there are so many and most euidente Authorities and testimonyes of the auncient holy fathers aswell of the greke as of the Latyne Churche concernyng the very true and real presence of Christe hys bodye and bloude in thys sacrament of the Aultare that to rehearse them all it woulde be a greate and an infinite labour And yet for the establyshyng of good mens myndes herein ye shall beare haue in a fewe the full and vniforme consent of them all And fyrste Chrysostome who was 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 not foure hundrethe yeare after Christe wrytynge in the Greke tounge vpon the. x. chapiter of Saynt Paules first epystle to the Corynthians and expendynge these wordes of the Apostle calix 〈◊〉 cui benedicimus That is to say The cup of blessyuge whiche we 〈◊〉 he doeth speake thus Quid est in calice id ipsū est quod 〈◊〉 latere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etus participes sumus Whiche is to say That whiche is in the coppe or Chalice is the very selfe same thyng that issued or ranne out of Christes syde therof weare partakers Scconde S. Basyll beynge also a Greke doth in his boke called hys rules and in the. 127. question putte forthe thys demaunde it is to witte with what feare and persuasion a mā ought to 〈◊〉 to participate of the bodye bloud of Christ and he doeth make answere in thys wise Timorem 〈◊〉 docet nos ap 〈◊〉 dicens Qui manducat et bibit indigne iudicium sibi mā ducat et bibit persuasionem vero sirmam giguit in nobis fides verborū domini dicentis hoc est corpus meum quod pro uobis traditur etc. Which is to saye The feare in dede dothe the Apostle teache vs saying who that eateth and drinketh vnworthely doth eate and drynke his owne dampnation and as concerninge the firme persuation or constāt beleife that dothe the faith of the wordes of our Lorde engendre in vs who 〈◊〉 This is my bodi which is giuen for you c. Thyrdly the great clarke Cyryl being also a Grecian and Archebyshoppe of Alexandria aboue a thousand yeare ago doth in hys treatise sent to one called Calosyryus affyrme and saye that he shoulde not dout of the real presence of Chrystes bodye in the sacrament concludynge after many profes had in that behalfe and sayinge after thys maner Nec dubites an boe 〈◊〉 sit eo manifeste dicente hoc est corpus meum sed potius suscipe uerba saluatoris in fide cum enim sit ue ritas non mentitur That is to saye And thou must not doute whether thys be true or no seyng he that is to say Christ manifestly doth saye This is my body but doe thou rather receaue the wordes of our Sauioure in faithe seinge he is the truthe he doth not lye Nowe hauyng harde the testymonye of certayne greake authors with whom the rest do agre Ye shal consequently heare the testimonye of certayne notable authors of the Latyne Churche with whome the rest do also consent and agree And fyrst ye shal heare the moste auncient 〈◊〉 of the Latyne churche 〈◊〉 who in hys treatise De resurrectione carnis speakyng of the blessed Sacra mente of the Aultare doeth saye in thys maner Caro corpore et sanguine Christi 〈◊〉 vt et anima de deo saginetur That is to saye Our flesh doth eate or feade vpon the body and bloude of Christ that oure soule also maye be made fatte wyth God Secondly in order shal be Saynct Hylarye who is called of Saynt 〈◊〉 Tuba latini eloquij and he in hys viii boke De Trinitate doth saye thus De ueritate carnis et sanguinis nō est relictus ambigendilocus Nunc enim et ipsius domini pro 〈◊〉 side no stra uere earo est et uere sanguis est et 〈◊〉 acceptd atque 〈◊〉 staid efficinat vt et nos in CHRISTO 〈◊〉 CHRISTVS in nobissit An ne hoc 〈◊〉 nonest Contingat plane his uerum nonesse qui CHRISSVMIESVM uerum esse deum negat That is to saye Of the veritie of the fleshe and bloude speakyng of the flesh bloud of Christ in thys sacrament ther is not left a place to dout For now both by the professiō or declaration of our Lord by our faithe also there is truelye fleshe and there is truely bloude which being receaued or taken dronken do cause or make thys that bothe we are in Christe and Christ also in vs. And whether is not thys the trueth let it chaunce not to be true vnto them who doo denye Iesus Christ to be true God By al these most euident testimonyes af auncient fathers it appeareth that in the Sacramente of the Aultare are truelye and reallye conteyned the bodye and bloude of our Sauiour Iesus Christ accordyng to the sayde institution of Christe But because Christ toke breade into his handes and Saynct Paule also calleth the sacrament bread and that therevpon the heretikes haue groūded their opiniō that the thynge conteyned in the said sacrament is nothing but bread it shal be meete to open and declare thys matter forther and in what sort the Sacrament may be called bread for the vnderstanding wherof you must know that albe it our Sauiour Christe toke very materiall breade into hys handes yet by hys omnipotente power he chaunged the nature and substaunce of bread into the substaunce of hys dody And lykewyse he chaunged the substaunce of wyne into the substāce of hys bloude sayenge Thys is my bodie Thys is my bloude And thys is euidentlye proued fyrste by the. vi of Iohn where oure Sauioure Christe hymselfe thus sayeth The bread that I wyll geue vnto you is my fleshe which flesh I wyll geue for the lyfe of the worlde In whyche wordes it is moste manyfest that Christ promysed two thynges the one that he woulde geue a bread that should be his fleshe and the other is that he wold geue that fleshe for the lyfe of the worlde Nowe yf Chryste gaue not at hys maundye a breade that was hys fleshe and on good Fryday gaue the fleshe vpon the crosse for the lyfe of the worlde then he kepte not hys promyse for in no place els he dyd it therefore eyther must we say that Christ made a promisse and perfourmed it not which is a wicked thynge to thynke or saye of Christe eyther els must we say that keping hys promysse he did at hys maundy geue a kynde of breade whiche was his verye fleshe in dede conteyned vnder the forme of breade and that the same fleshe he gaue the daye folowynge vnder the vysyble forme of fleshe vpon the crosse so he perfourmed both his promysses that is to say geuyng a breade or 〈◊〉 that was his fleshe also geuyng that fleshe for the lyfe of the worlde And for a more playne full declaratyon of Chrystes wordes herein ye shall note that in the sayde syxte of Sayncte Iohn there is mentyon made of fowre kyndes of breade Fyrst of
able to vnderstande ¶ Another obiection is of the woordes of our sauiour in the. vi of Iohn where ne sayeth Qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earnem et bibit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habet vitam eternam That is to saye He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude hathe euerlastynge lyfe Uppon these wordes they gather that ii in the sacrament of the aulter be really the body and bloude of our sauionre Christ then whoso receueth the sacramēt must nedes enioy euerlasting lyfe But the scripture witnesseth that Iudas receaued it and 〈◊〉 Paule in the. xi of his fyrste Epistle to the Corinthians saieth that Whoso receueth the sacrament vnworthely receaueth it to hys dampnation ¶ To this obiectiō it is to be aūswered that many sentences of scripture are to be vnderstande wyth a certayne restraynte or limittation 〈◊〉 for example the scripture sayeth Qui credit in me habit vitam eternam That is to say He that be leueth in me hath euerasting lyfe And in the fyrst Epistle of S. Iohn the fourthe chapter it is written Quisquis confessus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est filius dei 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 et ipst in deo That is to saye Who soeuer shall confesse that Iesus is the sonne of God in him dwelleth God and he in God There haue bene and are thousandes whyche beleue in Chryste and that Chryste is the very sonne of God and yet shall not for all 〈◊〉 saued but either for lacke of true 〈◊〉 in other arti cles of the chrystian religion or for lacke of good lyfe shal be dampned This conditiō than is to be added to the forsayde sentences yf in suche beleif a mā dye and therewith is faythful in the necessarye articles and out of state of all dedly sinne he shall then with out any doute inherit the kyngdome of heauen So in thys present obiection we muste make a lymitation and say that whoso eateth and drynketh worthely c. ¶ To the cōfirmation hereof Sainct Augustine saieth in his eleuēth sermō Deverbis domini 〈◊〉 Profecto est quidam modus mandueandi illam 〈◊〉 quomodo qui 〈◊〉 in Christo manet Christus in eo Noner go 〈◊〉 modo quisquam mauducauerit carnem Christi 〈◊〉 biberit 〈◊〉 Christi 〈◊〉 in Christo et in illo Christus sed 〈◊〉 quodam modo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vtique ipse videbat 〈◊〉 ist a 〈◊〉 That is to saye Uerely there is a certayne maner of eatyng that fleshe after whiche maner he that shall haue eaten it doth dwell in Christ Christe in hym Wherfore not in what maner soeuer a man doeth eate Chrystes fleshe and drinketh hys bloude he dwelleth in Christe and Chryste in hym but he that eateth and drynketh after a certayne speciall maner to which maner Chryst had respecte when he spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 woordes The same saincte Augustine in his fyrste boke Contra Chrescouium gramaticū and the. xxiiii Chapiter sayeth thus Quid de 〈◊〉 corpore et 〈◊〉 domini unico 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 nostra quāuis ipse dominudicat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hominis c non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 docet 〈◊〉 hoc perniciosum male 〈◊〉 fieri That is to saye What of the very body and bloude of our sa uiour the onely sacrifyce for oure saluation thoughe there of our Lord doth saye vnles ye eate that fleshe of the sonne of man c. doeth not that same Apostle meanynge Paule teache that it also is pernicious to them that doo vse it not duely and ryghtfully ¶ An othere obiection there is also and it is thys Chryst. Iohn x. and. xv doth saye I am a dore I am a vyne and 〈◊〉 Paule 〈◊〉 ad Cozi. x. vseth suche lyke speache whiche speache of Chryste and of saint Paule in those places doth not import that Christ in euery dede by that saying was a dore or a vyne or such lyke but speakyng after that figuratyfe speache or maner dyd meane that he was a fygure of a dore of a 〈◊〉 and such like and that he had the propertie of a doore of a vyne so forthe Semblably say they when Chryst at his laste supper takynge breade and 〈◊〉 it dyd saye This is my body And takyng the cuppe gaue thankes did say this is my bloud of the newe testament c hys speache soo pronounced and vttered dyd not importe that Chryst thereby doth make of the breade and wyne hys body and bloud but eyther he ment that the breade and wyne was sygnes and tokens of hys body and bloude or ells that they should be 〈◊〉 of hys body and bloud 〈◊〉 not his very body and bloude in dede and con sequently therefore they saye that in the sacrament of the aultare there is neyther the body nether the bloude of Chryst but bare materiall bread wyne beyng onely sygnes tokens and 〈◊〉 of christes body and bloud ther. ¶ For solutiō of this obiectiō thys may be sayd that it is trouthe that Christ and saynte Paule in the places before alleged doo soo saye as is deduced in the 〈◊〉 of thys argumente or obiection and trouthe it is also that the speach of Chryst I am a dore I am a vyne c. doth not importe that Chryste by that speakynge was in very dede a dore or a vyne but that he was a fygure of a doore and of a vyne and had the 〈◊〉 of the dore and of the vyne But when it is sayde that the semblabe is of Chrystes woordes Thys is my bodye this is my bloud that is neyther true nor doth folowe either by the rules of reason or of scrypture for concernyng reson either muste we reason and saye that Chryst alwayes in hys speakynge dyd vse fygures metaphores and tropes whych to saye is moost false as it appereth in the. xv of S. Iohn eyther els we must saye that Chryst dyd but onelye sometymes speke in fygures and not soo alwayes whiche being true and there fore to be graunted it foloweth not in reason that thoughe Chryst in the. v. and xv of saynt Ihon. c dyd speake fyguratyfiye that therfore here in these woordes of Chryst. this is my body this is my bloude he dyd also speake fyguratyfly wherefore let these sely soules that haue bene seduced by thys kynde of argumentes aske theyr teachers whether they can mayntayne and defende thys theyr owne argumēt with soo feble a consequent or noo And yf they can not then tell thē that they be very 〈◊〉 lettes in dede and as for the rule of scryptures that is of the circūstaunce of that letter and 〈◊〉 other places of scripture 〈◊〉 with the same to gather therof that very meaning of the thing an example whereof we haue Iohan ii and. xvi And here the vnlearned at to be taughte that althoughe in the prophetes and the histories of the olde testament tropes and fygures are receyued and allowed forasmuche as by such tropes and fygures the thyng spoken is more vehemently declared and set forth yet
are disobedient seditious scismatike and verye wicked people as more at large shal be declared in some homelies to be specially made therevpon ¶ Thexposition or declaration of the tenthe article of the Crede whiche is The communion of saynctes The forgeuenes of synnes IN this article be taughte two speciall fruites and benefites whiche all men called of God and obeyinge to the same callinge in their wyll and workes doe obtayne by Goddes grace in the sayd Catholyke churche that is to say The communion of saintes and forgyuenes of synnes And here is to be noted that although this worde Sainctes in oure Englyshe toungue signifieth properly them that be departed this life and be established with glorye in Chryst. 〈◊〉 the same worde Sainctes whereby in thys article we expresse the Latyn word Sanctorum is here extended to signifye not onely those that be so departed this life and established but also such as beyng in lyfe here in earth be called into this holy assēble and Churche and be sanctyfyed in oure Sauyoure Iesu Chryste Accordyuge wherevnto S. Paule in sondry hys epystles to the Roma 12. to the Epher to the Philip. 4 to the Colos. 1. and to the 〈◊〉 14. vseth the sayd worde Sayntes and so doth he in dynerse other places els And as touchyng the fyrst of the sayd ii frutes or benefites whiche is The cōmunion of saintes That is to saye the mutual participation of saynctes ye shall vnderstande that lyke as al the 〈◊〉 parts and members of the naturall body of man do naturally communicate and be participante of one spirit or soule which gouerne the sayde bodye and euerye lyuelye parte thereof euen so doe all good Chrysten men participate of one holy ghost whyche alwayes gouerneth the catholyke churche and allyuely mem bres of the same and doth geue to sondrye members sondry spirituall giftes to the intent the whole body should therby be edified accordyng to the sayinge of S. Paule in the xii Chapter of his fyrste Epystle to the Corynthians where he sayeth in thys maner Vnicuique autem datur manifestatio spiritus ad utilitatem Alis quidem per spiritum datur sermo 〈◊〉 alijautem sermo 〈◊〉 secundū eun dem spiritum Alteri fides in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alij gratia sanit at um in eodem spiritu aly operatio uirtutum alii prophetia alii discreto spiritum alii generalinguarum alii interpretatio sermonum Hec autem omniaoperas tur unus a que idem spiritus diui dens singulis prout uult That is The gyftes of the holye ghoste are geuen to euery man to profyte other wythall to one is geuen throughe 〈◊〉 spirite the vtteraunce of wisedome To another is geuen the vttetaunce of 〈◊〉 by the same spyryte to another fayth by the same spirite to another the gifte of healinge by the same spyryte to another power to doe miracles to another prophecye to another iudgement to discerne spirites to another dyuerse tongues to another interpretation of sayinges And al these thinges worketh the selfe same spirite deuydinge to euerye man as he wyll By which place of Saynt Paule it is euident that al the lyuelye members of the Churche doe communycate and participate of one common spiryte And this participation beinge one of the hygheeste benefites that men receaue in the Catholyke Churche is comprehended in this article of the communion of Saynctes Of whyche communyon the Prophet Dauid in his cxviii psalmedoth also speake sayinge Particeps ego sum omnium timentium te et 〈◊〉 man data tua That is to say I am partaker wyth all suche as feare the and kepe thy 〈◊〉 But besides this foresayd participation or communion of the holy ghost beyng commune to all the liuelye members of the Churche there is also an other communion comprehended lykewyse in thys article whiche is the 〈◊〉 or vnion that all good christen men haue with Chryste who is the heade of the churche and who hath for his mystycall bodye the whole churche And of this kynde of communion of Saynctes S. Paule lykewyse speaketh in the foresayd twelth chapiter of hys fyrst epystle to the Corynthyans saying In uno spiritu omnes nos in 〈◊〉 pus baptizati sumus siue dei siue gentiles siue serui siue liberi omnes in uno spiritu potati sumus That is to saye In one spyrite are we all baptyzed to make one bodie whether we be Iewes or Gentils free or bonde and haue all dronke of one spyryte And lykewise doth he in the fifte to the Ephesians where spea kyng of the same he sayeth 〈◊〉 sumus corporis eius de car ne cius et de ossibus cius That is to saye We are membres of his bodye meanyng of the body of Christ and of his fleshe and of his bones And forasmuch as the moste blessed sacrament of the aulter wherein by the myghtye operatyon of Goddes worde is really present in the fourmes of breade and wyne the naturall lyuynge bodye and bloude of oure sauyoure and redemer Iesu Chryste doeth increase and worke in all them that worthelye doe receaue it the communion and coniunction in bodye soule of them to Chryste and of Chryst to them with a mutuall coniunctyon also in loue and charytye of eche good man in Christ to other Therefore the sayd Sacrament may also worthely be called the commu nion of Sayntes And so hathe the fyrst parte of this article been by good deuoute and learned menne expounded longe ago Nowe touchy nge the seconde fruite or benefite in thys article whyche is the remission of synnes you shall vnderstand that onely in the catholyke church and no where els the remissiō of synnes is to be had And there vndoubtedlye it is to be had and that by two meanes that is to wytte by baptisme and after baptisme by due penaunce and 〈◊〉 of the keyes geuen vnto the churche And as for baptisme it washeth cleane awaye al the former synnes as well actuall as originall so that they shall neuer after that be imputed vnto vs. But in case after baptisme we fall into synne then the remedy must be by the wholsome sacramente of Penaunce whiche sacrament is of so greate forse and vertue that howe heynous so euer oure synnes and offenses be yet by the meane of the same the sayde synnes maye be and are released forgeuen vnto vs. And for to take away all doutyng on our behalfe herein and that no man shoulde nede to dispayre oure Sauioure Chryste openlye and by expresse wordes in the twentye of Sayncte Iohn af ter he had breathed vpon hys Disciples sayde vnto them and generallye to they re Successours 〈◊〉 the holy ghost whose synnes ye release or forgeue they are forgeuen or released vnto them and whose ye withholde or reteyne they are withholden or reteyned And also with a special 〈◊〉 assygned vnto Saynct Peter gaue vnto hym and hys lawfull successours the full 〈◊〉 of releasyng and withholdyng of synnes saiyng vnto hym as it is
the holye Martyr Cypryan who in his v sermon entytuled de lapsis sayth thus Nec cesset in agenda poenitentia atque in domini misericordia 〈◊〉 canda 〈◊〉 quod minus esse in qualitate delicti uidetur in neglecta satisfactis one cumuleter which is Let not the synner cease in doing penaunce and callynge for the mercye of God least that whiche in the qualitye of the faulte it selfe doth seme to be lytle shoulde be accummulated or made greater in the neglectinge satisfaction Wherevpon he concludethe a generall lesson of all men easelye to be borne awaye in these wordes Confiteantur singuli quaeso uos sratres delictum suum dum adhuc qui deliquit in seculo est dum 〈◊〉 confessio eius potest dum satisfactio remissio facta per saccrdotes apud dominum grata est That is to saye I besech you brethren let euerye man make confession of his faulte whyle he that hath offended is yet here in this worlde and while his confession maye be admytted and while the satisfaction and remission gyuen by the preist is acceptable before GOD. 〈◊〉 he sayeth further Let vs conuerte vnto God with al oure mynd and expressyng our penaunce with true sorowes lamentynges for our synnes lette vs call for the mercye of God In which two breyfe sentences of this mooste excellent and famous Martyr ye do se comprised and conteyned the hole and penitente conuersation of man to God by contrition Confession satisfactyon which thre poyntes or partes must of necessitie be in the doer of true Penaunce so it is required of the said penitent as we before haue proued And the sacrament of Penaunce it selfe being the absolution pronoū ced by the preist vpō such true penitentes in the said sētēce of S. Cipriā is likewise comprehended ¶ Of the Sacrament of the Aultare wythe Thexposition or declaration thereof HAVINGE 〈◊〉 spoken of three notable Sacramentes instituted by Chryst and alwayes solempnely vsed in his catholike Churche it is to wit of Baptisme Confirmation and Penaunce hauing also fyrst entreated of the Sacramente of Baptisme whereby we haue a spirytual regeneration hauyng consequently and secondly spoken of the Sacramente of Confyrmation commonly succeding Baptisme and gyuing vnto vs a spirituall augmentyng and incresse of grace boldely to mayntayne and defende the professyon of oure fayth made at the tyme of our Baptisme and hauing thyrdely set forth the sacrament of Penaunce which purgeth and clenseth vs fallynge by synne 〈◊〉 oure baptysme and confirmation Mete and conueniente it shall nowe be that we do intreate of that excellent spirituall fode and noryshement whiche in the sayde catholyke churche is mynistred and gyuen vnto vs being so baptyzed confyrmed and pourged And because in the sacrament of the Aultar there is that excellent spirituall fode and true nonryshmēt that passeth all other it is to witte the most precious body and bloude of oure sauioure Jesus Christ there fore as was promysed in the preface of this boke here nowe shal be intreated of that moste excellente sacrament of the Aultare And in dede ryght conuenient mete it shal be to entreate diligently and fully of thys sacrament in asmuche as it bothe in worthynes and dignifie doeth greatly surmounte and passe al the other Sacramentes of the Churche as also for that of late yeres it hath most of all other bene assaulted and impugned and yet of no good manne but of the wretched sort alone And to begyn thys order in some respecte maye herein be thought conuenient fyrst to declare the institution of thys sacrament Seconde to set forth the vse of it And thyrdely to declare the notable or rather the vnspeakeable fruyte thereof And as concernyng the syrste thys emongest other is cheifelye to be mar ked that after oure Sauyoure IESVS CHRISTE had accordynge to the ryte and vsage of the olde lawe eaten with hys twelue Apostles the fyguratiue or tipical pascal lambe beinge risen frō 〈◊〉 had was shed his disciples fete he sittyng downe agayne dyd take bread into hys blessed handes giuing thākes dyd breake it and gaue it to hys Dyscyples sayinge Take and eate thys is my Bodye whyche shal be geuen or deliuered for you Lykewyse He toke the cuppe and gaue thankes gaue it vnto them saying Drinke ye al of this for thys is my bloude of the newe testamente whiche shal be shed for many to the remission of theyr synnes Do this in the remembrance of me These wordes being spokē by the mouthe of the sonne of Gob who is equall in Godheade wyth the father and the holye ghoste and testifyed also by hys holye Euaugelistes ouer and besydes the faythefull continual testimonye of Chrystes espouse the Catholyke church who is he that can with any good grūd of Scripture or lawefull aucthoritie saye but that whyche Chryste gaue to hys Apostles at the maundye was Christes very bodye and bloude yea that selfe same bodye and bloude whych was geuen and shed vpon the crosse the next day for them and al mākynde The veritie of whych Article the Catholyke Churche being ruled and gouerned by the holy ghost hath alwayes most constātly beleued and taughte declaring that in this sacrament of the Aultar there is by the omnipotencye of God and the vertue and force of hys word the very body and bloude of oure Sauiour Christ reallye truelye substantiallye and in dede AGREBLYE wherevnto that blessed instramente of God Saynt Paule beyng instructed by a secreat reuelation from God of the truth of thys his mistery and speakynge of thys most blessed sacrament dothe in the eleuenth chapiter of hys fyrste Epistle to the Cyrynthyans saye in thys maner Ego enim accepi ao domino quod et 〈◊〉 uobis Quoniam dominus Iesus in qua 〈◊〉 trade datur accepit panem et gratias agens fregit et dixit Accipite et manducate hoc est corpus meum quod pro nobis credetur hoc facite in meam 〈◊〉 similiter et calicem post quam caenauit dicens hic calix nenum testa mentum est in meo sanguine hoc facite quotie scunque biberitis in meam commemorationem That is to saye I in dede haue taken or receued of oure Lorde that whiche I haue deliuered vnto you that is to say That our Lorde Jesus in that nyght in which he was betrayed did take breade and geuing thankes dyd breake it and sayde Take ye and eate this is my body whiche shal be geuen or delyuered for you Do you this in my remembraunce Like wise also he did take the cup after he had supped sayinge This Cuppe is the newe Testamente in my bloude do you thys as often as ye shall drinke of it in my remembraunce Besides these moste playne wordes aswell of oure Sauioure hym selfe at the institution of thys sacramente as of S. Paule also in the wryttynge of hys sayde secret reuelation whych alone myght suffice to content and certifye any godly heart herein
Chryst the same so to be And here do you note that the aforesaide working of Chryst and ministerye of the preist here touchynge the Sacramēt of the aulter is and hath alwayes in the catholyke churche bene called Consecration Of whyche consecration S. Ambrose aboue an eleuen hundred yeare agoo wryteth mooste notablye and fully in his fourth boke Desacramentis Cap. iiii saying after this maner Tu 〈◊〉 dicis meus panis est 〈◊〉 sed panisiste panis est autem uerbasacramentorum ubi accesserit consecratio de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 caro Christ 〈◊〉 igitur astruamus Quomodo potest qui panisest corpus esse Christi consecratione Consecr atio igitur quibus uerbis est et cuius ser 〈◊〉 Domini Iesu Nam 〈◊〉 omnia 〈◊〉 dicuntur laus deo 〈◊〉 oratione petitur propopulo pro regibus pro 〈◊〉 Vbiuenitur ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacran entū iam non suis sermonibus sacerdotes fed 〈◊〉 sermonibus Christi Ergo seruo Christihoc conficit saeramentum That is to saye Peraduenture thou Chrysten man wylte saye my breade is vsuall or common breade But I 〈◊〉 before the wordes of the Sacrament it is breade but when the cōsacration cometh of the breade there is made the fleshe of Chryste Let vs then proue howe that which is breade can by 〈◊〉 become to be the bodye of Chryst. And by what wordes then and by whose sayinges is consecration by the wordes of oure Lorde Iesus meanyng there by as he doth declare in the chapiter folowinge these wordes Hoe est corpus meum hic est sanguis meus c For in all other thynges that are sayde prayse is geuen to God and petition by prayer is made for the people for the kynges and for other but when it is come to that poynte that the blessed Sacrament muste be made then the preist doth not vse hys owne wordes but he vseth the wordes of Chryste The speache therefore or sayinge of Chryste doth make this Sacrament And by and by after the 〈◊〉 S. Ambrose doth conclude aunsweryng to the former question as foloweth 〈◊〉 ut respondeam Non erat corpus Christi ante consecrationem sed post 〈◊〉 dico tibi quodiam corpus est Christi ipse dixit 〈◊〉 est ipse mandauit creatumest That is to saye Nowe to make answere vnto thee it was not the body of Christe before the consecration but after the consecration I tell the that nowe it is the body of Chryst He that is to saye Chryste sayde it and done it is he commaunded and made it is In these two places of S. Ambrose oute whole processe hether to made of thys sacrament that is to wytte concernyng the reall presence of the verye body of Chryst in the sacrament concernyng also the trāsubstanciation or chaunge of breade and wyne into the body and bloud of Chryst and fynally cōcerning the consecration continuallye ministred by the preist is moste euydentely confyrmed and proued And to the selfe same purpose doth Eusebius 〈◊〉 write in his fyfte 〈◊〉 or sermon De pascha where amongest othere 〈◊〉 of the sacrament he saieth thus Inuisibilis 〈◊〉 uisibilis creaturas insubstantiam corporis 〈◊〉 sui uerbo suo secreta potestate conuertit it a dicens A ccipice commedite hoc est enim corpus meum sanctisicatione repetia Accipite 〈◊〉 bibite 〈◊〉 est sanguis 〈◊〉 Argosicutad nutum praecipient is domine repente ex 〈◊〉 substit erunt excelsa coelorum 〈◊〉 uasta 〈◊〉 paripotentia inspiritualibus Sacramentis verbi praecipit uirtus seruit effectus That is to saye The inuisible preist dothe tourne or conuerte the vifible creatures into the substaunce of hys dodye and bloude by his word thoroughe his secrete power thus saying Take ye and eate thys in dede is my bodye and the sanctification or consecratyon 〈◊〉 repeted he sayeth take ye and 〈◊〉 this is my bloude Therefore 〈◊〉 as at the becke of oure Lorde geuynge commaundemente sodenlye of nothynge the beyghtes of the heauens had there being and also the dep thes of the wateres or fluddes and the large nes or greatnes of the earth so by the lyke power in spirituall Sacramentes the vertue of the worde doth commaunde and the effecte doth serue or is obedient 〈◊〉 And more ouer the sayde Eusebius Emissenus in the sayd homyly doth saye thus Sicut quicunque ad fidem Christineniens ante uerba 〈◊〉 ad 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 est ucteris debiti hijs uero memoratis moxexuitur omni face peccati ita quando 〈◊〉 uerbis 〈◊〉 creatura 〈◊〉 altaribus imponuntur ante quam inuocatione sui 〈◊〉 consecrantur substantia illic est panis uini post verba 〈◊〉 Christi corpus sanguis est Christi Quid autem mirum est siea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potuit crerare uerbo possit creata conuertere imo iam minoris uidetus esse miraculi siid quod de uihilo agnoscitur condidisse iam 〈◊〉 in me lius uale at commutare That is to saye Lyke as whosoeuer comming to the fayth of Chryste before the wordes of baptisme is as yet stil in the bonde of the olde debte but after the wordes of Baptysme be spoken he by and be is delyuered or 〈◊〉 of all the 〈◊〉 or vncleanes of synne so when the creatures be layde or put 〈◊〉 the holye Aultats to be blessed wyth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ther is before they be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of Chrystes name the substaunce of breade and wyne but after the wordes of Chryste there is the bodye and Bloude of Chryste And what maruayle is it yf those thynges whyche by hys worde he coulde 〈◊〉 of nothyng that those thynges so created he may by hys worde conuerte or chaunge Nay no we it semeth to be of a lesse miracle yf that which he is knowen to haue made of nothinge he be able to tourne or chaunge into better beynge alreadye made To these before rehearsed testimonyes we maye adioyne two other testymonyes of Saynte Chrysostome whereof the one is in hys 83 Homelye vpon Saynte Mathe we where he wryteth in thys maner Non sunt humane uirtutis haec opera quae tunc in illa coena 〈◊〉 ipse nunc quoque operatur ipse perfecet ministorum nos ordinem tenemus qui uero hec sanctificat et 〈◊〉 ipse est That is to say These wordes Meanynge of theose workes which Chryst dyd at hys maundye are not of mās vertue or power those thinges which in that supper or feast he then dyd he also nowe it is that 〈◊〉 worke or do thys matter we doo kepe the order or place of mynysters but he it is meanynge Chryste that sanctifyethe these thinges and chaungeth them The same saynct Chrysostome in 〈◊〉 homyly De proditione Iude. sayeth also in thys maner Et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est CHRITVS qui illam ornauit mensam ipse istam quoque consecrat Non enim homo est qui proposita de consecratione mensae domini corpus faciet sanguinem sed ille qui 〈◊〉
Uyrgin Mary his mother present with hym nor anye other of his dyseyples saue onely the. xii Apostles whome he appoin ted to be the head ministers of al his misteryes here on the earth and specially to be the ministers of this most blessed sacrament and the iustructours of al other touching the same Now what meneth it that our Sauiour was not content to offer them this sa crament onely but with the offeryng therof he said also vnto them Take eate take and drinke Do mē vse to offer to other meate and drynke for anye 〈◊〉 purpose but onelye that they shoulde eate and drynke thereof but bycause it was hys bodye and hys bloude therefore he fyrste byddeth them take and not feare to eate and drynke the same Besydes this it is to be well noted that that thre Euangelystes Mathew Marke and Luke did al three agree in the maner of the institution of thys sacramēt they wryting all three their gospels at sō dry tymes as Mathe we eyght yere after the ascencion of our sauiour Chryst. Marke x. yeares Luke xv yeares And where in doubteful speaches of our sauiour Chryst some one or other of that Euangelists euermore openeth playnly the very meaning of the speches yet touchyng these words this is my body no one of them maketh anye declaration vpon the same but they all leue them to be takē of vs as they sound and as of most plaine words they make no exposition or interpretation of them at all Whyche poynt must be well consydered And therefore note th at where Chryst sayde It is impossible for a rich man to entre into the kingdō of heuen bicause that meaning of these wordes may be dyuersly taken thereof S. Marke in his tenth chapyter declareth the very meaning of them saying It is harde for them that trust in there substaūce to be saued Agayne Chryst at another time said to the Iewes loose you this timple in thre daies shal I build it againe Andfor that the sense of these wordes is doughtfull S. Ihon there expoundeth them and sayeth that Chryst by the tēyle ment his body which should be by the Iewes put to death and by him the thirde daye shoulde be raysed from death to lyfe In the viii of Ihon oure sauiour sayeth He that beleueth in me as the scriptnre sayeth there shall ryuers of quyck water flow out of him And because this saing is obscure S. Iohn to make it open sayeth that he spake those wordes of the spirit which they that be leued in him should receyue In the. xii chapiter of S Ihon our sauiour sayth in this maner If I be lyfte vp from the earth I wyl draw al thin ges vnto my selfe And S Iohn by and by geueth vs the exposition saying that hereby he signyfyed what kynde of death he should suffer Manye other lyke places are there in the newe testamente the matter of which places is not so hyghe nor soo nedefull to be ryghtly vnderstanded as that meaning of these wordes this is my body and yet of these wordes no one Euangelist maketh any exposition bycause the wordes are playnely and symply to be taken as they were spokē Besides al this we haue in S. Paule in the xi Chapiter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians a goodly and a large processe touching thys Sacrament and yet in that whole processe no matter to instructe vs otherwyse to be leue of it than that there is in it the very body and bloude of our sauiour Chryst. For fyrste he vttereth the wordes of oursauiour euen as the Euangelists do as that he sayd this is my bodye and he maketh no declaration vpon the same Secondly where none of the Euangelists make mentiō of any paine due to the vnworthy receauer S Paule affirmeth that the vnworthy receyuyng of thys Sacramente bryngeth iudgement and dampnation Thirdly he telleth that for the vnworthy receauing hereof God plageth cities and cuntryes wyth sondrye greuous plages as with infirmitye with syckenes and with death also Forthely he geueth vs counsell dylygentlye to examine and trye our selfes before we come to gods borde If the very body and bloude of oure sauiour Chryst be not in dede in the sacramēt of the aultare why shold our sauiour so speake as he spake in the promisse made thereof why dyd he as he dyd in the instituting therof why dyd none of the Euāgelists so declare christes wordes why dyd sayncte Paule so terribly pronounce of the vnworthy receauynge of it and so ernestly warne vs of due preparation to be made therefore It is then most vndoutedlye to be of all chrysten people beleued that in the Sacrameut of the aultare there is the verye body and boulde of our sauiour Chryst worthy of all honour and glory the selfe same in substannce that is in heauen which thyng for Chryst to bryng to passe is a thyng most casye he being God almighty maker of heauen and earth and for hym to do is moost semely that as he gaue that bodye 'to deathe to redeme vs so he should giue the same in thys heauenly bankitte to fede vs that he myght be all in all The body of our sauiour Christ to be in very dede in heauen in the visible fourme of a mā and in the Sacrament of the Aultare inuisible vnder the visible 〈◊〉 of bread and wyne nether is impossible to hys power that made all thinges of noughte nether vnsemely for his exceadynge great loue towardes vs who so loued vs that for vs he dyd not refuse to suffer death and that the deathe of the crosse neyther yet is it agaynst hys wyll who of hys onely mercye so promysed and wyth hys omnipotent word so instituted it nother is it fynally vnfytte for hys wyse dome seynge he hath so ordeyned that euery naturall mothere nouryshe her chyldren wyth the substaunce of her owne body And why then shold christen men refuse to beleue it why do we not rather embrace it and gyue God moste hartye thankes for it being the greatest iewell that euer was amonge mortal men why do we not prepare our selues worthely to receaue it and as in all other poyntes of the christen religion so in the belefe of it geue credite to fayth and bryng reason and our senses in subiectiō vnder fayth but suffer our ghostly enemy by carnall reasons to bryng vs away into heresie quite and cleane to pull the ryghte faythe out of oure hartes Let vs all good people from hence forth be constaūt in the trueth and as all the catholyke churche beleueth and hath alwayes beleued let vs vndoutedlye perswade our selues that in the blessed sacrament of the Aultare there is vnder the fourmes of breade wine the seife same body of our sauiour Christ in sub staūce whych was borne of the Uyrgin Mary and suffered death on the crosse for vs to whō with the father the holy gost be all honor glory world wythout ende Amen
the surest pyller that men maye lene vnto be they learned or vulearned and such a pyller as who that most strongly cleueth to is in most assured state of euerlastyng lyfe ¶ There are othere obiectyons vpon iii. partyculer artycles of our crede whyche are that Christ is ascended and sytteth at the ryght hand of God the father from thense shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade ¶ Whych articles yet being ryghtly vnderstanded shoulde rather confyrme vs in the true catholyke belefe of the presence of christes body in the sacrament of the aultare For as it is aboue nature for a manes bodye to ascende and aboue the worthynes of manes nature to syt at the ryghte hande of God the father that is to be of equall power and glorie with God the father and fynallye as it is aboue the aucthoritie of mans nature to gyue sentence of eternall deathe and lyfe vpon all mankynde and yet euerye good manne stedfastlye beleueth al these supernatural powers in Christ touching hys manhed bycause he is both God and man and to god nothyng is impossible euen so shuld we with like belefe knowinge that Christ is omnipotent credite all othere thinges done or spoken by Chryst and be moost certen that how so euer they seme in apearaunce to our reason yet in very dede they agree and stand ryghte well with those foresayd iii. articles of our crede that though we cannot by oure wittes conceaue howe Chryst is ascended and is neuertheles in the Sacra ment also yet they must nedes be bothe beleued bycause gods worde doth affyrme them bothe and the catholyke churche dothe beleue them bothe whyche churche hath alwayes taught that Chryst is in heauen in the visyble fourme of a man and in the sacrament vnder the 〈◊〉 fourmes of bread and wine hys wysdome so ordeyning that wyth oure hartes we woulde beholde hys golry as he syttethe in heauen at the ryghte hande of the father and wythall should fede on hys very body in the sacrament to re ceaue the more grace and there vpon so to be gouerned wyth hys spirite that hereafter we also myghte be partakers of the lyke glory in heauen And albeit these solutyons myghte suffise and instructe sufficientlye the vnlearned people to aunswere bothe to these and all othere common 〈◊〉 made agaynste the Sacramente of the Aultare troublynge moche the heades of the symple people by there folye in crediting euyll and per nicious schole maysters to theyr destructyon wher giuing credite to the catholyke churche they myght auoyde all 〈◊〉 and meryte a great deale yet to open further the 〈◊〉 and noughtines of the heretique teachers in our tyme and howe glad willinge they are to 〈◊〉 the symplicitie of the vnlerned people ye shall haue here added some moo obiections and solutions geuē to them to thys ende that if the sayde symple people haue bene infected with the sayd obiections or such lyke they maye be wel satisfied in their conscience therevpon adhere vnto the catholyke faythe maynteyned and obserued in the catholique churche out of whych there is no saluation And to prorede herein this is one othere common obiection that much troubleth the ig noraunt people it is to wite ¶ How can that bodi and bloude of our Sauioure Chryst be in the blessed sacrament of the aultar seing that not only euyll men do many tymes receue the same but fyre also maye consume it and other like chaunces may happen vn to it ¶ For 〈◊〉 to whyche obiectiō it is fyrst principally to be sayd that this obiection procedethe of a vayne curiositie of them whyche rather delyte fondly to talke of thys high mystery theu to prepare themselues to receaue the same accordyngly Sure we are that our Sauiour Chryste is nowe man incorruptible and impassible nether by fyre nor by ought els can suffer violence and therefore where it pleaseth hym of hys tender mercy and goodnes for our great comforte and soule helth by hys omnipotent word to tourne the substaunce of breade and wyne into hys most prerious body and bloud in the sacramente of the aultare and yet so to make thys turne that neuerthelesse he sufferethe the fourmes sensible qualities of the breade and wine to remaine in there nature as they were before the consecratyon it is to be vnderstauded that the vyolence or force that is or in ye be 〈◊〉 to thys sacramente is done onely to the fourmes and qualities sensible which in dede are subiecte to passibilite corruption but in no wise to the vncorruptible bodi bloud of oure sauiour Chryst vnder them conteyned Doo we not read I pray you in the fourthe of Mathew how that our sauyour suffered the deuyll to take hym and carye hym vp into the pynacle of the temple afterward to the toppe of an high mountayne and yet who doth not know that he suffered no vilany therby at al The sonne beames also many tymes do shyne on thynges impure vncleane yet are they no whit thereby defyled The bodye of mā is with a greter vnion ioyned to the soule then are the fourmes of bread and wine to the body and bloude of our sauionr Chryst in the Sacrament of the aultar and yet we know that 〈◊〉 putrifaction and other such lyke thynges chauncynge to our body the soule hath in it no suche passion for that it is immortall The very Godhed of oure sauiour Chryst was in vnitie of personne vnited to hys manhod yet none of the passiōs paines or griefes which he sustayned in hys manhod broughte vyolence alteration or chaunge to hys godhed For the godhed is in alterable vnpossible The simplicity of Chrysten people in the primatyue churche was suche that they beleuynge mooste certenly the body and bloud of our sauiour Chryste to be in the sacrament of the aulter vnder the fourmes of bread and wine dyd without al curious talke of the fourmes accidentes bende thē selues to be 〈◊〉 at masse where in the myghtye woorke of consecratyon is wrought bi god and wherin our sauiour Christ also is in fourmes of bread and wyne offered vp to the heuenly father by the preist for the soner obteinyng of mercy and fauoure towardes vs and the sayde people beyng at masse they wyth moost feruent deuotion dyd praye and did honour the blessed sacrament of the aulter the body and bloude of our sauiour Christe and besydes this they dyd oftentimes wyth feare and tremblynge prepare them selues to the worthy teceyte therof and by suche theyr godly behauiour they dyd purchase to them selues greate aboundaunce of grace wher we by the cōtrary and moost vnchristian behauiour prouoke gods wrath dayly more and more vpon our selues and that whole realme For nothyng 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God to auengeaunce then the presumption of such as 〈◊〉 curiously enter into hys hidden secretes and thervpon doo contempne all that whyche by theyr feble wyttes they are not