthrow, and useth therein the instrument of man's presumptuous arrogance, to know all as god doth, and to comprehend in his capacite, the same, and what so ever exceedeth it, or repugneth thereunto, to call that false folly, lies, and untruth. After which sort, man's foolish wisdom, hath enterprised at sundry times, to impugn the secret mysteries of gods high wisdom, & incomprehensible works, And so the devil by the Arrians, (as he doth by the Turks at this day) hath assaulted the castle and fort of our religion, by denial of Christ to be very God, and with truths falsely applied, go about to make battery and entry, to overthrow the same, like as he hath also attempted many other mysteries. But being in them by god's power resisted, the devil assayeth to make entry now, by subverting the truth in the most blessed Sacrament of th'altar, and to allure the multitude of most carnal and rude capacities diwlgeth abroad, gross carnal reasons, and would persuade the unlearned that their ignorance in the circumstance (how,) should plainly prove to them, that the thing is not, & therewith whistleth in their ears, this enchantment. If it were true that is taught in the sacrament of thaluter, by the papists (which term serveth for a token to them, to prove the matter naught) such and such inconveniences, should not to our senses follow. Do we not see (says the devil) the sacrament of th'altar that they call god their idol, (oh blasphemous tongue) sometime eaten of a mouse, sometime wax green mould, red mould, and blue mould? and here the devil refressheth his yonglynges with many abominable tales, such as a scoffing lesting wit could devise, to have been done. Doth it not enter (saith the devil) into the body, and so forth, and speaketh that liketh him, more than honest ears can endure? And then the devil frameth the matter in fashion of learning, and first with a counterfeit religion of maintenance of god's truth, propoveth god, to be impassable, incorruptible and immortal, which is a most undoubted truth, & then followeth thintended lie, thus, That which these papists make God, & call the sacrament of th'altar, that is corruptible, And here the senses bear witness, The papists god, (the devil saith) is also passable. And here the senses be also ready, & shall affirm, they have seen the mouse eat it, man's hand break it, & man's teth tear it. It is also mortal (says the devil) for the senses bear testimony, they have seen it with a sudden fire in a church, consumed, Ergo then, (& with this the devil triumpheth & ●cludeth) there is not god, but it is an idol, which words they uttermost blasphemouselye & falsely. But consider (christen reader) how far is it out of the way, to examine man's senses or carnal reason, what they can depose of god; or his high secret works. This reasoning might serve to prove that either Christ was not God (which no christian ear can endure) or else not to be true (which is most true & certain) that Christ died or suffered for us. And thus the devils disciple, will reason. God is impassable, Christ suffered: Ergo he was not god. Or thus. God is impassable, Christ was god: Ergo he suffered not. So as by these reasoes, and reasonings, wherein the senses serve for a proof, or carnal reason frameth thargument: either we must with the Arians deny Christ god blasphemousely, or consent most foolishly, to other false dreams, that Christ suffered not at al. But as we be learned most truly & certeynely in faith, that Christ was very God and perfyght man, and without injury to his godhead (which is impassable (suffered nevertheless natural death, for he was natural man without sin, and when we know this truth assuredly by faith, regard not what all our senses repugn to the contrary, ne we do not lean to their testimony in it: So in this high mystery of the sacrament of th'altar, when we know by faith the presence of Christ's natural body and blood, by the mighty operation of his word, pronounce in the consecration by the minister: what a tentation is it of the devil, to keep a court with our senses & carnal reasoning (which be blind, & can not understand it) & of them to make an inquest to know whither my byleef therein be right or no? which senses, if they had been inquired of Christ's body, being conversant in earth, their testimony had been of christ, that he was but a man, as other were, even as they now affirm the Sacrament to be but breed, as other breed is. Their capacite is no further, and therefore it is a madness, and over rude grossness, to comen with them in a matter (I know well) they can no skill of. But herein we should lean to our faith, grounded upon god's truth, and confess all to be so, as god worketh by his omnipotency, and therewith acknowledge the weakness of man's capacite, not able to comprehend it, & forasmuch as the plain words of scripture, declare, and testify unto us, the presence of the most precious body and blood of our Saviour Christ, in the sacrament of th'altar, we should not be shaken or altered from that byleef, what so ever our senses or carnal understanding, should bark to the contrary. If mine eye, seethe the host consecrated broken (which is daily done in the mass) or devoured by a mouse, or otherwise percase abused (which happeneth rarely) is this a just cause, why my faith, should by and by waver, and mistrust the truth, by god declared unto me? Or else must carnal reason and understanding be satisfied, how it cometh to pass, that standing our faith in the most blessed sacrament of the presence of the natural body and blood of our saviour Christ, the same sacrament may be broken, the same may be devoured of the mouse, the same may be corrupt, or otherwise misused? Whereunto first I say this, that if after the words of consecration, the host consecrated, were so by god preserved, from the injuries, and violences of other creatures, as it eoulde not be broken, devoured, or corrupt, it were such an outward miracle, to the open confusion of our carnal senses, as whereby to take away the merit of our faith. For unto the faithful, such miracles (as saint Paul says) 
1 Cor. 14.  be not showed but to the infidels. And a good true christen believing man, knoweth this by faith, that good is inviolable, impassable, incorruptible, immortal, and that our saviour Christ, the second person in trinity, very god, having the human nature, now unite to the godhead and glorified, can not any more suffer in that body, violence or corruption, ne be violate or brought to mortalyte. 
Psal: 15.  Quia non dabis sanctum tuum videre corruptionem. And therefore what so ever man's senses affirm of the violation, corruption, or destruction of the host consecrated, a christian man's faith knoweth most certainly, that the most precious body of christ, there present in that host, is not violate, is not corrupted, is not destroyed, for the faithful is ascertained, that Christus resurgens ex mortuis, 
Roma. 6.  iam non moritur, mors illi ultra non dominabitur. And therefore the same being truly taught, and informed of god's omnipotency considereth, that as Christ being conversant in earth, among the malicious jews, before the time of his passion, and when the same was not yet come (as the gospel says) when the furious jews would have precipitate him. 
Luc. 4.  Transiens per medium illorum ibat. And when Herode slay all the rest of the children, Christ being a child, 
Mat. 2.  was preserved: So in the most blessed sacrament of the altar, how soever the same be abused by man's malice or negligence, or otherwise broken in the mystical use of it, yet the very body of our saviour Christ there present, continueth inviolate, impassable, and is beyond the reach of any violence to be inferred by man, best, or any other accidental occasion, of any other cause, ne the true faithful man can be induced by any worldly demonstration, to depart or serve from his true faith, & what so ever reasons may be made to the contrary, he taketh them only as tentations of the devil, whereby to subvert, and overturn his steadfast faith, being so firm & strong in a good christian man, as the gates of hell can not prevail against it, & much less, worldly fancies, reasons or demonstrations, and specially such, as be grounded, upon the senses and carnal arguments, which can not attain the secrets of gods mysteries. The devil now a days, diwlgeth by his wicked ministers, his lewd tales, of the abuses of the host consecrated, when by to impugn the faith of the presence, of the body of our saviour Christ. And here is made mention of moulding & mice devouring, with such like mysuses, which the presence of Christ's natural body, if it were there (as they say) should defend, wherein I would ask such sort of men, as be moved by these reasons, how much these inconveniences so abominably told, do exceed and be more strange, whereby to shake our faith but the wondering and murmuring of our senses, than those things which the church doth daily ordain and openly do, wherewith the true believers have not been offended?  
Doth not the preiste daily in the mass, & hath done alway, break the host consecrated, in the sight of the people, without offence or slander, of such as have these xv.c. years and do at this day believe the presence of the natural body of Christ? Have not men of weak stomachs (fearing they could not contain, the they received) used reverently to forbear to receive, the most blessed Sacrament, where they certainly believed the presence of Christ's natural body to be able & of power to heal body & soul? And have either of these reverent uses among good men, impaired the belief among them, or good men been inquisitive, how god could be broken, being impassable and present in the sacrament of the altar, or bencuriouse to ask, why men should forbear to receive the sacrament, for fear of any weakness of stomach, seeing god (whom they believe there present) is able to heal all: Good men were never offended, with brekinge of the host, which they daily see, being also persuaded Christ's body to be present in the sacrament naturally and really, whereunto with worshyppinge they lifted up their hands, and therewith nothing doubted, but god was inviolable, & impassable, when they see the host broken in the mass, ne used not to my struste gods immortality, when they have seen a sick man receive the sacrament not a quarter of an hour before his natural death, as though in that man, the host consecrated (wherein the body of Christ in present) should with god's injury mould, or corrupt, waist and consume. And yet these right uses of the most blessed sacrament, contain as strange matter, to man's senses and carnal judgement, as do the lewd and blasphemous tales, devised and told whereby to inveigle man's understands, and spoil them of their true byleef. And yet also these breakinges and uses of the most blessed sacrament, were never hidden in the church, ne kept secret, as though the true belief should thereby decay, or be diminished. The church hath not forborn, to preach the truth, to the confusion of man's senses and understanding, whereunto men faithful and obedient, have yielded, acknowledging gods omnipotency, which man's reason can not match, The true church hath taught plainly, and teacheth that by the omnipotency of god's word, the substance of bread is converted to the substance of Christ's natural body, which is there then by his mighty power, not by mutation of place, by leaving of heaven, where he is ever present, but by his infinite power (whereby he can do all) and of a special favour to wards us, worketh continually in his church, this mystery and miracle, and in form of bread and wine, exhibiteth and presenteth himself, to be eaten & drunken of us, So as there is in the sacrament of th'altar, none other substance, but the substance of the body and blood of our saviour Christ, & yet remaineth the form and accidents of bread and wine, not altered by this miracle from knowledge of the senses, wherewith they were before known & also by god's sufferance subject to the same passibilite, they were in before. And yet here in this mystery and miracle wrought by god's power, we acknowledge, that contrary to the comen order of nature, the substance of bread, being converted into the natural bodily substance of our saviour Christ, the other accidents of bread & wine, as quantities & qualities remain still & without injury of Christ's most precious body, be (as we daily see) altered & broken, and remaining & abiding without their own fourmer substance of the creatures of bread & wine, whereunto they were by nature adjoined do now service their creature there present the very substance of all substances, under which accidents, that is to say (as we truly speak) under form of bread and wine, the natural body & received of us, in the sacrament of th'altar, who so ordered himself to be eaten and drunken of us, in his last supper, which continueth still, 
Chriso. ho. 60. Illa non alia mensa est, hec nulla re minor quam uls est. Non enim illam Christus, hac homo quis piam facit, sed utranque ipse.  till the worlds end, with a perpetual continuance also, of the marvelous working of the same festemaker & presence of the same most precious meat Christ himself (cum ipse sit conviva & conuivium) where with he continually feedeth, 
Higher ad●ebidiā  such as come unto him in his church, which church according to his commandment, by special ministers deputed thereunto, useth and exerciseth the same fist, in the most holy mass, where unto good christian menhave daily access, which most holy feast when men abuse, 
1. Cor. 11.  (as the Corynthians did) it is their condemnation, and can be nothing previdiciall or dangerous, to good men's true belief. such I say as have their faith established upon the true teaching of the church, that after the words of consecration, the substance of bread, is turned into the substance of the natural body and blood of our Saviour Christ. Against which teaching, good men kick not, with how, and whattes, for that is a token of incredulite, & if the chancel were with fire, suddenly burned (as hath happened by diverse chances) they think not christ that is god immortal, there killed, because he was there, in the host after consecration, or forbear any whit less, to worship christ, whom with their eyes of faith, they see present in the sacrament of th'altar, because their bodily sight, perceiveth not any visible alteration of the host, before the consecration & after, finally such good men, believe most steadfastly, without slander of their senies, that the breaking of the most blessed sacrament, by the ministre in the mass doth no violation to Christ's most precious body there present, ●e breaketh the most precious body, which is impassable, but only the form of bread, under which it is contained, and that the same most precious body, is after holy in each of the parts of the host broken, without any increase in number: as though there were then many Christ's present, but always one christ, & the same christ. But the devil taketh his oportunite of man's carnal living, & while the belly hath the upperhand among a great many of the world, by reason where of the senses be had in estimation, sturreth up this abominable heresy, against the most blessed sacrament of the altar, & upon the senses maketh the chief grounds whereby now, that afore was passed over in silence, when men's senses were brought in obedience with true byleef, is questioned and inquired of as a new matter. And now men be asked how a mouse can eat god, & how god can corrupt, and wax more uld: & how god can be broken in p●eces, which be fond framed questions, And to the great provocation of gods high indignation, blasphemously uttered. Answer me then (says the devil by his apostles) whereunto a true answer is this, and the simplicity required in a christian man sufficient. Believe, that a mouse can not devour god, believe that god can not corrupt. Believe that god can not be broken, now after he is one's risen, and believe also therewith, that Christ, god and man, is naturally present in the sacrament of th'altar, For so Christ says. So the church of god teacheth, So we be bound to believe. If thou be'st further taught of the devil, to reply, that if there remain in the host no substance, but the substance of the body and blood of Christ, it must needs be then, 
These be the doubts of incredulite.  that the same corrupteth, or else when goth it away? or where have you scripture, to declare the going away and departing of Christ, from the host? And if Christ depart, then is there no substance remaining, & where is no substance, is nothing, And so, thou wilt say (as the devil lerueth thee,) that by this teaching, we shall have nothing somewhat, And in deed the devil hath taught thee, to speak somewhat, that is in effect nothing, or worse than nothing, whereunto if men in these days can not answer probably (as I doubt not a great number can) and yet in this time the world is rather occupied in garnishing the tongue with words, them to enter the further consideration of intricate sophistication, whereby to be able to refel the same. Shall the true faith of the church, in this high mystery perish in thee, by the devils secret tentation, because I, or such other, can not answer thy sophistical argument. If men's words do not persuade our faith, 
Non in persuasibilibus humanae sapienciae verbis,  but only the power of god, shall the framing of an argument, wrested out of old matter, 
1. Cor. 2.  subvert the true byleef, by cause thou canst not be answered to thy satisfaction in it? which is as much to say, as thou wilt only believe thyself: For if thou wilt not believe more than thine own capacite can comprehend, then haste thou no byleef at all of god, which can not be of man comprehended, and haste only a vain deceitful imagination of thine own, without ground or foundation, ready to be turned as the wind changeth his cost, and bloweth slackly or straineably, as is occasioned by the air, And so is there finally by thy conclusion, no steadfast faith in our religion, but wavering opinion, which is the devils special craft wherewith to wipe out al. For if it were necessarily requisite, to satisfy man's senses and sensual reasons, in the mystery of the most blessed sacrament of th'altar, could the same carnal reason (trow you) stay there but would desire the like satisfaction in the mystery of Christ's incarnation, our resurrection, and the mystery of the trinity. Could the philosophers (being without true faith, as they were) stay natural reason, but she would penetrate all secrets, and for want of satisfaction, finally among a number, deny god which is th'end for punishment, of such curiosite, And therefore it is to be noted, that saint Austen says in the 
D. August. de Trinitate  iii book, in his work. De trinitate. Mihi omnino utile est, ut meminerim virium mearum, fratres quam meos admonean, ut & ipsi meminerint virium svarum, ne ultra quam tutum est, humana progrediatur infirmitas. It is expedient for me (says S. Austin) to remember mine own strength and to admonish my brethren likewise, that they remember their strength, that man's weakness wade no further, than it may with safety. According whereunto Solomon says. Scrutator maiestatis, 
Provet. 15.  opprimetur a gloria. He that searcheth the majesty, shallbe overwhelmed of the glory. And it is written in Ecclesiastico. 
Eccle. 3  Altiora te, ne quaesieris, & fortiora te, ne scrutatus fueris, sed quae preaeci pit tibi Deus, illa cogita senꝑ, & in pluribus operibus eius ne fueris curiosus. Question not (says Ecclesiasticus) of these things that thou canst not reach. Search not for things above thy strength & force, but what so ever things god command the to do, think of them ever, and in many of god's works be not over curious, whereunto it may be said further (as saint Augustyne 
Augustine.  writeth) and specially give no credence to thy senses, and sensual reasons, to impugn the mysteries of faith, how so ever they press thee, and prick thee, to enterprise the same, wherein I travail not so much with thee (reader) because this thwarting of man's carnal reason, were an hard objection, which if thou markest, I have before ass●yled by the way, or that I thought it any dangerous matter to be answered unto, wherein as I would wish no such trifling arguments in so high and grave a matter, to have been made, & think it a great plague of god, to see so high precious mysteries, so commonly, so rudely, and grossly spoken of: So I think the solution very easy, I mean to senses exercised in knowledge and learning, (as S. Paul says) being able to digest strong meat, and to discern sophistery, in the mistaking of speech, and conceive the fine differences in consideration of the things which in deed exceed the capacite of the rude people. And therefore when they hear it, being angry that they perceive it not, improve it commonly, and call it sophistery, where in deed, they be already with this gross carnal arguments sophistically entangled. But to the purpose shortly: First I say this, (whereof I have spoken before) that the devil in his vile examples, of the abuse of the most blessed host consecrated, although he troubleth the eye of the rude man, and the ear also, with matter of new circumstance, wherewith the simple wit, is suddenly confounded: where in deed the very matter in those tales deeply considered, is no stranger than the old, and hath no cause to trouble or move, but only because it is a new fashion, newly uttered and told. Few men (and those but rarely) have seen a mouse devour the host, or churches burned, wherein the host was then reserved, and with the church consumed to man's senses, or the hosts, by negligence moulded or other wise abused. These have chanced seldom, & have comen to the knowledge of few, but many have known (as of judas specially we be learned and taught) that evil men having the devil in them in that they be evil, have yet received into their bodies the host consecrated, wherein was then present the most precious body and blood of our saviour Christ. Many also have seen good men, being the temple of god, receive the most blessed sacrament in to their body, and die shortly after. Moreover the hole church hath seen, and daily doth see (such as forbear not to come to church) the most blessed sacrament broken, by the minister, both in the mass for a mystery continually, and some time when hosts have wanted for communion of other. In which considerations, of that all or many have seen man's senses & carnal understanding should have been asmuch astoyned, for the matter repugnant to their capacite then, as now in the devils vile tales. wherefore this I say unto the for a solution, that if the true church of Christ hath so subdued their senses, & carnal imaginations, as in it, good men have with the true faith of the presence of the natural body and blood of our saviour Christ, seen continually with their bodily eyes, a notable repugnance, to their carnal senses and understanding, and yet not be moved and altered in their faith therewith: why should the same matter told in a vile tale & filthy demonstration, move any man now? For why should any man think worse of the most blessed sacrament, when he seethe a mouse take it, then when he heareth of a thief (as judas the devils member) to have taken it? Or why should he mistrust the presence of Christ's natural body in the host, being in the church when the same is burned, more than when he seethe the man incontinently after he hath received the host, die, and wrapped up in earth. And as for the breaking, why have not good men asmuch been offended in their senses, in the right use and mystery of the church, which is daily done in the mass, as in such new tales, as the devil now devised, to declare passybilite? Certainly, none other cause is there but this, that in them true faith reigned, and had the senses in captivity and bondage, and in godly simply cite, believed gods omnipotency, far exceeding the weakness of man's capacite. And thus conclude I, one plain solution to the matter. The church of god testifieth and teacheth this to be the true byleef of the most blessed Sacrament of the altar, that there is present the natural body and blood of our saviour Christ. Good men in the same church with their bodily senses have seen and heard, as much matter repugnant to their senses, in the mystical and devout use of the blessed sacrament, as the devil now telleth in scoffing tales, and yet therewith retained still the same faith inviolably, wherefore all good men should likewise do the same now, without curiosite or search, how the same might be, which to good men should be a solution for the hole matter: For true bylevers know that as the hands of the ministers that break the sacrament in the mass, the teeth also of them that receive it, ne the natural heat of their body wherein it descendeth, doth no violence of passibylitie, bringeth no corruption, alteration, or consumption to the most precious body of our saviour Christ: no more can any be'st that should touch the host irreverently, or any temperature of the air and place, in the moulding or altering of the host. 
〈…〉.  And further more I answer that being in the most blessed Sacrament of th'altar, two considerations, one that it is a sacrament, another that it is also the thing itself of the sacrament, that is to say Christ's most precious body & blood, albeit there is in the host no substance of bread, but only the substance of the most precious body & blood of our saviour Christ: yet there is (which appear to our bodily senses) the form of bread and wine, under which, the most precious substance, of the body and blood of our saviour Christ, is covered, and hidden, from our bodily eyes, for our weakness and infirmity as Theophilus Alexandrius sayeth. And when we call the Sacrament of the altar, God, we understand the substance of that sacrament, which is Christ, God and man there present, and according to that understanding, attribute all godly honour unto it, and in this speech, the word (Sacrament) signifieth and giveth understanding, by a special signification, and by excellency (as learned men speak of it) the thing signified there present, that is to say, the body & blood of our saviour Christ, which can not be broken with hand, can not be torn with teeth, or be altered, consumed, moulded, or devoured of beeste, or putrefied, ne herein the bodily senses can bear any witness to the contrary, for they can not attain that. But when we use, the word (Sacrament) or the word (host) and apply the speech of it, to such a matter as may not be said of the natural body of Christ, than the speech is verified in those fourmes of bread and wine, under which, the most precious body of christ is covered. As when we say, that the sacrament is broken or moulded, or altered, it is only understanded of the said form of bread and wine, being the outward accidents, as the qualities, or dimensions, which god there preserveth not otherwise by outward miracle, being them sustained by his most precious bodily substance, then when they be naturally joined, to the substance of bread, whereof that god thus doth not, man's senses (because those accidents be sensible) may judge, for we see it so, and those accydentes be perceptible, by the bodily sight and sense, and with the eye of the soul in faith, we see the presence of the most precious body of our saviour Christ, who there, is the only substance of the sacrament, so long remaining under those accidents, as the form of bread and wine (under which (by the omnipotency of his word) it pleaseth him to exhibit himself unto us) doth remain and continued. Here the devil whispereth: If god were there he would not suffer, thaccidents corrupt, or be violate by any outward violence. Whereunto (as I have before touched) I say, this is verily the devils suggestion, to make the foundation of our saith, not upon godly teaching, but upon the continual outward miracle, and nothing to be in mystery, whereunto mild simplycite yieldeth, 
saint Augustine says outward signs draw to christ, which in them that 〈◊〉 drawn be not necessary  but in all open violent signs, such as the unfaithful, could not resist. And yet if the accidents of the host, were by god's power, for declaration of his presence, made impassable, and incorruptible, the devil would fur her require, that man's body receiving the same. should also be made impassable and incorruptible, by the might of Christ's presence, 
Exod. 7.  For else Magi Pharaonis would presume to counterfeit the other miracle, & call it witchecrafte, For the devil is calumniator, and laboureth to deprave all thing. But good mean have yielded to gods true teaching in his church, and subduing the carnal understanding have avoided by his grace this tentation of the devil, to require outward signs, as though god should testify his presence, in the most blessed sacrament, with preservation of thaccidents, in the sacrament and their bodily state, from present corruption and immortality, that receive him, and so the sick man by the holy communion, to attain straight bodily health, wherein all though, god hath sometime for increase of his glory, and to the edification of his church showed his power, yet it hath not been required as necessary among good men and for the increase of our merit in faith not expedient, so as the holy martyrs, who after they had, for their strength in martyrdom, which they saw imminent, received Christ's most precious body, in the sacrament of th'altar, continued nevertheless in their bodies, subject to outward violence to be slain (as they were by tyrants) wherewith the rest of such as truly believed, were not offended. For if the carnal senses, shall have such a pre-eminence and prerogatrue, as the want of a new outward miracle to their satisfaction, shall empayre the true faith of gods inward working with us, and for us: we may worthily be called Gens incredula, 
Mat. ●2. Ruc. 11. Eph. 6.  quae signum quaerit, & non dabitur e●. By such mistrust the Capharnaites, lost the fruit of Christ's teaching, but we should knowledge (as the disciples of Christ did that Christ's words be life, everlasting, And surely such as believe not simply our Moses' Christ, and the holy prophets of his church, they will give small credence to any other new miracles, though men rose again from death to speak with them, but rather study to dysprove all thing, that repugneth to their opinion, who being lifted up by the devil in vainglory, of knowledge, above the pinnacle of the temple, think they had more wit & learning then all bishops & priests that be ministers of the temple But now cometh the devil, as a mediator, in an other cote, and under pretence to satisfy all understands, he would have the belief in the sacrament in one point releaved, & would we should believe, the remaining, of the substance of bread, wherewith to assoil the arguments of the mouse, and yet grant the substance of the body of christ to be there, for the substance and food of christian men, which kind of belief good christian men, taught by the spirit of god, have not received, for it can not be maynteyved of Christ's words, who spoke plainly, 
Mat. 26. 〈…〉 11.  This is my body, making demonstration of the bread, when he said, This is my body, by the might of which words of Christ that was demonstrate by the demonstration (this) which was the bread, was altered and changed into his body, whereby the substance of bread was converted in to the substance of his most precious body, wherein was declared, Christ's marvelous power, 
〈…〉  whereof Theophilus speaketh in this wise. Our lord condescending to our infirmity altered not the form of bread and wine, but conserveth them, & turneth the bread and wyve into the truth of his flesh and blood, and this is the true understanding of Christ's speech, which and if we understand so as the bread should remain, then follow many absurdities, and chiefly that Chryste hath taken the nature of bread, as he took the nature of man, and so joined it to his substance. And then as we have God verily incarnate, for our redemption, so should we have God impanate, and then should we have in Christ (besides the divine essence) two other substances, absque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and be compelled to fain to the truth, that christian ears abhor, to the subversion of the same, as we have seen among other come to pass. Wherefore as the truth, which the church hath and doth plainly and sincerely teach, is most certain and sure, grounded upon the plain words of our saviour Christ, in the most blessed sacrament, so every christian man should receive it, and believe it firmly, without wavering, or divising any addition to the same. Let men forsake their carnal erthlye senses, and the wicked kindred of malicious seducers, get the out thence good reader, and resort to the company of true faithful men, and knowledge with them the revelation in the most blessed Sacrament, of the presence of the natural body and blood of our saviour jesu Christ, which, caro et sanguis, can not declare, but only, Pater noster, 
Mat. 1●.  qui est in coelis, who hath declared it, and taught it our mother the church.  
ANother point of the devilish sophistry, is between the words and meaning, wherein the devil shifteth the matter thus. Where the words of scripture, be plain, evident, manifest, and confirm the catholic truth, there the devil deviseth an other meaning, and advertiseth his scholars, that the words be nothing without the meaning, and therefore (saith he) we must understand Chrystes words, as he meant them, and therefore (says the devil) beware of the words, and take heed of the meaning. Christ (saith the devil) said This is my body, but take heed (saith sathan) what Christ meant. O abominable Satan, full falsely dost thou mean. O good christian faithful man, mark thou this sophistry. For it is in deed a true lesson, that the very word of god is the true meaning of scripture, and who hath that true meaning (which is not taughe by man's wit and devise of understanding but by declaration from god, revealed to the church) he hath gods words, to his comfort and consolation and who hath the words of scripture perversely taken, is therewith infected and poisoned to his confusion, as the Arrians Sabellyans, and an infinite numbered of heretics have been. So as it must needs be granted, that in the meaning of scripture is the marry, the carnel, the sweetness, the food, the honey of scripture, without which the words be a bitter shalt, and an hard bone, without food or sustenance. This must needs be confessed of all men, as an evident truth, which the devil abuseth by cavillation and sophistry, to overturn the truth in the most blessed sacrament of th'altar. For opening of which sophistry it is to be considered, that sometime in scripture, the words be so placed and ordered, as the meaning is uttered, and opened with the words at one's, and hath such light of the words, as they appear both together, and without further search, be straight conveyed to our understanding Sometime again the words be such, or so used and placed, as they bring not their meaning straight with them in the same light, but more darkly, and as it were hidden under the words. Now in the first sort of words, which bring their sense with them if we should in them call for a meaning, And when we rede, Humiliavit semetipsum dominus noste lesus Christus, 
Philip. 2.  factus obediens usque ad mortem. Our lord jesus Christ hath humbled himself being obedient to the death, we should call for a meaning and say, we must understand these words, as sayncte Paul meant them, Can we mean any thing by calling so for a meaning, but to call the certain meaning quam aenigma sit, loemm Heliam esse, & intellectu opus, ad intelligendum, inquit. Qui habet aures ad audiendù, audiat. Ita inducens eos ut interrogent ac discant. Which words in latin be in english this sentence. And if you will receive it, he is Helias, which should have come. If you will (saith Theoph.) receive it, that is to say, judge it rightly, and not with an enuiouse mind, he is Helias whom the prophet Malachi said, should come. For saint Iohn that came before Christ and Helias. have been both allotted to one office. The one to go before the first coming of christ, and the other before the last coming, And then showing how this was a dark speech, that Iohn was Helias, & contained a secret understanding in it, and required therefore another sense to be perceived, said, He that hath ears of hearing, let him hear, so inducing them, to ask & learn. Thus says Theophilacte, by whom we be learned of the circumstance, to note the meaning, if it be hidden, and so not only the words to be noted, in their common sense, but the meaning to be asked and learned, which lesson neglected, (as the devil meddleth with such as marketh it not engendereth in the knowledge of truth, a great perplexite, whereof the devil taketh opportunite to inveigle them, and sometime preacheth, sometime writeth to the unlearned on this wise: Christ's words be true, when he said, This is my body, but as he meant them. For so he said, he was a way, he was a vine, he was a door, but he was not a natural vine, he was no such way as men walk in, no such door, as men commonly entre into, but only a resemblance of all these, because he is our way to heaven, our door to enter in to life, our vynestocke, in whom, we as branches be nourished & kept in life. And so like wise (ꝙ the devil) when Christ says, This is my body, he means that it is only a resemblance, a figure a token, a sign of his body, which seemeth a strong argument, to such as have not their senses exercised, 
Nob. 5.  (as ss. Paul says) to discern good & evil, that is to say, truth from falsehood, and sophystry from plainness. But it is mere sophistry, for in those other places the matter showeth, they be spoken in a parable, & because christ spoke sometime in parables we may not say, he speaketh always in parables. And because when he said, Ipse est Helias, 
Mat. 11.  (est) singified a resemblance, & not the being, as the verb substantive properly doth signify) that therefore it signifieth so in Christ's words, when he said. Hoc est corpur meum, 
Mat. 16.  in which (est) is declared the very being. 
Mar. 14.  And although when Christ said. 
Luc. 12.  Soluite templum hoc, & in triduo reedisicabo illud, Destroy this temple and I shall in three days, 
Io. ●.  build it again. The word (templum) signifieth not there a very temple, but Christ's body (which argument, one ignorant made) we may not say that therefore the word (corpus) shall not here signify Christ's very body, when christ said, Hoc est corpus meum, 
Rom. 13.  And when scripture says, we must clothe ourself with Christ, in which is not signified Christ's natural body, but Christ's teaching, & so the word (Christ) hath his sense hidden, we may not say, that therefore the same word (Christ) shall not in another place, have his own open evident sense, of the signification of Chrystes natural person, These manner of arguments, may cirumvent the unlearned, and unstable, and such as be prove to change though it be ior the worse but learned men, see than trifles (such learned men I mean as use them not for pastime, as some have done) ● good men, can not be shaken or moved with them. But hear what s. C●pri●ā says. Panis iste, quem dominus discipulis porrigebat, non effigy, sed natura mutatus, omnipotentia verbi factus est caro, This bread which our lord gave, to his disciples, changed in nature, but not in the outward form, is by the omnipotency of god's word made flesh. Which mystery when christ spoke of, 
Io. 6.  before the unfaithful Capernaites, They asked, how god rolled give his flesh to be eaten, and went their way, but the disciples, whom god had prepared by the formet miracle of five loves, and the miraculous multiplication of them, to believe this, they tarried & confessed Christ, to have the words of life. And where as in other places of scripture, where Christ spoke in parables, the disciples desired Christ to open them, 
Matt. 13.  & said: Edis sear nobis parabolan. Show and declare us this parable: So when Christ, consecrated his body, and gave it unto them to eat, the demonstration of the thing, neaded no further explication, to understand it, but faith to believe it. For Christ taking the bread in his hands, 
Mat. 26.  blessing it, and giving thanks, 
Mar. 14.  said, 
Luc. 12.  Take you, eat you, this is my body, 
1. Cor. 11.  What other meaning should here be sought for, where be so plain words, with such circumstance as can have none other meaning, to conceive which meaning (as I said) Christ had prepared the minds of his disciples, when he said. Panis quem ego dabo vobis, caro mea est, 
Io. 6.  pro mundi vita. The bread that I shall give you, is my flesh, for the life of the world. So as in the very consecration, because it was the exhibition of that, Christ had promised, and they had confessed him to have the words of life, when they saw him, and hard hum execute the same, they understood with his words, his meaning, and believed him. But I think it much better to pretermytte further occasion, of that might be my praise, to expound unto you, the scriptures, & omytring mine own speech to lay before you, such exposition, and opening of the holy, and incontaminat mysteries of Christ, as other have left written, which I do afterward in a special place for it, & yet me thinketh here is offered an opportunity, to writ that John Damascene saith alone, For he alone openeth the matter, so plainly as he might alone suffice, for declaration of the thing, and confutation, of the devils sophistry, devised to impugn the same. This John Damascene, was a great clerk, and one of the greke church and written in greke, so as they need not to be offended, that love not the latyn tongue. Two things in him shall offendsome. One, that he stout lie defended the maintenance of images, and vehemently inveighed against them, that broke them, and would not have them stand, wherein he written so vehemently, as upon false accusement for another matter devised, & contrived against him, his right hand was stricken of, & hanged in the market place as the hand of and offender, which nevertheless after he had obtained incontinently by grace, and favour, liberty to take it down, the same hand was by miracle restored to his body, and joined again to his arm in perfit use, as it was before, for restitution whereof, he prayed to our lady, in words of this sentence. Domina & sanctissima matter, quae deum meum peperisti, amputata est dextera mea, ob sanctas & divinas imagines, tu qua de causa Leo seui at non ignoras, proinde ●iocius succurre, dextera enim altissimi, quae de te incarnata est, per tuas in tercessiones, multas facit virtutes, sanet oro & hanc meam dexteram tuis praecibus. The englysshe of which prayer is this O Lady and most holy mother, the which hast brought forth my god, my right hand, is cut of for images, such as represent godliness, & holiness unto us, thou knowest for what cause, Leo (themperor) is so fierce, & therefore help speedily, The right hand of the highest which is incarnate of thee, hath wrought many virtues, by thy intercessions. I pray the therefore, that he may by thy prayers, heal this my right hand. Whereby appeareth, what opinion this man had of images, & prayer to saints & by his testimony also what was used in the church, in his time, which might releave such as can not abide images, or allow prayer to saints. For this we have written of him, and in greke, and translated by Oecolampadius the German, and printed within these six years, in Basile in Germanye, where the contrary opinion, among the common people, is mayneteined, so as no man shall have cause to diffame it, as set forth by any papist. But to the purpose. This Damascene hath written an excellent work under this title. De orthodoxa fide, of the right catholyque faith, in the iiii, book whereof, the xiiii, chapter, 
Damis. 4. li. de fide orthod●xa. ca 14.  he entreateth reverently thinstitution of the most holy sacrament of the th'altar deducing the conveniency thereof, from the beginning of our participation of god's goodness, and because it is worthy many readings, I have been the rather persuaded, to writ in, the original in greke, and therewith the translation, in laryn & also english. Ie shall not greatly augment the book, and because some children learn greake in this time, it may serve them for a lesson wherewith to occupy their tender wits, and confirm them against the malice of the devil. The chapter of greake beginneth thus.  
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BOnus ille, & omnibonus, ac omnem superans bonitarem, deus, cum totus sit ipsa bonitas, propter immensas divitias bonitatis suae, non tulit solam manner bonitatem, hoc est, suam ipsius naturam, a nemine participari, quinetian huius rei gratia, nempe communicandi boni, fecit primum quidem intellectuales & coelestes virtutes, deinde visibilem & sensibilem mundum, post haec, qui ex intellectuali sensibilique constaret, hominem. Itaque omnia, quae ab ipso sunt facta, bonitatem ipsius, hactenus certè communicant, quatenus sunt. Ipse enim est esse, sive essentia omnibus, quandoquidem in ipso sunt, quaecumque sunt, non ob id solum, quòd exnihilo in essentiam ea adduxit, sed quòd ipsa actio ipsius, quae ab eodem suntiam facta, conseruat & continet, praecipuè verò ea, quae sunt animalia, quae ita bono communicant, ut cum essentia, participent & vitam. Rationalia autem praetereà, etiam rationem, atque adeò hac part, dei bonitate, communicantur multò magis. Sunt enim ista quodammodo coniunctiora deo, & propriora, qui tanto tamen interuallo, omnia superat, ut nihil cum eo conferri, aut de eo ferri judicium ullum possit. At verò homo, ratione iam praeditus, & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 effectus, (hoc est) liberi arbitrij, facultate ea donatus est, qua se deo, judicio & electione sua, perpetuò uniret, videlicet si in bono collato, hoc est, in obedientia creatoris permansisset. Postquam autem transgressus mandatum eius, qui fecerat illum, morti & corruptioni succubuit, creator ille & opifex generis nostri, propoter viscera misericordiae suae, similis factus est nobis, & extra peccatum, caetera omnia factus homo, nostrae eo modo naturae unitus est. Cum enim communicasset nobis, tum imaginem, tum spiritum suum, quem non adseruavimus: assumpsit ille pauperem iam & imbecillen naturam nostram, ut nos videlicet purgatos, & incorruptos redderet, ac in integrum restitutos, efficeret denuò participes suae divinitatis. Oportebat autem non primitias solum, naturae nostrae, de meliori fore participes, sed & omnem volentem quidem certè hominem, cum nasci secunda nativitate, tum novo nutriri cibo, huiusmodi nativitati accommodo, & competenti, atque ita adibito demum study, assequi perfectionis modum. Perna tivitatem ergo suam, id est incarnationem, per baptismum, passionem, & resurrectionem, naturam nostram a peccato primi parentis, reddidit, li beran, à morte praeterea, & corruption. Resurrectionis verò primitiae factus, seipsum viam formam & exemplar constituit, ut & nos eius vestigia insequentes, id efficiamur ad: option, quod est ipse natura, nimirum dei tum filii, tum haeredes, ipsius autem Christi cohaeredes. Dedit itaque nobis (ut dixi) nativita tem secundam, ut quemadmodum ab Adam progeniti, illi similes effecti, iure etiam haereditario, maledictionem & corruptionem consequuti sumus: sic ex christo nati, eum referamus, & haeredes efficiamur, incorruptionis, benedictionis, & gloriae eius. Cum verò Adam iste spiritualis sit, conveniebat etiam nativitatem spiritualem esse, similiter & cibum. Porrò autem quoniam nos duplices quodammodo sumus, & natura composita, oportet & nativitatem similiter duplicem esse, & cibum etiam aeque compositum positum, & duplicem. At nativitas quidem per aquam & spiritum, da ta est nobis, dico utique sanctum baptisma. Cibus vero iste, est Dominus noster jesus Christus panis vitae qui de coelo descendit. Subiturus enim spontaneam pro nobis mortem, eadem nocte, in qua seipsum tradidit, testamentum nowm disposuit sanctis discipulis & apostolis suis, ac per ipsos, deinceps in omnes qui essent in eum credituri. Igitur in coenaculo sanctae & gloriosae Zion, postquam commedisset vetus pascha, cum discipulis suis, & testamentum vetus idem implesset, lavit pedes discipulorum, symbolum in eo praebens, baptismatis sacri, deinde panem cum fregisset, dedit illis dicens. Accipite, commedite, hoc est corpus meum quod frangitur in remissionem peccatorum. Similiter & poculum, ex vino & aqua postquam accepisset, tradidit illis dicens, Bibite ex eo omnes, Hic est sanguis meus novi testamenti, qui pro vobis effunditur, in remissionem peccatorum, Hoc facite in meam commemorationem, Quotienscunque enim manducatis panem hunc, & calicem hunc bibiris, mortem filij hominis annuntia tis, & resurrectionem ipsius confitemini, donec veniat. Si igitur sermo del, vius est & efficax, & omnia quae cunque voluit dominus fecit, Si dixit fiat lux, & facta est, fiat firmamentum, & factum est. Si verbo domini coeli firmati sunt, & spiritu oris eius omnis virtus eorum. Si coelum & terra, aqua & ignis, et aer, & universus ornatus eorum, verbo dn̄t perfectus est, atque hoc adeò per celebratum animal, homo. Si deus ille verbum, sua voluntate factus est homo, & sanctae, ac perpetuae virgins, purum & immacu latum sanguinem, sibijpsi sine semine, carnem substituit: nunquid qui haec fecit, poterit panem suijpsius efficere corpus, ac vinum aqua, etiam sanguinem? Dixit in initio: Producat terra herbam virentem, & in hunc usque diem, cum fit plwia, sua germina producit, divino utique praecepto simul impellente, uim atque vigorem subministrante. Dixit deus, Hoc est corpus meum, & hic est sanguis meus, & hoc facite in meam commemorationem, atque omnipotenti illius praecepto, donec veniat, fit. Sic enim dixit: donec veniat. Fit autem novae huic agriculturae pro plwia, sancti spiritus obumbrans virtus, per invocationem. Quemadmodum enim omnia quaecumque deus fecit, cooperant spiritu sancto, facta sunt: sic & nunc spiritus energia & actio est, quae haec operat supra naturam, quae haud potest capere nisi sola fides. Quomodo erit mihi hoc (inquit beata virgo) quoniam virum non cognosco? Respondit Gabriel archangelus, Spiritus sanctus superueniet in te, & virtus altissimi obumbrabit tibi. Et tu itidem nunc quaeris, quomodo panis fit corpus CHRISTI, & vinum cum aqua, sanguis Christi? Respondeo tibi & ego. Spiritus sanctus accedit, & haec operatur, quae rationem superant & intelligen tiam. At verò panis et vinum adsumuntur. Novit quip deus humanam infirmitatem, quae plurima quidem usu & consuetudine, minus trita, & molestè fert & aversatur, ad nostram ergo consetudinem se demittens, quae nobis in natura assueta sunt, utitur, ut efficient ea, quae sunt supra naturam. Et quemadmodum in baptismate, quoniam in more est hominum, tum lavari aqua, tum oleo ungui, oleo simui & aquae gratiam adiunxit sancti spiritus, ac ipsum effecit lavacrum regenerationis: sic quoniam assuerunt homines, panem commedere & bibere vinum, adiugavit illis suam ipsius divinitatem, & eadem fecit corpus & sanguinem suum, videlicet, ut per assueta, & quae secundum naturam sunt, in hijs collocemur quae sunt supra naturam. Corpus vere unitum est divinitati, illud dico, quod ex beata virgine est corpus, non quòd ipsum susceptum corpus, è ccelo descendit, sed quòd ipse panis & vinum transmutantur, in corpus & sanguinem dei. Quòd si modum quaeras, quomodo fiat, sat sit tibi audire, ꝙ per spiritum sanctum ad eum modum fiat, quomodo ex beata deipara, per spiritum sanctum, sibiipsi & in seipso dominus carnem substituit, breviter, plenius & amplius nihil cognoscimus, quam ꝙ verbum dei verum est, efficax etiam & omnipotens, modus autem inscrutabilis. Quanquam haud perindè alienum fuerit etiam illud dicere ꝙ quomodo panis per commestionem, vinum ve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & aqua, per potionem, in corpus & sanguinem edentis & bibentis, naturaliter mutantur, & aliud efficiuntur corpus, a priori suo corpo re diversum, sic panis propositionis, vinum etiam & aqua, per invocationem, & accessum sancti spiritus, transmutantur supra naturae modum, in corpus & sanguinem Christi, nec sunt iam duo, sed unum & idem ipsum, fit autem hijs qui cum fide dignè susceperint, in remissionem peccatorum, & aeternam vitam, in custodiam porrò & tutelam animi & corporis. Incredulis verò quique minus dignè participaverint, in poenam & ultionem, non aliter ac Christi etiam mors, ijs qui eredunt, fit vita & incorruptio, in fruitionem aeternae beatitatis, incredulis verò, & domini occisoribus, in punitionem & ultionem sempiternam. Non est panis & vinum, figura corporis & sanguinis Christi, Absit, sed est ipsum corpus domini deificatum, ipso domino dicente, HOC EST non figura corporis, sed corpus, non sanguinis figura, sed sanguis, qui i●em ante dixerat judaeis. Quoniam nisi manducetis carnem filij hominis, & sanguinem eius bibatis, non habetis uitamlin vobismetipsis.  
Caro enim mea verus est cibus, & sanguis meus verus est potus. Et rursum: Qui manducat me, viver. Quapropter, cum omni timore, & conscientia pura, ac fide minime haesitabunda accedamus, & omnino erit nobis quemadmodum credimus, si certò credimus sine fluctuatione. Veneremur etiam illud omni puritate, animi videlicet & corporis, quasi geminata ueneratione. Est enim & ipsum quod veneramur, duplex (Christi nimirum divinitate, & carne constans) Accedamus ad illum ardenti desiderio, & manus in crucis speciem formantes, corpus crucifixi excipiamus. Applicatis autem oculis, labijs, et front divinum carbonem concipiamus, ut nostri desiderij ardour, huius carbonis ignitione arrepta, tum peccata nostra exurat, tum corda illuminet, denique participatione divini ignis, et igni amur ipsi et deificemur. Carbonem vidit Esaias. Carbo verò lignum simplex non est, sed unitum igni.  
Sic et panis communionis, non panis simplex est, sed unitus deitati: Corpus verò unitum divinitati, non una natura est, sed una quidem corporis, unitae verò illi divinitatis altera. Adeò ꝙ utrumque simul, non una est natura, 
Gene. 14. Heb. 7.  sed due. Melchisedech cum esset sacerdos dei altissimi, pane et vino excepit Abraham, à caede alienigenarum iam reversum. Illa siquidem mensa, mysticam hanc praefigurabat mensam, quem admodum etiam sacerdos ille, veri sacerdotis Christi, figuram praeseferebat & imaginem. Tu enim (inquit) es sacerdos in seculum, secundum ordinem Melchisedech. Hunc autem panem, etiam panes propositionis figurabant. Hoc praeterea est purum sacrificium & incruentum, quòd ab ortu solis, usque ad occasum, ipsi offerendum, per prophetam, dominus elocutus est.  
Corpus est & sanguis christi, ad animi & corporis stabilimentum, suscepta à nobis, quae non consumuntur, non corrumpuntur, non vadunt in cecessum. Absit, sed in nostram substantiam, & conseruationem pertinent. Omnis autem noxae profligatio sunt, & sordis omnis purgatio. Si enim aurum acceperint adulterinum, ignitione illa sua (ut ita'di came) censoria, quae purum a corrupto dividit, omnino purgant, ut ne cum hoc mundo in futuro damnemur. Purgat autem hoc sacramentum, morbos & incommoda omnia, quemadmodum inquit divinus apostolus. Vtique si nos ipsos iudicaremus, non iudicaremur. A domino verò iudicati, corripimur, ut non cum mundo condempnemur. Et hoc est quod dicit, quoniam qui participate corpus & sanguinem dni indignè, judicium sibi manducat & bibit. Per hoc purgati, unimur corpori dni, & spiritui illius, & efficimur corpus Christi, Iste panis est primitiae illius panis futuri, qui est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
* Varia nobis significat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 videlicet pro compositionis ratione, quam s●ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & participio substantivi verbi estimes: sonat quasi dicas imminens, quod autem imminet etiam s● non long absit, non est tamen praesens sed futurum est caeterum quoniam proximum est graecis est crastinum. Sicen● legitur in act: Aposto. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i postero die, hoc est crastino, a● quan rationem compyetenter sonat futurum Quod stuerbi compositionenab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et nomine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accipias, analogia deducti in adiectiwm sup substantial verteris, velst ● ambiguitatem praepositionis liceret, insubstantiale, quest dicas, insubstā tiammigrans, & quod hic ●pic expressit, substantiam conseruans. Ergo in oration dominica panem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 petimus, hoc est, futurum qui nunque desinet, & quae nostram substantiam vare fulciat atque consernet.  Illud enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, significat, vel panem futurum, hoc est panem futuri seculi, aut panem ad conseruationem nostrae substantiae susceptum. Sive igitur hoc, sive illo modo. Christi corpus convenienter dicetur.  
(S. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utraque ratione. Name & in patris Christus nobis cibus futurus, est idem, qui nunc pascit in via, & vere cum hic, tum ibi, co●seruat nostram substantiam Est enim vita nostra in Christo abscondita)  
Spiritus enim uiuificans est, caro domini, quoniam ex spiritu vivificante, concepta est. Quod enim natum est ex spiritu, spiritus est Hoc autem dico, non auferens naturam corporis, sed ꝙ hoc & vivificum & divinum etiam sit cupiam ostendere. Quod autem panem & vinum exemplar dominici corporis quidam appellarunt, quemadmodum deifer Basilius, locutus est, non id post consecrationem dixerunt, sed ante sanctificatam oblationem, sic nominarunt, Participatio dicitur, quoniam per hoc divinitatis domini nostri jesu reddimur participes. Dicitur praeterea communio, & est revera, quoniam per hoc Christo communicamus, & eius carnem, ac divinitatem participamus, communicamus etiam dum invicem unimur, hac communione. Quandoquidem enim ex uno pane participamus omnes, unum Christi corpus, & unus sanguis: & concorporei christo existentes, mutua invicem membra efficimur. Omni igitur cautione obseruandum est, ne ab hereticis participationem admittere sustineamus, sed nec illis dare. Et enim ne detis sancta canibus, 
Matt. 7.  (dns inquit) neque proijcite margaritas vestras, ante porcos, ut non participes erroris, & malae eorum fidei, efficiamur, & condempnationis. Si verò omninò est unio nobis ad Christum, & invicem nobis cum est, denique omnibus omninò eadem nobiscum consentionem et voluntatem participantibus etiam unio est. Ipsa enim unitas ex libera animi electione fit, non absque nostra sententia & voluntate. Omnes enim unum corpus sumus, quod ex uno pane participamus, ut inquit divinus apostolus. Exemplaria verò futurorum dicuntur, non tamquam vere non sint, 
●. Cor. 10.  corpus & sanguis Christi, sed ꝙ nunc per illa participamus, Christi divinitatem, tunc autem intellectualiter, per solam visionem.  
THe good, and all good, (saith Damascene) and t●, excelling good god, being altogether goodness, would not suffer the same goodness, that is to say, his very nature, to remain sole without participation made thereof, by other. And therefore god, first made the intellectual and heavenly virtues. After that, the visible and sensible world, and then man of a nature that hath both sense and understanding.  
So all things which be made of god, be so far forth partakers of his goodness, in that they have all a being, for of him, and in himself, all things be, not only for that he brought them from nothing, to have a being, but also for that his operation continuing likewise conserveth and maintaineth all things that he made. But in this participation such things above other participate, as have life, which communicate of god's goodness, not only in that they be partakers of their being, but also of their life. Reasonable creatures forsooth besides being and life, furthermore participate of god's goodness in that they have reason, which reasonable creatures, be somewhat more near and familiar unto god than the other, and yet god so excels all, above all proportion, as neither can there be comparison with him, nor judgement of him. Nevertheless man a reasonable creature, and constitute in freedom with the gift of free will, received therewith also power and faculty, through his own choice and election, to be united to god continually, if he had remained and persevered in that goodness, that is to say, the obedience of him, that created him. But after man had transgressed the precept of him that made him, and was thereby subject to death and corruption, 
God united to our nature in christ.  the maker and workman of mankind (such is the tenderness of his mercy) being made in all things like unto us, was made man without sin, and so united to our nature, And because he had delivered unto us, his own image and spirit, which we have not preserved and kept he hath taken upon him our nature, thenne poor and weak, to the intent he should purge us, and make us incorruptible, and restore us also again, to be partakers of his godhead & deity. It behoved moreover not only the first fruits of our nature, 
Christ is the first fruits of our nature.  to be brought to be partaker of the better, but also all the hole kind of man, 
The better that is to say the deite  such as are well willing both to be born again, with a new nativity, and nourished with a new meat agreeable to the nativity, and so with endeavour to attain the measure of perfection. wherefore by Christ's nativity that is to say, his incarnation and baptism, passion and resurrection, he hath delivered our nature, from the sin of our first father, from death also and corruption. And being himself made the chief and first, and (as it were) the first fruits of resurrection, he hath appointed himself to be the way, form, and example, to this end, that we following his steps, should by adoption, be made the children & heirs of god, as he is by nature, and so become coheretours with him: for which purpose (as I have said) he hath given us the second nativity, whereby as we being born of Adam, resembled Adam, & enherited thereby curse and corruption: So being born of god, we should resemble him, and should attain by inheritance, incorruption, blessing, and his glory. And because Christ is the spiritual Adam, it is seemly that our nativity should be spiritual, and likewise also our meat. In asmusche also as we be double, that is to say, of body and soul, and so not of one single nature, 
Double of birth of the water & holy ghost.  but compounded, it was meet our birth should be double likewise, and our meat double also. Our birth then, 
Double meat, that to Chrystes flesh unitied to be divinity.  is given us by the water, and the holy ghost. The meat forsooth, is the food of life, our lord jesus christ, that descended from heaven. For our lord jesus Christ, when he should take on him his death, wy●●lyngly for us, in the night in which he gave himself, he ordered a new testament to his holy disciples and apostles, & by them to all other that believe in him. In a chamber therefore of the holy & glorious Zion, eating the old paschal with his disciples, and fulfilling the old testament, he washed his disciples feet, giving them therein a token of holy baptism. afterward breaking bread gave it to them, saying, Take you, eat you, this is my body, that is broken for you, in remission of sin: Lykwyse taking the cup of wine and water▪ delivered it unto them saying, Drink of this all, this is my blood of the new testament, that is shed for you into remission of sins, Do this for remembrance of me, For as often as you eat this bread & drink this cup, you do show forth the death of the son of man, and confess the resurrection of him, while he cometh. If the word of god, be lively and effectual, and all thing that our lord would, he made, If he said, Be the light made, and light was made. Be the firmament made, and the firmament was made If the heavens be established by the wo●de of god, and also the strength and virtue of them, is likewise established by the breath of his mouth: If heaven and earth, water fire, and air, and all thournament of them, be perfected by the word of our lord, and not only these, but also man himself, a beast of all other most renowned & spoken of: If the essential word, very god (willing so to be) was made man, and made the pure and undefiled blood, of the holy and perpetual virgin to be his flesh, without any seed of man: Can not he make the bread his body? And the wine and water his blood? He said in the beginning. Let the earth bring forth green grass, And unto this day the earth when it raineth, bringeth forth his own buddings, being by gods precept stirred & strengthened to do the same. God said: This is my body and this is my blood, and do this in remembrance of me, which by his precept that is omnipotent, is done until he cometh. For so he said until he came, unto which new kind of tillage the virtue of the holy ghost overshadowing it, is by special invocation, in the stead of rain, for like as all thing that god hath made, is made, by the operation of the holy ghost: So now the efficacy of the same holy ghost, worketh these things that be above nature which can not be comprehended, but by faith only. How shall this be (said the holy virgin) seeing I know no man? The archeangel Gabriel answered. The holy ghost shall come down to thee, and the virtue of the highest shall shadow the. And now thou askest, how this bread is made the body of Christ, and the wine and water the blood of Christ? Wherein I answer also unto the. The holy ghost cometh and worketh these things above reason and understanding. The bread and wine be taken to this mystery. For god knoweth man's weakness which with some displeasure escheweth many things that be not before by use, made smooth & familiar unto him, wherefore our saviour Christ so condescendeth to our infirmity, as he useth things to us accustomed and agreeable, wherewith to make things that be above nature. And like as in baptism, seeing men commonly used to wash themselves in water, and anoint themselves with oil, Christ added to the oil and water, the grace of the holy ghost, and made it the washing of regeneration: So for that men were accustomed to eat bread, and drink wine and water, Christ joined unto them, 
The bread and wine made body and blood, after which making there is no more bread or witie, but the body & blood.  his godhead, and made them his body and blood, that by things accustomed and agreeable to nature, we might be placed in things that be above nature. The body is verily united to the Godhead, I mean the same body, that was taken of the holy virgin, not that the same body taken, descended from heaven but that the bread & wine be transfourmed into the body and blood of God. If thou dost ask me the manner how it is done? it should suffice the to hear answered, that by the holy ghost, like as of the holy mother of God, by the holy ghost, our lord made to himself flesh, and in himself, without seed of man: In which matter we know no more, but that the word of god, is true, of efficacy and omnipotent, but as for the manner is utterly inscrutable, and such as can not by search be deprehended & found. And yet it were not amiss to say thus, that like as the bread by eating, and wine by dryncking, is naturally changed into the body and blood of him that eateth and drinckethe, & now are become another body, other than their own body which they had before, even so the bread prepared to be consecrated, and the wine and water, by invocation and coming down of the holy ghost, be above nature changed into the body & blood of Chryste, and be not two, but one, and the same. Which work is wrought and is to thee, that worthily receive it in faith, the remission of sin, for life everlasting, and to be a safeguard for body and soul. And to them that be unfaithful and receive it unworthily, to their punish meant and vengeance. For so is likewise the death of our lord. That is to say, to such as believe life and incorruption, with the fruition of everlasting bliss, and on the other part, to them that be unfaithful, and were murderers of our lord, punishment, and vengeance everlasting. The bread and wine be not a figure of the body and blood of Christ, That may not be said, but the very body of our lord deified, that is to say, made god. For our lord said, this is not the figure of my body, but my body, and, not the figure of my blood, but my blood. And before that, said to the jews, that if you eat not the flesh of the son of man, and drink his blood, you have not life in yourself, For my flesh is very meat, and my blood is very drink. And again, he that eateth me, shall live. Let us then come to it with a fearfulness, a clean conscience, and steadfast faith, and then in all things shallbe to us as we believe constantly. Let us honour it with all cleanness, both of the body and soul also, as it were with a double worshipping. For the same we worship is also double, that is to say, the flesh of our saviour Christ, and godhead also. Come we unto it with an ardent fiery desire, and fashioning our hands in the figure of a cross, let us so receive the body of him that was crucified, finally approaching with our eyes, lips and forehead, let us receive that godly coal, so as the fire of our fervent desire, receiving the fierynes of that coal, may burn up our sins, and lyghten our hearts, and by partetaking of that godly fire, be thoroughly enflammed and deified Esaias saw a coal, A coal is not wood only, but wood united unto fire. So the food of our communion is not food only, but food united to the godhead. The body united to the godhead, is not to be said one nature, but the nature of the body is one, and the nature of the godhead united unto it, is an other. So as both together, be not one nature, but two. Melchisedech the priest of god that is highest, received and cheered Abraham, 
Gene. 14.  with bread and wine, when he returned from the slaughter of the foreign strangers. 
Heb. 9  That table figured this mystical table, like as that preiste was the figure and image of our true priest christ, Thou art (saith god) a priest for ever, 
Psal. 109.  after the order of Melchisedech. Those loves which in the old law, were called the breades of proposition, 
Exod. ●●  that is to say, the breades appointed to an holy use, were a figure of this bread. This sacrifice is the pure & unbloody sacrifice, 
Because blood is not shed, it is called unblouddy.  which god said by his prophet, should be offered unto him, from the east to the west. The body and blood of Christ, for the establishment of body and soul received, be not consumed or corrupted, nor passeth with our corruptions through us, into the vile place (fie on the speech) but encreaceth our substance, and preserveth it. It is tharmour of defence, from all manner of annoyance, and likewise the purgation and cleansing of all filth. certainly if it findeth the gold adulterate, that is to say, corrupt with any other metal, it purgeth it, by the same virtue which is apprropriate to fire, whereby it discevereth from the gold, and putteth away that is corrupt, to thintent we should not be condemned in the world to come. It purgeth diseases and all sorts of annoiaunce. And as says the godly apostle, If we judge ourself, we shall not be judged, when we be here judged of our lord, we be thereby chastised, that we should not be condemned with the world. And thus it means that he saith, who so ever is partaker of the body & blood of our lord unworthily, he eateth and drinketh condemnation unto himself. By which sacrament, being purged, we be united to the holy body, and the holy spirit of him, and be made the body of Christ. This food is the first fruits of the food to come, which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in greke. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth either the food to come, that is to say, of the world to come, or the food we receive, for the preservation of our substance. And both significations, may be aptly said, for whither it be taken in the one signification or the other, it may well be said of the body of our lord. For the flesh of our lord, is spirit that giveth life, being conceived of the holy ghost, 
joh. 4.  that giveth life, for that is begotten of spirit, is spirit. And thus moche I say, not minding by these words to take away the nature of the body, out of this sacrament, but only minding to show, how the same giveth life, & is godly. And if any call the sacrament the example or token, of the body and blood of Christ (as saint Basyle said) they speak it not of thoblation after the consecration, but before the same be sanctified, It is also called participation, for by it we be made partakers of the godhead of jesu, It is also called communion, and is so verily, for by it we communicate with Christ, and be partakers of his flesh and god head, we communicate all by it together, in that we be thereby made one. For seeing we participate all of one bread, we be made thereby one body & blood among ourself & being of the same body with our saviour christ be also to ourself each others members. Let us then beware as much as we may, that we neither give communion to heretics, ne receive it of them. Give not your holy things, 
Matt. 7.  to dogs (saith our lord) nor cast not your precious stones before hogs, jest you be made partakers of their evil belief, and of their condemnation also considering that being an unity throughly, between us and christ & also between ourselves, we shall likewise be united thoroughly with all such, as we shall choose to participate with us. For this unity is made by our choice, and free will, not without our mind and determination, and we all one body, in that we participate of one bread (as the holy apostle says). This sacrament is called also, the examples of that is to come, not in such an understanding, as though the very body and blood of christ were not present, but that now by this sacrament, we be made partakers of the godhead of christ, and in the world to come, shall participate with only contemplation, in the full light of knowledge and understanding.  
NOw you have heard Damascene speak, who well heard with the ears of hearing, were sufficient for the matter too declare, how Christ's words, as they were plain, for the substance and foundation of our byleef: So have they in their plainness, maintained the true byleef of the church, as this author for viii C. and xvi years paste, declareth evidently, and testifieth plainly, if thou wilt use him, for comfyrmation of that thou dost first truly believe, and not abuse him, after the fashion of the world, to writhe him, & mistake him, as some men do the scripture. And to thintent thou mayst be the more able, to meet with such as would abuse themself in him, and thyself the depelyer conceive the godly learned consideration, of this writer in the matter: I will note certain things unto thee, worthy to be noted. first this man testifieth, the presence of the natural body and blood, of our saviour Christ, in the sacrament of th'altar, and expressly reproveth the understanding of them that would say, there should be but a figure, as at this letter G. in the margin thou shalt find, so as thou hearest by this author, truth affirmed and falsehood condemned. This man testifieth also the worshipping of the sacrament, with inward & outward cleanness, devotion of the soul, & outward gesture of the body, as thou mayest see, in the letter H. wherein thauthor declareth a congruence, and convemency, that as the meat, which we receive and worship, is double, and containeth Christ's flesh and godhead, so should our worshipping be double, that is to say, of our two parts of body and soul, which both be nourished, by this precious meat. And where thou findest this letter. A. the author showeth that as we be double and of two parts, that is to say, body and soul: so should we have a double nativity, & a double meat. The double nativity, is of water and the holy ghost, of water agreeable to our body, as corporal, and the holy ghost to our soul, which also agreeth, with that Gregory Nazianzene writeth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. As he was spirit & flesh: so god perfiteth with water & the holy ghost. And as for this precious meat, the author showeth that it is a meat double & not one, as where thou findest this letter. L. where he says. The body united to the godhead, & deity, is not made one nature, but remains ii natures. And because the natures be two he calleth Christ's body our meat in the sacrament, a double meat. And yet thou mayst find in the letter. F that he calleth it but one, as where he says that the bread & wine, changed by gods mighty word into the body & blood of christ, be not two but one, and so there remaineth the only substance of the body & blood of Christ, where as if the nature of bread remained also, he would have called it in that respect, two as he doth in the other places in two natures united. And so thou seest where remain two natures united, they be called in that respect two & double, and not one, and yet again because in the consecration there is not an union of bread to the body of christ, but transmutation, & as the word transmutation expresseth an alteration of substance the sacrament is not called two, but one. And concerning worshyppinge, this is to be noted that this great clerk was not ignorant of the words of the gospel. Io. iiii. that Veri adoratores adorabunt patrem in spiritu & veritate. True worshippers shall worship in spirit and truth. And yet speaketh this author of worshipping with the body, for by the text of the gospel, is not denied outward adoration with the body, which body is with the soul created of god, & shallbe hereafter glorified with the soul, but the sense of that text declareth the true order of adoration, which must be rooted, grounded, and directed by the spirit & truth, and from thence it must proceed, & where that faileth, the rest is hypocrysye. But else that the body should not follow and obey the soul, and be affected as the soul is, and with outward seemly gesture represent the same, that we might not say as David did, 
Psal. 28.  Cor meum & caro mea exultaverunt in deum vivum, My heart & my flesh hath rejoiced in the living god, there is no such scripture, but Christ's havour in the time of his praying teacheth the contrary, for he fallen down on his face and prayed. And the publican commended in the gospel, knocked on his breast and prayed. And in this auctor thou seest an exhortation for men to say their hands on cross. And good men have taken great comfort in, the sign of the cross, wherewith they have blessed themself, and have been glad to receive the blessing of other with the token of the cross▪ And thereupon Tertullian in his work, 
Tertulian.  De resurrectione carnis, says: Caro signatur, ut anima muniatur. The flesh is marked that the soul may be defended. But to return to my purpose to note unto the that is notable in Damascene in the letter C. to them that ask, and humbly question, how these mysteries be wrought? like answer may be made, as Gabriel made unto our Lady, by occasion whereof thou mayest mark two sorts of questions, whereof one proceeding of pride arrogancy, doubtfulness and mistrust, declareth incredulity, such as the Capharnaites made when they said, 
I●an, 6.  How can this man give us his flesh to eat? And another in meekness and humility, with desire of so much knowledge only, as the secrecy of the thing permitteth, wherein the hole is remitted to god's power and omnipotency▪ with which our Lady contented herself, & said, Ecce an●illa dni, fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum. Lo the handmaid of our lord, be it to me, according to thy word, which was god's word, by the omnipotency of which when we see, how many things above man's capacity have been wrought, why should it not suffice to stay men from further arguing and reasoning, in the most blessed sacrament of the altar? Another thing thou mayest mark in the letter D that this auctor testifieth how Christ made the bread and wine with water, his body & blood, whereby thou mayst perceive how it hath been taught in the church constantly, that after the consecration the substance of bread remains not and yet it is called bread, for it is called that it was, as I shall speak hereafter. And albeit when thauthor alludeth to the coal seen by Esaye, as thou mayest see in the letter K. he maketh this resemblance, that as the coal is not wood alone, but wood with fire, so the food of communion which is in latin, panis communionis, and in greake, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath the deity adjoined unto it, thou mayest perceive, by that straight followeth, how he used the word Panis, to signify the body and flesh of Christ whereunto the deity is annexed, which body and flesh, is the substance of the nouriture in this holy meat according as Christ said. 
Io. 6:  Panis quem ego dabo vobis, caro mea est, and, Caro mea vere est cibus, which flesh, having the godhead annexed unto it, is of two parts as the coal is, and remaineth two natures, and so is a double meat▪ to feed the body and soul of man, which be likewise two parts of man. And when he said in the letter. D. the bread hath the deity annexed unto it, he signifieth the body and flesh of Christ into which by god's omnipotency, the bread is converted, as thou mayest plainly see declared by him, in the place, where thou findest the letter F. and the sentence before, in which he speaketh so plainly and openly, as can not be desired more evidence for the matter. I can not pretermytte also to note unto the this, that may serve for a lesson to such as be captious of words, and by the outward apparence of them note contradictions, thou shalt find in the letter M. that the sacrament is two, and not one, and in the letter. F. one and not two which be no contraries. first in that place, where he saith they be not two, is signified that there is not two substances, of the bread and the body of Christ, but only of Chrystes substance. Again, there be not two bodies of Christ, one in heaven, another in the sacrament, for as he saith after in the letter. E. the body of Christ descended not, but as we truly believe in the article of our Crede, he sitteth on the right hand of the father, and then if thou askest, how can it be so? the answer is, god's word is omnipotent, & the manner inscrutable: In the other place, where he says the sacrament is two & double, as in the letter FLETCHER, there he declareth himself, that he speaketh of two natures, the humanity & the godhead. Thou mayest note also, that albeit in one place, he sayeth, Christ's body is verily in the sacrament, & it is not a figure: yet in the latter part, he showeth how it may be called a figure, not so, but there is the very body of christ, but that it is in the sacrament a pledge of the glory to come, and his feadinge us here, a figure of that feading we shall have in heaven, which in the thing is all one, for Chryste is the feast here and there, but the manner differeth. For than we shall have full fruition by knowledge and contemplation, in the stead of our faith and hope, whereby we receive fruitfully Christ's feading here. Thou majesty note also in the letter. O. how afraid he was, to be mistaken, because he spoke of the generation, of the spirit, whereof Christ's flesh was conceived, lest he should be seen to agreed with the Marcionistes, and deny Christ's natural body. So captious have noughtye men ever been, that study to make of truth, matter of contention. In the letter. N. thou shalt see the carnal reasons answered in few words, with a (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) in greake, which signifieth a detestation of the speech before, as we speak with one syllable in englyshe, fie. And fie & worse on them, that so say, and amend not. And of the company of such, he amonisheth all to beware in th'end, and note his reason why, with that also saint Paul alleged of the ethnic author. Corrumpunt bonos mores colloquia prava. Evil talk corrupteth good manners. I write now, to the multitude in which be many to whom I neaded not, to have made these notes, unless I would for formality, gather notes as lawyers do in their lessons, but yet I take, myself, such pleasure in reding of the author in this place, who so lively & godly setteth forth this matter, and so fully answereth all thwart to the contrary, that I myself delight to tarry in him, and would have the reader do the like. For thauthor is notable, and of a great auncientye, that is to say, viii.c. and, xuj. years, and he writeth in the greake tongue, for a further testimony, & under title, De orthodoxa fide, of the right catholic faith, which hath now been troubled, in this the highest mystery. And herein they can not tell what they mean, nor what they would have: they begin to speak of an other meaning in the understanding of Christ's plain words, when he said, This is my body, which be the foundation of our faith in their right catholic understanding, as the church hath taught, and good chrysten men believed hitherto.  
THe devil hath another piece of sophistry, which is in counterfette contradictions, wherein he useth for a preface and introduction, a most certain truth, which is, that truth agreeth in itself, and hath no part contrary to another Wherefore sing the word of god, is an infallible truth, it hath no contrarieties in itself. All the world must assent hereunto. But thus the devil proceedeth to his cavillation ab evidenter veris, per brevissimas mutationes ad evidenter falsa.  
From things evidently true, by little changings to things evidently falls, Heaven and earth have a kind of contradiction, Christ is in heaven, where saint Steven saw him, Ergo he is not in earth, 
Act. 7.  in the sacrament of the altar. 
A rehearsal of the dyvylles sophysme.  Christ ascended into heaven▪ Ergo he tarrieth not here. 
Act. 1.  He sitteth on the right hand of the father, 
Hebr. 1.  Ergo he is not in the sacrament of th'altar. 
Hebr. 1.  He is the creature, 
Io. 1.  for Omnia per ipsum facta sunt, All things be made by him, Ergo he is not a creature made of bread. He dwelleth 
Act. 17.  not in temples made with man's hand, Ergo he is not in the box upon the high altar. Christ shall descend from heaven to judge the quick and the dead, 
1. Thes. 4.  Ergo he continueth there and is not in the sacrament of the altar. And these be taken for notable contradictions and insoluble sophisms, and in effect, in all these arguments, there is no contrarite or contradiction in the things, but only a repugnance and impossibility to man's carnal capacite. And therefore here is occasion to admonish men by the words of the prophet, Nisi credideritis, non intelligetis. if you believe not, you shall not understand. 
●as. 7.  In this high mystery where god worketh his secret special work miraculously, it is sufficient to know it is wrought, though I can not tell how it is wrought ne how it agreeth with other of his works, and yet it agreeth. But in this sophistry the devil maketh a man forget god's omnipotency, exceeding our capacite, and causeth us to measure gods doings by our natural imbecillite. Because we can not be in two places at one's, distaunte one from an other, we judge the same repugnant in god but Christ's being in heaven, which saint Steven truly confessed, 
Act. 7.  was nothing contrary to saint Paul's true affirmation that christ 
1. Cor. 15.  was seen after thascension, to him in earth. It repugneth not to Christ's power, to sit on the right hand of the father in heaven, and yet feed the infinite number of his people with the same his most precious body in earth. It is no repugnance, to god's goodness, being creator of all, therewith in the form of bread to feed us his creatures, In which we say not, god is become the creature of bread (as the devil inspyreth his members to report blasphemously) but that christ familiarly, and of a marvelous entier love towards us, consecrateth himself, in those forms of bread and wine, to be so eaten and drunken of us. 
Hier. 2.  God filleth heaven and earth, & is not comprehensible, to be contained in temples made with man's hand, 
Act. 17.  ne man can lymitte god's dwelling place. God hath power over man, but man hath no power over God. And therefore Salomons godly temple, 
Mat. 4● 9 26.  was no habitation to restrain god's presence from other places. 
Mar. 14.  And yet scripture telleth us how our saviour Christ 
Luc. 13. 21  god and man, hath taught in temples, 
joan. 7.  tarried in temples, 
Io. 10.  made with man's hand, and that he dwelleth with good men, and also in temples made with man's hand, for the assembly of good men, where good men trust to be relieved with common prayer, and refreshed with the most precious food of his body and blood, he presenteth and exhibiteth himself to be received and eaten, and there is present, and tarrieth in the host consecrated, not by man's ordinance (as the devil invyously, and spytefullye speaketh it) but by his own institution, to be a continual and daily food, wherewith being nourished we may strongly walk till we come to the mount of god, where is everlasting life. And this being of Christ in the most blessed sacrament, repugneth nothing to the continuing of Christ in heaven till the day of judgement, whose most precious humane body, now glorified and united to the divinity, is not divisible, by time or place ne by multiplication of time or place can be multiplied in number, but remains in the same number and in variation of time▪ or alteration of place, keepeth still thappellation, to be called the same. And noting this well to be true, although we can not discuss it by our reason, we shall easily avoid the devils sophystrye in this behalf, whereunto we may be somewhat induced, by consideration of that god worketh otherwise in us, who by his gift of imagination and thinking in our soul, may represent ourself, although not in our gross body, which is corporal, yet in our mind (I say) we may represent ourself, in diverse places at one's, and one distant far from another, The philosophers that said. Anima was tota in toto, and tota in qualibet part, the hole in the hole, and the hole in every part, they could not see how it was, and nevertheless took it so to be, and yet what a contradiction is it, to call the part the hole? And further, do not the words spoken of men, to a multitude, pass holy to every one of the hearer's ears indifferently, that stand with in the compass of hearing? And if the matter be intelligible to them all, do not each one hear and understand one as much as another, being the speech but one, and not diminished, by the participation of the multitude? These similitudes, do nothing attain to express the high mystery of the most blessed sacrament, and in many things unlike and specially in this, that in all these similitudes be no corporal things spoken of, and in the sacrament is present Christ's very body, but these similitudes only serve to declare that in these lower works of god, which we may call Posteria eius, there be many things exceeding our capacities to discuss them how they be that we know very certainly to be, & yet because they be common & quotidian, marvel not at them, & much less doubt of them, & such fondness hath man's curiosity, as was noted by this saying. Quod ante pedes est non vident, coeli scrutantur plagas, that is afore the feet, they see not and search the costs of the heaven. The devil tempted christ in a rare miracle, to make of stones directly bread, 
Matt. 4.  which to be the power of god, the devil then confessed, and yet god did it not, because it should not have furthered his glory to the devil, who was indurate. Nevertheless god, whose power ruleth, governeth and tempereth the works of nature, doth continually in the work of nature, make of stones bread, when corn is nourished of the stones, and stones altered and resolved into earth, which nourisheth the corn sedes, and increaseth the same, and likewise in other works of nature, showeth daily manifold wonders of his power, which we consider not, because they be commonly done and only for rarity and newness marvel, when we marvel at the is done, and not for the thing.  
And herein the devil uttereth his sophistry, and maketh us forget that is continually done before our eyes, and by impossibilite of our carnal imaginations, in things above our capacity, seduceth us, and deceiveth us, in the belief of gods high mysteries, and specially in the mystery of the sacrament of th'altar, whereby to hinder us, and deprive us, of our great comfort and consolation, in the same, wherein God instituted, Memoriam mirabilium suorum & escam se dedit timentibus eum, that is to say, a memory of his marvels & gave himself meet to them that lovingly fear him.  
THere rests now to open the devils sophistry, in the perverse, crooked & crafty expositions of divers places of scripture, the saienges of holy writers, and of such words, as be attribute to singifie and name that most blessed sacrament unto us, wherein hath been moche pain taken, & much crafty imagination devised, to abuse the simple unlearned wits, and uphold in error, the malicious, arrogant and new fangled judge menetes. As touching scriptures, 
These fond fools were called among the garmaynes Toutistes for notable folly obtaineth names for memory of reproach as wisdom doth honour and glory  I will pass over, the fransies of them, who writhe the principal thief text, (This is my body) from consecration of the sacrament, to the demonstration of Chrystes body, there sitting, and then mynistringe unto the apostles, where in they declare their malice, that they care not to change the right sense, with any other, were it never so fond and false. The truth they abhor, and seek utterly for lies, & them they embrace, who so ever bring them and lean to such expositions of the scriptures, as help to the subversion of the truth. But let us consider how sophistically they handle the words that Christ said. 
1. Cor. 11.  Do this in remembrance of me, for here is made a great matter of the word (remembrance) which (they say) declareth, that Christ himself is not present in the sacrament, and that the sacrament is but a memory of him, but a remembrance of him. And here the devil lurketh in a little word (but) for in often repetition of remembrances, the but is taken in, and the speech goeth round as though the words imported, that the sacrament is but a remembrance of Christ. In which speech if (but) were left out (as the scripture hath it not) the word (memory or remembrance) is nothing repugnant to Christ's presence in the most blessed sacrament. For sing christ is the eternal word of god, and descended from heaven into earth not only to suffer for man, but also to declare the will of god to be observed, followed, and obeyed unto of man, which will of god being taught us by Christ we should not forget, but day and night with the benefits also of Christ's passion, remember therewith the will of god, taught us in the same passion: can there be so effectual a memorial of Christ's death & teachings declared and taught in the same death, as if with the eyes of our faith, we see present the natural body of our saviour christ, the self same body that suffered? If the hearing of Christ's death, entering at a man's ears, or the seeing of a picture or image graven, representing Christ's death to the bodily eyes, doth stir up man's memory to have remembrance of that is done by christ for him: how moche more doth the lively presence of Christ's natural body stir such as perfitly believe the pnsence of the same, to the remembrance of Christ's passion? And if among men, where honest love reigneth as between the man & wife, such as be godly conjoined in marriage they use to leave for memory of each other in their absence, an image of them selves, as lively set forth, as man's craft can attain, knowing by experience that the image stirreth up the memory most effectually: Should we not think that our saviour Christ much more affected and joined in love to his spouse, the church, than any man is to his wife, hath left the same church his spouse, a most perfit image of himself, that is to say, himself for a memory, who by his omnipotency, can exhibit and present his very image, his own very body without change of place, or leaving his seat in heaven, when & as often as it pleaseth him? Who also so loveth his church, as we have cause to think, he would do it, and by scriptures may understand (if we close not our own understands) that he doth it in deed in this most blessed sacrament, wherein his presence doth most effectually stir up in good man's hearts, such a remembrance of hole Chryst his benefits, and preachings together, as in this most holy communion good men be so comforted, so strenghtened, so confirmed in Christ's doctrine, as thereby shall in their manors, their havyours, their conversation and living, show and set forth in themselves, christes death with his resurrection also, whiles the day of judgement when shall be Chrystes second coming in majesty and glory, And thus the holy virtuous man Basile, expoundeth the words of saint Paul. As often as you eat this bread, and drink the cup of our lord, you shall show the death of our lord till he cometh, which words of ss. Paul declare the strength of this heavenly food to work this effect, and bring forth such fruit in us, not that every man receiving the sacrament, should with his tongue then make a sermon, how Christ died for us, which the presence of the sacrament itself, preacheth, if men understand who is there present, and this point should be learned at one's, and so perfectly believed, as it neaded not to be learned again. For it is the ground, foundation, 
Heb. 6.  and beginning. But the sermon preaching, and showing of Christ's death, of such as receive this most blessed sacrament worthily, should be in their manners and living, their love and charity, their contempt of the world and desire to be with god, whereby should appear that by receiving this most precious food, we remember Christ's death & passion for us, & practise it effectually, and fruitfully in us. For such only, celebrated this holy communion, with an effectual remembrance of him And yet evil men do receive the same, to their own condemnation which good men do with a perfect remembrance of christ, whose benefits with his precepts, they have in effectual remembrance. Wherein forasmuch as the Corinthyans' abused themself, Saint Paul threteneth them with gods sharp judgement, which every man procureth himself, when he receiveth the blessed sacrament unworthily, not consyderinge nor understanding, that there is in that feast, the very natural body and blood of our saviour christ, which s. Paul signifieth in those words non dijudicans corpus domini.  
Which words be translate in englyshe, 
1. Cor. 11.  putting no difference between the lords body. And this place by such as presuming of their own knowledge, frame also a sense of their own making, or following such as willingly abuse their knowledge to subvert the truth, hath been mistaken, and of some so taken, as though the Corinthians were in those words blamed, because they (which is a fond imagination, and yet men that wander alone go easily far wide out of the right way) took the sacrament, to be the very body of christ, and put no difference, between it & bread. But saint Paul contrariwise (as tholde authors expound that place) declareth in those words, non dijudicans corpus domini, 
1. Cor. 11  how such as eat unworthily do not acknowledge, whom they receive. For if they did, they could not so abuse themself, and therefore the word (dijudicans) signifieth not, putting no difference, but not understanding, not considering, as the greake interpreters say. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not considering, not understanding who is in that feast to be received, whose presence if men considered, they should need none other admonishment, how to prepare themself to come thither, and how to use them selves at the same. And other scripture, is likewise misconstrued and crookedly expounded. Spiritus vivificat caro non prodest quic●, 
Io. 6.  As though it were to be understanded, that the presence of the natural body and blood of our saviour our christ, were not fruitful to us, & therefore by their reason should not be there, where in deed our saviour Christ, refelled in those words the gross understanding of the Capharnaites, as though our saviour christ had meant to distribute his natural body in lumps of flesh, and so make them a feest of it, and thereupon gave a general lesson unto them, which serveth for the true understanding of our hole religion, which is that our godly life is engendered in us, not of the flesh, but of the spirit, for quod natum est ex carne, caro est, quod autem ex spum spiritus est, 
joan. 6.  that is born of the flesh, is flesh, and that is born of the spirit is spirit, and the faithful men be not born of the flesh, nor the flesh revealeth not the truth of god, for the flesshye man can not see gods mysteries, and they that devil in the flesh can not please god, 
Rom. 8.  and thus scripture speaketh of the flesh, the carnal part of man not illuminate by the spirit of god, and the Capharnaites fancied of Christ's flesh grossly to be cut as butcher's do in the market, which so considered, profiteth nothing, but only the spirit giveth life. And so spiritus vivificat, caro non prodest quicquam, the spirit giveth life, and the flesh profiteth nothing. By which manner of speech the fle●she of our saviour Christ's most precious body, being caro vivifica, lively flesh, and which hath the holy spirit inseparably annexed unto it, is not improved but as it is by gods high power ministered under form of bread & wine, is also most wholesome & most comfortable unto such, as receive it worthily, of which christ spoke Caro mea vere est cibus & 
Io. 6.  sanguis meus vere est potus, & panis quem dabo vobis caro mea est, My flesh is verily meat, and my blood verily drink, and the bread which I shall give you is my flesh. And the speech of this scripture. Caro non prodest quic● is in such wise to be taken as when saint Paul says, Scientia inflat, charitas edificat. 
1. Cor. 8.  wherein knowledge is not utterly condemned, but only such knowledge as wanteth, and is not tempered with charity. And likewise, littera occidi spiritus vivificat. 
1. Cor. 3.  wherein not all letters and writings, be noted to do hurt, but only such as be destitute and want right & spiritual understanding. And after the same form said christ. Spiritus vivificat caro non prodest quic●● The spirit giveth life, 
Io▪ 6.  the flesh profiteth nothing, which is as much to say after the order of understanding, in the former speeches, that the flesh porfiteth nothing, where the spirit of god wanteth, which in the most blessed body of our saviour Christ, is always present, & can not be separate from it. Thus I have somewhat travailed in thexpositionexposition of this text Caro non prodest quic●, which in deed pertaineth not to the purpose of the matter, but only as the devil wrangleth with it, as he doth in sustaining heresies with many other, and among other in this matter, these. If I go not from you (saith Christ) the holy ghost shall not come to you. And in an other place: you shall not see me, for I go to my father. And also in an other place. I leave the world, and go to my father. With such like, which sound to improve the presence of Christ's natural body and blood in the sacrament of th'altar, but sound so only to such, as before they mark this sound of words, would have them to sound so. For that mean the devil useth to inveigle men, first to allure them by▪ some wordly temptation, to be incline able rather to this or that opinion and in many men, not for any respect they have to any truth or falseshed, but only because they had rather have it understanded so, as they fancy, than otherwise. And being so waywardlye affected, they conceive then of the scripture, as they do of a confuse sound of bells, that is to say, the self same sentence and meaning which they would have taken, and esteemed for truth, and none other. And to such men, so inveigled by the devil, it is hard to induce the persuasion of truth, for they care not for it, or be malicious and evil willing against the truth. 
Sapi. l.  And therefore wisdom (as the wise man says) can not enter into them. The devil, 
Io. 7. 8▪ 11 14. 16.  for maintenance of his error, he ceaseth not to note to the simple reader, how Christ speaketh of going his way, and going to his father, 
joh. 14.  and in an other place of leaving the world, & in an other place, that he will be seen no more of them. And when the spouse is go than we shall wail and fast. 
joan. 16. Matt. 9  All which in the true understanding, signify to us the absence from us of Christ, in his bodily conversation among us, in such sort as he was before his passion, and before his ascension (that is to say) to speak to us, and company with us, as he did with his apostles and disciples, 
Io. 20.  or to be felt of us, as he was of saint Thomas, to the satisfaction of our bodily senses, which absence of Christ in conversation repugneth not to the truth of our catholic faith, which is that christ presenteth and exhibiteth unto us, his natural body and blood in the sacrament of th'altar. For the diversyte, in the manner of beings present, taketh away the contrariety that should seem in the matter. Now as touching the misconstruing & wrong taking, and sometime false bearing in hand, of that the good holy fathers of Christ's church, have written of the most blessed sacrament o● th'altar. First I shall say this, that how so ever the same holy doctors do agree, in the most certain truth of our belief moche labour hath been taken to p●ke out words and sentences, and dissevering them out of their places, by circumstance, whereof they had their true understanding to make them sound, to such as would have it so, to the confirmation of their untrue and false doctrine, in this most blessed sacrament. And like as such as labour, to confounded the truth, be the children of darkness: So in the scriptures and doctors also, they resort to search the truth in obscure dark places, where they may have opportunite to juggle and deceive the simple reader. For where the doctors speak plainly against their falsehead, they far, as though they knew not that place, or had not red it, and then resort to an other place not so open and plain, and there fall to conjectures and constructions of their own, and labour in exposition of those obscure places, as though they could there more certainly declare the mind of the doctors to confirm their lies, than the doctors themself do in another place of their own works, where they plainly, openly, manifestly, and without ambiguite, declare themself to agree with the truth. And where as the truth grounded in scriptures, and opened more clearly by holy writers, hath been in Christ's church▪ after discussion and trial set forth in a wholesome fashion, and convenient order of words, which words, the true meaning and understanding purged from all ambiguities, which man's busy wit hath also in holy words engendered, to thintent as we believe one truth, we might also in words & speech, uniformly agreed in the same truth. Such as labour to break this godly agreement in heart and tongue, they never cease, till by speech, they may bring the truth again in a corner and with pretence they mean well & speak simply without observation, even as they have red forsooth, in that holy man, for example, (& in deed a holy martyr) saint Cipriane, for him they allege. Which saint Cyprians speech as it was by him devoutly uttered, 
Ciprianus.  not disagreeing from the truth, so is it by these men maliciously brought forth, whereby to interrupt the consent truly agreed on, both in the speech and understanding. I will somewhat speak of this one speech of saint Cyprian particularly, whereby thou mayest esteem (good reader) the devils sophystrie, in handling of the rest. We believe truly as the catholic church teacheth, that there remaineth no substance of bread in the sacrament of th'altar, but the only substance of the body and blood of our saviour Christ. And yet saint Cyprian, speaking devoutly of the food and nouriture, which good Christian men receive in the communion of this most holy Sacrament, whereby the body and soul, be conjoined with Christ, useth the word Panis, 
Panis.  and calleth the blessed sacrament, sacramentalem panem, which words be not perfitly expressed in english, if in translation it were termed sacramental bread (as malicious feigned simplicity pretendeth) but rather sacramental food, for Panis in latyn is a general word, & signifieth not only bread, wherewith men be fed, but also all other nouriture, wherewith man is sustained, which the word (bread) doth not in english, but soundeth to us a name of special nouriture & food made of corn. Now if any man shall under pretence of simple plain speech, call always that bread, in english which he finds in latin, called panis, he might of well, wheresoever he found sella in latyn, call it in english a saddle and then in translating some places out of latyn into englyshe, he should sometime set suddenly on horseback in english, him that he red in latyn sitting in a seat on the ground Herein the ignorant, that perceive not this, will say, I use sophistry but I open the devils sophistry herein, wherewith he doth abuse the people in speech, and entangle them so in it, as they for want of other knowledge, can not wade out, & therefore alloweth him, that when he readeth in saint Cypryan the sacrament of the altar, called sacramentalem panem calleth it in englisshe sacramental bread. And here he spurneth, and will you make me believe (saith he) that panis signifieth not bread? & then for confirmation, add this, Say we not in our Pater noster, Panem nostrum quotidianem da nobis hody? 
Matt. 6.  which is translate in englisshe. give us to day, our daily bread? And in deed if I would reply thoroughly hereunto, I must say more, than it were necessary now to entreat, & yet I may not pass it all over. For I must say that panis in our Pater noster, signified not only bread but all food, both for the body & soul, and is so well known by the exposition that in thenglish, when it is translate bread, we may easily conceive by a part, the rest, and by signification of some part, the hole. But where as there is an extour spread by the devil abroad against Christ's miracle, in consecration of his most precious body, in the sacrament of the altar▪ which error is, that there should after the consecration remain bread, in this time of error to translate in every place the word panis, that signifieth in some place (food) into the english word (bread): can that be without a malicious purpose to advance the devils enterprise with his sophistry, cloaked under pretence of plains? After which sort of outward simplicite, wherewith to cloak malice: Some when they should speak of the blessed sacrament, & with the catholic church confess the truth therein plainly & openly, than they say, they will speak as saint Paul spoke, & his words they will use, which were written by the holy ghost, and for so much they say true, and herewith they will ask disdainfully, whither any man will correct saint Paul's teaching? as though there were any such sacrilege intended against god's scripture, where in deed this is only desired, and necessary in Christ's church, that one should understand another, & all conceive one true meaning of S. Paul whose most holy true words, divers (as ss. Peter saith) 
2. Pet. 3.  have for the hardness of them, perverslye understanded them, for the exchewing whereof, it is necessarily requisite, that preserving the words of S. Paul inviolable, as they be most holy, we should in other words & fashion of speech truly agreed on in the church, confess in all tongues, the truth plainly, in such wise as such as have their belief established in one understanding, should also utter the same in one manner of speech, whereby the speech which is ordered of god, to do service to express the inward meaning of the heart, to the knot and conjunction of men in unity, be not by the variaction & diversity in it, matter and occasion of discord and confusion, wherein the devil by his membres travaileth by all means, to dissever that christ hath congregate, & to dissolve that christ hath knit together. But to return to the doctors and fathers of the church, who left most plain, and evident testimony in their writings, of their belief in the sacrament of th'altar even the very same that among good men continueth still. Hath not Fryth for all that, in a detestable book remaining after him in Englysshe, defamed Tertulian, Chrisostome, and saint Austen in that matter? And hath not before him Oecolampadius in our time most maliciousely and untruly, in falsely reporting those holy men attempted the same? And hath not this been their craft herein, to seek out places of darkness and ambiguity, wherewith to deceive them selue & other also. As for example. If they red any doctor in any place of his book, call the sacrament of the altar, a figure, or a sign, that place they brought forth, and they put to the devils syllable (but) and said, those doctors take it to be but a sign, but a figure, & but a memory, herein the but, hath done moche hurt, for it is sleighly brought in, and a small syllable, For this is in deed convenient that christ in his body living, should be a figure, sign, and memory of his body dead upon the cross for us, & Christ in the sacrament of th'altar to be a figure of his mystical body the church, which he unitethe to him in that sacrament, and of that effect, the sacrament of th'altar is named the holy communion, 
unus panis ●num corpus multi sumus qui de uno pane & uno calice participamus.  and because the manner of Christ's being in the sacrament, differeth from his manner of being as he sat at the board with his disciples, 
1 Cor. 10.  although the self same body was in the sacrament, that sat at the board, and the self same body is now in the sacrament, that is now in heaven, not by shifting of places, but by omnypotencye whereby god may do all, for these considerations in all these respects, the speech hath not been abhorred to call the sacrament of th'altar a figure, and to call it a sign, and a memorial, 
Beware of the exclusyves, that they exclude the not from the fruit of the truth,  for so it is, but not only a figure, not only a sign, not only a memorial, but therewith the thing itself, as the same doctors that have used, those words (sign) and (figure), do plainly testify. Now if man's wit, by the devils instigation, shall travail with sophistication in words, to subvert the truth: what can remain untouched, of that we should have most sure? We believe truly, that Chryste is the same substance with his father, to the condemnation of tharrians. And yet saint Paul in his epistle to the Hebrews, calleth Christ, the image of his father's substance. 
Heb. 1  Then (saith the devil) if Chryst be but the image of his father's substance (do you not see how (but) creepeth in) then is he not the same substance. Now because Christ showeth us the father, as he said to Philip, 
joh. 14.  Philippe qui videt me, videt & patreim, Phylyppe, he that seethe me, seethe my father, and in another place. 
Luc. 10.  Nemo novit patrem nisi filius, et cui volverit filius revelare, No man knoweth the father but his son, and to whom he will reveal it. Et deum nemo vidit un● unigenitus filius, ipse ennarravit. 
Io. 1.  Never man saw god, his only begotten son, hath showed him forth: For these effects, Christ is the image of the father's substance and we may not therefore, make the devils addition of (but), or make the captious sophism of Me●demus. 
This was a notable sophist.  Alterum ab altero, alterum est, The image is not the thing whereof it is the image, as man is not god, of whom he is the image Ergo Christ, is not the same substance with the father, being (as saint Paul's words before rehearsed purport) the image of his substance. And as this argument is foolish in this point, and yet captious to deceive the unlearned: So be the arguments, made against the sacrament of the altar, of the word (figure) or the word (sign) or the word (memory) or the word (Symbolum) token, which words for a certain relatition, may be spoken of it, without prejudice of the true substance, there present, 
Luther's sect in words grant the presence, and yet in deeds deny it, when they forbid the worshipping of it.  of the body and blood of Christ, besides those relations. And thus Luther, and all that followed him have defended against Oecolampadius, and enforced Bucer, by declaration of the places, to yield unto him in it, and to confess the presence of the natural body of our saviour christ, notwithstanding those terms of (figure, sign, and memory) the misconstruing whereof, was but mere cavillation & sophistry. So as to condemn the madness of such as follow Frith, or Oecolampadius, or swinglius, or among us, joy, Bale, Turner, or such like, the devils limbs: the truth of Christ's church hath thaid of all Luther's sect, But without their aid the truths strength is sufficient. & because thou mayst see (reader) how plainly the holy fathers have spoken of the most blessed sacrament, whereby the more to abhor the blasphemy of some, such wretches, as most vyllainously writ, speak (and as they dare) jest at this day: I will of certain notable writers, such only as were before one thousand year past take out their plain confession of this most blessed Sacrament, by reading whereof, good men may conceive as much joyful pleasure, to the confirmation of their belief, and sweet meditation therein, as lewd, light people, take wanton delight to here scoffing & ●estinge, to the depravation of the same, non diiudicantes corpus domini. 
1. Cor. 11.  And first, I shall rehearse, that hath been spoken of this precious sacrament, by one of the first since christ, 
D: Andreas. Apo.  as of saint Andrew thapostle, who continuing constantly, in the true confession of christ, and abhorring idolatry, when he was moved thereunto, by Egeas, said in this wise. Omnipotenti deo, qui unus & verus est, ego omni die sacrifico, non thuris fumum, nec taurorum mugientium carnes, nec hircorum sanguinem, sed immaculatum agnum, quotidiè in altari crucis sacrifico. cuius carnes, post● omnis populus credentium, manducaverit, & eius sanguinem biberit, agnus qui sacrificatus est, integer perseverat & unus, Et cum verè sacrificatus sit, & verè carnes eius manducatae sint a populo, & verè sanguis eius bibi ●us: tamen (ut dixi) integer permanet, & immaculatus & unus. I do every day (said saint Andrew) sacrifice to God almighty, 
Here is eating & dri● king, which to our senses is asmuch to say, as tearing and consuming, joined with the true cōfiss●on of Christ's imp●ssibilite immortalytie.  which is the true and one god, not the smoke of incense not the flesh of lowing bulls, not the blood of goats, but I sacrifice daily in the altar of the cross, the lamb without spot, whose flesh after all the faithful people have eaten it, and drunk the blood of it, the lamb that is sacrificed, 
He says not in figure, but verily eaten ● v●rely drunken.  continueth hole and on live. And all be it this lamb is verily sacrificed, and the flesh of it verily eaten of the people, and the blood of it verily drunken: yet, as I said, it remaineth hole, without spot, and still on live. These be the words of the holy Apostle and martyr saint Andrew, who knew the truth of that is written by the evangelists, before the evangelies were written, and he knew it taught of our saviour Christ, and speaketh herein consonantly, to the words of scripture and the faith of the catholyque church, wherein if thou wilt spurn, because saint Andrew speaketh of daily sacrifice, and saint Paul's true doctrine is that, Christ was but one's sacrificed on the cross, & then it was (as saint Paul sayeth to the Hebrews) perfected for ever, 
Heb. 8.  being a hole and sufficient sacrifice, for all the sins of the world: Thou dost herein rehearse a true saying of saint Paul, such as all the world must confess. For the sacrifice of Christ, is eternal and is one, perfit, consummate, sufficient, available sacrifice, and needeth no repetition, or iteration, for the more validity of it. And yet this truth, is nothing touched or prejudicate, with the daily sacrifice of Christ in the altar, which to him that believeth is easily declared, & to him that will wrangle against all truth, is in vain entreated of, and (as Hylarius saith (Non est humano aut seculi sensu, 
Hilarius.  in rebus dei loquendum. Godly matters should not be commened of, after carnal understanding▪ But as saint Andrew spoke, so the church doth practise it. For Chryste is daily offered and sacrificed on the altar. If thou askest by what authority, it may be answered, by thauthority of Chrystes word, who said, 
Luc. 22. 〈◊〉 11.  Hoc facite Do this, and saint Paul as Damascene noteth it, showeth how long, in the words donec veniat, till he come, & hath from the beginning taught his church so to understand him▪ If thou askest, how can (once) & (many times) stand together? This (how) declareth, if if it be contentious, thou dost not yet believe, but art in mistrust of the church, that teacheth thee, and if thou askest in humility. saint Chrysostome in expounding that place of s. Paul to the Hebrews, where he one's offering is spoken of, 
D. Chrisost. sup epistl. ad Hebreos.  openeth and dyscussethe thy doubt, as followeth. Nun per singulos dies offerimus? Offerimus quidem, sed ad recordationem facientes mortis eius. Et una est haec hostia, non multae. Quomodo una est, & non multae? Et quia semel oblata est illa, oblata est in sancta sanctorum: hoc autem sacrificium, exemplar est illius, idipsum semper offerimus. Nec nunc quidem alium agnum, crastina alium sed semper idipsum. Proinde un● est hoc sacrificium. Aliquin hac ratione, quoniam in multis locis offertur, multi Christi sunt? Nequaquam, sed unus ubique est Christus, & hîc plenus existens, & illic, plenus, unum corpus. Sicut enim qui ubique offertur, unum corpus est & non multa corpora: ita etiam & unum sacrificium. Pontifex autem noster ille est, qui hostiam mundantem nos, obtulit, ipsam offerrimus & nunc quae tunc oblata est, consumi non potest. Hoc autem quod nos facimus, in commemorationem quidem fit eius, quod factum est. Hoc enim facite (inquit) in meam commemorationem. Non aliud sacrificium, sicut pontifex, 
Heb. 9  sed idipsum semper facimus, magis autem recordationem sacrificij operamur. Sed quia sacrificij huius mentionem feci, voeo pauca ad vos dicere, quae recor damini, pauca quidem mensura, magnam autem habentia virtuten & urilitatem. Non enim nostra sunt, sed divini spiritus, quae dicuntur. Quae ergo sunt. Plurimi ex hoc sacrificio, semel accipiunt in toto anno, alij bis, alij saepius. Ad omnes ergo nobis sermo est, non ad eos qui hîc sunt tantum, sed etiam ad eos qui in eremo sedent, Illi enim semel in anno perticipantur, fortassis enim & post duos annos. Quid ergo est? Quos magis acceptamus? Eos ne qui semel, an eos qui saepius, an illos qui rarò accipiunt? Neque illos qui semel, neque qui saepius, neque qui rarò, sed eos qui cum munda conscientia qui cum mundo cord, cum vita irreprehensibili, istùc semper accedunt. Qui verò tales non sunt, neque semel. Quid ita? quia iuditium sibi accipiunt, & damnationem & supplicium. Et non mireris. Sicut enim cibus, naturaliter nutritorius extans, si in eum qui pravis cibis corruptus est, incidat, omnia perdit & corrumpit, efficitur occasio morbi: sic etiam ista quae ad haec terribilia pertinent sacramenta. Frueris mensa spiritali, mensa regali, & iterum polluis coeno os tuum, perungiss unguento praecioso, & iterum foetoribus illud imples. Dic mihi rogo, post annum, perceptionem participaris, quadraginta dies putas tibi sufficere, admundationem peccatorum totius temporis, & iterum septimana transeunte, trades teipsum scrdibus primis? Dic enim mihi, si saluus factus quadraginta diebus ab egritudine longa, iterum te illis morbificatoribus cibis tradas, nun & primum laborem perdes? Si enim naturalia sic mutantur, quanto amplius voluntaria? Vt puta veluti quid dico. Naturaliter videmus, & sanos habemus oculos, secundum naturam sed aliquando ex mala quadam affectione, leditur noster obtutus, Si igitur naturalia mutantur, quanto amplius quae ad voluntatem pertinent? Quadraginta dies, tantum tribuis saluti animae tuae, arbitror autem quia neus quadraginta dies, & speras propitiari deum. locaris magis. I will translate all this place for it may edify the reder, in this, & other matter. Do we not (says s. Chrisostome) offer daily? We do in deed offer, 
It is specially to be marked how ss, Chrisostom falleth it the same sacrifice,  but in remembrance of his death. And it is one sacrifice & not many? How is it one, and not many. For being once offered, it is then presented, in the inward most holy place, whereof this our sacrifice, is a representation, so as we offer always the same, not one lamb now, & another at another time, but at all times the same. So as it is but one sacrifice, or else by the same reason, because christ is offered in many places we might say there were many Christ's, 
The same one Christ offered in every place.  which is not to be allowed, for in everyplace of offering is but the same one Chryst, here full & hold Christ, and there full & hold christ, 
The circumstances of time and place encrcase●● acompte in number when uva speak of the sacrifice of christ  and every where, the same one body, And as the sacrifice, every where, where it is offered, is one body, and not many bodies, so it is also, but one sacrifice. And our chief bishop, is he that offered the host, that cleansed us, and the same host, we offer also now, which being then offered, could not be consumed For that we do, is in remembrance of that was done. For Christ said Do this in remembrance of me: Wherein we do not make another sacrifice, as the bishop of the old law did, but make always the same sacrifice, or rather work the representation of the same, But because I have made mention of this sacrifice. I will speak a few words to you, which you remember, a few words in measure, but containing great pith and commodite for you. That I shall say, proceedeth not of myself, but of thinstigationinstigation of gods holy spirit. What will I say then? This it is, that many be partakers of this sacrifice one's in the year, 
This is to be noted for the use of the church in his time  some twice, and some oftener. My speech is directed to all, not only to those that be here, but also those that sit in wilderness. For such be houseled once in the year, peradventure not in two. What is the matter then? Whom do we most allow? Those that receive one's in the year, those that receive oftener, or those that receive seldom. Neither those that receive one's, nor them that receive oftener, nor them that receive seldom, but those that always come to be partetakers of this sacrifice, with a clean conscience, with a clean heart, and a life without reproach. And those that be not such, 
He required not only faith, but faith with a company of many virtues,  I allow them not to come one's, Why so? Because they receive judgement, damnation and punishment. And hereof marvel not. For as meat being naturally nourishing, when it happeneth to come into him, that is corrupted with evil meats, marreth and corrupteth all, and is occasion of a sickness and disease: So likewise, that is contained in this dreadful sacrament, where thou hast fruition of spiritual food, 
He calleth it a dreadful sacrament  haste fruition of the kings table, and after defylest thy mouth again with filthy mire, thou art thoroughly anointed with the precious anointment, and fillest thyself again, with evil savering stenches, I pray the tell me. One's in the year, thou reparest to this holy communion. Dost thou think xl days sufficient, to cleanse thy sins of all that time past, 
Thus was the lente spent in the primitive church, and now some would use it like other times.  & within a week after, return to thy former filthiness? How sayest thou to me, If thou wart in xl days, healed from a long bodily disease, & shouldest return to that meat, that was cause of thy disease, hadst thou not lost thy former labour? If the natural parts of man, be so soon altered, with much less, the parts of man's will, may be changed, wherein I mean this, that as we naturally see, and have by natures order hole eyes, yet by some alteration our sight is hurt. And if things that be natural in us, be so soon changed: much more that is ordered by our will & is voluntary. Sparest thou only xl days to to provide for thy soul health? I think not all together so much, and yet thou hopest, to have god pleased with the. Thou dost rather trifle. Hitherto I have translate Chrysostom's sentence, and to note unto the these few words, last spoken.  
What would Chrisostome say, to the state of this world, now? in which a number do not only neglect, to appoint so much time, as the lente is (which Chrisostom meaneth) to attain god's favour again, but think it all superfluous and not necessary. And boast only the mercy of god, without fear of his justice. Mark this place of saint Chrisostome and compare it to only faith, mark this place of saint Chrisostom, & note how the xl days in the lent, were spent not by the bishop of Rome's ordinance, but by direction of the true discipline in Christ's church, in which, Misecordia & veritas, 
Ps●. 34.  abvia verunt sibi, justitia & pax, osculatae sunt As wherein mercy was so preached, as the truth of god's justice, was not neglected, & justice in due order of all things, was so decently observed as peace and concord remained in Christ's church. But this matter is besides the principal purpose, and yet not out of all purpose, for this time. In s. Chrysostom's interpretation concerning daily sacrifice of Christ's body & blood, thou mayst see (reader) how the church hath observed this most precious continual sacrifice of Christ himself, by himself the high priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedech offered on the altar, where the minister of the church by Christ's commandment excludeth the same, which commandment (as Chrysostome saith) is contained in these words. Hoc facite, Now I return to rehearse other, 
Luc. 22: 1. Cor. 11.  that have spoken of the most blessed sacrament of the altar, among whom Ignatius, a glorious martyr and 
Ignatius.  next unto the apostles, in an epistle that he writeth to the Romans says in this wise, Panem dei volo panem coelestem vitae, qui est caro jesu Christi, filij dei vivi, qui natus est in novissimo, ex semine David & Abrahae, & potum volo sanguinem eius, qui est dilectio in corruptibilis, & vita aeterna. I desire, says Ignatius, 
Christ's doctrine is food & called panis, but in the sacrament of th'altar in the flesh of Christ, & therefore he speaketh here of the sacrament.  the food of god, the heavenly food of life, which is the flesh of jesu Cyrist, the son of the living god, who was born in the last time, of the seed of David and Abraham, and I desire for drink the blood of him, who is love without corruption, and life everlasting. And to thintent thou mayest perceive, reader, that this nouriture is understanded of the body and soul together, so as in this holy communion man's flesh is also comforted herewith: Note what Ireneus saith. 
Iron●us.  Quomodo negant carnem capacem esse donationis dei, qui est vita aeterna, quae & sanguine & corpore Christi nutritur, & membrum eius sit? quenadmodum Apostolus ait, in ea quae est ad Ephesios' epistola: Quoniam membra sumus corporis eius, 
Ephe. 5.  de carne eius & de ossibus eius, non de spirituali aliquo & invisibili, homine dicens haec. Spiritus enim neque carnem neque ossa habet, 
Luc. 24  sed ea dispositione quae est secundum hominem, quae ex carnibus & neruis consistit, qui de calice, qui est sanguis eius nutritur, & de pane qui est corpus eius augetur. Which may be englyshed thus. How can it be denied that man's flesh may be partetaker of the gift of god, 
Man's flesh partaker of the gift of god.  who is life everlasting, considering it is nourished with the blood and body of Christ, as the apostle saith in his epistle to the Ephesians: For we be membres (says the apostle) of his body, of the flesh of him and of the bones of him, 
Ephe. 5.  which things thapostle speaketh not of any spiritual or invisible man, for a spirit hath neither flesh nor bones, but it is spoken of such an habitude, disposition and composition, as man in his own nature hath, which consisteth of flesh and sinews, being nourished of the cup, which is Christ's blood, and increased of the bread, which is his body. This saith Ireneus. And Tertulian as followeth. 
Tertull.  Videamus nunc de propria christiani nominis forma, quanta huic substantiae frivolae ac sordidae, apud deum praerogativa sit, etsi sufficeret illi, ꝙ nulla omnino anima salutem possit adipiscinisi dum est in carne, crediderit, adeò caro salutis est cardo, de qua cum anima deo alligatur, ipsa est quae efficit, ut anima alligari possit Sed & caro abluitur, ut anima emaculetur. Caro inungitur, ut anima consecretur, Caro signatur, ut anima muniatur. Caro manus impositiōe adumbratur, ut anima spiritu illuminetur. Caro corpore & sanguine christi vescitur, ut & anima de deo saginetur. These words be written in a work made by this author for confirmation of the article of our belief for resurrection of the flesh, whereby to refel such as denied the same, and in english they have this sense. Let us now (says Tertulian) consider the platform of a christian man's state, and see what pre-eminence is given by god, to the brykle & vile substance of the flesh, although to it this preferment might suffice that no soul can attain everlasting life, unless it believe, while it is in the flesh, so evident is it, that the flesh is (as it were) the groundeselpece of man's salvation. In which, when the soul is knit to god, 
This is verified in the sacrament of baptism In the sacraments of confirmation, order and extreme unction. As with the cross in benediction. In confyr●mation and ordres. The sacrament of the altar.  it is the flesh that bringeth to pass, that it may so be knit, yea also the flesh is washed, that the soul may be cleansed of her spots. The flesh is anointed, that the soul may be hallowed. The flesh is marked, that the soul may be defended. The flesh by imposition of the ministers hands is shadowed, that the soul may be illuminate with the spirit. The flesh is fed with the body and blood of Christ, that the soul may be made fat of god. In these words be contained many good things, declaring the use of the visible sacraments, in the beginning of the church, such as in these days some ●este and rail at commonly, besides the intolerable presumption against the most blessed sacrament, whereof how this man speaketh it is evident, how so ever, the devil used Frith as a mynystre, to deprave him, in this behalf. And yet this nouriture that man's flesh hath by Christ's precious body, is after an other manner as saint Augustine says, than our comen nouriture is, for non digeritur in carnis nostre, substantiam, sed ipse nos in corporat sibi. Christ's body is not digested into the substance of our flesh, but it incorporateth us unto it, And note the word digested appropriate to other common meats This most precious food conserveth our substance, & as Damascene saith, may therefore be called supersubstantialis, but it is by incorporation of us into it, whereof here what Saint Cyprian says, that holy martyr, who expounding the (Pater noster) and declaring the fourth petition in it, Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodiè, understandeth it to contain a desire of the holy communion in the blessed sacrament, and saith. Ideo panem nostrum id est, christum dari nobis quotidiè petimus, ut qui in christo manemus & vivimus, à sanctificatione & corpore eius, non recedamus. 
Cyprianus  Therefore we ask our daily bread, that is to say Christ, to be given unto us, that we which abide and live in Christ go not backward, from the state of holiness, and communion of the body. Here saint Cypryan, calleth the sacrament, Chryste, as he is in deed, there present really, and showeth therewith an effect of this holy communion, that being so partakers, of his most precious natural body, we may be preserved, in the continuance of our sanctification, and not departed from the fellowship of Christ's mystical body, the church, which church Christ uniteth to him, not only spiritually, by faith and charity, but also corporally: by eating of his precious body, & drinking of his blood, declaring that he loveth his church, as his flesh, as saint Paul writeth to the Ephesians, 
Ephe. 5.  where admonishing the husbands, to love their wives as their own bodies, he sayeth. No man ever hated his own flesh but nourisheth it, as Christ doth his church, for we be membres, of his body, of his flesh and of his bones. To which purpose, Cirillus, 
Cyrill.  upon the xu of saint john, writeth against an heretic as followeth. Non (inquit) negamus recta nos fide charitateque syncera, Christo spiritualiter coniungi sed nullam nobis coniunctionis rationem, secundum carnem cum illo esse id profectò pernegamus, idque a divinis scripturus, omnino alienum ducimus. Quis enim dubitavit Christum etiam sic vitem esse, nos palmites, qui vitam inde nobis acquirimus? Audi Paulum dicentem, quia omnes, unum corpus sumus in Christo, Quia & si multi sumus unum tamen in eo sumus, 
1: Cor. 10.  omnes enim uno pane participamus: An fortasse putas ignotam nobis, misticae benedictionis virtuten esse, quae cum in nobis fiat, nun corporaliter quoque facit, communicatione carnis Christi, 
1. Cor. 6.  Christum in nobis habitare, cur enim membra fidelium, membra sunt christi Nescitis (inquit) quoniam mēbrav●̄a membra sunt christi membra igitur Christi, meretricis faciam membra? Absit, salvator etiam, qui manducat carnem meam, & bibit sanguinem meum, in me manet, & ego in eo. We deny not (says Cyril against the heretic) but we be spiritually joined, to christ, 
we be conjoined to Christ not only by faith & charity, but also by participation of his flesh in the sacrament of the altar.  by faith, and sincere charity but that we should have no manner of conjunction, in our flesh with christ, that we utterly deny, and think it utterly discrepant from gods holy scriptures. For who doubteth but christ, is so the vine tree and we so the branches, as we get thence our life. Here what S. Paul says: we be all one body with Christ. 
1. Cor. 10.  For though we be many, we be one in him. All we participate in one food.  
Thinketh this heretic, that we know not the strength and virtue of the mystical benediction (so this author expresseth the holy sacrament of th'altar, 
Cyryll calleth the sacrament of the altar the mystical benediction  calling it the mystical benediction) which when it is made in us, doth it not make Christ, by communication of his flesh to dwell corporally in us? Why be the members of faithful man's bodies, called the membres of Christ? 
Christ doth communicate his flesh in the sacrament of the altar, and so dwelleth corporally in us.  know you not (says S. Paul) that your members be the members of Christ? And shall I make the membres of christ, parts of the hores body? God forbid. And our saviour also says: He that eateth my flesh, & drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. Hitherto be Cirylles words, whereby is declared our corporal habitation, in Christ, by this precious sacrament wherein is present christ himself▪ 
Hilarius. 8. li. De trinitate.  whereof here what Hilarius Pictauiensis, an old author in Christ's church, in the viii book, de Trinitate, upon discussion of this question, whither Christ be in us, by the verity of nature, or concord & agreaunce in our will, answereth in this wise. Si enim verè verbum caro factum est, & nos verè verbum carnem, cibo dominico sumimus: quo modo non naturaliter manner in nobis existimandus est? qui & naturam carnis nostrae, iam inseparabilem sibi homo natus assumpsit, & naturam carnis suae ad naturam aeternitatis, sub sacramento nobis communicandae carnis admiscuit? Ita enim omnes unum sumus, quia & in christo pr̄ est, & christus in nobis. Quisquis ergo naturaliter patrem in christo negabit, neget prius non naturaliter vel se christo vel christum sibi inesse, quia in christo pr̄, & christus in nobis unum, unum in hijs esse nos faciunt. Si verè igitur carnem corporis nostri chruns assumpsit, & verè homo ille, qui ex Maria natus fuit, chruns est, nosque vero sub misterio carnem corporis sui sumimus, & per hoc unum erimus, quia pater in eo est & ille in nobis, quomodo voluntatis unitas asseretur, cum naturalis per sacramentum proprietas perfecta, sacramentum sit unitatis? If the word was made verily flesh, and we verily receive the word, being flesh in our lords meat: how shall not christ be thought to devil naturally in us, who being born man, hath taken unto him, the nature of our flesh, that can not be severed, and hath put together the nature of his flesh, to the nature of his eternity, under the sacrament of the communion of his flesh unto us, For so we be all one, by cause the father is in Chryste, 
Note the mystery of the sacrament of the altar.  and Christ in us. Wherefore who soever will deny the father, to be naturally in Christ, he must deny first, either himself, to be naturally in Christ, or Christ not to be naturally in him, for the being of the father in Chryst, and the being of Chryste in us, maketh us to be one in them. And therefore, if Chryst hath taken verily the flesh of our body, and the man that was verily born of the virgin Mary is Christ: & also we receive under the true mystery, the flesh of his body, by means whereof we shall be one (for the father is in Christ, and Christ in us) how shall that be called the unite of will, when the natural propriete brought to pass by the sacrament, is the sacrament of unite? I have thus translate this holy father's testimony, far exceeding the capacite of the simple unlearned, and yet most evidently declaring the mystery of the sacrament of th'altar, not to be thinvention of man, as these beasts now a days fain, but the godly tradition of the truth, expressed in Christ's words, plainly & truly received, also taught and continued in the church, sins the beginning, & by this man's testimony, above xii c. years past. And were it not, that I think good men will delight to read the truth: I would esteem it labour lost, to such as be obstinate. For they be (as saint Paul says) overthrown in their own judgement, and so full of malice, as nothing else, can entre. But I will not omit for them to prosecute my purpose, And now shall you here what Theophylus Alexandrinus, a noble author in Christ's church, 
Theop. Alex. super Marc.  and in the beginning of Christ's church saith, who declaring the gospel of s. Mark, and expounding the words of Christ writeth in this wise, Benedicens fregit. i gratias agens fregit, quod & nos facimus, 
Mar. 14.  orationes super addentes, & dedit eyes dicens, Sumite hoc est corpus meum, hoc scilicet quod nunc do, & quod nunc sumitis. Non autem panis figura tantum corporis christi est, sed in proprium Christi corpus transmutatur. Nam Dominus ait, Panis quem ego dabo, caro mea est, sed tamen caro christi, non videtur, propter nostram infirmitatem, panis enim & vinum de nostra consuetudine est, si verò carnem & sanguinem cerneremus sumere non sustineremus, propter hoc. Dominus nostrae infirmitati condescendens, species panis & vini conseruat, sed panem & vinum, in veritatem convertit, carnis & sanguinis. Thenglysshe whereof is this, Christ blessing, brake, that is to say, giving thanks, brake, which also we do adding prayers thereunto, and gave it them saying, Take this is my body, the same that is to say, that I now give, & you now take. For the bread is not an only figure of the body of Christ, but it is changed into Christ's very body. For our lord said, The bread which I shall give, is my flesh, & yet the flesh of christ, is not seen, 
Note this.  in respect of our infirmity, for the bread and wine, be accustomed unto us, but if we should see the flesh and blood, we should not endure to receive it, and therefore our lord, condescending to our infirmity, conserveth the fourmes of bread and wine, and turneth the bread and wine into the verity of his flesh and blood.  
Thus testifieth Theophilus, and who can desire, a more plain testimony, in which thou mayest also note, how the form of bread and wine, by god's goodness remains in respect of our infirmity, and yet the bread and wine is turned, in to the body and blood of our saviour Christ, which speech, implieth a difference between the substance of bread and the form, that is to say, apparence of bread which every simple wit can not conceive, but every wit should humbly & reverently believe. For Christ said. This is my body, as appeareth testified by such as I have rehearsed, being witnesses of tholde world, when there reigned in Christ's church, simplicity, faith, charity, meekness, devotion, with fervent religion, when god's word dwelled in men's hearts, and came never abroad to walk in men's tongues, but with majesty and reverence, accompanied with all virtuous living, where as now jesters, railers, rhymers, players, janglers, pratelers, and simpering parettes, take upon them to be admynystratours and officers, to set forth god's word, whereof they make a plurell number of words without all fruit and effect. But I will leave these, and pray god amend them, and add the devout writings of saint Austen, saint Iherome, and saint Chrisostome, touching the most precious sacrament of the altar. And first of saint Chrisostome, that he writeth upon the vi chapter of s. 
Chriso super 6. ca joannis  john in this matter. Necessariò dicendum quam admiranda mysteria, & cur data sint, & quaenam eorum utilitas. unum corpus sumus, 
Ephes. 5.  & membra ex carne & ossibus eius. Quare initiati, eius praeceptis parere debent, Vt autem non solum per dilectionem, sed re ipsa in illam carnem convertamur, per cibum id efficitur, quem nobis largitus est. Cum enim suum in nos amorem indicare vellet, per corpus suum se nobis commiscuit, & in unum nobiscum redegit, ut corpus cum capite uniretur. Hoc enim amantium maximè est. Hoc job significabat de servis à quibus maximè amabatur, qui suum amorem praeseferentes dicebant. Quis daret nobis ut eius carnibus impleremur? Quod Christus fecit, ut maiori nos charitate ad stringeret, & ut suum in nos ostenderet desiderium, non se tantum videri permittens desiderantibus, sed et tangi, & manducari, & dentes carni suae infigi, & desiderio sui omnes impleri. Ab illa igitur mensa, tan● leones ignem spirantes, surgamus diabolo formidolosi, & caput nostrum intelligamus, & quam in nos praesetulit charitatem Parents saepenumero, liberos suos alijs alendos dederunt, ego autem, mea carne alo, me hijs exhibeo, omnibus faveo, omnibus optimam de futuris spem praebeo.  
Qui in hac vita ita se nobis exhibet, multo magis in futura. Vester ego frater esse volui, & communicavi carnem, propter vos & sanguinem, & per quae vobis coniunctus sum, ea rursus vobis exhibui. It is necessary to show, how marvelous these mysteries be, why they be given, and what profit is of them. We be one body and membres of his flesh and bones. Wherefore such as be received into this religion, must obey his precepts. And to the intent we should not only by love, but also in deed, be turned into that his flesh, it is brought to pass by the meat, which he hath given unto us. For when he would show his love towards us, he hath mingled himself with us, by his body, and hath brought it, to be one with us, that that body, might be united with the head, which is a special point of such as love together. And that job signified of such his servants as most loved him, 
job. ●1  who for declaration of their love said. Who can grant us that we may be filled with his flesh? which christ hath done, & to bind us with the more charity to him and to declare his desire towards us, hath not only suffered himself to be seen, of such as have desired to see, but also to be touched and eaten, and the teeth to be thrust, into his flesh, and so all to be filled with desire of him. Wherefore let us rise from this table, snuffing fire with our nostrils, like lions, let us rise both fearful and terrible to the devil, considering who is our head, & what love, he hath showed us. The father and mother, many times have given their children to other, to nurse and be brought up, but I (says Christ) feed them with my flesh, I exhibit myself unto them I favour all, and give all most best hope, for that is to come.  
And he that in this life, showeth himself, so to us, he will much more do it in the life to come. I have (says Christ to us) willingly been your brother, and for your sake, 
The same flesh Christ took of the virgin, the same he giveth us in the sacrament of the altar.  communicate in flesh and blood with you. And wherein I am knit & conjoined unto you, I do again exhybyte the same unto you. Thus saith Chrisostome (the mouth of gold) of this matter more precious than gold, and sweeter than honey, and honey comb, of which holy man, if thou hadst asked (how) he would have answered, as he writeth in the same place. 
Idem Chriso Io. 3.  Quando subit quaestio (quomodo aliquid fiat) simul subit & incredulitas. Ita & Nicodemus perturbatus est, inquiens. Quomodo potest homo, in ventrem matris suae iteratò introire? Itidem & hij nunc, Quomodo potest hîc nobis carnem suam dare, 
Matt. 14. Mar. 6 Luc. 9.  ad manducandum? Nam si hoc inquiris, cur non idem in quinque panum miraculo dixit, quo modo eos, in tantum auxit? Quia tunc, tantum saturari curabant, non considerare miraculum. Sed res ipsa tunc docuit, (inquiens,) Ergo ex eo & haec credere oporcuit, ei facilia factu esse. Propterea id prius fecit miraculum, ut per illud, non essent amplius increduli, hijs quae postmodum diceret.  
When so ever this question cometh to mind (how any thing should be done?) there entereth therewith unbel fe and incredulite. For so was Nicodemus troubled saying. How can a man enter again into his mother's womb? And likewise the Caphernaites in this gospel now questioned with themself of Christ. How can this man, give us his flesh to be eaten? But if thou Caphernaite, askest this question now, why didst thou not ask likewise in the miracle of the five loves, how he increased them so much? I might answer for the thus, that then thou caredst only, to be filled and didst not regard the miracle. But thou Capharnaite, wilt percase say, the thing there showed itself. Well by that then, thou shouldest believe, that he that did that might easily do this, and therefore he wrought that miracle before▪ that thereby they should not be mist rusting, and without belief of that he should afterward say▪ which words of saint Chrisostom well pondered and weighed, should not only be sufficient, to stop the mouths of questioners and doubters, but also convert the hearts of those that headlong have tun downward, to the miserable pit of the devils blindness, & become his ministers, 
〈◊〉 ad Hedibiam  to persuade this abominable falsehood, to the world. Let us come now to S. Iherome who Ad Hedibiam, writeth thus. Nos audiamus panem, quem fregit Dominus, deditque discipulis suis, esse corpus domini salvatoris, ipso dicente ad eos, Accipite & comedite. Hoc est corpus meum, & calicem illum esse, de quo iterum locutus est. Bibite ex hoc omnes hic est sanguis meus novi testamenti, qui pro multis effundetur, lste est calix de quo in propheta legimus. Calicem salutaris accipiam. 
Matt. 26. Mar. 14.  Et alibi. Calix tuus inebrians, quam praeclarus est? Si ergo panis qui decoelo descendit, corpus est domini, 
Psal. 115. Psal. 22. Io. 6  & vinum quod discipulis dedit sanguis illius est novi testamenti, qui pro multis effusus est, in remissionem peccatorum: judaicas fabulas repellamus, & ascendamus cum domino coenaculum magnum, stratum atque mundatum, & accipiamus ab co sursum, 
Luc. 22.  calicem novi testamenti, ibique cum eo pascha celebrantes, inebriemur ab eo vino sobrietatis. Non enim est regnum dei, cibus & potus, sed justitia & gaudium & pax in spiritu sancto: 
Rom. 14.  Nec Moses dedit nobis panem verum, sed d●̄s jesus, ipse conviva & conuivium. Ipse comedens & qui commeditur. Illius bibimus sanguinem, & sine ipso potare non possumus, & quotidiè in sacrificijs eius, de genimine vitis verae & vineae So rec, 
Mat. 26. Luc. 22.  quae interpretatur (electa) rubentia musta calcamus, & nowm ex hijs vinum bibimus, de regno patris, nequaque in vetustate litterae, sed in novitate spiritus, cantantes canticum nowm, quod nemo potest cantare, nisi in regno ecclesiae, quod regnum patris est. Let us here this, that the bread which our Lord broke, and gave to his disciples, is the body of our lord, our saviour he himself saying unto them. Take you and eat this is my body, And the cup is that whereof he spoke again.  
Drink of this all, This is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many This is the cup of which we rede in the prophet. 
Psal. 115. Psal. 22.  I shall take the cup of the saviour. And in another place. How excellent is thy cup, that is so plentifully filled. If then the body of our lord, be the bread that descended from heaven, and the wine that he gave his disciples is his blood of the new testament which is shed for many in remission of sins, let us put away the jews fables, and let us ascend with our lord, 
Luc. 22.  into the great chamber, strewed and cleansed, and let us take of him aloft the cup of the new testament, and keeping our Easter let us with him be made drunk, with the wine of soberness. For the king doom of God, 
Rom. 14.  is not meat and drink, but justice, joy, and peace in the holy ghost, Nor Moses did not give us the true food, but our lord jesus himself, being the geste, & feast itself, himself that did eat & is eaten. His blood we drink, and without him can not drink, & daily, in his sacrifices, we press out red must, new wine of the grape, of the true vine tree, the vine of Sorec, which is interpretate, choose, and hereof we drink new wine, of the kingdom of the father, not in the oldenesse of the letter, but in the newness of spirit, singing the new song, that no man can sing, but in the kingdom of the church, which is the kingdom of the father. Now you have herd s. Jerome's words, full of mysteries, but so to the point to testify the mystery of the sacrament of th'altar, as the more could not be desired for our instruction, in the true understanding or rather, a true Echo of that is truly understanded. For the original truth, proceedeth of Christ's words, the true sound whereof, redoundeth in good man's breasts, being apt and meet to receive the same, & so render the noise, as they received it from the mountain of truth, our saviour Chryst, by the holy ghost, taught, uttered & spread abroad, by whom good men be led into all truth, like as evil men, by the devil & his angels, be led into all falsehood and lies, Of whom beware, and regard not joy, Bale, Turnoure, Frith, whom their own malice, with the devils suggestion hath subverted. Regard not, what perverse obstinacy worketh in refusing god, and resisting his powers of the world, thexample whereof hath lately appeared in such as suffered, who being overcome with intolerable presumpti●● on and desperate malice, obstinately continued in their perversity to th'end openly. The devil hath his witness as s. Austen says, and froward obstinacy in falseheade, hath in the world, counterfeited the constancy of martyrs as vice, with ypocrisy in many, hath resembled virtue. Therefore in Christ's true martyrs, not the pains only, wherein they were tormented, but therewith the cause, wherefore they were persecuted, was specially regarded. For else as weariness of this life hath wrought among many, a vehement desire to be hence esteeming no pains, to achue, their intent, and therefore have most cruelly devised their own death, & many times letted, have wilfully continued in prosecution of the same: so hath froward stubbornness mixed with vainglory, done the like, as ●mong many in our time, hath manifestly appeared. In which the Anabaptis●es, and Sacramentaries, have with a develysh pertinacy maintained their heresies, whose wilful death in obstinacy, if i● should serve for an argument, to prove the truth of their opinion: the truth of gods scriptures, should be brought in much perplexite, and men drawn hither, and thither, as perverse malice should lead.  
But god that is merciful suffereth not man, to be tempted with these arguments more than may be born of man's infirmity, And if such as lately suffered, were severally considered, there may appear tokens sufficient, besides the condition of the matter, they suffered for, to declare their zeal, not to have proceeded of the spirit of god, but of arrogaunt pride and presumption, & the spirit of the devil, which is no time to speak on now, but I shall add what saint Austin says, the reading whereof is fruitful, and leave the remembrance, of these monstrous proud people, whose doings be unfruteful, to themself and other. S. Austen says thus upon the xcviii Psalms, in thexposition of this text, Et ad●srate scabellum pedum eius, quoniam sanctum est, worship the fotestole of his seat, for it is holy. Quid habemus adorare? Scabellun pedum eius, Suppedaneum dicit scabellum, quod dicunt graeci (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) dixerunt Latini scabellum, & alij dixerunt suppedaneum. Sed videte fratres, quid nos iubeat adorare. Alio loco scriptura dicit. 
Esa. 66  Coelum mihi sedes est, terra autem scabellum pedum meorum, Ergo terram jubet nos adorare, quia dixit alio loco, cue sit scabellum pedum dei? Et quomodo aborabimus terram, cum dicat apertè scriptura, 
Deut. 6. Lut. 4.  Dominum deum tuum adorabis, & hîc dicit, Adorate scabellum pedum eius? Exponens autem mihi quid sit scabellum pedum eius, dicit: Terra autem scabellum pedum meorum. Anceps factus sum, timeo adorare tertam, ne damnet me, qui fecit coelum & terram. Rursum timeo, non adorare scabellum pedum domini meiquia psalmus mihi dicit. Adorate scabellum pedum eius. Quaero quid sit scabellum pedum eius? Et dicit mihi scriptura, Terra scabellum pedum meorum. Fluctuams' converto me ad Christum quia ipsum quaero hîc, & invenio quomo do sine impietate adoretur terra, sine impietate adoretur scabellum pedum eius. Suscepit enim de terra, terram, quia caro de terra est, & de carne Mariae carnem accepit, Et quia in ipsa carne hîc ambulavit, & ipsam carnem nobis manducandam, ad salutem dedit nemo autem illam carnem mandu●cat, nisi prius adoraverit, inuentu● est quemadmodum adoretur tal● scabellum pedum domini, & non so●lū non peccemus adorando, sed pe●cemus non adorando. What have we to worship? The stolen of his feet, for so we call, that stayeth under the foot, That the greakes call (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the latin men call Scabellum, But let us see brethren what we be bid to worship. In another place, the scripture saith. Heaven is my seat, and the earth, is the stool of my feet, Ergo then god biddeth us to worship the earth, for he told in another place, what was the stool of his feet. And how shall we worship the earth, saying the scripture saith evidently. Thou shalt worship thy lord God, and here he sayeth, Thou shalt worship the stool of his feet. Expounding moreover unto me, what is the stool of his feet, says. The earth is the stolen of my feet, Here I am in a daubte, I am afraid to worship the earth, lest he should condemn me, that made heaven & earth. Again I am afraid, not to worship the stole of my lords feet, because the Psalm sayeth unto me▪ Thou shalt worship the stole of his feet. I ask what is the stolen of his feet? and scripture telleth me. The earth is, saith god, the stolen of my feet. Being thus tossed to and fro, I turn myself to Christ, for him I seek here and find, how without violation of god's honour, the earth may be worshipped, and so without violation of god's honour, the stool of his feet, may be worshipped. Chryste took of the earth, earth, for the flesh is of the earth, and he took flesh of the flesh of Marye, and because in that flesh he walked here, 
Christ gave the same flesh to be ea●● of us.  and gave the same flesh to be eaten of us, for our salvation, no man again eateth that flesh, but he first worshippeth it. It is so found out how the fotestole of our lord, should be worshipped, and therewith also this that not only we should not sin in worshipping of it, but contrary wise, we should sin, and we should not worship it. Thus speaketh saint Austen, of the Sacrament of th'altar, & thus speaketh he of the worshipping of it, so plainly, as the devil hath no point of sophistry to juggle in it, but to say, saint Austin was a man, which is one of the general shifts in an extremity, & an other, that the work (if the place make against him) was not his, it is named to be. But this work is saint Augustynes without any suspicion to the contrary. Marry a man, I must confess, he was, and so were all though I have spoken of before, whom I have not brought to prove the truth of the natural body of Christ, in the sacrament of th'altar, For the few words of scripture spoken of christ himself, when he said, This is my body, to good men prove that sufficiently, and any other studied corroboration, to good men, needeth not, & to evil obstinate men, is superfluous. According whereunto saint Basil instructed his scholars, with what fear, faith, and affection, they should come to the holy communion. 
B●. sillius.  He bade them learn fear of saint Paul, saying to the Corinthians: He that eateth unworthelye, 
1. Cor. 11.  eateth judgement and condemnatiou. He bade them learn faith of Chrystes words, 
Matt. 26.  when he said. Take you, and eat you, this is my body, And as for devotion and affection of mind, he bade them look of the love Christ bore to his church. And therefore I travail not herein to learn men faith by authority of men, but because I see, what a company they be, that impugn our true faith, with lies and sophistry: I have taken pain to rehearse these, that you may read of another company that maintained the true faith with the truth, which were so no table clerk, so great learned men, so exercised in scriptures, so rychelye endued with the special gifts and graces of god, as men should have more comfort, to keep company with them, in the open light of truth, god's high way, then to lurk in dark corners, or follow the leading of such, as being blind of the right eye, for want of grace and learning, and more blind on the left eye, with malice and envy, fall themself in the pit of god's indignation and draw other after them. One thing I will note, which is worthy noting, that there hath not been, in any time, any one Master teacher, or otherwise, the devils stout champion, to impugn our true belief in the sacrament of the altar openly, but he professed therewith, some other opinion, so evidently abominable, as he might be known, by that other lie, to be sent from the devil, And first that we read of, be the Manichees, whose detestable opinion, is universally abhorred, Second the Messalyans, who said, the sacrament did neither good nor hurt, much like Fryth, who after all his conflict, would gladly have come to this, neither to grant the sacrament, nor deny it. Now these Messalyans professed this for truth also, that it was an evil thing to labour with their hands, and gave themself only to sleep, and called their visions in there dreams, prophecies, and pretended to be saved by only prayer as Luther affirmeth by only faith Were not these men marked on both sides (trow you) to be known for noughts? Wyclefe denied the Sacrament of th'altar, and on the other side affirmed, all things to come to pass, by mere and absolute necessity, with which opinion all such be infect at this day, as impugn the sacrament. And is not that an evident mark, that god hath suffered them to fall (in reprobum sensum) so as they speak, 
Rom. 2.  they wot not what, specially when they wax angry, as some do, that men will not follow them, when by their opinion, the same necessity, that maketh them to speak so angrily maketh other also if they so do (and it be as they say) by the same necessity to laugh them to scorn. And further if absolute necessity reigned over man, than should a thief or a murderer, be as much made of, and commended for playing his part, according to his place of necessity, as he that liveth soberly. For both work by necessity. And if they will by this opinion, resemble god, to the director of a play (as they do in deed) appointing every man a part to play, as liketh him: then because to live viciously and abominably, is more troublous, & fuller of vexation, and the busier part, then to live well & virtuously which hath less care in deed, because he hath a busier part appointed him, that is necessitate to live evil, than he that is necessitate to live well, the same playing his part aptly, as he can not do otherwise led by necessity should in that rule be more rewarded, than he that liveth well if any thing might be called well. And if there were any difference between vice and virtue, vice should be preferred virtue, and more rewarded becave it is the more laborouse part to play, and so should all be overthrown, as in deed all shall be, where the holy sacrament of th'altar is neglected. Whereunto such other opinions, such malice, such envy, such hatred is joined as worketh in itself the subversion of al. Whereof god giveth evident marks and tokens, if men neglect them not, and the devil showeth himself so openly, as all may see him, that be not wilfully blind. And much more evidently, the same shall appear unto you, by consideration of these good virtuous holy man's writings, in this matter, which I have rehearsed, & myndinge to be short, pass over the great number, that is to say, in this place all, that sins these. Myeres, have been teachers, and written for the edification of Christ's church, besides a great many of them that written before.  
Thirdly let us consider how the devil tosseth the words, and first theword, sacrament, whereby he would it seemed, that by that name, it was ever meant, that it is only a sign and token, of an invisible grace, and in as much as it is a sign, it is not the thing itself, as the church teacheth: For a sign, and a thing, whereof the sign is, must needs differre.  
Whereunto▪ I say, that the word (Sacrament), (as many other words in speech, have the like) hath three significations, to our understanding. One most general, in which it signifieth any secret hidden thing, without difference, whither the same hidden thing, be holy or no. And after that acception, it is applied to many secret matters and mysteries, both godly, & natural. Another acception is special, & is restrained to signify the seven special holy mysteries in our religion, which we call and be, the vii sacraments, unto which the name sacrament, is in the comen speech only applied, whereunto this definition is truly attribute, a sacrament to be a visible sign of an invisible grace. Another acception, is in a most special signification, when we speak of the sacrament of the altar, which doth us understand, a special difference of excellency from the other sacraments, as wherein is present, the plenty of all grace, and the purchaser of all grace, received in the other sacraments, Chryste himself. Whereof when men be thus learned and taught, and the thing so set forth, truly (as it is in deed) it is then mere sophistry, to resort, to disputation of the word, wherewith, to overthrow, the truth of the thing. After which sort they daily also, that make foundation of argument to prove the substance of bread, to remain in the most blessed Sacrament, because S. Paul calleth the sacrament, bread, and yet in deed saint Paul calleth it this bread, which importeth a special understanding, and to such as truly believe, the miracle of Christ's consecration, of his most precious body, turning by the omnipotency of his mighty word the substance of bread, into the substance of his natural body to such men of true belief, the, thing remaineth as it is ne is in their conscience altered, with expression of the name of that it was. And that which before the consecration was comen bread, with the natural substance of bread, is now by gods special miracle, in his secret operation omnipotent, the only substance of the body of our saviour Christ. And so may be called with an addition wherewith to mark the mystery, this bread. But why should the name, travail us when we rede so oft in scripture, things to be named not as they be, but as they were? and the rod turned in to a serpent, by god's miracle, before Pharaoh, still to be called a rod when it was a serpent, 
Exo. 7.  but the rod was converted by god's power into the serpent and still called it a rod, when it was not so. But why should men be so scrupulous in names? After god had signified to the patriarch jacob that he should be called no more jacob but Israel, 
Gene. 32.  yet afterward the same scripture testifieth how god spoke to Israel. ad puteum juramenti, 
Gene. 46.  and called jacob, jacob: Here if a man would trifle, in the sound of the word, jacob, should he not make an argument to improve the truth of that god had spoken, wherewith the devil might inveigle the presumptuous ignorant, that esteemeth himself so much, as he measureth all knowledge by his rude capacity. But here thexercised senses in learning, can consider how names be of two sorts, sometime they do only signify any little token of the thing, whereunto they be added, and then we may not make foundation of the name as declaring holly the thing signified, or to be deemed the proper name, After which sort, Chryst was called sin, because he died for sin, and yet had not sin in him, as the word should import. And when we speak thus, that Chryste saveth sinners, we sygnify by the word (sinners) such men as were sinners, and be by Chryst, washed, & purged from sin, meet to be received to salvation. For as saint Paul saith to the Ephesians, Chryst purgeth his church, and leaveth neither spot, ne wrinkle. And when we call noughtye men, christen men, we signify not by the name, what they be now in deed, for they be the devils men, and not Chrysten men, but calling them now Christenmen, we signify that they were one's in the state of grace, at the time of their baptism. We call a man's writing also his hand, only because his hand written it. In which sort of naminges, the signification extendeth no further, for declaration of the thing named, then the pointing or direction of a man's finger, with a part of speech called a pronoun, as this or that.  
Marry other names that be added to give light and knowledge of the substance, nature or chief quality of the thing, those be so joined and knit to the thing, as they do not only point it, but open it also, and be not only an out ward mark of the thing, but present to our understands, what is contained in the thing itself. And therefore as the name jacob, was only an outward mark of the corporal man of the patriarch. So Israel declared the special favour of God, whereby jacob saw god which the word Israel doth signify the continuance whereof god promised, saienge he should no more be called jacob, but Israel. According whereunto after the bread is consecrated by the preiste, god's minister, and by the omnipot●cye of Christ's mighty word is converted into the body of Christ, the name that signifieth the substance of that sacrament, is the body of Christ. And therefore the same sacrament, can no more be called bread, but the body of Christ, as jacob should no more be called jacob, but Israel. And yet as scripture saith in the history o● jacob, God called after that jacob again, by the name jacob without prejudice of the truth of god's word, spoken before, that he should be no more so called. So saint Paul calleth the same holy sacrament, bread, because it was so, before the consecration, and yet so he calleth it, without prejudice of the truth, that it is in deed, being not bread, but the very body of Christ, at the time, when it is by him nevertheless called bread, As jacob was in deed Israel by god's favour, when he was after by god's mouth again, called jacob which latter calling of jacob, did nothing prejudicate the truth of god's word uttered before. Forasmuch as this last manner of calling, was not a through naming of him, but only, as it were a pointing to distinct outwardly the man, and because he was once jacob, is called jacob again, As the sacrament, because it was once bread, is called bread again. And now I returned to this that if man's faith were such, as is required of christian men, they would be wisely deefe, as the serpent, that stoppeth her ears; and nothing be altered, with the devils intrications or incantations in words and names even as we believe certainly, 
Esa. 5●. Psal. 11. Apoc. 5.  that Christ, is perfit god, and perfit man, what so ever names, be attribute in scripture unto him, as he is called a sheep, a worm, 
joan. 14.  a lion, and many other. And although Christ says himself, his father is greater than he, yet this is true, that his father & he be equal, and yet (equal) and (greater) be in apparence contrary. And so believing, as every good Christian man must believe, that Christ is equal to his father in substance and deity, we believe the contrary in apparence, to senses unexercised of that Christ said himself. But these notwithstanding, how so ever thapparance of words be in scriptures, we believe the truth taught us by the church, & as every man learneth to spell that sometime (c) with a little spelleth, est, & in another place (e) with a title, spelleth/ en/ as when we writ/ Amen,/ and another time e/ with a title, spelleth/ 'em/ as/ men brum/ which variety, goeth by rule in place, whereunto an humble scholar obeyeth, and not by reason, as an arrogant wit would require: So in all the secrets, and contractions (as we might call them) and mysteries hidden of our religion, good men have ever leaned to the rule of teaching in Christ's church, and taken a title, some time for, n, and sometime for, m, as they were taught the place to require, and not to spell after their own judgement, as every man weeneth it should be, after his vehement reason of his own divise.  
Doth not s. Paul (says he) call it bread? and be not these words of scripture? And be any words truer or better, than the words of scripture? Of whom I ask this question again. Hath not the church had, and understanded these words of scripture, that you so vehemently allege? Hath not the church delivered those words unto us? And hath not the same church notwithstanding, taught this truth, how the bread, by consecration, is converted into the precious body of Chryste? and condemned those that would affirm, bread to remain, and with that their condemnation, retained and kept in honour, saint Paul who written these words, that you make so great matter of? The church hath condemned the Arians, that denied Chryste, to be equal with his father, and yet the same church, hath still kept in honour the evangelist, that written how Chryste said, his father was greater than he.  
And yet the Arians said, they spoke none other, than the Evangelists, testified in plain words, 
Io. 14.  as some will say now a days, they speak none otherwise then saint Paul doth. But such heretics, will heddelye spell as they list, and not follow the rule of right understanding, without which, men must needs waver and serve in their own conjecture, being the conjecture, the rule of lead that men now a days sensually follow, pliable to their fancies even so fondly as some, like worshipful clerks have taken the words of scripture, written by the evangelists, for god himself, and those have given thanks, to the lord, for their high knowledge, acheved by continual reading, by themself alone, and having a new testament, by their girdle, whereby they have boasted themself, delivered, from the great ignorance, wherewith other were blinded for by their own devise, in their wise imagination, they had seen god, and hard god, even face to face, by hearing and seeing, the words of scripture, which they fancied to be god himself, because of the words of saint Ihons' gospel where it is written. The word was god. 
Io. 1.  I do not herein fain, reader, but writ the matter in deed, and in diverse men deprehended and found, which fond error hath been engendered of blind arrogancy amongst those that think themself able to wade through the scriptures, without direction of such teaching as the church taught by the scripture of god, hath gathered of the same scriptures. Damascene, 
Defied orthodo●●●  of whom I have before spoken, hath this good lesson, that as it is signified to us by scripture that we shall be all taught of god, so by the same scripture we be admonished, to ask of our elders, 
Interrogama iores & dic●e ti●i.  & they shall tell us, which declareth a manner of reaching, not to be contemned of men, who despising all other men for teachers, as they solysshly unawares learn other to contemn them: so do they despise god, according to Christ's words, 
Lui. l●  Qui vos spernit, me spernit. He that despiseth you, despiseth me Here may come in percase in this high matter a scoff with, a question which you? And then, why shall not I teach you, aswell as you me? or rather I you, For doth not Chryst say? I knowledge to the father, thou haste hidden these things from the wise, 
Matth. 11.  and showed them to the yongelinges? And Paul says the wisdom of the world, 
1. Cor. 3.  is folysshenes afore god? And then an other question, in what university was saint Peter made doctoure, And so shall arise the controversy, which the devil engendereth, who shall teach other? who shall be the scholar, and who the master? without each man should play both parts, as of some number each mamnowe a days would play alone all parts, and every man be master to himself, & to himself scholar also, with request to god that he will vouchesave to teach him secretly by often reading and spelling after his fashion, for he may not be instruct by man, nor for shame submit himself to his fellow, to make his mate his master, to have power over him, according to saint Paul's words (as he raketh them) where he is fashyoned to say to the Corynthians, 
●. Co●. 12.  I will be under no man's power. For so thenglish hath, although the sense be otherwise. And this conclusion, do these questions engendre, where every man must be so answered, as his sensualite may be contented, which is impossible. But to the purpose. The church is a body distincte, as saint Paul says to the Corinthyans', 
1. Cor. 1●.  wherein every member, hath not one office confusely, but some be prophets and some be pastors and teachers. etc. And where some be appointed to reach, 
Ephes. 4.  some other must also be appointed to be taught, howbeit to avoid this contention, between this questyoner and me, and to eschew all comparison, for this time, I am content to be with him in the place of a scholar, and ask with him of other, that is to say, of those that have been, before us accepted and allowed for teachers, and of their scoolers also, good christian people, who have accepted humbly their teaching, in the truth of the preciousenes and substance of the most blessed sacrament of the altar, and take them altogether, representing Christ's church, for scoolemaisters in this matter, And yet there is no cause to ask, which should seem to imply matter of doubt, but constantly to continued in that we have here in truly received, without why's, or whattes, which engendre altercation, without edification or fruit Shall we, after, xv. C. year, begin to inquire, whither the state of our religion, be established in mere idolatry, as they do now a days term it blasphemously? Can we take such a search and examination, otherwise, then to be a quarrel moved to the hole, to prepare the way to Mahomete? of whose laws some in some things writ now abroad indyfferentelye. For (as I said before) if reason, or rather unreasonableness, may now conquer our faith herein, the victory will hardly be stayed from conquest in the rest, which punishment we may see in other, if we have grace to consider it. Let us stand farm therefore in our faith, received in the most blessed sacrament, and keeping ourself in safeguard, by the strength of the same faith, note how the devil assaulteth the simple, to overcome them, in the same. The devil (you know) is but plain (Iwis) and where plainness may deceive, maketh his pretence to speak plainly, and professeth simplycytie, speaking alway (as his postles say) of this sacrament, as S. Paul spoke, and call it bread. And albeit (as I spoke before) of spelling with one tittle diversely: so likewise one word is taken diversely: yet the devil pretendeth symplycite, and will have one word taken but one way, which is a craft to lead men out of the way. For if in saint John's gospel, where it is written, that Chryste was in the world, 
Io. 1●.  the world was made by him, and the world knew him not, if there the word (world) should have one signification, it should engender a marvelous confuse sense, And in the word (bread) when Christ said. He was the bread that descended from heaven, the word, bread, may not there signify the same it doth, where the gospel spoke of five barley breades. And therefore to the rude can be nothing more dangerous, then to be entangled, 
Io. 6.  with this the devils sophystrye, insignification of names, the discussion whereof, requireth learning, and the conceiving of the true faith by god's gift only simplicity to believe, without how, as is preached unto the by the church of christ. But besides this point of sophistry, cometh in another of the rude ignorant, & suddenly forgetting the name of the holy mass, only pretendeth knowledge, of the lords supper. And herein is much a do, and the name of the mass rejected, all is applied to the lords supper, and yet they would steal away the precious food, of the body of our saviour Chryste, & in th'end make it a bore drinking, of only bread and wine. And where they will pass noon of their own private suppers, even on the greatest fasting day, without flesh for deintyes: yet in this supper of the lord (as they call it) they devise a deity without delicacies, to have nothing present but bread and wine, A marvelous matter of the inclination of man's nature, for declaration of instability to be fond of innovations. novations. What the word (mass) means they can not tell, and so re●u●e they wot not what, by their own confession. And the name (supper) they allow, with a little knowledge what they say, calling it a supper, but only because it varieth from the name of the Mass. For that which in the first institution, was called, Coena domini, and the supper of our lord, by reason the word (Coena) because of the time, towards evening, signified a supper, Now the church hath ordered all men, to receive their holy communion afore all other meats fasting: it should now more conveniently be called in Englysshe, the feast of our lord, or the dyner, than a supper, wherewith the word Coena, will agreed, and requireth not any such translation in special to be called a supper, but coena domini may be called. Conuivium sacrum, as the church singeth devoutly, wherein Christ is received, and therewith a memory celebrated of his most blessed passion, and a pledge is left with us, of life everlasting. And Gregory Nazianzene noteth, that albeit in this holy communion, the church changeth the time, yet the thing is all one, which he speaketh after this sort. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Quandoquidem & alia multa, aliter tum prodita fuere, quam ut nunc se habere conspiciuntur. Veluti jeiunavit christus paululum ante tentationem, 
Matt. 4.  nos verò ante Pascha● Quòd ad jejunia attinet, utrobique idem, temporum verò utriusque ieiunij, non modica discrepantia.  
Christus enim jeiunium, tantquam propugnaculum adhibuit contrà tentaciones, nobis verò ad id valet, u● Christo commorîamur, & iten purgatio quaedam est, quae festum praecedat Porro christus ieiunavit dies quadraginta, erat enim Deus, nos verò jeiunium, ad facultatis nostrae modum attemperavimus, etiamsi quidam zelo affecti, 
Mar. 14●  nonnihil supra vires conati sunt. Rursum christus sacra Paschae mysteria, cum discipulis celebrat in coenaculo, et post coenam & pridiequam pateretur, nos verò in aedibus orationis, & quidem ante coenam, ac post resurrectionem Surrexit item Christus post triduum nos autem post multum temporis, neque tamen committuntur cum illius nostra, sed neque ad temporis rationem coniungantur, quatenus verò ad exemplum eorum quae nos age remus tradita sunt, exactan per omnia similitudinem effugerunt. The sense whereof is this in englysshe. There be many more things, other wise set forth, than they appear to be now. Christ fasted a little before his temptation: we fast before Easter. As touching the fast, that is all one, but in the times of the fasts: there is a great diversity. For Christ used fasting as a defence and bulwark against temptation, and in us, fasting availeth, that we might die with Christ, and it is a cleansing & purgation before the feast. Christ fasted forty days, for he was god, we have measured our fasting with our power, although some moved with zeal do attempt herein above their power. Chryst kept his pascal feast, with his disciples in a chamber after supper, and the day before he suffered: we do the same in houses of prayer, before supper, and after the resurrection. Chryste rose after, three days, & we rise again after a long time. And yet that we do, in the mysteries, repungneth not with Chrystes doings, but they be not conjoined in times. And in asmuch as they were delivered unto us, to be our example, their through likeness and similitude in every part was not observed. These be Gregory Nazianzenes words, the sentence whereof I have in this place, rehearsed, to this purpose, to show how the church hath altered the time, in the receiving of our holy communion, I might have in fewer words reaported it, but because thauthor is very notable for learning and virtue, and a famous clerk of the Greake church, and of ancienty above. xii.c. years. I have here inserted his words at length, as they be in greake, and have added a translation both of latin and english to thintent I might note unto the reader, such fruitful lessons, in other matters, as the same containeth. Whereof one is of the ancienty of the feast of Christ's fast, in the time we call in english, Lent, which Christian men have used to observe, before Ester, wherewith to purge themselves against theaster. And I doubt not but in some men's ears, it soundeth merueylouselye in this time, to call fasting a purgation, which word (purgation) should only appertain to Christ's blood, wherein and wherewith men be purged, whereof this author was not ignorant, & therefore I note unto thee, how he that can tell what he says speaketh thus, which hath a good catholic sense & understanding where Christ is taken for the foundation, whereupon & in whom, & by whose help, this fast is celebrated For in Christ's faith, it purgeth, & thereunto men should be so exhorted For there is a kind of devils, 
Math. 7.  chris● said, the is not cast out, but in prayer and fasting, which good men, know by understanding & experience, but yet I can not pretermit, what sophistry the devil hath used to induce men to eat, and so to eat, as though men lived to eat and so diligently as though saint Paul had written affirmatively, Regnum dei, 
Rom. 14.  esse escam & potum And then cometh in comparison and the true fast is extolled, to thrust out the bodily fast. Fast from sin (ꝙ he) that is the true fast, that is the excellent fast, that god commandeth. And so the devil setteth good things at contention, one to face out another and one to put another out of the doors: For he may abide no company of virtues in degrees, one under another, one serving to and there, one helping another, or belonging to another, but he will have all alone, according to the foot of the song, which was faith alone. In fasting therefore, they shall extol and commend moderation, and worthily, for it is the chief point of bodily ●aste, but this moderation shall be much made of, whereby to drive out at the doors abstinence from flesh. And so that which is done of knowledge, for an induction to soberness: to abstain certain days from eating of flesh, that is called superstition, & by the name condemned. I call fast (says he) forbearing of a man's pleasure and shall therein speak religiousely, but the conclusion is that fish fast may be done away and for declaration that the other were but pretences, to bring thenterprise to pass, where flesheating hath free course, soberness, moderation, and the fast of the soul, be clearly banished and exiled, and the belly enjoyethe the conquest without let or interruption, and for a more triumph therein, when we should specially die with Christ (which this author saith is theffect of fasting) some have had upon good friday, notable and special bankers, with pretence to rejoice in Christ's mercy, wrought with us, that day. And it is good in deed to rejoice in gods good tidings, but necessary therewith to remember his justice, and with what temperature thereof, he ministereth his mercy, and while thou learnest one thing, forget not another. God made all thing in weight number, and measure, & we should learn, how to use them, after their estimation, without such comparison and contention, as the devil maketh, ever with one better, to expelle another, not so good, whereof must needs ensue the confusion of all. Fast therefore the chief fast of the soul, to abstain from sin with the bodily fast, to abstain from meats, with moderation & sobrenes, taking scarcity of that is necessary, in such form also, of forbearing certain meats, as the church hath without superstition observed and accustomed. All which will agree together, if thou wilt agree with them, and so they will be profitable, and a purgation meet and requisite before the feast as Gregory Nazianzen writeth calling it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. In whom, I will also note unto the how at those days, their places of assembly (for which use, we have our churches) were called, houses of prayer, and Christ when he kest out the byers and sellers out of the temple, he alleged scripture to show it should be the house of prayer. 
Matth. 21.  Domus mea, domus orationis vocabitur. My house shall be called the house of prayer. I will not increase my book with accumulation of places, to confirm the commendation of prayer, for I trust it needeth not, but as saint Paul said, 
1. Timot. 2.  Volo viros in omni loco orate. 
1. Ch●s. 5.  And in another place, Orate sine intermissione, So Chrisostome noteth prayer is much effectual in the time of mass, where christ is present, by whose mediation all our prayers be acceptable & heard of god. This is not out of my purpose intended, to show in this point the devils sophistry to diminish and extinct prayer, with temptation of attaining knowledge by study and sermons. So as now among many, the house of god, which Christ called the house of prayer, hath (as many practise it) changed the name with that thing▪ For many if they come to church, either it is to hear one talk and rail after their fancy in a pulpit, which they call a sermon, and learn only thereby other man's faults & care nothing for their own, or else in reading or musing of that they understand not, but would learn, they spend all the time they tarry there. A sermon is good, and so is study also to attain knowledge, but Gregory Nazian. said. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good is not good, when it is not well done, to which well doing, time is a special circumstance, 
Eccl. ●.  Every thing hath time says Solomon. And in thacts of the apostles, it appeareth they had their times appointed to prayer. 
Act. 5  For Petrus et loannes ascendebant in templum, ad horan orationis nonam, Peter and John ascended into the temple, at the ix hour of prayer, which distinction of time, hath no superstition in it, but a convenient order and distribution of the use of time, which with a certain appointment, is necessary in a body united and congregate, as christen men be, that we might declare the same unite, by conformity of operation, at one time. 
Col. 2.  Wherein saint Paul's text forbidding distinction of days. is not offended, who condemned only the superstition, and left the use of distinction, indifferent to be received for good order and semelines, with a signification, also of our mysteries. And therefore Gregory Nazianzene, hath his sentence, in his sermon, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. There be other things of the jews, perfected with them in figure which be restored again unto us, in mystery, So as all the things used in tholde law be not utterly reproved and condemned, not to be done, but not to be so done, for the figure ceaseth when truth is come, and the law & prophets were unto saint john Baptist's time, as Christ said, Nevertheless as Gregory Nazianzene says, the same things may be now restored mystically, not at every private man's pleasure and devise (as saint Augustyne writeth, ad januarium) but by teaching of the church and ordering the same, 
Agust. ad januarium.  not for superstition, but direction, as thapostelies did in the beginning, when they decreed it by inspiration of the holy ghost, that men should abstain, 
Act. 15.  from that was strangled, and blood, which repugned not with the vision to saint Peter, that all t●ynge was clean, 
Act. 10.  to them that in cleanness received it, ne dissented from Christ's teaching, that not to defile the man that entereth in at the mouth, but it was a dispensation of the truth, 
Math. 15.  between the ceasing of the law and springing of the gospel, with such a temperament, as the change for compassion of weak consciences, should not be sudden and at one's, but by little and little, as the day springeth and the night goeth away. Upon which consideration the same things were in the church of Christ forbidden, that were before for another end, forbidden in Moses law, only the cause of prohibition varied, but the thing was alone. But to return to the purpose whereupon this was brought in. Distinction and order in time, is not supersticiouse, but necessary, and therefore with sermons or study (which both be in their time good) to interrupt the time of prayer, that is not good, & greatly worse, when the sermons be such, and so fashyoned, as they maintain talk and communication, and be not directed to stir the people's dull and sluggy endeavour to follow virtue and flee vice, and leaving a part matter of contention or reformation, to be ordered by the high powers, to tell the audience of their special faults; and to dissuade them from the same, by always and means. Such were the sermons, in the primative church. So preached saint Chrisostome. saint Augustine, So preached Gregory Nazianzene, & where in a sermon he made of the feast of Ester, he had entered to speak of the secrecy of god, left that matter with this speech.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I purpose not, says he to dispute or reason of god now but to dispense his truth, that is to say, distribute it conveniently with all circumstances meet, of which office in cyrcumspecte distribution S. Paul calleth the chief ministers, dispensatores, and himself sometime, 
1. Cor. 4.  fed them with milk and sometime with stronger meats, which is not every man's gift and therefore hath been in the church committed to few, and in respect of the number, very few, and of late over few, and over many also Over few of them that crieth out of man's manners, and overmany of those, that flatter the multitude, with uttering such matter, as the number of nature variable, is glad to here. Now many now a days be so travailed in themself, with hearing the sermon, as they weep and wail, and say. Quid faciemus viri fratres? 
Act. 2. jonas. 3.  Who preacheth like Io●as to warn men of their destruction, both in body and soul, if they amend not their manners and living, In a miserable state of iniquity and sin, some would have nothing preached but mercy, with only Christ, and how he beareth all sin, payeth all, purgeth all, and cleanseth all which is true, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it can not be blamed, 
The divinity.  but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath a great fault. 
The steward dshyp  For albeit this be truth, & is good meat: yet it is not well distribute, for it would serve better at supper, then at dyner. To men lusty, drowned in the world, and overwhelmed with sin, and in the mid day, while there is time of waking the justice of god, is to be cried out. Christ's second coming to be beaten in people's ears, his terrible judgement to be laid before man's eyes which is a truth, as the other is, and profitable to be learned, taught, and thought on, whereupon men should be exhorted to confess their sins to god and his minister, to do penance for sin, to fast for sin, to pray for sin, to do alms for sin, to wail for sin. David confessed and felt gods mercy and yet cried. Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea & a peecato meo munda me, 
Psal. 50.  quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco, & peccatum meum contra me est semper, and therewith said, 
Psal. 6.  turbatus est a furore oculus meus, his eye was troubled with god's displeasure, at the time he mistrusted not god's mercy, and therefore said. Laboravi in gemitu meo lavabo per singulas noctes lectum meum, 
Ibidem.  he travailed in wailing & washed his couch with tears. But now so be men inveigled by the devils sophistry, as mercy extolled and set forth, with only faith, and only saviour, and ommisufficient nisufficient saviour, serveth to make men forget god's justice, & wax wantonness (as they be termed) babes and youngelynges, and clearly fall from dread and fear of god, which where it wanteth, sin must needs increase and overflow, and by custom men's consciences so blinded, as they discern them not to be sins and faults, And thus much I have spoken of sermons, which and they were never so well made and conceived, yet so to use them, as they should occupy the time of prayer requisite, 
〈◊〉  S. Gregory in an Omilie noteth not good And therefore on Christmas day, when the church hath three masses, he said he could not spend so much time with his audience that day, as he was wont to do. And yet sermons at those days, as appeareth by the sermons they made, were not long. But long or short, as they be good wholesome and requisite, & in the church, at their time necessary, so having not their time, but with iusteling an other good thing out of order, that is not well, and much less study to be used in time of prayer, which prayer and study as they have a distincte nature: so they should be in time distinct.  
And theunomians opinion, by contrary exercise reproved, to think that reading, is the only way to heaven. But herein I have tarried over long, as some will find fault at me, and ask what is prayer and fasting to the sacrament of the altar? and much less sermons or study in time of prayer? Whereunto thus I answer, that having occasion ministered, by this great clerk, Gregory Nazianzene, I have spoken of them.  
And because the devil intendeth to subvert all: I show also, his so phistrie in lower matters, then is the sacrament of th'altar, towards destruction whereof he made himself and entry, by overthrowing that might stand in his way, and so the more facyly to assault the highest, as he hath done, and therein (as I have said) maketh a great matter of the name of the mass, & will have it called our lords supper, wherein he will have all observed, as christ ministered it, which this Gregory Nazianzene says, is not necessary. But we should here in give credit to our mother the church, the pillar of truth, & who truly teacheth us, that is truth. Who forasmuch as with the observation of this feast, in receiving eating and drinking Christ's most precious body and blood, 
Malachi▪ 1.  is also celebrated, the perpetual only pure sacrifice, prophesied by the prophet Malachi, to be observed and kept, continually in the church of Chryste, which sacrifice, is the body and blood of our saviour Christ. The same church hath received one word of Hebrew, to signify altogether, and used in the latyn (Missa) & in englyssh (mass) wherein besides the glorious presence of the body & blood of Christ the holy circumstances used, and ceremonies done, be also many godly and most devout prayers, spoken and uttered by the preiste, as a common minister to the hole church, for and in the name of the hole church, by which church, Christ, as head is offered, and the church also, as member of his mystical body, is offered to god the father by him, as saint Augustine sayeth. Ipsa per ipsum, & ipse per ipsam, suetus offerri. The church by him, and he by the church, accustomed to be offered. So as the mass conteininge the hole supper, that is to say, the hole feast, with the continual oblation of the church, is by the devils invention assaulted divers ways. Some deny the mass, because they read not the word mass in scripture, which and it were a good cause of denial, it should serve to renew the Arians' heresy, and to put out of the creed, called Symbolum apostolorum (which all Christian men receive without contradiction) where filius is called consubstantialis patri. Other allow mass they say, but not privy masses, as though there were two sorts of masses, where in deed the mass being but one, and always executed in the name of the hole church, may by reason of the place, be called private, as it may be by reason of saying, called a low mass, and so differre from a mass singed, but else, the church by the common mynystre the priest, executeth the mass herself, how few soever, or how many be present, and whither it be done at church before the multitude, or in an oratory before few. And yet with the name of private masses, and denial of them, the unlearned be slandered as some be also with request of communion under both kinds, as necessary, and not to be pretermitted In which point the devil goth about, craftily to seduce the simple, adding a worldly instigation of envy, as though the priests had withdrawn the one part of the Sacrament, of very disdain to put a difference between the state of priests, and the state of lay men where in deed, the obtaining of communion under both kinds, should serve the devil only, for an introduction, to subvert the true belief, in the most blessed sacrament Which matter only he intendeth, & leaveth nothing untouched to obtain the same. For where the church teacheth truly, that under each kind, is contained hole christ, & therefore now under the one kind, each man receiveth as much as under both upon which ground good devout men, have abstained from communion under both kinds, & contented themself with one king, of their good devout mind: if now upon grudge of such as content not themself with the order they found in the church, the church should grant communion under both kinds, to satisfy the false complaint of necessity, it must needs engender a slander in the truth of the faith, as though hole christ were not under each kind, which by the denil is only intended And in this matter of communion under both kinds, it was never denied but all states of men ever might and all state of men in the beginning have communicate in both kinds and among them children also, n● there hath been any law made to the contrary, as the devil surmiseth. Only this hath been, that good christian men being certainly persuaded under each kind of bread and wine, to be contained hole christ All such christian men, aswell priests as other, besides the preiste that celebrated, have been content to receive their communion under one kind, Which devout custom, when the devil by his ministers hath go about to improve, there was once a law made to maintain the good custom against the devils enterprise, as in this realm▪ the hole perlyament hath made the like, whereby those be only put to silence, that say, communion under both kinds is necessary, which is an opinion damnable, and worthily reproved, but else that by order of the church, all men might communicate under both kinds, no man contendeth, For first in the devout custom of communion under one kind, wherein was professed the truth taught by the church in the sacrament of th'altar, only charity was the rule, whereby good men were moved for a seemliness & decency in the church, and eschewing that they saw sometimes unseemly chance, of themselves, without constraint of a law, to forbear that they might have required, & no man by law expelled, from that he might have asked. Which charity, because it is now waxed cold and some men for singularite would differre from the rest, it is for conservation of order well provided by the law, that no man shall presume to require further then is necessary, to the slander and offence of his neighbour, but with humility contain himself within the limit●es of common order, which is the beauty and comely state or every number assembled, being so much regarded of saint Paul, as he willed men to forbear to company with any brother that walketh out of order. But here will be replied that Christ's order is to be preferred all other devices. And here cometh in the common place of scripture. 
Math. 14:  Frustra colunt me doctrinis hominum, 
Mar. 7.  They worship me in vain with the teachings of men. And these good me I spoke of, shall be called good fools, the which had, zelum dei, sed non secundum scientiam, 
Rom. 1.  the zeal to god but not according to true knowledge, which now appeareth (they will say) when men see clearly Christ's institution of this sacrament, which when it is used according to Christ's institution is the sacrament, and otherwise as they say, not. And this word (institution) is often repeated, & yet the same word (institution) is not in scripture by those syllables, but Saint Paul speaketh of tradition, of the use of this Sacrament, as he received it of our lord. Ego enim accepi à domino, 
1. Cor. 1●.  quod & tradidi vobis. I have received of our lord, which I have by tradition delivered unto you. Whereby and by that followeth. when he says. Cetera cum venero disponam. I shall order the rest when I come: 
Ibidem  it appeareth he had taught the Corrinthians, the sum of this high mystery, and the use of it, without writing before, and would add more when he came, whichmore, he taught and yet we have no writing of it, but the church hath not forgotten it, but hath taught it without writing, as she received it. And it appeareth in that epistle of S. Paul that rehearsing such tradition as they had received of him, he blameth and reproveth them, for the not observation of it. And thus much, for the word (institution) that pleaseth, which scripture hath not and the word, tradition, abhorred, that scripture hath, so as words go but by favour, as this matter is handled. But the matter of this objection must be answered seriousely, which is grounded upon the text of scripture, Frustra colunt me doctrinis hominum, They worship me in vain, with the doctrine of men, the true sense whereof, is all out of this purpose, and the use of this scripture, as it is mysunderstanded, serveth to overturn all, For the church is congregate of men and women, which both be comprehended under that word (men), And all the outward teaching in this church, hath been by men. All thapostles sent to teach the gospel, were men. Saint Paul at his conversion from darkness to light, 
Act. 9:  when it was said to him that it should be told him what he should do, than was Ananias by god ordered to go to Paul, and declare what he should do. Moses, leader of the synagogue the figure of our church, was a man. And the prophets were men. So as if god be worshipped in vain, by teaching of men: Inanis est fides nostra, 
Rom. 10.  our faith is a vain thing, which is, ex auditu, of hearing, and taught us by men, men I say, as ministers to god, whereof god is thauthor, à quo omne datum optimum 
jacob. 1.  et omne donum perfectum, & Christ said. Sine me nihil potestis facere. But hereby appeareth that this text, hath another understanding, and the word (men) not to signify the hole numbered of men, so as it should comprehend each man thoroughly, how so ever they be qualified, but only the corrupt state of man, severed from god and his church in christ, of which hole state not endued with god's grace, 
Psal. 11●.  it is said Omnis homo mendax. All men be liars. That is to say, all such as have not put upon them Christ, who is truth. And frustra colunt me doctrinis hominum. They worship me in vain, with the teachings of such as remain in the state of men only, and then teach their own, & of themself. For all such teaching is like the teacher, that is to say, carnal. For the carnal man, 
1. Cor. 2: Io. 4.  non percipit ea quae sunt spiritus, & deus est spiritus, & in spiritu adoratur, and therefore god is worshipped in vain with the teaching of men. For it hath the pretence of worship, and is not directed to him, but only devised to uphold wordly policy Such devices had Numa pompilius, with the Romans, and afore him, Lycurgus, with the Lacedæmonians, and of late, Mahomete with the Turks, and more lately all such as have taken upon them to understand the scriptures alone, and themself alone devised, how they would have god worshipped, after their fashion, without noise or brute, without the compass of our ears or eyes, only by reading that they understand not, saving some be so full of knowledge, as they encumber the company more with their harse rude voice in pratteling, than the parish clerk with his horse breast, in singing. Of all these sorts of man's teachinges, which be man's devices, severed from Christ's church, may be said frustra me colunt doctrinis hominum. But such men as be membres of Christ's mystical body, in his church, and have the place of ordering and teaching in the same, unto whom other, are bound to obey and give ear unto them, such men be comprehended in this text. Frustra colunt me doctrinis hominum, But he that contemneth those things that they teach, agreablye to the truth received: 
1, These, 4. Heb, 13, 1 Reg, 15,  non hominem spernit, sed deum, who says, Obey such as have the order of you, and obedience is preferred all other sacrifices, wherewith god is worshipped not in vain, but meritoriouselye. And therefore that text alleged, against the teaching in Christ's church, is as grossly abused, as a key to cleave logs. For if the doctrine be not repugnant to the scripture, or the custom such as hindreth not gods glory, it can not be in vain that maketh to our edification, & proceedeth from authority, which hath power to rule and lead us, whereby we be all directed, to do one thing, to declare & set forth, that we be one body, wherein god is glorified, according as Chryst said. 
Matth. 5.  Vt videant opera vestra bona, & glorificent deum, qui in coelis est. And so when S. Paul ordered the women to be covered in the church, 
1 Cor. 11.  to signify her subjection, and that she had one's offended, in her prevarication against her husband and god, and with presumption to have knowledge, was the ruin of mankind, and further ordered her, to keep silence in the congregation: this text of frustra colunt me doctrinis 
1. Timot. 2.  hominum, if it had been then written, would not have served the women to reply and say, These were small matters, which god regardeth not, and therefore said. Frustra colunt me, doctrinis hominum. They worship me in vain, with the doctrines of men. For saint Paul was not in the numbered of these men (as I said before) and his authority was of god, and the things ordered for a godly purpose, wherewith god is in the decente seemly order of his people, duly worshipped and also pleased. This matter I have now spoken, will be called a digression, and out of the matter of the sacrament, & in deed, it is not all together in it, but toward it, for I trust hereby, that comen weapon shall be laid aside, of frustra colunt me, doctrinis hominum, which many had in their mouth, as they have a blunt dagger by their side, to be seen to speak scripture, though it be nothing to the purpose. And now I will come to the institution of christ of the holy sacrament. And here men must take heed that they be not deceived, in the word (institution) as signifying further unto them, than the scriptures do testify. For if by the word (institution) should be signified a precise order, set forth with all the circumstance in the nature of a precise law, signifienge that it must be from thenceforth, so observed and none otherwise, which matter, the word (institution) seemeth to include, and soundeth so in common reason: there appeareth not in scripture, any institution of this nature, For we rede not in scripture, that Chryste did prescribe, any such precise order of receiving or ministering▪ but as in his supper he in deed consecrated both kinds, & ministered both kinds, 
Luc, 24,  whereby appeareth that all might receive both kinds, as all sometime have done: So likewise when he ministered the sacrament to his disciples in Emaus, 
Act. 2●  and other among the apostles, who understood Christ: we read of the ministration of the one kind, whereby appeareth, that the one kind under form of bread may be ministered alone. And therefore of any such institution, as the word (institution) doth sound at the first hearing, is not testified in scriptures. But if we mean, by institution, the first consecration of it, when by gods mighty word the miracle was wrought in the conversion of bread and wine, in to the body and blood of christ, with commandment to the church, to do the same till he come: Of this the evangelists bear witness, which the church hath received. And as ss. Paul said. Ego accepi à domino, quod & tradidi vobis: So the hole church may say the same words, with like credit by whose mynystery, the same feast is daily prepared for the hole church with consecration of the body and blood of Christ, whereof good men rejoicing themself, with the presence of the hole mystery, which they see in the mass, at which time good men also spiritually eat and drink the same, with the common mynystre, and believing the hole to be in each kind: have by example of Christ's disciples in Emaus 
Luc. 24.  contented themself in the sacramental communion with the one kind, not repelled as unworthy to receive the other kind, but forbearing of themself reverently, for the more semelye distribution, and order among them, which the church hath allowed, as our mother and nurse, who continually feadeth us, with the food of truth. And therefore sing we be assured, that as Chryst did institute the sacrament, so he instituted the church, to be fed with the same sacrament, and to have the ministration, distribution, & order of it, till he came. And unto this day, we be only ascertained by tradition of the church, in the true understanding of thevamgelystesevangelists, of our order in consecration of the said sacrament, and the cyrcumstaunce of the pronunciation of Christ's words, whereby the same is wrought. What can it mean but confusion, to wrangle with the church in this matter, & by cavilation of words, trouble the simple understands? What a word is (institution) with the understanding they give it, to astoine the rude ears? For who can suffer, to here spoken that Christ's institution, should be broken or altered? considering the word carrieth with it a sonnde of precysenes, and commandment in Christ of this or that order, which can not be verified, speaking of the institution of the sacrament, and the word well understood, may be suffered sygnifienge the first exhibition and ministration of it, And so some write, that as Chryste did in the sixth of Iohn, promise' the institution of the sacrament, saying.  
Panis quem dabo vobis, caro mea est, pro mundi vita. 
joan, 6.  The bread I shall give you, is my flesh, for the life of the world: So did he institute the same in his last supper of which institution men would now make a precise law, as the order should be taken away from the church mother of truth, which following Christ's example, and the apostles, hath suffered communion under one kind, and hath rejected such, as would improve the same, as men only studious to impugn an established order, which fault is now moche spread abroad, both in this high matter, & also in ceremonies, and namely such as garnisshe Christ's religion, wherein the devil useth a merueilsouse point of sophistry, by division, and examining parts alone which parts so considered severally, 
Note this difference, how things may be called & be necessary in relation, which else might be omitted.  be nothing, and yet joined together, be somewhat, and very necessary, and here I say necessary for our estate, although not necessary, in respect of the principal thing.  
I will open this point of sophistry which consisteth in division, in which the smalenes of the part divided from the rest, and considered alone, is in respect of the hole, called nothing. And in comen speech it hath obtained to call that nothing, which by comparison of a far greater, is very little. As if one were asked, whither a farthing would make a rich man? A simple man would answer.  
Nay, and in deed a frathing considered alone is nothing regarded, and yet of such little farthinges, in numbered set together, riches consisteth, & by the same dissevered, is induced poverty. A quantity may be so minutely divided, that his parts be accounted nothing & yet those same together joined, make the great mass, and have an estimation. And therefore in the discussion of ceremonies, seemliness, and orders, the devil frameth his questions by division, and asketh of each thing alone, dissevered from the rest. As for example. Wither a shaven crown maketh a preiste? where unto a man must answer, as he would do to the question of a farthing before moved, and say, Nay. Well ꝙ the devil, than away with your crown, and calleth it a fleshmarke because he will with a nickname deface it. Then he asketh whether a long gown maketh a priest, of that colour or that fashion, & then it must be answered, Nay. And then there must be a song made of it, with away with it. Then the devil cometh to the ceremonies in ordres giving, and asketh of ceremonies severally alone, whereunto as he dissevereth them, the answer must be no, whereupon he concludeth. Ergo they be nothing requisite, After which sort, he shall also divide you the sacramental words, and ask of every word of them alone, And as it is granted, how that one word doth it not, that word is laid aside, And so he will peruse all, and by sophistry in division wipe out all, as nothing. And in other matters likewise frame this question, for example. Shall forbearing of meats save a man? The answer must be. No. And then, Ergo eat all day long. Doth watching bring a man to heaven? Nay, Ergo sleep and spare not. Is the place cause why a man's prayer is good? The answer must be, Nay, And what nedeste thou come to church then, saith the devil, unless it be to hear my false teaching set forth. And thus by these subtle questions the devil robbeth simple men, even of the substance by degrees of true religion, as parasites and flatterers rob wanton heirs of their worldlyge substance, by alluring them to prodigal and wasteful distribution of their go●des and lands, in several little portions, with these questions to the wise young man, what is this to you sir? a small matter in your purse, and nothing to your substance But by such nothings, we have seen young heirs, suddenly brought to nothing, and made very beggars, As we see likewise, by the devils sophistical entisementes by several inquisitions, of the validity of this or that ceremony alone, ceremonies so contemned of many, as the substance of our religion, is among many prodigal children, wasted and consumed, & by contempt of the priest and his garments apart, by small regard to the place, and other ceremonies neglected: Chryste him self in the sacrament of the altar is despised mocked & scorned, with such toys and terms, as the jews devised not more spiteful, even when they saluted him, with ave rex judeorum, 
Matt. 27. Mar. 15. joan. 19  and spette in his teeth: But after the same sort reverence decayeth towards all estates and innocency, as one writeth, departeth from man by degrees, no man beginneth with the greatest abomination, but where small faults be not duly corrected, the great and abominable shall never be eschewed. The merchant that will thrive, esteemeth his frathing, & is therein throughly wyttie to match with the devils sophistry, and can espy that although a farthing considered alone is nothing, yet he is therein as wise as Hesiodus, who for a lesson of thriving sayeth, little to little, maketh a great heap. So wise be the children of this world in their generation, to order the wicked Mammona, And for conservation of our religion, which should for ever conserve us: we be so foolysshe, to be deceived with the devils false sophistry in division, and call all nothing, that contain not the hole sum, whereof ensueth the dissipation of all among many to the destruction of body and soul, for ever, as we have lately seen in a few that died most miserably, to the terrible example of other, to beware by them. The wrath of god hath lighted on them, but they only were not in fault. 
Esa, 55,  Derelinquat impius viam suam & vir iniquus cogitationes suas. Belief hath been so much talked on, & with talking, men fallen into such idleness of works, that the devil hath taken his opportunity, to spoil men of their true belief, for only belief wanteth that hath been so much tratteled of, only to suffice. Cato the Roman as a worldly, wise man uttered a prudent sentence, that he feared the youth of the Romans, should leave their valyaunte acts after they began once so much to talk of them. The speech was not the cause thereof, for than we should say, learning were not good, but yet we often see them concur together, whereby appeareth such corruption in manes nature as speech in a common wealth, should be committed to few, and the multitude in silence, to speak of virtue with their deeds. According whereunto saint Paul said. 
1, Cor, 14●  Two or three of the prophets, should speak in the congregation, and the rest hold their peace, and none speak again, unless he had a new revelation, If men wax as wanton in their speech, as women why should not such, be under the precept of silence, aswell as women, and if they be desirous of knowledge, ascend to the mountain, where it is placed by such degrees, as Gregory Nazianzene speaketh of, very necessary to be observed? For else in the tongue and knowledge, is moche looseness and temerity, oneles the same be ordered and stayed by the fear of god. For where is the fear of god, there is keeping of his comaundementes, Where the comaundementes be kept the carnal part is purged, 
Eccle 2.  which else maketh man's soul cloudy, and suffereth it not to see clearly, the beam of godly light. Where is such purging: there is clearness, which causeth much desire evermore to ascend. from virtue to virtue, which is the stay of knowledge, and confirmation of it, and so by these degrees, doing is the way to knowledge. But this order is pretermitted, 
Doing is the mean ●waye to knowledge 1, Cor, 8.  whereof followeth such effect of knowledge as saint Paul speaketh of. How knowledge swelleth and puffeth up men's stomachs, the fault whereof is not in learning, but in the indisposition of such, as presume unto it, which fault, god of his infinite mercy amend, for he only can and will, when his pleasure shallbe, which our behaviour towards him may haste or delay. If request, intercession, & desire to all, interlaced, with sharp punishment to some, and mercy plentifully ministered to other, can reform that is amiss, all hath been assayed and attempted on the kings majesties behalf. As he is a prince furnished with knowledge and power, gods special gifts and great: so he hath used both for the reformation of his people. The conservation of true belief is only desired, for the maintenance of god's glory, wherein the devil also pretendeth to labour and travail, but deceytfullye and also sophistycally, as I have purposed to declare unto you, which how I would have done for the relief of other, I know, and how I have done, shall leave it to your judgement, which god direct, to the attaining of all truth, which is only in our saviour jesus christ, and by him, whom all good christian men have from the beginning, & do still believe, most assuredly, to be present really, in the sacrament of th'altar, without leaving his seat in heaven, where he is also continually our advocate, to relieve our infirmities, as he is in the sacrament of th'altar, to feed our weak bodies & souls, whereby to make us strong to come to him, & live without end.  
Amen.   

printed at London in Aldersgate street, by john Herforde, at the costs & charges of Roberte Toye, dwelling in Paul's churcheyarde, at the sign of the Bell. 1546.