aunswere him, because thou hast so called it▪ I beleued it not to be a figure, because thou saydst not, that it was a fi∣gure: Other reasons to auouch I know not. Of the worde it self. I contend not, but the thing it selfe I defend, for we must speake regularly. Thus Christ, thus the Apostles, thus all the ancient fathers haue spoke, our fathers hadde but onely figures and shadowes, but the Churche of God hath the truth itselfe with the signes. Tertullian sayth one fi∣gure conteyneth not another, but Melthizedech was a figure, ergo this is the body. The Sacramentes of the Ie∣wes weare signes and tokens, but ours be both the signes and the thing signed also. Luther himselfe confessed that the body was present with the bread, and could not denye it: Oecolampadius tooke it for a figure onely Chrisostome de∣maunding wherefore Christ gaue his body before his pas∣sion, rather then at any other time, aunswereth; that hee might tye the trueth to the figure, saying, t••ke, eate, this is my body, not a figure of my body. And the same Chrisostome sayth agayne, if it were but bare bread, or but a figure, wherefore should his Disciples haue bene offended in ea∣ting a fygure? Agayne in his 83. Homely vpon Mathew. They are not any humayne workes, which he did worke at his last supper, he it is that worketh, he maketh perfect, we are his ministers, but it is he that sanctifieth, and chaū∣geth the elementes of breade and wine into his bodye and bloud. Agayne doest thou see bread and wine? doe they passe into the priuy like other meates, God forbid. &c. The∣ophilus Alexandrinus vpon these wordes of Marke the E∣uangelist this is my body, sayth. This whiche I geue, and which you receiue, ••s not onely bread, or a figure of Chri∣st••s body, but the trueth it selfe, for if it should appeare as it is, in forme of flesh & bloud, we should loth it, and there∣fore the Lord condescendyng to our weakenesse, reteyneth the formes of bread and wine, and yet conuerteth the same into the trueth of his body and bloud. Theophilactus sayeth the bread and the wine is the very body & bloud of Christ, and not a figure onely. If you stand in suspēse of the author, or approue him not, yet know you that he is counted and taken amongest all the learned for a most faythfull inter∣preter of Chrisostome, the bread sayth he is transelementate, and transmitted into an other substaunce then it was be∣fore. Augustine sayth there was great heede taken in the primitiue Church, least any part of the Sacrament should fall downe to the grounde. &c. Cyrillus sayth, leaste wee shoulde abhorre fleshe and bloud in the Sacrament of the Aultar, God humbleth himselfe to our weakenesse pou∣ring and infusing the force of life into it, and making it the very trueth of his owne blessed body and bloud. Dama∣sce••e calleth it a diuine body, or a body deifyed. Origene, Ireneus, Eusebius Hieronimus, with al the rest of the auncient Catholicke Fathers are of the same opinion with me, all which to produce it were too long.
¶The Declaration of Doctor Glin vpon his second conclusion.
THe sacrifice and offering vppe of Christes body in the Sacrament of the Aulter (right honourable and wor∣shipfull) I will defend euen to the effusion of bloud as a thing consonant to scripture, whereof Paule speaketh to ye Hebrues. But perchaunce some will obiect, Christ offered vp himselfe, ergo you ought not to offer him. I aunswere, yea, because he offered himselfe therfore, I offer him, for ex∣cept he had offered himselfe, I could not haue offered hym. But you will say, Christes death is sufficient, and therfore you ought not to offer him agayne. I aunswere. So may we say, we neede neyther to fast nor pray, for Christe hath done both sufficiently for vs. Agayne you will obiect, if you offer him vppe agayne, you crucify him anew. I an∣swere, not so, for many haue offered him, that haue not crucified him, as Abraham, Isaac, Moyses, the Leuites, Anna, Samuel. We offer Christ, but not to the death, but incōmemoration of his death, there being not onely com∣memoration thereof, but also the very presence of Christes body and bloud. Ireneus sayth, Christ counselled his Disci∣ples to offer the first fruites of all theyr goodes to God, not that he needed any of them, but for that they shoulde not shewe themselues fruitless, or vngratefull, and therefore Christ tooke the creature of bread, gaue thankes, and sayde this is my body, and likewise the creature of the cuppe, and confessed saying, this is my bloud of the new Testament. Thus Christe hath taught a newe kinde of oblation, whiche the Church receiuing from the Apostles, offereth to God tho∣row out all the whole world, who onely geueth vnto vs all kynd of foode, and the first fruites of his gracious giftes in the newe Testament, whereof Malachye thus sayth, I haue no pleasure in you sayth the Lorde of Hostes, I will not receiue any sacrifices at your handes, because my name is glorified amongest the Nations from the East to the West sayth the Lord, and in euery place is incense and pure sacrifice offered to my name. But here may be ob∣iected, Christe is the onely sacrifice for sinne, and wyth∣out hym there is no moe. I aunswere, notwithstanding wee haue this commaundement, doe this in remembe∣raunce of me, besides that I denye not that it is a comme∣moration, but I denye that it is an onely commemorati∣on. I denye his absence, and I affirme his presence.
Here endeth the declaration of Doctor Glin.