stormes and tempestes of heresyes that the dyuell hath araysed specially agaynst the blessed sacrament of th aulter as well by the vehemeÌt stormes of pestilent bokes as also by the venemous wyndes and blastes of secrete deuelyshe doctrines Wher ââe I shall mooste hartely desyre the christian reader yf he be lerned of hys moost gentle charitable censure iudgement And yf eather letter eather worde hath escaped me or the printer as there hath some let the same with his penne gentlye correct it Yf he be vnlerned let hym take the frutes and commodities there of gyuyng the prayse and thankes ther of to God bycause I haue laboured it cheftly for him And yf the same shal fynd any worde or sentence here that semeth vnto hym obscure or darke let the same iuge that eather suche wordes hath escaped me vnwarelye eather that I could not openlye and conueniently set suche matter so breuely in playner sentence And for as muche as an order in thinges not onelye delyghteth the beholder as the bewty therof but also makyng the matter more sensible and playne it causeth the reader to beare awaye and retayne the better that whyche he hathe redde therfore haue I here set forth breuely the order that I haue taken in the proces of thys rude thynge Where the cristiane reader shall vnderstande that the former part of the fyrst Sermon she wyth that the admyrable workes of god were wrought of God to manyfest the glorye of hys synguler power and to buylde faythe in vs. And vppon thys grounde I haue proued the possibilitie of the myracles wrought by God in the blessed sacrament of the Aulter by the other myraculous workes that the scripture telleth vs to haue ben wrought by the power of God And bycause we beleue suche myracles and yet se theÌ not we ought also of lyke reason to beleue the myracles in the holy sacrameÌt thoughe we se them not bycause that the scripture affyrmeth them to be trewe and sayth in the voyce of Christ Thys is my bodye For vppon the veritie of these wordes dependeth the veritie of all the other myracles wroughte in the blessed sacrament And fynally I do applye the myracles of the blessed sacrament vnto the other myracles of God to shewe them to be of equal possibilitie and impossibilitie â¿ In the seconde Sermon I haue fyrste declared certayne fygures of the olde lawe to appertayne vnto the sacrament And then I haue brought in dyuers places of scripture to proue that thynge to be so in dede which I shewed in the fyrste sermon possible For lyke as I shewed in the former sermon the reall presens of Christes bodye in the sacrament wyth al the myracles possible by the other myraculous workes of God so do I in this sermon proue it by the scriptures to be sâ of a treuth â¿ In the thyrd I haue set in place fyrste the promyses that Christe made vnto the Churche Wherof I haue iustlye collected that standynge the veritie of those promyses that thyng muste nedes be of infallible truthe the whych the churche hath beleued and taught so many hundred yeres In the seconde place I haue brought in the conselles after them the testimonies of the auncient wryters to proue that the churche hath alwaye retayned this same fayth of the sacrament that we now do hold syth the apostles tyme. Yet here I haue not recyted al the wryters of al tymes for who can so do but I haue selected chosen onely such as I haue thought of moost antiquitie and auctoritie and that from .vii. or .viii. hundred yeares vpwarde and haue not mencioned neather alleged any that writ within these vii huÌdred yeres bycause that they are in maner innumerable and moost of theÌ so familiar that theyr faythe in thys matter is very manyfest vnto the meane learned Thyrdlye I haue answered to the moost comeÌ reasons that semed vnto me mooste strongest that are made for the contrarie And where I haue not handeled thys moost excellent mystery of our faâth wyth so exquisite lerning and exacte iugement as a man of greate lytterature and learnynge wolde haue done I shall moost humblye and hertelye desyre the christian reader to esteme and waye not howe homelye base and rude thynge is here coÌpyled but rather to iuge from howe syncere mynde and good wyl it hath proceded and to what ende and intent I thus enterprysed to dyuulgate and set it forth where in I haue sought chefly the settyng forth of the syncere and catholyke faythe of the churche of Christe and the spirituall lucre and gayne of my christiane brother to the honour of almyghty god Vnto whome be immortall glorye laude and prayse worlde with out ende Amen ij Petri vltimo ¶ VOS fratres prescientes custodite ne insipientium errore traducti exidatis a propria firmitate ¶ A Prayer vnto the Sacrament in the Masse tyme. O Moost myghtyfull Lorde and moost mercyfull redemer and sauiour Iesu sonne of the eternall lyuing god which of thyne own nature beyng most inuisible and immortall hast of thyne ineffable mercy and incomparable beninguitie vouchsafe in the ende of the worlde to appere visibly vnder the garment of our frayle temporal nature amoÌgest mortall men by moost mortall passion paynfull death hast redemed vs mortal synners froÌ the perpetuall death mortal dampnation of hell For the merytes of thy paynfull death preserue vs by thy special grace thys day euermore froÌ the daunger of al mortall offence And moost blessed byshop our hyghe preest which hast moost deuoutly offered visibly vpoÌ the crosse by death thys thy moost blessed bodye moost pretious bloode for our redemption hast also most gratiously ordayned the very same reall and naturall bodye and blood to be offered of thy catholyke churche inuisibly in the blessed sacrameÌt as a memorye of the crewell oblation made vpon the crosse vntyll that thou shalt come to iugemeÌt Vouchsafe most gratious God that thys blessed sacrifice of thy bodye blood nowe offered vnto the in the blessed sacrament maye be in the vertue merites of thy blessed death increase of grace vertue in the good and strength vnto the frayle purchase of repentauÌce vnto synners helpe and comfort both to quycke and deade And mooste louynge sheparde of oure soules which of thy moost intyre loue haste bestowed thy precyous lyfe for vs thy wreched waÌdering shepe vouchsafe gracious good keper of our soules to colect to gather to gether in to one syncere fayth catholyke all christiane people colected together good lorde rayle inclose them stroÌgly within thy churche catholyke wyth the rayle of louelye godly feare that they straye not neyther in belefe neyther in lyfe good Lorde oute of thy swete pastures of syncere fayth and Godlynes And suche as are astraye deuyded froÌ thy flocke by error or herysye moost petyful pastor drawe and force them out of the blynde hedges of herysye and forth of
conuinceth maÌnes reason and sheweth suche thinges in the worde of God that semys impossible vnto mannes wytte reason to be very easye and possible vnto god as is thys wonderfull mysterye of the blessed sacrament Also buyldeth and confirmeth the fayth and treuth of goddes worde and promyse For where anye thynge in the word or promyse of god semyth vnto our weake wytte blynde reason impossible bycause that reason can not reache wysedoÌe or wytte attayneth not the senses lacketh experiens and the carnall or natural maÌ beleueth not there myracle shewyth it possible easye to God and fayth teacheth vs to lede captiue to subdue al wytte reason vnto the worde and power of God vnto whome there is nothynge impossible For we muste vnderstande that the miraculus workes of god were not wrought before the former people and lefte truely faythfully reported vnto vs in the holy scriptures to teache persuade only the possibilite of theÌ selfes for they were to euideÌt to be dowbted of But they were wrought writteÌ to declare set forth the possibilitie verite of al thiÌges that the word of god teacheth vs to beleue As for exaÌple Exodi 4. Ait MoydnÌo Non credent mihi neque audieÌt vocem meaz sed dicent non appa ruit tibi dnÌo Dixit ergo ad ânÌ Quid est ê tenes in manu tua Respondit Virga Dixit dnÌs Proiâce iÌ terraÌ Pro iecit c. Vt credaÌt ê apparu it tibi dnÌs deus tuus c. Ioh. 10. Et si mihi non vultis credere operibê° credite vt cognoscatis c. The woÌderful workes that God almyghty wroughte by Moyses hys deare and faythfull seruaunt before the chyldren of Israell and before the Egiptians dyd not onely declare that God almyghty was hable to shewe suche wonders sygnes and myracles But they manyfestly declared bothe the myghte and power of the Lorde God that sent vnto them Moses hys seruaunt and also confirmed ratifyed the veryte of all suche promyses and commaundementes that Moyses brought vnto them from the mouth of God For thys cause had Moyses power of myracles that these wonders whyche they se hym do before theyr eyes myght teache perswade theÌ the veryte and possibilite of hys tydynges and message whych semed both vntrew and impossible Not that they shuld beleue only the myraculous workes that they dyd see but that they by the euydens of these workes shulde beleue the word of God the Moyses ministred brought vnto theÌ The holy fathers êphetes ratifyed persuaded the verite of goddes message sent by them vnto the people with lyke testimonye of miracles Our sauioure Christe and after hym hys disciples confyrmed and dyd corroborate the verite and possibilitie of hys holye gospell wyth the wytnes of hys wonderfull workes Wherfore I thynke it an argument of no small efficatie and strengthe to perswade and proue by the experiens of gods power in the former myracles the possibilitie of the excedynge great myracles in the moste blessed sacrameÌt of the Aulter the whych goddes worde teacheth vs to beleue seme they vnto mans reason neuer so vntrewe and vnpossible For these myraculus workes left vnto vs in the sacrat scripture are none other then the very playne experimentes and euident tryal of goddes myghtye power and registred in the byble to corroborate stablyshe as I haue sayd oure faythe and the doctrine of goddes holy word to conuynce and reprehende all vnbelefe and heresye But specially suche grosse and stubburne blyndnesse that wolde not haue reason subiugate and obedieÌt vnto goddes myghtie worde power but wolde that the omnipotent worde and power of God shulde take suche auctoritie place as theyr blynd carnall wytte wyll gyue leue as oure grosse frowarde and obstinate caphernaites doth nowe a dayes aboute the mooste sacrate and blessed Sacrament of the Aulter the blessed monument and memoriall both of the death and also of the might and power of our sauiour and Lorde God Christe The sacrament besydes that it contayneth that vyry bodye bloode of Christ is also a memorial of Christes death and therfore stereth vp our charitie towardes hym And in that that it is inuisibly myraculus it excercyseth our fayth For whyles they denye the reall and verye presens of Christes bodye and bloode in the sacramente contendynge agaynste the scripture by reason to be impossible that it shulde be so they extenuate and imbecyl the power of God also they here in denye and subuerte the verite of Goddes worde ratifyed and confirmed by Christ and his disciples with innumerable sygnes wonders and miracles And why semeth thys incredible Playnly for thys cause onely that in thys moste holy sacrament nature is altered and loseth her coÌmen course order reason can shewe no persuasion The senses hathe contrarie experiens Therfore these carnall infideles voyde of the spirite of God for wante of faith sayeth and thynke it impossible For manyfest scriptures truely taken and vnderstaÌde to proue theyr heresy they haue none Saue that where the scripture in hys natiue sence wyll not sustayne eyther helpe theyr horrible heresie and detestable blasphemye they vyolently wrynge it wreste it they toose it and rugge it wyth tropes and fygures catacreses alligories and metaphers to force it to bowe vnto theyr phanaticall frensye and frantyke heresye And althoughe that the blynde obstinacie of these blasphemous heretykes be suche that there semeth lytle remedye to recouer them TituÌ 5. sythe they subuerted are as saynt Paule sayeth condeÌpned in theyr owne iudgement Yet for the confirmation and comforte of the faythfull I shall set forth and proue by goddes adiutorie the possibilitie of suche myracles as the faith catholique doth teach and sheweth vs to be wrought by the infinite power of goddes myghtye worde in the holy sacrament of the Aulter Thys shal I do by the testimony of these myraculus workes that the scripture reporteth vnto vs. That whyles we perceyue the scripture to set forth before vs so euident open plaine demonstratioÌs and experimeÌtes of the oiÌpotent power deuine that they can not be denyed saue onely of an infidele it maye euidentlye apere vnto euery faythfull christiane howe lykely and possible it is that almyghtie God can and doth by the power of hys myghtye worde these wonderful myracles in the holy sacrament And thys maner of argument maye not seme straunge vnto anye man in that that the veritie and possibilitie of thys mysterye and archane of oure faythe by proued and declared by other myracles wrytten whome we beleue in the holye scripture for there in I haue myne example of saynte Paule 1. Cor. 15. who wrytyng vnto the Corinthians and dysputynge the artycle of the generall resurrection proueth by the myraculous resurrection of Christe the whyche they had receyued and beleuyd by the preachynge of saynt Paule the verytie and possibilitie of the generall resurrection Oure sauioure Christe also
the prestes hed at the masse into the ayre calleth vs vnto remembrans how Christ was lyfted vpon the crosse and hong in the ayer vntyll all hys bloode was spente And the bloode bodye of Christe vnder the forme of wyne lyfted vp also at the masse admonyssheth vs to remember the effusyon of the same bloode vpon the crosse And thus verye lyuelye it sygnyfyeth and representeth vnto vs in the sacryfyce of the masse the holy memoriall of the precious death passioÌ of Christ The other significacyon of the sacrament is the mystical bodye of Chryste that is to say the whole church of Christ For in the forme or shape of breade is represented vnto vs the vnion and coniunction of al the menbres of Christ vnto theyr hed Christ and the vnyon and conexion of eche membre vnto other in that mysticall bodye For lyke as of many granes of where ariseth one lofe and of many grapes ysseweth one lyquore of wyne so of many distynct persons of Christen men and women resulteth and cometh but one mystical body of Christe as saynt Paule saythe we many are but one bread and one bodye 1. Cori. 10. in that we al be partakers of one breade This mystical bodye of Christe is not onelye signified and represented vnto vs in the blessed sacrament for so myght any other prophane breade be a sacrament or signe and such a sacrameÌt was the shew bread of the temple but also this blessed sacrameÌt worthely receaued doth effectually cause the vnion kepeth that body for it knytteth and kepeth to gether the lyuely membrers of Christe and knytteth theÌ also vnto the hed christ and combynyng the members together with the hed it maketh but one body of christ his church Not only spiritually for that dothe also fayth and charitie wythout the receauynge of this sacrament but also by the admirable power of God it coÌuerteth oute nature in to the naturall bodye of Christe and so maketh vs Ephe. 5. the meÌbres of hys body as saint Paule sayth and of hys fleshe and of hys bones These are the two sygnifycatyons of the blessed sacrament The one that is the reall body of Christ is not onely signyfyed but is also contayned in the sacrament The other that is the mystycall bodye of Christe is not onely sygnified but is also in maner caused and continuyd by the worthye receauynge of this holy sacrament Thus is the blessed sacrament a sygne or a sacrament but yet a great deale more worthier and a more excellent sacrament then were any of the olde sacramentes of the olde lawe for they neyther contayned neyther wrought that thinge that they signyfied August de 17. ciuitate dei cap. 20. â¿ The fathers also hauinge respect vnto the thyng that is chestye sygnifyed in the sacrament whyche is the naturall bodye and bloode of Christe they named the sacrameÌt as they myght ryght well a sacrafice This sacrameÌt is named is a sacrifice â¿ By cause it is the onely sacryfice that succeded in place of al the figuratiue sacrifes whiche were offered vp in figure significacioÌ of this most êfect sacrifice that was offered vpon the crosse and redemed the worlde And the very same now also is the busie contynual and dailye sacrifice of the church Ciprianê° 2. lib. epist epistola 3. ad CeciliuÌ â¿ Saynt Cipriane in many places but specially in hys second boke of epistles callyth it a sacrifice whose wordes are those in the second epistle ad Cecilium â¿ The sacrament of the sacrifyce of oure lord was prefigured in Melchisedech the preest accordynge vnto the scripture whyche sayth Gene. 14. And Melchisedech brought forth bread and wyne for he was the preiste of the hyest and he blessed Abraham And that he beareth the figure of Christe the holy goost declareth in the Psalmes by the persone of the father vnto the son sayng Be for lucifer I haue begotten the. Oure Lorde dyd swere and he repenteth not Thou art a prest for euer accordynge vnto the order of Melchisedech The whyche order commyth by the same offeryng For hereof it procedeth and comyth By cause that Melchisedech beyng the preeist of the hyest offered bread wyne bycause that he blessed Abraham For who is more rather or more aptly the preeist of the hyest then our lord Iesus Christ The whych offered sacrifice vnto his father he offered the same that Meschisedech dyd offer that is bread wyne that is to say his body bloode I do omyt of purpose Crisostome diuerse other by cause I wold be breue Collect now diligeÌt reader of these former thingê what we do honor what we do offer in this blessed sacrameÌt Note what thynge we do honour and what it is that we do offer in the blessed sacrament We do not êperly honour the outewarde aparens of the sacrameÌt which is the forme shape of bread wine but we do honour the thing couered verely contained vnder the formes shapes of bread wyne which is none other theÌ the very real body blod of our sauiour christ We do not offer at the masse proprely those formes or shapes of bread wyne as a sacrifice for they are no sacrfyce neyther do we cal or name theÌ a sacryfice but we offer vp vnto God the father at the masse the very blessed bodie blod of our sauior christ not crewelly sleyng him for so he was offered but ones but with a lyuely louely memorie of chirstes death passioÌ we pÌsent in maner of an oblatyon the same very bodye bloode now impassible geuynge thankes vnto hym for that inestymable and ineffable mercye that he hathe shewed vnto vs mysers and synners in reconsylynge vs hys ennymyes vnto hym selfe by the deathe and passyon of hys onelye sone Iesus Christe oure Lorde And with this bodie blood of our sauior Christ our hed we offer vp also vnto our father celestiall the whoole bodye mystycall of Christes churche geuynge vnto hym thankes also for the creatyoÌ redemptyon and iustificatyon hereof Commyttynge it vnto hys mooste godly and mercyful tuition besekynge him that he vouchsafe to pacifie to kepe to knyt to gether and to gouerne rule it thoroughout al the hoole world The sacrament is named Dynaxis Saynt dyonyse the grecyan namyth thys sacrament synaxis that is communyon or coÌmen pertakyng by cause there is sygnifyed effectuously wroughte by this blessed sacrameÌt not onlye the vnyon and knot of Christes meÌbres vnto the hed Christ but also there is sygnyfyed and in verye dede there is by it a coÌmen partakynge of al gostly goodnes whyche is in eche of the membres or in the hoole For as much as by the condigne and worthye receauynge of thys blessed sacrament we are made one with Christe and incorporated vnto hym therfore by this coniunctioÌ and incorporatyon we are made commen partakers wyth the other membres of the grace and
hys deathe and resurreccion but vpon easter daye when she offered to hym dewty and office agayne he refused it and wolde not let her anoynte hym for he was not then in suche state and indigencie as he was afore Therfore it folowyth not that though that Christ be not alway with vs a mortal passible man as he was before his passion therfore he is not with vs inuisybly immortally impassibly in the blessed sacrament For bothe these be trew That he is not wyth vs nowe uisible passible and mortall as he was before his death and resurrection and yet he is with vs inuisible impassible immortal The argument â¿ Lyke argumeÌt they gather of the wordes of saynt Paule in the seconde epistle to the Corynthyans the fyft chapiter And though we haue knowen Christe affter the fleshe yet now we know hym no more so By cause that saynt Paule sayth that he dothe not knowe Christ after the fleshe therfore Christe say they is not in the sacrament The answere after the fleshe Yf thys reason were good then dyd Paule knowe no man neyther the Corynthyans vnto whom he wryt that epystle neyther hym selfe for paule sayde that he knewe no man after the fleshe Then bylyke he knewe not hym selfe for he was then in fleshe and a man for he knewe no man But they are dysceaued in mystakynge and mysunderstandynge thys worde After the fleshe _____ Whyche is nat as moche to saye as in the fleshe But it is as moche to saye as fleshely or carnally for fleshely affection or after any carnall sort â¿ Here good christen reader What Crisostome saythe vpon the same place of saynt paule What then sayth he Tell me Hath he cleue lefte the fleshe And is he not nowe in the bodye God forbyd For this same Iesus whyche is taken from you euen so he shall come agayne How wyth a body How sayth Paule then Thoughe we haue knoweÌ Christ after the fleshe yet so do we not nowe For oure beynge after the fleshe is to be in synne and not to be after the fleshe is not to be in synne But Christ to be after the fleshe is to be in or to suffer the passions penalites of nature as hunger thurst labor or slepe and suche other But he commytted no syn at all neyther was ther founde disceat in his mouth Therefore sayde he whyche of you can rebuke or argew me of synne Then Christ not to be after the fleshe is to be deliuered from these penalties of nature and passyons of mortalytye and corruption Not that he is nowe wythout fleshe For wyth that fleshe he cometh to iudge the world hauynge the same fleshe now impassible and immortall and incorruptyble â¿ Then thus wyth Crisostome we may answere That thoughe that Paule knoweth not christ now after the fleshe that is to say passible corruptible mortall and visible yet he knoweth hym now to be incorruptyble immortal and impassible and euen so do we with Paul knowe Christe in the sacrament not after the fleshe carnally as the Carpharnaites thought that is to se and to eate that fleshe of hym hewen and cut in gobbettes and peaces as fleshe is in the shambles but we knowe hym verely ther inuisibly impassibly immortally and eaten of vs is neyther harmed neyther consumed â¿ Bycause that saynt Paule saith vnto the Corythyans The argument in the tenth chapter Is not the bread that we breake the perticipatyon of the body of Christe And agayne he saith in the eleuenth chapter As oft as ye shal eate of this bread and drynke of thys cuppe you shall declare or shewe hys deathe vntyll he come Of these they collecte and gather that the sacrament is nothyng but breade and wyne Thys maner of reasonynge is nothynge worthe For in thys sort of arguyng we myght conclude and proue that there were neather bloode nether wyne but onelye a cuppe As for example Saynt Paul in the same tenth chapter to the Corinthians sayth Is not the cuppe whom we do blysse the participatioÌ of the blood of Christe And agayne in the eleuenth he sayeth As oft as ye shal eat of thys bread and drinke of this cuppe ye shall remember the lordes death vntyll he come And in the same chapiter who so euer eate of thys breade drynketh of the cuppe or oure lorde vnworthely he shal be gyltye of the body and bloode of our lorde Here saynt Paule calleth the blessed sacrament a cuppe ergo there is nothynge but a cuppe You shall vnderstande therfore that in the blessed sacrament there is not the substance of breade though saint Paule do name it bread For saynt Paule do call the same the body of our Lorde twyse in the same chapter And in namynge it breade he doth folowe the maner of the scripture the whyche in suche maner of transmutations alterations of thynges doth vse oft tyme to gyue vnto the thynge that is altered and chaunged the name that it had before that alteration and chaunge as I haue declared before by these examples Fyrst of the admirable transmutation and chaunge of the rod of Aaron into a serpent The scripture calleth it a rod styll thoughe it was turned into a serpent Lykewyse of the myraculous chaunge of the water into wyne There the scripture namyth that wyne water and gyueth the very same name vnto the thynges that were clene chauÌged that suche thinges had before they were chaunged and altered from theyr former natures Euen so the holy apostle and the fathers ofte tyme do call thys blessed sacrament breade bycause that it was breade before the wonderful transmutation and chaunge by the power of goddes myghtye worde into the verye substaunce of Christes blessed bodye and bloode ¶ They haue also collected out of the auncient doctours lompes and fragmeÌtes of theyr sayinges as wel vnderstaÌded and taken as they vnderstode the scriptures haue lefte out the chefest thynges that shulde declare the verye true sense of the wrytter and there by they go about to proue that these auncient wrytters shulde muster wyth them and be on theyr syde and that those fathers shulde beleue that in the sacrameÌt were not the verye bodye and bloode of Christe but to be but only a fygure or a signification therof Wherfore al such places of the auncient wryters that semeth to cal it a misterie a sacrameÌt a fygure or signification of Christes bodye ⪠At suche places they clappe theyr handes and triumphe as though they had wonne the feld and that the game were theyrs These places they brynge in and that wyth theyr gaye paynted prayses and flatterynge commendations of the doctoure or wrytter whose auctoritie they allege as of saint Augustine they wyll saye That mooste excellent and wyttye clerke saynt Augustine That mooste golden mouthe Crysostome the flower of the Greke eloquens c. But when these same be alleged and proued manyfestly to be theyr aduersaries and contrarye to theyr heresye then are they whome they
praysed so hyghly before but men and lyears and suche as were blynded and had not the spirite of God therfore saye they they are not worthye of credite in all thynges We wyl haue no mennes auctoritie but onely the scriptures Yet these wycked wretches they can be content to take Luther Ecolampadius Coralstadius and Melanthon and Buzere wyth all the rabylment of suche deuylyshe lyars and leude lyuers the whyche hath no more of a christian maÌ saue onely the name to be theyr auctours and that of no lesse auctoritie theÌ the scriptures These I saye whose learnynge lyffes are as much vnlyke vnto the fathers as were the lyffes of Socrates Sardanapalus or the lyfe of Diogenes and the lyfe of Epicure Here shall you heare some of the auctorities that they haue torne out by peace meale froÌ the monumentes and wrytynges of the auncient and mooste catholyke doctours Augusti contra AdamantuÌ Fyrste of saynt Augustyne contra Adamantum Manicheum the .xii. chapiter Oure Lorde doughted not sayth he to saye Thys is my bodye when he gaue vnto them the signe of hys bodye Saynt Augustyne calleth the sacrameÌt a signe Thys is theyr reason ergo it is but onelye a signe and not the bodye of Christe Euen so myght I argue for Nestorius and saye Christe is called in the scriptures the sonne of man ergo he is onely the sonne of man and not the sonne of God Where you shall vnderstande that saynct Augustyne dysputeth in thys place agaynst one of the Manichees secte whych sayd that the bloode in man was the soule of man bycause that he dyd read in the .xii. chapiter of Exodus that they shoulde not eate any bloode for the bloode sayeth the letter is the lyfe or soule of the fleshe To thys saynt Augustyne sayeth that thys precepte oughte to be vnderstanded that the bloode was the token or sygne of the lyfe or soule For our lorde sayth he doubted not to saye Thys is my bodye when he gaue the token of hys hodye Now let Fryth answere me vnto thys Hathe not the bloode of a best lyfe in it thoughe it be the token of lyfe He muste nedes saye yea Euen so the sacrament is a token of Christes bodye and yet neuerthelesse it contayneth the same very body â¿ Also saynt Ierome vpon .xxvi. Ieronimê° super Matheum chapter of saynt Mathew sayth After that the fyguratyue Passeouer was coÌplete and fullfylled and he had eaten the fleshe of the lambe wyth hys apposteles he taketh the breade that comforteth the harte of man and passeth ouer towarde the sacrament of the verye trew Passeouer and lyke as Melchy sedech dyd the preest of the hyest in the fygure here of offerynge breade and wyne he in lyke sorte dothe represent the verite of hys bodye and blood All theyr game lyeth in thys word He representyth Yf he do represent saye they the verytie of hys bodye then the very body is not there This argumeÌt is of no force neather streÌgth For though that by the sacrament is represented the bodye of Christe yet neuerthelesse the same verye bodye is there also present whych is represeÌted But I wold fayne learne of them why saint Ierome calleth thys the verye sacrament or the sacrament of the veryte Was not the paschall lame a verye sacrament of the Passiouer yeas treuly But this he calleth the verye sacrament by cause that bysydes that it doth sygnyfye the bodye and bloode of Christe it contayneth also no lesse Or whye dothe saynt Ierome saye The verytie of Christes bodye and bloode Dyd not the paschall lambe represent the same bodye and bloode Yes trewly But saynt Ierome here in sygnified the dyfference bytwyxte Moyses lambe and Christes mandye By cause the one was but a bare fygure and nothyng els but a fygure and the other though it were also a fygure yet it contayned the veryte of the thynge that is sygnified by that fygure â¿ Therefore saynt Ierom sayde the Christe represented the veryte of his bodye and bloode You wyll aske me how that the bodye of Christe can represent it selfe or be a signe or figure of it selfe To this I answere that the bodye of Christe vnder the two formes of breade and wyne representeth vnto vs nowe the same bodye as it honge vpon the crosse when the blood was dyuyded frome it for the remyssion of synnes Ambrosiê° â¿ S. Ambrose also they allege in hys boke of the sacramentes Where he sayeth in thys wyse He that dyscordyth frome Christe that same eateth not hys fleshe neather drynketh he hys bloode all though that he taketh the sacrament of so worthye a thinge vnto the iugement of hys perdition Also Prosper hath the same wordes in hys boke of sentences Prosper Saynt Augustyne in hys boke intytuled de Ciuitate dei Augustinê° de ciuitate dei lib .xxi. capi xv He that remayneth not in me and in whom I remayne not let not the same say eather thinke that he eateth my bodye For they remayne not in Christe that be not his meÌbres â¿ These fathers in the same places where we fynde these wordes thoughe that they saye that the vnworthye receyuers do not receyue the bodye and blood of Christe Yet they saye not that it is not the bodye and blood of Christe But certaynlye they haue playnlye expressed what they mente by these theyr sayenges For as we maye ryghte well collect of them there are thre maner of receyuynges of the blessed sacrament The fyrst is onely sacramentally this terme saynt Augustine vseth The seconde is onely spiritually The thyrde is both spiritually and sacramentally The onely sacramentall receyuynge is when we vnworthelye do receyue the blessed sacrament And by thys receyuynge we are neather incorporated vnto Christe spiritually partakynge the merytes of Christes blessed passion neather incorporated vnto hys naturall bodye as the worthye receauers are but we eate it to the greate dampnation of our soules By the onelye spirituall receauynge whych is by fayth as in hearynge godlye and deuoutlye the masse or els hauynge a godlye and a deuoute memorie of Christes death we are partakers of Christes merytes passion made the membres of hys spirituall or mysticall bodye yet are we not by thys maner of eatynge incorporated vnto the naturall bodye of Christe as we are by the worthye receyuyng of the sacrameÌt The thyrde maner of receauyng of this blessed sacrament whych is when we worthely do receaue it doth incorporat vs vnto Christes naturall bodye maketh vs the membres of hys moost blessed bodye of hys fleshe and of hys bones and worketh in vs eternall lyfe of bodye and soule For thys is the propertie of that fleshe and bloode worthelye receyued to worke euerlastynge lyfe as Christ sayeth He that eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloode hath euerlastynge lyfe Nowe for as muche as in all suche as are diuided from Christe by heresye or froÌ god by mortall synne the blessed sacrameÌt receiued worketh not in them
lyfe whyche is the proper operatioÌ of the body blood of Christ but worketh dampnable death Therfore the blessed fathers sayde that they receyued not the bodye of Christe For thoughe it verelye be the verye bodye and bloode of Christe yet vnto them in suche state it semeth not to be so bycause that it worketh not in them lyfe but death For lyke as of a moost excellent medicine receaued of the pacient out of dewe tyme and order and therby diminisheth not the dysease but encreaseth it we maye saye that vnto hym thys was no medicyne but a preseÌt poyson Euen so maye we saye of all suche christians and heretikes that lyke Iudas vnworthely receaueth the sacrament that they receaue not the bodye bloode of Christe whyche as a mooste helthsome medicine worketh lyfe in the good and in the bad it worketh present death In the tyme of these blessed fathers there were certayne ouerthwart people as we also haue some nowe a dayes that hearynge the great and wonderfull operation of thys blessed sacrament howe it wrought lyfe in the receyuers had fallen into a wonderfull presumption and had persuaded to them selues that though they were neuer so farre gone in heresies and lyued neuer so dyssolutely and wyckedly yf they receaued thys sacrament whyche was taught them to be the verye bodye and bloode of Christe that they shulde eskape perpetuall dampnatyon Wherefore the fathers to brynge them out of thys blynd and dampnable presumptyon vsed thys maner of speache to saye that they dyd not receaue the bodye of Christ neather drinke his blod though they dyd receaue the sacrament to the dampnation â¿ Tertulliane in his in hys forth boke agaynste Marcyon Tertulianus aduersus Martionem li. 4. sayeh Christe professynge that he had a great desyre to eate hys Passeouer wyth them and the breade that he toke and gaue to hys discyples he made it hys bodye saynge This is my body that is to saye sayth Tertulliane the fygure of my bodye Thys place is recyted of EcolaÌpadius wyth no smale commendacyon and tryumphe In lyke sorte saynt Augustine in the prologe of the thyrde Psalme sayeth speakynge of Iudas Christe thoughe he were not ignorant of hys vnhappe thoughtes yet he made hym one of his geastes of that baÌket where he exhybyted and gaue vnto hys dysciples the fygure of hys body and bloode Fyrst dylygent reader I praye the expende wel the wordes of Tertulliane and thou shalt sone perceaue that Tertulliane coÌfyrmeth our fayth maketh nothynge with the sacramentaryes For he saith Christe had a greate desyre to eate hys Passeouer not sayth he the Passeouer that was the slaughter of shepe for that was Moyses passeouer but thys he called hys by cause that in thys was hys owne naturall fleshe and bloode and in the other the fleshe and blood of a shepe Yf ther had ben nothynge els in thys then breade the fygure of his fleshe why shulde he call this more his then the other whiche was also a more expresse fygure of his death then the bread and wyne were Furthermore Tertulliane sayth that Christ made the bread that he toke and dystrybuted to hys dyscyples hys bodye saynge Thys is my bodye In these wordes he moste apertely sheweth that Christe made the bread hys bodye Yf ther be none other thyng there then breade neyther no alteracyon ther in the sacrameÌt then ther was before I maruayll what thyng Christ dyd make But Tertullianes wordes be to playne to be deludyd or doubted of for he confesseth that Christe made the breade his bodye saynge This is my bodye But that wordes that foloiuith semeth to haue all the dyfycultye bycause Tertulliane added that is to say the fygure of hys bodye And in lyke sorte also saynt Augustine Tertullyanes contre man callyth it a fygure â¿ No dougth but it is very trew that the sacrameÌt is a fygure an example a sygne and token of the bodye of Christe For euery sacrameÌt is a fygure or example and sacrate token of an holy thynge Euen so is the blessed sacrameÌt called a sygne or a fygure of the bodye of Christ in the wrytynges of these ancient fathers The cause why they so named it I haue declared before amoÌg the names of the sacrament And yet I wyll touch breuely the same agayne For as moche as in the blessed sacrament which is the very sacrifice of the churche catholyke is coÌtayned in two dystinct formes that is of bread wyne the same blessed bodye blood that was offered vpoÌ the crosse in ther own lyknes that is in lykenes of fleshe blood the same bodye and blod vnder the forme of bread at the masse lyfted vp in to the ayer ouer the prestes hed it is a token or a remeÌbranc how that the same body in the tyme of Christes passion dyd hang vpon the crosse in the ayer and was so offered vp by death for our redeÌption the same body blood contained reali also vnder the shape or forme of wyne lyffted vp at the sacrynge of the masse it is a token callyng vs to remeÌbrans how the blessed blood was shed on hye vpoÌ the crosse for the remissioÌ of our synnes And thus the blessed body blode of christ vnder these two formes of bred wyne in the blessed sacrameÌt signifieth vnto vs how that in the passioÌ and death of christ the body of christ hong pale wan vpoÌ the crosse froÌ whoÌ al the blessed bloode was dyuyded by crewel payne passyoÌ is thus a very lyuely memorie remeÌbrans of hys death for thys cause also S. Basyl calleth it The exemplar bycause it is so lyuely and so expresse an example memorie of the death of Christ Thus is the blessed sacrament where in is contayned verely the bodye and blood of Christ a sygne a fygure a tokeÌ or example of the death of Christ And in this consideration the fathers some tyme and that very seldome dyd cal it a sygne or fygure And in thys sort we graunt no lesse But that it is but a fygure onlye a fygure or nothynge els theÌ a figure That we vtterly deny For neither in the scripture neyther in any catholyke wryter can they fynde that the sacrameÌt is called only a fygure or but a fygure or any lyke saynge The fathers though they named it a figure or a token yet they playnlye declare and shew that they beleued that very real presens of the bodye and blood of Christ in the sacrameÌt as I haue shewed bi their owne wrytinges So I conclude and answere that though the sacrament be a sygne or a fygure yet neuerthelesse it is verely really the verye bodye and bloode of Christ therfore is it not only a fygure or onely and nothinge els then a fygure or a sygne Thys answere in my iudgemeÌt is sufficient for all suche places that they can brynge in of anye of the auncyent wrytters It is a lacrymable case and
that same blessed babe was borne of hys immaculate mother Marye into thys worlde not vnloosinge the virgineal gyrdel or clausure of her pure maidenhed Secondlye howe soone and sodenlye was the shyppe at the shoore when the disciples Ioh. 6. wold haue receiued christ walkynge on the sea as saint IohnÌ reporteth in hys syxte chapiter there we maye perceaue howe spedye and myraculous mocyon the shyppe and also the bodye of Christe hadde yet beynge passible and mortall Howe maye we doubte then Mathei Marci âltimo that thys bodye maye be here sodenlye wythout any meane passage or corporally penetratyng the cloudes or other meane places sythe that also the same bodye slayne Angelus auÌt dnÌi descendit de celo accedens reuoluit lapideÌ and deade dyd aryse the thyrde day from deathe and passed out from the graue of stone couered sealed and watched wyth soldyers and that not breaking the stone neyther vnsealyng neyther vncouering the graue For we may not thynke that the angell that descended froÌ heaueÌ rolled the stone dyd let out Christe For certainly he was myraculusly rysen ear the angel apered And the same day the same bodye entred in amonge the dysciples where all the dores were shutte Why shulde we thinke it vnbeleueable or impossible then Ioh. 20. that the same glorifyed bodye shoulde so sodeynlye be reallye and verallye present in the holy sacrament sythe that we rede and beleue by the holye scripture these myraculous mocions of the verye same bodye Furthermore the faythfull and catholyke cristiane oughte to retayne as an artycle catholyke as an ineffallible veritie as the church of Christe teacheth that in thys mooste holye blessed sacramente are the naturall quantitie qualities and the other accydentary properties of bread subsystant or alone by theÌ selues myraculouslye wythout any staye or ayde of the substauÌce of breade where in they were before the consecration For that substaunce is not there as we haue sayde neyther any other substance is there where in these accydentall propertes shulde be saue only the substauÌce of the body of Christ the whyche bodye is not subiect vnto them but they are subsistente wyth out the staye of any substance by the myght and omnipotent power of God Not wythstandynge that the faythfull are fully perswaded in this verite wyth constant fayth ledeth captyue all theyr senses vnto the seruice of Christ in this myracle sayth wyth Dauid agaynst all reason made to the contrarye All thynges what euer he wold God hath wrought Psal 134 bothe in heauen and in erthe Yet for lake of fayth and trewe beleue of this one article many of weak fayth do oft staggar And many of late dayes are prostrate fallen flat downe whiche is to be lamented in to detestable duÌgeon of herises for whiles they grossely stycke vnto the principles of nature consyderynge that nature hathe gyuen vnto bread and fleshe and vnto euerye substaunce his dystincte and peculyar quaÌtite qualytes as color fygure tast wyth other accydentall properties and where euer are founde all such naturall properties together is naturally found the substaunce whose properties these are suche grosse reasonars finding also in thys blessed sacrament al the êperties of bread as coler quantite figure taste wyth all other on the other syde fyndynge in the sacrament no maner of propertie of fleshe they collecte and coÌclude that there is only the substauÌce of bread not the bodye of Christ of the whyche number Frythe was one as it aperethe in hys boke This is the chefe and only cause of theyr errour But vnto thys argumente and vnto al suche carnall and blasphemous dyscussers and dysputers of the myraculous workes of God I shall make answere in the ende of my thyrde sermon And though that thys artycle semeth and is impossible and incredible by nature yet shall I shewe it very credible and possible vnto the power of God and that by these examples whyche al readye are credyble It is as an vnnatural a thinge that the Sonne whose chiefe moost natural propertie is to gyue lyghte beynge created for that purpose shulde at the myddaye hauynge no interposition or lette gyue no maner of lyghte but rather horrible and palpable darkenes Yet the scripture teacheth that when God plaged Egypte the space of thre dayes the Sonne and the Moone gaue no lyght vnto the Egyptians but there remayned Huge and horrible darkenes for by the myghtye power of God the propertye of illuminacyon was wyth holden and suspended not onely in the Sonne Moone Starres but also in all other thynges that naturally shulde haue shewed lyghte for neyther candel neyther fyer gaue them lyghte no more then the fyer of hell gyueth lyght vnto the dampned spirites there Forthermore is it not the naturall propertye of fyer to bourne to incynerate and brynge to asshes Dani. 3. all thynge combustyble sparynge none And yet we reade in Danyell that when the .iii. yonge men faste bounde were cast in to the whote burnyng furnesse of fyer there the fyer burnt a sonder theyr bondes and burned not theyr bodyes nether dyd it any molestacyon vnto them but they walked vp downe in the myddest of the flammynge furnesse as it had byn in a fresshe colde dewe Beholde then In Egypte the sonne geueth no lyght In Caldey the fyer an element of moste actiuitie yet it burneth not Lyke as in these myraculus workes of god the natural êpertes of thynges were suspended agaynst nature euen so in the holy sacrament are the naturall propertyes of breade and wyne myraculously sustayned wyth out any sustentacyon of any substaunce eyther of bread or wyne eyther of anye other for there is not the substaunce of bread neyther any other but onely the substaunce of the naturall bodye and bloode of Christ whyche is vnder and with these properties of bread wyne and yet these propretyes are not in that moost impassible substaunce and precious bodye Moreouer the faythe catholyke affyrmeth that these accideÌtarie êperties of breade and wyne though there be not the substaunce of bread or wyne yet haue they by the power of God al the natural operacyons of breade and sustayneth all the naturall passyons of bread and therfore these propertes Thomas AqÌnas Citas her gregorii verba Species sacramentales sunt ââaruÌ rerum vocabula qÌ antea fue ruÌâ sz panis et vini In suÌma q. 77. ââi primo do norysshe they do replete satisfye they are brokeÌ eaten they are dygestyd they maye be mouldye burnt and generally sustayne al the other corruptioÌs as thoughe the very substaÌce of bread were there Therfore it is not bread that is so brokeÌ eateÌ digested norisheth satisfyeth repleieth is burnt mouldy or suffreth any other corruptions for there is no substaunce of breade as I haue sayd neither in the bodye of Christe are any of these accioÌs or passions For that body is impassible and can suffre none suche but lyke
saiÌt Ioh. sayth The law was geuen by Moyses the which lawe had only the shadowe of the good thynges that shulde folow but grace verite by Iesus Christ The which was aminister and the intercessor of the new testament as Moyses was of the olde lawe Wherfore the sacrameÌtes whych were instituted by Christe are so moche more worthye excelleÌt as the ministerie of Christ excelleth the mynisterie of Moyses and as the gospell whych is the cleare lyght open verite doth excel the mosaycall lawe which was but in maner of a shadow prefiguratyue of the verities to come Vnder the typical or fyguratyue lawe the carnall grosse Iewes were taught led by shadows fygures towardê christ but in the spiritual law of the holi gospel the vayle is takeÌ a way the shadows figurê are al passed the verities are set in place Such is the êfectioÌ of christis church aboue the sinagoge of moises That the excelleÌce veritie of this blessed sacrament might somewhat be more manyfest and credible I purpose amonge manye fygures that prefigured thys excellent sacrameÌt longe tyme before the institution hereof to recite .iii. or foure of them that these fygures myght shewe them selues to argue and proue some veritie to be correspondent vnto theyr signification And whyles I shewe theyr significatioÌ to be fulfillyd accoÌplished in thys mooste venerable sacrament as in theyr veritie it maye soone apere moost euidently that thys holy sacrament is not onely a fygure but rather contayneth the verytie it selfe Genes 14 signifyed by these fygures The fyrst is which we read in Genesis the oblation of Melchisedech vnder the law of nature This Melchisedech the prest of the Hyghest offered breade wyne as the scripture sayeth Thys oblation of breade and wyne was an euident a manifest figure of the oblatioÌ that our sauiour Christ made vpoÌ mauÌdy thursdaye amoÌge hys apostles wheÌ he gaue vnto them hys very bodye and bloode in the blessed sacrameÌt vnder the kyndes of bread and wyne For we reade not that he made any other offerynge in breade and wyne where in he shulde answer so expressely vnto the oblation of Melchisedech as he dyd in that The holy prophete Dauid sygnified no lesse vnto vs. And in manyfest wordes declared that the preesthode of Melchisedech prefigured the perpetuall presthode of Christ saying in the person of God the father vnto Christ his eternal sonne Psal 109. Thou art a prest for euer after the order of Melchisedech And the very same sayeng of Dauid for the same purpose is alleged also of the holy apostle s Paule in the epystle vnto the Hebrewes Hebre. 7. Where he dysputynge wyth the Iewes for the excellent perfectioÌ and dignitie of Christes Presthode aboue the Aaronical and Leuitical presthode sayeth in this maner This preest meanyng Christ after the order of Melchisedech remayneth a preest for euer Sygnifying that the preesthode of Christe was perpetuall whych was so prefygured by the presthode of Melchisedech By these wordes of the prophet Dauid of saint Paule it is manyfest that the preesthode of Melchisedech prefygured the preesthode of Christe And for as muche as the offyce of preesthode consysteth in offeryng vnto God oblations sacrifices as saint Paule is wytnes Euery byshoppe Hebre. 8. taken from amonge men is ordined to offer giftes and sacrifices it is necessarie that Christ haue some oblation or sacrifyce to offer the whyche oblation or sacrifice was prefigured also by the oblation of Melchisedech syth he is a preest after that order And for as muche as ther is none other oblacyon where in he answereth vnto the sacrifice of Melchisedech saue only the sacrifice of his bodye blood in the forme of bread wyne the which is the venerable sacrameÌt TheÌ it foloweth ryght wel that the offryng of Melchisedech was a very euident fygure of the holy sacrament And where a subtyl a craftie Caphernaite myght iudge thys argumeÌt to be of no force or strength bycause he wyl thinke that I haue reasoned vpon a false grounde For where I sayde that ther was none other sacrifyce that answered to the fyguratyue sacryfice of Melchisedech Leui. 16. Hebre. 10. saue only the sacrifice of Christes body and blood in the formes of breade and wyne This wyl he say is very false For the bodie blood of Christ whych was the ende of al figuratyue sacryfyces offered vpon the crosse by death passioÌ were prefygured were the veritie of the tipical oblacioÌ of Melchisedech But to this I answere playnly saye the Christ in the oblatioÌ made vpoÌ the crosse by the effusion of his precious blood fulfylled rather the bloodie sacryfices of the olde law whyche were the effusyoÌ of beastes blood in the crewel slaughter of calues gootes offered vp yerely in the feast of expiacyon was very euidently pÌfygured Christes sacrifice vpoÌ the crosse and that moche more playnly then cold the offrynge of bread wyne by Melchisedech And thus there is no more reasoÌ why Christ by thys sacryfice shuld be called a preest accordyng to the order of Melchisedech then after the order of Aaron Yeas certaynly wyll he saye for saiÌt Paule sheweth reasoÌ why For in that he was kynge of saleÌ that is to say of peace he figured Christ Hebre. 8. our onely peace maker Again like as melchisedech had neyther father neyther mother begynnyng neither endyng expressed in scripture is likened as saint Paule sayth vnto the sone of god which remayneth for euer EueÌ so Christ as concernyng his godhed hath no begynnyng neither endyng but remayneth for euer For these causes sayth he he was called a preest after the order of melchisedech But I beseche the diligeÌt reader expeÌd way wel the wordes of Dauid whervpoÌ the dysputacioÌ of saynt Paule is grouÌded ther by thou shalt êceaue that the simylitude comparisioÌ betwene Melchisedech and Christ as betwene the fygure the veritie lyeth not onelye in these poyntes that Melchisedech was kynge of Salem and had no begynnyng neyther endynge and so semeth to be euerlastynge for Melchisedech fygured Chryste not only in that he was kynge of salem that is to say of peace and in that he was eternall but he fygured also the preesthode of Christe And this maye playnly apere by the wordes of Dauid For he sayde not onely Thou art euerlastynge or eternal accordyng vnto the order of Melchisedech but he sayde Thou art a Preeste for euer accordyng vnto the order of melchisedech The appostle Paule in that place in tendeth to proue the cessacion and necessarye translation bothe of the lawe of the leuity call presthod in to the newe euaÌgelycal perpetual preesthod accordyng to the order of melchistedech Certaynly it appertayneth nothing vnto the presthode of Melchisedech to be kinge of Salem ether to haue neither father or mother neyther begynnynge neyther endyng For it folowyth not By cause the Melchisedech was king
the breade that he wolde gyue shulde be he hys fleshe For playnlye in these wordes Christe made a promyse of hys blessed bodye to be eaten as breade in the holye sacrament The whyche promyse the Euangelistes S. Mathew S. Marke s Luke sheweth how it was êformed at the latter supper of Christ And thus doth the one place of scripture open thother Vnto thys sence vnderstanding of this place of S. Ioh. all the auÌcient wryters subscribeth coÌcordaÌtly as I haue sayd vnderstaÌdyng it of the corporal eatynge of the body of Christ in the holy sacrament For yf we shuld vnderstaÌd it We must not vnderstande the promyse of Christ to be meÌt only of i. Cor. x. the spirituall eatynge of hys fleshe in the sacrament only of the spiritual eatyng of the body of Christ by faythe then had Christe made vnto vs christanes no greater êmyse theÌ Moyses made vnto the Iewes wheÌ he êmysed theÌ Manna For they dyde eate in MaÌna the body of christ spiritually by fayth as saynt Paule recordeth â¿ All they did eate sayth he the same meat c. To what purpose shuld theÌ christ pÌferre the bread that he êmised to geue aboue the bread that Moises gaue vnto theÌ syth the Iewes in Manna dyd eate the bodye of Christ as wel as we and we no more theÌ they as coÌcerning the spiritual eatyng It aperith theÌ by these pÌmisses the christ speaketh in this chapiter of the eating of his fleshe body corporally in the sacrament WhoÌ they shuld eat not only spiritually in fayth but verely really euen as his fleshe is there that very same that shuld be geueÌ for the life of the world For so he êmised to geue it vnto vs to be eaten The which êmise he hath êformed as thre of the EuaÌgelistes with S. Paule recordeth And that the thing maye apere clerely I wyl recyte the narrations of the EuaÌgelistê therby we shall êceyue how plaiÌly opeÌly they affirme this êmis of christ to be accoÌplished Thus the euaÌgelist S. Math. declareth the mater â¿ As they were saith he at supê Iesê° toke the bread wheÌ he had geueÌ thaÌkes he brake it gaue it vnto his disciples and sayd Math. 26. This is my body And taking the cuppe he gaue thaÌkes and gaue it vnto them sayde Drynke you all therof This is my blood of the new testameÌt that shal be shede for the remyssion of synnes What more plaine more euident wordes can there be spoken to signifye and declare the presens of his blessed bodye and blood in the holy sacrament He could not spake more playnly in so fewe wordes Saynt Marke also with as playne wordes concordantly settith forth the same verytie Mar. 14. Reade good crystiane and marke howe agreably and concordantly the narracions and histories of these euangelistes agreyth are corespoÌdent vnto the promises that Christe made in the syxte of saynt Iohn Where he êmysed as thou hast harde that the bread that he wolde geue was his fleshe or bodye And here he sayth vnto his dysciples when he had taken breade and blessed it Take and eate this is my bodye As who wolde say This is the bread that I promysed when I sayde The breade that I wyl geue it is my fleshe for the lyfe of the worlde And agayne My fleshe verely is meate and my bloode verely is drynke This he promysed before And nowe in fact and dede takynge breade geuing thaÌkê he geueth it to his discyples sayth This is my body Here he geuith theÌ his fleshe as meate And takyng the cuppe he geuyth it theÌ sayng This is my bloode here he gaue also his blod as drinke Doth not this facte dede of Christ Luce. 21. playnly accomplishe the promise of Christ And on the other syde doth not the êmysse of Christ when he sayd The bread that I wyll geue it is my fleshe ratifye these wordes of Christe Take eate this is my body Yes plaiÌly What neade we then to seke any other sence or vnderstaÌding of these places of scripture sith that the one so plainly openyth declareth thother The euaÌgelist saint Luke coÌfirmeth the testimonyes of saynt Mathew Marke in this wise And he toke the bread gaue thaÌkê brake it and gaue it them sayde Luce. 22. This is my body which shal be geuen for you This perticle whiche shal be geuen for you was added for none other cause then to signyfie shew that the same body that he gaue vnto them shulde the same nyght be geuen for them into the handes of the Iewes vnto death And after he had supped he toke the cuppe in like maner and sayde This cuppe is the testament in my bloode whiche shal be shed for you Here we haue other wordes theÌ saint Mathwe or saint Marke had Yet certaiÌly all is but one meaniÌg and vnderstadyng For where they said This is my bloode of the new testameÌt and saynt luke saythe This cuppe is the newe testament in my blood Both he they sayth singnifieth That the same cuppe contaynith the very same bloode wherewith the newe testameÌt shuld be was the next day ratifyed and coÌfirmid And this was none other bloode but the moste pÌcious blood Exo. 24. Hebre. 9. of the innocent and immaculate lambe Christ For lyke as Moyses when he had read the commaundemeÌtes of the law vnto the people he toke the blode of calffes and gotes with water purpull wol ysope and sprynkled the boke and all the people sayng This is the blod of the testament whche God hath a poynted vnto you Athanasius in primaÌ ad Corinthios 10. Sanguis enun iste qui calice coÌtinetur ille est qui Christi latere êâlux it c. And so confirmed he the olde testament Euen so hath oure sauiour christ ratifyed and confirmed this the newe testament wyth his blood and the same blood that was shede vpon the aulter of the crosse and sprenkeled vpon vs to ratyfy the new testament that very same he gaue vnto his appostles at the supper Therfore the euangelystes saynt Mathewe and saynt Marke calleth it the bloode of the newe testamente And saynt Luke calleth it the new testameÌt Saynt Iohan the euangelyste Similia habet et Crisostomus who wrote last of the foure doth passe ouer and speaketh nothynge of thys oure lordes supper No meruel hereof For so doth he the moste thynges that any of the other euangelistes dothe speake of as thynges sufficientlye declared by them Therfore this thynge he touched not For it was sufficientlye declared before by the other thre euangelystes Now thynke I longe or I here the testimony of the appostle Paule in whoÌe christ spake And therfore in this mater he spake none other theÌ he receaued of our lorde This same holy apostle wrytyng vnto the Corinthians after that he had rebuked theyr vncharitable mysuse of oure Lordes supper declareth thys
kynge of hys very bloode in the blessed sacrament wherewyth he feadeth and norysheth vs. â¿ Yreneus that holy and auncient wryter recordeth also wyth vs in thys matter in hys fyft boke aduersus hereses where he speaketh very manifestly of thys oure incorporacyon vnto Christ by receuyng the sacrameÌt sayth The mengled cuppe the bread brokeÌ when they haue receyued the worde of God then be they made the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ Of the which body and bloode the substaunce of oure fleshe is augmented subsistent How can they deny that our fleshe is not partaker of the gyft of God which is eternall lyfe for as moche as oure fleshe is fedde wyth the bodye and bloode of Chryste and made the membre of hym euen as the appostle sayth in the epistle vnto the Ephesians We are the meÌbres of his bodye of hys fleshe of hys bones Se now good cristiane how this holy catholyke and verye auncient wryter playnly affirmeth wyth apostle Paule that our fleshe is fedde wyth the bodye and bloode of our sauiour Christe by that we are made the meÌbres of his bodye not spirituall membres onely but of hys fleshe and of hys bones Cyrel also shall recorde wyth vs whyche affirmeth the same wrytynge agaynst a certayne heretyke Cyrillus in Ioh. 15 vppon the .xv. of saynt Ioh. â¿ We do not denie saith he that we by trewe fayth syncere charitie are vnyted and knytte to Christ But that we haue no maner of coniunction wyth hym corporally that we vtterly denye and that sayinge is besydes and contrarye to all scripture For who euer doubted Christ to be in suche sorte the vyne tre that we be brauÌches which receiue lyfe thereby Herke euen the same of Paule We are all one bodye sayth he in Christe and though we be many yet in hym we are but one for we do êtake all one breade Dothe he thynke that we knowe not the power of the mysticall blessynge the whyche is done or receyued amonge vs Dothe it not cause Christe corporally to dwel in vs by the coÌmunion or coÌmen receauynge of Christes fleshe Wherfore els be the meÌbres of christen men the membres of Christe Knowe you not fayth he that out meÌbres be the membres of Christ shall I make then the membres of Christ the membres of an harlot God for byd Oure sauiour also sayth Ioh. 6. He that eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloode dwelleth in me in I him In eodem â¿ Thys is the wytnes of Cyril Wherein you here playnely how that he sydes the spirituall coniunction of vs vnto Christ as his membres by fayth and by charyte there is a another vnyon by the whych Christ is ioyned and vnytyd vnto vs corporally and we are made here by the membres of hym corporally A similitude of ware where by Cyrill proueth the corporall coniunction of vs vnto the naturall bodye of Christe Crysosto in IoheÌn Home 46 And yet Cyrill sayth moreouer â¿ Wherfore we must consyder that Christ is not in vs spiritually onelye by charite But also he is in vs by a certayne naturall and corporall particypatyon For lyke as yf a man shulde take waxe and melt it and myngle the same wyth other waxe melted ther shulde be made but one ware of them bothe euen so by receauynge of the body and blod of christ he is in vs and we in him Vnto the same subscrybeth Crysostome vpoÌ IohnÌ â¿ After that he had sayd that we are one bodye wyth hym and the membres of hys bodye and of hys fleshe and of hys bones he layde the reason thereof by and by sayng By cause that we myght be conuerted and tourned not onely by loue into his flesh but in very dede that same is done brought to effecte by the meate whiche he hath geuen vnto vs. And by cause he wolde set forthe or declare vnto vs his iÌtyre loue He by his own body hath miÌgled him selfe with vs. â¿ How playne a thinge is thys to confyrme our sentence or sayng For he sayth that the meate that Chryst gaue vnto vs that is the body of Christe in the blessed sacrameÌt is that same where by he hath mengled hym selfe with vs And that same maketh vs one body corporally wyth hym Not onelye spiritually for that doth faythe and charitye cause but by this we are made membres of hys body and of hys bones Hereby this we are may perceiue that be sydes the spirituall coniuncyon whyche faythe and charytie causeth and therby maketh vs spirituall membres of hys mysticall body howe necessary it is to be knyt also vnto christ corperally by the eatyng of his body in the blessed sacrament Whereby we do not only participall Christ spiritually for so do we partake Christ as ofte as we with perfect faythe and charitie remembre the deathe of Christe But also we do partake Christes fleshe corporally and verely we be come the membres of hys bodye and be of hys fleshe and of hys bones And in thys poynte we are in better state and in more blessed coÌdytyon then were the people vnder the former lawes eather of nature eyther of Moyses Thoughe the fayth full and holy amonge them were in graffed and knyt vnto Christes mystycall bodye as all other are that retayneth perfect faythe and charytye wythout receyuyng of the sacrament yet none of them dyd partake the very fleshe and bloode of Christe For as yet the eternall and omnipotent worde was not in fleshe But bycause these faythefull people beleued that thys fleshe shulde come and be theyr redemptyon by there faythe they receaued and dyd spiritually eate thys fleshe and where thereby partakers of the merytes thereof and so counyted and knyt vnto Christes mysticall bodye as membres spirituall thereof Christ had a mysticall bodye before that he toke vpon hym oure nature and he hathe now also by hys incarnatyon a naturall bodye And nowe he hathe two bodyes a spirituall body or a mystycall body also a natural body It was sufficieÌt to saluacioÌ befor his death passioÌ by fayth charite to apêtaine to be knyt vnto his mystycal body so to partake hys merytes But nowe out sauiour Christe sayth vnto all of sufficient age and discretion hauynge no impediment Ioh. 6. â¿ Except that you eate my fleshe drynke my bloode you can haue no lyfe in you So that nowe we muste be connexed and ioyned not onely vnto hys spirituall mysticall bodye but also vnto hys naturall body by the corporall receyuynge and eatynge of the same fleshe and bloode There in as I haue sayde standeth the great worthynes preferment and dygnitie of the table of Christe aboue the table of Moyses For Moyses set on his table onely the myraculous breade Manna the fygure of Christes bodye But Christ setteth before vs vpon hys table the reall and verye presens of hys natural bodye and bloode Theophi in IoheÌz Quomodo inquit noÌ
churche hath and doth retayne as concernynge thys article let this same vnderstande that the fayth of the auncient church is to be collected of the most auncient writers of eche tyme from the apostles vnto our tyme who wryt in maters of fayth vndoubtedlye accordynge vnto the catholyke fayth of the churche at theyr tyme. And all they wryt moost apertly and mooste playnlye with and for this article as it may appere here after TheÌ hath the church beleued and receyued thys article syth Christes tyme. TheÌ who that receyueth not thys article is separated and diuided from the church consequently as I haue sayd he is in ieoberdye of perpetuall perdition and dampnation Yet good christiane here thou arte to be admonysshed instructed where by thou mayste wyth more facilitie and ease and wythout perplexitie and doubte perceaue and more redely vnderstande these auctorities and saynges of these auncient wryters that thou shalte fynde and reade sondrye and dyuerse names geuen vnto the blessed sacrament yet shall thou not suspecte the vnifourme faythe and opynyoÌ of these cathholyke fathers to swerue eyther frome them selfes either from the church For thoughe they name it dyuersly yet they meane al one thynge The cause of so many and sondrye names and dystincte appellacyons of thys blessed sacrament is That lyke as saynt Dyonyse saythe God hath many names yet the great varyete of so manye names can not suffycyentlye expresse vnto vs the infynyte profundite of so greate a maiestye power wysdome goodnes beningnite and marcye in lyke maner the infynyte and ineffable ryches of the deuyne goodnes and the mooste precyous treasure of the innumerable graces contayned and hydden in thys blessed sacrament can not be sufficyentlye explycate and layde forthe vnto vs by one name therfore these holy and blessed fathers hauynge respect and consideratyon vnto dyuerse and sondrye thynges in this sacrameÌt they gaue it sondrye names And not bycause that they had dyuers beleffes or any other then the churche hath now as EcolaÌpadius falsly ascrybeth vnto them and more falslye vnderstandynge them he mooste falslye allegeth them to mayntayne and ratifye hys detestable blasphemous heresye The sacrameÌt is called aÌd coÌtayneth in verye dede the body and bloode of oure lorde â¿ Thys blessed sacrament is verye oftymes of the fathers called the bodye and bloode of our Lorde and thys haue not they inueÌted them selues but bycause that it verelye and really contayneth the bodye and blood of Christ And thys they haue receyued at the mouthe of Christe whyche sayd of the sacrament Thys is my bodye and this is my bloode and of saynt Paule who sayeth Who that eateth and drynketh of that breade and cuppe vnworthelye shal be gyltye of the bodye and blood of our Lorde And agayne He that eateth and drynketh vnworthelye eateth and drynketh hys owne iugement not puttynge difference or not decernynge the lordes bodye Thys sacrament is named breade 1. Cor. 10. et 11. The blessed sacrament is named also breade Saynt Paule in the fyrst epistle to the Corinthians so nameth it Not bycause that it is anye materiall or corporall breade For so doth not he name it Yf that he had named it bread wyth thys addition corporal or material or any suche lyke theÌ had he made somewhat for the sacrameÌtaries But saint Paule called it bread as our sauiour Christ dyd cal hym self whych sayd I am the bread of lyfe Ioh. 6. Also saynt Augustin and the fathers also do sometyme cal it bread not that whych passeth thorowe the belye as saynt Augustyne sayth but the super substaÌcyal Ciprianê° In sermone de cena Et sicut panis comunio queÌ quottidie edimus vita est corporis ita panis iste supersubstaÌtialis vita est aiÌe et sanitas mentis Cyprianê° in eodme the mysticall or celestiall breade suche additions the auncient wryters do ofteÌ tymes vse And saynt CipriaÌ sayth that Christe doth call the sacrament somtyme hys bodye sometyme hys fleshe and somtyme breade Therfore dothe saynt Cyprian hym selfe name it breade And in so namynge it both he and S. Paul wyth the other do obserue the maner of the scripture whych in suche mutations and chauÌges of thynges vseth to gyue vnto the thynge so changed the former name As for example The rod of Aaron wheÌ it was cast on the grouÌd chaunged in to a serpent the scripture calleth it a rod styl as it was called Exodi 4. by fore the miraculous mutacyon For the scripture sayth The rod of Aaron deuowted the roddes of Pharoes inchaÌuters In lyke phrase the wyne the Christ made of water is called water after that it was made wyne as we reade in the gospell of saynt IohnÌ After that Ioh. 2. the master of the feaste had tasted the water made or turned in to wyne Lyke as the rodd whyche was changed in to a serpent yet was called a rod styll And lyke as the water beyng changed by miracle in to wyne was called water Euen so the blessed sacrament where in of breade is made the blessed bodye of oure sauyour Christ is called styl bread though it be not now breade but the very reall body of Christ The blessed sacrameÌt is called also a sygne or a sacrameÌt of the body blood of Christ Not as the sacrameÌtaries sayth only or but a sygne of the body of Christ For the only a signe or but a sygne they can neuer reade neyther in the scripture neyther in any of the catholike wryters Therfore this only is a lye of theyr owne the calleth the holy sacrameÌt only a sygne Saynt AugusteÌ wyth many other doth frequent vse oft tyme to name the sacrameÌt a sygne or sacrament Yet they neuer name it only a sygne And vndoubtedly it is a moost sacrate blessed sacrament that is to say A sygne or a token of an holy thynge Thys blessed sacrameÌt godly reader hath too significations or it signifieth vnto vs too thingê The one is the verye body blod of our sauiour Christ which verely really is coÌtained iÌ the sacrameÌt For the blessed dody blood vnderneath the kyndes of bread wyne sinigfyeth and representyth vnto vs by those two dystynct kyndes of breade wyne the death passioÌ of Christ wher in the body hong vpon the crosse wan pale wtout blood the blood was by crewell effusion dyuided from the bodye of oure sauiour The body and blood of Christ vnder the shape or kynde of bread represeÌteth vnto vs the self same body as it hong dead vpoÌ the crosse froÌ whoÌ al yepÌcius blood was seuered diuided by mortal payne passion And the same body blood vnder the kynd or shape of wyne represeÌteth vnto vs the same very bloode as it was diuyded parted out of the blessed bodye in the tyme of his passioÌ Thus this blessed body and bloode of Christ vnder the kynde shape of breade lyfted vp ouer
goodnes as well of the whole body as of the hed Christe And heare vnto agreyth the artycle of oure fayth where in we saye and beleue the communion of sayntes Trewly thys commen partakynhe of the graces gyftes of God can not be better or more effectuously exibyted or geuen to vs then by the receauynge of thys blessed sacrament for by it we be incorporated vnto Christe from whom descendeth and commeth as from the welhed all grace and goodnes in to euery membre and that whyche is geuen vnto the membre dothe not a vayle and profyt onelye that member but it is for the profyt helpe of al the other meÌbres Therfore is this sacrament iustly called the commen partycipatyon for as moch as by it the members are knit to the hed eche vnto other wher by they all partake of the hed and eche of other â¿ Of some of the fathers this sacramente is named Eucharistia The sacrament is called Eusharistia whome Orygene agaynst Celsus dothe expond The good grace and playnly it may be called the good grace and that congruently for as moche as it dothe contayne in it selfe the plenitude and well of all grace that is Christe of whome IohnÌ wyttneshethe â¿ Full of grace and veritie and of hys plentyfullnes we all haue receyued â¿ Where deuout Bernard sayth we do receaue not one grace but we receaue all grace And some do interprete Eucharstia Thankefulnes or geuynge thankes and thys is not ilicoÌgruent For ther is no thynge that we haue a greater cause to geue thankes to God then for thys oure daylye and mooste necessarye celestiall foode Neather can we geue vnto God more acceptable thankes then by the frequent and of receyuynge of thys mooste blessed sacrament the blessed memoryall of Christes deathe and passyon The sacrament is called our Lordes foode or meate But amonge al other saynt Hyllary callyth it the meate of oure lorde or oure lordes foode and playnly he affyrmeth that we eate and receaue in this our Lordes fode the fleshe that is the sempiternall worde of God by the whyche meate he collecte the that we are made one wyth God the father for by eatynge of this meate we are sayth he incorporated and made one wyth Christe and Christe and the father be one therfore we beynge by this meat made one The sacrament is called our vytayll or waifaring meate wyth Chryste we must nedes be made one wyth the father Saynt augustyne in his second loke intituled of the uisitacyon of the sicke nameth it oure vitayll or wayfarynge meate bycause that this blessed vytayll geueth incomparable strenghe vnto vs trauelynge in the tedious iornaye of thys myserable lyfe and helpeth vs vnto a mooste perfeete and fortunable consummatyon and end of so werye a iornye Wherefore this is the consell of saynt Augustine O my sone refuse not to receaue that heuenly supplement of oure Lordes bodye but rather mooste gredely and mooste ernestly speake for it and eate it mooste faythfully for it is meate incomparable meate inestable and it shal be to the thy vyatycall or wayfarynge vytall a meate mooste helthsome the pryce of thy redemptyon the monument or memorye of thy redemer Hetherto appertayneth The sacrament is called the banket or feast that Ierome calleth the blessed sacrameÌt the banket or feaste for thus wryttynge to Hedibian he sayeth Moyses gaue you not the verye or trewe breade from heauen but our lorde Iesus He is both the geaste and the feast he eateth and is eateÌ Thus saynt Ierome nameth thys mooste sacrate mysterye in the whyche he playnly sheweth that we do eate the heaueÌly delicates that is our very lord Iesus and there can be no meate more delitious more pleasant or more plentyful of suauitie and swetnes theÌ this is For yf Manna the shadowe of this heaueÌly meate had in it al delitiousnes and comprised in it selfe all maner of suauitie swetnes howe muche more hath the veritie it selfe whych is the well ââgrace and all goodnes suê aboundantlye all maner of delectable swetnes The sacrament is named the mysticall benedictioÌ â¿ Cyrill amonge the rest of the names peculiarly nameth it the mystical benediction or the spiritual blessynge bycause that Christe wyth his diuine benediction at hys supper iustituted the blessed sacrament And therfore also Paule doth call it the cuppe of benediction Vpon the whych place of Paul Crysostome wryting sayth It is no lytle or smale thing the Paul nameth it the benediction for when I name BenedictioÌ I name the good grace which is the sacrament and in namynge that I open all the treasure of the benignitie and goodnes of God And I also do remembre wyth the cuppe the great innumerable gyftes and benefites and what so euer that we haue receyued at the hande of God â¿ It may ryght wel be called the spirituall blessynge For vndoughtedlye God almyghtye dothe blesse the worthy receyuers hereof wyth all spirituall blessynge that is he replenysheth them wyth inestimable gyftes of hys grace and augmeÌteth the former vertues and graces wyl bringe them at the length vnto the blessynge of eternal lyfe For thys is the blessynge that Christe promysed the whyche Manna could not bring neather gyue the eaters therof For they that dyd eate thereof dyed in deserte but yf any eate of thys breade he shall not dye for euer Nowe gentle reader thou haste herde a parte of the inestimable treasure of grace that lyeth hydden in thys blessed sacrameÌt sygnifyed by these dyuers and sondrye names that these auncient and holy fathers gaue vnto this ineffable sacrament Yet of the varietie and dyuersitie of the names thou muste not iudge diuersitie of opinion as concerninge this sacrament amonge them but as I haue sayd they hauynge dyuers respectes considerations gaue accordynge to theyr considerations to thys blessed sacrament dyuers names And thus they meanynyge one thynge and beleuyng vnyformely one thynge in expressynge theyr fayth in that one thynge vsed dyuerse names And certaynly that one thynge that they beleued of this sacrament was none other then that the catholyke fayth of the churche whyche in theyr tyme and sythe hathe and dothe yet beleue that is the reall presens of the naturall boodye and bloode of Christe in the blessed sacrament as shall apere mooste euydently by the testymonyes of the sayd auctient and holy wryters that I shall recyte here foloynge to the numbre of .xxiiij. he the wryt lateast of them lyued not this .vi. C. yeare These haue I broughte in for wytnes wyth me not by cause that theyr were no me wryters in all the other tyme of these .vi. hundered yeare syth but by cause that I haue not seen theyr workes and they are not so commenly had as these are whose workes I haue named I lefte oute also all the wrytters that hathe bene in the church this .vi. hundred yere bycause that they be so well knowen and be so many of them that I myghte be
agaynst the Arrians agreyth fully with this catholike veritie Hyllarius in lib. 8. de Trinitate and sayth in the eyght boke of the Trinitie We maye not speake or coÌmon in the matters of God after the manlyke or worldly maner Neather ought there peruersitie eather vnhoneste preachyng to be extorted by violence vnto a wycked and vngodly intelligence or vnderstandynge out of the helthesome celestiall saynges let vs reade the scriptures but let vs vnderstande those that we reade Then shal we do the offyce of a perfect christiane For as concernynge the naturall veritie of Christe in vs the thing that we hereof do lerne excepte we learne of hym we both folyshely and wyckedly do learne For he hym selfe saythe My fleshe verely is meat and my blood is verely drinke he that eateth my flesh drynkyth my blood dwelleth in me and I in hym As coÌcernyng then the verite of the fleshe and bloode of Christe there is no place lefte to doubte at For nowe bothe by the wordes of oure lord hym selfe and also by oure faythe it is very fleshe and bloode And these receaued and dronken dothe cause that we be in Christ and that Christe is in vs. â¿ What can be more euidently and manyfestly spoken then these wordes â¿ Saynt Basyll who not onelye Basilius in regulis monachotum lede hym selfe a monastical and Godly lyfe but also he taught a certayne trade of suche sorte of lyfe in that boke where he entreateth of the ââules of monastycall lyfe he is demaunded of hys brethreÌ Wyth what maner of feare fayth affectyon the grace of the body and bloode of Christe ought to be receaued Verey sayth he the apostle saynt Paule teacheth vs wyth what feare saynge He that eateth and drynketh vnworthely he eatheth and drynketh his owne iudgement or condempnacyon not puttyng dyfferens betwene the body of oure lorde and other coÌmon meates But the wordes of our sauiour Christ teacheth vs fayth whyche sayth Thys is my bodye the whych is geuen for many do thys in the remembrans of me â¿ Thys is the fayth that faynt Basyll wolde that hys brethren shulde retayne as concernyng the blessed sacrament â¿ Gregory Nysene the brother of saynt Basyll who for his excellente learnynge and Godlynes was called the deuine Intreatynge the lyfe moysaycall mystically or spiritually he geueth consel that we shuld receaue with a pure and cleane mynde the celestyall breade whome sayth he no sowynge nor tyllage hath brought forthe but it is breade whych is prepared for vs wtoute tyllage and wythout any helpe of man Thys is founde flowynge froÌ aboue vpoÌ the earth For the bread that came from heuen the which is very meate whyche is fygured also by thys hystore of Manna is no spirituall or vncorporall thyng For how can an vncorporall thynge be come meate and the thynge whyche is not vncorporall muste nedes he a very body And surely the breade of hys bodye neyther plowynge neyther tyllyng nether housbandmanes worke hath brought this forth But an earthe remainyng vndefyled yet was the earthful of this bread with the which the huÌgry that knoweth the misteriê° birth of a dgin maye sone be satysfyed â¿ These wordes of thys dyuine doctor were playnly ment of the sacrameÌt as it may appere in the êcesse of the same that he ther entreated Ambrosiê° in primam Pauli Ep stola ad Corinthios â¿ Saynt Ambrose wrytynge vpoÌ the fyrst epystle of saint Paul vnto the Corinthyans the .xi. chapitre saythe For bycause that we are redemed with the death of our lorde wee beare in remeÌbrans the same thyng in eatyng drynkinge the fleshe blood the whych he offered vp for vs And we do singnifie the death of oure lord Christ in these thynges obtayning now the new testameÌt the which is the new law that briÌgeth vnto heueÌ euery one that cruely is obedient to it Here apertely saynt Ambrose affirmyth the verytie of the body blood of Christ in the blessed sacrameÌt sayth that we do eate drynke the fleshe blood of christ And in many other places he writeth as openly as he doth here Ieronimê° in epistolaÌ Pauli ad Titum specially in his boke of the sacrameÌtes â¿ Also S. Ierom in his coÌmeÌtareis vpoÌ the epistle at TituÌ shewiÌg the vertues that beloÌgeth vnto a byshoppe sayth in this maner Yf it be coÌmauÌded vnto the laymen that they abstaine froÌ theyr wylies for praiers sake what shuld we suppose of the byshop which for his own synnes for the synnes of the people must offer vnto God vndefyled hoostes let vs reade the bokes of the kyngê we shall fynde the abymelech ther wold not geue vnto Dauid hys seruauÌtes that shewe breade before that he had knoweÌ whether they were cleane froÌ womeÌs coÌpany or no. Not of harlotes but of their one wiues And vntyl that he had knoweÌ certainly that they had abstayned froÌ the marytall copulation he wolde not grauÌt theÌ the bread which he denied theÌ before Ther is as moch dyfferens betwene the shew bread of the teÌple the body of christe as is betwene the shadow the bodye the ymage the veritie the exaÌples or figures of the thingê to come the thingê whiche by these exaÌples were prefigured And as for mekenes pacieÌs sobryetie softenes abstynens frome monye hospitalitie also benignitie shulde chefely be in a byshop and shulde excell in hym aboue all the laytie Euen so pure chastitie as I myght saye a preestly shamefastnes shuld be in hiÌ That he shuld not only abstaine hiÌ self froÌ the vncleane dede but also his miÌde which shal coÌsecrat the body of christ shuld be fre froÌ the casting of his eye error of euyl cogitacion This testimonye of saynt Ierome is so playne that it neadeth no monytyon Crisostomus in homilia de Iude tradiâione â¿ Crysostome wryteth in thys sort in the homelie of the treason of Iudas Speake Iudas sayth he whome dyddest thou sel for thyrty pences Thys is the bloode of whome thou dyddest bargayne euen nowe wyth the pharisees O the mercye of Christe O the madnes of Iudas He was at a poynt to sel him for thyrty pences and Christ offered vnto him the bodye whych he had solde that he moght haue remission of synnes And after a fewe wordes Crisostome sayth agayne And nowe is he here present that adorned that table and the same dothe also consecrate this table For it is not man that of the thynges set before the on the consecrate table of God maketh the bodye and the bloode of Christe but he whych was crucifyed for vs Christe The wordes are spoken by the mouthe of the preest and the thinges set forth before vs are consecrated by the grace of the power of God This is sayeth he my bodye And lyke as the voyce the whyche sayde encrease and multiplye spoken ones yet it taketh effecte at al tymes in generation
no bone brokeÌ therof â¿ Cassiodorus sayth vpoÌ this text Cassiodorus iÌ psalmum 110. of the psalme Thou art a preest for euer accordyng to the order of melchisedech Thys thyng sayth he doth the êphete tell that the father hath êmised to his soÌne For vnto whom can this be truely plainly applyed sauyng only vnto our Lorde sauiour The whych moste helthsomly hath coÌsecrated hys bodye bloode in the gyfte or erogation of breade wyne Euen as he in the gospel sayth Except that you eate the fleshe of the sonne of man drynke his blood ye can haue no lyfe in you But in thys fleshe and in thys bloode lette not mannes mynde ymagyne any thynge crewell or corruptible Leste as the apostle saythe he that eateth the body of our Lorde vnworthely he eateth drinketh it to his iudgement But let the mynde of man thynke ymagyne vnderstaÌd the same substance that gyueth lyfe and helthe That same I saye whych is made the verye body êpre substaÌce of the word eternall by the whyche both remission of synne and the gyfte of eternall lyfe are gyueÌ â¿ Thys blessed father Cassiodor sayth that we shuld not thynke or ymagyne in the sacrament to beholde see the cruel or mortall bloode or bodye in theyr owne shape fashion but we must vnderstaÌde sayth he the helthsome substance that gyueth lyfe the substance whych is Christes substaÌce the whyche gyueth lyfe remission of synnes eternal lyfe â¿ It can not be the substaÌce of bread that can gyue remission of synnes But the substaÌce of Christe Fulgentiê° ad Monimum that dyed for the synnes of the world â¿ FulgeÌtius answeryng vnto a question as concernyng the sacrifice of the bodye bloode of Christe that one Monimus a frende of his demauÌded whether it were offered onely to the father or no. Vnto hym thus he sayd amonge muche more matter Thys same I saye spiritual edification can not be asked better or more oportunely theÌ wheÌ in the sacrament of the breade cuppe the very body blood of Christ is offered vp of his bodye the churche For the cuppe that we drynke of it is the coÌmunion of Christes bloode the breade that we breake it is the coÌmunion of Christes bodye â¿ Here expressely sayth Fulgentius that the body blood of Christe is offered in the sacrameÌt â¿ S. Gregory Gregoriê° primo dea logoruÌ lib capi 58. in hys fyrst boke of hys dialoges the .lviii. chap. wryteth in this sort We ought with al our hert to coÌteÌpne this pÌsent world for bycause we may êceaue that it wasteth and to offer dayly vnto God sacrifices of teares and to offer dayly hoostes of hys fleshe and blood For thys is the sin guler and speciall oblation that saueth the soule froÌ death eternal The which oblatioÌ representeth vnto vs in a mysterye the death of the onely begotten sonne of God For though he rysynge from death dyeth nomore and death hath no more dominion ouer hym is immortaly and vncorruptibly lyuynge in hym selfe Yet in the mystery of that holy sacrifice he is offred vp for vs for there is hys body receaued there is his fleshe diuided for the helth of the people there hys bloode is distributed powred not into the handes of infydells but into the mouthe of the faythefull â¿ Se deuout reader howe expressly he sheweth that Christe remaynynge immortall and impassible in him selfe yet he is in the blessed sacrament really receaued of the faythful Cedulius presbiter in carmini bus â¿ Sedulyus the preeste in hys verses of the deuyne maruayles saith Our lorde sayth he geuynge bread vnto Iudas dyd knowe afore hande hys dysceatful mynd bewrayed his treason by geuynge hym bread which lorde was the breade hym selfe after that he had stablyshed that two gyftes of his body blod he gaue there vnto his dyscyples the meat and drynke whereby the faythful and cleane soules Beda in Lucam lib. 6. shuld neuer thurst ether hunger hereafter â¿ Beda in his syxt boke vpoÌ S. Luke writeth thus where it shuld moue any wyth doubth for asmoche as Christe gaue hys body and blood vnto his discyples when they had supped why we shulde be taught by the costome of the vniuersall churche to receaue the same sacrament fastynge Let the same perceaue in few wordes The appostles therfore dyd receaue it wheÌ they had supped for it was necessary the figuratyue passeouer to take an ende to be consumed so to approche vnto the sacrament of the veritie of the trew passeouer It hathe pleased the maysters of the churche in the honour of so great terrible a sacrameÌt that we shuld fyrst be strengthed with the partitipacion of oure lordes passion bothe inwardely and outwardely to be saÌctified with the goostly spirituall meates and theÌ the hungrie body to be refreshed with the vyle earthely meates â¿ Haymo also vpoÌ the epistle to the CorinthiaÌs wryteth in this sort Hâymo in Paulum Hic virit ciriter annum dnÌi 832. As the fleshe of Christe the which he receaued in the wombe virginyall is his very body slayne for our saluacyon euenso the breade whych Christ gaue vnto his disciples to al that be elected to the euerlasting lyfe the which also the preestes dayly do coÌsecrate in the church by the mighte power of the diuinitie the which diuinitie repleteth the same breade is the very body of Christ Neither are the body that he toke in the woÌbe virginial and this bread two bodyes but they make but one very body of Christ In so much that when it is broken and eaten theÌ is Christ offered a sacrifice eateÌ yet he remayneth whole alyue And lyke as the bodye put vpon the crosse was offered vp for our redeÌption euen so dayly for our helth is offered vp thys breade the which though it seme bread yet is it not bread but the body of Christ For our lorde redemer helpinge our frayltie bycause he knewe how frayle we are toward synne he hath gyueÌ vnto vs thys sacrameÌt that where he can not suffer death dayly we dayly do offende we myght haue a very true sacrifice wherby we might haue expiacioÌ be purged And therfore bycause the same whyche was offered on the crosse thys in the sacrameÌt make but one body are offered vp for our redeÌptioÌ he sayd This is my body that shal be gyuen for you These wordes of Haymo are so plaine that anye maÌ may right sone perceaue what thys blessed father beleued of this blessed sacrameÌt whose auctoritie is not to be suspected syth it is .vii huÌdreth yere agone syth he wryte And yet syth his tyme there hath also many both godly excelleÌt learned meÌ writen As Theodore the gretian the scole maister of bede Alcuinus scole maister to Charles the great S. Bernard Rupert Hugh desctoÌ Victore with a great nuÌbre mo whoÌ to