conuinceth maÌ„nes 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 wysedoÌ„e 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 euideÌ„t to be dowbted of But they were wrought writteÌ„ to declare set forth the possibilitie verite of al thiÌ„ges that the word of god teacheth vs to beleue As for exaÌ„ple Exodi 4. Ait MoydnÌ„o Non credent mihi neque audieÌ„t vocem meaz sed dicent non appa ruit tibi dnÌ„o Dixit ergo ad â—nÌ„ Quid est ê™ tenes in manu tua Respondit Virga Dixit dnÌ„s Proiâ—ce iÌ„ terraÌ„ Pro iecit c. Vt credaÌ„t ê™ apparu it tibi dnÌ„s deus tuus c. Ioh. 10. Et si mihi non vultis credere operibê° credite vt cognoscatis c. The woÌ„derful 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 ê“phetes 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 sacrameÌ„t 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 obedieÌ„t 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 coÌ„men 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 vnderstaÌ„de 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 condeÌ„pned 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 demonstratioÌ„s and experimeÌ„tes of the oiÌ„potent 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
apparet nobis cato sed panis Vt noÌ„ abhorreamê° ab eius esu Nam si qÌ„ dem caro apparuisset insuauiter affecti essemus erga coÌ„â—onem NuÌ„c autem condescendeÌ„te dnÌ„o nrÌ„e in firmitati Talis apparet nobis mistiens tibus quali alioqui assue ti sumus in the shape and forme of breade and wyne condesceÌ„dyng herein as Theophilact sayeth vnto our infirmitie and the custome of our nature the whych delyteth in breade as in the conuenient and customed foode abhorreth rawe fleshe and bloode as a token of no table cruelnes vncustomed vnto oure maner of fedynge Therfore this necessarye foode to our soule of his blessed fleshe and bloode Christe hath vouchesafe to gyue vnto vs not in theyr owne lykenesse and forme but in the forme lykenes of our cotidyane fode of bread and wyne And here by he moste gracyously mynystreth vnto vs the lyfe eternall of the whyche he sayde Except ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drynke his blood you can haue no lyfe in you For lyke as the earthely Adam our carnal parent in that we partake his synnefull and corrupte fleshe is cause and occasyon of death vnto vs. Euen so is the celestiall Adam Christe causse of lyfe in vs by that that we partake hys blessed bodye and fleshe For loke as Eue was formed of the fleshe of Adam euen so are wee that are the uery church of Christ by eatyng of his fleshe in the blessed sacrament made of his fleshe and membres of hys bodye And thus of two of the church christe is made one body and fleshe as I haue sayde Ephese 5. The whiche wordes though they be wryten of the fyrst Adam and Eue. Yet in thys place of thys hys epistle saynte Paule allegeth and applyethe them vnto Christ and the churche for as sone as he had spoken these wordes vnto the Ephesians And thus of two persons is made but one fleshe he putteth therto these wordes Thys is saythe he a greate mysterye I speake or meane it in Christe and the churche Howe the Churche and Christe be come one fleshe Ephe. 5. is not to be vnderstanded by the incarnatyon For Christe by his incarnatyon receaued fleshe of vs and not we of hym as Eue dyd of adam For we must vnderstande that he is the heuenly Adam and we his church are the spirituall Eue. As Adam and Eue were of one fleshe bycause that Eue was formed oute of the body of Adam and not Adam formed of the fleshe of Eue Euen so Christ and the church be come one fleshe by cause that Eue that is the church taketh fleshe of Christ that heuenly Adame And therfore S. Paule referreth thys mystery of the coniuntion of Adam and Eue not vnto the incarnatyon of Christe whereby he toke fleshe of vs. But referreth it vnto the eatynge and communion of the blessed sacrament wherein Christ geueth his fleshe and he norysheth vs and feadeth vs with it and so we take fleshe of hym Suche is the most gracyous and mercyfull restitutyon that God hathe made for vs vnto lyfe thorowe oure Lorde Iesus Christe that where as Adam by eatynge of the forbedden frute of the tree hathe procured and mynystred deathe vnto all hys posterytie Euen so as Ruperte saythe it was verye congruente Rupertus that by the eatynge of the frute of another tree lyfe myghte be procured and mynistred agayne vnto the posteritie of AdaÌ„ Certaynly there is none other frute that mynystreth restoreth lyfe agayne vnto the posteritie of Adam but onely the frute that hoÌ„ge on the tree of the crosse which is Iesus Christe the blessed frute of the immaculate wombe of Marye This frute muste be eaten corporallye for Adam dyd eate corporally of the frute that brought death vnto vs so of coÌ„grueÌ„ce we must eat corporally this frute that rendereth and restoreth agayne lyfe Not onelye the lyfe of grace whereby the soule of man lyueth and is strengthed to godwardes in this present mortalitie and moste myserable lyfe But also it mynistreth vnto vs Cyrillus in IoheÌ„z Dedit vobis Moyses maÌ„na sed qui comederunt russum esu riâ—tuÌ„t produrit copiosa de lapide flumina sed qui bibebant russus sitlebant the lyfe eternall bothe of body and soule as Christ saythe He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloode hathe eternal lyfe and I wyll rayse hym vppe at the latter day By eating and dryngking this bodye and bloode the celestyall Adam Iesus worketh in vs eternall lyfe vnto oure soules and at the latter daye he wyll worke and brynge euerlastyng lyfe vnto the bodyes also That as we haue eaten that blessed frute in soule by syncere faythe perfecte hope and charite and in body by the corporal receite of that blessed fleshe Quid ergo rpÌ„s policetur Quid credentibus adferi Corruptibile certe nihil sed benedictionem quaÌ„ coÌ„municatione corporis et saÌ„guinie assequimur vnde ad cam incorruptioneÌ„ integre reducemur vt cibo et potu corporali noÌ„ indigeamê° Viuificat enim corpus Christi et ad in corruptionem sua participatione reducit c. Euen so shal it worke lyffe perpetuall as wel in the body as Cyrill sayth as in the soule That by thys Adame celestiall myght be no lesse restored then by the other Adam was loste The earthely Adam lost for vs lyfe both of body and soule And so hath the heuenly Adam rendered vnto vs lyfe of grace in thys present worlde And in the worlde to come the lyfe of perpetual glorye both of the body and soule The whyche he graunt vs that therein reygueth wyth the father and the holy gooste one God mooste gloryous now and for euer Amen ¶ Sit deo gratia ⧠HOC EST COR PVS MEVM Vbi supra ¶ Thys is my bodye THe catholyke veritie of the real presens of Christes body in the holy sacrameÌ„t taketh no lytle corroboratioÌ„ strengthe of the promisses that our sauiour Christe made vnto hys deare beloued spouse the churche which is as saynt Paule sayth ✿ The pyller and grounde of trenth 1. Tim. 3. ✿ The whyche promyses yf theybe infallible and trewe as vndoubtydly they be theÌ„ maye we iustelye collect thys for a moste assured veritie That oure Lorde and mayster Christe hath not suffered hys churche so many hundred yeres to erre so blyndlye in so weyghtye a matter of the fayth and to remayne so longe in so detestable blasphemy as to worship the creature in the steade of the maker and creator Yf the church of Christe hath not erred in that she beleueth the reall and verye presens of Christe in the sacrameÌ„t and therin worshyppeth verely Christ as the infallible promyses of Christe shall declare then are they abhominable and in tollerable that beleueth the contrarye The constant beleue infallible fayth of the churche is ratifyed by these promyses of Christe Fyrst Christe promysed that he wolde not leaue the
stormes and tempestes of heresyes that the dyuell hath araysed specially agaynst the blessed sacrament of th aulter as well by the vehemeÌ„t stormes of pestilent bokes as also by the venemous wyndes and blastes of secrete deuelyshe doctrines Wher â—â—e 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 sacrameÌ„t 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 ✿ 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 ✿ 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 huÌ„dred 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 faâ—th 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 coÌ„pyled 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 amoÌ„gest 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 sacrameÌ„t as a memorye of the crewell oblation made vpon the crosse vntyll that thou shalt come to iugemeÌ„t 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 repentauÌ„ce 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 waÌ„dering 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 stroÌ„gly 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
flowed out of Christes syde And therof are we partakers Therfore he calleth it also the cuppe of thankes geuynge For bycause that when we haue it in our handes with admiration and tremblynge feare of so ineffable gyfte we laude thanke hym that he hath shede hys bloode for vs to delyuer vs out of error hath not only shede his blood for vs but he hath made vs therof ê‘takers And therfore if thou desyrest blood sayeth Christ seke not the aulter of the slaughter of brute beastes But seke my aulter be springleth wyth my bloode ✿ Saynt Paule in this place rebuketh the CorinthiaÌ„s bycause they dyd participate or partake the ydoll offeringes that for religion and holynes the which could gyue no suche holynes vnto the eaters hereof as saiÌ„t Paule in the same place prouyth vnto them ✿ For there is no suche diuinitie sayth he in the ydolle as the heathen falsly supposeth but that whych is offered is offered vnto deuels who can coÌ„ferre no sanctimonie vnto the eaters of the ydoll offerynges Crisosto ibidem ✿ As yet Crysostome sayth when the Iewes in tyme paste were so weake and readye to seke by ydolatrye suche falfe religion and sanctimonye god permytted and ordeyned for the tyme the bloode of beastes and carnall sacrifices to be donne vnto hym But nowe he hath called vs not onelye from ydolatrye by the institucyon of the blessed sacrament But also from al carnal sacryfyces and blood of brute beastes vnto the communyon and partakynge of the bodye and blood of Christ Which as Crisostome sayth is a more admirable magnificeÌ„t sacrifice theÌ„ euer was the slaughter of beastes in the olde lawe And it is a more noble worthier exchaung permutacyon to call vs thus from the blood of beastes vnto the ê‘ticipacion of hys owne bloode TheÌ„ when he called the Iewes froÌ„ ydoll offerynges vnto the carnal sacrifices in slaughter of beastes For nowe as S. Paul sayth he hath takeÌ„ away Hebre. 10. the former vnê‘fecte legal sacrifices hath placed in ther rowme the new verye ê‘fecte sacrifice of hys bodye and bloode Playnly it were but a symple ê‘mutation exchaunge to cal vs froÌ„ ê‘takyng of the fleshe bloode of beastes vnto the ê‘takynge of a peace of bread of a cup of wyne And also yf there be nothyng in the sacrament theÌ„ bread wyne What nedeth Paul to make so much of the table cuppe of our Lord. For the table of maÌ„na in deserte was the table of god Yea if that in this our table of christ be set before vs no other delicates then bare bread wine theÌ„ may we say that the table of Moises in desert was a more noble costlier feaste a great deale theÌ„ is this Psal 77. Panem celi dedit eis PaneÌ„ angeloruÌ„ maÌ„ durauit homo For that was myraculus for maÌ„na came froÌ„ god by myracle mynistred by angels and therfore it is called angels foode it had the taiste of al swetnesse accordynge to euery good faythfull maÌ„s apetite Euery one had lyke and equall measure therof gathered he neuer so much or neuer so lytle And where it putrified on the other dayes in the weake yf it were reserued aboue a day yet on the sabboth daye it dyd not putrifye it was kept many yeres after dyde neuer putrifye Is not thys a muche more gorgious more noble banket then to feast vs with bare bread wine For as oure Caphernaites saythe there is nothyng done myraculously in the supper of our Lord. But bycause that they can brynge no euident nether playne scriptures as they requyre of vs to proue thys erroure therfore we as redely as sone denye it as they do affirme it Yet perhaps they wyll saye that in the supper of Christ is had the speciall memorie of Christes death and in that coÌ„memoration of Christes passioÌ„ we do ê‘ticipate or partake in fayth the body blode of Christe And in thys consystith the excellencie of the supper of Christe Euen so were also the other oblacioÌ„s of the mosaicall lawe the memory of the passion of Christe whom they in faythe loked for As the Manna put them in remembraunce of Christe the lyuelye breade The slaughter shedynge of the brutall blode put them in mynde of the effusioÌ„ of the blod of Christ whych shuld make ê‘fect expiacioÌ„ of sin And the pascal lambe slayne and eaten wyth his blod paynted vpon the postes of the dore warned them of the death of the innoceÌ„t laÌ„be Christ slayne for vs whose blood was paynted vpon the postes of the Crosse Playnly yf the sacrament be but a memoryall fygure of Christes deathe as the herytykes sayen then were the fygure of Moyses of the sheding offering of the blode of the pascal lambe moch more euident figure and apter sacrameÌ„t of Christes death then bread and wyne And as concernynge the spirituall eatynge participation of the bodye and blood of Christ by fayth in the sacrameÌ„t Yf that be al. There is no cause why that this sacrament shulde excell the other figures For who doubteth that the faythful fathers of the other testameÌ„t dyd receyue in fayth eueÌ„ as moch as we For S Paule wyttnesseth no lesse for them sayng ✿ They al eate of one spirituall meate they all dyd drynke of one spirituall drynke And were thus spiritually the partakers of the body bloode of Christe 1. Cor. 11. whome they beleued shulde be the very sacryfice for theyr sinnes Thus it apperith that the exchauÌ„ge of the olde sacramentes mosaical for the sacrameÌ„tes of the new testameÌ„t brought vnto vs no auayle neyther auauncemente consequentlye the institution of them by Christe was in vayne For he hath not permuted and chaunged for the better For as good and as profitable it had ben for vs to haue kepte the olde pascall lambe as to haue the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter excepte you wyl say that there is lesse charge to prouyde for a peace of bread theÌ„ to bye a whole laÌ„be God for byd that a Christen man shuld thinke that our sauiour Christ so wise and so louyng a lorde god shuld do any thyng frustrate and not rather for our great inestimable coÌ„modite But certaynly thys moste fortunable exchauÌ„g of the pascal laÌ„be for this blessed sacrameÌ„t was vnto vs an inestimable ê‘fite auauÌ„cemeÌ„t For as much as we haue not suche a sacrament whiche is onely the figure of the body of Christe but it contayneth really and verely the naturall body of Christe and therfore when this our sacrament is eaten worthely it doth incorporate vs not onely vnto the mystycall bodye of Christ by fayth but it doth also incorporate vs vnto the natural body of Christ In the same .x. chapter the holy appostle hath also these wordes We many sayth he are but one bread and one body euen as many as partake of one breade In these wordes the appostle sheweth that as
where nature is workyng Euen so thys voice Thys is my bodye was ones spoken yet at al tables or aulters of the churche of Christ vnto thys daye and shal vnto Christes commynge geue vnto thys sacrifice strength ✿ These wordes of Crisostome are to playne to be detorted or wreasted froÌ„ theyr true meaniÌ„g which is that when the wordes of Christe are duelye spoken by the preest at masse theÌ„ are the breade and wyne consecrated made the very bodye blood of Christe by the secret myght power of god so is Christes body blood really in the sacrament ✿ Saynt Augustine Augustinê° ad CresconicuÌ„ gramancum thought that he hath innumerable playne euident testimonies for this veritie yet amonge many I wyll recyte one or two Fyrst he sayth in his fyrst boke ad cresconicuÌ„ gramaticuÌ„ what shall we saye of the very bodye bloode of our lorde the onely sacrifice for oure helth For though that he hym selfe sayth Except that a man eate my fleshe drynke my bloode he shall haue no lyfe in him Yet dothe not the apostle Paule also teach that the same is pernitious and dedly vnto suche as misuseth it For the apostle Paule sayth Whosoeuer eateth the breade and drynketh of that cuppe of our lorde vnworthely he shal be gyltye of the bodye and bloode of our Lorde Agayne saynt Augustine ad Iulianum comiteÌ„ wryteth these wordes The mercye of our lord Iesu Christe delyuer vs from these thynges And he graunte or gyue vnto vs him selfe to be eateÌ„ which sayde I am the lyuely breade whych came from heauen And he that eatythe my fleshe and drynketh my blood hath eternall lyfe in him selfe But let euerye man examyne hym selfe accordyng vnto the precept of the apostle before that he receaue the bodye and bloode of our lorde Iesus Christe so let hym eate of that bread drinke of the cuppe For he that eatith the body blood of our lord vnworthelye he eateth and drynketh it vnto his owne iudgement makynge no differens of the bodye of our lorde For when we shall receaue hym we ought to haue recourse vnto confession and penans and to dyscusse curiously all oure actes and yf we perceaue mortall synnes in vs we ought speadely to make haste to washe them a waye by coÌ„fession and penans lest we lyke Iudas that traytor hyding the deuyll with in vs do perishe ✿ These are the wordê of S. Augustyne The which shewith verye playnely Cyrillus in IoheÌ„z what beleue he had as coÌ„cernyng the blessed sacrameÌ„t ✿ Cyrill the patriarche of Alexandria vpoÌ„ the syxt of IohnÌ„ wryteth very playnly for this veritie Whose wordê are these They can not be ê‘takers in holynes of the lyfe etÌ„nal which hath not receyued Iesus by the mistical benediction And againe he sayth Christ is not with his worde onely but also with his touching he araiseth vp the deade that he myght shew declare that his body coulde also rayse vp the deade Yf then by onely towchynge the corrupte are restored the dead araysed How shuld not we lyue or receaue lyfe which doth taste eate his fleshe For playnly he wyll reforme vnto hys immortalytie suche as be the ê‘takers of hym and after a few wordes he sayth For it must nedes come to passe that not onely the soule of man by the holy goost shuld assend vnto blessed lyfe but also that this rude terrenal body by lyke tast touchiÌ„g of lyke meate as it is it self sholde be brought vnto immortalytie Damascene in hys .iiii. boke of the catholike fayth in the .xiiii. Damascenus lib. 4. cap. 14. chapter sayth these wordes As coÌ„cernyng the veritye of the body bloode of Christe in the sacrament That body verely is ioyned vnto the diuinitie the which body he toke of the immaculate virgine And not that the body assumpted shold come downe from heauen But that the breade and wyne are traÌ„smuted and changed into the body blod of god Thou wylt aske the maner howe that maye be let it suffyce the to heare how that by the holy ghoste in a mooste Godlye vyrgyne he by hym selfe and in hym selfe receaued fleshe and wee can saye no more but that the worde of God is trew effectuous and omnipotent but the maner howe it is That is intractable or vnsearcheable Neyther can thys be redely tolde how breade by eatyng and wyne and water by drinking are chauÌ„ged naturally into the natural body of the eater and drynker and not into a nother body but into the very same bodye that the eater or drynker had before Euen so the purposed breade wyne and water by inuocation and commyng of the holy goost are chaunged supernaturally into the body and blood of Christ and there are not two bodyes but onely one and the very same IoheÌ„s Cassianê° collatione â—2 capi 12 ✿ IohnÌ„ Casiane hath these wordes in the .xxii. collation the .xii. chapiter Wyth so greate dilygens of humylytie we ought to kepe our hart that we kepe al waie this one thing stable coÌ„stantly in oure remembrans That we cannot attayne to so greate puritie and cleanes al though that by the great gyft of God we do al these thynges that I haue spoken of before Yet let vs Iudge our selues moche vnworthy to coÌ„municate or receaue that holye sacrate bodye For fyrst the maiestye of that heueÌ„ly Manna is so great that no man compassed abought with this claye and fleshe can worthely and condyngly receaue that meat but onely of the mere and benefycyall gyft of Godes grace Here in these wordes Cassian confesseth the maiestie of the celestiall Manna and the veryte of the bodye of Christe whome no man can receyue worthely Athanasi ad primaÌ„ Pauli ad Corin. but onely he that thynketh hym selfe vnworthy ✿ Athanasius vpoÌ„ the fyrst epistle vnto the Corinthians confyrmeth the veritye of the reall presens of Christes bodie and bloode in the sacrament For we sayth he hauyng that cuppe in our handes we geue thankes without doubte vnto hym that shed his bloode for vs and haue uoutchsaf to indew vs wyth ineffable gyftes He sayd not onelye that it is the partakyng but rather the communion bycause he wolde expresse some greater thyng That is the wonderful very nye coniuÌ„ction And this is the sence of that whych he spake Thys same blood whyche is contayned in the cuppe is the same that floued oute of the syde of Christ and when we receaue it we do partake it that is to say we be coÌ„nexed and knyt vnto Christ And the breade that we breake is it not the communion of the bodye of Christe That bodye whych our lorde dyd not suffer to be broken vpon the crosse for there was no bone broken of him that same for oure sake he suffereth nowe to be brokeÌ„ Athanasius in these wordes manyfestly sheweth that the blessed sacrameÌ„t brokeÌ„ for vs is the same bodye that honge on the crosse had
no bone brokeÌ„ therof ✿ 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 ê“phete tell that the father hath ê“mised to his soÌ„ne For vnto whom can this be truely plainly applyed sauyng only vnto our Lorde sauiour The whych moste helthsomly hath coÌ„secrated 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 vnderstaÌ„d the same substance that gyueth lyfe and helthe That same I saye whych is made the verye body ê“pre substaÌ„ce of the word eternall by the whyche both remission of synne and the gyfte of eternall lyfe are gyueÌ„ ✿ 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 vnderstaÌ„de sayth he the helthsome substance that gyueth lyfe the substance whych is Christes substaÌ„ce the whyche gyueth lyfe remission of synnes eternal lyfe ✿ It can not be the substaÌ„ce of bread that can gyue remission of synnes But the substaÌ„ce of Christe Fulgentiê° ad Monimum that dyed for the synnes of the world ✿ FulgeÌ„tius answeryng vnto a question as concernyng the sacrifice of the bodye bloode of Christe that one Monimus a frende of his demauÌ„ded 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 coÌ„munion of Christes bloode the breade that we breake it is the coÌ„munion of Christes bodye ✿ Here expressely sayth Fulgentius that the body blood of Christe is offered in the sacrameÌ„t ✿ 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 coÌ„teÌ„pne this pÌ„sent world for bycause we may ê‘ceaue 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 ✿ 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 ✿ 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 ✿ 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 sacrameÌ„t that we shuld fyrst be strengthed with the partitipacion of oure lordes passion bothe inwardely and outwardely to be saÌ„ctified with the goostly spirituall meates and theÌ„ the hungrie body to be refreshed with the vyle earthely meates ✿ Haymo also vpoÌ„ the epistle to the CorinthiaÌ„s wryteth in this sort Hâ—ymo in Paulum Hic virit ciriter annum dnÌ„i 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 coÌ„secrate 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 woÌ„be 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 redeÌ„ption 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 sacrameÌ„t 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 sacrameÌ„t make but one body are offered vp for our redeÌ„ptioÌ„ 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 sacrameÌ„t whose auctoritie is not to be suspected syth it is .vii huÌ„dreth yere agone syth he wryte And yet syth his tyme there hath also many both godly excelleÌ„t 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 nuÌ„bre mo whoÌ„ to
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 sacrameÌ„t 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 ✿ Also saynt Ierome vpon .xxvi. Ieronimê° super Matheum chapter of saynt Mathew sayth After that the fyguratyue Passeouer was coÌ„plete 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 argumeÌ„t is of no force neather streÌ„gth For though that by the sacrament is represented the bodye of Christe yet neuerthelesse the same verye bodye is there also present whych is represeÌ„ted 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 ✿ 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° âœ¿ 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 meÌ„bres ✿ 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 sacrameÌ„t 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 sacrameÌ„t receiued worketh not in them