the pure and heauenly wombe of the virgin be yonde or aboue nature created by the holy ghoste and as Manna fell downe and laye vppon the grounde so was his precious body slayne and layde in graue as Manna was gathered vp and eaten so dyd it sygnyfie that the same body of our sauiour shulde also be eaten The Pascall lambe also dyd signifie the humanitie of Chryste that as the lambe was without spotte so was Christ conceaued without sinne and as the lambe was slayne so was also Chryste and as the same lambes fleshe was eaten so dyd it signifie that Chrystes fleshe shulde be eaten And thereupon sayth saynt Bede and saint Ierome In cōmen tarus super Luke et super Math. that Christ went from the fygure to the truth when after the Pascall lambe beinge eaten he consecrate this blessed sacrament And se heare I pray you good people howe that our newe professoures of our late spronge fayth doth make by theyr doctrine the scriptures to be false for these figures that I haue resited doth so well teache the eatynge of Chrystes fleshe as eyther his incarnacion or death and therfore if the promesse that was made by the fygure be performed in the two fyrst poyntes not figuratyuely but really doth so wel signifie the thyrde that is the real eatyng of his fleshe shal not thē they be cōpelled eyther to say that the Iewes did not eate Manna nor the Pascal lābe in dede but figures of them or els to say that the promises of Christes incarnacion passion were trewe be performed that the thyrde which is of his fleshe to be eaten was eyther false or that it is yet to be performed but then ye wyll say that we eate his fleshe spiritually and dyd not they the same I praye you when they eate Manna and the fleshe of the Lambe And howe then is there any promyse made to them which is performed to vs seinge we haue no more then they had ye do you marke and yf they make not vs to be in worse case then the Iewes were For they had Manna and a Lambe and we haue common breade and wyne the which who knoweth not to be much lesse worth then were Manna and the Lambe for as I sayde they dyd remember Chrystes death and were parteners of the fruites ther of for theyr tyme and portion so well as we be And thus do they make the newe testamente and the sacramentes therof to be worse then the olde It shall not be nedefull for me to resite vnto you the sayinges of our sauiour Chryste in al the foure Euangelystes and in saynt Paule For ye knowe in them all Chryste sayth eyther that his fleshe is very meate and therefore verely to be eaten or els take eate this is my body whiche is geuen for you In no place nameth he it eyther to signifie or to be a figure of his body ye do also beare in mynde Exod. 24. that as Moyses toke the cup whrein the blood of sacryfyce was and sayde that it was the blood of the Testament Luke 22. so dyd Chryste take the Challes wherein was the blessed blood being the blood of our sacryfyce sayd that it was the cuppe of the newe testament that is lyke as we be certeyne there to be the blood of hym that dyed for the performaunce of the newe testamente so myght we be suer that all that was sayde or spoken vpon in the testament shulde be performed Colde this be done thinke you so conueniētly with a cuppe of wine But nowe to here what the holy fathers haue beleued in this matter I pray you marke De cena Saynt Ciprian the glorious martyr and an aunciente father beinge nere thyrtene hundreth yeres agone doth not he say that the breade which Chryst gaue to his disciples kept styll the same shape that it had and yet by the omnipotencye of Gods worde it was chaunged in nature was made Chrystes fleshe Eusebits Emisen an auncient father almost twelue hundreth yeres old sayth that the inuisible prieste turneth the visible creatures into the substaunce of Chrystes body and blood Saynt Ambrose more then .xi. hundreth yere olde sayth that before the wordes of consecration the Chalesse is ful of wyne and of water but after the wordes there is the blood that redemed the people Saynt Augustine beinge of the same tyme sayth that in his tyme they did not iudge the same of the thynges in the sacramente before the consecration and after for before they dyd acknowledge thē to be breade and wyne the which nature had made but after they professed thē to be the body and blood of oure sauiour which grace had consecrated the same saynt Austen doth also say that as the person of our sauyour dyd stande of his visible manhod and his inuisible godhed so sayth he doth the sacrafyce of the Churche stand pon the visible formes of breade and wyne and of the inuisible fleshe of our sauiour Iesu Chryste To these myght be added Chrysostome saynt Ierome Damasene Theophilacte many other ye al Chrystendome do wytnesse the same wherefore you beinge faythfull men and women that do in these mysteries of our beliefe remoue your vnderstandynge frome the thynges that ye perceaue by your sences as frome the prieste or the sounde of the wordes the visible formes of breade and wyne vnto God the autour of them the workyng of the holy ghost by the wordes and the body and blood of our sauiour Graffe these thynges deepely in your hart and practyse them in your iyuynge adherynge to the fayth and religion of his catholyke Churche surely and stedfastely beleuyng that vnder these formes of of breade wine here in the sacramēt of the aulter there are conteyned really the blessed body and blood of oure sauyour Chryst And yf ye thus do ye shal please and serue God profyte your selfe and your neyghbour with the hole congregacion and lyuynge well accordynge to Chrystes commaundementes shall haue for your rewarde the blisful kyngedome of heauen which graunt vnto you the father the sonne and the holy ghost three persons and one God to whom be all honoure prayse and glory for euer and euer Amen ¶ Of the Sacryfice of the Masse THere be three thinges good people wherwithal men be moued to seke lernyng and knowledge that is the truth which is naturally desyred of all men the profyte that men get by knowledge and the pryce or goodnesse of the thynge that we desyre to knowe by the which causes as men be moued to desyre knowledge so are these causes no where more forceable and weightely to be considered then they be in the sacryfyce of the masse the which is dayly vsed in the Church For fyrst it is not vnknowen to you what stryfe there hath byn about it and howe that lerned men of both partes haue spent theyr lyues in the controuersy therof Secondely ye se that bycause it is proued
⧠FYVE Homiles of late made by a ryght good and vertuous clerke called master Leonarde Pollarde prebendary of the Cathedrall Churche of Woster directed and dedicated to the ryght reuerende Father in God Rychard by the permissyon of God byshoppe of Woster his specyall good Lorde Vewed examined and alowed by the right reuerende Father in God Edmonde byshop of London within whose diocese they are imprinted Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum Anno. M.D.LVI ¶ TO THE RIGHT REVERENDE FATHER IN GOD AND his especiall good Lorde Rycharde by the grace of God byshop of VVorcetter his humble oratour and dayely bedeman Leonarde Pollarde vvyssheth perpetual health both of soule and body COnsyderynge with my selfe most reuerende father the bountifull goodnes of Almyghtly God who dyd so thankefully receaue the myte offered by the poore wyddowe as he did the precious giftes offered to him by the ryche and welthy persons I haue byn there by encoraged to offer towardes the buylding ageyne of his blessed Temple the Church I meane defaced and almost destroyde by heretickes these simple and rude sermons not bicause that I thynke them to be of suche force or learnynge that they can helpe muche thereunto or that the greate and precious treasures offryd by other myght not suffyce but rather as I sayd to declare the promptnes and redynesse of my mynde which ought to be in me and all men to do seruyce vnto his maiestie accordynge to our habilitie It is not vnknowen to your Lordeshyp the number of bookes and sermons that were made to deface the churche and the number and the diligentnes of them that wold haue destroyed the churche the which diligence of them or rather continuall ragynge yf it shulde not be matched or with like diligence of our parte ouercome and outmatched it shulde be much to the reproche of vs all For yf we se as we can not but se them to haue taken suche peynes to suppresse and ouerthrowe the truth yf it lay in them so to do howe iustely shall our conscience condemne vs beinge negligent or retchlesse by Gods helpe to defende the same Let vs not thynke but God who hath alredy plaged the churche of this realme for the rechlessenes of our fathers wyl much more greuously punyshe vs beinge nothinge amended but rather worse after this his chastisement and correction For this is the tyme to take hede and to be diligent and as it were the tyme to haruest and of labour and not of reapynge and rest If we repe before our tyme our corne wyll be greene If we rest eare our busynes be done we shal be cōpelled to worke when we shulde rest yet it shal not auayle vs. We must therfore as the prouerbe is take the tyme whyle tyme is for tyme wyl away Thus my most reuerend Father honorable Lord I being moued partly as I haue sayde with the bountifull magnyfycence of Almyghty God who dyd so louingly accept the offryng of the poore wyddowe and partly with the consideration of my duety after this miserable tyme of sisme and heresy haue wrytten certeyne sermons or Homiles the whiche I thought to offer to your reuerende Fatherhod and honorable Lordeshyp as the gyftes of a chylde to his father bothe for the fatherly loue that I do knowe you to beare towardes vs your diocessans and chyldren and for your great affection and feruent zeale in the defence and meintenaunce of Gods Cathotholyke fayth and true religion the which your fatherly loue and byshoplyke zeale beinge well knowen to all men shall cause these my sermons to be I truste the better accepted both with God and man Wherefore I shall moste hartely desyre your honour to accepte this my small oblation or offerynge and with your wysedome and discretion to vse the same accordyngely as thereby the Catholyke fayth may be meinteyned and almyghty god best honored who haue your good Lordeshyp in his blessed kepynge nowe and euer Amen OF THE SACRAMENT OF THE AVLTER LYke as the trade of marchaundies is profytable and geyneth much and the fleshely man is muche delyghted with sweete meates and greatly desyreth them and yet is there both in marchaundies danger of losse and in delicate fare oftentimes griefes and deseases are to be feared so is it lykewyse with thynges that apperteyneth vnto our sowles moste Chrystyan hearers those thynges that be moste holsome for oure sowles chaunceth sometymes vnto the great damage and hurte thereof as it is to be seene amongst all other thynges in the moste blessed sacramente wherein we eate the fleshe of our sauyoure Chryste and drynke his blood Iohan. 6. the profyte wherof is to make Chryste abyde in vs and vs to abyde in Chryste the which howe profytable it is all trewe Chrystian men do wel knowe and yet faynt Paule sayth 1. Cor. 11. that he which eateth vnworthely this heauenly breade whiche is Chrystes fleshe and drynketh vnworthely of the cuppe wherein his moste blessed blood is conteyned eatethe and drynketh his owne damnacion bycause he pondereth not with hym selfe that it is our Lordes body whiche he doth there receaue Wherefore good Chrystyan people lyke as the marchaunt wolde gyue good eare to him that shuld tell hym howe he might sayle vpon the sea without danger and the fleshely man wolde heare gladly the physition tellynge hym howe he myght preserue his body frome deseases and syckenesse So shulde we that be Chrysten men moste desyre that knowledge in these blessed mysteries Lu 12. Math. 6. whereby our sowles maye be kepte safe from the daunger that saynt Paule sayth al thē to be in that receaueth vnworthyly For is not your soule better then eyther your goodes or your bodyes And shall ye not then be as desirous to kepe your soule safe as eyther your bodyes or your goodes To you than that haue a special regard vnto your soules I to whom the cure of your soules is committed must say that two thynges are to be marked and consydered yf ye wyll auoyde daunger in this matter being of so great weight The redresse of the one apperteineth to you and that is that ye come deuoutly and well prepared for as it was not inough Math. 22 for hym that came to the maryage without a conuenient and a comely garment to sytte with the other and to eate of the same that other dyd eate who were at the feaste so it is no small daunger to you to come to this feaste without your weddynge garmente but what weddynge garmente trowe you that I do meane the same verely that god gaue vnto you at your baptisme and was represented or sygnyfyed by your Crysome And yf ye wyll knowe what that is it was verely innocency and purenes for what other thynge doth your depynge or washynge in the water sygnyfye but that God doth then presently purge and clense you from your sinnes Therefore seinge that in celebracion of these mysteries ye must appeare in our masters presence and syght ye
shedde for vs. And these thynges good people that is the inuisible speaker and worker the effecte or workynge of these wordes and the most precious body and blood of our sauiour Iesu Chryst these thynges I say are the priuities secretes the which are not to be sene of Infidels and Turkes and yet beleued of Christen men and conceaued by fayth only For who beinge an Infidell wolde thynke that God were in his prieste speakynge or saying to vs take eate this is my body Or who being voyde of fayth wolde thinke that there were any thynge done by the vertue of these wordes take eate this is my body more then is done by these Chryst is the sonne of God and such lyke the which do not worke any thyng that is do not make Chryste to be the sonne of God but teacheth that he is the sonne of god Who I say beinge an infidell wolde not thinke an operacion and effecte to be of both these that is to teache and not to worke any thynge And then bycause that it is moste certeyne that breade is not his body muste they say eyther that Chryst sayde not trewe or els must they expounde it to be a figure of his body Thus I say an Iufidell or a faythlesse man can haue no other vnderstandynge of these wordes which doth both worke and teache for that is the nature of the wordes that apperteyneth to a sacrament to teache and worke bothe then he hath of other wordes whose office is onely to teache Nowe iudge you then whether our newe gospellers be men voyde of fayth or not They say the same effect to be of these wordes this is my body and of these I am a vyne so that as Chryst was not a vyne but figured by the vine so doth not these wordes this is my body chaunge the substaunce of the breade and wyne into Chrystes body and blood but teachethe that they be fygures of his body and blood the whiche thynge once graunted se I pray you what foloweth then muste ye confesse also that the lyke vnderstandynge muste be of these wordes of baptisme I baptize thee in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghoste and then it must folowe that as these wordes do importe that to be Chrystes body which is but the figure of his body so doth the priest say in baptisme that he baptiseth you when in dede he geueth to you but the fygure of your baptisme and so ye neyther eate Chrystes fleshe nor yet be Chrystened in dede Are not these cunninge workemen in diuinitie trowe ye that sayth like as these wordes I am the vine are to be vnderstande the vine is a fygure of me so this is my body must be expounded this is a fygure of my body and so must the priest say I do not baptise the but do gyue the a figure of the baptisme and then seinge that al the scriptures that be contrary to reason must be so expounded to make thē agree with reason so must this sayinge of the Father this is my welbeloued sonne be vnderstande that this is a fygure of my sonne bycause it is ageynste reason that a man shulde be gods sonne and so wyl they make our sauiour Chryst not to be the sonne of god Iudge you good people whether this be a pretty diuinitie or not Secondely yf ye wyll say that to be breade which Chryst sayth to be his body or that to be a figure of baptisme which Chryst sayth to be baptisme it selfe What haue ye I pray you to proue eyther that ye do eate it or that ye be baptised ye feyne a spirituall eatynge where haue ye that in scrypture and take the effecte of these wordes away but to let this Thyrdely howe I pray you be the bread and wyne which do signifie in eating figures of Chrystes body and blood if his body be not in deede eaten But as I sayde an Infidell can not knowe that as the holy ghost was vnder the forme of a doue so is heare the bodye of oursauioure vnder the forme of bread An Infidell lokynge uppon the visible forme of breade knoweth that there is a thyng to be eaten but only a Chrystian man knoweth what it is that is eaten for he is taught of Chryst that it is his blessed body Thus I say ought we that be beleuers to consider and iudge them as mysteries of our fayth and they be therfore mysteries bycause one thynge doth appere in them outwardely and they be inwardely another as saynt Austyne wryteth to the infantes that to the iudgement of theyr sences there is breade and wyne but to the knowledge of oure faythe they be Chrystes most precious body and bloud Nowe these hauynge as I say two partes the one knowen to our sences the other to our faith it is nowe then to be considered wherupon and by what grounde our fayth muste be stayed and that all men knoweth to be Gods worde for that saith our sauiour is so sewer Math. 5. that thoughe heauen and earth passe away yet shal that continue Wyll ye se then what this worde sayth Gene. 3. Iohn 6. The worde sayth that Adam was poysoned with eatynge of an apple and Chryste sayth that his fleshe is so necessary a triakle to dryue out this poyson that except we eate his fleshe and drynke his blood we shall not haue lyfe the which thinge once graunted what ayleth vs that we can not see to ley the playster to our sore That is lyke as bothe our bodyes and sowles were poysoned with the apple so must both our bodyes and sowles be restored by Chrystes fleshe eaten of vs and as not a figure of an apple but a very apple was eaten so not a figure of Chrystes body but his very bodye is to be eaten for to restore ageyne our nature Moreouer Gods worde sayth that as we haue the substaunce of our bodyes from Adam so haue we our corruption and sinfulnesse with the same And our seconde Adam sayth that except we come into him and be made one with hym by eatyng of his fleshe 1. Cor. 15. Roma 5. Iohn 6. that we shall not escape death for he that eateth his fleshe and drynketh his blood abydeth in Chryste and hathe Chryste abydynge in hym whereby we be taught that as we haue not in vs a fygure of Adam but the very substaunce of Adam and not his substaunce onely but his substaunce and his sinne so must we haue in vs like wyse not the fygure nor the ryghteousnes onely of Chrystes body but his very and natural body in dede Furthermore the Iewes had Manna Exod. 16. Exod. 12. and theyr Pascall lambe the whiche were figures of Chryste of the whiche Manna dyd signifie Chrystes incarnacion in that as Manna was created in the pure ayer or as it is called in the scripture heauen by Gods omnipotent power and not by the order of nature so was Chrystes body in
promesse and we to aske the benefite of the same the blessed body of our sauitour beinge as it were a pledge or toke ▪ betwyxte God and vs that is that he made the promesse and that we do nowe ryghtfully craue it Chrisost de euche to 3. homile ad monitoria Accordynge whereunto saith Chrysostome good Lorde the table is prepared with the mysteries and the lambe of God is offered for the and the prieste prayethe for thee and the spirituall blood is there flowynge vpon the holy table and the Seraphins stande rounde about shadowynge his face with theyr wynges and al the incorporal powers prayeth then with the prist for thee and as foloweth a lyttle after art not thou then sayth he ashamed art thou not afrayde yea art not thou vtterly confounded August de tempore ho. 251. that hauynge this opportunitie wylt not labour to gette Gods mercy and fauour Also in lyke maner doth saynt Augustine charge his dioceners with commynge to seruyce and especially vpon the sondayes vnto masse and there he sayth that men ought of dutye to come vnto the Church vpon the sondayes and other holy dayes to all the seruyce and yf any man be letted by necessarye businesse that he can not come to the Churche yet he ought to pray at home but he sayth that without any excuse he ought vpon the holy day deuoutly to here masse and blameth certeyne very sharpely that do not so For he sayth Adhuc quod detesta bilius est quidam ad eccle siam venientes non intrant non intendunt precibus non expectant cum silencio sanctarum missarum celebrationem That is yea this is much more detestable certeyne when they come vnto the Church eyther they wyll not go in or they wyll not gyue them selues vnto prayer or they wyll not with scylence abyde vntyll the masses be celebrated and ended Thus may ye se good people what these holye fathers dyd iudge vppon the masse the which our newe brethrene hath taught you to reuyle and dispyse But then ye wyll aske me what scriptures teacheth the masse to be a sacryfyce And verely amongst many more then the tyme wyll suffer me to resyte these do teache it Fyrst the sacryfyce of the Pascal lambe the which our sauyour did change at his supper and placed in stede thereof this sacryfyce of his blessed body and blood and that the Pascall lambe was a sacrifice the scripture is playne For say the not the scrypture playnely that all the Israelites shulde offer vp the Pascall lambe at the euen tyde and saythe not saynte Paule that Chryst was offered vp a passouer Exod. 11. 1. Cor. 5. The which wordes declareth that the Pascall lambe was a sacryfyce Wherfore as the newe testament commynge in place of the olde is by right called a testament so this commynge in stede of the sacryfyce is iustly named a sacryfyce For as theyr passouer put them in remembraunce howe they were deliuered forth of Egypte so doth this put vs to remember our delyueraunce out of hell wherefore it is most playnely to be sene that this is the sacryfyce of the Churche For this is a good reason that it shulde be a sacryfyce bycause it commeth in place of a sacryfyce Gene. 14. Psal 109. Hebre. 7. Secondely the scripture that saith Melchisedech to haue byn a fygure in his priestehod of our sauyour Chrystes priesthod teacheth this to be a sacryfyce For onely in the institucion of these blessed mysteries dyd Chryst fulfyll the thynge that was figured by Melchisedech that is as Melchisedech offered vp materiall breade so dyd Chryst offer this heauenly breade that is his owne blessed body vnder the fourme of breade Thyrdely the prophesy of Malachy teacheth it Malla 1. where he sayth that the gentyles shall offer vnto god a newe and a most cleane sacryfyce But why shulde not this be called a sacryfyce beinge the sacryfyce of the newe testament and what thynge in cleanenesse can be compared with the precious body and blood of our sauyour Chryst Fourthly the wordes of our sauyours Chryst sayinge do this in my remembraunce teacheth that it is a sacryfyce Luke 22. 1. Cor. 11. for as those workes and thynges were called sacryfyces that dyd sygnyfye his deathe to come so by the same reason shulde this be a sacryfyce that declareth it to be past 1. Cor. 10. Fyftly saynte Paule when he to dryue away Chrysten men frome the sacryfyces done vnto the Idols nameth the cup of our lord what other dothe he but saye that this is the sacryfyce that Christen men onely haue And so comparynge our sacryfyce and theyrs together sayth that they coulde not drynke of the cuppe of our Lorde and of the cuppe of deuyls But then ye wyll say howe can this be a sacryfyce seinge that it is commonly called a sacrramente Verely good people it is called a sacrament or a priuitie for that it appeare the to the Infydels to be one thynge and is knowen of vs to be another as to them it apereth to be nothyng but breade but we knowe that it is Chrystes body in the fourme of breade and of this secrete or pryuie beinge heare it is called a sacrament It is also called a sacryfyce for that the prieste doth consecrate them to represente the deathe and passyon of our sauyour Chryste so that there be two vses good people of these mysteryes the one to be eaten wherof Chryst speaketh sayinge Take eate this is my body the other is to put vs in mynde of his death wherof he sayth do this in remembraūce of me In the fyrste vse it is a sacramente in the seconde a sacryfyce But then ye wyll saye ageyne that the celebracion of these mysteries cōmonly called the sacrynge is but one parte of the masse truth it is that the sacryfyce whiche Chryste lefte to be offered in his Church is in dede but that part whiche we commonly call the sacrynge and as for the other partes they be eyther prayers or ceremonies wherwith the sacryfyce is bewtyfyed and commended euen as a mans body is bewtyfied with comely apparell But yet as the clothes be one that maketh the body comely the bodye that is made comely with them is another and the bodye is better then the apparell so be the cerimonies and the sacryfyce dyuers in the masse thoughe we call them bothe by one name And as the kynges person is but one whether he be in his dublet and hose or in his cote or in his gowne or in his robes so is the celebracyon of these blessed mesteryes the offerynge of a sacryfyce with what kynde of ceremonyes so euer they be mynystred so that there be nothynge lefte out that Chryste dyd ordeyne Platiu◠de viris ponti And thus do we rede that saynte Peter sayde masse at Antyoche and vsed no mo cerymonyes nor prayers at his masse but the Pater noster Mary no man may chaunge or leaue
muste be sure that ye do come thyther in his lyuerye And thus to prepare you is your duety The other thynge that is necessary vnto the holsome receauynge of these mysteries is a true fayth Hebre 11. without the which no man can please god and ye know what daunger it is for one with whom god is offended or angry to apeere before hym but to teache this faith vnto you that belongeth vnto my charge For vnto me it is sayd Iohn 21. Pasce oues meas feede my shepe the which thynge that I may the better do three thynges are necessaryly to be consydred both of you me that is first that ye wyll call vnto your remembraunce what maner of people you to whome I shall speake ought to be secondely what the thinges be that we must intreate vppon thyrdely from whence and from whom we must come by the knowledge of them As concernynge the fyrst it is not vnknowen vnto you that Chrysten men are called and named to be faythful which is as much as to saye people that do beleue in so muche that saynt Paule commaundynge Timothe to gyue good example of lyfe vnto all Chrysten men 1. Tim. 4. sayth Fâ—sto forma fidelium That is be an example to the faythfull wherby we be monyshed that the chiefest thynge in a Chrysten man Que videÌ„tur teÌ„poracia suÌ„t que non videÌ„tur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 4. whiche maketh hym to dyffer from all other meÌ„ is his fayth but who is he amongst you that knoweth not that fayth is onely concernynge those thynges that are not to be sene and which we knowe only by the report of other In so much that saynt Gregory sayth that fides non habet meritum vbi humana ratio prebet experimentum that is to say fayth hath no merite where mans reason giueth thexperieÌ„ce And who knoweth not that Abraham was commended of god for nothynge so much as he was for his fayth Gene. 14. Roma 4. Gal. 3. Doth not the scrypture say Credidit Abraham deo et imputatum est ei ad iustitiam that is he beleued Godde and it was counted to him for rightuousnes but howe beleued he Verely saynt Paule sayth he dyd not consider his owne body which was nowe more fytter for death then to be get chyldren he being an huÌ„dreth yeres of age nor yet he dyd consyder the barren wombe of Sarai his wyfe who was then foure score and ten yeres of age he dyd not reason with God howe he and his wyfe beynge in theyr youth not able to beget chyldren shulde nowe in theyr age when naturall hope of chyldren was paste haue chyldren he dyd not I say reason with God of these matters as our newe brethrene do in the greate mysteries of our fayth He harde God speke and beleued but these must haue hym say sensybly to theyr reson this is a fygure of my body or els they can not vnderstande hym for theyr iustyfyinge fayth or rather as it is to be called damnable infidelitie can not vnderstande that god is able to make his body to be really present in heauen and heare to bothe at one tyme. But vnto you good Chrysten people that be the chyldren of Abraham and do beleue I trust that there is nothynge wherein ye can so please god as in beleuynge his omnipotency and truth To you I saye that the chiefe cause whiche moued our sauioure to prayse the Centurion so muche as he dyd Math. 8. was the Centurions faythe for the Centurion thought that it was as possible for Chryste to heale his seruaunt though he were absent as it was for hym selfe in his absence by commaundement of his seruauntes to haue thynges done as he wolde for the same cause dyd our sauioure prayse also the woman of Cananye sayinge woman thy fayth is great Suche then be you and so do beleue Math. 15. vnto whom nowe at this tyme I purpose by gods grace to speke of a sacrament otherwyse called in Greeke a mystery and in Englyshe it may be named secrete or hydde priuitie of our faythe and religion In the consideracion and vnderstanding of the whiche mysteryes your mynde and knowledge must be remoued and drawen away from the pryestes that ministreth for they be but as instrumentes as for example the axe is to the wryght the pen is to the wryter the knyfe is to hym that cutteth and they most be bent and stayed of Christ who dyd fyrst ordeyne them and that doth now vse the tounge and other members of the priestes to accomplyshe and worke the same In so muche that saynte Iohn speakynge of the true baptisme sayth Math. 3. that it is Chryst that baptyseth and Chryst sayth hymselfe that it is not the minister that speaketh but the spryte of the Father Sed spiritus patris qui loquitur Luke 12. that speaketh in hym Also Chrysostome and Eâ—missen sayth that it is not the visible prieste that worketh the consecration of the blessed Sacrament but the inuisible prieste whiche is our sauyour Chryst But who seeth not then yf this be true as it is moste true that not fayth but infidelitie hathe caused our late preachers to haue asked the question howe can the prieste make Chrystes body As though there were nothynge done in the administracion of the sacrament but what that the prieste dothe Doth not this question presuppose the prieste onely to be not the instrument but the workeman Doth not this question take that that is gods worke from God and gyue vnto man But ye shall vnderstande good people that these be therfore called mysteries bycause that in them one thynge doth outwardely appere to our senses and an other is certeynely knowen to our beliefe and vnder standynge Outwardely we se the prieste outwardely we heare this sentence Take eate this is my body Augu. ad infantes c. pronounced by the priest outwardely we se the formes of breade and wyne and these are as perceptible and easy to be perceaued of the Turkes other Infydels as of vs Chrysten men that is they se and heare as much and the very same touchynge these outwarde thynges that we do But then is there the inuysible priest who bad the visible priest do this and that speaketh and worketh by him as by his instrument and the effecte and operacion of these wordes take eate this is my body which is to change those visible creatures into the substaunce as Emysen Chrysostome Chrisost de pâ—â—dicione Iâ—de saynte Ambrose and such lyke autours do wytnesse of Chrystes blessed body and blood where is further to be consydred that the very naturall body and blood of our sauioure Iesu Chryst to be conteyned vnder and signyfyed by those formes of bread and wyne Chryste hym selfe is a moste true wytnesse and beste to be beleued herein who also sayth that it to be the same bodye that was broken for vs and the same blood that was