SO much touching the error of transubstantiation, from whence there followeth yet an other very great & very unsufferable, the which I set down for the second, concerning the matter of transubstantiation, and for the seventh of the twelve, into which number I bring all the points. This same is,1 concerning the worshipping of the bread and of the wine, ⟨image 41⟩in stead of Jesus Christ the very son of God, This is an error which yet draweth after it many other.2 The first is, that where the bread & the wine should be distributed in the mass, to those which be there present, as the Lord hath commanded that it should be done in the supper, they do only set them out to show, lifting them up on high, and causing them to be worshipped of every one, as idols, through great superstition and idolatry: whose like never was since the beginning of the world, how great soever the blindness have been.3 For as Cicero himself witnesseth, there were never men that did believe or think, that that which they did eat was God. And there was never any people so beastly, which did think that the idols & the visible things which they did honour and worship, were really and essentially gods, but only that they were remembrances and representations. But the idolatry whereof I now speak, passeth on much further. For it contenteth not it self to cause the bread and the wine to be worshipped and honoured as holy & sacred signs, ordained to be remembrances and representations of the very body & blood of Jesus Christ, but as Jesus Christ him self in flesh and bone, and man and God together.4 For they affirm, that there is no more bread nor wine, but that that which was bread and wine before the consecration, ⟨image 41⟩is really and in deed Jesus Christ him self, which thing may not be, by mean of the reasons which I have already alleged. From whence it followeth,5 that the bread and the wine are there worshipped for gods, & that that same worshipping is a very idolatry, and clean contrary to the holy ordinance of the Lord, and to that which he hath said and done, and commanded in the institution and administration of the same. For he commandeth expressly,6 to do that which he did in the remembrance of him, and not otherwise.
SO much touching the errour of transsubstantiation, from whence there followeth yet an other very great & very vnsufferable, the which I set downe for the seconde, concerning the matter of transsubstantiation, and for the seuenth of the twelue, into which nomber I bring all the poyntes. This same is,1 concerning the worshipping of the bread and of the wine, ⟨image 41⟩in stead of Iesus Christ the very sonne of God, This is an errour which yet draweth after it many other.2 The first is, that where the bread & the wine should be distributed in the masse, to those which be there present, as the Lorde hath commaunded that it should be done in the supper, they doe onely set them out to shewe, lifting them vp on high, and causing them to bee worshipped of euery one, as idols, through great superstition and idolatrie: whose like neuer was since the beginning of the world, howe great soeuer the blindnesse haue bene.3 For as Cicero himselfe witnesseth, there were neuer men that did beleeue or thinke, that that which they did eate was God. And there was neuer any people so beastly, which did thinke that the idols & the visible things which they did honour and worship, were really and essentially gods, but onely that they were remembrances and representations. But the idolatrie whereof I now speake, passeth on much further. For it contenteth not it self to cause the bread and the wine to be worshipped and honoured as holy & sacred signes, ordeined to be remembrances and representations of the very body & blood of Iesus Christ, but as Iesus Christ him selfe in fleshe and bone, and man and God together.4 For they affirme, that there is no more bread nor wine, but that that which was bread and wine before the consecration, ⟨image 41⟩is really and in deede Iesus Christe him selfe, which thing may not be, by meane of the reasons which I haue already alleadged. From whence it followeth,5 that the bread and the wine are there worshipped for gods, & that that same worshipping is a very idolatrie, and cleane contrary to the holy ordinaunce of the Lorde, and to that which he hath sayd and done, and commaunded in the institution and administration of the same. For he commandeth expresly,
- 1Note this well.
- 2•e first •our.
- 3•icer. de. •at. deo. li. 3.
- 4Affirmation.
- 5Note t•• idolatry.Note t•• idolatrie.
- 6Luk. 22.• 1. Cor. 11.
