Feastes, where they ded eate in the honoure of their Idolles, and so ded
not onelye wounde the conscyēce of their weake bretherne, but also
cōmytted Idolatrye in dede. And therfore S. Paule sayde vnto them. My
deare beloued flee from worshyppynge of Idolles. I speake vnto them
whiche haue dyscrecyon. Iudge ye what I saye. Is not the cuppe of
blessynge which we blesse the felowshyppe of the bloode of Christe? Is
not the breade which we breake the felowshyppe of the bodye of Christe?
For we though we be manye are yet one breade and one bodye, in as moche
as we are partakers of one breade. Christ ded call hym selfe bread ād
the breade hys bodye. And there Paule calleth vs breade and the breade
our bodye. Now maye you not take Paule that he in this place shulde
dyrectelye expounde Christes mynde. And that the verye exposycyō of
Christes wordes, whē he sayde, thys is my bodye, shulde be that it was
the felowshyppe of his bodye, as some saye, whiche seakynge the keye in
thys place of Paule, locke them selfes so faste in, that they can fynde
no waye out. For Christe spake those wordes of hys owne bodye which
shulde be geuē for vs, but the felowshyppe of Christes bodye (or
congregacyon) was not geuen for vs. And so he mente not as Paule here
sayeth, but mēte hys owne bodye. For as Paule calleth the breade our
bodye for a certayne propertye, euen so doth Christe call it hys bodye
for certayne other propertyes. In that the breade was brokē, it was
Christes owne bodye, sygnyfyēge that as that breade was broken, so
shulde hys bodye be brokē for vs. In that it was dystrybuted vnto hys
dyscyples, it was hys owne bodye, sygnyfyēge that as verelye as that
breade was destrybuted vnto them, so verelye shulde the death of hys
bodye, and frute of hys passyon be dystrybuted to all faythfull folke.
In that the breade strengtheneth our bodyes, it is hys owne bodye,
sygnyfyenge that as our bodyes are strengthened and conforted by breade,
so are our soules by the fayth in hys bodye brekynge. And lykewyse of
the wyne in that it was so dystrybuted, conforteth vs and maketh vs
merye. Furthermore, the breade and wyne haue a nother propertye, for the
whiche it is called our bodye. For in that the breade is made one breade
of manye graynes or cornes, it is our bodye, sygnyfyenge that we though
we be manye, are made one breade, that is to saye: one bodye. And in
that the wyne is made one wyne of manye grapes, it is our bodye,
sygnyfyenge that though we are manye yet in Christe & through Christe we
are made one bodye and membres to eche other. But in thys thynge Paule
and Christe agre. For as Paule calleth the breade our bodye and vs the
breade, because of thys propertye that it is made one of manye: euen so
doth Christe call it hys bodye, because of the propertyes before
rehearsed. Furthermore in thys they agre, that as Paules wordes muste be
taken spyrytuallye, for I thynke there is no man so madde, as to Iudge
that the breade is our bodye in dede although in that propertye it
representeth our bodye: Euen so muste Christes wordes be vnderstonde
spyrytuallye, that in those propertyes it representeth hys verye bodye.
Now when we come together to receyue thys breade, then by the receyuynge
of it in the congregacyon, we do openlye testyfye that we all whiche
receyue it, are one bodye, professynge one God, one Fayth, & one
Baptyme, and that the bodye of Christe was brokē and hys bloode shedde
for remyssyon of our synnes. Now syth we so do, we maye not acompanye
nor sytte in the congregacyon or felowshyppe of thē that offer vnto
Idolles and eate before them. For as Paule sayeth, ye cā not drynke the
cuppe of the Lorde and the cuppe of the deuels: ye can not be partakers
of the table of the Lorde and of the table of the deuelles. I wolde not
that you shulde haue felowshyppe with deuelles. The heythen which
offerred vnto Idolles were the felowshyppe of deuelles, not because they
eate the deuelles bodye or drāke the deuelles bloode, but because they
beleued and put their confydence in the Idoll or devyll as in their God,
and all that were of that fayth had their ceremonyes, and gaue hartye
thankes to their God with that feaste which they kepte. They came to one
place and brought their meate before the Idoll and offered it. And with
their offerynge gaue vnto the devyll Godlye honoure. And then they sate
downe and eate the offerynge together, geuynge prayse and thākes vnto
their God, and were one bodye and one felowshyppe of the devell, which
they testyfy by eatynge of that offerynge before that Idoll. Now dothe
S. Paule reprehende the Corinthyans for bearynge the gentyles companye
in eatynge before the Idoll. For they knowe that the meate was lyke
other meate. And therfore thought them selues fre to eate it or leue it.
But they perceyued not that that congregacyō was the felowshyppe of
develles whiche were there gathered (not for the meate sake) but for to
thanke, and prayse the Idoll their God in whome they had their
confydence.
And all that there assembled and ded there eate, and ded openlye
testyfye, that they all were one bodye, professynge one fayth in their
GOD that Idoll: So S. Paule ded sharpelye rebuke them, for because that
by their eatynge (in that place and felowshyppe) they testyfyed openlye,
that they were of the develes bodye, and reioysed in the Idoll their
God, in whome they had fayth and confydence. And therfor sayeth Paule,
that they cā not both drynke the cuppe of the Lorde, testyfyenge hym to
be their God in whome onelye they haue truste and affyaunce, ād the
cuppe of the devell, testyfyenge the Idoll to be their God and refuge.
Here you maye note that the meate and the eatynge of it in thys place
and felowshyppe, is more then the common meate ād eatynge in other
places. For els they myght lawfullye haue dronken the deuelles cuppe
with them the one daye, and the cuppe of the Lorde the nexte daye with
his dyscyples. What was it more? Merelye it was meate, whiche by the
eatynge of it in that place and felowshyppe, ded testyfye openlye vnto
all men, that he was their God whose cuppe they dranke, and before whome
they eate in that felowshyppe; and so in their eatynge they praysed and
honoured the Idoll. And therfore they that had their truste in the
leuynge God and in the bloode of hys sonne Christ, myght not eate with
them. And lykewyse it is in the sacrament, the breade and the eatynge of
it in the place and felowshyppe where it is receyued, is more then commō
breade. What is it more? Verelye it is breade which by the eatynge of it
in that place & felowshyppe, doth testyfye openlye vnto all men, that he
is our verye God whose cuppe we drynke, and before whome we eate in that
felowshyppe, and that we put all our affyaunce in hym and in the bloode
of hys sonne Christe Iesu, geuynge God all honoure ād infynyte thankes
for hys greate loue wherwith he loued vs, as it is testyfyed in the
bloode of hys sonne, which was shedde for our synnes. So that in this
place and felowshyppe maye no man eate nor drynke with vs, but he that
is of our fayth and knowleageth the same God that we do. As by example,
If a mā were well beloued amonge hys neyghboures (albeyt he haue some
enemyes) & were longe absent from hys fryndes in a straunge contrye:
when he were come home, hys neyghboures that loued hym wolde greatelye
reioyse, and peraduēture wolde bye a copon or a nother peace of meate to
geue hym hys welcome home, ād gette the to some honeste mans house or to
a taverne, and make good chere together, to testyfye opēlye that he is
welcome home, and that they all whiche are at that banket reioyse of hys
commyge home. Nowe I saye, that this banket is more then another meate,
for at thys banket hys enemyes maye be loth to come, because they can
not reioyse at hys comynge home, ād therfore can not make good chere
amonge thē, testyfyenge that he is welcome home; but rather abhorreth
the meate and drynke that is there eatē, because their harte doth not
fauoure the parson for whose sake it is prepared. Notwithstondynge yf a
capons legge were reserued for one of hys enemyes and afterwarde geuen
hym whā the banket were done, he myght laufullye eate it. For then it
were but bare meate, suche as he eateth at home. And lykewyse the
enemyes of Christe which beleue not that they haue remyssyō of synnes
throughe hys bloode sheadynge, can not reioyse of hys bodye breakynge.
And therfore can not make good chere amonge them, but yf any be reserued
after the maundye, he maye laufullye eate it, for it is but breade. And
hys louers that are there present do rather come thy der to geuehym hys
welcome home then for the meate, ād they more eate hys welcome home,
then the meate.
But yf anye of hys enemyes fortune to be there, they eate onelye the
meate, ād not hys welcome home. For they reioyse not at hys commynge
home. Lykewyse the faythfull that are there present, do rather come
thyther to reioyse in the fayth of hys bodye breakynge, then in
breakynge or eatynge of the breade or meate. But yf anye of the
vnfaythfull fortune to be there, they eate onelye the breade, and not
hys bodye breakynge. For they reioyse not at hys bodye breakynge. Here
peraduenture some wolde suppose that I were contrarye to my selfe. For
before I sayde, that it was more thē meate that was eaten at the
gentyles feastes, ād more thē meate that was eaten at my neyghbours
welcome home, and more then breade that is eaten at the receyuynge of
the sacrament of the bodye and bloode of Christe. And nowe I saye, that
yf a mans enemye be there, he eateth onelye the meate and not the
welcome home. And lykewyse the vnfaythfull eateth onelye breade and not
the bodye and bloode of Christe. How maye these wordes stonde together?
I answere, that they eate but onelye breade or meate that profyteth
them, but in dede they eate more to their hynderaunce, and euen theyr
owne dāpnacyon. For they that ded eate in the fellowshyppe of Gentyles,
ded but onelye eate the meate to their profytte, but in eatynge their
meate their facte ded opēlye testyfye, that they honoured that Idoll for
their GOD (although their harte were other-wyse) wherin they comytted
Idolatrye. [Sidenote: 1. Cor. 8.] And besydes that they wounded the
conscyences of their weake bretherne, and so synned agaynste God.
Besydes that, he that ēvyeth hys neyghboure and commeth to that banket,
eateth but onely the meate that profyteth hym: not withstondynge in hys
owne harte, he eateth the rancoure & malyce of hys mynde, to hys greate
greavaunce, whē he seeth them so reioyse. And of hys owne companyons
whiche are also these mannes enemyes, he doth purchace hym selfe hatred,
because with hys facte he testyfyeth that he loueth hym, although hys
harte be otherwyse, ād of God shalbe condempned. [Sidenote: 1. Joā. 3.]
For he that hateth hys brother, is a murtherer. Furthermore he that is
vnfaythfull and commeth to the maundye, eateth but onelye the breade
that profyteth hym, notwithstondynge he eateth besyde that hys owne
dampnacyon, because he beleueth not that the bodye of our sauyoure which
the sacrament representeth, is broken for hys synnes, and hys bloode
shedde, to washe them awaye. This I am compelled to do, to stoppe the
chaterynge mouthes of sophysters, albeit to them that be sober it had
bene ynough to haue sayde, they eate onelye breade, and not the bodye
breakynge & ce. For they ryght well vnderstonde it by the contrarye
antithesis, and knowe that I ment not by that (onelye) that he shulde
eate the breade and nothynge els but onelye breade: but that I ment by
this worde (onelye) that he shulde eate the breade without the bodye.
And so lykewyse in other examples. Thus haue we suffycyentlye declared
Paules mynde in the .x. Chapter.
[Sidenote: 1. Cor. 11.] In the .xi. chapter Paule maketh moche mencyon
of the maundye and dyscrybeth it to the vttermoste. Fyrste (he sayeth)
whē ye come together in one place, a man can not eate the Lordes souper.
For euerye mā begynneth afore to eate hys owne souper, and one is
houngrye and an other is drōken. Haue ye not howses to eate and drynke
in? Or els dyspyce ye the congregacyō of God and shame them that haue
not? What shall I saye vnto you? Shall I prayse you? In thys I prayse
you not. Paule ded instructe accordynge to Christes mynde, that the
Corinthyans shulde come together to eate the Lordes souper. Whiche lyeth
not so moche in the carnall eatynge as in the spyrytuall: and is
greately desyred to be eaten, not by the hounger of the bodye, but by
the hounger of the faythfull harte. Whiche is greadye to publyshe the
prayse of the Lorde and geue hym hartye thankes, and moue other to the
same, that of many, prayse myght be geuen vnto our moste mercyfull
Father, for the loue whiche he shewed vs in the bloode of hys owne moste
deare sonne Christe Iesu. Wherwith we are washed from our synnes, ād
surelye sealed vnto euerlastynge lyfe. With suche hounger ded Christe
eate the Paschall Lambe, sayēge to hys dyscyples: I haue inwardelye
desyred to eate this Easter Lambe with you before that I suffer.
[Sidenote: Luc. 22.] Christes inwarde desyre was not to fyll hys belye
with hys dyscyples, but he had a spyrytuall honger: bothe to prayse hys
Father with thē, for their bodely delyueraunce out of the lande of
Egypte: and specyallye to altre the Paschall Lambe & memorye of the
carnall delyueraunce, in to a maundye of myrth and thankes geuynge for
our spyrytuall delyueraunce out of the bondage of synne. In so moche
that when Christe knewe that it was hys Fathers wyll and pleasure, that
he shulde suffer for our synnes (wherin his honoure, glorye, & prayse,
shulde be publyshed) then was it a pleasure vnto hym to declare vnto hys
dyscyples that greate benefytte, vnto hys Fathers prayse and glorye: and
so ded instytute that we shulde come together and breake the breade in
the remembraunce of his bodye breakynge & bloode sheadynge: & that we
shulde eate it together reioysynge with eche other & declaryng his
bēfytes.
Now were the Corynthyās fallē from this honger, & can not together to
thētent that Goddes prayse shulde be publyshed by thē in the myddes of
the cōgregacyon, but can to feade their fleshe & to make carnall chere.
In so moche that the ryche wolde haue meate ād drynke ynough, ād take
suche habundance that they wolde be drōke, ād so made it their owne
souper ād not the Lordes, as Paule sayeth, ād ded eate onelye the breade
& meate, ād not the bodye breakynge as I sayde before, ād the poore
which had not, (that is to saye that had no meate to eate) were shamed
ād hōgrye, and so coulde not reioyse ād prayse the Lorde: by the reason
that the delycate fare of the ryche was an occasyō for the poore to
lament their pouertye, ād thus the ryche ded neyther prayse God
themselfes, nor suffered the poore to do it, but were an occasyō to
hynder them.
They shulde haue brought their meate and drynke ād haue deuyded it with
their poore bretherne, that they myght haue bene mery together, and so
to haue geuē thē occasyō to be merye and reioyse in the Lorde with
thankes geuynge. But they had neyther luste to prayse God, nor to
confyrte their neyghboure. Their fayth was feable, ād their charyte
colde, ād had no regarde but to fyll their bodye ād feade their fleshe:
And so dyspysed the poore cōgregacyō of God, whome they shulde haue
honoured for the spyryte that was in thē and fauoure that God had shewed
indyfferētlye vnto thē in the bloode of hys sonne Christe. When Paule
perceyued that they were thus fleshlye mynded and had no mynde vnto that
spyrytuall maundye whiche chefelye shulde there be aduertysed, he
reproueth thē sore, rehersynge the wordes of Christe. That which I gaue
vnto you I receyued of the lorde. For the lorde Iesus the same nyght in
the which he was betrayed toke breade and thanked and brake it and
sayde: take ye and eate ye, this is my bodye which is broken for you,
this do ye in the remembraunce of me. After the same maner he toke the
cuppe whē souper was done sayenge: this cuppe is the newe testament in
my bloode, this do ye as ofte as ye drynke it in the remembraunce of me.
For as ofte as ye shall eate thys breade and drynke thys cuppe, ye shall
shewe the Lordes death, tyll he come. As though he shulde saye, ye
Corynthyans are moche to blame which at this souper seake the foode of
your fleshe. For it was instytute of Christe, not for the intent to
nouryshe the belye, but to strenght the harte and soule in God. And by
this you maye knowe that Christe so mente: For he calleth it his bodye
whiche is geuen for you, so that the name it selfe myght testyfye vnto
you, that in this souper you shulde more eate his bodye which is geuē
for you (by digestynge that in to the bowelles of your soule) then the
breade, which by the breakynge and the dystrybutynge of it, doth
represent his bodye breakynge ād the dystrybutynge therof vnto all that
are faythfull. And that he so meaneth is evydēte by the wordes
folowynge, which saye, thys do in the remembraunce of me: and lykewyse
of the cuppe. And fynallye concludynge of both, Paule sayeth, as often
as ye shall eate thys breade and drynke thys cuppe (in thys place and
felowshyppe) ye shall shewe the Lordes death vntyll he come, praysynge
the Lorde for the deathe of hys sonne, and exhortynge other to do the
same, reioysynge in hym with infynyte thākes. And therfore ye are to
blame which seake onelye to feade the bellye with that thynge, which was
onelye instytute to feade the soule. And thervpon yt foloweth.
Wherfore whosoeuer doth eate of this breade or drynke of thys cuppe
vnworthelye, is gyltye of the bodye and bloode of the Lorde. He eateth
thys breade vnworthelye, which regardeth not the purpose for the which
Christe ded instytute it: which commeth not to it with spyrytuall
honger, to eate through fayth hys verye bodye, which the breade
representeth by the breakynge and dystrybutynge of yt: whiche commeth
not with a merye harte geuynge God hartye thankes for their delyueraunce
from synne: whiche do not moche more eate in their harte the death of
hys bodye, thē they do the breade with their mouth. Now syth the
Corynthyans ded onelye seake their bealy and fleshe, ād forgatte Goddes
honoure and prayse (for which it was instytute, that thankes shulde be
geuen by the remembraunce of hys bodye breakynge for vs) they eate it to
Goddes dyshonoure and to their neyghbours hynderaunce, and to their owne
cōdempnacyon, and so for lacke of fayth were gyltye of Christes bodye
which (by fayth) they shulde there chefelye haue eaten to their soules
health. And therfore it foloweth.
¶ Lette a man therfore examyne hym selfe, & so lette hym eate of the
breade, and drynke of the cuppe.
Thys provynge or examynynge of a mans selue, is fyrste to thynke with
hym selfe with what luste ād desyre he commeth vnto the maundye ād wyll
eate that breade: whether he be sure that he is the chylde of God and in
the fayth of Christe: and whether hys cōscyence do beare hym wytnes that
Christes bodye was broken for hym: and whether the luste that he hath to
prayse God ād thāke hym with a faythfull harte in the myddes of the
bretherne, do dryue hym thytherwarde. Or els whether he do it for the
meates sake or to keape the custome: For then were it better that he
were awaye. For he that eateth or drynketh vnworthely, eateth ād
drynketh hys owne dampnacyon, because he maketh no dyfference of the
Lordes bodye. That is, as is sayde before, he that regardeth not the
purpose for which it was instytute, and putteth no dyfference betwene
thys eatynge and other eatynge, for other eatynge doth onelye serue the
bellye, but thys eatynge was instytute and ordeyned, to serue the soule
and inwarde man. And therfore he that abvseth it to the fleshe, eateth
ād drynketh hys owne dampnacyon. And he commeth vnworthelye to the
maundye where the sacrament of Christes bodye is eaten: yea, where the
bodye of the Lorde is eatē, not carnallye with the teth and bellye, but
spyrytually with the harte ād faythe. Upon thys foloweth the texte that
master More alleageth and wresteth for hys purpose.
For thys cause manye are weake and sycke amonge you, and manye sleape.
Yf we had trulye Iudged our selues, we shulde not haue bene Iudged. When
we are Iudged of the Lorde, we are chastened because we shulde not be
dampned with the worlde. Wherfore my bretherne, whē ye come together to
eate, tarye one for another. Yf any man hunger, lette hym eate at home,
that ye come not together vnto condempnacyon.
For thys cause (that is) for lacke of good examenynge of our selues (as
is before towched) manye are weake and speke in the fayth, and manye
sleape, and haue loste their fayth in Christes bloode, for lacke of
remembraunce of thys bodye breakynge and bloode sheadynge: Yea and not
that onelye, but manye were weake and sycke euen stryken with bodely
dyseases for abvsynge the sacrament of hys bodye, eatynge the breade
with their teth ād not hys bodye with their mynde, and peraduenture some
slayne for it by the stroke of God, which yf they had trulye iudged and
examyned them selues for what intēt they came thyther, and why it was
instytuted, shulde not haue bene so Iudged ād chastened of the Lorde.
For the Lorde doth chasten, to brynge vs vnto repentaunce, & to mortyfye
the rebellyous membres, that we maye remember hym. Here ye maye shortely
perceyue the mynde of Paule.
FINIS.
¶ An Epytome and shorte rehearsall of all thys boke, shewynge in what
poyntes Fryth dyssenteth from our Prelates.
Now to be shorte, in these iij. poyntes Fryth dyssenteth from oure
Prelates ād from master More, which taketh vpon hym to be their
proctoure. Our Prelates beleue that in the sacrament remayneth no
breade, but that it is tourned in to the naturall bodye of Christ both
fleshe bloode & bones. Fryth sayeth, that it is none artycle of our
Crede: and therfore lette them beleue yt that wyll. And he thynketh that
there remayneth breade styll. And that he proueth. iii. maner of wayes.
Fyrste by the scripture of Paule, [Sidenote: 1. Cor. 10.] which calleth
it breade sayenge: the breade which we breake, is it not the felowshyppe
of the bodye of Christe? For we though we be manye, are yet one bodye
and one breade, as manye as are partakers of one breade. And agayne he
sayeth, [Sidenote: 1. Cor. 11.] as often as ye eate of thys breade or
drynke of this cuppe, you shall shewe the Lordes death vntyll he come.
And Luke calleth it breade sayenge. [Sidenote: Actes. 2.] They contynued
in the felowshyppe of the Apostles, and in the breakynge of the breade
and prayer. [Sidenote: Mat. 26.] Also Christe called the cuppe the frute
of the vyne, sayenge. [Sidenote: Mar. 14. Luc. 22.] I shall not frō
hence forwarde drynke of the frute of the vyne vntyll I drynke that newe
in the Kyngdome of my Father.
Furthermore nature doth teache you that both the breade and wyne
contynue in their nature. For the breade mouldeth yf it be kepte lōge,
yea and wormes breade in it. And the poore mouse wyll ronne awaye with
it and eate it, which are evydence ynough that there remayneth breade.
Also the wyne yf it were reserued, wolde waxe sower, as they confesse
them selues. And therfore they howfell the laye people but with one
kynde onelye: because the wyne can not contynue nor be reserued to haue
readye at hande, when neade were. And surelye as yf there remayned no
breade, it coulde not moulde nor waxe full of wormes: euē so yf there
remayned no wyne, it coulde not waxe sower. And therfore it is but false
doctryne that our Prelates so lōge haue taught & publyshed.
Fynallye that there remayneth breade, myght be proued by auctoryte of
manye doctoures which call yt breade ād wyne, euen as Christe and hys
Apostles ded. And though some sophysters wolde wreste their sayenge, and
expounde thē after their owne fantasye, yet shall I alleage thē one
doctoure which was Pope, that maketh so playne with vs that they shall
neuer be able to avoyde hym.
[Sidenote: Gelasius in concilio Ro.] For Pope Gelasius wryteth on thys
maner. _Certe sacramenta que sumimus corporis et sanguinis Christi,
diuinæ res sunt, propter quod et per eadem diuine efficimur cōsortes
naturæ. Et tamen nō desinit esse substantia uel natura panis et uini,
sed permanet in suæ proprietate nature. Et certe imago et similitudo
corporis et sāguinis Christi in actione misteriorum celebrantur._ That
is to saye: surelye the sacrament of the bodye and bloode of Christe
which we receyue, are a Godly thynge, and therfore through thē are we
made partakers of the godly nature. And yet doth it not cease to be the
substance or nature of breade and wyne, but they cōtynue in the properte
of their owne nature. And surelye the Image and symylytude of the bodye
and bloode are celebrated in the acte of the mysteryes. Thys I am sure,
that no man cā avoyde it, nor so wreste it, but that all men shall soone
espye hys folye, and therfore I maye conclude that there remayneth the
substaunce and nature of breade and wyne.
The seconde poynte wherin Fryth dyssenteth from our Prelates and their
proctoure.
The Prelates beleue that hys very fleshe is present to the teth of them
that eate the Sacramēte, and that the wycked eate hys verye bodye. Fryth
sayeth that it is none artycle of our Crede, and therfore he reakeneth
that he is in no Ieoperdye though he beleue it not. And he thynketh that
hys fleshe is not presente vnto the teth of thē that receyue the
Sacramente. For hys fleshe is onelye in one place at ones. And that he
proueth both by the auctoryte of Saynte Austen ad Dardanum, and also by
the auctoryte of Fulgentius ad Thrasauandum libro. 20. as before
appeareth in the boke. And Fryth sayeth that the wycked eate not hys
verye fleshe, although they receyue the Sacramente. And that he proueth
by the scrypture, doctours, and good reason, grounded vpon the
scryptures.
[Sidenote: Ioan. 6.] The scrypture is thys, he that eateth Christes
bodye hath euerlastynge lyfe, ergo then the wycked eate not hys bodye.
Agayne the scrypture sayeth, he that eateth Christes fleshe ād drynketh
hys bloode abydeth in Christe and Christ in him: but the wycked abyde
not in Christe nor Christe in them, ergo the wycked eate not hys fleshe
nor drynke hys bloode.
[Sidenote: Augustin ser. desacra fe. Pasche.] This maye also be cōfyrmed
by good auctoryte. For saynte Austen sayeth, he that abydeth not in
Christe ād in whome Christe abydeth not, without doubte he eateth not
hys fleshe nor drynketh hys bloode, although he eate and drynke the
Sacramente of so greate a thynge vnto hys dampnacyon.
[Sidenote: Beda.] And euē the same wordes hathe Bede vpon the tenth
chapter of the fyrste Epystle to the Corynthyans.
[Sidenote: Augusti de ciuitate Dei in libro. 21. cap. 25.] Agayne S.
Austen sayeth, he that abydeth not in me ād in whome I abyde not, let
hym not saye nor thynke, that he eateth my bodye or drynketh my bloode.
And euen the same wordes hath Bede vpon the syxte Chapter of the fyrste
Epystle to the Corynthyans. And euen the same sentence hath Ambrose, and
Prosper, & Bede vpon the xi. chapter of the fyrste Epystle to the
Corynthyans.
Fynallye thys may be proued by good reasō grounded vpō the scrypture.
Christ wolde not suffer marye (though she loued hym well) to towche hym,
because she lacked one poynte of faythe, and ded not beleue that he was
equall with hys Father. And therfore by reason yt muste folowe, that he
wyll not suffer the wycked (which neyther haue good fayth nor loue
towardes hym) both to towche hym and eate hym in to their vncleane
bodyes.