Of the excellencie gretnes of this Sacrament se what he saith As ofte as ye shall do this so ofte shal ye make a remembrance of me vntil I come Therfore we hauing in mind his most glorious passion resurrection from hel his ascentioÌ„ to heaueÌ„ we do offer vnto this spotles sacrifice reasonable host bloudlesse offering this holy bread and Cuppe of lyfe euerlastyng We bothe aske and pray the that thou woldest take this oblation into thy high alter by the handes of thy holy Angelles as thou haste vouchesafe to receaue the rewardes of thy Iust seruante Abell and the sacrifice of our patriarke Abraham and that which the high preist Melchisedech hathe offered vnto the. Therfore how oft soeuer thou dost receaue what saith the Apostel to ye. Howe ofte so euer we do take we do show the Lordes death If we showe deathe we showe remission of synnes Remission of synnes howe ofter so euer bloude is shed it is shed in remission of synnes I muste alwaye take it that my synnes maye be remytted I that alwaye do synne muste alwaye haue a medison De Sacramentis li. 6. Cap. 1 For as our Lorde Iesu Christ is the true sonne of God not as men by grace but as a sonne of the substaunce of his father So is it the veray fleshe as he sayde and the veray bloude whiche we drinke But perauenture ye may saye how veray fleshe I that se the similitude se not the truthe of the bloude Fyrst I tolde you of the worde of Christ which worketh that it is able to chaunge and conuert kyndes of nature institute Farthermore whan his disciples dyd not take the worde of Christ but hearinge that he wolde gyue them his fleshe to eate and his bloude to drynke they went backe yet Peter onely sayde thou hast the wordes of lyfe and shal I go from the Therfore least that mo shoulde saye so as ther were a certayne fear of bloud but that the grace of the redemer might abyde styll therfore in a similitude thou takest the sacrameÌ„t but yet thou gettest the grace and vertue of the true nature In his firste prayer at masse I O Lorde remeÌ„bringe thy passion do come vnto thyne alter all though I be a synner that I may offer to the that sacrifice which thou dydest ordayne and commaunde to be offered for our saluation in remembraunce of the. Aduersus uigilantium I reproue all opinions agaynste the churche openly condempne theÌ„ Amb. de fide ab Garcianum Away with Argumentes where fayth is sought Thomas had a greate cause to maruel when he saw Christes body brought into the house with oute hurte through the gates closed whiche coulde not be passed through with mennes bodyes Saynt Ambrose in his boke De spiritu sancto lib iii. Cap. xii It is therfore no meane question and therfore we should the more diligently consyder what is the fotestole For we reade in a nother place heauen is my throne and the earthe the fotestole of my fete But yet the earth is not to be worshipped of vs because it is a creatur of God And yet let vs se though lest the Prophete name the earth to be worshypped which our Lord Iesus toke in the takinge of fleshe So theÌ„ by the fotestole let the earth be vnderstand then by the earth the flesh of Christ which we do now worship also in the misteries and which the Apostelles as we haue before sayd worshiped in our lord Iesu for christ is not deuided but one S. Augustyne Fo. xxxviii Here begynneth the sayinge of Saynt Augustyne priore contione Psal 33. Cum fugerit Dauid Saul persecutorem iniquiens ait Christ was borne in his own haÌ„des CHrist was borne in his owne handes Howe can that be in man Who can vnderstand for who is borne in his owne handes A man may be borne in other mens handes no manne is borne in his owne handes Howe it may be vnderstande in Dauid after the letter I fynde not in Chryste we fynde Christ truely was borne in his owne handes when he geuing his bodye sayth This is my body That body verely was borne in his owne handes Contra literas Petiliani Lib. ii It is another passeouer that the Iewes do celebrate with a shepe an other that we celebrate in the bodye and bloude of our Lorde Christe in Sacramentes fewe in nombre moost excellent in signification hath bounde together a felowshyppe of newe people As baptysme is consecrate in the name of the Trinitie Ad Ianuarium Epi. 118. and the communicatynge of the bodye and bloude of hym And if anye other thynge be commended therin Scriptures canonicall it doth playnely appeare what tyme the Apostels toke fyrst the bodye and bloude of oure lorde that they dyd not take it fastynge is it therfore to accuse maliciously the vniuersall churche that it is alway receaued of the fastynge For that cause it pleased the holye gost that in the honour of so great a sacrament that the bodye of our Lorde shoulde firste enter into the Christian mouth before other meates Therfore thoroughout all the worlde this maner is obserued Let vs heare oure Lorde not speaking of the sacrament of baptysme De peccatorum merites et remissionem but of the sacrament of his holy table Except ye eate my fleshe drynke my bloude ye shall not haue lyfe in you What do we seke more What can they aunswer to this excepte with stubbornes they do bend their brawling synowes contrary to the cleare trueth Was not the Lorde ones offered in hym selfe and yet in the Sacrament not onely by al the solempnities of Easter but euery daye to the people is offered Nor he doth not lye Omni die populus immolatur which beynge demaunded dyd aunswer him to be offered For if the Sacrament had not a certaine similitude of those thynges whereof they be Sacramentes they shulde not be Sacramentes at all Therfore they be called sacramentes because one thing is seene in them another thinge vnderstanded That which is sene hath a bodelye forme Epistola ad bonifacium that whiche is vnderstande hath a spirituall frute He that taketh the mysterye of an vnitie and kepeth not the bonde of peace he taketh not the bonde of mistery for hym selfe but a wytnesse agaynst hym self I remember my sayinge when I dydde treat of Sacramentes I told you that after the words of Christ that whiche is offered is called breade but when the wordes of Christe is spoken then it is not called bread Ante consecrationeÌ„ pa. drÌ„ post consecrationem corpus appellatur but it is called the bodye Therefore in the Lordes prayer we pray Oure breade but as it is sayde in greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supersubstancial not that whiche goeth into the bodye but that of eternall lyfe which vpholdeth the substaunce of our soule Quâ—tidie Take dailye that maye dailye profite the. So lyue that
The agrement of the holye Fathers and Doctors of the churche vpon the cheifest articles of Christian religion as appeareth on the nexte syde folowinge very necessary for all curates Gathered together by Iohn Aungell preist one of the Quenes maiesties Chapleyns Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum ¶ The contentes of the boke i. Of the holy and blessed Sacramente of the body and bloud of Christ ii Of the signe of the crosse iii. Of prayinge for the deade iiii Of penaunce confession and satisfaction v. Of praying to saints vi Of the counsels and auctorities of the fathers vii Against the mariage of preistes ¶ To the moost excellente and vertuous Princesses Quene Marye wyfe to oure mooste soueraynge Lorde Philip by the grace of God c. Iohn Aungell one of youre graces chaplyns of youre honourable Chappel wissheth perpetuall felicitie not only in this worlde but also in the worlde to come AMonge the innumerable benefites whiche we haue receaued of almightye God moost worthy and excellente Princesse there is none in mine opinion for the whiche we are more bounde vnto his mercifull goodnes then for that it hath moued hym of his gentle benignite to call vnto vs agayne his trewe religion whiche our forefathers hath kept from the beginninge For who knoweth not that this noble realme of England hath ben seduced euen now of late dayes thorough ignoraunce naye naye rather thorough stubbernes and for lacke of grace For they knowinge him as God honoured hym not as God but thinking thēselues wise became fooles Who euē among the symple people perceaueth not what intollerable abuses haue ben vnder pretence of true relygion and godlynes vsed and maynteyned in this churche of Englande As false interpretinge of Scriptures vtterly denying of the holy doctours and fathers of Christes churche but only such as made for their purpose Tyll suche tyme that it pleased hym of his infinite mercy to sende vs a newe Iudith by whose godlines the trewe light and knowledge of Goddes worde is nowe by her broughte agayne whiche frome the death of that noble prince her father Henry ye. viii was here in this realme extuncte and vtterly abolished to the vtter vndoyng of mens conscience but now thankes be to God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe it beginneth to springe and shyne agayne This noble Iudith is oure moost soueraygne Ladye Quene Mary a Princesse garnished with so many excellent giftes of grace vertue nature and fortune that she is in verye dede and therefore most worthely called the perfecte mirroure and pearle of al Christen Princesse To wade her in the prayse of her Princely qualities and noble actes it is not my purpose for that I know it to be an enterprise farre excedinge the compasse of my symple wyt and vnderstandynge But onely to declare howe muche we are bounde cheifly vnto God and next vnto her moost excellente highnes that we haue nowe oure olde and true religion broughte home agayne and are cured again through God by her of oure olde blyndenes that we were in by the medecyne of veritie For we nowe hauynge agayne the true knoweledge of God whiche oure forefathers hath lefte behynde them by wrytinge we begynne agayne to se and perfectly to knowe Christe to be in the Sacrament of the aulter whome to knowe perfectly is euer lastynge lyfe and saluation But so longe as the sayde Scriptures were falsely interpreted by Sedicious and false preachers and the true knowledge of Scripture kept frō the people fewe or none knewe Christ aryght and none lesse then they who toke vpon them to be the cheif professours and setters forth of Christes religion For what els is it knowe Christ but to beleue his worde Who sheweth me which is his word but the catholike churche For S. Augustyne sayeth I wold neuer haue beleued the Gospel but by the churche So that it appeareth therby howe greatly they are deceaued that wyll take vpon them to denye the olde fathers of Christes churche to maynetayne their vnthrifty purposes yea and not onely those but also certayne places of the Bible that maketh not for them For surely it is the holye fathers that sheweth and expoundeth vnto vs playnely the Scriptures which nowe of late hath ben in controuersy not with good men but with those that be of the euyl sort as hereafter shal folow whose iudgementes be verye godlye Teachinge vs truely to knowe by fayth howe that the body of Christ is in the Sacrament of the aulter because his wordes doth so euidently declare the same sayinge This is my body And forasmuche as these holye fathers hereafter folowynge hath left theyr myndes in wryting as concernyng the presence of Christes reall body to be in the Sacrament of the aulter and not only of this but of certaine other matters whiche hath ben in question vnto all people that wyll be saued none excepte For nowe thankes be to God I trust that Idolatry hypocrisye and all vngodlynes is cleane plucked vp by the rootes and that the trewe religion of God hath taken his place agayne Now is false doctrine exiled and Gods worde truely preached set forth Nowe is that abhomination and desolation pluckte downe and the true worshyppyng of Christ in the Sacrament set vp agayne Nowe I trust in almighty God that Englande hath forsaken all theyr abhominable preachers and teachers agaynst the presence of Christ to be in the Sacramente of the aulter with al theyr vngodly deuises and deuelysh inuencions For if that thou O Englande had that grace geuē vnto the of God that thou woldest call vnto thy remembraunce howe that this Iudith at the risynge of our Holifernus had the hartes of men and not the bodyes And that at the risynge and proceding forth of that pestiferous traytor Wyat had the bodyes and not the hartes and yet ouercame her enemies by the power of God it were suche a miracle vnto the whereby to cause the to forsake all thy noughty opinions and errours But yet this thou must thinke that it cōmeth by the mere mercy goodnes of almighty God towardes vs and not of our deseruinges who hath raised vp vnto vs now in these our latter dayes this noble Iudith a Lady of moost excellente giftes and singuler qualities whollye geuen to the study of vertue godlines Wherfore all Englande hath iuste occasion to reioyce at this youre graces doinges in that ye be so studious to call vs home agayne like lost shepe that hath runne astray to our olde and true religion whiche our olde fathers hath left behynde them from tyme to tyme besechinge almightye God therin to be your strength shielde and buckler Most humbly beseching youre grace most gratious Lady in good past to take this my good zele and diligence And in case any thinge shall not sufficiently aunswer your graces mynde or desire the same to impute rather to the lacke of facultie and knowledge then to any defaute of good wyll in me I shall here without
you all which haue in hand any spiritual charge to holde vse kepe and execute the same with oute any repyne or reprehension Here after foloweth the order of the wordes which Saynt Clement vsed in saying masse after this maner We desyre the O Lorde that thou wilte send thy holy sprite vpon this sacrifyce whiche maye make this breade the body of thy Christ and that which is in the cuppe the blode of thy Christ ¶ S. Denyse the Arapagyte whom Paule makyth mencion of in the Actes of thappostelles .xvii. Chapter and was his disciple SAynte Denyse one of the nomber of the seuere Iudges of Athens conuerted by Saynt Paule And by Saynte Clement with these holy men Rusticus and Elutherius sent into Fraunce In the thyrde parte of the seconde Chapter entreatynge of Ecclesiasticall gouernaunce In the last ende of al thinges dew to be done in perfight baptysinge The bishop calleth the baptyzed to the most holy Eucharist and geueth vnto them the Godly communion of the chefe and moste souerayne sacrament of the body blode of our Lorde Iesus Christ And in the fyrst part of the .iii. chap. Nor it is almoste Godly or right any deutye belongynge a preistes office to be executed oneles he accōplishe this diuine and moste riall sacrament of Euchariste And in the seconde parte of the sayde chapter And the principalles of the same order together with the preistes do put vppon the aulter the holye bread the chalyce of benedictiō when there hathe gone before an vniuersall prayse and confession of the hole quere That done the reuerente prelate makinge an holy prayer doth shew holy peace to all the congregacyon And when they haue one another saluted the mysticall reheresall of holye thinges is made And when the prelate and other preistes haue washed their handes the Byshoppe standeth at the myddes of the aulter All the onelye electe and chosen preistes that shall receaue taken oute of the nombre of the mynisters do stande aboute But the byshoppe as sone as he hath praysed and extolled the Godly gyftes maketh the holy and high misteries and sheweth openly those thinges whiche he hath extolled before hyd and couered with reuerent tokens And holdinge in sight reuerently the Godly rewardes he hym selfe is turned to the holy cōmunion of the Lordes maundeth and dothe exhort the people to take parte At the last communion receaued and geuen to all that come to receaue it he geueth thankes and fynyssheth the mysterys And in the third parte of the same Chapiter in this maner trulye whan that the last moste excellent bounty of God is praysed magnified the diuine drink and cuppe of blessynge is handled propoūded And it foloweth but marke this also that the reuerent tokens being set vpon the aulter by the which Christ is betokened taken and by by without delay the description of sayntes is there present declaringe their inseperable coniunctions and moste holye and high vnyon with Christe And it foloweth wherefore reuerently of his Byshoply office after his holy prayse of the diuine workes he humbly excusethe hym selfe for that he offeryth and sacrifyseth the helthfull hoost whiche is ouer hym cryinge vnto hym comely at fyrste sayinge Thou hast sayd do this in remembraunce of me Then thus great a mysterye being of God inymytation of hym selfe he doth require and praye to be made a semblable to Christ as frayle mā may that he maye bothe make the sacrament worthely and purely distribute it And that they who be aboute to receaue the holy communion may worthely take parte with hym And so he mynistreth the moste reuerente mystery and setteth them in sight propounded holilye vnder signes Either else he openeth and discouereth the couert and vndeuyded breade brekynge it in peces partynge one chalyce amonge thē all he dothe multyply shaply distribute the vnite of our Lordes blood contayned within the sayde chalyce Thus consumyth the holy mysterye For that wyne symply and secretly the bloud of our Lorde by his dyuyne worde in his assumption of our humayne nature hathe gone before and occupied place or he was entered that compound and visible signe of his incomparable bownty power wherein it is mercyfully made euident with how suer a knot of socyetye he hath fastened vs to hym ioyninge his diuine excellent existence to our earthy matters Surely let vs agre with hym euen as members with the body let vs be glued vnto hym by semblablenes of clene godly lyuing Lest murdered with vglye vyce we may be made vnmete for the dyuine and moste delicate members being not able to styck with him but slydynge into cōtynuance of naughty lyfe The wordes of the holy man Marcial which was sent of saynt Peter to preache the gospell A Sacrifice is offered vpon an alter vnto God not to man nor Angell Nor that is not onely done vpon an alter halowed but a clene sacrifyce is offered vnto God in euery place as he dothe testifye whose boody and blood we offer to optayne euerlastynge lyfe Truely euen the same offerynge which the Iewes made in despyte wenynge to haue abolished his name oute of the earthe whiche we make in the consecrate alter for our saluation knowyng beleuing onely by this remedy to attayne lyfe and escape death For this the Lorde commaunded vs to do in remembrance of hym ¶ Ignatius the disciple of Saint Iohn the Euangelist LEt the stable Eucharist be demed affirmydly the bodye and bloode of Christ And in his epistle that he writeth vnto the Romayns I desyre saith he the fode of God the heauenly fode of lyfe which is the fleshe of Iesu Christ the sonne of the lyuinge God who was borne in the last tyme of the fead of Dauid Abraham I desyre for to drynk the bloode of hym who is loue with out corruption and lyfe euerlastyng They do not admyt the Eucharist and oblations bycause thei do not confesse the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Sauiour Iesu christ which flesh suffred for our synnes whiche fleshe the father by his benignitye hathe steryd vp Saynt Alexander byshop the Fyrst martyr C.xx ¶ Alexanderin his Epistle to all churches IN the oblation of Sacramentes whiche be made solemply at masses the passion of our Lorde is to be mengled to the intente that his passion may be celebrate whose body and bloud is made so that all wicked and supersticious opynions abolyshed breade only and wyne myxte with water maye be offered in the sacrifyce for synnes and crymes therby are done awaye with the whiche oblations the Lorde is contented and pleased and will forgeue high and gretious offēces for what more myghty and suffering sacrifice maye be then of the body and bloud of Christ ¶ Saint Ireneus Polycarpus disciple in his .iiii. boke AGaynst the heresyes of Valentius and suche other We offer those thinges vnto hym whiche belongeth vnto hym preachinge accordinglye the communion and vnitie of fleshe and sprite for lyke
thou maiste dailye deserue to take it Dailye holy Iob dyd offer for his children sacrifice lest any thinge either in heart or worde they shold offend Therfore thou hearest that as often soeuer the sacrifyce is offered the death of the lorde the resurrection of the lord the ascention of the lord is signified remission of sinnes and the daily bread of euerlasting lyfe thou doest not take He that hathe a wounde desireth a medison it is a wounde that we be vnder synne The heauenly honorable sacrament is a medison The fyrst sacramentes which were obserued by the law Contra Faustū lib 19. ca 13 were for messyngers of Christe to come whiche when Christe dyd fullfill with his commynge were taken awaye And therefore were they taken awaye because they were fulfilled For Christ came not to breake the law but to fulfill it And there be other institucions greater in vertu better in profyte easyar to be done fewer in nombre as by the Iustice of God shewed into the libertie to them that be called the childern of God If in the olde tyme righteouse men for this foreshowinge sacramentes figures of thinges not yet fulfilled Dani 13 2 Mac 7 were redy to suffer harde horrible thinges as of the thre children whiche in Danyell is manifest and of the Machabes how moche the more now for the baptysme of Christ for the bodye or Eucharist of Christ euery Christian ought to be more redy to suffer all maner of thinges We worshyppe the fote stole of his fete for it is holy What is the fotestole of his fete The earth is the fotestole of his fete Here I am in a doubte I am afrayde to worshippe the earth lest he should condempne me that made heauen and earth Agayne I am afrayde not to worshippe the stoole of my LORDES feete because the Psalme nynetye and eyghte sayinge vnto me Thou shalte worshippe the stole of his fete I aske what is the stole of his fete Beynge thus tossed to and fro I turne me to Christ for hym I seke here and fynde how that without violence of Goddes honor the earth maye be worshypped and so withoute violation of GODDES honoure the stole of his fete may be worshypped For christ toke of the earthe earthe for the fleshe is of the earthe and he toke flesh of the flesh of Mary and because in that fleshe he walked here We eate the same flesh that was borne of the vyrgin Mary and gaue the same fleshe to be eaten of vs for our saluation no man eateth that fleshe except he fyrst haue worshipped it It is so founde oute how souche a fotestole of the Lorde maye be worshipped And not onely that we synne not in worshippinge of it but that we synne in not worshippynge of it And though it be necessary that it be visible celebrate I wolde not that ye toke my wordes so grossely as they which beleuinge me to cutte forth certayne peces of my body and to geue them in meate But I haue commended vnto you a certayne sacrament vnder these wordes my fleshe shal be geuē you vnder sacramentes that it may be eaten not accordinge to this grosnes that ye se but spiritually it must be vnderstande and spiritually vnderstanded it wyll geue life vnto you for visibly must this Sacrament be celebrate but my fleshe shal be vnder the same inuisible and inuisible there beynge present it must be vnderstand Visibiliter celebretur sed inuisibiliter intelligitur And though it be necessary it to be celebrate visible it must nedes be vnderstande inuisible Conciōe .ii. Psal 33 DAuid fled to Achimalech and before him he chaunged his countenaunce Fugit Dauid ad Achimelech eoram to mutauit multū suū 1 reg 21 and lefte hym and went his wayes for there was a sacrifice after the order of Aaron afterwarde he of his body bloud institute a Sacrifice after the order of Melchisedech He chaunged his countenaunce in the preisthod he lefte the people of the Iewes and came to the Gentyles He was borne in his owne handes when he gaue his bodye and his bloude He toke into his own handes that the faithfull knoweth and he dyd beare hym selfe after a manner when he sayde This is my body Eodē psal contione primo The Sacrifice of Aaron is take away and the Sacrifice is begonne after the order of Melchisedech Therfore hathe he chaunged his countenaunce I can not tell how ▪ who is this I can not tell who I knowe who for our Lorde Iesus Christe is knowen in bodye and bloude He woulde be oure health wherfore he hath geuē vs his body bloude of his owne humilite for except he had ben meke he wolde neither haue ben eaten nor drōken Sermo 4. Our daily bread whether we aske exhibition necessarye to the bodye of the father signifienge in bread what soeuer is necessarye to vs or we do vnderstande that daiely bread which we are wōt to receaue of the alter We aske wel that he may geue it vs. For what is that we aske or praye for but that we commyt none euell wherby we be seperate from souche breade and the worde of God that is daiely preached is breade for because that it is breade of the soule For when this lyfe shall passe away Sacramen altaris we do not seke for that breade whiche honger seketh for nor we ought not to take the sacramēt of the alter that we shal be ther with Christe whose bodye we take nor the wordes ought not to be sayde to vs whiche we say vnto you nor the boke is not to be redde that we shal se hym which is Gods worde Serm. 46 by whiche all thinges be made The Lorde Iesus hathe exhorted by promyse of eternal lyfe to eate his fleshe and drinke his bloude as it is manifest in the gospell in these wordes He that eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud Therfore they that now do eat and drink let them think what they eat what they drinke least as the Apostle saith they eate and drinke their owne iudgemente not iudginge the Lordes body They that eat not and drinke not let them make haste to suche dayntyes beinge hidden Christ doth daiely feed his table is that whiche is set in the myddes What cause is it Christus quotidis pascit Oh herears that ye see the table and cōmeth not to the daynties perauenture ye thinke Fideles norunt quo modo caro manducatur Infideles nesciunt how is the Lordes fleshe eaten and his bloude dronken with infideles it is not knowen but the faithful know Come to the profession and thou hast assoyled the question Let the faithefull lyue well that they eate not into iudgement and drinke Thinkinge vpon your degrees and kepinge your profession come to the fleshe of our Lorde vntill the worlde be ended Oure Lorde is aboue but yet for all that the truthe of the
Lorde is here with vs The bodye wherin he arose in that kind it becommeth to be in one place but the very body in forme of breade is euery where Corpus Christi in omni altari that is to say in euery aulter where it is consecrate Sermo ii de uerbis Apostoli We haue hard the true master theÌ„ godly redemer mans sauiour commeÌ„ding to vs our praise his blud For he hath spoken to vs of his body bloud that he called his body meat his bloud drink A sacrameÌ„t of the faithfull the faithfull knowe for hearyng what other thinge do they heare but lyfe coÌ„mending suche meate souche drinke ye shall haue saithe he lyfe in you Qui integer ascendere potuit consumi noÌ„ potuit if you eate when some wer offended that this saying was herd He aunswereth dothe this offende you ye wene that of this bodye that ye se I am about to make partes to cut a sonder my meÌ„bers to geue to you what and yf ye se the sonne of man ascendynge where he was before Surelye he that coulde go vp hole coulde not be consumed Therfore of his body his bloude hathe he geuen to vs a holsome refection and so greate a question of his holenes doth he assoyle For so arte thou refreshed that it can not fayle wherevpon thou shalte be refreshed Eate lyfe drinke lyfe thou shalte haue lyfe and the lyfe is hole and that shall be that is to say the bodye bloude of Christe shal be lyfe to euery one yf that whiche in the sacrament is taken visiblye be eaten spiritually in very truth be dronken spiritually Caro nihil prodest Spiritus est qui uiui ficat Super Ioh Cap. 6. We haue harde him selfe saying It is the spirite that quickeneth fleshe profiteth not at all your fathers haue eaten Manna and be deade Whye be they deade For that they dyd se they beleued That that they dydde not se they vnderstode not Moyses dyd eate Aaron did eate Phinees dyd eate and manye other dyd eate whiche pleased the Lorde and were not deade for they vnderstode a visible meate spiritually spirituallye they dyd hunger and spirituallye they tasted that spirituallye they myghte be fylled For to daye we take a visible meate but the sacrament is one thynge and the vertu of the sacrament is another Verye manye do take of the aulter and dye Altare and in takynge they dye Wherfore the Apostle sayth he eateth and drinketh his iudgement Was not the Lordes morsell poyson to Iudas and yet he receiued De Iuda and when he receiued the enemye entred into hym Not that he receaued an euell thynge but that he beyng euyl receaued that which was good Se therfore brethern receaue the heauenly breade spiritually bringe innocency vnto the alter Synnes though they be dayely yet they be not deadly Afore ye come to the aulter take hede what ye saye forgeue vs our trespaces He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude Ioh ca. 6 hath lyfe euerlastynge That is not geuen in the meate whiche we take to sustayne the fleshe but it is in this meate and drynke that is in the body and bloude of our lorde For he that taketh not it hath not lyfe and he that taketh it hath lyfe and that euerlastinge The sacrament of this thynge that is of the vnite of the bodye and bloude of Christ In some place it is done daily In some by certayne space of dayes betwene In the Lordes table let it be prepared and of the Lordes table it is taken of some to lyfe of some to deathe of this matter se more in the sixte of Iohn Here is the sayinge of the Lordes body whiche he sayde he woulde geue to be eaten for eternall lyfe He dyd expounde the maner of thattribution and of his gyfte He that abydeth in me and I in hym Tractus super Iohan nom 27. hath eaten a token hath dronken that we might be in his bodye vnder that heade in his meÌ„bers eatinge his flesh not leuinge his vnitie many hearinge these thinges not vnderstanding were offeÌ„ded for they thought not heainge these thinges but flesh that they were to ê‘ceiue after the flesh is deth And yet so it behoueth to be spoken that it shoulde not be vnderstande of all the secrete thinges of God it must make theÌ„ attempt not coÌ„trary for these dyd some shrynke from God speaking suche thinges And in those wordes they dyd not beleue our Lord Iesu Christ speaking a greate thing couering a certayne grace eueÌ„ as they wolde so they vnderstaÌ„de after the maner of men For Iesus might that or Iesus dyd dyspose that the fleshe wherewith the worde was clothed as cut in peces destribute to the beleuers in hym Quomodo caro non prodest quicquam the fleshe auayleth no thinge O Lorde good master how doth not the flesh auayle any thinge seynge that thou saide Except one eate my fleshe and drynke my bloud he shal not haue lyfe in him Doth not the lyfe profit any thinge And wherefore be we that we be but that we maye haue euerlastynge lyfe which thou promyseste by thy flesshe What is it therfore It profiteth nothinge the fleshe profiteth nothinge But how dydde they vnderstande truely thus They vnderstand the fleshe as it is rent in the deade bodye or solde in the shambles not as it is quickned with the sprite Let the spirite come to the flesh and it profteth much Ibidem Let the sprite come to the fleshe and it profiteth moch or else the worde shoulde not haue ben made fleshe that it might abyde in vs. Thou hast the wordes of lyfe sayde Peter one for all why sayde he that but that he beleued Thou hast euerlastinge lyfe in the ministracion of thy bodye bloud and we beleue and knowe For yf we shoulde knowe before and then wolde beleue we shoulde neyther be able to knowe nor vnderstande What beleue we and what know we That thou arte Christe the sonne of the lyuinge God For thou arte eternall lyfe and thou geuest not in thy flesh but that that thou arte All that the Lorde spake of his fleshe and bloude and that in the grace of his distribution he promysed to vs euerlastynge lyfe and therby he woulde to be vnderstanded the eaters and drinkers of his flesh bloud that they mighte abyde in him and he in them And that they vnderstandinge carnallye thinges spirituall were offended And that they beyng offended perishinge comforte of the Lorde might be to the disciples which remayning whom to proue he asked And wyll you also go away that the aunswer of the abyding of theÌ„ mighte be knowen to vs for he knewe who wolde abyde Therfore all this is auayleable to vs most dearely beloued that we eate not the fleshe and bloude of Christe in Sacrament whiche manye euyll doth but that we eate it vnto the participation of the spirite and drinke it
fleshe Super Marc. cap. xiiii Whan Chrâ—st had blessed he brake the breade and that do we also puttinge therto prayers saynge This is my body This that I do geue and you now take For the breade is not only a figure of our Lordes bodye but it is turned into our Lordes body For he sayth the bread that I wyll geue is my fleshe He sayd not it is a figure of my flesh but it is my fleshe And howe saith he Cur earo non uidetur is not fleshe sene Oh man for oure infirmitie this is done For breade and wyne be of those thinges wherewith we be accustomed withall Them we do not abhorre but bloude and fleshe set forth we beholdynge coulde not beare but shoulde abhorre Therfore the mercifull God condescending to oure infirmitie Transelementatio doth kepe the forme or kynde of breade and wyne and into the vertu of fleshe and bloude he chaungeth them Super Iohannem Cap. vi Take that the breade that is eaten of vs in misteries is not onely a certayne figuringe of our lordes fleshe but the very flesh For it is transformed by secrete wordes That breade by a misticall blessing and comming of the holy goste Transformatio is chaunged into the body and bloud of Christ And how sayest thou the fleshe appeareth not to vs but breade that we shulde not abborre the eatinge of it For if flesh shuld haue appeared we shoulde haue ben vnsemelye mynded agaynste the communion but now our lord condescendinge to our infirmitie appeareth to vs in suche misticall meat as we haue ben accustomed to The Iewes when they harde of the eatinge of his fleshe dydde misbeleue and therfore they spake a word of infidelitie that is How For when the thoughtes of mysbeleiffe entered into the harte then entered also how Wherefore he wyllynge to shew that it is not impossible but very necessary and that lyfe can none otherwyse be had except ye eate my fleshe ¶ Leo in his .xl. Epistle LEt those phantastical Christians tell me what body Iesus brought into the sight of his disciples the gates beynge shut ¶ Anselmne Byshoppe of Canterbury almost fyue hundred yeares paste sayeth vppon these wordes This is my body It appeareth vnto the vtter senses of man to be but breade But know ye by the sences of the mynde bycause saith Christ this is my body none other but that same in substaunce which shal be geuen to death vpon the crosse and crucified for you Oure Lordes body is consecrated with the signe of the Crosse the fount of baptisme is hallowed and also preistes are made by the same signe Aug. in psal xxxiii Haymo Homil passione Christi Math. li. The breade is chaunged into our Lordes fleshe and the wyne into his bloude not by a fygure nor by a shadowe but by the veritie ¶ Damascen in his .iiii. boke of the ryght catholyke faith The .iiii. Chapter Doest thou aske of me howe breade is made Christes body and wine and water his bloud I aunswer vnto the that the holy goost worketh these things aboue mans vnderstandynge but the breade and wyne are turned The bodye is ioyned vnto the deitye whiche body is of the virgin not that the bodye taken of the virgin commyth downe frome heauen but that the breade it selfe and wyne are chaunged into the bodye and bloude of God The bread wyne water through inuocation and the coÌ„mynge of the holy goste vnto them are aboue nature chaunged into Christes bodye and bloude and they are not two bodyes but one and the same bodye The breade and wyne be not a figure onely of Christes bodye and bloude God forbyd but the bodye and Bloude of Christ Dost thou se breade dost thou se wyne do they auoyde beneth as other meates do God forbyd Thinke not so for as wax if it be put once into the fyer no substaunce remayneth nothinge is lefte so here also thinke thou that the misteryes be consumed by the substaunce of the bodye Damasen lib. iiii ca. xiiii For as moch as our Lord is the spirituall Adam it hath be semed mannes natiuite to be spirituall And also his meate natiuite is geuen to vs by water and the sprite through holy baptizme I saye and the meate breade of lyfe Our Lorde Iesus Christ whiche came doune from heauen For he was aboute to suffer for vs voluntarye deathe in the nyght whiche he offred his owne selfe He dyd dispose a new testament to his disciples and Apostelles by theÌ„ to all others beleuing in hym In the parlor of the holy and gloriouse Syon eatinge the olde passouer with his disciples fulfillinge the olde testament He washed his Disciples fete gyuinge them a token of holy baptisme Afterwarde breakinge breade he gaue to them saying Take eate this is my bodye whiche for you shal be broken in remâ—ssion of synnes In like maner takyng the cupe of wyne and water gaue to them sayeng Drynke of this all This is my bloude of the newe Testament whiche shal be shed for you in remission of synnes Do ye this â—n remembraunce of me For how often so euer ye shall eate this breade and drinke this cuppe ye shall shewe the death of our Lord and confesse his resurrection vntil he come If the worde of God be a lyuynge thinge and of efficacite And all thinges that our Lorde woulde he dyd If he sayde let the lyght be made and it was made Be the fyrmamente made and it was made If by the worde of God the heauens were made and with the sprite of his mouth euery vertue of them If heauen and earth water fyer and ayer and al the ornament of them by the worde of our lorde be made perfight man him self an expressed beast Vis uerbi dei continuo manet If god hym selfe a wylling worde be made man and of the most pure and vndefiled bloude of the holy vyrgyn and in him selfe without seed haue susteyned fleshe Can not he make breade his bodye and wyne and water his bloude Argumentum a minori He sayde in the begynninge let the earth brynge forth grene grasse and euen vntyll nowe after rayne it bringeth forth fruites beinge helped and strengthed with Goddes worde For god sayde This is my body and this is my bloude Hoc SacramentuÌ„ tuÌ„ continuo fiet denec ueniat and this do in remembraunce of me And by the almyghty precepte of God vntyll he shall come it is done for as all thinges that God dyd the holy goost workinge he dydde And so nowe by the operation of the holy gooste these he doth aboue nature whiche nothinge but onely fayth can take Howe shall this be done to me saith the holy vyrgin for I knowe not manne The Aungell aunswered The holye gooste shall come vpon the and the vertue of the highest shall ouershadowe the. And nowe asketh thou Quomodo howe is breade made the body of Christ wyne and water