TAke this booke I hartilie besech the , christian reader , in good worth , considerynge hou that Iam in à strange contrey , without quietnes , bookes , helpe of learned men , sufficient loiser and tyme , and without also many other necessaries , that are requyred vnto such an interprise , as this is . If any thinge be amysse , it shal be hereafter amended , by goddes grace . Oure lord Iesus Christe kepe the in his true fayth , and religion . Amen .

I haue putte , good reader , both the leafe and the page also of the bysshoppes booke , yn the margen of my confutation , that thowe maist the better compare my confutation with his sainges , and perceaue also the matter with lesse labours , and peynes .

Multò melius est vera rustice , quàm falsa diserte , proferre . Hieronymus in expositione primae visionis Esaiae .

THe first consel , good reader , holden at Ephesus , aboue M. C. yeres passed , yn which S. Cyril was president , wrote thus in an epistle vnto one Nestorius an heretike , which theryn was condemned for his heresie .

We do offre an vnbloudie wourshipinge of à sacrifice , and so we do also come vnto the holie sacrament , and are made holie , beinge partakers of the holie bodie , and precious bloud of Christ , which was made the redeamer of vs al , not receauinge it as common flesh , ( god forbid that ) , nor as the fleash of à man made holie , and ioyned vnto the sonne of god , by an vnite of worthynes , or els as beinge à mansion of god , but as that , which verilie geueth lyfe ( to mans soul ) , & was made propre vnto goddes owne sonne hym selfe . Hytherto this auncient and great councel , yn which were assembled . cc. bysshoppes , and which is one of the foure general concels , that S. Gregorie sayed that he esteamed no lesse then the foure gospelles . Wherfore Lib. 1. 24. seinge that this councel hath so playnly sette fourth botb the holy sacrifice of the masse , and also declared by the inspiration of the holy goost , the au●th●● and gouernour , of such leful , and godly conseylles , that we do receaue yn the sacrament that flesh , which is adioyned to goddes owone sonne , and wbich geueth lyfe to them , that do worthilie receaue it , what wisdome were it to beleue the bisshoppe of Canterburies doctrine , which denyeth both of these twoo ? Is it not muche meter to beleue al those fathers , rather then this bisshoppes teachynge the contrarie ? Promysed not Christ , that he wold be in the middes of . ij . or . Matth. 18. iij. assembled in his name ? Hou then was he not with these . cc. learned men , that they erred not yn their iudgementes ? Wherfore lette vs beleue steadfastly , ( as this councel teacheth vs plaineie ) that christes owne very natural bodie is in this sacrament , althoughe this bysshoppe , and such other carnal preachers , and writers , do barke neuer so muche against that our belefe , and do make neuer so manye argumentes , and natural reasons to subuert it , for as stronge and much stronger reasons may and heretofore hath bene made of heretikes , against al the articles of our faith , as it appreareth in dyuers old , and late writers bookes . Lette vs Ceasse thy reasonynge vpon the holy sacrament not dispute , and reason vpon this matter , which can not be compased , nor perceaued by any natural reason , or witte of man , but by faith only , as S. Damascene , and many other holy Lib. 4. c. 14. doctours do testifie , but lette vs steadfastly beleue christes wordes , which sayeth , this is my bodie , that shal be geuen to death for you , which wordes no mà can truelie vnderstand of bread , Matth. 25. because that it was not crucyfied for vs , as that bodie which he gaue his apostles to eate , was . To these wordes Hom. 93 in Matthaeum ( sayeth holy chrysostom . ) lette vs geue fyrme credence , yea thoughe our senses , natural wytte , vnderstandynge , and reason be clerely al against yt , for christes wordes can not be false , nor disceaue vs , but oure senses are easye to be disceaued . The carnal iewes Note reader Lib. 4. in 10. ( as wytnesseth S. Cyril ) lackynge fayth , ( as this bysshoppe , I 〈◊〉 hoper , Ridley , ponete ▪ and such o●her do ) , and leanyng only to natural argumentes , and reasons , asked hou christ could geue them his fleash to eate .

They remembred not ( sayeth he ) that Lucae . 1. nothynge is impossible to god , and therfore they iudged that this mysterie was but mere follye , and that it was but manifest madnes to beleue , that Christ would , or could geue them his oune flesh to eate bodily with their mouthes , as my lord of Canterburye , hoper , ponete , Ridley , coxe , and many such other , do now thinke , and also teach , to their owne damnation , and many others besides , our lord amende them yn tyme , for his blessed names sake .

These men do now euen as the vnfaythful iewes did yn christes tyme , when he intreated of this matter . For they measured it by natural reason , & witte , & wold not beleue t●at christes very bodie was in this sacrament reallie , & bodilie , because they could not perceaue hou it so myght be by any natural reason , & because the senses of man do iudge the contrarie . They do forgaette , that the prophete Esaie Isaiae . 7. sayeth , Excepte ye beleue , ye shal not vnderstand . They sette the carte ( as they saye ) before the horses , when they , putte reason afore , & fayth after . For is not fayth the fundation of our 1. cor. 3. religion ? Why do they not remembre that reasoninge , and fayth agree not Cicero wel together ? Cotta sayed to Lucilius , why doest thou requyre à reason , yf thou doest beleue ? for yf thou doest be leue , thou doest aske no reason , which may cause , that thou shouldest not beleue . Saith not also S. Paule , that Lactantius Heb. 11. faith is the fundatio● , and thinge that holdeth vp the thinge that appeareth not , and is the profe of thinges not seane ? What follie is it then to laboure and stud● for to trie out by reason the trueth yn this contro●ersye of this holy sacrament , which is vnsearcheable , and appertayneth onlie to our faith , excedinge al mans witte , and reason ? Are there not à thousand thinges and moo , which god hath Damasce . 4. lib. ca. 14 done , that no reason of man can perceaue by what meanes they were done but onlye by fayth ? Also cannest thou , I praye the , tel me hou god made Gene. 1. by his word al thinges of nothing ? Did not the natural reasoners , and studentes , denie this point of our fayth , because they sawe that yt was directelie contrarie vnto al mans witte , and reason ? Canst thou by reason tel me hou Adam was made of the earthe , & Eue of his ●ybbe ? Hou the busse of thornes , which flamed wyth fire , burned Exod. 3. not ? Hou the rod was made à serpent ? Hou the ryuers of Egypte were Exod. 4. 7. turned yn to bloud ? Hou Moyses lyued . xl . daies and xl . nightes without meate , and drinke ? Hou the children Psal. 77. of Israel were fed with Manna ? Hou their clot●es were not woren away the space of xl . yeres ? hou the iewes passed Exod. 16. thorou the red sea saflye ? Hou water tes beynge yet closed ? Are not these Note this . thinges , as impossible to mans reason , and witte , as that the same his bodie to be at one tyme , both yn heauen , and earth , and yn euery place , where the sacrament is ? Why then doest not thou beleue this , as wel as the other two ? Doth not goddes word teach it the as plainlie , as the other ? Also , did Ioan. 20. Act. 1. 10. not Christ eate , and drinke with his apostles , after his resurrection , and yet no part of that meate , and drinke was turned in to his bodilie nouryshement , for then he neaded no nouryshement ? Was not this as ●trange à matter , and as farre abou●●ans reason , as christ to be bodilie ●n dyuers places at one tyme ? Wherfore then doest thou not ceasse disputinge vpon this deape , and vnsearchable mysterie , and geue firme credence vnto it , althoughe thy reason can not perceaue it ? Why doest thou not remembre also , that christ promysed his disciples to geue them suche bread , as shoulde be his oune very natural fleash , which he wold geue Ioan. 6. to death for the lyfe of the woorld ?

Can this his promes be veryfied of common bread ? Was that geuen vpon the crosse for the life of the woorld ? Hath not Christ , which is the trouth it selfe , and can not lye , perfourmed yet this his promes ? And when gaue he that Ioan. 14. Heb. 6. bread , which was his very fleash , that he gaue for vs to death , yf he did it not at his last soupper , when he sayed . Take , and eate , this ys my bodie , that Matth. 26. 1. Cor. 11. shal be geuen for you ? Hou manifest are these wordes of oure dear s●uiour Christ ? did he euer speake more playne wordes vpon any article of oure fayth , then these are ? Were it not then mere madnes , and à strange folyshenes , to beleue the bisshoppe of canterbury , coxe , hoper , Ridley , ponete , and suche other , that do teache contrarie to this ? S. Paul affirmeth , that he , 1. Cor. 12. which receaueth this holy sacrament vnworthily , is gyltie of christes bodie Marke . and bloud ? Hou can this be true , yf there be nothinge els yn the sacrament , but bread , and wyne ? Is à man gyltie of christes bodie and bloud , which eateth , and drinketh nothinge els but bare bread , and wyne ? Who , that wise is , wil saye , that I am gyltie yn eatinge to muche moutton , and yn drinking of wyne , when I eate nothinge but milk , and drinke only water ?

Agayne , sayeth not S. Paule , that he , 1. Cor. 11. which receaueth this holy sacrament vnworthilie , eateh , and drinketh it to his oune damnation , because he discerneth not our lordes bodie , that is to say , he doth no● beleue that that thinge is his bo●●e , or els he doth not receaue it 〈◊〉 greater deuotion , and purenes of conscience , than other common meates ? Hou should this be true , yf we did eate , and drinke but onlye bread made of corne , and mere wyne of the grape , yn the receauinge of the blessed sacrament ? Byddeth not us S. Paule to examyne , and proue oure consciences , Marke . before we receaue this sacrament ? And what neade we to do this , when we shal eate but common bread and drinke wyne of the grape ? Doth he synne deadly , that receaue the those thinges yn synne ? Doth not then this place of paule proue sufficiently , that oure sauiour Christes bodie , and bloud are present reallie in this sacrament ? This haue al doctours of Christe● church expounded the scriptures , concerninge this matter , as it shal appeare , by goddes gra●e , hereafter , thoughe the bisshoppe 〈◊〉 , that they be altogether vpon 〈…〉 . Therfore beleue man this doctri●● , without al doubtyng therof . Lette no mans persuasion , nor reasonynge turne thy mynde from this belefe . Beware that thou trust not thy senses iudgement yn this matter . Remembre that Isaac was disceaued , Gen. 27. because he trusted more to his feelinge of his sonne Iacobs handes , than he did his uoice ? Shalt not thou be after lyke sort disceaued in this matter , yf thou do folou the iudgement of thy senses , and not only the hearinge , or readinge of these christes wordes , This is my bodie ? It is sufficient for the to beleue that christes bodie is both at ones yn the holie sacrament , and also in heauen , because the scripture teacheth both indifferently , and teacheth not hou these two may stande together , but only by goddes almyghtie pouer , to whom nothyng his impossible , as scripture witnesseth plainly . Marci . 10. Luc. 1. Peter Martyr recanted at oxford his first doctrine of the sacrament , and so did also the bysshoppe of Canturberie .

This taught peter Martyr , at his first commyng to oxford , when he was but á lutheran in this matter , whose wordes I , and may other mo wrate in the diuynite schole , when he redde lecture there , but when he came ones to the court , and sawe that that doctrine myslyked them , that myght do hym hurt yn his lyuinge , he anon after turned his tipped , and sange an other songe . The bysshop also of Canterbury in his catechysme did ones sette furth the real presence of christes bodie Note . in the sacrament , but he chaunged that doctrine , when he saw , that the world serued for hym . O lord , what man is so madde to beleue suche mutable teachers which chaunge their doctrine at mens pleasir , as they see àvantage , and profite ? They turne , and wil turne , as the winde turneth , but to retourne to my matter . Tel me , why may not christes bodie ( as I sayed afore ) be as wel yn the sacrament , and yn heauen both at ones , as that his bodie was with the bodie of the stone , that lay stil vpon his graue , when he rosevp agayne from death to lyf , yn one propre place , and as his bodie was in one propre place at ones , with the bodie of Hierony . in Epitaphio Paulae . Ioan. 20. Ampros . in lu. . 24. Aug. the dore , or gate , when he entred yn to the house to his apostles , when the gates were yet shitte , and closed ? Christ went vp out of this world yn to heaven , and sitteth there at the right hande of his father , & yet paule saw hym bodily vpon earth after his ascension ( as he testifieth ) , and by that sight he 1. cor. 9. 15. proued that he was risen againe bodily from death to lyf , which he could not haue done , yf that seinge of hym , Lib. de passione petri apostoli . had bene but à spiritual vision . S. Linus which was in the apostles tyme , and wrote saynt peters , and paules passion , wytnesseth euidently , that saynt peter saw christ , and talked wyth hym when he was goyng out of Rome for fear of persecution , and that peter sayed to hym , lord , whyther goest thou ? To whom christ anusweared , I go to Rome to be Crucyfied agayne . Then anon after christ departed away from peter , and peter vnderstandyng that Christment , he wold be crucyfied agayne , not in his oune bodie , but in hym , retourned to Rome , and there was crucified , for christes sake . Of this Lib. 5. commen storie wrote Egesippus , which was very Lib. 5. epist. nighe to the apostles tyme , and also S. Ambrose . This storie declareth , that Christ ascended in to heauen , and yet he is also in the blessed sacrament of the aulter bodilie . althoughe christ departed hence at the tyme of his ascension yn to heauen , and sitte●h● at the right hand of god his father , yet he may be also here yn the blessed sacrament of the aulter This is the very catholike fayth which christes church , that can not whollie erre yn the fayth , hath euer taught , doth and shal euer vntil the worldes ende . Wherfore leaue reasoning , reader , vpon this matter , and geue credence to this oure mother the churche , and than thou shalt neuer be disceaued yn any point of thy fayth , because she neuer The catholyke church erreth not yn the faith Matth. 16. erreth whollie theryn For promysed not christ , that hel gates , which are synne , and heresies , by which men do entre yn to hel , should not preuaile against Matth. vlt. her ? Sayed he not also , that he wold be with the churche vntil the worldes ende ? Hou then could she erre so shamefullie these . M. ccccc . yeres , and mo , as to beleue that christ was bodilye in the sacrament , and to honoure hym therin , and yet he was not there , but bare bread , & wyne ? What cal , ye Note . my lord , this , yf it be not hel gates to preuaile against christes church ?

Hou could she be discea●ed so many yeres in this weightie matter of our fayth , with whom christ , the trueth it selfe , euer was , as he promysed to be ? Did not christ saye , that he wold be in the middes of twoo or three assembled in his name ? Was he not then emonge In concilio lateranensi . the M. ccc . xv . fathers , which were gathered together out of al costes of christendome , and determyned that the Matth. vlt. bread and wyne were yn their natures and substances vtterly turned yn to christes very natural bodye , & bloud , and that there remayned only their qualites , and properties ? The apostles Act. 15. with the elders were assembled together at hierusalem yn à councel for the decysion of à question , touchynge the chargynge of the Gentyles with the keping of Moses law , and when they had done , & finyshed that their counsail , Actorum . 15 S. Iames ponounced their sentence , and sayed , that it pleased the holy goost , and them , that the gentyles should not be burdened with that ceremonial law , by which it appeareth playnly that the holy goost ruleth and directeth the councels lefullye assembled , that they erre not yn the fayth why then doth he not euen so nou to Marke reader . the councels , and hath euer done ?

Hath nowe christ forsaken his deare Ioan . 14 16. spouse the church ? Dyd he not promyse to send his holy spirite to the churche , whiche should teach her al trueth , and abyde stil with her for euer ? Hath he not then yet performed this his promyse , which he made to his apostles , and yn them to the whole churche , at al tymes being ? Of did he not fulfil it vntil Berengarius came , Berengariu● which about M. yeares , after that promes Was the first autour of this heresie , which he did penytently abiure , and recante . was made , first of al men taught and maynteyned this heresie , which sayeth that christes very natural bodye is not reallye in the blessed sacrament of the aulter ? Was this promes made onlie to hym , and his scholers ? Was it made to a feu carnal , vnlearned men yn any one countrey , & not rather to al the whole catholike churche , and to al christen nations ? Was berengarius , which was an hereretike in many other pointes , ( as stories do wytnesse of hym ) , and also à man of à very il lyfe , a meter man , and more worthye to receaue the performance of that highe pròmes , than any of the apostles were , or than any other parson , which then lyued , or els sense , yea than al the churche of christ ? But lette vs graunt , that this promes was not fulfillyd nor the trueth in this matter declared vntil Berengarius came , & that the Marke wel reader this . holy ghoost , the spirite of the trueth , was geuen vnto hym , and first did sette furth by hym this verite . Tel me then , hou it chaunced , that the holy goost forsoke hym , suffered hym to recante , to abiure , & forswaere for euer that opinion , departinge out of this world with great repentance for that his heresie ? Did not Christ saye , that the holy goost should euer abyde with them , to whom he was promysed ? Did not Berengarius , which first wrote against this our fayth of the sacrament , Li. de gestis regum f●an corum in vita Henrici Regis Franciae . recante his heresie wyllyngly ( as Gagwinus testifieth ) and dyed wyth great repentaunce for yt ? For this was his last recantation . I Berengarius do beleue Berengarius later recantation . wyih my hert , and confesse wyth my mouth , that the bread , & wyne , which are set vpon the aulter , are throughe prayer , and the wordes of christ in substance turned in to our sauiours body and bloud , which he toke of his mother , offered vpon the crosse , and that nowe doth sit in heauen at the fathers ryght hand , and that this is not done only by á signe , and the vertu of the sacrament , but in the propriete of nature , and the veryte of substance . This was his confession , and beliefe euen vntil his death . Our lord gyue al them , that haue foloued his errour in this matter , grace to forsake it , by his example , and to dye in the true fayth of christ , as he did . After this mans death by the space of c yeres , and more , no man wrote against the very real presence of Christes natural body in the sacrament . Then at the length came Almericus heresie . one Almericus , à wycked man , which sayed , that christes body was as wel in al manier of bread , and in euery other thing els , as in the blessed sacrament of the aulter . After hym noman spake ( as much as we can fynde yn wryting ) against the catholike faith of this matter the space of more then á hundred yeres . Then rose vp one Ihon wyclefe our countrey man , which of mere malice , that he could not obteyne the bysshoprych of worcetur , and because he Wyclefes heresie . was excommunycated and banyshed out of oxford , sowed many heresies in England , emong which this , that my lord defendeth in his booke , was one , but he was condemned yn à councel kept at Constantia about . c. xxxiiij . yeares sence , and his heresie was then abhorred of al chrystendome . After hym came Carolostadius , Aecolampadius , Aecolampadius . Swinglius . and Swynglius , which when they had of long tyme set furth ( as their master luther had taught them ) that christes very natural body was really yn the sacrament , and not only à sygne of them , at the length ( as heresie creapeth 2. timot. 2. lyke vnto à canker ( paul beyng wytnesse they forsoke that opinion , and denyed vtterly ( as my lord doth ) the bodilie presence of christ in this holie My lordes opinion began of late . sacrament . May we then not now see good christian reader , that this doctryne can not be true , which began first of al wythyn the space of fyue hundred yeres passed , and hath bene euer conuicted from tyme to tyme , not rysing agayne the space of c. yeres , where the true fayth of christ hath euer continued and was neuer wholy suppressed from the first begynnynge of it , nor neuer shal be vntil the worldes ende ? For the church can not wholly erre ( as it is declared afore ) and as saynt Paul affirmeth callyng her the pyller of the trueth . For hou can the pyller of the 1. tim●t . 3. trueth susteyne , and support heresie , & idolatrye ? S. Austen sayed , that christes Ianuario . Bpist. 119. church approueth nothing , nor doth any thing either against the fayth , or els against good meaners . Doth not my lord then erre abomynablye , when he sayth that the church hath commytted blasphemy , heresie , and idolatry , at the least foure hundred yeres ? Is this the church not to do any thing against the fayth , and good lyfe ? Wherfore let vs beleue the catholike churches doctryne , no lesse then the holy scripture , which the church teacheth vs to beleue , or els we wold not beleue it . For sayed not Austen , that he wold Contra epistol fundamenti . ca. 5. not beleue the gospel except the authorite of the church had moued hym ? Sayth not also Tertulian , against Marcion , that we do knowe , receaue , and beleue al the gospels of christ by the Aduersus vigilantium . church , and not other wyse ? Sayth not hierom lyke wyse , I reproue al opinions against the church , and openlie condemne them ? Moreouer the ancient docter Vincentius lyrinensis , aboue Aduersus prophattones &c. M c. yeres sence , described à uery true christien man , saynge , he is á good catholike man , that loueth gods tr●eth , and the church , preferryng nothyng vtterly before the catholike fayth , no mans authorite , no mans loue , no mans reason , no mans wyt , no mans eloquence , nor nothynge els , but abydyng suerly in the fayth , he determyneth to beleue , & keepe steadfastly euery such thyng , that the catholike church hath of old tyme vnyuersally beleued , and holden , and what so euer shold be set furth against that doctrine , he iudgeth yt not to pertayne any thinge vnto christes religion , but to tentation . And yf it do chaunce any thing to be taught , & defended contrary to that doctryne , & the scriptures to be alleged therfore , then he must ( sayth he ) nead●s folou those doctours exposition , which agree together theryn in one sense , & Note this . set nothynge by al other mens iudgementes , be they neuer so wel learned , and godly . And yf any man shal aske ( sayth he ) of me , what neade is it to follou the authorite of christes church & her vnderstandinge of the scriptures , seyng the scripture is perfect of it selfe , and sufficient ? I answere to hym , that we must neade so do , because al men do not expound the scripture yn one sense , but euery man after his oune wit , and fantasie , and so there shold aryse much dissension , debate , confusion , and many heresies spring vp , and Marke reader . be defended in christes church , except her exposition shold be admitted At the length he gyueth vnto vs à godly lesson , which yf men wold folowe they shold not so much erre , as they nowe do . In ipsa catholica ecclesia A godly lesson , to auoyd heresies . magnopere curandum est , vt id teneamus , quod vbique , quod semper , quod ab omnibus creditum est . Sequē da est nobis antiquitas , vniuersitas , & consensus . We must ( sayth he ) take great hede , that in that same catholike church , we do hold that thing , which hath bene beleued in al places , euer , & of al men . We must folou the ancyente , the generalite , and the consent . By these three notes , or els by one of them at the lest we may sone knowe heresie , & al false doctrine from the true and godly doctryne . For either it is newely inuented , and not old ( as my lords doctrine is , which began first by Berengarius about , ccccc . yeres passed ) or els it is but particularly receaued of one countrey , and of a fewe of them ( as is also my lords opinion ) or finallie , the authours of it do not agree emong them selfes in the teaching , & setting furth of it , as in dede they do not , that write and teach , as my lord doth in this boke , and therfore it appeareth plainlie , that his doctryne is not catholike , nor godly . For as touchinge the consent , and agreynge of them , that hath taught it , who knoweth not , that Aecolampadius , Swinglius , Carolastadius , my lord , peter Martyr , and their scholers dissent cleane in yt from their father , and master , Marten luther ? For luther confessed and defended the real presence of christes body in the holy sacrament , euen vntil his death , which those other his disciples denye vtterlie , althoughe they did of long tyme teach no other wise , but they recanted , as they sawe occasion , and auauntage serue . Were it not then à great madnes to forsake the old catholike faith , which hath bene euer beleued of al nations , and in the teaching therof the fathers neuer dissented , and to folowe my lords doctrine ? Moreouer , what arrogant blyndnes , and blynd arrogancye is it , to say , that al christien nations haue erred yn the beliefe of this matiere , so many hundred yeres , as they saye , that they haue done , and that à very smal nombre of men , but sclenderly learned , should only knowe the trueth therof ? What is this , good reader , yf it be not à merueilous blyndnes , and these men to leane , against Salomons counsail , vnto theyr oune wysdom ? Are they not à frayed Prouerb . 3. Esaiae . 5. of this gods curse ? Woo to yowe , that seame vnto your selfes wyse ? Who may much merueile , yf such men be shamefullie disceaued in their iudgementes , that so proudly procede ? For sayeth not christ , that his father hath hidden the knowlage of his word from proud men , and opened it vnto humble Matth. 11. persons ? Wytnesseth not also Saint Iacobi . 4. 1. petri . 5. Iames , that god doth gyue grace vnto the humble , and resisteth the proud ? Is it then lyke , that he gyueth so great grace to them , to see only the trueth , sufferynge the humble , that mystrust their oune wittes , iudgement , and learnyng , & do folowe meakely the churches decrees , and ordonnaunces , her vnderstandyng of the scriptures , the general conciles , and the docteurs expositions of gods word , to be so much blynded , and so long à tyme ? But pride wyl haue à fal , as it hath euer had heretofore , & espacially in them , that haue matched them selfes in matieres of religion against his dear espouse the church , agaynst whom hel gates , that is to say , synne , & heresie , neuer could nor neuer shal preuaile . For did not Matth. 16. christ , which euer was hard in his prayers ( as he sayth hym self ) , praye for Peter , that his fayth , that is to say , the fayth of the catholike church , which Lucae . 20. Ioan. 11. Heb. 5. he had receaued , and confessed , should not decaye ? Agayne , doth not paul affirme Ephes. 5. that christ loued his spouse the church so dearly that he gaue hymself for her to death , for to cleanse her from al fylthynes of synne , that she should not haue one spotte therof ? Houe can these sainges of christ , and paul stand wyth their opinion , that say ( as my lord doth ) that the church hath erred yn the fayth , and hath committed idolatry so many hundred yeares , euen sence the begynnyng of it ? Is this christ dearly to loue her ? Is this the office of Ro 12. 1. Cor. 11. 12 Coloss. 1. à good husband towardes his wyfe ? Is this to purge her from euery spot of synne ? Wold christ , which is head of the church , and the church his body , suffre that his oune body runne in to heresie , superstition , blasphemye , & Marke . 1. paril . 9. Psal. 136 such other abymynable crimes , and to abide so long yn them ? He suffered the Synagoge of the ieues to fal yn to bodilie captyuite , and to lye afflicted theryn , but. lxx . yeres , and then he made her francke and free agayne , and wold he then suffre christes church , which he loued much more , then he did the Synagoge , to runne in to such abomynations , and to continue stil in them , at the least ( as my lord sayeth in his booke ) foure , or fyue hundreth yeares ? Went not ( as christ sayth in Matth. 20. the parable ) god furth in the morning early to cal men to wourke yn his vyneyard ? Howe is it then true , that he called not men vnto the ryght fayth of this sacrament the space of M. yeres after this sacrament was instituted , vntil berengarius came , and then called but à very fewe in nombre ? Called not christ his church the kyndome Matthaei . 13 Note . of heauen ? Why then do these men make her the kyndom of hel , by ascribinge vnto her heresie , blasphemye , & idolatrie ? What blynd arrogancye , and arrogant blyndnes is this ? Who can abide it ? What hart is so hard and stony , that it can forbeare weapyng , lamenting , and mournyng for them , that are this blynded , & do dailie make many other men so blynd , that they do fal vnwares headlong in to the den of heresie , and damnation for euer ? Cal , and crye , good reader , contynuallie , Psal. 67. nyght , & daye , vnto god , and saye . Aryse , ó lord , aryse , that thy ennymies may be dispersed , and confounded . Say deuoutly wyth tongue and Psal. 43. mynde , Aryse vp , o lord , why doest thou sleap ? Aryse vp , expel vs not from the for euer . Why turnest thow thy face from vs ? Doest thou forget our pouerte , and trouble ? Arise vp , ó lord , helpe vs , ó lord , and delyuer vs for thy names sake . Pray , I say , Christian reader , and ceasse not , that thou be not led yn to tentation , and fal from the ryght belief of the holy church , but that thou maest stand theryn manly , and confesse it vntil thy death , and therby obteyne that infinite and endles ioyes , which god hath promysed vnto al that contynue in his loue , and the kepyng of his commaundementes vntil their lyfes endes . The whych our lord Iesus Christ for his deare , and bytter passions sake , graunt vnto vs , to whom wyth the father , and the holie goost , be honour , and prayse for euer . Amen .