Part 29 (1/2)

The Lord of COBHAM said, ”I believe that the Sacrament of the Altar is very CHRIST's body in form of bread; the same body that was born of the Virgin MARY, done on the cross, dead and buried, and the third day rose from death to life: which body is now glorified in heaven.”

Then said one of the Doctors of the Law, ”After the sacramental words said, there remaineth no bread but the body of CHRIST!”

Then the Lord of COBHAM said to one, Master JOHN WHITEHEAD, ”You said to me in the Castle of Cowling [_Lord COBHAM's home_], that the host sacred was not CHRIST's body: but I said, 'It was CHRIST's body!' though Seculars and Friars hold each one against other in this opinion.”

Then said they, ”We say all that it is G.o.d's body!”

And they asked him, ”Whether it were material bread after the consecration?”

Then said the Lord, ”I believe it is CHRIST's body in form of bread.

Sir, believe ye not thus?”

And the Archbishop said, ”Yea!”

Then the Doctors asked him, ”Whether it were only CHRIST's body after the consecration, and no bread?”

And he said to them, ”It is CHRIST's body and bread. For right as CHRIST was here in manhood, and the G.o.dhead hid in the manhood: so I believe verily that CHRIST's flesh and his blood is hid there in the form of bread.”

=SMILING THEY SAY, ”IT IS AN HERESY!”=

Then they smiled each on other, deeming him taken in heresy; and said, ”It is an heresy!”

The Archbishop asked him, ”What bread it was?” and the Clerks also, ”Whether it were material or not?”

Then the Lord said, ”The Gospel speaketh not of this term _material_; and therefore I will not! but say, it is CHRIST's body and bread! For the Gospel saith, _Ego sum panis vivus qui de coelo descendi_, that is to say, ”I am quick bread that came down from heaven.” For as our Lord JESUS CHRIST is Very G.o.d and Very Man; so the most blessed Sacrament of the Altar is CHRIST's body and bread.”

Then they said, ”It is an heresy, to say that it is bread after the consecration and the sacramental words said, but only CHRIST's body.”

The Lord said, ”Saint PAUL the Apostle was as wise as ye be! and he called it _bread_; where he saith thus _The bread that we break, is it not the partaking of the body of the LORD?_”

Then they said, ”PAUL must be otherwise understanded; for it is an heresy to say, that it is bread after the consecration, but only CHRIST's body: for it is against the determination of the Church.”

Then they asked him, ”Whether he believed not in the determination of the Church?”

And he said, ”No, forsooth! but I believe all G.o.d's Law, and all that G.o.d wills that I believe; but not in your law nor in your determination: for ye be no part of Holy Church, as openly your deeds shew; but very Antichrists, contrary to G.o.d's law. For ye have made laws for your covetousness.”

”This,” they said, ”was heresy: not for to believe in the determination of the Church.”

=LOLLARD DEFINITION OF ”HOLY CHURCH.”=

Then the Archbishop asked him, ”What was Holy Church?”

He said, ”I believe that Holy Church is the number of all them that shall be saved; of whom CHRIST is head: of the which Church, one part is in Heaven, another in Purgatory, and the third here in Earth. This part here, standeth in three degrees and estates, Priesthood, Knighthood, and the Comminalty, as I said plainly in my _Belief_.”

Then the Archbishop said to him, ”Wot you who is of this Church? It is doubt to you who is thereof? Ye should not judge!”

The Lord said, ”_Operibus credite! justum judicium judicate!_” that is to say, ”Believe ye the works! judge ye rightful judgement!”

Also he said to them all, ”Where find ye by G.o.d's Law, that ye should set thus upon any man, or any man's death, as ye do? But ANNAS and CAIAPHAS sat and judged CHRIST; and so do you!”