Let them not then find it strange,1 if we do not believe them at all, when they say unto us, Lo here is Christ, yea there is Christ: behold, he is in the wilderness, or in the closets. For Jesus Christ doth not give us testimony of such a ⟨image 45⟩presence of him in his Church, neither of any such coming of his from heaven but in deed giveth unto us one clean contrary. No more may they also allege unto us in this behalf the authority of the ancient Church, nor of the ancient doctors, nor the auncientie of their religion, touching such worshipping, reservation, and keeping of the bread, & of their holy host.2 For the ancient Church hath at the least continued upon the point of a thousand and three score years, before that the doctrine of transubstantiation was brought into it, received and approved by the council, in such sort as the Romaine Church hath holden it ever since, to wit, from the time of the Pope Nicholas the second,3 and afterward of Gregory the seventh, about the year 1074. But this was not done at all without contradiction of many, which could not profit at all, forsomuch as they were oppressed by the authority of the Romaine Popes, and of the multitude of their adherents. The custom for all that, was not in the same church, to keep the bread in cupboards, boxes, and pyxes, before the time of Honorius the third,4 who ordained it about the year 1226. that he was in the Romaine Chair, nor also to bear it in solemn procession, and to dedicate a special feast to it, unto the time of Pope Urbane the fourth,5 who ordained that feast, which commonly is called ⟨image 45⟩the feast of God, or of the holy body of God. Behold then the antiquity of the religion which followeth such doctrine and such manner of doings, and as touching the principal authors, unto the which it may be ascribed.6 And thereby every man may know, what faith they ought to give to the transubstantiators and Romaine doctors, which affirm that the Romaine religion which they at this day do follow, is the religion of the true ancient Church, and that they have received it of Jesus Christ, and of his Apostles, and is come even to them, from hand to hand by a continual succession.7
LEt them not then finde it straunge,1 if we doe not beleeue thē at all, when they say vnto vs, Lo here is Christ, yea there is Christ: behold, he is in the wildernesse, or in the closets. For Iesus Christ doth not giue vs testimonie of such a ⟨image 45⟩presence of him in his Churche, neither of any such comming of his from heauen but in deede giueth vnto vs one cleane contrary. No more may they also alleage vnto vs in this behalf the authoritie of the auncient Church, nor of the ancient doctours, nor the auncientie of their religion, touching such worshipping, reseruation, and keeping of the bread, & of their holy hostie.2 For the auncient Church hath at the least continued vpon the point of a thousand and three score yeeres, before that the doctrine of transsubstantiation was brought into it, receiued and approued by the councel, in such sorte as the Romaine Church hath holdē it euer since, to witte, from the time of the Pope Nicholas the secōd,3 and afterward of Gregorie the seuenth, about the yeere 1074. But this was not done at all without contradiction of many, which coulde not profit at al, forsomuch as they were oppressed by the authoritie of the Romaine Popes, and of ye multitude of their adherentes. The custome for all that, was not in the same church, to keepe the bread in cupbordes, boxes, and pixtes, before the time of Honorius the third,4 who ordeined it about the yeere 1226. that hee was in the Romaine Chaire, nor also to beare it in solemne procession, and to dedicate a speciall feast to it, vnto the time of Pope Vrbane the fourth,5 who ordained that feast, which commonly is called ⟨image 45⟩the feast of God, or of the holy body of God. Beholde then the antiquitie of the religion which followeth such doctrine and such maner of doings, and as touching the principall authours, vnto the which it may be ascribed.6 And thereby euery man may knowe, what faith they ought to giue to the trāssubstantiatours and Romaine doctours, which affirme that the Romaine religion which they at this daye doe followe, is the religion of the true auncient Churche, and that they haue receiued it of Iesus Christ, and of his Apostles, and is come euen to them, from hande to hand by a continuall succession.
- 1The very words of the Lord
- 2•ranssub•antiation wrought in•• ye church •bout the ••ert 1060.•ranssub•antiation ••onght in•• ye church •bout the ••ert 1060.
- 3Nicholas •he second. Gregory •e seventh.Nicholas •he second. Gregorie •e seuēth.
- 4Honorius the third. 1226.
- 5Urban the fourth.
- 6Note we this.
- 7Romaine Apostles.
