The wordes of Hierome are playne. Priestes (saith he) which minister the Eucharist, and diuide the bloud vnto the people. MarginaliaHieronimus in Sophon. cap. 3.

In historia tripartita 

, it was sayd to the emperor Theodosius, how will you receaue the body of the Lorde, with such bloudy handes, or the cup of his precious bloud, wyth that mouth, which haue spilled so much innocent bloud. MarginaliaIn Histor. tripart. lib. 9.

In the Canon of Gelasius 

& in the popes own decrees, these wordes we read  : We vnderstand that there be some, which receauyng onely the portion of the Lordes body, doe abstaine from the cuppe of his sacrate bloud, to whom we enioyne, that eyther they receaue the whole Sacrament in both the kyndes, or els that they receaue neyther: for the diuidyng of that whole and one Sacrament cannot be done without great sacriledge, &c. MarginaliaDe consecrat. Dist. 2. Comperimus. So that this decree of Pope Gelasius beyng contradictorie to the councell of Constance, it must follow, that either the Pope did erre, MarginaliaThe councell of Constāce a sacrilegious councel. or els þ^e councell of Constance must nedes be a sacrilegious Councel, as no doubt it was.

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The like testimony also appeareth in the councell of Toletan, that the laitie dyd then communicate in both kyndes, besides diuers other olde presidentes, remayning yet in the churches both of Germany and also of Fraunce declaryng likewise the same. 

MarginaliaThe forbidding of both kindes of the Sacrament hath no grounde in auncient custome. And thus it standeth certayne and demonstrable by manifold probations, how farre this newfound custome differeth from all antiquitie and prescription of vse and tyme. Agayne, although the custome therof were neuer so auncient, MarginaliaNo custome may derogate from the Lordes expresse commaundemēt. yet no custome may be of that strength to gaynestand or countermaunde the open and expresse commaundement of God, which sayth to all men: Bibite ex hoc omnes. Dryncke ye all of this. &c.

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MarginaliaThe Lords Testament ought not to be altered for any respect. Agayne, seyng the cup is called the bloud of the new testament, who is he that dare or can alter the Testament of the lord, when none may be so hardy to alter the testament of a man, beyng once approued or ratified?

Further, as concernyng those places of Scripture before alledged, De fractione panis, that is, of breaking of bread wherupon they thynke themselues so sure that the Sacrament was then ministred but in one kynd: to aunswere therunto, first we say, it may be doubted whether all those places in Scripture, MarginaliaIn fractione panis. De fractione panis, are to be referred to the Sacrament. Secondly, the same beyng geuen vnto them, yet can they not inferre therby, because one parte is mencioned, that the full Sacrament therefore was not ministred. The common maner of the Hebrue phrase is, vnder breakyng of bread to signifie generally the whole feast or supper: as in the Prophet Esay, these woordes, Frange esurienti panem tuum, do signifie as well geuyng drinke as bread. &c. And thirdly howsoeuer those places, De fractione panis be taken, yet it maketh little for them, but rather agaynst them. For if the Sacrament were administred amongest them in fractione panis. i. in breaking of bread, then must they nedes graunt, that if bread was there broken. Ergo, there was bread, forasmuch as neyther the accidences of bread without bread can be broken, neyther can the naturall body of Christ be subiect to any fraction or breaking by the Scripture, which sayeth: And ye shall breake no bone of him. 

&c. MarginaliaExod. 12.
The naturall bodye of Christ may not be brokē.
Accidences no man can breake.
No bread is there to be broken: Ergo, there is nothing in the Sacrament broken. Wherfore take away the substance of bread, and there can be no fraction. And take away fraction, how then do they make a Sacrament of this breakyng, where as neither the substance of Christes body, neither yet the accidences without theyr substance can be broken, neither agayne will they admit any bread there remayning to be broken? And what then was it in this their Fractione panis, that they did breake, if it were not Panis, that is, Substantia panis quæ frangebatur? To conclude, if they say that this fraction of bread was a Sacramentall breaking of christes body, so by the lyke figure let them saye that the beyng of Christes naturall body in the sacrament is a sacramentall beyng, and we are agreed.

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MarginaliaAn other obiection against both kindes. Item, they obiect further and say, that the church vppon due consideration may alter, as they see cause, in rites, ceremonies, and Sacraments.

MarginaliaAunswere. Aunswer. The institution of this sacrament standeth vpon the order, example, & commaundement of Christ. Marginalia1. Order.
2. Example.
3. commaundement. This order he tooke: First he deuided the bread seuerally frō the cuppe, and afterward the cuppe seuerally from the bread. Secondly this he dyd not for any nede on hys behalfe, but onely to geue vs example how to do the same after hym, in remembrance of hys death to the worldes ende. Thirdly, beside this order taken, and example left, he added also an expresse commaundement: Hoc facite. Do this. Bibite ex hoc omnes. Drinke ye all of this. &c. Agaynst this order, example, and commaundement of the Gospell, no Church nor councell of men nor aungel in heauen hath any power or authority to chaunge or alter, accordyng as we are warned: If any bryng to you any other gospell beside that ye haue receaued. hold hym accursed. &c. 

MarginaliaGalat. 1.

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MarginaliaAn other obiection agaynst both kindes. Item, an other obiection. And why may not the church (say they) as well alter the forme of this Sacrament, as the Apostles dyd the fourme of Baptisme, where in the Actes Saint Peter sayth: Let euery one be baptised in the name of Iesu Christ. &c. 

MarginaliaAct 2.

MarginaliaAunswere. Aunswer. This text sayth not, that the Apostles vsed this forme of baptising: I baptise thee in the name of Christ. &c. MarginaliaThe Apostles chaunged not the forme of Baptisme. but they vsed many tymes this maner of speach, to be baptised in the name of Christ, not as expressyng therby the formable wordes of baptising, but as meanyng this, þ^t they would haue them to become members of Christ, and to be baptised as Christians, entryng into hys baptisme, and not only to the Baptisme of Iohn: and therfore, although the apostles thus spake to the people, yet notwithstanding whē they baptised any thēselues, they vsed (no doubt) the forme of Christ prescribed, and no other.

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Item, among many other obiections, they alledge certaine perils and causes of weight and importaunce, as spillyng, shedyng, or shakyng the bloud out of the cuppe, or souryng, or els sticking vpon mens beardes &c. for the which they say it is well prouided, the halfe communion to suffice. &c. Wherunto it is soone aunswered, that as these causes were no let to Christ, to the Apostles, to the Corinthians, & to the brethren of the Primitiue Churche, but that in theyr publick assemblies they receyued all þ^e whole Communion, as well in the one parte as in the other: so neyther be the sayde causes so important now, to adnull and euacuate the necessary commaundement of the Gospell, if we were as carefull to obey the Lorde, MarginaliaMans curiositie in magnifiyng his own deuyses aboue Gods. as we are curious to magnifie oure owne deuises, to strayne gnattes, to stumble at strawes, and to seeke knottes in rushes, which rather are in our owne phantasies growyng, then there where they are sought.

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MarginaliaObiections of priuate example make no instāce against publicke vsages and doctrine of the Church. In summa. diuers other obiections and cauillations are in Popishe bookes to be found as in Gabriell 

the difference made betwene the laitie and Priestes, also the distinction vsed to be made betwene the Priestes communion and the laicall communion. MarginaliaCommunio. Sacerdotum.
Communio Laicalis. Where is to bee vnderstand, that when Priestes were bydde to vse the laicall communion, thereby was ment not receauyng vnder one kynde as lay men do nowe, but to absteine from consecratyng, and onely to receaue as the lay men then dyd. Some also alledge certeine speciall or particular examples, as of the cuppe onely seruyng for the bread, or of the bread onely sent to certein sicke folke for the cuppe. And here they inferre the storye of Sozomenus, MarginaliaHist. eccle. Lib. 8. cap. 5. touchyng the woman in whose mouth the Sacrament of bread, whiche shee onely receaued without thee cuppe, was turned to a stone. &c. other alledge other priuate examples likewise of infantes, aged men, sicke persons, mē excommunicate, phrentickes and madde men, or men dwellyng far of from churches, in mountaynes or wildernes. &c. MarginaliaAll respectes must geue place to the obedience of the worde. All which priuate examples neyther make any instance agaynst the auncient custome of publicke congregations frequented from the Apostles tyme, and much lesse ought they to derogate from the expresse and necessarye precept of the Gospell which sayth to all men without exception: Hoc facite. &c. Bibite ex hoc omnes. &c. 

Commentary    Close

These are the words spoken by Christ at the Last Supper; Foxe is quoting from Luke 22: 17-20 in the Vulgate.

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MarginaliaThe third Article Priuate Masses, trentall Masses, and dirige Masses 

, as they were neuer vsed before the tyme of Gregory vj. C. yeares after Christ: so the same do fight directly against our Christian doctrine, as by the definition therof may wel appeare: MarginaliaDefinition of the Masse The Masse is a worke or action of the priest, applied vnto men for meriting of grace, Ex opere operato, in the which Action the Sacrament is first worshipped, and then offered vp for a sacrifice for remission of sinnes, a pœna & culpa. for the quicke and the dead. Of this definition as there is no part, but it agreeth with their owne teachyng: so is there no part therof which disagreeth not from the rules of christian doctrine, especially these, as follow.

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MarginaliaThe first rule of Christian doctrine. 1. The first rule is: Sacramentes be instituted for some principall end and vse, out of the which vse they are no Sacraments. As the sacrament of Baptisme is a Sacrament of regeneration, and forgiuenes of sinnes to the person that is Baptised. But if it be caried about to be worshipped and shewed to other as meritorious for their remission, and regeneration, to them it is no sacrament.

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MarginaliaThe 2 rule. 2. No sacrament nor ceremony doth profite or conduce, but them onely which take and vse the same.

MarginaliaThe 3. rule. 3. Only the death of Christ and the worke of his sacrifice vppon the crosse is to be applied to euery man by fayth for saluation and health of hys soule. Beside this worke alone,