prayse so are we debters to hym also for oure manifolde sinnes done against him and so are wee bounden to satisfye the iustice of God by suffering paine for the same both whiche debtes when we could not and were not able to paye our selues Christ our Lorde being the mediatoure betwene God and man by hys paynful death hath paied it for vs and hath cācelled the obligation of our debt and fully satisfied God for the synne of the worlde and hathe taken away eternal death due for the same and so hath made vs nowe able by him and in hym both to offer that sacrifice of prayse which for al his benefites we were bounden to make and also to satisfie the iustice of God for that tēporall payne whiche remayneth for vs to suffer after that the giltines of oure synnes and the paynes of hell be remitted through the satisfactiō made vpon the crosse the benefite whereof is applyed to vs by true faythe contrition not that we be able of our selues by oure woorkes or suffering to make woorthye satisfaction for the same as Christ hath done but that we are made able by Christ and in hym to dooe or suffer that wherewith God is contented and satisfied and accepteth as a satisfaction By this ye shall vnderstande good people that the satisfaction of penaunce which I haue to declare vnto you at this tyme is punyshement or affliction which a synner taketh vpon him to suffer by the assignement of his ghostlye father after the remission of his synnes to the intent he might thereby cut away the cause and sequele of his sinnes whiche remayne and also eyther clerely redeme or at lest mitigate the tēporall paynes due for the same synnes by doing of suche penall woorkes as bee contrarye to the synnes committed This doctrine of Satisfaction standeth vpō these two groundes First that when the sinne is remitted and the sinner receyued into grace and fauour with GOD againe yet oftentymes there remayneth temporall payne to be suffered for the same sinne eyther in this worlde or in the nexte And secondlye that this temporall payne may be mitigated or redemed and taken awaye by penitential satisfaction the worthy fruites of penaunce To this doctrine beareth wytnesse the trade and processe of the holle Scriptures When the people of Israell in the wyldernesse grudged against Moyses and Aaron and wold haue gone backe into Egipt againe and so prouoked God to vengeaunce Moyses prayed for the people very feruently at whose prayer God did forgeue the people their sinne yet not with standing that forgeuenes he said that he would punishe thē after this sort that neuer one of thē that came out of Egipt had not obeyed him in the wildernes should see or enter into the lande which he promised thē Wherby we learne that after the synne remitted many times there remaineth a punishmēt temporall to be suffred for the same Also king Dauid when he had taken contrition and confessed the sinne that he didde with Barsabee and for the kyllynge of her husband Urias the Prophete Nathan shewed him that God had forgeuen him his synne and that he should not dye and be dampned for it but yet he shoulde haue great and longe temporall punishment for those offences and so he had bothe in the death of his children and also in the persecution of his sonne Absalon in diuers other thinges which the Prophete tolde him And yet when the Prophet had said that his yong sonne begotten by Barsabee should dye trustyng that his humble penaunce should chaunge Gods sentence in punishinge of him by the deathe of his sonne he fell to fasting weeping praying watching and lying vpon the grounde by the space of seuen dayes and although he dydde not than obtayne the release of that punishement whiche was appointed by Goddes immutable decree yet in an other lyke offence he obteyned the mitigation of his temporall payne For when Dauid for the synne of nombryng the people had taken contrition and humbled himselfe before God confessinge his faulte the Prophete by the message of God for punyshmēt of his synne after remission gaue hym choyce whether he would haue seuen yeares hunger or three monethes warre without victory or three daies pestilēce and when he did chose pestilence whiche might as soone fall vpon him the offendour as vpon the people he did so punyshe and afflicte him selfe that God in respecte of his penaūce was satisfied and content with the plage of one day and did remit the rest Euen so Dauid in his psalmes speaking of Moyses and Aaron sayeth that God dyd heare them and was mercyfull vnto them and yet punyshed and reuenged all their inuentions and synne And the Apostle Saynte Paule teacheth vs that for the synne of abusinge the blessed body and bloud of our Lord in the sacrament of the Aultare many were punished with weakenes sicknes and corporall death and telleth vs also there the remedie howe to auoyde these paynes which is if we would iudge condempne and punishe our selues wee shoulde escape the punyshement of God for when we be iudged and punyshed of God we be but corrected whose chastisement is rather to be called an admonition than a condemnation rather a fatherly medicine than a finall punishment and destruction And therefore euery synner ought to exercise more seueritie against him selfe that iudging himselfe he be not iudged of God the contemning whereof is a meane to bee eternally condempned with the wicked worlde It suffiseth not for a man to chaunge his maners to the better to beginne a new life forsake the olde except also he make satisfaction to God for those sinnes he hath done by the sorowe of Penaunce by the mournynge and Sacrifice of an humble and contrite harte and by almes Wherby appeareth that the penaunce of a christen man sinning deadly after baptisme conteyneth satisfaction by fastinge almes prayer and other godly exercises of spiritual life not for the eternal paine of hel which with the synne is remitted in the vsing of the sacrament of penaūce or els if the sacrament can not be had in the desire of ful purpose to vse it when it may be had but for temporal payne which as the scriptures teache is not holly alwayes remitted to theim that take the grace of God in vayne True contrition and sorowe for synne taken for the loue of God whom he hath offended causeth a synner likewise to take this satisfaction punishmēt vpon him assigned by the minister of God by the vertue of the keyes committed to the Churche or sometymes voluntarelye taken vpon hym of his owne good wyll as Sainte Paule saith to the Corinthians that the sorowe which is taken for Gods sake worketh stedfast penaūce for saluation on the other side the sorow of the world worketh death For euen thys sorow which you haue takē for Gods sake saith Saint Paule to the Corinthians how muche
store vp a good treasure in the nexte worlde to the attayninge of euerlastinge lyfe And by thys gyfte of counsell we bee armed not to leane to oure owne strength nor to the power of anye multitude nor to the obstinacie of minde but to the helpe of God and for the glorye of hys name So that thys gifte of fortytude woorketh the vertue of mercifulnesse whereby a man vseth the worlde not as the deuyll tempteth hym to fulfyll hys greedy appetite which like dropsye wyll neuer be satiate but to the reliefe of the poore the defence of the innocent the forgeuinge of the offendour and the mayntenaunce of the truthe For suche a man is happye and shall receyue greater mercie at Gods hand And therefore when we lacke this gifte or doe not vse it let vs fyrste forgeue them that haue offended vs and than pray that our debtes may likewise be forgeuen vnto vs and that is the verye practyse of thys gyfte of counsell and the direction of oure spirytuall strength and fortitude The syxte darte of the deuell is gluttonye for when he hathe mooued a man to take pleasure and ioye in these outwarde and worldlye thynges he tempteth hym speciallye to followe that pleasure that is most naturall to his fleshe and not to be content with that the necessitye of nature requireth but to lette pleasure haue hys wyll eyther in excedynge measure or in to much delicatenes and preparation for the same wherupon foloweth the decaye of healthe and subuersion of reason For commonly wher there is a full belly there is also a dull witte for that cause the holye Ghoste hath armed vs wyth the gift of vnderstandinge out of whiche procedeth the vertue of clennes of hart that our spirituall eyes maye be simple and refuse to be made dull with the stuffing of our bellies and our hartes maye be cleane and pure from the corruption of the flesh not loden with surfeting and dronkennes to thintent we might escape the sayde vyce of glotonie and be promoted to so greate happynes as to see God whiche no man can do except the mist of ignoraunce errour and vncleane lyuynge be taken from his eyes by faythe and the gift of vnderstanding And therfore least these tentations of the fleshe specially concerninge the nourishing and pamperinge of the same do hynder vs from true vnderstanding and the syghte of God which he hath promised to all them that be simple and cleane of hart let vs diligētly pray that he suffer vs not to be led into temptation Finally the last of the deuils dartes is lechery which is the vylest kind of sinne of al other the sonest is a man tempted vnto it if the deuil haue any enteraunce before eyther by ydlenesse couetousnesse or dronkennesse For as the prophet saythe the cause of the iniquitye of Sodome was pryde to muche eatinge wealth and ydlenesse And thys vyce blyndeth a mans soule taketh awaye his reason for a tyme and the consideration he shoulde haue of death and bringeth him into hatred of God and in mistruste or desperation of the life to come And for remedye againste this most beastlye vyce the holye Ghoste hath armed vs with his greatest gifte which is wysdome whereby a manne pulleth awaye hys mynde and pleasure from the corruption of hys fleshe and refuseth to be subiect to his vnnaturall sensualitie and to defile his bodye the temple of God and setteth his hole ioye felicitye and rest in his Lorde God hauinge his mynde occupyed in heauenly thoughtes where nothinge is that can displease And thys is the wysdome of God that commeth from aboue which is chaste peaceable gentle easie to be intreated agreable to goodnes full of mercy and good fruite Happye are they that haue thys wysedome oute of which springeth the vertue of making peace because the fruit of rightwisnes is sowen in peace to theym that be peacemakers to whome God hath promised that they shal be called his sonnes and children for which cause when we lacke this gift of wisdome or waxe slacke to vse it let vs pray to almighty god to deliuer vs from al euill whiche deliueraunce setteth vs at libertye and maketh vs freemen that is to saye the chyldren of god indued with his spirit of adoption wherby we may boldly call God our father And thus I haue declared vnto you the seuen giftes of the holy ghost geuen vnto vs in our cōfirmation which for lacke of our good and vertuous bringinge vp when wee were chyldren do not so muche appeare and shewe theimselues in oure deedes as it were expedient they should but yf we rayse theym vp againe by oure prayer and diligent exercise as I haue partly told you we shall be sure to ouercome our spirituall enemye and in the daye of oure Lorde receyue the crowne of glorye throughe the merites of our sauiour Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all glorye and prayse Amen ⸫ ¶ Of the reall presence of Christes bodye in the Sacrament of the Aultar Ser. vii AS a man by his carnall generatiō is not onely borne to temporal life but also in proces of tyme waxeth strong which life strength cā not be preserued withoute nouryshement and holsome meate euen so a man by his spirituall regeneration is not onely borne againe to a spirituall life in Christ by baptisme but also waxeth strong in Christ by receiuing the giftes of the holy ghost in Confirmation which spirituall lyfe and strength can not bee preserued and continued without spiritual nourishmēt and holsome meate For which purpose our sauiour Christ who loued vs so vehemently that to bringe vs to life was content to dye and for the pryce and ransome of the same lyfe vouchsafed to geue his own body to death doth styll vouchsafe to nouryshe vs so redemed and brought to life with the swete and holsom milke of his owne bloude and geueth vs his fleshe to eate and his bloud to drinke that we might be fed and nouryshed for the continuaunce of oure spirituall life wyth the same precious thynges that we were redemed withall before And because our soules be as yet ioyned with oure bodies therfore for the time of this life our Sauiour Christ geueth vnto vs his vnuisible graces in sensible Sacramentes And as in Baptisme by water whiche is a sensible thing is geuen to vs the inuisible grace of regeneration euen so in the Sacrament of the Aultare vnder the vysible formes of breade and wyne is geuen to vs the substaunce of all grace which is Chryst hym selfe that is to saye hys bodye and hys bloude which though they be corporall thinges in theyr own nature yet now being glorified they be spirituall and therefore not sensible but where it pleaseth oure Sauiour by miracle to haue them appeare Thys is than most certeynlye and constantly to be beleued of vs all vpon payne of dampnation that in thys blessed sacrament of the Aultar wherof I entreate
at this time is verelye and reallye present the true bodye and bloude of oure Sauiour Christ which suffered vpon the crosse for vs and is receyued there corporallye by the seruices of our mouthes not in the same forme of his body as it was vpon the crosse but in the formes of our dayly and special nutrimentes of breade and wyne the substaunce of which bread and wyne is conuerted and chaunged into the substaunce of Chrystes bodye and bloude by the omnipotent and secret power of his woorde assistinge the due administratyon of hys mynister This merueylous and heauenly doctrine is not inuented by mans wytte but reueled by Gods spirit in his holy scripture and taught vs by the mouth of our Sauiour Christe who instituted thys holy Sacrament in his last supper sayinge to his disciples take eate this is my bodye whiche is geuen for you this is my bloude of the new testament which is shed for many and for you in remission of sinnes Of these words the like which be written in the gospels of S. Marke S. Luke and in the epistle of S. Paul to the CorinthiaÌ„s the holy catholike church hath euer from the beginning vnderstaÌ„ded and beleued that after the speaking of those words by Christ or by his minister in his person sufficientlye authorised so to do by his commaundement is made present the naturall body and bloud of our sauiour Christe there to be receiued of his faithfull people to the increase of all grace and immortalitie bothe of bodye and soule For the Churche estemeth these to be the working wordes of God makinge the thinge to be as it was not before and not as the wordes of onely man whiche can onelye declare the thinge to be as it is before For yf Christes word be of such streÌ„gth that it can make thinges to be that were nothing before how much more hath it strength to make a thinge that was before to be chaunged into an other thynge that it was not Like as the heauen was not the earth was not yet he said the worde and they were made euen so the sacrament before the consecration was not the bodye of Christe but after the consecration it is now the body of Christ for he hath said the word the thinge is made And he that is the author of the gift is also the wytnes of the truth of the same gift so that our fayth in this thinge is grounded not in mans reason or sense but in the almighty power of gods worde For if Christ the speaker of this word were not Gods sonne and the woorde of God by whom all trees and herbes doo bringe foorth fruite it could not be certeine to vs that this blessed and sanctified breade of the Sacrament were Christes bodye and the cuppe of his bloude Therefore seing that he hath sayde this is my body this is my bloude who can neyther deceyue nor be deceyued let vs without all doubte stedfastlye beleue it to be so and looke vpon it wyth the eyes of our vnderstandinge For our faith in this matter is induced by hys onelye authorytie and not by our wytte whose wordes require necessarily our fayth and in no wise do admitte our reason they require a simple beleuer and reproue a wicked reasoner so that we must beleue simply that we can not serche profitablye wherefore lyke as wee maye not curiouslye serche howe it is done so we maye not Iewishlye doubte whether it be done but reuerently prepare vs to receyue that by faith we are sure is done And furthermore the holy Churche estemeth those wordes of Christ this is my body this is my bloude to be the formall wordes of a sacrament of the new Testament workinge inwardly the same grace that is signified outwardly whiche is the propertâ—e of euery sacrament of the newe Testamente whereby they differ frome the other shadowes of the olde Testament And because the grace that is signified by these formall wordes is the very bodye and bloude of Christe him selfe the author and fountayne of all grace therfore we must certeinly knowe by fayth that God assistyng the due ministration of thys Sacrament according to his promise doth inwardly woorke in the holy Sacrament the reall presence of his saied bodye and bloude It is not the power of the priest being a man that in the creatures which be set vpon the aultare to be consecrate causeth the body and bloud of oure Lorde to be made present but it is Christ himselfe that was crucified for vs. The wordes be pronounced by the mouth of the prieste as hys mynyster but the oblations be consecrate by Gods power and grace who is now there present and sanctifieth the creatures and chaungeth them by the inuisible working of the holy ghost which miraculous chaunge must be imputed to Christ who by hys woorde worketh this his presence aboue the reache of mans carnall vnderstandynge And we ought to thinke of this consecration farre aboue the consecration of other thinges For other thinges in the Church vsed about the holy Sacramentes be by prayer sanctifyed and called holy for that they be dedicate to some holy vse and the soule of man is by grace coÌ„secrate and sanctified because it is a substaunce wherin holines and vertue remaineth and a good mans bodye is also sanctified being made a membre of Christ and the temple of the holy ghost and the other Sacramentes be sanctified and holye for that they bee the instrumentes wherby GOD worketh holynes in the soule of man but aboue all other thinges this blessed Sacrament of the Aultar is most holy beyng as S. Chrysostome sayth not onely a thinge sanctifyed but also verye sanctification and holynesse it selfe For in that it is the bodye of Christe by sanctification wherunto is annexed the godheade by vnitye of person it muste nedes by holynes it selfe not in qualitie but in substaunce out of which procedeth all holynes vertue and goodnes And the holy Churche also estemeth those formall woordes of oure Sauioure Christe to be the performaunce of his promise whych he made at Capernaum to his disciples when he sayde the breade that I shall 〈◊〉 vnto you is my fleshe which I shall gâ—ue for the life of the worlde whiche promise he that is the verye truthe and can not lye dydde neuer at any tyme before perfourme but in hys laste supper when hee gaue hys bodye and hys bloude to hys dysciples to eate and sayde that whiche he gaue theym was hys bodye and hys bloude And as he promysed to geue vnto theym hys fleshe that shoulde be geuen for the lyfe of the worlde and not a figure of that flesh or a sygne so he gaue in verye deede the same fleshe and not a fygure or sygne of it and sayde precyselye that it was the same bodye that shoulde bee geuen to deathe for theyr redemption to whyche woorde euerye true Christen manne
geueth credyt and hee that beleueth not that it is hys verye true bodye as he sayde it was he is fallen from all grace and saluation And no manne oughte to bee in doubte of the truthe of this real presence of Christes body in the sacrament because he hathe eyther redde himselfe in certeyne holy wryters bookes or hath heard say of other that they say how in this Sacrament is a sygne or a figure or a similitude of Chrystes body For those same authours eyther in the places where they vse those wordes or els in some other places declare most manifestly theyr faythe concerning the real presence to be al one agreable with the common faythe of the vniuersall Churche of Christ. And for your better instruction in thys matter ye shall vnderstande that there be twoo thinges whiche be partes of thys Sacramente the visible formes of breade and wyne and the vnuisible body bloud of our lord Iesus Christ. The outwarde forme of that is seene is a fygure and signe of that hydden truth whyche is there conteined beleued and not sene Ye shall also vnderstand that in the Sacrament there be two graces to be considered the one is the substantial grace of Christes body there present and conteyned the other is the accidental grace onely signifyed and not conteined which is wrought in the soule of the worthye receiuour wherby he is more inwardly ioined to Christes mistical body not onely spirituallye by fayth and charytye but also by naturall and corporall participation with Christ and his church This vnity of Christes misticall body the church is as wel signified by Christes natural body there present as it is by the visible element of breade whiche as it is made one loafe of many granes so the church is made but one bodye of Christ consistinge of manie men and women And this is Christes naturall bodye in the Sacrament a figure of his misticall bodye the Churche and of the vnitye of the same And further where as our Lorde commaunded his disciples and all vs to doo the same that he didde that is to saye to consecrate and to raceiue his bodie and bloude in the remembraunce of his death and passion till his last commynge ye may thereby vnderstande that the inuisible spiritual and intelligible flesh blood of Christ in the Sacrament signifyeth and representeth the same visible mortall and palpable bodye of Christ vpon the crosse for which respect the sacrament of diuers Doctours is called a fygure or sygne Finally because all thinges that be in this present worlde be they neuer so true yet they be called figures and images in respecte of the same thinges in heauen whiche be seene as they be wythoute all shadowes or coueringes therfore like as the very oblation of Christ vpon the crosse which is a thing of most truthe is called an image in respect of that oblation whiche he the same time at al times maketh in heauen before his father where he appeareth as an aduocate for vs euen so the natural bodie of Christ in the sacrament which can not here be sene but by fayth may wel be called a figure or an image of the same body in heauen which is there seene without couer receyued by perfite fruition of al the blessed angels saintes that be ther in the kyngedome of God For here the Churche hath Christ her spouse in a sacramente and there she shall haue him without all sacrament both here and there is the truth but here it is couered and there manyfest without couer in earthe we eate the breade of angels in a Sacrament in heauen we shall eate the same bread euidentlye without a sacrament where the presence of the most hye priest shall shewe it selfe openly to all men as it is For these respectes whiche I haue rehersed no man ought to be in dout of the truth of Christes real presence in the Sacrament because of these wordes figure or signe founde in certayne authors which wordes as I haue declared do in no wyse denye the truthe of the presence but eyther they declare the secret and couered maner of it in the sacrament or they signifye the vnitye of Christes misticall body or els they bringe into oure remembraunce the passion of Christes bodye whiche is paste or the cleare fruition of the same in heauen whiche to vs is yet to come And here ye ought to marke diligentlye that I haue sayde concerninge the twoo maners of being of Christes bodye the one in heauen at the ryghte hande of hys father manyfestlye wythout all couer or Sacrament the other the same momente of tyme here in earthe amonges vs in a Sacramente to be receyued of vs for oure spirituall sustenaunce in whyche thynge wee maye not consider the nature of a mannes body but the infinite power of GOD that canne dooe wyth hys bodye what hee wyll and doth with it what he saith And because he saith euidētly that he geueth to vs his body that suffred and his bloude that was shedde therfore we ought to beleue his woorde whyche can not deceiue vs seinge that all thinges be possible to God which be vnpossible to man Christes bodie is but one and although it bee consecrate and offered in many places yet there is but one Christ in euery place being bothe full Christ here and full Christ there one bodye And where as Chryste Gods onelye begotten sonne goeth into euery man diuisiblye that receyueth him and by his flesh sanctifieth their soules and bodies yet he in his flesh remayneth hole wythout diuision in euery one beinge but one wher so euer he be by no meanes diuided And in thys miracle oure Sauioure Christe excelled Helias and all other prophetes for Helias left his mantle vnto his disciple but the sonne of God ascending left to vs his fleshe Helias ascended without his mantle him self but Christ both left hys fleshe vnto vs and ascended hauing it also with him And this is not of our desertes but of hys exceding mercye and good wyll that beinge hole in his maiestie and glory at the ryght hande of God hys father yet dothe vouchesafe the same tyme to be with vs in earth vnuisibly being but one in dyuers places not onelye comfortinge vs that be here trauelinge wyth the presence of hys diuinitie and holye spirite but also feeding and nourishynge vs with the heauenlye foode of hys body and bloud to euerlasting life This feading of vs with Christes body bloud we muste vnderstand that it is not only spiritually by faith when we remember and thinke vppon his passion and death but also corporallye with the seruice of our bodies and senses when we receiue it in the sacrament For as in the olde law the bloud of the paschal lambe was cōmaunded to be sprinckled vpon both the postes of the doore euen so the bloude of Christe our paschall
lambe is sprinckled vpon both the postes of our doore when it is receiued not onelye wyth the mouth of the body for redemption but also with the mouth of the hearte for imitation Whyche bloude is not nowe shedde vpon the handes and coates of the souldiours that crucifyed him but is powred into the mouthes of the faithfull that receyue hym And this newe doctryne was not knowen to the worlde tyll our Sauiour Christe taught it hymselfe in his ghospell For the olde lawe dyd forbydde the eatinge and drinkinge of bloude with theyr mouthes and the newe law dothe commaunde it so to be dronken for which cause we that pertayne to the newe lawe do vse often tymes to drinke of this bloud knowynge that except we eate his flesh and drink his bloud we shall not haue lyfe in vs. Wherein wee are called to more dignitye than any of the prophetes of the olde testamente was For Dauid dyd neuer eate of thys bodye nor neuer dranke of this bloude although he beleued in Chryste as well as we or rather better and so was onelye pertaker of them spirituallye by fayth and not corporally by the sacrament as we be See with what great dignity almighty God doth honour our mouthes by which as by certeine gates and doores our sauiour Christ entreth into vs when we communicate and receiue his bodye and so hauing Christ within vs by his fleshe in hym corporally vnited by the sacrament of perfit and natural vnitie we shal likewise be partakers of his propretie which is life euerlasting I wil no more at this time good people occupy you with any longer processe concerninge this most true euidente matter but shall speake of it at other times besechinge you in our lordes name not to wauer in your faythe lyke reedes blowen a syde with euery wind but to stand stedfast in the certein belief of this most holy sacrament whiche is set forth to vs by the mouth of our sauior Christ himself and the sacred bookes of al his holye Euangelistes and is confirmed with the bloud of his martirs with the miracles of God and hys faintes shewed for that purpose with the testymony of all catholyke wryters in euery age and with the aucthoritie and consente of the holle church of Christ throughout the worlde as well in general couÌ„sels assembled in the name of oure Lord Iesus Christ as in euery perticulare prouince and realme which is the piller of trueth the surest staffe to leane vnto for a christen man to holde himselfe stedfaste in trueth so that the mooste manyfeste woorde whyche was spoken by Chrâ—ste oure Lorde vpon this holye Sacrament and the true meaninge of the same woord declared from tyme to tyme by his holye Catholike church deliuereth vs from all ignoraunce what it is and assureth vs that in this most holy sacrament is present by the omnipotent power of god the real and true body and bloude of our sauiour Christ god and man vnder the sensyble formes of bread and wine and is there receyued of the faithfull people not onelye spirituallye by faithe but also corporallye with their mouthes for the attayninge of immortalitie and euerlastinge life both of body and soule the which GOD of his infinite goodnes graunt vs through the merytes of his sonne Iesus Christ and the sanctification of hys holye spirite to whom bee all prayse honour and glorye world without ende Amen ¶ Of the chaunge of the breade and wyne that is to say of Transubstantiation Serm. viii WHat is the substance of thys blessed Sacrament we haue learned good people of oure sauiour Christes owne wordes who the nighte before he suffered at hys laste supper with his disciples toke breade and blessed it and brake it and gaue it to hys dysciples and sayd take and eate this is my body and takinge the chalice he gaue thankes gaue it to them saying drinke al you of this for this is my bloude of the new testament whiche shall bee shed for many for remission of sinnes Upon these wordes of Christe all true christen men ground their fayth concerning this blessed Sacrament and beleue verelye that the inwarde substaunce of this sacrament is the fleshe of oure Sauiour Iesus Christe whyche suffered for oure synnes and that in the chalyce consecrate is the same bloude that dyd runne foorth of Chrystes syde when it was opened with the speere And furthermore vpon the same woordes of Christ the holy churche and all true christen men her members doe grounde their faithe concerninge the chaunge whiche the holye ghoste by his vnspeakable power worketh in this sacrament where tâ—e inwarde substaunce of breade and wyne is chaunged into the substaunce of the bodye and bloude of Chryste the outwarde formes of the saied breade and wyne with the quantitie and qualities of the same still remayninge vnchaunged Whiche maner of chaunge because it is singuler and hathe none like it eyther in nature or otherwise therefore the holy Churche dothe call it by the name of TransubstantiatioÌ„ the whiche woorde was inuented by the holy churche in the greatest generall counsell that euer was which was called the counsell of Lateranense where there were present seuenty Archbyshoppes and foure hundred Bishops and they spake of thys chaunge by that name to thintent that lyke as the holie church of Christ in euery age dyd agree and was of one minde concerninge this chaunge of the bread and wyne euen so they should agre and be of one tong in the vtteringe and speaking of that chaunge that the diuersitie of manye wordes vttereth diuersly in the bokes of learned men should not impayre and bring in doubt the olde knowen trueth reueled to the Churche by the holye ghoste This olde trueth the Churche learneth of Christes owne woordes For where as it was but one thinge or substance which our Sauiour Christ gaue out of his hand to his disciples to eate whiche one thinge he saied plainly was his body which shoulde be geuen for them and in saying so made it so to be by hys almightie word for that cause the holy church beleueth that it is not breade but his very bodye in dede And also where as it appeareth to al a mans senses to be very bread which seÌ„ses be not deceiued so farre as they can skyll of reache vnto which is onely to the outwarde apparaunce and qualities or qualitie not to the inwarde substaunce therefore the holye Churche beleueth that the chaunge which is in the sacramente is made in the inward substauÌ„ce of the bread and not in the outward forme of the breade whiche remayneth as it was for whiche cause the Churche calleth that chaunge Transubstantiation For that bread which our lord reached to his disciples being chaunged in nature and not in forme by the omnipotency of his worde was made flesh And as in the person of Christe hys humanitie was sene and his diuinitie was secret vnsene
and wine And although our sauior Christ when he did first institute this sacrament in his supper did minister it to his Apostles whoÌ„ he than made priestes vnder bothe the kindes of bread wine to thintent his death and passioÌ„ might be declared remembred therby where his bloude was seperate from his body as the bread was seperatly consecrate from the chalice which maner is yet coÌ„tinually obserued in the sacrifyce of the Churche whiche is the Masse yet for diuers weighty considerations as well concerning the honor of the sacrament and the auoidinge of theffusion of Chrystes blouds which might chauÌ„ce as for the more coÌ„modious administration of the Sacrament to the people the holy church hath vsed euen from the tyme of Christ himself and his Apostles to minister this sacrament vnder the fourme of bread onely both to lay men women and also to priestes sauing when they doe consecrate and minister to them selues with their owne handes in which doing it hath the example of Christ who the daye of hys resurrection ministred this sacramente to two of his disciples in the Castell of Emaus vnder one kinde alone and also the people be defrauded of no part of Christes body bloud nor of no effect or grace that commeth by the worthy receiuinge therof for it is most certain that the holle body bloud of Christ is as truely conteined vnder the one kinde of breade as vnder both the kindes of bread wine seing that Christes liuing body caÌ„not be without his bloud nor his liuely bloud w t out his body And it is also most certeinly true y t if the outward element of breade be diuided into smal parts ther is y e holle body of Christ coÌ„teined in euery part as it was in the holle elemeÌ„t before it was deuided euen as the soule of man is but one and holle in the holle body and is lykewyse one and holle in euery part of the bodye and also as a glasse when it is broken into peces the holle ymage of a mans face appeareth in euerye parte seuerally which before in the holle glasse appeared but one eueÌ„ so the holle body and holle bloud of Christ is geuen vnder euerye part of the outward formes equall portion is geuen to euerye one it is holle deliuered it is distribute to many and not dismembred it is incorporate to the receiuers and suffereth no iniurye it is receiued not included it dwelleth with weake persones is not made weake is muche delited with the pure faith cleane minde of him that receiueth For these most weyghtie godly considerations when the Sacrament is ministred to other than to hym selfe that consecrateth it it is deliuered vnder the forme of breade onely and the chalyce is not consecrate nor yet deliuered as any parte of the sacrament but for the more commodyous receyuinge of the other parte wherein was conteyned the body bloude of our sauiour Christe Therefore seyng that the doctryne of Transubstantiation is as I haue shewed a truth necessarily deduced of Chrystes manyfest woordes sayinge This is my bodye declaring the singular and onelye substaunce of that hee gaue to theym to eate to be his bodye and so not breade seynge the vniuersall Churche of Chryste hathe determined thys to be goddes trueth and for finall endynge of all controuersyes that all men mighte speake one thing and be of one tong hathe ordered it to bee spoken of and vttered in this terme of Transubstantiation and seynge the testimonies of aunciente doctours to bee all agreable in this poynt that the bread is chaunged into the bodye of Christ wherby appeareth the consent of the vniuersall churche whyche is the pyller and vpholder of all trueth for that cause let euery man that loueth the trueth and the saluation of his soule stedfastlye kepe hymselfe in the belief of this truth so to be a member of Christes catholike Churche withoute the whiche there is no saluation and lette hym not ioyne hymselfe to any faction of men out of the catholyke Churche of Christe that for syngularitie or gayne of the worlde trouble the peace of the Churche and styrre vp the ashes of olde heresyes whiche by the greateste aucthorytye that euer Christe lefte in his Churche that is to say by the iudgement of the successour of saynct Peter in the chayre of Christe and of the Bysshops and pastours of Christes flocke called froÌ„ all the partes of the world in a general counsell haue bene discussed before this tyme and fullye determined Let vs not shew so muche dyshonor to our most certaine and heauenlye religion as to thynke that it may be variable after the wylful and furious appetite of a few men whiche is one and vniforme and so hath bene froÌ„ Chrystes time tyll this day being by gods holy spirit the scholemaister of his holy churche inspyred reueled multiplied ordered continued and so stablished that hell gates that is to saye tyrannye schismes and heresy shall neuer preuaile against it He that by vnitie of fayth in doctryne and by the peace of charitie in good liuinge kepeth hym selfe within the folde of gods catholike Churche as a liuely member of the same may be sure of the protection of gods holy spirit in grace and be in good hope to attaine the glory of God in the kyngedome of heauen by the merites of Christ to whom with the father and the holye ghoste be honoure and praise worlde without end Amen ¶ Of the effectes of Christes body and bloude in the worthye receiuer Ser. ix HOw much good people are we bound to loue our Lorde Iesus Chryste that lyke a good shepeherd hath geuen hys soule for vs hys shepe and hys fleshe to bee oure meate and his bloude to be our drinke and so is he both our redemer and redemption our feder and our daylye foode Greater loue can no man shewe than thys whiche Christ our Lord hath shewed to vs but if wee would consider for what cause and purpose hee fedeth vs wyth hys fleshe and bloude and what wonderfull graces and effectes he woorketh in vs bothe in bodye and soule by those heauenlye meates our loue towardes hym shoulde bee a greate deale more increased and oure desyre shoulde bee more inflamed to fyll our hungrye soules with so profitable and precious meates In whiche matter I intende God wyllinge to laboure at thys tyme and to make but a shorte recitall of certayne beneâ—ytes whiche the worthye receyuinge of thys mooste blessed Sacrament worketh first in our soules and than in our bodyes for to speake perfitly at length of it and as the worthynes and dygnitie of the matter requireth woulde aske a great processe and a longe tyme whyche I verelye hope youre good affection in perceyuynge the trueth and in folowynge the same in your lyues wyll supplye First of all this holy Sacramente is ordeyned and geuen to man to nouryshe hym to eternall
lyfe For when our sauioure Christe was dead vpon the crosse and his syde was perced with a speare there came foorth of it water and bloude where vpon he fourmed and buylded his spouse the churche For by the water he geueth to vs oure beynge because by it wee are brought to be christen menne and by the bloude he geueth to vs oure lyfe because by it wee are nouryshed and fedde and preserued to contynue christen men For by eating of him whiche is eternall lyfe we are suâ—e that he geueth to vs the same thynge that he is him selfe whyche is lyfe whiche of our selues we hadde not before It is not geuen to repayre the ruyne and decayes of this temporall lyfe whiche lyke a vapour continueth but a whyle but to repayre the decay of our spirituall lyfe in Chryste and to geue vnto our soules eternall lyfe and to bringe vs thither agayne from whence wee toke oure beginninge Thys decaye of our spirituall lyfe is susteyned by consentinge to sinne and like as he that hath a wounde wyl seke for a medicyne euen so when we are in sinne we may haue thys heauenly and honorable Sacrament for a medicyne I meane not of him that lyeth dead in his soule by deadly sinne for as no man geueth corporall meate to hym that is deade in bodye so this spirituall meate of Christes body and bloude may not bee geuen to hym that is spirituallye deade in hys soule by deadly sinne for than he receiueth it vnworthely to his further iudgemeÌ„t and condemnation being gilty as Iudas was of the bodye and bloode of Christ. Therefore if the wounde of synne be so great that this sacrament can not then be worthely receiued let him then go to penaunce and by that medicine procure himself to be restored to lyfe againe For no doubt of it he receiueth thys blessed sacrament vnwoorthely that receiueth it at that time when he shoulde doo penaunce But if his sinnes be but venial and suche as this mortall and frayle lyfe can not be passed ouer wythout them then let him not forbeare the holsome medicine of this sacrament whiche is profitable to the life and health of the holl man beyng both a medicine to heale infirmities and a sacrifice to purge iniquities And because a man doth dayly offende and so decayeth in his spirituall lyfe therfore ought he often to receiue thys spiritual medicine which is called our daylye breade and therby to recouer that healthe and strengthe he had lost before For as Adam Eue contrary to Gods coÌ„maundement by eating of the fruite of the tree which was forbidden them were made mortall and subiect to death both of bodye and soule euen so euerye Christen man and woman accordyng to Christes commaundement by the worthye eating of the body and blood of Christ who is the true 〈◊〉 and the tree of life is made immortall and hathe a pledge of eternall lyfe both of body and soule And if god preserued the temporall lyfe of the people of Israel forty yeres in wildernes without any bread of sowen corn but with Manna that came from aboue howe much more will God preserue our spirituall lyfe in this worlde with the heauenlye breade of hys own flesh which was made of the blessed virgins pure substance without the sede of maÌ„ For this meate is the streÌ„gth of our soule the synewes of our minde the knot of our trust the foundation of our hope our health our light our lyfe if we depart out of this life armed with the strengthe of this meate we shall ascende to the heauenlye palace of God with great trust and boldnes and as it were apparelled with a cote of golde The figure of this meate which was the blood of the paschall lambe by the vertue of this blood which it figured did purge the synne of the people and saued them from the sword of the angel and if the figure hath such strength and was so soueraigne medicine against deathe what shall we think of the truth which is the health of our soules whereby our soules be washed they be adourned they be kindled they are made clearer then the fyre and brighter than golde For as a man bieth his seruant with gold and also anourneth him with golde lykewise so Christe hathe bought vs with his precious blood and doth anourne vs and apparelleth vs wyth the same blood which is not now sprinkled vpon vs outwardly and washed away againe as the bloode of the sacrifices of the old testament was but it entreth into our soules and maketh them spiritually clene and strong and worketh in them an vnspeakable beutie so that this heauenly foode is a protection and safegarde for vs in al the pilgrimage of this life and a safe conduite for our free passage out of thys wycked worlde and a strong vitale making vs able to endure the painful iorney to the kingdome of heauen And more ouer the worthy receiuer is inwardlye lyghtned and sanctified for as they did crucifie hym and put him to death were darkned and blynded by him so we that worthely receiue him be lightned and oure eyes be opened to knowe hym For the fleshe of Christe to that effect hath marueylous and vnspeakeable vertue as appeared in hys two disciples that knewe hym in the breakyng of the heaueÌ„ly bread And this vertue hath Christes body not in that it is a creature of God and the bodye of man but in that it is the bodye of God vnited to the Godhead of Christ in vnitye of persone and beynge sanctified it selfe by the vertue of Christes diuinitie ioyned to it it is able thereby to worke sanctification in them that worthely receyue it beyng made by the mistical prayer a body not onely holy and sanctified in it selfe but also sanctifyeng them that receyue it with a pure minde And as by drinking of common wyne a mans mynde is refreshed and hys heauynes dryuen awaye so by the eatyng and drynkyng of Christes bodye and bloode in the Sacrament the remembraunce of the olde man and the heauynes that for hys worldlye conuersation synfull life greued a mans hart is put away his godly affection is made dronken with spiritual wisdome and the knowledge of God is indued with gladnes for the remission of his sinnes and is no more combered wyth the cares of the world nor the feare of death Thus haue I declared vnto you certein godly effectes which this heauenlye meate of Christes bodie and blood woorketh inwardlye in the soule of the worthy receiuer which effectes and a great manye mo bee set foorthe at large in the bokes of the holy fathers of the catholik church and as I haue shortlye touched those that perteine to the soule so shall I God wyllyng wyth like shortnes touche those that God worketh by the worthy receiuing of this Sacrament in the bodye of man For as the spirituall disease and
death of a man is in the soule the occasion wherof commeth by the corrupt affection of the flesh so this spirituall medicine of Christes body and bloud in the sacrament worketh his effectes not onely in the soule of man but also in the body of man by healynge it by defendinge sanctifyinge strengthning and reducing it to immortalitye Fyrst seyng that we mortall and synful men be fleshe and bloude we can not be reformed in the corrupt and weake nature of our bodies and soules nor come agayne to the lykenes and symilitude of God in puritie and life except a conuenient playster be layde to our olde disease and in the healing of our desperate infirmitie one coÌ„trarye be remoued by an other like thinges be applyed and made agree vnto lyke as Christes lyuelye and sanctified bodye to our mortall and synnefull fleshe which thing is done in the receiuing of this most blessed Sacrament where the vertue of so great and holsome a medicine doth perse al partes both of body and soule and doth renew and make holl whatsoeuer sycknesse the corruption of old noughty liuing had before caused and engendred in the fleshe or in the spirite For the body of Christ our lord receiued into vs by the misticall benediction which is the sacrament and remayning in vs driueth awaye not onely death but also al sickenes and the poyson that was brought in by original sinne and it pacifieth and kepeth vnder the raging law of oure members it strengthneth deuotion it quencheth the froward and synful affections of the minde and those smal sinnes we be in it regardeth not but healeth the sycke restoreth the brused and from falling it lifteth vs vp In baptisme we were washed from all synne and the writing of our damnation was cancelled and grace was geuen vnto vs that the conâ—cupiscence and carnall desyre of our flesh shoulde not hurt vs if we abstein from consenting to it and so the corrupte and putrified matter of oure old sore was remoued and taken away But who is able to ouercome the violent motions of hys flesh and to quench the heat and itch of suche a sore â— surely no man of his own strength but we maye be bold for grace helpeth vs wherewyth we be indued by receiuing Christes blessed body and bloud in thys sacrament which hath in vs two effectes the one to take away our smal sins that we fele them not the other to take away or refraine our consent from great and mortal sins that we doo them not So that if any of you all do fele and perceiue in himselfe not so great motions or so violent prouocations to anger to enuye to lecherie or to other vyces or not so often times as he did before let him geue most humble and hye thanks to the body and blood of our lord for the vertue of the sacrament doth worke in him and he maye be glad that the rotten sore and old disease of his sensuall concupiscence is better amended and well nygh brought to helth and that the commotion and rebellion of his sodayne passions and carnall affections be so wel ceased and pacifyed Furthermore besyde the healing of our sinful flesh it sanctifieth and strengthneth it in vertue and godly liuing for like as material bread doth comfort and make strong a mans body euen so the bread of life that came from heauen which is Christes body one person with the godhed doth lykewyse make strong our bodyes in grace and more then that it sanctifieth both body soule And like as wyne maketh glad a mans hart euen so the bloode of Christ dothe fulfill a mans hart wyth spirituall gladnes and beside that is made a great stay and a sure defeÌ„ce for it which to a godly man is as it were a shield against his enemy and therefore in all daungerous and perillous times in remeÌ„braunce of Christes passion by which al grace and strength was purchased for vs we receyue Christes body and bloode for the defence preseruation of our bodies and soules wherby the power of the deuil is resisted his fiery dartes of tentations be driuen away So the churche of Christe vseth to doo with her faythfull soldiours in all persecutions eyther of furious tirantes or deceitful heretikes for wheÌ„ it prouoketh and exhorteth theÌ„ to fight agaynst their enemies it doth not leaue them naked and vnarmed but doth harnes and defend theÌ„ wyth the protection of Christes body and blood For seing this sacrameÌ„t is ordeined for this purpose to be a defence to the receyuers therefore it armeth al them with the harnes and shield of our Lordes meate whoÌ„ it would haue to be safe froÌ„ the hurt of theyr enemies For after a man hath receyued woorthely the heauenlye meate of our Lordes body and blood the deuil forsaketh him and flyeth away swifter then the wynde dare not approch nere When the angel that destroied the first begotten in Egipt saw the dore postes sprinkled with the blood of the paschal Lambe he passed by and durst not enter in to kyll How much more wil the wicked angel the deuil runne away when he shal see not the blood of the figuratiue lambe sprinkled vpon the postes but the body and bloud of the true lambe of God in the mouth of a Christen maÌ„ If the angel gaue place to the shadow or fygure howe muche more wyl the enemye be afrayde when he seeth the truth When he shall see the house of the soule occupied with the brightnes of Christes heauenly preseÌ„ce and al entraunce for his temptatioÌ„s shut away Thus are we made stronge agaynst our enemies by the vertue of this heaueÌ„ly foode wherby also our bodies being purified and refreshed be set at liberty and doth freely folow the soule and the motions of our spirite beyng deliuered from the heauye burden and weakenes whyche our carnall natiuitie dyd cause and finally they be made no more corruptible hauing thys heauenly meate for theyr hope and pledge of theyr resurrection to life euerlasting whereby they be preserued and prepared to the atteynyng of the same life For how can our flesh come to corruption and peryshe for euermore and not receyue eternall lyfe which is fed with the body blood of our Lord as our sauiour himselfe taught vs saying He that eateth my fleshe and drynketh my blood hath life euerlasting and I shall rayse him vp at the last day that is to say my bodye whyche is eaten being the body of life shall rayse vp hys body to eternall life in the last day For the very cause of our life is that we haue Christe by hys flesh remayning and abidyng in our fleshe And it wer not possible for this corruptible nature of our flesh being subiect to corruption and death to be brought to incorruption and immortalitie in the kingdome of heauen except an immortall nature such as is the body of Christ beyng
God and eternall life it selfe were ioyned to it after the waye of meate by participation whereof it myght be delyuered from the possession of death and corruption and be indued with the property of Christes body which is eternall lyfe For as Christ reduceth our soules to life eternal by geuing to them his holy spirit in the sacrament of Baptisme euen so he reduceth our bodyes to life eternall by geuing to thē his lyuing and immortall body to eate in the sacrament of the Aultar And this is the ordinary way of gods working in vs althoughe he be not alwayes bounden to his Sacramentes but that he saueth men some times of his absolute power before Baptisme and rayseth some to lyfe eternall wythout thys sacrament such as for lack of age can not proue them selues or departe in the faythe of Christe without contempt or refusall of the sayd sacrament when by some vyolence or other impediment they were letted to receyue it in dede These be good people some of the effectes which Christ woorketh by thys Sacrament in mans body which in very deede be merueilous but aboue all other thys is the greatest that he maketh vs all that worthelye receyue him to be one body with him indued with his holy spirite whereby the perfit influence of his grace beynge our heade is deriued and deduced vnto vs that be members of his body fleshe of his fleshe and bones of his bones For as s. Paul saith we that be many are made one bread one body because all we do receyue and eate of one breade whych is the naturall body of Christ the breade of lyfe that came from heauen whiche he promysed to geue to vs al as he gaue it to death for vs all In nature we be all diuers persons and haue sondry and diuers substances but because we be all fed with one singulare substance of Christes flesh which can not be diuided into partes and also are sealed with one holy spirit that likewise can not be diuided therefore these singular thinges vndiuisiblye receiued into oure bodyes and soules drawe vs to theyr vnitie and make al vs one body misticall with Christ. Which vnitie is to be called true and natural vnitie and not onely in wyll and affection by faythe and charitye where accordyng to Christes prayer immediately after hys last supper he is in the father by the nature of his diuinitie and we in hym by his corporall natiuitie and he in vs by the Sacrament of his fleshe and blood and so by Christ is made a perfite vnitie Like as when two waxes be melted at the fyre one holle thing is made of them both euen so by the communion and receyuing of Christes bodye and bloode into ours he is in vs and we in him and so by receyuynge the vertue of this heauenlye meate we are incorporate into hys fleshe that for our saluation was made our fleshe Therefore good people consyderyng these gloryous and wonderfull graces and effectes whych by thys holy sacrament he worketh both in our soules and bodies let vs not defraud our selues of them neither by to long absteyning frō it nor yet by the vnworthye receyuing of it but as his exceedyng loue towardes vs moued him to geue it to vs so let it and the benefites we receyue by it increase oure loue towardes him and as he that geueth hys lyfe for vs and his fleshe to vs wyll denye vs nothyng that maye doo vs good so let vs serue hym wyth harte and wyll and omyt nothyng that may please hym so shall we finally inioye the speciall fruite of thys most blessed Sacrament in the kyngdome of God whych is incorruption and immortality of body and soule by hys grace and free gyfte to whom wyth the father and the holye ghost be al honour glory and prayse for euermore Amen ¶ An exhortation for the worthy receyuing of the holye Sacrament Serm. x. BEyng sufficiently and most manifestlye taught good people by the mouth of our Sauiour Christ that in this most holye sacrament he geueth vnto vs his bodye and his bloode that was slayne and shed vpon the crosse for the life of the world Let vs faythfully beleue God by his woord and not repugne against him although it seme not so to our senses and our carnall thoughtes for his misteries exceede our reason wherein we ought to consider not what oure eyes sheweth vs but what hys worde teacheth vs. For our eyes may easely deceyue vs but hys word can not deceyue vs who in sensible thinges geueth vs heauenlye and intelligible thynges whyche our senses canne not iudge and discerne but geueth place to our faith directed by Gods woorde to the knowledgynge of this infallible truth Therefore it is now oure partes to prepare and make cleane our bodyes and soules from al fylth of the flesh or spirite that we may receyue thys heauenlye meate woorthely considerynge the manyfolde graces that come by it and the eternal dampnation that hangeth ouer theyr heades that vnwoorthelye presume to receyue it Remember howe euerye man is displeased and angry with the traytour Iudas and them that crucifyed our Sauiour Christe and so beware that you be not likewyse giltye of the bodye and bloud of Christe They most cruellye shedde his bloude but he that vnworthelye receyueth hym with a foule and synfull conscience spitefullye treadeth his precious blood vnder his feete No fylth or myre is so vnworthy his pure and heauenly bodye as is the bodye or soule of man defyled with mortall synne And as the thyng we come vnto is most honorable so the woorthy receyuing of it is moste profitable But if a man come vnto it with a gilty and noughty consciēce it encreaseth his faulte and dampnation for he that eateth and drinketh the body and bloude of our Lord vnworthely eateth drinketh iudgement and dampnation to himselfe For as they that do defile the kings purple robe are worthy to be punished as wel as they that cut or rent it euen so it is no maruel if they that receiue Christes bodye with an vncleane conscience do suffer the same punishment that they doo whyche dyd nayle him to the crosse Se how terrible a payne S. Paul threatneth to the vnworthy receyuer saying A man that transgresseth the law of Moyses being conuict by two or thre witnesses suffreth death how much more and greater punishment deserueth he to suffer that treadeth vnder foote Gods sonne with no reuerence regardeth the blood of his testament by whiche he was sanctified but taketh it as comon meate doth iniurie to the spirit of grace and in that he betraieth and deliuereth Christ as Iudas did not now to the synful Iewes but to his own synfull members wherwith he presumeth to dishonour so inestimable a sacrament S. Peter and Iudas at one table in one supper did both eate of one consecrate breade whych was Christes bodye but Peter
our sinnes that the bytternesse of our penaunce mighte wype awaye the fylthye humour of our corrupt life from our soules The Iewes did eate their lambe standinge hauinge their stafes in their handes and in greate haste ready to flye out of Egipte euen so oughte we to stande in true faythe and good lyfe not to syt or lye in corrupt doctryne or lyuing but to haue the staffe of true hope of eternall ioyes to come in our handes to stay vs in the daūgerous iourney of this worlde that wee neyther faynte for werines nor giue ouer for cowardnes to our gostly enemies knowing that theyr iorney was but from Egipt to Iewry and our iorney is frō the earth to heauen the strong and holsome vittale of whiche iorney is this heauenlye foode of Christes body and bloode And as they were in readynes to departe out of Egipt by and by after the eating of the lambe so ought we cōmyng to this blessed sacrament to haue our liues so vp righte and pure from all synne as thoughe we shoulde euen then depart out of this transitorye worlde For looke in what state of clene lyfe aman wold auenture his soule when he dyeth let him with all diligence prouide and procure that his soule be in the same state when he commeth to communicate By this comparison ye may learne good people howe to proue iudge your selues and so to come worthely to this heauenly foode The next thing is to lerne how to iudge and discerne the body of our Lord whē we come vnto it that is to say we may not vndiscretlye negligentlye take it but we oughte to discerne Christes body from other common meates and considering the great dignitie and worthynesse of it we ought to geue honour and reuerēce due to so great a thing as is the flesh and bloode of Christ God and man not the fleshe of man one lye for than it could not geue life but the proper fleshe of Gods sonne vnited to his person in diuinitie and is therfore able to geue lyfe eternall to our mortal bodies For which cause we ought with feare reuerence and a deuoute mynde to come vnto it which beyng the same in substaūce that suffered is also the best wytnesse of Christes paynful passion Wherefore when thou doest go vp to the Aultare to bee fedde wyth thys spirituall and heauenlye meate beholde wyth fayth the most holy body and bloude of thy God honour it maruel at it touch it with thy minde take it with the hand of thy hart and speciallye drynke of it wyth the draughte of the inwarde man No man eateth worthely this flesh but he that first honoureth it with godly honour in the holye Sacrament considering that it is greate synne not to honour it seinge it is the bodye of him that made thee and wyth it redemed thee and shall by it rayse thee oute of dust and ashes for the which thou hopest to receiue heauen and the ioyes that bee therein and to bee associate to his holy angels But wher as in this sacrament there be two thynges conteyned the outwarde fourme of breade which is sene with the eyes of the bodye and the bodye and bloude of Christe whiche is seene onelye with the eyes of the soule which is fayth Therefore let euery man or woman when he seeth this sacrament in the Priestes handes direct the eye of his faythe and hys intent to honour onely that substaūce of Christ God and man whiche he seeth not with hys bodelye eyes but beleueth it moste certeinlye to be there present and let him not fyxe hys thoughte vpon the visible whitenes or roundnesse of the bread which be sensible creatures reserued ther for the vse of this mistery and may in no wise be adowred and worshipped with godlye honour but let him intend to honour the body and blood of Christ and yet not those as onely creatures but as they be vnited to the Godhead and made one person in diuinitie for onelye God is to bee honoured with godlye honoure whiche we doo when we honour Christe God and man present in the blessed Sacrament This honour specially consisteth in oure true and lyuely fayth which we haue of Christe there present which honour we declare outwardly by kneling and other reuerent behauour of our bodies protesting thereby what is our faythe and iudgement concernynge the substaunce of thys most blessed Sacrament and so we truly iudge and discerne our Lordes bodye And for further honour to be geuen vnto it when so euer we receiue it we take it fastinge before all other meates except extreme sicknes or the instant danger of death doo require otherwyse to take it when and as we maye For euer synce the Apostles time it pleased the holy gost that for the honour of so great a Sacrament the body of our Lorde shoulde first enter into the mouthe of a Christen man before all other externall meates For thys maner and custome is obserued vniuersallye througheout the holle worde And for that cause it is decreed by the vniuersall Churche of Christ that this moste honourable Sacrament shoulde bee reserued for the necessitie of theym that be sicke or absent least where as it can not bee duelye consecrate at all tymes and places of a priest not fasting the sicke folkes should die wythoute thys heauenly foode whyche is theyr strengthe and the staye of theyr passage to the next worlde Furthermore at the tyme of the receyuing of this Sacrament we ought to haue our myndes occupyed in remembryng the passion of Christe For by this sacrifice which Christ geueth to vs we know assuredly that he boughte vs wyth no worldly treasure of golde and syluer but wyth this same his moste precious bodye and bloude and by it we are prouoked to remēber alwayes his most hye benefite and therewithall continuallye to render moste humble thankes to him in deuout affection and obedient seruice according to hys good wyll and pleasure Thus receyuing the bodye and bloode of oure Lorde we oughte thankfullye to remember and confesse that oure sauiour Christ hath geuē his body to death and shed his bloude for vs knowyng that we ought agayne rather to suffer our bodyes to be slayne and our bloud to be shed for hym and in defence of hys truthe and edifyeng of his people if the case so required than to forsake or denie him or the truth of his gospell reueled by the holy ghost to the catholike churche By this good people ye knowe how to iudge and discerne the bodye of our Lord and how to behaue your selues when ye come to receyue it Now likewyse know what is your dutye to do after ye haue receiued it Ye ought to keepe and preserue your selues clene from synne rather after than before lest you commit anye thyng that might displease the presence of his maiesty whō ye haue receiued and therby be an occasiō of his
departing from you and of wythdrawing hys grace froÌ„ your hartes that haue desyre to haue synne whych is the mother of deathe rather to reign in your mortall bodies thaÌ„ to haue Christ and hys heauenly father with the holy ghoste to make theyr habitation ther. As it is more shame for a man to dislodge hys honest gest and thrust him out of doores aâ—ter he hath receiued him into his house than at the first tyme to haue sayde him nay and to haue denied him lodging euen so it is greater damnation to defyle thys our flesh with the fylthines of synne when it hath receyued Christes fleshe and bloude and so to treade vnder foote Gods sonne than to haue absteined and not to haue receyued hym before makynge the last end worse then the first Wherein we be like cursed Absolon that called his brother Amnon to a feast and caused his seruauntes to kyll him there And also wee be lyke to the traytour Iudas that after with Christe in his supper he receiued Christes body at Christes hande gaue place to the deuils suggestion betraied Christ his mayster to the wicked Iewes and we be also like to the Iewes that met Christ coÌ„ming to the citie with vowes of palmes and olyue trees and within fiue daies after cryed Crucifige vpon him and pursued him euen to the death But our duty is to geue as much reuerence to Christ being present and dwellyng with vs as we did when he was commynge to vs and not to take hys precious body and blood in vayne and with out cause but to expresse in our lyues that we imitate and folow his footesteps and so keepe a perpetuall commemoration of him that died for vs and rose againe in that we be now mortified to synne and the world and liuyng to GOD in Christ our Lord. For this sacrament of the Aultare wherin we receiue Christes body bloode doth signifie and teach vs that we should communicate with Christ in his passions and folow that coÌ„uersation in our maners which be shewed in his fleshe and as his bodye in forme of breade is seene to enter into our mouthes so we maye knowe that he also entreth into vs by that conuersation which he vsed in earth to dwel in our hartes by fayth Therefore hee that so remembreth Christes deathe that he accordyng to Christes example doth mortifie his members which be vpoÌ„ earth that is to saye fornication vnclennes noughtye desyres couetousnesse and suche lyke he eateth woorthely Christes body and blood and hath euerlastyng lyfe remayning in him and sufferynge wyth Christe shall raygne with Christ in the glory of hys father with the holy gost world without end Amen ⸫ ¶ Of the sacrifice of the newe Testament which is called the Masse Serm. xii AS Christ our Sauiour hath geuen vnto vs hys moste precious bodye and blood in the Sacrament to be our meate to feede and nouryshe vs to euerlastyng lyfe So hath he geuen good people vnto vs the same hys bodye and bloode to be our daylye Sacrifice for that teynynge of remission of synnes and eternal saluation and as he commaunded vs to take and eate that hys bodye whyche he gaue vs so hath he commaunded vs to offer it to GOD the father in remembraunce of his passion So that the Sacrifice of the Masse whych is the proper Sacrifice of the newe Testament whereupon by Gods helpe I intreate at this tyme is the execution of Christes commaundement in his last supper when he sayd to his disciples Do this in my remembraunce wher in the bread and wyne be consecrate and chaunged and the bodye and bloode of Christe beynge made present there by the almyghtye power of the holye Ghost be offered to God the father by the Churche for the Churche and be receiued of the faythfull people Christ our Lord God who loued vs synners so excedynglye that for oure redemption and saluation abased hym selfe to be made manne and was made obedyent in humblynge hymselfe to the moste paynefull and vyle deathe of the Crosse and for our iustification rose agayne the thyrde daye and ascended to heauen to the glorye of hys father whyche be the wonderfull woorkes of God and therefore mâ—rueylous in oure syght hath also instituted and ordeyned a memory of these merueyles sayeng So often as ye shall doo these thynges ye shal doo them in my remembraunce And when sayd our mercyfull Lorde that woorde verelye euen than when hee gaue the meate of hys bodye to them that feared hym And than in hys last supper did he beyng our most hye Priest fyrst of al offer a Sacrifice to God the father and commaunded the same to be done of the Priestes of hys Churche that occupy hys office in memorie of hym and so taughte the newe oblation of the newe Testament whych oblation the Churche receyuing of the Apostles dothe offer to GOD throughout the holle worlde And for playner vnderstandyng of thys matter good people I praye you call to your remembraunce the summe and grounde of all our faythe which is that we beleue to be saued onelye by the merites of our Sauiour Christe and that he bearing our synnes in his body vpon the Crosse and beyng the innocent Lambe of God wythoute all synne hym selfe shedde hys moste innocent bloud for vs sinners and by the voluntarye Sacrifice of hys owne bodye and bloude made satisfaction for all the synnes of the holle worlde and reconciled the wycked world to the fauour of God agayne Thys bloudye Sacrifice made Christe oure Sauiour vpon the Aultare of hys Crosse but ones and neuer but ones and it is the propitiatorye Sacrifice and a sufficient pryce and raunsome for the synnes of al people from the beginnyng of the worlde to the last ende Al our comfort and ioye is and ought to be in thys Sacrifice and passion of oure Sauioure Christe by whyche onelye we haue and may haue sure hope of saluation All that were saued from the creation of the worlde and the fall of Adam were saued by the vertue of thys Sacrifice and by lyuelye faythe in Christe that was promysed to Adam and Noe and Abraham and the other Patriarches and fathers of the olde testament and all the Sacrifices whych they offered then were but fygures of thys Sacrifice of Christe whereby they dyd protest theyr fayth in Christe to come And lykewyse all we that haue bene iustifyed and saued synce Christes tyme and shall be to the worldes ende obtaine and receyue that redemption remission of synne and saluation by the onelye vertue of the same bloodye Sacrifice of Christe vpon the Crosse. When so euer we be in synne wee resorte to that passion to haue remission when so euer our woorkes be vnsufficient and vnperfite we runne to that passion to haue that supplyed that lacketh in vs when so euer we go aboute to render thankes to God for all his benefites wee can not doo it
woorthely and sufficientlye tyll wee ioyne oure selues to that passion that maketh our thankes geuing acceptable in the syghte of GOD. No tounge can particularlye expresse the woorthynes and commodities of this Sacrifice of Christes passion which hath purchased for vs all pardon all grace all rightwisnes all holynes euerye good gifte and eternall saluation The action and doyng of this Sacrifice was not long but accomplished and ended vpon good Fridaye whyche was the daye when Christ dyed and he dyeth no more but liueth euer but the operation and vertue of this passion is a longe thing extended to the saluation of man from the begynning of the worlde to the laste ende from the tyme when Christe was fyrst promysed to be the Sauiour to all men tyll the tyme when hee shall come agayne in his Maiestie to be the iudge of al men And althoughe the sufferyng of hys passion was but shorte and is alreadye ceased yet the effect of it which is mans redemption and satisfaction ceaseth not and because it is applyed to euerye man that is partaker of it by lyuelye faythe in continuall succession duryng all the tyme of the holle worlde therefore Christe our Sauioure wylleth that the Sacrifice of thys redemption shoulde neuer cease but bee alwayes to all men present in grace and alwayes be kepte in perpetuall memorye For whych cause he hath geuen and committed vnto hys churche the moste cleane and pure Sacrifice of hys bodye and bloode vnder the formes of bread and wyne and hath commaunded it to be offered to God and receyued of vs in the remembraunce of hys passion tyll hys laste commyng Which thing the churche most faythfullye and obedientlye obserueth and vseth not by presumption taking vpon it self to offer that Sacrifice of our Sauiour which is farre aboue the dignitie of man but by commission and warrant of his most holy woorde authorised to offer Christ Gods sonne to God the father that is to saye to represent to the Father the bodye and bloode of Christe whyche by hys omnipotent woorde hath there made present and thereby to renew hys passion not by sufferyng of deathe againe but after an vnbloody maner not for this ende that we shoulde thereby deserue remission of synnes and delyueraunce from the power of the deuill which is the proper effect of Christes passion but that we shoulde by oure fayth deuotion and thys representation of hys passion obtayne the remyssion and grace alreadye deserued by hys passion to bee nowe applyed vnto oure profytte and saluation not that the passion of Christe is vnperfytte or needeth anye woorke of ours to be added to supplye the imperfection of it but to comforte and relieue oure imperfection that some droppe of grace maye bee drawen and broughte vnto vs oute of the fountayne of all grace and wellspring of hys passion not that wee canne applye the merites of Christes deathe as wee lyst and to whom we lyst but that we by this representing of his passion most humblye make petition and prayer to almighty God to applye vnto vs that remission and grace whyche was purchased and deserued by Christes passion before after the measure of hys goodnes to al those whose faith and deuotion be knowen vnto him So that the host or the thing that is offered both in the Sacrifice of Christ vpon the Crosse and in the Sacrifice of the Churche vppon the Aultare is all one in substaunce beynge the naturall bodye of Christ our hye Priest and the price or raunsome of our redemption but the maner and the effectes of these two offrynges be dyuers the one is by sheddyng of Christes bloud extendyng to the death of Christe the offerer for the redemption of all mankynde the other is without shedding of hys bloude onelye representynge hys deathe whereby the faythfull and deuoute people are made partakers of the merites of Christes passion and diuinitie Thus is Christe a Priest for euermore after the order of Melchisedech who in hys last supper offered hys bodye and bloud wythout sheddynge of his bloode and so taughte and delyuered to hys Apostles and theyr successours Byshoppes and Priestes the maner how they shuld offer him being the lambe of God in sacrifice for euermore to the worldes ende after the order that is to say after the ryte maner of Melchisedech vnder the fourme of breade and wyne who in old time in figure of Christ offered bread and wine did dedicate and prophecy before the misterie or sacrament of vs Christen men in the body bloude of our sauiour Wherof also spake Malachie the prophet saying that in thys oure time of the newe testament God woulde reiecte and detest the Iewes and all theyr sacrifices of brute and vnreasonable beastes and that hys name should be magnified among the Gentiles from the rising of the Sunne to the setting and that one singulare pure sacrifice without spot or imperfection should be of them offred to him not onely in one place among the Iewes but in euery place among the Gentiles which sacrifice should succede all the other sacrifices of the olde testament which were offered in the shadowe of thys to come For the Iewes in theyr sacrifices of beastes dyd as it were by prophecie declare signify before that sauing sacrifice which Christ offred vpon the crosse and the Christen meÌ„ now do celebrate the memorye of the same sacrifice of Christ that is past euen by the offeryng and receiuing of the same body and bloud that suffred passion For as Christ vpon the crosse beyng the head of all vs his misticall body the church offering there himselfe did also offer all vs that be of the churche to God the father for the pacifyeng of hys wrath and indignation agaynste our sinne so we being his mistical body do vse to offer to god the father Christ our head and by his merites do begge pardon for our offeÌ„câ—s knowing that God who spared not his onelye begotten sonne but gaue him to vs for our redemption will now denye vs nothing for hys sake that we haue neede vppon who is nowe also at the right hande of God and maketh intercession for vs. So that Christ in heauen and al we hys misticall body in earth do bothe but one thing For Christ being a priest for euermore after his passion and resurrection entred into heauen and there appeareth now to the countenauÌ„ce of God for vs offering him selfe for vs to pacify the anger of God with vs and representing his passion and all that he suffred for vs that we might be reconciled to God by him Euen so the church our mother being carefull for all vs her children that haue offended our father in heauen vseth continually by her publike minister to praye and to offer vnto god the body and bloud of her husband Christe representing and renewynge hys passion and death before God that wee thereby might be renewed in grace and receiue
lyfe perfection and saluation And after the same sorte the holye angels of God in the time of this oure sacrifice do assist the Priest and stand about the hoste thynking than the meetest tyme to shewe their charitie towards vs and therfore holding forth the body of Christ pray for mankynde as saying thus Lord we pray for thē whom thou hast so loued that for theyr saluation thou haste suffred death and spent thy lyfe vpon the crosse we make supplication for them for whom thou hast shed this thy bloode we praye for them for whom thou hast offred this same thy very body O Lord what earnest desyre shoulde we haue to be present and to associate our selues in the oblation of thys our Sacrifice whyche we knowe Christe him selfe alwayes to doo and also hys holy Angels and Archangels and is so acceptable a thing to God the father for all our synnes and ignoraunces ▪ For in that houre when Christes death is renewed in misterye and hys moste fearefull and acceptable Sacrifice is represented to the syght of God than sitteth the king vpon hys mercye seat inclined to geue and forgeue what so euer is demaunded and asked of him in humble maner In the presence of this body and bloode of our Sauioure Christe the teares of a meeke and humble man neuer begge pardon in vayne nor the Sacrifice of a contrite harte is neuer put backe but hathe his lawfull petition graunted and geuen By resorting to thys Sacrifice of the Masse we euidentlye declare and protest before GOD and the holle worlde that we put oure singular and onely trust of grace and saluation in Christ oure Lorde for the merytes of his deathe and passion and not for the woorthynes of any good woorke that we haue done or can doo And that wee make hys passion oure onelye refuge For when wysedome fayleth whyche onelye commeth by the doctrine of Christe when ryghtewysnesse lacketh whyche onelye is gotten by the mercy of Christ whē vertue ceaseth which onely is receyued of him that is the Lord of all vertue than for supplieng of these our lackes needes our refuge is to Christes passion than we rūne as the prophet saith to the cup of our sauiour a call vpon the name of our lorde that is to say we take his passion offer to God the father in misterie the woorke of our redemption that by this memorie commemoration of it it woulde please hys mercifull goodnesse to innouate hys grace in vs and to replenish vs with the fruyt of his sonnes passion and death For that commemoration of which our Lord said do this in remēbraunce of me is thonelye commemoration that maketh God mercifull vnto vs. We are become debters to almighty god two waies for our manifold sinnes iniquities done against him and for his manifold benefites graces giuen vnto vs. As for the debtes of our sinnes manye paye verye euill that driue of their penaunce to theyr last age many pay nothing at al that die with out penaunce and charitie and they that labour to pay all they can all theyr life can neuer fullye pay theyr holle debte no scant one farding of a thousand pound What remedye then haue we but to rūn to the riche man our neighbour that hath inough to pay for vs all I meane Christe our Lord that hath payed his hart blood for no debte of his own but for our debte ther whiles we celebrate the memorie of his passion we acknowledge and confesse our sinnes whyche be without numbre and graunt that we be not able fully to satisfie for the lest of them and therfore beseche our mercifull father to accept in ful payment and satisfaction of our debtes his passion which after this sort as he hath ordeyned to be done in the sacrifice of the Masse wee renewe and represent before him and where oure sinful life hath altogether displeased him we offer vnto him his welbeloued sonne Iesus in sacrifice with whom wee are sure he is well pleased most humbly making supplication to accept him for vs in whom onely we put all our trust accompting him all our rightwisnes and the author of our saluation ▪ And as for his manyfolde benefites and giftes of nature of grace and of fortune what haue we to render to God againe Synners that haue taken their soule in vayne and geue bothe their soules and bodies to serue the world and the flesh and abuse the goodes of the worlde as stickes and matter to kyndle the fyre of their vayne and carnall lustes they bee most vnthankful and deserue most punishment But other men that consider all they haue to be Gods giftes and geuen to them not to do theyr willes withall but to geue an accompt again of the wel vsing of them and therfore bestow their externall goodes in the workes of mercy and pitie and bryng their bodyes in bondage to their spirit and their soules to be ruled by the spirite of God and so dedicate thē selues holy to Gods seruice These men be good and make of theyr goodes their wylles theyr bodyes and soules swete sacrifices of praise and thankes geuing to almighty God but yet al these sacrifices in comparison of the greate heape of benefites whyche God hath geuen doth geue and shall geue vnto vs be but as it were one droppe to the hole sea a litle warte to a great mountaine and because they be vnperfite and in manye thinges spotted with synne and vncleane therefore they be not worthy to be represēted before God as thankes seing all we haue done is but our dutie skarse that For which cause we resorte to the bodye of Christe whom God hath geuen to vs and him as being ours we offer to God againe and so in him we supplye that we lacke in our selues For it is he that by his propiciatorie sacrifice which we celebrate in the holye Masse doth reconcile vs to God and with the plenty of his gfites maketh vs thankes geuers and in all thinges taketh vpon him our person and supplieth that we ought to do and by the very nature of his sacrifice which is his body styrreth vs to continuall geuing of thankes so that our Sacrifice beyng Christes bodye as it is the greatest gyfte that God gaue man So it is a woorthy and a reall geuing of thankes for all his other gyftes And therfore it is also called Sacrificium Eucharisticū ▪ a sacrifice of thankes geuing not onelye for that we by it geue thankes to God in woordes and prayers but also for that it is it selfe a sacrifice of thankes for oure redemption for the hope of our health and saluation And wher as sacrifice is the greatest and chiefest kynde of adoration that can be perteyning to Godlye honour called Latria therfore we do make sacrifice to no creature neyther to Saynt nor Angell but onelye to the holye Trinitie whyche is the onelye and true God and
all our Temples and Aultars be builded erected and dedicate onely to God ther to doo Sacrifice to God and to no Saynte although in our Sacrifice we name and haue remembraunce of the holy Martirs and sayntes both to thanke God for theyr vicâ—ories and also to prouoke oure selues to imitate them in the ouercomming of our ghostly enemies By thys good people that I haue declared vnto you ye ought truly to vnderstand and beleue that Christes naturall bodye in the blessed Sacrament is the proper sacrifice of Christes churche and that Christe himselfe both by hys owne deede and also by his expresse woorde and commaundement did institute and ordeyne that the church his spouse shoulde by her publike ministers beyng Priestes offer to almyghtye God the father wyth the sonne and the holy Ghost in sacrifice the same his naturall bodye in remembraunce of his passion which passion the churche now dayly to the worldes ende dothe renewe in misterye and dothe represent before God in the holy Masse for the atteynynge of all the graces and benefites purchased by the same passion before after the measure of hys goodnesse and as our faythe and deuotion is knowen vnto hym and in all her needes and troubles it resorteth to GOD trustyng to haue reliefe and mercy onelye for the merites of that passion whych it representeth to GOD as a full satisfaction for all her offences and as a full perâ—ection of thankes for all his former benefites and gyftes And finally by this Sacrifice of Christes bodye and blood in the Masse we certenly declare and professe that nothing doth exercise our faythe in the knowledge of God and of oure selues more then this Sacrifice of the Masse doth and that nothing dothe more increase oure charitie and hope in the mercye of God and it declareth that we beleue that there is no Sauiour but onelye Christe our Lorde and that we haue no refuge but to him ascribing altogether to the merites of his passion and so by it we most of al set forth our humilitie and the glorye of Christe and hys true honour Which sacrifice if we dayly and deuoutly exercise and come vnto and behaue our selues as becommeth Christen men and in suche affection and intent as I haue declared nowe howe the church doth no doubt of it but we shall perceiue great comfort in our hartes great amendement in our lyues and great furtheraunce to the atteyning of euerlasting lyfe to the which he bring vs that by his passion redemed vs to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour glory and prayse for euermore Amen ⸫ ¶ Of the godly prayers and ceremonies vsed in the sacrifice of the Masse Serm. xiii YF in that Sacrifice whiche is Christe no man is to be followed but Christ it is meete for vs to bee obedient and to doo that thing whyche Christe did and commaunded to be done And therefore good people considering that this our sacrifice of the Masse is accordynge to Christes commaundement the commemoration of Christes passion the holye Churche of Christ euer since the time of hys passion hath obedientlye vsed to doo as he dyd He didde consecrate the breade and wyne wyth hys omnipotent blessinge and made there present his very bodye and bloude and also he offered that hys bodye and bloude after the order and maner of Melchisedech to his father and thirdlye receiued it him selfe and gaue it to hys disciples Euen so the holy Churche in Christe and Christe by the holye Churche doth the same in all poyntes at this daye for the speciall and substantiall part of the Masse consisteth in these three poyntes in consecratinge the breade and wyne into the bodye and bloode of Christe in offering of the same body and bloude of Christe to God the father and in receyuing of the same by the deuout and faythfull people Christe also afâ—er his supper and before hys passion dyd say an hymne before he went foorth to the mouÌ„t Oliuet and he taught hys disciples many necessarie thinges and promysed to send vnto them his holy spirite which shoulde teache them all truth which then they could not beare and afterwarde prayed longe and feruentlie for his faythfull disciples and for the holle Church that shoulde by theyr woorde beleue in him and speciallye for theyr peace and vnitie in God and among them selues In these thinges also the holye churche dothe followe the example of Christ her heade whyche in the ministration of this Sacrifice vseth to ioyne almoste all the other in warde Sacrifices of a Christen man as confession of synnes inuocation of Gods mercie the prayse of God petitions for thinges needefull the doctrine of the people the profession of our common faythe the geuing of thankes to God prayers for all states of Gods churche the honouryng of Christe the asking of Gods peace the exhorting to the same with diuers other godlye exercises whyche I shall God wylling at this tyme shortelye and particularlye shewe vnto you to the intent you may knowe howe there is nothing conteyned in the Masse but a heape of all godlynes and spirituall Sacrifices and thereby to be the more prouoked and disposed to the often vsynge and frequenting of the sayd Masse First of all the holye vestementes wherewith the priest goeth to the Aultare beside other misteries which they teache and signifye they renew the memory of Christes passion in our hartes For as the Iewes did firste couer Christes face and did mocke hym and buffet hym so hath the Priest in memorye of that an Amise put vpon his head and also the whyte Albe put ouer al hys body doth bryng vs in remembraunce how Christ was contempned of kynge Herode who in mocking of him put vpon him a white apparell and sent him backe againe to Pilate And the Maniple vpon the priestes arme and hys gyrdle about his white Albe and the stole about his necke doo shewe to a man howe Christ was bounden fast to a pillar when he was whypped and scourged And as Christ was crowned with thorne and had his handes and feete nayled to the crosse so in the Amysse and Albe of the priest there be tokens of these fiue woundes And the the vpper vestement of the priest putteth vs in memorye of the purple robe that Pilates soldiours put vpon Christe after they had scourged him And vpon the backe of this vestement commonly there is made the signe of the crosse teaching vs how Christ was compelled to beare his own crosse vpon his backe throughe the citye so that when so euer we see the priest thus appareled go vp to the Aultare to celebrate the commemoration of Christes passion we may remeÌ„ber how cruelly Christe was handled of the Iewes and after what sorte he went vppe to the mount of Caluerye to suffer his passion for the redemption of man The priest comming to the Aultar beginneth first of all with the sacrifice of a contrite harte
made cleane from all vncleannes of bodye and soule that in cleane lyfe he myghte performe the holye worke of God which is also a lesson to the people and to put away noughty thoughtes out of theyr hartes leaste God offended wyth theyr synfull thoughtes doo turne hys face awaye from theyr oblations and prayers And as the Prieste before exhorted the people secretlye to prayer so doth he praye secretlye hym self with muche deuotion that theyr common Sacrifices maye be acceptable to God for them and that it woulde please almyghtye God to graunt that the influence of hys grace myghte discende and sanctifie the oblations that when they be sanctifyed and receyued the heauenlye vertue and effectes of the blessed Sacrifices maye take place in the hartes of them for whom they be offered To whiche prayer when the people hathe consented saying Amen the Priest saluteth the people and wisheth well to theym and they to him agayn and he exhorteth them to lift vp their hartes to God and so to prepare theyr hartes to the Sacrifice of thankes whiche they by theyr holle consent promise to do Therefore I beseche all you good people to take heede to your promise and be ashamed to be founde lyers in the presence of God specially in the tyme of the terrible sacrifices Put away all carnall and worldlye thoughtes and thynke vpon nothynge but vpon that ye praye For the Priest in this preface of the Masse before the canonicall prayer dothe exhorte the people to lyfte vp theyr hartes to God whyche they aunswer they doo to admonish them that they ought to thynke vpon nothing but vpon God Shut the doore of your hartes agaynst the deuyll and let it be open onelye to God and let not Gods enemye enter in the tyme of prayer For thys is the subtyle crafte of the deuyll to call oure myndes from God and so to make voyde oure prayers that we shoulde haue one thyng in oure mouthe and an other thyng in our harte where as God oughte to bee prayed vnto not wyth the onely sounde of the voyce but wyth a pure intent and a vigilant mynde earnestlye thynking vppon that he prayeth For no man can woorthelye geue thankes to God that hathe not hys harte lyfted vp to God And because the true honour and woorshyppynge of God standeth in thys moste of all that oure soule be not vnthankfull to hym therefore in the moste true and syngulare Sacrifice we are admonished to geue thankes to our Lorde God whych is moste seeminge and right we shoulde doo seyng he canne not be called thankefull that ascrybeth to hym selfe that is geuen to him of God And then the priest begynneth the Eucharisticall Sacrifice of geuing thankes as a publike persone in the name of all the Churche before the consecration folowinge the example of Christe who in hys laste Supper gaue thankes to God the father and than blessed and distributed hys body and blood to hys disciples In thys geuyng of thankes by Christe oure Lorde for whose merites they be onelye acceptable he prayeth to be ioyned and associate with the Angels and Archangels and all the whole army of the blessed spirites in heauen who than doo assist the Priest and be present there in the honour of hym that is offered praysinge honoring and adouringe the Maiestye of almyghtye God and with them singeth the Hymne of the Angels and Euangelistes geuyng honour glory and benediction to the Lorde God of hostes vsing also the same woordes of prayse that the chyldren and the people of the Iewes vsed in praysing Christ when he came ryding to Hierusalem as a kyng and yet humblye vpon an Asse not to take vpon him the kyngdome and pompe of the worlde but with hys passion and deathe to redeme the worlde The rest of the Masse that foloweth is that parte whyche is called the Canon whyche is spoken in silence to declare vnto vs the heauynes of Christes passion and that the priest may the better conuert and set hys holle mynde and attention vpon the woorke of GOD and the woordes of his prayer and consecration And he vseth verye fewe ceremonies sauing onely certayne crosses vpon the hoste partelye to moue the people that stande by to consider the passion and partlye to declare that our redemption was wrought by the voluntary wyl of God the father that gaue hys Sonne for vs and also by the wyll of the Sonne that hauynge suche power of his owne soule that no man coulde take it from hym yet offered hym selfe by the holye Ghoste a cleane Sacrifice to God to purify our hartes from synne In thys Canon all inuocations all prayers and petitions be made and directed to God the father for his Soune Iesus Christes sake oure Lorde and be made to no creature neyther in heauen nor in earth but to hym and in it be expresselye declared what wee offer to hym for whom wee offer wyth whom wee offer and to what ende we offer The thing that we offer to God is Christ him selfe nothyng haue we that is perfite and pure to offer to God but Christe that is geuen vnto vs for that purpose whom we doo not nowe offer in figure as the Iewes dyd in the olde law but in verye truthe and yet in a Sacrament For what is more meete to be offered for man then the fleshe of man and what fleshe is so acceptable as the fleshe of oure Sacrifice beynge the bodye of oure priest For Christ remayneth one God wyth him to whom we offer and hath made him selfe one with theym for whom wee offer and he is one wyth vs that doo offer and he is the one and the selfe same thing that is offered So that our externall Sacrifice that perteyne nowe to the newe Testament is the innocent Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde which Sacrifice lyeth vpon the Aultare and is offered nowe of the priestes wythout shedding of hys bloode and is the holye breade of eternall life and the cup of euerlasting saluation Secondlye because Christe sufferynge hys passion offered hys bodye and bloude for the holle Churche bothe those that were alyue and those that were deade therefore the Church renewynge in misterie Christes passion offereth lykewyse the same body and bloode for the holle churche bothe for the quycke and the deade and that in speciall woordes Fyrste generallye for the holle Catholyke Churche of Christe secludinge all those that be oute of the Churche for no manne offereth the bodye of Christe but for them whiche be the members of Christe and then particularly for the Gouerners of the Churche and of common wealthes as for the Popes holynesse the Successour of Saynt Peter to whom Christe dydde commytte the cure and charge of hys vniuersall Churche throughoute the worlde for Byshoppes for Kinges and Princes and in especiall for suche as the Minister anye waye is bounde to praye and
for them that bee present and communicate wyth the Priest in true faythe and deuoute affection And also the Churche offereth Chrisâ—e for the soules of theym that be departed hauynge at theyr departing the sygnes of faythe whyche be the holy Sacramentes and good woorkes and sleepynge in the sleepe of peace whyche is the peace of conscience towardes God wyth sure hope and truste of remission by Christe that is to saye for suche as in theyr lyues obteyned so muche grace of God that oure charitie and Sacrifices myghte helpe and relieue theym after theyr deathe For seeyng the soules of suche be not seperate from the Churche whyche is the kyngdome of Christe amonge the members of whyche kyngdome there is a mutuall communion of all good deedes and godlye woorkes or Sacrifices therefore the Church commendeth them to the mercie of GOD and the intercession of Christes oblation verelye beleuyng that the precious bloude of Christe as it is profytable for the saluation of the lyuinge so it is also auaylable for the absolution and perfection of them that be deade that they being for a tyme deteyned in the temporall afflictions and purgacions might the sooner by the vertue of thys blessed sacrifice be deliuered and brought to the place of light and eternall peace where nothyng entreth that is spotted and vnperfite Thyrdlye because the blessed virgin Marye the mother of God and the holye Martirs and Sayntes in heauen be also oure brethren and members of Christes Churche for the whyche Christ suffered his passion and beyng knyt to vs in one communion by the bande of perfite charitie and being careful for vs and they be sure for them selues cease not to communicate with vs in prayer and to requyre of Christ the perfection of his bodye whiche is the churche therefore in our oblation of Christes body and bloode we ioyne wyth theym and wyth honour and reuerence we remember them at oure Lordes table not to pray for them as we do for other that rest in peace but rather that they should pray for vs â–ª that we maye folowe theyr footesteppes and in all oure affayres be defended by Gods protection and that by the merytes of Christ whom we praye not to weye oure merites but to pardone our offences And laste of all in the Canon is expressed for what ende we offer Christe that is to saye in remembraunce of hys passion hys resurrection and glorious ascension most humblye beseching that God of his mercye woulde accepte him for vs and oure saluation and where as hee is for hym selfe most acceptable in his sight that likewyse he woulde accepte vs that bee hys bodye in earthe for hym that by participation of hys moste precious bodye and bloode wee myghte be fulfylled wyth all grace and heauenlye benediction Thus doth the churche offer Christ her head to GOD the father as a woorthye Sacrifice of prayse and thankes for her redemption for the hope of healthe and saluation and for all his other benefites and also it offereth him as a Sacrifice propitiatorye by the vertue of hys passion for all her synnes and offences that we in this world might lyue in peace wyth GOD and afterward be deliuered from eternal dampnation and with his elecâ—es be rewarded in the kingdome of heauen â–ª And to conclude thys Canonicall prayer the Prieste hauynge Christe Gods Sonne in hys handes before hym who is the onelye Mediatour betwene GOD and manne trustyng to obtayne what so euer hee asketh in hys name and beyng instructed by hym howe to praye to the father saythe boldlye the Pater noster in whyche prayer is conteyned all that is good and needefull for the lyfe of manne bothe temporall and eternall And so maketh an ende of the Canon And because thys is the mysterye of vnitye and peace whyche canne not be hadde but by the mercye of Christe therefore the priest turnyng hym to the Lambe of God who onelye taketh awaye the synnes of the worlde prayeth deuoutly for the peace of conscience whyche commeth by remissyon of synne and for the peace of hys affections whyche commeth by the mortification of the flesh and also for the peace of brotherlye charitye whyche is poured into oure hartes by the holye Ghoste and so taketh and geueth to the people the kysse of peace the token and testimonye of vnitye and Christen charitye The other prayers that folowe in the Masse perteyne to the deuotion of hym or theym that receyue the blessed Sacrament that they maye receyue it worthely to the profite and saluation both of body and soule and that it myght be acceptable to God for al them for whom it is offered therefore good people seyng that I haue now by Gods helpe declared vnto you as shortlye as I coulde the holle summe of all that is sayde and done in the Masse whych is all moste godlye and most comfortable perteyning al to thys ende to set foorthe the benefite of Christe and the vertue of his passion and conteynynge in it almoste all the spirituall Sacrifices of the newe lawe and the exercisies of true fayth as confession of synne inuocation of God prayer doctrine gyuing of thankes and suche other as I haue rehersed I shal most hartely require you as you are moste bounden to haue thys worke of God in such estimation as becommeth Christen men that bee members of Christes Churche redemed wyth bys precious bloude and that by vsing of this Sacrifice of the churche which is a commemoration of Christes passion moste acceptable in the syght of God and commaunded by Christe to be done of vs ye myght thereby receyue plentuous and aboundant grace and mercye bothe for you that be alyue and also for them that be departed in the faithe of Christe and in all your necessities and distresses reliefe and succour And when the consecration of the verye bodye and bloude of oure Sauiour is made by the power of his omnipotent woorde and the price of our redemption is lifted vp for you to see by faithe vnder the seuerall fourmes of breade and wyne to be adoured and woorshipped with godlye honour then call to your remembraunce howe that Christe for your saluation was lifted vp alofte in the ayre vpon the crosse to be seene of all the worlde and howe his precious bloode ranne foorthe aboundantly out of all the woundes of his bodye and then pray that God the father would looke vpon him for vs and accepte him for a full satisfaction of all our sinnes ouer and beside al that we can do and suffer and for a perfite supplieng of all our negligences and vnperfitenes and for a woorthy Sacrifice of thankes for all his benefites geuen vnto vs. And to thintent ye myghte bee more intirelye ioyned to Christe and be more replenished with his giftes and grace I woulde wyshe and exhorte you the oftener to prepare your selues to receyue corporally the blessed sacrament which is euer readye prepared for you to receyue and wheÌ„ as of reuerence you forbeare
al the assaultes and fiery dartes of his craftie tentatioÌ„s by them we be nourished and fed not onely with the spirituall foode of Gods woorde but also with the heaueÌ„ly immortall foode of Christes naturall body and bloud whereby we be sanctified both in body and soule and receiue encrease of all Gods former giftes and graces whereby also we be vnited vnto Christe in perfite vnitie that is to saye both spirituallye in oure soules and also corporally in our bodies by the worthy receyuing of his heauenlye and naturall flesshe into the same and by that pledge remaining effectuallye in vs we be assured and rest in perfite hope of immortalitie and the resurrection of our bodies to euerlastinge life They be also appoynted of almighty God as Embassadours to reconcile vs agayne to God when we by transgressioÌ„ of his lawes and commaundementes haue offended his Maiestie By their mouthes and ministerie GOD receyueth the vowes requestes and Sacrifices of his people whereby his anger and wrathe for the peoples offences is mitigated and taken away They be appoynted of almightie GOD to be watchemen and shepherdes ouer the flocke of Christe to geue warnyng when the wolfe commeth to deuoure the Sheepe and to reduce and bringe home againe to the folde when the flocke is dispersed suche as haue wandred in errour and wicked liuinge For these benefytes and a great number moo which may be easly rehersed but for tediousnes whiche all wee receiue of almightye God by the laboures and seruice of the Prelates and ministers in Christes Church we ought to haue theÌ„ in reuerence and to esteme theim accordinge to the admonition of Saint Paule as the minysters of God and the stewardes or dysposers of Gods mysteries knowinge that who so heareth and obeyeth them heareth and obeyeth god and who so dyspiseth them dispiseth GOD for the loue and reuerence which is geuen to Gods minister is geuen to God and likewise the coÌ„tempt of him is the contempt of God as almighty god saied him selfe to Samuell whom the people of Israel refused to rule ouer theÌ„ in these wordes They haue not contemned and reiected the but me So that generally the honour or contempte whiche is vsed towardes Gods ministers tendeth and reboundeth towardes God hym selfe As appeareth by the punishemente of suche contempte as the Iewes vsed agaynste Moyses whiche almightye God reputed as done against him selfe Furthermore besyde loue the people owe to the ministers of Christes Churche obedience as to theyr spirituall gouernours and rulers to whome Christe our sauiour hath committed the keyes of hys kyngedome by whyche is vnderstaÌ„ded ecclesiasticall power to exercyse discipline and iurisdiction ouer Gods people for the edifyenge and buildinge of them in grace and vertue and for the correctinge and banishing of all error and vngodly lyuinge This power in the ministers of the Churche ought euerye Christen man and woman to obey vnder paine of deadlye synne For seinge that all power is of GOD he that withstandeth or disobeyeth that power disobeyteh Gods ordynaunce and so offendeth greuouslye almyghtye GOD and his owne conscience excepte it be in suche cases where the ministers of Gods church shall make ordinaunces and geue commaundement contrarye to the expresse commaundement of almightye God for in suche cases men ought rather to obey God than man But all their constitutions speciallye suche as be vniuersallye receyued through out the catholike Church and be ordeyned for the conseruation and encrease of good lyfe and true relygyon and for the beauty of good order in the Churche and seruynge of GOD and for quyetnes and disciplyne vniformelye to bee kepte amonge the people all suche ordinaunces and constitutions no man maye contemptuouslye breake and disobey wythout deadlye sinne excepte vrgente and euydente necessytye or some other greater and more weyghtye commodytye doo excuse hym and yet in suche necessarye and â—rgente cases where he maye be excused for not obseruinge the same he muste beware and take hede that he neyther dispyse nor contempne the authoritie of the Churche nor yet therin do offend his neighbour by geuinge him an occasyon lykewyse to disobey or to iudge euill of an other Thys obedience to Gods ministers Sayncte Paule doth erhorte all men vnto writing to the Hebrues in thys sorte Be you obedient to your spirituall rulers and be you subiect vnder their gouernement because they labour and watche ouer you as men that shall geue an accompt for your soules That thynge whych GOD regardeth most that is to saye the soule of man for whose cause he tooke oure nature vppon him and for it dyd shedde hys mooste precious bloude in comparyson also whereof he setteth in a maner nothynge by all other thynges within thys world that same hathe he commytted to the charge of these hys mynysters and wyll of theym require a straite accoumpte at the laste day wherby appeareth how much he hath honoured them in commyttinge so precyous a Iewell to theyr charge and also howe muche all people oughte to esteme obeye and honoure theym that besyde the burden of theyr owne propre actes and dedes wyll clogge and charge theyr conscyences wyth the cure of other mennes soules whyche cure to discharge is verye harde and dyffyculte vnto theym bothe for that menne bee maysters and Lordes of theyr owne wylles whyche bee free and subiecte to no foreine compulsyon and also for that the perfecte state of mennes soules can not be knowen to their Curates excepte the parties theym selues doo confesse and open the same And therefore it is Gods wyll that these hys ministers shall be of all sortes of men obeyed in the executynge of theyr offyce commytted vnto theim both concerninge fayth and credyte to be geuen to their preachinges and exhortations so longe as they sytte in the chayre of Christe teachinge holesome and catholike doctryne and the imitation of the lyfe of our Sauiour and also concerninge the kepinge and fulfyllynge of the auncyent and godlye constitutions ordeyned by the Prelates of the vniuersall Church of Chryst for good order and conformitie of good lyuynge to be kept throughout in the same And speciallye they ought to be obeyed when they shall by discypline and the censures of the Church correct the publik crymes of any persone whiche of contumacye contemninge the admonitions of his neighbours and the Prelates of the churche refuseth to heare and obey the Churche For in suche cases of contempte the ministers of Christe maye not winke and suffer the people to runne hedlonges without bridle from one crime to an other to the destruction of them selues and others also but ought openlye to reproue suche men and if that wyll not serue than to draw the spirituall sworde of excomunication whiche is verye terryble and much to be feared of all Christen men and more than the corporall sworde of Prynces and Kynges for so much as the deathe of the soule is more to be feared than the deathe of the
in a new sepulchre so ought we to laye it in a cleane harte and a chast bodye Whiche thing if we diligently procure as it maye be done in litle time make our selues not vnworthy receiuers of so great a treasure than shall Christ our lord with the Father and the holy ghost come vnto vs and dwel wyth vs and worke in vs all the godlye and wonderfull effectes of this blessed Sacrament both in our soules and bodies and nourishe vs into Christes mistical bodye wyth hys owne naturall fleshe whiche as a pledge maketh vs to bee in sure hope of life euerlasting to the which he bring vs that made vs to whom be all honour and glorye for euermore Amen ¶ How a man may come worthely to receyue the blessed Sacrament Ser. xi I Purpose by the grace of god in this Sermon to instructe you good people howe to prepare your selues to come worthelye to receiue this holy sacrament ye know the great and meruailous benefites whyche Christe our Lorde worketh in their soules and bodyes that worthelye come vnto it and also ye knowe the daungerous and damnable state of theym that come to it vnworthely and that ye may the better auoyde the one and bee pertakers of the other First ye ought certainly to know that it is required that ye dooe come to it and receyue it For as the vnworthy comminge is perilous so not to bee pertakers of this mysticall supper at all is a great offence and a verye destruction of a mans soule as our sauiour Christ taught vs saying Excepte ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of manne and drinke his bloud ye shall not haue lyfe in you and he that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude hath lyfe euerlastynge Whyche is to bee vnderstande of hym that eateth Chrystes fleshe as it oughte to bee eaten For manye eate it that dooe not dwell in GOD nor GOD in theim because they eate it not wyth a cleane harte and after that maner whyche Chryste sawe when he sayde so Manye forbeare to come to it because they perceyue theyr conscyence greeued wyth deadlye synne and in that they dooe well yf they can so forbeare iustelye without offence of other persones But yf they forbeare because they haue a wronge and false opinion of thys holye Sacramente or because they wyll not bee reconcyled to their neighbors or intende not to amende and forsake theyr noughtye lyuing then besyde theyr heresye and other damnable liuing they offende deadlye diuers wayes bothe in contemninge Christe and his Sacramentes whyche he hath ordayned to bee instrumentes wherewyth he myghte geue vnto vs grace and saluation and also in contemninge the Churche of Christe whiche hath ordeyned that euerye manne and woman beyng of yeares of discretion shoulde faithfullye confesse alone to his owne curate or by his permyssion to some other mete and learned Prieste all his synnes once in a yeare at leaste and shoulde to his power fulfill that penaunce and satisfaction whiche is inioyned hym receiuinge reuerentlye at leaste at Easter the blessed Sacramente of the aultare excepte perchaunce by the counsell of hys owne curate for some reasonable cause he thynke meete for a time to forbeare the receiuinge of it And that he whiche contemneth this ordinance should be accursed and kept from the entring into the church amonges chrysten men and when he is dead should be kept frō Christen mennes buryall This is the discipline and ordinaunce of the Churche at thys daye whyche is not a restreyning of a manne to come but once a yeare but correcting of him that commeth not once a yeare The oftner he commeth the better it is and the more is he nouryshed to euerlastinge life And the better the man is the more desirous is he to be ioyned to god corporally by this Sacrament For as Christ by geuing to vs his fleshe and hys bloude declared moste of all his exceadinge loue towardes vs euen so declareth he his loue moste of all towardes GOD that the oftneste and with moste reuerence commeth to receyue this precyous foode of his fleshe and bloude So did the holy man Iob say of hys seruauntes that loued hym most repetinge their wordes whiche were these who shall geue vs of his fleshe to eate that we may be full withal Which no man euer dyd but Chryst our Lorde to thintent he myght bynde vs to hym wyth more charitie Suche was the feruente charitye of the people in the begynninge of the Churche that came euerye daye or in a maner euerye daye to this holy Sacrament and afterward when deuotion decreased they came euerye sondaye and further as the charitie of the people waxed colde the fewer tymes they prepared themselues to receiue this Sacrament in so much that it was decreed by certaine prouinciall counsels that he that came not thrise a yere that is to say at Easter at Pēthecost and at Christenmasse shoulde not be taken as a Catholyke manne But after that when deuotion decayed and charitie was cold iniquitte did abound so that men geuinge the brydle to the fleshe were carelesse of theyr saluation than the Churche oure mother beyng carefull for her children and compelled by loue partly to condescend to the infirmitie of the people and partly by discipline to reduce the people again to their duties did in a general counsel decree that euery person of discretion should fulfyll gods commaundement in receyuinge thys Sacrament once a yeare at least as I haue sayd before vnder the paine of excommunication which is the spirituall sworde of Christ to compell men to do their dueties which nede not to be drawen but for the hardnes of our hartes that loue the worlde more than God and to serue the deuyll rather thā Christ the authour of al grace which is geuen to vs in this blessed sacrament Whervnto I shall most earnestly exhorte euerye man and woman as they loue theyr owne soules and to be preserued in grace the fauor of God to dispose themselues often tymes effectuallye to receyue the bodye of oure Sauyour Christe whiche is euerye daye bothe offered to GOD the father for the synnes and infyrmities of the people and also is prepared offered to all them that wyll with a pure harte receyue it For they that wilfully abstain from it they depriue themselues of all the graces and Godlye effectes whyche bee geuen by it they loose theyr spirituall strengthe to fyghte againste the deuyll and they waxe rotten and dead members of Christes bodye lackynge theyr foode and spyrytuall nourishment and so are meete for nothinge els but to be cast into the fyre And they that be in cōsciēce of deadly sinne let them by penaūce make cleane their conscience for otherwise we that be ministers maye not minister but to the worthye receiuers so farre as we knowe for if we know any man to come to it vnworthely we ought rather to shedde our bloud than to geue Chrystes
bodye and bloude to dogges and beastly lyuers And that euery man when he is dysposed to receiue this most holy sacrament maye do it worthely to his saluation he must obserue thre thinges before he come to it he muste proue iudge hym selfe when he commeth to it he must iudge and discerne the body of our lorde after he hathe receiued it he must imitate Christe and communicate with him in his passions Firste he that intendeth to eate the lambe of GOD he muste haue the innocency of a lambe and maye not be a wolfe hauing woluish maners because thys is the bread of the children of God and not of fylthy dogges or rauenous wolfes And no persone maye bee pertaker of it but he that beleueth all thinges to be true that be taught of the Catholike church is baptised in the water of regeneration and frameth his lyfe after that maner which our sauiour Christ did set forth in his lyfe and Gospell For as in the olde testament three sortes of people were not admytted to eate of the paschall lambe as straungers borne such as were not of the stocke of Israel they that wer not circumcised and they that by touchinge any deade or vncleane thing were made them selues vncleane euen so there be three sortes of men in the new testament that maye not bee admytted to eate of Christes body in the sacrament which was fygured by the paschal lambe firste al infydels suche as be not true Israelites and of the house of Chrystes churche by receiuinge his law and faith secondly they that be not baptised and so circumcised in harte not hauynge the vayne thoughtes and woorkes of the flesh cut away by the holy ghost and thirdly they that be not clene and pure in conscience but priuye to theyr owne giltinesse or in will to remayne in sinne styll These thre sortes of persones be not worthye to receiue the lambe of god our sauiour Christe in the blessed sacrament but yf they presume so to doe they doe it to their owne damnation Therfore whosoeuer wyll come worthely to so greate a misterye he must be a christen manne and stedfastly beleue whatsoeuer trueth god hathe reueled to his holy churche and specially concerninge the truth of this sacrament neyther oppugning it by malitious heresye nor beynge ignorante of it by lacke of knowledge but acknowledginge that it is the body and bloud of Christe Goddes sonne verilye and in trueth as Chrystes woorde spoken of it dothe plainely testifye Moreouer he muste proue himselfe as saint Paul teacheth vs that is to saye he muste searche if he be giltye of any deadly sinne and if he fynde hys conscience to reproue hym than he must refrayne from the holye sacrament tyll he haue by true contrytion and the sacrament of penaunce made cleane hys conscience receiuinge remission of al his synnes and than beinge cleane let him eate of this moste holy sacrifice of Christes body and bloude And if he perceiue that his conscience is priuy to anye venial sinne and yet not hauynge a wil to sinne after any more than before he receyue lette hym satisfy for that sinne with weping and prayer putting his hole confidence in the mercye of God that vseth to forgeue synnes to all that deuoutly confesse them he maye boldlye and fruitfullye come to the blessed sacrament The more dylygence he taketh in examining serching and purginge his conscience after that sorte as is declared in the sacrament of penaunce the more boldly and worthely shall he receiue not that any mā shoulde thynke him selfe worthye to receyue the most precious body of Christ god and manne in respect wherof the hyest aungels be vnclene but that if a man doe that lyeth in him to washe awaye the fylthynes and spottes of his soule and body by contrition the sacrament of penaunce and prepareth his harte with humilitie and reuerence to receiue the body of his lord god than doth God esteme and accept him as worthy that is to say further from vnworthinesse than he is that taketh no penaunce for his sinne at all Thys worthynesse maye bee considered and knowen by suche obseruations as were commaunded to bee vsed aboute the eatinge of the paschall lambe For as the lambe was the fygure of Chryste in thys Sacramente so the maner of eatinge that is an instruction how we shoulde worthely eate thys They that shoulde eate one paschall lambe were commaunded to eate it in one house and to carye no parte of the fleshe out of the doores So we be commaunded to eate the fleshe of Christe our lambe no where els but in the house of god the catholike churche and thereby all heretikes and scismatikes which be out of the church are forbidden to presume to eate of Christes fleshe whiche can not bee worthely eaten but of them that be members of the Church They were commaunded to haue their reines girded so are wee commaunded to haue our bodies and soules gyrded that is to saye refrayned and kepte from the woorkes and lustes of the fleshe by abstinency and chastitie and not onelye from the vnlawfull vices of fornicatyon adultry and suche lyke but also a man shoulde abstaine from the act of Matrimonye wyth his lawful wife for a certaine space before how be it he that vseth hys wyfe not for thyntent to fulfyl hys carnall pleasure but onely for desyre of encrease of chyldren he oughte to be leafte to hys owne iudgement concerninge the receyuinge of this mistery with this exhortation that he presume not to come but with a pure conscience a chast body and a clene hart Also they were commaunded to haue theyr showes vpon theyr feete so wee be commaunde to haue the fete of oure soules whiche be our affections mortified by the feare of god preserued from the corruption of worldly thinges by the loue of heauēly thinges to be in loue and perfyt charitie wyth all menne without malyce enuy or double harte towardes any man For when the kinge of heauen entreth into vs there muste be greate peace silence and quietnes without trouble of worldly affectiō all iniuries displeasures enemities and trespaces must be freely and clerely forgeuē as wee woulde Christe should forgeue vs for this is the mystery of peace and the vnitie of Chrystes mystycall bodye and he that receyueth the misterye of vnitie and kepeth not the bonde of peace and vnitie he receyueth not the misterye for hym selfe but a testimony against him selfe Therefore of all thynges let vs be sure of this that wee bee in charitie and that no anger freate vs no pryde inflame vs no lechery defile vs nor no enuy torment our hartes when we come to oure Lordes table They also did eate the lambe with wylde and sowre lettes euen so must we take the fleshe of our lambe with sower contrition wee muste afflicte and punishe our hartes with sorow and bitter teares for