A treatise made by johan Lambert unto king Henry the. viii. concerning his opinion in the sacrament of the aultre as they call it, or supper of the lord as the scripture nameth it. Anno do. 1538. Meritum Christi Spes The way of the righteous is judged to be utter desirnctyon, but they are in rest. And though they suffer pain before men, Yet is their hope full of immortality Sapi. 3. johan Bale to the christian reader. AS Moses described the primitive church for the first. ij. ages of Adam and Noah (most gentle reader) he neither Moses. omitted the malicious murderer Cain, nor yet the hateful scorner Cham, but set them both fourth in their lively colours of reprobate vessels Lucas. and wilful persecutors of the same. Luke in like case with the other evangelists, forgot neither judas nor yet the hypocrytysh clergy of the jews, as he wort the Gospel & Acts, whose wretched hearts unsacyatly thirsted for tho see innocentes blood, which purely confessed the lord. A like manner in writing observed Egesippus, Eusebius, & other Eusebius. historyanes, i the dscripcyon of that lively church which followed immediately after the Apostles time, as is evident to them that hath red their works. Which godly manner of writing, the violence of Satan would in no case suffers to proceed or continue, lest the mad masteries of his mody ministers were thereby perceived, and darkness so known for darkness. Yet was not the currysh nature of that Cainysh generation, churlyshly reiectyn Cain. ge the gentle voice of God, for the ages following, all hid to them which had both eyes and sight of the lively scripres. But they weal perceived at all times that they were both spiteful mur therers and thieves, for all their counterfeit colours of holiness, prelacy, prestehode, chastity, ghostlynesse, and such other dregs the devil, in the kind that they used them. If the congregation of God do now find such earnest writers, Writers. as the said Moses, Luke, and Eusebius were, which will not in these days rock the cradle of jesabel, Apoca. 2. or flatter the prelate's & tyrants in all their idolatrous whoremongynges, they may weal think they have no less godly treasure than they were than to the world, time for time and age for age. For what else seeketh the greater number of men learned, but to laud for learned. ●uere, to praise for pleasure, and to please for advantage? encoraging the wicked tyrants of Sodom in all their blasphemous evils. Yea, and a wonderful matter is it, to see▪ as the laws are wicked, how the priests, the layers (I speak not of the godly) and the witless magistrates, stir about them, to have the Laws. tyranny of them in all points performed. They stamp, they leap, they run, they backbite, they complain, they accuse, they hate, they revile, they slander, they why sper in that care & that care, & sometime give fytlhy rewards, to bring their cruel purpose about, & to deprive the innocentes of life. But when the laws are righteous than is it no world for them, but they Lu●ter● keep silence as monks were wont to do. They dwell at home, they sleep, they drea me, and utter nothing at all▪ They lurk like the fox that feareth the whip, and like the wolf that doubteth the shepherd or hunter. For their nature is not to maintain the righteousness of the law, but busyly to call upon, to stir up, & to quicken the tyranny thereof. For they are the natural ministers of Tyrant tyranny, and in that perverse office, the fierce promoters of Antichrist, and cruel slaves of the devil. Of this spiteful rabble of rude rash ruffyanes, was he city of Norwych yet never clear, in the which this persecuted servant of God johan Lambert, otherwise called johan Nycols, was borne, & from thence exiled for his christian believes sake. I have reddein the chronicles of that Norwych. city, that it hath been diversly oft plagued for the slaughter of innocentes. And in the year of our lord a. M. S. and. vi●. I beheld it in effect most wonderful, being than but a lad of. xi. years of age. As their blind bishop & clergy, by their full consent, had brent a young man there, aft●r the most tyrannous manner (I think) that ever was scene, only for having the lordesprayeri English, and for not allowing that prayer in latin idolatrously to besaid to their dead O thieves saints, neither followed in them nor yet in their clergy repentance for that cru ell slaughter. No, neither lent fasting, fish eating shrift palm sunday, good friday, clip claps, cross creeping, easter day, nor yet the receiving of their maker, as they call it, which all immediately succeeded, could bring them once in remembrance, that they had therein done amiss. But see what folwed by the rightful hand of God. On tuesday in Easter week, which was than upon saint Marks Fire. day, such a fire suddenly kindled in the streets of their city, as in five days & as many nights following could scarcely be quenched. The evident signs of that destruction, are yet to this present hour to be scene there in diverse places, the people never knowing from whence that fire came. And yet still they, by the blindness of their curates, not only remained without repentance, but also Vnpenytent. consented to murder upon murder, as appeared in sir Thomas of Eccles, in an oldman of Bongay, and in master Bylney, whom they put to cruel death also for their christian believes. If they have borne them the boldar, priests for that they have scene their priests not much harmed by that fire, or no less there after to prosper than afore, they foully have deceived themselves through ignorance of the scriptures. For God only chasteneth here in this life, those whom he loveth and intendeth to save. Hebre. 12. As for the priests which commonly withhold the truth of God in unryghtcousnesse, God hath given them over to themselves, Roma. i. which is the most terrible plague upon earth. They are the seed & offspring of that wicked one, reserved Antichrist to the lattre vengeance. whom Christ shall destroy in his lattre coming, for believing lies, and fordoing here the operation of error. 2. Thes. 2. Moreover Christ hath terribly threatened, that it shall be much worse with that generation of infidels in that last judgement day, than with Sodom and Gomor, or tire & Sydon, luce. 10. which had sore ponnyshmentes here. How many the afore named city hath spiritually slain, by unjustly withol Norwych. ding the scriptures of God, which only ministereth life to the soul, the lord of beaven knoweth, and will to their confu zion, make it open at that lattre judgement day. Therefore I counsel them to repent in due season, and from hens fourth towashe theîr hands clean from inno cent blood, not with pilate but with Paul, which after his conversion appeared no more a persecuter of Christians▪ And as concerning their cytiezen suntyme, Lamber●. johan Lambert, whom they for his faith rejected, though, he was not for them, yet was he for Christ. And I doubt not of ●t, but this treatise solowyn goe, which being in the prison, he wrote unto the king as a reckoning or account of his faith concerning the chief artyclè whereof he was accused, shall be able to declare him a true witness Martyr. and servant of God, detesting all false and idolatrous worshippings. The spirit of the father eternal, and of his son jesus Christ, be evermore with than that favour his truth unfeignedly, & seek thereafter to fashion their lives, & not after the corrupted examples of sinful men. So be it. To the most Christian, gracious, and godly prince. king Henry the eight being now the right defender of the pure faith, his poor, but full true subject johan Lambert prisoner, doth wish increase of knowledge i God's truth, & of love to the same, with all felicity thereof ensuing. AS I poor afflict, deadly and do lie in prison, I have considered the majesty and mildness or God. mercifulness of God, being a king in comparable and immortal that he as concerning his majesty, is peerless, and the high God over all. Which yet by his goodness se doth ever regard and look down up on the humble and low▪ that be either in heaven or in earth. Upon this consyde racyon, o my most noble and gracious prince, have I conceived double relief and comfort in mine anguish and captivity. For the first relief do I take that fing immortal, trusting surely that his highness which is unmeasurably good, will somewhat regard and look upon his unworthy workmanship or creature, and his child by adoption, to ease me being in distress, according to his promise, Cum ipso sum in tribul● tione, qui habitat in adi●torio altissimi, uterip●●m eum, et cet. The second relief do I conceive of King. your most gracious highness, trusting to find you, being Gods very deputy, and our king mortal, ensuing the ensample before showed of God the king immortal. Thus do I hope that your highness, will graciously regard the distress & cumbrous captivity of all troubled, specially being your full true lieges & lambs. And that so you will graciously hear the cause of my present affliction, Which if it shall please your grace to know, is thus. Upon wednesday next after saint Mychaell, did your grace's printer call me to him, demaundynge if I had translated the book of the a● tycles of Geneva. Which thing Ireny enge me to have done, as in truth I did it not, he axed if I would iustyfy my saying before the printer of that treatise, which therefore Prison. was imprisoned in the counter, where as he charged the kepar to hold me also. From whence I with other was brought to Lambeth, where as I do abide in the ward of your metropolytane. Sens that time was I called before certain bishops/ and required upon an oath, truly to certify them of. iiij. articles. Of whom I desired, that first I mought know whereof I was accused, or who would accuseme? But that being right leeful, could I not obtain, whereby I conjecture verily, that without any accusers or accusation, I am put into this trouble or prison of mere plea sure. Then after my oath taken, the arty ●rtycles. cles were recited. Against. ij▪ of them I ever have resisted stiffly, and never to them once consented. And the third be ing full false and untrue, had Inever heard of before that it was there to me recited. So that I mought surely conjecture, that no man had accused me a● faulty in them. The fourth concerned the holy sacrament of Christ's body & blood. In the which although no man can, as I suppose, accuse me to have spoken therein amiss, yet saying they required my sentence there by virtue of an oath, I could not for fear of God, speak with my mouth con trary to my mind & conscience, although Death. death should readily thereupon (as I could not otherwise espy) to me ensue. I then considered with myself, first that to show fourth my sentence, though it were so sure and true as the Gospel, saying that as yet, it was dyssonaunt from the vulgar opinion, of long time prevailing, m●ch disturbance mought there by arise to the multitude hearing it, & that therefore I could not but over rypely declare it before the multitude in that judgement assembled. Secondly I considered that your grace is si●drouse and fain, to know all truths, of long concyled and hid, and ●ruthes. so at times convenient to set them fourth, or reduce again to light, as they may be weal digested and borne. I therefore desired that I mought then and there no further proceed in making over ripe declaration of that matter, but that I mought write my mind in it to your most gracious majesty. Which my mine the or sentence jiudge to be right catho lyck and true. That so after your grace's judgement and advise known, I and other should follow, but not prevent your dyrectyon, either by speaking thereof or by silence keeping. My sentence therein ce. may at the first opening, apere synystre, and so perverse, for so much as of long we have conceived a contrary persua zion Nevertheless I hope, that due and deliberate perpending of scriptures, & of the authorities of ancient fathers, justly alleged for my purpose, shall declare me to proceed sincerely and faithfully. Before that I shall in this matter, show fourth myrudely uttered sentence, this with your gracious favour do I think necessary to protest. That I here do nothing define nor will define, although Define. I justly mought. I do know, that where as I am blunt, rude, and dull, that your grace is of judgement full fyne, sharp, and quick, so that you can see the definition & determination of God, in things godly, far better than I or such like can either show or think. I shall therefore omytt such needless definition or determination in my sentence, & only according to my promy see & oath, simply & truly will I relate my sentence, so to be examined & discussed submission. of your full gracious wisdom, when there it be quadraunt to holy scriptures & to the articles of our Crede or no. And certain, if it be quadraunt to these, my hope is, that then your grace will not reject or refuse it. And otherwise would I nothing, specially that is mine, or come ming from me, to be allowed. I am contented to receive life or death at your hand, in which God hath put the power of both. Nevertheless when your grace shall by this true writing, find me so to fear God, that I can not A martyr● favour mine own life, by using falsehood, die dissimulation, or perjury. When you shall find that mine en●ē● is as becometh a true subject, to open unto you the very true the of this matter, as I will in all other. When you shall find that I intend not to prevent your good dyrectyon & advise, but to follow it both in this & all other affairs, as I have showed tofore. When you finally shall find how quietly I have Obedyen● enterprised into it, so that I renyed to open my sentence in the matter, before I had heard your grace's advise. These things considered or remembered, I trust your grace will incline to my safety rather than to cause me bodily to perish. But in all points I do humbly and gladly submit me, under the mighty hand of God & of you his anointed depute over us in earth, to whom I shall continue a true subject and an innocent lamb, what so ever shall betide me, with the grace of our saver and redeemer, whom Pray. I shall also heartily pray, ever to guide, preserve, and save your grace to his plea sure and to the maintenance of truth and innocency in this realm. Finally if it shall please your most noble grace, with leisure to ponder and consydre my rudely written sentence, and to use it as an occasion to investigate or try out the very truth of the matter, by christian disputations made to and fro, pro & contra. My. hope is, that so the truth after such disputations shall the sonar to your Truth. grace evidently apere, and by you to all us your subjects, to a great comen both joy and quietness. For what subject can but rejoice & highly thank God, saying his prince with all diligence and mildness, is glad to hear and try out all truths, and so with godly love and tenderness, to commend or set fourth the same abroad to his subjects, for their true instruction, unity, and solace both bodily and ghostly. This full godly diligence of digging Doctrine. up the fountain again, of pure and lively water of divine knowledge, that is to say of searching holy scriptures long stopped up by the miscreant Phylistynes, that be pharisees and papists, with the dung of their earthly fantasies and human gloss, do I wish in your grace to be continued and increased to God's honour, to your own felicity, and to the comen weal. Amen. His sentence concerning the sacrament. After this protestation doth now follow, if it shall please your full godly grace to know my sentence concerning the Sentence sacrament of Christ's holy body and blood. Which sentence is this. Christ is so ascended bodily into heaven, & his holy manhood thydre so assumpte, where as it doth sit upon the right hand of the father, that is to say, is with the father there remanent & resident in glory, that by the infallible promise of God, it shall not or can not from thence return before the general doom. why●h shall be in the end of the world. And as he is no more corporally in the world, so can I not see how he can be corporally in the sacrament or his holy supper. And yet not withstanding Confess. do I knowledge and confess, that the holy sacrament of Christ's body and blood, is his very body and blood in a certain manner, which shall be showed hereafter with your grace's favour and permission▪ According to the words of our saver instytuting the same holy sacrament, & saying. Hoc est corpus meum, quod pro vobis datur. And again, Hic est sanguis meus, qui est no ui testamenti, qui pro multis effunditur in remissionem peccatorum Math. 26. But now for approving of the first part▪ that Christ is so bodily ascended Ascended. into heaven, and his holy manhood so thydre assumpte & caet▪ that by the infal lyble promise of God, he shall not, or can not any more from thence bodily return, before the general doom. I shall for this, allege first the scriptures, and then following the authorytates of old holy doctors, with one consent testifying with me. Besides this. I need not to tell▪ that the same is none other thing, but that we have taught to us in these Crede. iij. articles of our Crede Ascendit ad coe los, sedet ad dexteram Dei patris omnipotentis, Ind venturus est judicare vivos & mortuo●. For Christ dead ascend bodily, the godhead which is infinite, uncircumscriptyble, replenyshing both heaven and earth, being immutable and unmovable, so that properly it can neither ascend nor descend Scriptures affirming the same. The scriptures which I promised to allege for the confirmation of my said sentence, be these. First Acto. 1▪ Videntibus Scripture illis elevatus est, & nubes suscepit eum ab oculis eorum. Cunque intuerentur in coelum euntem illum, ecce duo viri & cet. Here is it evidently showed, that Christ departed and ascended in a visible and cyrcumscript body. That this departing was visible and in a visible body, these words do testify. Cunque ituerentur. Quid statis aspicientes in coelum. & Quenadmodun vidistis. That secondly it was ● body, I have afore proved, & mereo● the Deyte is not scene, but is invisible, as appeareth. 1. Timoth. 1. Inuisibili soli Deo, godhead. & caet. and. 1. Timoth▪ 6. Lucem habitat inaccessibilem, quem nullus hominum vidit, sed nec videre potest▪ Therefore the man heed and natural body was assumpt, or dead ascend. That thirdly it was in a cyrcumscript body, appeareth manifestly in this. First that his ascension and bodily departing, caused them to look up, And secondly that he was life up, that is to weet, from beneath or from low. And thirdly quod nubes suscepit eum. Where as no cloud nor clouds can receive or embrace the Deyte, & caet. I am fain to leave out other evident Brevely. arguments for the same purpose, lest I should be over prolix and tedious. It doth there also further follow in like form, how the Angels made answer to the disciples, saying. Viri Galilei, ꝙ statis aspicientes in coelum? Hic jesus qui assumptus est a vobis in coelum, sic veniet quenad modum vidistis eum euntem in coelum. Here we see again that jesus is assumpt, or taken away in to heaven. And then it must be from out of the world, according to that we read, johan, xvi. Exivi a patre, & veni in mundum. Iterum relinquo mundum, & vado ad patrem. That is not else, but as he came from the father of heaven into this world, in that he was incarnate & mademan, for his godhead Manhed● was never absent, either from heaven or yet earth, even so should his manhood leave the world again to go to heaven. Moreover in that it is said, sic veniet, is plainly testified, that he is away & now corporally absent. Finally it is showed further, after what manner he shall come again, by these words. Quemadmodum vidistis eum euntem in coelum. Which is not else, but asyow did vysyblye see him ascend or go away to heaven, a cloud embracing him and taking him from amon Vysybly. you. Even so shall you vysyblye see him to come again in clouds, according as we read, Math. 26. Videbitis filium hominis venientem in nubibus coeli. And again, Math. 24. Et videbunt filium hominis. Soch other texts have we full many, declaring my sentence to be catholic and true. Of which I here shall briefly note some places, and pass over them, knowing that a little rehearsal is sufficient to your noble wisdom. The places be▪ Mark. 16. luke. 24. johan. 13. 14. 16 and. 17. Romans. viii. Ephes. 1. &. 2. and. 2. Corinth. 6. Hebre. 8. 9 10. &. Bodily. 12. and. 1. Thessa. 4. and. 1. Pet. 2. which all do testify, that Christ hath bodily forsaken the world, departed from it unto his father, ascended into heaven, sitting still upon the right hand of the said father above all dominion, power, & pryncypalyte, where he is present advocate & intercessor before his father & that he shall so bodily come again, like as he was scene to departed from hens. Nothing can better or more clearly testify and declare, what is contained in the sacrament of Christ's holy body & blood, than do the words of scriptu ●arke. re, whereby it was institute. Mark doth agree with Matthew, so that in a manner herecyteth his very words. And no mar veil it is. For as the doctors do say, the Gospel of Mark is a very Epytome or compendye of Matthew. I shall therefore write the relations of them touching the institution of this sacrament together. The relation or testimony of Matthew is Matthew. this. Vescentibus eye, accepit jesus panem, & cum egisset gratias, fregit, deditque discipulis, et ait. Accipite, comedite. Hoc est corpus meum. Et accepto poculo, gratijs acts, de dit illis dicens▪ Bibite ex hoc omes. Hic est enim sanguis meus, qui est novi testamenti, qui pro multis effunditur in remis sionem peccatorum. Dico autem vobis, non bibam posthac ex hoc fructu vitis usque in diem illum, cum illum bibam vobiscum nowm in regno patris mei. The testimony or relation of Mark, Mark. is this. Et edentibus illis, sumpto jesus pane, cum gratias egisset, fregit, & dedit illis, & dixit. Sumite, comedite, Hoc est corpus meum. Et accepto poculo, cum gratias egisset, dedit illis, & biberunt ex eo omnes. Et dixit illis. Hic est sanguis meus novi testamenti, ꝙ ꝓ multis effunditur. Amen dico vobis, posthac non bibam de fructu vitis usque ad diem illum, cum illum bibero nowm in regno Dei. Luke Luke. being the compaynyon of Paul, as appeareth in the acts, &. 2. Timoth. 4. doth so next agree with him in making relation of this supper & holy institution of the sacrament. His relation or report is thus. Accepto pane, cum gratias egisset, fregit, ac dedit eis dicens. Hoc est corpus meum, quod ꝓ vobis datur. Hoc facite in mei re cordationem. Similiter & poculum, postquam coenavit dicens▪ Hoc poculum nowm testamentum per sanguinem meum, qui pro vobis effunditur. Paul's testimony doth follow next, Paul. agreeably to Luke, and it is thus. Ego em̄ accepi a domino quod & tradidi vobis, quod dominus jesus in ea nocte qua tradebatur, accepit panem, et postquam gra tias egisset, fregit & dixit. Accepite, edite. Hoc meum est corpus quod pro vobis frangitur. Hoc facite in mei commemorationem. Ad eundem modum & pocu lum peracta coena, dicens. Hoc poculum nowm testamentum est in meo sangui ne. Hoc facite quotiescumque biberitis, in mei commemorationem. Quotiescumque enim & caet. By these testymonyes shall I declare my sentence to your grace which Sentence. I conceive of the holy sacrament of Chri stes blessed body and blood, and in all points of difficulty, shall I annex the very interpretation of the old holy doctors and fathers, to show that I do not ground any thing upon myself. Thereafter shall I add certain arguments, which I trust shall clearly prove and justify my sentence to be true, catholic, and according both with God and his laws, and also with the mind of holy doctors. My sentence is this, that Christ ascended into heaven, and so hath forsaken the world, and there shall abide, sitting sitting. on the right hand of his father without returning hither again until the general doom. At what time he shall come from thence, to judge the dead and living. This all do I believe do ne in his natural body, which he took of the blessed virgin Mary his mother, in the which he also suffered passion for our safety and redemption upon a cross, which died for us & was buried, in which he also did arise again to life immortal. That Christ is thus ascended in his man heed and natural body, & so assumpt into heaven, we may soon prove, for as godhead. much as the godhead of him is never out of heaven, but ever replenyshing both heaven and earth, and all that is besides fourth, being infinite and interminable or uncyrcumscriptyble, so that it neither can propyrly either ascend or descend, being without all alteration sand unmutable or unmovable. So that now his natural body being assumpt from among us, & departed out of the world, the same can no more return from thence unto the end of the world. For as Peter witnesseth, Peter. Acto. 3. Oportet eum coelum accipere usque in tempora restitutionis omnium quae locutus est Deus per os omnium fanctorum suorum a saeculo prophetarum. And the same doth the article of our Crede teach us, which is. Ind (scilicet a coelis venturus est judicare vivos & mortuos. Which time Paul calleth, Apparitio domini nostri jesu Christi. Timoth. 6. saying then this na turall body of our saver, that was borne of his mother Mary being a virgin, is all whole assumpt into heaven, & departed Oportet out of this world, & so Oportet, as saith S. Peter, that is in english, he must remain in heaven until the end of the world, which he calleth tempus restitutionis omnium. This I say, scene & believed according to our Crede & the scriptures, I can not perceive how the natural body of him can contrary wise be in the world, & so in the sacrament. And yet not withstanding is this true, that the holy sacrament is Christ's body & blood, as after shall be declared. Doctors affirming the same. But first, for the establishing of my former purpose, that the natural body of our saver, is so absent from this world & ascended to heaven, that it can be he be no more present, unto the general doom. I would beseech your grace to consider the mind and sentence of old holy doctors in this purpose or matter, how agreeably they testify with that is tofore showed. Amongst whom we have first S. Augustyne, Augustyne writing thus to Dardanus. Proinde quod ad verbum attinet, creator est Christus. Omnia enim ꝑ ipsum facta sunt. Quod vero ad hoinem creatura est Christus. Factus est em̄ ex semi ne david secundum carnem, & in similitudinem hoīm ordinatus. Item quia in hoine duo sunt, anima & caro. Secundum animam tristis fuit usque ad mortem, secundum carnem passus est mortem. Nec en̄ filium Dei Chrinstum dicimus, hoinem separamus, aut cum eundem Christum filium hoins dicimus, separamus Homo Deum. Secundum hoinem namque in terra erat, non in coelo ubi nunc est, quando dicebat. Nemo ascendit in coelum, nisi ꝙ descendit de coelo, filius hoins ꝙ est in coelo. Quamuis secundum id quod filius Dei erat, esset in coelo, secundum vero id quod filius hominis fuit, adhuc esset in terra, nondumque ascendit in coelum. Similiter cum secundum id quod filius Dei est, sit dominus gloriae, secundum id autem quod filius hominis, crucifixus sit. Ait tamen Apostolus. Si enim cognovis sent dominum gloriae, nunquam crucifixissent. Ac per hoc & filius hominis erat in coelo, filius Dei secundum hominem crucifigebatur in terra. Sicut ergo potuit recte dici dominus gloriae crucifixus, quum Dominus ad solam carnem illa passio pertineret, ita recte dici potuit, hody mecum eris in paradiso, cum juxta humanam humilitatem per carnem in sepulchro, per animam in inferno illo die futurus esset. juxta divi nam vero immutabilitatem, nunquam de paradiso, quia ubique est semper, reces sit. Noli igitur dubitare ibi nunc esse hominem Christum jesum, unde venturus est. Memoriter recole, et fideliter tene, chri stianam confessionem. Quoniam resurrexita mortuis, ascendit in coelum, sedet ad dexteram patris, nec aliunde quam inde venturus est, ad vivos & mortuos iudicandos. Venturus Et sic venturus est, illa angelica voce testante, quemadmodum visus est ire in coelum, id est, in eadem carnis for/ ma atque substantia, cui profecto immor talitatem dedit, naturam non abstulit. Se cundum hanc formam non est putandus ubique diffusus. Cavendum autem ne ita divinitatem astruamus hominis, ut veritatem auferamus corporis. Non est autem consequens, ut quod in Deo est, ita sit ubi que ut Deus. Name & de nobis veracissime scriptura dicit. Quod in illo vivimus, sumus, et movemur. Nec tamen sicut ille ubique sumus, sed aliter homo ille in Deo, quoniam & aliter Deus in homine, proprio Deus. quodam & singulari modo. una enim persona Deus & homo est, & utrumque est unus Christus jesus. ubique per id quod Deus est, in coelo autem per id quod homo. By which words of holy Augustyne, your grace may evidently see that he testifieth and teacheth the blessed body or flesh of Christ to be no where else than in heaven. For to it being assumpt or ascended into heaven, God, as he saith, hath given immortality, but not taken a way nature▪ So that by the nature of Nature. that holy flesh or body, it must occupy one place, wherefore it followeth, Secundum hanc formam, that is to wite, of his flesh, Christus non est putandus ubique diffusus. For if Christ should in his humanity be every where dyffuded or spread abroad, so should his bodily nature or natural body be taken from him. And therefore he saith. Cavendum enim, ne ita divinitatem astruamus hoins, ut humanita tem corporis auferamus. But in that he is God, so is he every where, according to my words before written. And in that he is man, so is he in heaven. And therefore is it Athanasius. said. una enim persona Deus & homo, & utrumque est Christus, ubique per id quod Deus, in coelo autem per id quod homo, And yet do we read agreeably to the same matter, more largely in the same epistle, by these words▪ Christum dominum nostrum unigenitum Dei filium, equalem patri, eundemque hominis filium, quo maior est pater, ut ubique totum praesentem esse non dubites tamquam Deum, etin eodem templo Dei esse tamquam inhabitantem Deum, & in loco aliquo coeli propterueri corporis modum. Thus find we clearly, that for the measure of his very body he must be in one place▪ and that of heaven as concerning his In heaven. manhood▪ & yet every where present in that he is the eternal son of God & equal to his father. Like testimony doth he give in the. thirty. treatise that he maketh upon the Euamgely of Iohan. These be his words there written. Donec saeculum finiatur sursum est dominus, sed etiam hic est veritas domini. Corpus enim domini in quo resurrexit, uno loco esse oportet. Veritas autem eius ubique diffusa. The first parcel, that is, Donec saeculum finiatur, is so put, that it may joy ne to the sentence going before, or else to Sursum. these words following. Sursun est dominus & caet. And so should it weal accord to my sentence before showed, which is, the lord is so bodily ascended, that in his natural body he can not again return from until the general doom. But how so ever the said clause or parcel be applied, it shall not greatly skill, for my sentence notwithstanding remay yneth full stedefast. In so much, as the scripture doth mēcy●n but of. ij. aducntes or comings of Christ, of which the first is performed in his blessed in carnation, & the second is the coming at the general done. And furthermore i this article Coming. of our Crede, Ind venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos, is not only showed wherefore he shall come again, but also when he shall come again. So that in the mean while, as the other article of our Crede witnessyth, Sedet ad dexteram Dei patris, that is not else to say, them he remaineth in glory with the father. Furthermore even as I have before rehearsed the foresaid authority of Augustyne, even so have I red it in his quinquagenes upon a psalm, of which I can not now precysely note or name the number. And the same words doth he also write in a pistle to S. Hierome. So that we Augustyne may know, he had good liking in it, that he so commonly doth use it, as his usual proverb or byword, In the same is also testified, that his blessed body can be but in one place, so that it being now according to the scripture and article of our believe or creed, in heaven, it can not be in earth. And much less can it be in so unnumerable places of the earth, as we may perceive that the sacrament is. Thus although the body of our saver must be in one place, as he writeth agreeably to the saying Petrus. of Peter, Quem oportet coelos accipere, us que ad tempus restitutionis omnium. Yet as the words following make mention, veritas autem eius ubique diffusa est. This verity of Christ, or of his body, do I take to be that he in other places, doth call virtus sacramenti. As in the xxv. treatise upon johan we find thus writ ten. Aliud est sacramentum, aliud virtus sacramenti. And again, Si quis manduca verit ex ipso non moritur, sed qui pertinet ad virtutem sacramenti, non qui pertinet advisibile sacramentum. And to declare what is virtus sacramenti, that I count to be veritas Virtus. domini vel corporis ipsius, he saith. Qui manducat intus, non foris, qui manducat in cord, nonque premit dente. So that finally this veritas domini vel corporis ipsius, which is dispersed every where abroad, is the spiritual profit, fruit, and comfort that is opened, to be received every where of all men by farthe in the verity of the lord, that is to wite, in the very and true promise or testament made to us in the lords body that was crucified & suffered death for us, and arose again ascending immortal in to heaven. Where he sitteth, that is, abideth on the right have Abideth the of his father, from thence not to return until the general doom or judgement. This bodily absence of our saver is like wise clearly showed in the thirty treatise that he maketh upon johan, where he doth expone this text, Pauperes semper habetis vobiscum, me autem non semper habebitis, to my purpose, that thereby I count and bold to be rather catholic. Finally the same doth he confirm in his sermons of the second and third feryes of Eastre, and in so many places besides fourth, as here can not be recited, the number of them is so passing great. With him consentyth full plainly Fulgentius, li. 2. add Thrasimundun, Fulgentius writing in this wise. unus idemque homo lo calis ex homine, qui est Deus immensus ex patre, unus idemque secundum humanam substan tiam, absens coelo cum esset in terra, & dear linquens terram cum ascendisset in coelum. Secundum vero divinam immensamque substantiam, nec coelum dimittens cum de coelo descendit, nec terram deserens cum ad coelum ascendit. Quod ipsius domini certissimo sermone potest cogno sci, qui ut localem suam ostenderet humanita tem, dicit discipulis suis. Ascendo ad patrem meum & patrem vestrum, Deum meum & Deum Lazarus. vestrum. De Lazaro quoque cum dixisset, Laza rus mortuus est, adiunxit dicens. Et gaudeo propter vos, ut credatis, quoniam non eram ibi. Immensitatem vero suae divinitatis osten dens, discipulis dixit, Ecce ego vobiscum sum usque ad consummationem saeculi. Quomodo aunt ascendit in coelum, nisi quia localis est & verus homo? Aut quomodo adest fidelibus suis, nisi quia idem immensus & verus Deus est, & caet. In this s●●e & sort doth he proceed fou r●h speaking much, full agreeably to my sentence, which, is now overlong here to write. But what can be said more plainly Plainly. with me in so few words? First he saith, that Christ being a man, is as concerning his manhood, local, that is not else then contained in one place. And to express that the more clearly, he addeth to it, saying. unus idemque secundum humanam substantiam, absens coelo cum esset in terra, & derelinquens terram cum ascendisset in coelum. where as he hath a contrary Antithesis for the godly nature, to show fourth the first point Antithesis. the more effectually. The Antithesis is thus. Secundum divinam vero immensamque substantiam, nec coelum dimitiens cum de coelo descendit, nec terram deserens cum ad coelum ascendit. whereby is also confirmed that I said, Christ did descend and ascend as touching his humanity, but not in his deyte, which is immutable & unmovable. As we may perceive by that he here doth call it, substantiam immensam. Furthermore to show that Christ, as touching his human and natural body, is local and in one place, ij. texts. he allegeth and that right justly▪ ij. texts of scripture▪ The first is, Ascendoad patrem, & caet▪ And the second is of Lazarus, Gaudeo propter vos & caet. Finally he maketh this demand. Quomodo autem, ascenditin coelum, nisi quia localis & verus est homo. Whereby we may see, that by this sentence, Christ could not ascend, except he had be local, that is, contained in one place, & sovery man. And that is according to. S. Augusty ne, writing as is above showed: Et sic venturus est, illa angelica voce testante, quenadmodum visus est ire in coelum, id est in eadem carnis forma atque substantia. Secundum hanc Forma. formam non est ubique diffusus. Cavendum enim ne ita divinitatem astruamus hominis, ut veritatem corporis auferamus. So that they both do testify, that Christ could not have ascended, except he had be local, that is to wite▪ contained in one plale & v●●● man. And that if he were not local, he could not be man▪ Wherefore S. Augustyne Augustyne. saith further, ad Dardanum. Spatia locorum tolle corporibus, & nusquam erunt, & quia nusquam erunt, nec erunt. Chat is to wite, take away localyte or situation in place from bodies▪ and they shall be no where. And forbecause they shall be no where they shall have no being. We therefore coveting to find Christ ●r his natural body, should seek for him in heaven, where his natural manhood is sitting on the right hand of his fa ther. So willeth us S. Ambrose in the. Ambrose. x. book which he writeth upon Luke, speaking of Christ's humanity assumpte, in this wise. Ergo non supra terram, nec in terra, nec secundum carnem te quaerere debe mus, si volumus te invenire. Nunc enim secun dum carnem non nonimus Christum. Denique Steqhanus non supra terram quae sivit, qui stan tum te ad dexteram Dei vidit. Mar●a autem quae quaerebat in terra, tangere non potuit. Stephanus tetigit, quia quesivit in coelo. Stephanus inter judeos vidit absentem & caet. Thus we must seek for the natural body of Stephanus. Christ, not upon the earth, but in heaven, if we will not be deceived. And that doth he more largely in the same treatise, speaking thus of the verity of Chri stes body. Quomodo non corpus quiesceret, in quo manebant insignia vulnerum, vestigiae cicatricum, quae dominus palpanda obtulit? In quo non solum fidem firmat, sed etiam devotionem acuit, quod vulnera suscepta pro nobis coelo inferre maluit, abolere noluit, ut Deo patri, nostrae precia libertatis ostenderet. Talem sibi pater ad dexteram locat, trophaeum nostrae salutis amplectens & caet. Gregory also in an homely of pentecost Gregory. , saith agreeably to the other, i these words▪ Quando non maneret apud eos, qui ascensurus coelos? promittit dicens. Ecce ego vobiscumsum omnibus dicbus usque ad con summationem seculi. Sed verbum incarnatino manet & recedit. Recedit corpore, manet divinitate. Apud eos ergo tunc mansisse se perhibet, is q●i invisibili semper potestate preseus erat, corporali iam uisione recedebat. In Ly ke wise doth he testify in the homely of Bedas. Easter day. * With these doth Bede accord in an homely of easter, in which he declareth this text, johan. xvi. Modum & i am non videbitis me, & e●t: And also in an homely of the vigil of penned cost. And, who can otherwise say or think, knowing the scripture and our believe, but that the natural body of Christ is so assumpt in to heaven all whole, that it must there abide without returning until the general judgement. Notwith standing, saying this is the chief point whereupon I seek to establish my sentence in this matter of the holy sacrament, that Christ's holy and natural body is so assumpte in to heaven, that there it assumpt. must remain all whole without returning until the general doom. I will yet with the permission of your grace, ad de one or. ●. arguments deduced out of the scriptures, to declare further my sentence to be faithful and catholic. Arguments out of scripture First as Christ was enclosed and so borne about in the womb of his mother being a virgin undefiled, and thereafter was borne into this world, & put in a manger, And so he growing in age did abide in diverse places, but in one after One place. an other sometime, in Galyle, sometime in Samary, sometime in jury, sometime byonde and sometime on this half of jor dane, And consequently was crucified at Jerusalem, there being ●enclosed & buried in a grave. From whence he did a rise, so that the Angels testified of him, Surrexit non est hic, Math 28. And as at a time appointed after his resurrecty on, he was assumpte or life up in to heaven, from the top of the mount of Olyu●●e, in the sight of his disciples, a cloud compassing him about. Even so shall be come from the same celestial Shall come. place corporally, as they did see him to de part out of one place corporally, according to the testimony of the Angels, Acto. 1. So that in this we may undoubtedly find that Christ, as touching his man heed, can not be corporally in many and diverse places at ones, and so to be corporally in his natural body in heaven and also in the earth, and that is moreover, in so many parts of the world, as men have affirmed. Neither doth the scripture require that we should spoil Christ of the property property of man's nature, which is to be in one place, whom the same scripture doth perpetually witness and teach to be man, and so to confound the condition of his bodily nature with the nature divine. Paul doth teach that Christ in man heed, was made in all points like unto us his brethren, sin excepted. How then can his body be in more places at ones, unlike unto the natural property of the bodies of us his brethren? But here do some witty philosophers, yea, rather sophisters than divines, Sophister's. bring into the anulling of Christ's humanity, a similitude of man's soul which being one, is yet so all whole in all our whole body, that it is said, to be all whole in every part of the body. But s●ch should remember, that it is no convenient similitude which is made of things different and diverse in nature, such as be the soul and body of man, to prove them to have like properties. This is as if they would prove Christ's body to be of one nature and propyrtie with his soul, and that things naturally corporal, The soul. were not most diverse from creatures naturally spiritual. Furthermore, if so it mought be, that the body or flesh of Christ, were mere lie spiritual, and full like unto the substance of Angels, yet could it not in this wise follow, that hysbodye could be every where, or in diverse places at ones. Where for such subtleties are to be omitted, and the trade of scripture should weal like us, by which the old doctors, do define, that the body of jesus exalted or assumpt Local. into heaven, must be local, cyrcumscript, and in one place▪ notwithstanding that the verity, spiritual grace, and fruit that cometh of it, is dyffuded and spread abrode● all places, or every where How could Christ corporally departed out of this world, and leave the earth, if he in the kinds of bread and wine be not only corporally contained and received, but also there reserved, kept, and enclo sed? What other thing else do these wor destestyfye, Iohan●xiij, Sciens autem jesus, quia venit hora eius, ut transiret ex hoc must do ad patrem, & caet. And in like form, Luke. xxiv. Et factum est cum benediceret illis, recessit ab eyes, & ferebatur in caelum. Recessit. What do they signify, if Christ went not verily ont of this world, his natural body being surely assumpt into heaven? They do therefore undoubtedly declare that Christ, being very God and very man, did not verily departed out of this world in his natural body, his blessed humanity assumpt into heaven, where it remaineth sitting in glory with the father. Where as yet his deyte did not leave the world, ne departed out from the earth. Paul doth say philip. 2. that of. ●j. things Paulus. he wist not which he mought rathest choose that is to wite, to abide in the flesh for preaching the Gospel, or else to be dissolved from the flesh, sayn goe that to abide with Christ is much & far better, by the which Paul doth manifestly prove, that they be not present lie with Christ, which yet do abide mortal in the flesh. Yet they be with Christ in such wise, as the scripture doth say that the believing be the temple of Christ. And as Paul doth say. 2. Corinth. 13. An non cognoscitis vosmetipsos, quia jesus Christus Christus. in vobis est? In which sense he also promised to be with us unto the end of the world. Christ therefore must be otherwise in that place, in which, the Apostle desired to be with him, being dissolved and departed from his body, than he do abide either in the supper, or else in any other places of the churches. He therefore doth undoubtedly mean heaven, whyh is the paradise of perfit bless & glory Whereas Christ being a victor, triumpher and conqueror over death, sin, and hell, and over all creatures doth reign & remain corporally. Thus do I trust The king. that your grace doth see my sentence, this farfourth to be right catholic, christian, & faithful, according to holy scripture to holy fathers, and to the articles of our christian believe. Which sentence is thus. Christ's natural body, is so assumpt into heaven, where it sitteth or remaineth in glory of the father, that it can nomo re come from thence, that is to wite, from heaven return, until the end of the world. And therefore can not the same na turall body naturally be here in the world, or in the sacrament. For then should Contradi ctio. it be departed or gone out of the world, and yet be still remaining in the world. It should then be both to come, & all ready come, which is a contradiction, & naryaunt to the nature of his manhood The second part of this matter. Now my sentence in the second part of this matter, is this, if so your grace shall please to know it, as I your poor & unworthy, but full true subject would with all submission & instance besych you to know it. I grant the holy sacrament Sacramental. to be the very & natural body of our saver, and his very natural blood And that the natural body and blood of our saver, is in the sacrament after a certain wise, as after shall apere. For so do the words of the supper testify▪ Accipite, comedite, Hoc est corpus men, quod pro vobis datur. And again, Bibite ex hoc omnes. Hic est enim sanguis me●s qui est novi testamenti, qui promul ti● effunditur in remissionem peccatorum. Of which words saying in them depen death a great trial & prove of this matter, Interpre tation. and that for the interpretation of them, is and hath been all controversy of this matter, I therefore shall show the interpretation, that holy doctors have made of them, that as to me seemeth, be full worthy credit. First we find in the second book of tertulian, which he writeth against Martion. Ipse Christus nec panem repro bavit, quod ipsum corpus suum representa●. This Marcio, against whom Tertulyan doth this write, ded erronyously reprove all creatures as cuyll. Which thing Tertulian Tertulyan doth improve by the sacrament, saying as is above written. Christ did not reprove the bread, which representeth his body. As who would say. If Christ had judged the bread evil, than would he not have left it for a sign or sacrament to represent his blessed body. agreeably to the same doth he also say in the fourth book made against the said martion, in these words. Christus acceptum panem & distributum discipulis, corpus suum illud fecit. Hoc est corpus meum dicendo, id est figura corporis mei. Figura aunt non fuis Figura. set, nisi veritatis esset corpus. Caeterum, vacua res, quod est phantasma, figuram capere non potest. This Marcio had an erroneous opinion, that Christ had no natural body, but a body phantastycall. Which error or heresy, this famous doctor Tertulyan doth improve by the holy sacrament, saying as afore is written. The sacrament is a figure of Christ's body, ergo Christ had a very & true body. For a thing which is vain and fantastical can receive no figure. So Note this. that in both places we may clearly perceive his interpretation of these words. Hoc est corpus meum. Which interpretation is not new, but authentyke or full ancient, like as is the writer. And this interpretation do I the rather allow, that none of the old doctors, which followed him, did ever improve him therefore, but rather have they followed it, as appeareth fourth by holy Augustyne. In the Augustyne. preface upon the third psalm, do the said Augustyne highly commend the wone derfull sufferance of Christ, which so lon geded suffer and forbear judas, as if he had been a good & honest man Whereas notwithstanding he did know his traterouse thoughts, when he received him to feast or supper, in which he did commend and deliver to his disciples, the figure of his body & blood. The words of Augustyne in latin, be these. In historia novi testamenti, ipsa do mini nostri tanta & tam admiranda pacientia erat, quod eum tandiu pertulit tauquam benumb, judas. cum eius cogitationes non ignoraret, cum adhibuit ad conu●u●um, in quo corporis & sanguinis sui figuram discipulis suis commenda vit & tradidit. The same holy doctor also, writing against Adamantius, saith thus. Non enim dubit avit dominus dicere, Hoc est corpus meum, cum daret signum corporis sui. Ad for a further declaration of the same chap tree, he saith. Sic enim sanguis est anima, quo modo petra erat Christus. Nec tamem petra, ait, signify cabat Christum: sed ait, petra erat Christus. Expressly doth Augustyne here, call the sign of Christ's body, his body, Asygne. plainly interpreting these words, Hoc est corpus meum, as both he and Tertulyane did before. Moreover he tafet these. iij. sentences, Hoc est corpus meum, Anima est sanguis, and Christus erat petra, to be of one phrase, and to be like speeches, or to be expounded after one fashion. And this text, Petra erat Christus, doth he commonly thus expone, Petra signifiea bat Christum. As appeareth libro. xviij. de civitate Dei. ca xlviij. Also in libro quaestionum in Genesint, & libro quaestionum in Leviticum, Tractatu. xxvi. super evangelium joannis, & In sermone de anunciatione dominica. In like manner also S. Hierome expoundeth Hierome. it, in the small scholyes written upon the first chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthyanes', and all other writers with one consent, so far as I can read. And so doth the text require to be expounded, for Christ was not a natural stone, as all men may weal perceive, and yet was he the very true stone figuratively, as Lyra saith. Solet res quae significat Lyramus , nomine rei quam significat nominari. And so is the stone signifying Christ, called Christ which thereby is signified. And as he doth approve this text, Petra erat Christus, like wise doth he expound, Sanguis est anima, with the which he doth knit this text, Hoc est corpus meum, to be figuratively expounded, as they be. According, to this, do the same holy doctor write, Psalmo. 50. Nisi quis manducaverit carnem meam, non videbit vitam aeternam. Acceperunt illud stulte, carnaliter illud cogitaverunt, & putaverunt quod praecisurus esset dominus particulas quasdam de corpore Capern●●tes. suo, et daturus illis▪ Et dixerunt. Durus est hic sermo. Ipsi aunt erant duri, non sermo. Etenim si duri non essent, sed mites, dixissent sibi, Non sine causa dicit hoc, nisi quia est ibi aliquod sacramentum latens, Mansissent cum eo leaves, non duri, & didicissent ab eo, quod illis discedentibus, qui manserunt didicerunt. In this may we see, that our saver willeth his precious flesh to be eaten. But for the manner of eating, is & hath been much controversy. The jews of judei. Capernaum were offended with Christ, when he said, he would have his flesh eaten, and except man should e●●● his flesh, he could not come to life eternal. They sup posed grossly, and understood him (if a man might so plainly speak it) bocher lie, that he would cut out lumps & pieces out of his body, as the bocher doth out of dead beasts, and so give it them to eat of, as Augustyne doth here say. And upon this gross, or (as holy Augustyne doth here call it) foolish and fleshly understanding, they were offended, and said to him. This is a sore or hard saying. They did shoot fourth their bolt & un wise. unwise saying over soon, and were offended before they had cause. They took that for hard and fore, which should have been passing pleasant & profitable to them if they would have heard the thing declared thoroughly to the end. And even so now, that which in this matter may appear at the first blush, a sore, strange, & intolerable sentence, for as much as we have not heard of it before, but the contrary hath of long time been beaten into our heads and persuaded to our minds, yet by deliberation delyberation. and indifferent hearing, and abiding a trial of that which at the first may appear sore and intolerable, shall I trust be found a sweet truth, to such specially as your grace is, loving to hear and to know all truth, But the Capernaytes were hard, as here saith Augustyne, & not the word. For if they had not been hard, but soft & patient to hear, they would have said in themselves. Christ saith not this without a cause, & there is some hid mystery therein. And so by patient tarryaunce, they should have known the truth, that they could not attain to Hastyn●● for perverse hastiness, or hast which is a great stop and let of true judgement. But the disciples tarried patiently, to hear farther, & so did they know this speech of christ to be the words of life, that to the other, over readily departing from Christ, were words of death. For they took them lytterally and gross lie, and the letter, as Paul saith, sleyth. But to show what the disciples, remaynige with Christ, did learn, S. Augustyne Augustyne. doth consequently show by the words of the Gospel, saying thus. Ille autem instruxit eos, & ait illis. Spiritus est qui vivificat, caro nihil prodest. Verba quae locutus sum vobis, spiritus & vita sunt. Spiritualiter intelligite quod locutus sum. Non hoc corpus quod videtis, manducaturi estis, nec bibituri illum sanguinem quem fusuri sunt qui me crucifigent. Sacramentum aliquod vobis commendavi, quod spiritualiter intellectum vivificabit vos. Et si 〈…〉 lliter celebrari, oportet tamen invisibiliter intelligi. In this dough see, that both Christ and Augustyne would have Christ's words to be understand 〈…〉 nally spiritually and not carnally, figuratively & not lytterally, And therefore doth he say, Non hoc corpus quod videtis, manduca turi estis, & bibituri illum sanguinem, quem fusuri sunt qui me crucifigent. And what else is this, but that Christ would his body to be eaten, and his blood to be drunken? But he would not his body to be carnal ●● eaten, which was materyally scene of them, to whom he spoke, nor his matery all or natural blood to be carnaly drunk, which his crucyfyers should cause to issue from his natural body crucified, as saith Augustyne. But he ordained & willed his body and blood to be spiritually In faith eaten and drunk in faith and be leave, that his body was crucified for us, and that his blood was shed for the remission of our sins. This eating and drinking is nothing, but such true faith and believe, as is showed. Wherefore as Christ saith, Qui manducat meam carnem, & bibit meum sam guinem, habet vitam aeternam. Even so doth he say, qui credit in me, habet vitam aeternam. And S. Augustyne agreeably to the same, doth say in tractatusuper joannem. Ad quid paras ventrem & dentem? Crede & manducasti. I do Believe. know that Christ hath ordained his sacrament to be received and eaten, which is in a certain wise called his body, as after shall be more largely opened. But the same doth not feed the mind of men, except it be taken spiritually & not corporally. Hebte. 13. Bonum est enim gratia constabilire cor, non escis. And S. Augustyne assenting to the same doth say in a sermon that he maketh upon these words in the Gospel of Lu●e, Dominc doce nos orare. Panem dixit, sed Epiousion, hoc est, supersubstantialem. Non iste panis est Panis. qui vadit in corpus, sed ille panis qui animae nostrae substantiam fulcit. Our souls therefore, into whom nothing corporal can corporally enter, doth not carnally receive the body and blood of our sa●er, neither deed he orday ne his blessed body and blood so to be eaten and drunken. Although our souls can not live, except they be spiritually fed with the blessed body and blood of him, spiritually eating and drinking them, in taking also at times convenient, Sacrament. the blessed sacrament which is truly called his body and blood, Not that it is so really, but as is showed by the interpretation both of tertulian and Augustyne, because it is a sign or figure of Christ's body and blood. And the signs or sacraments doth commonly, as saith Augustyne, both ad Bonifacium, and in his work Se civitate Sei, take their denomination of the things by them represented & signified. But for as much as some will object that Augustynei the word afore rehearsed doth not speak of Eating. eating the sacrament. For the text of the scripture, upon the which he doth ground, is not spoken by eating the sacrament, which text is this. Nisi quis manduc auerit carnem meam & caet. I answer, that true it is, he began of spiritual earring, and thereto serveth the text recited, Nevertheless he meaneth that Christ is not ordaxned to be eaten, either without the sacrament or in the sacrament, but spiritually of the faithful. As more evidently doth appear by these words there following. Sacramentum Sacramen tum. aliquod vobis commendavi, quod spiritualiter intellectum vivificabit vos. Etsi neces se s●t, illud ui sibiliter celebrar●, oportet tamen invisibiliter intelligi, Here doth he show, that he meaneth of eating Christ, not without the sacrament only, but also in the sacrament. And therefore he doth not only say, sacramentum vobis &cet. but he addeth moreover. et si neresse est illud visibiliter celebrari. How therefore can the eating of Christ, & the sacrament thereof, be visibly celebrate but in the maundy, or in his supper? Which is celebrate visibly, Vysybylye in visible things of bread & wine. Which can not quicken or relieve us & our souls, except they be understand & so received spiritually. Furthermore, as concerning the exposition of these words of the supper, Hoc est corpus meum, & caet. S. Augustyne writing ad Bonifacium, saith thus. Sepe ita loqui mur, ut pascha appropinquante, crastinam vel perendinam domini passionem dicamus. Cum ille an te tam multos annos passus sit, nec omnino nisi semel passio illa facta sit, nemp eipso die dominico, dicimus, hody dominus resurrexit, cum ex quo surrexerit, tot amni transierrint. Quare Loquela. nemo tam ineptus est, ut nos ita loquentes arguat esse mentitos. Quia istos dies, secundum illorum, quibus haec gesta sunt, similitudinem, nuncupamus▪ ut dicat ipse dies, qui non sit ipse, sed reuolutione temporum similis eius. Et dicatur illo die fieri, propter sacramenti celebrationè, quod non ●llo die, sed iam olim factum est▪ Nun semel immolatus est Chri stus in seme●ipso? Et tamen ●n sacramento non solum per annuas pasche solennitates, sed omni die pro Mystice. populis mystice immolatur. Nec utique mentitur, qui interrogatus responderit, eum immolari. Si em̄ sacramenta, quandam similitudinem earum rerum quarum sunt sacramenta, non haberent, omnino sacramenta non essent, Ex hac autè similitudine, plaerumque etiam ipsarum rerum nomina accipiunt. Sicut ergo secundum quemdam modum, sacra mentum corporis Christi est, & sacramentum sanguinis Christi est. Ita sacramentum fidei fides est, Nih●l autem aliva est credere, quam fidem habere, at per hoc respondetur, Fides. infants fidem habere propter fidei sacra menta, & convertere se ad Deum, propter conversio n●s sacramenta. Quia & ipsa responsio pertinet ad celebrationem sacramenti. Sicut de ipso baptismo Apostolus dicit. Consepulti (inquit) sumus per baptismum in mortè Non ait, sepulturam significavimus, sed prorsus a●t, consepulti sumus. Sacramentum ergo tant● rei, non nisi eiusdenrei vocabulo nuncupavit. Nothing can be more plainly spoken, nor more agreeably to the natural under standing of the texts of the supper, and to the exposition afore showed, of Tertu lyan and of himself. For saying that ●hrist is bodily in heaven, and so absent Christ. ●rom the earth, it is needful to know, how the holy sacrament, which he doth call his body and blood, should be his blessed body and blood. This holy doctor therefore S. Augusty ne, doth this matter manifestly and sin cerely declare by other like speeches. And first by comen speeches, and secondly by speeches of scripture. The comen speech is this. We do (saith he) use often to say, that when Easter doth approach or draw nigh, that to morrow or the ne● Speech. re day, is the lords passion. Where as he did suffer afore many years past▪ And that passion was never but once done. The second common speech is. And of that sunday we say, that this day the lord did rise from death, where as so many years be yet past sith the time he arose. Wherefore to conclude, he saith. No man is so foolish, that he will reprove us for so saying, or to say that we have lied forbecause we do call these days after the similitude of those, in which these things were done. So that it is called the same day, not for that it is the self, but Ly●e it. by revolution of time, like unto it. And the resurrection is said to be done in the same day, through the celebrating of the sacrament, of that which is not done that day, but long time afore past. The third speech. Was not Christ offered up ones for all in his own person? Yet is he nevethelesse offered in the sacrament mystycally for the people, not only every year at the feast of Eastre, but also every day, Neither doth he lie, which when he is demanded, shall answer, that he is offered up or sacrificed. For if the sacraments had not a Likeness. certain similitude of those things, of which they be sacraments, than should they not be sacraments at all. By reason of which similitude, they do for the most part, receive the denomynacyonor name of those things signified. And therefore after a certain manner, the sacrament of Chri stes body is the body of Christ, & the sa crament of Christ's blood is the blood of Christ, & so also be the sacraments of faith called faith. This doth he yet prove by an other axample of speech, which is this, It is non other thing to believe, then to have faith. And therefore when answer is made, that the infants Infant's have faith, which in deed have it not in full working, it is answered that such have faith for the sacrament of faith, & that it doth convert itself unto faith, for the sacrament of conversion. For the very answer itself, doth pertain to the cele lebracyon of the sacrament, & caet. Thus doth it sufficiently apere, that as we use truly to call that good friday, or the day of Christ's passion, which is not in deed the day of Christ's passion, but only Memory all. a memory all thereof one's done for ever. And as we use to call the next easter day, the day of Christ's resurrection, not because that Christ in the same day shall arise but only for a memorial of his resurrection once done for ever, and that of long time passed. And Christ beyond offered up, ones for all in his own proper person, is yet said to be offered up, not only every year at Easter, but also every day in the celebration of the sacrament, because his obla cyon once for ever made, is thereby repre scented. Even so (saith Augustyne) is the sa Augustyne. crament of Christ's body, the body of Christ, and the sacrament of Christ's blood, the blood of Christ, in a certain wise or fas hyon. Not that the sacrament is his na turall body or blood in deed, but that it is a memorial or representation there of, as the days before showed, be of his very and natural body crucified for us, and of his precious blood shed for the remission of our sins. And thus be the holy signs or sacraments truly call led by the names of the very things in them signified. But why so? For they (saith Augustyne) have a certain symy similitude. lytude of those things whereof they be signs or sacraments. For else they should be no sacraments at all. And therefore do they commonly, and for the most part receive the denomination of the things whereof they be sacraments. So that we may manifestly perceive that he calleth not the sacrament of Chri stes body and blood, the very body & blood of Christ, but as he said before. But yet he saith, i a certain manner or wise. Not that the sacrament absolutely & plainly, is his natural body or blood. For thy is a false argument of sophistry, sophistry. which they call secundum quid ad simpliciter, to say, that the sacrament of Christ's body, is in a certain wise, the body of Christ, Ergo it is also plainly and expressly the natural body of Christ. For such an other reason might this be also. Christ is after a certain manner a lion, a lamb, and a door. ergo Christ is a natural lion and lamb, or material door. But the sacrament of Christ's body and blood, is therefore called his body memorial. & blood, that it is thereof a memorial, sign, sacrament, token, and representacy on, spent once for our redemption. Which thing is further exponed by an either speech, that he doth here consequently allege of baptism. Sicut de ipso baptismo Apostolus dicit & caet. The Apostle (quoth Augustyne) saith not, we have signified burying but he saith utterly, we▪ be buried with Christ. For else should all false christian be buried with Christ from sin, which yet do live in all sin. And therefore saith Augstyne immediately thereupon, he called therefore the sacrament of so great a thing, by non other name, than of the thing self. Thus A name. o most gracious and godly prince, do I confess and knowledge, that the bread of the sacrament is truly Christ's body, and the wine to be truly his blood, according to the words of the instytutyon of the same sacrament. But in a certain wise, that is to wit, figuratively, sacra mentally, or sygnyfycatyvely, accordige to the exposition of the doctors before recited & here after following. And to this exposition of the old doctors. am I enforced both by the articles of my creed, and also by the circumstances of the said Scripture. scripture, as after shall more largely appear. But by the same can I not find, the natural body of our saver to be there naturally, but rather absent, both from the sacrament & from all the world, collocate and remaining in heaven. where he by promise must abide corporally unto the end of the world. The same holy doctor, writing against one Faustus, saith in like manner. Si Machabeos cuningenti admiratione praeferimus, quia escas, quibus nunc christiani licite utuntur, attingere noluerunt (quia pro tempore tunc prophetico non licebat) quan●o nu●c magis pro baptismo Sign●. Christi pro eucharistia Christi pro signo Christi? Ad omnia perferenda paratior de bet esse christianus cum ille fueruit premis siones rerum complendarum, haec vero sunt indicia completarum. In this do I note, that according to the expositions byfore showed, he calleth the sacrament of baptysme and the sacrament of Christ's body & blood, otherwise properly named Eucharistia, he calleth them signum Chri sti, and that in the singular number, for as much as they both do syngnyfye well nigh one thing, In both them is testified the death of our saver. And more over The death. he calleth than, indicia rerum completa rum, that is to wit, the tokens or benefits that we shall receive by believe of Christ for us crucified. And then doth he call usually both the sacramen tes, signum Christi in the singular number. As in tractatu. 50. super evangelium joannis, where he saith thus. Si bonus es, si ad corpus Christi pertines, quod signat Petrus, habes Augstinus Christum & in presenti & in futuro. In presenti per fidem, in presenti per signum Christi, in presenti per baptismatis sacramentum, in presenti per altris cibum & potum, & caet. ❧ Though johan Lambert wrote somewhat more concerning this matter to the king. Yet came there no more to my hands in the uncorrected, yea rather corrupted copy which I received. ❧ In the year of our lord a. M. D. thirty viii. was this servant of God brent in smithfield at London, by the only violence of the spiritual ministers of Antichrist, in october.