A Brief and Pithy Sum of the Christian Faith

The conjunction of the thing signified with the signs, dependeth on the only ordinance and promise of God, without being either local, or in any wise natural. But so only as God offereth to us veritably, that which he promiseth to us by his word, and representeth to ⟨p. 154⟩our sense by visible signs, that is to say, the very body and blood of Jesus Christ, to everlasting life. But these on the contrary, will have by the virtue of four or five words, the bread to be changed into the body, and the Wine into the blood of Jesus Christ, which is a very Juggling or Sorcery. For in so saying, they destroy by consequent, the humanity of Jesus Christ. If they allege furthermore, that God is Almighty, the answer is soon made. For there is no question to know whether God can, (for we doubt not but he can do all) but whether he will or not. Now that he will not, it appeareth by this, that he hath not declared it by his word. But on the contrary, it is said,¹ that Jesus Christ hath taken his body from us into heaven, & shall not remove from thence, until he come to Judge the quick & the dead. Although concerning his divine nature and virtue he is over all. Moreover when Jesus Christ did take a very body, he did sufficiently ⟨image 171⟩declare that he would not be invisible, nor infinite concerning his divine nature, as he said to his Apostles. Finally if they allege that the body of Jesus Christ is now glorified, the answer is peremptory, that when the Lord instituted this sacrament, his body was not as then glorified. And nevertheless his words were then as true and veritable, as they be now at this day: wherefore their saying is to no purpose, for the glorification, maketh but one body, to become one infinite thing, for it appertaineth but to one God to be infinite.

The coniunction of the thyng signyfied wyth the signes, dependeth on the onely ordynaunce and promisse of God, wtout being either locall, or in any wise natural. But so only as God offreth to vs verytably, that whiche he promyseth to vs by his worde, and representeth to ⟨p. 154⟩oure sense by vysible signes, that is to say, the verie bodie and bloude of Iesus Chryste, to euerlastyng lyfe. But these on the contrarie, wil haue by the vertue of foure or fyue wordes, the breade to be chaunged into the bodye, and the Wyne into the bloude of Iesus Chryste, which is a verie Iuglyng or Sorcerie. For in so saying, they destroy by consequent, the humanytie of Iesus Chryste. If they alleadge furthermore, that God is Almyghtie, the annswere is soone made. For there is no question to know whether God can, (for we doubt not but hée can do all) but whether he wyll or not. Nowe that he wyll not, it appeareth by thys, that he hath not declared it by hys worde. But on the contrarie, it is saide,