Chapter 24: The Humility and Submission of Christ
confirmation, extreme unction, penance, and other such like: all of which we see have place in action only. But they are wont to say that this sacrament of the Eucharist must be excepted. But how logically our adversaries speak this, it may be easily perceived. When all the parts of the induction are granted, and there is only an instance put of the thing in controversy, who sees not that it is lewdly done, and only to dally with the argument, for that is after a sort to grant the premises, and to deny the conclusion?
The Hindrance of Transubstantiation By reason of these strange wonders of this metamorphosis, we are hindered from the end, which is chiefest, and is commended unto us by Christ in the holy scriptures: namely, the remembrance of Christ and His death. For here all the mind and meaning of these men is occupied in believing of transubstantiation; yea thou mayest see some sacrificers, who when they are come to the Communion, only urge and thrust this upon us to be believed, passing over other things more necessary.
And by the means of this feigned device, the Communion is less frequented, because men being persuaded in that, began to think with themselves: If Christ be there corporally and carnally covered with accidents, surely we will go unto the temple: we will see, we will worship, we will call upon, we will light candles, and such other like things, whereby they thought they might gratify Christ. Which if they had not thought, but had judged, as true it is, that it is only a sacrament, they would thereby have understood that they should have no commodity unless they had communicated, and their minds would have been more stirred up unto the Communion, which is truly to satisfy the institution of Christ.
Chapter 24: