You enter into your mattier, as though you had bene at schole wyth Tertullus y ^• ora [...]our that accused Paule before Felyx the debtie, A faulse christian, you saye, hath made a ballad, a fonde talker, a wrytter of diuillishe doctrine, one that hath spent his tyme wickedlye in writeynge thys ballad. But your maister [...] had one caste that you lacke. He had sub­stanciall men euen of the auldermen of Ierus [...] lem to wittynesse wyth hym that all was true that he [...]ayed. I am a f [...]ade the auldermen of o [...]don wyll not do so by you.

Wel you saye he is a false christian, but be­cause you haue no recorde I dare not beleue you. For if ye be remembrede, you complayned in your preface of the greate numbre of enimes that the sacamentes of Christ haue: and ye [...] in conclusion it was proued that theyr was none so greate and enimie as your selfe. Euen so [Page] [...] this poynte I will not swere for you. For he that is tried to be an enimie to Christes sa­cramen [...]s, is not lyke to be a true Christian.

Come nere the light therfore that we maye deserne whether your heare be naturall or con­terfaite. A woulfe maye haue a shepes fell one his backe: and so I feare me you haue. But we shall not be desce [...]ued in you, for oure mayster Christe hath appoynted vs tokens to knowe you By theyr fruites (sayth he) you shal know them, They do the workes of theyr fath [...]r the diuell who was an homiside or manquellar e­uen frome the beginninge. The greate desire that you haue to shed mans bloude declareth your nature. The name of a christian can not make you aper [...]it christiā & a shepe of his flock.

No thoughe ye go in companie wyth the shepe of Christe euen to theyr pasture and fea­dyng: yet so long as ye be ashepebyter, we can not take you for other then a woulfe, though you were lapped in .iiii. sh [...]pe skynes,

The true christians are in this world as lam­bes in the middes amonge woulfes, All they therfore that be as woulfes amonge lambes, are false christians. If you therfore do knowe the Authour of this Ballad to be such one: thē may you iustby call hym a false christian, other wise you slaunder hym.

Certayne fruites ther be wherby these false christians be knowne, whych if I fynde in you ye must pardone me thoughe I translate this name from hym to you as to hym that is most worthye to beare it.

The fyrst of these fruites, is delite in out­warde holinesse, whiche Christ reprehended in the phariseis, An other is the faruent zeale to [Page] set forth mans doctryne, and to measure the scripture therb [...], which was rebuked in them al­so, The thyrde and last, is the gloriyng in their owne Iustice and merites, sekeynge satisfaci­ons besides Christ, either by thē selues or other Whyche was the cōmune faute of the Iewes

Whether these fruites may be foūde in you (frende Hogarde) let them iudge that knowe your opiniō in al matters, which (I doubt not) as many as shall diligently reade and marke your answere shal▪ doe.

And to make the matt [...]er more playne I shall vpon occasiō geuen, some what note in the cō ­futation of that, that folowethe, And when I haue shewed your fruites I shall desyre you not to [...] stomake the matter▪ thoughe I saye (as the trneth is) that a false christian hath defa­med a faythfull brother. As for the scanninge of his mattier (madly as you saye) shal appear in the progresse. In the meane tyme I shall de­syre you to cal to yonr remembraunce your De­profundis, settyng it before your eies as a ma­tier madly scanned, tyll: I haue scanned your mysshapen answere, and then if you luste, put of your thymble and take your pen in hande and scane the mattier wyth your learned coū ­sell (you wot whom I meane) and declare your selfe to be no writter of deuyllishe doctryne, and saye that you were not the father though you beare the name. Yet tell them that dyd it, that if they wryte agayn they shalbe answered.

Your answere declareth that to be tru [...] that [...] w [...]itten by Paul to the Romayns, The na­tur [...]ll man perceyueth not the thinges that be of the spirite of God, You comp [...] it no strange syght to se the sacramēt honoured with deuine honour, because in your tyme it hath ben so ho [...]oured. I dede to the bodilie eie this sight is nothing [...] strange because it is a continuall ob­iect and dayelye re [...]ued Image in that christ­ [...]lli [...] humour: But so manie as haue the eies of the inwarde man opened wherewith they s [...] the true honourers and that honoure God in spirite and trueth, maye well call thy [...] a strayng sight. For sens the beginning of creatures, th [...]re was neuer such honour sene to be g [...]uen to any creatur among the honours that the spirituall eie behouldeth. Wherefore when it chaunceth the spiritual man to behold the abhominacions of thys worlde he maye [...]ight well cal them strang thoughe they be con­tinually in the eies of hys bodye. Iustly and tru [...]lye therfore sayeth the authour straynge [...] in myne eies ther do appeare, yea and th [...]t defen [...]ed wyth l [...]es, For what [...]rueth can you haue to def [...]nde the thynge that fygh­hteth wyth all trueth? All trueth agreeth that the true honourers of God shall honour hym [...] the spirite and trueth, and not at Ierusal [...]m [Page] nor yet in the hyl of Samaria. That is to say, nother wyth cerimonial worship prescribed by a lawe, nor yet with any outward worship in­uented of their owne braynes. If you haue any trueth agaynste this truthe then stande vp & declare howe these straūge syghtes be de­fended therwyth.

Here you wyll hange your selfe and aske me no leaue, you wyl not walke out of the reache of the proclamacion. You wyll styll be sayeing that scripture denieth, and denie that scriptur affirmeth. I am sorie that I was not of your counsayle before you published your answere, for if I had I woulde haue shewed you thys daynger before. Well nowe it is to late, for I am sure you can not stop it but it wyll be she­wed to the maiestrates, and then you knowe theyr charge alredie. The best counsayle that I cā geue you now, is to make haste and recante. For so shall you yet saue some parte of your honestie though it be but a verie little.

You saye no christen mā doth honour br [...]ade [Page] and wyne Hitherto you say [...] [...]rue, for to ho­nour breade and wine, is the worke of an infi­dele. But then you shewe a good, cause whye men honour not breade and wine. because the [...] is none to be honoured.

Here is occasion offered of moe questians then euer you woulde be able to solute euen with the helpe of all your secrete counsalours I myght aske you what thynge that is which the bodily eie seeth, that the hande feleth, that the taste discerneth, that is broken, that wa [...]th [...]a [...]mye when it take [...] weate, that will putrifie and rotte if it be kept longer tyme then breade maye endure, finally what that is whych must be burned when it is muldie so that▪ the stomak abhorreth it, I am sure you wyll not saye it is the bodye of Christe, for that is not nor can not be otherwyse sene wyth the bodilie eie) thē as it was, is and shalbe, in the fourme of man it can not be broken, for it is impassible, it can not wa [...] slymye nor clammye, for it is purified frome all slymie nature, it can not putrifie, for it is w ^t out all corruption, it can not be burned▪ because it is immortalle. But here you wyl say that you haue allredie answered to these que­stians, It appeareth (you saye) to be breade or wyne but fayeth defyneth an other maner of thynge. That is that whole Christe as there, and that the godhead also is ioyntlye knytte vnto the same Christe beynge there, so that of duitie we muste ho [...]our hym in these formes Then note you in the margent, Blessed be they that beleue and se not. Wher you fal [...]ifie the texte, whych hath. Blessed are they that sawe not and b [...]leued, spoken in reproch of the herd belyue of Didimus that woulde not beleue the [Page] resurrection of hys maister Christe by the re­porte of them that sawe hym risen (not wyth­standynye he knewe that Christe had promised before hys death that he woulde rise agayne the thirde daye) but sayed he woulde firste se the fastening of y ^• nayles in his handes and put his finger in the holes and his hande into hys syde: yer he woulde beleue. But when he had sene and confessed sayeinge. My Lorde and my God: then Christe sayed vnto hym. Be­cause thou hast s [...]ne me Thomas, thou hast be leued. Happy or blessed are they that sawe not and beleued▪ meaneyng therby the fathers and prophetes of the olde lawe whiche sawe hym not, wyth the bodily eie, and yet beleued al that they writte of hym concerninge his cominge in the fleshe whiche Thomas woulde not b [...]leue tyll he sawe it.

Thus you declare your knoledge in the scri­tures to be but base, as theyrs is that are of your counsayle. But nowe let vs returne to yo [...]r answere. It appeareth to our eie (you saye) to be breade and wyne but fayth defineth whole Christe to be ther by his powre diuine Here you speake subtyllye. You thynke you haue plentie of startynge holes in thys piece of your answere. Fayth defyneth (you saye) that whole Christe is ther by his powre diuine so y ^• if we woulde charge you w ^t the proclamatiō and saye that you affirme the natu [...]all, reall▪ and to [...]all presence of Christe God and man fleshe blude and bones, toth and naiale and all together: then you wyll saye no syr▪ I mente no suche thynge. He is ther by hys powre diuine euen as he hath promised to be with his church vnto the ende of the world. You are answered Not yet frende hogherde. For thys presence [Page] that you speake of whiche Christe promised to hys sayethful is an inuisible assistence of g [...]ace as appeareth by the circumstaunce of the text where thys promise is mencioned. For after he had geuen them in commaundement to preache vnto all nacions, and to baptise them in the name of the father the sonne and the holy gost [...]achinge them to kepe all thinges that I haue geuen you commaundement: he sayed Beholde I am w ^t y [...]u euen vnto the ende of the world meaneinge none other thynge then he did whē he sayed wher so euer to or thre be gathered together in my name, ther am I in the middes of them That is to saye, be you neuer so fewe in number, be you neuer so little regarded of the worlde and worldelye wys [...]: feare not to t [...]stifie and wytnesse my trueth vnto all naci­ons baptiseynge and teachynge them to kepe all thynges that I haue commaunded you, not your owne dreames, not your own phantasies for then you go in your owne name and▪ not in myne, and be holde I am wyth you all the dayes euen to the ende of the worlde, I wyll confounde your enimies, they shall not be able to re [...]iste the spirite that shall speake in you I my selfe whych am all one wyth my father wylbe continua [...]ly wyth you.

Thus you se (frende Hoggarde) that thys pre [...]ence of Christe with hys churche is not a­natural and inuisible presence vnder a visible forme, as my Lorde of Wynchester teacheth you, but it is a mercifull assistence of, the im­mense, and in comprehencible godheade wych is presente in all places, but assistent to his e­lecte onely. So that if you wyl not haue Christ naturally, really and carnally presēt: you must not say [...] that whole Christe is ther that is to [Page] saye God and man, for so (as saynt Augustine witnessethe w ^t expresse wordes) he was on the earth and not in heauen [...]where he is nowe, in as muche as he was man) whan he sayde. No­man ascendeth into heauen, but onely the son of man whyche is in heauen and dyd also des­ [...]ende frome heauen. One persone (saieth the same Augustine) is [...]oeth God and man, and boeth these natures are bu [...] one Christe, by y ^• he is God, in al places, but by that he is man, he is in heauen. And yet more playnelye. One and the selfe same Christe (sayeth Fulgentius accordynge to hys humane substaunce, was absente frome heauen whē he was vpon erth and left the earth when he ascēded into heauē

By thys you maye perceiue howe farre you are deceiued in your opinion of y ^• total presence of Christe in the sacrament. But because I woulde gladlye you shoulde forsake your ex­ [...]oure and embrace the trueth: I shall open vn­to you one other doubt that myght chaunce to trouble your mynde.

The godheade you saye is ioyntely [...] to the manhode and can not be seperate wher­vpon you conclude that as the one is i [...]mensse and fylleth all places so muste the other nea­des be. To thys obiection, saynct Augustine shal make you answere. [...] foloweth not sayth he that the thynge that is in god, shoulde be in all places as he is. For the scripture doeth moste truely reporte of vs, that we do lyue, moue and [...]e in hym: & yet be we not▪ in all pla­ces as he is. But man is in God after one sor [...] and god in him after an other sorte▪ After a cer­tayne propre and peculiar sorte. The māhode therfore being ioyntly knit vnto the godhead is not in all places as is the Godheade, but [Page] the scripture teacheth and we do constantly [...] beleue: that the manhode of Christe haueinge finished the purpose of hys comminge in the fleshe (that is to saye offered hym selfe one the crosse for oure redemption and risen agayne for oure iustification) is ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hande of God the fa­ther whence he shall come to iudge the quicke and deade. As for hys presence in the sacramēt we beleue it to be suche as it is in vs hys faithfull membres whom Paull calleth hys mem­bres, of hys fleshe and of hys bones. And yet is not the presence of Christ in vs suche, that we ought therby to be honored as goddes: [...] No more is he so presente in the sacramente that it ought to be honoured as God.

Thus largely haue I spoken of thys mat­ter because I desire more to wynne you to Christ then to confounde you before the world For If I had not desyred your cōuerciō frō y ^• Romeyshe waye: I woulde haue opened your fonde assercions whrein you af [...]irme that ther is nother breade nor wyne in the sacramente thoughe boeth appeare to our eie, and so haue lefte you to your selfe. It had ben easie so to haue done. Boeth for that the eie is the instru­ment that God hath geuen to iudge decerne and knowe al visible thynges by: and also be­cause the elect vesse of God Paule, and our [...] sauiour Christe hym selfe, doe call them boeth breade and wyne, and that euen after the con­secracion (if ther be any) as I shall herafter proue more at large.

You go about to make the matter playne by a similitude, It is wonderfull (you saye) to a pagane) howe a vyrgyne shoulde bringe forth a childe: but to a christian it is no wonder at all, hys fayeth you saye, putteth awaye all wonder. So if thys man (saye you) would cap­tiuate hys reasone, he woulde beleue (as you do) that the hostes can speake.

Fyrst I wyl examayne your similitude and tri how it serueth for your purpose. The whol meaneynge of your similitude is no more but this. In like maner as achristian wyl not wonder howe a virgine can bringe forth a chyld [...]: so wyll he not wonder howe the hostes in the pyxe shoulde speake. Or for the fyrste parte.

As it is a poynte of a pagane to wonder how a virgyne shoulde brynge forth a chylde: so is it to beleue that the hostes in the pyxe be dombe. But I praye you syr wyth your pa­ [...]nce. Are not you a Christian man? Yes ma­ry [Page] s [...]ye you I woulde you shoulde knowe it. And I praye you sir, if your daughter shoulde bring forth a childe, would you thynke she wer a virgyn? It were not lyke sure. Well, if you wer [...] certayne that sh [...] were a virgyn woulde you not wonder how she should be conceyued? Yes verily. For it to contrarye to the course of nature, and therefore to be wondred at. Howe say you [...]o your similitude thē. Apply it to you purpose, and se howe it a greeth. As it is to be wondered how a vyrgin shoulde bee conceiued wyth childe, so is it howe the hostes in the pyx shoulde speake. Ah syr, this maketh somewhat for our purpose. But here you wyl say, that by your [...]ayth you wil captiuate your reasōe & beleue it to be done because you se it to be so. But howe it shoulde come to passe, you wyll aske no questiō. Then you beleue it because you se it and so youre fayth is grounded vppon the knowledge of the senses. All thys maketh a­gaynst you Wel yet once agayn let vs asaye another way. Graunt your doughter be wyth child & you know not wheth [...]re she be a virgin or not. What wyll you saye than? Wyll you strayght waye captiuate your reason and sen­ce [...] because you are a christian and beleue that your daughter is a virgyn? Tushe saye you al thys is nothynge to the purpose, all my mea­nyng is of the virgyn Mary of whose virgi­nitie al christians are certay [...]. But I pray you Howe are christe [...] men certified of Maries virginitie? By▪ the wordes of the prophet saye you, which wer spoken longe before. Behold a virgine shal conceiue and bring furth a sonne, and [...]is name shalbe called Emanuel. A ha, thē y [...]u doo not captiuate reasonne but reasonne leadeth you to beleue i [...], because the Prophete [Page] of [...] had spoken it long before that it shuld come to pa [...]e. Howe know you that thys pro­phecie was fulifilled in Marie?

I knowe that (saye you) by the testemonies that I fynd in the scripture, wher by Christ (whoe was the firste borne of the same Ma­ [...]ie) was declared to be that sonne that shoulde be borne of a virgy [...]e. And the testimonies he these. Luk [...]. [...]. The wordes of the angell spoken to the virgine in the tyme of hyr conception. Fera [...]e not Mari [...] (sayed the angell) for thou haste founde fauour wyth God, Behold, thou shalt conceyue in the wombe & bringe forth a sonne, and thou shalt cal hys name Iesus. Thys shal be greate a [...]d shalbe called the son of y ^• highest and the Lorde God shall geue hym the [...]eate of Dauid hys father and he shall reigne in the house of Iacobe for euer & his king [...]dome shal haue none ende, An other testimonie, y ^• wordes of the angel vnto Ioseph when he had thought to haue put awaye his despoused wyfe priuilie because he perceyued hir to be wyth chylde, knoweynge that he neuer compayned wyth hyr. Ioseph (said the angel) thou son of Dauid feare not to take to y ^• Mary thy wyfe. For the thing that is bourne in hyr is of y ^• holy gost she shall brynge forth asonne and thou shalte call hys name Iesus, for he shall make salfe hys people frome theyr sinnes. Agayne the angell of the Lorde sayed vnto the herd men in thys wise. F [...]are ye not, for lo I preache vnto you great ioye which shal chaūce vnto al the people For this day is borne to you a sauiour whiche is Christ the anoynted Lord in y ^• Citie of Dauid. Simeō An y ^• prophetes, y ^• wismē y ^• of [...]ast the witnes of Iohn Baptist & the voice o [...] y ^• father frome heauē: do declare this same son of [Page] Marye to be the sonne of the virgyne spoken of before by the prophet. Wherfore I beleue that Marie brought forth a childe without los of virginitie because Iesus the firste borne of hir bodie was by these testimonies declared to be the some seede that was promised to be borne of a virgyne. Wel, by al thys it is plaine that in thys poynte reasonne is not captiua­ted, but driueth vs to beleue because the spiri [...]e of trueth hath prophecied it and so many wyt­nessed wyth one assent confirmed it. Ryght so do I saye of the sacrament. If you can fynde me but one of the prophetes that hath sayed that any thynge that semeth not to haue lyfe shoulde speake, and that the hostes in the pyxe be, by the testimonies of the scriptures, proued to be the same: then wyll I not captiuate rea­sone, but wylbe led by reasone to beleue that the same hostes (as you cal them) be not dombe other wyse you must pardone me though I be­leue not that they can speake, [...]yll suche tyme [...]o I do either heare them speake my selfe or else learne it by the reporte of some credible persone that hath hearde them speake.

Thys haue I spoken to con [...]ent your expec­tacion for the dombnesse of your goddes: be­cause I perceyue by your similitude that you are altogether [...]leshely and perceiue not the spi­rite that is in the authour of the ballad

Dombe he calleth them, because (as you vse them) they be taken for gods, and are but dōbe ceremonies or signes, That is to saye, haue­ynge no lyu [...]lye signification, wherby the peo­ple that shoulde receyue them myght be edified Theyr naturall propritie is, to preache and de­clare vnto vs the vnitie of christians in the bo­die and bloude of Christ by fayth more plaine­ly [Page] then can be declared with wordes. For wha [...] [...]onge can be able to declare the misterie of the misticall bodye of Christe (his churche and con­gregacion) so playnely wyth wordes: as it is declared by the breade beinge but one breade made of many graynes, and the wyne beynge but one cup of wyne made of manye grapes? Take a waye these liuely signifi [...]acions ther­fore and what other thynge shall remayne but dombe ceremonies and signes declareinge no­thynge to the edificacion of the receiuers, but holdeynge them styll in supersticion vnder the name of gods? Trulye and iustly therfore hath he called them dombe gods, for that they are wythout significacion, and beare the name of gods beynge in dede neither gods nor goddes ordinaunces, as you and your miscreaūt fayth felowes do vse them.

Then conclude you vpon an inconuenience saying. If Christ might [...]e sen in the sacramēt as he walked here: then coulde not oure fayeth merite any thynge in beleueinge that we se not.

Graciousely considered. You are loeth we shoulde losse the merite of oure fayeth, You woulde rather we shoulde beleue that good is iuell & iuil good, blacke white, & white blacke, that lyghte is darkenes and darkensse lyghte yea that god is breade and breade God. But nowe it were wysedome to make a distinction of meriteinge and then to knowe howe thys faith of yours meriteth that we may be bolde to cal for our reward whē the vniuersal iudge shall geue to eche one accordeynge to his meri­tes. Ther be .ii. kyndes of meritinge therfore, y ^• is to saye of good and of iuel. The good kynde of meriteynge, is by Christe, thorowe Christe for Christe, and in Christe. That is by casteing [Page] all oure [...] vpon him o [...]elye, [...] continually beaten and crucified before our e [...]es and crucifiynge our selues to the worlde haue­inge o [...] or trust in oure [...]elfe, anye, worcke that we can do, or any other for vs, settyng vp anye in heauen erth or hell to be equalle or partener wyth hym: but beleueings and confesseing him [...]o be all in all thyng [...]s, the on [...]lye creatour and maker the onelye and tree geuer of all good­nes, and the onely peac [...] maker betwene God and vs. The other kynde of meriting [...], is by Sathan, the worlde and the fleshe, contrarie in all poyntes to this.

That is to saye, takynge all care vpon oure­selues sekeing [...] waye [...] to cru [...]i [...]ie and offer vp Christ agayn [...], and refu [...]eynge to crucifie oure [...], haueynge all [...]ruste in oure owne wor­k [...] and other creatur [...]s merites, makeing the deabe saync [...]es opteiners of mercie throughe theyr praiers and merites Yea makinge them mediatou [...]s & peace makers betwene god & vs.

Now let the godly learned iudge by whiche of these [...]ow wayes thys fayth of yours meri­teth. You captiuate reasone, you saye, & beleue that in the sacramentes of the bodie and bloud of Christ: remayneth neither breade nor wyne, but the verie bodye and bloude of Christe. yea whole Christe god and man, bodie and soule And then I dou [...]te not (your rea [...]one this cap­tiuated) you wyll (wyth your forefathers the founders of thys your opinion) make it a sa­crific [...] propicia [...]orye for the quicke and deade for plage, penurie and all kyndes of deseases▪ For hauei [...]ge the inmaculate and vnspotted lambe (as you saye) euen the sonne of the lyue­yng God conceiued and borne of the immacu­late virgyne: what shoulde let you to [...]effr him [Page] [...] God hys father [...] placable sacrifice for [...] these thynges, to content the ineuitable wrat [...] of God bent towardes vs for the iniquitie tha [...] reigneth in the worlde? And so doeth thys fayth of yours dryue you to seke other way [...]s of saluacion then by the onelye Sacri [...]ice of Christe once offered for all. You wyllbe styl of­feryng of hym whome none can offer but hym selfe. And al because you haue cap [...]iuated your rea [...]one, to beleue that you haue hym here vp­pon yearth in suche maner that you may Sa­crifice hym.

Nowe tell me what thys fayeth of yours meriteth. It leadeth you from the sure tru [...]te in the onely sacrifice that Christe made once for al. It driueth you to open blasphemie, cau­sing you to take vpon you the office of Christe that is to say, to take a way synne by sacrifice yea and to sacrifice hym whom none can sacri­fice but him selfe.

What merite is it then that thys fayeth shall haue? Forso [...]h the merite of vnbelefe be­cause it is not assertayned that the sonne of God is comen in the flesh, and hath performed the ende of h [...]s comeinge, that is, hath by hys death and passion, satisfied for the synnes of all the worlde, makynge perfec [...]e for euer, as many as beleue in hym. Yea it shall be rewar­ded among those blasphemous lym [...]nes of An­tichrist, that take vpō them to be the forg [...]uers of [...] (whyche is the office of God one­lye) makeynge them selues, goddes. Delyuer your reasonne out of prisonne therfore, and lette hyr consider howe your supersticiouse fayeth hath merited.

Put away this fōd perswaciō of yours wher by you are led to thinke that onlesse you captyuate [Page] reasone and become a brute beaste, you can not beleue the chiefe poynt of your religiō Consider that Christ bade not his Apostles captiuate reasonne and so beleue that he was ri­sen when he appeared vnto them, but sayed [...]ele and se, For spirits haue not sleshe and [...]o­nes as you see that I haue, He bade them not go preache vnto men wylynge them to capti­uate theyr reasone and then belieue, for then he myght haue sayed go preache to the brut beastes for they haue no resone to refuse your doctrine. For what other thing is it to captiuat reasone then to debar hir of hyr office and to kepe hir Idle so that to be altogether without reasone were better, then to be troubled wyth the capti [...]ua [...]inge of hyr that she let not belyefe Let reasone therfore leade you to confer y ^• scrip­tures togither and trye that doctryn of yours whether it be of God or not.

Here you answere as though Paule in the [...] vii. to the Hebrues where he speaketh of Chri­ [...]es separacion frome synnes had ment none other thynge but his bodily ascencion into [Page] heauen. A [...]d then you der [...]de the authours conclusion, as though it were no sufficient prou [...] nor good argumente to say, he can not be made wyth synfull handes because he is ascended. As who shoulde saye though he be asended, yet is he here [...]yl. And for the makinge of him with sinful handes: you saye that neuer man sa [...]ed nor defended it, nor doeth at thys tyme saye or defende it. In verie dede you are now al a shamed to say it, & far vnable to defend it. But y ^• it hath bene preached I w ^t many other which are yet on liue can wittnesse, And y ^• it hath ben writen, resorte to the answere that Anthonie Gyl­bie made to my Lorde of Whinchesters diuil­lishe detection: and you shal lear [...]e that he hath halfe a lease that he tar [...] out of a boke in Lyn­colne minister, wherein are written these words in latine. O sacerdos, nonne creauite, [...]t dedi tibi potestatē creandi me? Quare si non sacrifi­cas etc. That is to saye (to your ledwe▪ vnder­standinge) O prieste, haue I not created the and geuen the power to create me? Wherefore if thou do not sacrifice. &c. If you credite not thys, resorte to the cau [...]iles of the masse & then learne of some experte maister of grammar, what thys latine word Conficere, signifieth. I shal recite you one of y ^• cautyles to geue you occacion to desire some prist of your acquayn­taūce to shewe you y ^• residue, for I am sure you dare not come so nygh the secretes of the masse your self for feare of losing your sight. Si ante [...]ō sacratio [...]em sanguinis (sayth the cau [...]il) per­ [...]ipiat aquam non esse in calice: debet statim ap­ponere et conficere. That is to say. If he (mea­n [...]yng the priest) do verceyue before the conse­ [...]acion of the bloude that ther is no water in the chalice, he muste in continent put wat [...]r into the [Page] chalice & make it. If this be not the significaciō of [...], in this place: then take your pen in hand and declare the meaninge of this [...]a [...] ­ [...]yle, and the other which haue the same worde In the meane time I shall perswade my selfe that you thinke nolesse (what so euer you say) but y ^• by the [...]reathinge out of the wordes vp­on the breade, the priste make [...]h it the bodie of Christe and th [...] wyne his bloude. For you say it is a trueth auowed and holden of all christiā [...], that after the wordes spoken ther is chri­ste [...] flesh that for vs was broken. But let thys matt [...]r passe we haue som what to saye con­cerninge the [...] of Paule, Seperate [...]rō syni­ners, [...] he whole course of Paules epistle to y ^• Hebrues is none other but to proue that al the ceremonies and sacrifices of the law were but [...]ha [...] owes of Christ and his one oblacion once offered for al, and that the leuites, high priestes and [...]y shope [...] (who had nede to offer sacrif [...]ce for them selues) coulde neuer take awaye syn by theyr sacrifices. And after many wordes and strong argumentes aplyed to the same purpose, he sayeth. It was conuenient and meete that we shoulde haue suche an high pri [...]ste or bishope, holye, innocent vndefiled, segregate from s [...]nners and made higher then the heauēs not haueinge nede (as the priestes haue) dayely to offer, fyrste for hys owne synnes and then for the synnes of the people. For that he dyd once in offer [...]ing hym selfe. The law appointed men priestes. &c.

Now se what it is to be seperate from sinners and to be hygher then heauenes Forsoth, not [...] be after the sorte of synfull priestes whiche [Page] entred into sancta sanctorum once in the yere wyth the bloude of gotes and [...] to [...] the tabernacle not made wyth mans hāds, that is to saye the true tabernacle whych god made and not man the eternall couenaunte an Image wherof God commaūded Moyses to make the materiall tabernacle Into thys ta­bernacle dyd Christe enter offeringe vp hym selfe once for al therby finisheynge the rede [...]y­sion of the synn [...]s of the worlde and nowe sitteth at the ryghthande of God hys father for euer. Wherefore sinful handes can in no wise make hym, No they can not handle nor touch hym he is seperate from sinners He is none of those byshopes or priestes whiche did yerely sacrifice and yet remayne vpon y ^• areth styll and after theyr death rotted in the grounde, for hys fleshe sawe not corruption but rose agayne from the deade and was by the godheade takē vp into heauen and ther sitteth at the righthād of his father sep [...]rate from synners.

But here you thinke your selfe a subtyle s [...]phister & able to confound your selfe (I iudge you by your counsalours whome I know well i­nough) for I am sure you will saye as your counsaylours do, that for as muchas Goddes right hande is in scripture called his powre, and his power is in all places at [...]ncent muste nedes folow, that Christ settynge at the rygt [...] hande of the father must nedes be in al places at once, and per consequence in the sacrament [...] of the altare reallye and bodelye eu [...]n as he sit­teth at the right hand of his father and ascen­ded into heauen and shall come agayne at the last daye to iudge the worlde by feyre for so he [...]itteth at the right hand of his father which [...] you say is power. Think you these coū [...]lour [...] of yours could not if nede [...]er proue bi y ^• same [Page] [...] little Image or Idole syth gods powre is there present: But howe standeth thys wyth the consecracion by the vertue of the wordes spoken ouer the br [...]ade and wyne? If Christe be really present in all places then is he so at al tymes. Then I praye you tel me (to your cōsail­lours I speake now [...] how the words chaūg the bread & cause real presēce of y ^• thing y ^• was ther before? By this your argumēt you proue y ^• we ought to honoure all, thinges y ^• wee se in the worlde wyth diuine honoure, because Christe is ther really present. Se whether you be not those same false prophetes that Christe gaue vs waneyng of. For you saye lo here is Christ and [...]o ther is Christ But we a warned that we shal not beleue you Behold (say you) he is in the deserte beholde he is in the priuie chaumbres. But we knowe you wel inough.

Well answered and muche to the purpose You ieste as thougt it were nothynge lyke the trueth that your priestes should saye or thinke them selues to worke thys feate by theyr con­ [...]nge. [Page] [...] shal s [...] that cunning is agreate thinge, and hel­peth as much in this mattier, as quicke conue [...] aunce doth in ledgardemayne. For when qui [...] conue [...]ghaunce fayleth: the budget must serue. And so sayth your ca [...]tyles o [...] your actual ha­bites, that is to say gestures, if they fayle, yet Christe the highe prieste shall playe the budget and helpe out wyth the mattier, so be that the intention [...]l habite be not loste. Be not ashamed of your maister and father therfor who is and euer hath hen the father of liars. y ^• diuel your good Lorde and maister, whoe kepeth you styl slepeinge in the drowsie dreames of your dearely beloued father of Rome.

You saye you wyll proue here after that those priestes lacke no true iudgemente which haue [...]ared that it is not theyr acte to make the bodie and bloude of Christ, of breade and win [...] And thus you say y ^• the prieste doth but execut [...] by authoritie spirituall as a minister, and God it i [...] (you saye) y ^• doth his creature [...] [Page] Clarkly handled and lyke a man wel [...] in the Scriptures. They lacke no true iudge­ment, but wherin I pray you? In the scriptur [...] you wyl saye. I deny it. For a great numbre of them you speake of, haue no true iudgement in the scriptures. Yea, they scarsely knowe whe­ther there be any scripture or not. Wel, graunt they do knowe that there be scriptures. Yet cā not this so true iudgement of theirs be in them for Scripture knoweth no suche transmuta­tion. Wherin is it then that these men haue so true iudgement? It is in por [...]ouse and Miss all matters, I am sure, that you meane. For therin hath bene their most studie. Wel they lacke no true iudgemente, you saye, for so it is euen as they say, whych thyng you wyll proue, in thys sort I trowe. Bycause the Priest doth by au­thoritie spirituall, execute as a Minister, and Christ doth transmute his creature. A sira, here is pithy geare, and stronge argumentes. Your wordes sowne as much as if you should saye, it is so, and whi is it so? Forsoth because it is so. I would all the subtile Sophisters of Oxford and Cambrige, would prynte these your argu­mentes in their myndes, and by occation ther­of, enlarge the limyttes of their arte. For in all their subtilties, they fynde no suche subtiltie as yours is.

But in that you say that the priest executeth and God transmuteth: a man myght demaund you this questiō. Whether of these two, is the chiefe workeman, the priest or God? Your olde fathers of Italie would say the priest, for they would alwaye haue the most worthy first na­med. But what shall we say to the matter? Is not the priest the chiefe workeman? Yes true­ly, in mine opinion, for he receyueth all the mo­nye [Page] for the worke when it is done. Yea, & God neuer medieth with any transmutation, tyl the priest set hym a worke. Yea, and when any mā setteth the priest on worke, and couenaunteth with hym for certayn wages. God must wayte at an inche that there be no let when the priest wyl haue his trinckets transmuted. It shalbe best for you therfore, [...]her to sai that the priest dothe all hymselfe, or else let the priestes from hensfurth, execute nomore tyll God byd them, and when the worke is finished, let God playe the chiefe workman, and receiue money for the whole.

☞ An answere (you saye) is made withoute great study. And so say I, a fol [...]s bolte is sone shot out. Then answer you after this sort. Methinke [...]say you, that you presume very high to tel Christ that he lieth, whē he sayth, this is my body. And than you answere in the persone of th [...] authour, sa [...]yng, Not so sir, saye you, that word say not I And then you thinke to [...] hym kyndelye. Your wo [...]des sir, saye you, by youre licence, shewe that to Christe you geue [...]. But nowe syr wyth yo [...]re licence [Page] I shall wyth greate studye declare vnto yo [...] that the authour gyueth a greate deale more credite to Christes wordes then you do. Thys is my bodye sayth Christ, when he had diuided breade amonge hys disciples, declareinge ther­by the vnitie of all them that shoulde beli [...]ue in hym, his misticall bodie and mēbres the church and congregacion of the faythfull: and that all these faythful shoulde be partakers of all that he should deserue in that bodie which he had takē of y ^• immacula [...]e virgine, euen as ther were partakers of that bread which they had eaten.

Thus do we credite Christes wordes which you credite not for when he sayth, thys is my bodie, you [...]ynd hym to chaung the substaunce of breade with those wordes or else you comp [...] hym but a found [...] talker for you saye that be­fore those wordes be spoken the breade is but breade, and so you compel Christ in transmute hys creature in hys Apostles handes, mouthes or healies For certen it is that Christe had de­liuered it before he spake those wordes. And cō ­cerninge the wyne Marke sayth, that thei had al dronken therof before the wordes wer [...] spo­ken so that here you are driuen into a straight other you must say that Christ had some oth [...] cast to transmute his creature then you know [...] of, or else that he transmuteth none at all. For I am sure you wyll not saye that he deliuered it before it was transmuted.

Not much vnlyke is thys your Answere, vnto the answere that Cayph [...]s gaue in the coū ­sayle house at Ierusalem when the hygh prie­stes and byshops consulted howe to brynge Christ to confucion. It is expedient, quoth he▪ that one dye for the people, l [...]st that al y ^• whole nacion shoulde perish, meaneynge that it were [...]uche better that Christe, beynge a seducer; [...]houlde suffer deathe, then that all the people [...]houlde by hys doctrine be seduced and perishe. But yet hys wordes were true in an other meaninge, that is. That it was expediente for one to dye to redeme the synnes of the people for other wyse the whole people shoulde haue perished, Euen so in your answere you meane [...]hat Christe dyd firste brynge in these wordes Hoc est corpus meum, to the intente to turne the breade into his bodie by the vertue of the same wordes, and that he gaue hys disciples power to do the same bi the pronouceing of the sam wordes which your sayd meaning is verie false as Caiphases was but in an other mean­ynge it is verie true that you say.

Christe was the fyrste that brought in these wordes Hoc est corpus meum. And he gaue his Agostl [...]s power, yea commaunded thē to do▪ the thynges that he hym selfe had done. But here­in lieth all the mattier. What it was that he had done, Chaunged bread into hys bodie, say you. But the Euangelistes say [...] that he hadde [Page] deuided bread and [...] amōgest his discipl [...] And these wordes are stronger then either ca­stell or tower, and shall endure euen to the last daye, when all you goddes enimies shall va­nishe a waye.

☞Here you thinke to shew a point of great learneing and knowledge. Christ promised be­fore, you saye, that the breade which he should geue was his fleshe.

And this promise you saye, he fulfy [...]led firste at hys maundye, where he gaue them hys ve­rie naturall bodye, and secondly one the crosse but at the last you adde as it were, a correc­cion of your former wordes, and saye. Not at the maundye as on the Crosse, but vnder [Page] the fourmes of breade and wyne.

☞Well, then Christ [...] [...] ­crament [...] about two yeres before he dyd insti­tute it. Y [...]a marye saye you. And I praye you what sayed he? For soeth these verie wordes. The breade that I shal geue you, is my fleshe. [...] sy [...]a, [...]owe you haue vs at a shrwede baye, Christe tolde hys Disciples longe before that the breade whiche he woulde geue them was h [...]s fleshe, and vppon thys Prophecie dyd in verie dede giue theym'breade at his maundye. Howe can it be then but that thys breade was his flesh [...] [...] Who is able to with stand this reason, thought [...] you? Forsoeth euerie one that sauoureth those thynges that be of the spirite of God.

And if you wyll apply your selfe a whyle, I shall teache you to wythstand it also. And first I shal demaunde this questian was not christe as well able to perfo [...]me his worde then as he was at the tyme of his maundye? Yese for­soeth. For he had before that tyme fedde fyue thousand and mo [...], with .v. barley loues and .ii [...]ishes▪ And did he not say as much of the bread then as he did at his maundie? Yese marie say you▪ for he sayd these plaine words. The bread that I shal gyue you, is my fleshe. A syra thē I se well this bread was not to be traunsmuted (as you cal it) whē Christ came to the maundy for that was done two yeres before. For I am sure you wyll not saye Christe lyed when he sayed the breade that I shal geue is my fleshe, for if you woulde, your former wordes should be tourned to your [...] reproche. But here youre counsayloures perchaunce wyl now geue you counsayle to renne to intente of Christe when he speake those wordes and to saye that he in­tended [Page] not then [...] the bread [...] [...] dyd after warde. And that is true for he ment nothynge lesse then the sacrament in those wor­des. But if you once enter into the intent, thē must we haue libertye to declare Christes intēt when he distributed the breade sayeinge thys is my bodye. And then I doubt not but your intent wyll be proued a [...]olyshe intent, when you saye that Christe gaue hys naturall bodie vnto his disciples two maner of wayes, that is to saye fyrste in fourme of breade, & agayne on the crosse. For the Scripture wytnesseth that Christ was alwayes founde in the fourme of man, and verie man in all poyntes (synnes onely [...]cepted) and therfore coulde he no more be in the fourme of breade then we maye. And it is as well to be gathered of the scriptures that the priest [...]ourneth the bread into his owne bo­dye when he sayeth thys is my bodye: as that Christ did by the same words chaūg it into his.

You answere euen as you haue learned and fourme your argumentes, I po [...]e ad esse, as you are wont to do. Go [...] coulde make y ^• his bodye, wherof he saide this is my bodie, wher­fore you conclude and saye that it is so in veri dede, meaneinge, I am sure (as you haue sayed before) his natural bodye. For in significacion we graunte and defende that it was and is his bodie, hys verie naturall bodye therefore you wyll haue it, and because we saye naye to that, you charge vs wyth denieynge that Christ af­firmeth, because reasone wyl not thereto agre. And then to declare your self to be none of thē that foloweth reasone in youre dooinges, you bryng fourth an vnreasonable similitud to de­clare your vnreasonable fayth. And you bring your similitude a minorie admaius. Moyses, you saye, was commaunded to caste downe hys rodde, and so he dyd, haueynge no worde of consecracion at all, and yet it was tourned into a Serpente. And takynge the serpente by [Page] the [...] the cōmaundement of god, it [...] to a rod agayne. This was done you say [...] thorough gods diuine power w ^tout any word [...]t all, Muche more able therefore is god to do the lyke with his word. And then you triūphe and saye you haue layed reasonne flat on the grounde. Ualiantlie fought.

But nowe after your triumphe let vs re­tourne to your similitud and se how it serueth for thys purpose. Moyses thinking it far vn­like that he beinge a man without eloquence or goodly vtteraunce of speach, should any thing preuaile amonge the Egyptians whō he knew to be men of greate learneinge and wonderful artes: was by thys meanes encoraged. God cō ­maunded him to cast downe his rod, and incō ­tinent as he had so done, it was turned into a serpent. Here I my [...]ht demaunde, of you howe this proueth your purpose: seinge that the rod was turned into a verie serpēt in nature forme and shape, colour, quantitie and all other vtter appearaunce, and not into a serpente in the fourme of a rod, as you say of the bread. This doth your foleishnes appear so playnly y ^• a mā woulde wonder how it shoulde come to passe that you or anye other reasonable creature myght be so blinde in iudgemente. But consi­dering that your reasone is in prisone and cap­tyue to your fond opiniō, I meruayle so much the less [...] at your blynde ignoraun [...], both in the pykeynge out of your similitudes so farre vn [...] mete for your purpose, and also in answering so slenderlye to thynges that you woulde seme to haue vtterlye confounded.

I cā not a little maruaile at your follie which driueth you to take in hāde to answere to that you vnderstād not yea & that more is, to deride and laugh to skorne your own follie, makeing as thoughe you vnderstod the mattier thorow lye, when in verie dede you vtter your selfe to be in the cleane contrarie waye.

I pray you what do you meane by your merie talk about your dōbe beast? I think you wuld saye a brute beaste which hath not the gifte of resone to deserue & iudge thinges & therfor you saye you durst depose y ^• he could scātly vnder­stād y ^• authours words if he should heare them [Page] But I praye you how standeth thye wyth the captiuatinge of youre reasone. Is it not al one to haue reasonne captiuated and to be a brute beaste? An infaunt that hath not yet the vse of reasone, what differeth it frome a brute beast? And yet hath i [...] reasone, but not at libertie that shee maye do hir office. Euen so the man that hath his reasone captiuated to any opinion, is [...]conserneinge that opinion) euen as a chylde or brute beast. So that in your skoffes and geste's wherein you woulde seme to be pleasant, you make an ape of your selfe, and toyewyth your owne shadowe

And thē (wyttily and lyke an Hosyar) you ly­ken the example of the authour, to the appoint­tynge of a man to knowe his l [...]gge frome hys hoose. This done, you turne to your graue st [...]le agayne as thoughe your former wordes hadde ben excedeynge merie and pleasante. And madly you saye the authour meaneth by hys example, that Chrste poynted to hys naturall body when he sayed Thys is my bodie and in this you de­clare your selfe not to vnderstande his meane­ing, and yet you woulde s [...]me to answere hym to the ful, saying that you would gladly knowe what Scripture the Authoure hathe to proue that Christ ment nothyng of the bread when he spake those wordes. For if it wyl not be foūde in the scripture: you are not bounde to beleue it (you saye) for it is but his fantacie. And so you conclude, that the authour sayeth by his exam­ple, that if Christe ment not of hys naturall bo­die, he made a falsely.

I amsorie frend Hogard that your iudgement is so slender, that knowinge this to be an exā ­ple you can not perceiue wher of it is an exam­ple, What r [...]sonable man woulde be so madde [Page] to brabble about a thing so folyshely as you do vnlesse he were either a verie fole or else hadde hys reasone so captiuated and were so maried to hys opinion, that he coulde se nothinge that maketh agaynste hym? The Authour inten­deynge to declare that these wordes (Thys is) are not wordes wherwith ought maie be made: bringeth thys example of hym selfe. If I tell the sayeth he, that thys is my head. These wor­des, this is do not make it so: But it was so before I spake those wordes. Other wyse I shoulde not saye trulye when I saye Thys is my heade.

For if the speakeynge of the wordes shoulde make it my heade: then should it not be my head tyl the wordes were spoken. And so wet it a lye to say it is my head, when in dede it wer but in turning frō som other substaūce to be my head And thys exāple proueth that it Christ had mēt by these wordes (Thys is my body) y ^• the bread was turned into his bodye: no doubt it was his bodye before he sayd it, or else he had, lied in s [...] sayeinge, whiche thynge is not possible, that is that the veritie it selfe shoulde lye wherefore he ment no suche thynge. But in sayeinge thys is my body: he intended to declare vnto hys fayth­ful disciples & in them to vs) the misterie of his church and congregaciō which is of many made one euen as the breade is of many graynes, and the wyne of many grapes. As you mought haue easily gathered of the sta [...]e next foloweinge if your reason had not ben captiuated.

☞Yet you harpe styl on one strenge and that sowneth al a garre. He triumpheth (you say) as one that had proued all that he had sayed, as in dede he hath sufficiently, and then your vnder­standeing is no better but to burden him wyth the affirmeing of that which he neuer thought, and no meruayle for you haue captiuated your reason to your fonde flyshly opiniō, and [...]icke faste vpon your commune argumente, A posse ad esse. And then you conclud that who so euer denieth the thinge to be done, denieth that god is able to do it, declareinge your selfe to taste nothynge of the spirite of God but altogether of the fleshe euen as the fleshely Caparnaites dyd whiche would haue eaten hym euen as he went on the groūde, because he sayed that they could haue no lyfe in them onlesse thei did eate his flesh, meaneinge therby the beliefe that thei shoulde haue in hym to be y ^• spiritual fode & so ea [...]e him by fayeth. For if he had spokē ther of the eateinge of hys naturall and reall bodye in the sacrement it shoulde folowe that all suche as dye before they receyue the Sacrament [...] shoulde haue no lyfe in them, that is shoulde be dampned. And contrarywyse, al that [...] once receyue the sacramente, shoulde neuer dy [...] that is, neuer be damned. For he sayeth. He that eateth my fleshe and drincketh my bloude [Page] tareth in me and I [...] him, And agayne he shall [...]. I would you woulde credite saynte Augustyne vpon these wordes or else your selfe put of your carnall cies and put on the spectakles of the spirit, and knowe that the wordes whiche Christe spake in the .vi. of Iohn are spirite and lyfe, and not grosse and carnall as you take them.

Yet once agayne you wyll not beware of the proclamaciō. ye wil alwaies haue one kn [...]ck of your owne inuencion Christ consecrateth his bodie fleshe and fell nowe, before it was bodie [...] soule, but nowe it is fleshe and fel. It aueyleth not to laye the proclamacion any more to your charge for you are at a poynt alredy which way you wyll auoyde all the dayngers thereof. It was tolde me that the same daye that you were sent for to the counsayl for your misshapen an­wer: you were at diner in graciouse strete wyth a man of no smalle reputaciō, a frende of your [...] (I wyl not saye a mayntayner of you in your founde fleshly fayth and th [...]r you d [...]d not a litle glorye in your greate conquest as you though [...] ▪ in so much y ^• by your bold braggs, you brought a man of the contreye whoe was ther presente, so far in loue wyth your boke, that he bought one of them of you, thynking hys money well [Page] [...] he sawe the messengre that came to [...]etch you to the counsa [...] le, but then he be­ganne to repent hym of his bargen, and belyke wished his monye in his pursse agayne Howe nowe maister Hogherd, quoth he. [...]ushe man quoth you. Al shalbe wel inoughe. For once I am sure of this. Before Maye daye, they can take no vantage at any thing that I haue writ­ten. And then if the worste fall, I can denye it agayne. If this bee true (as I am [...]redibly en­fourmed that it is) in consience I would wishe that you woulde do that you saye you can do, If you wil not: I would wyshe that you were compelled to do it, that men myght se all your [...]unnynge both in cantinge and recanting.

But nowe to our purpose. In your answere you ēdeuour to proue, that these wordes (Hoc est corpus meum) pronoūced by the prieste, are of strength to [...]ourne the breade into the bodie of Christe. Howe wel you perfourme that pur­pose, shalbe easie inoughe to be perceyued of them that lust to scanne your wordes to the worthynesse. Fyrst you woulde seme to make answere to the obiection whiche the authour maketh agaynst this argument, Christe dyd it [...]go the priest maye do it. Graūt (sayth he) that ther were in scripture anye one lyne written wherwyth Christe made hys bodye of b [...]ade should, it folowe that thou canst with the same wordes do the same? yea forsoth (say you) for Christ made hys Apostles preistes for the same purpose, geuinge euerie of them power to consecrate his bodye after his departeinge. And thys you grounde vpon thys texte of scriptur. Do thys in remembraunce of me. The godlye learned, nede not to haue your wordes made [...] playne then they be of them selues. But [Page] for their sakes that be yet weake, and to con­founde the obstinate and hard herted I will o­pen them to the vttermoste, that if you haue a­ny shame in you, it maye driue you to acknow­ledge your lacke of knowledge and misbeleue. Or if you be vtterly without grace: it maye cause your counsalours (not beinge altogether desperate) to take better aduise ere they encou­rage you to the lyke follie as you haue herein declared. Firste therfore I note, that you saye Christe made his apostles priestes to the intent they shoulde consecrate his bodie. And herein I might doute whether Christ made them pri­stes at all or not, yea I am certayne that you haue no scripture to beare you in this assertiō that thei shoulde be made consecrateinge prie­stes to consecrate and offer sacrifise, more then euerie christian mā is to offer vp his owne bo­die a liuely sacrifice to God by beareinge the crosse of Christe and crucifiynge the fleshe to the worlde. And after this sorte. I rede that he made all them that he washed in his bloude priestes. Apoca. l. That is to saye all the faythfull bele­uers of his death and resurrection. Other prie­stehode I reade of none in the newe testament nor of any other prieste then onely Christ who is the eternall and euerlastinge prieste, and o­ther priest or priesthode, is there one named in the newe testament. I reade in Paules Epi­stle to the Corhinth. that God hath apoynted certaine membres in his congregacion, to whō he hath geuen certayne singular gyftes. Fyrste he hath ordeyned some Apostles, some prophe­tes or preachers, some doctours or teachers, some prowres or maiestates, some curares of dseases, some succurers of the nedie or kepers of hospitalitie, some gouernours or [...], some haueinge diuers kyndes of tonges, and [Page] some interpreters of lāguages: but amongst al [...] I fynde no mencion of these cons [...]rat [...] ­inge priestes. And the same Paule, writteynge vnto Timothe conserninge the choseinge of ministers: calleth them byshops and deacons, that is to saye wachmen and ministers, and not sacrificers. But here perchaunce you wyll saye, that by thys deacon or minister: is mente your priest, your consecrater, & sacrificer. Not so syr. For Paul described him not to be such a felow as your sacrifier is discribed to be in y ^• cautils of your Masse, The first cautile (saith your Masse boke) is that the priest which wyll celebrate Masse, do after the beast maner pre­pare his cōscience through pure confessiō, that he do vehemently desire the sacrament, and in­tende to worke his feate, that is to consecrate or make Christes bodie and bloude. That he knowe by herte howe to be haue him selfe in all his doinges. And that he haue than [...]rlie and deuoute gesturs. Thys is your sacrificer. But saynete Paules man is an other maner felow He must be chaste, not double tonged, not ge­uen to muche wyne, not foloweinge filthy lu­cre, hauyng the misterie of fayth in a pure con­science. Yea he saieth not he wyl haue his mā confessed before he minister, but he wyll haue him proued and tried and so to minister, haue­ing no faute whereof he maye iustely be rebu­ked. Thus se you frind Hogarde, that in scrip­ture you haue no testimonie for your sacricer [...] and consecrateinge priestes. But yet I knowe wel you cā not as yet perswade your selfe to be confuted in thys behalfe, for you haue pla­ced apiece of scripture to the contraie do thys in the remēbraūce of me (say you) was a plaine cōmaūdemēt to the apostles to cōsecrat christs [Page] bodye, and by thys cōmaundement, hath euerie of them power to do it, as well Iudas as Pe­ter, And then I am sure if a man shoulde aske you the questian, you would saye that the most vilanouse creature in the worlde beinge a priste (as you cal them) hath ful power to do y ^• same by breathynge out a fewe wordes out of a co­uetouse herte and blasphemouse mouth, wyth a mynde full of all abhominable and wicke [...] thoughtes. Tushe tush you saye he is but a mi­nister. It is god y ^• doeth the dede. But I praye you syr by your leaue. Whose membre is he? Paule sayeth that who so toupleth hym self [...] wyth an harlot, is the mēbre of an harlot, and he that worketh vice is the seruante of synne then tell me, I praye you, whose minister he is, The mēbre of an whore, the seruaunt of sinne and the minister of Christe? Non coherent.

The [...]e thinges agre not. It is necessarie, that they be fyrst mēbres of Christ and afterward [...] ministers. But here your counsailours wil say (for I take them to be more subtile then you bi reasō y ^• they are trained in a more subtile kind of liuinge then you are) that the wycked mini­sters in the church are the ministers of God as well as the godlye For Iudas whoe was by the testimonie of Christ, a dyuel: was notwith­standeynge Christes minister and Apostle. Ye [...] he cured diseases and wrought other miracles as well as the othere Apostles dyd. Cracke me thys nut saye you. Forsoeth syr you shall son [...] haue it cracked, and I beseche God the kernell maye do you good. I graunte that as Iudas was the minister of Christe and wrought mi­racles: so are all priestes that do resemble Iu­das the ministers of Christ as Iudas was and maye do all that Christe hath comaunded them [Page] euen as he dyd. Iudas was a dyuell but not [...] (Iudas beynge presente) that one of them whiche put his hande into the dishe with hym shoulde betraye him: the disciples beganne to [...]ske him one after an other, whiche of them it was. Is it I sayde one, is it I saide an other. They sawe nothing in Iudas his conuer [...]aci­on, wherfore they shoulde suspecte hym more then them selues. But your sacrificeinge prie­stes are so far gone that their conuersacion de­clareth them to be the membres of the diuel, and the ministers of ba [...]e. They are of those prie­stes to whom God sayth by hys prophet. You offer defyled bread on my aultare, and yet you saye. Wherin haue we poluted the? Euen in that (sayth the Lorde) you saye the table of the Lord is but a vyle thynge. What other thing I praye you do your sacrificeing priestes? They [...]an not a byde the Lordes table, nor the Lordes supper, they muste haue an aultare and sacri­fice, Thei can not be content with communion [...]t the Lordes table accordeinge to the fyrst in­stitucion in honeste apparayle: but they muste haue a priuate Masse in masking cot [...]s bashed full of turnes & halte turnes, be [...]keinges duck­inges, crosseyng [...]s, kysseynges, tosseynges and tumblinges, besydes the irreuerent breathynge out of wordes vpon breade and wyne, and thē holdeynge them vp to be worshiped as goddes,

Yet once agayne marke the wordes of the prophete. Which of you (sayeth the Lord) shet­teth the dores and setteth fyre on mine aultars [...]thout hyr? I haue no delite in you sayth the Lorde of hostes, and wyll receyue no gyfte at your hāde Nowe tel me whether these wordes agree not wyth your priestes prouerbe. No pe­nye [Page] no pater noste [...]. Let me se if your [...] will do this heauēly worke of theirs without hire. Yea will they not compel men to giue thē wages for doinge it? Howe saye you by the Masses at burialles, are not men constrayned to haue them and to paye for them? It shal not nede to reherse their dirige grotes, mariages monie, christeninge crisomes, beadrolle bribes, and suche other pillage. If the kynge shoulde take of euerie hoseling person (as they cal thē) yerely .ii. pēce. as they do at easter: what would be sayed trowe you? If he shoulde suffer none to be maried without a tribute: what gurdge­inge woulde ther be amonge the people? Well I saye no more but the plage of God shall fall vpon th [...]se hir [...]lings, and make them dispised of al nacions, because they haue not kepte the wayes of the Lorde.

But nowe for your text of scripture (do this in the remēbraūce of me) whervpon you groun­ded your folishe faith of consecratinge and sa­crifi [...]eing priestes: we must first consider what it was that Christ bade them do in his remem­braunce. Consecrat his bodie and bloude say [...] you, for that was the thinge that he hym selfe dyd. But they that vnderstande the thynge a­right, say that he commaunded them to deuide breade and wyne amonge them as he had done immediatly before. For Paul, speakyng of the same thinge sayeth. So often as you eate this breade and drincke thys cup: you shall declare the death of the Lorde till the come. The eate­inge of the breade therfore and dryackeing of the cup: are the thinges that Christ commaun­ded his Apostles to do in hys remembraunce, and not the consecrateinge of his bodie and blonde as you saye. So oft as ye shall do these thinges (saith Christ) ye shall do it in the remē ­braunce [Page] of me. As though he should haue saied So ofte as you shal come together and be par­takers al of one breade and cup to thentente to declare your selues therby, to be al members of one bodie through the fayth you haue cōceiued in me: you shall do it in the remēbraunce of me: the onely head of the bodie wherof you be mē ­bres, callinge to your remēbraunce this thinge that I haue here done to certifie you of your redemption by my death & bloud shed [...]ing and that euery one of you, is as well pertaker ther­of, as you are of this breade & wine, whiche I haue deuided amōgest you. This is y ^• true me­neing of, do this in the remēbraūce of me, & not as you phanta [...]ie geueing powre to priestes to consecrate Christes bodie and bloude.

Wel now you procede & thinke to wine your spores by vanquisheing a mā of armes of your own appointing. For I neuer knewe any that was so folishe (o [...]lesse it wer one of your teachinge) y ^• would say y ^• this sacramēt was noght els but a signe of christs passiō. For we (aga [...]st whō you fight so manfulli) do beleue & confesse that it is in significacion the veri bodi & bloud of Christ, y ^• is (the natural proprites therof cō ­sidred) spiritually applied, & do declare vnto vs the efficacie & strēgth of y ^• bodie and bloude of Christ in geueing life to our soules: & the coup­linge of vs together into one bodie by faieth. These a [...] things of great importaūce & valure in y ^• cies of y ^• spiritual mēbres of christ, though in your fleshely eies whiche cannot dicerne the thing of y ^• spirit, thei be vile and of no valure. Well, you go forward with the triall of your mastries with your owne manne and laye sor [...] to his charge with certayne exampls. The pas­call lambe you saye whiche was offered in the old law, was an onely figure of christs offring [Page] wherin you help [...] the scripture, for it was als [...] a remembraunce of the deliueraunce out of E­gipt. But to our purpose, another exemple you b [...]inge of the rocke of stone out of the whiche flowed water, and that stone you saye figured Christe, and that is true But I thynke it a mā should aske you how the stone figureth Christ you woulde shape him bu [...] a slender answere, Well I wyll answere for you thys once, and saye, that in that the water ishued out of the Rocke t [...]elye wythout any labour of mannes hande by dygeinge or heweinge therin: it signi­fied Christ, the rocke and fountayne of liuing water, who geueth y ^• water of lyte for nought wythout any of oure merites or deserueinges. And ryghte so doeth the pascall lambe beynge without spot and offered vp by the whole mul­titude of the children of Israell, eaten gredely wyth wylde [...] and vnleuened brcade: de­clare that Christe oure pascall lambe should be without spot of sin, offered vp by y ^• who [...] mul­titude of the house of Israell, [...]at is for and through theyr [...]innes. For the sinnes of the peo­ple were the cruci [...]iers of Christe. The gredie eateinge of it, wyth wilde lettise (an herbe no­thynge pleasante but bytter) and vnlcuended breade (a thinge vnsauourie) declareth the [...]ar­uent sayeth wherby the fa [...]ethfull do [...]te thys lambe [...]hriste, and beare the betternesse of his crosse, nothyng [...] regardeynge the werishnesse and the vnsauiourie tast of the [...] which le­med to be vtterlye destroyed on the crosse.

Now applie these .ii. [...]xamples of yours to the [...], & tel me what inconu [...]nience th [...]ugh in [...] they be accommpted as good as the [...]acr [...]mēt. For euen as it was saide of the sacramente, thys is my bodie: so was it [Page] sayde of the pascall lambe. Thys is the passeo­uer of the Lord, and of the rocke, y ^• rocke was [...]. So that it this worde is [...] to chaunce substaūcent hath chaunged the sub­staunce of the lambe and rocke also.

But to be bri [...]fe in thys [...] your fonde al [...]ercion that the sacrament is boeth the signe and thinge signified: I thinke it scarte worthy to be spoken of. But yet cō [...]id [...]ring that it hath ben a commune errour, and certayne men of godly zeale and knowledge haue gone aboute to defende it: I wil somewhat laye in i [...], to the con [...]entacion of the consciences of the weake.

The signe and the thinge signified, are as the father and the sōne, or the mai [...]ter & the [...]eruaūt are. That is to laye contrary, after [...]uch sorte that the one can by no meanes be th. same that the other is, in one and the same respect. As the mayster, in the respecte of the seruante, by whome he b [...]areth the name of a maister, can not be truelye called a seruaunte, nor contrari­wise: right to the signe of any thinge cā not (in the respecte o [...] y ^• thinge) be a thinge [...], Wherfore I conclude, that the breade being y ^• [...]ign o [...] y ^• natural bodi of christ: cānot be y ^• sai [...] natural & real bodie. I am not ignoraunt what fond cauillacions som mē vse about this mat­ti [...], referringe the signe to the accidentes of breade and the thinge signified to the sustaūce of the breade turned into Christes bodie. But to make accidē [...]es the signes of substaunces, when they be not visible nor otherwise sensi­ble, and a signe muste necessarily be sensible: I thinke it not worth the speak [...]inge of. Some hau [...] gone about [...]o proue by a similitude, that one thy [...]ge myght b [...] both [...]igne and the thyng signified also. The breade (saye they that the [Page] baker setteth forth for a sygne, is [...] b [...]ead and yet signifieth vnto vs that there is bread [...] to sell, so that that breade beinge the signe of breade: is boeth the signe and thinge signified. This reasone is apparant, and hath some si­militude of the truth, But if a man weygh it well, he shall perceyue that the breade whiche standeth in the windowe for a sygne of breade within to be solde: is not that bread which is wythin to be solde. And otherwyse is it not a signe. For as it standeth in the windome to be sold [...]it is bread to be sold, & not y ^• signe of bred to be sold. And wher you charge vs with incre­dulitie of the Iewes: we charge you with no lesse For as they could not beleue that Christs fleshe myght be eaten by fayeth: so can not you but loke to haue him grossely and (euen as thei dyd) that he coulde no other wise perfourme his words, thē if he should conueigh his body into such creatures as mē do vse to fede vpō. But we beleue, and are by our fayeth assured, that he is able and hath geuen vs his fleshe to eate bi fayth accordinge to the fathfull wordes of Augustine Beleue and thou hast eaten. And so eatyng hym we shal neuer dye, Wheras you fleshemongers y ^• do daielie (as you thinke) de­uour him fleshe bloude & bones, are not like [...]o escape the death euerlastinge (vnlesse ye repēt) because ye haue hādled the most worthi sacra­mēts of y ^• bodi & bloud of Christ so vnworthi­lie. Is makeing it a sacrifice for y ^• quick & dead for all diseases of men and beastes, for al pla­ [...]es the (euident tokens and sygnes of goddes iust wrath towardes vs) Yea makeinge it vt­terly a mattier of marchandise, togather mony together and the ministracion therof a kind of occupacion and worke for moneye to mayn­tayne Idel bellies, y ^• nether can nor will learne [Page] to be profitable to the publike weale.

Here you would seme to se far in a milstone You haue espied (you saye) that thoughe we talke neuer so [...]eolilie, we do not cōfesse (which you confesse plainely) that we haue the same word wherwyth god made al thinges

And your proufe is substanciall, for you say that, that worde is the seconde persone in Tri­nitie whō we haue not because we beleue him to be in heauen. But you haue him you saye in the sacramēt, And thē you vse a figure of Rhe [...]orike called preoccupacion, but I thinke you knewe not his name before. You preuent your aduersarie and solute his obicetion before it is made. And wittelye you saye, yesse. Yea, sayeth your aduersarie, Then is all your matti [...]r quit gone, excepte your priestes can helpe and stande stoutly by it. Wel hi [...] saye you than and lyke [...] clarke you braule after your accustome maner till you haue declared your selfe, as well sene in the scriptures as euer you were.

But some what to open your ignoraunce, I shall in fewe wordes declare vnto you, howe we confesse that we haue the worde wherwith God made the worlde. In the firste of Gene­sis it is written that God sayde. Let the light be made, and furth with it was made, & ryght so of al his other creatures. This is the worde wherwith we knowe that god made all thinge of nought. But you wold seme to be o [...] a more fyne opinion, and lyke an Ape you imitate the thing that you can not attaine to. You woulde gladlye seme to be of the opiniog of them that affirme God and▪ his worde to be all one. For you saye the worde wherewith God made the worlde, is the seconde persone [...]n trinitie. And [Page] [...] you thrust him in to the sacramēt and say that we haue him ther, as thoughe ther were no way but that, wherby we might haue him present. And truly after suche [...]orte as you dreame him to be presente, it is not possible to haue him present other wise then in some ma­teriall substaunce.

For you are not content to haue him present as the Israelites hadde in the wildernesse, but you wil after their exem [...]ple [...] vn to Aaron to make you gods that you maye se with the car­nal eie: for the Israelites were not so grosse but they knewe that the caulfe whiche they hadde made was not God, but thought they coulde not honour nor call vpon God otherwise then in a visible fourme. Thei were not perswaded of his inuisible presence in all places. Euen so you thoughe you confesse the inuisible presence of God in al places: yet you appoynte the secōd person in trinitie to his place in the sacrament, thinckeinge that you can not otherwise haue the fruishion of his presence then by a visible shape, the cause whereof is none other, but the lacke of gostly syght which shoulde shewe him you in his worde, although in the meane tyme I do not denie (yea I protest and defende) that the spirituall eie seth him in his sacramentes also, the substaūce of the sacramentes remaineinge in theyr naturall propertie of substaunce Thus muche haue I sayed for the haueinge of the worde wherewith God made all thinges of nought. Nowe you conclude vpon the authour sayeinge. Sir, you take not the scriptures a­right. For you saye God made all this worlde of nothinge. And doeth it folowe th [...]rfore▪ that man can not by Gods might turne thynges frō theyr nature God beinge willinge they shoulde [Page] [...]o do. In this piece you vtter your owne igno­raunce & lacke of lea [...]ing. Who would be so made as once to surmise so fonde a conclusion as you inueigh against as gathered by the au­thour vpon this infallible trueth, God made al the worlde of nothinge. Doth it folowe ther­upon, saye you, that man can not by the might of God turne thinges out of their nature? As though ther had euer ben any so made as to cō ­clud so fōdli. The author endeuoureth nought else but to disproue this argument [...], We haue the worde wher w ^t god made al y ^• thinges of naught, why should we not thē do the same by pronoūceing those wordes? And you cleane cō ­trariwise inueigh agaynste him as thoughe he had fourmed his argument in thys wyse. We haue the worde wher [...] wyth god made all worlde, [...]rgo man can not by gods might alter thinges out of theyr nature. Thus you procede in your blyndnes & after your notes set in y ^• mergēt to cōfirm your saying, you sai you haue tolde vs before by the plaine wordes of Christ▪ For the priest you saye is but a minister & like a parr [...]t speaketh Christes wordes agayne, euē as christ him self bad (sai you) but ther, with your leaue you lie, I can nolenger forbeare you whē you bely my maister. For he neuer bad any priest or Apostle to speake those wordes agayn, No if he had biden thē speake them againe: he would not haue bydden thē (as the cauteles of your Masse do teach) breath thē out w ^t one breath w ^tout any pauseing or stop, as thoughe y ^• pro­nounceinge of the wordes might make or ma [...] But he [...]ad, saie you, and y ^• not in vaine. For after the wordes spoken our lorde doeth by his powre create no newe thinge but bryngeth ther the presence of our sauiour. You were so lothe to mayme your ryme that you haue well moste [Page] [...] your reasone For howe agreth this w ^t that which you haue sayede in the beginning? The Lord did by his worde tourne the breade into his bodie, & the wine into his bloude. And here you say y ^• after the wordes spoken ou [...]e Lord bringeth there the presence of our saui­our. A man myght here demaund of you what Lorde and sauiour you talke of. But it is but follye to content about the mone shyne in wat­ter (as the english prouerbe goeth) I wyl ther­fore leaue you to your wyse reason [...]s, tyll you haue answered this confutation accordeing to your bragges.

You seme to accōpte reasone enimie to faith and to thynke that the brute beastes which are not troubled wyth reasone: maye soonest ap­prehende the perfection of fayeth. You do but cōtend by reasōe to kepe fayth at a baye charg [...] men wyth that they do not de fende (with [Page] that you can not defēd, you shoulde haue said) but if we sayde (saye you) that the making did depend either vpon the priest or of God, which we denie (whome we denie, you shoulde haue sayede) then had we some cause thus to spende our time. But for as muche as you neither be­leue, that it dependeth of the priest nor of God but of y ^• diuel as it semeth for one of thē must (bear the stroke in the mattier) you can saye no more but so it is, Christ is there, How it is w [...] can not tell, nor are desirouse to knowe. Yet yernestly you exhort vs to leaue y ^• we neuer v­sed (sence it pleased god to open our eies for it is against your catholyke & true faith, you say, that Christe shoulde be created a newe. Here is neither heade nor taile, but onelye an heape of wordes to fil out the line & make the [...]ime. You haue saied before, y ^• the priest as a minister pronounceth the wordes, & god doth his creature transmut, And now ye deni it. It depēd [...]th you say of neither of them. Yea you conclude be­fore y ^• our Lordes dodie is ther fleshe and fell, and in an other place you say bodie and soule & bisides y ^• god and mā: but here you say he is there, but how, you seke not to spie. But I cō ­iecte yet an other meaneinge in your wordes (though in dede they sowne no lesse thē I haue saied) you wil say perchaūce, y ^• in your saying that you seke not to espie how he is ther, you meane y ^• you seke not to know whether he bee ther passible or impassible, mortal or immortal whether he be ther in such sort y ^• the mose may eate him, the fire burne him, or the weat corrupt him. Thoughe you se al these thinges chaunce to the cake which you call consecrate & turned into the bodi of Christ, yet you▪ wil not seke to spie whether Christ suffer these thinges or not [Page] Well then, if a man shoulde demaunde of you whether the bodie of Christe dooe suffer these thinges eateinge of the mouse, burneinge an [...] corruptynge: what answer would you make? You will not go frō that you haue written I am sure you wil not seke to spie. I will beleue it, but I will not serche it. And I praye you what wil you beleue? That Christe is ther na­turallie and reallye, & that ther remaneth no­substaunce, but onely the substaūce of Christe God & man.

Is ther none other su [...]staunce there? What is it then that filleth the mouses bealye, & bur­neth in the fire chaungeth colour and putrifi­eth? My Lorde of Winchester sayeth [...] den­tes for substaunce he sayeth there is none but Christe, who can suffer none of all this, and you saye you wyll not seke to spye. Well then I leaue you as one vncertaine of his fayth not knowing what to beleue, nor willing to learne And as you exhorte vs to leaue that is not in vs because it is against your [...]aith: euē so I ex­horte you to seke for that you haue not, that is the true vnderstāding of Christes sacramētes For it is a gayust our beleife (whych is the one onely fayeth which is grounded vpon the sure foundacion of the scripture) that Christ should be naturally and reallye presente in an [...]e other place then heauen, tyl he com to iudge y ^• world

☞No man myght worsse haue complayned of the blyndnes of theym that wyl not se, then you your selfe (frende Swynharde) for if you woulde but once open your eies, and reade the places of scripture that you bring for your purpose and weigh them with the circumstances: I doubt not you woulde be ashamed to wrest them [...]o farre oute of tune. And where you do nowe gather of Christes longynge before hys supper, and his thirstyng on the crosse, that the [Page] first bodye, that is (as you say) the bread, and y ^• last, which died on y ^• cro [...]e, are al one: I doubte not but if you would way the places with worthy iudgement, you would sone be ashamed of your writyng, and of al your fond resonyng a­boute the same words. For the first Luke saith When the houre of supper was come, he satte downe and his. xii. Luke. xxii Apostles with him, and he sayd vnto them. With great desire haue I de­sired, to eate this passeouer with you before I suffre. For I saye vnto you, from hensfurth I wyl not eate it, tyl such tyme as it be fulfylled in the kyngdome of God. &c.

☞What spiritual eie can se any other thing in these wordes of our sauiour: then that he desyreth greatly to declare vnto them before hys death by the eatyng of that lambe which was the remembraunce of their deliueraunce out of Egipt, and the fygure of hymselfe, beyng the vnspotted lābe that was preordinated to take away the synnes of the world: that from thēce furth they should nomore vse any suche sacra­ment or ceremony to declare hys commynge in the flesh, because the tyme was then come wher in this sacrament and all other should be fulfilled by hys death vpon the crosse, whiche was, is, and shalbe our deliueraunce out of the spi­ritual Egypt, and the sufficient raunsome for our sinnes. This was the fulfyllyng of the fy­gure by the veritie, and not as you fantasie the olde to be fulfilled by the new, in that you saye that Christ ordayned his law to fulfil that law So that you make one lawe figure of another and one sacrament to be the thyng signified by an other. But you sai, that lambe was himself whiche he ordeined to be offered in the remem­braunce of his bitter deathe and passion. Here [Page] myght I aske you which lambe? you wil sat. I am sure, the true lambe that the prophetes saw which is himself. Wel then hath he made hym­self a remembraunce of his owne death. But I prai you, esteme you him so litle as so? Do you occompt his death of more, valure thē himself? No signe or remembraunce of a thynge, can be so good as the thing it self, more then the goodnes of the shadowe can be equal of value with the body. If Christ therfore daily offred vp, be the remēbraunce of his bitter death: then is his bitter death better then he himself. And yet you haue not all done with Christes longyng. One thyng you say, you woulde haue noted by the way. And that is that Christ longed to eate the passeouer with his disciples, not onelye to ful­fil the lawe, but also to shew them more of hys wyl, which was, that he would geue thē a per­fect pledge of eternall lyfe, according to his promise made to them before (as is mencioned you say in the. vi. of Ihon) geuynge his fleshe to be communicate, that they myght therby be incor­porate in hym and he in thē. And thē you ioyne hereunto, his thrustyng on the crosse. And vpō this longyng and thurstyng, well and clarkely you gather the greate desire that Christ had to ful [...]yl his promyse that he made when he said The bread that I shall geue is my fleshe.

☞Men of learnynge and iudgemente in the scriptures, may easely perceiue your ignoraūce in this matter. I wil not therfore go aboute to opē it to them. But for their sakes that be not yet fully grounded in the true vnderstandynge hereof, I wyl take sōwhat more paynes in the openyng of this ignoraunce of yours, nowithstandyng that I haue spoken somwhat large­ly of the mattier in the confutation of the for­mer [Page] parte of your answere, wher you claymed thys, promyse of Christ as you do here.

☞Marke therfore good christian brothers, to you I speake y ^• ar not yet so fully instructed in Christ, but that you sauour somwhat of the Phariseis leuen, & yet would gladly be deliue­red from the blyndnes of errour, marke I [...]ay how far wide this man is from the true mea­ning of Christ in this place. He hath non other occasiō at al, to appl [...]e this piece of scripture to his purpose: but only for that ther is bread men [...]ioned. It fareth by hym euen as it doth by the patrons & defēdours of Purgatorie. For whersoeuer he findeth bread named in the scripture, ther he laith a straw, as a marke to [...] his cō mune places by: euē as thei did whē th [...]i found ani mēciō of fire. Ihō Frith hath opened their folly at large in his dispu [...]atiō vpō Purgatori Would God I were able to do hal [...]e so muche in this matter▪ But take it in good parte (deare brethrē) that I shal writ. And if you shal find it consonāt & agreable to the scriptures: then em­brace it, and geue God the thankes, otherwise, hold it accur [...]ed, and do not once opē your eies vpon it. For the mo y ^t should embrace my doc­trin being vngodl [...]: the greater should my dam nation be. But being assertained by y ^• spirit of truth, that I teach nothing but that I fynde in the boke of truth: I am bold to byd you mark and learne the true vnderstandynge of these wordes of our sauiour Christ: The bread that I shal geue, is my flesh. ¶Our sauiour Christ, perceiuing y ^• the fleshlye minded Iewes, [...]oloed him more for y ^• thei had eatē the loues which he had multipli [...]d, then for the miracle or wonder y ^• he had wrought: [...]oke occasion at [...]he questiā which thei asked him saiyng, Rabbi or May­ster, [Page] when cāmest thou hyther? as who shoulde saye we haue sought and layd wayt to knowe howe and whan thou shouldest passe the sea, but we coulde not perceyue any ship prepared for thy passage. Hast thou therefore cōueighed thy selfe ouer by miracle as thou diddest mul­tiplie the fiue loues? He toke occaciō I sai here a [...], to declare vnto them that all hys wordes and dedes are to be loked on with the spiritu­al [...]ie and not with the carnall. And euen at the firste he sayeth vnto them. Ye folowe me not because you haue sene the wonders. But be­cause you haue eaten of the breads and are sa­tisfied. As who shoulde say you pretende a wō derous desire to se the wōders that I work▪ as men that woulde therby be allured to embrace and folowe my doctrine: but youre intente is none other but to be fed at my hande and so to lyue Idlely without labour and trauaile more then to wander vp and downe after me. But I shall tel you what you shall do if you wil fo­lowe me. Worke for the meate that perisheth not, but that remayneth into lyfe euerlastinge which meate the sonne of man shall geue you. For this is y ^• meat that god the father hath appoynted. Then sayed they. What maye we do to worke the workes of god? He answered vnto thē in this wise. This is▪ the worke of God that you beleue in him whome he hath sente. Thē brake they out in theyr owne likenes, and agaynste theyr wylles, vttered theyr faulse dis­similacion, sayeinge. What myracle workest thou therefore, that we maye se it, and beleuethe? What workes doste thou? Our fathers eate Manna in the wildernes, as it is written. He gaue thē bread frō heauen to eate. But our sauioure sayd vnto thē. Moises gaue you not [Page] [...] or verie bread in dede frō heauen. For y ^• is the true bread y ^• descended frō heauen, & geueth life to the worlde Then sayde they, Lorde geue vs this bread alwayes. These mens mynd was al­together vpon materiall breade. Let vs neuer lacke this bread, say they. Well Christ maketh them answere. I am the bread of lyfe, sayeth he, who so cōmeth vnto me shall not honger, and he that beleueth in me, shall neuer thurste. But I haue told you, that you haue both sene me, and not beleued. Here may you learn to eat the bread y ^• Christ speaketh of. It nedeth you not to prepare tooeth and throte, nother bealye nor stomake, but beleue & you shall not [...]onger nor thurst. You shall haue plentie of his heauē ly foode. He that commeth to me sayth Christ & he that beleueth in me. To come vnto Christ and to beleue in Christ, is all one thinge, as ap­peareth by the wordes folowing. Euerie thing that my father geueth me shall come vnto me, and I will not caste him out that cometh vnto me. For I descended frome heauen, not to do my wil, but his will that sent me. And thys is the wil of mi father y ^• sēt me: that I should not lose ani thinge y ^• he gaue me, but that I should [...]ayse it again in the last day. Yea, this is the wyl of my father y ^• sente me: y ^• euery one that seeth the son and beleueth in him, should haue life euerlasting, & I wil raise him at the last day He that seeth the son and beleueth in him. To see and to beleue, to eate and come to Christe is all one thyng. The Iewes therfore murmu­red at his wordes in that he sayed. I am the liuinge breade that descended frome heauen and they sayde. Is not this the sonne of Io­seph whose father and mother we knowe.

[Page]How sayth he thā y ^• he descended frō heauen? Behold these carnal Iewes, how grossely the [...] applied al thing [...]s to the flesh. They were alto­gether flesh, & could perceiue no [...]hing of the spirite. Christ endeuoured to teach thē the misteri of his incarnacion, who being the fourme of God thought it nor obbri to hūble him selfe in­to the fourme of a seruaūt, & they would nedes vnderstande his wordes to bespokē of y ^• bodie whi [...]h thei knew to be borne of Marie the car­pē [...]ers wife. Is not this Iosephes sonne sayed they whose father & mother we knowe? Howe standeth thys then wyth hys wordes when he sayeth I came from heauen? But he answered their fleshelye talke saiynge. Murmure not among your selues. For no man can come vnto me, excepte my Father whiche sente me drawe [...]im and I shall rayse him in the last day. It is written in the Prophete. All shalbe taughte of god. Euer [...]e one that hath hearde of the father and hath learned: cometh vnto me.

Not y ^• any man hath sene the father, saue only he y ^• is of god. He hath sen the father. By this seing of the father, may you easily (most deare brithern) perceiue, what seing, what eateinge & comminge vnto Christe it is, that is ment in al this Chapi Euen the gostly eateing, seing and comeing vnto Christe. For though a mā be ne­uer so muche of God: yet shal not his fleshely eie see God. And to declare hys meaning more plainly he saith. He that beleueth in me hath e­uerlasting life. Al that he hath spokē before of the eating, comming & seing, & al that he spea­keth afterward, is conteined in those few word [...]s he that beleleueth in me hath euerlastinge lyfe. I am the breade of life: Your fathers dyd eate manna in wildernesse and are dead, Thys [Page] bread is it y ^• cāe frō heauē, y ^• if any mā shal eate of it, he shal not die. I am y ^• liueing bread, which came frō heauen. If any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer. And the breade y ^• I shall geue: is my flesh, which I shal geue for the lyfe of the worlde. Here is the whole mattier, here haue we a playne promise (say thei) y ^• the bread that Christ shoulde geue to his disciples at his maundie was his fleshe. Oh blinde asses. How long wil it be ere you pearce the flesh & enter in­to the spirite? Because his outwarde wordes so [...]ne flesh. You wyl not once thinck vpon any spirit, but euen as the Iewes dyd, sticke styl in the flesh & fleshly eatyng. But because you wyl not seme to murmur & contend as y ^• Iewes did saiyng, how cā this mā geue vs his flesh to eat: You wyl beleue (you say) that it was a thynge very easy to do. And thē you reproue y ^• Iewes of vnbeleue: because they wer not so grosse as you, to beleue that Christ would thrust his na­tural bodi into a peice of bread, that thei might without grudge of stomack eat it. You declare your selues neither to sauour the spirit, nor yet to vnderstand the phrases of the letter. The Ie­wes could take the phrase a right, & saye howe [...]ā this mā g [...]ue vs his flesh to eat? Thei doub­ted not how he should geue thē his fleshe in the fourm of bread: for thei knew, y ^• after y ^• phrase of the Hebrue tong, he ment by bread food. As thoughe he shoulde haue sayde. Youre fathers were fedde in the wildernes, with Manna, and yet they are dead, but the foode wherewyth I shal feede you is my flesh, not that you shal eat it as your fathers dyd Manna and so dye, but I will geue it for the lyfe of the worlde, so that if you wyl beleue and putte youre trust herein (for that is the eatynge of my fleshe) you shall [Page] neuer die the death of the soule, for the bodye is mor [...]al and must nedes dye. That this was his meanyng, is playne by the answere that he gaue to their contention. Certes (sayeth he) I say vnto you, except ye eate my fleshe & drynke my bloud: you shall haue no lyfe in you. Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud, hath euerlastyng lyfe, and I wil rayse him vp at the last day. And then he openeth the phrase of the Hebreue more playne and saythe. My fleshe is very food, and my bloude very drincke, he that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloud, tarieth in me, and I in hym. And as my liuynge father sent me, and I liue through hym: euē so he that eateth me, liueth through me▪ Now tel me (you fleshmongers) if the Iewes hadde then torne Christ in peaces with their teth, and eaten him euery morsel, should they haue liued through [...] hym? Oh beastly blynd. This is the fode that came from heauen. Not as your fathers dyd eate manna and are deade: but such as [...]ate [...]his tode shal neuer die. If this be spoken of the sa­crament howe agreeth it wyth the wordes of s. Paule to the Corinth? who so [...]ateth this bread and drinketh this cup vnworthily eateth & drinketh his owne iudgement. Howe chaunced it y ^• Iudas was not saued by it? Howe can youre pristes that breake they faste with it dayely, be damned? Yea if this be spoken of the sacramēt then is that also spoken of the sacrament when he sayeth Excepte you eat my fleshe & drincke my bloud, you shal haue no life in you. And thē how could the thefe y ^• was crucified w ^t Christ be saued? For I am right sure he neuer receiued the sacrament. Yea in what takeinge be all the children & yonglinges that die before they come to yeres of discrecion to receiue this sacramēt. [Page] Thus maye you se (deare bretherne) howe [...] these men are from the spirite, and yet they woulde seme so spiritual y ^• they haue captiua­ted all theyr senses & reasone also to beleue the thinge that was neuer taught, and that after suche sorte, that they declare them selues therin to be moost f [...]eshely nothinge perceyueinge the wordes of Christe when he sayeth The wor­des that I speake, are spirite and life. It is the spirit that geueth life, y ^• flesh profiteth nothing.

Nowe frinde Hoggherd. I thinke you be a­shamed of your misreporting of this piece of scripture, or if you be pas [...]e shame: yet I truste the godlie minded do so plainelie perceiue your slender iudgemente herein that they wyll g [...]ue you leaue to lye tyl your tong faile you ere thei wyl credite your wordes. But nowe commeth the hardest piece of worke into hand. Yea and so clearkly handled (as you thinke) that no mā can be able to auoide your reasones. At his last supper you say, Christe toke breade, blessed it, brake it, and gaue it to hys disciples and bade them take and eate, this is my bodie. And then to shewe them what bodye it was (saye you) that he ment: he added these wordes. Wh [...]ch [...] for your synnes shalbe broken. Then (subtyle, ly) you aske thys question. What bodie (saye you) was it that was broken for our trespas? And then you phantasie wyth your selfe, that we wyll not saye a fantasticall bodie, but euen the same bodye that was borne of the virgyne Marie. It semeth by your wordes that you thinke the Apostels to be of your opinion con­cerneing the pluralitie of Christes bodies. To shewe them you saye, what bodie it was that he mente: he sayed, y ^• bodie which for oure syn­nes was brokē. And stil thinkeing euerie mā to [Page] be of your owne opinion, you aske vs y ^• same questian. Wherunto we answere euen as you coniecte, no signe of a bodie, but the selfe same bodi y ^t was borne of the virgine Marie. Uoide this if you may, saye you. Alas pore fole, whie triūphest thou before the victorie? Thou thin­kest y ^t al is ouerthrowne with this one weake argumēt. Which in veridede is none argumēt but a mere cauillacion, as shall moste plainely appeare to as [...] many as knowe how to fourme an argumēt. Your argumēt (or rather cauillaciō) is fourmed in this wyse. Thys is my bodye which shalbe broken for you, but the bodie that shalbe brokē for you was borne of the virgine Marie, Ergo this bodie was borne of the vir­gine Marie. I thynke a man had nede to haue you to y ^• vniuersitie to teach you to vnderstād your erroure in this argumēte. For I perceiue you haue perswaded your selfe y ^• euerie thinge y ^t may be brought into tourme of argument is infalliblie true. Other wise you would not tri­umph vpon this argument I am sure. Consi­der I praye you, your maior prosicion, if you knowe what a maior or proposicion meaneth, & then tel me wherther it be not a doubtful pro­posicion, for a man holdeinge bread in his hād or rather haueing deliuered breade vnto other to saie this is my bodie which shalbe brokē for you Is it not as like y ^• he should by y ^• proposi­ciō, meane y ^• the bread is his bodie in significa­cion, as in substaūce. Yesse verely, & more lyke, considering the partie that spake the wordes, and the cause whie that natural bodie of his was cōceiued & borne of the virgine Mar [...]e: & againe the heares to whō the wordes were spokē & the bread deliuered. For ther be in y ^• bread two thinges whiche do plainelie declare these [Page] [...] by y ^t the bread is the principanl fode of the bodie yea & in the language y ^t he spake, al kyn­des of fode are called bread Christ therfore be­ing the onely & vniuersall fode of the soule: is right wel declared & signified vnto vs by thys bread. The other thinge is the makeing of the bread of mani graines being but one bo [...]i whē it, is made. And therby is wel declared y ^• vnitie of al faithful beleuers in Christ, who being manie in nūbre, are in fayth but one mistical bodye of Christe. Lo here is your maior proposicion, Aske your coūsalours how your cōclusion fo­loweth herupon, I praie you, & thē tel me more of your mind. I will spēd no more time w ^t you nowe about this argumēte, because I thynke you may say by the termes of the arte, as a cer­tayne priste in the citie of Londō saied by thys terme trāsubstāciacion, I could neuer knowe (quoth he) what this word trāsubstāciō should meane. Wel you labour to proue by y ^• same argumēt, y ^• the wine is y ^• natural bloud of christe and thē you descant vpon Christes (this) when he sayed, Do thys in the membraunce of me.

What this was it y ^• he bade them do, saie you, was it not to bles, to breake, to geue, & to speake the same wordes y ^• he spak [...]? No fole no. But by those visible sygnes bread & wyne, to cal to remēbraūce the heauēli fedeing of th [...]ir soules and y ^• inseparable vnitie of thē selues by faith Neither be the wordes y ^• Christes spake, the wordes of cōsecraciō, or able to [...]ourne the substaūce of creatures: more thē the name Pe [...]tus which Christ gaue vnto Simon, was able to turne Simon into a rockey or s [...]onye nature, when Christ sayed. [...]ues Petrus et Supper h [...]nc petram et cetera. The wordes therefore [Page] art the wordes of Christ, but to cal the wordes of consecracion, is a mere inuencion of mē, As for your note in y ^• magine, is so wel applied to the purpose: y ^• I leaue it for men to laugh at thinkinge it no neede to confute y ^• which figh­teth with it self, and is redie to [...]ourne agayne and take you by the face in diuers places of your Answere.

Then ye call to remembraunce (you saye) yet one other thing, Christ takeing y ^• cup, you say, intēded to fulfil the moysaycal law in al poin­tes that is to saye, to make the wyne his bloud which was prefigured by al the blud that was offered in the olde lawe. Wherfore (you saye) if the wine remayne styll, he fulfilled the law [...] with the figure of bloude, so that one figure was the fulfilling of an other. Lord god, wha [...] beast coulde be so blind as you shewe your sel [...] to be, wer it not that the spirite of errour reig­neth in you? It appeareth by your words that folow, that you haue reade the Epistle to the Hebrues, and yet you are not ashamed to saye that Christ instituted the sacramente to fulfyl [...] the lawe [...] Paule sayeth the offerynge of hym [...]selfe on the crosse, was the thing that was pre-figured and you saye it was the sacrament. I [...] thys your phantastical opinion, be the trueth: howe chaunceth it that in al the writteinges of the Apostles: can not be founde one word of a­ny such fulfilling of the lawe. Paule wryttin [...] of the sacrifices of the olde lawe euen of p [...]r­pose, to declare the meaneing of thē, declareth thē al to be fulfiled in the one onely offering [...] of Christ on the crosse. Also to the Corin. intē ­deing to declare the true meaning of the yerel [...] passeouer lambe, he sayeth Christ is offered [...] oure pascall lambe. Let vs therefore bancke [...] [Page] not in the leuen of olde malice and wickednes, but in the swete breades of sinceritie and veri­tie. Loo, here he applieth the passouer Lambe, vnto Christe offered for oure synnes, and the swete breades to our godlie conuersacion and liueing. And yet (as one thorowly blinded with affections) you wyl conclude vpon an inconuenience. If the wyne be not turned into verye bloud (you say) it is not so much to be estemed as the figur [...]s of the olde lawe▪

For they were no fygures of bloude but ve­rye bloude in dede Here you declare your selfe not to haue captiuated your senses, for if you had, you would not iudge the wyne to be a fi­gure of bloud because it is red (for other cause [...] is none why you should so cōiect) but you woulde wyth vs confesse that as Paul teach­ [...]th, the wyne representeh vnto vs the wonder­full vnion of all the faythful beleuers in christ that they beinge infinite meanie in numbre, are [...]et but one bodie through the fayeth in Christ Iesu whiche knitteth theym to gether euen as [...]he sin [...]es doo the bodie. And this is declared (sayth Paule) by that the wyne is made of ma [...]ye grapes, and is yet but one cup of wyne, e­uen one bodie, so compact together, that it can [...] no manes be diseuered. Thus do we se that [...] wyne is the figure, not of Christes bloude [...]ecause it is red or lyquid as bloude is: but of [...]he inseperable vnitie of Christes misticall mē ­ [...]res, his faythful church and congregacion of [...]aythful beleuers, We se also that it is the fi­ [...]ure of Christs bloudsheding because it is one of the two principal kynds of fode wherwyth [...]ur bodies be fed, For therin it declareth that [...]he belyefe in Christes bloud shed for our sin­ [...]es is one of the two principall kyndes of the [Page] fode of oure soules. For other fode hath the soule none, then the liuely worde of god, wher­in are taught these two thinges only. The flesh of Christ brokē & his bloud shed for our sinnes These things only (I say) are taught in y ^• scrp­ture. For who so lerneth not these things lear­neth nothing in y ^• scripture. What other thing doth the olde lawe thē bring vs to Christ? And then what doth the newe testament other then teach vs this lesson. We graunt you therfore, that Christe did forse this sacramente to be a great confort to his people, after suche sorte as I haue sayed. Yea we graunt y ^• Christe did al­so forse your lyeynge miracles wherby you e­stablishe your fleshly presence: when he sayed. Beware of false proph [...]tes whiche come vnto you in shepes clotheing, for inwarde they are rauening woulfes. Yea he geueth vs warneing of your lying signes, and of your busie demon­stracions, when you saye, lo here is Christe, lo [...]ther is Christe. Beleue thē not, sayeth he. Tha [...] was ment of the pigrimages, say you, but whē they were vsed you denied it, as you do now [...] of the sacrament. So loth you are to be driue [...] from your startynge holes.

Thē come you out w ^t Melchisedech. God a [...]pointed him, say you, a priest & a kinge, euen to figure this same o [...]fering. And then a while [...] bustle blindly about this kingdome & priesthod so long til you fal [...]e into your olde flesh again [...] and thus you say. Melchisedech brought forth bread & wyne vnto Abrahā in the waye & in [...] same acte scripture, you say, calleth him y ^• [...] of the high god eternal. Thē applieng the mat [...]tier to your purpose you say christ did likewis [...] geue the fourme of bread & wyne, of the whic [...] Melchisedech was but asigne. Wel hit maiste [Page] Hogard. melchidech brought furth bread & wine vnto Habraham to refreshe him after his great trauaile in the recouering of his kinsfolke and cōtrie men: & you, like a deuine of the grosseste, sort, say y ^• Christ did the lyke thinge, when he gaue to his disciples, the tourmes, as you say, of bread & wyne. Thus your wordes sowne, if a man take thē as the lye, but I am ryght sure you would saye, if you were de maunded your meaneing, y ^• as Melchisedech offered vp [...]read and wine in sacrifice: so did christ y ^• fourmes of bread & win▪ For you say a little before y ^• sript­ture accōpteth Melchisedech y ^• priest of y ^• high­est in y ^• he brought fourth bread & wyne to Ha­brahā. And in so saying you shoulde amend the matter wel. for if Melchisedech wer y ^• priest of the highest in y ^• dede thē was Habrahā y ^• high­est god for he offered bread & wine to none▪ other but Habrahā. Then do you for se an obietion & preti [...]ie ye preuent y ^• might be saied against you. And in soluteing y ^•, as you thinke, you say y ^• in bringinge fourth breade & wyne vnto Habrahā Melchisedech gaue thankes vnto God for Habrahames victorie. And that, you saye, was a [...] of his office. As who should saye he made a sacrifice of breade and wyne, & in verie dede in that he refreshed Habrahame and his com­panye wyth bread and wyne, when after their greate trauille theyr bodyes neded refreing: he offered an acceptable sacrifice vnto God, and so dyd Christe when wyth hys bodye and bloude offered one the crosse, he refershed our verie soules But for the thankes that Melch­sede [...]he gaue vnto God, if you▪ consider the places well, were done wyth a thankeful herte and Godly wordes for he sayede Blessed is Habrahame vnto the hyghest God that hath [Page] made heauen and earth: and blessed be y ^• hygh GOD by whose helpe the enemies are in thy handes. But for your obiection. A man myght aske you [...] you saye) howe this dede of Melchi­sedeche maye be thus applied, s [...]inge that, ney­ther the proyhet nor Paull [...] maketh any men­cion of breade or wine, where Paul noteth thē thus to agre, meaneinge of Melchisedech and Christe. But Paule (saye you) doeth applye Melchisedeches preisthod vnto Christ, in that he offered vp his fleshe and bloud vnto his fa­ther. Thys ye saye is palayne scripture. And yet if a man should go roundli to you: I thinke it would trouble both you and your counsay­lours to find it in scripture that this should be Paules meanyng. For the place to the Hebru­es that you build vpon: maketh rather against you therin. First (sayth Paule) Melchesedech, is interpreted the kinge of iustice, and then the kynge of Salem, that is the Kynge of peace, whose parentes and kynred are vnknowen, neither haueing beginning of dayes, nor ende of lyfe. For beinge compared or likened vnto the sonne of God, he remayneth a prieste for e­uer. If you had any little sparke of the spirite of God in you: it were verie easye for you to iudge wherein Paule compareth Melchese­dech vnto Christ: Euē in that he was wythout begynny [...]ge, without endeinge, desended of vnknowne parentes, & remayned a priest, for euer But you are styll in the flesh, and harpe still on one stringe, as appeareth by your melodie. And you dream y ^• because Paul maketh no mēciō of bread & wyne we wil say y ^• he denieth Christes pristehode. For your fleshely vnderstāding wil not suffer you to vnderstād any other pristhod [Page] [...] Christ, then that should stand in the offryng of materiall sacrifice, as breade, wine, fat lābes kiddes, gotes, & such other. And by the same vnderstanding you say that the bread & wyne that Melchesedech offred (for so you place your ter­mes of the breade and wyne that he gaue vnto Abraham) figured Christes flesh & bloud offred on the crosse Which assertion, how it agree [...] with the scriptures: is eas [...] to be sene of al [...] that are spiritual & haue the spirit of God dwelling in theym. As for your pretie note y ^• you [...]et in the marge: I leue it to your selfe, as a def [...]ni­ciō of your owne making. For w [...]l I wot it is not to be found in any writter worthy of fai [...] but in such as you are your self, besides that it is contrary to the true meaning of the scriptu­res, in as many places as this sacramen [...] is mē cioned.

This sta [...]e (you say you haue answered before For al is (you say) but the sowne of one string And therefore you wyll answere no more. And then ouercome wyth charitye, ye, brast out in a praier and wish that God wil bring y ^• authour out of his erroure, not much vnlike to him that hauinge a beame in his owne e [...]e: goeth aboute to pul a mote out of his brothers eye. And then [Page] straight way ye decla [...]e a shamful errour of my Lord of Winchesters▪ whiche you vse as yours owne concernynge the vnderstandynge of this place of Esay, except thou beleue, thou canst not vnderstand. For the ryght vnderstāding wher­of: I could [...]emyt you to the Answere that An­thony Gylbe hath made to my Lordes Deuelish Dete [...]tion in the C.x. vii. leafe of the same. But because you should put no lacke in thys confu­tation: you shall haue it here. The wordes you wrest to your purpose, yea you falcify the texte which hath. If you wilnot beleue the cause is y ^• you are instable. So that here the prophet spea­king vnto the rulers of the people of Israel, ꝓ­misynge the deliueraunce frō the force of their enimies, and perceiuing that they dyd not cre­dyt his words: saith, If you wil not beleue this deliueraunce from your enemies: the cause of your vnbeliefe, is none other but that you are vnconstant and wil not be faythful. This is y ^• interpretation of them that folowe the Hebrue The common translacion giueth an other interpretation, and that is this. If you peryshe or be vanquished of your enemies: knowe y ^• your vnbelefe is the cause therof And this interpretation [...] to folowe of that which the prophet had said befor, confor [...]yng kyng Achaz against his enemyes, who had conspired againste hym. Thus saith the Lord God (said y ^• prophet) their counsayl shal not stand, their purpose shal not come to passe. And after few wordes he addeth Yf you wil not beleue: you shal not endure▪ As who shuld sai. If you wil not beleue this mi ꝓ­mes: I wil suffer you to be [...]o [...]ed out by your e­nimies, you shalt not cōtinue though you escap these daūgers y ^• you be in now. Take it which way you wil therfor, and you shal not make it for your purpose, vnlesse you wrest it to farre oute of tun [...] (as you doo) by the example of my [Page] lorde of Winchester. But nowe for that you say that you haue answered this staffe before▪ I wold gladly knowe where. I remember you saye that neuer man taught or helde it, and yet your owne Doctours are full of that opinion. Which you shal find if you cā intreat some of your councelers to expound vnto you a pece of the boke called Sermones dis. In y ^•. Cxi. sermō on xiiii. [...]ōday after Triniti: ar these pretie wordes, cited out of s. Banard, as you call him. O veneranda dignitas sacerdotsi, quorum mani­bus, tan [...] in vtero virginis filius dei incarna­tur. That is to your lewd vnderstāding. Oh y ^• dignite of prestes, worthi to be had in reuerēce, in whose hādes (euē as in the v [...]rgins wōb) the sonne of God is incarnate. And alitle before is said. Octauo deus honorauit sacerdotes in hoc quod sacerdos aliqualiter similis est Marie beatissime virgini. Primo, sicut beatissima vir go Maria cōcepit per quin (que) verba, verū cor­pus christi. Luce. i Fiat mihi secūdū verbū t [...]ū) sic sacerdos cōficit per quin (que) verba, verū cor­pus. &c That is, eig [...]ly god hath exalted priestes in y ^• the priest, is after some sort lik vnto Ma­ri the mooste blessed virgin. First, as the moost blessed virgin Mary dyd by .v. wordes, cōceiue the very body of Christ (Luke. [...] Be it vnto me accordyng as thou hast sayd) so the preist doth w ^t .v. wordes make the very body of Christ. &c What should I reherse any more of this bla­sphemous geare. But in the beginninge of the same sermon in the first dignitie, of pristes, is this more then diuellish affer [...]ion groūded vpō the first of Ieremy. Ego constitui te hodie su­per gentes et regna. I haue ordained the aboue [...]acions and kyngdomes. The words are these Unde breuiter, deus exaltauit sacerdotes super omnes homines & super omnes creaturas. Un­de [Page] quida [...] doctor dici [...]. [...] conditione estis ho­mines, dignitate estis super omnes homines. Thē doctor. Sacerdo [...] al [...]ior est regibus, felicror angelis, creator sui creatoris. That is in english Brieffely therfore God hath exalted priestes a bon [...] al men, and aboue al creatures wherfore a certaine docter saith. If so be y ^• ye be mē: yet are ye of dignitie aboue al men. And the same docter. A priest is hier then kinges, more happy then angels, and the creatoure of his creatoure. The [...]okes ar to be had wherin is more therof thē any christian eares cā abide.

The words of your, praier, soune wel for your self. What the meaning is, ye know best your self. If god graunt sight to the blind (you say) you trust to se the authours conuersion. And doubtlesse so shall you, for so longe as you be so blinde as you be: It is not possible that you shuld se how y ^• author was [...]ōuerted frō your grosse opinion though you mean an other ma­ner of cōuersion for as you say your self,, ther is none blinder then they that wil not se, And here you say you can finde none blynder then the authour is in his opinion, whiche you call mad (as fooles dooe wisedome) vmbradynge [Page] him with the criyng vpon al other people [...] the scripture, when no man is farther frō it they he is himselfe. Thus you haue sayd, but such as haue iudgement in [...]cripture, shal easly perceiue by both your writynges, how falsely you bely hym.

☞ The authoure wysheth none other thinge vnto you (frend Hogharde) then that whyche Paul himself exhorteth al men to do, that is to be his foloers as he was the folower of Christ But this part of Paul which he wisheth them to play, in folowyng of hym, is to conuerte (as he hymself sayth) from the Romysh way euen as Paul conuerted from the persecuting of the christian faith, & with a meke hert to obey▪ gods truth. But as for one, nothyng con [...]ented with the thyng that he wisheth for you: you stomake the matter, and deny that you receiu [...]d it of the popysh see. But yet you shew not whence you receiued it, Neither do you bring anye proues (other then your bare assersion) that you recei­ued it not of the popysh see. I thinke you to be one of them, that vse to affirme thynges, with­out any argument or reason for the probation [Page] thereof. I wyll therfore minister you occasion in seeke vp youre argumentes and reasones against you make answer to this confutation And by your leaue, I will proue that you had it frome the Romyshe see. I woulde haue you therfor, first to consider, what thinge it is that we talke of.

It is not the Lordes supper: but that toye of yours which you cal the blessed Sacrament of the aulter. Whence that came is euident to thē that lust to se: for throughout the whole Bible ther is not so much as one word of that popish inuentiō. The supper of the Lord, we haue ther mencioned, & so declared, that comparyng thys toye of yours therunto: we mai easely perceiue y ^• they be cleane contrary. The Lord at hys last supper, toke bread, gaue thākes & brake it Your Apes take bread & blowe vpō it breathinge out certaine wordes in the maner of enchaunters & sorcerers, to turne the substaunce therof, & they offer it vp for a sacrifice. Christ distributed the bread among his disciples, and eate none hym­selfe, but your Apes deuour all thē selues, and geue the people none. Christ celebrated his sup­per at the table with his disciples, euen in hys common apparel: But youre Apes muste haue goodly garmentes made for the nonse, of al the colours, of the rayn [...] Bowe and at sondry ry­mes sundry coloures. Christe made no fond ie­stures: But your Mōkers must haue crossyng kissynge, beckynge, douckynge, turnynge, trip­pynge, with manye pretye trickes, and at the last [...]osse vp all slouenlye, and blesse the people with the emptie cuppe. Se you not howe these two agre?

Now let vs se whense al this grare of yours cometh. Selestinus the pope ordeined the prai­e [...] [Page] y ^• the priestes (your Godmakers) say when they rauysh thē selues to masse. Pope Dama­sus ordeined Confiteor. Pope Gregory cau [...]ed Kyri [...]eleson to be sayd .ix. tymes together, Gre­gory and Gelasius gathered the Col [...]ctes, good gere I warrant you, if they be well weyghed. The Grayle was of the same mens doynge I trowe. Telesphorus, inuented the Tract, No­therus the Sequences, Anastasius, the stāding vp at the Gospel, Eutichianus the Offertory, Gelacius the Preface, Sextus the Sanctus, Pope Leo the .iii. ordayned the Incense. Also y ^• Secretes of the masse, are they not popes par­ches clouted together to make the matter more salable. Gelasius made Te igitur, Siritius, added Communicantes, Pope Alexander made Qui pridie. Pope Leo, Hanc igitur. Gregorye made the peticions, Dies (que) nostros. The fyrst Innocen [...]ius ordayned the Pax▪ Sargius, the Agnus dei The first Alexander ordayned that the bread should be vnleuened. And thē as you thynk, whence haue we this your bable, so tos­sed and tombled from this syde to that, hoysed vp and layed downe agayn. You must pardon me though I speake playne: for I take al such thinges as foles delight to play wythal: for no better then bables. [...]ut [...]o put the weake bro­thers out of doubt y ^• I cōtemne not the Lordes supper: I ꝓtest, y ^• among the thinges & ordinā ­ces y ^• our sauiour christ hath left w ^t vs. y ^• liuely word of God onely excepted, ther is none more profitable, & for our soules comforte, then it is. And that therfore we oughte to frequent & vse it w ^t al faithfulnes, tre [...]blyng & feare of y ^• lord knowynge y ^• if we beynge the membres of the d [...]ust, shuld enterprise to com to the Lords table as partakers w ^t him: we shal haue our reward with the hypocrites, euen in the vtter darknes

[Page]I exhort you al therfore (that glory to be the membres of Christ and called Christians) that in no case ye presume to receiue this holye com­munion: vnles you be inwardly the same thing that this holy misteri declareth them to be, that vse it worthely.

☞ Say not therfore (frend Hoghard) that I rayle vpon the blessed Sacramentes of Chri­stes body and bloud (for I take God to witnes and myne owne con [...]ience, I reuerence them as much as Gods word wylleth them to be reue­renced) but that which I haue writtē is against that abuse whych the Romysh Ruffians haue set vp and would mayntayn in the sted therof.

☞ Here you wolde seme to make a praier for [Page] the kynge, contrarie to that which the authour [...]aketh, and yet agaynst your wyll (I thynke) it is the same, as it is easie to be sene to al them that cā iudge vpō writtinges. But afterwarde you put men out of doubte of your meaninge, and saye that you meruaile the autour durst be so bolde as to appoynte his prince to suche an office, as to burie the deade God that is pixte. And by the same your admiracion, you declare your selfe to be altogether fleshely. For what spiritual mynde coulde thynke it a thinge vn­worthye a christian prince to burie, that is to extinguish [...] and put vtterly out of memorie, that moste detestable Idole, whiche beynge a thinge deade and without any lyuely signifi­cacion: is named and taken as God? But no meruaile though you be so fleshely in this matter, for the chiefe of your counsayle, are not a­shamed openly to affirme that the godhead is a corporal substaunce, because the [...] fynde in Ge­nesis that man was made to the similitude and Image of God.

You haue no more to saye here, but that the authoure maketh this sacrament no more but a signe, wher as the catholyke fayeth (you say) leadeth vs to beleue that Christ is ther pre­sent, flesh & bloude. Which thinge is verie true but not as you takeit (For your words de [...]lare▪ your meaneinge to be that Christes steshe and bloude shoulde be ther after suche sorte that it might be eaten & sualowed in to oure bodies by the orgains of the same, poynted for y ^• office of eateing. But our beliefe is, and that according to the catho like fayth of the apostles & fathers of the primatiue churche that the substaunce of the breade wherein those accidentes whiche we se do remayne: is no mor but a sygne (as Paul teacheth) of the wonder full couplynge togither of al the membres of Christ in one mi­stical bodie, as the breade beinge made of many graynes is but one bodie, and in like maner the wyne. But the spiritual presēt of Christes bo­die in these sacramentes, we neuer denied, kno­ [...]nge that as manie as (beinge the vnfayned membres of Christe) do wyth sure fayth in the promyses of Christ vse these sacramētes bread [Page] and wyne accordeinge to Christes institucion and firste ordinaunce are at the same supper of the Lorde as certaynely made partakers of Christes bodie and bloud and al y ^• euer he did or deserued for vs in the flesh: as theye are partakers of that sacramenttal bread and wine To thys fayth do we con­sent wishing y ^• it woulde please the Lorde to o­pen the eie of you and your councollour that you may se and consente to the same