D. Heskins, D. Sanders, and M. Rastel, accounted (among their faction) three pillers and archpatriarches of the popish synagogue (vtter enemies to the truth of Christes Gospell, and all that syncerely professe the same) ouerthrowne, and detected of their seuerall blasphemous heresies. By D. Fulke, Maister of Pembrooke Hall in Cambridge. Done and directed to the Church of England, and all those which loue the trueth.

The eight and fiftie chapter endeth the exposition of the same text by Theophylact and Anselme.

Theophylact saith nothing but of the temporall pu∣nishment that God layeth vppon the contemners of his mysterie. Anselme borrowed his wordes of Ambrose ci∣ted in the last chapter. And both Theophylact and An∣selme, though great prelates in their lyfe, yet in this ac∣compt of Master Heskins, they are burgesses of the low∣er house, and liued much about a time.

To fill vp the chapter, he citeth certaine miracles re∣ported by Sainte Cyprian Sermone, 5. De lapsis: to shewe howe God punisheth the vnworthie receiuing of the sa∣crament, although they doe not all shewe it, for the first example is of an infante that coulde not brooke the sa∣cramentall wyne, after it had tasted of breade and wine offred to Idolles, where the negligence of the parentes was rather punished then the vnworthinesse of the child. The whole story is at large set downe in the last chapi∣ter of the second booke.

The seconde example is of a woman, who receiuinge vnworthily, was striken with sodaine death.

The third of a woman who kept the sacrament in her coffer, and when she woulde with vnworthie handes open the cof∣fer, in which was the holy thing of the Lorde, there sprange out a fire by which she was so terryfied, that she durst not touche it. A iust punishment for her reseruing of that, which should haue bene receiued. The fourth miracle is of a man who presuming to receiue the sacrament vnworthily, coulde neuer eate the holy thing of God nor handle it. For when he had opened his hand, he sawe nothing in it but ashes. This is a maruei∣lous thing saith Master Heskins. Whereby is declared that God is not willing that his holy sacrament shoulde be receiued of a fil∣thie sinner, for so muche as sodeinly it pleaseth him to chaunge it into ashes, he himselfe departinge from it. In deede this is a straunge and miraculous transubstantiation. But if I might be so bolde to aske M. Heskins, what is that which is chaunged, if there be no bread in the sacrament? God he saieth is departed from it, there remaineth the acei∣dentes onely of breade and wine, and so belike the acci∣dentes are chaunged into ashes. O monstrous muta∣tion.

But why doeth not M. Hes. gather by this miracle, that if the sacrament could not be receiued of a wicked man much lesse the body of Christ, and so doeth Cyprian ga∣ther of it. Documento vnius ostensum est, Dominum recedere cum negatur, nec immerentibus prodesse ad salutem quod sumitur, cum gratia salutaris in cinerem sanctitate fugiente mutetur. By example of this one it is shewed, that the Lorde doeth depart when he is denyed, neither doeth that which is receiued profit to salua∣tion the vnworthie persons, seeinge the wholsome giftes, the holi∣nesse departing from it, is chaunged into ashes. Cyprian gathe∣reth by the chaunge of the outwarde sacramente, before it was receyued, that Christ departeth from them y^t denye him, and is not receyued at all. But M. Hes. would learne forsoth, what one thing is in the sacrament receiued that profiteth & hurteth, he aunswereth it cānot be the bread & wine (for they profit alike to al men) therfore it must needes be the body of Christ: a wholsome conlusion, by whiche the bodye of Christe is made a hurtefull thing:

but if it please him to vnderstand our aunswere, we deny that there is any thing included in the bread or wine, that either profiteth or hurteth to saluation. It is the grace and spirite of God, which worketh as well by this sacrament our spirituall nourishing, as by baptisme our spirituall regeneration. And that, which hurteth the wicked man, is in him selfe, and not in the sacrament, euen his owne wickednesse and detestable presumption, to defile the ho∣ly sacraments of God. Wherefore it is diuelish and blas∣phemous, that M. Heskins affirmeth the body of Christ to be hurtful to any, bicause the vnworthy receiuing of the sacrament, hurteth him that receiueth, by his owne acte, and not by any thing that is receiued.

Notes

• Hesk.
• Fulk.