A Brief declaration of the sacraments, expressing the first original how they came up, and were institute with the true and most sincere meaning and understanding of the same very necessary for all men, that will not err in the true use and receiving thereof/ Compiled by the godly learned man William Tyndall.  
Imprinted At London by Robert Stoughton. Dwelling within Ludgate, at the sign of the bishops Mitre.   

TO understand the pytthe of the Sacraments, how they came up and the very meaning of them/ we must consider diligently the manners and fations of the hebrews/ which were a people of great gravity and sadness/ & earnest in all their doings if any notable thing chanced among them that they not only wrote, but also set up pillars & marks & diverse signs to testify the same unto their posterity/ and named the places where the things were done, with such names as could not but keep the deeds in memory. As jacob called the Place where he saw god, face to face: pheniel: that is, god's face: & the place where the Egipcians murned jacob vij days, the people of the country called Abel miram. The lamentation of the Egipcians to the intent the such names should keep the gests and stories in mind. And likewise in all the covenants, they not only promised one to an other & swear thereon. But also set up signs & tokens thereof and gave the places names to keep the thing in mind: And they used thereto such circumstances, protestation and solemn fations, & ceremoneys to confirm the covenants and to testify that they were made with great earnest advise and deliberation: to the intent that it should be to much shame. & to much abomination both before god & man to break them ever after. As abraham Goe xx when he made a covenant of peace with abymeleck king of the phylistians: after they had eaten & dronkne together and sworn. he put vij lambs by themselves/ and abemeleck reseaved them of his hand to testify that he there had dyged a certain well, and that the well thereof pertained to him. And he called the well Barlabe: the well of savering/ or the well of sevyn: because of the oath & of the six lambs: & by that title did abrahams children chalengyt many a hundred years after. And when jacob & laban/ made a covenant together Gen. 31. they cast up an heap of stones in witness & caused it Gylyad: the heap of witness and they bound either other/ for than & their posterity/ that neither part should pass the heap to the otheres contreward, to hurt or conquir the land. And laban bound jacob also that he should take no more wives to his daughters. And of all that covenant they made that keep witness, calling it the wetnes sheppe. that the children should enquyr the cause of the name/ & the father should declare them the story. And such fations as they used amounge them selves did god also use to them ward/ in all his notable deeds/ whether of mercy in delivering them, or in wrath, in ponyshing their disobedience and transgression: in all his promises to them and covenants made between them and him: As ●hen allerthe general flood, God mad a covenant ● Noe & all mankind and with living ereatures also, that he would nomye drown the world with a general flood/ He gave them the rain bow to basygne of the promise fure● make it the better believed and to keep it in mind for eu● and said/ when I bring clouds upon the earth▪ I will put my bow in the closes and will look in it and remember the everlasting covenant made between god and all living creatures.  
And Abram which signifieth an excellent father he named him abraham the father of a great multitude of people because he had ꝓmissed him to make him even so & that his seed should be as the stars and as the sand of the sea innumerable/ and that name gave he him as a seal of the promises to confirm it/ & to strengthen the faith of abraham & his posterity, and to keep the promise in mind that they might have wherewith to bind god and to romure him as Moses and the holy prophets ever do holding him fast to his own promiss and binding him with his own wories and bringing fourth the oblygation and seal thereof in all times of necesite and temptation, After that he made a covenant with abraham to be his god (& the god of his posterity & the styled & defender: And Abraham promyssd for him & his seed to be his people & to believe and trust in him & to keep his commandments: which covenant god caused to be written in the flesh of Abraham & in the males of all his posterity, commanding the males to be circumcised the viii. day or to be slain, with cyrcunsycyon was the seal & obligation of the said covenant/ to keep it in mind & to testify it that it was an earnest thing, whereby god challenged them to be his people, and required the keeping of his laws of them and faith to trust in him only/ & in no other thing, For help & succour/ and all that can be needful and necessary for man, And where by he commandeth the disobedient and rebellious and promiseth them and thereby also they challenged him to be the god and father/ & to help & succour at nead & to minister all things unto them/ according to all his ꝓmysses. And though the seal of this covenant were not written in the flesh of the females: yet it served the womankind & bound them to god, to trust in him and to keep his laws, as well as it did the men children, and the womankind not cyrcunsysed in the flesh, yet thorough the help of the sign written in the masies, loving gods law and trusting holy in him were truly circumcised in the heart & soul before god. And the maid children believing & loving god, where unto the outward circumsisyon bound/ them were truly cyrcumsised before god: Even so the males having the flesh cyrcunsysed, yet not believing nor loving god (whereunto the outward circumsytion bound them) were uncircumsyded before god. And god not bound to them but had good right thereby to punyshe them▪ So that neither circumsytion or to be uncircumsised is ought worth (as S paul saith Ro. 2.) save for the keeping of the law, for if circumcision help not to keep the law▪ so serveth it for nawght▪ but to condemn. And as the woman kind uncircumsiced were in as good case as the males that were circumsiced: Even so the infants of the maidens which died uncircumcised, were in as good case as the infants of malices that died circumcised/ & in as good case by the same rule were the men children that died before the viii. day or eyes let them tell why/ The covenant made between god & abraham saved the maid child as soon as it was before them, ye, assoon as it living in the mother's womb for the covenant that god would be the god of abrahans said went over the fruit assoon as it had life: and that is no reason but that the conuenaunt must needs pertain to the males assoon as to the females, wherefore the covenant must needs save the males unto the .8. day and then the covenant was that the ruler should slay the males only, if the fryend did not cirscuncyse them, not that the cyrcuncyon saved them, but to testify the covenant only, and then it followeth: that the infants that die unbaptysed of us christen that would baptize them at due time and tech them to believe in christ▪ are in as good case as these that die baptized, for as that covenant made to the faith of abraham went over his seed as soon as it had life and or the sign was put on them: even so must needs the covenant made to all that believe in Christ's blood/ go over that seed assoon as it hath life in the mother's wombeyer the sign be put on●, for it is the covenant only and not the sign that saveth us though that sign be commanded to be put on at due time to stir up faith of the covenant that saveth us: & in stead of cyrcuncysion came our baptism whereby we be received into the religion of christ & made partakers of his passion & members of his church & whereby we be bound to believe in Chryst & in the father thorough him for the remission of sins & to keep the law of Chryst to love each other as he loved us, and whereby (if we thus believe and love) we calling God to be our father and to do according as he hath promised christ. So now by baptism we be bound to god/ & god to us, and the bond and seal of the covenant is written in our flesh by which seal or writing God challengeth faith and love/ under pain of just damnation: And we (if we believe and love) challenge as it is above rehearsed all mercy & what so tv we need or else God must be an untrue God. And god hath bounden us chrystens to receive this sign for our infirmities sake, to be a witness between him and us and also to put this sign upon our children not binding us to any appointed time/ but as it shall seam to us most convenient to bring them to the knowledge of God the father & of christ and of their Duty to God and to his law: and as the cyrcunsysed in the flesh and not in the heart, hath no part in gods good promises: Even so they baptized in the flesh & not in the heart hath no part ī●strysts blood. And as the cyrcunsised in the heart & not in the flesh, had part in gods good promises: Even so a turck unbaptysed (because he either knoweth not that he ought to have it or can not for tyranny) if he believe in christ, & love as christ did & taught hath his partin christ blood.  
And though that the outward cyrcuncision by the which god challengeth them to do him service ye whether they would or not and by which they were taught to believe in god & in the sede of Abraham thei should come & bliss all the world & to love the law/ & certified them on the other side of the good will of god, if they so did it though (I say) it was the chief and most principal sign, for so are such ceremonies called in the Hebrew, by cause they yet signify other things than appeareth to the outward sense, yet god gave them divers other signs both to stir up faith to the promise made them, and also to keep the benefit of the mercy of God in mind, As Exo. 13. All the first borne both of man & best are santifyed & dedicated unto the lord for a remembrance that the lord slew all the first boren of Egypt. This did god command to be observed that the children should axe why/ & commanded their fathers to teach their children when they should axe what was meant thereby And Exo. 30. The sabot is commanded to be observed, to be asigne, & to testify the god had sanctified & dedicated or choose them/ that they should be his people to keep his laws and that he would be their god to keep them: and to testify also that god hath created all things of nought vi days and rested the vii Num. x god commanded the children of ysrael to blow a trumpet, when they Entered into the Battle against their enemies, and promised that them should be thought upon before the lord their god & saved from their enemies. And like wise in the solemn feasts god commanded to blow trumpets over the sacrifice to be a sign unto them the god would think on them according to the covenant made in the blood of the sacrifice. Lo the trumpets were commanded to be blown, not the god delighted in the noise of the trumpets but in faith of his people. Nu. 15. the israelites are commanded to make yellow guards upon their garments/ to put them in remembrance to keep his commandments that they should do nothing after their own Imagination, nor observe any fashion that pleaseth your own eyes, whereby ye see that ceremonies are not a service to god, but a service to man, to put him in mind of the covenant & to stir up faith and love which are god's spiritual sacrifice in man's heart. etc. And josua 4. when the water of jordane had given them place to go over by dry ground God commanded josua to take twelve stones out of the bottom of jordan, & to pitch them on the land, to keep the deed in memory, and commanded when the children should are what the stones mente, that the father should teach them. In the three of the kings xi Aiastare the clok of Iherobohan in xii. pieces & bad him take. x· in sign that he should reign over x. of the tribes. In .4. Reg. 13. Elyseus made johan king of Israel upon a window eestward toward the Syrians & made him to shoot out an a-row & said it is the a-row of victory thorough the lord against the Syrians: and that did he to stablish the kings fayht in God, that he should with gods help overcome the Syrians: & then he bade the king smite the ground with an a-row & the king smote it thrice whereby he prophesied and certified the king/ that he should thrice overcome the Syrians. And Esayas in his twelve chapter commanded to go naked and barefot to be a sign that Egypt in whom the children of Israel trusted. should be so carried a way captive of Nabugodonoser. And Hieremias in his .27. chapyt. cometh among the People with bounds and yoke bows about his neck, and showeth them unto all the kings of those countries/ In token that they must be all under the yoke of Nabugodonoser king of babilon/ god so used to give them signs that they would not believe without signs as ye may see not only in the old testament but also in the new, how the jews ask christ saying what sign dost yu●howe us etc. And Paul i Corj. the jews asked signs.  
Also Sacharyas John baptystes father axed a sign and the angel gave it him Christ'S mother also askyde a sign▪ and the angel gave her Elysabeth to a sign. And unto the shepherds gave the angel a sign as ye read in the first of luke. And Exodi. xji. god gave the children of Israel the sign pesahl, which we call the Ester lamb for which time was come that the children of Israel should be delivered out of Egypt god sent Moses & Aaron to them with wrought many miracles among them/ to stir up faith to the promise of that deliverance against the manifold & sore temptations to the contrary thorough the most straight and grievous bondage/ most cruelly contrary & merciless oppression, And in that most specially the Pharaoh was waxed ten times worse to them after the coming of, Moses & aaron them before, yet in the last night in with he had promised to smit the first born of Egypte both of man & of beast/ and to deliver them/ he commanded them to take for every house a lamb or a kid, and to slay them/ and to strike the door posts with the blood, to be a sign to them and a Seal of the promise that God would deliver them that night/ both out of the hands of Pharaoh/ and also from the smyting of the Angel that went about all Egypte and slew the first borne in every house.  
And this sign Pesah, beside that it was a seal of the promise to be delivered the same night, to stablisse the faith, and commanded to be observed ever after yearly to keep the benefit in memory, it was also a very prophecy of the passion of christ, describing the very manner & fashion of his death, and the effect and virtue thereof also. In whose stead is the sacrament of the body and blood of Chryst comen as baptism in the room or stead of the cyrcumsysyon.  
To see how Christ was prophesied and describe therein/ consider & mark/ how that the kid or lamb must be without spot or blemisse, and so was christ only of all mankind in the sight of god and of his law, it must be taken up the ten day of the first month/ which is with us the ten day of the first new moan in march. for so count they there months from new moan to new moan, and begin there in the time of march with us. And the same day came christ to jerusalem, there to be offered and to suffer his passion.  
It must be offered the xiiij day of the same month at night, & the same hour began Christ's passion, he was the same hour betrayed, persecuted all night and taken in the morning erlye. The fear of death was the same hour upon him Nether slept he any more after. But went immediately as soon as he had comforted his disciples into the place where he was taken/ to abide his persecutors, where also he sweat water and blood of a very agony conceived of his passion so nigh at hand.  
The blood stricken on the posts saved them that they were not plagued with the Egyptians. And delivered them out of the captivity of pharaoh/ And the blood of christ stricken on the posts of our conscience with a ●ure faith, delivereth us out of captivity of pharaoh the devil, and smiting of his Angels etc. There might not a bone of it be broken/ no more were there of christes·s Though the two that were hanged with Him, had either of them his legs and his arms broken.  
moreover that it was a very propheci of the death of christ, and of the virtue of his passion is more the manifest by the words of christ himself. Luke. xxij. where he saith. The night before his passion when he had eaten Pesah with his disciples, I will no more eat of it hence forth/ till it be fulfilled in the kingdom of god. As who should say. This memorial which we yearly have hither to observed/ was on's fulfilled in the kingdom of this world when your fathers were delivered out of the bondage and seruitut of the egypsyans. But it hath yet another signification hitherto unknown unto you, which must be fulfilled spiritually in the kingdom of god by my passion that is at hand/ and blood that now shall shortly be shed, by which ye shall be delivered out of the power of sathan, sin and hell, and made heirs of the kingdom of heaven. Nether was it the lame blood that delivered you then. For what regardeth God the blood of sheep and calves/ but the blood of christ/ whom that lamb figured and described his innocency/ pureness and obedience to his father, and compassion to man kind ward, whose feeble nature/ he had put on with all the infirmities of the same (save sin) did then deliver you/ to bring you to the faith of this deliverance. And to make you thorough faith partakers thereof.  
Many things there be in the scripture which hath a carnal fulfilling▪ even there where they be spoken or done, and yet have an other spiritual signification to be fulfilled long after, in christ & his kingdom And yet never known till the thing be done/ As the serpent of brass, which moyses hanged up in the wilderness, though it took effect carnally in the wilderness, yet it so describeth the lifting up of Chryst upon the cross/ and the virtue of his passion, that no tongue could declare it to make the heart feal it.  
If ye axe why they may not be known till they be done, and what such prophecy may help. I answer if they understand before they were done it would let the fulfilling of them, and when the sygnifycation is fulfilled, them to see how plainly it was describe in the scripture doth exceedingly confirm the faith thereof, and maketh better to be understanded.  
And when this Pesah was fulfilled spiritually in the kingdom of heaven by the death and bloodshedding of christ it ended there. And in the room thereof (concerning that spiritual sygnifycaion) came the sign of the sacrament of the body and blood of our saviour Chryst. As baptism came in stead of circumcision things more easy and less painful and tedious to be observed, and more Gentle to provoke and entice the heathen. For as the lamb describe the death of Chryst to come/ and the manner of his passion, by which we should be delivered. Even so doth the ceremony of the body and blood of christ testify unto us, that he hath given himself to death for us, and redeemed us already. If we believe and cleave fast to the profession of our baptism to walk therein/ or will (if any tempest have driven us out of the right course) return to the right way again.  
This to be so the words of the institution declare/ which are these .1. Cor xi/ The lord jesus the night he was betrayed/ took bread and gave thanks and broke it, and said: Take and eat, this is my body that shallbe given for you this do in the remembrance of me And likewise he took the cup, when supper was done saying. This cup is the new testament in my blood/ this do as often as ye drink it, in the remembrance of me.  
Here ye see by these words, that it was ordained to keep the death of Chryst in mind, & to testify that his body was given and his blood shed for us  
And Luke xxij This is my body that is given for you: this do in the remembrance of me. And this Cup is the new testament in my blood, which shall be shed for you: Loo here ye see again that it was instituted to keep the death of christ in mind, and to testify wherefore he died/ even to save us from sin, death and hell, that we should seek none other means to be delivered with. For there is none other. Acts .4. For as the children of Ireaell stonge of the fiery serpents cold have none other remedy to save them from present death, then to go and behold the brazen serpent hanged up by moyses in the wilderness which looking on only healed them/ even so if the sting of daeths, which is sin i Corr. xv/ have wounded the soul with the working of the law in the consciences/ there is none other remedy, then to run to christ which shed his blood hanging upon the cross. And to his everlasting testament and merciful promise that it was shed for us, for the remission of our Sins, if this be stonge with conscience of sin, and they coketryse of thy Poisoned nature hath behold herself in the glass of the righteous law of God, there is non other salve or remedi, than to run to Chryst immediatli and to the Father throw him/ And to say father I have sinned against the and the godly and holy and righteous law, and against my brother, whom I ought of all right to love for thy sake/ as well as myself, for give me o father for the dear son jesus blood sake according to the most merciful promises and testament, and I will axe my brother for gevenes (if the peace I mean be not made already) and will make to my▪ power such satisfaction to him as shall seam right in his eyes, if he be reasonable or as the congregation should assign, or faithful men thereto appointed by the congregation, or such as I & he shall agree upon, & will endeavour myself to do so no more 〈◊〉 the help of the grace. And will submit myself to the wholesome ordinance of the congregation/ according to the doctrine of the son jesus and of his faithful apostles/ for there is none other name under heaven, than jesus given to men that we may be saved by/ Act .4. Here of ye see that the sacrament is an absolution of our sins as oft as we receive it, where it is truly taught and understand/ & received a right, Here of ye see also that as the hebrews wrote their stories and covenants/ and signs/ giving their signs such names as cold not but keep them in mind. And as god the father did follow the ensample of the people (or they following him) and commanded his Promysses▪ covenants and prophesies to be written in gests. Signs and cecrmonyes, giving them names that cold not but keep his covenants in mind. Even so christ wrote the covenant of his body and blood in bread and wine/ giving them that name the ought to keep the covenant in remembrauns, And hereof ye see that our sacraments are books of stories only and that there is none other virtue in them then to thestyfye the covenants and promises made in Christ's blood. And here of ye perceive that where nought is understand by the sacrament or ceremonies/ there they be clean unprofitable  
And as the circumcision in the flesh, their hearts still uncircumcised/ But hating the law of god and believing in their own imaginations: were circumcised unto their great damnation. And as they baptized in the flesh only, the heart still unclean/ neither believing in christ for the forgiveness of their sins Nether love their neighbour for Christ's sake are baptized also unto their greater damnation (for though god have right to all men because he hath creaed and made man▪ yet to all such persons by the reason of the sign and bag/ and of there own consent, grant and promise hath he more right to calling of them the keeping of his law, And that they trust in him only (or to damn them because when they know their duty, or might if they would (the sign moving them and giving them an occasion to axe thereafter and yet do not. Even so all that come to the sacrament for any other purpose than it was ordained and instituted/ for that is to say so fet absolution of their sins with a set purpose to sin no more as nigh as they can/ and to call to memory the benefits of the Passion of christ, with the meditation to weak the flesh/ and strength the spirit against her: And to give thanks▪ again/ that is to say/ to call to mind, How much he is bounden for Christ'S sake/ to love his neighbour, to help his need, and to bear his infirmity, and to forgive him if he have offended and desire forgiveness, promising to amend, where unto christ bindeth all that will be partakers of his Blood  
The same I say came thereto to their greater damnation: I pass over with silence the wicked and damnable Doctrine of these Servants of Mammon, which for lucre, pervert the true use of the sacrament and hid it from the people for neante, teaching it to be a sacrifice instituted of God to help the souls of the dead in purgagatory, and that it will make men rich and bring them to such promotion as Chryst never promised his disciples but forbade it them.  
Some will say. This sacrament needed not Baptism is Enough, baptism as a receiving into religion/ & there is the covenants made what we shall do and what we shall have: And baptism as a sign whereby god hath right to us and we to god and to christ and whereby every man hath right to call other to do their dutes, and to rebuk them that will not, Nether our salvation so greatly standeth in theridamas or any other sacrament/ that we could not be saved with out them/ By preaching the word only, Never the later god as right is will have his benefits kept in memory to his glory & our benefit and namely this benefit of all benefits/ wherein only the pith of our salvation resteth: therefore though the affect of it be signified by baptism. And though we be baptized to believe in the death of Chryst, and to die with him by mortyfyeng of the flesh/ yet doth this sacrament thorough the rehearsing of the covenant and breaking of the bread & pouring out of wine, much more lively express the whole story, and keep it better in memory by daily repeating thereof, and hath more might and vehemency to heal the conscience stonge with fresh sin.  
For the nature of man is so weak/ so feeble & so frail that he can not but sin. As there is no man that liveth and syneth not the third to the kings the four And when he is so fallen, than the law looketh upon him with so terrible a countenance, and so thundereth in his ears that he dare not abide but turneth his back and to god, and the enemy assaileth him on the other side to persuade him that god hath cast him away saying They that be Gods have power to keep his law, thou hast not but breakest them, ergo thou art cast away and dampened creature.  
And hell gapeth and setteth open her mouth beneath to devour him. And the flesh also wresteleth with the spirit to keep him down, and to take him prisoner and to stop his mouth, that he cry no more upon her, to unquiet her/ that she myghtte sin at pleasure and with out all fear.  
The carls swyn that consent unto sin feel not these things, neither yet the hypocryts that have put a visare on the face of the law, and make her look with such a countenance as please them. It is but loss of wind to talk with them, but the poor folks that have the eyes open, and consent and fain would do the law. They feel that can not be expressed with tongue. Neither is there living any man that fealyth the virtue and power of the blood of christ which hath not first felt the strong pains of hell. Seeing then that man is so sick/ so prone and ready to fall/ and so cruelly invaded, when he hath sinned, of the find the flesh and the law, that he is oft put to flight and feared and made to run away from his father. Therefore hath the God of all mercy and of infinite pity and bottomless compassion/ set up this sacrament as a sign on an high hill/ whence it may be seen on every side far and near/ to call again them that be fled and run away. And with this sacrament, he as it were clocketh to them, as an hen doth for her chickens, together them under the wings of his mercy. And hath commanded his sacrament to be had in continual use to put them in mind of mercy laid up for them in Christ'S blood. And to witness and testify it to them/ and to be the seal there off. For the sacrament doth much more vehemently print lively the faith and make it sink down into the heart, then do bare words only. As a man is more sure of that he heareth/ saith, feeleth, smelleth and tasteth, then that he heareth only.  
Now when the words of the testament and Promises is spoken over the bread. This is my body that shallbe broken for you. This is mi blood that shallbe shed for you. They confirm the faith/ but much more when the sacrament is seen with the Eyes, and the bread broken the wine powered out or looked on/ And yet more when I Taste it and Smell it.  
As ye see when a man maketh a promiss to an other with slyght words between themselves. And as they be departed, he to whom the promise is made, beginneth to doubt whether the other spoke earnestly or mocked/ And whether he will remember his promiss to bide by it or not: But if any man speak with advisement and delyberation, the words are more credible if he swear, it confirmeth the thing yet the more if he strike hands: if he give earnest, if he call record▪ if he give his hand writing and seal it, so is the promise more & more believed. For the heart gathereth  
Lo he spoke with advisement and deliberation/ and with good saddenes he swore, he clapped hands, called records put to his hand and seal, the man can not be so faint without the fear of god/ as to deny all this. Shame shall make him bide by his promise, Though he were such a man that I could not compel him if he would deny it. If a young man break a ring between him & a maid doth not the fact testify and make a presumption to all men, that his heart meant as his words spoke.  
Monaha Samsons father/ when he had seen an angel. judic. xiii. he said to his wife, we shall suerli die by cause we have seen the lord. But his wife gathered other comfort of the circumstances and said/ if the lord would kill us, he would not have received such offerings of our hands.  
Nor shoved us such things as he hath nor told us of things to come, Even our hearts gather of the circumstances, protestations as oaths miracles & earnest ceremoneys of god, good arguments And reasons to stablish hour weak faith withal, such as we cold not gather at bare words only.  
And this we dispute: God sent his son in our nature and made him feal all our infirmities that mow us to sin. And named him jesus (that is to say) saviour, because He should save his peopli from their sins Matthew. j And after his death, sent his apostles to preach the things or tidings, and to thrust it in at the ears of us/ and set up the sacrament of it to testify it to be a seal of it to thrust it in, not at the ears only, by the rehearsing the promises and testament over it, neither that our eyes only in be holding it, but beat it in thorough our feeling tasting & smelling also. And to be repeated daily and ministered to us. He would not (think we) make half so much a do with us/ if he loved us not, or if he would not have us fain come, and be as marcyful to us as he was to his friends in the old time that fell and rose again. God so then used to the jews (to whom a ceremonies were first given and from whom they came to us) even such fations as they used among themselves/ in all his promises and covenants not for his necessity, but for ours, that such things should be a witness and testimony between him and us/ to confirm the faith of his promise, that we should not waver or doubt in them, when we look on the seals of his oblygac●ōs, where with he hath bound himself, and to keep the promises/ and covenants better in mind, and to make them the more deep sink into our hearts, & to be more earnestly regarded, and that we should axe what such things mente, and why god commanded them to be observed/ that ignorance should not excuse, if we know not what we ought to do and believe For natural reason ought to teach us, that the outward corporal and bodily thing can not help the spiritual soul, & that god hath no delectation in such fantasy. Now if we were diligent to search for the will of God. And would axe, what such Ceremonies meant It were impossible/ but their god which hath promised. Math. seven/ If we seek we shall find, would send us true interpreters of his signs or sacraments.  
And he that being of a lawful age observeth a ceremony and knoweth not the intent to him is the ceremony not only unprofitable but also hurtfulle & cause of sin. In that he is not careful and diligent to search for it: & he there observeth them with a false faith of his own imagination thinking as all idolaters do and ever have done/ that the outward work is a sacrifice and a service to God. The same sinneth yet more deeper and more damnable. Neither is idolatry any other thing than to believe that a visible ceremony is a service to the invisible god, whose service is spiritual as he is a spirit. And is none other, thing then to know that all is of him, and to trust in him only, for all things and to love him for his great goodness and mercy above all. And our neighbours as ourselves for his sake unto which spiritual serving of God to bring us to, were old ceremonies ordained.  
These be now sufficyente concerning th'intent and use of the ceremonies and how they came up.  
Now let us consider the words of this testament and promises as they be rehearsed of three Evangelists matthew mark and Luke and of the apostle paul. For John which wrote last touched nothing that was suffisyently declared of other. Matthew in the xxvi saith thus. as they sat/ jesus took breed and gave thanks and brake and gave his disciples and said, take and eat this is my body, And he took the cup and thanked and gave it them saying, Drink of it all/ for it is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many, for the remission of sins. first ye see by these words that the body was given to death/ & the blood shed for the remission of sins & that for many. But who are these many? verily they that turn to God to believe in him only/ and to endeavour themselves to keep his law from hence forth, which many, yet in respect of them that love not the law, are but very few, and even that little Flock that gave themselves wholly to follow Chryst, wherefore if any man think he believe in Chryst/ and have not the law written in his heart to consent that his duty is to love his brother for Chrysts sake, as Chryst loved him, And to endeavour himself so to do. The faith of that same man is vain and bylte upon sand of his own imagination/ and not upon the roke of gods word/ for his word/ unto which he hath bound himself, is that they only, which turn to god to keep his Laws shall have mercy for Christ's sake.  
drink of it all/ for it is my blood of the new testament for it is (that is to say) the drink that is in the cop, or if ye list, the cup is my blood of the new testament, taking the cup for the drink, by a manner of speaking used in all tongues ●s when we say. I have drunk a cup of wine we take there the cup for the wine. My blood of the new testament, that is to lay my blood for whose shedding sake this new testament & covenant forgiveness of sin, is made you.  
The old testament made between god your father in mount synay/ in which life was promised to them only that keep it (and to be the breakers death/ wrath/ vengeauns) to be accursed only no mention made of mercy (with confirmed with blood. Exodi. xxiv. Moses' offered half the blood to god and sprinkled the people with the other half, to confirm the covenant and to bind both parties. Neither was their any covenant made that was not confirmed with blood as it is rehearsed Ebre. ix. and as we see in the books of Moses, whose custom of bloodshedding was not only to confirm those old covenants/ but also to be a prophecy of the blood that should be shed to confyme this testament, That old cruel and fearful testament. which draw the people away (they durst not abide the voice of the thunder, nor the terrible sight of the fire▪ But went & stood a far of/ was confirmed with the blood of calves, But this new and gentle Testament which calleth again and promiseth mercy to all that will mend, as it is a more better testament, so it is confirmed with more better blood, to make men see love to love again/ and to be a greater confirmation of the love promised, For if he gave us his son, what will he deny us? if god so loved us, when we were sinners and knew him not, that he gave his son for us/ how much mor loveth he us? now when we love again and would fain keep his commandments, in the old covenants, the people were sprinkled with blood of calves without in their bodies, to bind them to keep the law, else were bound unto just damnation for the breaking of it. Here it is said/ drink of it every one that your souls within may be sprinkled & washed thorough faith with the blood of the son of god, for the forgiveness of sin & to be partakers of a more easy & kind testament, under which if you sin thorough fragility. you shallbe warned lovingly & received to merci if you will turn again and amend.  
Mark in the xiiij as they did eat. jesus took bread and blessed and broke & gave them and said. Take you, this is my body: And he took the cup and thanked and gave them/ and they drank of it all. And he said, This is my blood of the new Testament, there is all one with Mathewe and to understand as above.  
Luke in the xxij He took bread/ thanked and broke, and gave them saying. This is my body that shallbe given for you, this do in remembrance of me. Like wise the Cup, when he had Supped saying. This cup is the new testament in my blood which shallbe shed for you. Here is also to be noted/ that the cause of the institution was to be a memorial to testify that Christ'S body was given and his blood shed for us, and again, where Matthew and mark said/ this is my blood in the new testament. Luke saith/ This cup is the new testament in my blood which shall be shed for you. This is a strange speaking and far from the use of our tongue, to call the Sign and confirmation with the name of the thing that is signified and confirmed.  
The testamentis that Christ'S blood is shed for our sins. And christ saith/ This cup is that testament/ sygnyfying thereby, that the thing that is meant by this ceremony is that we believe that his bloodshedding is the remission of our sins, which is the very testament  
Paul .1. Cor. x. saith on this manner. I delivered unto you that I received of the lord. How that the lord jesus that same night he was betrayed. took bread and gave thanks and brake and said. Take ye and eat, this is my body that shallbe delivered for you/ this do in the remembrance of me. Likewise also, the cup/ when he had supped/ saying/ This cup is the new testament in my blood, this do as oft as you shall drink it in the remembrance of me. As oft saith paul as you shall eat of this/ Bread and drink of this cup ye must declare or preach the lords death until he come.  
As matthew and mark agree in these words. So do lucas and paul. And as it is above declared upon the words of luke, and so here by so oft repeating one thing. This do in the remembrance of me, This cup is the new testament in my blood. This do as oft as ye drink it in the remembrnces of me. Again, As oft as ye shall eat of this bread and drink of the cup as ye must declare the lords death, By this oft repeating (I say) ye may evidently perceive/ that the cause/ intent and whole purpose of the institution of the sacrament was to testify and confirm the faith of the testament made in the death of christ How that for his sake our sins shallbe forgiven.  
So do this in the remembrnces of me that is to say, Take bread and wine and rehearse the covenant and testament over them/ How that my body was broken and mi blood shed for them & the gevethen the people to eat and drink, to be a sign an earnest and the seal of the testament, and cry upon them without sesing to believe in me only for remission of sins, & not to disprave how weak so ever they be, only if they hang on me & desire power to keep the law after my doctrine and ensample of my life/ and do morn & be sorry by cause they can not do that good thing which they would.  
Forth saith paul. Who so ever eateth of the brade & drinketh of the cup unworthily, is guilty of the body and blood of the lord, that is to say, Whoso receiveth the sacrament of the body and blood of christ with an unclean heart/ not forsaking the old lust of his flesh. Nor porposing to follow christ, and to be to his neighbour/ as christ was to him, only merciful. The same sinneth against the body and blood of christ In that he maketh a mock of the earnest death of christ. And as it is written Ebru. x. Treadeth christ under foot & counteth the blood of the testament wherewith he was washed/ as an unholy thing, and doth dyshonor the spirit of grace.  
of this ye may perceive again/ what the sacrament meaneth, and what the intent of the ordinance was/ and how such ceremonies came up. And whence they had theyte beginning/ and what the fruit thereof is/ & what is therein to be sought And thought were Enough. So that I might here well cease, yet because the unquiet Scrupulous and superstitious nature of man holy given to idolatry, hath stirred up such traditions about this one sacrament most specially, I can not but speak thereof some what more and declare what my conscience thinketh in this matter  
Ye shall understand therefore that there is great dissension/ and three opinions about the words of christ, where he saith in prononcing the testament over the bread: this is my body/ and in pronoucing it over the wine, this is my blood. One part say they that these sayings this is my body, this is my blood compelle us to believe under pain of damnation that the bread and wine are changed into the very body & blood of christ rially. As the water at Cana galilee was turned into very wine.  
The second part saith/ we be not bound to believe that bread and wine are changed: but only that this body & blood are there presently.  
The third say, we be bound by these words to believe only that/ Christ's body was broken and his blood shed for the remission of our sins & that there is no other satisfaction for sin then the death and passion of christ.  
The first say these words (This is my body. this is my blood) compel us to believe that the things there showed are the veri body & blood of christ really/ but bread & wine say they can not be Chrysts natural body. therefore the bread and wine, are changed/ turned altered and transsubstancyat in to the very body and blood of christ. And they of this opinion have busied themselves in seeking subteltes and similitudes to prove how the very body and blood might be there under the symylytud of bread and wine only. The very bread and wine thus transsubstanciat, and so occupied in sluing all that will not captive their wits to believe them/ that they never taught nor understood that the sacrament is an absolution to all that therbi believe in the body & blood of Chryst. The second part grant with the first that the words compel us to believe that the things showed in the sacrament, are the very body and blood of christ But when the first say bread and win can not be the very body & blood of christ There they vary and dissent from them/ affirming that bread and wine may and also is Christ'S body rially and very blood of christ. And say that it is as true to say, the bread is Christ'S body, and that wine is his blood/ as it is true to say Chryst being a very man/ is also very god. And they say. As the god head & the manhood in christ are in such manner coupled together, the man is very god & god very man/ Even so the very body & the bread are so coupled that it is as true to say/ the bread is the body of christ & the blood so annexed there with the wine, that it is even as true to say the win is Christ's blood The i though they have slain so many. in for the defence of their opinion yet they are ready to recevethe second sort to fellowship, not greatli striving with them or abhorring the presence of bread & win, with the very body and blood, so that they yet by that means may keep him there still, & hope to sell him as dear as before, also some to buy him and not & to minish the price.  
The third affirm that words will no more, but only that we be leave by the things that are there showed, the Christ's body was broken & his blood shed for our sins if we will forsake our sins and turn to god to keep his law, And they say that these sayings. this is my body & this is my blood. Showing bread & wine are true as christ mean them/ & as the people of that country (to whom christ spoke) were accustomed to understand such words, and as the scripture useth in a thousand places to speak, as when one of us saith I have drunk a cup of good wine the saying it is true as the man mente: that he drank wine only and not the cup which words happily in some other nations ears would sound that he drank the cup to, And as when we say of a child. This is such a manes very face/ the words are true as the manner of our land is to understand them, that the face of the one is very like the other And as when we say he gave me his faith & his truth in my hand/ the words are true as we understand them that he struck hands with me or gave earnest/ in sign or token that he would bide by his ꝓmysse. For the faith of a man doth all way rest in his soul, & can not be given out though we give signs and tokens of them: Even so (say they we have a thousand ensamples in the scripture. where signs are named with the names of things signified by them, As jacob called the place where he saw the lord face to face. Phenyel: that is god's face when he saw the lords face to face. Now it is true to say of that field that it is gods face/ thowghe it be not his very face▪  
The same field was so called to sygnefie that jacob there saw god face to face The chief hold and pryncypal: Ancre that the two first have is these words, this is my body. This is my blood/ unto these, the third answereth as is about said, other texts they allege for themselves, which not only doth not strength their cause, but rather maketh it worse. As the sixth of john which they draw and wrest to the carnal and fleshly eating/ of Christ's body in the mouth when it only meaneth of this eating by faith, for when christ said. Except ye eat the flesh of the son of man & drink his blood ye shall have no life in you, This can not be understand of the sacrament. For Abraham had life and all the old holy fathers, Christ's mother. Elysabeth zacharyas. john baptists Simion. Anna/ and all the apostles had life already by faith in christ, of which not one had eaten his flesh and drunk his blood with their bodily mouths. But though it is that the ryghtuos liveth by his faith: ergo to believe and trust in Christ's blood is the eating that there was meant as the text well proveth, if they say we grant that life commythe by faith/ but us all that believe must be baptized to keep the law and to keep the covenant in mind▪ even so all that liveth by faith, must receive the sacrament. I answer, The sacrament is a confirmation to weak consciences, & in no wise to be despised how beyt many have lived by faith in the wilderness. which in .20.30 or 40. years have not received the sacrament, notwithstanding this oration is nothing to the purpose. For christ spoke to the blind and unbelieving jews. testifying to them that they could have no life Except they should first eat his flesh and drink his blood. ergo this eating and drinking is meant only of that thing/ that i bringeth life in to the soul and that is faith by your own confession. And therefore must it be understand of faith only and not of the sacrament. And Math. the last. I am with you into the end of the world, which may well be understand and so was it of old doctors: by his spiritual being with us bifayth & in his sprite & so may that text of Mathe. xviji. be understand where two or iij of you be gathered together in my name/ there am I in the mydes of of you. There is many times two or three good men that meet together in Christ's name/ where the sacrament is not. And Ephes. iii. boweth his knees for the Ephesians to god, that he would give them his riches to be strengthened with his sprite. that christ may dwell in their hearts thorough faith. Where the heart. then believeth in Christ there dwelleth christ in the heart. though there be no bread in the heart, neither yet in the maw/ The two fyreste parts taking the old doctores to be on their side. I answer Many of the old doctors spoke so mistycallye that they seam sometimes to affirm plainly, that it is but bred & wine only concerning the substans, And that it is a fygur of the body and blood of christ only, and some time that it is his very body and blood. wherefore it were here to long to wade to far in them. And unto them of the second opinion that the bread is his veribodi. I answer the old doctores ye must remember that the old doctores as earnestly callen it a sacrifice as they do Christ's body. But that ye deny and say with the epistle to the Hebrew, that he was but ones sacrificed for all together, when he offered & sacrificed him self to the father for hour sins and can now no more be sacrificed. christ dieth no more o'er now, and therefore is no more sacrafyced. Nether do we properly offer him to God  
But he in his mortal flesh offered himself for us to god the father: and Purchased therewith a general pardon for ever. And now doth god the father proffer him and giveth him to us. And the pryest in gods stead proferyth him and giveth him unto the people for a remission and an absolution of their sins daily/ if there by the moving, and steering of the sacrament: believe in the body and blood of christ. Wherefore it ought of no right to be angry with them of the third opinion though they deni the doctors, where they seem to say, that the sacrament is the very body of christ As they be not angry with you▪ when ye deny them. where they as earnestly affirm that it is a sacrifice, Never the less they answer that doctors call it a sacrifice only because it is the memorial the earnest and seal of that everlasting sacrifice offered once for all. And even so say they that the doctores called the sacrament the body and blood of christ after the same manner only because it is the memorial/ the earnest and the seal of his body and blood as the use of the scriptures is to call signs by the names of the thing signified thereby/ & unto them of the first opinion I answer with the same reason that it is impossible that the sacrament should be a very sacrifice. For neither the sacrifices of the old law which prophesied sacryfyenge of christ. Neither yet our redemption was fulfilled that night. For if the scriptures and prophesies were then fulfilled, and we then redeemed. christ dyrd on the morrow In vain/ and false are the apostles and evangelists that preach his body breaking and his blood shedding under Poncius pilate, by the persecution of Cayphas and Annas to be our redemption.  
Moreover for all the breaking and dyvyding of the sacrament of his body among his Apostles. His body abode still alive. And for all that the pouring out of the sacrament of his blood of the pot into the cup and out of the cup into the mouths and belies of his disciples, he bleed as fresh on the morrow as though he had then bleed nothing at all He was verily much more easily sacrificed that night in the brreking and dividing of the bread and pouring out of the wine, them he was on the morrow. the sarament was that night (no doubt) but a description of his passion to come As it is now a memorial of his passion paste. He instituted the manner of the sacrament then/ & taught his disciples also that they after understood when he was risen again/ and not then/ as they never had capacity to understand him, when he spoke of his death. For they then imagined carnally of christ, as the jews yet do, that Chryst should never die As he did not concerning his godhead, but should live ever bodily, as he now doth concerning his resurrection.  
Wherefore seeing that all the doctors with one accord call the sacrament so earnestly h sacrifice, and they can not other wise undstand/ than that they so say after the use of the scripture only/ Because it is the memorial of the sacrifice of his death & bloodshedding, Why should they of right be offended if we understand the doctors after the same manner when they call it his body and blood/ how they so call it after the use of scripture because that it is only a memorial of his body and blood.  
As concerning the transsubstanciatyon I think that such a speech was among the old doctors though they that came after understood them amiss, their hearts waren gros thorough busying themselves to much with worldly business, for the bread and wine are but only bread and wine till the words of the testament be rehearsed over them: & then they begin to be no more bread and wine in the hearts of the true believers, for the heart after these words ones spoken thynkith only upon the covenant made in the body and blood of christ and thorough faith eateth his body and drynkythe his blood/ though the eyes and other Senses perceive no thing but Bread and wine. As when a man some time seeketh for a text in the bible/ se paper & ink and the figures of letters, yet his heart not once thinketh on any other thing Then on the words and sense of this text. And hereof no doubt came up this transsubstancyatyon thorough false understanding. another thing is this; none of those wicked heretyks, which denied christ to be very god or any of them that denied christ to be man▪ or to have a veri body/ save a phantastycall body, did cast the true believers in the tethe at any time of the faith of Christ's body present in their sacrament every where. which thing it is not like but they would have done, if that opinion had been then a general article of the faith.  
Neither was their any heresy. or diversity of opinion, or dysputing about the matter, till the pope had gathered a counsel, to confirm this transubstantiation, Wherefore it is most likely, that this opinion came up by them of latter days.  
Further more all the law and prophets seek all that christ did or can yet do/ is to bring us to believe in him/ and in god the father thorough him, for the remission of sins/ And to bring us unto that, which immediately followeth out of that belief to love hour neighbours for his sake as he loved us/ Wherefore if christ did put his bodily presence in the sacrament and would we should believe it/ It is done only to bring us to this faith, Now is this faith no where less had, then where that opinion is most strong. Nether so cruelly persecuted of jew or turk/ as of them that most fervently defend that opinion. True faith maketh a man to love his brother: but that opinion maketh than to hate and to slay their brethren that better believe in christ than they of that opinion do, and the murder do they for fear of losing that they have gotten thorough that opinion. Item they of this opinion in stead of teaching us to believe in christ, teach us to serve christ with bodily service, which thing only is idolatry. for they preach that all the ceremonies of the mass are a service to god by reason of the bodeli works/ to obtain forgiveness of sins thereby, and to deserve and merytte there with, And yet christ is now a spirit with his father both in body and soul/ and with the father to be worshipped in sprite only. And his service in the sprite/ is only to believe in him for the remission of sin and to love our neighbours for his sake, Now all works done to serve man, and to bring him to this point to put his trust in christ/ be good and acceptable to god. But done for any other purpose they be idolatry and image service, and make god an idol or bodily image. Again saying the faith of the testamant in Christ's blood is the life of the rygthtuos from the beginning of the world to the end, And for as much as the sacrament was instituted only to bring to this life. Now when they which think not the body to be present in the sacrament (a thousand ensamples in the scripture concerning their judgement) have by the preaching and confirmation of The sacrament obtained this life or steadfast saith in Christ's blo●d, & by the daily use of the sacrament are more and more hardened therein and in the love that springeth thereof. What reasonable cause have the contrary party. which believe the body present and the bread turned in to the very body (as flesh/ bones/ here. Sinews nails & all other as he was born or put on the cros. of length and of quantity I can not tell what) to rail on as heretics/ hate, persecuted/ and flay most cruelly, as enemies. christ saith Qui non contra me est▪ me cum est j He that is not against me, is which me. Now they that believe in christ for the remission of their sins & for his sake love their foes/ are not Christ's enemies▪ ergo they be on Christ's side. Why than should they that boast themselves to be Christ's friends slay them? Faith in Christ'S blood and in the father thorough him/ is god's service in the spirit. And so have they which believe not the bodily presence served god a long time. And there to been helped by the sacrament. The other part fallen there from thorough preaching the body present serving god who bodily service (which is idolatry) and to make god an idol or Image in that they trust in the goodness of their works (as they do which serve tyrants) and not in the goodness of god thorough trust in the blood of christ ergo they that believe not the bodily presence, not a little thereto compelled thorough the wicked idolatry of the contrary belief, are not to bethoght, so evil as the other would have them seem to be.  
Paul teacheth i Corri. xiii. that if a man had all other gifts that god can give man and had not charity to love his neighbour it helpeth not. For all other gifts and the remission in Christ's blood also are given him of god to bring him to love his neighbour (which thing had) a man hath all (which not had). A man hath nothing. And Philip. ij. how sweetly and how vehemently coniureth he them to draw all one way, to be of one accord, and one mind or sentence. And to do nothing of strife or of vain glory, that is to say/ of heart or dysdayn of other or of affection to himself for to seem glorious: but each to prefer other through meekness and to have his opinion suspect, and to fear least he had not obtained the understanding, rather than of presumption. to his own wit to despise and hate the contrary party/ and persecute as a tyrant. And in the third of the same. Paul saith. let as many as be perfect, that is to say be truly taught and know the law truly & her office & the office or effect of faith and know which be good works before god and what thintent of them is (Li● saith he) so far as we become proceed in one rule/ that we may be of one accord. Now hitherto we be all come and this general rule have we gotten, that faith only justyfyeth, that is to say, that the Sin is forgiven only for Chr●stes sake: and again th●t our duty is to love our neighbours no less than Christ loved us, wherefore let us proceed forth in this rule/ and exhort ●che other to trust in christ, and to love each other as christ did, and in this where in we all agree let us be wise only & fervent, & strive who shallbe greatest & go formoost. And in that which is not opened to all parties/ let us be meek, sober and cold & keep our wisdom secret to ourselves & abide patiently till god open it to other also. The cause why the third part say that this word. IS. compelleth us not to believe the bodily presence of christ to be there is this. The jews (say they) are wont ever to name the memorial & signs of things with the very name of the thing signified, that the very name might the better keep the thing in mind. As when jacob. Goe xxxij. turned hom again out of mesopotania, saw the angels of God come against him He called the place where he saw them Mahanaim: an host, because that his posterity in time to come/ when they heard the field, which was none host/ yet so called, should axe why it was so named, that their elders might thereby have an occasion to teach that jacob saw there the host of angels.  
And again in the same chapter when the angel that wrestled with him had blessed him and was departed. jacob called the name of the place phiniell God's face that the people in time to come/ should axe why it was called gods face, and their elders should answer/ byca● jacob there saw God face to face that the name should keep the thing in mind,  
And again in the same chapter/ where he had made bowthes or houses of bows for his Beasts, he named the place Syncoth that is bowthes.  
Item Genesis xxxiij He bought a parcel of Land and built there an altar and called it ●ll Eloth.  
El Eloth Israel/ the mighty god of Israel.  
Item Gene. 35. he called the place, El bethel the god of Bethel. And Genes. the last chapter joseph hold a lamentation for his father seven days and the people of the country called the name of the place Abel Masraym/ the lamentations of the Egyptyans. Now the place was not the lamentation, but so called to keep the lamentation in memory.  
Item Exodi. xii. The Lamb is called Pesah a passing by/ because the angel did pass by the houses and hurted not where it was slain and the blood stricken on the posts, that the name should keep the thing in memory.  
Item Exodi. xxix. and levity. almost every where the beast offered for sin/ is called sin which use of speaking Paul useth. Roma. ix. and two Corrin v. and calleth christ sin, when christ yet is neither sin nor neither yet syfull, but an acceptable offering for sin and yet he is called our sin. Because he bore our sins on his back and because our sins are consumed and made no sin in him, if we will forsake our synes and believe in Christ for the remission thereof. Chryst is also called our righteousness to certify us, that when we have no righteousness of our own/ yet that his righteousness is given us to make satisfaction for our unrighteousness, if ye will believe it.  
Item Exodi. thirty. The sin or sin offering is called de Attonoment. And it was yet but a sign certyfyinge the conscience, that the atonoment was made, and that God had forgiven the sin.  
Item judicum. x. They called the name of a certain city Horna. As ye were an utter destruction. Because that they had utterly destroyed man woman & child and all that bare life.  
Item judic. xv. the place where samson killed men with an ass jaw was called Lehy, that is jaw bone to keep the act in mind.  
Item judic. nineteen Theridamas went a company out of the tribe of Dan and pitched besides Kyryath jearimminn juda and the place was called ever after Mahond Dane, the host of dan only to keep the thing in mind.  
Item i Reg. vi. A great stone where God slew fifty thousand was called the great lamentation. In so much that the text saith. They put the ark on the great lamentation.  
Item i Reg. seven. Samuel pitched a stone on an end: and called the help stone/ Because GOD had there helped them▪ and given them victory of the philystyans.  
Item the last of the .3. of the kings Sedechias came to Achab with a couple of horns on his head: saying. with these horns shalt thou slay the Assyrians he meant not that Achab should take these horns & gore at the assyrians. But would that he should believe only that as a beast scathered a cock of hay with his horns so should Achab scather the host of the assyrians with his host.  
Item Num. vi. He that voyth abstinence must let his here grow/ to keep his abstinence in mind And his abstinence is out. He is commanded to shave the head of his abstinence/ and to offer such offerings as are there appointed after that he hath shaven of his abstinence. Lo their the here is called his abstinence, and is yet but a memory of his abstinence.  
Item jere. seven. The prophet was commanded to shear of his abstinence and to cast it away, which abstinence is but his here  
Also Ezechiel xii. God commanded the prophet to remove with all his goods after such manner as conquerors carry away the people captive from country to country, and when he had done, The lord said unto him this prophecy is the capyteyne or prince of jerusalem▪ when yet it was but an ensample to him how he should be served.  
finally where Mathewe and Mark say. This Cup is my blood of the new Testament. PAUL and Luke saith. This cup is the new testament in my blood. Now must the sense of the words of the two first Math and mark be all one with the senses of the words of the two last/ luke and paul, The words of luke and paul are. This cup is the new testament made in my blood: or for my blood sake/ Now the testament is that his blood was shed for hour sins, but it is impossible that the cup or his blood should be that promise, wherefore the Sense must be needs. that it is the memorial and seal of the testament only. And therefore where Math. and mark say. This cup is my blood of the new testament, the sense must needs be also. that it is the memorial and seal there of only calling after the use of the Hebrews the sign with the name of that. which is signified, that is to say. Calling the wine. which only signifieth the blood with the name of the blood. And then it followeth that the bread is called his body. After the same manner, because it is a sign of his body,  
These and like ensamples move the part to affirm that we be not bound to believe that the bread is the very body of christ Though it be so called. Nor that the bread is transsubstancyat in to the body. No more than the things here rehearsed are, that they be called or transsubstancyat in to the very thing which they be called.  
The other will answer, though 〈◊〉 memorial were not the things whose names they bear/ yet it will not follow that it should be so here in the sacrament, for they which gave such other names, Had no power to make the things so to be. But christ is very god & hath power to make his Body to be every thing and every where. I answer that god can not make every of his creatures god to/ neither can it be proved less repugnant that a creature should be every where then that he should be God. moreover though God/ where he appeared to jacob had pitched a stone on an end, and called it god's face, yet had he not been any more bound to believe that it had been the very Face of God/ then if jacob had done it. The allmyghtynes of god standythe not in that he is able to do all the hour ●osyshe lewd thougtes may imagine. But by cause all power is his and of him. and that he doth all he will and hath made all of nawght. and can bring all to nawght again. And can do all that includeth not contrary to the truth and verity that god hath put in his ceatures, And by cause he can do things impossible for manor any other Creature to do or to think how they shude be done therefore he is called the lord almighty. But because to brawl a bout such possibility or impossibylyte is the lust of Sophister's & also the desire of the devil to quench the profession of hour baptism & to wipe ouc the image of christ out of hour hearts. And a thing endless. Therefore I count it wickedness to wade forth in it, And to give them that seek it an occasion perpetually to scold The negative may a man hold till they can prove the affirmative. More over if bread be the very body of christ whether abiding the very body still or eyes transsubstancyat, and enjoy the glory of the soul of christ, and also of the godhead?  
It seemeth impossible to be avoided but that Chryst was made man and died. Also bread/ which seemeth to some a great inconvenience.  
Howbeit that great promotion of bread & also that high power of priests above all angels I amytte also: to avoid all brawling.  
But one reason I have unto which I cleave some what and it is this.  
All that is between god and man in the scripture is for man's necessity and not for any need/ that GOD hath thereof/ and other spiritual profit can none have by that FAITH in the sacrament, than to be taught there by to believe in christ our saviour and to do good to his neighbour, now is that belief and love had as well and rather better (as it is above proved) without such faith, then with, it. Ergo where the scripture compelleth to no such belief it is wickedness to make it a necessary article of our faith. And to slay them that can not think that it ought to be believed.  
notwithstanding all these reasons and the damnable idolatry which the papists have committed with the sacrament/ yet whether they affirm the body and blood to be present with the bread and wine, or the bread & wine to be turned and transsubstancyate into the body and blood, I am there with content (for unityes sake) if they will there cease, & let him be there, only to testify & confirm the testament or covenant made in Christ's blood and body for which can see only Chryst instituted the sacrament But & if they will rage's farther with their blind reasons of their subtle sophistry and devilish Idolatry and say. Where Christ'S blood is there is his body: and where his body is there is his soul/ and where his soul is, there is the godhead and the trynitye/ the father, the son, & the holy ghost/ and there men ought to pray and say. O Father which art preset with the son christ under bread & wine, or in form of bread and wine. If (I say) they so rave, them as the old prophet for like Idolatry denieth God to dwell in the temple, or to have pleasure in sacrifice of blood of goats, sheep and calves, Even so deny I the body of Chryst to be any more in the sacrament than God was in the golden calves which jeroboham set up to be prayed to the one in bethell, and the other at dan/ for though god be present every where yet if heaven of heavens can not compass him to make him a dwelling place (as the scripture testifieth) & much less the temple that was at Jerusalem/ how should he have a dwelling place in a little wafer or crome of bread God dwelleth not in the temple. Neither did our fathers which were of the true faith in the old Testament pray to god as present in the temple, but the name of god only was in the temple iii of the kings eight and his law and covenants and wonderful deeds were therein written in signs/ and were there preached and testified continually of the true priests and Prophets unto the people the fathers of the true faith came thither.  
Furthermor for the fervent love which they had towards the laws and covenants of god. For the which prophets/ Solomon prayed so earnestly unto the lord God, saying: Hear thou (O God) in heaven thy dwelling place, and do all that the Stranger calleth to the for: that all nations of the earth may know the and fear thy name: as do this people Israel. etc.  
Reed the third book of the kings the eight Chapter  
When god delighted only in the faith of the offerer/ which believed in god only for all mercy taking the sacrifice for a sure token and ernyste of the Mercy of god. sertyfyed by that sign/ that god loved them/ & was at one with them. for christ sake to come. As we should be certified by the sacramnet of god is with us, for christs death that is past, and christ taught us in hour prayers to look up to heaven and to say. Hour father which art in heaven and he himself in all his prayers did life up his eyes to heaven to his father, & so did he when he Instituted the sacarment & rehearsed the words of the covenant over bread & wine as it is written Math. 26. mark▪ 14. luk. 22. 1. Cor. xj. in these words jesus took bread. etc.  
Chryst though he affirmed him self to be the son of God & his father to be in him/ yet he taught not his disciples to direct the prayer to the father in him, but up to the father in heaven neither life he up his eyes or prayer to his father in the sacrament. but to his father in heaven. I know divers & divers men knew me, which love me as I do them yet if I should pray them when I met them in the street openly, they would abhor me/ but if I pray them where thy be appointed to meet me secretly▪ they will hear me and accept my request, even so though God's presence be every where, yet will he be prayed to, up to the place only, where we shall see him. and where he would have us to long for to be  
More over if I grant you that the blood of christis in the cup, it will follow that his body is there also, Neither when I grant that his body is in the bread or underforme of bread/ will it follow that his soul is there to, christ made the bread the sacrament of his body only wherefore as the bread is no similitude of the sacrament of his blood/ So am I not bound or aught to affirm, that his blood is there present. And he did instytut the wine to be the satrament of his blood only. And happily it was red wine the more lovely to represent it. Now as the wine in no symylytud doth represent the body/ so am I not bound or aught to affirm that his body is there present.  
Ye say that christ is so mighty, That though he stood mortal before his disciples eyes, yet he was able to make the same body, that same time to be in the sacrament immortal. and to be under every little piece of the bread, or of the sacraente, though it be no greater than a mote in the son. and that as long as great and thick as he stood before them if he were so mighty, why is he not as mighty to make his blood to be alone and his body alone/ his blood/ body, & soul, were each alone at his death. & while the body lay in the sepulchre.  
finally christ said this is my blood that shall be shed. Ergo. it is now true. this is▪ his blood that was shed Now the blood of hails. and the blood that is in many other places, men say is the blood that was shed Ergo that blood is in the sacrament●● any be, but I am not bound to believe: or ought to affirm, that the blood that is at hayls is animate▪ with the soul of christ, or that his body is there present.  
Wherefore to avoid this endless braling which the devils, no dowbt, hath stirred up, to turn the eyes of our souls from the everlasting covenant made us in Christ's blood and body and to no sell us in idolatry, which is trust and confidence in false worshipping of god and for to quench. first the faith he to Chryst ward and then the love dew to hour neighbour/ therefore me thinketh▪ that the part that hath professed the faith of christ, and the love of his neighbour ought of duty to Bear each other as long as the otheres opinion is not plain wicked. through false idolatry nor contrary to the salvation that is in christ. Nor against the open and manifest doctrine of christ & his apostles Nor contrary to the general articles of the faith of the general church of christ which are confirmed with open scripture. In which articles Never a true church in any land dyscentyth There be many texts in the scripture. And therefore diversly expound of holy doctores. and taken in contrary senses, when no text hath contrary senses in in deed. or more than one single sense/ & yet that hurteth not. Nether are the holy doctores therefore heretics. as the exposytyon destroyeth not the faith in Christ's blood, nor is contrary to the open: scripture or general articles. No more doth it hurt to say, that the body and blood are not in the sacrament. Nether doth it help to say they bethere. But hurt exceedingly, if ye infer that the soul is thereto, and that God must be there prayed to, when as our kingdom is not on the earth: Even so we ought not to direct our prayers to any god in earth, but up where our knigdom is. And whether our redeemer and saviour is gone, and there sitteth on the right hand of his father to pray for us & to offer our prayers to his father & to make them for his sake acceptable, neither aught he that is bound under pain of damnation to Love his brother as christ loved him, to hate/ to persecute, & to i'll his brother for blind zeal to any opinion that neither letteth nor hindereth to salvation that is in christ, As they which pray to God in the sacrament, not only do. But also throw the opinion/ as they have lost love to their neighbours even so have they lost the true faith in the covenant made in Christ'S blood and body, which covenant only is that which saveth and which testifieth, was the sacrament instytut only.  
Finis.